An unexpected kindness

Don't you just love it when someone does something that just makes you smile ? A small act or gesture. It is a confirmation of your own existence and that you matter. We all need this. All of us want to be acknowledged as making a contribution to life and to society. To know that someone cares. To know that we are appreciated.

It is the unsolicited acts that are best. Acts done for no other purpose than to make someone happy. Acts done under no other obligation or pretense. Not birthday gifts or Christmas gifts. Not things that have been planned out and thought about for days or weeks. No, I'm talking about the totally random act of kindness that can only come from the heart. These are the priceless gifts.

These small acts may cost nothing at all monetarily. But they do cost the person giving it their time. And time,is one thing that can never be replaced or regained. Time is our most precious of commodities.

I was the recipent of such a kindness when I awoke this morning. It made me smile. I am pleased. I don't need to name the person that performed this kindness,he/she knows who they are. Notice the he/she there so as to give no clue ? My day has begun with a smile. Thank You.

In the big scheme and big picture of life it is truly the little things that count.

I preach it all the time, it's in the details. The little details are what complete the project. And this morning a little "gingerbread trim " was added to my life.

Time and Tide

Time and tide wait for for no man. Many times I heard those words from my father. When there was work to be done, or maybe a place to be, I would hear that, C'mon time and tide wait for no man.

How true a statement that is. Two days ago when Irene caused the flooding of the river the tide certainly didn't wait. Time and tide are relentless. In an ever changing world there are constants. Time changes everything but time itself remains. Always moving forward. The ebb and flow of the tides are ever constant. They can be measured and predicted. They are powerful forces which can not be stopped, or altered by man.

The expression time and tide wait for no man comes from the seafaring days of old. It was during a time when ships were dependant upon the tide to sail out of port. At high tide with the ship fully loaded and ready to go, time was important. To miss the tide was to delay the voyage. It could prove to be a costly error.

Having been born on an island I feel closely tied to the sea. My birth sign is cancer,the crab. I spent twenty years in the Navy and have sailed the seven seas.

I love seafood of all types. In fact, I have yet to find a seafood I don't like !

So somehow, I too, am tied to the tide and by association, time.

Occasionally a restlessness comes over me. A feeling that I'm missing the voyage. The first line from a poem comes to mind, " I must go to the sea again,to the lonely sea and the sky,and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by." The tide is calling to me.

I expect it was the same back in sailing days. Several of my ancestors were around the world whalers. After their final voyages and in their old age I imagine they went to the dock and looked out. Scanning the horizon for a mast or perhaps some sea birds. There lives were tied to the tide. Others in my family were baymen. Working the bay for their livelihood. They were as equally tied to the tide.

The blood of my ancestors flows through my veins. It is mixed with saltwater I think. The links to the past are strong and enduring. You cannot escape your past, only chart a course for the future. Time and Tide wait for no man !

Don't miss the tide.

Abraham Miller King

my 2nd Great Grandfather

made seven voyages around cape horn hunting whales

Not much of a story.

Up and down the east coast of America people will be relating their tales of Irene. This hurricane will be the primary topic of conversation for weeks. Anything that effects so many would be. That is only human nature.

I have no big tale to tell. Irene, I'm glad to report, did little to directly effect me. I never even lost electrical power. My satellite television did flicker in and out but remained functioning 90% of the time. I was both amazed and thankful. Many others were not nearly as fortunate.

The day following this event I did go out and take some snapshots. A large limb down here and debris strewn about. The most remarkable by far was the flooding of the river. I have not heard what the height of the cresting was but it had to be considerable. Two roads were rendered impassable. They still are as of this writing.

The towns waste treatment plant was flooded. It is located fairly close to the river and was overwhelmed. The expense to repair that will be considerable. Service was not interrupted. Why our sewage system even functions at this point is a good question. I'm surprised the entire system isn't backed up. I'm grateful that it is not.

Almost everyone over the age of ten will remember this event. It will enter our collective memories. Stories told and pictures shared. As in all storms of this magnitude some suffer terrible loss while others are relatively unaffected. Over time and the telling and retelling of stories this storm will undoubtedly grow in force. The tales will be embellished just a bit as well.

I think it is our need to join in the conversation,to be a part of it all, that leads to this. A branch that falls in our yard becomes a massive oak. The cresting of the river grows in stature. Our personal experiences made,shall we say, a bit more interesting. I have no big tale to tell. I will have to be content to listen. Funny how on one level you can be happy that you suffered no damage or loss and yet on another secretly wish you had some great tale to tell.

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. Greensboro has been relatively spared. It could have been a lot worse. The clean up has begun and things will be back to normal in a few days. Life goes on. The spirit of man unbroken.

the river hadn't fully crested at this point

So let me see, it was the height of the storm. The wind was gusting and the rain pounding on my windows. The satellite lost its' signal and the picture went blank ! It was a tense moment my friends. That is about as bad as Irene got for me. Not much of a story is it ? I am grateful.

Something to Say ?

I was workng at the grocery the other day when two young hispanic women with their children were shopping. I was busy filling the diary case with fresh milk. They paused a foot or so away from me and were talking. Now,I took spanish when I was in high school some forty years ago. My spanish is somewhat lacking and I only recognized a few words. I certainly couldn't tell the topic of their conversation. I could surmise however,from their body lanuage and their glances in my direction, that I was the topic. Whether it was good or bad I had no idea. All I noticed was a quick glance or two, a comment and some laughter. Like most everyone if you don't understand the lanuage you tend to be a bit paranoid. It is a natural human reaction.

Having almost completed my task I backed away from the case. One of the young women,with a small child in her cart,came by me. The child looked up at me and smiling said," Hola." My lanuage skills sprang into action and I replied, " Hola, como esta ? " " Como se llama ? " The little boy said a name I didn't recognize but I just smiled and said, " adios." Having now exhausted my supply of conversational spanish I left the scene. What I found most amusing was the look that came over the faces of those two young women. A look of guilt and embarassment ! They believed that I could speak and understand them. Neither one spoke to me, in any lanuage. They just hurried along without even getting their leche !

I guess the moral to the story is never assume anything about anyone. I suspect a lot of people understand other lanuages quite well but don't let on for various reasons. As I said, I can pick out certain words or phrases but I am hesitiant to try to speak to a native speaker of that tongue. I don't want to look foolish or take a chance on offending someone by using the wrong word. While I was in the Navy I picked up some phrases of a dubious nature. Best to be quiet. As my Mom always says, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

An unwelcome guest

I,along with millions of others,am sitting here in anticipation of a hurricane.

Should be here this afternoon. Like an unwelcome guest with children it will create havoc. One can only make preperations and hope for the best. The damage to property can be repaired and items lost replaced. You just hope and pray that no one gets hurt.

This is not my first hurricane and I'm quite sure it will not be my last. I have been fortunate in each and every instance. No significant loss or damage. I'm confident I will make it through this event.

The name of this storm is Irene. The first thing that came to mind was the song, Good night Irene. Not a good omen. Then I remembered the last major storm we had here was Isabel. Seems like the I's have it. I know it should be ayes but you see what I did there. LOL

Like everyone else that has been around for a few decades I have heard the stories of the legendary storms. My parents have pictures from one of them. Before my time in 1938. That one was a monster and very bad indeed. This event should be no were near that. That is a positive !

