How ya like my hat?

How ya like my hat? Hughesville (true story)

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

How ya like my hat? Hughesville (true story)

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We moved to Hughesville from Lanham in ’65. The post office was at the center of town and if you blinked you would miss it. I attended fifth grade , played Pony League baseball, played Colt League baseball and met my first girl friend there. I lived on that farm till I married Mickey in ’72.

 

Our little town never had hats back then, so when I saw this hat at a yard sale my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Two dollars bought this one and another similar one it. The “H” does stand for a Hughesville softball team. Too cool.

 

This picture was taken about a year and a half ago at the local Bed, Bath and Beyond. A guy that worked there took several pictures for me. When I was explaining to him that I wanted the pictures for my, “How ya like my hat?” gig, it was very apparent to me that he didn’t care.

 

How ya like my hat?

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

How ya like my hat? Hill billie hay

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Me and Raymond were rambling around in North Carolina, when we saw this hat at a flea market. Raymond said, “You have to get this one Jim, it’s you.”

I said, “Are you sure? It looks a little hillbilly.”

“It looks like you buddy and it can’t cost much, right?”

“Yeah, I guess it would be a good one.”

As I was walking up to buy it, a lady grabbed it and asked the owner, “How much?”

The man at the end of the table said, “A dollar.”

“Sold.” Then she turned to me grinned and asked, “How bad do you want it?”

I looked at Raymond and said, “Oh my! Did you see that?”

“Yep, what are you going to do Jim?”

The lady said, “Yeah, Jim what are you going to do?”

I asked her, “Do you really want the hat?”

“Not really. Again I ask you, how bad do you want it?”

Realizing what’s going on I pulled my phone out, brought up the camera then handed it to Raymond and showed him the button that takes a picture. He knew exactly what the plan was. As I was doing this I offered her two dollars for the hat. She motioned with her right thumb, higher. “Three, four, ok five.”

“Not enough.”

“I don’t even know if it fits. Can I try it on?”

“Sure. Here you go.”

I put the hat on, faced Raymond and he took four or five pictures, then I gave it back to the lady and said, “I changed my mind.” Then I thought, all I wanted was a picture of me wearing it for my Facebook folder, How ya like my hat?

 

Just messin. Barrowed it for the picture at a thrift store in North Carolina

 

 

How ya like my hat? Stetson (true story)

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

How ya like my hat? Stetson (true story)

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This is one of my favorite hats, ever since ’95. Our “Vacation Bible School” theme at Forest Park Baptist Church that year was Cowboys and Indians. I bought it at Fred’s Saddlery in Waldorf for forty dollars, but this picture was taken in 2012.

That year the pastor asked me to take over the fifth and sixth grade boy’s Sunday School class. I did NOT want to do it, but I prayed about it and said yes. With in two weeks, I was asked to combine our class with the fifth and sixth grade girl’s class. I accepted, but by years end I knew what I already suspected. I was better suited for the Prison Ministry, which God used me to bring to the church the year before.

I excelled at the Prison Ministry, especially since I had inside knowledge of this particular jail. I knew how it felt to live there, because I lived there years before. I knew that the best meal was hamburger and french fries night and I knew how stingy they were with the condiments. I had insight on a number of the little things that we take for granted out here. This gave me a connection with the guys and they listened to what I had to say. All I can surely say, is that a seed was planted.

 

 

How ya like my hat?

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

How ya like my hat? Irish hat

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I was at a concert in Ireland the other day and it was crazy. Some of my friends didn’t make it out, like Raymond and Wally. Too bad for them, because I liked them. Well life goes on and on and on. Since it was an AC/DC concert I had to get a hat.

 
Heading back to the states I was proudly wearing my new AC/DC hat, when one of the flight attendants asked, “Are you Irish?”

 
I said, “No, why do you ask?”

 
She said, “Well the hat.”

 
“You mean my AC/DC hat?”

 
“No. I mean your Irish hat.” I took the hat off turned it around and then realized it said Irish. I guess it’s a good thing my name is McDonald.

 

Just messing, I bought for $2 at a local thrift store.

 

How ya like my hat? Jordan River (true story)

/ Jim McDonald / Leave a comment

 How ya like my hat? Jordan River (true story)

 

    I bought this hat, when I was in Israel in 1995. As I packed for the Ten Day Holy Land Tour, I never thought about a hat to keep the sun off my head. There was sun and sand everywhere, Israel’s color was tan with not much greenery. Our guide took us down to a bend in a little river where a friend of mine got baptized. She was part of our group, but also from my church. I was all ready baptized, but I really wanted to do it again, because it was the Jordan River. Wow, the Jordan River, to cool.

     I had a chance to ride a camel while I was there, but my pastor talked me out of it. He said they are filthy smelling animals and I would smell bad all day long. So I decided not to. I’ve regretted that decision ever since. I will probably never get a chance to ride a camel again.

     This picture was previously posted in Facebook on March 4, 2013