Illegal dumping

Above is George, Me & Sherece. Below is Sherry Learning a cheer from Sherece, the cheerleader.

This is a small section of the sign forest. Located at Watson Lake in the Yukon, travelers stop here to post a sign with their name or hometown name on it. Tradition since the ALCAN was built. I am to the left, next Dick and Kat. WE are a little hard to see (I don't know how they get the sign on the high spots).(click to enlarge) BElow, Dick (BIL) and I wash the Saturn beside a fast flowing river in the Yukon. The Saturn was one of the few cars you could tow with 4 wheels ont he ground with our damage to the transmission.

Today's entry....l...

Some Bloggers are able to make you think. This time it was Paula, the cowgirl! Illegal dumping. Remote cameras are a good idea.

We all see it. There was a time I blamed the government, but they have relaxed some rules. One thing that has always bugged me was tires. There was a time when ‘recaps’ were big, and the tire dealers sold a tire for $20, plus your old recap able tire. Now I think new tires are more reasonable, so the old tire is just in the way. For MANY YEARS it cost a person to get rid of a tire. Thus the tires in the woods and along the road. Why a county would rather pay someone to collect these discarded tires, haul them and get rid of them, than taking them free for disposal in the first place, I will never know. THEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THEY PLACED the onus on the tire dealer or mechanic. YOU COLLECT A DISPOSAL FEE and send it to the government. I have asked tire dealers if they got a percentage of this for handling the tire and the answer I got was, 'not that I know of’.
So now when you buy an appliance, tire etc you pay for it’s disposal when you purchase it. We have bought stoves and refers and they all carry a disposal fee. I think TV’s also. So where does the money go? Dogged if I know, some government desk jockey found a way to collect more of your money and hire someone to account for it etc. Bigger government. Every administration that has been elected state and federal ALL promise the same thing, we are going to cut government. HA!
What started this tirade? Oh yes, illegal dumping. At home the dump will accept two tires without a charge, $2 each for more. Makes no sense when the person buying the tire, paid for its disposal. Oh well. Maybe they have changed, I don’t go to the dump anymore.
We get exercise now carrying our trash to the dumpster.
I think it would be wonderful if someone would come up with a genuine great way to recycle tires (by the millions). I have seen rubber mulch, but that is only a drop in the bucket to the number of old tires.
Nuff said. (a long time ago)
Nite Shipslog
PS:
How Do You Get Holy Water?

You Boil The Hell Out Of It !
What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?

Dam!

What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?

Polaroid's!

What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?

A Stick!

What? another new Year?

Older pictures as I reflect on the past.
This is a picture of me and my older brother, Odis. That is the fleet of ships he built. They were amazing.

Here is Sherry, a few years ago with her two sons. Jack on the left and Mark (the Kiss Fan) .

This was just after Jack finished Boot Camp.

Okay I am not telling anyone when we move to avoid the bill collectors. Last time some from TEXAS Told (LOL). So I am not going to say we have moved again. LOL
Beautiful day here in central Florida. (Not to mention clear and 80's) I hope it is nice where you are.
I was happy with the comments on the Lottery. Funny how we all look at the world. Yep we never said Pizza, it was Pizza pie!
It is coming up on the new year. I always love to look in retrospect at the changes over the years. We have some old folk that Blog. I won’t mention any names but I think 'L', probably has most of us beat, having seen the most changes.

The preacher we sat under Sunday at Lake Hermosa said a few things I understood. Most Sermons and music I do not understand (due to hearing loss). He said he had spanned horses and wagons to space walks. The man did not look old enough to have remembered horses and wagons. But then Florida 60-70 years ago was still pretty open and wild. Sorta like parts of the mid west and west.

When my dad moved to Belmont, NC for a pastorate, the parsonage was just across from Mr. Robinson’s house. He still hauled things for pay in a wagon pulled by a big grey horse. Gaston County has an Italian family that makes Ice Cream. The Place is called simply ‘Tony’s’. When I was small visiting my Grandma and kin in Lowell, on the ArtCloth mill hill, Tony sold Ice cream from a horse and wagon.

My parents lived to the advent of the first automobile through rockets into space. Our changes today are not that momentous, but the electronics/scientific world is changing by the hour it seems. Buy a new phone, computer, printer, TV etc. today and it will be out of date in a few months.

I welcome the New Year. I am hoping that the new administration can do something with the economy. I hope all our family finds true happiness in the coming year. I hope our grand children make the right choices in the year.
I can hope, but it is their responsibility. (Of course if I win the lottery, I will try to help!)
Nite Shipslog

PS: Time, we have a new year coming up, let's use it wisely.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane?

Did you Win the Lottery?

This is George. My puppet for many years. When I retired I put him to driving the tow vehicle. He waved and stuck out his tongue. Kids passing loved it.

This is Luke in Jail. Looks like he is sad, huh?

Happy Navy recruiter, evidently made his quota for the month.

