.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Michael C. Mullins
Michael C. Mullins
Michael C. Mullins, 59, passed
away Thursday, April 7, 2011, at
his residence in Greenwood.
He was born June 6, 1951, to
Carl J. and Dorcas (Brandsteter)
Mullins.
Survivors include his mother,
Dorcas Mullins; two nephews,
Michael and David Boswell; and
an aunt, Willetta Lucas.
He was preceded in passing by
his father, Carl J. Mullins; a sister,
Carolyn J. Boswell; and a
brother-in-law, Joe Boswell.
Michael was a graduate of
Center Grove High School and
Indiana University.
Now that he's gone, the story can be told without repercussion:
When Mike was hired at the Frostop I was tasked with teaching him how to be a short order cook. Car hops would take the food/drink orders and bring them to the refreshment window. If there were kitchen-prepared items on the order, that order ticket would be hung on a rotating clip-thingy, (technical term, I know. If you need a better description, email me), and the cook would prepare the necessary items before handing sandwiches, etc. along with the order ticket back to the refreshment worker to add root beer or other drinks to the order for delivery by the car hop.
Back in the kitchen, we had a small window to peer through that gave us a view of who was parked in the lot. One day while I was teaching Mike he was watching the cars pulling up into the lot and I heard him mutter something angrily beneath his breath. When I asked what he was muttering about he pointed to the car that had just pulled in and said, "That (blankety-blank) is the guy that stole my girlfriend".
And as I recall, the subject of his anger was someone that I thought the world would be better without too. So when the order came in for a cheeseburger and fries, I allowed Mike to show me how well I had taught him to cook. We had run out of frozen hamburger patties that day and were using fresh ground hamburger, manually pressing out the patties with our hands. Mike expertly removed a tennis-ball sized chunk of meat, pressed it into patty form with his hands, slipped the patty beneath his armpit and rolled it around, then fried it up, added a slice of cheese and sent it on its way to consumption.
We giggled as we watched the "bad guy" eat his sandwich.
I sure liked Mike.
Lord, when he shows up at your gate give him a hug for me and remember...
We were just stupid teen-agers at the time.
Forgive us both, please.
Michael C. Mullins, 59, passed
away Thursday, April 7, 2011, at
his residence in Greenwood.
He was born June 6, 1951, to
Carl J. and Dorcas (Brandsteter)
Mullins.
Survivors include his mother,
Dorcas Mullins; two nephews,
Michael and David Boswell; and
an aunt, Willetta Lucas.
He was preceded in passing by
his father, Carl J. Mullins; a sister,
Carolyn J. Boswell; and a
brother-in-law, Joe Boswell.
Michael was a graduate of
Center Grove High School and
Indiana University.
Now that he's gone, the story can be told without repercussion:
When Mike was hired at the Frostop I was tasked with teaching him how to be a short order cook. Car hops would take the food/drink orders and bring them to the refreshment window. If there were kitchen-prepared items on the order, that order ticket would be hung on a rotating clip-thingy, (technical term, I know. If you need a better description, email me), and the cook would prepare the necessary items before handing sandwiches, etc. along with the order ticket back to the refreshment worker to add root beer or other drinks to the order for delivery by the car hop.
Back in the kitchen, we had a small window to peer through that gave us a view of who was parked in the lot. One day while I was teaching Mike he was watching the cars pulling up into the lot and I heard him mutter something angrily beneath his breath. When I asked what he was muttering about he pointed to the car that had just pulled in and said, "That (blankety-blank) is the guy that stole my girlfriend".
And as I recall, the subject of his anger was someone that I thought the world would be better without too. So when the order came in for a cheeseburger and fries, I allowed Mike to show me how well I had taught him to cook. We had run out of frozen hamburger patties that day and were using fresh ground hamburger, manually pressing out the patties with our hands. Mike expertly removed a tennis-ball sized chunk of meat, pressed it into patty form with his hands, slipped the patty beneath his armpit and rolled it around, then fried it up, added a slice of cheese and sent it on its way to consumption.
