Hello, my name is Victor A. “Al” Hood. I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia with Patty, an absolutely lovely lady who, shortly after we met 56 years ago, said those three little words, “Get lost, loser!” But I persevered and a few months later she even said “I do.” We live just one block from the convergence of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. We have two children, two granddaughters, and two dogs.
I started this blog in August 2010 as a way to journal. When I began it was mostly my opinions of events and happenings around the country and the world. Since then, it has evolved into a reminiscence of sorts; a way to talk about my life both past and present, as well as the people in it. I really enjoy readers’ comments and insights and you have my word I will respond to everyone. I’ve gotten to know some pretty neat people along the way.
So sit back and relax and enjoy the blog!
Your pal, Al
The Cvillean 
Hey, Al! I just tried to email you, and my very funny and excellent message was returned. I guess I don’t have your correct email. So, either you have blocked me (which maybe Patty made you do after reading our racey comments back and forth—totally understandable) or I just don’t have a correct address for you for some other reason I can’t begin to comprehend because I am approaching the big 6-0.
If you haven’t been barred from coming out to play with me every once in a while (even if it’s supervised), drop me a line at lornawrites@outlook.com or dizzylorna@hotmail.com. Either works.
Hope all is well in your world!
hi al, thanks for the comment on my poem. I don’t see any way to subscribe by email….
Thanks, Susan. If you just hit follow, my posts will appear in your reader. If you’d like it my email is poppyalvah@hotmail.com. Just for your information, I lost my brother to early onset Alzheimer’s back in 2010. That’s why I follow Alzheimer’s stories.
Thanks. Unfortunately, I don’t go to my reader. I prefer to get things in my inbox. Oh well 🙂
I would like to subscribe by email too, if possible. Like many people, I don’t use reader. Is that an option you could add to your blog?
Done and thanks for following.
Great. So where is the subscription widget where we enter our email address to get the notifications?
You should be able to see it now. If not, let me know and tell me which browser you are using. Sorry for the trouble.
Sorry, I don’t see a subscribe by email widget. I’m using chrome.
This is really odd. I normally use Opera browser but I opened my site in Chrome and saw the widget. I put my email in just to test it and got a confirmation email. Have you somehow angered the cyber Gods? Also checked it on my wife’s computer using Firefox and it showed up. Maybe you have an email setting in your browser that needs to be checked. Strange….
The widget did not show apparently because I was subscribed via wordpress. When I unsubscribed via wordpress, I was able to see the widget in Firefox, and will subscribe there. However, the widget only partially showed in Chrome (there was not field in which to put my email address). I took screen shots if you want me to email them to you.
Aha! Yes, subscribing via the reader will do that. Glad you got it worked out somehow. I just realized visiting your site that I am not following. I thought I had done that. My turn to correct things. Thanks for your efforts!
Glad I found you through Margie’s blog. I have been enjoying myself wandering through your posts and comments.
Hey Al, I decided to give your blog a view. Susie sent me and I enjoy following the lives of other people 🙂 I’ve been on WordPress for a few years now, although just returned to the blog world. Look forward to getting to know you more. Have a good week!
Welcome, Nick and thanks for the visit. On my way over to view your site. Hope you enjoy my warped sense of humor.
Greetings from Cincinnati .. and a loud cheer to you for using one of my favorite music videos.
You’re welcome and thanks for visiting and commenting.
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This is where people put these things 🙂
I would be DELIGHTED If you could accept this prestigious Award
“The Blog of the Year 2013″
http://looneyatoms.com/2013/11/20/blog-of-the-year-award-2013/
I would be thrilled if you could accept!
Barbara xxx
Though I already responded through your post, I will repeat how much I appreciate you thinking of me. Finding fun people like you to blog with is, of course, it’s own reward, but when you give special public attention it really warms the heart. Looking forward to many more exchanges with you in the coming year. Our repartee is always one of the highlights of any day.
Me too! 😉
I’m wondering am I going to have to widen my repertoire of presidents for my Sunday one liners in order to keep your interest? There are just SO many Bush ones to chose from!!
No doubt you have a treasure trove of Bushisms. That was one of the endearing traits of the guy. He was regular guy….not like our narcissist-in-chief now, and the kind you would be glad to go with for a schooner of ale at the local pub. And you got the feeling he would actually go with you.
Having said all that, I look forward to the Sunday one-liners….it will continue to remind me how much I liked the guy.
He he 🙂
I will look for some presidents, but I think his are the best!
HI Melanie and welcome. Glad you join the party. We also love France and last visited in 2009. Hope to get back again soon. I myself lived in Houston (Spring Branch area) for a couple of years.
Look forward to reading your blog!
Hello Al
Thanks for dropping by and for ‘following’ – It was through Gigi I found you and also thought you were ex forces (civilian) so came over to see what you’d been up to. However that’s not going to spoil my enjoyment as I read about your retirement exploits and reminiscences of previous times 🙂
My header was taken in Bowen Queensland our favourite winter haunt ( a four day drive from our place) when we aren’t wintering overseas.
Take care
Cathy
Thanks Tilly, I got to be the first ‘like’ 🙂
Hi Barbara and welcome. Any friend of Tilly’s is a friend of mine! I’ll be over to comment on your blog shortly.
Ps, just out of interest, why ‘the cvillean’ ?
