Happy at HOme (Memorial day)

(Written on Sunday night.) WE had an unusual event, both our sons in the motor home at the same time to visit. Jack dropped by; we have grown accustomed to his dropping in after calling from his home away from home, ‘Books a million’. Yeah, I think he lives there.

We were visiting, discussing some religious theories; he is well versed in many religious theories and beliefs, when Mark came in. Mark was carrying four pints of Pet ice cream. Yes! He brought me a pint of Butter-pecan. Knowing his mom he brought her come chocolate, vanilla for Jack. Jack turned his down. I ate the whole pint (only 600+ calories), The Mark also brought MJ and he shared his butter pecan with her.

We had a good visit and talked about Marks plans for a cook out tomorrow. Also some fireworks tomorrow night. Jack is working tomorrow. I have volunteered to do a couple things tomorrow myself. I am not sure I am ready for a BIG blow out or not.

Since this is Memorial day, I hope you all had a good one. Of course we all want to remember those who gave all for our country.

We attended a Memorial Service 2PM Sunday. We were honored by a retired Chaplain who spoke of all the ones who have given their lives that we can enjoy the freedom we do. The privilege to have the things we have. We had a crowd of around 200. I can remember the memorial services of 15 years ago, we had 15-20 people. WE as a nation are thinking more and more of the vet and the sacrifices paid by the military. I hope we never forget.

Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under GOD, then we will be a nation gone under.' -Ronald Reagan
He also said: Many folk wonder if they have made a difference, the American Military Man never has to wonder that.
PS#2:
Memorial day Festivities were cancelled due to heavy rain. Granddaughter Reece cooked Chicken Spaghetti for everyone, it was delicious. I cut the watermelon that I have had floating in the pool. Pretty good, but not super sweet. The Spaghetti was delicious.

For a Rainy Day!

I am pleasantly surprised that many of the Bloggers express many of my feelings, beliefs and morals. I know we are not a like, and if all our thoughts were expressed some of us would be as different as night and day. Even so, if should not make us enemies, or cause us to have a falling out. There are many folk who disagree with me and we are still friends. I have mentioned basic disagreements between my recently departed friend, Sonny and myself, but it NEVER caused a crack in our friendship. We even joked about our differences as we walked life’s path, BUT, we came to a fork in the road, he turned, I could not go with him. I miss him.

I got off the subject. Everyone’s friends, Paula and Dar have mentioned something that I am a big fan of, bringing up some of my basic feelings.
Dar on finances/debts: “Do the Math!”

Paula: “Save for a rainy day!”

Mel , (Of: Honey I’m Home, fame) has this at the top of her Blog: “BE kinder than necessary….. Because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Some of the beliefs we have stemmed from parents/grand parents who went through the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930’s. When there were People who would walk miles or travel hundreds of miles because they heard of jobs or work. They never again wanted to be caught with ‘nothing’.

I am always impressed by some folk’s determination to live in spite of dire circumstances. MY parents traveled from Georgia to Hollywood, Florida looking for work (to get there they stuffed straw, rags and debris in the blown out tires to keep moving, determined to find work). Later they moved to The Gastonia area of NC, to find jobs in the textile industry.

Sherry’s parents left the rural farming country of Eastern NC, coming to the Gastonia area for the same reason. We have a picture of mill workers in Belmont, and Sherry’s dad, Wiley Harris is there at 12 years old.

Working at 12 was not considered wrong. The kids on farms had worked from the early age of three and four, starting with feeding chickens and gathering eggs. Susie, Sherry’s mom, worked as a child. I never heard one complaint from her; she left us early due to a heart attack, at 61. Most of their peers worked and lived in their mill houses until they died. Nothing wrong with that, but Susie wanted a little more.

She even had the fore sight to take out a small policy on one of her 7 children, that she knew would need something to help bury him, and her insight was spot on, years after her death that paid up policy was used at his death. Funny how mothers just know ‘stuff, ain’t it’?

