This Tuesday, March 5, the Old Men of the Mountain met at the Your Way Café in Schoharie where so much went on this scribe does not know where to start. The scribe guesses he will start at the beginning.
As a rule, the names at the end of this column are listed basically in the order of appearance at the restaurant. First on this list are two names of OMOTM who are generally in the lead.
Tuesday morning, the men with those two names were not there. As more of the OFs arrived, these OFs began to think something might have happened to the lead OFs and wondered if one of them should go out and check if the lead OFs had broken down somewhere along the way.
While this was being discussed, one OF told this scribe that maybe it was the OF’s turn to drive who had a car that did not like cold weather. In cold weather, this particular car would just quit as it was going along.
This OF said he was told that it was necessary to sit and wait awhile in the car and then it could be restarted then it would go on. The car always seemed to restart; the OF continued, it always restarted.
No sooner did the OF enlighten us about this cranky cold-weather vehicle than through the large front windows of the Your Way Café we saw them coming down the road. Just as the OFs were going to turn into the parking lot, the car quit running!
Right there in the middle of the road in front of the restaurant, the finicky car quit! Right behind these OFs was an empty Carvel stone truck on its way back to the quarry to get another load. Fortunately, the driver stopped the vehicle about eight feet in back of the OFs.
Some of the younger OFs were getting up to help push the persnickety car out of the road, but suddenly it restarted so the OFs in the car were able to drive into the parking lot. When the OFs came through the door into the restaurant, they were given a big hand for supplying the early morning’s entertainment.
The OF sitting on the right (next to this scribe) said that the car this certain OF has never did like cold weather and has acted up like that since it was new and they can’t find out what the problem is. This scribe thinks maybe it is a Florida car that was shipped to Northeast by mistake, and like people it is one of those that can’t take cold weather.
Chest pains
The next happening is considerably more crucial.
Toward the middle of the breakfast, while some of the OFs were still arriving and others had their meals, the OF sitting to the left of this scribe in a loud voice announced, “Can I have your attention please!”
At first, not much attention was given and this scribe asked, “What’s the problem?”
The OF answered, “I am having severe chest pains.”
Fortunately, in this group there are a couple of semi-retired emergency medical technicians. This scribe right away called these EMTs up to the table, and asked for the OFs to call 9-1-1.
This was done immediately by a regular patron in the restaurant who was familiar with the procedure and what to say to the dispatcher. By the time the ambulance arrived, the OF was feeling better but he had broken out in a sweat, and was quite dizzy, and he mentioned everything was blurry.
The EMTs put him in the ambulance, which took him to Cobleskill Hospital. This scribe called that evening to check on him and find out how he was doing.
To this scribe’s surprise, the OF answered the phone. He was home, and told to rest and not do anything. The pain was gone and he was resting comfortably.
This was rather an interesting and eventful morning.
X-rays displayed like family photos
Now to some to the regular chatter, which was interspersed between the two major events and it just happened to be in a medical vein. Many of the OFs (as has been reported) are familiar with doctors, doctor appointments, and procedures.
One of these is X-rays. Some of the OFs and their friends have taken to requesting the X-rays and displaying them as you would photographs of families and friends. The OFs circle the broken, or worn-out, part as indicated by the doctors as a point of interest.
Some doctors even supply photos of their work. One OF has X-rays and pictures of his shoulder repair and a picture of a common drill drilling a hole for the screw to hold the shoulder together, and then a picture of how it looks afterward with the screw doing its job.
The OFs say that it is now common to see the insides as well as the outside of a family member in the family album. This goes for many parts — knees, shoulders, hips, backs, and whatever part is being repaired.
In some cases, it even applies to internal organs. This goes beyond nude paintings.
However, you never hear anyone say, “Hey, Joe, want to see what my shoulder looks like on the inside? I have a picture of it hanging in our den.”
It is lucky that the OFs make it to the restaurants on Tuesday mornings, like this Tuesday morning making it to the Your Way Café in Schoharie, and those that did were: Miner Stevens, Roger Chapman, Bob Giebitz, Harold Guest, Wally Guest, John Rossmann, Bill Lichliter, Chuck Aelesio, Richard Frank, Dave Williams, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Joe Rack, Ken Parks, Jack Norray, Lou Schenck, Mace Porter, Gerry Irwin, Herb Bahrmann, Jim Rissacher, Marty Herzog, Warren Willsey, Mike Willsey, Russ Pokorny, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen Defazzo, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
Tuesday, Feb. 26, the Old Men of the Mountain met at the Country Café on Main Street in Schoharie. At this restaurant, the staff places the tables in a long line and the OFs feed like cows at a trough.
When everybody is there, and the food is coming out, the conversations are at the loudest. The scene of many of the OFs putting their hands to their ears to adjust, or remove, their hearing aids is rather comical. It is apparent that none of these hearing aids work at places where there is noise or music.
The OFs began talking about the cost of owning animals. One OF told about a friend of his that had his taxes done and received a little more than he expected in his tax return — it was about $1,500.
The OF said he was really excited about receiving the $15,000. A few days after getting his tax refund, he came home from work and found that his dog was dragging itself by his front feet and his back legs were just dragging on the floor.
He took the dog to an animal hospital. The OF said they performed all kinds of tests and could find nothing wrong.
That was until the doctor picked the dog up by the hind quarters and something inside him “clicked” and the dog stood up and has been fine ever since. However, the amount of the vet service was almost equal to the tax return.
