545

                            (Historical photo: Central Park, 1930)

(Note: we made it to Florida, it is still here@!)

At times I print someone else’s stuff. Here is one by Charlie Reese (1937-2013) that I agree with. A neutral Political Statement:

545 vs. 300,000,000 People- by Charlie Reese

 Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

 Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

 Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes? 

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

 You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations.

 The House of Representatives does..

 You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

 You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

 You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

 One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

 I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

 I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.  

The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes. 

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party. 

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. 

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes.  

Who is the speaker of the House now? He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to. 

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist. 

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. 

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan .. If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way. 

There are no insoluble government problems. 

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.  

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do. 

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power. They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses, provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

My commentary: Your state should change all the DC reps, but Mine are ok.  That is exactly why no big change will ever happen. We will not change them, but TERM LIMITS would.

Nite Shipslog

Why did I do this, it was Stupid!

(Historical Photo, 1926 Alligator farm in St. Augustine, FL)

(Now if I wuz in the middle of the Gators, I would ask myself WHY??? There is a no trespassing sign!!! Before you say anything, notice she does have a stick!) 

Have you ever chided yourself for a decision you though was a great idea. I know that some folk regret changing the color of their hair! I know some ladies who WISH they had never tried another hair do!

Some folk pick a new car, the color is just what they want, until about three weeks and the color starts to grate on them.

I remember a good friend who was sold on the ‘Wankle’ engine in the Mazda car (I think).  The Wankle was a rotary engine that was going to revolutionize the auto industry. I saw him a year later, he had decided  ‘It ain’t gonna be in ALL cars in three years!” 

I am not sure if the rotary engine is still in production.

My son Mark knows real-estate and houses, he knows nothing of bonds and investments. An investment adviser suggested he buy into some stocks for his children. He became an investor. He lost a few thousand $. The investor came back, you need to pump some more $ in. He realized what my dad always said, “Don’t try to play someone else’s game,” He regretted it, took his loses and got out@!.

So this is about?  We hit the road this morning. I was sure I needed shocks on the Motor home, so in the past few weeks as the coach sat, I changed the shocks to some pricey shocks. I can’t wait to try them. WE DID this morning. The coach had NEVER ridden this badly. I am kicking myself, saying a bad word. Found a spot by the local soccer fields to see if I can add some air to our air bags. WE had traveled about a mile. You would not believe the ride, bouncy, bumpy,crazy bad at 10 MPH..

 Told my sick looking lady. I will crawl under and re-adjust the air bags. This thing has no springs. It took about 5 minutes. I crawled out from under the coach, let’s try going around the block.

Just after we started rolling we realized there would be no need to go around the block. It rides like a new coach, but for about ten minutes there, I could see myself changing back to the cheaper shock.  LOL

We had a great ride AFTER THE ADJUSTMENT. She cruises good and WE B TICKLED,…………………………………..NOW THAT IS,  but I still ain't gonna wrestle Alligators, lol...!

 Nite Shipslog  (We will over nite in South Carolina, Florida tomorrow)

This mid '50s Packard convertible passed us on the road.

A Going Away Party

(Historical photo)

Cary Grant donned a skirt in a 1947 radio broadcast to protest Catherine Hepburn wearing slacks)

Party (no protests)
Wednesday morning two of my girlfriends invited Shirl, Sherry and I to breakfast at BoJangles. Ann is 90 and Daisy 93. These ladies are ‘Master Bakers’ and at cake auctions, their cakes have sold for hundreds of dollars.

They brought a delicious pound cake. I did some small tasks for them in the past and they can’t seem to do enough for us. Ann’s daughter Brenda was there also. It is seldom you find a girl as sweet as their mama, but Brenda is.  I have said that so many times because if one knows these ladies, they know I am right.

(sorry this is last years photo, it is missing Brenda but it is the usual suspects, L-R Ann, Shirl, Daisy, Me and Sherry.) BUT I guess I actually forget how much I brag on Sherry’s mama Susie, and I forget Sherry is as sweet as her mama. So I thought for just a line or two I would correct that. Susie was sweet, a solid Character and frugal. I mentioned several times Susie managed their Cotton Mill income so as to build and pay for three house. I am amiss for realizing my girl has done the same and more. Sherry is the BEST.

Now back to our Going SOUTH Party. They made sure the cooks and cashiers got a piece of cake and anyone else in the café who wanted it got a piece.

Ann is a sweetie. Shirl has been a little down lately. Ann brought her a bear gift. When it’s had is squeezed the bear sings, I LOVE YOU!  Both Shirl and Ann cried a little. I think the rest of us teared up some also.

