Yesterday was a great day. It could have really been a big thing if Bill, Chris, Bennie and their families had been here in person, instead of here in our though and prayers. Rita and Robert were here, along with their two grand daughters Kelly and Emily. And Agatha’s granddaughter, Amber, and her husband Michael and their two kids came by for a short visit.
Bente did her usual outstanding job on Christmas dinner and we all eat much more then we should. Bente is a great cook and enjoys having the family in for a meal. Family get together’s are a big thing in Denmark and she really misses them. So when we can we like to get everyone around and just “visit”. In Denmark that means about 3 to 4 hours at the dinner table eating, drinking, and chatting about anything and everything. Maybe even eating again. On my visits to her home I found that I like their style very much. If it is a party, as opposed to normal gathering, they will “visit” for 4 to 8 hours. And none of it is boring. It is really a good time with everyone laughing and enjoying themselves.
Yesterday we had a good long visit and some really good food. To me that is what Christmas is all about.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas
I'm in a bad mood because:
Ah Yes, It’s that time of year again. You know, when all the media is full of the “homeless” in line to get into the “Shelter”. Do you look away when they show the pictures or do you really look at these “homeless people”? Take a good look. All of them, and I mean all, are very well dressed for “homeless” folks. And all, yes all, appear to be very well fed. And most have quite a bit of “Bling” on. Homeless? Or looking for a free handout? Check out the parking lot and see how these “Homeless” got to the shelters.
Then there are the “Toys for Tots”. A noble cause I’m sure but think about it. Watch the pictures of all the “poor” ladies rushing around the Goodwill store and the other distribution stations to get a toy/present for their (so called) kids. And of course the media will interview one or two who will have tears in their eyes and say something like, “My kids wouldn’t have anything if it wasn’t for you folks!” Take a good look at them. They are dress to the nines, with all sorts of jewelry and makeup on. Most are well fed. Correction, overfed. If the actually have a kid maybe they should get their fat ass home and give it some of the food they have been eating and hock the jewelry and go buy a present instead of looking for another free handout. Such a scene was on TV just now. It was taken in the parking lot of the Goodwill store in Winston Salem. The big fat black lady that was doing the poor act was driving a 60 thousand dollar SUV. Boy do I feel sorry for her and her condition.
As for the poor kid that don’t have anything for Christmas I am truly sadden. And nothing you or I can do will help those kids. What they need more then anything is a safe and loving place to live. They don’t deserve to have trash for parents that only have them as a way to get money from the Government. And they don’t deserve a Government that keeps handing out money to these people for having kids. What we need in this country is to go back to orphanages. We should take kids away from anyone that need Government assistance to feed and raise them and put them in orphanages. Private orphanages run by Churches and Masons and such groups.
As for toys, I don’t believe any kid in the U.S. is lacking for toys. Just take a drive around any trailer park and Habitat for Humanity housing area and take a good look at their yards. That is the ones that aren’t overgrown or covered with Auto’s with $3,000 speaker systems in them. What you will see from one end to the other is toys. But you know what? I have never seen a kid playing with any of them. Maybe it is because the kids are a grandma’s house. Where are the parents? Let’s see, Homeless Shelter? Goodwill? Wellfare office? Their drug dealer? You can bet they are not WORKING!
Ah Yes, It’s that time of year again. You know, when all the media is full of the “homeless” in line to get into the “Shelter”. Do you look away when they show the pictures or do you really look at these “homeless people”? Take a good look. All of them, and I mean all, are very well dressed for “homeless” folks. And all, yes all, appear to be very well fed. And most have quite a bit of “Bling” on. Homeless? Or looking for a free handout? Check out the parking lot and see how these “Homeless” got to the shelters.
Then there are the “Toys for Tots”. A noble cause I’m sure but think about it. Watch the pictures of all the “poor” ladies rushing around the Goodwill store and the other distribution stations to get a toy/present for their (so called) kids. And of course the media will interview one or two who will have tears in their eyes and say something like, “My kids wouldn’t have anything if it wasn’t for you folks!” Take a good look at them. They are dress to the nines, with all sorts of jewelry and makeup on. Most are well fed. Correction, overfed. If the actually have a kid maybe they should get their fat ass home and give it some of the food they have been eating and hock the jewelry and go buy a present instead of looking for another free handout. Such a scene was on TV just now. It was taken in the parking lot of the Goodwill store in Winston Salem. The big fat black lady that was doing the poor act was driving a 60 thousand dollar SUV. Boy do I feel sorry for her and her condition.
As for the poor kid that don’t have anything for Christmas I am truly sadden. And nothing you or I can do will help those kids. What they need more then anything is a safe and loving place to live. They don’t deserve to have trash for parents that only have them as a way to get money from the Government. And they don’t deserve a Government that keeps handing out money to these people for having kids. What we need in this country is to go back to orphanages. We should take kids away from anyone that need Government assistance to feed and raise them and put them in orphanages. Private orphanages run by Churches and Masons and such groups.
As for toys, I don’t believe any kid in the U.S. is lacking for toys. Just take a drive around any trailer park and Habitat for Humanity housing area and take a good look at their yards. That is the ones that aren’t overgrown or covered with Auto’s with $3,000 speaker systems in them. What you will see from one end to the other is toys. But you know what? I have never seen a kid playing with any of them. Maybe it is because the kids are a grandma’s house. Where are the parents? Let’s see, Homeless Shelter? Goodwill? Wellfare office? Their drug dealer? You can bet they are not WORKING!
