My Bride of 56 years aka Joyce, has been by my side participating in my small business adventurers, hunting, trapping, fishing, camping, etc., and is a very wonderful "soul" mate, wife and mother of our three children and my best friend.  The older one gets or at least speaking for myself, I do go back in time reflecting on things that have stuck in my memory bank and will share some of those with you in hope that you can visualize the events and just maybe get a grin to come forth as well.

Above pix of my bride and myself taken in 1968....what a baby doll and still is! 

WET AND COLD

I worked second shift with the North Carolina Department of Correction for seven (7) years and during that time all three of our children were in school and we both had free time until around 1:00 PM each work day and my bride and myself fished, hunted and trapped on Blewett Falls Lake, Pee Dee River in Anson County, NC. during the cold winter months.   As I vividly remember, my bride went with me to check a trap line during late December or January in the early 1980s with the temperature below freezing.  The boat ride up river took about 20 minutes in a 16 foot modified vee John boat propelled by a Mercury 50HP outboard motor running at full throttle and the wind chill was horrendous to say the least.  It felt like your eyeballs would freeze and even with several layers of clothing, it was nearly impossible to stay comfortable but somehow we endured.   We got to our designation and started checking a few traps and the trapping set was for bobcats.  My traps were set on a very steep narrow ledge with a heavily used trail and the embankment leading up to the ledge was an almost vertical red clay bank slopping down to the waters edge.  I think I told my bride to stay put but not sure on that exact detail and I cut the boat motor off and drifted to the bank and stepped out onto the narrow ledge.  I walked maybe several yards when all of a sudden I heard some type of sound which didn't sound human and quickly turned to face the sound!  I saw my bride trying to grip the red clay bank with her fingers digging (clawing) in as she was slowly sliding down into the ice cold water below.  I hurriedly got to her and pulled her from the icy water of which she was wet from heat to toe.  As stated, we were at least 20 minutes from the boat landing, no heat source on the boat or extra dry clothes and I headed back down the river and within a few minutes my brides teeth were loudly chattering with hyperthermia setting in.  By the time we got back to the landing and loaded the boat onto the trailer, my bride was shaking badly and it took forever for the 1964 Chevy to warm up and that still didn't help get her warm.  Upon arriving home and with warm dry clothes on, it took most of the day before she actually felt warm again.  I asked her to detail what happened and she said she wanted to get out onto the bank but when she stepped off the front of the the boat, it immediately went backwards away from the bank and she was left with one foot on the narrow ledge and no place to go but straight down the embankment into the freezing water and tried to claw herself out but it didn't work.  To this day, I have never heard that type of sound she emitted before and there were "claw" marks from her fingers in the red clay bank.....well, grin if you must!  Pix below of my bride taken while I was still in the US Navy.  Still get erratic heart beats just from viewing and posting this pix....grin if you must!

ARRESTED

Sometime in 1969 while working for the North Carolina Telephone Company in Wadesboro, NC my Brother Allen and first cousin Johnny Ray Coley (deceased) and myself got arrested by Stewart Armfield (deceased) Game Warden in Union County for attempting to illegally take deer at night with firearms and auxiliary light source.   To make a long story short, we were found not guilty by Judge Fetzer Mills as the Game Wardens gave conflicting information on stand and Judge Mills dismissed the case.  Judge Mills did tell us, "Boys if you bring anything like this in the court room again, bring your tooth brushes with you because you are going up river for a while"; might not be his exact words, but the meaning is the same and we certainly didn't forget it either.  All I am going to say is, we practiced our testimony better than the Game Wardens....grin if you must!  Since Stewart Armfield and his "side kick" were from Union County our local Game Warden Ralph Griffin (deceased) was present during the trial here in Anson County and I guess made it his personal business to keep track on yours truly because every time I came out of the woods, Ralph would be there checking my hunting license and game.  This went on for several hunting seasons and I finally stopped hunting for a while because of the harassment.  Eventually, I started back hunting again and sure enough, Ralph would be there checking my hunting license at every opportunity. 

