THE SONGS OF A NIGHTINGAIL

  “Duck & Cover” – I first heard those words in grade school in the early 1950s when the Cold War with Russia was thought to be a serious threat – as if crawling under our desks was going to save us from the Atom bomb!  We were also required to wear these ‘dog tags’ on a chain around our necks.  When my daughters were in high school, they wanted to wear them as a kind of funky jewelry and I let them, but told them they’d better not lose them!   Being in California, however, and close to the dangerous Hayward earthquake fault, “Duck & Cover” would definitely help a person caught in a bad earthquake.  That, or I remember my Mom telling us in an earthquake to stand in a doorway – the structure of which was a strong point in a house or building, or get under a desk or a table. The kind of desks we had when I was in school during the 50s, however, would not have offered a lot of protection. Living in California all my life, I’ve experienced my share of earthquakes over the years

These guys jumped.  I know we just saw them (my husband & a friend) a couple of posts ago (“Down”), but they fit here as well.  After all, they had to “Jump” in order to come “Down”.  And she jumped!  And her sister bungee-jumped off a bridge, but we don’t have a picture of that so I borrowed a sample from the ‘net. Ack!  I imagine she looked something like this when she jumped.  She went to a meeting of bungee-jumpers with a boyfriend just to watch him jump, but he convinced her to try it.  She said it was exciting, but she didn’t think she’d want to do it again, and I don’t think she ever did. A ‘few’ years earlier their Mom jumped but hardly under such challenging circumstances. She’s the cheerleader on the left jumping during a high school basketball rally.  Geez Louise, look at all those crinolines.  Times have changed! These guys jumped over stuff. This fellow topped the cow’s brag . . . maybe?  I tried to authenticate this picture, but couldn’t find another like it so I th

Strolling beside the ocean beneath San Francisco’s famous Cliff House in late 1800 or early 1900.  The fanciful place burned down in 1909 after surviving the devastating 1906 earthquake.  What a shame. Taking a step with my Dad about a month before my first birthday.  And from then on I walked all over the place.  I used to love to walk anywhere,  anytime .  Walking, hiking – I loved it all.  Unfortunately, age caught up to me with its physical limitations.  My walking now is pretty much limited to traipsing around stores leaning on shopping carts, but at least it’s something!   J My Mom reading a magazine while walking down a street in San Francisco in 1938 on her way to work.  My Dad took the picture as a means to ‘meet’ her.  They worked for the same company.  She was a clerk and he was a mail ‘boy’ who delivered mail to her desk every day.  With her eyes on her magazine, she didn’t see him take the picture.  He had it developed and one day, while delivering mail to her, showed her

  I danced with a folkdance group when I was in grade school.  We danced for school programs.  One of my favorite things was doing the Maypole dance with other dance groups from the entire school district on May Day out on a big field.  I got to do it two years in a row and our group did it perfectly both times! The Maypole Dance  - I’ll go this way, you go that, over, under, over, under . . . My middle Sis & brother kicking up their heels at our annual “New Year’s Eve” nut party.   Here, both sisters were trying to do that tricky business where you make your knees look like they’re crisscrossing while you’re dancing.   Youngest Sis doesn’t look like she’s quite got the hang of it.    Our Dad used to be able to do it perfectly. 1956 formal high school prom.  I’m in the dark dress in the center of the photo with my back to the camera.  The dress was actually my Mom’s.  It was a gorgeous purple with an overall scroll design in black flocking. 1958 Cheerleaders kicking up our heels at