A few final things to do and it will be time to hunker down. Batten the hatches. Hove too ! Ride out the storm.

Used to be we were concerned with the telephone lines being down. Now we need to worry about the cell phone towers. If they get knocked over I expect it will take longer to repair. I heard that 25% of American homes are now cell phone only. That could create a problem. And of course if the internet gets knocked out that could be a real issue as well.

I'm sure someone,somewhere will be streaming live from the hurricane. They will be out in the storm trying to capture it all. Some local counties have banned the sale of alcohol. I don't remember that happening before ? Is that a new thing or just something I never noticed ? Could put a crimp in the hurricane party,that's for sure. And I also hear you have to be on the lookout for looters. These criminals will try to use the storm as cover. Unbelievable the depths they will sink too. I'll be at home so don't come knocking !

That's Irene

I'll be keeping all my friends and family in mind. The storm will pass in a few hours and I'm hoping the effects will not be long term. After it is over we can all tell our tales of the big storm. The hurricane of 2011. Irene.

Good luck to you all.

Progress

Ready to go.

The kids are back in school. I went to the bus stop with them as I have every year. I took the camera,as always,and embarrassed them properly. It is a yearly ritual. The years go by quickly. Next year, Mark, the oldest,will be going to middle school and taking a different bus. Not sure if I will see him off or not. He will have to leave pretty early in the morning.

I enjoy seeing all the children dressed in their new outfits. All neat and clean. Carrying their new book bags. The promise of another year bright before them.

The little ones nervous and a bit anxious. The seasoned veterans all non chalant about the whole deal while secretly having anxiety attacks. The talk of what teacher you have and what teachers are mean and give a lot of homework. It is an introduction to fall.

As I was taking in the scene, I remembered how we used to have book straps,sometimes called book bands,instead of those backpacks. When I got to work I was talking with some of the younger people and they had no idea what I was talking about. I wonder when they went out of style and common use ? We still had them in 1971. I wonder when the kids started using backpacks ?

I tried locating one on the web but had no luck. Typing in " book strap " got me a definition of what it was and lots of websites selling bookbags ! Tried book bands and all I got was websites where you could " book a band." Not planning any party so not interested.

I can remember my book strap. It was a dull orange color. It was flat,made of rubber and had a hook and eye fastener. Could buy them at the five and ten cent store for less than a dollar. I don't recall one ever breaking. It worked real well and didn't hurt my back,which I hear, is an increasing problem with the pack backs. It is just something I have noticed. When we went to school we pretty much only carried our books and maybe a pencil box. The geeks did have pocket protectors ! Now those backpacks are stuffed full of things. Paper,pencils,crayons,hand sanitizer,sweaters and I can only imagine what else.

Like a woman's purse, they may contain just about anything. LOL

I have noticed we Americans in general have taken to carrying around more and more items every where we go. Folding chairs,up to and including those love seat ones with a table in between,umbrellas,I-phones.I-pads,Kindles,sport drinks,water bottles,backpacks,totes and carry alls. Some of this stuff we put on wheels ! All the comforts of home. And that is just to go to the local soccer game at the playground.

Ah,for the simpler days and times. Wrap a book strap around those books,the ones covered with the brown paper grocery sacks,decide whether to wear a sweater or coat and off you go. Same with going somewhere else,sans the books.

It did occur to me that those book straps may have gone by the wayside but snuck back in. Now they call them, bungee cords ! Round elastic material with hooks on either end. Definitely not cool to put on your books and go to school. I can only imagine what the other kids would say about that. 

And then one last thought about all that. I suppose if they did still make a book strap and it failed they could be sued ! Or even if  it just sprang back and hit you. Lawsuit ! Unless the proper warning labels and liability statements could somehow be embossed on it. I can see where they could be a dangerous item. A potential weapon even. Not that I ever did it, but you could launch a pretty mean spitball with one of those things.

So,I guess it is best to use the backpack. A bad back is better than losing an eye ! Progress folks. Progress is a wonderful thing.



and they're off !



Hand to Hoof

I just heard that the deer hunting season is about to start here in Maryland. Not being a hunter, and having little interest in it, this information has little meaning to me.I'm disinterested to say the least. I have no objection to those that wish to hunt anything legal and do it within' the guidelines. My only thing is if you shoot it, you should eat it. To kill just for the sport of killing makes no sense to me whatsoever. So what I'm about to say has no basis in morality or being an animal lover. I'm just sayin".

As I understand it most of these " hunters " sit up in a tree stand and wait for their prey to walk within range. Then, being the mighty hunters that they are, they ambush them. I fail to see how this is hunting. More like waiting for the game to come to you, than hunting for the game. Maybe it is just me but hunting implies;well; hunting. Bushwacking isn't my thing.

I'll see the boys at the local shops getting coffee in the early mornin'. They will be dressed in camouflage from head to toe. Their guns and bows are camouflaged.They smear green makeup on their faces. Some will even poor deer scent ( deer pee pee ) over their clothes. Then jumping into their camouflaged vehicles they head to the woods,mostly at the edge of a clearing,and climb up the tree with their stand. Now I admit I know little about the habits of deer but I have seen them in the wild. They don't go around looking up in the trees. They are not afraid of a squirrel attack ! So why the camo ? I know deer don't mate in the tree tops so why scent yourself up ? Maybe them deer didn't see that four wheel drive three quarter ton pickup pull up, but I 'm betting they heard it. It all just seems a little silly to me. I'm certain I could sit in a tree wearing nothing but my everyday street clothes and ambush a deer that happened to walk under me.

The duck hunters are even more silly in my opinion. You hide in a blind ! A blind,so named because it is supposed to make you invisible to the ducks. Making them " BLIND " So why are you wearing that camo suit ? When you pop up out of that blind, gun blazing, your cover has been blown. No need for camo ! Is the camo supposed to hide you when walking into the blind ? Do you really think the ducks have someone taking notes about this ? " Two hunters in that blind on the left,I seen'em walk in."

I guess it is sport. A lot of guys do it. It makes them feel manly I guess. I know when they talk about it they swear alot and brag about their shooting skills. It is just something I don't get. If I were to decide to go hunting I would want to hunt. Walk through the forest and stalk the game. Try to sneak up close enough to get the shot. That could be fun. Hunting as a sport should be a challenge. I can't see the challenge in baiting a spot on the ground and then sitting in a tree waiting for the ambush. A real man will face them on their own level and take them on hand to hoof ! That's what I call hunting.

Follow the plan

I took my grandson for our little camping adventure. It rained hard the first night but we still had a good time. This being a planned event I had written two blogs and scheduled them for publication. Everything went off without a hitch.

Well,except for Monday. A series of storms had knocked out my wireless connection to the Internet. Unable to get online I was lost. I couldn't check in on my facebook friends or get to the site to write and post my blog.

I have been doing this writing for a year now and had only missed two days posting. Now,barely three days into the next year I'm short a day already. I can't explain why, but I feel like I missed something. I sat looking at the computer. I tried to connect but same message appeared. I looked at some files on the computer, pictures,the family tree and some older word documents. Tried to connect,same message. My wife was in the kitchen with her laptop doing the same thing. No connection for her either ! On one of my trips to the kitchen for a snack,I eat a lot when I'm bored,the wife says," what did we do before the Internet ?" Ha, I didn't have an immediate response. What did we do ? Watch television and read ? Guess so.

