Wednesday, April 16, 2014

My Son Is Doing Great

    I'd be the first to admit that I am not cut out to be a drivers instructor .  When it comes to my son, however I do pretty good, although he likes to point out my mistakes now.   That is ok, for now (Ha-Ha) but seriously its good, he is getting to know what not to do and picking up on the small things as well.  He is doing great.  I am so proud of him and his sister.
   Her second track meet, which was at home, was canceled because it was too cold.  That's right..another blast of winter came leaving snow after two days of temps almost 80 degrees.
   Now my dad is sick, which has been pretty raw, my mom called and told me that dad was in bed with vomiting and the runs.  Mom is still struggling with her blood sugar.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  I have down with something that has made me tired and chilling my body where I can't keep warm...oh yes the change of temps strike again.  Feeling ill, just in time for Easter.  I am sure it will be ok, my son has managed to be not phased by it, although my daughter I think gave it to all of us being of ill last week.
   All and all, I know a strange blog.
Even though dad is feeling poorly, he is giving my son advise and that is great.  Me, I worry over everything and everybody, especially.

   Hope and pray everyone here and Schizz's family in Amesbury, Ma are keeping well, love you all,especially that special man, Schizz!


  Somebody posted this on YouTube but this is another Highway Safety Foundation Film made with The Ohio State Highway Patrol in the years my dad was with them.  I believe they were constructing a new Highway through Ohio at the time of this film.  I can't remember if it was 270 or 71.  This isn't the complete film but its enough of it to get the point across.  Again, these are actual films of people who were injured or killed in these crashes.   Out of all of the highway films made with The Ohio State Highway Patrol in those years, Mechanized Death (This one) is the most difficult one to watch because in one segment they respond to an over turned car in which a baby died  and the patrolman tried C.P.R to save her, but he was unable and wept.  He was a father of a couple little ones himself. a 14 yer old boy and a young mother also passes away in a different accident scene.    I can understand them not posting this entire film.


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Wheels of Tragedy **WARNING! Graphic Depictions of Actual Deaths!**


Northern Ohio. I71

Driver's Ed

        Wanted to share more of The Ohio State Highway Patrol films that helped The Highway Safety Foundation get across the importance of good driving habits, that save lives.  They are graphic.
 Remember these are real Ohio State Patrolmen, people who helped at these accident scenes.  They are old films, but deserve respect clearly because of the workers and accident victims that were injured or killed.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Car Names

    So much has happened this past weekend, please hang in there as I sort these thoughts into one blog, I promise it won't hurt.   My mom shared with me an album that my second cousin Mary Rose left that had photos of family history concerning my Grandma Sarah Havens family, The McDonnells.  She had left it here after Uncle Franks Funeral Service.  I got to see pictures of all of them that I never got to see including my Great-Grandma Hazel (Rector) McDonnell when she was married at 15 to my great grandpa, of course she had lied about her age, so she could marry him.  Both of them looked so young.   So, I got to see this album when the kids and I went to my folks for dinner.  Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with car names...I am getting to that.
     While there, we got on the subject of cars because pictured in the album were old model cars from the thirties and forties in it, so naturally the conversation progressed into my son wanting a Ford F150 as his first vehicle.  I have been working with him on his driving and let him drive Curve Road to my folks house.  I will eventually take him to a driver's school in Delaware, Ohio.  His cousin was there with his 2000 Ford Taurus and "The Name Of Cars " we have given over the years came up because he had shared with us that he had called his car "Bertha"  not sure why.  It had started how and why we named our cars and trucks.
      I remember reading Sir Anthony's Blog on how some of there vehicles impacted their lives in humorous ways.  From The Falcon which he and his brothers dangled a rope out of a hole in the car's floor board while their mother was driving, ok..I get it ,it represented what male horses and dogs look like underneath...leave it to boys (Ha-Ha).  His poor mom.   Next it was his Gremlin called " Libido "...I still haven't made that connection ..yet!
      A car can bring out the best and worse in all of us when we experience mechanical problems or just how they are built and driven   "Elmer" a white heavy duty GMC pick-up my dad had , got its name from my mom because she never liked driving it .  It was no power steering, standard shift transmission...dad called it "A Man's Truck" just to get under mom's skin.  If anybody had driven a shift up Central Ave in Delaware, knows how she felt.
    "Old Betsy" was the name my brother gave my parent's 1995 Crown Vic before they traded it for "Arnold" a 2003 Ford Exployer.  ''Big Blue" a 1977 Ford LTD was their other car when we grew into our teenage years and driven by all of us but it was my sister who named it and her little Ford truck "Lil Red"
      Right before his death, my husband picked out a 1996 Teal Ford Windstar, before that we had my favorite, a Ford Escort Wagon.  Standard shift, it was the easiest car to drive and wonderful on gas but we out grew it and when our children turned eight and six , we got the Windstar.
    After my husband died and we moved to Delaware, I hated driving it because it brought back my late husband's last few moments before he went into the hospital and then passed away.  I has a very hard time wanting to get into it.  It really got bad when my anxiety and depression worsened.   I had no choice to drive it and slowly I gained my confidence back.  It seemed like every time I was in it with the kids "Slow Ride" by Foghat came on...so I called it "Slow Ride" a typical mini-van, it fit.
    Today, while driving home from my daughter's doctor's appointment "Brick House " by The Commadores
came on.  I am not a big fan of the 1977 song but it always comes on every time I get into my newest car. 2002 Red Ford Taurus.  So since "Red" was used, My car is "Brick House."
So in honor of all the cars in our lives and to my car now...its dedicated to them
My brother had restored a 1955 Ford Pickup and called it "Puppy" he had a second name for it "Pride And Joy" a song from Stevie Ray Vaughan
I tried to think of a song that goes with "Libido" The gremlin, although  personally,I think his Fire bird  fits better.  This is the only thing I could come up with..hope you like it.