Today Is Strange Music Instrumental Day

To find out more about strange musical instruments, I  Googled STRANGE MUSIC INSTRUMENTS.

Instead, I got STRANGE MUSIC, INSTRUMENTAL.   See the video below that went along with it:  Not a bad visual.

Live Each Day As If It Is Your Last

Live Each Moment As If It Is Your Last.

Who knows?  That young lady might be having hot and spicy Gator Tail tonight.

James Taylor, Jr (1801 - 1860)

Genealogy is always interesting when it has to your family.

Some of the skeletons you pull out of the closet has a universal appeal, in other words, blood and killing ones.

James Taylor, Jr.  is my ancestor' James Taylor, Sr's, (1770-1838) son:  Read what I came across on him:


James, Jr., followed the movements of his father, James, Sr.  He acquired property in land lotteries and owned slaves.  When the Taylors moved to Chambers Co., Al., he was one of the first county commissioners and caused the first courthouse to be built.  There is a historical sign in front of the present day courthouse to that effect.  Records show that the first court sessions were held in his house.  The family were members of the Antioch Baptist Church.  The 1860 Census lists his assets as $58,300, with 40 slaves.  James Jr. was very wealthy.

     There was a tragic end to James, Jr.'s life.  The story can be peiced together from official records and family oral history.  Samuel Jeter was a neighbor and business associate of James, Jr.  who came to Chambers County in 1836 with his wife and son Richard.  The wife died in 1850.  On March 6, 1853, at the age of 57, he married Sarah "Sally" Taylor, the 17 year old daughter of James, Jr.  Samuel was a wealthy man and repected citizen.  He was an elected represenative to the Alabama General Assembly.

     Samuel and Sally had a son named Oscar, born in April 1854,  Samuel claimed the child was not his, but that of a Negro.  Sally and Samuel "divided the plantation house down the middle, each living in his or her part".  Later Sally objected to Samuel's deeding a parcel of land to Richard, his son by the first wife.

     They divorced on November 26, 1858.  Sally took Oscar and went home to James, Jr., receiving $20,000 and her piano.  She contacted typhoid fever and died March 11, 1860, leaving James, Jr., in her will.  Samuel then decided that "Oscar was his" and the judge ruled in Samuel's favor in a lawsuit.  Young Oscar was kidnapped by the Taylors.  A Jeter-Taylor feud was set in motion.  It is said that both families attended church (Antioch Baptist) with guns resting across their knees.  At a political barbecue on Sept 29, 1860, there was a fight between Samuel and James, Jr.  Richard Jeter killed James, Jr. with a Bowie knife, went to trial on November 1, 1860, and was exonerated.

     Prior to his death, James, Jr. had arranged that Eleazer be guardian of Oscar.  Eleazer took Oscar to Marion County, Ga., where he then lived and filed for guardianship.  However, Oscar was awarded to Samuel in April, 1861.  With appeals, the case went to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1862, but Samuel won the battle
-Paul Pullen in his PULLEN book.

Nights at Guston's Grille

Saturday evening we ate at Guston's Grille in Woodstock.  We have eaten there before and was not that impressed.  But this time we were.  The waitresses (we had two, one was a trainee) were sharp and professional  and the food was great.   

Guston's Grille is on the edge of a shopping center and is big.  I have seen Greyhound Bus Stations not as big.  We arrived around 6pm because we were warned by our friend Christine that they would have live music  later in the evening.  

 

As we came in some people were bringing in inflated balloons and gifts.  It was somebody's birthday party.   After we were seated I saw a balding middle aged, alone, walk in with a present and another inflated balloon.  He looked awkward, I think because he had to walk partially by the bar crowd to get to the birthday group.  I should have offered to carry the balloon and present for him to keep him from feeling awkward.

Guston's seems to be a successful  grille and bar.  They encourage things on certain nights, which I'm sure draw people.  I couldn't get it straight in my mind which night was for what but:

One night is Prime Rib Night, two prime rib dinners for a good price.  I could eat two medium  rare prime ribs, so that would suit me fine.

Trivia Night.  I like to watch Jeopardy and get a quiet a few questions (or answers ) right.  I also have a Jeopardy game on my ipad that I play often..  So, I think I might be able to kick butt in the trivia contest.