We giggled as we watched the "bad guy" eat his sandwich.
I sure liked Mike.
Lord, when he shows up at your gate give him a hug for me and remember...
We were just stupid teen-agers at the time.
Forgive us both, please.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Classmates.com
"Greybeard, 15 people visited your guestbook. Click here to see who's searching for you!"
And when I click the tab I'm transported to a site asking for my credit card number.
Although I really don't want to 'cause I HAVE gotten in touch with a couple folks through Classmates.com, I think I'm gonna have to block 'em. They're beginning to be a nuisance, and I get FAR more valuable information through Facebook and Vandy's Kids...
FREE!
Classmates.com...
You need a new business model.
And when I click the tab I'm transported to a site asking for my credit card number.
Although I really don't want to 'cause I HAVE gotten in touch with a couple folks through Classmates.com, I think I'm gonna have to block 'em. They're beginning to be a nuisance, and I get FAR more valuable information through Facebook and Vandy's Kids...
FREE!
Classmates.com...
You need a new business model.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Hanna-Barbera
"The Flintstones" came first.
Yogi Bear, Quickdraw McGraw, and others soon followed.
Several of our classmates assumed Hanna-Barbera identities...
TopCat and Snaggletooth are two that come to mind, (although Snaggletooth didn't much care for his moniker).
Were there others?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Benny
So many years have passed, it's tough to remember...
I went to my first CG Alumni Banquet in either '81 or '82. I bought tickets for the dinner and the after dinner get-together. The dinner was early... I remember it was still light outside when I sat down to eat... alone. I was maybe halfway through my meal when he approached and asked if he could sit with me...
"Hi, remember me?!! I'm Benny!"
How could anyone forget Benny?
Short in stature, huge in personality and presence, Benny.
I was glad not to be alone.
As you might imagine, Benny did most of the talking, but he wasn't inconsiderate...
He listened too.
I mentioned my Viet Nam service and the fact I was still in the ARMY Reserve.
That gave Benny the chance to brag about his NAVY service, and he had good reason to brag...
He had been selected to serve on "Old Ironsides"...
The U.S.S. Constitution, the museum and oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. That was a prime job... a job the NAVY would not have given to just anyone. His obituary says everyone who attended Benny's tours of the ship said he was exceptional.
I have no doubt that is true.
I didn't know Benny well. I worked with his sister Julene at the Frostop and loved her, and through that association knew the rest of her family well enough to smile and wave.
I knew Benny well enough to know I liked him.
And I'm sad to know he's gone.
So many posts in a row dedicated to sadness...
And our country and the world in a mess...
We need a collective pick-me-up, don't we?
I went to my first CG Alumni Banquet in either '81 or '82. I bought tickets for the dinner and the after dinner get-together. The dinner was early... I remember it was still light outside when I sat down to eat... alone. I was maybe halfway through my meal when he approached and asked if he could sit with me...
"Hi, remember me?!! I'm Benny!"
How could anyone forget Benny?
Short in stature, huge in personality and presence, Benny.
I was glad not to be alone.
As you might imagine, Benny did most of the talking, but he wasn't inconsiderate...
He listened too.
I mentioned my Viet Nam service and the fact I was still in the ARMY Reserve.
That gave Benny the chance to brag about his NAVY service, and he had good reason to brag...
He had been selected to serve on "Old Ironsides"...
The U.S.S. Constitution, the museum and oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. That was a prime job... a job the NAVY would not have given to just anyone. His obituary says everyone who attended Benny's tours of the ship said he was exceptional.
I have no doubt that is true.
I didn't know Benny well. I worked with his sister Julene at the Frostop and loved her, and through that association knew the rest of her family well enough to smile and wave.
I knew Benny well enough to know I liked him.
And I'm sad to know he's gone.
So many posts in a row dedicated to sadness...
And our country and the world in a mess...
