RANDOM THOUGHTS ON LIFE

To day I was much relieved to obtain a very favorable report from one of my doctors. Life seems sweeter tonight than the previous night.

The sun seemed to shine brighter today.
The grass was greener
The birds sounded on key and free

I am alive
I am alive 
I am alive

Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday

OLD AND NEW

WOW! I SURE NEED THIS KIND OF HELP!!!!


                      OLD AND NEW


Long have the poets vaunted, in their lays, 
Old times, old loves, old friendships, and old wine
Why should the old monopolise all praise? 
Then let the new claim mine.

Give me strong new friends, when the old prove weak, 
Or fail me in my darkest hour of need; 
Why perish with the ship that springs a leak, 
Or lean upon a read? 

Give me new love, warm, palpitating, sweet, 
When all the grace and beauty leaves the old; 
When like a rose it withers at my feet, 
Or like a hearth grows cold.

Give me new times, bright with a prosperous cheer, 
In place of old, tear-blotted, burdened days; 
I hold a sunlit present far more dear, 
And worthy of my praise.
When the old creeds are threadbare, and worn through, 
And all too narrow for the broadening soul, 
Give me the fine, firm texture of the new, 
Fair, beautiful and whole. Rate this poem:(0.00 / 0 votes)

TWO LIVES--TWO HEARTS---I FAILED MARRIAGE

                         FICTION STORY

Police are baffled by what they are calling a heart breaking event. Instead of a collision, this event happened when two hearts were separated.

One heart was treated and released after an overnight stay in a local motel.

The other heart remains hospitalized in a suicide ward of a local mental health facility.

To be continued (Maybe)................ 

YES, IT DOES HAPPEN

NOTE: This Post has some mild sexual content. Any similarity to persons living or dead is merely coincidental.

She tricked him into marrying her. Man, she was smooth. All of the coy words and ways were played like a Stradivarius violin. He sat spell bound for the few months prior to the wedding. She was not the prettiest apple on the tree or the best shaped apple. How she got her eyes to sparkle and how she sounded like a movie star remains an unsolved mystery.

Beyond the visual and audio effects was her unrelenting pursuit. She told a friend prior to the marriage she was going to “get that guy”. Sacrifice was her middle name, at least before the marriage, no time or distance was too great for her to conquer. She knew how to always make herself available. Johnyette on the spot---that was her.

Bad weather and distance meant nothing to her. When he could not get to her she could always find a way to get to him. This total dedication to be with him soon over powered this woefully inexperienced country boy. It was she who first raised the prospect of marriage, it was she who wanted their first sexual encounter, and it was she who had all of the answers to how a wedding could be arranged when each had little or no money.

The multiple unbelievable events prior to their marriage were once viewed as merely bad luck. Looking back, he now views those as an omen that should have been heeded. Cold weather—record cold weather and snow could not stop or delay their wedding. No car was for them to have a brief honeymoon. A kind relative loaned them a car for one night.

The wedding night was a total dull and boring affair. Years later she said, “I was wore out from the wedding.” Really?  Fifteen minutes before a preacher and two witnesses. He later said, “I was born at night, but not last night!”

Fast forward several years when he returned from a year overseas from an unaccompanied assignment. That reunion was Act 2 of the wedding night. What a heart break? What a disappointment? Foolish thoughts of unfaithfulness started to daily haunt his troubled spirit. Would she? Could she? Did she? He could not bring himself to accept the possible answer of Yes.

This story is still a work in progress. For several years she used the “I don’t feel like it excuse.” She even went so far as to say, “I love you, but don’t like you.” When pressed about when she might she said, “Maybe in the future.” Both are mature, if not old. He said she was using the old “Four corner North Carolina offense”---keep passing and run out the clock.

Glenn <><

Just West of Yesterday

CLASS OF 1983 REUNION !

CLASS OF 1983 REUNION AT REEL ‘EM INN MOTEL

 (The events and characters in this story are fictitious and any similarity between persons living or dead is purely coincidental.) 

