Wordless Wednesday - Wearing of the green in days of yore

Ah, the memories of when our children were much younger - on St. Patrick's Day 1996. Kindergarten and Second Grade, their green outfits of green paper, plastic and cloth are wonderful emerald fun...See WW and WW

Whimsical Windows - Cute Cousins

We are all fans of windows, doors and cute kids. So, for this installment of Toby's Whimsical Windows/Delirious Doors,  I revert all the way back to 1995/96 and peripheral views of suburban window styles behind cute smiling cousins. Thus the smiles are the gateway to non-descript windows on houses and garage doors. Perhaps this stretches the definition of windows...but not whimsical :)

Ruby Tuesday Too - Ruby Pink

Ruby Tuesday Too allows us to continue our quest of finding a lot or a little red in any setting. 

Here it is the soft pinkish color combined with the red sneakers to meet the theme with a hint of cute for emphasis :)

The year is 1996, the month July, daughter Allegra and two cousins at a family function. Cute may be an understatement here, but the now grown trio might prefer that term to adorable these days. The quest for rubies knows no limitations...

Shadow Shot Sunday - Fathers past and present...

Father, son, grandson. Brigantine Beach, NJ, 1964

Dad and family, August 1996

Today’s Shadow Shot Sunday 2 arrives the day before Father’s Day in the US, Canada and UK. Some consider it an artificial holiday, but not I. Obviously, we like to show appreciation when we are kids for a dad (last year they grilled salmon, Ciabatta bread and vegetables – a delicious celebration :) 

However, as a father himself, the pride and happiness of our children is to be celebrated too. From the past as a child to the present day, it is a fine holiday. Add shadows, and it becomes a perfect day!

Tina's Pic Story - 'K' is for kids

Tina nicely hosts the fun foto meme, Pic Story where we add pictures to match the weekly theme she kindly provides. This week is the letter 'K', and for me the obvious selection is for kids. Hard to believe, but I was the second of seven children of our family in East Hartford Connecticut - here in 1968 with all in school dress, some in uniforms (like me in the maroon blazer). Plenty of kids here (clockwise from left, me. Michele, Claudia, Sharon, Chris, Vicki, Sue)

Our brood these days is smaller though, with son Cameron and daughter Allegra - here on the first day of school about 28 August 1996. He was in first grade, she in third grade. Time fies as she graduated college in 2010, and he next month - but like my family growing up then ours still grow now...

Tina's WW - Bored

When the family party occurs, much of the action is between the grown-ups outside. Which might be boring to children in attendance. I assume the TV inside offers no more excitement than the big person party outside...see Tina's WW!

Shadow Shot Sunday - Elevating

For Shadow Shot Sunday (2) I am moving in different directions - up and down.

I started to use a wheelchair in November 1995, and it was not by choice...yet, it was not like life had ended, but became different.

In my walking days, I hadn't considered that one could actually drive - however, it can be. My three vehicles and their lifts are being showcased - as they also are full of shadows...Above was my first, taken on its second day at home, 21 April 1996. It was a used 1989 Dodge B250.

It was as hulking as it looks, and being used to driving a small Nissan Sentra (Sunny), I had to adjust, both to its size and the greater amount of petrol it needed.

The driver's seat is what the wheelchair transfers into,  and turns it 90° to drive normally, whatever that is :)
I was obtained my next vehicle on 26 May 1998, a new full-sized Ford E-150 van, also with a lift and actually a bit bigger than the last one. The shadows are now from the inside looking out. 

This picture was taken almost twelve years and 158,000 miles (254,000 km) later - just before I received my current ride...

A 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. This one is different than the last two, a minivan with floor modifications, a ramp entrance and shadows as well! From 10 March 2010, I have been enjoying this transportation device.

Smaller than its predecessors, although big enough at 4200 pounds (1906 kg), it rides more like a car and is quieter inside. Obviously, I would prefer to walk and not drive one of these - I would drive a small car and manual transmission if it were possible. However, acceptance is needed to move ahead, and since I am able to drive, it is the blessing we must accept with grace and not complaint...

Last week, I alluded to a YouTube video of the vacation slideshow. I actually made a 13  minute DVD with five classic Motown songs (Ain't that Peculiar, Get Ready, I Was Made to Love Her, I Can't Help Myself and Heatwave). However, YouTube is very conscious of copyrights and wouldn't allow its use. So, I found the old tunes - big band music and old black-white pictures go together well (there are duplicate pictures on both, but am still learning...)