I have always been a POSITIVE person, but now?

      Above was taken in Key West, Florida, I actually had hair back  then. Also I used the stage equipment vs ours.

 I guess I am still positive, positive I am losing contact with this present world.  There is an old saying doer of many things, but master on none.

Going thru life humans collect things.  If you have had many occupations, you collect more than most.  Today I faced some facts, but still do not know What I am going to do.

Plumbing? I have plumbed many houses. I have repaired all areas of plumbing over the years from sinks, heaters, septic tanks, etc. There fore I have hundreds of parts... today I tried to throw away some. I succeeded just a little.

Electrical the same....

Concrete tools, plumbing tools, electrical tools, mechanical tools, carpenter tools and STUFF!  I counted about 50 sets of rolled house plans for houses we built. No one will ever use them again. NO ONE builds those plans.

On top of those fun activities (I mean that), I tried my hand as a ventriloquist, magician, and chalk artist. I entertained kids and some adults for many years.  When I got to that section of storage, I became depressed.  

Sherry was always by my side.  She handled the complicated electrical/electronic lighting system I had developed.  We carried about 150 lbs of equipment for each show whether for 10 or once about 3 thousand.  The crowds were normally 50-150. From Cuba to Canada.

The depression set in when I could not lift some of the stuff, and no matter how hard I tried I could not recognize some parts or figure how it worked.  I have put this stuff together hundreds of times.  On top of all that, most is outdated, it is hard to throw this stuff away, but I must. Hundreds of dollars in electronic and black light equipment that is outdated.  

I still have George,  he is a monkey, the cheapest and most called for as a ventriloquist.  I gave Susie my only professional puppet to a lady at church who works with the kids.

I stood in my storage area REALLY wanting to do one more Chalk show, but I KNOW I cannot.  Keeping a chain of thought is not possible for me anymore.  I told myself today, "Jack, this part is over, you have known this was coming.  I answered myself out loud (I do that a lot lately) "YES CRAPHEAD, I knew it,  but IT was always 'NEXT YEAR'.

I was going to write something funny, so this would not end as a down.  And now I cannot think of that funny. :-(

Oh but my sweetheart fixed Spaghetti for dinner today.  It was delicious.  She even wanted to wash dishes, so at least  I did something.  LOL

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Disappearing Dreams of yesterday. I try to keep my laundry down, so at times with dirty work coming, I pick up another pair of already dirty pants.  And for some reason a line from an old song came to me, "So I went to my closet and found my cleanest dirty shirt!"  I told Sherry that and she did not remember the song, "Sunday Morning Coming Down". Kris Kristopherson and also Johnny Cash sang it.  So I called it up and had to play it for her:

The Song also brings up the Disappearing Dreams of Yesterday....

OUT AND ABOUT

 

Today was a special day.  Don't tell anyone but my girl is today, 89 years old.  Still the sweetest and best looking lady in the world. Sooo since this day was special, we got out and took a drive together for the first time in months.

I filled the tank yesterday, we left this morning ate breakfast out, and headed for the NC mountains.  Our goal was to drive a hundred miles on one of our favorite roads, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

                                (Sherry at one of the lakes on the Parkway)

To do that we drove up to Blowing Rock, NC and headed for Ashville on the Parkway.  We knew it was past the peak season for color, but we did not care, we wanted to enjoy a drive together.  You must appreciate the Parkway. Max speed is 45, no commercial vehicles allowed.  WE have a lot of history in the NC mts people and animals. 

Once spending the night in the back of a Nash Rambler, if Sherry woke up at the right time, she would have been face to face with a big Black Bear. How do we KNOW this? The next morning just below her side window a foot from her head were TWO BIG dirty bear paw prints on the car. LOL

Anyway she still loves it up there.   Then as we were enjoying ourselves, about 30 miles from Asheville and after about 10-15 stops to take in the views,  we came to a big blockade and sign PARKWAY CLOSED, EXIT.

We EXITED toward Marion, NC speed limit 20 mph  and on a  curvy old mt road we drove most of the way down at 15mph.  LOL  GREAT VIEWS AND COLOR.  Actually some of the best of the trip.... 

WE ate lunch in Asheville and headed home, making a 300+ mile round trip.  Sherry made the trip in great shape.  I did good as the chauffeur; did not hit anyone nor anything. LOL

WE have been pretty well house locked for a few months, we had a great time going over past trips and old friends we have lost; but especially the few (thank God) we still have.  WE are best friends as well as married.  WE know we have been blessed, it is still hard to adjust to health issues.  With her latest problems she has a few meds.  I still take the one a day vitamin and have now added an iron tablet at times at my Drs advice.

I wish I could take pictures like the dude at 'Spare parts and Pics' out in California. ;-)

Anyway I am hoping this is the start of recovery for us both.

