A letter by Robert Darnell [Date unknown, Note: Old Mom was 85]
Old Mom,
This is your old friend Bob.
All my friends ask me how my beautiful mother-in-law can be 85, look 60, and act 40?
I tell them it's because she eats apples and carrots and takes a beauty nap every afternoon.
They are all doing that now.
Don't forget I'm going to get you some jogging shoes and work-out suit next birthday.
Have a good time in California. I love you and thanks for your daughter.
Love,
Bob
end
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Reagan :: Andropov
by Robert Darnell [date unknown]
Our Sunday morning paper, "The Houston Post," had an article by Carl Sagan on the possibility of nuclear war and the results.
The article prompts me as one small speck of a speck on this planet, an American citizen, to voice my protest against the horrible possibility of a nuclear war.
Mr. Reagan and Mr Andropov, you are the chosen leaders of our two countries. I would advise you post haste, now, today, pick, and assign, a task force of the greatest minds available from each country using the great computer hardware that we have available to solve the nuclear arms problem.
This is a unique planet that we have here, full of so many interesting living things, with its waters and lands.
None of us with minds want to see this beautiful thing blown up and destroyed by two factions which in the really great scheme of things are truly only minute.
Please, without posturing, politicizing, bullying, bettering, or forcing, put the two task forces to work at once.
In our business we say we don't have problems, only opportunities.
However, that might be it seems to me that you two chosen leaders in assessing your accomplishments -- such as invading Afghanistan or kicking the Cubans out of Granada -- would certainly prefer the accomplishment of eliminating the possibility of nuclear war.
I know that I am saying what is in the heart of every man, and I want to say it.
end
Our Sunday morning paper, "The Houston Post," had an article by Carl Sagan on the possibility of nuclear war and the results.
The article prompts me as one small speck of a speck on this planet, an American citizen, to voice my protest against the horrible possibility of a nuclear war.
Mr. Reagan and Mr Andropov, you are the chosen leaders of our two countries. I would advise you post haste, now, today, pick, and assign, a task force of the greatest minds available from each country using the great computer hardware that we have available to solve the nuclear arms problem.
This is a unique planet that we have here, full of so many interesting living things, with its waters and lands.
None of us with minds want to see this beautiful thing blown up and destroyed by two factions which in the really great scheme of things are truly only minute.
Please, without posturing, politicizing, bullying, bettering, or forcing, put the two task forces to work at once.
In our business we say we don't have problems, only opportunities.
However, that might be it seems to me that you two chosen leaders in assessing your accomplishments -- such as invading Afghanistan or kicking the Cubans out of Granada -- would certainly prefer the accomplishment of eliminating the possibility of nuclear war.
I know that I am saying what is in the heart of every man, and I want to say it.
end
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Labor Day Weekend
by Robert Darnell [date unknown, but note: When Alicia and Jennifer were four]
For Labor Day Weekend Jerre wanted to get a beach house down at Galveston for all the family and everyone else who wanted to come down. Rob was agreeable as he always is so they leased one at Sea Isle on a canal lot. Beck wanted to be on the beach so we changed it and got one on the beach of Jamaica, which is much better.
Jerre, Beck, Alish, and Rob, and David, Jan, David, and Jennifer went down Friday. One of the first things we noticed was how bad the mosquitoes and ants were, so we started swatting, and spraying, and scratching immediately. We stayed down there four days and pretty soon we were used to them and didn't pay them much more attention.
Jerre cooked for a week, enough food for an army, before we went and we really had a car full going down. All four of us rode in the front seat with the back seat loaded to the roof, and trunk piled full of gear and food.
Our house was right on the beach and had a "mountain with trees on it," right off the front deck. The mountain and trees were not what is commonly thought of when you hear those words, but it was four-year-old Alish's description of a big sand dune with driftwood logs in it. Her description was just right.
Friday night Melanie, Fred, Melanie's brother Hot Sam in Lake Jackson, stayed Friday night. Breakfast in the morning with eggs, bacon sizzling in the pan, toast, jelly; it was out of this world.
Several of Becky's friends came down and spent Saturday night: Nat, Lisa, Amy, Sara, Wendy, Chad, Chuck, Chan, Chilly, Chub, Termite, and Micro. They slept on the floor in sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, and couches. There was a small hassle about separating the boys and girls by it was mild and no problem.
Sylvia didn't come down until Sunday. It was her first time in the sun and she roasted, fried, broiled, baked and basted until she was well-done.
