20 BELOW STATEMENTS

And she said................it is too great a procrastination tool and I need to focus at this time. I am most productive in the springtime so want to take full advantage of the coming months. If you wish to stay in touch, please write................

Little brittle?

Over stated?

No wiggle room?

If someone you knew sent you this note, how would you react? Would you write? Wouldn't it depend on how well you knew her?

Where is the rule that note has to equal note? Or is it not procrastination on her part, rather no one is visiting with her?

There is much to be said about what people write. My good friend, Ella, used to say, "I read between the lines". Actually, I write between the lines.

The statement makes me shiver, yet, she has the right to make the statement. The icicle comes because there is no rebuttal.

Be warm in winter and in friendships.

e

NYLONS ON THE FLY

..and she said, "Darn nylons, stuck my finger in them and made a hole while trying to put them on................"

Think about when WWII was in progress and all the nylon was going to the war effort and women put black eye brow pencil lines up the back of their legs so it LOOKED like they were wearing stockings!

Think about how we went from nylons with seams, "are my seams straight"? to no seams so it looked like you had tan legs. What colors did they offer? Suntan and beige. Suntan legs and pale white skin on our arms. Oh, the harmony of it.

Then, skirts and dresses got short and pantyhose took the scene. Pink rubber like girdles where below the hem line.

But the funniest thing I remember about nylons and girdles was a girl named PH. She was no bigger than a might but wore a Playtex rubber girdle and for those of us in gym class who got wet after a shower, getting those garments on was a real challenge unless you were dry.

But there is something even funnier. My Mother was very proper. My brother was going to boot camp and would leave from Fargo, ND. The family drove to Fargo on a very hot summer day in a car without air conditioning. Mother was all dressed up including a girdle and socks.

We were sitting at the restaurant and she excused herself, only to come back with a bulging purse and bare legs. Greg said she only needed a girdle to hold up her socks. She had removed both, she was just way too warm.

Yet, something else is recalled. I got one pair of nylons a week. If I ruined them on Monday, tough unless I wanted to buy them out of my allowance. Socks were more than my allowance, by the way.

Didn't seem like anyone had clear nail polish to stop the runs which ran up and down, only red polish. At the end of the week the socks were speckled when I tied them on the antenna of Rag doll and sped around declaring liberation.

I still think nylons are in order to finish out an outfit. I can't help that, it is just the finish.

I have three bags of panty hose in the bottom center drawer of the dresser. One of black, another navy, and the last tan/beige/and suntan. There is also a bag full of nylon like knee highs. If you come into the house while we are sleeping, please feel free to steal these items. Especially if you need to have nylons on the fly.

Joy to you.

e

THE MISSING INGREDIENT

And she said, "I am missing an ingredient......for my pie!

One is either born with insight, or like Old Trunks, you learn it by coming up short enough times.

And such is the case with daughter making an apple pie. She could roll a crust as a teenage like I have never learned and perhaps, never will. Although Rachel did not say I am missing an ingredient, we did realize that we could do better with just another apple or two. We had already cleared out the mix of apple types in the fridge.

Elizabeth and Walter north of us a couple of houses and gave us a couple of apples in exchange for pie. Elizabeth was not happy that Walter said it was the best pie he ever had.

Maybe a mix of apples, good friends, and a superb crust makes no only for a great pie but life itself.

What's your missing ingredient?

e

WHEN IS OLD?

..And he said, "What is your opinion of me"................

Tell me, if your husband asked you that, would the first thing that came to your mind come out of your mouth? Surprise! It did for me.


My concern is strictly for him. He and I have had numerous conversations about what he would do if he didn't work. He fishes; that is his only hobby. He complains about his brain not functioning well. We had a everything on the table discussion last night about what his strong points are. He asked me my opinion and he got a cannonball express answer. I don't think it matters if he is 68 and drops dead or he has to cut his losses. I think it only matters if he has a sense of accomplishment and a sense of worth about himself on a day to day basis. I am convinced that is what it is all about and the rest is just bucks and bucking.

