A wish to one and all for a Happy Thanksgiving...safe travels to all who are on the road to family gatherings...I will be spending the holiday at work...(I work most holidays...such is the life of a security officer), but I am not looking for sympathy. I am truly blessed to be able to work and live here in paradise...(my idea of paradise, anyway) and would like to share some of the things I am thankful for this day...(I LOVE theme blogs!)
T---is for Time. We only get a set amount in our lifetimes and I wasn't taking care of that time when I was younger. I have been blessed with a "second" life and want to make sure that I spend it more wisely. The expression "you only go around once" is true, but you can change paths along the way to make the ride a little less bumpy, if you take your time...
H---is for Health. With all the crap I did to myself and put in myself over the years, I am amazed that I am still here and mostly healthy...With the exception of wear and tear that we all go
through as we age, I am thankful that all my parts still function.
A---is for Arizona. I am so thankful that I was able to move here and able to continue to live in this
beautiful place I now call home.
N---is for Niche. I am thankful that I found my niche in my second career in security. I seem to have
a knack (wish that started with "N") for doing this sort of work and it is both rewarding and
interesting.
K---is for Kin. I am blessed to be related to outstanding people and blessed to have friends that I
consider family.
S---is for Strength. Not the physical kind,,,but the mental strength and determination to cope with all
setbacks and hurdles along the way. The strength to fight through problems and do what is
necessary to "live the dream".
G---is for Golf. You didn't think I would forget golf, did you? I credit this wonderful game for
having a hand in saving my life when sobriety was a dream I wanted to achieve...a 47 year old love affair that I am thankful to be able to continue to play.
I---is for Imagination. I am thankful for my "unique perspective"(insert any word here you like) and my "creative" bent that seems to keep people entertained and sometimes scratching their heads. Predictable? I think not!
V---is for Values. I dislike thinking that kindness, being a gentleman, and love for country are being
pushed into "old school" thinking. Treating people the way you want to be treated and hard work
and earning respect may be "old school" in this entitled, over-sensitive society in which we live, but I am thankful that I am "old school".
I---is for Innovation. I am thankful to have the ability to change and adapt to situations that life throws at me. The ability to transform myself and adapt myself to this wonderful life we all share.
N---is for Nation. I am thankful to live in the greatest nation on earth that provides me with the freedom to pursue my dreams and the freedom to say and write what I like in these blogs.
G---is for God. None of this is possible without God's grace and guidance. I know it's not fashionable to mention God these days, but I am not a slave to fashion...(you've seen how I dress!). I give thanks to God for every day and for everything that I have. He gives me strength and more blessings than I deserve...
So Happy Thanksgiving everyone...Hope you enjoy the rest of the day...
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Saturday, November 21, 2015
In memory of... Uncle Charlie
Friday, November 20, 2015 will now be added to my personal calendar as a day I look to heaven and smile while a tear(s) gently rolls down my cheek...Uncle Charlie has passed away. My most heartfelt condolences and love go out to Aunt Joan and all the cousins and their families on this day. I have personally felt the pain of losing my Dad, and no matter how old someone is, the pain and loss still comes. Charlie lived to be 93 years young and went peacefully under hospice care, leaving behind some wonderful memories that I thought were lost in the Rolodex of my addled brain, but have resurfaced as I write this...
I remember the station wagon with the Iowa plates in the driveway, signalling a visit from Uncle Charlie and Aunt Joan and an always changing number of cousins...I thought at the time it was a major inconvenience...(jerk!) but I always missed them when they left. It wasn't until I was older that I finally appreciated my cousins and the wonderful people that brought them into the world. I remember visiting Iowa on the family vacation...(now THAT was a major inconvenience! But only in the travelling sense). Cramming the parents, three kids, and Grandma into the car and pulling a trailer behind it while touring the great Midwest was not my idea of a treat. But when we got to Iowa and got to stay at the "mansion" now that was a massive treat...I loved that old house with the carriage house and porches and multiple levels...(I got to sleep on the top floor with the pool table! Very cool!). The dinners, simple and always delicious, and the stories that we heard about growing up and life "back in the day"...
I remember reconnecting with the cousins, especially Beck...(similar age, similar situations at the time) and it was mostly from her that I learned about Charlie's war experiences...shot down over Germany in WWII and spending a year as a prisoner of war. I remember that Charlie didn't talk about that much and Beck said she had a hard time getting any of his friends to open up about it. I can only imagine how horrific the experience must have been...
