Ready For the County Home

  Autos of my history:

 Ahhhhh, the Austin!  One tough little car!

The Austin 7 was an economy car produced from 1922 until 1939 in the United Kingdom by the Austin Motor Company. Nicknamed the "Baby Austin", it was one of the most popular cars ever produced for the British market

For today:

In my early childhood some counties had “The County Home.” It was a place where the indigent, the old down trodden folks ended up if no family could or would care for them.  They faded as US Government funds subsidized the elderly into what we called “Old Folk’s Homes.” They were private enterprises that warehoused the elderly.

Several times in our lives the churches we attended held religious services at some of those homes. I will never forget the people strapped in wheel chairs in the halls, head bent drooling. The stench of urine was terrible.

That has improved DRASTICALLY. WE have had occasion to look in on folks in “Assisted Living” facilities.  There is still the low end that take care of folks for the Social Security payments they receive.

Our parents (except my mom) passed away before that time came around. However remembering the urine smelling places, I leaned on Sherry’s good nature, and we took my mama into our home. Sherry loved mama and treated her like a queen. BUT it was tough, VERY tough. We learned a lesson and have decided we will not live with either of our sons.  If it becomes necessary, we will spend our last weeks, months or years in some assisted living facility.

When we see people presently taking care of family members at home, WE KNOW IT CAN BE TOUGH.  At times it can cause irreversible damage. We know families experiencing that very thing right now.

With my sister Shirley, we knew that time was coming. Sherry & I visited some facilities, and concerning a couple of them, MY Sherry was ready to move in now! LOL

There are days I feel I am ready NOW! At times I think it would be nice for someone else to handle all the paperwork required today.  I am already dreading tax time. Of course one reason for that is I will need to file our taxes before I head into isolation backpacking for months.(I HOPE)

You know the stuff:

…Car tags, insurance, maintenance etc

…Life/death insurance

…Property taxes

…Medical records

…Phones, internet connections, and remembering PASSWORDS!

…Changing implant device batteries

….Straining to understand directions

….Buying groceries….

 And looking at my portable filing cabinet, I haven’t covered half of it.

Maybe it is time to be homeless or in a FACILITY. As a kid we called it the Crazy House. The Hospital where the mentally challenged were warehoused. That is a FACILITY, right?

That last statement is in jest, (I think?????)

   Nite Shipslog

PS:  Maybe tomorrow I will tell you the 'county home' story my brother told me when I said "My mother will never go into a nursing home."

Trick or Treat

 That Car:

Pumpkins are a big part of Halloween!

For today:

Of course we always celebrated on Halloween. Some preachers railed against the holiday, but it did not stop us kids from dressing up in home-made costumes and heading to town to walk the streets, laugh make noise and try to ID our friends.

The 10 cent mask was usually the only part of MOST costumes that was ‘bought’.  There were some real inventive kids that came up with great costumes. (some folk think I never took my costume off! LOL)

WE did ‘trick’.  The biggest thing for boys was turning over trash barrels that someone had forgotten and left near the road.  Then of course there was the ivory soap with which to mark, write and draw on store windows.

Some of us cheated and used wax.  It was pretty easy to get since most mamas used it to seal jars of jelly when canning.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:  HAPPY HALLOWEEN, WTCH FOR GOBLINS!

Amazing how smart WE are!

  Autos of my history:

 1904 Buckmobile 15hp Runabout  Now this was a cool dude. Sports car of that era, methinks....

 Note: Cacti: I never tried the cactus fruit Victor, but our sons did in Cuba when we lived there.

 Yep Myra on the cacti pronunciation, I had to ask. I would have pronounced it the southern way, how it is writ!   LOL

For today:

That WE is collective.  It encompasses many of our citizenry. Our thought processes go according to our politics, life and religion. It never ceases to amaze me what yanks some folk’s chain.  Since I never played sports and only had a short romance with them (during our boys childhood, little league, and Sunday afternoon football when they loved to sit and cheer their REDSKINS on.) I got involved then. 

NOW? Sports and sports stars do not interest me. Stadium seats are ridiculous. The money is crazy, starting with the owners and managers. The big thing in the world of news now with sports is Tom Brady and his wife.  I read some comments on articles. Contributors tear subjects apart, slander, and accuse of things they have NO FIRST HAND knowledge of.  People who could not buy their breakfast, THINK they know more about their lives than they do.

