THE FLAG POLE CLIMBER

        I have written a few times about attending a one room rural school back in the late 40's.  In all ways it was different from what we have today.

        Many times we would go to school an hour before it started. Not because we liked  school , but so that we could play. There were 17 kids in the school so we were much like one big family. For play we had one ball and one bat. Did we play ball? Well not often. There were seventeen of us so that ends full sides. Some were in first grade so we lose some players there. Some of the girls wouldn't play.

        So what did we do. In a school yard there are many things to play with. We went into the school even if the teacher wasn't there. We made toy farms. We built roads in the dirt. We played in the barn but the was a no no. One kid kept an eye out the window in case the teacher was coming out.

  Very little supervision took place. 

   So one thing every little boy had  to learn was how to climb a flag pole. This was  strictly against the rules but rules only mattered if you got caught.

    So on one of these early morning school times , I decided to climb the flag pole. The teacher was walking to school and was about half a mile away. I didn't think she could identify me from that far away. Kids think adults can't see! When I was at the top we all heard a yell. The teacher had seen us but we weren't worried as she wouldn't be able to identify us. Well, she didn't identify me but took the opportunity to lecture all of us about climbing the flag pole.

COMMENTS ON COMMENTS

          A few weeks ago I changed things on my blog. It was my intention to post a comment every day.

         I admit that I have been struggling the last while. I've found topics hard to come by and the writing wasn't up to what I expected of myself. I've also discovered that my aging slows things down.

         I've had a list of quotes that I wanted to use on the blog for a long time. I wanted to make a side bar with a quote of the day. I collected the comments in my teaching days as I had a quote of the day on the chalk board to get kids attention before I entered the classroom. So my secret for comments was  to get them out of the local paper. Today you can find books of comments.

         I've had some comments on the change. I know I lost some followers but, I also gained some. Some expressed their opinion which was great. I like to see both positive and negative comments. I also like the comments on the way the blog was written before.

     I appreciated one comment more than any other and it didn't make it on to the blog. My son said, "  Dad, it's just not you!" I appreciated his keen sense of who I am and that he will miss that part. By the way he said , " Dad  go back to what you had before."

   A funny thing is happening. I seem to be writing as many posts as before so you are getting two types of blog.

   Thanks for reading from 2008. I've learned so much from this activity. I've found so many interesting  on line friends.

SEND KEYS

      NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN IF YOU HAVEN'T   HIT THE SEND KEY.

                             Dave Shipley and Will Schwalbe

           This quote could apply to many more situations.

WINNING

    When you win, say nothing.  Paul Brown

    It's interesting that Paul Brown was a foot ball coach.

CONSCIENCE

             A clear conscience is usually the sign of a poor memory.

                                                Steven Wright

           Steven Wright was a stand up comedian, writer, film director and actor.

I'M A HOTTY

      Yes I mean the kind of hotty  where females are attracted to me. Well some of you have already said there's something funny here. There's a story behind this one. Something is being twisted here.

     Yes, there's a story.

   I'm a regular walker. I walk the same route. I visit with people and their dogs. Sometimes I tell people too much for my own good. There's a beaver dam and bridge  where people visit and watch beavers. One day a somewhat elderly woman showed up. She had bright pink hair and said she was 79 , a hairdresser and still working. She was talkative and nosy. She asked people questions that were very  out of line.

     A few days later I met the same woman. She was driving by in her car. She would stop in much the same place. One day she commented that she had a nice car. A few days later she asked if I wanted a ride in her car. 

    I figured out why she stopped me in the same place. She saw me walk by her place and jumped in her car and caught up to me.

   That was just far too creepy. I changed my walking route and got rid of her.

FRIEND

       A real friend is one who walks in when the rest walk out.

                                                                 Walter Winchell.

                 I haven't heard about Walter Winchell for a long time.