Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Life in Biloxi

(In our present life, we head North today, turn the heat up) 
Todays post continuing our early lives:
Fred and Frances were transferred, I believe he went to Adak, Alaska.  We would not see them until he was out of the Coast Guard and pastoring a church in Tennessee awaiting assignment to the mission fields.
WE solved one of Sherry’s dilemma's; we moved from Ocean Springs to Pass Road so she would not have to drive or ride across the Bay Bridge every day. That helped.
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(Dirty Jack after a tussle working on the car! We were all cool when we were young weren’t we?)
The church was our salvation, bringing more permanent friends into our lives. Walking the beach, fishing in the Gulf and  swimming in the creeks that fed the Gulf.  Working on the car to keep it running and volunteering to assist at church services in jails and nursing homes, back then they were ‘Old Folk’s Homes’.
One service I remember, we bowed our head to pray the closing prayer and the old fellow beside Sherry, nudged her and said very loudly, “Are you Sleepy!” (One of life’s introductions of what may happen to you!)
We could no more afford a new car than I could fly, but I remember going to a dealership to try out a new 1958 Chevy Super dooper V8. Back then they gave you the keys and said ‘take her for a spin’. We did. WOW, I had NEVER felt such power under a hood. But of course it was just a kid’s thing, trying it out. WE weren’t about to go in debt for a car. (But it was fun to dream).
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(Grilling on a homemade grill with son Jack)
Two biggies: First, as a Radio Operator my chances of advancement weren’t good. Urged by friends, I applied for Computer Repair school. The School was  on Keesler at Biloxi. I got the school, a 9 month school. I enjoyed that. We bought a MoPed (motor bike) that I could use to go to school. Funny thing, Sherry and Jack Jr. had went back to Belmont to visit. I was on the first shift (6AM Classes).
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Sherry on our MoPed
I came home one afternoon very tired and just lay across the bed in uniform and fell fast asleep. I awoke and saw the clock read 5:30. I had slept all night! I had not studied! I raced to shave, the uniform looked ok, I ran outside to start the Moped and was cranking it when suddenly I realized, “it is warm for about 6am.” It was only 5:30 in the afternoon. I looked around sheepishly, hoping none of our neighbors had seen me. Relieved I went back in the trailer, to slow my heart down.
The second biggie: We paid off our trailer and with Jackie Jr, we wanted a little more room, so we bought a mansion, an 8’X42’ Mobile Home. They were no longer trailers but Mobile Homes. This was a pink and white beauty with two bed rooms. We were ecstatic. We had pink appliances and it was almost new.
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Sherry cooking in our new home
Thanks for following our younger lives in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
In teaching only one main subject, the USAF crams 4 years of school into 9 months. You are going to school 8 hours a day 5 days a week. It is intensive, but very good training.
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This is a 1958 Chevrolet Impala exactly like the one we test drove. Boy did it have power.

9 comments:

Louis la Vache said...

«Louis» likes that photo of you and Jack at the grill.
It reminds him of the grill his maternal grandfather made from a barrel. A lot of good burgers and bar-b-q chicken came off that grill!

Sharp looking '58 Impala. «Louis» guesses it had the new-that-year 348 cu in V8.The 348 was Chevy's first "big block" V8, new that year and not derived from the 265-283 small block introduced in 1955.

The small block went on to spawn the 327 and the 350 V8s.

Sheila Y said...

So you are headed back this way. I think we are supposed to start warming up this week...maybe it will stay this time. Snow fell here yesterday morning but it was already wet and didn't stick. It stuck in some places though. Take care and safe travels, Sheila

~mel said...

I want a MoPed. Do they come in an X-tra X-tra large so it doesn't look like my butt swallowed the seat from behind??? I haven't ridden on a bike of any sort for years and then 2 summers ago I jumped on the grandloves bike. I didn't realize how small the seats had gotten!!

TARYTERRE said...

Loved the pictures of Sherry in your new home and on the MOped.

Paula said...

Cute picture of Sherry cooking in the new home. Does she still have the large mixing bowl? I got a yellow one for my wedding shower and I still have it.

betty said...

That was good to move so Sherry wouldn't have to drive those bridges; I'm with her, I wouldn't enjoy that. Neat to hear too how you were able to upgrade and get a bigger trailer after paying off the other one; good lessons for young family members reading this that it can be done to manage debt without going crazy getting new cars, etc.

betty

Jimmy's Journal said...

I like that '58 Chevy! My favorite year for Chevrolet was the 1957 coupe.

It would be neat to see your lives as a movie but I don't know how you could condense it.

Maybe a mini-series?

Jimmy

Lucy said...

What did you do with all that beautiful hair??? This is a great way to share your early years. Better than a book.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I love the pictures that you've put in your post they are just great ! That new home must have seem like a mansion for sure!