Working Hard, Witnessing Living History

This past week has been quite good at the rental branch. Our assistant manager Miranda has been off on vacation this past week, but the rest of us have stepped up to keep things going so well.

Home on Thursday (26 April), I helped mom with her new lawn mower, which she bought the day before. (The previous one had engine damage that was impossible to repair.) After trying to get everything set up, I was able to mow the front lawn with the new mower. It worked out very well.

I was back at Circus Flora (http://circusflora.org/) Thursday night for another volunteer shift. We had a very nice crowd for the show.

After a full day of work yesterday, I relaxed at home that night. This morning, though, I was at Jefferson Barracks County Park (https://www.stlouisco.com/parksandrecreation/parkpages/jeffersonbarracks) for World War II Weekend (https://www.facebook.com/events/2047820755453633/), a living history event this weekend. Reinactors of German, US, British, Canadian, and Soviet troops camped at the park--complete with authentic uniforms, arms, equipment, and accessories. I saw a skirmish involving the Germans and Americans, with troops shooting blanks while giving visitors a feel for World War II small unit combat. It is quite a nice event and rather appropriate it is being held at a former military post.

Later.

Evading Fake Bullets and Real Rain

One week ago tonight (21 April) found me at Creve Coeur Airport (http://www.crevecoeurairport.com/) for the Missouri Aviation Historical Society (https://moavhist.org/) meeting. The late Missouri aviator Gene Talbott was remembered, with his movies taken while serving as a McDonnell Douglas engineer during the Vietnam War were screened. They were silent films, but most interesting in showing carrier operations off Vietnam and the shore bases in South Vietnam and the Philippines. We also got an update on the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show and STEM Expo (http://spirit-airshow.com/) on 14-15 May. I am looking forward to that show.

Saturday morning (23 April) found me at Jefferson Barracks County Park (http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/JeffersonBarracks) in south St. Louis County for the annual World War II Weekend (http://2ndrangers.org/wwii_weekend.php). Hundreds of reinactors played American, German, British, Canadian, Australian, and Soviet troops. I came in time for a battle where these reinactors battled--shooting blanks, of course--in demonstrating how soldiers fought in World War II. After the battle, I toured the various encampments where the reinactors talked with visitors and displayed their uniforms, equipment, and weapons. It is always a most interesting time for this history buff.

That night, I was at Worldwide Technology Soccer Park (http://saintlouisfc.com/soccerpark) for the St. Louligans Trivia Night. I joined with others to answer various trivia questions while raising money for the St. Louligans (http://stlouligans.com/) tailgate fund and the Soccer Park refurbishment. My team did very well, finishing second. After the trivia, we watched the Saint Louis FC away match at Sacramento Republic. (Saint Louis won, 1-0.) A very good night overall.

Back to work on Monday after a relaxing Sunday at home. Monday night, I was at home watching the St. Louis Blues (http://blues.nhl.com/) defeat the Chicago Blackhawks and advance in the NHL (https://www.nhl.com/) Stanley Cup Playoffs. Go Blues!

Around midday Tuesday (26 April), we got some stormy weather. Thunderstorms, a touch of hail, and winds battered our area. Fortunately, the worst passed Ellisville. After work, I drove to Rick Keasey's house in Edwardsville for the IPMS/Gateway (http://www.ipms-gateway.com/) business meeting, where we planned next month's meeting and discussed club business. A lot of driving that day.

This morning on my day off, workers came to the house to replace the mattresses on my and my mom's beds. The old mattress was badly in need of replacement, and the new one should work out very well for years to come.

I have a busy weekend ahead, starting with volunteering Saturday afternoon at the Greater St. Louis Book Fair (http://stlouisbookfair.org/) at West County Center. I'm also volunteering at Sunday morning's Roller Coaster Race at Six Flags St. Louis (http://rollercoasterrace.com/races/st-louis-mo-10k-5k-six-flags/). More on all that in my next post.

Later