Tuesday, Oct. 6, brought another beautiful sunrise, though the sunrise the day before was more spectacular. The OFs were out taking pictures Monday, and Tuesday morning on the way to Mrs. K’s restaurant in Middleburgh it was no different.
The sunrise on Tuesday morning did not hang around in the sky as long as it did yesterday, but there was a little more color on the trees as the OFs rode over the mountain to Mrs. K’s. As the sun clipped the top of the mountains and added its color to the scenery, there were many moments for calendar shots.
One OF said that, on his computer, he keeps a folder just for sunrises. The OF did not mention sunsets. Another OF has sunrises and sunsets listed in folders also with dates and times when they occurred. As the OFs become older, they appreciate the finer things life has to offer more now than when they were young Fs.
Chickens with horns?
Why does the chicken cross the road? That was not the question of the day but crushing chicken bones was.
One OF just picked up an antique “bone crusher” used to crush up chicken bones to feed back to the chickens. The OFs speculated that it could be used to crush up other bones too.
This is the same OF who has the dehorning cutter. One OF said he didn’t know chickens had horns.
“Yeah, they do,” an OF said, “And you had better watch out for those chickens with horns — they’ll getcha.”
Oh no! No wonder the OFs’ wives don’t want the OFs talking to the grandkids and telling them things like horns on chickens, chocolate milk from brown cows, and how to plant some raw spaghetti to grow spaghetti trees.
Dodging chores
As we have reported before, our suspicions have been confirmed. One OF came right out and said he is at the breakfast so he can dodge the wife and get out of chores.
This has been suspected for some time and this is why the attendance at the breakfast is so good. This scribe wonders how many OFs use the term “meeting” (which implies they will be doing something important) with their wives when they head out to join us.
The sneaker-and-pipe crowd
A couple of OFs who were familiar with the General Electric Research and Development facility in Niskayuna talked about all the developments that have come out of that place, one being the MRI technology.
They mentioned that there was no such thing as a Friday casual day, as every day was casual day. The OFs mentioned how some came dressed, and how some (when working on something exciting) stayed right at the site day and night.
They had an ambiguous but respectful title for this group called “the sneaker and pipe crowd.” These people developed much of what we use today as routine, especially in the medical field.
Paid for grades
Siena College was discussed, and what a tight-knit group the graduates of that institution are.
One OF mentioned that his son graduated from Siena and going from BKW to the college atmosphere was quite an adjustment for his son. Many kids from small schools are not ready for the college life, and Siena is not that big.
The OF said his son’s grades were not what he expected and related to his son that he would pay for courses where he earned As and Bs but, for the rest, he was on his own. It worked. The studying started and the grades went up.
The kid was not having any of that “I’ll have to pay for it”; he went with “hang it on dad,” There is a lesson here for all us somewhere.
Peerless peach
Sometimes the OFs tell very basic of stories in the most humorous way. This year, the OFs have mentioned how prolific their gardens are, especially mentioning the grape vines and the fruit trees.
There is usually an exception to these stories and this one OF told of his peach tree that produced only one peach. The OF said he watched that single peach develop all year long, then one day last week that peach was on the ground.
The OF said it looked OK to him so he picked it up and ate it. The OF said it was the best peach he ever had.
Another OF said, “No wonder it was so good; it didn’t have any competition. All that the entire tree had to offer went right into the one peach.”
No surprises
One OF said that his daughter told him that she was planning a surprise birthday party for him and not to tell anyone. Was this so she could do all the planning and the OF wouldn’t take off and go hunting, or take a trip to Timbuktu?
This OF is going off on the next Honor Flight to the war memorial in Washington, D.C. and she probably did not want to prepare two meals, or plan two parties in a row for the same OF. The effort put forth in this would really be redundant for this OF.
The OFs are wondering who his chaperone will be because this OF is in great shape and he could be some other veteran’s chaperone.
The OFs were also kidding another OF who is a member of the fire department as one of the fire police. The OFs say he just dons the uniform and goes and blocks roads so he can talk to people in the cars that have to stop. There is nothing going on and the OF is just flagging them down.
They were kidding him about all the roads that were closed in the Hilltowns, which segued into talking about Pinnacle road with the repairs done and the road just being opened up. The OFs commented how beautiful the view is from Camp Pinnacle.
One OF said, “Yep, just one of many from the Hilltowns, encompassing the Schoharie and Fox Creek valleys.”
Those OFs who traveled to Mrs. K’s in Middleburgh and made Loretta and Patty happy were: Bill Bartholomew, Frank Pauli, Harold Guest, Jim Heiser, Mark Traver, Chuck Aelesio, Dave Williams, Glenn Patterson, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, John Rossmann, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Wayne Gaul, George Gebe, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Roger Chapman, Don Wood, Ted Willsey, Rich Donnelly, Duane Wagenbaugh, Elwood Vanderbilt, Jim Rissacher, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
Tuesday, ah Tuesday, particularly the Tuesday of Sept. 29, the Old Men of the Mountain met at the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh. That makes sense, if the Middleburgh Diner were in Duanesburg, that would not make too much sense; conversely, if the Duanesburg Diner were in Middleburgh, that wouldn’t make sense either.
However, it could be that way. There are no rules when it comes to names.
The Middleburgh Diner is just one of the diners the OFs have on their roster and it is one with a very high decibel rating. Some of the OFs suggested that the OFs should all learn sign language, or at least how to read lips.
Some of the OFs are pretty good at the reading of lips because the use of hearing aids in noisy situations like restaurants, parties, and public places where everyone is chatting at the same time, is basically of no help. The OFs have developed certain lip-reading skills (particularly when a person is facing them) to augment their diminished hearing capabilities. The OFs aren’t deaf — just a tad hard of hearing.
Then there is the pitch of voices. One OF said he could clearly understand the OF sitting to the left of the OF directly across from him but the OF directly across from him sounded like Charlie Brown “speak” except at times a few words were understandable.
One OF said for some reason his hearing is pretty good except when his wife speaks, then there seems to be a blockage most of the time. However, for some reason, it generally ends the same way, i.e., “shopping” is an audible word, and “give me some money” is another sentence that rings clear in the OF’s ear.
