Christmas Past

Christmas is over and what a wondrous Christmas it was. We got to spend it with the best of both worlds. Our real family on Christmas Day in their wonderful home, and our rving friends here at the rv resort in the week leading up to Christmas. It was wonderful to be with family and enjoy the Christmas spirit, three family house holds came together in Crestview Florida to celebrate family and the joys of holidays. And the food, oh so good… ham dinner with all the trimmings and a deep fried Cajun turkey. It was funny to see everyone exchanging gifts… seems like everyone got something to help them keep warm… the Florida panhandle can get a bit chilly in the winter, especially at night. I got a kick out of the gifts that the kids got. One niece got exactly what she wanted… a record player unit with the speakers built in. I know, if you older you’re probably thinking… what? Here’s a quick review…

This is what my grandparents had…

My parents had one like this…

and as a child, I had one like this…

 

Okay… being a child of the 1960’s, and seeing record players go through the transitions of 16, 33 1/3, and 78’s, which us older folks know had mostly to do with the speed the record was played, then records moved to a smaller format and speed called the 45’s. Yep, the ones with the big hole in the middle that needed that adapter to play. Later, self contained units with the speakers gave way to turntables that played the record, amplifiers, and those ever bigger and bigger speakers that gave you the perfect Hi-fi stereo sound. Hi-fi meant high fidelity. So music was in the home, but mostly bound by electricity.

The new 2013 version… that is selling today.

Now here’s the big transition… we had the old record players, then reel to reel tape players… then music went portable with the transistor radio… then your personal choice of music with 8 track players, then cassette tape players… then the big jump to compact disc players… then ultimately to digital music and MP3 players that allowed you to take 1000 songs with you anywhere in a ¼ pint sized pocket unit. Wow! this was huge!
Having said all this, with all these advancements, kids are going back to record players! To coin a phrase…
“What just happened here”? Do I hear twilight zone music?
I’ll have to did deeper into this desire to have Lp’s resurrected.
Stepping back into the modern age, another niece got water speakers for her thoroughly modern MP3 player…. okay! Standing tall and upright, the portable speakers give you a pulsating to the music colored light and water show… very cool!

Very cool indeed!

Those were two of the coolest gifts!

Scarf’s, gloves, blankets, throws, and related cold weather gear also were popular.

But getting back to Christmas. Christmas in the resort was also a real treat! The resort supplied the ham, which we cooked, and the guests brought side dishes and desserts to complete the meal. More food then you could ever imagine! The resort clubhouse was packed. We had a wonderful dinner, Christmas music, and after dinner we held a Dirty Santa gift exchange. It was a “if you want to participate” event… and to my surprise, everyone participated! Gifts were picked out and sometimes stolen during the Dirty Santa, but everyone had a great time, and got some nice gifts! Gifts were to limited to around the $10 price… but I managed to snag a $50 fishing rod, very cool! And later I got a “Lighting Ever” CSI type zoom flashlight… yeah, I know… the last thing I needed, according to Shelly was another flashlight, but this one is extra special… small to fit in your pocket but with a search light brightness.

Shelly saw it, and just had to get it for me… a Mike Wazowski, that’s Wazowski with bank! Also very cool!

that’s Wazowski with one “eye” ???

So yet another Christmas has come and gone, we all survived, got some nice gifts, and lots and lots of great food!

Hope y’all had a wonderful holiday!

 

    

Nice Merry Christmas Card

A nice little Merry Christmas Card to see or send.

click on this link>>>

http://ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/preview/flash/bws8Shell_fps24.swf?ihost=http://ak.imgag.com/imgag&brandldrPath=/product/full/el/&cardNum=/product/full/ap/3166187/graphic1

Have fun making the snowman! 

