tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68691601922316074742024-03-14T01:13:50.784-04:00Scootin' da ValleyThe chronicles of scootering and life in general around the Wyoming Valley in Northeast Pennsylvania.Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.comBlogger419125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-68465548407298408862020-06-09T14:57:00.000-04:002020-06-09T15:23:08.001-04:00From the daughters<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We never aspired to guest write on Dad’s blog but hope to make him proud with this, the final post on “Scootin’ Da Valley.” We've debated the past year if we should let well enough alone or post an official closing entry on Dad's behalf, and we've decided he wouldn't want to leave it unfinished. </span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In June 2018, Dad wrote “I have only 2,901 miles to go to have ridden the distance of the earth’s circumference! I sure hope I can complete that equivalent circuit on my beloved Piaggio with my head as full of wonderful thoughts and memories as the past 22,000 miles have provided.” Unfortunately, Dad’s scooting days were cut short last year, preventing him from reaching his goal mileage. He was closing in on it, but the odometer will forever be stopped at 22,772. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Taken by Ally after the accident.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">For those who haven’t heard, Dad was killed in a car accident on June 9, 2019. He was doing everything he could have to be safe on the scooter. He was wearing a helmet, brightly colored clothing, riding in daylight, and obeying traffic laws. While he was stopped at a stop sign, he was struck from behind by an elderly man who failed to stop. Paramedics were on site within a minute or two, but even their quick response was too late. We don’t think Dad felt much (if any) pain or even knew what happened given the circumstances. We hope this does not dissuade anyone from continuing to ride since Dad was doing what he absolutely loved.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of Dad's views from the driver's seat that last day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">That day started as any typical Sunday. Dad awoke to attend 8am mass with his mother and sister, sent an email to his best friend since high school, asked Google for the temperature, and headed out to enjoy a long scooter ride in the beautiful weather. In true Dad fashion, he was taking photos (across his phone and two different digital cameras) of his ride until about 20 minutes prior. Maybe he was even thinking of a new blog post as he rode around alone with his thoughts. He had two hours of bliss as he felt the wind and sun on his skin and stopped to take pictures of anything he could. We’re not sure why he snapped the shots he did. Truthfully, we doubt Dad had a purpose to them other than to do it. This blog was as much about Dad sharing his amateur photography as it was his writing, so we feel we need to share some of his last photos and selfies here with you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dad always found cool things to stop for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you to those of you who’ve tuned in over the years and followed Dad’s rides. We know he’s made some friends through this blog and hope you think of him fondly from time to time. Thank you for being a place for Dad to turn for “brain dumps” and for a creative outlet. We take comfort in knowing his spirit lives on through so many people (some of whom he’s never even met). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Dad ended every school day in his career as a teacher with the same blessing over his students, and it seems fitting to end this blog with the same prayer to all of you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May he look upon you kindly and give you peace. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">From the timestamps, this is one of the last selfies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Links: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/w-b-man-61-killed-in-motorcycle-accident-in-dupont-1.2494347" target="_blank">W-B man, 61, Killed in Motorcycle Accident in Dupont</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/motorcycle-driver-killed-in-crash-in-dupont/523-1109ded3-aa7c-4530-afe5-0b03b9432aac" target="_blank">Motorcycle Driver Killed in Crash in Dupont</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/motorcycle-driver-killed-in-crash-in-dupont/523-1109ded3-aa7c-4530-afe5-0b03b9432aac" target="_blank">Motorcyclist Killed in Weekend Crash in Dupont</a></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/joseph-blizman-obituary?pid=193106045" target="_blank">Joseph Blizman Obituary</a></span></div>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-47236611934251108912019-05-01T19:33:00.002-04:002019-05-01T19:37:25.167-04:00Why I'm a Grammar Snob and Other Stuff<br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A fellow sexagenarian and
one time classmate, my friend Greg has been a trusted confidante for many years
and we share numbers of emails back and forth each week, writing to each other
about just about any topic under the sun that’s interesting at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like many old timers, we look to the past
for sweet memories of times that seemed to be simpler, easier, and better in