It does warm your heart to have friends that care and show it.  I would much rather buy their meal. These girls are closer to 4’ tall than 5’. But their actions in this town are 10’ tall.

 Nite Shipslog

These '25s were new when Daisy was born.

Headed South soon,

Three women washing clothes in Central Park, NYC 1949 water shortage.

                            (Historical photo)

This has been a sort of pushed summer. WE only make one summer run of about 5 weeks.  The rest of that time was here in the Belmont area.

I helped a little on the small house for Grandson Josh. Announcements of two more Great grands that will arrive and discover America while we are traveling and living in Florida.  WE are looking forward to settling down in our Florida home and installing a screened in porch.  Looking forward to evenings on that porch mosquito free. 

I have a habit of lying to myself that I will sit back there, relax and paint.  I do love to paint in oil or acrylic, mostly landscapes. I also lie to myself and say “I will take a course on writing and painting, one of these days.”  It is sorta to take a course when you seldom settle more than 3-4 weeks at anyone spot.  I am definitely not consistant enough to try some course over the net.

My respect goes to Betty and others who can work at home and be productive on a computer system. I am afraid I would have too many distractions.

I have also thought of assisted living places (Of course 20years from now) wondering if the will allow me to work for room and board? Now I could  handle that.  I might even think of that next year.  LOL

I saw a note on the net yesterday that assisted and nursing home stays can reach $100,000 a year?  WHAT???  Of course that said it was an average of the entire USA. But half that would KNOCK A DENT in Sherry’s budget. LOL (Actually much less would!@!)

We all hope we will pass away in our sleep the day before assisted living is required. LOL

We have some great assisted living places in our area. I have never priced them, but maybe I should give it a check. I do have a sweet first cousin who works at one of the best in the area. Imma thinking next year I will give her a shout and talk about it.  JUST FOR INFORMATION OF COURSE!

WE are heading South as the title says, but I worry. I hear folk talk about things were going great, then they headed South????

Do you lie to yourself?  Do you believe it?  LOL

 Nite Shipslog

Also a historical photo, the 22 millionth Chevrolet.

(Historical photo)

This is the 10'x15' shed where the Harley was born in 1903

I did make an appointment to see my Doctor after two years. Today was the day. I dreaded (in a way) to disappoint him that in the last year I stopped taking the statin he prescribed. It is only 20 mg, but after losing a muscle in my right arm last year that was the final straw. I was cramping way too much and I was getting aggravated but the tendon tearing loose from my upper arm was the last straw.

Marty Kerns with My 1955 Chevy after I restored it. I bought it for $50

Statins are notorious for cramps and muscle damage. I am trying to eat healthier to make up for it and had hoped my blood work would not show too much change.

He looked at me and at his computer screen and says, “You are taking zero (and makes and 0 with his thumb and fore finger) right.” I answered, “Yes, do you want to hear my side?” he said sure. I showed him my right upper arm where the tendon had broken and now the muscle resided in a heap near my elbow and said, “I lost this muscle last year and I do not want to lose more.”

“YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR!”  Then he gave me a lecture about tendons and bones. He offered surgery. I asked him if he was healthy and 79 years old would he risk the surgery. His answer was it is your call not mine, as he said it he smiled a ‘gotcha’ smile.

He says self-diagnosis is not a bad thing, but, but some folk carry it to the extreme. ;-)  I am thinking he puts me in the last category.  I have no fuss with my Dr. I like him, I do wish he was my age or older and I could trust him more.  Many Doctors die before they are my age. Average age of Medical Doctors is 73.

The only thing I was concerned about this trip was my cholesterol, he did smile when he said the cholesterol is good.  He didn’t say I’m taking you off the statin, I guess he didn’t have to, since I told him I wasn’t taking it anyway.

Anyway the dreaded visit is over. Maybe I am like some of your pets who hate to go to the vet. On second thought maybe I should visit a vet!

 Nite Shipslog

I think most folk have a favorite car. Mine is no secret, the 1955 Chevrolet. My dad was a General Motors man for years. I liked them but they all had a 6 cylinder engine. 1955 was the first year the Chevy won a BIG TIME Stock Car race,  Herb Thomas drove the '55 to victory in the 1955 Darlington 500.

Chevy put a V8 in the '55. As a teenager I actually rode in that very Chevy months after it won the race.

You are reading Blogs all wrong

Photo from History:

           '''The 1938 tour of the 7 Dwarfs'''

Lately on the internet I assume good articles must be hard to come by. I am learning I have not only gotten old but I have been very ignorant most of my life.  I now have writers who tell me: YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS ALL WRONG!  I keep wanting to know, HOW DO THEY KNOW?

