No.. this is not a turkey!

*there was a nice picture of a rooster here but I accidentally deleted it- Kristen *

This blog is for the young ones amongst us!

I am going to take the decay of Thanksgiving all on my shoulders. It has gone from being a day to give thanks for all of the gifts that have been bestowed on us, to a day off of work (for some) or school, so that we can recover from Thanksgiving eve parties and then go out and shop your butts off. Now let’s go back to origins of Thanks Giving. Your first reaction is the pilgrims and Plymouth rock, well you all know that story, so I am going to go back a few years before that! I am going to start with Judaism, where each year they celebrate their Psalm cycle known as Hallel. Psalm 118 is the basis behind  “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever”  the cycle continues “who is rich? He who is happy with his lot” or  “When thou eatest the labor of thy hands, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”  All this really means is ha-sameach be-chelko, or in english one who is happy with his portion.  So that is how it all started, one was supposed to give thanks for what was given. “Labor of thy hands, and be happy with the portion” or lot. Now lets us fast forward to 1959. There was no talk of buying things, other than what was going to be eaten on thanksgiving. It was a day when families sat down, and enjoyed a fancy meal, made by their hands and spent time giving thanks for all of their abundance. Lets us move to 1989 that was about the time where I saw a big change in our culture. We went from a thankful, giving country to a society where we only were thinking of ourselves, and how we could get over on the other guy. Tradition was a memory, we only had faith in ourselves, we hoped for the new gaming system (ATARI) and the family role model was Archie Bunker and Al Bundy. So let’s move to the year 2013, Al Bundy, is still a role model, but is constantly being criticized because of his old values, we hope for a new Smartphone so we no longer have to communicate with anyone, and faith is a word that we have dropped from our vocabulary. Our values are being shaped by celebrities, talking heads (not the band), and quite honestly what do they know. I think you get my point, my message is simple! Honor what has been given to you, yes strive to be your best, because that is what was given to you, make you own decisions based on your values, not what you hear in the media. This all means that we have to work hard, value and respect hard work, and your needs not necessary your wants will be fulfilled. This Thursday take the time and spend it with you family, put away the social media, no texting, no face book, no blogs, just good old conversation with those who you love. For their values, and your hard work, does pay-off in the end!

That is enough of the words of wisdom, so here is a story. I was at WAWA and saw the strangest thing. In front of WAWA there must be 20 gas pumps, but on the back side is a parking lot. So I pulled in and there was a big green SUV stopped in front of the back door, taking up 3-4 parking spaces with their flashers on. So I parked out in the back 40, and as I was approaching he store, I saw a little old lady with a one gallon gas can putting gas in to that monster. I felt really bad, because it was pouring down rain ant it was really cold. As I approached her to see if I could be of any assistance, some guy told me what she was doing. She was almost out of gas, so she did not think she could make it around to the other side of the store to the pumps, so she parked the car in the middle of 3-4 parking spaces went in and got a gas can from the store, went out to the pumps put one gallon of gas in the can, went back thru the store and back out to her truck and put the gallon of gas in her truck. Now all that make perfect sense, but what the guy was laughing about was she never turned her car off, and then drove away!   Takes all kinds..

BINGO

If you watch the news (which I never do) it is all about Obama care, Black Friday sales (now that is every Friday) and my favorite  “Thanksgiving is 6 days late this year therefore we have 6 less shopping days till Christmas”. I guess advent has gone from preparation of the birth to preparation of things! To that I say we are a bunch of egotistical, narcissistic, self centered, materialistic, money grabbing consumer driven, fools. (I need some eggnog) To make up for lack of revenue, retailers will be open Thanksgiving Day! How nice is that, less turkeys will have to give up their lives, less violence at Wal-Mart at midnight, no more traffic jams on Friday morning, less people watching the Macy’s day parade, fewer people having to go to the hospital as a result of back yard football injuries, fewer obese people and most important families will no longer have to sit down and face each other for good old family conversation!  (Hey Clark, if you are not doing anything constructive can you get me a stogie!) Now Clark will have to opportunity to be doing something constructive while being at Macy’s checking out the new line of underwear. (‘Tis the season to be Mary) and Lewis will be healthier, because he will have to get his own stogie. You turn on the TV and the Hallmark channel has Christmas movies, I hear Etna already has their decorations up, and light up night for Pittsburgh is this weekend! To all of this I have to say, boycott the hallmark channel, flatten Etna, pull the blug on Pittsburgh,(is your house on fire Clark?) and come to southern Maryland where Lennytown still has light up night the day after thanksgiving! I like to remember a simpler time when each holiday had a meaning, and it was not about spending money.  Take for example Thanksgiving. I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of stuffing, and pies, the  old white turkey pan on the kitchen table,  a big old bird on the porch, and mother in her dress with her white apron, preparing the fest with the grace of a symphony conductor. Father in his suit preparing to make a trip to Morningside,(burn some dust here, eat my rubber) to pick-up our Grandmother and Grandfather and aunt. (You surprised to see us Clark? Oh, Eddie… If I woke up with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am now”) All of us kids were all gathered outside, ready to  start our annual football game. After the game, which my team always wins,we came in and changed into our Sunday best while the adults played 500 on the old red card table. On or around 5:00 it was finally time to gather in the dining room at a table that must have been a mile long, just packed with family and pleasant conversation.   We entered the room to a spread that was fit for a king. After we were all finally seated, father walked in with the 30 pound bird that was done to perfection, browned as if it was sitting on the beach in Kiawah for the past year.( Catherine, if this turkey tastes half as good as it looks, we’re all in for a real treat! Save the neck for me!) While father carved the bird, we orderly passed the food around the table until our plates could not hold another thing. We continued for the next couple hours, enjoying a fine family meal, with intellectual conversation. (I bet that is where I get that)  After we were completed with dinner, and the dishes were being washed father made his return trip to Morningside, we all sat in anticipation of gathering in the TV room to begin the Christmas season! Now for the unknowing, the TV room back in the day was 5 feet wide and 8 feet long, and there were at least 12 of us! When father returned home and mother had completed the dishes it was now time to complete a perfect day as a family watching a classic film, Christmas vacation!  There was no such thing as Black Friday, there was no talk of shopping, we did not have to go to Wal-Mart in fact there was no such thing as Wal-Mart! There was time to just sit back in our recliners have some homemade eggnog, eat some pumpkin pie, and watch Eddie clean his (see picture above), while drinking a beer! Those were the days my friend!

