We very recently found a fragile little notebook of old religious newspaper clippings, notes and writings from our Uncle Francis, Fr. Francis F. Woods. Grandma Woods (Anna, the mother of Francis, Norbert and Helen) wrote inside the notebook that it was written while Francis was attending St. Charles College, near Baltimore, Maryland, in 1925-27. He then went on to study in Rome, Italy, where he was ordained a Priest on September 24, 1932.

When you’re in Schenectady, at 3 Douglas Road, ask to see the notebook, it’s in the living room. While just a very simple little school lined notebook, it really is a family treasure. It is in Uncle Francis’ handwriting. It even includes some little pictures drawn by our Dad, Norbert, when he was only about 3 or 4 years old. These were probably mailed to Francis, Dad’s big older brother, while he was away at college. We’re lucky to still have the notebook as it was in a box of partially burned papers from the attic fire at Aunt Helen’s house about 25 years ago.

Reminiscing about Stanley Street

The first and only time I walked in my sleep was the evening before I received my First Holy Communion. I was so excited I was found holding my hands as if I was going to the altar rail.

This gives perspective.

This morning I recalled another "family saying"--"Who died?" Again, this saying must be used in the appropriate context in order to get the full flavor. One should wait for an encounter with a person who is telling a story to another person or group; then in the midst of the tale, you should interrupt and ask "Who died?" This will provoke one or more of three possible reactions: a) merriment among the cognoscenti; b) the story teller will begin at the beginning, to the annoyance of the group that has been there from the beginning; and/or c) a response from one of the listeners, the substance of which is "Never mind. We'll tell you later". This may provoke an exchange which results in the story being summarized in an unsatisfacory fashion or eventaully being told all over again anyway. Use of the "who died?" rhetorical device can prolong a gathering around the kitchen or dining room table almost indefinitely or at least until someone has to go to the bathroom, the phone rings or your baby has awakened screaming, requiring you to attend to him/her.

5-7-2006

When we were sick in the 1920’s and 30’s when we were young, we were sick for a good two weeks as they didn’t have the medicines that they have now. It was very boring lying on the couch in the living room. I stuck pins in the hot water bottle and cut the tassels off the comforter.

The Plaza Hotel was a nice residential hotel. When I walked down the hall with Uncle J. D. after dinner to get a pint of hand packed vanilla ice cream the tiles creaked because they were loose. He used to say always buy vanilla ice cream. In chocolate, they can use older milk.

After watching how this was developing (and seeing Therese's excellent suggestion ), I thought that the best location for this material would to organize a book for Mom and Dad Woods. They can be accessed by going to "book" in the navigation block on the left side. Additional pages within each book can be created as part of the book just as easily as blog entries can be. Therese, you can post your word version as an attachment if you would like. I also wanted to mention that there must be many pictures (and perhaps other materials) that could accompany and help explain or illustrate these stories.

After a delightful visit to old friends in Lufkin, Texas we hustled eastward to prepare for our planned Appalachian Trail hike. We spent most of one night parked in a Louisiana rest stop and arrived at a Hiawassee, Georgia campground late the next afternoon. From there we spent a day making food drops at Wesser and Franklin, N.C. and Hiawassee and Neels Gap, Georgia. We then drove our rig to Amacolola Falls State Park where we checked in and parked our little Ford Focus. We then drove the motor home to Sylva where we spent the night at what will be our home the second half of this year.

Here's an article about an etiquette guide for Americans who will be travleing abroad. It says it has been distributed widely on cmapuses. I wonder if Brian, Kara or Dan got copies. It might be distributed with passports in the future.

"Etiquette Guide"

After transfer from the Portsmouth navel base to the Fleet Marine force 5th Division at Camp Pendleton near Oceanside, CA, we trained for future battles. We lived in tents there, four to a tent, and began forming the 5th Marine Division. I remember one morning almost stepping on a scorpion in my shoe but luckily saw the bug first. A short while I was sent to transport quartermaster school at San Diego harbor and was one of many marines training to load a ship for combat, mostly where to put the ammunition so it would be readily obtained. At this time Mary Margaret (Mom) was able to fly to California for five days to visit me, arriving there about on my birthday, July 11 and we had a nice visit in a small hotel room.