27 Days Until Varner Reunion oN April the 27th

Jennings Patterson and Terry Lowe

HAPPY EASTER!!

Click on the below link for details:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! BIJOU's CHEECH WIZARD

click on images to enlarge to read

I got a request the other day via email.   The request suggested I get on stage... that is, the next stagecoach going out of town.   yuk, yuik.  That never gets old.  

Seriously, the request was from Jesse Hochstalt wanting to see the CEECH WIZARD that he knew was in this issue of BIJOU.

The True Meaning of Bunnies on Easter

I  heard on the radio news that the Easter Bunny is giving Santa Clause, as for as gift giving goes, some competition.    Now it is becoming the thing to give children's gifts at Easter.  I didn't catch the details.  I was wondering  is there a big human adult size Eater Bunny that delivers  presents to all the good little boys and girls or what?

I heard on the same radio article that this is probably the work of toys manufacturers.

I don't know if this is a good thing or bad thing.  Whether the extra  merchandise will help the economy at the cost of taking away the true meaning of Easter or what.

I only have one bit of advice:  Don't bend over in front of a rabbit that is smiling.

28 Days Until April the 28th! Varner's Reunion

Sandy Ramsey and Rupert Raines

Link for details:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

29 More Days Until the Varner Reunion, April 27

Be there!  Be part of the Clique!   No old money, family connections or higher education is required, but being good looking helps.

Larry Sparks, Lee Broadhurst, and Arnold Guest 

click on the above images to enlarge them.

Click on the below for the link for all the latest information:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

HAPPY MOM and POP BUSINESS DAY!

Today, March 29th is Mom and Pop Business Day!

Celebrate Mom and Pop local businesses today!  First, before your better half wakes go to McDonald's or Crackle Barrel for breakfast to go..Then go buy a of your finest imported wine and later in the evening go out to eat at Ruth Crisp's Steak House and when you get home pop that wine opened.  That is how you celebrate Mom and POP businesses is POP the wine or campaign cork.

And as Bob Dylan pointed out, The Times, They Are A Changing.
Some of the Mom and Pop stores might be Mom and Mom stores
or
Pop and Pop stores.

Speaking of 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

30 Days Until the Varner Reunion

The way I count it, today it is 30 days until the Varner's Reunion, on April the 27th.

Larry Miller (before his lung transplant)

Click on the images above to look and read better.

For More Information click on this link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

Varners is Almost Here!

click to read!

31 Days Until the Varner Reunion, April the 27th!

Yep, can you stuff yourself into pair of tight-ass Levis yet?   Starve!  Show your friends you look the same as you did almost 60 years ago.

The Sunshine Girls

For details click on the below link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

32 Days Until the Varner Reunion.

Actually, it is how you count it.  Sometimes I figure and come up with a number less than the running number for the day and sometimes I come up with a number more than what it is suppose to be.   No matter how you count it, the Zero Date is April the 27th.

Frank Owenby and Dan Northcutt

For the straight poot or the straight scoop, or the 

straight pooper scooper

click on the below link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

Bombs Away!

A neighbor lady that I walk with  occasionally was, until recently,  a representative for a  manufacturing  company that makes commodes.  A high quality kind of throne.

One time recently at a home show a plumber contractor who uses their product exclusively had a   demonstration of  whole potatoes  being swallowed  and disappearing with this kind of commode.   Sometimes she tells me some interesting  "potty" or "John" information.     This morning she told me that nursing homes always seem to have plumbing problems because  some cardiac medicines harden stools.

The reason she told me is because what I told her.  I spent  time yesterday trying to unstop our stopped up toilet.  I was wondering if I picked up a box of instant concrete instead of the oatmeal.   After I flushed the solid  went down but the water didn't.  No amount of plunging seemed to do any good.  It seemed to get harder and more stubborn the more I plunged it.  I think I just made it more compact.

