WE overnighted in Christiansburg, VA. The trip is to be all Interstate from now to the Belmont, NC exit. However what you are seeing below is the Beautiful Virginia country side. I am off the interstate for a unplanned sight seeing tour.

That is that you see below, no it is above us. That is the interstate. We have crossed it many times, looking down here. This is neat. (Sherry doesn't think so, She thinks I am lost).

That is why she picked up the camera and started taking pictures. No I am not taking pictures on a country road.

Now we have went under the Interstate and we are looking back where we were supposed to be.

Oh well, I know exactly where I am going. (The Girl in the box (As Paula called her) is telling me it is not much farther. Just up this steep hill.)

Now see how simple that was. Ten miles through the country and we are back on the interstate headed for North Carolina.

We are climbing into Fancy GAP between NC and VA. on I-77 above.

Now going down the South side headed for NC. If you have never seen this, It is a runaway Truck ramp. If the trucker loses his brakes he can steer straight ahead. the ramp is composed of sand, and straight up the Mt. as you can see. That will stop you!

Now as promised by Jill, the girl in the Box, here is North Carolina.

We arrived at Shirl's RV Park. She had increased the rates, but had added some benefits. Tomatoes and a 1/2 gal or muscadines. Some mail had also arrived. A book I had ordered, "A Boy Called It". Have you read it or heard of it? WOW I started on it last night. What a horriffic story. It is the story of the worst child abuse case in California. The family was living in Daly City, CA. It is depressing. If you did not know the ending it would be much worse. The Boy lived to write his story.

I have not done anything on the computer but read. Since it thinks it is full. I had to guess at the pictures above because I could not see what I was clicking.

Josh is coming over to look at the computer. Our son Jack came over for a visit so I didn't get on line with HP. The visit was much more important.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

More later..... But we are South and it is raining, but not like you guys in GA & AL.

What we bought!

Funny thing how an anniversary causes conversations about the early marriage. I have mentioned that our first ‘house’ was a 26’ one bedroom trailer.Many folks have travel trailers larger. It was like a castle to us, Sherry loved it. Looking back our first purchases were laughable. I took a birthday present and bought a used Black & White TV. Dad & mom never owned a TV but Sherry had. I hooked it up and was sitting about two feet in front of it. This is no exaggeration, an actual conversation between my bride and me.
“Hey Babe, look at this ain’t this great?” says I.
“Honey I can’t see anything on that, it is so snowy.”
“Yeah you can look at this; I think this is a man over here!”
Honest truth you could not see anything but shadows moving around. Sound was off and on. I had been took!!!

Then there was a mixer. It was brand new with two bowels and a little metal stand. Cost was $25. Payments $6 a month for five months. We did not need a mixer, but everyone had one!
But I want to tell you we were so happy. Married as kids and joined for life. It has been great.
I will attempt to up load one picture. If it don’t go you will know it.
Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Ten Signs Your Employer has Switched to Cheaper Health Care:

***The only proctologist in the plan is "Gus" from Roto-Rooter.
***** The only item listed under Preventative Care Coverage is "An apple a day."
***** Your primary care physician is wearing the pants you donated to Goodwill last month.
***** "The patient is responsible for 200 percent of out-of-network charges" is not a typographical error.

I know you are glad, today is our Anniversary!!! #53

I have discovered a major problem in my computer system. When Staples replaced the hard drive in this system, they put a 50GIG drive in and it was supposed to be a 500GIG. It is ten times smaller than it is supposed to be. Therefore I just got amessage that my hard drive is full and the system cannot operate properly. So just awhile ago I unerstand soime things. I cannot see my new photos that I have downloaded. So below is a blind shot of what we done today.

Our 53rd Wedding Anniversary was great. We decided to drive thru the Catskills to see if we could see some fall color before we depart day after tomorrow. We got on some good back roads, We stood on the road for ten minutes once and not one car passed. I love that.

Eagle eye Sherry spotted a Doe and her twins. This is one fawn. I missed the other in guessing what was on the pictures. I thought this is like Paula said her husband and a fried done to newly weds. tore all the labels off their canned goods.LOL

Here is Mama allowing Sherry to take the picture. I stopped the car for her to take the picture.

This tree is prettier than the picture.

We walked out to these falls. These are the highest falls in NY State. WE climbed 500 ft. and about a mile and a half to see them. There is a top fall into a holding pond, then the lower falls they are not giant falls but very pretty.

This is some color and a vierw of a ski slope just North of Mt. Hunter.

Another view of the falls. I am guessing at what will come up next.