We need a collective pick-me-up, don't we?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Mr. Merklin
Again, another sad notice this week. Brenda lost her father this week. Our thoughts are with the family.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Dale Hollanbeck
I read in the paper where Dale lost his mother this week. Our prayers are with the family.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Gloria Lindle
Via Carol "Casey Bade" Crafton-
Gloria "Peaches" Lindle has passed.
Please add details as they become available.
Gloria "Peaches" Lindle has passed.
Please add details as they become available.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
This Small World
Over at my blog, a guy responded to my post about the visit Cinders, TwoDogs, Sara Jean and I paid to Ft. Knox, KY last year.
His message was, "I too went to Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox and have compiled a great deal of information about the OC Brigade while it was active there."
He asked if I was interested in adding my name to the growing list of former candidates sharing information about the 4,203 Officer Candidates that passed through the school during its existence. I answered in the affirmative.
"Doug" has since sent me four or five emails, including one that has the roster of class 28-67...
The class I attended. Of course, reading those names brought a flood of memories.
Eighty-six of the 127 Officer Candidates that started that class graduated and pinned on their "Butter Bars" on 13 October 1967.
Two of those men were killed in Viet Nam.
One of those received the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery in attempting to save men under his command.
I'm amazed at how computers are continually shrinking the size of this big 'ol world.
But you have to stick your toe in the water that is the internet in order for others to find you and share things of interest with you.
Where's your toe?
Stick it in!
His message was, "I too went to Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox and have compiled a great deal of information about the OC Brigade while it was active there."
He asked if I was interested in adding my name to the growing list of former candidates sharing information about the 4,203 Officer Candidates that passed through the school during its existence. I answered in the affirmative.
"Doug" has since sent me four or five emails, including one that has the roster of class 28-67...
The class I attended. Of course, reading those names brought a flood of memories.
Eighty-six of the 127 Officer Candidates that started that class graduated and pinned on their "Butter Bars" on 13 October 1967.
Two of those men were killed in Viet Nam.
One of those received the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery in attempting to save men under his command.
I'm amazed at how computers are continually shrinking the size of this big 'ol world.
But you have to stick your toe in the water that is the internet in order for others to find you and share things of interest with you.
Where's your toe?
Stick it in!
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Mrs. Rainey
I'm sure Bo won't mind me sharing the email I just received:
"We flew home (Mother and me) yesterday on an Aerocare plane out of Scottsdale to Indianapolis then ambulance to St. Francis Hospital. Family all came to see mother today. She knew everyone but was not truly comfortable. I requested that they just keep her comfortable so they gave her something to help her rest and sleep. Mother passed away today about 5:00 p.m. this afternoon. I am numb but o.k. so far."
She's at peace Bo.
Now you work on getting there too.
Let us know what we can do to smooth your way.
We love you.
More as I hear it.
Feel free to add info as you get it.
GB
"We flew home (Mother and me) yesterday on an Aerocare plane out of Scottsdale to Indianapolis then ambulance to St. Francis Hospital. Family all came to see mother today. She knew everyone but was not truly comfortable. I requested that they just keep her comfortable so they gave her something to help her rest and sleep. Mother passed away today about 5:00 p.m. this afternoon. I am numb but o.k. so far."
She's at peace Bo.
Now you work on getting there too.
Let us know what we can do to smooth your way.
We love you.
More as I hear it.
Feel free to add info as you get it.
GB
Friday, February 04, 2011
Rewind to the 60's
After having a pretty bad week, I sat down to open some emails and there it was, an ad from one of my favorite places, The Vermont Country Store. After a 21 year absence, Bonomo's Turkish Taffy is back. I don't know about you, but a trip to Walden's Drug Store was a frequent stop for me.
Bill, Jo and Kirk were such nice owners and I always stopped by the counter so Harry or Gary could fix me a cherry root beer in a nice frosted mug. Cost 10 cents. The cherry was a nickle.
I must have ate my weight in Bonomo's over the years and now they are offering it 8 bars for $14.95. WHAT?? What happened to the nickel candy bar? But, heck, if you are looking for something weird from your past, chances are this store has it. They have all four flavors, but vanilla was my first choice.
