Monday, November 1, 2010

Did You Vote.....







Did YOU excercise your right to enjoy the Freedom to CELEBRATE LIFE.........

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

This is why we call our Country Home of the Free

Jeep,
Unfortunately I disagree with you in context, but not in idealism.The jerk who wants to burn the Koran, is also one who would do everything in his power to stop me from burning the bible.In this world, we are dictating to the third world countries that they should be like us......The middle east has been a bomb shell since the days of yore, even before the "Christ" came to this world back in 0 AD.I don't want you telling me how to live my life, how do you feel that the Iraqis want us to tell them how to live?
I feel the President should call that dumb jerk and set him straight that burning the Koran would only make those fanatics carry on more suicides.
Remember, dying for the Mohamud is going straight to alla land and is an honor to these idiots ... same as kamakasi pilots during WWII.
I am your brother and respect your right to free speech, damn I served 21 years so you can have free speech, I just don't agree with your statement.And doing that allows us to be brothers and still be able to get along.Tom



The above was a comment left by one of my brothers.
Now I feel myself privileged to have him as a brother, and to consider him a friend. I respect, as I do all my siblings, his point of view and thought processes. He has expressed, perhaps better than I, why this country is so great.
We have differing points of view on a very touchy subject, yet we have enough respect for each other's rights that we acknowledge them and understand that we are allowed those different points of view.
The most frightening thought to me is the idea of somebody suppressing my ability to express my ideas and ideals, because they do not understand them.
I personally have an instant dislike to anyone that chooses to burn a book.
To me there is no greater sign of disrespect than to destroy something someone else created.
It goes against the principles that my parents instilled in me.
Yet as a citizen of this country I respect that right. And will, to my ability, defend that right. That is my obligation to my neighbors both close and far.
I would hope, and I guess the point I am trying to make is, that I would expect each citizen of this country to respect the rights of this clown if he chooses to express himself in this manner.
And MOST OF ALL, I would expect our leader to respect this knucklehead's right.
I would expect our leader to stand up and tell the world that as a citizen of this country, this bozo is enabled to this right.
It may not be right, but it is his right.

Allowing us all to have our own opinions and thoughts, and being able to freely express them is why this country is called America.

Enabling us to all to CELEBRATE LIFE as we wish.

Tom, thank you for allowing me to have my own thoughts, and thank you to Bob and Jim, and every other veteran for defending my right to express them without fear of retaliation and imprisonment.

These are reasons enough to CELEBRATE LIFE.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Book Burning and why we live in America

It has been a month since I last visited these pages.
A long time in the life of every day, but a milli second in our life's journey.
Lot's of things have happened during these past thirty days.
The oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico was finally and securely sealed.
(Or so they tell us.)
Our Marine force stormed a pirated ship off the horn of Africa and captured the pirates without a single injury. (Job well done albeit a little late.)
A radical church pastor in Florida determined that he would hold a Quran burning ceremony to mark the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Several of our political leaders attempted to talk him out of it by telling us that our Muslim friends would be angry at us as a nation and seek retaliation by acts of terror against our country and her citizens.
Hell, even the president of our country phoned this lunatic and told him how his act would jeopardize the safety of our troops and citizens around the world.
Now, I would never claim to be the most politically correct or socially responsible person, but the sole act of our leader calling this nutcase and asking him to not proceed with his event just pisses me off.
Who in the hell does our president represent?
It appears he is more concerned about how the Muslim nation perceives us, than he is in preserving the rights of the people he represents.
Why didn't he stand up and say that while he may not agree with the actions of this preacher,
HE MUST DEFEND THEM BECAUSE IT IS A RIGHT THAT IS GUARANTEED TO EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS GREAT NATION.
And if the Muslim nation is offended, tough shit.
My Father, my Uncles, and three of my Brothers ALL defended the rights of each and every citizen of this country so that those citizens could enjoy the freedoms that are guaranteed to them.
Why is the leader of this country more worried about what our enemies think, than what our citizens think?
I just wish he would stop defending other countries and stand up and defend OUR country.
Personally I think if the Muslims have a problem with burning the Quran, then I have a problem with them crashing airplanes into buildings. Or mutilating young girls because they were raped by their father or brother. Or driving vehicles packed with explosives into crowded shopping malls and killing innocent people.
And if they threaten violence against this country because one of our citizens wishes to express their guaranteed rights, then tough shit.
God how I miss John Wayne.
Where did those Marines go?
I wish our president would stop acting like a bullied kid in school and step up and fight back.
Don't let that bully take our milk money anymore.

