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There’s a Lot of Brass in These Golden Years

26 October, 2011— Greetings once again from the Sandhills. We have been blessed with some good rain, beautiful weather, and the leaves are beginning to look like Fall.

Politics is warming up and you hear a lot of “Kick all the bums out.” Washington is in one big mess with nothing to indicate that it will get better so it might not be a bad idea.

Just a few thoughts on getting old. Ken Vinal, a retired letter carrier from up north who now lives in Southern Pines and is a member of our NARFE Chapter there, said when I visited him in the hospital. “There is a lot of brass in these Golden Years.” I said Amen to that.

I am now 87 years old and I have had a lot of fun getting there. The Lord has blessed Julina (80) and me along the way. We have had 55 wonderful years together, a daughter that is a joy, a fine son-in-law, two great grandchildren—Leanne and Matt—and now Leanne has given us two great-grandsons. After 25 years they are all here in Rockingham, so we get to see them often.

Julina and I came up during the 1930s so we know what a depression really is. We don’t have much but we do have more than my father and mother ever had. We have no debt other than our monthly utility bills, good health for our ages, lots of good friends, and we have been privileged to see a lot of our great nation over the years.

Getting and being old is not too bad after all. We are very thankful for Medicare, Social Security, Civil Service Annuity and NALCHBP. They all have been good to us. We are hopeful Congress does not start tinkering with any of them.

Did you read Brother Bill Heidt’s article in the last issue of our paper? If you didn’t, look up your copy and read it. Just look at what it is costing the taxpayers to pay for that circus they call Congress. At a town meeting hosted by our NARFE chapter in September, Congressman Howard Coble stated that if he retired at the end of this term he would get $68,000 annuity a year for as long as he lived. He also said that the longer you served, the more you would receive. Now, total all this in with what those serving receive plus all their perks and the sum gets staggering. Think about this. Bill has some tough meat in his articles.

I think that this past issue of our paper was one of the best that has been published. Every article in it was excellent, good reading for young and old, active and retired, male and female.

I really enjoyed Richard’s article on Bill and Mary Bunting. I’m old enough to remember Bill attending the first North Carolina state convention in High Point in 1969. Bill and Mary, Julina and I became good friends over the years, and still are.

Mary and Julina were very active in the state auxiliary, so they did spend a lot of time together.

In 1990, at the urging of Bill, I ran for Delegate-at-Large after he nominated me, was elected, and attended the national convention in New Orleans.

Some of the finest people that I have met are North Carolina letter carriers, and I thank you. I still cherish the memories of many who have departed our ranks. While death is on my mind, I again urge all branches to let Richard know when a carrier passes away. Just cut his obit out of the local paper and mail it to Richard. It might be someone I know.

I, for one, regret that we did not have a fall seminar this year. Julina and I looked forward to seeing old friends and maybe making a few new ones. Hopefully, we will be having a spring seminar and that both of us will be physically able to make it.

Getting old is not too bad, for when we repeat ourselves most people tend to overlook it. Yes, I’m very proud of my family. I have vivid memories of the Great Depression and I’m so old that I walked my route.

It is supper time: Barbecue pork chops, collards, baby green limas, fried cornbread, congealed salad, hot peppers and sweet tea.

Nuf Sed.




  Some Thoughts on the State Convention, the State Association’s Finances, the Great Depression and Life in General
Some Thoughts on the State Convention, the State Association’s Finances, the Great Depression and Life in General

18 July, 2011— This past Wednesday night this area of the Sandhills was blessed with 3 1/2 inches of rain that has everything looking lush and green. This was the first measurable rainfall that we had in about a month. So prior to this, with the very hot weather that we have been having, everything was parched and dry.

The only ones who made any corn this year were those that could irrigate, so the price is high and the peaches are small but sweet. My grass has grown at least three inches since Wednesday.

Julina and I were able to attend the State Convention in Asheville and it was a good one. Harry and Louise Klabbatz went with us and we had rooms in the Comfort Inn West about 1/2 mile from the convention, which was booked solid.

