She said, follow me!

(Everyone knows I am the luckiest guy in the world. We seldom have secrets, just now she looked across the table and saw this title and said to me, “I said, follow me, but not take pictures of my butt all day!”  Exact quote. (That may be the last thing I EVER type, just in case, it has been fun! LOL)

About the year 2000 (remember when things went crazy)  Well they didn’t miss Sherry. She said, “Hey come on and you follow me this time, we are gonna hike the Appalachian Trail!”

I said okay girl, you lead I will follow. After all it is my time to follow you have followed me all over the world. So we started  I followed her over creeks..

Under trees

Up rocky slopes as we climbed hundreds of mountains.

Down the other sides of mountains. She did many mountain downs, on her pretty behind.

She descended Mt. Katadin(partly), like that, but it was at night also.

Up some falling apart laid stairs. Laid by workers on the trail years ago.

This is about the time she started complaining, “you only take pictures of my behind.” She is sweet, but I had to explain that is my view from following and I ain’t complaining, (why should she?)

So at my sweet hearts request, I tried to resist taking pictures of her Back side. I’ll admit it is a good side, but not her BEST! So on the tops of some Mts, I took some leisure shots.

These are atop some of the beautiful White Mts in New Hampshire. By this time we had hiked about 1850 miles. (Over 5 or 6 different summers)

We have had some physical complaints, mostly muscle/joint/heels. From this point.(Picture above) We went down a big Mt., Rocks were the size of cars and trucks with a small stream part way falling with us. These took a toll on my girl. To the point where she would throw the pack down the Mt, and then follow it. TRUE.

Yet we want to finish the Trail we still need to hike about 350 miles. It is a good feeling out there on your own, Beautiful! (behind and all.)

Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog.

PS:  Sherry has wanted to do a couple things. One was hike the AT, the other we drive thru a tree.

The other times we had been in California, the snow was too deep where the tunnel trees were. This time we found the Chandler tree, disconnected the car, and she got to fulfill her wish.

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This is our first Motor Home. It was great!!!

What is important to know?

I was following some questions asked High School students, and was shocked by the answers or lack of answers.

In my opinion, we have dumbed down our schools to the sorrow and tragedy of America.  Now that is my opinion. I have no idea if it is true or not.  I have no idea if it is important to know the date we won our independence? That our fundamental beliefs are honestly based on the 10 commandments?

Is it important to know your own state’s history? I remember knowing there were 100 counties in NC and I had to know all their names. NC claims to have declared their independence from England before the Colonies did. The first manned flight was in NC, completed by the Wright brothers from Ohio. Is that important to know?

Is it important to know what countries border the USA? Or who was the first man to set foot on the Moon?

Is it important to know the Vice President’s name?  What about knowing how to determine the square root of a number?

Do we need to know about and remember the Alamo? What about the Maine? Do we need to remember Pearl harbor? Daniel Boone? Harper’s Ferry? 9/11?

I would love to compare the education of an 8th grader in 1900 to a HS or college grad of the year 2000.

You see, I do not know if we were taught insignificant facts, unnecessary for our personal and countries survival, or not. I remember reading somewhere that a child could get two credits for taking guitar lessons.  Now I think that is nice and a great idea (playing a guitar), I wish I could.  But does that deserve 2 credits toward a HS diploma? Equal to English or Math?

Did you Have homework? Was it necessary? It doesn’t seem so now.

Oh well, it is something that bothers me about YOUR countries future. I will not be around when these kids start running the country.

For some reason, I think that some small details are important for  well rounded leadership. BUT I do not know that for sure.

Thanks for reading a rant, from an old man.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Observations on Growing Older

****Your mate sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring then they do in bed. It's called their "pre-sleep."
**** Remember when your mother said "Wear clean underwear in case you GE T in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident.
****You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married; now it's, "I hope my kids STAY married!"

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I remember when boys wanted to crawl under the hood of a car, Now they prefer video games:

From under the hood they created what we called the ‘customized’ car. Like this 1932 Ford.

Yard Sales, Tag Sales & Garage Sales

(I was surprised, Louis, was the only that referred to the catalog as Monkey Wards!!!)

I have mentioned before that Saturday is our entertainment day. YARD SALES. No matter where we are if it is nice we try to get a biscuit at Hardees, Carl’s Jr, or a local breakfast place. A couple weeks ago I picked a place called the Cotillion, here in Wildwood.  Of course the décor was old South.  Nice, places and silver ware and what they labeled as Georgia Ice cream (was cheese grits).

Anyway as I type this I am interrupting every sentence or two to get a ‘Tom e Toe’, for you that don’t know that is a cherry tomato.  I bought a quart of them for $3 at the farmers market. I also have a glass of milk and some crackers.

I picked up two small glasses. I am so ashamed, Sis Shirl gave me a beautiful set of glasses, with antique cars on them, I just broke the last one, it was the 1957 Chevy.  They are just the size I like.

