Birthday of my Father

Today is the anniversary of the birth of my father, John Maydwell _____

He was born in 1910.

He was born in his home, in the very bedroom that he would occupy as a child and leave only when he married my mother and they set up housekeeping together in an apartment in Washington DC. His home was at 129 C St. NE. The building no longer exists. Below is a picture of the 2 "New" Senate Office Buildings. Where you see the Red Box is approximately where 129 C St. used to be located. The 100 block of C St. NE, incidentally, is no longer a public thoroughfare. Instead it is the entrance to a parking lot for those who have offices in the Senate Office Buildings.

My father was the son of Charles F. ________, and Mary Josephine ________.

The Doctor who was in attendance at this home birth (this was not the normal procedure back then), was the cousin of my grandmother, "Cousin Mill." This gentleman would continue to play a part in the boyhood of my father. Dad used to accompany him as he made his round of "house calls." (Those were the days when Doctors made house calls instead of making you come to their office.)

Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 1

Today I will begin a series of pictures in honor of one of the "Great Adventures" of my life, my deployment to Honduras. A little over 20 years ago, December 21, 1987 to be exact, I boarded a plane at Yeager Airport in Charleston and landed approximately 24 hours later in Honduras to begin the second longest overseas deployment of my military career, as the Chaplain in charge of the Religious Program for Fuertes Caminos '88.

I will discuss what Fuertes Caminos ' 88 was, and my role in it at a later time. Today I will begin a series showing my "take" on one of the most interesting aspects of Honduras, The Mayan Ruins at Copan. Since I visited the ruins in 1988 (I was there twice) there has been much more Archeological work. This new work has furthered our understanding of what this place really was. But, for the most part, this new work has not changed the overall interpretation of what Copan was since I was there. Rather it has simply added to it.

Copan today is located on the north central border of Honduras near the Guatemalan border. In the years surrounding 800 A.D. it was one of several Mayan City States whose prominence in the Mayan world was unquestioned.

By far, for me the most interesting part of the ruins were these Stele found in the Plaza area of the excavated site.



These Stele were rather large, as this picture with part of my party visible to the left demonstrate. (Note the individual leaning on the Stele was not one of our party, but rather a Honduran guide in the employment of the Honduran equivalent of our National Park Service.)



These Stele were not only carved figures but they were also a place to record events. On the back of each one were a series of Glyphs.



Archeologists are just now beginning to understand the meaning of each of these Glyphs.

Yes more present opening, a dinner, . . . and Goodbye

Well, yesterday was day 3 of our Christmas present opening (and we still have 4 more left to open either today or tomorrow, we're not quite up to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" but we're closing in on the idea). Here is John showing off his new raincoat that he received for his GrandMom and Pops.

Then, in the evening, we all went out for a family dinner at the Whitewater Grill located in the Charleston Town Center Marriot Hotel.

After dinner, some of us went over to the Charleston Town Center Mall across the street and tried to walk some of our food off. John found a "School Bus" over there he just had to drive!

But alas, today is a new day. First, Martha and Sydney left at the crack of dawn and then John and his Mommy and Daddy left to return home. We shall miss them all.

Christmas with John & Sidney

Yesterday my other "grandchild" showed up. He is not a frisky 20 month old little boy, but rather an Australian Cattle Dog named "Sydney" by his "mother," Martha.

John doesn't quite know what to think about Sydney. He will say "dog" and start to get near, and then thinks the better of it and pulls away.

Nevertheless, it was good to see almost "all my children" (only missing Chris) in my home at once. "Kinda does a fellow's heart good" is the hackneyed phrase often used.



One other significant event happened yesterday. I heard, and I think his parents also heard, John speak his first complete sentance. He was opening one of his presents from his Auntie Martha and Uncle Chris. It was a children's volume they had purchased for him in New Mexico on their recent trip there. Upon opening it, John said very clearly "It's a book."



Then he read through the book several times right there on the sofa.



Well, one more day of this type of posting, and then, who knows?

Christmas 2007

Our New York family visited us in WV for Christmas.

On Monday, the 24th, we took them up to Hawk's Nest State Park. Kathryn had wanted to take them there. We stopped at the overlook and then had a picnic lunch.

The next day was Christmas. We had the traditional present opening. But having a 20 month old grandson made a lot of difference. It had been a while since GrandMom and I had seen a young child do this. We both enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

His "Santa" presents were a truck and an Elmo doll.

Later, he presented presents to his parents.

A good time was had by all.

Introduction

This will be an attempt to allow family and friends to follow my travels and other important events in my life.