I truly find that he needs to give away his information. He had a conversation with the couple at Gander Mountain over the weekend. This keeps him alive and in the loop. Sitting on the sofa and watching the news does nothing for him exchanging information.

As for him thinking his brain is drying up, I pointed out to him that, in the summer while fishing, he is watching his line, where the boat it, what the weather is, and watching what I am doing including toss, tangles, missing fish, etc, etc, etc. So the brain part doesn't bother me.

He talks about his health in some form every day. But it doesn't stop him from wrangling a tread mill about in the basement, shoveling/blowing snow or running six flights of stairs at work several times a day for exercise.

Almost tearfully I reminded him that he was a ask the question, answer the question kind of guy and that certainly was so much a part of him that it is a strength.

Perhaps what we all have to realize is that we all have an opinion about most things going on around us. We just aren't asked that often.

So, what was my first thing out of my mouth? WOW, I am honored you asked.

e

TOUCH DOWN CAFE`

......And it said she is offering a free food tasting event at the Touch Down Cafe` today.

Old Trunks asked herself, is there a real Touch Down Cafe` somewhere? And the answer is yes.

There is one in Ann Arbor, MI which has closed. The man who did the review said he vomited a little and he also was glad it was closed because it was dirty. Well, we can't go there for lunch for free samples, can we? Closed why? Lost there liquor license.

Touchdown Cafe in Australia is a stand out for the excellent food but also the fact that the cafe has a large patio area facing the taxiway of the airfield so that you can watch the aircraft taking off and lading and if your lucky even get to see a few people taking lessons in some of the helicopters that are based here, all while eating your breakfast.

And what a breakfast it is at Wellesbourne, hand on heart (ironic I know when you talk about large meaty fry-ups) I personally feel that the breakfast served at Wellesbourne is the best breakfast I've ever had, and it's not only the breakfasts, the rest of the food cooked here is outstanding, in fact I can never make my mind up if to have the breakfast, one of their delicious omelette's or to just go mad and stuff myself with one of the many freshly made cafes they have on show!The sign above the hatch way into the kitchen sums it all up "We do not operate a fast food service but, we do service good food as fast as we can" and take it from me, the food is more than good.

Now, if you go back and look at the picture, you will see those eggs have been fried mighty quick to make them bubble up like that. And who wants beans with eggs? How about those mushrooms? I wonder what those sausages have in them? Kangaroo, maybe?

Then there is the Touch Down Cafe` in Birmingham, AL. No reviews and OT doesn't wish to dig deeper into the chow to find out.

Names are interesting, aren't they? What would you call a cafe` if you were an owner? Would you name it after yourself?

Well, eggs and beans to you.

e

INTENSE or INTENTION?

................And Faith said, "I love how intense you are about................".

I agreed.

And maybe that is a slice of this pie called where is Old Trunks and Worn Shoes going.

Perhaps it is all about riding the bronco until broke for a less experienced rider and OT climbing on a different horse to tame/train. Perhaps the getting there is more important that the got there. Know what I mean?

Is it all about mastery? No, I don't think so. I think it is about filling the barrel and moving on, regardless of how pure the contents are. There is a difference between being all you can be and all someone else can be. And that seems to be a life lesson many never learn.

I think that is where Old Trunks is. The aged lady who writes it is observing. Many she isn't in such a hurry after all.

e

The Case of the Red Berries

...........And she said, "Why is everyone in such a hurry?" She lives in DC and was watching the snow and admiring it. Before the snowfall had quit, she was out with her camera taking pictures of the snow laden branches, icicles, and red berries.

She is to be admired for taking the time to make snap shots, not only with her camera to share with others but more importantly, to instill a mental image for herself.

