One of the hawk family In our neighborhood Lights on the edge of a roof And sits listening while I talk this and that to him He reminds me about his family. His parents courted on the campus of our church They danced in the air. They landed on the grass. Two hawks attending church. Preacher with a sense of humor Says, “Get a room,” But still, they dance in air And swoop screeching. Two mocking-birds Can’t chase them away. Eggs hatch, birds grow Booming thunderstorm Young hawk comes to our Backyard fence, Clings to chain-link With fierce talons, Flaps wings. Happy in wind and weather Happy in air. Good hawk. Clean hawk.
One reason we had stayed at Tyndall AFB for five years, is that at year four, Fred made another rank, and the Air Force had plans for him, but it wasn’t for another year. So when that year was up (year five), we left Tyndall AFB and Florida, and moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Fort Leavenworth was a temporary move – we knew we would be there only for one year, for Fred to attend the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College.
Credit Google Search and Fort Leavenworth website
Credit Google Search and U.S. Army CGSC website
As we moved, unfortunately, there was a trucker strike going on, and the trucker who had our household goods was afraid to travel. Our goods were delayed more than one week. So we borrowed mats (and possibly air mattresses), a card table and chairs, and some cooking utensils and set up house in the unit we were given to live in for that year. Our household goods finally arrived and we set up housekeeping.
Two of the five units – ours is the second from the end
I must say that the houses were very cheaply built. They were built in the early 1970’s and the five-plex we lived in only cost a total of $60,000 to build! Five houses for that amount of money? The walls were quite thin, and we could hear a lot of our neighbors goings-on. We said we thought they had a set of wooden clogs at the top and bottom of the stairs and really clomped up and down the stairs! We nailed pieces of carpet down on our stairs. Another time, Karen was in our bedroom with me, studying for a spelling test. The man of the house next door stood at the top of his stairs and yelled down “DID YOU HEAR ME?” I responded “yes, I did!” Karen was laughing so hard I thought she would roll off the bed! They had a TV in their bedroom and it was always turned up loud enough for us to hear and understand what was being said. Very thin walls, indeed.
The house was built on a “slope” thus creating a “split level” house. Walk in the front door and there are steps going up, and steps going down. Up leads to the bedrooms, down to the living room.
Going downstairs to the living room
Turn right and there is a half-bath on the left. Further on is the dining room on the right, kitchen on the left with a laundry room off that.
Up the stairs the master bedroom and bath is directly ahead. Small landing, then turn right to another flight of stairs to another “upstairs.” Two bedrooms and a bathroom, with a large storage closet at the end.
It was a rather fun house to live in, but very cold in the winter – we even had to tape plastic sheeting over the living room sliding glass doors to keep the cold out.
The living room – Janet and friend
The living room was the entire width of the house, so a large room. Our TV, piano, couch and chair, and stereo equipment were down there. Fred did his studying on the dining room table, so it was a good thing the TV was downstairs. We had a day-bed from San Antonio days that was also down there, along with a bookshelf.
The good news was that it was only for one year. Fred received his orders – to Heidelberg, West Germany!! Woohoo – we get to go to Germany again!
Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery – established in 1862 by President Lincoln
Credit Google Search and Fort Leavenworth website
1980 – Fort Leavenworth Cemetery in the Springtime – Fred and I used to jog here – even in the snow
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
“I can’t remember anything lately,” my friend said. “I think I’m losing my mind.”
Have you ever said that? Sometimes I’m tempted to think that getting older is a good excuse for all that begins to fail.
But the good news is that no matter how many years go by, there’s something that never fails, never loses its power or diminishes its impact; and that’s God’s promise that He knows you and me inside and out.
He knows you’re reading this. He’s aware of your thoughts, He observes your anxious moments and your days of sorrow.
God explains it here.
YOUR NAME
“Quite a thought isn’t it? Your name on God’s hand. Your name on God’s lips. Maybe you’ve seen your name in some special places. On an award or diploma…or maybe you’ve heard your name from some important people—a coach, a celebrity, a teacher. But to think that your name is on God’s hand and on God’s lips…my, could it be?” (Max Lucado)
I know you by name. “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16). You are that precious to Me. I care about every detail of your life. Start today by reading My Word: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).
