Chicken Fat

Idle Hurst, Marietta, Ga, Old Post Card

2012-01-31T01:00:00.000-08:00

This is an old postcard of some place in Marietta, Georgia, years ago. I don't know where Idle Hurst was or what it was.

Kennesaw Mountain is in the background. I think that is a clue.

Book Report: NIGHTWOODS by Charles Frazier

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Look what I found in my piles of rubble and trash in the Word file! A book review I wrote that I never posted:

NIGHTWOODS by Charles Frazier is a book about the living in North Carolina, although I don’t think the book actually said it was taking place in North Carolina. Because Charles Frazier's other two books COLD MOUNTAIN and THIRTEEN MOONS did take place in North Carolina I assumed it was in the North West section of that state and I feel the geography described in the book proves I was right.

It also paints a southern town good but I think the interactions of the people and their relationships were to the extreme void or off.

Near the beginning of the book the protagonist was raped and she went to the sheriff’s office to report it. The deputy talked her out of pressing charges, saying no one would believe her. And she left. Over three quarters of the book later you learn that the deputy that talked her out of it was her estranged father.

The book has wonderful descriptions of the terrain, plant life, and the general typical local residents.

Many parts of the book have no introductory scene painting so you know what you are in. You have to read a while to adapt to whats going on where at. Quotation marks (“) are not used to separate the actual spoken words from the rest of the sentence - you are on your own to figure it out.

On several instances and items I predicted accurately what would happen later in the story. It wasn’t hard to figure out. I liked Frazier's COLD MOUNTAIN and THIRTEEN MOONS better, but it was still good.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! TRUMP's TRANQUILIZERS

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

This was first published in the first issue of TRUMP, March, 1957, almost 55 years ago, and it is timely now as it was then. Some things just don’t change. The artwork is by Al Jaffee, who later became a regular artist of MAD Magazine and had his own syndicated cartoon strip TALL TALES for a while. TRUMP was the combined brainstorms of PLAYBOY’s Hugh Hefner and MAD’s ex-editor Harvey Kurtzman. It had a short life of two issues.

ONE FOR THE MONEY On the Big Screen

2012-01-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to a movie theater to see ONE FOR THE MONEY starring Katherine Heigl, Sherri Shepherd, and others; directed by Julie Ann Robinson; and produced by Tom Rosenberg. Based on the first book of the series by Janet Evanovich, I'd categorize it as a comedy/action story. Taking place in Trenton, New Jersey, everyone lives up to the stereotypes of that state.

I read the book a year or so ago. It is the only book of the Stephanie Plum 18 book series that I've read. The movie was good entertainment giving Katherine Heigi a good role to showcase her talents, if you know what I mean. The book described her being left handcuffed naked to a shower rod. I was curious to see how that was to be handled in the movie. It lived up to the story discretely.

The movie was enjoyable as are the books (Anna has read them all), but don't go looking for significant redeeming social qualities. The books and the movie are just good for a chuckle. See the trailer below:

Queen Kong by Frank Fraetta

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Visiting St James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta

2012-01-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Saint James Episcopal Church Cemetery at Polk and Winn Streets is a very interesting cemetery*. Local history comes alive there – well, I don’t think “comes alive” are the words I’m looking for. But you see the city leaders of the past, street names, and local business names, all crammed in a small cemetery.

Click on each photo to see the details.

Agricola Street is off Allgood Road.

Rip Blair was one of the city fathers who turned this town from a rural to an Industrial town. I don’t know if this is Rip’s grave but if not, I bet it is a relative.

The name Otis Brumby has been associated with publishing the Marietta Daily Journal for many years. Unfortunately, this Otis Brumby lived only 7 months.

Above two markers - a touch of the Old Country

Clark Gable? Not THE Clark Gable I was told by the grounds keeper.

Coryell is a street off Roswell Street.

Denmead owned a large plantation in the area of Hospital. He also owned Denmead Warehouse, by the railroad tracks on Mill Street. Notice the Glover memorials in the background?

Dupre’s Store on Whitlock Avenue by the railroad tracks. Dupre’s adjusted to the times all through its long history. When Cobb County was an agricultural community they catered to the farmers. Later when Bell Bomber and afterwards Lockheed subdivisions sprung up and with less farms Dupre’s sold less farm supplies and more appliances. Now, Cobb County is the home of many upper middle class yuppies who love antiquing – now Dupre’s is an antique center.

Robert Flouroy was a colorful mayor and later a colorful judge.

Freyer Drive is off Cherokee Street. Freyer Drive was the addresses of at least two of Marietta Mayors.

In early times of Marietta the Glover family just about owned the town, really! Even down to the very center of it – Glover Park, which they donated to the city.

Abraham Green was born in 1802. Unless he was an Indian, I doubt if he is a native of Marietta. Marietta was not opened to white settlers until 1832.

Harold Willingham was the county attorney at one time and another time the city Attorney. He was also a powerful influential state representative. With his legal fees as an attorney for the local governments he died a very rich man.

Eldred Tait Hunter, Jr. is no relation to me as far as I know, even though we have the same initials, including the Jr.

PROVIDENCE, edited by Connie M. Cox & Darlene M. Walsh is an excellent book about the history of this region before, during, and after the Civil War. It follows the correspondence of mainly George Camp who was an officer in the Roswell Mill, working directly for Roswell King, the owner of the mill and the founder of Roswell, Georgia.. George Camp bought Tranquility and the parcel of land came with it the subdivision of Keeler Woods was developed. Look at these names on the above memorials – the same names of the streets in Keeler Woods.

A Massey was president of the First National Bank of Marietta.

The McNeel family owned McNeel Marble and developed Cherokee Heights, Marietta’s first subdivision.

Across the street from the cemetery is Marietta Junior High school. It was Marietta High School when I attended. The steps in front lead up to the administrative offices. I spent many hours in those offices explaining myself.

The Noble family owned the Pontiac Dealership in Marietta. Their son Ben was a friend in high school and had plenty of parties at their home near Little Kennesaw Mountain on Old Mountain Road. In Ben Senior senior years he took an active role in protecting small family cemeteries. After I was married we sold Mrs. Noble a baby schnauzer that our Schatzi had.

The Northcutt family has been business leaders in the downtown Marietta since before 1900

Jon Benet and her mother Patricia Ramsey’s graves. The poor little girl was bludgeoned to death in her home in Boulder, Colorado, making national news. The murder was never solved.
The tree that hangs over Jon Benet’s grave used to have many cards and plastic angels on it, now, there are only two.

Mr. Schilling, an immigrant from Germany owned a very successful hardware store on the Marietta Square. Now, Schilling’s Restaurant is in the same space.

The Skinners have interesting markers and interesting places and dates.

The Tumlin family owned Marietta Lumber Company and a descendant, Steve “Thunder” Tumlin is now Mayor.

The lady and her babies need a nice bubble bath with a pressure washer. It has been rumored for years that the marker is haunted. The rumor is that at midnight if you circle her three times and asked her what happened to her babies she will cry. I don’t believe in such nonsense but I am afraid to be in the cemetery at midnight to prove the rumor wrong.

Grady Veach owned Veach’s Wholesale Groceries. His warehouse was the old Denmead warehouse on Mill Street. Their only child James took his own life.

Whitlock as in Whitlock Avenue or Whitlock Inn.

Winters was one of the early pioneers of Marietta, and Winters Street was an early street in downtown Marietta also.

Studying local cemetery markers is sort of creepy isn’t it?

On This Date in History, January the 25th

2012-01-25T04:39:00.000-08:00

1741 Benedict Arnold General /traitor (US revolution) was born.

1938 Etta James [Jamesette Hawkins], US singer (Roll With Me Henry) was born. She died January the 20th, 5 days ago.

We Were Delighted With DELI DELIGHTS!

2012-01-24T14:58:00.000-08:00

Today Anna and I were West of the Marietta square looking for a place to eat lunch. We were not completely sure where we wanted to go when on Whitlock Avenue we saw what looked like Tony the Tiger doing some kind of wiggle dance and holding up a sign advertising a new deli. Who could resist?

We were directed into the same shopping center as Gabriel’s and Chicken and the Egg, . Both places are good, but both have drawbacks. Gabriel’s is always crowded at lunch by locals who want to be seen at Garbriel’s, which makes for longer waiting time. The Chicken and Egg is just too pricey for a quick lunch.

We considered the new Mexican restaurant, Loco Willie’s, but then there was the Tiger attraction. We kept driving toward the end of the shopping center, and DELI DELIGHTS was there, just like Tony the Tiger said near the Burnt Hickory Road entrance.

We were the only customers until several others came as we finished. I ordered a Reuben sandwich on rye, and Anna ordered a turkey sandwich on multi-grain. Both sandwiches were plentiful and fresh! The sandwiches were very typical deli-type, each coming with a bag of chips of your choice. They were delicious!! The cookies are good too!!

The lady-owner was sitting next to us and spoke with a strong New York or New Jersey accent. The décor is done in 50’s diner style with her touch of antique collectibles. She and her husband, who was behind the counter, knew their deli foods. She was very friendly, discussing various restaurants in the area and seems to enjoy going to different non-franchised restaurants as much as we do.

We wish DELI DELIGHTS the best in their new business adventure. We will be back! Yummmm!

Patricia Whiten Had to Leave Us

2012-01-23T07:39:00.001-08:00

Patricia Whiten Morton died last night.

Back in high school one summer Patricia rode with me to summer school. One day after we left class we were chasing a friend on Polk Street. On the back side of Mountain View Cemetery we were going at a fast speed and I suddenly had to stop for whatever reason I forgot. My parents car, a '53 Chevvy, did a complete spin. Patricia chewed me out and called me every curse word she could think of. She knew how to humble me, for sure. She inspried me to drive safely, especially when I had passengers.

Horace Armfield told me this morning that one time Patricia had a wreck driving his motor scooter. Dogs were chasing her and she raised her legs to keep from the dogs getting biting her legs and she lost control and had a wreck which broke a leg. She missed much of school that year and graduated the year after her original class graduated.

