Category Archives: Historical

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 27

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Historical, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Striving, Travel

July 18. 2026- Hana greeted the ladies who came to visit us, this afternoon. This was Yunhee’s first real house party, and five of her former co-workers came. Hana likes a small, intimate gathering, but doesn’t like too much noise, or what seems to her like a crowd. I helped her get comfortable with the idea of so many people sitting around the dining table. She understood, when I told her that all the ladies were nice and that they were there to see her, as well as her mother.

It meant a lot to her Mom, and to us men, that this afternoon went well. We enjoyed Korean-style fried chicken, Malaysian empanadas,and Filipino purple yam cake. The conversation centered on dealing with the heaviness in the logistics industry, but floated to topics of fashion, child-rearing and the anomalies that pop up in moving a household, in which two of the ladies-mother and daughter-are now engaged. A comparison between living in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Greater Atlanta entered into discussion. We also talked of travel in east Asia-Singapore, Korea and the Philippines. It was a lovely afternoon.

When the ladies got ready to leave, Hana spoke loudly, seeming to say “Thank you for coming.” She also smilingly took part in the ladies’ group photo. This evening, it was hard for her to wind down, but after I told her that tomorrow will be another happy day, if she gets a good rest, her father put her in the crib and she rolled over to go to sleep.

HANA’S NOTE- I had fun in the playpen with the first two ladies that came and went to take a nap, after a while. When I woke up, there were three more ladies here. That confused me and at first I was upset. Mommy and Papa got me to understand what had happened. It was fun after that.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1970 This year was spent keeping the mail delivery system at the Tri-Service Barracks at Fort Myer well-functioning. I was able to move into that barracks, myself, after five months. There were many weekends spent in Washington, primarily in Georgetown. I also walked-a lot, around the city, at one point going all the way to Rockville, MD and on another occasion, found myself in Coral Hills, a northeastern suburb. My co-worker, Charlie, was from southeast DC, and commuted each day. He was flabbergasted that I had walked all that way, but it is what I’m used to doing.

I took part in a couple of anti-war demonstrations, and associated with a progressive group that had set up a free university, they called “New University”. I sat in on a few of their lectures. I walked away from the demonstrations, though, after some of the participants started attacking DC police officers. I later learned that there were agents provocateurs among the crowd. My association stopped altogether, after I was directed by my Commanding Officer to join a detail that stockpiled pro-war pamphlets in a DC Public Schools warehouse. Somehow, I was photographed in fatigues at that exercise, and the photos were circulated among identified radical groups,

I met different public figures, during the year: Vice President Spiro Agnew and his wife, on a Georgetown street, with Agnew telling me he was “for the war and am anti-you”; Senator J. Strom Thurmond, who was jogging near the Capitol, and encouraged me to always stay active; Chicago 8 defendant Rennie Davis, who was nervous about being re-arrested and Abbie Hoffman, at a large anti-war event. Hoffman said, “Watch this, kid”, then turned to a TV set that featured Richard Nixon making a speech. He kicked the TV off the stage, into an empty grassy area. I was not impressed, and left right afterward.

I went back and forth from DC to Massachusetts, several times during the year. I met a few young ladies, and basically we passed through each other’s consciousness like ships in the night. In the middle of 1970, one of my neighbourhood friends from Saugus was gravely wounded in VietNam. He survived and is still alive. That, however, along with my increasing annoyance with both sides in the war debate, made me decide to go to Viet Nam and see for myself, what was going on. I asked HQ Company, U.S. Army First Sergeant Harper for help in getting re-assigned, infuriated my pacifist friends-and gave up the easy life at Fort Myer, early in 1971.

It was time for innocence to end.

Korean Onion Chicken

Filipino Purple Yam cake

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 26

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Historical, Inner Struggles, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

July 17,2026- Hana and I were asleep in the recliner, so deeply that I didn’t notice Aram going in and out to get the mail. My granddaughter has the same calming effect on me that I have on her.

We had a busy “half day”, in that her parents came home from work early, to take her to a medical appointment. We thus managed our walk, “wrestling” (her crawling on me and my lifting her up in the air, in vestibular motion) and lunch time into a shorter frame. There was also story time, centered on “Sleeping Beauty”. Maleficent is portrayed in this brief version only as the “Old Fairy”. She ends up getting turned into a frog. Hana thought that was funny.