Now if they would just bring back the pink candy lipstick, a sweet confection in a gold wrapper.
Bill, Jo and Kirk were such nice owners and I always stopped by the counter so Harry or Gary could fix me a cherry root beer in a nice frosted mug. Cost 10 cents. The cherry was a nickle.
I must have ate my weight in Bonomo's over the years and now they are offering it 8 bars for $14.95. WHAT?? What happened to the nickel candy bar? But, heck, if you are looking for something weird from your past, chances are this store has it. They have all four flavors, but vanilla was my first choice.
Now if they would just bring back the pink candy lipstick, a sweet confection in a gold wrapper.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Question
Oh my goodness, this Moribund title, let alone being dormant sounds so sad for me. I know I have slowed down in old age, but Moribund???? Dormant, sounds like an old bear in his den, but that may fit me to some degree. I do walk after dinner, can I have a new word please, oh great wizard of the blogs?
So on the off chance I will keep this title forever, please let me ask this question.
Did anyone ever have an occasion to use or remember the "Beep" line while in high school?
So on the off chance I will keep this title forever, please let me ask this question.
Did anyone ever have an occasion to use or remember the "Beep" line while in high school?
Three! Count 'Em.
It started with such promise, this blogging biz.
Several folks who thought there might even be a book in 'em somewhere started writing, and by simply clicking on the links in the blogroll over in that column on the right we were transported and entertained with their thoughts. It was neat, for a while. I sure enjoyed it.
But then, for whatever reason, it kinda died.
Of all the blogs listed in that column, only three are now active...
Mine, Rita's, and a new one by Rita's brother, Crown 'n Coke.
Find and click on "Rumbles From The Vent" there to catch up on C&C's thoughts.
Leave a comment if you're inclined. (And remember it takes a little work to blog, so if you enjoy the words you SHOULD leave a comment!)
'Cause if you don't, I may have to add the tag "Moribund" to another blog or two.
What's goin' on in your life?
Share with us.
Several folks who thought there might even be a book in 'em somewhere started writing, and by simply clicking on the links in the blogroll over in that column on the right we were transported and entertained with their thoughts. It was neat, for a while. I sure enjoyed it.
But then, for whatever reason, it kinda died.
Of all the blogs listed in that column, only three are now active...
Mine, Rita's, and a new one by Rita's brother, Crown 'n Coke.
Find and click on "Rumbles From The Vent" there to catch up on C&C's thoughts.
Leave a comment if you're inclined. (And remember it takes a little work to blog, so if you enjoy the words you SHOULD leave a comment!)
'Cause if you don't, I may have to add the tag "Moribund" to another blog or two.
What's goin' on in your life?
Share with us.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Music
On a lighter note, Question of the week is:
Does Hans Zimmer make music for the movies, or do they make the movies for Hans Zimmer?
Does Hans Zimmer make music for the movies, or do they make the movies for Hans Zimmer?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wild, Wild West
My first memories of our home on Morgantown road are of a little two-bedroom, one bathroom house in a line of homes, several of which had been built pretty recently. Across the street from us was an empty field. Across the fence behind our house was an empty field. I think I've mentioned here before how one of my favorite memories is hearing a farmer on a "Poppin' Johnny" negotiate the kink in Morgantown Road North of our house and drop the tractor into "road gear" with the ensuing "Pop......pop.....pop...pop..pop.popopopopop as they passed our house. (I still LOVE to hear one run!)
We lived in farm country. Many of us worked on surrounding farms, cleaning stalls, bailing hay, plowing, planting, and harvesting crops.
Indianapolis itself was still a pretty quiet town in spite of its size and the fact it was the seat of Indiana government. The 20 or so miles between our homes and the State Capital isolated us VERY well.
In my growing up years we seldom saw indications of law enforcement...
