I've written a little about Daddy and Mom. I'll just go down the brother list now, one at a time starting with my brother James. Jimmy to me, now and always - Jimmy.The definition of "big brother". On the day I was born, Jimmy graduated from Ventura High School. I'm not exactly sure how he felt about being pushed to the side on that very important day in a young man's life. If he resented us choosing that day to emerge, we never knew.

The fact that Jimmy graduated at all was a minor family miracle. In his elementary school days, he simply decided school was no longer a need in his life so he quit going. Perhaps he was acting out since dad had remarried and added 2 new brothers to the family by that time. Regardless of the reasons, he simply quit. He has told of some of the methods he would use to leave school in those days, all of which were hilarious to me. Perhaps he'll write of those sometime. I wish he would I'm sure I can't do them justice. After a visit to Juvenile Hall - Juvi as we called it - he decided perhaps school wasn't as bad as jail. Mom used to joke that once he went back to school he wouldn't quit. Jimmy is the first college graduate in the family for as far back as I have researched.

Jimmy went into the navy not too long after graduation at the same time as our cousin Ben Walters. Since Jim was away in the navy, I don't have many memories of him in my youngest years but I do remember the family driving to San Francisco to pick him up when he got out of service. My aunt Alma (who scared the bejesus out of me - she was a MEAN woman.) lived there with her husband. Her daughters and their families lived nearby. One of the extended cousins was named Sherry. She was everything a 5-year-old Debby thought of as cool. She was my age, but she lived in the city. At least she was cool until I thought MY big brother Jimmy paid her more attention than me. Ah yes, my first experience with jealousy. I don't recall how it was resolved, but I probably whined or sulked until I got the proper amount of attention.

Jimmy and his dear wife Gloria were a big part of my early teen years. They would allow me to visit their home (first in Ojai, then in Exeter California). For a week or two at a time. I always felt welcome in their home. They always allowed me to bring a friend if I wanted to. It was my time away from the sameness of parents who worked all the time, and also a look at how a traditional family could function. I learned a lot from both of them, way too much to list here. I am forever grateful. I didn't realize at the time what a challenge it must have been to have me there, but I never felt it if there were problems. I only felt loved and protected. I also got to be with my nieces, and later my nephew. I cherish those times to this day.

My brother Jimmy is above all else a good man. He has a sense of humor that is legendary. He also has a bit of a temper that is also legendary. I recall a look on his face when I was a child and he came CHARGING out of the bathroom with a newspaper in his hand ready to KILL! It seems my brother Dick has chosen an..uh...inopportune time to set off a firecracker right outside the bathroom window. I can still see his face....eyes bulging, breathing fire and looking for Dickie to do him bodily harm.

Ah, good times.

As with my other posts, this one just scratches the surface. I hope to fill in a lot of details as I go along. Have a great day.