A study in contortions
Watching most of the OFs sit down is a study in contortions. Most of the OFs have their own way to twist and turn to get their butts into the chairs.
Getting up is the reverse, but most of the time the contortions are different. In this case, there is a lot of arm movement to assist in raising the body to an upright position, and any position is good enough as long as the OF is not prone.
What is surprising is how strong furniture really is. Some OFs get their bodies just about six to eight inches from the chair and drop straight down the rest of the way, and the chair holds.
In getting up, the OFs apply an undo amount of pressure on the edge of the tables to take some of the weight off of the OFs’ legs, and the tables don’t tip or buckle under the weight. Truly amazing.
Timothy Murphy remembered
The Saturday of Sept. 26 was beautiful and there was a lot going on in the Hilltowns. Thacher Park had its Fall Festival, Westerlo had its day with a parade and fireworks, and Vroman’s Nose in Middleburg had its hiking festival.
One of the OFs who volunteers his help working on the Long Path (a trail that goes from Fort Lee, New Jersey to the Adirondack State Park) donned a replica of the clothes Timothy Murphy would wear and guided and talked to the people at the Nose and told them about ole Tim.
Timothy Murphy was a Revolutionary War “hero” in Schoharie County. Murphy was the subject of a novel written by John Bricks titled “The Rifleman.”
At Bemis Heights, during the second battle of Saratoga, Timothy Murphy climbed a tree and from 300 yards, in four shots, dispatched British Brigadier General Simon Fraser and Sir Francis Clarke the aide-de-camp to General Burgoyne.
Timothy Murphy rose through the ranks after joining the revolutionary army and was eventually assigned to Daniel Morgan’s riflemen because of his marksmanship. There is a monument to him in the cemetery in Middleburgh.
Hooked on fishing
We have some OFs who fish for salmon; some go up to Pulaski, and others who go to Mexico Point.
The OFs were covering fishing in that area of New York State and discussing when is a good time to go. When the fish are spawning is not the time. They are just going up the rivers to lay their eggs and die.
The OFs said this was not good eating fish. Maybe for us, but the animals might not mind.
Some of the OFs take fishing excursions out on the lake and fish for salmon on the big water. A chuckle for the OFs was the signs in the motel rooms about no waders in the rooms, and no cleaning fish in the tub or sinks.
Many of the motels have a garage, or shed, or some kind of building out back where that can be done, or some motels will even do it for the OFs.
We are all different
Just listening to the OFs talk about their hobbies or extracurricular activities is like sitting in a classroom with each small group of OFs having their conversation going on with the five or six other OFs who are within earshot and discussing current events, old times, their interests, and hobbies.
Rarely do the OFs discuss diets, but a brief comment was made on dieting. The gist of the comments was there is no such thing as a diet.
There are many, many diets and there is not one diet that fits all people. So if Joe Blow tells the OF to eat this or that so they will lose weight, it may not happen.
The OF may eat this or that and put on weight. The OFs say we are all different, and that is what makes us who we are.
Now, if some were to tell the OFs a sure-fire way to get along with the wife, kids, and grandkids ,the OFs would be all ears and take it to heart.
Those OFs attending the breakfast at the Middleburgh Diner located where it belongs in Middleburgh, New York were: Bill Bartholomew, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Miner Stevens, George Washburn, George Gebe, Karl Remmers, Bob Snyder, Frank Pauli, Dave Williams, Don Wood, Robie Osterman, Roger Chapman, Roger Shafer, Jim Heiser, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Chuck Aelesio, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Duncan Bellinger, Joe Bender, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Jim Rissacher, Rich Donnelly, Duane Wagenbaugh, Ted Willsey, Mike Willsey, Gerry Cartier, Harold Grippen, and me.
Location:
On Sept. 22, the Old Men of the Mountain met at the Hilltown Café in Rensselaerville.
The OFs can’t complain about the weather this late in the year. Getting the home ready for winter for most of the OFs is moving right along.
Many of the woodsheds are full and ready for whatever winter has in store. Judging by the goldenrod, the wild apples, the pinecones, and other natural winter indicators, we may be in for a winner of a winter, this winter. The OFs hope it is not like last winter.
The OFs have talked about this a little while ago but now it is more emphatic: “DO NOT” sign up for or get Windows Ten. The thing is a disaster.
One OF says they can advertise all they want but this OF thinks Microsoft should be challenged for false advertising. This OF continued that even computer engineers have problems figuring this version out, and at times are left completely stumped.
Money misspent?
Switching topics quickly, the OFs talked about the rebuilding of the Blenheim covered bridge that was destroyed and washed downstream in the flood caused by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The OFs were throwing out numbers of $5 million to rebuild this bridge.
The OFs might not mind if they had enough parts of the old bridge on hand so the antiquity of the bridge would still be part of any rebuild, but, the way the OFs understand it, this bridge will be completely new. The OFs can’t understand the logic in this.
The OFs think that $5 million would go a long way to help those who have not yet recovered from the storm, or help some of the businesses that lost everything and are still struggling to get back on their feet.
Teachers remembered
It is amazing to this scribe how some OFs can remember their first- and second-grade teachers. Some of the conversations Tuesday morning were on who had what teacher in what grade and how they remembered them.
The OFs wonder if teachers realize what an impact they have on their students, good and bad. Some must, an OF thought, because, as adults, a few of a teacher’s former students will mention to him or her how that particular teacher formed their lives, and that teacher may have been in the lower grades when the OFs brains were still like soup.
Then the opposite is true: There are some teachers who made life a living hell for some of the OFs and they remember this teacher for other reasons.
One OF said, when he graduated, he couldn’t wait to run for the school board to get a chance to fire her a--. Never happened.
Then some OFs couldn’t remember their teacher in the lower grades at all. They couldn’t even recall much of what happened in elementary school.
These OFs did not have a good recollection of teachers until middle school, high school, or college. Some became good friends, and some even dated. Today they both would be put in jail.
“Life isn’t fun any more,” one OF said, “There are too many rules, and too many do-gooders.”
