Crip courses and kite string

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

For today: This picture was sent to me by Grandson Josh. He caught me and Oliver Jack like this, THANKS JOSH!

NOW:  In my youth I made and flew hundreds of kites. My  favorite kite was the 3 stick kite.  

Since my dad was a preacher he had a suit cleaned at least one a week. They were returned to him covered with brown paper. There was enough paper to make two kites in each slip over cover. Mama used some of the paper but always saved me enough it for kites.

My kite string came in a ball, but ended up like this above. very few people brought in their kites winding like that.

Flying kites was one of the great, lazy ways to spend a day. If you were flying with friends it was time to tell stories and just joke and have fun.  If I flew alone, it was time to dream. I dreamed of being able to fly, not in a plane, but like Superman.  I also dreamed of having my own plane and flying to visit all over the world. In those first years I lived in Southern towns that were built on and around the textile (cotton) business. Of course I never gave a thought as to where that ‘kite string’ was made. Kite string was never wasted, we just tied another ball of it to the string already out on the kite. I just knew my kite was miles up in the sky, LOL!

We moved to Belmont. Just in time for High school; time to choose the courses I wanted to take. Belmont had 26 cotton mills. There was also a ‘Textile School’ over on Wilkinson Boulevard. You could elect Textile School for the mornings and be bussed to and from. You got 3 credits for that. I found out it was a ‘crip’ course that no ever failed, I jumped on it.

I did not plan to ‘Learn anything’, my plans had always been to quit school at 16 and join the USMC. WELL, I did learn something, I learned a lot. In that year I was taught every step from raw cotton to ‘spinning and winding’ thread (s). Next to Math/Algebra it became my favorite subject, it was actually learning.  I never had a job in the mill, but I learned what my dad always said, “The Cotton Mill workers earn every penny they are paid.”  He knew because he went from share cropping in North Georgia to working in the NC cotton mills during the depression.

This is getting too long, what I started off to say was I did learn where that kite string came from and how it was made. Then, like every phase of our lives, there is a story behind it. I did learn a lot and never did get to the weaving of those threads or see how kite string was wound into those neat little balls.

Ok be truthful, did you ever pick a course because it was considered a 'crip' (easy) course?

NiteShipslog

Flowers, the scent and beauty

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

For today:

I took this picture years ago when we were out fishing in Lake Eustis.

Flowers have for all my life paid a big part of our world. In our home my mother tried to raise a few flowers no matter where we lived. Sherry’s mama always tried to raise petunias around their house.

A girl must wear a corsage of flowers to special dances.

I mentioned before this, the rose and its color stood out all my early life as a sign of mothers. Red said your mama was a live and white said she was deceased. ‘Even men and boys wore a flower on mother’s day.’

I have always known florists stocked and used flowers, but I had no idea where they got them. It wasn’t until we moved to Rutherfordton, NC and lived beside Mr. Nelon That I learned people grew fields of flowers to sell to florists like other farmers grew and sold veggies.

Flowers are a BIG part of our weddings, the beauty and smell of flowers can lift spirits and give a promise of happiness.

And then at the end, people send flowers at the death of friends and loved ones to show they have sweet memories of the past and hope for the remaining families.  The pall bearers all wear a coronation and at the end lay them on the casket to be buried with the deceased.

HOWEVER I think the growing of flowers give pleasure to those who till, plant and care for flowers inside and outside the home. I think that task of love has as much calming and healing medicinal effect on the grower as some medicines.

If you take any flower and study it closely you begin to realize no man could have designed this, only our God.

          

 The Lily is associated with life:

          

 while the coronation is more associated with death. The pink coronation focusing on love of the deceased while the white is loss of an innocent loving person. Do you associate any flower with a life event?

The Tulip is my favorite flower and I have no idea why:

    

This is a well known philosophical statement, full of great advice to we who walk this life.......

Take time to enjoy and smell the roses.

     

Nite Shipslog

The Jacks of our family

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past: 

This was brand new when The second jack was born in 1958.