 Here is some free advice: it is not about the lights, the sales, the constant advertising, and the pressure, it as Eddie said  Clark, that’s the gift that keeps on giving throughout the entire year.”  It is the memory of that gift, be it big or small or not at all that keeps on giving.(Hey Grizz, Bethany and I figured out the perfect gift for you….Aw, you didn’t have to get me anything….Dammit , Bethany, he guessed it.)

You do know I have to get a Kiawah story in every blog, so here goes. Some of you might think that I have an active imagination, or might not have a good grasp of the facts, or just plain loco! Well Last year a couple of us took some time and went on a tour of the place that makes the sweet tea( I can’t remember the name) but any way, we were able to taste some of the products one of them was moonshine. Well let me tell you it was not as I remembered! It was way to smooth, it did not have the burn or kick of my youth. I engaged the girl in a conversation in regards to the shine and she agreed with me! She told me that their shine was made in a very controlled sanitized environment, they were FDA regulated. So as you can see my memory is sharper than ever, if I can remember what a taste of shine was and compare it to some new shine, I certainly can remember how thanksgiving was!

Here is a little known fact about Christmas vacation.  The song “Holiday Road” is a creation by Lindsey Buckingham It was used in  the national Lampoons Vacation series. it was also used in the year 2013 by the Chicago Blackhawks, who won the Stanley cup!

Words of wisdom: For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

Where are we?