She is always overjoyed when one of us comes back to the house, after having been away for a brief errand. Having the family all together is a big deal to my granddaughter. She is delighted to just sit in the high chair at each meal, even at breakfast, which for her is a liquid feeding, still. She has complete meals at lunch and dinner.

HANA’S NOTE- I went to have my blood checked-AGAIN. This time, the nurse only stuck me once with the needle. So, that was not as bad.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1969 This was a year of firsts: My first time on an airplane; my first trip outside New England; my first extended time away from family; my first time really hallenging myself.

I left Star Market in January and went to work at General Electric’s Riverworks Plant, in Lynn, MA. My fahter, and several relatives and neighbours worked there, as well. Dad got me in. I worked in the rotometer calibration section. The senior technician told me my work was substandard, but he never bothered complaining to the higher=ups. Nor did he offer specific criticism that might have helped me improve.

It was a placeholder job, anyway, as I had asked the Army Reserve Unit to let me enlist in the Regular Army. My plan was to enlist for 3 years, then apply for an early release, so as to return to college. My enlistment date was set for June 16, and the recruiter determined I’d be best suited for the Army Postal Corps. I left G.E. on May 1, and focused somewhat on physical training.

Basic Training was at Fort Jackson, SC. I started off as a mewling klutz, but slowly and surely got with the program. I scraped by in marksmanship, missed Combat Fire-but never was made to re-take it, though I asked to do so, and excelled in the Physical Training Test. I did fairly well in the G-3 (General Knowledge) Exam, which was oral. On weekends, we had free time, and I went with a couple of guys who were from Columbia, to their favourite hangouts. I was the sole White guy with four African-Americans, but none of the Whites we encountered gave us any trouble over it.

Woodstock happened while I was doing things like learning how to properly handle grenades and re-sight my M-16. We were brought into a room and allowed to watch the launch of the first Apollo rocket to the Moon. Training was canceled that day. I made enough of an improvement that the cadre sent me on a 3-day pass to Myrtle Beach, on Labor Day weekeend.. I saw that there was little difference between it and the beach towns of New England, though the water was warmer. I stayed in a two-bed shack for $1 a night, and had the place to myself.

Fort Ben Harrison and the postal training were footnotes. I didn’t really bond with anyone in the unit, but went into Indianapolis by myself a few times on weekends. I never did get to the racetrack, though. Many of the guys went to VietNam, after AIT. I was sent to Fort Myer, Va. I was assigned to straighten out a mail operation, as my predecessor had ended up in Fort Leavenworth, for various postal crimes. That made a distinct impression on me. I got the job done quickly, to the satisfaction of the Inspector General. That November, a high school friend was killed in Viet Nam, and I began to re-assess what my responsibilities were. I fasted that Thanksgiving, and decided to give Fort Myer a year, after which I would re-assess my situation. Seeing Washington, D.C. on weekends was great fun, though, and I began to bond with civilians in the Georgetown neighbourhood, whose views on life were similar to my own.

Thus did the ’60s come to an end.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 23

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

July 14, 2026– Lunch is peaceful, when a bit of tactile feeding is involved. The food that ends up in Hana’s hands, as opposed to the spoon with which I feed her most of it, still ends up in her mouth-either by her own actions or by my scooping it from the body bib, high chair tray or food catcher at the base of the chair. What little finds its way to an unsanitary area, like the foot rest of the high chair-or the floor, is of course, discarded. She ate everything on her plate today.

How lunch proceeds also depends on the quality of her mid-morning nap. Even though that was brief today, she was energetic and happy, when she woke up. So, she probably slept pretty deeply. We also went out earlier than normal, so she had the extra pleasure of a cooler morning walk.

Hana is calling us “Papa”, “Daddy” and “Mama” more these days. She even used her own name and pointed to herself, for the first time, this afternoon. Her vocalizations, in general, have vastly increased, this week. She can also be quite loud.

HANA’S NOTE- I am happy with my name-and happy with the meals that Mama leaves for me. They feel nice and taste good.

YEAR IN REMEMBTANCE0 1966 Sophomore year went well, in every subject except Algebra I. Coach Stead tried his best, but I till didn’t get the hang of it. I managed to finally get a B in the course, in Mr. Quinlan’s summer course.

Most of our family summer vacations entailed a few days somewhere in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and 2-3 days at Johns Pond, in Mashpee, on Cape Cod. This year, after Mashpee, we took a day trip from nearby Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard. I like walking around Vineyard Haven, but more enjoyed a visit to a Wampanoag community, on the west of the island.

