IT'S TRUE.................REALLY.................IT IS.

What I'm about to write about is indeed THE TRUTH. As much as I hate to admit it................it is true.  Funny thing though, look around and see if you are in the same situation.

Over the years, one tends to .................save..............those valuable memories of the past. The photo's from the beginning of time until the present.............those little momentos one collects to show you have been THERE. Unfortunately, I have several collections and they have all ended up in different spots, my book match collection ended up  in cookie tins.....to prevent fire, my menu collection in folders in a filing cabinet, my napkin and silverware collection in paper bags, wine cork collection in a large wicker basket, my drink stirrer collection in my bar along with the empty small bottles of airplane drinks.  Photo's in shoe boxes and finally I am presently downloading them onto thumb dives  to save them.
I have attempted to sell some old things but without success. I had a pool table since 1977, oh not the real slate kind but still regulation size and made mostly of hardboard. I had all intentions that I would sell it for $25 and put an ad in our neighbor hood watch bulletin, had a lot of interest in it but as soon as people found they had to pick it up, interest was loss. Finally ended up taking the legs off it and just leaning it up against one of the walls to try and save space.  It sat there for some 30 years and I then tried to give it away. I learned quite quickly that even Goodwill didn't want to send a truck to pick it up but rather insisted it be dropped off to them. That meant renting a truck, a cost to get rid of it. I was finally convince by my kids to cut it up and put it in the garbage , little by little.  Great idea and the chore began...............funny part it that in cutting it up into pieces small enough for the garbage can, I discovered the legs had gone missing. What the hell happened to them?  Searched the total basement to no avail.  Lucky for me someone didn't rent a truck only to find out when they came to pick it up that it was legless.
Donated a bed with spring and mattress to the homeless association. Still have available filing cabinets, desks, bookcases etc,etc,etc.  This basement of mine is about 1600 sq. feet and was once my corporate offices. Two bedrooms turned into office space. Living area turned into relaxing area. One big storage area for product, bathroom and coat closet.

Our two car garage with work area now houses one car and stuff.  Where did all this stuff come from?  I don't know.............one day it just showed up.

Now, as exaggerated as this picture is, I just wonder how true it is.  My kids, both Lisa and Scott along with our two grandson's will inherit all this some day. I keep telling them that a garage sale is in order and they can earn money with it.  They, somehow feel, their earnings would be pennies on the dollar.  Can it be correct??  

 

Must tell you, that even though it was a chore to get rid of tax statements, bank statements that I had back to the 60's and even some old social security stuff from my mom and dad, that taking this 3 bags at a time (maximum allowed at a singe time) to shredding truck  events, it was worth it. Got rid of all that and hopefully will stay rid of it by doing things more efficiently.

Don't leave stuff like this for your kids, If they are anything like mine.............they don't want it, don't need it and certainly will not waste time going through it. I remember doing this on the passing of my mom, when Margot and I had to clean out her house. YOU would never believe what we found......but after a week of going through her stuff, we discovered that she was a collector of small denomination unmarked bills, she hid in band aid cans, aluminum wrap, old tissue, dress hems, old magazines and what ever else that was within hands reach. When leaving NYC I felt like a bag man heading to Vegas. In one cigar box was the down payment to our house.  This is a threat, that I leave my kids.  You must go through EVERYTHING because you don't know what you will end up throwing out.  For some reason, it has not yet fazed them with that threat.  Wonder why??? 

Now, it's time for you to look around.................consider something the Swedes do known as "dostadning"  a hybrid Swedish word for "death and Cleaning"  Google it and read about it ..      dostadning will be the hot new trend .    Anyway, it's quite interesting and will help you to clean up the mess no one else wants to do.  (Swedish death cleaning)

 

Stay Safe and get ready for a new posting

LIFE ON THE EDGE.........................

  I just wanted to add a few more things to my last posting.

I recently went out to purchase a new watch that I saw .  It is a perfect watch and it does everything you want and need.  I can check the local weather plus the weather in five more cities in the world. Now, it not only tells you the weather but also forecast for the next 5 days, including the humidity level................it also can update itself instantly.  Fantastic how it does this.  I can also take pictures with it, use it as a recorder and it gets the  top ten tunes of the month.  Along with all these features it can check the depth of the pool I'm in or the ocean I'm in.  I can read my email on it, check text messages and use it as a compass. Now all I have to figure out is how does it tell time,  perhaps I will have to have some smarty pants young kid tell me how to work it. I thought I could figure it out by reading the instructions that came with it but they are in Japanese..................one of the languages I have not attempted to learn...................yet.

                                                 
This along with my phone, that I presently use more as a camera then a phone and my camera which was once indispensable but has gone to camera heaven I can now travel the world with carry-on baggage alone.  I took a class in how to pack 10 days worth of clothing into a bag 12" x 12" x 10" and can be put easily under the seat in front of me, this of course, means I can no longer take my tuxedo with me in the rare event that I may have to go formal for any reason.  It also means that I have to take a small envelope of soap suds with me to wash some items . I wear all the essential bulky stuff I might need but what the hell, inconvienace  for a while but it saves money from the checked baggage fees.

WORLD MATTERS:

DAD ALWAYS SAID..............".POLITICS AND RELIGION SHOULD NEVER BE DISCUSSED, SINCE THEY ARE SO PERSONAL TO INDIVIDUALS"....................but with new technology, like TV, TWITTER, FACEBOOK......and the need to exchange facts and fiction, it has become the norm in life.


