playing it by ear with the storm

 I know you have heard this before.  We are in central Florida, once a few years ago we tried to outrun or outthink a hurricane.  We stayed just miles ahead of it into Georgia, and it caught us after it down graded to a Tropical Storm.  We later returned to our home with minor damage to the house, but the pier needed work.  We no longer have that place, but we have promised to take care of our son's place.  It is a stationary trailer which is anchored now as a home.

We are in a motor home ourselves at present.  In the next two days we must decide whether to stick with his home in Leesburg or try to out distance the coming storm.  This is an 'iffy' situation.  No one knows what this storm will do.  It appears that Key West will be hit hard, at least we do not live there anymore. SIGHHH.

My arm is a little better, but sticking around could put a strain on it.  We are headed to his house in a few minutes to see if there is anything more we can do to prepare it for the WIND/RAINs that are sure to come, just how much is the IFFY thing about it.

What we must do is decide whether to buckle up ourselves,,,,,,, OR RUN.   Not sure......  Most likely our best bet is to sit it out, BUT if the winds predicted are 110 or better, we will RUN, if the roads are open... 

Will let you know when we can. STORMS do play heck with the internet, But don't worry, we will  follow the BEST route at the time....

Nite Shipslog

THANKS

 You guys that read, and especially the ones who comment, are great. I have pushed my  arm and shoulder too much.  I will continue to read your stuff too.  But it will be a few days before I can,  my assistant on this app keeps filling out my sentences, am I that predictable??  

I am trying to secure my shoulder and elbow.  Sherry laughs at my attempts.  Think I look strange with a belt around my arm and chest.\

Takd care

nite shipslog

ps Sherry is doing out driving for awhile....

I survived my Childhood

 Pic of the day;

 

 For today, just trying to not cry, complain and moan…

Some folks would wonder why I am still here. Some of the things I remember, I came from a good family. My sister Shirley and I were the late children. There were 4 boys and 3 girls; 3 boys and 2 girls lived to adulthood. 

I always loved the outdoors. I smoked rabbit tobacco at 4/5years old. I accidently set a huge straw field.  No fire department, the whole community of High Shoals showed up to fight the fire. I got a good 'whupping.'

My dad pastored a country church then. Shirley taught me to ride a bike, jump rope and play hop-scotch. Dad taught me to make a rabbit trap and I caught many for mom to cook, before we moved.

We moved to the City of Burlington, there I saw squirrels walking on power lines and it amazed me boys didn’t hunt them. LOL. I attended my first years of Public School. Back then (40/50s) the Bible was very prominent. Much of our required memory work was from the Bible, mostly memorizing  Psalms. There was always prayer and reciting the pledge to the Flag.

First grade and 4th grade

I do not fuss about prayer in school now, although I think allowing a silent moment for personal worship would be good. Probably 99%+ of students THEN were from Christian related families.

Then to Albemarle, where I met my first longtime friend, Vondale. Even in the 4^th grade he was a working guy, he had a paper route, I learned a lot from him and his family. Of course he did lead me astray. He taught me how to challenge other boys to BB wars with our BB rifles, and no one ever lost an eye thank the Lord.  Once out on his Uncle's farm we had the chance to run out about a quarter mile and let his cousin shoot at us with his 22 caliber hunting rifle, using short shells of course.  They were guaranteed to shoot a half mile.  They said it couldn’t hurt much and we figured we could see them coming. LOL Yes, that is true, we did not get hit. 

We scaled rock walls in a quarry, cooked eggs on flat rocks, swimmed and drank from rivers and creeks.

I also saw my first TV and got my own dog. Before we moved to Valdese.

I did a few more crazy things; much of which is the reason why I say it is a wonder I’ve lived about 86 years. ;-).

 

Nite Shipslog

PS

Now don’t even try to tell me you didn’t do crazy stuff as a youngster……

Thank you for being here…  Life is supposed to be better for me (on the road) even with a few pains…. LOL  Thanks for all the comments, love you guys.

 

Oh, to be there….

 

Pic of the day;

 

 The Kaiser's Palace, one of the interesting  sites on Corfu:

 

 For today… (forgive me if this is a repeat)

If you are me, you cannot stop THINKING!  So you are the same huh?

I have tried to write posts the las few days but noticed I just started whining and complaining.

Well to keep the temp down in the RV here in Florida we are eating sandwiches.  I do love sandwiches. Ham/Cheese, Tomato, Banana, Chic and tuna salads, etc.

Well, as I sat here I noticed I was lost in thought looking at one of Sherry’s deviled sandwiches.  My mind was on the Island of Corfu.  A Greek Island in the Ionian Sea. I am sure I have mentioned that on this blog at some time over the years.

