Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Quiz 5, What show did this actor star in before Captain Kangaroo?


One of my favorite shows growing up was Captain Kangaroo starring Bob Keeshan.  What show did he star in before Captain Kangaroo?  How about what part did he play?

Image thanks to imdb.com and filmbug.com

Ramona Iona (Parker) Reed 9 Jun 1930 to 19 Sep 2012


Ramona Iona Reed

Passed away September 19th, 2012 at the age of 82 surrounded by her family in Vacaville, California.

Born Ramona Iona Parker June 9th, 1930 at the Wray hospital in the town of Wray, Yuma County, Colorado to parents Julius Sparks Parker and Dorothy Latham (Ward) Parker.

Ramona grew up in the Depression first living in Vernon then Wray Colorado, North Plat Nebraska, Denver Colorado and then back to Wray at the break out of WWII.  She stayed in Wray until she graduated in 1948.

She met Ben in May 1953.  When Ben was deployed to Goose Bay Labrador, Ramona worked in Denver.  Ben returned in 1954 and they were married November 30th, 1954 in Oakland, California.  The Air Force kept them on the move.  El Paso and Amarillo Texas, Castle Air Force Base California, Orlando Florida, and Vandenberg in California.  When Ben started working for United Air Lines they moved to San Mateo and then to Hayward California.  Then 12 years in Fremont and 4 in San Jose California.  The moved to Vacaville California in 1979 and stayed.

Ramona’s life was dedicated to her family.  She was a homemaker, cub scout den mother, girl scout leader, baseball team mother, and various other roles supporting her children’s activities.  Her hobbies included crafting, decorating, collecting teddy bears, brass figures, paintings, and traveling 49 of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

She is preceded in death by her Mother, Father, and sister Jane (Parker) Jones.

She is survived by her husband of 21,113 days Benjamin Franklin Reed IV, Son Benjamin Franklin Reed V and family of Danville, daughter Karen Ramona (Reed) Sigler and family of Suisun City.  She is also survived by the numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren she had opportunity to spoil, and her favorite teddy bear Godfrey.  (ssshhh!  Don’t tell the others)

Services- Ramona was cremated.  The ceremony was on the Oregon coast line where she spent many hours enjoying the serenity.  She would comment; “I always felt free and relaxed by the ocean coast.”

We celebrate the life of Ramona and are thankful to God for giving us 82 years.  The bible says that Jesus died for our sins so that we could be without sin in front of Him.  Hold her close Lord, she is one of your very special angels.  Ramona, until we meet again, thank you for being a great Mom to all of us.


We have posted a memorial at http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Yf6Mr9rq

Saturday, June 16, 2012


Milo Livingston Sigler
February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999

Milo was born February 12th 1917 in Glidden Iowa.  A small town in Carroll County.  He had a big sister Marion just two years older, a brother John three years younger and a brother Elwin four years younger.  His Dad, Matson Sigler, was a farmer that was strong as an ox and would take on Mohamad Ali if given the chance and a couple drinks.  His Mom was the twenty year old Bertha Mae Livingston.  Not cut out for the farm life Mom moved on when Milo was very young.  Unable to care for Milo by himself, he put Milo on the Browns ranch working for his keep.  That’s the Browns on the left and Dad Matson on the right.  

Milo was known as a prankster.  Yeah he was the one that put the little girls pony tails in the ink well.  Not able to stay under the radar when he was young, he got in trouble quite a bit.  His worst infraction was when he and a couple school buddies waited in a tree for the girls to walk under the tree on their way home from school.  He was able to hit two of the three girls with his careful aim.  A hard valuable farm worker by the time he was ten, Milo learned everything about working the farm, most importantly about leaving the farm.  Although you could never take the farm out of him, he knew there was a better life waiting.  

At nineteen, he had saved a little bit money and off he went to find his Mom and siblings in southern California.  He spent a few years kicking around with his little brother and both joined up to fight for our Country when she was attacked by the Japanese.