Anyway,this interruption in the daily routine has knocked me off my game. I wasn't prepared for the loss of the Internet. Several of my readers wondered what happened to me. I do appreciate them thinking about me. Nice to know when you are missed. It is amazing how much this one little thing has thrown me off. Yesterday I had the most difficult time writing down my thoughts.  It was almost like I had never done that before ! Good grief. When I finally finished a portion of what I had down wasn't saved, and I had to start over.

Some say it is old age setting in. I'm in my routine and I don't like it when it changes without notice. I'm a flexible enough person,as long as I know ahead of time. I can adapt but it takes time. The nerve of that Internet service provider to have my service interrupted ! I need my own satellite.

The truth of the matter is I'm spoiled. Used to having the Internet at my fingertips. Log on and go to my blogging or whatever else strikes my fancy. When it wasn't long ago I had that old slowpoke dial up connection. When the computer only had a single core processor and we were using floppy discs. I'm spoiled. I want the cyber world at my fingertips. When are there going to make a computer with speech recognition so I could just dictate and have the thing type itself ! This is the 21st century !

I hope I don't have that happen again. Of course yesterday we had an earthquake, and a hurricane is heading in this general direction, so you never know. At least I have some notice about the hurricane.

Yes and today is the beginning of the school year. More changes to my routine.

Life is a constantly changing cycle that repeats itself. What is the name for that kind of statement ? An oxymoron ? I don't know, I never was good at English.

I do know I don't like my schedule interrupted. I have a plan ! I keep telling people that, I have a plan. Now if I could only get the rest of the world to follow the plan. Well,that's another whole deal there isn't it ?

Benny

I had hoped to attend my fortieth high school class reunion. It is looking like that isn't going to happen. For a variety of reasons I just am not going to be able to make it. Maybe another time.

I sent an e-mail to one of the organizers for this event. Naturally, we went to school together. We haven't seen or spoken to one another since 1971. Oh, in the past few months we have exchanged pleasantries on the computer regarding the upcoming reunion. I received a reply from her expressing her sorrow that I wouldn't be able to attend. The salutation was ," Benny ". That just struck a chord. I haven't been called Benny since I was in high school. I go by Ben now.

So I got to thinking about that. To my classmates I am Benny. Not Ben but Benny.

So who was this Benny. A rather skinny kid about 5' 8" that was an average student. He hung around with a small group of friends. He didn't do sports or belong to the band,yet could usually be found in the general neighborhood.

He came from below the bridge, working class family, but would mingle with everyone.

That is about it I think. I was one of those that went to school and was just there. I didn't belong to the band,drama club,play any sports or participate in extracurricular activities. I was just there.

All my classmates I put into little niches. We all do that. That kid is from a rich family, he is from a poor one, her father owns a business, he is a bully, she is this or that. Everyone tucked away neatly in our memory. But how much of that memory is true ? Perception is often quite different than the reality.

I think the purpose of these reunions is to reconnect with the past. To relive some of those glory days and satisfy some of our curiosity as well. Face it,we all wonder if the rich kids stayed rich and if the poor kids stayed poor. Did the scholar succeed ? The pretty girls,are they still pretty ?

Reliving the past can be fun. You can edit out the bad. Also the things you remember may not be exactly what the others remember. After forty years though, I really don't think it would matter much.

I'm a little sad that I won't be able to attend. Perhaps another time. On the bright side however, Benny will live on. Some might say, where is Benny ?

Others will answer, he is alive and well and living in Maryland. And the topic of conversation will change.

Not having seen me in forty years there image of me is unchanged.

 Little Benny Reichart. I wonder sometimes just what image they did have ? People,even kids, were a lot more polite and understanding of others feelings back then. Opinions were often kept to themselves or whispered to other friends.

So, just who was Little Benny Reichart ?

For the common good.

Have we regulated ourselves into sufficiency ? I was always told to strive to be self sufficient. To be independent. It is a cornerstone of the American dream. To be able by your own hard work,sweat and dedication to build your future and a better life. Every day it seems like there are more rules and regulations to be followed before this dream can be realized. In the interest of fair play and avoiding lawsuits have we regulated away our freedoms ?

Was a time when I could do things for myself. If I needed an addition on my home I could build it. Now I need a permit,a site plan,environmental impact studies,and God only knows what else before I can even think about it. And even then I have to pay some inspector to approve the construction when it is done. There is very little I can do without some government agency requiring, at the very least, a permit. I can't have a yard sale without a permit. ( I know it is seldom enforced but that is not my point).

Oh, I know all the reasons behind all this regulation. Public health and safety. And because your neighbors can be idiots ! Yes, someone would try to raise cattle in their backyard. It is a shame when we have to spell out common sense in order for people to understand. But I can't help but think we are regulating ourselves way beyond the point of reason.

As with most things, the almighty dollar enters into the equation. Somebody wants their cut. It would be a terrible shame for me to make a few bucks and not have to share it with others. Whether it is a fee or a tax makes little difference to me. It is still money from my pocket.

And so I have become somewhat sufficient. I am forced to hire contractors and other professionals because I can not (by regulation) do it myself. Could I generate my own electricity ? Sure,after obtaining the proper permits and such. Probably would have to apply for a variance. Can I drill my own well and pump my own water ? Nope ! Not in town you can't. All kinds of rules and regulations apply. And so it goes.

All the land is owned by somebody. No more settling down and staking a claim. That must have been an exciting time. Also a dangerous one. I think I would have liked it though. I like doing things myself and doing it my way. It is the way I was raised. Unfortunately, government regulations prevent a lot of it.

I guess it is for the common good, but from where I stand, no good for the common man.

Keeping it special

The kids go back to school next week. Because of that I am taking my grandson camping again. It will be the last hooray of summer vacation. Soccer begins next week as well. So between school,homework and soccer his time is pretty much spent. It will be time to change gears and get into the groove.
I took him camping one other time earlier in the year. We both had a real good time. Cooking food on an open fire,fishing and sleeping in our clothes. Arrg, just like real men do ! Even used the local bushes for an outhouse,how manly is that !

My wife suggested that we should go camping more frequently. My reply was no, I'd like to keep that as special. It is only special when done in moderation. Start doing it too often and it loses that special feel. It becomes commonplace.

By spreading these adventures out we can enjoy that special time over a much longer period of time. Years in fact. As long as my body holds up at least. I have found sleeping on the ground takes more of a toll on me that it used too.

I can not say whether it was by design or just coincidence but my father didn't spend too much time playing with us kids. The times that he did were, and still are very special times. I remember each and every one of them. Yes,they were that infrequent.

This same philosophy applies to other areas as well. Certain foods or treats. Going to the movies or a certain beach. Whatever the situation you can make it special. Traditions fall into this category as well. The action must be repeated but not too often. It is a temptation to spoil them with whatever they enjoy. To take them,buy them,give them or indulge their wishes. It isn't always easy to say no. I do make a conscious decision about this.



from last camping trip,we have fire !!



I'm looking forward to this weekend adventure. Maybe we will get rain and have to sit in the tent. That would be fun. We can play cards. The weather should be great though. Not too hot, and comfortable at night. I'm sure it will another special time between Grandfather and Grandson. Making memories together. Isn't that what life is all about ?

