Back home in the cold winter - hibernation time.

Vacation is over and winter is in full swing here in New England.  It has been mostly bright and sunny but cold.  One morning I woke up to -4 and I do not think this week has gotten above freezing.  The garage is finished and the building inspector has given it his seal of approval.  In face he wrote "Nice job" on the form he left for me. It is nice not having to clear the truck of snow or frost on the windows...

What have I been doing for fun?  There is always sleeping.  Seriously, yesterday and today the racing season has started for me with the 24 hours at Daytona Grand Am race is running. Had friends over for the start.  I have been doing a little with my RC Trucks.  I got extra wide tires so the truck can run in the snow.  Those that were at camp last year playing with the truck should have a better prepared truck this year.  Most Saturday and Sunday mornings I have been having breakfast with friends. It has been a little cold to do much outside. I have a Shelby Model to put together.  I want to do a good job so I can display it with the Shelby when I go to car shows like some people do.  Hopefully winter will end soon so we can all end our hibernation. 

I was looking at the Stats for this blog.  I only have one follower. This is the 119th Blog posting I have made.

If you have any ideas about how to make this more interesting please feel free to contact me.

Fourth Christmas without Bette

Again I am down in Fort Myers for the Holidays.  Last week I went to the beach where we sprinkled Bette's ashes.  It was nice and sad visiting her.  I have also been to the Fort Myers Beach a couple times and to Ding Darling Preserve.  

There are some photos on my Facebook page. I think you can get to it here: 

http://www.facebook.com/UnofficialPopeJaimeBrown  

I have had a real good time this Christmas.  Got more than I expected in more ways than one.

I hope you all had a good Holiday.  

Until next time....

Jaime

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

Here are a few pictures from Thursday, ‎December ‎08, ‎2005. They were taken at Bonnie and Bette's 50th birthday party in Fort Myers Florida.

A lot has changed…

Here are a few pictures from that day.

Bonnie have a very Happy Birthday!

I have been trying to think what to write this month. It has been three years and one month… Thanksgiving was this month.

So that is where I will start.  I had decided I was going to stay home and just relax.  For the first time since Bette died I did not go to my friends Kim and Ellen’s.  I kind of missed seeing them.  My neighbors talked me into having Thanksgiving with them. So I went across the street instead of staying home. I was very nice day. Met some people I did not know and was made to feel like family. We were eating from about 1:30 PM until around 6:00 PM.  Other than being tricked into eating some chips with fish dip everything was very good!  As my close friends and family know I do not like fish! And I proved it on Thursday.

Of the six adults there, four of us had lost our spouse in one way or another. One was separated; one lost their spouse about five or six years ago.  As you know I lost Bette three years ago and my host lost his wife this year. What could have turned into a depressing trip down memory lane instead turned into a celebration of our lives with our spouses.  Tearful at times knowing what we have lost but uplifting because of what we had…

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and will have a wonderful Holiday season.

Garage update:

Still have the doors to put on but I am parking the vehicles in it.  

The "Shelby Shack" is partly taken down. It will be going to its new home soon.  I and the Shelby will still be able to visit it.

4 years

It was four years ago today that I learned that Bette had died.  I first got a phone call saying Bette was in an accident.  About a hour before that Bette had called me and said what fun she was having and we should go camping where she was because it was so pretty.  After the phone call about an accident I was getting ready to go where Bette was to comfort her.  Before I could find out where she was a police car pulled into my driveway.  As soon as I saw the two Officers walking up the walkway I knew Bette had died.  

The rest was just a blur.  The next thing I remember the house was full of neighbors, friends and Bette's family (which I consider my family).  It seemed like everyone just showed up at once which I know is not true because all of Bette's Brothers and Sisters and family had to come from out of state.  You guys are great!  I love you all.  You have helped me so much! The last three years have been a trial of coping. With your help I am continuing with my life.  But Bette is still always right there with me. 

Today the cement for the floor of the new garage came.  The guys actually woke me up.  It was still dark out when they started working. Setting up for the cement. I will have some photos soon of the floor and garage build in general. 

Drag racing season is almost over.  Had a good night last night.  Won all of my runs. Even a 2011 Shelby GT500 (year newer than mine).  The car hit the 28,000 mile mark doing about 100 MPH on the track. Next Wednesday is the last Wednesday for 2012.  If it does not rain I hope to make it.  If I do I will have been there for the first day and last day of the season.

Please take a moment to remember Bette.  

Until next time...

A Day Late

Yes, I know I am a day late.  But I did not know that yesterday.  Yesterday my mind told me it was the 24th not the 25th. My watch is no help either.  It thinks today is September 22. Work has been real busy this week. 

