Another New Relative

A few years ago, Larry received an email through one of the sites where we had our DNA evaluated. It was from a DNA relative—one he had no idea about. She had been adopted and was looking for her birth mother. Both Larry and his brother, Casey, had received emails from her.

She indicated they were related on his father’s side as second cousins. She only knew her mother’s age at the time she was born and that she was from California. (The “new” cousin was from another state.)

This one was easy to figure out even though we had no idea that this particular cousin had ever had another child. We were out-of-state ourselves at the time Her daughter was born, so we were unaware of her whereabouts.

Larry passed the email on to his cousin, and we were able to connect her to her first child.

We also communicated with the daughter and invited her to come to California for a visit and to meet the other family members. This has yet to happen, but we are hopeful.

Last week, it happened again. Larry and Casey received emails from another DNA relative. This time, it was a first cousin! She was born in another state where we were fairly certain NONE of the relatives had ever visited. She was looking for her birth father, whom she had never met. She had just gotten her DNA results and was shocked to find out she was over half European. Her mother was Native American, and she had always believed she was, too.

We spent a couple of days trying to figure out who her father could possibly be.

There were four brothers in Larry’s dad’s family. His dad was immediately eliminated because they are first cousins. This left three others.

We went through all the scenarios before Larry dredged up a memory from his childhood that put everything in perspective. We are now over 90% certain we have the right one. Since this uncle had no other children and has been dead for many years, we can’t confirm this 100%, but we are quite sure we have the right person.

The only way to be completely sure would be for Larry’s cousins to take DNA tests with the same site to eliminate their fathers. (We are confident of the outcome.)

We shared our theory with Larry’s brother and our daughter, and they agreed completely.

Since then, we have been in touch with his “new” cousin, sharing photos and other family information. She is understandably shocked with the results, but she is also happy to finally clarify her parentage.

We have welcomed her to the family and invited her to come here to meet her other relatives. We are excited to get to know her.

We love the show, Finding Your Roots. As Dr. Gates always says, “DNA don’t lie.”

This is the side of the family with “boring” farmers. Who would have guessed?

Have you ever had this kind of surprise?

 

Back to the Park

 After our Disney mini-vacation in September, we realized how much we enjoy the Disney parks. So, our Christmas gift to each other was Magic Key passes for the year. Ours have no blackout days. HOWEVER, you now have to make a reservation in order to go to the park.

When we first got ours, there were no available dates in December at all. I was able to get one date in November, so we took it. I really wanted to see the Christmas lights and decorations in the park.

Near the end of November, I looked again, and a few December dates were open, so I snagged a couple of those!

On the first trip in November, we started at the tree on Main Street. (This is why we don’t take selfies!)

We went on several of the old favorites.

In December, we were able to get on Rise of the Resistance again. I liked it much better in the cooler weather.

On the 13^th, It’s a Small World Christmas was back in operation. The only time I like to go on that ride is at Christmastime. (A flood in the electrical room under the ride caused it to be out for several months.)

At least once on each trip, we like to sit in the lobby at the Grand Californian and listen to the piano. We also like to people-watch.

Theme Park aerobics is my favorite form of exercise. Now we’re getting back to it! And I love it!

TODAY MARKS A MILESTONE

 August 31, 2021

One year ago today, my life changed irreparably. I was scrolling through Facebook when a private message popped up: Call Officer R____ at the Covina Police Department ASAP. A phone number followed.

My first reaction was: This must be a joke or a prank. But even as I replied, “Why?” I realized it wasn’t.

I made the call, and the officer confirmed my brother, Ron Lund (known as Rockin’ Ron to his friends), had passed away.

Since our father had died in 1954 and our mother in 2011, we were the only ones left in the family. Now, he was gone, too.

Larry and I immediately set out for Covina—over an hour’s drive from our home in Dana Point. This was in the middle of a heatwave with temperatures in Covina between 110 and 120 degrees. Wildfires raged nearby, so the acrid smell of smoke permeated the air. And it was also during the first COVID peak…

Once we arrived, we were met by Ron’s best friend, Bud, and another friend, Joe. Before too long, two of his other friends arrived. Several of his neighbors also came out—in the heat and smoky air—to tell me how much they had appreciated him.

