When did you start driving and what did you learn in?

I was 16 in 1955. My daddy had just bought a 1955 Rambler, It was pretty new, a demonstrator. Straight drive. It was scary for a kid, the clutch and hills. I rolled thru a stop sign and flunked my first driving test.

I am not sure when, about ‘49-‘50, you could not take a drivers test in NC with an automatic transmission car, it was just a passing fad, there was too many bugs in them, and too expensive for repairs. 

Shirl took her test with an automatic transmission, dad’s 1951 Buick Dynaflow.

Boys along the NC/SC border were always jealous, because SC authorized drivers license at 14. The kids in SC had it made, drive at 14 and fire-crackers were legal there also.

Ever wonder what it was like for the trooper giving a drivers test in a straight drive car? Musta been a little stressful!

It is a little strange, looking back on how I viewed the Policeman and patrolmen. I had utmost respect for them. I could not imagine any of them being crooked.  The world changed, the youth today as a whole do not seem to respect authority. And it seems to cause an attitude of “US AGAINST THEM” which it should never be.

The patrolman who flunked me was very nice and explained my problem, told me to practice and come back next week.

Then 6 months later I was taken in to the same police station for loud mufflers, they didn’t seem to be as nice. LOL. Ah, but that ‘48 Chevy sounded so good with a split manifold and twin Smittys. (I knew I was wrong, but they sounded soooo good!)

So, did you get your license early or late in life?

Nite Shipslog

PS:

If you are waiting on the perfect time, you may miss part of life.

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Gas was about 25¢ when I got my license. This must have been in the ‘30’s.

Sherry has more money than a country! (& Clowns)

Of course that is not saying much, the Minister of Finance of Zimbabwe says they have $217 in the country’s account.

Of course all the USA has are IOU’s.  Maybe Zimbabwe is actually in better shape than the USA financially.

It is pitiful I know, but nice to know you have more money than an entire country.

(Don’t you love persistence!)

At the flea Market Don saw a sign advertising ‘SOLE-LESS SANDALS’!   I am sure it is just a catchy phrase used to sell the decorative beads that hook around the toe and go to the ankle. But sole-less? I remember once seeing a clown who had sole-less shoes, and he got a lot of laughs, he could turn the shoes backwards or sideways and trim his toe nails without removing his shoes.

We have a friend who is a clown down in Okee. I do know that all clowns have their own ‘patented or  ©’ make up. Every one is unique. I am not sure if Ken (http://buckoclown.blogspot.com/) entertains or not, but I know he likes clowning.

(The first clown I remember seeing on TV,Clarabel on Howdy Doody. CB only spoke once the entire time, that was at the END of Howdydoodie, he said, “BYE KIDS”)

Clowns are a unique group of people. Some are very introverted, but become extroverted once in make-up and costume.  They can then ‘be themselves’. Ventriloquists are the same, they get to express themselves thru another medium.

You may have read about Jesse Don Knotts, he was an introvert, but loved ventriloquism, and used it to launch a great career. I was reminded of this by a note from Woody up in NY!

I used George for many years.

(I let George drive the car until he started drinking too much!)

All humans seek to find a way to be themselves,  I used my monkey George for years, I was his dummy. He is in the basement of the motor home now, I seldom let him out anymore but he loves it when he is turned loose.

Life takes a lot of turns, sorta like this blog entry. .

Thanks for coming this way,

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Everyone should find a way to be themselves, life is better that way. (I read somewhere, You  had better be yourself, everyone else is taken!)

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This type of business use came after WWII. When I was 6, I remember being daddy being behind a big bomber fuselage on a truck that had got wedged under an overpass.

Taxes

I just looked down at a note I made myself, it says simply “TAXES”. That word is not a happy word, but it used to keep roads paved, schools going, bridges built and support the strongest army in the world. Now it upsets me because my little bit doesn’t pay a microsecond of interest on our trillions of debt.

(That is okay, if the IRS comes, I’ll just eat ‘em!)

Do you ever think that your taxes won’t pay the cost one congressmen’s postage or fly their jet one foot. ‘Course I don’t know how much you pay. As a matter of fact I don’t know what we are paying this year, I haven’t looked at it. But we always have to add some, us rich folk always do. LOL

I have talked to a lot of folks, most of us Americans do not mind paying taxes, or would not mind, if we could feel the money wasn’t wasted. so I guess a lot of us do mind, knowing in our hearts that our government wastes money!

(There is always one more chance at this!)

On  brighter note, I  feel good. Winter is almost gone and I am thinking of planning our trip around the country. We will go west on the Southern route and be in the south during the heat, but so will the folks that live there. I love driving out west. There is room for Jack’s infamous U-turns.  I go wrong sometime. LOL

Life is good, taxes or not. Why wouldn’t I be happy? I have a beautiful lover, a motor home for a love nest and it is paid for (the motor home). We are also in good health, and we are going to see friends and family (sadly, some probably for the last time, but we are going to see them).