Also, Sunday, some of Jerre's co-workers, Carla, Bitsy, Chuck, Mike, and Dwayne, came and brought a sail boat, catamaran. Dwayne and Mike took everyone sailing who wanted to go. There was a good wind and a great day for sailing. None of them stayed over night, but left late in the evening.
We stuffed our gut all the time we were there. Beer, chicken salad, potato salad, stew, cookies, cake, baked beans ... beer, hamburgers, condiments, beer, dips and chips, and beer.On Monday Joe and Carla Vick came and brought some shrimp. We boiled them and they were just fantastic. There was plenty of booze, beer, and coffee, and cokes for everyone the whole time.
One afternoon we went crabbing back on some old pier, but only caught one crab. Some people were water-skiing just off the jetty's, so we figured they had the crabs jetting. Beck caught the only one and it was a perfect Blue Crab. We were hoping to get about sixteen of those and have a crab boil, but we didn't. We let the lone one go back in the surf. It went dashing off sideways and gave us the claw on the way out.
David and David went down on the seawall to a fishing pier one night to do some pier fishing. Almost 2:30 in the morning, Jennifer woke Jerre up, who woke Bob up and saw that the Daves were not back yet, so off they went looking for them. They looked up and down the seawall and pier for the Davids and then went back to the house. Naturally they were already there and in bed. That's when thirty-year-old David was wondering when he will be old enough to stay out without his Maw and Paw coming to look for him.
Joe Vick in striking up a conversation with Jennifer asked how old she was. "Four." she said.
"What are you going to be when you're grown up?" asked Joe.
"Five," said Jennifer.
All those interested watched the Oilers' game Sunday and they beat Los Angeles so that made everybody happy. Especially with the kick returner's 95 yard kickoff return for the game winning touchdown.
All in all it was a great four days walking on the beach, laying on the beach, surfing, sailing, eating, drinking, fishing, and loafing. Not a bad way, to spend Labor Day, we all say!
end
For Labor Day Weekend Jerre wanted to get a beach house down at Galveston for all the family and everyone else who wanted to come down. Rob was agreeable as he always is so they leased one at Sea Isle on a canal lot. Beck wanted to be on the beach so we changed it and got one on the beach of Jamaica, which is much better.
Jerre, Beck, Alish, and Rob, and David, Jan, David, and Jennifer went down Friday. One of the first things we noticed was how bad the mosquitoes and ants were, so we started swatting, and spraying, and scratching immediately. We stayed down there four days and pretty soon we were used to them and didn't pay them much more attention.
Jerre cooked for a week, enough food for an army, before we went and we really had a car full going down. All four of us rode in the front seat with the back seat loaded to the roof, and trunk piled full of gear and food.
Our house was right on the beach and had a "mountain with trees on it," right off the front deck. The mountain and trees were not what is commonly thought of when you hear those words, but it was four-year-old Alish's description of a big sand dune with driftwood logs in it. Her description was just right.
Friday night Melanie, Fred, Melanie's brother Hot Sam in Lake Jackson, stayed Friday night. Breakfast in the morning with eggs, bacon sizzling in the pan, toast, jelly; it was out of this world.
Several of Becky's friends came down and spent Saturday night: Nat, Lisa, Amy, Sara, Wendy, Chad, Chuck, Chan, Chilly, Chub, Termite, and Micro. They slept on the floor in sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, and couches. There was a small hassle about separating the boys and girls by it was mild and no problem.
Sylvia didn't come down until Sunday. It was her first time in the sun and she roasted, fried, broiled, baked and basted until she was well-done.
Also, Sunday, some of Jerre's co-workers, Carla, Bitsy, Chuck, Mike, and Dwayne, came and brought a sail boat, catamaran. Dwayne and Mike took everyone sailing who wanted to go. There was a good wind and a great day for sailing. None of them stayed over night, but left late in the evening.
We stuffed our gut all the time we were there. Beer, chicken salad, potato salad, stew, cookies, cake, baked beans ... beer, hamburgers, condiments, beer, dips and chips, and beer.On Monday Joe and Carla Vick came and brought some shrimp. We boiled them and they were just fantastic. There was plenty of booze, beer, and coffee, and cokes for everyone the whole time.
One afternoon we went crabbing back on some old pier, but only caught one crab. Some people were water-skiing just off the jetty's, so we figured they had the crabs jetting. Beck caught the only one and it was a perfect Blue Crab. We were hoping to get about sixteen of those and have a crab boil, but we didn't. We let the lone one go back in the surf. It went dashing off sideways and gave us the claw on the way out.