“Hey Bones, you look like a candidate for a Veggie Diet Systems commercial!”

“Ok Mister Prom King, I hear the drug store has a BOGO sale on Hair Grow for men!”

The good natured jabs and put downs continued for the rest of Friday afternoon as the Class of 1983 checked into the lakeside Reel ‘Em Inn Motel for their 30^th Reunion. The reunion committee selected this motel because of an eye-watering off-season offer to price all rooms at 1983 rates! The motel was within easy walking distance of several mid-price restaurants and the ubiquitous fast food establishments. 

Three tour busses arrived at the motel at 5pm to transport the non-stop talking Class of 1983, their spouses, and in some cases, dates, to a large banquet room at the civic center for an informal catered buffet dinner.


Mayor Gibson welcomed them and said he hoped they would not act like a bunch of Baptists who held their annual state convention in his fair city last month. The mayor said, “Those Baptists came to town with a copy of the Ten Commandments in one hand and a ten dollar bill in the other hand. They vowed not to break either one!”

Bill Henderson, president of the Class of 1983, welcomed everyone and asked all to stand as the class secretary read the names of classmates who had graduated to Eternity. A moment of silence was observed in their honor.

President Henderson next tried his best imitation of Principal Mr. Snider who was “The Man” at good old Eastern Heights High School in 1983. “Students, here’s the schedule for this weekend:

1.      A short business meeting will follow dessert.

2.      After the busses take us back to the motel, a VCR tape of the 1982 District  Football Championship game will be on the lobby TV,  the Rainbow Trout conference room will have a Dutch wet bar, and the Brook Trout conference room will serve complementary coffee and soft drinks.

3.      You are on your own for breakfast. If you signed up for the bowling tourney, be at the front desk at 11am for a bus to King Salmon Lanes.

4.      Two busses will leave the motel at Noon for a two hour mall shopping trip and a short tour of the historic downtown district with a refreshment stop at the Depot Museum and Snack Bar. 

5.      Business Casual dress for the catered dinner at the Elks Club party room. A DJ will play 80’s hits and dancing is optional. All three busses will leave the motel at 7pm with an estimated return around midnight.

6.      Al Binger, one of our classmates and ordained Methodist minister, will hold a short devotional meeting at 10am in the Brook Trout conference room.

7.      At 10:30am, our final time together will be a special Brunch Buffet for our class and guests in the Rainbow conference room.

8.      Motel check out time is 1pm.  

“Hey, Henderson, don’t quit your day job! That was a terrible impression of Warden Snider,” shouted Billy Ray McCalaster.

“Right after lunch count Mr. Wise Guy, I want to see you in my office,” the president shot back.

A roar of laughter filled the room of classmates and friends. Billy Ray’s face became very red.

Dessert was served. The treasurer’s report was presented and approved. And five grads were elected to the 40^th reunion committee, with two alternates. The meeting was adjourned and the talking continued unabated until the second announcement to load the busses.

Back at the motel most of the football players made an out of shape rush to the lobby after grabbing a soft drink from the vending machine.


Bill Henderson, class president, made a short stay in the lobby and joked with the players on the team he quarterbacked to a 14-13 victory over the heavily favored cross town rival--- Western Hills.  His last second “Hail Mary” to Buddy Adams in the end zone and dead center PAT clinched it. Henderson said, “Guys, we could do the same play a hundred times and probably never duplicate it again.” All agreed.

He next went to the coffee and soft drinks room and chatted with his wife and listened to all of the stories about children and grandchildren. In addition there was much talk about divorces, second marriages, and tattoos in unusual locations. He was thankful Evelyn, his wife, and he just celebrated their 25^th Anniversary.

In muted, almost inaudible, tones a few women talked of cosmetic surgery and menopause. All of a sudden he felt very out of place. He wondered to himself when his libido would change. He hoped not soon.

