NIECE PASSED ON MY AGE ‘6’ BIRTHDAY & LIFE GOES ON DETAILS (published 7-26-2020)

Well, good Sunday afternoon, y’all! I hope you are still turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there!

Niece Passed on My Age ‘6’ Birthday

Since my last (7/12/2020) article, the profound shock was the unexpected passing of my age-36 niece. She was the oldest daughter of my brother, who is three years younger than me. (I had attained age ‘6’ on Friday, 7/17/2020. I had taken a day off, from work-at-office week, that day.) My brother called. He, in passing, wished me a happy birthday. His main reason to call was to tell me that his oldest daughter (he has two) died, unexpectedly, in her sleep -- in the early hours, approximately 2 AM to 4 AM, on my birthday. At least I’d taken the day off work.

My niece had been healthy. She had no known health trouble. We still don’t know why she died. We may find out more, eventually.

Her husband, his young adult daughter, and their three teenage daughters (ages 13, 15, 17) must endure the reality of my niece’s passing. I pray that they will do so, very closely to each other and even more closely to the Lord.

After various days and phone calls, on 7/23/2020, Thursday, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I were present for the funeral home gathering and then for the graveside service. I was one of the pallbearers. My youngest brother was one of the two ministers. The early part of the storm, which had been coming, started, as the graveside ended and as all the people were starting to leave.

The Lord knows the date and time, for each of us, when we leave this world, to move to everlastingness. We don’t. My niece left this world too early, according to the usual passing of life. Of course, we all know that people can pass early in life.

The main point is: be ready to go Home! I’m ready. Are you? If not, please post a comment on this article! That will begin the process of helping you get ready!

Life Goes on Details

The following are chronological notes, about life going on (such as it is), within the context of the passing of my niece – since my last, 7/12/2020, article.

7/16/2020, Thursday: I took a work-at-office-week one-hour leave, to get a much needed COVID-19 compliant haircut. My good barber has a second line of income. He is focused on that now, since his hair-cutting income line has been taking a COVID-19 compliant “clipping” (pun intended). He works on Thursday only, by appointment, for now. I had a fine haircut, as usual.

7/17/2020, Friday: see my previous remarks. Also, I started the process that will result in a refinance of our home mortgage. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I are close enough to owning our home. The refinance will speed up the payoff. By the way, the loan officer, a fine man, has a birthday on mine! He’s twelve years younger than me. Maybe, one of these days, he will try to keep up with me, when we both hike “My Mountain” together. We’ll see.

Also, on that day, we received a letter from our current president. It seems that he values our opinions greatly. He wants us to make comments on his survey. He, by the way, needs our campaign contribution to him – at least $15, to cover the cost of his letter to us. Hum. I’ll have a bit of fun with my reply to him, in a few days.

7/18/2020, Saturday: Mrs. Appalachian Irishman attained the age of a ’57 Chevy. (Oops!) Her not-a-semi-intelligent phone had the white screen of death. After some effort, on 7/25/2020, Saturday, with help from Cindy, at Straight Talk Wireless, I remembered how to reboot her phone! It works! I have a MS Word document now, to help me remember, lest I forget, what I remembered finally! (Several years ago, in my pre-bionic body parts days, her phone, or mine, had the same problem. I’d forgotten how to fix the white screen of death. My excuse: on 3/29/2016, my one brain cell took a significant concussion!)

7/20/2020, Monday: this was my work-at-home week, but for some, unknown, reason, I drove to/from office today ONLY. (It’s work insanity.) I received my Tennessee “Real ID!” It has the little yellow star on it. That makes it “real.” On 7/7/2020, Tuesday, during my work-at-home week, I took 8 AM to 9 AM off work, to go to the Knox County Clerk office (Halls location). I was the first in line, about 7:40 AM. Yes, I had the required mask. After several others had formed in line behind me, at 8 AM on the dot, I walked (as I’ve been able to walk, since 6/16/2016) in. I went through the hoops and paid the money to get me one of them “thar” new-fangled “Real IDs!” I got a paper, temporary one that day. On 7/20/2020, I got my plastic “Real ID,” by mail! URAH!

