Okay it is Halloween, answer the door!!!

I came along before trick or treat made it to North Carolina. For Halloween we made our own contumes and walked down town. Soaping windows and in the smaller towns I lived in, we tried to guess who was in what costume. Naturally there were more Hoboes’ than anything, ragged clothes and soot to make beards was easy to come by. Most folks just used a mask from the dime store. I don’t know what they were made from, but they had a specific smell, not a stink not a pleasant smell just an odor.
Pirates were also plentiful.

(I just included the pictures of Matt (our college guy now) because he made such happy looking pictures!) Not Halloween.)

But the most fun I remember was a teacher in the fourth grade, letting us make our own masks. We brought clay or mud to class and wax paper. She taught us how to make the mold to nearly our fface size. Then we brought some flour and an old news paper. We cut the paper into strips and dipped it into a paste made from flour. Laying it over our mold. We kept doing this until the mask was about ten layers thick. After it dried we got to paint it with water colors. Once it was complete we lifted it off the mold and had a great mask for Halloween. I will never forget that class, that was neat.b

(Jack's sons, Ben and the Twins (No I don't know which of the twins is which nor do I know what they were))

(Ben in the back ground, and I know that is superman in the front, could be Steve!)

Halloween is a festive time, noise makers and masks. I don’t think there is as much mischief as there used to be. We did soap a lot of down town windows. Some of us swiped some of mama’s canning wax, (mama melted it and poured it over her jelly.) and waxed windows, It looked like soap but it would not wash off. (I know that was mean).

(This is Reece and Matt (Before Luke came along))

Once in Valdese the merchants offered their windows as a surface for artists from school to paint Halloween scenes on them. Some were rather good.
This is a fun time for kids, we always loved to see the grand kids come by to show off their costumes.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Thanks for taking the time to stop by the log.

Funny things happen!

When I was a kid I remember we used to see who could make the funniest faces.


But then, it was pull your eyes down with two fingers and push you nose up with the four finger of the other hand. But this guy below goes to the extreme, it even hurts me to see it.

I remember when I first learned to cross my eyes, mama said don't do that what if your face freezes. (I wonder if she really meant it?)

This guy might have won a ugly face contest!

Girls don't usually try to make the funny or ugly faces. I wonder sometimes if we might scare babies when we make funny faces and strange sounds.

I love it when kids start making funny faces.

I have been so frustrated at posting and commenting lately, I have made a few nasty faces.

Since this is near Halloween, some of these guys would not need to dress up! They could come as you are!

Thanks for coming this way for a _____ moment.
Nite Shipslog

PS:
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

I have no idea!

Do you know anyone? Do you really know what is in a mind, other than your own? That is something that has confused humans forever.

I had a painter once who I thought was a great guy. I trusted him and thought everything was on the up and up. My son said “Dad he is a Crook”. I said,” no way.”
Later my Brother in law, Dick, said, “I agree with Mark, that man is a crook!” Again I said ,”No way!”
But within six months he proved to me HE WAS A CROOK. I had no idea he was thinking of beating me out of a good bit of money! BUT HE DID!

We have today an epidemic of youth suicides, wonder why. Today when kids have more than they ever had. When life is supposed to be so great, with so many freedoms, why? Why can’t we know in advance?
Because we are not mind readers. I am not paranoid. I do not think everybody I pass is going to go berserk and attack me. BUT, there are times that I wonder what is on someone’s mind?
When a person runs up a huge Credit Card bill, knowing they cannot pay it off, why would they do it? In the deep recesses of their mind, do they expect to win the lottery?

What is a person thinking who buys a chartreuse car? Probably it will be easy to spot in WAl-Mart Parking lot.
Ever lose your car in a parking lot? Sonny told me on once he walked around a grocery store parking lot so many times that another old man ‘read his mind’. Drove up and said. ‘get in, let’s drive around and find it.’ Sonny was about to report his car stolen when he realized he had driven his wife’s car. Maybe we don’t want to read some minds.
(I sure miss Sonny; we could pretty well read each other’s minds.)

