One More Time

Yesterday I started to make a post, actually typed up a few paragraphs, and then my computer "burped" and I lost it. I was so aggravated, I gave up and said I would post later. So, here I am!

This "may" be last post that I make this year. Quite a bit going on. Tomorrow night I am playing Santa at the Emerson Center for the "Wee Read" program. This program encourages young (pre-school) children to read and part of their reward is pictures with Santa. Then, on Saturday (19th) I am doing my annual "Santa Ride" around Starkville. I do this each year to honor my late first wife and DKW understands and is fine with it. Also, afterwards My oldest and her family will be over and we will be exchanging Christmas gifts. On Monday, 21st, DKW and I will be off to visit her family for a bit. Thankfully, one of my student workers has agreed to take care of our animals and keep an eye on the house while we are gone. So thats one less thing we have to worry about.

Since the end of the year is a time of reflection for most folks, I thought I would list some of the things I am thankful for: (1)Family, my first wife & I have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. Is my relationship with all of them perfect? No-but I love them all and, like it or not, they have helped shape me into the person I am today. DKW, my new bride and I, have had a few bumps, but I like to think its getting better all the time. (2) My job. In these times, a lot of folks count them fortunate to have a job. I'm lucky enough not only to have a job, but to have a job I really enjoy and a really nice boss. (3) Living in America. No, its not perfect - but I truly believe that its a lot better than whatever country is in 2nd. There are many, many other things that I am thankful for that might seem frivolous (i.e. football, possesions, being able to hunt & fish, etc.) so I won't make a huge, long list. But I am also thankful for being able to share these things with the few readers I have - whatever your reasons for reading. Have a great holiday season!!!

Cruising the Time Line

Thanksgving has come and gone, and Christmas is rapidly approaching. My Christmas shopping is done and the gifts (for the most part) are all wrapped. This time of year brings a lot of mixed emotions for me. December 3rd was the 4th anniversary of my first wife's death. I do love DKW (who I married on 10/31 of this year) but I must confess that the loss of my first wife still hurts. DKW understands this and is very supportive - just one of the reasons I love her.

While, to some extent, I enjoy the holiday season - I'm actually looking forward to getting past it, so DKW and I can settle more firmly into our life together. 2009, has been a very eventful (major understatement!) year. I'm hoping 2010 will be more low key, even though DKW and I have some events planned together.

When I was in junior high school, I had a history teacher tell my class, "Think about what is important to you - in a hundred years - will it be important to anybody?" After posing that question he went on to ask the same about different year increments (i.e. 50, 20, 10 & 5), and that question has stayed with me. I guess it boils down to how long will I be remembered (by other than family) after I'm gone? Everyone wants to make their mark, but do we really? I was watching a program on the History Channel the other day, and they were saying that they can now date the universe's age at 4 1/2 billion years (give or take a million). The average human life expectancy is 77.7 years. So most people are barely a blip on the timeline radar. Even people remembered long after their deaths (say Confuscious (550 B.C.) for example) - could only be considered to be a speedbump on the timeline. Okay - enough of that - I don't want to be morbid. The point I really want to make is that we should enjoy the life we have. Its too short to sweat the small stuff. Be good to those that are important to you. Live your life doing the things that are important to you. I guess you could say that that is going to be my resolution for the coming year.

I do want to close this post on a positive note. I am happy. I have a wife and family that loves me. I refuse to dwell on the negative and look to the future with a positive outlook!

Everyone have a great day!!

On Being A Husband

This past Sunday, Debra and her friend were at our house baking cookies all afternoon. A LOT of cookies! Like 72 Dozen cookies! The house smelled great all day. Except for the time that I was cooking burgers on our electric grill and the smoke set off our fire alarm. (OOOPS!) But Debra and Friend were having a good time chatting and baking while I vegged out watching football. At one point (while they were busy) Debra asked if I would make a pot of hot tea for them. I said "Sure, what kind do you want?" To be honest, I never gave it a second thought, I just hopped up, made the tea, and sat down to my football game again. But evidently that impressed her friend, because she said something along the lines of "Wow - he didn't even complain - just aked what kind you want" to Debra. But I guess I've always been that way - I like doing things for my wife. I did a lot of things for my first wife, when she was alive, that I wouldn't think of doing for anyone else because I loved her. And its the same now, I do things for Debra that I wouldn't do for others, because I love her. I always said that part of a good marriage is the willingness to compromise and the willingness to do things for each other without complaint. And honestly, it makes me feel good when one of my wife's friends say - "Wow, you got a keeper!" I hope that I can continue to do that the rest of my life.

Thursday is Thanksgiving and tomorrow afternoon I will start cooking my bird and the trimmings. And no, I'm not asking Debra to help. I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner for my family most of the past 20+ years and I'm not going to stop now. She can help with some of the tasks if she wants, but this is pretty much my show and as it gets closer I actually itching to get started.

Everyone have a great day! And and great Thanksgiving Holiday!

New Title on Blog

Well, finally got around to updating the title for my blog since DKB and I have been married going on 3 weeks now and she did take my last name. She's changed her driving license, social security card, etc. It is a little bit of a pain to get it done, but its all done now.

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and I'm going to do my annual dinner as usual. The gathering will be a little smaller than usual this year as some family members opt not to come and/or have other family obligations. They will be missed, but those family members & friends in attendance will enjoy my ugly (but falling off the bone tender) turkey with all the trimmings. I'm sure the day will still be a happy one.

I pretty much finished my Christmas shopping a few weeks ago. Come "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving which marks the kickoff of the Christmas shopping season - for the uninitiated) - I will not be getting up early and fighting the mobs in any of the stores looking for bargains. Instead - I'm thinking of doing my annual Santa Ride twice this year. Once on "Black Friday" and again on 12/19. Haven't decided for sure yet though. My Santa Ride I do each year in honor of my late wife, who died in 2005 and her birthday is 12/23. Even though I've remarried, DKW is fine with this and understands why I do it. Plus I enjoy doing it and watching the reaction of folks around town.

Everyone have a great Day!

Back to Work

Well, as of October 31st, DKB and I are married and she is now actually DKW - so after I make this post - some time in the next couple of days - I will make the change to my title. The wedding went well and we had a great time on our honeymoon in Natchez. If you ever get a chance to visit, its a wonderful place for a restful vacation. We stayed at a great place called the "Bluff Top Bed and Breakfast" and ate at a bunch of great places. The best meal we had though was at a place called "Biscuits and Blues". Highly recommended if you ever get the chance. We also visited the "Old South Winery". If you stop by you can get a free tour and even samples. This is the only winery in the state of Mississippi. They make (almost exclusively) muscadine wines. Almost, because they also make a very good blueberry wine. We also toured one of the oldest cemetaries in the region. I know this sounds like an odd thing to do, but we had both read a few of (Natchez author) Greg Iles' physcological thrillers and one is titled "Turning Angel" and refers to an angel topped tomb in this cemetary. So we both wanted to see the angel featured on the book cover. If you've never read Greg Iles, start with "Mortal Fear". You won't be sorry.

Anyway, we got back last Thursday evening (Nov.5th) and have begun to settle into our new life together. Kind of short this time, but still have lots of work to catch up on. Everyone have a great day!

Last Post for a while . . . .

Today marks 4 days until DKB and I get married. My youngest son and his wife & my best man and his wife get into town this afternoon. Tomorrow, DKB is running down to the Jackson (MS) airport to pick up my daughter, who is flying in from Portland, OR. So we're going to have a pretty full house and lots to do leading up to the big event. The weather this week is going to suck, but the forecast for the big day (Saturday, October 31st) currently states ZERO percent chance of rain and a high of 70. If that holds close to true, it will be a very nice day. Keeping my fingers crossed though.

We will be departing on Sunday (11/1) for a short honeymoon and most of the guests will be gone or going by then too. My oldest son is going to watch the pets for us. Anyway, I promise new post the second week of November. Until then, I'm going to be enjoying time with my new bride.

Everyone have a great day!

Nine More Days

DKB's mom made it in earlier this week and has been hard at it making floral arrangements for the wedding and reception. She's done a bunch of lovely table displays and she even made up the bridal bouquet. Everything looks gorgeous! My friend, Larry, who is going to officiate the wedding ceremony, made it into town yesterday for an overnight visit. He was able to spend some time with DKB and her mom and we also had a nice visit. Larry has had some turmoil in his own life lately and he told me that it was nice to get away from his home for a bit and just the enjoy the company of friends.