I was about to pour Drano down through its system and Anna suggested I go on line and research to make sure that is OK.  I did, and it is not OK.  Not the type of Drano we had (Gel).  But there is a type make of Drano that is good for unstopping toilets.

While on line I found some remedies.  One said pour in one box of Baking Soda,; then slowly pour in the contents of regular size bottle of vinegar.  You do it slowly to it can interact with the baking soda.  Then, pour in hot water, not too hot, about as hot as hot tea should be.  And, if it doesn't work, try the same thing again.

I did it step by step and it didn't work.   Wait!  I didn't do the last step, which was if it didn't work do it again.  So, I did it again.  This time it worked.

The water rushed down the escape hole in  the toilet like it had to go a fire to put it out.

I feel like I did something positive in more ways than one.

33 More Days Until the Varner Reunion, April 27th

That is 33 more days if my calculations are correct and if the end of the world doesn't interrupt our plans.

Phyllis Murner.  Click to enlarge.

For useful details click on the below link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

This Day In History March 25...

1807 British Parliament abolishes slave trade.  That was official.  But the slave trade kept on running.  I think they found legal loopholes.

Speaking of loopholes, that is what the Georgia Legislation is doing now, trying to create an Ethics law so gifts from lobbyists will no longer be legal.  The basic law is about a sentence long.  But all they are working on all the legal loopholes which is taking days.  At least they are being creative.

Adjustment; 34 Days Until the Varner Reunion

Paul Roper - 

click on picture to enlarge.

Am I right?  Today is the 24th.  That means there are 7 more days this month.  Then next month it is the 27th, which means there are 27 days next month.  27 +7 = 34.  Right?

For the dirt of when, where, and how much click on the below link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com

SUNDAY FUNNIES!!! MAD's Sound Effects

This is pretty much self-explanatory.

Torn from the pages of MAD comicbook #20.  Art by Wallace Wood.

Click on image to enlarge to make more sense.

33 Days Until the Varner Reunion

Happy Belated Birthday  Sally!

Click on the above image to see it better.

Come to the Varner's Reunion.  You will see old friends!

Help this huge clique stay alive.

for more information CLIQUE on the below:

www.varnerreunion2013.com.

34 Days Until the Varner Reunion

For the scoop on the details click on the below link:

www.varnerreunion2013.com.

35 Days Until The Varner Reunion

Ken Chaney

On your calendar draw a big red circle  around April he 27th for the Varner Reunion.  They call it a reunion for a reason.  It means "re-unite".  See friends (and enemies) of long ago in your formative years.  Ask them, "How ya doing?"  Compare who looks the oldest!  Compare checkbooks!

For straight off the stuff Varner information link:

 www.varnerreunion2013.com.


"Straight off the stu!ff" used to be a way of bragging when you let go a stinking flatulent, of course that was before we were grownup and mature.  Come to the Varner Reunion and act like a teen again!

Sometimes I Feel Smart and Sometimes Like a Nut

I dropped by the American Legion late Tuesday afternoon  and had a beer with friends.   A couple of notes:
 

Four of us were sitting at a table drinking our beers near the exit door.  A man leaving paused at the door, looked at us and said, "Thank you!"  And he left.

One of us said, "Why did he thank us?"

Another one of us, shrugged.

I had it.  I said, "Well, we are in the American Legion and it is a place for Veterans.  We served our country."

"Oooooooh" they said nodding.
We should have returned the thanks, after all, he was there too.

One of  the four men sitting with us used to be the life guard at Larry Bell Park Swimming Pool.  His name is Charles.   He said he celebrated his 80th birthday last  Saturday.  Well, I knew he was several years older than I, because he was an adult lifeguard  when I was in my preteen years.  It just never occurred  to me he was as old as 80, he didn't look it at all.  In fact, if someone said he was 65 I would think he looked young for his age.  And another thing amazing is his memory is so sharp.  He told of an instance when he was applying for a beer license when he was the manager of the Market Basket in the  1950s.  He told the names of the people on the board that approved the beer licenses and he remembered the city councilman Gene Holcomb who was there at the time.  I thought that was remarkable that remembered such details.