She will be missed by all that knew her.

Visitation will be at Mayes-Ward Tuesday, from 6:00 to 8:00PM
Funeral will be Mayes-Ward Wednesday at 3:00PM
Burial will be at Cheatham Hill Cemetery.

Curses!! I Think I Have A Curse!

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read the book THINNER by Stephen King? There was also a movie by the same name that I didn’t see. The plot is that protagonist accidentally runs over a gypsy woman and the woman’s gypsy father puts a curse on him by touching him and simply saying, “Thinner!” And then he rapidly got thinner.

I wonder if we have been cursed too. I’m trying to remember if I treated somebody unfairly or was rude to someone and their father touched me and said “Your basement floods!” If that happened it was probably right before Thanksgiving.

A day before Thanksgiving while washing clothes our septic tank let loose and flooded our basement. We cleaned it up and had a septic tank company to pump out and repaired our septic tank.

Three days after it was repaired it happened again. We had the septic tank company to come out again and dug it up and said the problem was not with the septic tank but within the house but he put his suction machine on full power and popped out what was blocking the system, within the house. And, it was fixed again.

We thought our water problem in the basement was behind us and then a few weeks ago it happened again while we were washing clothes. We had a plumbing company come out and check it out. They duplicated the situation by running the washing machine. The washing machine filled up with water and then went into the spin cycle, which shot the water out to the septic tank. They didn’t see a thing wrong. They didn’t change us anything.
We thought maybe it was a one-time freak combination of things and now maybe it was over with.
Saturday I went down to the basement to put the washed clothes into the dryer and the basement was flooded and water was still flowing from the washer. The washer was completely full of water and was overflowing and the water was still being fed to it. The washer did not turn automatically turn its water supply off and go into a spin cycle to rid itself of the water.

We manually turned the dial to spin cycle and it stopped the incoming water and centrifugal forced all the water out to the septic tank.

With the shop-vac I vacuumed up the water. The canister holds 6 gallons. I started off counting the times I dumped the water into the back yard and lost count. I think it was either 48 or 54 gallons dumped.

How does one go about ridding themselves of a curse? Stay tuned?

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD #17's CAESER

2012-01-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

The last time I put a MAD story in SUNDAY FUNNIES it was from MAD #18. Now, I am back on MAD#17. I did it for timely reasons. So, was I jumping forward then or falling back now? Never mind, it doesn't matter.

The story was written by Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by Wallace Wood. Enjoy!

I knew it! I knew it!

2012-01-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was sitting in a doctors’ waiting room reading and watching CNN News when they announced the results of a new study:

The management, in general, is rampant with pyschopaths in big organizations.

The study points out elite pyschopaths are brash; willing to take chances; and don’t care who they hurt or how it effect the economics of the company.

I knew it! I knew it!

I have heard of managers loving to be behind a glass that appears to be a mirror when people are brought in to be fired to watch their faces. Sick!

That is just a sample, or a tip of an iceberg I'm sure.

Not all upper management are pyschopaths. I personally know some who are very kind and humane; take the CEO of the blog CHICK-FAT for instance....

The Relationship of J. E. Hoover & Shirleyl Temple

2012-01-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

On this date, January 20, 1949, J Edgar Hoover gave Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen.

I suppose if the same transaction took place today Miss Temple would have received an electrifying fountain pen.

I googled J. Edgar Hoover & Shirley Temple hoping maybe to get a picture of J. Edgar presenting Miss Temple the gas pen and didn’t find that, but did come across some other interesting stuff. I think that they both might have had a mutual admiration of each other. To Shirley he was the boss of the All American FBI, the top of G-Men. And maybe to J. Edgar she was what he thought the ideal American female should be: Sweet looking and innocent

The little tap dancer and singer was born in 1928. She was about 21 years old at the time she received her tear gas fountain pen. With that she could bring those producers to the floor if they tried anything “funny”.

It appears that their friendship continued. Less than two years later, she asked Hoover to do a back ground check on Charles Alden Black. She became Mrs. Shirley Temple Black December 26, 1950. J. Edgar Hoover probably gave them his blessings.

Eating at a Hwy 5 Deli

2012-01-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

Highway 5 Deli Wings.

A new eatery has opened on Canton Highway just south of Hawkins Store Road. We tried it out yesterday.

It appears to be very neat and clean. Anna ordered a chef’s salad and I ordered a shrimp po’boy . On the menu it gave the choice for the shrimp to be lightly battered or blackened. I chose blackened. The po’boy also came with lettuce, tomato, and romoulade sauce. It was delicious and Anna said her chef salad was delicious also.

Of course by the name you know they have wings. Our waitress told us that the workers from the tire store next door kept coming over all day ordering more wings. So, they must be good. They also have deli type of sandwiches, such as corn beef, Reubens, and various types of burgers.

It was their 3rd day and the managers and staff were very eager to please.

We will go back.

Look! There is the Captain Posing for a Picture Now!

2012-01-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

Captain Francesco Schettino being arrested

During the wreck of The Italian cruise ship Costa Condordia , where at least 11 people were killed, the captain, Francesco Schettino was among the first people who left the ship. So much for the old saying the captain goes down with his ship. He was arrested. The investigators on taking a close look of what went wrong are finding that everything went wrong. No emergency plans or anything. It looks like the only plan the captain had was to get his ass off a sinking ship.

It reminded me of the cruise we took about 5 years ago to the Bahamas. One of the first things the ship’s order-of-business was to sell poses with the captain in his full dress uniform. Of course for a good price you could purchase the picture of you and the captain discussing nautical stuff and other wise things. It reminded me of having your kid pose with Santa for a picture ($$).

I suppose that is the first order-of-business of any cruise ship is to take of picture with each person with the Captain and then the photographer would have ample time to make the image into a print and have them available before the cruise is over, for a price, of course.

I wonder after all is said and done if Captain Francesco Schettino got to pose with individual passengers and if so, will those passengers get those pictures, have them frame and displayed to cherish forever?

Checking Out the movie FLYPAPER

2012-01-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

FLYPAPER starring Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, Tim Blake Nelson (Oh Brother, where Art Thou?) and directed by Rob Minkoff was an interesting movie. I ran a google to get some of the names and noticed that several people said it was “Rotten Tomatoes”.

Well, I wouldn’t say it was Rotten Tomatoes, but the complexity of what all was going on was complicated and confusing to the point I said, “The heck with it, it may not make sense, but the dialog sure is funny!” And it was.

The story line, or plot, is that a few minutes before closing time at a bank two redneck holdup artists pullout their guns and announce this is a hold up. About the same time, three masked men, more military précised, pull out their gun and announce the same thing. Then as the movie unfolds you can see clues being planted in your mind and other hints suggesting that this may be more complex than a bank being held up by two competing bank robber groups. There may be some inside robbery going on, and also some embezzlement being covered up. See? It gets complicated.

It is a comedy of errors, very funny, and people are killing each other left and right. Man, is that funny or what? It is a good movie to check out- if you don't try to follow all the details.

Martin...

2012-01-16T05:08:00.001-08:00

Tales From The City Cemetery of Marietta

2012-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Here lies my 5th grade teacher Alberta Shouse Kinney. Many times I have told the story of when Van C pushed me up the against the fire escape railing and gashed my forehead she stayed with me holding an icepace to my head until my father could arrive and rush me to the old hospital.

Below are two tales, sort of. The Clay family plot is only a stone's lob to the Phagan family plot. In the Clay family plot is Hubert Clay's grave. Hubert was one time Mayor of Marietta and another time a curcuit judge of north Georgia, but his biggest claim to infame, will probably be that he helped orchestrate the illegal lynching of Leo Frank, the one convicted of killing and raping Mary Phagan.

Also below is the tale of The Lady in Black. I remember seeing her, but I kept my distance, for no reason.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Tale From the Crypt, Friendship

2012-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

This is from the pages of the EC comicbook TALES FROM THE CRYPT #41, 1954, art by Jack Davis.

Bob's Luck

2012-01-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

This last Christmas season when Bob was up from Florida, about 15 days before he died, he told me that several years ago he bought a very expensive engine. I am not sure if it was a boat engine or an auto engine. It was his dream to own an engine like that and he came across an affordable one – it was affordable because it needed parts and repairs.

For the next couple of years Bob replaced the damaged parts on the engine as he came across extra money. He finally got it fixed up like a new engine, which he said cost him over $20,000. He said his dream then was to put it to use. He dreamed about his big sparkling shiny engine running. He couldn’t wait until that day.

Of course the engine was on some kind of stand to work on in his wife’s garage across the street. Bob lived in Florida.

Bob forgot to consider the human factor, which should be considered in any type of planning. One of his kids’ friend desperately needed some money. He sold Bob’s prized $20,000 engine for $35.

When Bob told me the above, he told me very calmly. Bob was the type that would explode and go into a rage over little details that went wrong. He told his ex-wife he thought his brain tumor was coming back. Maybe that was proof.

If Bob didn’t have bad luck he wouldn’t have had any luck at all.

Friday the 13th!!! BEWARE!!

2012-01-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

Charles Jones Foster (1925 - 2012)

2012-01-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

Anna's uncle Charles Jones Foster died Wednesday,January 11, 2012, only about 3 weeks short of his 87th birthday.

Charles was born in and grew up in Marietta. He loved aviation. As a teenager he used to ride his bike to Atlanta to watch the planes take-off and land. In WWII he joined the Army and became a flight Engineer. After the war he became a pilot of TWA.

Before the war, he and his brother Paul worked at the Strand Theater. Paul ran the projector with Charles help and Charles also got the weekly previews printed up and distributed.

Charles was very sensitive about the right food. His diet was the ideal non-fat diet. Once he told me he has never eaten a Varsity Hotdog but he has tried their chicken-salad sandwich. I didn't know whether to complement him or feel sorry for him.

His life was not without tragic. His first wife Florence died and the oldest of his three daughters died before he did. He married secondly to Jane who was a good partner for him. Jane kept him active.