Does she have the answer? Or was it a fleeting moment? What do you think?

e

Hours to minutes and minutes to nano seconds

Well, the idea of the old books died in the pages! I put the book back and closed the door. Where to go next!? Amazing how many ideas come to one in the twilight zone only to be whisked away when bleary eyed the aroma of coffee calls you to the kitchen.

Old Trunks has been trying to figure out just went amok. Is it that, as I told Soozi, that my inspiration from Mary and the micro fiche she ordered from the library in Thief River Falls is in Denver? Is it that the information from said papers all blogged and stamped finale? Am I moving into a in-the-present phase? Is it that millions of people are blogging and the more I read, the more I realize it is all opinions on the writer's part?

A concern is that I have been communicating in 140 characters on Facebook for so long that I have become crypt? Is it that even myself, the wind bag that I am, has shortened up all the reins and at best, can muster a few emails to great friends each day and even they are ambiguous in there return.

That in itself is odd. I have a great friend in the south who writes daily to tell me the weather and where he is going for lunch. If I push and ask an opinion about something, I get the answer.

Why are we in such a hurry, I wonder. I am not talking about parents with children where the parents are both working and have their children in a different 'class' every night after school. I am talking about people my age who seem to get lost in an obsession.

Why are we squeezing days into hours and hours into minutes, and minutes into nano seconds? Is this how we binge on life?

Clueless in Fargo.
Answers to follow.

Joy for this day.

e

Westminster

This year's Westminster Dog Show hosts 173 breeds and varieties including three new breeds out of 2,500 entries. It started Monday and runs for two days. Each breed must have become a champion before entry and be a breed recognized by the American Kennel Association.

Old Trunks was disappointed when I used to leaf through Olaf's book. There was no Wiemeroner. It had not been recognized in the states and would not be for another 30 years or so. Cesar's Blue Diamond, the hunting dog in our house, was purchased in 1949 in a kennel in Southern Minnesota for $1,000. The dog was developed by the Court of Weimar. Weimar is one of the great cultural sites of Europe, having been home to such luminaries as Bach, Goethe, Schiller, and Herder. It has been a site of pilgrimage for the German intelligentsia since Goethe first moved to Weimar in the late 18th century. The tombs of Goethe and Schiller as well as their archives, may be found in the city.

In another life in a different part of the states, we had a satellite dish. That was before there was any control and we snatched on to the Madison Square Garden link and watched dogs from early morning to late at night. Now the show is limited to a couple hours a night showing only each breed against other breeds in the same category, i.e. all hunting dogs or all toy breeds.

You can just bet when it comes to the best of each of the categories comes into the ring tonight, there will be some sort of a poodle in doodle.

Woof to all.

e

ALIVE OR NOT?

This is a photograph of a wolf and collie cross. There was always a discussion between Grandpa Benhard and myself as to whether the beast was alive or stuff.

What is your take?

e

MASKED?

Have you ever thought about..............................

During the war, dogs were used as carriers for information. Horses where ridden.

Not only where people affected by gas, so where dogs and horses which were part of the armed forces. The picture shows us a dog in a gas mask.

And Happy Valentines Day to you!

e

DOXES? DOYOTES? OH MY.

Yesterday, Old Trunks left off with the idea that dogs were different in other parts of the world and that, as we discussed is just how the breeds differed, interbred and formed new stock for hunting, digging, tracking, pulling, and 'other'.

I was surprised to learn that at one time, it was thought that fox interbred with dogs, although after long series of experiments and observations there has not been a fox/dog cross. Now, you must remember the information I am reading is from 1919. Let's hop on the net and see what we might find 80 years later. Be right back or is that BRB. According to Snopes.com there is no evidence that doxes exist as a hybrid. Perhaps it has to do with the number of chromosomes; dogs 78 and foxes 34, (sounds like a bad basketball score, doesn't it?).

We DO know that wolves, jackals, dingos, and dogs interbreed. Perhaps even coyotes fall into the group. Maybe I should look, right? BRB. It is considered uncommon based on the in heat cycle, which for coyotes is once a year, generally between January and March. Wow, think about this, if coyotes came into season like domestic dogs did, think about the population explosion of coyotes--or maybe doyotes!

