That Snake!

 

Over at my late sisters we have been sorting stuff.  I went outside to the driveway to put some stuff in the car and almost stepped on a snake.  I suppose it was almost 10” to a foot long.  I saw it just in the nick of time before I stepped on him.  It politely dodge my clodhopper and kept on moving.

I think it was a garner snake. 

He stopped and I shouted at it and waved a stick at it.  It didn’t bother him.

Looking closer at it I saw it was doing body rolling and some head jerking back and forth.

Then I realized it was rolling over the marching roll of ants sending them running and confused.  The ants were probably knew how to get someplace when they were following another ant.

Then is when the reptile would chomp down on the confused ants.

That rat!  I mean Snake!

That is the Law of the Jungle.

Postal Coworkers

 I worked for the Postal Service for most of my work-life. I was with the Atlanta Post Office from about 1968 to the early 1980s then transferred to Marietta Post Office, where I retired the first day of the year 2000 (which was a holiday).

When I worked for the Atlanta Post Office I was mostly a time keeper and data collection clerk. I think our timekeepers’ office had about 35 employees. Most of my time as a timekeeper was at the Federal Annex, sandwiched on Spring and Forsyth Streets. Then the whole mail processing moved to a center in Hapeville, Ga., just south of Atlanta.

Doing time keeper research I talked a lot to the supervisors. One supervisor I became friends was Warren M. Bailey. Warren was over a LSM Machine (Letter sorting machine). I think we became friends because as a part time job he sold gadgets, electronic toys, computer stuff, and so on. And I was beginning to like electronic gadget stuff. He always was glad whenever he saw me walking towards him.

He told me that one time he was a supervisor at a branch, and somehow, he made an official complaint against himself, which is complicated. He as supervisor was following orders, which was complicated. It pissed off the Postmaster but proved his point, but was transferred.

His wife worked for the Atlanta Post Office, also, in the personnel office.

After I transferred to the Marietta Post Office, on March 6, 1985, one of Morgan Bailey employees, Steven Brownee killed Morgan Bailey , and some others, plus wounding some before some courageous people tackled him.

About a year later I saw his wife and his kids in front of K-Mart selling puppies in a box.

The incident is one of the articles in the book GOING POSTAL by Don Lasseter.

Old Cobb County Courthouse, from behind

 

Ridley Cemetery, Crandall, Murray County, Ga

 The story of me finding the Ridley family cemetery has a life of its own, so to speak. One morning I drove to Murray County, Georgia, with the purpose of finding the Ridley Cemetery. I had no idea where to find it. I thought it might be in the Crandall Community, since that is where the Pettys and Ridley lived.

I drove up Hwy 225. When in Murray County, I stopped at a little local hamburger lunch place to eat lunch. There was no dining room inside. There was a window to order and get your food. I got something and was back in my car eating when I noticed a Georgia D.O.T. truck parked near with a man inside it, also eating. I thought he might give me an idea where the cemetery was. I walked up to his window and pardoned myself for interrupting his lunch and told him I was looking for the Ridley Family Cemetery, did he have any idea…. He looked at me started with a hunk of food pushing a cheek outward. Was he choking? After he chewed and swallow he said, “You want believe this but look what my finger is on.” He held up a topical map and his finger was on “Ridley Cemetery” This, I believe was a divinely inspired lead.

It was, as I guessed, in the Crandall Community on Jim Petty Road. Jim Petty is my great uncle. I went by his directions and saw the cemetery on the side of the road on the other side of a guard rail, which was the beginning of a little bridge over a little creek, just like the map said.

I parked on the side of the road and went into the little cemetery.

There I saw the graves of my distant cousins, uncles, and ancestors. I took notes and taking pictures. My peripheral vison caught some kind of movement. I looked up and creeping towards was an elderly man with a shotgun aimed at me.

He said, “Can I help you?”

“My grandmother told me about this cemetery and I wanted to see it.

“Whose your grandmother?”

“Frances Viola Ridley Petty.”

“You Ola’s boy?”

“No, she is my grandmother, I’m her daughter’s son.”

Most importantly (to me) he lowered his shotgun.

“How is Viola?”

“she died about ten years ago.”

“Sorry to hear that”

He told me to come back anytime.

“Anytime” was about 15 to 20 years later. This time I wanted to show my sons the Ridley Cemetery. While we were looking at the old markers several young people, in their early 20s, were hanging out in front of the house where the old man lived. They got on dirt bike, 4 or 5 of them, and rode near us at the cemetery, and jumping the ditch on the road, u-turning and coming back near us again, each time getting closer and closer. I felt uncomfortable. Afterall, we were the trespassers. We left.

Did Hear About The One About....?

 

Yesterday we saw a video of our grandson at a classmate’s birthday party.  When he arrived the birthday girl ran up to him and asked him did he bring THE book.  He said he did.  Not too many minutes he was standing reading from THE book.  Kids were sitting around listening and laughing.  He was reading them jokes.  I think the jokebook he was reading from was a book we gave him months ago titled something like “Jokes for Kids under 10”. 

Also, the part of the video we watched one kid played a music instrument he bought.  That went over good too.