Now todays entry:

I didn’t win the lottery this week did you? I am beginning to think this thing is fixed. Someday I am going to buy another ticket. Now I know that as some folk say, “buying a lottery ticket is like throwing the money out the window!” Tell that to the guy who just won $34 million here in Florida. Now honestly someone is going to win. I really do not believe it is fixed or crooked.(I don't think) Now one of the best books I have ever read was ‘The Winner’ by Baldacci. A spoof of a man who handled the ping pong balls in the lottery drawing. He had some chemical that swelled all the balls so they could not get in the holes except the ones he chose.

He then would pick his winner to buy a ticket with that #. It was a great spoof I loved it. If you are a reader and have not read it, give it a shot.

Have you seen the odds of a person winning a lottery, holding on to it? Not a pretty picture. Most are in debt within a year or so. They buy houses they cannot pay the taxes on, etc. Did you know there are folks who are leaches to the winners of lotteries? They have a good sob story and write EVERY LOTTERY WINNER in the USA, some the WORLD. They don’t ask for much. Some a hundred but the most is around $5000. The story is so touching that many winners will say what the heck, send him/her some money. Some folks are so tender hearted they succumb to the temptation to solve all these problems. Folks these guys get hundreds of letters, some from friends. One winner felt so bad at the stories, she gave it all away to these ‘bums’.
Anyway if you win I only want $3,443.50. It is for a heart transplant for Joey, my pet Arangatang. There is an experimental program his doctors are trying. They say that they can use a chicken liver and make a heart for him. I have had him for 40 years. He is like a son. I don’t know what I would do without him. Thanks in advance. (That’s the one I use!)
Thanks for reading this trash,
Nite Shiplog
PS:

To realize
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
! Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

Pizza tonight!

I have always thought this photo of Cupid springs looked like a fake background, but it is not, this is how it appears, it is beautiful.

This is the Chief's car, who is one of the leads in my new book Rags. Should be out in a Couple months.

This is Luke (the youngest Grandson), beautiful Sherece (The only Grand daughter, Grandma's pet), Sherry and me getting ready to cut the cake that Corinne and Sherece shared in picking out, a beautiful cake wrapped in gold.

Tor today, Sunday.....

A few years ago we started eating Veggie pizza. You know all that animal meat will kill you. (LOL) But my Cholesterol did get very high and it was suggested that I cut down on the animal fat. So I did, since I want to live forever. I expect anyday for some doctor to say smoking is good for you and that the best thing for breakfast is a slice of country ham,five biscuits, two eggs, grits and gravy. Now I have had Steak and Eggs about four times in my life. You know that beef and eggs taste just goes together.
Tonight we went to Pizza Hut and had our Medium, pan,Veggie Pizza. We ate it all. Usually we bring two slices back and freeze them to go with soup later in the week. Not to night, we ate it all and it was good. So there.
Being from the South, I was sixteen years old before I actually saw or ate a pizza. There was a restaurant in Charlotte called the Gondola, Sherry and I went on a date one night and had pizza there. My daddy never did understand pizza. He just could not understand why anyone wanted to eat tomato sauce on pasteboard. (LOL)
I would be willing to bet that there wasn’t a pizza place in North/South Carolina before 1948. Valdese NC was settled by Italians and there was not a pizza place there (I don’t think). Of course back then very few folks ate out. (The only place I ever ate out in Valdese was at the 'RAt Hole'!)
Take care, and thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
These sentences ( with all the BLOOPERS ) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

--------------------------

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

--------------------------

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

--------------------------

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

Beautiful day

Stephen, Joshua, Matt, Me, Corey at the fair.

Lennie, Sherry and Me in upper Mass.

Colette and Sonny at Kennebunkport, ME. That is the Bush's house in the background.

Today's entry:

Lindie asked about Christmas clubs. I don't know if they do or not. Sherry had one once, and it sure heped. Do they still exist? Come to think of it, I don't know if I would trust an employer with it anymore though.LOL

This has been a full day for us retired folk. We went to breakfast, looked at a yard sale or two and a thrift store or two. Even stopped by Big Lots. We ate again with the pastor. We feel obligated to help them eat up all the left overs from Christmas. We are doing a good job of it.
I ordered & received 'Cracker’s Mule', by Billy Moore. I have made two chapters so far. I think I will like it. I love kid’s stories.
Camp ground is full for RV’s and tents. After Christmas traffic has made it to Florida.
I am having a little trouble with this little router I got to keep Sherry and I on the line. I just found out they can be hard wired into the computers. I just have to learn how to do it. Hahahahaahah! That will be fun.
We have decided on where to attend church in the Morning. We will be going to a church near the Villages here in Florida. Next week we will be back at our adopted church at the RV park in Wildwood.
Not much new. But that is good sometimes.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
These sentences ( with all the BLOOPERS ) actually appeared in
church bulletins or were announced in church services:
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

-------------------------

-This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

--------------------------

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.

--------------------------

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

--------------------------

THAT SAID IT ALL!