(This is no way is meant to persuade anyone to do something they do not really intend on doing, or to change anyone's political view,   it is only my observations on how the world looks to me............today) Makes no difference what your political views may be, I have total confidence that all of you I know, know the difference between right and wrong along with fake and factorial news. We all know what our nation was built on and how we want it to be. That is why, I must tell you of my amazement on how many people still are not aware of how ,some are being taken in by a master of.............the con,  using a psychological method we all remember learning as a child................repeat, repeat, repeat. Simply put, if you repeat something long and loud, people will soon absorb this into their head and it will be borne as fact.  Not true, my friends. You must constantly evaluate what is being said and not become memorized by the moving watch farb. If you remember as a child growing up, teachers and parents would constantly repeat something so that we were able to absorb what it was they wanted us to remember. The world is round and is not flat. We will not fall off when we come to the edge. Most of all...........one man alone cannot fix all the problems. How can anyone believe such a story, but some do.......amazing!  Fake news is only news that does not produce ...................good things for me, Factual news is news that does make me look good.  This is not news.............this is ego.

I must admit to some degree, that I was not always a Trump hater, (but an absolute dedicated Democrat since JFK). I really first learned about him when he was able to purchase the traffic rights, along with some aircraft for $365 million from BOS-NYC-DCA( far less than starting a new service from scratch) from the once defunct Eastern airlines for, what I thought was a fairly reasonable price.  I thought this was a really a smart move...............however quickly changed my mind when in 3 years he declared bankruptcy (on the most successful profitable shuttle route in the country )and pulled the plug on that deal.  My point to thinking he was a train wreck began when he declared bankruptcy in his 4 casino's.  How................how can anyone loose money in a business where the house ALWAYS WINS?  Must be one stupido being.
I watched the 2016 campaign very intently and followed each debate with utmost interest. I must admit, I was most interested in hearing his comments about draining the swamp..................but was quickly turned off and did a quick 180 when I heard his very childish nicknaming of each of his opponents,(something I did when I was 7 years old.........Vinnie would tell me my mom did not know how to bake good chocolate chip cookies........my reply was simply calling Vinnie a poopy head that had boogers coming from his nose.............that, really infuriated him) along with his racist remarks about Mexicans, Muslims, woman and anyone that did not agree totally with him. I was deeply set back on his description of being able to "GRAB a womens  (****y) because he was a star and they let him do it............  something you must never GRAB...............but caress.  That's when I decided to do some research about this person.  Much to my surprise, I found out about his life growing up, having been sent to New York Military Academy by his parents for disciplinary  reasons.  When his parents, immigrated to the USA from Germany, they told people in Brooklyn they were from Sweden.............not Germany to gain favoritism from neighbors. How his father, Fred in 1927 was arrested for participating in KKK Riots taking place against the police in the Bronx. Also very interesting were noted quotations of David Duke (KKK grand wizard) "make America great again"  or  " America first".    Sound familiar ?  Now, this is in no way meant to say that all that like Trump are Neo Nazis or racist......but does put a note in the minds of some.  I myself do recall at one time taking place early in his campaign, how I said to myself,  "finally, a person with a pair of balls to call out some of these Washington do nothings."  Didn't last long folks. As soon as I discovered some of his past, I knew he was not the man for me or anyone else to vote for to lead this nation. This person is a TOTAL CON MAN, owes no respect to other people but only to himself. He demands loyalty from followers but does not give a damn about others.  He will put anyone under the bus, that goes against any of his wishes.  I being a liberal, actually found Kasich from Ohio the only Republican making any sense.  To bad the Republicans have such an upside down platform from my own way of thinking but they are really going crazy now with the way they protect a man suffering from Narcissitic Personality disorder along with the seven year old mind of getting back at people who are against him.
In 2017, I jokingly made a comment to a Republican friend of mine about how I thought this country would end up in a civil war.  Well, my friends we are at the beginning of that war right now. Just look around at what has happened since the election................seems things are getting worst and the country is more divided than I can ever remember.  This will not be a shoot it out bang bang civil war but the division, as it grows wider will have great negative effects on this country, economically and morally.  Remember, United we stand......divided we fall.  The small base of people that still follow this POTUS, to me represent those that are truly followers and will never be able to secure leaders responsibilities.
I received this you tube presentation from a friend and found it to be quite enlightening.

https://youtu.be/qZ-bifYqK_Q

There was more to this posting but my editor-in-chief suggested that I eliminate it all since it would apparently get some people upset at me...................something I certainly do not want happen. Just want to be the same old happy go lucky guy that I really am.  Brings me to the subject of visiting my doctor recently for my wellness examination.  If any over 65 year old people out there have been to this examination, I personally like the part where they give you 5 words to remember and suggest you put them into a story.  Minutes pass while they are talking with you and then slip in the question of the 5 words.  I always seem to remember mine since they are usually repeated over and over again on CNN, however as soon as I begin telling my story ..................with the five words, I get a big yawn out of the doctor. It usually goes into a 5 minute stand-up for me.    Her only question of concern for me is why I seem so depressed and if my depression last for a long period of time. I keep telling her that my depression starts as soon as the TV is turned on and last until the TV is turned off. Very few channels have my type of comedy on it during the summer months, but thankfully some of the news occasionally makes me laugh..............or at least laugh at the stupidity.

See you soon

 

 

IS IT JUST ME??

Being an 81 year old dude (almost 82) I feel I am as much into the new fangled tech ways of the future as I ever will be.  I know all of what I want to know about cell phones, computers, smart TV's, home security features, self parking cars and everything else you can think of.  Having said that, I must admit, I still have to call upon someone else to help me FIGURE it out. The worst part is that all these young people know it and sometimes, I feel taken advantage of . When I do call for help, I just get the old persons  "tech talk run-a-round".  By that I mean they are getting their laughs by getting back at us old folks for all those times............we have spent trying to teach them something by telling them how old we are, how much more we have experienced things and most of all, just how much more our brain has developed over time. Now it's their time to prove us...................wrong. Well, I have news for them.  I have decided to make certain changes in my life style to simply bring me back into ...............".MY world" It's time, Vito that you have to sit yourself down and ask yourself some really hard questions.  Do I really need all these SMART things in my life only for the reason to ask some young know it all person how to operate it?  My instant reply was.................NO, NO and NO.  Let's take a look at each of them and see what I can get rid of.