I see your tears. I know your thoughts. I have not forgotten your requests. When you call out My name, I am always available. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
I know your name. You are not a number to Me, or a symbol, or someone lost among all the other people in this world. You belong to Me, and I know your name. Because we have such an intimate relationship, I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name” (Isaiah 45:3).
(The above section entitled YOUR NAME is an excerpt from Carol Kent’s release, “He Holds My Hand.”
Let’s Pray
Father, in my moments of heartache, I know You hold my hand and in Your hand is my name engraved. Thank You for knowing me so personally and intimately. You know my deepest secrets and my constant worry and each longing. Thank You for knowing how to resolve it all. In Jesus’ name.
How will your outlook change, knowing God is aware of every detail?
Janet
______________________________________
Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.
Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.
Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Friday was a bad day. I had no joy because I didn’t seek it. Instead, I allowed physical discomfort and life’s aggravations to consume me.
Saturday morning I awoke with the previous day’s darkness hovering. I poured my coffee, grabbed my tablet and sought the sanctuary of the porch.
The Saturday devotional reading was choosing to live in joy. Oh how I had failed to make that choice! With remorse I confessed my failure to God. I could have made excuses but God already knew my thoughts.
As I waited quietly before God for my heart and mind to heal, I heard an extra loud flutter of a bird landing on the feeder. As I looked up, not 50 feet from the feeder, standing on the side of the hill was a beautiful doe. We gazed at each other for several seconds before she turned and disappeared into the woods.
I returned to reading the devotional. I had read the author’s thoughts and moved on to read the first of three scriptures.
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
—Habakkuk 3:17–19
…”He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go to the heights.”
He sees me and knows my weaknesses and yet he will enable me to go to the heights!
Love: Because I know I am loved by my Father, I can confidently confess my failings.
Joy: I don’t have to chase joy, but I do have to choose joy especially on difficult days.
Peace: When I choose to accept forgiveness Peace flows.
This is my favorite scripture photo this week. The picture is sunrise on Clingman’s Dome, GSMNP, taken from the webcam.
I started the day with a visit to the Ojibwa Cultural Museum located, across the Mackinaw City Bridge (from what is called the Lower Michigan Peninsula to the Upper Michigan Peninsula) in Saint Ignace, MI. This was a small museum, but it had some very interesting memorabilia and Ojibwa Indian cultural exhibits inside and outside the museum.
I found it interesting to learn that the native Indians in the Upper Peninsula had not always been friendly with each other. A historical marker, outside the museum indicated that the Huron Indians had been displaced by the hostile Iroquois Indians, from their homes in Canada, to the St. Ignace area in around 1671. These peace loving Huron Indians were ministered to by Father Marquette at his St. Ignace Mission until they joined Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac on his expedition to Detroit in 1701.
Next I picked up US-2 and headed 40+ miles west, to visit the Top-of-the-Lake Snowmobile Museum located in Naubinway, MI. This is one of the most amazing museums I have visited. The museum consists of over 185 unique, vintage, and classic snowmobiles of every type imaginable. It was well worth the time to stop and see how inventive people have been to come up with ways to travel on the heavy snow in the frozen North Country.
After that interesting museum I headed west, another 30 miles on US-2, to try to find the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gallagher, MI but to no avail. I couldn’t find any road signs, and Greta (my Garmin) could not find the address either. Another 15 miles west on US-2, it was the same thing when I tried to find the Bishop Baraga Shrine in Manistique, MI. I even stopped and asked a local man on the street, but he had never heard of the Shrine. So I continued to follow US-2 west, another 50 miles, until I reached Escanaba, MI to check out the Sand Point Lighthouse located on the shore of the Little Bay de Noc, at the entrance to Escanaba Harbor. Built in 1867, this small lighthouse served to protect the shipping industry of Escanaba until 1966, when it was abandoned by the U.S. Coast Guard, and converted into a museum that displays local maritime artifacts and memorabilia.
