This weekend marks my 15TH anniversary back in Homestead following my original nearly 5-year residence from December 01ST 1987 through the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew on August 24TH 1992. I was away from Homestead for nearly 19 months, and I never really thought that I would see it again – until just a few months before I actually moved back down here.
Homestead Air Force Base officially reopened as Homestead Air Reserve Station (now Base) on this exact weekend in March of 1994 as our Squadron of F-16 jets came roaring back to life across the subtropical blue skies of America’s Riviera.
It was “The Sign” that Homestead was starting to get back to normal again.
I present to you for your ‘Saturday Night Retro’ review – this U.S. platinum pop smash that spent 10 months on the pop charts in 1994. It was the runaway # 1 smash in the entire free nation as our jets returned back home again on that glorious 3RD weekend in March of 1994.
Exactly 18 years ago this weekend I returned home from the Saudi Arabian sands in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Here’s a timeline:
Sat. Mar. 09 1991 0326L – Departed Al Kharj AB Saudi Arabia.
Sat. Mar. 09 1991 0833L – Arrived Torrejon AB Spain.
Sat. Mar. 09 1991 1357L – Departed Torrejon AB Spain.
Sat. Mar. 09 1991 1656L – Arrived Dover AFB Delaware.
(Spent the night at a hotel in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.)
Sun. Mar. 10 1991 0756L – Departed Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Sun. Mar. 10 1991 1001L – Arrived Miami Florida.
3 days later I drove nearly 1,100 miles from Homestead AFB to Northern Virginia to spend the rest of the month of March 1991 with my family. (The USAF gave us returning veterans that free time off following the war to spend with our families.)
And now for your ‘Saturday Night Retro’ review I present to you “Voices That Care”. Spot the stars from 1991. They cared for us back then. Unfortunately it’s a different world today.
I’ve got over a dozen pictures of varying sizes on display atop the entertainment center in my living room. I frequently look at them. They are pictures of me, my brother, my mom, my dad, and my cats over the years. My brother appears the most number of times within these pictures – a total of 12. By comparison I’m only featured 7 times !
The oldest picture of them all features me, my mom, and my dad. It was probably our first professional family portrait, and I believe that it was done in 1972 – perhaps 1973 – when I was 5 or 6. The photo studio imprinted on the back of it was located in Lanham Maryland not too far away from the Catholic Church that we attended back then. It looks like I’m wearing my Sunday finest !
Here now is the earliest picture of me that you’ll ever see (unless an even earlier picture of me is discovered – very possible). As usual I removed my mom and my dad from the picture to protect the innocent:
Me At 5 ... Or 6
Incidentally that teddy bear that I’m holding was not even mine. It was supplied to me by the photographer so that I would look even cuter in the photo-op.
According to a photo album that my mom has of me it is well documented that my favourite television show at the time (1972-1973) was “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home” – an animated family sitcom much like “The Flintstones” of the 1960s. Check out its memorable theme song, and if you’re over 40-years-old and remember all of the lyrics to it then sing along with me:
This is perhaps one of my favourite weekly series here on this blog to prepare for, compile, and then ultimately publish for your reading and viewing pleasure. It allows me to reminisce about my storied past. It’s a past that spans from a mere millisecond ago to sometime in 1966 when God created me.
Allow me to do a bit of reminiscing here.
A week ago tonight I was exploring and enjoying the Carnival Fantasy as she sailed southbound down the Mississippi River towards the Gulf Of Mexico.
5 years ago on this holiday weekend I spent 2 days and 2 nights up at my former playground of the Walt Disney World area. I used to go up there for wild and crazy fun several times per year for about a dozen years. Other than once on church business (last April) I haven’t been up there in nearly 27 months.
18 years ago this week in 1991 I was living in a MASSIVE tent city in Saudi Arabia serving during Operation Desert Storm. At that time I didn’t know when I would be able to return back home stateside. War is tough, but ironically I had a lot of fun in the sand over there. For many reasons (including the successful war campaign) 1991 was the greatest year of my active duty military career.
34 years ago on tomorrow’s date in 1975 I had my first Communion ceremony at Catholic school as a second grader. Communion means so much more to me today than it did 34 years ago – or even 4 years ago. Tomorrow morning during the first church service I’ll be at my usual position serving Communion to my brothers and sisters of Life Pointe Church at one of four stations set up inside the theatre.
It’s fun to reminisce about the past, but it’s all about facing the future and moving forward aggresively while chasing daylight.
Here’s a cool tune from a cool band out of Australia that’s still alive and touring today all over the world. From 1978 it’s “Reminiscing” from Little River Band. It’s one of my favourite songs of its genre of all-time. Enjoy !
CountUp 