Karaoke Night.  Of course, that speaks for itself. You get up in front of everybody and make a fool of yourself.  There is a $10 entry fee.  I never sung in front of anybody (not even in church), but when I am by myself I do hum tunes that I can not get out of my head, and the more I hum the better I get.  Maybe if I paid my $10 entry fee, sit and have a few stiff drinks and hum, and which I reach the point near perfection I will run up, bump the present contender off the stage and hum my karaoke song   Of course, I might require as a backup music instrument a comb and waxed paper.  I just might walk away with the jackpot.... or might not.

I don't know if they have a night for Stand-Up Comedy Night.  That might be nice.  But I would get heckled then I would throw a drink in the heckler's face.... it may have a sad ending.

Bingo Night?  What about Fight Night?  They are just down up the road about a block from the Little River Methodist Church so I bet  Strip Night will not even be a consideration.

Tuba Skinny Belts out Freight Car Blues

Is that a spare shirt in Erika's drum?

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! THE SPIRIT, The Inheritance.

By Will Eisner

National Days Today

These are real National Days for today, July the 27, 2013 - Really!

Put Barbie-In-a-Blender Day

and

National Day of the Cowboy

Concert on the Square and the Ass-Holes

We went to the monthly concert in Downtown Marietta in Square last.  The music was by The Grapevine Band from Macon.  They rocked out.


However, many people arrived early or minutes ahead of the concert to get the place  they wanted to watch and listen and after the concert started were hoards of people that by bunches, and dribbles all the way one to one hour after the concert began.  They were disruptive and hoggish, taking their time getting in people's line of vision that thought ahead of time.  I think they were very inconsiderate or a bunch of ASS-HOLES!






Near the end a couple of interesting things we noticed.  Someone had something like a Japanese Lantern at a table.  It had a candle in it.  Just like a hot air balloon it took flight.  It was shaped more like a cube  than a balloon... but it went up and up and you could see the candle inside burning.

Some still pictures.

Sidewalk Cafe just like Paris at Marietta Pizza.  Great Chicken Salad!

LARRY MILLER

I received an email from Larry's wife Milly Miller.  Here is a portion of it:

Thank you for re-posting Larry’s fund raising letter so frequently. I wanted to let you know that we have been blessed to receive the maximum matching amount of $10,000. This gives us $20,000 with the matching funds and we believe it should be enough to pay for his prescription drugs as long as my insurance is as good as it is now. That’s a big question with the state of our current health care issues but we have reason to rejoice right now and thank everyone for their help.  PS: he is doing AWESOME. All of his bronchoscopy’s have shown, no infection, no rejection. That is the best you can get. His blood work continues to be very good also. Can’t wait to see everyone again, minus the oxygen tanks.

This has been posted many times. Everyday when I had a new post this one slides down more out of view. When it slides off the page it is time to repost. Hi!

Have you ever faced a life-threatening illness for which there is no treatment or cure?

Have you ever become overwhelmed by the costs of your illness?
Have you ever had to rely on your family and friends to make a life-saving difference on your behalf?

Larry faced these conditions all at once. Larry was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, Emphysema, and Pulmonary Hypertension. There are no treatments for these diseases and there was no hope for him without a lung transplant.

Larry was evaluated and approved for a bi-lateral lung transplant at Emory University Hospital in April.

On May 14th Larry received the call from Emory saying they had lungs for him. His transplant was performed on the 15th with excellent results. Due to the generosity of the donor’s family, he received a very healthy set of young lungs (to use the surgeon’s words). Larry is recovering exceedingly well and was released to go home on the 31st of May. He is gaining strength each day by following his drug regimen very carefully and by following a vigorous program of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. 

His recovery is great news, but with it comes enormous annual costs for post-transplant treatments and medications. I have known Larry and been his friend since the 5th grade (1953) so I offered to head up his fundraising committee. We are working to help Larry raise money to cover some of these costs. Fortunately, Larry qualified for a matched account in the Georgia Transplant Foundation’s (GTF) Fundraising Program, GTF will match every dollar we raise up to a maximum of $10,000, and then they will hold the money and administer the distribution for Larry’s medication expenses.

We need Your Support to reach the $10,000 Goal! Please consider making a donation to help us raise the funds Larry will need to buy post-transplant medications which will support the maintenance of his transplant.

How to Donate:
Checks/money orders should be made payable to Georgia Transplant Foundation with Larry’s name in the memo section of your check. Please mail checks/money orders to Georgia Transplant Foundation, Attention: Transplant Fundraising Program, 500 Sugar Mill Road, Suite 107-A, Atlanta GA 30350. An envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Thank you for supporting this life-saving campaign.

