Where has Spring Sprung?

Sorry for the silence the last few weeks. Many things have been going on and I just didn’t feel like writing if I couldn’t give it the time I felt it deserved.

May 20-23 was spent at State Bowling Tournament with my son. We both didn’t do as well as we wanted too but we had no reason to hang our head. I really enjoyed the time with my son wishing we could somehow do it more. Only now I realize the wasted times in the first 18 years of his life and what could have been. I shall not make the same mistake twice.

This week an old friend announced she is moving back home after many years away from it. It is almost like losing a child. After helping her rebuild her life as an abused spouse, I sometimes wish I could have done more but help can only be given as it is wanted and needed. I wish her the best and all happiness as she goes into the next phase of her life.

May 23-25 was spent in the mountains at a very secluded cabin. Perched beside the river our deck touched the river bank. A large Jacuzzi sat on that deck allowing us to soak while watching the river flow by. Add the fresh caught grilled rainbow trout and you get very near heaven. All in all it was a very quiet and nice few days.

June 1 – 6 was spent in Indiana for my nieces wedding and my In-laws 50^th anniversary. She is the oldest of the grand-daughters and chose their anniversary as her wedding date. The interesting thing is that everyone is pouring through all of the boxes of old pictures that my mother-in-law has. We shared a lot of laughs and snickers as we looked at pictures of people from 25-30 years ago. Pictures of kids now grown but forever captured as a toddler. Gee, was I ever that thin or have that much hair?

This past year has been rather frustrating when it comes to bowling. My average slipped and I began to wonder if age was finally catching up. Making a few changes didn’t help either this year as I watched my average slip some 15 pins. So I made some equipment changes and style changes to try and regain the old form. But Memorial weekend it all clicked and I saw the old form return and I was able to devastate the pins with nearly a 235 average for the whole weekend (9 games). Now I am excited for the regular season and tournament season to return.

The oldest son got rear ended the other week. I was surprised when he declined to file a complaint against the young lady. All he wanted was his car fixed. As he said, “she suffered enough having to fix both cars. Especially since her car had just came out of the shop earlier that week.”

Work Scene: Just hired a new assistant. For now it is nice having three of us but a hard choice will have to be made when the second person completes workman’s comp. As usual they gave me help but added two new projects for this summer. Oh, well. The only way to get out of this circle is to retire. Not yet but soon, sooner than they think.

To my Brothers in Arms in all services, I salute you and I say a silent prayer for all of them that gave their life that I might be free.

In the News:

Jackson: Let’s get it over with. He is guilty but will walk free because of who he is. The really sad part is that he will flee to Europe to live where the laws are not so clear and there is a ready pool of orphaned children from the conflicts in Eastern Europe. Orphans mean no parents to blow the whistle on his perverse life style.

I see where there is a new push for more media – source confidentiality following the Deep Throat revelations. Have we already forgotten the repercussions of the Washington Post fiasco or Dan Rather source problems? What we need is more integrity and accountability from media and their sources. Instead of “I am sorry” there should be some punishment for their actions. If I as Joe Q. Public did this I would be prosecuted or at a minimum sued.

Let’s quit making Deep Throat a hero. I am tired of the coverage for some one who in reality was a disgruntled employee who threw a tantrum because he didn’t get the job he wanted. The anonymity given him allowed him to retire and live off the government he so despised. Talk about being two-faced. Could we allow anonymous sources, but their identity is sealed by a Grand Jury for 10 years?

On the way home, I was standing in that proverbial never moving line at the security check-in at the airport. The TSA person walks bay and says “Sir, shoes and belt need to come off before going through the metal detector.” So I complied. The four kids in front of me started to remove theirs as any well-mannered kid would. The TSA person stops and replies, “Oh, you kids don’t need to remove your shoes, only adults!” Excuse me, but how many bombers have small children? This same tactic messed us up in Vietnam because of our belief children can’t be combatants. The terrorist profile would show the kids would be a higher probability than an old man. Come on, TSA, get the job done right.

For My Role-Play friends:

The Duke sat there as the Barrister implored him to force his wife to reveal her complete lineage. He knew why it must be done but he didn’t like it. He knows the Duchess is extremely protective of her early years and the true identity of her father. Finally he gave in to the Barrister’s pressing. “I will get the information.” As his eyes swept the room as if he was searching for a way to do it.

Not far away, the Duchess sat there brushing her daughter’s hair. The girl rested with her head on her mother’s lap. “Mother, who was my grandfather? It seems everyone is asking about him. Why won’t you tell us?” “Well, my princess, he as a great man and because of that many people was jealous and would like to hurt his family. I couldn’t bear to think of you being hurt.” With a wry smile breaking across her face, “besides, if grandfather heard that you were hurt, he would ride here and take revenge like they have never seen.” That caused the young girl to lurch up, “Really? He would come and rescue me?” The Duchess smiled. “Just as fast as his horse could run, you are the one person he cherishes above life itself.” And with that the princess leaped up and ran off with thoughts of a white knight saving her.