Passings

10:00AM

Jack the Airedale passed away overnight...one of those things you knew was coming, but leaves a sadness anyway....I buried him under the raspberry bushes in the back yard...joining LT, Duke, and Josey Wales....as permanent residents in the garden area....We have had Airedales on a continuing run since 1974...33 years since I purchased Molly Mop Rags on a farm near Houston, Ohio in November 74....I think we went 2 weeks without an Airedale in September 1996 between Jose's passing and bringing Jack home....his daughter Reagan, age 9, is who we have left.....along with the Cat....whom I'm sure it was Jack's regret that he didn't get one more chance to take her out before he left the world.

When we lived on the farm, we bred over 100 pups in a 10 year span.....some of Max, Rags, and Pippy's XXXXGreat Grandpups are still roaming houses and farms from Wisconsin to Idaho, to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and other states today.

Airedales

_________

Have had and raised Airedale Terriers since 1974. My first experience with the largest of the terrier breeds was back in 1963. We had moved from south Florida to the Celina, Ohio, area the previous fall....living on the west side of Grand Lake near the game preserve we had access to all kinds of wildlife and places to roam.

One morning our neighbor Hubert Becker(who had a large commercial Beagle Kennel) came over to the house and began telling dad about hearing dogs howling back in the preserve...we ended up going back and after some searching found two dogs...one was a Airedale(not purebred, but without a doubt mostly Airedale), sitting and giving a death moan while watching her partner a black and tan with his butt sticking out of a hole. What had happened(guessing here) the two were chasing a raccoon and the hound dog had followed the coon into a hole...once in, he couldn't get out....dad and Hugh pulled the guy out, put leashes on both dogs and headed back home.

Strange thing...the dogs had Michigan Dog Tags(at least 90 miles north)...after a few weeks, nothing in the paper, the dog catcher had nobody contact him looking for the animals, so we were a mixed Airedale and a Black and Tan richer(poorer)...Brownie and Blackie is what we called them...Blackie didn't last long, but Brownie stayed with us for a few years before passing away...I do remember she took out a few cats in the neighborhood, not exactly winning us any points with our area partners.

Brownie always stayed in my thoughts when I was on my own and decided what kind of dog I wanted....I raised coon dogs from Blueticks to Redticks to Walkers....those were my outdoor hunting dogs...after work a few of us would go out, take the dogs to the woods, drink beer and BS...the dogs would run...Hell we never cared if they caught anything...we didn't really like to kill wildlife anyway, we just loved to sit and talk and listen to the dogs run...even Patricia went with me on occasions...those days come flowing back like water over a fall.

Anyway when it came time for my dog of choice to be a house dog I looked for Airedales...hard to find, and rather expensive..but I found a litter which had 3 females left...this was November 1974...I went to a farm outside Houston, Ohio, and picked out a 3 month old female...and that is how our family love affair began with Airedale Terriers...before our kids came along, Rag and Max(a year younger and a LARGE dog, 100 plus pounds), were our kids...they went with us everywhere, from Wisconsin vacations to weekend camping trips to central Michigan...I think the only place they didn't go with us was on our Honeymoon trip to Florida.

When the kids came along, the Airedales took a back seat, but they have stayed a part of our family for well over 30 years...

The List of Houseworth Airedales that have shared our home:

Rags(1974-1986)

Max(1975-1988)

Babe(1978-1989)

Jose(1985-1996)

Pippy(1978-1986)

Jack(1996-2007)

Duke(1998-2001)

Reagan(1998-?)

And a few others that have been with us for varying amounts of time, until we sold them..or ? Will we have another after Reagan passes on? Who knows, we are getting up in age ourselves...pets, like kids, if you want to raise them right, take time and money.....but it's been worth the ride.

I should add we are not Airedale snobs...we've had our share of mutts and hounds, beagles, etc....we've shared our lives with lots of dogs.

So Long Jack![photo Jack sitting on the swing earlier this summer]

prh

September 11th

12 Noon



"September 11th" A date not unlike "December 7th"...those that were alive and of age will always remember where and what they were doing on those dates. First though, the daily stuff.

