I am the Baby

I had three brothers, one died as an infant. I had three sisters, one died in her youth. I am the baby that lived.  All my life this is how I was introduced at new churches that daddy pastored, “And last, this is Jackie, the baby of the family.”

the older Brothers were married at this picture. This was Dad & MOM, Kat, Shirl and JACKIE (the baby HA!)(circa 1942)

I did get over that quickly however, probably by the time I was eighteen, ! That isn’t so bad up to you are seven or eight, but at thirteen, it sorta rubs you the wrong way, I mean, don’t daddy know I am grown? I ain’t a baby!

To top it off I was named Jackie Leon. No one ever told me where that first name, Jackie, a girl’s name, came from. HA!.  However I knew where Leon came from, there was a business man in Gastonia by the name of Leon Schneider. He was well known locally, and dad knew him. He asked Dad to name me Leon.

Leon actually had the first musical jingle for his department store used in North Carolina. He also went in as Mayor of Gastonia, NC by a land slide vote. (I just learned that, ain’t the net fun?)

Anyway Leon told dad to bring me in when I was sixteen and he would give me a suit. We went in, he was very gracious and bragged on me then gave me a shirt and tie.

When life goes by age, the baby is last to pass, and believe me it is no fun. However, I do not think that will be the case between me ‘n Shirl. She is one tough lady my  Shirl.  She will easily out live me, but like many families we talk about the ones who have gone on and miss them. Being the baby had it’s advantages, I was petted although Shirl was THE PET!

Sherry, me and Shirl plan to be in the same nursing home, it will be hard to keep Shirl from raising cane.

But until then Life is good. We are in good health, but as Shirl and I often quote our oldest brother Odis who was known to say, “One never knows, does one?”

Nite Shipslog

PS:

MOre fun from the North.

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1954 Cars, built when Leon Schneider was elected Mayor of Gastonia NC

She’s back! NO! Lucy!

         

 

I know you all have watched “I love Lucy”.  and never tire of Lucy of Peanuts fame.  Well better than that the MEAN  Lucy is back, yep I know you have missed her. So click below and you will see………

                  

What Life is About   featuring the illusive  Lucy..

                  

http://lucyhorky.blogspot.com/2014/10/this-will-be-short.html

http://lucyhorky.blogspot.com

                       

Please keep her busy, Joe needs a rest, he can only walk Spunky so many times……

Really, I just heard from Lucy, my old nemesis (for fun).

She tried to hide:

But I found her:

So she says:

She may run but she cannot hide. Joe will always tell us where she is hiding.

Good to have you back lady, it ain’t no fun picking on anyone else.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Things got so bad we had to drive to Nebraska and have it out! Joe was the referee

But after I met Spunky,

Everything was fine.

After you  get to know her, she ain’t half bad. But then I do have to respect my elders, mama said so.

Visitor… well sort of

We don’t get many visitors while on the road. But there are times the kids can drop by. I guess you can call 50+ year old sons kids, can’t you?

So Mark is coming over from the Melbourne area. I don’t know if he has located a house yet or not. I hope he has. He told his mom he was doing some work at Kenny’s house. Kenny is his friend from his teen years in Key West. They have kept in contact.

So when do they grow up in mom and Dad’s Mind? I was probably in my late 30’s when dad passed, and I do not think I ever grew up in his mind.

Funny how animals and other wild life are. The new birds are sent off to fend for themselves once they learn to fly. The mama cow knows when to wean the calf and basically say you are on your on. I need to ask Pauline about that.

The Turtle lays her eggs covers them with sand and probably says a prayer over them and walks off, I wonder if she looks back?  The eggs hatch and the new born must start searching for food on day one.  Wonder how they know what is eatable? (do they ever wonder about their mama, they live to be a hundred yrs old, they have time, that is for sure)  Now puppies and kittens, I think they would stay with mama forever if they were not given away or sold.

(The boys JJ on left Mark on right, inside the Hunter Museum in Bandera, Texas)

Well that is what was on my mind.

Do you (did you), allow your kids to grow up?