If you could hear what everyone was thinking, you would be as confused as I am in a crowd of folks talking. You would have to be able to read minds selectively.
Has anyone ever asked you what was on your mind and you could not tell them because you had already forgotten when they asked? Or worse, you could not tell them because you were thinking of something not too complimentary about them?
Thanks for stopping by the log (I really mean that and I am thinking good thoughts tonight!)
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about

your age and start bragging about it.

Should I or not, that question again!!!!

My little job turned into much more than it should. But it is over and finished. I don’t think I will hire out again. Hahahahaha!

I had to add at least one car, this was the Studebaker. The saying was,'Which way is it going?'

I cannot work long above my head any more. My arms tire too easily. Should seniors get into an exercise program? Well I should rephrase that, should seniors start a home exercise program? Since it is a fact we cannot be part of a regular regimented program at a gym or city organization.

(What senior could pass this up? No comments about the vacuum, Jimmy!))

I seem to be able to exercise good for a few days, then I find something else to take the time up. I am not too good at changing my routines. That is funny in itself because my normal routine is no routine. I used to brag about not wasting my time on TV, because we basically NEVER watch TV, but I do interact with this computer too many hours a day.

I guess my question mainly is: can I get stronger physically, such as; lift more, do more over head work have more stamina, etc? Or do we just wear down or wear out?

It has become a frustration to admit I cannot do what I used to. My BIL Vernon says it takes him all night to do what he used to do all night long. I think that is a little brag, but has some facts to it.

I think I am gonna give in and ask a Doctor to prescribe some cholesterol lowering medicine next month. If it is still high. I sorta hate to do that because all my peers seemed to start with one med, and before you knew it they had three, then four. Oh well, I should be able to say NO!

Shucks, I am over 70 and have never had regular meds to take, I guess I should not complain. There is nothing wrong with me except: I can’t hear, I have high cholesterol, bunions, hammer toes, I’m bald and my feet stink. Every time I ask for a second opinion I get “And you are ugly”. Thank goodness bald, bunions, hammer toes, wrinkles and ugly do not hurt.

(I don't know about this sword fighting at the home, this could be dangerous!)

When I was a kid my feet got dirty especially on the back of the Achilles tendon, now they get dirty all over, wonder why that is? I have learned to ask the deepest physiological questions!

(Remember when you were a kid, you used to wade? This takes it to a new high!)

Sorry to take up your time, but I am glad you came this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Q: What's the difference between a general practitioner and a specialist?
A: One treats what you have; the other thinks you have what he treats.

Sleigh Bells ring,

Are you listening?

Funny how we down south get thrilled when we get snow and that song starts us thinking of Christmas. Now that Sheila lives up in (or near) Raleigh, we will get more snow in North Carolina. Since she is famous for the snow dance!!! Okay I had better correct that, the folks we leave in NC will get more snow.
(Below is our yhandsome youngest Grandson, Luke Vegas.)

We were at the location where ‘Winter Wonderland’ was inspired . ( if I remember right we were). It was in Nova Scotia at Yarmouth?

Felix Bernard wrote Winter Wonderland and it is known all over North America, I think it is the Sleigh Bells ringing that does it!! That song gets the heart to pumping and ready for Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.

So today I played in the mud. Sheet rock mud that is. I did a little patch work for a job Mark is doing, his Dry Wall man is sick. The job happened to be for old speaking friends. She was a teller in the first bank I done business with as a builder. Both are easy going, and had been ripped off by a ‘friend’ who done an addition to their home, and botched the job terribly. Part of the job punctured a hole in the roof and ruined the drywall in their dining room, that was my task today. I sorta enjoyed it.

Back to Christmas….
Sleigh Bell ring are you listening?
In the land Snow is glistening,
we sing a love song as we go along,
walking in a winter wonder land.!!

Thanks for coming this way to read the log,

Nite Shipslog

PS:
When I was a kid getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.

We have folks that post here who get FEETs of snow every winter. It also gets cold there!@!!

Grand dogs and not our kittens.

