Funky Phantom

We discovered a bunch of legacy 'toons to share with the kids on Boomerang Cartoon Network. Lowlight for me was the 3 Stooges on cartoon. However there were lots of great cartoons.

Highlights:

• Funky Phantom
• Tom & Jerry
• Flintstones
• Smurfs
• Scooby Doo

My hubbie started singing the song to the Funky Phantom, a Cartoon I do not remember, and it was funny to hear my husband, who has a gift for lyrics (here are the Funky Phantom Lyrics) , artists, history, and sports like that.. Oh and he's older than me, so perhaps that is why he remembers it all. Struck me very much like a cross between a few other Hanna Barberra Cartoons I had known through the years.

Memorial: Gene Shockey, Dear Friend

Gene Shockey
Jan. 25, 1937 - March 20, 2008
Obituary

Pontiac, IL. We did not realize it was unusual to have the kind of neighbors that were so close as to be family, because growing up that is all that we knew. We did not realize it was unusual to be in a place where folks just cared about one another because we lived near one another.

I am now the age Gene and my parents were when we were growing up. My kids are now the age I was when we grew up in Owego Township. Seven miles in the country, surrounded by cornfields, outside of Pontiac, our "social network" consisted of the country school in Owego township, 4H club activities, and "Shirley's Country Corner" cafe.

My Mom to this day believes that Gene Shockey liked me because of my strong will and personality-- that to others I was a little strange was just fine by the Shockeys. I think of that often today, as my daughter has many of those same qualities, and I love who she is, but I also remark in how fortunate I was to have such solid examples of unconditional love in my life as I did in Owego.

Gene and my Dad delighted in being self professed hillbillies. If being a hillbilly is being able to see the best in people, to see treasure where most see trash, to create possibility where others would shudder to consider.. well that is pretty much the influential and wonderful hillbillies I grew to know and love. They could fix anything and would go out of their way to help a neighbor or total stranger! Sort of a renaissance bohemian, music loving jack of all trades-- does that really define a hillbilly? If they say it does!

Gene and Marilyn Shockey loved music, family, friends, and a great cup of coffee with a few outrageous belly laughs. Gene worked hard, but you know I never really knew as much about his work as I did of others. Gene lived for the time with family and his grown up play time.

He went to auctions and invested in fixing things up and making them saleable-- tickled at the "junk" that became treasure that people wanted to buy with a little bit of his magic. He was constantly building and tinkering around the house. Occasionally he and Marilyn and daughter, Sue would make a run to the Riverboat to dance to Proud Mary while the big wheel keeps on turning.

Turning trash to treasure was something he did with more than just antiques. I felt so awkward as a teenager, and Gene was able to just bring the best to bear for us. He was the first person to introduce me to the joy and magic of riding a snowmobile. After dinner of homemade chili on a snow day where no one could get out on the roads, and no one really cared.... the familiar sound of his snowmobile coming up the road would mean it was time to go whizzing out across the drifted fields.

In the moonlight, the snow glistened like diamonds-- no noise except the sound of the snowmobile itself-- dancing over the drifts, sometimes even riding on the river. Across the Steffens field, across 116, in front of the Milners, backtrack around the fields, up towards Fairbury, around by our first home (Katie Hansen's), towards Grandpa and Grandma's in McDowell, by the Vermillion river.. the Uteggs, the Amms.. and home again. I loved riding with Gene, and how lucky to have him share that experience with me!

When the 80's came, and my more expressive gangly teenager emerged, Gene would always give me a hard time about my outfits, and you know what, I think my favorite was the outfit that made him remark, "Oh there you are again, with that red belt that don't hold nuthin up". If I could find a wide belt like this I would probably pair up the legwarmers, the black boots, black leggings, and oversized shirt with gigantic shoulder pads again.. just in his honor.

I will be making a great pot of coffee this weekend and trying to figure out how I can pass along to others, some of the kindess that was so generously given to me in the fond memory of my friends, who are family, the Shockey's.

It was a divine urging that reunited Sue and I at Walmart in Pontiac, IL, on a few days before Christmas. Seeing Sue and meeting her kids for the first time in many decades was amazing, like we were never ever away, except we had grown much older..

My heart is so with them right now.. I wish I could go and hug them and support them during the services, however, given I am still recovering from surgery and still very tired, I am not up for the travel with or without the help of family, so I will prepare a memorial in his and their honor, to let them know how much they are loved.

Happy Anniversary

Kevin and I have been together through the most amazing life events and tonight is our 16 year wedding anniversary. Twenty three years ago, we met on campus at Illinois State University-- Kevin had Army Reserve Officer Training Corp PT across the street from my dormitory. He was studying political science, I was studying fine art.

<<>We moved to the midwest to be closer to family, so the kids could get to know the family we know and love.

Our lives as an adventure has served us well and I hope it continues to. Kevin saw me through the most challenging times of my life.. and I can not believe that we have now lived together longer than we have apart.

What a busy adventure our life has been. Last March 2007 when I turned 40, I had a lovely Day Spa gift from my husband. Deciding to take actions to release what has been a decade of insomnia, pain, and serious medical disorders while trying to manage our regularly scheduled lives.


Last September 2007, Kevin and I celebrated a lovely time in Chicago IL, after I had run my first 3K in Akron, we flew for a few days in a luxurious hotel on the Magnificient Mile.

In October 2007, I began treatment to shrink some tumors that were problematic. Through diet and exercise I had done much, but the coping was getting harder and harder to manage-- to a point of sincere worry for my family. My dear husband, who has seen me through much tougher times, was challenged with the last months roller coaster of my recovery.

January 2008 began with detox diet, by the end of the month surgery was necessary.

March 2008. Have been in a healing process with optimism for the past 6 weeks. Happy to be free from the risk of uterine cancer, and eager to embrace life, family, friends, and business again. This year my needs were more subdued, Kevin has been busier, while I am recovering from surgery, I have not had the energy to do much more. We are hoping to wait a few more weeks to celebrate our Birthday Anniversary Birthday's. I return to work in 2 days-- Friday. I am maxed out on vacation days, and have about 2 more months of "exhaustion" as part of my recovery, but that's nothing compared to the place I have come from! Happy to release that pain, the struggle, and the challenges, and can't wait to see what life holds.

March Birthday Birthday Anniversary Birthday's.

• March 5, memorial Frank Mular, Kevin's father (we used to celebrate on his day, all our days)
  
• March 9, my birthday.
  
• March 12, our anniversary.
  
• March 15, Kevin's birthday. Beware the Ides of March.