12 Days of Christmas

[ The Food Version ]

On the Twelve Days of Christmas…

My true love gave to me…

Twelve Blue Crabs Steaming

Eleven Shrimp a Spicing

Ten Chicken Wings

Nine Ocean Scallops

Eight Barbequed Ribs

Seven Hush Puppies

Six Crab Leg Clusters

Five… Onion… Rings

Four Fried Pickles

Three Chickens Breasts

Two French Rolls

and a Crab Cake made with Old Bay

Yes… I’m very Happy… and very Full…

So this is what’s it’s like to feel Jolly!

This is a Maryland Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Wintery Escape

There's nothing quite like a early morning walk in the woods. The silence of nature and solitude of the woods. A winter wonderland of trees as the snow gently clings to the branches. You can feel and smell the crisp freshness of the air, while watching your every breath create a wintery mist. A pine cone resists it's white velvet like blanket... and a squirrel continues his frantic search for acorns. Off in the distance, peering through the trees, a young deer watches your every move. Overwhelming majestic silence... absolutely nothing is making a sound... nay for the snow softly crunching beneath your foot steps. Indeed, silence truly is golden. The sweet sound of silence in nature. Just take several moments to enjoy it all. This was a special moment in time... a memory that gave a feeling of endless peace and tranquility. A memory that everyone needs to escape to, if only for a short while. Alone in nature… just you thoughts. Priceless!

Knowledge

The quest for knowledge. Mankind has always had a quest for knowledge. Some have this burning desire early in life, that continues all their life. Most get wrapped up in day to day life and the interest fades or is sidelined. Interesting how once retirement negates the ever busy day to day life, and the thirst for knowledge intensifies. Two types of interest arise from this quest. One, to read and know what has already been discovered, you just have to read what is already know. Secondly and more interesting, are the questions and interest in knowledge for what is still unknown. Most times, what ever knowledge is acquired results in more questions for the unknown. Mankind's forgotten history from tens of thousands of year ago. Advanced knowledge that was lost to the ages. Where did it come from, and how was it lost. Evidence of lost technological knowledge that is out of reach even today, largely unexplained, expressed only as theories, that are dismissed by provable science, but never the less existed and was well beyond today's scientific or explanation. These are the questions that occupy inquiring minds. Things that exist from the ancient past, that can not be technology explained. Ancient stone structures, leaps in mankind's genetic and DNA development, evidence and accounts of ancient encounters between man and beings perceived as "gods" that came from the heavens. Questions that may never be answered, technology that may never be rediscovered. But as man's knowledge advances at an exponentially ever increasing speed... what will we know tomorrow? What will we know in my lifetime, or that of my grandchildren? And what will still remain a mystery? What discoveries will change everything? Or who will return to reveal all the answers to all the questions? Something to ponder with extra time now afforded by retirement and a much less busy lifestyle. Or perhaps time is better shared with simply watching the wonders of nature and enjoying the motion of the trees in the afternoon breeze, the waves lapping at the shore, and the beautiful skies during a sunset. One thing is for certain... you can enjoy it any way you like.

Literary Conspiracy

For what’s it’s worth… as a rational mind sees it.

Now there’s a concept… literary conspiracy to influence another’s thought process, feelings, beliefs, and actions. Well, isn’t truly everything we hear, see, or read intended to influence you as a person? Truly every source of input if you will, is some kind of influence, in varying degrees, to the concept of who we believe we are as a person and how we react to all things around us. Everything is a source of influence. How we are raised, and the values we are taught govern how we perceive, interpret, and apply all of those influences. So our basic foundation of good and evil, right and wrong, are the controlling factors in the person we are, and the person we become. Foundations set down by good parenting, positive family influences, schools, and religions. Foundations, that if properly constructed, maintained, and reinforced, will always go to the good and moral side of any issues or influences. As a child I was exposed to many influences. I drew on my influences to determine for myself, what was right, and what was wrong. A good influence was something to be emulated… and any negative influence should be considered inappropriate behavior and discarded as being not acceptable. This is what I was taught… to think and realize the difference between good and bad, positive and negative, and the right path to follow.

