Introduction
The most recent article, on 6/13/2020, promised an article the next day. Today is not the next day. Oh, well, at least I’m trying!
Age 14 Jeans
The last article referenced the eldest daughter, of my youngest brother and his wife. She attained age 14, on Friday, 6/12/2020. Ironically, on that day, I decided that a pair of my blue jeans, at least 14 or more years old, needed to retire.
The front does not look too bad. I could patch a hole at a “sensitive area.” Do you see part of my feet? Do you see that little red spot, on my right foot, between my big toe and the next one? If and when that spot and the spot on the back of my right heel (not visible) both go away, then my right foot may recover fully! Let’s hike! The ankle area and bone to my big toe still feel every step differently than my undamaged left foot.
The back, however, has a fatal hole! It would take too much patchwork to cover that gaping hole! (Of course, I could delegate Mrs. Appalachian Irishman that task, but I won’t!) So, the blue jeans that are at least 14 years old are retired. Oh, yes, I wear an ankle wrap on my right foot, when I’m in the house, walking barefooted. It helps, as far as I can tell. I don’t need the ankle wrap, but it’s just my habit now. Let’s hike, if you can keep up with me! I still keep a strip, cut in half, of kinesiology tape, on various areas of my right foot. I change it once a week.
Flag Day
I’m ten days late! I remembered Flag Day and the reason why it’s called Flag Day. How many others remembered – in the midst of the current new cold virus and racial tension? America used to be a great nation, but we are dropping into oblivion very quickly – if you believe the propaganda that is in much of the media.
Dear Lord, I hope that folks, who need to do so, will restore their minds and hearts – before You call everyone “out of the pool!” We’ll see what happens.
6/16/2020
On 6/16/1901, Lula Frank Amos Wood (last name by marriage to Aby William Wood) was born. She was and is (awaiting me at Home) my maternal grandmother. Granny Wood was a wonderful grandmother to me! I love her, and I miss her. I will see her again, at Home, one of these days!
On 6/16/2016, I took my first three steps, with a rolling walker -- in our kitchen, with Mrs. Appalachian Irishman standing behind me, in case I fell. These were my first steps since 3/29/2016 – when the uninsured, eighteen-year-old female failed to yield to my right of way.
I have recovered, to this point -- due to fine medical care, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, my strong and stubborn Irish will, neighbors, friends and family, and God’s grace. I am still recovering.
I have a fine friend, who hikes House Mountain. He has a doctorate in physics. He has self-taught doctorates in medicine, nutrition, philosophy, and other fields. He is about nine years older than me. I met him on House Mountain for the first time on 1/2/2011 (my 76th hike). I’ve either hiked with him or met him, on the trail, ten other times, with 12/3/2017 as the most recent. (I need to call him. It’s been a while.)
He told me, when we met on House Mountain, on 12/3/2017, that my recovery could take ten years. I hadn’t seen him since the hike, on 2/7/2016. I told him the details, about the wreck, on 3/29/2016. He listened carefully, observed me, asked questions, and concluded that my recovery could take ten years.
Various medical professionals have speculated about my recovery time. (I wouldn’t recover any more than I had, which was wrong! I would never recover fully. I may not. It may take seven to ten years to recover, to where I don’t feel too much difference.) The last one is about right, but more like ten years. Since I’m inside my body, I know that my fine friend was probably correct. I’m into year five now. I’m half way there. Let’s hike, if you can keep up with me!
By the way, my recovering left shoulder has been “talking to” my left side, even more than usual lately. Who cares? It just means that my “bionic” left shoulder is improving and sending “messages” to my left side. I do what I do, regardless! The power in my body is there! The will in my spirit will always be there -- even after the power in my body leaves, before I leave my body! Again, let’s hike!
Gnats
Gnats are pesky. Last Friday evening, in my bathroom, I hunted down and sent, to his Maker, an adult gnat (i.e., fly) that was pestering us. Saturday evening, I sent another one, in our bedroom, to its grave (i.e., a trash can). Sunday, I swatted another two to their graves. That was four adult gnats in three days. I think that they have learned their lesson. We have not had any more adult gnats -- yet.
Anyone, who shares the everlasting perspective on life, should agree, on the first three gnats, mentioned below, that are aggravating our once great nation. Here are four gnats -- that, by way of irony, match the number of adult gnats that I'd killed. (I didn’t plan it this way. It just happened by coincidence.)
(1) The new cold virus: it’s also called coronavirus or COVID-19. The media (printed, television, online, social) are full of propaganda about it.
