Happy 4th of July

What's In Your Car?

There was suppposed to be a nice post here about all the bazillon things that currently live in my car....but it has dissapeared into blog land.
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Pretend we never were here.
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Now go clean out your car.

The Journey

That's what this is, you know. This Journey we are all on. This life.

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We all have a path. Some may think that it is preordained. That God has it all planned out for us. Some may think it is chance...and our free will to react to opportunity.

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Some may think that it is a nice mix of the above.

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But it is a journey. Much like a very long walk. Taking us through mountains and valleys, forests and plains, good weather and bad.

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Our family has been on a particularly difficult part of our journey lately. I, like most of us, have been asking, "What is this all about?" "What am I supposed to take from this experience?"

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"How do I get through this?"

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Yesterday I had two experiences that led me closer to the answer to those questions.

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I sat in the living room with a wonderful lady who just recently lost her husband of almost 60 years. Neighbors at the fire station. Folks we came to know after a medical emergency several years ago.

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An ugly brain tumor took her husband very quickly a bout a week ago. So quick surgeons didn't have time to try to remove it. He played golf one Tuesday and died less than a week later.

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You might remember Team June's experience with an ugly brain tumor. The one that took June from us almost exactly one year ago.

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I believe I was able to give our friend some peace as she asked about the surgery. The surgery that probably would not have saved her husband. And very likely would have taken his spirit from her long before it took his physical body.

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And in the middle of the night I stood talking with a loved one of an overdose patient. A conversation about a situation that was so heartbreakingly familiar.

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I said the things to him that I remember hearing. Words spoken by....I don't even remember who. And words my cousin sent to my mother.

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Words that are so very hard to hear. But so necessary to hear.

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This man's pain was so real. So fresh. So...familiar.

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James waited for me as I comforted him. Said those hard words. I could hear the radio faintly as he stood quietly behind me....sensing that this conversation was as much for me as it was for this man.

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As we walked away I said quietly, "Right now...these are the hardest calls for me."

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"Yes", James said. "But think of the comfort you just were to him."

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This....this must be what this journey is for me.

Jackson 5- This old Man/ ABC 123 1974

A Little Micheal

Foggy Morning

I learned a lesson this morning. I must always take my camera with me...especially to the lake in the morning.This is what it looked like as I headed out to get practice started. A think fog was descending and with the sun just over the dam...well, it looked soooo cool. These pictures were taken with my IPhone. Not bad for a crappy camera phone.

Note To Self

Beans for dinner the night before a long day on the bike is maybe a bad idea.

You cannot fart quietly in spandex shorts.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuut"

There is a struggle going on in our house. A struggle common to those of you with feline roommates.

Cyrus wants out.

"Ouuuuuuuuut."

"Let me ouuuuuuut."

Did you know that cats are very effective communicators. Very effective.

Now I understand that some of you are not 'cat people'. I'm always irritated by folks who say, "I hate cats. I'm allergic." Strangely...hating and allergic are not at all the same thing. People, most people, who don't like cats have never been around one.

Cats are more varied in personality and temperament than dogs...and I'm a 'dog person'. It's true.

Our Gus is Switzerland. Easy to get along with, likes everyone, calm, quiet (unless the water bowl is less than completely full).

Jack is a freak. Afraid of everything. 'Nuff said.

Tasha...Tasha is our 'special child'. She has a claw disability. She can't seem to figure out how to retract her claws when walking and she gets stuck. She's kind of a loner. Or maybe she's just stuck somewhere.

Cyrus. As I mentioned, Cyrus wants out. And I think that really explains it all. He stalks the doors. And if something doesn't latch he'll be right there...trying to get it open.

He tries to get out when the dogs go in and out. So the dog in/out maneuver is usually done on one foot while using the other foot to hold back the cat who wants ouuuuuut! Balancing on one foot, hollering at Cyrus while trying to get the deaf/blind dog to go in/out when she's already unsure because of the crazed bouncing Mean Dog (River). Yeah, good times.

Now why don't we just let him out? Well...since you asked. Our neighborhood has a large free range dog population and we are three houses from a busy street. He's a big cat and can probably take care of himself but I'd rather not chance it.

But I'll tell you what...the next time I'm balancing on one foot in the middle of the dog in/out maneuver and he makes a break for it.

I'm letting him go. He'll just have to take his chances.

Nelson Atkins

On Friday I spent some time with my best two guys...it was crazy hot so we decided to go to the museum. It's air conditioned and it's free!So of course we ventured out in the heat to walk through the sculpture garden.The guys really liked the shuttle cocks.
This picture was taken just before...

"The Voice" came out of the hidden speaker asking Andrew to please not touch the sculpture and to have a great afternoon.

So then, of course, he had to touch something else to see if "The Voice" was watching the trees.