Love you guys that read and those that comment.  I will try to do better.

Nite Shipslog

PS  Dog story: A few miles before the barricade sign I spotted a dog running after a car that had just pulled off. I assumed they had just abandoned the dog. Not knowing what to do I pulled over about a block past and Sherry and I were pondering what to do, we could not leave the dog. Just then a car pulled in ahead of the dog, and the driver called the dog over and he jumped in his car.  I stopped him as he came to us.  He was an OLD mountain man. He said, 'Yeah I know the owner, I will take him home.  He is a friend of mine and a big bear hunter, this is one of his best.

WE were so glad the dog was headed home, we were going to try to do something, but did not have to.

I sure would have loved to have that dog.  LOL

Just rambling for a month

 At times like NOW, there is too much news!  I don't even watch TV and get too much news.  Too many opinions, too many spins, etc.  I personally do not believe in 'fake news.'  I think we still have news, it is just that it does not sit right with some folk.

I have been too 'engaged' in the last many weeks of housework and 'place' work.  Even hurting my back and being in bed a lot of the time I still have got the job done.

My sweetheart is getting more involved (I think she feels sorry for me and my whining!) . WE got some wind and a little rain from the Isaias (?) storm.  I hope none of you were bothered by it.  My ditch to evade water on our patio is doing a pretty good job.  I still need to lay a few brick and a small wall.

I am going to have a onslaught of stuff when we sell the place in Florida.  I do not have the space to store it.  WE have too many storage buildings here already that are illegal (?) don't tell anyone that.

I started this entry, not sure when I will finish.  I have two Drs. appts and Sherry one next week. I made a mistake of telling this one DR .'my peers see drs. every week or so, I do not want to start that.' And I meant it.

Well, I started this about a month ago. I don't see much change here. I am getting pretty good at this house work and keeping up my duties outside. Iwilltry to do better.

nite y'all

PS: we did the Dr. appts (i don't even remember what or why,) but we have two more next week.

My Dr. hugged Sherry's and my neck on my last appt. Telling us he was retiring. OUCH  He was the best I have seen in my 87 yrs.

At times, things get a little worse.

 

We sold our coach.... but not without a few hitches. You need a title before you can sell a vehicle, right?  Simple, I have a file with all our titles.  However in moving stuff from the coach to the house I misplaced the file.  While searching   EVERYWHERE and having to move things, I twisted my back!!! I have been in and out of the bed now for days. 

 I did find the coach title.  On the delivery date several things went wrong. I dropped the price to more than cover  the problems, the buyers were very happy with the outcome. 

I try to use a cane for support if I have to get up and down. I am headed  back to the bed as soon as I finish this.

BUT before I close, I get tired of changes in our world.  An OLD person *(Like my sweetheart and other 80+ old folks) find it hard to handle the changes.  When I grew up I KNEW that everyone kept their 'skeletons' in the closet.  

NOW  AS I was driving back from the USPO  after mailing my old tag to DMV, I took note that presently the skeletons are on display, in yards, on porches, even one house had a skeleton mowing their grass!!!  What is this world coming to???

Ok, you guys be good. I think I see 'normal' coming pretty soon.

Missed you guys...

Nite Shipslog

Shucks, selling on line is different, can be fum

 Sorry I had an entry and it disappeared.....  More problems than I can handle here....

Coach is ready to sell and listed on FB marketplace

 Picture of the day:

Now for today:

Our personal things are cleared out of the coach. I cleaned it good and the carpets are shampooed.  It is now listed on FB Market Place.

Now for MY news. I had planned to hike the AT at the age of 88, but guess what?

The dude who is a great hiker and hiked the trail at 82 years of age, just completed the hike AGAIN at the age of 91.  Shucks, he is a great guy, trail name of 'Grey beard.'  He fell 71 times, 6 serious and spent time in the hospital. left the trail once to go home because his wife's father passed away; he returned to finish.

Here he is just less than a mile from the finish of his 2,193 mile hike.  I smiled when I saw that picture and could not wait to show it to Sherry.

This picture shows he is climbing on to the top of a BIG rock. In this picture, he is standing on the top rung of a re-bar ladder.  imbedded into the rock so hikers can climb up the rock. The top of the rock is sorted rounded and about eight feet by 8 ft on its top. Around the boulder to his right is fairly land, and it heads on up the ridge  to the summit of Mt. Katahdin in Maine and the Northern terminus of the AT.

How do I KNOW this?  Sherry and I were in our 60s or 70s and had already climbed up to the top of Mt. Katahdin.

pic

 On the way down we came to the spot where Greybeard is in that photo.  One side is straight down. we eased around the boulder then Sherry and I sat there; she was leaning against that very boulder to his right. The other side ahead of him was about a 200 ft. drop. MY girl was scared to death. She was refusing to TRY to go down.

