Friday, May 30, 2008

Misc, update

Just a couple of items to blog about...

I've added photos to the Autograph Day post. And I finished some books recently.
  • Ellis Peters' A Morbid Taste For Bones
  • Paul L. Maier's The First Easter
  • Marilyn vos Savant's More Marilyn
  • Bob Newhart's I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This!
  • Louis Phillips and Burnham Holmes' The TV Almanac
I mooched a Brother Cadfael book today. I'm trying to catch up on some of the titles that I'm part way through before starting anything new. We'll see.

Edison has been playing with an online game called linerider. Here's what can be done...


Line Rider 'Transcendental™' HD by TechDawg from TechDawg on Vimeo.

Monday, May 26, 2008

One more tribute

This one is from Angie's side of the family. Her first cousin, three times removed, John H. Lurker, from Posey Co., Indiana, served in World War I.

This image and info came from the Gold Star Honor Roll from Google Books.

Another tribute

Michael Nichols is my 3rd great-grandfather. He was born in Canada and died at Andersonville, Georgia.


It is my best guess that he was a substitute soldier for someone. He was part of Company I, Seventh Regiment, Connecticut Infantry.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Memorial Day tribute

This is Memorial Day weekend in the US. This holiday is supposed to commemorate U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. Here's a one of them. Orville Nicholas Hodlin is my grand-uncle who died during World War II.


Private, U.S. Army
Serial Number: 42091929
23rd Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division
Died: October 19, 1944, Holland
Buried at: Plot D Row 1 Grave 23
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery
Henri-Chapelle, Belgium

info from: The American Battle Monuments Commission


Here is his obituary...

Pvt. Hodlin Killed In Action In Holland
  Pvt. Orville N. Hodlin, 27, formerly of Champlain, was killed in action in Holland on October 19th, according to a telegram received by his wife last week from the War Department. Other details have not yet been made available. Pvt. Hodlin was born in Worcester, Mass. and is a son of Margaret Hodlin (now Mrs. John Dragoon), of Plattsburg, and the late Orville D. Hodlin. Mrs. Edison Aubrey, of Champlain, is a sister.
  Pvt. Hodlin was inducted into the service on Jan 25, 1944, and received his basic training at Camp Blanding, Fla. He went overseas to England with his unit late in July and was sent to France later seeing action with the American forces invading Holland. He had seen action in France, Belgium and Holland.
  Pvt. Hodlin attended school at Champlain and Ellenburg, and later was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corp. Surviving besides his wife and mother are three daughters: Catherine, 8, Barbara, 4, and Linda, who is six months old.

The North Countryman
Rouses Point, New York
16 November 1944

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Proud Parents

Today was Edison's last day of school. He started singing Alice Cooper's School's Out. I asked him if he knew who did that song. He didn't.

It was Awards Day at his school. He did very well this year. He received the following awards.
  • A-B Honor Roll
  • Science
  • Math
  • Social Studies
  • Language Arts
  • Athletics
  • Bible
He also received the Lion Heart award. That is given out every year to a boy and a girl in each grade. The students and the teachers vote on who should be the recipient. It is for Christ-likeness. This is the second time that Edison has been awarded this honor. It brought a small tear to my eyes when his name was called out, but no one saw it because I was taking photos (which will be posted later).

Angie and I are proud of both of our kids. But today is Edison's day to shine.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Autograph Day

EDITED - Pictures added...

At the end of March, Edison and I went to Tucson to be with my mom (and dad) as she went through a knee replacement surgery. The day after we arrived (and the day before the surgery) we went to Hi Corbett Field to see the Chicago White Sox play the Colorado Rockies.


It was a warm, sunny day. We got there before the gates opened, because it was Autograph Day. Who would be signing? Who knew? Not us. We rushed in with a sea of fans. Mom, not wanting to stand in line, went and found our seats behind home plate. We saw the small table where the Rockies players would be signing. After standing in line for about 30 minutes, Edison decided that it wasn't worth it. Dad and I toughed it out and had Eric Young, Jr. and Micah Bowie sign our ticket stubs. Micah commented on my Nationals hat.


Then we made our way to our seats. We watched the Rockies warm up and the grounds crew finish their preparations. The White Sox arrived in a bus, a left field gate opened and they ambled to their dugout. Edison tried to get one of them to sign his ticket, but not many were signing. Even few acknowledged their fans.

Shortly before the game started Clint Hurdle, manager of the Rockies, was behind home plate talking with some of the fans. Edison and I managed to get our tickets signed. Clint was very generous with his time.


We got to see some good players, including Todd Helton (UT alum) in a 5-2 Sox win.


Sunburns and nachos during spring training. Now that's baseball.