This is a little color, but I like the cedars and pines along the road. This is a large YMCA horse farm deep in the Catskills.

This is a neat Castle. It is now a home for Boys.

This is where I passed this tree. and parked . We walked back up the road to take the picture, no cars passed. And this is in New York.

Just to show the road we drove on, it was peaceful. A great drive.

More of the road. This is a lottery picture selection.

Something about the Catskills different from what we are used to int he South. Folks live in this State/National Forest along some of the roads. Families must have owned when the land around was donated to the State.

The first trail we hiked today. Heded up Hunter Mt. Through these columns. You can see they at one time comprised an arch. There was a nice dam in about three qurters of a mile. It was a broken dam, but had been at one time a substantial dam and body of water. Makes one think, what was it for?

Oh, here is a picture of that dam. I walked out on it to get a picture of the break. YOucan see it is a pretty good size dam. Ther is about twenty feet gone where you see the white water pouring through.

Well that is a scattering of our trip about a hundred miles. We ended up driving back to Woodstock, NY. Ever heard of it? It is where we thought the Woodstock Concert of great fame was held, it was not. It was held 60-70 miles from here at Bethel woods.

Anyway the last itme we were thru Woodstock we bought the best T bone steaks we ever had. WE finally think we found the market. And we bought us two steaks for tomorrow. So we are going to be celebrating three days, don't know if my heart can stand it.

I almost forgot. WE ended up with our dinner at Red Lobster, Sherry's favorite place to eat. I just love those cheese biscuits. We had the broiled seafood plate. the fried is better, but I splurged on eggs for breakfast and..............

Thanks for coming by the log.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

Signs Your Employer has Switched to Cheaper Health Care:

Your annual breast exam is done at Hooters.

Directions to your doctor's office include "Take a left when you enter the trailer park."

The tongue depressors taste faintly of Fudgesicles.

Yes she did marry me, hard to believe huh?

This was the whole crowd at our wedding. This was at the Justice of the peace, Sam Nunn's house.

My mom and dad on the left, Sherry's mom & Dad in the middle, the bride and groom on the right.

See how happy she was, Boy was she glad she waited ont me all that time. LOL But of course the kid was the lucky one, always have been!

This is true love. I go away to Boot Camp and my girl is waiting for me when I get out.
When I lived in Albemarle, NC I met Roger Slack. Von Dale knew him well. One time while I was home on weekend Von Dale, Martha and Sherry & I drove to Albemarle to see Roger. He had just gotten married. On the way home (In the Back seat) I proposed to Sherry. She accepted. I was walking on air. We were going to be married.
It seems it was to be every weekend I was off, but when I got home something happened it did not happen. One weekend I wrecked my car on the way home. One weekend we planned, “NEXT WEEKEND FOR SURE”. I brought several boys home from Camp Geiger on the weekend for $5 round trip. On the way to Belmont that week Mickey Slough, from Concord was riding with me. He said, I am getting married this weekend. I knew he was blowing smoke he always did. So I said I am too, I’ll bet you $50 I get married and you don’t. ‘It is a bet, You are on,’ he said.

Now I have it made, someone is paying for our (one night) honeymoon!
I have always been a good business man. I like a stacked deck, especially if I stack it. This was a sure thing, what could go wrong.

I get home, thrilled with my brilliance (And just must open my big mouth). Guess what Sweetheart? I made a bet with Mickey that we were going to get married this weekend. Easy money!

“WHAT?ARE YOU CRAZY? I AM NOT MARRYING YOU ON A BET!” And she didn’t. Something’s you need to keep to yourself! Huh?

But we did get married soon after. Our families went with us to York, SC. WE were married in SC mainly because they required only a short waiting time and no blood tests. I answered, Yes Sir instead of I do and Sherry followed with the same answer,”Yes,SIR”. That still counts don’t it?
WE had a cake cutting back in NC at the parsonage. And we were off to Lake Lure for our one night honey moon. No, I am not telling about the wedding night, except to say we were two happy, ignorant kids.
Oh, the next day we drove back East a short distance and saw a big Restaurant. We went in and sat down and ordered breakfast. The waitress looked at her watch. “I guess he can do it.” I looked at my watch it was two in the afternoon! (Time flies when you are having fun!)

The place became famous a few years ago when Patrick Swazie ‘s movie ‘Dirty Dancing’ was filmed there. We never saw the movie, now Sherry wants to see it, I thought she knew it, but she did not know it until he died and I mentioned it. Funny the setting for the movie they was in the Catskills, where we are now.

