60th Class reunion

Four of us from the "OLD" class of 1947. Many years have gone by but even so we were able to recognise each other through the new layers of aging that had happened over the years. Most had enough hair so it required combing and we were standing quite erect for the miles the legs had carried us.
Being a pot luck back yard cookout affair the women showed they had over the years become very clever in their kitchen abilities and the food was very good (correction: it was excellent, tasty and filling!)
After drifting around the garden mingling with our classmates we pulled chairs up in a shaded area and began telling some of our experiences during our 4 years and one story led to another and many memories were brought up and some were stories that we had not heard before. Much, much laughing was had by all. We remembered those who had passed on and talked of some who were unable to attend for one reason or another.
One class member had so many grand children and great grandchildren we dared not test him to see if he knew all their names.
Another member was a priest and left to become professor of Humanities at Harvard in Cambridge area of Boston while another recently retired from 50 years of missionary work and he translated the bible into 28 dialects of the natives in South America and a third taught English and English literature at a teachers college in South East Massachusetts.
This is my first blog in months and in July after the reunion we had a family gathering up on Lake Murray South Carolina and it was a great week fishing and being with one son and daughter and some of the children and right on down to great grand children. Fishing on the lake was excellent and I used the same "system" of "catch-n-release". threw everything back to give someone else some fun or if caught later and big enough they would be a good meal. Many varieties of brim in the lake and some very colorful. Pulled in a couple of bass but not large enough to keep. Did get hold of a gar and it was about 3 foot long and a fighter. It shook itself loose before being boated and thankfuly so as they have a mean mouth full of teeth. It's more like a long snout and the teeth are jagged and razor sharp. The second one caught did make it to the boat and grandson had to grab on with plyers to extract the hook and it was about 4 feet long and on light tackle it was a tussle bringing him in. The one cat fish dragged up from the bottom was quite ughly and went over 3 pounds but it too was released.
Evenings I taught my great grand children how to play gin rummy and a little game called "31". My oldest grand daughter turned 10 while there and we had a nice cake and icecream party for her. She really got into gin rummy and became very sharp at the game.
Great grandson Steve did some fishing but everyone who caught a fish he asked to take them off the hook and he became very efficient at it and then he'd ask if it was a "keeper" and when the answer was a negative he'd throw it back like it was a baseball and the fish had the ride of its life being returned to the lake.
On arrival I was unpacking and put my razor on the table and my son asked: "What is that?" And I asked if he was serious and he said he was because it was "vacation" and the razor goes on vacation too. Didn't shave all week and kept it for one day shy of 4 weks but decided that it was foolish to wear a fur coat on your face in Florida in the summer time...........
That's it for this time and hope I can find my way back so more entries can be made .........enjoy!

DIRTY OLD SHOES and Grandpa-Grandson Love

Every now and then we come across something that just seems to "touch" us and this came upon my screen and I really enjoyed it and unfortunately the author is unknown. But it is a piece that deserves sharing.If by some freak of chance the writer reads this, make yourself known as it is a great piece of writing and you have been touched or this could not have come off of your pen. And for what it is worth: Thank You from me.
And to those who are reading this: ENJOY!
DIRTY OLD SHOES
I showered and shaved............... I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat.............. In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer......... As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side...... I thought, "Why must our soles touch?"
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: "Our Father"............. I thought, "This man with the shoes.. has no pride. They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!"
"Thank You for blessings," the prayer went on. The shoe man said............... a quiet "Amen." I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again
Aren't we supposed to look our best.. When walking through that door?
"Well, this certainly isn't it," I thought, Glancing toward the floor.
Then the prayer was ended............ And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud...... Sounding proud as he sang.
 His voice lifted the rafters......... His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear.. The shoe man's voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering......... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out............ What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft "clink" . as when silver hits tin.
The sermon really bored me.......... To tears, and that's no lie
It was the same for the shoe man..... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service........ As is the custom here
We must greet new visitors.. And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow............. And wanted to meet the shoe man
So after the closing prayer.......... I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark..... And his hair was truly a mess
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.
He said, "My names' Charlie.......... I'm glad to meet you, my friend."
There were tears in his eyes......... But he had a large, wide grin
"Let me explain," he said........... Wiping tears from his eyes.
"I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.'"
"I know that my appearance........."Is not like all the rest
"But I really do try................."To always look my best."
"I always clean and polish my shoes.."Before my very long walk.
"But by the time I get here........."They're dirty and  dusty, like chalk."
My heart filled with pain............ and I swallowed to hide my tears
As he continued to apologize......... For daring to sit so near.
He said, "When I get here..........."I know I must look a sight.
"But I thought if I could touch you.."Then maybe our souls might unite."
I was silent for a moment............ Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison... I spoke from my heart, not my head.
"Oh, you've touched me," I said......"And taught me, in part;
"That the best of any man............"Is what is found in his heart."
The rest, I thought,................. This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am... That his dirty old shoe touched my soul
 Remember, everyone needs a friend.

