12-26-2007

I read recently that American 15 year olds rank 33rd among industrialized countries in math. In science they ranked 27th. I agree with W.E. Williams when he said “Few people appreciate the implications of poor math preparation. Math, more than anything else, teaches one how to think logically. If one graduates from high school with little or no preparation in algebra, geometry and a bit of trig, he is likely to find whole areas of academic study, as well as the highest paying jobs, hermetically sealed off from him for his entire life.” I know, there are exceptions, but for the most part I believe what he said is true. If I had it to do over I would have tried harder in math and science and I would have tried to be more influential with my children in those areas. I wish one of my teachers had imparted this information to me early in life (and I hope I would’ve listened). Ah, the clarity of hindsight!

The other morning I had breakfast at a local restaurant with my daughter (Debby) and uncle KD’s wife (Mary). It was so good to set down with family and enjoy a good meal and good conversation. The conversation was easy and relaxed and no tears were shed, although all three of us were still grieving our loss on December 6th. I left the restaurant knowing that we would pick up with our lives, but carry KD in our hearts wherever we went.

I took our little boat (Puffer) out of the water the other day after a short ride up the canal. I was surprised how well the anti-foul paint worked on keeping barnacles off the bottom of the boat. I cranked up the old power washer and, with biodegradable bleach feeding into the hose, cleaned it as clean as a whistle. The little 5 horsepower motor was flushed with fresh water for ½ hour and now everything is stowed for the winter, waiting for spring to arrive. I used it about 4 times this year. I wonder if that is enough to justify its existence in my life? Let’s wait and see how it goes next year.

Christmas was very good. My daughter, Jerilyn’s mother and her son Dean and his family (Kathy, Chris, Brandon) helped us celebrate on Christmas Day. Jerilyn prepared breakfast, consisting of French toast and pancakes and Kathy fried some delicious bacon. Afterward, we opened presents and enjoyed each other’s company. My son was in TN enjoying his Christmas with his family and Jerilyn’s son Mark was in Florida with his wife Rachel, soaking up the sun and enjoying the good life. Jerilyn and I attended the Candlelight Service at our church on Christmas Eve and it was very moving. This time of the year always leave me feeling good. Sometimes, it is hard for me to get the “Christmas Spirit”, but this year it seemed to come so easy. Maybe, I needed the Lord in my life more this year.

My Uncle Claude is home from the hospital after suffering a heart attack several weeks ago. I understand his left foot is numb and he is on dialysis 3 times a week. I pray for him every day.

When I was a young man I remember attending church one day and the minister said to the congregation “If anyone here has a special need, form a line right here in front of the pulpit and I will pray for you.” I stood in line and finally it came my turn to be prayed for. “Ok, young man”, the minister said, “what’s your problem?” I told him “I’ve got a hearin’ problem”. Well, he put his hands on both my ears and prayed for 10 minutes. After he removed them he asked me “Son, how’s your hearin’ now?” “I dunno”, I replied, “It’s not until next week” I am so full of it!

I hope you're enjoying the Christmas season. Thanks for reading my weekly missive.

12-15-2007

Well, it finally happened. My Uncle KD lost his battle with cancer on Thursday (12/6) at 4:25 pm. It will be a long time before the hurt goes away, but it will, I know it will. His wife of 47 years (Mary), his son (Duke), grandchildren (Timmy & Melissa) & daughter-in-law (Brenda) are all suffering more than I, but that does little to ease my sadness. His memory will stay with me as long as I walk this earth.

Jerilyn and I spent Monday doing yard work. Leaves were all over the place and our grass needed cutting in some places. We loaded it all up and took it to the city dump. The truck was full and leaves fluttered out as we made our way there. By the time we returned home leaves were again covering our yard. I think one more trip to the dump will do it, but I must wait several weeks. Then the chore will be done for another year. I always enjoy fall, watching the leaves turn and then drop slowly to the ground. After a while, the weather turns cold and I have to don warm clothes and walk briskly to wherever I’m going. Isn’t it amazing how cold air can add a little juice to your steps? I walk nowhere slowly in the winter time. Nightfall is here by 5pm and we are safely tucked inside our home by then. Jerilyn stays busy getting ready for Christmas, while I do things on the PC or read the paper. I wonder how she stands me sometimes. I really need to be more helpful.

We travelled with our close friends, Don & Louise, to Roanoke Rapids and the Randy Pardon Theater (brother of Dolly). We enjoyed the trip with our friends and the show was probably a 6 on a scale of 10. Isn’t it amazing what a little diversion will do to raise your spirits? I needed that trip, I spend too much time thinking about the loss of my uncle. The show was titled “Carolina Christmas” and was attended by a lot of people on bus tours. Seems as though Randy Pardon has lost his job. He appeared on stage drunk and was arrested. He was fired from a job paying him 1.5 mil. It appears his name will be removed from the theater. The folks in Roanoke Rapids are upset, apparently, they financed the theater via additional taxes.

Jerilyn and I will be attending a Christmas party tonight (Saturday) given by our close friend Joann. She does this each year and we always have fun. A lot of the people at the party we only see once a year and, yep, it’s at her party. This has been going on for 15 years and the holidays would not be the same if she stopped doing it. Special people do things like that don’t they?

I went to my doctor yesterday to have my 6 month prostrate exam. My reading jumped from 3.2 to 5.0 last June and I had biopsies taken then. They were all clear. The doctor said if the reading stays around 5, then we will continue the 6 month examination routine. If it has gone back down to 3 then we will check it once a year. I should get my results next week.

A retired Methodist minister (Lewis Morgan) wrote a wonderful Christmas poem and sent it to Jerilyn. I would like to include it for you to read:

A Plain Man slouches toward Bethlehem,
wondering as he wanders:

What happened to that Old Gang of Mine, gone like a used sunset?
No wonder I can't find them, they're chatting on the internet.

who took away my memory and hobbled me with fears?
Who stole my yesterdays and left me with all these years?

What alien kidnapped my grandbabies, absent from my empty lap?
How I miss all the rasslin' and the hasslin' ! May I please have them back?

Who absconded with my Thanksgiving Friday and painted it black?
And how is it that upstart Rudolph now gets to lead the pack?

I really miss "Joy to the World" and all the Christmas rhymes.
Guess what I just heard? "Let it snow, let it snow" for the 1000th time.

