HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I don't always pay attention to special occasions here on the Shipslog, but today I want to wish you all a Very Happy and prosperous NEW YEAR.


This past year sure passed quickly. We all know that is a 'WRONG' statement, because except for one days difference every four years they all pass thru the same 365-366 days.

It is true as we age time sure slips away, as in the words of a song, "Ain't it funny, not funny funny, how time slips away."  I think it is because time becomes more precious to us who are in the winter of out lives.  I held my girl a couple nights ago and realized something as I looked down at that face, I realized I still look at her and see her at 17 yrs of age.  She doesn't seem to BELIEVE it, but it is an absolute truth.

I have seen 76 New Year's days. I don't remember the first few of course.  I will turn 77 this first month of 2016. This year we will celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary. Yep we started early, married at 17.  It hasn't been a perfect marriage, it was rough on Sherry raising me and the two boys at the same time, but she got it done, Bless her heart.

This will be a wonderful year, 2016.  I can remember when that was a FOREIGN number. Shucks, I didn't even expect to see the year 2000. LOL

I hope you have a wonderful year and we go thru 2016 as friends. Life is good!
Nite Shipslog
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The 1948 was our first dating car

The 1950 Chevy Coupe was the car we had when we married in 1956

Some things just come naturally, others not so much...

Whites and coloreds.  As a young husband I had to learn the hard way that you cannot wash your white T-shirts with a red dress.  I think girls know that naturally. I remember watching mama on wash day, but I did not pay enough attention. I loved seeing her feed the clothes thru the wringers. A couple times I would have gotten my fingers caught when she allowed me to do it, but mama was watching.

In the Marine Corps we had to wash our clothes by hand. We were issued a bucket and used ‘cake’ soap and scrub brushes. We didn’t have anything that would fade after two washings. But then of course nothing was washed together, each piece was washed individually.

I learned thru practice that normal threads on screws, nuts, bolts, jars and lids tighten clockwise and loosen counter clock wise, it is a natural thing for me.  Girls have to learn that the hard way.

Some folk learn after being told once, others it takes two or three times. Will Rogers said that “Some folks believe signs, others have to pee on an electric fence before they believe it.”

Aboard ship there are men who chip paint and re-paint daily to keep up with the rust caused by salt water. It is very hard to keep from touching paint to see if it is still wet, as the sign says. I remember one ‘side cleaner’ (as they were called) who put up a sign “WET PAINT, test this sample” and he had added a sample on the sign.

Following directions is always good, especially after you have tried unsuccessfully to assemble something without reading them.

Women usually read directions and instructions where men try to fake it and try using logic, sometimes it works. There is an unwritten rule somewhere that says: IT DOES NOT WORK that way, WHEN YOUR WIFE IS WATCHING.

Nite Shipslog

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The Packard Predictor (1950's)

I miss my comb

 For as long as I can remember from a boy, youth to a man, in my right back pocket there was a comb. It kept my hair sticking straight up (with the help of Brill-cream) when it was a flat top.  It kept my hair cool and swept back, with the help of ‘Wild Root Cream Oil’, when the Duck’s Tail (DA) was COOL

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I once had a flat top and a duck’s tail at the same time.

In the military, once indoors it kept my hair neat and combed in a regulation manner.

But it also served multiple purposes. I was reminded of this lately when my ‘britches legs’ were covered with beggars lice. When I had a comb, they were gone in a flash. In the winter, it scraped the frost off the windshield in the winter.

If you were cool and knew how add a piece of paper and you could make music.   You could also clean your nails in an emergency (if no one was watching)

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Now that I am bald, I no longer carry the comb, and I miss it (and I miss my hair at times) LOL.

Can you think of any multipurpose item you normally carry?

Yeah I know you ladies carry a medicine chest and a tool chest in your purse.

Nite Shipslog

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Shirl's husband Jim and their Isetta.

This is a frustrated opinion.

In the USA we vote.  I am here to SAY you do not always get the ones you want, they may be others of opposing opinions. If your guy/gal doesn't get elected, you WILL LIVE BY THE DECISIONS OF PEOPLE YOU DID NOT WANT Elected, but we in the USA have learned the Majority Rule, rule.

Definition of The Vote: 

The collective opinion of a body of persons. 

Voting then means The Majority Rules:  A political principle providing that a majority usually constituted by fifty percent plus one of an organized group will have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole.

That worked well for a long time until we realized it wasn’t always fair. That is where the rub came in, who decided what was fair?  The Majority.

There were limits. In School the majority did not rule, the minority did, the teachers and principal did the ruling. But that rule was set up by the majority, knowing that a child from 5-18 really MUST follow some rules.

Remember in games people were chosen. The guy/gal left out had to learn to deal with it.  If the school grades did not come up to standards, the student must try again. AT one time one had to study hard to pass or have tutorial help, but a standard must be met.

Then a minority opinion (backed by a learned study?) decided that we should not hurt anyone’s feelings by holding them back, they must be promoted. That resulted in delaying that ‘HURT’ until the student was graduated WITHOUT an education.

Then  He or she  would learn their short comings from an employer, “I’m sorry, your ability just won’t cut it with us here at ACME, try somewhere else.”

Our country has become so political correct that now, to keep from hurting someone’s feelings, we must allow the tail to wag the dog.  The Minority rules in many cases.  A minority should not be degraded or punished, but neither should they be in charge to make the decisions.