What are the kittens doing here? We are grand dogs! Well first our apology to Miss Kitty up in the mountains and to Pickle in Kentucky, If these are kin, let me know.

Commenting now takes twice as long for some reason. Most times I must give it at least two tries and sometimes three. I have started copying my comment and coming back to paste it again when it is lost. The very time I forget to do this I get the message ‘Service is not available, try again later!!!’ and I nearly say a bad word. Uh oh, Sherry says, ‘you do say a bad word’. Okay I might!

(What are those black things up there? Dogs?)

I was born 70 years too early I guess. Mama wasted a lot of time patching my pants. To think I would have been in style with the holes in my jeans. It doesn’t matter where the hole is either. Some men and boys have holes near their zippers and call it a ‘quick-leak’ hole. It is unbelievable how many hours my mama sewed to keep me from looking ragged, hahaha.

(I lost my teton)

Sherry goes to bed before me most nights. I get to go back and tuck her in and take advantage of my position (HA!). Of course I always tell her I love her and how beautiful she is, but last night we also discussed how fortunate we both are to like this motor home we live in

(I like to play too!)

. It is large for a motor home (8x38.5 with two slide-outs) but small for a house. Both of us are comfortable with the size, all we need is a living room, kitchen, bath and bedroom. Size, in this case, doesn’t matter.

(Too funny at your age!)

Anyway, we are comfortable, and still have time and room for some ‘stuff’. I have Sherry and my remote control truck Buddy gave me, to play with. She has me and her computer to play with. Haha (I think she prefers the computer, but a guy can’t have everything!)

We both love to read, and that doesn’t take much space. Hahahaha

(And you thought your twins were rough!)

I am working on a Greg Isles book now, ‘The Devil’s Punch Bowl’, she is reading a book Jack loaned her called ‘The Abolition of Hell’ by Bob Evely. Side note, I just noticed that his book cover curls like mine. My printer is working on that problem, but as of yet has not fixed it. I do apologize to all who bought my books for that problem.
Thanks for droppin by the log.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 a piece on those
little bottles of Evian water?
Try spelling Evian backwards: NAÏVE

I just read where the bottlewater craze is dying a little.

(PS2: I am having trouble with editing the post, I hope it getsbetter tomorrow!)

Cars and stuff

When I was a teenager up to my mid twenties, I could tell you every car on the road, make and year (sometimes even the model). Now they all look alike to me. I have never asked my grand kids, but I wonder if they know the different cars, or is it just me that think they all look alike?
I have a lot of memories about cars. Vondale’s dad had a 1948 Chevy Fleetline

. Dad was a Chevrolet man the first years of my life. He switched to a Buick Special in 1951.

In 1955 he bought a Rambler. George Romney was in charge of the Nash corp. Changed it to Rambler.

('59 Rambler I think, could be a '60)
He turned the business around, they out sold Plymouth and were approaching a solid third place behind Ford and Chevrolet. Dad bought a couple more Ramblers before he died. I even switched to Ramblers for three cars, then back to the 1968 Malibu. Then a Caprice, A Plymouth, a VW Van and we had a Pontiac Bonneville that we took to Cuba.

('55 Nash Rambler)
I used to love to tinker with my cars, but now they are so complicated they are not any fun anymore. Some things I can fix, but mostly a mechanic must take care of it.

(1953 Plymouth belevedere)

(1964 Pontiac Bonneville, we took a white one like this to Cuba)
Cars are a big part of America. I am sick at heart that we Americans are not the world leaders in automobiles anymore. If you are the leader, then with good management you should stay there, we did not keep pace with the world. If the German and Japanese Industries can come over here build new plants, build cars and make a profit, why can’t we?
Remember any of these?
•
BMW=Bring Me Women, or Brake My Wallet.
Audi= An Ugly Deutsche Invention
Subaru=Screwed Up Beyond All Repairs usually
Ford=Find On Road Dead, or Fix Or Repair Daily
Saab=Shape Appears ass-Backwards
Porsche=Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children
Volvo=Very Old Looking Vehicular Object
Fiat=Failure in Italian Automobile Technology

I am getting silly, time to stop, thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

Living the Dream??

