Friday, April 10, 2009

The Tattered Gypsy... What's in a name?

Sometimes I think I've spent most of mylife being blown around by the wind. The other day I was texting someone with a past similar to mine - in that both of our fathers were in the Air Force and we were "military brats." While exchanging all the relevant information about the places we've lived - I realized why I embrace the name "The Tattered Gypsy" to the extent that I have. Well - here is the "gypsy" part of my story.

My father was in the Air Force back in the day the powers that be believed in moving everyone around "alot." I was born in Montgomery, Alabama - then we promptly moved to San Antonio, Texas, where we lived for a couple of years. We then moved to Bit burg, Germany for 1 1/2 years - then moved to Spangdolem, Germany for another 1 1/2 years. From there it was Dover, Delaware, followed by Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. From there my father moved ahead of us to the Philippine Islands. I went to a small rural school in Wetumpka, Alabama for about three months (which became very memorable since it was the early 1960's at that time - but that's another story!) After surviving those three months, we moved on to live at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippine Islands. We lived 1 1/2 years off-base then moved on-base for the duration of the time (another 1 1/2 years.) The period in the Philippines was "marked" by Elvis meeting Priscilla (who was my age & a "military brat" who lived in Germany at the time - a tiny bit of envy there), the arrival of the Beatles to the music world (I promptly cut my hair John Lennon style!) and the assassination of our then President - John F. Kennedy. From the Philippines we moved to Big Spring, Texas where (you can probably guess it by now...) we lived off-base for 1 1/2 years and then moved on base for the duration of my high school years (another 1 1/2 years.) I moved with my parents to Wichita Falls, Texas for about 1 1/2 years - then moved on my own to Dallas, Texas where I promptly meet and married - guess what??? - a military man!

Okay - so now the part of my life as a "military wife"... From Dallas we moved to Fort Riley, Kansas for about 1 year. Then to San Antonio, Texas for about 1 year. Then to Colorado Springs, Colorado for a little less than 2 years. From there it was over to Frankfurt, Germany for (guess what..) about 1 1/2 years. Then back to Colorado Springs, Colorado. By then I was about 26 years old and I had never lived in one house longer than 2 years in my entire life. And for the next 18 years - the longest I lived in one house was a little over 3 years. I was about 42 years old by then.

Now here comes the most amazing part of my life to me..... I have lived in the SAME HOUSE since 1992. Whew - that was long in coming. (And yes, as I've already mentioned, I am 60 this year.) But I have to tell you, about every year and a half I feel as if there is something I should be doing that I'm not. So now I start businesses and then about a year down the road start thinking of a new name that would describe it better. I guess we all find ways to integrate our past lives with our current one and that seems to be working for me at the moment. But lately I've noticed I've got an "itch" again - both of my daughters have moved to New Orleans, and I keep thinking, hmmmm, how great would it be to be part of the rebuilding of a city..........

Love & Peace,
Pam (aka The Tattered Gypsy)