(One too many yard sales)

Down South, folks have to specify NO EARLY BIRDS, or folks will be there at day light! They normally close at noon down south, up north they stick it out until later in the day.

Sherry got her a great leather adjustable office chair. I think I will store the chair it replaces, in the back of the van until we get back to NC and put it in perm storage. I also found a new folding cup holder and a couple of good books.

As they say, you go to a few yard sales, and before the day is over you will probably find something you just cannot live without.

Thanks for coming by the log.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

Observations on Growing Older

** Everything takes a little longer, hurts a little stronger, turns out a little "wronger"...

** It's harder to tell navy from black.
** Everything old is new again, but if you wore it before, you're too old to wear it the second time around.

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(What I would like to drive to the Yard sales.

1956 Hawk

1934 Montgomery Ward Catalog

(Most boys spent their time on these pages)

I wasn’t born until 1939 but I remember catalogs very well, mostly Sears and Roebuck. I thought for fun you all might like to peek at the 1934 Catalog:

Silk stockings 55 cents….

And the kids clothes were priced right:

But we must remember folks in North Carolina were working 60 hour week for $10.00. About $.16 an hour.

Got you an Ice box for $12.  Do I spy a chamber potty for 49 cents?

Shirt sensations………………….

Clothes stay clean washed in the Copper bottom was boiler. look free soap!

Mama ordered her chicks every year, they came in a card board container with holes punched in the sides. Then from the box to the (?), did she call it a brooder? had a 29watt light bulb to keep them warm.

Thanks for coming this way, just remember if you order over a $100 worth, both husband and wife must sign the order form. TRUE

Thanks for coming this way for at touch of the past and thanks to Shirl for the catalog.  She still uses it to order from, I had to send it back.

(BTW I did not get the crown the other day, as I was leaving for the  dentist, I lost a filling just beside the expected tooth for the crown, Dr. Cobo  said, Must fill First! so $159 dollars later, I am out w/o a crown, maybe next week! Will I ever get my kingdom?)

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Observations on Growing Older

*****The five pounds you wanted to lose is now 15, and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds.
******You realize you're never going to be really good at anything – especially singing . *****Your mate is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.
****** The things you cared to do, you don't care to do, but you care that you don't care to do them anymore.

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catalog 1934, Ford 1934 (From the cover of my book ‘Sticky’.)

They were called ‘Bottling Companies!’

One of the thrills of my boyhood, was walking down past the NEHI plant in Albemarle, NC. NEHI bottled RC, orange and grape sodas. (or dopes as we called them). I have no idea why, other than they say Coca Cola had coke in it at one time. Boys would say, ‘get your bike and let’s go get a dope’. Popular drinks were Coke, Pepsi, RC, Dr. Pepper and Double Cola.

Anyway the folks who worked at NEHI were nice. In the front window was a conveyor that took every drink by a man sitting, with a bright light opposite him,  looking thru the drinks. Any drink having too much or not enough, was pulled and placed in a rack beside him. we were allowed to take any of the drinks, pop the top and drink it there. We could not carry them off. There was usually a choice, RC, orange, grape, root beer or Dr. Pepper. They were all warm, but boys don’t care, they were free.

I guess we can never go back to that, but it sure saved the land fills. You could earn money walking the roads and picking up bottles, you got a penny for every bottle (later it was 2 cents). Looking back on that, it is amazing, they sold the RC for a nickel. They could wash and sterilize the bottle, fill, cap and deliver it for 3 cents. The grocer had to make a penny.

Around where I lived, the first thing you did was look at the bottom of the bottle. Every bottle was molded with the city of origin.  You were lucky if you got one from out of town, that was a thrill. Someone would always call out, “Out a town ya!” Everyone would say where their drink was from. Man you were something if you got one from Atlanta or Richmond. WOW! Amazing what simple things were fun.

If a boy didn’t have the nickel, he would call out ‘dibs’ or ‘tobies’.  That meant you were supposed to leave a little in the bottle for him. Strange, if you could buy only one drink between you, we just passed it around. Sometimes a guy would wipe the top with his hands, but mostly just turn it up and take a drink. Germs were afraid of us. LOL

Ahhhh overalls, bikes, a cold dope and summer.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Observations on Growing Older

** You forget names, but it's okay because other people forgot they even knew you.
**The last two outfits you wore had spots on them.
** You ask your husband or friend how your outfit looks, and they tell you the truth.

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Daddy’s car in Albemarle, 1951 Buick Special.

Shirl was the pet, but I am the baby of the family

 

I was never spoiled, I must make that clear. LOL

Our family was 4 boys and 3 girls. One boy and one girl died as babies.  Shirl and I were the second family. I always thought my older bros and Sister could have been my parents. I was under 5 when everyone had left home except Shirl. There in lies the rub. Having an older sister at home. I think she was always good to me. She let me play with her and she taught me to ride the bicycle. My real memory starts at 3-4 yrs, when dad pastored the country church in High Shoals, NC.