PHONE:  I originally got my cell phone to stay in contact with my kids and my grandkids. I quickly found out that none of them know what a phone is for. I received no calls on it but my text messages alert is constantly going off.  I found that I could very easily share 250 minutes a month with Margot saving $40/mo and still being able to carry forward 240 minutes.  Now I suddenly have 253,000 minutes I could use FREE for talking.  That's 4,216.66666 hours. 175.69444444 days or approx. 5.85648 months. of talking non-stop.   I don't even know that many words, besides, that's talking well beyond the battery time on my phone.   I did find out though, that texting was the thing to do so I have unlimited texting on both my phone and Margot's phone.  I have now checked to learn that the TWO of us racked up a total of 6.4 hours per month on our texting.  Do I really need unlimited texting?  I think not. Along these same lines tho, we both have checked our email and  facebook accounts a minimum of 12 times a day using data. Our plans covers data only within the continental USA. Beyond those borders the cost is  UNBELIEVABLY HIGH.

INTERNET:  the word surfing confused me at first.  I ran out to try and buy an internet surfing board...............only to be told that surfing meant......................just looking at many different sites, even the sites that I don't know what they do.  My biggest fear right now is that I am now on everyone's call list .  Only way I could get off it was to install a telephone system that monitors my phone and only sends through calls from numbers I know and have excepted before. All other calls the system reads as something called spam. How do I know it works?, I don't because I never get to speak to any callers that the system deems as spam.  It does cut down on the sales calls though and the running back and forth to answer the call.   It rings once and that's it...................gone.  If the caller is a true caller it will ring the normal amount of 5 times. I can then answer it, if I am able to move fast enough.  If I want to add it to my DO NOT CALL ME AGAIN  I just enter a number and that's it.

AUTO:  the computer in my car had me going for a while.  Bluetooth keeps me in touch with email, and texting.  Incoming email or texting shuts down my radio and asks me if I want for it to read it or ignore it. Only problem is, it's voice recognizeable.   The voice comes in and says.  "  you have a text from XXX  shall I read it or ignore it "  I say "read it"  IF it understands me she will read it.  IF she doesn't recognize my voice she just keeps repeating the question. IF she does recognize my voice she will read it. Then she ask if I wish to reply or disregard.   I find that my commands are not very well understood............could it be the New York accent or does my voice change from day to day?
Another thing besides GPS that tells me how to drive to my mailbox or anywhere else I go is a young lady with a British accent.  I chose her voice so that it gives me the flavor of international travel, rather than a wifey type voice.....................which is a given.  My cars computer talks to me to tell me when I need service, air in my tires, when I am over the speed limit and when my next bowel movement is. Technology is fantastic...................but.

TV:  my smart TV is one of a kind.  Every morning at 3AM it updates its software. I know this simply because of insomnia. When that occurs, I simply sit there looking at a message on the screen telling me my software is being updated. Scary message for an old dude to see at 3am. It only takes a matter of a minute or so and then ......................back to regular broadcast.  I really don't see any difference in the operation or the picture and have always wondered what the update was.  Only thing I can reference is that POTUS looks a little more orange than normal and his brain a little more ...................dumber, could this be the change in software?

With all the technical advancement this nation is making the day to day business is becoming more and more complicated...................one thing that remains the same is life goes on.  With the passing of each day, another one starts......................but for how long.  There seems to be a limited amount of blogs still in this old man but my next one will be a powerhouse one, before the book.

COME ON BACK
   

  

PUERTO VALLARTA...........DOWN MEXICO WAY

PUERTO VALLARTA........................

This city has changed my mind ...................about a country.
It was 28 years in making but extremely well worth the wait.  Now, three consecutive years in going to this wonderful, friendly city by the sea, I yearn for a return. Just a 4 hour trip by air from Seattle and I am in a Margarita type of heaven.  So many things to say about this city. No matter where you go, who you speak with, friendliness is on their mind. Could it be ....................because they depend on tourist.  I say not. Their friendliness seems to be sincere and it's very welcoming.

Once you're able to maneuver the way through the waiting taxi drivers as you exit customs, you'll find sunshine.  The one thing I have learned, is that bargaining is acceptable all over Mexico but you have to be reasonable in your negotiations.  Going so low is not acceptable and could loose a deal totally. Another tip is always, always get the cost of a cab ride before you actually enter the cab.  If you are at a hotel ask the bellhop what the approximate cost should be to your destination. Confirm this price with your driver..............just to make sure. If your final destination changes while you are driving ask to see if there is an additional cost. I have found that if the final destination is just a few blocks away you can bargain for the additional distance to be included. There are no taxi's, that I am aware of, with a meter in them.  Tip properly, not only in cabs but to the bellhop, who opens the door for you to the servers. I always carry a lot of dollar bills just for those occasions. What few pesos I end up with also goes for tips. Canadian and USD are always much appreciated.
Due to previous experience, I am still a little quezy in drinking the tap water but bottle water is supplied in room, restaurants and wherever and whenever you ask. With this in mind..........just drink tequila, it will kill all germs.  According to local sources the water purification system in very modern and takes care of everything...............my bad experience still plays tricks with my head.  Stay safe.

FRIENDLY VALLARTA RESORT AND SPA

We prefer the ALL INCLUSIVE hotels, and what they offer. For one price, which some can find a little expensive, it will include of course your very nicely decorated room with private extremely clean bath, shower either tub/shower combo or standup shower , with a bar for those unsteady soles. All shower amendities and hair dryer. Same electrical as USA/Canada. All rooms have TVs and some have small refrigerators or kitchen facilities. If you need a frig. just ask for it, just incase you need it to store medical supplies. The all inclusive offer food, usually at three or more buffets or food shops scattered around, along with a coffee bar and perhaps two drink bars. Just the thought of not having to carry money around all the time is attractive to me. Food is available usually starting at 0800 to midnight. Never been awake longer than that so don't really know what's available. The drinks are somewhat watered down which just means you have to have two to equal one. Guess you could ask for a double, then the ratio would change somewhat to 1/2=1. Cool drinks seem so nice during the hot days, but the headache that follows feels .........................terrible.