This was our pier when we lived on Lake Dora for awhile. We really enjoyed decorating the pier. It is the most decorations we have ever put out.

We just could not stay, had to get back on the road. So here we are, just about 10 miles from this very pier. We drove past it last night, the new owners do not have the pier decorated.

For some folk, Christmas is a chore. Even for some who honestly love and adore the Christ child and who appreciate His gift to mankind.
As we left the Campground this morning to meet our friends, one local man had decided to say it for everyone “to see.” The interpretation was clear, even for us old simple minded folk.
“Christmas hustle & bustle is over for another year!” There on the side of the road, was SANTA. Laid back in a lounge chair, under a beach umbrella. Reading the paper and occasionally pausing to wave at someone who blew the horn in recognition or his ‘Yesterday’s satisfying but tiring journey spreading good cheer.’ Of course I did not have my camera. Shucks! I figured the Reindeer had dropped him off in sunny Florida before they headed back to their comfortable North Pole.
In all honesty, over the past fifty years, we have made Christmas a chore. The story book picture is gone for the majority. No longer do we go over the hills and through the woods to Grandmothers house. Funny (strange) you must get OLD before you can see the imIt makes a beautiful Christmas card, but is no longer reality.

WE HAVE MISPLACED THE IMportance of this season.

We NEVER went into debt for Christmas. Our policy has been, if we can’t buy it, we don’t get it. It worked for us. What anyone else does is their business. I would have dreaded to see the Credit Card bill come in in January.
So God Bless us All! Remember the American Fighting Man/Woman. And those away from home, under orders.
Nite Shipslog
PS: These sentences ( with all the BLOOPERS ) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:
Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.

Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

--------------------------

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

--------------------------

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.-

-------------------------

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

--------------------------

I picked some pictures at random and ended up with mostly Matt Dillon Darnell.(He found a work boot of mine, yeah one time I did work) Here he is laid back at GRanma's house. A happy kid. Senior in HS next year. He was a star base ball player, but decided to get more interested in studies.

Here is Matt before that, He knew how to laugh! love that boy!

This was always a happy time, Reece, Ben, Josh & Steve. On ther concourse at the airport when Ben flew in for the summer. (I am sure Sherry will make sure I have named the twins correctly) Man how life flies. Reece works in Import exprts, Ben builds houses and has a beautiful daughter, the twins graduate from college this year. Wow Sherry is getting older! LOL

Today!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, this entry is made late. Just to show I can make an entry on Christmas DAy. We have had a great day. WE did neither of our planned options for eating today. Our former pastor & his lovely wife Juanita invited us for left overs. Their daughter Linda, was there. The food was good. Sherry made two salads to take.

Had a great time.

I have enjoyed reading Christmas Blogs. The entries today of note especially are for serious: Terri and her lovely mother Whats her name, oh yes, Debbie in the boondocks.

Light hearted Paula.

For a reality check, see, Randy.

Christmas reports see Lucy and Jun.

I am enjoying just celebrating life. Life is good.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

These sentences ( with all the BLOOPERS ) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

--------------------------

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.

music will follow.

--------------------------

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?"

Come early and listen to our choir practice

.--------------------------

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.--------------------------

Merry Christmas

Here I am holding my Chirstmas Present. 1993

Me With sister Kat in front of me, Shirl with B.F. Jr.(Jun) in front of her. Our older brother Odis had already Passed on. This is the Kids, Shirl and I are left

I wanted a SAnta, this is Luke Vegas in Santa's lap along time ago. He is a teen ager now.

Well Santa is on his way. We sat around the campfire and sang some Carols. I only know one verse of a lot of carols. So we sang those and I tried to follow Sherry on other verses.
She said it was probably like this with the shepherds that were watching the flock that night. I looked up and saw one bright star. It just sort of set the mood.
This is a Great Christmas, I hope our family in North Carolina and Utah are just as happy. I know there is sadness in both places because of lost mates, and scattered families. I hate Divorce. However I am not naïve enough to think there are not many reasons for it to happen. I just hate it happens.
Oh well, All things considered for me and my Love, it is a Merry Christmas. She is always my Christmas present. She Has been, so for over fifty years. I am a lucky fellow, the luckiest in the world and the most Blessed.
I hope Santa brings you all you have wanted, and I hope you are happy and remember the ONE who is the reason for this great season.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
These sentences ( with all the BLOOPERS ) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

--------------------------

Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.-

-------------------------

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

--------------------------

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

--------------------------

MOVE,(The bill collectors know where we are.)

This is our Christmas Decorations. So Merry Christmas to All

Well the bill collectors found out where we were, so we had to leave. We are now on Lake Griffin, but don’t tell THEM.
Don’t want to make anyone mad, but it is short sleeve weather here. Looking forward to having a fire tonight. WE love camp fires. Enjoy sitting close to it with a cup of coffee and talking about our, family, our past and our lives.

