"The Moving Wall" comes to West Michigan

"The Moving Wall" a smaller version of The Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. travels the United States and on August 21st it came to the Grand Rapids area (Sparta, Michigan to be exact). I had seen it 20 years earlier but didn't know where my buddy's name was located on the wall. This time I did. Panel 48E - Line 31.

Dean and I served with the U.S. Army's 9th Infantry Division near Saigon and at My Tho, in the Mekong Delta. He was killed by a mortar blast on April 6, 1968.

Interestingly enough, I paid my respects at this wall on August 22nd, 2008 - exactly 43 years to the day when I originally was sworn in as a soldier in the U.S. Army.

I made a 'rubbing' of his name, as is the custom of family and friends.

As it was the first time I saw the "Wall" in the late 1980's, I again was overcome with emotion as I faced the "Wall." And this was the 'minature' "Moving Wall." I hope to visit the actual "Wall" in the nation's captitol sometime soon . . . I can't even imagine the emotion I will feel then.

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Ahhhhhh, the "Deck Days of Summer."

This year, with the wife retired as well, we've been spending more time on our deck. The weather has been very cooperative, the laptop receives the wireless router signal well, and the iced tea is very tasty and thirst-quenching.

It's a great place for me to pursue my new hobby . . . . napping. I just don't have a hammock, but our chairs are reasonably comfy.

Really the only thing that would bring me back indoors is my large screen HDTV, which I almost had . . . . until the store went out of business. Darn, I was so looking forward to watching Notre Dame football on the large screen. Still waiting to hear whether or not we'll officially be getting our money back on the deposits we made.

Oh well, at least we have the deck, ahhhhhhhhh!

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I've Had Enough!

I'm getting tired of all the political ads and emails, and they seem to have been around for years . . . oh, they have been.

But now it's mud slinging, image-smearing, and just down right crap!

I'm ready for the election NOW, just to stop receiving all those emails and the TV ads.

But I don't know who I'm voting for. I'm afraid that my choices will be Pat Paulsen or Mickey Mouse (not that we have a Mickey Mouse government).

Are there any candidates who are 'perfect' to represent us in the various forms of government levels?

The only consolation is that the election is only less than 3 months / 90 days away.

Can I tolerate it that long?

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AAARRRGGHHH ! Runaway Truck Meets My Car.

My 2001 Hyundai Accent has traveled some 50,000 miles without a problem until Monday 8/4 when it collided with a runaway pickup truck. The driver of the truck had stopped at the corner of a local intersection to drop off some letters in the mailbox. He 'forgot' to put it in park and it rolled into the traffic lane. It was raining, there was a larger truck in the right-hand lane and I didn't see the pickup until it suddenly appeared directly in front of me. I slammed on my brakes, but there was no way I could have avoided the collision.

The force of the impact was so great that my glasses flew off my face. The airbag did not deploy, but the seat belt did restrain me from hitting the steering wheel. I have the bruises and sore body tissue to prove that.

The crash was so great that force of my collision pushed the pickup into another car in the oncoming traffic lane, which sustained only minor damage. The pickup then continued its course until it finally careened into a telephone pole across the street. The driver had fallen out of the pickup, before it entered the intersection and suddenly halted my forward progress.

The body shop and the insurance company have agreed (at this point) that the car can be repaired. There is apparently no damage to the frame or engine, just all cosmetic damage to the tune of some $2100.00 and change. Because of our coverage and the fault of the other 'driver' I will have no out-of-pocket charges.

I was BLESSED that I was not seriously injured or killed according to the body shop, as they also are fixing the pickup. They said that the force at which I hit and damaged that vehicle could have been extremely serious to my physical being.

GOD is truly my Co-pilot. Thank You Lord!

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Classic Stereo & My Money - UPDATE

I made a run to the bank after I discovered this store was closing (with my $$$ in their hands), and apparently got in under the wire, before the possibility of being tied up in the quagmire of a potential bankruptcy and all those legal hurdles. "Provisionally" the bank credited our account back the money we made on a deposit for a piece of furniture for the HDTV, and American Express has done the same, but both have to 'research' the entire matter.

I optimistically expect to see our money back so I can get an HDTV from a 'big box' store before Notre Dame football starts on September 6th. I already have an eye on one at Costco. The stand is a different story, I have to continue my search for another one from another vendor.

Watch this space for further updates.

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"Inventory" My Butt !

After spending over six months doing my research, comparing vendors and products, we decided to keep our money local by purchasing from Classic Stereo & Video. After all, here is a local company who will stand behind what they sell. So on July 18th I plunked down a chunk of change for both a 52 inch HDTV and a nice piece of furniture for it to sit on. On Tuesday July 29th I stopped by with a question for my salesperson. He said he would call me Thursday with the info and the status of my HDTV.

Imagine my surprise when I heard that they closed their doors and apparently took my money (and others?) and ran. So much for shopping locally and helping our Grand Rapids area economy.

Now it's going to be fun attempting to determine how and where I get my money back.

AAAAARRGHH!

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