Their stories of his kindness helped me deal with the initial shock.

We spent the next month cleaning out his mobile home and taking care of the matters of his estate. The busyness helped, but it also allowed me somewhat to avoid dealing with my feelings about losing my brother.

Among his possessions, we discovered a slim, spiral-bound notebook filled with his handwriting. I knew what it was immediately because about ten years earlier he had told me he was writing a book. I promised him I would edit and publish it when he finished it, and he even sent me a chapter so I could show him what it would look like edited. We discussed the title and some of his ideas.

Following his death, several of his friends asked me about “Ron’s book.” Since I hadn’t heard anything more from him, I figured he had given up the idea.

Now, here it was. Not a book, really, more of an outline, and only a few chapters. However, I had made him a promise…

I transcribed it and showed it to Larry. I felt I had to finish it, and he agreed to write the rest with me. (Once I had transcribed it, I gave the original to his best friend since he was the first to ask me about it. After all, I still had the words.)

We began with Ron’s original story, but added a great deal of detail: dialogue, descriptions, feelings, etc. (His words ended at the beginning of Chapter 11, and much of the previous chapters contained our original writing.)

After about four months, we finished the manuscript. He hadn’t told us his intended ending, and I’m glad. As we worked on it, we agreed it could only have one ending.

Dominic Drive was published in January of this year.

The cover image is a photo of an actual sign from the street where we grew up. Ron had retrieved it when they changed the signs from white with black letters to green with white lettering, and he had kept it all these years. Larry changed the name to the name of the book.

It has received wonderful reviews, and many friends have sent me private notes about how much they liked it.

On his birthday, May 31, we had a nice luncheon here at our house where his friends shared more of their memories of him.

Between the book and the stories, I have been able to piece together a more complete picture of my little brother. I am grateful he touched so many lives. And I feel as though I have done everything I could to honor his memory. Not everyone is so fortunate.

PSWA CONFERENCE 2021 – PART II

This is a continuation of last week’s blog on the PSWA Conference we attended last month.

SATURDAY, July 24

This was our big day. Following the opening by Scott Decker, Joe Haggarty read Keith Bettinger’s poem, “Judiciary Square.” (These folks are wonderful writers, and some are terrific poets.)

We were on next for our Featured Presentation: “The Perfect Pitch.” Most writers hate reducing their books to the “elevator pitch” length of 25 words or less. This presentation gives guidelines to help authors create them. Then we allow time for the group members to write their own. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

A break, then a panel on “Nonfiction Dos and Don’ts.” The panelists were Rannah Gray, Bruce Adams, Geno Munari, and Mike Brandt. They discussed how to keep your writing fresh and interesting when writing nonfiction.

After the break, we were back on a panel called “Stepping into Publication,” with Jo Wilkins (a publisher), Barbara Hodges, and Marilyn Meredith. We discussed the steps to publication. Larry covered book covers, and Barbara and I discussed editing, formatting, etc. We also discussed what we look for and what makes us cringe.

Another fabulous lunch. (Have I mentioned, they were all terrific?)

After lunch a wonderful Featured Speaker, Terry L. Kerns, described “The Opioid Crisis.” She explained why it is really a drug crisis. Terry was an FBI Field Division Evidence Team Leader and is currently the Opiate Coordinator with the Nevada Attorney General’s office. We learned a great deal during her talk.

Following the first afternoon break, we were again on a panel entitled “We’ve Got You Covered.” We discussed the final steps in preparing a manuscript for publication and cover design. Since covers are Larry’s area of expertise, he offered some good advice. I was also on the panel along with Barbara Hodges, Thonie Hevron, and Dave Knop. (Barbara is also a cover artist.)

