STOP when you have“2300 mg?”, say what?

The headlines read, “Something you eat everyday can be fatal”.

               

I am a logical person, if we are eating something that will actually be FATAL, I mean right now, they are gonna say loud and clear WHAT it is, they are not going to use a teaser headline, ARE THEY?

               

I did click on the subject. It is SALT. Yes, I have heard it before and I don’t doubt a person can have too much salt.  I also know most bodies vary in their ability to tolerate any one substance. There are some folk who will actually die if they eat  peanuts. Most of us can eat a bushel of ‘em, and they just make us fat.

I do eat too much salt. I salt my cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, grits, eggs, steak, I even add a little salt to my cornbread and milk to accommodate the onion I cut up in it.

In the article it says a person should not consume more than 2300 mg of salt a day.  I do wish I had been raised around the metric system. Then I would be compatible with the rest of the world, BUT I WAS NOT.

You may remember a few years ago congress in their infinite wisdom declared we, the USA, would convert to the metric system on mid night Dec 31st 19xx. It never happened. The Mechanics who knew a 9/16” or 1/2” wrench by sight, had no idea what a 13mm was, and some were not about to learn.

So here I am in the USA, I do not know if 2300mg is a cup or a pinch.  Okay I know, there are conversion tables on the net, let’s see,

2300mg =.081130 oz.  Now that makes it as clear as mud.  So how many tea spoons is that?

.081130oz=.48tspn (about 1/2 teaspoon )  So Now I know that I should not consume but about a half teaspoon of salt a day.

When I make rice I throw in about a teaspoon of salt.  Then I eat about half of that, now if I add more salt to my tomato, I’m DEAD.  OUCH

FENCE IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE.

         

I really do not mean to make light of the dangers of too much salt, what I am trying to say, if you are speaking to someone in the USA, don’t tell them 2300mg will kill you, say 1/2 teaspoon of salt a day could kill you, then we know what we are reading.  I cannot be the the only one who does not use the metric system.

(I can’t help it this is salt to me)

I know small amounts are hard to define  without using the metric system, but that doesn’t make it less frustrating.

BREAKING NEWS: “New England Journal of Medicine Just announced a study that  debunks the no-salt Theory, More in a later entry.”

Nite Shipslog

PS: (Living a sermon, a son’s confession)

Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.

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Another 50’s bathtub Merc

George Washington, Myths & Facts

There are lots of stories about George Washington, most involving his character.  Thus the fabled story about the Cherry Tree.  He was six feet tall,  a physically strong man, therefore the story of him throwing a coin across the Potomac. Teeth? read to the end about the wooden teeth, (surprise).

(Wigs were popular in his time, but he never wore one, he did however use the white powder)

I have read more history since traveling, than in school.  From what I read it was Washington’s character, not his military strategy that made him a great leader. As Jefferson said of him, ‘he had the uncanny ability to judge a person’s abilities and limits. He picked good leaders.’

(hair without the powder)

He fought in the French and Indian war and was once captured by the French.  He was released to return to his command, saying much about his diplomacy.

After the F & I War, he courted and married the richest widow in Virginia, Martha Dandridge Curtis (gotta see some smarts here also, if you want to climb the social ladder ).  Together they raised her two children.  There was never any children born to George and Martha, the bout with small pox during his early travels, had rendered him impotent.

I like the idea that he presided over the convention that produced our Constitution that replaced the ‘Articles of Confederation’.

I am reminded as I write of a song about Mary the mother of Jesus, “Mary Did You Know?” Since George’s mother was Mary it goes thru my mind, Mary (Washington) did you  Know:

Your son would be called the Father of a nation?That there would be children named for his memory for hundreds of years? That he would live to see a city named for him and  it would become the greatest seat of power in the world?

Mary did you know that the personality you bestowed on him would win him elections to be the first President of a NEW country?

Mothers, they are the best.

History shows George was a slave owner, that was the day he lived in, but his writings and personal history show he thought it was not the best of form for a new country.  At his death he freed every slave and indentured person under his authority.

Another amazing fact, unlike his older siblings he never attended school. He was home-schooled that gave him an elementary education (5th grade). Yet he impressed the most educated men in the world, he pushed for public education and had a University named after him.

Nothing anyone could say nor write that would lower my opinion of a couple presidents. George was definitely one.

NOW, Wooden teeth? No! They were carved from hippopotamus ivory, and formed using a combination of gold, lead, human, donkey and horse teeth. The work was done by Dr. John Greenwood,  ‘Father of modern dentistry’. George had only one of his original teeth at the time of his inauguration.  That is the rest of the story.

Thanks for being with us in Colonial Virginia.  We Visited Mt. Vernon years ago and while living in Arlington the boys and I climbed to the top of the Washington Monument. I am glad our leaders in the beginning were well rounded and good natured folk.

Nite Shipslog

PS: (Sermons lived not preached)

Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter's antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.

(DID you think of Chatty? I did!)

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Every boys (and some girls) dream, THE HOT ROD! Today you will see old men driving them trying to recapture that ‘50’s feeling.

Walking around talking to George

After writing that,  I thought, hand puppet is ‘George’, he loved all the Grandkids.

But this is a different George, a very important one, but he was about the ages of Ben and Corey (above), he was here until he was 7.

Our walk this day was over the birthplace of George Washington. From this vantage point I could see young George playing on that point, it is just behind the house in which he was born.

Unfortunately that home burned, this is the excavated foundations of the home.

I could see him him playing on the split rail fencing until his daddy, Augustine or his mother Mary, scolded him. Cause a boy has got to climb a fence.