David and David went down on the seawall to a fishing pier one night to do some pier fishing. Almost 2:30 in the morning, Jennifer woke Jerre up, who woke Bob up and saw that the Daves were not back yet, so off they went looking for them. They looked up and down the seawall and pier for the Davids and then went back to the house. Naturally they were already there and in bed. That's when thirty-year-old David was wondering when he will be old enough to stay out without his Maw and Paw coming to look for him.
Joe Vick in striking up a conversation with Jennifer asked how old she was. "Four." she said.
"What are you going to be when you're grown up?" asked Joe.
"Five," said Jennifer.
All those interested watched the Oilers' game Sunday and they beat Los Angeles so that made everybody happy. Especially with the kick returner's 95 yard kickoff return for the game winning touchdown.
All in all it was a great four days walking on the beach, laying on the beach, surfing, sailing, eating, drinking, fishing, and loafing. Not a bad way, to spend Labor Day, we all say!
end
Friday, February 3, 2012
Special Occasion
A man opened his wife's drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'
He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it.
He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.
He turned to me and said:
'Never save something for a special occasion.
Every day in your life is a special occasion'.
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day...
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to
The words 'Someday....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now....
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.
I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..
If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably, there's someone you care about.
If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself that you will send it 'One of these days' , remember that 'One day' is far away... or might never come......
'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'
He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it.
He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.
He turned to me and said:
'Never save something for a special occasion.
Every day in your life is a special occasion'.
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day...
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to
The words 'Someday....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now....
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.
I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..
If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably, there's someone you care about.
If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself that you will send it 'One of these days' , remember that 'One day' is far away... or might never come......
Hurricane Alicia and the Aftermath
by Robert Darnell, 8/18/83
It rained and it rained and it rained. Wind blew, it thundered, it lightninged, and it rained and the wind blew.
That was Hurricane Alicia, named after our grand daughter, which came in Wednesday night.
We had been watching and listening to reports of the storm for two days as it lay off the coast of Galveston and tried to make up its mind which way to go.
We have watched them so many times here in Houston and most of them go on off to South Texas or Mexico or go back East to Louisiana.
But this one decided to pop right on in over Galveston and on in to Houston Proper. It was blowing pretty steadily and raining lightly on Wednesday night about bed time. No one was home except Jerre and Robert. Becky had gone to Aggie Fish Camp up at Palestine, for Aggie freshmen.
Robert went for a walk before bed time and it was nice and fresh. Very comfortable. Jerre stayed up till 1 o'clock washing clothes in case the water went off during the hurricane.
During the night it really got to popping. You could hear the limbs snapping and falling. We had a steady rain of pine cones on our roof. Rufus barked at the thunder.
The electricity went off about four and actually we got very little sleep all night.
We got up about six and checked things out. We had a good flashlight and lit some candles. The water pressure was low so we took a shower in case the water went off completely and so we would be clean during the storm.
The wind and rain were really coming on. The trees were bending from one side to the other and looked like they would all snap. The yards and streets were waist deep in tree limbs and branches, and it just kept raining and blowing.
Jerre got out some food warmers with candles and cooking alcohol. She cooked us up a good breakfast of eggs, sausage, rolls, jelly and coffee. We ate out on the patio and watched things blow and fall.
About eight thirty the wind quit blowing and everything got pretty still. We were right in the eye of the hurricane. Robert went outside and took some pictures of the litter.
Then in about an hour the wind started blowing again from the Southwest. The eye had passed on and was headed out toward Katy.
Wade called from Possum Kingdom and said it was bright sunshine, hot and dry and one hundred degrees.
Hope they get some of this rain.
We spent most of the day after it quit raining cleaning up fallen trees and limbs. Many big trees fell in the neighborhood. One huge oak tree two houses down fell on the electric line. It'll probably be several days before we get the lights back on.
It's night now and raining again. We're cooking some meat out on the gas cooker on the patio.
All we got is candles. No TV, no air conditioning, woe is us -- alas -- alas ...
Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again.
The Aftermath, by Robert Darnell
"Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again."
When I wrote that, little did I know what it's like to clean up after a hurricane.
The electricity was off two days and the weather got sticky hot. It was just too hot to move and no place to go to get cool.
Jerre and Bob both went to work Friday morning. Everything was on at Jerre's office and she worked all day. Nothing was on at Bob's office, so it was mostly shut down.
