Is is just me or does this tree look like it has several eyes and a nose with a mustache and goatee? I parked in front of it the other day and looked at it for a while. Pretty soon it was looking back. I think I will shine a light on it for Halloween. Freaky huh?

Point of view

On the passing of Rosa Parks I was commenting to my son how she helped start the ball rolling in the civil rights movement in the 1950's. I have always tried to tell my son to look at the other person's point of view, listen to their argument, then make his own decisions. I have also always lectured him about obeying the law, doing what is right, even if you don't like it at the time. He told me that he had heard a commentator on television talking about Rosa Parks, how she was held up as a hero to young children. The commentator said that maybe this was not someone we should teach our children to look up to because, after all, she broke the law. I was happy that my son is exploring other opinions (than mine) but I was sad (in a way) that he is so young that he did not experience such intense racism. I have never questioned that Rosa Parks did the right thing by breaking the law, I never even thought about it. My son pointed out to me that if we don't like a particular law, that doesn't give us the right to break that law. I was befuddled. I am lucky that my boy goes to a school that has black, white, hispanic, and gay students. Interacting everyday with each other has made many of them color blind, and this is a good thing. This gives me hope that the younger generation are actually judging each other "by the content of their character" and not the "color of their skin".

Made it through another one. . .

Well, Wilma wasn't so bad for us. It passed south of us and we got wind and rain, but no damage or flooding. We did not even lose power. The worst was that I found a dead rat in the back yard, and had to race with the dogs to get to it first. I got it in the garbage bag before they could get it in their mouths. Truth be told, even though the rat didn't have any visable injuries, Buddy the "ratter" dog may have killed him. Buddy was out last night even during the rain, so he was after something. Thank God he didn't bring the rat though the doggy door. Now it is time to take the boards down from the windows. I hope this is the last hurricane this season. I am getting real tired of this. The weather has cooled down and it is 67 degrees today, feels nice for a change.

Hurry up.....and wait

We are boarding up the house, possibly leaving to evacuate hurricane Wilma. I went out to the trailer today, to jettison some stuff I won't need. When I took off the tire covers, I realized one of the tires was flat. It was split in the middle of the tread, about six inches long, catastrophic failure (glad it didn't happen on the road). I changed it, and I just went out there again to lock it up for the night, and I noticed that the spare is slowly going flat. These tires were new last year. Too late to complain now. In the morning, I have to get the trailer out of the yard, then take it to the tire place. Hope they have some trailer tires, I might just replace ALL of them. The trailer weighs 7600 pounds, I don't want to take a chance that the other tires are defective. Anyway, if we have to leave, it is nice to pull a place to stay behind you. I just hope I can escape the Florida pennisula without getting stuck in traffic. I am planning to take the back roads. If there is a gas shortage I will just go as far inland as I can. This is gonna be a bad one and I hope it passes quickly. I want to at least get as far north as Gainesville or Ocala. I believe that everyday of your life is an adventure. You can get through adversity with a strong will and a good attitude. I guess this weekend will be just another journey. I hope I will have as much strength as people of New Orleans. Easy for me to say, I'll just be driving down the road, not treading sewer water with no place to go.

New camera

I just got my new camera yesterday. I didn't need a new camera. I just wanted one. That's the beauty of being my age, you can do whateverthehell you want! I justified it to myself by saying that I had to have a camera with a better zoom, since most of my photos are at band competitions in a large stadium. I got the NIKON COOLPIX 88OO! I already had the HP945, which is a nice camera with a effective zoom. The Coolpix has a 10x optical zoom, and VR (vibration reduction), so when you are "zoomed" on a shot across the stadium, you can hold the camera instead of using the tripod, avoiding blurry photos. This camera has 15 scene modes, including "fireworks" and "backlit" mode. Each scene mode is indicated by a little icon. I will have to study these so I know what to use. I am not a real photographer, so I just buy fancy cameras and use the automatic mode. The beauty of digital photography is that you can take as many photos as you want. Somewhere in there, you have to get a good shot! I will most likely carry both cameras with me, just in case! Soon, I will need a backpack to carry all my equipment.

Here we go again . . . .

Boards up, boards down, boards up - on the windows that is. We are again faced with another impending hurricane. There is so much to do to prepare, but we know the drill by now. We can have all the boards put up on the windows in about and hour. We have pre-cut plywood, with plylock clips. We put all the stuff in the yard away. Lawn chairs, clothlines, garbage cans, and anything that can fly into your house in a strong wind. Only problem is, if the neighbors don't put their stuff away, it flys over into your house. Then there is always the "when to leave". When you live on a pennisula like Florida, you need to leave about a day before they tell you to, to avoid the exodus traffic. Imagine being stuck in traffic in 100 mph winds! If you work, you have to ultimately decide between your job and your life. If you want to evacuate, you have to wait for some boss to give you the time off, and then it may be too late to leave. I am ready to leave on a moments notice, but now "Wilma" has stalled, and is gonna take a few more days to get here.