some ways than living in a present when there doesn’t seem to be a lot of
civility and getting along as there seemed to be back then. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be certain, though, we're both quite glad
still to be ticking some forty-three years out of high school, and while it
seems most of the time that we know just about everything there is to know
about each other, now and then one of us manages to pose a question to the
other that isn't immediately answerable without giving it some thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was a few days ago when Greg asked me
why I’m probably the biggest snob about education (regarding syntax and grammar
specifically) that he knows and I found myself scrambling for a quick answer,
which there didn’t seem to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greg was corresponding
with a retired gentleman who’s well educated and who had enjoyed respectable
status in the community, having had been a federal judge for a number of years,
regarding a cycling event in which both were planning to ride, and mentioned to
me that the guy writes emails like E. E. Cummings did poetry with no
capitalizations and neither punctuation marks to separate his phrases and
sentences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, naturally had to make
mention of how little I think of persons who do that when Greg posed the
question about my being a snob regarding such things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never thought of myself that way simply for expecting others to
use English skills that were taught at least in rudimentary form in
kindergarten, so to answer his question I knew that some quality introspection
needed to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s where the
scooter comes in; I do my best thinking, especially about myself, when I’m out
riding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I got my trusty steed
ready to roll, but didn’t make it a mile from home when I realized that I was
under</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> dressed for the occasion because, as usual, I underestimated how cold it
actually was and would be once I was in motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made it around the long block only to park in front of the
house for a minute or two while I ran in to bundle up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally I had no idea of where I even
planned to go because ending up somewhere wasn’t important in the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just needed the relatively distraction
free environment on the scooter to hammer out my thoughts and forge them so
they’d make sense, most of all to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If that last sentence
threw you because of how hyper vigilant somebody needs to be while riding on
city streets on two wheels with many distractions, don’t over think it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being able to pay attention for potholes,
dumb pedestrian moves, and dip wads driving cars as if they’d never driven
before isn't the kind of thinking that interferes with the important stuff
like, “Why do I feel the need to be hung up on how the English language is
used?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It has been a very
unseasonably cold April this year so the Piaggio hasn’t gotten a single decent
washing yet as I’ve not yet restored water service to the outdoor spigots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it bothers me a little for the bike to
look so dirty, but I can’t bring myself to wash it and get myself all wet and
cold, a combination I particularly deplore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After I dressed more
sensibly I got back on the scooter and headed one community over from here to
the top of a hill where there’s a municipal park that, as I suspected, would be
deserted because the kids are still in school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I rode I began thinking about why I insist on good English to the
extent that I will not typically even accept a Facebook friendship from
somebody who writes like a baboon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Exceptions are made for pretty women, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dumb doesn’t make them any less attractive to the eyes.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’m sure that part of the
reason for my snobbery is simply that I was a teacher for 30+ years and that
many of my assignments had me teaching middle school English, (and the grammar
side, not Literature usually), and it was my job to fix bad English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That compulsion to “red pen” grammar
mistakes is ingrained and it’s not so simple to just "turn it off” now
that I'm </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">retired.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(I have no idea why Blogger changed the font for the following paragraph, nor can I figure out how to fix it.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There’s more to it too, though, that’s also related to my
career as a teacher, and it has to do with respect. As a teacher one will not survive in any classroom from
pre-school through graduate school without commanding respect. Yes, a good teacher will eventually earn the
