Hi everyone, Figured I would do a blog and sorry if I haven't visited your blogs just haven't had a whole lot of free time, for the last month I've had split days off work a week get one day off work 3 days get one day etc. etc. I finely picked up a cheap computer for $100.00 at a pawn shop a Dell Latitude 510C It works for getting online it has a Intel(R)Celeron(TM)CPU 1066MHz 935MHz 256 MB of Ram. I have this weekend off yes a whole two days to relax. That's all I have to say have a good weekend.

Saturday In The Park





Sydney Harbor Bridge Australia.


Sumers Prince Edward Island.


Ocracoke N.C.


Bitterroot Valley Montana.


Pennville Indiana.


Solar Eclipse Spokane Washington.


Lewiston Idaho.


Vancouver British Columbia.



God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him,
resting on the seventh day.
He inquired of God. "Where have you been?"
God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction, and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds,
"Look, Michael. Look what I've made."
Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?"
"It's a planet," replied God,
"and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."
"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.
God explained, pointing to different parts of earth.
"For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over there I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things,"
God continued pointing to different countries.
"This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."
The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said,
"What's that one?"
"Ah," said God
"That's Washington State, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, plains, and coulees. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats, and carriers of peace."
Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then proclaimed,
"What about balance, God? You said there would be balance."
God smiled,

"There is another Washington...wait until you see the idiots I put there."

In the United States, the Veteran's Day holiday is celebrated next Monday, November 12th, even though November 11th is the traditional Veteran's Day (this is also Remembrance Day in Canada). In the early 1970's, Veteran's Day became a "movable" holiday -- the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, at the urging of veteran's groups who realized the sanctity of the date, Congress returned Veteran's Day to November 11th (if on a weekend, it moves to the closest Friday or Monday). Please remember that this day is not to honor war, but rather to honor the sacrifice made by others for our freedom.

What we call Veteran's Day is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in the Forest of Campiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). This signified the end of World War I and was originally known as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Congressional Resolution on Nov. 11, 1919, the first Armistice Day.

However, after World War II, the day began to lose meaning and since there were many other veterans to consider, the decision was made to change November 11th to honor all those who fought in American wars. The United States Congress passed an act to change the name to Veteran's Day and in 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower signed the act.

With that in mind, I would like to say "thank you" to all the men and women with whom I served, and to especially remember those who aren't with us anymore. As a former Hospital Corpsman, I wish a heartfelt "Semper Fi" to all my Marine friends.

- Tom Ellsworth
(HM2 USN 1965-69)


A SOLDIER PRAYS

Oh Lord!
Here we sit on this foreign soil,
So very far from home and loved one all.
Death so very near and we so very much afraid.

Please help my comrades and I,
For we wish not to die alone.
We pray that you will be here,
To hear our cry and us to your breast to take.

You are the only living Lord,
We give ourselves to you.
If we must die, and die we must,
Please take us home on high with you.

With outstretched hands we grasp for thee,
Thy love so tender and yet so strong.
Every breath of ours is yours to have,
We need you, Oh so very much Lord.


Gettysburg Pennsylvania.
Ocracoke Island North Carolina.



St. Johns Newfoundland.
Mt. Adams Washington State.



Glacier National Park Montana.



Marshall Indiana.



North Yorkshire England.



Baker Beach California.



Vancouver British Columbia.

Hi Everyone, It's been a while since I've done a blog, Been busy with work and our youngest daughter computer died. So instead of buying a new one the wife packs ours up and sends it too her so she won't have spend money, I'm no hurry in buying one right now using the local library and the one at work when I have time. Just posting some old photos and have a good week.


Perth Australia.


Durango Colorado.


Birchy Head Newfoundland.


Durham North Carolina.
Pownal Prince Edward Island.


Steptoe Butte Eastern Washington State.


Street food Baghdad.


Street patrol Baghdad.


Sunset Patrol Baghdad. Funny Money

On my way home from the second job I've taken for the extra holiday
cash I need, I stopped at Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat. In my
wallet is a $50 bill and a $2 bill. That is all of the cash I
have on my person. I figure that with a $2 bill, I can get something
to eat and not have to worry about people getting upset with me.

ME: "Hi, I'd like one seven layer burrito please, to go."
IT: "Is that it?"
ME: "Yep."
IT: "That'll be $1.04, eat here?"
ME: "No, it's *to* *go*." [I hate effort duplication.]

At his point I open my billfold and hand him the $2 bill. He looks at
it kind of funny and says

IT: "Uh, hang on a sec, I'll be right back."

He goes to talk to his manager, who is still within earshot. The
following conversation occurs between the two of them.

IT: "Hey, you ever see a $2 bill?"
MG: "No. A what?"
IT: "A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me."
MG: "Ask for something else, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A $2 BILL."
IT: "Yeah, thought so."

He comes back to me and says

IT: "We don't take these. Do you have anything else?"
ME: "Just this fifty. You don't take $2 bills? Why?"
IT: "I don't know."
ME: "See here where it says legal tender?"
IT: "Yeah."
ME: "So, shouldn't you take it?"
IT: "Well, hang on a sec."

He goes back to his manager who is watching me like I'm going to
shoplift, and

IT: "He says I have to take it."
MG: "Doesn't he have anything else?"
IT: "Yeah, a fifty. I'll get it and you can open the safe and get change."
MG: "I'M NOT OPENING THE SAFE WITH HIM IN HERE."
IT: "What should I do?"
MG: "Tell him to come back later when he has REAL money."
IT: "I can't tell him that, you tell him."
MG: "Just tell him."
IT: "No way, this is weird, I'm going in back."

The manager approaches me and says

MG: "Sorry, we don't take big bills this time of night."
[it was 8pm and this particular Taco Bell is in a well lighted indoor
mall with 100 other stores.]
ME: "Well, here's a two."
MG: "We don't take *those* either."
ME: "Why the hell not?"
MG: "I think you *know* why."
ME: "No really, tell me, why?"
MG: "Please leave before I call mall security."
ME: "Excuse me?"
MG: "Please leave before I call mall security."
ME: "What the hell for?"
MG: "Please, sir."
ME: "Uh, go ahead, call them."
MG: "Would you please just leave?"
ME: "No."
MG: "Fine, have it your way then."
ME: "No, that's Burger King, isn't it?"

At this point he BACKS away from me and calls mall security on the
phone around the corner. I have two people STARING at me from the dining
area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect. A few minutes later
this 45 year oldish guy comes in and says
[at the other end of counter, in a whisper]

SG: "Yeah, Mike, what's up?"
MG: "This guy is trying to give me some [pause] funny money."
SG: "Really? What?"
MG: "Get this, a *two* dollar bill."
SG: "Why would a guy fake a $2 bill?" [incredulous]
MG: "I don't know? He's kinda weird. Says the only other thing he has
is a fifty."
SG: "So, the fifty's fake?"
MG: "NO, the $2 is."
SG: "Why would he fake a $2 bill?"
MG: "I don't know. Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?"
SG: "Yeah..."

Security guard walks over to me and says

SG: "Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you're trying to use."
ME: "Uh, no."
SG: "Lemme see 'em."
ME: "Why?"
SG: "Do you want me to get the cops in here?"

At this point I was ready to say, "SURE, PLEASE," but I wanted to
eat, so I said

ME: "I'm just trying to buy a burrito and pay for it with this $2 bill."
I put the bill up near his face, and he flinches like I was taking a
swing at him. He takes the bill, turns it over a few times in his hands, and
says

SG: "Mike, what's wrong with this bill?"
MG: "It's fake."
SG: "It doesn't look fake to me."
MG: "But it's a **$2** bill."
SG: "Yeah?"
MG: "Well, there's no such thing, is there?"

The security guard and I both looked at him like he was an idiot, and
it dawned on the guy that he had no clue.

My burrito was free and he threw in a small drink and those cinnamon
things, too. Makes me want to get a whole stack of $2 bills just to
see what happens when I try to buy stuff.