Aunt Alice and the Port Jervis Phone Company

Oh it sounds like such a good title!

Really it's just about a picture that my Cousin came across and sent to me tonight. My Aunt Alice better known as Aunt Allie, my Dad's sister and the woman who drove like the wind to the hospital, me in the passenger seat in my Uncle Ed's lap, his hand like a vice holding my leg together, Aunt Allie stopping for no one.. beeping the horn all the way. I swear when we reached the top of the hill where the hospital was we went airborne.

We got there alive and they sewed my leg up good...I got about 40 stitches and a GI Joe...It was the 60's and one of the most exciting rides ever. I digress...

So My cousin found a picture of Alice when she was seventeen years old and working for the Phone Company in Port Jervis, New York (circa 1947) ....see below

My Aunt still lives in Matamoras,Pa where she and my dad grew up. It's on the Delaware River, on the other side of the river is Port Jervis, NY.

Aunt Alice

Less than 60 years ago our phone calls were made through an operator like Alice, there was no direct dialing ,cell phones, no faxes, Internet or home PC's. Those times were much simpler than the complex world we live in now. While I like a lot of the new gadgets, somehow this picture makes me think maybe all the gadgets aren't really worth the aggravation!

Well, I gotta go..I've got emails to reply to, my cell phone is ringing!


Photos courtesy of my cousin...no royalties paid at this time, he still owes us for all that penny candy we bought for him when he said he didn't want to break a $20...oh, and note penny candy isisn't just a penny anymore..

Entering Athol

I was able to install a new wireless router today. I've never done that before but it was a seamless installation...I totally amaze myself almost every day.

I felt, as they say here in the Boston Area..."Wicked Smaht! " which translates to Very Smart in most other regions of the world. Massachusetts has a very distinctive accent.

We call Milk Shakes -- Frappes

We call Soda --- Tonic

We Pronounce Peabody --- Peebadee and you have to say it real FAST

We have a town named Athol which has always reminded me of someone with a lisp saying asshole...Must be a tough place to be from.. I mean it must be hard saying : "Hi my name is John and I grew up in Athol!!"

It's still hot and humid, the rain is gone...I'm going swimming!!

Lightening Strikes

Picture originally uploaded on Flickr by Bugalugsroxs

We had a pretty severe storm yesterday and I think the router for my wireless internet connection took one for the team.....may be a bit of a lag responding to your comments until we get the router replaced!!

Feel free to call me names or make up stories about me when I am unable to respond and in a weakened position....

I'll be back!!

I got gas

I went by a gas station today where they pump the gas for you and the price was $2.75/GALLON ! For the U.S.A. that's pretty good as most stations sell it for around $2.85/GALLON and you have to pump it yourself. I live in the Northeastern part of the U.S.A. and I hear about all the gas price hikes but I wonder...what are people paying for gas in other countries.

I've converted the price I paid to some other currencies and have also broken the price per liter instead of gallon for my international friends:

These conversions are all based on the price I paid today, I've listed the Euro, the Rand from South Africa. The Krone from Denmark, the Australian dollar and the Singapore dollar.

• USA $2.75/Gallon = .726/Liter
• EURO 2.004/Gallon = .529/liter
• RAND = 19.09/Gallon = 5.03/liter
• KRONE = 14.79/Gallon = 3.90/liter
• Australia = 3.14/Gallon = .828/liter
• Singapore = 4.16/ Gallon = 1.09/liter

Do these prices reflect what you are paying in your country?? I think people in the USA are pretty lucky as far as gas prices go. I think maybe we whine about the prices without any clear idea what people in other countries have to pay for gas.

How much do you pay for gas??

No Idea

It's supposed to be very hot and humid here today and so I'm getting out and looking for a cool place with A/C and beer.....

View from my Dream House

A Love Song For Bobby Long

I Ran across this movie, A Love song For Bobby Long, in the video store and bought it for $10.00.
I like a lot of Travolta's movies and I enjoy watching Scarlett Johansson doing anything.

The movie came out in 2004 but I must have been asleep, I'd never heard of it. I really enjoyed this movie and I recommend it to anyone that hasn't seen it.

The three main characters in the movie smoke cigarettes and I watched them without craving one for myself !!

Frankly Scarlett..I liked It!!

The Chalk - Ra Line

Chakras are considered to be a nexus of metaphysical and/or biophysical energy of the of the human body. There are 7 major energy centers and when they aren't lined up...shit happens.

So what can you do, where do you go.. we can't all be like the Beatles and get a meeting with the Dalai Lama!!

Health Insurance doesn't cover your chakras and if they did I know there would be a BIG deductible.

The answer: a quick stop at your local hardware store to buy a Chalk Line/Plumb Line, an old white sheet and someone to help you..

Old White Sheet, Plumb Line & Assistant

Once you've got the items you need all you have to do is get wrapped in a sheet and get plumbed!! See Below...

The diagnoses is obvious!!

1, My Chakras are perfectly aligned

or

2. Not smoking for the past 4 weeks has driven me totally insane!!

Have a nice weekend!

What's going on?? A pictureless post..Just READ it!!

