I overheard older guy someone say 'she looks like she was bobbing for apples in a deep fryer'.
I have no context of the conversation. That's all I heard but it painted a clear mental picture in my mind.
Ughhh.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Not much but someone made me laugh today
We better rethink this UCMJ business....
Said a few people that are upset because an Air Force officer has been charged with mouthing off about Trump.
Some have said that the UCMJ needs to be looked into.
It doesn't.
Anyone that has served under it and has taken time to figure it out realizes that although there are strict rules under it there are protections afforded a serviceman that are not offered in civilian life.
An example of which is misappropriation of government property. In civilian life it's a felony as such. A civilian convicted is going to at the least face a felony conviction record.
On the other hand, for example, a GI that swipes a piece of equipment to replace one that is missing and gets caught can be punished under Article 15, get a limited punishment and no criminal record.
If the accused wants to he can refuse the Article 15 and demand a trial by courts-martial and risk a federal conviction.
The UCMJ has served the military well since it took effect in 1951. It relaced the Rules of War and articles for Governance of the Navy. Both of these were cans of worms that provided few rights for the serviceperson that served under them.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
One day at work.
Toward the end of my career I had a small crew of Tongan immigrants as outside contractors aboard. I had no real responsibility for them other than to make sure they showed up for work and didn't show up drunk. I also had to answer any questions about what was where.
They were a good crew and I marveled at their skills in the area of Mastodon Engineering which is the ability of moving very heavy things. That's an amazing skill that can not be taught in a college classroom.
The boat went through rags at a pretty good rate and the company bought them in 25 pound boxes IIRC. The boxes were fairly large.
The guys were good.. They knew how to clean up a mess before it was made instead of after it was made. That's another skill I admired.
One time one of the Tongans reached into the rag bag and grabbed a pair of woman's panties that most likely had been tossed in there by the guy at the rag place. Most rags were things like cut up sweatshirts and things that would wick up liquids pretty good. Nylon and acetate are the worst things in the world for wicking up liquids so I figure the guy at the rag place tossed them in to give someone a laugh.
I saw him fish it out and laugh and glanced to the left and there was my supervisor. Target of opportunity!
When he showed it to the other two guys that laughed I snatched it out of his hand, sniffed and and announced "Hey! I know her! That's Sue Wallingsworth! I wonder what she's doing these days."
I was treated to laughter on the part of the Tongans and it was a joy to watch my supervisor blushed turn red and shake his head.
I admit I do miss working with guys like those Tongans.
Monday, August 24, 2026
Over the years I have had a number of prescriptions
and when the medicine is gone I peel the label off and toss the pill bottles into a box. I had a whole bunch until I figured out what to do with them.
I stuffed a couple of plastic bags into them and started handing them out to the passing dogwalkers.
Most of them were grateful and appreciated the gesture.
I figured that if I held on to them I could find a use for them.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
I would just love to own a Randall Made #1 knife.
I could have bought one from a guy in my outfit back in 1974 for about $35 but as a young married GI I couldn't really afford it.
I just checked and they run about $875 and have a 7 year waiting time.
Ex-PFC Johns
became Ex PFC Johns when he got promoted to Sp/4. At the time a lot of us in the battery were going through a Catch-22 stage. Most of us had read it and that's where we got the nickname for Johns when he got promoted from PFC to Sp/4.
But I don't remember Johns for being an Ex PFC. I remember him because of what his mother did.
His mother had been a WAC during WW2 and was more than familiar with the saying 'Your mother is not here to pick up after you.'
Anyway she appeared out of nowhere, walked into the barracks found the orderly room and knocked. She was given entry and went to the First Sergeant's desk and announced "I'm Private John's mother and I'm here to pick up after my son."
Top was speechless according to the clerk.
Later I asked Top about the incident and he smiled and said she was a real firecracker and it was the funniest thing that ever happened in his entire 25 year career.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Kitty is slowly fading.
which is somewhat distressing.
His kidneys are crapping out and it's gotten progressively worse for months now. I'm feeding him as much wet food as I can muster to keep liquids in him and keep him going and comfortable.
It's not going to be fast as far as I can see but as soon as he is uncomfortable I will put him down.
I will not mourn his passing but instead I will celebrate the humor, pathos and entertainment that a stray orange cat has provided me for the past 17+ years.
I can remember the beginnings. I set up a litter box, a feeding station which I kept full and just brought him in and turned him loose.
Needless to say he spent the first week avoiding me and hiding every time I entered the room. After a few days he didn't hide when I walked in and after about 10 days he let me pet him. A few days after that he jumped up on me what I laid down on the couch.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
My night out.
Per usual.
Two Guinness draughts, 1 hamburger w/onion rings and 1 50/50 lottery ticket.
A wonderful night of drinking and gambling.
One of the faults I share with Trump is
that it is a knee jerk reaction I seem to share with him.
When pushed I push back instantly.
When I hear 'Do it for the children' my response is immediate.
"F*** the children! If you are incapable of raising your children without my help then drop them off at an orphanage or find someone that can raise them. YOUR children are not MY responsibility!"
What about the poor?
"F*** the poor! The poor are fat on taxpayer expense. Once I see emaciated people running around instead of fat people living on my tax dollars then you can come back and talk to me!"
It's knee jerk and once in a while comes back to bite me on the ass but it generally cuts the complainer off at the knee.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
I was damned glad to get into the Army.
I left for basic on graduation day and never looked back.
The whole time I was in school I had a 28 mile long (one way) paper route and my bicycle only had one pedal. When I got to the end of the route I'd swap the pedal over to the other side to keep one leg from getting stronger than the other.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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