Hugh Skinner, 1807-1866, lived in Barnstaple, England where he listed his profession as glazier in the periodic census; he fitted glass into windows back before you could get one of those little glass cutting tools with tiny industrial diamonds at Home Depot, Menards or Lowes. But at age 47, with wife and eight children, he moved the […]
A New World
Every generation remakes their immediate world. Dress, slang, music and social norms all change. Those changes then ripple downstream and the next, next generation builds, or deconstructs and refabricates, on that. After half a century, the 60 years olds say they hardly recognize the world while the even older generations say nothing. The world has […]
Emergency Tracheotomy Kit
Our Dad, a surgeon, always carried this in his pocket “just in case” it might be needed while we were out in our Sunday best together with our grandparents at Britlings Cafeteria in Poplar Plaza or Pappy’s Lobster Shack over on Madison or maybe downtown at the Skyway on the roof of The Peabody, all […]
Granddaughter’s First 900
One of my granddaughters is a college Sophomore who has received a small amount of instruction on handguns, rifles and shotguns. Because she follows instructions, she does quite well when plinking. But shooting in competition with a group and having her target scored by a stranger, well, that sometimes befuddles newcomers. Home for spring break, her […]
St. Patrick’s Day Selfie
Here’s a “selfie” from St. Patrick’s Day as first posted to FaceBook. The shirt is one of many memorabilia I’ve collected over the years of Bullseye shooting at various clubs sandwiched in with business travels. It’s from the Old Colony club in Massachusetts. I was pleased to support their club through the nominal cost of this […]
Soon It’s Gonna Rain
So go the lyrics to a song from The Fantastics. I know because I sang them in a local production many years ago. Acting is but one of my many diversions. Music another. Similarly, Bullseye, ham radio, genealogy and the writing of non-fiction are others. Retired as of the first of the year, my plan […]
Ebby
Ebby was cook on a river towboat. They ran barges on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers; the work was hard and they ate well. Supplies would be radioed in a couple of hours before passing and then transferred from pilot (supply) boat to towboat without slowing. When Ebby’s biscuits were done, all work stopped except the wheelhouse. […]
Cinco
Counting today, I have five work days to go until retirement. At work, a “show stopper” was removed from the main effort I need to finish before leaving so I’m suddenly “up to here” with things I can accomplish. Consequently, the work-days this week — today, tomorrow and then Friday — should pass very quickly. […]
Beyond the Eight Ball
Retirement, as I’ve been reading, is a big change, a really big psychological change as well as a financial change. We’ve been prep’ing the financial side for forty-odd years and, for the past six months, putting on some final touches but the psychological side is another matter. I found what I think is a good […]
I Quit
Work, that is. I turned in my notice today. As of New Year’s day 2015, I will no longer be a full-time employee. I will be retired. Social Security should deposit our first FRA (Full Retirement Age) check for me and spouse on — get this — December 24th! Medicare B kicks on January 1st […]