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.

 

330863280123

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.

 

9d936c5c41160776b910362ea66c27df

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.

 

tobacco_spear_-copy

Tobacco spear

 

p8ctt

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.

 

20160616_151117_hdr

My home for over two years

 

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

 

txu6p5z9ts2afk2vgs66q2zsneiimejtlsi54wi0zui

My oldest son Jamie and my granddaughter Vera.

 

Happy Veterans Day!

 

fb_img_1478812282344

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.

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

/ Jim McDonald / 4 Comments

Your three words, my little story
Meghan’s words: headphone, loafers & poster

 

Since you brought up the seventies, let’s talk about them for a few minutes. There’s a saying that goes like this, “If you remember the seventies, you weren’t there.” That basically means, if you weren’t doing the bountiful amount of drugs then you missed the party. If you missed the party, then you probably remember what you did. I guess you can say I was there.

 

I was the type of person that wore raggedy blue jeans and dirty tennis shoes. Not nice slacks and penny LOAFERS.

 

It was a regular occasion for some to get stoned, plug in the HEADPHONE jack and lay around on a bean bag chair. All you needed then was a black light and a POSTER or two.

 

I graduated high school, Carpenter Apprentice School, got married and divorced in the seventies. I drank myself into one DWI and was arrested for marihuana twice. Some kind of way, with help I raised two kids, who now have kids of their own.

 

Thank God my kids and I lived through those times.

How ya like my hat? Flag hat

/ Jim McDonald / 2 Comments

How ya like my hat? Flag hat

 

img1478625486728

United States Of America

 

I was visiting DC yesterday, when I saw a small demonstration in the middle of the street. It caught my eye, because it was colorful and loud. There were only a few dozen people, but still enough to block the road.

 

Even though I know DC very well, the notion of turning around irritated me. Especially, since in my view these people were demeaning my country.

 

wash-dc-area-map

I live about fourty five minutes south of DC

 

I parked fifty feet away, then walked to vender that was selling Americana paraphernalia. I bought a hat, flag and some water.

 

I had no problem sneaking into the small crowd. When I was in the middle of it, I put the hat on and raised my flag high yelling, “Hey! Hey! USA!”

 

I noticed my actions were causing problems with my adversaries, because they started shouldering up to me and were nudging me out.

 

Some by-standers noticed this, so they went to the same vendor and picked up some hats and flags. More and more people joined me in my chant. “Hey! Hey! USA!” We yelled this over and over and soon out numbered the picketers.

 

fb_img_1439837129693

God bless America

 

It was quite funny, because some of the demonstrators started chanting with us. Since we outnumbered the incumbents, we started nudging them out.

 

Before you knew it, we were the only ones chanting, then the crowd slowly dissipated until I looked around and I was the only one there.

 

At that point I felt a little stupid standing in the street all by myself, so I left.

 

Is this story fact or fiction?

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

/ Jim McDonald / 7 Comments

Your three words, my little story
Nina’s words: dream, mother & heart.

 

Lately, Nina hasn’t been sleeping well. She prays often, drinks a warm glass of milk and of course she does the age old counting of sheep.

 

counting-sheep

Counting sheep

 

When she does fall asleep, it’s only for a brief time. She wakes up abruptly jolting the bed several times a night with no memory of her dreams. Habitually she snuggles up to her husband to feel the comfort she just lost. He always asks, “Are you alright honey?”

 

“Yeah sweetie, can’t sleep again.”

 

For work she needs more than a restless nightmare. Subconsciously she might be afraid to doze off and DREAM, for fear of the nightmarish journey that lies ahead.

 

She doesn’t remember any of the night time trips, except one. It’s about her MOTHER, who passed away many years ago in her sleep. Nina feels ten years old was way to young to lose her mom.

 

mom-dad-2-2

This is an old picture of my mom, Grace.

 

Nina’s son and daughter are in their teens now. She tries to do everything she didn’t have a chance to do with her mom and it seems she’s accomplished that. Proud doesn’t begin to describe how she feels about their relationships.

 

Her home, and it is a home not a house, is the busiest place on the block. All the neighborhood kids like visiting her children. They say, “Your place is teeming with compassion, warmth and filled with HEART.” They all love Nina and feel very safe there.

 

fb_img_1478448391068

My home, that I lost in 2014

 

fb_img_1478448362935

Another picture of it.

 

Why can’t she sleep? She has great kids, lovely home, good paying job and a sweet understanding husband.

 

A close friend mentioned, “Working out just before you go to bed might help. Or make love to your husband, anything to exhaust you.” This might help her rest, but she still needs to pinpoint the problem. Maybe a sleep professional.