2nd Car in my Life

This is the 1950 Ford Victoria of Roger
Petschauer, and I show it only to visually show
you what a '50 Ford Victoria looks like. This is
a really nice remodel job, but it is NOT mine.

A couple of postings back I introduced you to
my first car,... a 1946 Ford Coupe that I had for
about a month.. My brother promised me a 1950
Ford Victoria if I would get rid of the '46. The 1950
was a car that he took in trade for some work he
had done on another car. The '50 was frozen up
and the windows were all cracked. If I would do all
the physical work, my brother would supervise and
also build me a Chevrolet V-8 engine for it.
I was only 16 years old and I would have the
neatest car in the world! Every day after school I
would arrive at his speedshop and he would give me
another task to perform on the '50. Since I would not
be using any parts from the engine or transmission,
I was junking them as I took it apart. The interior
was dismantled and completely re-upholstered in
cinnamon red and white naugahyde. My brother had just bought
a brand new 1960 Pontiac Bonneville and it was
Coronado Red (a deep cinnamon metallic). I wanted
my '50 to be the same color. All of the chrome of the
bumpers, grille, window frames was re-plated to
like-new condition. We installed a Ford 9-inch rear
end with 4:11 gears. The '50 came home from the
paint shop and glistened under the neon lights. I
was on cloud nine every day. While I labored on the
'50, my brother was assembling a Chevrolet V-8
engine and a close-ratio 4-speed transmission. We
were into a 6-7 month effort on the '50 and it was all
coming together.
It was about January of 1960 and there was a big car
show at the grounds of the State Fair in Dallas. All of
the big names and factory proto-types would be there.
Tony Nancy of Los Angeles was in town and he owed my
brother a lot of favors. My brother asked me if I wanted
Nancy to pin stripe my '50? I almost slobbered on myself
as I envisioned the '50 with accent lines around the
headlights and maybe down the side of the car. We hooked
up the '50 to a tow-bar and connected it to the back of
my brothers pick-up. On the way to the fairgrounds the
'50 came off the trailer hitch, went across the medium,
and was struck by a City of Dallas dump truck loaded with
sand. Since the '50 did not have an engine or transmission
in it, it fold up like an accordion. I was heartbroken! We
managed to salvage the rear end, the windows from the
driver's seat back to the rear window, and the upholstery
from the rear panels and package tray. The remainder was
totaled. I had now had two (2) cars and had never driven
any of them a single yard.

What..... More Snow??

Okay!!.... This is unusual...even for Texas. A
second snow storm in less than a week. Tonight's
snowfall is a lot less than the one last Thursday
that dropped 3 inches on North Texas for the
first White Christmas since 1926. This storm
should be over by 9pm according to the TV
guru. It is suppose to be heavy fog for the
remainder of the night and into the early
morning hours of Wednesday. So far tonight
the streets and sidewalks are remaining wet
but no snow is sticking. With the temperature
expected to drop around freezing, the streets
and highways will be slick. As always, watch out
for the bridges and overpasses and DO NOT hit
the brakes while you are on the bridges or
overpasses. I have heard this since I was a
little boy but I am still amazed at how many
people do it. Drive safe and use your head,..and
you will be around next year (Friday).

First Car in My Life

I have been searching for items to report on
this blog page and thought I would review some
of the cars that I have owned in my lifetime.
This actual car is NOT one that I have owned
but I include the photo merely to show you what
the car looks like.
In the 9th grade I wanted a car extremely bad.
My Dad said NO!! I had a couple of paper routes
and was making some money. I bought a 1946
Ford Coupe that did not have an engine or
transmission in it. It looked a lot like the black
coupe in the photos, but without a front bumper
and hubcaps. A friend of mine that did have
a car helped me tow it home and I parked it in the
back yard behind our workshop. I did small things
like clean the inside to remove all traces of the
previous owner and to start sanding down the
outside. My older brother (who this blog is
dedicated to) had a speedshop just blocks away
and I figured I could talk him out of an engine and
transmission. One of my chores around the house
was to take out the trash each day, and this proved
to be my downfall. While carrying out the trash my
Dad discovered the Coupe in the backyard. I will
never forget his reaction. He asked me, "Was anyone
hurt in that wreck out back?" My brother joined in
and told me if I got rid of the 46 he had a 1950 Ford
Victoria he would give me as a starter car. I only
had the 46 for just over a month,..but it qualifies as
'my very first car'.

