The folding Piano

 

Photo of the day:

These pictures were on my phone, Jack Jr. had to show me how to get them to this blog. ;-O

 

The top photo is our piano.  It is a heavy decoration. Only visitors play it. I took one fifty cent lesson in 1946. Sherry once learned a few songs, but never continued so it sits until Grandson Josh drops by or someone else plays us a few songs. The book is one written by our friend Victor who lives:  ‘OVER THERE’.

So for today:

We had a great family get together last Saturday.

I know all you Grandparents think your grands are the best, but Imma tell you that ours are the best.  I am smiling because it is SWEET that we all can have the BEST MOM and BEST Grands.

We do have some of the BEST. All have a good work ethic and have been successful. BUT today I am thinking of a special guy. Joshua is very brainy in the software area. 

 

He and I sorta joke back and forth about the electronic antique days. Since I was fortunate to be in on the first break thru in commercial ‘computers’. I repaired them and programmed some using antic words like Fortran and Cobol.  Now he talks the machine’s language. And does fantastic things that fit inside the computer’s brain.

He never ceases to amaze me at what he can do physically (He ran a 15 mile ½ marathon just before coming to the party last Saturday). BUT on the brainy and talent end he brought with him his piano. It was just about small enough to be in his pocket!

Here it is on the table in our picnic area.

 

Then he unfolded it!!

 

And then he played it. He is an excellent musician also.

 

We all stood around in Awe as it actually could be played. LOL

Isn’t life amazing?

Oh and the party planned and payed for by son Mark, Son Jack Jr. joined in and it was one of the best family get-togethers we have had. WE love to see the cousins playing together...

Nite Shipslog

PS:

God has allowed us to meet some of the best folk on the planet. In person and here on the net, thank you for being here… reading and when you can leaving a comment. WE appreciate it.

drifting

 

This is a shot from the Bad Lands.  When the pioneers got here, of courst they had to go around... ;-)

Today:

I am  free handing this. I will be off for a few days. Things are  busy here in NC.  We have one renter.  She was attacked by another neighbor's dog. She wasn't bitten but the dog jumped on her back and became entangled in her sweater   trying  to get to her little poodle which she was holding.  She is pretty shook up.

I have always enjoyed and got along with my neighbors.  This one, with the PIT mix, I am not sure of.

I have had an overload of repairs that have come my way.  One being a sewer pump,  not a fun one I must say. 

I hope to return in a few days.

The best to all of you that I consider my friends.

Nite Shipslogs,

 another problem is this computer, I cannot see the next line ai am typing.

At times a good idea, just does not work.

   Photo of the day:

 

The Corn Palace, Mitchel, South DAkota an amazing place, this place is covered with corn... A haven for birds. LOL

So for today:

We are now at our home base, Belmont, NC. It is no secret Sherry and I travel a lot. We left Florida early on Tuesday. I drove for over 8 hours covering 529 miles. I am sure that is not a record for an 86 year old man, but I did not hit anyone nor get a ticket for speeding.

However traveling that far that fast, has started taking a toll on us me thinks.  Now after the trip Sherry says she still feel like she is moving.  This time I think I feel it a little.

I am beat, will continue in the AM.

I DID NOT get back as planned. Like the following truth in our lives.

Before we were on the road full time. We often just took long drives. A crazy idea. ….   Once we decided to leave our drive and flip a coin at every turn. Heads right, tails left. In 30 minutes we were back where we started, True Dat!

So that idea went out the window.

I will sign off for today and hope to do better next time.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

God has allowed us to meet some of the best folk on the planet. In person and here on the net, thank you for being here…

 

There are good surprises in life.

 Photo of the day:

 

                                        Yes we walked through a tree once!

So for today:

Sherry and I do not require a lot of space to live. Our first home was a 27’ trailer. If you were ever in LOVE you might remember the first weeks, months, and for some into years, when you cannot get enough of each other. The space you shared did not matter, mansion or cabin..

We have had a great union, I will always say the reason is my girl, she is very tolerant.  Well, except for one thing, she makes no bones about it, if I have an affair, and she finds out, it is all over. I’M SORRY! won’t do any good!!!  I believe her.  :-O!  So I do like Johnny Cash, “I walk the Line!!” LOL  Really that has never been a problem, thank goodness!  When you have the BEST,,,, well that should ‘splain it.

