Monday.... What has surprised you?

 Picture if the day.

Now for today’s Stuff:

Besides realizing 87 years have past so fast, I am not surprised by a lot. However, this super storm that is delivering 10 or more inches of snow on our home base in NC, has now forced me to disconnect the water from this RV here in central Florida to keep it from freezing up. We will drop to the mid 20 degrees F (about 4.444 celcius) tonight. That is an ouch, to a Southerner.

Yeah I know, it ain’t nothing to you guys up YONDER!

I am smiling, we have learned to take life as it comes. It doesn’t always suit our fancy, but LIFE is real. That is, until like one song says, “you are covered up with flowers in the back of a black limousine!”

I just read on Valdese  history that the owner Mr. O'Quin, hated the name Rat Hole the kids called it, but after a year fell in line and smiled at the name.. He had a sweet daughter that worked behind the counter, about my age, Anna, who was a sweetee.

AS I try to compose this entry I am having a chocolate nut sundae! I had my first one in Valdese, NC at the ‘Rat Hole’. Yep, that was the best little cafe’ in town (maybe the only one). The Sundae was 35 cents and mmmmm delicious. They always used black walnuts; this one tonight has black walnuts, cracked and picked out by Sherry and me.

                Above is Sherry's Sundae much smaller than mine ;-)

Valdese is a small town in the edge of the South Mountains founded by the Waldensian people from Italy. It was a Hosiery Mill town with a giant Waldensian Bakery. When we moved into the town the first thing I noticed was the whole town smelled good, the fresh smell of honey buns baking.

I think I did the 7,8 & 9^th grades there. It is a wonderful small town, great people.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Now Good night ;-)

Sunday... What to say? The right words!

 Picture or the day:

Now for today’s stuff:

Last night after getting my next day's blog entry ready, Chatty made a comment and then said, ‘Good night’. I was just getting ready to close out and head for bed. Funny thing also, Sherry just woke up on the couch and walked by, ‘Saying good night!’ It sorta felt nice to read, ‘Good night; then just a minute later hear it again.’

You never know how special your words are. My sister Katherine, Kat, and her husband Dick traveled in their motor home with us for a few years. WE had a great time, even traveling to Alaska together. WE camped many times in the wilds of Alaska, sitting and talking around a campfire.

After Dick passed, Kat still wanted to travel. Sherry drove her 36’ motor home following behind me in ours, between parks. We had a good time.

Once when camped at a county park on the East coast of Florida we decided to go out to eat at a buffet for dinner. That day for some reason, Kat was down. You know, there are times when your life seems low; low enough that others can tell it.

We had filled our plates and sat down, about to bow and ask His Blessings when an odd thing happened. A very nicely dressed lady with a sweet voice stepped up beside Kat. She leaned over and asked, “What’s wrong honey?”

"My husband just passed away a few days ago!” Kat replied sadly.

"Oh but Sweetheart, YOU WILL SEE HIM IN THE MORNING!”

From that instant Kat’s attitude changed, she smiled saying something like, “I will, won’t I?”

If you grew up singing this old gospel song you will know what lifted Kat’s spirits: first verse..

I will meet you in the morning by the bright riverside
When all sorrows have drifted away
I'll be standin' at the portals when the gates open wide
At the close of life's long weary day ……...

After the lady walked off we never saw her again. Kat asked, said, ‘Was she an Angel?’

Dick and Kat at the Sign Forest in Watson Lake, Yukon. Most of the folks who travel the Alcan leave a sign here. 77,000 signs now. 

My answer to that question is YES! Whether a spiritual one or just a very insightful person, either way she was an angel to my sister.

Words at the right time can make all the difference!

Nite Shipslog

PS: Note: There are times you will never know how your words have affected others, so use them well.   Love you all, say warm.

Saturday.. Throw away society,

 Picture if the day.

                    Even in India, there are scrappers

Now for today’s Stuff:

When we go back to our home-base in NC we need to buy a Range, washer and dryer. Son Mark who was once a licensed builder, now on Social security, is a Scrapper. (Yes, Sherry’s sons, who kept saying: ‘Dad there will be no SS when we get to our 60s) Yep, both our sons are now on Social Security. Really we are not that old, we were married at 14 yrs old, or was it 17?