(We re gonna have so much fun!)

I am going to see some beautiful vehicles along the way, today we got to see a 1953, five window dodge pickup truck, working. That is just a start.

Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

When you think you have done all you can do, hold on, you will find the strength to do just a little more and that will be enough.

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A very unique MOBILGAS, Oh wow, I see a beautiful little Thunderbird. There is another little sports car on the tight it could be a TR-?

I like the station, modern for the ‘50’s.

I am an Old Fossil

I started to title his I am an old fart, but I dislike that word, I really do. But I was on the computer while the Super Bowl was on. Sherry is the gamer in the family, she didn’t have a favorite in the contest, but she likes to stay up to date.

(Grand dog, MJ had rather eat than watch. She is deaf like me.)

I watched off and on about ten minutes of the game. Sherry said the black (suited)guys were dominating the game and then she told me there was a power failure. I said, ‘sometimes that changes the momentum’. She said the red guys were coming back, so I watched the last few minutes of it.

(They watched it all, Hendrix & Layla (Granddogs))

The red guys did a good job, but the black guys deserved to win because they seemed to be running away with the game before the power failure. I asked her who was the  girl in the half time show and she did not know. I still don’t. I despise it when we sell every thing with sex. I hear women say all the time I am more than a sex object, but some girl will always satisfy the male drive and try to prove her wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I love it when Sherry poses or shows me a little of my sexy wife of 56+yrs. I know she is beautiful and love to see it. BUT it is OURS to share.

I know, I am a fossil. I could not hear the song, but I really hope it is words that young lovers will remember, the way I remember “Love is A Many Splendored Thing” or “Memories are Made of This”.  Words that meant so much as I held my love. Or words like mama and daddy heard, “Let me call you Sweetheart”

I really do not like to be a stick in the mud or an old cuss, but I am.  I guess my parents were, to me. I do not apologize for not knowing who was playing in the super bowl, because honestly I DID NOT CARE. It isn’t a sin, I am just not interested.

If I had played HS sports, I probably would care. Even if I had attended a college with a team, I might care, but since I didn’t, it would be hard for me to care less. That isn’t mean. I just have different priorities at present. Hey, I don’t attend LeMan's type races, I don’t even attend NASCAR races with free tickets available. I AM A STICK IN THE MUD & a dinosaur but I am happy.

.

So if you were pulling for a team I hope they won, if they didn’t there is always next year, so they say.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS: in any game or contest someone is going to be disappointed, it cannot be avoided.

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(Must be Sunday, and the Super bowl on, no customers)

Bear interrupts Photo Shoot

This is enough for an entire entry. It was amazing. I hope you can watch it.

This was sent to me by my fellow Great Grand person. Joan W. A faithful reader of the Blog. Thanks Joan, dat is one BIG BEAR!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eryxAcsTcOA

Just thought you would like to know what the weather is like in BC & WI.  LOL

This is a smaller Black bear. shopping for a couch to watch the Super bowl from.

This is good, I think I will take it.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Things are not always as they appear.

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Continuing with Service stations of the past.The beauty forefront is a ‘55 Plymouth, then general motors, ‘54 & ‘55 Chevy’s.

The Woman!

(Tough job! being a woman)

Eleven people were hanging on a rope under a helicopter.. 10 men and 1 woman.

The rope was not strong enough to carry them all so they decided that one had to let go, otherwise they were all going to fall.

They weren't able to choose that person, until the woman gave a very touching speech.

She said that she would voluntarily let go of the rope, because, as a woman, she was used to giving up everything for her husband and kids or for men in general, and was used to always making sacrifices with little in return.

As soon as she finished her speech,

All the men started clapping . . .

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I admire women and their abilities, like most men I haven’t said a lot about it. I had a son who was going to be Mr. Mom, he lasted about a month (maybe longer).  He says to me, “You have no idea what women have to do.” I smiled, it was his turn to learn. He went back to building houses, much easier.

(Mama, Grandma is here!)

I am really a great cook (As long as it is in one pot, sometimes two) but let me try to do a meal where meat, veggies, biscuits, tea and dessert must be out at the right times, FORGET IT, something is gonna be COLD (That should be hot).

Now add that to coming home from working 8 hours, having even 1 child  at day care, you  have an iron lady.  Rose (over at Roses are Read) was mentioning ‘just thinking of trying to raise children in this day makes one nervous.’

