Just now....Things funny and those you do not expect.

 

Today’s stuff:

Friend Don just turned 89 years old. His Great Grand daughter, 6 years old, came to see him. It was her birthday too. Don asked her “Ava, how old do you think I am?”

Looking at him for a few seconds she said, “Fifty thousand!”

WE cracked up when we heard that. Remember the program, “Kids say the darnedest things?”

Things funny help you in life. But those unexpected things, the BUMPS in the road? Not so much.

This was Sherry’s 2 or 3^rd day in the hospital. Her Blood pressure got too high. They have ran a lot of tests. Good Doctors. I am home gathering some things to take back to the hospital. I thought I would explain that I will not be aboard the Blog for awhile.

She is I in good spirits. Most tests showed nothing, but some with questions. Still awaiting the doctor’s recommendations.

I am not thinking very well, but thought I would ask for prayers of you that pray and Positive thoughts for those who don’t. I am NOT thinking of losing her! But I can use the prayers and support. Jack Jr. drove down from NC and Mark is here, so She has some good support here.

Love you guys. Will try to keep you up to date.

Nite Shipslog

Monday Heroes and In-laws.

 ABOUT yesterday...Note push mower: For high grass there was some adjustment for high grass but very little.  Most of us cutting 6" grass had to push forward 3' then pull it back and go again, many time it took 3 times to get it down, BUT it was done no matter how high the weeds....And then goats, like Victor, we used goats in GITMO around where ammo was stored. Less dangerous!

Picture of the day:

Actual picture of USMC landing on Iwo Jima, WWII

Today’s stuff:  Now....

There have been a lot of mother-in-law jokes, I even used some. Friend Victor stays in trouble over in the UK about where his MIL parks her broom. BUT ME? I had the best, Susie Hawes Harris, she was one sweet woman. However, Sherry embarrassed me once while we were parked in front of their house. She was smooching me so heavily that her mother came out in her night gown to tell SHERRY to ‘Sit up in that car!’

That is my version of the TRUTH!

Many of us men migrate to the family of our wives. I certainly did. Sherry’s family was very dear to me. I have many heroes, most military. Sherry and I grew up during WWII and our brothers served in that war. Both were in the Pacific. My brother, Junior, was a ‘decorated’ gunner on a Destroyer Escort ship.

Junior,  101 yr old this year... Wish he was still here... Picture is Just before leaving Shelby NC to serve on the Ship below, the USS Baron

Sherry’s Brother Lefty Harris (100 yrs old ) was a decorated US Marine. He was wounded during the USMC landing on Iwo Jima.

Sherry, Lefty and Johnny, just after the war.

I have mentioned Sherry’s brother (Passed but 93 yrs this yr), Vernon Gomez; he too was a hero of mine, serving at least two tours in Vietnam.

                Above is Vernon and his wife Janet.

I am reluctant to list friends, cousins, nephews, uncles who served, I might miss one. They too, are my heroes.

I brought that up mainly because in the last few days

Becky, one of Lefty’s daughters, called Sherry to verify that had lefty lived, he would be 100 yrs old now? Sherry who knows every birthday of everyone in our families, living or dead. Yes, Sherry said Lefty was born March 1926 making him a 100 this month.

WE all trained, simulated being ordered ashore or dropped in a combat zone. Some, reading here, actually were there, I was fortunate and never saw combat.

With their background, veterans, think of those military standing ready near Iran today. Most are on ships awaiting orders. WE, out of harm’s way, feel for the anxiety of WAITING! I admire every man and woman in uniform now. There was a time seeing a uniform brought automatic, RESPECT.

During my time, a man in uniform could stand on the road with a thumb out and be picked up immediately. Most of us did that at one time or the other in 50s & 60s.

Nite Shipslog

PS: When I visit VA hospitals and see the VETS who lost sight, limbs and many with shattered nerves. I am thankful for their service and realize how blessed to have served in three branches and still be walking around. 

Sunday.... ..... If you are still here…..

 Picture of the day:

Today’s stuff:

Things have a way of changing in this life. Standards,

 guidelines, morals, mowers and even house styles. I

 have heard the term “They moved the goal post!” I

 think I understand that.

I saw a big truck yesterday, front raised high. When I was 16 I would have thought that is the coolest thing ever. Now? It looked stupid and the COST came to mind, who can afford that and still buy groceries?

AS a kid pushing a lawn mower (no motor!), I got paid 50 cents to mow a small yard. Today the cost can be $100 and the guy is using a $5000 zero turn mower.

