About Me

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I retired from the food industry (salesman)in 1996.Bought a motor home, stored all the goods that we thought we might need when we found a place to light. Left California, where we were both natives, and took off to see America.After five years we had found the Ozarks of Arkansas and fell in love with the beauty and ruralness. We sold the motor home and bought a home here. Hauled all of our belongings from Calif. found lots of new friends and a good church.Our town and surrounding area has a population of about 11,000. The closest big town is about 12 miles South of us.I belong and sit on the board of the Dover Chamber of Commerce. Life is good here.

Mike

Mike

AHOY,AND GOOD LUCK

AHOY,AND GOOD LUCK
Dreams of a bygone era

The Tall Ships

The Tall Ships
To Sail Is Bliss

EMPTY TANKER

EMPTY TANKER
Fond memories

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Down To The Sea In Ships

When I was just a kid(18) I had the opportunity to go to sea. My Uncle was a purchasing agent for Standard Oil of California Marine Division. I needed a letter of recommendation from Standard Oil and then needed to be cleared by the U.S. Coast guard to get my seaman's papers. This took about a month. I had to travel from San Diego to San Francisco to apply for the papers. Standard Oil had a fleet of tankers that sailed out of Richmond California and hauled crude oil mainly up and down the Pacific Coast. They had one tanker that sailed only to Hawaii, and another that sailed to Midway. If I remember correctly they had about 6 others that stayed on the Pacific Coast from San Diego to Vancouver Washington. There were many small ports of call along the coast. I will mention some of those later.

3 comments:

  1. Ah yes! The sea!
    Ok, I won't torment you with my HUGE knowledge of the sea...(other then I hear there is oil in it now. grrrr)
    Thank you for your congrats on making it for two years! Sigh...actually, as I said, it no longer matters because altogether, if I add it up, I have been married fifty years next June 23rd. :) Well...yes..three different men...but I've hung in there with all of them..and that should be worth something.

    Now...LOVE your background...love your subject matter...but doubt it will be a popular blog with the women. But who knows...
    and..by the way..you look like an old sea Captain in that photo right there on the sidebar. teehe!!

    And...OHHH...that horseshoe with the ship in the center should be right up there in that empty space as your header!!
    You would have attracted some traveling snowbirds and olden folks had you based your blog on your motorhome travels all those years. I was sorta hopin' you would do that. You took so many pictures and met so many interesting people. You could have told stories of some of the characters you met...places you parked things you saw...WOW! Oh well.
    It's your blog... :)
    I love you and am only looking out for your best interest..blah, blah, blah!! LOL
    Your next to bestest friend on earth!!
    Mona

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  2. Idea!!!! Have two blogs... :) Yes? Write on this one with stories of the sea and your early adventures...and..then dig out a photo of your motorhome...blow it up..and make a lovely header with it, lovely tree's or the ocean... Add it to a pic of the open road...and and and..name it ...Country Roads, City Roads..
    or something...
    You gotta put all those years of travel out there...and don't tell me you already thought of it cuz had you, it would be here!
    So..two blog and soon you will know which has stolen your heart...
    That way you can include family photo's...and..a picture of ME!!!
    Ok..nuf a that!!
    Nitie, nite!!
    Mona

    How cool that would be and then everyone...everyone, family, friends, strangers, can learn about the open road adventures.

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  3. Mike Walker...have I told you lately that I love you?? Well, I do! Your comment made me cry. I miss you and Neddie so much at times...our life together, our monthly visit, the sound of your's and Pat's laughter from the other room long into the night...
    No one could make him laugh like you...no one!
    I miss it all! I miss it all so much!

    I have dreams all the time of being lost...of losing people...and it is so upsetting. I wake up crying...
    I used to dream of waking up next to someone other than Pat and would literally crawl under the poor man. He always understood.
    He would hold me and assure me that he would never leave me...never! I don't think he lied...I think he is next to me every time I think of him...I miss him, Mick! Horribly.

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