In her 61 years, Susie established a legacy for her family. She managed those mill workers salaries (starting at 20 cents an hour) so that by the age of 55, she and Wiley had raised 7 kids and owned two small houses. Sherry talks of her mom, ‘She always had a little money left when the next payday rolled around. And quoting her dad: Put something back for a rainy day.’

Had we and our nation as a whole, practiced those values, we would not be in the position we are today.

Thanks for reading this stuff,
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Everyone tries to do the best they can, not everyone’s circumstances are the same.

Also not everyone has the fore sight of those wonderful hardy folk up near the Canadian border, to cut next year’s firewood in the spring. Do y’all remember Dar when took us along as they cut split and stacked their fire wood for the next year or so? Consider the Ant!

Starting the Memorial day weekend

This is Memorial Day weekend. We honor those who served and paid the ultimate price to defend our country or on orders from this country. I have all the admiration in the world for men & women who have served this country and died in support of this country.
In my life time there have been several wars. As far as I know, with the numbers who served, no member of my family has died in combat. Many have served and I am so proud of them. Sonny, my Brother in law, lost a brother to a submarine attack in the Pacific. But my family, and Sherry’s, has been spared.

Brittany, France

Flanders Field, Belgium

I see pictures of all the graves overseas where our troops have died and are buried on foreign soil, to protect us and other countries, and many times, I tear-up. These men did not want to die, but they went in response to their country.

Belgium, also.

So this Holiday is to remember them, it is the least we can do. I see many folks who fuss about the country of France. But as far as I know, the French are the only ones who made a difference in our Revolutionary War. Of course not as many French are buried here, as Americans are buried there, but they did send troops to our assistance, and some died.

Our own, Arlington


It is like the Alamo, many men died at the Alamo, and not all were Texans, but they died none the less, in respect and response to a just cause.
If you have lost family or friends in defense of our country, I hope God can comfort you, knowing that Freedom is important to us, and Freedom is not FREE.
I salute those who have paid the ultimate price in the past, and continue to do so as I type. Fair winds and following seas to my fellows, God be with your efforts and reward them.
NIte Shipslog
PS:
All military personnel sign the following statement, or one similar:
“I am an American fighting man, I serve in the forces that GUARD OUR COUNTRY and our way of life, I AM PREPARED TO GIVE MY LIFE IN THEIR DEFENSE.”

Signed…… John/Mary Doe (soldier, sailor, coastie or marine.)

Selling influence and the Lottery

For common sense reasons I find it hard to sympathize with someone like ‘Fergie’. She only received a 2 million pound divorce settlement and $21,000 a year stipend.
According to the news she found herself 7 million dollars in debt quickly. As our friend ‘Dar’ said, “Do the math.” You should know what you spend.
I don’t sympathize with lottery winners who lose it all in a couple years and are in debt. I might have sympathized with the first three of four winners, but after that there has been too much publicity on failures. I am sure the Lottery commission themselves advise the winners to get financial advice.
Of course we only hear of the big winners who lose everything. There are hundreds of big winners every year, most are smart and do not go broke. Others are ‘very ignorant’ and think there is an endless amount of money, but even a hundred million has a limit, it is, “ a hundred million”.
I guess by my bitterness, you know I did not win the lottery!!!!! Hahahahahahahaha!
Nah, I do buy a lottery ticket every once in awhile, do I expect to win? You bet, or I would not buy the ticket. LOL. (No, I do not ‘expect’ to win, but I know someone is going to win, it may as well be me!!!)


(Speaking of luck and the lottery, Jimmy could never get a date, just a day after winning thirty million pounds in the lottery, he met the love of his life. Is he lucky or what?)

I don’t dwell on it, sometimes I even forget to check my numbers for a few days, but I do check them. If I pick a number, I use mine and Sherry’s birthdays, since those were the lucky days for me.
But back to Fergie, She was peddling her husband’s name. I don’t like that. Like lobbyists that sell their contacts in Washington. We know it is done, and I for one am glad when someone gets caught selling their influence. Problem the odds are, that most do not get caught right away.

