Day of Feasts and Family

Once again, I have been less than faithful in keeping this page up. I accept my punishment of flogging with 50 wet noodles. Only about 6 weeks till vacation week. I am really looking forward to the sun and fun. Lady is too. The Youth bowling is going ok and we have been hanging on to the 3rd place for several weeks now. We just can't seem to take the next step and move up. The Sunday Night league is interesting in that we are doing better than last year but can't get out of the bottom 3. Green Giant is back and settling in nicely. His ribs don't protest too much. Work is the same. Perfection and 24/7 support is expected of us but mediocrity is allowed for others. The web server has been a pain for me the last two weeks but hopefully I now have it under control and running right. A little birdie told me Star and Chicken Man are returning to Virginia to try their luck here once more. I thought Georgia was heaven! Oh well, we wish them all the luck in the world and besides it might be nice to have them closer than a measly 10 hour drive. Not much change for #1 and #2. #1 gets hooked for babysitting a lot now that Peanut is working again. While I wish she was here for the kids, I understand her decision. Lew is doing great at bowling and hopefully he will start swinging the ball in January. We tried it this season but he wasn't quite ready. Lil Princess, well what can be said. She has the beauty, personality, and youthfulness that will melt any heart. Though finesse isn't in the cards yet. I can spot that attempt to persuade me instantly! AJ is a hand full but a fun handful. This Christmas should prove to be the best one ever. Vinny is growing like a weed and is already up to 16 pounds. We just had to switch the formula over to Soy-based to help him out with his stomach and gas. Cereal is next to come though this morning he managed to eat a bit of my oatmeal. I couldn't get it in fast enough.

Thanksgiving was great. Vinny and I watched football and had crab dip and generally interspersed naps during the commercials. Lady and Peanut put together a spread worth waiting for. Though Star and Chicken man weren't here physically, I had my family all around and that was great. I hope Christmas is a carbon copy with Star and Chicken man physically here! I was asked once what I wished for on Thanksgiving and I answered Family and the fulfillment of one little secret wish. I received the Family part but not the other.

I am avoiding the stores on Black Friday though Lady is braving the Crafts store as she gets some stuff for Christmas presents.

Dallas Cowboys are moving up just as fast as the Redskins are imploding. It seems like forever since the 'Skins 3-1 start.

Memory Lane - October 2011

Well, we made it safely to Florida and back home. The drive was beautiful with the leaves changing but no matter how I do it, the drive is too long. Where are rocket cars when you need them. Wild Mom's sonny-do list was completed. I finished the most wanted ones. We still managed to eat at Barnhill's (Buffet) in Pensacola and then ate at Ed's Seafood Shed in Mobile on the Causeway. I haven't drove there in quite a while. Coming home I drove the old highway (US98) back to Pace. That area hasn't changed a lot so a lot of memories were stirred up for everyone. Wild Mom's new shed (craft room) is nice and the work that Squirrel Man has done is impressive. Maybe I will have to get a shed and bring him up to finish mine. Lady loved the trip since all she did was read and sew. There wasn't a daughter-do list ... favoritism? We pre-bowled Sunday Night and managed to win 4-3, so we are not in last place anymore. Close but not there. On the kids league, we are in second place. This is better that last season but the surprise is my average sucks and we are still winning. Work continues to be a source of frustration but like a good soldier, I report in every morning for my tour of duty. On our trip we even manged a short stop at Star's and Chicken Man place in Marrietta. It was great seeing them for the first time since they were married. Amazing, she was alive and in one piece with no bruises. Just Kidding, they are doing great and constantly are pursuing the job market and planning on moving before long. We even managed to see Jenn (camerabug) for a little bit. She is as beautiful as ever though her neck/shoulder is giving her a fit.

On the home front, #1 works and spends his time with Vinny and AJ. #2 doesn't work and spends his time with the computer. Peanut spends all her time with Vinny and AJ. Vinny is now over 2 months old. Will someone please slow him down, he won't be a baby very long at this pace. It seems some days you can see him growing. Sometimes the thought of a #1 mini-me is frightening. AJ is excited about Halloween. Costumes, trick or treating, and pumpkins are his favorites. We will get to see Lou and Lil Princess this weekend. How we missed them and they were not very far from our thoughts the whole trip.

Well, as the year winds down, the one thing I have wished for all year has not occurred. I still hope it will appear as a Christmas present. Being at home last week brought many memories back. The pictures, memento's, and places where the memories were created brought home the thought that family is the most important thing we have. What would I do without them? We found the Half Dollar I gave to Dad when I saluted him the first time as an officer. The hand written note with the coin taped to a sheet of paper in a document protector was priceless. We even found my first discharge certificate as an E-1 from the United State Marine Corp in 1972. Now I must get it framed. Man, did my mind then take a whirlwind trip down memory lane. It would be 3 more years till I met the love of my life. Ok, enough of the Memory Lane stroll.

Reflections on the last Day of September

Today is the last day of September and I am amazed as I wonder where all this year has gone. I just want to slow things down and enjoy them a bit longer. With Facebook constantly changing (not for the better) and their desire to own what ever you post, I plan to do most of my writing here. Though my preference still remains to be face to face and talk about this stuff. There is a lot to be said about eyeball contact.

The Hebrews Bible study is finally over with and the next one will be a study of the Book of John. We previewed the DVD last night and it was interesting. Now I have to go and get the participant books ordered to we can get started soon. The Hebrews Study drove the point home that "Jesus is better than anything else."

Many things I want to get back into if I can find some time. Things like geneology, rebuilding and updating my website, reading my 4 books that chronicle the movie series "Game of Thrones," and eventually watch the season premiere of "TerraNova." I guess this is a good reason to retire, so I can have more time for myself and what I like to do.

Looks like we will be going to Florida for a few days in October since our weekend in Pigeon Forge fell through. I have to really look at the map and see if it is possible to get to Florida without passing through Kennesaw Georgia. That place is full of Redskins Fans, NY Jets Fans, animal lovers and crazy women who love cameras. Man, itn't there one normal person in that town?

Just a thought ---

I was walking around in a supermarket when i saw a cashier hand this little boy his money back, the boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.'' The little boy turned to the old woman next to him, ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' She replied, ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.'' Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.' I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly. 'No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this, 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she didn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!'' OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.'' 'My mommy loves white roses.' A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy? Two days after this encounter with the little boy I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

Now you have 2 choices:

• (1) Use this to make a difference in someone's life, or
• (2) Ignore it as if it never touched your heart
  

Just realized I way behind on my blogs. Where did the time go ... oh, I know. Work and home stuff. A lot has happened and I will just briefing cover them for now. The biggest item was Vincent Joesph Davis being born. It has changed the whole dynamics of the house. Every day he has something new for us to see or experience. Yes, he is healthy and very active. Peanut is well especially since his birth went a lot easier than AJ's.

Green Giant and TL decided to take the scenic route across the field on the motorcycle. Seems the bike didn't want to and ejected them both into the soft grass. They are ok for the most part. Nothing that won't heal back together given some time. Gave us a little scare but we are glad things are going so well.