On the beach side you have umbrellas or little grass covered huts. I prefer the little grass covered hut and then just pull my lounge chair out into the sun area. I found that some people get up at 0500 run out with their towels to block certain chairs both poolside and on the beach. Go back to bed for a couple of hours, have breakfest,  go shopping and then still have their umbrella or little hut ready for them when they want.  Such a practice is a little rude but apparently quite acceptable since I have never seen any fist fights ................so far. The friendly pool and beach staff will always be able to find you a spot and just seem to be able to find chairs and umbrellas as needed.  Don't forget to show your appreciation thought by throwing them a dollar or so.

Regardless where you choose to burn your skin, you can rest assure it will be comfortable.

Early March brings the spring break crowd from USA colleges. Some kids........needless to say get a little wild, but on the most part I found them to be very polite and even willing to talk to us old people. Matter of fact, Margot was asked to join a group in the pool and later on I found her spraying sun tan lotion of some young dude.  Was the mother factor or is she turning into a cougar. Anyway, activities turn to the younger set once the crowd arrives.  From water aerobics and zuma lessons to riding the bull, and pool bubble baths.




They have it all.  Beachside BBQS, beachside dancing, open mike night, beach volleyball.


This year, they set one pool aside just for the spring break crowd........so that the old folks and the kids could enjoy the bigger pool.  Music plays constantly, drinks are readily available throughout the day, all one has to do is raise their hand and hail a passing waiter. There is always a "drink of the day" usually something very imaginable and always contains Tequila.  My favorite turned out to be the "alligator" a mixture of tequila, fruit juice and a little vodka.
I introduced them to my favorite  " the Stiletto"   half amaretto half baileys cream

                                 THE MALECON  (city promenade)


Downtown Puerto Vallarta is simply that. Stores of all types selling everything to everybody. Restaurants, bars, small coffee shops, including Starbucks. Walk the Malecon, a boardwalk like promenade with the beach and ocean on one side and stores of all types on the other. We were introduced to one particular small restaurant and bar 3 years ago by a good SAS friend we all know.  Dave Woodcock and his wife Marisela, told us about this one. It is located on the Malecon, owned by a Swede from very northern Sweden on the Finnish border. He is a master of master chefs studied in Switzerland and has worked all over Europe and now owns, I believe 2 or 3 restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. His name is Ulf Henriksson .
This one is "ViteA ".  Sits right on the Malecon with both inside and outside seating. Cuisine is Mexican American absolutely delicious. If and whenever you drop by and ask to talk with Ulf, he makes it a point to visit your table.  For any Scandinavians, this gives him a little time to keep up with his Scandinavian language. Of course he also speaks Spanish (Mexican) and I found that he is quite interesting to talk to.


A great place to sit, have a wine..............or whatever and watch the sunset.

You can also enjoy some of the entertainment provided by free-lancers doing their thing in front of the café. When they finish their act, give them a few pesos. They will appreciate it.

You can always find Ulf at either of his restaurants.



The Malecon is a must do when in Puerto Vallarta. This approximate mile long promenade runs thru old town and up to the romantic area.


THINGS TO DO

Puerto Vallarta  offers many things to do from shopping to tours in the jungle area, to zip lining to riding the balloon . 

Like fishing ?  Then try your hand at some great deep sea fishing for swordfish or dolphin.

Act II brings you new guest acts every week in March. Enjoy som great theatre.

Visit the Palm Cabaret for some good excitement or the Royal Opera House for good Opera.

SOME PERTINENT FACTS

Currency is the Mexican peso but Canadian and USD are accepted widely.
Buses charge 8.00 pesos per leg and a new ticket must be bought each time to change bus.
Taxis have set rates within defined zones of the town. Like I said, do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first.
Tipping is usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants and bars. Bellboys, taxis,waiters, maids, etc depend on the service.
Suggest taking a good city tour to familiarize  yourself with the town.................or just enjoy walking around. The city is advertise as.............a safe place.
NOW, before the wall is built make your way to Puerto Vallarta and get one of those T-shirts shown above.

Finally, Let me ask you to click on the below link for extra stuff.  (click on the link once, then click a second time)

https://youtu.be/m73mhRz0SDM

(thanks Dave Fenwick for this little donation)


