The Arizona years

A few distinct memories of our move from Van Nuys, Ca to Flagstaff, AZ which I believe was in 1949. The first memory is that of when we stopped for the night in Barstow, Ca there were a "million" crickets all over the parking lot. I really must have not liked crickets at the time.  The second major memory was when I was in the 6th grade busing began and we had several black kids bussed to our school.  No feelings either way, just remember it happened.  When I graduated High School in 1960 our senior class president was black. No one hardly gave it a second thought.

High School years now there are some great memories there.

1.  Through a series of events I got real interested in music and learned how to play the Cello. What a lovely instrument. I still can pick one out of a musical piece today. Got involved with the band playing the saxophone. Another instrument that is just "mellow". Also picked up the String Bass in the orchestra and school "Dance Band". Was in the choir and ended up with the lead in two musicals playing the modern Major-General Stanley in the Pirates of Penzance and the  First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Joseph Porter  in HMS Pinafore.  Loved the cast photo for Penzance, all of the girls were around me and all the guys/pirates were on the side.

2.  Got interested in photography and ended up the photographer for the school newspaper. That interest has served me well over the years. Now with digital pictures my computer runneth over with photo files.  trying to slowly scan all my "hard copy" photos so I wont loose them.

3.  Started flying during my senior year. During my first intro flight we flew over our house and I say the folks getting home. When I got back later and before I could say anything my mom asked "was that you flying over the house?"  How do they do that??????? How do mom's know???? more importantly, how do women know????
4.  The other major event was when I joined the Naval Reserve unit during my senior year. It was an electronics unit and set my course later in life.