Friday, October 26, 2007
It's Raining
Well it looks like fall has finally reached these parts. The summer was one of the hottest and driest in the history of record keeping. All the little democrats are running around in circles pulling their hair out and shouting “global warming, Bush caused it and is trying to destroy the world.” So I finally got tired of it and opted out of the media world. I only watch TV for sports or some social redeeming program like “The Little People” or “The Biggest Loser”. And of course, I haven’t had much time for TV. With no rain since March or April and temps in the 90’s I have spent the entire summer, except for trips to the doctor, on the golf course. Yep, you heard me. Bente and I have played at least 5 times a week all summer, with a couple weeks off when her niece, Line (pronounced Lean-Ah) and her friend Soren (pronounced Sir-un), was here in August. Those two weeks we spent a lot of time trying to teach Line and Soren to play golf between trips to Gatlinburg, Tenn. and D.C. It was a really fun time.
As I said; no rain in about 6 months. I heard somewhere that we were 22 inches below our normal rain fall. All I know is that I only had to mow 3 times this summer. The yard is now, or was Monday, a fine layer of dust that shifted back and forth across the property. Today it is a mud puddle. Yep, since Tuesday we have had a little over 7 inches of rain in little old State Road. A real welcome sight, even if I can’t go play golf. I was by the club house early today and overheard, I’m sure he was a democrat, crying that it was not enough, Bush made it stop raining, we are still in a drought and the world is coming to an end. So I didn’t eat lunch there, but came home and had a peanut butter sandwich and am waiting for the rain to stop so I can go play golf.
I was getting a little worried about the “no rain” because several town in the state were announcing that there was only 40 days or 20 days or something like that of water remaining in their reservoirs and the Governor announced a statewide ban on washing cars at home and all sorts of other things. I was sure he was going to get to the golf courses sooner or later. So we really needed water. Not for my yard but for the golf course. The yard is fine. The crabgrass and weeds will be back next spring and I’ll have to mow it twice a week until the heat kills it again. But since I have almost given up all vices except golf, the course must stay green.
Yeah, I know 7 inches is not going to break the drought but as I am writing this it is pouring buckets out there. So who knows when it will stop or how much over 7 inches we will get. Anyway it will go a long way to filling the lakes on the course and keeping the confounded rough 3 to 4 inches high and the fairways and green plush; those 7+ inches and the 100,000 gallons we are pumping on it every night from the wells and lakes on the course.
So I am content to take a few days off and read a book and think about all the things I could be doing it is was dry like clean out the garage or painting the front porch of replacing the back door.
And I can’t wait for the weather to clear up so I can go golfing!
As I said; no rain in about 6 months. I heard somewhere that we were 22 inches below our normal rain fall. All I know is that I only had to mow 3 times this summer. The yard is now, or was Monday, a fine layer of dust that shifted back and forth across the property. Today it is a mud puddle. Yep, since Tuesday we have had a little over 7 inches of rain in little old State Road. A real welcome sight, even if I can’t go play golf. I was by the club house early today and overheard, I’m sure he was a democrat, crying that it was not enough, Bush made it stop raining, we are still in a drought and the world is coming to an end. So I didn’t eat lunch there, but came home and had a peanut butter sandwich and am waiting for the rain to stop so I can go play golf.
I was getting a little worried about the “no rain” because several town in the state were announcing that there was only 40 days or 20 days or something like that of water remaining in their reservoirs and the Governor announced a statewide ban on washing cars at home and all sorts of other things. I was sure he was going to get to the golf courses sooner or later. So we really needed water. Not for my yard but for the golf course. The yard is fine. The crabgrass and weeds will be back next spring and I’ll have to mow it twice a week until the heat kills it again. But since I have almost given up all vices except golf, the course must stay green.
Yeah, I know 7 inches is not going to break the drought but as I am writing this it is pouring buckets out there. So who knows when it will stop or how much over 7 inches we will get. Anyway it will go a long way to filling the lakes on the course and keeping the confounded rough 3 to 4 inches high and the fairways and green plush; those 7+ inches and the 100,000 gallons we are pumping on it every night from the wells and lakes on the course.
So I am content to take a few days off and read a book and think about all the things I could be doing it is was dry like clean out the garage or painting the front porch of replacing the back door.
And I can’t wait for the weather to clear up so I can go golfing!
Monday, August 20, 2007
I'm Still Here!
Yeah, I know. I haven't posted lately. Been real busy with folks from Denmark. Also have been a little lazy. I guess that happens in the summer when you are out in the fresh air 10-10 hours a day. Did I say fresh air? 98-106 degrees, now that is fresh.
I'll be back with a post real soon. Hang in!
I'll be back with a post real soon. Hang in!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
When will we get enough?
Senator Burr is shocked that he has received threats for his liberal approach on immigration. He was all set to vote with the Dems and the threats apparently changed his mind and he felt pressured to vote with the people of NC. He called a news conference to announce and complain about this. Maybe he should get his sorry rich ass out in the street and talk to the folks that put him in office. He might want to listen to what they want instead of thinking only in terms of Power and how he can line his pockets. Except for Florida, New York, California and D.C. the country seems to have made it very clear to a sane person that they do not want amnesty for the 12 million plus that are trashing this nation. Is no one in Congress listening?
Doesn’t anyone really care about America anymore? Listen to a professional golf match on TV and all you hear is the commentator laying all sorts of ungodly praise on the Lorena Ochoa, Mexican who has never won a major and has lost 4 out of 5 playoffs, and anyone of the 20 or 30 Koreans that are on the tour. The phrase that really gets me is “She is such a hero in her country, every time she tee’s it up she is representing her country”. The implication is that only foreign players have pride in their country. Why is that? Is it because none of the announcers have pride in America or that none of the American players are proud to be American. I know some of the players and they are real Americans who love to represent America so I really don’t know where this crap is coming from. If it is such a big deal to represent their country why don’t they go home and start their own golf association and then compete with America. England use to do that. Not anymore. They got tired of being beaten so things like the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup are now Europe, Africa, and Australia against America. The announcers love it because America has a tough time taking on the world. I guess it is un-American to root for the home team. Maybe US media should listen to BBC or Germany or Mexican broadcast. Their announcers have no trouble rooting for the home team.