I'm sure that's partly because there was little need for us to see law enforcement personnel regularly... there was little in the way of crime around us. It was no doubt also a function of the fact that even though the baby-boom had begun, we still had not seen the explosive growth other near-Indy communities were beginning to experience.
In this post I discussed the fact that many of us, (including me), started riding motor scooters in our neighborhoods at the age of 12. I rode my scooter until I was 16 when I bought a more "legitimate" two-wheeler, my Harley "Sprint" motorcycle at the age of 16.
But for almost 4 years I rode that motor scooter freely in our community, aware that I was very unlikely to ever see a State Trooper or Deputy Sheriff, and even if I did they were likely to look the other way rather than going to the trouble to stop a youngster on a harmless motor scooter.
How things have changed, huh? Where could you imagine yourself going today that you would feel comfortable allowing your 12 year old son to ride around the community freely (and TOTALLY illegally) on two wheels of any sort? Cops today certainly would NOT look the other way at such behavior, and lawyers and government functionaries would look upon parents allowing such behavior with disapproval, to say the least.
But we did okay in that environment, didn't we?
We didn't form gangs.
We didn't maim or kill one another.
We didn't threaten our teachers. We didn't phone bomb threats to our school.
We learned respect for hard work. We respected our elders and our neighbors.
And we actually learned how to read early in grade school!
You can never go home again.
But WOW, I SO OFTEN find myself wishing that weren't so these complicated days!
It's Friday.
You want to talk about something other than snow?
Here's your chance...
Regale us.
We lived in farm country. Many of us worked on surrounding farms, cleaning stalls, bailing hay, plowing, planting, and harvesting crops.
Indianapolis itself was still a pretty quiet town in spite of its size and the fact it was the seat of Indiana government. The 20 or so miles between our homes and the State Capital isolated us VERY well.
In my growing up years we seldom saw indications of law enforcement...
I'm sure that's partly because there was little need for us to see law enforcement personnel regularly... there was little in the way of crime around us. It was no doubt also a function of the fact that even though the baby-boom had begun, we still had not seen the explosive growth other near-Indy communities were beginning to experience.
In this post I discussed the fact that many of us, (including me), started riding motor scooters in our neighborhoods at the age of 12. I rode my scooter until I was 16 when I bought a more "legitimate" two-wheeler, my Harley "Sprint" motorcycle at the age of 16.
But for almost 4 years I rode that motor scooter freely in our community, aware that I was very unlikely to ever see a State Trooper or Deputy Sheriff, and even if I did they were likely to look the other way rather than going to the trouble to stop a youngster on a harmless motor scooter.
How things have changed, huh? Where could you imagine yourself going today that you would feel comfortable allowing your 12 year old son to ride around the community freely (and TOTALLY illegally) on two wheels of any sort? Cops today certainly would NOT look the other way at such behavior, and lawyers and government functionaries would look upon parents allowing such behavior with disapproval, to say the least.
But we did okay in that environment, didn't we?
We didn't form gangs.
We didn't maim or kill one another.
We didn't threaten our teachers. We didn't phone bomb threats to our school.
We learned respect for hard work. We respected our elders and our neighbors.
And we actually learned how to read early in grade school!
You can never go home again.
But WOW, I SO OFTEN find myself wishing that weren't so these complicated days!
It's Friday.
You want to talk about something other than snow?
Here's your chance...
Regale us.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Snow Days
So- they'd cancel school because they felt conditions were too dangerous to deploy the buses to pick kids up. And what did we (I?) do?
Drive to the school and use that North parking lot to skid, slip, slide, and do "snow donuts".
That lot was free of light standards and relatively flat...
A perfect place to act like a fool.
But we did learn skills there.
We learned the snow was unpredictable and places like that lot were where you wanted to experiment and make mistakes.
Ron S. and I also learned a brand-new Corvette is no fun on the snow...
Its near 50/50 (front/rear) weight balance meant it didn't want to hang its butt out in a slide, meaning it didn't like to slide at all.
A new Pontiac Bonneville convertible was a MUCH better tool for such shenanigans!