Migration
A few more of the OFs who winter in warmer climates shook hands and said it was October and they were heading down to Florida. This seemed to some OFs that it’s too soon for this migration, because it seemed like these OFs just got here.
The OFs leaving are from the area and should know they’re missing one of the best parts of the year. With fall and all its color, and the upcoming fall events, an OF doesn’t even have to leave his backyard to enjoy what fall has to offer.
The OFs said these migrating OFs should hang around until the last leaf falls and then head out.
This latest exodus of OFs talked about where they were going to land in Florida, and it was in a town near The Villages in Florida. One OF from that area said that The Villages started as a trailer park, and that two brothers operate it now.
The Villages, as a development, according to these OFs, is now over 100,000 people and is the largest “city” in that area. The OFs wondered how in the world does one family accrue all the land necessary to construct a development of that size. One OF thought there had to be some political shenanigans involved in order to pull this off.
Some OFs reported that the rules and regulations at The Villages are pretty strict. One OF thought it depended on where you bought into; however, no one really knew for sure.
Construction know-how
All this about building homes and how fast they were constructed in The Villages had the OFs talking about building homes here in the Hilltowns. More than one OF mentioned how little “dirt” was over the bedrock.
They discussed building their own homes and having to blast the cellars or make sure the house was on solid rock, lay up the foundation, and then back fill.
One OF said, “You can tell how much dirt is around, or how many cracks are in the rocks by looking at the white pine trees. If they are spread out like shrubs, or have large round trunks but not too high, there is not much dirt. If some are tall and others are short and squatty in the same area, it is safe to assume there are quite a few cracks in the rocks.”
It is possible to learn a lot from an Old Man of the Mountain.
The knowledgeable Old Men of the Mountain that used their knowledge to make it to the Hilltown Café in Rensselaerville, and again using their knowledge to know that this was good place to eat on the mountain, were: Harold Guest, John Rossmann, Art Frament, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Bob Benac, Jack Benac, Joe Ketzer, Alvin Latham, Bob Snyder, Lou Schenck, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Bill Bartholomew, Dave Williams, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Jim Rissacher, Duane Wagenbaugh, Rich Donnelly, Mike Willsey, Gerry Chartier, Elwood Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen, Ted Willsey, and me.
Location:
On a beautiful Tuesday morning on Sept. 15, the Old Men of the Mountain had their breakfast at the Home Front Café in Altamont. It was almost too nice of a day to be indoors, but here the OMOTM were having breakfast inside.
This was an unusual breakfast because of the opening remarks by some of the OFs as they came up the ramp to the dining area of the restaurant. Most were chuckling and some were even laughing.
“Did you see the news last night?” was one opening remark, and then a few others would come in and say, “Did you see the paper this morning?”
What was causing all this snickering? It was that someone couldn’t live on $80,000 a year so apparently it was OK for him to steal in order he could take care of his family. All of the OFs said, if someone gave them $80,000 a year, they would be able to live very well.
Some legislator said he could not live on that amount of money, and one OF said, add the per diems to the eighty grand, and committee assignments, and it approaches $100,000 a year. What is wrong with this picture? The OFs would consider half of this pretty comfortable.
“Are these people on another planet?” one OF wondered.
And, apparently, it could be a defense that it was OK to steal if you made $30,000 a year or, if you don’t make enough money (in your mind) to support your family, it would be OK to steal to make up the difference. The OFs use the “wow” as exclamation points on this discussion.
Strange deer habit
The OFs left that topic and segued into hunting. An OF asked the hunters in the group, “Why do deer eat burnt wood?”
The OF said in his backyard fireplace there are pieces of burnt wood and three deer come out nearly every day and gnaw on those pieces of burnt wood. The OF said the same deer come so often he has names for them like pets.
Some OFs gave their opinions on why the deer are doing this. The ideas sounded plausible but for some reason did not seem right. Deer eat a lot of things but gnawing on burnt logs was not on the list.
Waking up is hard to do
The OFs talked a little bit on how the OFs used to behave when they were younger. The OFs were not talking about when they were kids at this time, but by younger they were talking about 60 years old.
At this age, when most of the OFs woke up, they would immediately get out of bed and do whatever they did, put in their teeth, or go to the bathroom, or slip on the slippers — things like that. The OFs got up out of bed right away and started the day.
Now in their 80s, most of the OFs say they sit on the edge of the bed for awhile and contemplate the effort of getting up. Then one foot may hit the floor and the OFs say to themselves, “Well, I’ve gotten this far, I might just as well do the whole darn thing” and then they put the other foot on the floor.
Are they ready for the day? No, but the OFs make themselves ready and, once they get going, it doesn’t seem that bad. All the old friends are there — the aching back, the sore feet, the cramping legs, but the OFs are used to them by now and continue on regardless.
Traveling tribe
This scribe is amazed at how often the OFs have been to the same places around our great country. This time it was Greenfield Village, and the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The OMOTM has an OF who, with his wife, is there right now so, when his name was brought up as to where he was, about nine OFs said they have been there and it is some place.
It was concluded that visitors had better have good walking shoes if they are going to do all three things, the village, the museum, and the factory tour. Some of the OFs said they couldn’t make this trip any more unless they stayed a week and took in a little bit each day.
Disasters abound
On a more somber note, the OFs talked about the wild fires out west, and how they feel for those people. The OFs think there is really no place to run away from natural disasters.
The fires out West, the tornados in the center of the country, the hurricanes in the South and along each coast, the blizzards in the North and Northeast, and earthquakes anywhere makes it seem like an OF can only run from one mess into another.
An OF says it really is a miracle that the homes is some areas are one- and two-hundred years old. One OF thought a young family starting out should build a geotactic home out of concrete. That, the OF thinks, should handle just about anything.
Jury duty
Jury duty is a discussion the OFs have on occasion but not many have been called to serve on a jury, and then a couple of the OGs have been called more than once. The OFs think that most of the OFs are too old to be on a jury.
