A better deal...

Years ago on one of our beach walks I saw an elderly man sitting on a wooden bench, wrapped in a blanket staring towards the sea.  I noticed a red hat with a Marine Corps emblem and I yelled " Semper Fi, Marine! " and that look in his eyes told me I was welcomed.. After some introductions I learned that he was at Iwo Jima and soon he began to speak of memories long left resting in his heart.  For a brief time I was witness to an old Marine's life and for a moment I could feel his need to share it.  To someone who understands.    Thats what that college professor so many years ago gave me...   Maybe the greatest gift one may give to another is the gift of being heard. To belong to something greater....God bless the veteran...God bless us all. 

Today...42 years ago

On this day 42 years ago, I was leaving a history class at Shepherd College (now a university) and was mad as hell! Another verbal slugfest with a wannabe Vietnam war protesting college professor had just ended and his words that day changed my life.  " If you believe in the war, then go and enlist and stop evading the draft by sitting in class. " I pissed him off too, I guess.  It was a Friday night and at the local watering hole a few hours before closing time, I announced to the hanger ons that I was to enlist in the Marine Corps come Monday. A loud cheer erupted and my money was no good for the remainder of the night.  I followed through that Monday by enlisting in the Marines and was to be walking point and sleeping on hard ground by February. I guess the professor (who left for UCLA that same year) and I were both right.  He did not believe in the war and I believed in my country.  As it turns out, I think I got the best of the deal and will explain in my next post...

Its Coming!

We love the Fall and all that comes with it, yet it is the winter that follows that creates a different world. As you can see, our beach can get its share of snow. No complaints, just anticipating the spring and following through on plans to live in the RV world of full timing. No snow allowed.

Aren't they Grand!

Getting ready for fulltiming requires downsizing and who better than our oldest granddaughter to help us with a yard sale. Of course, all these stuffed animals were won by her over the years playing those giant claw machines. You can't sell those memories.

Road Trip Part 2

Friday 3am began our drive to Lakeview, Ohio to RV Wholesalers to pick up our new Travel Trailer.
Why drive 640 miles? $5000 less than local dealers. We got 18 miles to the gallon going and 10 miles to the gallon coming home. Saturday 5pm ended our road trip with the RV resting safely in our driveway.

Elegant Parlor

Anyone remember the Parlor? Before TV and video games, the center of entertainment was the parlor, where your best was presented to the guests and was the perfect atmosphere for the host to "put on airs". I remember my Grandmother, the best cook in the county, taking me to visit her well to do sister. With promises of cake and strawberries, I tagged along as Gramma met with her sister and other guests...I was impressed by the fancy room with nice chairs, tables and a large radio...Hot tea was served in cups with saucers. Everyone poured some of the hot liquid in the saucer and sipped as I was looking at the sister's cake on the platter. My grandmother seemed out of place with the other women but she always had a smile in her eyes that others did not. When I got my cake and took a bite, it tasted so bad that I coughed and spit it out to the horror of everyone except Gramma. She told me to go outside and play...a little later she gathered up her things, grabbed my hand and walked me home. The smile in her eyes was now on her face. It was later that I realized why she had said to me on the walk home that the "proof is in the pudding!"

No Parking

This is one of the towns Walt Disney World was building when we were there 2006 and we have always wondered why cars were only parked on the street going up a steep grade...If you know whats going on here, we would like to know. Remember that Disney had fun doing the impossible. You will need to click on the image to enlarge so you can see what I am talking about.

Road Trip

Point A is Lakeview Ohio where RV Wholesalers is holding the new camper and Point B is Bethany Beach Delaware where we are holding our own until we go on this roadtrip...the savings we will enjoy will make the trip very enjoyable!

Illusions

We are getting ready to go to Ohio to pick up the RV, nothing to write about but plenty to see. Of course its hard not to see more than what is there, but you be the judge. Stare at the first image and let me know what you see...It took me minutes before "it" appeared!