Book Review The Candy Bombers

This is a long post, but the book is verrrry long. I listened to the audio version and it was just under 25 hours.

In 1948 American Forces were transporting necessary supplies to West Berlin by truck, train and barges. Russia in an attempt to control all of Berlin blockaded those transports in June. American and British pilots risked their lives to air lift billions of pounds. One Pilot and his crew won the hearts of German Children and their parents by dropping candy tied to tiny parachutes to the children.

Publisher's Weekly said that this book could have been cut by a third, I agree that this book is too long, and sometimes difficult to follow (at least in the first half.) The writing style while factual (taken from journals and diaries) is also very dry. I listened to the audio edition and the reader shows very little emotion and is very flat. It did improve in the last half.

I learned many things from this book. Considering that this took place less than one year before I was born, I would have thought that I would have heard someone talk about it

I don't remember ever even hearing about the Berlin airlift, I did not realize
• That the United States and their allies were very close to going to war with Russia in 1948.
• That the United States military force was very small and after much debate and argument, the draft was reinstated in the spring of '48.
• That, according to Cherny, the Berlin Airlift was a huge factor in Truman's re-election.
• That the Airlift , and the candy drops were one of the big reasons that Germany remained a democratic republic, rather than turning to Communism.
There are things that could be very emotional, the first time the airlift pilots say a bombed out Germany, the pilots meeting the German people and their feelings about saving them, when just a few years earlier they were trying to destroy them.

The writing style while factual (taken from journals and diaries) is also very dry. I listened to the audio edition and the reader shows very little emotion and is very flat.
It did improve in the last half. Even a few moments that were a little humorous, for example:
• When General Lucius Clay, military governor of Germany was preparing to return to the United States after being fired, everything in his house was packed up and they had begun shipping things home. They day before he was scheduled to ship out he was told he would be needed to stay. He went home and told his wife they were not leaving and she said but you can't, you have no pants.
• Some of the interactions between the very shy "candy bomber" Gail "Hal" Halvorson and his fiance and wife.
The airlift almost failed, but after Liutenant General William Tunner was put in charge the Airforce carried billions of tons of food and coal to keep the people of West Berlin alive during the winter of 1948-49.

Lt. Gail Halvorson became a celebrity and made the rounds of the talk shows on the new Television media. because he started dropping candy on handkerchief parachutes to children who were watching the planes come in delivering the supplies to a blockaded West Berlin.
Children and parents wrote thank-you letters to Halvorson calling him Uncle Wiggly Wings because Halvorson would wiggle the plane wings as a signal just before he made the drops, Candy Bomber , Bonbon Bomber, Chocolate Uncle.

As I said I had never heard about much of this. I knew that Gemany was divided, and that East Germany and East Berlin were ruled by Communists, but I had not heard of the Russian Blocade, the Berlin Airlift, or the Candy Bombers. Not from my father, who served in WWII, or my Uncles who were stationed in Germany in the 50's, or in any of my History classes in school.

I think someone could make a really good movie from this. If you like history in general and World War II in particular I would recommend this book, but read the text version so you can skim over the less interesting parts.

Birds at the feeder.

OK this weather is really starting to get on my nerves. It hasn't been this cold for this long for quite a few years. We haven't had this many days of consecutive day of snow for several years either.
Charlie saw bluebirds at the feeders the other day. He got a couple of pictures.





I took these of cardinal this morning.

All of these were taken through the living room window It is too cold to stand outside and wait for the birds to come to the feeder.

Snow, what's new? - 4 H, family visits

It snowed most of the night and most of the day, I think.

Charlie had a 4-H meeting, this afternoon and wanted to get "snacks" for the meeting, so he went to grocery shopping with me. I spent 1/3 more than I usually do.

Charlie's brother, Dick and his wife, drove from Houghton Lake to Lansing to see some of Charlotte's family and came down here for a short visit.

All but 1 of the 4-H members showed up for the meeting, and all but one of those parents, it was an organizational meeting, so he asked the parents to come. One of the families has 6 kids and all but one of them is not old enough to show horses. Boy do they have a lot of energy. The last of them left after 8:00.

Charlie says he is going ice fishing tomorrow, I guess in the evening we are going out to dinner. He told me on Thursday he was taking me out to dinner on Sunday for my birthday.
My don't I lead an exciting life.

Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday. I turned 60 years old today and 'know what? I don't care that I'm 60. I have a great life, I like my work, I have a great family (all of them brothers sister nieces, aunts, uncles nephews), good friends, and I have my health. Sure I have a few things wrong, but that is what comes from 60 years of experience.