Schools back then did not have an activity bus. The teacher wanted to take the class on a field trip and Shirl volunteered Dad and the church bus. Of course since she was the ‘PET’, dad went along with it.

One terrible thing I remember was her falling on the front porch with a glass pitcher and cutting her hand terribly. Dad held here tight and poured Alcohol on the cuts as she screamed. I felt sorry for her.

She took piano lessons, and the piano fit like a glove. She learned well and also took up French horn. She was/is very musically inclined. The music continued to High school.

One of the biggest things for talent, in NC was Arthur Smith’s Talent Contest, really a biggie. He had the most popular TV show in NC. Shirl, Mickey and Margreta, entered as a trio. They were a hit. As they sang, Shirl switched from the Piano to the Accordion without missing a beat, and they moved across the stage singing. THEY WON and went on to appear on TV.

Shirl married Jim, a graduate of NC State who went on to work in the Aerospace industry and helped design the shuttle walls.

The childhood volunteering seemed to be a trend. Shirl, assumed the primary role in caring for Jim’s Brother, his Aunt Joe(who won the Miss Exxon beauty contest two yrs running) Our Mom (along with Sherry’s help), Jim’s Mom and cared for Jim until the end, when he passed, due to Esophageal Cancer.

 

Always a survivor she cleared out their holdings in Charlotte, including a hundred different collections of Jims.  She now lives in the Fair town of Belmont, where she volunteers at the Belmont Historical Society. She is called on to decorate different places, including church.  She volunteered with  Vernon’s Band (Sherry’s brother),  singing and also playing the drums, entertaining  seniors.

She now hangs with Smoky Coe. A well known musician and singer in his own right. Together they sing with a band now, these were paying gigs (more inheritance for me). About time. haha.  She is backing out of that a little now I think.

 

She is my Big sister. Out of all the family we are the ones left. So its me and you girl, and I am proud of you as my Big (older) sister.  Love you Girl.

(Smoke had a surprise Birthday party for her, she was the Queen!)

Shirl, just so you will know, Today I finally get my crown, but the dentist wants me to pay HIM!

(SEE Shirl at http://ncbelmontbelle.blogspot.com/)

Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Observations on Growing Older

** When people say you look "Great" they add, "for your age!"
** When you needed the discounts, you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything -- movies, hotels, flights.

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Three several Studebakers Shirl had to get rid of.

Some of us Old Folk have crooked toes!

I guess my shoes did not always fit right, because my Big toe curves toward the other little piggies. I think the intention was to look after them and protect them. LOL

Once while hiking, we attended a ‘Boot Camp’.  That is where the boot makers modify boots to match your feet. I felt a little embarrassed, the kid looking at my feet calls to the BIG BOSS and says, “Here we have Bunions, severe curvature, and hammer toes. A lot of work needed here!”

(Gonna get me some ants or spiders so they will have something else to look at. LOL)

Now I had asked about burning soles of my feet, not my toes.  After listening to what all was needed, I repeated my problem and question.

“After about an hour of hiking the soles of my feet begin to burn, can you  prevent that?”

Answer, “WE can sure try, but we cannot eliminate it.”

“Then I appreciate your time, but bunions, curvatures and hammer toes do not hurt, the the burning is what is bad.”

My Sherry has pretty feet and they fixed her up with some ‘custom made ‘Super Feet’ insoles. for her boots.

The strange thing is, after spending too much money on BOOTS, I found that Reebok tennis shoes with a few cuts here and there are my best solution. My feet needed air and I gave it to them. Also, fording creeks in leather boots ain’t very smart.  they don’t dry out like tennis shoes.

Once after fording a creek about 8 times, Sherry’s boots were soaked. I made a BIG MISTAKE of drying them over the campfire, and they became stiff and caused her feet more damage.  You learn the hard way sometimes.

Remember the Shoe-fitting Fluoroscopes,  (Pedoscopes, in the UK/Europe.)? You could put on a new pair so shoes and look thru the face piece and see your toes and feet bones. This was supposed to give you a better fit but the biggest reason was to get kids to come in to buy more shoes so they could see their bones wiggle. The machines were outlawed in the 1950-1960’s. The x-rays were damaging tissues and could have caused cancer because it was used like a toy with no time controls.

Anyway most of us have worn used shoes and also cheap shoes. We have had many hand me downs, however I did refuse to wear Shirl’s shoes. LOL

Thanks for coming this way.

NIte Shipslog

PS: (ain’t it the truth!)

Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.

—Ellen Goodman

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1953 Packard Carribean (I would like to put my foot on this gas pedal (accelerator for you  younger folk<)).