I reached Old age much sooner than I expected….

We who are older actually think that sometimes, but it is not true. We lived the “DASH” as I once heard it referred to. You know, the one that sits proudly between the birth and death:

John Kilroy 1936—2013

Many folk have an early memory. They are usually between the ages of 2 and 4. Mine I think is 3yrs old. The memory is standing on the back of a trike as some little girl pedaled, it could have been Shirl, I am not sure. It was on a sidewalk near a ‘haunted church’. I called it ‘hainted’. A little later I remember knowing an entertainer, he was a ventriloquist. He fascinated me. I could not understand how his ‘dummies’ could live in a suitcase and still get out and talk. He lived about a block from us in a little trailer.

As a preacher’s son, we moved some. I remember the next place I lived was at a country church, I remember very well Shirl falling while holding one of those thin glass pitchers with oranges painted on it. She cut her hand very badly. Then I remember the screams when Dad poured alcohol on the cuts. Shirl also taught me to ride a bike there.

WE moved four more times. During that time WWII ended. Did you have a dream of something you wanted to be when you grew up? Like a teacher, nurse, lawyer or Doctor? I had a dream and I do not know why nor when it came about, but I wanted to be a U.S. Marine. By the time I was 14 I knew the entire Marine Corps Hymn.

It finally became a reality (after a false underage start, when they booted me back home). Of course about the first night on Parris Island I wondered how an ‘intelligent’ kid like me, could be so stupid.

But when I sit and think of all the years I have lived they did not pass fast. Each year had 365 or 366 days in it and I LIVED every one of them. Most of those days were good to great. There were some bad ones, that is life. But over all I have enjoyed these 74 (going on 75) years. 57 of which I have been married to my other dream.

I have decided at this age time is more precious, where as in youth we had so much time to waste, we wished it away.

Poets and scripture refer to the speed of life, but that is just looking in the rear view mirror with limited vision. Life seems to have been short, only because we are getting close to the end, BUT it has not been. I have lived everyone of these 74 years.

Thanks…for stopping by. May you live a long and happy life and enjoy every day of it.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I try not to worry about tomorrow, but some situations you feel like you must. WE ALL KNOW that worry does not SOLVE anything. But for some reason, WE WORRY (sometimes).

******************************************************

Morgan made a great car, but I never liked this three wheeler. It just looked like it was missing something.

This is the newer Roadster. I had a student who had an older one. I cannot find a picture of it. It actually looked more like my dream the ‘53 MG