Lessons learned, Do Not Hoard

I needed to clear a closet so the plumber can make repairs in a wall. In the process, I realized how much junk we have accumulated over the years.

Please, please take my advice, if you have a house like mine, (no basement, no attic) do not collect anything. No matter how the urge strikes don't hoard. I have been cleaning out this Damn closet for weeks and just keep finding stuff. Today, I found a Marlin 22 Rifle that I fired twice in 50 years. It's a beautiful rifle, but, to avoid temptation, I brought it to the police station and surrendered it for destruction.

I had forgotten, but there was a time when we moved so often we didn't unpack 6 boxes of stuff. Finally, I just threw it out. I don't know what was in them, but we haven't missed anything over the years.

Moreover, twice in the last couple of decades, I helped my sister, Judi, clean out things after our mother and father died. This got me to thinking that I need to start cleaning out things to give my survivors a hand.

But this is a worrisome task. I look at each item reciting yes, no, yes, maybe, etc. I'm throwing out everything I don't need and I'm making sure I don't need a lot.

Well tomorrow's another day to continue this escapade!!!

Florida School Shooting

Yet another horrible school shooting! This time in Florida. Of course the knee jerk reaction is to ban all guns. But guns by themselves are not the problem. 40,50 years ago when I lived in Virginia, there were gun racks in every pick up but people didn't kill each other.

In this case there were two issues as I understand it. One is that the FBI was notified of this guy's intent to become a school shooter and they did nothing about it; and secondly, what kind of family did he come from? Was it a warm loving nurturing family?

From my way of thinking that is the most important thing. If you don't teach your children the value of life the child will not respect life and be at risk.

Gun control in and of itself is not the answer, If you take guns away from those who are innocent law abiding citizens, you then allow them to be targets of thugs who don't care and obtain guns on the black market.

More Cousins!!!

This story begins on a humorous note some 57 years ago. my grandfather Charles Doherty died in 1962. My parents were in Maine  attending Grandfather's funeral. I am home with my older cousin baby sitting and the phone rings. I answer it and on the other end the disembodied voice says"hello Billy, I am your Aunt Alice/" Well. I never heard of her and said so. She said she was uncle Charlies first wife, which was news to me.

As a 12 year old often does, I promptly forgot to tell my Dad. Then about 6 months later, at dinner I remembered and asked Dad who Aunt Alice was. I thought he was going to bite his fork in half 😃.

That was the first time I knew there were Doherty cousins elsewhere. A couple years back, I decided to reconnect with relatives since our side seemed to be so thin. I got in touch with Sara who in turn put me in touch with Kody who if I got it right is my first cousins (William Deback Doherty) son by Uncle Charles and his first wife Alice.

So Kody, feel free to contribute to this entry and we can further enhance our family history.

By the way, I have already reacquainted myself with Wallis Williams who is the daughter of my Dad's and Uncle's step sister Evelyn.

Trump and the Military Review

Recently, I read that Trump wants to hold a grand military parade in Washington, D.C. I have mixed feelings about that. First as a cadet at Admiral Farragut Academy, we had parades every Sunday for 4 years, so its something I am used to. However, I don't like the message it is sending. Almost like a third world dictator, plus the fact that. as a Veteran myself, I feel the money could be put to better use. How about increasing benefits for the G.I. Bill? Or housing for homeless Vets. Seems like a more worthy cause to me. Maybe he is doing it just to get a rise out of the left!  :)

Facebook and other stuff

There was a time that I thought Facebook was a great idea. I am now growing weary of it. Just way too much aggravation to deal with not much fun any more. I will probably begin to lurk more than post in the near future and start using this blog a little more often.

I'll   be going to Nyack in a little while to visit the wife, who is in the hospital with edema problems. Will mean a big life style change when she gets out and comes home after rehab.