If somebody has a problem with us and he can't, or doesn't know how, to defend our country, then let him step aside and let somebody who will defend us take control.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Good Bye

Grandpa George passed away recently...

heard about his passing and thought about how neat he was...
Grandpa George was the guy that the kid bought his first jeep from....
the memory of sitting in front of his shop and listening to him haggle with James about the cost of the Jeep is priceless....
knowing the whole time that the kid was going to come out a winner was fantastic....
a really good guy....
I truly believe that he received more enjoyment out of the time spent with the kid, than he ever let anyone know....
I spent quite a few hours later just sitting and listening to him talk.....

As a WWII veteran he surely enjoyed CELEBRATING LIFE.....
and I am fortunate to have CELEBRATED a bit of it with him......

And as he was known to say...
"what happens on this side of the road is my business,
you cross the road and it becomes Mama's business."

For what you did for my son and I,

Thank You Sir....

For what you sacrificed for our country,

Everyone Thanks You Sir.....

just something the kid and I like

we heard this on a radio station late one night on a trip to visit the Ozarks somewhere in Arkansas or southern Missouri.....
an easy 2 1/2 minute song.....


Monday, July 19, 2010

The Kid went and did it AGAIN........

seems that as we watch our children grow older we wonder if we have done all the right things....where did we go wrong....did we go wrong....what did I forget to teach them....did I give them enough freedom.....did I keep a strong enough watch over them....feeling rather reflective tonight as I sit here and wonder about my parenting skills....after all I had plenty of experience on the type of parent I wanted to be.....I was fortunate enough to have several older siblings, and was able to watch them raise their children....all and all I think I learned alot.....BUT then the kid went and did it AGAIN....and I am not talking about the rear end collision he had last month....paid a boat load of money to State Farm over the last couple of decades to cover that...what I am talking about is our long awaited bi-annual treck to the Ozark's to visit family....
seems that the kid decided this year that he wanted to play organized baseball...again....my first knowledge of his decision was when he walked into the garage and asked me for money to cover the legion fee....okay I am good with that, ask your Mother for the money, tell her I was okay with that.....then the following week he informes me that he bought a bat off ebay.....
"Dad, I got it REAL cheap"...being a cheap kind of guy, I was impressed until he informed me he needed $180 bucks to pay for the bat....
well, okay, this is something he must have wanted pretty badly to go on his own and try out for the team...lots of talent locally and he made the team....
now due to the scheduling of the games, I was unable to attend any of them during the spring season of American Legion Ball....the kid's mom and his sister were in attendance for a couple of local games and I was able to attend the last two of the season...unknown to me until then was that the two games I attended were the sectional qualifiers for the state finals to be held this weekend.....
and then the kid and his friends went and did it....
they won the sectional qualifiers....
now as we had planned on leaving this coming weekend for our trip to visit family in the Ozarks, instead we are traveling to Bradenton to attend the state finals of the American Legion baseball league....
games start on Friday and go until Monday....

gotta wish the kids luck and hope they do well.....
in the mean time for those in the Ozarks that we hope to spend some time with next week, please understand if we are a little short on the visits.....


but as the horesefarmer says......

this is why we are able to...................

CELEBRATE LIFE............

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Happy Birthday TC

I know that this is late, but the best thing about birthdays at our age is, no not extra sprinkles on our ice cream, no not an extra helping of cake either,...
the best thing about birthdays at our age is that we can Celebrate them for an entire month....that would be a month before, or two weeks before and two weeks after, or an entire month after....it doesn't matter....if you plan it right, you can celebrate it for the month prior and the month after.....it really doesn't matter because we are Celebrating our birth month...

Happy Birthday Tom.....

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Happy Birthday and other important issues

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BUSPLUNGE author.......

if you don't count weekends and holidays it should be about his 12th birthday...

Happy Birthday Jim.....thanks for letting me be your friend.....it is a joy, a pleasure, to know that we are not only brothers, yet friends.....
I look forward to those 17 hour trips knowing that time can be spent with you...

Cornrobbers beware......the horsefarmer has unleashed the big guns....

or at least the littleprincesses...

I'm betting she had more scores than the horsefarmer....

Life Here on the World's most Famous Beach has been busy....

not much energy at the end of a long day to comment on it....but a good life it is......

CELEBRATE LIFE............

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Happy Birthday Mom............