And this crap is not just at the national level. Just this week the Yadkin County Commissioners after listening to about half the county speak against a tax hike decided the people they represent really didn’t know what they wanted and passed 8 cent property tax rate increase along with a $60 per household landfill use fee. Understand that there is no employment in Yadkin County. There hasn’t been for several years. The county is being flooded with Mexicans and it is a big welfare county. One of the poorest if not the poorest county in the state. The commissioners used the same old tired argument that “this will increase the tax base and bring in new business”. Bull! There will be no new business in Yadkin County or Surry County for that matter. You need a young, educated, employee force to bring in business. It doesn’t exist.
Doesn’t anyone really care about America anymore? Listen to a professional golf match on TV and all you hear is the commentator laying all sorts of ungodly praise on the Lorena Ochoa, Mexican who has never won a major and has lost 4 out of 5 playoffs, and anyone of the 20 or 30 Koreans that are on the tour. The phrase that really gets me is “She is such a hero in her country, every time she tee’s it up she is representing her country”. The implication is that only foreign players have pride in their country. Why is that? Is it because none of the announcers have pride in America or that none of the American players are proud to be American. I know some of the players and they are real Americans who love to represent America so I really don’t know where this crap is coming from. If it is such a big deal to represent their country why don’t they go home and start their own golf association and then compete with America. England use to do that. Not anymore. They got tired of being beaten so things like the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup are now Europe, Africa, and Australia against America. The announcers love it because America has a tough time taking on the world. I guess it is un-American to root for the home team. Maybe US media should listen to BBC or Germany or Mexican broadcast. Their announcers have no trouble rooting for the home team.
And this crap is not just at the national level. Just this week the Yadkin County Commissioners after listening to about half the county speak against a tax hike decided the people they represent really didn’t know what they wanted and passed 8 cent property tax rate increase along with a $60 per household landfill use fee. Understand that there is no employment in Yadkin County. There hasn’t been for several years. The county is being flooded with Mexicans and it is a big welfare county. One of the poorest if not the poorest county in the state. The commissioners used the same old tired argument that “this will increase the tax base and bring in new business”. Bull! There will be no new business in Yadkin County or Surry County for that matter. You need a young, educated, employee force to bring in business. It doesn’t exist.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Let Say I Break Into Your House
This is one of the best letter I have seen in the Editorials in ages!!! It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV. Her point: Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration.Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.
"Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).According to the protesters:
You are required to let me stay in your house. You are required to add me to your family's insurance plan. You are required to educate my kids. You are required to provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket yourhouse carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-workingand honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house and what a deal it is for me!!!I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you to learn MY LANGUAGE!!! so you can communicate with me.
Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?"
Only in Stupid America.
"Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).According to the protesters:
You are required to let me stay in your house. You are required to add me to your family's insurance plan. You are required to educate my kids. You are required to provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket yourhouse carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-workingand honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house and what a deal it is for me!!!I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you to learn MY LANGUAGE!!! so you can communicate with me.
Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?"
Only in Stupid America.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
7 May 1937
My big brother celebrated his 70th birthday on the 7th of May and again several days later. Or, if I know him, maybe he is still celebrating. He lives far away, and we don’t get to see much of him. However he was on our hearts and minds as the rest of the family got together for a little cook out the other day.
It got me to thinking after everyone had gone home for the evening. MY BIG BROTHER IS GETTING OLD. Ergo I AM GETTING OLD! How the hell can that be? Just the other day we were digging an outhouse hole together. Old people can’t do that kind of work. We were racing through the woods behind the homeplace and down the dirt bank to the old railroad track and past the frog pond to the new pond. Or to the cave. You can’t do that when you are old; and it was just the other day. We crawled out the bedroom window and hightailed it through the woods to Charlie Waters’ house to watch TV. The Hit Parade my favorite show. And just the other night on the way back from the Waters house he gave me my first cigarette, a Chesterfield, no filter. I remember taking my first big drag and shortly a big ol’ oak tree jumped up in front of me and knocked me flat on my back. He walked me around in the woods for quite a while before he brought me home. I sleep well that night.
You know, when I really think on it my big brother is not getting old. He is getting younger every day! Me too!
It got me to thinking after everyone had gone home for the evening. MY BIG BROTHER IS GETTING OLD. Ergo I AM GETTING OLD! How the hell can that be? Just the other day we were digging an outhouse hole together. Old people can’t do that kind of work. We were racing through the woods behind the homeplace and down the dirt bank to the old railroad track and past the frog pond to the new pond. Or to the cave. You can’t do that when you are old; and it was just the other day. We crawled out the bedroom window and hightailed it through the woods to Charlie Waters’ house to watch TV. The Hit Parade my favorite show. And just the other night on the way back from the Waters house he gave me my first cigarette, a Chesterfield, no filter. I remember taking my first big drag and shortly a big ol’ oak tree jumped up in front of me and knocked me flat on my back. He walked me around in the woods for quite a while before he brought me home. I sleep well that night.
You know, when I really think on it my big brother is not getting old. He is getting younger every day! Me too!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Retired for sure
Well about 3 weeks ago I really retired. Bente’s big brother is in the country for a visit and spent a week with us before heading for the west coast. He will be back this weekend for another week then back to Denmark. I took the week off to visit. Then for the past two weeks I have done nothing but play golf. Very poor golf I might add, but I have enjoyed everyday of it. I haven’t listened to a lot of news or should I say the “evening entertainment” since I truly don’t believe there is a real news show on TV. I haven’t been on the net very much so I really haven’t had a lot to write about.