Junior Year, in the fall, brought Geometry, Chemistry and U.S. History, along with a dismal year of French- mostly because it entailed memorizing long lists of conjugated verbs-not my jam, then or now. One of my best friends was a freshman girl, who I had met at the beach over the summer. She was dating a sophomore boy, who also became a good friend. He and I sat in the back of Geometry Class and enjoyed one another’s snarky humour. We also managed to get through the class with Cs.

I hung out with a variety of kids this year. I had a ways to go with picking up on social cues, Joan and Charlie, to whom I alluded earlier, helped a lot, as did several of the guys in my neighbourhood- even though their name for the group was rather lame: “The Ave. Boys”. (We lived on or near Adams Avenue.) I walked over to Howard Johnson’s Restaurant, where one of the kids on my street worked. A number of teens from Saugus and nearby Melrose gathered there, mostly during the summer nights. We seldom drew the attention of the police-but Officer Gus Belmonte would chat us up and made it clear he expected no trouble from anyone. Gus was one of the better cops.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 21

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July 12, 2026- I heard Hana crying, this evening, so I went down to see what was going on. She was in the crib and wanted to get out-but it was bedtime. Her Daddy was right there, calmly waiting her out. She was excited that I had come in the room, but Papa was not rescuing her from her parents’ rules.

I went for a walk, instead, after saying “Goodnight” to her. Outside, the air was clean and cool. There was a small “rainbar” off to the east, as I walked along Red River Road, through a small section of Hoblitzelle Park, as far as the elementary school where Hana would study, if we stay here that long. (We’re doing fine here, but the kids are always looking for better opportunities-as well they should.)

While Aram was still at Drill, this afternoon, the three of us went to downtown Plano, with Yunhee and I enjoying iced maple lattes and a Cruffin, whilst Hana chilled in her stroller, just taking in the sights and sounds of Lemma Coffee House. After that, we walked over to Bibliobar, the small eclectic bookshop, where I gleaned, and purchased, a story about a little girl looking for home. It will be nice to read to Hana, as she grows.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa is usually indulgent, so I tried to get him to take me out of my crib-but, nothing doing. He backs my Mommy and Daddy up-darn!

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1964 I was in full puberty in Grade 8-actually, I had been for the previous two years. I was also gawky and had buck teeth, so not really boyfriend material. I made my share of friends though, once over the nervous tics that only put a wedge between me and the rest of the class. Grade 8 came to an end, in a peaceful way. The arsonist was caught, by good old Mr. Casey, after he tried to set fire to Veterans Memorial School, where we had transferred after the East Wing Fire and where Bill had transferred to work as custodian. The firebug was a classmate of ours, mentally ill and a loner. He got some of the help he needed, after that run of destruction.

My youngest brother, Brian, came along right after I “graduated” Grade 8. Being thirteen and a bit emotionally awkward, yet, I wasn’t the greatest big brother in the world-still focused on teasing David and on my own concerns. Brian and I grew to love one another, and in truth, we were the “Challenge Bookends’ for our parents. Me, by a series of bad choices’ and he, through no fault of his own. His life of physical and mental challenges was anchored by his loving nature, though, and he gave of himself as much as he could.

Grade 9, back on a normal high school schedule, after the reconstruction of the East Wing, was chaotic in other ways. The number of competent teachers we had this year: Two- the English instructor, the venerable Mrs. Adlington and the P.E. teacher, the unconventional, but very effective, Mr. McNeil. The other four need not be mentioned by name. Three were nice enough people-but incompetent. The fourth was just a nasty individual. I got along better with most kids this year.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 20

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, service, Social, Striving

July 11, 2026- Hana was in her glory, this morning, as she had her Mommy to herself. She delights in my presence, yet, as one might expect, Mother is supreme. While they played and Yunhee fed her lunch, I went on a few errands-at Plano Farmers Market and H.E.B. Gas is a bit cheaper at the latter place than anywhere other than Costco-which is on the southwest end of town. My errands were on the northwest. I got lobster rolls for the three of us adults, as there was a food truck out of Dallas that offered wild-caught lobster, from the Gulf of Maine. That is a once-in-a great-while treat, as you might imagine.