Through her actions and beliefs,

She taught ME to CELEBRATE LIFE............

Monday, April 12, 2010

Man I did it wrong.......

Choosing a wife
A man wanted to get married. He was having trouble choosing among three likely candidates. He gives each woman a present of $5,000 and watches to see what they do with the money.The first does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, new makeup; buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.The man was impressed.The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts.... She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.Again, the man is impressed.The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5,000. She gives him back his $5,000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much.Obviously, the man was impressed.The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her.
Then he married the one with the biggest tits.
Men are like that, you know.There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research.
This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Have you gotten yours yet????

Received in my mail this week, my
"OFFICIAL BUSINESS ONLY"
envelope.
'My Response is Required by Law'
states bold lettering on the front of the envelope.

After three days of laying on the bench in the garage, I decided that tonight would be the night I open the envelope and see what is so important to our government that my response is require by law.
Is there some great debate that cannot be finished without my input?
Is there some great crisis that cannot be solved without my input?
Is there some great decision that will have a lasting effect on future lives without my input?

It would appear that there is.....

Of course if I were so important to our government that my
"Response is Required by Law",
then I would think they would have addressed the envelope to me personally.
But NO, in typical government fashion the envelope came addressed
"To Resident At".....
Now I can overlook that considering how many people live in my house. All four of us. I guess it is a lot to ask of our government to know who I am and where I live. I've only been here 10 years, paid taxes on this property for those 10 years, and paid my annual tax from this residence for the past 10 years.
But they are busy, so I can forgive that oversight.
But then I opened the envelope to see what was so important to the sender that I am threatened by law to defile by failing to respond.
Page 1 sample question;
'Please provide information for each person living here.
Start with any adult livning here and this will be Person #1.'
Last Name?
First Name"
Sex?
Person 1's Date of Birth?
Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
(of the five subquestions, not one asked me if I am an American)
What is Person 1's race?

Now I consider myself to be pretty open minded and willing to adapt to most situations. I understand that there are many complex aspets to our world that I could be better versed in. I know that there are many people that are required to make difficult, life affecting decisions every day. I know that there are reasons that our government needs to know how many people there are in our country.
BUT what I don't understand is why they require all this information about my sex, nationality, and origin.

I AM AN AMERICAN.
MY WIFE IS AN AMERICAN.
MY SON IS AN AMERICAN.
MY DAUGHTER IS AN AMERICAN.
Hell even the squirrels that dig in my yard are American.
THERE ARE FOUR AMERICANS THAT LIVE AT THIS ADDRESS.
WE ARE AMERICANS THAT WERE BORN IN THIS COUNTRY.
OUR PARENTS WERE BORN IN THIS COUNTRY.
THAT MAKES ALL FOUR OF US AMERICANS.


Since my maternal family is from Germany, should I state that I am German-American?
Not an option.
Since my faternal family is from England, should I state that I am English-American?
Not an option.
Why are these not an option on the questionaire?
All it seems the questionaire wants to know is if I am from
Spanish decent, or African decent.
I wonder why this is so?
Why is it so important to know this information?
What will happen to my response, that is required by law, if I answer with incorrect information?
Are the decisions that this questionaire request going to be used to benefit one member of society over another?
Seems to me they already know who I am, and what my nationality is.
Hell it states it on my driver's license.

Oh well, guess this is another example of our government at make work.
FDR would be proud.

Friday, March 12, 2010

'something wicked this way comes'

not really sure why this scares the hell out of me....
but I have this feeling that I am being watched.....
and I am not sure what I can do about it.....
but I know I DO NOT LIKE IT......
and I truly believe that 'Capitalism' is better than 'Socialism'....
and the Country which I am PROUD to belong to is a DEMOCRATIC society.....
the people that craft these changes are unlike the forefathers of this nation....
these elected 'officials' are not concerned with the history of the country that allowed them to rise to the position they now hold.....our country's Fathers were willing to risk their own life and their family's life to better themselves and the society in which they lived.....the same ideals that forced our forefathers to abandon their homelands and risk creating a life in an unknown and wild country are now reduced to being 'politically correct'.....
Are we now too proud, or too embarrassed, to recognize our history..????
why are we now willing to change our history...????
are we to fault because our parents and grandparents and greatgrandparents were willing to sacrifice their freedom to allow others to enjoy the same..???
at what point to we say 'enough is enough'..?????
our country WAS founded on RELIGIOUS FREEDOM......
and we do enjoy the right to bare arms....whether you wear a shirt or not....
at what point do we say that something is wrong with our society....
and who says it.....

those responsible are the reason we are a FREE DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY
and why is the photo at the top of the article screaming at me...???

Saturday, March 6, 2010

read the horsefarmers story today and it reminded me of a few things....
one of which is the wind off the Altantic Ocean as it streams down the street that my work fronts on.....damn cold wind with no breaks.....
reminds me of what TC felt this am when he ventured out to feed his stock....
as the mind works, my wonders from one idea to the next and in the flat lands of Oklahoma I recalled an ancient song the kid and I listened to on a long drive home one night from the Ozarks.....the lyrics follow:

Many a month has come and gone
Since I’ve wandered from my home
In those Oklahoma Hills
Where I was born
Many a page of my life has turned
Many lessons I have learned
And I feel like in those hills
Where I belong
Way down yonder in the Indian nation
Ridin’ my pony on the reservation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born
Way down yonder in the Indian nation
A cowboy’s life is my occupation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born

But as I sit here today
Many miles I am away
From the place I rode my pony
Through the draw
Where the oak and black-jack trees
Kiss the playful prairie breeze
And I feel back in those hills
Where I belong
Way down yonder in the Indian nation
Ridin’ my pony on the reservation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born
Way down yonder in the Indian nation
A cowboy’s life is my occupation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born

Now as I turn life a page
To the land of the great Osage
In those Oklahoma hills
Where I was born
Where the black oil rolls and flows
And the snow white cotton grows
And I feel like in those hills
Where I belong

Way down yonder in the Indian nation
Ridin’ my pony on the reservation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born
Way down yonder in the Indian nation
A cowboy’s life is my occupation
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born


somehow this song always reminds me of the cold bitter wind that rolls over the Ozark Range during winter......thanks to Arlo and Woody Guthry for their skills

Monday, March 1, 2010

As promised....









tires and wheels not factory......those were added after purchase without the kid's knowledge......glad he approved.....

photo credit to the kid..............

thaks to the longrooffan, the good attorney, Grandpa George, the M38A1, the Willies Car Company, the kid......and countless others that enable me and the kid to............

.......CELEBRATE LIFE...........

Sunday, February 28, 2010

sometimes I wonder why and when people think of doing things

this looks like something some people I know might try.....but who pulls him out if he fails......








What I did today...or the last three weeks...

copying a tag line from the longrooffan.......

What I did today...or the last three weeks......
by now everyone that follows this page has learned of the exploits of the bondoguy.....Jimmy is a good friend, one that you want around when camping for damn sure....he is one hell of a good painter....and now has been recognized by NASCAR for his exceptional skill at asphalt repair.....hats off to the man in turn two......
a addition and a deletion to the list of vehicles that have been under my domain over the years.....
a little set up here is due.....when the weather went north around here back in early January and the temperature dropped into the mid 30's (an actual HEAT WAVE for some of my brothers and friends) and the kid was driving an open topped, doorless vehicle, my bride explained to me that I would be driving the kid's jeep and he would be driving my new (to me) truck since he picked up his sister every day from school......now being a good Father and a caring friend to those two kids, I had to agree to relinquish my truck for the health of the kids...
of course this came at a very high price.....one week later I contracted a chest cold that is still nagging at me....another by product of driving a topless-doorless vehicle in near freezing temperature is the necessity to stay warm....multiple layers of clothing, a scarf, hat, double socks, and stay all scrunched up to conserve energy....(we called this 'max heat)...was a sneezing spell I went into one Sunday night a couple of fortnights ago that resulted in a serious back injury from which I still haven't recoverd completely.....yea I know, getting old beats the alternative.....but damn this back is a real pain in the back.......
but back to the future......I had aquired through various means the title to a 1979 CJ-5 Jeep with a small lift kit and some serious mud tires.....do not inquire....just let that go.....I had consigned this vehicle after a few modifications (yes there is blogproof of this and it did get it's fifteen minutes of fame) to the longroof to post on craigslist for sale......of course the proceeds were to finance shop supplies and other items more commonly known as 'hurricane supplies'.....when this was turned into a UTV by means of a trade I was back at square one with an image of a very warm looking truck everytime I drove into my driveway.....but alas after the trade was made I was contacted by a guy from the western part of the state about my old "huntin jeep" .....when he asked about the jeep I had for sale, I had to think for a minute before I replied, "Which one?"....seems he was willing to look at a 1967 CJ-5 instead of a 1979....up shot was he and his 'that'll hunt' girl drove over one afternoon to look at the kid's jeep......he was impressed enough to anty up the money it would take to have the bondoguy fix the rust and repaint it Army Green.....of course the longrooffan and even the goodattorney advised me of all the wrong that could be happening for taking the cash up front to have the jeep fixed up before I took payment on the jeep itself.....but I had met the buyer and what I call "looked in his eye".....
the week after the 500 mile race here in Daytona, the jeep was ready and the buyer showed up with a friend and a trailer.....as the buyer and his friend looked for the head, I took a peek at his ride......when he returned and handed me a wad of cash, I didn't even count it.....the handy 8 pack of cold beverages provided by my favorite brewer was all it took to confirm the sale.....
but now what do I do....I'm a two car owner in a three car family.....looks like I am back to craigslist in search of a Toyota 4x4 for the kid...gotta have something that can handle the beach driving during the summer.....in the mean time Jim comes through by surrendering the keys to his 69 Bronco....so here I am, back to driving a specialty vehicle in the middle of the worst cold spell that can be remembered in these parts.....never could figure out how to turn the heater on in that beast....at least it is wind proof....but then a friend calls and tells me of Ford Ranger for sale by the tow company we use at work....a quick phone call to the tow company and happy hour is cut short for me.....a quick trip back over to the mainland and I am looking at my next vehicle....
now the kid was not too happy when I first informed him of his next ride, and my bride was not too happy that I made a commitment without her consent....
an extended conversation with BigJimDunn and she never said another word...
how I like that man....so now the kid is driving his new ride.....of course a couple of modifications were required....and most importantly I am back in my new truck.....
the longrooffan was commissioned to photograph the kid's new ride, however it hasn't been seen in daylight since I brought it home and his digital retainment equiptment is not real good in low light......I just plain forgot to take photos so expect photos by the end of the week........