I remember visiting Fort Loudon when Joan and Charlie sold the house in Iowa and going back in time...(as a history lover, it was an incredible place). It was built in the 1800's with the front of the house right on the road (for the horse and buggy to pull up to) and the backyard stretching far...(with the outhouses, of course) It had a cistern for collecting rainwater and a pump to fill up the buckets for indoor water use. They modernized it since then with indoor plumbing and water, but the rooms spoke of the olden days where the kitchen and "parlor" dominated the other rooms. It was here that I learned how my grandmother had her kids...Charlie born in the kitchen by the stove (it was December) with a midwife and Mom in the outdoor outhouse in July by herself. It was these stories that I wanted to hear. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed talking with Charlie...he was extremely intelligent (professor and dean of a college in Iowa) and deeply religious. I remember reading his newsletters about the Bible each month and marveled about his passion and love for God. I always felt that Charlie had a "special" relationship with God and that if God ever had a close circle of friends, Charlie would be one of them...
I remember the reunion on Ruby Ridge (inside joke)...especially traveling with my extremely pregnant sister at the time. All of Charlie's nine (9!) kids were there and it was an absolutely unforgettable trip. The man-made lake...(thanks to the devastating flood in the Midwest), the water slide and floating platform, the stories and more stories and just being able to connect with that side of the family again. A plethora of nieces, nephews, 2nd cousins, grand-kids and great grand-kids have come to pass since then but the memories will live on...
And that is how I will end this tribute...the memories of loved ones should be shared and nurtured and passed down from person to person and generation to generation...Charlie had a magnificent life and his family is living proof of that...he helped raise (most of the credit to Aunt Joan, of course) nine exceptional people, who in turn are raising exceptional people of their own. I am proud to be able to be included in that family tree and proud to be related to each and every one of them...I share the loss of Uncle Charlie, but I rejoice in his reunion with God. I look forward to sharing many more memories and hope someday to earn the right to see him again. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace... Amen. God bless the family and especially Aunt Joan as they navigate through this time...
I remember the station wagon with the Iowa plates in the driveway, signalling a visit from Uncle Charlie and Aunt Joan and an always changing number of cousins...I thought at the time it was a major inconvenience...(jerk!) but I always missed them when they left. It wasn't until I was older that I finally appreciated my cousins and the wonderful people that brought them into the world. I remember visiting Iowa on the family vacation...(now THAT was a major inconvenience! But only in the travelling sense). Cramming the parents, three kids, and Grandma into the car and pulling a trailer behind it while touring the great Midwest was not my idea of a treat. But when we got to Iowa and got to stay at the "mansion" now that was a massive treat...I loved that old house with the carriage house and porches and multiple levels...(I got to sleep on the top floor with the pool table! Very cool!). The dinners, simple and always delicious, and the stories that we heard about growing up and life "back in the day"...
I remember reconnecting with the cousins, especially Beck...(similar age, similar situations at the time) and it was mostly from her that I learned about Charlie's war experiences...shot down over Germany in WWII and spending a year as a prisoner of war. I remember that Charlie didn't talk about that much and Beck said she had a hard time getting any of his friends to open up about it. I can only imagine how horrific the experience must have been...
I remember visiting Fort Loudon when Joan and Charlie sold the house in Iowa and going back in time...(as a history lover, it was an incredible place). It was built in the 1800's with the front of the house right on the road (for the horse and buggy to pull up to) and the backyard stretching far...(with the outhouses, of course) It had a cistern for collecting rainwater and a pump to fill up the buckets for indoor water use. They modernized it since then with indoor plumbing and water, but the rooms spoke of the olden days where the kitchen and "parlor" dominated the other rooms. It was here that I learned how my grandmother had her kids...Charlie born in the kitchen by the stove (it was December) with a midwife and Mom in the outdoor outhouse in July by herself. It was these stories that I wanted to hear. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed talking with Charlie...he was extremely intelligent (professor and dean of a college in Iowa) and deeply religious. I remember reading his newsletters about the Bible each month and marveled about his passion and love for God. I always felt that Charlie had a "special" relationship with God and that if God ever had a close circle of friends, Charlie would be one of them...