WE are blessed beyond measure, and we know it. Just a little while back, visiting with Kenneth, an old friend from Missouri, let me know just how blessed we are. When we get old, all we have really is our memories. The good times with the family. Kenneth’s family has so many wonderful memories. Now they have been stolen from him by the thief named Alzheimer’s.
You can’t bring them back for him. The family can’t bring them back for him. His loving wife of 60+ years cannot bring them back. He was once the clerk of a church I pastored, when I thought I was a preacher. He taught me a lot. Now he cannot remember what he taught me.
So, we enjoy each other, my love and I. We know we don’t have a lot of time left to do it. We walk around the different places that we stay, as we live this part of our lives RV’ing.
We laugh at how naïve we have been in the past. Rushing through each phase of our lives, just to reach another. Oh we enjoyed the times. But did not know how wonderful our teens were. WE did not have a clue how wonderful life was when we were in our twenties. About thirty we saw others at forty, fifty doing the same. I can remember telling Sherry. “I do not want to get old and say I wish I had done this, this or that. Let’s try to do it when and while we can.”
So we have. It has been great. If I ever have regret, it will be not sailing around the world. Right now is not the time to think of doing that, because of the danger and unrest on the open sea. So I am not going to cry over that. Tonight I am going to hold my girl and thank her for following this derelict through his dreams and fantasies. We will relive some good times around the fire.
Right now I am going to close and go have dinner with our pastor & his lovely wife.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE

:1) You believe in Santa Claus.

2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.

3) You are Santa Claus.

4) You look like Santa Claus.

Fishing for help on RAGS

One of these will be the car driven by the Chief of Police, Mt. Bell, NC

A beautiful 1934 Ford Coupe.

Todays entry..............

According to writers, one of the best sales points for a new book is complimentary statements of the last one. If you have read Sticky, and would like your statement/opinion/ thoughts on ‘Sticky’, to appear in the next book (RAGS), please send it to me in the next few days. You can let me know through a comment on this Blog or e-mail it to me. jacsher@aol.com. Also please let me know how much of your info I can use. Name, city, state. If you would like your job or job title used let me know also.
Now for sure folks, I ain’t gonna use it if you say the book stinks. Hahaha!
I want to use Lindie’s and Betty’s from Amazon if they do not mind. You can see their comments at my book on Amazon. A short blurb of 5-20 words is recommended (but not limited to). Folks will not read much longer ‘they’ say.

***** A book called 'RAGS', due out in the spring.*****

EVERYONE KNOWS 'a' RAGS, we have all seen him, he lives in every town and city.
The quiet town of MT. Bell has a new curious citizen (mid 1950’s). He never shaves and his clothes are wrinkled and torn. He has no friends or family that anyone in Mt. Bell knows about. He lives in a wooded area near the Eagle Cotton Mill. The curious adults are John Harris, who is the local chief of police, and his childhood friend David Mark. Four local boys are the most curious: Tuck, Buddy, Sticky and J.Leon, the boys have dubbed the man, Rags. An overnight camping trip to a small island in the Catawba River and a serious swimming accident, make for a lot of excitement in this cotton mill town.
John Harris is a serious Chief of Police, but he has one obvious idiosyncrasy, he does not like your everyday garden variety police car. He drives Betsy, his 1934 Ford at work. Of course Betsy is not your common garden variety ’34, either.
That is Rags due out in the Spring.
NIte Shipslog
PS:
Truths about getting old.
* Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.)

**Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

*** When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.

**** You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster

******authors note******

I am toying with an idea to start the book. A homey (is that a good word?) down home poem. I do not write poetry. After reading the synopsis above....Do you know of one in the Public domain that fits? Or have you written one you would allow me to use ? (under your name of course)

Christmas Dinner

Shirl models the GRITS chef's aprons she made and gave the family 1992

Shirl and her Older brother, He was not much for hugging, Shirl always aggravated him, he loved it.

Me & my girl when we still had most of our families, but yeah, memories are wonderful.

Christmas parades. Folks love them!

Well we have walked and talked. We have decided (?) on Christmas dinner. WE will get a big sub Christmas eve, from the deli and put in the refer until Christmas dinner. OR
Pick up a broasted chicken and make Chicken sandwiches and soup.
OR
Pick up a dead chicken, and I will pressure it and we will have a chicken pickin’.
It is that or:
Sherry make a dish for 8-12 and show up at the club house and eat with folks we do not know.

Glenda invited us to a great dinner at Okee, but we are not up to it right now.
I love Christmas and like to think our family back home is having a wonderful time.
When you are not tied down to schedules, you can just open a can of pork n beans and have a good time. We think back to the wonderful family times. Some were as good as the stories of old about taking a sleigh to Grandmas house.
Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you get just what you should for Christmas. I trust that none of you gets or deserves the traditional lump of coal!
It is nice to know I do not hate or terribly dislike anyone, that I know personally in America.

Now Osama Bin Ladin is a different story, I really do not like him or his friends. AT his directions many good folks died. He also changed forever the simple way to travel, or ship things. Delays at the Airport, I even found there were delays boarding a ship.
Enjoy yourselves when all is well because things are subject to change.
Try to enjoy yourselves is you are not happy, because things will change.
Nite Shipslog

PS: GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD.