When I went ashore on this island I was struck by the families having picnics in a town park.  They were so happy and kids were just having a ball.  Of course I was thinking of my new wife, this was 1956/57 and we had been married about a year, and I was thousands of miles away from her on a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. (The Ionian Sea is the big gulf of the Med between Italy and Greece.)

I promised myself if I ever could, I wanted to bring Sherry here on vacation.  That never happened.  But she has heard it enough times to know that I really did want to do that.

BUT, but On another cruise we pulled into GITMO Bay, Cuba.  Again, I saw FAMILIES this time military families. All smiles walking, shopping and living.  AND Again I said to myself, I want to bring Sherry HERE!

So yes, I was actually able to do that. I asked to be shipped to GITMO when my tour was up on the USS Independence.  My Old Man (common title for the Skipper) says to me, “Darnell, I can give you, Hawaii, California, even Spain and you ask for GITMO, Are you crazy?  Why not just stay aboard the Indy?”

“Sir, if you will let me bring my wife aboard, I’ll stay.”

Seriously he said, “There will NEVER be a woman aboard a USN fighting ship!”    For a very smart man, LITTLE DID HE KNOW, lol.

The family beach on GITMO

WE met some big Lizards  (Iguanas) This dude about 3 feet long!

The boys went to school there and also enjoyed Moto-Cross Racing and won a lot of trophies; both were good.

SO YES, WE did go to GITMO for about 4 years, Me, Sherry and the boys loved it, we had the BEST of FAMILY times.

All that came from looking at a Deviled egg sandwich.

BUT at least  I did not complain……… ;-)

Nite Shipslog

PS  Thank you for being here…  Life is supposed to be better for me (on the road) even with a few pains…. LOL  Thanks for all the comments, love you guys.

So Yep, Old men can cry

 Pic of the day;

 

A mountain top in a cloud

 

 

 For today…

I am getting a little better. Sherry read your comments to me and it did bring water to my eyes. Thanks to all of you.  I will be back when I don’t start complaining instead of being the in depth solid writer I am. LOL

We normally would not be here in Florida but we are on a mission.  Here to support part of our family.  WE are really NOT enjoying the heat, along with millions of others in our country.  A couple years ago we broke down in Death Valley, California in our RV.  Man I would hate that now, I read it got to 127 degrees f.

Anyway giving thanks for your comments. Love you guys that read this mess. I do not want to quit dreaming, but as the saying today, I know that hiking/travel window is  rapidly closing or closed.

I should know for sure in the next few months. I woke up this morning after a whole night of dreaming with the song sentimental journey as the main theme.  It was like an hour's long movie, with soldiers/sailors throwing their sea bags on a train and singing, never had that happen before. I am haunted with a word or line throughout the dream that will not come back to me. ;-(

Gonna take a sentimental journey, gonna set my mind at ease......

Nite Shipslog

PS  video recorded in 1944 (I was 5 years old), I had never seen this, but a lot of it was in my dream. Strange...

Sentimental Journey

Song by

Doris Day with Les Brown doing the music

Gonna take a sentimental journey
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories

Got my bag, got my reservation
Spent each dime I could afford
Like a child in wild anticipation
I long to hear that all aboard

.

Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
I'll be waitin' up for heaven
Countin' every mile of railroad track
That takes me back

Never thought my heart could be so yearning
Why did I decide to roam?
I gotta take this sentimental journey
Sentimental journey home

Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
I'll be waitin' up for heaven

Countin' every mile of railroad track
That takes me back

Never thought my heart could be so yearning
Why did I decide to roam?
I gotta take this sentimental journey
Sentimental journey home

Sentimental journey home
Sentimental journey home

Songwriters: Lew Brown, Benjamin Homer, Bud Green.

 

Getting Old, forces one to think

 Pic of the day;

 

 On the AT about 20 years ago....  Yeah, I was old then too, they say.  LOL

This is today, and yes I am older than Biden and Trump, but I know I am old, Sherry told me...

  For today…

WE Old people come to realize that Instead of having years ahead to figure things out, we must accept that reality is different from the plans and aspirations we once held. 

 But still I cannot help but ask myself:

1.        Did I fulfill my travel dreams?.  I miss NOT seeing Ireland.

A. But I did see The Mediterranean countries. Part of London, Picadilly Circus and the changing of the guard in London.

 

2.       Careers, I dreamed of a career in the military and did that. I wanted a career in building, I did that.  Did I do my best in both? Not in the military, I could have advanced more. In building, I think I reached my potential.  I wanted to build a sub-division, started one but dropped it. I think I would have been in over my head.

 

3.       Many people, they say, become very remorseful, regretting things not done.  What I miss is that single thing of failing to hike the AT in a ‘thru hike’.  I hope I can live with that without being depressed. (I still cannot accept what many folks tell me, ‘Now that is impossible, it has never been done at your age’…)  That little light has not gone completely out…….. YET.