Nitty Gritty Time for Cowboys

Okay,... I admit it,... I picked the Dallas Cowboys
to win eight games and lose eight games this season.
Since they have already surpassed that total it looks
like I better give up my plans to be a sports bookmaker.
Dallas has won twice in the past two weeks, but
the victories were anything but similar. The first win
came against New Orleans, who looked to be the class
of the NFC at the time, unbeaten in 13 games this
year. The Cowboys defense shut down the Saints like
nobody else has been able to do this year, and the
offense just moved the ball at will all afternoon. The
game Sunday night was anything but similar. The
Redskins are a team about to internally explode.
The owner has just hired a new general manager
that already has his finger on the trigger, ready to
make wholesale changes at the end of the year.
Dallas beat Washington 17 to nothing, but it should
have been even worse. Twice Dallas was in the red
zone and went for it on fourth down, only to have the
Skins deny them. It goes into the win column, but it
definitely was not a work of art.
The final game of the regular season will have the
Philadelphia Eagles coming to Dallas (Arlington) to
play the Cowboys. With an Eagles win, Philadelphia
is the Eastern Division Champs with a first round
playoff game at home, while Dallas will be a Wildcard
entry in the playoffs, and have to play an extra game.
If Dallas wins this Sunday, the Cowboys are the
Eastern Division Champs and the Eagles will be the
Wildcard entry. Dallas owner Jerry Jones is on record
as saying only a home playoff victory will save the job
of current coach Wade Phillips. It will be the biggest
game yet at the new stadium that the Cowboys call
home. The network has moved kickoff from 12 noon
to 3:15 so the entire country will be able to see it.
Go Cowboys... Make me look even worse!!!

The Movie 'Avatar'

Momma and I went to the movies today to see
'Avatar'. Unlike the movie 2012 this one had a
storyline that was believable. It is a love story
with a futuristic setting. I won't spoil it for you,
but there were parts of the movie that made
me think I was looking at a different prospective
of 'Surrogates' (see earlier review).
The movie takes place on another planet and
there are good guys and bad guys on both sides.
It is two hours and forty minutes long so make
sure the bladder is empty when you go see it.
I would not suggest taking any children under
the age of 8-9. The violence and language are
not the problem, but they may not be able to
follow the story line.
A Kleenix or two might also be a good idea..
There are some moments that might require a
tissue to maintain that stoic image of yours.. It
is a good movie and the 3D effects are sure to
get your attention. The jungle setting had me
swatting bugs out of my way to see the film...
and lo and behold,..they were part of the film.
The film is out in two different formats...3D and
the regular way. Go see it in 3D!!! I thought I
would dread the glasses, but they are comfortable
and it gives the film a whole new look to make
it even more believable. Director James Cameron
(who also did 'Titanic') has another masterpiece
on his hands.
Enjoy!

Merry Christmas at Home

It was quite a Christmas at the Stone household
yesterday... We had all seven (7) grandchildren
under the same roof for the very first time. My
son and his wife were there with their three
boys, and the oldest & youngest daughters were
there with their families. It was a pretty good sized
group for our humble little cottage.
I woke up still in a great mood thanks to the SMU
win the previous day (see Friday's posting). Momma
was in the kitchen most of the morning, preparing
the brisket, sausage, potato salad, pinto beans, and
corn bread. My son's two oldest boys are 14 & 16
years old, so needless to say, they went back for
seconds and thirds.
Hopefully it was as good a Christmas at your home
as it was for us. I have a lot to be thankful this
holiday season, but at the top of the list is a great
family that I can call mine.. Not a cull in the bunch!!

