Merry Merry Christmas Christmas 2011 2011...

Meet my new twin Grand-babies Haiden and Hailey... Born December 19, 2011 at 11:19pm.

If that's not the best Christmas present ever, I don't know what could be...

Over, "Out" and beaming from ear to ear, from Portsmouth, VA USA

Merry Christmas 2011...

Looking across the Elizabeth River at downtown Norfolk from downtown Portsmouth.

Safe travels to all!

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

That's LIFE...

This is an interesting snippet from the July 7, 1927 issue of "Life" magazine (as digitized by Google)... Does anyone remember when these magazines did not have photos? I kind of scanned the whole issue and found it fascinating... The ads were all drawn, including the Automobile ads:

The interesting thing about this, as I do not remember magazines having only illustrations (rather than photos), is that the winner of the "Alibi" contest for this issue, was my paternal grandfather, who happened to live in Richmond, VA at the time... You can click on any of the images and it will take you to the original issue...

More on this in future posts, but remember, I did not visit Richmond VA until I relocated there in 1999...

Over and "Out", from Portsmouth, VA USA

All Wrapped Up for the Holiday...

This has been a very frugal Holiday for me. I find it hard to get into the spirit of the season when I am more concerned about how I will make ends meet financially.

I like to shop for family and friends, but this year I have decided we just can't afford it... We got Michael's son his gifts (an iPod touch and all the trimmings)... We will figure out something for each other after I get back to work...

We did decorate and that has helped my mood some, as has the above photo as my desktop background...

I hope all my blogging friends have a great Christmas. I am sure to post more beforehand, but if I don't Happy Holidays to all!!

Over, "Out" and a little depressed, from Portsmouth, VA USA

Christmas Lights are UP...

My first upload on YouTube... Am I a genius or not?... NOT

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

Six on the Sixth - December

I can't believe it's been a month since I've done this, where the heck did November go? Here goes this month's list of six things few of my blogging friends don't know about me:

1.  All three of my siblings and I have the same mother, but only 2 of them

     (and I) share the same (natural) father.

2.  My Dad adopted all 3 of us and legally changed our name when he

     was in his early 20's and past away in his mid 40's.

3.  My natural father's family did not come into my life until I was in my 40's.

4.  They all believed he (birth father) had passed away sometime in the '60's.

5.  I have a vast number of "new" cousins, aunts, and uncles now.

6.  My biological father (I call him Pop) reappeared about 5 years ago

    (he has been living in Tasmania since the 1960's).

Interesting stuff huh? My Dad had some big ones to adopt 3 kids and then have another all before his 25th birthday. I do miss him...

Over and "Out" from my little world here in Portsmouth, VA USA

Twenty Years Gone... RIP Pan Am...

Twenty years ago today, December 4, 1991, Pan American World Airways ceased all operations. As I have written about in past posts, my Grandfather was a pilot for them for over 35 years. As an om-age to the long life of what was once considered the flagship airline of the United States, I found the video above that chronicles the airline's history through the 1970's. It finishes with hope for a hope for the future which never happens...

It's a little long, but the photos of some of the memorabilia is extensive...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

World AIDS Day 2011.. RVA Remembers...

Who would have thought that the Capital of the Confederacy (aka: Conservative Richmond, VA) could have pulled this off? 400 red umbrellas (each sponsored by someone like me) opened at exactly 12:00noon, on a Thursday afternoon, on an island in the middle of the James River off the downtown area, to support World AIDS Day 2011...

I have a great friend Kelly Stern (over at Rambling Along in Life), that was very involved in this event, as was the Fan Free Clinic and numerous sponsors... Thanks Kelly for making sure the umbrella I sponsored opened on time! (I do hate a pre-mature release of any kind, at any place)...

I wish I could have been there...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA, USA

Just a PS on this...  The front page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch AND The Washington Post, both featured this story and event.. Congrats to all!!!