An Anniversary

Today marks exactly one year of my writing this blog. This date is memorable for  other reasons as well. The birth of my daughter and the death of an Uncle.

I was born in July but August is a month full of special dates for me.

A year ago I read a blog written by a classmate. I thought,how cool is that,and decided to try it. And that was the title of my first blog, How cool is that.

I have been fortunate to write something every day,with two exceptions,since that time.

The website that publishes my blog also provides you with stats about your blog. I check them out every now and then. I want to see how I'm doing. Every time someone reads one a page view is recorded. My all time page view history is, drum roll please, 3,051. Amazing. To think that my thoughts have been read that many times. My most popular writing by page view, Feb 9,2011 titled The Antenna.

Now,how cool is that ? It struck me back then and still does today. To be able to sit and write your thoughts and have them read by people all over the world. Literally. The stats show I have had readers in nine different countries. How or why someone in Belize would come across my blog is beyond me but it happened. Just goes to prove how small a world we really do live in.

To my "followers " thank you for your support. I hope I give you a chuckle and occasionally something to think about. My daily blog is a sort of therapy to me.

Thank You Barbara for the inspiration to start writing.

Each of us have a story to tell. I think we should all write it down. You don't have to be a Mark Twain or Stephen King, write it and they will read.

Clams and Chickens

While browsing through old newspapers online I ran across an interesting little piece. It concerned my Great Grand Uncle and his chickens. The exact date escapes me at the moment but it was somewhere in the 1940's.

The Article as it appeared.

Oh the problems people can have. Who would have thought a clam would kill a chicken ? I read this article with amusement. It did raise a few questions however. Why would you have chickens in your basement ? Seems like a smelly operation to me. And store clams there too. Surely this was a one time freak accident of some kind. Either that or my Uncle was pretty eccentric. My Aunt must have been a tolerate woman as well. I can't imagine what my own wife would say if I wanted to keep chickens in the basement !

Reading this did remind me of a time when reading the newspaper was a relaxing thing. Yes,they had their share of bad news back then but for the most part the news was interesting and informative. Look at a paper today and the content. It almost always is about crime and corruption. The headlines are about horrific things. People starving to death, others being abducted, children abused. They are pretty depressing things,Newspapers.

Granted this was in a local newspaper and listed along with a lot of other social notes. Who was visiting whom and the results of the Women's Aid Society fundraiser. Still and all the paper made for a pleasant read. It was a different time and the papers didn't feel the need to shock the public.

I suppose the days of reading the morning paper are almost over. Few do I think. I get the majority of my news on the television and the internet. We are all in too much of a hurry to sit and read anymore. Multi tasking is the name of the game. Get the news while eating your breakfast or checking your status on facebook. Modern day people seldom focus on one thing at a time. Everything is multi now. Even our cereals are multi-grained.

Well,as I always tell the grand kids, focus,you must focus ! Do not lose focus on the task at hand. A line from one of my favorite TV shows,MASH,comes to mind. Charles Emerson Winchester says, " I do one thing at a time,I do it very well,and then I move on."

My Uncle George would have been well advised to follow that advice. Putting chickens and clams in the same basement lead to tragedy. At least for the chicken it did. Lesson learned.

Remembered

As I was doing the research for my family tree I stumbled upon a record. Here  was recorded the birth of Alma K Bennett. The date was 1919. Also,sadly enough, it was recorded that she died in 1919. No mention of days or months,just the year.

Alma K Bennett would have been an Aunt of mine. She would have been number eight from my Moms' side had she survived. My Grandmother had eleven children counting Alma. Ten survived to adulthood. My Mom is the last one still living. I asked my mother about this record when I first discovered it. She told me she didn't really know too much about that. She explained she had overheard her sisters talking about it, but they quickly stopped as soon as they became aware of her presence. Mom went on to tell me that back in those days it wasn't considered proper to speak about such things. Many women lost children due to the lack of medical attention and knowledge. A lot of women died during and shortly following childbirth.The feeling was,it is best to not speak about such things,it is a part of life and that was that.

I have been unsuccessful in finding this child's final resting place. Those that would know are long gone now. Looking upon the record I can't help but wonder about all that. It must have been terrible for my Grandmother. To lose a child has to be one of the most trying ordeals for anyone to endure. She had little ones at home to take care of and little time to grieve. There were no " grief counselors " in her day to turn to. No support groups. But endure she did, and went on to have more children.

The how or why of this tragedy will never be known. If not for my research Alma K Bennett may have been lost to time. Certainly my Mom never said anything about that. In all fairness to Mom it did happen 5 years before her birth. She had only heard whispered rumors.

I am pleased to have discovered this. I'm hopeful one day to learn the day and month of her birth and death. I'm hopeful I can find her final resting place. I would like to place a flower there and say HI Aunt Alma. No one is gone as long as they are remembered.

Sacrifice

The government needs to save money and balance the budget. No news there.

We just borrowed a bunch more for a temporary fix,again. As soon as congress gets done vacationing they may or may not get back to work on the problem. In the meantime the President is out campaigning in a million dollar tour bus. One of several, by the way, the secret service recently purchased. Wonder what the fuel mileage estimate on those are ? The president told the automakers to quit making suvs, as they are not fuel efficient. But I digress.

As I was watching the evening news they reported on a plan to revamp the military retirement system. Being a retired military member this caught my attention. Seems as though some want to scrap the present system altogether and go with a type of 401 plan. The government would contribute and so would the member. Given the market these last few years I wonder how much security that could offer ? Also you have to wait until normal retirement age to start collecting these benefits. What is that now, 68 ?

Let me say this; after twenty years of service a member is currently entitled to 50% of their base salary, subject to taxes in most states,for life. I don't have current figures but when I retired the life expectancy for a retired military member was ten years.

If you serve in Congress,the Senate or the house for two years you get a tax free pension, for life ! No one is talking about changing that. And oh by the way you get to keep certain perks along with that.

If you serve twenty years in the military as say,a tank commander,what civilian job do you think you are qualified to do ? Or you were a commando. Any number of vital positions come to mind.

I see a lot of flag waving and let's appreciate the sacrifices our troops are making. Now I'm hearing they are too expensive. The average retirement that a military retiree receives is a very small amount compared to congressional pay, I can assure you. In order for my wife to receive anything after my passing I have to pay for a insurance plan. And then the best she could get is 50% of my 50%.

America saying thank you to the spouses I suppose. The ones that stayed at home raising the children and worrying each day about the safety of their loved one. The person that for months,sometimes a year,had to be both parents.

I agree the government needs to find a solution to the budget problem. But to even consider placing the burden on our military,as if they don't have enough of a burden,is just crazy talk. I speak from first hand experience. After spending six months at sea, missing Thanksgiving,Christmas,New Year and the fourth of July you get just a little bit,shall I say it,less patriotic. Your enlistment is about to expire and you are thinking I could have been home. But then you realize you have already invested ten years in this and in another ten I can retire. I'm half way there. You reenlist. If the choice was in another ten years I could retire and then wait another 25 or 30 years to receive a pension my decision may not have been the same. Irregardless of what you may hear love of country only goes so far and economics enter into the equation. Let's see, I can make " x " amount of dollars by being shot at or " x " amount of dollars working in the factory. Hmm. Tough choice.