**It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

**Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.

**Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone

just more griping!

This is out '55 Ford, yeah I know, Trailer Trash, That is ours in the background! But look at my snow shovel on the Hood!

Stainless Steel 1936 Ford, WOW! Back when Cars were art!

We Americans do have short memories. A note on AOL says gas guzzlers are making a comeback now that gas is cheap (?). Amazing. I can’t imagine folks that have the money to buy large ticket items on a whim. Such as a new vehicle even the new hybrids. Oh well. I am glad that President Bush and congress are tying the Auto Companies loans to concessions of both management and unions. And yes folks, there are many GOOD workers who will move to Detroit and buy all those cheap houses. And they will even take a job that only pays $30 an hour. There was a hint the other day by an auto worker that not many people could handle a job on the line. That is laughable when other workers labor under worse conditions daily. Get real. Ask the guy picking oranges at $5 an hour on a rickedy wooden ladder from dawn to dark. Or the ones bending all day to pick strawberries. I would ask the hard working union guy to replace a doffer in the cotton mill for a day or keep up with a Framing carpenter as they raise an entire house framed house in three days. Sit int he sun and wield all day. These laborers don't want to hear the whining.

Of course building cars is tough work, I don’t doubt it one bit. All I am saying here is don’t cry and say that the job is so hard no one else could do it, they CAN and they WILL.

Now, since I am in a bitching mood. When we travel I try to find that unique restaurant in the towns we visit. I like to find the café like White’s back home, or the Mt. Dora Diner in Mt. Dora, Fl. I loved the Suwannee River Diner in White Springs. Trying local cuisine is also risky. Once we stopped in a town called Adrian, Texas. Peggy’s Café, I wanted real Texas Chili. It was Hormel’s out of a can I know AND Colette was never adventurous where food was concerned, so she had a corn dog for lunch. HONEST, I MEAN HONEST the corn dog was so hard it was like concrete. I have no idea how they got it that hard. It was warm, so it was not frozen. Sonny tried to cut it with his knife, he laughed at me when I tried. It was impossible. SOOOOOO..
Yesterday we hit a local Pizza Place here in Wildwood. We already tried ‘Hungry Howie’s’. Sherry and Evelyn dubbed it Dirty Howies.

Well this one was a little cleaner, but it seemed a family and many friends kept going in and out the kitchen. One BIG kid kept going in and leaning over the food prep area. His mama who had big tattoos on her tits (can I say that?) kept going in and out also.

The Pizza veggie pizza was wet (?)(SO DAMP THE CRUST WAS SOGGY ON BOTTOM) . Anyway we chalked another mistake off to Jack. It is back to Pizza Hut.
Nite Shipslog
PS:

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.

Wrinkles don't hurt.

Families are like fudge..mostly sweet, with a few nuts.

Christmas R U ready?

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas. WE have our dash decorated. Sherry lay a white garland across the front, with a striger of lights and we (she) dug the tree out from under the Bed. We walk around the park at night to see what others have done. Not all but there are several who really decorate. I love to see Christmas decorations. It is a wonderful season. We walked last night to look and sang a couple Christmas Carols as we walked, not for anyone in particular, just for our enjoyment.
One lady who is traveling alone (She tows a trailer and has a dummy in the seat beside her. (Sonny my sweet brother in law says, “so what, Sherry has been doing that for years!” gonna smack him one day.) Anyway she has decorations all around her trailer. They are even hanging in the trees out in the swamp. She bought a six foot tree and has decorated it outside. We like it.
I sang to the cows as we walked by the fence. All is forgiven and I promised not to rustle and cook one. I sang my best ‘Yippee ti yo ti yaaa’. When we got back to the fence after walking around the park my cows were gone. I was puzzled, My girl just rolled her eyes and said, ‘ Now, I wonder why they left?” I am still puzzled.
Were families ever like I thought? Mama Daddy and children with most of the family nearby to drop by and say Merry Christmas? I miss the concept anyway, even though I have contributed to it’s demise.
Shirl is entertaining distant relatives. They relate to a great(dark) history lesson in our family, so I will not tell it. Maybe she will in her blog, or give me permission.
BTW. OKAY Shirl I am Sorry! That is my apology and I am sticking to it.
Nite Shipslog
PS:

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1607233795179&source=jl999

click for the christmas card.(These people amaze me, but I like this kind of snow)

> A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong
> enough to take everything you have.
> -Thomas Jefferson

I remember my SWEET Grand daughter Reececup telling me this when she was a kid:
How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On It.

How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way.

APOLOGIES ANYONE????

It has only taken thirty five years, but she forgave me (Until she reads this)!