That is an excellent question, Barbara. We retired here in Virginia Beach last June. Prior to that we lived in Charlottesville, Virginia (Thomas Jefferson’s home). Residents of Charlottesville fondly refer to the town as Cville. When I started my blog I inadvertently ran the words the cvillean together. Tilly Bud likes to kid me that I don’t know how to spell “civilian”.
Well, being dyslexic, I read it as civilian first, and it was only after reading a few of your pages I realised it wasn’t…
PPS
I followed you, and yet according to your ‘follow’ widget you still have 69 followers… or was that just me being dyslexic and reading 68 as 69? (I was born in ’69 so this would be an easy mistake for me to make!)
I noticed that too. Which reminds me, how do I follow yours? I didn’t see a place to click “follow this blog”? I don’t want to keep you up trying to figure this out. Getting late there isn’t it?
hmmmm…. you’re on WordPress aren’t you? It should be on the header bar up top of my page?
Off to bed now, I have an early start tomorrow…. let me know if you can’t find the ‘follow’ button & i’ll add a widget ‘specially 🙂
I just found your blog through Winsomebella, which was my “first favorite” when I started following blogs about a year ago. I find that there are a limited number that really strike me as interesting and compatible enough to follow, and yours is now on that list. I am an aspiring blogger – one of these days I will jump in and do it.
Hi and welcome! Thanks for the comment. As far as I’m concerned, winsomebella’s blog is the standard by which all others should be judged. There are all types of course, some mostly humor (like mine, I hope), some dedicated to hobbies, others to pets or places etc. But for pure esthetic content and poetry of words, hers is hard to beat.
Look forward to seeing you take the leap into blogging. Be sure to let us know where to find you!
P.S. You have an interesting gravatar.
Thanks – the gravatar is a pic of a tennis themed cupcake that a friend made for me when I retired from my last job. She is good enough to go pro if she wanted to!
I sort of stumbled on this page because there was no new post to read and, apart from reading your stuff was delighted by the photograph of the dog. I see you were there to stop it eating the camera but it looks pretty tame to me. I’m a keen dog fan myself, and have had many of my deepest conversations with them
Thanks for the comment, ducks. Yes, she’s a pretty good pup and as it turns out, she is the only one who will listen to my problems without judging. I fervently believe they do add years to your life.
Hope you enjoyed your trip! 🙂
You may not want another award, but I am nominating you for The Booker Award. Yes THE Booker Award! No, not THE Booker Award. Check out my blog in a day or two and read all about it…
Thanks, Lorna. I’ll take any award I can get. I prefer rewards, but awards are good also.
In case you wondered, we were in Colorado for a week so I was out of touch. I’ll catch up soon!
Got some flapjacks and a blog award for you! http://idiosyncraticeye.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/flapjacks-for-al-and-sunshine/ 🙂
Thanks again. If you ever want to start a porridge flapjack restaurant chain, count me in as an investor.
I just found this bio. I don’t know if it was here all along or whether I need new glasses. Nice bio. Dianne
Hi Dianne. It’s been here right along but glad you found it. I’ll need to revise it some after we move.
Hi Al! I just gave your the much-coveted Rudolph Award. Just posted the poop about it. You can thank me later!
Yes, I saw that right after you posted it, Lorna. I commented. Thank You!
You saw the post today, right? Any questions, just call my people. No wait. Don’t. They’re busy polishing and arranging all my awards in my new display cabinet…
Hey, Al. Ready for another award? This is an easy one–the Reader’s Appreciation Award. You’ll love the rules–you don’t have to do anything!
Tell me more!!
Hi Al,
Found your blog through Lorna’s blog awards, and am very glad I came to visit – I will definitely be back! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Hawleywood. So glad you came aboard and hope you’ll enjoy. I have a special blog planned to honor Pearl Harbor day so stay tuned for that. I’m going over to check out your blog now.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Just wanted you to know I nominated you for an award. Check out my blog! Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂
I’m on my way over there right now.
Hello Al, I found you via Tilly Bud and her Cowabunga award. I’m looking forward to reading your blogs – they sound like good fun!
Thank you Elaine. I’ll be over to check out your site too.
Thanks for the visit!
“You can’t sprinkle happiness on someone else without spilling a few drops on yourself.”
Excellent philosophy!
Glad you agree. You sprinkled a few on me by the way.
Glad I found you via Tilly’s Cowabunga. lol. I am going to add your blog to my blogroll and will visit daily. Aloha!
Thanks gigi. I will do the same. In fact, considering where you live, I may visit it several times a day during the winter.
Keep an eye our for my blog on December 7th, it will feature that area.
Thanks again for the visit.
You have some fun posts; I’ve enjoyed looking around.
Thanks for the visit. Also enjoyed your blog. You are one articulate and funny lady. As Arnold would say, “I’ll be bock.”
I am enjoying rummaging through your blogs. Big Al your the best!
Hi li’l sis. Glad you came on board. I promise I’m not going to blog about your encounter with the bird……or maybe…….?
This is good stuff. Glad I found you
Thanks. Your comments are much appreciated and I hope you’ll come back often.
Where’s your ‘Like’ button??
Thanks for pointing that out. I’ll get that fixed.
Thanks for dropping by, hope I don’t bore you to death with my witterings…
Not at all. I Look forward to more of your “witterings.” I love that word!