Next to war on the USS PC-1192
· PC-461 class Submarine Chaser:
· Displacement: 280 tons
· Length: 173'8"
· Beam: 23'
· Draft: 10'10"
· Speed: 18 knots
· Armament: 1-2 3"/50
· Complement: 65
· Diesel engines
· Built at Consolidated Ship Building Corp., New York, and commissioned 26 November 1942
Turned over to the Maritime Commission 18 June 1948

Little brother Elwin did not make it home but Milo did.  He found love at 25 and married Genevieve Ann “Opal” Thompson in San Francisco California September 6, 1942.  It didn’t work out the first time, so they tried it again on October 31, 1954. After the Navy he tried his hand at business ownership.  The restaurant business was more than planned.  From Coos Bay Oregon as a land owner to Las Vegas he and Jenny traveled and enjoyed the good life.  Then he got a chance to work for Northrup Aircraft Company and found himself in Newfoundland.  Jenny hadn’t really planned a life of cold and they finally parted ways again.  Milo worked for years testing aircraft parts and pieces under severe conditions.  From Newfoundland to Greenland to Dow field in Maine where he found the perfect girl.

The auburn hair was more than he could handle, and to his great luck this beauty came with a little boy.  (Allright, a not such little boy) They started 1959 out a little busy.  They had a little boy named Farrell (Her Mom’s maiden name) and then off with Northrup to Wilmington California to work on new projects.  March 16 1960 they were blessed with a red headed (Just like Uncle Jr.) huge baby boy they named Matson (after grandpa Sigler) Matthew (after grandpa McClintock) Sigler.  The little guy never had a chance and passed away two days later.  A quick move to Waterford Connecticut and then to get away from the quick sand an even faster move to Uncasville Connecticut and then a little girl Leslie Lea on June 22, 1961.  

Milo was making marks fast and moving up the ladder.  Northrup got a huge contract award and they sent Milo to Vallejo California to work with two guys that were putting the office together on Mare Island.  It wasn’t long before the big guys left and Milo took care of everything after that.  Building the 600 class submarine project would last almost 10 years. And see another baby girl Roslyn Ann on October 28 1963.

The family would start the 70's in the move mode.  In an effort to keep his family together Milo would pack up the whole mess (and very heavy organ) and move the family to Bremerton Washington and then back to Vallejo California, and back to Bremerton Washington. (You get the point.)  Too many move stories to tell.  We could talk about moving two scotties and five puppy’s, getting lost in the fog of Ashland Oregon, or Kevin catching the T-bird on fire, but that’s for a different book.

By 1973 the Northrup project was winding down and Milo was re-assigned to Boston Massachusetts.  The kids were still in school so he thought he should keep them in school and go it alone till they got out.  Not the first time he tried to keep stability in the family.  He had two, year long, assignments in the 60's on Long Island.  This time it was different, his job wasn’t leading a group of 100 engineers, he was a courier of very fragile, very expensive parts.  Not the challenge he was used to and rather than move the family to the left coast, he retired to sunny California.

Boring, his retirement was short.  He applied for a job at Mare Island.  They saw the name and could not wait to get him.  He went to work for the electrical shop and became there head troubleshooter the first week.  Since he was retired he did not want any supervisor responsibilities, just go to work and go home.  Didn’t last long, they put him in a spot he could not refuse.  He had a small crew on swing shift just taking care of the problems the day shift would leave behind.  He retired again almost 20 years later.

This time he wasn’t going to sit around and retire for a week.  He went right to work on his own project.  It was a ten year project and the amount spent is classified.  At least the red head wasn’t supposed to find out.  Everybody thought he loved that 64 T-bird the damn kid tried to burn up.  Nothing compared to the effort that went into the Mach 1.  He could spend hours telling you everything about her.  The stock ‘69 is still in the care of the T-bird burner.

What’s to be said of Milo Sigler.  He started out life tough.  He made something of himself, without help from anybody.  A devoted family man with four proud kids and a bunch of grand kids.  Would give you the shirt off his back, but would fight to the death if you tried to take something from him.  (Ask the guy that just about cut off his arm.  He was still in the hospital when Milo went on his way.)  A protector (even when his Dad would pick fights with people larger than him)   Loyal to his family and Country.  A very proud American that wasn’t afraid to tell the big guys what he thought.  He was respected by everybody and made great pancakes.  He wouldn’t take anything from anybody, but would not hesitate to give you a five dollar bill out of his pocket.  As his younger cousin Elva told me, he was so cute, I just loved it when he would come over.  Or as Uncle Norman put it recently, “He was a good man”.

We’re not going to forget you anytime to soon Milo Sigler.  Thanks for everything Dad!





