Occupations

 

My first house. I built this one completely by myself from digging the footer, pouring the foundation, plumbing, electrical, roofing to selling it. It sold for $32,000 in 4 days. After closing the buying lady asked, "Now Mr. Darnell, why did the house sell so cheap?"  I remember answering clearly, " Cheap? I made $10 and hour on this house!!"  Clearly my occupation as a builder needed some upgrading!!  LOL

SO for now:

As a boy I remember wanting to wear a uniform when I grew up. I admired my brothers, cousins and uncles in uniform. Moat boys at one time or the other want to be a policeman or a fireman.  Many want to be a train engineer. Most boys have no idea there are engineers other than train engineers. LOL

Over my long-life span (BTW I never expected to live to be near 90 yrs old) I have enjoyed many occupations.  But over the years I have learned of things I never even thought of before as an occupation.

When I saw a Greyhound bus driver I never thought his job  as it was. For some reason I thought he went from Canada and drove his bus to Miami Florida. I never pictured him being home every night say, in Charlotte, NC. I couldn't know he drove his bus to Atlanta, GA in the morning and then drove another bus back to Charlotte that afternoon; and was home for supper.

Since I had a brother and several uncles and cousins that drove trucks, I knew they started up towards NYC , then back south. Many times they were away from home weeks at a time.

Our friends Dal and Marian have a grand daughter who went to China as a teacher. While there she fell in love and married. She can come back to the USA, but so far her hubby cannot leave China. An occupation sure changed her life.

We have a nephew that worked in Afghanistan, while there he met a lady from Kenya working in a hotel. They fell in love and married. He now lives in Kenya. His wife and her daughter have not been able to gain the permision to travel to the USA. His choice of occupations changed his life for sure.

Occupations have redirected many lives, I applied or a job in Viet Nam once but did not get it.  Probably a good response, huh?

Has an occupation changed your life?  Someone you know? What is the strangest occupation you have been associated with?

Nite Shipslog

PS.    AGAIN. YOU readers here are OK! I Just want to say thanks for being you.

 

AMAZING

 Today’s picture:

 

BUT for today:

Women live longer because of wearing high heels. Imagine all the dangers they avoided AND LIVED: tripping, turned ankles, bad falls, etc…………..

I just ran across a blog entry I had started with those approx 20 words above, I am wondering WHAT was on my WILD mind?? LOL

Continuing the idea of AMAZING; Sherry and I recently lost two OLDER friends in the last few months.  It was AMAZING because both were from small towns in other states. One was from Tennessee and the other from a small town in northern Maine. We met those because we lived in an RV and they hosted a state park that we enjoyed . They were the last of two sweet loving couples, Al and Judy from Maine and R.E. and Mary from Tennessee. They were dear to us. The boys went first, now the girls (near 90) are gone..

So using the thought AMAZING I just mentioned to my sweetheart it was amazing we have dear friends from Pennsylvania. I have mentioned them often, Dallas and Marion Fetcher. The USMC got us together. We were all 17-18 years old and they are alive and still married; both couples approaching 70 years of marriage.

(OUR LAST TIME TOGETHER, MARIAN'S bd 4 REALLY OLD PEOPLE)

Strange we all started out with little financially, but Dallas ended up with his own company raising Turkeys and I my own company in Construction. Marian and Sherry both had their own successes in jobs they retired from.

Funny thing after our second child I learned what caused them and Dallas had to go thru Marian having 5 before he learned.  I never realized he was such a slow learner. That aside, they have a wonderful family.  WE are proud of our family also.

Looking DEEP, life is truly amazing. We all know we are fortunate to still be alive and not in assisted living. I am not quite ready for assisted living, but Sherry says she considers it a good idea. I tell her if they will allow me to work on the maintenance crew part time, I just might consider Joining her. LOL

 

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

WE are on the downhill run that is for sure.  I will try to let my son Jack know to tell you guys why I don’t show up after my time comes.  I liked and appreciated knowing when Jean of Opp and Paula of Texas didn’t show up with blog entries. Jean’s sweet daughter Sheila,  who told us of Jean’s passing, still drops by at times.

.

Memories for many have a lot to do with Christmas

 She wasn't a Christmas Gift, But the Lord did give me the BEST, that is for sure. I am blessed she is still with me after nearly 70 years (the girl is tough).

SO for now:

I do not remember many of my Christmas presents, BUT I do remember how excited I was at Christmas time. For one thing we got out of school for a couple weeks. J

There is a great feeling in the air this time of the year. It is special.   I know that the time is special because of the Lord’s birth and that speaks LOUDly for sure.