One OF said it seems anytime he gets a windfall something comes along and takes it all away, and occasionally a little more.
Another OF said he pays $125 just to get his cat’s hair cut twice a year. Then someone else said they used to feed the pets table scraps; now it is all special food and this OF thinks his pets eat better than he does.
One OF said a vet used to come to the farm on a regular basis and check the cows and horses, and other farm animals. If there was a cat or dog that was ill, he would look at them and the OF said there was never an item on the bill that he had taken care of them.
Another OF said that pets and their care has gotten out of hand so much that only rich people can have pets; poor people can’t begin to afford them with the way prices are.
One OF commented that it is not only pets and animals but it seems everything has gone up, i.e., housing, food, gas, services, medications, everything, so why not pets and their care?
“Yeah,” one OF said. “Jeans ain’t five bucks anymore.”
Some OFs gripe about prices all the time and well they should.
Cabin Fever rages on
The OFs who clear out of New York when winter comes quite often call and gloat over the weather conditions where they are now. This year, gloating was not so much; it either has been too hot, or all it does is rain.
It all depends on what section of the country the OFs are in. The OFs who hang out in the Northeast grumble that they are hampered by not being able to do much because they are trapped indoors. It is generally called Cabin Fever, and Cabin Fever is beginning to claim many of the OMOTM.
Unreal reality shows
It was found out at the breakfast Tuesday morning that some of the OFs watch the same TV shows, like building off the grid, Maine cabin masters, the show that restores old buildings with old building materials — shows like that. These shows stimulate the thought process and the OFs wish they were young enough to take on projects like these.
To the OFs, these shows are in the category of a reality show and there is a camera crew of sorts around all the time, but the shows themselves are good and do show some interesting points that the OFs can use later on.
One OF brought up this thought: Where does the money come from, and how did these young people get the money to purchase a hundred acres in a pristine section of a beautiful forest?
Most of the time their tools are number one, and completely up to date, and this OF said he uses tools with leads taped, and handles replaced. He has good tools but they are on the tired side.
Another OF thought that the people building the project seem to have friends that own a crane, or are master craftsmen in carpentry or roofing or electronics, and have worked with off-the-grid solar energy.
The OFs say our friends have broken-down pickup trucks, or a couple of ladders with a rung missing. Many don’t even know how to use an iPhone, so electronics are ruled out as well as the solar system. These OFs are still using wood-burning stoves and wood-burning outside furnaces.
In one show, the home was being built where there were so many bears the builder installed a bear-proof fence around the perimeter of the property to keep the bears out. This scribe was surprised the OFs have heard of this and have seen one in practice. Well, that fence is an unusual expense that is imposed on the builder when building off the grid!
The OFs who appeared at the Country Café in Schoharie and did not have to open the gate on a bear-proof fence were: Wally Guest, Bill Lichliter, George Washburn, Roger Chapman, Roger Shafer, Harold Guest, Robie Osterman, Marty Herzog, Dave Williams, Joe Rack, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, Otis Lawyer, Chuck Aelesio, Richard Frank, Gerry Irwin, Herb Bahrmann, Jack Norray, Mace Porter, Lou Schenck, Mike Willsey, Warren Willsey, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen DeFazzo, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
An artist from Broome, Jody MacBlane, left, presents the OMOTM with a steel cutout of the Old Man of the Mountain symbol of the state of New Hampshire. At the bottom are the words Timeless-Wisdom-Insight. Patty, right, will hang the artwork in her restaurant, Mrs. K’s Kitchen in Middleburgh.
The date of this little report is no longer relevant because this scribe has been the guest of St. Peter’s Hotel for awhile. A “simple” procedure done thousands of times went awry.
This procedure was supposed to be in and out the same day; in many cases, you drive yourself there, and drive yourself home. The following day should be a day of recuperation then things are pretty much set to go.
Eventually (three days later after a second “procedure”) the scribe was sent home with a catheter. The scribe’s wife is not a nurse and doesn’t pretend to be one. This was a tough time for two senior citizens.
However, with the kindness, compassion, help, and consideration of neighbors on the Hill, this scribe got through it. It certainly was an experience, and one the scribe doesn’t ever want to repeat, so he will wait patiently until March 21 before the doctor sees him.
He hopes at that time he is fit to go back to living his normal life. This means the scribe has 28 days of not lifting or pushing anything more than 10 pounds, and then the doctor’s appointment. The scribe thought he had planned it so he would not miss an Old Man of the Mountain breakfast.
Well! That didn’t work out — so much for careful planning.
Pondering the question of who feels the cold
The first breakfast this scribe missed was at the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh. One considerate OMOTM made a list of those who attended the breakfast in Middleburgh, and this scribe said he would make a report from some notes made in the scribe’s little black book that were not used in other columns.
One of the items not covered, but was discussed, was the fact that during the winter the OFs don’t know how some people can take the cold to the point of wearing shorts when it is 20 degrees outside and the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour.
The OF, on the other hand, has on his insulated bib overalls over a pair of jeans, his layered top with long johns, flannel shirt, insulated Carhartt coat, and a “mad bomber” hat on his head.
One OF thought it was a mental condition, but another OF said there are enough people who dress quite lightly for cold weather that he thinks their body does not recognize cold. Some OFs said they have friends who don’t wear gloves most of the time in real cold weather and one OF said some of them are also OFs.
The OFs questioned the problem of wind chill and frostbite. The OFs wondered if frostbite affects the people who have the ability to withstand real cold weather.