Next I visited the West Shore Fishing Museum located off SR-35, just west of Rochereau Point in the Kate A. Bailey Park. Located a few miles north of Menominee, MI, this museum is the restored home and fishery of Charles Bailey, who operated one of the area’s largest commercial fishing operations from 1893 to 1950. The museum opened in 1997 with family owned commercial fishing artifacts and memorabilia from the family’s many years of fishing the Green Bay. Mr. Bailey conducted a very creative fish exchange with Florida fish processors of the time, whereby they sold each other their fresh local fish.
—–Today’s activities will be continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 61 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
Jasper Newton Dulgar (1847-1944) was Marie’s paternal grandfather. He had two wives. Nancy Emeline was his second wife. She had lost her husband and between them, she and Jasper had a family of six children.
When they married they outfitted their kitchen with utensils…mostly made of iron. They bought an iron stove that came with a set of ironstone dishes, an iron stew pot, an iron tea kettle, and a big iron skillet.
They had a pair of black bread-pans that were made of a lighter metal. They were two feet square each. Emeline made two double batches of bread two times a week. If the bread dried out, she tore it up, put it in bowls and poured milk over it for breakfast. If there was a bit of extra bread at the end of the week, she could make bread pudding with milk, eggs, and sugar.
The stove used wood for fuel. Ovens in those days were temperamental but a good cook knew how to make her oven work right. She could have spent up to six hours in the kitchen every day, except Sunday. Most likely she made enough food on Saturday to take to church the next day. It seems that most of the hard-working farmers believed in the Lord Jesus and wanted to be together on that day to learn more about Him plus they needed the rest and the company.
One winter Jasper discovered there were Indians living in dirt caves somehow worn into the bank of a stream. Being so close to “wild” Indians, was a bit scary at first, but they left each other alone.
Speaking of Indians, my friend, Patricia Franklin in Colorado is of pioneer stock, too. She tells a story that goes like this:
“In the 1800s when my grandfather was a small boy he pulled a kettle of boiling water off the stove and down the front of his body. Since a doctor had never lived in the Wet Mountain or anywhere close, his mother hitched up the horses, put him in the wagon and drove twenty-five miles over rough terrain to an Indian camp where her Indian friends lived. She left him there with them, and several months later, they returned him to his home totally healed except for the scarring of his torso and legs. He would have those throughout his long life.
Photocredit Pixabay
Now back to Jasper. As Jasper grew old and frail, sons and daughters took over the hard work of the farm while Jasper spent some of his days as an unpaid county clerk. Because he had been there when the area was first settled he was the only person who could remember who lived where and when they lived there. In good weather, he sat out front with his squirrel gun on his lap. In the picture, he has something else on his lap—a birthday cake. I wish I could count the candles, but by this time he was 97 and that was the year in which he died.
Jasper Newton Dulgar 1844
I was born in ’38 and Jasper was still alive back east, but I never got to meet him. When I was twelve years old, however, my grandmother Marie and grandad Ira took me by car to Illinois and I met many fine relatives, most of them still farmers. When we got there, I slept in a feather bed for the first time in my life.
Marie 1942
DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
Our next Air Force assignment sent us to Panama City, Florida, to Tyndall AFB. Fred had lived there in the 1950’s with his family, as his Dad was a Base Chaplain, so this was familiar territory for him.
Photo credit WJHG.com
Credit Google search
The base didn’t have any place for us to move into when we first arrived. We actually began looking for a house off-base, but the prices were just out of our range. That turned out to be a blessing, as later, when Fred became the weather unit’s commander, he would have been required to move into base housing!
We stayed in a roach-infested motel room for a couple of weeks before we moved into our government quarters. It was a duplex, which was rather nice – only one other family as neighbors!
1976 – Our half of the duplex – Tyndall AFB, Florida
The living room/dining room was just one long, large room, with bricks along one outer wall. There was also a door to the outside/backyard in that room, opposite the front door. We had that big, 110″ long couch, remember, and I used that as a divider between the living room and the dining room.
1978 – The big blue couch. A friend of Janet’s at her birthday party
1978 – Janet’s birthday party. The brick wall with the piano
We had the piano against the brick wall, and the TV and bookcases (with our stereo system) along the other wall.
1975 – The girls in front of the bookcase/stereo
The hallway led to the one bathroom, that had the requisite tub/shower (gray tile), toilet and sink.