His final stop was in the room where beer and mixed drinks were served. When he opened the door the noise and alcohol smell nearly chased him away. Bill and his wife would share a bottle of Champaign on their anniversary. That was their self-imposed drinking limit.

Billy Ray yelled from across the room, “Gents, somebody better hum “Hail to the Chief” for our wonderful class president. *%^&, he was Mister Hero at good old Eastern Heights prison. Here’s some breaking news:  Most of you don’t know he stole Evelyn away from me just three days before I was going to propose to her. Talk about your Trophy Wives, for two years she was my steady Trophy Girlfriend.  She and I were close---I mean very, very close! Now what do you overweight, stressed out, never at home business executives think of that?”

By now Bill had made his way over to confront the obviously drunk Billy Ray.

“Billy Ray, let’s go out into the hall and talk about your inappropriate comments about Evelyn.”  

“No way Jose; I’m staying right here where I can get another double Wild Turkey headache maker. Boys, for two years I was number two on the football team depth chart. Then wham, bam, old Coach Alfred jumps Mister Bill to starting QB. I took a total of 11 snaps my senior year. So it doesn’t take a Detective Joe Friday to see he stole my football position AND he stole the hottest Pom squad girl at Eastern Heights from good old Billy Ray.”   

Bill could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up and a flush of blood filled his face and both hands clinched in an uncontrolled fighting response. Within a few seconds he felt a certain amount of self-control returning. He spoke slowly without looking at Billy Ray or anyone.

“If you look at the ‘82 gold trophy in the school’s trophy case and the gold wedding ring on Evelyn’s left hand you’ll quickly see who the winner is.” 

Lunging toward Bill, Billy Ray shouted, “I shoulda killed you in ’83!  Someday I’ll show you who the real winner is.”

Three classmates and the motel’s security guard separated the fighting mad duo. Billy Ray was led away to his room by the security guard. Billy Ray was shouting and screaming all the way.  

Bill was shaken, embarrassed and regretted the entire situation. But it had happened and his caustic response was heard by everyone in the room.  But after all, it was Billy Ray who was drunk and chose to replay his three decade long grudge in public. And he was glad he had resisted the animal urge to strike back and ruin the weekend for himself and all of his classmates. He had a king size headache and desperately in need of the comfort of Evelyn and a good night’s sleep. He said goodnight to all and retired to his room.

When Bill returned to his room he discovered a note from Evelyn on the bed. She wrote, “I’m in Betty Higgins’ room with the other Pom girls. Don’t wait up for me. Love, Evelyn.”  Bill opened Evelyn’s small cosmetic bag and located the aspirins; took three and within ten minutes he fell asleep, completely dressed, on top of the bedspread, door unlocked, and the TV on ESPN.  

Evelyn tried her key to their room only to discover the door was already unlocked. With only the dim light of the bathroom she proceeded to locate and turn on a small desk lamp.

Her screams of horror did not wake the dead but did empty all of the motel rooms and sent the security guard and desk clerk running to her.

She staggered backward out of the room and collapsed into a trio of guys with their arms extended toward her.

The security guard took one step into the room and saw a body with a blood soaked pillow half on and half off Bill’s head. The room smelled of gunpowder and liquor. A 911 call had been made when Evelyn’s screams were heard.

Within a couple of minutes the EMTs arrived and conducted a triage of the lifeless victim. They radioed their dispatcher and said the victim apparently died from a gunshot wound to his left temple.

A minute later the police arrived and locked down the entire motel. The EMTs turned to help Evelyn.

The police started their crime scene investigation and awaited the arrival of the medical examiner. All of the guests were ushered into the Brook Trout room and their rooms searched. Nothing significant was found.

One by one, each guest and staff members was taken to the Rainbow Trout room and individually questioned. This took just over five hours. Twelve people gave first person information of the confrontation Billy Ray had had with Bill earlier in the evening.