More information on the police was presented in the next panel, following another break. This one was called “Fuzz,” and included information about jurisdictions. The experts were Bob Doerr, Scott Decker, Joe Haggerty, and Darlene Record.

Following another afternoon break, we heard about “Writing Action Scenes” from Bill Rapp, Dave Freedland, Jim Gugili, and Rich Wickliffe.

Afterward, there was an open discussion on how the past year has affected our writing.

Once again, we took advantage of the opportunity to have a light dinner with Marilyn and Lisa. The café has been redecorated since we were last there, and I really loved the chandeliers made of brass instruments. They were fabulous!

Knowing we would be leaving the next day, we went to the valet stand and asked to have Elsa (the Tesla) charged up for our departure.

SUNDAY, July 25

Before we left our room, we packed our luggage. We checked out and then took the luggage to the bell captain to hold for us during the day.

The first panel in the morning was called “Animals, Aliens, and Other Things that Go Bump in the Night.” This was a lot of fun because the discussion included ghosts. Since one of my books, Ghost Writer, contains a ghost, I was most interested.

Bob Haig Sr., Barbara Hodges, Dave Knop, and Marilyn Meredith discussed the advantages as well as the potential pitfalls and limitations of including these elements.

Following the morning break, we heard a panel on “Building and Maintaining Suspense in Your Fiction.” Barbara Hodges, Thonie Hevron, Bob Doerr, and Kelli Peacock provided some good advice.

After the final break, I was on one more panel called “Polishing Your Manuscript.” The others were Jo Wilkins, Frank Hickey, and George Cramer. We discussed what to look for after you think your manuscript is ready for publication.

We picked up our remaining books to take home. (Yes, we sold a few.)

The last event was the Awards Luncheon. Once again, good food, great company, and a nice awards program.

We said goodbye to everyone and started on our way home with the car fully charged. We enjoyed the weekend, but we were looking forward to being back home again.

PSWA CONFERENCE 2021 – PART I

 We attended the PSWA Conference in Las Vegas last month. Last year’s was cancelled, so we especially looked forward to this one.

It was our longest trip in our Tesla, and she performed wonderfully. (See previous blog: TRAVELS WITH ELSA.)

We drove up on Wednesday, even though the conference itself didn’t officially start until Friday. We like having a day to relax before the hustle and bustle of the conference. It gave us a chance to catch up with a few people.

As we were checking in, we spotted Marilyn Meredith, one of those we most wanted to see.

We went to our room and settled in. Just as is often the case, our room was near the end of a long hallway. My response was, “Well at least we’ll get some exercise.” Unfortunately, not long before, Larry injured his leg standup paddle boarding, so he was walking with a cane. Everywhere in the hotel was at a distance, so I had to slow down to stay at his pace. (Not the usual circumstance!)

We had eaten in Primm in the late afternoon before we arrived in Las Vegas, so neither of us was very hungry. I always try to travel with some protein bars. This time, we also brought along a couple of protein drinks. Instead of dinner, we split a protein bar, and it was fine.

THURSDAY, July 22

Although Friday was the first official day of the conference, they offered a Writers’ Workshop on Thursday. Marilyn spoke, along with Kelli Peacock and Michael Black. The workshop included questions and discussion. Very worthwhile.

We went to Fuddruckers in the hotel and ate lunch. Larry ordered a mushroom burger, and I had a turkey one. They were very good and satisfying.

Although there was a reception scheduled for six, we were ready for dinner earlier. We knew the reception would probably have appetizers, but I suspected I would be unable to eat some of them. Besides, I had noted a salad on the menu at lunch, and it sounded really good. (It was.) Larry also ordered one and a vanilla shake.

Registration began at 3:00, so we picked up our materials and went back to our room and got our things sorted for the remainder of the conference until the reception began.

Of course, Larry grazed his way through the reception! We had a chance to meet some folks we didn’t already know, and it was a good way to start the weekend.

FRIDAY, July 23

We went to the conference area and dropped off our books for sale.