And Part Two of this entry is the picture of my son and his grandson and this, in one blink of the lens, shows a lot of love.
One of those pictures that comes along and "hits" you. To me it is a little bit special and packed with love. Maybe it's because it's my son and my great grandson and the subject matter is family, but look at it and the "bond" can be seen and felt. To see them together it is even more evident and every occasion is special and it's as if they had their own little world.
Hey! There are some things that makes growing old well worth it. And great grand children bring things into perspective very quickly. Now it's time for a "spot-o-tea".

Looking Back

Looking Back When I was a Smoker!
This was written to a friend just before I dropped a 68 year smoking habit when the doctor told me to quit that day or he would no longer attend to my medical needs. Pretty blunt but it worked as I quit that day: November 15th, 2006.
GAWD! The tenth month of this 2006 is almost gone ! Tempus Fugit ! Amen! And nothing stops those dam hands on the clock from spinning. Even pulling the plug, removing the batteries and stopping the pendulum has no affect as time just marches on.
The mistakes made yesterday glare back at me on that page of life and I wonder how in hell I could have been so stupid. Even an error made one minute ago becomes “history” and unchangeable and stamped in stone.
Trapped in routine, each day begins the same throwing water in my face and shaking the brain awake to go to the kitchen, flip on the coffee pot, light a ciggie and leave a smoke trail down the carport to pick up the morning paper off the driveway, walk back through my smoke screen to the porch and dissect the paper throwing out the unessential ads, home and car sales pitches that there is only 72 hours left on the sale of the year to put your butt behind the wheel of the fanciest creation that can go zero to 60 in 4 seconds and speeds that would give you nothing but tickets for breaking the laws of any road in the world except in Germany. When do you need zero to 60 and who in their right mind wants to go 225 MPH unless you are on a circular track with advertisements plastered all over your car while wearing a crash helmet and the vehicle is equipped with roll bars.
Once dissected, the computer is activated, the cat has been fed and patted and I return to the table to have a cup of coffee and read the paper from front page headlines to comics that sits there before me. To vary a mundane existence I sometimes begin with the headlines, but more often than not, I begin with the comics feeling I should begin each day with at least a good laugh which rarely is found on the front page. But: actually i check the lottery numbers to see if my name is removed from the poverty list! (Crap! Missed every number by one digit! must find a part time job so I can afford to buy more tickets and increase my chances!) And because life goes on, the daily pill regimen is begun by taking my blood pressure pill and the first of 2 zinc tablets that are required to help my vision. Then the mandatory bowl of multigrain Cherrios with honey to lower cholesterol followed by nine vitamins and supplements and an 81 Mg aspirin for the heart.
The coffee is gone! The paper is history! But there are still some cigarets left, so out on the porch I sit and pollute the air before heading for the computer and Check out 11 forwarded items that show they have been all over the country twice and 6 pieces of worthless crap from companies I do not know and wonder how in hell they got my address and 2 items stating if I don’t forward them I am an Antichrist or don’t believe in God threatening that I will have 7 years bad luck if I don’t follow directions. Thank Heaven for channel changing remote devices and the “DELETE” key on computers.
And it isn’t even 8:30 AM yet.
Think I’ll lay down and take a nap. The cat is having one, so why can’t I?
I’ll worry about lunch when I wake up.
Have a good day

