Memorial Day 2010

Decoration Day
It used to be called Decoration Day, but now it is called Memorial Day and it commemorates the the United States men and women who died while in the military service. Read more about Memorial Day at:

• Wikipedia
• History of War Memorials

The St. Louis Arch
Kevin, my son, was in St. Louis, Missouri last week on business. While there he made an interesting picture of the giant Gateway Arch. He gave me permission to share with you.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Take the time today to give thanks for all those who died in our country’s service that we can live in freedom.

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Quote of the Day
The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men.
~Minot J. Savage

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Joke of the Day

Two Mexicans are stuck in the desert after crossing into the United States, wandering aimlessly and starving. They are about to just lie down and wait for death, when all of a sudden Luis says.........

"Hey Pepe, do you smell what I smell.  Ees bacon, I theenk."

Is, Luis, eet sure smells like bacon. "

With renewed hope they struggle up the next sand dune, & there, in the distance, is a tree loaded with bacon.

There's raw bacon, there's fried bacon, back bacon, double smoked bacon ... every imaginable kind of cured pork.

"Pepe, Pepe, we ees saved.  Ees a bacon tree."

"Luis, maybe ees a meerage?  We ees in the desert don't  forget."

"Pepe, since when deed you ever hear of  a meerage that smell like bacon...ees no meerage, ees a bacon tree."

And with that, Luis staggers towards the tree.  He gets to within 5 metres, Pepe crawling close behind, when suddenly a machine gun opens up, and Luis drops like a wet sock.  Mortally wounded, he warns Pepe with his dying breath,

"Pepe... go back man, you was right, ees not a bacon tree!"

"Luis, Luis mi amigo... what ees it? "

"Pepe.. ees not a bacon tree.  Ees

Ees a ham bush...."

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Fishing

South Holston and Watauga Lakes
We went fishing on both Thursday and Friday. Thursday we went to South Holston Lake. Yesterday we thought we would try Watauga Lake. Here’s a few pictures…

Charlie and Jim with Thursday’s stringer. We got 2 big lake trout, and 2 small rainbow trout.
Here’s Charlie with Friday’s catch. We got 3 big fish!
Here’s Charlie with the big one. This whooper was over 6 pounds.

Charlie and Faye go back home to Kentucky today. We enjoyed their visit, and I think Charlie enjoyed some good East Tennessee fishing! I sure did!

Here’s a sky picture I took on Watauga Lake yesterday.

I hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend.
Be Safe!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Always say Thank You!
I always appreciate it when someone gives me a sincere ‘thank you’ when appropriate. That doesn’t happen a lot, I’m usually on the receiving end of things. But I don’t want to get careless.
I want to always say ‘thank you’.
Remember Elvis? “Thank You, Thank You Very Much!”

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Quote of the Day

We never really grow up,
we only learn how to act in public.
~Bryan White

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Joke of the Day

With  all the new technology regarding fertility, I recently heard about a  65-year-old woman who was able to give birth. When she was  discharged from the hospital and went home, a friend went to visit her.

'May  I see the new baby?' she asked

'Not yet,' She said 'I'll make coffee and we can visit for a while first.'

Thirty minutes had passed, and the friend asked, 'May I see the new baby now?'  

'No, not yet,' She said.

After another few minutes had elapsed,

The friend asked again, 'May I see the baby now?'  
'No, not yet,' replied my friend.

Growing very impatient, the friend asked, 'Well, when can I see the baby?'

'WHEN HE CRIES!'  she told her friend.

'WHEN HE CRIES?' the friend demanded. 'Why do I have  to wait until he CRIES?'

'BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE I PUT HIM, O.K.?!!

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1907 Immigration Views

Immigration
I don’t know about you, but the following makes a lot of sense to me.

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

The above is TRUE according to Snopes.com.
What was said then holds today. Yessirrebob!

Fishing Yesterday 
We had the worst day we’ve ever had on South Holston fishing for trout. We had a great time, but we didn’t catch many fish. Only brought home 4 keepers: 2 lake trout and 2 rainbow. This picture shows Charlie and I holding the stringer. If the weather cooperates we may go fishing again tomorrow. But to a different lake. We would like to try the trout on Watauga Lake.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
I like Retirement…
Every week: 6 Saturdays and 1 Sunday.
World’s longest coffee break.
Goodbye tension, but hello pension!

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Quote of the Day
Know safety, no injury.
No safety, know injury.
~Author Unknown

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Joke of the Day

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Have You Driven a Ford Lately?

No Matter… Check This Out
Here’s an old 1950s commercial for Ford automobiles. It encouraging people to not just have one, but 2 Fords in the drive way. It’s a blast from the past.