Number one is that any one of us could keel over at any time. Many have had heart bypass surgery, and many are walking around with stents in the heart. One OF mentioned that most of the OFs can’t remember where they put the car keys, or even their wife’s maiden name.
One OF joked, “To heck with the wife, sometimes I have to stop and think who I am.”
What a bunch we would make if we were on a jury; we would probably send the judge up the river for life.
“Yeah,” another OF added, “I would have trouble remembering who the defendant was, and might even think his lawyer was the plaintiff. Wouldn’t any one of us cause quite a bit of confusion in the deliberating room? You bet we would — we’d probably say ‘not guilty’ to a guy who stole because he didn’t think he made enough money to support the lifestyle he wanted.”
Hmmm — isn’t this where we came in?
Pressing work
The Old Men of the Mountain would like to thank Steve Dunham from Dunedin, Florida who took the time to send the OFs a lengthy letter of his time on a dairy farm in the Raymertown, New York area.
He included a picture of himself as a young man working at a homemade cider press he built and he is in hip boots. Mr. Dunham states this was to keep the snakes from crawling up his pant legs as he stood pressing the cider
Those attending the breakfast at the Home Front in Altamont which, according to The Enterprise, was the home of the Enterprise at one time, were: George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Joe Ketzer, Art Frament, Miner Stevens, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Frank Pauli, Dave Williams, Bill Bartholomew, Roger Shafer, Rich Donnelley, Bob Lassome, Duane Wagenbaugh, Lou Schenck, Mace Porter, Chuck Aelesio, Jim Heiser, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, Ted Willsey, Jim Rissacher, Jerry Willsey, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Henry Whipple, Elwood Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen, Mike Willsey,. Gerry Chartier, and me.
Location:
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, The Old Men of the Mountain trudged (like Alex Rodriguez trudges the bases) to the Chuck Wagon Restaurant in Princetown. It was a very warm morning for the eighth of September, but the OFs were there in full garb.
This has been mentioned before, that originally the OFs would gather at an OF’s home, shoot the breeze for awhile until all were there, then the OFs would head out to the restaurant of the day. The plan was to arrive around 10 in the morning.
By that time, all the people who had to start out early would have left the restaurant, and the noon crowd would not be arriving for some time, so the restaurant on the OFs’ schedule would be in a lull at this time of the day.
That plan worked well until more OFs joined the group and some of these OFs would head directly to the restaurant. These OFs had places to go and things to do so they would arrive a little earlier.
Now we have OFs waiting at the door for the restaurant to open. The group of OFs is not as laid back as it once was.
The OFs who were with the original OF group still come a little later, but other OFs are now much more active even though they are old (and as many of the OFs say “in numbers only”). It must be the meds that keeps these OGs so perky. These OFs have joined the OFs with places to go and things to do, which means most OFs now arrive pretty darn early.
As this is an ad-hoc group with a 20-page book of bylaws, the time of arrival was never entered so the OFs can show up whenever they get up and are properly dressed.
The darndest places
A few of the OFs participated in the Scottish Games held at the Altamont fairgrounds on Sept. 5 and 5. They said the fairground was cooking. The OFs should have weighed themselves before they went to the games and again after they got home. They must have shed a few pounds.
All people, no matter who they are, run into strange circumstances and in the darndest places. One OF had to go to the hospital in Cobleskill, and while there bumped into another OF who was there with both hands in bandages.
The OF with the bandaged hands showed us why they were bandaged, and told us they were bandaged for scheduled operations. The OFs were wondering about going to the bathroom and then washing his hands. That must be some kind of trick with both hands in bandages.
Then one OF said he had a very good friend who had a carpal tunnel syndrome procedure done on both hands at the same time because his friend did not want to go through the operation twice. The friend of the OF admitted after the operation that there was never a thought about the bathroom, showering, getting dressed, and things like that.
At that time, the OF said he was surprised the doctor never brought this up. The friend of the OF said the doctor never mentioned it, and it was more of a problem than originally thought. I guess the lesson is: Always keep one hand free for whatever.
Pricey tickets and goods
The OFs touched a little on baseball, and how much it costs to go to a Yankee game. Just to sit in the bleachers would cost a family of four about 100 bucks, and that is minimum.
There is the cost of getting there, food, kids would want souvenirs, and all those extras. That would be an expensive day.
One OF said, “Go see the Mets; it’s cheaper.”
“Nah,” another OF replied. “I will watch it on TV with the mute button pushed so I won’t have to listen to those commentators run their mouths.”
Everything has gone up, not only tickets for concerts and sporting events, but even those baseball caps for the OMOTM. They are now priced at about $17 to advertise you are an OF.
“Hey,” was an OG’s statement, “I am proud that I am an OF, and I’ve made it this far, so we should get T-shirts that have the OMOTM logo on it.”
“There is a T-shirt out there already,” was a comeback. “It doesn’t quite say that but it’s close. I think it says ‘Old Guys Rule.’ That isn’t strictly true. We can buy shirts that say OMOTM, but it really is ‘Old Ladies Rule’; if you guys think you are the boss in the house, think again.”
Winter’s on the way
Another topic quickly unfolded — winter! Some of the OFs are already planning on joining the migration of other wimps who run away from winter to warmer climes.
One OF showed photographs of his new travel trailer, so new it isn’t made yet — the OF has to wait for it. These trailers are becoming real homes on wheels. They have full-size beds, refrigerators, and electronic gadgets that open and close things, and they make them now so the trailer trails easier. It used to be that pulling a travel trailer was like hauling a load of hay to the barn (with maybe an exception of the Airstream Trailer).
One OF said, “Here it is 90 degrees and you are already planning on going where it is warmer and still 90; you’re nuts.”
Those OFs who made it to the Chuck Wagon in Princetown (because the real boss of the hacienda said, “Get out of my hair”) were: Henry Witt, Roger Chapman, Miner Stevens, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Harold Guest, Frank Pauli, John Rossmann, Chuck Aelesio, Jim Heiser, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, Roger Shafer, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Ted Willsey, Bob Lassome, Rich Donnelly, Duane Wagenbaugh, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Mike Willsey, Harold Grippen, Gerry Chartier, Elwood Vanderbilt, and me with my son, Jay Williams.
