24,455 days ago more or less.

Sounds like a lot doesn't it, but it is only 67 years ago today that Eugene and Myrtle Witt gave birth to a son, a son who learned to crawl, to speak, to go to school and become the man most everyone was happy to know.

Sure he was in trouble as a teen, he and a buddy Billy Vantassel were always looking for trouble, and Bill Witt found he was offered two choices, jail time or Vietnam, he chose the USMC and Vietnam, back then most trouble makers took the second choice. Should be done today if you ask me, military time for offenders!

He became a father and a business man, a NASCAR modified driver a sport he loved, a hunter, a friend to many, and my loving husband. He became a grandfather to two little girls and later in life a grandson. He was a Mason, a proud a righteous organization, and he withheld their values.

He loved working on cars, his trade actually, and restored many GTO's in his lifetime. He loved hunting and fishing, but was not too keen on trapping it was a lot of work to check the traps every day he thought.  He loved Moosehead and often as a young man, went to his parents camp on the lake, wishing he had the foresight to buy the property when they sold it.

He loved his friends and would do anything for them from insulating an attic, to shooting skunks that invaded people's property, to sitting with our friend when someone came by to clean her chimney, he was there with a smile and glad I could help attitude!!

He loved his children and his step children and was proud of them all for the many accomplishments they achieved. He fought various types cancers for years, one life threatening, but he never ever complained or said "why me?"

He was an excellent husband who was always willing to help out with "women chores" as he called them. He loved Maine and the four seasons it offered him, so he moved to Maine from Massachusetts and found a camp in Harmony. called it home or as the sign on the front porch reads, "Witt's End".

The love of my life died on July 16th so the certificate of death reads, actually that was the day his body was recovered from Great Moose Lake. He now is with  his family who went before him, and I am sure he has lots to say to them even though in life he never talked much.

So today, 24,455 more or less days ago a great man was born, my husband, William Arthur Witt, Happy Birthday in Heaven my love. God Bless you!!

Father and sons!!!

Thank a Veteran

Our Nation under God will be the land of the free as long as it is the home of the brave. On November 11th a day that has been set aside for us to honor all veterans who served their country and were willing to lay down their lives so we the people could live in a free America.

I am proud to say that I have two children who served their country, my daughter Rebecca who joined the Navy and served her country for eight years, and my son Tony who served his country for four in the Navy as well. Fortunately they never saw any action, however they were ready, willing and able to defend the great USA if they were needed.

My husband served his country in the USMC during the Vietnam War in Khe Sanh. He like many of our men who returned home were spat upon and called "baby Killers" words that cut him like a hot iron. He suffered from PTSD and what is called survivors guilt. He cried often with me asking "why me?" "Why did I survive and not my boys?" I had no answer. He went for counseling for years and years and only recently found a counselor who cared and helped him.

He was startled with fire works yet he attended with me each and every year here in Harmony when they were at the Harmony Free Fair. Now that Maine has legal fireworks there were times when neighbors would set them off unexpectedly and he would tighten up, friends saw that at his home on July 4th when we held a celebration of America's birthday with friends. 

He suffered from agent orange and various cancers but he never complained, only those closest to him and cared about him knew, those being his wife. He suffered in silence and told me many times, "I would do it all over again honey, only different this time and my boys would come with me."

We have many Veterans in our town of Harmony and all over our state, so take a moment and thank them, they will look startled when you say it, for it is not done enough, but when they get home and they think about it, they will feel honored, how do I know? I saw it once when Bill and I were out and this man walked up to him and thanked him for his service and yes Bill was taken aback, but as the man extended his hand Bill gave him his, and Bill being Bill said, "you are welcome my friend." They both felt great.

So thank you Becky, Tony, Bill, Victor my nephew who serves today, Josh, my son in law who is serving and Justin, for your service. Because of you and your many sacrifices we live in a free America.

Veterans Day a day we honor our men and woman and animals who served their country.