And what Grinch took my baby Jesus? Could anything be stranger
than a thief who would throw out the Babe and cop the Manger?

Which merchant emptied out my bank account and made me sad like this?
Thank Heaven, O Thank Heaven, they didn't get my Christmas Mailing List.

12-3-2007

RANDOM FACT OF THE DAY
A perfect SAT score is 1600 combined. Bill Gates scored 1590 on his SAT. Paul Allen, Bill's partner in Microsoft, scored a perfect 1600. Bill Cosby scored less than 500 combined. Now, you may wonder, what does all this mean? I guess it says that you can succeed in life even though your SAT score indicates your intelligence is only slightly higher than a woodpecker’s. I do not remember my SAT score, but I am sure it was not in the teens. We have designed all sorts of ways to measure human intelligence, but absolutely no way to measure the depth of a person’s determination to succeed. If Bill Cosby can achieve the success he enjoys with a 500, maybe I didn’t try hard enough.

A good friend and I loaded up and drove about 2 hours away to attend a playoff football game our Poquoson High School team was having. We won easily. The following Saturday I rode with Jerilyn’s son (Dean) to Charlottesville (also 2 hrs away) to watch them play in the state semifinal game (we lost). Both trips were fun and the time spent with friends and family was enjoyable.

I received this tip the other day, and thinking it was a good one, decided to pass it on to you: Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your house, or someone is trying to get into your home, just press the panic button for your car (if your car has one, ours does not). The alarm will trigger the horn and the l sound will frighten away most would-be criminals. You can also use this alarm as you approach your car in a parking lot at night. Test your car to make sure you are within the range needed.

We attended a country music talent show the other night. It had four contestants, winners from previous talent shows during the year, and they were all good. I wonder how many of us have ever placed our talent on public display. I would never have the courage to get on stage and say, “Here’s what I can do. Do you like it? If you do, let me know by applauding.” Gee, I barely have the courage to stand in front of a large group and talk. Stage fright is a terrible thing. Most of us do well in small groups, but that is about as far as it goes. I found out early that if I could get by the first two minutes I calmed down and was able to continue without too much nervousness. I have always admired people that could make speeches or perform in front of a large audience effortlessly.

The water pump in my truck is leaking badly. I was trying to determine whether I should do it or not, depending on it’s complexity, and so, I Goggled it and came up with this website (http://www.justanswer.com/). Upon arriving there, I selected auto repair as the category and then typed in my question. They go off and find an expert to answer my question (takes a couple of minutes) and then come back and give me the guy’s name and tell me that he has been a Chrysler service manager for 12 years. I then have three payment options ($9, $15, $25). I figured the $9 option would not get me a lot, so I opted for the $15 plan. If you are unhappy with the answer you do not have to pay anything (which I liked). Anyway, in a few minutes the guy gives me detailed instruction for removing and installing the water pump. He tells me that I need two special tools, gives me the Snap-On ID # for the tools, and tells me what to look for when I examine the pump and fan blade assembly. I was impressed. I had the information I needed for $15. I decided I would not attempt the repair myself. I checked with several repair shops and the price ranged from $232 - $375. I have, of course, opted for the lower price. I go to the truck doctor Tuesday (12/4). The timing belt is just behind the water pump. I will have them replace that also. The truck has 138,000 miles on it. I can’t complain too much. Anyway, the whole point here is, if you have a major problem and need help deciding how to fix it, for as little as $9 you can get all the help you will need in making that decision. I think my life just got a little simpler.

My uncle’s cancer has gotten worse. He is very weak and unable to get out of bed. I pray for him several times daily and he is on my mind constantly.

I hope you're enjoying whatever season it is in your part of the world. Thanks for reading my weekly missive.

11-22-2007

I ran across a list of the 10 longest running TV shows and wanted to share them with you. I have placed an asterisk beside the ones I was fond of:

10. Knotts Landing* (1979 -93) 9. Dallas * (1978-91) 8. My Three Sons (1960 -72) 7. Law & Order (1990 - ?) 6. The Simpsons (1989 - ?) 5. Bonanza * (1959 -73) 4. Ozzie & Harriet (1952 – 66) 3. Death Valley* days (1952 – 1970) 2. Lassie (1954 – 72) 1. Gunsmoke * (1955 -75)

As a young lad growing up in the mountains of Virginia during the ‘50’s, our selection of TV programs to watch were very limited. We received one station out of Huntington, West Virginia. That was all we had. There was never an argument over what program we would watch. If you didn’t like it, you did something besides watch TV. I had a vast collection of comic books and, if it was still daylight outside, there were many options. It was always easy to round up some friends and play “Kick The Can”, or, “Tag” or, some other game we had played a gazillion times. Sometimes, less is more I think.

That darn garage door opener is still giving me problems. The opener has been installed and works quite well with me using the switch mounted on the wall, but the two remotes refuse to work. After getting my son to look at it, and then calling over my next door neighbor, I gave up and called the Sears Guy. He arrives here next Wednesday to solve the problem. If it is my fault I pay, if not, there is no charge. Guess I’d better get my wallet out.

I went to NC to visit my brother Jerry the other day. He and his wife, Patty, are doing ok. His health is about the same. He has been in a wheelchair for close to 5 years. It is always good to visit him. Our connection goes back so far that when we visit each other old memories start flowing. Both of us have changed a lot since we were kids, but in a lot of ways we are still the same. Both of us have had our ups and downs, but life has treated him more severely than me to this point. Hey, if you add up the good times and subtract the bad times we still come out winners. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

My next project will be overhauling the carburetor on my lawn tractor, affectionately known around here as “Big Red”. Big Red is a 1974 Wheel Horse. I have owned it about 10 years and, up to this point, has never given me a minute of trouble. But now, it is having trouble breathing properly. It continually wants to stop and rest and, on close inspection, has revealed that its throat is sore and needs attention. If I am unable to fix it, out comes the old wallet again and a new carburetor will probably be the cure. Can’t complain, everything wears out sooner or later, heck, look at me.

Our local high school football team (Poquoson) made it to the post season playoffs. They defeated the #1 seed last week and advance to play a team about two hours away (Brunswick). I am seriously considering heading off to the game, scheduled to start at 1:30 pm on Saturday. It has been a very long time since I attended a high school football game. I’m looking forward to it. Heck, I think I’m going !

