February 13 was a memorable day. This day marked two years since I got the SSR. The weather was kinda rainy so I left it in the garage. But I went out and talked to the beauty.
See you.
Pappy1
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Seperation
Super Bowl yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! Great game. Cardinals lost(my pick) but they played great. The offense won the game but the defense did not hold. Great catch in the corner by the Steelers.
Maybe we are not were we want to be but are there because we need to be there. My folks lived in OK. Family was close around. For their own family they decided a move was necessary. Off to CA. Jobs and a house were waiting. How much of your household things can you take in two cars? The year was 1946, September I think. There was, Mom, Dad, four kids, (6, 4, 3, 1)my Grandfather, Grandmother(my mothers Mom and Dad), my mother's brothers. Martin, Walt, and Clyde. Eleven people. The cars were not large and comfy. It was 1946. The cars were not new. The drivers were Mart and Clyde. Clyde was the baby of the family. Both had been in the Army during WWII and had served in Europe. We were headed for a new life in CA. When there are that many people and not much money, traveling is not much fun. The goal is to get from A to B. No motel's. Sleep in the car. Sandwich lunches. Breakfast in a roadside cafe. They needed the coffee. I have a distant memory of a Port of Entry at Barstow, CA. They had to unload the cars and pile everything on tables to be inspected. You never know what Okies want to bring into the "Golden State". That must have been a hard trip for my folks. But you do what you think is best for your family. My Dad's family remained in OK. I remember he wrote to his mother every week.
JP left her family in Spain to be with me in CA. We left my family in CA to move to ID. We moved back to CA but to different part. One of our daughters chose to stay in ID. She met a feller. Then they moved to UT. Our youngest chose CA(so far), the southern southern part. San Diego.
We are all separated but yet close. We share experiences, events in our lives, and love. Support and encouragement. Proud of the achievements each accomplishes. We live our own lives but there is a connection. A strong connection. We are family. That family grows through relationships. Yet the original core grows stronger. In phone calls, e-mail, blogs and visits. We love each other. But maybe beyond that we like each other.
Love you all, take care.
pappy1
Maybe we are not were we want to be but are there because we need to be there. My folks lived in OK. Family was close around. For their own family they decided a move was necessary. Off to CA. Jobs and a house were waiting. How much of your household things can you take in two cars? The year was 1946, September I think. There was, Mom, Dad, four kids, (6, 4, 3, 1)my Grandfather, Grandmother(my mothers Mom and Dad), my mother's brothers. Martin, Walt, and Clyde. Eleven people. The cars were not large and comfy. It was 1946. The cars were not new. The drivers were Mart and Clyde. Clyde was the baby of the family. Both had been in the Army during WWII and had served in Europe. We were headed for a new life in CA. When there are that many people and not much money, traveling is not much fun. The goal is to get from A to B. No motel's. Sleep in the car. Sandwich lunches. Breakfast in a roadside cafe. They needed the coffee. I have a distant memory of a Port of Entry at Barstow, CA. They had to unload the cars and pile everything on tables to be inspected. You never know what Okies want to bring into the "Golden State". That must have been a hard trip for my folks. But you do what you think is best for your family. My Dad's family remained in OK. I remember he wrote to his mother every week.
JP left her family in Spain to be with me in CA. We left my family in CA to move to ID. We moved back to CA but to different part. One of our daughters chose to stay in ID. She met a feller. Then they moved to UT. Our youngest chose CA(so far), the southern southern part. San Diego.
We are all separated but yet close. We share experiences, events in our lives, and love. Support and encouragement. Proud of the achievements each accomplishes. We live our own lives but there is a connection. A strong connection. We are family. That family grows through relationships. Yet the original core grows stronger. In phone calls, e-mail, blogs and visits. We love each other. But maybe beyond that we like each other.
Love you all, take care.
pappy1
Monday, January 26, 2009
Travel
The other day I got to thinking about a trip to OK when I was a young feller. We were on Hwy 66 in New Mexico. Winter time, cold but clear. At a roadside cafe I saw a auto hauler. As I watched him park his truck and go in the cafe, I began to think about being a trucker. He hauled new cars from the factory to the towns around the country. Got to see a lot of new places. Out on the road. A lot of time away from his family, kinda lonely.