He went down to the health club to try to get started and it was all shut down until Monday. Bob took an iron out to the repair shop to get it fixed for Becky to use at College Station. On the way he stopped at twelve stores looking for ice to go in the cooler where we have all our food.
He finally found two bags at a small remote corner grocery.
Most of the neighbors were out raking, cutting, and stacking lumber. The whole neighborhood looked and sounded like a lumber camp. Bob worked for a while and got so hot he thought he would bust.
When Jerre got home they decided to go down to Clear Lake to check on the boat and to ride in the car to stay cool.
The Clear Lake, Kemah area was a battleground of trash and rubble. The water had been up in the whole area about eight feet.
The boat made it out okay and was still tethered in its stall with no damage.
That night they went to bed and thought it would cool off, but it just got hotter and stickier. They spent a miserable night and got up exhausted.
All day Saturday they tried to get things going. they washed some clothes at the washeteria to keep cool. They ate at a restaurant to keep cool, they went shopping to keep cool.
Finally, at five o'clock the electricity came back on and they got the air conditioner and refrigerator to running.
They were feeling quite good about things. The house started cooling down. They washed dishes, and ate supper. Becky came home. She had a great time and was in good spirits from the Fish Camp. She was excited about the hurricane damage.
Then at ten o'clock -- POW -- the lights out again; a transformer had blown. Remembering how hot it was the night before they decided not to stay home and found a room over at the Westchase Hilton. Checked in there about mid-night and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning about eleven o'clock the electricity came back on and the house started cooling down again.
It rained and it rained and it rained. Wind blew, it thundered, it lightninged, and it rained and the wind blew.
That was Hurricane Alicia, named after our grand daughter, which came in Wednesday night.
We had been watching and listening to reports of the storm for two days as it lay off the coast of Galveston and tried to make up its mind which way to go.
We have watched them so many times here in Houston and most of them go on off to South Texas or Mexico or go back East to Louisiana.
But this one decided to pop right on in over Galveston and on in to Houston Proper. It was blowing pretty steadily and raining lightly on Wednesday night about bed time. No one was home except Jerre and Robert. Becky had gone to Aggie Fish Camp up at Palestine, for Aggie freshmen.
Robert went for a walk before bed time and it was nice and fresh. Very comfortable. Jerre stayed up till 1 o'clock washing clothes in case the water went off during the hurricane.
During the night it really got to popping. You could hear the limbs snapping and falling. We had a steady rain of pine cones on our roof. Rufus barked at the thunder.
The electricity went off about four and actually we got very little sleep all night.
We got up about six and checked things out. We had a good flashlight and lit some candles. The water pressure was low so we took a shower in case the water went off completely and so we would be clean during the storm.
The wind and rain were really coming on. The trees were bending from one side to the other and looked like they would all snap. The yards and streets were waist deep in tree limbs and branches, and it just kept raining and blowing.
Jerre got out some food warmers with candles and cooking alcohol. She cooked us up a good breakfast of eggs, sausage, rolls, jelly and coffee. We ate out on the patio and watched things blow and fall.
About eight thirty the wind quit blowing and everything got pretty still. We were right in the eye of the hurricane. Robert went outside and took some pictures of the litter.
Then in about an hour the wind started blowing again from the Southwest. The eye had passed on and was headed out toward Katy.
Wade called from Possum Kingdom and said it was bright sunshine, hot and dry and one hundred degrees.
Hope they get some of this rain.
We spent most of the day after it quit raining cleaning up fallen trees and limbs. Many big trees fell in the neighborhood. One huge oak tree two houses down fell on the electric line. It'll probably be several days before we get the lights back on.
It's night now and raining again. We're cooking some meat out on the gas cooker on the patio.
All we got is candles. No TV, no air conditioning, woe is us -- alas -- alas ...
Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again.
***
The Aftermath, by Robert Darnell
"Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again."
When I wrote that, little did I know what it's like to clean up after a hurricane.
The electricity was off two days and the weather got sticky hot. It was just too hot to move and no place to go to get cool.
Jerre and Bob both went to work Friday morning. Everything was on at Jerre's office and she worked all day. Nothing was on at Bob's office, so it was mostly shut down.
He went down to the health club to try to get started and it was all shut down until Monday. Bob took an iron out to the repair shop to get it fixed for Becky to use at College Station. On the way he stopped at twelve stores looking for ice to go in the cooler where we have all our food.
He finally found two bags at a small remote corner grocery.