Then I asked Charles how his daughter was doing that worked at the post office for about a year.  He had to think for a few seconds and said he forgot she worked for the post office.  He said she quit because she couldn't get a daytime job at the post office.   i told him I know how that was.

 I was feeling a little smug because I remembered something about his daughter that he had forgotten.

Then, we got back talking about Gene Holcomb.   Gene's son Larry Holcomb died in 2000.  One of us said Larry was a young man when he died.

Then I said, "He wasn't that young."  I went on to say Larry and I are/were the age.  I said he died in the year 2000.  I went on to say  this is 2013, so that was 13 years ago.  They were with me so far... and I said, "I'm 75, so that makes him about 62 when he died."  Nobody said anything.  In fact, they all were  unusually silent.  Then, Jack said, "I didn't know you were 75?"

I am not 75, I am 71.  Why did I say 75? 

Well, shit!

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

36 Days Until the Varner Reunion

She went to Osborn High School

This is the information I have so far:

Tickets are $ 15.00 each person

The event will be on Saturday 27th of April at the Legion.

An Elvis impersonator will be there most of the afternoon and evening.

Show starts about 7:00 pm.

We will have some finger foods this year, 

My Genealogy Makeover, or Redeux

I am reposting my genealogy one immediate family at a time.

 Since the last time I posted it years ago, I have found some more stuff worth sharing, especially if we are related, but if we are not related maybe you will find it entertaining anyway.

It is on my Chickenfat blog, not the one mostly used, Chicken-fat.com. 

Today I finished my mothers siblings, behind it are my mother's parents and their parents, and before that we go in my father's siblings, then before that his parents, and so on.

After this will be my father's grandparents (both sets) and their children.

The link:

http://ethunter.blogspot.com/



And keep checking back (y'hear?) because hopefully about every two or three days there should be some more additions.

Mr. Good Guy?

We never got to know the people that their backyard is adjacent to part of  our back yard.  They consist of a ninety-four year old lady, her daughter and her son-in-law.  I have talked to the 94 year old lady, which then she was probably 85 when they first moved in the house.  We leaned against the fence and talked about dogs and the large amount of country acreage she sold for them to buy the house. 

I know the property she sold.  It is now a subdivision with about 30 houses in it.

 

Through their next door neighbors I learned that the son-in-law had just retired from the FBI.  Since he lived here he did something  that was against the local laws, it has been so long ago, I forgot, nothing big, maybe shoot illegal fireworks on the night of a holiday or something. 

They and the lady that lives on our side have been having a running battle over her three barking dogs since they moved in.  They have called the law on her and her dogs and she believes that once they opened her back gate to let them out.  Who knows?  At times when they are barking they will hollow over to them to "SHUT UP!"  And I think in dog-talk they bark back, "UP YOURS!"  And maybe shoot her the finger, I mean paw.

Another thing the retired FBI man does in burn whenever he wants to.  Cobb County has strict laws of dates you can burn, from something like May the 1st to October the 1st, but he has proven it doesn't apply to him.

He is a big guy and looks like he could be the aggressive type, the few times I have nodded at him and he returned a nod.

 

I noticed for two or three years his truck was parked stationary in one place and he wasn't ever in the yard.  I figured he was gone.

A couple weeks ago in the yard I saw him at the fence looking like he wanted to talk to me.  I walked over.  He politely asked me how I was doing and I said fine, and asked about his health as well, and he was fine too.  He told me he was gone for two years in Alaska in a little town as the police chief.  So, that explains what I was wondering.   Then he asked me if I would mind if he cut down a limb that was hanging over in their yard.  He said, it looks like it is about to fall anyway, and if he could get it down it would not break something they have under it, whatever it is.  It looked like a pump house to me.