The list amazed me starting a month or so ago there was an article entitled: You are lacing your shoes all wrong.  The next day was an article about how I have tied my shoes all wrong.

The list continued:

You have been peeling eggs wrong.  How do they know?

You have been washing your car WRONG.

You have been cleaning your windows all wrong. (they are wrong ABOUT THAT!)

You have been peeling the orange WRONG!

You have been peeling the banana WRONG!

You are using the straw wrong in your soft drink can.

You have been using the plumber’s friend all wrong!

You have been brushing your teeth WRONG.

You have been eating your cupcake WRONG!

Every one of these I ignored because I was pretty happy with how my mama taught me or how I learned.  Now it did take Paula to tell me how to use a can opener (Now I hear she lost hers. I am pretty sure John doesn’t have it. Ramein Noodles do not require a can opener and cause us boys cannot get them to work anyway!)

Jerry Clower was one of my favorite comedians. When I read all the above I thought of a (real) joke of his.  He said he was invited to a rattlesnake roundup where the snakes were the main dish. Rattlesnake was cooked in all fashions.  His complaint was that some animal rights activists were there to make sure the Rattlers were killed properly. His line was, “How can you kill a rattlesnake wrong?”

Sorry if I offend anyone, but in his presentation it was funny..  To understand it you must be scared out of your socks by a rattler at least once.  I have been!

I do appreciate helpful hints. I have benefited by many of them, even changed my way of doing things because of them. But I did not like the statement 'YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG' sorta insulted me and made fun of mama's teaching.  hahaha

 Nite Shipslog

                    1939 Nash Lafayette 

Officially old in my mind!

Okay, I know I am old.  Today we went for our jelly biscuit which we share every Sunday morning with coffee. As we walked in the door I glanced to the side and saw, Linda! Surely not. She lives in Anderson, SC now with her husband Steve. Well it was her, I went over and she was getting up to give me a big hug.

I looked over at the ordering line where Sherry was and she was hugging Steve. We haven’t seen these two in a year or more.  What is unique about Steve and Linda is they have been married about 54 years. Two beautiful daughters and now they are Great grandparents.

Most folks know that in another life, between the USAF and the USN, I thought I was a preacher. Sherry and I organized and built the New Hope Church in Belmont. Linda was a kid, she and her family were charter members of the church. Steve came a little later and became the choir leader. There were many young folk there, Linda and her sister played the piano. Steve and Linda were 17. Something I learned this morning they were born on different days but less than 24 hours apart.

They fell in love and asked me to perform the ceremony and hitch them up.  Since I had been 17 when we got married I could hardly refuse, and they were in love.

So yep, I must be old to have performed the ceremony for a couple who are Greatgrandparents.

Anyway, that is my shock for today.  LOL

 Nite Shipslog

This was a new car  when Linda and Steve were married.

New title, Our RV Life

I have a problem kicking myself. I do not think I am alone in that area. I smile sometimes thinking nobody needs to get on to me when I make a mistake, I probably call myself more names and ‘stupid’ is one of the nicer ones. LOL

As a wanna be writer I get more opportunities to do that. With a narrow vocabulary I use the same word too many times. Folk is one of them.  Also I like to use commas. I use semicolons because I think they look more intelligent or something.

When I read many times I am glad the writer keeps it on about an 8^th grade level and that still challenges me.

Yeah, I am going over my latest book.  It is a small one. About 140 pages 24000 words. I have started using 16pt print, considered ‘Large Print’. Many of my readers are over 50 so they appreciate the large print also. LOL

I hope to publish within two weeks.  The title is “Our RV Life” by Jack and Sherry.  I have used pointers from some fellow RV’ers and of course drawn from our 20 years of experience.  It is more hints for folks who have never spent time in an RV than our actual life. But I do mention some of the places we have visited and think they might want to.

Anyway, my girl took her Harris Nieces out to lunch today and left me alone to try to finalize the book. She and I read it one last time as we waited for our Honda ‘recall fix’ to be done. It is a quick read.
Anyway…………………

Nite Shipslog

This is our 2000 Monaco Diplomat diesel pusher, probably our last RV. This is our home.

Our Special day, 61 years ago....

You will notice I use large print with my blog. That is because I have been around many years.
Today’s date, September 22^nd is VERY Important to me. Sixty-one years ago at about 7:30 PM.  I answered, “Yes Sir!” To the question, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”  I wasn’t smart enough to know the correct answer was, “I do.”  I was only 17 but knew I wanted this lady for the rest of my life.

