140. Who Knew?

 Who Knew?  There is a web site called "Who Knew News" on Yahoo.  If you are looking for a way to constructively waste a little time on the internet, might I suggest this site.  It is bits and pieces of information on the origins of things that you probably don't know.  Nuggets of knowledge, if you will.  Things that my husband, Bob, has a treasure trove of.  They bring interest to a dinner party, but not a dime to the wallet.  The subject matter is as diverse as this world of ours.  Will you remember it like Bob?  I doubt it, but, wow, what a fun way to while away the afternoon.

http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com

139. The Nethercutt

We are blessed to have friends who like to jump right in and take little adventures, some local and some not so local.  Proctoring the Bar exam took up most of last week, but we managed to get reservations for a tour of the Nethercutt Museum on Friday at 10:00.  If you have never heard of the facility, you are not alone.  Our local adventure buddies, Polly and Phil, told us a few months ago that it was not to be missed.  Wow, were they ever right.  Which brings me to one more reason why we love California...doggone it...everything is close at hand.  We love the fact that just around the corner is something you haven't seen yet.  I guess that's true with everywhere, though.  One trip to the East coast, I told Bob, "If we don't quit stopping at the visitor information centers, we are never going to get out of Arizona, let alone get to the East coast!" 

The Nethercutt Museum 

I had no idea there was a "Dort" auto!

What an amazing and wonderful experience the day was.  They are located in Sylmar, California which is off the I-5 above Burbank.  That is about an hour from Alta Loma where we stay with Bruce and Dort for work. There are two facilities, actually, one that houses over 120 Antique, Vintage, and Classic automobiles displayed in a Grand Salon showroom circa turn of the last century together with the world's finest assemblage of mechanical musical instruments.

Imagine a showroom ceiling like this!

  The automobile museum is open Tuesday - Saturday and the tours through the musical collection is by tour reservation only Thursday - Saturday.  The admission to both is completely free. That also includes the 1912 Pullman Private Car once owned by Clara Baldwin Stocker daughter of "Lucky" Baldwin which was nothing to sneeze at.  What a way to travel!

All of the cars are restored per original factory specifications.  The original color combinations  were astounding.  Thanks to Ford and black and white movies one would assume that all early cars were black.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  What an amazing array of colors...from butternut to shades of lavender...a rainbow of colors and pen striping, some that looked like caning from chair seats.  We have been to many, many car shows and museums including Harrah's in Sparks, Nevada but this one wins the prize.

 

Doing her best to keep her skirt down!

 I almost forgot the fabulous and sometimes saucy hood ornaments.
This was one of my favorites.

All of this comes from the sale of Merle Norman Cosmetics.  That's right Mr. Norman's little Misses, Merle, started creating cosmetics in her kitchen and it took off like a rocket.  So, I would like to say a big "Thank you" to Mrs. Norman and her husband who didn't pooh pooh her and was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw it.

138. Who's a Redneck??

Don't you just love this "Redneck Wine Glass?"  Polly will never spill another drop
of wine!  Just think, in the boat, on the beach, in the back yard...now all she has to do

is remember where she put the lid!

137.Up, up and Away...Well...Almost!

Yesterday was dedicated to work on Bob's airplane.   Years ago we lived in a really large house with a huge sun room and an equally large basement for his wood shop.  One weekend we were watching an old Shirley Temple movie and she was sitting in an airplane made from a wine barrel.  Well, that got Ol' Bob to thinking.  The next thing you know, we had a fabulous airplane.  We have a notebook filled with photos of every guest after that sitting in the plane.  You can see why he won second place with a three hundred dollar award in a prestigious crafter's exhibition.

Oldest grandson, Robby, in plane.

Unfortunately, we no longer have the luxury of such a large home and the airplane has been dismantled and stored, safe, but unused.  Then came the fair and the Clint Black concert.  Like his parents before him, Bob could talk to a post, I swear, he never misses a beat when the opportunity arises.  A man and his wife started up the grand stand and Bob spotted his jacket.  It said Santa Maria Air Museum.  It turned out that he was on the board and Bob told him about the plane.  I guess Bob had been thinking about approaching the museum in regards to donating the plane so that children visiting the facility could enjoy it.  It has bothered both of us that it couldn't be of some use to someone.  Well, the man was thrilled, especially after he saw the pictures.  It pleases us so much.

We pulled it out of the storage building and started in working on it.  Actually, it held up pretty well considering it has been in storage for fifteen years.

So, yesterday Bob commandeered Preston to help with the  sanding. It will probably take a month or

so to get  it  refurbished.  It has  certainly   been a labor of love for Bob and

this will be such an appropriate new home for the little plane.  We will have to have a little celebration when it is delivered to the museum.  Preston will have to be the first visitor to have his photograph taken "flying."  Up, up and away...well...almost.