A long, long road it is to Tipperary!

Toto'sDad

Toto'sDad

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My wife is pictured with her family when she was around seven or eight years old. She's the one on the far left. The only one in the pic of the kids that you can see wearing shoes is her sister on the far right. Knowing her, she probably traded something she had for them, she was a great trader! There would be one more addition to their family, her baby brother was not yet born when the photo was taken.

The pic below my wife's family is when I was about the same age as my wife in her family pic. It would only be a few months after this pic was taken that I would begin the adventure of my lifetime with my dad on the road, hitching, hopping freights, bumming around and hanging in hobo jungles. The trip would finally end near the most beautiful place I've ever been. Corpus Christi Texas.

I've said before, it was a different life I led than most of you, but I would gladly give up the modern conveniences to return to a time that I understood. Having said that, I am thankful every day for all of the adventures I've had in life, my LONG life with my bride, and that we have enjoyed going on twelve years of retirement. I reckon I don't have any complaints.
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Toto'sDad

Toto'sDad

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My wife and I couldn't be more opposite save for us both being born dirt poor. She had nine siblings; I was an only child after my older brother died shortly after being born. I would eventually return to visit where he is buried when I was fifty-seven years old.
 
Buckaroo65

Buckaroo65

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You had some good cowboy duds! There’s an old picture of my dad in his cowboy suit, they were on the way out west in 1948 in Clovis. His grandpa promised him an outfit, but he had to go to the little neighbor girl, stand on the porch and sing “Home on the Range” at her.
 
Toto'sDad

Toto'sDad

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Buckaroo65 said:
You had some good cowboy duds! There’s an old picture of my dad in his cowboy suit, they were on the way out west in 1948 in Clovis. His grandpa promised him an outfit, but he had to go to the little neighbor girl, stand on the porch and sing “Home on the Range” at her.
Click to expand...

Incidentally Old Merle used to sing out at the Lucky Spot about a hundred years ago it seems. The stage was maybe 18 inches high, and he had to elbow them Okie Gals out of the way to do his singing.
 
Buckaroo65

Buckaroo65

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Yep, my grandparents lived near Fairfax between Niles St. and Edison highway. I remember passing the spot when I was a kid. I know Bakersfield isn’t a place that many people have high on their list of places to be, but I sure miss it…
 
MickM

MickM

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I've always liked reading the little blurbs of your life growing up and on the road. They remind me of something that could come out of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men"; it's the kind of education you don't get anywhere else. Keep 'em coming TD.
 
Brad Pittiful

Brad Pittiful

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wow 12 years of retirement...thats great to be able to afford it...my brother just retired in march...he is having a ball...im 62 next year but financially i cant retire...but i would love too
 
Mike Eskimo

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TD , how tall was your dad and how tall did you get?

I’ve seen that picture of you and your dad before and it kinda looks like you could smack him across the head with an ax handle and he would just grin and ask you if u were done
 
nojazzhere

nojazzhere

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Toto'sDad said:
My wife is pictured with her family when she was around seven or eight years old. She's the one on the far left. The only one in the pic of the kids that you can see wearing shoes is her sister on the far right. Knowing her, she probably traded something she had for them, she was a great trader! There would be one more addition to their family, her baby brother was not yet born when the photo was taken.

The pic below my wife's family is when I was about the same age as my wife in her family pic. It would only be a few months after this pic was taken that I would begin the adventure of my lifetime with my dad on the road, hitching, hopping freights, bumming around and hanging in hobo jungles. The trip would finally end near the most beautiful place I've ever been. Corpus Christi Texas.

I've said before, it was a different life I led than most of you, but I would gladly give up the modern conveniences to return to a time that I understood. Having said that, I am thankful every day for all of the adventures I've had in life, my LONG life with my bride, and that we have enjoyed going on twelve years of retirement. I reckon I don't have any complaints.
View attachment 1019102

View attachment 1019103
Click to expand...
While we're not THAT much different in age, TD, (I'm a little younger) I don't think our lives could be much different. I had a REAL "Leave It To Beaver" childhood......stable, settled, and "uneventful".......and I wouldn't trade places with you. My heart breaks thinking about how you lost your son, and I can't imagine how that feels......but I DO envy you your wife, and how you really seem suited and compatible. That's a blessing I've never really experienced, but I guess we can't have everything, huh?
Thanks for sharing.....and best wishes (and sympathies :)) to your wife!
 
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