I still Hope so..... and ....another mule story.

Good evening everyone. This chapter is sort of a duel purpose one. SO....kick back and relax while you read. You can take off your shoes if your feet are clean. ( :-D ) I'm taking orders for refreshments so let me know. My specialty is still Mint Julep though. Before I take off on this story I want to add an addendum to the last post. One thing I left out is a word heard commonly in our society and it has everything to do with hope, or the lack of hope. I know so very many people that can relate to this. It's call 'depression' and it's a debilitating problem to deal with. I know because I've fought it for a long time. If it weren't for my shrink I might not have made it this far. Let me hasten to add that loss of hope isn't the cause for ALL depression. Sometime one loses hope because of the depression. It is a common factor though and they go hand in hand with other. OK...on to something else. Next chapter will start on the next word in this short series. I had an interesting conversation not long ago and had a request for more stories about my old arch enemies, the mules. It's been many chapters since I mentioned them, so if you're not familiar with the chapters on them you should go back and catch up. This story is based in fact. My first cousin and best friend when growing up was Buddy. His nickname of course. Buddy and I were pretty much inseparable when young. Come to think of it, I'll have to post about Buddy later. An interesting character if I've ever known one. Anyway, I'm off of my subject. On this particular day Buddy and I were in the back of the farthest field, He with the Black mule and me with the Red one. It was a day in early June and the cotton I was plowing was about ten to twelve inches high. Buddy was plowing an area that had not long ago been cleared for planting, but was not yet ready. We called it 'new ground'. The day was beautiful but hot and we didn't want to be there, but the mules wanted to be there less than we. As I was trudging along behind the mule and feeling sorry for myself ( :-D ) I suddenly heard such a clatter that I looked up to see what was the matter. I heard that lyric somewhere lately. The problem was clear as soon as I looked up. The spectacle was Buddy running along behind the Black mule as fast as He could. It seems that it was a stampede. The Black mule had decided to go to the barn and had broken into a dead run in that direction. Buddy, it seems, had wrapped the reins around his wrist. I laugh now as I recall the sight. There went Buddy, taking strides about twenty feet long trying hard to keep up and not fall. All the time though, He was working just as hard to get the reins unwrapped from his wrist. While all this was happening the plow He was using (called a scratcher) was bouncing up and down and all over the place. As I stood watching this in amazement, mouth hanging open, it suddenly struck me as one of the funniest things I'd witnessed to that point in my young life. (about sixteen years of it at that point) As the pair of them went racing by all I could do was stand there and laugh my head off...along with other parts of my anatomy. I still think it was one of the funniest things ever. Even Buddy can chuckle about it now, but it took him a long time to get to that point. After tying my mule to a tree in the shade, I ran to join Buddy that was hurriedly striding along the dirt road. After catching up with him I immediately saw that keeping quiet was a good policy at that point in time. Which is what I did. I didn't think He could be more angry till we came into sight of the barn. There stood the old Black mule, patiently standing at the gate waiting for someone to let him in. I then realized that it was possible for Buddy to be more angry. As a matter of fact, I began to be afraid He would burst a blood vessel or blow his cork, or whatever was going to happen. When He finally began to speak He....well....I shan't repeat what was said, but believe me when I say it was a work of art and took great imagination. Thus were the life and times of Mike and Buddy in the days we look back upon and call "the good old days". .............And so it went..........

I certainly Hope so....... (first word)

Good evening everyone, and welcome to this chapter. I'm honored and flattered that you would once again take time from your busy lives (especially this time of year) to visit this blog. So, let me welcome you in. Sit, relax and let me know what you want for refreshment and it'll be served right up.
In the very first post to this blog I made clear my purpose for starting and continuing this endeavor. Let me repeat it so you won't have to look all the way back to recall it. My stated purpose was/is to offer hope and encouragement to all who read. To this point I've mostly dedicated myself to letting everyone get to know me a bit. Of course there is still much most don't know. Over time though you will. I begin now mixing the chapters a bit to accomplish that.
In the last chapter I said that there were three words which I'd like to talk a bit about. This post will be on the first of those. This is something I know something about, mostly because I've been to the extreme on both sides of this word. The word for this chapter is..(drum roll)... HOPE. A very simple word which we all use pretty much daily and mostly without thinking about it. A word we tend to use rather freely. I've done a bit of research about it. The dictionaries I've consulted describe it as (I'll paraphrase a bit here) "an expectation of achieving something or of something coming to pass". I've thought long and hard about how to write this (and continue to do so) and realize that I'll have to write it from my own perspective. Hope is thought to be different things by different people. To everyone it has a different significance and value. So, from my perspective, here goes. I can think of very few things that is more important. To a person in combat it has a huge significance. I can tell you that the sound of a helicopter is like a sound from heaven itself. I can say that, to a cancer patient (been there) Hope has a vast importance. It means the continuation of life itself. I can say that to someone that's lonely it has a wonderful meaning. In that respect it springs eternal (so to speak). To someone that's watched a loved one slowly wilt and die before your eyes it has an even different value. To someone that is wrestling with a hard and difficult career it means something better at some point. To someone that's gone through a bitter divorce it means life afterward. To someone that has been so very stressed that they can barely make it from day to day hope has a very special significance. I stated a bit ago that I'd be writing this from a personal perspective since it's the only one I know. That's what I'm doing. I've had all those experiences I've described. In the year two thousand one I was going through or had just gone through many of the things I just described. It was at that time I lost all hope that anything would ever be better. I became suicidal because of that loss. I was hospitalized for a short time then began seeing a therapist and continue to do so. It's the reason I'm still here and writing this. I've come to know that to remove someones hope is to end their life. I can say with certainty that if one has no hope they won't allow themselves to continue to live. Everyone reading this can relate to some degree to what I've said. Everyone can recall times in your life when hope was dim or gone. Although that be true, only those that have been without hope can know the anguish brought on by the total loss of hope. I believe that Solomon said it best in Ecclesiastes chapter nine verse four. I won't write out the verse here so you'll have to look it up for yourselves. It says "where there is life there is hope". Also, Jeremiah said in Lamentations chapter three verses twenty one through twenty six, that we are all (whether we acknowledge it or not) totally dependent on God. Being dependent on God is what gives us eternal hope. Sorry, you'll have to look that one up too. Let's face it. Without that hope that comes from God we're all fighting a losing battle. Let me say before I stop and crawl into bed that I now have hope out the waa zoo. (that taken from the movie 'over the hedge') ( :-D ) To conclude this I'll give you something I've learned over the years. While Solomon is absolutely right that 'where there is life there's hope' the reverse of that sentence is also true. Where there is hope there's life too. Ask anyone that's lost or almost lost either. .........And so it goes...........

Three crucial words that give life meaning......

Good evening all! Thank you once again for showing up to check out this chapter. It's a bit past my bedtime so I shall not linger long on this post. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the next several posts on this blog. I promise if you come back you'll learn something and leave encouraged. If that's what happens I'll have accomplished what I started out to do. Again, since it' s now past my bedtime and my eyelids are heavy I'm going to leave it at that for now with the promise that I'll be back very soon to continue what I started tonight. I'll look forward to seeing you again soon. ........and so it goes.........

The nomad wanderer............

Good Morning everyone...I bet the morning part threw you all off your stride, huh? It's uncommon to have morning posts. At any rate, welcome to this, another chapter in the life. I'm pleased to announce that since the last post I've taken yet another trip. I departed on the ninth of this month, spent the weekend in Jacksonville, Fl. and visited the Church My deceased wife and I used to attend. I was fortunate enough to find friends there that I haven't seen in about three decades. They are doing well I'm pleased to say. On Monday the eleventh I left there and headed south for sunny south Florida. There I spent three marvelous days and nights with my wonderful nephew and his beautiful wife. Let me hasten to say here that, while she is very beautiful on the outside, Her true beauty is on the inside. Brad and Mandy are truly blest to have found each other in this crazy, mixed up world. While there I visited Ft. Lauderdale, the sight of many adventures for a blond young boy that was wide eyed with the world around him. I did indeed identify the exact spot that the boy directed traffic for a short time. I also was able to identify the spot that some young boys were picked up by the police and taken home to their certain doom. ( :-D ) I was also blest to meet up with a wonderful friend and her family for dinner. What a joyous occasion that was. I look forward to a lifelong friendship with them. In all I drove about two thousand miles. It was a trip I'd looked forward to for many, many years. I have to say here that it was a complete success. Well, until I got back into Birmingham. It took two very long and draining hours just to get through that unfortunate city. It seems that about eighty percent of the people in that metropolis don't know that the left lane is for passing and the right lane is for traveling. It makes for a tough drive. OK, I'm off of my soap box! To answer a question that has been posed to me more than once. Yes, I did indeed go alone. I played many CDs and sang to my hearts content. (I kept the windows up on my truck so no one could hear) Anyway, that's the latest on the life about which you've read so much. I've been asked for more mule stories so I'll post another chapter or two about those cursed animals. ...........And so it went............

Yea, tho I walk thru the valley of Misconception.....

