For those born 1920-1979

Me Age 4 1968

FOR THOSE BORN 1920-1979
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies ! or DVD's , no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms.......

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good .

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?! !

The quote is by Jay Leno: "With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Freeport 12.02.07

The next day after the Ear Muff Parade, I again found myself in the car and in period dress (no Farb either!) and headed to lunch at the Jamison Tavern. This tavern was built in the late 1700s.

I always find the reaction of those seeing us in period dress immensely entertaining. When I entered the tavern I got mostly stares from people. During lunch we had requests from a tourist for pictures. We rode in a horse drawn wagon around Freeport, again soliciting stares mostly.

A few asked of we were part of a local play. Another assumed we were caroling. My personal favorite was when a woman noticed the antique fur muff I was carrying to warm my hands. She asked what sort of fur it was suppose to be assuming it was fake. When I explained it was real fur and an antique she seemed taken aback.."You know some people would find that offensive around here" I did try to point out that it was an antique and that the animal had been dead for decades.

There is a saying..."Better period correct then politically correct" ....

With dressing I agree with this statement

(I don't agree with being disrespectful to African Americans or calling them the "N" word)

Ear Muff Parade

December 1st, 2007 I drove 70+ miles one way to walk in the Chester Greenwood Parade. This gentleman invented the earmuff and Farmingtom Maine takes great pride in this. So with 8 Soldiers (2 were Rebels) we walked in cold (17 degrees) and windy (15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph) with wind chill at a -10 degrees, weather ...How can we possibly do this you wonder? The answer is a word known to all re-enactors. FARB..

Farb is a derogatory term used in the hobby of historical re-enacting for participants who exhibit less commitment to historical authenticity (Thank you Wikipedia).

Now some events are strictly period correct, that is, those running the show may come over and note that you do not have hand stitched button holes...hence the term "Stitch Counters". Antietam was an example of a period correct (as far as the Third Maine was concerned) event.

Now 17-19 degree weather is not an event where as a civilian I can not have Farb...Oh yes I made a valiant effort to hide what I could, but alas it was there. The list included:
Fleece Socks, Ski Pants (under every petticoat I own), multiple shirts, a fleece lined jacket with a zipper and even the little pocket hand warmers. Ashley was no better. Oh well...it is a hobby

after all.

After the parade we did get hot chocolate courtesy of Matt B. Huzzah!

We even made the news (hope this link works!)

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=75786

A SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep

in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,

But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

and I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear

“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,

to the window that danced with a warm fire’s light

then he sighed and he said “Its really all right,

I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night”

“Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,

that separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ‘Pearl on a day in December,”

then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.”

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘Nam

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he’s sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red white and blue… an American flag.

“I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home,

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,

I can carry the weight of killing another

or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers

who stand at the front against any and all,

to insure for all time that this flag will not fall.”

“So go back inside,” he said, “harbor no fright

Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.”

“But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,

“Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,

For being away from your wife and your son.

”Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

“Just tell us you love us, and never forget

To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone.

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

to know you remember we fought and we bled

is payment enough, and with that we will trust.

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.”

©Copyright December 07, 2000 by Michael Marks

Veteran's Day 2007

Veteran’s Day 2007
The Third Maine once again honored our Veteran’s by marching in the Portland Maine parade. Although the temperature was only 45 degrees, when the sun was shining and the wind stopped it was tolerable. As always I love to watch the boys march and listen to the fine and drums.

A Quote Worth Repeating

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem

your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.

George Washington

It's All Relative.....

Being a proper lady of the 1860's requires that I do not go to events with out an escorted.

A difficult problem when I Do go to events with only my children. Decency insists that a male relative accompany me. As a result I have had to create an extended "family" of males from the Third Maine.

My first "elected" relative was Pvt Dick C. He was kind enough to escort me down the main street of Camp Sylvia. Once I learned that the way I was holding my hand on his arm was very "familiar" he became a cousin!

The second relation was at the first Train Robbery. "Cousin" Steve made sure I was safe. Assuring me that we would survive the Rebel raid.When he was "shot" and "killed", Miss Vicky, a lady of succession, presented his revolver to me as his nearest "relative".

At September Storm, I needed a more convincing reason to be in the field. So my husband became an imaginary private. Pvt B is an elusive man. Always on duty...or in trouble.

I had to ask the Sargeant to break up the gambling session (above) in camp so that Pvt B would not gamble all his pay away.

He also doesn't do well with drinking, as a result he is always on picket duty. He always seems to be missing at roll call too....and getting into Mrs Marsha C's Tonic!

What to do with that Man!