The Rules

Possibly the best blog ever. Especially if you are a Dad with daughters. Do read, have a good laugh, and you may think, like me, “I wish I had this when my little girl was dating.”

Mitigating Chaos

Megan, Elissa & Kelliann, somewhere in Ashville, NC

I decided to re-post this from 2012. It was a hit back then and I am told that it hangs on refrigerators all around the world.

There are many new readers who have never seen it.

The Rules For Dating My Daughters

The photo? Well, that was from Elissa’s “Bachelorette Party” this weekend. They aren’t little girls any longer, but I’m still their Daddy.

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Help Is Here

This is America. Not the rubbish we see in the papers and on TV, not the over rich politicians who have no idea what it is to be hungry, or have nowhere to rest, not the overpaid sports, media, and entertainment “stars”. These are the stars!

that little voice

I returned home just days following Hurricane Harvey’s rampage through this part of Texas, getting a first hand view of the devastation to some 100+ families, not including the dozens of businesses that were impacted in our small town. The saddest part of this tragedy is most of those affected could not afford these life changing events.

They lost everything…except each other. They have no clothes, no shoes, no food, no furniture,  no school supplies, no homes, no direction…and no money.

Rebuild? How? With What?

Move? Where?

Pull yourself up with your boot straps? Who has boots?

I sat with a restaurant owner yesterday as she handed out grocery store gift cards, clothing store gift cards, and cash to her staff members who have no place to live, and no means to ‘start over’. It was important that the restaurant open because these folks needed to get a paycheck, and that wouldn’t…

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Sunday sentiment – haiku #51

Thank you blogger friends

you enhance my life each day

I hope I do yours!

The Rescuers Final Reward

For animal lovers everywhere, a lovely tale to brighten your day, with maybe a little tear!

The happy Quitter!

Of course, I know about the “Rainbow Bridge.” It’s a cute story that is supposed to cheer us up when we lose a furry friend, but until today I didn’t know there was a second part. The second part is for rescued animals and rescuers. 

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The Hurtful Truth

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the twist in this tale from “Funsie”. Well worth a read.

Simply Me

My nature of job required me to be away for months, and sometimes even years. I met Clare on board my ship. It was love at first sight. Few months later, we were married. However, one month after our marriage, I was called on board to replace Jake, my best friend who called in sick.

Although I was reluctant to part with my newly wedded bride, I had a duty to fulfil. Every passing days felt like years. I missed her so much. The only comfort I had, was to gaze at the stars every night knowing that we were looking at the same sky wherever we were.

After several months on the sea, I was finally back in town. I could not wait to see Clare. My heart was thumping with excitement. My footsteps were as light as feathers. It did not take very long for me to reach…

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Too Soon to Speculate: thoughts on Grenfell Tower Fire

What a brilliant article by my friend Kirsty, and what chilling reading the blog of the Grenfell Action Group makes. (Linked from the “raised again and again….”) Clearly, there has been a problem for a long time, and there is still a problem with other tower blocks. No money to cure the problem? Tough – We have to find the funding! What a great community spirit has been displayed in the aftermath, with no regard to race, colour, religion or gender.
Whether you have a faith, or none, pray that you never have to experience what those fellow human beings have had to endure, and what they have to live with for ever!

kirstwrites

Sometimes you can watch the TV news unfold its daily horrors and let it just wash over you; at other times the sheer awfulness leaves you breathless, heartsick, overwhelmed. Today is one of those other days. It’s been difficult to concentrate at work today, flicking back to the news websites every so often with a pounding heart. If this is how I’m feeling, a comfortable 200 miles away from Grenfell Tower, I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for those personally affected.

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The little sods from the !st Monchen Gladbach Scout Troop

Read this fantastic story of Scouting of yesteryear told by John. He is now retired, both from stealing from the Tuck Shop, and from his legal duties. He can still sing the old scouting songs though!

Broadsides

It must have been the summer of 1961. Certainly before the Beatles. The music that year was all Dean Martin and the Drifters, or itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini.* And I recall being in love with a girl in the 4th form at Queens’s school in Rheindalen, Carol, and constantly singing a song to her called “Oh Carol”.** And there was Elvis of course. Anyway, I was in the boy scouts then. Moved on I had from the cubs, left behind all that Akela and dib dib, dib, dob, dob, dob stuff. Cubs had sixers in charge. I had been a sixer when a cub. Born to command I was. Now, in that summer of ’61, I had graduated to the scouts and I was quickly made a Patrol leader. Sometimes I even wore long trousers.

They would meet once a week, Wednesday evening…

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Leave it Jezza, it’s not worth it!

Kirsty, one of the few blogging friends that I know IRL, has a few views about politics. She gave up soaps some time ago. Now she plans to give up politics……..well, almost!

kirstwrites

Several years ago I remember waking up in a cold sweat after a nightmare about EastEnders. I think it was about Sonia Fowler – that sweet brainy trumpet-playing girl who fell in love with bad boy Martin after he’d accidentally killed her lovely previous boyfriend, then didn’t realise she was pregnant until she went into labour, gave the baby up for adoption but then had a breakdown and kidnapped the child back. 

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I’ve never wished that I wasn’t a woman.

A powerful piece of writing from a young lady who is worth far more than all the misogynist, childish, and ignorant bullies who hide their own insecurities behind group bravado. Please do like, and comment, on the original post.

Emily Speaks

I’ve never wished that I wasn’t a woman. Not once. I’ve never envied a man or wanted to be anyone else. I’ve always felt valued and equal to my male friends, never an object or something insignificant or worthless. I’ve never felt scared to walk down a street, as a woman. I’ve never felt like my gender defined who I am or what I’ve done. I like to break the mould, the stereotype; be different and be myself. As a woman, I’ve always stood tall. I’ve always felt proud and strong.

I’ve never wished that I wasn’t a woman, until recently. Until I was jeered at by a group of men, as I walked past them. Until two men stood in front of me and my friend and wanted to tell us (and probably show us) “all the things I’d do to you”. Until I was made to feel like…

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Sunday sentiment – haiku #33

A Happy Easter

blessings to all my blog friends

even if half cracked!