Down She Comes

    Last week, I had one of the trees in my backyard cut down. A maple tree about 70 feet high. The trouble was where a branch had been cut years earlier. The spot started to rot, filled with bugs that eat wood, ants, etc. I was afraid that in some future hurricane, it would blow down on my neighbors house. Right now the house is abandoned, so I don't know what the outcome would be, but the place has been sold for taxes and I am expecting a new house to be planted there. I wouldn't impress the new neighbors if my tree fell on them.
    I had two guys, about my age, do the cutting. Ex power company employees, pole climbers by trade. I told them to just get the tree down, I would look after the rest. So for the next two days, my wife and I cut it to manageable pieces for the wood stove for some time in the future, and got rid of the rest. I told my wife she would have made a great pioneer.
    The next morning I noticed that the tree next to this one didn't have a leaf on it, while the rest of the trees in the yard are still full.

Old and New

    Every weekend, our newspaper has a section on the first world war - stories, photographs. The section makes me think about previous wars. Before photography, there were paintings. Think about those from the Napoleonic Wars. Large, vivid in colors, seldom dark or morose. Wind blowing capes, horses, one foot in the air, the general, brave and daunting, in front of his troops.
    Quite a contrast from the first world war photos, with their singular color of black and white, no brave general leading his troops, but troops dragging through mud, falling over dead and dying friends. Horses pulling gun carriages, straining at the load, starving, never to see green fields again.
    The Napoleonic Wars had the same grief, the same mud with the generals at the back of their troops, and the soldiers dying in the mud.

Joyride

     A couple of days ago, I wheeled my daughter into the van and drove her to Wal-Mart. It's so easy to do with the new van. I find that when I am driving, I am a touch more nervous than normal. Been driving for 55 years - not afraid of driving. At other times I drive the car and all is normal. But the van is a wheelchair type and cost over $60,000. I'm not worried about my driving, I'm worried about everyone's else's. Any type of accident would be disastrous. Even a slight touch on he back may not allow me access to the ramp, and then how would I get my daughter out. It would be a struggle getting her through the side door and I would never get the wheelchair out. So - extra careful.

An Onion A Day

   

     Depending on airport flights, airport waits can be long, and if not prepared, tedious. I find that a book as a travelling companion is a must. With or without a book, people watching can be most interesting, productive or disheartening.
     I sit in New Jersey - my carry-all luggage wrapped around me - a chapter finished. The spies can wait while I eyeball my surroundings. Raising my head, my first blink, like a photo, captures a couple, each with a hamburger laid out on a napkin, which tries its best to stay in place on their laps. It appears each has ordered a patty with the same trimmings. As I watch, they began to trade condiments - she dislikes onions, he tomatoes, she dislikes pickles, and he lettuce - and so it goes. With trading completed - both satisfied, they press their sandwiches back together, happy for the trade. They appear to be a good match.
     A man walks by holding a submarine sandwich by three fingers. The other two fingers clasp onto a dangling plastic bag. It hangs down rigid, eight inches long, dragged down by the weight of an onion. Not just any onion, but a large one, yet unpeeled, its outer skin green and brown. Is it a souvenir - something to brag about to Midwest relatives, "Everything is large in New York, look at this onion." Then again, it could be dessert, one I would shy away from, and I suppose from anyone who consumes one raw. Wonder what flight he is on?

Italian Craftsmanship

While walking along a passageway on the Caribbean Conquest, at center I noticed a bump in the floor bearing a sign, "Watch Your Step." A year ago, on the Norwegian  Spirit, there was no such bump. I asked my son about this. "Oh," he said, " this ship was built in Italy. The ship last year was built in Germany." It seems they build Caribbean ships in a naval shipyard as two pieces, then welded together. Italian craftsmanship - maybe they should stick to purses and shoes.

Down South

Just back from three cruises down south. First, Carnival Conquest, second, Norwegian Sky, and third, a swamp boat in the everglades. No meals on the third one. I think we were the meal, catered.

Tha Best Man?

I read this from Tom Clancy. "Corrupted men only select other corrupter men to be their peers."
That reminds me of my air force career. Drunks promote drunks, cad players promote card players, and golfers promote golfers. It's the same in every business. I expect it's the same at the White House security. Then there's that Ebola farce in Texas.

On the Ball

On the ball this morning. Lathered up with shaving cream, then grabbed my hair brush.

"Red Rabbit"

Reading Tom Clancy's "Red Rabbit."
Finding it slow going.

