Snookie's Story on Memory Monday

Welcome to another addition of Memory Monday.  This one picture has caused me to wonder, to question, to ask, and to research for many many hours.  Why?  The person on the far left, behind the dog had a nick name of Snookie.  When I was young my Mother, who's the little one here in this picture talked about a person named Snookie, a cousin that lived with them for awhile.  Doing the family tree for my Mothers side of the family years ago didn't answer the question who was Snookie.  Everyone in the above photo has past...well, I really don't know if Snookie is still alive or not.  But, since all others are gone; to no one to ask.

I have in my possession a child's oak roll top desk that I remember my Mother saying belonged to Snookie.  Left to right Aunt Viola who died very young, behind her Uncle Harold (nickname Whitie),  my Grandmother who died when my Mother was still young and in school, Aunt Millie, My Grandpa who died when I was very young, and Aunt Muriel.  These are The Barrows who lived in Chillicothe, Ohio near The Mead Paper Mill.

Only one of my cousins remembers hearing the name Snookie in her growing up years.  When I discovered this picture Snookie got a real name, Mildred Armstrong.  My Dad remembers hearing that name, but didn't whom she was.  My one cousin who remembered hearing the name of Snookie and Mildred Armstrong thought she was a friend, not a family member.  That theory seems to be supported in the only documentation I've yet to find, the 1940 census when a Mildred Armstrong is listed as living with the above family; she's listed as a boarder.  It still puzzled me though because of my memories from Mom and in her handwriting on the back of the picture it says cousin.

Yesterday, the mystery was solved.  She is a cousin a Watson's cousin.  Grandma in the above picture's maiden name was Watson.  One of her sisters, Bertie is Mildred's mother.  Bertie was apparently married several times, Mildred hasn't been found in any census living with her parents.  That part of the memory still remains a mystery.  But, at long last I can know whom the owner of my antique child's roll top desk is.  In this picture, I think you can see family resemblance too...look at Mildred Armstrong and then at my Aunt Millie(Mildred).....hum...

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Mara-chi Surprise

This isn't a picture looking back, this is the type of thing/picture/moment that creates a memory.  This was my younger brother's 60th birthday party.  He's the one of the left with me in the middle and my older brother on the right.  The question is how long will it take for us to look at this as a memory and say...remember when?  The questions could be remember when we looked that young...remember when we all got to the restaurant before you and surprised you....remember when the Mara-chi bands played?  Or maybe remember the one picture of the 3 of us that turned out ok!  Seriously, the 3 of us never seem to be able to get a semi decent picture........so, my bets on remember that one picture where we all looked ok.......where is it.  lol

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School Daze, Memory Monday

Remember when kids dressed for school?  Here's a picture from the way back machine for you.  I'm in the middle, pigtails holding my package of school supplies.  This was the first day of first grade!  Welcome to another Memory Monday.

I sometimes wonder if the very relaxed/sloopy/anything goes as the dress code for school's today is reflected in the relaxed/sloopy/anything goes attitude of so many of our countries young people today?  Isn't dressing for the occasion a way to show respect for it, a way to show that's it's different then playing in your backyard, or hanging out with your friends.  What's appropriate in clothing, behavior, language etc isn't, or shouldn't be the same for school, as play or church.  People should act differently when with adults then they probably do with the kids their age etc.

Feeling old today I guess.  This photo was taken in Marion, Ohio the fall of 1956 I think.  The awesome part of this is, I've recently made 2 trips back to the neighborhood.  It looks very different with trees now grown, it was a very new neighborhood then built, for so many returning veterans.  The girl sorta behind me on my left, Debbie I just met up with this past Sat and had a wonderful visit with her, her younger sister Pam, and another friend, Wendy from those days so long ago. 

