200... and counting...

Trumpet blasts and fanfare please... this is my 200th blog (I told you I had a lot to say) and I am combining a Happy Father's Day, happy first day of summer and Happy Birthday to you (me) all in one enchanting rant.

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all the Dads who are fans of my blog (and even those who are not). Special wishes to brother-in-law Craig, who is the dad of my two wonderful nieces, Vee and Nat...(and congratulations to Vee on all of her academic awards--WAY TO GO, VEE!!!!). I am so lucky to be their Uncle and love them very much and hope they treated their Dad to a very special day. I also hope that all the other Dads I know had a great day also. You guys deserve it. I am also thinking of my Dad today (I think of you often, Dad and miss you very much) and how cool it would be to spend one more day together playing golf or watching it together on TV. Rest in peace, Dad, and know that I love you...

Tomorrow (today, depending on the time zone) is also the first day of summer and the longest day of the year... (summer solstice--useless piece of trivia-you know I had to throw some in). It also commemorates the day that your intrepid author first made his appearance way back in 1958... (for those of you arithmetically challenged that's 52 years ago). 52. Somehow I never pictured that number and myself being the same. Back in the bad old day of Jim's age... (B.S.--before sobriety) 52 was a number I felt sure I would be long gone before attaining. But here I am at the verge of obtaining this lofty goal (still an hour before midnight here) and humbly shaking my head in disbelief... I am turning 52 and loving every minute of it. I am truly blessed and continue to kick myself for not appreciating how blessed I truly am. Since the day I started this journey 200 blogs ago and up until the present time my life has been an exciting and unbelievable adventure in all ways. There have been troubled times but all in all I am still able to continue on this adventure in the way I had hoped... and that is truly a blessing.

I worked on Saturday at Mighty Mud Mania (the city of Scottsdale builds a water and mud park at a city park for kids to play in--water slides, mud pits, mud obstacle courses, playground and wash stations) and survived the 100+ temps with no shade for 8 hours and came through it with a darker tan (very cheeto-esque) and a swollen ankle (that some sort of varmint caused by biting me four times--looks like the world's smallest vampire bit me on the ankle... twice). I popped the swelling and out oozed some viscous, pus-like fluid (gross!). I don't know what bit me, but I'm not happy about it. No pain, so I'll keep an eye on it for now. Next up for me is Cooperstown (Alice Cooper's restaurant downtown) for security during the Yankees-Diamondback series Monday (yes, I'm working on my birthday...like everybody else does), Tuesday and Wednesday. Going to ride the light rail back and forth (love that train!) to save some gas and crazy expensive parking fees (no charge at the park-n-ride in Tempe). Should be fun to hang with the Yankee fans at Cooperstown (ya know what I'm sayin?)...