How Old People Have Fun

Saturday BBBH and I made our annual trek six miles down the road to visit the Atlanta New Earth Festival.  I believe I attended the first edition forty years ago.  We have done several in the past few years.  Temperature in the eighties, the spouse grumbled about being in jeans rather than shorts.  Just a few years ago as we left the festival we walked from town to the car in a raging snowstorm.  You just never know.

Saturday we

1)  Planned to ride the scooter.  The valve stem blew out while I was attempting to elevate the air pressure in the rear tire.  We drove the car.

2)  Paid an old guy four bucks to park on his grass, and yet we were three blocks from the beginning of the festivities.

3) Wandered through blocks of street venders, I often leaning against a tree or a post while BBBH "shopped."

4)  Ate festival-priced barbeque sandwiches.

5)  Then walked four blocks to the necessary. This village of 740 souls sells all the premium space, and all the rest of it, too, to vendors, plan for eighty thousand visitors, then put the toities way out in the back forty. Near which the train was parked.

6) Talked with the conductor, reminiscing about the good old days of rail transportation.  Walked to other end of train where I snapped picture of this old residence.

7)  Talked to engineer at other end of train, then took this picture.

8)  Turned around and found a very expensive smart phone lying smack dab in the middle of the street.

9) Were searching for someone who seemed to have some semblance of authority when a young lady, twenty something, threw her arms around me, gave me a big old hug and told me how wonderful it was to see me again.  She did not pick my pocket, and I have no clue.   BBBH said maybe it was one of my grandchildren.  I don't think so.

10)  Limped/staggered the remaining six blocks to the car, drove home, and crashed.  In bed, I mean, not the car.

Oh, by the way, the earth is not only not "newer" than it was forty years ago, seems to me it is in worse shape than ever; but what do I know?

The last of the Uncle Jeptha Tales

appeared here on September 25.    

Should you wish to read or reread 

any of them, They can be accessed 

via the “Short Stories” and “More 

Stories” tabs at the top of the   

page.  

Conversation with Random People: Twelve

Here about a year ago, I related a conversation with one of the exhibitors at the Mid-America Threshing and Antique Show.  This year I stopped to visit with him again, talked Sandwich engines, our health in general, and wished him a happy eightieth birthday come October.  He said I had a pretty good memory for an old man.

On down the way fifty yards or so, I saw a display which I almost rode past.

I turned the bike around and went back.  An old fellow visiting a few yards away saw me stop, hobbled over on his cane.  He was the proud tinkerer who created these lovelies.

"Keeps me out of bars and out of trouble.  Actually, I don't drink, never have.  I only have one vice."

"Building these things?" I queried.  He might have been insulted, but he didn't seem to be.

"No.  Smoking."  Okay, he is nearly as old as I am, and if it hasn't killed him yet. . .

"I have never seen sewing machines repurposed in just this way," I averred.  

Then he was off about his ownership and participation in monster truck rallies, dreams of constructing one more "sewing machine" monster, steam-engined this time, his children, his residence and his loss thereof in the Palm Sunday tornado of 1965, and so on.  You see why I was unable to provide details of the conversation, or I should say monologue, for it was sometime before I found a chink in his reverie where I could put in a gracious "Nice talking with you.  Good luck on your next project."

Allison V-12

Green Monster

Grey Ghost

McCormick at the Mid-America Threshing and Antique Show

A lot of red at the show this year.  What could the featured machinery be?

Then this baby, "Gray Tractor," went rumbling by.  It is a vintage
roller, or road compactor.

Street Vendors

Atlanta, a village some six miles to the south, is a quaint  place with a number of beginning-of-the-twentieth-century buildings in the business district, but few businesses to occupy them.  But the people valiantly soldier on, making an effort to keep their place attractive.

For the past forty years, the last Saturday and Sunday of September (or thereabouts) have been dedicated in this town to "The Earth Festival."  It is, of course, another small-town Indiana street fair, hosting vendors from miles around.  We have attended, at least one year in the past, when we had to walk through driving snow to get back to where we had parked our car.  This year, though, was perfect, weather-wise, for the sun shone brightly on the festival, the temperature was pleasant, and a good time was clearly being had by lots of people.

BBBH and I rode the scooter to Atlanta, walked the streets, and in her case, the lady talked to some of the vendors, and yes, bought stuff.  But no more stuff than we could carry home on the scooter.

 Like fruit flies to pears on the ground, people seem to be attracted to cheaply-made and over-priced merchandise.  Find Waldo?  No, find BBBH.  She is in this picture.*

Some of downtown Atlanta's old buildings seen here behind the street vendors.

 People are also attracted to over-priced junk food.  There were actually lines at some food stands.

 As I snapped this shot, I thought, "This will be the best picture of the day."  I think it is.  This residence is on the Tipton County side of County Line Road and just two blocks from "downtown."  There is a kid peeking through the curtain of the window, stage right.

Someone  always seems to have a set of old wheels.

*BBBH is just about to disappear behind the utility pole in the center of the picture.

Advent Sunday Four

On the Fourth Sunday in Advent, the first three candles are re-lighted, and the fourth candle, the Candle of Peace, is lighted. The Scripture lessons are these:

From The Prophets: Micah 5

Excerpt: But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 5:2

The Gospel: Luke 1:39-55
Excerpt: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." 1:46b

The Psalm 80:1-7
Excerpt: "Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved." 80:7

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:5-10
Excerpt: "And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. " 10:10

Anticipate the Coming of the Lord. Contemplate the Peace of the Lord.

Worship the Great God who has given us His Son, the spilling of Whose blood alone can make us fit for the Kingdom. Go in faith believing, live in peace with your fellow men. Share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Rejoice!

Pig Fest

Something must be about to happen in town.  I mean, otherwise, why all the tents?

Tipton County Pork Festival

September 6 - 8

Tipton, Indiana

Obligatory complimentary advertisement for the good of the community.
Come and eat the pork.  That'll be good for you.