Our Bird family

Can anyone tell me who this bird is? Okay, what species is he? He actually looks like a sparrow with  red starting at his upper breast to his head. There is some red on his back.  I declare I watched birds at home and in the woods here in NC growing up and I never saw this bird.

 

The closest I can come is this Red Crossbill, from the net

There is a family of these nesting over our car. They do poop on the car if I don’t pull it in far enough. We get a great view from our swing.  They are interesting to watch.  The entire family now is watching them.  From where I sit I can watch them eat the seeds I have out, I even have a hummer at times at the same time. I put a water jug out since our weather has been so dry.

 

Since my  zoom is gone on the camera it is hard to see them for the poop of the mama and daddy. They are messy house keepers.

We finally go to count beaks today, there are four. We are leaving on vacation, two weeks in the mountains. I imagine the birdies will be flying by then.  If not we will get a chance to see them learn.

Bird watching is fun, even Stella is into it.  I am amazed at the animal instincts. When to start feeding them bugs and worms seems a tough call, but they do it with no problem.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I hope you are having a great Memorial Day weekend.

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I labeled 1946 Olds, but this is the 1948 Olds. I searched for the first car after WWII and this is what was shown.

 

I am almost certain, the first car offered after WWII was this 1946 FORD

My e-mails are more encouraging!

I stated earlier in a Blog entry that my e-mails were scaring me. I was getting ads for walk in tubs, the best assisted living centers, good quality senior homes, three footed canes, grave plots and cremation.

This week I am getting encouragement to apply for nursing training online, YEAR long cruises and now this, Apply and work for a Psychology degree.  Then I am torn because I am tempted by the last one, “Look like you are 40 when you are 80”. Now that one sounds good. I am only a few years from 80. I should probably start working on that now.

Yeah, I know BS when I hear and read it:

Cure your Diabetes in 20 days.

Have a full head of natural hair in three weeks.

Eat this and NEVER forget, ever again.

Lose weight and eat what you want.

I read these titles to e-mails and I remember the times as a kid I was fooled by the ads on comic books. Did you ever do that?

I must have written for information on the Charles Atlas Muscle building  course ten times (but then they wanted more money once you got the carrot). The ad showed a muscle man kicking sand in a little guys face on the beach and walking off with his girl friend. Then in just a few short weeks of Charles course, the Kid gets even with the muscle man. I wanted to do that. (I was still a skinny kid)

I actually ordered a “real” log cabin play house $1.00 + .50 handling. I was one excited guy. It came as a big plastic bag with printed logs that had to be draped over a card table and cut the door out. (SHUCKS)

          

My most disappointment was the ad for Army Walkie Talkies. ‘These are not plastic toys, they are completely wireless, talk to your friends,’ only… $1.00 + $.25 handling.’'

Little Jackie is excited, I was looking for a big package. I received a brown flat envelope. It was NOT PLASTIC and it was WIRELESS.   It was two printed pasteboard walkie talkies that you had to fold an glue and they were attached by a string (NOT WIRE).

I have often wondered how those companies got away with those ads that only kids ordered. (SMILE).

I think these companies still have my name with sucker beside it.

Maybe it has taken 70 years to learn something I have heard all my life, “If it sounds too good to be true, IT PROBABLY IS”

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Did you ever order anything from a comic book?

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This Merc was new when I ordered from comic books, 1948

Lucy is Back

Our friend Lucy from out in the area of Nebraska, is back. Many of us met Lucy on AOL Journals.  (On our trip around the USA in 2013 we dropped in unannounced to deliver one of my books)You can say hello on facebook.
Her confuser was confused for a while, but now she is back. Several folk have asked about her. Many folk enjoyed her blog, stories of the past, also Joe (the MAN) and Spunky the beautiful, though up in age, BEAGLE.  Lucy stands out, because at 80+ yrs, that girl worries a computer problem until she whips it. 
 
