Stamp collecting and bank robbers

                This man was a collector!

The now:

At 12,  I started collecting stamps.   On Myra’s blog the other day she had a picture of 1911 valentines. They were what I have always called ‘Penny Post Cards.’ Sherry and I remember the penny post card existing until into the 1950s. First class was 3 cents and airmail 6 cents.

I had stamps from many countries. I bought stamps from the ads on the back of funny books (Comics). I could buy a hundred foreign stamps for 25 cents.  The ad declared ’no one had looked thru these stamps, some could be worth hundreds of dollars.’  Looking back I know that was all hype.

However I did have some that were ‘of value’. From my Great Grandpa’s desk Shirley and I found many treasures. The old office and court room was falling in, no one seemed to care about the law books nor written records. I found many odd stamps on the envelopes.  I actually had some of the first Air mail stamps ever issued in 1918, I knew they would bring millions!.

 

 (I had 6 of these. Today's value (used) is about $30, I guess I didn't lose that much. This was my top valued stamp)

We were living in the first-ever purchased home ($3,000). Before that we  had rented apartments or bought trailers. Then I decided to join the USN.  We chose to rent the house. I thought nothing of putting stuff in the attic, no one would bother it.  Would they?  HA! I never envisioned the house would be rented to the family of a ‘world famous thief.’ The rent was $40 a month. Mrs. C was evicted owing $800.00 (Yeah, I wasn’t much of a landlord LOL!)

My stamp collection was gone along with more, including a black & white sheep skin throw rug that I bought in Istanbul Turkey.  Everything was gone. Steven C, of the family became the mastermind for the second largest bank heist in the USA. The  ‘Loomis/FArgo’ heist of 1997, $17million. Probably not worth the effort to ask him what happened to my stamps, huh? Methinks he is out of prison now.

 Now I collect ‘stuff’.  Are U a collector?

Nite Shipslog

PS: Mrs. C also went to jail for money laundering. 
Did you know that 17 million in bills weighs over 2000 pounds. They had stolen so much they had to leave 3.3 million in the truck.

Those Reminders..

Automobile’s of Art:

       A ground breaker in the RV industry.
The now:
My wife has a ‘programmed mind’, routines are easy for her. She does make notes. Evidently those classes in short hand taught her to put a lot in a little space. She has a daily log of our lives. She can tell me exactly where we were and what we ate one or two years ago. She keeps a record in a 1”x2” space on a pocket calendar. She has a file of these. She also makes notes for herself. The girl also has a collection of Church bulletins with sermon notes on them from churches we visit.
Me? I use the computer calendar for several reminders. This monitor flashes up reminders for me to clean filters,  ‘Dump Black water’ (empty the RV septic system) and to ‘Change implant batteries.’ I always carry extra batteries in case I miss a reminder.. The implants are unforgiving when I hear the three dings, I know I have 3-4 minutes before I go deaf. Hearing aids gave me more warning.

I have yearly notices: oil all doors, hatches and check the motor home’s batteries for water level.  It is good for me, because I have gone three years and not oiled the doors and think it has been 6 months. LOL
Sorta like birthdays at this age, “WHAT? It’s been a year already?”

Yes, I still make to do lists, and yes, some I still kick them down the road.

I know Rick W. uses e-reminders home and work. Do you use them?
I met a lady at the Park library. She asked  what authors I liked. I could only think of Clancy from the many I enjoy. She made a note of our lot # on her smart ‘phone’ and said, "I will bring you some."  I think she ignores her notes too! (Or wonders what '#28' means! as she stares at her reminders) LOL

Nite Shipslog

Time to pick up the pen…..

Trucks of Art

 This is a 50's International Harvester Truck
Now:
Ever let things slide? Meaning leaving them languishing needing done. This last year has been tough on both of us, especially at Sherry’s age (wink). First and foremost my last sibling’s death and the paperwork involved. Many of you know about that kind of thing. Then lastly the major problems with the RV and in between many small ‘had to do’ things.

One thing I want to finish is the ‘family’ book I started last year. In the last few days I have gotten back on track with that. The book is simply a sort of combined autobiography of ‘Sherry ‘n me.’ It is for the family to give them some sort of measure of our lives.

I don’t expect any of them to read it immediately. But after we are gone and age creeps up, they may be interested in how they came about. 

The reason is simple. I waited too late to ask my parents more about themselves. I have included pictures that I have, of Aunts and Uncles and cousins they may run across if they ever do any ancestry searches. BTW, I had to smile remembering Myra’s comment where she said ‘her dad looked in the phone books for the name Willer’. I thought I remembered that name in my ancestry from the early 1800’s, I checked it out. Shucks, we ain’t cousins, My ancestor married a Hiller in 1835, dang.

Anyway I have let two books languor, needing attention. The fiction, my dog book, requires more concentration and thinking. So I hope this simple history book eases my mind back into a constructive mode.

Nite Shipslog
PS: I expect proofs back today!