Anyway, like always, I wander on this blog.

Old Faithful,  the Geyser erupts every 90 minutes in Yellowstone.

Since we do not require a lot of room, we do great in an RV. I cannot say the most interesting place we have been to. We both enjoy nature so Yellowstone National Park is great. And the Highway to the Sun in Montana was a super drive. That was the first time I saw a lot of Mountain Goats. They looked like they could be standing still and leap 6’ into the air.

We have been to and enjoyed several ‘Hot Springs’. They amaze me. Steaming water coming straight out of the earth. We enjoyed one in the Canadian Yukon, the Big Bend area of Texas and in North Carolina. When you sat in the one in Texas I put my arm over into the Rio Grande River.

Oh yes and we loved the giant Red Woods in California. We walked thru one….

  Sherry wanted to drive thru one. We found one they charged $5 just to drive thru and she got her wish.

The USA is so interesting. Custer State Park in South Dakota is a sweet visit. There are several tunnels; one is special, halfway thru you see Mt. Rushmore at the other end, it looks like it is framed and grabs you!  The tunnel was dug during the depression, giving people jobs (WPA) . I bet someone planned that one.

Ceratinly Mt Rushmore is IMPRESSIVE! So is The Crazy Horse Memorial just south of Custer Nat’l Park.  Then not many miles away is The Devil’s tower it is something to see.

Above was the CrazyHorse  in South Dakota, progress in 2004  Below is what it will be like if it is ever finished.

the Devil's tower in Wyoming.  Looks like the trunk of a giant tree.

 I can  understand going to see the Devil's Tower BUT

 ....... How can we Christians eat Deviled Eggs?   (LOL)

When Sherry and I started traveling seriously, we drove around 300 miles and stop for a week and look around.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:

God has allowed us to meet some of the best folk on the planet. In person and here on the net. It is good to interact with you guys.

 

More about Those Holy people or just church in general.

 Photo of Home:

 I lived here for a couple years, Another home that really moved around, twice across the Atlantic, to the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.

Now for today:

First off, This Past Sunday we attended Church services at the RV Park.  The Manager, Joe, is a minister and holds Services here on the park.  There were times when Evelyn, Sherry’s friend from High School, played the piano. I even drew a picture one Sunday for service.  It is of course non-denominational.

Along that line. In the USN most ships cannot have more than one chaplain, so he must take care of Catholic and protestant services. I smile to think of Father Ignatius, he would have been good at that. LOL

ABOUT AL and Judy. We could not help but notice they attended Mass EVERY Saturday. (I will be the first to say I have no idea what Mass is, my friend Victor mentioned a little in a comment)  I never thought to ask Al nor Judy. They never asked about our church goings. LOL

After Al passed, we visited Judy; on the way we passed the Catholic Church where Al was funeralized. While visiting, I said, “We passed your church on the way here.”

“Jack, you mean Al’s church. I am Baptist. I was always taught to listen to and follow my husband, so I did. Now that he is gone, I am back with my mama at the Baptist church.” You could have pushed me over with a feather, LOL We had known them for years and had no idea. ;-).

Aboard ship, one of my best friends was Ski. Frank Malanowski was his name, but he was known a Ski (skee). We pulled liberty together at many ports; had a couple beers, took a tour or just walked around enjoying being off the ship. Neither of us were into much drinking and carousing. He was just a good guy, never religious. Did not attend services aboard ship.

  This was Ski aboard ship.  He was a computer repairman.

Over 45 years later, out of the blue, I got a call. Hey Jack, this is Ski, can I come over? I had no idea he read my Blog! WE were in Deltona, Fl, Ski was from Pennsylvania, now he lived in Deltona. “Sure, wow, what a shock come on over. I gave him the address.”

Ski is the second from the left back row, in his religious uniform.  This is just after he had received an award from the governor.  I Still think:  WOW that is the Ski I knew aboard ship!  Life sure makes lots of changes...

