Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx

I was putting my books into some new bookcases I bought recently. I tend to read biographies, history, and mysteries set in the period between the two world wars. I think everyone should read the Complete Sherlock Holmes cover to cover, all 56 short stories and 4 novels. As Holmes said "I am an omnivorous reader with a strangely retentive memory for trifles."

Currently on my night stand I have the following books I am working on. My Life in France by Julia Child. The Federalist by Alexander Hamilton et al. Patton A Genius for War by Carlo D'Este. Gettysburg by Stephen W. Sears. Lighting in a Jar by Cot Campbell whom I have had the great fortune of meeting and spending a morning with watching horses workout in Aiken, SC. And last but not least When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops by George Carlin.

Next up is a bio of Benjamin Franklin but I promise to finish at least two of the books I am working on.

General George S Patton Jr. is a figure most people know from the movie Patton. I have always been drawn to him since I was a young boy because my father served in Patton's Third Army in World War II. My father drove a truck in the artillery. The deuce and a half as it was called back in the war. Dad would drive those 2-1/2 ton capacity trucks full of shells and powder for the 155mm Long Tom cannons, from the supply depots up to the guns.


Some where in their drive across France, Patton issued an order that tank convoys were not to be passed on roads. This was a safety issue as the roads were not too wide to allow vehicles to pass safely. My father was ordered to bring 3 trucks full of shells and powder charges up to a battery of guns that was getting running out of supplies and being blown off the side of a hill. As he and the other two trucks raced to get to the guns they rounded a curve they pulled up to a tank convoy plodding along at about 8 miles an hour. After about 5 minutes of driving behind the tanks he did what any native New Yorker would do today in traffic, he went for it.

After he and the other trucks worked their way to the front of the convoy he was about to hit the gas, but he was in for a little surprise. General Patton was leading the convoy in his staff car.
So my Dad being the NCO leading the three trucks was welcomed by Patton with a face to face butt chewing and given a ticket that docked him a months pay for braking the rules. When the General asked my father why he passed the tank convoy and was told that a battery of 155's was getting blown off the side of a hill, he reply was and I'm paraphrasing here " Well you damn well better get going." Dad still had the ticket but also Patton's blessing.

Patton's family has a long military history. Sixteen of his relatives served in the Confederate Army in the War Between the States. His grandfather was killed in action. A great uncle was a member of Pickett's division that advanced the furtherest into the Union lines before being killed. After the war Patton's family left Virginia for California where he was born, although he always considered himself a Virginian.

Patton was a remarkable figure in American History. As a young junior officer he designed the saber used by the Calvary, and in World War I he wrote the first Tank Manual for the US Army.

The pages of history are filled with great personalities we just have to find them. Sherlock Holmes states it well "You see, but you do not observe." We all need to observe more.

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. Albert Einstein

Human stupidity. There's a concept I have been running into way to much. Take just today for some wonderful examples. As I was leaving my apartment parking lot one of my astute neighbors backs out of his parking space apparently with his or her eyes closed. Based on their reaction I believe this is a daily occurrence. Because the clown never stopped his car. If I did not react like Joie Chitwood the passenger side of my Mustang would have a huge dent in it right now.

Since today is St. Patrick's Day myself and a co-worker had lunch at the Billerica Irish American Club which is about two blocks from our office. Ron had to run into the Post Office to buy some stamps. I waited in his truck and in mere minutes observed enough human stupidity to write a thesis for an advanced degree from your favorite university. The Post Office shares a building with a Mobil gas station that also has a Dunkin' Donuts inside it. On the Post Office's end there are signs clearly stating parking for Post Office business only. The first rocket scientist to pull up, parks in the spot directly in front of the Post Office's door while chatting away on his cell phone. He exits his car, still chatting away and heads directly into the Mobil/Dunkin' Donuts shop.

Rocket scientist number two pulls up in the clearly marked No Parking lane between the gas pumps and the building. He drops his letters in the outside mailbox, jumps into his car and process to back up quickly in front of a car entering the parking lot from the street. He drops it into drive and is off to be annoying to someone else down the road. I figure he is a relative of my neighbor from this morning. Rocket scientist number one has now returned to his car, his purchase in one hand, while the other hand is continues to hold his phone to his ear. Two cars are now waiting for a parking space to go to the Post Office. The person in the first vehicle is now impatiently waiting for our one handed driver to get his car in gear. Hand waving and verbally expressing his displeasure albeit behind closed windows he waits for rocket scientist number one to leave phone still glued to his ear and completely oblivious to the outside world.

Luckily for me Ron returned at this point and we went for a wonderful plate of corned beef and cabbage, and listen to live Irish music for the rest of our lunch hour.

Now with all the humans adding to the shallow end of the gene pool here is an example of real canine brilliantness. "The Amazing Skidboot"

To sleep, perchance to dream

Noah and his mother have come down with the flu so I'll be staying home this weekend while the two of them rest. Mother Nature has seen fit to keep me in my apartment as the rain arrives mid day just as I complete a couple of errands. What better way to waste a few hours on a rainy late winters day but to take a nap. Children never like to take naps. Most of the time the fast pace lives we all tend to live do not allow the time for an afternoon nap. It is one of the more enjoyable endeavors and well worth fitting in to your day.