Trying

Truck of the day:

 Grandson Josh sent me this:

Parked in his area of Charlotte. A 1955 Stepside pickup. Love it.

For today:

Of course we all have heard, “I will give it that old college try!” Since I never stayed in school, HS or College long enough to get aligned with that statement. At least this is a try.

Problems arise in all our lives, some worse than others. Two weeks ago I could not get out of bed. As long as I remained relaxed there was absolutely no pain. When I gave it a good try I was hit with a knife in my lower back. I actually thought, “Will I ever be up and around again?” Then I thought of people I have known who were in CONSTANT PAIN. I have a very high tolerance of pain, i.e. I do my dental fillings, etc with no shots, that is a slow constant pain. The KNIFE SHOTS catch me off guard and I do utter a bad word.

I have close kin who suffers all the time. I have been prescribed pain pills many times, seldom take them. BUT have given them to others who were in PAIN! Yeah I know that ain’t smart, but when asked and know the person is in PAIN I do what I can with a good conscience, knowing this person is solid and not an addict.

It has been two weeks, I visited a chiropractor and got a lot of relief. I appreciate my medical doctor but know if it is BACK PAIN I prefer the hands-on approach. I still cannot do a lot of things. NO LIFTING except with my back straight and the lift is parallel with my body.

Thanks to my love affair with cats and kittens we have had a few fleas visit. So WE placed ‘flea bombs’ all over the house and Sherry drove me to the mountains and back to let them do their work. Vacuuming is required for many days after the attack on the bugs.

With my back straight (like a marching marine) I have vacuumed the entire house, including garage and basement, with no ill effect on my back. I have done a lot of heat and ice. The improvement is so good I can think of backpacking again. (Unless I sneeze as I just did, OH BOY!)

I play a game with the fleas, I hear one say, “HEY hide here that mean machine can’t get us here.” But then I go there and the rest of them say, “I thought you said he could not come hereeeeeeeeee!” as they go into the bag.

Sherry hasn’t seen a flea in the last few days, thank goodness.

ANYWAY THANKS for the e-mails, comments, thoughts, prayers and extended love my way. I have enjoyed reading blogs and cowboy books during my ice and heat treatments.  

NiteShipslog

 

PS:  

update

 I have made it to the chiropractor  twice and will see him or his wife two more times next week.  I can stand up with a little help now and walk but no quick movements. You learn a lot quick with a little back problem.   LOL

Sherry made the appts for me on the phone, the first place she called was very rude, I was shocked. She asked if she could suggest someone else and the lady said 'no' and hung up. 

She did calle Dibella Chiropractic center and I was given an appt that day. The place is great, and the folks are very nice, even jovial at times. Cost is definitely reasonable.

Nite shipslog

Thanks for the comments, prayers and well wishes....  I may be skippint a day or two here on blogger.

I did  get to read some emails.  Got a RV shot from Lisa at the beach of a CAmper something like the rugged RV Myra sent. cost of that dude is $465000.00  OUCH!!!

Davy Crockett, Doris Morton, Jack Jr

Our church senior group has a lady named Doris who handles the entertainment for seniors. Once she asked me to help her in a skit and of course I said yes I had no idea I was going to be a pregnant man haha not until the night of the skit. I took a lot of friendly ribbing about that later was it a boy or girl? LOL

 Just a little while later she asked my son Jack Jr to write a  song to be used during a roast for our pastor Danny Peterson. Since I am a little under the weather haha and since Jack Jr left his song on my computer I think I can transfer it to this cell phone. He wrote the song to be sung to the tune of Davy Crockett The ballad. Everyone enjoyed it. This is the ballad I hope.

Chorus:

Danny, Pastor Danny the man who the Lord brought here

 

Born on a mountain top in old NC

Greatest state in the land of the free

Even as a child, yes, everyone could see

That he’d be a preacher when he was only three

Chorus

He always took the straight and narrow path

Never let the sun go down on his wrath

Even when his son corrected his math

He just ran some water and soaked in a bath

Chorus

You’ve never known a more giving man

Gives of his time every chance that he can

Visit you when you’re sick and lend you a hand

Help you whoop the devil with a frying pan

Chorus

If you want to know the gospel way

Just ask him and this is what he’ll say

Trust in the Lord and follow Him each day

And if you don’t, there will be hell to pay

Chorus

That will be in red because at the time my black ink cartridge  was dead.