Evelyn and Beth Higgins were permitted to go to the lobby where Evelyn lay on a couch with a cold wash cloth on her forehead. Her sobbing would pause for a couple of seconds and when she would catch her breathe she seemed to cry with even greater intensity.

Billy Ray was still too drunk to be interviewed and was jailed as a person of interest.

Obviously, the reunion was cancelled and all except Billy Ray, Evelyn, and Betty, were permitted to go home. A crime scene yellow tape encircled the motel and the parking lot.

As Billy Ray started to get sober he realized what a fix he was in---it scared him---it scared him a lot.

Meanwhile, Buddy Adams headed home and wondered if Bill’s obituary would mention the ’82 game and his circus catch among five defensive backs. Two of the defenders played D-1 football and one of these super stars played 12 years in the NFL. He quickly dismissed his thoughts because no one remembered his catch in the greatest game ever played by Eastern Heights. Bill’s throw would always be part of the Eastern Heights’ oral football history.

As he drove across the dam road he slowed down, looked in his rearview mirror, lowered his window and tossed a black metal object and an almost full bottle of Wild Turkey into the deep end of Trout Lake.

He smiled and resumed the eight hour journey home.

Glenn   <>< 4-28-2015

IS IT POSSIBLE ? WHAT DO YOU THINK

This week, a female church member quickly reported to me that she loved her husband but did not like him. 


Is that possible? Perhaps she loved him but did not like some of his behavior. This is not only possible, it is a by product of any loving relationship.


However, there is yet another possible interpretation. Please follow my line of reasoning.


As kids, long before we worried about acne and long before we even thought of driving, we often exchanged notes with members of the opposite sex that declared we liked someone. (Some notes even had a Yes or No option that asked the recipient whether or not they liked us.) I don't think that even moved  the needle on the Puppy Love Meter!


Silly now? But super meaningful then. As all caring adults can report, this the first step in some important way the communication of feeling toward the opposite sex


Case in point, I liked several girls in grade school.
On to PCHS, I liked several girls but there was only one I truly loved. When she married, I wanted to die. To this day,  and 53 years of marriage,I think of her often. In my mind I play the silly "What If Game."


Pardon the temporary absence from the original question. Can you love someone and yet not like them? My reply may shock some readers-if liking precedes love, then a fundamental building block has been removed from the foundation of that relationship. But if the relationship has deteriorated to the ground floor, love has been removed.


It is 1 am now. But I am better equipped to help the original questioner. What do you think?


Glenn <><
Just West of yesterday




m better able to give that person who started all of this a better reply.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ?

After much searching, we have found the perfect retirement house. Yes, it is in another country. Yes, I fluently speak the language. And Yes, it is a lifelong dream come true.


Because of the location, many of you will want to spend some time visiting with us. Unfortunately, we can only accommodate two people per week.
Send us an e-mail and we'll put your name in a drawing to select the lucky vacationers.



Please understand we will not be able to have guests during June & July. We will go fishing these two months---sorry!




Our realtor directed us to the video link below so we might share it with family and friends who might want to become our neighbors!




Glenn <><  Still in shock !!!!


http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/video/5CykdO

Retirement Letter To Church

I take no joy in reporting this. This is the letter I will read to our church Sunday morning. Total of 34 years ordained ministry---22 years at current church. Oh, how I love these wonderful people. In a very real way it seems as if I'm leaving home. Part of me will always be with this church.

April 19, 2015

My Dear Church Family,

With much sadness, and yet with prayerful assurance, I will retire as your pastor the last Sunday in May. (5-31-15.) The timing of my retirement has been moved up. Initially, I wanted to retire after VBS. The poor health of my Dad and brother plus Dad’s upcoming 100^th Birthday Celebration makes this timing the best for everyone. In addition, Elvis is dead and I ain’t feeling so good myself.

 I wholeheartedly urge the church to elect Bro. Coody as your pastor immediately upon my retirement. 

To quote that famous theologian---Ernest Tubb---“Let’s say goodbye like we said hello in a friendly sort of way.”