Location:
The first day of September this year was on a Tuesday, and, through a haze mixed with fog, some OFs had to use their windshield wipers (on their way to the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg) in the early morning because of the temperature inversion.
The flood of Tropical Storm Irene four years ago (almost to the day) is still causing problems. Some of the localities have seen some improvement and a lot of work has been done but most of this work was done by people helping people.
To recover from all the havoc caused by this storm, it is easy to understand that complete recovery from Irene, like the complete recovery from Katrina, may never happen. What about all these other natural catastrophes all over the planet? Is “recovery” a good word at all?
This discussion was brought about by the work that has been halted on the little Schoharie creek because the work was not being done to specifications, or maybe the contractor was doing what he thought was right but the oversight was poor and the contractor was never made aware of all the mistakes that were being made.
What prompted this dialogue came from the OFs who live in Schoharie County. They are concerned about how the county is going to raise the $10 million to finish this work. The population of Schoharie “tain’t that big McGee.”
How old is an antique?
The OFs talked a bit on a subject they know well, and that would be antiques, especially if something 50 years old is being discussed.
Many people call a particular item an antique. The OFs call them “well-used” because the OFs are antiques themselves and they probably used the item when it was new.
To the OFs, this is not an antique. An antique to the OFs has to be at least 100 years old.
Replacement parts
The OFs included cars in this conversation and how many cars have gone by the wayside. One OF said he thought manufacturers had to make replacement parts for cars for only seven years. The OF wasn’t too sure about this but he seemed pretty sure.
Another OF said he thought that it depended on what the object was. “That meant,” the OF said, “if you owned a car made in 2008, it was not necessary for the manufacture to manufacture parts for that car now.”
This is going to send the scribe on a little research trek.
This scribe started looking (googling) into this allegation, and by using the words “seven year requirement on parts” found that this phrase is so ambiguous that even using it as a generic term is not too smart. This scribe found that, in looking (googling) up the information, it is so convoluted a Philadelphia lawyer would have problems, and also probably would give up, as this scribe did.
The OFs started mentioning a few of the cars that they remembered, and some of the OFs had these vehicles, or their parents did, and neither parents nor vehicles are still around. These include Nash, Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, Auburn, Hupmobile, LaSalle, and more.
Modern names are gone too, i.e., Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Saturn, Pontiac, Mercury, which are a few of the later-year car models. The OFs think they might have even missed some because one OF said that they had a Maxwell, and another a Graham Page.
One OF said, “Remember the Jack Benny show, and Rochester driving the Maxwell?”
How about the White and Reo trucks? They were good old, dependable farm trucks.
One OF said, “Throw in the makes of tractors that have disappeared and we have quite a list of major business that have either been gobbled up by other companies or have just closed the doors.” A lot of household names of companies have come and gone in 70-plus years, and many of these were large companies too.
Historic sites
The OFs chatted about the Old Stone Fort in Schoharie and how some of the OFs have just completed jobs around the fort that they volunteered for. Many historical places need these types of volunteers because they represent what and how this area came to be.
Unfortunately, many are under-funded but very important to our local history. In addition to that, only a small section of the populace is even interested in going to these places and supporting them.
The OFs, as stated, are antiques themselves so therefore can equate to the plight of many of these historical sites, locally and around the state. The OFs are all underfunded, and can comprehend exactly what these sites are going through. Some OFs have to apply for a grant so the OF can purchase a new set of bibs.
The OFs can remember $5 jeans, 10-cent coffee, a quarter for a gallon of gas, and, in 1940 or so, a four-door Ford sedan was about $700 brand new. Then one OF interjected the following: “I remember making 50 cents an hour and that was good.”
Another OF said he moved up and was given a raise to $88 every two weeks. “On that,” the OF said, “we went out and bought a house.”
This OF said he and his wife said, if they ever made $100 a week, they could live like millionaires.
Restaurants return
The OFs were once concerned that eating establishments on the hill were disappearing but that is now not the case. The OFs talked about two great places to eat on the hill, which are the Township Tavern on Route 146, and Maple on the Lake — the old Scholz- Zwicklbauer’s Hofbrau on Warners Lake Road.
One of the OMOTM plays music on the deck of the Maple on the Lake. So what’s left has been resurrected.
Condolences
The OMOTM would like to offer their condolences and sympathies to Duncan Bellinger and his family on the passing of his wife, Shirley, after 57 years of marriage.
Those OFs who made it to the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg, where the fine breakfasts that came from the kitchen prompted the talk about food, were: Roger Chapman, George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Miner Stevens, Karl Remmers, Roger Shafer, Dave Williams, Bill Bartholomew, Jim Heiser, Chuck Aelesio, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Jay Taylor, Bob Benac, Joe Ketzeka, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Mace Porter, Gerry Irwin, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Ted Willsey, Duane Wagenbaugh, Rich Donnelly, Bob Lassome, Mike Willsey, Gerry Chartier, Harold Grippen, Elwood Vanderbilt, and me.
Location:
— Photo from John R. Williams
Gearing at the head of these dehorning clippers lets them open and close with ease; they are not rusted shut. “The square head bolt, with a square nut have been long gone,” says John R. Williams. The clippers are among old farm tools bought by one of the Old Men of the Mountain.
The Your Way Café in Schoharie was the restaurant under attack by The Old Men of The Mountain on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Many of the OFs arrived at the Your Way Café at the same time Tuesday morning; four or five cars entered the parking lot just about simultaneously. The OFs unfolded out of their vehicles like most OFs, slowly, and with purpose.
The OFs greeted each other with the congenial “Good morning (enter name), you’re looking good this morning.” Most of the time that was true but there were the occasions when it was a lie.
This is similar to the OF’s reply when other OFs ask, “Hey (enter name), how ya feelin’?” or, “How ya doin’?” The standard reply from the OGs is generally, “Great,” or, “Top shelf,” or, “If I felt any better, I would be dead.”
As a rule, this is a bunch of malarkey, too. Most of the OFs have aches and pains too numerous to mention so listing them all would take way too much time, so “I’m fit as a fiddle” will do.
