THE FIND

This weekend...Cindy & I drove to Vincennes to check on her mom and to attend the graduation party of great-nephew, Jordan. We also made a quick trip down to the homeland…Owensville…to visit niece Diane and husband Jerry. They are having their 100-year old barn torn down. In the process, they found a tool box that belonged to dad. Diane called me last week or so to tell me they had it and thought I’d want it…and they were right.

Dad was a jack-of-all-trades kind of guy…could do and build...just about anything. Contained in this tool box was dad’s tool-and-die equipment. A small, unexpected finding in the tool box, had us all in awe. We were reminded that Dad, while we lived in Owensville, served as the fire chief for the local fire department. “The Find” in the tool box...was something that dad must have had available from his days back on the deparment...'a fire grenade'. We had never seen, nor even heard, of a fire grenade so I did a little research.

Dad's fire grenade in his tool box

The Red Comet Company began in 1919 in Denver, Colorado. In 1933 the operations moved to Littleton, Colorado.

Red Comet made several kinds of fire extinguishers for homes and offices as well as automobiles. The extinguishers were produced in sizes ranging from 2.5 pounds to 100 pounds. The popular "Fireman's Kit" contained six to eight grenades which were thrown at the base of a fire, allowing fluid to splash over the flames.

Early ones used harmless salt-water. The salt water was important so that the grenade could be advertised as “Non-Freezing”. They came in various colors: Blues, Ambers, Greens and Clear glass. Their styles were ornate, which made them decorative as well as functional. Later, as they became mass produced, they were filled with Carbon tetrachloride (CTC). Carbon-tetrachloride extinguishers were withdrawn in the 1950s because of the chemical's toxicity. (exposure to high concentrations damages the nervous system and internal organs. Additionally, when used on a fire, the heat can convert CTC to phosgene gas, formerly used as a chemical weapon.)

Now…we’ll need to find a way to display it…and keep it safe from exposure should it accidentally be broken (in case it’s one with CTC rather than salt water)…but it is a wonderful find.

It is wonderful too…to have dad’s tool box that he made…and the tools that he worked with. It was good to put ‘hands’ on things…that many years ago…dad had ‘his’ hands on too.

Quite a find.

Dan

FOUND DOG TAGS

My family...sister...niece...wife...all of us...have a smile on our face...and a tug on our heart these last few days.

In a stroke of amazing luck...the family who currently lives a few houses down from our old house in Owensville...found an item that has been lost for over 50 years. Apparently while digging in their garden space within the last week or so...they uncovered a little piece of metal. They cleaned it off...and thankfully...took the time to investigate the information that was on it. After a little research...they contacted my niece Diane...who still lives in the Owensville area...and dropped off the prize at her house.

It was a dog tag...that my brother Dave...who passed away 1 month ago...had made for himself at the Princeton fair some years before we moved from Owensville in 1962.

Dave would have had such a laugh...and would have been so excited...if only it had been found a few months earlier.

Some in our family have even suggested...it's just Dave letting us know he got where he needed to go...and he's doing fine.

Who am I to argue that?


Dan

TURN SIGNALS IN THE NEWS

I believe one of my first articles in this blog of mine…was about one of my pet peeves…turn signals.

A recent article in The Detroit Bureau, by Paul A. Eisenstein, shares information about a study done indicating 2 million accidents occur annually relating to turn signals, or lack of proper use of them.

According to research by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), drivers either neglect to use their signals when changing lanes or fail to turn the signals off 48% of the time, and when making a turn, the failure rate is about 25%. Somehow, according to them, that works out to 2 billion times a day drivers fail to use signals.

Again, somehow, in their calculation, this results in about 2 million roadway collisions annually.

They go on to say, “all drivers have an ongoing duty to use signals just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or a red light.”

I couldn't agree more.

Mr. Eisenstein goes on to suggest an alternative to this problem is to create a “smart turn signal”. Such a system could automatically shut off a turn signal when it is left on too long or by detecting when a vehicle has finished changing lanes. This would work much as today’s cars automatically cancel the signal after making a turn at an intersection.

For those who don’t use their signals, the system would work much like a seatbelt reminder. It would be able to sense if drivers routinely ignore their turn signals and start to flash what the study calls a 'friendly reminder'.

Of course...just as people choose to ignore the seatbelt reminder...many would choose to ignore the turn signal reminder too.

But...even if 1 out of a hundred people choose to begin using turn signals...using their numbers from the article...that’s 20,000 less accidents annually.

That’s a start.

Dan

THE SIGN

If you do the things you need to do when you need to do them
                                THEN SOMEDAY
you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them.

I saw this sign recently and it caught my eye.

I think for a lot of us, it's a philosophy that drives us. Isn't this one of the reasons we go to work each day? If we work hard...then someday we'll be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Now that I'm closer to retirement age it helps me on some of those days when I've about had it up to...here.

I look forward...after all these years...to spending some time with Cindy and doing some of those fun things...some traveling...sitting by the ocean...visiting friends and family in far away places...that we haven't done because we've been busy workin'...and busy livin'.

I hope she's as excited about the idea as I am.

Dan

HONOR FLIGHT TO D.C.

A group called the Gold Star Mothers, recently organized a trip called, the Honor Flight. It was an opportunity to fly more than 80 veterans to Washington D.C. The veterans were taken to see the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial and lastly to witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The trip was paid for by private donations and contributions.

With more and more of our veterans reaching the age they can't travel to see these beautiful memorials, it is wonderful that this group is trying to honor those men and women who served in World War II by getting them to see what our country has built in their honor.

As I've mentioned before, Washington D.C. is one of Cindy and my favorite places to visit...and those memorials mentioned above...are some of our favorites as well.

Some years ago, as Cindy’s father approached 80, he desired to see the new WW II Memorial. He served in WW II and wanted to see the new Memorial that had just been completed. It became Cindy’s goal to get him there…and we did. We then proceeded to see the same sights as listed above. Cindy & I had seen them a number of times but it was the first for Cindy’s mom and dad.

Each memorial is quite awe inspiring, but particularly the changing of the guard at Arlington. It will send chills up your spine, and tears down your cheek. It is a beautifully patriotic thing to see.

Cindy & I want to take our children to see these sights at some time. If you haven’t been...you should take the opportunity. You will not be disappointed.

Dan