At 9:00, the conference proper began with introductions and a welcome message from President John Schembra. We observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the PSWA members who had passed away during the previous year. Member Joe Haggerty read his moving poem, “Why Wasn’t I There?”

A special presentation was made to Marilyn Meredith for her longtime support for the organization.

The first speaker of the day was Michael Brandt speaking on “The Art of the interview.” He made a distinction between interrogation and interviewing. He gave good advice for writers on how to describe the process.

After a break, we were treated to a panel discussion called “Keeping Things Real,” featuring Dave Freeland, John Schembra, Darlene Record, and Al van de Steege. They discussed how to avoid writing scenes that don’t ring true while maintaining excitement.

Following another break was a panel called “Research; The Art of Mining Yourself and Your Experience for Writing Fiction.” Jim Guiligi, Thonie Hevron, Frank Hickey, and Bill Rapp discussed bringing our own experience and doing research to make our writing authoritative.

Lunch was delicious—as it was every day of the conference.

The afternoon began with Featured Speaker Rannah Gray. She told us about her true crime book, Familiar Evil, and turning it into a documentary. It was a compelling story—so much so I downloaded the Kindle version and read it the next week. It is fascinating!

The book has been turned into a documentary called The Lies That Bind. It is on YouTube.

Following a break, we enjoyed another panel, “Steps in Conducting an Investigation,” with Mike Brandt, Dave Cropp, Scott, Decker, and Bob Doerr. They described how actual investigations differ from TV depictions.

After another break, we heard a panel discussion of “Fiction Typecasting—Writing Novels, Short Stories, Flash Fiction, and Poetry,” with Joe Haggerty, Dave Cropp, Barbara Lloyd, and Darlene Record.

Yet another break, and then anther panel on “Dealing with Censorship,” with Barbara Hodges, Thonie Hevron, John Schembra, and George Cramer. Their agreed they all self-censored their work.

At the end of that session, we did some book signing.

We were free for dinner, so we met Marilyn Meredith and her daughter, Lisa at the Café in the hotel. After our fabulous lunch, none of us was interested in anything much for dinner. We enjoyed our time together. Seeing Marilyn was one of the main reasons we attended the conference, so this was a precious chance to be with her. We had also gotten to know Lisa on previous occasions, so we consider her a friend as well.

We returned to our room, prepared for the next day, watched some TV, and got some sleep.

Next: The rest of the conference.

TRAVELS WITH ELSA (QUEEN ELSA OF DANA POINT)

 At the end of June, we took our first trip in Elsa to San Luis Obispo for the funeral Mass for Larry’s cousin’s wife. It was the first time we had gone anywhere at any distance since the beginning of the pandemic.

We charged her up the day before and stopped at the outlets in Oxnard at lunchtime. Elsa charged while we ate. Then back on the road to the Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo.

My brother- and sister-in-love had arrived the day before, so they were already in their hotel.

We haven’t been to the Apple Farm for quite a few years. Originally, it was decorated with Laura Ashley floral fabrics and charming country prints. It was one of our favorite hotels. In the interim, it has been redecorated. The beautiful floral carpets have been replaced with wood plank flooring. Makes a lot of sense for upkeep, but it isn’t as warm and cozy as it used to be.

The restaurant, another of our favorites, had been closed for many months, and was just reopening with a very limited menu for breakfast and lunch.

We met Casey and Lucy, who suggested going to Pismo Beach for dinner. They knew about a terrific restaurant, and we had a delicious meal with them. We really enjoyed spending time together as we hadn’t seen each other much during the previous year, so we treasured this time.

After breakfast at the hotel restaurant the next morning, we attended the funeral Mass for Larry’s cousin’s wife, Claudia, at the mission church. We were so glad we had decided to go. His cousin, Jim, told us we were the only relatives from his side of the family, and he appreciated the support.

We enjoyed meeting his kids and grandkids. What lovely people they all are.

I especially enjoyed the priest. He made the entire service about Claudia. He clearly knew her well. He used a lot of humor to paint a picture of what a special woman she was. Nurse, friend, neighbor, wife, mother, grandmother—in each role, she gave of herself with love.

