It's the eleventh again time to reflect on all of those young men over the years that were sent off to fight wars and still are. What horrors they have to endure and have endured for so many foolish reasons.

I woke early with my father heavy on my mind and got dressed and ready to go to the service in the park. Torn abit as my grandaughter was marching down town in that service, but my father and mother's memories are here in this park.

Bill, my grandson, and myself walked to the park and on the way I reflected on all of the town's men who used to stand by the post office almost all of them had fought in 1st or 2 ww wars. They have all passed away now. My father and grandfather would have been there. My father used to take my baby girl with him to stand and talk and would be oh so proud when one of his croonies would say " Mike she walks just like you". He'd come home and tell my mother and I with his chest about to burst with pride. And I then began to reflect on the fact that he would have been just as proud of my grandson that he never met.

At the park all of the legion, cadets, vets (not many now), brownies,guides, scouts, mounties, firemen paraded from the legion. Drummer was a man that I knew as a baby Phil Hartford. Service begun and as the minutes of silence was happening one of the cadets with the rifle fainted. He was alright in end. But three minutes turned into five.

I laid a wreath for my father and as I begun to weep, I seen my cousin in a wheel chair ( He has been in hospital for a month and they have only given him two months to live) so I stopped to talk to him. He did know me. But he is not in very good shape (Bill). It seemed so ironic as I was thinking on way up about Pauline my aunt and saying to myself she will be there this year but Bill will not as he is in hospital. Then I realized she won't as she passed away a few years ago.

So many of the older generation from this town have gone on that it now makes us the older generation. This town that I will always call Milltown and it is not as they combined the two and made one. But in my heart and soul it will always be Milltown to me.

I wish I had a picture of my father but he was before the digital time.

This house I love. For fifteen years we have lived in this house, years of christmas's, birthday's, grandchildren's birth's, and yes even funeral's is for sale and it feels to me that I am selling my soul.

I just cann't imagine myself living anywhere but here. So I am very sad. Lately it has sent me on a spin of old memories.

Like coming back from camp a week or two ago I smelled leaves burning and it took me back to many many years ago when we used to burn leaves at our house and cook potatoes in the pile oh how wonderful those burnt balls tasted.Does anyone out there have these memories?

And around the corner from our house was a pool room and a parking lots which was magic for it was there I learned to ride a bike, play redrover, hid&seek and made friends with some wonderful people.All of this is just a block away not a city block but a small town block from this house I love.
I watch my grandbabies at play and wonder how much of thier memories now will be great memories like mine are.

I also in years to come will have the memory of American history being made while I watched election in this house. When Obama declared a winner I got down on my knees and thanked God and then started singing we shall overcome and dancing around oh so happy I only wished my Mother had lived to see this happen.History yes lots of history here.

Oh yes there are sad memories also but I am learning as I get older not to dwell to much on them. Too enjoy today as much as I can and to not sweat the small stuff.

Granchildren and children in general

Today a beautiful fall day. Started out slow than move on very quickly. Had lunch with my favorite daughter than on to pick up her daughter at school whom by the way has my eyes and hair. Don't know where she got that.
There is nothing more valuable or sweeter than a six year old getting out of school and running with a beautiful smile on her face shouting: "Hi Grammie". It sure make my heart race with joy. We spin around in glee for a few moments and a mother picking up her daughter yells out "I want one too". So two hugs what could be better.
Off we go to grocery shop, she babbling out can I get a drink and me answering: "of course", than shly saying: "can I get two things Grammie". I sure almost every grandmother and mother has been chasing a five year old pushing a grocery cart ahead of them, if not you should try it. You sure get your exercise workout in.
Then she spys a friend and off she goes running full speed to toy aisle. At least I was able to pick up groceries and than try finding her as she is seeing me at end of aisle and disappearing from site so I can't catch her. At register her friend arrives and gives her a picture of her and this friend playing musical instruments. She sticks the picture down inside at the end of rollers and can not get it out so cashier, my self and two friends try to retreive it and quickly one of the girls sticks her finger in just a cashier is moving it out, so natually fingers are jammed. Not to worry just a little pinch no tears even.
On to ball diamond to watch big brother in his track and field training session. My heart swells with joy again when this little man takes the time ( when he is with his friends) to say: "Hi Grammie". I am thinking he is so small and than he starts running like the wind, knowing there is no way I could catch him in my life time. He may be small but he is mighty.
It surprises me there are more girls than boys (girls have come along way since my school days) but than they are picking teams and I notice no one wants the girls only the girls so have they came as far as I was thinking? Sister is watching but mostly engaged in climbing on top of fence dropping her clogs off of her feet and retrieving them.
Brother is starting to sprout his freedom wings and gets to walk down town himself to his mother's office. So naturally he does not want to come with us. We head for my house and draw some and watch a little tv until mom arrives and away they go and my house feels empty for an hour or so. What did I do or talk about before them actually there is no time in my memory now of before them it is like they always were!

CAMP OUR HAVEN

I spent this weekend in a spot that feels like a safe haven, our camp. Let me tell you a little about it.
Camp is about thirty minutes from my house but it feels almost a different Country. It is on a beautiful river and has everything a person would need only there is no electricity, or phone.
Very quite and loudest noise is the river running past it.
There are trees every where and one large oak tree in corner of property(My personal favorite. Birch, fir, poplars, and of course pine trees. Which of course attracts loads of beautiful birds.
I am so jumping ahead of myself as usual. First I must tell you the story of how we found this spot this summer. We headed out one evening following a trail that had four camps for sale and came to a spot in road that had a for sale sign on it so down the lane we went, came to a horrible camp that looked like it was ready to fall down so we continued down the lane and suddenly realized that we were in someone's lane. A lady came running out of the camp when we were turning I quickly appologized and told her we were looking for camps that were for sale. She quickly informed us (my husband and I) that it was for sale but not listed yet. She invited us in, right than her husband arrived and suggested that he take my husband to look at the other camps while I looked at that one. My eyes must have poped out of my head when I walked in I knew right there and than that this was it, what we had been looking for five years for . In my head I started figuring out how we could finanically swing it while the pleasant lady made us a coffee. I was positive when I looked at my husband's eyes when he walked in they light up like Christmas bulbs. They had no phone so if we left and decided to take it we had no way of getting in touch with them other than driving out again which we did not have time for so I asked them if when they went to town on Monday if they would call us before they listed it . Than we left.
On the way home both of us babbled like two kids knowing in our hearts of hearts that it was the one. Over next two days we hashed over pros and cons and finally decided we would do it. Come Monday no phone call all a.m. and I was scared to death they wouldn't call. Finally about 1:30 p.m. phone rang it was the lady. I happily told her we were interested and she wanted to meet with us so we did and that very afternoon both lawyers set up agreement. Within two weeks it was ours .
Since that time we have spent every spare minute out there which isn't enough time as both are still working . I will be writing more on this in up coming months as it is the love of my life right now