Charles was a good man which I'm sure his off-spring would agree.

Bob is Gone

2012-01-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

My ex-neighbor Bob died Monday.

I say ex-neighbor because he lived near Sarasota, Florida, and before then he lived across the street. However, I think his legal residence is/was probably still across the street where his ex-wife lives. He came up two or three times a year to do maintenance of the house and do several quick jobs as a boat engine mechanic.

Bob was 57 years old when he died. He was a hyper, full of energy, and walked at a fast pace, like trying to be the first in line. He talked loud and four letter words blasted from his mouth like – well, Bob.

Bob is the reason we have a post office box instead of a street mailbox. He backed out of his own driveway at least four times, probably more, and knocked down our mailbox. All but one time he admitted he did and replaced the mailbox. The one time he said he didn’t, he was right, he didn’t, but his son, about 8 or 9 at the time, said he did it (the son) . He said something to the effect, “Remember Dad? I was playing in the truck and it started rolling backwards and it ran over the mailbox and you had to drive it back in our driveway?” Bob, said OK, OK, he will replace it. We got tired of going through the hassel each time and decided to make life simpler and get a PO box.

Through the years we had several disagreements. I won’t rehash them, it serves no purpose.

An elderly couple moved next door. The man was Jim. Jim was an old grouch. Jim and I got along great. Jim and Bob got along great. So, in a way, Jim served as a catalyst for Bob and I to mend our differences.

About two years ago Bob moved to Florida, which was for him going to where his trade would most benefit him, working on boats. For the past few years he had come up and fixed and repaired things around his ex-wife’s house. He probably spent about 4 to 5 weeks a year fixing holes in the walls (don’t ask) and other mishaps that the family has done. When he was up from Florida he always made a point to visit me. We share the same type of wit.

Jim died last February.

Just before Christmas while I was cutting grass I saw Bob walking towards me in his hyper fast pace and he shook my hand. We talked a while and he said he was feeling tired. “Not you?” I joked with him. He said, he was 57 years old and felt much older. I told him he was still a baby… and added “a baby with a mustache.”

Christmas day the house next door to Bob caught on fire and thanks to my son Adam and Adam’s friend Savvy the house was saved. Adam banged on the door to get them out and Savvy called 911. When all the police cars and fire trucks were on the street Bob came over to get the details. I jokingly told him it felt good didn’t it, for all police cars on the street and he didn’t have a thing to worry about. He laughed. Once, his house was surrounded by police, but that is another story.

He told me a man around the corner came to see him the other night, about something he didn’t say. They almost came to blows and Bob was daring the guy to hit him, which he didn’t. Bob was hoping the guy would hit him and he could call the police on him. The guy also runs a big gambling operation out of his house, Bob said.

It got me thinking that Bob never has been one to avoid face to face confrontations. I wonder if one of his face to face confrontations cost him his life.

Bob died on Jim’s birthday. He will be missed.

GOBAGS Jan 10th, 2012 - post Christmas

2012-01-11T04:25:00.000-08:00

The GOBAG meeting yesterday was a good turnout. Seventyish men brought their new toys: ipads, lap-tops, smart-phones, and new little tiny cameras - and I caught it on on my Flip palm-size video camera.

Paragould, Greene County, Arkansas

2012-01-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

This is the area my great-great grandfather Jason Henderson Hunter spent the final segment of his life.

Marler & Thomas Little League Team early 1950s

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

(click on the above to make the picture larger)
first row, L to R: Maybe Lawton Evans, Unknown, Harvey Scott, Tommy Pair*, and Tommy Randoph*
Second row: L to R Rick Kendricks*, Mike Clark, unknown, Charles Bagby, and Danny Martin* (probably).
Thrd row, L ro R: Sammy Cox*, unknown, Chris Stinnette*, and Termite Martin*,
Coaches: Pepper Martin and Mr. Pair*.

*Thanx to Paul Roper.

Most of these YMs in this picture would one day be OMs.

The kid front and center, Harvey Scott, sent me the above picture. He went to Waterman Street School the same time I did. He has seem my Chicken-fat blog and wrote some emails wanting to know what happened to some of his old friends and the places he played at in his formative years.

If you recognize somebody I didn't please let me know.

First Night of the Woodstock Blugrass Jamberee

2012-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday night we went to the new Woodstock Bluegrass Jamboree at Woodstock Community Church in Woodstock on Rope Mill Road.

Over 20 years ago we went to a Boy Scout hobo supper at an old wood sided church on Rope Mill Road. I think it was probably the same church. I was expecting to come upon the same old church building as we drove in the dark. Time changes. Now, it is a big modern building with huge windows on two sides of the sanctuary.

There were two Bluegrass groups playing at the first-ever Woodstock bluegrass Jamboree: The Sawnee Creek Band and the Jot’Em Down Boys.

The Sawnee Creek Band was from Forsyth County. I thought they were good. They had a lady violin player that was recently named the best fiddler in Georgia.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good picture. Above is a picture I lifted from their website. The Sawnee Creek Band was all from the same church and leaned towards gospel music.

The Jot’em Down Boys also had a lot of gospel music. I think there is a fine line between bluegrass and gospel. If you go to a bluegrass concert you are going to hear some gospel.

We have watched the Jot’em Boys perform over years: first at the Acworth Opry at Logan’s Barn; secondly at Kennesaw Opry, then one time we went to see them at Canton, but the information on the website was wrong, they were not there. I think the two brothers are the foundation of the group and play in a reserved manner and two others do most of the talking and get carried away. They complemented each other to, like Ying and Yang, make a lively show. It is always enjoyable to see them. Then, there is the banjo player who can go either way.

It was announced then that there will be a bluegrass jamboree the first Saturday of every month at the Woodstock Community Church, at 7pm.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! THE SPIRIT Carrion's Rock

2012-01-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Ahh, another rollicking adventure with THE SPIRIT by Will Eisner. This time the name of the story is CARRION'S ROCK, orginally published May 19, 1946,
Enjoy!

Phil Poisoon (1942-2011)

2012-01-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

I took the above two pictures while I was on the USS NEWPORT NEWS in January 1965. In the picture with the three men looking at the camera the one in the middle is Phil Poisson. In the other picture that is Phil guiding a “horse” onto the deck. The picture of the older man is Poisson too, later in life.

The two years I was with the Squadron HU-4 I think Phil was out to sea about 80% of the time. I heard some wild things about him. He was something of a legend.

In late September of 2011 Phil emailed me wanting to talk about HU-4. Our common Navy co-squad member Robert Elliott told him about Chicken-fat and sometimes mentioning the squadron HU-4. He also wanted me to send him the decal symbol of HU-4, which I did. He said he was going to have jackets made up with the symbol, would I want one? Yes, I told him.

I think he stayed in the Navy for the long haul and retired as a Warrant Officer. And maybe he made a career afterwards as a Naval Contractor. He lived in San Diego.

To be honest, he could not remember my face. That’s OK, my face is so dull and plain (or invisible) I have a hard time remembering it too.

We have an on- going correspondence for a few weeks then it suddenly stopped. I was the last one that wrote.

Yesterday I got an email form Robert Elliot. He said Phil Poisson was in the San Diego Union Tribune obituary, which I found:

POISSON, PHILLIP T. Nov. 27, 1942 to Dec 31, 2011 Phil, retired CWO3 USN, passed peacefully at home with his wife, Serena, at his side. He is also survived by his mother, Dorothy Poisson, of Southwick, MA; his sisters, Alberta (John) St. Germaine and Ann (Mike) Cameron; brother Harold Delava; sons Edward (Denise) Young and Phillip (Lynn) Poisson II; daughters Amanda (D'Arcy) Rigby, Andre (Tom) Raden and Carolyne (Earl) Harris; grandchildren: Mark Taylor, Samantha Taylor, Alaina Brooker, Kathryn Young, Kristen Young, Elexus Harris, Helen Rigby, and Ian Rigby. He was predeceased by his father, John, and son, Lyn Young. Interment will be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at a time to be announced later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONNIE!!!

2012-01-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

Think Before You Leap

2012-01-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

About a month ago we saw an ad for a 40ish looking radio that had the old fashion round dial that not only was a radio but it played LP records, CDs, and cassettes. Wait! Not only that, it also had the ability to record onto a CD what ever you are playing.

I had to have one! I had a bunch of prerecorded cassettes I accumulated that I thought were going to waste because of modern technology. With this new gadget that is disguised to look like an old fashion radio I could bring my old cassettes back to life by transferring onto to CDs. HAH!

The machine cost about $200. With an in-store “come-on” coupon we bought it for $160. I took it out of the box and sat it up and turned on the radio part. The music came in faintly and we couldn’t seem to tune it exactly on a station. That may be because we had not yet strung up a wired antenna. Then, I turned it off. It turned itself back on. It would not let itself be turned off. Also, I noted that the machine was unresponsive to any of the other buttons I pressed – the buttons were frozen in place.

I counted the cassettes I had plans of transferring. There were 60. Hmmm – I thought there were much more. Of course, not every song on an album is worth keeping, I think if I recorded on an average of 2 songs per cassette I would have 120 songs that I paid $160 for, which averages out to be $1.33 each. I could download the same songs from i-tunes for 99₵ each. Think!

We took it back and said it didn’t work. When the clerk asked if we would like to exchange it for another one, I plainly said, “Nope!”

Interesting View

2012-01-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Above - The National Cemetery in Marietta being the view for condo dwellers.

If this cemetery has ghosts I bet they are not happy about giving their lives for their country in time of war and their final purpose is to serve as an interesting view or a conversation piece. If it was me, I think I would moon them.

Mustn't Be Late For an Important Date

2012-01-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

The past two posts had me waiting on the elevator in the basement talking to Billy triggered off more memories than I realized I had. Now, let us step inside the elevator at basement level:

There was a clerk, I don’t remember his name, but he was typically self-centered that thought his job was the most important in the building (Federal Annex) and don’t anybody get in his way doing it.

