Snow in Malmedy

People were hoping for snow this morning in our area of Sacramento

MALMEDY MASSACRE

but were disappointed. It was cold enough to snow but the moisture wasn't there. I was not among those waiting in anticipation.

My encounters with that
element of nature are mostly unpleasant ones.

As a child I lived for a time in the High Sierras and spent one winter in a simple cabin with only plain boarding for walls. I helped the cause by stuffing the cracks between the siding with newspaper to keep out the chill. Water was carried from a nearby creek and the morning wash basin full would be frozen. Play outside meant frost bitten fingers. The only good thing to recall was when mom would put some fresh snow in a bowl and add milk and sugar to make a simple ice cream.
As an infantryman in WWII I spent a couple of winters in the snow of Europe. In combat that is no fun. I remember being dug in to the side of a railroad embankment (a side wise foxhole) and having our minister bring me a pair of dry socks to protect my feet from frostbite. I had to kick the return slide on my M-1 rifle to get a round in the chamber as it was frozen. And once while on guard duty with a friend we shared a foxhole during our rest period; and, during the night we were covered with snow and our replacement luckily and literally stumbled upon us while searching desperately in the dark.
On one combat patrol we wore white 'long john' underwear over our uniforms to serve as camouflage as we marched. This was a venture to regain ground taken by the Germans at the Malmedy Massacre, where they captured a hospital and shot the American patients. We did retake this area and provide evidence for possible war crimes trials after the war. You can probably read about it by using google. In our approach to this area we were opposed by a few rifle shots from the surrounding hills and as we sought to make shelter in the fields by digging fox holes I spotted a depressed spot that I thought would give me a head start. In actuality it had frozen water in the bottom and I had to use my small shovel to chip it away first. As time passed the opposition grew stronger and soon a mortal shell burst above me. I felt a sting on my back (I was reclining while attempting to dig) and reached back to see if I was injured. I found a small fragment of the shell lying on my back that was still warm from firing. I carried it for years as a good luck charm. The photo above is of my buddy Bob Smothers and I just before the Malmedy venture.
The upshot of all this is that I did suffer some frost damage to my feet during these winters and I do not enjoy wading about in snow. I am happy to sit in the warm lodge, sipping a bolstering drink, while watching you ski buffs suffer outside. I am
Just Sayin'

Wanderlust

In the Spring of 1964 I, my wife and two sons took a 6 week trip from California across the United States and return. We traveled in a very large slide-in camper that had a large sleeping area that extended over the cab of our Dodge truck. I had just leased the truck and caught a break on the camper when the original purchaser decided she didn't like the color scheme and forfeited the $500 down payment, which the dealer gave to me. This camper was so wide that it would probably be prohibited from highways by most states today. The weight caused the front of the truck to rise a bit so driving was a learning process that I had to engage. As an army vet who had driven everything from half-tracks, 2 1/2 ton trucks, command cars, jeeps and seeps I had no fears in tackling this behemoth. And, in the end, no damage was ever incurred. The camper had a dining table that converted into a double bed at nighttime, a chemical toilet, an ice box, propane stove and oven, sink, battery operated lights or regular electric hook-ups when parked. A very comfy home away from home and, while moving, the boys had a great seat in the overhead sleeping area with its large window.
This was a vagabond trip, wandering south through the Salton Sea then eastward through New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, No. Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio before turning westward towards home. I would drive about two or three hundred miles each morn and arrive at a pre-planned spot to rest, sight see and get our ground legs back again. We tried not to miss the notable places along the way, stopping at Indian Tribal sites, the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, the Alamo in San Antonio, Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, Stone Mountain in Georgia, Blue Ridge Mountains in No. Carolina, a few days with an army buddy in the back woods of Kentucky, and a long stay in Cincinnati, Ohio where we visited with my wife's sister.
With today's restrictions and regulations I doubt if this trip could be duplicated. Campers were not that prevalent and we were able to stop almost wherever we wished for the evening. We stayed in super market parking lots, under bridge overpasses, and often in state or county parks. In big cities we could often just park on a street as we were treated as a passenger car under the highway codes. We were self contained so did not pose an environmental threat. Only once were we told to leave a potential overnight site and that was in Coolidge, Arizona where we had parked at the Casa Grande ruins. A ranger politely asked us to leave after visitor hours as he had no rules governing a possible night visitor. There were a few commercial camp sites to be found. We found one in Georgia and one in No. Carolina. Both had places to shower, clean the camper and provided Ranger guided tours of the area. I recall the cost as being 75 cents per night in Georgia and $2.50 in No. Carolina; however, in No. Carolina's defense, they had a swimming pool and rec hall.
As we traveled we would gather decals to apply to the rear of the camper, indicating all the places we had visited. Remember, this was 1964 and we were to travel through the deep south. While in full sympathy with the civil rights cause, we were on vacation and hoped to get safely home without injury, so we did not engage in any political discourse with the natives. And, there were plenty of natives who would gather around us wherever we stopped - - never having seen a home on wheels before.
The closest we came to an accident happened when I pulled off the highway in a wide strip of graveled ground so we could have some lunch. After lunch I prepared to leave and walked behind the camper to make sure all was clear as I needed to back up to gain a more level access to the highway. Then, I slowly backed up and hit something. Upon investigation I found that a gentleman had pulled up immediately behind me, so close he was in a blind spot, and was busy studying a map! No damage was done so we chatted, smiled, and went on our separate ways.
Our only major problem came after my youngest son became seriously ill in New Mexico. We had briefly visited distant relatives in Texas and he had taken a drink of water from a garden plastic hose. It gave him a kidney infection and we were stuck outside Carlsbad Caverns without a clue where to go. We drove to Lovington, NM at early dawn and found a hospital. They had to call a doctor as there was none on duty at that hour. In a short time a physician arrived and he was able to diagnose the problem and provide antibiotics that quickly brought back a healthy lad. Son, Kevin, about 7 yrs. old at the time, was convinced that a young boy on the Carlsbad tour was to blame, having made a 'devil face' at him when he passed. He still believes this today.
Everyday we awoke to a new front yard, a new adventure. We enjoyed views of cotton fields, corn fields, busy city traffic, nearby creeks, rivers and lakes. We spent one night holed up in the camper while a furious thunder storm drenched the area and lightning struck a tree a bare 30 feet away. This was in Indiana on our route homeward. We later paused in Arizona to view the petrified forest and the huge crater that was formed eons ago by a meteor.
It would be an equally adventurous trip today but with the price of gasoline and the traffic today - - - I am
just sayin'

