Joann Foley » Geezer Moments

Remembering Our Servicemen and Servicewomen

Joann — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:49:12 +0000

Today is Memorial Day. My dad served our country during the Korean War in the Navy as a Seabee. That meant that he was doing construction for the Navy. That worked out well, because he learned how to be a carpenter, plumber and electrician while working on Navy bases and buildings. Then when he got out, he had a skilled trade.

My dad died from cancer back in the 1980’s, when I was just in my 20’s. I feel cheated out of having a dad as an adult. I loved him so much and I’m so proud of him for having served in the Navy.

Get Organized

Joann — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:04:39 +0000

Which pile is it in? Where did I put that? Am I ever going to read those old newspapers? Do I have to keep that? I’m drowning in paperwork.

Movie Night Out

Joann — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:24:06 +0000

Tonight I want to go to the movies. I just found a theater that has dropped their ticket prices to just $1.50 – yes, that just a buck fifty! They have a movie I really want to watch, starring Clint Eastwood. The movie is called Gran Torino. My dad used to have a 1971 orange Gran Torino and he looked a lot like Clint Eastwood, except taller and my Dad’s hair was much darker. So I want to see this movie.

Learning to Drink

Joann — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:34:12 +0000

My parents drank socially. We all knew that my dad kept an assortment of liquor bottles in the dining room buffet cabinet. It was never locked but we knew we were not allowed to go in there. But we did anyway.

As a teenager I wanted to try liquor and didn’t want to risk getting drunk on a date or out with a group of friends. I didn’t trust any of them to watch out for me and help out if I got into trouble. They would all probably be just as drunk or worse off than me to do anything helpful anyway.

Kids would drink at every private party I went to or heard about throughout my junior high and high school years. I found out that I could drink and tolerate beer. I seem to have a high tolerance level for beer and have never gotten totally smashed on beer.

Beer was easy to get – there was always someone with an older brother willing to drive over the state line and buy a case of beer for us. Then we would go to someone’s house where the parents were not home and sit outside or in the car in front of the house and pop a top. The advantage to being close to someone’s house was so the girls could go inside to use the bathroom if they needed to. Of course, the guys would just stand behind the car and whip it out. But the girls needed an indoor toilet and some privacy.