Got any snow stories?
Let's hear 'em!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas Eve, 2010
I'm at work.
It's 1:50 A.M. as I punch these keys. I've had a quiet night... one call to see how long it would take us to fly to, believe it or not, Princeton Indiana and transport the patient to Evansville.
Our ETA was too long and the caller declined the use of our services. Whether they chose to fly the patient with another service or load them into an ambulance to drive the few minutes down U.S. Highway 41, I don't know. But I just took a look at our weather-radar and there is a green/white/hot pink blob slowly creeping across the map with us directly in its sights. The snow is supposed to start shortly after Noon tomorrow and continue for 24 hours. The approach of the system will soon make it impossible for me to consider a flight to help a patient from hospitals West of us. My shift tomorrow night will probably be spent with the BK117 safely ensconced in the hangar while me and my crew try to find "It's A Wonderful Life" or "White Christmas" on TV somewhere.
My son is home from California. He is healthy. Having him under our roof is a comfort. I'll be working all but one night during his visit, so we need to make plans to best use that one night before he has to return to L.A..
It's my hope that this post also finds you well, and focusing on what is REALLY important...
Sharing time with friends and loved ones.
And know that I look forward to sharing time with you soon, too.
Happy Christ's Birthday.
It's 1:50 A.M. as I punch these keys. I've had a quiet night... one call to see how long it would take us to fly to, believe it or not, Princeton Indiana and transport the patient to Evansville.
Our ETA was too long and the caller declined the use of our services. Whether they chose to fly the patient with another service or load them into an ambulance to drive the few minutes down U.S. Highway 41, I don't know. But I just took a look at our weather-radar and there is a green/white/hot pink blob slowly creeping across the map with us directly in its sights. The snow is supposed to start shortly after Noon tomorrow and continue for 24 hours. The approach of the system will soon make it impossible for me to consider a flight to help a patient from hospitals West of us. My shift tomorrow night will probably be spent with the BK117 safely ensconced in the hangar while me and my crew try to find "It's A Wonderful Life" or "White Christmas" on TV somewhere.
My son is home from California. He is healthy. Having him under our roof is a comfort. I'll be working all but one night during his visit, so we need to make plans to best use that one night before he has to return to L.A..
It's my hope that this post also finds you well, and focusing on what is REALLY important...
Sharing time with friends and loved ones.
And know that I look forward to sharing time with you soon, too.
Happy Christ's Birthday.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wimpification
They canceled school today. That surprised me.
They've already canceled school for tomorrow. That surprised me even more.
I don't want this to sound like the old joke we so often heard from our parents and Grands...
"I walked two miles to school in two feet of snow, uphill, and with a stiff breeze at my face... both directions!"
We had it pretty good and we know it. We didn't have to walk.
But there WERE days when the weather would be bad and we'd get up listening to reports on the radio or TV hoping to hear "Center Grove Schools, canceled". And on some of those days, even though the weather was pretty ugly, the buses still ran and we made it to school safely.
It snowed here two days ago. We woke to find about an inch or so covering the ground. The roads, where the sun could do its job, remained clear but wet. Shady spots DID get snowpacked and icy. Yesterday there was a prediction of freezing rain and administrators canceled school on the forecast. We watched anxiously for the rain to start and turn everything into ice sculptures during the day... and it didn't happen.
Taking the dogs out for their last "Good doggies go potty?" of the evening I could feel the freezing mist in the air. We woke this morning to see everything covered with a sheen of ice... including all the roads. The temps didn't, and won't, get above freezing today/tonight, so the ice is here to stay until that changes.
No school tomorrow means three days in a row at home for these kids and nightmares for those parents that have to scramble to find daycare for them as they go to work.
I think we might have missed school today due to ice, but I believe we'd have been in school the other two.
Kids don't play dodge ball in school anymore because they might get hit by the ball(!!!) and be injured.
Playground equipment has changed dramatically to keep kids from any risk of injury.
I'm sure you can think of other things that could be added to my "safe kids" list.
