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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer

Paul B

NJRC Member
Today my knee isn't working and I had to many cortizone shots already as it is coming out of my ears. I need another new knee but I can't get one because I can't be laid up that long so I am nursing it as much as I can.

Of course I put that heating salve stuff all over it as everyone does even though we all know that doesn't do anything except make you smell like a forest.
So to save money, I now just hang those little "Christmas Tree" car fresheners all around my knee in the hope that it fools my knee to just do what it is supposed to do. :biggrin:

Christmas tree.jpg
 
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Paul B

NJRC Member
That reminds me of a story. One morning many years ago We were building a 60 story office building in Manhattan and we were having a big job meeting with all the main people. Owners, foreman's etc. (I was the electrician foreman) The plumbing foreman was this huge man, 6' 4", with a beard, Harley, tattoos and everything else that made him a formidable human being.

Some little snowflake at the meeting got up to complain that the diesel trucks coming into the 1st floor of the New construction job was making diesel fumes throughout the building.

So this big Plumbing foreman stood up holding one of those Christmas tree air fresheners and said.
"Maybe we should just hang there all around the job for the fumes" :p
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
I took an amazing walk on the beach this morning.
The sunrise wasn't that spectacular as it was foggy like it often is by the sea.
View attachment 2177842Beach Sunday.jpeg

But as I walked, I went past a place where no modern man has ever walked.

I came upon this Hieroglyphic rock painting.

Stone on beach.jpeg

View attachment 2177847

I could tell it was very old probably going back 10 or 20 Tuesdays.

The "paint" seemed to be made from some natural substance the natives found and they called it
"chake" (chalk) . From researching I discovered it came from an area called Walmakit. (Walmart)

The stone was not facing east like many ancient relics are because these people didn't want to get up as soon as the sun rose and they really didn't care about that, or apparently anything else.

It faced north to a place they called Conn-ot-o-quat later changed to Connecticut

It also wasn't built to look like the star system Sirius because the Egyptians already took that one.

I was so fascinated I wanted to study more about them so as I searched I found their fire pit.

Firepit on beach.jpeg

View attachment 2177849

They probably used it to cook Chic-tok (chicken wings) and I am surprised it lasted so long in this condition. Especially the straw they likely used as kindling to light the thing.

The best way to learn about ancient civilizations is to study their garbage and if you look hard enough, you can usually find tiny bits of their last meal.

View attachment 2177850Trash on beach.jpeg

I discovered the name these people called themselves.....Slobakas or "Slobs". :confused:
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
I think new Steam Punk thing is coming out pretty cool. It needs a lot more work and being I am a lousy computer programmer getting the sand timer to invert every minute was the hardest part. But it works perfectly.

Of course the thing goes into a glass dome.
Steam Punk dome.jpg
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
Thanks. I feel great. Just a cracked bone in my wrist. If you lived as long as me and didn't break most of your bones, you didn't have enough fun. :)
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
Unfortunately, I am slowly losing some of my corals. Due to this broken wrist with the full cast on it wyhich I cant get wet, some sponge isgrowing up the bases ofthe corals and I can't get in there to trim the stuff. That is normaly the maintenance I do like weekly. I really need to trim the stuff occasionally but I can't doitnow.
Friday I go back to the surgeon so maybe she will remove this thing, but I doubt it.

I also need to clean my algae scrubber but same problem :(
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
On my morning beach walk I noticed something at the surf.

1623324795765.png


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I thought it was two octopuses wrestling, but I was wrong and we don't get many octopus here on Long Island and if we do, they get along and don't fight.

On closer inspection I noticed they were Horse shoe crabs. A common sight here.

1623324840392.png


They were up side down just relaxing in the morning sun. They must have forgotten that in an hour it was going to be 90 degrees and they would turn into crab cakes which sea gulls love.

Normally horseshoe crabs can turn over but on this rocky shore they were having trouble so I helped them and put them back in the sea.

Then as I walked I noticed why they came out of the water. I stumbled upon their favorite food which horse shoe crabs would do anything for.

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Quote Reply
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
I always help out my crab friends and have saved countless horseshoe crabs in this way. I know they have been here for millions of years before Nancy Pelosi was born but I think even if they had thumbs they would still do lousy on standard "true and false" tests. I mean, there is an entire ocean out there but they insist on crawling up to the surf where they know a wave will turn them up side down on the sand and I am not always going to walk on that beach just at the right time to rescue them. I realize they need to spawn but get a room.

Last week I also saved a bright yellow box turtle who was calmly walking across the street. These guys are also endangered and I think the reason why is that they think they would make excellent speed bumps. But they fail miserably at that. :confused:
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
Aging



As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play on the computer until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50, 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.

I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet passes? But, broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old . It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

As TO GETTING OLDER, went for my first "in person" 6 month checkup yesterday, the nurse (who looked to be at least 18yrs old) said " You have the prettiest white hair". Told her Thank You, I've had a lot of GOOD Times getting it.
 
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