I remember the reunion on Ruby Ridge (inside joke)...especially traveling with my extremely pregnant sister at the time. All of Charlie's nine (9!) kids were there and it was an absolutely unforgettable trip. The man-made lake...(thanks to the devastating flood in the Midwest), the water slide and floating platform, the stories and more stories and just being able to connect with that side of the family again. A plethora of nieces, nephews, 2nd cousins, grand-kids and great grand-kids have come to pass since then but the memories will live on...
And that is how I will end this tribute...the memories of loved ones should be shared and nurtured and passed down from person to person and generation to generation...Charlie had a magnificent life and his family is living proof of that...he helped raise (most of the credit to Aunt Joan, of course) nine exceptional people, who in turn are raising exceptional people of their own. I am proud to be able to be included in that family tree and proud to be related to each and every one of them...I share the loss of Uncle Charlie, but I rejoice in his reunion with God. I look forward to sharing many more memories and hope someday to earn the right to see him again. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace... Amen. God bless the family and especially Aunt Joan as they navigate through this time...
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Not bad for a rookie...
The headliner is in! And it is staying in! As you all know...(or are about to learn), I have a 1996 Jeep Cherokee that I drove across country when I moved out to Arizona. I found a great mechanic and she is running like a top on her way to 300,000 miles...(currently 236,000 and counting). Thanks to little or no rain, rust is not a problem for vehicles here in the desert. The headliner started sagging...(finally reaching down to the top of my head) so I found a couple videos on youtube on how to replace one, bought some glue and headliner material from ebay, and proceeded to "backyard detail" my Jeep. It took me about an hour to remove the headliner. I had to detach the rear seat belts, the sun visors, the dome light, three handles and the trim all the way around...(making sure to bag the screws and parts and mark them so I would remember where they go...this is ME doing this, after all). The headliner then slid out, I removed the old one...(yuck!) and using an abrasive sponge, scraped the old glue off...(yuck again!). Then I swept the fiberglass backing, trimmed the material to size and glued...(the glue works almost too good) the new material to the fiberglass. It has a couple creases in it...(it was my first headliner replacement), but no air bubbles and then the fun part started. It took a longer time to get everything back together because of the awkward way I had to position myself to tighten screws and all, but it fit and there were no parts left over! And now I have headroom to spare! My Jeep is looking good again and next day off...(not sure when that might be), the rest of the truck will get washed, waxed, and prettied up on the inside.
The reason I am able to work on the truck is because the 100+ days are gone. Temperatures are in the 80's, 70's and 60's (brrrr) during the day and 40's and 50's at night. "It's the most wonderful time of the year" here in the Valley. I actually played golf in long pants and a pullover the other day...with shoes on, no less, and SOCKS! I usually play barefooted during the summer months...(I have a pair of golf sandals that I converted to slip-ons so that I can get on the course and navigate the rocks and desert areas). There is nothing better than bare-footing on manicured fairways and greens. But now is the time for socks (yuck!) and shoes. The courses have finally finished over seeding and are lush and green and beautiful. Prices are a bit steep...(the snowbirds have returned), but with a little savvy shopping, golf deals are out there and I will find them.
The Post Office sucks! You didn't think this blog would go without a least one rant, did you? I tried to send Halloween and birthday cards to my sister and the the nieces (late, of course, but the effort was there). I went to the Post Office, gave them the over-sized envelope with all the cards in it and went on my merry way. Yesterday, after nine days, I found my letter jammed in my tiny mailbox. It was returned to sender for insufficient postage that the post office put on it!! Snail mail strikes again. I apologize to Vee and Nat and the package will be sent again with fingers crossed that it will find its way to them. This is not the first time this has happened either... I have had things returned and lost by the beloved post office for numerous reasons and my last nerve is getting rubbed raw. God bless the government and their agencies...Have a great day. I'm off to the Post Office.
The reason I am able to work on the truck is because the 100+ days are gone. Temperatures are in the 80's, 70's and 60's (brrrr) during the day and 40's and 50's at night. "It's the most wonderful time of the year" here in the Valley. I actually played golf in long pants and a pullover the other day...with shoes on, no less, and SOCKS! I usually play barefooted during the summer months...(I have a pair of golf sandals that I converted to slip-ons so that I can get on the course and navigate the rocks and desert areas). There is nothing better than bare-footing on manicured fairways and greens. But now is the time for socks (yuck!) and shoes. The courses have finally finished over seeding and are lush and green and beautiful. Prices are a bit steep...(the snowbirds have returned), but with a little savvy shopping, golf deals are out there and I will find them.
