Frodov
Bronze Member
Greetings T-Netters and visitors alike. I hope you all had a wonderful and Merry Christmas, as well as a Very Happy New Years Eve. Hopefully everyone was safe and sound in their celebrations last night. My wife Val and I stayed home instead of running around or partying the night away. For us it was a nice evening of reflection and relaxation. We had our snacks and libations of course, I mean it WAS afterall New Years Eve. A few well made margaritas went a long way towards moderating the warmth put out by the fire in the fireplace. That, and watching all the people freezing their patooties off in Times Square. <grin>
I heard from an old and very dear friend last night, a couple of hours before the big ball dropped, she dropped a ball or rather bombshell of her own on me. After a bit of small talk to "catch up" a bit, she informed me that she had been diagnosed with cancer. She didn't elaborate on what particular "flavor" it was but that it was not lung cancer from all her years of smoking when she was younger, nor was it breast cancer, of which she had a scare several years ago. No, not a great deal of detail this time around other than that her doctors said that with Chemo therapy she might make it another year at the outside. Damn! I think I was too stunned to really have much of a reaction at the time. Of course I was concerned, still am, but I was, well.. stunned. It kind of put a new spin on my contemplations and reflections of the past year, well, years for that matter. It also made me pause to count my blessings once again. I've had my own health issues over the past year or so, and other concerns and worries, but nothing like cancer. All in all I've had a pretty good year and have been graced with a loving spouse and a nice home, some wonderful friends, a good job. Lots and lots to be thankful for. For the year and for the present.
Here's hoping you all are well and happy, or at least trending that direction.
Now, back to the matter at hand. I mentioned that I enjoyed the evening at home with just my wife and I for New Years Eve. What I didn't mention was that NYE is my father's birthday, and January First is my mother in law's birthday. With that in mind I drove up to the farm NYE day to see my dad. It was a lovely day, after the morning snow flurries subsided, even if it was still cold, so I took advantage of a couple of hours free time to get out and detect a bit. The last Metal Detecting Outing of the year for me. And it was a pretty good day!
Being as it was both cold, and a bit soggy from recent rain and/or snow I decided to hit a couple or three school yard tot lots on my way to the farm to see my dad. Woodchips, even cold, can be a lot more forgiving and "dry" than soggy muddy grass and soil. And the woodchips did me good. I ended up stopping at three different grade schools between my house and my parents' farm. Two schools were in the next county over (same one as my folks live in). Of course, as with any tot lot search I came up with the usual suspects..er..finds. You know, the ever present pull tabs, zipper pulls, metallic buttons. I also found some odds and ends, as every trip it seems, stuff that you don't or wouldn't associate with playgrounds. Pipe or plumbing fixtures, metal blobs (molten solder or brazing material), bullets.. weights, locks?
Of course not all of this stuff was found "IN" the woodchips. Some of the odds and ends were found between or around the woodchipped tot lots. The Lock for instance.. "rustless" NOT.. was found in the grass about halfway between the parking lot and the tot lot.
The bullet was found in the woodchips. It is "spent" meaning that it had been fired at some point in time, whether it was anywhere near the tot lot or not I can't say.. could have been packed in by some child and then lost amongst the chips I suppose.
Not exactly sure as to the caliber of the bullet, perhaps a 38 or something close? <shrug> I found this little bottle of cologne just outside of one of the woodchipped areas.. in the grass covered by leaves.. guess it was that tiny little bit of metal on the cap that sounded off in my headphones.
Never heard of this brand or name before.. it smells rather flowery.. like some foo foo French cologne. Stinky! I found another little figurine for my growing collection not far from the cologne. A little green Ninja. Perhaps he got a whiff of the cologne. <laughing>
At another schoolyard I found this odd bit of metal.. a weight of some sort..
Racing Gear? It's about two and a half inches long, not terribly heavy. I have no idea what it might be. Anyone out there have a clue? Here's all the other "stuff" I found yesterday in and around the tot lots. Woohoo!
I found one nice big dollar coin yesterday too.. a Presidential dollar coin, James Monroe.
I like finding those bigger coins. <smile> Ok.. so it's not so big, but I still like it. Here's all the other clad I found.. it adds up!
All Eleven dollars and thirty six cents of it. Not a bad few hours worth of coin collecting. <grin> Just some more change in the vacation fund. Cha Ching!
