Fluffy---I had her five years from age 8/13--a beautiful smart cat-who was a great mother and attacked dogs-by leaping out of trees onto their backs---a ferocious feline-----

Rhonda and Queenie--bird dogs--we had in Florida--they dug holes everywhere--they were given to a farm in Oviedo Florida--always running and hunting--beautiful dogs---

Dum Dum--named by my little sister---border collie--dads fishing dog--had her 19 years--she made her last fishing trip on the day she died--always envision her in the bow--riding across the lake--her ears layed back because of the wind--a wonderful dog,''Loved kids and dad.

Ru Ru---ugly little ----------dog--can't remember the breed---loved dad----

Chi Chi---a beautiful Cocker Spaniel we got as a puppy in Texas---the sweetest dog we ever owned--she was stolen from our front yard by a drive-by dog snatcher--heart breaking loss.--The first pet my wife and I got when we got married.

Princess Diana--our wonderful cat we had for 20 full years---lost and recovered her three times--once in the desert---once in Florida and once in Tenn.--longest time lost 2 weeks--she lived in 3 states with us--logged a lot of miles in the car--

James Bones 007--named by our Grand Daughter--about 5 1/2 pounds of Yorkie,Maltese and Shitzu--a bossy loyal mouthy-little general--
Lucky--Shitzu--large--black and white--quiet yet authoritative--loves my wife the best.
Storm---Luckys brother--beautiful light tan and white--small shitzu--a trouble maker--get s others in trouble and tries to look innocent--loves to get attention--a beautiful little dog.

We flew to Ga. often--to go to the farm in E-town alsotook Uncle Jim his favorite adult beverage,a case or-2ofit-now how do you know I'm not talking about Fresca---what dry county?-Early Times What?
We landed on the highway in front of the house--why? ,you ask--cause there wasn't an airfield there silly!
We would buzz the house--and the relatives would block off each end of the road with a car and we would land and taxi up the driveway to the garage--all this under the auspices of the powers to be in the little town where Uncle Jim was-Mayorfor half his life,and other city officals were also related in some cases--I never could spell nepotisum--you know I'm just kiddin right?
Anyway here's the senario-dads Cs.owned-th plane-he didn't have a pilots license--dad did ,so dad flew the plane when ever his cousin wanted to go somewhere---Uncle Jim was dads cousins father---got the picture---Right-ON--.We shall continue.
It was time to go visit the farm--and also take Uncle Jims medicine-we wereto make a side trip to Blackley and pick up a realtive---dad called her his old maid school teacher aunt---or something like that--she had never gotten to fly in a plane--Bubber was going to ride in a car from Blackley to the farm and she was going to get her airplane ride and get to land on the road by the railroad tracks--enough for her to talk about for the next month.Oh by the way--me and my younger brother Ron were in the back seat of the blue a white Cessna 180--dad and his aunt in the front. Off to E---town we went.
OH there's one more hitch--they were out of fuel in Blackley---thunder storms were moving in--we had to go on over to the farm and would have to go get fuel and bring it to the farm--to leave and go back to Florida on Sunday.
We arrived at the farm and buzzed the house--dads relative was having the time of her life--laughing and lookin out the window and all--anyway we buzzed the house--and no one came out. What's this--that never happened before--we buzzed the house again--no one--we were low on fuel--there were thunder storms toward Columbus--we had to land--but without being able to land on the road--cause it wouldn't be blocked off-had to pic an alternate strip--dad picked the road through the back pasteur--it was as straight as an arrow-was long enough--it just had a few minor problems---three to be exact--the field was surrounded by very tall trees and telephone poles--and out on the road were 300 head of cattle grazing--the road was our landing field--only one thing to do as the fuel was running low--dad had to run the cattle off of the road with the plane---he told everyone to hang on--his aunt grabbed the strut by the cockpit window--dad had to dive down just pass the trees and fly 20 feet above the ground and then pull up sharply to clear the trees on the far side--it was fun--me and my brother were shouting with glee--but not dads aunt--she was screaming at the top of her lungs--talking to the Lord.
The first pass moved some of the cattle off the road--it was clear it would involve many passes---dad continued the assault on the herd--diving down sometimes 10 feet off the deck and a hard climb at the other side of the field---10 passes--I don't know how many Lord have Mercys and other adjectives from his Aunt--who was swearing that if she lived she would never fly again--All my brother and I said was do it again dad--Welanded and that beautiful blue and white Cessna was brown from the cow patties on the road--We un loaded Uncle Jims cases of beverage and dads aunt grabbed a bottle and was last seen making its contents disappear--saying she wouldn't fly with my dad ever again or anyone.-UNtill that moment she never drank either.---The Codger

