Tuesday, December 28
Friday, March 17
Boathouse
Shadow, affectionately known as Boathouse, has settled in to his new residence at our house. He mourned forever his long-time family in Alexandria, VA (my son, daughter-in-law, and Kodie). Shadow came with me when Leo and Sara couldn't take any pets with them to their new assignment in Sri Lanka.
Leo and Sara will probably cringe to hear this, but Shadow has about three more scars than he did before he arrived here in the woods of wild west Florida. Unlike Ozzie, my 'timid' other bulldog, Shadow will mix it up in a heartbeat.
When I run Shadow runs with me, and he is the classic guard dog. If we run by a neighbor who's dogs run loose he will run ahead and stay between the dogs and me. A few times he has intruded into the yards of the other dogs and at times the other dogs took umbrage...big time! Now, Shadow has massive heart. He doesn't have extensive fighting experience. The other hounds have been slightly quicker and obviously more experienced.
Bloodied and muddied, Shadow has had more baths than I have. At the present time he is not nursing any scrap wounds. But that's been the exception rather than the rule.
Leo and Sara will probably cringe to hear this, but Shadow has about three more scars than he did before he arrived here in the woods of wild west Florida. Unlike Ozzie, my 'timid' other bulldog, Shadow will mix it up in a heartbeat.
When I run Shadow runs with me, and he is the classic guard dog. If we run by a neighbor who's dogs run loose he will run ahead and stay between the dogs and me. A few times he has intruded into the yards of the other dogs and at times the other dogs took umbrage...big time! Now, Shadow has massive heart. He doesn't have extensive fighting experience. The other hounds have been slightly quicker and obviously more experienced.
Bloodied and muddied, Shadow has had more baths than I have. At the present time he is not nursing any scrap wounds. But that's been the exception rather than the rule.
Junkyard
Oslo, my young bulldog who is affectionately called Junkyard (see the seeing eye in my profile foto), has had a run of bad luck, or stupidity. A few weeks ago he came home with blood dripping out the side of his mouth. He bled for about 24 hours and couldn't drink or eat. I don't really know if it was his tongue, gums or lips that was lacerated. I don't know if he was hit by a car or tangled with a fence or coon or what. No witnesses.
He's young and he healed quickly. To top that calamity, he came limping home the other day on three legs. Somehow he tore one of the pads of his front right paw. I'm going to take him in to the vet tomorrow, my first day off since it happened. I've thought about saving a couple hundred dollars by getting my wire cutters and taking torn, dangling piece off myself.
There is a race in Destin in the morning called 'Run with the Dogs.' I would have taken Oslo because he gets along with all peace loving, social people and animals. I'm just not sure he would run the whole 5K. Shadow will run the whole 5K with no hesitation...his endurance is astounding for a 90 lb. behemoth. Shadow, however, doesn't associate with other big male canines. We would be ostracized by the other racers.
Next year I will have Junkyard stoked and we'll do the race and share a beer afterwards at the awards ceremony...
He's young and he healed quickly. To top that calamity, he came limping home the other day on three legs. Somehow he tore one of the pads of his front right paw. I'm going to take him in to the vet tomorrow, my first day off since it happened. I've thought about saving a couple hundred dollars by getting my wire cutters and taking torn, dangling piece off myself.
There is a race in Destin in the morning called 'Run with the Dogs.' I would have taken Oslo because he gets along with all peace loving, social people and animals. I'm just not sure he would run the whole 5K. Shadow will run the whole 5K with no hesitation...his endurance is astounding for a 90 lb. behemoth. Shadow, however, doesn't associate with other big male canines. We would be ostracized by the other racers.
Next year I will have Junkyard stoked and we'll do the race and share a beer afterwards at the awards ceremony...
Saturday, March 11
Team Turmoil
One week on the new job. I was warned about the problems with staffing, but I wasn't prepared for what I've found. With all the turnover in management that has transpired in the last few months at the Y, the challenge is to form a nucleus of a new team. My boss has only been on board for a month, but he exudes confidence and enthusiasm. The mountain is steep because I not only have to jell with the new management team but we are converting to a new computer system to replace the 20 year old one, AND we are in the middle of a 90 day facility renovation. Total turmoil!
I love my new job!
I love my new job!