Afterward, we went to their house for a great reception. We had more time to spend with Jim and his kids, a thoroughly delightful day.

Casey and Lucy left for home in the afternoon, and we went back to the hotel. In the evening, we drove to the Madonna Inn, where they have a charging station. Elsa charged while we ate dessert.

The next morning, we left early and stopped in Solvang. We had intended to eat breakfast, but the town was very busy, and the restaurants were packed. We found a bakery, bought pastries and coffee, and ate outside. Some of the stores were still closed, and we decided to leave for home.

We stopped at the Marriott Hotel to top off Elsa’s charge. Then back on the road home.

She is very comfortable to ride in, and Larry took advantage of the cruise control.

~~~

A couple of weeks later, we headed to Las Vegas for the PSWA (Public Safety Writers Association) Conference. We were supposed to have gone last year, but it was cancelled.

We felt as though we were getting the hang of traveling with Elsa. We charged her at home before we left. Then, we stopped in Barstow in time for lunch. We recharged. Elsa did, too.

On toward Las Vegas, we stopped in Primm for a cold drink and a rest stop. We topped off Elsa, even though she didn't really need it.

The conference was held at the Orleans Hotel. We enjoy this one because we get to see some friends we don’t ever get to see elsewhere. We were the keynote speakers on Saturday morning, and we each took part in several panels. As always, we learned a great deal and came home with a few new books.

The night before we left, we contacted the hotel and requested they charge Elsa for our departure the next morning. They have a charging station right at the hotel. (We expect many hotels will be installing them.)

We made a stop in Yermo (near the Calico ghost town). We plugged in Elsa while we took a break.

Once again, Larry used the cruise control. He hardly had to touch the accelerator and never used the brake at all—even in stop-and-go traffic. His “driving” was mostly steering just to keep her in the lane. Elsa did the rest.

We aren’t able to listen to our iPod through the car’s speakers, but Larry hooked up a smaller speaker, so we listened to our favorite sounds during the trip. Most relaxing.

Even though Elsa has a 326-mile range, Larry follows the owners’ manual and only charges to 280 miles. (It is easier on the battery.) This proved to be no problem at all—especially since our old Fiero only had a 200-mile range. Charging stations are cropping up everywhere.

Elsa performed well, and we really enjoyed her. We look forward to more travels in the future.

COUNTDOWN TO JAPAN

The world is counting down to the Olympic Games to be held in Japan next month. Because of the pandemic, the games were delayed for a year. But now, it seems, they are really happening.

We were supposed to go back to Osaka this year, too. March 31 marked the twentieth anniversary of the opening of Universal Studios Japan. We spent from August of 1998 through the spring of 2001 there helping to build it.

During our time there, I sent home email messages every couple of weeks about places we’d visited, things we’d seen, and all our adventures living as expats. (Today, it would be called a blog.) These ended up being sent to about 150 people. When we returned, I discovered they had been forwarded to even more.

Friends insisted they had to be published as a book. Sounded easy. It wasn’t.

The individual subjects were timely when they were written, but they didn’t fit together well for a book. So, I started over.

After a few chapters, I discovered I needed—and wanted—Larry’s input. What he came up with was a totally different book than the one I intended.

We remained at an impasse until our friend, Julie, suggested we join her writing group and ask them for advice. At the first meeting, one of the members suggested a solution, and we began the book again with each of us writing our own chapters, identified by our names.

When we finished, we looked for an agent. Two of them liked the book, but they both had the same issue: it didn’t fit neatly into any category. It was about Japan, but it wasn’t a travel book. It was about building USJ, but it wasn’t exclusively a theme park book. It was about doing business in Japan, but it wasn’t specifically a business book. It was a memoir, but we were told memoirs wouldn’t sell unless you were famous. We weren’t.

Time passed, and interest in the building of the park was waning. So, we decided to use subsidy publishing. This is where you pay something for the publication, but not nearly what it costs the publisher.