Above pix of Ralph Griffin on duty back around July 1979.  I guarantee you, he never forgot that court case.

SQUIRREL HUNTING

My bride wanted to go squirrel hunting with me near Savannah Church in Lilesville so I told her I would get her a county hunting license of which I did.  My bride had the above pistol (revolver) on her side and also carried a .22 cal. rifle and I believe I had a shotgun with me.  We killed at least one squirrel that morning and when we exited the woods, I handed the squirrel and shotgun to her to safely get through the barbed wire fence and we started walking across the pasture and guess what?  Ralph Griffin was riding by and when he saw us he slammed the brakes on his vehicle very quickly and was grinning like a possum eating persimmons.  By the time we got ready to exit the other side of the pasture, Ralph had gotten out of his vehicle and standing there waiting on us. 

Ralph looked at my bride and had a grin that Colgate toothpaste would be envious of and stated, "I would like to check the young lady's hunting license please".  I said. "ok" and produced her hunting license and his mouth dropped open as wide and deep as the Grand Canyon.....he stuttered and mumbled something with a little sarcasm in his voice and asked me if she was my wife.  Apparently, he didn't look at the hunting license that well with her full name and address on it!   I think my grin could easily match his prior grin which added insult to injury.  My bride and myself enjoyed a humongous laugh after Ralph got into his vehicle and left.

I told my hunting buddies about the incident and less than a week later we were at the Hub Restaurant here in Wadesboro, NC having lunch when the Game Wardens including Ralph Griffin were present and my buddies harassed him heavily saying, "I would like to check the young lady's hunting license please" and all except the Game Wardens would burst out into a a loud roar laughing at the top of their lungs.  I believe that broke Ralph from "sucking eggs" since I don't remember him checking my hunting license after that.  My bride has definitely not forgotten that incident to this day!

PISTOL PACKING MOMMA NAME ACQUISITION

You might wonder, how my bride earned the name, Pistol Packing Momma?  When my bride and myself would go hunting or just rambling and scouting, etc., she normally would wear the .22 Magnum caliber pistol (actually a revolver) and a large Buck hunting knife on the opposite side of the belt and I would usually take a rifle or shotgun.   As I recall, we were returning from squirrel hunting and stopped at a small store near Goodwin's ole store in Lilesville, NC at the intersection of Ingram Mountain Road and Stanback Ferry Road, I told my bride to wait in the car as I went inside to get us a snack and a soft drink.   While paying for the items purchased, the store owner's mouth dropped wide open, horrified looking eyes and I wondered what in the world had happened as he was looking intently toward the front door of his place!  I turned and looked and low and behold there standing in the doorway was my bride with the side arm on and 8 inch length Buck knife and I guess he had never seen a woman with a pistol and knife on before.  I think I told my bride to go back out of the store with the pistol on and the store owner was still shaking a little when he counted back change to me.  My bride said she could not figure out why everyone in the store was looking at her so shocked including myself!  My bride and myself almost tore a gut loose from laughing so hard when I got back into the car recalling the horrified look on the store keepers face....go ahead and grin if you must!

Also, during our many years of camping on Blewett Falls Lake, my bride would wear one of my Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum model 686 revolvers that I kept loaded with shot shell pellets for snakes, etc. which did draw some looks from passing by boaters.  Of course her beautiful body had much more eye appeal that the Smith & Wesson side arm for sure!  Grin if you must!  

Above pix taken after our youngest Daughter Lisa was born.  

GOING FURTHER BACK IN TIME

I have known my bride since the 6th grade in school, 1957 when their family relocated to Wadesboro from Belmont, NC.  I still remember the yellow dress that she had on when they came to the Wadesboro Church of God on August 11, 1957.  She was very tanned from the sun and had long braided pig tails....must have been love at first sight.  A pix of my future bride and her twin brother Boyce taken in May, 1962:

It was during the 11th or 12th grade (1963 or 1964) in one of the Wadesboro High School classes that my bride to be wore a pink wrap around skirt and somehow the button that held it together down the side came loose exposing the most beautiful left leg and luscious thigh area that I had ever seen.  I still have some carnal thoughts and images embedded in my brain today......grin if you must!  Joyce was totally unaware that her skirt was open exposing that wonderful view!  She said she remembers me asking her when was she going to wear that pink skirt again and it was after we married that I confessed to why I was asking about that particular pink skirt.  The innocence and not so innocence of youth!  UPDATED:  07-22-16.