Had a good weekend. I went to the NASCAR race with some friends Sunday.  Below are a few of the over 2,000 photos I took. Had good seats up in the clouds (good thing it was sunny) near turn 4. We could see the pits, and front and back straights. Good race - no accidents or even spin-outs.

 Jr leaving the pits

 Jeff G. back straight

 Jr in the pits

This coming Saturday I will be at the Grand Am race in Limerock Conn. You can watch it on Speed Channel 3:00 PM Eastern.

The Deck is 95% finished.  The cement has been in place and the hole around it has been filled. Photos later. The Shelby and Raptor are really looking forward to living in their new house. The floor cement should be coming soon.

Sorry no new personal incite this time. Next month it will be three years since Bette died. And I hope to have special visitors in October.  I guess that means I have to clean up the house... 

Until next time keep the shinny side up and the dirty side down.

Photos for last post...

Read the Post before this before looking at these photos.

NETTTS trucks with

"In Loving Memory of Bette Brown"...

Future site of garage.

24'X24'

One of many car shows.

This one at Moooos on route 111 Salem NH.

Summer is almost over.

Summer is almost over. Too fast, but good. My September calendar is just about full. The first weekend I have two cookouts. It would have been Bette and my 33rd anniversary. The second weekend I may have off. The third weekend Sunday I have a ticket for the NASCAR race in New Hampshire. Watch for me I will be in row 41 near the pit entrance. Then for the last weekend I am getting tickets, with the same friends I am going to NASCAR with, for the last Grand Am race of the season in Limerock Park in Conn. I hope to meet up with some of the people (drivers and crew) that Bette and I would see and hang with when we went to the Grand Am races.

New England Tractor Trailer Training School (NETTTS) North Andover MA. School has put on their best road trucks “decals” saying In Loving Memory of Bette Brown (see photos). Bette was very proud of that school and the opportunities it gives it’s students to learn a trade, get a job, and most importantly improve themselves. Well for some reason I am not able to download the photos tonight. I will try to put the photos on the Blog later.

The past month I have gone to several and been in several car shows and “Cruise Nights” showing off both the Shelby GT500 and the Raptor. In the next two months these car shows will continue and I’ll be going to a lot of them. I also hope to get back to New England Dragway in September. This summer it has either been too hot (you are not allowed to use the car’s AC and have to wear a helmet) or raining on the days I would have gone.

On the Home front my deck is being rebuilt. You would not believe all the rot that was found! Don’t tell anyone. This is just between you and me. One of the boards I stepped on broke loose and I fell through up to my knee. I’m OK but that board is being punished and sent to that big wood pile in the sky. The deck is almost all taken down. There is enough for me to be able to still get in the house. This next week the replacement wood should be arriving. The Shelby and Raptor house is proceeding nicely. The new fill is in. We are waiting for one more quote for the foundation… Then the trenches can be dug and the cement poured. As it is with only the dirt I have started parking the Raptor “in” the garage so it gets use to it’s new home. Photos as I am able to post them….

That’s it for now. Until next time – take care…

PS I know I have been missing a lot of people’s Birthdays and for that I apologize. I will endeavor to do better the remainder of this year and in 2013.

July 2012

I know I am a day late posting this. There was a good chance that I would have some good news the day after my normal posting date of the 25th. As it turned out I got the good news I was hoping to get. Now I expect that you are asking yourself why doesn’t he spit it out and tell us the good news? That is a good question to which I say: To keep up the suspense.

The past month has been interesting. The car shows are going strong. I went to about five shows at different locations. I showed both the Shelby and the Raptor. I got to catch up with people I have not seen since last fall. Then a Saturday night a couple weeks ago I was sitting watching TV when a neighbor knocked on the door and gave me tickets to the New Hampshire NASCAR Sprint Cup race the next day. I had a good time going to the race with a friend. We left my house around 9 AM and I got home at 8 PM. Last night I went to New England Dragway Street night with the Shelby. Some friends came to watch. My car is too fast to give rides on the track. I made nine runs. Seven of them I was the first across the finish line. One of the two I was not first I crossed the finish line at a higher speed than the other car. How is that possible you ask? Well, if the other car is really good at getting a quick start it can get ahead. It can top out at a slower speed so it is a game of catch up. Another 100 feet or so and I could been first. In any case I had fun. I will try to post a video. Wish me luck.



Ok, enough suspense. Today I got a building permit to build a garage for the Shelby and Raptor!!!!! It will be 24 by 24 feet. From the road it will look like a mirror image of the house at the end of the driveway. I will provide photos as the building progresses.

Take care and come on back….