February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999

Monday, April 30, 2012

King of Comedy (1925 - September 23, 2006)

Television had a profound change on the world in the last half of the 20th century.  If you grew up in Maine in the last part of the 20th century, you most likely have heard of Eddie Driscoll.  More affectionately known as the King of Comedy, Eddie entertained households for 33 years from Channel 2 in Bangor Maine.



In the early days of television we did not have 200 channels running 24 hours a day.  We were lucky to be able to pick up one or two stations for 12 hours, unless the wind blew the antenna the wrong way.  I have seen more than one dad climbing on the roof to turn the pole until someone would yell “STOP”!  After the second trip to the roof, maybe a rope to lasso the thing and tie it off to a tree so it wouldn’t turn.




Eddie was a talented comedian long before channel 2 gave him a platform to entertain.  He would entertain his coworkers at American Homes in Bangor.  The story at my house was Eddie would chase my Mom around the desks trying to get a date.  Neither is around to tell who was chasing who, or if anyone let themselves get caught but, the memories of Eddie’s comedy would always shine through.  Years later Eddie would develop a skip named “Maaaagret” that is rumored to be named after my Mom or it could have been after an Aunt Maaaagret.





Hopefully, WLBZ will splice some clips of the one man entertainment machine together and share it with the world one day.  To his family, thank you for sharing your Eddie with us.  To the Bangor Metro, the writer Anne Gabbianelli O’Reilly, and Melane, thank you for sharing these memories with us.  If you would like more information, try the following links.




One Ringy Dingy!, Two Ringy Dingy!



For more information about the King of Comedy, check out.  http://www.gilleymedia.com/04/driscoll/default.asp

Sunday, April 15, 2012


Dot Wotton (April 13, 1913 - September 14, 2011)

Dot was born Frances Rose Trundy on April 13, 1913 on the Hamm Road Family Farm in Frankfort, Waldo County, Maine.  She was the first child of Walter Ford Trundy and Frances Edna (Larrabee) Trundy.  Her 3rd great grand father Peter Smith from Danbury, New Hampshire fought in the Revolutionary war.  A 5th great grand father was John Emmerson who was installed as the first town minister of New Castle, New Hampshire in 1703.

She worked at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine and Meister’s Nursing Home in Brooks, Maine.  She worked as a midwife for Dr. Jewell in Brooks until the war.  Then she took up lining pipes with asbestos at Bath Iron Works in Maine.  She was a private duty care nurse and probably best known as the Librarian of the Waldo Pierce Reading Room in Frankfort until she was 85.

Dot married Will Reginald Lane who fought in WW1 for Company L, 42 Infantry and died in 1942.  In 1945 she married Harold Wotton who also worked at Bath Iron Works during the war.

Her step sons must have really enjoyed visiting because two of them married girls from the neighborhood.

Dot you will not be forgotten, keep the light on.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

Matson Matthew Sigler 16 Aug 1960 - 18 Aug 1960


There was this little boy who had an awesome older brother.  No, that’s a different story.  I’ve told you about all those older brothers.  I was the youngest of one family and the oldest of another.  There was a time when TV’s came in big boxes and they showed only black and white pictures.  Roy Roger’s was on TV and the next show on was my favorite, Sky King.  I wanted to live on a ranch and fly planes!

We lived in a small house in a bad area of Wilmington, California.  We were 200 feet from highway #1 and just about anything could happen in the alley that ran beside our house.  My grandma and grandpa owned the house (I didn’t know it back then) and they lived about 10 miles away.  We lived in the big house, two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living room.  Across the back yard was two little one room houses (cottages?).  A really nice old lady lived in one and always gave me pie to eat.  The other one housed what would turn out to be life long friends.  How they fit the Mom, Dad, and two kids in that little place I will never know.  The Mom’s name was Shirley and she was not much taller than I (at five years old).  If you look up vertically challenged in the dictionary, I’m sure you will see her picture.  I have to give her the credit for making life great no matter what happened in 1960.

You see, one day Mom and Dad took off on a trip.  Shirley came over and stayed with me and watched my baby brother while my folks were gone.  Mom and Dad were back in a couple days, I remember them saying “Hi Carbine”.  I looked up from Sky King for at least 2 seconds and waved.  I was real busy petting the dog too.