Summer bowling was less than spectacular. Now that fall leagues are going it is mildly better. Lew is bowling this season with me. He tried briefly to throw the ball like me but went back to the two-handed push when his arm hurt. Maybe in January we will try again.

Work is the same and never letting up. With my birthday in September I am only 6 years away from official retirement age. Maybe with fingers crossed it will happen that way.

National Bowling Tournament is in Baton Rouge La. this year ... make your plans!
Cruise in January to the Eastern Caribbean.
We have a week off in October and still haven't firmed up what we will do for those days yet. Any ideas?

• Lady is still gorgeous and the love of my life.
• Wild Mom is in building mode (new shed) in between camping and Camp Bluebird.
• #1 still works.
• #2 still doesn't work.
• Peanut is having kids right and left.
• Starr is starting her own animal farm.
• Lil Princess, Lew, and AJ keep growing and warming our hearts.
• Gung-Ho Jenn left us for Germany and another family.

We love them all and wouldn't change a thing ... well, not everything.

August Days - Fun in the Heat

Heading for the weekend and it can't come soon enough. There has been some movement on my new job in Salem but nothing firm and besides as it stands now, I am not a happy or secure camper. More to come later when someone decides what is going on. The other big news is Peanut is scheduled to download on the 18th. So life will move to another level of frenzy on that day. Youth Bowling still lacks a lot as another week passed with a 0-7 record. This is the fourth week of this skid and no end in sight. I think this week we slipped into last place. Maybe I should start driving an 18 wheeler cross-country. Don't know what that would accomplish but heck, it is a change. Doctor's appointment on Tuesday went so well that she invited me back 3 weeks. Yeah! Trying to figure out a weekend to sneak away and just chill out. Hmmm, I wonder who wants to go! I saw a few movies lately that weren't too bad. They were Splice, Daylight and Hurt Locker.

Dog days of August Almost here

Well, it is Friday and the end-of-the-month once again. I have been less than timely in keeping this blog updated. The main reason is I haven't really had anything to say. Well, actually, nothing good to say. Many things are acting as irritants in my life and that makes it hard to get motivated. Especially to write or say anything positive. Yeah, I could get on here and blast away but I don't want to go there. I have many wants and wishes but those are stories for future blogs. Hey, maybe I need a vacation. Hmmm!

Summer Bowling sucks as I think after last weeks sterling performance, the team is in last place. My average is the highest I have had in a while but it is a team event and that is where is is collapsing. Maybe I ought to get rid of the bowling stuff and take up golf or fishing once again. Then again, bar hopping and gambling could prove interesting!

Wild Mom is in camping mode once again. Must be nice to be retired and on the move all the time. Lady continues to bless everyone and Lil Princess is spending the week with us. Next week is Lew's week and we will manage to squeeze in day camp for him. #1 and #2 have no real change except for getting older and bigger! Peanut has reached maximum carrying weight for the new kid. Sometime in the next couple weeks, he will make his grand entrance. Gung Ho Jen is preparing to desert us and head for Germany to work. Starr and Chicken man are in their second month of marriage and surprisingly, she hasn't pissed him off yet or is it the other way around? We wish them the best and hope things fall in line for them to have a great life together.

Meaning of Flag Draped Coffin

All Americans should be given this lesson. Those who think that America is an arrogant nation should really reconsider that thought. Our founding fathers used GOD's word and teachings to establish our Great Nation and I think it's high time Americans get re-educated about this Nation's history.

Pass it along and be proud of the country we live in and even more proud of those who serve to protect our 'GOD GIVEN' rights and freedoms.

I hope you take the time to read this ... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means ... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers.

Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.'

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.'

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning.

In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why. Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'

John's Chicken Farm

John was in the egg business. He had several hundred young layers (hens), called 'pullets', and ten roosters to fertilize them. He kept records, and any rooster not performing went into the soup pot and was replaced.

This took a lot of time, so he bought some tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone, so he could tell from a distance, which rooster was performing. Now, he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report by just listening to the bells.

John's favorite rooster, Obama, was a very fine specimen, but this morning he noticed Obama's bell hadn't rung at all! When he went to investigate, he saw the other roosters were busy chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing, but the pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover.

To John's amazement, Obama had thought of a way to do it without work, he had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one.

John was so proud of Obama, he entered him in the Chicago County Fair and he became an overnight sensation among the judges.

The result was the judges not only awarded Obama the No Bell Piece Prize but they also awarded him the “Pullet surprise” as well.

Clearly Obama was a politician. Who else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most highly coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention.

Vote carefully next fall, the bells are not always audible.

Sprint to a Wedding

The wedding went great and the knot was tied. Dana offered her home for the wedding and reception and she did a fantastic job. It was amazing the effort she put into it. As for the wedding, it was just as great. Of course the wedding music got off beat since Casey's knees set a different beat and sounded like a bass drum. It is amazing how many wolves are in Georgia. Friday night, it seemed they howled all night even with no moon visible in the sky! Lady and I sneaked over to Smokey Bones BBQ Saturday night and it was very good. We will have to try it on our next trip through North Georgia.

I started watching the movie "Inception" but some honeymooners took a break from all the bedroom antics and visited us. Oh well, I will have to get the DVD and watch the movie again. It is a good one.

Bowling is going well, the church service changes has their moments and the work frustration level is high so basically nothing has changed since the last blog. We are now in the process of getting ready for Wild Mom to visit, a baby shower for Peanut and Vacation Bible school. I leave tomorrow to attend the Anderson reunion, see wild Mom and her sonny-do list and then drive her back up to Virginia for a short visit. It seems to never end ... one thing after another!

I managed to get my hands on the 4 volume "Song of Fire and Ice" series. Now it is time for some serious reading.

Road Trip Prep

This is the start of a busy two weeks for me. We leave Thursday to spend this weekend in the Atlanta area for some peace and quiet. Lady is looking forward to this trip! Next week is a whirlwind trip to Florida for a reunion and to bring Wild Mom back to Virginia for a short visit. This week I have a physical scheduled on Tuesday so that means a lot of poking and prodding. The Lab work was done last week. Youth Bowling started last night and it was ok. We are doing 2 person teams so the pressure is on me and Lew to perform. So now the challenge is to keep him focused on bowling and not on playing with the kids. I sometimes wonder when I will learn not to compete against the natural tendency of him to play. Work continues to maintain a level of frustration. Oh, the conference call on Friday about the possible new job went well. Onward to the next step. Not sure what that is but it sure sounds good.

This weekend included two birthday parties. Nothing like three kids (7,4,3) in a car for 90 minutes each way and hyped up on sugar. No wonder I don't have any hair. I love having a sponge bob sticky hand smack me on the side of the face while I drive. One downside to having a little one leave diapers for real underwear, "Papaw, I have to go to the bathroom" and that means stop very quickly even if you are deep in the woods. Gotta love it!