He politely thanked me and said he had to go put out bird seed.  He said he loved to watch those cute little critters around the bird feeders.  He looked like a jolly big Saint Nick.  I kept  wondering during our conversation, "This is the same guy that threatened our neighbor's dogs?"   I suppose you change your image with a wave of your hand - I suppose he knows that from his previous jobs.

37 Days Until the Varner Reunion!

It will be here before you know it!

On This Date, March 19, 1950 Edgar Rice Borroghs Died

1950 Edgar Rice Burroughs sci-fi author (Tarzan of the Apes), died at age 74 on this date.

If you are young you might only remember the Disney cartoon version and not the black and white movie version.  The black and white movie  version was better.  Too bad you missed it.

But wait, I can give you a good idea what Tarzan was like:  Just think of me.

38 Days Until the Varner Reunion

A little birdie told me there will be an Elvis impersonator this year.  Well, actually, it was a big birdie.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS'S DAY!

click to enlarge

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! PANIC's Ads

click on image to enlarge to be able to read.

If you read comicbooks as a yongster you might remember the ads being lampooned here.  These are from the pages of PANIC comicbook #6.  PANIC was published by EC Comics, the same who published MAD.  MAD and PANIC were siblings even thogh they were competitors and I'm sure they wished each other the best of luck.  Right.  This story was illustrated by Joe Orlando, who at one time worked with the famous comicbook artist Wallice Wood and you can see Wood's infuence, if you recognize Wood;s work when you see it.

Someplace in Georgia

click on to enlarge

I have no idea where this picture was taken; by the Spanish Moss I suspect it was South Georgia, maybe along the coast.  Maybe it was taken in the Garden of Eden.


Here is the link to some great pictures of places in Georgia,, which inludes this one:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151501745478491&set=a.82817078490.79016.36470358490&type=1&theater

Be Careful What You Ask For

(Note- You might wonder how the above picture happened.  Below is a post I made on Facebook which  a fury of comments followed.  Joe Jenkins performed a miracle, with the help of Photo Shop he crowned me Pope.)



I wonder if you have to be Catholic to be the Pope? I bet I wasn't even considered, it doesn't seem fair. If Catholicism isn't a qualification I think the Concave of Cardinals fumbled. Apparently they were looking for a down to earth humble man who lives a simple life and even takes buses to go places. I am their man and the fools don't even know it.... I rode the bus before and also subways... and I think the monorail at Disney World should count too. I also do humble things, like use coupons. 

And, if push comes to shove between me and this St. Francis guy and he brings up that he is Catholic and I'm not I'll hit them with a law suit that you cannot hire people, or not hire people, based on race, creed, sex, color, or religion. White Smoke? Poof! If they say that is not an international law, I will tell them the Lord just whispered in my ear that he changed the international law, in Commandment number 11.

I'm looking for a good lawyer now, I'm going to watch TV and write down some numbers from their commercials, then, watch out!

History Repeat?

I am reading the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin which I might write a post on later.

 

One of the things I read today was intriguing, in a way, interesting.  Benjamin Franklin owned a printing shop in Philadelphia.   In the book he mentions one morning a little old frail woman sweeping his doorway with an old broom.  He asked her what was she doing and she said she was trying to impress him so that he would pay her to sweep in the street in front of his shop.   When he told the story in his book it recorded history of a little unknown lady.  The little frail unknown lady swept a lot more than he the agreed on just for one shilling, which game him some thoughts on labor management. 

 

I have been to Philadelphia several times.  I remember seeing where Benjamin Franklin's shop/house was.  The house has long been gone but in its place is sort of a frame, sort of a 3 dimensional virtual drawing of the house to show just how much space it took up back in the mid 1700s.

Now, let us jump in time to July the 4th, 1991.  My family spent the 4th in the Independence Hall area of Philadelphia.  One evening, probably the 3rd or the 4th the crowd gathered for a fireworks display.   In a wheelchair slumped over was a little frail old woman, who I suspect was not in touch with reality.    In front of her was some colorful things  for sale... I forgot exactly what, it might have been little pin-lights or something that glowed.  There was a little sign around her neck and those things, whatever for sale.  And a box was at her feet.  The box had money in it.  People, out of sorry for her bought her merchandise and I suspect a good for nothing son probably put his comatose mother earning money for him.  She also had on crooked lipstick and her cheeks had too much rouge. 

