Our first car.

        I am going to tell funny stories randomly from now on. They will range from my early days to now. It all depends on what I can remember. LOL 
When Ann and I got married we went back to Memphis two days later, we had no car for at least a month. We walked everywhere or borrowed a car when we needed groceries. One of my friends came to me and and asked if we wanted to buy his car. He was leaving and needed the money. It was a mint green 1979 Ford Fiesta. It was rough looking and ran rough and he was only asking $300.  I gave him the the money. There was a ten speed bike in the back and asked him about it. He says "you can have it, just in case the car breaks down" Now I was worried!  The car got us from point A to point B and back for at least two months, ran only on three cylinders and it was ugly. We always kept the bike in the back "just in case". About a month after owning the car, someone broke into that wonderful car and stole the bicycle. The funny thing was,the keys were in the car. The bandit broke into the passenger side not knowing the driver side was unlocked. Unless, he saw the keys and figured the bike was a better deal!!

Fallen Soilder

     I was going about my morning yesterday when I was turning toward my next delivery, I noticed cones blocking my entrance. I went ahead and went to my next delivery, when it dawned on me that they were setting up for Spc. Ryan Jayne's return home. This kind of return wasn't a happy one. He was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. A large flag was draped over Pulteney Street between two fire trucks. As I drove across the bridge, I saw people lining up near the fire dept.. There were businesses on Tioga Ave coming out to bring him home all with flags big and small. When I reached the library I was sorting out the mail in the back, I looked up and at that moment the Hearst went by. I stopped what I was doing and  had a moment of silence for him.( he deserves the respect) I then realized how close to home it was. He was my daughters age and she went to school with him.( a little to close for me) My deepest respects and sympathy to his family.

I'm a veteran!

     I served in the marine Corp from Nov 85 to Nov 89 for 3 years 11 months and 27 days. Sounds like a strange number  doesn't it. It's because it was the Thanksgiving  weekend and I was allowed to leave early due to that. I enjoyed the time I was in. traveling the states to different schools for training. I got married six months into the service, that was a challenge all in its own. I flew home home on a Friday, got married Saturday and flew back to Memphis on Monday with my new wife. The money was scarce but, we enjoyed each others company. After 6 more months in Memphis I was stationed in Washington state for more training. Ann had to stay in NY for that period, she came to visit while I was there. We got stationed in Cherry Point,NC. when I got there to check in I was told I would be shipping out in November on the USS Kennedy for 6 months. It wasn't an easy departure for Ann and I. She told me I wasn't allowed to leave. I told her to talk to the man with the gold leafs on his collar and he might let me stay. She declined. I toured the Mediterranean visiting many ports and seeing the sites. It was tough at times, I missed my family and my wife. I think I sent a letter or card every day and tried to phone when possible. By the time we left the service and I say we because, Ann was my support and she stayed by my side. If she didn't support me she would have left a long time ago.

     We had great time while I served, making the best of it. The day we left was pretty funny and scary. There was a major snow storm from Virgina north. We left late afternoon with moving van and car in tow. By the time we hit Virginia and DC it was snowing hard. Ann being 7 months pregnant meant we had to stop a lot. We got to noreth of Harrisburg and Ann says "Don't you remember the last time in this area we had to stop for an accident for almost 2 hours??" Within a few minutes I noticed brake lights in the distance. Again, an accident, this one was 4 hours long. During our wait Ann had to go to the bathroom. I told her since she opened her mouth about the accident and it came true she can go outside.(  She declined.)   I then took out my last soda from the cooler and pointed to it and said "there you go!" Mind you we made it home safe. (24hrs later)

     We had some funny trips like that throughout our days in the service and I wouldn't take any back. I will put more road trip stories up on another day.

    

Good News!! WOW!!

     I had just gave away my oldest daughter to a great guy over the summer. Our other daughter told us a few weeks after that she was expecting. She will be leaving for Texas next week to get married to her boyfriend. But, as of last night we were informed that my oldest is also expecting. I have gained 2 sons and will be getting 2 grandchildren to boot. Not a bad deal! I am very proud of both my girls.

     So, on a funny note, I have been telling people that after two weddings the only gifts I will be able to afford will be A HUG, A HANDSHAKE or just some ATTITUDE! There will be a lot to go around!

     I got some candid shots in today, a few known faces and a few unknowns. The ones I do know like to smile or "HAM IT UP"

Road Rage( no funny stuff)

     I get to see a lot of unsafe driving habits while working. I have been cut off numerous times. I will be at a stop sign getting ready to turn and another car will go right through a stop sign and I get the dirty look. I am stopping for pedestrians at the cross walks and cars are going around me almost hitting the pedestrian  or when I'm waiting for a car to parallel park or pulling out, cars will go around me. Again , I get a horn or a gesture from the person doing the illegal act. The big difference of you doing those unsafe acts is that if I cause an accident by not following the rules I get fired. you on the other hand get a ticket and go to work the next day. Unless, you seriously hurt someone due to your unsafe driving.

     The scariest time was when I was almost to the end of the street to turn left and there was only room for me due to cars on both sides picking up school kids, when a large truck turns into me, stopping short of hitting head on. The driver yells at me to back up. In my defense I am not to back up unless It is safe to. If I did back up  I would have to go at least fifty yards to turn around and the parents and children are walking all around.. He only needed ten feet to back up. I shook my head no to  him and he proceeds to slam his truck in reverse and drive toward the school without looking. He then speeds down the alley next to the school. If he had waited 2 seconds I would have been out of his way. I could have been "nice" and backed up. But, to do that I would have to to put my truck into park, turn the engine off, get out and walk around my truck to make sure it was clear of people, get back into my truck, start the engine and honk my horn several times. Then proceed to back up SSSLLOOWWLLYY while honking my horn. Try to be safe!

  I had taken so many pictures this week so, I thought I would throw some more up today. After dropping my son off to school and taking my wife to work, I went and took shots of market street window displays.

 I got a shot of  Mark, the window cleaner  that keeps the windows clear for viewing. I took a picture of Ernie our local display coordinator last week working on the Connor's display. If you make it during the Holiday season the windows are a sight seeing trip by themselves.

Concerned Citizen

     I finally had a chance to sit down and write. I have been busy doing other things. But I did have a chance to to take some pictures through out the week. Also a question a concerned citizen had for me.

     I was getting mail out of the back of my truck, when a lady came up to me and asked. "Why do the delivery trucks still park in the no parking section of the cross walks when they were made so a pedestrian can be safer??" I said to her that I am the only vehicle aloud to park there, the other  vehicles would get a ticket. Again she asked"WHY??" I told her " I have a FEDERAL vehicle and I can park here." She asked "What makes you special??" Again I said "I have a F-E-D-E-R-A-L vehicle and I have that right"( for now anyway) She just grumbled and walked away.
I also had a new policeman a few years back tell me that I needed to move my truck off the cross walk or I could get a ticket. I actually laughed a little at him.(which I shouldn't have) I proceeded to tell him about being a federal vehicle and if he could locate my registration sticker and licence plates I would gladly accept his ticket for illegal parking. Yep! You guessed it, I don't have either things on my truck. I told him I would be only a minute to drop off this heavy package and I would move. ( I don't think he liked me after that:)
     Right now I have the right as a federal vehicle to park wherever. They could change it some day and I would have to follow the rules. Out of respect I don't park by fire hydrants or in handicap spots. If I have to double park it's because I have a large or heavy parcel.