P.S. The Atlanta trip is really for Starr's and Casey Marriage on Friday the 17th.

Summer Thoughts

It is the weekend and El Agave was as good as ever. The weekend led off with a trip to Bella Vita and it too was good. Wild Mom is getting better just in time to get ready for our family's reunion. Lot's to do and little time to do it.

Friday we booked our next cruise. We will adventure to the Eastern Caribbean on the Carnival Ship Liberty. For 7 days we will cruise St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk Islands and Half Moon Cay. This will be our first non-NCL cruise and it will be interesting seeing the difference. Our room is on the Panorama Deck (Deck 10) but not really knowing their layout there is some questions. The web site isn't the easiest to find the answers we want. Our trip down will be a bit more condensed since the cruise sails on Saturday instead of Sunday. We may have to fore go a trip to "Bubba Gumps" until the return home. I also ventured into the world of rentals with some of my points. I am hoping it will turn out good. If not, we will squeezing in several vacation weekends in December in order to use up the points that come back from not getting the rental.

Also in the works is a trip to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in early December. We went last year and it was great. So this year we will get adventurous and take a couple kids. Even so, it will be another great time.

Salem made me a job offer and after a teleconference this week I will be able to elaborate more as to who, what, when and where this job entails. Still in discussion is location and money. Maybe I will get lucky and they will let me telecommute from St. Kitts in the British Virgin Islands. That would be a dream come true!

The bible study in "Hebrews" is going well. It has stirred up many questions and comments. The last couple of weeks have been tough reading but that is what makes it fun ... it makes you study.

Summer Finally Makes it

Well, time flies and I am once again behind schedule in keeping this site updated. Life continues onward with not a lot of changes. The grass is getting tall as the lawn mower picked this time to croak. Youth Bowling on Sunday Night has started. It is a short season, 10 weeks, but it fills in Sunday night. On the horizon is Starr's wedding and a trip to Florida for the Anderson Reunion (Wild Mom's family). I will drive her back up here so we can get her Saturn all fixed up and running right. The first month of the new church schedule is done. I will just bite my tongue and leave my comment as " I am underwhelmed." Peanut's pregnancy continues and gets closer to the day she can return to normal. Well, as normal as a mom with 2 kids under 4 can. Work is progressing and I am currently in discussions for a job change. After 6 years, I guess it is time for a change. Oh well, more on that down the road. Wild Mom is excited that I will be there for the reunion. It has been a long time since I was last there. I can't wait to get my cheek pinched by some old lady with blue hair, red lips, combat boots and no teeth as they say " I remember when you were ... !" Actually, it should be fun seeing people I haven't seen in ages. I will have to start dusting off some of my best jokes for the new crowd! lady is fine and enjoying life. She got to skip work and get a slight sunburn as her workplace enjoyed a cruise of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay on the bosses' boat.

Down to the Homestead!

Well, I best write something since it has been a few days since the last entry. I guess since the rapture occurred this weekend and I am still here, I must not have been good enough! Funny thing is that I see a lot of my friends, so obviously we were all mistaken as to how good we were!

Happy Birthday to someone very special to me. I can't wait to see what the next XX birthday's bring!

We just returned from spending the weekend in New Bern NC. It was a very quiet and relaxing weekend as we helped Lady to adjust to the next year of her life. The laptop was never powered up ... an unusual occurrence for me. It was nice having very limited cell and wireless service. I didn't even visit one cemetery looking for dead people. We really enjoyed the quiet. Every morning the turles would congregate on the bank of the pond just outside the room. It was funny watching several dozen turtles sunbathing. In the afternoon they would migrate to the other shore for the afternoon sun. We found a very good seafod house in Arapahoe NC. Suprised us since it is way, and I mean way out in the woods. The nearest grocery store was 8 miles from us. Sunday, the drive home was nice as we avoided Interstates and drove the country roads. We even managed to squeeze in 2 ferry rides. One near New Bern and the other at Jamestown. Dinner was a little late but it was at Pierce's, one of the best BBQ's we have found.

Now we must readjust to normal life because the next scheduled trip is in June and then October. i wouldn't mind another trip somewhere but no one has any time left to take off.

A sign at a church we passed -- A dusty Bible means a Dirty life.

Soap Box Sunday

Well, it is May and life goes on. Bowling is winding down and we will have to find something else to do with our Sunday evenings. Today is AJ's 3rd birthday party!

Soap Box time --

Don't you just love how people flock to church to praise God when a disaster occurs. The News channels are really playing that aspect up. God must be helpless when times are good, or is it safer to say "We don't need you when it is good." Oh, I know ... prosperity is God's Kryptonite! Wow, how did I miss that. Also, where is all the international help to aid in the recovery? I don't see any mass calling for aid in a lot of the countries we helped! In most international papers, the story doesn't even rate front page coverage. Oh yeah, our money is only good when it goes in their direction. But then again ... we (America) don't need God except when it is convenient. So why should another country display christian ethics and values ... we don't.

Libya claims their leader is targeted, but NATO says it isn't so. Isn't it targeting when you send a drone to strike the compound where they know he lives? Or, were they 100% successful because they targeted his grandchildren and son instead! Someone had to program that drone, so given the fact he lived there in that compound ... we targeted him. We are killing civilians just to stop him from killing civilians in their civil war. I guess death to stop death is acceptable as long as we are the second to starting the killing. Sadly what makes our choice to intervene more deplorable is that we use machines to do our killing. Isn't it nice to know machines have no conscious. And when it errs and kills a human it becomes accidental and a tragedy of War. Now I can sleep better tonight knowing humans don't kill humans. It is those dang machines ... perhaps the terminator series is real! Also, Syria is killing people by the hundreds. Where is the outcry for them. Are the Syrians no better than the Libyans! Come on NATO, target the Syrian President and have the UN authorize deadly force to enforce a no-fly zone so you can send in the drones thereby you can sleep better at night.

Easter 2011

The greatest man in history, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master.

• Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher.
• Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer.
• He had no army, yet kings feared him.
• He won no military battles, yet he conquered the world.
• He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
• He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

Praise Him and get on his winning side!

SpringTime 2011

Well, tomorrow is a day off. Fancy that. So I get to do my favorite chore ... yard work. I had thought about contracting it out but they never showed back up. Oh well, fun in the sun time. Life continues marching on as April is almost gone. It is amazing that Nationals was almost 4 weeks ago. Where did the time go? Sunday night is the last night of bowling on the adult team and the kids have only two more weeks to go. I am back to a day shift at work. My sleep pattern is all messed up. Work is about the same or at least returning back to the way it was. It will never get completely back to that point as the new philosophy is, "If it Works, Break it and make it better!." You sometimes wonder how long some people stay awake to come up with these ideas. This is either an attempt to get more involved with my work or and attempt to create stress so that they can micro manage more. I have always ways work on the idea, "if it works, leave it alone." The improvement comes from making and testing changes on the side. Maybe it will get better by time we go to North Carolina. Yeah, right! I booked our stay at Great Smokies in October. We had a great time last year and expect the same this year. Hopefully the leaf changing will cooperate and do a better job than last year. Wild Mom has started the moving process. She has a contract on a new house and her present place is on the market. Hope it sells quickly.