I haven't thought of her in many years until I read of this little old lady sweeping Benjamin Franklin's front of his shop in about the same vicinity.   Wow!  Was history repeating itself?

LARRY MILLER

Yesterday 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

GOBAG With No Forum

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POSTAL!!!

On this date, March 11, 1789, the United States Post Office was established.  Benjamin Franklin was on the payroll for a while at the beginning.  And 200 years later I hopped on the payroll and lingered for 33 years, then I hopped off, handing my torch to someone else to carry it on.

 

I think linger is generally the word thought of when the public thinks of a postal employee.  There are  also other words such as hanging out,  loitering, and more descriptive words.  Seriously, those are words used by the general public who has never worked at the Postal Service and don't know anybody who has.

 

When I started my job at the Atlanta Post Office I was to unload trucks and railway cars twelve hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week, and forget  being off on holidays.  Only the postal employees who met the public got off.

 

Now, some Republicans want to sell the Postal Service to private enterprise who is eager to turn it into a profit making enterprise.  I wonder if those same people ever thought of selling another public service, the Armed Forces?   Wait!  I just remembered,  it appears they have outsourced  some of the gun shooting to Blackwater.

 

You get most of your mail within a day or two.  You would be surprised just how efficient the Postal Service is, considering the billions of pieces of mail they handle hourly, around the clock.

 

Hug a Postal employee today!

 

Happy 224th Birthday Postal!

Acworth Memories

Anna and I went to Collins Funeral Home in Acworth to pay our respects Yesterday.  I cannot ride through Acworth without  having memories on almost every block.   In the funeral home I saw one lady I haven't seen in many years.  She was Rev Moore's secretary.   As we were being introduced I said we were in school together, we  both graduated from Marietta High School in 1960.  She said that is right!  I said she used to be red headed.  She said that was right!  I said we both had Mrs Victery as a teacher our senior year,  in math or whatever.  she said yes.  She agreed, I knew all that about her but she couldn't remember me.  That figures.

Next door to Collins Funeral Home is the post office.  I spent a week in training there in 1987 when I went into window training.  The whole training was two weeks.  One week was on the j ob training.  The technician training me was very high strung and would fly off the handle and have a temper tantrum.    I once told him the world wasn't going to end because I gave a lady 15 cents too much back in change.

Also, just down the street a block beside the funeral home was where my aunt Octavia "Tade" Tyson Carr lived.  She had a nice big home with a big porch.  Before I was driving age I would hitch a ride to Acworth Beach with a friend of somebody I knew and when I wanted to come home I would walk up to Aunt Tade's house and call home and daddy or Frances would pick me up.  And Frances did the same, I think, before she was old enough to drive.

Back in 1955, next to the beach was a little cove.  On the other side of the cove was a rowboat reantal place.  Milton Martin and I rode with Frances on Easter Sunday.  While she lied on the beach we rented a boat, rowed it across the lake and explored the swampy side where creeks and well, swampy stuff were around.  It was very enjoyble, exploring down little wterways with trees hanging over us, and all.  What we didn't know at the time we were baking.  We wore our bathin suits and when it was time to go home we were red.  The net morning at school I was red as a logbster.  I was very sore.  In time the skin pealed and left an embedded tan.  Until just recently I had that embedded sun that left the outline of my bathin suit.  Milton Martin joined the Airforce and I don't know what ever happened to him.   There was a Milton Martin car dealership in Gainesville and I often wondered if that was Milton.

