"Takin' Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with four of the Virginian
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway.  We discussed the issues of
the day including the train wreck in Texas.


 I have been watching my mail box since last week hoping a 1937 Virginian
Railway calendar would show up, but none did.  Thanks to those who replied
concerning the term "hacking" as it related to turn of the twentieth
century railroading.  On modern wrist watches, when the stem is pulled in
order to set it, all hands stop, including the second hand.  The Railroad
Approved Hamilton pocket watches only had this feature as an option and it
was called "the hacking feature".  Otherwise when the watch was stopped to
set it, the second hand continued to run.  I can keep my VGN egg cup until
the next quiz!


 For Show and Tell I took my photo taken Tuesday, shortly after G&H
Construction applied the two "ROANOKE" signs on the VGN Station.  These
signs are the "crowning touch" to the project and makes the building
"bonified".  I have posted the photo showing the west sign on this sight
under "Skip's Photos".  The signs were made by Roanoke Chapter NRHS member
George Stein.  He used one of the originals that was "rescued" by Jeff
Sanders and restored by Ken Miller, as a pattern.


 The Jewel from the Past is from March 5, 2009:  "At our work day last
Saturday at the Roanoke Chapter NRHS siding at 9th Street, Landon and I
discovered a Virginian Railway marked "Suggestion Box".  On the back was
written "Motor Barn, Mullens 1947".  I asked the Brethren if they
remembered such suggestion boxes, and Rufus and Raymond said there was one
at the Freight Station in Roanoke.  Of course there were many suggestions
recalled like:  Raymond remembered several about making a 'longer twenty'
meal period; Wis asked for a raise in pay; Cornbread asked for longer
vacation, but most were the kind that can not be mentioned in 'mixed
company'".


 Then there's this:  A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung
on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck.  One of the pots
had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect.  At the end of the long
walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily,with the bearer delivering only one
and a half pots full of water.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of
what it had been made to do.  After 2 years of what it thought was a bitter
failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.  "I am ashamed
of myself, and because this crack in my side causes water to leak out. "
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on
your side of the path but not on the other pot's side?  That's because I
have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side
of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two
years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the
table.  Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this
beauty to grace the house."  MORAL:  Each of us has our own unique flaws.
We're all cracked pots.  But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that
make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.  You've just got
to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
Blessings to all my crackpot friends!


 Time to pull the pin on this one.


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DCX
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