Personally I hate to hear of a divorce. I am sure there was love at one time. No matter how rich or well-known you are, I am sure your heart can break. To be honest I have feelings for the famous, and the microscope they live under.

(WE love it when they make money and when they lose it, it seems.)

Now Imma tell you, I am not a Fan of Speaker Pelosi nor her hubby, but reading the comments on an article concerning the latest attack on Mr. Pelosi, you can read hate, envy and the famous CONSPIRACY THEORY people.

6 of the Comments I read:

A….WHAT? 2:30 in the morning, no alarms?  Something more to this story than WE are being told.

B….. If he had been in jail for his many DUI’s, he would have been safe!

C…… YEAH RIGHT, he called 911 and the intruder did not know it. LOL

D… The 911 people have a direct line to Pelosi’s house, they can even see inside, they knew what was going on something isn’t right here????!

E…. Too bad the INTRUDER, IF that is what he was, did not ---------.

F….. WHAT? NO SECURITY SYSTEM, where were the Secret Service at the home of the 3^rd in line for the Presidency.

Etc….

 

Yes I make the mistake of reading comments.  I wonder where some folk’s brain ‘resides’.

(Even the families have to be explored)

 It amazes me, customers will pay more for a product just because a celebrity or sports star’s name is attached to it.  Is it somehow better because of it?

I wonder and think too much.  LOL

   Nite Shipslog

PS:  PLUS: Betty mentioned that pictures do not do justice to the Grand Canyon, YES that is one you Must see to appreciate the GRAND part.

That Cactus and a DEEP Ditch!

 Today’s automobile:

Cactus on cars shots from the net.

Some thoughts for today:

The huge saguaro cactus was something we had never seen except in movies until we had a chance to head WEST. We were in Arizona methinks when we turned North. There at the turn Sonny says, “Stop Jack, I want a picture of that cactus!”  It was a giant Saguaro.

“Sonny, we will see hundreds of them and you will have plenty of chances.” I had no idea that would be the only one we would see. We were evidently too far North to see any more.  I never lived that down. LOL  He did not get his picture.

They weigh between 3,000-4,800 ls (6613-10635 kg)

In my life time I have said and done some REALLY STUPID things. Once in Texas we were walking near a lot of cactus. I decided I wanted a picture hugging one (but not touching the needles!) HA!

Sherry said, “Don’t do that jack,” I laughed. “Take the picture!” She didn’t because I was yelling. I am sure they jumped into my arms. LOL  Some have little barbs and want to stay in your skin. Lemme tell you, cacti aren’t lovers, DO NOT HUG ONE!  Yeah, I know you weren’t going to anyway. No one is that crazy! :-O

Campground about 100yards from the rim.

The Grand Canyon was on our ‘to see list.’ To be honest I wasn’t all that crazy about seeing it, what is there to see but a big ditch. Man was I ever wrong. I had no idea what GRANDE was. 

North Carolina is home for Mt Mitchel just over a mile high. It is the highest peak in the Appalachian mountains. Well the Grand Canyon is over a mile deep there is a mountain in the canyon almost as tall as Mt. Mitchel and you are looking down on it. YES the Grand Canyon is impressive and if you have not seen it and get a chance, do it. We popped the tent up and stayed a few days. You can walk down to the Colorado River or even ride a donkey down.

WE only walked down a couple hundred yards.  None in our crowd wanted to see the Colorado River that badly. The long view was enough. LOL

 NiteShipslog

PS: We will never go back, but it is an awesome sight.

Been to court lately?

  Autos of my history:

  A car as crazy as a court room!

An example of a man with more money than he has time to spend it all.

 For FRIday:

At 16, I was in a courtroom for loud mufflers, I don’t remember pleading guilty or not. I just remember the officer talking to the judge and him saying, Guilty as charged. Pay the clerk $35. I smile now, I hear BOOM boxes in cars louder than my mufflers were.

Anyway I was in a courtroom earlier this week. A case in which I am interested was to be heard, I wanted to be there. I know nothing about court except what I have seen on TV.  HA! My eyes were opened.