The Georgia Transplant Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial, educational, and emotional assistance to Georgia’s transplant community, is assisting us in our fundraising efforts. If you have questions or want further verification, please see the Georgia Transplant Foundation website at www.gatransplant.org or email TFP@gatransplant.org.

If you have already made a donation, please accept our thanks.

Sincerely,
Paul Roper
Committee Chairman

A Flimsy Book Review on INFERNO by Dan Brown

First of all, did you know the word Inferno is the Italian word for Hell?  Secondly, did you know Inferno is the first poem of Dante's DIVINE COMEDY, which is all about Hell?

If you have read Dan Brown's other books about the adventures of Harvard Professor Robert Langdon, you know there is a formula  that Dan Brown has been successful  with:   An urgent chase that means more than life or death, failure will mean the end of civilization as we know it..... and it all has to be resolved within 24 or 48 hours.   This will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read.  Secondly,  in the formula is that the backdrop is something historical, if not biblical, that weaves into the story nicely.

Other than reading a nice action packed fiction novel the reader as a bonus gets a very insider's  tour of the churches, statues, crypts, and shrines of people that  changed the world.  Unfortunately, for me, it was very interesting reading at the moment, but since my retention ability is low, I didn't hold on to a darn  bit of important true historical facts I was pumped with while reading the book.

I don't want to give away too much information on the plot, but I suppose it is based on a real fact:  What to do about the population explosion that will surely happen it not so distant future.  They have figured out that in just a few generations there will not be enough food to feed the people. 

There are a lot of references to Dante's descriptions of hell in the Divine Comedy. and the art that tried to duplicate the mood.

I think anybody will enjoy the book, and it would be nice if you retained this expert history given to you behind the scenes of the various churches and statues, and things in Florence and Venice.

GOBAG Meeting July 23, 2013

The GOBAG meeting was held at 1500, at the Horace Orr American Legion Post.   Actually, GOBAG is short for GOOD OLD BOYS AND GIRLS.  However there were no girls, so you can chop off the G, which would read GOBA..... However, you don't need the A for and, so that leaves GOB

Those that were not present and accounted for were subject to gossip.

Daniel England and His Uncle Moses Harshaw, "The Meanest Man in Georgia"

Not long ago I talked about the John Hunter - Daniel England Cabin in Union County, Georgia.  Here is the England part of that ownership, Harriet Hunter (daughter of John Hunter) and her husband Daniel England.

Daniel had an aunt, Nancy England.  Nancy was married to Moses Harshaw.  Here is what I have on  Moses:

Among other things Moses is said to have killed his slaves when they got too old to be profitable, forcing them to leap from cliffs of nearby Lynch Mountain or dig their own graves if they were still able.  When traveling about in his buggy, Harshaw some times had a slave in tow, the unfortunately black pulled along behind at the end of a long leather strap securely attached to a collar fitted snugly around his or her neck.

It is said that his tombstone bore the words "Died and Gone to Hell", however now the grave is unmarked.

-"LIVING ON THE UNICOI ROAD" pg53, by Matt Gedney

He was considered at the time, "The Meanest Man in Georgia".

History of The Stovall House

Constructed in 1837 as a private residence, The Stovall House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The original structure, one of the first residences in the area after the departure of the Cherokee Indians, was built by Moses Harshaw, a colorful Character in the history of the area who was reputed to be "the meanest man who ever lived ". Although an attorney by profession, he worked the land as a farmer and gold miner. He built the house and settled in the Sautee Valley because of its extraordinary beauty.

The Inn is named after the William Stovall family who resided in the house from 1893 to the late 1940's and developed the house to its present state. - WEBSITE

My Old Friend and My White Jacket

The other day I got word that a high school  friend had recently died.  I won't say his name because his daughter has requested to keep it quiet.   This guy, although as likable as he was,  stayed in trouble.  In high school it was mischievous trouble,  which we all did in our group, but he graduated to bigger things, like fraud, bad checks, drugs, and so on.  He knew how to be charming and shoot the shit with the best.

Several years ago someone saw him in his white country prisoner's uniform on the side of the road having a cigarette with one of the overseers while the other overseer and another convict were digging  the hole on the roadside.

He had a drinking problem, a drug problem, a diabetic problem, and other problems.

