JIM'S LITTLE BLOG

For the week of July 15th
1. Starts with "C"
2. Week's Favorite
3. Unique Perspective 

1. "C" today is for Car. Pictured here is a 1:18 scale cast iron model of my first car.  The Car is a 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe. It definitely was not a teenager car, it only lasted me a year.

The car originally belonged to my High School Principal and since I had borrowed Dad's pickup for over four months, he decided that I was old enough (until age 21 he had to sign for it) to have my own car.  And that this one would be a good one.  Elmer C. was a good friend of Dad's and had traded it in on a new one.  Dad knew that this was a good car, and it was.

The reason that I had his pickup for so long that while I was in my second year of college, The University of Nebraska.  I had broken a metatarsal in my right foot.  Since I was walking a mile to college or taking the bus, I really did need the transportation.  Then I dropped out in January and did not tell Dad about that until I had a job.  But I also needed transportation to and from work even though Dad did need his pickup back for farming.

I still drive my cars hard but my 1998 Ford Mustang GT Convertible pretty well takes the punishment. A 1998 model, that makes it 18 years old with 108K miles.

I have had to replace the transmission and wisely put in a beefed up model. Oh yes, we still buy used cars (my Mustang was two years old when I got it) and have never had a NEW car in the 43 years we've been married. 

2. Week's Favorite: Below are four of my Cast Iron 1:18 Scale Model cars, front is a 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible, then left to right, a 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible, a 1937 Ford Convertible Coupe, and a 2003 Ford Mustang GT Convertible. 

I have others, still packed from our move last August.  I have owned one like the 1956, only green and white, and a 1937 Ford Tudor, but only for a couple of weeks (another story here).
 
This week KP asked to play with these cars.  At first I was reluctant but then relinquished and said that she could play with the red '64 Mustang.  I do have two of these 64's.  She enjoyed playing with it for about 30 minutes.  She is also the only child who has played with any of my toy cars.

The next picture is of where these cars are sitting right now, on my early 1900's Aunt Minnie Desk.  The pitcher

and glass set was my Mother's, now possibly out for the July 4th Independence Day celebration but mor likely they will stay there for a while.  The desk is in our Media area which we really don't use as it is upstairs.

The set should have eight glasses, two must have been broken or are packed in another box that we haven't opened as yet.  eBay may soon have our attention to find two more.

3. Unique Perspective:  Breakfast at Church with Themed Settings.  We tried to set a record for the longest breakfast table. Duno, it was about 500 yards long.  This was for Go Texas Sunday, you can see that theme always involves horses and cars and boots and western dress.  We ate good, real good, that morning.

I have an affinity for eating breakfast, as you can see here (click).  The next to bottom post will probably be more of the Church Breakfast that day.

Labels: Cars, Church, Eating, First Times, Friday’s Hunt # 02 - 2016, Jim Does, KP

One other item, Prince Lorenzo said it sucks to not pick the thirteen fifteen he had to let go home.

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Start the morning off with a new bank

(Capital Bank) opening.

Here we see the pancake stacking contest.

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Free pancakes for everyone!

Who else but the Jim Bunch would have their picture taken?

[It was for the blog.]

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After I put a battery in Mema's fire alarm

I cranked up the 1974 Mustang II

and took it home.

This Mustang II has 67,000 miles on it.

It belonged to Mom, we call it Grandma's Mustang II.

She had to have a stick shift, she didn't trust an automatic to be in the right gear. How in the world could a piece of machinery figure that out?

Adi thought she could go for a ride!

[But not this time.]

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Nebraska football (playing Kansas at Nebraska) was only on the Internet for audio here in this part of Texas. No TV.

Nebraska scored first, in the first 58 seconds to make it 7 to 0.
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The reason we took the Mustang home was to get gas. We drove to Huntsville where they don't put ethanol in the gas.

Here in Montgomery County we put it in because we are helping Houston with their pollution problems. Our speed limits are lower too so we can do more to help their pollution problem.
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We had supper at McKenzies BBQ in Huntsville.

Usually the Huntsville car club meets there on Saturday nights, but this Saturday they had a car show at the court house square. I've met a few of these people before.

You can tell the owners like cars, the motive is car things all the way around the two dining rooms. With toy cars, license plates, car parts, etc. it all looks pretty good.
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The game was still on when we got back. We got to hear the last two touchdowns from that streaming audio.

Nebraska won 39 to 32.

.Jim+Bunch Jim+Bunch+eats Photos travel+and+places Life The+Bachelor
Automobile Entertainment Mustang Mustang+II

[Click on pictures for full screen]

[Bachelor contestant pictures courtessy of ABC]

This Week's Prompts:  Starts with "H".  A Favorite. "Hat". 
My favorite everyday hat, made of Canvas Cloth. 

