We are at lake Gaston in North Carolina

(Pictures of Outdoor World, lake Gaston)

Wow today was a little more excitement than you want.  Looking down at the gauges and seeing one light up that says WARNING in red.  That happened about 5 miles after we left the Potomac. (It also happened in Albuquerque once to the tune of about $300 (but I got a free ball cap) we sure hope this one is less)

I checked all the gauges, the rest were normal. The book says,  problem with the fuel system.  The diesel always scares me because I know so very little about them.  A gasoline engine I could trouble shoot and most likely fix. But the diesel, not so likely.

I petted it for about 40 miles and spotted a Pilot/Flying-J truck stop,  While in line I looked for something obvious under and around the engine, nada.

After fueling, the light was flashing on and off. So I drove at 45-55 mph and kept it off.

Now I am researching, and checking the area for possible repair places. Our Road service will find one for us if I cannot find a cheaper mechanic  close. So there is a possibility  our time here will be shorter than planned. Once we pull out, we cannot return to the same park of 7 days, one of the park rules.

It may be nothing; it may be SOMETHING!  But that is part of living in a moveable home.

The whole thing is nothing that cannot be worked out, it is nice not to have a schedule set in concrete.  We have only two things that MUST be met, Sherry’s class reunion and her appointment with the Dr. on her yearly visit.

On a much brighter note, son Mark, who took his earnings from a land sale and went to Florida. There he bought a fixer-upper to sale, he just called and said he had a contract on the house, full price. Hallelujah.  He has been down and nearly out, for a long time now; we are praying he is climbing out of the hole.

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Nice park(this is), makes you want the boat back!

Thanks for coming to hear me gripe!

Nite Shipslog

PS:

On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first- base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was ‘We’re behind 14 to nothing,' he answered with a smile. 'Really,' I said. 'I have to say you don't look very discouraged.' 'Discouraged?’ the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet.'

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The Metropolitan was built under the name Nash and Hudson. I rebuilt two. This was the Hudson Metro. We love it.

Okay, we are leaving the area where George Washington grew up

    

BUT not before I say I really do think he was a good guy. His death was amazing, and the events testified to by 3 doctors and his family.

      

He was on horse back on the plantation and was caught in a cold rain and hail. He was soaking wet when he arrived at Mt. Vernon and it was supper time.  He ate still wet, because the food was prepared.  Thus began his downturn. He arose the next day and with 3” of snow on the ground went out to select trees to be taken down. During the day he became very hoarse and had a sore throat. During the next 24 hours a total of Three Doctors were at Wakefield. He was ‘bled’ at least 3 times but never got better.

towards the end He got up, dressed, called Martha and asked her to bring his two wills.  He chose one and instructed her to burn the other which she did. The Drs. protested his efforts and his words are recorded, “Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.”

He arranged his estate thru his clerk, freed all the slaves and other indentured under his care and gave his good byes.

His death, being strong until the end, was so in character for the Father of our country. He was 67 years old.

Sherry and I are very fortunate that we can travel and go pretty much where we please. When we picked this site, we did not know of the history within a few miles of here, but it has been a pleasure and very enlightening. It has caused me to do much more research on a man I greatly admired.

My surprises:

1. That Great grandfather John Washington was the son of an Anglican Clergyman, a preacher’s kid, and not wealthy.

2. George was not formally educated, never class room trained, all home schooled.

3. His father died when he was 12 years old.

4. And He earned his own positions, most of his wealth and then married the richest widow in Virginia.

I have centered on George, but five miles one way from here is the Birth place of James Monroe, the 5th President. They are working on a memorial site there. ten miles the other way is the home and birth place of Robert E. Lee.  A little further is where Patrick Henry was born.

The stay has been enjoyable.

Nite Shipslog

PS

Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.

Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen...

On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement 'Guess what, Mom,' he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me....'I've been chosen to clap and cheer.'

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1956 Chevy Delivery Truck.

And then Life happens and reality sets in…..

Bonnie (of ‘Organic Discourse’) posted about a detour that took her past a ‘Talc Mine’ in Robbins, NC. I didn’t know Talc was mined in NC. I realize there are a lot of things I don’t know, as I age, and I am trying to do it well.

HOWEVER, that term ‘talc’ immediately generated some of the best memories of my life. Memories shared by a young blissfully happy young couple.  Past Sunday Sherry called our oldest son, and we sang happy birthday, We remembered a baby, 56 yrs ago..

(the above baby is that baby’s son)

So I ask, ‘Do you remember baby powder?’

What SWEET memories. Can you remember Just after the bath, the baby bottom is powdered, then a clean cloth diaper, a time that made for some of the fondest times of our lives. The baby smells so good and giggles so sweetly when you blow into their belly and make the airplane noises.

The time before the girlfriend disappointments, sneaking a cigarette, arrests, before drugs, auto wrecks and divorce.  A time when you were in charge. A time that would never go away; and then reality strikes, an individual develops, he is no longer a baby.  So LIFE GOES ON.

But… but… but I still have that memory, it is set like concrete, IT WILL NOT BE ERASED, because that was life at that time. A period of good smells, laughs, thrills at seeing the learning taking place. Your baby is the cutest, sweetest; the best one in the world.