The convention went smoothly and I wish our state officers good productive years ahead. Eddie did a great job of keeping us on track and moving at a good speed. The Hospitality Room was excellent, with one exception —no Diet Dr. Pepper could I find.

On the way home, we stopped in Hendersonville for lunch and for the ladies to do some shopping. While we were there a thunderstorm came up and we had a frog-strangler for several minutes, and it rained on us until we got to Marshville on the way home.

Driving on 485 with three lanes of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks running 70 to 80 miles-an-hour is not my cup of tea. If I was still a smoker when I got back on 74 west of Monroe, I would not have been able to light a cigarette with two hands; my nerves were raw. When I was in my late teens and early 20s I could have stayed with them and enjoyed it, but age puts a little wisdom in your head.

In looking over Danny’s financial reports in The North Carolina Letter Carrier, I am really surprised at how much it is costing to run the State Association. Just the cost of the seminars, attending rap sessions, attending and membership in the AFL-CIO, officers attending other functions, paying time-lost days, etc., and it totals up more than a tidy sum; it is huge. I think that looking into ways to do some belt-tightening in the present economy would be a wise move to consider. I guess that my biggest problem is that I came up during the Great Depression years of the 1930s and my memory of those years are still vivid.

I started my career as a letter carrier before we had a union making 97 cents an hour. And my last full year in 1983 my pay was $21,673 with some overtime included.

When I started drawing my Social Security (I had my 40 quarters in before I joined the Postal Service) I lost 55 percent of it due to WEP.

Enough complaining, or as I see it, stating the facts. Taking everything into consideration Julina and I have had a great life. We were blessed with a great daughter that got us the finest son-in-law a person could ask for; a fine granddaughter and grandson; and two wonderful great-grandsons. Kason, the youngest, was born May 20, 2011.

We own our own home with no major bills hanging over our heads and we are in fairly good health for old folks. Julina turned 80 on July 10, 2011 and if I make it, I will be 87 in September. And we have been privileged to see a lot of these United States, so we have been blessed two-fold.

Oven-baked chicken, rutabaga turnips, black-eyed peas, stewed Red Bliss potatoes, fried cornbread, fresh tomatoes, sweet tea and fresh peach cobbler is calling. Nuf Sed.




  Up On a Soapbox
Up On the Soapbox

Greetings once again from the lovely Sandhills region of our great state, home of the Duke Blue Devils. The N.C. Motor Speedway is up and running again. There is some exciting racing taking place, not NASCAR, but the ARCA boys are running just as fast and tearing up just as much sheetmetal at about half the price NASCAR was getting. Parking is free and refreshments are at about half the price as NASCAR. It’s a good outing at a more reasonable price.

On a chicken and dumpling trip to Ledbetter’s United Methodist Church recently, I overheard the following two bits of wisdom: 1. “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” Our government should pay attention to that one. And number 2 goes like this: “After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done.” Lots of truth there.

As our past president David Summers was known to say from time to time: “LISTEN UP.” I’m going to climb on my soapbox for a bit, so LISTEN UP. Ninety-nine and forty-four-one-hundreds percent of you are making more money than you have ever made, with excellent benefits, sick leave, vacation time, paid holidays, uniform allotment, and a very good union contract to work with. You also have an excellent grievance procedure. Management can’t just come in and fire you without “just cause.” I realize that some of you are working under less than desirable management, but there are drawbacks to every job.

Carriers today are starting off getting paid almost double per hour of what I was getting paid after 32 years and two months as a letter carrier. A lot of us “oldtimers” went through some tough times to get what you have today. With the economy being what it is today, and with a new Congress, you better get involved in trying to preserve what you now have by writing your senators and congressmen asking their support for six day delivery and for all the other benefits you have.

Support your branch officers, your state officers, and your national officers who are all on the front lines on your behalf. Attend your branch meetings and make contributions to COLCPE. By yourself you can’t accomplish much but collectively you become not just a ripple in the water but a huge wave to be reckoned with. Get in the fight to keep what we have earned and what we have.