While the wedding (10/31/09) is coming together and things are going great guns there, this has been what is quite conceivably the most difficult week I have ever had at work in the 7 years I have been in my current position. Unforeseen tasks, personnel out sick and having to take over their tasks, and unexpected additional workloads has made this the week from Heck! And to make it worse, I'm so exhausted when I get off work, I feel like a lazy bum because I'm not doing more around the house to get ready for the wedding. Ahh, well, this too shall pass. During the next week the guests start arriving for the wedding and I hope things are a bit more settled (at least as far as work is concerned) by then.

Well, back to work. Everyone have a great day!

The Answer is 42

Now, you Sci-Fi fans out there will recognize the title as the answer to "The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything" (from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). Unfortunately, knowing the ultimate answer does no one any good, since no one knows what the ulitimate question is. Anyway, thats a long way to go in order to relate that the past couple of days I have been pondering the twists and turns my life has taken up to this point and how I got to where I am now. While my life has been far from perfect, I am content with the journey I have taken. Are there things I wish had happened differently? Sure. But to change one aspect of my past would curve the path in a different direction, and who knows where I would be today. No, I'm content with the person I am and with the family I friends that are a part of my life. Again, they aren't perfect, but they did help shape who I am.

Eleven days. 11 days. XI days. Not many, no matter how you write. The final details are being taken care of and on the last Saturday of this month DKB and I will be wed. To be honest, with all the details and planning that have gone into this small wedding, we will both be glad to put the ceremony behind us and move on with our lives together. Even better, once we get past the upcoming holiday seasons, and can settle into a routine of some type.

Anyway, that's all for now. Everyone have a great day!!!

Two Weeks?! Holy Crap!

Hard to believe, but as of tomorrow (10/17/2009) there are only two weeks left until DKB and I are wed. While I am looking forward to the wedding, it has been a bit of a weird time for me and DKB has been very understanding. For those who don't know, my first wife died as the result of a fire in the field near our home (4 years ago). We had been married for 29 years when it happened. I never foresaw myself being in this situation. Statistically, women outlive men and when I married the first time I honestly believed I would never go through it again. Well, I guess that just goes to show that there is a lot of truth in the saying "Man plans and God Laughs". DKB is very understanding of my life and past history. My mother said it best when she told me (with DKB present) "You've been blessed with 2 good women". I agree with that. They are 2 very different women, but they are exactly the mate I needed at that point in my life.

Speaking of the wedding. I went out to the County Lake (where we are to have the ceremony) a couple of days ago and the pier on which we plan to hold the ceremony is almost completely under water. Only the hand rails (about 6 inches above the water) are visible. We've had a lot of rain, the first couple of weeks this month. The average for October (to this point) is 3.47 inches and so far we've had 7.58, more than double. The good news is is that there is only about a 20% chance of rain for the rest of the month, so hopefully things will dry out a bit and we'll be able to use the pier.

On a totally unrelated topic, I was daydreaming a bit of when I was a kid. During the summer, I would take my lawnmower around the neighborhood and cut yards to earn a bit of money. I had regular customers, whose lawns I cut every couple of weeks, but was usually able to pick the occasional additional customer when someone just didn't feel like cutting their yard. I would cut grass on Saturday mornings until 3 or 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon. After I had refilled my gas can, I would take the money I had left and head to downtown Starkville (to the United Grocery on Main Street) where I would select a stack of comics that I wanted to buy and set them by my feet and then spend an hour or so reading other comics from the rack that I wasn't buying (until the manager told me I had been there long enough). The comics I was buying were 12 cents each, so I could buy a lot more than you can now-a-days. I still enjoy reading comics, just don't get to do it as ofter as I used to.

Everyone have a great day!

Another week closer...

Hard to believe, but its less than 3 weeks (18 days as of today) until DKB and I are wed. I have to admit to some nervousness. No doubts, just a bit of anxiety about getting all the details done that have to wait until the last minute. Last minute supplies, flowers, cooking the food, housing guests, etc. Really will be glad once we get past the date and can settle into a more normal routine.

This past Saturday, DKB and I drove over to Winona, MS (about an hour away) so that she could meet my Best Man-to-be. He's a truck driver and had an overnight stop there. So we went to a local restaurant and sat, ate, and talked for about 3 hours. I'm happy to say that they like each other. Its important to me that my best friend like my best girl.

Got a few more things done on the house this weekend as we move towards the wedding date. Not everything will be done before the wedding, but its nice to see the progress that we have made. I look forward to the day when we can say that it is done.

Everyone have a great day!

Such a Lazy Bum

That's the way I feel. Its been nearly a month since my last post and there is really no good reason other than I've been doing other things. Some important, some not so much. On the not so much side, I've been watching a lot of football. I really enjoy football - High School, college and Pro. So, even if she didn't want to DKB is becoming very adept at matching cities & schools with their team names/mascots. Also on the not so much side, but I enjoy it, I've been reading a lot. I mentioned a while back I started reading the original Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan series. I just finished book 9 (Tarzan and the Golden Lion) of the 20 + that he wrote. I intersperse the Tarzan books with crime novels, Science Fiction and the like. On the important side, last Friday (10/2) DKB and I went to pick up my blood work and then went to apply for our marriage license. And yesterday I picked up the aforementioned license. Makes it a little more real, seeing our names on the paper with the "Official Seal of Mississippi" on it. We get married 25 days from today (on Oct. 31st). The invitations were sent and the replies received. Most of the food and decorations have been purchased and the preparations have been moving right along. 25 days - Wow. Seems like only yesterday we got engaged, instead of months ago.

I took off Thursday of last week to mow my 5+ acres of yard. We have had such rainy weather the last month or so that it had been over 4 weeks since I last mowed and it was getting tall. Thursday was the 4th straight day without rain and since rain was predicted for Friday and the weekend, I didn't figure on it getting any drier. So I mowed and only got stuck in the mud a few times and it turned out to be a good thing I did - because it rained a little on Friday, but a monsoon on Sunday. The weather is getting cooler though and I'm thinking that if we can put together a few more dry days in a row sometime this month I'll probably mow one more time before calling it a year.

After the 31st DKB will be changing her name and I want it known that the decision was hers. I would have been perfectly content if she had wanted to keep her maiden name. So Sometime after the wedding I guess I'll have to change the heading for my blog to EyeHeartDKW. There was a country song not too long ago by Dierks Bentley titled "My Last Name" and the last verse goes "So darlin' if you're wonderin' why I've got you here tonight; I wanna be your husband, I want you to be my wife; I ain't got much to give, but what I got means everything; Its my last name, oh, its my last name." I've said it before but I have been truly blessed in this life. I loved my first wife with all my heart and she, me. We were together over 29 years before I lost her 4 years ago. If not for that accident we would still be together, I have no doubt. But life goes on and after the darkness and heartache following that loss, I was again blessed when DKB came into my life. I can not now imagine my life without her. She brings me a happiness that I once thought was lost forever. I don't care what anyone else may think of me/her/us - We make each other happy and I hope we do so for the rest of our lives. Our opinions of each other are the only ones that matter. For more eloquent postings, please read DKB's Blog.

Everyone have a great day!!

Uuggggh! I was so sick!

Wow! Its been a week since my last blog - didn't realize it had been so long. The 10th would have been my late wife and I's 33rd anniversary (if she hadn't passed away 4 years ago). Even though I have someone new in my life, this is still a tough time of year for me. I loved my wife very much and have no doubt that if not for the accident, we would still be together. This makes for some very convoluted feelings - I loved (& still love) her but I love DKB also. DKB is very understanding of this and often says she would worry about my mental health if I didn't have these feelings. What made the day even worse though, was the fact that I got sick as a dog and had to leave work. I started feeling better over the weekend, but only made it back to work yesterday.

Speaking of the weekend, Sunday (13th) was one of my grandsons' first birthday and a good time was had by all in attendance. DKB has some pics on her blog if you want to take a look, so I'm not going to repeat them on mine. The birthday boy and I did go to Wally World that morning and had pictures made in matching Tuxedo T-shirts (his was a onesie). They turned out fantastic. I can't wait to get them.
Less than 7 weeks now until DKB & I get married.
Every one have a great day!

Whut it wuz, wuz

FOOTBALL. If you've never heard it, you need to listen to this cut on Andy Griffith's comedy album that came out in the late 50's. Granted, its a bit dated by now - but its still funny.

I don't have any doubt that DKB loves me (especially after this weekend). She went with me to 2 football games (Starkville High on Friday and Mississippi State on Saturday) and sat through them dispite some intense personal discomfort (Aunt Flo was visiting) and on Saturday some heavy intermittent, rain showers. If that doesn't say love, what does. Anyway - I had a good time and she tolerated all (with little complaint) for me. Heck, I even watched football most of the 3 day weekend, and she didn't give a peep. She said there are a lot worse vices I could have. Which is true I guess.