Maybe bad golf. I am very much out of shape and hampered with arthritis really bad but I still go out there and swing away. I no longer care about the score. Wait a minute there! Yes I do care very much about the score. It is just that I haven’t played in so long and I seemed to have gotten old in the mean time and can’t turn. Back or forward. Oh I hit some good ones and a lot of really bad ones but I keep at it. I keep telling myself that today is the day that I will be back in form but it seems just out or reach.
Bente is also a little rusty but she has thrown in several good rounds and probably would have had several more if she had not been playing with me. I seem to drag her down with my bad playing. She joined the ladies group and in the very first tournament her team won first place. I am quite sure she was the reason. She to is bothered with a touch of arthritis and has to watch the big swings but she has not lost the game like I have.
We played this morning and I hurt so bad I can hardly walk. But I must stop for now as I have to go to the range and hit some balls. If I could just get through the ball. Maybe if I…….
Seth
Maybe bad golf. I am very much out of shape and hampered with arthritis really bad but I still go out there and swing away. I no longer care about the score. Wait a minute there! Yes I do care very much about the score. It is just that I haven’t played in so long and I seemed to have gotten old in the mean time and can’t turn. Back or forward. Oh I hit some good ones and a lot of really bad ones but I keep at it. I keep telling myself that today is the day that I will be back in form but it seems just out or reach.
Bente is also a little rusty but she has thrown in several good rounds and probably would have had several more if she had not been playing with me. I seem to drag her down with my bad playing. She joined the ladies group and in the very first tournament her team won first place. I am quite sure she was the reason. She to is bothered with a touch of arthritis and has to watch the big swings but she has not lost the game like I have.
We played this morning and I hurt so bad I can hardly walk. But I must stop for now as I have to go to the range and hit some balls. If I could just get through the ball. Maybe if I…….
Seth
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The year is 1907, one hundred years ago......
Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Light At The End Of The Tunnel.....
It has been some time since I have had a chance to sit down in front of the computer and actually catch up on e-mail and news. I have 80 e-mails!
We, as you know, have been remodeling and yesterday we completed the upstairs. Well not completely. I have three pieces of trim to go around the window seat in the office and, of course, the carpet is not yet installed. The trim I will do today. The carpet will be done by professionals. So we are through.
Wait a minute. Blinds. I have to get them up. So trim and six blinds and were done. Oh yeah and paint the office door. That’s it. Well, I do have to put a door on the upstairs hall closet. And, of course, we haven’t even started on the upstairs bathroom, that’s next winters project.
On Tuesday the gas company came and ran a line for the new kitchen range. We now sit and wait for the county inspector to come, who knows when, and inspect the work. Then the gas company will come back and connect the range. Until then it is sandwiches and eating out.
We had hoped to get everything done before April 13. That’s when Bente’s big brother and his wife, from Denmark, arrive for a short, 46 day visit. We figured out last week that we were not going to make the deadline. So we took the weekend off to enjoy a little rest and relaxation. Sunday was Easter and we spend the day with my little sister and her family. It was a very nice day and had a great time visiting with them. The only thing that would have made it nicer is if my two brothers had been there.
So I see light……do you hear a noise? Is that a train?
We, as you know, have been remodeling and yesterday we completed the upstairs. Well not completely. I have three pieces of trim to go around the window seat in the office and, of course, the carpet is not yet installed. The trim I will do today. The carpet will be done by professionals. So we are through.
Wait a minute. Blinds. I have to get them up. So trim and six blinds and were done. Oh yeah and paint the office door. That’s it. Well, I do have to put a door on the upstairs hall closet. And, of course, we haven’t even started on the upstairs bathroom, that’s next winters project.
On Tuesday the gas company came and ran a line for the new kitchen range. We now sit and wait for the county inspector to come, who knows when, and inspect the work. Then the gas company will come back and connect the range. Until then it is sandwiches and eating out.
We had hoped to get everything done before April 13. That’s when Bente’s big brother and his wife, from Denmark, arrive for a short, 46 day visit. We figured out last week that we were not going to make the deadline. So we took the weekend off to enjoy a little rest and relaxation. Sunday was Easter and we spend the day with my little sister and her family. It was a very nice day and had a great time visiting with them. The only thing that would have made it nicer is if my two brothers had been there.
So I see light……do you hear a noise? Is that a train?
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Coxes Army
I left home when I was just a young lad of seventeen. Following a dream, I followed my big brother into the Air Force. I was so excited to get out of the “one horse” town we lived in, that just 12 days after I graduated high school I was in boot camp 1300 miles away. After 45 years of traveling the world’s winding roads I found myself longing to return to my hometown. I have seen about everything I need to see and after a few visits home the old heart string were really pulling me back.
So we moved back. It is no longer a one horse town. The horse died and now it is a nothing town, much like a lot of little towns in America. The one horse was Chatham Manufacture Company, textiles. Since Congress is working as hard as they can to destroy America and since every Congressman is ashamed of being from the most powerful country in the world they are doing everything they can to close down all manufacturing and industrial production in America. They have successfully moved all textiles to third world nations where slave labor can produce them for nothing and ship back to this little town so the folks here can pay outrageous prices for junk. So for Elkin it was textiles. Other towns in NC it was furniture or tobacco but Congress took care of that by moving the furniture it to China and then sued the tobacco companies for producing and selling a legal product. I know, some of you will say that it is the businesses that moved so they could make bigger profits, but that is not the real story. It was and is Congress. They can’t stand for an American company to profit. They are trying, as I write this, to put Wal-Mart out of business. Anyway that is not where I was going with this post.