Good evening everyone, and thank you for taking the time from your busy lives to visit. I know that this time of year is especially tough for some, and sadly so. I was just explaining to someone that I don't get involved in the commercialism of Christmas, but prefer to watch as others race through their lives in a desperate attempt to accomplish all that's expected of them. To that I say "Bless their little hearts"!!! Ok, Ok...Enough Mike. Get on with the post! Anyway, welcome and pull up a chair, ask for your favorite drink and relax as you read.
This particular chapter is about living life in a swirl of misconceptions. As we walk through our lives we tend to be labeled by those around us. Hopefully in small ways but labeled nonetheless. The last couple of days I've been working to recall the times in my life that I've been labeled with a misconceived idea. Here are the conclusions I've come to on the subject. (One) Misconceptions come in all shapes and sizes. (Two) They come from people in every walk of life and social status. (Three) No matter where they come from or what the misconception is it affects our life in some way, and it's usually in a negative one. (Four) When a misconception is formed it's almost impossible to change it to what is the truth. Partly because it's very hard to find out that it exists and partly because it's in the mind of another person and we human beings tend to believe what we choose to believe. Since it's mostly impossible to change another persons mind the misconception lives on and thrives in fertile soil till it becomes a permanent fixture. I've also considered the times that I have had misconceptions. Of course it's nigh impossible to count the total times but I can recall some of the times I've nursed misconceptions. Speaking for me (since I'm the only one that can), the times I've developed a misconception is when I've looked at a part of the whole and decided that I knew the 'whole truth'. That is, in fact, where most are born. A really sad thing is, we miss out on so very much in life because we develop misconstrued lines of thought about someone or something, be it big or little. A misconception, in my humble opinion, isn't actually a 'lie', but is indeed very close kin. It's amazing how quickly a misconception can become a full blown lie, simply by the expression thereof. I wish I could truthfully deny having ever done that, but alas, I cannot. A good example of the misconception is how political ideas are planted in the minds of voters. They are then mulled over for a few seconds then develop into grown up lies. The better example though, is when we (you and I) see a part of something and assume it to be the whole and then assume that it's the total truth when, in fact, it is not. Ok, Ok. I'll stop. Before I stop completely let me encourage you to, before you make up your mind as to the truth, pursue the whole picture and find out the whole story. In doing so it will make life so much easier for you and those that are being misconceived. .........And so it goes.............

Maggie........

Good evening everyone. I know I've been missed so I won't ask if I have. ( :-D ) Since it's late and the kitchen has been cleaned I'm not going to offer refreshments, but you're welcome to supply your own. At any rate, pull up a chair, sit back and take in another chapter.
I've stated in past posts that I am indeed a very blessed man. Blessed, I might add, beyond what I deserve. Tonight, I talk about one of those blessings. Her name is Maggie and she's my oldest granddaughter, being ten and a half years of age. (let us not forget the half) She and her youngest brother are here visiting with me for a few days. I'm not sure I could handle Brody if Maggie were't here, so thanks Maggie. More on Brody later. Now, more on Maggie. The older Maggie gets the prettier she gets. As she grows physically she also is becoming more and more of a little lady. Also as she grows on the outside she is growing at a remarkable rate spiritually. Maggie is, without doubt, the most kind hearted and gentle young lady I know. She reminds me greatly of her Mom when her Mom was that age. Maggie is someone you just love to be around. Partly because she's just very likeable. Partly because she has just a gentle spirit and soul. Partly because she has so much compassion. I've thought the last few days about this post and how I was going to put it all down in print. The one thing one has to look out for with Maggie is the depth of the questions she poses from time to time. Sometime the questions she asks require that I give considerable thought about how to answer. The depth of the questions she asks gives me great pride in her intellect and the decernment God has put in her heart. It also tends to keep my on my toes as I endouver to give the best answer I can, and hopefully the right one. One of the things I look forward to is watching Maggie grow from the ten year old she is now to the woman of God she is to become. Watching God use the gentleness and Love that she has so much of to His own purpose. Just a bit about why I'm so greatly blessed ............And so it goes..........

Ellas......

Good evening everyone. Welcome to this chapter. Pull up a chair and place your order, remembering of course, that it's five o'clock somewhere. ( :-D ) I'm pleased that you're taking time and stopping your life briefly to catch up on this blog. I started a short while back posting on the Grandchildren. I started, of course, with Ty. Now it's time to talk a bit about Ellas. Ellas is seven years old with boundless energy, thin and wiry and with an impish grin. One thing that I find remarkable about Ellas, besides his limitless energy, is that if one slows him down long enough the reward will be a hug. He is a very affectionate little guy and a smile is never very far from his face. Don't get me wrong. He does have his moments, but that simply makes him human like the rest of us. God has, it seems, blessed him with an infectious attitude. Anyone that's around him for very long can't help but smile a bit and find their spirits lifted somewhat. Of course he has a mischievous nature too. He enjoys aggravating his cousins some. Well, a lot actually, but again, that makes him human. Albeit, a very young and small one. Let me not forget to mention also that Ellas cannot stand to eat green beans. ( :-D ) The reason for the timing of this post is that about a week ago, after having been to the Pediatrician a couple of times, He was admitted to Children's hospital in Birmingham. I'm convinced, as is everyone else, that if he'd not been admitted His young life would have ended. Many many tests were administered and the final conclusion by the Doctors was that he had Stevens Johnson syndrome, or SJS. At the risk of over simplifying, he had a massive reaction to some medication or combination of medications that he'd been prescribed. He is now at home and improving daily. I believe that the reason he's still alive is because God answered many prayers. My thanks to the professionals at children's for their dedicated and tireless work. My thanks, most of all to Kim and Scott for being loving and diligent parents. I love you guys a lot!! In conclusion let me comment that in fifty seven years of life I've rarely encountered a child that sick that recovered. I was very scared. Thank you God for bring health to him once again. ..........And so it goes..........

A little known part of me............

Good evening and welcome! I'm so very pleased to have you drop in for a visit. It flatters me that you all would take time from busy schedules to drop in. So, come in, pull up a chair and order yourself something to drink. Relax while you read. The little known part that I'm going to tell about surprises most people when they hear about it. It's a part of my life that I remember fondly. Here it is..... In nineteen seventy two, when my wife and I had been married just over three years and Kim was two years old, I'd just gotten out of the Navy and was looking for a job. As much of a relief it was being out of the Military I found myself with a family and without a job. One day I was at the church that we attended and was ask to take some stuff to the 'home for children', not to be confused with the orphanage. This home for children was for children that had parents but the parents didn't want them, for whatever "reason". It was while I was there that I was offered a job. It was a job I'd never considered so I told them that I'd have to think about it. Of course, not having a job I thought about it a lot and very quickly. The conclusion I came to was that I'd give it a try. So....Try we did. After selling our house the next week we loaded up our worldly belongings and headed east. I still have difficulty believing we'd accumulated so much. ( :-D ) Upon arriving at the home we were assigned to a 'cottage' that housed sixteen little boys ranging from the ages of six to twelve. We were house parents, bless our hearts. We were there for about three months, until a visit to a doctor, where we received the news of the pregnancy. Yep. We were once again going to have a child. Crissy is the blessed result. Having that in our future, and knowing the problems my wife had with carrying a child I decided to, once again, move. While there though, we set about making memories that have stayed with me for these many years. I can still recall many of the names of the boys. There was a Roland, Paul, Petey, Wilson, Broadus, John and I'll have to get my old list out to recall the others. Since the names won't mean anything to you all I'll refrain. While there I was in charge of the running of the farm as well as the running of the house we were in. As one can imagine, there was never a dull moment. If you all want I can recall some of the moments that were most memorable. That was a time in my life that I'll never forget and often recall. Ok, I'll stop writing so I can go to bed. Before I go though, let me say that I often wonder about those little boys. They'd long since have grown into men now and have made their way into whatever avenues of life they've chosen. Sometime I think of trying to track them down but that never gets past the thinking stage. Anyway, now you know about a part of me that until now no one has known much about. Goodnight ..................And so it went.............

Welcome...........

Good morning everyone! Thank you again for popping in to read this chapter of this blog. Just a short post here.
I'd like to welcome a little lady to this big wide world. Her name is Sarah Kathryn and she is now about a month old. I won't say how cute she is since ALL babies are cute. I will say, however, that since she is my first, and so far only, great niece, that she is exceptional in every way. Welcome Sarah Kathryn to this world, such as it is. I promise here and now that I'll be the very best great uncle that I can be and will be there for you as God gives me the ability to do that. ................And so it goes................

The REAL "simple life"......

Good evening once again to everyone. I'm very pleased to have you taking your valuable time from your busy lives to read this edition of this blog. I have refreshments to offer. Just name what you want and it'll be served right up!
This particular chapter is about something quite wonderful I've observed over the years. Something that makes my heart smile. No...Not smile, but grin! It makes me want to laugh out loud and I often do when thinking of this. You all have seen or heard ( hopefully just heard about) the TV show named 'the simple life' starring those infamous and questionable "ladies" named Paris and Nicole. It is to me a horrendous show that should never have been considered for air time. So......without further ado, let me introduce the "real simple life". As I progress in life and hopefully maturity, I've come to know the real simplicity of the life of a child. It's a world filled with wonder at the things they experience. A world filled with awe because of the things they learn. I often spend a lot of time with young children, mostly my grandchildren. I never cease to be amazed at the things that brings them joy and brings laughter to their face. An experience such as just swinging in a tire swing. When I swing them in the tire swing I built for them I hear peals of laughter floating on the wind. That laughter can be heard all over the neighborhood. I see the joy brought about by simply taking a walk while they hold on to my hand. The joy of a wildflower as they stoop to examine it. The thrill of watching an insect as it buzzes through the air. The excitment when they see someone they love holding out their arms for them to run into. Oh for the real simple life that we all seem to lose a part of as we get older and more exposed to the world in which we live. Not the mockery of the 'simple life' as shown on tv. As I ponder the world of a child I'm reminded of the song by Louis Armstrong "What a wonderful world". A very fitting tribute to a child's world it seems to me. Sing it Louis! ............And so it goes..........

"The whirling dervish" or "How the beltway was conquered".