Artwork honors The Old Men of the Mountain
At Mrs. K’s restaurant in Middleburgh a real-time report is very interesting and this scribe is bummed that he missed it. An artist from Broome named Jody MacBlane presented the OMOTM with a steel cutout of the OMOTM symbol of the state of New Hampshire that was used on the New Hampshire quarter.
Over the top of the cutout are the words OMOTM, and at the bottom are the words Timeless-Wisdom-Insight. (Obviously, this fellow doesn’t know us all that well). Patty, at Mrs. K’s, is going to hang this piece of art work in her establishment in Middleburgh.
The Old Men of the Mountain are much appreciative of such recognition by a reader of the column who would take the time and effort to create such a piece of art, and Patty for giving space to hang and display Mr. MacBlane’s artwork.
When the OMOTM quarter of the state of New Hampshire first came out, Mike Willsey, one of our early founders of the OMOTM, mounted clasps to the back of enough of the quarters for each of the OMOTM, and the OFs pinned these quarters to their OMOTM hats, shirts, or jackets and wore them proudly.
This scribe would also like to thank Lou Schenck of the OFs for recording their names mainly for self-preservation from any process servers, or law-enforcement officials, also for the information on the artist, and his cutout of the OMOTM.
Those OFs who were at Mrs. Ks in Middleburgh were: Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Marty Herzog, Bill Lichliter, Roger Shafer, Harold Guest, Wally Guest, John Rossmann, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Jake Lederman, Wayne Gaul, Rev. Jay Francis, Lou Schenck, Jim Rissacher, Mike Willsey, Warren Willsey, Ken Parks, and not me.
Those OFs that made it to the Middleburgh Diner for basically the same reasons as noted above were: Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Chuck Aelesio, Richard Frank, Marty Herzog, Bill Lichliter, Roger Shafer, Otis Lawyer, Harold Guest, Wally Guest, John Rossmann, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Lou Schenck, John Dab, Joe Rack, Ken Parks, Elwood Vanderbilt, Richard Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen and not me.
Location:
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, it was an unusual breakfast because it was out of order.
The breakfast was not unusual — the location was. The original restaurant had a scheduling change and would not be open on Tuesday.
This scribe did not know this and found out by accident, i.e., a quirk of faith, at least a few days ahead of time. So this scribe scrambled and contacted a few on the list who brought people, and called those who did not have email.
However, as is always the case, one driver did not get contacted and drove to the normally-scheduled restaurant and found it closed. With true dedication, the OMOTM drove back over two mountains to arrive almost in time at Pop’s Place in Preston Hollow where about a dozen OFs were still at the tables.
The OFs discussed taxes; it seems death and taxes are on the OFs’ minds lately. On taxes, the OFs discussed the state we are in and its truly outrageous taxes.
One OF said that those who live in New York have to support three sponges — New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester. Those places suck up all our money.
An OF countered with what he thinks — that New York city actually pays into the system more than it gets. None of the OFs are really sure if that is true, but a lot of our money is going someplace.
One OF said that he has a friend in Colorado Springs, and his taxes were $400 on his home (and it is a nice home) and that was it! Imagine that — 400 bucks.
Another OF told a story regarding when he was working and a complete company was leaving New York (and this was years ago). The OF was given a pamphlet, which the company gave all employees, listing why they were leaving, and the pamphlet also gave all employees a chance to move with the company, and this company would pay their moving expenses.
The reasons for leaving were weather, taxes, and over-regulation. The pamphlet praised the employees. In two months, the company was gone.
As usual, tax season brings tax talk, and we all complain but when the OFs hear their friends talk about how little they pay in taxes, the OFs wonder: Where does all the money we pay in taxes go?
The OFs admit infrastructure is a big part, but Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois all have the same problem.
We used to have the best education system going; when we were in school, a New York State high school education was almost a college degree compared to some other states. Not so much now. A degree from the Carolinas seems to be better than the same one from New York State. The OFs are just confused.
The OFs have said many times that, if it weren’t for the politics, New York has average weather, and beautiful scenery, and they all feel great when coming home, but it is the politics that bothers them the most, and of course, the taxes.
One OF said, “We don’t live in the other states,” but that OF said he bets they have their problems too, and those who live there get as disgusted with one thing or another just as we New Yorkers do.
For the birds
The OFs discussed how the wild animals take care of themselves during the winter months. Some of the OFs say it is really not necessary to feed the wild birds. They can take care of themselves very well and have for eons.
Feeding birds is for our enjoyment only it will not preserve the species. One OF said he thinks it actually weakens them.
Another OF who is an outdoorsman mentioned how the deer take care during the winter with cold weather and deep snow. The OF said the deer huddle under the hemlocks in holes they have dug in the snow. The OF said the holes are deep so only their heads can peek over the top.
“They are as snug as a bug in a rug,” he said.
All the little critters get under the snow, and even underground where the real cold weather can’t get to them, and the extra fur they start growing in late fall is also a big help. The self-made naturalists in the group, at times, make for some interesting conversations.
These OFs are good in regular table talk. It’s like going to school when listening to some of their conversations.
Talk of Tier One
A collection of OFs were sitting in proximity of each other and they all started talking about retiring. Well, duh, that conversation would include all the OMOTM. (We might have a couple of exceptions, but not many.)
This group all worked for the state in one fashion or another and all retired under “Tier One.” That left many of the other OFs wondering what kind of code they were talking; apparently “Tier One” is a good thing.
