A Year of Memories: AYM 1 and a confession

The confession first. I do not have my layouts finished. And I didn't get last month's layouts finished either. I did get Connie's done, but with being sick and then on vacation, it was all I could do to get the kits and handouts done.

This was a really light month. There were only 4 of us at the meeting. Next month will be BIG!!!

Without further ado:

Jeanne's layout---"Strange Addiction" (journaling below) and "Travis"

Janet's layout:
Special Agent Man and Trains

My dad (Claude “Jack” McClure) worked for the Burlington railroad as a Special Agent, which was equal to a police man for the railroad. His job consisted of investigating items left on the tracks, people walking on tracks , accidents at crossings and even when things were thrown at passing rail cars. He would have to look into train derailments, check on broken into rail cars and some times set on stack outs to try to catch the thief’s.. Growing up it was nothing if our phone to rang in the middle of the night, He was quite often called out to a rail road site at any time .We were also programmed that before picking up the phone we had to find out if he “was home or not”, so when asked we gave the correct answer. He carried a gun everyday just as a cop would, It was interesting when I found the article he saved about a railroad Theft and he was named as the one that fired a shot that hit the thief’s truck. We were never told this story. Also I found a check stub from,the then CB&Q RR, around that time (1951-52) his net pay was 165.99 for a weeks work. On several occasions I would go to work with my dad on the weekends. Some Saturdays we would go to the main office that was located on what is now the landing, It was an old building then with 12 ft ceilings, no elevator for 4 floors but had a great view of the river. The family went there a few times to watch fireworks on the river The rail yards were dirty places but it was interesting to watch the round house on Hall St and signal men help move the rail cars from one line of tracks to another, to set hem up for the next stage of their journey. My dad liked his job even though the hours could be long and at times the conditions not the best. He was proud to be a Special Agent for the Railroad.

Connie's page that I did: "So many books, so little time" and "Telelphones, Typewriters and Tie Shoes."

Each month, I look forward to Karolyn's layouts. She has the best memorabilia from her childhood. Here, her "s" page is "my Schwinn bike" and she actually still has the book that came with it. She doesn't have the bike, nor even a picture, but she was able to pull one off the internet. "Tapestry bag" was her next layout. She tells the story of carrying Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill wine (2 bottles) comfortably in her bag while in college.