Some New Year’s thoughts

Soon it will be the first day of the
new year. As such it will mean tomorrow we
have 364 more days to make this year better
than the last.

We also noticed a few things that stuck in
our craw and we will address them here.

Has anyone else noticed that some of the
comments on blogs have gotten an attitude
and could be “R” rated?

It is frustrating as a Veteran because we
all did our thing to ensure the freedom of
speech and all freedoms.

We wonder why that when someone can’t
debate an issue with facts they resort to
insults, innuendos, and/or profanity.

Then we have all seen the hoopla when a
celebrity or known politician dies. This
is fine in its own way, but we don’t hear
things that are also important.

Like the fact that 22 veterans commit
suicide every day. The numbers could be
even higher because of the way the suicides
are counted.

That story is here.

Another pet peeve is political
correctness, which is just a name put on
process to make anyone who disagrees with
current politicians in charge think that
they are wrong.

Take failure. The politically correct group
tells us that failure is unacceptable. But
we were taught failure is a lesson in life.

After all, if you don’t fail you don’t
learn. And if you don’t learn you’ll never
improve yourself.

And even though we are supposed to have
two separate political parties, they act
and vote more like there is but one.

Because of this we feel some sort of get
out of jail free card will be passed into
law this year for illegal aliens.

Flash mobs happen, people in Chicago are
still getting shot, and crime is in the
news daily. Yet we are told that crime is
actually down.

And if one checked the Uniform Crime
Report put out by the FBI it would seem
so. And yet we wonder…

A Chinese curse says “May you live in
interesting times”. But since we’re the
type that believes if life hands you
lemons, make lemonade or squirt someone
in the eye, we think our interesting times
are a blessing.

Happy New Year!
Comments are always welcome.

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 47,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 17 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Time

For some reason I’ve been thinking about
time a lot lately. With the realization
that now I have more time I can only see
in the rear-view mirror and less time
looking ahead through the windshield.

A wise, unknown person once said-

Time is

Too slow for those who wait,

Too swift for those who Fear,

Too long for those who Grieve

Too short for those who Rejoice;

But for those who Love

Time is

Eternity.

Add to that the fact we cannot change the
past or know the future, and that leaves
us with the here and now. Someone once
said they call it the present for a
reason.

So time was on my mind while I swept the
walks and shoveled the driveway. But I
also took time.

Time to look at the fresh sparkling snow
that looked like it had diamonds imbedded
everywhere when the street light cast its
glow.

Time to notice that nobody else was out
and about in the single digit temperatures.
I could almost imagine that I was the last
one left to turn out the lights.

That bubble soon burst with the passing of
a snow plow. But I still wouldn’t trade the
experience if I could.

And now, we thank you for taking the time
to read my disjointed thoughts here.
Comments are always welcome.

Do you remember?

New Year’s Eve is almost upon us and our
traditions are many.

It is an International event celebrated by
people around the world with parties,
family gatherings, feasts, dancing, the
countdown, and at least one rendition of
“Auld Lang Syne”.

Many make New Year’s resolutions that
are often broken before the hangover is
gone.

At our place we remember loved ones no
longer here to share the event with and
landmarks in our lives.

Anniversaries, the births of our children
and the lack of sleep for the next 18
years. I was always terrified they would
act up as I did when I was younger.

We remember times we couldn’t be with the
family because we were on a ship bobbing
around on an Ocean with only phosphorus
shells for mood lighting.

If you live long enough, and the kids
leave the nest, you count how long it has
been since you had children underfoot.

We smile when we remember holding our
bouncing baby boy in one arm and the fact
he is now 24.

It is a time cherished, if for no other
reason than we survived another year.

So Happy New Year! We hope it is as
enjoyable for you as will be for us.
Comments are always welcome.

The book tale

Austin Phelps was a nineteenth century
American Congregational minister, educator,
and textbook author. I know of him because
of the one quote he is famous for.

“Wear the old coat and buy the new book.”

And even in the modern age of instant
access to online facts, I turn to a book
for information and pleasure.

I do this, even with older books, thinking
that if nobody has disputed what was
written then it must be true.

Recently a friend emailed about a book he
had reread and liked. At first mention I
didn’t believe I knew the book.

But it sent me on a quest looking through
our bookcases, nooks, crannies, and stored
boxes to see if I had a copy.

I was told the book was out print and I
admit to being surprised on more than one
level when I found it.

My first surprise is that I found the
the book in question amid my collection.

Another surprise was that my copy was a
first edition.

Then I noticed that the Pyramid Books
paperback from 1965 sold for the princely
sum of fifty cents!

And finally, when I saw the yellow Mercer
on the cover I knew I had read the book and
had enjoyed it.