After three grueling edits, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park was finally published in the spring of 2005 in hardback, paperback, and ebook. In 2018, we added the audiobook with a great narrator. It went on to be one of two finalists for best ebook memoir of the year in 2006, was named one of Rebeccas Reads best nonfiction books of 2005, and was listed on the Forbes recommended reading list as well as several theme park websites.

If you would like to learn a bit about Japan in preparation for the Olympics, this is the book for you! If you plan to visit Japan, this book contains many tips to make your trip easier. If you want to learn about the trials and tribulations of building a world-class theme park, this is the only book ever written about the building of a Universal Studios theme park. (There is one other about a specific ride: Revenge of the Mummy.) And if you plan to relocate to Japan, be sure to check this one out.

If you have any questions about what it was like to live and work there, please feel free to ask.

Discovering Dana Point

 I doing research for our book, The Memory Keeper, I found photos of a statue called “The Hide Drogher.” Drogher is a word for the slow, clumsy coastal ships, which stopped in Dana Point to trade foreign-made goods for hides. The statue shows a sailor tossing a hide. I remembered seeing the statue many years ago, but when we were doing our research, I couldn’t find it.

I looked it up and discovered it was on the top of the bluff along the Bluff Top Trail. It used to be visible from the road along the bluff, but now, large homes have been built there.

 Today, after a stop at the post office, we were on Amber Lantern. I asked Larry if we could stop and take a walk on the trail.

The view was gorgeous from the gazebo-structure at the end of the road.

To call this a “trail” is a real misnomer. It is a concrete path with series of stairs, all with handrails.

Not far along the trail, we saw the arches from the 1930 construction of the original Dana Point Hotel, which was never completed because of the stock market crash and the Great Depression.

A plaque describes the wall and the circumstances.

Not far beyond the arches, we spotted the statue. It is now enclosed in a wall of concrete. (It used to stand alone on top of the bluff.)

The plaque describes the statue.

On the way back, we were able to see the old trail, which used to zigzag down the cliff to the beach below. Larry remembers hiking up the trail in the 1960s. Of course, much of the old trail has been washed out over the years.

The trail was lined with rock walls, some of which can be spotted below the new trail.

 

We took some photos with Larry’s phone, but they didn’t come out well. So, we went back and retraced our steps later on. Two hikes in one day! What a gorgeous time to enjoy our hometown!

Now that we know where the statue is, we may visit it more often.

 Are there places in your hometown you haven’t explored? So glad we discovered this one!

Growing up in the Midwick Tract

Today’s blog is from my husband and partner-in-crime, Larry K. Collins.

Working on the publication of my brother-in law, Ron Lund’s, book, Dominic Drive, brought back memories of growing up in the Midwick Tract in Alhambra, California. I previously blogged about mowing lawns there as a kid. (Lorna’s blog dated: October 9, 2020)

First, a little history:

In 1912, an area of rolling hills between Alhambra and Monterey Park, originally used as a sheep pasture, was purchased by a group of wealthy businessmen to become the Midwick Country Club. The exclusive club featured a regulation-size polo field, two smaller polo fields, a professional eighteen-hole golf course, a massive clubhouse, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. It soon became the meeting place for the rich and famous, including Will Rogers, Hal Roach, David Niven, Spencer Tracy, and Walt Disney. King George V stopped by to play polo, and Sam Snead and Bing Crosby could often be found on the fairways. Membership was expensive and exclusive, restricted to whites only.

The great depression and wars caused the membership to decline. When the club defaulted on a loan in 1941, an Italian immigrant, named Dominic Jebbia, quickly picked up the property at auction.

Jebbia, known as the “Banana King,” had amassed a fortune importing bananas and other fruit. It was rumored he bought Midwick because his membership application was turned down, however he always denied the rumor.

For several years, he spent his weekends selling hot dogs from a stand at the ninth hole. Most golfers didn’t know the cigar-chewing vendor in milkman pants, wrinkled white shirt, and knit vest was the owner.

On May 3, 1944 (one month after I was born) the clubhouse was destroyed by fire. Soon, Dominic decided to subdivide the property.

