Surgery Today

Beverly has sinus surgery this morning. We have to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM. So I’ll make this post short. She has a blockage in her right sinus area that has been bothering her for at least 4 months. Finally they did a CT Scan that showed something in her sinus cavity. The doctor (ENT specialist) told her surgery was not an option. It had to be done to find out what she is dealing with. The procedure this morning will be done as an out patient, and we’ll be home later today unless there are complications.

I’ll give you an update to this post when we return from the hospital. Please keep Beverly in your prayers.

Still Nostalgic
This next link will have you looking back in time. When you open the infoplease web site, then click on the year you were born, for detailed and specific information. You’ll have your choice as the range goes from 1900 to 2008. (Dad, I’ve got you covered)

I think you’ll find it very informative, and it’s all business. Click on:

infoplease

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Here is a test to find
whether your mission on earth is finished:
If you're alive, it isn't.

Remember…
BIBLE = Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth

~~~

Quote of the Day

When you are through changing,
you are through. 
~Bruce Barton

~~~
Joke of the Day

Wife after returning from fishing trip with husband to neighbor:

"I did everything all wrong again today --
  - I talked too much and too loud. 
  - I used the wrong bait.
  - I reeled in too fast AND 
  - I caught more than he did."

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Beverly’s Surgery

Sinus Surgery
Beverly has Endoscopic Sinus Surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning. I’ll tell you more after her surgery. Her right sinuses have been blocked for months. Finally they did a CT scan which showed the need for surgery. A few weeks ago she went to the ENT doctor who told her surgery was not an option. It was imperative to find out what was the cause. She’s a little nervous, because, believe it or not, Beverly has never been put to sleep with anesthesia.

1:36 PM Update: The hospital just called and we have to have Beverly at the hospital at 5:30 AM Tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Inauguration
I was reminded yesterday that our nation is not based on a group of people of the same race or skin color, or is it based on us having the same religion, instead it is based on the fact that we all believe in freedom.

This is a good video showing each of our forty-four presidents… from George Washington to Barack Obama.

How’s This for Nostalgia!
This picture was taken by Michael F. Allen, and he has many more beautiful photographs that truly capture an era of American history. If you like trains go to:

Rail Pictures.net

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
The highest form of wisdom is never to worry about
the future but to resign ourselves entirely to God’s Will.

~~~

Quote of the Day
All men desire peace,
but very few desire those things
that make for peace.
~Thomas a Kempis

~~~
Joke of the Day

While sports fishing off a Florida inland waterway, a tourist capsized his boat. He could swim, but his fear of alligators kept him clinging to the overturned craft. Spotting an old beachcomber standing on the shore, the tourist shouted, "are there any gators around here?!"

"Naw," the man hollered back, "Ain't been any for years!"

Feeling safe, the tourist started swimming toward the shore. As he got closer to shore he shouted to the guy again "What did you do to get rid of the gators?"

"We didn't do nothin'," the beachcomber said. "The sharks got 'em all."

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Nostalgic Week

The Good Old Days
I guess this must be Nostalgic Week for me. Yesterday, I was rambling about going to downtown Knoxville to Woolworth’s. Then another friend sent we a link to flash movie about those western movies… Then I found lots more. I hope you enjoy. (Time in Minutes:Seconds)

• Whatever Happened to Those Old Westerns (5:38)
• Growing Up in the Fifties (8:51)
• Take Me Back to the ‘50s (7:32)
• The Cars We Drove in the 50s & 60s (7:40)
  
  and There’s Plenty More Military/Patriotic, Nostalgic, and Scenic America Movies at
  
• OBJ Flicks
  

Granddaddy and His Car
This pictures brings back lots of memories. It was my first car, a 1950 Ford V8, 2 door, straight shift with overdrive. It was a dull gray color, but soon after I got the car I got it painted Black.