SOOOOOOOOOO we are Married, it was September 22, 1956. ( I was 17 she was 18) folks are still wondering to this day, if it will last. HA! Of course we have out lived some who thought it would not. I love this girl more than life itself. She is still beautiful, wonderful and can still ‘yank my chain’.

Thanks for following us in our stroll. Well at least my stroll, she has agreed with most I have said. She did say, “Did you have to mention that?” (about the bra hooks, I said “yeah, I have always been proud of that maneuver”) My blog, my words. LOL

Nite Shipslog
PS:Back in mid 1950, you could hear these dire predictions in Belmont, NC:
'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, But I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.
'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha, Charlotte or Gastonia anymore for a weekend, It costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.

'No one can afford to be sick anymore, At $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'

'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.' (and I don't)LOL

A hot kiss on Parris Island!

Ten of us joined. I did not know any of the guys I joined with. I do know two of these boys are gone on to meet their rewards now.

Graduation day is important from any place, but especially from Parris Island. I was graduating from Boot Camp before my school calss at home finished the eleventh grade.

I was a member of a squad that joined from The Gastonia area. By the time these photos were taken for the newspaper back home we were the only ones left. Five had been discharged or set back for several reasons. This was when they paid in CAsh.

Wash day, we used scrub brushes and wrung the clothes out on the cross pipes.

Todays shocking entry......

Well after the little accident with the Car, I lost my driver’s license. Again I am walking to school, and walking over to see my girl. Soooo I have this bright Idea, Join the Marines.

Being 16 that took some finesse. Getting a birth certificate, registering for the draft, changing the birth certificate etc. Sherry had her own type writer at home so she let me modify the birth certificate using it. The background was a green cross stitch pattern to show the erasures. Being a pretty good artist I took a green pencil and matched the pattern to hide the change. Crumpled the certificate, ironed it and had a photstat made. I was on my way. Tests, shots, physical, and a ticket to Raleigh NC to get sworn in. I got caught in Raleigh. SBI threatened me with jail for forgery etc. but if I would come back at 17 all would be forgiven.

So back home with my tail between my legs, back to school where Mr. Courtner advised me that my detention time was reinstated with more added for unexcused absences. Now I had set a school record, nice guy like me. That did not make any difference, I had to quit again in a few months to join the USMC for real.

I did. The first night and most nights after that I mentally kicked my rear for joining. This was no fun on Parris Island. But my love would not let me down. Some friends brought Sherry down to see me. WRONG! Ain’t supposed to have visitors, don’t need ‘em my DI is my mama, daddy,wife,girlfriend and anybody else. GET rid of them!
“Yes Sir”
I sat in the car with them for a few minutes and then said I have to go. Quick/short visit.
DI, “Pvt. Darnell was there a girl in that car?”
“Yes Sir!”
“Did you kiss her?” DI.
“Welllll yes, sir!”
“Well boy we all want to enjoy that visit, some of us don’t get to kiss girls while on Parris Island, Get up on that ironing table.”
“Yes sir,” in the center of the barracks there is a table about 4’x8’, covered with canvas for ironing uniforms. I jumped up on it.”
“Gather round troops, now Darnell hand me the light bulb!”
I unscrewed the bare bulb which was hot, but I was a Marine and it could not hurt. I handed him the bulb. “Now give that socket a good wet kiss to remind these guys how it is done, they have probably forgotten.”
Now believe me, Sherry’s kisses are electric and they give me a thrill, but this was very shocking. Her next visit was much better!
Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Back in mid 1950, you could hear these dire predictions in Belmont, NC:<
'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays.. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone To watch their kids so they can both work.

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.

Today the weather is nice, I will post a few pictures from the last few days. We are in Rondout Valley RV Resort. Folks can buy their cottages and place them on leased lots. No t every one is transit.

When we arrived a couple weeks ago there was not empty slots and the overflow was full, today it looks lid a ghost town. We like it that way. Those are fire rings turned up for the winter.

WE love some of these cute places where the OLD folk have fixed them up.

This is another nice one.

Another shot. This is a horse/cattle trailer with living quarters. The cowboy has his fire going. (Yep, hundreds of cowboys up here!)

While we were walking this RV came into the park. To get into the park you cross this narrow bridge. Beautiful creek also. When we got back home he was our neighbor. Just a waving neighbor.

We decided to do a ride-around today. We took a road we had not driven. It climbed a mountain. You are looking at part of Rondout Valley. An Absolutely beautiful valley. I still cannot believe there is so much country here in New York.

Looking back down the road we drove up on, there is a little color starting to appear.

WOW! when we rounded the curve going into Pine Bush, we ran smack dab into a festival. So we just found a parking place on one of the narrow streets and joind the happy crowd. I loved this rustic building. It was the back of Mom and Pops Bakery.

