reckon we do

I have sat in this seat for probably 180,000 of the 192,381 miles on this car. and it has been a good one too. It is just only two months and a few days short of 16 years old, and as one of my brother-in-laws said "youall keep a car a good while" so they better be good ones. This one is.



We periodically say all we need is "two more years" out of this car- and low and behold - we get it. again and again, kids in college, kids getting out of college, kids getting married and Patt and I deciding to go visit a kid somewhere or whatever.



and still looking good- the Green Van. we name cars special names too.



don't know just how many cars I have had, but it is not to many,

had "the van" before this, before that, the "blue cadillac", before that the ...

in case you were wondering

in case you were wondering

Some of you think I just work in landfills and go out to eat, well I do something that at times can be even more stressful and risky than eating out or going to landfills, and that is going to the Legislative Office Building or LOB (for a brief while it was known as the State Legislative Office Building, but for obvious reasons, the first name was dropped).

Below is the building that I have been going into ever since it was constructed back in the late 70's and early 80's when I worked in the State Budget Office.




A Lobby -- yes one of THOSE -- a LOBBY -- a place where nefarious deeds are done. This is either 5th or 6th floor - they both look the same- and elevators to the left, the big hearing room at the end. Therefore what we have is an open space which is the LOBBY - and in it often one can see lobbiests, and yes I have seen them. A result of of recent scandals they now have to wear name tags.




Below is a photo of the interior of Legislative hearing room. plush seats of course for those who are anointed. The speakers stand in the middle is the place from which I have made several presentations over the years. In recent years of course about solid waste, but early in my state budget office days I had one very humbling experience.

In my second or third year in government, I had the assignment of presenting at a legislative public hearing on new federal Block Grants. The room was packed with legislators and visitors area full of visitors from all over the state, hallways full, the place was buzzing with excitement as the speaker before me was speaking on Community Development. As he finished and I was being introduced along with my subject, it was like a fire drill as the place vacated, all those visitors that had little buttons for Burke or Catawba or whatever county got up to leave, and their respective legislator followed them out. I litterally was walking against a tide as I approached the speakers stand, and could not even start above the din of people leaving. I did pause until it got quiet and then there was exactly one person in the visitors section, a co-worker from the budget office, and the only legislator present was the chair of the committee and he was at the podium behind me and said "Go ahead Mr. Crissman". and to an under appreciative (and small) audience I began ....




Dressed and about to enter the doors of doom, note message regarding keeping doors closed. Well they should as few could / should be able to witness the mayhem and madness inside. Also note -- no name tag.




if I can get Patt to take a photo and reveal what really goes on, her work high light one day is on tap

it ought to be a restaurant -- so review # 3

This is it. The 514. the BK, The C-4, The K & B, The House, There are any number of other names, and we have enjoyed going there over the years, and have felt certainly welcome and enjoyed dining there many times with Kelly, Beth and James and Maddie.




outdoor cook and operator of technical equipment and such




Best I can tell, floor manager and pastry chef.




The food at this restaurant is awesome! never disappoints, and is usually served informally - usually - well most always, The problem is the customers, they tend towards the type of person you may end up questioning your sanity after being around them for a while. Some of them might be better suited to being kept in places where the faint of heart of seldom have chance for exposure.




I mean the food is good like I said, ---- but like I said -- you should see who they let eat there !!



I think I mentioned questionable characters often seen in the main dining room, seldom adhering to normal customary practices regarding loud talking, telling slightly off color jokes, being politically incorrect, or sensitive to the feelings of others. Talk about a sensitivity session. This would be one for the ages.



The outdoor cook ate indoors, - note fancy glassware,
however, some of the help would occasionally sit and watch customers and certainly did not wear needed hair nets



continued below in next post as we gathered for a special occasion.

which leads to

It was Kelly's birthday, so friends for far and near gathered, well a friend did gather - if you put a choke hold on him,




As is our custom as it was Kelly's birthday, we humored him and let him tell stories to his great amusement. We of course paid close attention, hanging on every word.




As you can see Worth, Dodson, and James and were also paying rapt attention



however, there was Margaret who did pay attention (bty - she is soooo cute and cuddly -- and oh sooo soft !!! )



well Bailey paid attention, - sort of --


Seriously we did pay attention - some of the time - anyway and we were glad to be there




-----HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY -------





you can now drive with the blinker on all the time (like we do)


tt

Restaurant Review # 2- the series continues

and now the review


Continuing in a review of "one-of-a-kind' restaurants, yesterday in Lincolnton, I had the opportunity to dine at Aunt Bessie's. While not the late Aunt Bessie of Surry County -- of course - we all know she would never leave sight of Pilot Mountain -- it was nearly as good a meal as Aunt Bessie would have prepared and that is a real compliment. This restaurant is located in a strip mall that perhaps has seen better days. There is a Big Lots on one side, a tanning salon and an income tax service on the other and a selection of other services on down the strip, none overwhelmingly involved with customers at the time of our visit on a hot Monday in August. The interior will please the most discerning of customers, and even entertain those prone to nostalgia and please the frugal (note the banner out front proclaim 7 meals under $7.00).









That is stew beef, not beef stew, (we who know what stew beef is know the difference --and it is significant) and the choice was over rice or mashed potatoes,- I went with the potatoes, and in the bowl was pinto beans of course, -- what did you expect with stew beef? = asparagus? , and the little side dish is onions and of course in a place like this, it is fried okra for me without looking at the menu. And as for the choice of bread when it is biscuit or cornbread, I just smile and say both please. The waitress smiles back and says "Sure Honey." (We know what to expect don't we)




Despite my outward appearance, the meal was very good, I will go back to Aunt Bessie's should an opportunity present itself, and I did belong to the clean plate club.





I think I mentioned it is quaint




and after dining or other adventures in Lincoln County , if you wish I imagine I could arrange a visit for you to the Lincoln County landfill. It is not too far from town and while not one of the larger landfills in the state nor one of the more interesting nor one of the most scenic, nor one of the most unique in any fashion I can think of, if you are there in Lincoln County and really want to see a landfill, I reckon this one will have to do.

new iPhone for me

Well I did it, finally bought the new iphone -- and went one way cooler better than gadget loving brother Mark. I got the 3G(i). Talk about the cats pajamas. it is it. Features to numerous to count, bells and whistles for bells and whistles,ribbons, bows, and flowers not only play music, compose music, but movies too, books, shoot it writes books, gets books as they are published, got more memory that a herd of elephants, and pictures of all of them too. Makes Mark's iphone seem like one of those things you give teething babies to put in their mouth and chew and make an occasional squeak - something to pretend with.




I am trying to post the line to the site at The Onion newspaper, one of my favorite news sources. If it does not show up you can find the article by going to theonion.com, then clicking under science and technology, and of course that is where one would find the article about this new cutting edge iphone that I now have,

btw, if you go to the site - issue 45-30 was about China, and included some very funny videos as well as articles, and advertisements. I was able to insert a video from that issue I think. anyway, I look forward to showing you my new iphone to the way cool people.

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Police Still Searching For Missing Productive, Obedient Woman







thats it

easy going at the beach

Last weekend Patt and I went to Oak Island --- just to get out of Raleigh. We both had been working pretty hard and going pretty hard, and still had a lots to do and with the beach house was open we decided to go - and we were so glad we did. The mornings started quite slow- Patt forced me to go get the newspaper - so I got the Observer, Star News, and Oak Island News. and with coffee, that makes for a wonderful morning. see below. and the view was not to bad either.


Patt and I of course reminisced about previous trips to the beach, and I found this picture, which reminded me of what I did
two years ago when, I got to do something even better in the morning at the beach,-- sit on the deck, and eat strawberries and blueberries with Julianna. We had such a good time when Laura and Matt were here in 2007 while we were waiting on Lydia to be born. but back to the story of this weekend,




Patt did spend some time with some computer doing some work for Wooten,but Patt too did some serious time out. Patt has discovered Lee Child ! good old keep 'em simple, no redeeming social value, short sentence, sarcastic, whoop a butt every now and then, hero Jack Reacher. --Patt says he reminds her of me. ( yeah right on that - I wish-).






It is obvious that we forgot to bring the maid, next time we will have to be sure to remember to do that.-- we did eat out most meals to make up for that omission. still no one cleaned up --



when the sun got hot, I had to come inside, to complete my paper reading - then moved on to serious literature to improve my mind, and broaden my horizons and deepen my understanding of the meaning of life (actually read Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan). I like this couch -- and in front of the window with a fan it is quite comfortable.





which is the same couch that Stephen, -- below -- spent time on while entertaining Julianna one afternoon at the beach back in 07




Patt and I also went for a long walk along the beach, and taking no camera have no pictures, but we did see lots of kids playing, but none as cute as this child in this photo again from 07

not sure how to say this -- but ...

I have been struggling about how to share this with you all but figure this is the best way. Cut to the chase.

Several weeks ago, I was looking through one of Dad's old trunks in the basement and in an old envelope I found something that has surely shocked me to no end. Check out below. The details are amazing- they check out. I reckon Mom and Dad were pretty good at keeping secrets and Dad used connections within the medical community to get me another certificate.





double click on that certificate -- it appears as if me and the President have something in common. Can you believe it? What will people say?

Restaurant Review # 1- a new series

The BLUE MIST

This is not your basic chain restaurant, no sirree. This is one of a kind, has been so since people started selling food to travelers. One of my favorites since I started remembering that one could eat outside of my mom's house.





The dining room is actually less spacious than this indicates. Somehow the camera angle makes the Blue Mist look absolutely spacious, which it is not. The Blue Mist is relatively unchanged since it opened in 1949, a claim it proudly makes- and well it should. The BBQ is wonderful. Western Style, great sauce, a little sweet, and a fork full mixed with slaw, baked beans followed by a hush puppy is why you stop. the chopped is relatively rough, not fine, and is my preference. The Blue Mist cooks their own Q on site, so it is fresh and done in relatively small quantities.




this photo illustrates several of the characteristics of this restaurant that make it so special. I asked my waitress if there was a newspaper that I could read while I waited on my order and while I ate, and low and behold, she found one and I got to read the Greensboro News and Record, - also notee the utensils -- they have changed from old timey heavy plastic to styrofoam and paper - that is not necessarily an improvement, but probably a nod to health standards. -- Chose your poison.




The staff is most friendly and helpful (see note above), some people are bothered by their waitress smoking and if that is you then perhaps you should reconsider (though I strongly suggest that you are simply quibbling) - (note ashtrays on counter - you may have to double click on photo to make it large enough)




approaching from the south, this impressive view is available, note the sweep of the awning, the careful attention to landscaping, the mix of colors and clever play on words. (My trusty state vehicle is shown in photo for scale purposes only).



One of the joys of dining at the Blue Mist is driving south of Asheboro on NC 49. Absolutely one of Americas scenic byways, and here I am for real serious. As a child and again when our children were young we used this road to go to Badin Lake and we have always used this to go to Charlotte, eschewing I-85 most of the time.




ttfn

STATE FAIR 2005

I was sorting some old electronic photos recently and found these from 2005 when James, Maddie, and I went to the State Fair together. and the Fair will be here again soon, It is a big deal for me. I enjoy the whole deal from the smell, crowd, exhibits, junky games, food, the whole bit. When the kids were small, it was up there with Christmas, or so it seemed - we did make a big deal out of it.

Maddie and I of course saw the biggest pumpkin. (Maddie was a lot younger looking then wasn't she?)



and the crowd along the "strip" just keeps on moving along



the fair at night from the ferris wheel at the top of the ride




of course we went to see the one-horned cow, the worlds largest pig, and a few other entries along the side show-- people need an education- opportunities such as those do not come along every day you know.