Tomorrow, Jerilyn and I will be eating Thanksgiving Dinner with her youngest son (Mark) and his family. Her other son, Dean and his family, are spending their TG weekend visiting relatives in NC. Mark & Rachel invited my son (Rusty) and my daughter (Debby) for dinner, but they had other plans. I’m hoping to get up with them this weekend and spend some time together. Before I retired I used to look forward to the 4 day weekend during TG. Now, I have a 7 day weekend. Ain’t life great!

I had the opportunity to visit a friend the other day that I have not seen in 35 years. She is 70 now. I would not have recognized her and she did not recognize me. I walked into her home, escorted by her son, and say “Bea, do you know who I am?”. With a puzzled look, she says “no”. Now, I see my mug in the mirror every morning. I think my face is the same as it has always been, just with more etching(character lines I like to call it). Bea clearly had no clue as to my identity. “I’m Tommy Hale”, says I. She quickly corrects me, “Tommy Joe, is that you?” Unknown to her I dropped the “Joe” years ago. Seems, only mountaineers use their middle name. Folks around here never use their middle name, so I dropped mine. If someone calls me Tommy Joe, I immediately know where they are from. I also know they know more about me then they should. Anyway, Bea and I had a wonderful reunion. It is always good to see an old friend.

I hope you're enjoying whatever season it is in your part of the world. Happy Thanksgiving!

11-16-2007

Several weeks ago, we were at the Poquoson Seafood Festival and I spotted a guy in his 30’s, wearing a T-shirt, and sporting tattoos all over his body. By his side was a female companion with just as many. Years ago, the only people with tattoos were those in the military, mostly GI’s and sailors. Today, it seems as if everyone under 30 has one. Some are tastefully done, a small design around the ankles, or one on the shoulder blade. Most of these are worn by females. Our males seem to be more aggressive with theirs, almost always, wearing them in a prominent place, to be seen by all. Girls, it seems to me, wear them as body decoration. Guys, on the other hand, are making a statement. Personally, I see no harm in them, but, like anything done excessively, tattoos all over your body seems to be over the edge. Years ago I hired a young black fellow. By the end of his second week he was sporting an earring. “Randy”, I say to him, “when I hired you, you weren’t wearing an earring”. He looked at me and smiled, “I knew you wouldn’t hire me” he says. Today earrings are worn by many men and we think nothing of it. My, how times have changed.

Well, the saga of the garage door opener continues. I am almost finished with the installation that was started more than a week ago. Last week I had the Opener in place, plugged it in and pushed the button to raise the door. Nothing! Several pushes later I realized this thing wasn’t working. After a lot of analyzing, I determined the unit was not processing the electricity it received. A call was made to Sears and in a few days one of their installers came out to assess the situation. “Well”, says she, “it looks like it has been dropped, one of the boards inside is crushed”. This is when I pointed to the box and showed her that it had been returned to the store by someone else. I think that when she glanced around the garage and noticed all the Craftsman/Sears tools, she decided they did not want to lose a good customer by accusing me of dropping the unit. Plus, she could not deny the unit had been returned by someone else. The new unit is now installed and working properly. I still have to figure out how to get the two remotes working properly.

I just finished spreading lime and fertilizer on our yard. The grass seed I sowed in early September has not done well due to very little rain. We received a good dose of rain yesterday (almost an inch), so everything should be soaked in and doing what it is suppose to do (make the grass grow and be very green). It is also approaching the time of the year when I should take the boat out of the water and store it for the winter. I noticed that my friend Dick, who lives down the channel from us, removed his the other day. Whenever he removes his, I know it is time for me to do the same. I used my boat 3 times this past summer. Not much, but I plan on using it more next summer.

My Washington Redskins have not been doing well as of late and this Sunday they play the Dallas Cowboys (Dallas is my 2^nd favorite team). My son is a Cowboy fan, having been born in Dallas, and so Sunday will be an exciting day for both of us, more for him then me, I suspect. Jerilyn’s daughter-in-law, Kathy, is a Cowboy fan also. If my ‘Skins lose I am in for a lot of harassment. If they win, my strut will be very pronounced. Sports can add a lot of flavor to our lives. It gives us something we can share with friends & family. We all need, in my opinion, something or someone to “root” for. It takes us away from our daily lives and entertains us. Humans have been entertained by sporting events for hundreds of years. That is even more so today. We can watch a sporting event 24 hours a day. Athletes are some of the best paid people in America. Some of the salaries they receive are outrageous. I have to locate my envy button and turn it off.

Our local newspaper has been carrying the flap about a $12 million donation to William & Mary University being revoked by a high school chum of mine (Jim McGlothin). Seems, Jim is upset because a cross was moved from its long held position to one less conspicuous. I knew Jim quite well as a high school student and although he went to church regularly, he was not overly religious. With a little research, I was able to discern that he is probably worth in excess of $800 million. I may be wrong here, but I suspect you cannot accumulate that much moolah without doing a lot of unchristian things. So, why be concerned about a cross placement at your alma mater? I suspect it has more to do about power than the placement of the cross. I believe that once you make a commitment, you should follow through with it. If you are unhappy with something, express your disappointment, but follow through with your commitment. It is a shame that all the good that could be accomplished by a donation that size to W&M University is lost. I have seen Jim once since our high school days. He has attended a few of our reunions, but, I was always absent at those (unintentionally). Were he to ask my advice, I would suggest he renew his pledge and work with the school board to resolve his concerns, all the while understanding that his will may not prevail. But, $12 million is a big club and entitles you to be a bully I guess.

For the last few days I have had a pain in the center of my heel on my left foot. The pain last for about 30 seconds, goes away completely for 3-4 minutes and then returns. It started Wednesday morning and finally subsided this morning. It hurt whether I was standing, sitting, or sleeping. The pain was not severe, but I definitely knew it was there. I just hope it does not return. I have no idea what caused it. Maybe, I’m being punished for unspecified wrongs. If so, I hope the punishment is over.

I hope you're enjoying whatever season it is in your part of the world

11-08-2007

Last week was the first time in a long time that I failed to prepare my weekly WOW. I kept putting it off and the next things I knew the week was gone. Oh well, time to pick up and move on. My next big project is to install an automatic door opener on one of our garage doors. The door that already has an opener has been uninhabited by a vehicle for several years. Jerilyn’s Toyota Corolla was sold several years ago and our other two vehicles (Buick Riviera & Dodge Ram) are too long to fit because the steps leading into the garage from the house protrude too far. The book that came with the opener looks like a small encyclopedia. I must say, I am a little intimidated by the size of the task before me. I will keep you posted on my travails.

