SparkChaser4

I started it because of my stroke. It was therapy, something for me to do.  It was a stress reliever, because being full-time disabled at home now is a stressful time for me.  And it’s a way to pass on forty-five plus years of information, instructions and guidance that I have learned in my sixty-two years of living.

I decided after the stroke ended my business and career that the knowledge was still with me even if physically I can no longer do the real labor.  So my blog was born.  To pass on this knowledge and experience to any who ask for it.  Up till now there hasn’t been that many asking, but for 2012 there will be many more.  Of this I am sure.  So with my reader’s help and the Good Lord’s guidance, we will make 2012 a very good and prosperous new year.  So everyone, Happy New Year and talk with you soon!

God Bless,

SparkChaser4

The reason for no detergent is this, it eventually will remove the protective coating on the vinyl exposing the subsurface to dirt, stains and grit.  You’ll want the coating to last for years so, plain water only.  If you want to disinfect or remove some stain once in a while than typically you can use a little vinegar in your water, but not straight vinegar!  I mix a couple of tablespoons in a pint spray bottle with the balance filled with warm water.  Spray, then rinse with the mop.  Works great!  Thank you for your question!

SparkChaser4

T’was the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone.
In a one-bedroom house
Made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney
With presents to give,
And to see just who
In this home did live.

I looked all about
A strange sight I did see.
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle,
Just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures
Of far and distant lands.

With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds.
A sober thought
Came through my mind.

For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary.
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone.
Curled up on the floor
In this one-bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder.
Not how I pictured,
A United States Soldier.

Was this the hero
Of whom I’d just read?
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed.

I realized the families
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers
Who were willing to fight.

Soon ’round the world
The children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate
A bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom
Each month of the year.
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve
In a land far from Home.

The very thought
Brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees
And started to cry.

The soldier awakened
and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa don’t cry,
This life is my choice.

I fight for freedom,
I don’t ask for more.
My live is my God,
My Country, my Corps.”

The soldier rolled over
And drifted to sleep.
I couldn’t control it,
I continued to weep.

I wept for hours
So silent and still,
And we both shivered
From the cold night’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave
On that cold, dark night,
This guardian of honor
So willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over
With a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, “Carry on, Santa.
It’s Christmas Day, all is secure.”

One look at my watch
And I knew he was right.
“Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a Good Night!”

Thanks to An Ordinary American for allowing us to copy this from his site.

Merry Christmas Everyone!
SparkChaser4

What’s going to happen when the child is older and realizes that a good majority of the population doesn’t have these crude markings with the garish colors on them?  One would think that once this phase/fad falls out of fashion at some point in the future, that the child might be a little angry at his/her parents for using them as a human target for their graffiti now. Wouldn’t it be wiser to leave them unblemished so to speak and let them decide for themselves at a later date if they want it or not?  And just go get the parents a box of Sidewalk Chalk instead for now. See some samples of this atrocious behavior here.

Just a thought.

SparkChaser4

For over two centuries we have kept our nation safe.
Purchasing freedom with our blood. To tyrants, we are
the day of reckoning; to the oppressed, the hope for the
future. Where we were needed, we were there…We are
Veterans!

Whether we were Eagles guarding the Heavens …
grunts being King of our Hill or Seawolves stalking our
prey under the waves … we all were and are Veterans
…. Sworn Defenders of our Constitution. We built our
Fortress of Liberty …. We guarded the Gates of Freedom
… We signed the Blank Check … payable in blood.

We had not yet even begun to fight but we were there
from the beginning, meeting the enemy face to face,
will to will. Hardship and glory we have known. Our
bleeding feet stained the snow at Valley Forge; our
frozen hands pulled Washington across the Delaware.
At Yorktown, while the sunlight glinted from the sword,
we, begrimed… saw our Nation born.

At New Orleans, we fought beyond the hostile hour,
showed the fury of our long rifle… and came of age.

We were with Scott at Vera Cruz… hunted the guerilla
in the mountain passes… and scaled the high plateau.
The fighting was done when we ended our march many
miles from the old Alamo.

From Bull Run to Appomattox, we fought and bled.
Both Blue and Gray were our colors then. Two masters
we served and united them strong… proved that this
nation could right a wrong… and long endure.

We led the charge up San Juan Hill … scaled the walls
of old Tientsin… and stalked the Moro in the steaming
jungle … still always the vanguard.

At Chateau-Thierry, first over the top, then we stood
like a rock on the Marne. We cracked the Hindenburg
Line… We broke the Kaiser’s spine… and didn’t come
back home ’till it was “over, over there.”