Have you ever apologized? (If you have been married over 6 months and are still together, you have.)
It is a proven fact, true personal apologies work. Our long marriage is living proof of that.
BUT, What about Collective Apologies? Are they effective? Do they, or Can they help? In other words can one country apologize to another?
We wanted Germany to apologize for the Holocaust!
Japan wanted us to apologize for the Atomic Bomb!
We wanted Japan to apologize for Pearl Harbor.
The Indian or Native American would like an apology, and would like for us to go from whence we came.
Sherry went to Kirk Douglas’s Blog last night. He has a petition asking congress to declare an apology for slavery.
Did Mexico apologize for the Alamo?

DID WE APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING TEXAS?

I apologized to Sherry! Hey I meant it. It didn’t do a whole lot of good, she was still MAD! (Some folk get mad over the simpliest things!)
Okay here is the truth, as I saw it. As a young married sailor, and adult(?), I was on a bowling league. After bowling (around mid night) the crew decided to get on our pontoon boat and take a mid night cruise. No one had to work the next day it was Thanksgiving. So we took our drinks and headed out to sea. Taking a trip that lasted until about five the next morning.
I would have called home, but none of the other big guys called home. Heck, I am as grown as they, the king of my castle, etc. Everyone understands that (don’t they?) Okay here is the deal, Sherry was still asleep when I come in so I am safe. I smelled something burned, figured what the heck, she forgot the turkey. OH wait, did I tell you I was supposed to take the Turkey out of the oven when I came in from bowling last night? I over looked that small item. Anyway, I had invited a few guys out for Thanksgiving dinner. She is pretty good in the kitchen and salvaged what she could of the Turkey, and stretched the ham. She was as sweet as punch to all the guests; I sorta hated to see them leave (If you know what I mean).
Later I tried to hold her to apologize , nada. I then apologized from a safe distance. Nada. Next day I run down town and buy $25 worth of Chanel #5, which always works, nada.
Two weeks later she came into the living room and said ‘good morning’ to me on the couch, I finally wore her down! Now if it took that long for a personal apology to work, how long do you think it would take for a national apology to work? Get everyone to agree?
I know this don’t make any sense, and it would not help to keep on, so I quit!
Nite Shipslog

PS: (And some of you thought she was sweet!)

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?

CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.

Saw this girl in the Bahamas, she is now my Bahama Mama!

Brought her back to my State room

Okay, so she would not stay, we are out walking on the deck, maybe she will be tired and need a rest back here.

Todays entry................

Beautiful weather in Florida, but then it is supposed to be. We are sometimes called God’s waiting room, since they are so many of us old folk down here. I remember one of the best jokes I heard at a campground near Bradenton, Florida. The ranger said, “I know you folks think there are lot of old folks in Bradenton. You see cars with no drivers, cause the little lady driving is so small you can’t see her head. And it is true. But if you want to see old, drive on down to Sarasota, these folk’s mamas and daddy’s live down there.” LOL

Still talking about our cruise. The destinations did not matter to us. And they really weren’t that great, but who cared. We were there for the civilian ship experience. Not meaning to sound too much like a: been-there-done-that , type of person, it is hard to be impressed by a tourist trap, when you lived in the Caribbean for three and a half years. We also lived in Key West for three more years. We just enjoyed a stateroom and never got to eat that much good, beautiful food, HA!

We never did dive, but we snorkeled for hours on end.

Snorkeling is an experience everyone should have. You see the real beauty of the Caribbean. You see and play with the beautiful tropical fish. It is like swimming in a big aquarium, with unlimited species of fish. But we have done that.

Something I really do not enjoy, is walking in the poverty areas. Knowing that the worst of us in the USA, are wealthy compared to some of these folks. I have learned I cannot fix it, it is too big. I can hand out to every little dirty hand held out, until I am broke, and they will be in the same position tomorrow. I won’t be there and beside I would be broke. So, we give to church missions, hoping that someone will be helped. So I would rather stay aboard ship. Do you think that is like buring your head in the sand?Is that mean? Like most folks, I have given at every port I have ever pulled liberty in. You cannot help it. We are so blessed here in The USA.

Now back to the ship. We were happy to walk the weather decks. WE enjoyed stopping by the theater to catch a movie when a stage show was not in progress. I enjoyed watching the young folk dance on stage, and just knowing I could bend my body like that, if only I were just fifty three years younger. LOL.

It was nice to get a pizza anytime you wanted it, and have fresh fruits with every meal or snack. I love key lime pie and strawberry and cherry cheese cake.
I quit. Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog

PS:
Words of Wisdom
> Taxes are not levied for the benefit of the taxed.
> -Robert Heinlein
>
> The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to
> fill the world with fools.
> -Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)
>
> There is no distinctly American criminal class ... save Congress.
> -Mark Twain
>
> What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
> -Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

Weight gain on Cruise and New baby in UTAH!

Corey , Maddsion, Bridger and Chase. (B & C clowning) Last Summer.

Corey and Amanda with the kids. (above)

Below...(DRUM ROLL....) THE LATEST ADDITION .....(Lights)........

Allura Lynn Workman, another GREAT Grand Daughter.