His job was to accumulate the figures of the mail volume broken down in different sections, such as States, Atlanta, North Georgia, South Georgia, etc. and have the report sitting on the Operation Manager’s desk every morning.

His little office was in the basement also. He walked at a hurried pace. He reminded me of the white rabbit who kept looking at his watch saying he mustn’t be late in ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

Once while I was walking towards the elevator door I saw him step in and press a button I thought he was pressing the button to hold the door opened until I got there. WRONG! He pressed the “Close Door” button.

The next time I was in the elevator saw him coming I returned the favor. War was declared.

We quit speaking and definitely would not be in the elevator at the same time. For the next few months until he retired he either would shut the door on me or I would shut it on him.

After he retired in the middle of the night one time he called the Time Keeper’s office and asked for me. When I came to the phone he identified himself and apologized. After that, he called several other times and asked for me and we would talk. I picked up by his slurring words and his words preferences he was drunk each time he called.

After a few times he quit callling. I was glad, he hindered my work process. I don't know what ever happened to him.

Crump and the Charming Ops Manager

2012-01-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

On yesterday’s Chicken-fat’s post I told about the clerk Billy who sorted parcels in the basement of the Federal Annex in Atlanta. Billy was one of about two dozen employees under a supervisor name Crump. Crump was a short bald headed chunky man who did not bother his employees. He let them talk and carry on – the job was getting done, that was the bottom line.

Crump had an hour radio show on Saturday mornings on a little am radio station in East Point. I think the show was mainly interviewing veterans. I never heard it, it was too far away to pick up on my radio.

One of Crump’s clerks died. He didn’t die while working but home sick. The funeral was something like 1:00pm. His crew reported at 5am and did not get off until 1:30. He thought they should go to the funeral of their fellow co-worker and gave them a couple of hours administrative leave at the end of their shift to go home and clean up and to the funeral.

A day later when the head of operations found out about the administrative leave he had a shit-fit. A plain and simple shit-fit. There was then, a type of Administrative Leave to “Attend a Veteran’s Funeral” which is what Crump issued out. I think it was meant to mourn high ranking generals. But it did not specify that. I still get the giggles when I imagine the look of the operation manager’s face when he was told about it.*

*The operation manager was so explosive and excitable anyway, I'm sure the news just added to his charm.

Dearly Departed . . .

2012-01-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

We are short at least one, maybe two, 2012 calendars.

We could (1) go to a bookstore and buy how many calendars we need that are surely marked down now. Or we could (2) visit a funeral home and pay our respects to the deceased’s family, then sign the register book , pick up one or two of their new calendars and politely leave. If someone ask are we friends of the deceased or related I will say, “What about the Dawgs!”

Again, we better not.

While my wandering mind thought up the above plot it reminded me of the below:

Billy worked at the Atlanta Post Office, in the basement sorting parcels. Billy was a tall middle aged man that had sort of goofy personality who never met a stranger. Billy’s work station was near the elevator and he struck up a conversation with any one waiting on the elevator.

I was a timekeeper and at certain times had to go to all three floors of the Federal Annex at reporting times and pull the cards of the employees who didn’t show up. On my route of covering all three floors I had to stand in front of the elevator and wait on it and talk to Billy.

Through the years I learned that Billy was single and an avid reader. His forte’ was mostly westerns books. He lived with his mother.

Billy also told me he and his mother had a hobby they jointly did together. He and his mother would study the obituaries in the paper. I don’t know what guidelines they went by, but couple of times a week they visited funeral homes to pay their respects to complete strangers – and get this: take a snapshot of the deceased. He bragged on their big collections of photographs of dead people lying in caskets.

I found a new route.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!!! MAD's Howdy Doodit

2011-12-31T05:06:00.000-08:00

We are going to start this year off right: a MAD #18 comicbook story about HOWDY DOODY, illustrated by Will Elder, with the cover illustrated by editor Harvey Kurtzman who also wrote the story.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2011-12-31T04:56:00.000-08:00

No new year resolutions. If Nostradamus's prediction or the Mayan Calendar proves true, why bother?

People Who Left Us in 2011

2011-12-31T01:00:00.000-08:00

From my viewpoint, looking through my usual tunnel-vision, the following people left us in 2011:

Ron Bennett - Anna's ex-coworker.

Carl Poss - neighobr and family friend.

Dave Dixon - friend and ex-coworker.

Elazabeth Rae Poore Johnson - Hunter relative.

Frances Price - Near relative and family friend.

Betty Henderson Disharoom - teenage friend.

Mike Hobby - Childhood friend.

Ruth Ivey - Anna's friend.

Jack Meaders - Teenage friend.

Jeannette Westmoreland - Relative of Hunter relatives.

Jerry McBee - Friend.

James Kendrick, son of friend Jack and Ann Kendrick.

James Malcomb - Father-in-law of Petty relative; and ex-coworker and friend.

Mytrle Priest - Mother of Bill Rampley.

Lynn Orr - son's teacher and childhood friend.

Shirley Prance - Sister-in-Law.

Barbara Clarke Robinson - sister's ex-coworker and mother of friend Robbie Robinson

Jim Scoggins - Nextdoor neighobr.

Alberta Shouse Kinney. Grammar scool teacher.

Michelle Canada Southern - friend's daughter-in-law.

Helen Steele Fowler - childhood friend.

W.G. Sterling - Friend's father.

I hated to hear of all of their passing. I'm sure I left out some.

Lurking & Slithering in Glover Park

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Oops!

You Roll With My Learning Curve

2011-12-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

You roll with my learnilng curve, or roll with the punches, so to speak. This is my first attempt using a hand held scanner. I know it is not pefect, but pretty good for my first time, right, consider the learning curve. One of my learning curve error is that I forgot to click black and white so it thought it was scanning color. I have to remember that machines are idiots, you have to tell it everything.

Also, this EC TWO-FISTED Civil War story MEMPHIS mentions General M.Jeff Thompson. My ears perked up when I read that. General Thompson was the general over my great-grandfather Jason Henderson Hunter's unit, a unit that specialized in attacking Yankee boats on the Mississippi. It was illustrated by Reed Crandall.

Problem Solved!

2011-12-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago our scanner/printer died. Actually, it still scanned fine but the printer part of it became dysfunctional. We were in the market for a new printer/scanner/bla/bla and bought one.

I thought we did our homework and based on our needs made a wise choice. Then I tried to scan a page from a oversize hardbound book. On our new printer/scanner/bla/bla it is impossible to scan a picture of a page of a hardbound book. The problem is the page of the book not being scanned has to hang over the side of the plate glass being scanned. On this model, there is a little monitor on the side that of the contraption that allows you to communicate your wants and needs by touch selection. The only problem the little monitor rises higher than the scanning plate. Thus, you cannot lay a book of any size down flat, which screws up your quality.

Damn! I thought we were stuck with our new scanner and would have to figure how to work around its problem. Then our son Rocky, not knowing our scanning problem, gave Anna a hand held scanner for her birthday.

It works!

You know, sometimes it is just plain eerie how problems work themselves out.

Hotel Lithia

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

There used to be a place in south Cobb County near the Douglas County line that had mineral springs. People would comes miles around to soak up the rich minerals of the spring. The name of the area was Lithia Springs. I remember in the summer time going with my parents to see my father's brother in Douglasville and riding by the resort pool that was within view from the highway, it was always crowded.

The above is Hotel Lithia that was in Austell, which was the same area. I bet the tourist really got the treatment (wink!).

The name Hotel Lithia has a beat to it like Hotel California doesn't it?

Adam the Hero

2011-12-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Above – a picture off of Google showing what can happen with flame flare-up when deep frying a turkey.

On Christmas day we had the family over for dinner. The first ones that arrived was my son Adam and his friend Savvy. It was in the plans for Adam to come early and do some electronic fixing and correcting for us.

I was keeping my focus on a beef tenderloin roast we were cooking on the grill on the deck. Adam came out and told me there was a fire at the house across the street. We quickly walked and ran over to the house. Big flames were leaping up behind their carport. Adam rung their door bell and knocked on the door but no one came. Their cars were in the driveway but I for whatever reason they did not come to the door. Adam hollered out, “Your house is on fire!”

And that got their attention. They all ran out and I think it was the lady of the house that grabbed a water hose and put the fire out. It couldn’t tell what was burning from my position but I think it was the lattice on the back of their carport. It was surprising that it was extinguished so quickly. Well, good.
They thanked us but somehow I sensed they were wishing we would mind our own business. We more or less said, “Aww shucks, we are just glad y’all are OK.”

We went back. I went back tending to the roast on the grill and Adam went back to the electronic fixing our electronic screw-ups.

Then I heard sirens. Up pulled three police cars and three fire trucks. I found out later that Savvy called 911. One police car drove down the street slowly looking for a problem and apparently saw none. He looked at me and I pointed to the neighbor’s house. He looked at me more puzzled. I, again, pointed at the neighbor’s house. He stopped and got out and said he didn’t understand what I was motioning. I told him it was that house over there that had the fire and added that they put it out already.

He went over to look and so did the rest, including the firemen. From their actions I saw that there was still a problem. They ran back to the truck and got equipment including two ladders. While they were in the back a big belch of smoke shot up from the roof. They stayed there between 30 minutes to an hour, and as far as I know, solved their fire problem.

A little later my neighbor Bob came over and asked what did the police want with me and I told him about the fire. Bob walked over to the house to the spot the fire was in and came back and told me apparently they were deep frying a turkey and were not watching it, and it was right in the middle of some scrap wood… so poof! It was ignited.

Thanks to Adam and the firemen, their house was not burned down.

