November - The Best Month of All


November 2022

The Best Month of All

Without a doubt, November is the best month of all. Why? Because the best-laid plans of mice and men could never exceed the good that has come to us in November.

Going back to the early Roman calendar, the time of year we call November was known as Novem. In Latin, Novem is the number nine—the ninth month of their calendar. November on our calendar has many note-worthy days—All Saints, the end of Daylight Savings, Will Rogers, Sadie Hawkins, Election Day, Thanksgiving, and many others.

However, here at Ft. Nichols on the Llano Estacado of Texas, we have our own days of significant import. First, it was on the sixth day of the month when a baby girl was born in Denton, Texas. Her parents named her Gwendolyon (with an extra "o,") to keep it similar to her last name, Hamilton. She grew up in Denton, graduating as a Denton Bronco and four years later as a North Texas State Eagle with a degree in Elementary Education.

Being an adventurist young lady, Gwen accepted a job offer from the Tucson Public Schools. She became an elementary teacher at Government Heights School On Ajo Road in southwest Tucson. Little did she know where her adventure would lead.

It was the holiday season of 1962 when she and her two roommates decided to go downtown to see the Christmas lights. By chance, those young women happened to find themselves in a traffic jam alongside two young men who were also enjoying the sights and sounds of the Christmas season—Tom and his friend, Karl. An hour later, the five were having coffee at the girls' apartment near Himmel Park.

One week later, Gwen and Tom had their first date. The elegant teacher and the tall and trim young police officer became Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Nichols one year later at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Denton.

November 30, 2022, we celebrate our 59th anniversary. Along the way, we picked up two more significant November dates. Our grandsons were born this month, Markus Conner Buechele on the 14th and William Christopher Nichols on the 5th.

Now our kids and grandkids have grown, and we love them all that much more—Jen and Mark with Emily and Conner; James and Susie with Katherine and William. This Thanksgiving, the Nichols Clan will gather in Tucson for a reunion—30 of us from Washington, Colorado, South Dakota, California, Arizona, and Texas.

Pictured here is what grew from that little venture to see the Christmas lights—our Texas clan from Arlington, Carrollton, and Lubbock.

We have shared many joyful times and experiences together, but Novem is the best month of all. Of course, our adventures continue. Gwen is my proofreader, editor, and research advisor for my books. Check them out at www.thomasjnichols.com/ and www.amazon.com/Thomas-J.-Nichols/e/B00BD861OM/

Our next book, The Third Dawn-Redux, will be published in 2023.

 

 

 

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