Ready for the Parade (2007)

Look I'm just sayin'. I keep hearin' about cuts in social security and now I'm hearing about scrapping the military retirement system. I'm not hearing about any Congressmen,Senators,Representatives,Vice Presidents or Presidents talking about their retirement packages ! I don't hear any talk of reducing their salaries or benefits. What is that saying ? Charity begins at home.

Thanks for reading. I had to get that off my chest. I can't believe it.

" Native speaker "

I was just reading about an effort to preserve a language. More correctly ,a dialect. This dialect was and still is spoken by my relatives,friends and classmates. We were never aware of it in that sense. It was just the way we spoke. An occasional teacher in school would attempt to correct our grammar and usage.

As a young man some of my fathers associates spoke this dialect. Being from an older generation and having had less influence from radio and television their " accent " was quite noticeable. Some of the more die hard characters were difficult to understand. They spoke very rapidly and with terms you weren't used too. A few phrases are still in common usage around home and one in particular has reached iconic status. The response, " yes,yes,Bub " is well known and spoken by almost everyone in the area.

There are many colorful expressions and descriptions used. Some have lost their meaning to all but a very few. An example of this is, three times round.

If you asked one of these people how thick the ice on the harbor was the answer very well may have been, " three times round." Meaning; one would have to chop three times around in a circle with an ax to cut a hole through the ice. Needed that hole to catch some, " skinnables " known to other folks as eels.

The original people that spoke this dialect where often considered uneducated,working class people. Hard working and hard drinking,a real bunch of roughnecks. Tough people, earning a tough living working the water. Their families were large and they were a clannish lot. Foreigners were tolerated, but not exactly welcomed. And a foreigner was anyone not born there. Everyone else was " from away." And that expression said it all.

In recent years these people have risen a great deal in status. Everyone is scrambling to identify themselves with this group. It is truly one of those unexplainable phenomena.What was once somewhat of a handicap in society is now a asset. And now the effort to record the " native speakers ".

An admirable task, but the dialect will never be truly captured. The true speakers have long since passed. In my opinion, the last of the true speakers left us in the 60's.

What exactly is being recorded I do not know. I am not qualified to judge,either. I have heard this dialect spoken all my life but never took any notes. It never sounded like anything unique to me. I am interested to find out. Unfortunately I do not live in the area anymore and am unlikely to go there anytime soon.

I have had others tell me I speak this dialect. I don't know about that. LOL I just talk the way I have always talked. Except for the fact that I have moved around the country and adopted certain phrases, I expect I sound pretty much the same. I expect it is the same with any language. Put me in a room with a " native speaker " and I will soon speak the same way. We all adapt that way in an attempt to fit in. Yes Sir, and I'm down with that ,mean the same thing but used in different situations and with different social groups.

I am amazed and amused by this information. Recording the way my Dad and his contemporaries spoke. Who would have thought ? Well his generation and those before him were , " the finest kind." Yes,Yes, Bub ! I never realized I was speaking a foreign language.

A more sobering thought is; their is an effort to record this dialect because all those who speak it are quickly leaving us and according to some I fit in this group ! Well.all I can say is, I ain't going nowhere,not hardly Bub !

Hangin' out the Laundry

I was chatting with a fellow blogger yesterday and this topic found its way into the conversation. We both wish to write down and preserve the family stories and histories. The "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would have put it. We both agreed that you have to be careful just what you print. The phrase " airing out your laundry " came to mind.

Every family has stories to tell. People,being people,do not always behave as we would like or expect. Skeletons are in the closets. These stories/histories should be saved as well. The question remains, how long do you have to wait before you hang out the laundry ? As long as there are living participants would seem an obvious answer. But I think maybe it goes further than that. If that individual that the story concerns is still alive in someones memory,whether they knew them personally or not, then the laundry stays folded. The stories should bring the person to life, not destroy a memory.

I have been told tales of distant ancestors and the effect was satisfying. It made them seem more like a real person. Other stories did make me alter my conception of what they were like. And all that had to be weighed carefully against who was doing the telling. Getting a clean, unvarnished or untainted view can be difficult. Perceptions vary widely and we can not know the mind of the person when they acted.

I have given some thought in the past to compiling these family stories and histories. A secret journal of sorts. Into this journal I would write down those stories and histories as they were told to me. I would include my own story and history. The problem lies in that I would not want these stories and histories exposed for quite some time. Certainly not immediately after my demise. I wouldn't want to tarnish my legacy ! I've worked hard at being this good . LOL

What I'm saying is, I'm no different from everyone else. I prefer not to tell the rest of the story. My own Grandchildren would not be nearly removed enough,perhaps their Grandchildren ?

What about you ? How long do you think you would wait ? Or do you take some things to the grave with you ? Do others really need to know ? I ,for one ,can keep a secret. We all have them you know. But then what we think as terrible now, may be no big deal twenty years from now. Attitudes change and so do social customs.

As I work on the family tree certain questions come to mind. I wish I had answers for them. If only someone had thought to write it down. I would like to leave an honest explanation of my decisions for a future generation . Human nature changes little over time and I'm certain some descendant of mine would be interested. I just need to figure out a way to put those stories and histories in a time lock ! Then I would have to decide upon the time.

Well,it is something to consider. Putting oneself in a vulnerable position is never easy. The gain must be worth the risk.

Senseless

A tragic and senseless act has been committed here in Greensboro. A group,as I'm sure it took more than one,has desecrated one of the oldest cemeteries in town. In what I can only describe as a thoughtless act, tombstones were ripped from the ground and several others pushed over. What the motivation for such a despicable act could be I can only speculate.

In this cemetery is interred the founder of the town along with his family and descendants. Some of the markers destroyed belong to them. One marker in particular,a tall white marble obelisk 150 years old,was pushed over.

I am not a native of this town. I have no one buried in that cemetery. I do however, feel the anger that those that do, must feel. To have the resting place of your ancestors disturbed is an awful thing. For that is where your true roots lie. Buried six foot deep into that soil and now spread out over 150 years of growth. It is one of the most senseless acts I can imagine.

The majority of the population is still native born. During the big housing boom quite a few people from away moved here. There is a difference in attitude and connection between the two. I'm quite sure those that were born here and their parents and grandparents before them are justifiably enraged. As I said, I'm not and I am both enraged and saddened. I certainly hope they catch the perpetrators.

a portion of the old Methodist cemetery

The historical society will accepting donations for the repairs. This old burial ground has been unused for many years. It is on the grounds of what was the first Methodist Church in Greensboro. The original bell from the steeple is mounted and preserved in this spot as well. It is truly a sad thing to see crime scene tape surrounding the graveyard. This is modern day living ? This is progress ? I always wondered why my Great Grandfather would say," What is the world  coming too " whenever something really bad would happen. I think now I know why.

" What if "

I'm sure we all do it. Some are doing it right now. Others will be doing it.

Thinking and wondering about decisions. Decisions we have made and ones we are about to make. We all want to do the right thing, to make the correct choices. Choices that affect our happiness,livelihood and indeed our lives in general.

As we age we tend to procrastinate on these decisions. The recklessness of our youth being behind us. A favorite cliche of mine,fools rush in where wise men fear to tread,comes to mind. Then again,this same fearlessness can lead to great glory !

There are those that never change their ways. Some people jump from one thing to another their entire lives. Others find a niche and stay there. There is something to be said for both actions.