MELVYN and the CHIPMUNKS, minus chipmunks

2011-12-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Ted Mack Amature Hour was amature compared to this:

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T02:20:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY FUNNNIES!!! PANIC Comicbook Christmas

2011-12-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

I think I ran this comic story before. I plagiarized my own plagiarized story. That is like refrying refried beans. By the way, I received a Christmas card this season of the opening splash of this story, of the kid waiting on a bear-trap to snap on Santa’s foot in the fireplace, from my good friend Pappy of Pappy’s Golden Age Comics, click here

Pulling a Boner

2011-12-24T02:15:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a lady cancer survivor the other day and she told me there is a phrase used for husbands who abandoned their wives when they discovered their spouse has cancer: “Pulling a Gingrich.”

Of course, Newt isn’t the only one that did such a treacherous thing. You could say, “Pulling an Edwards.” I wouldn't vote for him for President either.

Christmas Rule

2011-12-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Kiddies! Remember, I only deliver presents to good little boys and girls. If you don't get many presents on Christmas morning and the rich kid you know did, it just means he was a good little boy, you should be nice to him.

And then, after the good little boys and girls I will deliver the big fat bonuses to all the CEOs and the Wall Street crowd. The regular hourly workers you say? FORGET IT!!! HO HO HO!

Lumps of Coal for Everyone!!!

2011-12-23T01:00:00.001-08:00

Final Christmas story from HUMBUG 1958

2011-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Yep, this is the final Christmas story via the 1958 Humbug satire magazine. If you are an EC comic fan you probably have noticed that many times in EC publlications all the creators are illustrated in the same room, in a twisted sort of way. And this is about what editor Harvey Kurtzman had put on the last page here. Old habits die hard.

Solstice - Magic In the Air!

2011-12-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Solstice. Today is the first day of of Winter. It is also the shortest daylight period of the year. Some believe you can stand an egg on its end today and it will stay that way. That is the truth! If you don't believe me just look at the picture below.

Another Christmas Story from HUMBUG in 1958

2011-12-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

Oh Me

2011-12-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

More HUMBIG #6, 1958 Christmas Issue

2011-12-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was a teenager first reading this ad was it for real or a joke? Was it a real "in house ad" or not.

I didn't want to take a chance to find out. Besides, what would I, as a teenager, do with wrapping paper?

More From Humbug Christmas Issue, 1958

2011-12-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

Wait! This post is running late! Tack it on the LET THERE BE LIGHTS! on yesterday's post.

High Museum Mlusic Warmup

2011-12-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

While going through my vidoes naming, filing, and deleting I came across this. It is at the High Museum during a jazz band warming up for the evening. I don't remember making a post of it, so might as well get mileage out of it while it is on my mind.

Can the Rockettes Top This? I don't think so.

2011-12-19T18:01:00.000-08:00

Kim Jong Il Kicked the Supreme Bucket

2011-12-19T04:40:00.000-08:00

PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea announced the death of supreme leader Kim Jong Il. - AJConline.com

When I first read the headlines I wondered who would take Kim Jong Il's place. His son? His grandson?

Then, I remebered, Kim Jong Il was noted for his intelligence and wisdom. He knew this day would come and to take the burden from all, he made the decision who would replace him: Himself! That's right! Years ago he appointed himself something like Supreme Leader of North Korea for Eternity.

Problem solved!

LET THERE BE LIGHTS!

2011-12-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

* (I apologize for these photos being blurred. They were taken at night, and the automatic camera thought the camera holder would have no problem holding the camera still. That is what a machine gets for thinking.)

As for as Christmas, lights exterior-wise, we have been moderate through the years. We put our Christmas tree in the front window and put a wreath on the door and sometimes a spot light shining on the reef and that was about it.

Our neighbor Terry has for many years spelled out with lights in huge letters MERRY CHRISTMAS on his hedge that is almost across the street from out house. It is something we look forward to every year. Not only do Terry and his wife Glenda wish us a merry Christmas, spelling it, but after Christmas, with just a switch of electrical plug-ins, they wish us a HAPPY NEW YEAR; us and anybody else in the neighborhood that looks.

Through a few years, Terry improved his exterior lights a little each year. Now, in their front yard colorful lights are all over the trees and lining the house. Some lights on the house blink and off so quickly you would think the lights are moving down a line in proper order. His utility house in his back yard is also lined with lights. It was Terry’s way of sharing.

We put lights on our deck again, this time on the pagoda in a neat rope winding fashion and also slightly more lights in front, wrapping around a dogwood tree by the front door.

Then someone cut the power cord to Terry’s MERRY CHRISTMAS on the hedge. Why would anyone want to take away of someone’s joy of sharing?

Terry quickly corrected the problem and put up more lights.

Three of our other neighbors but up lights also. We are not Richmond, Virginia, the self-proclaimed "Tackiest Outside Christmas Decorations Captial of the World", but, instead, our lights are charming.

All this reminded me of the final panel of a Annie Fannie story written by Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by Will Elder and Russ Heath in PLAYBOY magazine 30 to 40 years ago.

Christmas Is Creeping Up On Us

2011-12-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Bull Run

2011-12-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Bull Run Battle, some people call it the Manassas Battle, was one of the first conflicts, if not the first, and just several miles from the Nation's capital. As usual in editor Harvey Kurtzman war stories, nobody wins, and everybodoy loses - do you think he was trying to get a message across? The story was illustrated by John Severin, who normally teamed up with co-artist Will Elder, but Severin was an excellent war artist in his own right. People that know such things said John Severin was good with illustrating authentic uniforms of the time.This came from the pages of FRONTLINE COMBAT #9, 1952,

Happy Birthday Honey!

2011-12-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

On this Date, December the 17th in History:

2011-12-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

1775: 9 old women burnt as witches for causing bad harvests, Kalisk, Poland

Since those primative times people finally realized that witches cannot control the natural elements to cause bad crops. That was truly the dark ages! It was reallly Democrats! Everybody knows that Democrats are responsible for everything that goes wrong, including floods and earth quakes.

This Day in History, Dec the 16th:

2011-12-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

1773 Boston Tea Party. Now the Tea Party has a completely different meaning.

1915 Albert Einstein publishes his "General Theory of Relativity"

1976 Andrew Young named Ambassador & Chief US Delegate to UN.

1978 Ronald Reagan denounced President Jimmy Carter's recognition of China People's Republic. Now they own us.

Twas the Night Before Christmas as Told By...

2011-12-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

This was ripped from page of HUMBGUG #6, which was published in 1958. The satire was wrtitten by Larry Siege. You can see who were household words in 1958 - you don't think they would make up quotes from a nobody do you?

Also on the 2nd and 3rd pages is a sequential cartoon by Bleechman of a White Christmas which has a message.

My Kind of Home Town, Marietta

2011-12-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

HUMBUG's Hero of the month, Fake Santas.

2011-12-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

From HUMBUG #6, 1958, as illustrated by Will Elder.

HUMBUG Christmas Issue 1958

2011-12-12T04:13:00.000-08:00

Off and on for a week or so I am going to display parts of HUMBUG magazine, 1958, No 6, Chirstmas issue, of ocurse, showing only the articles pertaining to Christmas. The cover, illustrated by Jack Davis is of course the crafty Scrooge, who made the word HUMBUG a household word. The next page is the inside page that Will Elder illustrated, showing a Christmas scene in a big city, but cleverly, showing a subscription application blank in the background. It must not have worke, they only lasted five more issues. Or course the staff/co-owners of HUMBUG were the ones who created MAD.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Scare of the Red Scarers

2011-12-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

PANIC Comicbook was a comicbook published in the ‘50s. You know what was prevalent in the 50’s don’t you? The RED MENACE! THE RED SCARE! To the paranoid there was a communist behind every bush. There is always somebody in politics to cash in on those fears.

People like Senator Joseph McCarthy flourished during that time, because of his pursuing relentless pursuits exposing communists. Guess how many he actually exposed? None. He ruined plenty of careers of people who he disagreed with politically… wait! Isn’t that what communists did in Russia?

Very few people were courageous enough to speak up against the so-called investigating committee. I can think of only a few: Edward R. Murrow, EC Publishing comicbooks MAD and PANIC. Below is an example of PANIC making few satirical punches below the belt.

What We Did On Our Anniversary

2011-12-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

The other day was our 44th anniversary. Wow! We have been married 44 years.

We started out the day by going to the Governor’s Mansion. We read that the mansion is decorated for Christmas and it is a sight to see. We also read it is opened from 9:30 to 12:30 daily.

When we drove onto the Governor’s Mansion grounds a Georgia State Patrolman asked us could he help us. We told him we would like to see the mansion, He had a clipboard. He asked for my driver’s license then he walked around and wrote down our license plate number. He told us to proceed up the hill and we were directed where to park.

The mansion was decorated in all sorts of trees and figurines and things. Each room had a docent, which was always a charming, with a Georgia accent, well dressed lady who gave you the run-down on what you were looking at. The first room, the lady introduced herself as “Sandra Deal, wife of the Governor. “ We had a nice conversation with Mrs. Deal. We were the last of the group that just went through, so she talked more on a one on one. She told us it was a big nice place, but they lived upstairs and used only about 3 of the rooms, an office, sitting room, and the bedroom, “3 rooms, just like we do back at home”, she added.

I asked if I could take her picture and she said of course I could. She told us a good deal (get it?)about the design of the house, using Greek names and different styles from trends and/or fashion. I asked her where she was from and she said Gainesville. I asked her if she knew any of Englands in Gainesville. And she said something like Godfrey England worked for them. I told her my last name was Hunter and the Hunters and the England intertwined in their marriages in Union County, Georgia, and some of the Englands overflowed into Hall County (Gainesville).

She gave me a quick polite smile and greeted the newest arrivals and started talking to them. Our audience with the First Lady of Georgia was over.

The decorations were great. Each room has a theme of a sort of a certain area of Georgia. One room had a Christmas tree with sea shells and star fish on it that represented the coast. Another tree in another room had picked cotton all over it, that represented one of south Georgia’s principle crop.

The room that represented north Georgia had Cabbage Patch Dolls (Cleveland), and other things typical of of the area but what stands out is the Spanish Moss hanging from a fireplace. Was that a joke?

Two rooms had children singing groups singing Christmas songs. See the video above.

