"After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser." (Franklin)

.....Well I suppose I have to write a post on this blog more often--(I hate when people pronounce the "t" in "often). I have had at least 5 readers who have asked me to continue this blog, so I must even though it's difficult.  I mean because there are tremors in my hand, I keep pressing the wrong keys--oops! There it goes again. Now I have to backspace and delete the wrong letters.

.....Today we went to the Westchester Country Club where there is a banquet building and selected the kind of dining we will entertain our guests with on Feb. 28.  Hold the date.  I did not mind not having a party because if my family comes, it will cost them a lot of money just to come for dinner!  I have four in California, about eight in Maryland, and three in the Navy--including one guy who just started walking I presume.  And of course there are cousins all over the place--and one cuz I never met who lives in England, of all places.  Too many Muslims there.  But I don't think she will come to the party; too far and too expensive. 

.....I suppose you all know that I fell for the sixth time a couple of weeks ago.  I had too much trouble getting out of the house with one hand on the walker, one hand trying lock the door, and the screen door resting on my butt; so the walker tipped over and I went with it.  I did a number with the skin on my arm and both knees.  RH+ called 911 and off to the ER they took me.  I was there for a few hours while the dressed my wounds and sent me home.  Now I have a nurse coming every other day to change the dressings.  I fell, but of course I already broke both hips from falls on two cruises, so at least I was fortunate not to have three hips.

.....Now, I have something political to say.  The Republican party--and particularly the Tea Party is destroying our government, and making us the laughing stock of the world.  There is no doubt in my mind that this wing of the GOP is fiercely racist, and doing everything they can to keep Obama from getting anything done.  At one time in Boston, a tea party tossed all the tea in the ocean.  Now, perhaps the Republican Tea Party, itself, ought to be tossed in the Ocean.  Oh, I have a better idea; allow the states whose government is irrational and racist secede from the Union.  Then the UnUnighted State's government would be smaller and thus find it more easily to function.  There.  I said it.  What is happening in our Congress these days is Un-American.

 

 

"...but I have miles to go before I sleep." (Robert Frost)

Hi...If there is anyone left who is reading this blog, I have just a couple of things to write about.  I just had published what I'm certain will be my last book.  Buy it...it might become a collector's item one day.  OK don't buy it--it's too much to pay for it anyway.  I'm pretty proud of the fact that I wrote my "Memoirs" in 2007 and since then have published 12 more books consisting of all the blog postings since then.  It may not seem so great, but I believe they will be very interesting historical reading, especially with all the comments attached.  Now this may be the last posting owing to the fact that typing has become a major problem because of the tremors in my hands.  I'm constantly pressing the wrong letters on the keyboard and then having to erase them and stick in the correct letters.  It's just too much frustration.

Nevertheless, I just did complete my attempt at writing a musical for presentation in our theatre in late March.  We have had a musical here for the past 30 years, but this year none was approved by the Board of Directors of Huntington Lakes.  I felt that this was not acceptable so I decided to write one myself.  The concept is that what I wrote is a recreation of a USO concert during WWII.  The cast will take the part of the celebrities who sang at these concerts and the audience will be the military at a boot camp.  What I wrote was accepted by the BOD and I think it will be a hit with those who come to see it and be reminded of the music of WWII.  The title is "43!" (Just as you see it with quote marks and exclamation point).  So much for that; I have launched myself on a new career--composer--sort of like Rogers and Hammerstein. I will write and direct all the musicals.  (Just kidding.  I'm finished with my writing careers).

In March, when this musical goes live for 3 nights, I will have turned 90. I do have two broken hips and a pacemaker; I do use a walker--but in spite of all illnesses I still have my driver's license.   So long, cuzzin Ruthie; so long PB--so sorry to have disturbed you; so long kids; so long to all my former students and to all whoever read and commented on Red Baron's Blog.

Memories.

.....This is an email I received this morning.  I thought, perhaps, it might be of interest to you, and since you know me, you might know me a trifle better.  I was attached to VB 110 in the US Navy Air Wing 7.  All 10 of my aircrewmen are gone. But I am prominently mentioned in this Museum.

Dear All
I am sending you all an update on the museum. We are putting forward to see if anyone would like to help with our appeal by buying a square foot of land as a donation. We are asking for people to donate $25.00 (includes the exchange rate to pounds ) or £10.00 with this donation you will get a years membership of the museum (with a newsletter every three months ) and we are also looking into putting all names of people that buys a piece of land on a wall in the rebuild building for all visiters to see in years to come. If you fill you would like to help please use this website http://dmm103105110.btck.co.uk and click on the Campaigne/Donate page then scroll down the page and use the PayPal link.

I started a Museum (Charity No 1052892 ) called Dunkeswell Memorial Museum at the only USAAF and US Navy Anti Submarine airbase in England and Europe in world war two. This base was the home of the 479th Anti Submarine Group with 2nd,4th,19th and the 22nd Squadrons and VB 103,105,107,110,114 and VB 63 Squadrons of the US Navy Fleet Air Wing 7. There are many buildings that still exist today from WW2 left standing around Dunkeswell airfield. One of them is the administation complex. These buildings were the last buildings that all crews went in before flying their missions and sadly some never came back to these building and the base. These buildings are VERY REAR as they were only used by the USAAF 479th and the US Navy Fleet Air Wing 7 Groups doing Anti Submarine Missions to help to defend the supply convoys to England from attacks by U-boats and surface vessels which were out in the Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay. The Administation Buildings are the only ones left outside the United States of America left standing from WW11. The Museum is trying to raise £110,000 to buy the administration complex and the land this will be a permanent Memorial building for the Dunkeswell Memorial Museum, for all who served at Dunkeswell during WW2,including the 39 Officers and men of the USAAF who lost there lives in combat and also for the 183 Officers and men of the US Navy who lost there lives in combat and the 49 killed in non combat. One Officer from the US Navy that was based at Dunkeswell was Joseph P Kennedy Jr older brother of John F Kennedy. Joseph was at the base until his death on the 12th August 1944.
The Museum website address is http://dmm103105110.btck.co.uk . If you know how we can get this help or if anyone can find it in there hearts to give a donation to this good cause with a letter of support and send it too the address on the website or by paypal using the Museum email address of dmmsecretary@btinternet.com. All I am asking of you is if you would put the word around about our appeal and I will say that if my email has upset you in anyway then I will say that I am very sorry for asking.Yours David Sharland

......August 28th is fast approaching and that is the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's march on Washington.  I took a day off from school and went to DC to become a part of it. I will always remember his speech and the electricity of that day.  And to my loyal readers and commenters, I will not be writing many posts to this blot until April.  I am too busy writing the script for a musical.