(But for ten dollars I will give you President Obama’s private e-mail address, tell him Jack said call.
And for $11.50 you get Hillary’s, tell her jack, from behind the green door said call.”)
I realize, Hillary is more, but then the extra $1.50 get’s you Bill.

Thanks for reading this mess. Drop my name at any coffee shop. My name and $5 will get you an expensive cup of coffee and a good laugh!
NIte Shipslog
PS:
'I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.' -Ronald Reagan

WElcome home Elmer

Today was Elmer's release date. He is out of jail. Well, he is home anyway. He has been in the hospital and Rehab for months now. He went in for a knee replacement, and it hasn't worked too well. Most knee replacements the patient is waling in less than a week.

Ann, Elmer's girl friend, decorated his house. How festive it looked. Ann is the little girl on the right, the other on the left is MY Sherry! Each balloon has a neat message of welcome on it.

Just as William and Brenda drove in with Elmer, these two fine looking guys stopped to say it was good to see Elmer home, Elmer is their Great uncle and OUR grand sons. Matt Dillon driving and Luke Vegas )LV) riding shot gun on their way home from school, they only live through the woods from here, These are Mark's sons.

Elmer has a little trouble getting around, but he will get there.

Ann has these balloons with notes to tell everyone ELMER IS HOME.

He releases them to tell the world he is home.

There they go to spread the word.

William, Elmer, Ann and Brenda. (William is married to Brenda, Elmer's daughter). Elmer has a Mark also, but he had Dr's appt and couldn't be here for the releasee's arrival.

Not only did Ann decorate the entrance to welcome Elmer, but baked a cake to top off the welcome. She is a super cook and I did not stay for the cake cutting, but I will return Elmer.

Little Ann and Elmer inside the house. I built this house, the decorations are mostly ANN!

Sherry left Elmers to go visit Martha, who is also home from the hospital. I walked out elmers back yard into the woods heading home.

This piece of woods belongs to Sherry and I, maybe a site for a retirement home? Sound like a good possibility.

I progressed onto Mark's property, That is our strorage trailer in the distance.

Walking by the old trailer, that has become a storage place for junk, broken lawnmowers and our resident black snakes. Who are not doing their job, I found a mouse in the trailer.

Walking out onto the gravel road you see our home parked behind Marks house.

Thanks for welcoming Elmer home.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

Man who eats prunes,

Gets run for his money.

Buy, own or lease

I just read a statement that got me to thinking. The statement was: “More parents asking their children to co-sign on auto leases.”
I don’t know enough about Leasing to speak intelligently on it, but that has never stopped me before, ha! Seriously, what is the advantage in leasing a car?
In our nearly 60 years of driving, we have owned two new cars. Those we had saved the money and paid cash for. The rest of our vehicles have been used cars, ‘pre owned’ is the more politically correct word now. Some folks would have called them junkers, but they were paid for, and it didn’t hurt my feelings at all. I never had one of the bumper stickers that said, DON’T LAUGH, IT’S PAID FOR. At times I wanted one.

(My idea of a used car salesman, we usualy skip these guys and buy from an individual)

(We never honestly owned one this bad!

I guess what I am saying, our nature is the desire to own a vehicle, we want it to be ours. As a general rule we have not had a lot of expense in repairs. Of course some of the things I do myself, which makes a difference. I would personally rather drive a 20- year old clunker, than be making payments on a loan or lease.
But back to the lease, there must be some advantage for large companies for tax purposes, to lease. Shirl’s husband Jim, was always furnished a car by his company, and at the end of a certain period, I think he purchased it at a very reasonable price. (Of course you would never know if he added another to his stable, they kept 10-15 cars, Jim was a collector, mostly Studebakers).

(I did bring one home that looked pretty much like this, except if was four door.)

I can understand the larger companies using it for some kind of write off, but what advantage is it to Mr. & Mrs. Average Citizen. I am assuming leases are in every country.
Anyway, before I would ask my children to co-sign for me I would use the planned first month’s lease money to buy a $200 clunker. LOL
These musings came from reading a headline. Thanks for coming by the log.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.' -Ronald Reagan

We are back in Belmont now. We have heard that a childhood friend, and my first ‘crush’ in Belmont, is in the hospital. Martha has been in declining health for some time, requiring constant oxygen.