Before I get off my soapbox, I want to say that every letter carrier should be a member of the NALCHBP. Julina and I can truthfully bear witness that if it wasn’t for Medicare and the NALCHBP, we would be in debtor’s prison with no hope of parole. It would also be a good idea to tell your representatives in Washington to not mess with Medicare.

Julina and I hope to attend the Rap Session in Myrtle Beach and the State Convention in Asheville if all goes well with us and we can dig up the money for gas to make both trips. I just don’t understand gas being this high and getting higher with each passing week. I pumped many gallons in the early 50’s here in Rockingham for $.19.9 a gallon. Times have changed. I was only making $1.10 an hour then.

There were some great articles in the December issue of our state paper and I hope everyone read each of them. I particularly liked Bob Wahoff’s “A Big Dead Tree,” and I can assure you that we have a lot of deadwood in every branch. Bill Heidt’s “Conviction” is a must-read also. Frank’s article was full of facts that every carrier should know. Good reading for one and all.

Skillet-fried pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, field peas and snaps, apple sauce, hot biscuits, cherry pie and sweet tea. Supper’s calling.

Nuf Sed.




 

7 November, 2010 -- Here in the lovely Sandhills we had our first freezing weather this morning with a very cool 27 degrees, frost was everywhere. Something else important happened this weekend when my beloved Blue Devils won their second straight ball game which hasn't happened in a very long time. Things are looking up here in Mudville; watch out Tar Babies, we are on the hunt.

The fall seminar in Durham used a different format and I liked it. I only got to attend the class on conducting an audit and the instructor was very interesting and it was informative. We only had 128 carriers to register but I feel sure that some did not get signed up. Julina says to tell each of you who helped the Auxiliary by buying raffle tickets that they cleared $320 and they are very grateful for your support. Keep up the good work. They deserve it.

The Auxiliary did great things for all letter carriers when we worked under the Hatch Act and right now our future doesn't look too good so we need all the help we can muster. Carriers, get your spouses signed up for the Auxiliary.

There's only one word I can think up to describe the Hospitality Room put on by the Durham letter carriers and that word is FANTASTIC. The food was excellent and it was plentiful and to top it off they had Diet Dr. Peppers on ice. Nothing could be finer. On behalf of all who visited the Hospitality Room, I want to say "Thank you for a job well done" to all who worked so hard getting it set up and running.

Eddie, Craig, Richard, Bill, Frank Wayne and Bob each had a great article that every letter carrier should read; lots of good information in each article. If you haven't read them, READ THEM.

I did enjoy the article by our editor on Harry Klabbatz. Harry has been a dear friend for many years as well as Louise. I have never made it a habit of getting into politics but I did help get Harry elected as President of the State Association and I think that he made a good one. It wasn't for the pay because a lot of times he did not get his expenses paid and I don't think they were paying salaries to state officers back then. Harry and Louise, C.G. Boyte and Ruby, Julina and I have traveled thousands of miles over the state attending state meetings over the years. It has been rewarding for I have met many very fine letter carriers and some have become good friends. It's sad when you learn that an old friend has departed this life as we learned at the seminar that Ralph Tomlinson had died but it is a journey that all of us will have to take.

Julina and I have learned just recently that Mable Spargo had a leg amputated but things seem to be going well after her surgery. Talked with two old friends tonight: Bill and Mary Bunting, and they are having a lot of physical problems. Us OLD FOLKS are wearing out. We are very thankful for Medicare and NALCHBP; without them we would be in debtor's prison with no hope of parole.

Julina and I went out to Ledbetter United Methodist Church Saturday for their annual Chicken and Dumplings supper; some of the finest that I have ever eaten. And I picked up these two bits of wisdom for you: 1. "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind." Think about that one. And number 2 goes like this: "Take care of those who work for you and you'll float to greatness on their achievements."

Stew beef and rice, sweet potato casserole, peas and snaps, hot biscuits, sweet tea, and nanner pudding on the table.