He also spent time in here with the cooks, who probably spoiled him with sugar biscuits. (Remember he did lose his teeth too soon)

‘Twas a strange thing, this birthplace and the burial of his parents and grand parents was left to vines and weeds for over a 100 years after his death, before someone decided to Buy it and preserve it.

The original plantation was over a thousand acres we walked a couple miles around it.

This is actually Pope’s creek that feeds the Potomac, Looks like a giant river to me…

Not sure if little George spent too much time here, this is out back the wash house, those BIG iron tubs were used to boil the clothes in.

This walkway is built across the inlet just below the house, I bet George had a small boat to go to the other side. We walked.

More of Popes Creek

Plenty of wild flowers in the swamp. Below we are back from a mile walk thru some woods and along the creek. I have seen plenty split rail fence but this one is a little different.

It is called Wakefield (the plantation) and is still an active farm for show.

Carpenter shop and tobacco barns.

We learned that the farm animals were not penned all the time, much of the time they roamed the woods foraging for food. That was plentiful.

The family Grave yard holds about 5 generations of Washington's. Great Grandpa John, Grandpa Nathaniel, father Augustine and their wives and some children.

The grave sites were redone and landscaped in 1930.

Well, this was another day’s walks. It was very enjoyable and pleasant. It is not a real big attraction for the public as you can imagine. It is in competition of all of the Washington, DC stuff and even Mt. Vernon of course.

I think it is worth the expense to keep alive the memory of George Washington, that he was once a carefree child, roaming the banks and woods of Wakefield on Pope’s Creek, near Colonial Beach, Virginia.

Nite Shipslog

PS: (Sermons lived, from an 8yr old, con’t)

Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.” I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” “Because that's where I keep all my stuff,” she said.

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This beauty from the late 1930’s (maybe a Plymouth) is on Pope’s Creek Road about a mile from the Birthplace of George Washington. )I don’t think George played in it!)

George Washington

That name is well known in the USA.  We call him the father of our country.  Many years after his death his friend Thomas Jefferson wrote of him that his judgment was impeccable, his ability to accept a person for what he was, not expect any more or less of the man than he was able to give, was unbelievable (my interpretation of Jefferson’s words).

I was always under the impression that George Washington’s family came from England, wealthy but that is not the case. John was from a family of ‘preachers’ (my words), John’s father was once high in the ‘church’ but was stripped (church politics) of his title and began ministering to the poor.

John invested what he had in a ship (ketch) that sailed from England to the colonies to pick up tobacco. There was a disagreement with the captain and John remained in the colonies.
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From wikipedia:
While first in Virginia, Washington stayed at the house of Col. Nathaniel Pope, a plantation owner. During this stay, he fell in love with his host's daughter Anne.
After his marriage to Anne Pope and the wedding gift from Anne's father of 700 acres (2.8 km²) on Mattox Creek in Westmoreland County of the ‘Northern neck’. Washington became a successful planter. He depended on the labor of slaves and indentured servants to cultivate tobacco and kitchen crops. He was selected for the Virginia House of Burgesses and became a politician in the colony.
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(This tree shaded road leads to John’s burial spot)
John was George Washington’s Great grandfather. So the marriage is where the wealth came in. Being very industrious John continued to expand his holdings.  So George was born into wealth, but not from his European Ancestors.

Anyway that is how the Washington family got to America.  George was born on a plantation here on or near the Potomac.  He lived here until he was 7 years old. His mother Mary Ball(second wife of the Widower Augustine Washington.) He had two brothers and a sister by Augustine’s first wife Jane Butler. Nearest I can remember now was ten children to Augustine and his wives.

(A miniature Washington monument marks George’s Birthplace)

I do remember (from reading of course) that Augustine died when George was 12 and he lived back and forth with his mother and his older siblings, a common custom in England and brought to the USA, we used to do that ourselves. 
My Uncle Ralph (one of Dad’s 11 siblings) lived with us and others in the family for many years.  Did it happen in your family? 
I think it is well reported that  George Washington had loving parents and family.  What better choice to be called the Father of Our Country. One of the stories remembered most was the terrible suffering and winter in Valley Forge where he personally visited the troops and encouraged them.
History lesson for today from the Virginia Plantation area where George Washington was born. Five generations are buried here at his birthplace.
Nite Shipslog
PS: (continuing the lived sermons, a quote)
Today, my father told me, “Just go for it and give it a try! You don't have to be a professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic.”
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The first car ever on Pennsylvania Ave, 1896

Our daily Walk, this time, the Potomac

We are parked here ( I like to say camped, but really we just live where ever we are parked).

Outdoor World has some of our membership parks, this is one. Situated on a small peninsula near the mouth of the Potomac entering the Chesapeake Bay. Our walk is a 2.5 mile walk around the peninsula on a paved road. most of the houses are on the River. I love the front yard decorations.

four or five are for sale, the cheapest is $400K

This one, the plain Jane, but has 200’ on the river.

Another decorative front:

And another, some of these houses go for over a million.

Several places we get a view of the Potomac as we walk.

Swans on the Potomac and the other side lined with Crepe Myrtles and 10’ corn.

This is the end of our walk around the peninsula.

Below at the  very end of out walk around you see a part of the huge corn field that takes up the center of the road we walked except for a few houses that intrude into it. I would guess it is near a 30 acre field.

A painter or writer could stay inspired from that glass room, sorta like a Widow’s Walk.

Then we re-enter the RV park. several of the corners are decorated as this one.

I gave my girl the key to the Motor Home as I stepped out to shoot this picture. Can you tell she is LOL? she finds I have left the other key in the lock while we walked.

That is our daily walk. Thanks for going along.

Nite Shipslog

PS: (the sermon lived not preached)

Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.

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I saw these two 1953 Fords today, someone is about to save them.

they will look like this: