Happy Veteran's Day

Each year I share the link to my blog of  'My Vietnam Stories'.  I hope you enjoy reading them and much as I enjoy sharing them.  http://my-vietnam-stories.blogspot.com/

My Film Debut in "Girl Clown - the Film"

The summer of 20011, I was the featured extra and walk on in "Girl Clown - the Film".  My part was film over two days and I had a ball.  Today I received a copy of the film and was told I could share parts of it, but can't share the entire film.  This short are the scenes I was in in the film along with the credits that list my name three times.  You'll have to wait until the film comes to a film festival near you to see the complete film.

My Proposal to Lori

Chef Bill arrived at 2:00 to start prepping for dinner.

I set the table, then lite the candles right before Lori got home. A framed menu is on the right.

This is the menu.

This is the drink menu I had up. It uses Lori favorite liquor, triple espresso vodka.

Lori read the drink menu and choose a 'Money Shot". I made it for her then sat down.

I made a toast to her birthday.

Chef Bill served the wine and then the first course, a shrimp cocktail with home made cocktail sauce and fresh horse radish.

The second course was a salad of mixed green with a lot of other goodies.

While Chef Bill was serving desert, I gave Lori her gifts. Lori wanted to wait for Chef Bill to leave, but I told her I wanted him to take pictures of her opening them. The desert was a delicious warm, fresh peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. She pulled out tissue paper from the gift bag and then a scratch off lotto ticket. She continued pulling out more and more until she got down to the bottom of the bag, then stopped and stared at the bottom of the bag. She reached in and pulled out a little jewelry box.  I reached over, took it from her hand.

I got down on one knee, opened the box to show her an engagement ring, then asked her to marry me.

SHE SAID YES! So I took the ring out of the boxes, slipped it on her finger then gave her a bug hug and a kiss.

It was time for Chef Bill to leave, so we got up thanked him and sent him on his merry way. Then we finished desert and sat around until it got dark, so we could go skinny dipping in the pool.

How I made the proposal romantic, memorable and a surprise.

Back in January, Lori and I decided that after being together for almost six years, we wouldn't commit to marriage, but we'd get an engagement ring just in case I ever decided to ask her.  She offered to provide her great aunts diamond, if I bought the ring.  I was getting the better of the deal, so agreed.

We went to a jewelry store I trust and have used numerous times before.  He measured the diamond and estimated it's value.  (I sure getting the better end of this deal.)  We looked at a lot of rings and finally settled on the one you see in the picture. (See the last post)  I left a deposit and the jeweler told me I could pick the ring up in about a week.

On the way home, Lori told me that she didn't want to know when I went back to pick up the ring and that "if" I ever asked her to marry me, all she asks in that it was romantic.  Then explained how her ex husband had proposed to her.

One day right after Christmas he asked Lori how much her medicine was each month, so she gave him an answer.  He's reply was, "I guess I can afford that so will you marry me?"  She made him wait until the new year before telling him she would.

I figured topping that proposal wouldn't be too difficult, but just topping his crappy proposal wasn't want I wanted.  I wanted to top it by a mile and make it a romantic, memorable propose and make it a surprise.  making it a surprise also included not proposing and at obvious time like the anniversary of out first date or the week her brother's family was here visiting.

I had no idea how I would do that, so I did what I always do when I need an answer or a suggestion, I Googled "romantic proposals".  I didn't really like any of the results.  Then one day in April I saw an article on a local web site about a personal chef, that does among other things, prepares meals in your home for any occasion.  I checked into a few local personal chef and decided to contact two.  One I discounted because He specialize in Italian food.  There are a ton of excellent Italian restaurants around here I could take her too.

The second one, Chef Bill had a web site with sample menus and I liked his selections, so I contacted him on May 2nd.  I confirmed that he could prepare a meal in my home, so I decided that is what I do for my proposal.  I told him that my kitchen was being remodeled and would contact him when it was ready.

On July 12th I contacted Chef Bill again and we set up a date for him to come over so we could discuss what I wanted in detail.  We spent about an hour going over things and settled on most of the menu.  A few more email were exchanged and we agreed that he would come over at 2:00 pm on Lori's birthday to start preparing the meal.

TO BE CONTINUED

Big News!

It's been a long since my last post, but I just had give you the big news. Lori and I are engaged.

Our Weekend Vacation

Lori and I had a great vacation weekend at the hotel. Friday night we went to a charity dinner/Chinese auction. She won two prizes. Saturday we went out for breakfast in an old fashioned luncheonette and then hung out in the room until dinner. We had a great steak dinner that was to die for. Today we had breakfast at the local diner then back home. For dinner tonight we ordered orange shrimp Chinese for dinner. I even got laid. All in all, a great weekend vacation.

Shit Happens

There were times in my life when I thought that things couldn't get worse, but they did. There were also times that I thought that things could never be better, but they did. I nearly lost my life in Vietnam and lost the love of my life to brain cancer in 2005. But life goes on. I got a pension from the VA for being wounded, my wife left me her pension so I'm set for life, I met the second love of my life in 2006 and now I couldn't be happier. The moral to the story is shit happens, but it's how you deal with it and learn from it, but it's up to you if it has a happy ending.

This is Weird

After 5+ years of posting HNT pics tonight, this is the first week we won't.

Do I look happy?

Goodbye HNT

My first HNT post was on August 10, 2005. It was a very tame picture of my legs in socks.

Socks probably has been the most often used theme. One week I added a second pair of socks on my girl friend Lori's legs.

Another week I had another guest with a side by side comparison.

One week I even showed off my old army socks.

Five years later I showed off my then 46 year old army socks army socks, but I changed it up and wore sneakers too.

Another week I decided to post my first of many more risqué HNT pictures. It was a picture of me drunk mooning my sister in law. Why? I don't know, I was drunk.

I'd finally come out of my HNT shell!

Over the six plus years of posting HNT posts, I've posted any number of risqué HNT pictures. Quite a few of them were of the lovely ladies that allowed me to share some pictures of them when they were skinny dipping in my pool. The most memorable was the one I had in 2008 when Os made the trip for the party. There were so many pictures I had to add another pool party HNT the following week.


My blog and HNT have helped make my many new real life friends over the years. I've met about 50 blogger friends all over the country. I've traveled to New York City, Detroit, Michigan, Las Vegas, Nevada, San Diego, California and Dallas, Texas. Hopefully the end of HNT isn't the end of making even more bloggers friends.

The end of HNT is a sad day, but like all good things, they come to an end. It's been a great ride Os. Thanks for starting and hosting HNT and more importantly, thanks for your friendship. Remember, you have an open invitation for more pool parties, so when you find yourself in the New York City area, stop by and say hi! That goes for all the rest of you too. Stop by and say hello.

HAPPY GOODBYE HNT!

PS

Lori has a last HNT too. http://rhymeandretro.blogspot.com/

Christmas Tree HNT

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM LORI & TONY


HAPPY HALF NEKKID THURSDAY

Thankful HNT

How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was great. I had Lori, her mom and her kids with me and my son Brian and his girl friend Amy were there too. It was nice spending time with Brian, because I don't see him very much since he moved out.

Happy HNT!

Veterans Day HNT

I was drafted into the United States Army on May 6, 1968 and sent to Vietnam in October. I survived, but barely. Read my story here.

HALLOWEEN HNT

What are you dressing up as this year?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN HNT!

HAPPY ENDING HNT

About a month ago I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my upper chest. The incision got infected, but in the end, all's well that ends well.

HAPPY HNT

The day I met my baby HNT

March of 2006 I met the second love of my life and our relationship is still going strong. Here's the first post I made about my baby Lori. Love you babe, more than Fridays.

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I'm dating someone new now, her name is Lori.



I started dating Lori a few weeks ago and thought it was time I introduce her to you, my closest friends. It’s a long story about how we met, so let me see if I can figure out a way to make a long story short and I’ll get back to you. In the mean time, I wanted you to meet her.

Oktoberfest HNT

Tuesday Lori and I celebrated Oktoberfest with some friends at an beer tasting dinner. We were served four courses with a different German beer with each course. Our glasses were never empty and everything was delicious.

We each were given marbled rye bread and baked pretzels with horseradish-ale mustard














FIRST COURSE
Braised cabbage, ham hocks, bratwurst, apples, potatoes

Beer - Weihenstephaner Original











SECOND COURSE
Sauerkraut-tomato soup, beer braised duck leg on custini

Beer - Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier












THIRD COURSE
Grilled marinated lamb shak, apple-mint relish, potato dumpling, red cabbage

Beer - Weihenstephaner Hefewissbier Dunkel











FOURTH COURSE
German cheesecake, cherry liqueur sauce

Beer - Weihenstephaner Vitus

I dressed up and wore my best "Os" shirt.

HAPPY OKTOBERFEST HNT

Rerun HNT due to the lack of anything else, my first HNT

I wanted to start off with something a little less risque so as not to excite y'all too much.


You too can participate in Half-Nekkid Thursday here.

Want to see a real hippie HNT?

Yes, this is me. This photo was taken in 1974 in the living room of my house in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York.

I had great hair then, didn't I? I always got my hair cut by men until one day around this time, a woman cut my hair. She ranted and raved over my hair and couldn't seem to stop touching it. I loved the touching and compliments, who wouldn't? That made me feel attractive for the first time in my life. From then on, I always had women cut my hair unless there was no choice. The chicks just seemed to dig it.

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Happy Half-Nekkid Thursday Y'all.

Ewwww HNT

Last week I showed you a picture of the bandage covering the incision where the doctor removed the skin cancer. Click on the picture to see the stitches. If you're really brave, then click on 'VIEW FULL SIZE' and you'll get a very cool close up look.