Fiesta of Food

When I first married Virginia after WWII I was the cook in the family. Now that is not saying much. I could scramble eggs, which I learned how to do as a child and I had a smattering of in-the-field cooking I had to learn in the army; like heating a can of beans on the radiator of a half-track vehicle. Virginia had zero experience. She had worked part time in a bakery but otherwise ate what her grandmother served. So, we were fortunate in sharing a home with my mother briefly in Redding, Calif. and; later, living in a small cabin we built on my Aunt's property. Both my mother and aunt were good home country cooks. Virginia's first lessons came from them.
As time went by Virginia, or Jimmy as I called her, took a sincere interest in the preparation of food. I encouraged her by supplying the appetite and many recipe books. Finally our mutual interest in the subject led us beyond the norm. As a child I was considered a "picky" eater. There were so many foods I would not eat. What wasn't understood at the time was that I had severe food allergies. I have been saddled with them ever since. It is a running tease in my family and among my friends that I will not eat anything 'green.' And, factually, most green things with few exceptions (lettuce, peas) make me ill. But, as I explored the world of food with Virginia, I found I could eat a great variety of foods of any ethnic origin.
In the 1970s we founded a club called the Afro-American -Irish-Mexican Meeting and Eating Society. About every other month members would gather at a friend's home and we would have a pot luck dinner. I was the president/dictator and the rules were simple: bring enough food for your family, your own beverages, and bring a friend if you like who can also become a member if he/she is compatible. The variety of foods shared at these dinners was astronomical, of every ethnic origin, and the gathering of friends was delightful. This club became so popular that many members just could not host the dinners at their own home. Too many people. One of the last dinners Virginia and I hosted was held at a downtown hall that we had to rent to accommodate everyone. The club collapsed of its own popularity.
Virginia eventually became a gourmet chef. She could prepare meals that were derived from most any country. She could make from scratch everything from Chines char chi bau, re-fried beans, tamales, baklava and Vietnamese pastries to Turkish stuffed cabbage rolls and southern fried pies. We continually investigated the world of food and at one point we decided to eat our way through the phone book yellow pages. We started with such "A" restaurants as the Asian Cafe and the Alhambra Bowling Alley, visiting 4-star places along the way. An exciting adventure. We dined in fabulous places when we traveled such as the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, the Jewish restaurant in the old City of Paris in San Francisco, the spots in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and the great German restaurants in her home city of Cincinnati. I will always have the great memories of our adventures together in the world of food. But - - I still won't eat anything green - - - -
I'm just sayin'