Back in high school once I bought a nice white windbreaker.  I thought it looked sharp.  So did my friend, he asked to borrow it, promising me he would return it the next time he saw me.  Several times I asked him for it back and he always had a bizarre, but an imaginative story, why he couldn't give it back at that moment.  Finally he avoided running into me.  If he saw me get out of my car at Varners, he would quickly leave.

A  friend that called and told me said they were just letting his close friends know of his death, and the friend sounded a little hurt when he said, "I guess they didn't think much of me, I had to learn second handed."

I said, "And I third handed".

For this I am going to use Joe as the deceased's name.  When my live friend was told Joe had died he asked how did he die.  He was told, "Just  being Joe."

Now, I won't ever get that white jacket back.

Old Postcard of the Seminole Indians in Florida

This old postcard card of the Seminole Indians in the  Florida Everglades reminds me of the movie DISTANT DRUMS that I saw years go.  It was produced in 1951.  It starred Gary Cooper as an Army officer in charge of a group of settlers, trying to get them out of harms way.  I don't remember the details, I was so young and the message was simple.  The Indians were the bad guys.   I'm sure the Indians had their side of the story too. 

The Indians should have demanded equal time.  That is what they should have done.   There were about a  seventy or eighty year span in movie production where the Indians were automatically the bad guys.  those mean old Indians didn't step aside when the white people started pushing them off their lands.  They were savages.

I remember I was so impressed with the movie and body parts I sat through it twice and saw it a third time a couple years later. 

Tuba Skinny Starvin' Chain

Tuba Skinny in New Orleans, in the French Quarters, on April 12, 2013.

We stayed at the same hotel that  is the background.  Also, vampire Lestat de Lioncourt stayed at the same hotel when he was interviewed..

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! HUMBUG's Look at Baseball.

Well, take me out to the Ball game, buy me some peanuts and Krackerjax and I don't if I ever get back --  yeah yeah, something like that.  Since it is right at the height of baseball season I thought CHICKEN-FAT would be seasonal and have a baseball article.  In other words, hop on the band wagon again.

This is from the first issue of HUMBUG magazine.  The artist is Arnold Roth.  Arnold was a regular artist and part owner of HUMBUG and he also drew for MAD and also record album covers, in particular, jazz record covers.  His art style reminds me of early American cartoon art or maybe art from the pages of England's PUNCH magazine.   Take it away, Arnold:

Varnell, Georgia

This house is in the middle of Varnell, Georgia.  Varnell is between Dalton, Tunnel Hill, and Cohutta, Georgia.  There was  a fish hatchery nearby, Prather's Mill,  and a lot of farms.  This house used to be white and it was the preachers house.  It  is vacant now.  My grandmother and her daughter and grandson lived next door in what now is a vacant lot.

On the other side of the preacher's house were railway tracks and a water tower for the trains.    When I was about 5 years old and visiting my grandmother I went next door to play with the preacher's daughter who was about my age.   A little while later someone noticed we both were missing and they hollered for us.   I stuck my heard out from the opening in the top of the water tower and asked what did they want.  I don't remember  that they flipped out, but I think they probably did.

I think we were on a ladder  on the inside leading down  the water. 

Below the house then was a big spring with tiny rocks and  tiny little back periwinkle  shells that kept the water clean.  My sister and I used to go there, which was just about 100 feet away and bring back water.  I don't think they had running water.  I think they had an outhouse which I thought was amusing.

My sister and I returned to Varnell in 2007.  There was still only one store in down but it was now a big convenience store and a country family didn't own it, a Far Eastern Indian did.  He wanted to know what we were doing.

Before my time and even before my mother's family moved to Varnell, in the early 1900s, two Mormons came to Varnell handing out literature.  Sometimes people are not so tolerant of outsiders  handing out pamphlets.  The men folk carried the two Mormons down by the spring and hot them dead..  

My grandmother and daughter lived in a house in this vacant lot.

\

The Spring, the periwinkles still there 

The Country Store completely changed looks

MAD at my IPad Handling MAD

cover art by editor Harvey Kurtzman

The above picture is the cover for the first issue of MAD.  MAD #1.  The latest issue is MAD #522.  The first  23 issues were comicbooks.  Then they graduated to  the magazine size, mainly to stay away from comicbook censors, but jokingly they said something like, "Look for us in the coloring book section!"

Presently, I get  my MAD subscription in the electronic format, downloaded to me to my ipad.