Mrs. Deal pointed out that if we come back sometime when it wasn’t the Christmas season, with all the decorations gone, we could see more of other such in the house, and I think she meant historical things on display.

In the basement in a room where one group of kids were singing were portraits of all the governors of Georgia. I made a point to find the below one and photograph it. It is a portrait of Button Gwinnett. Button was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. If that isn’t interesting enough, he was killed in a duel. He was an exciting person, wasn’t he?

Also in the same room in the basement singing was a big table where the staff, or volunteers, were overseeing the cookies baked from the mansion’s cookies and apple cider. With the people standing on the other side of the table watching who took how many, I only took one cookie – it would be embarrassing, at 70 years old, to get my hand slapped.

The Governor’s Mansion grounds were impressive landscaped and well trimmed. Georgia has come a long way since Governor Gene Tallmadge brought his cows to the capital to graze on the grass. I haven’t heard if Gene put cattle at the mansion grounds or not. Then, the mansion was Ansley Park, which was not much in the public view, so I dout it, Gene Tallmadge was a master showman.

We went to Atlantic Station to do some Christmas shopping. Atlantic Station looked like a chunk of New York City, maybe a 5 block square, was ripped up and it sailed away and landed off Northside Drive in Atlanta. That section could pass for a section of Manhattan. Apparently, if it was a chunk of New York City was somehow lifted up and scaled down to Atlanta, the cheap street food venders fell off along the way. By the way, I think it was named Atlantic Station because it is the same area that the old Atlantic Steel yards were at. Some of you readers, will mumble something like, “I thought everybody knew that."

We had lunch at Which Wich. Which Wich is a unique sandwich shop. You fill out your order on a brown paper sack by filling out the blanks and multiple choices. Then you give the brown paper bag to the cashier who adds it up on the cash register, put it on a clothes hangers and sends it down an assembly line. Then at the pickup area people are patiently waiting for their order to come. And then, in our case, you look for a normal height chairs with a normal height table instead of those high seats and chairs that they mostly have. We shared a turkey sandwich WHICH was pretty good.

In the evening we had reservations at the Canoe Restaurant on the river. The waitress was a firm believer, I think, in making the customer feel comfortable and right. And also we were absolutely right on everything we said, like, “Excellent choice!” I had lamb sirloin and Anna had the most tend part of a cow, if I understood correctly, it is along the spine. However, as nice as it was, we were seated by a plate glass, of a glassed in porch. It was cold.

Then, after we left one of the better restaurants in the Metro Atlanta area we went to Big Lots to look for more clear Christmas lights and they were out.

B.Lloyds

2011-12-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

Remember the roadside tourist trap B.LLOYDS? B.Lloyds was much like STUCKEY'S. They had pecans and all sorts of things to attract yankees to come on in and buy something southern.

I remember there used to be a B.Lloyds on the 4-lane, aka, Old US 41, on the corner of Mars Hill Road or Acworth-Due West Road.

Our little gang of misfits took B.Lloyds a step in another direction. Our principal, Lloyd Cox, nick name became B.Lloyds, which Larry Bradford orginated. It doesn't look funny in print but it was how it was pronoucned and accentuated that was so funnny.... and it helped if you used your fingers to pull the skin underneath your eyeballs down a half inch or so.

Concert at the First Baptsit of Marietta

2011-12-09T03:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening we went to a concert at the First Baptist Church of Marietta. It was very enjoyable and it played to a full house, or a full sancturary. The above is a random sampling.

The First Baptist Church hosted the concert. The group that performed is SYMPHONY ON THE SQUARE. The group is fairly new, being formed in April of 2010. The first half of the concert was movie tunes, show tunes, and some classical. One of the music numbers was "Hoe Down". I felt like hooking my thumbs in my belt and do a struting dance down the aisle. The last half was Christmas music. All of it was very enjoyable.

Two rows in front of us a female judge sat with some of her friends and husband. Before the concert began my nosiness couldn't help but study her. I found that she is a very good listener. When she is talking to someone, when it is their turn to speak she focals completely on what they are saying and digesting every word and every facial expression the person is making. I'm sure trait that helps her to be a good judge. Althogh if it was me she was stuying and digesting every word I spoke, once I realized she was completley absorb in my communicating I might get nervous and my eyes start darting around and I start patting the sweat off my forehead and cheeks and my voice get nervously high and then I'll start confessing to all the unsloved crimes I could think of.

Anna

2011-12-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

44 Years!

You are my life.

People Watching at the Kennestone Maze

2011-12-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we took a relative to the Kennestone Hospital complex for a couple of routine visits, nothing serious.

I let them out and went to one of the parking decks entrances. There were two lanes going inside. You could choose either lane, drive up to a machine, press a button pull out a time stamped ticket and the gate would rise for you to drive on in.

The second car in front of me drove up to machine, pressed the button and nothing happened. More cars came in behind me. The lady kept pressing the button and the machine would not respond. Somebody in line behind me blew their horn impatiently. In my humble opinion, when someone impatient like that sounds off, it just adds to the pressure and does more harm than good.... or, in other words, ass-hole!

The horn blowing motivated an employee to walk hurriedly over to see what the problem was. He pressed the button and still, no reaction to the machine. He tried that several more times until he was convinced it was out of order. He motioned the car in front of me and me to move over to the right lane. While he was motioning the cars behind me to move over he put two orange rubber cones behind the car at the machine, meaning that lane was closed.

I wondered what about her? She is blocked in. She can't go forward because of the gate down and can't back up because of the cones.

As I was pulling up to the machine on the right side I saw the woman at the bad machine back up, and heard the crunching of the rubber cone and stopped. I went on in the parking lot, having no idea what the woman did about her predicament.

I went to the new section of Kennestone and everything had changed again. It looked like a completely different Kennestone Hospital. They just can’t help themselves. They are always changing, building up, building sideways, tearing down and redoing…every time I go there I have to relearn myself the layout.

I sat down in a little lobby-waiting area near the elevator to wait on Anna and our relative. I brought a book . I was there over an hour and only got a few pages read. The reason I couldn’t keep my eyes on the book is that I couldn’t keep my eyes off the people. Basically I suppose I am just too nosy.

Across from me two elderly men sat. I didn’t pay much attention to them until I saw one of them leave and come back with a cup of water and hand-held it for the other guy to drink from it. Then I noticed the one drinking had a bib on. I wonder if he was subject to drool and was he fully in charge of himself. Then I wonder what their relationship was: brothers? friends? church friends? neighbors? It was not for me to know, but I do know they man was caring, good for him!

One man walked up unsure of his steps, in my opinion, he just didn’t appear to know where he was going. There are two elevators. As he approached one elevator door was opened. He stood outside the opened door and was studying the button when the door shut. He pressed it and turned around to me and said, “I guess I wasn’t fast enough.”

I said, “The door was opened, all you had to do was step in.”

The other elevator door opened. Not noticing the other door was opened, he said, “You mean you don’t have to press the button if the elevator door is opened?” It was about time for the waiting elevator door to close.

I pointed at it and said that door is opened, get in! The door was closing. He reached out, which I’m surprised he knew to, and put his arm in and the door opened back up. He thanked me and got in.

About 5 or 10 minutes later he came out of the elevator with another man. The other man pointed to a door, and said, “You need to go through that door and into that building there.”

A lady came and sat down. After talking to her a few minutes she told me she worked a parking booth and was on her lunch break. I told her how confusing the new parking lot and the new buildings are to know how to get around. She very patiently explained the map of the parking lot and all and sure enough it worked when I left.

A bunch of nurses stepped out of the elevator, probably going to lunch, and a tall maintenance man was waiting for them to get out so he could get on. A very short nurse patted him and asked could he come up and fixed that “thing”. She said it with a wink, with her head turned away from her comrades. He looked about between 20 and 30 years older than she was. How does anything get done?

An old high school friend walked up. He was about to get on the elevator and we recognized each other and we gossiped a while.

When I left, I got and car and went through the same lane as the booth lady that helped me understand the traffic system controlled. We always use 30-visit parking passes and save a few bucks. By what I already told her, she knew where and when I used it last. She looked at the pass and said, “Who was it that marked this?”

I said I didn’t know his name.

She said, “Well, he used green ink, he shouldn’t have used green ink.” She told me not to worry, she would fix it. I thanked her.

GOBAG, Dec 6, 2011

2011-12-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

This speaks for itself.

70 Years Ago, Dec 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor

2011-12-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

This clearly called for war, unlike the "weapons of Mass Destruction" which never were.

Remember, Santa is Watching You!

2011-12-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

And Keeping a List!

Marietta Pilgrimage outside the houses

2011-12-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the Marietta Pilgrimage, aka Marietta Tour of Homes. From previous encounters I know better than to take pictures inside the houses. But, nobody said anything about the outside.

Each year they take a different residential section of near downtown Marietta. This year the house tours were on Wright Street, McDonald Street, and one house on Whitlock Avenue.

The Bagwell-Koutouzis House

The Bagwell-Koutouzis, side

Bagwell-Koutouzis House, side

The Anderson Mansion, below, was one of the eleven or so Public Houses on the Marietta Pilgrimage Tour. You could drop by, get a snack or check out their facilities; see a man about a dog, if you know what I mean.

Anderson Manson

View from the porch or veranda of the Anderson Mansion onto what used to be the Glover Mansion

Porch of Anderson Mansion

Mrs. Dobbins who lived in the below house was the mother of Captain Charles Dobbins, who Dobbins Air Force Base was named after.

The Dobbins-McDaniel House

front porch of Dobbins McDaniel House

The Brooks-Vanderbogart House

Pedicabbi

Marietta trail blazer for women, Regina Rambo, lived in the house below in her teenage years.

Mockingbird Hill, back

Mockingbird Hill, back

Mockingbird Hill, back

Greem-Hildreth House

Ellwood

Ellwood, side, huge outside fireplace

Ellwood, back, old smoke house

Ellwood, back chicken coop w Christmas lights

Ellwood, side

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! CHOOSE SIDES!

