Month: November 2016

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

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

Your three words, my little story
Patty’s words: disgusted, life & home

It’s been a whole LIFE ago, since Patty has returned HOME. Her memories were of a huge house, with an abundant amount of fona in the front yard and plenty of room to play in the back. Now it’s all different; seems smaller, terribly rundown and surrounded by a darkened nature. She hesitated at the door fearful of walking back in the house.

 

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Near Colonial Beach, VA

Patty’s mom left a year after she was born and was never heard of again. Day dreams and nightmares convinced her that she was kidnapped. It was easier to believe that, than knowing her mom didn’t want her.

 

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Western North Carolina

 

When she missed her dad, she would go to the rock. Her quiet place was a huge rock that sat between the Lost Creek and the woods off of Route 77. She never knew what kind of animal she would see and that was great. She also never thought of fishing, but she did nap.

 

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Port Tobacco, MD

 

Her vague memories of her dad were nice, but limited by his death due to her young age. It was a tragic accident at the local power plant, he fell two hundred fifty feet and died instantly. She was seven years old, when her grandmother moved in and told her what happened.

 

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Morgantown Power Plant at Morgantown, MD.

 

DISGUSTED with life and all her surroundings, she left Sloan as soon as she was old enough. Just like her mom she never returned, well until now.

 

The inheritance reading will be eleven o’clock on Friday in Wilson. She will probably end up with all of momma Bell’s belongings and money, especially since she is her only living relative. The house was hers anyway, so now she can sell it and leave as quick as she came.

 

Random thoughts: Atkins diet

/ Jim McDonald / 8 Comments

Random thoughts: Atkins diet

 

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In North Carolina about a month ago. Let’s consider this and the following pictures as my before photos.

 

On October 31, 2016, I started the Atkins diet at the weight of 274 pounds. This morning has been the start of the twelfth day and I have lost nine pounds. Woke up and the scale told me, “Congratulations Jim, you weigh 265 pounds.”

 

I did this same diet in 2009/2010 and lost ninety seven pounds in seven months. When I stopped the diet I eventually gained all the weight back. The same would happen with any diet.

 

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Three months ago at the marina

 

The diet starts with the two week induction plan. This part of the diet is considered the carbohydrates (carbs) cleanse. In a twenty four hour period the dieter can have no more than twenty carbs. I stayed on the induction diet for the whole seven months.

 

During the sevens months, I had five cheat weekends and ate what ever I wanted. Those weekends were from Friday evening to Monday morning. Didn’t gain any weight, but also wouldn’t lose any until Thursday morning.

 

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Four months ago at a yard sale

 

Towards the end of the seven months, I incorporated some diet sodas and some foods that didn’t have carbs, but did have artificial sweeteners. Guess I needed the sweet taste. My weight lose took a hit at the end and I had no idea the artificial sweeteners were to blame.

 

Over the past few years I tried the same diet including the diet sodas and sweeteners. I didn’t lose the weight as I had hoped to.

 

Four days into the diet this time, I researched the sweeteners and found out that most of them are not good for the body. Some of them even caused blood sugar spikes, which carries the dieter over the twenty carbs a day mark.

 

My experience has shown me that if I’m off and on the diet, my cholesterol will take a hit. However, when I followed the diet exactly how it says, all my vitals are good. Proved by my blood work.

 

I can use all the encouragement you can muster.

Random thoughts: Veterans Day

/ Jim McDonald / 2 Comments

Random thoughts: Veterans Day

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My dad, James F McDonald, at Arlington National Cemetery. He has been there since 1975 and now mom is buried on top of him.

Happy Veteran’s Day every one.

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Dad and me at Camp Bussac, France in 1955

My father and son are both veterans of the Army. I wish them both a very special thanks for protecting me and my way of life by their service overseas.

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Dad, probably before I was born.

Dad did his twenty and I’m so proud to be his son. Years back my dad would not let us kids go to school on Veteran’s Day. I didn’t understand then as I do now how important this day is.

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Jamie at Fort Hood, Texas.

My son went through boot camp, hung out at Fort Hood, Texas and spent time in Kuwait. I’m very proud to be his dad.

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Jamie, probably in 2006.

I thought I would see more posts today about our veterans. Sadly that wasn’t the case.

Thanks to all the veterans as you served to protect the United States of America.

Random thought: Embarrassed

/ Jim McDonald / 6 Comments

Embarrassed

 

This is my second political post in two years. I try not to get pulled into mean spirited threads. I’ve done well with it until now. The day of the vote, meant it would be over until two and a half years. It seems that day had no effect on the political attitude of many, no matter if you were on the winning or losing side.

 

Now we have thousands of people rioting because they didn’t get their way. I have no idea what they expect to gain, other than make a fool of themselves and our country. The vote is OVER, please let it lay.

 

Some of my friends have made some political statements, but they weren’t mean spirited. They were just stating witch side they came down on. That makes sense to me, if you want to put it out there.

 

I also have some very close friends that have made some really mean spirited posts and comments and they profess to be spiritual in nature. What kind if nature is it? They continue to make these comments as if they are hidden from the world and God. The internet is open for everyone to see. EVERYONE!!

 

I grant you, everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion. However most people have a way of stating there opinion in a nice orderly way. On the other hand some hide behind the cover of the internet and say very ugly statements that they wouldn’t dare say in front of someone else. Those people embarrass me.

Past, present & plans: 11-10-16

/ Jim McDonald / 4 Comments

Past, present & plans: 11-10-16

 

Past

 

I mentioned in a previous post that we raised several acres of tobacco. One of our fields had really long rows. They went from the barn to the road, probably five or six hundred feet, maybe more.

 

After the stalks grew to term, we cut them down to hang them in the barn. We bent the plant over at the base and cut it clean with one blow of the tobacco knife. At first we cut two rows at a time.

 

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This is a tobacco knife similar to ours

 

I had to stand up after cutting twenty or so plants. The number of plants I cut before standing grew and grew, till I eventually bent down and didn’t come up till I was at the end of the row.

 

We started the day by, George and I, cutting four rows between us. After that I was the only one cutting and by that time I learned how to cut four rows at a time. George then joined dad spearing and I would cut till dad said, “That’s enough.” At that point I would join them spearing.

 

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Tobacco sticks

 

Spearing the tobacco involved another some what precise swing. We would stand a tobacco stick up, which was about five feet tall, and put a tobacco spear on the pointed end. Then we would reach down, grab a plant by the cut end, swing it up and slam it down onto the spear and slid it ground ward on the stick. We could fit five or six on the stick by spacing them apart properly. Air had to flow through them and cure the tobacco as it was hanging in the barn.

 

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Tobacco spear

 

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Ready to hang in the barn

Present

 

I put my houseboat up for sale yesterday. If it sells, the money will go to the down payment, closing cost and moving expanses for the lot I have my eyes on.

 

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My home for over two years

 

Today is my oldest son’s birthday, he is now forty three and a veteran.

 

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My oldest son Jamie and my granddaughter Vera.

 

Happy Veterans Day!

 

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Jamie on his mount at Ford Hood, Texas in the mid nineties.

 

Plans

 

I am head long into the Atkins Diet and so far have lost eight pounds since October 31, 2016. The weight loss includes the four days I lost, due to artificial sweeteners.