Fresh Start

I saw an old and dear friend today. This person has always been his own boss and recently had to close his business and work for someone else. Glad to report that he is adjusting well and is happy in his new position as employee instead of employer.
I never really wanted the responsibility of employer. I am relied upon by quite a few people but I don't have the onus of providing payroll for others. The responsibility I shoulder is more than enough thank you.
I visited my dad today. He is resting on a hillside overlooking a peaceful lake in the country. He shares the hillside with a lot of other veterans. That particular section is reserved for veterans and their families. I may try to buy myself a place there. I had a long talk with dad about recent events in the family and even though I really bungled some things I think he would approve of the way I've tried to correct it. Dad was always a lot more understanding than almost anyone I know. He would have a bemused look and then come out with advice that reflected a wisdom far beyond his limited formal education. Shows that observation is often far superior to education. I like to think that I can judge events with both experience and education. I just wish I had the wisdom he had. thanks for reading.

Sunrise after the storm

Sorry I haven't posted recently. I was going thru some tuff personal stuff. I have to give you all some advice. Hold on to the ones you love as tightly as you can. Money and material things are nice but when it all gets boiled down personal relationships are the only things that matter. We, as humans, need someone to care about us and show affection towards us. Without that we come to see life as pretty useless. If you have someone who loves you hold onto them with all your might. Don't let them go. Do anything you have to do to keep them and cherish them with all your heart. Life is pretty hopeless without someone to share it with. Be true to them and as a result you will be true to yourself. When your time on this earth ends have something to pass on, someone to remember you. Have an epitaph that shows you were a caring, loving person. Something like "Devoted Husband" or "Good Freind" or "True Companion". Be real and G-d Bless. thanks for reading.

It Aint Funny

One of the Southern Phrases that really puzzles me is It aint funny. Example, "He slapped his wife so hard it aint funny." Just how hard can you slap your wife and it be funny? When he ran that red light that transfer truck hit him so hard it aint funny. Somehow humor is missing in this incident not matter how hard he was hit. I'm not sure where this phrase started but I am sure that it harkens back to a time when people were somewhat less concerned with political correctness. That gun made a hole so big in him it aint funny. That milk I drank was so sour it aint funny. That fire got out of hand so fast it aint funny. They got married and had six kids so fast it aint funny. When his parachute didn't open he got to the ground so fast it aint funny. After that mule kicked him in the head he acted so peculiar it aint funny. It just aint funny.
Fall is definately here. The trees are changing colors and leaves are falling. I usually wait until Thanksgiving to pick up leaves and then repeat after Christmas. This way I only have to do it twice. I used to try to keep up with the leaves and ended up working like a madman the entire season. Puts me in mind of the Groundskeepers at Clemson. I saw three of these guys chasing a small pile of leaves with their leafblowers one day. It was like they had a fanatic fixation on these leaves. They worked together to push this pile 100 yards across the lawn into a bigger pile. After they left the wind began to blow the leaves back over the lawn. It would have been quicker and cheaper to have one guy with a rake pick them up and put them in a bag.
thanks for reading.

I haven't talked about cars in a while so here goes. I remember that old flathead Fords had a peculiar way to mount the water pump to the engine. Two of the mounting bolts were hidden inside the inlet and outlet. It was not uncommon for rookie mechanics to literally demolish a water pump trying to get it off the motor. Older, seasoned mechanics would stand back and grin remembering the frustration they experienced the first time they were faced with the hidden bolts. My experience with this situation years ago helped me many times over the years as I learned to expect the unexpected when working on unfamiliar machines.
I heard today that the Euro Auto Show in Greenville is going to feature Triumphs this year. This brought to mind my 65 Triumph Spitfire. The car had a wooden dash and a positive ground. Real leather seats and a removable steel hardtop lined with real leather were standard. The top was heavy and awkward to remove but really kept out the weather. The Spit featured an 1147cc engine with dual sidedraft carbs. I watched tornadic winds literally lift it off the ground once during a storm and it was light enough that my freinds would amuse themselves by raising the back off the ground and let me go through the gears to see how fast I could get while sitting still. One of the few I wish I still had.

Yesterday I was in a fast food place and looked out the front window. I noticed that across from this place was a line of Crepe Myrtles, beyond these was a line of Oak trees. The early morning fog had settled between them and created a wonderful still life. I noticed that the employees were going about their business as if they hadn't noticed this beautiful scene directly in front of them. I wonder how many cubicle workers there are out there who would take a pay cut to be able to see this instead of a cubicle wall every day? My point is this, take time to look at the beautiful things of this world. Life is too short to miss it.
I'll be hosting a trainee today. "New Guy" is going to ride with me all day today and tomorrow. I guess I'll have to stop for lunch and quit at a decent hour. I usually eat on the run if I eat at all and work 11-12 hours. I don't want to scare the guy on his first day so I''l take it easy on him. Thanks for reading.

