Saturday, November 28, 2009

On my memory not that I can remember

For Thanksgiving and Christmas I was gonna write about the most memorable or forgetable depending on how you want to look at it.
I don't remember any thanksgivings while I was younger, the only ones that I really remember are the last few that I have been through.
I cooked a turkey and ham on the grill last year, made all the fixings, including  the deviled eggs and cranberry sauce.
I had it all prepped the night before, got up early, only to find out, the woman that I thought I dearly loved, was not even here.
She had taken off some time during the night, had someone pick her up, so much for the joys of Thanksgiving I thought.
I fed her son, and the rest of the people that did show up, as for me I was too upset to eat a bite.
She showed up three days later. So much for those memories, it was just a replay of the last eight in a row.

Funny thing, I thought I would remember more about Christmases, but I really only remember two.

The first one was when I was around eight years old.
We lived in San Antonio, Texas. Mom and dad were really strapped for money that year.
My sisters were politicing for the new Barbie dolls, and doll houses, and other toys as well.

Mom and dad bought all the toys they wanted, the tree had nothing under the tree with my name on it.
I guess the signs of disappointment showed in my face and actions, mom said not to worry, there was still time for mine.
 On Christmas eve, under the tree, there were all kind of wrapped presents with my name on them, I could hardly sleep that night.
When I woke, I ran to the tree and started tearing in, there were little toy cars and trucks all individually wrapped, there must have been around twenty of them.
When I got older I asked mom about that Christmas, and she smile and said that she remembered it. Her and dad, had bought those packaged sets, opened them all and wrapped them that way so that it would look like I was getting the mother lode, and it worked.
That is the only Christmas that I remember as a youngster.

When, I was twenty or twenty one, I can't really remember, I was still on drugs around this time. I was on a barge pushing boat working on the Mississippi River. We had a tow that left New Orleans, heading for Ohio, pushing around twenty barges. This is really hard physical work, but I needed the money.

On the river unlike the sea, you pass small towns as you travel.
You hear sounds of life, and see lights at night, it makes one start thinking about what is happening out there, and what am I missing, and why am I on this boat?

The depression sets in, all you can think of is better times, family, and getting stoned.
I told the captain that when we hit the next port, I was getting off.
I was informed, that there was not a replacement for me and that I would have to stay on.
Well, anyone that knows me or has ever known me, knows that those are restrictions, and I have never lived with restrictions. When we got to the port at Vicksburg, I got off, it was Christmas eve, no car, no money, and it was cold.

I remembered that a friend of mine from high school had moved to Vicksburg, so I looked up his number.
I called him and apologized for calling on Christmas eve, and explained to him what had happened, and what I had done. Not only did he understand but he also came and picked me up, gave me a place to stay, and fronted me the money for a bus ride home. Now that is a true friend.

I would love to say that I remember a Christmas with my children, but for the life of me, I can not remember even one. My memory has been in a shutdown mode, ever since I had the accident off shore, I remember things with th help of friends and family, but on my own I have very little recollection of most happenings.

I am tired now so off  to bed, will write more later.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Living in Enid some of what I remember

I started this site as a release, and sorta kinda as a biography to leave to my son and grandson.
My side of the family has always been a little more of a mystery, than my mothers side, and my sons mothers side.
Lately he has started asking a lot of questions about the family, I made a decision to try and gather as much information as I can, for him, an give him as much as I can remember from my life at the same time.
Thank you all for being the support team in this endeavor.

I was born in Oklahoma City, and truly have no memories until the age of five.
My dad entered the Air force training program in Enid, Oklahoma.
I was very sick and had to go to the hospital. I had rheumatic fever, and my parenst thought I would not make it.
Fooled them though, I guess they were stuck with me a while longer.

In Enid, we lived next to a grocery store, I mean right next door, and down the street, this old man had a potato chip factory.
Now this was a new novelty then, and they were good, nothing like the ones we have now though. These were a big treat, and the old man liked me, so, he would always give mom and dad a huge paper sack full, and say "make sure that yougun gits some of these", I guess he thought mom and dad would eat them all up.