SMU back from the Dead

I was at the news conference in 1987 when NCAA
Enforcement Director David Berst announced the
'death penalty' for SMU Football for cheating. (The
school did nothing that Texas and Texas A&M didn't
do on a regular basis.) The NCAA would never touch one
of the big state supported schools, but now they handed
down the maximum penalty to a small church sponsored
school. After no football for two years it was an almost
impossible task for SMU to return to the glory years.
Fast forward to Thursday, December 24, 2009... SMU was
back in a bowl game for the first time in 25 years...and
they destroyed the University of Nevada 45-10.. Nevada
had led the nation in rushing the football. The Mustangs led
31-0 at the half.. Quarterback Kyle Padron
passed for 460 yards and a school record.. On the second
play of the game he connected with #11 Cole Beasley on a
71 yard play that for all purposes KO's Nevada. Padron
raised a lot of eyebrows when he signed with SMU after a
great career at Southlake Carroll High School... but who is
laughing now?
After growing up in the Methodist Church as a young boy
in Dallas and having All-American quarterback Don Meredith
come to our church to testify his faith,.. I admit to being reduced
to tears at the last photo of Brian McCann, Chris Banjo, and Taylor
Reed holding up a sign in response to a national poll by ESPN where 91
per cent of the nation thought Nevada would win and proclaiming
"In God We Trust".. Well done Mustangs!!!
All photos courtesy of The Dallas Morning News!

White Christmas in North Texas

For the first time in many years North Texas got
a blanket of snow just in time for Christmas. It
started late Thursday afternoon and continued
through the night. Friday is suppose to be
sunny, but cold. I have my fingers crossed
as my son and his family are coming for
Christmas dinner with us for the first time
time in about twenty years. His mother, my
first wife, and I did not separate on the most
friendly terms. She has had his ear all these
years, but as an adult he has come to believe
that his Dad could not be all that bad,...and
wrong 100 per cent of the time.
Today is also the first birthday of my Schnauzer,
Cosmo. It is the first time he has ever seen snow,
and it turns out he loves it. We almost could not
get him to come back in the house once he got a
taste of it. Tinkerbelle, the 9 year old Wire Haired
Terrier, thought it was too cold on her feet and
wanted to come inside as soon as possible.
The snowy holiday does make the season that
much more beautiful. Merry Christmas to all...and
to all, a happy and joyous New Year.

Unique Gift

I have a friend that gave me a really unique
gift today... Many times you have been subjected
to various postings about my little Schnauzer
"Cosmo".
Today the Fed Ex man delivered a box to
our house,...and neither Momma nor I were
expecting anything. Upon opening it, I found a
all-wood artistic rendition of my little dog. I have
never had anything like it before. It was a gift from
a long-time friend Everett Shelby.
Actually, if it had NOT been for Everett, I would
never have been hired by Wal-Mart. I drove for M.S.
Carriers, and was one of their top drivers, BUT
could not get through the front door at Wal-Mart.
They receive thousands of resumes on a daily
basis, and I was one among those thousands.
Everett took a liking to me and saw that I was more
than just a truck driver. When an opening occurred
I was first on the mind of Everett, and with his help,
I got the job. I just finished twelve years with W/M
and that got me to the finish line...I am now officially
retired.
Thanks Ev... Good to know that our friendship goes
beyond just being co-workers!!

Denison's Season Finale

The 2009 football season came to an end for the
Denison Yellow Jackets this afternoon as they lost
to Aledo 40-28 in a Class AAAA semi-final game at
Collins Stadium in Denton.
The running of Jonathon Gray was too much for
Denison, as the sophomore tailback ran for 160 yards
and scored four touchdowns. Denison actually led
21-7 entering the second quarter, but then were
held scoreless as Aledo reeled off 28 un-answered
points. Denison had two touchdowns called back due
to penalties, but it was the defense that had no answer
for the Bearcats high octane offense.
Yellow Jacket running back D.J. Jones had 114 yards
rushing and scored two touchdowns. He finishes his
high school career as the all-time leading rusher with
2298 yards and 30 touchdowns in the 2009 season.
Denison ends the season with 13 wins and two losses,
while Aledo will move into the State Championship game
next week against Brenham. That game to be played at
Royal Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas
at Austin.