Enjoy your Easter Season and remember this is why Christianity is different than all other religions.

Ponderings of a Different Sort

Well, the weekend in Williamsburg was great. We basically sat around and did what we wanted to. We didn't do any sightseeing as our goal was to rest and recollect our thoughts. Lady worked on a new quilt that she is making. I did absolutely nothing ... I did not even turn my laptop on. I did manage to use the jacuzzi tub every night to melt any stress and sore muscles I had. We had lunch on Saturday at Pierce's BBQ. That place never ceases to amaze us with the good food and our timing was impeccable as we had no waiting to place our order. We are all looking forward to our weekend getaway in New Bern North Carolina in May.

Bowling is winding down with only 3 weeks left on the leagues. The Sunday Night team has done suprisingly well even with a vacant spot. We have climbed up to the middle of the pack. That sure beats being next to last, only better than the blind team.

Wild Mom is fine and looking forward to a weekend can get down there to do a few sonny-do's. She is looking at relocating to a new house with less yard to maintain. Hmmm, I wonder how my packing and moving skills are? There is no date for the move as she is just started the process.

May 1st is when our Church changes it order of service and Sunday School. Right now I am really undecided on how to respond to this change. I have managed to keep my mouth shut and try not to irritate an all ready stressful event. I wish I had a positive attitude about this but I don't. Keeping my mouth shuts gives no one an opportunity to question my religious convictions. Funny thing is, #2 asked us to come and go to church with him. Who would have thought we would get an invitation like that ... after all the years of us going to church, he offers his church.

Work is going well with Cheng back on staff. Right now I am working mid-shifts so I can complete some projects without having to deal with the daily interuptions that come with day shift. It appears the replacement engineer will be heading back to Kansas the end of this week. I guess this is as best it will get so the prudent thing is to grin and bear it. With 6 years to go ... has the countdown started?

Our Bible study group is starting a study of Hebrews this week. Tough book but the potential rewards are great. Probably my biggest fear is generating the excitement and devotion to the study that is needed to make this a successful event. Most of the material is being pulled together by me and I hope I don't miss something.

Well, spring time is here and that means yard work! Something I really don't relish doing but if I don't do it, then we will eventually live in a jungle of weeds and tall grass.

USBC Nationals - Final Day

Well, the trip is over and I am now back in Washington DC. The train was packed so that meant less room to spread out to sleep. That is usually the way it goes ... when you want something it isn't there. So I basically just stayed up all night. I was too restless to try and stay in one seat. During this part of the trip, I had several conversations that were really interesting. Of course there is always one ... an older lady who disagreed with everything I said. I spoke of the snow I saw Monday and she said there was no snow, "There can't be, I came through there LAST Tuesday and there was no snow." I quickly replied "Well maam, I came through there YESTERDAY and there was snow." She disagreed with everyone on everything. Talk about someone in bad need of a good slap and kick in the arse! Dinner was great and the conversation equally good. The ride was hard since my rear end had reached it limit and was sore and no seat felt soft or comfortable.

Several people who were taking the Bible Study Fellowship course were talking highly of the course. What amazed me was their excitement level. I will have to check into that course if it was that good! Also interesting was that all 3 couples weren't friends but just happened to be traveling on the same train to different locales. But after their discussion, they were friends and equally excited.

I think I have found a new train to get to Chicago the next time I go to Reno. The "Cardinal" that leaves from Chicago and comes through Manassas. That will save me some time going back and forth from Union Station. If anything it is a different route after taking the Capitol Limited and California Zephyr to Reno the last 12 times.

Time to return to Reality and start talking about other things.

USBC Nationals - Day Nine

Well, Day nine was a very quiet day. The mountains are behind me and in front is farmland. The snow finally stopped just east of Gaylesburg. I don't expect to see many animals except deer and rabbits. They aren't very photo worthy. Today I skipped lunch but ate breakfast and dinner. Funny thing is, I ordered eggs, bacon and grits. Most of the people around me had no idea what grits were ... so they saw me eating them and in turned ordered them some grits. Of course, I had to offer advice on the best way to eat them ... butter and pepper. The waiter smiled and told me that this was the most grits he had ever served. The South Rules Again! The train stations rolled by as we cruised across the heartland. I think everyone was very tired as the conversations were at a minimum and most people napped the miles away. The lay-over in Chicago was about 4 hours. I did learn that AMTRAK's Cardinal Train stops in Manassas. I will have to check that out for my next Reno trip in 2013 and 2014. Besides it leaves an hour before the Capitol Limited ... less waiting time in Chicago. I would definetely be riding than sitting in a waiting room with screaming brats that the parent can't control. We finally got out of the station 20 minutes late as we had to wait for another late train to arrive with people who had connections on our train. Dinner was great as I dined with a couple who loved to cruise especially on NCL. They had done the maiden voyage on the Epic, NCL's newest and biggest ship. They too agree that the Epic is TOO BIG. They did not like the fact the midship elevators were replaced with escalators, so the elevators were at the ends of the ship. They also said the Casino, which was a small area on most ships was now a whole floor on the Epic. The spiked hair kid who sat at our table said very little during dinner. Now it is dark and hard to see anything except when we are in some town. Plus it is the time that most alcohol impaired people take control of the Observation car. I can't comment on the world since I have avoided the news for this week. Gee, things seem so simple without the world's problems piled on.

Guess I better get some sleep.

USBC Nationals - Day Eight

Travel day home. Not a lot going on but sitting on my keester and watching the scenery go by. I tried to get up based on eastern time as I tried to start getting my body back on the right time. After breakfast at 6:30, I spent the majority of my time scouring the landscape for animals. Here is what I found:

• 1 Beaver
• Many Deer
• Several Sheep
• 4 Turkey's
• 20+ Mule Deer
• 1 Eagle
• 2 Moose
• 2 Coyotes eating a dead cow
• Lots of snow scenes on the mountains
  

Numerous fuzzy shots because the train was going so fast and the trees even faster the other way.

Other interesting things going on:

• One young lady going around to the different guys whining how she was so unlucky in love. Sounds like a fishing trip to me.
• The Conductor found a cigarette butt (hand-rolled) in the bathroom and was walking around looking. At the same time, some young knucklehead rolling 4 more cigarettes for the next smoke break.
• 4 young adults looking for fun when they said "let's go use 1/2 of the shit left over." Gee, are they a couple of poop players.
  

It never ceases to amaze me some of the stuff that goes on when you ride the train. Dad and I use to laugh a lot about some of these goings on. Conversation was kind of lacking today as there weren't many people on board from Reno to Denver. The problem I guess was the fact the train started in Reno and not in Sacramento. This was due to snow and mud slides in the Sierra Nevada's.