Time Goes On

The march of time never stops. Before I forget I just want to say I have something very nice and touching to show next month. Maybe even mid month. Stay tuned.

On a sad note Tommy dog had some medical problems and had to be put to sleep. He had a good life. He was 19 years and three months old. The house is a little emptier now.

I just got back from vacation. Had a really good time at Camp LeTourneau with Bonny, Brenda, Bill, Billy, Jenny, and Jane. Did not do much but sometimes those are the best times. Every evening after watching sunset we played games. Dominoes, Apples to Apples, and Password. Haven't laughed so hard in a long time. During the day played follow the shade. The weather couldn't have been better.

We all missed Bette.

May 25, 2012 - Another month has passed

Another month has gone by. It is getting closer to summer and warmer out. It is predicted to be close to 90 tomorrow with chance of summer like showers. My allergies are working overtime. Nothing new. Planet Earth continues zooming through space and we all continue to hang on and not fall off.

I had a strange thought/feeling mid morning today. I had the desire to call Bette. Like in the past we would sometimes just call each other in the middle of the day for no other reason than to hear each other’s voice. Make contact. Some days being apart for eight hours seemed like too much time away. Now it has been over two years without her…

Jaime

I have been putting this off, but it is getting late in the day so I will not put it off any longer.  It has been two and a half years since Bette died.  Two and a half years! The pain is always just under the surface and I can talk about Bette and our life together without always getting teary. Some days the pain is just as strong as that first week.  The last few nights driving home I have been thinking about our almost nightly call to each other (hands free and voice activated) on the way home to check in to see how our day was, when are you getting out of work, and what we wanted to do that night. Who is cooking, what we are cooking,  how about a pizza? What do you want on the pizza, or how about Chinese food?  What movies are playing?  I guess I’m tired how about picking up some pre-cooked meal at the grocery store? I’ll get a video too…  I really miss that!

Since last month I have renewed a hobby and started a new one.  The weekly Wednesday Street Night at New England Dragway has started.  I have been there twice.  Once in the truck once in the Shelby. I got the truck up to about 91 MPH in about 15 seconds and at the 660 foot mark it was going about 72 MPH. The Shelby had the street tires on it and was about a second off my normal times.  I had fun though. The new hobby is RC (radio controlled) trucks.  What got me started was seeing an article in a car magazine saying there is a cool RC Raptor.  I found one in the internet and bought it.  And it is the same color as my big Raptor truck!  That would be cool to have at the car shows I go to.  It came in and I ran it out in the back yard.  Boy did it go?  I had to get me another one of these but 4 wheel drive.  The 4 wheel drive one came in and it was even faster.  Last weekend I gave the first one a new motor.  Now they are equally fast.  I have been told they can do between 35 and 60 miles per hour and they come with gearing that will get them even faster (warning: faster speeds should only be done on smooth large paved areas).  Since I do not have a large smooth pavement I’ll keep them slower.  For now anyway…

That has been a little bit of my life for the past month. I hope you continue to enjoy my blog.  Until next time.

Today was the kind of cold dreary day you just want to stay inside in front of the fireplace. It was in the 40s and drizzly and rainy most of the day. It was the kind of weather that just chills you to the bone. It was the kind of weather that Bette just hated. Flannel pajamas, big heavy robe, and hot chocolate or tea – if she didn't have to go out.

Well despite the weather I had breakfast with some friends, went to the bank (yes I belong to one of those banks is open on Sundays), I went to a museum (more about that little bit), and I went home to watch some races (and promptly fell asleep). I did do a few other things not worth mentioning. The museum I went to is the Museum of printing (museumofprinting.org). Some friends are involved with the museum and I got an invitation to their opening day today. It was really interesting, a lot packed into the building. I don't want you much away about the museum, you should visit it yourself. There is one thing from one of the tours really struck me is interesting. The museum has printing presses maybe I should say devices from over 100 years ago up to modern. The interesting part, to me anyway, is that printing presses over 100 years old are still functioning and able to print but many of the modern 1970s to present typesetting printing machines are not working or unable to work because of things like electronics that no longer work with the software or operating systems that run the machines are no longer available. Why does something from 100 years ago work but today everything grows obsolete within a few years? I've some ideas on the sundial discusses a later time.

It's Sunday night, it is getting late, time to let the dog out one last time, then go to bed. Monday morning and going off to work is going come much too early. I hope everyone that reads this little blog of mine enjoy it, maybe learn little, get to know me better, maybe even inspire you to do something. I welcome you to my world. Take care, until next time…

Vroom!

I am a day late in posting this. Bette has been heavy on my mind these last few days and weeks for reasons I cannot discuss.