Pearl Harbor Day

To post anything else on this day would be
an extreme disservice to all who died that Sunday,
December 7, 1941.
At 8 o'clock that day Japanese planes attacked
the naval base, army base, and other important
targets located at 'the Pearl of the Pacific'...later
to become the 50th state in the union.
Planes, ships, storage facilities, and almost three
thousand men were lost that day in the surprise
attack. I have visited many memorials in my life, but
none is more moving than my trip to the Battleship
Arizona. From the platform you can actually look down
and see the ship just below water level. Bubbles continue
to seep from the ship, and she remains listed by the
Navy as being an active ship. The reason is that over
two thousand sailors are still serving there.
Here is a little more information on the attack that
forced America into World War II..

Following Japanese expansion into French Indochina after the fall of France, the U.S. ceased oil exports to Japan in July 1941, in part because of new American restrictions on domestic oil consumption.^[14] President Franklin D. Roosevelt had earlier moved the Pacific Fleet to Hawaii and ordered a military buildup in the Philippines in the hope of discouraging Japanese aggression in the Far East. As the Japanese high command was (mistakenly)^[15] certain any attack on the British Southeast Asian colonies would bring the U.S. into the war,^[15] a devastating preventive strike appeared to be the only way^[15] for Japan to avoid U.S. naval interference. An invasion of the Philippines was also considered to be necessary by Japanese war plans, while for the U.S., reconquest of the islands had been a given of War Plan Orange in the interwar years.

War between Japan and the United States had been a possibility each nation had been aware of (and developed contingency plans for) since the 1920s, though tensions did not begin to grow seriously until Japan's 1931 invasion of Manchuria. Over the next decade, Japan continued to expand into China, leading to all out war in 1937. In 1940, Japan invaded French Indochina in both an effort to control supplies reaching China, and as a first step to improve her access to resources in Southeast Asia. This move prompted an American embargo on oil exports to Japan, which in turn caused the Japanese to initiate their planned takeover of oil production in the Dutch East Indies.^[16] Furthermore, the transfer of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from its previous base in San Diego to its new base in Pearl Harbor was seen by the Japanese military as the U.S. readying itself for a potential conflict between the two countries.

For the Kids Motorcycle Toy Run

Today was the 15th Annual Texoma For the
Kids Bike Run. The event has become one
of the top rallys in North Texas and since 1995
has benefited the Salvation Army over one
hundred thousand dollars.
The weatherman was the biggest obstacle
to overcome in the latest edition of this ride.
Today was rainy, chilly, and on occasion, even
had some snow flakes appear. Still, riders
began lining up at Texoma Harley Davidson in
Sherman around ten o'clock this morning. By
noon over 600 motorcyclists braved the elements
to help bring a brighter Christmas to the less
fortunate. Bikes of all types showed up for the
event and the Salvation Army disaster van tried
to keep all satisfied with coffee and doughnuts.
An unwrapped toy and a couple of can goods was
the only entry fee, and riders did a good job of
filling up a step-side van with the goodies.
When it came time to ride,..the large group
headed out north and thru downtown Denison
before heading back to Sherman via Texoma
Parkway. A easterly turn on U.S. Highway 82
took the riders to state highway 1417, and
that took the group to Elks Club for a good meal.
A group of motorcycles that large is bound to
create a traffic problem,...but Sherman and
Denison police did a good job keeping the group
rolling at all important intersections. Outside the
city limits it was the Texas Department of Public
Safety (State Troopers) that handled the traffic
issues.
The past three years this annual event has been
held in sunshine with temperatures in the 60's or
70's. Today was an extreme departure from those
days, but the hardy spirit of motorcyclists came
through with a good size bunch. Knowing it was
for a good cause helped take some of the bite out
of the cold weather. Thanks again to all who
participated and maybe things will be better next year.

Denison Wins Again !!!