Then you can do a little searching and you can find many old TV ads from the past. It’s amazing how advertising has changed.

Gone Fishing Today
Yesterday we had company to come for a visit: Charlie and Faye from Kentucky. Today Charlie’s going fishing with us to see how we fish for those trout on South Holston Lake.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Proverbs 29:18
”Where there is no vision, the people perish: …”
The ability to look ahead and see the final
outcome of a thing can save our life…
both in this world and that to come.

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Quote of the Day

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument. 
~William G. McAdoo

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Joke of the Day

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Swimming

Zachary’s Lessons
He had a good year of lessons. His teacher Dustin, did a great job. Zachary had an opportunity to practice his free style and back stroke, and learned two new strokes: breaststroke and butterfly.

Here’s a couple of pictures of Zachary: one waiting to get on the diving board and one of him on the diving board.

The short clip below shows him making the jump:

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:

There’s a Chinese proverb that says to ‘dig the well before you are thirsty’. That’s another way of saying we need to be prepared before it is too late.

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Quotes of the Day
A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into. 
~Ansel Adams

There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer.
~Ansel Adams

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Joke of the Day

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Fishing in 2010

Album for 2010
Here’s my fishing album for this year. I’ll be adding pictures to it after each fishing trip.

Someone said that if people had their priorities right, there would be a shortage of fishing poles.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:

I’m wishing I was fishing.
I purpose to go later this week.

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Quote of the Day

Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.
~Washington Irving

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Joke of the Day

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Birthday Boy!

Zachary’s Birthday
Yesterday (August 23) was Zachary’s Birthday. He was 9 years old. He’s growing up fast.

Here’s a few pictures taken on his birthday.

Just recently Zachary finished his Advanced Swimming Lessons Classes. He learned improved his backstroke, and learned two new strokes: breaststroke and butterfly. He is a good swimmer like his sister Kara.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Like everyday, today would be a good day to make someone happy so you could see them smile.

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Quote of the Day

Baseball is almost the only orderly thing in a very unorderly world.  If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off.
~Bill Veeck

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Joke of the Day

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A Blue Jay

Not So Bad
I kind of like the Blue Jays. I think they are a pretty bird, but not on top of my list for sure. I like the Cardinal a lot better, and the finch family, too.

I got a couple of pictures of a Blue Jay who was visiting in our back yard a few days ago. Here he is on top of the bracket that holds the sunflower seed. He’s about 35 feet from me. I’m sitting on the couch and taking this and the next picture through a double pane sliding patio door. (I never guessed they would be any good.)

I adjusted the zoom and took this second picture just as he turns around. He never knew I was anywhere around.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Thinking back…
Beginning in 1957 I registered at the University of Tennessee. My major was accounting. Later I changed my major and graduated with a degree in Business Administration with a Statistics Major.

I enjoyed my college days. I lived at home with Dad, Mom, and my sister. I worked for my Dad in the summer and on weekends to save money for school. Dad was then owner of White Brothers Poultry & Egg Company.

Even earning minimum wage at $1.00/hour, it was pretty easy to save enough for school. I remember tuition was only $75 a quarter ($225/year) and books were very reasonable in those days. Can you imagine?

 

Even though I was the first person in our family to go to college, I got lots of support from my family.

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Quote of the Day

I think the world is run by C students.
~Al McGuire

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Joke of the Day

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Trolling for Trout in Tennessee

South Holston Lake
Doug, Ralph and I were on the lake yesterday. We had a pretty good day. We caught a total of 13 keepers which included 4 lake trout and 9 rainbow trout. The rainbow were nothing to brag about, but the lake trout were good size. The four we caught weighed a total of 17.5 pounds (See picture to right. We did not put the 9 rainbow trout on the stringer.

Here’s some pictures with a few comments.

Here’s TN Granddaddy with a 5 lb. 7 oz lake trout.	Doug caught a nice lake trout weight almost 5 pounds
Here’s Ralph with a fight on his hands. He landed another nice trout.	The chart on the left shows how much line to let out to achieved a specific depth with the Deeper Divers. We have 4 sizes of Deeper Divers.
Here’s tray showing many of the spoons (lures) we use behind the Deeper Divers.	Our line counter reels are equipped with 50 lb. test braided line.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:

What we feed on naturally affects our physical well-being. By the same token what we feed on mentally impacts our spiritual well-being.

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Quote of the Day

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between
the New Year and Christmas.
~Author Unknown

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Joke of the Day

This is one of Granddaddy’s favorite cartoons…

 

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I’m Fine… How Are You?

A Funny Poem, That’s Makes Sense!
A friend sent me this poem the other day. You can find it on this web site: Wanda’s Country Home

Here it is if you don’t wish to go to the website:

I’m Fine….How Are You?