Happy HNT

September 11, 2001

That day started like most days did for me at the time. I woke quietly at 7:00 a.m. trying not to wake up Barbara. I had to be to work by 8:00 a.m., but she got to sleep a little later. She didn't have to be at school until just before 9:00 a.m. I left the house by 7:30 a.m. and went to the 7-11 to get my coffee and a newspaper. I arrived at work just before 8:00 a.m. like usual.

8:45 a.m. (all times are EDT): A hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center, tearing a gaping hole in the building and setting it afire.
Time line: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/chronology.attack/

I walked onto the production floor a few minutes later. One of the assemblers told me that a plane had just crashed into the World Trade Center, but that no one knew anything else. She turned up her radio, as did others that had them and we all listened intently. I listened for a few moments and then was called away for something.

9:03 a.m.: A second hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center and explodes. Both buildings are burning.

By now, everyone knew what had happened and stopped working to listen to the radios.

A short time later our president and part owner of the company came on the PA to announce what most already knew. He placed the microphone by the radio so everyone could hear what was happening. He also said that everyone should go back to work, but to listen as they worked. That was a lot easier said than done.

9:17 a.m.: The Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York City area airports.

9:21 a.m.: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey orders all bridges and tunnels in the New York area closed.

9:30 a.m.: President Bush, speaking in Sarasota, Florida, says the country has suffered an "apparent terrorist attack."

9:40 a.m.: The FAA halts all flight operations at U.S. airports, the first time in U.S. history that air traffic nationwide has been halted.

9:43 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon, sending up a huge plume of smoke. Evacuation begins immediately.

9:45 a.m.: The White House evacuates.

9:57 a.m.: Bush departs from Florida.

10:05 a.m.: The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses, plummeting into the streets below. A massive cloud of dust and debris forms and slowly drifts away from the building.

10:08 a.m.: Secret Service agents armed with automatic rifles are deployed into Lafayette Park across from the White House.

10:10 a.m.: A portion of the Pentagon collapses.

10:10 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, also hijacked, crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh.

10:13 a.m.: The United Nations building evacuates, including 4,700 people from the headquarters building and 7,000 total from UNICEF and U.N. development programs.

10:22 a.m.: In Washington, the State and Justice departments are evacuated, along with the World Bank.

10:24 a.m.: The FAA reports that all inbound transatlantic aircraft flying into the United States are being diverted to Canada.

10:28 a.m.: The World Trade Center's north tower collapses from the top down as if it were being peeled apart, releasing a tremendous cloud of debris and smoke.

10:45 a.m.: All federal office buildings in Washington are evacuated.

10.46 a.m.: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell cuts short his trip to Latin America to return to the United States.

10.48 a.m.: Police confirm the plane crash in Pennsylvania.

10:53 a.m.: New York's primary elections, scheduled for Tuesday, are postponed.

10:54 a.m.: Israel evacuates all diplomatic missions.

10:57 a.m.: New York Gov. George Pataki says all state government offices are closed.

11:02 a.m.: New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani urges New Yorkers to stay at home and orders an evacuation of the area south of Canal Street.

11:16 a.m.: CNN reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing emergency-response teams in a precautionary move.

11:18 a.m.: American Airlines reports it has lost two aircraft. American Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles, had 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Flight 77, a Boeing 757 en route from Washington's Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles, had 58 passengers and six crew members aboard. Flight 11 slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

11:26 a.m.: United Airlines reports that United Flight 93, en route from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California, has crashed in Pennsylvania. The airline also says that it is "deeply concerned" about United Flight 175.

11:59 a.m.: United Airlines confirms that Flight 175, from Boston to Los Angeles, has crashed with 56 passengers and nine crew members aboard. It hit the World Trade Center's south tower.

I went to the cafeteria for lunch a little after noon. Everyone was talking about the hijackings and what happened as a result. That's about all anyone talked about.

4:10 p.m.: Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex is reported on fire.

I arrived home from work just before 5:00 p.m. and immediately turned on the television. All I knew was what I'd heard on the radio, but seeing the actual devastation was a shock. I couldn't believe my eyes. I truly was in shock.

5:20 p.m.: The 47-story Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex collapses. The evacuated building is damaged when the twin towers across the street collapse earlier in the day. Other nearby buildings in the area remains ablaze.

Until I went to bed that night, I spend every possible moment watching television, flicking from channel to channel to see if anyone had anything new to report.
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Fatalities
http://en.wikipedia.org

There were 2,974 fatalities, not including the 19 hijackers:

• 246 on the four planes (no one on board any of the hijacked aircraft survived)
• 2,603 in New York City in the towers and on the ground
• 125 at the Pentagon

Among the fatalities were:

• 343 New York City Fire Department firefighters
• 23 New York City Police Department officers
• 37 Port Authority Police Department officers
• 24 people remain listed as missing
  

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Little did I know how much this one day would change everything. The world will never be the same.