They then started talking the ins and outs of “Tier One” and this scribe was able to deduce that it was quite a favorable pension program offered by the state way back when.
Today, with all the ads for this program and that program, Medicare, Medicaid, and who knows what all, even Alex Trebek is spending more time selling insurance than he is on Jeopardy. That makes it easy to understand how this insurance topic would come up.
Condolences
The Old Men of the Mountain would like to offer their deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of a devoted and loyal member of this gathering, Steve Kelly, who passed away on Feb. 7 and is now with all the other OMOTM who are having their breakfast somewhere on a cloud in heaven.
Those who made it to Pop’s Place in Preston Hollow, and the dedicated OMOTM who made it over hill and dale through an error on the scribe’s part, were: Marty Herzog, Robie Osterman, Harold Guest, Wally Guest, George Washburn, Roger Chapman, Roger Shafer, Bill Lichliter, John Rossmann, Bob Giebitz, Joe Rack, Mark Traver, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen Defazzo, Mike Willsey, Warren Willsey, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
On Jan. 29, The Old Men of the Mountain traveled to the Chuck Wagon Diner in Princetown.
The OMOTM are getting glad to see January go. There was a short discussion about the end of January. Is the end of January still in the beginning of winter? According to Wikipedia, the start of winter in 2019 is Dec. 21, and the beginning of spring is March 20, so this scribe thinks we are smack-dab in the middle of the astrological winter.
So far the woolly bear caterpillar has been wrong. This little creature is the OFs’ gauge of winter — darn it, so far this one woolly bear has missed it! Maybe the OF who found the all-black caterpillar had the right critter.
The OMOTMs core base is getting older and older, driving is becoming a chore, and some have given it up completely. Some have had their kids take the car keys away, and some can’t twist their necks around to see what is coming.
Macular degeneration is also a problem. So far, these OFs are still able to make the breakfast because of those that still have their faculties (and may be younger) and they enjoy the friendship and knowledge of the older OFs, so they gather them up and bring them to the breakfast.
Tech savvy
Because we are the OMOTM, does not mean the OFs cannot keep up with at least a good part of the current technology. In the age group of 80 to 90 year olds, the OFs have cell phones and know how to use them.
Those in these same age groups have computers and tablets and know how to use them too. This comes as a surprise to some of the younger people. The OFs don’t know if it is because the OFs are smarter than people give them credit for in the tech area, or these things are really not that complicated.
One OF in his nineties said his computer was old and some of the new programs would not work on it, so he decided to purchase a new one. The OF just wanted to do simple stuff so he found a computer that was not that expensive, but when the charges for this that and the other thing, including some newer programs were added to the price of the computer, the OF said to heck with it and didn’t make the purchase. He would deal with his old friend.
Another OF summed up the cellphone very appropriately. The OF said that the iPhone is not a phone. “It is a computer with a predisposed phone app as standard equipment,” he said.
The OF made this comment as he was showing a video taken on his phone of another OF. The OF he was showing it to was performing (he’s a singer) a few months ago and this OF recorded the act on his phone.
This scribe receives much information from the OFs via their iPhones on his computer, and vice-versa: Much of what this scribe sends out goes to the OFs’ phones.
There is a very large “however” to all this technology. This scribe feels the report of some of the OGs is that they feel social media, along with the internet, is the Antichrist because it seems to be loaded with the bad, as well as the good, and sometimes it is hard to sift out which is which.
New songs don’t register with OFs
This next topic might cause some tee-heeing among the younger crowd because it concerns music. Basically, the OFs were wondering when what they knew as music became just noise.
The OFs remember music having melody, rhythm, and a tune that was hum-able. Now it seems to be who can screech the loudest with just a hint of vibrato. That is the singer of choice.
One OF said that there are some nice songs being written today — but not many. Another OF asked, “Name one right off the bat,” but no one could. However, they could name the old classics.
Another OF asked, “How many songs written today do you think will be sung 50 years from now?”
A second OF said, “Maybe some of the tunes written for musical plays will be.” Well, we will just have to wait and see.
Then another OF said he thought that as the OFs drive home from breakfast, they would remember songs, but he thought even those would be older songs.
Pricey wheels
Sunday, around noon, there was a TV show that showed some very high-priced vehicles brought up for auction. The OFs said there has to be a lot of money around only they don’t have any.
These vehicles were going for hundreds of thousand dollars, and even into the millions. The OFs started mentioning cars they had years ago and what they would be worth today if they had taken care of them and could see into the future.
Some of the OFs had Packards, Studebakers, Hudsons, even Jaguars, and especially model A’s, old Chevys, old Fords, and Plymouths — the list goes on and on.
But one OF said most of these cars were not old. This OF declared that, for him, once a vehicle entered the collectable stage, he would be afraid to drive it. Then what was he going to do — stay home and look at it? To him, it was a waste of money.
Those OFs who made it to the Chuck Wagon in Princetown in regular, standard cars and trucks and were just as happy, and they were: Bob Giebietz, Roger Chapman, George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Bill Lichliter, Roger Shafer, Chuck Aelesio, Ray Frank, John Rossmann, Wally Guest, Harold Guest, Otis Lawyer, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Joe Rack, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Rev. Jay Francis, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen DeFazzo, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
Tuesday, Jan. 22, The Old Men of the Mountain met at the Duanesburg Diner, in Duanesburg. This was another Tuesday where the OMOTM had to be careful on the roads, especially in the dark of early morning.