Now to my condition haha I did visit a chiropractor and he did his magic and I can nearly walk again but not quite good. The pain was really bad it's amazing how a little back pain can knock you to the floor. I think I can sympathize with anyone now who has back pain.

 Night ships log

Not everyone can be alone

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

For today:

Some people are not cut out to be ‘solitary workers’. My son Mark was the best worker I ever hired, bar none. There was/is one big difference in him and me, he hates to work alone.

There were plenty of times in our construction history he and I built houses, except for heating and air. Once while building a spec (speculative) home I went out to the truck to get something and there was a piece of drywall (sheetrock) with a note on it. It was written by Mark. I smiled as I read it, “Dad can I build a house?”

I carried that scrap back into the newly framed house where we were hanging drywall. He saw me with the note. I said, “Son of course you can build a house, what do you think we are doing now?” I smiled, he was uncomfortable.

He was embarrassed and said, “Would you help me start building on my own? I know where there is an empty lot. I hoped you would help me buy it for my first house.”

I told him of course I would help him get started.  He did and he built a beautiful two story house, BUT it was during the time that home loans went as high as 23%, it was near impossible to sell a house. It finally sold at cost.

Once he was on his own, he used subcontractors to build but in between subs the building site was lonely. He needed someone with whom to talk. He hired a good all-round worker who could fill in, clean up etc.  I have laughingly accused Mark of paying someone to talk to.

A person who is ‘hearing impaired or hearing challenged’ eventually gets tired of using the refrains, “HUH?  What? I’m sorry? I did not understand that? Etc!” There were times that I just shrugged or something, that would indicate to the speaker that I had understood, when I did not.

I became more of a loner, I could easily live as a recluse but Sherry does not deserve that. She NEEDS friends and a normal life.  As I type this she is with lifelong friends for her weekly few hours of comradery. She knows that I am miserable in crowds now and understands, I think. LOL

NiteShipslog

PS: I kept that small piece of drywall with Mark’s note on it for many years as a reminder of the great times we had working together.

PS2: I wrote this for yesterday’s entry, JUST AFTER WRITING I WENT TO THE BASEMENT AND MESSED UP MY BACK!  (I GUESS ALONE CAN GET YOU HURT. Lol)

 

 

stupid games I play

Again Sherry left me by myself and again I've done something stupid. I will be off for 1 or 2 days or 10 years it's according to how my back is. I'm dictating this and sherry is laughing. I was in my playhouse in the basement and decided I would do my exercises with my clothes on. Usually In have my underwear. This time I had my heavy shoes on and of course my pants. I was doing very well until I tried to do the plow which is a yoga position Sherry   taught me haha. I hurt my back. I have an appointment this afternoon at 2:30 to see a doctor or a cremation specialist. Hope to see you guys soon. night shipslog

Deadly Games Governments play

 A special ‘tiny home.’:

Surplus Canadian Army Truck converted to a 'tiny home.' Myra pointed me to this dude.  Would make a great survival vehicle.

If interested the story is below. (Click once then click the pointer)

This Military Vehicle Turned Motorhome Looks Ready For Battle (msn.com) 

For today:

Russia was in Afghanistan 9 years, then gave up!  They lost 15000 soldiers. Their military leaders advised the USA not to try to change the Gov’t of that country, it was IMPOSSIBLE!

Now about 22 years and a loss of 2,200 + Soldiers later, we learned our lesson.

My Lord, the USA alone lost over 56,000 of young lives in Vietnam. None of the death tolls above count the loss of limbs and mental drain on the men and women who followed some Politicians’ dreams of setting up DEMOCRICIES OR REPUBLICS in lands that do not plan to practice our way of life.

Bear with me a minute. Can you even imagine the life expectancy of those people in those countries who decided to help the USA, either paid or voluntarily? Of course we try/tried to take as many as we could out with us, but must leave hundreds of these ‘friends’ to face the enemy alone. It makes me sick.

