Suzi Dewsnap Terrell

Our neighbor Roy had regular ice-cream socials where we'd take turns sitting on the old wooden hand cranked machine and wait patiently for it's contents to freeze.

Roy also made heavy cement blocks in his backyard and built 6' high fences around 4 or 5 of our homes.  One summer a mini tornado came up our street and picked up a large wooden 5x5x6' playhouse in one neighbors yard and hurled it into and smashing part of their block wall.  That same wind blew a trashcan lid into my Dad's head knocking him to the ground scaring us thinking that the wicked witch of the west was gonna get him (we had just seen The Wizard of Oz ;-)

I went to St. Ann's Catholic Church.  I remember my First Holy Communion ... the night before when I had to say my first confession, I think I made stuff up cuz I didn't know what to say.  After Father Hanley gave me my penances  I promptly walked right out to join my friends in front of the church.  One of the nuns came out after me asking " did you forget to say your penances?".  Well I was horrified but I looked straight at her with all my friends looking on and said "yes sister I said them".  Well I knew I was going straight to hell that very day. When I woke the next I was so scared of going to communion ... I just knew Father would skip right over me and all would see me for the sinner I was.  I was so relieved when he placed that wafer in my mouth I almost bit his finger!! 

The summer after 7th grade when I was 12, we moved to Escondido near the coast.  What a change!  I went from a small town where kids respected their teachers - to a very large class where the kids told the teachers off on a regular basis.  There were gangs of girls who hung out around the gym waiting until you undressed so they could throw you out and locked the doors. I was terrified of showering after PE and changed in the bathroom stall. The girls all had long straight blond hair and wore white lipstick ... I had natural curly brown and felt like a little desert rat that would never fit in.

I went to Orange Glen High which at the time was just 3 yeas old and considered the stepchild of the community.  When we beat the town favorite of Escondido High in football one year we went wild finally getting the recognition we deserved ;-)

I worked for Sy and Lue Ennis at Orange Julius on Valley Parkway down the street from McDonalds on weekends and during the summer.  They took a shy young girl and gave her a chance to grow develop and learn.  They taught me so many things … not just how to take an order and follow it through, but they instilled a real work ethic in me that set the tone for the rest of my life.  They showed me how to handle people and trusted that I’d take care of their business.   They instilled in me a sense of responsibility and pride in me of doing a good job.  They set a high standard and led by example.

I listened to their stories of all the different jobs Sy held from digging tile trenches to driving trucks to owning his own restaurants.  I marveled at how he didn’t let doctors slow him down when they told him “you’ll never work again” after his first heart attack at 27.  If only they could see him now!!  I would have loved to have seen their faces as they watched Sy paint his house with a 2 inch brush one summer a few years back when he was past 80 years old – they’d of written him up in their medical journals!!   Whether they knew it or not they have always been a big part of my life and heart.  So many memories I have are centered on my time with Sy and Lue at Orange Julius.  They have truly made a huge difference in my life and I am very grateful they gave me that chance so long ago. 

I am a strong conservaliberal republicrate depending on the issue.  I am Catholic raised and loved their tradition of ceremony and piety ... until I out grew the rote responses and needed more than just mere faith for an answer.  I do believe in God ... just not sure about everything else.  I believe Jesus Christ was a very good man who believed he was the son of God … and lord knows I want to believe him, but I do have my doubts.  I like the idea of reincarnation and coming back to get another shot at getting it right ... but don’t fully believe in it.  I'm not sure about heaven ... it sounds boring to me, but  I do believe in Hell!  I think we’re all going through different phases of it in life.  I believe we each create our own heaven and hell during our lifetime.    

I don’t believe in prayer, but I do believe in positive thinking.  I don't understand when disasters strike and someone says God answered their prayer when he saved their life, but others lose their whole family though they sought His help.  I just don't get it when someone says God answered their prayer for something trivial, but doesn't answer when someone else prays to save their child??

I also believe man in general … is no damn good.  He can and does most of the time, conveniently changes rules and beliefs to what ever he thinks is justified at the time.    Many have a conscience, but they can over ride it when it’s not convenient to them.  Some men have a conscience and stand up for what is right … to a fault.  And a lot of the time, it proves little and changes nothing.

I am a Leo, strong full of heart, caring about others … but just don’t get in my way when I’m on a mission … for I will not stop until it’s done.   I don’t believe in astrologist but do believe in astrology.  I believe in the science of the moon and stars, earths pull and gravity, but not to the point of consulting a chart before I walk out the door each morning.  I believe in the spirit world and try talking with them once in a while, but haven’t succeeded so far.  I chase ghost … my passion is genealogy.  Some people ask why I care so much about dead people.  I tell them it’s because they are a part of me … it’s who I am.  I believe your mind has to be open to chance, change and coincidence – all the while listening to that little inner voice in each of us – and following its lead.  

I believe you can size someone up in three easy questions; Are you a conservative or a liberal?  Do you believe in Abortion?  Do you like Woody Allen movies?  I can tell right away by their answers if I’m gonna like them or not.  ;-)