Growing up at our churches we wore roses on Mother's day. IF your mother was alive you wore a red rose, if she was deceased you wore white.

First Happy Mothers day to all the mothers out there. Sherry and I had wonderful mothers. It is hard to think of Mother's day without thinking of them of course. We have some wonderful mothers in this family. Sherry, Corinne, Sherece, Mary, Megan, Jennifer and Kiersten. Happy mother's day especially to all mothers in our family.

For today's other stuff:

I was named Jackie when I discovered America back in the ice ages of 1939. My parents did not know there was a Jacky and a Jackie.  But I have been known as Jack most of my life. Then came this kid,

we named him Jr. so he was the second Jack in the family.

Then Josh and Megan brought in Oliver Jack, This is Grandpa Jack holding Oliver Jack. He is almost a year old now.

Now this is Oliver Jack's big sister, Rosie, she is three now:

Now the latest, and probably the last Jack,  is Jack Wiley brought to us by Matt and Kiersten.

We were invited to one of Maverick’s ‘T’ ball games today and of course his little brother jack Wiley came along. It is hard to imagine Mav playing ball, he is only 3 years old.

Anyway I wanted to introduce the Jacks of our family.

Now normally, if you were holding 4 Jacks, you would have a winning hand.

 

NiteShipslog

Discovering a treasure (LOL), It seems, nothing lasts forever….

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 Skip Gibson and Gary Balough - Hialeah Speedway the last picture posted by friend Jimmy of Miami. Today WAS Jimmy's birthday!

(What many people called 'Stock-car racing', hot rodders who souped up their own engines and ran on dirt tracks, But then, nothing lasts forever)

For today:

Yep I am old, I remember when wall to wall carpet was the ultimate. No more cold floors to traverse to the bathroom in the mornings. That old cold floor was almost a reminder of the trip to the outhouse,,,,,,,, I said ALMOST!

It is amazing to see the look on someone’s face when they remove that old nasty, dirty, ragged wall to wall carpet that has done its time for the world of changing fashion, now it is headed for the dump. Oh the face? YES that face when the person sees a beautiful hardwood floor that has been hiding for 30-40 years, just waiting to be rediscovered. 

Before above and after below

YES, today is the rebirth of the hardwood floor. Most hardwood covering today is the nice new no-nail planking, the ‘slap down’ floating flooring. But, but seeing ¾ inch tongue in groove solid-oak is a dream come true to some. Just refinish and voila. Up-to-date and downtown.

Oh yes, nothing lasts forever, remember the bee hive teased hair-dos? The hula hoop?

Asphalt driveways break up, concrete driveways break and crack.  I just thought of what my concrete man, Jerry Ward said when he and Darby would pour for me. I always asked if his guarantee was the same. “Yes sir it is. I guarantee my concrete to get hard and crack !”  He was honest, old Jerry, may he rest in peace.

Sherry and I were in a restaurant the other day, I could hear a weird noise.  I finally asked, “What is that noise?”

“Honey, that is music,” she said.  I said, “Country music didn't last forever, did it?”

YEP, paint fades, clear skies get cloudy, and every tree will eventually come down. We who have them around our houses hope it is not in our lifetimes.

Speaking of lifetime. Auto oil doesn’t last a lifetime. If earth’s memories are still around in heaven, daddy is telling mama, “Jackie’s oil needs to be changed soon.”

I know that Dad, because you have been replaced by the auto manufacturers, they are in cahoots with the oil industry, now my car tells me to CHANGE THE OIL!

NiteShipslog

Now she can go Barefoot (plus kids clothes)

Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 I do not miss muddy roads....

BUT I DO MISS the ROADSIDE STANDS!!

For today: (Most pics from the net!)

We always had enough of what was NEEDED as we grew up. During childhood most of us had two pairs of shoes, play and Sunday dress up. Barefooted was normal in the summer. May 1st, in Sherry’s family was the time to go barefooted. In my family the shoes came off when we thought it was comfortable.

I have never liked short pants, I still do not wear them.