Tomorrow DINGOS!

e

DINGO

This is a scan of an artist drawing of dingos in the wild. The scan was taken out of a 1919 National Geographic Magazine orginally owned by my Grand Uncle Olaf. He gave them to his sister, who in turn gave them to me in 1964. This is a leather bound group of magazines called 'volume 35'.

The native name for the animal given by the natives is warrigal, the settlers named it dingo. There was a movie, the 'Sundowners' starring Robert Mitchum and Debra Kerr as sheep herders. The movie was filmed on location in Australia and released in 1960. One could hear the howl of the wild dogs.

Wild dingos hunt in packs. They were so destructive to sheep the stockmen began a war of extermination. The government offered a bounty of five shillings for every dingo killed. Poison was also effective and the ranks were thinned until they were no longer a menace. In todays world, few if any pure breds are left.

In 1980 Azaria Chamberlain disappeared from a tent near Ayers Rock, her mother claiming that a dingo had taken the baby. Lindy Chamberlain went to prison for murder, but she was later released and exonerated after new evidence suggested that she had been telling the truth.

In 2001 two wild dingoes attacked and killed a nine year old boy at Fraser Island. The sensationalist media created a huge furore, including very graphic eyewitness testimony of the young boy being chewed...

No doubt these are horrific attacks. But is the wrath that the Australian dingo faced as a result justified? There have been three reported dingo attacks in 200 years, compared to about 14,000 reported domestic dog attacks in one year...

Some Australian states forbid that dingoes be kept as pets, some allow them. Everybody who knows dingoes as pets will tell you that they are not much different from domestic dogs. Their particular characteristics are outstanding intelligence, curiosity and playfulness. They are great with children, and are also somewhat timid and aloof.

At the time the article was published, there were several fine dingos kept in this country, Washington DC being the most typical. Alas, I did not see a listing for them, however, there are fine webcams you might enjoy! Just keyboard zoos in Washington DC.

Marvelous looking animal. MARVELOUS!

e

MANKIND'S BEST FRIEND

In an article written in the National Geographic Magazine in March of 1919, there is a story by Ernest Harold Baynes. In his fancy he talks about how man stood on one side and the other animals stood on the other side of the 'gulf'. As man looked upward at the sky, all the other animals walked off and went about their business except the dog.

The little dog sat on the very edge of the widening gulf with is tail wagging thinking that he wanted to go with man. As the pig grunted and the sheep nibbled and the cow chewed her cud, they all said he, (the dog) could not make the jump.

The friendship between the dog and the man started, according to the author when the dog did make the jump and man was there to help him off the edge of the gulf.

It is said there are primitive graves with dogs buried with their masters. Perhaps it wasn't always like that. Perhaps dogs band together and hunted man. Maybe man learned to throw rocks at dogs to keep them away. But one thing is certain, if one captures a wild puppy and gets a few generations away from its ancestors, it will, become a friend. The more generations, the more the wild is bred out.

My question about that remains. Do we really think that dogs have been bred and in bred so much their is nothing left of the dingo, the jackal, or the wolf, all of which interbreed with domesticated dogs? Then, silly me because if dogs STILL turn around three times before they lay down, something must be internal for them to make the grass flat before resting, even if they are reposing on satin pillows in someone swank apartment high above the parks.

But let's go back and think about man, yes OUR ancestors, living in caves. All things considered, or better said imagined, would lead us to believe that man was untidy, maybe even filthy, (except for my mother, of course). So let's say that caveman was eating his food off a bone and once finished, tosses it outside. Now, that seems more likely that wild dogs, wolves, jackals, and dingos in search of food would smell out the area and have their own meal.

Now if this be the case, then, the more bones the caveman tossed outside, the more the dogs would come and get free food. Are you with me? And as this went on, the wild dogs are accustomed to man and get a little sloppy about where they are hiding their den and new pups.

