Friday, January 26, 2018

Bring the Fire Extinguisher for This Weekly Link Round-Up





At the time of this writing, I'm still trying to decide how I want to celebrate my birthday. You see, I have to get all the laundry out of the way first. The photo below shows me celebrating my first birthday. I don't know if I'm looking at that box or at the cake. Probably both, knowing me.

My first birthday
The people in the picture with me are Mr. and Mrs. Riley. No, they aren't relatives, but they took care of me for a year. My birth year began one of those streaks of horrible family fortune, and I know many of you know exactly what I'm talking about. My father was in the Navy, stationed out of Norfolk, Virginia-- a long way from central Illinois. My grandmother was recuperating from tuberculosis and unable to care for an infant. My grandfather had fallen off a fifty-foot scaffold and shattered his knee. He wasn't able to care for me either. My mother was spending a year in a place we all called the "TB san" because she had tuberculosis, too. She lost half of one lung to the disease. Thank heaven for the Rileys.

Three months after this picture was taken, my father (aged nineteen) would be dead, having fallen asleep at the wheel of his car coming home for his father's funeral. Believe it or not, that time affected what type of person I would become even though I was so very young. I don't talk about this much, but when I do, people usually tell me what a tragic life I've had. I disagree. It is what it is and much less than so many others have had to deal with. I've seen and experienced so many wonderful things in my life, and I intend to keep on adding to the list... even though the fire department may have to be put on standby when my birthday cake is delivered.

Now on to the links!



►Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits◄


►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄


►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
  • A costume designer repairs the broken wing of a butterfly and makes it look like it was never injured.
  • Meet Riley, the puppy training to sniff out bugs in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.


►I ♥ Lists◄



That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!



10 comments:

  1. I know what you mean, Cathy, about playing the hand life's dealt you, as it were. It is, indeed, what it is. Our early years shape us all, and it's what we do with it that matters. At any rate, I do hope you enjoy your birthday. As for me, that Roman treasure calls...

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  2. Happy Birthday to you...happy birthday to you...thanks for sharing the picture with us and telling us about your family. I agree that life is life. There's the good, there's the bad, and it's how we manage it all and how hard we look for the bits of joy. Like reading and blogging and mysteries and blogging friends. Take care.

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  3. Happy birthday! Your life has had its share of tragedy but it's also been filled with love like that from the Rileys.

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    1. And the good far, far outweighs the bad. Thanks for the birthday wishes, Kathy!

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  4. Happy birthday, I hope you enjoy your birthday weekend! That is quite a story, I am glad you rememeber the Rileys.

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    1. What that must've been like--raising someone else's baby for a year!

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  5. Happy Birthday, Cathy! To another year of blogging, reading, knitting good TV mysteries and more.

    What an interesting story about your young life. Thankfully, the Rileys helped your family out during that time of need.

    By the way, you were adorable in that little dress.

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    1. Probably one of the few times I was wearing something not made by my grandmother. She even made my prom dress (which was eyed jealously by more than one girl in school).

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