A NEW BIRTH at GRANTS FARM
In photo three you see Miss Ellie as she has given birth only 48 hours ago to a baby Clydesdale. The colt's name will begin with the initial E but as of the 27th no name had been given. Naming the colt with the first initial of mothers name is a Grants Farm tradition.
The first two photos were taken at about 48 hours after birth.
For me it is interesting that about fifteen months ago I took a photo that ia almost identical in pose to photo two.
Photo three is mother and daughter.

.Photos four and five were taken on 9/27 when the baby was nine days old.
You do not make a lot of money but Grants farm really is a fun place to work.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY
Recently the Tritschler clan celebrated the fifteenth birthday of grand daughter Kelsey. It seems like only yesterday. I wonder were did the fifteen years go.
I kid young parents that they need to enjoy their children as they soon will be teenagers, Maybe it should be called advice instead of kidding.

1991 was a big year in my world.
*** Three year old Todd and fifty three year old grandpa together drove a go kart for the first time in their lives.
*** It was a battle but Nancy convinced grandpa to see the Shoji Tabuchi show in Branson. It was a great show and still is.
*** Shortly after Kelsey was born grandpa went to San Paulo Brazil
The first photo features Kelsey along with Donovan,Kayleigh and a cake with fifteen candles.

The second photo features the birthday girl. The third photo capture Kelsey looking at her new Cannon digital camera.
Kelsey can now join Grandpa in cyber space with a blog of her own.
The fourth photo features the two princesses that travel in Grandpa's world,Kelsey, and Kayleigh.
The final photo is another shot of the birthday girl.
Happy Birthday and you wear the princes crown so well.

AN EXCITING DAY!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to my neighbor Tim recently we had the opportunity to ride in the Affton Day parade on his real life 1967 fire truck. The thrill of hanging off the back like real firemen did in the past was a real thrill. In addition some of the Tritschler clan shared this experience with me.

The photographers are Nancy and my neighbor Val.
The first photo is the starting point of the parade and you can see the back of head of grandson Donovan.
The second photo you can see how I am beginning to enjoy hanging on the back end and in the front is my favorite daughter in law Karen.

The third photo is taken at about the half way mark of the parade route as we proceeded down Gravois. Kayleigh and Donovan are in the red shirts on the right.
The fourth photo I am again standing and hanging on the back with Donovan in the red shirt on top.
The last photo is a good view of the fire truck and you can see Tim the driver and Val the navigator.
A FUN TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!!!!!

ROOSEVELT CLASS of JANUARY/JUNE 1956

On September 14,15,and 16 of 2006 the graduates of 1956 celebrated fifty years since attending classes at Roosevelt High School. What was life like in 1956?
*** minimum wage was $1.00 per. Hour
*** Gas was .23 per. Gallon
*** Postage was .03 for first class mail
*** A new Ford cost $ 1,748.00
*** On TV Milton Berle,Steve Allen, and Ed Sullivan
*** Music, Elvis,Bill Haley Dean Martin and many more.

Fifty years later it is all different.
The first photo is Roosevelt today as the picture was taken in the fall of 05.
The picture of Nancy and I was taken from the deck of the Tom Sawyer as the first night activities was a dinner cruise on the Mississippi. I asked Anita a classmate and neighbor to take our photo with the Arch in the background.
I find the last photo interesting as it was taken Friday evening the 15th as we enjoyed a banquet in Westport. The photo features Barbara a young woman who happens to know me since kindergarten. Wow that is longer than Nancy has known me. It was good to touch base with friends Jack,Bob, and their wives. To renew old acquaintances with Ralph,Julius,Glenn,Billie Jean,Rose Marie, and many others from my past.
The activities on Saturday went without us as I had an opportunity to ride an antique fire truck in the Affton parade on Saturday the 16th. I am reasonably certain a blog will soon appear about that fun day in my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD 9/21/1914
Even thought I never REALLY knew you

