Day 13

Thankful for neighbors, neighborhoods and cul de sacs...Been thinking about this since Kristen moved into her cul de sac w/ a gazillion kids...Something sweet about this slice of suburbia.

For my neighbor, Connie, from years ago in Shady Hollow in South Austin...still my friend and just texted me today to see how I was doing and 'could we get a lunch date in December?'

For my neighbor, Nimish, who came over to inform Patrick that this was a 'no Camero' cul de sac when he was visiting last week and rented this super duper Camaro (Nimish has a Mustang).

For my next door neighbor, Sherrel, who loves to stand and just water the yard as much as I do. We 'get' each other in that aspect!

For my newest neighbor, Sandra, who brought her son over to give me his carefully written thank you note (for trick or treat goody bag) and spent a good hour just 'gabbing' in the driveway.

For the people I see walking their dogs down the street every single day of the year...seems like. I wonder at their dedication, both to their walk and to their pets.

For the feeling of home when my car climbs the hill into the neighborhood.

For still the sense of awe I feel every single time I drive from the top of the hill out of the neighborhood and catch the panaroma of Austin in front of me.

For the Mr. Dan at the bottom of the hill who has cleaned our shirts at his dry cleaners for 8 years now...and how sweet he is each time I come to p/u shirts (Wm says he should charge a 'storage' fee for how long I forget that I dropped them off to be cleaned).

For the Subway guys next door who are so familiar w/ our faces, if not our orders...not yet.

It's nice to be home. It took me a little longer this move (04), but it finally feels like I've been here forever.

Day 12: Thank you for change

 I really, really do like change. I think part of it was growing up in a family that moved a lot. My parents still move a lot. I have given up on memorizing their address OR phone numbers. I also like to be around all kinds of people...not the same ones all the time...I also used to love to move the furniture in my house quite a bit, just for a change. Now I'm in a small house, I can't or don't do that as much. I don't really want to do the same things every single day...except drink about 2 cups of coffee b/w 6:30 and 8:30 AM. I think sometimes I may have a little attention deficit issues because my mind will jump around pretty happily from topic to topic. I have to make myself FOCUS if the task is longer than about 10 minutes. 

I truly love the change in seasons. I loved the wind blowing the cold air in this morning. Nice to put on long soft grey skirt and a fall wool sweater and not sweat once all day long. How fun to take a quick 2 mile walk with William tonight and wear a fleece and cap to keep my ears warm. But, I know me...and I will be equally happy when March rolls around with the promise of sunny and pleasant days.

But for now, I'm into the salted caramel hot chocolate and putting up lights for the coming holidays. 

Day 11 grateful for our Veterans

Every year my Dad works on a list of the people he knows have served our country in armed services. This is the list from last year. I'm grateful today for these men connected to our family who served us this way. I also want to say thank you to Tyler, a young man who is a Marine and serving right now in Afghanistan and is a son of good friends. We pray for his safe return. Dad's letter, dated May 30, 2011.

Another beautiful day in the land of the free....paid for by the sacrifices of those who died and served to keep us this way......and as a result, a large part of the rest of the world is also free.

 

Officially this is a special day to remember those who have fallen but also a day that I want to remember everyone who has or is serving.

 

In our collective family we've not lost anyone, that I know of, since the Civil War.  The five that I know actually died in service are:  from Marilyn's family, Benjamin Rowley, lost at sea, September 1, 1828, from the USS Hornet and A. Simpson, Tennessee, Army of the Confederate States of America.  From my family, on Grandmother Echols' side are the three Scott brothers who also served in the Confederate Army.

 

Here's my list from last year, amplified by information on Alexander McLean (my Grandfather Vandergriff's maternal line) received from Mindy Beaty last year.  I've also added Leon Russell, husband of Mother's cousin, Dorotha Good, and father of our cousin Vicky.  From Jan Weatherton, Marilyn's cousin, I've added Jan's father, Jack Bryant Hicks and her grandson Bryant Taylor Weatherton.

 

Please let me know if you see any errors or omissions or if you have other information to add.  Especially if you've sent me information that I failed to include......computer crashes and human error continue to plague me.

 

ECHOLS/JACKSON

 

Thomas Holland.... Captain David Arrell's Company, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Virginia Regiments, Continental Army, Valley Forge, enlisted June 28, 1776. Fifth Virginia Regiment.  On furlough, February, 1779.  G-g-g grandfather of Alta Jackson Echols.

Thomas Scott...Captain Millegan's Company, Tennessee Militia, War of 1812.  From Mamaw Echols' mother's side of the family.

James Edward Scott......Captain Skinner's 19th Alabama, Army of Tennessee, the Confederate States of America, War of Northern Aggression.

Anderson Scott.....Captain Skinner's 19th Alabama, Army of Tennessee, the Confederate States of America, War of Northern Aggression.

Doak Echols...U.S. Army, France WWI (from personal memory) and U.S. Army Air Force in WWII.

Monroe Echols.....(my grandfather), U.S. Merchant Marines, Atlantic and Mediterranean, North Africa, WWII.

Uncle Woodrow (Brother) Echols....U.S. Army, Phillippines, WWII.

Uncle Melvin (Junior) Echols.....U.S. Army, WWII

Uncle Danny (Tiny) Echols....Tiny turns 90 years old this year !!!  U.S. Army WWII.

A.J.Crum (Uncle Jerry) (uncle by marriage to Margaret Echols)....pilot in U.S. Navy Air Force, Pacific, WWII.