Of course we got down, I talked, urged and pleaded with her, we threw our backpacks down to the next level.  and then I got into the position Greybeard is in this shot (except I was going down he coming up).  She rolled over on her stomach and slid toward me as I eased down the rebar ladder, placing her feet on the top rung, once she felt the ladder she was a little relieved and followed me on down.  There is more to the story, of course, but we did make it down the mountain. the climb up and back took us many hours, almost 24 hours.  LOL

It is against the rules, hikers cannot spend the night on that mountain.  So we had to get back down. WE did come close.  LOL...

This is it for tonight. I am beat (I feel like I'm on Katahdin again). Tomorrow is going to be just fun.  I hear it is a holiday...  Tomorrow is today I guess.

Nite Shipslog 

Still in high gear, but I see a slow down

 Today was something else.

So for now:

My sweetheart is very happy with her lotion. MAGNI-life, KNEE PAIN RELIEF,  SOOTHING GET.  Most of her today was pain free.

BUT I had an encounter with a machine.  I am on the downhill drag to get the coach ready to sell. Basically, all that is left is to clean the carpet. No problem, I have rented units  for carpet cleaning many times. BUT never from a machine.

I saw the  rental units in a machine of doors. I waited inline and was told I didn't need to have done that just; use your Card and the machine will do the rest. HAHA

I plugged in my card, answered the 100 questions. it said that will be $49.  YOUR receipt is sent e-mail. Open the door, take the machine. THANK YOU.

The machine  doors would not open. A lady worker tried to help with no avail. "Let me see your receipt."  

"It is an e-mail"

"I know, just call it up on your phone."

"I don't have a phone."

"How do you get your e-mails?"

"I use a computer."

"You cannot carry the computer with you, you need a tablet of phone."

"No I need a paper receipt."  I said laughing.

She gave me a phone # to call when I got back to a phone.

NO e-mail,  no charge to my card yet, so I wait.  

I will go to Lowes in the AM and rent a machine from a HUMAN, I hope.  LOL

Before leaving the store I did our grocery shopping.  I still l cannot believe the cost of groceries for two people. I got 2 chickens  (as meat), no beef today, Mostly bread, coffee, veggies, cans, cheap red wine, eggs and milk, it was still $101.00

WE are on short water usage here, so I cannot wash the MH. But I did wash the wheels and shined them since I couldn't clean the carpet. Yesterday I used a bucket and rags to was and wax the front 6 feet of the unit.  It sure looks good.

Nite Shipslog

Life can be so much fun ( sometimes )

Slow down Old Man...

 

I'm taking a break! I yell!

NOw for today:

SLOW DOWN, you are too old to work6-10 hours a day!  I hear that and also see that very often.  I am sure they are right, because now,, I AM BEAT! I started work about 9 AM got so involved I forgot Sherry's appt. at 10:45.  She walked out towards me and  asked if i was going with her. That was about 10:25.  She  had fallen asleep and just woke up.  It is not far and we hit all the lights just right and actually got there on time, but not 15 mins early a they requested.  But normally we get there early and wait for 15+ mins after the actual time.  Wouldn't you  know it, they called her within 2 minutes after we sat down.  So she filled out the  paper work and was ready for the Dr. to come in.

Her blood pressure was 190/75!!! The Dr took it again and it had dropped to 173 /70.  Yes, she has that 'White Coat Syndrome'.

Any way the DR. looked over Sherry's personal records from daily blood pressure taking.  They range from 123/ 60 to 160/70 and the DR. did not seem concerned.  Also was sorta 'indifferent' about her knee problem.  Suggested she exercise on one of those small trampoline jobber doos, rather on th floor or ard ground, such as walking on pavement or hard ground. No suggestions as to what exercises, etc.

Oh, she did suggest  some over the counter lotions rubbed on and medium pain killers.

WE got  back home I worked a little more on getting the motor home ready to show and sell., AFTER ordering a today delivery of the #1 rated pain killing lotion for her knee.

I headed up some of my GREAT chicken & Rice soup for  dinner, for us and son Mark.

I cleaned up and went back to work. They delivered the lotion I ordered about 4PM and Sherry said it actually did work some.

I worked on the RV until about 7:30 and then Sherry and I went to the swing.

All those times can vary.  HAHAHAHAHA

APPREIATE AND LOVE you guys that take time to read this mess.

Nite Shipslog

PS as you read, son Jack is on he road to Louisana to pick up his grand daughter who has been visiting her mother there.  She lives with Ben our /grandson here.

sorry I lprobably will not read nor comment tonite, I am beat.  LOL