Today was supposed to be the Super Bowl of the NASCAR season– the Daytona 500. But it got rained out. So I'm going to bore you talking about my cars. For those not interested just skip ahead to next month.

Above you can see photos of my current fleet. I did not realize how tall the pickup truck really was until the Shelby was sitting next to it. I don't think the roof of the Shelby even reaches the top of the hood of the Raptor. Both vehicles are made by Ford's Special Vehicle Team. I've probably talked about the power, of the fun I've had with the Shelby. Dyno tuned to little over 550 hp at the rear wheels ( supposedly 667 hp at the flywheel). The Raptor is sort of the pickup truck equivalent. It is 411 hp stock off the showroom floor. Supposed to be able to do hundred miles an hour in four-wheel-drive over open country. There are several YouTube videos you can see Raptors doing this and jumping small buildings in a single bound. I don't intend to do either. I was however hoping that there'd be enough snow for me to go to an empty parking lot that has not been plowed and drive around and try doing doughnuts and other fun stuff like that. Nothing harmful. The way this winter is going I will have to wait till next year for that. The Raptor is probably just as much fun to drive as the Shelby but indifferent way. The Shelby is low, sleek, and fast, the Raptor is large, tank like in its size (little over 7 inches wider than the standard F150), and quick. the Raptor seats are very comfortable. Up until about a week ago my mileage been 13 miles to the gallon, in the last week specifically this weekend I've noticed the average is about 15 miles per gallon. the last two days it is occasionally hit 20 miles to the gallon for 10 or more minutes averaging 16 1/2 for entire trips. It's getting better gas mileage now than I thought it would. It has about 2800 miles on it and is about 2000 miles from its first service. To wrap this up I am very happy with both of my SVT vehicles.

I can picture Bette looking down on me and smiling. Knowing these are the type of vehicles we always wanted to have. And I can't help thinking she may be a little jealous that I am driving these since she is not able to. But in a way she is able to because she is in my heart and head always and forever. Death did not do us part – Bette's spirit was always with me.

-Jaime

Another month gone by

Another month has gone by… Since Christmas I have returned from my vacation in Florida, bought a new pickup truck (Ford Raptor), and my friend and neighbor Sal lost his Wife, Shelia, after a long and hard struggle. Going to the services for Shelia brought to the surface a lot of feelings. As you can probably imagine I have been thinking of Bette a lot. Between the way Bette loved the holidays and found joy in the smallest gift or jester and thoughts of her Service I have done a lot of soul searching. What have I done in the two plus years? I have genuinely wanted to visit with Bette’s family more than I have been able to. This year does not look any better because of having even less vacation time than in the past. I will muddle through doing the best I can. Except for house work. I hate house work. I feed myself and Tommy the dog alright but when it comes to putting things away I never have the time or can find the place where it belongs. OK – I know that is not entirely true – I know my sox go in the sox drawer, my underwear goes in the underwear drawer, and my shirts and pants go in the closet. And they should know this too but they do not put themselves there either… And don’t get me started with the vacuum. I have been threatening it by saying I will buy one of those little robot vacuums but it has not helped.

This weekend is the last weekend of January and Bette and I would probably be in Daytona watching the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona road race. We know several of the drivers. Some just a nodding acquaintance some well enough to talk to at length. This year I will be watching the 50^th Daytona 24 hour race at home on the Speed channel. I would say three of the drivers I know have a real good chance of winning in their class. Maybe next year I’ll make it.

I see Kit and Mike most Saturday mornings for breakfast (Sunday is Mike’s birthday I hear he is turning 147 this year) and I see Jimmy and Debbie on Sundays for breakfast. I’ll talk more about the new truck probably next month or maybe have a mid month posting about the truck.

So life is progressing. Different but moving forward. Until next month.

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year!

Merry Christmas everybody. This is my third Christmas without Bette. It is still hard. I am having a good holiday at Bette’s little sister, Brenda’s and her Son Billy. Billy is not so little any more. I seem to be catching a cold. At least it waited until after Jenny left. We went to the Beach most every day, or we did the giant Flea Market thing and the Mall Xmas shopping routine.

Strange things have been going through my mind this past week. I was just thinking about the time Bette and I painted the ceiling of the kitchen of our first house. Bonnie was able to paint the whole rest of the inside in the time it took me to do that one room. Then there was the time we noticed the kitchen cabinet coming off the wall. It took us several tries with different size lag bolts to secure it back where it belonged. There was the time a leak over the dining room table developed. That took a long time to find and fix, including several holes in walls and the ceiling.

