April 2nd, 2011

well, today is my birthday.. 59 yrs old..

and looking back, its been an experience, that Im not sure I would repeat.. lol

I have done just everything there is to do, twice, except divorce and die, and not sure I would look forward to either of them

Born in Tennessee, on this date in 1952. and in a few months, family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.. Where I have lived most of my life.. I went to Stephen Decatur Grade school, Decatur central jr high, then Decatur Central High School, graduating in 1970.
Through that summer, I managed to get fired from my job at Dobbs house at the airport, where after a summer of bumming around, joined the US Navy in September 23, 1970.
After Bootcamp, in San Diego California, I came hope to get married to my pregnant girlfriend, having to break up with another girl the night before.. lol.
Married at 18, on Dec. 24, 1970,, and sent to San Francisco for Radar School.
Wasnt much for schooling, after just graduating High School, so with my way of thinking, at that time, I quit the Radar School, and asked for shore duty in Vietnam, a PBR in Vietnam (fast river patrol boat, like in Apocalypse Now movie.. and as a machinery repairman, aboard a guided missile destroyer.. which, was what I got,, the USS DECATUR (ddg-31) and thrown down in the bilges of the ship, to be a boiler technician.. wasnt what I thought I was going to be doing, but after a couple months, figured out it wasnt going to change, so I made the best of it, learned what I could, and made E-4 in a few months.. at that time, they made me Oil King on the ship, which was a pretty big job, for a 19-20 yr old kid.. normally a job held by an e-6.. I took care of all refueling operations, assigning the ships crew to their stations, along with daily soundings of all tanks, and fuel and water reports that went straight to the Capt of the ship.. I hand delivered them every morning to the Capt..
After a few training cruises/courses, we headed out on Westpac, in October of 1971, and headed to Vietnam, where we steamed plane guard for aircraft carriers, picking up downed pilots, or jets that didnt take off or land right on the carriers..we didnt stay on  the gunline long, as we went into Subic bay, Phillipines, where there was a little town called Olongapo.. which had 10 thousand hookers, and 200 bars and hotels.. I think I knew each one of them, before the 4 yrs in the Navy was over.. LOL,, Made trips to Phillipines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Kaoshiung taiwan, Taipai/keelung taiwan, Sasebo Japan,, Darwin, Perth/Freemantle/Melbourne, Australia, Aukland New Zealand, and the Samoan Islands (Pago Pago).. many stops in Honolulu, a midshipmans cruise to Seattle Washington, an overhaul in Bremerton shipyards/Portland Oregon, and a few islands that we pulled into to relax and swim, drink beer, and fight,, the party was over, and we would get back underway,,
Been accused of sneaking two women aboard ship, in one port of Australia, hiding them in my Oil SHack, where I did my boiler water testing, and taking them to the next port in Australia (5 days later) lol,, Now, would I do that?  No charges were ever filed, and I vehemently deny this ever happening!! <snicker>

Though I was a handsome young man, and didnt get turned down often from the ladies.. I did lose my heart to a couple gals, that things could have turned out a lot different, had i decided to stay, instead of getting out of the Navy..

where, I returned to my first wife, and lived in misery for the next 10-12 yrs, when we finally got divorced.. and I met Nana.. almost right away.. the night I met her, (actually, already knew her, but went looking for her this particular night, her birthday) Found her sitting with another man, and walked over and tapped her on the shoulder, to ask her to dance. Now folks, when that gal turned around and looked at me, the smile on her face, I fell in love with her that very moment, as she rose from her seat, and I guided her to the floor.. We danced several dances, with the glaring eye of her date on us the whole time.. lol,, finally, I sat her down, and went to the bar, to sit, where she watched and waited for me to ask again... finally, as the evening ended, she left her date and we went to breakfast, and the next night, well,, lets just say, that was when we pretty much started our relationship.. 25 years ago, this coming October.. and we married 2 yrs later, in 1988..

