Toomey Times

Volume 5

Written And Typeset By Harold & Holly Toomey

December 1991

 

 

 

 

January began with the same hustle and bustle that continued throughout the entire year. Aside from his challenging work in the Flight Dynamics Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Harold taught Early Morning Seminary to a dozen sleepy high school students, Monday-Friday at 6 a.m., through the end of May. They were studying the Book of Mormon. Holly kept herself busy preparing the young women (ages 12-18) of the Beavercreek Ward for Girls' Camp. Adding to the hubbub were the following side trips:

San Antonio, Texas

Just as the air strikes began for Dessert Storm in Iraq, Harold went to San Antonio, Texas for two weeks of military related training. During the second week of training, the military personnel at Brooks Air force Base were instructed to wear civilian clothing to avoid being possible terrorist targets.

Upon Harold's return to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, all of the officers in the laboratory were given the opportunity to volunteer to go to the Persian Gulf. Only a few of the lab's officers were able to go due to the shortness of the war. Holly was grateful Harold stayed in the states.

Washington, D.C.

Harold was able to visit the nation's capital for the first time in March. There he attended a weeklong course on computer networking. After classes, Harold visited the Schiefer family, rode the subway, and checked out the White House, Congress building and Washington Monument. Harold wished Holly could have been there to share her birthday.

Back in Dayton, trying to keep with tradition, Holly and David went out to dinner for Holly's birthday.  Holly hopes David's ability to show someone a good time improves before he begins dating other girls. He slept the whole time in the restaurant until Holly was actually paying the tab. (Sigh!)

 

 

Girls' Camp

In June, Holly and several other adults spent three glorious days in the woods with about 100 young women. This was the climax of all the camp clinics-First Aid, Lashing, Orienteering, Outdoor Fire Safety and Cooking. (Holly even took a Red Cross First Aid course in partial preparation for working with the young women.)

The ticks and raccoons at camp were heavy this year, but Holly managed (by following all precautions) to avoid ticks. The girls quickly learned why the rule of "no food in the tents" was so important. One tent was ransacked by raccoons, at which time someone's pillowcase, full of dirty clothes and a candy wrapper, was carried off into the woods. Another tent was terrorized almost every night by an angry hissing raccoon. Because they followed the rule, Holly's tent never had problems with the raccoons.

During the middle of the week, Harold and David came to visit the camp, and Harold taught the campers about edible plants. Now identified as a "Yule Gibbons" edible plant specialist, Harold has given classes at other local church functions.

The end of camp, Holly was to go with a group of about 15 on a three-day backpacking trip. Feeling extremely drained and suspecting she might be pregnant, Holly passed on the pack-in.

 

Torrance, California

Three days after Holly returned from camp, Harold left for a three-day trip to Torrance, California. In Torrance, Harold and a fellow engineer followed up on a contractor's work on a computer program. This innovative display software will improve the Air Force laboratory's flight simulation capabilities. In fact, in November, Harold helped to conduct a weeklong simulation with real pilots flying air-to-air combat scenarios using this new display software. The final products will be combined with other lab projects to form a massive "dog fight" to improve fighter pilot effectiveness in real combat.

Upon Harold's arrival home at the airport, Holly gave Harold the good news that she is expecting with a due date of 21 February 1992.

Ohio Road Trips

Two days after Harold returned from Torrance, Holly left with Mom and Dad (Zella and Ralph) to Wooster, Ohio. There they joined Grandpa (Walker C. Morrow) and a friend for the Ohio Light Opera. It was extremely fun and Holly enjoyed he trip and entertainment.

After Wooster, Zella stayed in Dayton with Harold, Holly and David for a week. Zella, Holly and David took a couple of refreshing and fun filled trips to various parts of Ohio to visit relatives and to update their genealogy records.

Personal Pursuits

Harold's exuberant Seminary class concluded in May. During the summer, he began serving as he Beavercreek Ward Financial Clerk. Harold enjoys his calling and even gets to work on a computer to balance the books. (You know Harold and computers.) Harold spent most of his summer's free time writing a user's manual and enhancing his numerical analysis software. He still found time, however, to go on an occasional scout camp-out.

Early this month, at the Air Force Laboratory, Harold was awarded the Company Grade Officer of the Quarter for the Flight Dynamics Directorate. He is now in the running for the Wright Laboratory Company Grade Officer of the Quarter Award.

Holly spent much of the summer studying business law to enhance her profession as a typesetter. She continues to learn new skills and enjoys working with her customers.

To relax, Holly plays on the antique piano she was given for her birthday this year. She also enjoys crafts and sewing her won maternity wardrobe. Holly loves being a mother and teaching and playing with David.

David is always on the go! He definitely has Daddy's engineering and scientific mind. His current projects include complex Lego structures, such as building, airplanes, and robots. David also enjoys typing on the computer (or "working" as he calls it), "playing" and singing on the piano, reading books and watching Disney videos. He loves the outdoors and has boundless energy, which he directs toward the playground and household mischief. His mischievous adventures have earned him three bee-stings and two trips to the doctor for stitches this year alone.

The highlight of David's summer was a family outing to the Cincinnati Zoo. There he saw a real Bengal Tiger, among other animals, and rode on a real-live camel. (It wasn't dead, yet.)

Mommy is most impressed with David's extensive vocabulary, clear pronunciation, word recognition, and his constant creativity and resourcefulness.

David wants to be just like his Daddy. In fact, just the other day when Mommy asked what was on his dirty face, he stroked his cheeks and thoughtfully replied, "Whiskers."

Merry Christmas!

We hope this year has been as good to you as it has been to our family. We hope to see many of you soon as we are planning a trip to Utah in the spring.

With love, 

 Harold, Holly, & David

 

To view the original scanned "Toomey Times" Christmas Newsletter, click on the scanned pages below:

Page 1

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