One young man on board got a phone call from a friend who said the one on the train had been served divorce papers. Then the real fun started. Now, I had been watching him hit on 2 young ladies ever since Reno. So he then told his seat mate that he couldn't understand why his wife did that. Then he decided he would try and call all her friends and see if he could get something on her. Did she have something on him? Then he told the seat mate he would make something up if need be. Then to cap this whole drama off ... he told his seat mate, "lets get some beer and see if we can get them (the girls) drunk. Now why would he do that if he was so faithful? A leopard just can't change his spots.

We left Denver on time so lets see if they can hold it. Guess I should try and go to sleep!

USBC Nationals - Day Seven

Well, sad day ... time to go home and re-enter the rat race of life. No, going home isn't sad the sad part, it is just leaving a small group of very good friends knowing we won't see each other for a year. Bowling this tournament for 21 years you manage to get to know the bowling and personal life of many people. Perhaps the scary part is not knowing if you will ever see them again. This has happened several times with just my team members. George died 2 months after the 2008 tournament and Vince about 3 months after the 2009 tournament. This doesn't count the number of life issues that have kept some people from ever bowling again. Looking back, I get a small appreciation of just what my 21 consecutive years means.

I was lazy and didn't get up till 10:00 am once again. Packed my memories away and checked out of the Silver Legacy until I return to Reno in 2013. I checked my baggage at the train station and wandered back to Stadium for my last goodbyes.

On the train and headed home ... and I am lucky ... no man-lovers anywhere near me! I had an interesting dinner with a lawyer and a doctor. The lawyer was recovering from a recent snowboard accident. Remind me ... to stay away from snowboards. We even have musical entertainment. Two riders are playing music on a flute and guitar. Makes you feel like campfire time at a Boy Scout campout.

Well, the sun is down and complete darkness descends upon us.

USBC Nationals - Day Six

Big bowling day. I slept in and ate breakfast about 10:00 am. Today I bowled in the Bowling This Month (BTM) tournament. It is a great tournament with a shot very similar to the one at the National Stadium. I bowled 4 games across 4 pairs of lanes. I averaged 180 on a tough sports shot, so it was respectable but not enough to win money. I did manage to squeeze some nacho's and cheese in before I bowled my National's singles and doubles match. After 10 games in a matter of 7 hours, I was running on empty. I actually started cramping during dinner. Nothing like a arm cramp and a leg cramp at the same time. I had dinner with the Visionary Bowling crew at The Rail City Casino Buffet. I have to say it was absolutely great. Where else could you get a buffet for $7.95 that included your drinks and had crab legs! I did not do crab legs but I did manage to put a severe dent in their fried shrimp supply. Also what made dinner great was listening to stories of Frankie May while he was touring as a PBA professional. I think running a booth at the National Tournament would be the best job ever. The pay isn't great but you sure can meet some interesting people every year. Finally, I managed to go to bed about 1:30 am .... cramps and all.

USBC Nationals - Day Five

Today started with more snow flurries. Most of the day was spent getting my bowling equipment ready for Friday Night. I tried to sleep in but at 4:00 am PDT I was wide awake. I guess the old body is stuck in Eastern Time. I walked around town a bit to see the changes. I guess the biggest change is the Bus Station moved nearer the Train Station. Lunch was nice and I sat where I could watch the people walk by. Some sights are such you should never have to see them in public. You have to wonder what the person was thinking when they got dressed.

The bowling team was pretty much the same as last year. Just a little more gray and a tad bit slower in their movement. Nate was unable to come because of personal issues and without fail the USBC representative showed up to give him his 20 year pin. We called him from the bowling lanes to tell him what he missed. I listened to their tales of their drive up here since they had to deal with the snow storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Plus they saw gas range from $4.15 to $4.69 a gallon. Gee, and we think $3.50 is high.

The Visionary Bowling team is the same. They talked with me about being a official Visionary Bowling Products equipment tester for the next year. So I will have to think about it before I commit to the job. We are planning on going out to dinner Saturday night. We did that last year and it was a blast. One of the managers and VISE representative is from Panama City ... specifically from Southport. Small world!

Well, I bowled tonight and it was fun to participate. I could never get anything going. My stomach was on the fritz so it distracted me a lot and my energy was low. So I will get back to the room and get rested and hopefully feel better tomorrow. All I can figure it was the Killer Nacho's and beer I had for lunch.

USBC Nationals - Day Four

I woke up as we pulled into Winnemuca on a side track while they decided what to do. The night went pretty good as there wasn't much civilization around to provide lights to watch as the train went by. My Buddy with the loud mouth and a penchant for men wound up getting moved by the Conductor after someone else complained about he language and language topics. Of course he blamed me for starting it all. Grow Up!

After about 90 minutes they decided the track was clear enough for us to proceed to Reno. Yeah! Of course that meant that we had to backup some seven miles so they could switch back onto the main line. After a lazy breakfast of French Toast, we headed for Reno and an uneventful 200 mile ride.

I got to my room about 11:30 and proceed to get rid of the train smell that had soaked in for 3 days. This is when I discovered I had no socks in my suitcase. Guess where they were? Yep, a 3 year old took them out after I placed them in the suitcase. Oh well, there were worse things I could have forgotten or left behind.

Tonight, I will hopefully have a practice session at the local lanes with the Visionary Bowling Team. That should be fun.

USBC Nationals - Day Three

Day 3 started with our arrival in Denver. That place has changed. They now have a new AMTRAK building near the old Union Station. But after getting off for a leg stretch, I saw that this new setup is just an accident waiting to happen. The new building is on the other side of the street. To get from the building to the train, you have to walk 150 feet and cross a 4 lane road. Even today about 50 people got on and the end of the line while they were waiting stuck out into the road. The last guy almost got hit when the light changed and the car took off. Who ever thought of this design needs to get their smarts checked out. Of course we had snow flurries but I don't care because it is warm in the train. The climb through the mountains was beautiful but there is definitely more commercial building going on. Especially at WinterPark and Glenwood Springs. Saw a lot of wildlife including some "Wapiti" and there were also 3 moose in Frazer Canyon. Lunch was nice. I ate with 3 widowers heading for a retreat in Moab UT. It was fun because they all had hearing aids and trouble hearing. Everything I or they said was followed by ... "say it again, I missed what you were saying." Laughs a minute.

God must have something out for me this trip. Every stop someone of the same sex persuasion gets on and call all their friends. They only know one voice ... loud. At one point about 10:40 at night, I had enough and asked the young man to take his phone to the observation car. Of course, he asked me if "I was going to be rude all night." I replied, "I am sorry but your discussion of your and your life-mates adventures with a horse are over the top. Beside, it was quiet hour." He finally moved after some other Lady nearby called the Conductor. I tolerate a lot but sometimes I balk at TMI. I did laugh out loud when he told his friend on the phone that "he was volunteering in San Fransisco with the Health Department Exposition to provide STD counseling and information and then asked his friend if it was too much to dream he would meet the man of his dreams." Just where you want to meet someone ... at a STD meeting. Anyways, I hope things calm down a bit and everyone returns to normal.