Enjoy and welcome to  Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Vito

SOUTH OF THE BORDER..........DOWN MEXICO WAY

AAAAAHHHHHHHH    CUCARACHA!!!!!
I must admit, Mexico has never been my most favorite place. The reason was quite simple. When Margot and I were first married, we were given a trip, by American Airlines to anywhere on their system.  We chose Acapulco, Mexico for our honeymoon. It turned out that this was a big mistake. I remember drinking with a guy by the name of Montezuma and before long it started to play a revenge on me. The honeymoon came to a screeching halt and there, I laid, leaking from all ends of life.........to put it mildly.  I totally blamed Mexico and their water for this. Years passed and even the mention of Mexico put fear into my eyes. Margot eventually convinced me to give it another try. This time we visited a totally different locale, Cabo San Lucas, a resort town on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. Just by adding the word California, my guess would be that everything would be OK.   WRONG !!!!  We arrived into Cabo took a taxi out to our hotel, a pink palace located in the city of Cabo San Lucas, I learned that the nickname of the hotel was..............the prison. We had passed over two bridges on the main road to reach our destination and one of the first things I remember seeing was how high the curb of the streets were in comparison to other cities.  It was that two nights later that I found out why. We had left our hotel for a walk to the city. Stopped for an ice cream just as the sky opened up and it started to rain...........buckets.  No problem, the rain was warm and when a slowing down occurred we made our way back to the hotel....only about a block or two away. The water was rushing down the street and now the reason for the high curbs was noted, there were no drains. The water literally ran down the street to its lowest point................a river bed that one of those bridges were built over.  Well, we were now safe in our hotel...............so I thought.  That night we went to bed listening to the rain coming down. No problem,...................until I woke up about 2am for a need to go to the bathroom. I step out of bed .................onto a soft wet carpet.  Knowing at that moment not to turn the light on. I pulled my legs back into bed, wiped them off on the sheets, woke Margot and told her not to get out of bed until I checked out what the hell was happening. I called the front desk and told them my discovery and at that point, they sent a person up to check it out. They discovered that it had been raining so hard that the rain had found a small hole in our ceiling and found its way down the back wall of the room. They helped gather up few clothes we had with us and quickly changed our room to a lower floor.
Next morning, we found the desk clerks and the maintenance  staff with mops and push squeegees attempting to clean the main lobby. NOW  was the time to move and leave Mexico.
First discovery was lack of taxi cabs since the water had literally washed away the two bridges since the building code was apparently so relaxed that the bridges were built on nothing more than the sand.  The rushing water had washed away the sand at both ends of the bridge and the bridge toppled.  The only way across was to wait in line with other people for a helicopter to fly in and out taking people to the airport................or starting out now, take the taxi to the first river and walking across.  We decided to do that. We reached the river and found that  here we could wait on line to get a horseback ride across the river with a guide or try wading the river.  Here again carrying only hand baggage we rolled up our pants and  with our hand carry on our heads, started across.  Wasn't so bad except for the water rushing and trying to pull us off to the side...............but we reached the other side and to waiting taxi's that were stranded in between the two rivers.  We made our way to bridge number two, where we were dropped off. This river was a little steeper...............guess the sand was softer and washed away quicker.  We sat there thinking about how we were going to escape this horrible, lousy trip Margot had talked me into going on. Finally a Mexican worker in his peek-up came by, viewed the situation and decided that his 4 wheel drive would be able to go down the embankment, across the river and up the other sided with no trouble. He offered us a ride in the back of his truck which we took him up on and down, across and up we went. He drove us to the airport but dropped us off on the main road which gave us about a mile to walk to the terminal.  When we showed up at the Alaska airlines check-in we were quickly reminded that airline standbys had a dress code. At this point we simply wanted to get out of Mexico so off to the bathrooms to change. That Mexican water will get you .......one way or another...................
It was 28 years later that my kids talked me into taking them all to Puerto Vallarta   to celebrate my 80th birthday. That was my turning point in my Mexican vacations. We have been back 3 times since that most memorable vacation. This is now my city of CHOICE. Just have to remember not to go during the rainy season.(August)
More to come about Puerto Vallarta in the next post.
       

DUE FOR RETIREMENT ?.................GET A HOBBY !

In 1994 just before retirement, Margot mentioned to me, that she did not want me laying around all day watching TV...............so she advised, very strongly for me to GET A HOBBY.  After all, I was only 58 at that time SAS had offered me a package that gave me full medical until reaching the age of medicare, full travel benefits for Margot and Me until death, two years severance plus a whole list of smaller amenities.  Why would I want to work?  Hobby?  what kind of hobby.  golf, building model boats, planes and cars, photography, painting..........I had tried them all.  Golf seemed to have lasted the longest, about 10 years, still like taking pictures but as for the rest of those hobbies people do..............just didn't last. I did do somethings I like and still like doing..........renovating old houses, but now pushing 82 most  joints in my body are turning a little stiff  and Margot will not let me get up on a ladder.   Bottom line is that my hobby list has been narrowed down to photography, writing and watching TV.  I have added another interest called Fact Checking. 

Most of my friends call that political and have told me to stop but since 2016 this hobby has been able to occupy a lot of my time and this administration has been very good to me to offer the incentive to review and check out things, because of their contradictions to fact.................but like the advice people offer I do not want to change anyone's mind, I just wish they would be more opened to discuss differences of opinion. I have been able to utilize many different collectors of information along with  reading several newspapers and watching different programs on TV to make sure I understand both sides of each subject.  I have come to the conclusion that we, as a society, are in big trouble.
I remember in high school and my short lived life in college that we were encouraged to discuss differences of opinions..............even though the teachers opinion ruled at the end of any discussion......that's the way one learns. Discussions were very valid in growing up to the extent that I even was opened to being able to discuss points with my parents.............they always, thought I was extremely bright.................however regardless of what I thought ...............dad had the first right to override, mom the second...............being an only child that left me with the 3 choice (and always loosing). That's the way I learned things.  Let me hear what you think and perhaps I could use that information,  if not.........I win and you loose.

Getting back to the original subject.  It is now 24 years into retirement, I have discovered that all my hobbies resulted into a desire to increase revenue, even though I don't particularly need it. I have formed two corporations but have never taken "a salary" however I have used corporate benefits. I closed one corporation last year and ended up selling the name and the domain. Since the new tax law favors corporations I will retain the second corporation but still not take a salary.  One lesson I learned was to NEVER LIE AND NEVER CHEAT................but take advantage of all that is offered.  To this day, my hobby of money and photography still remain, keeps me busy reading the tax laws and fact checking.
During these 24 years, I have never realized that what I actually was doing was really a hobby. Did not have to get up at a certain time, shower, shave get dress and drive to an office.  I found that having a 5 o'clock shadow and wearing shorts and a T shirt was OK for talking on the phone,  just as long as it was not skype.

Beginning to think about running barefoot on the sands of some fantastically warm, bikini clad beach.........(sure hope that thong bathing suit is still in style)....,  sitting back at dinner time with a margarita in hand and smelling the fresh smells of.................freshly made tacos.  Certainly hope they serve them with spinach salad or broccoli since I do need my vitamin K to go along with my sunshine pill, vitamin C or D or whatever.  Will post some information on FB for you to see.  Will join some old friends from SAS days.  I will begin my next blog while away but will publish it on arrival back .   SURE DO NEED SUNSHINE to lubricate these old bones. Sure is surprising  the amount of rust one gets from living in a noted rain area. 