The Denison Yellow Jackets defeated Sulphur Springs
49-35 today in a state quarter-final game of the Texas
High School Football Playoffs. The game was played
at Gerald Ford Stadium on the campus of S.M.U. in
Dallas.
The win avenges a loss to the Wildcats in this round
of the playoffs one year ago. Sulphur Springs went on
to be the 2008 State Champions in Class AAAA.
Denison used the running of quarterback Jordan Taylor
and tailback D.J. Jones to end the reign of Sulphur
Springs. The Yellow Jackets had 570 yards of total
offense in the contest as Jones ran for 166 yards on
just 7 carries, and Taylor ran for 223 yards and passed
for 190 more. As good as the offense was, the defense
was equal to the task, limiting Sulphur Springs to only
4 touchdowns in 12 trips inside the Denison 20 yard line.
The win moves Denison to 13-1 on the year and also
into a semi-final round game next week against Aledo.
That game to be played at C.H. Collins Stadium in
Denton next Saturday. Aledo defeated Everman 34-22
to advance to the semi-final round. Denison is seeking
to gain entry into the state title game for the first
time since 2000.

Grandson Update

This is an update on the youngest grandson..
When we visited him on Sunday he was four and
a half months old. Jager is all boy..flirting with his
grandmonther...laughing with grandpa...and
eating up a storm. In an earlier post, I mentioned
how he had to return to the hospital for a minor
operation to correct a digestive problem. Since
then he has done nothing but grow. He is spoiled
rotten.. if his mother is not carrying him around,
it is his two older brothers or his dad. His brothers
are fourteen and sixteen so to say that Jager is
a surprise, is an understatement. The parents
say he is a good baby and hardly ever cries. I
was hoping for a little pay-back for his dad...
but for Christmas we are giving Jager a rocking
chair Pony.. when he rides it, it makes horsey
and clacking noises.. REAL LOUD!! I couldn't
find a drum set.....

Denison Wins Again !!

For the past three years Denison has been
eliminated in the third round of the Texas
High School Football Playoffs,...but today Denison
defeated Marshall 35 to 26 in a game played
at Hanby Stadium in Mesquite.
Denison trailed the Mavericks 19-7 at the
half, but came back to outscore Marshall
28-7 in the second half. It will be the first
time in the quarter-final round of the playoffs
since 1997 for the Yellow Jackets. There are
only eight 4A schools still playing football after
today. Next round will be the Regional II
Championships and Denison will face off
against Sulphur Springs, a team that ended
the Yellow Jackets playoff run last year.
Sulphur Springs defeated Frisco Liberty
33-31 in the other Regional Semi-Final
playoff game. Denison plays Sulphur
Springs next Saturday at 2pm at Ford
Stadium on the campus of S.M.U.
Great Comeback Jackets !!

Fokker DV-II

Yesterday's post featured the Sopwith
Camel, a plane used by all of the allied forces
of World War I.. Today I offer the plane
used by the Germans to battle the Camel.
This is a Fokker DV-II, designed and
built in the Netherlands, this plane used
both BMW and Mercedes engines in its
development. Climbing and turning was
a distinct advantage for the Fokker over
the Camel or the Spad, used by the allies.
Twin machine guns mounted on the
front cowling were synchronized to fire
through the propeller. A first for the
Germans and later copied by the allies.
More on the Fokker DV-II..
Late in 1917, Fokker built the experimental V.11 biplane, fitted with the standard Mercedes D.IIIa engine. In January 1918, Idflieg held a fighter competition at Adlershof. For the first time, frontline pilots would directly participate in the evaluation and selection of new fighters. Fokker submitted the V.11 along with several other prototypes. Manfred von Richthofen flew the V.11 and found it tricky, unpleasant, and directionally unstable in a dive. In response to these complaints, Fokker's chief designer and engineer, Reinhold Platz, lengthened the rear fuselage by one structural bay, and added a triangular fixed vertical fin in front of the rudder. Upon flying the modified V.11, Richthofen praised it as the best aircraft of the competition. It offered excellent performance from the outdated Mercedes engine, yet it was safe and easy to fly. Richthofen's recommendation virtually decided the competition, but he was not alone in recommending it. Fokker immediately received a provisional order for 400 production aircraft, which were designated D.VII by Idflieg.