Down Hill

Well, are we heading "Down Hill" towards spring with our Mid Winter warm up ?  The Temps are above normal for this time of year in February !
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Normally February Temps would be -BELOW Zero and not in the 40's !

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This is our "Weather Guage",  59 at 11:29AM outside and the sunshine warmed up the living room to 75 degrees, Nice !!!

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"Tipper" enjoying her spot in the sun, she loves sunshine and sleeping, as a matter of fact, "So Do I " !!!

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The Rain Gutters are open and Ice cover is gone exposing the shingles and allowing the water to run out and not back up !

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Geese are around and flying but I do not think these birds are heading south, we have birds here, the Canadian Goose all winter usually if there is any open water !

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The Black River near our house in Deferiet is open, ice flowing down stream and water is cold !

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My Honey out cleaning and filling the Bird Feeders for me,  I had 2 Doctors appointments today and was tired afterwards from all the stress !

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We have started our Winter fund for this coming Winter and are saving up for a "Winter Trip South" !

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Don't forget our Veterans !

Surprised !

I was sure surprised today when after Church about 2PM Cars started pulling in the Driveway at our New ((Old) Home and out of the Cars came our son from Portland Oregon, My Daughter and Ed from Great Bend, the Grandson Brent, The Granddaughter Shannon and Aaron and Great Grandson Aiden !  The whole Family was here !
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The center of attention was this little fella, Aiden Andrew Naklick, our Great Grandson !

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Our Grand Son Brent was here !

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Up there at 6foot 6 is Brent and way down there is Aiden !!!!!

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. The Grandson Aiden and his Grandfather, my son in law Ed !  The black Bowling Ball is an antique wooden ball that was here when we bought the house, it is made from many, many pieces of wood !

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We had All kinds of Birthday Party Food, almost too much food, we ate good !

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Great Grandma Anna and Aiden played rolly polly with the ball, he does really good being only a year and a half old !

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This is the Grand Daughter, Shannon, Aiden's Mom, She came today and gave me a big hug and whispered " Your Gonna be a Great Grandpa again" !!!    Yup, she is gonna have a baby this Fall !!!    

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It was a Great Day, Lots of Food, conversation and laughs and joy !

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There is now 9 of my "Clan" !  In October there will with God's Blessing be 10 !

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Gotta close this out, 2 Doctors appointments Monday,   

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Don't Forget, Remember our Veterans !

02202020

02202020, what a number,  2/20/2020,   My Birthday this year date, who would have ever thought back in the 1950's and the 60's that there would ever be a year 2020,  Most dates I remember are December 7th 1941, July 4th 1776,  October 13, 1776, November 22, 1963, never pain much attention to many others as didn't use them much !
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2020, My Bank advised me to use 2020 in my dates and not just 2.21.20 as someone could add to the date and then make it 2.20.2021 !!!!!!
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We went to Syracuse last night and spent the night at the Country Inn, Heated Pool and nice rooms,  got up to a surprise of 5 inches of SNOW and my Honey said we had to grt ready and leave shortly,  to my surprise my Son had flown in from Portland Oregon to greet me on My Birthday !  Got to the Airport and there he was !!!!!
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Didn't see him at all last year, (2019) and I can't do a flight from New York to Oregon !!  Jon Left Oregon last night at 10PM and arrived at JFK at 7AM, then flew from JFK at 7:45 am to Syracuse at 9am !

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Jonathan turned 50 last year !  I don't think he liked that 50 number !!!

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1 of the Bands he Plays with in Oregon !!!!!

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Another group in Oregon he plays with out there in Oregon and they travel around !

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I am lucky as I did get to play with him for a few songs I think 2 years ago when he came home !

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During the War overseas he still found time to Play !!!!!

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Proud of the Young Man he turned out to be !!!

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Don't forget, remember our Vets !

Birthdays

Well, the 20th of February  is my Birthday !  Like my Facebook Friend's Jack and Sherry of Shipslog Blog:  We are going to "Get on the Road" and head out for an just an overnighter  in Syracuse and go out for a Lebanese Dinner in Liverpool .   We are staying at a Comfort Inn, complete with Jacuzzi and Heated Pool.  We have stayed there before when I had Doctors appointments at the local Syracuse specialists !    WoW, where did the years go !
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. Me and my Great Grandmother, Sarah Ellen (McCain) Hall.    She passed away shortly after this picture !

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Me and my Mother in the front yard ! I was a big baby !

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I lived in the Country, there was not any other kids around for me to play with so I made my own entertainment !

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School Pictures !!!

