Happy Days Are Here Again-(Silverwood Theme Park 2017)

 This video was our trip to Silver wood Theme Park, as well as "Get Ai"r at North town Mall, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Sleep Inn to the song Happy Days are Here Again. We really had a great time and highly recommend each of those business's we visited.  I hope your summer was as great and went a bit slower than ours did.

Happy Retirement Mr. Major Highway Line Painter

It is going to be hard not to have Al Willms part of our crew, when he officially retires after 15 years on August 15th, after  working with me on striping crew and many of the winters in maintenance. He actually started on striping crew before I came on full time by a year- (in photo below) I had several suggested songs to use for him, but I don't think he would have liked "take this job and shove it", or Oney by Johnny Cash- so here are two short  retirement songs and a few of the photos over the years.(I actually could not fit them all in song) I certainly wish you the best in your retirement- and thanks again for all  you have done for the crew and for our region in your work over the years- you are a Real men of Genius.

above photo was taken in 2002 and below photo was taken July of 2017 near Winthrop

above photo was taken in Maui a few years ago when we met up with him and his wife

We always had fun on the job- Going to Miss Al!

Retirement is a big decision- I am undecided on my plans. There are many who "I sure hope they do not retire for a long time." My brother sent me this clipping of a man who has been working for 75 years with American Airlines- wow! Hats off to his employer as well- many do not know how to keep someone that long or want to.  His wife's advice is pretty amazing too.

Age is just a number – from Al Blackman

In the July issue of American Way, Azriel "Al" Blackman, a JFK-based crew chief, reflects on his 75 years of service as an aviation maintenance technician at American. Read the full letter below and be sure to check out the video of Al's special anniversary celebration.

I could start this column by telling you how much I love my job working in Aircraft Maintenance. I could tell you that it's never really felt like a job because it's a craft I love and take great pride in every day. I could share that I've worked on more than 50 different aircraft types during my career or that I served with the U.S. Army in Korea at a facility located across from the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Yes, M.A.S.H. Yes, that M.A.S.H. But instead, I'll start with the reason I was asked to share my story. This year marks my 75th as an aviation maintenance technician at American Airlines. That's right -- 75 years. I started just before I turned 17; I'm now 92. That has landed me in the book of GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS for having the "Longest Career as an Airline Mechanic." But don't think for a second that this is a retirement letter. See, American keeps buying new planes - in fact, we have the youngest fleet among major U.S. carriers. Many of these new planes are from Boeing, which happen to be my favorite to work on. And while I may not be as hands on as I used to be, I still do some sheet metal work from time to time. My primary role, however, is coordinating our team members so they're safe and successful at getting our planes back in service. You might find this hard to believe, but I still see every day as a new challenge. I always have. My late wife, Dolores, knew it too. She used to tell me, "Go to work; go play with your friends." We were married 57 years before she passed away about seven years ago. But I still hear those words, because they're true. My colleagues are my friends. And they are the finest group of aviation mechanics in the world. When I'm not working to maintain our fleet, you can find me restoring vintage aircraft for the Historical Aircraft Restoration Project at Floyd Bennett Field, a few miles west of my work home -- John F. Kennedy International Airport. I guess that makes me an antique fixing an antique. It's possible I know some of our aircraft as well as you know your kids, but I consider that a good quality in a mechanic. And while I will eventually leave our fleet in the capable hands of my colleagues, American's maintenance hangar at JFK will always be home. My fellow mechanics -- my friends -- have made sure of that.

Azriel "Al" Blackman

The Woman In Our Little Girls Room

Kim and Dean  Hopper sing a song called the Little Girl in Our Little Girls Room. Many of the videos  labeled grandchildren I make, are about how fast kids grow up. I think it is something most do not realize until its too late or people think it only happens to other people? Being a grandparent when you don't see your grandkids every day- sometimes it is a shock how fast they have grown. For some, viewing this video will bring a tear to your eyes, for others, maybe you will  be reminded to take time with your child just a bit more today. Someone once said; "In bringing up children, spend on them half as much money and twice as much time."

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back. 

Always kiss your children goodnight - even if they're already asleep. 

When you have brought up kids, there are memories you store directly in your tear ducts.

It's not only children who grow.  Parents do too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself.

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. 

If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders. 

What a child doesn't receive he can seldom later give. 

If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.

These are my daughters, I suppose.
But where in the world did the children vanish?

The trouble with being a parent is that by the time you are experienced, you are unemployed.

Good to Be Back Home Again (North Dakota Trip)

 

We just got home from a trip to North Dakota- You can see the photos in video above to John Denver's song, Its Good To Be Home Again. It was a short vacation but a memorable one. 

We left at 5am to drive to Billings, Montana on our vacation.

Sunday we drove to Minot and arrived about 4pm after getting lost briefly in Williston due to growth and changes. Minot had changed too- and we visited the grave of my dad, mom and sister first. We also visited Sunnyside Mobile Home park where we lived before sawyer- Lots of Changes!

Monday we all drove to Sawyer- the principal of the school was nice enough to update us on changes. Next year the high school goes to Max due to lack of students. We also visited the Sawyer Cemetery and Mennonite Cemetery where many who made a big influence on my life are buried. I owe a lot to even those who I did not know- your life influences so many- either for the good or bad.

The Hedahl Farm is in background-lived there from 1961 to 1966

Tuesday we drove to Kenmare- my grandpas old farm where my aunt Carol/Kenny have done such a great job fixing it up- again, the work they put into it I am still enjoying as will those after me. We had 19 attend- mostly aunts and uncles and most, I had not seen for years.

Wednesday I drove Wayne to airport for his flight, and then took off for home. I went home via route 2 and Tim via I-90(the way we came). Lots of good memories and a whole different view of Montana. My parents moved to Tacoma in June of 1966 on that route- and somewhere near the rockies, the van the truck was pulling came loose- luckily my mom was behind that wheel and brought it to a stop. We stayed in Shelby, about a 10 hour drive from Minot. Checked in around 4pm.

Thursday we saw our first accident- but hopefully no fatalities and we, were the 6th car behind lineup that they let us drive in ditch to get around. Around 9am we entered Glacier Park and drove the Going to the Sun Road- the first day it was open for this season- so lots of cars and full parking lots. We had done this with our kids and lots of memories again. We were out of park around noon and headed to Sandpoint to stay at Jan's sisters for night.

Friday we left for home about 8;30 and got home about noon. the traffic was picking up for the holiday weekend greatly and glad we go to go when we did. Thanks for our neighbors for watering our plants, to Darcie for feeding our pets, and for Tim, Wayne and so many others for making this such a memorable trip. It was a short trip and wish we could have seen others- but maybe next time.

We left Cindy's around 8:30 and got home about 12:30 on Friday, June 30th-  Below are photos from previous trips- you guess the year and who is in it....

Thank God For Kids

How about we have a National Children's Day to show the importance of Children in our society? I cannot imagine a world without Kids- Thank God For Kids! I made this song a few years ago- I can ad one more grandchild to the 5 in video now- its fun being a Grandpa! 

How grandchildren perceive their grandparents

1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye....

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 72. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like. "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story.
"What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I really think you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!"

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised "Mine says I'm 4 to 6." (WOW! I really like this one -- it says I'm only '38'!)

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting." she said. "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child."

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child.
"No," said another. "He's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close. “They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and whenever we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

14. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!

15. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.