November is the month that I normally use to get my yearly physical and semiannual dental checkup. I always dread this month because of those two details. In addition this year my prostrate test required me to get a biopsy. To further complicate my life, my dentist found a small cavity that he insisted he could take care of without Novocain. During my checkup last year I received a flu/pneumonia shot, this year it will be flu/tetanus. Now, I know that as I get older, doctors become an important part of my life. I know they are key to the likelihood that I will live much longer and in good health. I also know that I am blessed, that others cannot afford the luxury of having annual checkups and necessary dental care. It makes me feel so small to bemoan the blessings bestowed upon me when others do without. I’ve got to work on that.

I have started converting my home videos to a digital format. Three of my oldest are in Beta Max format, so up in the attic I went to fetch my Beta Max machine, dust it off, and hook it up to my digital recorder (DVR). Lo and behold, there in front of me were my parents (both passed away almost 20 years ago). Tears streamed down my face as I watched them. I had given up on ever seeing them again (I had forgotten about the tapes). Mom’s familiar laugh, Dad’s grumblings, all brought back wonderful memories of them. There, on those tapes, were so many cherished relatives that have passed on to the other side. I think, regardless of age, we all enjoy reminiscing. My stroll down memory lane always leaves me feeling good. Our memories help sustain us and encourage us to create more memorable moments. It is strange the things we remember. The video taken of Dad a few months before he died brought back the memory of me asking him to let me take the pictures of him. He acquiesced and did whatever I asked him to do even though he wasn’t feeling very well on that particular day. I remember thinking “he knows he doesn’t have long and he is doing this so Jerry and I will have this when he passes”. I hope to do the same for my children.

My Uncle KD’s cancer has gotten worse. The chemo he has taken for the past 3 months had no effect and the size of the cancer in different places in his body has increased. His doctor has gone to a conference in New York City and hopes to come back with a new battle plan. My Cousin Jesse’s cancer battle continues and he seems to be making some progress. He has placed his battle in the hands of The Lord. I pray for both of them every day. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) is making some progress in her recovery from a fractured vertebra. She is still in the Health Care unit of her retirement community. We are hoping she will be able to go back to her apartment in the Independed section in 3-4 weeks. I am looking forward to visiting my brother (Jerry) and his wife (Patty) next week.

Well, I need to close this and start installing the garage door opener mentioned above. I hope you're enjoying your autumn, or whatever season it is in your part of the world

10/23/2007

This past Saturday I ran in the Mariners Museum 10K race (6.2 miles). There were about 250 runners of various ages, sizes and shapes. I finished 2^nd in my age group (65 and over). My time: 67 minutes & 18 seconds. The last time I ran the race my time was 74:05. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I came out of the woods and observed the sign at the finish line flashing 66 minutes. I turned on the afterburner and whizzed past a young woman in her 30’s I had followed for several miles. I contemplated following her to the finish line, but changed my mind and dashed to the end amid wild cheers and lots of jubilation. I glanced around furtively, looking for a TV camera or reporter but spotted none. I looked for my fans but only found one. Then I realized the 15 minute thingy was a dream I had the night before the race. Celebrity is so hard to attain.

I started work on my winter vegetable garden yesterday. Unfortunately, the only vegetable being planted is winter onions. Jerilyn and I enjoy having the green tops of onions in our salad, hence the need to keep a steady flow of them growing. I emptied our compost pile and mixed it in with our garden soil, hoping to grow them King Kong size. My plan is to plant 1.5 lbs now and after they start, plant another 1.5 lbs. If you are around us and happen to smell our breath, you will know the source of the problem. I must admit that I am not much of a gardener, often spending more creating one then the value of what we get from it at harvest time. But, if I factor in the joy I derive from the planning, seeding and great expectations, I always get more for my investment then what I spend. Most of us have known someone that could make anything grow. I have several relatives that own that skill. One, in particular, has tried to impart some of his knowledge on to me, but to no avail. Thanks for trying Jesse.

A close friend and family member enjoys cycling. She rides a gazillion miles each year and often participates in very long bike rides. The other day she was struck by a passing SUV. She went to the hospital and after careful examination, was released to go home with instructions to see an orthopedic surgeon within several days. She is banged up and bruised and has a brace on one leg, requiring her to use crutches. It appears she was struck by the mirror on the SUV. Fortunately, she will be able resume her passion for cycling before very long (being young helps you recover quickly). We are very lucky that someone we love so much was not injured severely. If we look closely at the tragedies that occur in our lives, most times we can find a blessing.

Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) is still recovering from a fractured vertebrae. The pain has mostly subsided and she is able to get out of the bed on her own and go to the bathroom. She still complains a lot. I guess when you are 89 years old that is a constant condition. We are hoping that within 3-4 weeks she will be able to go back to her apartment within the retirement community. She is currently in the health care unit of the community. She, of course, expects Jerilyn to visit her every day. We are trying to change that, but with little success. What is so sad is that she seems to be more intent on dying then getting better. She figures that since husband Henry died (2001), life is no longer worth living. Jerilyn and I have tried to show her how many blessings she still has in life (children/grandchildren), but she will have no part of it. I sometimes wonder what she will say when The Lord says to her “Gladys, what did you do with the years I gave you after Henry died?” “Well,” says she, “I did not want to live longer than Henry and wanted you to take me also.” Says Our Lord “Gladys, it is my will, not yours, that must be done. I gave you the opportunity to do good things after Henry’s passing and you failed to do so. What is your excuse?” I have no idea what her response will be. Of course, all of us will probably have some answering to do when we get there. I’m still working on my answer.

10/16/2007

Well, our much anticipated trip to California did not happen. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) called us last Thursday in extreme pain. She is currently in the “Health Care” section of her retirement community with nurses always close by. Her x-rays indicate a broken vertebrae. Some type of operation is being discussed. The pain has decreased some over the last few days.

I replaced my analog cable modem last week. It worked fine, but I was notified by our cable provider (Cox) they no longer supported that type of modem, so, I purchased a digital one on e-Bay. If anyone can use it, you are welcome to it. Just supply me with the mailing address. It is a Toshiba PCX 1100U. Check with your cable provider to insure they support it.

