Just saw an interview with Jimmy Carter by Andrea Mitchell. 95 years old with a black eye and nasty cut from a fall a few days ago. He was on site (and working) at a Habitat for Humanity 'build' in Tennessee. I was almost in tears (of admiration) and felt so grateful to have had the honor and privilege of being on at least one build with him (and wife Rosalind). It's actually hard to volunteer on a site where he's going to be because the number of volunteers literally quadruple when it's one of 'his' builds. Although I can't physically do it anymore (I've done five over the years), I still contribute a small amount each year, specifying that it go to Musicians Village in New Orleans.

I have so much admiration and respect for this wonderful man who, regardless of your politics, left no doubt about his moral character. How far we have strayed. I'm not saying everything was perfect during that time period, but at least we had MORAL leadership and the negativity and divisiveness such as plagues the nation, at least didn't start at the top. It's easy to understand one corrupt and morally challenged individual but much harder to explain the third of the country that supports him. My god, were they always there? Clearly, America has a way to go before declaring itself the moral leader of the 'free???' world. (free for some, certainly not free for all). Sorry for the rant, just reminiscing for days gone by.

chas

My recently deceased fried, Lefty Kreh, had the privilege of teaching Jimmy Carter how to fly fish for trout in a Pennsylvania trout stream.

When Lefty told me the story of what occurred, I laughed so hard I thought I would pee my pants. Lefty selected a heavily stocked trout stream in southern Pennsylvania, which had recently been stocked with some exceptionally large brood stock rainbow trout, some tipping the scales at nearly 5 pounds.

A day prior to the scheduled trip, US Secret Service Agents went through the stream designated area with metal detectors, bomb sniffing dogs, and checked every square inch of stream bottom, plus all the adjacent shores. Lefty said, there wasn't a rock they didn't turn over. Every fish in that segment of the stream had been spooked to the point where the only way you catch one was with a stick of dynamite or a grenade - they wouldn't get near a fly or lure. When they arrived, there were at least a dozen agents standing in the water.

Lefty took one look at the situation and told Jimmy they didn't have a prayer of catching a fish there because of the all the disturbance, so they opted to travel a mile upstream and fish an undisturbed location. The SS agents wanted to check the area first, but were talked out of it by both Lefty and Jimmy. They caught a dozen big trout during the first hour, then Jimmy invited Lefty to a dinner in Camp David, which is nearby.

Lefty, who is about as laid-back as they come, didn't know it was a black tie affair and arrived wearing his usual attire, sneakers, khaki pants, a plaid K-Mart shirt and his up/down hat. "I was the worst dressed person in the room, but it didn't seem to make any difference to Jimmy.

Lefty said the tables were covered with things he never ate, or even thought about eating. Lots of exotic dishes, caviar, pheasant under glass, wild boar, etc... "I pulled the matra D aside and asked her, pointing at Jimmy, if she knew what he did before becoming president. She didn't know. I told her he was a very famous peanut farmer and I didn't see anything that looked like a peanut dish on any of the serving table." Lefty said "If I were you I would send someone to the nearest store and get some peanut butter and a couple jars of jelly." He said in 20 minutes one of the waiters came out with a big try of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into little triangles and skewered on decorated toothpicks. "Now I had something I could eat." said Lefty.

Another good friend and Potomac River fishing guide Ken Penrod, took Jimmy Carter fishing on the tidal Potomac near Washington Channel for largemouth bass. They caught a lot of fish, despite the fact they were surrounded the entire time by high speed boats with secret service agents.

Good post, Chas,

Gary

Thing is, unquestionably, this is a man of substance...a man who, at his advanced age, does this country proud. I can even say that about the Bushes. Certainly, this was the case with the Obama's.

Look at the easily available asocial media. The kindness and concern both for family, people in general and the country is honest and life-affirming.

Today. I'm embarrassed about the state of things.

Be well, all, and appreciate each other for the good that's thee if you look for it.

Russ