Title To Wonder About.

Working on my book. Still haven't made up my mind about a title. My three thoughts are
"The Man in the Panama Hat." "The Scavi Incident." and  "Neocropolis."

Good Books

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them." -

Mark Twain

All Good Books Are Alike

All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a writer.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

A Thriller Is About People In Danger

A thriller is always about people in danger. The key is to make the reader share the hero’s anxiety. In all popular fiction, the author’s aim must be to get the reader to feel the emotions of the characters. That’s what makes the reader turn the pages.

KEN FOLLETT

Facebook

When I watch American news at night, I notice that the first 15 min. is the news and the last part is what I call fluff. Stories about cats and dogs and other touchy, feely things. Facebook is the second part of the news.

My Fridge

  

     I used to have an under the counter fridge. It became so packed, I couldn't find anything. So I bought a large fridge for downstairs. Over time, they became so packed, I couldn't find anything. When I did the last renovations on the kitchen, I bought a large fridge for upstairs. But now both fridges are so packed I can't find anything.
    Yesterday, I told my wife about this, and as an example I told her that I was looking for pepperoni, but the fridges were so packed, I never did find it. So she said, "That's because I never bought any."

A Van Farewell

This is the last picture of my van as the new owner drives it away. I hated to sell it. but, things move on. Now I have my 2014 wheelchair van. As soon as I opened the back door, my daughter's eyes opened wide and she let out a big laugh. Easy to drive her in. That was last week and today we are going to Wal-Mart. I better bring my Kindle with me. Don't need to walk every aisle, touching things.

Mail Delivery

    Well, it's official, home mail delivery ceases next year. Then it will be trudging off to some super mail box somewhere. It won't be one of the joys of winter.
    Went to the Rehab Center on Fri. My daughter was all measured up for the insert for the new wheelchair. Of course, it was raining that day. Hail and rain just as we wanted to get out of the van. Spent the next ten minutes answering questions. "When do you think it will stop?" " Is it stopped enough?" "Is that hail?" "Should we try it now?" It did stop and we made the mad dash.
    Did learn something new. They are getting a new system in and they want to see if she can use a computer by just using her eyes. That sounds intriguing. One can only hope. Don't know when the system is coming in.
    Back again next week for another fitting.

Rehab Center

    We were supposed to go to the Rehab Center on Wed. and get my daughter fitted with an insert for the new wheelchair, but that didn't happen. Tech. was sick, so we are supposed to go today. Just as well, it was raining heavy at the time we would have gone. Did you ever notice how it rains more when you are leaving or going to your vehicle? Got a call the other day hat my new van will be returned next week. Told them I want a rear camera installed before I pick it up. Over two months since we started this venture. Paid for the new wheelchair yesterday, $4300.00. Will have to pay for insert later. Just heard it may rain this afternoon.

The Old Truck

    Well, I didn't see that coming. My neighbor sold his truck, just as I got used to borrowing it. He took it in for a brake job and found out it would cost a $1000., so he bought an SUV. I certainly can't borrow that to haul topsoil. Oh well, at least I had it for the two weeks while he was away. I was able to bring in two loads of topsoil, one load of gravel and the wood for the fence.
    Most of the hard work for the summer is now done. Earlier this week, we painted the fence, and my wife painted the patio. Now its down to cutting the grass every week. Of course, my wife still has that list, and I've having been that anxious to look at it.
    Cut the grass last Monday, a non-rain day. Actually, I need a non-rain day and one or two days to let the grass dry before I cut it. It's raining today and Sunday, so there goes Monday's job.

Fence Posts.

    Two weeks ago, I decided to replace some broken fence posts. This a ritual I do every year. It's usually two or three posts. This year, I decided to replace them with treated ties. Take them longer to rot. As it turned out, we replaced all twenty of them. Do it now and get it over with. I won't be replacing posts next year. It took my wife and I three days, with my son helping on the last day.
    I have a simplified fence, not meant to keep anyone out. Posts are ten feet apart. Between the first two posts I have two five inch boards, then it's one board to the next post, then it's two again, so forth, all the way down. That's one- hundred feet on each side. The back fence is wire, put up by the mall. Beyond is trees.
    When I first came here, back in '74, we had a white picket fence. Painting that was something else. No Tom Sawyer here. Then one day, my wife surprised me - she sold the fence. Seriously, I didn't think anyone would buy it. But, someone came with a truck and carted away each section, leaving me the posts. So I copied the one my father had in his yard.