As a society, reality teaches us to be no so trusting. Question everything, and the motives. Motives… there in lies the question of conspiracy. Is someone trying to influence you, or your opinion without giving you all the facts, or simply telling you things that are not true to influence you. Sad to say, but the news media and advertising, spawned by politicians and big business usually does not give you all the true facts… or at least not openly. It’s all around us… everyday! From simple advertising foo-pas to get you to buy their product (results not typical), to outright deceptions and cover ups. And our children are bombarded to the same degree as we are as adults. Some things are obviously a deception or negative influence. Some things are concluded to be a literary conspiracy to present a negative impression via a positive story (really). If you try, you can mentally make the leap with little effort, to find a hidden message, or a negative lesson on life, in almost everything. The latest rally around the conspiracy theory is that some Disney movies are a negative influence on children… teaching them undesired values… that might negatively influence their lives. Well… get a grip! Everything in your child’s life is some kind of influence. It could be positive or negative. It was, and is, up to you to teach and influence how your child perceives that influence. Good as something to strive for, and bad as something to avoid. Negative influences are every where every day. If you laid the proper moral foundation then anything negative in their life would be viewed as something to avoid… a bad example, things that should not be done. That, my friend is your responsibility in life. You can not shield children from all negative influences… but you can teach them how to perceive it! Shield what you will… but it is much better to teach them how to perceive negatives, rather then simply try to shield them from it… believing that you have done you part as a parent. Do the whole job! Not just part of it and then condemn movies, tv, or music for being a negative influence.

There are entire web sites dedicated to the negative influences
of Disney movies on your child.

GET A GRIP!

 

One of the latest crazes to the literary conspiracy to negatively influence children is some Disney Movies. REALLY! You can via almost any progression of though, find a negative influence in anything. Kids see everything… even petty differences and spats between parents which is not only a source of negative influence, but one that is right in their own house, where you are to lead by example. Perhaps you should listen to the words of the songs that your children enjoy! Negative influences are every where! If your child can be influenced to have negative behavior simply because of the negative influences of songs and movies… YOU HAVE NOT DONE YOUR JOB AS A PARENT! Do not deflect the blame. Shielding them is not as effective as teaching them! … and giving them a good foundation for what is right, and what is wrong! You won’t have to worry about the negative influences beyond your control… because they are going to have them… no matter what degree of shielding you attempt. Perhaps if more time was spent teaching them, being a positive influence yourself, on how they should deal with the negatives, you would have better results, less worries, and not be looking and grasping for hidden conspiracies in everything they see. Just something to think about. If this hits a nerve… perhaps that too is a indication that you are not doing all you can.

So the next time you view something as a negative influence on you child… be the positive influence that teaches them how to deal with the negatives influences in their life. Explain that this is not the way to be, or not the thing to do. You can not shield them forever from everything. Simply shielding them (which can never shield them from all negative influences), and condemning things ( deflecting the blame) that seem inappropriate, is not doing the entire job as a parent!

Just something to think about when you sensor the influences on your child… thinking you have done the complete job!

Perhaps that is part of societies problems today.
       To blame something else for short your short comings.

My child’s behavior isn’t what I’d hope for…
         because of all the bad influences in their life.

         Hope this really isn’t you!         

Falderal

[ A recent entry on Facebook]

Falderal or thoughts for consideration… ???