Old farm tools
An OMOTM breakfast would not be complete if the OFs did not discuss farming. Tuesday morning, the OFs discussed dehorning cattle (mostly cattle); no one mentioned goats or other animals with horns. However, this dehorning is also a practice with them, especially when goats get rambunctious.
What brought this up was the piece of information from one OF who bought perhaps a couple of wagon loads of old farming equipment and one of the items among the “stuff” was an old pair of dehorning shears.
These types of shears are still being used for dehorning today, along with saws, wire, and caustic chemicals. The saw of choice today is a “Sawzall”; however, back in the OFs’ day, it was a hacksaw.
No matter what, farming is a bloody business.
Great Depression recalled
Tuesday was the first morning after the big drop in stocks, and some of the OFs said their spending cash will be a little short, but none of the OFs seemed really concerned. As one OF mentioned, he has so little in the stock market that it doesn’t matter which way Wall Street goes — up or down.
Many of the OFs remember the Big One (Depression Era: 1929 to 1939) and how eventually it took World War II to get us out of it. During World War II, the whole country experienced the process of government rationing.
This was not too hard to take because the rationale of the Depression and not having anything anyway just carried over into a different word for not having anything. Only this post-war time there was money around, but during rationing the OFs had nothing to buy.
Many of the OFs went through this time in our nation’s history, and as one OF said when explaining this part of the home front’s effort in World War II to his grandkids, they had no idea what he was talking about.
The OF said, “What do they teach in school today?”
Another OF said “They teach them how to land a Rover on a moving asteroid that is not very big and it is moving at least a gazillion miles an hour.”
The USA wasn’t the only country that was affected by the Great Depression. It was worldwide.
This recent market drop supposedly started in China, but the OFs say this country has so much Chinese money loaned to us it won’t last long. Another OF said, if they ever ask for their loans back from our country in a hurry, the good ole US of A is in deep do-do.
Computer advice
The OFs who have computers were talking about the “new” operating system, Windows 10. The OFs who do not have Outlook Express think it is great, and in some respects those OFs who do have Outlook Express agree, saying that many aspects of 10 are like Windows 7.
One OF said he still has Windows 7, to which another OF said, “Keep it.”
One OF recommended that, if you have Outlook Express, don’t take Windows 10 until Microsoft arrives at a solution to that problem. It really screws up the email as it will not open any hyperlinks.
Parrott House redone
The OFs realize that The Enterprise is geared to Guilderland, the Hilltowns, New Scotland, Slingerlands, parts of Delmar, and not much to the other side of mountain into Schoharie and that area. However, the OFs’ circle of schools was Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Schoharie, and Middleburgh.
Those who are familiar with this bit of geography know of the Parrott House in Schoharie, and the problems it has been having. Finally someone has taken over this building and appears to be doing extensive work on the structure.
One OF reported that it is being completely gutted all because of the flood from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The antiquity of the place, including the bar, has been taken out.
The OFs who are familiar with this situation say that is sad because, if refurbished, the character and history of the Parrott House, once again, could result in quite a tourist attraction for the county.
On the other hand, maybe, if it were clean and new, the Parrot House could start a history of its own. This scribe, as on OF, can see one dining room devoted to the original history of the hotel, and another dining room devoted to history of the hotel after the flood, including pictures of the flood.
The Old Men of the Mountain who were able to make it to the Your Way Café in Schoharie, and bring half their breakfast home to their wives, were: Chuck Aleseio, Roger Shafer, Miner Stevens, Dave Williams, Bill Bartholomew, George Washburn, Glenn Patterson, Mark Traver, Roger Chapman, Robie Osterman, Otis Lawyer, John Rossmann, Harold Guest, Frank Pauli, Bill Lichliter, Bob Benac with his guests Kaleb Bsandoin, and Skye Benac, Rich Donnelly, Bob Lassome, Duane Wagenbaugh, Bill Krause, Charles Jones, Jay Taylor, Art Frament, Joe Ketzeka, Lou Schenck, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Duncan Bellinger, Don Wood, Joe Becker, Ted Willsey, Mike Willsey, Gerry Chartier, Harold Grippen, Elwood Vanderbilt, and me.
Location:
The Old Men of the Mountain recently met at the Country Café on Main Street in Schoharie. It was a warm Tuesday morning on Aug. 18 and many of the OFs were at the Café before seven — probably couldn’t sleep, or the wives gave them the boot so they could get their work done in the cool of the morning without the OF in the way.
Last week, the OFs discussed the many ways of reaching the southern climes of the country. Tuesday morning, an OF was relating his trials and tribulations on Route 95. He was attempting to head to Route 17 and cross over to Route 81 to come up to Albany.
This OF said it took over four hours to get through Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia to get to Route 17 and then onto Route 66 and then Route 81. This OF apparently missed last week’s conversation.
Then another OF mentioned that his stepson made it to the Daytona area in just 19 hours a couple of days ago. This scribe checked Google (what else) and found that Google reports it is approximately 1,200 miles and driving straight through is roughly 17-and-a-half hours. Allowing for true departure and arrival points, the 19 hours is not bad.
Rotten tomatoes and sinister snakes
The gardener’s report is that their garden produce is coming along nicely, except for their tomatoes. According to the OFs, the tomatoes are ripening very slowly, and they are having blight, and rot problems. So much for that.
Quite often, the OFs talk about snakes, and how the OFs handle them. Some don’t like them at all, and others consider them quite helpful.
There are a few OFs who place even rattlesnakes and copperheads in the “they are helpful” category. Other OFs think differently when it comes to those that are a tad on the nasty side and can make you sick if they happen to get their fangs into you.
This was brought up again by an OF who said one of his kids caught a coral snake at their place in Florida and had it in a bucket. This OF said it was a coral snake but some of the OFs were skeptical because there is a snake that mimics a coral snake.
This OF should know the difference though because he has been in Florida quite some time. There is a rhyme that goes: Red touches black, safe for Jack. Red touches yellow, kills a fellow. (Let alone the rhyme, don’t mess with either one).