Made in Guatemala, I purchased it in 2006 while visiting Guatemala from a street vendor.  I really like it for walking, attending outdoor sports, and for riding top down.  I wore it this morning while watching KP's soccer game.  It keeps my ears out of the sun which a ball cap won't.

It does double duty in top down because it doesn't blow off in the breeze.  If it tried to blow off I would use its chin string.  Good for riding top down in my '98 Ford GT Mustang Convertible or while playing golf to keep the sun off my tender skin and freckles.    

Also "I" think it makes me look younger.  People say I don't look nearly as old as I am even without the Hat. 

Where did Jim go?
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{you can click on any picture to make it
large. Then hit the 'back button to get
back to the blog.}
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[This is Bumpy R, and I'm trying to figure it out.
Jim gave me the key to his blog, this may be the
only post I ever do. He offered to let Susie have
it for free, to loosen up a little and write stuff.
She hasn't said yes that I know of, but the offer
is a standing one.]
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I don't know where he could be.
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But I do have some pretty good ideas.
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You see, his little world ends here. This is where he launches when he goes. That is his Mustang sitting in front of the Jack-in-the-Box. I saw it there the other day. I think he was practicing a get-away.
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Jim always gets spring fever. Either he is going to be missing this spring or he's trying to do it up right, one more time. [There's a song like that, One More Time. Jim always did like those old rock songs. All of his CDs are gone too, maybe he is living out of the Mustang, just rocking along, and sleeping under bridges.]
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He was saying he already had his income taxes done this year!! He always gets an extension!
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Mrs. Jim was talking about him going to jail for a long time. Jim said if he ever went, he would probably be sent here.
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Now the neighbors moved to Mexico a couple of years ago. I think he was envious. That would lead south. Down this road.
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That south road also leads to the George H. W. Bush Intercontinental Airport. From there is East, West, North, or South, of course if he flew Delta, he would have to go east through Atlanta.
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His new neighbors have a place in Colorado, near Telluride, I think. He did invite the Jims to come ski this spring. I hear there isn't much snow left this year, early for that bad news.
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That would be west. It goes back through Jim's little world, then on through Montgomery to the wide open Texas wild, wild, west. I know that Mustang would be flying along there, right now. I know he's had it over 150 a couple of times! It's really fast. Jim calls it a 'four-wheeled motorcycle for old men.'
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What about to the east? That is where the prison is. There is another prison to the north? East is another way to the Bush Intercontinental Airport. [The last time I flew, to get to the airport we had to go south first, down through the Woodlands and by the quaint little town of Spring.]
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We could ask his sister, Lois. I don't think he wants to be in Iowa right now, they are still having winter. That would lead north, up this road, through Dallas and Tulsa. Brrrrrr.
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I'm sure Karen (link) will have something to say about this.
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Adi.
I haven't seen Adi around his house. Jim is very careful having Adi in his Mustang. He puts down blankets on the seats and towels over the door and the window sill. She sheds hairs at times and hairs don't belong in his Mustang.

Just last week, Jim took Adi to get her nails trimmed. Is she with Jim?
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Maybe Karen knows where Adi is. She will hear from Adi if they are well. Do dogs get to go along to prison?
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Jim even got a haircut the next day!
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Now Mrs. Jim said she got him a new purse. That leads me to believe he might be going to a place where men carry purses. Do you think Jim has enough junk to fill his purse?
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I do hope we hear from Jim soon. We are really worried about him.
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I just heard, Jim is using that purse!
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He won't be back blogging until Wednesday, April 19! So mark your calendars.
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He said "Arrivederci" and "per favore rosa vino. Cin, cin!"
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I thought I had it figured out then, but wouldn't you know there was more; "S'il vous plait, je voudrais une bier a emporter avec deux hot dog. Sant'e!"

Labels: France, Prison, Travel

Me and My Buddy

Me and my buddy, we went for a ride this morning. She was aching to go as she hadn't been out for a week. Before we left, we had to put her top up for the first time in a month. We did that and headed out.

I awoke this morning at 5:09, five minutes before the alarm. I got right up and turned it off so Mrs. Jim could sleep.

It was still dark. This was the day Jr.#3's spouse was to have his bypass surgery at St. Lukes Hospital in the Houston Medical Center. I turned the coffeepot on and showered.

It was still dark when I got the coffee from the kitchen. Adi came into the bathroom to help me eat my granola bar half. She likes food that crunches when she chews.

It was still dark on the back porch where I put my shoes on. Adi did her thing in the moonlight.

Mrs. Jim was up when we came in. I packed the cheese--fat free--and pickle sandwich I had made for lunch yesterday at golf. Remember I had hot dogs instead when golf was rained out. Took my morning medicine and packed the rest for the day, along with my own water and some peanut butter crackers for medicine snacks.