respect of a classroom full of “kids" if he's worth his salt, but even
before it can be earned, respect must be demanded from day one if one is to
keep control of a classroom in order to do the day’s lessons without all hell
breaking loose. I was proud of being
well respected by about 99.9% of the students I taught through the years, and I
detested having to demand at least the overt respect of the .1% who had for
various reasons never been taught by their parents to show respect even to
them, but when I called for quiet, an observer would have been able to hear a
pin drop in my classroom, and a very fine, light, small pin at that.</span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Using correct English in
correspondence is a sign of respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
implies a respect for someone for whom the “extra effort" of holding down
that shift key to make a capital letter, spelling out a word like “you” in
full, and pressing that period at the end of a sentence is worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Correspondingly, writing something like,
“how r u today,” suggests a disdain for the person to whom one is writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It says, “I don't think you're worth all
that <b><i>hard work</i></b> of writing correctly,” to me regardless of the
writer’s actual intent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ultimate
answer to Greg, why I’m a grammar snob, is about that - respect or the
consequences when there is a lack of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(And here's that font nonsense once again!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Honestly I’m very tired of hearing, “It’s not important as
long as the message gets across.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not that simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ours is increasingly a
society of “It doesn’t matter."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The big news services are constantly putting into the spotlight idiotic
circumstances where proper authorities try to enforce rules that are being
broken with impunity.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example,
consider a private school with a dress code that requires specified hair
lengths for boys in which there is one boy who gets his head shaved bald to
‘support my friend who has cancer.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s suspended for a clear and concentrated breaking of the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should end there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should serve his suspension and that
should be the end of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A day later there on CNN the local story is
appears as national news decrying the school’s administration for being so
heartless in expecting compliance with a simple rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no respect left, not even for the Office of the President
of the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After decades in
the classroom where, as I noted, respect determines the tone of every aspect of
the interactions between a group of students with one person in charge, I'm not
just going to kick the concept to the curb because I’m now retired.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is more to the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I happen to like a rich
vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanings, which are more
concise because of the choices of certain words, are communicated better when
using the “correct" words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Big" and "enormous" more or less mean the same
thing, but they don’t connote exactly the same concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, I deplore the creations
of portmanteau words such as, “humongous,” and, “ginormous,” that are created
by persons who think they're way more clever than they actually are in making
new words that do <b><i>not</i></b> add anything to the meanings of already
existing words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, in addition to
folks who can use proper punctuation and such, I like to engage in
correspondence with persons who don’t write like dolts who seem like they never
made it past the fourth grade.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtE2me-rXKU/XMor6w98MBI/AAAAAAAAEOE/2-4tFcmdQX0RzR5opEMsP_xfHGvj0dqfgCEwYBhgL/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtE2me-rXKU/XMor6w98MBI/AAAAAAAAEOE/2-4tFcmdQX0RzR5opEMsP_xfHGvj0dqfgCEwYBhgL/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I suppose it was all that
thinking of things school related that led me to where I ended up atop that
hill where is the colorful gazebo by which I used to measure the starts and the
endings of my academic years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each
year, right about now there would be perhaps six or seven weeks of school left
and I'd head to that gazebo with a light heart already anticipating that last
day of school soon to come and the precious freedom it would bring with
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On occasion during each summer I’d
venture back there simply to nail home that feeling of relative
irresponsibility I enjoyed when school was out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a heavy heart I’d go there too as August wound down
