Alma Deihl:  

Ok, time to update my storyl While at TJH, I was in Ms Richards advisory. While not an outstanding srudent, I did fairly well in all my classes with one exception. LATIN. I studied French under Ms Nau who was my favorite teacher. I didn't date any high school boys, prefering to date older guys in the Air force, so did not socialize with many fellow students. But I was the girl that boys came to for advice on dating other girls. . After graduation from TJH, I attended SAC with the hopes of someday being a math teacher. (I loved math classes and thought that I would teach in a middle school some day.) I worked part time as a dental assistant while in college. Cupid got in the way of my completing college and I married in 1958, and traveled to England with my husband in Feb. 1959. We were stationed at Chicksands RAF Station, and lived `on the economy' ( in Luton) instead of living on base and I made friends with my neighbors. I used to watch the horse races and even spent a bob or two at race time, as my `bookie' worked next door. Never made much money but I had fun. My two older sons were born in England. One in 1960 and one in 1961. One of our neighbors moved from Luton, and bought a pub. We used to spend time at their pub where I learned to `'pour a pint' for the locals. I have never been much of a drinker but I enjoyed my time behind the bar. (We had more fun in the private parlor after hours, while the boys were asleep upstairs.) I enjoyed my three years in England but was glad to get back to Texas As my husband was in the Air Force Security Service, we came back to San Antonio. I was a stay at home mom, raising the boys and keeping the house. In 1963 , I gave birth to my only daughter at `Big Willie' otherwise known as Wilford Hall Medical Center. We remained in San Antonio until 1966, when we received orders for Japan. Traveling with three small children was not easy, but it was interesting, Specially since we were separated from our luggage. It flew commercial but we flew military. It took two days for us to be reunited with the luggage, so you can see how great a time it was. I thoroughly enjoyed Japan. Again we lived `on the economy', Base housing was not an option in my books. We lived in off-base in a small community of Air Force personnel, and got to know our neighbors very well. Almost everyone rode motorcyles, and my husband bought a Honda and rode to work and eventually joined the motorcycle club and raced at the base track. We hosted races and invited the locals. I joined the club while I was pregnant with our fourth child and became the publicity chairperson. I wrote articles for the base newspaper about the races and even got my own by-line on some of the articles. I still have some of the pictures that were taken and also some of the articles I wrote. Some of the best times at Misawa were the parties after the races. We hosted some of them (as we took turns) and I remember starting out feeding racers early in the evening and ending up by cooking breakfast in the morning. My youngest son was born in Japan, and was the largest baby in the nursery so the Japanese nurses called him `Taiho-san'. I began working when we returned from Japan, in the accts rec. office for a local furniture store, working my up to office manager, later worked in the data processing office for a fast food chain. Left that work to stay home and care for the family. Went back to work after just a few months and handled the office for a trucking company, and within 8 years ran my own company. I was doing ok until the trucking industry was de-regulated. Competition became to much for a non-smoking, non-drinking woman. I could not `party' with the big boys (T & A bars were not for me) and so closed the company after 8 years and went to work in the cash office for yet another chain-store. Currently I am working full time at an in-bound call center on the night shift. Along the way I divorced my husband after 25 years, kept the house and the kids until they grew up and started their own lives. However, times get tough and things go wrong and kids come back home. This mother hen has all of her chicks back in the roost along with my 23 year old grandson. Years ago I was very involved in church work, mainly working with Hispanic ministries at the local and national level. I slowly backed away from those duties to care for my then 2 year old grandson. This after he threw away my keys while I was on one of my many trips, "so gramma stay home". Now that he is a grown-up, I find myself getting involved again at the local level of church work. UPDATE: Dec 2014.... I am finally retired, I am still, in good health, tho' over-weight. (I have always been over-weight) and almost always in good spirits. There are some things that get me down, but only for a very short time. I work well under stress, so am very seldom `stressed out'. I take life as it comes, trusting in God to see me through any rough patches in life and HE always does. I try not to `borrow trouble' leaving the `what ifs' to others. I love my family,my GOD, my church and my country; always have, always will. I enjoy singing solos at church, for weddings and/or funerals. There is no significant other in my life, (tho' there have been from time to time). Do I have time in my life for `that someone special'? If he comes along, I will ma...Expand for more