Roman Roadwalkers Adventures

August 21, 2008

Pink Mules and Penny Candy Memories

Today was fun, or at least that is the way it worked out.

First off for some insane reason I decided to participate in a postcard exchange. I live in a small town and no one had any postcards. Called all the big stores, little stores, finally in one little mom and pop drug store they found a small display stashed in the back covered in dust and faded by sun. So off I went to Ward's Pharmacy to look at old postcards.

So I get there and they show me the display. It's tiny but the cards were nice. You had to go down a couple layers to find ones that were not faded, but even then, they were nice. I picked what i wanted and the guy told me that because they were old, just give him a dollar and consider it done.

Now I was riding with Mary, my home aide. She wanted to look at a few things so I decided to give in to a bout of nostalgia. So here goes.

Ward's Pharmacy is about the only store on our town square that has been there longer than me. As a kid my parents would take me to town and we would shop. First we would stop at Woolworth. I would look at the toys, then go to the back to see the fish and birds. If it was a special day such as my birthday i might even get a new toy from the ladies who worked the store. Sometimes mom and dad would let me stay there to play with the ladies while they went to stores I might not enjoy.

Next we were of around the corner to Rose's Department Store. It was a small little store but it felt big. You could get lost in small aisles, try to sneak up the stairs to see what was up there, or hang out and hope mom would spring for a bag of fresh popcorn. If you were really lucky you could get a small bag free for being good.

Around the corners again and off to Ward's. Ward's has a soda shop. Icecream, sodas, floats, chips, candy, all kinds of stuff. They had booths but as a kid I wanted the big metal trimmed stool just like in a diner.

As a teen, Ward's was the place to be. I'd walk to town every Thursday to see the new comic books, get either a Lemon Sour or Pink Mule to drink and sit at the fountain and visit. There was Ms Annie who did the sodas and if he was not too busy, Mr. Ward would pull out the photo albums and we would talk until I had to go home. Mr Ward always kept the store full of old displays, kept odd products on the shelves so that the place looked like a moment in time frozen.

Ward's is about the only place left. All the other old stores are gone. Now we have a pizza place, music store and a Christian Bookstore on one side and the other side is JC Pools and a few other places. We have a fountain, and Old Dutchie to watch over things. I miss it sometimes.

Well back to today. I bought me a Mule. They dropped the Pink part. It's basically cherry lemonaid but more tart. Mary had to try one too. And she bought a bag of penny candy. It's not a penny anymore but she still got a nice bag for her buck. Miss Annie is still there. She just turned 98 and has trained her grandson to be a soda jerk. Mister Ward is long gone, but his family still runs the pharmacy. They have a few modern things but mostly the same old displays, odd bits and such are still there. It was a lovely memory shared with a new friend.

So that set the tone for my day.

God bless
RRW / Patrick

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Aug 21, 2008 | 0 comments | |

June 2, 2008

Road Trip!

Okay, here I go again.
Every year friends of mine have me come visit them in Kansas. Normall I go during Winter for the holidays but this year I am going in Summer.

My God neice is going on a trip to Europe and I want to be there to send her off.

I will be leaving Georgia on the 16th of June and returning on July 4th.

As usual there is no such thing as a straight trip anywhere. Just to get to the airport here I will have to ride in a car, a buss and two trains. Then the flight has a layover in Philly. Then on the way home I get to reverse it except for a layover in DC. I'm gonan be in DC on the 4th! Way cool!

I've been saving up to buy a really good camera so I hope to have tons of photos to scrap when I get home.

So wish me a Bon Voyage!

RRW

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Jun 2, 2008 | 0 comments | |

December 8, 2007

Sad Joy

I heard a song years ago called Rainy Season. It was about how sometimes we just need to cry. Not because we are sad, or angry and anything like that, but because we just need to cry.

I've been in a rainy season for awhile now. Christmas is always a bit rainy for me. Not because I don't enjoy it but because I do. I enjoy sappy movies that make me boo hoo for the dozenth time. I enjoy feeling bad for Charlie Brown and then getting all choked up at the end. I watch Nestor and cry when he is sad and happy when he triumphs. I hear music and bawl like a baby.

Now you may wonder about the title of this post. I take joy in my sad times, my rainy seasons. When my heart is full and about to burst, I am alive. i am never more real than when my heart is full and my eyes full.

In a few days this will pass and I will be my usual cheerful self. But for now I relish every life affirming tear that tells me my heart is strong and soft and filled to burst.

Today my joy is sad, tomorrow it may be happy. Sad or happy, there will be joy. Through tears or twinkle my eyes will see joy for another day.

