Countrydiction

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

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 a

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!

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?

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

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...

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 neede

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!

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 o