Mowed both our, and mom's yards yesterday, worked in Greenville both yesterday and this morning...and watched the Bengals knock off the hated Ravens last night in a pretty good pro football game, one of maybe a handful I will watch this season. Unless it's a night game, or the weather outside stinks....I'm not sitting in front of the boob tube.

My old Airedale Jack is hanging in there...really don't know how, but as long as he's willing and tough enough, I will let him decide if and when it's time to go....as long as he's not suffering(and he does not appear to be), why would I play God? Just the way I see it.....games tomorrow(here in Celina), Saturday(at Waynesfield), and a Rec League double header on Sunday.

Sam is off to Fort Pierce, Fl, or a RV run...will fly back on a Cheap Southwest flight($89) this weekend....then probably back on the road....I will fore go any trips unless they be in the 100-200 mile range until football ends(for me late October).

9/11
2001 and 1985
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9PwWkV4HQ4

Alan Jackson...song is as moving now as it was then.

September 11th of course is infamous for the Twin Towers and the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil....but before that it was the date that Pete Rose hit 4192 to break Ty Cobb's hit record for Major League Baseball....the 2nd hardly measures up to the first in importance...but was noteworthy in my life none-the-less.

Like December 7th, the Moon landing, Kennedy(s) assassinaion, and other events, if we were alive and old enough, we usually remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news.

I was entering my final 10 months at the Van Wert County Health Department...didn't know it at the time, I had not decided to retire just yet. Was getting ready for the day's assignments, when I looked at the computer screen...and "Yahoo" had a photo of the first tower after being hit by the terrorist hijackers...even then I didn't know much....but it caused me to turn on the radio, and gather in the news.

In my daily diary, I don't have an entry for 9/11/01...here are the next two days notes:

Wednesday 9/12/01 Sunny 80 `
"Arab terrorists bomb World Trade Center with hijacked planes-Pentagon as well...KAOS!

Thursday 9/13/01 Mixed Clouds 70`
"Looks like upwards of 20,00 dead-rescue efforts continue. Still not sure what our overall response is going to be"

[nothing else until Monday]

Monday 9/17/01 Sun today, Rain tonight 70`
"Looks like final death toll will be over 5000 in terrorists attacks. Still no retaliation"

That was it...I guess like everybody else I was too glued to the TV and radio to jot much down....however, as mentioned the death toll went down as the days passed...the only good thing to come out of this.

I am a political kind of guy...but don't want this blog to be overtly political. Without a doubt I am a far right wing kind of guy....and without a doubt I despise the American and Euro left. Now that I got that out of the way.....My observations since 9/11/01.

We backed Bush and whatever it took in the days and months following the Islamic attack on US soil...then the dirty world of politics entered...the right and left are at each others throats, the middle is stuck where they always reside, in the middle of two extremes. The left now calls 9/11 an inside job[if there was ever any doubt these assclowns hate this county, this is all you need to know], of course many of the same folks think that we never landed on the moon, and that Islam is a Religion of Peace.

The "war" in Iraq is going not so good....the war on terror? A little better, we have not been attacked on our soil since 9/11...but how long can that last?.....The bottom line is...politics is more important to the left than the security of the country....but should our guys be dying in Iraq for an ungrateful people? [I was in Vietnam....so I have seen this before].....No...we fought not to win in Vietnam....we are making the same mistake in Iraq....I say, kill the bastards, and let God sort it out. Political Correctness is a cancer, and we(USA) are patients on the critical list.

Agree or disagree, it's your opinion, and we all know what those are like, and some of us are.........

1985

Peter Edward Rose becomes "Hit King"...but he's still not in the Hall of Fame. I grew up in Florida, a Mickey Mantle and NY Yankee fan....but after moving back to Ohio, in 8th grade, I slowly became a fan of the area team....The Cincinnati Reds....A young rookie took the National League by storm in 1963...."Charlie Hustle" is what the Yankee's southpaw Whitey Ford called him...his name was Pete Rose.

23 season later(most with the Reds), the Cincinnati home town Player/manager surpassed Ty Cobb as the all-time base hits leader...On September 11, 1985, Rose collected hit #4192....he would get a few more, but his career would go south after this....gambling, jail for tax evasion, and banishment from baseball.