Dinner was filled with talk of bowling and flying. Three guys from Michigan were also heading to Reno to bowl.

Great news ... the rail track across the Sierra Nevada's is snowed over and rock and mud are mixed into the mess. The plan now is to put me on a bus to Reno when we get to Winnemuca UT. The train will detour to another track to get to Sacramento. This really mucks the plans up. They don't know how Sunday will work when I try and return home. I guess flexibility is the game plan.

USBC Nationals - Day Two

Day Two started in Chicago waiting for the train to leave for California. My beauty sleep was interrupted by a bunch of people who got on in Pittsburgh. They were fuming and fussing because the train was 30 minutes late and they couldn't find seats together. They managed to wake everyone up with their bickering and one Lady must of said "this is ridiculous" a hundred times. Finally the conductor shut them up and found them seats. My first stop was Cinnabon Shop for a roll and coffee. Lunch was Chicago style chili dogs. Hopefully, I won't pay a price for eating them later. The six hour lay-over was spent sitting and watching the people walk by. I did manage to have a few laughs on them. I most enjoyed a lady who wore cowboy clothes with bells on and looked like the mule had kicked her in the face numerous times. One person made me wonder just how much can you pack into a pair of leotards? The seams were stretched to the busting point but at least they held for the time she took to walk by me. Thank goodness! My seat partner for the ride to Denver is one of those that don't believe in the US Government and refuses to pay taxes. By Galesburg, I am tired of his political views and grousing. The only redeeming part is he loves the Observation car and might leave me alone for a good while. The scenery is nice and will only get better as the mountains get closer. With the overcast, the sunlight will be gone by time we get to the Mississippi River. Once the Engineer gets this train up to speed we cruise at 80 mph. Dinner was great but listening to the rain hit the glass and watching the lightening was a show unto itself. I wonder if there are any tornado's nearby? I am missing the news but then again I don't have to hear what idiotic things Congress or the President does. This would give me a good reason to setup the news app on my phone ... naw!

USBC Nationals - Day One

Day One of the great Annual adventure to Reno Nevada is finally here. After waiting a whole year my vacation begins. I am traveling alone this year but not from the lack of inviting select people to go. The day started with a session of packing. hat should of been a routine start to the trip wasn't. It seems a curious three year old really made it interesting. As fast as I folded and packed, he would pull it out and ask "what is this?" I would tell him and he would grab something else and ask the same question. A few times he would grab something from the drawer and toss it into the suitcase. But despite his best effort I managed to get packed. After a few more errands, I managed to head for Union Station about 11:30. Cheng and I had lunch at Sbarros as usual. I must really be a creature of habit. But, Stromboli and pizza are great preparation for a train ride. They offered me a sleeper upgrade for $699. $699 for one night, can you believe that? Why I wouldn't even pay that for a luxury motel room much less a roomette sleeper. I boarded the train on time and headed west. The train car was full but I managed to get a window seat. No, I did not beat up an old lady and throw her off! Of course, Murphy's Law prevailed and the guy behind me was a flamin man lover. I was so tired of hearing his goodbyes to all his boyfriends. He made no effort to be quiet much less discrete. Finally, he exhausted his little black book and went to sleep. Dinner was great and I enjoyed it with a young couple who were Italian and worked in Holland. What a combination! Dinner was New York strip and Hagen Daz ice cream. The rest of the night was spent watching the stars go by in between spells of sleep.

Slow Friday

Well, USBC Nationals is almost here. I leave on Monday @ 1605. I still have a few things to do to get ready but I can now enjoy the excitement of a great week of bowling and train rides. I will be staying at the Silver Legacy in Reno once again. I should own a room by now after all the times I have stayed there. I think this is my 11th stay at the Silver Legacy. The memories of my first trip in 1990 to Toledo seems so distant. As usual, I will try and blog everyday and hopefully give you a small taste of what is happening. Anyone who wants to donate money for my good time is more than welcome.

Wild Mom is doing fine though Muffin is having a rough time. Squirrel Man is back to driving. I will have to start planning another weekend trip down there soon so I can finish up what I did not get done last time. Anyone want to go and help drive? Lady is fine as ever and is working hard to finish cleaning out her craft room. It has turned out to be a tougher job than first envisioned but she is getting it done. Gee, it just dawned on me, there is only 3 weeks till Lady and I sneak off to Williamsburg for the weekend. Wow! She will be in a bikini so I best get my body into speedo shape!

#1 is working and teaching hhgreg what to do. #2 is a phantom who only passes by and the only prolonged sightings are at the dinner table. Peanut doesn't want me to talk about her size so I won't. But ... the baby is getting bigger! Most the Doctor news lately has been good and everything is set for a successful launch. Gung Ho Jenn works and is ticklish as ever. Of course, I do my best to refrain from tickling her.

The Grandkids will be here this weekend for the first time in 3 weeks, so life will be exciting and non-stop activity.

Almost time to start up my comments on the "Sidewalk Observations from My Window" series. The foot traffic on the street is picking up and already there have been some amusing scenes. Such as the woman who was chatting with a friend while standing in the Taxi parking lane. The Taxi pulled in behind her and stopped within inches. The woman then backed up, not knowing the Taxi was there, hit the car, lost her balance and managed to slide off the hood onto the ground. Bad part is her dress caught on the hood ornament and remained there. So for a few minutes the passing cars were treated to a funny scene until she got her footing and unhooked her dress. Of course, I was almost in tears as I laughed at the scene she made. I know there will be more episodes and can't wait, maybe I should keep my camera handy.

My Yen's Worth

Today I heard a commentator ask why the Japanese are responding to this disaster as they are. They are doing things such as "no looting", "standing patiently in long lines," and "giving of what food they have even though it is obvious they don't have enough for themselves." I mulled it over a bit and the answer sort of sneaked in. Perhaps their values of family, respect for all, accepting responsibility and not expecting a handout are central parts of their astonishing behavior. Japanese have always been known as a polite people. We as Americans were that way until we kicked Christ out of everything, adopted a "me first" attitude and decided it was never our fault, and that there was always a reason or excuse as to why we were that way. When was the last time the looters didn't show up at some disaster? We have come from a society that never locked their doors and windows to one where we create a Ft. Knox type of home. We will shoot someone for just coming in unannounced.

Perhaps we should thank the Japanese people for the lesson and then get on our knees. Take America back to a "Christian" Nation.

Recap 01

Well, time to post some more. Everything is progressing fairly well. Bowling is winding down. The Youth Team is still on top and the Adult team is slowly getting higher up the ladder. I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Alabama and Florida. We picked up the last of Cheng's tools and did some computer work for Wild Mom. Still more to do but that will have to wait for another day. I will leave for National's next week. I will once again be traveling alone, not that it is a bad thing but sharing is also nice. Kline's is open so I must arrange my schedule to get some ice cream. Lent season is upon us and my goal this yer is going well. Not perfect, but getting better. It is hard to believe but Easter is almost here. Someone slow this train down before I run out of days.

