Friday, March 15, 2013

More Planting and Killing Kennedy finished.

We saw 93 today on the motorcycle dash temp gauge...  That is nicely warm...  Rick over in Desert Hot Springs calls these days frying pan hot.  Well......  not exactly...  We were here in Phoenix when it was up to 117 last summer...

But after some really cool days this spring, the 90s are nicely warm...

It was even warm this morning as I was out planting more of those bushes that are beaconing from their pots around the patio table...  They sit there quietly wishing to be planted or watered..  Loyce and I were both out in the morning mid 70s weather working on the yard...

Three more of the old dead roots were excised from their planting beds...  And carefully replaced with new vibrant live flowering specimens...  But it was getting hotter into the 80s as the morning became noon, so we quit..

I showered and decided as I was getting dressed that I should get another hair cut...  As a Navy man, I always have had the clean neck attitude about a hair cut... so since it had been over a month, today was the day...

Besides, that gave me the chance to ride the cycle over to the barber shop several miles away...  This time I carefully waited for another barber that isn't so forgetful as the fellow that did my do last time...  That fellow parted my hair on the wrong side and then cut it to match..  It hasn't laid straight ever since...

Then I had to go to Wendy's for that small burger...  and I just rode around some because it was so nice....  Tomorrow, (today as you read this) is to again be in the 90s but then it is to cool down again into the 80s with chances of rain, so riding while it is nice becomes the mantra..

 But the remainder of my evening has been spent on the Killing Kennedy book...  I purchased that one back when I was reading Lincoln, but it is harder for me to read....

Since I was part of that time, and watched the TV coverage first hand, it is all too real.... not a story..  We have visited the Kennedy Library in Boston...  And have been at Dealey Plaza and Parkland Hospital in Dallas..  That is much more first hand knowledge, and makes the book almost painful..

But I have finished it now about an hour ago...  I think each of us remembers where we were when we found out the President had been shot... I was a Junior in High School and was out on a lunch break at a local hang out..

Many of us had sandwiches at a local doughnut shop and they had a TV on the wall..  It took a while for the gravity of the happenings to sink in that afternoon... And I was actually watching the live coverage on Sunday morning as Jack Ruby shot and killed Oswald.. That took the news reporters by complete surprise, happening right before their eyes..

I was just 16 at the time as my birthday was the day after the assassination.  I was standing in line at the drivers license office getting my first license on that Saturday...  The shooting was on a Friday...... almost like yesterday..  but 50 years ago this year.

Where were you?

Retired Rod

10 comments:

  1. I too remember exactly where I was - in a study hall in high school. The principal came over the intercom and told us that the President had been killed. Of course we did not have any technology like today, so we turned on the TV as soon as we arrived home. My parents were both at work in jobs without any connection to broadcast news possible , so they didn't get the news until they were in the car coming home. Then the long weekend of mourning and watching TV.

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  2. I was in typing class in grade 10. The principal announced it over the loud speaker. It was a very sad day. I think what Rick was saying was it was hot for them in the 90s. Being from Vancouver Island their weather is temperate much like San Francisco in the 70s and doesn't get a lot higher so it's not something they're used to. I far prefer 70s too. Maybe I should move to Vancouver Island but couldn't take the winter rains.

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  3. I was 19 at the time President Kennedy was assassinated. I still remember it clearly as I was at work and my boss walked out of his office and announced to all the staff that Kennedy had just been shot in Dallas. Even though we were all Canadians, everyone was extremely saddened at the news, women were crying openly, it was shocking. I too watched the Oswald shooting live on TV, it was surreal. To this day, I find it hard to read about that day in Dallas.

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  4. I was in Junior High and had just gone home for lunch. I was in a state of shock the rest of the day. Could not wrap my head around the fact that someone, anyone, would shoot the President of the United States.

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  5. My birthday was the day before the assassination. I turned five. I remember it though, in fact, it is my first really strong memory. A neighbor ran into our house screaming, "Turn on the tv! Turn on the radio! The president has been shot!"

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  6. I was in 6th grade in southern California. Our school brought a TV into our classroom and we watched in shock as the news reporters covered the story.

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  7. All you youngsters! I was 24, married with two kids by then. "As the World Turns" was on TV when the news broke. Soon Walter Cronkite was announcing his death. I too saw Jack Ruby kill Oswald. Terrible memories......

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  8. I was in college. My roommate and I had just walked back to the dorm from lunch and everyone was running around in the dorm crying. I have been to Dallas many times but never wanted to go where it happened.

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  9. In class when another teacher came in, crying. No tv in classroom, but came home to my mother in tears. Put a real damper on our reunion, too - she'd died up at fashion week in NYC and the medics brought her back. She'd only just been discharged from hospital, so we were all concerned the long ride from the city combined with the shock of the assassination would cause her to relapse. It didn't, thankfully.

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  10. I was in my English class in Jr. High which had just begun. One of the students came rushing in saying President Kennedy had been shot after overhearing two teachers discussing it in the hallway. Our teacher told her to be quiet and that it was not for certain at that time. The next school period confirmed our worst fears. So many thoughts were going through our young innocent minds at that time. Our world changed that day as it changed even more on 9-11. Hard to believe it's been 50 years.

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