Aside from that income tax deadline and some showers here and there, as months go April is a very pleasant one. (Can we get anymore rain in April than we have gotten in March? Let’s hope not.)
In the Buzzy extended family, the coming month of April has some significant events going down as follows:
Birthday celebrants include Bertie Taylor and Kevin McKay on the 3rd, Butch Wood 16th, Pat Adams 17th, Jack Flatly 23rd, Jack Wise 25th and Jay Ripson the 27th.
My immediate family April birthdays include – son Shea on the 7th, niece Rilynn Taylor 18th, grandson Blaise on 20 April, stepson Shaun ODell the 21st, daughter-in-law Caitie 24th, and my nephew Emerson Taylor on the 28th. And to close out a month of special occasions, my wife Pam celebrates her birthday on the 29th.
Also in April, Wedding Anniversaries for my very lucky sons who married well: Stephanie and Shea celebrate their wedding anniversary on the 8th. Later in the month Caitie and Brady will celebrate their wedding anniversary on the 27th.
But another special April event that I am most looking forward to celebrating happens on the 18th when my Grandson Shawn graduates from his Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Pam and I will be attending this ceremony to congratulate and celebrate this milestone event with Shawn.
I am also looking forward to it because my parents were married Easter Sunday April 9, 1950 in the Chapel at Randolph Air Force Base (photo below) also located there in San Antonio. (Click here for a good article on the construction and history of the Chapel.)
As for how my folks came to be married in Texas, Buzzy had been in the Air Force for several years and was stationed at Randolph. While home on leave, he had asked Mom to marry him only for her to say no initially.
However, Mom was attending the University of Maryland and following an argument with her Dad Harry over a bad grade that she had received in one of her classes, she called Buzzy and asked if his offer was still on the table. Arrangements were then made for her, Harry, Peaches and Bill to fly down and have the wedding ceremony at the Randolph Base Chapel. Years later Mom would often joke “Instead of running off to get married like I did, I should have lived with the bad grade and my Father being upset with me.”
Note – Randolph is considered part of the Joint Base San Antonio comprised of four installations:
Johnny Cash served in the Air Force as a Morse code interceptor. Supposedly, he was the first Westerner to learn of Joseph Stalin’s death (although there seems to be some debate about it) (click here.)
Buzzy’s – open today. No foolin’.