A generation older we briefly bowed at Pearl Harbor
and Bataan, but then vowed to return. We fought and
won the greatest naval battles in history, from Midway
to Guadalcanal to Okinawa. Our foe fought to the death
and we set the Rising Sun.

We Assaulted the African shore… learned our lessons
the hard way in the desert sands… we pressed our
buttons into the beach at Anzio… and bounced into
Rome with determination and resolve.

We cleared the skies over Europe with wild Mustangs,
Lightnings and Thunderbolts.

We crossed the English channel… Breached Hitler’s
Atlantic Wall… We broke out at St. Lo… Unbent the
Bulge… Vaulted the Rhine… and swarmed the
Heartland. Hitler’s dream and the Third Reich died. We
won the Greatest War in History.

At birth our Air Force won its first victory… by feeding
freedom from the jaws of an evil dictator and proved
that All Freemen are Berliners

In Korea, we gathered our strength around Pusan…
swept across the frozen Han… outflanked the Reds at
Inchon… marched to the Yalu, and kept a nation free.

At the brink of World War … We caused our enemy to
blink.

In Vietnam, while others turned aside, We fought the
long fight, from the Central Highlands to the South
China Sea. We patrolled the jungle, the paddies, the
rivers and owned the skies in the bitter test that belongs
to the betrayed. While WE never lost a battle, we came
home to be spit on.

Around the world, we stand… ever forward. At Berlin’s
gates, we scorned the Wall of Shame. We spanned the
Caribbean in freedom’s cause, answering humanity’s
cry. In Santo Domingo we patrolled the streets to
protect the innocent. In Grenada, we jumped at Salinas
rescued our fellow citizens and proclaimed freedom for
all. Our arms set a Panamanian dictator to flight and
once more raised freedom’s flag. In the Persian Gulf,
we drew the line in the desert and won the Mother of
all Battles.

When cowards attacked women and child on 9-11,
we planted the seeds of freedom in the cradle of
civilization. We will not submit… we will not convert…
the cowards can run… but they will only die tired.

Where brave men fight… there I fought and stood. In
freedom’s cause… I live and I kill. From Concord Bridge
to Heartbreak Ridge, from the Arctic to the Mekong,
from the Caribbean to Kabul…Always ready… then, now,
and forevermore.

My bayonet…on the wings of power… keeps freedom
worldwide. And despots, falsely garbed in freedom’s
mantle, falter… hide…. And die.

I Follow… I Teach… I Aid… I Lead… I am a Veteran!  FOLLOW ME!
Adapted from “I Am the Infantry” by Doug Lund, USMA ‘85

Many thanks Doug! From your “brothers”!

SparkChaser4

Hi all;

I had to say something about what happen to me, November 11, 2011. Nida (my wife) and I went to the 185th Avenue Applebee’s Restaurant for lunch. I knew beforehand about the nice spread they put on free for Veterans as we attended it last year also. Only this time was a little different.

While seated at our table, waiting for our order to be delivered, I happen to spot several children moving amongst the crowds. And believe me, the place was packed with additional people outside in the cold waiting for their name on the list to be called. Anyway, after seeing the children, I absently thought they were just with their parents as I noticed a few women and men following behind them.

I then saw two young boys that stopped at the table next to us and spoke with the five Veterans seated there. Dismissing it from my mind, I went back to scanning a drink menu for a bit when I felt a small hand rest upon my arm. I looked up to see a young boy of about eight years of age, look me in the eyes and was saying something. Due to the din in the restaurant, I asked him to repeat what he had said and so he did.

“Are you a Veteran?”, he asked. I said that I was, whereupon he handed me an obviously hand-made card and then, offered his hand. I took it in mine and shook it gently. I told him of my appreciation for such a kind gesture and thanked him again. He took the half-step to close on me and leaned forward toward my ear. I leaned toward him waiting to hear what he wanted to tell me. He told me just three words, three words that brought tears to my eyes.

He said, “You’re my hero.” It was like a punch in the stomach. The tears started a little just then, as I watched him move on to the next table past Nida and I. Now admittedly in the past I have had many individuals walked up to me, grab my hand, my arm or shoulder, even one that gave me a peck on the cheek, all thanking me for my service. I’ve been thanked by men, women, boys and girls from around thirteen and up. But this male was the youngest and a proper gentleman at that.

After meeting this young man and thinking if this is what our youngest generation is like, it has allayed my mind of any fears or doubts whatsoever in knowing we are leaving this world in good hands.

May He bless them all,

Love, Denny & Nida

Now here are scans of both sides of that card he gave me.