Amtrak auto train

Last summer my son and I took the auto train to Virginia. It was a really neat experience. The train runs everyday from Sanford, Florida to Lorton, Virgina. Lorton is just outside of Washington, D.C. You have to get to the train station about an hour before and they load your car in the special car carrier rail cars. These cars are "triple decker" and hold a lot of cars. The car carriers are backed up to loading ramps, and a team of loaders drive each of the cars on. They put a magnetic number on your car, so they can call it out at the other end when your car is unloaded. Our train had 148 autos loaded on it, and with the engine, dining car, coach cars, and sleeper cars, the whole train was almost a mile long. The train leaves at 4 PM and arrives in Lorton at 9 AM the next morning. We were in a two person sleeper (they also have bedroom & family sleepers) and our bathroom was down the hall. The passenger cars have two levels, with bathrooms and showers on the first floor and the bedrooms are upstairs, so you are about 25 feet above the tracks. Shortly after you get under way, the porter assigned to your car comes by to welcome you aboard, and tell you where everything is, and all about the lounge car and dining car. Our compartment was really cool. It had a large picture window, and sliding glass door (with curtains)on the hallway side. Two reclinder type seats face each other, and there is a fold down table in the middle. There is room to hang clothes, and bring a small carry on bag. There is a plug in (we brought the laptop and watched a movie) or you can go to the lounge car where they have two showings of a current movie. Dinner is served at 5:30, 7, or 9 PM, and the porter calls you on the intercom in your comparment when it is your time. The food was comparable to any good restaurant, and they have silverware, linen table cloths and napkins. You may choose from three different entres, but all were good. You may have wine with dinner, but we didn't - it is difficult enough to dine then walk on a moving train! At the time of your chosing, you can go to bed for the night. The porter comes by and turns those recliners into a bed, then pulls down an upper bunk, and makes that into a bed. Getting used to sleeping on a moving train is difficult at first, but soon the "clackiety-clack" lulls you to sleep. We awoke in the night because the train stopped, but we found out later that this was a normal stop to change engineers. We got up about 7 AM and headed down to the dining car for a continental breakfast, they had everything you could want from fruit to bagels, and GOOD coffee. When we finished breakfast we returned to our compartment and our beds were put away and back to our sitting room. Before long we were at the station in Lorton, and just had to wait for our car to be unloaded. It made a long trip more bearable, and it was WAY better than flying. Plus, we had our car with us when we got there.

Just like the real thing

I have a new screen saver called "Marine Aquarium". It is really neat. For years I had a real aquarium, and I considered getting another one. Initial cost was not the problem, but the fact that I would have one more thing to do, maintain the water quality, and have someone take care of it if I go on vacation. So this works out for me. I am amazed how lifelike and animated the fish are. You can decide on the kind of fish that you want in the tank, or the computer will pick them at random. It is really like looking at a real aquarium, bubbles, shadows and all. A lucite, see through clock can be added - that keeps the current date and time. Check it out at serenescreen.com. Now I am considering buying a larger monitor, so I can have a bigger "tank"! Hmmm, what's next? Animated children, that don't make a mess or cost you a fortune? And the best part, you could turn them off if they got on your nerves! I wonder. . . .

New Florida gun law

In a lot of ways I like the new Florida gun law. You are not required to retreat if a perpetrator threatens to do you harm, you may take the first agressive move toward him, before he can hurt you. For the law abiding citizen, this is a good law, but I worry about what is going to happen with the lunatics. There are people who believe that if you look at them funny, that you are a potential threat. They will be able to shoot you, with no fear of prosecution. A few weeks ago, I attended our local gun show. I was suprised to see the number and variety of people in the concealed permit class. There are a lot of people in Florida carrying guns. We have been dubbed the "Gunshine State". Please follow what I have always subscribed to, "be nice to everyone, don't give them an excuse to shoot you".

Dogs-a-runnin'!

We came home yesterday with some stuff from the store in our arms, so we entered the house thru the garage door. As we hit the switch to close the overhead door, we opened the door to the inside of the house. The schnauzer, closely followed by the airedale, ran like hell to get out before the door got down. They just squeaked under it when it closed. They were off, like bats out of hell, down the street to who knows where. I sounded the alarm to the boys, we grabbed leashes and all headed outside to find the runaway mutz. We all ran down the street screaming for the dogs. They ended up down the street sniffing the neighbor's butt and his dog's butt. So, but for the butt, they would have been long gone! It never ceases to amaze me that Mr. Woofie Airedale will bite a stranger's face off at home, but is nice to strangers on the streets.