Well that about does it for this post. Sorry there was nothing terribly exciting to report on or share. I was just glad to be able to get out and enjoy the hobby a bit yesterday, along with all the other celebrations for the day, and night. Again, here's hoping you all had a wonderful and safe holiday as well. And, as always..
Happy Hunting!
Frodov
I heard from an old and very dear friend last night, a couple of hours before the big ball dropped, she dropped a ball or rather bombshell of her own on me. After a bit of small talk to "catch up" a bit, she informed me that she had been diagnosed with cancer. She didn't elaborate on what particular "flavor" it was but that it was not lung cancer from all her years of smoking when she was younger, nor was it breast cancer, of which she had a scare several years ago. No, not a great deal of detail this time around other than that her doctors said that with Chemo therapy she might make it another year at the outside. Damn! I think I was too stunned to really have much of a reaction at the time. Of course I was concerned, still am, but I was, well.. stunned. It kind of put a new spin on my contemplations and reflections of the past year, well, years for that matter. It also made me pause to count my blessings once again. I've had my own health issues over the past year or so, and other concerns and worries, but nothing like cancer. All in all I've had a pretty good year and have been graced with a loving spouse and a nice home, some wonderful friends, a good job. Lots and lots to be thankful for. For the year and for the present.
Here's hoping you all are well and happy, or at least trending that direction.
Now, back to the matter at hand. I mentioned that I enjoyed the evening at home with just my wife and I for New Years Eve. What I didn't mention was that NYE is my father's birthday, and January First is my mother in law's birthday. With that in mind I drove up to the farm NYE day to see my dad. It was a lovely day, after the morning snow flurries subsided, even if it was still cold, so I took advantage of a couple of hours free time to get out and detect a bit. The last Metal Detecting Outing of the year for me. And it was a pretty good day!
Being as it was both cold, and a bit soggy from recent rain and/or snow I decided to hit a couple or three school yard tot lots on my way to the farm to see my dad. Woodchips, even cold, can be a lot more forgiving and "dry" than soggy muddy grass and soil. And the woodchips did me good. I ended up stopping at three different grade schools between my house and my parents' farm. Two schools were in the next county over (same one as my folks live in). Of course, as with any tot lot search I came up with the usual suspects..er..finds. You know, the ever present pull tabs, zipper pulls, metallic buttons. I also found some odds and ends, as every trip it seems, stuff that you don't or wouldn't associate with playgrounds. Pipe or plumbing fixtures, metal blobs (molten solder or brazing material), bullets.. weights, locks?
Of course not all of this stuff was found "IN" the woodchips. Some of the odds and ends were found between or around the woodchipped tot lots. The Lock for instance.. "rustless" NOT.. was found in the grass about halfway between the parking lot and the tot lot.
The bullet was found in the woodchips. It is "spent" meaning that it had been fired at some point in time, whether it was anywhere near the tot lot or not I can't say.. could have been packed in by some child and then lost amongst the chips I suppose.
Not exactly sure as to the caliber of the bullet, perhaps a 38 or something close? <shrug> I found this little bottle of cologne just outside of one of the woodchipped areas.. in the grass covered by leaves.. guess it was that tiny little bit of metal on the cap that sounded off in my headphones.
Never heard of this brand or name before.. it smells rather flowery.. like some foo foo French cologne. Stinky! I found another little figurine for my growing collection not far from the cologne. A little green Ninja. Perhaps he got a whiff of the cologne. <laughing>
At another schoolyard I found this odd bit of metal.. a weight of some sort..
Racing Gear? It's about two and a half inches long, not terribly heavy. I have no idea what it might be. Anyone out there have a clue? Here's all the other "stuff" I found yesterday in and around the tot lots. Woohoo!
I found one nice big dollar coin yesterday too.. a Presidential dollar coin, James Monroe.
I like finding those bigger coins. <smile> Ok.. so it's not so big, but I still like it. Here's all the other clad I found.. it adds up!
All Eleven dollars and thirty six cents of it. Not a bad few hours worth of coin collecting. <grin> Just some more change in the vacation fund. Cha Ching!
Well that about does it for this post. Sorry there was nothing terribly exciting to report on or share. I was just glad to be able to get out and enjoy the hobby a bit yesterday, along with all the other celebrations for the day, and night. Again, here's hoping you all had a wonderful and safe holiday as well. And, as always..
Happy Hunting!
Frodov
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I hope she proves her doctors wrong and fights her way back to good health.