Lady is doing fine except for her spring cleaning stuff. #1 continues the pursuit of a million dollars though the numbers are climbing slowly. Peanut continues to grow and the sprout is of a male gender. Now we must wait to see if the sprout resembles mom or dad. Gung Ho Jen works and works and works ... hmmm, sounds like the energizer bunny. Miss the grand kids because I haven't seen them in several weeks. Am I daff for wanting them to show up and demolish the peace and quiet?

Moment To Think

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.' With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion ... Dad, she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son John


PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card that’s in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it's safe to come home.

Last of the February Soap Box

March is almost here and just over 3 weeks till I am Reno bound. The adult team is showing a modicum of life as we have gone 11-3 the last two weeks. The Youth team is in first place and now we must hold on to that place. The last few fronts that have passed through here have brought 60+ mph winds and today is no exception as they are forecasting 70+ mph winds. I have narrowed down my next two trips to Florida to 1 of 2 weeks. Hopefully in the next day or so, I can lock the weekend in and start prepping for the mad dash down there. lady and I are about 5 weeks away from our next weekend get-a-way.

Wild mom is fine and getting over her cold. We still have about a week to see if Squirrel man get his license back. #1 is working and he decided to shave his hair off and now looks like Mr. Clean. No changes for #2 but the clock has just about run out. Peanut still get bigger and her food craves get wilder. Gung-Ho Jenn works all the time. Good thing because if she were at home, I would tickle her more. The GrandKids (Lou, Lil Princess and AJ) are doing great and maintaining their high activity levels. I was wondering if the TV stations play anything other than Sponge Bob?

Church still remains as a large area of concern. Supposedly, next Sunday, the whole game plan will be revealed to the congregation. Where do I stand? Well, I am keeping my mouth shut and trying to not get mixed up in any discussion on its merits. Time will tell and I will leave it laying there.

Capitals and Wizards, quit making excuses and using worn out platitudes, admit it ... the both of you are LOSING teams. No amount of whining will change that fact.

The more I hear about the UNIONS involvement with the world protests ... the more I dislike them. Perhaps it is time to rename the Unions to more closely reflect their ideals and actions ... The American Socialist Movement.

Gas ... the time for regulation is here. Obviously, the Oil Companies intend on gouging us for an essential commodity needed for life. Look at their published profits between 2.5 and 7.6 BILLION dollars. And now they want more because of Libya ... sad part is we get NO gas from them. In other words, the opportunity to gouge is there so jump into it with both feet will the pickin's are good.

Day Off Ponderings ... Or Reflections of a Bored Old Man

Well, it is fun having a day off. No phone calls from work yet. For a while I was thinking of what would make the day perfect. Too many choices, I guess because I can't decide. Bowling went well last night as we won 6-1. Even better was that the team we bowled was just ahead of us. We might get lucky and move up 2 more places with 7 weeks to go. The Youth team went 7-0 as we had little trouble with our opponents.

Wild Mom is fine. She is planning another getaway to the motor home. That may be a good thing thing since now she is having fun breaking her computers. She will do anything to get me to Florida for a few days. j/k I must admit it has been way to long since the last visit. No word words yet on Squirrel Man getting his freedom back (drivers license).

#1 is on the road with his friend making their pilgrimage to South Carolina. #2 keeps looking and also learned a three year old can wear you out. Peanut is getting bigger. Starr and Chicken Man are in Georgia enjoying life and getting rich. Well, at least there is a lot of green grass to eat. The three kids ... Lou, Lil Princess, and AJ entertained us this weekend. The house can be clean but within 15 minutes the living room has a giant pile and is impassable.

** End of Light Reading **

As iron sharpens iron, Lady and I agree for one of the few times in 35 years. Usually we have different thoughts and after discussion find the best solution. But this time we agree and it feels different. The main thought is that after 20+ years, home doesn't feel like home anymore. Where this leads us I don't know. I knew yesterday that she was upset when I touched her and got a "no, that will just make me cry." She took down Brian's blanket and sent it to the safest place and where it belonged. Is there such a thought as being somewhere too long? Do we as humans thrive on change and the challenges of meeting and making new friends. For most of my life we were in the military and basically moved every three years. We became very adept at meeting and making new friends. But now we have lived here for 20+ years. Are we resisting change or the reason for the changes or perhaps we just feel it is not right. These will have to be answered at some point. But for now, we are disappointed and have been put in a position to question and re-evaluate everything.

Hmmm, maybe I need some Prozac, a bottle of Southern Comfort and a big Cuban Cigar. That surely would make life different and less worrisome.

Oh Hum

Here I sit in Aberdeen once again. I can hear a certain Lawyer saying, "listen to me, no more, we will do no more." Yesterday was fun as Lady came with me. But she needed to go to work today ... someone must pay the bills. Yesterday was not a fun day as it seems three different thing took a gut shot at me. Funny thing was my stomach was messed up so I had a pain to associate with the events. It is amazing how you try to live your life to a respectable standard and in return you get lied too, mislead, left out and then made to feel your opinion is insignificant. These make it tough to keep a christian outlook. While I know I can maintain my integrity, what I can do is make sure this never happens again and thereby denying certain individuals making sure they get no satisfaction.

I guess Starr has made it to Georgia. That is how I interpret the Facebook entries. Wild Mom is fine and perhaps Squirrel man will be allowed to drive again after about a 6 month hiatus. They are both fed up with boredom and cabin fever. Besides, the new motor home is awaiting someone to drive it around. Not much has changed with the kids.

Valentines Day was great as my Valentine spent the day with me and then we capped it off with dinner at Bella Vita's. Evey year gets better and who knows what next year holds. Maybe it is time to just escape on a Southern Caribbean Cruise for 14 days.

Time to go practice saying "No." 10,000 times will do it and then I can make the 3 hour drive home. :)

Life Marches On!

I was sitting here and thought I would catch up. Today was our weekly trek to El Agave and we had a crowd there ... 13 people. Next week starts off the same ... road trip to Aberdeen, but this time Lady will ride with me. That will make the day special, as if Valentines Day isn't special enough. The new Youth Bowling league has started and the team has some potential to win it this time. The Adult team still seems mired in the bottom 5 teams. We just can't seem to break out of that pack. Nationals are just over a month away and I can't wait. The train ride will be fabulous. Any takers on a train ride?

Starr and Chicken Man are heading for Georgia tomorrow since the grass is greener and there is a new hope for a different outcome. We wish them the best and maybe will get to see them on one of our excursions to Wild Mom's. Speaking of Wild Mom, she is doing fine just dealing with cabin fever and wishing for Spring. But who isn't.
Let me see, #1 works, #2 looks, and Peanut gets bigger. AJ continues to grow and develop an attitude, Lew grows into a young man, and Lil Princess steals our heart as she becomes a looker. Our Myrtle Beach trip was a smashing success and will be on our list to do it again. Missing the snow storm was just icing on the cake. We have planned another Williamsburg trip (April 8-9) and a New Bern NC trip (May 20-21). Those two trips should prove a lot of fun. Still in the planning phase is Smokies in October and Myrtle Beach in January. We may even manage a cruise sometime in between those other trips. Cheng is back from Alabama and his house has sold. He still needs a weekend to clean up things in Alabama but that will come later.