We had a little (comeuppance) experience with buying a used mower awhile back. I wanted a zero turn mower. They look cool when ‘someone else’ is driving. WE finally

 agreed on the price $2000. Sherry got out the check book. “I do not take checks, we can use ‘zorrow’, zelle’ (or something like that) or cash.”

I said, ok I will go to the bank and get cash. (I was in another town it was 3PM). “Our banks close at 2 o’clock every day.” he said. It was past that time. He agreed to hold it until the next day when we could arrange payment.

Truth is, I could not believe ANY bank closing at that time during the week. So we drove by a bank and I checked the time. Sure enough, closing daily 2PM. As I said, things change.

Now to the mower. I can usually adapt to mechanics or physical actions, BUT A ZERO TURN MOWER IS CRAZY TO DRIVE. First notice, there is NO steering wheel, just two handles Left and Right. I am finally getting it a little, in the meantime I have cut down two Azalea bushes I planted 25 years ago when I built that house. LOL

Things change since I cut grass with a $20 push mower.

Nite Shipslog

PS: I have only paid to have a lawn cut when someone needed the money. I need the exercise and yes I am cheap. ALSO I have never paid that kind of money for a mower, but I did not want to buy another standard riding mower, the zero turn looked COOL! ??!!??  LOL

Saturday The country of Iran.

 Picture of the day:

This is a fair shot of Tehran, greater Tehran is over 13 million citizens:

Today’s stuff just facts and statistics:

In reference to the Mediterranean area of the world.

 Sherry has been to Jordan and Israel; not far

 from Iran. I was in France, Spain, Crete, Turkey,

 Greece, Italy and Sicily other countries of the

 Mediterranean. Together Sherry & I made Germany,

 Belgium  and Switzerland.

Since this undeclared war with Iran,

 I had assumed it was about the size of Maine

 and also sort of a backward country.

However this is IRAN also:

I prefer to know something of the areas our military is

 sent to. You can be very surprised when your mind is

 not broad enough. As a Marine with NATO forces I

 spent a few weeks in the back country of Turkey. My

 impressions: it was a backward country, I was 17

 years old. I was shocked later when I saw Istanbul,

 it’s size and how modern it was. I was overwhelmed.

I am interested in Iran. Hey, it is 2 ½ times the size

 of Texas. 

dark green is Iran size it covers most of our Mid West

Does that surprise you? It did me. There are

 5 other cities over a million in population one of them

 over 3 million. Iran population approx 86 million.

Their army? Quads force, 90,000 elite troops. Special

 Forces 125,000 troops. Combat ready army? 600,000

 That is a total of 815,000 troops.

This is not a backwards country. Now I am told this is NOT Vietnam! and it is not.  BUT who knows?

Look back at the Vietnam statistics:

North Vietnam had an army of approx 480,000 . The

 French fought there for about 8 years lost 55,000

 French soldiers and pulled out without winning. USA

 followed them. After nine combat years we pulled out

 without winning, losing 58000+ good men and women.

I pray that this ‘WAR’ has been thought thru and has

 an objective for an ending.  I am praying we do not go

 Boots on the ground.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

This is not an obsession with me, But I read

 where our president said that  the USA will

 flatten Iran if they do not surrender

 unconditionally. WE have had too many WARS

 that brought the USA NOTHING but PAIN!

Now Iran is 2.5 times the size of Texas, FOR

 EXAMPLE Just THINK how hard it would be to 'wipe

 out' a country that size. count the cost in soldiers,

 missiles and  bombs at 1-2 million  dollars a minute.

 But wait, it will

 be faster with nuclear weapons. Are they there

 already, you can bet you bippy they are.  Every

 carrier and sub of the USA carries them I and many

 sailors have loaded them aboard. 

Our president just said this week, quote " I can

 end this war in  2  seconds." That is a REAL

 scary  option. 

Friday, I WISH …. …..

 Picture of the day:

Stephen Hawkins, can you imagine making this work for you?

Today’s stuff:

I wish I could ‘WILL AWAY’ circumstances/ or pain!’

 When you cannot, what do you do?

Sherry just read a quote to me of Corrie ten boom, It was concerning a woman in Russia she had met. Disease had reduced her to one moving body part, “ONE FINGER!” With that, she typed Bible verses and wrote books.

Hawkins, a physicist, ALS took him but he did not stop! 

I appreciate the things I read. I firmly believe every one of you that Blog, at one time or the other, say something that ‘HITS HOME’ to we who read what you write.

Just lately two of you brought tears to my eyes as I read what you wrote. Victor just put a song on an entry, it concerned a boy's relation with his dad, and also a shoe box.