But what I was thinking about this morning is revisiting those key decision that really changed your life. Whenever I start feeling a little down in the dumps this usually occurs. The "what ifs " creep into my mind. Thinking about the trail not taken. In my mind this trail almost always proves to be better. But,isn't that the point of the visit ? Why would you think if I did something differently it would be worse ? That wouldn't make any sense. Soon though my little depressive spell will pass and I go back to being content with the decisions I have made. After all,you can't change the past,only learn from it.

It is a fun flight of fantasy though. My favorite one involves a business opportunity I once had. I was working for an upholstery business when the owner passed away. His widow wanted no part of this business and offered it for sale. This was in 1975 and the staggering price was 18,000 dollars, lock stock and barrel. I considered it carefully and declined to act upon this. A big chance was knocking at the door but I failed to answer. This business is still in existence and thriving to this day. In fact it is in one of the more "posh" areas of the country. A long list of celebrities use this shop.

What if I had bought this business ? Would I be a wealthy businessman highly respected in the community ? Hob nobing with the "A" listers ? How different my life could have been. Fun to think about and speculate on.

Then reality sets in and I am honest with myself. I was 23 years old at the time. Too young and too immature to operate a business effectively. It probably would have been a disaster. At least financially. I wasn't what you would call " serious or necessarily responsible " back in the day.

There are other little flights of " what if " I occasionally embark upon. I'm betting everyone does. It would be fun if we could rewind our life and play it out again from different points. I would want to reserve the right to revert back to the original however.

Now," what if " I was a famous author ? Hmmm.

Seasons

Soccer season is just around the corner. My son Kevin is the town rep for Greensboro. The teams have been formed,sponsors acquired and new equipment ordered and received. All set to go.

I was remembering when I was young, soccer was not a popular sport. We played it in Gym class but I think that was about it. I don't remember if the school had a soccer team or not. Baseball,football and basketball were still king then. Not sure when soccer rose to the prominence it enjoys now.

My grandson has been playing soccer now for three seasons or so. Little League too. I love watching the kids play sports. To see them active and not sitting in front of some tv screen. Learning about life in the process.

As a grandfather and spectator I have noticed the different phases they go through. First is the beginner stage. During this time period they have a hard time staying focused on the game. It is during this phase when the game is being played just for fun. They are just as likely to stop and pick a flower as they are to try to score a point. They don't get upset by losing the game or by making a mistake. They just enjoy the game. It is by far the most enjoyable for a parent or grandparent to watch.

The next phase is what I call the awkward stage. They are aware of the rules. They usually try very hard and have difficulty with loses and mistakes. They will sometimes still lose focus. Winning and losing becomes important. They are aware of their own shortcomings on the field. Peer pressure is a factor,too !

This is the stage I do not like. It is painful for the participates and the spectators. You can't help but feel their anguish when the play goes wrong. It is a difficult time for all. But it is during this phase that character is built. This separates the doers from the quitters.

The final stage I have yet to enjoy on a personal level. That is still a few years away. The stage where they play the game the way it was intended. Their skills have been developed. The desire to win is present and they stay focused on that task. Most have learned how to interact with their teammates in a positive way offering encouragement instead of criticism. A true athletic contest. I look forward to that.

These phases apply to everything the children do. It is not just sports. Not everyone is athletically inclined. Maybe playing an instrument or being in another club. The phases are applicable. Come to think of it,you could apply that to your whole life. I'm still learning the game and hope to improve.

Next season will be better !

Memories and Moments

The other day as I was writing my blog,the one about my Dad,I realized for the first time just how few pictures I had of him and I together. Don't have many of Mom and I either. I thought about this because I have lots of pictures. I'm the self appointed keeper of the " archives ". I have pictures of Grand parents,Great Grandparents, and even one Great Great Great Grandparent ! I have a lot of just Dad but only two or three were we are in the same picture.

I think it is probably because he was usually the one taking the pictures. He had a box type camera with that big flash bulb attachment. You had to hold that camera pretty darn still to take a good shot. I can still remember that blinding flash going off and you could hear the crackle of the flash bulb. Right after the picture was taken Dad would remove that bulb and juggle it back and forth until it cooled off. Later on,he did get a Polaroid land camera. Now that was high tech stuff and only a man could handle that.

Naturally that was in the day when you had to take the film to the drug store to be developed. The store mailed it off or someone picked it up, I 'm not sure which,and you would return to the store in about three days to get your prints.

A lot of rolls of exposed film never made it to the store for developing. They wound up sitting on a shelf somewhere and forgotten. Sometimes they would be "discovered" much later and developed and sometimes not. In fact I still have undeveloped rolls of film. Had them for years now and for some reason don't want to throw them away. I'm sure the film is long past the point of being developed. What pictures might I find on them ? I'll never know.

Today everybody ,everywhere is taking pictures. You don't even need a camera just a phone. Who would have ever thought ? There are many pictures being lost as well. Never saved or deleted on purpose. Many are lost due to computer problems. It would be interesting to know how many actual prints are being made anymore. I have had some done at the drug store but you no longer get a negative. Some kids today have probably never seen a film negative.

Are Hollywood movies still shot using real film ? I hadn't thought about that. Or will today's blockbusters be stored as digital files ? Interesting. I print my favorite shots. They go into frames and displayed. Those are the pictures that I find particularly interesting but what about you ? You may like other ones that I don't print. I have the digital file,of course,but will future generations be able to easily view them ? Think of it this way, how easy would it be for you to play a vinyl 331/3 rpm record right now ? You can't leave your house. Can you play an 8 track tape ?

All this thinking about pictures makes we want to come up with a plan. A plan to print and label all my pictures. The cost of this is going to be prohibitive,hence I need a plan. Maybe form a foundation. A foundation for the preservation of Bens' pictures. The FFPOBP. That's a little awkward,have to work on that. In the meantime I will continue to print those special memories and moments. A fraction of time captured forever. To those that were there when the picture was taken it is a memory. To those that were not, it is a journey of imagination and speculation.

footnote: the last roll of " Kodachrome " 35mm film was manufactured over a year ago.

The Day

August 9,1971. A day I will forever remember. That is the day I stepped onto the Long Island Railroad and headed west to New York City. My best friend and I had joined the U.S.Navy and today was induction day.

I vividly remember standing on that train platform struggling with my emotions. Mom and Dad were there and Mom was sniffling a bit and holding back tears. My father was stoic as always. I kept a stiff upper lip as the British say and managed to reassure Mom I'd be fine. When it came time to board that train, Dad shook my hand with a firm grip and said see you soon. That was that and the " adventure " began.

We made our way to Fort Hamilton. From there we were hustled about all day. Follow that line on the floor. Wait. Get your eyes checked. Wait. Get your feet looked at. Wait. And on and on it went. Finally we were ushered into a large room. There in the front of this room stood a man in uniform. A colonel I believe. He informed us all that he would perform the induction ceremony. He also said if anyone  has second thoughts now is the time to say so and walk out ! No one did.

We all raised our right hands and repeated the words. I promise to defend the country against all enemies foreign and domestic,to obey all orders, etc. etc. so help me God. That was it. My friend and I were official seamen recruits in the U.S.Navy.

August 9,1971 was also the first day I took an airplane ride. We were flown from New York to Chicagos' O'Hare airport. It was big doings for this island boy. From the airport a bus took us to the training center.