Celebreties

I am a star-struck celebrity fan. Since childhood I have always been impressed by the famous. And, during a long life I have bumped into a few (sometimes literally). I remember the first famous person I recognized. It was Pres. Herbert Hoover. He had just lost an election and was visiting our town, Grass Valley, Calif. I was a lad of about 9 yrs. and spent most summer days in the city park where I could swim in the public pool. On this particular day I noticed several vans parking along the roadway into the park. They were news vans, like Pathe News, which carried movie photographers to film events of interest to moviegoers. The photographers set up their cameras (2 reel, hand-cranked) on tall tripods on the roof tops of the vans. So, I naturally hung out nearby to see what was going to happen. In time an auto cavalcade arrived with the president riding in an open 4-door car in the lead. As it moved slowly along the roadway I began to run alongside the car, waving my arms for the cameras, like any boy would do. I am sure I was seen across the nation when the event was shown that week in local theaters.
The California State Fair was a great place to see celebrities. As my wife and I left the park at closing time we were walking between two large display buildings and saw a figure approaching. It was Leo Carrillo, a famous Mexican actor who starred in the TV series "The Cisco Kid." We had just watched him display his horsemanship in some daring rides at the racetrack arena in a special show. I greeted him and thanked him for such a fine performance and he chatted with us for awhile.
Also at the fair one morn my wife, my sons and I were early birds and among the first to enter the Counties Building where each county displayed its wares. As we approached the first booth we saw a group of men already there. It was the governor of California, Pat Brown, father of our present newly elected governor, and a group of reporters. They turned as we approached and Pat bent over towards my son Kenneth and asked "Do you know who I am?" Kennie was about 7 yrs. old. He quickly replied "Yes, Sir, you are the governor." They were all impressed and some newsmen took his name.
Other presidents I have seen include John F. Kennedy, who made a speech from the back of a train along the tracks near Broadway in Sacramento. I heard he was to be there and hurried to gain a vantage point. There was something about John F. that was inexplicable. A sort of aura that he projected when he spoke. I was captivated and became a devoted Kennedy supporter. I also attended a 'back of train' speech by Harry H. Truman, who spoke of his connections via land holdings in the Sacramento area. The Dwight D. Eisenhower that I met was not yet president; he was a General in command of the European invasion of WWII. I was a mere private on guard who stopped his command car as it left a parking area. His license plate which displayed 5 stars was covered at the time or I would have simply saluted as it left. I quickly recognized him, saluted and waved his driver on. I also saw Lyndon Johnson when he visited Sacramento. His cavalcade of autos came from Executive airport directly through my mail route. I knew when he was due (I had watched secret service men being posted on the nearby rooftops) so I hurried a couple of blocks away to get my mother and my wife who were at the laundromat we owned. We stood by as his cavalcade passed and I took photos.
The celebs I bumped into were always professional fighters. I did so a couple of times with Buddy Baer, a huge heavyweight fighter and brother to world champion Max Baer (Max's son was a star on the TV series "Beverly Hill Billies,"). I bumped into him first at the Alhambra theatre (since torn down) as I left the candy counter. A second time was not actually a bump but I asked the large man who paused in front of my seat at the ball game to please move on. It was Buddy and I immediately apologized. Hey, I am 5' 6" and not a fighter. I also literally bumped into Joe Louis, heavyweight champion of the world. It was during the war and I was leaving the line where one rinsed out one's mess kit after dinner and turned right into the champ. He was accompanied by the original Sugar Ray Robinson, who stepped forward as if to protect the champion. Again I apologized and Joe smiled his acceptance. This has to be an inherited trait - - bumping into the famous - - because my mother once pushed open the doorway of a lunchroom and stepped into the arms of Jimmy Stewart, the actor. He was in the Air Force and stationed at nearby Mather Field during the war. So - - not my fault - - -'
I'm just sayin -

Time, Where Does It Go?

I cannot believe that it has been so long since I posted. The intervening months have been spent trying to correct a vision problem. Here is the story: years ago I had a cataract removed from my dominant right eye. At the time there was also a beginning cataract in the left eye. I did not bother to have it removed as it was not a problem. Since birth I had an eye condition that did not allow my eyes to focus together; so, I mainly relied on the right eye and would automatically switch to the left when it became tired. A strange malady that was a problem when I was a pre-med student. In class we had to use a microscope and when measuring something on a specimen slide one needs to use one eye, looking through the scope, and the other other looking at the slide with adjacent ruler. I could not do this. I could either see through the scope or look at the slide on the scope platform. Could not see them together. The thing is as time went be in my elder years the neglected cataract in my left eye began to be invaded by blood vessels. This caused an infection which the family doctor could not cure. A visit to specialists revealed the problem and surgery was needed to save the eye itself. All was successful, but I now have only the right eye to use. The left has vision but no lens so all is out of focus. I realize this is more than you wanted to know, but I needed to post it for those who actually question me about my vision.

There is a permanent blanket of fog over our city. This is miserable weather. They say that fog comes about because of dirty air - - each droplet surrounding a dirt particle. I am not sure that is true. I have seen fog out in the boondocks where no human lives and there are no autos and such to pollute the air. But if we are experiencing global warming then this valley is in a protected spot. I don't believe in global warming. That is not the man-made kind that Al Gore preaches. I think our weather changes come about as part of the great cycles that embrace the earth over the eons. Ice ages come and go. Fertile lands become deserts and then revert. So, stay out of it, Al.

