Catching Up…

I’ve been negligent in posting. So I’ll try to catch up.

Mother’s Day
To celebrate Mother’s Day, Kevin invited us to a nice picnic at the Eastman Picnic Area. We had five mothers in attendance and a great meal. The food was BBQ from the world famous Original Ridgewood Barbeque in Bluff City, TN.

Cataracts
Beverly had cataract surgery on her right eye last Thursday. I have been amazed at her recovery and the results! She was noticing big differences in her vision on the afternoon after her surgery and on Friday morning she was reading the smallest type on her iPhone. Later Friday morning we went to the doctor for a checkup on her eye and everything was A-OK. The doctor gave us a CD with a movie of her complete cataract surgery. I watched it later that day, but Beverly has decided to wait until after her cataract surgery on her left eye on May 30.

Tennis
We enjoyed watching our granddaughter, Kara, play tennis this year. She’s a freshmen and plays on her high school tennis team. Her improvement this year has been very impressive. She won quite a few (6-7) singles matches in competition. I noticed a dramatic change from when grandmother and I took her for her first tennis lessons a couple of years ago. Way to Go, Kara!!!

Band Concert
Zachary’s band concert was on May 9. And what a great concert it was! Zachary plays the percussion instruments and you can easily see that he enjoys it very much. He as right when he told us the concert would be “Awesome!”.

Upcoming Events
May 23 – Zachary’s Birthday. He’ll be 12 years old!
June 8 – Jim & Beverly’s 52nd Wedding Anniversary

Fishing
It has been a good year for crappie fishing for us this year.Thus far we have made 5 fishing trips to Douglas Lake. In total we have caught 784 crappie and 172 have been keepers (over 10”). The Keeper Rate is about 22% or about 1 out of very 5 fish is a keeper. The “keepers” are put on ice a brought home for the filet knife and freezer bags. (The 612 non keepers were gently released back into the lake to continue to grow.)

Our most popular lure this year has been the 1/16 oz. white Roadrunner tipped with a Crappie Slider.

The White Roadrunner

3 Crappie Sliders

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
In the James 1:19 it gives us some good advice:

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

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Quote of the Day

In the presence of eternity,
the mountains are as transient as the clouds.
~Robert Green Ingersoll

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Joke of the Day

Walking into the bar, Mike said to Charlie the bartender, 'Pour me a stiff one - just had another fight with the little woman.'

'Oh yeah?' said Charlie, 'And how did this one end?'

'When it was over,' Mike replied, 'She came to me on her hands and knees.'

'Really,' said Charles, 'Now that's a switch!   What did she say?'

She said, 'Come out from under the bed, you little chicken.'

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Two Great Days Last Week!

Last Tuesday
We went back to Douglas Lake and got our limit again! This is the second time in my life when we got our limit for crappie on Douglas Lake. It was a good day for sure. We use two fish counters (see picture). The one on the left shows how many under-sized crappie that we tossed back in the lake. The other counter shows the “keepers”. The limit is 15 per day and they have to be 10 inches or larger.

This picture shows the two guys I fish with. Doug is on the left and Ralph is on the right. We make a good team. It takes all three of us to fish my boat since we are trolling with 16 rods with rear-drag spinning reels. Our primary bait is lead head jigs with plastic. However, this year we have caught the majority of fish with Road Runners  baited with Crappie Sliders.

Last Thursday
I went to a luncheon to celebrate a good friend’s 25 year anniversary with Eastman Chemical Company. His name is Arved and I remember the day we interviewed and hired him. He came to Eastman from Wise, Virginia and he had a Master’s degree in Statistics from Virginia Tech. It was a great to see Arved and many others that I had worked with when I was working at Eastman.

The picture below was taken a few months after Arved was hired. He is on the far left. This was taken when Dr. W. Edwards Deming came to Eastman in 1988. Dr. Deming is surrounded by all the statisticians who were working at Eastman Chemical Co. at that time.

Yes, Tennessee Granddaddy is in the picture. See if you can find him. He turned 50 the week this picture was taken.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
During this path of life, be careful that you don’t burn bridges. It much better to build new bridges and lay stepping stones for others.

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Quotes of the Day

Learn all you can from the mistakes of others.  You won't have time to make them all yourself.
~Alfred Sheinwold


Experience is not what happens to a man.  It is what a man does with what happens to him.
~Aldous Leonard Huxley

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Joke of the Day

A man walked by a table in a hotel and noticed three men and a dog playing cards.

The dog, predictably, was losing.

"He would probably do better if he could read the cards," the man commented.

