Strut Your Stuff on Talent Night - Poems, Songs, Jewelry, Dolls, and the Civil Air Patrol

Ada reads an article in the Inquirer about Civil Air Patrol members being honored. This is not the article but it shows the importance of the group which was formed "days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the U.S. entry into World War II... [they] soon began watching over the nation's coasts and borders.

Our Captain Trotter, who was readying himself for his presentation, was one of the thousands so honored.

Noam Levine was raised in a kibbutz in the land of Israel.

Happy Chanukah, Day Two.

 

I told my friend Freda that if she and Bernie make latkes - potato pancakes - please invite me over.

   I put applesauce on mine, and also sour cream.

Nothing better!

Linda Barrett, our Poet Laureate, read two poems. The first - The Light - contained these lines A Light came into the world / Foretold by prophets long ago / Where a new born baby / Laid in a feeding trough.../ The light coming from him / Would be the one / To save mankind.

The other was a winter poem which featured these lines: "Animals make statements through the language of their footprints."

Nurse Harriet is the proud grandmother of little Charlotte, who is walking already, quite early. Or shall we say running. "Catch me if you can, Gramma!"

Mike and Merrilee celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah. She loves to cook... and talk!

Jim and Karen Phillips getting ready to enjoy our Talent Show. Hey Jim! Whatcha drinking? Remember eggnog? I haven't had any in years and years.

Let's give it up for eggnog!

You know what? When I go to Christmas dinner I'm gonna bring some egg nog, with 'nog' in it. I think that means rum. I'm also gonna make a challah.



So, I'll inject extra insulin.

Ben Padilla is a retired minister who helped out warring pastors in the Billy Graham Crusade.

Philip Kao read some beautiful poetry off his smartphone.

Will Gregory Hodges play Santa Claus this year? Don't rightly know. His Kimberly and Tiffany may be too big.


 Are you old enough to remember this? The Bell Telephone Hour presented The Beaton Marionettes doing The Night Before Christmas. Watch it here.

I saw it last night on WHYY-TV.

Speaking of Chrismas, Tony Altomare stood up and performed I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas a capella.

Bravo, big-hearted Tony!

Elissa Klein makes her own jewelry. She passed a bracelet around the room.

She makes them with metal for people she loves, and to give away. I agree with her.... why must people sell everything they make?

Ada surprised us with this doll she made for granddaughter Laurel Faye

It's really adorable. She did all the stitching which took quite a while. Her husband Rich tried to dissuade her, since it was so difficult, but she wouldn't hear of giving up!

Good buddies Charlie - aka Superman - and Brett - enjoy the show.

Let's give them a round of applause for being such nice appreciative people.

Here's Captain Trotter who will give a fascinating presentation on the Civil Air Patrol.

Gill Robb Wilson was the founder.

Wiki - From Clarion County, PA, he was an American pilot, Presbyterian minister, and military advocate. Wilson was a founder of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol.

Trotter had the pleasure of meeting Wilson's daughter.

This is not her but we can pretend she is.

  This is Ruth Wilson, the award-winning British actress who we've enjoyed in the British crime drama Luther.  Wilson will make her Broadway debut shortly.

The smartly dressed Trotter presented little known facts surrounding the preparations made by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) before the US was involved in the war with Japan and Germany.

Wiki - The Civil Air Patrol was founded in the late 1930s by Gill Robb Wilson, who foresaw general aviation's potential to supplement America's military operations.

The organization assumed many missions including anti-submarine patrol and warfare, border patrols, and courier services. During World War II CAP's coastal patrol had flown 24 million miles, found 173 enemy U-boats, attacked 57, hit 10 and sank two, dropping a total of 83 bombs and depth charges throughout the conflict.

German U-Boats (submarines) were cruising off the East Coast of our country and were sinking our ships. This was hushed up so as not to frighten Americans who at the time had no intention of becoming involved in the war.

After Pearl Harbor, our attitude changed, and FDR declared war.

After the end of World War II, CAP became the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force, and its charter declared that it would never again be involved in war.

Instead, Captain Trotter and his fellow corpsmen and women participate in search and rescue missions. They've helped out FEMA, the Red Cross and the DEA. Members have gone to disaster areas such as hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, all detailed in a fascinating slide presentation.

One such slide illustrated how to pry off a concrete slab that may have trapped people below.

Trotter enjoys mentoring cadets ages 12 and up. His own son, Chris, is a cadet at the famous Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.




What's the significance of Osh Kosh, Wisconsin?

It's the home of the largest Air Show in America. 

How I remember the Stealth Bomber and the Blue Angels when they flew at the now-defunct Willow Grove Air Show, held at the former Navy Base in Horsham.

        Definitely scary looking.


  We salute you, Captain Trotter for your continuing service. He showed us photos of himself sitting up in the airplane. Methinks he was in his element, high above the clouds doing what he loves to do.