I smelled the pop corn, the funnel cakes and cinnamonbuns. All very festive.

I tried to get a good shot of this large dog, it must be in the collie family

Just to my right there was tables of books. Take all you want for a donation to the Cancer Research Society. So we got some good books, and gave a good donation. I am a sucker for folks who will get out to support a good cause.

Sherry found this lady selling Jelly to support a special needs child. Naturally we now have a jar of Blue Berry Jelly and I'll bet it is good!!!!

I love to see happy kids. Nothing thrills a kid more than ice cream!!!!!

I thought for awhile they had Stevie Wonder here, but no. I think the folks enjoyed the singing though.

On the way back to our home in Roundout Valley we drove through acres and acres of apple orchards. We stopped here to try to find some Empire Apples. I love them. They are still a week out, shucks.

But the pumpkins were in, nah, we did not get one. This is a pick- your- own-field and in the back ground is an apple orchard.

We had a great day, came back through the small festive town of New Palz, NY. This is a college town and it looks like a hang out for the 60's hippies.

BAck home, and actually tired, but it was a great day. We love driving and stopping at a couple yard sales also. I keep looking for a ships wheel to replace ours that is rottening away!

Thanks for coming by the Shipslog, tomorrow more on Sherry and Jack's lives together. But no more about bra catches! (I told my only story anyway)

Nite Shipslog.

PS:

Back in mid 1950, you could hear these dire predictions in Belmont, NC:

'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .

'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.

'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.

(rated X)Together.... This was forever!!! (danged Bra hooks & catches)

This is a copy of my '48 Chevy Convertable.

See how much happier she is around me than the rest of her Beaus, they are forgotten now!

Sherry and I Pretending to play house with Mary Ann's Daughter Debbie (This is probably after we are married, I have loaded so many pitures rejected by blogger I am confused (again.)

Snap shot of Sherry and two nieces, Brenda and Vickie.

Shirl moved to an apartment with Dee, and had found a playmate in Charlotte, so I had the whole upstairs to my self. This is her Husband to be Jim (This picture was probably after the marriage. I am off a lot today. (Only today?)

X rated, Grand kids should not read!!!!~

Wow, the memories that flood back. This girl acted a little interested, but she was not falling over herself to show me a lot of interest. I think it was a full two weeks before we went to Tony’s Ice Cream Shop again together. We had a lot of friends, but once we started dating our constant companions were Von Dale and Martha. WE probably double dated more than single dated.

When Tuck Drove we had the backset to ourselves. I learned the REAL meaning of NO! I probably heard that as many times as Tuck did. When I just knew she would FORGET that word, there it was sometimes quiet, sometimes LOUD but it was ALWAYS THERE until the wedding night. But I had fun trying (and that was just to cop a feel). When other teen agers were bragging about their conquests, Jack had to be quiet and listen. Once I was married, I knew those boys were lying. Ha!
We discuss things now about that time. Sometimes we wish we could have been more open, but who knows? Things may have been completely different considering the times and attitudes. WE have learned not to judge young lovers, and just hope they have a great a life as we have had, with all our faults and mis-steps.
I remember once I got my hand up under her sweater (IN BACK), and figured how to release those stupid bra catches, hey with one hand, I was cool, just knew this kid was headed for heaven! She sweetly said, “Fix it back.” “With one hand? You crazy? She turned slightly allowed me to raise the sweater (BEHIND). She had/has a beautiful back (I gave it a massage last night)!!! It took me a while (wonder why) but I got it fastened back. Stupid catches!
WE had a couple lover’s spats. Once She was not speaking to me. I do not remember the reason, but she had left a pair of shoes at Martha’s house. I took them back to apologize, but she sent Johnny to the door. I gave him one shoe. Later I took the other back and she finally came out and we made up. I was glad it was a pair of shoes.
I had the 1948 Convertible we had a lot of fun driving around in it. One night after a date, Von Dale and I were riding and I flipped it. I thought Tuck was killed but he was thrown out on the roll. I had a couple cracked ribs, but the car was in the ditch, back on its wheels lights on half moons turned on the lights to give it a crosseyed look, the radio was still blasting, ‘Gonna Rock around the Clock to night’. Bill Haley didn’t care if I had just ruined my dream car!!
Thanks for following me down memory lane!!!
Nite Shipslog

PS:
Back in mid 1950, you could hear these dire predictions in Belmont, NC:

'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?

'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, Nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store. '

'When I first started driving, Who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon.. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.

'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more.. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, It seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.