Little did I know that many years later I would be a trucker of sorts. Not hauling new cars. Hazardous materials was my game. In trucking and vacation travel I have been in 27 states and 6 countries. I have seen some very beautiful scenery. The head waters of the Missouri river. The Colorado river where it is only ten foot wide. The Snake river in Idaho. The Columbia river between Oregon and Washington. The Rocky mountains of the West. The great western deserts. Bonneville Salt Flats. The Great Salt Lake. Death Valley. Yellowstone National Park. Moab, Utah with the amazing natural arches. East of the Rockies. The once great grasslands. The Big Sky country of Montana. Grand views of Canada. Drinking to much one night in Canada with my two daughters. A wild Grizzly bear in Yellowstone. Trucking along I-10 on a wonderful spring day close to Palm Springs, a car pulls alongside and a lovely young lady flashes and smiles. A snowy cold day in Nebraska with a ground blizzard. Forty thousand pounds of poison chemicals on board, snow pack covered road. Flash flood in Gunnison, CO. Rocks the size of basketballs and bigger flowing onto the road. So cold the diesel in the fuel tanks turns to jell. Harvest moon rise on the Snake River at Massacre Rocks. Ruts left by the pioneer wagon trains. Washington, DC. Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument. The Capital. Grand Central Station. Statute of Liberty.
I have been fortunate to see so much of this country.
Pappy1
Little did I know that many years later I would be a trucker of sorts. Not hauling new cars. Hazardous materials was my game. In trucking and vacation travel I have been in 27 states and 6 countries. I have seen some very beautiful scenery. The head waters of the Missouri river. The Colorado river where it is only ten foot wide. The Snake river in Idaho. The Columbia river between Oregon and Washington. The Rocky mountains of the West. The great western deserts. Bonneville Salt Flats. The Great Salt Lake. Death Valley. Yellowstone National Park. Moab, Utah with the amazing natural arches. East of the Rockies. The once great grasslands. The Big Sky country of Montana. Grand views of Canada. Drinking to much one night in Canada with my two daughters. A wild Grizzly bear in Yellowstone. Trucking along I-10 on a wonderful spring day close to Palm Springs, a car pulls alongside and a lovely young lady flashes and smiles. A snowy cold day in Nebraska with a ground blizzard. Forty thousand pounds of poison chemicals on board, snow pack covered road. Flash flood in Gunnison, CO. Rocks the size of basketballs and bigger flowing onto the road. So cold the diesel in the fuel tanks turns to jell. Harvest moon rise on the Snake River at Massacre Rocks. Ruts left by the pioneer wagon trains. Washington, DC. Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument. The Capital. Grand Central Station. Statute of Liberty.
I have been fortunate to see so much of this country.
Pappy1
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
SSR
In Feb. 2007 I was able to purchase a vehicle that I fell in love with when it was first introduced. Chevrolet introduced the SSR (Super Sport Roadster) in 2003. I would go out of my way to see one at a dealer. The design was something!!! Priced out of my reach there was little chance I would ever own a SSR. Feb. '07 I was having the urge to trade vehicles. After looking around, JP said why don't you get that one you keep talking about(SSR). I told her they stopped building the SSR in 2006. They were expensive and not many around.
I bought and Auto Trader magazine. There were 4 listed for sale. I picked out a 2004 with 5500 miles. When I first saw the vehicle it knocked my socks off. Black on Black. The deal was made. Driving the SSR today still feels great. I have owned many vehicles over the years but this one is special.
April 21, 2007 I took my first road trip with the SSR. California to SLC, UT. It was my 67th birthday. Out on the open road. Three hundred horses at my beck and call. The open roads of NV were inviting me to turn them loose. I found out the speed limiter works. 125 mph. Sweet. Around home I don't get the chance
to turn her loose, but I know it's there.
T likes me to put the top down and cruise around town. We both enjoy the looks and comments about the car.
Thanks JP.
Pappy 1
Monday, January 5, 2009
A Tangled Web
I was reading the blogs today and was suprised by how a country boy from the backwoods of OK got so involved internationaly. As a shy innocent lad of 24 years I met a lovely girl in Barcelona.
After a wirlwind courtship we were married. This year we will celebrate 44 years togeather. One late night she was surfing on the www and came across a post that put another peice in the puzzle. She discovered a half sister in Sweden. Waiting at the airport for M's arrival JP and I asked how will we know her. Silly question. They look enough alike to be sister's. There was many long talks, sharing memories of "our father" R. Each from their own understanding of the man. Our girls came to meet M and were suprised at how alike JP and M are. Through Facebook M is now in touch with neices in Spain. Her son J will perform with the rock group H.E.A.T in Barcelona soon. Some members of the Spainish family will attend the show and meet J. This has all been very wonderful. For M I am sure it has answered many questions. I am happy for her and JP.