Also, with the coral snake, the round-eye allegory is out the window. This scribe was taught, at least up in the Northeast, if a snake has a round eye, it is harmless but, if a snake has a flat eye, leave it alone. Who is going to get down and look a snake in the eye to check that one out?
Mystery drink
The OFs began an unusual conversation about the drink Mathusalem. No OF knew how to spell it and what was in it.
The OFs sent this scribe to Google once more. (“Google” is now a verb.) The scribe found there is such a drink and it is champagne and is very expensive. In 2012, at auction, a bottle of 1996 Don Peron Rose Gold Mathusalem went for $500,000 to a buyer in Hong Kong.
This champagne is made from well-ripened nectarines and “wild” strawberries. The OFs should get a case of this drink and give it out as Christmas presents.
Road edges
The OFs observed how many people have time on their hands (and an expensive lawn mower). Just traveling around this area, the OFs wonder who has the money for gas to mow the edges of the road so they look like manicured lawns for thousands of feet. Not that the OFs are complaining because it makes the highway look like the OF is driving through a park, but it is also safer, especially on turns.
This year, the sweet clover grew like trees and at times does hamper the OFs’ vision. The asters, like everything else in the plant world this year, are prolific and taller than usual. These plants grow along the side of the highway and are tough.
If only grass could take the weather changes like these two plants. This year, the OFs commented that the sides of the roads not mowed are like driving down the aisles in a florist shop — more so than previous years.
Chains recalled
With the temperature 90 degrees outside, the OFs were talking about the winter and how the roads are maintained differently now than they were in the 1950s and ’60s or even the ’70s. Back then, most cars, trucks, and buses carried chains, and used them.
Today, many young drivers don’t even know what chains are. (They think “chains” are something you wear around your neck.)
One OF attributed this to the over-use of salt on highways, which the OFs maintain ruins the roads. Not only does the initial price of salt cost the taxpayers tons of money, but so does repairing the roads and filling potholes because of using so much salt.
One OF mentioned that he thought, up north, especially at the Tug Hill Plateau, they use mostly sand and let the snow pack down and these areas seem to get along very well without using a lot of salt. The OF also added, “Up there, they get snow.”
Those OFs who made it to the Country Café in Schoharie without having to put on chains to get there, were: Miner Stevens, Dave Williams, Bill Bartholomew, Chuck Aelesio, Mark Traver, Glenn Patterson, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Harold Guest, Frank Pauli, Jim Heiser, Duncan Bellinger, Roger Shafer, Lou Schenck, Gerry Irwin, Jack Norray, Art Frament, Jay Taylor, Bob Benninger, Bob Fink, Roger Fairchild, Bob Benac, Joe Ketzeko, Mark Hollobaugh, Duane Wagenbaugh, Rich Donnelly, Ted Willsey, Bob Lassome, Bill Krause, Mike Willsey, Harold Grippen, Elwood Vanderbilt, Gerry Chartier, and me.
Location:
On a wet, and rainy (is that really a word) Tuesday, Aug. 11, the Old Men of the Mountain met at Mrs. K’s Restaurant in Middleburgh.
This scribe must report that he was not there. This scribe was called by someone higher to be someplace else.
However, this scribe took a few notes at previous breakfasts concerning what the OFs are talking about, what they have done, what they plan on doing, and their opinions on this and that. Many times, there are too many topics to include in this OF report.
This scribe tries to keep it to five typed pages, but this scribe’s wife says that is too many; she maintains that two paragraphs is all that is needed to say anything these OGs have to say.
What this scribe is getting at is that, in this report, it will cover a few of the topics that did not make other reports. Also, while the scribe is making a confession of sorts, some of the notes jotted down are not suitable for a family paper.
Maybe the notes would be suitable for the National Enquirer, but not The Altamont Enterprise. OK! Now for some past topics which will bring us up to date.
Far-flung travels
The good ole U.S. of A. is a large country with some of our states being larger than many countries. For instance, the country of Italy is just slightly larger than the state of Arizona, yet the OFs talk of traveling to parts of our country as if they were day trips.
It is common to be talking about running to Florida like it is just traveling to Cobleskill for a cup of coffee. Jaunting off to Maine is like running to the post office, or some OFs just hop in the car and pop up to Montreal to go to a ball game.
To take some of the trips in other parts of the world, the OFs would need a pocket full of passports, and a fist full of funny money just to travel from one city to another. In last week’s column, the OFs were talking about this very same phenomenon by discussing the various ways of getting from the Hilltowns to spot “A” in Florida.
Vexing visitors
Another conversation awhile back was on visitors. Some of the OFs are of the type that people just drop in on.
What draws them to a certain OF’s domicile is not really known. Are the dropper-inners, actually freeloaders because the OF always has cold beer in a refrigerator in the garage, or is it just the OF’s karma?
Other OFs said their wives raise quite a fuss if people drop in unannounced and they can’t get the house looking like a page out of Better Homes and Gardens. One OF admitted he was not the type that people dropped in on, saying, “Even my kids are rare visitors.”
Some OFs, though, are just stay-at-home type of guys and don’t care either way. The OFs were not sure what generated the category a particular OF will fit in, but it is noticeable that this is some kind of observable fact and all the OFs maintain they do have the proper hygiene.
“A gathering of misfits”
Then the discussion centered on organizations like churches, social clubs, Parent Teacher Associations, ball teams, or whatever, and it was noted these groups all have their own little cliques within the main body of the basic group.
One OF said it is a good idea to join any group with a group of your friends rather than trying to join alone. Another OF likened it to square dancing, saying that it is a good idea to show up at a dance with your own square rather than to show up alone.
This OF said, even if it is just you and another couple, somehow it seems to work better.
One OF added, “This advice works for those from other clubs coming to your dance.”
To this OF, it was OK to show up alone at your own club’s dance.
An OF asked a question out of the blue wondering if “square dancing is now as popular as it once was.”
One OF said that, if any organization becomes too “cliquey” and gets to the point where newcomers really feel unwanted, the whole organization might just fold up.
But another OF said, “Did you ever notice that some people have the type of personality that they will fit in anywhere?”