When Judge Nunn asked Sherry if she wanted me for her lawfully wedded husband, she answered “YES SIR” also. Marrying a Marine, she is a fast learner.  LOL

We have been married for 61 years now. AS I write it is just after midnight.  It is the 22^nd. I just tucked her in, and told her I loved her with all my heart and that she has made me Very happy.  We know there is a lot of luck here, and much love.  I am thankful that we have only missed one (Possibly two) anniversaries being together. She doesn’t know for sure either.
But for sure I remember the first anniversary. I was ashore in Saros, Bay Turkey. My unit in the USMC was on joint NATO maneuvers. I remember getting off to myself that night and singing what little I knew of the song ‘Fraulein’. Looking at the sky I sang to myself:

 Fraulein, Fraulein, Look up toward the heavens each night

When the stars seem to shine
By the same stars above you
I swear that I love you
You are my pretty Fraulein
 
When my memories wander
Away over yonder
To the sweetheart that I left behind
In a moment of glory
A face comes before me
The face of my pretty Fraulein
 
Fraulein, Fraulein
Walk down by the river
Pretend that your hand's holding mine
By the same stars above you 

 swear that I love you cause you are my pretty Fraulein.

Yep I sang to myself, while shedding a few tears, I missed my beautiful young wife.

I am now going to join my wife in bed. There have been many thrills and happy times in her arms. But tonight we will rest for the big day tomorrow.  We take our Honda Fit in for a recall fix at Honda.  LOL Excitement is important when you are old.

Now it is a little after 8PM as I finish this. By now we were back in Belmont enjoying a cake and celebrating with our family and friends. Then off for our one night honeymoon at Lake Lure, NC.

It has been a great ride this 61 years. Funny, I never thought about living 61 years, much less being married that long.  This is NOT A COMPLAINT. I knew she was the ONE, and I was right.

                             

 Nite Shipslog

our first car.. 1950 Chevy coupe

Ironic

   

   Photo from the past: 4H convention in 1941 at Iowa State (That is sorta ironic that Darla just mentioned their 4H club.)

     Irony: a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.

It is irony, I guess, that I think I am a writer and have a very weak or limited vocabulary.

It is Irony that Sears and Roebuck started off as a mail order business then went big time in the brick and mortar stores and are now fighting for their life against basically a mail-order business AMAZON.

It must be irony that the Post Office (USPS) management years ago decided there would never be enough business in delivering packages and cut back by raising the cost of mailing a package. And then years after that decision find that packages have financed fleets of planes, trucks and deliveries for UPS and FEDEX.

It is irony also that the USPS is now delivering for AMAZON on Sundays in many cases.

It is Irony, and sickening, Detroit auto leadership considered imports trash and not competition. Instead of reading the writing on the wall, they helped make a wasteland of Detroit.  CEOs and Other leadership are paid to see into the future. Register trends, note changes in their industry and adjust.

I am not sure it is IRONY that A man called Walton in Arkansas, started a business that is putting others out of business because they did not take him serious. It is hard for my mind to wrap around the idea that Sears and K-Mart with stores already built, logistics in place for storage and delivery of goods to their stores can be overrun by an upstart called Walmart.

I would have thought the CEO of K-Mart would remember they put Grants, Roses, and a few others out (or nearly out) of business to get where they were and be looking over their shoulders for the next up start, but they missed it.

Funny that… Walmart is playing catch-up with AMAZON, will they make it, or have they waited too late to provide next day delivery?

 Nite Shipslog

customized 55 or 56 pontiac.

Character

Testing Football helmets in 1912, yeah, things have changed!
(I'm wondering the consequences had they not worked??)

Best Friends and Buddies
Sherry is my best friend. She knows all about me!
Your secrets are buried with your best friend. IT certainly disappoints you when you speak confidentially to a person and soon you hear the ‘word getting around’. It usually only happens once and you choose your post to lean on more carefully.

I lost my best friend Sonny, a few years ago. I mentioned it to the other pall-bearers as we carried the body to its finally resting place beside his loving wife. I said, “Boys, if you ever told Sonny something in confidence, it is in this box.”  It is wonderful in life to have that person you can confide in.
I mentioned in my last blog how much things change, today I was thinking, somethings never change. Character is one of those things.

There are lots of sayings like, “What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas, and what is said in this club stays in this club.”
Even at that some folk enjoy juicy gossip too much to ‘follow the rules.’  Not too many years a couple of our politicians got into a ‘drinking match’ on a diplomatic tour and agreed with all in the room. “What happened here stays here.”

The saying did not work. WE must decide in this life, who has CHARACTER and who does not, if you plan to confide in someone. I like to think I can be trusted.


Nite Shipslog

I love this '32 Studebaker