In my TV and Radio days I interviewed Pete on several occasions....the guy had talent and knew how to deal with the press...as a person? I thought he was an A-Hole....but he was a great player, probably should be in the Hall of Fame, but hey, he made his own bed....but if Rose isn't in the HOF, that melon headed bigot Barry Bonds should not be either.

[photos Twin Towers in Flames 9/11/01..God bless those souls...and Pete Rose with me as I glare at my cameraman....only kidding...I was telling Pete a joke and asking Sam Shirver my camera guy, "Did you get that?", this photo is off the video..photo from January 1986 Dayton, Ohio, interview]

prh

Metamorphose

9PM

Sunday...the first day of a complete NFL schedule, and the first day of the Celina Rec League Football season...officiated a JV/Varsity double header this afternoon...sitting here beat. As summer morphs into fall, football has always been a part of my life...not a great or even good player myself(unlike baseball), I've always liked the game....played it, coached it, broad casted it, and now officiate it at the lower levels.

Today's Rec scores were Celina Cubs over Ansonia 31-0 in JV action and 63-20 was the score Celina Lions over Ansonia in Varsity....not a lot of suspense in those...but the season is underway...and that is how I will spend my Sundays for the next 6 to 8 weeks(much better health wise, mentally and physically than sitting on one's butt watching pro sports).

Plenty of stories from early September football to tell...but to tell truth, I am way too wore out tonight....but will leave with this flashback.

21 years ago

___________1986 me and my buddy Nick went to the Bengals-Bears game in Cincy...this was the year after Chicago won it's last Super Bowl with the 85 Super Bowl Shuffle team....a cast of wacko kind of guys, led by Coach Ditka, QB Jim McManhon, The Refrigerator Perry, Sweetness Walter Peyton, and Steve MacMichael....I think the Bears won(but who cared?)..and it was a hot weekend of Oktoberfest(even though it was September) in Cincinnati. The temps had to be around 95 and I had press passes...I stuck Nick in the press box and headed down to the 110 degree AstroTurf at Riverfront Stadium...I managed to get some decent photographs, then Nick and I headed downtown...and proceeded to drink draft beer at the local beer gardens in the weekend celebration....damn! I think it took me 3 or 4 days to recover from that.

I hate Draft Beer!

[photo} One I took on the sidelines...Jimmy Mac the Wack, and Steve MacMichael(who would later be a goon in the WWF]

Football and Desert Moon

3:30PM

Ohio State defeats Akron 20-2 to move to 2 and 0. After falling behind 2-0 on an early safety, the Buckeyes survive an early shaky offense to dominated on the defensive side. Boeckman throws 2 intercepts but comes back with 2 touchdowns....sitting back and will veggie watching some games, as the rain is north and the sun is south....we are caught in the middle...flood watches(again) in the north, while we remain damp, but not soaked.

As I had mentioned last night, my alma, the hometown Bulldogs, lose another heart breaker to cross lake and arch rival St. Marys on a last second, last play of the game, 30+ yard "Hail Mary" pass...final 13-7...if not for bad luck Celina would have none.

My first Rec League games are tomorrow...the Celina Area League is comprised of Varsity and JV teams from 4 through 6 grades. The JVs play 4 quarters of 20 plays each, the Varsity play 22 per quarter...usually starts at 1PM and I'm done(we use a 2 man crew to officiate) by 5...a good workout, plus $100 per afternoon, which I use for gas, beer, and cigar money. That will keep me busy on Sundays for the next 6 to 8 weeks, depending on tournament play.

1985

__________

I think that's the year Dennis DeYoung(Styx) came out with this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqjwt8qXjKc

I just remember seeing the video when I returned from broadcasting a high school football one September Friday night....watched "Miami Vice" then after the news NBC would run an hour of music videos(back when MTV and the networks actually played music, not to be confused with Rap Crap, videos).

This song, I liked, plus it in many ways reminded me when I returned from Vietnam....by they time my 39 days of leave/travel time were up, I knew returning to the old home town, and the way it was, would never be the same....we all changed, those that went to the service, those that went off to college, and those that stayed home....we would never be what we were...this song and video kind of reflects that feeling.

