My very active, but relaxed life has really suffered since I went back to work. The extra three minutes it took to reach the nordic ski lodge since my last training ride was almost depressing. I had planned to reach the actual mountain peak this summer but now I know I'm not going to make … Continue reading Double Whammy
I thought about Roxy all day as I worked on Friday. The vet called me at 3:30 to inform me that x-rays showed her teeth were much worse than they thought. They they would have to remove 23 in total, and needed my authorization to continue. I felt horrible, but of course I told them … Continue reading “Dogs Are Stoic”
I'm now into my 11th week post-retirement employment. I'm not loving it anymore at all. I miss the long days of doing whatever I wanted. However, I feel the need to work right now. Part of it is that I have a really hard time spending money on things we don't see as top priority. … Continue reading Getting It All Taken Care Of
This morning I shared a few of my favorite Firesign Theater scenes with my half-asleep wife, who usually checks out after 30 seconds of my beloved surreal satire. I again did my best to explain how every single line of this late 60's album is a gem, and that "the reason people can't or won't … Continue reading Being An Annoying Morning Person
As I've been laying flagstone on the old concrete patio, my neighbor goes by in his combine, adding a ton of dust to the smoke-filled air. After donning a mask for two days of the three-day weekend, the smoke dissipated enough to temporarily abandon the patio project and enjoy a beautiful late summer day. You'd … Continue reading Weekend Work/Play
Once in a while I get a very tenacious tune or musical phrase stuck in my head. Three days ago, I was watching Six Feet Under with my wife and the character Ruth began to sing the song Woodstock by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. That's the version I'm familiar with, and I barely recognized … Continue reading Woodstock
My previous exterminations were quick and painless, whereas the hapless yellow jackets had never seen it coming. But this time it was different. Almost immediately upon planting the shovel, the wasps began streaming into the darkness. I thought I was well-covered, but it's amazing how quickly these little monsters can find pathways to your flesh. … Continue reading Finally Feeling The Sting
Getting ready to call it a day, I took the dogs out one last time. I locked the garage door, and headed across the deck to the back door and noticed the dimly lit little decorative mason jar someone had taken off the table and placed on the deck. There was a small object near … Continue reading Fun Night With Deck Frog
My feature photo is my grandson and I walking the dogs and was taken on my last day of work in 2017. Some day he may find it interesting that I spent 37.6 years with the same company. That may be a real rarity by the time he retires. My taste of retirement was everything … Continue reading Seven Weeks In
I've always enjoyed Harry Callihan's quote from the movie Magnum Force, "A man's got to know his limitations." That's a really interesting thought, and there must be some truth to it. In some cases, lives may depend upon correctly assessing one's abilities to handle a dangerous situation. I'm sure there are many unlucky souls who … Continue reading Disconnecting From The Self