I think that is a great way to throw a birthday party for one  that age, forget renting a bouncing castle or a magician, clown, or whatever.  Encourage your invitees to bring their talents. 

Mrs. J. N. Petty & Offspring's

 Not to continue beating a dead horse but here is Mrs. J. N. Petty again but this time whoever wrote on this picture made it much more personal, as far as her name goes. Here her name is Mrs. John N. Petty, look, see for yourself.

I found this picture funny because of the expression on Mrs. Petty's face and the young man standing beside her. By body language and facial expressions I think just before this picture was taken Mrs. J.N. gave Jim (the young man) a painful ear pinch for misbehaving.

By the way, Ethel Petty in this picture is the second Petty I know of named Ethel. The first I knew about was is my mother. I wonder if my mother was named after this Ethel? She was her great aunt, but I suspect they were unaware of each other's existence.

Not that it matters in the grand course of things but Ethel shares a cemetery plot with her mother Mrs. J. N. Petty. If these mother and daughter ghosts ever have a mother-daughter heated argument Ethel Petty could do a slam-dunk on the argument by saying, "At least I have my name on my tombstone!" Then lie there with a smirk on her embalmed face for eternity.

My Mama

 My Mama (Ethel America "Janie" Petty Hunter (1918-1996) and me in the Clay Homes, c1944.

Bonnie, Janie (Mama), Me on Richard St, c1955

Anchor Tybee Island by me

 I took this picture on Tybee Island a few years ago. Anna's first cousin, once removed, Julian Whorton Prance disappeared in the ocean near Tybee Island Beach, September 5, 1937, at age 23. His body was never found. On that same date, Anna's brother was born. He was named Julian Randy Prance. The Julian Prance name was carried on.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! HELP! Magazine #8, BERLIN by Arnold Roth

 

BERLIN

By Arnold Roth

From the pages of HELP Magazine, issue #8, March 1961.

Googling Arnold Roth I found he was born in 1929.  He might be still alive.

I remember seeing a comical art by him in HELP, MAD, record album covers etc.

Remember Berlin when things were rough?  Apparently editor Harvey Kurtzman sent Arnold there on assignment.  So, take it away Arnold! 

Chimes, Humming Birds, and new word Tenacious

 

I learned a new word today.  Because of my oldest sister Frances’ death a dear friend sent us a very nice set of wind chimes.

That was very kind, thoughtful, and generous. Of her.

The wind chimes’ tones sound very sincere, dancing with the breeze.  At first we did not know where to put it.  The area that would receive the best breezes is also the best place for our hummingbird feeder.  The hummingbirds always come in early July except for ones in transient and late stragglers.   We were worried that the serious deep tones of the Chimes would scare off the hummingbirds who should show up in early July.  So, we called a bird feed store who also sells yard chimes.  The owner told us he doubt it, hummingbirds are very tenacious.

Hah!  Tenacious, new word!  I googled Tenacious and read this:

A strong grip or an unyielding advocate might both be described as tenacious, a word whose synonyms include resolute, firm, and persistent.

The chimes apparatus is hung up and is waiting for the tenacious humming birds

Jack Hunter, CPO & Hero

 

Going through some old pictures, Look! Our uncle Jack Hunter. Did you know he was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941? Also, he was on a PT boat in the Pacific when Eddie Rickenbacker's plane went down and Jack saved him.

He is my father's brother, always will be.

Brothers Ed & Jack Hunter

Clay Homes, c1942

Clay Homes, Frances, Mama holding me, and ?.

Background bldg Returning from war GIs Vocational School
 

Petty Females, only two still living

 I posted this on Facebook 6 years ago:

This is the Mamas and Daughters of my Petty family, in Varnell, Georgia, ca1940s. As far as I know,  only 2 in this bunch are still living

The Unpaid Parking Ticket about 60 years old

 Posted on Facebook 2 years ago

I got word a couple days ago that a Navy friend’s brother had died. He is survived by his brother (the Navy friend) and his sister. Interesting, he was a Chicago cop that I think belonged to a special unit. I think he was probably in his early 70s, therefore probably retired. I feel for his family.

I remember about in about 1965 or 66, I paid my friend a visit in Chicago. His brother, jokingly, wrote me a traffic ticket. Although it was a joke, it is still a real unpaid City of Chicago traffic ticket.

I am a fugitive of the law. For real. If I should be pulled over and they run my vehicle’s registration they might find the unpaid parking ticket, some 60 years old.

I might tell the cops the joke is on them as they throw away the key to the jailhouse

Rambling from one subject to another

 

K Mike Whittle in the old Clark Library Building. Interesting his father was John Hood, a Cobb County Policeman who was killed meeting head on or a drag race in 1960 on Roswell Road. One of the Dragsters, also killed, was Jenky Latimer, was a friend of mine. I was one of his pall bearers at Little River Methodist in Woodstock. While toting the casket to the grave Larry farted loudly and we all got the giggles. I suppose it was a good needed comic relief.

PS I was with Larry & Jenky minutes before at Varner’s. I had to leave in order to get some sleep before going to work sacking groceries at The Big Apple the upcoming morning.

Tiger Lilies by me