I spent about 15 years traveling throughout the world for the US Government, starting with the nastiest of locations, Kandahar Afghanistan, located just behind the testicles of the World. Then followed by two other sites in Afghanistan, then Moscow, Russia and then many points beyond.

In 2007, I remember leaving out of Texas with all possessions stored away, wondering what it will be like when I do return to the States to start anew. As would expected, most of what I had was pretty much worthless.

When I hit the ripe old age of 65, the Government booted me out, but I collected the best part of Brazil to take with me, a young spirited woman.

We are now in Texas (tGCoE), and have begun to unpack memories of the past 15 years that were scattered at four locations on the earth. This includes at least 150 boxes of all sorts of items. I forgot how many coffee cups I had which always caused a time consuming choice. “which cup should I use … ?”

The list is exhaustive and includes many works of art from Afghanistan to Brazil. Several antiques are in this collection which now includes Pop’s grandfather clock. Research shows that it was built by a technician named A.Haberer for the German company Matthias Bäuerle in the late 1920s. The clock actually shows it to be from the company EmBee, but research shows it is just an abbreviation for MB. (Matthias Bäuerle)

Additionally, there is a P.116 stamped on the back to show the pendulum is 116cms in length. With the Internet, it is now possible to research from the comfort of my office.

I have also uncovered from the Texas dust several antique radios. One particular radio was given to me by my Aunt Iny, and I listened to it many hours in my youth. I created a post back in December 2013, titled The Quiet Hum in the Darkness.

I actually found the same radio listed on eBay. I have three other radios and I am planning to get two of them operational. There is one that is an old Philco model from 1929 that originally sold for $129.50. I copied an image off https://philcoradio.comI was able to locate a missing vacuum tube on the Internet and I will have to replace the volume control, which is coming also. In looking at the schematics for this thing, I find the volume control is part of the antenna instead of the audio circuit! Yeah, I know…. TMI.

Trains. Remember all the trains we had while growing up? I have a trunk of them that I have yet to dig out, but I do remember one of them was one of the Macy’s Special trains. It had an old wood burning engine with passenger cars and a mail car.

Many years ago, I received a cool trainset for Christmas that had two “figure 8” tracks imbedded together, and two small cars with propellers in the back for propulsion. The track had four intersections which caused the two units to collide at times. I still have those two units sitting on my desk as I type. One of the problems with that set, was I didn’t get to play with it until days later when my older brothers went to play with something else. When I think of times like that, I can sometimes hear the violins of compassion for me and the tears from others splashing on the floor.

But all these things are just a part of it all. I have hundreds of books, several from our ancestors in Germany that some aunt sent to me. I have about a dozen rugs that are antiques, mostly from Iran, back before the Shah left. About 3 or 4 came from Turkey. One from Uzbekistan. I have a typewriter no one else wanted that according to MotherDear was either from my grandfather or his father. One of them was a writer of letters.

I came across a heavy dark blue coat that my father gave me. He told me it was the first thing he ever bought himself with his own money. He was 19.

I found this picture of him wearing it on Micah’s Flickr site with many other old photographs. I suggest you go and look them over.

It is very warm and made of wool. Unfortunately, (or fortunately), I will not be wearing it, because in a few years I hope to never live in a cold climate again. I did enough of that in my years. I don’t know what I will do with the heavy coat, perhaps give it to a son or grandson. But compare his purchase by what we have today. I buy things on a whim, thus all the collectables and artwork from the world. This money had greater value to him than mine does today. That is the reason he had jars of copper pieces of electrical junk in his shop when he passed away. Those pieces had value to him.

I find it fascinating what all there is in the world. It seems the more you see, the more you find. One of these days, Dani and I will have our own large house and I can display the hundreds of small items and artwork that means something to me. Won’t move others, but they will move me with memories of what all there is in the world.