As I said I was gone 45 years. To add to that, I started working way back in the 7th grade. That’s when my dad sold me to a dairy farmer who worked me all through the summers and even during the school year. Therefore, I was not around the house a lot. If we had much outside family I didn’t get to know them. I knew some of Dad’s brothers, Uncles Elmer, Bob, Wheeler, Sidney and Weldon. None of them came around very often except Uncle Bob. He stayed with us quite a bit. On Mothers side I mostly remember Uncle Claude. He was my favorite. He was a nice guy and I liked him a lot. He and Mom were close and I got to see him his wife Marge and his kids Johnny, Donnie and Janet. I also remember Archie, Jack, Nancy and Mary Francis Gentry. They were, I have recently found out, Aunt Florence’s (Mom’s sister) kids. They spent time at the house and sometime would stay for a week or more at a time.
I guess what I am saying is that I don’t know a lot of the extended family. So Saturday when I found out that one of my first cousins had passed away, I though I would go by the funeral home and pay my respects. Carl Ira Cox was one of Uncle Walter’s 13 children. He was 65, just a couple years older then me. I don’t remember him from our younger days. And I don’t remember any of the other 8 surviving children, Ed, Sam, Roger, Bernice, Analee, Rosa Lee, Mildred and Kathleen. It is really a shame. I was a stranger there among the family. There were over 200 people that passed through while I visited, a lot in the Coxes Army and I only knew three of them. Johnny Cox, Archie and Nancy Gentry.
It’s a damn shame.
So we moved back. It is no longer a one horse town. The horse died and now it is a nothing town, much like a lot of little towns in America. The one horse was Chatham Manufacture Company, textiles. Since Congress is working as hard as they can to destroy America and since every Congressman is ashamed of being from the most powerful country in the world they are doing everything they can to close down all manufacturing and industrial production in America. They have successfully moved all textiles to third world nations where slave labor can produce them for nothing and ship back to this little town so the folks here can pay outrageous prices for junk. So for Elkin it was textiles. Other towns in NC it was furniture or tobacco but Congress took care of that by moving the furniture it to China and then sued the tobacco companies for producing and selling a legal product. I know, some of you will say that it is the businesses that moved so they could make bigger profits, but that is not the real story. It was and is Congress. They can’t stand for an American company to profit. They are trying, as I write this, to put Wal-Mart out of business. Anyway that is not where I was going with this post.
As I said I was gone 45 years. To add to that, I started working way back in the 7th grade. That’s when my dad sold me to a dairy farmer who worked me all through the summers and even during the school year. Therefore, I was not around the house a lot. If we had much outside family I didn’t get to know them. I knew some of Dad’s brothers, Uncles Elmer, Bob, Wheeler, Sidney and Weldon. None of them came around very often except Uncle Bob. He stayed with us quite a bit. On Mothers side I mostly remember Uncle Claude. He was my favorite. He was a nice guy and I liked him a lot. He and Mom were close and I got to see him his wife Marge and his kids Johnny, Donnie and Janet. I also remember Archie, Jack, Nancy and Mary Francis Gentry. They were, I have recently found out, Aunt Florence’s (Mom’s sister) kids. They spent time at the house and sometime would stay for a week or more at a time.
I guess what I am saying is that I don’t know a lot of the extended family. So Saturday when I found out that one of my first cousins had passed away, I though I would go by the funeral home and pay my respects. Carl Ira Cox was one of Uncle Walter’s 13 children. He was 65, just a couple years older then me. I don’t remember him from our younger days. And I don’t remember any of the other 8 surviving children, Ed, Sam, Roger, Bernice, Analee, Rosa Lee, Mildred and Kathleen. It is really a shame. I was a stranger there among the family. There were over 200 people that passed through while I visited, a lot in the Coxes Army and I only knew three of them. Johnny Cox, Archie and Nancy Gentry.
It’s a damn shame.
Monday, February 26, 2007
I’m getting soft!
Well it has been some time since I have had a chance to update this thing. I have been very busy with the remodeling. I am working on the last of the inside work for this year. We will let the upstairs bath wait until next winter. So in about three more weeks I will be spending much more time outside. Not a lot to do around the house but there are a few projects out there. There is also a golf course just down the road that needs a lot of my attention.
Last night as I was getting ready to kick back from another day of hard work I glanced out the window and saw “our deer” in the side yard. We enjoy watching them. So we put a small amount of corn out for them and we almost always have deer coming up just before dark to graze and eat “their corn”. We have several groups that come by to eat. One of them has seven deer and last night I noticed that there were six in the yard. I walked to the back door and sure enough back in the woods was the seventh. As I watched, it came up very slowly. It reminded me of myself and my little sister after a long car ride. You know, stiff, can’t straighten up, and walk tilted to one side and limp badly.
When she finally came into the yard you could see she was dragging one hind leg and was obviously in pain. She turned slowly to the side and high on her right hip was a spot where the hide had been ripped away. Both her hind legs appeared to have open wounds. She had a real hard time moving. I guess I am getting old and soft because it almost broke my heart that I couldn’t go out and help her. She only stayed a short time and eased back into the woods. It was like she was very afraid she would be caught out in the open and that would be disastrous. I was really feeling down so I keep a watch every few minutes to see if she came back.
She didn’t, but about 7:30p.m. a big black cat, which hangs around the neighborhood, came walking across the side yard. I then noticed two deer come out of the woods and what followed was amazing. The deer began to play with the cat. It was like watching two young pups that wanted to be chased. They would come up close to the cat then jump back. The look on their face was one of delight. They keep at it for a good 15 minutes before the cat finally took to our front porch. The deer came up near the porch and dropped down on their front hoofs then jumped in the air and danced around. Finally they wondered on over to the neighbors to graze. Amazing!