(Joe refereeing the Jack/Lucy face off)
Many folk have gone to Facebook away from journals and blogs. I miss them, but that is their choice. Some like the immediate short responses.  Shirl e-mailed me to tell me Lucy was back before I got the alert. Anyway I just wanted to tell the folk who have been asking. I saw Paula on FB quickly telling Lucy WELCOME BACK.

(He was able to get us together)
I seldom go to facebook, I do prefer bloggersville. I enjoy this medium. I am slow to make changes. I like taking the time to express myself, cause I need expressing and explaining. I am an odd character ( LOL), but I do enjoy being me.
 
(I met sweet Spunky before Lucy & I parted friends!)

Lucy is one of the many folks I have met on the internet that I consider a friend.  Most of us have a few friends in this world, some have a lot of acquaintances, but they are not ‘friends’.

(Sherry saying goodbye to Lucy and Joe)
I have a couple problems with Facebook. One is Birthdays. I wish everyone a Happy birthday and I mean it. But I also wish people who are listed as friends that I do not know.  This always comes to my attention when (like yesterday) when I get a notice from facebook that I have a ‘friend’ who has a birthday. Saying help your  Friend, Doug Carver’ celebrate his birthday. I went down the list seeing name after name wishing him a happy birthday, problem is, sadly my real friend Doug passed away just a couple months ago.

When I say friend, I want to mean it.  FRIEND has a real meaning to it, not just a name on FB.  I am always amazed at the folks who send friend requests that I have never heard of. Then someone told me it was sort of a game with folks to see who could get the most friends, that confuses the heck out of me.
Anyway, the folks who are FOLLOWERS and COMMENTERS's on the Shipslog I get to know and do consider them friends. When I get a birthday notice, I respond to it,  I really mean it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, because I know you are still around..
We are a community, albeit, shrinking.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I really do miss folks who used to be here and are gone.
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I do have a love affair with classic cars. Love this 1957 Corvette. Not that I want them. I just enjoy seeing them. HOWEVER if I ever get the chance at a nice ‘55 Chevy tudor or a hardtop, I might just jump on it. (smile)

Never say never

I have heard some drastic statements by folks, concerning ‘other folk’s problems.’ One I have heard often is, “I would never take Chemo, it seldom works and the discomfort and quality of life just isn’t worth it.”  I remember a sweet woman, Juanita Carter, who explained it well concerning the cancer that she had endured.

Juanita and her hubby Bishop Wayne Carter as we prepared for out trip to the Katrina devastation.

She said, “When the doctor says life or death, you will pick life.”  She chose to do the Chemo and lived. She appreciates life.  Now she is facing another of life’s demons, something is slowly trying to steal a wonderful woman’s memory.

I had a friend named Wacker Carver.  Have you ever known anyone by that name, I surely had not. But I got to like old Wacker. He was one of my first ‘crushes’ (Martha)’s uncle.

Martha, the first of our teen crowd to pass away.

I talked to him last, not 100 yards from where I sit now. We moved here and I had bushes to trim and cut. I said, “Wack, I have never done this before, but this time I am going to cut the bushes and leave them for the city to pick up.”

Wacker laughed, “Jack, you ain’t in the city, the city limit is about 150 yards up this road.”  Shucks.

The last time we talked was just before our yearly trip to Florida. He said,”Jack they said I needed dialysis or I would die. I had a sister who took it and it did not help, I will never take it.”

I told him, I did not know if it was a good idea to turn it down, maybe try it for awhile. He said “Nope, not going to, never.”

We left for Florida soon after that, clearly thinking Wacker would reconsider, but he did not; and true to the Doctors words, he died soon after we left.  I didn’t know whether to admire him or be mad at him. He was a good neighbor and  they are hard to find. 

I miss Wacker and his great dry wit. I wish he had taken the dialysis, but we all ‘sit on our own bottoms’, as mama said.

Sherry and I remind ourselves every once in awhile, “NEVER SAY NEVER.”