I went to the first grade here, learned to skate here, and got my arm caught in one of those old ringer washing machines here. It was one that my dad had just bought for my mom. I was down where they had it hooked up,  I decided that I could operate it. When those old ringers started rolling, it teased me just enough, that I wanted to feel the rollers go around, I stuck my hand up to them, big mistake, it sucked in my fingers, and before I knew it my whole arm was caught up inside the damn thing.
I started yelling like a six year old yells, here came mom and dad, was I lucky they said, yeah lucky dad didn't beat me to death for this stupid stunt.

I was always into something, and my sisters were the biggest tattle tales that you could ever meet. I was the poor little innocent, sickly son, that almost died. I always knew I had an ace up my sleeve, even at this young age.I'm not saying everything was rosy, just that I got away with a lot and knew it.

My sisters , one older, Margaret, one younger,Jody, it did not matter what I did, they were bound and determined to get me into trouble. They taught me the art of pay-back,yep, and I learned it early on.

I talked Margaret, into locking me in a trunk, she did.
Not too bright on my part right, mom passed by it on the way to the washing room, and heard me screaming.
She asked how I got in there, I told her that Margaret had locked me in there and I couldn't breath.
Poor, Margaret, she was always my favorite target.
More to follow.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

!st Post You may not like me after this.

My first recollection of any happening in my life was not that glorious.
I remember being in the hospital and they had me in an ice bath for an extremely high fever.
I knew right then, Hey I'm hot, but alas it was just the fever.

My father was a military man, every three years or so, we packed up and moved some where new.
It is a strange life for a kid, always either making friends fast or having to fight some one much bigger, to prove a point. What the point was I never knew. So, at a very early age it was easier to be the class clown or act as stupid as possible, if people thought you were slow, you could really find out things about them, as you are not considered a threat.

My father was assigned in North Africa, Tripoli, Libya, at Whellus Air Force base.
We lived there for the better part of six years.
We traveled all over the Mediteranian, visited all of the countries both in North Africa, and Europe.

When we returned state side, well, I never quite fit in.
Too small for football, and soccer was not yet popular, so sports was out of the question.
I was in the tenth grade in Michigan, eleventh grade in Arkansas, and graduated the Texas.
Then went to college in Louisiana.

I became a needle freak in the tenth grade, a little just to cope, and a lot just because I was lost.
So from the time I was fifteen until I was twenty one, I was hooked on some hard drugs.

I never wrote anything, other than my excuse slips for school.
It is a miracle that I even graduated, oh I made good enough grades, but I never had a desire to do anything.

Then, one night, when I was trippin on some L.S.D. I stood and watched my best friend die.
Right in front of me, while I was stoned, in a Bob world stupor, my friend Bernie died.
Not cool, not fun, and most of all unforgettable.
What to do now?

After Bernie Died

After Bernie died, I locked my self in my apartment, stayed there three days.
Jonesed like hell, and took a long hard look at me.
I decided if I didn't want to end up like Bernie, then I needed a life altering plan.

I disassociated my self with all of the people that I was involved with, basically became a hermit.
I went back to Louisiana, got on a tug boat, and did not get off for six months.
Worked my ass off every day during that time, just trying to find out who I was.

I went back to school, finished my degree, in of all things, Speech Therapy.
I HATED IT.
Go ahead laugh your ass off, I know, here we go again.

I was clean for the first time in six years, and I have stayed clean ever since.
Nothing I am either proud of nor ashamed of, nothing I can do about it now any way.

I have always felt like life was nothing more than what you chose for it to be any way.
I mean, you are where you are in your life because you chose to be there.

Ok, I see your eyes rolling from that statement, but think about it a minute.
Is there any thing in your life, besides breathing and eventually dying, that you do not have the power to chose what it is you do?
You don't have to get up and go to work every day, its not like some one is going to show up, get you out of bed, dress you, give you a bath, brush your teeth, just so you show up.