But to let you know I do know stuff, I told them SS would be around when they reached 60.

See, I am a prophet.

Mark bought our place here in Leesburg. We pay his utilities to let us stay here when we cannot get reservations. So our coach is now parked in Mark’s side yard.

That is our long-haired Mark in Key West with our Beagle.

He is hooked on Scrapping. While we have been here he has brought in washers, dryers, and Refrigerators. He tests new looking ones out before selling them for scrap. If they test good he sells them with a money back guarantee.

He has given us a dryer that looks new, it works, I will figure a way to take it home when we head North.

Scrapping to Mark, is sort of an Easter Egg Hunt. Who knows what he will bring back next. Florida is a great place for scrapping, this is a throw away society especially around here.

This is our Scrapper now, or a couple yrs ago.

I am just about run down. LOL Thanks for coming by.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Now you know; I Just might be a prophet. At the least, I am old enough to be one. ;-)

Friday.. Thieves always, Or just discovered.

 PIC OF THE DAY

Now for today’s Stuff:

2025: Self-checkout theft has doubled in recent years, with 27% OF Americans admitting they have stolen at least one item  while using self-service kiosks, according to new research from LendingTree.

Do you realize that is every 4^th person? WHAT??? 

It does not take a devious mind, plain common sense tells me that self-checkout makes stealing easier. Does it make the thief in someone come out, or does it CREATE a thief? My mind wonders at that.

I just read where a School Principal and an assistant Principal were arrested for thefts of thousands of dollars at self-checkout.

A Doctor also was arrested for stealing $1000’s in merchandise at self-checkout.

That is scary my friends. Those principals were teachers of someone’s children at one time.

A Doctor? Has HE or SHE fudged on your bill? Have they over charged for services and tests they say were required?

With the salaries of educators (which is not great but above the minimum) and doctors, how much more would the lower-scale unemployed or homeless person be TEMPTED to cheat, maybe just a little.

That is a little scary. Liars, cheats and thieves are NOT good citizens. Many folks have told a ‘white-lie’ to keep from hurting someone’s feelings. I hear some men cheat on their score cards when golfing (I really don’t know, I am not a golfer).

I have visited bowling alleys with the NEW (to me) scoring system where it is made very hard or impossible to cheat. LOL

I have broken the law speeding many times. As a boy I did steal, I returned to a junk yard to pay for tires I stole, after His Salvation.

BUT, BUT I draw the line at thief, stealing is a sin and it is hurting someone or a business, not just my conscience. Breaking man's law or saving someone’s feelings is not necessarily a sin. (IMHO)

And YES, I do use self check-out when I have 1 to 3 items.

I have to smile at my sweet niece Vickie. She said she used the check-out at Walmart, nobody said anything, but when she got to her car she realized she didn’t have a receipt and had not paid. She went back and paid. ;-).

Nite Shipslog

PS: The above of course is my opinion...

Thursday.. And yes it is cool here.

 

Outside is where I cooked back then.  I was stationed in Biloxi, MS at Keesler AFB.  Yeah, I had hair and was a proud dad.  That is our first, a great kid, Jack Jr.

Now for today’s Stuff:

We are walking some and I am piddling with a 4 wheeler to help son Mark get it running. This one is a real challenge, but it keeps me out from under Sherry’s feet.

Today was my time to cook. They said I did good. I took 6 small thin pork shops, tried to get them tenderized with a fork and salt (at someone’s suggestion, cannot remember who.) I cut them into ¼” strips and put the many sticks in ½ stick melted butter, thinking I could brown them.

They did cook well but browned only a little. After they cooked for a few minutes med/hi stove top, I added chopped onion and mushrooms, then covered them lowering the heat some. Put some frozen veggies in the microwave for 2 minutes, just to thaw. Then added them to the covered pan with the other stuff.