Heavy Thoughts

Some days seem to sail by with hardly a ripple on your life and others are like storms stirring everything up and changing your life forever. If you've lived over 5 years you know what I'm talking about. Most days you go about your routine and it seems like no sooner have you gotten out of bed than you are lying down again. Then comes a day when you are in a wreck or the doctor tells you "The News" or someone says something that changes the way you perceive reality and BOOM!, it's one of "Those" days. Those days are not always bad, like the days my chidren were born or the days my sons got married. They are not always recognized either. I have had those days and only later understood that they were one of those days. Like the day I had High Speed Internet installed. Sometimes you are painfully aware of the significance, like the day my Dad died. I was walking down our drive one Fall day several years ago and the wind began to blow leaves all around me as they fell from the trees. I stopped in my tracks and experienced the moment. At that exact moment I understood the passage of time in our lives and really realized for the first time how short our lives really are. I resolved right then to live my life and not let it just pass by. Now every day I look at the sky and I observe the stars and the moon. I look at the world around me and notice the way it changes each day as the light of the sun shifts. I talk to the people I meet and really look at them. They are each the same but remarkably different. I try to keep my sense of humor, there are amusing things happening all the time. You just have to LOOK. The world is a terrible, frightful, overwhelming place. The world is also a wonderful, lovely, delightful place. Finding the balance and enjoying each day is my goal. G-d, whatever you beleive Him to be, made us capable of great things, I wish that for you. Thanks for reading.

Atalaya Castle

Whilst at the beach we visited Huntington Beach State Park. One of the attractions is a 1930's mansion built of concrete and brick. The owners called it Atalaya (watch tower). It is interesting and is a diversion from the beach but is not a place you could call home. The owner designed the building in his head and no formal drawings seem to have been made. You can tell. The rooms ramble around a central courtyard trying to get the feel of a Spanish hacienda. The feel I got was gloomy. There is a ghost tour there in October and I couldn't think of a more natural location. I made a sketch of the place and even that is depressing. There seems to be an organization called Freinds of Atalaya, I don't see how anyone could be a freind to this melancholy pile of brick.
The park itself is a real treasure featuring nature trails and a great beach. The causeway entrance is home to alligators who like to show off. The park is a Birders haven featuring over 300 species. Bird watchers come from all over to enjoy the show. A jetty there protects the inlet and is a special spot for fishermen.
The beach is THE spot in this area for shelling. Check it out if you're in the area.http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1020.aspx

Beach Trip

Well, we're back from vacation. We usually go in late September or October to avoid the crowds. One of the benefits of the Empty Nest. Of course I have pictures for you.

I got up every morning at 6 and walked on the beach and watched the sun rise. My first morning there as I stood and looked at the stars over the ocean I saw a small meteor shower. A Hollywood moment. I started laughing, It seemed so unreal as if it were staged for my benefit. Maybe it was. I know it really relieved a lot of tension when the stars fell into the ocean. I don't know about you but it's hard for me to stay inwardly focused when watching a cosmic event.

My brother has a place in Myrtle Beach and we usually go down this time of year and repair things. If you're going that way and need advice leave a comment. He knows all the best dining and attractions.

While there I met a guy fishing on the beach. Turns out he's a retired Assembly line worker from Detroit. He was singing the praises of UAW. Well, just the other day I read where their membership was down 75% in the last 10 years and Ford is buying out as many as will cooperate. Seems that the Union that brought so much good to the workers over the years is dying from it's own bureaucratic weight. Something I believe will eventually happen to the USA if it's not already happening.

Country Music

I listen to all kinds of music. I'm not partial to any one genre though I tend to shy away from anything that depends on excessive decibals or high pitched voices. I've been listening to a lot of country lately and it's got me somewhat paranoid. I'm beginning to think that someone is following me around and writing songs about my life. I qoute, " I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was." "If you're goin through Hell keep on moving...You might get out before the Devil even knows you're there." There's others but that's a good representitive sample. I guess that's the attraction of Country, it speaks to the common people.

I'm going on vacation this coming week so there will be a 4 day period of no posting. My new laptop won't be here till I get back so I'll be computerless for 4 or 5 days. AAARRRGHH! thanks for reading

I think this toilet belongs to a female who has reached the breaking point about having the seat left in the UP position.