I have only one negative thing to say about women. With all their ingenuity, strength and abilities, It is very hard for a woman to work for another woman. At times it is hard to have women co-workers. There is a ‘competitive(?)’ nature in you ladies that bring out ‘catty’ remarks. A woman  doesn’t mind working hard, ‘BUT ‘SHE’ HAD BETTER WORK just as hard.’

I speak from experience on this topic. In Washington, DC I supervised 37 people, 35 of which were women.  There was some pressure to the job. Most days it was fine BUT there were days……. hahahahaha

(Mothers always care!)

I also learn from Sherry, my wonderful wife, she has had many bosses men and women. I don’t think she ever had a problem with men, but she had only one woman she could work for comfortably.

That might be why we could use a woman President. No Peers and she could spend her time getting the JOB DONE!

Nite Shipslog

PS:

One of my daddy’s BEST statements:

You will accomplish much, if you do not care who gets the credit.  (Many women have done that!)

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Gilmore had the pumps…. Self service no less, did’t know that was around in the 30’s.

I often wonder

How late is too late to go to college seriously?Many seniors go back to school to achieve that degree they missed because of marriage, finances, unplanned pregnancies and various other reasons. I can understand the desire to ‘get’ the degree, but sometimes I do not understand the real logic. To graduate with a degree in nursing at 82 sounds good, but is it logical?

(Even Corgi’s blame someone else)

Could a person  who dropped out of school at 16, and is now say 70 years old pursue a career as a medical doctor? That takes a minimum of 8 years right? Then some required …..(?)  OJT (On the job training).

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BREAK… the above is a true life example and one of the reason I ask the question. In the process of writing this simple blog entry my ‘old brain’ cannot think of a simple word, so I used OJT.  Most of us seniors have this problem, we cannot command our brain to give us a word we know as well as our name. I can just see me, spending 12 years becoming a surgeon. Now at 89 with a patient on the table ask the nurse for a --------, you know the thing I make a -------- , dadgummit, give me a knife!  The actual word scalpel might come to mind a minute or a week later.

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Now I know that is a silly  example, it is just to make a point. Not everyone can be sharp after retirement age like Heinz(Manfred's dad) over at ‘Stalled at 12’.  But he had his medical training at a young age.

So maybe the medical profession is out, unless some person just wants to prove to themselves he can do it in his/her 80’s.  I guess some of us want to be doctors so we can diagnose ourselves in the privacy of our own minds. LOL. (whoa, I forgot us old folk do that anyway) 

(Sometimes kids can hit the last nerve)

But what about ART or WRITING? Can school help then?   I have been called an artist, even have been paid for some art work, but I know I am not an ARTIST. But I want to be one. There are folks who read my blog that are artists. They have that natural talent.

Can I actually learn English and composition enough to become a REAL WRITER before I die?  Yes, I have written books, but I am no real author, I am a story teller. I know I am a good story teller, my grand kids have told me so. I even have several fans who say I am a writer, but I am still the story teller.

Enough of this nonsense. Maybe I will quit dreaming and face reality one day.

(Yeah, I coulda been…….  But this will do)

Nite Shipslog

PS:

It is enjoyable to see someone with a natural talent!

Oh, EARLY SPRING according to what-his-name! Some weather forecasters need NO education.

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I am old, I remember gas as low as 20¢ a gallon, but most of the time it was 25¢ to 29¢ a gallon. I believe the mystery car is a Hudson. I know the others.

You didn’t hold your mouth right!

I heard that most of my life and never thought of what it meant. Case in point, If I could not get a jar lid off and Mom or dad would do it for me, I might have said, “I tried that.”

Dad would invariably say, “You probably didn’t hold you mouth right.”

I walked thru the rec room and a guy was trying to unscrew his pool cue or Pool stick. He as making all kinds of faces as he tried.  His buddy took it and tried hard, it was hard enough that he made a face, but he got it. I immediately thought of dad, “He held his mouth right.” and I smiled, such a good memory.

(I probably heard this a thousand times as a kid)

 

I remember the following statements:

That will take a month of Sundays!

Slow as cream rising on butter milk! (Sherry used that one yesterday)

Slow as Molasses.

Fast as lightening.

A rain that was a frog choker.

That knife wouldn’t cut hot butter.

Are there any sayings you remember that strike you funny?

I had a friend who said, “That is made in the shade with table grade.”  I never knew what he meant!

So, any sayings from your neck of the woods? (as friend Mel says.)

Oh, it was in the 60’s here, most of us folks from Florida had jacket on. The Guy four motor homes away sitting out smiling, in shorts and  no shirt. (The motor Home had a Wisconsin tag on it, figgers!)

Brought to mind another saying of daddy’s: “He ain’t got sense God gave a Billy Goat.”

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Most divorces come from folks falling in heat, not in love.

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I know a VW when I see it, and I know that is a Mustang.. I think there was a song, “Mustang Sally”.