Below a pix of my future bride on the right in photo taken in 1957.  They lived in Belmont, NC until August 1957.

I had a good normal interest in the young ladies while I was in lower school grades, but as I got older I was into hunting, fishing and trapping during my teenage years and my bride and myself never really went on any dates, but attended several Church functions and outings. 

Below is a picture of one of our Church class trips to Morrow Mountain State Park back around 1960.......just a guess at the date, but it is pretty close:

In the top photo, I am the second from the right and the bottom photo, Joyce aka my bride to be is in the front right.  My bride said she tried to get close to me during the day and it appeared I would not let her get close to me.......like I say in the next paragraph, "I was dumb as a fence post."  That might have been a good thing, otherwise our son William, Jr. would be in his mid 50's by now instead of coming up on his 48ths birthday........grin if you must!

I enlisted in the US Navy in August 1964 and after completing basic training in Great Lakes, Illinois, I then attended a six month plus Radioman school in Bainbridge, MD.   I was then assigned to a radio relay station in Morocco, Africa and had a few weeks of annual leave before heading to my new duty assignment.  I wrote my bride to be while in Boot Camp and Radio School and while I was home on leave, Joyce aka my future bride gave me a going away party at my Grandma Coley's home and there were four or five young ladies from our Church present.  Toward the end of the party my bride and myself somehow got alone in my old bedroom (romantic huh) of which I believe she took the lead and I nervously showed her every award and certificate I had earned while in the US Navy.  I think I did manage up enough nerve to pat her on the shoulder before she left and I am sure she was at least expecting a good hug and kiss.  I was dumb as a fence post!  I am certain that was a big let down to her for sure.

We continued to write each other while I was over seas for two years and when I returned home for a months annual leave in August of 1967 to my Grandma Coley's home, she said that Joyce had called and wanted me to call her when I got in and it was getting late around 10ish at night.  I called her and asked what she was doing and she said, "Laying in her bed about to go to sleep".  I replied, "Wait right there I will come down and take care of you"!  She said, "Who is this?"  and I said, "Mickey" of which she could not believe it was me because of the accent I had acquired and also shocked by my extremely bold and forward manner instead of my prior shyness.  She vividly recalls with great clarity when she saw me the next day that I was very dark from the sunbathing on the African continent, wore skin tight pants, pointed toe boots, hair bleached blonde from the sun and had a shirt with the sleeves torn out and tied into a knot at the bottom of the shirt and a scraggly looking thin mustache and beard.  I must concur that the shyness was gone and I was indeed very loud too.  My Grandma Coley stated that they sent the wrong boy back home....grin if you must!  

My bride later told me, Grandma Coley would go around behind her home and cry, stating that they sent the wrong boy back home!

Joyce's Dad Henry, told me while I was at their home that if I wanted to continue to see his daughter that I needed to shave and wear some decent clothes; e.g., long pants because I believe I had some shorts on at the time.  Henry was old school all the way and tough as a lightered knot and I definitely wanted to continue to see Joyce,  therefore I shaved the puny scraggly mustache and mangy looking beard and as they say, "The Rest Is History."

Below a pix of my bride to be on August 19, 1965 from a portrait taken......had to scan it and run it through PhotoShop and use the clone stamp since it has a lot of damage due to the mounting:

Below pix of my bride to be taken in December 1963.  This is one of my "most favorite" pix of her before we were married:

Below  a pix of Joyce aka my bride in my Grandmother's kitchen after we were married.  There is an antique foot pedal drive Singer sewing machine in the right hand side of the pix too.

Below pix of my bride taken in January 1968 at Grandma Coley's home; my old bedroom.