Championship on Hold
This has been an up and down season for the MildCats. At times fans have pulled their hair out. Sleight of hand hasn't worked...hard-nosed defense is the solution. The Cats will squeeze into the Big Dance. Who knows how long they can hold on.
If Tubby has any cards left, he better whip it out. How could we know it would shake out this way?
Wednesday, March 1
Working Man!
The sabbatical is over and done. I've accepted an offer to take the membership director position at the YMCA of Fort Walton Beach. This is a job that I feel qualified for and am excited about. This area was just declared 1st on a list of the top 179 'smallest metros' by the Milken Institute, a non-profit, independent, economic think tank. The 'Best Performing Cities Index' is a measurement of where jobs are being created in America. Florida's 'large metros' rock this list!
Since moving back down here to the 'emerald coast' area I've lived the life of the semi-retired, sleeping, gardening, riding motorcycle, bonding with my animals. The columnist gig lasted almost a year, but that was more like a hobby than a job. I'm rejuvenated, motivated, and ready to roll!
My new boss is a retired Colonel who left Louisianna about the time Katrina hit and took the Y's director job. The Y is starting a major renovation and while that is going on there will be a capitol funding campaign to allow the Y to enlarge the facilities by 50%. Stuff is happening and I'm going to be a part of it.
Since moving back down here to the 'emerald coast' area I've lived the life of the semi-retired, sleeping, gardening, riding motorcycle, bonding with my animals. The columnist gig lasted almost a year, but that was more like a hobby than a job. I'm rejuvenated, motivated, and ready to roll!
My new boss is a retired Colonel who left Louisianna about the time Katrina hit and took the Y's director job. The Y is starting a major renovation and while that is going on there will be a capitol funding campaign to allow the Y to enlarge the facilities by 50%. Stuff is happening and I'm going to be a part of it.
Thursday, February 16
Spirit, Mind and Body
I have to get a job so I applied for the Membership Director position at the local YMCA. There were 30 other applicants and I was selected for the first cut of seven or so and we were interviewed by phone. I made the next cut and was interviewed face2face with three of the staff. Now the wait is on for them to complete all interviews. Hope I get it...
Outward Bound
No matter whether you’re just starting out or you’re an accomplished athlete you need to set goals. With that thought in mind, I was surfing the internet back in the spring looking for a winter marathon. I had not run a marathon since Berlin in the early 80’s and I was way past due for a challenge.
The Colorado Outward Bound Relay caught my eye, and my imagination. I had spent the summer of 2002 in Colorado Springs and fell in love with the Rockies. While I was there I hiked the Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak (14,100 ft. elevation) and back down, which took 12 hours to do. The total distance of the hike was 25 miles. It was a mind-blowing and ear-popping experience.
So, I contacted the relay’s website forum and announced that this 54 year old ‘flatlander’ was looking for a team to join. It didn’t take long to get a response back and I was invited to join the team called ‘Altitude Attitude.’
My thinking was that to endure the heat and humidity while training in this area I needed a darn good reason besides just staying in shape and sweating off the beer calories. I was looking forward big-time to running in the dry, cool mountain air, come the middle of September.
Now, mountain people snicker at the idea of a Florida beach bum running on 10,000 ft mountain passes. But, I got the last snicker because they didn’t realize that up here in the north end of the county where I live I have knobs and bottoms which can test the sole, so-to-speak.
I arranged to stay at a cousin’s house in Colorado Springs and arrived four days early so I could get a little acclimated to the thin air. When I got off the airplane it was 85 degrees. The next day a cold front came through and the high temp never got above 75 degrees the rest of the week. The nights averaged in the low 40’s. Perfect running climate!
One of my favorite cousins, Darrell, flew up from Austin to out with me, and we drove up to Boulder the day before the race to meet my team captain. We made it a point to get there early enough to stop at the Rock Bottom brewpub, also known as the Walnut Brewery.
We spent the night at the home of team captain, Sarah, in Nederland, a few miles west of Boulder. The next morning, Friday, 16 September, was the long anticipated start of the race in Idaho Springs. I met my other team members and our first runner started off in the 7:00 a.m. wave. There were a total of 150 teams, with 10 members each. We were handicapped according to our projected 10k times, so slower teams started at 5:00 and faster teams started as late as 11:00.