One set of OFs came upon a car in the ditch and this mishap appeared to have happened just ahead of them. The OFs said they stopped to see if they could help and the driver said, “No, we’re OK.”
The road where it happened is straight so it must have been inattention or a tad too fast for conditions or overconfidence in the car, because said vehicle was a four-wheel drive. It was no morning to be in a snowbank; the temperature was -2 degrees and the wind was blowing. Oh joy! The fun of winter driving.
The OFs were chattering about how alarmed the weather guys were because the storm of the century was pending and they carried on so. One OF commented that it is called job security.
Of course these OFs are OFs and most all, or maybe all (this is a fact this scribe would have fun looking into — what is the origin of the current group of OFs?) of the OFs are northeasterners and in 70 to 80 years have seen their share of winter storms. Though miserable for some and glorious to others, this storm was maybe normal.
One OF asked what are they comparing it to. He said, “What about 1957-58?”
Then another OF said, “Those years weren’t of this century. We are in the century of 2000 now and the century is young yet.” This OF continued, “The weather guys don’t have to go back too far for any storm to be the storm of the century — they only have to go back 18 years. We have many years to go and probably will have many ‘storms of the century’ coming up.”
Continuing on, discussing the weather during the winter months, it was noted that some of the OFs arrive early at the designated eating establishment. This means the sun has not peeked over the hill yet and these OFs are driving in the dark.
Tuesday morning with the full moon, the OFs talked about how beautiful it was; as the OFs have aged, they are becoming more appreciative of their surroundings and not afraid to talk about it.
OFs contemplate their obituaries
Along with this, the OFs talked about obituaries and how long and what they would say in their obit. With this group, there are enough years under their belts that they have a pretty good idea about what their life was like, and what they would like in their obits.
Some OFs said they would like their obit to read “He lived, he got married, he had six kids, and he died.” That would be it!
One OF suggested it might be a cool thing to have your obit all written and kept with your will. Another OF added that it might be a good idea to keep on the good side of your kids.
Just like the quite-often recited truism — be nice to your kids because they are the ones who are going to choose your nursing home — it should be added that the kids are going to be the ones to write your obit.
It was further stated by another OF that obits can cost money. If you want to have a long obit, it would a good idea to stick an envelope with money in it attached to the will and have it marked “for obit expenses” and have your pre-written obit in that envelope.
One OF said he doesn’t want an obit, but is going to leave money specifically for his headstone. This OF wants a large, fancy headstone, and on it he wants engraved “Here lies Guess Who, Born 1937 — Died 2022” (or whatever the death date might be) and that’s it.
One OF said he wants to be cremated and his ashes spread in the ocean. Then the kids don’t have to worry about a plot, or headstone.
Another OF piped up, “They will cremate you all right but probably spread the ashes on the manure pile.”
The first OF answered, “That might not be too bad either; at least my ashes will be doing some good after I’m gone.”
The other OF replied, “You got that right because you didn’t do any good while you were here.” (Yep, it was just another day at the OMOTM’s breakfast).
What’s left behind
Most of the OFs think they are leaving quite a mess for their kids. A few are better organized than others and have totes with labels for the tchotchkes that have some value.
One OF said that, the longer he lives, the more junk he accrues. An OF added, “My wife and I are on the short end of the ruler and we still hit the garage-sale circuit and purchase items that catch our eye.”
The OF said they change them out with items already in the house and take those things being replaced to the barn. The OF said he thinks he is not as attached to these pieces as his wife, but if she hits the pearly gates before he does, their kids would have to do the garage sale.
The OF doesn’t think he could handle it. It appears dying is a lot more complicated than living.
All the Old Men of the Mountain who made it to the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg and found a very pleasant and efficient Waldo bringing out the vitals were: Rev. Jay Francis, Wally Guest, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Ray Frank, Chuck Aelesio, Roger Shafer, Roger Chapman, Lou Schenck, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, Joe Rack, Marty Herzog, Elwood Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
Hey! Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Old Men of the Mountain did not have to slip and slide on the roads on way to the Your Way Café in Schoharie. This day was cold, but clear and dry. Maybe it was the weather conditions that prompted some of the OGs to comment that the weeks are going by so fast that it seems like it was just Tuesday yesterday that we all gathered for breakfast.
The first topic of the morning was the dismissal of three of the transfer-station employees in the town of Knox. The OFs were generally upset about this and, as one OF said, for the life of him, he does not understand why.
One OF said it stinks of backroom politics. Another said all he knew was what he read in The Enterprise and it did have quite an aroma to it.
However, most of the opinions were from word of mouth and The Enterprise. As far as the scribe could ascertain, there was only one OF at the meeting of the Knox Town Board, but at least the OMOTM were represented. The discussion was closed when one OF said, “There is always November.”
Federal shutdown
The next conversation was on the government shutdown. This discussion had pros and cons, but was not political, even though it is the result of the circus we call the legislative body of our country and it is a circus.
The OFs have no idea how to get out of this situation. Some of the OFs remembered when they were young and lived hand-to-mouth, particularly those that were not farmers. Some brought up training from their parents on how to prepare for living six months ahead in case something went wrong.
One OF mentioned how, many years ago, a Chinese couple taught them how to plan a year in advance, and what they should purchase and store, “just in case.”
The OFs did commensurate with the younger couples. One OF ventured that suppliers, and financial institutions could show some compassion here and work with the people who aren’t getting their paychecks on time because, when the bubble bursts, these employees will get paid.