I do not have a picture of me and my dad together. I wish I did. My dad educated himself. He was a full time farm hand at 8 years old and could not attend school. By the time I left home, his education easily matched that of a ‘Doctorate’. His wisdom, knowledge and common-sense approach to religion and life made him a light to thousands of people. I wish I could tell him now, how much I admired him.

My friend Billy is blind. WE talk some, he can tell daylight from dark and at times distinguish forms. He went blind during a medical operation which had NOTHING to do with his eyes. Did that stop him? Huh uh! He has fenced his yard and has built a carport.

My Aunt Georgia, went blind and still maintained a home, cooked and cleaned house. I told you all that once as a 6 year old I followed her into the kitchen, she was pouring coffee to serve. “Aunt Georgia, if you are blind, how can you tell how much you are pouring?” I asked.

"See my finger over he edge of the cup Jackie, I can feel the heat as it gets near the top.” She explained several things to this little kid. I was (still am) amazed.

Sister White was sweet but opinionated. Funny that; I understand she was raised in ‘Brown Town!’ ... Another friend, Jinks, lived in Brown Town. Jinks went blind as he aged. Sister White would mention Jinks many times as being the laziest man she knew. He lays around and expects his wife to serve him hand and foot.

I told Sherry, “Sis White is tough on Jinks, he’s blind.”

"Jack, Sister White knows handicaps. She could not speak properly until she started to school at 6 years old. She was raised by parents that were referred to as ‘Deaf and Dumb’. They still worked and raised a family.”

I moved to the Belmont area in 1954, so I was new there. Brown Town is a community of Belmont where most folks named Brown, lived. Sherry knows a lot of people

And then there is Nick Vujicic, his ministry is Life without Limbs, No arms or legs. He is inspirational!

Google him if you want to see some amazing stuff.

MA ‘s blog says, “If you cannot see the bright side, polish the dull part.” Imma trying.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

 WOW! Somehow there are people who decide to whip a problem, and there are those who fold.

Thursday, Fill in and catch up

 Picture of the day:

Gerald Ford Air Craft Carrier

Today’s stuff:

I mentioned previously fire is dreaded aboard ship. I was forced to recall one just yesterday when I read of one lately on the Aircraft Carrier Gerald Ford, there was a big fire, it was reportedly started in the ships laundry, and burned thru compartments that contained a 600 beds. The ship was past it's time for over all maintenance and should NEVER have been deployed further. Someone dropped the ball. 12 months of 12-20 hour days kills moral.

After hours the entire ship is covered by sailors doing their after hours assignment as a ‘Fire Watch’. Each fire watch is assigned a specific area to patrol. The job is assigned to the lower pay grades and is broken down into 4 hour walks.

In my entire time at sea I experienced one fire. It just had to happen during one of my times as a ‘fire watch’. So after the shipboard notice was given over all speakers: “FIRE, FIRE 02 LEVEL FRAME 90, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, FIRE, FIRE”. It was my job to run my assigned area rushing sailors and officers to a weather deck. I will never forget one compartment the men were watching the movie ‘Rat Patrol’ on the TV, they were so engrossed they were fanning smoke from the screen, true dat. Sailors are crazy. They did leave, but did not want to.

That fire Report reminded me when blogging about shipboard life, I over looked the Laundry, a BIG part of ALL ships. Someone must do the laundry, right?

Try thinking of the amount of laundry on a carrier, associated with the life of 5000+ sailors. The laundry washes at least 5000 bed sheets a week. They wash every man's laundry. All clothes have the owner's name on it. On your Division’s Laundry Day, you come back from your job, and your sheets and clothes are piled on your bunk. 

Each man folds, rolls, his clothes and puts them away; then replaces his sheets.  Yes, there is a great system that ensures YOUR clothes are on YOUR rack (bed) every laundry day. They never lost even my underwear or socks.

It is hard to wrap your mind around the jobs and requirements to run a ship. There are plenty of ‘side jobs’ called ADDITIONAL DUTIES All low ranks must spend so many weeks a year on mess duty (assisting the cooks), fire watch, compartment cleaning, mail Petty Officer, passageway cleaning, security duty, and burn runs (burning out dated classified documents and messages). As a fire watch you definitely learn parts of the ship you never knew existed. LOL

Enough, every job, occupation, and just life, has some boring and exciting parts. It has been nice meeting folks on line, losing some has sure made me sad at times. Right now, I am hit hardest thinking of Jean of Opp and Paula, the cowgirl. Two wonderful women we met on Journals and Blogs. Amazing how close we get sometimes.