All this junk is driven by lawyers, or, I should say, to keep lawyers from having a chance to dip into deep pockets somewhere. And isn't it sad?
It's just another of the many reasons kids won't get the chance to be exposed to the same things we were as we grew up. They also won't have the chance to experience the thrill of being on that merry-go-round we had on our elementary playground.
Think about it...
What are we subtly teaching our kids?
Are we teaching them that risk, no matter how slight, is unacceptable?
And are we also teaching them that they have no responsibility on their own to avoid being hurt...
That IF they are injured it's time to start looking for someone to blame...
Someone to pay BIG BUCKS to insure something like that NEVER happens again?
I think that's exactly what's goin' on.
I think we've begun to see the result of that attitude EVERYWHERE in society around us.
And I think it's costing us a fortune, sometimes in ways we can't even imagine.
It's Friday.
Tell us what you think.
(And Echo/Shifty, you can gloat here now about being in Florida, surrounded by orange trees!)
Good for you.
They've already canceled school for tomorrow. That surprised me even more.
I don't want this to sound like the old joke we so often heard from our parents and Grands...
"I walked two miles to school in two feet of snow, uphill, and with a stiff breeze at my face... both directions!"
We had it pretty good and we know it. We didn't have to walk.
But there WERE days when the weather would be bad and we'd get up listening to reports on the radio or TV hoping to hear "Center Grove Schools, canceled". And on some of those days, even though the weather was pretty ugly, the buses still ran and we made it to school safely.
It snowed here two days ago. We woke to find about an inch or so covering the ground. The roads, where the sun could do its job, remained clear but wet. Shady spots DID get snowpacked and icy. Yesterday there was a prediction of freezing rain and administrators canceled school on the forecast. We watched anxiously for the rain to start and turn everything into ice sculptures during the day... and it didn't happen.
Taking the dogs out for their last "Good doggies go potty?" of the evening I could feel the freezing mist in the air. We woke this morning to see everything covered with a sheen of ice... including all the roads. The temps didn't, and won't, get above freezing today/tonight, so the ice is here to stay until that changes.
No school tomorrow means three days in a row at home for these kids and nightmares for those parents that have to scramble to find daycare for them as they go to work.
I think we might have missed school today due to ice, but I believe we'd have been in school the other two.
Kids don't play dodge ball in school anymore because they might get hit by the ball(!!!) and be injured.
Playground equipment has changed dramatically to keep kids from any risk of injury.
I'm sure you can think of other things that could be added to my "safe kids" list.
All this junk is driven by lawyers, or, I should say, to keep lawyers from having a chance to dip into deep pockets somewhere. And isn't it sad?
It's just another of the many reasons kids won't get the chance to be exposed to the same things we were as we grew up. They also won't have the chance to experience the thrill of being on that merry-go-round we had on our elementary playground.
Think about it...
What are we subtly teaching our kids?
Are we teaching them that risk, no matter how slight, is unacceptable?
And are we also teaching them that they have no responsibility on their own to avoid being hurt...
That IF they are injured it's time to start looking for someone to blame...
Someone to pay BIG BUCKS to insure something like that NEVER happens again?
I think that's exactly what's goin' on.
I think we've begun to see the result of that attitude EVERYWHERE in society around us.
And I think it's costing us a fortune, sometimes in ways we can't even imagine.
It's Friday.
Tell us what you think.
(And Echo/Shifty, you can gloat here now about being in Florida, surrounded by orange trees!)
Good for you.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Good Pain/Friday Open Forum
When I first met her she spelled her name Elaine.
Sometime during the following year she decided it might be more sophisticated to spell her name Elayne.
I didn't care. She made me laugh.
Hard.
There was never any real romance there. Oh, we kissed a lot, but that's as far as it ever went.
We thought alike and had similar senses of humor. One of us would get started on some crazy topic and the other would add fuel to the fire. Soon we were both giggling and doubling over in spasms.
