Sunday, September 20, 2009

Memories of Jack

Jack was in love with the 60's. From his restored cars to his candy-apple-red booth complete with juke box--just like the one we used to play at the local drug store after school--he loved the era.

Jack and Sandi were Army brats. Sandi was the first person to introduce herself to me when I started school in a brand new, small town in SW Missouri. We moved there my when dad retired from the Navy. My parents bought a 55 acre farm just outside of town (population about 5,000 I believe). We were city kids. California city kids. An oddity in this small Missouri town. Jack was in Sharon's class, Sandi in mine.

We all ended up moving away again (us back to California). Sandi and Jack moved before we did. Their dad was still active-duty Army and they were transferred to Puerto Rico. Before they moved away, we hosted a going-away barn party for them in our loft.

We didn't have any hay left so we "borrowed" some from neighboring farms so we'd have seating. The stereo was cranking our 78's up in the loft where Dad had run speakers out to the barn from the stereo in the house. The console stereo had switches so you could shut off the speakers in the house and only hear music in the barn. (I used to have fun slipping a rock and roll record on the turntable in the middle of the stack dad would set up in the morning before we all went out to milk the cows before schoo). Fun times.

Anyway, Jack's parents were in the house with my parents, and his mom took turns with my mom bringing out sandwiches and snacks to the party---while we hid Jack from our parents. You see, Jack and his buddies had gone to their own party earlier--at the river. Beer party. Big no no! How we managed to keep them apart is still a mystery to me, but maybe they knew all along.

We've kept in touch over the years and today Sandi called to say that Jack passed away. I will miss you bro. We shared some wonderful times together and lots of laughs.

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Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Bo is growing!






Top to bottom: Bo 11 weeks, 10 weeks, 9 weeks, 8 weeks. He's getting bigger every day. He uses his litterbox nearly 100% of the time now too!!

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