Lightning

     I always start counting when I see a really bright flash, except for a few times when there was not even reaction time between the flash and the boom.  Once was on the set of Jaws2.   A bunch of us in the boat department had taken shelter in a metal shed. The lightning struck the mast of one of the sailboats right in front of us which left us tingling and our ears ringing.

    When the storm had passed we ran out and cannibalized the rigging that had been struck.   We took pieces that showed damage from the lightning passing through and arcing to the metal next to it.  I got a nice stainless steel clevis pin and the ring that goes through the hole on one end.  

I put it on my key chain to guarantee that I would have good luck and definitely never get struck in a thunder storm, because, as we all know, lightening never strikes twice!   

I had it, and good luck, for over 20 years before I misplaced it.   The good luck had become a habit by then, and we all know that habits are hard to break.

email about Reading Dog and Story Time

    I made the first Reading Dog as a present for my grandchildren and, of course, Dr. Seuss was part of their book collection.   When, Sophie, of first grandchild was born Marianne cleaned out the bottom shelf of bookcase in our kitchen.  It quickly filled with kid books.   Being the bottom shelf they could pick out the ones that wanted to hear.   I've always loved snuggling up with the grandchildren and taking off into magical realms.   After a while Sophie and the other older kids took over a lot of the reading.   Now the youngest are Juniors in High School and the kids books are out of sight.  It is one of the things I really miss.

    I think having reading be a natural and fun part of family life has been an important part of raising good and intelligent kids.   Marianne and I didn't have a TV until after our girls were out of college.   Both  of them didn't have TVs when their kids were young.   Now, of course, everyone has a screen in their pocket or hand.

Jay

Marianne and I playing tourist in Gloucester, Virginia.   Getting a selfie with one of the sculpture I had installed on Main Street.   This is the original.  Before we took it down I 3D scanned it.   The bronze casting made from a 3D digital print is almost finished.