Then tonight the seven were back. Yep, just like last night, there were only six but a quick check out back showed the seventh coming along at a slow pace. She came into the yard and appeared to be moving better. She’s still banged up pretty bad but she is still with us.
I really hope she makes it.
Last night as I was getting ready to kick back from another day of hard work I glanced out the window and saw “our deer” in the side yard. We enjoy watching them. So we put a small amount of corn out for them and we almost always have deer coming up just before dark to graze and eat “their corn”. We have several groups that come by to eat. One of them has seven deer and last night I noticed that there were six in the yard. I walked to the back door and sure enough back in the woods was the seventh. As I watched, it came up very slowly. It reminded me of myself and my little sister after a long car ride. You know, stiff, can’t straighten up, and walk tilted to one side and limp badly.
When she finally came into the yard you could see she was dragging one hind leg and was obviously in pain. She turned slowly to the side and high on her right hip was a spot where the hide had been ripped away. Both her hind legs appeared to have open wounds. She had a real hard time moving. I guess I am getting old and soft because it almost broke my heart that I couldn’t go out and help her. She only stayed a short time and eased back into the woods. It was like she was very afraid she would be caught out in the open and that would be disastrous. I was really feeling down so I keep a watch every few minutes to see if she came back.
She didn’t, but about 7:30p.m. a big black cat, which hangs around the neighborhood, came walking across the side yard. I then noticed two deer come out of the woods and what followed was amazing. The deer began to play with the cat. It was like watching two young pups that wanted to be chased. They would come up close to the cat then jump back. The look on their face was one of delight. They keep at it for a good 15 minutes before the cat finally took to our front porch. The deer came up near the porch and dropped down on their front hoofs then jumped in the air and danced around. Finally they wondered on over to the neighbors to graze. Amazing!
Then tonight the seven were back. Yep, just like last night, there were only six but a quick check out back showed the seventh coming along at a slow pace. She came into the yard and appeared to be moving better. She’s still banged up pretty bad but she is still with us.
I really hope she makes it.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
I think not!
The reporter was gushing when he said “She was America’s Royalty…America’s Princess Di…” What a crock. She was a tramp. Nothing more. Real gutter trash. What a sad day for America and the American media to have sunk so low as their feeding frenzy in trying to present her as a person of class. Maybe it is too late for us when we hold up this kind of trash as our hero’s and our children strive to grow up to be just like them.
Hollywood has sunk to an all time trashy low. I can’t help but laugh when I see an actor being interviewed and they go on and on about how real it was to get into this role and how the character feel and what they meant when they did this or that. What a crock. It’s play acting for Christ sake. It’s not real. It didn’t happen. And they don’t know the difference. Not a one of them has any creditability. Most end up pumped full of drugs because they are confused with the world and their place in it. And all our kids want to be just like them.
American Royalty....so far three men claim to be her kid’s father. One told the media that as many as 25 others he knew could also make that claim. He said “She liked men”. My guess is that most of the male population in Southern California will come forward with the claim. There’s half a billion at stake here.
Another reporter was in Mexia, TX her home town, standing in front of Jim’s Fried Chicken. He was visibly shocked as he held up the Waco newspaper to show that they had dedicated the entire front page to her death. Then he held up the Mexia news and with tears in his eyes, his voice cracking he reported that Mexia news has one small article under the fold. In total disbelief he reports “The people of Media are embarrassed that she came from here. One person told me that he was glad and now hoped that the members of the media would stop coming to Mexia.” Then, he closes with, “Even Jim’s Fried Chicken has nothing on their marquee in her honor.” Good for the people of Mexia. They know trash when they see it.
I betting it will be ruled an accidental drug overdose. That how the media describes the Hollywood and Music crowd when they are drug addicts and kill themselves with overdose. Accidental. As they did Blues singer Gerald Levert’s death last fall: The drugs in his bloodstream included the narcotic pain relievers Vicodin, Percocet and Darvocet, along with anxiety medication Xanax and two over-the-counter antihistamines, Geauga County Coroner Kevin Chartrand said. The official cause of death was acute intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental.
Accidental my ass. You take all that and it is no accident you are dead.
American Royalty my ass. Slut, yes.
Hollywood has sunk to an all time trashy low. I can’t help but laugh when I see an actor being interviewed and they go on and on about how real it was to get into this role and how the character feel and what they meant when they did this or that. What a crock. It’s play acting for Christ sake. It’s not real. It didn’t happen. And they don’t know the difference. Not a one of them has any creditability. Most end up pumped full of drugs because they are confused with the world and their place in it. And all our kids want to be just like them.
American Royalty....so far three men claim to be her kid’s father. One told the media that as many as 25 others he knew could also make that claim. He said “She liked men”. My guess is that most of the male population in Southern California will come forward with the claim. There’s half a billion at stake here.
Another reporter was in Mexia, TX her home town, standing in front of Jim’s Fried Chicken. He was visibly shocked as he held up the Waco newspaper to show that they had dedicated the entire front page to her death. Then he held up the Mexia news and with tears in his eyes, his voice cracking he reported that Mexia news has one small article under the fold. In total disbelief he reports “The people of Media are embarrassed that she came from here. One person told me that he was glad and now hoped that the members of the media would stop coming to Mexia.” Then, he closes with, “Even Jim’s Fried Chicken has nothing on their marquee in her honor.” Good for the people of Mexia. They know trash when they see it.
I betting it will be ruled an accidental drug overdose. That how the media describes the Hollywood and Music crowd when they are drug addicts and kill themselves with overdose. Accidental. As they did Blues singer Gerald Levert’s death last fall: The drugs in his bloodstream included the narcotic pain relievers Vicodin, Percocet and Darvocet, along with anxiety medication Xanax and two over-the-counter antihistamines, Geauga County Coroner Kevin Chartrand said. The official cause of death was acute intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental.
