Salute!

November 11th, 2006 / Categories: Family / 3 Comments »

When is the last time you dug deep into your family history?

If you have parents and grandparents still living, may I suggest that today is a good day to do so?

My aunt – the youngest sister and only living sibling of my mother – and I have been going through our papers and information recalled from her mother, my grandmother, and others. It’s not easy. As I said – she is the only living sibling. And, she is only 19 years my senior. We had other things on our minds when Grandma Abbott was trying to tell us about her forbears.

I mentioned in passing yesterday that a grandmother had stood her ground before Morgan’s Raiders. The following is deciphered from two accounts – in my Grandmother’s own words:

Grandmother (Elizabeth Ann Jackson) [Lessa!! how about that?!] – when Morgan’s Raiders came – took her riding mare and side saddle – her silver, feather beds and in middle of a corn field took her gun and said if one of those Rebels stuck his head in she would have killed him.

 

In the same history of sorts, Grandma tells of both sides of her lineage – at least her memories of same. At the time she wrote it she must have been in her later years, too. She passed away in 1976 when I was 26 years old. She was born in 1893 so that would have made her – what? – 83? I think that’s about right.  Anyway, on this Veteran’s Day I would like to salute my Great-great-great(?) grandmother Elizabeth Ann Jackson for her stand against Morgan’s Raiders. 

I also salute the other veterans in my family history – Arthur Carl LeForge (Army) who was killed in WWI (My great uncle), Robert Ward (Army) who was killed in France in WWII (my uncle), and my father, George C. Mulholland (Army), who served (and was honorably discharged) during WWII.   I salute my nephew, Gary D. Keaton (Navy), who served during Desert Storm. 

I salute those from my town who are serving currently in Afghanistan and Iraq.     

I salute the memory of Lance Corporal Michael H. Laskey (Marines) of Soldotna who died while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar provice. A memorial service will be held Sunday afternoon.  

Now – you all go out and hug your family members and salute the vets in your town, okay?   

  

It snowed!

November 10th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Family, Moose Nuggets / Comments Closed

Yup – the grands are all way too excited. After all, tomorrow is Saturday and they can play, play, play in the white stuff.

As for me? Well, it’s okay and all that – but when is spring? hahahaha

And, for your choosing pleasure – if you are a NaBloPoMo’er, that is –

nablopomo 

My stash of purply moose things is getting smaller, but I am happy to share what I have. So, I have sent an email off to Fussy and the folks over at NaBloPoMo telling them these are up for grabs however they would like to give them away.

I’m looking at this picture and smiling – the curve of the socks makes it look like my little purple moosie signature tag is smiling – too much fun.

I have the day off today – due to it being Veteran’s Day tomorrow. Received an envelope of information from my aunt yesterday – it has lots of family history in my grandmother’s handwriting – kind of cool to read. But it also has the funeral notice of my Uncle Bob who was killed during WWII in France. I knew about him, of course, but the article told me some things I didn’t know about him, too.

My grandmother also lost a brother to war – WWI. And, a great-great grandmother of mine on her side stood up to Morgan’s Raiders!

(more…)

Thursday Ramblings

November 9th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Moose Nuggets / 1 Comment »

Mercury crossed the sun yesterday – if you looked at it directly you cannot be reading this entry. 😯 Yup – you would have burnt your eyeballs. Nice shot of it in the paper this morning, though, so I got it second hand.

The interview I did this week was about a woman who just returned from a symposium on women with heart issues. She was one of 57 from around the country to be invited to attend. February, btw, is heart month. I will try to remind you all of that then as well.

The thing to remember for us women is that we have different symptoms than men – as Linda says in the interview,     

“I didn’t feel like an elephant was sitting on my chest, so I was sure it wasn’t a heart attack.”

Turns out she was wrong about that assumption and was, indeed, having a heart event. Blessedly, she caught it early enough and only required a single bypass – often you will hear of quadruple (or more) bypass surgeries. Interesting lady. We hope to have her at one of our staff meetings to discuss heart health.

btw – WHO INVITED THE COLD WEATHER? What? Oh, yes, I live in Alaska – I KNOW that, sillies! But, really, WHO asked for this cold snap? It certainly was NOT the moose! brrrrrr.

And, with that, I will leave you to have a wonderful day!

:moose:

New and Old

November 8th, 2006 / Categories: Alaska, Moose Nuggets / 1 Comment »

Alaska has elected its first woman governor! Congratulations to Sarah Palin.

Alaska has returned quirky, smirky, Don (Young) to Congress. (sigh!)

Just another day in Alaska politics.

A better than 2 million dollar campaign put on by “big oil” against an initiative succeeded as that iniative went down in flames.

An iniative that limits state legislative sessions to ninety days will end up costing us a lot of money in the long run (in governor-called special elections) was passed – surprisingly.

Not all of “my” candidates succeeded. And not all of my wishes on initiatives. The one judge who needed to be ousted for sure was. The others remain and that may or may not be a good thing.

Like I said – just another day in Alaska politics. We are nothing if not political animals up here. We likes our politicizers, we do. Yup – yup – yup.

How’d it turn out in your neck of the woods?

:moose:

This n That

November 7th, 2006 / Categories: Moose Nuggets / Comments Closed

So, hubby moose’s first day went well. They wouldn’t let him wear his hat in school, though. So, his student was given the task to make sure he didn’t run over anyone. (He has a visual disability due to diabetic retinopathy) The Principal offered to let him wear sunglasses while there, but no hat. That discombulated him so much that he didn’t go get the sunglasses out of the van.

8)

His first remark when asked about his day: Now I remember what I disliked about school! The bandroom. hahaha. It seems his student is in beginning band – playing the saxaphone. Can we all say “SQUEAK!”?

I knew we could.

Today is a test for the grands, too. Yesterday Paw-Paw had to be to school early to meet the Principal (he had to go to the Principal’s office the first day! Does anyone else feel the need to snicker?) so they all had to eat at home. Awwwww.

Today, they are all supposed to come early – even the Pup! – for breakfast. Then he will take the Pup back to mama to wait for the bus while he takes the older two to school as usual. Meanwhile I get to go pick up TAT to take him to early school! Yay! He and I have a long-term love affair and are both looking forward to some alone time together.

Hope your day is a good one, too.

:moose:

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