Wedding plans are moving along and hopefully we'll start getting reply cards back in the mail soon.

Everyone have a great day!

Mortality

I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone in the fact that I have contemplated my life and mortality. If I'm fortunate, I figure I've got another 30 or 40 years. My grandfather (mother's father) lived until he was 97 and his wife (my grandmother) until 93. But I do wonder sometimes about my legacy and those I leave behind. My late wife and I have 5 children, and for the most part they get along, but nothing is perfect. With a few exceptions (which DKB and I have discussed), the bulk of my estate will be divided among my children when I pass. While I would hope that all my children possess common sense and civility, once DKB and I are married I will take steps to insure that the exceptions are covered under the law of the land as well. I have discussed the exceptions will all my children as well, and all say they understand and are okay with it. I hope so, because I won't be there to referee. One thing that won't change once DKB and I are married, is that my youngest son will remain the executor of my estate. All his siblings (& DKB) are aware of and fine with this. I have no doubt that he will do a fine job in making sure things are taken care of fairly. Enough of the morbid stuff - I just wanted to address it briefly.

This past Tuesday, I had my oldest's 2 children over for a while. She and her husband had previous obligations that night. We had a pretty good time. I played some with my granddaughter and after my grandson had finished his homework, we all watched some cartoons and "Big Brother" until their mom and dad showed up. I really enjoyed spending some time with them. Something I haven't had the opportunity to do a lot of lately. (I know I'm biased but) They are good kids and try to do their best.

College Football season starts tonight with a double header (at 6 PM CST) on ESPN and I can't wait. (Sorry DKB - but guess where I'll be?) No! Wait! Actually I'm not sorry. Football is my one great vice. I did warn you of this when we started going out. You'll just have to deal! :-)

Everyone have a great day!!!!

The Week That Wuz

Thursday past (Aug.27th) I took off work so that I could mow & trim around my place. I have 5 1/2 acres to cut, so it is literally an all day job. I started around 9 AM and quit for the day at 6:30 PM. (And I wasn't done). I was very tired.

Friday DKB accompanied me to her first Starkville High football game. It was a very close game but we came up on the short end of a 26-21 score. I was enthralled with the game, DKB watched it with one eye but had her other eye on all the social interaction taking place around us. She was observing all the different cliques that exist in the H.S. social setting. The same cliques that existed when we were both in high school are still there, only the faces change from year-to-year and if you think about it I'm sure you can come up with what the cliques are.

Saturday I worked another 5 hours and finished up my yard work. After a much needed shower we headed over to my youngest's new place to visit and have supper. Its a nice place, but it escapes me how moving further away from your job and paying more from rent is going to save you any money. But hey, what do I know. I really hope things work out for her and her family in the new place. They are nearer her in-laws than me now, so maybe they will be able to help them out if they need any help. I hope so.

Sunday it rained nearly all day, but thats okay, I was so worn out and sore I had planned on taking it easy anyway and my sweetie took care of me.

Sixty Days - thats how much time is left until our wedding. All the invites are taken care of and hopefully next week we'll start getting some replies back. We hope to have a better idea of how many folks will be attending by the end of the month. We will have the final bits of our wedding supplies purchased by next week and be ready for DKB's mom & brother coming to visit and doing a bit of work on the house for us (their wedding gift to us). Things are coming together. Its a happy, but sometimes nerve-wracking time! But I can't wait until its here!

Everyone have a great day!

It Boggles the Mind

In a little over 9 weeks, I will do something I've only done one other time in my entire life. I will marry the love of my life. I've been reflecting a lot during the past few weeks on my life. At the age of 21 I married for the first time and spent the next 29 years with the same woman. If not for a tragic accident in 2005, I am confident that we would still be together. However, nothing in this life is certain. After a lonely 3+ years (I love my kids - but its not the same), I met DKB. I knew after the first meeting, that we would be together, but wanted to take it slow because I didn't want to scare her away. Even at that, it didn't take long, after a couple of months I asked her to marry me and she said yes. It wasn't long before we set the date, October 31st.

I was asked by a few folks if we weren't moving too fast. I suppose by most standards we were, but take this under advisement. I asked my first wife to marry me after we had been dating for one (1) month and we were married 2 months later (total of 3 months and we were together 29+ years). The time from DKB & I met until our planned nuptials is over 10 months. If you extend the math and I was able to live that long (but I'm not holding my breath) we should be together for the next 104 or so years. So there.

I will admit that there are times when I wonder what my life would be like if my first wife were still with me and DKB knows this. Its only natural human curiosity. I was very happy with my first wife and after a period of lonliness, I am happy again. I only hope that all our friends and family can share the happiness as our wedding day rapidly approaches.

Everyone have a great day!!!!

Do Yourself A Favor......

.....Find a copy of the the original Edgar Rice Burrough's "Tarzan of the Apes" (written in 1912, published in 1914) and read it. If you are like most folks and only know of Tarzan from the movies and/or TV shows, you are missing out. The "Tarzan" that ERB wrote about is a brutal tale and other than the basic premise of a human baby raised by apes, bears very little resemblance to the Hollywood version of Tarzan. ERB actually wrote 24 Tarzan novels (although the character has been written in stories by other authors) and I plan on reading them all. I am currently reading the 2nd one called (appropriately) "The Return of Tarzan" (1915).

I will confess it took me 50 to 60 pages to become accustomed to ERB's writing style, but it fits the story. Again - Give ERB's Tarzan a try - you won't regret it.

Rambling and Musing

My middle daughter & her husband have been visiting and staying with DKB & I this week. It has been nice having her around. Her husband just got out of the Air Force and once they leave us they will be going to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a while to visit with his mom. Then they will depart for Portland, Oregon, where they will make their new home. So, except for a couple of days around DKB & I's wedding in October, I probably won't get to see her much during the next couple of years. Yesterday, my daughter & I went out fishing for a few hours together, didn't catch anything, but it was nice just visiting and talking together. I know I will miss her when she leaves.

When I'm not near a computer, I always think of things that I would like to put in my blog, but when I actually set down to put in an entry, I have a "brain fart"and can't remember what I wanted to put in, but I keep trying. Hence the rambling today.

I am a huge football fan. Tomorrow my high school starts their 2009 season and according to the Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger they have the toughest schedule of any team in the state. May be a rough season, but I'm hoping for the best. The NFL will be interesting this year too with Brett Favre now with the Vikings and Michael Vick with the Eagles.

Rode my motorcycle to work today. Despite the fact there is a 60% chance of rain at the time I get off today. May get wet going home, but that's okay. Doesn't happen often and the weather is warm.

I've noticed negative people having an effect on me lately and have decided to make a real effort not to let that happen. I'm tired of the sourpusses that only see the bad or potential bad in a person or a situation. Look for the good! Thats going to be my new motto. Try to be happy in the moment, but plan for the future. My sweetie (though she may not realize it) brings that point home to me. The other day, for example, reminding me to spend some more time with my middle daughter. So all you people that only see the worst in people - f*** off! I don't want or need your negativity. To quote an 80's anthem - "Don't Worry - Be Happy!" Words to live by.

Everyone have a great day!

Motorcycles, Family & Da Boyz

I'm gonna start with me and da boyz. This picture was taken Saturday of my 3 youngest granchildren and I. Top (L-R) Dylan (11 mos), me, Jonas (8 mos.) and on the floor Caleb (3 years).

This past weekend was the Little Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, MS, and I had all my children in town at the same time. We spent some nice quality time together (my 2 sons & I all ride), had a nice family cookout and Saturday night had a big bonfire in the field near my house. We talked and generally had a good time until about 1 AM Sunday morning.

Yesterday (Monday) afternoon my upper back started bothering me at work. By the time I got home it was extremely painful. I took a very hot shower followed by one of the muscle relaxants that my doctor had given me. After a very tasty supper of stir fry (thanks to my sweetie, DKB), I sat in my recliner to watch the Monday Night Football game between the Carolina Panthers and NY Giants. I kind of drifted through the first quarter, but when my sweetie woke me up at 8:15 and suggested I go to bed I was sleeping hard. So I got up, as my back twinged to let me know it still was happy, took a Lortab and went to bed. I vaguely remember getting up around 2:30 for a potty break and then right back to bed. Next thing I knew, the alarm was going off at 5:30. My back feels much better, but I'm still dragging - from the medication I guess. Anyway, onward and upward. Everyone have a great day!!!

Time flies like an arrow.....