With that in mind, isn't it possible that man snatched up the pups and brought them home for their children to play with? Yes, they did have children then, imagine you child crawling around in a cave? Perish the thought.

It is possible man may have even eaten some of them. YUCK? Well of course, YUCK. Yet in our society, starving means, "gotta have pizza" NOT nothing to eat. So, my ancestors ate a few dogs, it is still common in some parts of the world. Well, all ancestors except Mother, of course. Nevertheless, the point is, we couldn't walk over to Inga's and have a hot roast beef.

I would venture to say after fire was invented those wild dogs came into that comfort as well. And I do maintain that caveman could discern between a swift runner and a lazy dog and culled them out and used them for work in hunting. What did they do with the lazy dogs? Probably ate them. Are you grossed out yet?

I would like to think that dogs where different in different parts of the world and came to be so because of climate and use. Don't agree? Think about this: You never saw a long haired double coated dog on the walls of the tombs in Egypt, did you? Nor did you see a sleek coated hunting dogs carved on the walls of Assyria in Newfoundland, rather what would become Newfoundland.

And, isn't it possible that as tribes moved about, the dogs interbred and caused new 'looks' to be formed? Are the dogs in the chase picture Mastiff like?

e

WHAT IS AND WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

Let's look at this: For those of you who are old enough not to be baby sat by a TV, there were other things to do. HONEST!!! Old Trunks spent a lot of time at her grand parents house. For some reason, it seemed as if I was ill, that is where I was brought. Grandma could always sweat out a fever with her pile of moth ball smelling quilts.

While there I like to look at the old books. As I said yesterday, my favorite was Volume 35 which, among other things, had the dog pictures, well, actually lit ho prints would be more like it.

I took that book out of the case yesterday and I had the oddest sensation. I was looking at it in the same awe-struck look as I did as a child. It seemed as if I could hear Grandma Ranum say, "Be careful".

Another thing that made me grin was that I realized yesterday that I had never read the article about the dogs, only the captions under the pictures. I remembered looking at one picture with my grand father of a wolf and collie cross. The being was standing on a stump in a full growl attack mode.

I could not, as a child figure out how anyone could get close enough to get that picture. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized it was a taxidermy project. Grandpa may have told me that but I didn't listen OR in didn't register.

In order to appreciate the writings and the pictures and lithographs, Old Trunks needs to do some scanning. That is my project for the day.

I am off to set up the scanner and start processing for the information to offer in the next days.

I wish you well.

e

WHAT'S ON THE SHELF?

As you may know, I have been blogging family history for nearly three years. I hit a stall about Christmas time and didn't want to start writing opinions about the popular things in the world, mainly because I really don't know enough about them. But the other day, while watching a fishing show, a guy was sharing his library about something, (danged if I can remember), and showed a National Geographic from the 1920's. I have, amongst other treasured possessions, Uncle Olaf's leather bond National Geographic books from the teens and twenties. It gave me an insight as to what may be interesting to research, that is, books, old books.

I admit that I am not much of a reader. I can not compare with generations back and forward who actually love to read. I admire people who read for pleasure; I don't seem to have the "reading gene". Give me a topic I am interested in and I will search and search to find the information. My friend, Dixie, said that I would read five books to learn how to plant a tulip bulb, although you know, there is only one way.

The books I have read in my lifetime for pleasure could fit into a banana box. Most of them are animal stories along with series of books by one author I have read since in Fargo. Oh, sure, there have been books I started on a Friday and looked up at the world around me on Sunday to note I felt nearly blind, yet how can you lay down a series like "Rich Man Poor Man"?

So, the idea is, beyond the hobby horse where Raggedy Ann and Andy ride, into the glassed doored bookcase I will venture and pull out Olaf's books and carefully turn the pages and see if the intend can nurture the idea.

Let's start with Volume 35.

e