these, and other reasons too many to list are why we......

CELERBATE LIFE............

Sunday, February 14, 2010

And what I'd give for a good paving team

sitting here watching the race on tv in the comfort of my garage it amazes me that it has taken this long for somebody to call 'P@S Paving' of Ormond Beach...
guess the track will be repaved within the coming weeks.....just a by product of too much rain with improper drainage......earlier today when the kid and I were out at the track looking for a parking spot, he commented that we should have drove the Jeep as we could then park anywhere.....lots of soft ground covered in water....even the infield was layered in water in spots....guess the operations department will now be hiring an asphalt team to be on standby for future races....rain delays without the rain are a bore.....but then I'm just hanging out enjoying a cold beverage so I can't complain.......

What a way to spend a day

seems that the horsefarmer and family are curled up trying to stay warm....the bus is looking for a warm place to watch the race....the longrooffan is tied up with a close intimate friend....BBB is lounging poolside enjoying a beverage from the islands trying to keep his hands off his better half...
so while all of this is going on, the kid and I decide to venture out to the track to watch the race in person.....bundle up and head south....couple of stops along the way and we are soon in the infield looking for a parking spot.....waved to all of you, hope you were able to see me....I was the guy in blue standing on the track at the start/finish line.....look close when the cars go by and you can see where I signed my name on the wall at the line.....hooked up with a buddy and went walking to see the sites....heard/saw Tim McGraw.....missed his hot wife....
saw a whole lot of money tied up in race cars.....got Micheal Waltrip to sign a ball cap for me.....almost got run over by several pit carts.....the kid FINALLY asked if I had fulfilled my obligation to attend the race.....DAMN STRAIGHT... what tooK so long for him to ask I have yet to figure out....so we headed back to the short hairpin for the Rolex race where we had parked and proceeded to head home.....
read the horsefarmer's blog and saw photos he posted of his back yard...best part of those photos are they are his back yard, and not mine.....
the kid's sister and the sun goddess are out shopping and the kid and I are now in the comfort of our own home watching the "Great American Race".....
unlike the longrooffan I seldom carry a camera around for photos but today I did.....unfortunately it is the longroof's and photos will have to wait until he down loads them.....
but know that this morning, the kid and I, along with about 250000 other people.........

CELEBRATED LIFE........