4.       The clock is ticking down, Most of us OLD folk have accomplished something.  BUT honestly it is hard to look at yourself in the mirror and SEE facts, me, “Hoss, most of IT (life) is over. Sit back, read, enjoy the pains and be proud of those Grands that will one day run the world, your time has PAST, dadgummit!”

 

I know this is depressing, sorry about that, I really don’t mean to be so down, but truthfully, age does this.  If you live long enough you start facing FACTS,  there are two things in life that are REAL, they are DEATH and TAXES….

Nite Shipslog

PS  TRUE STORY:  Billy was successful with his own business. He LOST his wife,  became demented, and is now in a HOME. His son is also a dear friend says, ‘Dad doesn’t know me, but KNOWS I am the one responsible for him being there.’

  The son says, dad would have loved to go for a walk in the woods and never return.  I wish I had a way of letting him do just that.

I think I understand how Billy felt……

PS2 Thank you for being here…  Life is supposed to be better for me (on the road) even with a few pains…. LOL

 

Thoughts, just thinking

 Pic of the day:

 

                 This photo was taken when we were married 55 years

Thinking of this couple 55 yrs before

Now coming up in September on the 22nd, if we live, we will celebrate 68 years together, not all smooth, but because of my sweetheart we have made it thru, enjoying life....

 For today…

Note: I had a tough time getting to my Blog today, I thought Blogger had done me like they did MA and dropped the BLOG. So if I go missing do not think the worst. LOL

..........

No one knows how to Grow old.  It is like childhood and children. The baby does not come with a list of instructions, we wished there was an accurate list of guidelines that fit them all.

Likewise there are no set rules for growing old, I sure wish there were. In less than 5 years I will be 90 years old. OUCH! To tell the truth I feel like I am groping along in the dark.

Life is different with us all. There is a great Fish house called ‘Corky Belles’ in Palatka.  We took a day out and Sherry took me there. As we ate, I noted two sweet old ladies eating together, they were alone, and I asked Sherry if we could buy the ladies lunch, we did, met them and talked a few minutes. They were over from St. Augustine. Both widows.  Both said they still missed their mates.

My mind wanders a lot now, I still don’t know how to grow old. I know loving children; many adore their parents.  When one parent passes the offspring dote on the one left.  Some of us old folk can live alone with memories. My mama and one sister were like that. But one sister NEEDED someone.  There is the RUB! The same children who LOVE their parents the most, make the parent’s life miserable, if they NEED someone.  The CHILD thinks daddy is trying to replace mama (or vice versa).

THEN IF there is a marriage of the old folk, unknowing, and ignorant, sons and daughters, know how to make the ‘interloper’s’ life miserable.  At the same time destroy the heart of their own mom or dad.

That is NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, but I have known  2 or 3 OLD People who have suffered in their last years, because of ignorant offspring.

The last one, the man, had seen this and knew his family would resent his new love, a wonderful lady. HE Had the foresight to tell the kids, “Now I am not asking permission to marry again, I am asking you blessings.”  Some of them tried, but overall none of them could ever accept this wonderful lady.  And she IS just that, a wonderful wife and mother.  Her children did accept the union, but the man’s children could never fully accept it.

The couple was happy together until he passed, but they both hurt. Strange how love and caring can hurt when not focused correctly.

Just words from my head.

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better for me (on the road) even with a few pains…. LOL

 

Bananas and Trees, NOT Banana Trees

 Pic of the day:

 

Beside the AT in New Hampshire

 For today…

This arm still wants to hurt. I quit protecting it too soon, so now I am paying the price. AND July 4th is almost here!

We are parked just beside the Lake County Fair Grounds. They have a farmer’s market on Thursdays. I needed to move around so I walked over.  The farmers were packing up. I saw some bananas that looked good. 6 for $2. Most were ageing, but these 6 were pretty. The Farmer put them in a bag, then put about 12 more of the more bruised in the sack. I thanked him of course.

When I got back to the RV I am thinking how do I save these? Looking on the net I saw were you could keep  the ones just ripe in the refrigerator.  So I put two in there. We used some for sandwiches (which I do LOVE). We gave Son Mark some. 

Then I saw a place declaring that just putting the bananas in a plastic bag will keep them up to 30 days.  I didn’t believe that, but I'm trying it. The ones in the refer still look good after the 4^th day.  The ones in the plastic bag are still good.  I am definitely happy.

Trees? To get trees taken down now, the tree people  now demand ‘Your First Born!’.  Well maybe not, but it is expensive.  We needed 5 or 6 taken down and it does cost a lot. Over $650 a Tree.  OUCH.

But we just received a message that the job is done, we are very glad of that.

So there is some good news, good bananas and downed trees.

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better for me (on the road) even with a few pains…. LOL