Good evening everyone. I apologize for the lateness of this post and recognize the tardiness of posting to my blog. My only excuse is that I've been super busy. Hey, it's the most convenient excuse I can come up with on short notice. ( :-D ) The title of this chapter of the blog is, I know, a bit confusing but the truth is it's your choice. Believe me when I say that either title will fit well. This particular chapter is about the 'vacation' I took with my oldest brother, Jerry. What an experience, and I add quickly, one that I don't intend to repeat. (unless I completely lose the rest of my mind)
We started the trip at about seven p.m. and drove until we reached out destination at roughly four a.m. Upon reaching Lynchburg, VA. We promptly slept until eleven a.m. What a start to a vacation, huh? After visiting with my nephew and his charming wife for a day or two we then set off on a mind shattering three day tour of five states and the District of Columbia. The first day of the tour we hit Monticello and Gettysburg, and before you say anything, they are a couple of hundred miles apart. What we saw in those quick hours was mind numbing and meant to be seen in a much longer time. After seeing Gettysburg (and I use the word seeing loosely) We drove a couple more hours into Maryland where we spent the night. After rising early the next morning, having breakfast, etc. We then headed for D.C. I hardly know at this point how to describe that experience. After checking into our hotel we spent the waning hours of the day at the Holocost museum (about forty five minutes there) then on to the Smithsonian. Two whole hours I recall it being. Then it was back to the hotel and a quick nights sleep. The next morning we were again up early, had breakfast then headed out to catch the subway to Arlington. We spent a whole hour there glancing at what should take a whole day to see. Then it was on to the National mall where we took in the Lincoln memorial. At that point Jerry and I parted ways for a bit. After a hurried visit there I walked to the Korean war memorial then on down the mall to the World war II memorial. What a magnificent sight to behold. Breathtaking really. Then it was on to the Washington monument where Jerry and I once again met up. Let me interject here that I'm working hard to recall the events because I don't generally think as fast as things actually transpired. Day three came and we were on to Richmond where we saw St. James Episcopal Church, then on to Appomatix. Both of those places amid the five hour drive back to Lynchburg. By that time I was pretty much numb and ready to get back home. Thinking back on it I can't believe I survived as well as I did. Those kind of experiences only happen in the movies I thought. Well, I stand corrected. I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't had a front row seat for the whole thing. Now the good news. I did, indeed, survive and am back. I'll write more on the subject later, but for now, I'm off to bed. Goodnight all..... .........And so it went..........

Packing up and heading out........

Good afternoon. Yeah, I bet the afternoon part caught you all off guard, huh? Anyway, a short post to say I'll be gone on a trip for a week starting tomorrow, but as General Douglas said, "I shall return". Please don't sit around waiting for me to get back. ( :-D ) When I do get back I'll have some more exciting materal to blog about. That just so you'll be in breathless anticipation. ..............And so it is.............

Remembering Dennis.........

Good morning to all and thank you for taking valuable time from your day and from your life to read this post. I'll keep this one short since it's way past my bedtime. I'd offer you all something to drink but you're all asleep I suppose. ( :-D )
This post is about someone I've already written about once. I bet you all remember my post about my brother Dennis. As I write this, it being the twelfth of October, Dennis would if still alive, be sixty years old as of the tenth. As I write this and as I've thought about this a lot in the last few days I wonder what he'd have gone through and what he'd have become. I know that it's been forty three years since his last birthday but I'd like to say that I still miss him even after all this time. One can't lose a best friend as well as brother without being greatly affected for the rest of one's life. I plan to think of him every day and give God thanks for giving him to me for the fourteen years I had him.
Since it's now past my bedtime I'll conclude....... ...........And so it goes..........

Ty

Good evening everyone. Welcome once again to this blog. Go ahead and make yourselves at home. Kick back and relax. I'll get you're drinks and some snacks while you peruse this post.
This post this evening is about someone very special to me and just plain very special in every way. I'm guessing that you've figured out who it is from the title, right? Ty (that's short for Tymon) is my eight year old grandson. Oh yeah, he just reminded me that he's going to be nine in less than two weeks. I recall how important that is when one is eight, almost nine. Ty just happens to be the image of my brother Dennis. You remember, I posted about him several months ago, about his life and his death at the age of seventeen. The older Ty gets the more he looks like Dennis and has so very many of the same characteristics. Now, at this point, I'm going to adknowledge that I'm a bit predisposed to being super proud of Ty. That said and out of the way I'll continue. Ty is a very handsome and very intelligent young boy. He is a thinker and tends to be kind and gentle and tender hearted. When faced with something that he doesn't understand he first takes some time to think through what he does know, then asks the most intelligent questions. An example is, when studying electricity in school he would sit and think for a long period of time, then he'd come to me and ask questions that I found to be remarkable. The questions would have been average for a freshman in college. I'd then go over electrical theory, concentrating on the questions he'd ask. I would marvel at his curiosity and hunger to learn everything he could. As a companion, someone to spend time with and do things with, he is once again remarkable. Always very polite and considerate of the feelings of those around him. Opening the door so those entering or departing through the door could pass through first. At eight years of age he has learned, among other things, all of the books of the Bible in the correct order. (this without singing them) I suppose you can tell by now how proud I am of Ty and rightfully so. I see God doing great things in Ty's life as he gets older and am proud and thankful to be a very close part of such a wonderful work in progress! I'm going to be posting about the other grandchildren as time goes on. ............And so it goes...........

A night on the town........

Good Evening everyone, and welcome to another edition of my blog. I seem to settling back in to the routine of posting in the evening, but I know you won't mind that. Step up and tell me what you want to drink and I'll have it for you in a jiffy. I have tea, milk and water. Take your drink and settle in for this edition. So...Sit back and enjoy this, another story in a thus far long and satisfying life, a life which just happens to be the one I've lived.
Let me say before I start this that it is indeed a true story. That said I'll begin. The setting for this story is in Ft. Lauderdale. The date was in or around 1953 at which time I was the ripe old age of four years old. We lived on Davie Blvd. Not too far from State road seven. My Dad, being a builder, was in the process of building a new house for us in front of the house that we lived in. I remember it well. It was a huge house as the neighborhood went. It had four bedrooms and two bathrooms, which may not sound like much today, but in the 1953 neighborhood in which we lived it was a marvel. I can still see it in my minds eye. Ok, enough of the house. When my Dad had the house almost done, ie. Windows and doors in place and locks installed, etc. My two older brothers and a first cousin decided that they wanted to "camp out" in the house one night. Of course I wanted to be a part of that too. The cousin was the oldest, being about nine years old, my oldest brother being about eight, the next oldest brother was about seven. I remember about nine or ten o'clock being taken to the house with bedrolls, pillows and other such things and being told to stay inside till they came to get us the next morning. I then remember all of us talking and giggling about the adventure we were on. The next thing I recall everyone had waked up and was talking. It appeared to be rather light outside so the powers that be concluded that it was daylight. Actually, it was the street lights shining in the windows. The two oldest delegated the seven year old to slip outside, slip up to the house, find out what time it was, then come back and report what he'd found out. So....The seven year old slipped out the door, (the same one we'd been forbidden to leave out of till morning) eased up to the house, looked at the clock through a window, then came back and reported to us that it was indeed about daylight. He said that it was six thirty in the morning. What everyone of the powers that be failed to consider was, the seven year old hadn't yet learned to tell time. He had, it seemed, simply guessed. After careful consideration and much discussion it was decided by the elders of the group that since it was almost time for breakfast we'd take an early morning stroll. We then started out of the door (yep, the same forbidden door) then the elders noticed how dark it still was. Not stopping to consider that a mistake had been made in the intelligence report made by the seven year old they wisely, or not so wisely, as the case may be, decided to take something for protection. So....Back into the house we went, and straight to the tool box that was there. The oldest of the elders decided that he'd take a hachett (just for protection you understand). The second oldest of the elders decided that a crowbar would be good for the same aforementioned protection. The seven year old (the one that brought back the intelligence report) chose for himself a handsaw. I still haven't figured out how a handsaw was going to protect anything or anyone. After deliberating some the elders decided that I was too young to have a weapon for protection. I recall being disappointed but accepting. Having dispensed with the planning formalities we then set out on our 'stroll'. We started out on Davie Blvd. Then headed west toward State road seven. I'm not sure which of the elders was in charge of route planning so I won't spectulate on it. Regardless of the decision making processes we started out and soon was on State road seven, which was a very busy road, being the main artery north and south for Ft. Lauderdale. We had, as I recall, walked about two blocks headed south when a police car drove by headed north. It immediately made a U-turn and started back our way. The oldest of the elders at that point made the statement "They're coming after us", to which the second oldest of the elders said "they are not". The oldest one was right. The police car, with the two policemen came to a stop beside us. I don't recall much about the conversation but it went something like this. Policeman: What are you boys doing out here? One of the elders: Just taking a walk before breakfast. Policeman: You boys know it's only two o'clock in the morning, don't you? One of the elders: No sir. We thought it was six thirty (with a look at the seven year old) Policeman: What are you boys doing with the tools? One of the elders: We just brought them for protection. We wanted to be ready if someone jumped on us. Policeman: Well, now that we're here you won't need them so let me have them. The elders: Yes sir (handing the tools to the policeman). Policeman: (having retrieved the tools) You boys get into the back seat. One of the elders: Yes sir. We all at that point got into the back seat of the police car amid whispers of "I bet they take us to jail", and "I wonder what they're going to do to us". Then one of the policemen ask one of the elders "where do you boys live"? The second oldest elder then replied by telling them what our address was. I remember well the short ride back to our home. The police car drove into our driveway, stopped, then one of them got out, went to the door and knocked. After waiting for what seemed to be several hours my Dad came to the door. The conversation went something like this. Policeman: Sir, do you have some young boys? My Dad: Yes, we do. Policeman: Do you know where they are? My Dad: Yes, they're asleep in that house right there (indicating the house we'd been in). It was at that moment in time that my Dad happened to look at the police car and saw four little heads in the back seat. The policeman waved to his partner and we were told to unload and go to the house we were living in. I remember a sense of dread as I walked toward where my Dad was standing in the doorway. My two brothers went first, and as they walked into the house they were picked up and very soundly spanked. I had hopes that since I was so young that I'd be spared, but alas, it wasn't to be so. As I walked into the house I too was unceremoniously picked up and soundly spanked. The oldest elder, thinking that since he was only a cousin he'd escape the punishment, stood outside and laughed under his breath. As he approached the door though, he too was picked up and very soundly spanked. I've thought since that it was ironic because he also got a spanking from his Dad the next afternoon. There you have the story of the night on the city of Ft. Lauderdale in the year of our Lord Nineteen fifty three. Now, since the story is told, and you've read it and hopefully enjoyed it, I'm off to bed. Goodnight all. ............And so it went.............