Shock #2 He had not only turned to religion, but was now a Proto-Deacon (Sort of a married Priest?) in the Orthodox Church. A religious leader, SKI? He even had a son who was a Monk.  SKI??? …. After a few weeks of visits I mentioned I had attended a Greek Orthodox once and would like to visit his church. “Jack you will be welcome, but we do not have pews or seats, we stand the entire time.”

I was still thinking I would like to try it, but he passed away before I attended.

Lastly: Dan was Baptist and converted to Catholic when he married Joan. Dan was telling us about traveling across the USA. “Jack, you know we have to stop for Mass every Saturday.”

Standing beside him Joan spoke up, “No Dan, WE WANT to stop and go to Mass!”  WE all laughed when Dan said, ” Oh Yeah, that’s it!”  LOL

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:

God has allowed us to meet some of the best folk on the planet. In person and here on the net.  Thank you all for being here… and being YOU, and reading an old man’s memories.

It is Sunday and I remember Holy Rollers

 Photo of the day:

 

So for today:

Sunday, we go to church most Sunday’s. Years ago we searched the Yellow pages.  We are members of the Church of God, so we try to find our denomination, if not we have attended several other denominations and have always found a welcome by God’s people.

God’s people? Growing up, God's people was MY CHURCH and we were  referred to as Holiness or Holy Rollers.  Funny how that term has moved from the narrow group I knew as a youngster to a much broader concept. Being in the Military I met many dedicated people who loved God; I met at least one 'Christian' who was very nasty.

I met him aboard the USS Independence. He read his Bible nightly, he looked down on his shipmates. He made no secret he was better than the rest of us.  Once while the Mail Petty Officer for our division I picked up the division mail. While handing the mail out I noticed a newspaper “The Sword of the Lord” a Baptist product, addressed to Jones. I handed him his mail and said, “Hey Jones, that is a good paper, my dad subscribed to that!” His retort:

“Didn’t do YOU much good, did it?”  We did not become close friends. LOL

At a shore command, My leading Chief Dan was Catholic, so was my friend AL. To me, there was no question those men were true Christian. MY good friend & BIL, Sonny, was Methodist, no better man has ever lived.

I have met people from many faiths, several my mind would not wrap around their beliefs, but I had NO reason to doubt their love for our Lord. A shipmate of mine was LDS, we talked many hours.  We never kept in contact, but he had plans to go to Belize and develop a town. He was using Joseph Smith’s many great ideas, Smith was one of THE BEST early urban designers. The cities are set on a grid. Roads wide enough for a horse & wagon to do a u-turn, etc.

BUT, but. believe me I was LOST when first faced with those local addresses NOT like: 125 Oak Street,  My grandson's address was something like:  75N 125E, Clearfield, UT. 

We have never been invited nor had the ‘nerve’ to attend a Catholic Service, BUT, If I had known Victor or Father Ignatius I probably would have. As a kid, Nuns scared me. I have attended Greek Orthodox Services; I Had planned to attend an Orthodox Service in Florida until my friend told me they did not have seating nor pews.  ;-)

Shucks once as a kid I attended a 'Snake Handling Church'. I didn't go back  LOL

Some other things happened in this line of thinking. I hope to put them in words tomorrow, if we are not on the road…

Below is a church Sherry and I started.  This is the church now,  We built the part on the left. LOL and lived in the connecting part.  The Huge auditorium was added much later.  The pathetic part is this is where I lost my faith, but announced I was resigning to go back to school.. The almost equal pathetic thing is this church now has half the congregation it had when I resigned.  One day I may talk about this....

Nite Shipslog

PS.  Just in case you feel like shouting!!

Thanks to all of you that read here. We enjoy comments and appreciate them. It is great to have friends that tolerate you!   Headed North in the next couple days, so y’all warm things up, up there!   

Getting itchy feet, a true saying

 Itchy feet takes you Many Places This back in 2010:

 The folks from this area of the country call it the YOOPER

      Mackinaw City: The Gateway To The Upper Peninsula & Mackinac Island. The  big Island is inhabited,  BUT  cars nor other motor vehicles are allowed there!

