…Friday Oh YES, The ME and ‘I’ people

 Today’s picture taken in the mountains of Utah near Clearfield beside a beautiful lake you cannot see LOL: 

Our family on a trip to Utah to see Ben & Elsie. At this time there were two Great Granddaughters, Ben is holding Elsie and Sherece is holding Stella.  I always appreciate our x-DIL Carol for taking this picture. It was her idea. WE are missing Jenna of the grownups; she was not a part of the family then.

Note:  Our Family here: we have 2 sons, 7 grands (1 RIP), 10 great grands, the 10^th just born, a sweet girl. Cannot wait to see her. She was born at home. 

BUT for today:

Do you know someone that the world revolves around? The guy or gal that is the center of the universe, or so it seems to hear them talk. Some are avoided like the plague and do NOT know why!

ALL of us humans should like ourselves and be glad to be alive. Nothing is wrong with a ‘little’ braggadocio, it is simply common to human nature.

 Contrarywise It is sad to see some that are ‘ME’ people and drive others away.  No matter what someone else has accomplished, said, created, built, or fixed; they did one better, most of the time twice as much.

WE should know there is always someone SMARTER and know also, there are always those who THINK they are SMARTER.

Businessmen who will not accept (or at least consider) opinions or suggestions, are likely doomed to fail.

Leaders, politicians, husbands and wives must learn to ‘LISTEN’ or WE will fail, be hurt, or never advance the cause they represent.

I am a firm believer that a religious leader needs council in matters of management, not religious doctrine or dogma of course. A Council of deacons, elders, respected members appointed by the church, or the pastor/priest. It is always good to listen and consider that 2^nd, 3^rd opinion before a final decision is rendered, it saves a lot of grief and unnecessary debt!

It is a fact that we humans just don’t like to be ‘told’ we are WRONG, especially that blunt. Loud, direct approach IS NOT wise council, however. As a rule, it should be done in a positive private way. Most, especially leaders, are doomed to failure if they flat ignore ALL advice.

At times the only one hurt is the one who ignores sound advice. When a LEADER is stubborn and THINKS  that he knows what the best in every instance is; then MANY are hurt, i.e. members, family, friends or investors. Counselors, whose goal is to keep things on tract, are always best and wise..

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

AGAIN THANKS for reading the  Shipslog.  Remember all advice and things said on the internet, are not GOSPEL.  Except of course, what you and me write!  But here is a solid fact: Life goes on, until it doesn’t!

Love from NC

Thursday… Just stuff, and grandkids.

 Picture of the day

 The twins Stephen & Josh found grandpa's shoes!

BUT for now:

About nuts, I smiled at Myra’s comment about ‘green fingers’ i.e. stains from picking up and handling fallen nuts.

Once in Albany, GA (All-Benny is the local pronunciation). I was teaching classes in Naval Intelligence Handling. Behind our house was a beautiful Pecan tree. I was thrilled gathering nuts, however the next day as I got dressed, I noticed I had green/black hands they stood out like a sore thumb.  The students had a great time for a few days, joking and commenting on the contrast of my hands and my face plus the  White Uniform. OUCH! for the black students I became the Watermelon Man!

So Myra, I know exactly how you felt with those stained fingers and hands.

During our marriage and hearing some men talk concerning their wives; one statement I heard a few times,  I heard, “I just have to get away from her for a few days at times.” I had to comment so I would ask, “Then why in heck did you get married? The closer I am tomy girl, the better off I am.”  I spent many days separated, weekends, weeks and at times months, I couldn’t wait to get back and hated to think of the next separation coming up.  Just maybe I had had enough separations, LOL

I have said it many times; we started our marriage in a 26’ trailer.  We loved the closeness, got a lot of touching and kisses. LOL  I think that stuck with us. Today we sit here in a 36’ RV total size 300 sqft (In our house, the Bedroom is approx. 312 sqft, larger than this coach.) we are behind our 2800 sqft home and are very satisfied here. Everything is handy, I get much more sugar, and there is less to clean. LOL

She is the BEST, and we know we are fortunate to have got the right one at the start. She has followed me where ever I led and some of the places were odd that is for sure.

Our sons have given us some WONDERFUL grandchildren. They all have a great work ethic and are doing well. WE get to smile BIG seeing the great grands coming along, but NOTHING thrills as much as Grand kids did.

Above is Benjamin and Corey.  Corey (RIP) came into the family when Jack Jr married Carol.  We claimed him as OURS!

                                        Ben is our oldest blood kin Grandson, 

                                                        And then there was Sherece!

