Jim Dailey

Happy Birthday Aunt Marguerite … Happy 107                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

I must say, it’s hard to fathom living to one hundred but to live past the Century mark is unimaginable. Well, it did happen and 107 years ago yesterday Marguerite Alford was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. An earlier post related my wife, Patti, shown above with her sister, Suzanne, taking her aunt to her birth home on 12th Street in our Capitol City.

While thinking about this remarkable lady and this true chronological miracle, my mind began to reel as I considered the happenings during her lifetime … she almost made it for the Wright Brothers flight in 1903, she was there for the start of WWl in 1914, was a young adult during the Great Depression, the stock market crash of 1929, the early days of automobiles, the Right to Vote for Women, the Pearl Harbor Attack, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a man walking on the moon and the assassination of JFK.

Meanwhile, Back to 2013 and the Birthday Party

In spite of her age, this amazing lady, still sharp as a tack, with a present and past memory better than most twenty somethings, was fully alert, completely aware and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the celebration. She had loved ones, friends and family members from other states, from various ages … but all present to celebrate a beautiful life of a beautiful lady.  May God continue to bless us with Birthday 108

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Amchitka Island, Alaska …

This small seemingly God forsaken 42 mile long, 3 mile wide volcanic island is one of the Western most members of the Aleutian Islands Chain. Amchitka is remembered more for the three underground detonations of nuclear bombs in the 60’s and 70’s than for the vital role played in WW ll.

On this Memorial Day I take personal pride remembering Amchitka, remembering those who served, remembering that without Amchitka the Japanese might easily have had a path to mainland Alaska, remembering that in spite of extreme weather, impossible terrain and enemy bombings the Navy Seabees constructed the first of three air strips in an unbelievable 34 days. My dad, Dalton Dailey was one of those Navy Seabees protecting our freedom in 1943 on Amchitka Island.  

My dad … front left.

Let us never forget those who gave all …

Fortunately my dad returned home, fortunately my uncles returned home, fortunately my son returned home … unfortunately there are so many who did not.

I don’t recall having such emotion and connection to the history of preserving our freedoms as now.  I was a child during World War ll, and remained state side during the Vietnam War.  My unit, the 142nd Army Medical Evacuation Unit was called up during the Berlin Crisis, came close to call up during Vietnam but I never had to experience the fear and separation thousands “then and now” experience.  On this day I thank each of them for protecting our Nation, its principles and our freedoms.

God Bless our Men and Women in Uniform … may there soon be Peace in the World.

I mentioned other family members who served and found these two pictures …

My Uncle Frank Dailey who was a pilot and my son D.J. with my dad, both Navy men. Frank, now a retired doctor is front row, second from the left.  I think you can make out which is D.J.

Dalton James Dailey … left

Dalton James Dailey III. Right

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Got your attention ? …  Logorrhea ?

Okay, I either got your attention, stimulated your curiosity or caused you to question the wisdom of reading any farther. Let me explain.  First, just in case you are scrambling for the dictionary, the definition of logorrhea is … “excessive, often incoherent wordiness.”  Well, this is precisely how I describe this blog entry … excessive, maybe even incoherent but bear with me, I’m hoping it will be fun as I quote almost word for word from my journal entries made while on my Arizona Journey.  Remember, I started in the South at Bisbee and finished in the North at the incredibly unique canyon lands of Page, Az.

Bisbee Coffee Company

It’s 6:30 AM and I’m am sitting in the Bisbee Coffee Company having a cup of freshly brewed java and an egg bagel.  This place is decorated like an old mine … after all this is a copper mining town … corrugated metal roof line behind the bar, black and white photos of old west and mining characters plus the artifacts of the foundational industry. In spite of this it has an air of sophistication …  gourmet beverages, alternative music and diverse clientele.  A few look like visitors … dressed in up to date jeans and brand label athletic wear.  Others appear to be locals with a bit more weathered look … one couple sitting in front of the window with the backdrop of Main Street look like they have just been trekking in the Himalayas … wool hand woven stocking caps, leather vests … see for yourself below.

Beautiful Scenery but truly interesting people … some I call my heroes.

In Bisbee I met a waiter in Rokas, a very fine downtown restaurant. Daryl was originally from Tulsa, had been hooked on drugs, came West to find himself, did that and now lives a much more satisfying and simple life.

In a Denny’s restaurant Courtney was my waitress and simply touched my heart with her friendliness and attention to her job … I thanked her for the important job that she does every day.

At a Gas Station along the route there was a young lady, Michelle, petite, attractive … could be a candidate for a “My Fair Lady” makeover.  She was cleaning the huge nasty restrooms with a smile on her face and as I was leaving she smiled again as she was carting heavy bags of trash to the dumpster.

Then there was Aaron at McDonalds  … a young man with an obvious physical disability.  When I commented that he was doing a great job of cleaning the tables and the service area, he said “Thank you … I do the best I can to keep this place clean.”  Wow … what a wonderful attitude.

Fooled you didn’t I … you thought I was talking about interesting people like business heads, government leaders and the traveling public.  I did meet a bunch of these too but the most interesting and most amazing to me were those like Daryl, Courtney and Aaron … they do their jobs every day, usually for small pay, do it well and smile as they serve the rest of us.  Daryl, Courtney and Aaron … you are my heroes!!!  Thank you for the jobs you and others like you do for us.

This is the Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico … 

This awesome hotel in Historic Las Vegas is on the square and has recently established a Wine and Wifi Bar.  Of course I had to make a visit.  And, in this place I met a couple of means from Santa Fe.  I’m not declaring them heroes like the ones above but we did visit and visit and visit and finally shut down the comfortable wine/wifi wing of the hotel. The notable point to this meeting is again the realization of how small our world actually is. Peter and Jacqueline and the hostess named Precious talked about everything from religion to Little Rock Airport land acquisition to KKK in the Delta of Arkansas.  Peter has done work in Arkansas and knew more about our state and its history than I do.  Better be on your game when you travel … it is a small world.

As I attempt to wrap up this lengthy logorrhea blog, I merely mention a little more Lagniappe of the trip … The Sights of Historic Route 66

Wigwam Village in Holbrook,  Josephs since 1956 in Santa Rosa and Miz Liz in Flagstaff. Etc, etc, etc … smiles and miles.

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Overdue Update and overdue hero recognition …

First objective is fairly simple … post the photo  …  Done.

The second objective, naming my hero, is much more personal and very much overdue.  To make my point, Marguerite will be a central character.

Until just a few years ago, Marguerite was completely self sufficient, drove her own car and lived alone in an apartment on Kavanaugh.  Two events changed all that.  First a fire she accidentally started in her apartment and next being pulled over by a policeman for stealing a car. (I promise I’m not making this up).   She had backed into a VW at the grocery store, it became attached to her rear bumper and she was dragging it behind her own vehicle.  As much as she loved her independence it was time for a change and she is now in a wonderful assisted living home.

This is where my hero, Patti Dailey comes in.   Just like she did when our daughter gave birth to quads and she took the 5AM shift, just like she did when a friend broke her leg and she became taxi and meal provider, just like she did to become another daughter to my mom when my dad died, just like she has done and continues to do day in day out bringing smiles to me into the lives of others,  once again she unselfishly stepped up … this time to become the local family caregiver for Aunt Marguerite. Anyone who has filled this role knows the demands are emotional and physically tiring.  I know this is true but I also know the gift of care is given out of endless love and is a blessing and example for all to behold.

Patti Murphy Dailey You Are My Hero.

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