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Always loved and still do love to "Fish" !

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My "Sea Trout" or what was left of it after it was attacked by "Blue Gills" in the Bay in Virginia fishing under the Bay and Bridge !   

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My Graduation Class from High School !

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I love to Hunt, I am holding my Great Grandfathers 25-35 Winchester Rifle, I killed my first deer with this beauty, One of the Wood Family members has it now, wish I had her back !

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Me and "My Honey"  who has shared the past 31 years with me !

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Blowing out the Candle after making my wish ! BIRTHDAYS,  I LOVE THEM AND WANT MANY, MANY MORE !

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My Honey !   Making every Birthday a Blessing !

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Don't forget our Vets !

 

Cooking Day

Well, Happy St. Valentines Day to Family and Friends,  Well, - 17 Below Zero this Valentine's Day morning ! Can't go out side, SO today it is Home Made Chili and Bread for an Early Supper !!
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Getting ready to cook, went down cellar and got my ingredients off the shelves  !!!

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Hamburger is 80% - 20% Fat and mixed in is Venison and seasoned to taste !

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Opening cans, cutting Garlic and Onion, mixing, browning the meat and ready !

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In the pot, on the stove and now simmering till done !

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Fresh Chili cooking on a cold bitter winter day !

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LUNCH IS SERVED, CHILI AND FRESH CORN BREAD SLIDERS !     

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Don't forget, Remember our Vets !

Traveling

I am sitting here thinking about all the Places I have Traveled here in the good old USA !
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I read Jack's Blog, "Shipslog"" at                   http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/ and I really would have liked to travel to the West Coast.  I don't see that happening yet, My Son lives in Portland Oregon and my Wife's Sister also lives in Oregon. Time will tell !
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Farthest West I went was Amarillo Texas !  I went there while a Policeman to pick up a Prisoner from the Potter County Jail in Amarillo,  I went out there back around 1974 with a great guy, Detective  Charlie Morse( RIP) !
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Great Department, we were met at the Airport, driven to our Motel and advised we were not to rent a car,We would be escorted by a Potter County Deputy !

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Above is Deputy Brown, he was a great man, took us all over when we were there !  Was a Good Trip !

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We have traveled North to Maine and South all the way to Key West !

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I would have loved to have moved to Key West !!!!!

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My Honey eating "Lobsters" up in Portland Maine, best we could do was I ate 4 and Anna Mae ate 2 !!!    Delicious and Fresh !

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On a Trip to Kingston, Canada on a off route from the Highway 401 there is a Moose gathering area where there is the chance to see Moose near the roadway, It is a rough road and we drove it, this is what we wanted to see but there were none, this is a picture of one our friends took ! 

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This is a Long Horn Steer in a Park off Dealy Plaza in Dallas Texas !

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Don't forget to remember our Veterans !

Day Trip

Well, feeling better we took a "Road Trip" for the day,  We took My Honey's Mother with us !
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We went up to Saranac Lake to see the "Ice Castle" and the Adirondack Mountains !
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We arrived and it was a nice ride up, roads were bare and not a lot of snow from Deferiet to Saranac Lake ! ! 

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The "Girls" in front of the Ice Castle !

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Inside the "Castle" and enjoying the day !

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In Front of the Ice Castle with the 2020 in the background !

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Enjoying the sights and fresh mountain air !

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The archway and those black spots are coins frozen in the Ice, you hold the coin in your warm hand, then press it into the Ice and Make a Wish, then some kids come by and pry your coin out and take it LoL !

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Sitting on the Lap of the "Ice Monster" in the Castle !

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Earlier in the winter, they sawed and cut the blocks of Ice !

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Volunteers and the "Prisoners" from the North Eastern Correctional Facility nearby build the Ice Castle every year, they have a huge winter carnival, parade, fireworks and a gala time !

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Cranes lift the 500 pound Ice Blocks up and into Place, men chip and slide them into place, the seams are packed with snow and water slush to stick them tight !

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Prisoners putting the Blocks into Place, when the Castle is being built people are restricted from the area, Armed Guards watch over the Prisoners and they have not had a problem or issue in years and years !

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Not all Ice Blocks make it, this is the Ice Pile of some not suitable cubes !

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We left and drove down out of Saranac and down to Tupper Lake, Elevation 4,500 feet, we stopped at the "Lumberjack Inn" for lunch, Great Food, Huge platter of Flapjacks, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Ham, warm Maple Syrup, Toast, Warm Corn Bread, Milk, Cider, Hot Coffee, Juice, and all for $11.00 !

Great Day !

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Don't forget our Vets !

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