They say it is from working in the cotton mill and breathing the floating fibers. Most everyone who worked in the mills here came home with white hair and clothes, from the floating cotton. The result many times is Brown Lung.

As you get older you hate to hear this, not only sympathizing with the friend but knowing that you are in line, according to age.

I can never get over how young people today see old folks, looking at an old man or woman unless you know them, you have no idea what they have done in their lives. And If I remember correctly, I was the same way as a youth. Can you remember when 35 was old?

My ‘nother BIL Elmer, I mentioned a few days ago is 81 and just had a knee replacement, it doesn’t appear to be working. It has been three months now and he still requires a walker. Seeing Elmer now you would never know he had foiled two armed robberies and established a profitable business. In the mean time helped to foster two more businesses for free.

I mentioned that because we attended the same church. Elmer and Lennie were in the Young married class, folks 35 and up. We were in the Young people’s class(16-25), Elmer and Lennie were OLD.

Okay should I take the cholesterol medicine or not?(yeah it is still on my mind) Thanks for all the advice and suggestions.

Can you guess that I think my C (hard word) will be high? LOL
Thanks for coming this way,

Nite Shipslog

PS:
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED IN 2,064 YEARS?

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

- CICERO - 55 BC

EVIDENTLY NOTHING...

Hard decision coming up concerning a Hard word.

I like corn bread and milk. As I grew up we called it sweet milk. Dad always liked cornbread and butter milk. He and mom also like cracklings in theirs.
I did learn to eat cornbread and buttermilk, but I never did like cracklins. I could eat cornbread and buttermilk every night for supper!

I even mix pinto beans into the cornbread and milk and like it. I also prefer chopped onions. However, I seldom eat cornbread and milk anymore because of the cholesterol . (I hate spelling that word).

I don’t eat crackers and milk anymore either, and that has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I like the soda crackers in the milk and soggy. Topping that off is a hunk of cheddar cheese and that was my super snack at night. I love eggs; I could eat three with grits and bacon every morning. BUT NO MORE! And it is just because of the nasty hard word, cholesterol.

I have to ask myself has the problem of cholesterol been around for years? If so, I have not been informed except the last 5-10 years. I bring this sorry subject up because in two weeks, on our next mail call, I will probably have my blood work results. I have been trying to keep my intake down. Now I am wondering what to do? Should I take the medicine I know the Dr. is going to prescribe? (If it is high)

The medicine was suggested a few years ago but I chose to try to lower it naturally. I hate chemicals and drugs. I know they are necessary in many cases. In the case of my best friend Sonny, he told me, ‘ Jack the only thing keeping me a live is my medicines, I hate ‘em, but they are life.’
Sonny had a multitude of things wrong with him, and was taking a handful of meds a day and the Drs. Worked long and hard to keep one from counteracting with the other. He and I figured they had added about ten years to his life, nothing to sneeze at. What is one day of life worth? You cannot put a price on it.
From all the tests I only expect a problem with the word I hate to spell. So I will soon have to decide again, should I keep trying?
Naturally today on the health news here on the net they have a study linking the cholesterol meds to liver and heart disease. SHOOT! I hate this decision. QUIT LAUGHING OUT THERE! It is a big deal to me. My theory has always been when they get you on one med, another will come soon thereafter. And once you are on them you are too afraid to stop. BECAUSE THEY JUST MIGHT BE RIGHT! Ha!

Thanks for reading this ranting,
NIte Shipslog
PS:
Did you know that next to Warsaw , Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.

PS2:

We do wash our cast iron. Do you wash your iron skillet? Many folk don't.

My BIL Sonny once bought a sand blaster. He was so proud of it, he sand blasted all of his wife's cast Iron. EVERYTHING LOOKED BRAND NEW, HUH UH! NOT ONE OF SONNY'S BRIGHTER MOVES.