Here's what we used to do---you take a deep sea fishing rod--a big one with hundreds of yards of strong line--you attach the end to a kite and you put that sucker up there where people need oxygen---well high up anyway--and just about any fishing rod will work --
We used to make our own kites when we were young--the secret is in the tail.
Back in the early 50's we played marbles---yes we did--and it was popular--we each had a bag--normally rawhide ---we had clearies--Bunkers,cats eyes and steelies--one of the games we played was chasies.
It was serious business on the playground--cause winners kept what marbles they won.Various people got reputations as good marble players and each day there were heated challenges--now those old marbles are big collector items.
The sickest I ever was was back in the mid 50's when I caught the ashiatic flu---I caught it on Halloween--I was all set to be Zorro at the clubhouse party but instead got a fever of 105--and was delirious out of my mind sick--very sick--the worst I have ever felt.
OK that's my contribution for tonight--you Bloggers just keep on keepin on ---more later Gators or whatever---the Codger

Mr. Briggs was contracted to paint the S.H Kress store on main st. in Houston--He did the work after hours-and me being the bottom senority asst. mgr, I was elected to stay in the evenings while the painting was being done.
Mr. Briggs was a great guy--a white haired gentleman in his 50's I guess.He told me he had a place smack dab in the middle of the National forest near Huntsville Texas--50 acres--with a house and a stocked pond and three deer blinds that he didn't even use.He asked if I hunted and I said yes and he said your welcome to come up to my place on opening day--he said --we got plenty of deer--cause when those fools start blasting in the forrest--they come through my place.
I was totally excited and went to Oshmans the next day and bought a 30/30 Marlin lever action,some camo clothing and mosquito repellent and some boots.
Mr. Briggs had written me a map--and also a layout for his property showing where the blinds were also a key for the padlocks to unlock the hatch going up into the tree stands which were little houses with fold out windows--the three stands were placed around the big half moon shaped field-spaced evenly so three people could hunt.
Opening day came and I got up really early cause I had to make the drive from Houston and find his farm and get to the blind before sunup.
I arrived at the gate to his place lit by a light on a telephone pole and shut off my camaro--I got my stuff together and decided to try to find the deer stand in the middle of the property--I walked about 300 feet and the light by the car wasn't much help anymore--it was pitch black---and I realized I had forgotten one really important thing----a flashlight--oh well- I could see about 6 feet in front of me--I figured I could find the stand--a walked a bit farther and I couldn't see my hand in front of my face--when all at once--a blood curdling scream nearly damaged my eardrum---a mountain lion or puma or whatever big cat it was must have been thinkin about having me for breakfast--ya know--when something happens like that --having a gun is like the last thing on your mind--whatever that animal was--he could see me--and I couldn't see him--and he sounded really close to me.I could see the light in the distance where my car was and I made a b-line to it as fast as my legs would go--it was uphill slightly but I know I ran faster than I have ever run before and felt so good to get to my car--then I felt like an idiot--for waiting till the sun started to come up before I went to the blind. I didn't get a deer that day nor any day I went there--oh I had chances but fate stepped in each time--one time a horse ran the buck out of the pasteur--another time I fired but the deer was 150 yards out of range-I tried to compensate but kicked up dirt at his feet.
I have never gotten a deer--and it was one of the things I set as a goal for my hunting and fishing--goals--I caught the sailfish--no buck yet. later the Codger

No not the western guy--the northern one, my Uncle Bill from Pontiac Michigan.My moms youngest sisters husband!
He arrived on the scene with my aunt to visit us in Edgewater Maryland driving a yellow convertible pulling a beautiful wooden ski boat called a yellow jacket---First of all Bill looked like a movie star--or Elvis--with his thick coal black hair --He always wore the hip cloths and shoes and shirts and was full of life everytime you saw him-he always asked me questions I couldn't answer--He would get me off to the side and whisper hey Ricky-ya gettin any--I didn't know what any meant so I said sure Bill and he would say --good boy!
Bill didn't have a care in the world--spend money and have fun was his credo--He was the adopted son of a wonderful couple who had built a chain of meat stores around Michigan-or at least Pontiac and loved their adopted son to death and gave him anything he wanted--he was newly married to my Aunt and their wedding present was a new split level house fully furnished with all bills paid. Bill worked a bit in the family business--but mainly had fun.The two of them were involved in water ski competition-and were doing really well.
Bill said that he came there to teach me how to water ski---but first he gave us a ride in the Yellow Jacket and would it fly!!He said now I'm really going to show ya something--he went back to the stern and adusted something on each side of the motor--aluminum scoops---when he put the throttle forward and built up speed--they created arches of water that went behind the boat 200 feet on each side of the transom--it was a sight to see--but that was Bill--a fun and gun kinda guy--not to be confused by Steve Spurriers fun and gun offense at Florida--although both were exciteing.
We went down to the cove and Bill and my Aunt gave me water ski lessons---verbally--now it was time to do it for real----fast forward--I fell 5 times--got up on the 6th try and on wobley legs made it from the cove by our house just past the curve-before falling---then the next time I made it clean out to the South River---I could ski!!! Yeah-I was 11 years old--it was a milestone memory--brought me by Uncle Bill and Aunt Bonnie--there would be others.---later The Codger