These have not been the fun part of our marriage; they are what I would call the character building times. As working through difficulties, small or large, can be. Bette and I were lucky in that was were able to work out any difficulties we may have had.

On my way down to my vacation I got a phone message waiting for me in Philly saying my new Pickup Truck has arrived. I am looking forward to picking it up when I get back from Vacation. By the way it is a Ford F150 Raptor. I talk about it more on a later posting.

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and the best to you and yours….

I Hate Amazon.com (not really)

I Hate Amazon.com. They have made it too easy to buy stuff. First I got a Kindle and started buying books for it. Since I got it in late Spring I have bought a read 15 books. On the up side I have read 15 books and not watched 15 books worth of mindless TV. On the down side I have bought 15 books (but at a good discount over paper books. Two books I did not include in the 15 were free). Then I started looking for Fog lights for my soon to be new truck. They should start building the truck December 1, 2011. Well Amazon had the best price (by a long shot), so I ordered them. Then when I was checking on the order - on the screen was something that said something like "you may also be interested in these products". Well how do they know me so well? I had been thinking of buying the first item and I did not know they even made the second. But boy do I need it now that I know it exists. The first item was at a very good price and no shipping cost. The second, well the second item is a must have if you have the first item. Even though I did not know it existed before today. Before I go on (I don''t want to offend anyone here) - before I go on Holiday vacation everything should have been delivered. I will have my own little pre-Christmas Christmas! Oops! Sorry about that -I will have my own little pre-Holiday Holiday!

Happy Holidays,

Jaime

Happy Birthday Bob

¡ʎɐpɥʇɹıq ʎddɐɥ ˙sɹɐǝʎ ǝʌıɟ ʎq pǝssıɯ ǝɥ ˙09 oʇ ǝʌıן pןnoʍ ǝɥ ʇɥƃnoɥʇ sʎɐʍןɐ ǝɥ ˙ʎɐpɥʇɹıq 88 s,ɹǝɥʇɐɟ ʎɯ uǝǝq ǝʌɐɥ pןnoʍ 1102 ɥʇ82 ɹǝqɯǝʌou ʍoɹɹoɯoʇ

˙ʇxǝʇ down ǝpıs-dn uʍo ɹnoʎ ǝʇıɹʍ oʇ ǝʇıs qǝʍ sıɥʇ oʇ oƃ uɐɔ noʎ

ןɯʇɥ˙ʇxǝʇuʍopǝpısdn/ɯoɔ˙sɔɐıuɐɯɥɔɹɐǝsǝɹ//:dʇʇɥ

http://researchmaniacs.com/UpsideDownText.html

It does not appear to do capital letters. You can convert the text back to right side up at that web site too...

Tomorrow November 28th 2011 would have been my Father's 88 birthday. He always thought he would live to 90. He missed by five years. Happy Birthday!

uos ƃuıʌoן ɹnoʎ

It's the annual what am I thankful for blog.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving this year. And since I may not be writing again until Christmas I would like to wish you all good health, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and/or whatever joyous holidays you may celebrate.

I will start with the bad news. This past Monday I had to put Nia, my Rhodesian Ridgeback dog, to sleep. She had a good long life. She was 14 years old. On the good side of the dog world Tommy, my 18-year-old Chihuahua Mix is doing very good. Despite being mostly deaf and half blind, but his nose still works well.

It's the day after Thanksgiving and it is two years and one month since Bette died. So what am I thankful for?

What am I thankful for. . . ?
I’m thankful Nia had a long healthy life and did not suffer. I'm thankful Tommy is still doing good. I'm thankful for having Bette the love of my life for over 30 years. I'm thankful for Bette's family. I pray that all of their medical problems will be resolved (you know I love you and pray for you and for your health). I am thankful for all my friends new and old, close by and far away. And then on the more mundane things I'm thankful for my job, my house, and my car…

I would like to thank Kim and Ellen for including me in the Thanksgiving festivities. I had a very enjoyable and gastronomically tasty day. I've probably mentioned this before but I want thank Bonnie for our daily phone conversations. They really help. Like to thank Brenda for putting up with me for my Christmas/New Year's vacation. I like to thank Bob and Linda and Bill and Mary for their standing invitations to visit them anytime. I'm just sorry I haven't taken them up on it is much as I would like to. Somehow it's easier to fly down to Florida than North Carolina. Go figure. As I gained back vacation time I hope to visit you all more.

I know I've left out lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of things that I'm thankful for but will not mention so this doesn't become too boring. I would like to end this by asking everyone that reads this blog to write what they're thankful for.

Happy holidays

Jaime

Bette has been gone two years

Here is a little video of Bette in still photos.

High Def

Low Def

We miss you so much....