Soldiers follow orders, they do what they are trained to do.  I TRULY sympathize with countries with terrible dictators, or governments that rule with an IRON fist. WE can name other countries in the area with the same results.

The USA and other countries have went to war because we had no choice, the same with many countries in Europe. When you are attacked you must DEFEND; that is why we have the military to PROTECT OUR country.

I do not blame the present administration for this problem, this was set in motion years ago. PULL OUT has been planned for a few years now, we just could not find a way to leave and save face. Finally we must admit we LOST again, then we cannot say with a straight face “I’m sorry!” to the families who lost men and women.

It will make me sicker in the next weeks to hear and see SOME SLICK POLITICIANS pointing fingers and giving blame, when MOST of them, Presidents and Congressmen have some blame to bare.

I feel for our troops and the citizens who fell for the promise to make them a part of a FREE Country, when it must have been impossible from the start.

I’m off my soap box.

NiteShipslog

 

PS:  

Games people play

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer concept car

For today:

Sherry and I have played a few board and card games over the years. I like Scrabble but am not good at it. We have enjoyed Monopoly, Sorry and some I cannot remember right now.

We both play a couple individual card games nightly on the monitors. I do Free Cell, Spider Solitaire and Solitaire. Sherry does too but adds Hearts.  

    

                      

A couple years ago we visited Old friends Marian and Dal and they taught us to play Mexican Train.  It is a game using dominoes, if you are like me and never heard of it.

I always thought dominos were just for making those little fall ore snakes where you stood the on end close together in lines, circles or crooks and pushed one ore and watched the reaction. LOL

We do not play a complete game ever night but break it up into 4 nights. We have modified the rules some to fit our needs, and it speeds the game up some.

I know folks up in the cold sections of our country spend a lot of time reading and playing games during the cold winters.

We have found that Mexican Train works well for our schedule leaving lots of time for the computer and reading.  It also allows us a little personal time which is good for us, I think.

What games do you enjoy? Do you play individual games or join in one or two?

  

NiteShipslog

What to do with STUFF?

Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 1956 T-Bird The Ford followers dream car of the 50s.

There was a song with the line: She had Fun Fun Fun 'til her daddy took the T-Bird away.....

For today: STUFF!

Below is the back of our basement. The room divider you see is solid oak, built in 1948 and used by several of our families.

Yep a tread mill and exercise bike, seldom used.

 

Some of you maybe too young to know, but there was a time when mama and daddy passed that the children went thru the shoebox and two old photo albums with those soft black pages full of old pictures and divided them up. I still have a few shots from my Grannies’ that mm & dad took.

The furniture was taken by siblings and kin to replace some of their own. If the family had owned the home it was sold and the money divided among the heirs.

Seldom was there an estate sale, because there was nothing left……….  That was in the past.  Now it is seldom that anyone has room for anything else unless they throw something away. They can’t logically take it.

WE have our garages, basements and storage buildings FULL or approaching full.

 Below are taken in my old office downstairs

(The shelves on the left are photo albums, about 50)

Above is our China Cabinet. filled with souvenirs and mementos from over the world. On the right is daddy's old wardrobe.

Most have family framed ‘portraits’.  Some of those are large with heavy frames, WHAT TO DO WITH THEM?

 

Above is Sherry's Mama (She was a sweet beauty) in a frame made by Vernon (Sherry's Bro)

Below is a picture of Sherry's mama's mama. (thee are not paintings)

Here is a dilemma that WE face. There are hundreds of pictures of old friends and even some family that NO ONE in our immediate family would recognize.  They mean NOTHING to them.

Random shots from my old office.

Yep we had car tags on GITMO.  I wonder if Los Alamos has special tags?

Hand carved vases from Haiti and the old pouting doll.

My favorite shelf, Antique tools. Some might recognize a 'Monkey Wrench!'

A Jimmy Carter cup from Plains

That above is an antique. It is the weaver's shuttle from earlier weave machines. 

I still have room for more in the basement, but I would like to ‘delete’ most of what we have. I still have not filled the two garages, but my old office houses our beautiful Dining room suite, and old bed frame and head board. A piece or two of furniture I built in 1952.