....but fruit flies like a banana. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I have a mind like lightning - never hits the same place twice. I was thinking about how close DKB and I's impending nuptials are (80 days) which led to one of my favorite Groucho Marx quotes. And he had quite a lot of funny ones. Do yourself a favor and read a bunch of them sometime. You''ll laugh your A** off.

So many details left in a short time. I know we'll get it done, but DUDE!

The motorcycle rally is this weekend at Sturgis, MS - just up the road from me. All of my children will be in town. We're going to grill some chicken and have some home-made tater salad Saturday evening and watch the bikes roar up and down the highway. Of course we plan to do a little roaring of our own Friday and earlier Saturday since I (and all my sons) ride bikes. So cue up Steppenwolf and ..."Get your motor running, Head out on the highway".

Everyone have a great day!

I'mm Meltinggggg!!

Well, not really. But I didn't have the car to drive to work since DKB has gone out of town. Well - that excuse doesn't work either. I had planned on taking my motorcycle into the bike shop & drop it off while I'm at work to get a new rear tire put on it. Well, I had gotten about a mile down the road from my house and the bottom dropped out. By the time I got to the cycle shop (where my boss was waiting on me) I was soaked from the knees down and the chest up. My windscreen kept the middle part of me pretty dry. I got to work. Took off my wet tennis shoes, wrung out my socks, and draped them over the little space heater I have. At this time my socks are dry and I've put them back on. My shoes have been leaning on my heater since I got here (about 3 hours ago) and I've periodically rotated them - and they are nearly dry. So by the time my work day ends I should be ready to go. Thankfully, it looks like the rain is done for the day - so I should be good going home. Where only my doggies wait for me today. DKB won't be back until Friday - but to celebrate her return I'm going to grill a couple of steaks & bake a couple of potatoes - plus I've already picked up a nice wine for us. So, everybody together now - "Awwwww!"

I'm feeling a little scruffy at the moment. I let the three amigos (Harley, Pearl & Shaddow) sleep on the bed with me last night. Well, I was amused with their bedtime rituals (general sniffing of each other, circling, scratching at the covers to fluff their bed) and forgot to set my alarm clock. When I woke up this morning it was 7:22. Well, I told my boss I would meet him when the cycle shop opened at 8 - so I dressed quickly, fed the animals and hit the door. I didn't have time to shave and you already know what happened to me on the road. (If not -shame on you - go back and read the first paragraph.)

Anyway, I'm here! I'm healthy! But I miss my honey! Everyone have a great day!

I've got to get better at this

Its been almost 2 weeks since my last blog. No excuses. I just don't make time to do my posts. I enjoy reading my fiance's blog on a regular basis though. She is a very glib and funny author. I'd much rather read her's than post my own, but a few things have happened since my last post. The biggest being that DKB and I have purchased a new car. We got a 2009 Toyota Yaris. A spiffy little car that gets great gas mileage. Plus my insurance rates came down. The down side is that I have payments for a bit longer, but its more than offset by the up-side, which includes the big smile on my precious DKB's face. She had never, in her entire life, had a new car. It just tickles me to death to see how happy she is with the car. I told her today, that's okay, cause now I'm going to start telling everyone that the car is my wedding gift to her. Said wedding to take place 88 days from now (don't tax your brain - its 10/31/09). We traded in my 2005 Dodge Ram pickup for the car. Nice, big truck and you could haul a bunch of stuff, but 16 mpg/highway was killing my budget. The Yaris get 35 mpg/highway - much better. There are a couple of pictures of the new car on DKB's blog if you are interested.

DKB's taking the new toy and going to visit her friend, F***h in Birmingham for a couple of days. Gonna seem a little weird being on my own again. I've gotten so used to having her around. Just me and the doggies and TV for a couple of nights. Oh well, guess I'll let Harley, Pearl and Shaddow sleep on the bed tonight. Not quite the same though. DKB came by my place of work to have lunch with me before she hit the road. I told her I was already planning something nice for when she comes back on Friday. Picture this, a couple of nice steaks on my grill (mine - rare), baked potatoes, and a nice wine & maybe a candle on the table. (And 3 little doggie sitting around with the "woe, pitiful me - I'm starving" faces on).

The big motorcycle rally at Sturgis (Mississippi) takes place August 14-16 and all (5) of my children are supposed to make it home that weekend. It promises to be an interesting and entertaining couple of weeks coming up. If not before, I know I'll blog after that weekend. Anyway - everyone have a great day! OOHH! I ALMOST FORGOT: Today is Coast Guard Day. The U. S. Coast Guard was founded on this day in 1790 in its original incarnation of the "U.S. Revenue Cutter Service". A big "Semper Paratus" from one retired "Coastie" to all, past & present, "Coasties" around the world.

100 and counting

I had made up my mind earlier this week that I was going to make time today to do an entry here. As the title says, its 100 days until . . . . . . DKB & I get married. So it is a bit of a red-letter day for me. We've got a lot planned and done already, and it seemed like we had all the time in the world to get it done the way we want. Well, now its right around the corner and the "later" that we were waiting on to do some things is "now".

Whats a little scary is that I found out yesterday that one of my high school buddies, (who married his h.s. sweetheart in 1974) has had his wife leave him. I'm not going to go into any of the why's and what's of whats involved, but he is hurting deeply. It makes you wonder, if it can happen to them, is any marriage for forever. But I refuse to allow this to throw a damper on our plans. It was a shock and I hurt for my friend, but I am truly happy with DKB and have to believe that nothing like this could happen to us. I look forward to having her with me for the rest of my life.

Everyone have a great day! Make everyone count, because you never know how many you have.

Catching Up

Its been a little bit since my last post, but I've been catching up at work and doing other things which have taken up my time and preventing me from blogging.

This past weekend I was pretty busy. Friday, I told my oldest grandson for a trip on my motorcycle to the Chuck E. Cheese Pizza place in Tupelo (about an hour + away). He turns 10 today and this was my gift to him. We had pizza and he played games for about 3 hours. He had a great time and I had just as good a time watching him. We got back to Starkville about 5:30 PM and DKB and I went out to have a leisurely meal at Shaherazad's. On the way, however, since we were passing by the house of my late wife's best friend, we stopped and had a nice visit for around an hour. D.M-P-C seemed to really like DKB and that was kind of important to me, since we are getting married in October.

Since DKB and I had been so busy lately with lots of things, I had decided that Saturday would be an US day. We, took a ride on the bike and had a nice meal at Mugshots. Had a nice little visit with my oldest son and his wife (& my youngest grandchild), and then went to see the latest Harry Potter movie. I've not read the books, but I've seen all the movies, and I expected great things from this one - since all the pre-movie hype said it was the best one yet. But, I have to say I was disappointed with it. It was OK, but I guess (because of the hype) - I expected more.

Sunday, I worked on a few tasks around the house (cutting up a storm-felled tree w/my chainsaw, fixing a step, combing out Shaddow, and bathing my 2 small dogs) and then in the afternoon (after a nice, hot shower) DKB and I watched a couple of movies. Dick Tracy (1990) with Warren Beatty and Madonna and The Crow (1994) with Brandon Lee. I thought both were good, but for different reasons. One thing that struck me about "The Crow" was that there was a line at the beginning of the movie (just after Eric & Shelley are killed) where the cop looks at an invitation and says "They were getting married on Halloween? Who the hell gets married on Halloween?" DKB and I looked at each other and grinned, because that is the planned date of our nuptials.

Ahh well, thats enough for now. I have more things to do. Everyone have a great day!!!!!!

Greetings from "The Natural State"

Atleast thats what it says on the licencse plates here abouts. I thought I would take time to make a quick post today. DKB and I got here late Friday and have spent a very pleasant couple of days visiting with her parents and brother. We had thought about heading back today, but my sister called me this morning and said it is raining back in Mississippi and that we should wait until tomorrow. I thanked her for the information and went back to bed, failing to mention that if she had checked her email she would know that we had already decided to do that. Thanks for looking out for me though, Sis. The weather report for tomorrow is predicting only a 10 to 20 % chance of rain along the route we'll be traveling. This is very important since we are on my motorcycle.

If you've never rode through Arkansas, its very beautiful country. Part of the only mountain chain in the U.S. that runs East-West is here. It made for a very pleasant bike ride. Very curvy, but for the most part, well maintained mountain roads, and if you didn't know - which I didn't until we got her - Arkansas is a helmet optional state for bike riders. I had never ridden without a helmet before (and it is not a practice I endorse) but everyone should get the opportunity to do it a least once. You really do get a rush of freedom.

