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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Greetings from Jeff Curry!

I just stumbled across the Woodsdale Kids blog. Unbelieveable. Who dreamed this one up? I haven’t seen all those names in decades. I got lost for a couple hours reading just half of those stories. Just amazing. I lived on the 100 block of Maple Ave back then… closer up your way, around Tommy Emch and Andy Bates and Richard Hamm and Augie Bankie and Debbie Frizell. Barbara Taylor’s house was pin high with us, straight out our back door in fact. I’m the same age as Kim and Charlie and Colin and Eddie P. My dad & Kim’s dad made up the whole radiology dept at OVGH. You might remember my older brother Larry. Anyway as a 6 or 7 year old I couldn’t venture down as far as that busy corner where the Liebolds and Butlers and Swarts and Quinns lived which seemed like a whole ‘nother world back then. I only went that far when I walked to Woodsdale School where I would meet up with Kim and we would head down the alley behind his house, not just because it was shorter but because we were petrified by a Great Dane named Duke, perched up on one of those real high front porches a couple doors past Johnny Rogers’ house, kind of like those kids who were all afraid of the giant dog in that Sandlot movie. Then a couple years after the Swarts moved over to Orchard Rd we moved over that way too. I kind of have to chime in with whoever said that that’s not really Woodsdale over there because it just didn’t seem quite the same to me either. Crossing Bethany Pike was sort of like crossing a river or something. Anyway I haven’t been in Woodsdale for a real long time. But you never know, I might just have to come see the place again someday. Oglebay Park alone is a good enough excuse.
Take care,
Jeff Curry
102 Maple Avenue
Phone #: Woodsdale304

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Hot Summer Nights

This hot weather reminds me of the days of sitting on the front porch during steamy thunderstorms. Our front porch was a wraparound version with a swing. When a storm was coming you could smell the ozone in the air and almost taste the rain. I would sit on the swing reading books from the bookmobile...and I still remember what authors I liked and read.....George Orwell, Jack Keroac, I even read War and Peace on that swing. When the rain would come pelting down with a vengence, it was lovely to be outside watching the gutters become rivers and enjoying the free "high' that ozone gives human beings.
    Sometimes if it was really hot outside we would sleep on the porch. The only annoyance were mosquitos and the street lights. As a teen there were always gatherings on the front porch. Everyone adored my sweet mother and were polite and kind to her.
   As I got a little older, summer nights were for stealing watermelons or corn, going out to the "country" to build a fire and roast the ears for good eating...then of course drinking lots of beers. To this day, I don't drink beer because I don't like the taste of it now that I am old enough to buy it. Once in awhile I would go watch the drag races on country road with straight-aways.
   Summer.....the sound of crickets, the neighbors talking on their porches....just a good old Woodsdale tradition. Were we not the luckiest kids in the world?

Thursday, June 7, 2012

God Save the Goat

God Save the Goat

Although this story doesn't exactly relate to Woodsdale, I thought I would include it in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

While living in New Zealand I acquired a six week old Belgium shepherd and a wild, orphaned  angora goat kid. This incredible dog was named Marley (after Bob Marley) and the goat was Gulliver, because he tended to travel from my yard. They were best mates and always teaching each other something new. The goat tried to bark, the dog climbed up on things. I taught them both to heel and so could walk with them to town where they would patiently wait outside the butcher shop or bakery. If Gully started to wander the dog would grab his leash and hold him. Their standard greeting was butting heads!

Well, eventually Gully ate my British husband's strawberries from the garden once too often and he said, "Either the goat goes or I do"...damn! I made the wrong choice and Gully soon found a home at a touristy missionary house from the 1800's. It was just down the road from me so we could visit often and they were thrilled to get a tourist attraction (the missionaries kept goats).

One day the Queen and Phillip were scheduled to come to town. All the school children were equipped with Union Jacks and seated along the inlet where the Queen would appear. Her tender would come from the yacht and land at the Missionary house. I tiny boat found it's way up the river and all the kids cheered and waved their flags until their teacher said, "That's just the luggage boat, kids". They soon lost interest and scattered to play.

I had called ahead and ask that Gully be staked near the road so he could see the Queen. Since  I was known as "that crazy Yankee woman", they were not surprised and moved the goat near the road where the queen would pass. I walked down the road with Marley at my heel, but as soon as he saw Gulliver he ran up to him and began butting heads. Everyone watched and laughed. By this time the royal couple had arrived and some how Phillip found out that I owned the goat. While the queen shook my hand, he called me aside to talk.

I was impressed that he knew we had just had a major flood in the inlet and cars were washed miles away. A woman I knew drowned in the flood. Anyway, Phillip was concerned that the dog was going to hurt the goat. I explained that they were old friends and this was their greeting ritual, he laughed til his eyes teared up! Meanwhile, the queen (in pink hat and gloves) waved and greeted the crowd.

I decided to go home and as the entourage passed my house, I noticed the queen was wearing white gloves and was not looking out the window of the Rolls as the hand waved in that screwing in the lightbulb motion....so I figure she has a machine in the car attached to the door and it does the waving for her!

I'll save my tales of Charles, Diane and Marley for another occasion. But isn't it amazing  that a Woodsdale Kid had an adventure with royalty???