Yesterday for no apparent reason I can see I was made available the first 23 issues of MAD comicbook.  On my magazine or periodicals section of my ipad they have pictures of the first 23 issues and a button to download  each.  Although I have the same 23 issue electronically on other MAD formats, such as CDs and DVDs for the heck of it I downloaded the first two, MAD #1 and MAD #2.

Here is the rub.  They are hard to keep their picture on the screen.  I have tried a dozen or so times to go through each  issue page by page, and always near the end of the first story, or at the beginning of the second story the screen goes black, then the opening facebook screen comes up, like you just turned it on.

I think the problem may be my ipad.  It is the first version that came out, so it may not have enough memory or something.

Tch tch.  Too bad.

Larry Miller

I received an email from Larry's wife Milly Miller.  Here is a portion of it:

Thank you for re-posting Larry’s fund raising letter so frequently. I wanted to let you know that we have been blessed to receive the maximum matching amount of $10,000. This gives us $20,000 with the matching funds and we believe it should be enough to pay for his prescription drugs as long as my insurance is as good as it is now. That’s a big question with the state of our current health care issues but we have reason to rejoice right now and thank everyone for their help.  PS: he is doing AWESOME. All of his bronchoscopy’s have shown, no infection, no rejection. That is the best you can get. His blood work continues to be very good also. Can’t wait to see everyone again, minus the oxygen tanks.

This has been posted many times. Everyday when I had a new post this one slides down more out of view. When it slides off the page it is time to repost. Hi!

Have you ever faced a life-threatening illness for which there is no treatment or cure?

Have you ever become overwhelmed by the costs of your illness?

Have you ever had to rely on your family and friends to make a life-saving difference on your behalf?

Larry faced these conditions all at once. Larry was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, Emphysema, and Pulmonary 

Hypertension. There are no treatments for these diseases and there was no hope for him without a lung transplant.

Larry was evaluated and approved for a bi-lateral lung transplant at Emory University Hospital in April.

On May 14th Larry received the call from Emory saying they had lungs for him. His transplant was performed on the 15th with excellent results. Due to the generosity of the donor’s family, he received a very healthy set of young lungs (to use the surgeon’s words). Larry is recovering exceedingly well and was released to go home on the 31st of May. He is gaining strength each day by following his drug regimen very carefully and by following a vigorous program of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. 

His recovery is great news, but with it comes enormous annual costs for post-transplant treatments and medications. I have known Larry and been his friend since the 5th grade (1953) so I offered to head up his fundraising committee. We are working to help Larry raise money to cover some of these costs. Fortunately, Larry qualified for a matched account in the Georgia Transplant Foundation’s (GTF) Fundraising Program, GTF will match every dollar we raise up to a maximum of $10,000, and then they will hold the money and administer the distribution for Larry’s medication expenses.

We need Your Support to reach the $10,000 Goal! Please consider making a donation to help us raise the funds Larry will need to buy post-transplant medications which will support the maintenance of his transplant.

How to Donate:
Checks/money orders should be made payable to Georgia Transplant Foundation with Larry’s name in the memo section of your check. Please mail checks/money orders to Georgia Transplant Foundation, Attention: Transplant Fundraising Program, 500 Sugar Mill Road, Suite 107-A, Atlanta GA 30350. An envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Thank you for supporting this life-saving campaign.

The Georgia Transplant Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial, educational, and emotional assistance to Georgia’s transplant community, is assisting us in our fundraising efforts. If you have questions or want further verification, please see the Georgia Transplant Foundation website at www.gatransplant.org or email TFP@gatransplant.org.

If you have already made a donation, please accept our thanks.

Sincerely,
Paul Roper
Committee Chairman

On this Date In History, July the 17th:

General John Bell Hood

1864 CSA President Davis replaced Gen Joe Johnston with John Bell Hood.   From what I read General John Hood was overly ambitious and would do anything to make himself look good and General Joe Johnston look bad in the eyes of CSA President Jefferson Davis.

After Hood took over command, from a point that would become Oakland Cemetery,  he watch General Sherman take over Atlanta .  Be careful what you  brown-nose for.

Another Year Has Flown By Already?

Oh me!