The observations of an experienced American.

Good Evening everyone and welcome to another post of this blog. I decided when I started this blog that I would keep politics completely out of it, but have decided to make an exception. I wonder sometime if our form of government is still "of the people, by the people and for the people." It seems to me that 'politics as usual' has eroded the way of life that most Americans remember and used to enjoy. Politicians, it seems as a whole, has completely lost touch with Americans and their values. The very politicians we elect bend over backward to thrust liberal judges on us regardless of what the majority want. Our elected officials do so little as to be totally useless in the capacity in which they're supposed to be serving. To cite a few examples, our borders (especially the southern one) is a raw and open sore that makes the average American nauseous. The laws those politicians pass they refuse to enforce which makes them as useless as the politicians themselves. Another example is loyalty by certain officials to party politics. They seem to be more loyal to their own mind set and personal interests than they are to the welfare and well being of the country to which they owe so very much. To name names I'd have to start with the names of Kerry and Murtha. Two veterans which are a disgrace to the uniforms they wore. I wish it's wasn't known that they had served in the military. They are so intent on their own interests that they are willing to dishonor the President of the United States. To go a bit further, we had a President that was unwilling to serve in the military of which He became commander in chief. A man that openly dodged the draft when so many willingly left the life they knew to serve and are left to live with the scars. That I call cowardice. A man too that disgraced the oval office while the rest of the world laughed at him and us. Ok, I'll hush on the subject after making one observation. If the United States of America were a person it would take decades of therapy to bring a degree of health back to it. I now promise that this will be the one and only post of a political nature on this blog. Please forgive me but I feel strongly that this all needed to be said. We can take heart though. The God which so many are trying so hard to expel completely from our country stands with the ones that stand with and for him. He will never forsake us, so take heart. .........And so it goes...........

The party guy.......

Good morning all and welcome to the world of Mike. Such an exciting world it is too! Today, I was 'the' party guy'. Ellas and Gracie had their birthday party today and I was fortunate and privledged to attend. What a joy to see them and their siblings and most of their young friends enjoying themselves. If one likes to party, one needs watch the single digit people. Those little ones really know how to party. ( :-D ) It's amazing how much fun can be had from balloons. Popping them, blowing them up and then letting them go and watching them fly across the room, throwing them at each other. The list goes on. I had the opportunity to have my face painted by my ten year old granddaughter, Maggie, and my three year old grandson Brody. Maggie is quite the artist and I was very impressed with her work. Brody, on the other hand, was very intense and passionate with his work. He isn't talented in the arts though. ( :-D ) After the party was over we (Kim, Crissy and I) cleaned up then I took Ellas and Gracie to Walmart so they could pick out their birthday presents from me. Gracie chose a "Barbie" set that included a 'cell phone', purse, compact and something else that I don't remember. Ellas chose a star wars character set that included two figures of Darth Vader and three other characters I wasn't familar with. Ok, I'll stop with this story, but it was a very special day from start to the final finish. I know that sounds redundant but I like the way it sounds. ( :-D ) Since it's two in the morning I think I'll end this particular post and retire for the night, or what's left of it. ..............And so it goes...........

Checking in once more after a sabbatical

Good evening all. I'm back on again after taking a time away from blogger. Just wanted to take a break from some things. Blogging was one of them. I don't suppose many missed me, but for those that did, thanks. ( :-D )
I'm going to, in this short post, pose a question for meditation. Just something to think about, and here it is......Which is most important and helpful, to find the correct answers or to find the right questions? Think about it ......... And so it goes.

How the lieutenant skidded the waves....

Good evening and welcome to the world of Mike. I'm very happy to have you drop in and visit, so pull up a chair and order what you want. The drink of the evening of water, but if you want something stronger I'll add lemon. ( :-D ) At any rate, enjoy yourself. The story for this evenings post is about something that I actually witnessed. I can still see it in my minds eye as clearly as if it had just happened. When it occurred I couldn't believe my eyes and still have trouble believing it. This happened in the pacific ocean in the early seventies. (I think) The squadron I was serving in was deployed on a aircraft carrier. On that particular deployment our line officer was Lt. Jones. Let me describe Lt. Jones. He was a gung ho wannbe genius that sadly missed that aspiration. The one most impressed with Lt. Jones was Lt. Jones. Ok, Ok, enough about the star of our tale. Lt. Jones was a pilot on a A7 corsair attack aircraft. When that particular plane was built it cost about three and a half million dollars. Today's cost would be more like thirty million. What made that plane special was the top secret gear it had. (now declassified of course) Being a plane captain I had to be present on the flight deck during launch and recovery. This particular event happened during recovery. (the planes landing on the carrier) The A7 had a two glaring weaknesses, one of which I'll dwell on here. The corsair had very weak nose wheel steering, which is what is used to steer when taxiing. Of course there wasn't that much taxiing done since it was in the air most of the time. On this occasion Lt. Jones had just landed on the flight deck, raised his tailhook and started to taxi out of the way of the next plane landing. As He pushed forward on the throttle to start the plane moving the nose wheel steering jammed in the port (left) position. Since he was already on the very port side of the ship there was only one place he could go. YEP, you guessed it. Right over the side of the ship. We all stood in dumb amazement as the plane headed nose first over the side of the ship and into the depths of the pacific ocean. Now, you're all wondering at this point "what about the pilot", right? I just had an evil thought. How about I just end this story here and let you wonder.
( :-D ) Naw...I won't do that. Anyway, Lt. Jones "punched out" or deployed the ejection seat just as the plane was hitting the water and had turned upside down. The position of the plane is what saved his life, but it's also what made this so funny. As the 'rocket' from the ejection seat fired it sent him skidding across the water like a stone skidded on a pond. Imagine hearing the plane hit the water as we watched Lt. Jones skid like a rock across the waves for more than a quarter of a mile. As I remember it I can still see him bouncing off of the waves. It was, I believe, one of the funniest things I can ever recall having seen. We all just stood with mouths open for a few seconds before abruptly erupting into gales of laughter. Our thoughts at the time 'it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy'. The angel, the rescue helicopter which was always in the air during flight operations, headed out to pick him up, and successfully retrieved him from the water no worse for wear. (just very stiff, sore and embarrassed) Needless to say, we weren't allowed to discuss the event in his presence. Needless to say also, we talked about it A LOT when he wasn't around. I'm very pleased to have witnessed that but I'm also glad that he wasn't hurt seriously. .........And so it went.........

Wisdom for the wise.......

Hi again. I just finished posting and forgot to include this. It's something that occurred to me as I thought and meditated about life and how we live it. For me it was profound, and I hope it gives you something to think about it. Here it is. Today is yesterday's tomorrow! Ok, read it and contemplate. Once again .........And so it goes..........

"Ouch" He said with a smile.........

Good evening to everyone on this wonderful Saturday evening! Welcome to this post of this man's blog. I hope you enjoy it and invite you to pull up a chair and relax. Since it's a bit past the proper time for it I won't offer you one of my famous mint juleps, but do come back another time and it'll be on the menu. ( :-D )
I can tell what's going through your mind...It's "what kind of title is that"? Actually, it's one of thankfulness and celebration. As some of you know, and as the rest of you will know very shortly, I was in a head-on collision just over three years ago. (July four, two thousand and three) If you want to know the full story you'll need to go back over this blog and find the details listed in other places. In the course if the wreck I sustained twenty five broken bones, among various and sundry other injuries (which we won't go into now). The most severe being having to have a 'fake' elbow, which gives me pretty much full use of my left arm. Having said that let me say quickly that I'm very thankful for the metal elbow and consider myself blest because of it. Ok, Ok. The ground work laid, let me continue. I've been, for three years, trying to get back the stamina I used to have. The ability to do the things I would like to do without becoming so tired I couldn't function. This past week I was able, for the first time, to work a full week mostly consisting mostly of full days. I'm thrilled about it but with certain reservations. My arm is doing great. (which has been the main concern for most) The 'ouch' part of the title comes from my right knee. It is very sore and causes some pain though I'm able to do anything I want. This is, for me, a breakthrough in a comeback that has been for me a monumental achievement. Since I'm going to live till the year two thousand and fifty I have to work to stay in the best shape possible, huh? (that'll only make me 101 years old) Ok, I'll stop. Just wanted to let all of my favorite people know of my success in making a comeback. .........And so it goes.......

The rebirth of a dream.....