Until then...............................see you in the funny papers.
Vito  
 
 

THE DAYS GONE BY...................

 

 

 



 

  Would you believe the email spell checker did not recognize the word Murgatroyd? Heavens to Mergatroyd!

Lost Words from our childhood: Words gone as fast as the buggy whip! Sad really!

The other day, I mentioned something to one of my grandkids about driving a Jalopy and he looked at me quizzically and said "What the heck is a Jalopy?"

O.M.G. (new phrase)! He never heard of the word jalopy!! I knew I  was old.... But not that old.. Well, I hope you are Hunky Dory after you read this and chuckle.

About a month ago, I illuminated some old expressions that have become obsolete because of the inexorable march of technology. These phrases included "Don't touch that dial," "Carbon copy," "You sound like a broken record" and "Hung out to dry." Back in the old days we had a lot of 'moxie.' We'd put on our best 'bib and tucker' to' straighten up and fly right'.

Heavens to Betsy! Gee whilikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy moley!

We we're in like Flynn' and 'living the life of Riley'', and even a regular guy couldn't accuse us of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop or a pill. Not for all the tea in China!

Back in the old days, life used to be swell, but when's the last time anything was swell? Swell has gone the way of beehives, pageboys and the D.A.; of spats, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and pedal pushers. AND DON'T FORGET... Saddle Stitched Pants

Oh, my aching back! Kilroy was here, but he isn't anymore. We wake up from what surely has been just a short nap, and before we can say, Well, I'll be 'A monkey's uncle!' Or, This is a 'fine kettle of fish'! We discover that the words we grew up with, the words that seemed omnipresent, as oxygen, have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards.

Poof, go the words of our youth, the words we've left behind. We blink, and they're gone.
Where have all those great phrases gone? ( My Favorite)" Let's all go to the beach Saturday"

Long gone: Pshaw, The milkman did it. Hey! It's your nickel. Don't forget to pull the chain. Knee high to a grasshopper. Well, Fiddlesticks! Going like sixty. I'll see you in the funny papers. Don't take any wooden nickels. Wake up and smell the roses.

It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter has liver pills. This can be disturbing stuff! ("Carter's Little Liver Pills" are gone too!)

We of a certain age have been blessed to live in changeable times. For a child each new word is like a shiny toy, a toy that has no age. We at the other end of the chronological arc have the advantage of remembering there are words that once did not exist and there were words that once strutted their hour upon the earthly stage and now are heard no more, except in our collective memory.

It's one of the greatest advantages of aging. Leaves us to wonder where Superman will find a phone booth..

See ya later, alligator!   Okey-dokey               (this sent to me from a very good Swedish friend)

WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE FABULOUS 40'S and 50'S.

My life basically is broken down into 4 phases.   Young (growing up) teens (high school), military and career with SAS.  Where have those days gone! What will the....................days of the future bring me.? Will I be able to tell the difference between .......then      and      now, especially when words differ so. A whole new language is taking effect and now even the government speaks in different terms, a language I really don't understand.

If it wasn't for facebook I probably would have lost contact with most of my good friends. It seems that every day I get to talk with friends from those two periods of my life. I guess, though that FB thinks I am apparently a Russian spy since I can no longer see my blog postings on FB, something about security.  So I will send an email with all new postings to you.  If you know of anyone that would be interested in seeing those, please feel free to pass it on and they can subscribe  to them.

see you in the funny book....................soon
Vito 


 

LET'S HAVE A PARADE...............not political...............really!!

This is where I do my best thinking and writing from.  My deck.................

I have just read where Donny Trump has issued a strong suggestion to the Pentagon to prepare for a massive military parade.............similar to the one given in France.  I sincerely thinks he means like the one we see televised from North Korea that shows a goose stepping military, accompanied by massive size missiles ,heavy military weapons and everyone clapping for the leader  UN.  This would be the ultimate for trumps ego. Now...................let's review what I think this would look like in real life having been part of a similar one going through a small German town.  When I first arrived in Germany, I was sent to a town called Baumholder. A small German town with about 200 nationals 15000 military troops, lets say for argument sake evenly split between American, British and French military. One of my first days there we were alerted to participate in a secretive NATO maneuver where all troops were to move out and go to a specific area...............for what I still haven't been able to figure that out. All I really recall were two things  trying to manipulate a 2 1/2 ton truck pulling an artillery canon behind it through  tiny German streets making turns that needed a hell of a lot of pull forward,  backup, pull  forward, back up directed by 10 guys sitting in the back of the truck yelling directions to the driver. We almost put one of the artillery canons through the bakery shop window on one of the backups.............but we had our mission. This was hysterical.  The other part was when we arrive at our SECRET location there was Pia, Inge, Maria and some of the other local girls to meet us with chocolate bars, and pastries.  Seems to me it should have been the other way around from what I heard of from WWII veterans. They had arrived by bike at least a half hour before us.

Now I relate this to a parade down Pennsylvania Ave  ...for some reason. First of all the cost would be $8 million + which to me could be used for much better things i.e. paying back some of the money congress once took from Social Security and Medicare as a loan, or perhaps feeding the homeless which is more than 80% veterans down in their luck. Anyway, along we march. Will the streets be able to hold the weight of the giant tanks, the giant people movers, giant missiles resting on their giant moveable launchers, hundred of troops and thousand of cheering, clapping by- standers or will the roads crumble.  I can only visualize one of these giant missiles resting on its giant missile launcher rumbling past the White House and suddenly opening a giant sink hole  and pulling in two or three of these giant what-evers and we having no crane large enough to lift it out of the hole.  To me, there would be only two solutions.
1. fire off the missile to lessen the weight and then lift the launcher out of the sink hole
2. build the missile into a monument with a big beautiful wall and the missile pointed directly at the white house.

