True. Ciao can go either way but I didn't think of it. Paula spoke italian fluently with my grandmother. My grandmother was "off the boat." Speaking italian was something Paula kept as a secret. Her brothers, in laws spoke italian with her family in the room and used to talk behind their backs but Paula understood them.

I wrote in Paula's casket, "Il nostro amore è eterno."
Which means, "Our love is eternal."

As far as the plate goes. I'm in no rush. I want it to be perfect. Thanks for the help again.

Keith

It could be as simple as 4PAULA

Here in Michigan the MC dealers ect. all carry those cool little gremlin bells. They have one with the breast cancer pink ribbon on it. I bought one.

Well, a few years ago we had a long thread on "Gremlin / Guardian bells.
Here in a nutshell is the story.  

<snip>

Legend has it Evil Road Spirits have been latching themselves on to motorcycles for as long as there have been bikes on the road. These Evil Road Spirits are responsible for mechanical problems and bad luck along a journey.
Legend goes on to say that by attaching a small bell onto your bike, the Evil Road Spirits will become trapped inside the bell where the constant ringing drives them insane, making them lose their grip until they fall to the ground. (Ever wonder where pot-holes come from?)
Legend also has it that the mystery of the gremlin guardian bell carries twice as much power when it is purchased by a friend or loved one and given as a gift. Show someone how much you care. Offer them defense against the Evil Road Spirits! Give a Guardian Bell and share the Legend of Good Luck it offers to a motorcycle and its rider!

Some variations of the Bell Legend also suggest that Guardian Bells should be mounted as low on the motorcycle as possible.

Here is the full story of the bell.

Many years ago, on a cold December night, a crusty old biker was returning from a trip to Mexico with his saddlebags filled with toys and other assorted trinkets for the kids at a group home near where he worked.

As he rode along that night thinking how lucky he had been in life, having a loving riding partner that understood his need to roam the highways and to his trusty old pan that hadn’t let him down once in the many years they had shared the road together.

Well about 40 miles north of the border, in the high desert, lurked a small group of notorious little critters known as road gremlins. You know, the ones who always leave little obstacles like, one shoe, boards, and pieces of old tires on the road, and also dig those dreaded potholes for bikers to run over and crash, thus giving the road gremlins a chance to rejoice over their acts of evil.

Well, as the biker rounded a curve that moonlit night, the gremlins ambushed him, causing him to crash to the asphalt and skid before coming to a stop next to one of his saddlebags that had broken free. As he lay there, unable to move, the road gremlins made their way towards him. Well, this biker, not being one to give up, started throwing things at the gremlins as they approached him. Finally, with nothing else to throw but a bell, he started ringing it in hopes to scare off the dirty little gremlins.

About a half a mile away, camped in the desert, were two bikers sitting around the campfire talking about their day’s ride, and the freedom of the wind blowing in their faces as they rode across this vast country. In the stillness of the night air they heard what sounded to them like church bells ringing, and upon investigating, found the old biker lying along the roadside with the gremlins about to get him. Needless to say, being part of the biker brotherhood, they preceded to ward off the gremlins until the last ran off into the night.

Being grateful to the two bikers, the old road dog offered to pay them for their help, but as all true bikers do, they refused to accept any type of payment from him. Not being one to let a good deed go unnoticed, the old biker cut two pieces of leather from his saddlebags tassels and tied a bell to each one. He then placed them on each of the biker’s motorcycles, as near to the ground as possible. The tired, old road warrior then told the two travelers that with those bells placed on their bikes, they would be protected from the road gremlins and that if ever in trouble, just ring the bell and a fellow biker will come to their aid. So, whenever you see a biker with a bell, you know that he has been blessed with the most important thing in life—friendship from a fellow biker.

Many of us have heard the story about Evil Road Spirits. They are little gremlins that live on your bike. They love to ride, and they’re also responsible for most of your bike’s problems. Sometimes your turn signals refuse to work; your battery goes dead, the clutch needs adjustment, or any of several hundred things that can go wrong. These problems are caused by Evil Road Spirits.

Evil Road Spirits can’t live in the presence of the bell, because they get trapped in the hollow of the bell. Among other things, their hearing is supersensitive, so the constant ringing of the bell and the confined space drives them insane. They lose their grip and eventually fall to the roadway.

Have you ever wondered how potholes are formed? The bell has served its purpose.

If you pick up a gremlin bell of your own, the magic will work, but if your bell is given to you, the power is doubled, and you know that somewhere you have a special friend helping to look after you. So, if you have a friend who doesn’t have a bell,  It’s a nice feeling for the recipient to know you care. The bell, plus a good preventive maintenance program by the bikes owner, will help eliminate Evil Road Spirits.

It has been a tradition among some of us for a long time to attach a gremlin bell to our left swing arm, to remember our brothers and sisters who have gone down riding.

It’s a small thing, but every time we ride we are reminded of friends lost, and our thoughts turn to the meaning of being in the wind.
As we ride and hear the bell ring, we know that our brothers and sisters are riding with us, and how easy it would be to join them with a single mistake.

And maybe, just maybe, the next time a situation comes up; they will be there to help us...as long as we remember them with the bell.

**********************************************

PS Many of us not only remember riders who went down with the bells, we also remember those who we love and carry with us in our hearts whever we go.  

*Starlifter

You are welcome webhead.

There are many options and styles of Gremlin / Guardian bells available both online and off.
(Not an endorsement), but check out this online site  www.rudedogleather.com   just to see some of the many designs available to choose from.

when you reach the site's home page, look to the blue column on the left. You will see "Guardian Bells" listed. Click on that to see the designs.

Mine is made of pewter and comes in nice little pouch. It cost $5.00. The ones on this site are made of brass and seem to be a lot more detailed, but they are also more expensive and sell for around $10.00.

If your motive is to let people know how you feel, a pink ribbon would be more effective than a personalized plate.

arteacher wrote on 06/02/11 at 05:10:53:


Already have that on the fender. Thanks.

I get the same reaction from people when they see my cars. I do talk to people and do talks helping people. Making them aware.  I try to give them the "what if's". My wife prepared me if this happened. She was a very smart person.

I found out that TN has the support plates for cars, not sure about bikes. I've only seen one in traffic so far, on an Expedition. I wasn't going to license one of my antiques unless I could get an ag plate, but... What's an extra $50 a year? I think customized runs an extra $100 a year. So it would be either $139 or $189 for a year instead of $89.

If they can issue a support plate for the bike consider it done. My bike is already an attention getter, should be back in service in the next month or so.