realizing that my time of fun was coming to an end, just as I'd venture there
sometimes in early autumn when school was already back in session trying to
squeeze out an extra minute or two of pretending that I was still free to come
and go as I pleased regardless of what day of the week or time of day it might
be.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Being on the hill also
presented me with the opportunity to put my new Sony camera through some of its
paces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to replace the beloved
Nikon that served me well for a number of years in nearly constant residence in
the pouch attached to my belt, and for the cost and features, the Sony HX80 was
the perfect replacement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless I’m
going to the gym, when I travel light, I always carry a full point and shoot
camera with me instead of just using my phone to document my experiences.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVKNNBHMKgQ/XMor7X4RhqI/AAAAAAAAEN8/JuMYF9BOXgI0YTbvngsnsmZJymoC8zlNgCEwYBhgL/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hVKNNBHMKgQ/XMor7X4RhqI/AAAAAAAAEN8/JuMYF9BOXgI0YTbvngsnsmZJymoC8zlNgCEwYBhgL/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The hills in the Back
Mountain form the western wall of the Wyoming Valley.</span></h4>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-emNREXEi5SQ/XMor76vHo2I/AAAAAAAAEOE/jJajDdcXhbU5AKEtoB67MHE-q8BEYIjYQCEwYBhgL/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-emNREXEi5SQ/XMor76vHo2I/AAAAAAAAEOE/jJajDdcXhbU5AKEtoB67MHE-q8BEYIjYQCEwYBhgL/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The available 30x optical
zoom of the Sony brings the hills much closer, even with some numbers to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tripod would have made the scene much
clearer, but it’s not bad for a hand held shot.</span></h4>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YS8-0tVGXNA/XMor8sx1R8I/AAAAAAAAEOA/DOmhqCzGC_QkBkct4pj3ALwaiuf8CTyYgCEwYBhgL/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YS8-0tVGXNA/XMor8sx1R8I/AAAAAAAAEOA/DOmhqCzGC_QkBkct4pj3ALwaiuf8CTyYgCEwYBhgL/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The three Xs in a row say
I’m a winner for introspecting and enjoying myself on a great scooter
ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept the baseball (actually
hockey) cap on under the helmet on the ride home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still a little chillier than I’d hoped the ride would be.</span></h4>
</div>
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</xml><![endif]-->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-86970810724658714102019-04-16T18:18:00.001-04:002019-04-16T18:18:18.557-04:00Fleeced<span id="goog_2083462789"></span><span id="goog_2083462790"></span><br />
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Staying warm on the
scooter is something I ought to be an expert at by now, having been riding for
a dozen years now since the spring of 2007, but every year I'm dumb enough to
leave the house at least a few times with less than adequate padding to freeze my
ass off in no time flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today marked
my first such stupid move for the year!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My home is well Googlized
and Alexafied with multiple units placed throughout the house to pick up and
execute whatever I command them to do, but if I lower a volume and forget to
raise it back up later I’m often too lazy to ask it to repeat something if I’m
not certain I heard a response clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So it was that I asked the kitchen Google Mini for the outside
temperature and misheard what was apparently 59 degrees spoken very quietly as
69.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I bother then to look at the
thermometer on the deck before suiting up for my ride to the bank?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After all it was only about a mile to town and another back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How cold could I get?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ag4WIHot_VA/XLZS6ve7OjI/AAAAAAAAENI/LUJ5yvMnC_cLv8oIlCtx2rSb5Xxww251wCEwYBhgL/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ag4WIHot_VA/XLZS6ve7OjI/AAAAAAAAENI/LUJ5yvMnC_cLv8oIlCtx2rSb5Xxww251wCEwYBhgL/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /> </a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCqXSXHTCrE/XLZS6bPRnuI/AAAAAAAAENA/0ox5a9nT9MA2KM5eA-8a2u15tsfCbdx9ACEwYBhgL/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="640" height="358" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCqXSXHTCrE/XLZS6bPRnuI/AAAAAAAAENA/0ox5a9nT9MA2KM5eA-8a2u15tsfCbdx9ACEwYBhgL/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Okay, Google, what’s the
temperature?”</span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The temperature in
Wilkes-Barre is too cold for you to go out on your scooter,” is what I wish it
might say.</span></h3>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Not confirming the actual
temperature outdoors was only my first boneheaded move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second was to put on a fleece jacket
that I thought would be just right for nearly 70 degrees of warmth that I’d
expected it to be outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After too