Below pix of my bride taken in February 1968 at our first home (apartment in Ocean View, Virginia, part of Norfolk) while I was still in the US Navy.  She is still my bride!  06-13-15.

Another one of my favorite pixs of my bride aka Pistol Packing Momma:

I will add additional comments to this page when I have flashbacks from the past that are rated less than PG that have produced some serious grins.

Web posted by Bill aka Mickey Porter  10-16-12.

WONDER WOMAN

Back in the late 1970s through out the 1980s, our family camped each year on Blewett Falls Lake, Pee Dee River, on the Anson County Side which encompassed doing daily chores to keep our campsite looking top notch.  During those years, my bride aka Joyce had a favorite camping shirt that had white stars on a blue background on it similar to the outfit that the cartoon character Wonder Woman wore and the kids would have fun calling her Wonder Woman.  We usually had to cut back the undergrowth from the previous year and remove anything that would present a hazard to our three kids and ourselves.  During one of our camping trips, we were removing a few dead trees using a very small chain saw that had a 10 inch chain bar on it and also cut up much firewood with the same saw.  I remember one incident of getting ready to cut down a hazardous looking dead tree at least 8 inches in diameter, whereas my bride went over there pushed against the tree with one hand and the dead tree moved a little forward, then backwards; she gave the dead tree another light push and the tree continued to move back and forth and after a few more oscillations came crashing down to the ground with a big bang sending a few dead limbs flying everywhere.  Our kids were in a safe zone and observed what had happened and I believe all three of them hollered at one time, "You are Wonder Woman".  My bride said she really didn't exert much energy at all; the dead tree was apparently about ready to fall from its own weight at any minute.  The kids continued to call her Wonder Woman when she had that particular top/shirt on.  I don't think I have a picture on file of that particular top but will look through some ole slides when time permits, probably after the first of the year! 

To further enforce the idea to our kids that my bride was really Wonder Woman, all of us were at our home in the back yard having fun and my bride was hanging clothes on a clothes line (you don't see many of those anymore) wearing that same blue shirt with the white stars and I was horse playing with her.  I ran toward her and she ducked downward and I went over the top of her and as she raised up, she propelled me airborne and I flipped over onto my back in a split second and got the air expelled from my lungs totally when I landed on the hard ground thereby gasping for breath.  The kids had a riot laughing at what had happened and again, you guessed it, "Wonder Woman" at the top of their lungs!  My bride said she really didn't know what had happened but was amazed that I was lying on the ground on my back far behind her trying to get my breath back.  Opps., I forgot, I taught Unarmed Self-Defense Tactics for about 15 years off and on with the NC Department of Correction and used my bride as a training partner at times.   A good example of  Aikido redirecting the force or energy of an attacker.  Grin if you must!   Below a couple pixs archived from that time period: 

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter 10-18-12 with updated pixs on 04-07-15.

SHOPPING FOR A NEW BED

Sometime back in the middle to late 1970s, can't remember the date on this one, we decided to replace our ole bed and upgrade to a new bedroom suite of furniture and went to a large Factory Outlet Complex owned by Terry Brown in Waxhaw, NC.  Normally, when a man and woman enter a furniture store, the sales person will head directly toward the woman recognizing a possible sale of which the salesman did in this case.  He introduced himself and said something to the effect of "how can I help you" and my bride stated,  "We are looking for a bed" and the salesman said, "What kind of bed are you looking for", and my bride promptly stated, "One that want scoot around on the floor" and the salesman's mouth dropped open and I guess mine did too because my bride looked at both of us as to why we were looking that way!  It didn't take long before I broke out into some serious laughter and he did too.  I guess we both somehow got a different mental picture going than what my bride did because she didn't see it funny as we did.  It had to been a man type thing or something.

In defense of my bride, our bedroom floor was hardwood and the bed was light duty.............grin if you must!