I have one sewing machine left in my office that I really want to remember how to use, I cannot remember how to replace the bobbin.

 Stuff, I know you do not have ANY!  LOL

NiteShipslog

 

PS:  

False tops

Possible Future Automobiles :

The future Mercedes.....

For today (this is not about wigs):

In life we will experience ‘false tops.’

Sherry and I have climbed several hundreds of mountains in 14 different states. When Sherry first decided that WE would hike the AT, I of course, agreed. This wasn’t the first time she made or helped make a big decision for us. BUT it was one of the most significant and long lasting.

(This is Sherry in the Smokies)

WE had no idea we were joining such a large loosely joined community. We learned that many people wanted to hike the trail. That every year over 2000 hikers had that idea, but like us, most were not able to continuously hike the entire 2190 miles. “THE HIKE” doesn’t get in every hikers blood, but it does in most and a common bond develops.

The one thing we learned, never assume you are at the TOP of a mountain until you can look down all 360 degrees around you.

Looking down at "God's Thumb Print" in Virginia

There have been mountains we groaned and hoped we would soon reach the top.  We remember passing a hiker named Mark as we were going down and he was going up Roan Mountain. He was beat and asked “Am I about to the top?”

We could not tell him he was only about half way; we just said, ‘you will make it.’

The false top is tough especially if it is raining or the top is covered in clouds.  That was the case of ‘Rocky Top’. We were in such a dense cloud, every time we came to a flat trail I began singing at the top of my voice, the two or three lines of John Denver’s “Rocky Top” that I knew.  I must have did that six or eight times. LOL

In troubled times in our lives, especially with our sons, I have thought, “Thank God that is over!”  But it wasn’t, it was a false top. WE are hoping we are now on the top and everything left is downhill. We really have less ‘things that worry us’ than most folks; we are thankful and grateful.

Imma tell you something you KNOW, some of life is ROCKY (Below is from "Rocksylvania")

I have learned that the old Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over until it’s over.”  Many people think it was Yogi that said, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings,” But that was someone else.

If you look back over your life, I think you will remember some ‘false tops.’

I guess that is life, the ups and downs, and it will continue until it is really over. Nah, don’t think I am depressed, I ain’t. We will celebrate 65 years together next month, I want to see that, I am one lucky son of a gun!

 

Nite Shipslog

PS: This entry was inspired by MA on her blog. Y’all probably think I don’t have any thoughts of my own but Thank you for yours. LOL  

The SHOT and conspiracy theories.

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

Future Land Rover (The white car behind confused me, LOL)

Note about yesterday's entry: Doc took both the Pfizer and J & J shots, my Sherry says!

For today:

I think I have made up my mind to take the shot, now to decide which I want. I really don’t want to have to go back for a second one.  Not that I have anything against any one of them, I just like to get it over with and behind me. LOL

I think I would take two of them IF I could get them at once. LOL (again)

I am active on a blog that has a religious base, mostly fundamental preachers and laymen. There are some preachers that have a strong opinion of the present and past Political  administrations. There are some who TEACH & PREACH the shot is evil and will change your life. Some say there is a chip in the VAX that will allow the government to rule your life or change your DNA, or something else.

Fauci is evil and determined to kill seniors. He is the one who determines where the vax kills, and it is always in a Republican or conservative area. I am sure Fauci has been wrong at times, he is navigating new waters of science. BUT I have no doubt he is smarter than I and some others.

Are conspiracy theories WRONG, are they bad? Or are they just silly ideas put out by someone hiding behind a QAnon figure?

Some people love the conspiracy theories because they are contrary to standard opinions. YES they are silly until you Read as I did today: MAN KILLS HIS TWO CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM FROM GROWING UP INTO MONSTERS, HE READ ON QANON THAT THEIR DNA was CHANGED BY THEIR MAMA.

NBC NEWS (yeah I know that is fake news, but it did happen)

 

A California surfing school owner who was charged with killing his two children in Mexico is a follower of QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories who thought the children "were going to grow into monsters so he had to kill them," federal officials alleged…….l L

On a forum:

One pro vax pastor listed hundreds of medical professionals who declared it was better to VAX than not. He also listed a survey that reported over 90%++ of Drs. Took the vax.