If my dad was still living today he would be 92.
Unfortunately my dad passed away June 1948, after a three day hospital stay at age 31 and I was age ten. In addition because of a divorce in 1942 and being in the army from September 1942 through January 1946. I have so few memories. In the area of pictures they are mostly of his years in the army.
One of my memories was sitting by a phone waiting for his call from the Philippines. Apparently in those days you made an appointment to make a telephone call from the Philippines. My mother apparently had been informed by the Red Cross that he would try to call on a particular Sunday. The call did come in and we had a brief conversation.
Christmas Eve 1945 is another memory as the Tritschler's were all at my grandparents home when suddenly my Dad came through the front door. I guess my grandparents did not know he had arrived that afternoon at Jefferson Barracks as they had no phone.
After his return I have a few memories
*** Going to a boxing match at the Arena
*** A Police Circus together
*** Visiting a bar on Merrimac Ave that he either owned or managed
*** Playing catch together
*** On the day before he got sick he took me to his step daughters school picnic. That is the last time I saw him alive.

*** The first view at the funeral home.
*** The last view with the Tritschler family before the closing of the casket.
The first photo is of my Dad in his uniform and the picture was probably taken in Sacramento Ca.
The second photo is my dad and I taken on the back porch of my grandparents home.
The third photo is from 1938 and features my uncle Wib. On the left,my Dad in the middle and my grandfather Tritschler on the right. My grandmother is seated and holding me.
The fourth photo is one of the few photos I have of my dad by himself and out of uniform.
I often wonder how my life would have turned out had my dad lived.
Yes I philosophically wonder but no worries as I am blessed with a wonderful wife and family.

ANOTHER DAY TRIP!!!

Recently Nancy and I decided to ride the expanded Metro train system downtown for lunch. We drove less than ten minutes from our home and boarded the train at the Shrewsbury station. One dollar each and thirty five minutes later we were eating lunch in Laclede's landing.
In photo one you can see the train headed for Illinois under the highway pavement of the famous Eads bridge.
In photo two Nancy is in front of a barge that carries passengers instead of commodities. It looked like fun and we are going to investigate the possibility of taking another river trip. We previously have traveled on the famous Delta Queen out of New Orleans.


Another view of Eads bridge with a tug boat pushing a barge under the bridge.







An unusual side view of the Arch looking from north to south at the rivers edge.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Nancy and I had the wonderful opportunity for the second time in six years to have Romain and Nivo in our home for dinner and some fun. Romain is our church native missionary from Madagascar. Romain and Nivo know enough English for us to communicate but in case of failure their American friends Valdy and Bea came along as they can all communicate in French.
Featured in the first photo is Romain playing some Madagascar music at our piano. We remembered from their first visit how well he can entertain at the piano.

The second photo is a posed picture of Romain and Nivo. In the third photo we have Romain,Nivo,Bea, and Valdy.
In addition we had our good friends Bob and Betty join us for our evening of good fun. They are in the fourth photo as Nivo is showing Nancy, Betty, and Bob the wedding album of their son and his recent wedding. In looking at the album a Madagascar wedding and American wedding are very similar. [both are expensive]
The last photo features the entire group except for the photographer.
When you have dinner at our house you have to talk for your dessert. On this night the topic was to pick out a memorable year of your life and tell us about it.
Ed. Started the topic by telling of 1989 and the birth of his first grandchild Todd. The memorable part is that there is fifty years between Ed and Todd and there is fifty years between Ed and his grandfather.
Romain spoke on how the power of knowing how and driving cars in his life brought him great moments. Nivo talked on how they first met,fell in love but they had to have her family's blessing and this was one of Romain's great driving moments.
Bob talked on playing baseball in the State of Kansas high school baseball championship with a broken hand and his position was catcher. Betty talked on how she obtained a college degree at a mature age in life.
I was very skeptical of Valdy's topic as he talked about memories from his first year. It was a great story and he made a believer out of me. Bea spoke on how her and Valdy had a chance meeting that resulted in a life time together.
Nancy ended the topics by telling us how at age ten she moved from Ridgely TN. To St Louis.
Wow!!! It was simply a wonderful evening.

PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT St Louis Home
"WHITEHAVEN"

Recently Nancy and I visited the home of president Grant located about five minutes from our house. For some reason this is our first visit to this national historic home.
The first photo is of Nancy in front of the home called Whitehaven even thought it is painted green then and now.
The home is situated on a beautiful piece of ground that was part of the acreage that Grant and his wife Julia once owned.
In the second photo I am seated at the original desk that President Grant sat and paid his bills.
In the third photo Nancy is in front of the fireplace that is located in the living room of the home. I have no idea why it has taken us so long to visit this home but we do plan to return again in the near future.

BASEBALL!!!!!!!
Spans the age of time
{I realize with the hat on you are having difficulty determining who is forty this year}
It seems to me baseball is one sport that the older and the younger can enjoy together.
My friend Eric took me to the Cardinals versus Reds game on August 20th. [I took the pictures with a film camera]
The game was great as the Cards won 2-1 scoring a run in the ninth. More important was the many conversations we had during the game. Baseball is still at a sound byte were a conversation can be carried on while the game goes on.
Our seats were close to home plate thus the great skyline and batting box photos. I like all sports but I love baseball and good friends are even more important.

80 the BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Part Two
I used the old type SLR and had to wait till I finished the roll. In my opinion an 80th birthday easily qualifies for an encore.
The first photo is of the birthday girl and her husband of 59 years.
The second photo is of the luncheon group but this time Nancy is back with the group.
The third photo is of Louis, Billie their daughter Cindy and of coursr Billie is being serenaded in Italian.
The fourth photo is of cousins,Louise and Louis. They like all the group have fun every time we are together.
The last photo is of Louis and my five year olr granddaughter thinks he looks like me.
This is also the quickest way I know to share the photos with the family.

FIFTEEN MINUTES FROM HIGHWAYS 64/94

Another world awaits you a mere fifteen minutes are less from the intersection of highways 64/94. Nancy and I have lived in the St Louis area over fifty years but we have never visited the Daniel Boone Home in Defiance MO.
Last Thursday we met my cousin Carol and her husband Jim at the commuter lot of 64/94 and in five minutes are less we were in the country. In another ten minutes we were at Boone village in Defiance MO.
We did a self guided tour of the village and a guided tour of the Boone home that included a fifteen minute movie about the life of Daniel Boone. I would recommend this tour and we plan to return next year maybe in October to view the colors of this beautiful valley.
The first photo is the front of the home and the second photo is the rear of the home and also features Carol, Nancy and I as Jim was the photographer. The home is three stories tall with the front entrance on the second level. The home was constructed of Missouri limestone and walnut timbers. To me it appears
Daniel Boone was affluent in his time
Ed and the judgment tree
In the third photo I am standing next to the judgment tree. Daniel Boone was appointed a territorial judge by the Spanish government before the Louisiana purchase.
Apparently he settled the disputes under this tree when it was alive and standing on this spot.
If you like history of the early pioneer days take a day and visit the Boone home. We finished the day with lunch ten minutes away in Augusta missouri.
Carol and Jim















Nancy and Ed in front of church















Carol,Ed, and Nancy

I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER

The title of one of my favorite poems and the author is Thomas Hood.
The poem starts out
I remember, I remember
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
came peeping in at morn,
He never came a wink too soon
nor brought too long a day;
But now, I often wish the night away

I remember Tuesday September 11,2001 like it was yesterday. It was about 7:40 AM and I was listening to a sports talk radio show when they broke in and announced the first crash. My first thought was that it was an accident by a small airplane. In the next twenty minutes when the second crash came I knew that it was no accident. I remember Nancy and I listening and seeing the news on television and I told Nancy that
" MAYBE I HAD LIVED TOO LONG"
Nancy and I had tickets purchased and travel plans made for a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands starting on September 25. We went as there was no way to get our money refunded. The second photo was taken from the deck of the battleship Missouri near the exact spot where General Macarthur signed the Japanese surrender of world war two and looking at the Pear Harbor memorial close to where the war started. Another day that will be remembered by Americans forever. The last photo is a beautiful sunset signifying for me that there is still a reason to go on living and trying to be a good light in the corner of the world God has put us in.

You are invited to share in cyber space your memories of
September 11, 2001.