Month: September 2016

Past, present & plans 9-9-16

/ Jim McDonald / 5 Comments

Past, present & plans 9-9-16

 

Past

 

When we moved to Hughesville in ’65, we didn’t have running water. We had what I called walking water. My brother, George, and I carried gallon jugs of water from our neighbor. Two at a time through the weeds, from about three acres away. It seems to me I remember plastic gallon jugs. According to one website, “plastic gallon jugs were introduced in ’64.”

 

To take a bath we had to carry them up stairs in our old farm house. Mom would heat water on the stove and we would carry that up stairs also. I can’t remember the order, but each of us took a bath in the same water.

 

Present

 

Matt registered the other day at the Clark Senior Center and today, his wife, Teresa, did too. We ate three lunches at the center and they were well worth a three dollar donation a piece.

 

After lunch Teresa went home, while Matt and I went to a Creative Writing class down the hall. There were eleven chairs filled with warm bodies, which I thought was pretty good. The teacher answered a question of mine that has plagued me for weeks.

 

The class is free to registered seniors and you can’t beat that.

 

Plans

 

A friend told me that Omega 3 fish oil has helped him with his general aches and pains. He said, “It took three weeks before it took affect.”

 

I bought a three month bottle. When I see the bottom of the bottle, I’ll tell you if my aches and pains are gone.

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Your three words, my little story: Lori’s words

/ Jim McDonald / 4 Comments

Your three words, my little story
Lori’s words: tiger, diploma & houseplant

 

Lori was so proud of her DIPLOMA. She put a lot of time and effort into graduating at the top of her class. Getting her degree early worked well in her plans. Now she could open the first Veterinary shop ever in the sleepy little town of Sloan.

 

She had all kinds of plants at home, indoor and outdoor. At the moment there was only one HOUSEPLANT in the office. Hanging her diploma over the plant was great. It added a little of her decorator back ground to her new digs.

 

It was two days before she got her first phone call. She answered saying, “Lori’s Veterinary Services, what’s your critter?” She was so tickled, she couldn’t hardly contain herself. Her first customer was on the phone.

 

He said, “ My name is J. J. Johnson and I have a feline problem.”

 

“What kind of cat is it?”

 

“A TIGER. It’s a small one though.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I’m messin’ with ya. I have a two year old calico and there might be something wrong with his man parts.”

 

She immediately saw dollar signs, because the vet bill on a male calico can get high. Especially if it suffers from Klinefelter’s Syndrome. “When do you want to bring him in?”

 

“Is tomorrow at nine am alright?”

 

“Let me check the calendar.” She knew she had no appointments yet. “Just so happens tomorrow at nine is open Mister Johnson. Let me get your phone number and the Calico’s name.”

How ya like my hat? Tall hat

/ Jim McDonald / 9 Comments

How ya like my hat? Tall hat

 

I was heading into a meeting with a bunch of my friends, when one of them pulled me off to the side. He told me, “I’ll give you a dollar, if you wear this hat during the whole meeting and lunch afterward.”

 

I said, “No, but I’ll do it for six dollars.”

 

“Why six?”

 

“That way I’ll have money for lunch.”

 

He said, “Okay.”, thinking he got me to do something, that I normally wouldn’t do.

 

After lunch my friend Wally asked me, “Where did you get money for lunch?” I told him the deal I made and he said, “That’s a pretty good deal for you.”

 

“Yeah it is.” Wally knows I would have bought the hat for my, ‘How ya like my hat?’ gig. This way I got the picture, story and lunch for free.

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Picture was probably taken in 2014.

Just messin, paid a dollar for it at a yard sale.

Random thoughts: ageless (true story)

/ Jim McDonald / 6 Comments

Random thoughts: ageless (true story)

 

My new writing spot is on the lower deck at Port Tobacco Marina Restaurant, known to some as the ‘Port’. I was heading down there to write about an author I had the pleasure of meeting the other day, when I had an unexpected surprise.

 

First off, I often say, “Where ya goin’?” To people, when they are walking past me. Some will answer and some won’t, but those that do answer, we get to spend a short time together in this large life.

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Port Tobacco Marina at night

I was walking over to my new spot, when a man asked me, “Where you going?” I found out later his name is Dave and he was refered to as the leader of the pack of three men and one woman. The average age is seventy six and they were out jet skiing.

 

I was pointing down to the lower deck, when I decided to chat with them for a while instead. I’m normally not in any hurry anyway, so spending time these friendly people was a delight. I told them, “I was going down there to write.”
Dave asked, “You’re a writer?”
I replied, “I’m trying to be.” And chuckled.
I quickly gave them my life story, “My first wife left me and my two sons, when they were two and four. Now they’re in their forties. I raised them in a drinking and drugging environment, till I quit in their teens. I have a lot to write about, my kids, drinking, drugging and women. I just need to learn how to write, so you will turn to the next page of my story.”
Dave said, “Ummmm.”
“I got sick with COPD and lost my house and bought, that houseboat.” I said while pointing to it. I then said, “I haven’t cut my hair since I moved on the boat. I thought the look went with the whole writing on a houseboat scene.”
That’s when one of them mentioned, “We are jet skiing!”
“Cool! On those?” Pointing to my right across the little channel.

 

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Dave is in the ski to the right

The lady said, “Yes.”

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That’s the 81 year old youngster on the left and his 76 year old wife on the right

“WOW! That is so cool.” We talked about that for a while, because I was truly amazed at the vigor in this group. I can barely get out of bed and here they’re playing in the water. They paid their bill, while I advertised my little blog site.

 

Then they headed across the bridge to their powerful little water machines. The oldest youngster is eighty one. I thought I was doing something special by going back to school and trying to become a writer. These guys are truly ageless.

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This is the bridge that connects ‘Port Tobacco Marina’ to the ‘Port Tobacco Restaurant’.

Past, present & plans 9-7-16

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

Past, present & plans 9-7-16

 

Past

 

At the moment I can’t think of anything notable left at Lanham, so I will move on.

 

We moved from Lanham, MD, south to Hughesville, MD in the fall of ’65. It was a very interesting time for me, because I don’t remember much of the previous moves. Of course I didn’t want to leave my friends, but I was interested in living in the country.

 

It was just dad and I the first night there and we camped out in the living room. Again I felt special, but I’m sure it was only because I was the oldest at eleven.

 

Dad said he wanted to move us kids out of the city and give us a chance to grow up working in the dirt.

 

Present

 

Yesterday Matt and I, went to one of the local Senior Centers for a “Meet the Author”session and also register Matt. We found out I misread the calendar and was at the wrong center. After Matt registered we went to the Waldorf Jaycees to meet the author. She was a Waldorf resident named Mary Ann Jenkins, who wrote three books so far.

 

We both learned so much, since we are trying  to learn how to write we soak up all the knowledge we can.

 

There was eighteen of us in the audience and she taught us about copy writing, self publishing and of course told us about her process of writing. I did buy one her books and got her autograph.

 

Plans

 

I decided yesterday not only will I add a new category called, ‘Story by others’ I will add another one called ‘Meet the writer’. Over the past two years I have probably gone to at least six writer signings and took notes on all of them. I will probably start with Mary Ann Jenkins, since she is the latest.

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