Good Morning All!
My grandson, Josh, of the “Rockets” made a great play in left field yesterday in the first game of a doubleheader with the “Cobras”! He backed up an errant throw to third base that would have resulted in runners advancing, if it wasn’t due to his heads up play. Here’s to you Josh!
My friend, Sheryl, and I had a great experience at The Barre Code yesterday! We took the “Barre Restore” class from my daughter Amy (the owner of the studio). A great way to start a Saturday! There’s a great vibe there! You can find out more about The Barre Code by going to www.thebarrecode.com/Spokane. Check it out…you’ll be glad you did!
Happy Birthday to our friend, Jonathan…husband, father and college English professor extraordinaire, who celebrates his birthday tomorrow (Sept. 9th)! Happy Birthday wishes also go to singer Pink, who turns 40 today; and to retired Marine Corps general and former Secretary of Defense James (Jim) Mattis, who is 69 today! Here’s to all of you!
Prayers are lifted up for a 12 year old friend of our friend Sheryl, who has suffered a series of strokes in Salt Lake City and is fighting for her life. She is an accomplished dancer at the young age of 12…Prayers are also lifted up for our friend, Kari, known to many as the face of “Christ Kitchen” here in Spokane, who is battling cancer. May God give wisdom and discernment to the health care professionals who are treating them!
Speaking of health challenges, I was moved when reading about another of my 1969 Topps Football Cards’ players, Pete Duranko. He was born in 1943 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Pete excelled at football and track (shot putter) at Johnstown Catholic High School (now Bishop McCort High School). He was known as “Diesel Duranko” for his bruising style as a fullback for his high school team, He went on to become an All-American Fullback and later a Defensive End for Notre Dame and was part of their 1966 National Championship team. Pete was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1966 AFL Draft and played for Denver his entire professional football career (1967-1974). After football, Pete got a Master’s Degree from St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania and later became a steel company executive. He developed ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in 2000 and died of it in 2011 at the age of 67. A post-mortem (sp?) examination determined that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTS), a degenerative brain linked to repeated blows to the head. His brain was part of a study of CTS that was released in 2017 and has shed more light on the results of brain damage linked to football. His 1969 Topps Football Card called Pete “One of the top college players in the nation in 1966.” Pete spent the last years of his life advocating for victims of ALS & CTS and one of his teammates said that “he had a heart of gold” and would “give you the shirt off his back.” Here’s to Pete Duranko and all victims of ALS & CTS!
I don’t recall if I mentioned that on our recent Icelandic adventure, it was difficult to find ice cubes and/or crushed ice in Iceland! Unless you specifically ask for ice in your drink, it will come to you with no ice. And it’s a bit of a challenge to find ice cubes for sale at the grocery store. One time we were told that ice cubes/crushed ice was a available at a store some 12 km from where we were staying! How about that! So…the moral of the story is…”No ice in Iceland!” and…”bring your own ice machine with you!”
Here’s some more from the lovely remembrance of my Dad, Don Newbold, that my mom recently received from her 93 year old friend, Dale Atkinson…
“If my memory serves me correctly, Don did become an agent for Equitable Life and went into partnership with Bruce Albert in Olympia (they bought Bader Insurance Agency) for quite a few years. When Bruce retired, Don took over the business with the help of Chris (my mom). They had a lovely home in Olympia and two handsome sons, Mark and Matt. I had moved to California with a girl friend of mine, Margaret Sand, but Christ and I stayed in touch.
I met my husband to be, David Atkinson, in San Francisco. After David and I married, we purchased a new home in San Jose. It was on a circle, and between the eight houses located on the cul de sac, there were 29 children born there, with Dave and me doing our share with the arrival of Jerry, Kathy, Susan, Nancy and Bill. The neighbors were great and it was a wonderful time of our lives. Chris and I stayed in touch and they visited us, together with their sons, a couple of times while we lived there and we visited Christ and Don at least one occasion while they lived in Olympia. We exchanged Christmas gifts for many years. One summer they sent a crate of raspberries to us. What a treat!
When my husband decided to take a position at the College of Southern Idaho, we moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, and we did not see one another very often. Once when they visited us in Twin Fall, they went shopping and came home with a pretty picture. When I admired it, Don told me I could have it. They were always so kind and generous. I did not accept the picture…”
Here is the silly question for the day:
Q: What did Mississippi sip?
A: A Minne sota.
Here are some thoughts for the day:
“Hey, little luxury…don’t you cry…you’ll be a necessity bye and bye.”
—Sheryl Martin, Salt Lake City, dear friend and part of our family forever
“Today…
See something that inspires…say something that uplifts…and do something that makes a difference.”
—Sheryl Martin, Salt Lake City, dear friend and part of our family forever
Here’s to a great Sunday and GO PACKERS…GO SEAHAWKS!!!!
Press on,
Papa ‘a (Dad, Uncle Mark, etc.)