Good evening everyone, and thank you for taking valuable time from your lives to check out this blog. Come on in, relax and make yourself at home while you read this post. Since it's so late on a Sunday night I'll only offer you a snack, but browse around and find what you like. ( :-D )
Ok, Ok...I'll explain the title. I'm finally going to have the opportunity to began doing some traveling again. It's long been a passion of mine, taking trips to different places, seeing different things, meeting different people. Of course, sometime I make return trips when the experience of the trips warrants it. For many years I looked forward to doing a bit of traveling, but for various and sundry reasons wasn't able to do so. Now, with my children grown and independent, my finances in somewhat better shape and being alone again I have that opportunity once again. Beginning the third week of next month I'll be off to Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan. My Mom and two of her sisters are going along to visit with the sister they have close to Toledo. After staying there a couple of days I'll venture forth and do some sightseeing. I'm even (I hope) going to cross over into Canada, thus adding another country to the list of countries I've been to. I am certainly looking forward to the trip. Then, in October my brother Jerry and I are heading out to Virginia to visit with Jerry's son Jason. While there we're talking about taking a couple of days and going into D.C. and poke around there a bit. Another trip I'm looking forward to. Then, in November, I'm heading south to Jacksonville, FL. For a day or two. (with maybe a stopover in Savannah, who knows) Since I used to live in Jacksonville there is much I want to see. After that couple of day stop I'm off further south to sunny south Florida. I'm going to stay a little while with my nephew Brad and his lovely life Amanda. (I'd better clue them in to the visit, huh?) I'm betting things have changed a bit since I moved away from there in nineteen fifty eight, ya think? After that head north making stops in various places to see cousins along the way. The trip back is probably going to take three to four days. What fun!!! This is a dream I've long had, to be able to take some trips, now God has blest me with the privledge to do so. Ok, Ok! I'll stop talking about it. At least for now. You can believe this....I'm more thankful than I can say for this chance. If I were a nice guy I'd invite you along but...I'm not that nice. ( :-D ) ..........And so it goes...........

The "wannabe"

Good afternoon! Yes, I'm actually posting this in the afternoon. Ya'll come on in, pour yourself a drink, pull up a chair and have a seat. This post is about something I'd forgotten about till Kim and Crissy reminded me of it. Of course they weren't there but I'd told them the story a long time ago. Actually I recall the story once in a while but I just never thought to post it.
The setting for this story is Fort Lauderdale in or around the year of our Lord nineteen fifty three. I was at the time about four years old of course. Being pre-school and having two older brothers, school was for me a mystery. I could hardly wait till I was able to 'go to school'. Most every morning I accompanied Jerry and Dennis (the older brothers) for a couple of blocks as they started their walk to school. I was allowed to go as far as their first street crossing. When we arrived at that particular crossing Jerry and Dennis had to wait till the crossing guard found a break in traffic and stopped the cars. When they began to cross the street I returned home. In the mind of that four year old boy the job of crossing guard was the ultimate in jobs. It was fascinating to see the man step into the street, hold up his hands toward the oncoming cars, then watch the traffic come to a slow and smooth stop. He then would step back onto the sidewalk and "allow" the cars to start moving again. Wow! What a guy to have the 'ability' to do that. To that young mind it was almost supernatural. Therefore, on one weekend day, I left my house with a mission in mind. The house we lived in was set back off of the street a bit, so I walked up the driveway to the street, stopped and waited on a break in traffic. Then the four year old calmly stepped out into the street and held up his arms toward the oncoming cars and BEHOLD, the cars all stopped, though not as smoothly as I'd hoped. (there was a lot of screeching of tires) As I stood there (though a bit disappointed at all the noise) I was completely gratified by the 'power' I had to stop the traffic. While standing there with my arms still outstretched I was very suddenly and very rudely yanked straight up into the air. In my twisting and squirming I'd caught a glimpse of my Dad holding me up by one arm. To steal a line from "Winnie the Pooh" His face was like a black rain cloud. It was at that point that I figured out that I was in very big trouble. I've mentioned that our house was set back off of the road, but I didn't realize just how far till I started getting spanked the whole way back. I didn't understand what all of the 'fuss' was about at that time, but figured it out later when I saw how dangerous it was. I can only imagine the fear that must have gripped the heart of my father when he saw me standing there with traffic stopped and a big smile on my face. Thus were the adventures of a very young "wannabe" crossing guard. ..........And so it went.........

The shadow of a.....Life!

Good evening and thank you for stopping by. I'm happy to see you. Grab a seat and I'll fix you something to eat. (yes, I'm a good cook) Now just enjoy your meal as you read this post. ( :-D )
Something was said to me a couple of days ago that started me thinking. I don't particularly agree with what was said but I was very flattered to have it said to me. The line of thought the statement provoked was this: How big is the shadow that I cast? A funny thing to wonder, huh? By that I mean, as I go about my life day by day what do I leave in my wake? (a wake, for those that might not know, is the trail left behind a ship) Does what I leave behind me make life a little brighter for the persons left there? Whether we know it or not we all make a difference in our world. Maybe the difference is subtle, maybe it's very visible. I was working at the professional building of a hospital today and decided I was going to give everyone I met a smile and a polite "Hi" or "Hello". I was pleasantly surprised with the response. Even though there were things that didn't go well, and some even went downright badly, I continued my quest to smile and cause smiles. It was fun. Along with all of that I've been giving a lot of thought to my world. The questions I ask myself is: Are the people in my world better off and happier because of my being in their lives? Another one is: are the people that I see each day in whatever capacity going to remember me to any degree? Will they immediately forget me? Or will the memory of my cause a frown? Or will the memory of me bring a smile? Or will their memory of me be that of indifference? In other words, what is the size and shade of the shadow I cast in my world as I go about living my life? I shall be pondering this question for a while and have decided to ask the questions often of myself. It's a way of holding myself accountable. Can I recommend that each person that reads this do something along the same lines? Maybe we cannot change the world and how it's operated, but we can change the part of the world that makes up where we live. ..............And so it goes.............

Wrestling with.........Whatever?

Good evening. It's nine fifteen p.m. in the Heart of Dixie, sweet home Alabama. I have, it seems, survived another birthday. I suppose that's to be expected since I'm going to live till I'm one hundred and one years old. That would make my death occurring at some point after the middle of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and fifty. ( :-D ) Let me interject here that I'm looking forward to every day till that time. Ok, enough of that. Let me now relate an event that happened somewhere around the beginning of the decade of the seventies. My friend, Mike Swartz, with whom I was serving in the Navy with at the time was working in a shop in Attack Squadron eighty six. The shop He was working in was called QA. Nope, that doesn't stand for question answer. It stood for Quality Assurance. Mike's job, along with the other guys in the shop was to do periodic inspections of work performed on the aircraft to insure that the work done met the standards set by the Department of the Navy. Enough of that that though. There was in that shop with Mike a guy (I can't recall his name) that was into professional wrestling. Maybe it would be better to say that he was obsessed with it. He not only didn't believe it wasn't fake, he'd pretty much fight anyone to prove that it was absolutely real. He of course had his favorite(s) and followed each "fight" with great interested. It was also his favorite thing to talk about. Maybe that's the reason he ate lunch alone so often. ( :-D ) Anyway, I digress. This sailor one day began asking Mike to attend a wrestling match at the civic center in Jacksonville, FL. On a particular night. Maybe 'asking' isn't the right word. The better word would be badgering. After a week or so of this Mike finally told him that ok, he'd go with him but only this once. As it turned out once was all that was available. From this point on I'll relate the facts as closely as I can recall Mike's telling of them. After arriving at the civic center they entered the area in which the aforementioned match would take place. Having arrived early they obtained seats on the floor and on the aisle and about 10 rows from the ring in which the 'fights' would be held. After a wait of almost an hour the announcer finally took the microphone and announced the order of fights and the participants of said fights. Ok, to make a long post a bit shorter I'll go straight to the good part. It was about the third or fourth match that Mike's friends favorite wrestler was scheduled. This particular wrestler happened to be the "good guy" persona wrestler and badly lost the match, the "bad guy" persona winning by an landslide. Oh yeah, He won by "cheating". Mike's friend, having seeing all of this, was by the end of the match in a total rage. At that point in time the favorite was laying in the ring groaning. (chuckle chuckle) Here came the bad guy winner strutting down the aisle toward his dressing room. As he approached Mike's seat, the friend, not being able to contain himself any longer, jumped to his feet, grabbed the folding chair in which he'd been sitting, folded it and hit the unsuspecting 'wrestler' on the head. I know, I know. Wrestlers get hit with those chairs all the time, but this time this particular guy was hit across the forehead with the edge, not the flat part. Now, I don't want to sound bloodthirsty but blood did go everywhere. The friend was "wrestled" to the floor by security and eventually taken to jail. The wrestler, it turned out, had a severe concussion and a fractured skull. He was out of the ring for several months. Our skipper (commanding officer) had to go the next day and get his sailor out of jail. He was able to "wrestle" jurisdiction from the civil authorities and exercised discipline himself, part of which was being forbid ever going to another wrestling match as long as he was in that command. Oh the woes we bring on ourselves. Needless to say, we never let Mike or the friend live down the event. .........And so it went..........

A Celebration of life.....