I have a friend (Dale) that retired recently and, as retirees often do, started working part-time. Now, it seems to me at least, that he has the perfect part-time job. He works at Kings Mill Golf Course one weekend a month, gets to play the course for free and gets a free case of beer once a month. I’ll bet there’s something illegal about that job. You know the old saying “If it sounds too good to be true, etc”. I wonder what your perfect part-time job would be? Mine would be working at Ben Jerry’s Ice Cream shop one weekend a month and getting free ice cream all the time. Or, working at Starbucks and getting all the free coffee I could gulp down.

Jerilyn and I have been watching the baseball championship series on TV. I’m pulling for Boston in the American League and Colorado in the National. Jerilyn likes the Indians and wants the Arizona Diamondbacks to win in the National League. I am a very fortunate guy. I have a wife that will watch any type of ballgame. Truth be known, she wants to watch more ball games than I do. My theory? There’s a ballgame gene in each and every woman. 99.9% of the time that gene is turned off. Occasionally, by mistake, that gene gets turned on and voila! I believe a lot of problems between men and women could be avoided if her ballgame gene was turned on. I am considering asking Jerilyn to submit to a battery of test to discover which gene is responsible. What a contribution to mankind! Now if she could only find the dishwashing gene in me.

Each day I try to visit the Woot.com website and see what item they are selling for the day. I have been doing this for several years and over time have bought many things from them. Their prices always allow a good savings and their products are probably things that are not selling well. Last week I purchased a home theater product by Sound Matters called MAINstage for $125. It sells at Amazon for $400. It is one unit and sets easily on top of our 43” TV. The sound is terrific. It comes on when the TV is turned on and goes off two minutes after the TV is turned off. You can hook up an optional subwoofer to increase the already impressive sound. I am currently using my sniper program to snag one on e-Bay. TV movies just got a lot better! My Washington Redskins lost yesterday. Surround Sound did not help them any.

It has been 6 weeks since we have received any rain. All our green stuff looks so pitiful. Jerilyn has been trying to give them a bit of wetness via the water sprinkler and her trusty water bucket, but they sure need so some rain. The grass I planted in early September has been in need of some serious water. Maybe, God will send us some soon.

My Uncle KD and Cousin Jesse continue to fight their cancer. Both of them remain in good spirit and are determined to beat this dreadful invasion of their body. I plan on visiting my brother Jerry in the near future (he’s about an hour away). He has been confined to a wheelchair for several years. Sometimes, life seems to be so unfair.

10/11/2007

I ran across this article on crying in Newsweek the other day (by Gordon Marino) and found it interesting. I will quote a few selected paragraphs and then tell you my thoughts on the subject of men crying: “There is a story in Herodotus about Xerxes. The Persian king is on a plateau proudly scanning his million-man army as it marches toward Greece. Suddenly, the emperor bursts into tears and exclaims, “They will all be gone in 100 years”. “I wonder if he wasn’t a little embarrassed in front of his generals. I also wonder if the lugubrious emperor wasn’t in his 50’s.”…….”women might know this better than men….but a good cry can make for a sounder sleep.”

Now, my thoughts: I too, have noticed that I have become more sentimental as I have aged. It seems to happen a lot when I watch a sad movie or listen to a woeful story with audio books. I tear-up when I think of the health struggles that my loved ones endure. I always assumed the tears were a result of the stress I was under by worrying about those close to me. According to Mr. Marino, it has more to do with age than anything else, and I think I agree with him. I know that as a younger man I hardly ever allowed myself to cry and when I did, mostly at funerals, I tried to suppress it as soon as possible. I am still amazed at how easily tears come, but I am no longer ashamed to cry. I never saw my father cry. As a young boy growing up I cannot ever remember seeing a grown man cry. That is such a shame, for I know they experienced heartache and sadness. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever seen my son cry as a grown man. Hopefully, one day he too will realize that a good cry cleanses the spirit and renews our belief that, in time, things will get better.

I booted up my PC the other morning, went in to eat breakfast, and when I returned it had shutdown. I was a little puzzled because that has never happened before (I have Windows Vista). I rebooted and shortly thereafter I received a notice that my PC was shutting down due to a “CPU fan failure” and then it crashed. Well, I had to take a moment to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. Then I think, “reboot again and, maybe, everything will be ok!” I do, with the same results. I know you have heard the old adage “don’t believe everything you think.” I felt like I had an extra bowl of stupid for breakfast. Off I go to CompUSA, buy the fan and install it. After a little tinkering I was back up and running as before the crash. Until I got it back to normal, I was walking around the house like a wounded hound. I can remember as a lad, being entertained by pushing a bicycle rim around with a stick. My, how I have changed.

My son and I went fishing last Sunday. We decided to fish off the James River Pier, so we packed up our fishing gear, jumped in the truck and headed off for an afternoon of father/son quality time. We were there for 3-4 hours and did not get the first bite. That mattered little to either of us, we chatted away, catching up each other’s lives, talking sports, politics and whatever else we could think of. He will of course eventually get serious about his fishing. It is his hobby and I expect it to occupy a lot of his free time. I think he will be disappointed in my attention span when it comes to fishing. Sometimes, I believe, he looks at me and thinks, “I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ll bet it is hard to pronounce”. I need to find him a fishing buddy that likes it as much as he does.

I received my cholesterol results the other day. I was quite pleased with the results after taking Vytorin for several months. My readings:

2007 2006

Total 106 186

Good 54 35

Bad 44 130

Triglycerides 41 105

The pain I was experiencing in my hips has mostly subsided and I plan to continue the medication and discuss it with my doctor during my annual physical in November.

Well, our trip to Los Angeles will commence next Monday (10/15/07) and we will return home on Thursday (10/25/07). Jerilyn and I are looking forward to the trip and the visit with her cousin and family. I am also looking forward to visiting with a childhood friend that lives close by. I will have lot to talk about in my next missive. Hopefully, I will also have some pics to share with you. I’m hoping John & Phyl, or Brenda, can get us in for a visit with the “Governator”.