Do you still stick your nose in their business?

Do you still try to fix all the problems? 

                       (Mama & her boys)

Funny, I seldom  worry about me, but I sure can burn some brain cells worrying about everyone else in the family.  Don’t yell at me MA, yeah,  I know worrying does no good. And I am getting better at it (I think) (Sometimes I wish my forgetter was good in worry areas!)

Nite Shipslog

PS:  (Northern fun)

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the Shelby Mustang…

Horse shoes

Growing up if you had asked my favorite game I would have answered Pitching horseshoes. WE boys didn’t know there was supposed to be a 40 feet between the stakes.

Like the men above we did not have boxes around the post. As a matter of fact sometimes our throws were measured in steps to the peg instead of inches.

                     

The first shoes I pitched were real old worn out horse shoes at Jim & Bub Page’s house. They kept the shoes when Frank was reshod.

              

I enjoyed it because I took to it pretty well and held my own. I flipped my shoes, many guys could throw the shoe flat and trying to get it to take two turns before it hit the stake. BIL Sonny’s style.

We had a few family games at one RV park when Sonny and our boys came down.

Brother in law sonny pitched a pretty shoe, He liked to hang them on the stake and see the spin down.

Sherry pitched against Sonny, Sonny was good.

I pitched against son-jack out of the other box.

I

Sherry said, did I pitch it too high?

Below is a horseshoe puzzle. the trick is to get the circle off the shoes. I used it several time in my magic act, as a filler.

Thanks for stopping by.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

We are here on earth to do good unto others.

What the others are here for, I have no idea.

~ WH Auden

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Cadillac seems to be the choice for Presidential Limo’s.

Ebola, A very big threat

Sherry and I were talking today about this big problem facing the world today. She was saying the disease we HATE, cancer, at least is not contagious. When  Mom Dad sister or brother has it, you can hold them hug them and offer some intimacy with your concern.

With Ebola, if you are even able to communicate at all, it is through masks and layers of sealed clothing.  The victim must feel terribly alone.

If you are old enough to remember the terrible time in the late 1940’s to mid 1950’s when Polio was the fear of a nation. Parents kept their kids quarantined voluntarily, at least where I lived.

I am one of the positive souls, I guess I was born that way. When I was first aboard ship my new wife asked what I would do if the ship sank. My first thought was, and I expressed it, “Honey, count on it, I will swim home.” If a plane crashed and I was aboard, I would survive. Or that is what my mind says. I am not as positive about others and their abilities, but I am a survivor.

I just came back from tucking my girl in. I told her I enjoyed today with her, it was a good day. Then I said, “Every day on this side of the grass with my girl is a good day.”

I am smart enough to know that I could not swim the Atlantic ocean, but you cannot tell my heart that. I do not dread life, no living in fear. I am not cavalier enough to step in front of a train, but I am not afraid to cross a trestle.

I would not risk being around a person with Ebola, if I knew it. Back when the outbreak first was announced, I said we should stop all commercial flights from West Africa, until we know more about it. Sure it would inconvenience many, but it may also stop the spread until we know more.

My mind set, is not a fear that I or my family will die of Ebola, but I fear many will. My belief is in God and the Medical Scientists of the world. Someone will develop a cure, resistant, or viable control. We have some brilliant men, and someone will find the answer. BUT in the mean time we must be vigilant.

I mentioned Polio early on, many suffered with Polio and had the results the rest of their lives, but Jonas Salk, persevered and saved millions of lives.

****************From the internet***************

            

On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announces on a national radio show that he has successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio.

……… polio was considered the most frightening public health problem of the Post War United States. Annual  epidemics were increasingly devastating. The 1952 epidemic was the worst outbreak in the nation's history. Of nearly 58,000 cases reported that year, 3,145 people died and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis, with most of its victims being children. The "public reaction was to a plague," said historian Bill O’Neal  "Citizens of urban areas were to be terrified every summer when this frightful visitor returned."

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There is a Jonas Salk out there. I believe it.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Yankee fun, even the Canadians get in on it.

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Eisenhower's Limo