I leave life and death decisions to the one’s who are facing them. They sure do not need my uninformed medical advice.

Nite Shipslog

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I loved the ‘55 Chevy.  I wanted a two door hardtop or even a two door with a post. But what I got was this four door 6 cylinder.

Above is Marty, Jack Jrs best friend and the ‘55.  Below is Sherry and Mark on the ‘55 not long after I bought it.

Why did I settle for a 1955 4dr, 6 cylinder? Because it was a basket case and it was $50.00. LOL JC Whitney & co  and I, restored it. in Key West.

Bumper stickers

It is about that time, I saw a ‘Ben Carson’ sticker today. They are permanent, I still see a Bush/ whathisname sticker every once in awhile. I even saw a McCain/Palin sticker the other day.

I have stuck a few bumper stickers on my BUMPER at times. I actually put a Ross Perot sticker on my truck when he ran. But once the bumpers disappeared so did my desire to use the bumper stickers on my PAINT.

Actually they are some of the best advertisements, I have no idea if they have ever swung ONE vote for or against.

      

The some folk are addicted to the stickers. I see stickers that say “This Car Climbed Mt Washington”, I take that one seriously, then there is one that reads, “This Car Climbed Mt. Dora”

Many folk who go to Key West come back with the US-1 mile marker O sticker and/or “I Rode the Conch Train”.

I never did see my favorite one for sale or I would have put it on my truck when I was working, I liked the one that read, “MY Boss is a Jewish Carpenter”.

Always be careful of the cars with the bumper sticker that says Follow me such as: Follow This Car to the Best Church in the World”. They just might be going to the store or a club, One never knows.

I really do not like the ones that say, “My Dog is smarter Than your Honor Student” OR “My C student can whip your honor student”

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Do you like ‘em?  Do you use them? What is the best one you have seen?

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Must be cheaper than a paint job!

 

Made from cans

A Christmas Present

Red hair makes  a statement. I don’t know what it is but it cannot help it, Red get’s noticed. There are good stories about red and some not so complimentary.  The same goes with other colors, such as Blonde, gets gets its own hits.

Not that red, but it would be noticed.

Lucille Ball had red hair, didn’t she?  Remember Red Buttons? Great folk of comedy.

 

We also have a beautiful niece Ena, who has beautiful red hair like her mama.  Sherry just read on FB that she and her husband are expecting another child the week before Christmas. When Sherry told me  I said, “Just like you and son-Mark.”

Sherry said, “He was a wonderful Christmas Present.” Mark was born December 14th and of course Sherry was home before Christmas.  Sherry’s mama (Susie) was there to help her baby girl. Sherry’s mama was the best MIL a guy could ever ask for.

Grandma Susie, Jackie and the Christmas present, Mark.

Funny that, because Susie had given birth to   Vernon, Sherry’s older brother on December 23rd. A Christmas present to a working mother. Susie had another daughter (Sherry’s older sister) who had given birth to Brenda on December 14th.

Joan, out in Utah, gave birth to a baby girl, who happened to have red hair like her daddy,  on Christmas day and named her appropriately, CAROL. Now that was a CHRISTMAS PRESENT. She became a daughter in law. Then there was another Christmas present to Mary, who gave birth to Corinne on December 15th (She also became a daughter in law) .

 

So now I am thinking of Ena and her young husband. They have a beautiful marriage, they are so much in love. Of course I feel that way because they read and studied my book on marriage, “Why Not Forever” before they tied the knot.  We do not see them often, but I have watched as he shared in the role as a caring young dad, with  the responsibilities of their first child.

Yep, lots of good folk born to mothers and dads to make sweet Christmas presents, all bundled up.

What about you and yours, any December births?

Nite Shipslog

PS: One of the boys on ‘Happy Days' had red hair.

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1982 Citroen

1951 Nash

Just this and that

In an earlier post where I talked about fire, I said I had one more tale. While in the USN like all sailors, I stood a lot of fire watches. The largest danger aboard ship, other than  an enemy attack, is fire.

