Out of Pocket

I have been out of pocket on the blog for a couple days.  Have spent them and Mom and Dad's sorting through over 60 years worth of 'stuff.'  Fortunately they aren't pack rats.  But there is still a lot.  I didn't expect to come home with much.  We knew that some furniture would come, but we filled my truck with miscellaneous items anyway.  Tools and odds and ends.

There are a lot of things there that had been my grandparents things.  While much will be distributed throughout the family, there are some things that won't and most likely will be sold in a huge garage sale.  I am conflicted by this as some of those things hold memories of my grandparents.  I spent almost every day at my Dad's parents until I became school age since my mother worked.  So I became very attached/close to my grandmother.  This is why being sentimental, which I am far too much, over comes my good sense at times.  

These are the guitars I mentioned the other day that we are trying figure things out with.

They are both Martins.  The top and middle is 1951 D-18, the other is a newer 000-18.  The D-18 has over 50 years of wear but is in really good condition.  The 000-18 is in extremely good condition.  Both are valued at a similar amount but we have gotten widely varying appraisals.  The thought that they may be sold by or to the appraisers may cloud the appraisal some.  Even looking at ebay gives wildly varying prices.  I have one more source I will use to get more feedback on these.  

Kim will head back over to Mom's today and my oldest boy will come over to help get the table saw and the dining room set moved to his house.  He is on vacation this week so I have to take advantage of his availability.  

All of this has disrupted plans to go on a short road trip up to Georgetown tomorrow.  A good friend of mine had asked me to accompany him on a mission there that he has volunteered for.  I had jumped at the chance but we had no dates.  Now the dates will coincide with all this other stuff.

His father was a ball turret gunner on B-17's.  I believe it was the 384th bomb group.  This is a really great article about him here.  That wing panel he is signing below is from a B 17.

My friend is taking that wing panel around Texas to the last surviving members that live in Texas to have them sign it also.  I really hate to miss this chance but I don't really have any other options.  I asked him to take some photos of the event and maybe I can share those here.

Happy Trail.