Charley Echols...U.S. Army/National Guard

Skip Echols....U.S. Air Force, Vietnam

Daryle Echols....U.S. Air Force, Thailand

C.J. (Charley) Fields....U.S. Marines, 1953-55, U.S. Hornet, Pacific (Formosa)

Richard (Beanie) Williams....U.S. Marines, Vietnam.

Glynne Johnston.....U.S.Marines, 1957-60

Chris Echols....U.S. Air Force, Europe and Iraq

Leon Russell....Captain, U.S. Army, crossed the Elbe River and completed his tour in southern Bavaria, Europe, WWII

 

VANDERGRIFF

 

Alexander McLean, Jr. ....the son of Elizbeth and Samuel McElroy  (McIlroy).  He had two tours during the Revolutionary War. 

 

First Tour:  Volunteered Lincoln County, August, 1777. Joined company of riflemen for 9 months under Major Horry and Captain McKenzie.  Marched at times with Col. Marion.  Served in North and South Carolina.  Wounded, discharged.

 

Second Tour:  Volunteered summer of 1780 in company of Mounted Riflemen with Captain Mattox under Major Chronicle.  Company engaged in capturing Tories and intercepting foraging parties.  Subsequently joined Col. Benjamin Cleveland and Overmountain Men and others in defeating Col. Ferguson at King's Mountain.  Major Dixon and Captain Martin appointed to take the place of Mattox and Chronicle who died at King's Mountain.  Company joined with General Morgan's force at Cowpens to defeat Tarlton and then fought Cornwallis at Guilford Courthouse with General Greene.  Marched with Greene until he reached South Carolina where he was discharged.

 

Daniel McIlroy....(immigrated from Scotland, maternal side of my Grandfather J.T. Vandergriff's family)..Captured in the Battle of Long Isloand (Revolutionary War).

Lorenzo Hudgins.... (my father's grandfather) .....Tennessee 59th Mounted Infantry, Company G, Cooke's Regiment, Eakin's 1st Battalion, Army of the Confederate States of America, War of Northern Aggression.

Wayne McCarty ....US Navy, Pacific, WW II

C.E. (Chase) Collins ( husband of Bobbie Vandergriff Collins) .....US Army Air Force, India, WW II

Nelson McKinney (Sue Anne V. McKinney's father-in-law)...US  Air Force

Bill Laughlin (Shanel Hall Vandergriff's grandfather), ...US Army Air Force, shotdown and POW, Europe, WW II

Jason Summers Watson (Bobbie Vandergriff Collins' grandson) ....US Air Force

Horace Evans (husband of Juanita McCaffree, grand-daughter of Dad's Aunt Callie Hudgins Hastings)

W.H. (Dub) Hyso, Jr.  (grandson of  Dad's Aunt Callie Hudgins Hastings) received Purple Heart in WW II and still had the shrapnel in his back when he died.

DESOLA

Joe de Sola, Sr.....US Navy, Submarine Service, WW II

Charles de Sola ....(Uncle Charley) US Navy, WW II

Ben de Sola (Uncle Ben) ......US Navy, WW II

Charles de Sola (Inky) ....US Navy, approximately 1963-65

Richard Flowers (brother of Joe's mother, Margie).....US Army WW II

Steve de Sola (Joe's cousin)....US Marines, 1970's

HICKS/ROWLEY

The Townsend brothers, Samuel, John and Thomas..(Mamaw Hicks family)..Revolutionary War.

Benjamin Rowley.....US Navy, lost at sea from USS Hornet, Sept. 1, 1828

Alfa or Alfred Simpson (Marilyn's maternal grandmother's family)....Tennessee, Army of the Confederate States of America, War of Northern Aggression

John Knight Hicks, Sr., ...US Army, Europe, WW II

R. P. (Uncle Dick) Hicks.....US Army Air Force, instrumental in saving his fellow crew members when their bomber ditched in the Aleutians, WW II. Uncle Dick passed away in 2010. 

Jimmy Hicks......US Air Force, Viet Nam

George (Duck) Rowley.....US Army/National Guard, WW II

Robert (Uncle Mop or Bobby) Rowley......US Navy, Panama, WW II

Jack (Scratch) Rowley....US Navy, WW II

Alvin Rowley (cousin of Bobby, George and Jack)......US Army, WW II ( father of Jo Ann Rowely-Minhoto)

Bo Rowley (cousin of Bobby, George and Jack)....US Navy, Okinawa, WW II and Korea

W.O. (Uncle Pete) Edgar (brother-in-law of Bobby, George and Jack). ...US Army, WW II. Uncle Pete passed away in 2010.

Melvin Dreiss (Marilyn's second cousin).....Merchant Marine

L.V. Holley (Johnnie's father-in-law).......US Marines. South Pacific, WW II

Justin Hayes (Uncle Dick's grandson)...US Medical Corps, Iraq

John E. Seaman (Molly Hicks' brother) served in the U.S. Navy in the Mediterranean during Viet Nam era on the U.S.S. Shangri-La aircraft carrier.

Rudy Salazar (Molly Hicks' uncle, her mother's brother) U.S. Marine Corps, Korean War

Roy Salazar (Molly Hicks' uncle, her mother's brother)

Monico Torres, Jr. (Molly Hicks' cousin) U.S. Navy, Viet Nam era on "The Big E" air craft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise.

Jack Bryant Hicks (husband of Evelyn Rowley and father of Jan Weatherton and Nancy Trippet)  US Army, Battle of the Bulge and crossing the Remagen Bridge over the Rhine into Germany, Europe, WW II.

Bryant Taylor Weatherton (son of Robert Weatherton and grandson of Jan Weatherton)  US Marines, Lance Corporal, deployed May 18, 2010, on board the USS Dubuque.