Life continues and I learn more

Historical Photo:

Shirl made a complete set of Christmons. (I had never even heard of them) but evidently they are big in some churches. This is Shirl and hubby Jim with a display at Charlotte's Commonwealth Methodist Church.
A joke:
Women are suspicious at times.
In the beginning even, Adam stayed out late some nights and enjoyed quiet alone. But that made Eve upset.
“You’re running around with other women,” she told her mate.
“Eve, honey, you’re being unreasonable,” Adam responded. “You know you’re the only woman on earth.”
The quarrel continued until Adam fell asleep only to be awakened by a strange pain in the chest. It was his darling Eve poking him rather vigorously about the torso.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Adam demanded.
“Counting your ribs!” said Eve.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It might be corny, but I laughed at that one.

On the computer:

Now  incidents of life. I depend on my ‘contacts’ to address my e-mails. i.e. at the address line I start the name ‘be’ for Ben and his e-mail address pops up. Imagine my surprise when I typed ‘BE’ and nothing happened. I tried again. Nada.  I clicked on contacts and received the message: ‘There are no contacts in your address book’.
I tried to recover  the list and had no success. So I started the old fashioned way, adding one at a time as I received or sent e-mails.

In the back yard:

I did a no-no yesterday in our back yard, I burned 8 worn wicker chairs. One reason, on our daily walks we pass a pile of wicker the city has ignored on the side of the street, so I figured a faster way to get rid of them. (OUCH)

In the house:
I have mentioned we are behind a home I built for us a few years ago (22 yrs. I think). We loved this house but decided to sell when we moved into the motorhome. We turned it over to a realtor and it did not sell. It is 2800 feet including the basement BUT I built for us and it is only two bedrooms. While taking care of Shirl I noticed some loud squeaks have developed under the carpet. So I am working to stop those.
Out of the blue:
Yesterday evening we were visited by Jack Fulbright, we are not kin but I am kin to people he is kin to.  It is not as complicated as that old song, “I’m my own grandpa.”
Jack is a great musician. He played some for us on the piano. I knew him as a sax player, but he plays many instruments.  He was curious about our plans for Shirl’s music books and sheet music.
I had looked thru the music and most of it was dated so our grands would not be interested. We are intrigued with the many stories of sister Shirl. Jack added a few.  She was indeed unique. She lived out one of her dreams, she did sing professionally locally and was very well received.  All the band members have praised her to high heavens.

More later.....

Nite Shipslog

They all look alike

Historical Photo:

         When I said, "Do not tell anyone, I meant it!"


Sadly I learned, they all look alike! Traveling as we have you learn some folk are touchy about their appearance? I have mistaken people.  That has happened because (IMHO) someone looked like (or favored) someone I knew. I used to say, “You look just like 'xyz', a friend of mine.”  I dislike the retort, ‘Yeah, we all look alike.’ (I have never thought that way.)
 I never will forget once in a line waiting for a drink I thought I recognized the dude in front of me. I tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned I realized he was not my friend. I said, “I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else!”
He replied (like my quick witted friend Buddy would have) “I might be!”

However this post is not about people, it is about batteries. You know AAA,AA, C or C13. I am posting because with my Cochlear Implants (and previous hearing aids).  I change batteries every three days. I have accidently mixed the dead and new batteries several times and it gets confusing imma tell you!  Because they all look alike dead or alive!
The common voltmeters (in this case) are no good. The simple voltmeter reads ‘potential voltage’. Potential voltage may be 1.5volts, but when used may last 1 second or 10 years. The voltmeter will not tell you. The only meter that could work would be an ‘AMMETER’. Not a common neophyte’s meter. So I pick a flash light and try the questionable ones. HOWEVER that does not work with the little round steel type and it is hard to find a device that will check them simply.
So if you deal with a lot of batteries, keep the bad ones separated from the new ones because “they all look alike dead or alive.”
We are still in the process of grieving, fixing and planning. I could probate the will, but since it involves family I am turning it over to an attorney tomorrow.  We still do not have the ‘death certificate’, so we are in limbo.
When I blogged every night I had an idea where I was. I dug the above up out of the archives. I think I have one more there. Life gets complicated (and confusing) in old age.  I think I have said all this before!!!!!!

Nite Shipslog
North Carolina facts (since we are here)

1.     Andrew Johnson started his career as a tailor's apprentice in Raleigh, North Carolina and rose to lead in the reuniting of the nation as the seventeenth President of the United States.

2.     North Carolina leads the nation in furniture, tobacco, brick, and textile production.

3.     Saluda, North Carolina is located at the top of the Saluda Grade. The crest of the steepest standard gauge mainline railroad in the United States.

4.     State Motto: Esse quam videri (To be rather than to seem)

5.     The town of Wendell was named for the American writer, Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

(Sorry for a lame entry, but I wanted to say SOMETHING!  LOL )

An Education I did not need!

Historical Photo:

 (fulfilling a dream as a singer, she actually started singing country western with a band after losing her husband, she was quite good.)

I am still here.

Getting older we learn a lot of things. Shirl got on my case years ago, “Jack, write your obituary. Most people wait too late and it must be done on the spur of the moment.”

So I did!

Now what do I find in her written instructions?  There is no obituary, she has destroyed it. Instead she writes: Tell no one I have died. No service. DO NOT put it in the paper. Have Tallent Funeral home cremate me. Then spread my ashes on Jim’s grave!  Period….

Some of you have been through this. So I say: “Shirl, it ain’t as simple as that!” 

PLUS prices are strange, normal burials are from $4,000 to $20,000.  I remember reading cremations at $500. Now, the Funeral home charges $1800 just for the cremation. I understand that is in the ‘ball park’.  In talking to the granite service that will add the death date to the stone, Cremations are 40% and burials are 60%. They expect it to be 50-50% next year.

Opening a grave in Charlotte is now $2000 in addition to the cost of the plot (Of course we will not ‘open’ her plot). “So, Dang it Shirl I don’t need this education. You should have stuck around a few more years!”

Hey, a copy of a birth certificate at the courthouse is $1.50. The copy of a ‘Death Certificate’ is $10 purchased ‘only’ thru the Funeral home. It is suggested, order 20 copies. I ordered five!  I betcha imma find out if I can get them at the courthouse!  LOL

The above is just a part of it as you that have experienced it, know.

 (On her 80th BD, the local Seniors gave her a surprise party, and made her queen)

Have you ever thought of the person who will come into your private area and decide what goes and where? For years now my sister has told me, “Jack I am getting rid of all this stuff, I do not want anyone going thru my private things!”  (Right Shirl, you should have stuck around long enough to have done it)

I have run across some neat stuff:

One short note about her young secretary’s life:

“When Dee and I took an apartment in Charlotte we could hardly afford the rent. We ate eggs every meal and took egg sandwiches to work. Once we did eat out. The crowd was pretty big. Dee noticed the bathroom names were moveable. When several people were in each one, we switched the names. It was hilarious when others entered!” (sounds like her).

(And then she was once Minnie Pearl)

Maybe more when I get a break. Thanks for stopping by.

Nite Shipslog