Good Evening. Yep, I'm back to evening posts, at least for a little while. At least I'm posting and that's a lot. My grandson, Brendan, ask today why I hadn't been posting. I didn't know what to tell him except that I'd been extraordinarily busy with life. Some good stuff too. Very soon I'm going to begin once again taking some trips. I have a passion for traveling. I love to see new places, meet new people and experience new things. It's just plain fun. I'm thinking of buying a pull behind camper and taking some camping trips. Wow, what fun! Ok, Ok, on to something else. I did attend the funeral of my uncle as a pall bearer. It was tough but I made it through ok. Watching the grief of those attending the funeral I was reminded of just how precious life is. Whether we know it or not and admit it or not it certainly is. I find myself at this point in my life looking forward to life each morning. Looking forward to learning something, or making a new friend, or having a brand new experience, etc. Wow, what a chance to live! What a chance to impact someone's life in a positive way. What a chance to bring some happiness to the lives of those we love. After the bring of that happiness we can go about our own lives with gratitude and thankfulness for having had the opportunity. A for instance is, I had a chance to give Maggie (a granddaughter) a stereo. It wasn't a super one, it wasn't "state of the art" but it's very pretty and functions very well. Oh yeah, it has a great sound too. She is, to put it mildly, ecstatic. What a joy to me to have the opportunity to bring some happiness to a life, even though it's already filled with happiness. Anyway, enough of tooting my own horn.
My point is....Keep a vigilante lookout at those in your life for an opportunity to enrich it. Don't, in the process of life, miss the chance to do that same thing to someone you don't know and may never see or meet again. Ok, enough. Oh yeah, one more thing. I just today celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of my twenty seventh birthday. ........And so it goes......

Having the answers but not knowing the questions....

Good Afternoon. Yes, I'm actually posting this in the afternoon (a little after five pm actually). This will be a shorter post than usual so I won't offer you anything to drink but you are welcome to sit and relax.
I received some news this morning that changed some things, such as my schedule and my plans, but mostly my line of thought. My uncle (my Mom's sister's husband) passed away last night. He being quite a bit older I never knew him very well but his children and I are about the same age, thus we were playmates when we were young. I was doing ok until they ask me to be a pall bearer. Of course I'm going to. Being ask though, brought back so very many memories. I was talking to a very good friend and found myself saying that I'd been to far too many funerals in my life. The most detestable memory I have in that regard is of serving on the "firing squad". It's not what it sounds like. It's being a part of the squad that fires the twenty one gun salute. No matter how many times I did it I never got accustomed to seeing the grief of so many people. My heart would break for them.

Then I began remembering the ones that I'd called friend or family. I stopped because the list became too painful. It seems that with each funeral I lost a bit of my heart, a part of myself. Enough for now. I have to pack so I can take my Mom to her Sister's house to spend the night and be with her. As implyed by the title, I've learned some of the answers over the years I've lived, but I still don't know what the questions are. ..........And so it goes.........

P.S. .........

Good evening everyone....Just a quick update on something. I've been ask quite a bit about how my cancer screen came out last week. I received the final phone call today and am assured by all doctors involved that I have nothing to worry about. An area of concern that has to be looked at again in December, but again I'm assured that most likely it's nothing to worry about. Good news, huh? Anyway....please carry on, just wanted to let everyone know now that I 've heard from the last test. .........and so it goes..........

One thousand and ninety five days ago.........

Good afternoon to the multitude of faithful readers out there. I'd invite you all for a cook out today but that would mean that I would actually have to cook out. ( :-D ) Instead, I'll offer you something to drink while you read this post. I have milk, chocolate milk, tea and wine. The other stuff I won't mention here.
I know you're all thinking "what an odd title". I'm referring of course to the title of this post. It was that many days ago exactly that we were in a car accident. Actually the exact time was 12:10 pm. I'll recount some of the events as they've been related to me. It was at that time that an elderly gentleman (I won't mention his name) while in the process of having a heart attack crossed over the center line and into the lane in which I was driving. We hit head on. The gentleman was driving a Ford F150 pickup and we were in a Mitsubishi Galant. I'm told that we were both going about the speed limit, which was sixty miles per hour. The other driver, I'm told, was the first one air lifted because of his heart attack. He'd broken both of his legs I'm told. My wife (ex) had been struck a very hard blow to the head and consequently had to have surgery on her brain to remove some blood clots. She and I were cut from the car I'm told, a process which took about forty five minutes. Brittney (my then step daughter) had multi fractures to her face. I'm not sure that I've ever heard how she was taken to the hospital, though I think it was by ambulance. Brendan was the only one coherent I'm told and was able to give the police the information they needed. He had a broken arm, some broken ribs and numerous cuts and abrasions. Maybe some more stuff too. I don't remember all of it. My ex's granddaugher, a twenty two month old blonde cherib was killed instantly. I had, I'm told, twenty five broken bones in sundry and various places. I know my right ankle was broken, both knees, my jaw in two places, my collar bone, my left shoulder and of course my left elbow. The elbow couldn't be reconstructed so I now have a brand new metal one. I don't remember anything at all about it. Brendan does and sometimes we talk and He fills me in on some stuff. That day began an extensive hospital stay. It was after Christmas of that year that I was able to have some semblance of independence. That was, to my knowledge, my latest and hopefully last brush with Mr. Grim reaper. So when I say to people that "I'm proud to be here" I'm saying that with all sincerity. It's been said to me on numerous occasions that I'm here because God isn't finished with me. I believe that and try to live everyday accordingly. I have lots to do and am truly the most blessed man in the world. ........And so it went......

Just checking......

Good evening all. Well, I'm back to my old routine of evening posts. It's much too late to offer you anything but a sleeping pill and that you'll have to supply on your own. ( :-D ) I was ask why I hadn't posted in a while. The truth is, I'd thought of deleting my blog, then I decided against it. The truth is, I've had much too much on my mind the last couple of weeks to be able to post anything coherent. Well, coherent for you normal folks. The scary part is, it would make perfect sense to me. I've tried a few times to post something but usually just sat staring at the screen wondering how I was going to pull this off. Then I'd get discouraged and sign off. It has been a tough couple of weeks. The kind of weeks in which you feel alone even though you know you're not. I have faith though, that I'm going to get past this stuff. I have that faith because I've gotten through much worse many times. Sometimes the bad stuff just kind of gets together and gangs up on your mind. That kind of thing. On a lighter note though, I do feel better. Jerry, my brother, is spending the weekend with me and we're doing stuff together. That's fun. I'd forgotten how amazed I usually am at how much he can eat. (and he's thinner than I am) Oh well, at least He doesn't have my dazzling good looks. ( :-D ) ...........and so it goes............

Another Tribute.......

Good Morning. Yes, you read that right, I'm actually posting this in the morning. Well, it's morning where I am. Since it's morning here I won't offer you a drink, unless it's tea. Of course, as the song says, it's five o'clock somewhere so you feel free to get your own. ( :-D )
This post is in tribute to an amazing person that I've known for about eight or nine years. Her name is Kate and she's been through more in her relatively short life than most people go through in a life time. I won't go into detail without her permission but a generalized list includes cancer (four times), the loss of her Dad (with whom she had a very close relationship and admired very much), the loss of a dream that was very dear to her heart, (probably more than one dream but I know about this one). I'd better stop here with the list, but trust me when I say there is more and she came through with flying colors. But there is more! She not only prevailed over the heartache and trouble that assailed her life but has been a true encourager for me. She has truly bloomed where God planted her. Kate, my hat is off to you and you have my most heartfelt gratitude. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. .........And so it goes.........

All things considered......

Good Evening everyone. I'm so happy to have you here checking out this post. Once again you're very welcome. Pour yourself a cool drink of your choosing and enjoy.
I've started and restarted this post a couple of times. The reason is, I'm trying to figure out the best way to say what is on my heart and mind. We are, it seems, prone to make decisions about the people that come into and through our lives. Some of these folks make decisions and choices that are just plain terrible. It's not those choices I'm talking about. I'm talking about those choices and decisions that could have been better and at the same time, could have been much worse. Many of us (probably all of us, but I'm trying to be gracious here) make up our minds about those choices one way or the other. We look at the person and wonder, sometimes out loud, "how in the world could he/she have made that choice, or why in the world would he/she do something that obviously wrong"? I've been guilty of doing that. Speaking for myself, I suppose mine could be labeled as arrogance, being judgmental, and the list of labels could go on. At this point I'm going to make an educated guess that those labels I've just given myself could apply equally to most other people. The thing that made this really hit home for me is, as I was driving in Birmingham a couple of days ago I exited the freeway I was on. At the bottom of the off ramp was a lone figure standing and holding a sign. This person was dressed in very worn clothing, though the best I could tell the clothes were clean. As I got close enough to see more clearly I realized that the lone figure was a lady. She seemed to be in her thirties. Her sign read, "I'm homeless. Please help if you can". I don't know whether or not she was being truthful or not in her endeavor to obtain some money. I do know this however! She is a person created by a loving God. That same God loves her equally as much as He does anyone on the planet, past, present or future. It occurred to me then that I would never know or understand what led her to that street corner holding a sign. I wondered what kind of homelife she'd had growing up? What was her childhood like, and what was her adolescence like. What were the life experiences that had left, at best, memories and at worst, scars. How would the choices and decisions been different had she had a healthy upbringing. ( I'm assuming here that she didn't ) I knew at that moment that for me to make an assessment of her current lifestyle was arrogant and judgmental. The fact is, in any number of people I see and interact with everyday, I do not know what's in their past that cause them to act and react the way they do. I do not know why they make the choices they make. Sometime I smugly make the assumption that I would never do that, or that I would make a better choice. The fact is, all things considered, I would probably make the same if not worse choice, if I'd walked the very same road taken by that person. You see, we can never claim to have taken the same road that someone else has taken. We don't have the same experiences in life, and that alone negates our having taken the very same road. Something I remind myself of from time to time. "There, but for the Grace of God, goes I"! Having said all of that, let me adknowledge that I've made my full share of bad choices and bad decisions, and I'll go out on a limb here, so has everyone else. The moral of this post is this. As you walk through your day from now on, work on being as gracious as you can be. Remember as you go through your day that when you make a less than good choice someone might be saying, "I could have made a better decision". So, when tempted to make a condescending comment, or even have a condescending thought about someone, stop and pause, then know that they may have just made the best choice they could have based on what they've been taught in life. In short, try extending grace to them. ..........And so it goes..........