Turning 39 bothered me- Turning 60 feels great. Even if the day did start a little slow.
I listened to the TV weather and Darin Rockcole said there was about 1-3 inches of snow. OK that's not too bad even if I do HATE driving in snow.

I walked out opened the door turned around and put on my boots (I think that was more than 3 inches)
The car doors were frozen shut. It took a few minutes, but I got them open and dropped my purse in the snow.
Started the car- cleaned off the window, started for work
Got half way there realized I had forgotten my phone, it is home on the charger., guess I better make sure I don't go into a snow bank and have to call a tow truck.
Also realized I have a small crack in the windshield that was not there when I cleaned off the window.
Country roads aren't too bad. M50 is a little snow covered but not bad.

Got into town. - went through McD's for a breakfast sandwich.
Stopped at a light, it turns gree I started my left turn and felt the car slip and slid so I took my foot off the gas, the mini-van behind me is so close I can't see the headlights.
Stop at the next light. A little pick-up in front of me tries to take off and throws snow so I slow down and back off, the mini- passes me on the right to turn on to I94.

Traffic on the Main downtown streets, Michigan and West is back up about 3 blocks.
I got to work OK. I'm really not going to let stupid drivers bother me. I don't care.

Had a great day. I am training a new reference librarian who is full of energy and fun and really excited about working in the library.

Found out that in India turning 60 signifies a new stage in your life, a stage of spirituality and introspection. In India, couple renew their wedding vows when the husband turns 60.

Most of the Administrative staff suprised me with lunch at the Olive garden, flowers and gifts.

All in all a very good day

January 9, 2009
After I posted this I remembered this poem that I think may become part of my philosophy

Warning

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in the slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

- Jenny Joseph (1961)

Math story problems

It's snowing again, it took me twice as long to get home as usual. I wouldn't mind the snow so much if I didn't have to drive on it.

We, well the director, is writing a grant that involves teaching computer classes in low income neighbor hoods. He asked me to figure out a schedule for the classes, how many we would have to offer etc.

So here are the figures.
450 people need to take classes,
9 computers in the traveling lab.
Classes are 2-2.5 hours long and there are 9 sessions for each class.
18 months to complete the project

The director had worked on the grant writing for so long that he was no help by then, and didn't want to see it until our meeting tomorrow morning.

So I sat there staring at my computer. My brain had turned to mush. I couldn't even figure out what it was we wanted to know.

So I called a co-worker from down the hall the IT person. She took one look at and said I never could do story problem. I need a white board or something.

So we went to the conference room and called in her assistant.

He said, "the train arrives in Chicago at 11:30." Then he said he was going to call his pre-algebra teacher. By this time I had gotten the giggles.

Then the administrative secretary came in with a pad and paper.
The HR Administrator came in with a calculator.

The director told him we might need some help.

I told them the figures, They looked at them, and said it will take 5 years to do all of those classes. It has really been nice working with you.

OK so before I tell you the answer, how many classes do I have to offer to teach 450 people in 18 months?

No cheating. Don't look until you at least try to figure it out.















Have you figured it out? No peeking!!!



















I mean it no peeking!!!!!!













OK so0000

Our target audience is 450 people.
Number of weeks to complete the project 18 months x 4 weeks per month= 72 weeks.
Number of weeks in each series of classes = 9
Number of series we can run = 72 weeks/9 = 8 series
450 people/ 8 series groups = 56.2 people in each group
56.2 people /9 computers = 6.24 sessions per week.

Very good.

2.5 hours per class session +2.0 hours of set up = 0.5 hours of travel + 5 hours per session

5 hours per session x 6.24 sessions a week = 31.2 hours a week.

Great!!!! - Good job

Comfort Foods

Here I am staring a blank page and not knowing what to write about. We had my family Christmas on Sunday the 27th. We all had fun with the babies. I worked 2 days, then had 2 days off, then worked one day, and have two days off. Geeze, next week I have to work 40 hours, that may be hard.

It has been nice being able to drive to work on clear dry roads this week after so much snow for several days.

I didn't make any new years resolutions this year, I usually don't stick to them anyway.

My brother suggested that after I wrote the blog about what yuckky things, we ate or our parents made us eat as kids. I should do a blog about what are some of the good things we ate as kids, what was your favorite food? Do you still like it? Have you had it recently? Is it the same as it was when you were a kid.

I'll start: I used to love my grandmother's cherry pudding. I tried to make it a while back, using her recipe, it was awful.
I loved her molasses cookies but I can't make them either. I guess Michelle has figured it out.
Other favorites - Mom's potato soup. homemade bread, sugar cookies .....
Your turn. Leave a comment and let me know.