                                                               

Sherece, the only granddaughter, you could tell she was gonna be a beautician, Grandma says she is the BEST!....

Our sweet granddaughter Sherece said to me once, “Grandpa, isn’t she just the cutest thing?” speaking of her daughter, Stella.

“Yes, she is honey, she is a good one, but not as cute as YOU were!”  Our grands were the best, of course.

                        Here is Luke the last grand...

Luke, the youngest Grand with Janie (I have a good pic of Luke (as a kid) on my big tractor but cannot find the pic!)

            Then there was Mattthew Dillon  (believe it or not he is a special dad now and named his first son, Mavrick.

Matthew, I always loved this shot.  Below is Matt's first shave!

Grands are the best, right Chatty? (for you readers that don’t know, Chatty is busting out all over about a beautiful new granddaughter! Yeah, I know it is a GG, BUT we know that the G was practically her son. WE saw as he grew right here on bloggersville.)  

 

Nite Shipslog

PS. 

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.   I know I repeat myself a lot on this blog, but please just charge it off to my wife’s age. LOL

Wednesday …The other women in my life, besides Sherry! …shhhhhhhh…

 Today’s picture

 

Making cotton yarn, pic from the net

So for today:

I must admit there have been important women in my life.  My mother of course. She must have paid for 40-50 churches (1930-1960 African churches were $50 to build) She made and sold flower arrangements. All this while organizing the ladies of churches and working with them.

The next admired, Sherry’s mother. The things that lady accomplished working in a cotton mill and birthing 7 kids. Like most families, the older kids took care of the later kids and at times even carried them to the mill to be breastfed at times.

 Do you remember when it was common and NOT ‘a shame to breast feed a child’ even in public when necessary. NOW, Financially, on mill workers’ salary, she did wonders with their income. (she started work at 12yr old at 5 cent an hour.) When she married it was 25 cents an hour. In her 50s she had a heart attack; she was making about a $1 and hour when she became disabled.) She managed for them to own two small homes (one a rental) and even had one built for a handicapped brother.

Now the serious girls in my life LOL.

There is Carla. A good friend of DIL Corrine. At one time she was a professional house cleaner; when Sherry was working full-time she hired Carla once a week to clean our home.

I was building houses at the time, so during the day I was in and out of the house when Carla would be cleaning. To keep from surprising her, when I opened the door I would yell, “Honey I’m home!” I laughed out loud when she stuck her head around a door and without missing a beat said, “And how was your day?”  That became a habit. We laughed as I called her my second wife.

Another is Peggy Moody. Her husband Billy is a lifelong friend of mine. Our families go back to the 1930s. Billy laid carpet at times for me. Several times I called their home when I needed to talk to Billy about a job.

Once, when she answered the phone I said, “Hey Peggy, is Billy Home?”

Without missing a beat she came back with, “No he isn’t, come on over!” She cracked me up. I miss those close relationships, the joking, the fun, the fellowship of real close friends. fresh wit, I love it.

Life is still good, but at times you miss the past.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

AGAIN THANKS for reading the  Shipslog.  I thought everyone had the BEST mama, but I have learned different over the years, that is not necessarily so. Hold on tight, there are bumps in this road of life.

Tuesday... Snakes and snails or Sugar and spice?

 Picture of the day

 My sister Shirley Maxine

 BUT for now:

I may have been stunted in my growth as a boy. From child, I remember boys are made from: Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.  Of course my sister, like you girls was made from: Sugar and spice and everything nice.

My sister? Ha! I knew that was a story (lie).  Mama would not allow me to say some one was lying, but I could say they are telling a story.  You girls could be devious I want you to know.  Examples: Carrying water from the spring to the house, Shirley said it was easier for me to carry two buckets of water, so I did and she walked with nothing.

Yeah, and carrying firewood to the kitchen.  She said ‘hold your arms out and I can load you up and you can carry much more,’ well, of course she was right, but I never realized she wasn’t carrying a thing.

But really, she wasn’t all bad.  She did teach me to play hop-scotch, hide and seek and to ride a bicycle.  She drew a school bus out in the dirt.  She was the driver and opened the door for me to get in, but then I had to go the back seat as she drove it.  She hit a lot of bumps,

Prayer?  She was mean.  She interrupted my prayers to correct my English.  Mama said once  that I called her into our room and said, “If Shirley interrupts me again while I am praying, I’m gonna knock her down!”