I guess it is none of my business nor anyone’s’ seated in the courtroom. The judge could hardly be seen.  I could hear her voice, but seldom understood a word. There was a computer monitor in front of her, which blocked my view.  She was not facing the seating, but the wall to our left.

Inconsiderate attorneys (10-15 of them) were standing with their backs to us, behind the fence separating us from the Holy of Holies.

They were between us and the judge awaiting their case which never came up for the ones in front of us.. We sat thru about 10 cases, most less than 10 minutes and we could not hear the defendant, judge or prosecutor, only the defendant’s attorney on the mike and VERY LITTLE of that. Most were guilty, many went back to jail.

Anyway there was no decision in the case I was interested in.  Just another date set for the trial.

BUT lemme tell you I got an education. Court TV programs lie. Real life ain’t nothing like I thought. If it wasn’t so serious with people’s lives, it would be a joke.

HOWEVER before court Sherry embarrassed the life out of me.  You would have been shocked. There was a young couple standing ten feet from us, smooching.  I was beginning to think we would witness some porn, so I turned away. Then Sherry started laughing OUT LOUD. I looked over at the couple. The girl had been using a tissue between kisses. When I looked she had the tissue hanging from one of her nostrils, both hands busy on the boy, still talking. Her breath blowing the tissue. I tried to shush my girl HONESTLY to no effect. She could not stop.

Then she said to me, “YOU are the only one I have seen stick a tissue up your nose and leave it, but not publicly, in a courthouse no less. Then she laughed again. (NO respect!)  LOL

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Looking Back, Longtime Friends, A different era. (Part 2)

 Transportation, 'Thumbing':

Optimistic soldier in Iraq hitch hiking LOL

(It was a joke, he said, as they carried him off!)  LOL

 For today:

Buddy was the first to move away, His dad took a pastorate in Mississippi, methinks.  I was the next to leave the Belmont area when I joined the USMC.

I had never known anyone from other states except kin in SC & GA. It is an eye-opener to hear different accents and notice men laughing good heartedly at the Southern Act-SENT!  LOL

I met Pvt. Robert Dallas F. in the USMC. I know him as Dallas. Most folks in the Pennsylvania area call him Bob methinks. As Corporals, Dallas and I spent many evenings in the barracks while most of our peers were at the club shooting pool and drinking 3.2 beer. We both were love-struck and had a competition i.e. “whose girl was the best and prettiest.” He was sure Marion was God’s gift, but I KNEW it was Sherry!  LOL

Dallas and friends hitchhiking!

Dallas hitchhiked to Pennsylvania most weekends he had off. He was never late returning by Monday morning’s formation. He was close a couple times but he made it.

It was a different time then. If you were in uniform and put that thumb out, you got a ride pretty soon. ‘Thumbing’ as it was called then, is dangerous today, both ways, driver and rider.

In the background, two Corporals and their ladies.

Marion and Dallas married a month after Sherry & I. We all moved into the Camp Geiger Trailer Park and were neighbors. Sherry & Marion became good friends. (Marion and I are the kids!)

Now Sonny, I have mentioned him often.  He was 10 years my senior. He was a BIL but my buddy, we had much in common. He is gone and I miss him every day.

Then came Dan.  Have you ever really liked/enjoyed a BOSS MAN? Dan was my immediate senior and also Senior Chief @ NIPS (Naval Intelligence Processing Systems). We worked closely together and were sent on several Temporary Duty assignments together. He was a family man with a very good family. Our families became close, we bonded and continued to stay in contact until we both retired. They settled in Lancaster, PA. 

(Once on a visit Joan and Dan took us on a tour of President Buchanan's home, just a few blocks from their home.)

 We visited at least once a year for a long time. BUT, there is a sad story here. The love of his life, Joan, has been attacked by the Dreaded Alzheimer’s.  On our last visit we were in their daughter’s Chocolate Factory (Miessie Chocolate). She smiled, we chatted, but she did not know us. That is a sad feeling.

But real friends are special……

NiteShipslog

PS:

Looking back, Friends

 That Car:

For today:

Sherry lived in Belmont until we were married.  She still knows folks from her earliest memory. I am reminded when reading the obits she repeats the name and says, “I remember him/her from the Climax, Imperial or other Mill Villages in Belmont. (or) They moved into the house we left, when we moved to the ‘Imperial’ Mill Village.” … "I was in school with his brother.". That would have been when she was 3-7 yrs old. I could never do that. I do not have OLD school friends, we moved too often. She still meets with people from her school days most Monday Mornings, when we are in Belmont.