Each team had to provide two vans holding five members in each van. Needless to say, I got up close and comfortable with my new friends, two guys and two gals. I can’t imagine what the 26 hours would have been like if we were incompatible.
Each team ran 30 legs covering 170 miles. Each member ran three legs. The legs were rated as either easy, medium, hard, or extra hard. You had to run in order so you knew in advance what you were getting into. Since we were given the chance to pick our poison I told Sarah to give me either a 5 or 6 ‘difficulty’ of legs, with difficulty progressing from 1 to 10.
I ran hard, hard, and easy legs, each being a little over six miles. I had everything in my legs including paved road, gravel road, jeep trail, and single-track trail. The first two legs were between 9,000 and 10,000 feet altitude and the last one was a little over 6,000 ft. My first leg rose about 400 ft. and dropped about 1,000 ft. The second leg rose about 800 ft. I hit the wall in my third leg as a result of the effort in my first two legs!
A full moon run along a roiling mountain creek and cool air temperature…not a grouch within miles…new friends making lifelong memories…Boulder Beer at the finish, in Glenwood Springs, with the sun rising over the crest.
Driving our van around a switchback and surprised by a bighorn sheep leaping off the road onto a ledge and locking a big old eyeball on a runner 12 feet below it…sleepbagging it on the floor in a beautiful home in Vail belonging to a sister of one of my teammates…placing 12th in the open division of about 50 teams.
I guess I pulled my weight because I was invited to be on the team again next year. Hopefully, I can replay this once in a lifetime experience.
If you want to see some ‘cool’ mountain pics, see the following links…Pikes Peak and Outward Bound.
The Colorado Outward Bound Relay caught my eye, and my imagination. I had spent the summer of 2002 in Colorado Springs and fell in love with the Rockies. While I was there I hiked the Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak (14,100 ft. elevation) and back down, which took 12 hours to do. The total distance of the hike was 25 miles. It was a mind-blowing and ear-popping experience.
So, I contacted the relay’s website forum and announced that this 54 year old ‘flatlander’ was looking for a team to join. It didn’t take long to get a response back and I was invited to join the team called ‘Altitude Attitude.’
My thinking was that to endure the heat and humidity while training in this area I needed a darn good reason besides just staying in shape and sweating off the beer calories. I was looking forward big-time to running in the dry, cool mountain air, come the middle of September.
Now, mountain people snicker at the idea of a Florida beach bum running on 10,000 ft mountain passes. But, I got the last snicker because they didn’t realize that up here in the north end of the county where I live I have knobs and bottoms which can test the sole, so-to-speak.
I arranged to stay at a cousin’s house in Colorado Springs and arrived four days early so I could get a little acclimated to the thin air. When I got off the airplane it was 85 degrees. The next day a cold front came through and the high temp never got above 75 degrees the rest of the week. The nights averaged in the low 40’s. Perfect running climate!
One of my favorite cousins, Darrell, flew up from Austin to out with me, and we drove up to Boulder the day before the race to meet my team captain. We made it a point to get there early enough to stop at the Rock Bottom brewpub, also known as the Walnut Brewery.
We spent the night at the home of team captain, Sarah, in Nederland, a few miles west of Boulder. The next morning, Friday, 16 September, was the long anticipated start of the race in Idaho Springs. I met my other team members and our first runner started off in the 7:00 a.m. wave. There were a total of 150 teams, with 10 members each. We were handicapped according to our projected 10k times, so slower teams started at 5:00 and faster teams started as late as 11:00.
Each team had to provide two vans holding five members in each van. Needless to say, I got up close and comfortable with my new friends, two guys and two gals. I can’t imagine what the 26 hours would have been like if we were incompatible.
Each team ran 30 legs covering 170 miles. Each member ran three legs. The legs were rated as either easy, medium, hard, or extra hard. You had to run in order so you knew in advance what you were getting into. Since we were given the chance to pick our poison I told Sarah to give me either a 5 or 6 ‘difficulty’ of legs, with difficulty progressing from 1 to 10.
I ran hard, hard, and easy legs, each being a little over six miles. I had everything in my legs including paved road, gravel road, jeep trail, and single-track trail. The first two legs were between 9,000 and 10,000 feet altitude and the last one was a little over 6,000 ft. My first leg rose about 400 ft. and dropped about 1,000 ft. The second leg rose about 800 ft. I hit the wall in my third leg as a result of the effort in my first two legs!