Question: if my driver’s license -- which I’ve had, since age 15, for Tennessee, Missouri, then Tennessee again -- has not been a “real ID” all these years, how have I been getting along? Was it a fake ID? Well, I have me a “Real ID” now! It’s just a way for ‘govrmint’ to scam more money from us, folks! Oh, well, at least I did NOT pay extra, for my “Real ID!” It was the normal cost of renewing my previous, apparently fake, ID!

Note: the County Clerk’s office was “allowed,” by COVID-19 regulations, to open again, on 7/6/2020. I’d known that for several weeks. I waited. I’m patient. I beat the bureaucracy, by paying the SAME price, to renew my “fake” driver’s license, for a “Real ID!” I won!

7/22/2020, Wednesday: our contractor and his associate arrived here, after my work-at-home was done. Both are fine men, about my age, a little younger. We talked about various details. My contractor and I signed, on the tailgate (down) of my new ol' truck, our agreement, which we had verbally and eye-to-eye before, as men. His work and eventual full payment from us starts on 7/27/2020, Monday. His crew and he will do a fine job, on our deck, etc. (I might post a few photos once the job is done.) After they left, the storm hit! Well, we’ve had storms or rain every day, until today, 7/26/2020, Sunday. We had needed the rain.

Our contractor is the only one of four contractors, whom I’d contacted, that seems to want to make some money! It’s his win and their loss!

Conclusion

Hey! It’s 5:15 PM, at the writing of this sentence! I’ll finish and publish this article, even before Mrs. Appalachian Irishman comes into my home office, to tell me that supper is ready!

My age 36 niece left this space time continuum, boot camp, world far too early in life, on my 7/17/2020 age ‘6’ birthday anniversary. I hope she was ready to meet her Maker. Life, such as it is, has gone, and continues to go, on. We endure, by His grace.

I’m still standing here. I ain’t breathin’ hard (from a “Rocky” movie). I’ve taken up the Good Lord’s free gift offer. I’ve tried to life in appreciation of His free gift. I’ve been a fulltime evangelist and missionary. I’m still a missionary, under the maxim “you’re either a missionary or a mission area.” I just don’t, unfortunately, have the option to be paid for fulltime work in the field.

So, for my “millions” of readers out there, IF you have NOT taken up the Good Lord’s free gift offer, PLEASE comment on this article. This will start our process of direct communication! I WILL do the best that I can to help you toward His offer, by salvation through his Son!

Otherwise, to my readers who have already taken up His free gift offer, y’all keep turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there – in appreciation of His gift!

At 5:52 PM, now, I’m hungry! When’s supper dear? I beat you this time! (I did a few things, and I proof read my article, from 5:15 PM to now.)

INDEPENDENCE DAY, SISTER’S CALL, MYOPIC INSANITY, HAIRCUTS (published 7-12-2020)

Independence Day

“Saturday, in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July.” That’s a good song. Due to my “cowardice,” I didn’t spend Saturday in the park, hiking. I’ve hiked in hot and humid weather many times, before and after “bionic” body parts. I didn’t feel the need to sweat a T-shirt, as if it had been washed, to change into a dry T-shirt, after such a hike – last weekend. Next time? Well, look for a future article!

I did, however, buy my rights to my website – to demonstrate my independence! https://www.appalachianirishman.blogspot.com/ is a backup link now. My website is now https://appalachianirishman.com/! I own it for the next ten years! Of course, if I’m still here at boot camp in ten years, I’ll renew my ownership for another ten years and so forth. The Good Lord knows how many decades I have left, before He calls me HOME!

Sister’s Call

Did y’all know that I have a sister? Yes, I do! She has about eight years on me. No, Mom and Dad didn’t have a daughter. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I lived in Missouri, from 1986 to 1994, before we moved to Russia (1994 to 1999). My sister and I adopted each other then! I AM her brother. She IS my sister. We are not related biologically. We are related in spirit! Her family and she are of Irish stock, predominately. I am too.

