I heard Fed Ex and UPS were merging. They are going to call it Fed UP!

I remember my dad telling me the story of Les Paul and a car accident. I found this and thought all you Les Paul and Mary Ford fans would like to see it.


Posted October 14, 2014
I am sure there are quite a few members that are unaware of the story of Le Paul and his car accident. Searching through some stories, I found this and thought I would post it. I just copied and pasted it from the article.

Pretty amazing actually.







Car Wreck!

In the late 1940’s, Les Paul’s career was starting to soar to new heights. He had been successful breaking into the Los Angeles music and radio scene; building up his reputation, his professional contacts, and continuing to invent and improve sound/music techniques. By January 1948, Les Paul and Mary Ford had been together for two years and he decided it was time for her to meet his family. Making a road trip out of their time off from Capitol Records, Les and Mary hit the road out of California for Waukesha, Wisconsin.





By the time Les and Mary stopped in Flagstaff, Arizona, it was clear that Les was running a fever. Les went in to see a few doctors, but they could not give an accurate diagnosis of his fever, so Les decided to wait till he could get back to Hollywood and rest up. Their visit to Waukesha went well; however, even though Les usually did all the driving, Les was too ill to drive home. Mary would have to make the long trip to California, through a January winter, with Les lying in the front seat. They ran into a winter storm and came to an area where a railroad track crossed under a highway, between the cities of Davenport and Chandler Oklahoma, when Les heard Mary scream and felt the car swerve. Les quickly shot up from his seat, kicked Mary’s foot off the brake and managed to straighten out the car a bit, but it was too late. The last memory Les had of the accident is saying to Mary, “This is it,” and throwing his right arm around Mary to protect her face. News articles reported that the car went off the side of a railroad overpass and dropped 20 feet into a ravine. There were no seatbelts and Les, Mary and all their music equipment went through the roof of the convertible as it dropped down to the frozen river below, landing upside-down. In this case, Les believed that the lack of seatbelts may have helped them survive the crash. Since the car had also downed telephone and telegraph lines, the phone company sent out work crews which then came upon the car accident; otherwise, there might not have been help for Les and Mary for a long time in that storm. Even still, Les and Mary had to wait in the snow eight hours for help.





Mary was thankfully not seriously injured. Les, however, had six broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, broken vertebrae, a punctured spleen, a broken nose, and hurt collarbones and shoulder. His right arm, the one he protected Mary with, was shattered along with a crushed elbow. He had also contracted pneumonia. Les Paul was in bad shape; he nearly died. Most doctors may have amputated the arm, but Les’ doctor, Dr. Robert Knight, was determined to save the arm. At this point, after several dark first few weeks in the hospital, Les decided to persevere and not listen to those who told him that he may never play guitar again. After several surgeries, Les was flown back to California to see a bone specialist. In Ca, Dr. McKeaver replaced Les’ right elbow with a piece of bone from Les’ leg, but there would be no elbow joint; meaning that once Les’ arm was set, it would stay in that position. So Les told Dr. McKeaver, “Put my forefinger in my bellybutton when you set it. That’s how I hold the guitar, and I’ll still be able to play.” The doctors still were telling Les that he may never regain full use of his hand, but he wasn’t listening. Les was determined to be able to play again, and after over a year of recuperation and adapting to the change in his arm, Les was not only able to play guitar, he went on to hit the top of the music charts with Mary Ford.

I had a friend who was waiting for a package. She was informed it had been delivered. She looked everywhere. Finally after several phone calls, they told her they placed it in the back seat of the car in the driveway. It wasn't her car, it was a friend of her daughters who came by to say good bye before leaving on a trip. They called her and she said her car was at home, and wasn't locked. Sure enough it was laying in the back seat, in the open, where anyone could have taken it. You wonder where they find some of their employees.

God Bless You. You touched my heart. Thank you for sharing.

Stonehenge

A couple years ago I had that same discussion in my head to climb to the top of Crazy Horse carving in Custer SD. (they allow it twice a year). I finally decided that if I tried and couldn't make it, at lease I would see some beauty that I had never seen before and the hike back down wouldn't be too bad. I did make it and will never regret that wonderful hike. Go ahead and do it, take your time, the beauty overrides any regrets and you will possibly have. I look forward to seeing your pictures.

Google; Christmas right left game. There are several different stories to fit many different groups. They are a lot of fun.

in 2033 the kids born will be known as the quaranteens.

sorry, it is attached now.

Had a rough storm go through.

I saw tinsel at the Family Dollar Store last weekend. I turned to another shopper in shock and said I hadn't seen this in years. She agreed. I hope you can find a nearby Family Dollar Store. I found some on Amazon.com :Premium Icicle Tinsel Garland for Christmas Trees - 2000 Old-Fashioned Shiny Mylar Strands - Each Strand 18 Inch Long - Kid & Pet Safe (Lead-Free) - Hang with Ornaments & Xmas Decor (Silver)

Harold. Hark the Harold angel sings.

I found that if you put your head out into the room and your feet near the back of the couch it was like a different bed. Most of the discomfort comes from the frame that lines up on your shoulders with most of your body weight when you put your head in the couch area near the back of the couch. Head out, puts your legs over that frame area and it really works.

My brother worked on my van one day. After I picked it up he called and asked how Vincent was doing. I asked who is Vincent and he said my van. I said "you named it" and he laughed and said yes. I asked why and he said as I drove away he yelled "Go Van Gogh"

Listen to this beautiful song. The message goes straight to the heart.
"When He Was On The Cross, I Was On His Mind"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L-YaD9WKYY