Many, many years ago... they had the pant. But the pant only covered one leg at a time, somewhat useful, but not very practical. You could wear a pant on one leg or the other, but you really needed two to do the job properly. And too many times you'd find one pant, and not the other, so there you were, missing one pant. One was always getting misplaced or lost. Then someone got the bright idea to enhance the pant by combining two, and sewing them together. Ahhh... "pants"! Now, what is know is that pants were always getting dirty and the only solution was to basically be pants less while the pants (two pant sowed together) were being washed. So you need another pants when one was being washed. Then the concept evolved to having work pants, and good pants. Hence, a pair of pants. One pant put together with another is "pants".  Having two different pants, gave you a pair. Okay, a pair of pants, as in two sets of pant(s). So where did we come to say that a pair (as in two) of pants refers to just one pants? A pair of everything else refers to two! Like a pair of socks... yes, two. A pair of gloves, again two. So just how did pants and shorts start to be referred to as a pair? as in two? when there is only one! These are the questions that trouble men's souls... and inquiring minds have searched for this answer for over 500 years. The search continues to this day. So in conclusion, it has become apparent that we may never know the answer to this age old question. So if this is one of the things that torments your soul, you may just have to get over it... you will never know the answer. Move on with your life. Think about more important things. Like, why do we "take a pee"? Really? "take"??? Now you know... it's time to change your life's quest. Start today! You'll feel better for it! All success to you!

[comments] …

“???” ….

“Um” ….

and “fiddle dee dee”

In case you were wondering….      http://www.thefreedictionary.com/falderal

Making something so meaningless, seem so monumental and full of great importance (well, it should be).
And while we are on the subject... why, just why are some letters in a word IF THEY ARE SILENT! Now who thought up that concept? And why do we need a "C" and a "K", one or the other would do just fine! We could throw out several letters and be perfectly fine.
Then there's the 12" to a foot, 36" to a yard, and so on... who in their right mind thought it would be great to count by 12's...DUH! TEN FINGERS...TEN TOES! And I'd certainly like to shoot the guy that developed fractional measures by 12th's, 32nd's, and 64th's of an inch... REALLY??? ... It's 38/64th's of an inch....BANG...TWICE!
But those are all another topic for later!

[The conversation continued]

[question] … Are you drinking red bull for breakfast again?????

[reply] …  Too much C12H22O11 and C8H10N4O2 !!!   (sugar and caffeine)

[question] … Thanks I was going to have to Google that to see what it was

[reply] … Sleep deprivation combined with sugar and caffeine... the mind races while the body sits at the Pc.
It's like taking a trip, and never leaving your chair.
The next step... the Twilight Zone!

Such are the early mornings when you are left alone…. alone… just you and your thoughts!

Should come with a sign… “BEWARE”… “Beware to all”

Ahhh…. The voice of reason…

Busy Holidays

This definitely falls under the category...
"if the phone doesn't ring... it's me".
Be safe and happy for the holidays.
( busy, busy, and too busy )

Life a Beach

A picture is worth a thousand words…

Toes in the Sand!

Home is where you park it

Home is where you park it… and this winter season we are in Navarre Florida. The Campground is right on the sound, and we can walk to the water… or it’s a short drive to the gulf beaches just two miles away. We will be calling this home through May…  visit Brandi and the girls for the summer… and return here for the fall, winter, and spring next year.

Here’s a few photos… Our Rv Site…

The Campground

That’s the Navarre bridge in the background

 

Sunsets from our beach / pier.

 

A short drive gets us right on the gulf beaches

The neighbors…

What could be better!

Relaxing on the beach…

Toes in the Sand!

Collecting shells… our little treasures.

Yep… Life is a Beach! For Shore!

PS: Do we miss the cold and snow?… no!

We just go to the white sandy beach and pretend it’s snow…

but, it’s no fun making snowballs out of sand…

but, ya can make a perfect snowman!

But it’s not all perfect…

sometimes ya have to wait and wait…

but, I got plenty of time…

so come visit sometime… if you don’t mind waiting.