However, it is a “sticky wicket” and many of the OFs claim all these big legislators with their million-dollar homes pay hollow lip service to the plight of the workers so they can stroke their individual egos.
One OF just threw out a comment that required no answer, “Do you think any of the big-shot politicians care?”
As part of this conversation, the OFs also talked about General Electric’s situation with all of that company’s financial problems. Some of the OFs have worked for GE at times and some have GE stocks (or had GE stocks) that were purchased at good prices while they worked for the company.
The OFs are not financial whizzes but they think a lot has to do with mismanagement from the top, and the cost of GE’s big-ticket items on the world market. The OFs feel the company just could not compete, which may be the major problem. The OFs also feel that GE made good products so the OFs feel that was not part of the problem.
Map mishap
Recently, the news on television has been running a story about a lady who has had GPS and Google show her driveway as a road. Many people who rely on the GPS electronic guidance system, and the maps of Google, were trying to travel on her driveway as a road.
One OF who lives on the Hill had the exact same problem with Google’s recent mapping of this area. The map showed his driveway as a road that had a beginning and made a loop and ended back on the main road, when it actually ended at his home.
The OF had all kinds of visitors, and cars and trucks turning around in his yard. The OF said it took two calls for him to get Google to change its directions but it finally did.
This scribe checked it out on Google maps and it does now show his driveway as a dead end. The scribe does not know about GPS doing anything wrong.
Brain drain
The OFs started to talk about how the group as a whole is beginning to show some wear and tear in the memory department. One section of our breakfast table, which included about 11 OFs, were having a discussion about farming, and building or repairing equipment for the farm along with working a job, when really the OFs would rather be doing something else.
One OF brought up a statement one of his doctors told him. This doctor said he doctored as a hobby; he would much rather be on his tractor planting corn.
This brought up the same rationale of one of the OFs who knew a national celebrity who would rather be doing woodwork, and did do high-quality woodwork, and no one could remember his name, not even the OF who participated with him as he was exhibiting his craftsmanship in wood.
Eleven guys could not remember the celebrity! One OF said, it is in our heads, but as we age there is so much more up there it takes effort to drag some of it down so we can use it. The OF said it will come to most of us later on. We all hoped so.
The Old Men of the Mountain fortunately do remember where they are supposed to be on Tuesday mornings, and on Jan. 15 it was at the Your Way Café in Schoharie, and those who made it there were: Miner Stevens, Roger Chapman, George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Bill Lichliter, Roger Shafer, John Rossmann, Wally Guest, Harold Guest, Ray Frank, Chuck Aelesio, Joe Rack, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Marty Herzog, Rev. Jay Francis, Otis Lawyer, Karl Remmers, Mace Porter, Herb Bahrmann, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Wayne Gaul, Jake Lederman, Ted Feurer, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen DeFazio, Bob Donnelly, and yes Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
We are back! It’s obvious because the morning driving on Tuesday, Jan. 8, was miserable as usual for the Old Men of the Mountain to drag their butts to the restaurant for that week. This Tuesday it was the Country Café in Schoharie. The OMOTM who arrive and go into the restaurant early on a miserable morning enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the sun not quite up yet, and the aroma of bacon on the grill.
It is just like the cozy feeling of sliding back the manger door on the barn, waking the cows who begin to stand and make the manger noises, and the cats that scurry to the old milk-can lid and wait for their first dash of warm milk.
Right then and there, all is right with the world. The Chanticleer, Charles John Stevenson, is on the radio bringing the farmer up-to-date with all the information of what has gone on and what will go on for the day — so another day begins.
Hot wheels
There was an odd conversation Tuesday morning for the OFs. Most people would imagine a group of guys from 60 to 90 as a rule would discuss doctors, medications, getting around with the latest wheelchair, grandkids, and great-grandkids.
Nope, not this group, at least not Tuesday morning. The one topic was on motorcycles, from big hauling Harleys, to real humdingers of off-road bikes.
These OFs were not talking nickel-and-dime machines but parts to jazz up the big boys. The conversations were on who had what parts, where to get them, and how much these parts cost. To this scribe, the prices they were talking about on these altered machines were more than the scribe paid for his first house, and that house was definitely not a shack.
It is also odd the collection of bodies in this group. Some can’t even lift their legs to get them across a seat to mount a motorcycle, while others just whip that leg up and over that seat and sit down.
Most of the OFs (when they were younger) could walk up to a horse, put their foot in the stirrup, and whirl their other leg around and — Yahoo! The OF was in the saddle. Other OFs would just grab hold of the mane, hop up and over, and the OF was ready to go bareback.
Today a few can still do this on a cycle with the seat only three feet off the ground, and others can’t even do that — scribe included.
Dangers of internet shopping
The OFs started talking about ordering goods off the internet and how tricky that is. The OFs are not too sure about that and it may be the OFs don’t understand the ins and outs of the net because younger people seem to do it all the time with few troubles, while the OFs seem to wind up in hassles.
The problems are many, from not getting what they thought they ordered, to prices not being what they thought they were supposed to be.
One OF said that he likes to look products over i.e., top, sides, and bottom. Number one, he wants to be sure the merchandise is not defective, that all the parts are there, and the sellers used the proper fasteners in putting whatever together. The OF maintained he can’t do that over the internet.
This OF said he ordered a winch over the net because he could not find what he wanted in stores. He said, when he received the winch, half of it was held together with grade-2 junk bolts in important places and only a couple of grade-5 bolts on a couple of clips.
