Saturday, June 6, 2020 Somewhere back in time, shortly after meeting my wife Judy, I told her that I had always wanted to be an amateur radio operator. This was in part due to one present from “Santa” when I was a kid, a cheap pair of walkie-talkies that worked fine if the two usersContinue reading “Re-established Interests- Amateur radio”
Author Archives: rbwalton
Surprise ! (or not)- Now
I am not sure how the hat fits into my growing suspicion that a surprise party is planned for my next birthday. Maybe it is just a classic use of misdirection on Judy’s part. Or maybe it is a poltergeist. Maybe I am just crazy. And it could be a combination of the three. HowContinue reading “Surprise ! (or not)- Now”
Birthdays- Now
Most people who know me, even my friends, have no idea what day my birthday is. It is not like I have not told them before. They just have other things on their minds when I tell them. Or other things on their minds on the day. To be fair, I rarely do much, if anything, forContinue reading “Birthdays- Now”
11/22/63- Now and Then
11/22/1963 I can’t believe we are coming up on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Well, maybe I believe that much. I just find it difficult to believe that I am old enough to remember this date. As a class, we had all gathered with everyone else in front of our school’sContinue reading “11/22/63- Now and Then”
Goodbye old friends- Now
You were right. The chainsaws have not stopped yet. I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you. They are taking down the pecan now. At least you are not here to see it go, but you will no doubt see its end. It was the poplar they destroyed earlier. Now theContinue reading “Goodbye old friends- Now”
Back to Kindergarten and later to High School- Then
One day, while in Kindergarten in Santa Venetia, during show-and-tell time, Jan, the girl who sat across from me at my table, brought in a souvenir from Disneyland- one of those caps with the huge feather that stuck out of it. She loved that thing and was happy to share it with us. She hadContinue reading “Back to Kindergarten and later to High School- Then”
Walking to school with bullies- Then
For my first through 12th-grade school career, we lived in a fairly nice area of San Rafael, on the edge of the Dominican area, but not really in it. The Dominican area refers to the neighborhoods closest to the Dominican Convent, back then anyway. I am not sure the convent is still active, but thereContinue reading “Walking to school with bullies- Then”
A dream of a deceased friend- Then
Cecilia was one of the first friends I made on my own when I moved here. I met her at a local bagel shop where she worked. After a few days, I got up the nerve to ask her out. She already had plans to marry. This news was a bit of a disappointment, butContinue reading “A dream of a deceased friend- Then”
First parking ticket, and a new car- Now
A few weeks ago, I got my first-ever parking ticket. It was actually the first ticket of any kind I have gotten the entire time I have been driving. This was traumatic to some extent. My perfect record was gone. This includes a couple of years when I was driving professionally, first as a messenger/deliveryContinue reading “First parking ticket, and a new car- Now”
One summer later, and the end of my forestry career- Then
I was divorced, had no job, and was living on fumes of my new bank account. One more forestry job awaited me. This one was in Placerville. Scott, my crew leader the summer before, up at Big Bear Lake, would be my crew chief again. I was not really into any of this anymore. ButContinue reading “One summer later, and the end of my forestry career- Then”
Memory is the Key 