Nuf Sed.




  Sandhill Sayings

ROCKINGHAM, NC -- First off, I really like the new format for The North Carolina Letter Carrier paper. Richard Thayer and the Executive Board did a bang-up job in getting it up and going again; it is something that we can be proud of. Thanks to all.

Here in the Sandhills we have had 23 straight days of 90 plus heat here with four of them topping 100 degrees and the rest in the upper 90s. Needless to say that I haven't strayed too far from the AC so I will have to share with you two bits of wisdom that I picked up in Ledbetters about two months ago and these are for the men: (1) "If I had a single flower for every time I think of you, I would walk forever in my garden." And number (2): "A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you." Try these on your spouse and I feel sure that you might get some special treatment. Ladies, you might want to try it also.

Our May issue had some great articles by Eddie, Craig, Richard, Bill, Bob, Frank, Wayne, Michael and Jesse that I hope every letter carrier read. If you didn't, look up the paper and read them.

It was sad to see the obits, they make one think about their mortality. Over the years Julina and I have met and became friends with many carriers from over the state and most of them we only see at the seminars and conventions so we don't know about their passing until someone tells us at these gatherings or we see it in the Postal Record or in our state paper. The Postal Record only gives their name but Richard puts the obit in our paper with a little bit about the carrier and his family. Please let Richard know of a brother or sister's passing. Just cut the obit out of your local paper and mail it to Richard so he can get it in the paper. Your cost: 44 cents and a few minutes.

Julina and I are looking forward to the Fall Seminar in Durham and we are hoping to see a lot of old friends there and in making some new ones. We have our reservations made and we know how to get there. It will be a great help to the small branches to get at least one from your office to attend and bring back to the rest what he/she learns.

What little going that Julina and I have done has been about ninety-five percent visiting various doctors and taking medical tests. I'll be 86 on 23 September and over the years the doctors have removed most of my parts that I can live without and now they are trying to overhaul what is left.

I messed up my left leg on 3 February, developed a hematoma that required surgery to remove about a six ounce cup of blood from under the skin and I was told by the surgeon that it would take from 3 to 6 months for it to heal. It has now about healed, not quite but close. Julina is a great nurse, does a fantastic job. No, she is not for hire.

The Auxiliary is struggling to stay afloat. They need new members and would love to talk with your spouse about joining. They really appreciate all the help they get from you who support their raffle at each state meeting by purchasing tickets. These funds are put to good use among which are two $1,000 scholarships to two graduating high school seniors of letter carriers in good standing with the North Carolina State Association of Letter Carriers. Step up and help them survive.

The table is set and I see ham, string beans, stewed potatoes, corn on the cob, sweet tea, sliced tomatoes and lemon cake. Nuf Sed.




 

Rockingham, NC — With all my problems this is still a time of rejoicing. After months and months we got the newest edition of The North Carolina Letter Carrier Monday and Julina and I have read every word of it. It is like an old friend has come for a visit. I do like the new format. It’s easier to read, the pictures are clearer, and it’s still filled with many interesting and timely articles for all of us.

I have read many fine articles in our state paper over the years but the one by our editor in this January 2010 issue has to be one of the best if not the best. I did not personally know Crystal Lee Sutton but I have seen the movie “Norma Rae” based on her life and her struggles to make life a little better for textile workers. At one time in my life we had 11 textile plants in Richmond County (we now have one left and it is running on short time) and after returning home from serving in the Army Air Force in the 1940s I worked in Burlington Mills Steele Plant for six-and-a-half years. Things were pretty good by then but in talking with some of the older workers I knew that it had not always been so. My mother went to work in the spinning room when she was 11 years old in Roberdel Mill #2 and her hours were from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., six days a week. There were two other 11-year-old friends of hers that started with her that day. Yes, I have heard many tales about living in a mill village and working in one of the plants.