10-04-2007

The novel I completed last week titled “Home to Big Stone Gap” said that when mountain people die they are “taking a dirt nap”. Now, I was raised a stone’s throw from there and I have never heard of that. I must say, I prefer that expression more than any other I have heard. Whenever I think of it though, I do chuckle a little. Mom and Dad are buried in a crypt above ground. I guess they would be taking a “tunnel nap”? Jerilyn and I plan on being cremated. I guess we would be taking a “hot nap”, or, a “nap in a jug”? Maybe, an Urned nap? Aw, shucks! I could have all kinds of fun with this subject!

On October 1^st I celebrated 1 year of retirement. I must say it still seems a little strange not getting up every morning and going to work. Somehow, I keep feeling this gravy train is going to smash into a brick wall, but each time it plows right on thru and comes out on the other side, intact and as good as ever. Jerilyn and I were setting at the breakfast table the other morning and, as I looked out the window that gives us a panoramic view of the water, I said to her “You know, we are living the good life. Both of us are in good health, we have just about anything we want and we are free to travel and enjoy life”. I would like to say that we worked all our lives to get to this point and that we deserve it, but, I would be amiss if I failed to acknowledge our many blessing from The Lord. I know he has the power to change our life at any time. I read a sign on a church the other day that said: “The party in hell has been cancelled because of fire”. I pray each day that God does not cancel our party.

I returned from Tennessee last Sunday. I drove the pickup truck out to my son’s (Rusty) house. He is moving back to Virginia and I went out to help him and visit the rest of my family out there. I was able to spend some quality time with my three granddaughter and two great granddaughters. Other family members added to the joy of the visit. I listened to my audio books on the way out and my son kept me company on the way back. I must say it feels very good to have him close by. It has been 15 years since both my children have been so close that I could jump in the truck and be at their home within 15-20 minutes. During the ride back from his home (2 days) we talked a lot. Each of us had a captive audience. He is a good boy. I am always amazed at what floats around in that head of his.

I have been taking Vytorin for cholesterol for several months now. I started in June, stopped in July because of pain in both hip joints, then restarted it two weeks later. I had my blood test the other day and the results are not back yet. I think I am going to stop taking the medication. The hip pain is back and will not go away. I am still able to run 5 miles 3 days a week but it is a struggle. Over the last several years I have tried several “statins” and each have caused some type of pain. I plan on talking to my doctor before I quit.

Our next trip commences on October 15^th and takes us to the great state of California. Our plane lands in Los Angeles, where we will be met by two good friends (Jerilyn’s cousin Phyllis, and husband John). We have been talking about visiting them for years and we are looking forward to it with great anticipation. We will also visit a childhood friend of mine (Brenda, and husband Vyron) that I have only seen once within the last 50 years. I have never been to CA. My closest trip was to Phoenix, AZ in 1991. In 1962-63 I was stationed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and one of the pilots there told me “I fly to the east coast and to the west coast. The prettiest women in this country are on the west coast!” I will be lookin’ to see if that is indeed a fact. We haven’t told Jerilyn’s mother of our trip yet. She frets so much when we go away that we always wait until 2-3 days before we leave. Each time we leave to go somewhere she thinks we will get killed before we return and she will be left alone with no one to look after her. She has two grandsons that would step up to the plate if needed. Somehow, she chooses to ignore that little fact. Jerilyn lives in constant fear that a reader of my weekly missive will tell her mother before we do. I have assured her that all my readers know how to keep a secret. I think I am the one most likely to let the cat out of the bag. That has almost happened several times before. The two week trip to Alaska in July 2006 comes to mind.

Thanks for reading my weekly missive.

9-24-2007

The novel I completed last week titled “Home to Big Stone Gap” said that when mountain people die they are “taking a dirt nap”.   Now, I was raised a stone’s throw from there and I was not aware of that saying.    I must say, I prefer that expression more than any other I have heard.   Whenever I think of it though, I do chuckle a little.   Mom and Dad are buried in an above ground crypt.  I guess they would be taking a “tunnel nap”?  Jerilyn and I plan on being cremated.  I guess we would be taking a “hot nap”, or  a “nap in a jug”?  Maybe, an Urned nap?  Aw, shucks!  I could have all kinds of fun with this subject!

I was in the middle of my bike ride the other day and noticed a neighbor down the street was washing his van.   We had never met.   I knew him as the “Tax Man”.    He worked for the City of Poquoson and was responsible for assessing the value of all homes in the city.   Needless to say, he is disliked by everyone.   I swing my bike over to the curb and introduce myself and so does he.   I tell him that I will be retired 1 year on October 1^st.   He says he has been retired 3 years.  I ask him how he likes being retired and he says “Oh, fine, if only I could catch up on all the chores my wife has for me”.  “Bill”, says I, “I will let you in on a little known secret!   I allow my wife to give me 1 chore each day, it cannot last more than a couple of hours and Saturday & Sunday are excluded”.    He looked very thoughtful for a minute or so and I could see the wheels were turning in the back of his head.   “I dunno”, he says, “My wife might not go along with that”.   “Ok”, I say, “let me tell you how to do it.  First, put a lot of your stuff on your To-do list and make sure she is aware of what you are trying to get done.  Next, when she comes to you with things she wants done, pull out the ole list and let her watch while you ponder where you can work at least one of her chores in.   Now Bill, here is the most important thing you have to remember:  This is a weekly list, not a daily list.  Do not tell your wife this.  Take your time with the items on your list.   Soon, your wife will get used to only getting one of her daily items on your list and you will have most of the day to do what you want to do”.    I pedaled away smiling; knowing Bill would be struggling for weeks.  I will check back with him in several weeks to see if he has made any progress. 

I will be leaving on Tuesday, headed for western Tennessee.   I have volunteered to help my son move some of his stuff here so he can start his new job on October 1^st.  I will be traveling in our pickup truck, so the ride will not be as comfortable as our car.  Jerilyn will not be going with me, so the trip out will be a little lonesome.    It takes about 15-17 hours of driving time to get there.   I plan on driving halfway (Knoxville, TN) and spending the night.   I have a granddaughter (Christine) that lives there, so it will give me a chance to visit with her.  She is a delightful young lady, embarking upon a new career as a Message Therapist.   My youngest granddaughter (Chelsea) celebrates her 15^th birthday on the 30^th of this month.  Since we have to leave there on Saturday, September 29^th, I’m hoping we can celebrate before we leave.  Can I remember my 15^th birthday?  You betcha!   Back then, Virginia let you get your driver’s license at age 15.  I turned 15 on Saturday and took the driver’s test on Monday, passing of course.  All of a sudden, my community became a lot less safe.   If parents knew I was out with the car, they hurriedly gathered their children and took them inside.   I became a menace to society.   It is a blessing that they, and I, survived my recklessness.  I suspect that when I boarded the bus after high school graduation and headed off to the US Air Force, there was a collective sigh of relief in our town.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

08-21-2007

I have been reading a book given to me by my son, titled, “For One More Day” by Mitch Albom, author of “Tuesdays With Morrie”. In the book his mother died unexpectedly and 8 years later he gets to spend one more day with her. He makes the following statement on his third and final visit: “And I realized when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.” I know that to be so. I am not so sure that others feel that way.