I know some of you remember washing the #2 out of the diaper in the toilet. Some of you remember that smell too.

           

You might have stayed up all night, walking, rocking, wondering what is wrong? Should we take him to the emergency room. Maybe I should call mama and ask. But… but…. but… at the end of the night when you are beat, and he is settled, making cute  noises, sweetly smiling in his sleep, LIFE IS THE BEST and that image is frozen for all time.

            

No matter how many times they must pick themselves up and dust themselves off, YOU remember YOUR BABY and the smell of Talcum powder.

Nite Shipslog

PS: True story.. This was the winning entry for the contest: The Most Caring Child.

.****** A four-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's' yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'

(I just thought, that is all we need sometimes)

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That is a ‘68 Chevy, #2 son Mark’s first car. The flames are painted  not decals. It was born blue, I painted it and did some custom work on the inside.

Nobody owns a Cat…

(But not many animals photograph better)

That is what my daddy said. My cat was Tom. I loved Tom. I played with Tom until I was 4.  We also had a dog, Bingo (mixed Fiest or something), I played with her also during the same time. Tom fed himself with mice and bugs, mama would always feed both with table scraps. In the summer, before screens were on windows, I sat in a bedroom window once looking down, I was watching Tom play with a mouse for a long time before he took the mouse in his mouth and went under the house.  As I grew up and heard about the cat and mouse game, I knew exactly what it was.

(My Tom(I thought he was mine) was just a cat, Grey sorta white stripes no particular markings)

When we moved about 35 miles away and unpacked and I let Tom and Bingo loose, Tom didn’t say doodle, nosed around and walked into the sage brush field beside the house and that was the last I saw of him at that house.  Weeks later we found out he was back at our old house. I asked daddy when we were going to go get Tom, he said you can visit him sometime when we go to see family there, but Tom doesn’t want to live here, nobody owns a cat son, they are too independent.

I said all that to ask if you read about the Siamese cat that had two families. Neither family knew about the other. He was Cleo at one house and Ming at the other.  The families now know, and they are going to try to share the cat, ha!  if that were possible.  If Ming/Cleo wants to be Tang at another house, He will be.

Jimmy lost his dear Possum S Hemmingway but I see he is getting along with Samantha his new cat pretty well. The cat is even doing movies now. Paula shares an area for the neighbors cats to come and do their maternity  leave. Susie, the cat that John and Paula lives with, evidently just ignores the interlopers.

Mel ( of, Honey I’m Home, fame) tried a cat for awhile not sure how that worked.  Then there is Miss Kitty, she seems to be happy ruling the roost up in the Blue Ridge with the Boomer (as long as she wants to).

I know you have them, but do you know what they do while you sleep? Cats cannot be trusted.

Nite Shipslog

PS: (another living sermon)

I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- "Dad, can I play baseball?" He said "You'll never know until you try." When I was a teenager, I asked him, - "Dad can I become a surgeon?". He replied "Son, you'll never know until you try." Today after my own successful sight restoration surgery, I am a surgeon, just because I tried!

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I am thinking this must be a ‘51-52  CAddy customized… (but it could be another Merc, they dressed those up every way!)

Seems new health Advice, always Contradicts earlier advice.

Just after finishing my blog yesterday and I read headlines that said, “New England Journal of Medicine says ‘Hold up on the NO-Salt diet.  New information.”

Doctors have always known we really do need salt, it has always been the amount.  I had a brother in law who ate ‘Salt Sandwiches’, When we once traveled with them to the Great Salt lake, and went into the salt flats, he tasted it and said, “Finally, enough salt!”  We all knew Sonny over did it, but he lived to be 81-82 yrs old.  Longer than many others who ate much less salt.

When I joined the military there were salt tablet dispensers every where. The doctors then said you needed the salt  to sweat (Elizabeth mentioned that old ‘FACT’)

Now the WHO (World Health Organization) says:  ‘Hey wait a minnit, salt is only 40% salt (WHAT?) so let’s say 5 grams of salt a day vs 2300 mg.  OK, now that we are clear on that, 5 grams is one whole teaspoon more, 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt a day.

Honestly it may sound like I am making fun, but really I am not. I do know that knowledge is always expanding, especially in this age of micro studies and micro chips. (ref: Paula: AND alpha lettered things, i.e. iphone)

I think a moderation approach makes sense. (Except in butter pecan ice cream and (real) banana pudding).

A few years back MOST doctors recommended an aspirin a day.  Recently (last 2-3 yrs) many doctors have changed their minds and say an aspirin should be taken daily by one who has heart disease or has had a heart attack. Sherry and I split that recommendation, I quit taking one she continues. SO FAR it is working for both of us.

Sherry’s mother died at 61 of heart failure my dad passed at 69 due to heart failure. Our diets have been much better than our parents in variety. Of course they ate more fresh veggies than we will ever eat, but they always seasoned with fat-back and bacon grease. Shucks I even bathed with lye soap which was made with hog fat.

So today’s advice by Dr. Jack is eat what you are comfortable with and like, but do it in moderation. Also one glass of wine might be good, but 5?  Probably a little over kill.

I’m taking Bonnie's advice, Tomato with a little salt.

Nite Shipslog

PS: (Folks who live a Sermon)

Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”

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the 1956 Chevy tudor Custom…