Eventually I was assigned to a rifle company and my friend was assigned to the band. I only passed him a couple times during basic training and we were never allowed to speak to one another. Basic training lasted thirteen weeks and I must say the time went quickly. I found nothing particulary difficult about it. Just do what you are told and keep your mouth shut !

It is hard to realize that that was forty years ago. I retired from the Navy in 1993. My friend got out after his first hitch. I have a lot of fond memories of my days in the service. I certainly never expected that when I went west that day I would never return to live in my hometown again. It was a fateful day to be sure.

Also on this day,eight years ago,one of my sons got married. Ken married Jennifer. So now I have another reason to remember this date.

Hangin' with Dad

When I was just a young man,before I was old enough to drive myself,I would  ride with Dad. This was usually on a weekend and was somewhat of a special event. Dad was always working and didn't play with us kids very often. Too Busy ! Any time you got to spend alone with him was " special." At the time I never realized just how special.

We would take stuff to the dump. That's what we called called it back then,the dump,now it's a landfill. Really it was just a big hole in the ground. You would back up to the edge and just throw whatever you had in there. No separating or recycling going on there. Sometimes Dad would borrow his brothers four wheel drive truck and we would drive to the bottom of that pit. Putting it into four wheel drive Dad would attempt to scale the near vertical wall on the back side. Felt like the truck would flip over backwards ! Fun stuff.

This was long before 4-wheeling was a popular thing to do.

Other times we would just go visiting. Dad would stop at my Uncles place or a co-worker to just shoot the breeze. A beer or two would be consumed and off to the next place. He would go look at boats,cars,airplanes or just about anything being built or fixed. Sometimes offering advice and at others saying little; At least not until after we left. Then I would hear about what that person was doing wrong. Why that's no way to caulk a seam, Bub. You have to drive that oakum in deep. He is painting that all wrong. Your brush strokes should always end in what you just painted,not away from it. It will be full of streaks. I would hear all about it.

Dad knew every road,paved and unpaved in town. We would go all sorts of directions. Sometimes he let me steer the car. I would sit on his lap and steer while he worked the pedals. I vividly remember steering a 56 Cadillac. I remember him just a hollerin', stay on the road. Fun times.

The thing with Dad was,he was fun to hang out with, but not so much fun to work with. He was a stern taskmaster and demanded perfection. He always assumed you knew everything that he did. He worked long and hard. No taking breaks with that guy ! I spent more time working with him than I ever did just hanging out. That's a shame too. As I got old enough to appreciate this man I was no longer around him. I was in the Navy. His health began a slow decline and he moved to Florida. Then he was gone. I'll see him again some day and we will just hang out,I'm sure of it. I don't think there is much work to be done in heaven ! By now he has got it all done anyway and probably hangin' with Jesus and giving him advice on just how to do it right.

The Little Church

Next door to where I live is a small church. This building was not always a church but I'm not sure of its' function prior to that. This church is used by immigrants. I believe the language being spoken is Spanish, but I'm not positive.

The lady's attending this church wear head scarfs that trail down around their shoulders. Almost like a Muslim lady would wear, excepting their faces are fully exposed. Services are held both Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

I took some Spanish in high school and believe this church is an Evangelical church. Judging by the sights and sounds coming from the building, I'm thinking it would be a cross between southern Baptist and some of those snake charmers I have seen on television.

Please don't misunderstand me. They are welcome to practice their faith as they see fit. I am not judging them,just observing and commenting. And no, I'm not spying either,they are literally next door.

The Pastor,if that is the proper term for his station,is quite vocal. There are occasions when I can not help but hear him. As I said, I'm not sure of the language being spoken but the meaning is clear; his flock needs direction. He is providing that guidance at a fever pitch. I often say to my wife," I don't know what they did this time, but he sure is yelling at them."

Having been in the Navy and traveled to many foreign lands I know about the language barrier. It is difficult and frustrating. In this case I'm not trying to communicate with them but am curious about what is being said. Yeah,guess I'm a little bit nosy. When that preacher really gets wound up and yelling at the top of his lungs it just naturally piques your interest.

Occasionally, I hear them singing songs accompanied by a guitarist. This started about a year or so ago and the guitarist,if it is the same person,has improved quite a bit. The songs all sound alike to me. Probably the language thing. They definitely won't be making any recordings.

I admit at first I was a little suspicious about them. Since 9-11 anyone looking like a Muslim and talking a language I don't quite get,gets my attention. I know this is only, Greensboro but you hear about these sleeper cells. I have decided they are harmless people practicing their faith. Initially I found it a little unsettling when he would be preaching and really shouting but the parishioners never responded. I was always expecting a loud "Amen" or something of that nature. All I ever hear is silence.

I bump into the preacher every now and then. He is cordial enough but his English leaves a lot to be desired. I suspect he is a little leery about me,as I was about him. It is only natural. The general attitude here in Greensboro and the surrounding area is not what you would call inviting. These are not the first immigrants to experience that.

The preacher arrives from some where in Virginia every Friday night. He stays at the church until Sunday afternoon. It is a regular routine and he makes it every week. I can only speculate what it is he is telling them. He sure is a firebrand though. It's a little bit scary. It is all what you are used too and what you expect. His brand of preaching is foreign to me. I'm sure they could say the same about me.

The Church

Passing it down

There are certain things that you hope to pass down to the next generation. This has always been so. The old ways and customs that are so important to us, hopefully, become as important to them. Preserving tradition,history and values. The lessons we have learned in life we wish to convey.

Funny how it seems to fall to the grandparents a lot of the time. I guess it shouldn't really be surprising as we grandparents are the repository for this information. I know for me, it is an honor and a privilege to share. In the back of our minds we are hoping to keep our memory alive. It has been said, you are never really gone as long as you are remembered.

Among the myriad of things to be handed down are recipes. That's right recipes. I do think this is getting to be less and less common though. Not as much cooking and baking going on today. That's a shame too. That comfort food that mom used to make can not be replaced by any fast food or restaurant food ! What is it they say, Mom added the secret ingredient, love. A lot of truth there.

Traditionally these recipes were handed down to the daughters. Although it depended on what was being prepared in my house. Baking was the domain of the womenfolks. If the cooking involved BBQ or wild game it was a mans thing. Macho cooking is a different thing altogether ! My dad taught me to cook eels,scallops and fish. His other specialty was pancakes,don't ask me why.

We are big on tradition here at Grandmas house. We do certain things every year. That's what makes it a tradition. Among those traditions is baking. Baking cupcakes,cookies and bread.

The summer is winding down and school will be back in session soon. The baking season begins shortly after that. As the air gets a chill, the oven will comfort you. The warmth and aroma added to the kitchen says, fall and winter.

I'm getting a bit anxious. The record temperatures we have been having probably being the cause.

Grandma and Morgan,my grand daughter,will do the baking. Morgan is getting to be quite the little baker. She did buy Grandma and herself matching aprons, after all.

 I find it comforting to see the two of them in the kitchen together. Guess I'm a little old fashioned but it always looks like a Norman Rockwell moment to me. The ingredients spread out on the counter. Bowls and measuring cups sitting out. The smells and inevitably, flour everywhere ! It just can't be helped.

