Burma Shave signs

Before there were interstates, when everyone drove the old two-lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields. I remember fondly, seeing these signs alongside the highway, when our family drove cross-country several times when I was little. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, the first four each containing one-line of a four-line couplet... And the obligatory fifth sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream. We would run across a group of these, every once in a long while, and everyone would read them aloud and smile at the clever humor.

DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW OUT SO FAR IT MAY GO HOME IN ANOTHER CAR Burma Shave	TRAINS DON'T WANDER ALL OVER THE MAP 'CAUSE NOBODY SITS IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP Burma Shave	SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSH BY MISTAKE SHE THOUGHT IT WAS HER HUSBAND JAKE Burma Shave
DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD TO GAIN A MINUTE YOU NEED YOUR HEAD YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT Burma Shave	DROVE TOO LONG DRIVER SNOOZING WHAT HAPPENED NEXT IS NOT AMUSING Burma Shave	BROTHER SPEEDER LET'S REHEARSE ALL TOGETHER GOOD MORNING, NURSE Burma Shave
CAUTIOUS RIDER TO HER RECKLESS DEAR LET'S HAVE LESS BULL AND A LITTLE MORE STEER Burma Shave	SPEED WAS HIGH WEATHER WAS NOT TIRES WERE THIN X MARKS THE SPOT Burma Shave	THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL FOR BEER LED TO A WARMER HEMISPHERE Burma Shave
AROUND THE CURVE LICKETY-SPLIT BEAUTIFUL CAR WASN'T IT? Burma Shave	NO MATTER THE PRICE NO MATTER HOW NEW THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE IN THE CAR IS YOU Burma Shave	A GUY WHO DRIVES A CAR WIDE OPEN IS NOT THINKIN' HE'S JUST HOPIN' Burma Shave
AT INTERSECTIONS LOOK EACH WAY A HARP SOUNDS NICE BUT IT'S HARD TO PLAY Burma Shave	HANDS ON THE WHEEL EYES ON THE ROAD THAT'S THE SKILLFUL DRIVER'S CODE Burma Shave	THE ONE WHO DRIVES WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING DEPENDS ON YOU TO DO HIS THINKING Burma Shave
CAR IN DITCH DRIVER IN TREE THE MOON WAS FULL AND SO WAS HE Burma Shave	PASSING SCHOOL ZONE TAKE IT SLOW LET OUR LITTLE SHAVERS GROW Burma Shave	HE SAW THE TRAIN AND TRIED TO DUCK IT HE KICKED THE GAS AND THEN THE BUCKET Burma Shave
A MAN A MISS A CAR A CURVE HE KISSED THE MISS AND MISSED THE CURVE Burma Shave	.	.

Stuff works!

My refrigerator is running again! (I know, I'd better go catch it). I can read the display on my microwave again! The wrecked door on the oven bottom drawer is replaced! Gosh, I guess you'd call these simple pleasures. But I waited far too long, and it feels so good, to finally get that all done.

One year

Facebook reminded me this morning, that today is the first anniversary of that miserable night, when I got a call from the hospital at 10pm, saying that Kristan was unresponsive, and I raced in there, dragging her visiting brother with me, only to find she was already gone. It's been quite a year. I'm sure I must've healed emotionally over the past 365 days, although from my nearsighted vantage point, I find it difficult to tell. I've had plenty to keep me busy, not unlike previous years, so I don't think of her every moment, but when I do come up for air, sometimes it hits me like a ton of bricks. I've tried all year, to finally get out and travel to see family, especially my dad, and I think I've been successful. I'm resolving this year, to try to get a little of my self back - on no particular schedule, but I'm determined to make some positive changes, even though I've no specific plan for what they might be. Thanks to all my friends and family, for your support, either up close and personal, or electronically - all of it is very much appreciated.

Trip for Uncle Bill's Funeral

I just got back from traveling to the east coast with my niece Dorothy, and meeting up with my cousin Rebecca and some of her extended family, to bury her dad - my uncle Bill - at Arlington National Cemetery. She arranged a funeral for him, with full military honors, and it was a very moving service. I miss my uncle Bill more than I knew.

A very big upside to this trip, was the opportunity to get together with Rebecca and her family and friends, uncle Bill's companion Anita and her family, and my sister Mikele and her family. Over the next two days, we completed a few whirlwind tours of the D.C. Metro system, the National Zoo, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian American History and Air & Space Museums.