Previous was YEARS AGO and More....

6/24/2019

Don't we all tend to write about the past, sometime a very long time past?  I think we all do.  This is June of 2019 and I am 81 years old and retired about 5 years after working for over 50.  You know it takes a long time to adjust to retirement and of course not working everyday.

I wrote about a very painful time in my life going through a divorce after almost 28 years married to my first wife.  I was not looking for anyone when I met Karen but then found out we had so many people directing our lives.

Dr. Hold, Rev. Hanna, and some friends who felt like Jeff needed a life after.  Karen was leading a bible study from our church and she was nice, very good looking and single having gone through a divorce a couple of years prior.  No details but 2 years later we married and now almost 27 years married.  I would never guess someone at 53 finds that special person and we are so, so very happy.

Karen is now too retired and find we can tolerate each other being together all day almost everyday.  If you are reading this I thank you for following my rare posts and have a little interest in my post.  Writing too is my way of keeping in touch with a very good friend in a correctional facility in Childersburg, Al.  He has about 3 years completing a 20 year time being convicted of man slaughter.  I get letters from him about once a month giving me an update on his life and maybe a holiday card.

Jeff too has 2 or 3 fountain pens and write him a personal letter by hand giving it a little more personal touch. I told him to let me know when he is up for parole again and I would love to go and speak or vouch for him. I took a course in public speaking to help me in my occupation.  I then joined a local public speaking group that met once a week and learning how to hone up that skill of public speaking on the fly and to not be self conscious speaking to a group.  You would be surprise how much that helps in varied times you may be called on to do so.

The preacher ask me to do everything for prayer, reading scripture and making announcements.  Then my company ask me to speak to groups who ask my company to provide a speaker to a special night.  This got to be fun but a little scary at first.  But soon I found I could speak without sweating, heart racing and being about to think on your feet before a crowd.  Toastmasters was good for me for about 2 years but then my job and a new wife kept me busy.

Comment on my post and I will give you the address of my friend John who would enjoy a letter or card.  Thank you for reading this far and I promise to write more frequently.  I close wishing each of you to have a blessed ad and remember to keep Christ and Faith in your life.

Jeff the Knutt in the Ham (Birmingham, Al USA)

After 30 years, a phone call?

4/2/2019

This is Jeff, my kind and gentle reader,

Several week-ends back, I am watching television and my phone rings.  The caller ID indicated it is Betty XXXXX my ex-wife.  To bring you up to speed I went through a not to easy divorce back the week before Christmas 1989.  It was a total surprise as she told me on the phone about 3:30pm of that same day.

I was working out of town about an hours drive back home.  I came in through the garage door and her car was in the garage and there were apartment brochures and possibly some legal documents.  She greeted me rather coldly and said she wanted me our of the house right now.  The house was decorated for Christmas and our youngest son was home and our oldest son was flying in from NYC the next day.  I was shocked by what she said, "He knows about this"!  It tuned out she told the boys about the divorce before telling me!

So much for the short version as she left in about six weeks I guess getting he ducks in row with her lawyer.  I worked through Christmas week in our Tuscaloosa office then New Year week moving my job to our Selma office in Selma Alabama.  I was scheduled to work in Selma until when they could train someone.  The 1st week in Selma, I am delivered divorce papers.

I had acquired an attorney the week of the divorce and had been advised NOT to move out of our house as that could be legally seen as "abandonment" of our home in Vestavia and she would get the home if our home was not seen as my primary residence.  That said I told the company that I would stay away one or two nights then make 200 miles drives, a round trip.  I kept the upstairs bedroom and she slept in our sons bedroom downstairs.  This arrangement went on for some 6 or 8 weeks until she left me a note announcing her moving.

She found an apartment in Mountain Brook and she moved taking everything she needed.  A funny note, the next day I could not find a bowl for my cereal the next morning.  An you know she cleaned up behind herself, heavens no, there was a trash littering the hall and stair leading to our front and garage door.  There as a check register I found in the trash for 1989 and it told a huge story about how she went through her cash especially from 2, no 3, 2nd mortgages on our home.  The first was $24K, then adding another $10K or the one's I knew about and Then another for $10K she forged my signature on.  Luckily I had acquired a second checking account with just my name on it on another bank and it saved me.

Can I insert a funny note here midway in these divorce stories.  When she moved out I had no way to get in touch with her if maybe to forward any important mail or call if I had news about our 2 boys.  About a week or so later I get an envelope addressed to her and it is from her attorney.  I am not a nun so I carefully steamed the envelope open and there was a personal letter from her attorney and a bill for about $1,800 dollars.  The letter said how disappointed she was with Betty and they not received any payment outside of 90 days and all mail, email and phone contact information was not good.

The letter inside the envelope had the attorney's phone number and I called.  When I identified myself to her receptionist, she immediately told me it was improper for her to talk to me directly.  I ask her to put the phone on speaker and I ask if it was illegal or improper to "listen" to me.  I head no and I told he when I get Betty's address and possible phone numbers I was get the information to her.  And I did!

The next Saturday I drove to the main fire station in Mountain Brook and parked my car so they could see my Alabama Tuscaloosa tag with 63-XXXX on my company car.  I got out of my car and looked lost needing help.  The fire chief came out and I introduced myself and that I was looking for a B. Nutter who might have an apartment in Mountain Brook.  The chief said "If he lives here, I think I can find out where!"  He took me into his office then a huge squad room where a very detailed map of Mountain Brook was on the wall.  He then got on his desktop computer and brought up some vital information he wrote on a piece of Mountain Book stationery.   I was looking at the map when he handed me the note with her address and phone number.  I told the chief thank you and he said "If there is a party I hope you have fun!"  He put his finger on the street then drive as to how to get there. I felt like "Columbo".

That evening I called the hospital where she worked and asked for the 3rd floor nursing station.  Heck, I don't know where she worked but now she had Columbo on her.  When they answered, I said "Oh, I made a mistake as I was calling the coronary unit, did I dial the wrong extension?"  She immediately told me I had 1389 and I needed 1589.

Monday morning I again called Betty's attorney's number.  I gave her receptionist the two phone numbers and her mailing address.  She ask, "How did you do that so quickly?"...Don't ask I said as it could be seen as a little illegal or at the least misleading.  I had resealed the envelope with the bill inside and I had penciled in for the postman to forward to this address.  Done and done.