The Hunter - England Cabin in Union County, Ga

I haven't shown this picture in a while.  It is a post card from Union County, Georgia.  On the back it says it is the Daniel England Cabin and it is the oldest man made dwelling still standing in Union County.   I hate to disagree with a post card, but the part about Daniel England is misleading.  It is the John Hunter Cabin.  John built it and died in it about 1848.  Then his daughter Harriet and her husband Daniel England took possession of it.

Also, a little side story to go along with the cabin, the Nottely River runs behind the cabin.  It is one of the rare rivers that flow north.    Back when Daniel England and his wife Harriet Hunter lived there once the Coot Ray Gang was going cabin to cabin and robbing the families at gun point, so the story goes.  Daniel and his siblings knew they were be at their cabins soon, so they hid all their valuables someplace on the banks of the Nottely River and some believe it is still there.

When my sons were young we went inside the cabin one time.  I was amazed how small the inside was.  It was no bigger than a great room or a den in some houses today.  The fireplace was made of large uncut rock.  Winding in between the rocks was a snake skin.  Apparently a snake molten itself out of it.  My boys thought that was pretty cool.  I did too.

New owners bought the property and ordered the cabin to be bulldozed down to make way for something new.  My distant cousin Charlie Hunter bought the cabin and paid to have the materials disassembled and numbered with hopes of reassembling someday.  I was told today that the Union County Government is now in possession of it.  

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD's LONE STRANGER & LONE RANGER Movie revue

Did you see the latest LONE RANGER movie?  Well, keeping up with the trends and the times, or jumping on the band wagon, so to speak, here is a double dose of the  Lone Ranger.  First is a revue of the movie, that I first put on face book.  And lastly, but certainly not least is one of MAD comicbook's takeoff on the LONE RANGER.  The MAD's story was written by editor Harvey Kurtzman and drawn by artist Jack Davis (corn fed in Georgia).  This story was in MAD #8.

Do you hear the William Tell Overture playing? Look up on top of the row of buildings at the big graceful white horse running and leaping from roof top to roof top! Who is that man with the 10 gallon white hat riding the horse? It is me! Suddenly the horse gracefully leaps off the last building and we land on a train speeding down the tracks, then we do some more graceful tricks, topped off by me lassoing a RR water tower and gracefully swinging off the white horse and train onto another train top to land on two men and give them a good whipping. All in a days work. That is what I sat through while eating popcorn yesterday. The new LONG RANGER movie was exciting, energized, if not just darn funny at times which I couldn't help but think of the Road Runner cartoons. I half way expected them to use Acme Dynamite to blow up the railway bridge. It was good entertainment and don't spoil it by thinking Clayton Moore and Jay Siilverheels could do a better job. People generally have a hard time accepting replacements, like Roger Moore vs Sean Connery, my 3rd grade teacher... The Lone Ranger story of how he was first a Texas Ranger, in a group, pursing the Caviness gang, when the outlaws ambushed them and he was the only survivor and was nursed back to health by an Indian remained intact - then they let their creative liberties go wild. I saw things that reminded me of the last ZORRO movie, THE WILD WEST, and ..... and.. the road runner. Wait! I feel the need to jump from building to building again and gracefully swing on my rope.  Of course the whole movie wanted me to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made of Merita Bread.

click on each image to be able to read the balloons and get a better visual of what is going on.

Tuba Skinny, the Washboard

Watch the washboard man and the drummer do some fancy moves.

East Dixie Avenue, Marietta

The above two houses are next door to each other.  The house on the right immediately above was on the corner of Butler Street; now it is on the corner of Atlanta Street.  Roads change names and come and go as often as houses.

This house is across the street from the houses in the top pictures.  This house has special meaning to my two sisters and me.  It was one of the first houses our parents lived in after they were married.  They were borders.  On their first night my mother said she  woke up in the middle of the night to see a man standing near the bed looking down at them.  She said he was red headed, wore a blue suit, and had an arm behind him.  She tried waking up Daddy but by the time she succeeded the man was gone.  The next morning at the breakfast table she told the landlady about it and the lady told Mama that her husband was red headed, was buried in a blue suit, and only had one arm.  Go figure.  I don't thin they lived there long.

Probably between twenty to twenty-five years later Mr. and Mrs. Royal moved into the house with their four children.  The oldest son you may have heard of, especially if you live or lived in Marietta:  Billy Joe Royal of Rock and Roll fame.

Were There Two Yul Brynners?

On this date in History, July11:


According to SCOPES Systems:


1915 Yul Brynner born, Sakhalin Is Japan, actor (King & I).

1920 Yul Brynner born, actor (King & I, 10 Commandments) born.

He died in 1985.