MOre of the same, I guess!

Much has been said about the serenity prayer, comments were great, thanks. Also there was a first on yesterdays blog, ‘cyclemama’ made a comment. She mentioned great grand children. Even though she is on the other side (LOL) of the known world, She, and we share some grand children and great grand children. And they are a blessing.

This blog like most have more readers than commenters. I appreciate everyone who takes their time to read, and when possible to comment. I have many folk say they read the blog. Even Evelyn, she must have been busy lately because she hasn’t e-mailed me and asked where it the blog entry, no excuses!
(Twould be good to be this satisfied all the time, our oldest getting his bath in our trailer sink)


As many know I have an internet friend, lindie. I had a journal for a long time with no comments. The only comment I did have, was made by, ‘Bigger ears’. Later I was to learn it was actually our older son. Anyway one night out of the blue I had this wonderful comment, signed ‘lindie’. I was remembering our trip to Cape Cod. I mentioned we had an over look of Buzzard’s Bay.

I don’t remember the entire comment but it referred to when she lived in the area toward which I had been looking. When she lived there she was a young military wife, and mentioned pushing the stroller with the laundry on the arms of the stroller behind the baby, as they went to the launder mat. She continued, ‘we were so poor then.’ That itself, brought back so many memories, military folk at one time used the laundry mat regularly.

Anyway that established a connection that has continued. She pops in every once in awhile and spreads a little joy, if you read this one lindie, thanks for being around.

Back to the serenity prayer. It is one of those things that is good for everyone, a believer or not.
If one is not a believer, you cannot beat the philosophy, if you studied for years. IT has a depth of knowledge rarely found in four lines.
They can be (and are) expounded on in hundreds of pages of books, but it still boils down to those four simple, but powerful lines.

Simple, oh yes simple, but oh so hard to put into practice. Sometimes it seems that everyone must be burned, before they believe. A cat will sit or climb on a hot stove once. There after they well never, ever do it again. As a matter of fact, you will never see them on a cold stove again. LOL

Thanks to everyone who reads regularly, I do appreciate you taking your time here.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I like the words of wisdom from Frances, “HE is!”, speaking in answer to Fred’s quick prayer, “Lord Help me !”

'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' -Ronald Reagan

Humans are silly & Fickle

How we change..
I like toilet paper that tears straight. I don’t like it when it unrolls to the floor. I want it hung ‘over the top’. I am funny about that. Funny, that comes from a person who has used corn cobs and last year’s Sears and Roebuck catalogs in the outhouse. Used leaves, sticks, bark and Spanish moss in the woods. NOW I am fussing because it doesn’t tear straight!!!! JACK, something is wrong with this picture.
I guess what I am saying, if we are not careful and if we humans don’t have something to complain about, we will dream up something. Hahahahahaha! I really try to be positive, it is just part of my makeup ( like thinking I could swim home if my ship sank).

I have mentioned before my favorite prayer is:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

(then Reinhold added)
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

But personal happiness boils down to the first four lines:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

That is just how I feel today. There are physical things I can change, things that I can fix. I remember very well when our older son was going through a terrible time; I stood at our kitchen sink after fixing something, and cried like a baby. Thinking to myself, I can fix ANYTHING, BUT I CANNOT FIX THIS FOR MY SON. Now, as in life and God’s good grace, things may not be perfect (But from our standpoint), with him and his family, here in Belmont, life is wonderful.

SOOOOO, why can’t I live those four lines? When I was in business I had that prayer on my desk, on the wall and in my book case, reminding me of my limitations. I need to know that NOW.

Thanks for coming by and listening to this rant and raving.
NIte Shipslog
PS:
Pesimistic definition of a children?
God's punishment...for enjoying sex.
Optimistic definition:
God’s gift to take care of you and put you in a nice place of care when you get old.

T-T-T-T.... Meaning..