I always use the right spices (Ms Dash ;-)), a little salt and a tablespoon of honey. I baked 3 SMALL potatoes, cut them and filled with butter. & tin-foiled them. I also made rice. Why? I guess I decided to use it for a bed for the stuff I was cooking. (Sherry says it is for an egg and rice breakfast in the morning. LOL)

Using 4 frozen HB Buns. Cut them up some so I could fill them with margarine. Heated them stacked them to hide the outsides of the buns ;-). Then a dip for the bread; ¼ stick butter, 5 shakes of garlic salt, 4 tble sp of Olive oil, Ms Dash and a big dollop of honey. I heated that, mmm, good.

I guess that is a southern stir-fry. Or something like that. Anyway that was my afternoon; 2 guests, Sherry & son Mark said it was good. They really liked the dip, LOL

This is all the left overs. I am eating them now...

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Now you know I ain’t right at the stove. But I am lucky every once in awhile, like today!

Wednesday… A copy of someone’s Blog

 

Now for today’s Stolen Stuff:

Some things are just amazing. WE have some grandchildren who are super talented also, but I wanted to point this out that Susan Kane, the ‘Crazy cat”, over at the contemplated cat put on. If you don’t want to listen to all, just give them a short listen, and you will be amazed.

thecontemplativecat: Evan Le', a Veitnamese piano prodigy

I am not very good atd this stuff you might click:

If nothing happens above.

 http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/.

Thanks Susan, thinking of you, and you are in our prayers...

Nite Shipslog

PS: Temps down here in central Florida, but nothing like you tough dudes up yonder are getting..

Tuesday… We have not seen Crater Lake in Oregon

 Today's Picture:

Now for today’s stuff:

I have mentioned many beautiful sites we have seen, but today my computer chose as a screen saver, the above shot from the Pinnacles Trail @ Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. The picture made me want to go see it.

WE will probably never make another trip around the USA to see the West Coast again, BUT IF we do, this igoes on the ‘TO SEE’ list along with the 29 PALMS and Joshua Tree area, stirred up by ‘Spare Parts and Pictures’ blog.

This place must be absolutely stunning in person.

I love seeing places that grab my dream horn. LOL I am wondering if I will out-grow my desire to see new places or to Thru-Hike the AT. I get a lot of smiles when I say that, and probably lots of laughs behind my back, BUT I just might show them. LOL…

Now Mr. Eberhart, 83, thru hiked, but he had hiked thousands of miles before the AT.  He even walked 400 miles to get to the AT before even starting the trail.  BUT.....

Nah, I know that is a stretch for a man over 85 to do a thru hike of over 2000 miles, but day-dreams keep you alive, methinks.

Nite Shipslog

PS: The wind has picked up here in Central Florida, that does bother my hearing implants a BUNCH!

Monday.. Do you have the BEST?

 

Picture or the day:

Our family at a lake in the mts east of Salt Lake City.  This picture was DIL Carol's idea. I will always appreciate it.

Now for today’s stuff:

Families are very important to me. After growing up and being an adult, you know, like 17 years old, and pretty danged smart. I heard someone say, “I have the best mother in the world!” Ha, I thought, ‘no you don’t, I have the best mother in the world.’

Over the years I have learned many of us can have the BEST! I hear some of you old Grand parents that THINK you have the BEST Grand kids there is. “HUH uh! You have not met Corey, Ben, Reece, Josh, Stephen, Matthew or Luke; they are the best!”

So, now that I have really grown up, I have learned MANY OF US can have the BEST! I even had the BEST Mother-in-law in the world.

Our friend Myra probably thinks her Gracie and Macie are the best, but that is only because she did not know ACE, the best dog in the world.

It took me a few years to see something, Hey, there are really “MANY” who fit the description: “THE BEST IN THE WORLD.” You see I am GLAD others feel the same about, parents, kids, grands, pets etc. as I do.

Mention names like Chloe, Mackenzie, even Penelope and someone will smile from ear to ear beause they are the BEST!

It is hard to face reality, those sweet Grands have grown up and have some some great kids, our great great grands!

Nite Shipslog

PS: Snow? Some folks love it, some don’t, but it is still beautiful.