2011-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Choose Sides - that was about the just of it, 150 years ago, if you lived in or near a border state. If you live someplace like Georgia or New York you didn't have a choice of what side to choose. However, I recently read of a small town in upstate New York that the people decided to succeed with the south and actually something like a dozen men jointed the CSA. And I read of some men in Macon County, North Carolina, and Union County, Georgia, joined the Union forces.

This comicbook story from the pages of EC's FRONTLINE COMBAT published in 1952, written by editor Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by Wallace Wood.

Correction or a Retraction

2011-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

We went to downtown Marietta yesterday to the Visitors’ Center and bought tickets for the Marietta Tour of Homes, aka Marietta Pilgrimage for this weekend.

While in the area I thought I would verify what I said on Chicken-fat about the old Denmead/Veach’s Wholesale Grocery/Thai Restaurant was yellow, but not so yellow it was an eye sore.

I take it back.

The building is not Yellow. It is Yeller.

Homer Spins a Yarn

2011-12-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

I was going through my video files and found this. I think it is a good character study. I didn't remember using this video in a post before and thought it is never too late. I sent it to Youtube. Then, going through my youtube videos, all 166 vidoes I see that I did show it before afterall.

Oh well, I might as well get some more milage out of it.

Woody Allen Turns 76 Today

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Allen Stuart Konigsberg was born this day, December the 1st, in 1935 in Brooklyn. Later he changed his name to Woody Allen. He turns 76 today.

Woody is amazing. His mind churns out one liner jokes after another, without ending. He was a writer for various show people such as Sid Caesar, Gary Moore, and others, and also did stand-up comedy in small clubs Finally he channeled most of his talents into movie making. Each movie he does, he pretty much controls it from writing it and directing it. But, he is too shy to give the great actors he chooses directions and encourage them to ad-lib and play it by ear. His movies are always innovative, trying things never tried before – not that he is trying to be pace setter, he just marches to his own drummer.

Speaking of music, he plays a clarinet in a small band, which it appears he values more than his movie-maker accomplishments and reputation. One time his movie ANNIE HALL was nominated for a number of Academy Awards and Woody said he couldn’t make it to the presentation because it was on a Monday night and his band had a gig that same night. ANNIE HALL won 5 Oscars that night that Wood did not know until he picked up his newspaper the following morning.

If you know Woody Allen's music you might have recognized his WILD MAN BLUES on several of my Youtube Videos that have been on my blog.

Woody is creative, shy, humble, and perhaps a little strange. Like, for instance he ran off with his and his wife Mia Farrow’s adopted child, with romantic intentions – after she was old enough , of course.

A couple weeks ago NPR and a two part series on Woody’s life and his professionism. I recorded it and am watching in bits and pieces. It is a very interesting study of one of this time periods greatest innovators.

In the three and half hour NPR special I have watched two hours so far. As yet, Woody’s physique has not been mentioned. He is a little frail guy, but he can leap long high bounds like an antelope. He also has a comedic body language like a mime or a clown. But I noticed as he ages he is doing less bobbing up and down. I can understand that.

Happy Birthday Woody!

The Building is Yellow! And Has Been a While

2011-11-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken at Mill Street looking north up the tracks. I took the pictures more than a year ago. How do I know? Because now a walk is over the tracks where we are looking. The building on the right is yellow. It is the old Denmead Warehouse/Veach's Wholesale Grocery and presently a Thai Restaurant.

I'm confused. I thought this was recent charges that the owners of the building recently went ignored city codes and painted it yellow. It has been yellow for at least a year.

Evidently the city takes pride of the appearance at the railway tracks and Mill Street. About a year ago the city pulled a few legal maneuvers to get rid of a red Pullman's car which they thought was an embarrassment to the city. It looked like a good landmark to me.

Septic Tank and Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

1st Try

When you think of Thanksgiving you probably don’t think of a septic tank in the same thought. I hope I won’t ever again, but I have my doubts.

Wednesday we were getting ready for Thanksgiving. The plan was to cook a turkey in our Big Easy oil-less fryer. We have done this often enough to know what to do, which is just as well since I lost the instructions. Anna was working on the dressing preparations upstairs for cooking next day, and I was downstairs looking for the fryer instructions. I heard the commode flush upstairs and saw water gush out of the washing machine drainage pipe. I ran up stairs and reported it appeared our septic tank had problems. A second flush confirmed the situation. Shit! I mean, real SHIT! This was an emergency! The bathrooms were unusable and anything going down the drain was sure to come back up. We couldn’t ask our ten Thanksgiving guests to put up with that. The septic tank had to be pumped.

I called my 90 year old widow neighbor and told her about it and told her I was just going to dig a hole over her septic line and put one of those outhouses for sale on the side of the road near Cleveland, Georgia.

We called a septic company to send someone out. He had a very hard time backing his tank-truck and back-hoe down our driveway and finally gave up, parking on the street. That should have been a warning bell right away. The young man could not say enough good things about himself. He was there to save us, more or less. Before even taking a look at our system, he said he would take us out of danger – in so many words saying he was our savior. He reminded me a lot of the Stanley Steamer commercial carpet cleaner that takes his job a little too seriously. He continued to reference his new born baby at home. Good for him and his wife!
He took his back-hoe off the truck and had us sign approval, saying it would cost $150 more for that service. What? They offered a marked down come-on price of $198 to pump out the sludge, but it would cost $150 to use his equipment to do it? He told us he was going to give us a quick 101 Septic Tank Course which involved him telling us the numerous problems that could cause the tank to upchuck the stuff instantly.

When we told him to just pump it out, he said he could see that money was no object to us to get it fixed right that day. Don’t know where he got that! “Money no object”? Another alarm went off. Then he began to say the gas company would have to come out and paint the grass where the gas line was. He called them and left a message.

He told us that after he pumped it out he would get it repaired, even if it took all night. When asked how much that would cost, he proposed between $3000-$5000. Full Alarm! We were dealing with a shyster!

Anna said she would do without a septic tank before she would pay that much without shopping around and said just pump it out. After that, he stuck around maybe five more minutes and said he couldn’t wait around for the gas man to mark the yard, so he left. He wasn’t gone but 5 or 10 minutes when the gas man arrived who clarified since the meter was on the side of the house and the septic in the back, there was no danger. He said the septic man should have known that. So, we didn’t call him back.

Anna called her mother and arranged to divert our dinner to her house. We even had to go take a shower at her Mom’s. You just don’t know how to appreciate the conveniences we take for granted. Our daughter-in-law Sabrina stepped in, preparing the balance of the meal. What a life-saver! The next morning we cooked the turkey and the dressing and carried it to my mother-in-laws for a delicious Thanksgiving meal with our family.

Wednesday after the man left, Anna did research on the internet and found what proved to be a reliable septic tank company through Service Magic with good reviews through Kudzu.com. Friday the new septic tank man and his helper came, dug the hole, pumped it out, and looked at the setup, saw that the T section was damaged, which they repaired. Cost $1900, which is much cheaper than $3000-$5000.

The second septic tank man had a pot belly like I do. Denim pants have a tendency to slip down and rest at your ass crack, which necessitates pulling them back up from time to time. I think that is called plumber’s cleavage. When I first met the man, we both first pulled up our pants before we shook hands. It was like a ritual.

Once he had to stop work and sit down. He turned his boots upside down and shook them, explaining that his son likes to put pennies in them.

We thought it was all clear until Sunday water came back into the basement after washing clothes. So, we called the septic people out again Monday.

After digging up the yard again, he hooked up his pump to the house and sucked with all he had. Apparently there was a blockage that finally let loose. We hope it is clear this time. Keep your fingers crossed!!

2nd Visit

2011-11-28T01:00:00.001-08:00

Lookie what I found on the Internet! It is a postcard of the three of the most popular churches in Marietta as they were many years ago.

In fact, we were in Saint James' Episcopal Church just over a week ago. Saint James and the First Baptist Churches are on opposite corners of each other on Church, Polk, and Lemon Streets. Both churches, external appearance-wise, have had drastic make-overs since they looked like the above.

And the First Methodist moved blocks away into a new building that doesn't look gothic at all. And sadly the old First Methodist Church was demolished.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD #17'S WHAT'S MY...

2011-11-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

WHAT'S MY LINE? Or was it WHAT'S MY NAME? or MY JUB? It was a popular panel game show on TV in the 50s. Not so popular that the name is branded in my memory though. Just the past week on PBTV was a special on Woody Allen who appeared on this show - the panel members wore blindfolds and Woody spoke in a squaaky mousy voice. Wait, why didn't he disquise his voice? Wnen I saw that part of the Woody special I thought of the MAD version of the show, WALA!

Also senate sub-committees scouring the media to cull out who they thought were anti-American and those they thought were trying to corrupt the youth of the time. I think they did more corrupting and being anti-American than anyone they investigated. But as you can see, this pun was intended to throw a few punches at them.

Of course it was more than likely this story was written by editor Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by Jack Davis. It first appeared in MAD comicbook #17.

NOTE!! The Below is a Satire on Ad Campaigns

2011-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hello. I ran away from home with and joined a carnival when I was ten years old. A lot of grownups I worked with had tattoos and I said, “What the heck…” and got one myself. It wasn’t enough, I got a few more to fit in with my new peers.

Later, after I quit the carnival I was arrested for arm robbery and was sent to prison. I learned in prison a person with a lot of tattoos looks intimidating and gets more respect and privileges. To be the kingpin of the prison yard, I had some homemade tattoos added. After that, big dangerous thugs serving time for assault, battery and murder would step out of my way. Man, that was living!

I have my eccentricities like everyone else, but I am just a plain ordinary guy. My name is Snake-Eyes Shaw and I’m a Mormon.*

*(just jesting).

Rich's Officially Opening the Shopping Season

2011-11-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

When Richs’ Department store was in downtown Atlanta their main store on Forsyth Street were two big buildings facing each other. They were connected by a multilevel bridge. On each level, normally, was an eatery, or some unique department that was best suited to be on a bridge.