Our next door neighbor (John) had an old fridge that he was putting on the street for the city to pick up. He also had an old dishwasher and some other things that he wanted to get out of his shed. Jerilyn and I volunteered to dispose of them for him by taking them to a local metal recycler. By the time he got thru cleaning out his shed our truck was full. On our way down to run the Noland Trail, we stopped by the metal place and picked up a cool $15. I told John we would give him whatever we got, but he insisted that we keep it for hauling it away. It felt very good to be doing a good deed for our neighbor, keeping stuff out of the city dump and making money at the same time. We are very fortunate to be surrounded by good neighbors. I remember reading something to the effect that “you pick your friends and God picks your neighbors”. If things work out as they should, your neighbors become your friends.

Well the big boat that I have talked about in previous WOW’s has found a new home in Winston-Salem, NC. I was preparing to haul it back to the boat repair shop for yet another estimate on the cost of repairs and my cousin Jesse in W-S asked me what I wanted for it. I made him a deal he could not refuse, so the boat is waiting, patiently, for him and his son to arrive and tow it away. I must admit, a lot of good memories will go with it. My son and I spent many good hours, bonding and fishin’, on that vessel. I am contemplating getting another, smaller vessel, but that will depend on how much I use the little boat tied up at the dock. There is a lot of work to be done on the big boat. I wish Jesse & Nathan good luck on the repairs.

Back in 1957, Alice Roth was at the ball field in Philadelphia, watching the Phillies play the Giants. A batter for the Phillies, Richie Ashburn (center fielder), hit her with two fouled balls in the same at bat. The first broke her nose and play was stopped as she was administered to. When the game resumed, Ashburn fouled off the first pitch and the ball struck her again while she was being carried out on a stretcher. Alice’s experience leads us to believe that we have no idea what will happen to us when we roll out of bed each morning to begin our daily activities. With this in mind, the following quote from “Forward Day by Day” seems appropriate: “Try living one full day as though you have been given some secret knowledge that is will be your last……just approach whatever has been scheduled for the day as though these will be your last encounters with the people you see. The experience may yield some habits of mind worth keeping.” (thanks, Colbert King).

I ran across this the other day and found it an interesting observation:

“Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop trying to figure out precisely how we feel. We need to stop deciding with our mind what we want our heart to feel. Sometimes we just have to go with……whatever happens – happens”.

I recall this quote because we recently had a fellow church member die suddenly. Two Sundays ago, we met George and his wife Dolly (who is wheelchair bound) in the hallway after the early service. George always hugs Jerilyn and gives me a firm handshake and a big grin. Little did we know that would be our last encounter with him. He departed this earth at age 79, longer than most of us can expect to live, but not as long as we would have liked for him to stay. It is easy to question why The Lord does certain things and difficult to just accept his decisions. Sometimes, we have to go with whatever happens….. happens

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08-28-2007

Well, it’s done! The big boat is gone! My cousin Jesse and his family arrived Friday night to take the boat back to Winston-Salem, NC. We all got up early Saturday morning, went out to Hampton and ate breakfast with my uncle and his wife, then came home and prepared the boat and trailer for the trip to NC. We replaced the tires on the trailer because they suffered from “dry rot” due to long exposure to the sun. They departed around noon and about 45 minutes later I received a call from Jesse, telling me that one of the tires had failed. I loaded my hydraulic jack and jack stand in the back of the car and headed off to assist them. Three hours later they were on their way home and arrived safely in about 5 hours. The temp was around 99° and the head index was around 110-115°. For a while there, I was beginning to think we were in Bagdad, of course, minus the sand, the shooting and the roadside bombs. I’m sure the boat will enjoy it’s new home and all the love and attention it will get.

Monday (8/27) was Gladys’ (Jerilyn’s mother) 89^th birthday. I picked her up at 1:30pm and she spent several hours with us going thru the gifts that her children bought and all the cards she received from family & friends congratulating her on achieving the wonderful age of 89. Not many people live that long. I hope she knows how blessed she has been. She is not as spry as she was a couple of years ago, but, she still does ok. She is still in the “Independent Section” of her retirement community. I am guessing that she will be in the “Assisted Living” section within a couple of years. She still struggles from losing “Pop” in 2001. It is easily understood that 65 years of marriage would create a large void when your life’s mate leaves you and transitions to the other side.

Jerilyn’s oldest grandson (Christopher) stayed with us Friday & Saturday night. He is 17 and his life is just starting to unfold. It is refreshing to spend time with someone that young. He seems to be so well grounded. He works as a lifeguard at Water Country USA (Bush Gardens) and, I would assume, that is a great job for a 17 year old to have. His plans are to attend Virginia Tech next year. Since parents always get the blame when their kids screw up, they should also get the credit when their kids turnout well. Congratulations, Dean & Kathy!

I was watching a movie the other night and the lead character made a statement that caught my attention. “Family”, says he, “is a group of people that share the same memories.” He was referring to, of course, his immediate family. I think that could be expanded to include childhood friends, high school & college friends, and much more. We have, I believe, many types of families; some closer than others, but none the less, family. This diverse mixture of many families in our life is what creates the texture of our existence. If we are missing this complex mixture of “shared memories’, our life lacks the punch that makes each day exciting. If we experience nothing worth remembering, then necessarily, our lives are boring and unexciting. All of you that received this weekly missive have added value and content to my life; as such, you all are part of “My Family”. I am so blessed!

Jerilyn’s son Dean and his family went to the Little League World Series this past weekend and had a wonderful time. Her daughter-in-law, Rachel, is traveling across Europe with a friend and having an equally good time. Life is good!

