My welcome Back!!

It has been quite some time. Got a little busy with other things. I will try and post on a weekly basis about this and that in the area and more funny stories.

Knowing your neighbor!

     Do any of you remember growing up and the mailman would deliver the wrong letter to your house. Instead, it belonged to old Mrs. Johnson across the street or Mr. Smith next door. You would more then likely go to there house and hand deliver the piece of mail to that person, and usually strike up a conversation if they were home. If they weren't home you would leave it in their box .The next day Mrs Johnson would thank you several times or bring you a batch of  warm homemade cookies.

      It was because you knew these people. Your neighbors, people you see every day and not afraid to say hi or lend a hand to help them out. I remember as a kid, I would run around the neighborhood and I knew everyone. It's not that way any more. The postal worker gets yelled at, gets a call at the office, or the mail gets written on in bold letters saying "WRONG ADDRESS"!!!  I know we make our mistakes and I or we apologize.

     The other day I was delivering near dark and it was hard to see. I had put a letter in an apartment slot. I get to the end of the apartments and finish. A customer comes to me and said I had dropped this letter in his slot and it should have been put in next door. So, you come all the way down to me to give me the letter, when you could have easily put it in the slot right next to you. Even if I wasn't a mailman and I lived there, I would have put it in the slot next door or even knocked and handed them the letter. Not waste my energy to find the mailman.

     So the next time something like this happens to you. Knock on that persons door, say hi and introduce yourself.. Explain to them what had happened. Get to know your neighbors, you never know when you might need them. By no means is it any reason for me to make a mistake, but, it does happen.

 The photos are from the 2013 Corning parade of lights

If I don't post before Christmas. Have a safe and joyous Holiday!!!!

Mom didn't raise a dummy!!

     When I was stationed in Whidbey Island, WA we had to go through a week long security guard training.When we were done we had to guard the aircraft on our watch. It wasn't too serious of a training but, more of a common sense training to be alert on our duties. 

      On the last day of training we were asked one at a time to come up front and face the trainer. He handed us a light weight pine billy club. Which is our weapon of choice when we were on duty. The instructor was pretending to be an intruder to steal an aircraft and he was holding a fake pistol in his hand. One at a time he would call us up and asked us to show him what we would do if we were approached. Each time a person came up they would try and attack or try and take the pistol from the trainer. each time the trainer would say nice try pretend to shoot his pistol and say " BANG! YOUR DEAD!!" "You have a pine stick I have a pistol!" Mind you my friend Jack and I were the only Marines in the group of  trainees. The rest were sailors. No offense but, they weren't trained the way we were. So. Jack and I were snickering as each person got shot and killed.

     Well the trainer heard us and called me on it. He says "OK!! Since you think this is funny. You go ahead and show the class what to do. So, I wanted to make it clear that he was a person with a large pistol that would and possibly kill me! He says "right". I have a pine billy club to defend myself and he says "right". I look at my club and then his pistol. I take the club SSLLOOWWLLY put it out in front of me kneel down, place the club on the floor and then stand, do an about face and walk away with my hands in the air. At this point there was a slight hesitation and silence in the room, then laughter. The instructor said I was the first person to ever do that without being told to never fight back when all you have is a club.

      This is one thing I grew up with was common sense. I see the situation and decide do I have a chance to take this person. NO!! Do I play it safe by dropping my weapon and take the chance of a quart marshal for leaving my post?? YES!!!. Knowing that I stayed alive, PRICELESS!!!

Wineglass Marathon

     Well! I was able to get to the 32nd annual Wineglass marathon. I sat on the Bridge St. Bridge and I took over 2800 pictures. I had a great time. Hearing some runners asking how far, some moans, pain in their faces, breathlessness to getting sick.
      I was also blessed to get shots of families running or even walking together. Family members and friends that finished going back to help the ones still running. I was able to see some run I haven't seen in 30 years to friends and customers. Some stopped to pose for me,give me a thumbs up and smile as they run, walk or crawl by.
     All in all it was a great day. The weather was a little too warm and hard on the runners. One runner started wheezing as she ran by and stopped a few feet from me. She had a panic look on her face. She told me she has never felt that way before. To me it sounded like an Asthma attack. But, she could have been getting the cold that's going around that has the same affects. I talked her through it and she went on running.

     Some day I hope to run at least one half marathon. I walk many miles and carry a heavy pack. But my breathing sucks. I just need to get out there and start trotting. Even if it's just a little a day!

     Congratulations to all the runners. 

P.S.

Here is the link to the gallery of picture I have uploaded so far.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-PTWNG

How did you know who I was??

Clock Tower Center-way  Park

A casual ride

     I do have a pretty good memory when it comes to the delivery of the mail. If I am delivering and have gotten a change of address, I remember the names of who moved. So, I don't put your mail in the box. If I see you every day and you reach into your box. I am assuming your the person I put mail in the box for( I am sometimes off on that one). I also get the customers that have their names on the boxes. I might get a letter that doesn't match the names on the box. If I have never seen the name before I would try it. If it shows up in the box the next day that person isn't there.