Macro photography

Here is my little dog guarding my big mouse. The new mouse is cordless, he has to be watched so he doesn't run away. I really like digital photography. I am starting to photograph macro, small things like flowers and "raindrops on roses" (good line for a song, eh?). I really dig modern technology, using it that is. I have no idea how it all works, or how to fix it when it is broken. I recently had a sixteen year old computer wiz fix my laptop. It took him 5 minutes to change a setting - there was nothing else wrong with it. I have the Delorme GPS street finder on the laptop. When I travel, I can plot a trip on the computer, and it shows me where I am at all times. I don't know how this works either, but it is really neat. I might attempt a trip "out west" to see Phyllis next summer, if they fix the roads between here and there. Of course I will have to take out a second mortgage to afford the gas to pull the big rig.

Driving school

I took my son (the new driver) to the "Car Control Clinic". The course was $150. , but I knew it would be worth it. We went to a 90 minute classroom session, then to the 4 hour practical clinic on the driving pad. The course was invented by a retired race car driver, and was very informative and good. The parent had to be in the car with the new driver, and at times that was scary. It is difficult not to "over coach". I tried to just sit there and not say anything, but it was impossible not to at least cheer him on. We did several exercises involving turning and getting the car between the cones. The most interesting part is when they wet down the asphalt with water and vegtable oil, then we skidded around on it. We had to do controlled braking, and "on and off" braking to stop the car within a certain distance. It really tested your braking reaction time, and shows you how far your car will skid when you loose control. Once the brakes lock up, you go into a skid, and you have NO steering control. I recommend this course for all new drivers. It was fun, and may save my son's life someday.

Hey, I haven't blogged in a while

I found out tonight that an old boss of mine got hired in the local police department. This guy is older than me, and retired already from one police job. He is a big old fat guy who looks and acts like "Jabba the Hut" from "Star Wars". I warned all the police officers that I saw tonight at the football game that this ass clown is a back stabbing bastard, and that they needed to watch what they do. One time when he was my boss, I came to work real early in the morning and found him rifling through my desk drawers. He is the type that is always looking to screw someone over. If this small town police department ever had a chance before, it is flushed down the toilet now. SAD.

All the stuff

I have been busy trying to clean out all the stuff that I collected during my 25 year law enforcement career. I have already gotten rid of holsters, uniforms and the big things. There is "stuff" that I don't know what to do with. There are countless manuals, books, outdated lists, instructions, handouts, certificates and other cop related stuff that I have no use for. Some of this stuff is hard to part with, and I feel a certain melancoly having to dispose of it. However, I live in a small house, and this stuff must go! I threw away the hundreds of business cards that I had collected. I cut out some of the neat card logos, take a look at the attached scan.

The boys in the band

Thursday night last was the first football game of the season. It was scheduled for Friday, but we had to change it at the last minute because of the hurricane. Matt is in the band this year, playing 1st bass drum. (that's him, last in line) He looks like one of those toy soldiers! But, as usual - it is all about the tubas! We are proud of the band boys! When kids join the band, then the parents are in the band too, whether they like it or not. We will be busy now until mid- December ...every weekend! Oh well, beats bailing them out of jail!

Dogs & Firefighters

Ever notice how dogs and firefighters are alike? They both lay around doing nothing, then all of a sudden jump up and run out with sirens blaring. If it is a false alarm, they come back and lay down again. In a second, they are alerted again, and head off outside running as fast as they can. It is usually the one with the most sensitive ears that hears the alarm, then he alerts the others, and everyone goes. They sniff around, trying to find the danger, then they take care of it or determine that it is nothing. Then it is back inside again. Both firefighters and dogs - ever vigilant.

Newbie

My oldest son got his learner's license today. It is the weirdest feeling. Him behind the wheel as on clutch my seat belt, trying to be cool. As he was driving and doing quite well, I could not help thinking about other milestones in his life, and how close he is to leaving us and making his way in the world on his own. It is a happy / sad time. I know that in a few short years he will be gone from my constant supervison. What will I do then? Most parents look forward to the time that their children will be grown and off on their own. (God knows when they are teenager-know-it-alls our patience is thin!) I waited a long time to be a parent, longer than most. Now it seems that our time together is racing by faster than I expected. While driving for the first time my son made the comment that he was glad he plays all those video games, he thinks it will help him be a better driver! I realized then that he will be a kid for a while longer.

They are dead

I, for one, did not even know there was a State Anatomical Board in Florida. It came as a suprise to me that they would be having an "emergency meeting" to vote on whether to allow the Bodies Exhibit this month at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa. The "dead bodies" are dead, they do not and can not care. They are no longer with us, and they are no longer using those bodies. Reports are that the State Anatomical Board could shut down the exhibit. Maybe it is me, but what is wrong with this picture? Human beings are dying daily in Iraq, yet we seem less concerned with that than the rights of "already dead" people. Perhaps we should put on display the maimed, burned, blasted, bombed and shot up bodies of American soldiers and citizens of Iraq, to bring attention to the war. Maybe we should have an "emergency meeting" about this.

HELLO- I am hiding in Florida!