Love you all
Roman Roadwalker

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Dec 8, 2007 | 0 comments | |

December 1, 2007

Scrapping in the Big Guys House

My Pastor mentioned he wanted ideas for small groups. Well I immediately suggested a scrapbooking group. He added it to the list and there are about a half dozen or so people interested so who knows, very soon I may be leading a group of scrappers at church.

Woo hoo!

Huggles
RRW

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Dec 1, 2007 | 0 comments | |

November 3, 2007

Feelin' Scrappy

I guess I had a good night. I slept through most of it.
Normally I do not go to bed until around 3 or 4 in the morning. Almost never until after 1, Last Night I was sound asleep by midnight. I felt fine, just was ready for bed. I got my full 8 plus a tad and feel great.

I posted on my Facebook that I was feeling scrappy today. Don't know what I will make but I want to make something for my scrapbook. I'v got an idea in the works. I have gathered pictures of all my pastors. I'm going to make a "spiritual heritage" page and have each of them on their with notes about how the effected me as a Christian. I'd do it now, but I have to wait for the ink I ordered for my printer to get here. It should be here by next week sometime. The company I order from delivers rather quickly.

Huggles
RRW

Friends are Like Scrapbooks
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posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Nov 3, 2007 | 0 comments | |

Feeling Scrappy

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Nov 3, 2007 | 0 comments | |

November 1, 2007

The Doctor is Soooooo In

As you can guess by my latest page. I LOVE DOCTOR WHO!
It has been a favorite show since I was in college. Now that it is back, I wait impatiently for each new episode. I cannot wait for the Christmas episode this year. Even tho I am in the US, I have a friend in the UK who will get me the ep as soon as it is aired, so I won't have to wait long.

So that is why I did a Doctor Who page.

Have any of you ever done a page for a favorite TV show, movie, actor/actress? I wanna see.

Doctor Who Fan Page
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posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Nov 1, 2007 | 0 comments | |

October 28, 2007

Taking the challenge

Well, I entered my first challenge. I've been looking for the right one to try and finally decided to just go for it.

There is still a week to go. so we will just have to see how it turns out. I attached the one I submitted.

Wish me luck.
RRW

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Oct 28, 2007 | 0 comments | |

October 26, 2007

I started a group today.

Being one of the only guys I know of who enjoy scrapping, I decided to start a group to meet others.

http://www.scrapbookflair.com/groups/Guys_that_Scrap

If you are a guy (or know one) who scraps, please send them along. I would love to meet other guys who scrap.

RRW

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Oct 26, 2007 | 0 comments | |

October 25, 2007

Memories

I think over the last few weeks I know why people scrap. It's to remember. Sure there are other ways to remember. I could journal, but eventually the words would lose the ability to make me see. I could make a photo album but there is no context to a bunch of random photos.

If a picture paints a thousand words, a scrap page paints a memory.

I made a page for my dad today. He died over 18 yeas ago. That's almost half my life. I found a photo I had lost and was surprised that I couldn't remember his face. I had forgotten what he looked like and that hurt. So I made a page. There is not a lot on it. His favorite colors, a watch band because he was never fully dressed without his watch. A guitar, because his second life was muxic. Finding just the right guitar was a job but I found one that was perfect. I used his full name since most people probably did not even know it. To the world he was Bud.

To me, he was Papa. And I never want to forget him again.

RRW

My Papa
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posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Oct 25, 2007 | 1 comments | |

October 24, 2007

How I got started Scrapping (whether I liked it or not)

A few weeks ago I visited friends in Kansas. I go every year for a week or two to catch up with them and as a chance to get away. I rarely go anywhere so any trip is a big deal. I traveled with my friends mom. She gets a companion for the trip and I get a free trip. We are great friends so it works out well all the way around.

Well this year I find out that Mom is a budding Scrapbooker and wants to teach her daughter and the grands how. Well that left me with the choice of scrapping or sitting in a corner and being quiet. Now anyone who knows me, quiet is not in my vocab. TV was not an option as they did not have cable. The Internet was not really an option as they use a Mac and those machines hate me.

Well I agreed to "give it a try". I made a page and loved it. I made another, and another. Long after eveyone else was moving on, i was still scrapping. I ended up at a Walmart where I blew almost my entire trip budget on supplies. Now I am hooked. I am trying to find a group of friends at church to create a Scrapping group. I don't like scrapping alone. I will, but a group is so much more fun.

Finding Scrapping Flair is a godsend for me. Now I can scrap to my hearts content and share my work with friends, family and friends to be.

I don't if they have Scrappers Anonymous, but if they do, I refuse to go. This is one addiction I plan on feeding and enjoying.

Until next time.

Huggles and Happy Scrapping
Roman Roadwalker

posted by Roman Roadwalker @ Oct 24, 2007 | 0 comments | |