The Post Office sucks! You didn't think this blog would go without a least one rant, did you? I tried to send Halloween and birthday cards to my sister and the the nieces (late, of course, but the effort was there). I went to the Post Office, gave them the over-sized envelope with all the cards in it and went on my merry way. Yesterday, after nine days, I found my letter jammed in my tiny mailbox. It was returned to sender for insufficient postage that the post office put on it!! Snail mail strikes again. I apologize to Vee and Nat and the package will be sent again with fingers crossed that it will find its way to them. This is not the first time this has happened either... I have had things returned and lost by the beloved post office for numerous reasons and my last nerve is getting rubbed raw. God bless the government and their agencies...Have a great day. I'm off to the Post Office.
Monday, November 2, 2015
May the best team win...
And the best team won...Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals on their World Series victory over my New York Mets. Am I disappointed? Of course, I am...I'm a fan, but let's face facts. The Royals out-hit , out-pitched, played better defense, out-hustled and clutch hit better than the Mets. And from what I saw...(which was about 2 innings of the whole Series on TV, the rest listening on radio), the Royals WANTED it more than the Mets. Their manager said it after the game last night. They were one out from winning the Series last year and the Giants took it away from them...they were on a mission from spring training this year and never stopped pushing until they reached their goal. So, congratulations Royals and their fans...(Anna and Mike). I bow before the World Champs.
Disappointment aside, I want to thank the Mets for giving me a season to remember...I never believed that they would have this successful a year in my wildest dreams. Listening to the games on the radio and hearing the crowd roaring during the playoffs gave me chills and rekindled my love for baseball and my Mets. Even though I am 2500 miles from the New York area, I know how electric the atmosphere must have been during the playoffs. I am so glad I got to see them play here when they visited the Dbacks. I hope they take the lesson learned this October...(like the Royals) and go into next year and beyond hungry for that championship ring.
I almost forgot to tell you guys...the reason I didn't see the games was because I threw cable TV out of my house on August 3 of this year...(plus the fact that I work most nights). Spending that much money for something I hardly used...(plus the wasted time sitting in front of it when I did), wore my last nerve and I finally said enough. My TV has been dark since then and I don't miss it one bit. I am reading books again and listening to music and riding my bike and cooking and having time to pursue other projects...(I am replacing the headliner in my Jeep as we speak). I feel like a convict that has been released from prison, locked on my couch watching things that have no bearing on my life whatsoever... Eventually I will get something...(Netflix or Hulu or Amazon prime) but for now I am enjoying the freedom from the Idiot Box, Boob Tube, or whatever you want to call it. Plus, it will free up my writing time so that I can tell about other adventures rather than work...(Yuck!).
So onward and upward, dear Readers...It is now November and that means endless hours of Christmas music will be pumping into your ears when you go shopping...(I think I'll stay away from the malls until mid-January). Ciao for now!
Disappointment aside, I want to thank the Mets for giving me a season to remember...I never believed that they would have this successful a year in my wildest dreams. Listening to the games on the radio and hearing the crowd roaring during the playoffs gave me chills and rekindled my love for baseball and my Mets. Even though I am 2500 miles from the New York area, I know how electric the atmosphere must have been during the playoffs. I am so glad I got to see them play here when they visited the Dbacks. I hope they take the lesson learned this October...(like the Royals) and go into next year and beyond hungry for that championship ring.
I almost forgot to tell you guys...the reason I didn't see the games was because I threw cable TV out of my house on August 3 of this year...(plus the fact that I work most nights). Spending that much money for something I hardly used...(plus the wasted time sitting in front of it when I did), wore my last nerve and I finally said enough. My TV has been dark since then and I don't miss it one bit. I am reading books again and listening to music and riding my bike and cooking and having time to pursue other projects...(I am replacing the headliner in my Jeep as we speak). I feel like a convict that has been released from prison, locked on my couch watching things that have no bearing on my life whatsoever... Eventually I will get something...(Netflix or Hulu or Amazon prime) but for now I am enjoying the freedom from the Idiot Box, Boob Tube, or whatever you want to call it. Plus, it will free up my writing time so that I can tell about other adventures rather than work...(Yuck!).
So onward and upward, dear Readers...It is now November and that means endless hours of Christmas music will be pumping into your ears when you go shopping...(I think I'll stay away from the malls until mid-January). Ciao for now!
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