To Tired To Type, hahahahahahahahahaha!
This has been a fun filled week. We done a lot of small jobs needing to be done. If you are like me I leave things undone, gonna do them later. Most everyone does. Finally the list gets so long that it is too tiresome to tackle. Churches are a lot like that. Generally at a church there are one or two guys or gals who volunteer to take up the slack. Sometimes it over whelms the local volunteer. That is where we come in sometime. We know it is a blessing and takes the load off a pastor and his wife or someone who is presently overloaded at work or home.

This time it was especially nice the church had hook ups for the RV and we were right there at the jobsite. I could work as early or as late as I liked.
There was one near tragedy. I had cut into a wall to get to an outside faucet that had frozen during that rough winter last year. It was a tight place and the waterlines were copper. I can do copper but since the Gov’t has outlawed lead in solder; I have a rough time making a solder joint.

Anyway in the process I set the insulation on fire. Remember, the water is cut off at the road for the ‘fix’, the only water I could think of was in the motor home. I ran grabbed a spray bottle, yelled to Sherry that I might need her (To call 911 (but I did not say that)). I had reached as high as I could and pulled the burning insulation out, it melted on my hand, but that wasn’t a concern at the time. I grabbed my saw and began cutting away sheetrock. I got to the fire and put it out. But it was a fright for a few frantic moments.

All the time my mind chiding me, remember all the times you were a fire watch for a welding crew aboard ship in the Navy? This is why they require a fire bottle near every open flame, REMEMBER, STUPID?

All is well that ends well. I patched the bathroom wall with tile board. I installed an inside cutoff valve so in future winters this will not happen. Inside the wall I found three more pipes that had been replaced previously. Anyway other than hiring a street person named Ron, that was our most excitement.

Pastor Mark and wife Ruth are top of the line folk. They both work full time but they took us out to eat one evening. It was a Joy to meet them.

I’m outta here, thanks for coming by. I lied, evidently I was not: TTTT.
Nite shipslog

I am sitting here going to sleep. If you got a weird comment from me, just ignore it. I am on auto pilot. We really worked today and I am beat. I am like Shirl, my mouse ran off the mouse pad. I think it smelled cheese.

We are enjoying the work, but today was a WORKING day, I mean physically just a lot of labor trimming bushes etc. We went out with the preacher and his wife tonight. They are nice folk and good to be around. We had fish. I ordered the sea food platter, something I never do. We half of it home.
WE had a cool day, but it did clear up enough to paint some.
This is short, so enjoy it while you can. Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
I have enjoyed reading all the comments, thanks for them, and thanks for coming by the log.
NIte Shipslog.

PS:
In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

WE came to Winston Salem

WE are parked behind the church at Winston Salem. We were able to get a good bit of work done this afternoon. We arrived around noon. We had a great trip, short but enjoyable. WE will be here a few days.

Weather is strange. 2 days ago I was in swimming in an outdoor pool and it was refreshing. Now we are chilled and the air is very cool. Okay not to some but to me it is cool, 59 degrees.

Thanks for the condolences for Aunt Buna.

We just got the hint that our grandson Ben (IN Utah) may come out for his brother’s wedding. Josh just called and let us know, I sure hope he comes.
Working late here. Thanks for coming by the log.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

Last of an Era, Buna Moody

Funny how children think. I never knew my grandfathers, I knew both grandmothers but they both passed before I was six. I remember my great grandpa, he outlived the grandparents. He was a judge and a farmer in rural Georgia. I mean he was old. As a child I remember thinking he must be a hundred. In reality he probably did not live past 80, if that.

Moody Family picture in the Early 1940's my buddy Billy in Buna's arms. Two more girls were added later.

Most folks, I presume, have family friends. Where the entire family is so close they are nearly kin. Well today we buried the oldest person I have ever personally known. Aunt Buna Moody. She and her husband Walter were lifelong friends of our family. Their friendship began around 1930. Buna was a youngster, being born in 1910. Mom & Dad were born in 1903/1905.

Here is Buna Moody in the 1940's.