"Oh, he can read cards just fine," said one of the players. "But every time he gets a good hand he wags his tail."

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My Fishing Report

Crappie Fishing
Actually the fishing has not been “crappie” but very good for us last week on Douglas Lake. We went twice, and we don’t do that very often unless the the fishing is good.

On Tuesday, the three of us caught our limit of 45 crappie. The state allows 15 crappie per person provided they are 10” or greater in length. However, in order to get 45 keepers we caught a total of 206 fish. That’s only about a 22% success rate for keepers.

On Thursday we only caught 30 keepers out of 156 total fish. That’s a 19% success rate for keepers.

I call that some pretty good fishing and even though 4 out of 5 fish are too small to keep it is lots of fun and it keeps you busy. And on both days we caught some nice catfish to go with the crappie.

Now I’m ready for some fried crappie filets, with some fried potatoes, coleslaw, and cornbread or hushpuppies. Yum! Yum!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says: 
Enjoy the beautiful weather.
Go fishing!
Then you will smile and relax.

~~~

Quote of the Day

The gods do not deduct from man's
allotted span the hours spent in fishing.
~Babylonian Proverb

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Joke of the Day

During John's physical, the doctor asked him about his daily activity level.

John replied, "Well, yesterday morning, I waded along the edge of a lake, escaped from wild dogs in the heavy brush, marched up and down several rocky hills, stood in a patch of poison ivy, crawled out of quicksand, and jumped away from an aggressive rattlesnake."

Inspired by the story, the doctor said, "You must be some outdoorsman!"

"No," John replied, "I'm just a lousy golfer."

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First Day

Of Fishing in 2013
We went to Douglas Lake today to fish for crappie. It was the first trip this year and the first trip to test the equipment (boat, motor, fishing gear) my new hip. Everything worked perfectly.

And we caught fish! We caught a total of 42 crappie, but only 19 were “keepers”. A good day.

That’s my friend Ralph holding the stringer and you can see Doug in the background.

We have had a late spring for sure. I was checking our fishing trips we made last year, and I was surprised that we had already made 3 trips to fish Douglas. The first fishing trip last year was on March 13!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Our winter was not severe, but so long. The late Spring is here at last. Soon the redbuds will be blooming and the dogwoods not far behind. Ahhh!

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Quote of the Day

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.
~Benjamin Franklin

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Joke of the Day

A recently ordained pastor was invited fishing by two senior pastors. They rowed their boat out into the middle of a lake and started casting.

Suddenly, one of the senior pastors says, "I forgot my bait. I'll be right back." Then he hops out of the boat, walks across the water to shore. A few minutes later, he comes walking back and gets in the boat.

The junior pastor is astonished, but manages to keep it to himself.

A bit later, the other senior pastor says, "I forgot my sunscreen. I'll be right back." Then he hops out of the boat, walks across the water to shore. A few minutes later, he comes walking back and gets in the boat.

The junior pastor is now certain that these are two men of supreme faith and he doesn't want to appear less spiritual.

After a few moments, the junior pastor says, "I forgot my lunch. I'll be right back." He hops out of the boat and plunges straight to the bottom of the lake.

One senior pastor turns to the other and says, "We forgot to tell him about the stepping stones."

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Last Weekend

We Had a Visit from Atley
Beginning last Friday we enjoyed a wonderful visit from Mandy, Alex, Atley, and Sylvia. It was so good to be able to see the growth in Atley. He’s 7 months old now and really growing fast. He already has 4 teeth. Here’s a few pictures.

A Great Explanation
This is a must to watch. It illustrates in simple terms what our government is doing to us by not cutting back spending and working to balance the budget. What would happen if we operated our households like the federal government? We have to live on a budget and our government should also!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
The biggest trouble with bad habits is that
they often become a necessity.

~~~

Quote of the Day

Nobody can do everything,
but everyone can do something.
~Author Unknown

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Joke of the Day

A newly married man, feeling a little insecure, asked his wife, "Would you have married me if my father hadn't left me a fortune?"

"Honey," his bride replied sweetly, "I'd have married you no matter who left you that fortune!"

-and-

A woman was sitting on the patio with her husband and sipping a glass of wine. Suddenly she said, "I love you so much, I don't know how I could ever live without you."

Her husband asked, "Is that you, or the wine talking?"

She replied, "It's me...talking to the wine."

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More Winter to Come?

Prepare Yourself and Home for Icy Weather
While we hope that the harsh days of cold weather are behind us, it is possible we may have some bad weather in the next few weeks. That is why I wanted to share the following with you. I received it a few days ago and thought you might benefit from the suggestions like I did.

