Friday, August 21, 2009

Gotta get going and get the Van fixed!

We are having trouble with the brakes on the Van, so we went down town for lunch, and to look for a garage. Sherry picked a Great place called ‘Longfellow Restaurant’. the Hostess led us back to a windowed area. Looking out we could see the town’s bridge, for highway 16. Our way out of town, however the road is closed 7 miles out, so we will look for a new way when we leave. The bridge goes over what at one time must have been a Mill Dam.

The Dam Water fall was beautiful, with about a ten foot fall. on the side near us there was a huge tree, that was hung on the dam. It hung with the roots not past the dam, the rest of the tree was over the dam, and into the lower water. It was a great incline.

I watched amazed as a couple, with a baby in arms and their little girl we guess about 8, walked out into the water near the dam. On the opposite side from the tree. The little girl was playing about ten feet back from the water fall. the parents were letting the baby get in the water three or four feet from the dam’s edge. They were having a ball. Summer has finally made it up here and everyone that can is enjoying the water. As we watched the family, boys began to gather along the bridge. They started diving and jumping off the bridge. It was about a hundred feet on down to the dam once they were in the water. They swan down to the dam, got up on the dam and dove off into the water below. What was neat for them, they could walk back up on the dam using the lodged tree. My mind went back to my child hood. We could not legally dive from a bridge, but the train trestle was a different story. Boys lived to walk on the trestle and dive or jump off. I never knew of anyone getting hurt. I doubt if anyone here has been hurt seriously.


Fun is where you can find it. These kids do not live next door to an amusement park, it is probably 80 miles to the nearest WalMart. That is how far back this is. The towns populations are from 500 to a few thousand. If you were ever from a small town you know everyone knows everyone, and knows exactly what is going on. I just enjoyed watching, nearly watched too long.

We got to a garage a few minutes before they closed. The owner got on the phone to see if he could get the parts. Yeah, he could do it tomaho at one. He did not ask my name, he did not ask for a deposit on the parts he just ordered, Just See ya tomaho (or how ever they say it heah!) Back in what we call civilization I would have been required to leave info and a deposit. I like that, it is sorta like it used to be at home. I think it is called trust.
We did not have the camera when we saw the swimmers.
Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Man who drive like Hell,
bound to get there.

7 comments:

Lucy said...

Oh to be young again!!! I would not be diving off a dam, I gaurantee you but if my body felt young enough to dive off a dam, I would be finding something else, young to do. Of course I would probably be carrying buckets of water for laundry. It sounds like a fun thing for all. To bad you did not have your camera.

shirl72 said...

Glad you found a good place to eat. Things
sure are different there. Find me a place and
I might just move. Things get hectic even in
a small town. It would take 4 moving vans to
move me so maybe I just better stay put. Hope
you get the car repaired. Brakes are important
unless you have a good horn.

Shirl

Paula said...

Laughing at what that sister of your's said about the horn. The dam water sounds so refreshing. Isn't it wonderful there are still places where there is trust?

Sheila Y said...

That sounds like a neat town. The restaurant looked like it would have good food. I've never jumped off a bridge but have waded in Indian Creek (wasn't very deep) and swam at 'clear creek'. I think I may have even swung from a rope there. Couldn't do it now...swing from a rope that is...Have a great weekend...Sheila

robert said...

Enjoyed reading as well, as you are able to provide those pictures equally good with words.
See it on my own many times, as the kid just do what he wants, without thinking about dangers etc.
Many times 'catch' myself in thoughts like 'What could have happend' etc. - maybe time to let them go for a while and enjoy the being of us, for as long as we are safe.

betty said...

oh my gosh, I would have been "freaking out" to let my kids play in the dam by the waterfall; call me over-protective, LOL; sounds like fun though

so glad you found an honest mechanic!! h;ping the van is fixed soon and you'll be on your way to more adventures!

betty

Terri said...

Sounds like a lovely little town.

I was raised in a small town so I know what you speak of, everyone knowing everyone etc...

I hope the van is fixed....glad the guy trusted you enough to order without deposit...I know that makes a person feel good...it's hard for business' to trust people like that nowadays...

Love ya'll!
Hugs
Terri