Your grateful pastor,

Glenn <><

YOU MIGHT BE AN UPTOWN REDNECK IF.......

You Might Be An Uptown Redneck If You .....
               (SOMETIMES I CAN'T HELP MYSELF !)


1. Use an Argyle Sock To Replace Gas Cap


2. Put Peanuts in Your Champagne Bottle


3. Send Your Daughter to Harvard to Learn Welding


4. Think Prince Albert is Next King of England


5. Do Your Biker Tattoos in Calligraphy


6. Buy 8 Track Featuring the Three Tenors


7. Think Racquet Ball is a Mafia School Prom


8. Convert Your 40 " Flat TV to Fish Finder


9. Think Artificial Intelligence was Invented by Store Mannequins


10. Think Wal-Mart Sells Rolex Watches


Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday  
 

SPECIAL THANKS TO A SPECIAL READER

I AM AMAZED TO FIND A FEW READERS COME TO THIS BLOG ON A FREQUENT BASIS.


SPECIAL THANKS TO THAT ONE SPECIAL READER WHO IS MOST REGULAR IN THEIR VISIT.


WHILE I WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE WHO IT IS---I HAVE SPECIAL MEMORIES OF SOMEONE WHO I HOPE IT IS.


I WOULD WELCOME A VERY BRIEF E-MAIL AT   ke5gk@sbcglobal.net  THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.


 GLENN <><
JUST WEST OF YESTERDAY

"Do Not Seek The Treasure" Part II

                        FOR THE RECORD


I have neither knowledge or interest in the supposed silver cache buried in Jennings County. I deeply regret even mentioning  it.   PLEASE ---NO MORE EMAILS/CALLS ON THIS TOPIC !!!!!!!!
Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday

YOUNG LOVE REMEMBERED---GLENN 2015

          YOUNG LOVE REMEMBERED


"It is a fantastic voyage to a landed undiscovered
Our sails are filled with untamed, unguided wind


Rocks and unmarked shipwrecks somehow missed
Charts and maps of earlier sailors are discarded


The unskilled amateur crew of two cling together
Suddenly the wild south wind is only a breeze"


Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday

"YOUNG "---SONNY JAMES SONG IN 1956

LYRICS AND SONG  :BELOW. I LOVED IT THEN AND STILL DO. MY BODY WILL NEVER BE 17 AGAIN; HOWEVER MY HEART WILL ALWAYS RECALL THAT MAGICALLY AGE OF17!


YOUNG LOVE    (Sung by Sonny James)

They say for every boy and girl
There's just one love in this whole world
And I know I've found mine
The heavenly touch of your embrace
Tells me no one could take your place
Ever in my heart

Young love (young love), first love (first love)
Filled with true devotion
Young love (young love), our love (our love)
We share with deep emotion

Just one kiss from your sweet lips
Will tell me that your love is real
And I can feel that it's true
We will vow to one another
There will never be another
Love for you or for me

Young love (young love), first love (first love)
Filled with true devotion
Young love (young love), our love (first love)
We share with deep emotion

Songwriters: CARTEY, RIC / JOYNER, CAROLE

             (CLICK THIS FOR SONG)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU_8D5jBqd0

Glenn <><

Just West of Yesterday

THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE---GANDHI

The Roots of Violence: 

Wealth without work, 
Pleasure without conscience. 
Knowledge without character. 
Commerce without morality.
Science without humanity.
Worship without sacrifice.
Politics without principles. 
-Mahatma Gandhi


Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday

VANITY OF VANITIES !!!!

MY GRANDKIDS LAUGH AT OUR MUSIC !

HERE'S SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT MUSIC WE ENJOYED WAY BACK THEN:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1vRPjYMwKc






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4qtltfyFts






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNh_dkvd1Ic&list=PLzt9PFT-sS3Vxttr-_V_Huxtl4cOGhS7f




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMqoGYd_pvk




Glenn <><
Just West of Yesterday