Saturday.. What was NOT and now IS,,

 Picture of the day:

Options, go back and get a horse to help pull, or a shovel and wait until it dries up some. It is stuck!

 So, for today:

Susan K, over at ‘thecontemplativecat’ posted an entry lately concerning life and her family. How she was raised on a farm and now in southern California (I think) looks back at life and its changes.

As I read that I smiled at many things that I remembered much the same. Especially how rural roads in our locations were seldom paved and there ain’t a more nasty thing than a muddy road in central NC where the ground is much RED MUD.  Slicky, sticky, and nasty. LOL

Growing up I was not allowed to go to the Show (movie). The Show was a sin. STRANGE that; how we changed.  Just last week, in our church the pastor was telling of his favorite movies (same denomination). (?) BUT as a boy I had to sneak to see a show enough to learn how much fun it was to see the Sat. morn cowboy movies (Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, etc).  The Movie had a Serial and a cartoon. The cost was a dime to get in; popcorn was 15 cents and a drink was a dime. So my Sat morning max entertainment cost was 35 cents. Many times I could only come up with the dime to get in. LOL

Many Americans had a tough time in the USA.  Some were treated terrible.

Did you know for many years women could not vote or hold public office. In 1869 only the state of Wyoming (I think) allowed that. Odd too was that Blacks were allowed to vote before women were.

I grew up in a segregated world. We white kids down south never questioned that, it was ‘the way it was’. You talk about a surprised Southern world, the production of a movie called “Blackboard Jungle”. We saw a school with black and white kids in the same classrooms, WOW.  Unless you experienced that, you CANNOT understand the shock.

I can say this, in our home, EVERYONE was considered the same, God’s children. My mama and dad were raised in an even more segregated era BUT, I heard my mama say many times. “I will never understand how we Christians gladly send money to Africa to help black people, while here in America we have people who will not even sit with them on a bus.” Our public busses forced the Black people to sit in the back of the bus. Examples: Claudette Colvin and then Rosa Parks!

Have you noticed any earth shaking changes in your time or where you were raised?

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Some folks say Sherry and I are Gypsies…  I guess we are, in lifestyle…. ;-)  

Friday..The heck with rules!

 Today's Picture:

SO for now:

What kind of driver are you? Do you try to stay close to the speed limit?

Yeah, some rules are tough.  I am sure most of you have no problem with the “DO NOT SPIT ON THE SIDE-WALK!”

Now to one that seems to put a burr under many saddles: “LEASH REQUIRED FOR ALL PETS!”

Now I will admit in my growing years up to my 20s in our area of the country very few leashes were around and NONE were required.  So it has been hard over the years for that to phase in.

BUT at times a leash isn’t enough; believe me if you are ever attacked by any attack dog, and I was, you change your mind and think that some dogs should not be allowed outside except in a 10 ft high fence. The Pit dog that attacked me was on a leash, and drug the lady owner 20 ft. to get a nip on my chin, neck, and lacerate my arm before she had control. I was on a public road just taking out the trash.

I have heard in RV parks, “My dog does not require a leash, it is trained.”

The last park a man drove around looking for his dog that ‘ran out the door before I could lash him.’

BUT to be honest most people do follow that rule, just some flaunt it.

Do you follow the rules on the pill box, only one pill within a 12 hour period?

Now I have broken that rule ONE (or two) times. ;-)

One irritating rule breaker is the dude (or dudes) that takes a cart-full thru the line that says ‘10 items or less’ on the sign at the grocery store.

Is there a rule breaker that bugs you?

Nite Shipslog

PS.    AGAIN. YOU readers here are OK! I Just want to say thanks for being you and stopping by.

PS2: Today I saw a sign in an RV park.  “Caution, my dog flunked out of obedience school!”

Building

 

Today’s picture:

 

Samples of our rentals apts, condoes

BUT for today:

I read every day that there is a housing shortage in the USA! My head asks: “How can that be?”  AS most know, Sherry and I are Gypsies.  Since I was a small-time builder for a few years I take note as we circle this great country. We see houses, condos, apartment complexes going up everywhere we travel.

Our small town of Belmont, NC seems to add a hundred homes/apartments every month. Thousands a year. The traffic is now so bad many times we wait thru 2-3 changes before getting under a light.

Concerning occupations. As a builder my preference was the small 3 BR home. Now those are a thing of the past, it seems the min now is 2000-4000 sqft. I have probably mentioned it here. A house I built and sold for 80,000 many years ago was bought for $326,000 and remodeled with an additional $300,000.  That shocks me to the core that in our neighborhood that much money can be spent.

A house just 200 yards from the one we just moved out of rents for $2000 a month. 3 wage earners live there to afford the rent.

  I am blown away that I hear that more apartments have been approved by the city council with a projected rental of over $3000 a month. My mind cannot wrap around the salaries required to pay that, a car payment, CC pmt, insurance along with groceries. Boggles my mind.