By lowering standards we get HS and even College grads who cannot read or write above a 3^rd grade level.  WE also get less Scientist Level students because they were not challenged.

People should be challenged during those ‘formative or learning’ years not ignored or placated.

Just another opinion. ;-) 

Nite Shipslog

PS: When I was a builder (and after a destructive tornado had struck) we had a minority opinion in our neighboring county that was going to require builders to build TORNADO PROOF buildings. Thank goodness common sense and a majority ruled, after it was pointed out: then from now on all buildings must be underground.

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1951 Henry J above and the 1952 below

Christmas plays and dramas

WE did not see a Play this Christmas season, but  I enjoy Christmas plays. To me it is more ‘real’ than a movie using professional actors.  I am inclined to Out door dramas as I have posted here before. WE have enjoyed the ones we have been privileged to see.

Out door dramas:

‘From this day Forth’ the Waldension story, Valdese, NC.

“Lost Colony”,, NC coast line Manteo, NC(?).

Hatfields and McCoys….     Kentucky or West Virginia

‘Horn in the West’…. Boone, NC

“Trail of Tears”… Cherokee, NC

“Oklahoma”,,,,, West Virginia

“Follow the River”… Virginia

"Steven Foster Story", Bardstown, KY

But back to plays, I especially love kids plays when they take time to wave at mama, daddy or grandparents during the performance.

I was once in a play and was supposed to sing a verse of ‘We Three KIngs”.  I started, “Myrrh is mine and forgot every word, I sang da da da da to the tune for the entire verse. Of course everyone got a kick out of that except me.

Churches have good plays, I have been involve in a few, it must be tough being a director of one of these, just trying to get everyone together for practice, but with all the stress they seem to run smooth.

We were fortunate to be near the Crystal Cathedral for Christmas and got to see their presentation. I enjoyed it, but it was too professional and glitzy, there were angels flying over head the whole time.

Any special outdoor drama or a Christmas Play in your past?

Nite Shipslog

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1964 T-Bird

Table number Seven

Our RV park had a covered dish lunch on Christmas Eve.  I don't usually attend these festivities because the noise is too much for my hearing (Implant and aid) to handle.

There were about 20 tables set-up, we found seats with folks we know from camping here a lot.  Once the meal is set and the prayer is said the table numbers are put in a hat and drawn out for the line-up order to try to be fair.

I have known lucky folk in my life.  They seem to be more prone to win than the average guy; and some folk project a losing attitude as in 'I never win' or and everything breaks at my house at the 'worst' time. And then: If anyone is going to get stuck in traffic it's me.

When we sat down I said something about being at table SEVEN, we would be lucky. The lady beside me said, "Nope, we will be the last called, I am the most unlucky person in the world."

Funny thing about the tables called, 19,8,12  etc. (No 7 called yet). When it gets down to 4 tables left, I say, "#7  can not be this unlucky we will not be last."

The call continued: 18, 13, 6...............Nothing!!!!  There was no more numbers! Not a SEVEN in the hat!  The lady said, "What did I tell you? Nobody is more unlucky than I."  NOW I AM GOING TO TELL YOU, "I THINK SHE IS RIGHT!"

I am not an overly lucky guy (except in love), but I am very POSITIVE.  I thought, 'my Positive attitude is going to override this ladies Negative attitude.'  But with all the positive thoughts in the world, if your number is not in the hat, 'ain't no one gonna draw it.'

Sorta like I mentioned once here, A guy kept praying over and over that he would win the lottery, and finally God whispered to him, "Hey jack, help me out here, buy a ticket!"

Do you know a negative person?

Nite Shipslog

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I guess if I was racing, I wouldn't want #13. ;-)  

The Cruise of our life time

Sherry and I are in our upper 70's.   We have no allusions of living forever, so having known too many of our friends who have said, "One day we are going to...  'do this, that or go there' then before they know it they are 'past' going or doing." We have noted the warnings and are trying our best to live our dreams.

Not everyone has odd, strange or grandiose dreams, and that is wonderful. Many folk are content to be what they are, where they are, I have envied them.  I, on the other hand (my entire life), have always wondered what is around the curve or over the hill. I actually think I have a brain malfunction that forces me to want to be where I 'Ain"t'.

Maybe that is the call of the sea where you are NEVER on the same water twice. LOL.
Anyway, it was about a year ago we were thinking of something big for our 60 wedding anniversary. I said, "But just in case, let's do it a year early." So Sherry agreed and we started the plan.

So on the cruise, during one of our many walks, it was just plain satisfying to run into these girls on a weather deck with their parents (and grand parent).

 
We do not see our family every day most of the year, so this was like our own ship, and running into family was normal.

The cruise is over, everyone is back home, at work and living their lives.  Me? I will sit and remember the fun AND the BLUE WATER.

 I will remember the sunsets and walks with my lover as we talked about how wonderful it was to have our family and see them enjoying themselves.

I will remember my loves, Sherry and the sea. One of them I can have for now 24/7, and I plan to enjoy her as long as possible.

The colorful sights aboard will be a memory, a good family one, worth every penny spent. For a few days they were able enjoy about anything they wanted to, aboard ship and off, without worrying about finances.  I smile, at their age we could not do that.  But with working together, saving and being practical, Sherry & I were able to provide about 7 days for our family to do just that. God has been good to us.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Some old folk ask, but did they appreciate it?  YOU BET, and everyone expressed it. WE knew they would, NO QUESTION!

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1954 Hudson and Mercury with sun roof!