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.