I never liked nor wore sandals, I never understood how folks kept from getting stones between the foot and sole.

BUT I can remember when I thought those two toned (black and white) shoes were the cat’s meow.

I remember going thru a phase of peggin our pants legs. Sorta doubling them over and rolling them up.

There was also a phase of ‘snake hips’ where pants were worn lower, but NOTHING like ’pants on the ground’ I have seen in the last few years.

We also did the thin belt thing, the belts were about a ½ inch wide and in colors.

I liked ‘Overhauls’ with  galluses ((over-alls) smile) until I was about ten yrs old. Leaving one gallus hanging loose was COOL! LOL

(The straps were called galluses but my dictionary says it ain’t a word)

'Overhauls' ideal for playing marbles.

I didn't like short pants but I did like stilts. 

I still had stilts when I was older. Here are the twins trying mine out.

NiteShipslog

PS Closest definition I can find today :gallous(Adjective)

Fit to be hanged; wicked; mischievous….

Does anyone else remember what the straps to the bib on over-all’s were called?

 

 

Friends and Cats

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 The Morgan, made in the UK and the only auto hand made and has a wooden frame.

For today:

We took a trip today to have dinner with some fellow campers, some from a few years back.  We had a great time our former chaplain from the Three Flags Resort and his wife also came. I think they drove the furthest, probably 70 miles. Don & Evelyn came by and picked us up.

Several of our friends have had very serious physical problems, but today they seemed to be doing much better.  We had a great time, but we are a little tired.

One bit of news, Tiger 2, the Pussycat has moved her new puppies into our basement and hid them way back in the corner. Tiger 1 the Tom, still comes in the basement also. I reminded Tiger 2 that her mom Stormy Daniels raised them in the basement. she said she remembered. LOL   ‘Mama knew you were easy and would feed us all good, I am just following her example.’

NiteShipslog

Following a dream….

Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 Not sure if this is someone's dream or nightmare!

For today:

We hear that statement a lot, “Follow your dream!” It always sounds like an adventure or challenge. dreams cost, either in sacrifice of other things, money or effort. I have an old shipmate I have mentioned here. I am from the south and Polish names were new to me. Aboard ship many men are affectionately known by a nick name. Ski (skee) was an easy going computer repairman and became a friend. 50 years later, I was pleasantly shocked that our friend Ski  is now Protodeacon Michael Malanowski of the Orthodox Church. It was great to reconnect with him.

His son is in a ‘Monastery’ and a Monk (?). Life requirements are very strict. His dream has cost him a lot, using the standards I consider normal.

 I also learned a lot in the process of reconnecting. I learned a little about the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. They are definitely different.

I had the privilege of meeting several Monks in Spain way back in the hills. I believe the port was at Alicante, Spain. In their remote monastery they produced ‘Olive Oil’ using a huge stone wheel and spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation.  I am not sure if they were Catholic or Orthodox. BUT they gave up a lot to follow a dream.

This little dream of mine (and it may just be a dream or hope) to walk the AT will take me by a Monastery in New York.

(From the internet)

The Graymoor Spiritual Life Center is a monastery that generously allows hikers to camp for free in the picnic shelter on their ball field. Come on, when else are you going to get to camp at a monastery? Do it for the experience. The monastery is about 0.4 miles off trail on Franciscan Way. Mile 1,430.8: RPH Shelter.

I have been working on stoves. I have built three alcohol stoves. They weigh less than an ounce. It takes ½ of a coke can to make one. The latest takes 11 minutes to boil 2 cups of water. Ramein noodles will be my main daily meal on the trail.

Stove stuff:

This has been our progression of stoves:

The three stoves uses this far, the one with the big black tank was too heavy. The one not real clear has a smaller tank. The flat can in front is the catfood can stove, also alcohol. the black tape just holds it together for travel.

These are the three I just built. They take 5 table spoons of denatured alcohol to boil water.

The little pancake stove fits in the screen as below:

Of course only one is used , the others will be spares if I go this way. I would still have to carry the fuel.

 

NiteShipslog