While enjoying two plates of some of the best chicken and dumplings ever made at Ledbetter’s Methodist Church, I overheard the following two gems of wisdom to pass along this quarter: 1. “Common sense is wisdom with its sleeves rolled up.” Number 2 goes like this: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” There’s a lot of smarts in both of those.

In regards to Brother Wayne White’s article about the NALCHBP, let me say a heartfelt “Amen” to what he wrote. I have been a member of the NALC for fifty-three plus years and we have had the NALCHBP 322 for fifty-one years, and they have been good to me and my family (Julina and Martha). I have had many compliments from doctors and hospitals about how promptly they pay their claims, and they also say that they have less problems with them. With the health problems that we have had over the years and the high costs of health care, if I had not been covered by NALCHBP I would be in Debtor’s Prison with no hope of ever getting paroled. If it hasn’t hit you between the eyes, let me point out what has happened to Julina and me, and I feel sure that most of you are aware of the following:

As Wayne stated, there is no COLA this year. He also stated that “us” retirees would have a $47.60 per month increase in the part we pay. Now that totals $571.20 a year that I will not have to meet other expenses. Our name brand prescriptions for a 90 day supply jumped from $30 to $55, so that is an increase of $25. I was taking three name brand maintenance drugs and Julina is taking two, so that is five prescriptions ordered four times a year which comes to $500 more than I can’t use for other needs. This is $1,071 less than we had last year to meet other expenses. Our Homeowners insurance also jumped $87, and our auto insurance jumped $118. I won’t share with you about our city and county property taxes. It is very clear to us that we are going to have to tighten our belts and cut a few corners.

Country style steak, gravy, rice, green beans and potatoes cooked together, hot rolls, Irish bread pudding and sweet tea on the table. Time’s a wasting. Nuf Sed.




George LeVander's January Article

17 January, 2010--Greetings one more time from the dry and chilly Sandhills. As all of you know, we have had some unusually cold weather so Julina and I have stayed as close to the heater as possible. The past three days have been mild so we are starting to stir about again.

We had a great Christmas and we hope that Santa was able to find your house when he made his rounds. When he made his deliveries here he couldn't have had much left. We all gathered at Tony and Martha's home for the day and enjoyed lots of great food and wonderful fellowship. Besides Julina and me, there was Tony and Martha (son-in-law and daughter), Tony's mother and father, Leanne (granddaughter), husband Patrick, and Michael (great-grandson), grandson Matthew and his girlfriend Robyn David (I call her "Sweetpea").

We started Christmas day off with breakfast featuring fresh ham, country ham, red-eye gravy, bacon, hot sausage, grits, eggs, orange and apple juice, hot biscuits and coffee. After the dishes were cleaned up we opened our Christmas presents. The house looked like a disaster area before we cleaned all that up, and then we settled down to watching football games on the TV.

We done a little grazing on goodies made by Julina and Martha, and at 5 p.m. we had Christmas supper together as a family. Julina prepared half the food and Martha half. You name it and they had fixed it. They had ham, turkey, dressing, candied yams, stewed potatoes, giblet gravy, rice, Lima beans, green beans, deviled eggs, potato salad, sweet tea, cranberry sauce, hot biscuits, coconut cake, chocolate cake, pecan pie, strawberry cake, and a few other items. It was a feast and I tried to sample it all. It was a great day all around. Hope yours was also.

Here are a couple of gems I picked up from some folks from Ledbetter's that I ran into in Bojangles recently to pass on to you. Number one is: "So many things are possible just as long as you don't know they're impossible." And number two: "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." Chew on those two and I think you will like the taste.

I really miss our state paper, don't you? Our branch merged with Fayetteville and it is 120 miles round trip over there, so I don't attend the branch meetings. This leaves me out in the cold as to what is taking place in the state. I'll be very happy when they get it up and running again.