[photos] These photos were taken on I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix on one of my trips to San Diego, California, always liked the view in this high mountain desert region....except one night when Sam and I took it later at night during a nasty thunderstorm on our way to Yuma....didn't get any photos that night.

prh

Friday Night

6:30pm

Not much going on here, me and the animals are "home alone", Patricia does some tutoring for a girl for an hour or so this evening.

It appears that this will be the 2nd wet football Friday in 3 weeks of the High School regular season...still humid to match. Celina plays it's cross lake rival St. Marys in the first home game for the Bulldogs(Celina) tonight....this has been a one sided series over the years...The Roughriders have had the Dogs number for the past 9 games, I believe. The Celina sports juggernaut has went down hill the past decade or so....don't look for a Celina win in this one...given St. Mary's running game, the weather will do nothing to hurt the Riders chances.

[update] Just had to put this in...Celina ties game 7-7 with 4 minutes left...St Marys hits a 34 yard pass on 4th down with no time remaining, winning 13-7, the Bulldogs have now lost 3 games by a total of 15 points..all late in games.

Sam flew through storms to Chicago early this morning on a Red Eye out of Vegas....he headed up to Detroit for Saturday softball, then picks up another RV(van) for Ft. Pierce, Florida...so won't be seeing much of him...I think he will stop by later Saturday to pick up some stuff, and be on his way Sunday morning.

No game for me tomorrow, but I have a Rec League double header Sunday here in Celina....will see if the old legs hold out...I could sure feel them after last night's contest....cooler weather and more rain on the horizon.

Will try to do some lawn mowing in between showers at mom's and here tomorrow.

The Work Station

________________

Everybody has a place they "work" at home....at least that's my guess. A couple of years back we decided to turn a ugly butt walk-in closet into a work/computer/small closet setting. So that is where I spent an hour or so a day....hanging around the computer. In addition I pulled out the desk that had been collecting dusk at my grandmother's house in Scott...the desk is from around the 1900 era(I found items from the early 20s when I cleaned it out)...I dusted if off, thew some pledge on it, and turned that into my bill paying desk, throw in grandma's office type dresser, any that is my work place at home....lot's of mindless stuff going on here, but it looks good, and has some style/class.

[photo...the work place...center, walk in closet turned computer desk/closet(we used an original 1923 door from the house for the new smaller closet), right side is the 1900 desk and the 1900 era office dresser...and Reagan the Airedale wondering what the heck I'm doing]

prh

September/October

12 Noon

Working the Thursday/Friday thing at Greenville, rather than the usual Monday/Tuesday....have a Jr High football game out of town this afternoon...not much else going on, will mow the back yard, check on Jack the Airedale...he's hanging in there, but the outlook is grim for the old guy, still wags, but eating less and less, but will wait a day or two to see if any improvement is forthcoming.

September is always one of those love-hate things...weather wise September and October are always my favorite times, but with the knowledge that winter(which I hate more and more each year, as I grow older) is just around the corner....HOORAY FOR GLOBAL WARMING......working in Environmental Health for 20 years, I can tell you that so-called Global Warming is a joke....is the earth getting warmer? Who knows? But it's being used as a political tool by the media and the nut job lefty loons.....Ok enough blatant POLITICAL COMMENT....time enough for that in the coming segment.

Loop Road and the coming Environmental Disaster

_________________________________________

Just a joke, after working in Environmental Health(Government Bureau-rat) for 20 years, I can tell you without thinking twice, environmental scare tactics are just that...should we be cleaning up the environment, reducing toxins, YES! Should we be yelling out like Chicken Little? Hell NO!

Loop Road is a perfect example of how far off the radical scare em' the sky is falling crowd is. Loop Road is located in the Florida Everglades and "loops" off the Tamiami Trail(US 41), south of Naples and west of Miami...if you visit Loop Road, take along bug spray, preferably use a 4 wheel drive vehicle, and carry your camera.

The "endangered" Alligator is a prime example of how many hardy beasts can out do man when it comes to survival....the White Tailed Deer is another....my last trip to Loop Road(easy to find on a map) the Gators were out in force...the largest one(pictured) was in a pond area, not 50 feet off US 41....my guess he was at least 14 feet....large by any standards.

