Friday, July 19, 2019

Ten years ago on this blog

There were still veterans from World War I.  Now they are all gone.  Rest in peace.

Cigarettes, whiskey and wild, wild women

That's what Henry Allingham said was the secret to his longevity. The oldest World War I veteran has passed on at age 113.


But rather than end on such a somber note, let me point this out about (via the Daily Telegraph):
His life has spanned three centuries and six monarchs, has five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.
And anyone who is a founding member of the Royal Airforce but can still quote Buck Owens correctly in context is all right with me. As you reach out and touch the face of God, let us give you a proper musical sendoff.

3 comments:

Jim said...

Actually he was quoting Tim Spencer of The Sons of the Pioneers who had the original release back in the 40s. Spencer was an original member of that group, and though overshadowed by Bob Nolan, was a capable songwriter. Homer and Jethro also did an early recording.

waepnedmann said...

Years ago I was a young guy working on a large construction project.
It was brutally hot, dry, and dusty. The work was physically demanding.
One day a new iron worker showed up on the job. Harold.
Harold was eighty-two years old, it was 110F, and he was dragging four twenty-foot-long pieces of number six rebar over his right shoulder for the mat for the slab. He was two weeks short of having enough hours to draw his union pension.
I asked, "Harold, why aren't you down in Mexico on a beach with a margarita in your hand and a señorita in your lap?".
Harold replied,"Well, you see it's this way, when I was a young man I invested all of my money in houses and lots."
I said, "Why Harold, younshould be rich! The way real estate has gone up you should be a wealthy man."
He shrugged and resignedly said, "I would have been, but they was whorehouses and lots of whisky.
He resumed trudging off through the heat and dust.
Harold didn't show up a couple of days later and I learned that one of the contractors he had worked for in the past had heard about his predicament and had hired him, told him to stay home, and paid into his pension plan so he could get his retirement.

Differ said...

#6 rebar 1.5lbs/ft....