Midwick 1932

Midwick Tract 1953

My family moved into a brand-new tract home in 1949. Our house on Hitchcock Drive (named for a famous polo player) was at the edge of the second construction phase. Across the street, were the remains of the abandoned golf course. It became my playground until the third phase was built several years later. I lived there until I married Lorna and we moved into our own apartment in 1965.

As a teenager, I surfed with Philip “Flip” Jebbia, Dominic’s grandson. Occasionally, I was invited to the Jebbia home for their spectacular Sunday brunch. It featured omelets cooked to order, and a rich buffet of fruits, breads, and assorted sweets. In the center of the dining room, hung over the table, was always a full cluster containing several hands of bananas. Guests were encouraged to help themselves. The Jebbias provided brunch every Sunday following church for twenty-to-forty people.

Ron Lund’s book, Dominic Drive, is a fictional account of life in the late fifties and early sixties and takes much of its inspiration and events from his own life growing up in the Midwick tract. The title is a tribute to Dominic Jebbia.

 

*Thanks to an article by Cecilia Rasmussen in the 1993 LA Times, Metro Section, for some historic details from before I was born.

Dominic Drive is the coming-of-age story of Charlie Williams, a young man who has a difficult childhood but who remains optimistic and hopeful, told through the eyes of another young man who becomes as close as a brother to him. Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it captures life in a post-WWII community.

It is now available on Amazon.

 

About the Authors

RONALD TRAVIS LUND—known as “Rockin’ Ron” to his friends—was born in Alhambra, California on May 29, 1949. He lived there until December of 1981, when he moved to Covina, California. He died there in his sleep on August 31, 2020. This is his first and only book.

LORNA and LARRY K. COLLINS are multi-published authors in several genres.

Celebrating Thanksgiving Away From Family

This year, we celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving by ourselves. We had a nice dinner with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, baby peas (Larry’s favorites), croissants, and Aunt Muriel’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie for dessert. (More about this later.)

 

We spoke on the phone with Larry’s brother, Casey, and the rest of his family. We usually celebrate Thanksgiving with them. (Christmas is usually at our house.) They had more people than we were comfortable with, but we enjoyed talking to them. Kim was with friends in Texas, and our niece, Carrie, was with her immediate family in Utah.

 

This was far from the first Thanksgiving we have spent away from the rest of our family.

 

In 1969, we moved across the country to Illinois. Larry had to go for work, so we packed up and traveled there. We were both very close to our families, and this move felt traumatic.

 

In retrospect, it probably strengthened our marriage far more than anything else we have ever experienced. We had to learn to depend on each other. We were all we had.

 

We also learned to be flexible. This did not come naturally to me, but this experience and others along the way taught me great lessons.

 

We made good friends, Carol and Bob Wilson, while we were there. This couple had a three-year-old girl, Denise. Kim was two. They became friends and playmates.

 

For Thanksgiving that year, Carol’s parents invited us to their house for dinner. (They did the same for Christmas.) Even though we missed our own families, these dear people made us feel as though we were a part of their family. And we were most grateful for them.

 

In 1971, we spent Thanksgiving by ourselves in Colorado, where we were living at the time. Larry’s job necessitated several moves. But we knew we would be back in California for Christmas, and we were looking forward to it.

 

In 1980, we took a Caribbean cruise over Thanksgiving week. Another friend, Betty, and her son, Bob were with us.

Thanksgiving dinner on the ship was an extravaganza with lots of food. We all dressed up for the occasion.

 

Of course, we spent three Thanksgivings in Japan.

 

The first year, 1998, I tried to make dinner to share with our neighbors, Misayo-san and her daughter, Kazue. It was only a partial success. I wrote about it in our book, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park.

I couldn’t get the ingredients for Auntie Wanda’s Pumpkin Pie, so I settled on a variation of Aunt Muriel’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (the same pie I made this year). Both recipes are in the cookbook from Oak Tree Press authors: Recipes by the Book: Oak Tree Authors Cook. (This is the link to the full-color version shown below. It is also available in Kindle and black-and-white interior versions.)