There's nothing the matter with me,
I'm just as healthy as can be,
I have arthritis in both knees,
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.
My pulse is weak, my blood is thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

All my teeth have had to come out,
And my diet I hate to think about.
I'm overweight and I can't get thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

And arch supports I need for my feet...
Or I wouldn't be able to go out in the street.
Sleep is denied me night after night,
But every morning I find I'm all right.
My memory's failing, my head's in a spin...
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

Old age is golden I've heard it said,
But sometimes I wonder, as I go to bed.
With my ears in a drawer, my teeth in a cup,
And my glasses on a shelf, until I get up.
And when sleep dims my eyes, I say to myself,
Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?

The reason I know my Youth has been spent,
Is my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went!
But really I don't mind, when I think with a grin,
Of all the places my get-up has been.

I get up each morning and dust off my wits,
Pick up the paper and read the obits.
If my name is missing, I'm therefore not dead,
So I eat a good breakfast and jump back into bed.

The moral of this as the tale unfolds,
Is that for you and me, who are growing old....
It is better to say "I'm fine" with a grin,
Than to let people know the shape we are in.

Author: Diamond C Aloes

Fishing Today
We’re planning on our first day of trout fishing for 2010 today. Doug, Ralph, and I are going to South Holston Lake to troll for the trout, especially the Lake Trout (see picture).

As you may know, last year someone stole all my fishing tackle, so we will be trying out new Deeper Divers, new lures, etc. Fortunately we’ll we’ll be using the same rods and reels, as the
thief(s) only stole the lighter rods and reels. But I do have new line on all the reels. This year I’m going with 50 pound test braid, with 20 pound test leaders.

So you might say we’re testing the waters today. But I have high hopes!  Maybe I’ll have a good report tomorrow.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
I used to like to tell the joke about a fat man that got on the elevator. One other person was on the elevator, a scrawny, skinny fellow that looked malnourished. The fat man said, “Hey fellow, you’re so skinny you look like you’ve been in a famine.” The skinny man didn’t hesitate when he said, “You look like you caused one!”

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Quote of the Day

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with
a few pieces of chocolate cake. 
~Author Unknown

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Joke of the Day

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May Flowers

Flowers and More Flowers
This has been a wonderful season for flowers. We continue to enjoy our roses and petunias on our patio.

State Flowers
You know that each state has a flower. For Tennessee the state flower is the Iris. If you would like to see all the state’s flowers, click on this link:

State Flowers

While looking at the flowers you will listen to America the Beautiful. Watch all the way to the end to see all the state’s flowers combined into a beautiful bouquet.

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
I go to see a couple of my doctors today. That’ll make 3 appointments in 8 days. I heard it said that’s there’s a specialist for every hole in your body, and then there’s more doctors that make new holes (surgeons). I wonder what old age will be like with Obama Care?

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Quote of the Day

A hospital should also have a recovery room
adjoining the cashier's office.
~Francis O'Walsh

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Joke of the Day

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Wear Your Seatbelts

Great Commercial!
Excuse me if you have seen this. But if you have not you will enjoy and appreciate this UK commercial to promote the use of seat belts. Last time I looked there were nearly 7,000,000 views of this video on YouTube.

And, you can do me a favor. Always wear your seatbelt!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says: 
If the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person, then where are my students?

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Quote of the Day

It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road.
~Author Unknown

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Joke of the Day

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Keep On, Keeping On

Keep Swimming

Here’s a cute tale I received from Faye in Kentucky a few days ago. The swimming bit struck a cord because we’re taking Zachary to Swimming lessons this week (last week too.).

Also, I was thinking about a friend I had during my work days. Some days you would ask him how he was doing, and he would reply, “Kicking faintly.” Well, I hope you are doing better that kicking faintly. We need to keep kicking and keep swimming. Read on…

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl.
One was an optimistic soul.
But the other took the gloomy view.
"We'll drown," he lamented without much ado.
And with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and said "Goodbye."

Quote the other frog with a steadfast grin,
"I can't get out but I won't give in,
I'll just swim around till my strength is spent,
Then I'll die the more content."

Bravely he swam to work his scheme,
And his struggles began to churn the cream.
The more he swam, his legs a flutter,
The more the cream turned into butter.

On top of the butter at last he stopped,
And out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
What is the moral? It's easily found...
If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!

 

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Tennessee Granddaddy Says:

I’ve heard that the best way to get rid of a bad habit is to replace it with a good habit. Even so we need to be careful even with good habits… because good religious acts should not be done out of habit. We should be moved to do good things because of pure motives in our heart.

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Quote of the Day

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.
~Samuel Johnson

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Joke of the Day

 

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