No, the Alligator is no longer endangered... thousands of other species in south Florida are....OVER DEVELOPMENT is the cause, not global warming. Growing up in south Florida back in the 50s, when it was wild and undeveloped(for the most part)....I could not foresee what it would become today. I almost considered moving back a few years ago, had a Environmental Health offer in Punta Gorda, but turned it down, later I thought about moving back in the winter months...but the traffic and crowds are no longer for me. So I am content to visit the family members who reside there when I deliver RVs down that way(5 or 6 times per year).

The "Old" Florida is gone forever, the Gator is alive and well...reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated.

[photos...the biggest gator I have seen in my life, and I had them as "pets" in the 1950s..and the famous Loop Road, just off Highway 41]

prh

Family Genealogy

1:30pm

Winding down from my double trip to Hershey, PA, over the Labor Day weekend....the dispatcher from the transporter company called me this morning at 8 and asked me to take another, the one "A Fuel Friendly Small Diesel"...well the profit would have been better, but with football and a couple of fill-in days at Greenville(tomorrow and Friday), I had to turn him down....probably wouldn't have taken it anyway...but said I could run one from Nappanee to Richmond, Indiana, on Friday if needed.....I can do 6 hours total drive time(home to Nappanee to Richmond, then back home) for a couple hundred bucks as a favor, which they actually owe me.

As I mentioned Greenville for a couple of hours the next 2 mornings, filling in...back to regular Monday-Tuesday for next week....Football at Waynefield tomorrow afternoon....meanwhile the heat continues...back up to 90+ this afternoon....I have a feeling, when this comes to and end, it will come with a bang.

Sam called from Julesburg, Colorado, this morning...Julesburg is a fuel stop on the way west before you reach Denver and the Rockies....hard to find on a map, but Julesberg is in the extreme northeast corner of Colorado on I-76, just 2 miles from the Nebraska line. That is how far he made it from the western Chicago bergs after leaving around 8 yesterday morning....well over 800 miles, with 1050 to go he should make it to San Bernardino in plenty of time to catch is 9PM flight tomorrow...but traffic and durability of the RV is always a concern.

Not much change in Jack the Airedale....not eating well at all, but drinking water..the heat doesn't help, but he seems to be resigned to his fate, whatever that may be, he is not suffering and comes up when Reagan his 9 year old daughter and I go out to the back yard.

January 1999

_____________Really never knew much about the Houseworth family's "Roots"..my grandmother and Sam Houseworth, my grandfather were divorced 10 years or so before Sam died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in September 1928, a full 20 years before I was born. The family revolved around my grandmother's Waldron family, in the town of Scott, Ohio, so nobody really knew much about the history of the Houseworth's in America. After the death of the last surviving sibling of my Dad's...Aunt Eva Anspach...I decided to find my "roots"...kind of like closing the barn door, but begin I did.

Thanks to a couple of internet "cousins" who had some knowledge of Houseworth history I began.....that quest continues today...however by 2002 I had found a treasure of history, and put in it book form for other Houseworth cousins who were interested in family genealogy.

I have now begin to put that book to blog and have started up:

IsraelHouseworth.blogspot.com/

I will add pages/documents/photos as I get time....and I will use the blog to update with new material as I come across it.

One warning before you start any genealogy project...make sure of your facts and be prepared to unearth all kinds of skeletons...I did, and I can tell you for sure, Family Genealogy is more interesting than any work of fiction you can come across....every family has skeletons in it's past, and a cast of caricatures that are out of this world.

Nothing much there yet, but I will start adding pages today, and as I get time.

photo:

My Grandfather Sam Houseworth(1887-1928) top, second from left, and 7 of his siblings(there were 11 total, 10 lived to adulthood)...

top Alva Newton, Samuel Lawernce, Alonzo, and Elmer Houseworth

bottom: Mary, Della, Elva, and Cora

photo taken about 1900

prh

Back From Chocolate City

Me with today's Jeep when it was newer(2002)

Me with an AF issue Jeep at Nha Trang(1969)

Wasted most of the Labor Day weekend driving back and forth from Nappanee, Indiana, to Hershey, Pennsylvania.....with gas prices on the rise(again), and me driving a couple of "gas hog"...what was I thinking?