A couple of times when we were all sitting around the table talking, DKB's bro and I would go off talking about scince fiction, books, authors, TV shows and movies. After a few minutes I would look around and everyone else would just be looking at us with a glazed look. I would apologize for M. and I "geeking out". And get back with everyone else's conversation. It was fun though. I probably won't have time to blog again until next week. Once I get back to work on Wednesday, I'll be playing "catch-up" for a while.

Everyone have a great week!!

LOOOONG Weekend

The picture is of me 3 years ago (about 6 months after my wife died). I was going through my gnarly, biker phase. I hadn't cut my hair or my beard since my wife's funeral at the time. I still consider myself a biker, since I ride year round - even when the temps approach zero - which isn't often here in Mississippi. Anyway, I still have the same bike and tomorrow DKB and I are on our way to Arkansas (& very close to the Oklahoma border) to visit her parents & brother. We've been planning the trip for a while and we are both looking forward to it. We are taking the bike. I just had the oil changed in the bike and had it inspected yesterday, so we are good to go. My oldest son is going to take care of the pets for us while we are gone. When I get home tonight we'll pack the big travel bag I have and get everything ready for the trip. That way, when we get up in the morning, we just hop on the bike and hit the road (Cue Steppenwolf: "Born to be Wild") I've loved that song since it first came out - and I'm dating myself, but I was in Junior High then.

I mentioned pets. There is this one website I visit ever possible day. It's called the Animal Rescue Site and just by giving a click with your mouse you can donate food once a day, every day. If you have, or just like, animals - take 10 seconds each day and click your mouse for them. Bookmark the page and visit if often.

Pets Can Be Funny

I have 2 chihuahua mix dogs (Harley - chi/whippet & Pearl - chi/feist) and DKB's Shaddow (Lab mix - knee high & 65 lbs.) Well, this morning when I let Harley & Pearl out of the kennel I keep them in (inside), Shaddow was bouncing up & down excitedy waiting to go out with them. To set this up properly, I have to tell you I have vinyl tile floors which are very slick to dogs which need their nails clipped, and there is one big turn they have to make coming through the kitchen when heading to the front door. (Now, don't get ahead of me - I know you can see it coming.) Anyway, as they rounded the turn, Harley's feet slipped out from under him and clipped Shaddow's back legs causing her to fall over and start to slide. She slid into & slightly under Pearl, ending up with Pearl "surfing" Shaddow up to the door, while Harley lay there with a slightly stunned "WTF" look on his face. I wish I had had a camera handy. It was priceless.

If you like blues and jazz, may I suggest that you listen to WWOZ out of New Orleans. They play a nice mix of jazz, blues, and zydeco. You know, N'awlin's music. Having lived in New Orleans for four years ('88-'92), it brings back some nice memories. I hoping that early next year DKB & I can make it down for Mardi Gras.

In 3 more days DKB & I are taking a little road trip and visiting her folks in Arkansas. I'm looking forward to a very nice (long) weekend. I've met her mom & dad before (although it was only an hour or so with dad), but I've never met her brother. A situation which will soon be changed.

Ahh, well, not much more to pass. Everyone have a Great Day!

Onto the Soapbox

Okay, if you've read this blog before you know that I ride my motorcycle most days and since there is no radio and a fairly straight shot to and from work, it gives you time to think. Last night I dreamed about my late wife and the events that led up to and immediately after her tragic death. I must admit to being a bit fuzzy on the couple of days after, because I was in a state of shock. I loved my wife and within a few hours she was gone. Totally unexpected. It was a very rough period of my life and I struggled with depression for several months. But back to the dream, or actually a series of dreams. After the first (detailed above), I dreamed - and this was a little strange - that my late wife(LW), DKB, and I were all dining together. LW knew she had passed on and told DKB - "Take care of him. He's a good man, but can be a bit of a klutz when doing home projects." She then regaled DKB with what seemed hours of my klutzy adventures. Then I dreamed of mine and DKB's wedding day. When the preacher got to the part about "reasons why not and speak now". LW said "If I'm okay with it, nobody else had better say anything!" Now I know dreams are our own projections and perceptions, but I like to think that LW would actually say those things if she could. At one point in our lives together, we had actually talked about what we would do if one of us passed on, and we agreed that neither of us would like the other to be alone for the rest of their lives.

When DKB and I get married, it will have been almost 4 years since LW passed on. I know she would have wanted me to be happy and DKB makes me happy. So I want to say this (drag over soapbox) "If anyone has a problem with these impending nuptials - GET OVER IT!!!!!" Its going to happen. LW wanted me to be happy and I see no reason why I shouldn't be. I hope to have many, many years with DKB.

I've had someone ask me if DKB was anything like LW. The short answer is NO. The longer I think about it, there are a very things (both liked to crochet and make things, for example) that are similar, but not really. Then I got to thinking, that "wouldn't it be a little creepy if I just went out to try and find basically a LW clone?" So, I'm going to stick with the short answer, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I loved LW and love DKB, for very different reasons - except one: Both made/make me happy when we were/are together. Life goes on and is too short to dwell on negatives - everyone should strive to be their happiest. I know I am! I now surrender the soapbox.

Everyone have a great day!

So I say, Huh?

Today is one of those days when I have absolutely no idea what I want to put down here, so I imagine I'll be ramblin' a bit. Last night DKB and I watched "Yes Man" with Jim Carey and Zoey Deschanel. Funny movie. And Zoey has a pair of the deepest blue eyes I've ever seen. And if her name seems familiar, its because her sister (Emily) stars in "Bones" on Fox TV. If you've never seen it, shame on you. Great show!

If you've read DKB's blog , you will know that this is gonna be a "leftover" week for us, and that's okay. I grilled enough meat products yesterday that we can sup this week without heating up the house. This is very important, since the heat index today will hit around 110. May sure all your outside pets have plenty of shade and fresh water.

I recently started reading the "Agatha Raisin" mystery series by M. C. Beaton. I've read the first 3 (there are about 20). They are engaging little mysteries set in a quaint English countryside and all (so far) are very quick reads. So if you want a way to wind yourself through a lazy afternoon, you might give them a try.

DKB & I now have our sights set on the 4th of July holiday weekend. This is the next "event" for us. If things work out the way we hope, we will be buzzing out to Arkansas to visit her family for a few days. The long range forecast is calling for sunny days, so we hope to ride the motorcycle out. Cheaper on gas, you know.

I've rambled enough. Everyone have a great day!

Isn't Love Strange

You know, when I had a bit of free time yesterday (well, actually I was preparing supper as I waited for DKB to get home from her eye appointment), I was thinking of the journey that my life has taken me on thus far. I have been fortunate to have loved, and been loved, by two women - my late wife and my current fiance. It boggles my mind sometimes that I have been so blessed. Especially when you consider how very different these two women are. Two personalities so diametrically opposed, both chose me to be their life partners. Wow! If you don't think that brings some pressure to live up to - you are outta your mind.

And timing is everything - DKB brought it up last night as I was reading to her (as she cleaned) that 3 years ago, the situation was such that we would have never met, let alone start going out. I agreed with her, but I think everything in our lives happens for a reason, even if we might not see it at the time. I truly loved my first wife and even now still miss her at times, but I also truly love DKB and could not fathom my life without her now that we have found each other. I look forward to our wedding and the rest of our lives together.

The weekend is upon us and once again (tomorrow) I mow, but Sunday is a day of family. Most of my children & their families will make it to the old homestead for a cookout (burgers, hot dogs, & fixins'). I'm looking forward to it. Everyone have a great day!!!

Tuesday Ramblings

Tuesday morning and while it sucks to be broke - I have to say that my life is actually going pretty darn well. I was reflecting that I have a sweetie that loves me for who I am and is marrying me in 4 1/2 months, my home is paid for (even if it does need some repairs), I only have a year until my truck is paid off, no rain is really expected this week so I should be able to mow Saturday, and most of my children will be at my house Sunday for a "Father's Day" cookout. Life is good.

Yesterday was a bit busier than most Mondays for me, but it has slowed down a bit today, giving me a bit of time to blog (even though I'm procrastinating a bit on one job). DKB & I got quite a few little jobs done yesterday evening after I got home from work. Things are coming along. Still quite a bit to do, but we will get there eventually.

The End of a Perfect Day
Cool evening breeze wafting through the leaves,
Shadows stretching out under the trees,
Harley and Pearl yipping in the yard,
Shaddow laid out sleeping, breathing hard,
Darkness chases the waning sun from the sky,
And I have Debra and she has I.

I am content. Everyone have a great day!