Each year on Thanksgiving night they would have the lightening of the Rich’s Christmas Tree ritual. The tree was always gigantic and normally hauled from north Georgia.

There was entertainment galore. For instance a choir would sing on one level and when they finished the lights around them would go out, putting them into darkness and another level lit up with another group with another Christmas song. They had choirs, soloists, and the couple of times we went a well known country singer and perhaps a pop or rock singer that was popular at the time.

After the music and the kids were getting restless all lights on all levels went out and on top the silhouette of dark Christmas tree shape thing seemed to come to life with very bright Christmas lights and all levels lit up with more people singing about the birth of Christ.

It was a true Oooohhh and Aahhhhh presentation.

It reminds me of the priests that bless the shrimp boats or other fishing boats at the beginning of their season. Why? Because in a way, this is the bringing in Black Friday, so let the commercially-money-charged Christmas begin!

Which reminds of one time Rich’s had a statement on everything during the holiday season proclaiming RICH’S IS CHRISTMAS. Local civic leader Jennie Tate Anderson started a campaign condemning that statement. I think Rich’s withdrew it in shame.

Now, there is no Rich’s. Macy’s bought out Rich’s and changed the name. The tree lightening ceremony is still a big event at Macy’s Lenox Square Shopping Center. But to me it is just not the same. Maybe, that is because I have never been to that one.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2011-11-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

The First Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

"Look at those savages! They don’t even know about Jesus! We will force those heathens off their land and claim it as ours! heh heh"

Wait! I Just Thought of Something New!

2011-11-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

... never mind, it passed.

Before the Secret Service

2011-11-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Andrew Jackson

1835 - Would be assassin Richard Lawrence made an attempt to assassinate President Andrew Jackson. First Lawrence's gun misfired. He pulled out a second gun and it just didn't go off. Nobody noticed this going on except President Andrew Jackson, who was no stranger to physical confrontations. The president attacked Richard Lawrence with his cane. They had to pull Andrew off Richard.

I bet that was the last time that happened.

So Long Mountain Woman

2011-11-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

I have known Betty since we were in about the 9th grade. It seems she was always into something. She was full of life. I remember at high school dances she was the best and most energized dancer I have ever seen. Before the night was up she was covered with perspiration. She had her own beat.

Her husband Larry died several years ago. His body is at Kennesaw Memorial, in a drawer overlooking the pond. Not long after he died I rode by and I saw an elderly man with the palm of his hand on Larry's marker and he was crying.

Betty was cremated. The obituary said the memorial service would be private.

I ran into her at Krogers a couple of years ago and she had changed. She seemed embarrassed – that was not like the Betty I knew, who didn’t know what embarrassment meant.

We called her “Mountain Woman”. One look at her and you would do like we did, think of her as Mountain Woman. I think Larry Holcomb christened her with that name.

Jerry McBee and His Niece

2011-11-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

On New Year’s Eve 2009, Anna and I took Jerry McBee to the Strand Theater to see the Billy Joe Royal Concert.

Jerry McBee was an invalid, partially paralyzed by a series of strokes. He was a friend to many people. After the concert Jerry enjoyed people coming up to him in the lobby, hugging and shaking hands. One of the ushers (picture above) overheard some of the greetings to Jerry and asked if his name was McBee. We told her that was correct. Her name was McBee also. Her late father was from Marietta. She was estranged from her family in Calhoun and was presently studying nursing at Kennesaw College. After comparing notes, she decided that Jerry and her late father were brothers. She said he looked just like her Grandfather. The young lady became emotional and told Jerry she would visit him at the nursing home.

Jerry enjoyed pictures of friends. I began taking him picture of his friends at social events, which he put on poster boards he was always working on. A few weeks after the concert I visited Jerry, bringing him some pictures from New Year’s Eve and showed him a picture of the usher niece, asking if she had visited him. He sadly shook his head, “No.” She had not come to visit at all. Jerry won’t be here for New Year’s Eve this year

SUNDAY FUNNIES!!! THE SPIRIT

2011-11-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

THE SPIRIT - Created by Will Eisner and generated by his staff was a comic ahead of its timee. Or I think so anyway. This story was first published in 1947.

Soaking up Cultural at a Play

2011-11-19T04:07:00.000-08:00

Last nlight we went to see the play KOSHER LUTHERANS at The Stellar Cellar in the basment of the St. James' Episcopal Church.

It was a real play with a professional director, professional actors, on a real stage, with a real intermission, and a real audience.

We estimated that there were 65 seats in the little theater.

The play was a light comedy with the message of religious tolerance. It was done pretty good I thouht.

The house was packed. On our row three middle age women were sitting on our right. As soon as the play started the stomach of the lady sitting next to me starting growling. It sounded like an angry cat that was about to go into claw to claw combat. The whining and growling of her stomach got the other two ladies mufflling thier gigglings which one of them must have exerted too much holding her mouth end in that her rear end tooted a short fart. That got them giggling again. I wanted to join in on the fun and lean over with my hand out and say, "Pull my finger." But I didn't.

I'm glad it was a comedy.

On this Day in History, November the 19th:

2011-11-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

1874 - William Marcy “Boss Tweed” of Tammany Hall (NYC) convicted of defrauding the city of $6M, sentenced to 12 years.

1938 – Born: Ted Turner, "The Mouth of the South". I like Ted. He is outspoken and tells it like he sees it. I also like the top picture, he looks shit-face drunk.

1959 - Ford cancels the Edsel

Skipping Down Church Street in Marietta, Ga

2011-11-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

Age Old Question: Should People in Glass Houses Throw Rocks?

2011-11-17T09:34:00.000-08:00

The news media has reported that Freddie Mac has been paying Newt, through their lobbyist, millions in "consulting fees" in the early 2000s. Isn't that sort of thing is what Newt was criticizing the Democrats for?

Didn't Ask, Didn't Tell

2011-11-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago Anna and I and raked and blew the leaves on my mother-in-law’s very long driveway. After we finished it looked nice and clean. I joked, “We better take a picture of it.” Meaning the leaves are not finished falling

The other day I was back over at mother-in-law’s house. This time I brought J, a Latino, to help me clean off the roof. The roof was covered in piles of leaves. J, with a blower, very skillfully blew the leaves off while I was on the ground raking and shaking bushes as the leaves landed on them. Afterwards, the roof looked clean like a new roof.

I thought I would recycle my joke: “I better take a picture of it to make it last.”

J looked puzzled and said, "Do you want me in the peecher?"

We went to our house and first cleaned off our roof. The shortest point to the roof is from the deck. I suggested to J that he put the ladder there to go up. J climbed the ladder to the roof and was about to heave himself off and up when the ladder slipped out from under him. Luckily, the bottom leg of the ladder slid against my shoe and wasn't going any further. J could carefully ease himself down. He said he thought it might be better to go up in front of the carport. I agreed.

I put J cutting vines and other plant life off or near the fence and while he was doing that I sucked up leaves with my blower/vacuum. J prgressively and systematically worked on the fence, leaving a clean fence behind him as he moved forward. It was looking so good it is hard to beleive that fence is at about 35 years old.

At one small area J was close to a patch of monkey grass. I told hlim my dog Willow likes to look for chipmunks in the moneky grass there. He said with his unique accent, "Chipmunks!"

I nodded and agreed, "Chipmunks."

After I sucked up all the leaves in the monkey grass and in the trees' edges I got my riding lawnmower and mulched the leaves in the yard. The first thing I noticed was my gas cap was off. I walked around the yard looking for it from the last time I mulched a couple of weeks ago and didn't see it. How it got off the mower, I had no idea. Anna designed a neat looking gas cap from aluminum foil and molded to the opening.

While mulching the leaves in the back yard I found the gas cap. I hit it with the mower. It lodged onto my blade and blocked the blade from mowing. I put the Snapper riding mower on its end and tried to knock it off the blade with a hammer and couldn’t get it to bulge. It was on too tightly. I decided I would have J help me put it on the truck and after I carry him home take it to the shop.

It was about lunch time. I asked J what he would want for lunch. He timidly asked if there was a Wendy's close by. Yes. He said he would like a chicken sandwich. I asked if he wanted their spicy chicken sandwich and he looked a little surpised, and said, "No, just a regular". Then I remembered last time he did some work here he wanted a Chic-Fi-a and then I also asked if he wanted it spicy. Which he looked a bit taken back that time too - like I was stereotyping him, which I guess I was.

By this time J was finishing up with cleaning the fence and had two truckloads to load up and carry to a landfill. The first load filled up easily because it had plenty of and limbs of two small trees cut down. I told J to spread a pile of mulch left over from a tree cutting we had not long ago and I asked the tree man to leave it.

The next truck load started off very slowly filling up. It was mostly tiny vines and it was time consuming putting on the truck. Then J took it on himself to start rolling a handful of vines which as he rolled was like a snowball, making it pick up more snow and getting bigger and bigger. Instead J had a vine ball getting bigger and bigger. By the time he got to the truck with the vineball it was bigger than the bed, but it was loose and springy. It took both of us to lug in onto the truck bed, with it hanging off both sides. J climbed up in the truck and jumped up and down on it and each jump it compacted itself into a smaller size. It was hard unloading alone, but it was an idea truck load.

When I got back J had finished spreading the mulch into a very methodical pattern over the ground

I asked him to help me load the lawnmower onto the truck and I told him how the blade had lodged itself into the gas cap. He wanted to see it. We lifted it up and with a hammer he dislodged it - it was fixed!

He saved us a bunch. We have been paying a group around $100 to clean my mother-in-law’s roof annually. Considering how much we were paying J and how much time it took, the roof cleaning cost about $5 this time. And the lawnmower, I don’t think the place I carry my Snapper would have even looked at it for less than $75. J is someone who is willing to work and do a good job. I think he takes pride in his work.

His work was done. I paid him and carried him home

I did not ask J if he was legal and he did not tell me.