Anyway, we purchased a King Sized bedroom suite made by Singer here in NC and believe me, it certainly did not and does not scoot around on the floor.  In fact, it took a couple of us just to move the headboard and other parts being that heavy.  The upright vertical posts were at least 8 inches square near the connection between the bed frame and tapered with a humongous sized round wooden shaped cannonball sitting atop each corner post.  Archived pix below:

REPLACED ABOVE BED

Due to my bride's health issues, the above bed was too high off the floor.  The top of the mattress was 36 inches from the floor.  Earlier, I built a tapered ramp to help her get into/out of the bed and a grab bar mounted on the wall, but due to her right knee giving way, we decided it was time to get a Queen size bed and one with a maximum floor to the top of the mattress of 24 inches.

NOTE:  I looked at the possibility of cutting the legs down and dropping the box springs down, but it wasn't feasible due to the bed rails, etc..

Also, we needed more room to access a wheelchair and/or rollator and the King size bed was too large in width for the smallish bedroom.  Our ole home place had at least 14 feet square bedrooms.

I purchased a Queen size bed and mattress from Martin Furniture here in Wadesboro, NC and donated the bed and Armoire to our local Restore and hope someone will enjoy it as much as we have over the many decades.

Years ago, we placed a black screen behind the window shades to inhibit outside light from coming in, therefore the curtains look much darker than they actually are.  Yes, they were recently laundered...............grin if you must!  Also, the bedroom needs a fresh coat of paint, since this is the original paint when we purchase the home in 1989.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 08-10-2021 and 08-12-2021. 

Below pix of my bride and myself about that time frame.  Maximum estrogen and testosterone levels:

Time sure does go by quickly and we both are senior citizens being 76 years old this year 2022.  My bride is still the love of my life and I still have the mental image of the first time I saw her which was August 11, 1957 as her family entered into the Wadesboro Church of God here in Wadesboro, NC for the Sunday morning service.  She had a yellow dress on, pig tails and a dark tanned complexion from the sun.  My bride still remembers the skinny little boy she saw with a flat top haircut, white buck skin shoes on, plaid shirt, white leather belt and tan pants on being yours truly............grin if you must!  We got married in 1968 and the rest is history.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter 06-12-13 and updated on 04-05-15 and 04-12-2022.

PISTOL PACKING MOMMA BEFORE OUR MARRIAGE 1967

While looking for a few pixs of my friends Leonard and Johnnie Hogue of Archdale, NC, I ran across some scans of early photos of my bride and myself before we were married.  I believe we were down at the beach at the time.  I got a good grin out of those pixs for sure....time really goes by far too fast.

My bride to be has a good grin going too!  Welcome to Hollywood!

Pix of my bride to be in August 1967 not long after I returned home for Morocco, Africa.

Above pix taken in January 1968, on our wedding day!  I remember that very well too!

Above pix of my bride on July 3, 1977; she was a Den Mother and Scout Leader too.

Above pix of my bride taken at the Police Lodge on December 2, 1978 at Boyce Adcock's annual Christmas party.  Check out the intensity on my brides face and also the cue ball is totally airborne.

Pix of my bride above taken on December 3, 1978....she is still as beautiful as ever even though we are both Senior Citizens now!

Pix taken between 1975 to 1978 when I had my musical instrument repair shop and mail order business at our home on White Store Road.  Pix dated by the ole Bunn o'matic commercial coffee maker in the far background on the hot water heater and a Tupperware pitcher on the stove top.  One of my observant friends, Linda Driggers of Cheraw, SC also noticed the tomatoes in the window.

My bride receiving "Mother of the Year" award on May 10, 1981 with Mrs. "Donna" Avon Craven pinning on a flower.

Above Rev. Avon K. Craven presenting the Mother of the Year Award and Mrs. Melba Paul on the left.

Pix of my bride aka pistol packing manna taken at our Wadesboro Church of God homecoming June 4, 2017.  She is still the love of my life!

Web published updated pixs by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-06-15, 06-09-15, 06-13-15, 06-14-15, 02-16-16, 07-22-16, 01-24-17, 02-03-18, 01-25-19 and 08-03-2024.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be attained.   

Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.