Octogenarians

In this month 80 years ago my grandfather was born.  It was quite the time to be born, too.  The World's Fair in Chicago was going on and things were happening at an alarming rate. If you've read "The Devil in the White City" you'll have a good idea of what kind of excitement was buzzing about.  We had The Great War wrapped up for a while now and there were so many immigrants nation-wide which I'm sure contributed to the development of the western half of the country. Yet, along with the good came the bad.  The Great Depression was hitting with full force and the U.S. economical future was looking grim.  FDR had just signed his New Deal, yet circumstances for most families remained desperate.

However, the worst was yet to come.  A trouble of the worst kind was brewing in Europe and soon nearly the entire world would turn its attention to the startling Nazi invasion of Poland.  By the time World War II was officially declared, my grandfather had turned 6 years old.  He was a little boy who lived on a little farm in a little town in the somewhat inconsequential state of Utah.  How did it affect him?  What does he remember?  Does he go back to that time often or rarely, if at all?

I would like to know the answers to these and many other questions, and I am really lucky to have the opportunity to find out.  We get to see my grandparents at least once every couple of months and seeing as his big 80th birthday bash is coming up, I have my chance to ask away.

I'll do a follow-up blog post on my findings with his permission, and I hope my experience will motivate myself and others to do more family history.

July, July.

July, can you already be here?

Is it really time to pick fresh peas, smell the wafting barbecue scent from the neighbor's yard, run through sprinklers, crank up the A/C, and live in flip flops?

Where did Spring go? When did the trees shed their blossoms? Why didn't I notice how fast time was passing?

Notes to self:

Count on stopping at a few lemonade stands over the next month or two. 

It's time to stop the clock and lay in the grass at dusk, just to breathe deep the smell of summer. 

Savor the flavors of juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes because those memories will get you through the harsh winter ahead. 

Slather on the sunscreen.

Laugh. Skip. Sing. Repeat.

This July, I refuse to be a victim to my schedule!