The OF said he had the darndest time trying to return it. The OF maintained you can’t get this type of information from a photograph and that is why he likes shopping in a store.
Another OF said not many people would realize the type of bolts holding a winch together and they would probably care less. The other OF said, then they would wonder why it did not hold up and fell apart the second time they used it.
To this OF, quality comes first. Caveat emptor. Buyer Beware.
Mice multitudes
The OFs discussed how many mice there seems to be this winter. Most of the OFs are catching them in their sheds and basements but there is no food for them in these places. The OFs think they are just coming in to warm up and breed.
One OF said that they were the subject of their own “not thinking” and they had a 50-pound bag of birdseed that they had left in their shed. When they got around to using this seed, it had a few families of mice in it. Pretty smart, these critters!
Make your home in wherever you eat, keeps these smart mice away from predators, plus not having to travel far for a meal.
Another OF said he has not seen many snakes around in the last couple of years, and he has wondered where they have gone. The absence of the snakes, coyotes, and the kestrels may be the reason for so many mice.
There was a brief discussion on traps verses poisons and the use of either was about 50/50. To the OFs, it seems the use of poisons is OK until one of those rodents passes on to rat heaven between the walls and rots. That smell will get your attention for awhile.
Those OFs who were in great attendance as they filed into the Country Café in Schoharie after the rare two week hiatus, were John Rossmann, Robie Osterman, Wally Guest, George Washburn, Bill Lichliter, Harold Guest, Roger Chapman, Marty Herzog, Otis Lawyer, Glenn Patterson, Joe Rack, Mark Traver, Roger Shafer, Ray Frank, Chuck Aelesio, Jack Norray, Lou Schenck, Mace Porter, Gerry Irwin, Bill Rice, Henry Whipple, Rev. Jay Francis, Mike Willsey, Russ Pokorny, Warren Willsey, Elwood Vanderbilt Bob Donnelly, Allen DeFazio, but no Harold Grippen; he inadvertently made an appointment on a Tuesday morning, so it is just — and me.
Location:
— Photo from John R. Williams
A sing-along for The Old Men of the Mountain: Roger Shafer plays guitar and Gerry Irwin plays the bass as their friends breakfast at Mrs. K’s.
Christmas carols are in the air, and many of the Old Men of the Mountain start singing along when they hear them. The breakfast Tuesday morning again was when the Hilltown roads were like skating rinks. Most of the OFs came to the Mrs. K’s on the flats; a few came over Cotton Hill — that was a mistake.
However, no matter the conditions of the roads, Mrs. K’s was full of OMOTM, and Patty had quite a spread laid out for the OFs as they arrived for their 2018 Christmas party.
The conversations Tuesday morning were quite mixed. Much was material covered many times; some the conversations were on family traditions at Christmas time.
Most OFs related that, when the OFs were young, the most common gift was clothes and a present. That was it — a present, not a whole store full.
One OF said that he would get more than one present but it was from each of the relatives. Sometimes the OF thought the aunt or uncle would contact the family to see what the OF needed in the line of clothes. The OFs said when they were kids they were more than happy to receive anything.
During World War II, there was not much to buy even though at that time most parents had money, a least those who were not on the farm. One OF said that kids get so much today, it is what keeps the economy going.
Another OF added that today even kids 8 or 9 years old want gifts that cost hundreds of dollars. It is a different time.
An OF chimed in that he thought kids today are not kids; they are young adults. The OFs said, think back to when we were kids. We were kids! We had fun doing kid things.
Today they start teaching kids math, and reading skills when they are only 2 years old. Kids today are forced to be adults before they are ready to be adults; the OF stated that as a fact and not his opinion.
While the OFs were talking about Christmas and Christmas giving, we found out that one OF has 18 grandkids, and four great-grandkids, and another one has 19 grandkids and two great-grandkids. Between those two OFs, there are 86 feet trotting this planet, and that is from only two of us.
What does Christmas mean to those guys? The other OFs bet Christmas was a ball at their homes when the majority of them were growing up. The OFs couldn’t imagine the family tree on either family when considering all the in-laws required in generating 43 grandkids. These two OFs should get together and write a book, along with their wives of course, on parenting. (By the way, the scribe adds neither one is Catholic.)
The Old Men make their own music
The diversity of the Old Men of the Mountain has been brought up many times but even at our own party, we bring our own entertainment. We had two OMOTM up playing Christmas-type songs, and not-so-Christmas-type songs.
The OFs could be heard joining in with the more familiar songs. The OFs even had one with musical talents at the table taking in festivities. If you follow the names along with the police you will find the names of Roger Shafer, and Gerry Irwin — Roger on the guitar and Gerry on the bass.
Holiday hiatus
For the first time in 30-some years, the Old Men of the Mountain are not going to go to breakfast on Tuesday. Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday this year, and so does New Year’s Day so the OFs decided not to gather on those days. This means there will be a two-week hiatus for the column.
The OMOTM have never done this. In the years 1984, 1990, 2001, 2007, and 2012, the OMOTM met on Monday. This year, by not meeting at all, it means there will be an 11-year gap until this happens again in 2029.
At that time will come the major decision again: Do we meet on a Monday or skip it? But this year it means, by the time the group gets together again, it will be Jan. 8 and there will be many stories to tell because, in all the time that has gone by, even if it is only two weeks since getting together, interesting events are bound to happen to the OMOTM.