Once back, I played with Hana for a while, showing her again about sitting with both buttocks on the floor. She managed to do that, for several seconds, and began to hop a bit. During the course of the day, and for the past few days, Hana has been vocalizing a lot more also. The cadence of her sounds suggests a message, an urgency, that is also reflected in her face. When we appear to understand that she is serious about the matter, she is pleased and we go through the anticipated needs she may have-food, milk, a clean diaper, exercise-or just someone to be with her. My granddaughter is a social being, much like her father and grandmother.

HANA’S NOTE- Of all the stories that Papa reads me, I like the princess stories the best, especially if the girls have to actually do something. I won’t be a lazy girl. That would be boring.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE, 1963- The first half of this year was not at all bad. I had a generally good experience in the rest of Grade 7. We spent a lot of time at the ocean (Lynn Beach) and at a pond (Breakheart). I had a good summer with the Boy Scouts also-a fair amount of camping. I left, though, at the end of summer-feeling hamstrung by my poor swimming ability. Aquatic skills are required for higher ranks in the Scouts.

Eighth Grade, though, brought hardship. A few bullies made a big deal about my autism, which was not really yet a diagnosed thing back then. I was just “weird”, in their view. I managed to do fairly well, academically, except for Math, where we were set to learn the binary system. The first quarter was terrible,but with tutoring from a next door neighbour, I made it back to ‘B’s and C’s’, the rest of the year. The Math teacher backed me up, when I stood up to the bullies. After that, things were okay for me, personally. For the school as a whole, though, it was one disaster after another. Someone set the old Junior High on fire. It burned to the ground, for the most part, leaving only a small section-which was renovated and became an elementary school. We were sent to the East Wing of the High School. There, we did double sessions, sharing with the freshman high school students. We went during the morning and the 9th graders went in the afternoon. The East Wing would itself later be destroyed by arson. While we were still there, though, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, TX, by a still indeterminate number of shooters. I have, on balance, a sad remembrance of 1963.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 19

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 10, 2026- Today was the Commemoration of the Martyrdom of al-Bab, a Baha’i Holy Day. On this day, in 1850, al-Bab, the Herald of the Baha’i Dispensation, was executed by firing squad, along with a personal assistant. Baha’is generally gather to say prayers and readings associated with al-Bab, Whose name means “The Gate”, in English. His Teachings were the gate to understanding those of Baha’ullah, Who came after Him.

As Hana is too young to attend such events, I said my own Tablet of Visitation here at the house. Hana sat in the playpen, right in front of me, and listened quietly as I prayed. She does the same when I say my daily morning prayers, each day. I sense that this practice is having an orienting influence on her.

This evening, Yunhee remarked that Hana is much more composed now. She sleeps through the night and only gets irritable when she is hungry. While Yunhee is at work, Hana and I have the feeding routine pretty much down. If she is napping before her medication, she wakes herself on time to receive it. Her lunch meal and bottle feeding are on schedule, as she is awake then and happily watches me prepare the items. I also have her watch me prepare the mid-afternoo0n bottle. After Yunhee gives her the evening feeding, she is ready for a good night’s sleep.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa and I watched some workers take our old sidewalk from in front of the house. Papa says they will put a new one in, next week. Since we also saw them putting in new sidewalks at the end of the street, I know he’s right.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1962 It was a year of transition. I finished Grade 6. Boys began teasing one another about things of which I had no idea. One of the “faster” kids in my neighbourhood noticed my naivete and talked to me about some of it. My father also gave me “The Talk”, before I entered Grade 7.

I had my share of friends in my immediate neighbourhood. Eddie and Allan were the closest, of the boys. After Ellen moved, I would go by her old house and hang out with the Geotis kids, whose father let me stomp grapes for his homemade wine. I got a glass or two of grape juice, that their mother set aside from the batch that was to be fermented. A group of us boys played touch football, in the middle of the street. Some men driving home from work would go around us. Others demanded we stop and make a hole for them. I was probably the worst of the players, but some of the boys felt it was a good thing to include even a klutz like me.

Grade 7, Junior High School, brought the concept of rotating between classes. I had a good Math teacher, Mr. Anzalone, a large man with a booming voice and quick temper, who also had a keen sense of humour and a heart of gold. My Social Studies and Science teachers were also competent. Mr. Anzalone talked with us about current affairs, during our home room time. This was the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and President Kennedy took a firm stance with the Soviet Union. We froze our missiles in Turkey and they, their missiles in Cuba. Thus, did cool heads walk back from the brink of nuclear war.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 18

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 9, 2026- It came close to 100 F, today. We went on a shortened walk, along a shady area of Greenfield Avenue, early this morning-even before the road crew began their work of replacing warped sidewalk panels. Hana didn’t mind the walk; she fell asleep in the stroller.