Anyway, got back late last night(this is morning)....will be the last run until after football season(late October)....meanwhile, oldest son Sam is out in the hinterland(Nebraska heading into eastern Colorado) heading to San Bernardino with his run.....needing it to be there by Thursday afternoon...so he can catch his flight out of Ontario(CA) later Thursday night.

The old Jeep beat me up...driving that thing back 500 miles(plus the 120 to get the Nappanee pick-up location) across the PA Turnpike twice in one weekend is a bit more than I like anymore...the RVs are easy runs...the return trips...not as much fun(except when I hit a major snow).

The Jeep was purchased in November 2002, since that time I have put 178,000 miles(not to mention the 80 or so thousand while in tow, which doesn't show up on the Odometer), a second engine, a second rear axle, a new top, water pump, alternator and 4 sets of "heavy" tires....the A/C went a couple of years ago...but it still keeps on ticking...and I can't complain, but I still do, especially after a long return trip....for you guys, like me, that drove those old WW2 Jeeps in Nam or other military locations...the ride still hasn't gotten much better....yes, the radio is better, the A/C when working is nice, but they still have that old bounce that kills your kidneys and back.

Enough for tonight....

In Between

11:10 PM

One trip to Hershey, PA, down, one to go.....The upcoming RV show is at the Amusement Park in Chocolate City....and traffic was a bear....got the RV dropped off around 12:30 this afternoon then made the 500 mile trip home in about 9 hours. Will do the same tomorrow, drive 120 miles to Nappanee, then head east to Pennsylvania....should be done with this run by Tuesday night.

That will end my RVing until after football season...unless I help out with some Ohio or Indiana runs in a pinch

Other news.....Ohio State with local kid Todd Boeckman(from St Henry where the wife teaches) the new starting QB(Coached against Todd in baseball and also umpired some of his games, he was an all state baseball player, as well as football, and all league basketball)..Ohio State handled Youngstown State, which is more that Michigan could do against App State....anytime Michigan loses is sweet for Ohio State Buckeye fans.

My old Airedale Jack Drambuie(see August 21st post) does not look good....he appears not in pain, but the he has lost interest in most food...and I am afraid his days are numbered...he turned 11 last month, which is about all you can expect for large Oorang Airedales....I will keep an eye on him for the next couple days(after my return) and make any decisions then...always tough.....

OK, that's all....I am gonna sit down, have a beer(or two), get some sleep, and head back to Indiana in the AM...better than son Sam who has a rush job to San Benardino....2500 hundred miles in 3 days....Hey is DOT watching?

photo...House's Jack Drambuie...born August 16, 1996

prh

Travel Time/Jobs I have known

8:50 PM

Here goes....Jumped in the Jeep and headed up to Nappanee, Indiana, (about 120 miles NW of Celina) this morning to pick up one of two RVs that I will be delivering to a post Labor Day show at the Hershey Chocolate World grounds in Hershey, PA...and I thought New Orleans was Chocolate City...guess I was misinformed. So I will officiate a JV football game at St Henry tomorrow, watch a little college football(Ohio State's new starting QB is from St Henry, where the wife teaches), then head out and make my way towards Pennsylvania. Will deliver RV#1 Sunday AM, come home...stay the night, then head back to Nappanee Monday pick up RV#2 then run that back to Hershey...getting home, if all goes well(they or the Jeep have broken down before), Tuesday evening sometime.....will work in Greenville Thursday and Friday of next week, rather than the usual Monday-Tuesday set-up.

0-49 years ago

_____________Did you ever look back and(being old enough) remember exactly how many jobs you have held in your life? My dad passed away about 35 years ago(this coming Christmas Eve 1972).....Mom will on occasion recall just how many jobs the Old Man had during his career....a mechanic by trade, Stan Houseworth was never without a job....but he did switch quite often....I think mom counted about 31 different jobs in their 27 years of marriage....I used to smile about that wanderlust way....however, thinking back...I've had my share in the past 49 years of my 58 years on this planet....here is a quick list:

Toss in first the 20 years I spent as a Environmental Health Sanitarian...my major career, spending 8 years in Mercer County(Ohio), and the final 12 as Director in my birth county of Van Wert....20 years as a bureaucrat was more than enough...I enjoyed the job, but let's face it, enforcing rules and laws in which you didn't believe in 75 or 80% of, 20 years was plenty.