A pup and his owner

enjoying the sun

    Now, I also get  reminded daily by some customers of who they are. They tell me their name and that they live at this or that address.(almost weekly). Let's just call the person I am talking about today "Bob".(there are more like him but, he made me laugh!) Every time I would get to the box this gentleman would say " Hi my name is Bob and I live here. Do you have any mail for me?" Most of the time he didn't. So, this routine has been going on for about 6 months. 

posing for the camera

     Now I know "Bob", which box is his and also know not to put mail in his box that's not his.( Even though the boxes aren't labeled!) Today I am walking down "Bobs" street. He is waiting by his box as I come around. There is a package in my satchel with "Bobs" name on it. Now as I stated before. I now know "Bob"! I take the package, scan it and hand it to "Bob". He looks at the package to see the name on it, he then looks at me and says " How did you know who I was???" I just said "lucky guess" and smiled!

posing for another photographer

starting of Autumn

     It has been pretty nice weather this week and Fall is on it's way. You can probably tell by the leaves in my pictures.  I have a feeling we are in for a harsh winter. Mark my words and we will look back to this blog to see if I was right!(It's just a feeling!!)

Stopping the mail.

     Yes!!! I know it's been a while. And again between grandkids, work and taking pictures I have thinned my time out! I'm trying to get more organized and keep this blog going.
      The photos on this post are from my shoot I did at https://www.facebook.com/happyglass88?rf=169721426375315. I had the privilege to shoot the making of the Wineglass Marathon medallions for 2013.

     As for my funny of the day:

I was delivering to my last group of apartments and a woman was unlocking her door. I handed her a piece of mail addressed to her apartment. She looked at it and asked if she could give it back to me. I said it's just a current resident piece of mail. She then asked how she could stop getting this mail at her residence. I told her to either write to the sender or get the number. She then asked if there was a way to stop all her "junk" mail. I said there was an address or number to call to stop all advertisement mail but, I don't have it. She then asked if she called the post office if they would have the number. ( why would we have an address or number to stop delivery??) I said you could try. Then she asks if she could block her mail slot to stop me from putting mail in her apartment. ( she really doesn't want delivery does she??) She kept asking questions in ways to stop the mail and I told her. By this time I had gone to the end of the complex and was heading back to her, I was in full uniform and carrying my satchel and she asks. " Do you work for the post office here???" ( No I just wear a US Postal uniform carrying mail and put mail in boxes and slots for the fun!!)
     I had finally got past her and made it to the main office and I asked the manager who the person was I had been talking to. I find out that she is from Canada and comes down about once a month. Now I get all her questioning. Up there they are lucky to get mail 3 days a week, if at all!! Let alone see a mailman!! This is why when I am on Market Street and I run in to Canadians they want a picture of me with them. I am an extinct figure up there!!

     I am glad I have a job that is secure for now. Not sure for how long but, hoping till I retire!!













   

 

A few funny things this week.

     I was in one of my businesses the other day. I decided to take a comfort stop. I opened the bathroom door and I heard this strange vibrating noise over the sink. At first I didn't see anything, Then, I realized that the large 4ft x 4ft mirror was falling toward me. I caught it in time and pushed it back in place. If it didn't make the noise it did I would have had it on my head. I went back out in the hall and a man in the next room said it happened to him earlier. OK!!! He said maybe He should call someone to fix it." That would be great!" I said. What I wanted to say was "Don't you think it would have been wise to call someone before it happened again???" I could just picture the mirror landing on my head. It would be more then 7 years bad luck!!

     That same day I was farther down the street getting ready to cross. I notice this couple on the other side waiting to cross. She had a small camera in her hand. Which, I thought she was taking a picture of the clock tower. When we passed each other she yelled toward me and says " I take your picture!!!" It made me laugh out loud and took the memory of the large mirror falling toward me away. At least for a few minutes.

     Yesterday I was turning into the YMCA. It was changed to a one way a few months ago. So, I get upset when people are coming toward you the wrong way. This time I felt I should do something about it. As I entered that day a large truck was going out the wrong way. I decided to block her a little and point to the sign to show her she was in the wrong. I motioned her to turn around and showed her my index finger stating "ONE WAY" as I moved my lips. She proceeded to get by me and all I heard was " A_ _ H_ _ _!!. I figure I did the right thing and hoped she learned her lesson. I was feeling proud of my actions., giving my self a high five and smiling!!! Until, I got to the entrance of the building on the other side. There at the exit area the electric company was blocking the street!!! OOOPPPPSSS!!!!!!

 The race fans are headed into town this week. So, things should get interesting. I will keep you posted!!