Heroes

Many times in our busy lives, it’s easy to set aside all that has made what we enjoy today possible. The everyday Americans that offered a full measure of themselves to ensure the American Way of Life that is enjoyed by all. For over two hundred years they have quietly defended the American Spirit to ensure our freedoms. They have fought not only to ensure our freedom, but that of people around the world. They lived there lives to the fullest, made the ultimate commitment and sacrifice knowing that as individuals, little honor and remembrance would be bestowed upon them. Yet each and every one that served is a hero for ensuring even the simplest of liberties that we enjoy today. Many lead a quiet unassuming life after serving. Many pass into the forgotten memory of their service except by close family and friends. Society reveres movie stars, music artists, big businessmen, and many others that merely enjoy the benefits of our liberty and freedoms. Some, like politicians, exploit those liberties and freedoms, that were fought for by everyday Americans as soldiers, and disregard and dishonor their sacrifice and memories by the way they perform their elected duties. Many veterans leave this life with little fanfare as to their service, perhaps only a small epitaph in a local paper as to their passing. So, when you met a veteran in your life’s travels… take a moment from your busy thoughts about your busy life… and Thank them for their service… and the liberty’s that you enjoy everyday. I recently found this article shared on facebook. Perhaps you to will take a moment to read it, and realize that you too can do a better job of thanking those that made it all possible. In the past, the present, and in the future!       

Here’s the article: ( author unknown )
I'm not sure who wrote this but I like it. He was getting old and paunchy And his hair was falling fast, And he sat around the Legion, Telling stories of the past. Of a war that he once fought in And the deeds that he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; They were heroes, every one. And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors His tales became a joke, All his buddies listened quietly For they knew where of he spoke. But we'll hear his tales no longer, For ol' Joe has passed away, And the world's a little poorer For a Veteran died today. He won't be mourned by many, Just his children and his wife. For he lived an ordinary, Very quiet sort of life. He held a job and raised a family, Going quietly on his way; And the world won't note his passing, 'Tho a Veteran died today. When politicians leave this earth, Their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing, And proclaim that they were great. Papers tell of their life stories From the time that they were young, But the passing of a Veteran Goes unnoticed, and unsung. Is the greatest contribution To the welfare of our land, Some jerk who breaks his promise And cons his fellow man? Or the ordinary fellow Who in times of war and strife, Goes off to serve his country And offers up his life? The politician's stipend And the style in which he lives, Are often disproportionate, To the service that he gives. While the ordinary Veteran, Who offered up his all, Is paid off with a medal And perhaps a pension, small. It is not the politicians With their compromise and ploys, Who won for us the freedom That our country now enjoys. Should you find yourself in danger, With your enemies at hand, Would you really want some cop-out, With his ever-waffling stand? Or would you want a Veteran His home, his country, his kin, Just a common Veteran, Who would fight until the end. He was just a common Veteran, And his ranks are growing thin, But his presence should remind us We may need his likes again. For when countries are in conflict, We find the Veteran's part, Is to clean up all the troubles That the politicians start. If we cannot do him honor While he's here to hear the praise, Then at least let's give him homage At the ending of his days. Perhaps just a simple headline In the paper that might say: "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A VETERAN DIED TODAY."

You lookin at me?

Wanta have a staring contest… okay… go!

I saw you … you loose…

okay… okay…

two out of three…

you loose again!

Disney Illusions

SPOILER ALERT: There’s a secret behind the Magic.

STOP here or continue?

Magical Illusions…

Illusion, magic, make believe… It’s what Disney is all about. When looking down Main Street USA to the Cinderella Castle, it was built to make it look twice as far away as it actually is. Buildings are made to appear larger and taller. The most recent illusion is that of the Beast’s Castle in the New Fantasyland.

High atop the mountain,

overlooking the village below is the Beast’s Castle. 

Towering high over the mountain it looks to

be hundreds of feet tall as well as massive.

Must be 200 foot tall!

 

When in reality, it is a fraction of the perceived size.

Here’s a construction photo to illustrate.

Now you know how it’s done!

and how your eyes and mind can fool you.

or

you can still simply believe…

it’s really Magic!  

In Memory

72 years ago today Pearl Harbor was attacked.... just ninety minutes after it started 2,386 Americans had died and another 1,139 were wounded. Please help me honor them so that they are not forgotten.

Christmas Time at the Beach

Happy Birthday

To our wonderful daughter…

Happy Birthday!

Winter Home…

All I can say is…  Ahhh!!!