Here all sorts of things are happening...

I've developed a new way to interpret your Chakras, you know those 7 centers of energy. I've seen some of the tests out there involving 50 or more questions about how to read you chakras.Let me tell you my Chalk-Ra Line system will tell you in a matter of minutes whether your spiritual elements are in alignment, so Stay Tuned....

I know I've been going on a lot about pie, but when "someone" called and said she was making a Fresh Cherry-Nectarine Pie and asked what I'd make dinner??? Well that's a problem..I told her I'd make dinner now WHAT will I make??

Somehow, in the middle of discovery and temptation I must also produce a post and that made me think...I've noticed a lot of postings lately where people are sick and have left postings up there asking us to wait it out..There were some attempts at short posts to "keep us blog readers happy" but really...Are they sick??

Could it be a cheap ploy to gain the sympathy of others??

Could there be a conspiracy of "sickness" out there to gain readership and comments??

If so I want to let you know that I have DIARRHEA !!

No one wants a picture of that...!!

Just kidding.about the diarrhea, not the picture..I hope all you sickos out there get better FAST

Oh and don't forget I'll be giving out my "Secrets Of The Chalk-Ra soon, there will be pictures.

I've got the Power !!

Eastcoast, my favorite blogger from Singapore has given me a Schmooze Award...

That Bicep Looks Familiar!!

To converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. That's what it means to schmooze...While I'll admit to schmoozing, I don't schmooze to gain any advantage, to sell anything. Not here anyway.

I do comment on many blogs because something there sparked an interest..I like the social interaction and it's always B.Y.O.B. That's Bring your own bottle, and it's cheaper than chatting over drinks at a local bar with people you hardly know. That's not bad either, but I never won any awards for it.

When I saw Eastcoast's first comment on my blog...a long time ago, I thought, hey I live on the Eastcoast too..but she's on the east coast of The Republic Of Singapore and I'm on the East Coast of the U.S.A. The chances we will ever meet anywhere but on the blog are remote, but without the blog we would never have met at all. For me that's the best thing about blogging.

So I am supposed to link 5 others and bestow on them the Power Of Schmooze award..and I will, but do not feel obligated to do this on your blogs, it's not required, but please feel free to put the power of schmooze badge on your blog if you want too..

Rosetta Rants, a blog run by the "Translator" finds some pretty odd things around the Internet and shares them with us..he's got some funny stuff there.

Life In The Fast Lane is another blog I found filled with stories about art, the odd, the unusual, offbeat news, weird sciences, a little business, and yes, even trucking! Check her latest tid bit about a real life Noah's Ark.

Blog-Blond has a blog on my list of blogs I like already but here she assumes the "Blondilicous Teacher Role and shares some real good info...her latest post is about the 5 types of bloggers, find out what category you fall in and check out her post. Take the time to talk back to the teacher, she loves it when the students get fiesty!

Attila the Mom writes some great stuff over at Cheaper than Therapy and she is a powerfully funny schmoozer. Her current post comes straight from the Department Of Duh!

Finally, Rain over at Rainy Day Wonderings is an excellent schmoozer and I love it when that wonderful west coast gal comes by and schmoozes with this simple minded Bostonian.

There are a lot of schmoozers out there and that's not a bad thing...every time you make a comment here your leaving a link to your blogs behind so

Start Schmoozing and visit some of the schmoozers above too!

Sunday Laugh

Here's one I found surfing today,

picture courtesy Hair Crazy.com

I was at the mall the other day eating at the food court. I noticed an old man watching a teenager sitting next to him. The Teen had spiked hair in all different colors

The old man kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find the old man staring every time.

When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked, “What’s the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?”

The old man did not bat an eye in his response, “Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.

Here They Are !!

The Pies are in...



The Lemon Meringue



The Fresh Strawberry/Kiwi Pie




Harry Bunny and his favorite pie, a slice of Blueberry..no Ice Cream he eats it so fast he gets an "Ice Cream Headache!!

Hungry??

Friday the 13th, Why Pie??

Yesterday's post was a blatant appeal for a cherry pie....The message got to the right person but this is as close to Cherry Pie as I got last night!!

Today I'm fighting back...I will construct "The Best Pie Ever" Not being that good with the pastry part I've asked for some help on the crust....it will be Home Made...No Prefab Crusts...A picture will follow later today just before it's time to eat "The Pie"..

All requests for Pie Recipes will also be posted or sent to those interested!

Oh Why, Oh Why
Am I thinking about Pie??
On Friday the 13th
the month of July.

It's because today marks my 3rd week without smoking...That's right I quit cold turkey and I am going crazy!! Pie seems to be a much better alternative

While I didn't get any Pie last night there was a wonderful dinner prepared. Everywhere I turned there was food and not a whiff of tobacco in the air. Oh and plenty of chocolate and fresh cherries!

Do YOU Like Pie ??

I had a a homemade Coconut Cream Pie that my sister made....she's well aware that it is my Favorite...She is now currently my "favorite sister". Of course, of the three, she is in the closest proximity to me so... Anyway, I love desert and Pie is truly up there with my favorites..People that say they don't like desert.......they are lying and that's all there is to it, everyone needs a little sweetening every once in a while.