The bathroom was next to our large bedroom. Down the hallway were the other two bedrooms. There was a fairly narrow wall before heading into the other bedrooms, and we placed our pachinko machine there. It was a great way to spend some time just relaxing and playing a game. Fred was familiar with the game, as he had seen them when he lived in Japan with his family.
The entire unit had blood-red vinyl tile flooring with – what we called built-in heel marks. So we purchased a roll of white vinyl flooring and covered the dining room and kitchen with it. Then we completely covered the rest of the apartment with shag carpet – celery green mostly throughout.
1974 – Fred and Karen. Notice the celery green carpet.
The kitchen was off from the dining room. It was rather small and crowded, especially since the washing machine and dryer were in there.
1974 – Janet in a basket in the kitchen. Washer/dryer on left, refrigerator on right, back door
1974 – The kitchen. Mother came for a visit
There was another door from there out to a small patio, and a storage building. We eventually purchased a portable dishwasher, and added it to the kitchen, making the room even smaller. Some people we knew had removed one of the cabinets and placed the dishwasher there, pulling it over to the sink whenever they needed to run the machine. We didn’t do that – we needed the cabinet space! There was a window over the sink, looking out over the carport, and down the street.
There was no garage there, only a carport. But that was okay – unless it was raining, then one of us got wet, since we had two cars by that time!
We were quite comfortable there, which was a good thing, because we lived in that duplex for five years! I told Fred that we really needed to move, because I was beginning to put down “roots” in a government duplex!
God saw to move us the next year, so that was good.
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
The answer is in this true story that comes from Lou Vickery’s book, Reach Beyond: How to Jump Over Hurdles and Land on Success.
Peter Nondemand is the kind of person who makes many people feel uncomfortable. You see, he is always upbeat and positive. His optimistic thinking has led to optimistic outcomes.
Study after study shows optimistic people have more energy…make better decisions…are more productive…are less stressed…are happier…live healthier…and live longer than their pessimistic counterparts.
These describe Peter.
Even around the office, Peter is a noted encourager. He is rarely critical, focusing on cheering others to perform better. He makes every effort to demonstrate what it means to be a positive thinker and what it takes to maintain an optimistic mindset.
On April 11, 2004, Peter was put to a test. He was involved in a terrible automobile accident where three people lost their lives.
Many broken bones and severe internal bleeding threatened his life. As medics struggled to remove him from the wreckage, rather than lament, Peter encouraged them as they went about their duties.
Soon the ambulance was at the hospital. As the medics rushed him into the emergency room, still aware of his surroundings, Peter displayed his optimistic self.
But while the doctors attended to his wounds, Peter noticed a worried look on the face of one of the nurses. He suspected that his condition was not good…her look confirmed it.
Before he was put to sleep for life-saving surgery, these were Peter’s last words, “Treat me like I’m going to live, not die.”
Peter lived. And went forward with his life being his very optimistic self.
Note from Janet
Can we all be like Peter? Optimism is tough when, let’s be real, life stinks sometimes. How can we help but complain?
Sometimes we curse and, in our mind, and with our words, over and over again, repeat the negative details, being somewhat reckless with our tongue. But God says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).
Peter chose his own healing even before his accident by his ability to choose. He had the same choices you and I have—the choice to see the worst, or find the best. The choice to complain, or to comment on the good. The option to sink into the problem, or step into God’s promise.
Peter’s choice for optimism took him to see good things, making this verse come alive: “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him” (Proverbs 12:19).
Peter chose life even before his accident. He chose to live with edifying words, thoughts and attitude. We can too because “The tongue has the power of life and death,” (Proverbs 18:21). We have the power to invite happiness or sadness. A happy life is not one that’s filled with positive things, but one that’s empty of negativity.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for granting me the wisdom to choose words that edify, encourage and praise You in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name.
When facing adverse situations, what words come from your lips?
Janet
______________________________________
Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.
Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.
Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Yesterday was a long…. day! My husband had two doctor appointment two hours from our home. I am thankful we were able to schedule both on the same day.
We both slept in this morning but I didn’t miss my porch quiet time. Before I sette in the chaise lounge a Hummingbird flew to the feeder. She took a tiny sip then flew up close and hovered as if to say, fill up the feeder! The nectar and seed feeders were both empty! Cooler weather is coming so the birds must be stocking up.