We will be leaving to visit my son and his family in Tennessee on Thursday. It has been a year since our last visit and I am very excited about seeing them again. In the paragraph above I talked about family, well folks, this is serious family. The memories I share with these people go back to their first day on earth. How can a visit be more enjoyable than spending time with someone so close to you.

09-05-2007

Well, this has been an interesting week. Our original plan to visit my son and his family in Tennessee was changed. Instead, we visited Jerilyn’s brother Wayne & wife Marion in Armonk, NY (about 1 hours from NYC). Wayne’s health is not very good. He has dialysis 3 times weekly and does an admirable job of dealing with his health issues. After spending a couple of days with him, we left for Lancaster, PA to visit the Amish people.

At this point I need to tell you that I now know way too much about the Amish. We paid to watch a film about a young Amish boy named Jacob, afterward we toured a typical Amish home and then we paid for a two hour Amish buggy ride (with an older Amish guide named John). So, by the end of day 2 of our Amish Experience, I was sick and tired of all things pertaining to those fine people. Day 3 found us hitting all the antique malls in the area and Jerilyn enjoying every delicious minute. I don’t think I know anyone else that enjoys looking at old stuff more than she does. Mostly, I set in the car listening to audio books or doing something on my laptop. As a matter of fact this WOW was prepared on my laptop.

I took Jerilyn to a live show at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster Tuesday night. The production was titled: Broadways Best. It was a very good show with many talented people and included songs from top Broadway shows from 1938 until the present. It was the day after Labor Day and the audience was small. That did not deter the cast from giving us a good performance. Whenever I take Jerilyn to a show at night, after a long busy day, she always has trouble staying awake during the performance. Now, she has this down to a science. At any point during the show that requires the audience to applaud, she suddenly wakes up and claps as if she witnessed the entire performance. Then, within a few minutes she is struggling to stay awake. I would say, on average, she sees about 80% of any performance. I do not have a problem with that. If she’s happy then I’m happy. I imagine that she could tell you a thing or two about me that would create a broad grin on your face.

I have a wonderful electronic device I use whenever we take trips. It is a GPS navigation device made by Garmon (Nuvi 360) and affectionately referred to by us as Nuvi. Wherever we want to go, let’s use Cackleberry Antique Mall for an example, I just type in the name, it does a search and then authoritatively guides us there. She gave me a list of three places she wanted to visit, I typed them in one at a time, let Nuvi locate each and then saved them with an appropriate name. From that point on, life got real simple. No more pouring over maps and getting lost. That small device cost me $500. If I had to sell it and was not allowed to purchase another one, it would take a lot of money to pry that puppy from my tenacious grip. Oh, we get a lot of entertainment out of making fun of the way it gets us to our destination. It is not smart, but it always gets us where we want to go. One of the really cool features it has is estimating when you will arrive at your destination (based on your speed). It is amazingly good at doing that. It will adjust your arrival time as you make stops to eat, etc. It also will tell you your exact speed so you can adjust it and avoid speeding tickets. I was setting my speedometer at 72 in a 65 zone and Nuvi informed me that I was actually doing 74. Needless to say, I immediately reset my speed at 70 on my speedometer.

09-13-2007

Last Sunday night my son flew in from western Tennessee to spend a few days
with his sister and me. He couldn't stay very long so we packed as much
quality time as we could into our time together. The last time he and I
were together was last November. It had been much longer for him and his
sister. I returned him to the Norfolk airport late Tuesday afternoon and
he flew off to that faraway place in he calls home. My daughter and I
were sad to see him leave so soon, but he left promising we would see him
again before too long. Personally, I'm holding him to that promise.

I received a lot of feedback on my report of our Amish adventure last week.
A lot of you told me you have either, visited the Amish Country, or lived
amongst them for awhile. All of your stories were interesting and I was
amazed at the details in your recollections. The simplicity of the Amish
life, I believe, is what garners our attention. With all the gadgets and
hustle & bustle in our lives, we admire a culture that refuses to believe
that the winners in life are those that die with the most toys.
Occasionally, I write something in this missive that generates feedback. To
date, the biggest feedback by far has been the Amish thing. I appreciate
the time you take to read my ramblings. In return, I hope that I write
something of interest to you and, hopefully, give you a different
perspective on some things.

As most of you know, last Sunday was Grandparents day. Jerilyn has two
grandsons by a previous marriage and I have three granddaughters and two
great granddaughters by a previous marriage. Her grandsons live locally and
my granddaughters live in faraway places in Tennessee. Jerilyn's oldest
grandson, Christopher, came over to see his Grandmother on Sunday and
brought her a gift and a card (his younger brother, Brandon, was sick).
And, to my surprise, I was included in their celebration of Grandparents
Day. I was included in their card and presented with a gift. I was
honored that they chose to include me. I hope Christopher left knowing the
inclusion was appreciated. Sometimes, when families are united because a
divorced parent remarries, special occasions can be a little tense.
Christopher and Brandon solved that problem so easily. We older folks
should be so wise.

My next door neighbor, John, is a fellow retiree and really nice guy.
Occasionally, during the course of a week, we have the opportunity to meet
on that small strip of grass separating our homes. Many years ago, women
were often shown gossiping over the clothesline. Well, John and I are able
to resolve personal and world problems standing on that little grassy knoll.
Jerilyn and I spend a lot of time together, but, there are times when it is
good to have a man to man conversation. Men like to talk about fixing
things, cars, tools, sports, finance and such. Women, in my humble opinion,
strongly dislike those subjects and avoid them like the plague. John
definitely fills a vacuum in my daily existence. Sometimes, he and his
wife leave on vacation for several weeks. When they return, the
conversations on the grassy knoll get longer for a week or so.

I have a very special uncle back home (Claude) that leaves his house each
morning, goes to the local restaurant for breakfast with his buddies, then
leaves there and walks over to the barbershop to read the newspaper and
converse with the barber and his customers. Uncle Claude knows the value
of having a network of friends in his daily life. I wonder how many of us
spend the day watching TV, listening to the radio, or doing chores, and fail
to create a network of friends to spend time with. In my opinion, a good
conversation with a friend is better than any TV show. Many times we feel
alone, missing out on the joys of life. I believe some variation of Uncle
Claude's daily schedule is a good template for all of us. Unfortunately,
my barber is female. I just blew the heck out of that theory!

I hope you're enjoying your summer, or whatever season it is in
your part of the world