So for today:

Our lives are many times RULED by habit.  WE have a habit of moving. Even permanent dwellings, nine years is our record. LOL

 

The home we have now in NC I built over 30 years, but we rented/leased it out for over 22yrs of that. WE used the rent to pay the insurance and taxes; also to help pay for fuel running all over the country.  We have been in Florida over two months now and only moved once. Now THAT feeling is back, so in a few days we will head North, back to our homebase.

I have mixed feelings. I love seeing the family, grands and great grands, but I know the feeling will return; I will “WANT TO BE WHERE I AIN’T!”  Yes, I have gypsy blood methinks, over the years that feeling has osmosed into my girl, and she sorta likes to be on the move.

Once our itchy feet had us in Rondout Valley of New York.  We accidentally stumbled onto a nice concert by BJ Thomas and Billy Joe Royal they were on the  Rain Drops and Boondocks tour concert.

PROBLEM IS I think she is getting ready to settle down, and we are not yet 90 years old.  I cannot imagine traveling without her, BUT……………. LOL  Of course I won’t…………….  unless I decide to take that long walk in the woods. In my silly 86 year old mind, that is still a possibility.  I know that dream is fast passing, or has passed. My question to me is, “HOW CAN I KNOW, IF I DO NOT TRY?”

 Itchy feet takes you Many Places these, St. Joseph Michigan:

Yeah I know, you all and my family are getting tired of hearing that hiking stuff, so I say to me that old military saying,       “Sh-t or get off the pot!”

Nite Shipslog

PS.

Thanks to all of you that read here. We enjoy comments and appreciate them. It is great to have friends that tolerate you!   Headed North in the next couple days, so y’all warm things up, up there!   

 

Answers! Log houses in Wisconsin and Maine

 Photo of the day:

 

This is Bill and Dar (and me) in front of their log house.  She skinned every one of those logs with a two handled draw knife. I saw the knife, she had worn it out!

So for today:

I was asked in a comment: Is Judy the Dar who used to comment regularly?  No.  However, I have blogged about Dar and Bill up in Wisconsin, they did in fact build a beautiful log cabin also.  And yes, Sherry and I were blessed to visit both Log houses.  Both log houses were a great work, and VERY clearly the results of dedicated workers and craftsmen.

We have been blessed to meet wonderful folks thru our time on the internet. The facts are, Mel & Slim the first of three sisters we met. We also met Mel’s sweet daughter. They all basically lived off the land, Slim was a real ‘trapper’ and sold meat, skins and furs I think.

 We met Dar online first, whose hubby is Bill. On our visit to the North Woods, they fed us a great dinner then took us out to their log house, we were even blessed to meet their grands.

 I Say this is the Big ‘O’ family, because their family name begins with O. We met the Family Matron, a sweetheart of a pioneer mama. They live off the land up there in the North Woods, and mama who hunted her meat and always got her deer for meat in the freezer into her 90’s.

                                Above is Mama 'O' with a quilt of her handi work...

There were boys in that family also Dar had a twin brother. We only met the girls. The last was Cher, the author of the blog CherShots (http://chershots.blogspot.com/.). She is the sister who married a gypsy and left the North Woods for years following her hubby who was actually a career military man.  She last lived in Alaska, but now has moved back near her family in the North Woods of Wisconsin.

On our last day up, Mel and Slim took us to breakfast at a local tavern. What a pleasant surprise, great food and it reminded me of Cheers.

This is me 'n Slim, a little feller!.  See where he got his name? That guy knew the name of every bush and tree that grew in the North Woods.

We will always cherish our memories.  Al & Judy and the Big O family ARE some great memories.

I want to say, everyone we have met is special in their own way. I also want you to know there are still folks I want to meet.  We have enough sense to know our time is short, but I don’t give up easily.

I still want another RV and still have a desire to hike the full 2200 miles of the AT.  Will I do it?  As long as I see sunrise, I can still hope!

Nite Shipslog

PS.

Thank, to all of you that read here. We enjoy comments and appreciate them. It is great to have friends that tolerate you!         ;-)  Even OLD ones.  LOL They tell me Florida is cooling off for a few days, Please you guys North of us, shut the door!  ;-)