The rest....from the start, the ones I remember:

paper carrier-9 years old-Venice, Florida

carry out groceries-16-18-Marsh Supermarkets-Celina, Ohio

Bike Factory(Huffy)18-19-Celina, Oho

(a) several different jobs there

US Air Force Security Police-19 to 23 years old

Dover, DE, Nha Trang RVN, Tan Son Nhut RVN, Griffiss(Rome) NY

Back to the Bike Factory 1 more year

Metal Sheet Factory 2 weeks

School Janitor 1 year age 24

Bar Tender/Bouncer 2 years The Red Door, age 25-26 Celina, Ohio

College-Athens and Nelsonville, Ohio

Pizza Delivery Guy-Van Wert, Ohio

Broadcast School -Wausau, WI

Bartender-Wausau

Ski Lift Operator-Wausau..finally reached 30

Broadcasting Jobs fulltime age 30-34

Stations WRIG Wausau DJ/WJMT Merrill, WI DJ/WIOU Kokomo, IN Morning News Anchor/KGNO/KDCK Dodge City, KS News Director/WCSM Celina, Ohio Program and Sports Director, Morning DJ. Part-time gigs TV News Anchor Cable 7 News Ohio/Sports Play-by-Play WKSD Van Wert and Paulding, Ohio...........WHEW!

Since "retirement" in 2002

RV Delivery, ave delivered in 46 states(Alaska, Hawaii, South Dakota, and Vermont are the exceptions)

High School and American Legion baseball umpire(since 2000)

High School and Rec football official(2006)

and Inventory and spread sheet work as a private contractor.

And I'm sure I left out a few part-time gigs while in college and the Air Force...couple more bar tending gigs, sold typewriters(whatever the Hell they are?).....amazing....no matter your education level, and believe me I used my GI Bill up and more....I bet when you think back, you've had more jobs that you really ever thought about.

OK...back and forth between Indiana, Ohio, and Chocolate City for the next 4 days...

[photo: this is RV#1 a mid price 40 footer from Gulf Stream..sitting in my drive-way until I head out late tomorrow afternoon].

prh

10 years ago

Cigars________

Everybody has vices, whether a sinning Christian like me, or a hard core agnostic, like my VSPA buddy Mark...don't know what his are, but voting liberal Democrat seems to be a big enough vice for any one person to bear.

I have a few(too many) know doubt....sometimes I drink a few more Miller Lites than necessary(is any of it really necessary?), I like an expensive bottle of Drambuie on occasion, my wife and daughter usually supply me with a bottle for birthday and Christmas...those don't last long, and at $40 a bottle, I don't see many of them.

About 10 years ago in the early fall of 1997 I fell in love with fine hand rolled cigars...my favorites include Don Carlos #2 torpedo, Indian Tabac, and several others....much like the Drambuie, hand rolled cigars are expensive, especially the AF Don Carlos #2s..they run from $11 to $14 each...so needless to say, I smoke em' if a friend buys one for me....I usually buy my favorites(excluding the DCs) from a Cigar clearing house and spend from $30-$50 a box(25), or I go down to the local Low Bob's Discount outlet and pay a couple of bucks for a decent smoke[like the one in the photo].

Don't get me wrong, I like good cigars, but only smoke between 40 and 50 per year... don't inhale(you always get some secondary smoke), don't smoke in my car(occasionally the jeep when returning from a RV run), don't smoke in the house, and don't smoke where they can bother anybody else...usually that means, sitting either on the front porch, back steps, or out by Grand Lake on a picnic bench. I also only smoke in nice weather....which means...I smoke a couple of cigars a week between the months of May and October, outside, usually with a Miller Lite and listening to the Cincinnati Reds game on radio.

Life's small vices....we all have em', some just won't admit it.....GUILTY I AM!

[photo...A Churchhill, my marble ashtray, my QC VSPA Cap, my Zippo from Nha Trang, and a cutter from my favorite cigar outlet, The Cigar Room, on Highway 41 in my childhood home of Venice, Florida]

prh