The way we were....

Both of us were born in the island of São Miguel, Azores, a group of nine islands belonging to Portugal.

The Azorean archipelago is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and the United States, roughly at the same latitude as Richmond, Virginia, in America. Although the Island of São Miguel is the largest and most densely populated many americans are more familiar with the Island of Terceira because that is where the United States maintains an Air Force base in the place of Lajes. Map of the Azores Islands Another airport of note is the one located in the Island of Santa Maria which, during the Second World War was also an American base and played a major role in the overall war effort.

At that time jet aviation had not yet begun and so most planes traveling between the Americas and Europe had to stop at Santa Maria to refuel. As a child, I loved to spend my vacations in Santa Maria, the island where my father was born, just so I could watch the planes take off and land roughly at the rate of almost 2 to 3 every hour of day or night. In those days, it was perhaps one of the busiest airports in the world and, considering that only the more affluent levels of society could afford to travel by air, it was not at all unusual to come across famous people disembarking at the airport while their planes were refueled.

To be continued.....



As you read further please keep in mind that this whole thing
started more than 60 years ago
At that time, color pictures didn't exist
and digital photography was not even dreamed of.
Having a "Kodak" box was a luxury

Anyway, in those days, some of us walked around
obviously not knowing what to do with ourselves
and here is the result<>



A little later
when we began to realize that we even existed
attitudes began to creep in

Femena as a child Now, this is my girlfriend,
when she was four years old,
and let me say that
the technique of looking cute
to get her way
never changed.

It is still the same today




Then again,
at about the same time,
this other kid
I know well
was beginning
to show off.





Me, as the orator

And so.....


On August 15, 1963 we tied the knot

On our wedding day

and 40 years later all I could say was:

Eight times the gentle waiving of a hand

To my wife on the occasion of our 40th Wedding Anniversary

Eight times the gentle waiving of a hand
Will count the years together we have been,
The happiness in those years I have seen
No measure has. For that there is no end.

And if the coil of life I could unbend
I'd roll it out and once more wipe it clean
All over start from where we did begin
And relive in my happy wonderland.

No money in the world could ever pay
The great ride I've traveled all the way
Since we took off together back in time

In having let your life be joined to mine
You lifted me from rough to the sublime
And "Thank You" for all that with this I say

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