What I didn’t realize, back then, Mom and Dad were on the way to visit the stork and bring home a present for me.  I guess the stork messed up or something?  Because of Shirley, the house just got back to normal, like nothing ever happened.   I don’t remember anyone ever saying anything?  I don’t think there was a funeral or a service of any kind.  I must have overheard something along the way and asked questions.  I remember Mom telling me that Matson had a full head of red hair.  Weighed in at over 11 pounds and almost 24 inches long.  His intestines did not fully form.  The doc’s tried to put him back together but, it wasn’t meant to be.

Fifty years later the genealogist in me wanted to find out what happened and of course there wasn’t anyone left to tell the stories.  I used all my tools.  Spent hours pouring over leads.  I could not find out anything.  Heartbreaking!  The genealogist brick wall.

I was planning a trip to southern California last year and thought I would try to find my little brother.  After a few hours, NOTHING, again.  I looked up all the cemeteries around Wilmington, nothing.  Only half have records on line.  I got the list and started calling.  I am amazed at how helpful people are.  Each and every place I called, spent time looking through their records.  Some had to take time to research and they would actually call me back.  Did God make special people to handle death records?  I got to the end of the list and, , , gave up.  Then I get a call from a very nice lady.  “I am so sorry but, we are unable to locate your brother.”  “What was your father’s name?” . . . . .  “Yes, we have a contract with him in March 1960, could your brother be named Matthew?”  I told her that I thought his middle name might have been Matthew.  “This must be your brother then.”  I explained that I wanted to visit two days later on my way through the area.

Matson had been named after his grand father Matson, and his grand father Matthew.

Two days later I drive through the gates and park.  I went into the office to ask how to find his grave site.  “What is your brothers name?” . . .   “Oh we talked on the phone.  I went out and located you brother first thing this morning.”  “We are so glad you were able to visit, I’ll take you out there right now.”  (This is above and beyond.)  She takes me to this huge area full of little ones that only spent a very short time on earth.  Hundreds!  She left me there and I noticed that someone had taken the time that morning to make sure that everything was perfectly clean and the grass manicured.  (Wow)

My highest recommendation for the All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach California.  No way to ever thank them enough.

Kevin’s Story, Part 32, Proof, Laundry on the Roof


If you know me, I am sure you have heard the story about the window.  I’ve been telling it for as long as I can remember.  You could go back and read Part 25 for a refresher course.  I was not entirely sure this story was real.  When we see and do things at three years old, they tend to turn into hundred pound fish stories at fifty.  So the farthest back this little rememberer could go was about three.  It seemed very real to me.  In retrospect I believe the reason I remember the story is because I was in trouble.  More than that, I now believe that when I climbed off the bed to look out that window, the reason I remember it so well, is that I probably couldn't get back on the bed.  I imagine that’s when I really got in trouble.

So I now have proof.   As most ancestry geeks do, I started scanning old slides.  Amazing what you find out when you look at really old pictures.  I found these old 35 mm slides and didn't realize what it was until I saw the laundry.  The pictures attached do not show the amazing quality.  Why didn’t he get a picture of my Mom actually hanging the laundry? And now, without further ado, my favorite picture.  I have to make this my screen saver I guess.  Should be on a post card.  A poster for Maine?  Visit Maine and get caught in the snow?


The car was called “The Merc”


Can you see the laundry?  My wife thinks we look like hillbillies when I hang laundry in the back yard.  Where is the clothes line?



The view from inside the house, at three, when you are in trouble, priceless.




Do you think they hang the laundry out on the roof today in 2012?  In 1958 this is how it was done.




Sunday, February 12, 2012

Milo Livingston Sigler February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999


Milo Livingston Sigler
February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999

Milo was born February 12th 1917 in Glidden Iowa.  A small town in Carroll County.  He had a big sister Marion just two years older, a brother John three years younger and a brother Elwin four years younger.  His Dad, Matson Sigler, was a farmer that was strong as an ox and would take on Mohamad Ali if given the chance and a couple drinks.  His Mom was the twenty year old Bertha Mae Livingston.  Not cut out for the farm life Mom moved on when Milo was very young.  Unable to care for Milo by himself, he put Milo on the Browns ranch working for his keep.  That’s the Browns on the left and Dad Matson on the right.  