All people are important. EVERYONE has a life, there fore a story.  With the right writer, your life would make a best selling book.

See ya

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Life gets to you sometimes. Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog

Sherry is washing clothes today, and it is shaking the RV.

Wednesday, Taxes, everyone’s favorite subject (not)

 Picture of the day:

Today’s stuff:

Tax time, I can relax, ours?... done! We even got a refund, the first time in many years. Every year I

 remember an eye opening time. We were stationed in GITMO, my ‘Commander in Chief & President', was Mr. Richard Nixon.

It wasn’t a law, but sort of an expected rule, as president of the USA it was a practice to make his Tax return public. Our present president is an exception, he promised todo that, but later refused. Anyway, Sherry and I, lower-income enlisted folk, under Nixon’s command paid twice more in taxes than the President of the USA! He had paid a whopping $750.00 in federal Income tax. His salary was $100,000 a year, ours, less than $6,000. That blew my mind.

I am very sure he paid the right amount with deductions and loopholes, therefore the Commander-in-Chief of the Army still paid less tax than a Private in that Army.

In my opinion our tax system is NOT fair, but we still live in a GREAT country. I would like to see a straight 10% income tax on EVERYONE who ears over $50K. Maybe a Federal Sales tax of 15% on everything purchased, no exceptions or loopholes. Get rid of most of the IRS and all income tax. It would sure make it simpler for businesses that pay employees and forget withholding taxes.

With the 15% fed sales tax, when buying a car for $5000 we pay $750 tax. When the Billionaire buys a Yacht for $500,000, he pays $75,000 sales tax.

Yeah I dream a lot. I jump thru the hoops every year and fill out our tax forms. I am one cheap dude. One of my son’s pays $250 to have his done, the other  might do his own.

OF COURSE I do not KNOW, but I hear there are some Billionaires who pay zero in income taxes, because their income is in stocks/bonds etc and taxed different than me. Our tax system is employee driven, not investment.

My mind will no longer hold things together, so I get very lost in IRS language. I have read about 100 of the nearly 7,000 pages of the tax code. It actually goes to 75,000 pages when the explanations and directions are included.

I won’t even try to guess the # of presidents and congressmen who have read even 10% of that code. HOWEVER, I guarantee there are lawyers who have read enough to find the loopholes, as they say. They get paid good money to do that. LOL

Ok ,I have said too much, but get your taxes filed, pay what Uncle Sam says pay, so my SS check will arrive next month. Oh yes, and THANK YOU very much!

Nite Shipslog

PS: I didn’t bitch too much did I?

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog

Tuesday, Insight of Military life

 Picture of the day:

That picture was taken a short 70 years ago, She was cute wasn't she. She married a Marine. I was a smart fellow as a kid.

Today’s stuff:

WE all think of the military personnel and dangers when they are deployed. Seldom do we think of trouble at home when the military person MUST get back home i.e. the death of a loved one back home.

Military troops know that the Red Cross will help with notification of home problems, but we seldom expected it. My BIL Sgt Vernon Gomez Harris, deployed to Nam with the Green Berets, His & Sherry’s mother died. The Red Cross gave him assistance; he made it across the Pacific and the USA in time for the funeral.

While deployed to Cuba I was notified my dad was dying. If he had been declared dead the USN would have flown our family back, but since it was ONLY a notification of serious sickness, I was flown back immediately. Sherry and the boys came to the USA at the death.

I mentioned in a comment to Victor about this, as my plane approached Charlotte, NC the weather was so bad the plane was diverted to Tennessee or Virginia, I forget which; I rented a car and drove to Charlotte. But Dad had died during the diversion.

We all understand that is bad, but not like your loved one returning from deployment in a box.

So I am asking for your prayers for those families who will be seeing loved ones next, some in coffins. War is terrible, but when you sign on and wear the uniform you swear on your life to do what is required. I was fortunate I never saw combat, but my cousins, brothers, in-laws and other kin did, we were thankful they all returned, walking. Sherry's brother Lefty, was wounded on Iwo Jima but came back alive.

A lot is entailed in life, I hear hints of the draft being reinstated. IMHO 6 months to 2 years in the military is very good for most of our youth. Many people have not known discipline, and it would do them good.

I do not personally foresee the need for a draft in the present situation, but my friends, if it were to come to a World War, it WILL be necessary, and we all will cry and pray. I Remember WWII. And make no mistake, if this one comes, we here in the USA will see what Europe has seen twice.

Nite Shipslog

PS:I am stuck on the sad side, Imma try to polish the other side… HONEST!