Dueling Banjos

No, the odd looking young man did not play the banjo in the movie, here is how the movie-magic people did it:

Fake sleeves !!!

And now you know....................the rest of the story.

So Long 2023

We ended this year with TAR having emergency surgery due to cecal volvulus. Look it up, we were fortunate that our little town has the personnel and facilities to diagnose this and operate on it in the middle of the night...........very fortunate indeed.

So happy new year, and enjoy this year's video of the year

I would not have been surprised to hear some Vic Flick guitar music in there, along with the parachute having a Union Jack.

 Jimmy Buffett

My favorite picture of him. 

Not a lot more to say other than rest in peace. I was lucky to see him several times through the years including PB Scott's, Walnut Creek and even Carter Finley stadium where I caught a pick, only to have a drunken old hag pestering me with: "he threw it to me." I finally gave it to her with my best wishes. 

I met Jimmy when I was checking out of a Charlotte hotel the morning after we got married. I told him I'd seen him at PB Scott's, he said he'd played at Carowinds the night before, biggest crowd he had ever seen.

Good guy, and probably our generation's Mark Twain. I still enjoy his poetry and music. Good going. 

 Uncle Leo !!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/seinfeld/comments/q25bil/uncle_leo_was_watching_the_outlaw_josie_wales_and/
The Outlaw Josie Wales

..........and also the Monkees!

And the award for best obituary goes to..........................

July 4, 2023

.........Richard Evans. Richard and his lovely wife Carolyn sat across from us in church for the last twenty years, his weekly newsletter entertained us through many a sermon, and that is all I am going to say about that. I saw her last Sunday at church and told her this could be his best writing ever. Enjoy:

Richard Evans, 85, of Morehead City, died Friday, June 23, 2023.

First: I’m dead. If you are one of my creditors, you will have to discuss your loss with the executor of my will, whose name I will not divulge.

I was born in Washington, D.C. on December 18, 1937. Using that, you should be able to figure out how old I was when I died. For my own part, I don’t care to know when or how I died. I hope my exit was too fast for calculation. But can you believe my bad timing - being born one week before Christmas?! My mother was Eleanor Harding Evans, my father was Arthur Louis Evans; both of Washington, D.C. I lost my little sister, Lynne Evans Willis, to cancer when she was 40 years old. I had more than a few words to say to God about that. But Lynne left me my nephew, Daniel Willis and his wonderful family and my niece, Karen Willis Hartley, and her wonderful family. They’re both Mormons so God only knows how many little great-nephews and nieces there are by now. Lynne’s husband, W. Stanley Willis, Jr. of Davidson, M.D. survives, and he is a blessing.

Four days before Christmas in 1985, Jason Louis Evans, my youngest son, died in a hunting accident on Bogue Sound. He was seventeen. I had a lot more to say to both God and Jesus about that!

I joined the U.S. Army Ready-Reserve while still in high school and eventually served as a part-time soldier for eight years (including six months active duty for training). I was too young for Korea and was not called up for Vietnam. I was a patriot. I’d have gone willingly and done my best.

I met my future wife and the love of my life in the drama department at the Maryland State Teachers College (now Towson University). I pursued her until she caught me. Carolyn Ingalls Lyle and I were married August 5, 1961, two weeks before I began my first teaching job in Gaithersburg, M.D. Thirteen years later I yielded to the temptation to make some money and quit teaching to become a maintenance and painting contractor.

In 1975, the carpetbagging Evans brood arrived in Carteret County, NC. I didn’t have a job or even a job prospect, so I painted houses for a year, built a new house and opened a new business, Poor Richard’s Paint Store.

Carolyn and I had a fine old time with local amateur theatrical groups. For many years I edited a weekly letter of humor and inspiration I called, Toward the Light. I also wrote two published novels.

My daughter, Laura Lynne Harper, is married to a retired Army NCO, William Harper, and lives in Colorado. Her son, Derry Evan Giddings, Jr., is also career Army and is married to the former Katharine Hughes of Charleston, S.C. They live wherever the Army desires and are the parents of my three great-grandchildren, Derry Evan Giddings, III, Katharine Sophia Giddings (Kate), and Caleb Lee Giddings. My son, Arthur Lyle Evans, is a retired detective from the Morehead City Police Department and has two children: Haleigh Evans Alexander and Alexander Jason Evans, both living in Greensboro N.C. Haleigh is married to David Alexander and are the parents of my fourth great-grandchild, Clara Liberty Alexander.

I was a Christian - one of those “frozen chosen” Presbyterians. I am with Jesus now - wherever and whatever we are. I hope it’s a place with lots of humor and irony. I’ll like that.

I suppose there will be some sort of memorial service to “celebrate my life.” There might be a good turnout too - if it doesn’t rain. If you want to give a small memorial, just pick a good cause. My ghost will be grateful.

Okay, that’s my obituary. Can I go now?

That should make you smile. Also, in the words of Paul McCartney, "it was twenty years ago today!"

..........that we up and moved to Morehead City.

Let freedom ring!

Big Rock 2023: First and Last ???

Who knows? But it was a pleasure and an honor to go, Dave and I fished on the Island Girl Tuesday 6/13. The seas were heavy and the closest thing we had to a fish on the line was one rod turned while pulling by a grass line that featured a wooden pallet. It did not release. Lots of boats in the area, at times we were among 12-15 boats, that is reassuring in case something goes wrong. We fished in the Big Rock area and were mainly on the eastern side. Nonetheless a good time and another check mark.

For the most part the sun was out, but quite honestly during the late morning I was napping in the salon! Thanks to my brother and Best!

Coincidences?

I don't know, you have to decide for yourself. From today's obits:

......Born on November 22, 1925, in Fort Worth, Texas, Terry was the daughter of the late Hans Oswald and Ann Della von Carlowitz.......

Thoughts?

Lovely lady by the way, she earned an MBA from Wharton in 1948, quite a remarkable feat for a woman during that time.