as i said,, there isnt a lot, I havent done, at least once, and most things twice.. or more.. If it was worth doing, I did it many many times.. and Ive never regretted my life, or the things I have done.. Perhaps a few things could have been done differently, but then I would have missed the experience.. and the joy of having done it..
Ive been a son, a dad, a brother, a Papaw, a teacher, a student. I welded, built, wired, cabled, just about every building you can see in the skyline of Indianapolis, and done safety tests on thousands of elevators throughout the state, Ive transferred to Houston Tx, and back to Indianapolis, IN, transferred to Terre Haute, IN and back again..
Ive been Post Commander 3 times, at two different VFW Posts,, and all-state Commander, missed being all american by just a few new members, and as Post Commander, honored by the United States Marine Corp, from returning troops from Iraq.
Ive fought, friended, and drank with some of the best people you could ever want to meet, (and some of the toughest),, I was a pool shooter, that at one time, thought I was ready to move up in the ranks to the worlds top players,, though, money, being the holdback,, I had a stigma of playing for money.. lol,,But, at least in my mind, I was one of the best, and have beaten some of the best pool shooters in Indianapolis, and been beaten.. came in first in a few pool tournaments, 4th in the state of Indiana, in the early nineties, and even had a card printed up, "best pool shooter in the entire civilized world, and east of the Mississippi..  Ive had fun, lived a life of fun and excitement.. Ive spent fortunes, drinking and gambling.. Ive lived a good life, did what Ive wanted. Most of the time, doing it til Ive grown tired of it,, lol..

Ive known some of the best friends, a man could ever asked for, and loved on some beautiful women (including Nana).. Ive never had to wonder, what if.. because Ive done it..
Ive buried some close friends,, that I was proud to have called Brother.
The excitement of my life was the birth of my daughter, Amanda,  and the birth of my granddaughter, Marisa. The disappointments, were my health deteriorating, to what it is today.. didnt expect to be in this shape, when I retired, nor expected a few other things that happened since.. but, hey, thats all part of life, and living the experience... Many a person, couldnt have walked in my shoes, and been content.. or completed my life this way..
Other disappointments in my life, were the death of my Father, before I turned 5.. the death of my two brothers, Sam and Buddy, too early in life.. The loss of friends, Vietnam Veterans, and VFW buddies, that were so close to me, they were brothers in the sense.. I know of one, that died before we moved here on the lake, and Nana and I say often, had Jim lived, he would have moved into our back bedroom, to be able to fish everyday.. Dale, was another close fishing buddy, that I lost recently.. many a time out on the lake, drinking a few beers, but fishing was the main course of the day, and we would fill a cooler up with them.. Not many people come along in a lifetime, that we can call true friends, or brother..but these were real men, that fought for their country, and lived their lives to the hands they were dealt.. and I loved them.

My biggest joy, and then loss, was when my Grandson, Devin Michael Leo was born, on September 25th, 1997.. and his death, on July 10, 1998 took its toll on me. and a few months later, I had a heart attack.. Im better now, after 13 yrs, but still cant go to his grave, which we do often, without crying, and thinking of the times Nana would bring him into the bed and flop him down on my belly, to wake me up for work.. such a blessing he was to our lives, and his loss, still hurts to this day

And when Mother died, I spent the night before with her at the hospital.. She slept most of the time, and I knew she was going to be taken off intravenous feeding and everything, the following morning.. and I could do nothing but pray, all night long, for her to wake, one more time, so I could tell her I love her.. and my prayers were answered, as she awoke at 530am, and we sat and talked, and she said how proud she was of me.. and how much she loved me.. We talked for awhile, and then I called the family, to tell them she was awake,, and they came up as soon as possible,,I couldnt stay, to watch her die.. and left, and waited word... They started the Fentanyl drip, after a Fentanyl shot that sent her asleep again, and within a few hours, she was gone.. Nana and I went back to the hospital then, to see her lying peaceful and content that she was going to see her family, and her Saviour, Jesus, in Heaven..
She may still be alive today, had they not made the decision, to end her life on her terms.. but she was ready, understood what was going on, and was prepared to meet her maker.. a pious woman, a beautiful Southern woman, with all the charms and pride, of having raised her family, to the best of her abilities.. and she was proud.

My Plans, for my birthday, are to go bar hopping, to get my free birthday beer, visit with my vietnam veteran buddies,, lift a glass to our friends that have passed, and enjoy another day, of friendship. not much different, than any other day, but this time, they get to buy the beer,, LOL..

Other plans, are to get some loving from Nana,, lol,, so may have to take some Cialis this morning, and hope it works.. lol..

Hope everyone has a wonderful day, and if youre reading this, lift a glass, and say Happy Birthday, Papaw.. and I will feel it from afar.. and know that I love you all..

Happy Farming

Papaw