Someone come back and said, ‘yes, they are required to take it or they cannot practice. They want everyone to be in the same boat and die.’

Then one came back with this ‘snide comment’ that I liked:

It's hard to believe that these educated men and women of medicine who studied 8 years and then did residencies in hospitals don't know as much as preachers and nurses! Don't these people know the vaccine will kill you or make you grow an extra nostril? I'd rather get my medical advice from TV preachers and uninformed pastors, but that's just me.

I did laugh at the comment and even agreed. If you don’t agree with me I have no problem with that, it is okay to comment. I have never deleted a comment. I read and respect other opinions, but I also have mine.

I do not give medical advice to anyone even my wife. If asked I will give my opinion, but it will not be advice. I would feel terrible to tell someone to ignore a physical sign or pain, and it turn out to be an indicator of something deadly!

Life, LIFE is good, we all must try to be wise to navigate here.

Nite Shipslog

Ever change your mind?

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 1953 Ford Concept car

To me it looks like a T-bird and Studebaker conbined.

For today:

Most of us at one time or the other have changed our minds.  There have been times I was so convinced something was right, but then later, changed my mind.

My lifestyles have been so that I have never had what you would call a ‘family doctor’.  No one I could say is ‘My Doctor’. In the military if you need a doctor, you do not have a choice, you just see the next one available.

I never had one that I did not trust though.

I have known several people who ‘changed doctors’ or ‘changed their minds.’

My VA doctor is a great guy.  He also is very smart. Earlier this year (or last) When I had a very bad stomach pain I spent hours in the Emergency room (with many tests) and got no relief. Then another VA Dr. at the walk in clinic; got no relief, Last Sherry got my VA DR. to see me. He diagnosed it in 5 minutes, called in the meds and I was better in a couple hours and have had no other problems.

Today I went to see him for my yearly check up. He came out to get me. Normally it is his nurse. He Motioned for Sherry to come over.

“Give her your wallet.”  Ok

“Give her your keys.”  Ok

“Give her the change out of your pocket”  I’m confused He has a serious look. I had no change…………..

Then He laughed, told Sherry to follow and inside the door had me step on the scales to be weighed. We went into his office, Sherry came in, and we had a good visit.

 He asked if I had changed my mind about the Covid shot? I told him not yet. He gave a short Pro Vax talk, I trust him. He said he has taken Two of the different shots, I don’t remember which. Being in contact with so many different folk.  During his short talk he said he had held his mother’s hand a short time ago as she died with the Covid. She did not have the shot. His main concern was the kids. He covered very well to how diseases modify.

He did not push, and ended with Okay I have said my piece, How are you doing? Instead of his nurse doing it he had weighed me, took my blood pressure and pulse as he talked, all done efficiently.

He is a very sincere and honest man I think.  It has always been my impression. I have not seen many doctors but I would rate him the top of the top.

I am thinking of changing my mind on the shot, but I want the one with one trip, I THINK!

 

Oh yes, After the visit he walked us out to the lobby area. Then turned to Sherry, “Should I prescribe that your return his wallet?”

He reached around my shoulders and said I enjoy seeing you!

Shipslog

PS: Doc took the Pfizer and J & J shots, my Sherry says!

Grapes, I'll make wine next year! LOL

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 1952 Buick Lesabre

For today:

The few grapes we have are ‘sorta purple and very small. They are about half the size of what I had hoped.  I wonder if it is because it is the first grapes EVER on this vine?

They are very sweet, making me sure they have reached their maturity. Three bunches this year, NEXT YEAR WINE!  lol

 Our tomatoes have done fair, but they develop bad spots very soon, several times before they are pulled.  I WONDER if it is something in the soil or if I watered them too much.

 Every time I have something that I try to grow and it doesn’t turn out well I think of mama’s statement when I would tell her, “Mama I just can’t grow anything.”

He answer was, “Son you love them to death!”

I am sure that is possible. TOO much this or that hoping I am doing the best for the plants. LOL

These grapes are about 1/2" in diameter, real small.

Anyway our wild muscadines are doing well and at least we had two or three bunches of grapes.

Shipslog