In time, the " top secret " recipe for the famous apple cake will becomes hers. This recipe comes from her great great grandmother,who learned it from her mother. This recipe landed at Ellis Island, along with Grandma, from Sweden in 1899. My own mother passed it down to my sister and I. I remember my mom telling me how she had to convert Grandmas' measurements to ones we could use. A dash of this and a palm full of that converted to teaspoons and cups. I don't think Grandma even owned a measuring cup.

tastes right

perfect !

Others have asked for the recipe but " request denied. " I'm keeping it a secret. It's a tradition. Or,at the very least, I'm starting to make it a tradition. Grandma had ten kids and I'm not sure how many got the recipe. No matter, I am the only contingent from my family in this neck of the woods. Tradition starts here.

Great Great Grandmother Bennett would be pleased !

A " kids say moment "

We all have heard the expression, "kids say the darnest things " and that is most certainly true. The truth they speak is undeniable. If we all could just express ourselves as unencumbered as they do, it would be a better world. No ulterior motive and just the way they see it.

A short time ago I was walking my grandson and granddaughter back home from vacation bible school. The church is just up the street a few blocks.   The theme for this class was shake it up. I didn't personally attend so I'm not real sure how it all worked out. They were " chefs " and mixing ingredients for a good life or something along those lines.

Now, Mark belongs to the Wesleyan Methodist Church. They baptise their congregants by immersion. Mark was baptised in a swimming pool at a parishioners home. As we walking back from bible school Mark says to me, " I think I need to be baptized again. " I replied, " Oh,why is that ? " " I think I should be baptized in a lake or river. I have been doing a little sinning lately. "

" Really " " Everybody does,you know." " Well, I can't argue that point Mark. "

That was a " kids say moment" for me. I absorbed that bit of information with amusement mixed with pride. Proud that he would think about such things and amused with the innocence of the statement. He went on to tell me he had, "redeemed himself " several times already and felt it might be time to do so again. I also like the way he expresses himself. Redeemed is not what you often hear in today's world, unless it concerns coupons. But his meaning was clear.

I haven't heard him speak about this any more since that day. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about it though. The topic will resurface. It always does with him.

I have been curious about just what the " sinning " he has been doing is  though.

I didn't ask, as that is between him and God. He is a fine young man and a quietly religious one. I pray that he continues on this path.

Heading to Church !

Accessories

A few days ago  I wrote about the little things. I had purchased this little apple clock for my kitchen. It brightened my kitchen and my life. I am still enjoying it. The thing is,often times,the little things lead to bigger things.
My wife and I were at the local Walmart, shopping for totally unrelated items, when this apple print wallpaper boarder just jumped off the shelf at me. I was just walking along when I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Needless to say it wound up in my cart. It will make a nice addition to the decor. Getting home with it I held it up to see the effect. It will be great ! First though, I really should put a fresh coat of paint on the walls. The ceiling has to be done too. You know, new floor tile would really top it off. Well, bottom it off I guess. The wife says she saw some cute pot holders and hand towels too.
Maybe some new drawer pulls and cabinet door handles to complete the theme. This " little thing " is snowballing for sure.
My wife's sister is here for a visit and she has been sucked into this apple vortex. She started the painting and is also anxious to put up that boarder. Someone had best stop this . I don't want this to spread any further. I just really liked that clock. How did this get this large ? All my preaching about the little things indeed ! Well, I will end this project ! As soon as I find curtains to match. LOL
The little things in life are the best things. It is all the accessories that wear you down. If you think about it that applies to almost everything. I just invented the wheel and the next you know I need a car to go with it. It happens that way. I said, " I Do " and,well, we won't go there !

Waking Up

I've talked before about how this social network,Facebook.has changed things. It has certainly reconnected me with old friends and classmates. An exchange of ideas,memories and old photographs. I have noticed how the progression went.

At first,talking with old classmates,the topic was about how everyone was doing now and their families. Marriages,births and location was shared. Then,old memories were shared. Pictures followed this. Pictures of the old places and pictures from yearbooks and such. Few pictures however,that were current shots. They did come a little later. I,and I'm sure I wasn't alone in this,was struck by the fact that these people looked old ! How could that be ? Grey haired and wrinkled faces. These were older people ! I hadn't aged that much,had I ? I don't feel like I have and the face in the mirror is mine alright. Honestly, my face does have some " character lines " and that "touch of grey " is rather distinguished looking. Oh alright, it is wrinkles and that touch of grey is just a touch,as long as a paint roller was doing the touching. But never mind about that, those former classmates of mine have aged ! That was the first time I starting feeling a little bit old.

The other day I fired up the computer to check the " status." I do that a lot. Getting nosy in my later years I suppose. Well,there over on the right hand side was a notification. Little Diedra was five today. What, Diedra is five ? Let's see, Diedra would be my grand niece. That would make me her Grand Uncle. Why does that sound so much older than being a Grand father ? I'm used to being Grandpa and have Grand kids in their teens. But this Grand Niece turning five,WOW, I'm getting old.

And now this group of old classmates and I have reached another point. We are now listing those classmates of ours that have passed on. It is only right and fitting that we should do so. On a personal level, I have been very fortunate to not have lost many that were very close to me. Some have lost brothers and sisters. My sympathies to them all.

It hasn't happened yet but it will. There will come a time when we start discussing our health issues. Doctors and perscribtions will become topics of conversation. It will happen with this group. Spend any amount of time around the elderly and you will hear it all. We are not in the elderly group yet, but we are getting close !

I like the Facebook thing. I am pleased that it has enabled me to reconnect. It is also a learning tool. It gives one pause to consider how their own lives have progressed. I have certainly been blessed. It can open your eyes too. Wake up and smell the roses ! Life is good.

On the Soapbox

Occasionaly I like to climb upon the soapbox. Like most people I feel I can offer some insight and suggestions concerning the problems of the day. This is one of those days.

I was watching the evening news and they were talking about the dream act. This act would provide for in state tution for undocumented aliens. The general thinking being to educate these undocumented aliens so they can become productive citizens. Sounds good doesn't it ? Well I'm all for the American Dream. The words written on the base of the Statue of Liberty are inspiring and encouaging. The thing is, it used to be you had to work for the dream. It was not guaranteed. It was not given to you. You had to earn it. You started by immigrating legaly and obeying the law of the land.

Now it seems like you ,or your parents ,can just migrate across the boarder. Take advantage of our public school sysytem,because that is part of the act,you have to have attended our public school system at least two years to qualify for in state tution rates. My Grandson could not choose to go to another state however and recieve this same benefit. No,you see,his family are all citizens of this country and pay taxes.

And while I'm on the subject of entitlements,since when does the Government or anyone else owe you anything ? What ever happened to just earning the things you wanted. The Government would provide for the protections you needed to live a decent life and earn a decent living but not provide you with that life. When the government started rewarding people for bad behaviours it began a decline. I remember a time when you had to pay for your mistakes ! In some situations the government rewards continued " mistakes " by increasing your stipend and awarding additional benefits.

Some of this decline is a result of attitude. My generation was raised with a sense of pride. Pride in yourself. Handouts and assistance were not to be accepted unless absouletly necessary. And if taken,taken only for so long as needed. It was not a lifestyle ! More and more I see the attitude changing to, I don't work and I don't care. Give me more !

The American Dream is achievable ! It is achieved by hard work and dedication. It is not to be gained by demonstrating in the streets ! It is not gained by demands !