By the following year, I planned well ahead and made Auntie Wanda’s recipe. The same for the next year. I even baked a few for Kazue’s students’ Christmas party. They loved it.

 

Of course, we would rather gather with the whole family to celebrate, but this was another year when we needed to be by ourselves. Fortunately, we still like each other after all these years.

 

How was your Thanksgiving different this year? 

Lawn Mower Summers

Today, my husband, soulmate, and partner in crime, Larry K. Collins, shares a memory from his childhood. 

For about three years, starting when I was eleven or twelve, I mowed lawns in my neighborhood to make extra spending money. Several of the neighbors gladly hired me for the chore.

I used my father’s push mower. It was old school. The forward movement of the wheels drove the vertically rotating blades which sliced against a fixed blade. A grass catcher hooked on the back and was held in place by a coat-hanger-like contraption hung from the mower handle. I turned the mower upside down, threw the catcher on top, and dragged it down the street to the selected house.

A year later, a young couple from the next street over heard about me and asked if I would do their lawn on a regular basis, twice a month for $20.00 monthly. Wow, a steady source of income. And the best perk was he had a new state-of-the-art, rotary-type power lawn mower I could use. On this model, a propeller type blade spun horizontally under a protective metal housing. The gas-driven engine sat on top, and grass clippings were thrown out an opening on the left side of the machine. The motor only worked the blade, so I still had to push it across the yard. I agreed to mow and edge the property.

The couple and their two daughters, one three and the other a year old, had moved in recently. He was a news announcer for a local radio station, and she a retired airline stewardess. In those days the airlines didn’t allow married stewardesses.

Their house was located on a curve, so the front yard was small, but the back was gigantic. Behind the house was a vast field of grass sloping down to a six-foot high concrete block wall on two sides. A detached garage and driveway completed the third side. There were no bushes or shrubs except for three sickly little rose bushes along the garage and a fifteen-foot high peach tree in the far corner. Near the rear steps from the house was a patio. Well, really a ten-by-ten square concrete pad set with two outdoor lounge chairs, the kind with plastic webbing screwed to an aluminum frame, and a low table of the same construction placed between. During the summer months, a small inflatable kiddy pool rested on the lawn nearby.

The first day, the wife led me to the garage. Her husband was at work. She pointed out the machine. Then I was left to figure out how to use it. After several unsuccessful pulls of the starter rope, I finally found and read the instruction manual, checked gas and oil levels, set the speed control lever on the handlebar to ‘start’ position and tried again. Success. One problem solved.

The instructions also said to mow the lawn in counterclockwise circles from the outside to the center of the yard. Grass clippings thrown from the mower would be reduced to mulch, which would become fertilizer. It worked well. Soon the lawn in the center grew so thick I could hardly push the mower thorough it.

My first pass around the yard was also almost my last. As I approached the peach tree, I heard a loud twang from the blade, and a peach-pit struck me in the groin. Ouch! I learned quickly to rake fallen peaches from around the tree first.

During the summer months, the wife would sunbathe while the children played in the pool. Often, one of her girlfriends and her two-year-old son would join them. Two wine glasses would occupy the small table. It was my first introduction to twenty-five-year-old ex-stewardesses in bikinis. I tried not to stare.

One eventful day, I was trimming the tall grass around base of the steps with my hand clippers when the phone in the kitchen rang. The wife, lying on her stomach leapt to her feet and ran past me up the stairs to answer. In her haste, she forgot she had unhooked the bra back-strap to prevent a tan line.

Her girlfriend, seeing my stupefied expression, burst into laughter.

Thinking back now, the neck strap was still tied, so I didn’t get much of a view. Still, since I vividly remember the incident after more than sixty years, it must have made quite an impression on my preteen psyche.

I mowed their lawn faithfully for several more years, but sadly, it never happened again.