Milo was known as a prankster.  Yeah he was the one that put the little girls pony tails in the ink well.  Not able to stay under the radar when he was young, he got in trouble quite a bit.  His worst infraction was when he and a couple school buddies waited in a tree for the girls to walk under the tree on their way home from school.  He was able to hit two of the three girls with his careful aim.  A hard valuable farm worker by the time he was ten, Milo learned everything about working the farm, most importantly about leaving the farm.  Although you could never take the farm out of him, he knew there was a better life waiting.  

At nineteen, he had saved a little bit money and off he went to find his Mom and siblings in southern California.  He spent a few years kicking around with his little brother and both joined up to fight for our Country when she was attacked by the Japanese.

Next to war on the USS PC-1192
· PC-461 class Submarine Chaser:
· Displacement: 280 tons
· Length: 173'8"
· Beam: 23'
· Draft: 10'10"
· Speed: 18 knots
· Armament: 1-2 3"/50
· Complement: 65
· Diesel engines
· Built at Consolidated Ship Building Corp., New York, and commissioned 26 November 1942
Turned over to the Maritime Commission 18 June 1948

Little brother Elwin did not make it home but Milo did.  He found love at 25 and married Genevieve Ann “Opal” Thompson in San Francisco California September 6, 1942.  It didn’t work out the first time, so they tried it again on October 31, 1954. After the Navy he tried his hand at business ownership.  The restaurant business was more than planned.  From Coos Bay Oregon as a land owner to Las Vegas he and Jenny traveled and enjoyed the good life.  Then he got a chance to work for Northrup Aircraft Company and found himself in Newfoundland.  Jenny hadn’t really planned a life of cold and they finally parted ways again.  Milo worked for years testing aircraft parts and pieces under severe conditions.  From Newfoundland to Greenland to Dow field in Maine where he found the perfect girl.

The auburn hair was more than he could handle, and to his great luck this beauty came with a little boy.  (Allright, a not such little boy) They started 1959 out a little busy.  They had a little boy named Farrell (Her Mom’s maiden name) and then off with Northrup to Wilmington California to work on new projects.  March 16 1960 they were blessed with a red headed (Just like Uncle Jr.) huge baby boy they named Matson (after grandpa Sigler) Matthew (after grandpa McClintock) Sigler.  The little guy never had a chance and passed away two days later.  A quick move to Waterford Connecticut and then to get away from the quick sand an even faster move to Uncasville Connecticut and then a little girl Leslie Lea on June 22, 1961.

Milo was making marks fast and moving up the ladder.  Northrup got a huge contract award and they sent Milo to Vallejo California to work with two guys that were putting the office together on Mare Island.  It wasn’t long before the big guys left and Milo took care of everything after that.  Building the 600 class submarine project would last almost 10 years. And see another baby girl Roslyn Ann on October 28 1963.

The family would start the 70's in the move mode.  In an effort to keep his family together Milo would pack up the whole mess (and very heavy organ) and move the family to Bremerton Washington and then back to Vallejo California, and back to Bremerton Washington. (You get the point.)  Too many move stories to tell.  We could talk about moving two scotties and five puppy’s, getting lost in the fog of Ashland Oregon, or Kevin catching the T-bird on fire, but that’s for a different book.

By 1973 the Northrup project was winding down and Milo was re-assigned to Boston Massachusetts.  The kids were still in school so he thought he should keep them in school and go it alone till they got out.  Not the first time he tried to keep stability in the family.  He had two, year long, assignments in the 60's on Long Island.  This time it was different, his job wasn’t leading a group of 100 engineers, he was a courier of very fragile, very expensive parts.  Not the challenge he was used to and rather than move the family to the left coast, he retired to sunny California.

Boring, his retirement was short.  He applied for a job at Mare Island.  They saw the name and could not wait to get him.  He went to work for the electrical shop and became there head troubleshooter the first week.  Since he was retired he did not want any supervisor responsibilities, just go to work and go home.  Didn’t last long, they put him in a spot he could not refuse.  He had a small crew on swing shift just taking care of the problems the day shift would leave behind.  He retired again almost 20 years later.

This time he wasn’t going to sit around and retire for a week.  He went right to work on his own project.  It was a ten year project and the amount spent is classified.  At least the red head wasn’t supposed to find out.  Everybody thought he loved that 64 T-bird the damn kid tried to burn up.  Nothing compared to the effort that went into the Mach 1.  He could spend hours telling you everything about her.  The stock ‘69 is still in the care of the T-bird burner.