Details below.

Now today's entry.......

More news from Utah. I haven’t reported it because I have been busy. We have another Great Grand daughter. She is Allura Lynn. Born to Corey and Amanda out in the great state of Utah.
I hope to include pictures of Corey’s family here, if the uploader will cooperate.
Corey was one of the brilliant kids who got side tracked by being a father much too young. He is doing great though and working in construction. He and Ben work together and build some awesome houses.(learned the word awesome from the grand kids).
I have a date with Corey and Ben’s other grandma to go hot air ballooning if we can be in Utah at the right time. Sherry says she don’t want to go. That was one of the anniversary present’s that was suggested. Have you ever been in a Hot Air balloon? I never have but have thought it would be fun. My question is, how do they know where it is going? It doesn’t have an engine. Oh well, someone must know where it is going. Don’t they????
Anyway Allura Lynn weighed 7lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long. (When they give the length I always think of catching a fish and measuring it. HA!)
Every one was sorta hoping for red hair, but it doesn’t seem so they say. Great Granpa Dick used to have red hair I think, Grandma Carol has red hair and Corey, the dad has red hair. It may change. How knows?

Had some bad news from Utah. Carol, Ben & Corey's mother was rear ended and totaled her car. She was out of commission for a few days, she is at work now but still hurting. She will try to mend over the Christmas Holidays. Not a great time to try to mend. huh?

More exciting family information later.

Cruise report,.....Weight gain on the Cruise:
I took care of that by gaining my five pounds before we started. So I did not add anything to it. Sherry did not gain either, but she cheated and did not gain hers in advance nor on the cruise. LOL.

Nite Shipslog.

PS:

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?

GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. '

MILLIE: I is..

TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am'

MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.

Cash is a thing of the past!

I liked this stainless steel sculpture, called Freedom.(Note the gingerbread town behind it.)

This is me, just after I got through entertaining on the piano! (HAHAHA) It is a beautiful white piano though.

This is the Christmas City made of gingerbread. I did not get to eat a bite of it.

Yesterday was Sherry's Baby's birthday. Happy Birthday Mark. Born in Kirksville, Missouri. Dec 14, 1961. He never reads the log but we called. Sherry and I have this thing about calling and singing Happy Birthday. Sherry started it years ago. Now her family calls her and sings on her birthday.

Now more Cruise for Today.............

With 3000 tourists and 850 crew members have you ever wondered how they know if they are leaving anyone in port? How do they keep track of how much each guest spends aboard? How about which attendants receive tips?

Friends, it is all done with one little card. Yes when we checked aboard we were asked how we were paying our bill. Says I, ‘Tis all paid sir!”

Says he as he smiles, ‘Oh, dear (naïve) tourist, you must set up a cash account with us or give us your credit card number. You will surely want to buy something aboard, or at least leave your gratuities for the hard working crew. Cash is not accepted aboard ship. You must use the ships card’.

Says I, ‘we are wealthy Americans we deal in cash.’

Says He, ‘Then proceed to guest relations, get in that really long line, then give them a little of 'your cash' to set up your cash account.

My wise mate asks, ‘BUT sir, What if we use the credit card?’

Says He (Smiling REALLY big), ‘Then I can take care of it RIGHT here and you can proceed to the 11th deck for our free welcome aboard buffet.’

Reluctantly I handed the man my GOLD Aluminum PLATINUM & Tin VISA!
Asks He, puzzled, “Surely You both will not be using the same card?”

‘YOU BET WE WILL’, says SHE. (In other words sir, this boy ain’t buying nothing by hisself!”

One minute later we were on our way, each with a NEW plastic card called a ‘Sea Pass’.

The card is neat. It is your stateroom key, tells the dining room and table at which you will be seated; has your file number and some other secret stuff (that only they know about.)

Anytime you leave the ship they scan the card, and when you return they scan the card. Therefore electronically canceling out each other. The crew does the same. That way the captain knows she has everyone safely back on board. (NO! I have no idea what they do if they are missing someone.)

You can insert you card into a machine and gamble with it, give it to a waiter to click up your latest round of drinks on it. Your gratuities can be electronically taken care of. All monitored by one little card. (BUT EVERY PENNY CHARGED TO THAT CARD WILL BE PAID BEFORE YOU DEPART THE SHIP)

It really amazed me, and after it was all over, I liked having it all handled that way. At first it just seemed a little over controlled to me.

Everyone aboard was extremely nice. I ate watermelon and pineapple at every meal.
Let me know if you hear of a cheap cruise.

Nite Shipslog
PS:
TEACHER: Debbie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.

LITTLE DEBBIE: Me! (Is she a love or what?)

WOMEN, AHHHHHHH

Downtown Nassau, Manual traffic light.

Above is our table.Foreground Tom & Betty (NC Pastor), Background Mike and Brenda

Notice I was the first at the table, the food was good.