many years of proving it to myself multiple times, fleece is fantastic for
keeping warm when one is on the couch with a fleece blankie draped over
himself; the fleece holds the heat of one’s body beautifully and makes a toasty
warm environment that’s perfect for watching TV.</span></div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jybz5SDWaoU/XLZS6S5Fr_I/AAAAAAAAENA/UyyKdpYDZMkDQ3SNnACcdeIjHrIIsZE2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="640" height="368" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jybz5SDWaoU/XLZS6S5Fr_I/AAAAAAAAENA/UyyKdpYDZMkDQ3SNnACcdeIjHrIIsZE2QCEwYBhgL/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Fleece made into a throw
is perfect for when Jeopardy is coming on.</span></h3>
</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the scooter, however,
fleece is absolutely worthless!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
wind (or ambient breeze created by the scooter moving through the air) blasts
right through the fabric of a fleece jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I might as well have been riding downtown bare chested through the
chilly air and couldn’t get down there and back fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course part of that problem is that going
faster just makes it feel all that much colder than a slower speed would. To be certain when I got outside the door with the fleece jacket on and walked right into a bright enough sunbeam it felt much warmer it was. But again, I should know much better after riding through a dozen Aprils and probably freezing my butt in every one of them.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W1qmnrvsDzI/XLZS6Z2nOSI/AAAAAAAAENE/keABk4n6JSMg446XqAN1NDyGyi2n_0wnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="640" height="373" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W1qmnrvsDzI/XLZS6Z2nOSI/AAAAAAAAENE/keABk4n6JSMg446XqAN1NDyGyi2n_0wnQCEwYBhgL/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Fleece is NOT what an
experienced rider should reach for when contemplating a ride.</span></h3>
</div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
don’t really know what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it
just wishful thinking for warmer temperatures on my part that makes me ignore
the signs of what’s going to end up being a cold ride?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or am I really getting that much dumber as I
get older?</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-66688375773122659432019-04-13T23:21:00.000-04:002019-04-13T23:21:02.867-04:00First Ride of 2019 - Later Than Usual for Spring<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s almost mid April and I took my inaugural
ride of 2019 just this morning not only because of the weather but with street
“destruction" tossed in for good measure as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In early December a contractor for the water
company began digging up our street to install a new water main and by mid
month they were in front of my house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Things were okay until a few days later when I was awakened at 3 AM by a
call from the water company asking me to move my car because the old main which
was still in use had burst beneath the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Crews worked until halfway through the next day but when they’d capped
the leak they filled in their dirty work (literally) with just dirt and golf
ball sized rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few days later it
snowed and when the plows came, the street looked like a war zone in their
wake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For weeks I’d feared that my car
was going to be hit by people driving up the street and not seeing the huge
craters in the road next to my car until the last minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called the water company and they sent
more dirt and rocks to fill the holes, but again it snowed, again the plows
came, and again the street looked as if it had been bombed.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abEYm3Y78FI/XLJXFqAPtXI/AAAAAAAAEKw/ghZxVDUL9XA6KVUQSsfU2fpZCgn67dL0QCLcBGAs/s1600/01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-abEYm3Y78FI/XLJXFqAPtXI/AAAAAAAAEKw/ghZxVDUL9XA6KVUQSsfU2fpZCgn67dL0QCLcBGAs/s400/01.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> In mid December the digging began to put in a new water main on our street.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FotyiBgJryY/XLJXFjVBFDI/AAAAAAAAEK0/blneq-YBV0EwB1AV8yCWKd_f1rQgyufCACEwYBhgL/s1600/02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FotyiBgJryY/XLJXFjVBFDI/AAAAAAAAEK0/blneq-YBV0EwB1AV8yCWKd_f1rQgyufCACEwYBhgL/s400/02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A few days later the old main (still in use) blew right in front of the house.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeCmKU147Xg/XLKlN1UkQ5I/AAAAAAAAEL0/KzHZNtzvP_cO3PKkuSmvS_YcfSUZrP0YQCLcBGAs/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeCmKU147Xg/XLKlN1UkQ5I/AAAAAAAAEL0/KzHZNtzvP_cO3PKkuSmvS_YcfSUZrP0YQCLcBGAs/s400/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After their excavation, the water company left the road like this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-refx3ttzLuM/XLKlQQtSbxI/AAAAAAAAEMM/-4i5Z716nRolgN1idcpyfIfs2jGq_pmSACEwYBhgL/s1600/feet%2Bin%2Bhole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-refx3ttzLuM/XLKlQQtSbxI/AAAAAAAAEMM/-4i5Z716nRolgN1idcpyfIfs2jGq_pmSACEwYBhgL/s400/feet%2Bin%2Bhole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2P5uIO9AEY/XLKlQ6oGWxI/AAAAAAAAEMo/eSC7aD1lNr8gBXitY3094n5qhTZo48ZsgCEwYBhgL/s1600/muddy%2Bcar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2P5uIO9AEY/XLKlQ6oGWxI/AAAAAAAAEMo/eSC7aD1lNr8gBXitY3094n5qhTZo48ZsgCEwYBhgL/s400/muddy%2Bcar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And when it was wet from rain and snow, the road was just a bed of mud leaving the car splattered all the time.</span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">January was damned cold