I'm going to get up on my soap box again, so here goes. Taxes and insurance are about to put Julina and me in real financial trouble. Take for instance our NALC HBP. I'm convinced that it is the best plan you can get and they have been real good to us and we are not about to dessert. That said, I want to point out that our premium went up $47.00 a month on 1 January, 2010, which will cost us $564.00 more this year. Name brand prescriptions went up $25.00 for a 90 day supply. I take three and Julina takes two, so this is five that we have to order four times a year, and this totals $500.00 more a year. The grand total is $1,064.00 out of our pockets and we get no COLA this year.

The NALC HBP collects premiums on us totaling $1,114.49 a month, counting what we pay and what the government pays, for a grand total of $13,373.88 yearly. We both have Medicare A & B, and since Medicare is our primary payer, the Health Benefit Plan made a right tidy sum on us. Taking this into consideration, I feel like all who are under Medicare should get a break on our premiums.

Our Homeowner's jumped $82.00 this year, and our car insurance jumped $69.00. Oh well, the Lord must love poor people for there sure are a lot of us.

Vegetable-beef soup (homemade by Julina), fried cornbread covered with peanut butter, sweet tea, orange Jello with fruit coctail in it. Supper time! Nuf Sed.




 

17 October, 2009—Let me go on record right now in telling one and all that I have really missed getting the monthly North Carolina Letter Carrier paper. I have felt out of touch with what is going on in our State Association, what is happening on the national level, and the great local articles that Richard has been putting in the paper. I’m convinced that I have missed it more than I would The Charlotte Observer. I appreciate our executive board getting it started back even though it will be quarterly.

Since you have been out of Wisdom from Ledbetter’s for months, I will pass along the latest ones that I heard in the fellowship hall of Ledbetter’s United Methodist Church while partaking of some outstanding chicken and dumplings. 1. “It is a growling man who lives a dog’s life.” Men, think about that one for it may fit you. Now number 2: “You can say what you want to about the South, but you ain’t never heard of anyone retiring and moving up north.” There is a lot of truth there.

Julina and I attended our first Regional Rap Session, which was held at the University Hilton in Charlotte on September 25, 26 and 27th, and both of us enjoyed it. I was told that 462 carriers registered, and I’m sure that there were some who did not, so I am saying that there were about 500 in attendance. The Georgia group were the loudest, the Florida delegation were the hungriest, and all were generous. When donations were taken, $1, 262 was given, our Auxiliary cleared $569.42 on their raffle of a $50 bond donated by Franc Alexander, an afgan donated by Louise Klabbitz, a country ham donated by Julina and I, and a second country ham donated by the Auxiliary. Since Julina was the only Auxiliary member present, I joined the Auxiliary for the time we were there and helped her with the raffle. Thanks to one and all who bought tickets and I feel sure that the winners are enjoying their prizes, especially the two ham winners. Grits and red-eye gravy, now that is some fine eating. Bob Moore and two others conducted a 50/50 for MDA, but we didn’t stay for Sunday morning so I don’t know how much they did, but I feel sure that what they cleared along with the $1,262 donated for MDA put the total close to $2,000. I know that the carrier with the winning ticket on the 50/50 was a very happy carrier.

How do you describe Branch 545’s Hospitality Room? Fantastic is the word that comes to my mind. It was one of the best, if not the best that I have been to over the years. Lorna Wooding grilled some fine ribs and chicken, and her baked beans were outstanding. I should have known that anything Franc Alexander had a hand in would be first class. We only hit the Hospitality Room on Friday evening, Saturday night we went out to supper with Julina’s aunt and her daughter. On behalf of all those who visited the Hospitality Room, Thanks to Branch 545 for a job well done. It was good to see our national president Fred Rolando attending the Rap Session.

From all that I have heard and from all that I have read, my opinion is that when this contract runs out, we will be lucky if we can keep what we have. This nation is in a mess and the Postal Service is in dire financial trouble. I try not to be doom and gloom, so I’m still looking for a silver lining, but so far no luck.

Country style steak smothered in gravy, rice, green lima beans, string beans, sliced tomatoes, hot biscuits, sweet tea and lemon cake are on the table and Julina has called supper time, so old doom and gloom has a smile on his face — a silver lining. Nuf Sed.


 


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