Accidental my ass. You take all that and it is no accident you are dead.
American Royalty my ass. Slut, yes.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Journal Jan 27, 2007
As I recall the blaring headline read, “90% of NC Teachers are Listed Highly Qualified”. The article went on to state that 90 % of the teachers in NC met the Federal standards for teacher qualifications. My immediate thought was that 10 percent of our teachers do not meet the standard teacher qualifications. Chances are your kid is being taught by one of them!
I am doing this from memory since the paper was used to clean up spilt paint. So the quotes may not be exact, but one of the comments from a school official that caught my attention was, “Research confirms that teachers who are trained in the disciplines they teach either through undergraduate or graduate training are more qualified then those who have not had training.” Duh! I’ll bet it was grant research that lasted 20 years. The article went on to imply how hard and unfair it is to expect the school system to come up with teachers that met the standards. Yep! Lets keep hiring the uneducated and liberal to teach our kids. Dang if we got all highly qualified teacher and still turned out a stupid kid who would take the blame? Not the Highly Qualified teachers.
I am doing this from memory since the paper was used to clean up spilt paint. So the quotes may not be exact, but one of the comments from a school official that caught my attention was, “Research confirms that teachers who are trained in the disciplines they teach either through undergraduate or graduate training are more qualified then those who have not had training.” Duh! I’ll bet it was grant research that lasted 20 years. The article went on to imply how hard and unfair it is to expect the school system to come up with teachers that met the standards. Yep! Lets keep hiring the uneducated and liberal to teach our kids. Dang if we got all highly qualified teacher and still turned out a stupid kid who would take the blame? Not the Highly Qualified teachers.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Too Cold to Paint But We Got Heat
It’s been a bad week! I have been working hard to get the upstairs remodeling completed. I finished all repairs and got the guest room, hall, and two closets painted. All I need to complete these areas is to put baseboards in the hall and closets and of course, replace the carpet.
Then on Friday morning I discovered that the paint in the guest bedroom was cracking at the wall and ceiling joints. I painted them again. They cracked again. Not as bad, but cracked. After much guessing and head scratching I made a trip to Lowes and hung around the paint section until I found a “real” painter. He advised me that the caulking had not cured properly before I painted. In addition, I had done extensive mud work on the walls and he explained that in this cold weather it takes several days for the mud to dry and several more for the caulk to dry. He went on to say that in the winter he always puts two to three space heaters in the room and waits a week or more before he paints. So no problem, he says, wait until the weather is 65 degrees for a couple of days and then sand the cracks and repaint. Crap! But what can a guy do.
I bought a space heater before leaving Lowes and put it in the room. I thought I would try to help the heat pump get the job done before next May. Late Saturday afternoon I painted one of the corners and waited. Sunday morning there were still a few cracks. So I will now wait for another few days while I do the baseboards and paint the doors. However I don't think the weather is going to cooperate. For the next week we are expecting no higher temps then the mid 40’s with lows in low 20’s. Therefore, it may be a while before I can get the carpet in and the room completed.
The space heater was a big help. Not for curing the caulking but for keeping us from freezing. Early Sunday morning we noticed that the downstairs heat pump was not running. The furnace was blowing air but the outside compressor was not running. We have had some problems with this unit all year. So after kicking it and scratching my head a bit I took a look at the circuit breaker. Yep, it was off. So I turned it on. Heard the compressor kick on and started to go eat breakfast. Bam, the breaker kicks off. Flip it on, Bam it flips off. Okay, I’m learning. I make sure it is turned off. Don’t want to burn down the house. Looks like the compressor is locked up and is overloading the circuit. So….no heat downstairs. Oh yeah. The space heater is doing a fine job.
I’ll call the heating guys tomorrow. Oops! There goes another $5k.
Then on Friday morning I discovered that the paint in the guest bedroom was cracking at the wall and ceiling joints. I painted them again. They cracked again. Not as bad, but cracked. After much guessing and head scratching I made a trip to Lowes and hung around the paint section until I found a “real” painter. He advised me that the caulking had not cured properly before I painted. In addition, I had done extensive mud work on the walls and he explained that in this cold weather it takes several days for the mud to dry and several more for the caulk to dry. He went on to say that in the winter he always puts two to three space heaters in the room and waits a week or more before he paints. So no problem, he says, wait until the weather is 65 degrees for a couple of days and then sand the cracks and repaint. Crap! But what can a guy do.
I bought a space heater before leaving Lowes and put it in the room. I thought I would try to help the heat pump get the job done before next May. Late Saturday afternoon I painted one of the corners and waited. Sunday morning there were still a few cracks. So I will now wait for another few days while I do the baseboards and paint the doors. However I don't think the weather is going to cooperate. For the next week we are expecting no higher temps then the mid 40’s with lows in low 20’s. Therefore, it may be a while before I can get the carpet in and the room completed.
The space heater was a big help. Not for curing the caulking but for keeping us from freezing. Early Sunday morning we noticed that the downstairs heat pump was not running. The furnace was blowing air but the outside compressor was not running. We have had some problems with this unit all year. So after kicking it and scratching my head a bit I took a look at the circuit breaker. Yep, it was off. So I turned it on. Heard the compressor kick on and started to go eat breakfast. Bam, the breaker kicks off. Flip it on, Bam it flips off. Okay, I’m learning. I make sure it is turned off. Don’t want to burn down the house. Looks like the compressor is locked up and is overloading the circuit. So….no heat downstairs. Oh yeah. The space heater is doing a fine job.