and I’d not have taken the scooter out if I could have, but when February
arrived with a few nice days I longed to get it out just for the hell of it but
wouldn't dare because of the condition of the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way I’d have been able to ride over the loose dirt
and rocks to get back to the house without dropping the bike and myself as
well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVaoIbdcNZA/XLKlP3iwWkI/AAAAAAAAEMo/kw9xc9BI4xcgY99_mq99rxKkI2iyT0tYACEwYBhgL/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVaoIbdcNZA/XLKlP3iwWkI/AAAAAAAAEMo/kw9xc9BI4xcgY99_mq99rxKkI2iyT0tYACEwYBhgL/s400/09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">With nothing but dirt and rocks, the scooter's front tire would have had no safe purchase for me to get back home.</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">With March came the thaw,
though to me it seemed that the month was much, much colder than in years past;
I have to admit that it might just have been my old bones perceiving it that
way but either way I wasn’t taking the scooter out of the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was rainy as often as snowy and the
street was a sea of mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to wash
my car every few days and when there were a few days of dry weather the mud
would dry out and every car that went by kicked up a dust cloud that then settled
on the car and on the front of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My repeated calls to the water company from December through April got
me some really sincere sounding lip service that accomplished nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until Friday just past (April 12<sup>th</sup>)
that a crew finally arrived to clean up the dirt and large chunks of rock and
to put some asphalt patch down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
made today, the 13<sup>th</sup> with temperatures in the mid 70s my very first
viable day for a ride and I certainly took advantage of it!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOSTQYYgHCk/XLKlOGTYSWI/AAAAAAAAEMc/dopInJVbr2cA3dXKseSoTGpMFPDpAPDywCEwYBhgL/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="640" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOSTQYYgHCk/XLKlOGTYSWI/AAAAAAAAEMc/dopInJVbr2cA3dXKseSoTGpMFPDpAPDywCEwYBhgL/s400/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The contractors finally came back yesterday after my talking to the water company and them repeatedly while the daily mess went on.</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When my front wheel
rolled out of the alleyway and toward the street, as usual, I had no idea at
all where I was going to end up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
rides are always more about going than being so when I’m off for a ride for the
sake of a ride, it doesn't much matter in which direction I turn at any
particular intersection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned
out I rode about 14 miles today going nowhere special, yet every rotation of
the tires was special because I was finally out and about for the first time
since November and I was enjoying every single second of being out there.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bJ2V_IV1t9A/XLKlODdru8I/AAAAAAAAEMY/men5I_iXWQInNXLU9J8jwlOCmzUDspKIwCEwYBhgL/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bJ2V_IV1t9A/XLKlODdru8I/AAAAAAAAEMY/men5I_iXWQInNXLU9J8jwlOCmzUDspKIwCEwYBhgL/s400/05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> One of the selfies I'd been dying to take for months</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because my left hip and
right knee are both in need of replacement and I’m too stubborn to book the
surgeries, mounting the scooter isn't as easy as it was some years back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could really use a bike with a true step
through design at this point but having retired early because of my
increasingly poor health it wouldn’t be practical to go shopping for another
one so I’ll get by for as long as the Piaggio lasts me and after that it’ll
