Fair words...plain talk....

Beer joints and Mormons, good dogs, loving neighbors and homemade flour tortillas ….that’s the background of a Johanna Street kid…. We grew up rough….we saw a lot of life that other kids did not as they grew up in the 50’s…but we were safe in that little cocoon of that little neighborhood, bordered by a main street that grew into a free way, and a road running south to Mexico. Horses in my backyard, dogs curled up by my feet every night, nothing could touch me….except when my dad died. Blurry memories there….sometimes brought out with a jerk with the discovery a new photo of him…those eyes of mine looking back at me.   Hillard Vernon Webb, USN

Deerfield Massacre of 1704 My 6th great grandmother was   Sarah Basset Webb Field Price,   a Connecticut pioneer. Her husband,  Zachariah Field , my 6th great grandfather, died in an Indian attack and she remarried to  Robert Price . Their village was attacked by Indians, incited by the French, who burned their homes, and started a force march 300 miles to Canada in the winter cold. Weak, young or elderly were killed to keep the march moving quickly.  The young pastor, who seemed to be the target of the raid, had a young wife who recently gave birth. I read where she was so weak, she and her husband said good bye on the side of a freezing river, and she walked into the water to die. An Indian brave went in and gave her a quick death with a slice of his knife. My 6xgrandmother was 54 , and viewed as too old to make the march and died on the side of the road with many others. (This Webb line is my secondary Webb line, not my father’s Webb line. T...

for my old friend... For Linda Ady, 1944-2005, and what she taught us all... There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today" So she did and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M, " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today" So she did and she had a grand day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!" Attitude is Everything...... ...

Ogden, Utah about 1945 Squeaky doors…. That’s what old memories are like…that old, squeaky door that creaks open just a little bit….out comes one memory and soon, it swings wide and there they all are….some make you giddy, some make you cry and the all remind you of why you are you. Martin Hillard Webb was born 10 August 1936 in San Diego, California to Hillard Vernon “Tex” Webb and Sarah Vernona “Denny” Denning Webb.  He was actually named Hillard Martin Webb, but the names were inverted on the official birth certificate. Hillard Martin Webb  As a young military family, there were frequent moves around the country and the world.  In 1939, they were in Panama on the Panama Canal. My mother used to tell the story of how eggs were so hard to come by, and being an Idaho ranch girl, she wanted her son to have fresh eggs. So she hunted them down so that every day, Hillard had that egg in his diet.  Mom also said they didn’t have many diapers ...

November 22nd. Wayne Wesley Webb Kostoryz Elementary We all have our memories of this day....I can remember my mom, big with baby...and my dad getting into that old car and heading the NASCC ....and a few days later, my little brother coming home in her arms. Today is his 60th birthday, and I know that as it has been for decades, it will be over shadowed by the deaths of heroes in our lives. Happy Birthday, Wayne Wesley Webb ...you have a lovely name...the best a big sister 5 1/2 years old could do...WWW. (Now, only my mom and dad would know if I ACTUALLY chose that name...but they gave me the credit!) One year later, at about this time in the morning, I could hear my mother's cries...finding my father with no heartbeat in the dining room of our home...the home they had bought after almost 30 years of his Navy career...retirement to a beach town, stables for our horses in the rear, no more moving around. I remember most calling Margie McBride to tell her to come quick, som...

Written on 9/11/2006 Nothing has changed the history of this day. Thankful my son made it safely through his 6+ years as a Navy Corpsman, including 5 years greenside with the Marines. Thankful we have a thoughtful President who does not rush to war but believes in putting force to back up diplomacy. 9/11 Worked all day the anniversary of 9/11....I guess that was better than watching it all unfold one more time on the tube. All those memories, the things I learned...Matt, Buster, the grandkids here, their mom far away...it was just mind numbing circumstances....and yes, Buster...the dog. At the beginning of that day, the last thing I thought as I walked out the door was about going by Tomlinson's for dog food. Now Buster was a rescue, he'd had his share of hungry days....and I know in his heart that even after 10 years of living with us, he did not trust us to always give him food. I'm telling you, the animal never missed a meal with us after Matt got him for his 6th birt...

Corpus at sunset, I believe this photo is a Rick Avant one. Things I remember about growing up in CC… The Horse Shoe Inn, and Margie and Bill McBride who stood with my mom after my Dad died when I was 6 years old. Riding old Tony who was the best friend a  sad little girl could have. Lexington Elementary where I was in first grade;  Kostoryz Elementary, all portable buildings….Mrs. Dobbs, Mrs McAllister…  and South Park Junior High and all those football players walking around singing “Duke of Earl”…and Mrs Rouse, my Texas History teacher who gave me a beautiful Texas Sketch Book. Also Mr. Pitts, and all those handwritten notes we copied from the black board. Walking all over town with Sharon and Karen, hitting the ball field over by Lexington Elementary…Ayers Theater via the bus…Wed night church with Wayne and Barry playing  those Everly Bros harmonies… Mary Carroll High School…..being told my skirts were too short when I grew from 4’ 11’’ to 5’ 7’’ in one...