Then one OF said he understands, and sometime wonders what he is doing “hanging out with all you OFs.
To which another OFs said, “It is because nobody else wants you, you OG; we are the only ones that will put up with you.”
“I guess you are right,” the OF said. “This whole group is a gathering of misfits.”
To which another OF added, “If this is a gathering of misfits, that’s fine with me; I like this group of misfits who do not prejudge anybody.”
Those OFs who made it to Mrs. K’s Restaurant in Middleburgh and chatted about who knows what on Aug. 11 — because this scribe was not there to eavesdrop — were: (according to the appointed Chief Assistant Scribe) Harold Guest, Frank Pauli, Roger Chapman, Roger Shafer, Duncan Bellinger, Dave Williams, Chuck Aelesio, Glenn Patterson, Jim Heiser, Otis Lawyer, Steve Kelly, George Washburn, Robie Osterman, Bill Bartholomew, Bob Benninger, Bob Fink, Jay Taylor, Herb Sawotka, Art Frament, Bob Lassome, Bob Benac, Jack Benac, Joe Ketzeko, Ted Willsey, Duane Wagenbaugh, Rich Donnelly, Mace Porter, Jack Norray, Gerry Irwin, Lou Schenck, Mike Willsey, Gerry Chartier, Elwood Vanderbilt, Harold Grippen, but not me.
Location:
Logo logic: The Minnesota Twins baseball team has a TC logo, which stands for Twin Cities — St. Paul and Minneapolis — and was adopted by the Washington Senators in 1961 when the team moved to Minnesota. It’s the same logo as Twin City tractor, which was built by the Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company until 1929.
The Old Men of the Mountain decided to gather at the Middleburgh Diner, in Middleburgh, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and already there are a few trees changing color. The OFs think that this is noted every year, and there is nothing unusual about it.
It is a little disheartening, though, to see it and realize, with the shorter days and the beginning of the colors of autumn touching the leaves, that summer is on the wane. Many OFs have not caught up with the wear of last winter’s repairs yet.
Tuesday’s breakfast was catching-up-time with people the OFs remembered from school and work.
One OF would say, “Have you heard how so and so is doing? I haven’t seen or heard anything about him for years.”
Some other OF might know and fill in the blanks, or maybe all the OFs were in the same boat and the person in question, as far as this discussion goes, could be either dead or alive. If none of the OFs knew, then the one in question just seemed to have evaporated.
Still others were on the “where are they now list,” and an OF might say that they just saw them a little while ago, and would proceed to mention how they were doing.
The OF who inquired would say something like, “Have you got his number? I would like to get in touch with this OF.”
This scribe noticed, after checking his notes, and trying to recall the conversations (and that is a challenge), that all the inquiries were about men, no requests were made to find where or how the distaff side was doing.
Apt analogy
As the OFs get older, they find out they are more like a machine than first thought. The OFs started putting things together like a tractor.
First the OFs need fuel — that is why the OFs come to a restaurant; it is the body’s gas station. Next thing, we have to do is get started — ah, the battery.
The OFs considered the brain and nervous system the battery and electronics. The stomach is the gas tank, and the heart is the fuel pump, and so it went.
Now the OFs added age to this machine and then things start to wear out ─ like knees, hips, back, eyes, shoulders etc. etc.
The OFs soon equated doctors to mechanics, and hospitals to garages. The OFs don’t know how fair this is but it seems to them that the analogy was right on the money.
Tinderbox landscape
One OF’s brother was here on a visit from Seattle, Washington and a weather comparison between the Northeast and the far West was a natural. That area of the country has seen “about a quarter inch of rain, if even that much,” the guest said, “since April, and the air is dry.”
No wonder that section of the country is such a tinderbox, the OFs commented.
One OF was told by someone who lived close by to where many of these fires are, that in situations like what is happening now, the pine trees are loaded with “sap” and they become superheated. The weather is bone dry, the fire, as it approaches these trees, heats the trees up more; the closer the fire edges toward a tree or trees, all the heat brings the sap to its flash point then all it takes is one spark or ember and the tree explodes.
The OF said that a firefighter can be in close proximity to one of these trees ready to go and just like a bomb the tree erupts in flames. An OF remarked, “I will take my 10- to 15-below-zero any day rather than go through fire like that.”
Slow-time travel
The Seattle visitor prompted some discussion on the best way to get to Florida. The OFs will have to make their own maps.
The consensus was that they should take the less-traveled road and avoid the stress of the well-used highways. It may take longer — but not much.
The OFs also talked about how they used to make the trip down south by driving straight through. Not now. The OFs take their time and a few more days and stay over.
Now the OFs don’t have a bunch of fussy kids in the car, and some have accrued more money and do not have to make the trip by sustaining themselves on orange juice and crackers.
Twin logos
As most people who read this little gossip piece are aware, some of the OFs collect and restore old tractors. Some of these tractors are really old and the OFs get them cranking and going, brought to life by some tender, loving, care — thrown in among a bevy of colorful cuss words when things don’t go right.
One OF has quite a collection of toy tractors and this OF noticed that the logo for the Twin City tractor, which was produced in the early 1900s had a TC logo. The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins were recently playing baseball and the toy collector noticed that the Minnesota Twins’ logo and the Twin City tractor logo were identical.
Now there is a bit of information that is totally useless to anybody but the OFs.
For more useless information. the OFs that made it to the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh and again chased all the waitresses away so there was only one left, were: Bill Bartholomew, Dave Williams, Art Williams, George Washburn, John Rossmann, Frank Pauli, Harold Guest, Jim Guest, Glenn Patterson, Miner Stevens, Duncan Bellinger, Robie Osterman, Roger Shafer, Chuck Aelesio, Art Frament, Bob Benac, Joe Ketzeko, Don Wood, Bob Fink, Bob Benninger, Jack Norray, Lou Schenck, Gerry Irwin, Mace Porter, Herb Sawotka, Roger Fairchild, Elwood Vanderbilt, Ted Willsey, Rich Donnelly, Bob Lassome, Bill Krause, Duane Wagenbaugh, and me.