Those OFs who in a way slid their way to the party at Mrs. K’s Restaurant in Middleburgh for the last gathering of year, were: Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Wally Guest, John Rossmann, Roger Shafer, Harold Guest, Roger Chapman, Bill Lichliter, Otis Lawyer, Richard Frank, Chuck Aelesio, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Joe Rack, Kenny Parks, Jim Heiser, Rev. Jay Francis, Mace Porter, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Ted Feurer, Jake Lederman, Wayne Gaul, Herb Bahrmann, Gerry Irwin, Gerry Chartier, Mike Willsey, Jim Rissacher, John Gab, Marty Herzog, Elwood Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen, Amy Willsey, and me.
Location:
For once, we had a beautiful ride to the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh on Tuesday Dec. 11. The sun was not yet up, the sky was dark and clear, and there was one bright star or planet in the heavens that was very visible. The weather was much different than most of the recent mornings the Old Men of the Mountain have been used to driving in on these early morning restaurant trips.
The OFs started a conversation that was somewhat different on Tuesday morning. This conversation was on recyclables.
Generally the first chatter of the group is quite redundant (like most meetings) and with the OFs it is quite a comedy show until someone brings up an unusual topic. This particular OF recollected how (just a few years back) we had to separate everything going to the transfer station.
Glass had to be separated by color, green with green, brown with brown, etc., and no caps were to be on bottles. The metal and aluminum were to be separated. No aluminum pie plates were to go in the trash. Power cords were to be removed from appliances.
It was a real chore at home to do all this, but we did. We even had a separate bucket or bin at home to hold the different recyclables.
This has changed now. We can’t get anybody to buy the recyclables from the towns. What has happened? It seemed like a good idea at the time. Some OFs think it is still a good idea and we should still use items made from recycled paper, glass, aluminum, metal, and plastic.
One OF said, “Like many products and even problems we rarely go back to the source. We don’t need plastic bags — paper bags are fine and come from a renewable material source, the tree.”
“However,” another OF said, “the current way I discard my trash is to chuck the bottles with tin, separate the plastic, paper, and cardboard and that is what I’ll do.”
Rambunctious robo-vacuum
Somehow the OFs continued on with the cleaning theme. It wasn’t exactly like the garbage theme but it was about vacuuming. This time. the subject was the new high tech robo-vacuums.
One of the OFs was telling how the one his kids have works. The OF said, “He (son) likes it; it is a lot of fun to watch.”
The OFs asked him, “How much can it vacuum? They look rather small.”
Another OF asked, “Don’t they have to keep dumping it out all the time?”
The OF said he didn’t know about this because he never asked.
The OF told of an experience his kids had with this robo vacuum. “One of the kids kept hearing this thump, then another thump.” The OF said the kids told him there was no rhythm to the thumps.
“Sometimes there would be four or five minutes between the thumps, and sometimes it was thump, thump, and thump in quick succession,” he said. “The kids finally tracked it down to one of the bathrooms.”
The vacuum had apparently hit the bathroom door and the door closed. The thump was the vacuum trying to get out of the bathroom, finish the vacuuming, and get to the docking station. The OFs got quite a chuckle out of that little story.
To this scribe, unfortunately, it indicates the scary part of AI (artificial intelligence). This little vacuum cleaner was given a job to do and that was to complete its mission of vacuuming, and returning to the docking station to revitalize itself.
That was its job; AI will do anything to complete its assigned task and revitalize itself. The next robo-whatever may not be assigned to just do vacuuming, mowing the lawn, or plowing the driveway, but it could be something much more sinister, and the AI will complete the task and return to its revitalizing station.
Climate change?
The OMOTM talked about all the nasty weather this week that brought havoc to the Carolinas and Virginia in the form of snow. The pictures were just like here when we have a nasty storm only they are not ready for it.
One OF who has relatives in Virginia said they missed it. There again it is like some of those storms that nail us. Where these storms hit, they hit!
Sometimes the area is not too wide, and at other times, as one OF said, “Our storms cover from Canada to Pennsylvania and the whole East Coast.” Another OF has relatives in the Carolinas and they reported, “This storm was just like the ones we used to have when we lived in Plattsburgh.”
Yet another OF said, “Maybe there is something to this climate change or global warming.” That brought the swift answer that the world has been through all this before but there were fewer people around for the storms to directly impact them.
Now the population has increased and people get really disturbed because they plopped their fancy homes directly in disaster areas and some have encountered tragic situations as a result.
One OF said, “That is kind of tough talk, but I have to agree it’s true.”
Another OF thought that even applies to some of the OFs, which took the OFs back to “when we were young.” (Oh dear, here we go again to “when I was your age,” but this is always fun).
“You can’t stop progress”
This time, the OFs talked about how far it was from farm to farm, and how even going to town for supplies took planning. One OF said that he purchased a home on a dirt road; the home was not quite finished. Just beyond his place, the road was shut down during the winter months because it was too dangerous to drive.
This home was purchased so the OF would have privacy and be alone, but not hiding. The OF said he likes and enjoys people but doesn’t want them living on top of him. The OF said now there are 40 houses around him.
“You can’t stop progress — just like the robo-machines that do the work so we don’t have to.” an OF said.
The OFs who made it to the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh and want to stop the world so they can get off, were: Roger Chapman, George Washburn, Miner Stevens, Robie Osterman, Bill Lichliter, John Rossmann, Wally Guest, Harold Guest, Kenny Parks, Rev. Jay Francis, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Elwood Vanderbilt, Allen DeFazzo, Mike Willsey, Warren Willsey, Harold Grippen, and me.