Speaking of change. Belmont WAS a Cotton Mill town. Now some of those mills are now hundreds of apartments.  Below is the Chronicle Mill's transformation to apartments.

Yeah, I know, I still live in a world where a Pepsi/Coke was a nickel along with a nickel Milky Way.

WE still survive of course and paid the increase as the world of camping turned into RV’ing. When we started a campsite was $5 a night. WE know several now that get $85 a night. NOPE, we do not pay that much, we find the cheapest. WE pay yearly for certain parks. But we do pay $40-50 a night if we have to stay in a roadside park.

Sorry just running my mouth or fingers, LOL. Christmas is near and I hope you are ready for that.  God has been good to us and we, like the rest of the country, are surviving and living the best we can.

Take care and smile that we are still above the worms…

I hear that the best part about assisted living is that I will be able to tell the same joke every day… and it will be funny every time!"  ;-)

 

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

Be good to your neighbor they may need to check on you one day!

Occupations

 

My first house. I built this one completely by myself from digging the footer, pouring the foundation, plumbing, electrical, roofing to selling it. It sold with in 4 days upon finish, for $32,000.. After closing the buying lady asked, "Now Mr. Darnell, why did the house sell so cheap?"  I remember answering clearly, " Cheap? I made $10 and hour on this house!!"  Clearly my occupation as a builder needed some upgrading!!  LOL

SO for now:

As a boy I remember wanting to wear a uniform when I grew up. I admired my brothers, cousins and uncles in uniform. Moat boys at one time or the other want to be a policeman or a fireman.  Many want to be a train engineer. Most boys have no idea there are engineers other than train engineers. LOL

Over my long-life span (BTW I never expected to live to be near 90 yrs old) I have enjoyed many occupations.  But over the years I have learned of things I never even thought of before as an occupation.

When I saw a Greyhound bus driver I never thought his job  as it was. For some reason I thought he went from Canada and drove his bus to Miami Florida. I never pictured him being home every night say, in Charlotte, NC. I couldn't know he drove his bus to Atlanta, GA in the morning and then drove another bus back to Charlotte that afternoon; and was home for supper.

Since I had a brother and several uncles and cousins that drove trucks, I knew they started up towards NYC , then back south. Many times they were away from home weeks at a time.

Our friends Dal and Marian have a grand daughter who went to China as a teacher. While there she fell in love and married. She can come back to the USA, but so far her hubby cannot leave China. An occupation sure changed her life.

We have a nephew that worked in Afghanistan, while there he met a lady from Kenya working in a hotel. They fell in love and married. He now lives in Kenya. His wife and her daughter have not been able to gain the permision to travel to the USA. His choice of occupations changed his life for sure.

Occupations have redirected many lives, I applied or a job in Viet Nam once but did not get it.  Probably a good response, huh?

Has an occupation changed your life?  Someone you know? What is the strangest occupation you have been associated with?

Nite Shipslog

PS.    AGAIN. YOU readers here are OK! I Just want to say thanks for being you. Oh, in ref to my first house, when I was building that  house, $4 an hour was top pay, so my $10 was Super dooper! LOL

 

AMAZING

 Today’s picture:

 

BUT for today:

Women live longer because of wearing high heels. Imagine all the dangers they avoided AND LIVED: tripping, turned ankles, bad falls, etc…………..

I just ran across a blog entry I had started with those approx 20 words above, I am wondering WHAT was on my WILD mind?? LOL

Continuing the idea of AMAZING; Sherry and I recently lost two OLDER friends in the last few months.  It was AMAZING because both were from small towns in other states. One was from Tennessee and the other from a small town in northern Maine. We met those because we lived in an RV and they hosted a state park that we enjoyed . They were the last of two sweet loving couples, Al and Judy from Maine and R.E. and Mary from Tennessee. They were dear to us. The boys went first, now the girls (near 90) are gone..

So using the thought AMAZING I just mentioned to my sweetheart it was amazing we have dear friends from Pennsylvania. I have mentioned them often, Dallas and Marion Fetcher. The USMC got us together. We were all 17-18 years old and they are alive and still married; both couples approaching 70 years of marriage.

(OUR LAST TIME TOGETHER, MARIAN'S bd 4 REALLY OLD PEOPLE)

Strange we all started out with little financially, but Dallas ended up with his own company raising Turkeys and I my own company in Construction. Marian and Sherry both had their own successes in jobs they retired from.

Funny thing after our second child I learned what caused them and Dallas had to go thru Marian having 5 before he learned.  I never realized he was such a slow learner. That aside, they have a wonderful family.  WE are proud of our family also.

Looking DEEP, life is truly amazing. We all know we are fortunate to still be alive and not in assisted living. I am not quite ready for assisted living, but Sherry says she considers it a good idea. I tell her if they will allow me to work on the maintenance crew part time, I just might consider Joining her. LOL

 

Nite Shipslog

PS: 

WE are on the downhill run that is for sure.  I will try to let my son Jack know to tell you guys why I don’t show up after my time comes.  I liked and appreciated knowing when Jean of Opp and Paula of Texas didn’t show up with blog entries. Jean’s sweet daughter Sheila,  who told us of Jean’s passing, still drops by at times.