Going In Circles

Experimenting adding and deleting and changing trying to find just how far I can go and what I can do.
Multiple tries to get in and even when "in" am not sure what to do or what the end result will be.
My "coach" said to click on everything and I been clicking. Don't know what it's doing at Google Central but hope I am not confusing anyone or having them scratch their heads thinking they are dealing with an empty lunch basket. As they say: Brilliant minds and engineers built the Titanic and Moses built the Ark, And Steve Jobs started in a garage.
For this entry I wanted to "introduce" you to Cassie the "QUEEN" around the house. She has favorite spots around the house like the little screen porch off the dining area and the back of the recliner and her bed in front of the TV when she doesn't want any human contact. Has other areas where she hides when possibly her female hormones kick in and she goes into a kitty PMS mode and disappears somewhere in this little place.
Two favorite things is being 'served' tuna with her regular food and going out for walks on her leash. Sometimes just waks to the end of the driveway and lays down and watches the dog walkers of the neighborhood. None she shows interest in except when Mr. G. walks up with his little "MUFFIN" and that little thing quickens his pace and those little bow legs are flying and right up to Cassie and they stand nose to nose. Sometimes if at the end of his walk Muffin will walk up and lay down side of Cassie and watch we on the other end of the leashes talk over happenings in the Village.
NOW! Have "attached" pictures but not sure if they will be there.
If NOT this time, then it will be the next unless Google pulls my plug!

Day One and the dice are rolled

This is all new and my biggest Thank You to a friend of the keyboard: Marcia from Arizona.
She has gotten me into this and as they say on Cape Cod: "Holy Mackerel" What can of worms have you opened up?
I feel like Forest Gump in a helicopter and the pilot turns over the joy stick and bails out.
This is me first actual posting and hopefully as this new world opens up I will be able to post some of my paintings and some carvings as well as family activitiesand photos.

I work off an e-Mac and have never used anything except Mac machines. Sit me at a regular PC and I couldn't turn it on.

My next birthday will be number 78 so don't expect much more than some fun and a lot of nostalgia and homest answers if ever asked any! Live by a "code" set down by an Indian (Teepee type) Mother who had a finger pointing statement that if you were going to lie, don't speak a word. So if asked an opinion expect only an homest one.

Born in Massachusetts in the Land of the Bean and the Cod halfway between Cape Cod and Boston and the area was and is referred to as the South Shore. Graduated from high school in the little town of Rockland in 1947 and one of 84 class members. For the last 14 or 15 months I have been working with a couple of classmates trying to organize a 60th reunion and it has been a job to track them down and find out who has gone to meet their maker and who is still standing. It has been a marvelous experience getting in touch with many that have not been seen for as much as 50 years in many cases.
Some conversations jump started the brain and like clicking dominos the memories poured out. Loved it all and basically became Communication Central and everything began filtering through this computer. We even ran across an official school seal and the magic of the scanner it was "doctored" up and became our class of 1947 seal and we use it on all class mailings.
The cookout BBQ reunion is going to be held at a classmates lovely garden and I hope to be into this enough to post reunion photos.

A mid-May 5 days in Vegas should prduce more pictures and a family gathering on Lake Murray in South Carolina and some bass fiishing in July should bring out more cameras and pictures. So this should be very enjoyable for all who like " down home" material.
See ya soon with more fun stuff ...... from the Swamp!!!!!

Day One for a New Blogger

Dear Freddie,

I've opened your blog, posted your first post and burned a feed.

Have a blast! M