Midwinter update on life here on McCartyville Road...

Well, it's almost the end of January (thank God). Not that I have anything against January, or for that matter even winter -- it's just that I don't like short days with lots of clouds, daily wind chill numbers that rival my average number of putts per hole this past summer (2,3,4,and even 5) , and actual temperatures that closely resemble my average daily fish catch for the past year (0,1 or 2). I'll admit I'm a creature ruled or at least highly influenced by the sun, warm temperatures and mild breezes. This picture of the thermometer in the garage pretty much tells a lot of the story. This was one of the warmer days during the last couple of weeks.














I kinda like that old line from Carl Reiner: "A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."

I don't even care so much for myself, but I also feel badly for all the birds and the rabbit friends I have in the back yard. I have gone through 4-50# bags of bird seed so far and have one left. I doubt that will make it through till the grass reappears and they are back to fending for themselves. The family of rabbits that lives under the barn and the deck got some lettuce the other day and some store-bought, cut up salad carrots (you know the kind -- the ones that look like little bullets). And I don't mind feeding them all, I just wish the birds would quit having a poopfest on my roof and the roof of the shed. Makes me think they're an ungrateful lot.

I also feel bad for Miss Pam (my fishing boat, not my wife) and PK (again, my canoe not my wife). There they sit all winter long out by the Lakefront Cottage (aka...our shed), covered up to keep the snow and ice out, waiting for the weather to break and the lakes to thaw. The motor (it doesn't have a name) sits on the mount I made for it in the garage. While it's a little bit warmer in there, I'm sure if it could talk, it would tell you that it has a better life than the boat. Maybe that's why it starts right up in the spring and runs like a top all year long.

A friend of ours sent us some advice the other day -- she said as we get older, there are some things we should try to do each day. She said we should try to make at least three people smile each day. Can I count our dog , the rabbit and the birds? Course, I don't know if they know how to smile. She also said we should sit quietly, alone for at least 10 minutes each day, reflecting on things, life or whatever. I've tried this --usually in the morning with a nice, hot cup of coffee, only to wake up at 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon with a stiff neck and Bailey nudging me, wanting to go out to do her business. Oh, well.

It's a good thing I have another hobby to fall back on. My HAM radio contacts are up now that the sun spots are on a better cycle. The other day, I talked to Francis (N2FF) who lives on Long Island in NY, used to teach HS English, and had also been in the Army. I also had contact with Jim (W4HE) who lives in South Carolina. He used to live in the Dayton area, was assigned to WPAFB, and doesn't miss this weather. Dave (K4I/W4AVA) was running a special events net in conjunction with the recent inauguration. Dave is in Alexandria, VA. and when I saw his address, I knew pretty much where he lived -- I remember that area quite well from when I was stationed at the Pentagon. Great place to visit.

Anyhow, that's what's going on here. I guess I really do have lots to do -- just not the things I might want to be doing. But those times will come soon enough and that is what makes them so enjoyable.

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. (George Santayana)

Hooah

A trip back in time... a long, long time ago...

I came across an interesting old yearbook of sorts -- the book that was published by the Army recounting my Initial training at Ft. Jackson, SC in 1970. Well, it wasn't put out by the Army just to recount my days there. They did this for every cycle going through Basic Entry posts back then. I assume they still do it today. I hope so.

Anyway, it was really fun looking through those pages. Isn't it amazing how long it takes you to look through such a simple, old book. It was even more of a treat to find some old Polaroids (if you have to ask what a Polaroid is, you're too young) in the book that were taken while I was there. Real Estate agents always talk about location, location ... location. Well, this picture of our "Company Street" at Ft. Jackson, SC fits the bill 'cause I don't think anything else imaginable could have been put there and lasted this long. I was convinced that the Army sent out people in planes to find the most heavily treed area they could that contained pretty much nothing but pine trees and scrub oaks with the dirt being nothing but clay (a.k.a. MUD). They were then to throw in lots of mean bugs and snakes and and call it an Army base.

Well, that's what I remember of Ft. Jackson. These two pictures (above) show two things the drill instructors were constantly looking for: goofing off behind the barracks and standing around with one's hands in one's pockets. I am confident to this day that had the DI seen us in either one of these situations, I/we would have been peeling potatoes until some time last week.

Another memory of Basic was the time spent shining boots. You know -- they don't shine boots anymore. In fact, except for special units and times, soldiers wear a kind of suede boot (kind of like those saddle shoes we all wore as teenagers). Now you don't do much more than knock the mud off them. I think these young soldiers have lost a bit of military history and tradition. Most of them will never know what Kiwi polish even is. Too bad.
One of the other things I found was a picture of two friends and myself. I remember these guys were pretty important to me back then, but I've lost contact with them since then. That's another of those "too bad" things. Walter Byrd is on the left, and Roger Bentley is in the middle. You're right, that guy with his hands in his pockets on the right is me. Boy, what a lean, mean fighting machine!! I think my waist back then was somewhere around 28". It's still "somewhere" around that -- kind of like Cleveland is "somewhere near" Cincinnati.

Saving the best for last, this picture is of Pam's visit following the 7th week of Basic. That was the big pass weekend for everyone. Boy, looking at this picture, I sure looked like a pup. Pam was pretty much a hottie even back then.

Quinn, when you read this, I know you'll probably get a smirk on your face wondering about those weird clothes and you'll find it hard to believe that Grandpa and Grandma were ever that young. But allow me to take liberties with the title of a very good book written by LTG (Ret.) Hal Moore and Joe Galloway and say: "We were cool once, and young."

You know you've reached middle age when a doctor, not a policeman, tells you to slow down, all you exercise are your prerogatives and it takes you longer to rest than to get tired. (Anon)

Hooah

We got a new toy for Christmas ...

Doug and Danika got us a "Flip" camera for Christmas. It's a little video camera, real slim and pretty cool. Anyway, this is one of the videos we shot at Christmas. I hope you enjoy it.

I'll probably have some more later on to show you :-)

Hooah