132 Characters, Countless Memories

 

July 12, 2025

Today would have been my 49th anniversary at the hospital if I had not retired — but all things worked out for the best.

To most people, this may look like an ordinary metal ruler. But to us COBOL 74 programmers, it was one of the most important tools on our desks.

The little numbers across the top told us exactly how many characters would fit on each line. Our printers could handle up to 132 characters per line — those big green-and-white sheets with holes down each side. Writing reports on that paper wasn’t too bad, but when we had to design pre-printed forms, that ruler became our best friend.

Back then, every single instruction had to be written by hand: where to start each character, how long each line would be, exactly where everything would fall. I enjoyed sitting at my desk, ruler in hand, carefully laying out each form or report.

I’m not even sure if many shops still use COBOL these days. But I think if I sat down today, it wouldn’t take long before I could write a report or update a database again.

Things have changed so much since I retired 12 years ago. By then, I was using Crystal Reports — faster, drag-and-drop, but I still needed that old ruler for the pre-printed forms.

There are times I miss being there, the challenges and the friendships. Then again, I know I’m a bit of an old dinosaur now. Like this ruler, my time has come and gone… but oh, what a good run it was.

What If I Fly?

 

July 11, 2025 – Friday
“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” ~ Erin Hanson
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Good morning from The Point. You know, this is me — always asking “what if I fall?” I never seem to consider the idea that my dreams might actually take flight. Why do we so often look for the negative and rarely believe that maybe, just maybe, it will all work out?   The Point, Pascagoula

When the Call Comes

 

"Only God can mend a broken heart, but He has to have all the pieces." ~ Author unknown

Good morning… There are so many times our world gets shattered, and we feel so alone — like no one could possibly understand. But this isn’t true. The hurt is still there, but God has big shoulders for us to lay our heads on.

This morning around 5, my cousin Carol called. As soon as I answered, I knew something was wrong. Through her tears, she told me her mom — my Aunt Beverly — had passed away.

What do you say when you get news like that?

Carol and I lost touch for several years after I moved to Pascagoula, and I’m quite a bit older than her. But when her dad got sick, she and Gracyn moved back home. When I’d go up to visit Mom, Carol would come up and say, “Let’s go riding.” I never knew where we’d end up, but you can bet we had fun. We would laugh and talk about everything under the sun — and what surprised most people is how much we loved looking around old cemeteries.

Cousins are special for so many reasons. I’m so proud of all of mine, and it’s times like this when we need each other the most. That’s what really counts.

The Point, Pascagoula

Casting Lines, Catching Z's, and Chasing Rainbows

July 9, 2025 – Tuesday

Casting Lines, Catching Z's, and Chasing Rainbows

Good morning.

The boys and I went fishing again yesterday — or maybe I should say they went fishing, and I spent the morning sitting in Charlie’s seat taking pictures. After we got the boat back home and did all the little chores that come with it, we went over to my house to join the girls.

Charlie and Trent were out on the patio cleaning fish when the girls decided they were ready to head home. By the time I got back, Charlie asked me to cook up some of the fish for dinner. Well, while I was busy in the kitchen, my two fishermen — ages 13 and 14 — fell fast asleep on me!

Now, mind you, I was up before either one of them, stayed out in the sun just as long as they did, and here I was still going strong while they were out like lights. Of course, I have no idea what time they finally went to bed — they might’ve been up all night playing Xbox.

It was a good day, the kind of day that makes summer feel endless and sweet. Today, Charlie is out cutting grass, so I’ve got a little break to rest up — can’t let them get too far ahead of Pawpaw!

I was telling Lauren this morning what a good summer it’s been. School will start back soon, and I know I’ll miss all these busy, everyday adventures.

This morning’s photo was taken on Beach Blvd here in Pascagoula. I still can’t believe I was able to catch this shot — a fisherman in the early light, with a rainbow standing watch behind him.
 

Smoke Signals and Sleepy Pawpaw

 

July 7, 2025

Charlie and Trent love to stay with me when Trent comes home to visit. It was actually because of a funny story I told Lauren last week that she insisted I start writing in my journal again.

One day last week, we had been fishing all day. I was hot, sunburned, and worn out. To make it even worse, a few days earlier I had bent over and thrown my back out, so by the time we got home I was more than ready to lie down and hope the pain would ease.

After I took a shower, I told the boys I was going to my room to rest while they played their Xbox games. My back was finally starting to feel better, and I was just drifting off to sleep when suddenly I smelled smoke.