My sister called in the early evening of 7/7/2020. We talked from 6:52 PM to 8:33 PM, 1 hour and 41 minutes! Her mother and I talked a while also. Her mother, my adoptive mother, is age 90. My sister and I hadn’t talked in a while. It was a great conversation! The miles are distant (about an eight-hour drive, one way), but our spirits are side-by-side!

My adoptive sister and mother have endured a great deal of trouble, in this boot camp world. I have also. We endure, by God’s grace and by our stubborn and strong Irish wills!

One topic of our fine conversation was about the racial tension in this country. I will NOT address the minutia on the topic. Anyone -- who was raised correctly, by godly parents, and who follows the Good Book – should KNOW the answer to the tension. My sister and I agreed, of course.

She and I continue e-mail contact also. On 7/8/2020, she e-mailed a reference to an article that I link here. (That’s one place where I found it.) Some details of that article do not appear to be correct, as can be found. One link is here.

The Irish, however, were slaves. The difference between “indentured servants” and “slaves” is nothing more than a quibble, used euphemistically. The Irish were slaves. The proof, from two articles of others, is here and here; I ordered the book.

As I’ve written before, black, white, red, and yellow have ALL been slaves. We MUST ALL follow God’s law! ONLY then will EVERYONE get along well enough. Do not be enslaved in your mind.

As an IMPORTANT aside, a free couple, in a once free nation, has the RIGHT, by law (God’s as validated by our Second Amendment) to DEFEND themselves against THREAT. I am glad that some are STANDING with them! I STAND!

Sister, let’s see when our families can meet around the Nashville area soon! Until then, you ARE my sister. I AM your brother. We stay connected, in spirit and by phone and e-mail!

Myopic Insanity

I have written what I have written on the new cold virus. I have moved on. I wish our once great nation would too.

Mrs. Appalachian Irishman took her father to a medical appointment, on 7/9/2020. She does NOT wear a mask when she is WITH her father, every day, at his home. She was WITH her father at the medical office. The IDIOTS made her wait in the hot car. (She said several others, including the very elderly, were doing the same, for the same reason.) The IDIOTS would NOT allow her, or anyone, to stay in the building WITH a relative, such as her father, who had an appointment – EVEN WHEN SHE WAS, or they were, WEARING the mask that she, or they, came in wearing, as my father did. That’s one example of myopic insanity.

Haircuts

Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was able, FINALLY, to get a high dollar “haircut” at her “barber,” yesterday. Her last “haircut,” delayed by this new cold virus, was on 11/23/2019. As far as I could tell, about an inch of hair is gone. That little gray area is colored. The cost was – well, I’d better not say. Her usual “haircut” would have been about February, but her “barber” could not be in business. Then, her “barber” re-opened, with the restrictions, but the appointments were booked, until yesterday. That’s actually another example of myopic insanity.

Oh, I’m into week six, instead of the usual four, for my haircut. My barber seems to be focusing on his other income stream more. He still cuts hair, but his hair-cutting business is taking a clipping. I might get a haircut Thursday. We will see.

Conclusion

I still haven’t understood why folks post photos of their food, on social media websites. I eat my food.

Speaking of which, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman just came into my home office and cleared her throat. Okay, dear! I’ll stop to eat supper – without taking a photo of it first!

Y’all turn right and go straight out there – please, unless you’re doing so already! If you are, then good! Keep going!

Postscript: this is my after supper digest entry, while I digest my supper. (I love a good play, on words!)

INDEPENDENCE DAY EVE MUSINGS (published 7/3/2020)

Well, good evening, y’all! Today is Independence Day Eve. Well, we used to have freedom and independence, based on the Constitution, which is derived from a person’s God given rights. I’m not feeling very independent this evening. Are you? Strike that! I AM a free man, in my soul, by the freedom God gave me, as a man created in His image. We all are, male and female. I STAND, therefore, as a free man, in a once free nation.

Today, on Independence Day Eve, the Knox County Board of Health, effective 7/3/2020, REQUIRES face masks. I was one of the violators today, while hauling trash and getting gas. I was in the MAJORITY. In fact, I did NOT see even one person wearing a mask. I saw many at both locations, especially going in and out at the gas station convenience store. To be “fair and balanced,” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, who did the grocery shopping, stated that the majority wore masks, including her.