Most of the neighbors were out raking, cutting, and stacking lumber. The whole neighborhood looked and sounded like a lumber camp. Bob worked for a while and got so hot he thought he would bust.
When Jerre got home they decided to go down to Clear Lake to check on the boat and to ride in the car to stay cool.
The Clear Lake, Kemah area was a battleground of trash and rubble. The water had been up in the whole area about eight feet.
The boat made it out okay and was still tethered in its stall with no damage.
That night they went to bed and thought it would cool off, but it just got hotter and stickier. They spent a miserable night and got up exhausted.
All day Saturday they tried to get things going. they washed some clothes at the washeteria to keep cool. They ate at a restaurant to keep cool, they went shopping to keep cool.
Finally, at five o'clock the electricity came back on and they got the air conditioner and refrigerator to running.
They were feeling quite good about things. The house started cooling down. They washed dishes, and ate supper. Becky came home. She had a great time and was in good spirits from the Fish Camp. She was excited about the hurricane damage.
Then at ten o'clock -- POW -- the lights out again; a transformer had blown. Remembering how hot it was the night before they decided not to stay home and found a room over at the Westchase Hilton. Checked in there about mid-night and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning about eleven o'clock the electricity came back on and the house started cooling down again.
Coffee in Chicago
by Robert Darnell [date unknown]
Jerre and Robert are coffee heads from way back. That is they enjoy a good cup of coffee quite frequently and especially early in the morning when they first wake up.
Recently they were in Chicago visiting the three -- Pat , Di, and Sam.
The first morning there, everyone was sleeping late except Rob who always gets up early. He stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, trying to be real quiet like a mouse. He found a coffee pot but no cord. He found a can of coffee unopened but no opener. After searching the kitchen silently for a cord and opener with no luck, he finally gave up and went for a walk.
A little later Jerre got up, and then also Pat.
She asked about coffee and he showed her how they make it.
First he knew where the can opener was to open the coffee can, but an opened can of coffee was on top on the refrigerator in a basket where one would naturally expect the coffee to be kept. Then he put exactly two cups of water in a kettle on the stove to boil.
Then he got a large filter from he cabinet and stuck it into a funnel. He poured two spoons of coffee into the filter.
The funnel was then placed into a coffee thermos jug. When the water in the kettle boiled it was poured over the coffee in the filter and ran into the thermos. It was not strong enough the first time through, so was poured through the filter again.
This second time through the filter was wet and soft so it disintegrated into the coffee. The coffee was then poured through a wire strainer to filter the paper out and finally poured into two cups.
Rob came in from the yard and he and Jerre had a cup of coffee.
The procedure was repeated for Pat and Di to have a cup and that's how they make coffee in Chicago.
In the first letter Rob and Jerre got after they got home it said: "Oh, by the way, we got a coffee pot."
end
Jerre and Robert are coffee heads from way back. That is they enjoy a good cup of coffee quite frequently and especially early in the morning when they first wake up.
Recently they were in Chicago visiting the three -- Pat , Di, and Sam.
The first morning there, everyone was sleeping late except Rob who always gets up early. He stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, trying to be real quiet like a mouse. He found a coffee pot but no cord. He found a can of coffee unopened but no opener. After searching the kitchen silently for a cord and opener with no luck, he finally gave up and went for a walk.
A little later Jerre got up, and then also Pat.
She asked about coffee and he showed her how they make it.
First he knew where the can opener was to open the coffee can, but an opened can of coffee was on top on the refrigerator in a basket where one would naturally expect the coffee to be kept. Then he put exactly two cups of water in a kettle on the stove to boil.
Then he got a large filter from he cabinet and stuck it into a funnel. He poured two spoons of coffee into the filter.
The funnel was then placed into a coffee thermos jug. When the water in the kettle boiled it was poured over the coffee in the filter and ran into the thermos. It was not strong enough the first time through, so was poured through the filter again.
This second time through the filter was wet and soft so it disintegrated into the coffee. The coffee was then poured through a wire strainer to filter the paper out and finally poured into two cups.
Rob came in from the yard and he and Jerre had a cup of coffee.
The procedure was repeated for Pat and Di to have a cup and that's how they make coffee in Chicago.
In the first letter Rob and Jerre got after they got home it said: "Oh, by the way, we got a coffee pot."
end
Saturday, January 3, 2015
July 4TH, 1983 :: Ravinia Park ~ Northshore Lake Michigan ~ The North Side of Chicago
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
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