One social media soon to be ex-friend won’t lie down on this! I’ve stopped seeing his posts, for 30 days at a time, twice now! I’ve offered him, to hike with me and to email me. He has done neither yet. I hope that his wife doesn’t share his Corona Myopia obsession.
My job had me working at home for several weeks. Now, I’m working at home one week and at the office the next week, in rotation – doing exactly the same work. At the office, I must have my temperature taken. The secretary (temperature-checker) will not ask me the “required” health questions. I tell her anyway, as a joke, that I have all those symptoms! Last week, as a new sub-gnat, when I’m working at the office, I must wear a mask, unless I’m sitting at my desk! The insanity of it all is almost unbearable! Even when I’m alone, in the men’s bathroom (as the only man in the office, which includes two or three women only), I’m supposed to wear a mask! Really? So, if I’m in there taking a leak, with my mask off, where is the hidden camera that will catch me in violation? Argh! Get some common sense, employer!
Ain’t y’all tired of the insanity? Let’s move on, shall we? Who gives a rat’s rear end about the number of cases, recovered cases, new cases, ad nauseam? Heck, I might test positive for it. If I ever had it, I didn’t know it, as I had no symptoms! The new cold virus death count, in Knox County, has been, for many weeks and still is, at the time of this publication, five. (I regret the five deaths.) I’ve written many times on this topic. I’m done. Let’s move on!
(2) Racial tension: a bad white cop killed a bad black man. The white cop and other cops were wrong. They will face their crime. That’s justice. Another white cop killed a black man. The evidence seems to indicate that the killing was justified. The court will decide, correctly, as I hope. Many cops have been injured or killed, but they don’t make the news, at all or as often.
There are peaceful protests. That’s fine. There have been and still are ongoing riots, looting, vandalism, destruction, and so forth. That’s absolute insanity and anarchy! That must be stopped! No one has come around this house yet, to riot, loot, vandalize, or destroy. If it happens, I have firepower and plenty of ammunition.
Everyone should have been taught the childhood song: “Red and yellow, black and white, they [all] are precious in His sight.” Yes, black and white slavery is historical. (My Irish heritage includes slavery to the English.) Blacks have enslaved blacks and whites. Whites have enslaved whites and blacks. A wise man once stated that we should judge a person by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin. I agree. All lives matter, and that is not a disregard to blacks, as they are included in all lives matter! Unborn children are included in all lives matter!
The Good Lord gives us permission to be “fruit inspectors,” without being judgmental. I inspect fruit. I do not judge unjustly (which is prejudice). I have known many people -- yellow, red, black, and white -- who are fine folks. I have known many of the various color shades that are not fine folks. I cling to the former and avoid the latter, unless I can help educate the latter into the Good Lord’s grace!
Grow up, America, and get over your childishness or your hidden agenda! Move on!
(3) Supreme Court: the judicial branch has no more or less power than the legislative and executive branches. All three branches can be right or wrong, based on the truth of the Law Giver, who established absolute moral law, before there was the thought of the USA.
Last Monday, the Supreme Court, which doesn’t see itself bound by the Law Giver’s absolute moral law, “ruled” that the 1964 Civil Rights Act's prohibition on employment sex discrimination also banned employment discrimination based on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.” By the way, about five years ago, the Supreme Court decided that same-sex marriage is constitutional, even if it is not moral.
Moral employers (i.e., many small business owners, many churches, and such) will be the ongoing targets. I could write more, but this is a gnat.
Last Thursday, their DACA “ruling” allowed the illegal children, of illegal aliens, to remain, legally, in the country, illegally. The illogic is obvious. It’s another gnat.
(4) Deck repair: yes, I know that this is a much smaller gnat, in the context of the previous three larger gnats. I was aggravated, however, by a young man, who needs to learn a life lesson. I hope that I am teaching him. He has a fine father, who is my friend. We need deck repair. In respect to my fine friend, I called his son, who does deck work. We talked by phone one time. He did not want to meet face-to-face and inspect the deck in person. The email exchange continued a while. Finally, I “fired” him, which he understood, and I moved on. We have had two face-to-face visits, from seasoned businessmen, who inspected, in person, provided suggestions, in person, and will soon provide written estimates. We will select one. That’s how business should be done!
Yes, I know that this is a very small gnat, but I had my Irish up for a while. I’m over it. The work will be done, in the proper (old school) way of doing business. The young man lost income. An older, wiser man will get income. The older teach the younger, as it should be done.
Conclusion
Well, I’m done, but wait! Another article follows this one, on this same day.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment