Sadly, the Columbia Space Shuttle broke apart as it attempted re-entry the first day of February. We watched with great sadness as we saw pieces falling from it and listened to the conversation from the Space Center to the Shuttle. It was obvious from the beginning that something was wrong but we hoped it was reversible. As we all watched it streaked across the sky littering pieces as it went……until finally it fell to the ground in Texas. It was a very sad day.

Rocky was busy setting up the business. He was buying vehicles and had his driver’s lined up. The paper work was mostly done and a supervisor came around for an “on site inspection.” Just routine stuff to finish up the preliminary requirements.

We took Becky to Springfield for a check-up on her foot surgery. Dr. Bricker told her she could do anything she’s capable of now. If it felt OK it was fine and if it didn’t…stay off it. We took advantage of the day and did some shopping and had a nice lunch at Lambert’s….Becky’s treat.

Rocky sold the last of his farm near Neosho on the 13th and it was an emotional day. It was the last thing to go that tied him to the area. We met the buyers at the Abstract Office and signed the necessary papers…..we later met Rocky’s family at a restaurant for dinner. We had a good visit and then headed back home….our visits would be less frequent now that the farm was gone. Rocky was looking forward to having his own business and was optimistic about it.

We had quite a bit of snow this February and March and it was very cold at times. The news was full of war talk with Iraq and tensions were high. On the 19th of March we started bombing and CNN was being watched around the clock by everyone. By the 23rd we had our first casualties, MIA and prisoners….which were paraded in front of TV cameras to humiliate them.

Living through every war and conflict since WW11 the reporting is so strange to me now. Before, we didn’t get instant news at all. Ernie Pyle followed our boys all over the Pacific in WW11 and was killed near the end of the war. The stories he wrote and sent back for American publication were riveting and powerful. I remember Walter Winchell’s radio reporting and his opening sentence, “Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all our ships at sea……..” and Edward R. Murrow with his unmistakable voice over the radio.

The only visuals were the news reels at the movies once a week where we saw old clips of aircraft carriers and our planes flying off and landing…….or being under attack from the enemy planes. We saw the desert war across North Africa and the push into Italy…….finally the buildup and invasion of Europe. I could not imagine at that time it could ever be possible to watch a war as it was being fought. Now in this day and age we are right in the driver’s seat of the whole thing.

I know old people don’t make much sense to younger folks but they haven’t lived long enough to remember better times….sometimes too much information isn’t good. I don’t like to read or hear of every politician who goes astray and I don’t want to be bombarded with every journalist’s view on whatever president is in office at the time.

I have grown weary with parents killing their children and children killing their parents. I don’t like seeing men who molest children and their lying face stuck in front of the camera. I believe in free speech but I do think there are things it would be quite all right NOT to know. I was raised to forget the worst and remember the best……..I still think it’s a pretty good idea.

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther