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Things have changed a lot since I was a little lad. We didn't  seem to have very many diabetics, even though there were a lot of good things to eat like creamy ice cream, all kinds of candy, and you didn't  have the diet drinks you have now.. We had sweets all the time like lots of Mom‘s own syrup made with her own recipe. And her cakes just melted in your mouth. As far as having a headache or pain in our bodies, we used aspirin or Anacin and that took care of it. And for years, babies when they were put to bed were laid on their bellies. Nowadays they say that is wrong so I guess someone who never had a child or even took care of one changed the rules.

These new lids on medicines today are hard to get off and we never wore a helmet when we rode our bike but today that is sort of the rule. We didn't  have to wear seat belts nor did we have to fasten the baby in but I guess maybe today we do need that with all the drivers talking or text -ting on their cell phones. How many times do you see someone riding in the back of a truck? On a hot day, we drank from the garden hose but today if you did that the water would be so hot you would get burned bad. How about when you were out on a date, both of you would share the same drink. Today you could get a bad case of the germs doing that. And back then we drank all kinds of Kool-Aid but today it seems like that is no more. Doctors made house calls and the phone had party lines .

We seem to never tire of playing outdoors but today we sit in front of the TV all day and watch reruns galore. Dad made our scooters for us using some old roller skates and some 2 by 4s and we would ride them all day. Today the kids would laugh us off the street if we made something for them instead of buying it from the store. We fixed our own problems with a screwdriver and hammer and we kept things going There were no video games to play so we thought up our own games by changing the rules some. If you wanted to see your friends you asked Mom if you could. Today, our children have cell phones and they call home to tell mom that they have been over to a friends house for the last couple of hours. Hey, we use to fall and get hurt but we didn’t file any lawsuits because of it. Today if you say the wrong word, someone wants to take you to court.
You could go to a friend’s house, knock on the door and you could walk on in because neighbors were like family.

It seems like all the time we were growing up, there was always either success, or failure and we had responsibility, yet we had a certain degree of freedom in what we wanted to do. Life was good because we knew how to keep the bad out of it. Were we just a lucky generation or can we really give the credit to our parents and grandparents who after working all their lives wanted to instill the same thoughts into the heads of the younger generation. Has time changed from what it was back in the days of old? Are the ones coming up trying to grasp the worth of the things our parents taught us. Will we one day have to go back to living in a time of turmoil, or will we drift forward in a trance waiting for the worst to happen to us? Can we as members of this generation change the way we eat, sleep, work, and play? Well, I can only say this and you can take it to the bank if it is still here. Only you can make it better, and likewise only you can make it worst. We try to improve not tear up our values.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

This week, I am going to go out on the limb and relate my thoughts on ways to live a little cheaper and still maintain a somewhat usual daily existence. We, as Americans, are used to having what we want when we want it. In today’s world we are experiencing a low side of that routine. We start with the food we buy and we need to take a closer look at what is in the food we buy and take the ones cheaper in price. Many of our foods are about the same except for the name on the box. There are times when we in our home have had great meals at maybe a cost of a dollar. The reason for that is that I, being the chief cook and bottle washer, will at times make a large meal at one time and then bag it up in portions and put in the freezer for later on. You would be surprised at what you can do if you only set your mind to it. Fix the meal, eat what you want, and save the leftovers, by freezing them. I can take a potato and clean it up real good, slice them up with the peelings still on, and season them with all kinds of seasoning, and put them with beans out of the freezer, and take the cornbread that I saved maybe a week before, butter them and fry it in the skillet, add some onions to the plate and lordy it is good. You don’t have to live high off the hog to enjoy good food. As far as meats are concerned, that is where you have to be very cautious because you don’t know what is in that meat that is sent here from other countries. If you want good fresh meat, you need to know whom you are buying it off of. Don’t buy something just because it looks good. Know the actual source of it. Ask your meat cutters.

Cutting down on electric and gas use can save you money too. Don’t use the ovens on a very hot day because it will cause your air conditioner to work harder. Cut down on the use of the microwaves because they do use a lot of power. You don’t need lights on in every room in the house. Turn on the ones that will help to light up another area too.

Grow a garden, as it will benefit you greatly. You can eat all you want and you can freeze a lot to be used later on in the year when produce is high in cost. This year I have put in a lot of work in the garden, which really is good for me. I have planted my garden at a low cost for the plants because I buy from sources that I know have good healthy plants. I would venture to say that I might have maybe $80 in cost and I will reap a bountiful result from that planting. I really think that everyone who has a space to spare about 3ft by 20 ft could profit and enjoy that garden. Lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, and green beans ca give you a full belly at harvest time.

By driving the car, a few less times can be a way to save money if you have a bike. How many times have you driven to a place that would be easy to get to on your bike? And when you do need to drive, map out where you are going and never cross your path twice. I write down where I need to go and I try to go to as many places before coming home. That way I have done all of it in just one trip by car.

People have labeled me as a skinflint and I don’t mind because that means I watch what I spend and that leaves me a source of needed funds when I really need them. I have had a budget almost our entire married life and I can tell just about where all my money has gone through all those years. Maybe cheap but wise.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

It seems to me that government-funded programs polls, and research on topics that are not of any benefit to a large number of us, are not needed. I, in my time, have asked researchers, polltakers and other groups why they are doing research on things that cannot and will not be of a benefit to us as a whole. I have read polls that use a percentage to show the public what a particular product can do for you. And maybe a couple of hundred people are asked. They use this as a percentage showing that more favored one product over another. So lets say 75% said yes.. That gives you a poll that states 75% of all people favor it. That is not true because you cannot truthfully say that all the people who were not polled felt the same way. Some polls are good if enough people are asked and they give an answer. I asked a person on the phone once what will he put down if I don’t give an answer, and he said that it depended on who was taking the poll. In other words, he said that he would count me as one who felt the same way he did. So please folks, don’t put too much stock in what you see in polls.

In past researches there were facts said that coffee is bad for you because of the caffeine in it. For years I stayed off having no more that one coffee a day because of my heart and kidneys . Now, some researches have stated that coffee is good for you as long as you don’t overdo it. In my particular situation, when I get the jerks, shocks, and shakes at 1:30 am at night, I get up, fix me a cup of coffee and go back to bed and sleep like a baby. Doesn’t make much sense does it?

On television, one of those medical ads appear that tells all the good that medicine will do and then they tell you that you could experience this or that by using said product. They state that you need to tell your doctor what medicines you are taking. Hey, the doctor already knows what you are taking because he or she prescribed it for you. The enhancement libido ads really make me mad, as they should never be on the television, because they can be a tool in satisfaction for those engaging in lovemaking. I know of a father who was asked by his son about the amount of time that said product keeps you in limbo. There really is no easy way for me to relate to you the exact language but I am sure that you know where I am going.

What I would like to see is for our researchers to do research on things that really can be curbed or done away with such as the kinds of cancer, and maybe research on the generic drugs that could be on the market if it wasn’t for the sanctions set down by those who only want to see the original medicines. Think about how much money could be saved by those like myself who have to buy the patented medicines, which are very costly especially to those who have to decide whether they continue to eat or take the medicines. In my thoughts, we, in the greatest country in the world, are at the will of the big pharmaceuticals, and if it wasn’t for those places who market generics at a low cost, we would be at a loss of life either medicine wise or food wise.

And we have representatives in Washington who have the best health care around as well as amounts of social security qualifications that are so far ahead of what the public will get. Where is the equality of that? Do a little research on your own and find out what a member of the house and senate is qualified to get just by completing one term in office. You will be surprised and mad.. And they are the ones who decide what is best for the rest of us in the health care fields.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

You know there are times when you want to disagree with another person but you don’t due to what problem it might cause between you two. Some of my readers have emailed me and asked why I don’t tell my views of what some people say or write. Well, to set straight right off the bat, that is not what this column is about. I write about what I know and heard about the days of old and many times, I will get on my soapbox and give my thoughts on what is going on today that could or would change the way we live and how our freedom is limited to. Right now, I will make this point. If there is something being done that, I personally think would be a bad trip for America I will let my thoughts be known. I will not use my soapbox as a tool to tear someone down. If I think that our leaders are doing ok, you won’t hear much from me. If I see that our leaders are in the shadow of something that will harm us as a country and me as an individual, then yes you will hear from me. Many times when I do that you will not see the person’s name in print because most of my readers will know whom it is just by knowing how I think.

I am a loyal American, who has had and still has family trying to protect the freedoms that we have now from sources who would attempt to change it. I am a man of sincere thoughts about what should be happening in our city, state and federal governments. I will not tear a man down just because he can’t get things done because of the politics in Washington, Indiana, and Kokomo. What I will do is to continue to voice my opinions about how our representatives should be listening to the people who elected them to office. I am a Democrat because we have to designate said affiliation in order to cast my vote. At one time, I was a Republican, but I saw things that turned me off right away. That is not to say that I will vote a straight ticket because there are people running in both parties who would and could do a better job of representing the voters instead of lobby groups and old friends who promise them some goodies if they vote their way. I have always stated that once a person is voted into office, he or she should cease to listen along party lines and start doing the things that the voters want done.

Will I censure someone by name when I see what he or she has done? Will I use my status as a column writer as one to give me the right to run someone down? The answer to both is no because what I write and say is only my opinion and there will be people on both sides who will or won’t agree with me. Most of my readers might ask why I wrote or said something but they do understand where I am coming from. That is why I sometimes get up on my soapbox and bring my thoughts to you as the reader because you read all of my thoughts and just not some.

Writing this column has been a blessing for me because it keeps me in touch with old friends and new ones too. It gets the youngsters to ask questions about how it was in the old days. And it keeps this old man young because memories so precious are being transferred from my mind to yours. In the coming weeks we will visit the past some, we will talk about today, and we will venture our thoughts about how it will be in the future. So get ready folks, because I have many memories to tell about and I want to be able to tell about them in the future. What will happen today will one day be a memory of the past. And knocking somebody is not my game, and you can take that to the bank.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

Well, the jobs are just about gone, and our fortune could be carried in our change purses. We have more lazy bums who won’t even try to get work, and their hands are always laid out for whatever you can give them. People don’t smile that much anymore, as families are going hungry because not only of the jobs not being there but also the heads of the homes would rather have a beer and a smoke in their hands instead of the job ads in the paper. People are losing those big homes they bought because of taxes and mortgage failures. The eating places are starting to fade out and people have forgotten how to cook. Cable prices are going up and service is going down. People are trying to get elected because of the great benefits that they can have. Many of our elected people in government have been caught doing the wrong things and I won’t go there. We still have the good programs in drug enforcement but not enough backing once a person is charged. I won’t go there either. Our fire departments and police departments are there to protect ups and they do a great job, but things could be better., if you know what I mean. As for our freedoms we seem to be giving in too much instead of batting a few heads who are always trying to take them away. Our schools can only hold their heads above water as education should be a great priority for all. They started taking away the rights to discipline our kids and they call it child abuse. How can you expect a child to be ready for the outside world if you don’t give them hard love. And what can be said good about the weather as those on television who predict it should go back to training class. And you have to double-check the doors at night and in the daytime to be safe from harm.

You might think from reading this that things are in a mess and you might be right. Where do we go from here? Did we do something wrong to get here from there? Maybe we need to ask our grandparents  what to do. Well that is out so just chill out everyone.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

Many times when I have the time to do so, I sit back, close my eyes, and explore those wonderful pages in my book. Sometimes, I have had tears coming from my eyes, when I think about my family who have done their time here and have received the call to go Home, and I wonder just how it would be to have all 14 of us brothers and sisters still here with Mom and Dad here too. That would be one room full of family and I am pretty sure there will be at least half of them all talking at the same time. But we can’t be together here on earth because there are only a few of us left.

But in my book of life, my memories give me a lot of pleasure, just being able to remember those great days of old that are and hopefully will always be there for all to see and think about. Memories of Mom and Dad and what they gave up in taking care of all of us, lies between the front and back covers of my book and sprinkled in all the pages are thoughts about my brothers and sisters and cousins, aunts and uncles, and our grandparents too. Why would anyone not want their own book of life? They have the memories, and they have family, so they do have their book of life if only they would take time to open it up.

Many of my readers are in the eighties and nineties and they are always letting me know that they feel good reading my thoughts about how it was and how it is today and how it might be in the future. Yes, Thelma and Jenny, you are two of those readers and my love goes out to you each week as I think about what to write about. Think of it. What a full book of memories they must have and what it must have been like in their day. The things that we enjoy today are results of the generations before us who envisioned what it could be in their future. Their future is our today and our future is your tomorrow. So if you have good memories to go back to, then you are truly blessed.

And for those who have been only living today and not thinking about what it took for them to get to this time, I ask you to take time, and write down some of those memories that you have been hiding because your children will benefit from knowing what you and your family had to go through. It is not fair to hide what might be beneficial to the young people of tomorrow, and really folks you can feel real good about having survived the past so that you can live today. My book of life still has some empty pages and I will fill them in before my call Home comes. How about you?

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

The Howard County Historical Society dedicated 2009 to the study of Continental Steel Corporation. Thirteen oral histories have been conducted, and a wide variety of artifacts has been collected. This local history story is fascinating, complicated, and compelling. During this program, we will present our findings and give guests the opportunity to share additional stories about Continental Steel.

Having been there both as a union member and in management, I got to know many great people there and worked alongside people from all over the world. The steel mill was like the factory of nations as it hired good people who would work in situations that were hot and cold, dirty and clean. It was a place that for many years was a great family place to work. And you sort of had it in your blood to go to work every day and work alongside of a co-worker and friend. Each day you left your home to go to work, not knowing if you would return due to the dangers of working there but it was your job and family was the main reason for working. And really, it was fun to work there too. Many families here in Kokomo were raised because of the steel mill and Kokomo was known far away of the steel mill being the backbone of the area.

Continental Steel made the best culvert stock, roofing stock, sheet metal, welded fab, wire, nails, rods, and was the place to build those people who one day served this city and county as elected officials. You could work summers there and go to college in the winter. Farmers worked there when there was down time on the farms. Schoolteachers worked there in the summers. Continental Steel was the mail place to work for many a year and there were some who would hit the extra board in order to make extra money in their off hours. Truly, it was a place where color, gender or nationality was not a factor. It was a place where it would be cold on your front and hot on your back. Red-hot steel could be seen being processed with ice a couple feet away where the water ran cooling it. It truly was a great educational place to work and learn.

Please join the Historical Society on Tuesday, October 20th for dinner and a program as the society shares Continental Steel stories and artifacts that have been collected. The historical society recognizing the fact that there are other stories that have not yet been recorded related to this subject, so guests will have the opportunity to share their favorite Continental Steel memories, which, will be recorded and added to the Continental Steel Collection. So I want to ask you to take the time and come see the exhibit and hear what others have to say about their experiences at Continental. Please make a reservation by calling 765 452-4314 or simply mail a check to Howard County Historical Society, 1200 W. Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN 46901 by Friday, October 16th

There is a great amount of satisfaction for me to be a part of this happening and I ask former workers, their family members, and everyone else to take a few hours of your time and come to this event. I know you will be seeing why I write about this place, which was and still is a large part of my memories of the old days. It will not be wasted time as now we here in Kokomo and Continental Steel have made our mark in history. The history of Kokomo is known far away, and now the history of Continental will be a part of it. So everyone who worked there and raised their family doing it please come see it, on Tuesday, October 20th. Good Lord willing, I will be there, and I look forward to seeing you.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

The other day I came across a man who told me that he reads my columns occasionally but many times, he thinks I am just blowing my own horn in order to keep readers interested. Folks I have never met this gentleman before and the only name he would give me was David. He told me that one day I would fall off my high horse and then get down to the level that most others are on.

For a few minutes, I listened to him and then I tried to tell him about how it was in my time and he walked off without even shaking my hand. What a nice fellow he was in letting me know that there are many out there who read and disagree with my thoughts. I know that the younger set would wonder just how much of what I write is really fact and not fiction. However, those who lived before me and those who lived the same time as I did know how it was compared to how it is today. We traveled that path I write about and it made us stronger and able to survive any sudden changes in life.

I have readers my age and many over 90 years of age, and I get many calls and letters as well as lots of email, letting me know that they want to read more about how it was in the days of old. For many it brings back some cherished memories and for others it makes them want to learn more. After all, in my time there were a lot of great friends who lived a very prosperous life and never wanted for anything. Having money did not change our friendship one bit. I have known many businessmen and many have told me that they grew up sort of poor but never without parental love and friends. You see, back in the days of old most did not gauge a friend by how wealthy he or she was. What started out at an early age as friendship among children blossomed into a life long friendship. I still see many of my old friends from the old neighborhood up on Lafountain and Havens and our friendship is as solid as ever. My old friends from Western are sometimes seen as I shop and smiles, hugs, and handshakes are the result.

Therefore, David, I just want to see you once more so that we can shake hands and agree on the one thing, that I write from experience, and from the heart. My path is a narrow one to walk but there are so many good memories that follow alongside me. I grew up in a time when coal, wood and corncobs were the way to heat a home, and cook a meal. It was a time when we had an icebox to keep our perishable food in and kept cold with chunks of ice delivered from the icehouses. It was a time where Dad repaired our shoes with new leather or rubber soles. It was a time when you took your bath in a large galvanize tub. It was a time when beans, cornbread and fried potatoes with onions, and margarine on the side. Sometimes Mom would substitute biscuits and they were great. We drank out of tin cups and the water stayed cold in them.

There never was a dull moment around our house because with having our wonderful mother and all our friends, who could ask for more. And when Dad wasn’t too worn out from his job, just sitting on the floor listening to the radio with him was wonderful also. Yes, life was hard but we didn’t know it because Mom and Dad were there to make it easier. So life for each of us was a little different because we all had our own friends and life was OK. I did not get a chance to shake David’s hand and chat with him So David, maybe you had a prosperous childhood but maybe those who came before you had to work hard for everything you have now. Input from my readers is something I look forward to.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

As most of you know, I worked at Continental Steel for over 31 years. It ceased to be my work place in Feb. of 1986, having gone bankrupt due to poor management and other factors. But the memories of working there have never left me. Now 23 years later we finally get good news about that great steel mill.

The Howard County Historical Society has dedicated 2009 to the study of Continental Steel Corporation. Thirteen oral histories have been conducted, and a wide variety of artifacts has been collected. On Oct. 20, they will present their findings and give guests the opportunity to share additional stories about Continental Steel. Others, who wish to, can have their thoughts entered into history too on that evening.

Having been a union member and then a supervisor, I worked alongside people from many countries. The steel mill was like the factory of nations as it hired good people who would work in situations that were hot and cold, dirty and clean. It was a place that for many years was a great family place to work. And you sort of had it in your blood to go to work every day and work alongside of a co-worker and friend. Each day you left your home to go to work, not knowing if you would return due to the dangers of working there but it was your job and family was the main reason for working. Many families here in Kokomo were raised because of the steel mill and Kokomo was known far away by the steel mill being the backbone of the area.

Continental Steel made the best culvert stock, roofing stock, sheet metal, welded fabric, wire, nails, rods, and was the place to build those people who one day served this city and county as elected officials. You could work summers there and go to college in the winter. Farmers worked there when there was down time on the farms. Schoolteachers worked there in the summers. Continental Steel was the main place to work for many a year and there were some who would hit the extra board in order to make extra money in their off hours. Truly, it was a place where color, gender or nationality was not a factor. It was a place where it would be cold on your front and hot on your back. Red-hot steel could be seen being processed with ice a couple feet away where the water ran cooling it. It truly was a great educational place to work and learn. My memories still linger about it. Take the time and come see the exhibit and hear what others have to say about their experiences at Continental.

There is a great amount of satisfaction for me to be a part of this happening and I ask former workers, their family members, and everyone else to take a few hours of your time and come to this event. I know you will be seeing why I write about this place, which was and still is a large part of my memories of the old days. It will not be wasted time as now we here in Kokomo and Continental Steel have made our mark in history.

The history of Kokomo is known far away, and now the history of Continental will be a part of it. Kokomo has been blessed with many factories that have ceased to be and for many the ones who worked there have been called Home, thus there goes the memories. But with this history saving contribution by The Historical Society, our history will be there for all to see and remember. As we go by the old steel mill grounds, it brings back to this writer some cold and some hot days , and the memories of working with my old friends lives on in my heart and my soul. But without the history of that place being documented, those memories die when I do. For the hundreds of families who own a piece of those memories, their future generations will be able to know about Continental Steel and what it stood for. Will you be there? Hope you do.

Ray Day

Many times, I will sit down and relive the old days in my mind, and as I think about all the things that I did as a youngster, I sometimes wonder just where did it all go? Those great cowboy movies like Roy and Gene were in, where you very seldom saw a kiss by the star unless it was to the horse. The great sidekicks like Pat, Andy, Roscoe, Gabby, and Dale. Well, those are part of the past and the only way we will ever see them again is if someone has them on tape. You sure won’t find them on cable unless you pay extra for the channel. That folks is a shame because you would think that cable would be the easy place to find those great cowboy stars, that we loved so much back then in the days of old. I guess that it might be that a good moral was gotten from following these great stars and that would tarnish the thought of all the shows that have sex, bad words, and crime in them. With Roy, Gene, and a lot of the old stars who have rode off into the sunset, you had role models, who not only played decent men in the movies, they also lived good personal lives, and you couldn't find two better examples of a role model, for the young people to follow.

Look at sports today and you find killings, childish behavior, and drugs being used by those in order to get high or enhance their bodies so that they can outdo others. It is a shame that once these babies get their millions in signing on, they do not know how to manage their lives in a productive way. They instead take the road to hell and we sit back and pay those outrageous prices for tickets to see them. Now don’t get me wrong because we have had a great many sport figures who have played under strict rules, lived clean lives, and once leaving the sport, go on to lead productive life’s in the outside world. We have several right here in Kokomo who were and still are good role models to follow. And if you look at Indiana as a whole we have had a good history of great athletes who came back home after their sports career was over and made another mark in history as leaders.

I guess that what I am trying to say, is where did the decency go in life and why did we let it happen? Do we continue to honor these young men and women who looked at the dollar and decided to live a life not fitting for the financial life they could have lived if they wanted to. You do have great sport figures who go out of their way to give back to the communities both financial and as leaders in city governments. Those are the ones we should want our children to emulate.

 We live our lives one day at a time, and we are not promised tomorrow. So to live with no respect for what got you here would be like dropping into a deep hole that you can't climb out of. You build on your life one day at a time, and each time that you make that day one to remember, then you have stepped over that deep hole and are ready for the next one. To live with respect and morality, while you are here on this earth, entitles you to be a role model for some youngster growing up. The road of life is not one that is always easy. It can either be a long one or it can be a very short one. You can shorten your life by bowing to drugs, drinks, smokes, and to sexual diseases. Our youngsters and many older men and women think that they need to do what is the “in thing” in life and they pay for it later. Therefore, until the next time, I hope that you will follow the straight road to your goal in life. Make something of this day and all those that follow.
Ray Day

With the recent beating of a Greentown resident in her own home, I feel the need to let others know why and how to protect yourself and family whenever needed. I will maybe upset a few with my advice but we are living in a time and age where you sometimes cannot be safe around good friends let alone the bad ones. In my home and on my property, I have equalizers just in case I need them to ward off those who would take the chance to beat or hurt me and any other member of my family.

We here in Kokomo and Howard County have a great security group comprising of our city police and the sheriff’s department. However, they sometimes need some help and that is where you and I come in. Anytime we see a vehicle parked that we don’t recognize, we should write down the plate numbers and the make of that car. If we see anyone who we do not know, we should keep an eye out just in case they are up to no good. And if we hear someone at the door, we need to take a good look through the curtains to see who it is before we open that door. And even then, we need to keep the storm door between us and the ones outside. Keep your doors locked at all times even though you might be going out for just a second. We are living in a time where drug users, gang members, and scam artists are lurking in the shadows just waiting for that chance to break in your home, car, or out buildings. You cannot take anything for chance because that is the time when you could pay with your life, or your worldly possessions.

Our older folk in our neighborhoods need to know that they are safe and we as neighbors can do our part protecting them. If a first aid should be needed and the patient taken to the hospital, we as neighbors should watch their home for them. If there is a death in a family, they don’t need the worry of protecting their property during the funerals. As stated, our police and sheriffs department need our help to insure that guilty parties are picked up and prosecuted. Good block controls help to alter the criminals and that in turn helps our security forces.

Many will close their eyes and minds when it comes to helping friends and neighbors, because they don’t want to get involved and I can see that. But crime is getting worse each year because there are those who would rather steal and kill instead of finding a job to make their living on. As I stated before, I do have equalizers in each room of my home and also outside and I wouldn’t hesitate to use them if needed to protect myself and my family. You wonder if I am going extreme and you might be right but these are extreme times and you don’t have eyes in the back of your head. You worked a long time getting to where you are and just one visit from the bad guys could cause you many hardships. So in a nutshell, be aware of your area, be prepared to defend yourself, and help our law enforcements bring the bad guys to justice. When it comes to body and property security, you are the ones who need to adjust to the situations and protect yourselves. I have known many of our police officers and also the sheriffs and deputies, and they do a fine job and it wouldn’t hurt to give them some assistance whenever the need is present. Do you care enough to do the very best or will you just look the other way? I am one of the older generation who comes from a time when neighbors watched out for others and our doors did not need to be locked during the daytime. People did not steal to eat, they worked for it. Life can still be a safe one if we stand up and say enough. Know your friends and be aware of your enemies. Be safe.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

They will try to convince someone that they are winners in some contest and that once they write them a check for the expenses, then there will be a pot of gold put in their name at the bank. Most of us who grew up in the hard times know that there is no pot of gold and you get nothing free. People will call on the phone asking you to give to an organization so that our soldiers, old folks, and even young babies will get the money for things they need. Don’t fall for that because if it was a boni_fide charity you would of known right away. There are those who go into housing areas and will knock on your door saying that they were looking at your roofing or your siding and for a very cheap price, they will fix you up with a new roof, new siding, or new windows. Hey, if that was a company that could be trusted they would not have time to go up and down the streets looking at houses in need of repair. For things that are needed done on your homes, there are many honest people you can call. You have to remember that if you don't know these people, and you don't know of the organization that they are supposed to represent, you shouldn't be so quick to part with any money. Check on these organizations and make sure they are reputable before you give any of your hard-earned money away.

 And never invite a visitor inside your home if you don’t know them. They might say they need to make a phone call, and once they are in, you are at their mercy. There needs  to be a barrier between you and that visitor, so just talk through the door, and pay attention to what they look like. It is your life and your possessions that are at risk. Never keep much money in the home. And when you come out of a bank, have your money tucked away from the eyes of others. Check your car before getting in to make sure someone is not in there.  You are at risk, because there are some very bad people out there that are waiting for that chance to rob, kidnap, or hurt you. The key to this is to always park where there is plenty of light, or where there are people that can see you. The bad guys don't like crowds and they don't like lights.

 I don’t use credit cards over the internet and really you shouldn’t either. Anytime you put any charge number or social security number over the internet, you stand a good chance of getting ripped off by one of the people they call hackers, who spend their whole day on ways to get into your bank accounts, charge accounts and even your savings. Delete those cookies on your computer because they can hurt you by allowing others to hack your system. In today’s world, we are at the mercy of others if we don’t fight back. Remember that nothing is free, there is no pot of gold, and the bad guys will pick on the easy mark. You and I can see that it don’t work on us.
Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

I want to talk about the place where my dad and I both worked at. It was called Continental Steel and it truly was the backbone of this city of Kokomo. It was a place where it was cold in some places and very hot in others. There were departments that you worked in where you could freeze on your back and burn up on your front. The people that worked there were a group of people from the North and South, East and West. Many of the old timers came over from Ohio, Virginia and many countries around the world.

I remember one man who came to work there and he did not use gloves. He said he had always worked that way and his hands were very strong. He was Frank Martino and he was a special person to work with. He later opened up his own eatery and did very well there. Another man I knew there was a man who just about everyone called “Dink”. He was a motor inspector and many times his work took him to the overhead cranes, light towers, and locomotive cranes. He, many times worked without gloves because they got in his way. He was a man who showed up early and was about the last one out at quitting time. He was a man who did not say much but if he did, it was important enough to be heard by others. That man was my Dad and later on, I started being known as “Little Dink”. That was a great compliment to me as well as my dad. People in the employment dept named Roy, Herb, Bill, and John as well as Alice were very good at what they did and they were respected by all who worked there. If you couldn’t get along with them, you couldn’t get along with anyone. Warren, Scotty, Glascoe, Richard, in the stockyards did their job well and were likeable friends to have. Howard, Paul, Bill, France, Mike and Everett in the melt shop held their end up at all times and Continental was blessed to have them. Back in the Yardmaster dept, we had Kenny, Ed, Jack, Luther, Gerald, and many others who through their jobs kept the mill going.

People in all departments did their job whether they were union or supervision. Up until the seventies, that place was a family bonded together to put out the best product possible. Our Chain Link fence was the best on the market and you could tell if it came from our plant just by tapping it with a metal piece and hear the ring sound. Our roofing and culvert stock was sold all over, and our nails were superior to all others. Our welded fab was sold for road projects all over and you knew you had a quality product when it was made at Continental Steel. What a great and wonderful group of workers and supervisors this company had. And add in the protection dept and the medical depts. and you had a dependable place to work at.

It didn’t matter how cold  or how hot it was, because you dressed for the type of work you did. Many times you wore several layers to keep warm and you did the same to keep cool. Extra clothes kept the cold out and the heat in. So for many years that place was on the up and up and a good place to feed your family. That is until we were blindsided by a group who bought enough shares to take it over. Then after about five years, you could see the difference in the way men were treated both in union and in supervision. It seemed like no matter what you did, it was not enough. And if you knew something, you kept it to yourself or you would be given the door. It soon was not a great place but you had to have a job. On Oct 20, of this year, we will have “The History of Continental Steel" at The Continental Ballroom and I hope you can come see it. We are part of the history of Continental.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

Here in the good old USA, we have some of the finest hospitals, doctors, nurses, and those who assist them. But our health care stinks. While we do have access to many plans, most of those plans have a clause in them that says that once you reach a certain point, you have to pay full price for your medicines until you reach another point where it picks it up again. Now remember this. You still pay your monthly premiums as scheduled. Yes folks, that is correct. Pay but not get anything for it. Now, who ever came up with that plan, had to be someone who either had a stake in the insurance business or was so rich, he did not care about the little guy. Something stinks ,but I shouldn’t be surprised because I have had that plan for several years now and I should be used to it. But I am not and so it is time to holler a little louder.

Take this for an example. You are paying a mortgage on your home, getting the payment in on time and one day someone comes out from the mortgage company and tells you to go outside and then puts a lock on the door and tells you that you have to stay outside for several months , and once you make six more payments, they will unlock the door and let you in until the next year when again they come out and do the same. Take another example. You have a car and you are paying payments each month and one day you are told you have to park it for several months but don’t forget the monthly payments. Then after several months, you are allowed to drive that car. Another example. You have withholding taxes taken out of your monthly earnings, but once you ask for any service, you are told that you don’t get any because it is not your turn to receive any. Sort of like taxes without representation isn’t it. Well folks it is the same in those insurance plans that require you to make your premium each month, but don’t expect anything for it.

Now figure this one out. Your representatives in Washington have one of the best insurance coverages around and they don’t have to worry about any “donut hole”. If you would check with them, they would tell you that worrying about medical services does not exist in their minds. Pay attention to the fact that they only have to serve one term and complete it in order to qualify for all the goodies galore including a very great amount of money upon reaching retirement age. So where am I going with this train of thought?

How’s come, we the people, who are represented by people who have it so much better than the people they represent, have to worry about staying alive when we are hit with clauses like the donut hole? Do we do without for those months, which could be the remainder of the year, or do we plead for mercy upon deft ears? Why do we right here in our country have to worry about our medical needs?  Could it be because we have to pay but not be able to receive?  I could go on and on telling you my feelings about that “donut hole”, but it won’t do any good because our representatives have their ears closed to the problem. Our health reform is needed very bad , but our members of Congress seem to be ok with the ways things are. And that stinks. Why can’t they live in our place and see what it does for them. Why don’t they, because they don’t care. Things are not getting better and they won’t until our representatives start doing their jobs instead of trying to knock down any thing the other party wants. And I am talking about both parties because they both are at fault. I voted for someone to represent me, not just to add another to the party. Ok, enough said because our care health reform needs a good cleaning up, but who will attempt to do it?

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

Let us get caught up on the happenings of the past week and get my views of them. We had a wonderful time at “The History of Continental Celebration” put on by the Howard County Historical Society on a Tuesday evening. The place was packed and there were many people who wanted to come but there was no more room. That in itself tells me that Continental Steel was truly a large part of this city of Kokomo and it deserves the chance to be part of history to be on view at the Museum. The people there at the society deserve a high five for their work on that project. What a great group they are and we are proud to be part of history. On the following Thursday, we went to the Event Center and received our flu shots and as before, I am amazed at the way that this was put together as we were not in line long before a lady gave us the papers to fill out and then directed us to the place where our flu shots were given All of this was done so quickly and with so much class, it showed me what this group is capable of doing if we had some sort of a emergency. It is good to know that we can be and will be in good hands. if needed.

On the following Friday night, our Kokomo Wildkat football team went to Ft. Wayne to play in the sectional and although they were unbeaten this year, they ran into a brick wall in this game. Ft. Wayne Snider knew our game plans well and they dominated over our football team. We might have been able to stay with them if we had not lost our quarterback to a concussion the previous week. And our center was out too. Many times, we wonder where our strength is until we lose a piece of it and then we know. The team itself did a great job representing the city of Kokomo and each of those players did their job well even though we lost the game. This year’s team deserves a big pat on the back for the season they had and I salute them. Many of them will graduate this year and will go on to college to show the world their talents. It is very refreshing for me to know that we will have several players playing in the next 4 years and more people will know where the city of Kokomo is.

Now I see where our Mayor of Kokomo has put his foot down and said “NO” to a roundabout on Markland. That is great news, as this writer is well aware of the problems such roundabout would cause. Now another thing I have to say is that in making the bailouts to those financial firms, we should of told them that if they continued to pay those large bonuses to those CEO’s the money comes back and the companies can go broke. I am not knocking our President, but I am knocking the way that companies pay their worthless executives who should be taken down several levels to the janitor’s position. No man or woman is worth the kind of pay that is being paid to those who feel no compassion for the working person. It is time to stop the giving out and start the taking back. It is time for the American people to work toward a better representation in the House and the Senate. It is time to say enough is enough and today we start dropping the ones who care less for us. Take that with a grain of salt or anyway you want to, because it is time to stop our inside fighting and start working from the inside out. Our youth of today will inherit a tomorrow’s problem and we should start doing some mending of the fences and threads that hold us together. We have great citizens in the background that one day will step forward and assume the task. But can we wait or do we change it now. The ball is in play.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

It seems to me that the older I get, the shorter the day is. And the nights are for the birds, as I have to fight my way to sleep. Many times this old man has gotten up to get a cup of coffee and then I go to sleep with no problems except when nature calls. I have terrible background hearing and I can hear the cars and trucks rolling down the bypass. If a car door is closed in the addition within a block of our home, I hear it. Getting up in the morning, doing the usual nature calls, and then as I walk pass the mirror, I look like I have aged another year over night. Washing my hands, and then combing my hair, I take another good look at this old man and I see a little promise. Maybe a good shave will do it. But then if I have to go somewhere in the next two or three days, I will have to shave again. So shaving is out for this day and I head out to the kitchen to put on the coffee pot and maybe have a piece of toast with it.

But then it won’t be long before I have to fix a meal so the toast is out. I am one of those guys who eats one meal a day and maybe a snack later on. So that means I have to fix our meals so that I won’t be too hungry before bedtime. It always seems like I fix more than we will eat so we save what is left as leftovers for the next day. Leftovers are good with things added to them to make them tastier. And guess what, that means that dishes have to be cleaned and put away and the kitchen cleaned up because clumsy old me is always dropping something on the floor. After getting that work done I sit down to watch a little TV with my lady and that makes me sleepy. If I don’t get up right away, I will fall asleep and there is part of my day lost and not returnable. So I waddle on over to the computer and start reading my mail , going to several sites to get the news and maybe work on my web pages. For the last nine years, I have done the web page featuring our Kokomo Lady WildKats and this year will be our tenth season. I like working on that site and go to some of the sites made by our friends. And while I am working on the computer, time is really going by fast and many times, I have used the rest of the day doing it.

My brother Russell who lives two houses over is always doing work in my yard and that leaves me time to do my work inside the house along with taking care of my pretty lady who has been ill for several years. It isn’t long before it gets dark and we watch a few shows on television before going to bed where once again I fight my self to sleep. There are some nights when I go to sleep right after the news and that is good. but the other times, it is toss and turn trying to find that comfortable spot to lie, resulting in lost sleep and my coffee being used up. So I wonder if it is just me or is it that time is going so fast we don’t have a chance to catch up. Maybe this old man is doing something wrong. Maybe I should eat a good breakfast and a late dinner, so that I can do my computer time in between and maybe drink an extra coffee during the day. Coffee for me seems to sooth my soul and body and it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra cup. Back in my working days, I drank about eight cups of coffee daily and it never kept me awake. Some say that caffeine is hard on the heart but for me it works differently. Oh well, tomorrow is another day, so bring it on.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

As this young fellow grew up, our family moved out to the country and lo and behold, I made many more new friends at my new school and in the neighborhood. As I graduated and prepared for college, I went to work at the steel mill and there I made more friends, After the mill went down, I went to Sears where once again I made friends. So now being retired and only seeing my friends when I am shopping, or do whatever I need to do, I meet up with those friends that are so much part of my memories of so long ago. As each day passes, my thoughts will drift back to those special times when meeting a friend meant that they would always be part of my life until that time when I will be called Home. And then I would venture to say that I will make more friends.

Friendship as I know it to be is one where a friend takes you for what you are and not for what they want you to be. Never turning your back on a friend in need is being a good friend. When you are in a hurry to do something, take time to at least shake hands with a friend and tell them you need to go somewhere. A friend will understand and never will get offended if for a good reason. And a handshake in the old days was a person’s bond. Today, someone who shakes your hand could be looking for a better hold on you. I guess that in my way of thinking, most people are good people with good intentions. However, you still have to be a little leery at times with those who are your friends as long as you help them and no more when you stop.

Another thought I want to raise is this; anyone who hates Americans is not a friend now or anytime in the future. Too many times, we sit back and listen and watch our USA get pounded on and we think that maybe it is just a one-time thing and tomorrow it will be better. I don’t think that way and neither should any proud American. I can be good friends to anyone who has a different view about politics and other things but this old man will not be friends with those who plan to take us down. With family overseas fighting a war, my loyalty stands with them as they do their job. We can argue among ourselves how we fill about certain subjects without losing that friendship that has withstood all boundaries so far. And that takes me up to today. Being able to write for this newspaper has given me new friends who let me know if they agree with me or not. It doesn’t matter if they dis-agree because they are still my new friends. Being able to share my thoughts with so many at one time gives me satisfaction and the knowledge, that still out there, are new friends to be gotten. So keep reading, and keep letting me know you care. I care about you. Friends always.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

I guess I am just a softy when it comes to remembering those good old days, a time when a man’s word was as good as gold. And respect of one man to another was utmost in the working together on a job or in a business, Mothers were always in the homes taking care of the house, and the children and cooking the best meals ever for her man and family. Not too much was missed by this woman who God gave the responsibility of raising the children and instilling in them all the things needed to make them responsible people when they grew up. Mothers were once children and then as time goes by those same mothers were grandmothers and still they had some control over their grandchildren because as time went by the new mothers started working outside the home and soon they achieved their own place in modern society, and today most women are working the jobs that in the old days were done only by the male partners. Oh yes, the old days soon change to another speed of life and in today’s time there are many men who are doing the in home work once done only by the women.

However, once upon a time not so long ago the family was the core of what was good with the world. The children would live according to how the parents trained them, and what the schools taught them as they grew up with respect, tribute, manners, and belief in our Lord thy God, set them on their paths to being our leaders, our teachers, our ministry, and all around good citizens in the greatest country in the world.

We still have that same plan going but a few holes have been opened because of the failings of several businesses that we thought would be here forever. There are many out there who feel that they owe the people they represent a true and responsible account of the workings of our legislature, who are the ones we sent there to work for our respect and what is good for all of us. However, there are some out there who think that it is just another way of spending their time on our money and I feel that is not right. Do we know enough about the people we send to our state and federal positions or do we just vote for a person because of what is promised even though you know that it can’t be done. We believe what we hear and many times not what we actually see.

I don’t know what else I can say about this type of activity because I am not around them enough to really know what they will or can do. Therefore, this old man will mostly remember those days of old when respect, the laws of the land, the fellowship of all people, and when love of a man and woman made up the beginnings of a family taken care of by those two wonderful people we know as Mom and Dad. I will always have close to my heart the friends I had in Kokomo and in New London and Russiaville. I truly was blessed with those wonderful people I met in my life so far, and through this column I pick up new friends, and that my friends makes me very happy. If what I write makes you remember your childhood, or if it gets your children to ask you about the old days, then I have done my mission. If my column gets you to question my thoughts then that is good because between you and me we can make this world a lot better than how it might seem these days.

When I sit down and relate to you my memories, I am opening a door for you to visit with me the times when life was full of a lot of fun. Like my fellow memory man named Tom would ask you; wouldn’t it be great to be able to go back just for another look. Both of us try to bring back the memories of a time so long ago.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

Tis the season of Thanksgiving, and we give thanks for all the goodies that our Creator has given us to enjoy and maintain. So I want to use this space today to give my thanks not only to God and to my family and long time friends. My thanks go out also to the Kokomo Tribune for the trust and confidence they have bestowed upon me. I thank all those loyal readers who take the time each Saturday morning over a cup of coffee to read my thoughts about how it was, how it is, and how I hope it to be in the future. I thank those readers who take time to let me know that they agree or disagree with what I have to say. I thank those who holler at me from a crowd and tell me that they liked my column that week. And I thank those who thank me for telling it like it was or like it is today. I know that there are many out there who might not agree with my thoughts, but they still tell me that I had the guts to say it. I have readers who send me accolades and some who give me heck. I thank them for that because that tells me that I am getting out to the general public. I have readers tell me that they have viewed my column in out of state newspapers and that my friends is icing on the cake for me. To be able to express myself with my own words gives me much pleasure and to do it in the very same newspaper that I delivered as a youngster for 2 years to 300 plus homes.

I thank a gentleman named Robert Hamb who was my very first boss for allowing me to deliver the Kokomo Tribune by bicycle in all kinds of weather. At that time, we picked up our papers upstairs on the east side of The Tribune Building. We folded our papers there using a three fold, then another three fold with the ends tucked in. The reason we folded them that way was so we could be able to throw the paper up on the front porch or as near to the house as possible, without getting off our bikes. There were times when we would miss the porch and a good carrier will go up and get it so that the customer did not have to look for it. Good deliveries meant happy customers and they always had a few extra cents to give us.

We would collect on Saturdays and then go up to the Tribune to pay our bill. There were times when there wasn’t much left after the bill was paid but later in the week the customers who did not have the money to pay on Saturday would pay up and that was my money. I had many great customers who later in life became some of my closest friends. I still see some of them and most do not show their age. I guess good living does that to them and when I see them, they will have a handshake or a hug for me. Thank them for that. There are times when I will drive through the old neighborhood where I lived as a child and I wonder if someone will look up and see that Day boy driving through reliving old memories of a time so long ago yet never regretting any of it. I thank my lady who 53 years ago accepted my proposal of marriage, yet told me she had to wait until she was 18. That meant waiting one year but time flew by and we walked the aisle at Beamer Church on March 17, 1957, and she still is my lady now. She gave me two children, and I thank her for that. Life is only as good as you make it to be and I have to say that my life was and is blessed with what I have been able to achieve in my time here on this earth. I thank God for that each day and night. And today I thank you.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

People say that you can never go back, but the memories still linger in your thoughts to those good old days, when life was rough, but fun. Each person had some things to do in order that life could be fruitful for the whole family. If a family was run right, than each member had a certain chore to do after homework was over and before playtime The comfort of life in the family as a whole depended on each pulling there own way, blended into an commitment to live each day one at a time. We ,as young kids, had our chores and our homework to do each day before we could go visit with our friends. In our family, we kids who were old enough and wanted to have a little money in our pockets, did just about anything to get it as long as it was in an honest way and it did not infringe on someone's  property. There were junk yards in my young day that would take what you collected, weigh it and then pay you the going rate at that time. We were always looking for scrap metal, old rags, newspaper and cardboard, and once we had enough to make it worthwhile, we took it to Mervis or to Harry’s Junkyard.

We, at times, would walk along the railroad tracks and pick up coal to use as a way to cook and heat our home. Dad and Mom always liked it when we would come home with a wheelbarrow of coal because that meant that they had to spend less for coal brought to the house by the coal companies. And anytime we saw some wood, we would make sure it didn’t belong to someone else and we would take it home, pile it up and wait for a nice day to chop some kindling. We as kids never thought that doing these things was what poor people did, but that something everyone did to get by. And of course, for our work, we would be treated to ice cream each payday along with a box of candy bars. Man, were they good.

In addition to our regular chores it was part of our family training that we help with setting the table, and after eating the best food cooked by the best cook in the whole world, we would clear the table and help Mom do the dishes. No dishes set for long after a meal because our Mom was trained that way and she trained us. There were times when a decision had to be made whether to do the chores, do our junking or do our homework. Mom and Dad always said that the homework from school was number one to do and if there was time after that then the chores came next. I just wonder in today’s world how far that train of thought would get, as the kids don’t stay home long enough to get anything done, let alone the homework.

Back in our day, we did not have cell phones and new cars, and the best clothes but we were one happy bunch of kids out to do what was expected of us and still have time to play with our friends. Television was something that rich folks had and we didn’t get one until 1951 when Dad bought a Muntz TV from Knoffs Furniture. Boy were we ticked pink. If I remember right, channel 6 was the only station on and it went off at night. In the morning and at night, you had a test pattern and that’s how you made sure you were getting the best picture. Before that, Radio was our way of finding what was going on in the outside world. As time went by more stations came on and great shows like Ed Sullivan, Arthur Godfrey, Garry Moore and the weathermen were fun to watch. So as time goes by, we improve with what is available in life to those who are not afraid to work for it. We can go back and we can remember those “Days Of Old”, so precious, that in our thoughts, we are still there.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

Wow, was I hit with some great emails about the column last week, about my young life. Really, folks I feel great knowing I brought back some of the things about how you and I had it back in the days of old. I just want to make this point clear to those young people who don’t think it could be that hard back then but believe this old man, it was a hard life but you know we didn’t know it until we got old enough to appreciate what had to be done to survive. And truthfully, it was not the bad times but the good times that made us what we are today. Families were more tightly bound together and many families consisted of the grandparents, the parents, and the children all in one home and that was a sound and solid family of hope prayer and salvation. You not only learned in school, you also learn from the parents and their parents. You got the information about life right from those who lived it. In my family, we lost our grandfathers at an early age and thus we were able to not only learn from him but also we missed the love he would have given. Our grandmothers were good solid women who worked hard all their lives and they both were lovable ladies. With Dad at work as much as he could, Mom was our main source of knowledge, love, and whatever her family needed. Mom was a pretty lady who really never had a life outside of a family because she was a dedicated mother and boy did she make us mind. Dad when he was home was either doing the man chores or out planting his garden. After that garden was planted, it was up to us to keep it weeded and looking nice.

 In the winter, we had the job of taking the ashes out of the heating stove and the cooking stove and putting them in a separate pile to be used on the sidewalks when it got slick out. It seemed like everything we did was for a reason to be used either now or later. Mom had a long clothesline out in the back yard and she always propped it up with a long pole to keep the wash from dragging on the ground. She always left the clothespins on the line after taking down the wash. That way she didn’t have to look for them. There were times when we would go out and get them so we could play our game of dropping clothespins in a milk bottle. But as soon as we were through with them, they went right back to the clothesline. You did not want Mom to have to look for those pins. No siree. We had many fruit trees in our yard with black cherries, plums, apricots, pears, and apples. Needless to say, we never were hungry between meals. Then we knew that we had better not eat too much off the trees because that was where the goodies for Mom’s pies were. Mom had chickens and she always sent us out to get the eggs because those chickens knew that if Mom came out there, one or two of those chickens were going to be on the table that night for her family to eat. Mom was a very sensitive lady but she could take off the heads of those cooking chickens without any problems. You might think that might make us all good children, but we were good because Mom had an undying love for her man and her kids and even the kids in the neighborhood love her because she could tell good stories, and play the piano, and many times she would prepare a feast to be eaten by those kids. Many of the Moms back in my day, had large families and a love of love to spread around to each child and still have enough for the fathers. To have lived in the days of old is like having Christmas each day of the year. My thoughts will always have memories of those good old days.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day
 
 
 

“Very offensive.”

Lately, my boiling point has been yanked at very severely and so here goes with my hollering. You know, you can’t turn television on any more and enjoy an evening of good quality shows. I am talking about shows where you don’t hear a cuss word in just about every sentence. It seems like they think it makes the show better to have offensive words in their presentation. Oh sure, I heard just about all of them and sometimes there are new ones made up. Why is it that we, the general public who pay such a high price for inferior cable shows, have to also get hit with language we feel offensive. And to top that off with the promises of the cable companies over the last 2 years telling us that once the digital is set in place we would get better reception, and a quality of picture never equaled before. For over a year, we have been told that digital was coming for sure and you had to be prepared for it or no reception would be received. They said that if you had cable then don’t worry about anything because cable will take care of us. Well, they got that right, because we were taken care of in the least possible way. Several times, I have emailed the home office of the cable company and told them that I was getting some digital stations and I was still getting analog. And this is after I went out and purchased a new digital, HD television set in January. I was informed that there was no way that I was getting both digital and analog reception on my television. Well I do, and when you pay such a high price for cable you expect to get what you pay for. Yes, they took care of us all right. And to top that off, we have had two raises in our bills this year.

Now to add to those gripes, let me rinse your ears out with this bit of information. All of the commercials advertising medicines, such as anti-depressants, and male and now female enhancement drugs have overstep the boundaries of information to you and me on what these drugs can do for you while at the same time telling us that they could cause you to have thoughts of suicide and other dangerous effects. I am one who feels that the telling of what a medicine is good for and its side effects should only be gotten from the pharmacy or the doctor. No wonder our medicines are so high priced. And we are paying a cable bill to hear things about it. Where are the thoughts of the Pharmaceutical business and why don’t the people who govern the ok on these meds put a clamp on them? Think about this statement and come up with your own conclusion. We, here in the whole world, are trying to curb the sale of drugs on the streets, yet we allow others to advertise it on the airwaves. If someone sees these commercials too many times, and they are not able to get them through the medical profession, they will go to the streets to buy them, or they will decide to rob someone of them. It only takes a little common sense to know that our airwaves are helping the sellers on the streets and that is wrong, wrong, wrong. The market is closed on one end and open on the other. Which way will those who can’t do without it go to get those drugs so terrible in use and in the effects of what it can lead you into? Lets take it off television and put it back in the hands of our family doctors.

Now to finish up, I just want to say that there is no reason bad enough to let you live life on the edge of a hole so big and so deep. Step back and then turn around and live your life. Let’s not live in fear anymore. Life given to us by our GOD is a wonderful plan to live by and I am happy to be here to live it.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

#248

THE NEW YEAR

Most of us always use New Year’s Day as a time when we make resolutions to do better and many are promises that in no way can be kept. However, give them credit for doing it though. Making promises to do things in the coming year is like a politician telling you what he or she will do in order to get your vote. Now don’t take me wrong about this because there are a few out there who try very hard to do what they say and I credit them for that. But making a promise to do something that will change your life is just too easy to do and keeping that promise could involve many things that you have no control over.