A quick apology....

As the post title says...a quick apology for the absence of a post for so long. The truth is, I've had Pneumonia. I'm not sure how bad a case it was but the medicine I took/take makes me feel so bad I mostly don't feel like being on the computer much. I go back to the Doctor on Monday afternoon and hope to hear the words 'home' and 'cured' used in the same sentence. I have several things to post about when I feel better and believe they'll be worth the wait. Goodnight all.......

Shake well..Then run like @#$%^&* (everything)

Good Evening. I'm happy to have you giving your attention to this blog tonight. Pull up a chair and order whatever drink you prefer, then relax and enjoy. I want to say while you're getting all of that done that the post for tonight really happened. Just a bit of a prelude. This post has been a bit of time coming. It's been in the making for a while in the form of a draft, but I do have a good excuse. Well...Good to me. I've been too busy and lately been sick. I go to the Doctor Monday, but I suspect I have some form of Pneumonia. I'll keep you updated if you like. Ok, on to this man's post and I hope you enjoy it. It still brings a smile to my lips after all these years.
These events took place in Jacksonville, Florida in the year of, well, I'm not sure of the year but it was somewhere around the late sixties and the early seventies. I was new in the Navy and very brand new in Attack Squadron eighty six at Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil Field. As the newest guy in the squadron I was, of course, assigned the lowest job available. That was running the coffee mess. For those unfamiliar with Navy terminology the "mess" was where coffee and soft drinks and goody snacks were available all day. (it wasn't really a mess, I kept it clean) My job was to keep the coffee made, available and drinkable. (well, as drinkable as possible) In the course of my day I saw, got acquainted with and made friends with most of the guys.

Most I liked immediately, some took some time to get to know. One character I remember, I don't remember his name, (and don't really want to) was, how do I put this gently, crass, uncouth, smart aleck and just generally abrasive. I dreaded to see him coming. I was at that time an E3 and He was an E6, quite a bit higher up. But I digress from my tale. One day I'd stocked some Ritz colas in the fridge. For those not familiar with Ritz cola, it was at the time the store brand of a major grocery chain and very cheap. They were about ninety percent fizz and ten percent something else. At any rate, that particular day I'd stocked the fridge full of them. As luck would have it, here came everyone's favorite guy. He'd already been by and gotten a ritz a couple of times, so I figured he'd want another. I removed one from the fridge to have it ready. Just before he got to me someone called his name and he turned around to talk to ever who it was. It was at that moment in time I had a flash of brilliance. As his back was turned I began vigorously shaking his ritz drink. I even dropped it on the deck a few times to get it good and agitatedly. As if on cue he turned and came to my counter and as I'd figured he ordered a ritz cola (which I gladly served). He tossed me the nickel for the drink and turned to walk outside from the hanger we were in. As he opened the door a lieutenant was coming into the hanger. The E6 stepped aside for the officer and as he waited for him to enter he popped the top on the now explosive can of cola. I bet you've guessed the rest. As the Lieutenant stepped inside, the cola sprayed it's entire contents on him from his head to his toes. Not much of the Lieutenant's uniform escaped complete saturation. Needless to say, both men were totally speechless for a moment. The E6 began by stuttering. The Lieutenant started out with a couple of expletives and it digressed from there. I on the other hand was quite speechless for awhile, not that the mirth of the situation escaped me. I just knew better than to let on I knew anything at all. I therefore put on my very best look of innocence. I should have gotten an Oscar for it. When news of the mishap traveled around the squadron I was congratulated by almost everyone, though I still maintained my innocence. (that was an act of self preservation) I later was remorseful. The E6 was later disabled from a mistake made by someone else on the flight deck, and was medically discharged from the Navy. The moral of this story is, if you ever have a chance to shake a ritz cola, shake and run. .......and so it went.......

In Memoriam.......

Good Afternoon and welcome to my blog. Actually it's not my blog as much as it is yours, since I don't really write this for myself. Well, maybe I do some. Sometimes it's just good to get some things out of my head and heart. At any rate, make yourselves comfortable and have a drink.(you'll have to supply your own this time)
I've had on my mind for a couple of days the reason(s) for Memorial day. First of all, I'm glad that we have a day set aside for this specific purpose. It's brought to my mind the reason that Congress set this day aside, to honor those that have given their lives in service of their country. Given their lives not only in death but in other ways that are mostly permanent and very painful. In the process of trying to think these things through and make some sense of it I've come to some conclusions. Maybe they're good conclusions maybe they're not so good but they are the best I have come up with so far. I've thought back over the last thirty four years trying to make sense of my memories. As I recall those years I remember three basic categories of those people with which I served. I write this at the risk of oversimplifying for there is no simply way to view this. I've seen over those years guys and gals that live with memories they can't live with. Maybe that doesn't make much sense but there it is. Waking up because of nightmares of other times and other places. Waking in those times huddling under their bedcovers, shaking, in a panic and wet with sweat from a cold body. Depression too debilitating to be able to function well at times. Those guys and gals have to be remembered in a special way. They deserve all of the support and more that can be given. Then there are those that didn't have the chance to come home. Guys and gals that went to somewhere that till then was only a name in a history book or an encyclopedia. A place that most of us had never heard of and knew almost nothing about. Places like France, Italy, Germany, Okinawa, Tarawa, Iwo Jimo, Korea and yes, even Viet Nam. Now we can add to this list a far off place called Iraq. The list goes on and on seemingly without end. We could all put names on that list because we all have lost someone at those places. People that we remember personally and people we've only heard about from other loved ones. These are the real heros of the wars that we remember on Memorial day. The third group I remember are the ones that went to those far off places and came home to pick up lives the best they could. As I today walked through a cemetary I took notice of each grave that displayed an American flag. It occured to me that for every grave so marked there were people that had lived many years without a husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister to laugh and cry with. People that had faced life without the support that could have and should have been provided by that person in the grave. How many lives, I wondered, were changed because of the death of that loved one. Too many to count! At church today those in attendance were recognized for their service to the branch of service they were in. Those in attendance aren't the real heros. T'he real heros are those that didn't come home and those that did and still work hard to live with what they saw and experienced.
Enough. I think I'll start tomorrow calling those buddies that are left to me, but first I think I'll go now and have a good cry. ........and so it went and so it goes........

Departures (3rd in the series)

Good Afternoon all. It's Sunday and I've reached a goal. I've lived through one week and started another. Hooray for me! It was a good but busy week and I'm looking forward to this coming week. Lots to do and lots of people to help, but much joy in the process of living. Yea! For life and living. I'm continuing a theme of posting that I'd abandoned for quite a while. It has been a week of contemplation for me. Last Friday (the 19th) marked eighteen years since my Dad's death. I happened to drive by the hospital He was in when He died and began to remember the last occasion I had to see him and spend time with him. We all knew his death was imminent but that didn't take away the sting of losing him. I never seem to go through a day that I don't consciously recall something or many somthings that he taught me, either by deliberate teaching or simply by example. Let me simply say here that there is nothing I could say to give him the Honor he deserves. I didn't know the last time I spent time with him that it would be our last departure. It's probably a good thing too because I don't believe I could have left his bedside. The afternoon He passed away I was supposed to spend the night at his side taking care of him. I wish I'd had the opportunity to go. It's one of two of the sadest departure I can ever recall in my life. The other I'll talk more about later. ........and so it went......

Huge laughs from a fragile barricade....

Good Morning all. I'm staying up late tonight to post this. I suppose I'm still feeling a bit guilty for there being such a long time span between the last posts. ( :-D ) anyway, here I am to tell another of our endless line of escapades from many years ago.
We would, from time to time, get together to come up with ways to make hearts beat faster in our community. (we being some of us guys in the area) Let me quickly interject here that we always were careful to never cause property, financial or personal damages. This particular act required a few things. One, a dark night. Two, no breeze or wind. When things were right with nature we'd select a semi steep hill on a road in the community. We'd then get busy erecting the "barricade". Having the conditions right and the material needed we'd get busy. First we'd put a waist high stake on either side of the road. Then we'd begin wrapping toilet paper from one stake to the other, around and around. After a few minutes we'd step back and admire our handiwork. All that was needed then was to spray some red paint lines on the toilet paper and set back and wait for an unsuspecting driver. When we'd see someone coming we'd get back off of the road a little way, lay down on the ground and watch the action. As the poor driver topped the hill there was the barricade and of course he/she would hit the brakes hard. I can't count the number of drivers that we watched slide, wheels locked, through the "barricade". After stopping they'd get out of the car, shake a bit, get mad (change their pants) then drive away. At this point we would all howl with laughter. I can't count the number of times we'd do this. Looking back over the years I can't seem to recall why it was so funny. I'm thinking maybe it was the result of hormones (you know those sneaky things that course through our bloodstream). Anyway, it was always great fun, at least for those laying in wait. I can't speak for the 'victims', having never been one. Oh, the "joys" of youth. I wonder how we ever survive it. ..........And so it went............

How to be the best frog possible....