When I bought the car, I didn’t know how to drive a straight shift. With Dad’s help and a vacant lot next door, I practiced until I got my driver’s license. I was at the door of the DMV on my birthday, but they said come back tomorrow. It was raining a little bit that day.

I got me a ding-dong bell, and Ooga horn on the car. I wish I still had that car. And that same wish goes out from probably every guy about his first car.

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says: 
Sometimes the people you expect to kick you when
you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

~~~

Quote of the Day
Put a grain of boldness into everything you do. 
~Baltasar Gracian

~~~
Joke of the Day

A small town doctor was famous in the area for always catching large fish.

One day while he was on one of his frequent fishing trips he got a call that a woman at a neighboring farm was giving birth. He rushed to her aid and delivered a healthy baby boy.

The farmer had nothing to weigh the baby with so the doctor used his fishing scales. The baby weighed 32 lb. 10 oz

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Do You Remember Woolworth’s?

I Sure Do!
I remember going downtown to Knoxville with my Mother when I was a small boy. We rode the bus to get into town. I always wanted to sit at the back of the bus. But I could not sit there, it was reserved for the blacks. To me it looked like the best seats on the bus.

When we got to town, we always went to Woolworth’s. It was one of the best places to go. I always went to the toys and looked. I remember looking carefully at each toy to see if it said “Made in Japan”. I knew if it said that, that it would be junk, and I would not buy it. Now days, if it says “Made in Japan” it generally means the highest quality.

I also remember segregated rest rooms and water fountains at Woolworth’s. Even as a small boy, that that did not seem right to me. We have come a long way in this country. This week we will be inaugurating our first black president, Barack Obama. God Bless America!

We usually ate lunch at the Woolworth lunch counter. And, I have something very special to share with you. It’s a copy of a 1950’s sandwich menu from Woolworth’s. (Thanks to our good friends Faye and Charlie in Owensboro, KY for sending it to me.)

Yes, a king size coke was 10 cents and a piece of pie was only 15 cents. This was fast food in the early 1950’s.

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
We are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

~~~

Quote of the Day

Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one.
~Astrid Alauda

~~~
Joke of the Day

A fisherman from the city was out fishing on a lake in a small boat. He noticed another man in a small boat open his tackle box and take out a mirror. Being curious the man rowed over and asked, "What is the mirror for?"

"That's my secret way to catch fish," said the other man. "Shine the mirror on the top of the water. The fish notice the spot of sun on the water above and they swim to the surface. Then I just reach down and net them and pull them into the boat."

"Wow! Does that really work?"

"You bet it does."

"Would you be interested in selling that mirror? I'll give you $30 for it."

"Well, okay."

After the money was transferred, the city fisherman asked, "By the way, how many fish have you caught this week?"

"You're the sixth," he said.

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Slingshots

Ever Make a Slingshot?
When I think about slingshots I think about how we used to make them when I was a boy. We would look for a branch of tree with a “Y” shape. Then we would cut it to size and carve the “Y” to get the ends smoothed up. We would then search for an old inner tube and cut it to make some strips, and we would look for some leather to make the rock holder with. We used string to tie the rubber strips to the “Y” on the slingshot, … It seems like only yesterday. To tell the truth, old inner tubes did not work all that well, but it was all we had. We used what we could find and we had made out own slingshot. Now you can go buy one at Wal-Mart.

This video below is about a man who is an expert with slingshots. He can hit just about anything. He is really good! It brought back lots of memories. Thanks, Don, for sending this to me.

Now the next video is about a different kind of slingshot. It’s about a human slingshot. I wonder if that poor girl has any idea about what she is getting into.

Wow, what did you think about that? I would call that dangerous with a capital “D”.

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:

Remember that there are two theories for arguing with your wife. Neither one works.

~~~

Quote of the Day

A daughter may outgrow your lap,
but she will never outgrow your heart.
~Author Unknown

(Granddaddy says that the above quote
also applies to granddaughters.)