Take me for instance. I am an old man with lots of memories about “The Days Of Old” and I want to share them with all of you. But I can’t make a promise to do that each week, because there might be something coming up that would keep me from doing so. But I am going to try to do it each week until that day when I am called Home. How about making a promise to accept a chance to talk to a group at a dinner? There could be times when I might not be able to do so because many times the smell of certain foods causes me to be very sick. It is just one of those things I must look out for at all times. I do most of the cooking at our house because my pretty lady is many times too ill to do so. But if she wants those certain foods, I might have to have someone else cook it or buy it in a restaurant. I could make a promise to buy new clothes in the new year, but the ones I have now are still like new because I seldom dress up for dinners, or meetings. You take me as I am. That has been my way of living these many years and it is too late to change now. I could say that I will let the Continental Steel shutdown go and not write about it any more but I can’t do that because it was a large part of my life for many a year. I don’t throw many things away because it took so much to get them and there might be a time when I might need them. No, I am not a hoarder; I just feel that there is still some use waiting for it later.

Watching my sport teams play ball is a part of my life that I wouldn’t want to give up and anyway that only involves a couple days a week, and the lady of the house many times watches with me. Maybe I could cut some time off working on my computer, but then I would get so far back on my work that I might forget where to start once I do it. I am a man who like my father would rather give than receive and so I always make a request to my loved ones to not buy me anything. Like my father, I feel that it is better to just buy something for someone on any day of the year, just to show we care instead of picking a certain date to do so. That is my thought and not that of others in my family. Think about it. You give something to someone because you want to and not because you have to. So where am I going with this week’s column? It’s to tell you that I make no promises, and you take me as I am. A man who likes to look back and see where I have been. And I like to take a good look at when I am, and with that in mind, I look to the future and accept it like it will be as I walk my narrow path of life. Things will change regardless of what we want. We accept them or we will work to change them. That, I promise you.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

#249

More precious memories.

As I was sitting down reading my Kokomo Tribune over my cup of coffee, I sort of went back a little to the time when I was a youngster at home with my two favorite people of all time, my mother and father. At the age of four, I can remember living on North Courtland and I had just fallen on some glass and cut my wrist very bad. I remember running to my mother crying loud enough that neighbors were coming out to see what that little boy was crying about. I remember the doctor coming and while my mother held my hand, he sewed me up with stitches. That is as far back as I can remember. I also remember getting a piece of ice caught in my mouth and the iceman reaching in and pulling it out. I guess that you could say those were  the first times that I needed someone else but my parents. Mom always told me that I could remember a lot more than most kids and that has been my tool to this day in writing about the days of old.

I remember seeing the Omar man bring bread to the homes, and I remember the bags of Oleo that Mom would let me put that yellow coloring in and squeezing it until it was all yellow. I can remember Mom taking a slice of that Omar bread, putting some of that Oleo on it then sprinkling sugar and cinnamon on it, and toasting it. Boy was that good. I remember the iceman walking up to the back porch where we had our icebox and putting that chunk of ice in it. He always had a few small pieces for us to suck on. I remember the coal truck coming to the house and the driver would open the small door at the end of the shed and with a scoop shovel throw the coal in there. I can remember when we would have a pile of trash out back in the alley and we would burn it while sitting around the fire and tell stories.

I can remember getting our pajamas and warming them up by the heating stove and then running upstairs, putting them on and getting into bed as fast as I could. We had heat coming through a transom duct but before morning the heat was less and less. Many times one of us would run downstairs and put some coal in the stove so that it wasn’t too cold for Mom when she got up to fix breakfast. You couldn’t put too much coal in there because it could catch the house on fire. Dad always taught us how to fix a nice fire in both the cook stove and the heating stove and he always told us that it only takes one mistake and we could have no home to live in. I remember Mom standing by the cook stove, fixing eggs and bacon, pancakes, or milk toast, biscuits or rolls, and Dad, when he was home, would fix the gravy. He had a knack at fixing gravy without lumps in it and it was good. During the daytime when we were in school, Mom would always have fresh beans cooking with cornbread in the oven or corncakes in the skillet. In addition, she had a big skillet that she fixed fried potatoes in and when we came home from school a big smile was on our faces because we smelled some great food cooking and boy was it good. We walked to and from school each day which was 13 blocks one way and food like Mom fixed gave us all the go power we needed. When we got home in the evening, there wasn’t a dirty dish or pan anywhere because Mom cleaned them up as soon as she was through with them. But after suppertime, it was our job to do the dishes and put everything away for the night. That was the only time that Mom had some rest time and I know she was tired when it was time for bed. Bless that wonderful lady that we were blessed with.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day

#250

Angels On Earth.

I had an email the other day asking me to give my thoughts about the nursing profession. So that gives me a chance to tell you that Nurses are part of the backbone and heart of the medical field that we use and need in order to maintain our lives both mentally and physically. The duties of a nurse are many, and society, has benefited greatly because we have such dedicated people here to take care of us when we can't do for ourselves. To be a nurse, you have to have a genuine desire to help others. It offers a great challenge to those who take it up as a profession. The greatest reward that a nurse receives is the knowledge that their skill has helped to relieve suffering, or to save a life. A nurse has to like people, and want to help them. They must be self reliant, and be able to use good judgment. They have to be tact-full, honest, responsible, and be able to work with others. They also have to be in good health. In other words, they have to very special and strong people.

When you go to the hospital and until the day, you are dismissed, that nurse is your guardian. Their patient is of the first importance. From day one, she or he is there to reassure the patient and to keep that patient's morale up. They give  emotional support, as well as physical care. They take charge of the patient's routine care each day, in the way of making sure, that he has his daily bath, and eats the proper foods. She also sees that the exercises and treatments that the doctor has prescribed are carried out. She is there to keep a watchful eye on the patient, and reports to the doctor about any changes in the physical condition, mental attitude, and possible drug reactions. So you might say that the nurse is your parent away from home, or your boss away from work. She follows a strict routine each day, so that the patient might soon be able to go home.

There are many ways of saying what a nurse is, but I have my own definition of what a nurse is. I call them “Angels On Earth”. I have seen with my own eyes all the things that I have written about, having had kidney problems, open-heart surgery, and other small problems. I also saw for 5 months the way they took care of my daughter Patricia in her fight to whip cancer. That is a time when you really see the inner strength of those in the nursing profession. And during those 5 months, I saw how all the parts of the medical profession join together to take care of the loved ones that are so dear to our hearts. So yes, my thoughts about those people in white and all the ones that assist them are that God does have Angels here to help us walk our path of life.

My granddaughter saw how the nurses took care of her mother and she made up her mind that she wanted to be a nurse so that she could help others. Many times, we sit back, we give out negative feelings about doctors and nurses, and yet when we need them, they are there to take care of us. And when we are in the hospital as a patient, we get negative in how we think we are being treated and yet, there the nurse is to relieve the pain or adjust your pillow or maybe just to ask how you are doing. Nurses work long hours and I know they are very tired at the end of their shift, but if they are needed, they are there. Therefore, that is why I call them Angels. They are there in the good times and they are there in the bad times. Thank goodness for their dedication to medicine and to the human body. Where would we be without them? So sometime when you are out there visiting or as a patient, tell them thanks for being there. They deserve to hear that you care too.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day