Pull Tight

With the regular exercise I have done the past 3+ years, the number of aches and pains has diminished greatly.   Camp Gladiator (boot camp) and Zesa Yoga have improved my strength, flexibility and general health to a great extent.   Recommend to all. This morning was the exception, got a catch in my back and struggled to get up from my workout mat at boot camp.   Probably digging a new garden with a shovel over the weekend caught up with me.   Some ibuprofen and CBD oil improved the pain and stiffness. Will probably make it to yoga this afternoon. Whenever I have back pain, I always remember this story told to me by my great uncle Bill Hadley https://pulltight.blogspot.com/2012/07/play-ball-revisited.html .   Uncle Bill was a one man trucking company and was always very busy.   One day sometime in the 1950s he somehow strained his back so bad he was almost immobile.    My grandfather Ben Wann, https://pulltight.blogspot.com/2006/04/some-...

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/03/12/horse-transported-in-pickup-bed/ This article caused me to remember my grandfather Ben Wann.  Apparently, he would haul Smokey, his palomino mare around the ranch in a pick up without any kind of frames/sideboards in the 1950s. Can't remember seeing him haul the horse in this manner, but this has been confirmed by other sources. I rode with him on this horse as a child.  And, also recall many times riding around with him in his old Chevy pick up truck looking through his cows and/or goats. Grandpa was gifted in mathematical ability and would impress me by counting his goats by 6s and 7s as a herd of a couple of hundred came running to meet us.

“When you read between the lines, you must have bloody good eyesight because I can't see a bloody thing!”  ―  Anthony T.Hincks Had my annual routine eye exam this week.  My eyes are very good for someone in my age bracket.  No trace of glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration and very minimal cataract development. My optometrist says my distance vision has actually improved slightly in the past 12 months.  Any positive change for someone my age is notable. There have been some changes in my life.  Have attended boot camp exercise sessions religiously 3 times per week for the past couple of years with a stretching session at the end of each.  For the past several months, intermittent fasting for about 5 days each week has also become part of my routine.  Also for the past several months, I have gone to a yoga class 1 day per week. Doing a little research on the Internet (thanks Google) indicates all these activ...

Driving out of Glen Rose after spending some time with Mom at the Rehab Center. Pictured here are 3 buzzards sitting on top of the sign for Chicken Express. Maybe they were watching for the dead chicken on the sign to fall to the ground.  Or maybe they were offering a subtle review of the restaurant. Whatever the reason, it brought an unexpected smile to my face.

From around 1925 to 1960 all John Deere tractors were 2 cylinder. They ran at a relatively low RPM causing the engine sound to be sort of pop pop pop pop sound. The nickname for any of these John Deere tractors became Popping Johnny. In 1955 my dad bought a model 50 as pictured here. Being 5 years old, I was quite excited about this purchase and what 5 year old would not be excited about a new green shiny tractor making a pop pop pop sound. In 1955 most everyone in and around Paluxy received their mail at the Post Office http://pulltight.blogspot.com/2012/07/play-ball-revisited.html One morning soon after the acquisition, I was with mom at the post office one morning to pick up the mail.   The operator manual for the new tractor happened to be in the car and was my prize possession on this occasion. Although I don’t remember the actual event, two of the local men, Floyd and Ramon saw me with my book and asked about it.   With the imagination and expertis...

“A day will come when the story inside you will want to breathe on its own. That’s when you will start writing.” Sarah Noffke Started Pulltight blog in 2005 and have kept the entries online with blogger over the years. Many times I wrote straight into the site with no other documentation. That there was no backup or hard copy of Pulltight started to be somewhat concerning as the years passed; there are a few stories I might not recall or record again if lost. Admittedly much of the blog has been just day to day thoughts on random topics.   But a few of the stories, particularly about old friends, Paluxy or family could be worth remembering and easily it could all be lost. My son started bugging me about making a backup a few months ago. Then he asks for a hard copy for his birthday.   This was the tipping point for converting to a hard copy. Decided to have it bound and make an actual hard copy (Book? Blook?) In chronological order from the date of the first post. ...

Growing up I thought Horace had some of the coolest cars. The first one I remember was the one he was driving when his brother was the preacher in Paluxy. He was dating my aunt Glenda. It was a 1955 Chevy, dark green 2 door with dual exhaust, a real classic. I think it was after he and Glenda married that they had a 55 or 56 Ford Crown Victoria. This was the one with an actual crown.   There was a strip of chrome extending from door post to door post over the top of the car. Black, white and chrome; bet is a real collector’s item today, but back in the day it was definitely a cool car. Then a few years later, a blue and white Nash Metropolitan.   Bet you can find these in car museums around the world (and the same color). A fun unique car. Some used to say the Nash looked like an inverted bath tub.   Had to use your imagination a little, but yea, maybe. And then there was the 1967 Pontiac GTO.   White with black vinyl roof; I was old enough to drive by t...