And then there was the Edsel, who can forget that. The rest of the pictures are from a Woody collection Paula sent me. (Oh someone asked about the monkey's I used, I used them just for the expressions (coulda been family members, mama never told me everything!)



We had a visit from a friend today. Greg Cline was the last Real Estate Agent I used. We were together for many years. After answering his questions of where we had been, we began to talk shop. He has his own agency now. He was telling me of a new development he and his step father had started. He went over the things he had problems with the local City Council about. He was with me when I attempted to build a housing development on land bordering just 50 feet from where our motor home sits. After sinking a bucket of money in the project I gave up and built houses on the one paved road that bordered the land.

Sherry and I saw that new development and were wondering whose it was when we went to a Yard Sale near it. He has two houses built, they are up scale. He has had 350 prospective buyers look at the houses, and has not had one offer. (When I was in business we could count on a sale after showing a house to between 15&25 prospects.) His inventory is the largest it has ever been, I can imagine.

The housing industry recovery will take a back seat for at least 10 years around here; there are empty lots everywhere and new empty houses, condos and townhouses flooding the market, very few buyers.
Greg is from a wealthy family, they have the money to invest, but he is a worker. I always admired him for that.

One of these days I will realize I am too old to think of building anymore, and continue to remember what Greg said today, “I see you are still living the dream!”

There are times when family situations and problems cause me to forget for a little while, but when someone reminds me, I begin to feel good again. While eating with Reece the other night, Charlie Martin, a city Councilman, came in with his wife, saw us and wanted an update. Reece had graduated with his daughter or grand daughter. (sometimes small towns are nice)

I am asked continually, when is the next book coming out? I am a person with a one track mind. I have two books in the planning stages but nothing firm. I will wait for the winter and get back to work I cannot concentrate enough to do a book justice here.
Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:
The mind needs exercise, just like the body. That's why I'm thinking about jogging.

Cousin Ken Herron, who wrote the article I used on the blog a couple days ago, spent a day or so in the hospital with his heart. Put in a good word for him with the Lord.

Hawk, local

When I was a Teen ager this was my dream car. the 1934 Ford Coupe. Some will recognize the '34 from the cover of the book Rags. Bud Coren had one for sale for $50 and I could not get it.

As some of you know we are here in Belmont to help Mark sell his house. I have been here for two prospective buyers. One of the first things I tell them is that three males live here with one dog. That explains some things. LOL
I hate to see the home leave the family. It has been home for Sherece, Matt and Luke for a few years. I know the boys hate to see it go. They have a go cart track and trails through the woods and the pool out back. BUT that is life and the economy now. I could give a few more reasons but we all know some folks do not always handle life changes well, and Mark has not!

Anyway, things are shaping up around here and we are getting ready for our next short two week trip to Biloxi, Miss for a reunion. We attended a church there and it was like family. We are looking forward to it. That is where we met Fred Alton B., he wasn’t always ‘Somebody’, cause we lived in a trailer park as neighbors (LOL). Fred and Frances are not going to be able to make it down and everyone will miss them.

Before that I am going to the Dr. to see if my ears can be helped any.

OH, and on a personal note, Sherry and I got the awning fixed that has been torn since our stop in Detroit. In the next few days I hope to attempt a windshield repair. Never done it before. NEXT: the Biggie, replacing the heater coil. But that is down the road, possibly in Florida.

We were surprised this morning by our local Hawk making an appearance just outside the motor home. I love Eagles and Hawks, Raptors they are. I love to see this one fly right into the dense woods, it looks like it would collide with something.

We went to a couple yard sales and had breakfast out in the morning then more work in store for tomorrow. Life is good. We had breakfast with Sherry’s brother, Vernon, he is a card and local entertainer.
Take care and thanks for reading the log.

Nite Shipslog
PS: Yes Paula, they still make the wide white walls for collectors cars, but the price has went up from $12. LOL. And just a note. Fred’s daughter commented on the Blog, Thanks! yeah, you are the favorite one!!!!