Weekend Road Trip

Saturday, DKB & I took a road trip to Gulfport (MS) to deliver a bookcase and a few boxes of odds and ends for my middle daughter. Then Saturday afternoon we zipped over to Mobile (AL) and visited with my youngest son and his wife. We had a very nice time. We went to Wintzell's Oyster House (on Airport Blvd.) for a late lunch of "oysters on the half shell" and later that evening my soon cooked up a 35 pound sack of crawfish with little red potatoes, corn cobettes, and mushrooms. It was very tasty and filling. We sat around eating and talking until almost 1 AM Sunday morning. LOTS of fun. We hit the road around lunch time on Sunday and came back home because I had to be at work again today (MONDAY :-P). Anyway - just a short entry - hope to do more later this week.

Everyone have a great day!

Man I'm Tired!!!

This past weekend I was able to mow for the first time in 4 weeks. The ground for the previous 3 weeks was just too wet and my (riding) mower would bog down. Before you say "So What", I should explain that I mow 5.2 acres (at least thats what the surveyor dude told me it was once). This includes my yard, my sister's yard (her & hubby are both on disability) and the field inbetween us. In spite of the fact that it had been a fairly dry week (except for Thursday - major rain), the ground was still soft. I did get it mowed, but it still required - on several occasions - my getting off and lifting, pulling or pushing (sometimes all 3) the mower to firmer footing. I mowed for 6 to 7 hours Saturday. Then on Sunday I got up and trimmed with my big wheel weed whacker for 3 hours. Then I picked blackberries & blueberries, followed by helping someone lift and tote 4 big heavy cabinets into their truck. So as I said - I'm tired.

Even with that I finished up around 3 Sunday afternoon and (after a shower) DKB and I got on my motorcycle and rode into town for a well-deserved (sugar free) snow cone. We enjoyed them so much I purchased a chocolate shake and we took it to my mother and visited her. After we got back home DKB and I read to each other for a while. (She while I was cooking supper and me while she was knitting (crocheting? - something with needles, I'm not real sharp on this stuff).)

Backtracking a little, on Saturday night DKB and I babysat my youngest grandchild. He turned 5 months old on Saturday and he is a hoot! He loves standing up and has just started vocalizing sounds, plus he has a grin that just makes you melt. I know, I'm a little prejudiced, but he is a great kid. If you want to laugh, watch a baby suck on a mango seed (think sunflower seed expanded to the size of a hockey puck). He tentatively took a first taste and then latched on and sucked like it was a bottle. I was holding his hands while he stood and DKB was holding the seed. When she would take the seed out to turn it (for fresh juice), his mouth would pucker up like "oooh, oooh, oooh" and he would literally dive on the seed and suck for all he was worth. LOL! We told the parents about it and they were all, "Yeah he loves his fruits!"

New week and next weekend DKB and I are making an excursion to the coast. Hauling some stuff for my middle daughter and visiting my youngest son. Looking forward to it.

Everyone have a great day.

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on

While DKB and I were gone to Moondance (May 22nd) my childhood home was gutted by a fire. Even though I haven't lived there for over 35 years and my mother sold the home 12 years ago, it still gives me pangs of regret. A lot of family history took place at that house. All my children played there at one time or another. We'll always have our memories, but it still hurts a little that the actual place will probably have to razed. Oh Well.

This past Sunday (May 31) marked 5 months until DKB and I get married. Every day I think how lucky I am to have her. I never thought I would love someone again when my wife passed away, but I have been blessed. I wish everyone could see her as I do. Her caring spirit and outgoing personality. I've kept all of our correspondence since we met and went back and read the days leading up to the "rough spot" and the days after until she came to her senses (her words). It makes me realize that that incident was really needed so that she woould realize that I was the right person for her. She makes me happy, laughs at my stupid stuff, and generally makes my life worth living. I wish everyone could find someone that makes them as happy as I am. Things are moving on as far as planning the wedding (How are those invites coming?, Debra.)

Tonight DKB gets to meet another of my childhood friends. Sonny is in town with his family, visiting from Peoria, IL. Sonny's mother still lives here is Starkville.

Everyone have a great day!

The Week in Review

Exactly one week ago (almost to the minute), DKB and I were pulling out of our driveway and departing for five days of fun in the red clay hills of western Georgia. We had been planning this little trip for months and really looking forward to it. I know that a lot of the time, the anticipation of something is such that the actual event is a bit of a letdown. This was not the case. Even with the damp weather, we had a great time. Met a lot of new friends and thoroughly enjoyed all the events that we attended. I'm already looking forward to us (hopefully) making a return trip next year. It would be great if the weather cooperated when we come back.

Now DKB and I are back to working on and cleaning the house as we get closer and closer to our wedding date (a little over 5 months from now). I just wish everyone could see how happy she makes me. She makes me smile. I went through some really dark times when my wife passed away 3 1/2 years ago. I will always love and miss my late wife and DKB understands this. But she also knows that I love her and she makes me very happy. I want her to be happy as well. Its funny how when you give up on finding someone, life has a way of saying, "Just wait a minnit!" Sighhh! My heart is so full. And while nothing is perfect - I am at peace.

Wish it would stop raining here. The grass is already almost up to my knees and the yard is still too wet to mow. Its a little frustrating, but I'll get to it eventually. All things in time.

Have a great day and may your life be filled with happiness.

Moondance Tomorrow

Tomorrow DKB and I will be leaving for the long awaited Moondance festival. We've been planning on going for several months and now its here. We are both looking forward to it. I think we both need a bit of a break from the day-to-day things going on right now.

I'm a bit of a sports nut and while I'm working right now I'm listening to the SEC baseball tournament which started this morning at 10 AM (Central), so I'm a happy camper. During football season, I will listen to high school football games from Georgia. There are 5 teams there that I have been following for about 7 or 8 years now - and most of the time they all do surprisingly well.

I'm kind of rambling, because I don't really have a lot on my mind at the moment. My minister friend emailed me the wedding ceremony that he uses so that DKB and I can tweak it and customize it for our wedding. (Which according to DKB's blog, takes place in 5 months and 11 days). It seems like a long time, but I know it will be here before we know it.

Oh well, back to work. Everyone have a great day!!

Woe - Conflicted Me!

Well, I'm doing better, but still not posting as often as I should. I drove to work this morning feeling very conflicted. I had been a widower for just over 3 years when I met DKB. From the first time we met, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Now comes the conflicted part - I was married to my late wife for over 29 years, and loved her very much. So even though I know in my mind its not cheating - it feels that way sometimes. And perversely, since I love DKB, when I think about my first wife - I feel like I'm cheating on her. I know time will help rectify these feelings. I know that I've never cheated on anyone and as my mother told me one evening when I visited her - "You're lucky to have found 2 good women in your life". I suppose I am. I know a lot of men never find "the one", but I've done it twice. DKB and my first wife are 2 very different people, but there are things they have in common, too. Its the differences & similarities that make every day a journey of discovery and joy for me as I spend time with her.

Moondance is coming up next week and DKB and I will be enjoying it for the first time together. Hard to belive that after planning this trip for almost 4 months, that its nearly here. DKB had figured out that the last day of Moondance will be exactly halfway from the date we first met until the date of our wedding. I know that will be here before we know it too. So much to do -so much to do!!

I'm goin to wrap it up for now, but I want to close with a Mark Twain quote I heard on last night's season finale of CSI (and it is so true) : "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. "

Everyone have a great day!

I'm Trying, Y'all

I realize I've been a bit negligent about my postings the last couple of months, but I'm going to try and get back in the regular habit.

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit puny when I got off of work. I went home, took a shower, and told myself I should lie down for a few minutes - - - well, 3 hours later I woke up. I ate a bit of supper, watched some TV, and went back to bed. I feel much better today. Guess I was just worn out with all the changes going on in the household (see blog "DebrasDose" for more details).

New "Star Trek" movie prequel comes out this weekend. Looking forward to seeing it. Been a Trekkie for over 40 years, too late to stop now.

Before I leave, a haiku:

She lies there sleeping
The one who holds my heart's key
I caress her cheek.

Everyone have a great day.

My Head is Spinning

Wow! How time has flown. I can't believe its been nearly a month since I last made an entry, but it has been time well spent. The past couple of weeks Debra and Mama Mia have been a virtual whirlwind in the house - cleaning, sorting, painting. My poor head is spinning. The house is looking better and better - much better than when I was living alone and doing very little in the way of upkeep. (As DKB would say - "Typical Guy"). Hard to believe its less than 6 months now (5 mos, 26 days according to the countdown on DKB's blog) to the wedding, I went a little more low-tech and wrote a countdown on my calendar at work - so as of today its 179 days to the wedding. Seems like a long time as you go through it, but I know it will be here before you know it.

