Dad - Colonel E. Dale Boggie, United States Air Force, Retired.
Dad got orders to Viet Nam; so Mom (Sharon), my sister and I moved to Wrightwood, a small San Bernardino mountain town from Lompoc where dad was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. We moved into a cozy cabin in the woods next to a German woman who taught me to make baked apples, and we spent time exploring the woods around us, swimming at the Burns' pool in the summer, and part of school in the winter was skiing. Benefit of living in a ski town.
Mom and Dad made it a memorable time in our lives - focusing on adventures - hiding their own fears and heartache.
Every week we looked forward to the mail – getting a cassette tape from Dad! They were always so exciting! He would tell stories of his adventures, the country and people with local music or sounds in the background. We felt we were in the middle of the jungle. It was so exotic.
We couldn’t wait to record our tape telling him of our adventures, singing and playing our instruments.
We felt so connected and I could imagine him sitting with his scotch smoking a cigar and chuckling, probably with a tear in his eye.
He came home on leave at Christmas. My sister dressed like Santa Claus and I was a reindeer using a doll crib as our sleigh coming down the stairs Christmas morning. Mom and Dad had a treasure hunt with new clues at each stop. We tromped all over the woods ending at the German neighbors' shed - 4 brand new Sears 3-speed bikes!
The day he left, we thought the snow would keep him home. As we watched them drive away in our white station wagon, that was the only time I felt sadness that year.
Mom & Dad kept our childhood innocent and magical and continue that with our kids. I think we will make a cassette for them this Christmas!
Castle Rock, CO
