What a beautiful weekend we had. I did some outside work. I removed the hay my grandson, Brandon, had put around my sunny nook to keep the cold, winter winds out.

My son, Dan raked some of my lawn. Then I took a ride to Rensselaerville to say goodbye to the little white house where Miles and Melissa Pangburn lived for two years after moving out here from Albany. We had some relaxing good food, family barbecues there by the little stream. I also had some lunches and checker games with Miles there while he recuperated from his fall off a cliff last year. Miles and Melissa are moving to Smokey Hollow Road.

Then on Saturday evening my granddaughter, Danielle Ricketts, joined me for dinner and a three-hour visit. I cherish those times. My granddaughter, Kyra Swan, also spent Saturday evening with me and again on Sunday afternoon and evening. I couldn’t be happier with all the love of my family.

Berne Historical Society

Up, Up and Away was the name of the presentation given by Senior Master Sergeant Martin Herzog at the Berne Historical Society meeting on april 22. Herzog joined the New York Air National Guard in 1975. In 1979 he was on active duty with the Navy. From 1980 to 1992 he was in the Navy Reserve. From 1992 to the present Herzog has been in the Air National Guard full time.

He showed us slides of his career from his time in Thule, Greenland to Iraq. He was also in Afghanistan from 2011-12. Herzog showed us slides of the penguins, whales, and seals in Antarctica. We saw pictures of the huge planes and trucks they use to get over the ice and move snow and equipment.

We saw pictures of Observation Hill, cutters used to open passages in the frozen water, and a 120-pound cod caught in the best ice fishing waters in the world. It took a steel cable winch to pull it in.

There are 800 people in Antarctica from October to February, which is summer. There are only about 100 people there during the winter months. They are employed for maintenance and repairs.

Herzog met Bernie Herzog in Antarctica. He is a producer of documentaries. They became good friends and keep in touch.

We also saw the huts of Scott and Shackleton where remnants of their expeditions to the South Pole are preserved. There were pictures of their supplies, which are still there as a memorial.

We are very appreciative of Marty Herzog for a very informative evening.

60th wedding anniversary

Jenn Smith and Brandon Clark wer honored to be invited to an anniversary breakfast for Jenn’s grandparents, Bob and Connie Hughes of Albany. The breakfast was held on Sunday, April 28, at the home of their daughter, Colleen Driscoll. Their actual wedding date was May 2, 1953. The Hughes have seven children, 21 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Jenn’s mother is one of their children and most of the others were there to celebrate.

Also in attendance was the sister of the bride, Virginia Stackman. It was a beautiful sunny day and brought happy memories of that celebration 60 years before.