Other than that there would be no choice.  So, my friends there is the big beautiful parade costing million of dollars. Is it not possible to just have a nice everyday type of parade without all the show of equipment???  Why do we want to show the world what we have so they can take pictures of it and we know, very well, that the Chinese have the ability to easily duplicate things.
 Now, not knowing exactly the route to be taken I would have to take a guess that before the parade begins we would have to take down electric wires, any over the road signs under 75' high, remove all sign posts that would be in the way making turns, have bomb sniffing dogs go over the whole route, have sharp shooters on any tall building for protection, build a special observation stand for the commander in chief, his family and all V.I. P invited guests, increase secret service protection, and a proper looking commanders uniform to fit the occasion, and our commander in chief.  You just can't wear anything to these occasions. To pay for all this, the middle class will relinquish there pay raises from the tax reform bill scam and the government will sell tickets and give the money to the rich. The crowds will be flown in first class and be given clapping classes  and standing up classes so that all will be done in sequence as we see it done in North Korea. It goes without saying that this will be the biggest, bestest parade known to mankind.  Thank you Donny.

Thanks folks hope you enjoyed my rendition of THE parade.

LUNCH TODAY

Margot and I were having lunch today, when something came to mind of years gone by.  Before the age of 30 it seems most people try to think of age as.............almost 21  rather then  20.  When reaching 30 you always gave you actual age.  Over 50 one would look at age as  "I wish I was 49 again"  Now this is all relevant but basically what I'm coming to is  before 30 a person wanted to be older. Over 30 you were happy with your true age and once you became 50 you tried to age yourself younger. Does that make sense? I think this came about when a young lady recently asked for my drivers license  she looked at it and looked up at me and said " you certainly do not look your age"   I asked her what she meant by that......"well sir you certainly do not look like you're ALMOST 82"  this told me immediately she was under 30. I asked her to take a guess at what age I look like.  " not more than 60"  I immediately puffed out my chest, sucked in my waste and thanked her holding my breath a little .......................than gave her a romantically sly look ..................and an extra $5.00 tip.             Best lunch place ever..................!!!!   

     



 

THERE'S A GHOST IN THE HOUSE

I thought I would open  with a picture of my Mom and Dad with the one and only.......................ME, OF COURSE.  Had to start this one posting really quick so I wouldn't forget what it was about.  In my last posting, you will remember how I told you about my parents budgeting methods and where Mom would ...............hide..............her money for that rainy day. This morning, I needed a Band-Aid, so I of course went to the medicine cabinet to get one.  Opened the can and LOW AND BEHOLD............no band-aids............BUT...........$700 in small bills..............Mom are you here?????   I'm rich!!!

I'll not forget that day in July 1966 when I was called into the Station Managers office at JFK airport.  Also in the office was the VP of Operations for SAS, John Anderson. They sat me down asked a couple of questions and then broke the news, that they would like me to accept a job OPENING the SAS facilities at Seattle airport......would I be interested?  It would mean a raise and the possibility of future promotions with the company.  They gave me the opportunity to take this home and discuss it with my wife.
That night was a very interesting one for us. Many questions came to mind but one of the biggest was how we would break the news to my parents.  WOW, the pressure was building. We slept on that and the next day visited my mom and dad to give them this news.  I could see it in my dad's eyes the disappointment since it was always a dream of his that I would eventually leave SAS and do something on my own.  It was really my mom's feeling that hurt...........as she ................approached this question with a question............" are you ripping away our granddaughter " just for your own satisfaction.  WOW  that hurt especially when not long before we had broke the news that Margot was expecting another grandchild for them.
 Anyway, time went by, we flew to NY as much as possible and my parents visited in Seattle twice a year. Everything worked out OK.  Fifty-two years later, we are still in Seattle, our children not more than 1 hour away, grandkids within two hours..............but both will graduate college this year and who knows where they will end up.  Our daughter spent four years in Hungary while her husband was working there, when he was transferred to India for two years, Lisa veto'd the move for her and the dogs and moved back to Seattle. Now they live less than 20 minutes away but they still have the urge to once again live in Europe. Scott, lives on Lake Union in the center of Seattle. Scott ended up with waterfront property Here  he's shown with his home.                                                                 

Scott loves this living and he retires from the police dept. in about 3 years. By then the boys should be on their own and who knows what Scott will do next....................bigger boat...............who knows??? He's into hiking, biking, camping and most things outdoors.

Just as long as I am able to see the kids and the grandkids Life will be good.

Hopefully I will be able to include some travel adventures with you. Here is one where everyone knows of and everyone should go to at least once in a lifetime. Parts of the city is sinking into the water, especially around St. Marks Square which is encircled by small cafes. You can literally sit there, sip your coffee and listen to the music played for hours at a time................or you can stand in the center of the square and feed the pigeons that will engulf you.  Here is my vision of Venice and what it offers.   Enjoy.



https://youtu.be/p073JLHOKlY


more to come.................keep tuned............................Vito

Judy Wallman Trump, a professional genealogy researcher in southern 

California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree.

She discovered that President Donald Trump's great, great uncle, Remus 

Trump, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889.

Both Judy and President Trump share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in 

Montana territory. On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her 

research is this inscription: *“Remus Trump, horse thief, sent to Montana 

Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. 

  

Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.”*

So Judy recently e-mailed the President for information about their great, 

great uncle, Remus.


Believe it or not, President Trump's staff sent this response back 

:

* 

"

Remus Trump was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business 

empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and 

intimate dealings with the Montana railroad.  Beginning in 1883, he devoted 

several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to 

resume his dealings with the railroad. 

 

In 1887, he was a key player in a 

vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, 

Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when 

the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.”*
Now in politics, 

THAT 'S

how it's done 

folks!