1) Stock up on batteries, flashlights and candles. Get a battery-powered radio and prepare an alternate source of heat, like a generator or enough wood to supply a wood stove.

2) Store extra clothes and blankets for when power and heat are lost.

3) Stock up on extra food and water. Keep a manual can opener and food that requires little or no cooking unless you have an alternate cooking source like a propane grill or camping stove with plenty of fuel. Keep at least one week's worth of prescription medication on hand.

4) Have a first aid kit, list of emergency numbers and a corded phone within easy reach. Cordless phones do not work when the power is out.

5) Fill up automobile gas tanks and have cash on hand because gas stations and banks may be out of service during an ice storm.

6) Unplug appliances to protect them from bursts of electricity, like the television, stereo, computer and microwave.

7) Install smoke alarms and test their batteries.

8) Properly insulate your home and seal windows and doors with weather-stripping to prevent cold air from leaking in.

9) Install storm windows or wrap windows from inside with plastic to add extra insulation against cold air.

10) Drain water pipes and consider wrapping them with blankets or newspapers to discourage freezing which commonly occurs during an ice storm. Alternately, let them drip but catch the water so that later it can be used for drinking, cooking or washing.

11) Turn off all major electric appliances if the power goes out.

12) Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed to conserve cold air and preserve food.

13) Use water sparingly; for example, flush the toilet with leftover cooking or washing water.

14) Eat and drink on a regular basis to stay hydrated and to help regulate you body temperature.

15) Listen to the radio for forecasts, warnings and further instructions regarding the ice storm.

16) Change wet clothing frequently to avoid losing body heat. Seek medical attention if you see any indications of hypothermia or frostbite.

Portions of these tips were retrieved from "eHow.com".

I’m Thinking Spring
While I give you all those winter tips above, I’m thinking spring time and fishing. I’ve started work on getting my fishing tackle ready for the fishing season. I’ve removed the old line from 10 spinning reels. Now I need to oil the reels and put new line on the reels. Then on some warm day I will go outside and put the reels on the fishing rods that we use for crappie fishing. I enjoy every minute of getting ready for fishing!

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Smile!

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Quote of the Day

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
~Proverb

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Joke of the Day

Upon entering the little country store, the stranger noticed a sign saying DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG! posted on the glass door. Inside he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor beside the cash register.

He asked the store manager, "Is THAT the dog folks are supposed to beware of?"

"Yep, that's him," he replied.

The stranger couldn't help but be amused. "That certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?"

"Because", the owner replied, "before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him."

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Doctor’s Report

Granddaddy Appointments
Yesterday I had 2 doctor appointments. The first was with my dermatologist, and the second was with the surgeon who did my hip surgery

The dermatologist found a little spot on my ear that needs to be watched to see if it is growing larger. It’s a small spot that I had never noticed, right on my ear lobe. They took pictures and I’ll be watching it.

The surgeon was pleased with my progress and lifted all restrictions for bending, twisting, etc. I can now tie my own shoes, sit in any chair, and just be what I was before the surgery. But I need to continue using the cane until I develop more strength in my left leg so that I can walk without a limp. He agreed for me to continue physical therapy for one more month. (Note to Alex: Sorry but it looks like you will not be able to get my favorite chair when you, Mandy & Atley come for that February visit.)

The Home Place is Sold
Last week we closed on selling Dad’s house in Knoxville. I have been experiencing a mixture of emotions from knowing the house now belongs to someone else. We moved into that house about 57 years ago. Many memories on my Mother and Dad go with the surroundings of that wonderful home. That’s sad. At the same time we were glad to sell the property and remove the worry and expense of an unoccupied house. It had to be done, but my heart aches.

Marvelous Kites in the Wind
I think you will enjoy the following video showing Ray Bethell fly his kites. It’s an amazing feat and a thing of beauty. It brought back memories of my childhood when we would fly kites from our front yard. What fun. I would really enjoy flying a kite again!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
It’s much better to understand a little
than to misunderstand a lot.

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Quote of the Day

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Joke of the Day

A local business was looking for office help and put up sign stating the following: "HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer."

A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined.

Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so the manager lead him into the office.

Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said "I can't hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type." The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter.

He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, "The sign says you have to be good with a computer."

The dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to open and use all the productivity software. By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded!

He looked at the dog and said "I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can't give you the job."

The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentence about being an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The manager said, "Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual."

The dog looked at the manager calmly and said, "Meow."

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