Muhammad Ali and Me

One of my claims to fame is that I actually did shake hands with Muhammad Ali. It was several years ago when he was a guest at the Orrin Hatch Invitational Golf Tournament in Park City, Utah.

At that time my daughter was graduating from BYU in Provo, Utah. She had majored in Public Relations and Communication. She had been hired for the summer by the company which was doing the publicity for the Golf Tournament. She invited my wife and me to come to Utah and join in some of the revelry. So we did. read more

Memorial Day and Memories

You Cant Take it With You coverMy Father died last year. I was going to visit his grave this day, but my brother told me he had been there and the grave was overgrown with weeds, mucky and wet, and to top it off most of the grass was gone or dead. Wow, I didn’t expect that. The grave is supposed to bring back good memories.

Like “we have not yet begun to fight.” Or “I regret that I have only one life to give for my country.” Or “Remember the Alamo.” My Dad served in World War II in the Army Air Corps. He was always a patriot. read more

Thomas Jefferson and Ice Cream

ThomasJeffersonI just finished making a freezer of home made lemon cream sherbet for our family get-together on Memorial Day. You see, it’s become somewhat of a tradition to have our family over to remember this holiday, and at that time have some good eats, like a bar-b-que, salad, and, of course home made ice cream.

The grandchildren who were here just had to see if the ice cream turned out OK, so we all had a little bowl to check it out. It was fantastic!

It got me to thinking of who we had to thank for bringing ice cream recipes to the United States. Do you know who it was? read more

Big Decisions

GeorgeWashington“Make big decisions in the calm.” That’s what Dwight D. Eisenhower said. As you know, he was the nation’s 34th President.

Dr. Seuss said it this way:
“Try to remember,
through thick and through thin,
when you give it your best,
why that’s when you win.”

Colonel Von Steuben said it this way to General Washington:
“To an American I am obliged to say, this is the reason why you ought to do that, and then he does it.”

Dorothea Brandt, a writer, put it this way:
“The key to success is to determine your goal and then act as if it were impossible to fail—and it shall be!” read more

Most Americans Love Benjamin Franklin

Founding Fathers cover

I know you really admire Ben Franklin and all he accomplished. But I bet you didn’t know that during his lifetime children also loved Franklin. And he just loved them right back. Occasionally he showed them his compliments for children and even their pets, by writing rhyming poetry. Simple rhyming verse.

Once Ben sent to the children of friends of his in England the gift of an American squirrel which he had named “Skug”. Skug is the Indian name for the gray squirrel.

A year later Ben received a note from the English children sharing with Ben Skug’s untimely demise. Ben wrote back to the children expressing his condolences and including an epitaph for the burial of Skug. Here is what he wrote: read more

Benjamin Franklin and Travel

Ben FranklinIn the 1750’s Ben Franklin was the Postmaster General of the Colonies. As you can imagine, travel was very different and difficult in those days. There were no Marriott Residence Inns or even a Motel 6! There were some local inns, which were not much more than saloons with an extra bed room or two. That meant a room with a bed in it, no showers or extras.

Reservations couldn’t be made by phone, or even telegraph, yet. Ben would just hope he could maybe find appropriate accommodations for his overnight stays. read more

George Washington and The Grand Old Flag

Founding Fathers coverBetsy Ross was a recent widow, and she was a poor, struggling seamstress when the story goes, she was approach by a team, including General George Washington to create a new flag for the hope of a new nation. It was apparently a secret meeting. General Washington asked her for help in the preparation of a brand new flag, and a new concept for a struggling nation.

Some historians doubt the story at least a little. Why? Because a man named Francis Hopkinson asked to be credited and paid for the production of the new flag. Who was Hopkinson? He was an author and a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey. He asked to be paid for ‘his creation’. He actually wrote a letter to the Continental Board of Admiralty for a reward of two casks of wine for several patriotic designs he had created during the previous three years. read more

More Presidential Assassinations

Library of Congress Reading RoomAs I told you yesterday, I have learned some interesting facts from reading a fiction Bestseller. But I didn’t mention the name of the book or the author. So if you are interested, the name of the book is “the Fifth Assassin” by Brad Meltzer. The main character is Beecher White who is an archivists and the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

An archivist is, of course, someone who is in charge of Archives. An archive is a place where public records or historical documents are kept. The National Archives in Washington is a beautiful building in the District in which the original Declaration of Independence, the U. S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and many other very important historical documents are kept. read more

Martha Washington – Be Cheerful!

Martha-Washington-by-Andrews“I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.” –Martha Washington, First American First Lady, 1732-1802.

Martha met George Washington one day in late Autumn in 1758. She had been invited to dine at the home of Mr. Richard Chamberlayne, who was also a friend of George. Washington happened to stop by the home of his friend for supper while George was on his was to meet with the Governor in Williamsburg. read more

Lighten Up Says George!

“Why did the cat fall into the well?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“Because he couldn’t see that well!”

Dana Perino, Fox Five

Just thought you’d enjoy that!      GW Rules

“Just hoping you’re smiling,
delighted, content . . . .
And totally happy,

One hundred percent!”

Dr. Suess

SMILE!!

“If you Cough, Sneeze, Sigh, or Yawn, do it not Loud but Privately; and Speak not in your Yawning, but put your Handkerchief or Hand before your face and turn aside.” George Washington’s Rules of Civility. read more