Speaking of Acworth Beach one night a bunch o f us boys went there to a dance.  We went in and all the local boys gave us the bad-eye.  We went back to the car to drink a beer.   We were drinking and I remember like it was yesterday,  we were by a big grassy mound or bank on the edge of the parking lot and in the dark I saw a flash light bobble down the hill and with it I heard the jingle of keys.  It was a cop.  He caught us drinking.  He asked us our names and he wrote them down as we told him.  One of us was Billy Joe Royal, who was getting a reputation as a singer at local functions.  I think the cop said something to the effect that he knew Billy Joe's name.  When I told him my name he said, "Are you Ed Hunter's boy?"  I told him I was.   He then told us to leave and not come back with alcohol.   So we drove on the other side of the lake where a road went into the lake, and finished our beer.

Also  yesterday we drove over the bridge/dam on Highway 92.  I looked down at the place I was thinking about.  About 1989, on a Saturday morning the Acworth police found the body of a man clutching Rosary beads and a gun was in the seat with him.  A whole was in his head.   It appeared that the man committed suicide.  The car was registered to Vince Desantes and the body had  a wallet with an I.D. of Vince Desantes.  Vince Desantes was a co-worker of mine.  We worked side by side as window clerks at the Sprayberry Post Office.

However, some of us doubt if the body was Vince.   Here are a few facts.   Vince was a small frame thin man.  I doubt if he weighed over 140 pounds.  The body was described in the report as weighing over 200 pounds.   The night before  the incident Vince's ATM card was used to withdraw all of his money out of the bank.  The body on had a small amount of bills, ten or twelve dollars.

Here is another thing.  Vince was embezzling money from some postal accounts. the companies that had business reply accounts.  The inspectors knew it, and they set up.  The day the body that claimed to be Vince Desantes was found was the day the Postal Inspectors had plans to arrest him.  Did he sense they were closing in and he  picked up a drunk and shot him and put his i.d. on him and parked the car where it would likely be found?

A few other facts about Vince completely unrelated:  He was a gruff sounding retired Marine.  He was from Boston.  He had a rich aunt who lived in Boston that he was trying to get  to move to Marietta so he could "take care of her.";  He and I are the exact same age, or within hours.  He was born the same date as I.  He like to call his friends something that sounded like "GoomBah!"  About ten months after his supposedly death, a friend and co-worker received a postcard from the Keys.  It simply said, "Goombah!"

My Claim to Fame in Today's Paper

This is Brandi of Brandi's World Famous Hotdogs.   This picture was taken last Thursday at about 11:30am.  It is in the Marietta Daily Journal today in an artcle about local home-owned restaurants.

I was there.

You could see me if it wasn't for Brandi.  I was sitting at the counter in the far corner.  The lady taking the pictures took several pictures.  Although, Brandi blocked the view of the camera, it doesn't matter - even if the photographer had a clear shot of me and I was the only one there the final picture would just show a restaurant  empty of people, you see, I'm invisible.

To prove it, that same day, when I went to the cash register Brandi looked suprised.  When I handed her my ticket she said, "Hi! I didn't know you were here!"  

I should have said, "Well, I can't prove it by the picture you got in the way of!"  ... I could have said that before I saw the final picture.

Also in the same article it tells about Old South Barbecue.  It tells it is family owned and has been in business for 45 years.  I know, we have been married 45 years and we started going there often just when they opened.  We even counted on them for blackeyed peas one first day of the year.

A link to the article:

http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/21932825/article-Chew-on-this--County%E2%80%99s-oldest-eateries-dish-out-secrets-to-their-success?instance=special _

Also in the Marietta Daily Journal this morning is a big artcle about Bill Kinney retiring from the paper after a llife time of service.  In one of the picutres it showed he and his bride on their wedding day.  His bride was my 5th grade teacher.  Alberta died in 2011.  I pointed at her as Anna was reading the article and said "that lady held my head in her lap for about an hour until help could come."  At
Watermanstreet School Van Calloway had pushed me into the fire escape railing and it split my forehead open.  The took me to the teacher lounge and on the cot held my head up with ice so I wouldn't bleed out until my dad, a policeman could come.