My sister's Pie was so good I didn't have a chance to take a picture of it..It was there and then POOF it was gone.

Mom's Apple Pie

I had a camera with me when these other 2 pies came around...My favorite MOM made this Apple Pie and it was lovely, served warm with ice cream...I wonder this is an archival photo...When oh When will she make another one??

My Strawberry Pie

Yes I make a wonderful Strawberry Pie!! I "borrowed" the recipe from MOM, but I did such a good job with it that she's has said I am in charge of making them now.....That's not right Pies taste so much better when they are made for you....This Strawberry Delight is best served with Fresh Whipped Cream.

My "Favorite Youngest Sister" says she makes a lovely Cherry Pie, unfortunately we have no Photographic Evidence to support that statement. While there are some lingering memories of the purported pie, It would be nice to see her make an effort to make this pie soon...I mean the Coconut Cream Pie is gone!! We need another pie!!

All of these Pies are good for your Abs!!

I'm Back

It's me in complete control of the Beaver..the name of the canoe!!

Do you see those biceps on me...do you see em???

The life jacket is covering up my incredible abs, maybe I can find another picture.

My Abs.....

I am back from my long weekend in New Hampshire. It was a getaway from the everyday and I came back with pictures and a new stand-in for my profile image.

It was nice to escape the normal and it was great to come back to it. The kind of vacation I really want is going to depend on me becoming fabulously wealthy and it may be awhile before that happens.

Regardless, I had fun jumping in the lake, eating grilled food, drinking Beer and Hard Lemonade. Playing cards and dining out.....Now I'll have to be happy doing those things around here.

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend...

Lake Winnepesaukie, almost sundown clouds clearing.

Our Friends Camp and my sister standing in front of her magic carpet.

If you ever saw the movie..."What About Bob with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus, this was the Lake that they went to in the movie...

Also the camp next to us was a family named Griswold..I didn't see Chevy Chase though.

Well I gotta go do my Ab workout..it's not easy being me.

I'm Hiding

I'm not here right now, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Things to discuss amongst yourselves while I'm away.

How effective is Beano ??

What's the best way to get rid of Hiccups?

What affects ,if any, are there for those with the Astrological Sign of Scorpio since their ruling planet Pluto was downgraded from a Full Fledged Planet to a Dwarf Planet last year?

What's your favorite new TV Show and why should I watch it??

Don't want to answer a question? Ask me one....I'll answer it as soon as I return.

4th of July

I am putting a poll together here today on this day that Americans celebrate their Independence from the Eeeevil Brits....of course if we had continued to be a part of the British Empire, maybe we would have a National Health Care system in place...

My son tells me I should see the movie "Sicko" the most recent documentary from Michael Moore comparing the highly profitable American Health care system with other countries...I'm putting it on the list of must see films..

So back to the Independence Day Celebration...what are we celebrating? Possibly that the Bush Presidency is coming to an end, Scooter Libby's Presidential Pardon, The Victory in Iraq? Did I say the Victory in Iraq?? The renewed interest in joining up with Al-Qaeda, The latest graduates from the Suicide Bomber School....

Personally I think this country has to stop trying to spread our freedom and democracy around the world...you know respect other people's freedom for how they want to live their lives...I don't know but didn't we see the Brits as the enemy not so long ago?

The USA is a great country and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, unless an extremely beautiful woman invited me to share her life and her great families wealth with little old me. That's where I draw the line!!

The poll today asks the question, How Free Do You Feel ? And I ask you to both give a response and follow up with a comment re where you live, ie...country, state...planet? Extremely beautiful women can email me!!

Stuffed Animals Make The Best Pets

What? you say....Stuffed animals make good pets?? Yes they do?? Ask yourself the next time you get home from an overnight stay at a friends and you walk into your place and it is permeated with that distinct "Litter Box" scent?? Ahhh and if you have a friend with you that has never visited your house before the smell greets them with even more surprise. How about a spontaneous getaway to a "Drinking Spa"...No, spontaneity isn't a luxury when you have to find a kennel for your pet poodle Puffy.

Instead of "Live Pets" I suggest Plush Stuffed Animals. I would recommend a nice Gund. Now the ones people win at Fairs and Carnivals are always too stiff and really aren't much fun...they have an odd smell too. But a nice soft squishy bear or or a Snoopy dog...maybe something like

Steve!! The Hideaway Chicken.

Whatever animal you pick, remember It's always thinking exactly what you are thinking...

Tell it to stay, it stays.

It's 20 degrees below zero or it's raining, snowing or sleeting outside and it won't need to go for a walk.

It never shits in your shoe!! Never pees on your couch!!!

If by some chance it gets dirty...two words--Washing Machine.

2 week vacation...no kennel fees

If you love and adore live animals, spoil your friend's dog and bring over a gourmet dog bone. Visit a petting zoo. Go to an aquarium or enjoy a pony ride.

Then, go home and give your plush animal a hug, tell it what you did..he/she will listen to everything you have to say, quietly...and you won;'t have to take em' for a walk first.