Her receptive vocabulary seems to be increasing. She responds with “Yeah!” after I make a comment about something one of her parents says over the phone. She is also very vigilant about where we are, when she knows we are at home. She doesn’t outwardly worry too much when we are out of the house, as long as one of us is with her. I explain where I am going, when I have to leave her sight for a minute or two. She is always in a safe place, when that happens. She understands and plays nicely until I get back.

Much of our time together is spent with me reading to her, or telling her about things that she can observe. I also talk about the items that her mother leaves for her to have for lunch. This evening, when Yunhee was late getting home, I fed Hana some yogurt and cucumber, She finds yogurt a bit strange in taste, but she eats it willingly.

HANA’S NOTE- I crawl over to Papa, from inside the play pen, whenever I see him reading his book. I just want to make sure he still sees me. He always smiles when I crawl over to him. I like being close to the ones I love.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE: 1961- Fifth Grade saw two of the Felton School’s custodians pass away, within five months of each other. Neither man was that old, but the schools, in those days, used old-style boilers. Working in an old basement couldn’t have been too healthful The second custodian, Mr. Hazel, was succeeded by Bill Casey, a much younger, and healthier, man, who also took an interest in the well-being of us students.

In Grade 6, our teacher, Mrs. Arkins, was also the building Principal. As such, she was a mild disciplinarian, but a fair teacher. I learned about decimals and per cents, and reached Grade 8 reading level. We studied about weather patterns, made more vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, and studied about the “Old World”-Eurasia, Africa and the Pacific Basin-including Australia. I continued to excel in spelling, but then found myself “zoning out” more, when it came time for parts of speech. Somehow, I caught up on that topic, by December.

My best friend, until June of that year, was a girl whose father had played for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, before starting his own business in Saugus. He found an opportunity to build a stronger enterprise in Buffalo, so they moved.. I befriended the family that moved into their house, but I missed Ellen.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 17

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 8, 2026– “AMPA!!” My granddaughter called to me, while she was in the playpen and I was in another room. She keeps close tabs on loved ones.

These things also happened today: A spammer called me and left a voice mail: “Gary, can you hear me?” I deleted the call and the voice mail. I do not answer anyone who hides behind a number.

Aram dealt very well with a private matter that was making him nervous. He handled it himself, as I knew he could.

Hana fed herself some of the beef and spinach that could be easily picked up with her fingers. I told her I was proud of her. I, of course, fed her the rest of the meal.

We went out for our walk, before the temperature got too hot, just before her lunch. The sidewalks are being replaced at the cul-de-sac corners, so the first part of our walk involved sharing the cul-de-sac with a couple of vehicles. We had enough room to pull off to the side, until they went by. The rest of the sidewalk was open.

After her lunch, I brought Hana into the kitchen, while I fixed mine. When she saw the container of sliced watermelon, she said “watermelon!”, in a hopeful manner. I told her I’d have to ask her mother first. Yunhee said, this evening, that she thinks watermelon is too sweet for Hana right now. The girl was sitting there and more or less shrugged her shoulders.

HANA’S NOTE- So many yummy-looking things in this house. I get a few of them. Mommy says NO to sugar and salt. Those must be not good for me. I would eat them anyway, so I am glad my grownups keep me safe.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE, 1960- Grade 4 ended, with me knowing all multiplication and division tables, cold, as well as the steps for long division. Mrs. Kimball, it turned out, had been dealing with a serious health issue. She would only teach a few more years,

My second brother, Glenn, came along, right after school was out for summer. All three of us boys were in one bedroom, after he reached six month, and was in a crib. That was while I was in Grade 5. Miss Hanlon, our teacher, told us that a man and a woman working together can accomplish a lot more than two men or two women. I saw this in action, with my parents, especially once Dad went back to day shift. Miss Hanlon taught us more about kickball, which the previous two teachers had started letting us play. I was never very good in sports, but I could at least kick the ball to the outfield and catch it fairly well.

John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States. We were all proud because he was from Massachusetts and was fairly young.