While in port in Portsmouth, VA we had a fire aboard the USS Independence. I was on watch at the time and it was my duty to wake and notify the crews to get to the hangar bay. I was doing fine until I hit the Airdales (Navy flyers) compartments. The paint was peeling on the bulkhead behind them, and they were fanning the smoke that was obscuring the TV.  I remember it very well because ‘Desert Rats' was the movie and they would not leave it. I yelled loudly, you have been warned and left. I assume they got out since there was no casualties. Some folk are weird. (smile)

THAT WAS THIS, Now this is that……

Why is my right shoe easier to put on than my left? That bugs me.

Imma tell you, I knew a lot of magic tricks at one time, but hiking on the Appalachian Trail my wife impressed me by removing her bra without removing her shirt.  She said all girls can do that.  Now that was one I could have tried when we were dating (but she would have killed me).

When my girl is removing her pullover whatever, she removes her arms, then takes the pullover over her head. I usually remove my pullovers right opposite, over my head then pull my arms out.  Now incase any man reads this, Sherry’s way works BETTER if you are sweaty.

I miss Lucy and Joe. She said Joe NEVER threw anything away. I am a lot like that, I NEVER throw stuff away, (well only when I might want or need it later). The other day I ran across four one inch square ‘feet’ for a table with 1” sq legs. NOW THIS IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER NEED, so of course I threw them away.  I kid you not, within three hours of our trash man loading and leaving, I NEEDED THEM!  I Ain’t NEVER throwing anything away again! LOL

I have a lot more to say, but I am mad all over again that I threw them away.

Picture from Sherry’s get together Sat. NIte. L to right:

Son Mark, Pretty Vickie (niece), Jackie her hubby, William, and his wife Brenda (niece) Elmer, and Son-Jack (showing off, takes after his mama!) We did have a great time.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Have you ever done that? (Throw something away and needed it later?

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This is a Kaiser or Frazier of the 1950’s

Just Stuff

My good friend Joan (personal and Internet) out in Utah sent me some statements on getting old. Now Joan is one of the ladies who gave up her Christmas to give birth to a baby(SMILE).

Of the ones she sent, I liked these especially:

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****I don't need anger management. I need people to stop making me mad!

*****Old age is coming at a really bad time!

I really smiled at those.

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Oh, Sherry arranged a celebration.

On Saturday night nite my wife invited all the family that could go,  out for a steak, in celebration of Our Grads and also for those who had not seen Jude Atticus Darnell. WE had about 16 show up.

     Matt and his Aunt Shirl… 

We must have eaten one of John’s cows from out there in Texas.The steaks were good and huge.  We ate at “The Woodshed”  in Stanley, NC.

Sherry got beef tips and Shirl did salmon

My steak on the left, Stephen’s on the right.

Another smile from Joan:

        ***** Lord grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can & the friends to post my bail when I finally snap!

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Mark was our chauffer, and we  picked up Elmer. He is the oldest living person connected with our families. He was married to Sherry’s sister Lennie for over 50 years. After Lennie passed, and my oldest sister Kat became a widow, Elmer married Kat. So Elmer has been a brother in law to both of us. Now my sister has passed and he is a widower again. He will soon  turn 88.

On the way back from the Woodshed, Mark took us the scenic tour, passing some of the houses we had built. They did bring back a lot of memories. Mark became my #1 super after this one.

.
Sherry and I built this house for us, by ourselves.except heat and air.

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There is some mirth in these two…

*******I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week.

********My people skills are just fine. It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work

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Thanks for coming by the log.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

This one is especially for Son Jack, who says if duct tape won’t fix it, throw it away.

********Even duct tape can't fix stupid ... but it can muffle the sound! ******************* (You know the guy or gal don’t you?)

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I wanted to stop at one house we built and offer them the price they paid for the house for their ‘55 Chevy.  But I knew they would turn me down. LOL