Todays entry:

Women are just tough. When he-men are crying about pain, some woman is just marching on. Take the lady from back home who arranged our cruise. This lady works untiringly volunteering her services constantly to better the senior’s lives that attend our church back home. Her name is Dianne. She arranged the cruise about three months ago. Immediately there after finding out her husband would have to undergo surgery. Within three weeks of the arrangements she learned she had breast cancer. Less than four weeks before the cruise she underwent a mastectomy. Yet, there she was, when we boarded the ship. Yes, she was all smiles and as ever, cheerful.

We talked for awhile and we went to our stateroom and I asked Sherry when Dianne was going to have the operation. Oh, that was a couple or three weeks ago! WOMEN, unbelievable comeback ability. Bud, her husband, was unable to make the cruise, so she brought her mother.
· I immediately thought of Christina’s blog. I ran into it on Debbies’ ‘Boondocks, Flapdoodle and beyond’ sidebar. The title is: The Uniboob Club: BREAST CANCER DOES NOT DEFINE ME AS A WOMAN,BUT MY BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER DOES!
· That one always reminds me of Sherry’s sister Colette who had a mastectomy, and was a survivor for many years. A tough little beautiful woman. She was a little thing but a picture of strength and courage.
· Another little woman of courage, Juanita C. She also belongs to the club.
· It is just hard to find men who consistently show the strength and courage of women.
Okay so Women are tough in some things, but what about the things that really counts like:
Weightlifting, Football, Baseball, Arm wrestling and Alligator wrestling. YOU KNOW the big stuff. LOL

In reality we men as a whole could not handle having a baby, thank goodness we don’t have to prove it!! But we are tough just ask us!!

I know, not all women are tough, but give ‘em a challenge. WOW!

So here we are back on land, and I am thinking how much I miss the sea. I think Sherry is re considering living on a sail boat. Yeah she is tough, but I am wearing her down. She knows it will be fun. I think about five or six more cruises, she will be convinced. So if you out there hear of a cheap cruise, let me know.

Thanks for reading this important entry.

Nite Shipslog
PS:

(I typed this entry last night, before I read Woody's entry. The boy is in pain, I am not making light of that, just to clear things up)

TEACHER: Woody, what is the chemical formula for water?

WOODY: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

WOODY: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
(See us boys are not only tough but smart!)

Thought I was At Woody's house!

Assistant Waiter and Dr. Tatum at our dinner table.

Napkin Stork, created by our waiter. Close up it looked much better than the photo.

Sherry and I just before dinner.

FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD, DID I SAY FOOD
To be honest it is a feast. Decorative foods good food. Oriental, Italian, American & Soul foods. Fish, beef, lamb, chicken & Duck. Names I could not pronounce and names I did not want to try to pronounce. The crew was as varied. Skipper was from Sweden, Exec. Chef, from Germany. We met crew members from Jamaica, Guyana, Belize, S. Africa, Bahamas, India and more.

Now is you wanted a snack and did not want to leave the room you could chose from the mini bar. M&M’s, Oreo cookies, and peanuts. They were a measly $6.95 each. Or you could have had a drink, coke for $1.69. Of course everything was there when we left. Why would you pay that much, when the food in the dining area was free (Free as in: INCLUDED IN the price of the cruise) and only a few decks up by elevator?

Had I still been a drinker, I could not, at $6 to $15 a drink, I am just too cheap, or as I figure, smart!

All the waiters did tricks. Balancing silverware and folding napkins to make panties, storks, braziers, swans, etc.

I loved the wood work and the brass work aboard the ship. As I stated in the log I enjoy cleaning heads (toilets), I also love to shine brass. I even like to see shined chrome on faucets, I dislike water spots. (ha!).

I love standing and watching the sea move and work. I love white caps, and I enjoy heavy seas. But out on deck in the wind it is terrible on my ears with the hearing aids.

There was a theatre aboard that would seat approx 800 to a 1000 (my guess). The lighting is fantastic during the shows.

I enjoyed the privilege of being addressed as Captain while aboard. WE had a very pleasant surprise our pastor Dr. Tatum and his wife, Betty, were also on the cruise. We were even assigned the same table for dinner. It was a pleasant surprise. There was a couple at our table for whom my dad had performed their wedding ceremony, Mike and Brenda Taylor. We knew some folks from our home church in NC would be aboard, but did not know who. So I never said any bad words or acted up on the cruise. I knew my sister would ask Dr. T, as she calls him, how her brother had done. And for fear of being left out of her will, I was very good.

Once down in the Bahamas the weather was balmy. Other than outrageous prices on the things not included in the cruise costs, everything was great. As I have said on this blog, we live simply. The only expenses we had was parking the car ($60) and the tips to the ships personnel ($78). Our cruise price had a $25 credit which meant the tips would be $53.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

(Return for the story of Women on the cruise, a woman who is FANTASTIC, (Not my Sherry even))
TEACHER: Randy, how do you spell 'crocodile?'

RANDY: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'

TEACHER: No, that's wrong

RANDY: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.