Jack and Sherry, A Love Story

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But for today:
 I thought it would be cool in our ‘autobiography’ to use Movie and TV ads to introduce the year i.e. I picked the Honeymooners for 1955. I stepped across the copyright line. I removed all ads other than the ones I could prove were in public domain.  BUT it is published. I wrote the book for the Jack Darnell family. I wanted them to know something about our childhood and how life WAS.

The book (#12) is 400 pages. When I started I thought 100 would be the limit. I can’t see any sales except for those I bought. The main target was our family.  It is an e-book for $2.99, Amazon would not let me put it at 99 cents. One advantage of the e-book is the later pictures are in color. The paperback for about $9 (the least they will let me charge) has all b/w pictures. My friend Evelyn and Sherry read it, made a few changes. Evelyn said, ‘It is for your family, so it is written as they know you speak, let’s leave it naked, just the way you wrote it.’

I remember my parents talking about the depression. Leaving N Georgia and driving to Hollywood Florida for WPA work. They lived in tents for two years and bathed in the ocean.

I never asked what type work they did in Florida. I will never know now, EVERYONE connected has passed on. I kick myself for not asking.

Are you curious about your parents and how they lived before you came along? I hope you learned more than I.

While reading this book, I realized I had included only the highlights.

Anyway it was a task of love on my part. If one of the grand kids enjoys it when they are 70 years old it will have been worth every hour I put in those 400+ pages. LOL

 Nite Shipslog


PS: The book started as a broad family book. I asked for some input and photos. I received some help from Ken, Eddie (Herron), and Dewey, the DArnell.  There are a few extended family pictures in it and some Genealogy.  I would suggest if you are part of the family and interested, check out the e-book first. the newer pictures are in color (e-book only), They did not print well in the paper back.

Segregation and Bribery.

 Trucks of distinction, this is an old Cowboys truck in Texas.

For today.
When I tell my grandkids segregation was REAL and that I never attended school with black students. They are floored. It is a concept completely foreign to them. They cannot imagine that being accepted. And I agree with them.

When dad pastored a country church the closest kids were
the Davis’s, a black family. We played together every day. BUT I was not allowed to eat at their table. I had to sit on the firewood behind the wood stove. Mammy, as she was affectionately called, would tell me, “It ain’t fittin’ for whites and coloreds to eat together, when you get growed, you will know that.”

I was too little to know that the black family could get into BIG trouble breaking the ‘segregated rules’ (1944). I was confused because they sat at the table at our house. There is a lot built into ‘how you are raised and the society at the time.’

I said all that to emphasize that our society, or populace determines much of our thought processes. The big scandal now on the web-news is bribing to get children of the wealthy into the better colleges.  One of the actresses in involved was dumb struck and made the statement, “I didn’t think that bribing was such a big deal.”

WHAT? ..... At my level bribery is still WRONG! 

But ignoring the normal rules of courtesy and fair play has become too common place. So much so that I think politicians and people in power feel the same, what is the big deal?.  When something becomes common place, it changes thought processes.

Nite Shipslog

Words I hate!

Trucks of Art

 When you have a crappy job, at least you can have fun!
Now:

I was just reminded of a word I despise, Alzheimer’s. Before that, the most despised word in my vocabulary was cancer.  Now they both tie for the top hated spot. If you have time this is a sweet entry by Sean.

  

https://seandietrich.com/march/

When (not ‘IF’) you are associated with either word, you will learn heart breaking things, you will learn quickly that life can deal some tough cards. But we play what is dealt.

Some fight and win with the danged cancer word, but no one wins against the ‘A’ word. With C, the fear of that one stinking ‘mean cell’ hiding from the surgeon’s knife survived, and it haunts a mind. With A, there are no wins. From my sister Shirley’s friends, I still hear, “Shirley’s death shocked me, she was the life of the party!”

She dropped out of sight for months, knowing her mind was leaving her. She did not want anyone to know that things weren’t right, it is normal to hide, and she did. Shirley would say to Sherry and me, “I am losing my memory, AND IT WORRIES ME TO DEATH!”

I am haunted. Not a good word, BUT I am at times floored mentally still seeing those eyes at the end, confused, pleading and trying to say something. Trying to ask, ‘what is happening?’ All I could say was, “I love you Shirley,” over and over. She was dying and the dementia had added to the confusion.

We cry, even knowing we did all we could. (I still say to myself, I could have done more! I think everyone does.) It is not as fresh, and the pity parties are less.  I know life is good. I keep telling myself, I have it made, many people are much worse off, with bigger problems.

But…………………

Nite Shipslog