I’ll call the heating guys tomorrow. Oops! There goes another $5k.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Thunder Road
Boy, what a pleasant feeling. I was setting here scanning the web and listening to Blue Ridge Country 98.1, when a song brought back a flood of good ol’ memories. Remember Thunder Road, by Robert Mitchum. I sure do. Both the song and the movie. In my minds eye I could plainly see the old 1950 and 1957 Fords ripping down the mountain, sliding around the sharp curves and roaring out of sight around the next bend. Dust flying. Then the lonely wail of a siren echoing down the hollers as the night came alive with the presents of the big bad ABC guy (Gene Berry).
I believe it was filmed in Ashville somewhere along Tunnel Road. Robert Mitchum was the hero of every young man with a car. Back then we had real cars. Not some junkie old Honda or Toyota. We had chrome, lots of chrome, and engines, big engines, with two or three carburetors. We had Hollywood pipes or glass packed mufflers, and fender skirts. We keep them polished and waxed like the day they came off the show room floor. Some raced them up and down the public highways while others just cruised the “main drag”. No sissy Boom Boxes for real men. We went for horsepower and rpm.
I miss those old cars. I get a good chuckle when I see some young guy today with a $300-$500 piece of junk in which he has installed a $1,500-$3,000 stereo system. Normally they have removed the back seat to make room for speakers the size of a 1950’s console TV. We used the back seat for other things and would never have done such a dumb thing. They have to face the speakers out the window or into the trunk and play them at full throttle. I guess their thing is making noise. Well, watch Thunder Road, that’s the way real men make noise.
Me, I drove the “Old Man’s” cars. I couldn’t afford a “Hot Rod” of my own. But I dreamed of having a ’57 Chevy like one of our cousins had. Jet black; with red interior. It had more chrome then you could shake a stick at and it would fly. I was stuck with a ’56 Ford but it was always washed and waxed and it would haul the mail when you need to. I have cleaned out a few ditches with that ol’ ford.
My big brother taught me to drive back in ’58. No, that is not right. What he did was teach me how to wreck. You see he was home on leave from the Air Force and he was teaching me to drive the old man’s 1950 Dodge. As I recall it had a new kind of transmission, Fluid Drive, which kicked in about a good 30 seconds after you tromped the gas. We were on Poplar Springs road, in that big hair pen curve. Back in those days it was known as the Church curve because there was a big Baptist church there and everyone liked to talk about how fast they could make the Church curve. Well, Big Brother was teaching me to “glide-in and power-out”. It was all in the technique, he said, as he “glided-in” and then we were upside down and wrapped around a tree.
He taught me well. I learned. And I never did that!
I believe it was filmed in Ashville somewhere along Tunnel Road. Robert Mitchum was the hero of every young man with a car. Back then we had real cars. Not some junkie old Honda or Toyota. We had chrome, lots of chrome, and engines, big engines, with two or three carburetors. We had Hollywood pipes or glass packed mufflers, and fender skirts. We keep them polished and waxed like the day they came off the show room floor. Some raced them up and down the public highways while others just cruised the “main drag”. No sissy Boom Boxes for real men. We went for horsepower and rpm.
I miss those old cars. I get a good chuckle when I see some young guy today with a $300-$500 piece of junk in which he has installed a $1,500-$3,000 stereo system. Normally they have removed the back seat to make room for speakers the size of a 1950’s console TV. We used the back seat for other things and would never have done such a dumb thing. They have to face the speakers out the window or into the trunk and play them at full throttle. I guess their thing is making noise. Well, watch Thunder Road, that’s the way real men make noise.
Me, I drove the “Old Man’s” cars. I couldn’t afford a “Hot Rod” of my own. But I dreamed of having a ’57 Chevy like one of our cousins had. Jet black; with red interior. It had more chrome then you could shake a stick at and it would fly. I was stuck with a ’56 Ford but it was always washed and waxed and it would haul the mail when you need to. I have cleaned out a few ditches with that ol’ ford.
My big brother taught me to drive back in ’58. No, that is not right. What he did was teach me how to wreck. You see he was home on leave from the Air Force and he was teaching me to drive the old man’s 1950 Dodge. As I recall it had a new kind of transmission, Fluid Drive, which kicked in about a good 30 seconds after you tromped the gas. We were on Poplar Springs road, in that big hair pen curve. Back in those days it was known as the Church curve because there was a big Baptist church there and everyone liked to talk about how fast they could make the Church curve. Well, Big Brother was teaching me to “glide-in and power-out”. It was all in the technique, he said, as he “glided-in” and then we were upside down and wrapped around a tree.
He taught me well. I learned. And I never did that!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
I Wonder How They Know
How do they know? When we moved in to our new home, the end of December 2005, one of the pleasures was to look out the window, at almost any time of the day, and see deer. They just sauntered through the yard as if they own the place. They also seem to like our nicer plants. But that was alright with me. I enjoy watching them better then I enjoy the plants. Then just before Thanksgiving they disappeared. I would still see a track now and then but I never saw them. They slipped through the yard in the still of the night. I then discovered that deer hunting season open around Thanksgiving week and ran through 31 December.
Amazingly, this afternoon, 2 Jan 2007, two days after the end of the hunting season, at 4:45 p.m., five deer walk out of the woods behind our house and proceed to have a feast on the new $500 yellowtail grass I planted in the fall.
That’s okay with me. The deer are back.
Amazingly, this afternoon, 2 Jan 2007, two days after the end of the hunting season, at 4:45 p.m., five deer walk out of the woods behind our house and proceed to have a feast on the new $500 yellowtail grass I planted in the fall.
That’s okay with me. The deer are back.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Happy New Year - 2007
What a great time to start a new life. I decided to make a couple of Resolutions I can keep. 1- Gain 30 pounds before the 4th of July. 2- Do less work. Well that should do it. I have made resolutions for years and never kept a one. This year will be much different. I think I can handle these without any trouble.
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