.

Memories for many have a lot to do with Christmas

 She wasn't a Christmas Gift, But the Lord did give me the BEST, that is for sure. I am blessed she is still with me after nearly 70 years (the girl is tough).

SO for now:

I do not remember many of my Christmas presents, BUT I do remember how excited I was at Christmas time. For one thing we got out of school for a couple weeks. J

There is a great feeling in the air this time of the year. It is special.   I know that the time is special because of the Lord’s birth and that speaks LOUDly for sure.

I am not sure of your churches, but for most of my childhood churches had Christmas Plays. Not so much any more, but they were special to me.

We are now in Wildwood Florida.  We will be here only a week then move a few miles to Eustis, FL. Reservations are a little tough down this way. But for a good point, we have son Mark’s front yard to stay in when no reservations are available.  It is good to have a ‘spare tire.’

My best gift once was our sole support when I was out of work for a few months.  She has always worked when not having babies ;-). She worked in a sock mill first, and later as a secretary and clerk.

When I was unpacking in the last NC move, I found at over 12  awards and commendations for her work over the years.

I have been a little tired after the ‘down to Florida’ trip. This is the most ‘down’ I have ever felt after the long drive.  I guess reaching my 87^th birthday (in about 30 days) has something to do with that.

All that aside I hope your season is truly “MERRY AND BRIGHT”. Honestly, I do love a white Christmas, but I will not miss it. When you are raised in NC, you do not see snow often..

I hope to be here more than in the recent past. On the road there are not as many distractions.

Nite Shipslog

PS.    AGAIN. I Just want to say thanks for reading this stuff.

The trip was not completely smooth, but …..

 

GGranddaughter Palmer just a little after birth, she is a smiler 

SO for now:

…but it wasn’t bad except the sun was in our eyes much of the time.  I do hate to complain about the sun since we had missed it for so long. LOL

However, I guess, for driving near 500 miles in 10-11 hour at this age ain’t bad. I didn’t even hit another car (that I know of) or wreck the RV.

WE left our back yard in NC and landed in Leesburg FL at Son Mark’s front yard.  We have reservations in Wildwood, FL in a couple days. Reservations are hard to get now. I thought that Covid scare a few years ago would cut down the traveling, but it nearly doubled. I think maybe some folks thought safer in their own trailer or RV than motels/hotels.

We are enjoying the 70s and warm weather. We like this area and are familiar here having lived within a 5 mile radius of here for a few years.

 

Sherry  and Palmy now 8 months old. Pamy is not the youngest in the family but my girl is the oldest, and they are both beautiful!

A plus was Grandson Luke and family stopped by today on their way to Canaveral and a cruise. They brought Mark’s new granddaughter, Palmer (Palmy) and he got to enjoy her. She is now 8 months and the best little thing. We went out to eat and she sat in a highchair the entire time and never whimpered once.  She smiled and looked around and enjoyed herself. That was amazing.

Thanks for stopping by. We are enjoying the break. BUT REMEMBER….

Aging is like owning a classic car. In order to keep looking good, you'll need more than a few tune-ups and a fresh coat of paint.

Nite Shipslog

PS.    Just wanted to say thanks for reading this stuff.

One more: mommy holding Palmy with daddy Luke in the back ground...

I have a pic of Jenna, the smiling mama and Mark the happy grand dad but cannot find them.

Things around here are cold but looking better

 

Above was shot from the coach in Texas, We have  beautiful country and are never bored traveling...

SO for now:

It appeared we would not get the land transfer done on our moves, and we would have to leave Jack Jr as a power of attorney.  HOWEVER we received a call from our attorney’s secretary, come on down and sign, the documents are ready.

Sherry was looking forward to the visit there because the office is in one of the oldest 3 story buildings in Belmont. One reason was she wanted to go was to ride the antique elevator from the turn of the early 1900’s.  It is still safe, but you see the insides of the walls as you travel up and down and you must close the door yourself.

WE almost have this place ready to leave it for our winter in Florida.

I, for one, am ready to get on the road, and the trip south. ALSO, I am looking forward to shopping for another RV.  This one gas powered, I miss the diesel RVs we have used the longest. Hearing as most know is one of my biggest problems. A gasoline engine is in the front of an RV but the diesels are mostly in the rear.  They are called diesels pushers.  Therefore, I am not bothered by engine noise.

Sherry is READY to head south and mainly due to the fact cold weather does not suit her and if she can avoid it she B happy.

WE have wintered in Texas, Florida and Arizona, and have enjoyed them all.

Taken near GAllop Texas, a great ride. This was in 2020 methinks.

Nite Shipslog