I'm Back... in Talk Story

Aloha…

The forest behind my house is in full bloom… a myriad of green colors… with the exception of the elderberry trees… they at first had white blossoms… now red berries that the birds love to eat…

And lots of animal life: chipmunks and squirrels… a family of foxes… raccoons and an opossum… and yesterday a fox wandered through the yard… must be getting close to summer…

I’m not sure that I ever shared with you about my time in the military… but inasmuch as this is an entry full of unasked for information… here goes:

When I was 17… I graduated (just barely) from high school… started at the local Junior College (didn’t like it)… tried working (didn’t like that either)… and when I turned 18 tried to get into the Coast Guard… but the wait list was almost a year…

I talked with a friend who said he could get me into the Air Force Reserve… so that is what I did… Basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas… then back to Hamilton AFB in Marin County for technical training…

In 1968 my reserve unit got called up for 2 years active duty when the USS Pueblo was seized off of North Korea…
By that time I was a sergeant… and was sent to Travis AFB where I worked with computers (I had a top secret security clearance)… and eventually went back to Hamilton AFB where I was discharged in 1969…

Although I would never want to go through it again (being in the service)… I am thankful for my time on active duty… you see it was the first time I ever left the state of California… my first time flying in an airplane… first time I ever got my hair cut by someone other than my dad…

And when I got out… I used the GI bill to pay for part of my College education… because by then I was living on my own… got a job… and put myself through school…

Well… that was then… this is now…

A week ago… I got together with friends over the weekend and we went to the local Azalea festival here in town… a parade through town… a car show… an art show… crafts and stuff for sale… lots and lots of people which is why I chose to stay home today and work (play) out in the yard…

The weather is quite nice… blue sky… full sun… and 70f with a slight breeze… almost perfect…

Most days I still drive into town for lunch… take a book with me to read as you know I don’t like to just sit and eat… visit the library… and restock the larder from time to time at Fred Meyer…

I try and get out and walk to the beach several times during the week… visit with tourists that I meet… and enjoy the beauty of the Oregon coast…

My life is quiet… and that is okay with me…

Aloha oe