You don't have to clean the house and get the kids to school. Hell, let the mess pile up and let the kids sleep in.
You don't even have to pay taxes, there are a lot of people in jail that have proven that.
Got the picture.
You are who you are and yo are where you are because you choose to be there.

This is the lesson I learned the hard way, yes Bernie died, Yes I was stoned.
But my choice was to not end up in that place.

Welcome to the Hang Out

Well if you made it here you can make it any where!
This is a kinda hide out and refuge.
Some of you may not know this
but
I kinda get over whelmed at times
go into this little anxiety 
mode.
So,
I put together 
this little site just for my thoughts ,
the ones I 
kinda keep to my self.
Hope you like it.
I am gonna put together a couple of post at a time
here.
These are my favorite people.
And this is the short 
list.







PICKS
http://lcwrite2.blogspot.com/ susan from roni


this does not exclude these
people.


Followers (86) More »






















and these





Aion wrote...






I still remember my deckhand days lol.. (many years ago..!) that was way too funny. Great Memories!Thanks for bringing them back...


plainolebob wrote...






Uber, we fished at the rigs and platforms, the fish were every wher thereBen, my dad had loads of stories, mostly about the officers,lolSecertia, Wanna go fishin? lol


Secretia wrote...






Good old pranks for offshore fun, you fishermen, ha ha.


Bendigo wrote...






Lol..You brought back so many military memories with that post...Thanks a ton...here's another award to add to that wall of recognition you have... Thanks for all you do...


UberGrumpy wrote...






Harharhar! Great post. Remind me never to go fishing with you


plainolebob wrote...






Farila, maybe some day,lolLenore, lol, now you are discovered as wellCarmen, for me, man you and AlpHa, and at the same time,omg


Carmen wrote...






Bob you have an award from me to you :)


LENORENEVERMORE wrote...






That's one prank LOLgreat way to discover your blog!L*


Farila wrote...






LOL.. You on Youtube is a great idea..


plainolebob wrote...






thank you all for visiting Miss Rae, and all of your kind words


plainolebob wrote...






John, i fell for the sky hook thing,lolMiss Rae, I am so happy that you got to laff, how is Piper?


Rae wrote...






There is a fool born every minute and you sure found that one. What a great prank. I bet he never lived it down. Just can't trust old dogs like you. Loved this post. My best laugh of the day.


john wrote...






lmao bob, those were the good ol days. i remember when i cut a 2x4 too short and sent the new guy to go get the board stretcher, he'd know what it looks like when he found it. 30 minutes later i...


plainolebob wrote...






Carmen, the engineers are the funniestAlpHa, thanks you, yep an ole tarHunter he had it coming, he was new, he will pass it on lol


Hunter wrote...






You dressed that poor guy up like the Tin Man? Too funny.


AlpHa Buttonpusher wrote...






Hey there sailor, there's a little something for you on my blog:)


Carmen wrote...






Oh dear. You and my Dad would so get on! I've heard many a tale like this. He was an engineer on trawlers and subs and I definitely have heard many an initiation tale followed by much guffawing....


plainolebob wrote...






Heidi, thanks for stopping byMike, I wouldn't have let you off that easy,lolLee,this was a true story, all the new guys fall for it, and the old dogs get a really big chuckle


Lee the Hot Flash Queen wrote...






I was waiting to see what you were going to make him do! Don't you love enthusiasm, such an easy target!


Innocent Owner Of Mad Cats wrote...






What are you saying. I'm all ready, I got my tinfoil on and the pot and hangers are already to go. LOL
and these


Followers (249More »




















































Its just well
its just
well
I wanted a space that
I could
write
and see all the lovely
people that I write for
while
I am
writing.
Now that you know I am totally nuts.
I will
Write
down something on a regular
type of post.
THANKS FOR STOPPIN BY