THE FOOTNOTES

Remember the old Newsletter we published a few years ago? Was a great concept, but a trifle tedious because of all the steps involved, and the cost of copying and mailing. This electronic version will put information in the record--information which could become more meaningful in years to come for those whose interests include family history.
Things happening here include a clearing up of the property by Bob who spent the day (yesterday) cutting the grass and trimming bushes. We look comparatively competitive with those neigbors to whom such things have a high priority.

Our garden was being devastated by deer who would chew off the tops of our tomato plants while a family of groundhogs and at least one rabbit munched on the lower parts. I did some research on the internet and found the suggestion that placing Irish Spring soap around the area will keep the deer out. They hate the smell. Turned out everybody I mentionred it to had heard about it. I tried it and so far the tomatoes are rebounding well. I read some suggestions about homemade sprays using things people have around the house. The result was a combination of tabasco sauce and Joy Liquid soap. That seems to help, too.
Maybe I can go ahead with my plan to hire illegal aliens to harvest all the stuff at the end of summer.

Moe and I play pool at the senior center about three times a week, and Moe is progressing nicely. As for me, I keep up a running banter during play so that my ineptitude will be disguised--they will think I could be a good player if I stopped fooling around. We have several pool gurus who teach us--but as one said "she listens and you don't"

Bob took Moe and me to the beach yesterday for Moe's birthday. Sound View, old time favorite of New Britain people was the destination. What a mob! Twenty =five dollars to park, too. Moe loves the beach so it was a nice present. As we left the shore, Moe claimed to have been the oldest swimmer there, and pershaps on the entire East Coast.

Emily came for supper, which featured one of Moe's specialties, stuffed peppers. Bob entertained, sharing previously undisclosed adventures he and Mike had growing up.

June 23, 1951. was our Wedding Day. We were married at St. Mary's Church in New Britain. That makes it 59 years---wow! Nancy was Maid of Honor, and my brother, Jack. was Best Man. Our parents were there with us.

We are fond of saying that in 59 years, we had only had one fight. It started the first day and is still going!

“Hey Bob! I noticed you seem to be limping a lot. Got a sore foot, or something? What happened? How did you get that? Is it serious? How long has that been going on?”

“You heard about World War 2? Yea? I was in that one, ya know, in the navy, our side, on a minesweeper. Ya heard about the big battle for Okinawa where the navy had more casualties than army with all those Japanese kamikaze airplanes , ya know, the suicide pilots crashing their planes into our ships. Every day for about four months. I thought we would not get out alive, but here I am.

“What a brave guy! You fought gallantly, perhaps heroically, without concern for your own safety==thinking only of preserving our precious freedom. That had to be a horror show. And what you got out of it is a crippling handicap. So, the battle for Okinawa is where you gave so much of yourself and got the bum foot?

“Well , no, I got it last week at my house in the kitchen when I dropped a beer bottle on my foot.”

“Then, what was all that about Okinawa and the kamikazes?”

“I just like to talk about it,”

Peggy and Tom hosted sort of a pre-Fathers ' Day get-together this afternoon on their big back porch. In addition to Peggy and Tom, Tommy, Allie, baby Tom, Emily, Mara, Moe and yours truly were there . Here are a few pictures.

The Relay For Life is a Cancer Survivor event held at Tolland High School football field for each of the last three years.

Survivors and Caregivers do a round the clock walkathon to bring attention to the fight to conquer cancer It is an enormous effort to coordinste the program which includes speeches, exhibits, overnight campers who take turns walking the track so there are people walking the track all night long. There is a dinner for Survivors and Caregivers, and constant entertainment---don't know if that goes all night--A huge gathering and a huge parking problerm, but what a successful event. God knows how many volunteers are involved.
Brother Bob, Moe and OId Bob attended