What’s to be said of Milo Sigler.  He started out life tough.  He made something of himself, without help from anybody.  A devoted family man with four proud kids and a bunch of grand kids.  Would give you the shirt off his back, but would fight to the death if you tried to take something from him.  (Ask the guy that just about cut off his arm.  He was still in the hospital when Milo went on his way.)  A protector (even when his Dad would pick fights with people larger than him)   Loyal to his family and Country.  A very proud American that wasn’t afraid to tell the big guys what he thought.  He was respected by everybody and made great pancakes.  He wouldn’t take anything from anybody, but would not hesitate to give you a five dollar bill out of his pocket.  As his younger cousin Elva told me, he was so cute, I just loved it when he would come over.  Or as Uncle Norman put it recently, “He was a good man”.

We’re not going to forget you anytime to soon Milo Sigler.  Thanks for everything Dad!


February 12, 1917 to June 16, 1999

Monday, January 2, 2012

The Gift

I have not been on vacation.  I decided to walk the walk.  A small break to create a gift for my family.  The typical December 24th trip to the Petrol Station to find three Johnny brushes would have been easier.  This year we pulled out all the stops and made a plan to develop a ancestry history present for my kids.

The plan was to first complete the form that I gave everyone last year called "Upon My Death".  Why didn't anyone tell me how much work that was?  Second, I would fill out the form that I developed two years ago "In The Life Of".  I'm still not done?  Third, I wanted to download and pass on our ancestry family site.  Just in case something were to go wrong.  That was much more complicated than I thought.  Easy to get the GEDCOM file of the 17,000 names and associated stories and pictures.  Then you have to tell them what to do with it if ancestry.com were to fall off the planet.  Forth, all the family photo's, notes, and information that I have collected over the last 3 years.  Fifth, all the family contacts.  Sixth, the family stories.  And last but not least a cover page that explains everything.  Two months of work that will never be finished.  They have everything I could get together.  Now wait 30 years and maybe they will figure out how big a gift it was.

A special thank you to all those that helped us get everything together.  To all the family members that have helped gather the family history, thank you.

Christmas Peace

You can go through your whole life not understanding the meaning of Christmas for others.  Yes, the real meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  For some it means getting presents, then you learn the true joy is seeing the face of someone light up when they open the gift you have given them.  For the marketing experts, business owners, and CEO's it is that time of year for the payoff.  The one month that funds the other eleven.

I remember how excited I would get as a little boy.  The anticipation of unopened presents.  With every Christmas carol, the excitement would build.  The day comes when you go out and get the Christmas tree, decorate the house, put the tinsel on the tree.  What we failed to understand is that one second that we will never get back but we may never forget.  Wish I would have paid more attention, had a video camera, anything that records, or a memory that could store everything and play it back in slow motion.  For many, Christmas memories are not there best moments in life, for the troops another day to far away from home.

I read a story about soldiers in the winter of 1914, the first world war.  This story is about a conflict between Germans and the English.  Trenches in some places as close as 60 feet.  Better known as "No Man's Land", the distance between enemy trenches were a world apart, separated by language and history.  Soldiers in knee deep mud a long way from home and an enemy that would shoot your head off if you stood up.  At the top of the food change the Germans proposed a Christmas truce and the English thought it was not a good idea.  In this terrible circumstance and under orders to keep up the shooting, enemy soldiers must not have been in the shooting mood.  The German boys received packages from home, candles and Christmas trees.  They lit the candles and set the trees where the English could see them.  They started singing Christmas carols.  The English would clap.  Then something magical, enemies would take turns singing and the other clapping, then they sang together, shared photos, food, games, and drink.  The worst of enemies, under orders, were overtaken by Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to you?  What are you going to remember about this Christmas?  It could be that our memories were the real gift and now it's our turn to give.  What memories can you write down today that will save history for those that will read it 100 years from now?

I hope you had a truce this Christmas?  Have a glorious New Year!    Only 357 day until Christmas.

The picture: A cross, left near Ypres in Belgium in 1999, to commemorate the site of the Christmas Truce in 1914. The text reads:
1914 – The Khaki Chum's Christmas Truce – 1999 – 85 Years – Lest We Forget.  A special thanks to Redvers.