Griff at Goerlitz: August 2023

For anyone who knows my Father, you know he has the gift of the gab, which is defined as the ability to speak easily and confidently in a way that makes people want to listen to you and believe you. He is quite the entertainer! This blog is being started to record his memories of family and friends through the MANY, MANY photos he has taken throughout the years. Beginning with black and white slides, to coloured slides, to printed photos, and finally to the digital age. I'd like to be able to keep this in chronological order, but with as many photos as there are, and as they are in such a hodgepodge state, it makes it rather difficult. This will be written as though he's writing it, because he really will be! I'm just moving it over here so it will actually get posted and not "lost" out there. So here we go!

Monday 14 August 2023

54 Years Ago Today... ✈

Two children, four suitcases and $400.00. We risked everything (there was no safety net), and dreamed the American dream; sometimes dreams do come true.

We took a chance in a million with no guarantees, but the fates were kind and our little family was blessed. Mom gave up her beloved bungalow to help me fulfill a life long dream and without her we wouldn't be here today.
We did it, old love, and we did it our way!

Taking the train from Wales to London.

Nana, Pop, Annette, Mike, and two week old baby Claire were there to see us off.

Peter was eight and Astrid was two.

My friend growing up, Sydney, saw us off at Heathrow on August 14, 1968.

Letter from the Bank 1969 🖃

Flying home from Pittsburgh on August 16th, 1968; little did I know we would be moving to the USA at the same time next year.

Phew.... I just had my last interview in London for the World Bank with Lacey Carter; she was tough!

A letter arrived from the World Bank early August 1969, advising me to report for duty.

That evening I called Ulrike in Frankfurt and said we had to be in D.C. within ten days! She rushed home with Peter and Astrid, sold up the contents of the house, put the bungalow on the market, and we flew out August 14th. It was a rush!!

The day before leaving Germany for London in August, 1969, to obtain visas. Ten days later we would be in the USA.
Peter and Astrid with Großmutter.