Fuel dump at Jefferson Corner.

Someone thought that it would be handy to dump a tank of bad fuel (water in it?) at the Jefferson Corner Chevron this morning. The fuel had been purchased at a station down the road, not at Jefferson Corner. Not a good idea! Soon there were fire engines, ambulance,  and police cars all over the place.

Is that Santa Claus in the middle of the fracas?

The mess was cleaned up and all is normal at the station now. Sometimes it gets exciting at the Jefferson Corner Liars Club.

Sadness.

Sadness is ok. Sadness is normal. Who could see his wife, oldest son, favored grandson, and eight siblings pass away and not be sad? I love them all.

Sadness is a big part of my life. This is one reason why I attend so many functions. I have built a schedule that requires my attendance. And also my thought. Otherwise I would sit and stare at the wall. As busy as I keep myself, I still spend time in a funk.

Even in the middle of my busy life I get so sad. Sometimes I feel that life is all over for me. Then I get up and go somewhere or exercise or write.

I am so grateful to my family and others that I believe  sense my malaise and try to help. Bless you all and thanks from the bottom of my heart.

It is possible to be happy and yet very sad at the same time. I am, a lot.

Pomona Valley 1925.

Basketball. Tech Bulldogs vs Southeastern Louisiana.

It was a weird game last night. It started out a four tuba game. Suddenly we were behind 14 points in the middle of the first half. Then we sent in another tuba, making it a five tuba game and we won by 37 points!

Prayer and national Anthem.

The Bulldog is patriotic.

Four tubas at start of the game.

We were losing.

We sent in a fifth tuba, and....

We won, 99 to 62!

ROTC game.

Started the winter quarter of swim class this morning. I noticed a group of ROTC people playing a different game in a basketball court. There was about 20 people on a side. Each end of the court has a soccer type goal and goalie. They chased, carried, ran with the ball, threw and kicked the ball for an hour. One team had their tee shirts tucked in and the other team had their tee shirts hanging out. I guess it is the neat vs the sloppy. I do not know the name of the game. I think it is kickball.

I googled and think it might be speedball, a game invented in Spokane in the seventies.  Play off the walls is permitted.

Here they are all on the same team.

There is a new movie about an old friend.

A couple of years ago I visited these folks in Illinois. Steven Spielberg has just made a movie about them. I admired the gentleman's beard and have since grown a version of it.

New mailbox at the VFW Post.

Commander JD Harper served a great breakfast this morning at the Ruston VFW Post. He was proud of the new Post mailbox and made sure that we all would see it. I believe that the city furnished the mailbox.

Vitals. 11/27/2012.

Status quo. I need inspiration.

Date	Weight	Waist	Temp	BP Hi	BP Lo	Pulse	Miles	MPD
1/3/12	252	50.8	96.9	134	69	8.5	8.5	1.2
7/10/12	220.6	47.3	95.9	147	74	74	14.1	2
10/16/12	233.4	49.2	96.9	136	67	72	9.8	1.4
10/24/12	235.2	49.5	96.8	137	63	65	12.5	1.8
11/6/12	236	48.9	96.1	134	65	66	9.8	1.4
11/13/12	236	49.3	96.0	123	58	60	10.8	1.5
11/20/12	237.6	49.6	96.8	129	62	71	10.3	1.5
11/27/12	237.8	49.3	96.7	126	56	63	10.1	1.4

Sunday Brunch at Squire Creek.

Sue and Jewette Farley treated me to brunch at the Squire Creek Country Club yesterday. I settled for delicious prime rib. Lowery's eat your heart out.

I barely got Jewette in the picture after three attempts. Notice that I am in full uniform.

Sunrise at swim pool.

Basketball. Tech Bulldogs vs ULM Warhawks.

This could be called the battle of I-20. ULM is the University of Louisiana at Monroe. ULM is about 40 miles east of us on I-20. They led us for awhile, but we soon caught up and won going away.

Our Bulldog is acting silly.

Introducing the starters.

ULM is cooking up a strategy.

How could you have a game without "Old Right Ear"?

We won the tip off.

Coach Michael White before his coat came off.

Carolyn and Skip Russell. It is good to get away from all those Russell kids.

These folks are athletes.

Our team won 68 to 52. They are looking good!

This is a different hair cut.

I got a lot of love from my maternal Grandmother.

After my Mom passed away her mother came to stay with us for a short time. I had lots of love and companionship with her when I was 6 and 7. I loved her. She was 70 when she came to fill in for my Mom. I am sure that it was too much for her and she soon had to leave.

My Grandmother is the lady in the second row on the right. She looks good, huh? I count six boys and two girls. The girl on the left is my Mother, Olive Knowlton. This picture was taken shortly after 1900 in Stirling, Kansas. I met most of these uncles. The family moved to California shortly after this picture.  

My maternal Grandfather, John Edwin Knowlton was a farmer. From the clothes on his family, I would say that he was a successful farmer. One of my sisters told me he was a gentleman farmer who lived in town.

My Grandmother's maiden name was Ermina Delphine Haight. She was born in 1860 in Oswego, New York. She passed away in 1949 in Berkeley, California. My Grandfather had passed away in 1924.

I can remember listening to the radio with my Grandmother. Lum and Abner, Amos and Andy, and One Man's Family.

I never did speak to my Grandfathers.

I never did meet either of my Grandfathers. I never had a chance to speak to them. My paternal grandfather was James Mart Monson.

I do not believe that Dad talked to him very much. James Mart did not raise my Dad. At an early age Dad was adopted by his Uncle Charles Morton Monson. Altho born in Kentucky Dad was raise in Kansas where his Uncle had a farm. He spent his adult life in California. I did not have any inkling of these facts until I started some genealogical research after my wife Jackie passed away in 2007. My Dad or siblings had never discussed these matters. I was surprised to learn that my Dad had been raised in a foster home..

My Dad and I were not very demonstrative in our affection for each other. I wonder if my Dad had the same relation ship with his natural and adoptive fathers. I would suspect so. When I reached the age where I could have used some fatherly affection my Dad had just raised my eight siblings and was probably worn out. My Mother had passed away when I was five.

My Dad and Mom in their prime.

My Dad a little older.

My natural Grandfather was married three times. I suspect that he was not close with my Dad. That might explain why my Dad and I were not affectionate. And possibly why I have not been or am not now a World Champion Affectionate Father or Grand parent. I would like to be. It is time to get started

I do love my kids and their kids. Now if I can only act like I do.

Nice little Ruston family.

This is the family of my friend Skip (Slim) Russell. He is the distinguished looking gentleman standing in the center of the picture. Skip and his wife Carolyn (seated on the right) are to be congratulated on having such a wonderful family! There are three sons and three daughters of Skip and Carolyn in the picture with spouses and grand children. And Carolyn's Mother is seated on the left.

Morning trip to deer lease.

I rode with John this morning out to the deer lease to pick up his trailer and four wheeler.

With his rear view camera John can place his trailer ball right under the trailer hitch. Sure works neat!

Corley Lodge.

Typical deer lease pond reflection pictures on a Thanksgiving Day morning.

Basketball. Techsters vs Central Arkansas.

The Techsters were ahead 12 points or so until the last ten  minutes of the game. Then Central Arkansas caught up and were even ahead 4 points for awhile. The game became exciting. It was not settled until the last second. We won barely.

It was a zero tuba game! The band took the night off. But there were 14 teams of cheerleaders. They kept busy and led the cheering. There usually are only eight teams.

Could not get a picture of the right ear. It was under an earphone.

Tip off.

Our Bulldog and friend.

The two expert fans were there.

Coach Spoon looks askance at the official.

That was a close win!