John Allen

On a bus going to Maxwell Field for my induction physical. This was before the lottery system.

Lou, After sitting on your buns and "I'll get to the Huey" for months you have now turned into a Whirling Dervish of kinetic energy and activity. I need to borrow some of that. Coming along nicely its amazing what memories its dredged up for everybody. John

looking good

Lou, Looking good. I need you to ship me some Halibut, or I'll tell Laurie your raiding her stash and you told me your replacing the display areas for her dolls with your models. Second thought add some King Crab to the order.

Keith, Your middle name is precision, another museum piece on the ways.

Michael, Was way behind on your log, just caught up. All I can say absolutley a stunning work of art. What is more amazing is the metal work and machining that gives the cutter a soul. Kudos.

Keith, You are the miracle man. Looking forward to see how you add the writing onto the brass disk. You know it will not be finished until you add that finishing touch.

Jack, From same era, but we were told in addition to make sure it was clean dirt?, and not infused with animal feces by scraping off top layer foe inspection.

The Boss is how can I say this she is a voracious crab eater, 60 lbs comes down to 15 lbs of picked meat if you know what your doing and depending how big the crabs are. We don't freeze fresh crab we make a lot of crab dishes, au grautin, gumbo, jambalayas, and the best WEST INDIES SALAD, etc. give some to families. It lasts in the fridge a good week, and then we both ate about a pound each as she was picking. That was back in the good old days crab meat has skyroceted, and I lost my main source, eat it on holidays now.

:Doninaz, Ready to grab the 6 gallon crab pot, crab boil, corn, potatoes, cayenne, salt, 20 lbs of crabs for this group just about right. True crab story the Boss loves crabs, I mean she would stab your hand for the last crab and smile at you. Very close friend owned his own shrimp boat and crabs were a bycatch. Boss sezs Im crab hongry, talk to Billy, okay Dear how many, She sezs 1 basket. I sezs Dear a shrimping basket holds 60 lbs of crabs, she sezs I want a basket of crabs I sezs nothing knowing better to just keep da mouth shut. I call Billy, Boss wants crabs you going out tonight, he sezs yeah how many I sezs a basket, he sezs wat you gonna do wid 60 lbs of crabs, Boss wants I dun told her it be on her I aint gonna stay up all night doin da boilin and da pickin, he laughs and sezs yea right, Meet me at da dock 6am tommorow. Next day meet da boat me and Billy carry da 60 lbs of crabs to my truck he be laughin like a crazy man, I sezs not funny he sezs happy pickins I sezs no way he sezs yeah. Get home da Boss got ebry pot and pan out water boilin, da house smell like crab boil and cayenne peppa. (note back then had no outside burners or big boiling pots these purchased right after this nightmare). She sezs you boil and I be the picka. I sezs Boss this your deal you do the boilin and da pickin. I got the coldest meanest scaryrist squinty eyed stare would kill a rat at 60 feet. Yea Boss be happy to I be da boiler. 9:45 PM that night da boilin and pickin be done,(this done in small pots on a 4 burner stove. Hose smelled liked boiled crabs for days, I had crab hulls and claws for 60 lbs of the little darlins in the back bed of my picmeup truck, smelled for weeks. Well de Boss be happy had plenty of picked crab meat. Boss Happy me Happy Billy called next day sezs how many crabs you be needin today laughin like a hyena. One day theres a crawfish story better than this. Thanks Doninaz for jogging my memory Billy was the closest friend I had. Hope you add some crab pots, with crabs, less than 60 pounds.

Doninaz, Looks great, going to be a fine build.

Just a statement of fact.

Lou, Actually it did leave a lasting impression, my memory is excellent for things that happened 40 years ago, it sucks for the last five unless I have a bell ringer I laughed so hard again I pulled a back muscle saved it in favorites so I won't forget. Unless I forget where I saved it. It was good, one of the best.

pm me on that one, will swap one with you

Real cornbread is made in a round cast iron skillet and can't be square.

AH, Like your approach on tying before cutting "neccesity is the mother of invention" I believe any modler would have the same problem. BlueJacket could amend there instructions to save headaches for future builders. Kudos looking good.

Give the sailor his due and the hell with protocol. He deserves it, it took decades to honor the Tuskegee airmen I might add with one of the best records ever. Yes Miller was perceived as just a lowly black cook or steward, but he represents the thousands of servicemen who went above and beyond let them have a day in the sun. I understand the pecking order of names and ships but it should not be set in concrete. We cannot let politics interfere with our heros

Been indisposed for a couple of days clarify an earlier statement about bad memories. In Mobile as other cities in this country a huge number of homeless are vets with PTSD. My son taught me a lesson a couple of years ago when he bought some fast food for a homeless vet I asked him did he have one of those signs work for food. He said no the guy looked down he asked him after he bought the food his story. He would not say much except he was a vet and the V.A. had stopped his psyche treatments. Was it true don't know except I found out later that here there are not adequate facilities to deal with homeless here which vets are a large number, and they are not provided the treatment they need. As noted in numerous news reports

That was not the one, I did say Conn. I am getting old and not replenishing my endorphins. I had picked up a story where a restored bomber had crashed with crew with no injuries prior to a show. I have searched the internet for hours and cannot find what I thought was the story. At this time taking more fish oil and that jellyfish they advertise to improve brain function.

Popeye, Looking forward to your build, a restored B-17 that was in a traveling air show recently and recently crashed in Connecticut. In fact it would take the public on rides. No one was injured but the plane was destroyed. It was recently at Brookley Field in Mobile I was going to take a flight but due to family health problems had to cancel. Popeye git er dun

Lou, Well the old man finally quit making excuses and got off his buns! Thru our many conversations I thought this was a figment of your Imagna nation. Looking forward to your build I'm sure it will also have a cathartic psyche cleansing of bad memories. As you know I have been under a ton of rocks lately, apologize for not taking a seat from the start. Well lets get to it. Thank you for your service it was a bad time. Your partner in crime.

Keith Wow, perfection at its best. When I grow up I want to be just like you!

Wife always misplaces my tools was looking for a screwdriver I needed, was aggravated had looked all over house. I tracked her down and accused her of not putting my tools back and advised I was tired of searching for tools she misplaced. She stated laughing and said fool have you looked in your hand. What's so sad about this its a true story, gave her one more excuse to put me in a home.

Hank, Really looking good. Do not let the Missus see how much room you have back there, tell her you saw some snakes and not to walk back there. Close to Christmas and she would think "we have downsized Love, would that not be a nice place to store all our yard art for Easter, Christmas, and Halloween. There's enough room there Dear for all the gardening tools, pots, chemicals, and pesticides for my flower garden I want to build. There is so much space you can have that little area in the corner for that modeling thing you do. Thanks Love." Its like a little sniffle that turns into full blown pneumonia overnight.

twintrow, If shipping is a non-starter you may try local pickup only, sooner or later you will get some nibbles, also easier to get your asking price instead of yo yo down prices In dealing with offers. I found you may have to wait a little longer but you'll get the right bite. Good luck.