I was about 14 or 15 (late bloomer) when I met Margaret, I was older than she was, I then realized Girls might have really been made from Sugar and spice and everything nice!  Then, a little later, I met this older girl, Sherry Lucille, who taught me that it was REALLY TRUE!!! Shucks, she was a senior in High School and ‘knowed’ stuff!  She was even a member of the beta club.  At the time I thought that meant ‘Better club.’

Just the thoughts (and memories) from the mind of an OLD MAN. Y’all come back, ya hear?

 

Nite Shipslog

PS. 

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.   LOL WE have been married over 69 years now, Sherry Lucille and I, and yep she is made from Sugar and spice!

Here I was caught in San Antonio at the River Walk trying to get more sugar in public. She is laughing....  LOL

Monday… WE start a new week, I am also nutty

 Picture of the day

BUT for now:

Why do I say that about the week? The new week starts on Sunday, I KNOW!

Have you ever worked with black walnuts?  WE have several walnut trees here.  Each year I gather about 5 to 7 gallons of those that have fallen off the tree, with the outer puffy green shell on them.  I have figured a way to clean them that is not tough at all, BUT if not careful, and do not wear gloves you stain your hands, mine are stained now. I use a big tub, pour the walnuts in and cover with water. I use a drill and a large paint stirrer, It takes less than ten minutes to clean the 7 gallons. It used to take me hours.  I now have a water bucket full of cleaned, shell nuts.

                  This is not me of course, but this is how my Black Walnuts  look.  Your average nut cracker will ot touch this nut it is HARD!

The tedious jobs are next. They must dry for 2 weeks, then I crack them one at a time.  WE hold them in the coach basement and while spending our time in Florida we slowly pick the goodies out.  Actually, Sherry picks most of them.

(This is what my 7 gallons of walnuts look like when I start. As you can see there is a lot of outer shell to clean off before any cracking can start.)

AND THEN we have enough for about a pint of black walnuts in syrup.  That makes the best chocolate walnut sundaes you ever ate.  It costs a lot of time, but that is what we have the most of when wintering away from home base.

Black Walnuts were used in the drugstores and ice cream shops for sundaes and splits, as we grew up.  WE only saw the English Walnut at Christmas time and to us it was never as good at the Black walnut, BUT, but the English walnut is much easier to crack and pick the goodies out.

Come to thing of that nut; are they common anywhere in the USA?

Our main nut for many years was the Georgia Pecan.  WE would buy 50 pounds in the shell every winter from RAlph, Sherry's cousin in South Georgia.. They were fairly easy to crack and pick out also.

I am a nutty person; I try to eat a ¼ cup of almonds every night. Supposed to be good for Cholesterol control.

I hope to find a good subject for Tuesday.

Y’all try to be good.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS. 

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.   Almonds? No crackee, just buy them shelled and in the bag! I also like peanuts, that was my daddy’s cash crop as a sharecropper in the 1920s. He loved peanuts but could really make a mess with them. LOL

Sunday…. WE got a surprise. Also Planning the next trip!

 Picture of the day

 WE had tents, pop ups, and trailers but this was our first motor home. LOL

 

BUT for now:

 Life goes on, and we have itchy feet.  WE know our next trip is to Florida.  We have planned to take a suitcase, drive down and live in Son Mark’s RV. But the truth is, I would rather drive the RV down than pack a suitcase.  Maybe if it was a week or so…. Just maybe a suitcase. BUT for months? It is too likely we would look for something and say, “Shucks, we did not pack that!”

Motor home #2 (I think)

Motor Home #3 that is my best Old Man friend, Sonny ...Oh yes and Collette (Sherry's sister)

So….  WE will take our RV, it is our home anyway. If you know RV people you may know the saying, “Home is where we park it!”

#4 The Diplomat this one had 2 slides

#5 the Winnie Adventurer, 3 slides. I am sitting, typing in this one now. WE are parked in the same place as the picture, behind our house. LOL But it is not raining now.

Ok the fix is in, I got reservations in Eustis, FL So we leave NC in 2 weeks.

WOW, surprise, this only happened once before. A Florida Pastor (Bro. Aaron) called us to thank us for attending church in Jasper, FL. NOW it has happened again. I mentioned attending the church in the Cornfield. It is a huge church, and we had a great experience. Friendly, a very good sermon and service. I received a text asking if I would accept a call from the pastor of that Reamstown church. Of course, we said yesl

He called and we had a good conversation. He thanked us for attending we chatted about families and history, etc. I just thought that was special. He must be pretty busy with a church of that size and still took the time to speak with someone who most likely will not return, due distance and  aging out.

That's it, have a good day. You guys are the best…

 

Nite Shipslog

PS. 