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I Choose Happy

Today is August 3rd, wow..where does the time go.  Seems we've barely gotten to enjoy the summer and we've been seeing back to school sales everywhere.  Really dislike seeing them all summer, can't we enjoy summer first.  Clicking on the above picture will take you to a very different type of blog challenge.  It's different because there's no linky, it's different because there's no sign up list.  Never done a challenge without those items, so it will be interesting to see how this works.  It's a very relaxed challenge, lol.  Relaxed and challenge don't seem to even to together, but the idea is to do it for fun, not to stress.   Here's a cut and paste of One Gals Musing's blog post about it.

Forget Your Troubles! C'mon, Get Happy!

On August 1, this year's August Happiness Challenge begins. The idea is very simple: "Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world."

Really. That's all there is to it. No rules.

I like finding an icon that will make me smile every time I see it for 31 days.

**Apparently we'll just use the comments as a list to visit from.

I'm not sure I'll do this everyday, as it's been a good number of months of one challenge after another and I think I'ld like to get back to "normal" blogging,  whatever that is , but
Focusing on the positive is something that calls out to me.

Happiness is a choice I think, we can't rely on others to make us happy...so anyone needing a little happiness, reach up there and take it.  And enjoy it.

Hearing birds chirping outside my window this morning as I type this scheduled post makes me Happy, what makes you happy?

Another thing that makes me happy is sweet memories, so pop back in on Monday for Memory Monday.

Random 5 Friday, It's Good to be Back

• Missed the last couple of weeks, as I was traveling.  Hubby, DD and I had a wonderful time.  Take a peak here on my traveling blog.
• Getting over a wicked allergy bout that hit again on our return from vacation.  We landed in a terrific rain storm that lasted too many days,  that seemed to reverse all the good I got from being in the beautiful, dry mountain air of Park City, Utah.
• The work week was pretty nasty after vacation, we were over over booked, and understaffed, and it was a mighty long week.
• Spent a good deal of time working on my mothers side of the family (doing the family tree), and think I've found a lost cousin we've wondered about for years.  Posted a long letter to him yesterday and have my fingers crossed that it is indeed him, and that I get a response.  Too bad some of these folks eluded me before, Mom would have enjoyed the additional information I found.   **edited becasuse this was a scheduled post to say, my cousin called last night-though I didn't get to talk to him he left a message so will make contact today...pretty excited.  
  
   These 2 pictures you can tell are from long ago, back in 1951, I was 1 then; and he's now 75.  Wonder if he played music all his life???  So many questions.
  
  
  Beyond the clues these 2 pictures tell us, he played trombone and liked dogs....I know very little about him.   Hope that will be remedied soon.  My cousin Lee said in his phone message it was good to hear from me.  Wonderful start.
• Looking forward to a gathering of old neighborhood friends (from childhood) in my old hometown this wkend.  Some of you might remember I met up with one girl friend I hadn't seen in 50 years earlier this summer.  This is 2nd go round, but a few others are joining us.

This is the picture she took of me at President Hardings Memorial, a place we played often as kids.  This will be the meeting place again this week.  I love making connections.

I've been very disappointed so few have joined me in Memory Monday, so am trying once again to invite you all.  Monday's are often dreaded days, let's make them more fun.  PLEASE join me on Monday, post a photo and share it's memory with us.

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Pedal Pushers and Flowers in Niagara Falls

More fun on Memory Monday.  Chuck, Mike, Mom, and Me.  Dad's behind the camera.  I remember thinking how cool it was the flowers could tell time!  This was The Canadian side of Niagara Falls.  Back in the day, we took a mini vacation.  Think maybe a 3 day.  We stayed on the American side, think the lodging was cheaper, but I remember Mom talking about how much prettier, cleaner the Canadian side was.  Not sure of the year but think I was in 2nd grade, while Chuck was in 4th and Mike in Kindergarden?

Pedal pushers, and kids today think Capri's are a new thing, lol; not so much.  Then later when they guys wore a version of them they were called clam diggers.

I can remember how carefully Mom packed.  She packed for all 5 of us, in just 2 suitcases.  Remember when you had to carry your luggage, before wheels and over sized bags to stuff?  I remember her having a folding little travel iron that she could touch things up on the bed in the hotel room.  Who out there is as old as me and remembers stuff like this?

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