Lately I've been 'traveling' into the past, remembering events and people I knew. I know you can't 'go home' as they say and about the only way to revisit such experiences is through memory. But sometimes memory just doesn't do enough. There are a couple of long-ago friends I would love to get in touch with. But even the magic of the internet doesn't have the 'ooomph' of Professor Peabody's WayBack Machine that I seem to need.
Still, other folks out there do lots of searches, so I thought I'd do up a post or two about a couple of old friends I'm looking for. Perhaps those friends, or folks that know of them, might find this blog and lend me a hand in tracking them down.
My first search is for Debbie Hilliard. I'm sure she's married long ago and changed her name. We lived at an apartment complex called Hallwood Manor in Mentor Oh. I lived with my mother. She lived with her father in the next building.
Here's a sketch of her I did while she napped one day.
In 1967 we both had the most marvelous vacation at the Jack and Jill Ranch in Michigan. We went for 2 weeks, enjoyed lots of boating and horseback riding, shooting, archery, swimming, campfires, all the great dude-ranch activities anyone could imagine. They also took us to some huge dunes where we 'buggied' all day. At night we enjoyed wonderful food (and lots of it!) and great stage shows by the staff. Afterward we'd head back to our cabin overhead the sky was so clear, so bright that the Milky Way lit our path.
We were young (I was 20) and, of course, both of us crushed on a couple of the staff. LOL They were all so charming and talented how could we resist? Back then the Jack and Jill Ranch (also known as the Double J) was a guest ranch for single adults. Talk about good clean fun. Even the music was perfect and we'd all hang out to the Carpenters, the Mommas and the Poppas, Petula Clark. Warm summer days. Mild nights.
We had such good times those 2 weeks that we went back for Labor Day weekend. We met some wonderful people and had what is to this day the best vacation I've ever had. Really. The very best.
I used to have a whole box of pictures from that trip, but alas, it's been lost for decades, perhaps accidentally discarded during one of my moves. Big regrets!!
So, if you're out there, Debbie Hilliard. You worked at Lake West hospital in Willoughby (I think) when I knew you and I was working in downtown Cleveland at Thomas and Associates. I hope you are well and happy and have as many fond memories of our wonderful Michigan vacation as I do. I'm sending out a big ole Rowdy Dow Double J call out to you.
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