My husband took this photo several years ago using a tripod and remote trigger.
To my surprise the Hummingbird zipped over to the garden area and began extracting nectar from the blooms on a Basil plant. Somehow she managed to pull the bloom off yet hold on to it longer to drink. She then moved on to the blooms on my huge Coleus plant. I wish I could have snapped a photo while she was drinking.
Waiting to hear from the doctor with test results is trying my patience. The practice has a patient portal and I have been haunting it all morning. We have been praying for the doctors to have wisdom in finding the source of my husband’s heath issues, but I’m not handling the waiting well. If my mom were still alive she would tilt her head and look me in the eye and ask..”what do you have a Lord for?”
My first museum this morning was to visit the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum located in Bay City, MI. This museum is housed in the destroyer USS Edson (DD-946) which is tied up alongside the Saginaw River near Essexville, MI. Since I served on a WWII destroyer (Gearing-class) while in the U.S. Navy, and I have visited many ship museums, I opted to just get a photo and move on to the next museum.
I headed north on I-75 to visit the Standish Historical Depot located in Standish, MI. The first Standish depot was built in 1871 by the Michigan Central Rail Road (MCRR), but was replaced by a new depot (1877-1889). This small depot museum has been restored, and retains many of its original beautiful hardwood fixtures.
Now I headed northeast on US-23 to visit the Wurtsmith Air Museum located in Oscoda, MI. This turned out to be a fairly large museum with three hangers of aircraft, equipment and memorabilia, designed to preserve the history of nearby Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which was operational from 1923 to 1993.
I decided to take US-23 north along the coast to Mackinaw City, MI where I visited the Colonial Michilimackinac. This Mackinac State Park is a work in process. The reconstructed 1715 Colonial Fort Mackinac and fur trading village consists of 16 buildings furnished with early 18thcentury furnishings, and guides dressed in period costumes, to tell you all about their building. Reenactments are performed daily to help the visitor appreciate the life and times of the period, including Fort Mackinac’s participation in the War of 1812 with the British.
While in Mackinaw City, I visited the Mackinaw City Bridge Museum, located on the second floor of MaMa Mia’s Pizzeria. This small museum relates the history of the building of the “Mighty Mac” and honors the thousands of workers who participated in the bridge’s construction. The museum is filled with artifacts, photographs, and all types of memorabilia.
Local business and investment concerns showed interest in a bridge from Ignace to Mackinaw City as early as 1884, however the Michigan state government was not ready to tackle such a project. Increased tourist traffic in the area during the early 1900s finally saw the implementation of an automobile ferry service in 1923 between the two cities. As the traffic flow increased, and with the ferry service in full swing, carrying as many as 9000 cars a day, traffic backups waiting for passage began to increase and were sometimes known to stretch for miles. In 1928 the Governor of Michigan called for the Michigan State Highway Department to perform a bridge evaluation. In 1934 the Michigan Legislature created the Meckinac Straits Bridge Authority to study the concept, however financing during the Great Depression was non-existent. Serious plans for the bridge began as early as 1936 , but was delayed by WWII. Construction finally began on the bridge in 1954. Approximately 11, 350 workers, from all over the country, completed the $70+ Million Icon in 1957. At the time of its completion, the bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world, at 26,372 feet (5 miles).
My restaurant choice this evening turned out to be at Scallywags White Fish & Chips, located on East Central Avenue, just down the street from the Mackinaw City Bridge Museum. I had their White Fish Tacos that were some of the best I have ever eaten. Their chips were also excellent. I struck up a conversation with the guy at the next table, and discovered he was also an ex-navy man, and he had been to some of the museums, in Canada, that I plan to visit next summer. He said he had some photos of some of Canada’s rarest airplanes, and would email them to me, if he could find them.
After that great meal and interesting conversation, I was ready for Greta to take me to tonight’s motel, where I could relax from the long day’s drive. I recorded my day’s events, and before I knew it, I was falling asleep at the desk. I decided it was finally time to call it a day, hit the sack, and hopefully dream of exciting things I had planned to see tomorrow.
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 61 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
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