Let me tell you — that’s never a good sign when you’ve got two boys loose in the house! I jumped up and ran into the kitchen, asking what on earth was burning.
Charlie looked at me calmly and said, “I was just trying to light the oven.” He went on to explain, “That’s how we do it at the hunting camp, Pawpaw. You turn it on, wait for the click, and then light it with a paper towel.”

All I could do was laugh.

Until you’ve had grandsons running around your house at night, you haven’t truly lived. At least now that they’re older, I’m not as worried about going to sleep — last year they pulled all kinds of pranks on me while I was trying to rest!

I just hope that many years from now, they’ll remember these wild, funny nights with Pawpaw as some of the best times of their lives. I know I’ll carry these memories with me forever — right up until my very last day.

A Grandfather’s Catch-Up

 

July 7, 2025 Monday

Good morning once again after a long absence. My daughter, Lauren, suggested I start journaling again after something funny happened, and the more I thought about it, the more I knew she was right. My last entry was July 12, 2021 — almost four years ago to the day. I’ll have to go back and read what I wrote back then, but in the meantime, a lot has happened over these past four years. I'll try to catch things up.

I’ve welcomed three new grandbabies: Mya, Beaux, and Kobe. We only got to hold Mya for a short time. When she opened her eyes for the first time, she was resting in the strong and loving arms of Jesus. Beaux will be 5 this year, and Kobe will be 4. In addition to these blessings, I now have a great-grandson, Colton, who will also turn 4 this year.

When Colton was born, all the daycares were full and not taking new babies. That’s when I asked, “Do you think I can keep him?” Meaning: Do you trust me? (LOL) For two and a half years, we played almost every day and built a bond that means the world to me.

Two grandsons have graduated from high school now. I think back to all those mornings I took them to school, listening to them laugh and carry on in the back seat… It feels like just yesterday. Gage, Colton’s dad, is working at Ingalls Shipbuilding and doing a great job raising Colton. Noah graduated this year and will start college next month. He plans to go into nursing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up doing mission work one day.

My other grands keep Pawpaw pretty busy. McKenna, my oldest granddaughter, along with Trent, Beaux, and Kobe, live in Texas, so I don’t see them as often as I’d like. But we stay in touch. McKenna just turned 15 — something I can hardly believe. When they moved to Texas, she was a shy little girl, but now she’s a confident and strong young lady. Trent turned 13 this year and is visiting with us now. Right now, he and Charlie are out fishing. I went with them 3 or 4 times last week, but Pawpaw can’t quite keep up with two teenagers! I told them I’d join them later this week.

Charlie — let me tell you about him. He was born early and was so small that my thumb was bigger than his foot. Now, 14 years later, he’s taller than me and loves to hunt and fish. This boy knows how to work! I couldn’t keep up with him if I tried. He doesn’t quite understand why I can’t back or run the boat. I keep telling him that all my fishing was done from the riverbank. We didn’t have boats or wide-open water like he does today.

Caroline — my sweet, tender-hearted girl. She’s 12 this year and will start junior high, joining the school volleyball team. I’m so proud of her.

Mollie — my little firecracker. She’ll be in 5th grade this year and will also be starting at a new school. Mollie will tell you exactly what’s on her mind — no filter! (LOL) She loves soccer, and that little girl can run!

Colton — as I said, he’ll be 4 this year. Watching him grow up has been one of life’s greatest joys for me. With my other grands, I worked full time, but with Colton, I got to be there for so many of his firsts: first smile, first time rolling over, first step. And if you need to know anything about monster trucks, I promise you, he can tell you.

I don’t mean to brag, but I have such a strong relationship with my girls and grands. It means everything to me. They know they can call me any time, for anything — and I can do the same with them.

Well, that gets us mostly caught up since 2021. Now I can start sharing my daily life again — including the funny story that made Lauren laugh so hard and led her to tell me I needed to start writing again. I may not write every day, but I’ll do my best. I’ve been through a lot, and maybe sharing will help someone else, too.

I don’t know what I would have done without my girls.

Looking back over these years, I see how each moment — the joyful ones and even the hard ones — has woven together into the life I have today. Watching my grandchildren grow, sharing quiet talks with my daughters, and finding new ways to see the world through my camera has all reminded me that I’m still becoming, still learning, still living fully.

I know there will be more ups and downs, but I also know now that I’m never truly alone. I have my family, my memories, and my lens to keep me connected to what matters most. If someone had told that young man on the visitor tower in 1976 all that was ahead, he might not have believed it — but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Here’s to whatever tomorrow brings.