~~~
Joke of the Day

Mrs. Pete Monaghan came into the newsroom to pay for her husband's obituary. She was told by the kindly newsman that it was a dollar a word and he remembered Pete and wasn't it too bad about him passing away.

She thanked him for his kind words and bemoaned the fact that she only had two dollars. But she wrote out the obituary, "Pete died."

The newsman said he thought old Pete deserved more and he'd give her three more words at no charge.

Mrs. Pete Monaghan thanked him and rewrote the obituary: "Pete died. Boat for sale"

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Elephants Live In Tennessee

The Elephant Sanctuary
Yes, elephants live in Tennessee! There’s a special place in Hohenwald, Tennessee where elephants can go to retire. The Elephant Sanctuary is “A Natural-Habitat Refuge Where Sick, Old and Needy Elephants Can Once Again Walk The Earth In Peace and Dignity.” Click on the Elephant Sanctuary to visit the web site.

MY cousin recently sent me a link to a YouTube video concerning this sanctuary that tells about a dog and an elephant which have established a very lasting and unique friendship. I found this very interesting.

The Elephant Sanctuary is definitely a good thing.

My Aches and Pains
Granddaddy woke up yesterday and felt awful. I was weak, no energy, no appetite and I had a fever. Grandmother always gets worried when I’m not myself, so we made a trip to my doctor. He said it was probably a virus. I just laid around and slept all day.

This morning I feel some better, but I’m still not myself.

Beverly knew I was sick, because I had planned to go to the Fishing Show in Knoxville yesterday. When I told her I was unable to go she knew right away that something was wrong with me. So I guess I’ll miss the Fishing Show this year.

 

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
We either control our own attitude or
our attitude controls us.
We alone are responsible for our attitude.

~~~

Quote of the Day

You have succeeded in life when all you really want
is only what you really need. 
~Vernon Howard

~~~
Joke of the Day

Walking up to a department store's fabric counter, a pretty girl asked, "I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?"

"Only one kiss per yard," replied the smirking male clerk.

"That's fine," replied the girl. "I'll take ten yards."

With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the clerk quickly measured out and wrapped the cloth, then teasingly held it out.

The girl snapped up the package and pointed to a little old man standing beside her. "Grandpa will pay the bill," she smiled.

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Large Houses

I feel a little goofy today. How about you?

Monstrous Houses
The pictures below were sent to me a while back to illustrate the “homes” of rich and famous people. Are they homes? Probably not, depending on your definition of what makes a home. A home is very different than a house. I’ve been in very large homes that were small houses.

Arnold S	J-Lo & Mark
Halle B	John T
Oprah	Bill J
Eddie M	Hugh H
Sylvester S	OJ

Ok… I’ll get serious. The link below will take you to a video that shows a castle that was built to be a home for some people that live only about 20 miles from where we live in Kingsport. This house is in Johnson City, TN, and It’s quite amazing. Click on the following link to get a tour of the castle:

The Grindstaff Castle

And we learned last Sunday that the castle took a lightning hit during a storm on 1/10/2009. It caught fire and the owners were not home, and the fire department had difficulties getting in to fight the blaze due to the large iron gate that secures the property. The house is also for sale. Before the fire the price was 28.5 million dollars. (Someone told me that the house had sold before the fire.) About the Fire.

~~~

Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
I’m thankful that as I have gotten older, that age has only affected my body, and not my mind.

~~~

Quote of the Day

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.
~Bernard Baruch

~~~
Joke of the Day

A few weeks ago, a man who was an officer in the naval reserve was attending a conference that included admirals in both the USA and the French navies.

At a cocktail reception, my friend found himself in a small group that included an admiral from each of the two navies.

The French admiral started complaining that whereas Europeans learned many languages, Americans only learned English.

He then asked. "Why is it that we have to speak English in these conferences rather than you having to speak French?"

Without even hesitating, the American admiral replied.

"Maybe it is because we arranged it so that you did not have to learn to speak German."

The group became silent.

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