If Buna had lived until November 10th She would have been 100 years old. She was still of sound mind, her body just gave out.
There is something sad about losing the last of a generation. Shirl, Sherry and I are still close friends with Billy, the youngest son. Shirl and I got to reconnect with the four sisters who have scattered.
Bill and his wife Peggy are just super folk. Bill is an artist with carpet, which he used to do on the side. He was my ‘carpet man’. There were times when I would call their house and Peg would answer.
“Hello.”
“Is Bill at home?” I asked innocently EVERY TIME!
“No, come on over!” she would whisper. Then we both would burst out laughing! I must have fell for that fifty times.

Bill invited us up to their house to visit, we have just got to go, the company and conversation is always great. I hope we make time to go see them.
Thanks for coming by the log.
NIte Shipslog
PS:
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

This entry is on Saturday. Since it is the weekend I am not working too hard. Trying to get the stuff ready to go to Winston Salem to work. Maybe I can get everything together for the trip.
Derrick’s garden is growing like crazy. (Derrick is Mark’s right hand man now) He planted the little garden near the pool. (Picture later, I forgot one)
Sherry and I towed a Ford Probe, that has been in the middle of the outfield of Mark’s ball field for a couple years, to a more inconspicuous place. Now if he will burn the trash he has in the infield, we can have the ball field back.
The Probe has eluded my repairs. Maybe I can get to it. Maybe I can find out why the fuse is blowing, without what we call a smoke test. A smoke test is when you put a fuse in that cannot blow and see it something else blows or works. Ha! I am not crazy about working on cars that are not from the fifties and below. Hahahaha!

"Belay my last." Is a message heard over the ships intercom system (1MC), meaning forget my last command, do not do it, forget it. After swimming pool length twice, I told Sherry, "Belay my brag from back when I was sailor, I could not swim home now." Sherry asked me several times, what would I do if my ship sank or was sunk. My answer was always, I'd swim home, don't worry about it. Well today I realized I am out of shape and 40 years older, so I would have to find some flotsam or a boat. Swimming a thousand mile is out!!!! LOL

I jumped in the pool today. MJ jumped in once, The photomate did not get the picture.

She gets down to step #2 real quick then stops.

Luke and Derrick were playing with the remote control boats later. That is Derrick talking to Sherry over the fence. Luke Vegas on the diving board.

Looked like fun, I would have had a ball with a toy like that. Probably thought I was something special.

Derrick and Luke continued to play with remote control boats in the pool.

Nite Shipslog
PS:
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

You get dirty chasing Rabbits!

Our usual habit on Friday afternoon is to meet Sherry’s Bro and his crowd at Jackson’s cafeteria. So I finished the work on the bush hog parked the tractor, showered and put on clean jeans. We headed out. I had chicken dumplings for the first time in awhile, Sherry just got veggies.
WE came headed home and Sherry wanted to stop by Elmer’s house to meet with Brenda (Elmers daughter). Brenda wanted to give us a check for the materials. Sherry wanted to talk so I walked thru the woods. I decided to try the bush hog and tractor out.
Note: I saw Smoky, Shirl’s friend and buddy at Hardees this morning. I mentioned I needed to get back to the farm and finish the bush hog repairs. Smoke said last year at the family reunion in the mts at the old home place, he suggested getting a bush hog and leaving it up there. He said his brother said ,”Smoke, you know we can’t do that, ain’t nobody here in the winter to feed a hog.”
To continue. As I drove around I spotted a big black snake chasing a baby rabbit. The other baby had ran the other way. I cut the snake off and he ran under an equipment trailer. I jumped off the tractor and caught the little guy. Now what to do. I cannot sent him home, me snake would love that. I don’t want to kill the black snake, he is one of the good guys (except when he is stealing some mothers bunnies). I carried her to the edge of the field and released her. Telling her to call her mammy. I did not take a picture. I finished the bush hogging and came to the motor home.

