What’s in Mrs. Hale’s Receipt for the Million 1857?
In which she repeats herself, but well worth repeating for our troops today.

309. Water-proof Boots.–I have had three pairs of boots for the last six years (no shoes) and I think I shall not require any more for the next six ears to come. The reason is, that I treat them in the  following manner: I put a pound of tallow and half a pound of rosin in a pot on the fire; when melted and mixed, I warm the boots and apply the hot stuff with a painter’s brush, until neither the the sole or the upper-leather ill suck in any more. It is desired that the boots should immediately take a polish, melt an ounce of wax with a tea-spoonful of lamp-black. A day after the boots have been treated with tallow and rosin, rub over them this wax in turpentine, but not before the fire. The exterior will them have a coat of wax along, and will shine like mirror. Tallow or any other grease becomes rancid, and rots the stitching as well as the leather.

Remembering, Remembering

My great-grandfather served as a Union surgeon with the 111^th PA (Gettysburg and beyond) and the 114^th PA.

But dearest to me, is my husband, who died  suddenly 11 years ago. He served in 1st Cav, just a 19 year-old in 1967. He was a radio operator assigned to Special Forces. One of  the places was LZ Sharon. Maybe I’ll find out where that was one of these days. Here’s what he wrote in one letter:

“Last few day’s I’ve been doing “Nothing’, Nothing but pick and shovel work for 12 hours a day/ We’re still out here miles from no-where.  Building bunkers that will supposedly withstand anything Charlie can heave at us. I’ve yet to see one hold up.”

We took his ashes up into the mountains to a alpine lake he loved. Some days he seems so far away. Other times close by. I want him to be remembered so I think that I WILL follow through and find a spot for remaining ash that mysteriously showed up a year later. I want a place close by so each special day the troops are remembered, he will be remembered.