Sadly, many people we both knew in the 1950s, have been in the Obits.

My longtime friends have nothing to do with school. Friends are special. I have become friends with some of Sherry’s old friends and their mates.

Don & Evelyn. Evelyn was in Sherry's class of '56. She married an old man from class of '57.  LOL

The friend I have known the longest is Vondale. We became friends at 9 or 10. His dad was a General Contractor, Vondale did not follow in his dad’s footsteps. I admired his dad. He was a self-made man and became my mentor. Vondale was successful in business.

The next real friend was Buddy. He and I had something in common, his dad was also a great guy and a preacher. He also became friends with Vondale. We were a three-some for a few years. Vondale was a scrapper, he never shied from a fist fight, I never saw him lose. He would never say ‘Uncle.’.

Buddy on the other hand was the fighter, If some fool said, “hey dude, Imma knock your block off.” Buddy immediately hit him, HARD!

I was the lover out of the three, although Buddy did take a girl friend from me. LOL .. In life we also have something in common, After his hitch with the Texas HP, he retired from the military.

Keeping this within my ‘word count guidelines,’ I will tell you about Dallas (USMC), Dan(USN) and Sonny(family) tomorrow, in part 2

Back in the 50's boys (some girls) would fight. A bloody nose usually ended it. I can remember actually shaking hands and forgetting the cause, at times.

Nite Shipslog

PS: My Sherry actually got a bloody nose once, and still remembers it.

Somethings are just GRAND

  Gran(d) Autos of my history:

1972 Ford Gran(d) Torino

 

For today:

The Grand Piano the Grand Canyon are two that come to my mind. But ahead of them are Grandpas and Grandmas. I really never knew but one of mine, Granny Lloyd. Memories of her were in the early 1940s.

She was a sweet lady. Lived in a small shotgun house. Called that in my time because one could stand in the front door and shot a shotgun straight out the back door. It was two rooms in a row. She could always find me a nickel to run to a little shack in the neighborhood for candy or peanuts. 

But my real GRAND TIME came after our sons married. NOTE: There is magic in the world. somehow it is possible for MANY KIDS to have “THE BEST MAMA IN THE WORLD.”  Well lemme tell you when Corey, Ben, Sherece, Stephen, Josh, Matthew and Luke came along, I learned that Many Grandpas and Grandmas can have the BEST GRANDKIDS IN THE WORLD!!!  Yeah I know, you THINK yours are the BEST, but huh uh, Mine are the BEST….

(They helped in my office!)

I smile because we now have Great Grands. One thing I think of often is something Granddaughter Sherece said to me when she was looking at her beautiful daughter, Stella. “Grandpa isn’t she beautiful?”

My answer, “She sure is one beautiful little girl, BUT not quite as beautiful as you were!”

Yeah, I know you too are proud of your Grand kids, and I understand. 

Once son Jack Jr. was bragging on his grandkids, I wass grinning. He said, “But dad you don’t understand!”

“Oh but I do understand!  Remember you & Mark gave us The BEST, those Grandkids of ours!”

(Ben & Corey the first to come along)

Next came Sherece, the only Grand daughter (Shown earlier above)

Then the Twins (Stephen and Joshua) Stephen claims the oldest by 18 minutes older.

Then Matthew Dillon, another that brought smiles, 

Finally last but not least was Luke Vegas,

Like me, he was the baby of the family, and just like me, everyone loved him/ LOL

Truthfully our Grands' were very good and mannerly. They are all grown now, solid citizens. They all have a great work ethic and contribute to this great country.

There is some bad stuff in our country of course, but think of the kids taking over, it will be men and women from families like yours and ours.  I love this country, I believe in its greatness.  Those GRANDS will be at the Helm.  I think things get better with age, I also think it happens with our country also. This country is just GRAND! We are going thru a tough patch now, BUT I always ASK GOD to BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME. (I hope everyone feels like that about their countries thru out the world and pray for God's Blessings!)

Nite Shipslog

PS: Listening not required (;-) ), but I have been singing and whistling this song all day.  Kate Smith said it best in GRAND style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOAH2lv3H0