Do you know the old saying that the older you get the wiser you get?  As a result of the hoards of little gremlins, begging for candy the other night, I had some time to sit and use my superior intelligence to ponder the wonders of the evening.  Anyway, as I sat there on my rocking chair listing to KDKA on my trusty IPAD, my mind drifted back to the good old days. It went something like this. Since I did (do) have superior intelligence, and had a reputation as a responsible lad, my school bestowed the honor to me of being a safety patrol! For those who do not know the responsibilities of the safety patrol here is some education for ya. We had to  control of the hallways, playground and cafeterias, and the bus. Now on the bus I had to ensuring that all the kids crossed the street in front of the bus at every stop. To perform this task, evolved jumping off of the school bus, then running out in front of the bus putting my arms out to stop traffic, could you imagine doing this today! The lawsuits would be incredible!  And yes we did not have to walk home up a hill for three miles (both ways) in the driving snow, but we did in fact have to walk further than the 100 feet, like they do today! Today they make a stop at every street crossing, and the buses have this long steel arm that comes out to protect the little bundle of joys, they then get into the mini-van and are driven the 100 yards to their homes.  Before I get back to my original point of this blog, I have a little story to tell. Did you all know that I was given the honor of being a GOLD safety patrol? If you already know this then to bad! Well it was a dark rainy cold afternoon, and our 1943 bus was coming up Glen Ave, and at the worst possible spot it caught fire! I being the superior, responsible intelligent, brave person sprang into action! After the bus came to a complete stop, I opened the rear emergency door, jumped out, stopped all of the traffic and lead the bus load of little kinds to safety! The flames were 10 foot tall, since there was no such thing as cell phone, the bus driver and I risked life and limb, and fought the fire, until it was extinguished! Since I did not want the parents to worry about their little bundles of joy, after the fire was over, I walked each and every kid home!  The next day at school I was awarded the GOLD safety patrol badge, for bravery, exceptional decision making, quick thinking, and putting the safety of others in front of my own! If you would like, some time I could give the full details of that heroic act, but back to Halloween. I would go straight home change my cloths, dark dress pants, white button down shirt and a fine navy blue tie, man I was dressed to kill! I then headed out to deliver the papers to all of those wonderful candy giving neighbors! Since it was Halloween night I had a little extra bounce in my step, and was able to make it back home a little before 6:00 to gulp down my dinner. While I was eating I would figure out what I was going to use for a  consume. Next stop was the cellar to find the oldest nastiest things I could put on my body, for I was going to be a hobo, I guess in today’s proper society, they would be called a homeless person. Today if I dress up like that the ACLU would have my parents in court, for discrimination, or some other such nonsense! At this point in time I was ready to meet my friends and go out for some candy! We would be gone for the next several hours, going back to all of the same houses I was just delivered papers. Now comes the part where if I were wiser back then I would change things. If I had a do over this is how it would have gone down! The bus ride would remain the same, but after that it would all change! I would go home and have a nice dinner, then about 5:30, and then grab my wagon filled with 100’s of papers and my pillow case, not have changed my fancy school duds, and hit the streets. Think of the advantages: First I would not have to walk the same route twice on same night, second, my customers would be eating dinner so they would be home, I would just hand them their paper and say “Trick or treat” (does anyone actually say that)! Using this method would cause them to run back in and get me the candy, seeing that I was alone; they would feel sorry for me and thus give me extra candy! Oh! Not to mention that I was loved by all the neighbors, any they would not feel bad about giving me a little extra! I also heard stories about the tricks that kids play, you know smashing pumpkins, soaping windows, TPing houses, putting shaving cream on cars, egging houses etc. Can you imagine doing that! Just think about that, when you got up in the morning, you would not have what you needed to SS and S, and worst of all not eggs for breakfast, what a waste of some quality items!   Back to today. What are parents thinking! They spend so much money on costumes! I had several kids come to my door in costumes that cost more than my Sunday best, which I purchase at Belk! For example, there was a girl who was dressed as Dorothy from the wizard of Oz. She had everything down to the ruby shoes,  she even had the little dog in the basket! I could only imagine how much that cost someone. In order for her to break even on that investment, she would need to get a truck load of candy! I will not talk about the older kids who come around, but the nerve of some of the parents! I had several parents who came (I will be nice here) strolling up to my house with a baby in toe, asking for candy. Now who do they think they are fooling, these kids are not even on solid food yet! Hey it takes all kinds!

Words of wisdom: If I could do it yesterday, I can still do it today.

this bird needs to start eating!

You know I hear young people (I will not mention any names) talking bad about this wonderful place where I live. I hear things like there is nothing to do around here, that this is the place so country that I won’t admit that I am from there. Well let’s think about this for a minute, and compare what the big city has Vs. what we have…. For example, down here there is a battle between the churches as to which was came second, well the first one started in 1634, and the second was 5 years later. Now let’s go to the big cities where you all live.. Your city’s was not even in existence in 1634. Entertainment.. You have bars and clubs, just as we do, just go to downtown Hollywood and we have two of them they even share the same parking lot. Just across the street we have a moose club. Restaurants you name it we have it We have French, Italian, Mexican, Tia, Greek,  I could just keep going one and one, and guess what in spring of 2014 we will have a Golden Coral! Grocery stores, we have then all from the top chains, to our own local stores, and by summer of 2014 we will have an Auldes! Coffee shops, we have WAWA, so need I go any further. We have a movie theater, 3 museums, concert hall, professional baseball, professional rugby, a race track, professional boat race, professional lawn tractor race, the National oyster shucking contest, tractor pulls, light up night, county fair, RV dealer, farm equipment dealers, Santa, fireworks,  plays, blessing of the fleet, blessing of the bikes, the first state capital, etc. We have our own local TV station, we have shopping, now tell me where you can go to a high end store (Belk) and walk 20 feet and buy yourself a wheel barrow and shovel,  get you back cracked, lift some weights, replenish yourself with some health nutrients, have  sit down on some Amish furniture, get your hair and nails done, by yourself some work gloves at the dollars store, cross the street and fill your wheelbarrow up with some ready made concrete then head home and pour yourself a parking pad for your RV, all within 300 yards! I could go on, but I think that you get my point! So I never want to hear that there is nothing to do down here. So I want you to all load up and get ready for the big thanksgiving bash! In a future Blog I will focus in on the many events that will be available for you do! I guess I will have to empty my recorder because the Steelers are playing the Raven that night, but we will not be watching that! By the way did I tell you that just a few miles away, we have the ravens, the skins, the caps, the nationals the bullets, and the birds!

Words of wisdom: Your home is not about the many things that you have it is about the people who grace it!