I wonder sometimes where life's road will take us. Based on the past course, it should be really interesting. I don't always understand where it takes me or even agree with it's turns but I doggedly follow it. I do get tired of the games and twists, I wish things would workout so Lady and I could retire and slow our life down. But for now, We keep on and wish others would follow. But true to course, they won't and sadly one day regret it and find it is too late. We are coming up on the 5th anniversary of Dad going home and I still find myself wishing for 1 more hour. Sadly, I too waited too long and found myself too busy or obligated.

Well, here I am in the SUNNY and warm south. We are having fun exploring South Carolina. Standing on the 14th Floor, I just can't find any snow! Here I am looking southwest towards Charleston.


This next picture is where we are staying. Well, actually, this is the sister tower. I am taking the picture from where we stay. We can see up and down the beach as far as we can see on a clear day.


It seems this trip we are hitting all the All-You-Can-Eat (AYCE) places. That in turn causes us to nap a lot as we sleep off the "stuffed belly" syndrome. I also love the lunches as they are loaded with greens ... and I love them. Today, Lady started the sewing machine project so we have stuff all over. Green Giant had another birthday and we celebrated as usual at the AYCE restaurant in Mullins South Carolina. They even sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Tomorrow, we are planning a beach excursion as the temperature is expected to be high 50's. I am still getting a lot of emails and texts that are work related but I can't turn the phone off as I would the MISS all the texts from the kids in my life. Danged if you do and darned if you don't. This week has allowed us to get our TV viewing sequence down. The Cape and American Idol are the mainstays. I did manage to not see Obama's waste of time the other night. I am so ready to see him out of office. There are some really nice beach houses for sell. But, do I really want to live here during the summer? Right now all we see is old people every where we go. Lunch yesterday was at the Sea Captain's in North Myrtle. The chefs special of Flounder was my choice and it was very good. As we ate at the Sea Captains yesterday, the old ladies behind us were discussing the many ways they had their loved ones cremated. And you couldn't believe how they bickered and complained about everything involved with the process. This was such a nice lunch topic.

Well, dinner is over with, the girls are shopping and so I guess it is hot tub time. Enjoy and have fun ... we are!

Fun Times Again - II

Well, another day on the beach. We were lazy and started the day late and then headed for lunch at Prosser's. I managed to consume a pile of collards, sweet potato casserole and corn. Dessert was Banana Pudding, so with full bellies, we then headed south to the Market in Charleston. Not much had changed at the Market since our last visit but the day was much nicer. Sun and 50's! However, tomorrow they are saying rain will pass through in the morning. More seafood is planned with dinner at the "Captain's Table." This is always a dining choice to be made. The order of the day is pretty much unscheduled. Reading, napping and munching consume most of our time. Dinner was the usual stuffing we get when we eat at Logan's Roadhouse. We are going to sit down this week at some point and plan out a few weekend get-a-ways to somewhere this summer. I still have a small pile of points leftover.

I started a new book but more about it when I get further along in it. Yes, we watched the football game but were really disappointed. I was amazed that all of the good teams weren't there. They had two backup teams play and then that was one-sided. Maybe the TV networks will learn one day to use ... the top teams and it will be more competitive!

Lady hasn't broke out the sewing machine for a few projects she wanted to do. I guess that means a road trip to the arts and crafts store tomorrow.

Well, best I turn in and get some more sleep.

Fun Times Again

Well, we made it. Well, not exactly. We are spending the night in Conway SC. We figured the Green Giant would like to take his wife with us, so we stopped and picked her up. She had spent the last week her with her mom and family. The trip down was uneventful except for the laughs and shenanigans. We did see one accident where a truck towing a large trailer lost control and flipped into the median. We hope no one was injured, at least not seriously. Tomorrow, we will make the 24 mile drive to North Myrtle Beach and check into the resort. Well, that is if we don't get so drunk we oversleep and not make it! Dinner tonight was in keeping with our theme of Mexican Saturday. We ate at El Cerro in Conway. It was good but our favorite still rules as the best.

I will as usual try and keep you abreast of our travels and adventures. Provided they remain PG rated.

Truckers Corner:

• Blue is in Oklahoma heading for Vegas.
• Alodar is in California heading for Indiana.
• I am just plain lost!

Gulp!

Too much Aberdeen MD., I have had my Saturn 3 months and already put 4000+ on it. Just turned 200,000 miles!

Blog #701

I just noticed that this is Blog #701. Gee, have I been that long winded? Can you believe that 2% of the year is already gone? The best part of the week is our mini-vacation is 2 weeks away from today. We will be gone 01/22/11 through 01/30/11. We can't wait for the down time. It seems like I have gone to Aberdeen every other day and next week will be no exception. My caddy is gone and I think I will miss it but I won't miss the gas bills. My Nationals Date and times came this week so I can start planning that little train ride and adventure. I bowl March 25 and 26. Who knows ... maybe this will be my year.

Wild Mom is doing fine as she had a small bout with a cold. Camping trips have slower down as a result. But rest assured, she will make up for it. Lady is fine. She is busy doing end of tax year stuff. #1 continues to work and #2 even managed to get an interview this week. Could he be employed in the near future? Peanut continues to work and puke and not necessarily in that order. Gung Ho finally got her truck issues settled and will be back on the road very soon. I picked up a 96 Mazda B3000 and finished getting it road ready this week. AJ, Lew and Lil Princess are still having loads of fun with their Christmas gifts. Although we are getting tired of Scooby Doo movies.

It is a Wonderful Life

Well, 2011 is here and time marches onward. I look back to 1952 and wonder where it has gone. One day I sat here playing the game in my mind, "What if I changed one decision." But no scenario would give me the joy that I have now.

Lady - what if that blind date had never occurred. What memories would be lost. It is imaginable what I would be feeling right now. They always have movies that the central plot is returning in time and changing one event. Please, don't ever do that! I would lose too much.

#1 and #2 - What if we never took those certification classes and never saw you. Believe it or not, you two are part of me and more precious than life.

Starr - You are just that. A twinkling of light that lit up our lives. Do we agree with everything, no, but that is the cost of being open and vulnerable. Please, never hide that light.

Princess - Oh, those 5 days before we went to court for you. Your phone call sent waves of emotions and feelings as we raced to make it happen. We want to be deeply involved with your life. That is why we stand at the door and knock so much.

Peanut - Your entrance into our life was no less dramatic. We could have never envisioned where that road would take us and it is a journey I would not have missed.

AJ, Lew, Lil Princess - If you ever thought kids were great ... try Grand kids.

I know some will feel I forgot them ... but remember ... I said it earlier ... I would not change a thing ... everyone has made my life a "Wonderful Life."