SWAN SONG (Maybe)

I always knew this day might come, I just did not know when. When I started this blog in October 2007, I knew nothing about blogs -- or how they were put together. I didn't know if I could do one, and even if I did, if anyone would read it! I've learned a lot in a year and a half about blogging, photography, videos, and my computer! Maybe that was the real purpose for my doing this. I enjoyed working on the biographical handbook for the 50th Class Reunion. Then I enjoyed the reunion itself, but it just wasn't long enough to visit with everyone. I thought a blog would be a good way to keep us all connected and share the camaraderie I felt with all of you who contributed to the handbook.

I have had a great time playing with this blog, but I have to admit how disappointed I've been that very few have appeared to have read the blog... and even fewer have contributed. There are 39 email addresses that this goes out to, and on a regular basis I hear from only a dozen or less. Even fewer contribute anything to put on the blog. I am extremely grateful for those of you who have continued to send me encouragement and praise. I would have been willing to try most anything you all had suggested you would like to see or read on what I liked to call "our" blog. Instead, I find it more and more difficult to put meaningful items here, and it seems to end up being more of my "personal" blog.

Thus, the photo of the swan with her "babies". Once this blog is finished, I intend to start a more personal one. I think my family and old friends read this one more than the classmates do, anyway. The babies represent my new endeavors in the future.

I have a couple of items to put here that may interest all of you. The first is from one of my faithful followers/contributors, JAMES HAYS. He wrote:

"After eight months of a partial restoration by Harold Stieber and myself, the critical gust load tolerance turned out to be one mph faster than this afternoon! Bounced around like a BB in a boxcar, but stayed controllable throughout test flight. Looking forward to several more hours of fun flying out of the bird"...JAMES

Now, if you are like me, most of you will not understand what on earth he is talking about...with the exception of the other pilots in the class like JERRY EOFF, BOB BURTON, and GLENN SMITH. However, you will all get a big kick out of seeing JAMES in his newly restored toy.

This is called a Pietenpol. And I have to say, it doesn't look too safe to me!! No offense, JAMES, I just never would have the nerve to go up in anything like this! That's why they invented "jets"!

I can't tell if that's a "V" for Victory, a peace sign, or if James is offering up some kind of prayer before taking off!

It is nice to see men of our age engaging in such good hobbies. Too many have given up "living" and seem just to sit by the television.

Here's a shot proving that this thing really can fly!

*****************************************************************************************************************

For some reason, JERRI (PIEL) STEEL and her husband, Sam, have not been getting the notices sent when there was a blog update. This is unfortunate, because I feel that JERRI would have been a good correspondent and would have contributed some really "good stuff"! Her husband recently sent me the following:

"This is the Rosemary that is closest to the house. JERRI is holding a tape measure across the plant to show the width. It is blooming and the bees are visiting it. The milk bottle on the ground below the tape is for the orphan Barbado lamb that we are raising on the bottle. The plant behind JERRI is a rose bush."

That is an incredible bush...and I would love to have that in my yard to cook with! I love chicken breasts cooked with rosemary! Your place is beautiful!

*******************************************************************************************************************

I have always believed that there is a Divine Order to things that happen in our lives. I just don't believe in coincidences. When I moved back to Ballinger in 2005, I could not give anyone a really good reason "why". I told myself I just wanted to live in a small town again, particularly one that held so many good memories. Having two of my best friends from high school living here seemed a good reason, too. I also thought it would be a cheaper place to live on my limited Social Security income. WRONG!

As February, 2007 rolled around and JAMES HAYS held a meeting to discuss the upcoming 50th Class Reunion, I began to see a purpose in my moving back here after all these years. I don't think I really knew what I was doing when I offered to attempt the handbook. I just felt compelled to do it. Same way with the blog. Until recently, that is.

I had a wonderful opportunity offered to me last fall by a dear friend and her husband. She and I go back almost 50 years, having met when my oldest and her two children were just wee ones. I met her right here in Ballinger, when I moved home after my divorce. Jane and Joe visited me last fall, and not long afterward, they called to tell me they wanted to buy a little house for me to live in where they live. It would be a long-term investment for them, and they will rent the house to me for the same low rent I pay here for a much smaller, older home.

The added bonus is that I will be only 45 minutes from my younger son and my two youngest grandchildren! Ballinger is so "off the beaten path", that it is not on the way to anywhere! One has to make a special trip to visit here. It's difficult, particularly for my daughter in Amarillo to visit, as the plane trip has to go via Dallas, layovers, etc. and she doesn't drive long distances alone. She gets road hypnosis.

I feel that once I move to the Austin area, I may see more of all three kids and their families. I'll be in the heart of the Hill Country... surrounded by wonderful lakes and things to do! Not to mention, I'll have the companionship of my dear friend and her husband. They are so energetic, positive, and enthusiastic about life. Lots of fun to be around and do things with. (She and I and her daughter and her friend from junior high school went on a cruise together a few years back! ) She and I have shared a lot of the same experiences and heartaches through the years. She's an example of a little plaque I used to hang that stated, "A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you just the same." And they don't ever seem to mind my not having a "partner". I don't feel like a fifth wheel around them. Of course, I may have to be careful that they do not try some "matchmaking"!

Like my compelling move to Ballinger, I have a feeling there is some kind of "mission" awaiting me at my next location!

At first, I thought I might continue the blog, as it really doesn't matter where I live, if folks are sending me things to place on it. However, that is not the case, and I won't be around to invite out-of-towners over, go to funerals, take pictures, etc. I would love to see this continue. Perhaps if someone out there feels they would like to take it over, maybe people will contribute to that "someone" who is better known. I have already deleted most of the personal items, like family photos, etc., and Google Blogger makes it easy for more than one person to author a blog. I can put your email address on and you can start when you're ready. Just let me know. I know there must be someone out there bored, who would like to do this!

I will be starting to pack and be pretty busy before long, as I will move the first part of June. If anyone has something special they would like to share with the class before I quit publishing, let me know. Otherwise, this will be the last blog post.

Before I close, this is what my house looked like Saturday night for Earth Hour. The kerosene lamp on the dining room table was my great-grandmother's. I read for about 45 minutes, then took a long soaking bath by candlelight. Later I heard that 4,000 cities participated in Earth Hour this year to help raise awareness about global warming and the need to diminish each of our footprints upon the earth. I hope some of you did, too. I know that JUNE HASH CURRY did!


I don't know how to say "goodbye" in Swan-speak, so I'll just say a heartfelt thanks to all of you who helped make this fun for me... you know who you are. You kept it alive this long!

May each of your lives be filled with all kinds of "good stuff"...

Love and peace,
Marilyn