My brother D is very interested in our family tree. He has done a lot of research and compiled stories told to him by uncles on my father's side. On a visit at Christmas he shared the fact that he was the 4th couisn 6 times removed from two US presidents. Being his brother I guess I qualify too.
Being a simple country boy this is hard for me to wrap my head around. But very interesting. I wonder how Sam and Dave are doing?
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Pappy1
After a wirlwind courtship we were married. This year we will celebrate 44 years togeather. One late night she was surfing on the www and came across a post that put another peice in the puzzle. She discovered a half sister in Sweden. Waiting at the airport for M's arrival JP and I asked how will we know her. Silly question. They look enough alike to be sister's. There was many long talks, sharing memories of "our father" R. Each from their own understanding of the man. Our girls came to meet M and were suprised at how alike JP and M are. Through Facebook M is now in touch with neices in Spain. Her son J will perform with the rock group H.E.A.T in Barcelona soon. Some members of the Spainish family will attend the show and meet J. This has all been very wonderful. For M I am sure it has answered many questions. I am happy for her and JP.
My brother D is very interested in our family tree. He has done a lot of research and compiled stories told to him by uncles on my father's side. On a visit at Christmas he shared the fact that he was the 4th couisn 6 times removed from two US presidents. Being his brother I guess I qualify too.
Being a simple country boy this is hard for me to wrap my head around. But very interesting. I wonder how Sam and Dave are doing?
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Pappy1
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Day Greetings To All
Happy Holidays everyone!!!!!!!!!!!
I had a very good Christmas. Family from CA and L and Han. Enjoyed the company.
Have a safe and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Pappy1
I had a very good Christmas. Family from CA and L and Han. Enjoyed the company.
Have a safe and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!
Pappy1
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Merry Christmas
The season is here and we are all filled with cheer. Oh my what a year. So many things happened. A new President Elect, what a shock to the KKK. The near collapse of Wall Street, the Auto makers, and houseing was already there. It is hard to pay $3000.00 a month house payments when your income is $4000.00. When the air is relased from the ballon things get crazy. My mother-in-law always said, "Moderation is the key".
JP and I are going on a mini vacation for a couple of days. Looking forward to the trip. I have not been out in the country on the open road for some time. When I was driving for a living I enjoyed out of town trips. In Idaho sometimes I would be gone for a week. Here in CA it was just a night or two. I remember a trip from Id to CO. Across WY on I-80 in the winter time. Snowing and blowing. Very cold. Ice would freeze on the under carraige of the truck and the trailer. I would step on the brakes and there was none. Ice was so thick on the brake arms the air pressure would not move them. That was a scary moment. I was in a motel one night and had a dream that I was inside the trailer while the truck was moving down the highway without a driver. I woke up in the middle of the night with the head board of the bed across my body. I had pulled the headboard off the wall in my sleep trying to get out of the trailer I suppose.
Watching the news reports about the snow and cold in the mid-west and back east makes me appreciate the weather here in SoCal all the more. A lot of traffic and people to deal with but Mother Nature simles on us a lot. I dream of retiring to a warm sunny location, then I wake up and here I am.
To all that are traveling over the holidays be safe. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Pappy1
JP and I are going on a mini vacation for a couple of days. Looking forward to the trip. I have not been out in the country on the open road for some time. When I was driving for a living I enjoyed out of town trips. In Idaho sometimes I would be gone for a week. Here in CA it was just a night or two. I remember a trip from Id to CO. Across WY on I-80 in the winter time. Snowing and blowing. Very cold. Ice would freeze on the under carraige of the truck and the trailer. I would step on the brakes and there was none. Ice was so thick on the brake arms the air pressure would not move them. That was a scary moment. I was in a motel one night and had a dream that I was inside the trailer while the truck was moving down the highway without a driver. I woke up in the middle of the night with the head board of the bed across my body. I had pulled the headboard off the wall in my sleep trying to get out of the trailer I suppose.
Watching the news reports about the snow and cold in the mid-west and back east makes me appreciate the weather here in SoCal all the more. A lot of traffic and people to deal with but Mother Nature simles on us a lot. I dream of retiring to a warm sunny location, then I wake up and here I am.
To all that are traveling over the holidays be safe. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Pappy1
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