At the end of the evening I'd give her a goodnight kiss and head for home. For the next few hours my cheekbones would remind me of what fun we had... they'd ache from smiling so much.
I haven't felt like that in a long, LONG time.
Elaine/Elayne, where are you?
Sometime during the following year she decided it might be more sophisticated to spell her name Elayne.
I didn't care. She made me laugh.
Hard.
There was never any real romance there. Oh, we kissed a lot, but that's as far as it ever went.
We thought alike and had similar senses of humor. One of us would get started on some crazy topic and the other would add fuel to the fire. Soon we were both giggling and doubling over in spasms.
At the end of the evening I'd give her a goodnight kiss and head for home. For the next few hours my cheekbones would remind me of what fun we had... they'd ache from smiling so much.
I haven't felt like that in a long, LONG time.
Elaine/Elayne, where are you?
Friday, December 03, 2010
December, 2010
December.
Can you believe it?
Seems like yesterday a contingent of us was enjoying life in Eufaula, Alabama. Now it's December and I'm actually contemplating Eufaula and beloved friends again in Spring. Anyone else up for that?
I want you to stop, take a breath, and study my next words carefully.
I just added the names Cheryl Morris and Stan Thompson to our Memorial.
One of 'em a memory that makes me smile...
Both of 'em gone way too soon.
Are ya enjoying life?
Are ya sucking the last drop of nectar out of all the sweet moments coming your way?
I know... it's impossible to do it all the time. Life throws us curveballs we have to deal with...
Stresses that make us wish for some future date when they'll no longer be a factor in our lives. But more and more I'm realizing I should be taking control of things I truly can, so I have reserves built up and can more easily handle those things that are gonna stress me.
One of our contemporaries talks about being in "Resort Prison". I feel bad every time I think about it... being tied down and unable to get away from something that must make every day like living a bad dream. I know there are lots of folks in today's world that are fearful of the economy and what's just around the corner and are therefore staying in jobs they hate, just so that regular paycheck continues to come in. I know we can't fully perceive another person's life until we've "walked a mile in their shoes".
But I work in a job that is a constant reminder, and I want to insure you never forget it too-
Life is short.
Cancer, cardiac problems, drunk drivers, and other boogies are out there waiting to ambush us.
To the extent you can when you wake in the morning, vow to make it the "BEST" day you possibly can. Then try to make it a day that ends with a smile.
The holidays are coming. Try to make every day a holiday from now on.
And please excuse me...
End of sermon.
Can you believe it?
Seems like yesterday a contingent of us was enjoying life in Eufaula, Alabama. Now it's December and I'm actually contemplating Eufaula and beloved friends again in Spring. Anyone else up for that?
I want you to stop, take a breath, and study my next words carefully.
I just added the names Cheryl Morris and Stan Thompson to our Memorial.
One of 'em a memory that makes me smile...
Both of 'em gone way too soon.
Are ya enjoying life?
Are ya sucking the last drop of nectar out of all the sweet moments coming your way?
I know... it's impossible to do it all the time. Life throws us curveballs we have to deal with...
Stresses that make us wish for some future date when they'll no longer be a factor in our lives. But more and more I'm realizing I should be taking control of things I truly can, so I have reserves built up and can more easily handle those things that are gonna stress me.
One of our contemporaries talks about being in "Resort Prison". I feel bad every time I think about it... being tied down and unable to get away from something that must make every day like living a bad dream. I know there are lots of folks in today's world that are fearful of the economy and what's just around the corner and are therefore staying in jobs they hate, just so that regular paycheck continues to come in. I know we can't fully perceive another person's life until we've "walked a mile in their shoes".
But I work in a job that is a constant reminder, and I want to insure you never forget it too-
Life is short.
Cancer, cardiac problems, drunk drivers, and other boogies are out there waiting to ambush us.
To the extent you can when you wake in the morning, vow to make it the "BEST" day you possibly can. Then try to make it a day that ends with a smile.
The holidays are coming. Try to make every day a holiday from now on.
And please excuse me...
End of sermon.
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