For those that have trouble reading the small print, here is what it says:

Heroes

In war, there are lives taken and lives risked

Men and women giving there best to defend what they love

They defend their country

Their honor

Their people

Some call them soldiers

Others call them heroes

Our veterans have risked their lives for us

They have lived through difficulty and fought with honor

Many have killed

And regret doing so

For every life, there is a soul

For every soul, there is a life

For those who have died, we show great appreciation

For those who live, along with them live the horrific memories of battle

Some, memories of defeat

Some, memories of victory.

Our veterans were more than soldiers

They were, and still are heroes

Indeed!  Bless them all!

SparkChaser4

“Some of these letters you read and you say, ‘Gosh, I really want to help this person, and I may not have the tools to help them right now…And then you start thinking about the fact that for every one person that wrote describing their story, there might be another hundred thousand going through the same thing. So there are times when I‘m reading the letters and I feel pained that I can’t do more, faster, to make a difference in their lives.”

Now my question is this, if the person to blame for all the problems this country now faces “… can’t do more, faster, to make a difference in their lives.”, then who can? You pushed it down our throats but you “can’t do more”, or ”make a difference”? And as to a hundred thousand going through the same thing, do you want to try for millions? It would definitely be more accurate of a guess. You started it Obama, you can fix it! If you wanted to. I’m thinking what he has done to this country causes him to, when he’s not on camera, have a great big belly laugh considering what he is getting away with on the American citizens. 2012 can’t get here soon enough!

SparkChaser4

Appears so!  When 80-year-old Marti Warren thought she was doing a good thing a little over a month ago when she booked a local Olive Garden restaurant in Oxford, Alabama, to host a Kiwanis club awards banquet. The chapter president got a rude awakening the night of the gathering, however, when restaurant staff refused to allow her to bring an American flag inside the restaurant.

Apparently Olive Garden, along with Red Lobster and four other “chain” restaurant’s are owned by The Darden Company. The Darden Company is the world’s largest full-service restaurant company and with annual sales last year of $7.5 billion. That’s $7,500,000,000.00 folks!  With restaurants totaling 1,900 and with over 180,000 employees! Now with all this going on, you wouldn’t think putting up a U.S. Flag and a Kiwanis Banner for a couple of hours would bring and end to the world as we know it would you?

Evidently Olive Garden thought so, and what do they mean when they stated: “The Oxford Olive Garden does not have a private dining area.”  But Warren says that’s not what the restaurant told her, in fact she says they told her she’d be in banquet room three. Now does that sound like there’s no “private dining area”? Sounds like patriots are welcome but only in the back behind the kitchen and then only with no flags or banners, please! I guess it’s their prerogative to refuse admittance of all flags and banners and I agree with that, it is their right! But like Marti Warren, it is also my prerogative not to frequent their local establishments any more in the future! And this includes all the businesses owned by The Darden Company. So yes Marti Warren, I’m with you on this boycott.  Here is a list of their businesses, their corporate office site and their email. Boycott!!

Darden owns six brands:
•Red Lobster
•Olive Garden
•LongHorn Steakhouse
•The Capital Grille
•Bahama Breeze
•Seasons 52

Where is Darden headquartered?
Darden is headquartered in Orlando, Fla.

Email:  http://www.darden.com/

SparkChaser4

In the beginning everything went as expected, it was near job completion that he (our sales rep) showed us “attitude” in a comment he made to us about when the payment in full was due! Snarky indeed! We have also found poor quality workmanship in the way they installed the flooring. One section of the vinyl was installed leaving what could best be described as a bubble in the flooring upon completion. A bubble approximately 16 inches in diameter!

In another part of the house, the carpet was cut to reinstall the floor heat register to the heat ducting. Only problem is, in addition to the rectangular cut-out, they also made a second cut from one end of the cut-out and extended it out into the flooring where they proceeded to make a large letter “e” cut into the carpet.

My 45+ year construction background tells me that the 4-inch large “e” cut in the carpet field was the installer trying to find the register opening in the floor in the beginning. He then extended it over to cut the rectangular shaped hole afterwards. The fact that he made this excessively large cut without repairing the damage shows poor work ethics as well as a bit of dishonesty in failing to bring it to the attention of either his boss or myself, the buyer.

In both cases what with the vinyl “bubble” and the sliced-up carpet, a proper installer taking pride in his work would have ripped out the damaged flooring and replaced it with new at his own expense if need be, instead of trying to hide his work and hope the buyer doesn’t notice his shoddy workmanship. With numerous flooring suppliers around, I cannot in good faith recommend H&W Carpets, Inc. to anyone. Nor would I even allow them into my house again to clean my floor much less buy and install a new one. My rating? Is there such thing as a Negative Star Rating?

Too bad, as I prefer doing business with local mom and pop shops and tradespeople. Just not this one I guess!

SparkChaser4