If you like 70's music like I do, I found this really neat radio station online. Its WOGL out of Philadelphia and I've been digging it while I work for a couple of days now. The music brings back some really nice memories.

This past weekend I was doing some yard work (mowing, trimming, etc.) around the house and yard and my granddaughter, Amber came over to where I was working. I was using my big-wheel trimmer to cut some tall weeds growing along the fence around my cesspool and she looks at me with these big eyes and innocently asks "What are you doing around the snapping turtle pond, PawPaw?" I caught myself before I burst out laughing, because she was so serious and told here that I was just cutting down weeds and stickers so that she wouldn't get hurt. I did get a chuckle out of it later though. At one point my late wife had even tried landscaping around the cesspool (which caused me to think of the story of lipstick on a pig) to hide what it is. At that time, I was working on putting plants around it and the sun was going down and all I could think was this would be a great title for a redneck romance novel or murder mystery- "Sunset on the Cesspool"! LOL.

Anyway - Every have a great time until I post again. I can honestly say that my life is getting better thanks to my sweetie, DKB.

To err is Human, to 'Arrrr' is Pirate

DKB had never seen the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, so over the last 2 days we have watched all 3. I had seen them before, but it was still fun to see them again. Great special effects and Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow made for a good time for the both of us. DKB cooked a very tasty one-pot dish comprised of egg noodles, tuna, and "fiesta-blend" cheese. It was very good, and even better because I didn't have to cook it. I did help out by doing the dishes though.

Mamma Mia (DKB's mom) is coming to town next week to teach another basket-making class. She's a hoot, looking forward to talking with her again.

Have a great Day! And if you haven't watched it - "Fringe" returns tonight on Fox - good show. If you liked "The X-Files" I think you would like this.

Pleasant Weekend

First, I hope everyone enjoyed my April Fool's entry. Friday past (April 3rd) was my birthday and DKB and I had our first "Couple" portrait made. As soon as I receive them I'll try and post one here. We went out to eat that evening at Shaherazad's and then had a pleasant evening at home. On Saturday, we took my motorcycle and rode over to Tuscaloosa (AL.) for the 1st Black Warrior River Story Telling Festival. It was a beautiful, sunny day and this proved to be the downfall of my DKB. We ended up cutting the festival a little short because she (being fair skinned and in spite of being in the shade) was beginning to burn. We rode over to the new Wintzell's Oyster House and had some oysters on the half-shell. Yum! DKB is the only woman I know that likes raw oysters on the half-shell. It was a very pleasant meal though. We stopped at her friend's church in Columbus (MS.) on the way back for a marriage seminar. It turned out to be a very entertaining evening in which DKB continued on her way to a deep shade of crimson. One funny point in the evening, the presenter was talking about communication and held up a stuffed lion and asked what this means. DKB replied "that he sleeps tonight (Wemoway! A wemoway)"? Several of us snorted laughter at this. DKB can have a very dry wit when she wants and I noticed her biting her tongue several times during the evening to keep from saying something. (Its a wonder she had any tongue left. LOL).

Sunday we went grocery shopping early and spent the rest of the day reading, washing laundry, and watching TV. We watched the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie and hopefully will get the other two in this week. Johnny Depp is a hoot. If you haven't heard, Tim Burton is making an "Alice in Wonderland" movie and Johnny Depp has been cast as the Mad Hatter. I am anticipating it to be very well done.

P.S. Pic is of Harley & Pearl making out on the couch.

Recalled to Active Duty

Went home for lunch and in my mailbox I received a missive from Uncle Sam that started, "Greetings, as per your previous enlistment contract, it has been determined that you served in a rating that is now considered critical to the service of your country. You have until 2400, 1 April 2009, to arrange your affairs and present yourself to the U.S. Coast Guard recruiter in Jackson, MS". Needless to say I was much surprised and pissed. I called the recruiter and was informed that after processing I was to be sent to the U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Unit in Umm Quasr, Iraq. All I could think was "Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit." But, I do believe (for better or worse) in this country, so I will soon be winging my way to the sandy shores of the Middle East. It won't be too awful bad though, since I found out that my youngest son has also been assigned to the same unit (as a mechanic) and will be reporting a couple of weeks after I arrive. At least I will outrank him, at least for a little while, plus I'll be working in an air-conditioned office. Last time I was in the middle east was in 1983. I was part of an oil spill response team that went to Bahrain at the request of their government. Wasn't really much we could do. The entire beach had gotten so many oil spills over the years it looked like a black-topped parking lot.

Everyone have a great day!
Oh - & you do realize what today is don't you?

I'mmm Bacckkkk!

Sorry I've been so neglectful of my blog. I could say I've been busy, but thats only partially true. I've just been lazy getting back to it too. DKB and I have been busy cleaning and rearranging my house as we continue down the path to our wedding and getting it ready for her to eventually move in completely. We had a good time this past weekend. I took half a day off work on Friday and we rode my bike up to visit friends of hers in TN. (Hi Rick & Greta!). We had a great time, just visiting, playing games, riding our bikes & visiting the Shiloh National Military Park. I had been there many years ago (when I was in Boy Scouts) and it was really neat to go back. If you've never been, I encourage you to go. You really get a sense of some of the history of this country there. I love it. While in the park, Rick showed us the nest of an American Bald Eagle (and s/he was home). The eagle and the nest were HUGE! If you've never seen an eagle in person, you can not get a true sense of just how big it is on TV. Very neat. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Rick's daughter Jen. She is a great (trained) chef and I felt like I was dining in a 5 start restaurant while we were there. So much excellent food. I get stuffed thinking about it. Can't wait to go visit again! One of R & G's dogs had 13 puppies while we were there and another (Ollie) I expect to have hers any day now. Lots & lots of dogs. R & G, love you guys, but I'm glad its not me having to find homes for all those dogs. Good Luck! Anyway, I promise to begin keeping up my blog more frequently in the future - At least once a week. Everyone have a Great Day!

A Little Word Play

Some folks say that without love you are like ships in the night . I suppose thats true , but since I've found DKB we've been happy together. I even proposed recently and though we won't be going to the chapel, we are planning a very nice outdoor wedding. I started this blog a couple of months ago when DKB (briefly) had second thoughts - so I guess you could say she became my obsession, but, at last she came to her senses. I was kind of surprised when DKB first expressed interest in me because I'm not a real sharp dressed man. I'm forever in blue jeans. I never used to think there was such a thing as love at first sight, but now I'm a believer.

I always tend to think of myself as an average guy, not one to think I'm too sexy or anything. I'm just a common man. A big night out for me is dinner and going to the movies. I was talking to my future best man the other night about DKB and told him she's my girl, Bill. He said that's okay, he has his own woman, but he had to hang up cause his dog was in the street and he had to go figure out who let the dogs out. Okay, I admit I'm reaching for some of these, but I do hope you've had a little fun with it. Its just my way of bringing a little joy to the world.

In all seriousness, I couldn't figure out a clever way to include this song, but its one of my favorites and DKB and I are going to use it for our first dance together at the reception following our wedding ceremony. It's a Somewhere over the rainbow/Its a wonderful world medley by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. Beautiful song if you've never heard it.

In closing, I hope everyone has a great day and don't worry (be happy!) (sorry couldn't resist one more.)

Its Official

Well, Friday I couldn't wait any longer and I actually got down on one knee (at the restaurant where we had our first date) and said "Debra K___ B____, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" With a big grin on her face she said, "Absolutely!" So its all official now and we are in the early planning stages for a Saturday, October 31st, wedding.

If you read her blog, she says things much more eloquently than I do, and there is even a picture of the engagement ring.

More details to come as things progress. I have to run now, Monday is a busy day for me. Everyone have a great day!

Late but still here

I've been a bit negligent, since its been almost a week since I made an entry. No excuses, I just have much more fun reading the blogs of those that are much better writers than I am. Sharing those laughs and tears vicariously. But I will persevere and try at least to be mildly entertaining.