Good Evening. I can see you all sitting and waiting in great anticipation for this post. I acknowledge that it's a few days late and I apologize all the way from my toes.
Let me first update everyone on my friend Pete. I went Saturday and cut his lawn, etc. He is indeed home from the hospital and doing very well. He's had very few problems but his family is having quite a difficult time. The difficulty comes with Pete. He doesn't want to stay still. They're having to watch him because He wants to get up and do things. He is allowed to walk but with a walker. If he's out of sight though He'll pick up his walker and carry it. He is quite a character and a wonderful friend, both to me and in years past to my Dad.
Ok, for those out there that aspire to be a frog I'm going to give you some input. Let me first acknowledge that we all from time to time tend to have frogy tendencies. This isn't for you. It's for those that are lifelong frogs. This list could go on for quite a long time, so I'll just hit a few now and cover more later. Let's start with a characteristic that is quite prevailent in todays world. It's called 'selfishness'. The dictionary defines selfish as " an act of total regard for one's own desires to the exclusion of what others want". To carry this a bit further, a selfish lifestyle is " to be consumed with one's own wants and desires while being completely unconcerned with the needs of others". Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a giant step toward complete frogdom. There are, of course, other attributes that go toward the making of a perfect frog. Those we'll get into later. The flipside of that is to be looking as we go through life for those around us that have needs. Not only looking for them but reaching out to them in whatever way we can. Let me say here, that if that's the way you do things you are not a good frog. Now a word to those that have a frog in their lives in some capacity or other. Just as physically kissing a green toad will not turn it into a prince/princess, neither will figuritively kissing a 'frog' turn him/her into anything other than what they choose to be. Now a question for you to ponder for a while. Can one truly be a Christian and at the same time be a frog? I have another question but I'll save it for later. For those frogs out there reading this I will tell you that there is a way to change from your 'frogginess' to something infinately better. To find that out though, you're gonna have truly want to know the answer. ...........and so it goes.........

""MAY"" we have Christmas please?

A good evening to all. A hearty welcome. Have a seat and place your order. It'll be ready soon then you can enjoy it while reading this post. The post for today is somewhat unbelievable but I promise it's the truth. I could hardly believe it and I saw it with my own two bleary and bloodshot eyes. ( :-D ) I can see the curiosity mounting in most of you, therefore I'll get right to the topic before a riot ensues. We have, in the neighborhood in which I live, something which occurs most everyday. We have driving through our streets a lady driving a ice cream truck. I know at this point most if not all of you are wondering what's such a big deal about that. The funny part is that as she drives through she plays over her loud speaker system Christmas carols. The first time I heard it I started counting on my fingers to make sure it wasn't December. I knew if it was I'd missed most of two thousand and six. Imagine my relief when I figured out that it was indeed the month of May. The second time she came through playing the same Christmas carols I decided that I had to have credible witnesses so everyone wouldn't think I was crazy, even though the subject on my craziness is open for debate. ( I'm told that the jury is still out on that ) So on the spot I made a phone call to my CW's (credible witnesses). Let me say here that some may disagree with my choices but to that I say...Well...You may be right. I called Kim and Crissy, got them on my cell phone, waited till the ice cream lady came back down the street, put my cell phone on speaker, held it up in the air and sure enough, they heard it. When they confirmed that they had indeed heard it relief flooded through my body. I suddenly felt that all was right with the world. I wasn't crazy. (at least in my own mind) I'd like to suggest that all reading this post make it a point to come here and see it for yourself. Let me here list the songs that have been so far played. 1) Frosty the snowman. 2) The twelve days of Christmas. 3) The little drummer boy. 4) Silent night. 5) Winter wonderland. 6) The one about chestnuts roasting on an open fire (I don't remember the title of that one). There are some others but I can't recall all of them right now. I'm thinking of beginning soon to charge per carload for people to come and see/hear this so come soon so you can beat the crowd. I'm thinking that this will maybe make our property values go up, but then, who knows? ........And so it goes.........

More on the Frog epidemic.....

Good Evening everyone and welcome once again to this blog. I've had a few inquiries about the mint juleps so I've added Sam's cola to the menu. So, pull up a chair and enjoy. ( :-D )
A quick observation on the frogs of this world. I've known many frogs in my lifetime and have come to this conclusion. No matter how much a frog is kissed it never turns into a prince/princess. Ok...Now on to another item on the frog culture.
There is something that all frogs lack in their lives. That something is spoken of in Holy Scripture. Sadly we don't hear the word that denotes it used very often in our culture. It is something that can make a huge difference in the lives of those that we come in contact with, but especially in the lives of our friends and family. Ok, ok....The word. It's compassion. I've been surprised at how few people even know what it is. I would like to suggest that we all do a bit of digging into it's meaning. It is a very precious quality to have in any life. The absence of it is most often because of an acute amount of selfishness. We humans are often so focused on ourselves and our own world that we lose sight of the people around us. We often walk right by people that are in need and, yes, even pain. A couple of reasons we don't see those needs in others is because 1) we don't/can't slow down enough to look and 2) we stay intently focused on ourselves and our world. Let me encourage all that is reading this to look outside of ourselves and our little part of the world. Let us learn to recognize those that have a need then make ourselves a part of the solution as far as is possible. Said another way...Let's stop kissing the frogs we know in order to make them less ugly and look to making ourselves more attuned to those of God's creations that have needs and pain, and that He's put in our paths. With that I'll say goodnight.... .........And so it goes..........

My friend Pete....

A cheery good evening to everyone. Welcome and relax while I whip up some more mint juleps. A short post tonight about a friend of mine. His name is Pete ( but I bet you've already figured that out, huh ) Pete is now eighty four and is going into the hospital in the morning for his second colon cancer surgery in two years. Needless to say, he's scared. He and I have a bit of a history. When he was a younger man (actually before I was born) He and my Dad played semi-pro baseball on the same team. That was before the time of the professional team owners having 'farm teams'. From what Pete says, the only thing that kept both of them out of the pros was world war II. I suppose that changed a lot of plans of a lot of people. Anyway, back to Pete. His wife, Charlene is her name, has the beginning stages of alzheimers. Pete has three children that can and will look after Charlene but he had no one to take care of his lawn. To make a long story short, I'll be taking care of things for him. Let me say at this point that it's an honor for him to ask that of me and I'm honored and privledged to have the opportunity. I'll post more on Pete when I hear how things went. .........And so it goes.........

The legend of Shorty......

Good Evening all, and thank you for stopping by. Pull up a chair and relax while I fix you all a mint julep. ( :-D ) After that you can read this post and hopefully have a good chuckle at Shorty's expense. Believe me when I say that He won't mind, since He passed away many years ago.
This story takes place in rural Alabama in the late nineteen thirties or early nineteen forties. It was toward the end of the depression years, or maybe immediately after the depression. TVA ( Tennessee valley authority ) had been started by FDR as one of the measures to stop the depression and put people to work and was beginning to supply electricity to the rural areas where it hadn't been available before. Ok..The history lesson over let me get on to Shorty. Shorty was, at the time that this took place, past middle age. When TVA began to put poles in the ground and run wire on them to carry the electricity they started contacting people to offer electric service When Shorty was contacted he adamantly refused. He didn't like the idea of that kind of change and didn't trust anything the government had a part in. That was a common sentiment at the time nationwide. Anyway...Back to Shorty. After a while though, after visiting some neighbors that had tied into the electrical service and listening to his wife, He decided to try it out. After finding out how much it cost he again refused. Finally though, he came up with a brilliant idea. He'd watched the men as they handled the wire and had seen how they'd tied it all together. His idea was, if they could do it so could he. That was probably the worst idea he'd ever had. Shorty didn't want outlets, didn't see a need for them, so he ran the wire for overhead lights. After completing that task He ran a wire from his house all the way to the closest power pole. Yep, you guessed it. Up the pole Shorty shimmied till he came to the closest wire to which he attached one of his two wires. No problem so far. Down the pole he shimmied, back to the ground, whereupon he commenced to hook up the ground wire to the grounding rod. That, my friends, is where the fireworks began. What Shorty didn't know was that a transformer was required. He'd just hooked up his sixty watt lights to seven thousand volts. You read right. Seven thousand volts. A bit too much when one hundred and ten volts are what is required, huh? Shorty stood and watched all of the wire he'd just put in spark and fizzle till it burned completely into. He was fortunate in two ways though. First, he'd hooked up the ground last. If he'd hooked it up first he'd have been fried at the top of the pole. Second, the wire in his house burned up before catching his house on fire. Bless Shorty's heart. Shorty lived until the early nineteen sixties, having never gotten over his anger at the power company and having never had electricity in his house. From that point on he just didn't trust electricity. After his death though, his wife did have the house wired and properly tied in. She enjoyed having the convenience of electrical power till her death in the early nineteen seventies. Nineteen seventy one I believe it was. The moral of this story is......Well, I don't know what the moral of this story is so I'll let you pick out your own. ..........And so it went..........

My Hero......

Good Evening all....Once again I say thanks for taking the time to read this post. I'm very glad you're here. This will be a short post because it's about someone I've posted about already. Today is my Dad's birthday and if he were alive, He'd be eighty three years old. He was born in the year of our Lord nineteen twenty two. I went by his grave today and once again paid homage to a great man and a wonderful father. Since losing him to cancer in May nineteen eighty eight I've not lived a day without thinking of him and something he taught me. What does one say about someone that has had that much of a positive impact on so very many lives, and especially mine. Suffice it to say "I miss you Dad. Thank you for being you!" .......and so it went.......

Connecting the Frogs....I mean dots.

Good Evening. A short post here to provide an explanation for something. I was ask the connection between the title of the last post and the post itself. Here is that explanation. It is the opinion and belief of this writer that being a frog is the result of being a selfish, insensitive taker. Someone that takes and takes without giving back. Someone that is out for him/her self to the point of narcissism. That, my friends, is a frog. Turning from a frog to a prince/princess requires first of all the knowledge that a change is needed. Second of all the desire and will to work at making the changes required. Third of all it requires perseverance, or put another way, the will to stay at it till the task is finished. More later on the metamorphosis from reptile to kind and gentle human. .......And so it goes........