 

 

WOW.................2018

ANOTHER  year under my belt.  ANOTHER year of New Year's resolutions.................that will not go past 2 or 3 months.  What to do................shall I continue to make these impossible to keep resolutions or should I be realistic with myself and make one I can finally keep.   OH, what to do. It seems that all my resolutions are made New Years Eve, usually during the drinking part of the evening..............perhaps that's the reason I make those horrible decisions and then fail to keep them.  This year it will be different.............I'm going to wait until the day or perhaps 2 days after when the vision of plums are not dancing in my head.   That last statement makes it sound like I drink to much.  Not so, I usually share a bottle of wine with at least one other person, usually my wife and since neither one of us like champagne we usually just settle for a glass of wine, click glasses and it's off to la-la land. WOW how times change with age.  Now, having said all that, it is now the 6 of February and I have made my decision as to my New Years resolution.  There will be NONE.  I have decided to start the year the same way I ended 2017.  Weight wise, I am going in the right direction..............down. Financially, I was going up,(until I read the new tax law and found out that it's only a minimal temporary upswing and it's NOT FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS. anyone who thinks it is...............you better brush up on math 101 and reading 101) lucky I still own a corporation......to protect some of my assets. I have a great family, most of all a super wife.  One that understands me, encourages me when it's needed and discourages me also when needed. I will simply begin this year with how 2017 ended. I was at the gym this morning doing the usual 25 minute walk around the indoor track. At the end of the walk I noticed a nice lady standing and doing her stretches..............just to start a little dialogue I asked if she had made her New Years resolution, she looked at me with a big question mark on her face and very nicely said..................screw you.
 I'm looking forward to 2018 now. Enough about resolutions, now is the time to look ahead.

Upcoming trip to Puerto Vallarta is on the agenda along with one other trip to use up accumulated miles.  Where and when will that one be........  I am sure Margot will have a lot to say about that, unfortunately my bathing suit is a little big for me and I just can't see any reason to buy a new one, so I have to be careful not to pick to many beach resorts like Margot prefers.  I have not been on skis for about 15 years so we have to consider that snow areas are out also.  That leaves mountains for hiking which just is to much walking or casinos which involves to much sitting., which leaves...................????  I would just be happy, sitting, thinking and watching people..........with a wine in my hand, a sweater thrown over my shoulders and a quizable look on my face. It all sounds nice, but is it really me??

I guess I could join with the rest of society and talk about politics and the mess that has been created to this country since the last election................but that just irritates me to no end, so I will just stay out of that mess. I want these next years to be enjoyable.  Having said that, only one thing left to enjoy talking about.........................and the very thing I started this blog for. Growing up, traveling and friends.  Biggest problem is trying to remember those things in some kind of chronological order. That alone will keep me busy. Each year, for the past 5 years, I noticed that my wellness examination ...............that medicare provides free..................I have been asked to draw a clock and put the hands on it to represent 11:10, along with this I have been given 5 words to remember  and then shown a picture of 3 animals.  I had to tell what 3 animals they were and after about 5 minutes asked to repeat back the 5 words.  So far so good, I have been able to complete the test with flying colors.  I never questioned why this test was being given to me but just relied on the fact that since my mother had Alzheimer's that that might be the reason. Low and behold our President Donny, was given the same test, Donny just has Narcissistic Personality Disorder.  Not necessarily Alzheimer's. Anyway, just thought I would throw that in...............for whatever it's worth.

Now, back to the real world. 

I grew up in a traditional Italian family, the only thing making it nontraditional was that I was an only child, an oddity in an Italian family  but totally enjoyable. My dad was the leader of the house, my mom was the assistant leader. My dad earned the money, prepared the budget,  and made all the important decisions. In fact I can still see my dad coming home Friday from work, with a hand full of cash, sitting down at the dining room table, with a shot glass of whiskey and a quart of Rheingold beer, and his 10 or so letter size envelopes, each neatly lettered with what went into them. Household expenses  which included a sub envelope for taxes, food, clothing, and misc. Another for vacations, and entertainment. The last for auto and misc. He would split up his cash and place an alloted amount into each envelope. I never really understood this way of accounting but just took it for granted that they both lived through the depression and just did not trust banks. When they went food shopping, they shopped as though it was the last meal.......always plenty of food to fill two refrigerators or  one refrigerator and one ice box. My mom always made food from scratch, no freezer food or TV dinners, that were beginning to become popular. The funny part about this style of accounting was.............that my mom for many unknown reasons always found a way to monitor and adjust the budget so as to keep a dollar or two and hide it in a band-aid can or neatly rolled up in a small piece of toilet paper, aluminum foil or whatever was around and hide it in amongst her underwear, knowing my dad would never look for anything there. When I went into the service, my mom found a way to send me a couple of dollars to hold me over.............for what I really didn't know, since the military was quit efficient in taking care of me. So the beginning to Vito's accounting system took effect and it still remains in effect to this day. I always have a few extra dollars to towards the extras in  MY life. The other thing so amazing was that before my dad passed on he amazed Margot and I by handing us a 5 figure amound of CASH in small unmarked bills. I felt like a true bagman on my way to Vegas when going through the airport on our way back home, with  my briefcase of stash.  I often ask myself which envelope did this money come out of??  When my dad passed on, we decided to bring my mom out to Seattle, buy a small condo for her near our house. When we went to New York to pick her up we had decided to rent the house to a cousin. In going through the house we discovered some other small unmarked bills........stashed away in old pursers, hems in her dresses, behind pitchers, in old magazines and just about anywhere we looked. AMAZING how this small amount of money that my dad would so meticulously split into envelopes had compounded over the years..................but....................that's the way it was.

It's memories like this that has remain in the back of my mind and over the years have played a part in our living the life we enjoy.  We have never deprived ourselves or our children of anything. To this day, we still live for the happiness of doing what we do best.  Growing old together !!! We still have lunch dates, movie dates, travelling time, casino time, friends to visit and time to laugh about those days in the past. We try not to think about how the world and especially our country is becoming so unrecognizable from when we were  growing up. The crime, the hatred and the disrespect shown to others.....................but..........................we will endure.

See you all soon with more.............................................Vito