Sunday, February 21

Odds and Ends









As I looked for the old photo of Hawk's Nest to post yesterday, I found this one (which I've shown before, but you may not have seen it). This photo was in either my mother's, aunt's or grandmother's photo album. I got all their photos eventually, and unfortunately they were all gone before I thought of asking who the people were. This photo cracks me up every time I see it. I have no idea who these three boys were, (or what year it was) but they never fail to make me smile. I've often thought I ought to have it blown up and framed, but never did. More's the pity. It would be a built-in smile for me every day!

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Spam comments were getting so frequent on my old blog, Just Ask Judy, that I had to change the settings so that only people with Google accounts can comment. I hate that I had to do that, but I was spending time each day rejecting comments in foreign languages about products and services I have no interest in and don't want associated with my blog! If the spammers find a way to get around that stipulation, I'll have to close the comments completely. Since I still get some legitimate comments on a few of the old posts, I'd hate to do that - but I'm all about saving my time and energy these days! LOL

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About three days a week, I check the obits of my hometown newspaper online. More often than not, I find someone I used to know or a friend of my parents, although even their youngest friends are getting mighty old, so most are gone already. Yesterday I saw a name; one I hadn't thought of in probably 55 or more years, a guy whom I remembered from the 4th-5th and 6th grades in South Charleston, WV. Isn't it funny how those names stick with you, even when they weren't best friends? Dean was the good friend and almost constant playmate of a kid who lived near us at the time (I can't remember his name at the moment). I think I remember that Dean wore glasses and had spiky, sandy blond hair, and was sort of scrawny and gangly (is that a word?), like most kids are when they are 8-9-10 years old. He and his buddy teased me unmercifully most of the time, although his buddy - the one whose name I can't remember - took me on my first movie date in the summer between 4th and 5th grades. I often wonder what happened to some of the kids with whom I went to elementary school. We moved every five or six years, so I lost track of many of them. Sometimes I envy people who went to the same series of schools from kindergarden through senior high, since they knew 99% of their classmates for many years. Did you do that - or did your family move often too?

17 comments:

Gilly said...

I can still remember the names of the children I went to school with when I was 5. I often wonder what happened to them. I changed schools at the age of 11 and lost touch with them, although one girl, Janet, was my best friend until then.

We moved right away since my school days, and I have no way of hearing about them - but I do wonder.

Pat said...

We stayed in the same place but for some reason we were moved to four different schools before we were graded to grammar school or the equivalent at age 11. My two oldest friends I have known since being a toddler. No secrets there:)

Lynn said...

I went to the same series of schools in the same town and it wasn't until high school that I met kids from the other elementary and middle schools. That was pretty cool.

Grannymar said...

My mum and dad moved into their one and only home in 1941, my only sister still lives there. I went to one school from age four to thirteen and then the final five years at another. I am in touch with only one girl since then - our schools were single sex and run by nuns.

My first blog was with Blogger and if I must comment that way it links back to the old blog and not my wordpress blog. :(

Not all blogs allow the Name/URL option as you do.

Olga said...

It's sobering to read obits of someone I went to school with--more fun when I occasionally run into someone who is alive and well.
Lately and sadly, it's the former that happens more often.

Granny Annie said...

That photo cracks me up. My husband is the oldest of five brothers but the first three were all born over like a three year period. He would say the boy on the end punched the other two as soon as the picture was snapped and the next picture would show them all in a bloody heap.

I know what you mean about moving away from friends. We moved so often that I was left with more memories of friends than the friends I left had of me. Their lives went on together and I drifted out of their thoughts. It breaks my heart.

Unknown said...

Are the two "bookend" toddlers, twins? That is such an amazing old picture. Smile inducing, for sure!

Ginnie said...

The photo of the little boys is just adorable...it certainly gave me a chuckle.

LL Cool Joe said...

I love that photo!

I've never kept in contact with any of my school friends or people from Uni either. To be honest, I never really wanted to! :D

I kept some friends I've known my whole life through the church we all attend, but that's it.

Greta said...

Love the photo and the memories it brought back of Hawks Nest. I remember coming home and building a replica in the sand box of the mountains, river, and train trestle crossing the river.

I went to school from 1st through 12th grade in Sutton and we all knew each other. Now I know how fortunate I was.

srp said...

The two little ones on each end look like they could be twins..... any twins in the family?

Ron said...

I have the land my great grandfather got in a land grant around 1870. He made his living subsistence farming. And if you could imagine,I've got a few of his old plows, the house in which mother was born. I am 56 years of age and having been in business for 32 years, know everyone. When I travel, it's odd seeing so many strangers, and a little nice even. But when I sit on the steps where my mom played as a little girl, and stand upon the land my grandfather plowed with mules,,, it is powerful.

Ron said...

The photo is very good.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Our family stayed in the same house forever--so we all went to the same schools and had a lot of the same teachers and went all through school till graduating High School with the same people. It was really quite wonderful when I think about it. A continuity of friendships that was really important at the time.
I don't remember a lot of them anymore, but I certainly remewmber quite a few.

MaR said...

That's a sweet picture and lovely set of twins,too.
My son attended one school all 13 years (including pre-school), he is a lucky one.
Just got in touch with my best friend in 3rd grade, thanks to f@cebook, it has been wonderful!!

jeanmac said...

I moved too often but our sons were with same buddies from K through grade twelve and into college.

Star said...

That is the best photo. It would make a great greeting card. I am not sure for what occasion. But it does make you smile!