A full moon run along a roiling mountain creek and cool air temperature…not a grouch within miles…new friends making lifelong memories…Boulder Beer at the finish, in Glenwood Springs, with the sun rising over the crest.
Driving our van around a switchback and surprised by a bighorn sheep leaping off the road onto a ledge and locking a big old eyeball on a runner 12 feet below it…sleepbagging it on the floor in a beautiful home in Vail belonging to a sister of one of my teammates…placing 12th in the open division of about 50 teams.
I guess I pulled my weight because I was invited to be on the team again next year. Hopefully, I can replay this once in a lifetime experience.
If you want to see some ‘cool’ mountain pics, see the following links…Pikes Peak and Outward Bound.
Wednesday, February 15
The Blue Angel
When I bought my first motorcycle in 2003 I soon became aware of its limitations. I learned how to ride on the Suzuki Volusia and I think it is the perfect 'first' bike. I've lusted after the 'Dragon,' as the Honda Valkyrie is called by its fans, for a couple years now.I wasn't looking to buy a new bike when I stumbled upon the Blue Angel parked on the 'Lemon Lot,' a location on Eglin AFB where employees, GI's and retired like me can display their vehicles for sale.
I love this beast, the famous anti-Harley with the 'flat-6' car engine. Now I am actively looking for a job to pay for her!
Wednesday, August 31
Perspective
The lifetime natural disaster of my parents' generation was the '37 flood that destoyed property and took many lives along the Ohio River Valley. I've seen pictures of the high water in my hometown in Kentucky. The river had to rise 30 plus feet to have water that high. And of course, the second World War was a defining tragedy of their lifetime.
My generation is marked by the Vietnam War and then 9/11. As for natural disasters, I thought I would never see anything as devastating as the South Asia tsunami. But, the storm of a lifetime has just skirted my area and brought unspeakable misery to Louisiana and Mississippi.
In the two days since Katrina made landfall the news got worse by the hour. In the days and weeks ahead the news will worsen by the hour. The horror puts all of our local problems in perspective.
In my part of the Gulf Coast we have certainly had multiple hits by tropical storms and hurricanes in the last year. Navarre Beach, to the west of Fort Walton Beach, is particularly vulnerable to beach erosion and flooding. Our beaches are critically eroded and beach property owners have lost houses (many of them rentals or second homes) or are threatened to lose their foundations. Our roads are quagmires and death traps. Local gas prices are regularly higher than the national average. Bureaucrats give developers every exemption, amendment, and variance they ask for. Quality of life seems to be getting worse rather than better.
When I see the chaos, destruction, and struggle for survival going on in New Orleans right now I can't imagine a worse scenario. But, it will get worse. Already, a news anchor is saying that there is a growing consensus that this is the worst natural disaster in US history.
I wish I had Red Cross disaster preparedness and recovery training so that I could help some way as a volunteer. A small donation and heart-felt prayers are going out for those poor souls, my neighbors to the west.
My generation is marked by the Vietnam War and then 9/11. As for natural disasters, I thought I would never see anything as devastating as the South Asia tsunami. But, the storm of a lifetime has just skirted my area and brought unspeakable misery to Louisiana and Mississippi.
In the two days since Katrina made landfall the news got worse by the hour. In the days and weeks ahead the news will worsen by the hour. The horror puts all of our local problems in perspective.
In my part of the Gulf Coast we have certainly had multiple hits by tropical storms and hurricanes in the last year. Navarre Beach, to the west of Fort Walton Beach, is particularly vulnerable to beach erosion and flooding. Our beaches are critically eroded and beach property owners have lost houses (many of them rentals or second homes) or are threatened to lose their foundations. Our roads are quagmires and death traps. Local gas prices are regularly higher than the national average. Bureaucrats give developers every exemption, amendment, and variance they ask for. Quality of life seems to be getting worse rather than better.
When I see the chaos, destruction, and struggle for survival going on in New Orleans right now I can't imagine a worse scenario. But, it will get worse. Already, a news anchor is saying that there is a growing consensus that this is the worst natural disaster in US history.
I wish I had Red Cross disaster preparedness and recovery training so that I could help some way as a volunteer. A small donation and heart-felt prayers are going out for those poor souls, my neighbors to the west.
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