Tuba Skinny in Switzerland

Thanks to my friend Joe Stewart who is always hot on the trail of Tuba Skinny, just came up with this blues session they recently had in Rapperswil* Switzerland..

Joe the editor and publisher of the blog Talley Ho! http://joeb-tallyho.blogspot.com/  is now tracking Tuba Skinny in France.  How international can we get?

*Did you notice the town has the name Rappers embedded in it?

Rogers Ferry on the Chattahoochee River

This is Rogers Ferry that served the people (and mules) that wanted to cross over the Chattahoochee River in the Roswell area.  If you look closely you can see the guild cable or rope.

In this picture T\two of the passengers were Anna's ancestor William Cinarta "Buck" Jones (1850- 1930) and his mule.

Larry Miller

I received an email from Larry's wife Milly Miller.  Here is a portion of it:

Thank you for re-posting Larry’s fund raising letter so frequently. I wanted to let you know that we have been blessed to receive the maximum matching amount of $10,000. This gives us $20,000 with the matching funds and we believe it should be enough to pay for his prescription drugs as long as my insurance is as good as it is now. That’s a big question with the state of our current health care issues but we have reason to rejoice right now and thank everyone for their help.  PS: he is doing AWESOME. All of his bronchoscopy’s have shown, no infection, no rejection. That is the best you can get. His blood work continues to be very good also. Can’t wait to see everyone again, minus the oxygen tanks.

This has been posted many times. Everyday when I had a new post this one slides down more out of view. When it slides off the page it is time to repost. Hi!

Have you ever faced a life-threatening illness for which there is no treatment or cure?
Have you ever become overwhelmed by the costs of your illness?
Have you ever had to rely on your family and friends to make a life-saving difference on your behalf?

Larry faced these conditions all at once. Larry was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, Emphysema, and Pulmonary Hypertension. There are no treatments for these diseases and there was no hope for him without a lung transplant.

Larry was evaluated and approved for a bi-lateral lung transplant at Emory University Hospital in April.

On May 14th Larry received the call from Emory saying they had lungs for him. His transplant was performed on the 15th with excellent results. Due to the generosity of the donor’s family, he received a very healthy set of young lungs (to use the surgeon’s words). Larry is recovering exceedingly well and was released to go home on the 31st of May. He is gaining strength each day by following his drug regimen very carefully and by following a vigorous program of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. 

His recovery is great news, but with it comes enormous annual costs for post-transplant treatments and medications. I have known Larry and been his friend since the 5th grade (1953) so I offered to head up his fundraising committee. We are working to help Larry raise money to cover some of these costs. Fortunately, Larry qualified for a matched account in the Georgia Transplant Foundation’s (GTF) Fundraising Program, GTF will match every dollar we raise up to a maximum of $10,000, and then they will hold the money and administer the distribution for Larry’s medication expenses.

We need Your Support to reach the $10,000 Goal! Please consider making a donation to help us raise the funds Larry will need to buy post-transplant medications which will support the maintenance of his transplant.

How to Donate:
Checks/money orders should be made payable to Georgia Transplant Foundation with Larry’s name in the memo section of your check. Please mail checks/money orders to Georgia Transplant Foundation, Attention: Transplant Fundraising Program, 500 Sugar Mill Road, Suite 107-A, Atlanta GA 30350. An envelope is enclosed for your convenience. Thank you for supporting this life-saving campaign.

The Georgia Transplant Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial, educational, and emotional assistance to Georgia’s transplant community, is assisting us in our fundraising efforts. If you have questions or want further verification, please see the Georgia Transplant Foundation website at www.gatransplant.org or email TFP@gatransplant.org.

If you have already made a donation, please accept our thanks.

Sincerely,
Paul Roper
Committee Chairman

48 Years Ago Today

48 years ago today, July 9, 1965, I was released from  active duty in the Navy.   Here is an example picture of me in the Navy, playing in a Bell Helicopter at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey.

July 1864 in Atlanta

Atlanta looked something like this about 149 years ago this summer, according to the creators of the Atlanta Cyclorama and the movie GONE WITH THE WIND.  Looking at the photos of the ruins afterwards, I believe them.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! FRONTLINE COMBAT's BULL RUN!

Story by History.

Art by John Severin

Edited & planned by Harvey Kurtzman