A Bright Shiny Nickel

This will definitely show up in The Weekly Claw tonight or tomorrow morning.

Thanks for sharing these stories with us. They sure shine a light on the sham being perpetuated on the US.

Kudos to you for using that old guitar to bond with your grandchildren. More parents and grandparents should follow your example. Maybe our society would not be as messed up if our young people had such guidance.

Great pleasure. For asome reason i thought of Art Linkletter as i read your decompressing impressions of your grandchildren.

Your mental and emotional health most assuredly are in fine fettle.

Happy trails.

Happy to share. I'm just an old storyteller who sometimes see the world from a different perspective.

Yes, parental involvement of children in family activities can sow the seeds of sound citizenship. Besides, it helps keep us old coots young at heart.

Thank you for the honor, Sir.

Funny, I also thought of Mr. Linkletter while I was writing it.
Indeed, Kids say (and do) the darndest things.

Art Linkletter filled a spot missing in the media today...He entertained with children while enlightening through them the dilemmas many of us failed to understand otherwise...WE STILL NEED that kind of talent to keep us all on the same page...you have that talent.

Thanks you for the kind comments. Although, I blush at the comparison to Mr. Linkletter. As I told Dean, I’m just an old story teller. I do try to educate as well as entertain. If my tales can help others take a fresh look, so much the better.

Thank you for sharing these memories of your grandchildren with us. They sure are a couple of pistols! (In the best sense!) You also presented a couple of very good lessons for all of us, beyond let the buyer beware. Well done! Happy New Year to you and yours, Saltwater!

Great story and great analogy between Madoff and Obamy!! HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Thank you for stopping by.
Yes, the grandchildren are quite the pair. That is what makes my job as "Granpa" as interesting as it is enjoyable. I never know what I will learn from them.
A happy and health new year to you and the dawn clan.

Thanks for your comments.
I only hope people wake up to what Obama's promises portend for our nation.
A happy and peaceful new year to you, Sir.

...I wonder what would happen were a political candidate, in the future, to run on a promise of a "reverse-bailout". In other words could we recover that money? Could we hire a team of special prosecutors to investigate and prosecute those responsible? Is it possible? Or is it money gone down a rat hole? DD

I introduced my son to the guitar at just about that age.

Within a few short years the melodious sounds of my youth, Lemon Tree and Puff, were transformed into a garage band (my garage) of 14 year olds trying to master the Lemon Song, with amps set on 11.

By college he was gigging on the weekends for extra money. It was an investment that paid off. I don't hold out as much hope for coming spend-fest.

great story, great parallels between your grandson, Made-Off and the Annointed One.

There are a lot of people who, if you give them enough money to meet their most basic "needs" of food, beer, cable and sex, they have no shame about taking it. Handouts work to buy votes from an alarmingly high percentage of our society.

It looks like we're about to the point where there are more takers than givers, a point Tocqueville warned of.

about your grandchildren, your guitar and all the rest. Great post. About the term, "negotiator" where it applies to Madoff & Obama,(your young grandson excluded here) more aggressive terms might aptly be applied, i.e: "manipulator", "Liar",
"narccisist" and "sociopath". I think all of these terms, labels, diagnoses probably apply to both of these men. One of them is probably, (we hope) going to jail; the other to the Oval Office. Scary thought, isn't it?

Loved your story about your grandkids. I played guitar when I was a teenager, (eons ago) Was not very talented then and am sure I'd run my grandkids off if I tried to play it now. Absolutely sure!!

I'm WAY behind readin posts. Glad I stopped by. Off to read more. Keep up the good work. (:-

and warming ours!! a very well said and apppreciated peice Saltwater. We vets make good storytellers!! espcially us SAILORS!!!!