Grabbed the camera and headed to the trailer to get a pic of mr. Black snake. What are the odds of finding the other little bunny in five acres of cleared field. I found him. And took him to where I had released his sister. I told him to call his sister and his mammy. I hope they all reunite and Mr snake finds a rat.
Yeah, I got my clean jeans dirty. But I did clean the spots some before Sherry saw them. She is always saying, I forget to change clothes before work. I keep telling her all men’s clothes are work clothes.
Nite Shipslog
PS:

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

DAy trip

Well we had a day trip today. First the VA, for an appointment at audiology. (HAHAHA!), no appointment without a physical? Why? Rules! Weird, it is my ears.

But of course Sherry is happy and turns me over to complete strangers with a smile. Wasn’t much of a physical. I gotta ____ on a stick and smear it on a pad and send it back. They took blood. She got a gusher, I decided while she was in I should try to sell a pint, but they weren’t buying. The Doctor told me she would send me the results along with medication suggestions. Is she psychic, I am going to need meds? Nah, not me. Anyway I finally got to audiology; they will contact me, etc. Okay that is done.

Now off to Winston Salem. Yep, that is the home of the Winston and Salem cigarettes. I think we have outlawed smoking indoors in NC. I did not think that would ever happen. I once smoked. It was the most enjoyable habit I ever had, but because if you smoke you can’t live forever, I quit.
You will never hear me fuss about folks smoking near me; I still like the smell, especially a good pipe tobacco.

Anyway we looked at the work that needs to be done around a small church. Met the pastor and his wife. Very nice folk. Actually we found we have a wonderful mutual friend. We plan to head up there on Monday after our Monday old-folks meeting at Hardees here in Belmont. I guess Don & Evelyn will be there.

I would like to try to explain myself. I can fix things and due to a lot of varied interests as I wasted my life, I learned a lot of different things. Not rocket science, just plain common sense some time. Sorta like things you can do. Everyone has a knack for something.

…I cannot handle insurance/medicare stuff. Sherry and Shirl just breeze right thru that.
......Shirl’s refer looks like a better homes and garden, I bet she never loses left overs.
... About Left overs, Sherry can get the perfect size container every time, for some reason what I pick is too small and it runs over or I over compensate and it is lost in the container.
....Sherry keeps our financial history in her wallet. Amazing. She also can tell you how many gallons of gas we have used. Where we ate two years ago today, etc.

...Some of you can cook or bake without measuring a thing, it just comes natural.
...Some of you never get lost. I was known as wrong way jack, now it is: ‘U-turn Jack’.
......Some of you can naturally do two or three things at once; I am a one thing at a time man.

WE humans are different, and a good thing. All of us are good at something and not too good at others.
Thanks for stopping by to read a rant.

Nite Shipslog
PS:
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It's scary when you start making the same noises As your coffee maker
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These days about half the stuff In my shopping cart says, ' For fast relief.'
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Sherry was the duty photographer today. Here, I am SETTING THE JIGS, to hold the second rail.

Here you will notice I am having trouble straightening up! (LOL) After screwing the leftside second rail.

The right side second rail being marked to cut. I had to inset it, Handicap guidlines require 36" clear between rails.

Cutting the notches for the right second rail.

That didn't take long, of course it is a short ramp.

Good to relax after the tools are up and the the jobsite cleaned.

Today I also got brakes on the Old International tractor, fixed a fence and replaced a ball joint on a four wheeler. All of it fun.

Tomorrow we take a ride to the VA hospital in Salisbury to see if I can get an appointment to have my hearing aids adjusted.

Then we drive to Winston Salem to see a pastor who needs some volunteer work done on their church. If we can do the work we will head up there next week for a few days.

Thanks for coming by the log.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

We do enjoy volunteering when we can. It is fun not to be under any pressure and the work is so appreciated. I have been blessed, mom named me right, I really am a jack of a lot of trades and a shade tree fix it man. AS I stated once before, I have fixed a lot of things and did not know how I did it, and could not do it again probably.

Some folks love golf, shopping, hunting etc. Me I love tools and working. I love a challenge of fixing something. I stated it before, I love to clean bathrooms and kitchens. I love shiney faucets. That is the Sailor in me, SHINE THAT BRASS!