Catherine "Kitsy" Symroski Cameron

My Dad was the Military Attache (1961-1964), which meant for my parents a significant amount of socialization, including in our 7th Arr. apartment overlooking Les Invalides. So, we had staff: Jean, a butler from Barcelona and his wife, Josianne, a native of Tours and a wonderful cook. Important to the anecdote, as that fateful evening, my parents are hosting a dinner party for two other French couples, both husbands in the French army. My parents ... are late. They are never late. One of the couples has knocked on the front door, but Jean is not there to answer it; odd. I answer the door, an elegant French couple, a bit surprised by a schoolgirl in a kilt, enters as Jean, white as a sheet, dashes into the hallway from the kitchen. "Mlle Kitsy, votre President a ete frappe sur la tete." We all freeze. The French husband looks at his wife, at me, at Jean and, at that point, I literally blank. I recall nothing else, not dinner, not watching French TV, only that my parents arrive within minutes from an event at the Embassy, where they have evidently been dispatched back to their homes. My Mother says to her guests, "Please, do come and sit down, dinner is prepared, as it is at a time like this when you welcome the company of your friends." On 25 November, she gives my younger sister and myself tickets to the Requiem Mass for JFK at Notre Dame; everyone is in black, solemn, in tears. Le Grand Charles included. We huddle by my Dad's Transoceanic for the radio broadcast of the funeral; caisson hoofbeats heard in Paris. I can still hear Jean's voice as he had just spoken those words.

Hello, Kitsy, wherever you are today, I hope it is fun and fabulous

Paul, class of 1964 here in flyover Missouri! Wrestling with all the forms and attendant beureaucracy to relocate at long darn last to Central Portugal, preferably Coimbra or Tomar. Finding Portguese and its sliding consanants a bit daunting. Whereabouts did you set down European roots? I do not know of any PAHSers who have leapt the pond to settle in Portugal, but Americans are certainly on the move to discover it. Apparently the Porguguese do not have an "issue" with Americans as we are largely well funded, well berhaved and don't drink as much lager as the Brits, who are fleeing home to UK after Brexit debacle. I love my country ... I just don't want to live/and or expire there. Army Brat life in those early years in France (7 years combined tours) and VietNam made a deep impression on my heart and soul and my feet just don't seem to fit American steps. However, I cannot afford France and Portugal a proximate and more affordable option. Oh, and my parents retired in Williamsburg and used to go to Lynchburg -- do I have this right? -- for the annaul steeplechase, as my Dad used to ride for the Army after WWII. Happy trails!

Posted on: Dec 26, 2022 at 11:02 AM

Kitsy - I loved reading your memories of Paris. I moved to Paris summer of 1966 from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Knew your sister Mabby (Mary?) who was a friend of my brother, John Fairlamb. She used to come over and use our tape player to listen to recordings from her French boyfriend. Oh, the memories. I was in the class of 1967 which moved mid-year to Stuttgart, Germany with EUCOM Hqs. Paris will remain a big part of my life. I spent a month in France (mostly Paris) in September 2021 and introduced my son, daughter-in-law and 10 year old grandson to Paris. I stay in touch with many friends from PAHS on Facebook and via email. Now living in Colorado Springs, CO.

Posted on: Nov 06, 2022 at 8:41 AM

Serioously considering a relocation to Portgual (Central, like Coimbra) for a year, or several, or until The End draws really near ... anyone else?

Posted on: May 19, 2022 at 8:26 PM

David, I used to be the Typing Editor of the TThe Pirates Log" and nI would be tickled all manner of delight if you would care to send them on to me.

My email address is catheriam@yahoo.com Do send me a note and I shall forward you my Missouri nmailing naddress; of course, let me know of any shipping fees as some of those issues were a tad hefty!