So I read “A Worm In The Ear” by Peter
Lewis again after a several decade rest.

It took me back to my mid-teens when I
was lusting after a coffin-nosed Cord.

As we’ve said, we believe a good story
can paint a picture and this one did so
and then some.
Comments are always welcome.

About time

We felt it time to share more diversions
that we ran across cruisin’ the information
highway.

Here is a video of a guy having fun with
his car.

The following is a story, told in 27
pictures, of the downfall of Ronald
McDonald. We will forewarn it is rated
‘R’ because of drinking, sex, arrests
and violence.

If you still wish to peruse it, go
here.

In case you don’t know the difference,
this video shows both American and
Australian burnouts.

And to whet your appetite, a video about
the Gilmore Car Museum.

For a song we decided to go with “The
Call” (no need to say goodbye) sang by
the Poppy Girls live at the Royal British
Festival of Remembrance.

If you are soft-hearted the ending will
mist up your eyes.

We’ll leave you now to enjoy this
eclectic collection of diversions as
we have to end the cruise because of
prior commitments.
Comments are always welcome.

Years end thoughts

With this year almost gone, we got to
talking about how it went. The wife and
I are both happy with how things are
going and hope next year is just as kind
to us.

Of course that got me thinking about cars,
roaring down two-lane black tops, and what
automotive events are coming up.

Here are a few to mark on your calendar.

Over at Cordova Dragway Park, the 13th
Annual Hangover Fest will be held on the
first day of the new year.

The gates open at 10:30 am, and the first
100 patrons though the gate will get free
aspirin and a special gift. See the link
for more information.

January 24th-26th are the dates for the
2014 Rod & Custom Auto, Motorcycle &
Products Show. It will be held at the
QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Avenue, Rock
Island, Illinois.

February 22,23 is the Monticello Rod &
Custom Car Show at the Berndes Center,
766 N Maple Street, in Monticello, Iowa.
Call Tom or Galen at 319-465-5119 for
more information.

You have plenty of time to get ready
for the 32nd Quad Cities Cruisers Open
Run Show on June 14th. This year at new
location: the Kimberly Center, 1002 West
Kimberly Road, Davenport, Iowa.

The event will run from 4-9 pm and we
will update when we hear more.

The NSRA has released its schedule of
2014 events and they are listed at
Rod Authority.

And the car in picture at the top of this
post is a 1963 Chevrolet Testudo. There is
only one and it sold at a 2011 auction for
$460,000.

We may do a story on it at a later date.
Comments are always welcome.

A post-holiday clarification

Now that the holiday is over, we have a
an issue we wish to address. If you can
just bear with us, we’re sure you will see
a method to our madness.

We have been receiving some emails that
claim our posts have spelling mistakes,
grammatical errors, and improper usage
of punctuation.

Rest assured that we are aware of said
problems, but will not be changing them
any time soon.

You see, we insert said errors, mistakes,
and improper usages for those who look for
such things.

In attempt to broaden our horizons we
try to reach as many different segments of
online readers as possible.

There are only so many redneck stories,
conservative opinions, faith-based
posts, or rants one can do.

So if you notice these little glitches
consider yourself part of the online
audience we are attempting to reach.

And if you don’t notice, please don’t
start.

We hope this clears things up.
Comments are always welcome.

A Christmas tale

We received an email about this song
from a friend and thought we’d share
the story with you.

It said that from 1558 to 1829, Roman
Catholics in England were not permitted to
practice their faith openly.

And “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was
written as a catechism song for young
Catholics.

The song had a dual-purpose. Enjoyment of
the song for most and a hidden reminder for
those who knew the code.

Said code is as follows:

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus
Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New
Testaments.

Three French horns stood for faith, hope,
and love.

The four calling birds were the gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah
or Law, the first five books of the Old
Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six
days of creation.

The seven swans a-swimming represented the
sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-
Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,
Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight
beautudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits
of the Holy Spirit- Love, Joy, Peace,
Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten
commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the
eleven faithful disciples.

And the twelve drummers drumming spoke of
the twelve points of belief in the
Apostles’ Creed.

We did not verify the above because we
found it a beautiful tale as is, and we
choose to believe.
Comments are always welcome.

Merry Christmas!

Some say there is a lot stress around the
holidays and that we should all take a
deep breath to relax.

Instead we offer the following diversions.

Like the following video on the real
meaning of Christmas.

Around our place we like a hot rod
Christmas.

And Santa has a Hot Rod

And Andy Griffith

And

And, of course

This one has nothing to do with the
holiday, we just thought it the best
bean commercial ever.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and
please remember to keep the shiny side
up.
Comments are always welcome.