Hunting

This is a Henry 12 gauge Shotgun my dad owned. It is very old and I wouldn't feel safe shooting it now. When I was 14 or 15 years old I often came home from school and took it to the woods after squirrel. That's right, we ate those cute rodents. Taste like chicken. Mostly I would just find a tree and sit under it and think. I know it's hard to believe that anyone that age actually has the ability to think but I did. Guess I was abnormal. I really enjoyed sitting there as the day slipped away and the bluejays would scream at me something like "TEAL,TEAL." I was an intruder and they knew the power of my weapon. I never used many shells because I wasn't really there to kill anything. I was mostly there to commune with nature and enjoy a time I think my heart knew would never come again. I still cherish those days in my mind and can go back to them anytime I choose simply by closing my eyes and listening for the growl of a squirrel or the scream of a bluejay. Thanks for reading.

the Hawk

I was heading into Greenville on I385 today when out of the blue a hawk was heading toward my windshield. He/she swerved at the last second and slammed into the corner of my cab. Sounded something like a ball bat hitting my truck. I quickly checked the mirror but all I saw was lots of cars. I'm sure there are little rodents celebrating tonite, "ding dong the hawk is dead". I was sure he was caught in my ladder rack but when I got to a stopping place all I found was this tiny feather. Just in case you weren't aware of it, there is a law against posession of feathers of birds of prey. Wait, this isn't really a hawk feather, it's a pigeon feather. Yeah, that's it, it's a pigeon feather so you can tell the feather police to call off the raid. Not only is it a pigeon feather but I'm not going to keep it. I'll burn it like I burned that old US flag I had laying around for years. Just Joking.

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I was up 20 out of 24 tues and I'm just now getting over it. I'm amazed at what people believe. Some of the things I've heard from supposedly rational people. There are microphones and cameras in almost every store you go in and people are watching you every moment. No lie. My question is, WHY? What have you done to deserve to be watched? I have been in the back rooms many times and I've seen the surveillance videos, they are BORING. If someone were watching you they would probably be ready to commit suicide after about 2 weeks of it. Honestly, unless you pick your nose and eat it nothing you do will get any ones attention. Shoplifters are missed in a lot of stores just because watching for them is so tedious. Casinos are about the only place where this kind of job is really taken seriously. Here's another, the prices are adjusted for each person depending on your race or if the sales staff likes you or not. Give me a break! I have helped program the price codes, it is tedious, time consuming work. They are not going to program several price levels just to punish you for being asinine. If you believe this then you are on an ego trip deluxe. And another, the people in the fast food places spit on the food. Get real! These young folks have got bills to pay just like you and I. I'm sure stuff happens but it is rare and isolated and the victims usually deserve it. So unless you are acting the fool and harassing the staff you probably got the best they had to offer minus the spit. Come on people, get real, the world is, for the most part, exactly what it seems to be. There are very few real conspiracies and Big Brother is more interested in your money than in your life. Word for the day"Deal with it.". I know that's more than one word but deal with it. Thanks for reading, that means you.

Another Week

Some images you have to capture at just the right moment. 15 minutes later and the fog would have lifted and the sky would have turned blue. I hope you enjoy it as much I do. I really love to catch images like this. I know most people think they're boring or mundane but I think they show just how varied and mysterious nature can be. Any place you look can be transformed by rain or fog or sunlight and shadow into a beautiful scene. Only an idiot would think that there is no G-d, the universe left to random chance would not have included beauty. Man, without a divine creator, would not appreciate the beauty shown by nature. I believe that is what is wrong with this world. Many people, like terrorist and axe murderers, have lost that divine spark. They no longer appreciate the rainbow or the early morning fog. I was raised a hunter. Many mornings my dad would wake me before sunrise to go to the fields or woods. I was given a taste of what the world looked like when daylight first touched it. This made a lasting impression on me. I no longer hunt. I have nothing against hunting but it doesn't fit my lifestyle any longer. I was taught never to kill without reason, mainly food. Nowadays I get my food at the supermarket. It's a lot easier and less messy. My hunting I do with the camera. Thanks for reading.

I saw this sign at the hospital today. There were people smoking nearby. I guess this means that it's OK to smoke there but they aren giving it their blessing. I mean if they didn't want you to smoke there they would have said No Smoking, right? Someone I know has a favorite saying, "You can't fix stupid." You also can't fix beurocratic, politically correct ineptitude like that shown by the perpetrators of this sign.

I also thought you might like to see the latest addition to our family. This is my first grand-daughter, Chloe. As you might guess, I'm a pretty proud Gramps. Gotta go, thanks for reading.

Things

Things are different here in the South than in other parts of the country. We tend to have a more laid back attitude toward life. I guess you might call it a "deal with it " culture. If something is bothering you or you find something really frustrating you simply deal with it. You accept it and move on. I guess that's why we don't get too excited about politics. We got all hot and bothered about politics 146 years ago and we're just now getting over it. Prozac helps. I saw a Tshirt one time that really said it all. On the front it said "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." On the back it said "Prozac."