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.   ;-)   WE are thankful we can still travel as Sherry approaches the 90s. LOL

Saturday, Thanks for your Service.

 Today’s picture

 

                Jr holding me 'n Bingo while home on leave out of uniform.

This was in Shelby, NC our first house with an inside toilet. Jr. threatened to flush me down the commode if I didn't stop talking.

So for today:

From the time I remembered my brothers in uniform, I wanted one. I was 3-4 yrs old and still remember.  Most folks cannot even remember their childhood hopes, much less get to fulfil them.

                            Odis and his soon to be wife Ruth home on leave.

                                                below both brothers in whites.

                            Then there was me in a uniform made by my mother

I served in 3 branches.  I was never a hero, but I met PLENTY OF THEM. Many folks do not realize it, but the largest percentage of service members serve in support positions. Most of us never saw combat.

                                                        Sgt Vernon Gomez Harris,  Sherry's bro.

Sherry’s brother Lefty, landed on Iwo Jima (purple heart). My brother Jr served aboard ship in the South Pacific. BIL Vernon two tours in Nam. Nephew Ted, tour Nam. Nephew Henry, Nam.  Nephew Rick, Nam. More cousins/uncles than I can list.

I see men and women who lost limbs defending Freedom. Military personnel do not choose the wars they fight in, agree or not, they just follow orders.

I am proud to have known the men and women who fought and those who supported. Supplies must get to the men in action.  Food must be there. Medics have to be ready, someone must keep personnel records, and the important bunch, PAY masters. All needs must be met for success. Then that one forgotten by some, someone must supply the stuff for yelling 'MAIL CALL', everyone wants to hear from sweethearts and mama!

I am saying this because I heard that statement ‘Thanks for your service’, twice today and I was away from home only once. SWEET!

Oh, and Arlington, along with many other Veteran Grave sites are full of those who ‘swore an oath’ to defend with their lives, and thousands gave their all.

I wear a hat that says NAVY (My last military service). I hear it so many times lately, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE”.  I try to always return the thanks and learn that many times that thanks comes from other veterans. I usually say Thank you and I enjoyed it.

                Chief Jack (Highest rank I held)

Yesterday at the grocery store a lady said, “Navy? Great, I served in the USN also shipmate!”  It reminded me of DC and Lois, a young lady of color. She was the hardest working sailor that ever worked for me. WE printed and bound ALL USN books, printed the USN financial statements and regulations. Our printers ran 24/365, stopping only when broke.  LOL

If you served, Thanks for your service.  Many thanks should also be for the ones who kept homes together while others served.

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

AGAIN THANKS for reading the  Shipslog.  Remember Life goes on, until it doesn’t!

 

Friday TRAFFIC

 Picture of the day

 

Oh yes we could live in this truck!! Living quarters about the size of our first home.

BUT for now:  

I guess I touched on something many folks already know about.  MA mentioned traffic in Texas. WE remember very well, Sherry had taken the wheel of the Coach and we hit Houston, bad traffic and road work. She had the coach steering wheel with concrete walls both sides and only a 10ft lane. Our coach is 8’, she had only one foot on both sides.  She did good, but still remembers the fear she felt in those few miles.

 Chatty and Atlanta traffic! Oh yes, we got into that once at rush hour. Also we remember Atlanta before the interstates and the outer beltways. When we lived in Biloxi Mississippi, we drove thru the middle of Atlanta on Peach Street to and from North Carolina.

Chinese gridlock, Part of the 12 days 62 miles long traffic jamb!

I prefer driving our coach to a car; many people do not understand that. Shucks, I might have some truck driver blood in me. Many in my family and extended family drove trucks.  I had an uncle killed and brother injured in a truck wreck in Maryland. But that was long before the interstate system. I do respect truck drivers and there are millions of trucks on the road. Everyone needs to  remember when you are out on the roads, “Everything we use, eat and buy, most likely came to you via a truck.”

The above may be in the UK, but Trucks are real and needed.

Once on a long haul move from Albany Georgia to Key West, we met a couple that lived in their moving truck. A small portion of their truck trailer was set aside for their personal belongings. They managed to withdraw and store what they needed between moving other people’s household goods, such as ours. Most of the other time they managed to bath at truck stops and slept in the truck cab living area.

That idea appealed to Sherry & I, but we never followed thru on the idea. LOL

Many couples are truck drivers with both having DOT License.

All of you take care and remember, life goes on.

Nite Shipslog

PS.  Yeah, I know you did not need to be reminded of traffic stuff. HA!

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.   ;-)  WE all need to be more patient drivers, we are all in the same boat or on the road.  ;-)