I’ll sidetrack a little now. I hear the slippery slope argument in the minds of readers, who do not agree with me. They have rebuttals, such as, “The government requires vehicle child restraints, seat belts, hands free use of phones, speed limits, firearm carry permits, zoning regulations, permits of many types, etc.” I would add, “Etc., etc., ad nauseam.” That’s the slippery slope, as readers who agree with me see. Shall we slide further down the slope? Many Americans are NOT taking care of their health. Many do not exercise much or at all. Many over eat. The slippery slope logic concludes that government, to protect us “poor idiots,” MUST MANDATE exercise and proper diets, with monetary penalty and/or confinement, in a diet and exercise facility, for violators. Why not? Slip down that slope all the way! Many laws and regulations exist, because folks do NOT have enough common sense to do what’s right. (No, the wearing or not wearing of a mask is neither right nor wrong morally. It is a subjective choice. Don’t try that “protect others” argument, to try to bully me. I can rebut it very easily.) Many, in this once great nation, are losing their common sense at an astonishing rate, if they ever had it. Worse yet, many are losing their sense of morality, if they ever had it.

I will NOT debate the so-called science that argues with itself, on the benefit or lack of benefit, regarding wearing a mask in public areas. Yes, medical folks wear masks for many reasons. I’m glad that the skilled surgeon who repaired my three smashed joints wore a mask when he pieced me back together. Science has merged with politics, however. I read so-called scientific “experts,” on both sides of the mask, who “reason from science” that masks benefit or don’t benefit, in the context of this new cold virus.

Even Dr. Fauci has spoken out of both sides of his mouth on the subject. I mentioned this in my article of 5/15/2020. That article references “Tucker Carlson: We Didn't Appoint Fauci Dictator During This Crisis,” on RealClear Politics, by Tim Hains, 5/13/2020. In that audio-video and transcript, Tucker Carlson presented two segments. In the first, Dr. Fauci encouraged mask wearing (at 4:59 into the audio-video). Two months beforehand, Dr. Fauci had discouraged mask wearing (at 5:40 in the audio-video). Of course, the propaganda machine is winning the mask wearing war.

Also, I will NOT comment further on Corona Myopia. I’ve moved on. Most of my articles, from 4/19/2020 to 5/24/2020 were on the topic. I, however, can’t help but take a parting shot! Tennessee total 2020 COVID-19 deaths to this 7/3/2020 entry are 620. Tennessee total 2020 traffic deaths to this same entry date are 507. (Note: the numbers are from TN COVID-19 Dashboard, as of this date.) I know it is apples to oranges, but it still makes a point. Where is the daily obsession by the politicians and in the media on the daily traffic accident numbers, number of traffic accident recoveries, and number of traffic fatalities? I have moved on, as well as I can, from the Corona Myopia Obsession, which is the laser focus of politicians and the media (which includes social media).

Let’s track back to the main point. There are nine Knox County Board of Health Members. The Knox County Board of Health Members are NOT elected officials. The Knox County District Advisory Council (DAC), whatever that is, appoints six members. The Mount Vernon City Council, of which I’ve never heard until today, appoints the other three members. Board members have five-year terms. They have no term limits.

Taxation (i.e., the 7/3/2020 mask wearing law by unelected bureaucrats) without representation (i.e., our ability to elect those bureaucrats) is tyranny. Do you remember any similar history? I will NOT allow bureaucrats, who were NOT elected, to impose their TYRANNY on me! DON’T TREAD ON ME.

It’s suppertime, as per Mrs. Appalachian Irishman. Let’s eat, in a healthy manner, with proper portions! I’ll do my usual stretching and muscle exercises after supper.

Postscript: I had finished this article just before suppertime. My youngest brother, his wife, and their two daughters made a short-notice, surprise visit after supper. Well, that was a pleasant surprise! So, approaching bedtime, I’m posting this article now. Good night, y’all!