I left the paper for Mrs. Jim except the sports and business section, which went in my reading bag. I know why Mrs. Jim got up. First to kiss me goodbye, but more important to her was to remind me to drive decently.

You see, I am an aggessive driver. Not a good one, but I say a skilled one. Jr.#1 doesn't like to ride with me. Another story there. We headed out. The Mustang couldn't run because we were locked in the traffic on FM 1097, going between 50 and 60.

At the bridge over Lake Conroe, the most striking sunrise was ahead. It had blue and orange/yellow rays almost across the horizon, emulating from the hidden sun. Like a fan. I called Mrs. Jim about the sunrise. We were still talking when we got on the Interstate. I assured Mrs. Jim that I was driving nice, staying behind a white SUV. There was no need to pass because we were going over 70, most times in the 80s.

Traffic never slowed much, we could go 60 plus in the two-lane construction zone that was the bottleneck during the Houston evacuation for Hurricane Rita. The Hardy toll road
traffic was between 80 and 90 in the fast lane, except for a few slower ones that needed to be passed. Once in while I would give the Mustang a free rein, she just wanted to run fast this morning. She thought the breeze was feeling good rushing across her smooth black top.

The trip through town on U.S. 59 was fast too. We did have to change lanes a few times. I found a place up close in the wrong parking garage--the Mustang had no choice here. Jr.#3 and the Patient were in a room, scheduled for surgery at ten. His mother was there too. Ten o'clock came and went. It was 2:30 before they came after him.

The Patient pulled through well; he was in recovery, having had his quadruple bypass surgery. It was time for us to go. Finding the Mustang was easy but I needed directions three times to find the garage.

It was way past dark now and we were heading home, me and my Mustang going fast.

The sixth issue of Weekend Roundup for this year, 2020...
(THE SIXTH LETTER FOR THIS SERIES)
- the Letter "G" Prompts are:
(A) Starts with the Letter "G";
(B) "Green" (Tom's choice);
(C) A Favorite; 
(D) Reflections.
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(A) Starts with the Letter "G":  "Gala and Granny Smith Apples" start with "G".  These were at our local Kroger Grocery Store on sale for 88 cents per pound.  Each apple weighs a little over six ounces.  Three for a dollar? 

(B) "Green" (Tom's choice):  My favorite Green item is my 1974 Ford Mustang Ii Ghia.  

Here is "Mom's" 1974 Mustang II Ghia.  I was the first owner, Mom wanted me to buy her a stick shift from the lease cars turned in for the Spring of 1975.  I worked for Ford Aerospace at NASA Houston then and some of our executives were encouraged to lease a new Ford every year.  



Mom didn't trust the automatic transmission in the car Dad had purchased as she couldn't tell what gear it was in and was afraid it might be choosing the wrong gear at times.  





This Mustang II and a hot rod Ford Torino were the only Fords that year with standard transmission.  She said, "Yes, get it for me" of the little down-sized Mustang.  That was the first year of downsizing for it.  It was built on a Ford Pinto chassis (we had a yellow 1972 model Pinto for our driver car--it was lost in our 1979 flood along with two other cars and a motorcycle). 


(C) A Favorite:  I like road signs.  You can see some displays of my taste by clicking on the "Signs" link in the "Labels" button section below.  

On January 7th (2017) we stopped at Stellenbosch, out from Cape Town, South Africa.  It is a pretty little town, similar to one you knew growing up or perhaps you live in one now.  The church I posted here  https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2020/01/new-poem-for-2020.html?m=1,  was at Stellenbosch. 


(D) Reflection:  I need some help here with my covered bridge as I don't know where it is located.  Perhaps some place in Iowa or New Hampshire, those two states are famous for their covered bridges.  So if you have ridden over it or for another reason, please let me know in your comment.  (My educated guess is Vermont.)

Reflection?  See the bright spot in the picture's upper right.  I took this with the calendar laying on the kit hen island under the overhead work lights.  That's all the dimmer I could get with the Light's Reflection. 
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My Two Questions (you can answer just one if you'd like):

1. How do you treat Valentine's Day with your loved ones?  Family?  Friends?    Another easy question for me, it seems like every year since Mrs. Jim and I knew each I've had a box of Whitman Samplers for her.  Did you know the pound box used to be a pound of  chocolates, no the box holds only 12 ounces.  

We don't exchange cards anymore , some times we go to the Dollar Store and choose, then each read the pick for each other and leave without buying. 




Bonus Questions:

Labels: 2019-20 Dubai to Cape Town, Cars, Friday's Weekend Roundup 05, Holiday Posts, Mustang, Reflections, Signs