Marilyn Cavanaugh:  

For those who wish to visit my blog. If classmates doesn't allow the link it is tglyf.blogspot and add the .com. My life has been a great adventure.The bulk of my adult years I've lived in remote and isolated areas. 1967-70 Elementary Ed. Program Southern CT. State College Aug. 1970 married Darrel Cavanaugh of Stratford, CT. Aug. 1971 had my 1st son. Dec. 1972 had my 2nd son. June 1973 packed all our belongings in boxes and headed west in our VW camper. We settled in Elk River, Idaho where Darrel taught math and science in a remote and isolated school. We were 50 miles from the nearest nowhere (20 of which were dirt). We spent 5 years there and acquired some property. We ate wild game.I made all our bread from scratch, jams and wine. I even tried my hand at tanning deer and bear hide. Jan. 1976 had my 3rd child, a girl! Mar. 1977 had my 4th child, another boy. Enjoyed hiking and outdoor activities, swimming and fishing.I also taught 4 H knitting classes. The Senior class only consisted of 6-8 students at the High School. Hard to believe that in the 1970's there were schools like this. Town Census was 280 in a lovely valley between the mountains. And did it snow! You walked everywhere in town, some old wooden side walks and a hitching post still were used. Lost our power frequently! Summer of 1978, we moved to Stratford, CT. to care for Darrel's Mom. She was thought to have cancer but turned out to be an ulcer and rare blood disease. May of 1980 found us in Moscow, Idaho when Mt. St. Helen's errupted. We were two inches deep in ash and living the nightmare first hand. I began finishing my B.S. Degree at the University of Idaho. Oct. 1980, we had a house built in Post Falls, Idaho. Darrel taught in an Alternative School in a neighboring town. I devoted myself to Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, plays that my kids were in, ballet, gymnastics, two pagaents for my daughter, lots of birthday parties and writing tons of poetry and songs. June 1985, Darrel and I divorced. He had started drinking heavily in 1978 and although he always provided for the family, he was seldom "there" for us. Summer of 1985 with kids in tow, I was summer stock in 4 musicals and two children's plays. I also worked in an Ice Cream Parlor. We lived in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho within walking distance of an extension branch of the University of Idaho. I had never gotten a driver's License! Got it 1998. 1986, after many night courses and working days, I got my BS in Elementary Ed. I also was asked to manage a Collectibles Gift Shop which I did until 1995. In 1988, Darrel and I decided to get back together. Life is full of surprises! He had not changed but I had! I was self reliant and no longer a victim. His drinking never affected his job, only our private relationship. I opted for family stability over love. When he wasn't drinking, he was a great guy. June 15th 1994, Darrel passed away after a massive heart attack. Life is full of surprises! Our government doesn't offer too many options for young widows with kids still in school. I went from 10 years of gift shop work to working at a lumber yard that offered family health insurance. I took his Life insurance paid off the house and put kids through college. 1994 to June 2000- I worked at the lumber yard and became their head cashier, published some poems, had one of my songs sung at midnight mass, had several relationhips, was on a bowling league, saw one child married and the others independant. I also taught myself how to use the computer. Early in 2000, I joined Classmates.com. Two old flames came back into my life. One flame was rekindled and in Dec 2000 I married Russel Robertson in CT. His two kids and my 4 were all in...Expand for more