I am not sure of your churches, but for most of my childhood churches had Christmas Plays. Not so much any more, but they were special to me.

We are now in Wildwood Florida.  We will be here only a week then move a few miles to Eustis, FL. Reservations are a little tough down this way. But for a good point, we have son Mark’s front yard to stay in when no reservations are available.  It is good to have a ‘spare tire.’

My best gift once was our sole support when I was out of work for a few months.  She has always worked when not having babies ;-). She worked in a sock mill first, and later as a secretary and clerk.

When I was unpacking in the last NC move, I found at over 12  awards and commendations for her work over the years.

I have been a little tired after the ‘down to Florida’ trip. This is the most ‘down’ I have ever felt after the long drive.  I guess reaching my 87^th birthday (in about 30 days) has something to do with that.

All that aside I hope your season is truly “MERRY AND BRIGHT”. Honestly, I do love a white Christmas, but I will not miss it. When you are raised in NC, you do not see snow often..

I hope to be here more than in the recent past. On the road there are not as many distractions.

Nite Shipslog

PS.    AGAIN. I Just want to say thanks for reading this stuff.

The trip was not completely smooth, but …..

 

GGranddaughter Palmer just a little after birth, she is a smiler 

SO for now:

…but it wasn’t bad except the sun was in our eyes much of the time.  I do hate to complain about the sun since we had missed it for so long. LOL

However, I guess, for driving near 500 miles in 10-11 hour at this age ain’t bad. I didn’t even hit another car (that I know of) or wreck the RV.

WE left our back yard in NC and landed in Leesburg FL at Son Mark’s front yard.  We have reservations in Wildwood, FL in a couple days. Reservations are hard to get now. I thought that Covid scare a few years ago would cut down the traveling, but it nearly doubled. I think maybe some folks thought safer in their own trailer or RV than motels/hotels.

We are enjoying the 70s and warm weather. We like this area and are familiar here having lived within a 5 mile radius of here for a few years.

 

Sherry  and Palmy now 8 months old. Pamy is not the youngest in the family but my girl is the oldest, and they are both beautiful!

A plus was Grandson Luke and family stopped by today on their way to Canaveral and a cruise. They brought Mark’s new granddaughter, Palmer (Palmy) and he got to enjoy her. She is now 8 months and the best little thing. We went out to eat and she sat in a highchair the entire time and never whimpered once.  She smiled and looked around and enjoyed herself. That was amazing.

Thanks for stopping by. We are enjoying the break. BUT REMEMBER….

Aging is like owning a classic car. In order to keep looking good, you'll need more than a few tune-ups and a fresh coat of paint.

Nite Shipslog

PS.    Just wanted to say thanks for reading this stuff.

One more: mommy holding Palmy with daddy Luke in the back ground...

I have a pic of Jenna, the smiling mama and Mark the happy grand dad but cannot find them.

Things around here are cold but looking better

 

Above was shot from the coach in Texas, We have  beautiful country and are never bored traveling...

SO for now:

It appeared we would not get the land transfer done on our moves, and we would have to leave Jack Jr as a power of attorney.  HOWEVER we received a call from our attorney’s secretary, come on down and sign, the documents are ready.

Sherry was looking forward to the visit there because the office is in one of the oldest 3 story buildings in Belmont. One reason was she wanted to go was to ride the antique elevator from the turn of the early 1900’s.  It is still safe, but you see the insides of the walls as you travel up and down and you must close the door yourself.

WE almost have this place ready to leave it for our winter in Florida.

I, for one, am ready to get on the road, and the trip south. ALSO, I am looking forward to shopping for another RV.  This one gas powered, I miss the diesel RVs we have used the longest. Hearing as most know is one of my biggest problems. A gasoline engine is in the front of an RV but the diesels are mostly in the rear.  They are called diesels pushers.  Therefore, I am not bothered by engine noise.

Sherry is READY to head south and mainly due to the fact cold weather does not suit her and if she can avoid it she B happy.

WE have wintered in Texas, Florida and Arizona, and have enjoyed them all.

Taken near GAllop Texas, a great ride. This was in 2020 methinks.

Nite Shipslog

Crinolines.... My computer is stuck on this page

 It will not go up or down and I have no idea what will publish but here goes.

I knew what they were, but I NEVER saw that much of them, HONEST!

