Family and fort

Rossville, Georgia USA

I thank each of you for your support concerning my little episode atop Lookout Mt. You are each a blessing to me.
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We are having frequent and—at times—heavy rain showers today. Much needed.
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The worst problem with our journey to Chattanooga is that it did not last long enough, but like with everyone else, money is always a problem. I have an aunt who lives in Rossville, Georgia and we had to drive through that town to get to our motel in Ft. Oglethorpe. I could possibly be wrong; she may not be still alive. She is my dad's sister and although I was never real close to her or her family, I at one time considered us as all family. My dad died and they kept coming to JC to see my mom and other kin, including myself. After my mom died I swapped email addresses with my first cousin and told them they were welcome to stay with us when they came to town and they said the same to me. Soon afterward they let it be known that they considered me as the Black Sheep of the family and did not want anything to do with me; my emails went unanswered, phone conversations were terse at best, and birthday and holiday greetings received no responses. The truth is that three of her four brothers were black sheep and that includes my dad; maybe she figured enough was enough. When Carolyn and I were in Chattanooga in 2007, we drove by my aunt's house and she and the family were outside barbecuing for Labor Day. I did not stop and they did not pay any attention to us going by. On Sunday past we again drove by their house, but no one was outside, therefore I know not if my aunt still lives.

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U.S. Army barracks, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

The photo of the decrepit white building was made at old Fort Oglethorpe which was located just a bit southeast of Chattanooga and I think it is the very barracks where my dad was housed while taking U.S. Army basic training in 1943 during WWII. In 1952 when I was about eight years old, we visited my aunt and my dad took us out to the by then closed base; it was created just for the war effort. He drove down a gravel street and told us that this was his home during basic training; well, at least most of the time. Like I said, he was a black sheep and spent many days in the detention stockade. In fact, after the war ended and he had recovered from his wounds, he was forced to spend an additional 128 days in the stockade in South Carolina because he was such a bad boy while in Europe. Anyway, the old fort buildings which are still standing are being converted into apartments, condos, and stores of various types. This is one of the last ones to be reborn, and the far end which does not show in this photo already has a beauty salon. The entire outside front has been remodeled and now has brick or vinyl siding. The old fort parade ground is now a municipal ball field and park for the town of Ft. Oglethorpe which grew up around the base when it was in its heyday.
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Have a Wednesday!
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