Give them strength

It always frightens me.Always has.I am talking about sirens.Ambulance just went down the street and it means trouble for someone.A man said once that he hated to see the hearse stop at his neighbor's house but glad it didn't stop at his.I could not pronounce siren for the longest,it always came out as sardine.If one of my folks was out away from me and I heard a siren I would almost panic.I just knew it was coming for them.Still when I hear one I automatically pray for who ever it is going for and I pray for their family to give them strength to face whatever comes there way.

All we had was our imagination

I spent Sunday in bed.Nope wasn't sick.Was not mad at anyone.I just had no dire need or reason to do otherwise..I watched some old movies on TV.Some I liked.It was just a day to lay in bed and think.Oh shoot I forgot to think.I sometimes think to much.Keeps me up at nights it does.Thinking about this and that.I know sometimes it's hard to switch off the brain and relax and sleep. My old body can be so tired.To tired to move but the brain won't cooperate and just keeps spinning.Wide awake staring at the ceiling.I can look out my bedroom window and see trees and the sky.With out much trouble I can make out designs,people or things in the tree branches.Same way with clouds.I guess everyone does this.I guess this was the way cavemen entertained them selfs when not hunting or being hunted.I think that is one thing kids of today are missing out on.Imagination.They have computers,cell phones,I pods etc to keep them busy.All we had was our imagination.

I know nothing

I know one thing.I was smarter as a kid than now.I could pick up a leaf and tell you what type of tree it fell off.Take a rock any rock and tell you it's name and history.Same way with birds.Knew all their names.What happened I don't know.Now I know nothing.

Santa knows

When I was a kid living on Juniper Street there was a store called Browns.It was just a neighborhood store.The old CoCola ice box had the coldest Cokes.Always ice in them.The store is still there but I think ownership has changed hands a few times since I was a kid.Walk into the big brick building.On the right hand side.On top of the meat counter.There it was.A Christmas present to die for.In a box,clear front.It was a rife.No not a real rifle but a plastic play army gun.Every time I was in the store I would stop and look.Wow that would be great if Santa brought that I thought.Now this is what I haven't figured out after all these years.How did Santa know I stopped and drooled over that toy.Well I must have been a good little boy that year cause that is what Santa brought me.

No white Christmas

I have never seen a white Christmas.Been close a few times.Have been through cold Christmas morns.But no snow.Why does anyone want a white Christmas any way?If I was a kid warm sunny weather would be ideal for being outside with your toys.Each his own as they say.Maybe this is not right.Memory maybe is getting cloudy.But it does seem like in past years the weather was colder.Don't get me wrong it is cold right now .My fingers are freezing.We had gas space heaters as a kid.We also used coal for the fireplace up in the country.Never did the heaters stay on at night.Those first few steps on an icy cold floor sure got my attention.No carpet back then.Just a bare wood floor most likely painted brown.Or sometimes those linoleum floor coverings.No white Christmases in my past but some cold ones.Maybe there is something to that global warming.Sure could use a little of it now.

Space race

I read where a Russian rocket caring some satellites exploded or crashed in the pacific ocean near Hawaii.GPS satellites I think they where.The article mentioned something about a space race and that got my attention.I am old enough to remember the first space race between Russia and America.Sputnik the Russian satellite caused a big up roar.That tiny little thing way up in the sky sending out it's little beeps sure shook the United States up.I.There are two great movies about all this.One is called October Sky that has the Sputnik story in it.And another is The Right Stuff.Seems rockets,satellite and moon trips aren't as popular as they once where.Watching rockets blast off use to make the news.Now it is just so so news.I don't know which one of the rocket launches it was I can't remember.It was one of the original astronauts.At Southwest Elementary school they marched us all into the auditorium.Sat us down .On stage was a tiny b&w TV.We watched as the space launch took place.Back in those day in was big news and we all took notice.I remember where I was when man landed on the moon for the first time.On the 3rd shift,age 17,July working in the mill.It was exciting and something to be proud of.Sometimes I think that is what our Country needs now.Something everyone can agree on and support.We need another space race.