SO for now:

When you get older things of your youth, that you thought were ‘cool’ slowly disappear. For a while boys wore thin belts. WE had bell bottom trousers for a while.  We had duck tails then flat tops.  For a period  we boys wore our pants low, not as far down as now or we would have been locked up!  LOL

On the east coast, cars were lowered in the rear.  We were cool. Out on the west coast the front was lowered. But we didn’t know that, there was no internet and 24 hours of news.

‘Just to know you are mine ‘til the end of time makes my heart skip a beat…!’  I don’t know all the words so I looked them up, since I been singing that line or two lately to my girl:..

Buck Owens…. Oh, my heart skips a beat when we walk down the street

I feel a tremblin' in my knees
And just to know you're mine until the end of time
Makes my heart skip a beat

Well, I did a double take the day I met you
My heart turned a flip as I stood next to you
And I knew right there I never could forget you
For you are my every dream come true

And my heart skips a beat when we walk down the street
I feel a tremblin' in my knees
And just to know you're mine until the end of time
Makes my heart skip a beat

You came into my life without a warning
And you turned my cloudy skies from gray to blue
You're my sunshine that comes up every morning
Yes, you are my every dream come true

And my heart skips a beat when we walk down the street
I feel a tremblin' in my knees
And just to know you're mine until the end of time
Makes my heart skip a beat… 

I do not know what I have done, but I see only one line at a time on my screen

My girl,  I am just stuck back in the ‘50s.  My girl was just the Best and she wore crinolines back then…

Nite Shipslog

My ps disappeared:  Just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and hope you dreams come true...

PS.    Just wanted you to know I am Sending some good thoughts your way.

 

Our new old home

 The first picture is a view from the front.  It is easy to see it is an older home that has been remodeled and with many add-ons.  It is a corner not with lots of dead leaves, LOL.

This is a view slightly to the left of the top picture.  Note the chimney on the first room.

This is the back side of the above picture showing the complete chimney and on down the back side you can see the several add-ons. note in the foreground that is our drive to the RVport ,not the road.

This one below is the back  yard showing our RV port and RV. WE added this a few years ago when we first owned this house. Yep we owned this one for a while a few years ago and never lived inside the house, we loved in the RV the whole time we were here.

 

The RV Port also sports a carport.  You cannot see it too well but to the left is my new playhouse (workshop).  And behind the playhouse is a unique efficient apartment we build for grandson Luke while he attended college.   Luke named it 'The Dog House', and it sill holds that name.

I apologize for my absence, but there have been a few setbacks. Most of the problems have been with our RV.  First the H/W heater caused problems, and next the water pump and plumbing.   We hope that is all behind us. 

Legal problems exist with attorneys, not happy with the surveys. One refuse to used the old surveys saying his Law Firm could not use surveys over 25 yrs old.  And that I would l have to have the properties re surveyed. Now we have our city attorney as our attorney, and he isn't happy with the fact that I built the duplex as condos.  He handled my first few homes closings when I started building many many years ago.  So I have known him many years.

Anyway I will be back when I can,  WE are heading for Florida in a couple weeks and  that is not soon enough. LOL BUT Our Granddaughter Sherece is settling in our old home and we in hers.  Things are nearly unpacked and furniture located.

Nite Shipslog

PS I have enjoyed reading blogs when I could.

Sunday 16th … Stuff

 Today's Picture:

                                                USAF Academy Chapel in Colorado.

The chapel is notable for its 17 spires, which are made of glass and aluminum, and it features a tubular steel frame

SO for now:

I am getting frustrated at this computer, again today the keyboard locked up when started this post.  It is late but I will still post.

Movers will be here Wednesday morning to do the big switcheroo. Funny today I went over and got into my old play house. I was surprised both mine and Marks contractor’s books  were still in there. I dumped them in the recycle bin.  They are so far out of date only our names remained the same. LOL They date back into the late 1900s. 

It was sorta fun seeing things I left when we moved. I left piles of tools and they are still there.

I mentioned several times when we owned this house before I remodeled a large storage building for Grandson Luke to have a place to live until he finished school. He named the little efficiency “The Dog House”. The name is still there. It has a full bath, washer/dryer, small cabinet, sink and space for a double bed.  My playhouse (tool shop) is attached at one end.

Staying busy and looking forward to settling in a new home base (for a few weeks.). I hope to get my  tools settled in before the actual move.

From NC, the Gypsies looking for a place to settle down for a few weeks.

;-)

Nite Shipslog

 PS.    

Sending some good thoughts your way.