Our laid back attitude has helped and hindered us. We tend to live longer and maybe enjoy life a little more. On the other hand many industries are shy of us because they may feel like we're not productive. Nothing could be further from the truth. When we are paid well and treated right we will work our hearts out. If not, we'll find a place to sit down and smoke a cigarette. Actually, I don't smoke but I think the rest of the world does.

You know, it's funny what you remember. I was thinking the other day about a snow we had in december, 1963. It was especially heavy for this area, about 12". That translates to 4 feet in upstate New York. What really struck me and stuck in my memory was that the government warned us not to eat the snow. It was laced with Cesium 190. The atmospheric H-bomb test had contaminated the snow. Everyone took it calmly, today the government would be replaced if something like that happened. Back then it was considered a natural by product of the effort to control the Evil Soviet Empire. Maybe they were right, maybe the Soviets would have taken over the world if we hadn't stood firm. Then again, maybe they woud have collapsed under their own beurocratic weight. Maybe that's what will be the downfall of the US. The government will simply eat up so much of the resources of our great country that we will simply collapse. I guess we'll have to deal with it.

Tattoos

My oldest son is a tattoo artist. The Eagle one is a work in progress. It's mine and he wants it just right when he does it. I've been waiting for it for a couple of years now and I think it may happen soon. The squid is waiting for the right customer. I've never had a tattoo and I'm kinda nervous about it but committed. This will really mean something to me since I'm very proud of the fact that both my sons made Eagle in the Scouts. We had a good weekend. The grandson was with us and he kept us running. I had forgotten just how opinionated 5 year olds can be. There are no greys, just black and white. Got to go. thanks for reading.

I was thinking about something that I haven't thought about in a long, long, time. When I was in school in Atlanta in 1972-3 there was a pedestrian tunnel under I-85. The walls of this tunnel were painted white and local artist used this as a medium for their art. I remember seeing entire pages of Lord of the Rings written there. I wonder if it's still there.
Also when I was there I volunteered to assist in the visit of Richard Nixon to Atlanta during the campaign. I was standing on a street corner by myself when his limo slowed and made the turn. I recall distinctly seeing Pat Nixon, less than 6 feet from me punch Tricky Dick and make him wave at me. If I had known what was to come I probably would have spit on the car. Oh well, you live and learn. The picture is another view from Hwy 11 in upstate SC. Thanks for reading.

New Kitchen

Well, it's the weekend. I worked thru last wknd so it's nice to be able to relax this one. My Grandson is coming to stay with us till tomorrow so we'll be pretty busy. Never a dull moment when he's around. My dad would say " Yeah, he's a go getter." I saw a freind yesterday who really is dissatisfied with his job. Made me really appreciate mine. I have it made, travelling a lot and fixing things. Making people happy. There are bad days like Thursday when I had to spend a couple of hours down in a manhole with gas vapors but we use safety measures. we get really filthy and stink like gas when we get home but I tell my wife, " that's the smell of money." These are some images of my new cabinets. I built them out of Birch cut and milled locally. The Grape leaf design I cut in with dremel and then painted with acrylics before applying the finish coats of clear Lacquer. I made the countertops with the same ceramic tile I used on my floors. Please ignore the mess, sometimes it's worse. I've since added a range hood. I wanted black but I wouldn't pay the premium for it. I bought a white one, gutted it, sanded it, and painted it black. Looks great.
Locally in the news, A county deputy was hit head on by a guy passing illegally. Two young guys who saw the wreck pried his door open and dragged him out of the car just before it burst into flame. The cop would have died if these two guys had not acted. Proves there are still good people out there. When I see people in our stores being rude and hateful to our employees I have to remember things like this so I don't give up hope on the whole human race. Please, If you're reading this, be nice. It don't cost you a thing. Just remind yourself that you are sharing the space with a lot of other people who have the same dreams and hurts as you do. Be nice. Red Green says "Remember, I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together."

Well, I took a day off today. My friend has a cabin on Lake Keeowee and I went up there last night and loafed. It was good to get away from it all for a change. I took these pictures this morning. I really needed a day off and the scenery and peaceful surroundings hit the spot. This is a vacation spot and everybody has returned to work or school. These cabins are about 10 miles from the nearest small town and are hemmed in on both sides by multi-million dollar retirement homes.

The only sound I heard all day was construction work on a distant house. The geese made a little noise and occasionally a boat would pass by. It was a rude shock to have to come back to reality. The new granddaughter is due any day now and I thought maybe she would show up while I was away. The spouse said she would give me a call if the event started so I could hit the road home. Fortunately she tarried.