Living in the south, I ride my motorcycle just about year round. To do so I keep a very close eye on the weather reports and on the days that there is more than a 40% chance of rain, I drive my truck. Well, I had dutifully checked weather.com before I left work on Monday and saw that there was only a 30% chance of rain Tuesday afternoon. Well, when I got off work it was raining. Not wanting to leave my bike at work, I geared up and took to the road. While it was not a downpour, it was steady, and inside of a mile I was soaked (only 9 more miles to home), plus the temp was around 50 degrees. Dude! I was ssssssoooooo cold! Once I got home (pic is of my house last summer) and pried my fingers from the handlebars, I let loose the hounds (my chihuahua-mixed dogs - Harley & Pearl) of war, went inside and stripped out of my clothes and straight into a hot shower (aaaaaahhhhhh! such bliss!). Once dry, I threw my clothes in the wash and fixed a cuppa mint tea with a wee bit of 80 proof fortification. I then sought to snuggle down in my recliner with a nice warm quilt over me - but nooooo - the fates were against me. I heard an ominous crack and the left side of my recliner gave way. Well, crap! So much for the best 5 dollar yard sale recliner I purchased 2 years ago. I guess I got my money's worth, but now I have to go check the local thrift stores for a semi-new chair. I've had my bike for 3 1/2 years and count the number of times rain has caught me on one hand, so my system works pretty well. I'm of the opinion that if its not raining when I go to work, I'll take my (40% or less) chances going home. Besides, that means there is a 60% chance I'll stay dry. Better odds than any casino.

DKB has been a bit under the weather the last couple of days. I talked with her last evening and she seemed to be doing a little better. I'll see her this evening. I've promised her a foot rub and hot chicken soup. As I said before, I'm an avid reader. I'm currently reading "Cradle" by Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee. Only about 50 pages in so far, but its developing quite nicely. Can't wait to see where it takes me.

Have a great day!

A Little Blue

I've actually been seeing a lot of DKB since the Mom has been in town, so I shouldn't really be a little blue about not seeing or talking to her yesterday. (Though I did have a lovely chat with her answering machine.) One day and I miss her so - I guess as my friend, StinE, says I really am "smitten" with her. I am supposed to meet her and the Mom after work today for supper, so I have that to look forward to. I love living in the south because except for a few bad weather days it allows me to ride my bike pretty much year round.

I have a great job with a great boss. I work in the library located in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. As you might expect, it is a very specialized library with probably 99% of its content dealing with animals and their ailments. The students coming through here are well behaved and mature, since as Vet students they already have an undergraduate degree and freshmen here are actually in their 5th year of college. I've been in my current position for 6 years now and have no intention of leaving until that day down the road when I retire. Why mess with a good thing?

Anyway, I will finish today with some more random musings or "The Old Gray Matter Ain't What it Used to Be"

1. I know its not original - but WHY DO hot dogs come in packs of 8 and buns in packs of 10?

2. Why is there no bald super hero?

3. Did you know that if you fart and sneeze at the same time your ears will pop? Its True!

4. Charles Dickens walks into a bar and orders a martini. The bartender says "Olive or Twist"?

With that groaner, I bid you adieu. Have a great day!!!

Meeting the Mom

Friday I went over to Debra's and met the mom. We had a nice supper and chatted for a couple of hours. Saturday was such a gorgeous day I cleaned and polished my bike (2004 Suzuki Intruder) and rode it to Shaherazad's to meet DKB and her mom for lunch. We had shishkabob and chatted for a couple of hours. DKB and her mom left to meet friends and I went home to start supper cooking. Later, around 4 or so, DKB and mom came over and we watched "Mama Mia". I have to admit that its not a movie that I would have chosen for myself (can you say "Chick Flick") but I did find myself enjoying it. And we were all in agreement that Pierce Brosnan should have just lip-synched and allowed a real singer to belt out the songs. Dude! Seriously! Stick to acting. Around 7:30, my youngest - Mary, brought 5 month old Dylan over for us to watch. He was passed around and appropriate baby comments made. He went to sleep about 9 PM and Debra and the Mom left at that time. I finished watching a really bad on Sci Fi network then read until Mary came and picked up Dylan at Midnight. Sunday morning I actually worked on cleaning my house. Got rid of a lot of junk and started piling things up for a yard sale some time down the road. Debra called around 1 PM and (since it was another pretty day) I rode my bike over to her house and spent a few hours chatting and the Mom made a very tasty supper. I left just before dark because the road she lives on is gravel and I didn't want to negotiate it in the dark on my motorcycle. The Mom is a hoot and we seemed to hit it off. She even informed me as to the difference between "kinky" and "weird". Kinky is using a feather to stimulate your lover. Weird is using the whole chicken! LOL!!! See what I mean, you don't tell that joke to someone you don't like. Its a new week - Hope you have a great one!!

Soylent Green is People!

I can remember Charlton Heston uttering that line as I watched "Soylent Green" at the old Rex Theater in Starkville. Great movie, lots of shock value at the time. Don't know why that thought popped into my mind as I sit here digesting a great meal that I had at Shaherazad's with DKB and her friend Nikita. Had a good time sharing food and conversation and meeting someone that liberally peppers DKB's conversations. As usual I ate a little too much and now I feel like I need a nap instead of working, but carry on I must. Anyone else see "Fringe" last night. That is one freaky show. If you missed it, catch it online. The giant were-porcupine is not to be missed.

Last night, after "Fringe" went off I went back to the book I'm reading now. Its the 5th book in the "Area 51" series by Robert Doherty. I know you're probably thinking "Flying Saucers - so what!" Well, there are flying saucers, but there is a lot more to the story than that. I kind of started reading this series by accident, but now I'm glad I did. Each book has been a real page turner and I highly recommend it. When DKB and I are together, some of the time I will read a book to her as she crochets. I'm pretty sure we both enjoy this and it gives us a common book to discuss. I'm currently reading her the first book in the "Southern Vampire Series" by Charlaine Harris title "Dead Until Dark".

Going over to DKB's after work today. Gonna be a cold one tonight. Supposed to get down to 18 degrees. Good hot soup and cuddling weather. Everyone be safe! 'Til next time.......

After Super Bowl Musings

Well, its Monday and the Super Bowl yesterday was just that - Super! I have to admit I was pulling for the underdog Cardinals, but ya gotta give Big Ben and the Steelers credit for that thrilling comeback at the end. Salute! It was even better because I had some company in addition to my sweetie DKB being there. Our first Super Bowl together. Good food and a good time was had by all. Now the only football left is the anti-climatic Pro Bowl. I have heard that next year the Pro Bowl will be moved to the weekend before the Super Bowl. This means the SB participants won't have any members in the next Pro Bowl. Heck, even the Arena Football League suspended play this year (due to the economy), but they plan to be back in 2010.

DKB & I are planning lunch Wednesday at Shaherazad's so that I can meet another of her friends. I'm looking forward to it.

I've read in DKB's blog that some folks think I am moving pretty fast. I just want to say in my defense that I told DKB from the very beginning that our relationship would move at her speed. I would never pressure or rush her on anything and we would only move forward if she was comfortable with it. That brings me to another thing. A lot of folks say that when a couple gets comfortable with each other, that the relationship is doomed. I don't. I'm very comfortable with DKB and just enjoy being around each other. I'm still learning things that surprise me from time to time, but thats part of the fun of being in a relationship.

Have to stop at Wally World on my way home today. I need to buy some more tea (for when DKB visits) and a couple of gifts for a son-in-law & daughter-in-law that have birthdays this month. Plus my youngest son's anniversary is later this month. My best to all.

On the Road to Recovery

Wednesday afternoon I started getting sick and by that night I was sick as a dog. I began self-medicating and spent 13 hours Wednesday night and most of the day Thursday sleeping. I'm better today, but my head is still a little fuzzy and I feel a little weak. I was a disappointed because I couldn't go see DKB like I planned, but I didn't want to pass this crud on to her either. Better safe than sorry.

I'll try to be more inventive the next time I blog, but right now I'm doing good just being upright. My best to all.

Good Time Had By All

Monday evenings casino excursion went well. Mary (21st B'day) , John (her hubby), DKB and I all had a good, but exhausting, time. We left to come home yesterday morning around 10:45 since John had a doctor's appointment that afternoon. We got back early enough that DKB and I went for a leisurely lunch at Shaherazad's (Middle-Eastern Cuisine) before I took her home. I think both of us were bordering on exhaustion. If you read DKB's blog , you know that I gave her a promise ring. She really has filled my life with happiness again.

I'm playing "catch-up" at work today, so I don't have a lot of time to blog today, so for that reason I once again toss out - - -

Random Shots in the Dark (or "The Old Gray Matter Ain't What It Used To Be")
1. The first new car I ever purchased for myself was a 1972 (lime green) AMC Gremlin.
2. I actually like fruit cake.
3. I enjoy clever puns.
4. You have to grow old, but you don't have to grow up!
5. I wear a size 12 shoe and can lick my eyebrows. Don't know why DKB likes me. LOL!
6. Number 5 is a lie - I actually wear a size 11. *snicker*snicker* Sorry folks I couldn't resist a little fun.

Have a great day. I do. Every day I have DKB.