Saturday, October 16, 2004
YEAR 1981 UNFOLDS....
January 20th from my journal: “Day 444.…the day the hostages were freed in Iran. I had to work but we kept up with the news all day and the process of getting them out. An Algerian plane carried them out of Iranian air space, they fueled in Greece and then on to Algiers. The TV camera’s finally caught up with them there and telecast their progress as they boarded an Air Force Med-Evac to fly them to Germany. To see their joy when boarding an American plane and the release of their emotions was heartwarming……we stayed up late to see them land in Germany. It is Inauguration Day but it took a back seat to the hostages getting out. Ronald Reagan was sworn in and Carter will fly to Germany to greet the hostages. He had worked so hard to get them out.”
The following Sunday, January 25, was Super Bowl Sunday. The Oakland Raiders won over the Philadelphia Eagles….
On February 1, John called to tell us he ran his marathon in 3-hours 15-minutes. It was windy and rainy but he finished just fine. This may be the first marathon he ran….I think it was across the causeway of Lake Pontchartrain. Later in the month, aunt Mary and aunt Sally came to visit mom and the three of them went to Arkansas to look up the place they lived at one time. It seems great-grandma Bouvier was an adventuress and moved to Arkansas one time. She loved it and talked grandma and grandpa Stricklett into moving down. Their stay was short lived and they soon moved back to Blair, Nebraska. Mom and her sisters wanted to find the old home place but it was so changed it was hard to distinguish. They enjoyed the trip and felt they were on or near the property so were satisfied with their efforts.
We made a trip to Shawnee to visit George and some old friends. Margaret Laricks came to visit us at George’s and we were sorry to learn she had bone-marrow cancer and was on chemo therapy. Margaret is the friend who lost her grandson in a freak accident and later that same year lost her husband. She was always a perky, upbeat woman and she was no different with her own health crisis. The cancer and treatment had been hard on her physical body but she was optimistic. It was the last time I saw Margaret.
We visited my old neighbors and friends, Gene and Rose Fowler. Rose was like a kid sister to me and we were very close. We lived across the street from each other for several years……and therefore it was easy to run back and forth to work on hobbies and projects and to enjoy “coffee time” together. When we were there this time, Janice, their daughter, had moved away from home so they were alone now. It was hard to believe the little girl I’d seen sprout up from a baby was all grown up and on her own now. Time has a way of fooling you into thinking everything stays the same when you’re away.
May rolled around and a friend told me of a strawberry patch where you could pick your own berries. I was delighted. We picked over an hour and had a crate and two quarts….the berries were unbelievably wonderful. What fun to pick your own and put them up. I put them up in freezer jam and some mashed up with sugar to use for strawberry shortcake. I ate so many my mouth got sore from the acid. I can still taste those wonderful berries…….
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
The following Sunday, January 25, was Super Bowl Sunday. The Oakland Raiders won over the Philadelphia Eagles….
On February 1, John called to tell us he ran his marathon in 3-hours 15-minutes. It was windy and rainy but he finished just fine. This may be the first marathon he ran….I think it was across the causeway of Lake Pontchartrain. Later in the month, aunt Mary and aunt Sally came to visit mom and the three of them went to Arkansas to look up the place they lived at one time. It seems great-grandma Bouvier was an adventuress and moved to Arkansas one time. She loved it and talked grandma and grandpa Stricklett into moving down. Their stay was short lived and they soon moved back to Blair, Nebraska. Mom and her sisters wanted to find the old home place but it was so changed it was hard to distinguish. They enjoyed the trip and felt they were on or near the property so were satisfied with their efforts.
We made a trip to Shawnee to visit George and some old friends. Margaret Laricks came to visit us at George’s and we were sorry to learn she had bone-marrow cancer and was on chemo therapy. Margaret is the friend who lost her grandson in a freak accident and later that same year lost her husband. She was always a perky, upbeat woman and she was no different with her own health crisis. The cancer and treatment had been hard on her physical body but she was optimistic. It was the last time I saw Margaret.
We visited my old neighbors and friends, Gene and Rose Fowler. Rose was like a kid sister to me and we were very close. We lived across the street from each other for several years……and therefore it was easy to run back and forth to work on hobbies and projects and to enjoy “coffee time” together. When we were there this time, Janice, their daughter, had moved away from home so they were alone now. It was hard to believe the little girl I’d seen sprout up from a baby was all grown up and on her own now. Time has a way of fooling you into thinking everything stays the same when you’re away.
May rolled around and a friend told me of a strawberry patch where you could pick your own berries. I was delighted. We picked over an hour and had a crate and two quarts….the berries were unbelievably wonderful. What fun to pick your own and put them up. I put them up in freezer jam and some mashed up with sugar to use for strawberry shortcake. I ate so many my mouth got sore from the acid. I can still taste those wonderful berries…….
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
