The Antique has a Birthday

 

A picture from the Past.                                      About 17 years old and now 86 Just a short 59 years later I lost my hair, other than that I                 don't see much change. LOL For Today: It seemed impossible when I reached 60 years of age, that was 1999. If my dad had lived (he passed when he was 69) he would be 122 years and 3 days  old. He was born January 14, 1903. The changes  dad saw in his short 69 years, WOW. When he and mom were married their transportation was still mules and a wagon. He remembered the first real airplane. He saw cars when there were few paved roads. He lived to see someone land on the moon.  WOW that shakes my soul. But then, I saw the birth of TV.  I lived thru the first computers until they became common place.  I saw telephones become portable; then become a computer I have seen automobile engines go from a life of 40-60,000 miles, to some reaching 400,000 miles. I never saw an imported car the first 12 years of my life. My first  was the Volkswagen Beetle. In my early life, anything made in Japan was junk.  Now their production is considered top of the line. Strange how life goes on. Today I celebrate 86 years on this planet. I must tell you, I NEVER THOUGHT that high! I can still jump, well maybe 3 inches. LOL If need be, I can  still work an 8-10 hour day. (As long as I am required to remember what I did!)     ;-) My life: At 17, Quit school and joined the USMC Tricked Sherry into marrying me at 17 yrs old. Discharge USMC Short job Charlotte Observer News. Joined the USAF, finished tour, discharge Became a preacher for a short time Pastored 3 churches, organized and built one. Quit Church (reasons another day maybe) Short time in school to become a surveyor. Quit that school. (I did a lot of quitting) Joined the USN/ Retired Maintenance man Raddison Plaza 1 month, quit! Bought & ran a Roach Coach (Catering truck) Passed truck to sons. Became a builder, Studied tested, became licensed Contractor. Organized a Construction Company (Most of this time Sherry was working,  Civil Service.) She decided to retire when I was planning a Sub division. She said QUIT , that is too much stress. I quit!. We leased/rented our homes bought an RV and started traveling. Four RVs later, WE have been traveling over 25 years now. All 50 states, a lot of Canada, some Mexico, a total of about 26 countries. all on a shoestring. My sweetheart  was 2 yrs older than I, until today now she is only 1 yr older. ‘-) I catch up every year. Some say she raised my right, her old boyfriends said she was crazy (but they are all dead now). WE were blest with 2 fine boys. They have had the BEST of work ethic. They have families and their kids have good work ethics. Sherry is now a Greatgrandma with a bunch of Greatgrands. We still have all our family except for Corey the oldest of the Grands. He passed away a few years ago. Like all grandpas, I have the BEST Grandchildren, lots of folks say that, but I am sure mine are the BEST!   Nite Shipslog PS:  AGAIN THANKS for reading the  Shipslog. It is nice to know some folks read this stuff that an old man writes.  Smile, HE is good! I may not mention it often, but when I look back at what is, and what could have been, I know I must be one of the LORD's favorites. I am blessed, shucks just having Sherry makes me the most blessed dude in this world.