I'm just sayin'

Good Dog Days of Summer

July burst upon us like fireworks. The day after Independence Day I was delighted to officiate at my grandson’s wedding. Handsome, young Kenneth E. Cochrane, III was wed to the beautiful Miss Melissa Bricker at a chapel in Newcastle, Calif. More than one hundred guests, family and friends, were in attendance. The day was perfect with temperatures in the mid-80s and a gentle breeze blowing as the ceremony was held outdoors. Photos have been posted on the MyFamily.com page and potential members can gain access by contacting me at 2377cochranek@comcast.net

Since this is the month of my birth I became self indulgent and bought myself a gift. I purchased an electronic book reader called the Kindle. This is an amazing device that is produced by Amazon.com. It is a slim hand held, light weight product that can hold hundreds of books in its memory that are downloaded from the internet. It is connected to Amazon by using the Sprint cell phone technology, which allows one to access the huge library of electronic books held by that company for possible purchase and downloading to the Kindle, and with no access fee. Each page of a book appears on the Kindle’s screen, one after the other, by the simple touch of a side control key. The screen is designed to be glare proof and is not back-lit like a computer (which is hard on the eyes) but works by using a magnetic system like an etch-a-sketch which forms the page duplication in many shades of grey-to-black. It is like reading a newspaper or an actual printed book. The Kindle even remembers where you left off in a book and will take you to that spot automatically whenever you want to continue. Electronic books from Amazon cost from ‘free’ to $9.95 for selections from the New York Times best seller list. Downloading a book takes about 60 seconds and there is no extra charge beyond the book’s price.

This modern miracle is so light and small enough to fit in a purse or jacket pocket that it enables one to carry a huge library along on any trip, to the local market or to Europe. It is powered by special batteries that permit one to read for 4 days or more without recharging. The recharging is done with a provided adapter and cord, which also can be used to connect with one’s computer. You can carry your library with you to enjoy a read in the park, at the beach or while dining in a restaurant. It works anywhere your cell phone does. To learn more about this product go to Amazon.com for complete descriptions and even a video showing how it works.

This week we also had a huge pine tree in our front yard cut down. A couple of tree climbers with chain saws made quick work of the job. The old tree had been planted years ago too close to the house. It’s limbs were dying and dropping debris on the roof and the root system was becoming a threat to underground plumbing and a potential danger to the home’s foundation. So now new morning light is coming to our kitchen while the other many trees we have provide shade and protection from the afternoon sun.
Our July weather has been mild so far. My son's Yorkies, Jake and Elwood, have romped and played in the back yard; and, in sports, the ’boys of summer’ provide exciting baseball games across the land. Last night my favorite team the San Francisco Giants enjoyed a spectacular performance by a rookie pitcher who completed a “no hitter” to establish his name in the team’s history of great games. It was an emotional moment that was documented in today’s newspapers.
August may bring some more welcome surprises and happy events. I may be an optimist and expect too much but I think each day is exciting and a great day for America.

I am “Just Sayin’”

Joys of June

I have been busy the past week moving things into a new room, added to my single room living quarters. This addition has become available as my grandson Kenneth III moved into his new apartment, in preparation for beginning a new life as a married man. Kenneth will wed Melissa Bricker, a beautiful young lady who is employed with a Christian Radio broadcasting station. They will wed in Newcastle, Calif. on July 5th and I have been honored as their choice to officiate the ceremony. While I rejoice at their happiness I will miss having Kenneth around on a daily basis. The extra living space is small recompense for this loss.

As an adjunct to the moving process I have discovered several treasures that had remained hidden in the deep recesses of dark closets and under piles of books and notebooks that have cluttered the floor of my single room abode. Treasures such as forgotten family photos (a couple of which I have posted on MyFamily site). Also found were diaries and journals that detailed the events of earlier days. There were outdated magazines and clothes to be thrown away or donated. It has been an exciting but taxing chore and I am not finished yet.

My son Kennie and grandson Glenn traveled a few miles south last evening to visit my niece Lisa Machado. Lisa has been fighting a long, long battle with breast cancer. Through several years of treatment she has remained strong, courageous and of good cheer. Earlier this year she traveled to China with her sister Leslie and visited the Great Wall. She is now planning a short cruise. She values every day and is a sparkling example of the strength and beauty of the human soul. We should all help in the fight against this and other life threatening diseases. Donations help in the modern research that will find cures.

In spite of the dire threats of global warming our central valleys in California have enjoyed beautiful and mild spring weather. Daily sprinkles and showers have graced our foothills and pleasant temperatures have beckoned folks outdoors. We give thanks for the blessings bestowed. Horrid headlines notwithstanding there are some good things going on. I am

Just Sayin’