Saddest of all, though, we lost our Grandma. She was the one who kept Cheryl and me feeling secure, when both of our parents had to go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings, when we lived on Central Street. She would come to visit us on Adams Avenue, taking the bus to the corner and walking up the street, always wearing a full dress. I missed her terribly.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 14

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 5, 2026- The fireworks were so much fun for people, the past two nights, that there were a few sets going off tonight. We just went about our business. For Hana, that meant sleeping soundly through it all.

She is focused on her sitting up, which is getting longer, with less help. She knows now to use one hand to prop herself and can stay upright for 4-5 minutes, before wanting to move on to something else-and then sitting up again.

Our focus today was an early birthday celebration for Aram, who has chosen to work on Tuesday, his actual birthday. Hana understood that it was Daddy’s special day. When I left, in mid-morning, for a Baha’i devotional, she was puzzled as to why I was leaving the house alone. I promised that I would be back in time for the family outing.

At noon, we all went to a place called BBQ Chicken, and enjoyed two varieties of said item, Hana sat patiently in her stroller, while the three of us ate. We then went to Daiso, a Japanese dry goods store and picked up a few things-among them, a rain coat for me and a body bib for Hana. I also stopped in at 85 C and bought mini pineapple cakes for Aram’s birthday celebration. It was a nice afternoon, though probably less than exciting for our girl.

HANA’S NOTE- I was confused when Papa went out alone, after my parents said we were all going somewhere. I asked Papa why he was leaving, and he said it was to a devotional, whatever that is. Anyway, he came back right at Noon, and we went for Daddy’s birthday. This is the first time I have heard the word birthday. Yesterday was “America’s” birthday. I would like t meet that lady someday. She seems pretty popular.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1957 During the second half of First Grade, Miss Lavin took us, on foot, to the Saugus Public Library. She rang her bell the whole way down Central Street. We were all guided by police officers, who stood at each intersection. It was a nice introduction to the Library and I got my first card that day.

In the summer,I was given my First Communion, a Roman Catholic sacrament. It was my first time wearing a suit and tie, also. For the next six years, I had to go to Sunday school, every week after Mass.

Second Grade started in September. Mrs. McCarrier was our teacher. She showed us subtraction and two-digit addition, plus how to tell nouns from verbs and articles. We began the SRA program, a reading enhancement tool. I did well in it, but didn’t get along with the instructor, who had no patience for students who read at a higher level. I never understood her reasoning. In October, our Principal. Mr. Lynch, told us about the launch of Sputnik, a Russian satellite, which was the first rocket launched into space, That was our first school-wide assembly.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 12

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Posted by on in "sibling-ish", children, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 3, 2026- Hana had a good day, playing with each of us, in succession. Each of us also had to tend to separate errands and appointments. She learned, this evening, however, that I have the role of parent, as well as of grandparent. Her father was having a heat-fueled headache and needed me to take over for him during her bath. I had no trouble doing that. She then wanted him to hold her, instead of her going into the crib. After about twenty minutes, though, she was still carrying on and I had the intuition that, unless she had a physical discomfort, she would stop squalling if we all just left her in the crib, to fall asleep. We did that, and she went to sleep right away. Sometimes, self-reliance has to be nudged along.

I have received criticism, online, from two people I don’t know. One is a fairly intelligent extended family member of some friends back in Arizona. Her complaint was quite specific and had some validity, so I made a correction to my own remarks. The other, possibly a bot, was all over the place, attacking people across the political spectrum. There was nothing specific, other than he knows everything and we are all full of dung. As it was on another person’s forum, I made my own remarks-not about him-and left it alone afterward. I am always willing to learn, even hard lessons, but I have no time for nonsense or fantasy-driven abstractions.

We are preparing for tomorrow’s Independence Day festivities. Hana will be asleep before any fireworks, but for good measure, we have a pair of earmuffs. I hope to be able to see the festivities from my upstairs window, but whatever.

HANA’S NOTE- I get so tired that I want to sleep in my Daddy’s arms. Papa says that’s not fair to Daddy all the time. I guess that’s so, ’cause Papa doesn’t lie.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1955 We found ourselves too cramped for space on Central Street, and my parents found a fixer-upper for sale, on Adams Avenue, in the middle of Saugus. So, it was so long, Russ, Karen and Bobby. It was a good thing we moved when we did. Brother David came along, on the day we moved. He needed the crib, so Cheryl got her own room and I got the second bedroom, looking out on the street below.