Posted on: Apr 29, 2022 at 12:50 PM

Thank you for your recent update (April 2022) on your recollection of European travels and where to obtain (generally!) the best midnight fried rice! We had a Chinese cook when we lived in Saigon (1959-1960) when my Dad was assigned to MAAG, but I do not recall my Mother ever asked him to cook us fried rice! I do recall that previous American residents in our villa had particular culinary requirements: the table was loaded with every conceivable hot sauce, mustard and meat-enhancing elixir! (Mother immediably banned every bit; she was a "salt and pepper" Mother!). On a more somber note, I was briefly married to a Green Beret who served four tours in VietNam. He, too, was diagnosed in later years with Agent Orange. I commend you, Frank, for your candor in relaying your current health challenges and reckon you and that three-wheeler do tear up some Kentucky roads! And one question: what in the name of all that is damn fine Rioja were you doing drinking Mateus in Spain? I am a Camino de Santiago addict and intend my fourth walk this September once the parts that don't work in my right hip get replaced. Considering more and more seriously to relocate to either Spain or Portugal. My son and family are well settled "back East", I am delighted to be single, I am cautiously in funds, my feet are happiest on old Roman roads and my hands love the feel of trailing along sunwarmed walls hundreds of years old. And when all is said and done, the food is better: period! Keep us in touch with you, Frank!

Posted on: Feb 27, 2022 at 12:39 PM

My ex is struggling outside Nashville as a good friendmade him an offer he could not refuse on his three bedroom Jay Street home. "Denver has lost that cow town feeling" is so true! Although Missouri bores the heck out of me (flat, with more flat), my townhouse rental rates and good landlords have no comparison to Denver and environs. Thinking relocating to Braga, Portugal, as those post-WWII years living in France are deep in my soul. No place in USA has ever touched my heart as much as getting off a plane and stepping with joy onto the soil of Europe. At 77, I have a hip replacement scheduled for May and intend to set forth on my fourth Camino de Santiago on the Catalan Route in September. Wish you well in your relocation considerations. I love my North Carolina-based grand children and their parents are awesome; for me, a lighter, less proximate touch. Once year, say over Thanksgiving, works well. I am a wanderer, a traveler, a mystic and a dreamer. I marvel the changes COVID has wrought, how quickly, after a bit of a grumble, humanity has adapted. I gained too much "pizza and Netflix" and thankfully discovered Dr Berg's Intermittent Fasting Keto. I still smoke, see a doctor once every twenty years, trust homeopathy and sensible supplements, take no Rx meds. How are our classmates tumbling off the perch so recently? I am living long and with a judicious eye to investments and Social Security, sensibly prospering. The men in my life could never keep up with me and with many an eyeroll, I left them in the dust. I am looking forward to being the crazy cat lady ... give it a few years!

Dear Kitsy, Wishing you a Happy Birthday and hoping we can be back in touch. We are still in Denver enjoying condo life. Our grandkids are growing up too fast, as I am sure yours are also doing the same! Amazing that our oldest grandson is a sophomore in high school and already planning his college years. Where did time go? Cynthia

Still have that great smile! Tony and I are still in Denver. grandkids growing up too fast in Colorado Springs and have hardly sen them since mid-March 2020

Posted on: Mar 11, 2020 at 7:33 AM

I have fiddled with that darn "Residing In" to change it from Missouri to High Point NC (May 2019). That tab refuses to budge; any clues, anyone?

January 11, 2010
]
]Terry, I know Puerto la Cruz! I was an inventory and administrative contractor with ProEnergy Services (Sedalaia MO) and have traveled the length -- if not the breadth - of Venezuela visiting our projects, begun under Chavez's administration. I think my first trip was in late fall 2008 and my last in 2011.

Oh, gosh, I miss the food! All the locals were ever so pleasant but clearly under a LOT of strain at every level in their daily lives.

I would so love if you would stay in touch-- most Americans, even well traveled ones, are a bit vague about Venezuela. They know of Caracas and Angel Falls ... that's it.

I'm in High Point NC, near my son and grand-children.