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Jet Ski Nationals on the beach this weekend

paid the longrooffan a visit Saturday after work.....lots of noise coming thru the front door of the Taj Mahal as we sit and enjoy good company....race week is a short distance away and I ignore it as just part of the environment....the Rolex series as been practicing and I hear it from work everyday....so loud engine noises are drowned out in my daily life.....later I came to learn that the Jet Ski Nationals were taking place on our very own beach....after getting home I quickly fired up the old 2A and placed a call back to the longrooffan and inquired as to his availability to join me on a short drive down the beach.....picked him up and off we were.....once again he FAILED in the photo department....guess this will be a Memorex moment as we have it committed to memory.....couple of passes down the beach and a short viewing of the activities of the event and the decison was obvious....there were way too many skiers to concentrate on a conclusive winner......then the ever present Beach Patrol drove by and offered to trade vehicles....his brand new F-150 4x4 for my old trusty Jeep.....maybe last week....the heated seats in the 2A don't work so good....had to decline his offer as the longroooffan was in a hurry to get back to the Taj Mahal.
which leads me to today's adventure.....the kid's sister and I took off for the ocal recreational center to shoot some hoops before the daily football games began....
about an hour and a half into the forced exercise ( I watched as she played in a pickup game ) I was off to enjoy the first of two televised football games......
swung by the longroof's place first for a quick cold pop and walked into what could be called a 'federal disaster zone...seems the longrooffan decided it was time to 'shake things up abit' and clean house.....I am sure there is a blog in this for him and I won't go much further here.....other than to say that there wasn't much room in his place for one person....much less two.......made a quick exit....ok, maybe not so quick, two beers and a smoke....but man that place kept getting smaller and smaller as long as I stayed there.....exited via the 'World's Most Famous Beach' and saw some of the most extreme jet ski operators ever...
and the sungoddess thought I went to extremes......a couple of reverese flips.....several barrel rolls.....more ten to twenty foot launches off breakers.....
and the sounds could be associated more with the circle track 4 miles west than with the more common place watercraft normally navigating the waterways of the greater Halifax Basin....
all and all a great weekend Celebrating Life....

Saturday, January 9, 2010

This just about sums it up......

There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.

Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee,
where the cotton blooms and blows.
Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole,
God only knows.
He was always cold,
but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell;
Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell."
On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail.
Talk of your cold!
through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail.
If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see;
It wasn't much fun,
but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee.
And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow, And the dogs were fed,
and the stars o'erhead were dancing heel and toe,
He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess;
And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request."
Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no;
then he says with a sort of moan:
"It's the cursèd cold, and it's got right hold,
till I'm chilled clean through to the bone.
Yet 'tain't being dead — it's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains;
So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains."
A pal's last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail;
And we started on at the streak of dawn;
but God! he looked ghastly pale.
He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee.
There wasn't a breath in that land of death,
and I hurried, horror-driven,
With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid,
because of a promise given;
It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say:
"You may tax your brawn and brains,
But you promised true, and it's up to you,
to cremate those last remains."
Now a promise made is a debt unpaid,
and the trail has its own stern code.
In the days to come, though my lips were dumb,
in my heart how I cursed that load.
In the long, long night, by the lone firelight,
while the huskies, round in a ring,
Howled out their woes to the homeless snows —
Oh God! how I loathed the thing.
And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow;
And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low;
The trail was bad, and I felt half mad,
but I swore I would not give in;
And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin.
Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge,
and a derelict there lay;
It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May." And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum;
Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum."
Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire;
Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher;
The flames just soared, and the furnace roared — such a blaze you seldom see; And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee.
Then I made a hike, for I didn't like to hear him sizzle so;
And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled,
and the wind began to blow.
It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks,
and I don't know why;
And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky.
I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear;
But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near;
I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside.
I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked"; ...
then the door I opened wide.
And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm,
in the heart of the furnace roar;
And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and said:
"Please close that door.
It's fine in here, but I greatly fear, you'll let in the cold and storm —
Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it's the first time I've been warm."
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
thanks Bear for making us learn this as children......

It was 3 feet deep........

While I am very much aware that the majority of the readers of this space are currently enjoying 'Global Warming' at it's extreme......we here in the Sunshine State are experiencing our own version......the top picture is taken in the wonderful state of Nebraska.......the second and third photos are taken in MY FRONT YARD.........GLOBAL WARMING, MY ASS......I'm waiting for Al Gore to show up and explain this to me as I compose these lines.....in the mean time, the sungoddess and the kid and the kid's sister are curled up in front of a roaring fire......25 tonight and as the longrooffan said, my thermometer is sick.....




Monday, January 4, 2010

Amen.....

In conclusion....