probably be the end of my two wheeling days.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lA8iZWZiw5g/XLKlOmm8SxI/AAAAAAAAEMg/WicJfU3oiC40B8PMWFDf6zISUqFJljE2wCEwYBhgL/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="640" height="343" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lA8iZWZiw5g/XLKlOmm8SxI/AAAAAAAAEMg/WicJfU3oiC40B8PMWFDf6zISUqFJljE2wCEwYBhgL/s400/06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Here's hoping for days that keep getting warmer one after another!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nS3dEnH62E8/XLKlPOCrRFI/AAAAAAAAEMo/DN2oI3UBGxYSYBc_09--MLpkBtf7ZKl_QCEwYBhgL/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nS3dEnH62E8/XLKlPOCrRFI/AAAAAAAAEMo/DN2oI3UBGxYSYBc_09--MLpkBtf7ZKl_QCEwYBhgL/s400/08.jpg" width="381" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Wondering what the numbers will look like when November rolls around again.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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</xml><![endif]-->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-60941069051681476802018-08-16T15:36:00.000-04:002018-08-16T15:38:20.698-04:00Back to Where?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For the fifth time since
I ended my teaching career school will soon be starting without me, and the
feelings are mixed as this time of year rolls around annually with its Back to
School advertising, marketing, and store displays that you can’t miss even if
you want to avoid them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long ago I saw
a bumper sticker that summed up work for me perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It simply read, “A bad day of fishing is
still better than a good day at work.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now the most fish I’ve caught in my entire life have been a few sunnies
at a lake where my girlfriend’s parents had a small summer place back in the
early 70’s, but in spite of the limited fishing experience the sentiment of
that quote lives on for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though
I loved teaching, I love retirement even more.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4d_1OX1ZSB4/W3XQHHzJCqI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/jYbFsoB4hgEolAJ36NIp50qW_d-iSeXlwCEwYBhgL/s1600/me%2Bby%2Bschool%2Bsupplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4d_1OX1ZSB4/W3XQHHzJCqI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/jYbFsoB4hgEolAJ36NIp50qW_d-iSeXlwCEwYBhgL/s400/me%2Bby%2Bschool%2Bsupplies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Yes, there are days when
I get up and wonder what I’m going to do all day, but somehow there never seems
to be a problem with finding enough to do to pass the time till Jeopardy comes
on and the evening officially begins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even on the rainy days of which there have been a lot this summer to
preclude long adventures on the scooter I don’t have much trouble amusing
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pko4P7SiAAs/W3XQGZkq9kI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/NoKgrxe1jNAYo0YMldcBR4d18WQIqhJKwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20180816_150413750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pko4P7SiAAs/W3XQGZkq9kI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/NoKgrxe1jNAYo0YMldcBR4d18WQIqhJKwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20180816_150413750.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Putzing on Facebook is a major
pastime for me, and I get to keep in touch with hundreds of former students who
keep me feeling as young as they did when they were in my charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rewards of the profession go on long
past my productiveness in it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPNO6GOZOBQ/W3XQHxb2ydI/AAAAAAAAEJs/nOFgCZK_eeAfaBOx7GTrKWK39JV5pj3YQCEwYBhgL/s1600/me%2Bsnacking%2Bat%2Bweis%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPNO6GOZOBQ/W3XQHxb2ydI/AAAAAAAAEJs/nOFgCZK_eeAfaBOx7GTrKWK39JV5pj3YQCEwYBhgL/s400/me%2Bsnacking%2Bat%2Bweis%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdbU2sh-ZHg/W3XQIWFsysI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/xWMjWkr7_Xc_aUkTPPgU4LxFNG5WjxoMgCEwYBhgL/s1600/scooter%2Bat%2Bweis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jdbU2sh-ZHg/W3XQIWFsysI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/xWMjWkr7_Xc_aUkTPPgU4LxFNG5WjxoMgCEwYBhgL/s400/scooter%2Bat%2Bweis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The opportunities for
having fun are endless whether they’re biggies like taking trips out of town
and out of state, or simply enjoying a snack on the patio chairs on display
outside the supermarket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figure I’m
doing them a favor by modeling the comfort of the items they’re hoping to sell
and showing passersby that they’re capable of supporting more than average
weight.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_mZ6Lr0UL6Y/W3XQH5L8x5I/AAAAAAAAEJw/cd8estPhJWAE-o_Z6cA88nLq1bn7fQaegCEwYBhgL/s1600/me%2Bwith%2Bplastic%2Bstraw%2Bat%2Bchilis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_mZ6Lr0UL6Y/W3XQH5L8x5I/AAAAAAAAEJw/cd8estPhJWAE-o_Z6cA88nLq1bn7fQaegCEwYBhgL/s400/me%2Bwith%2Bplastic%2Bstraw%2Bat%2Bchilis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I have the time to really
enjoy meals, especially when I treat myself to lunch at some restaurant rather
than just grubbing lunch from leftovers in the fridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here I am thoroughly enjoying a plastic
straw while the idiots in California and elsewhere in Liberal Land are in a
furious rage about how such straws are killing gazillions of sea dwelling
creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As if there aren’t enough
genuine things to be concerned about!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQsPms0upMY/W3XQHYg3bJI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/XlKaIQsEwQ01w5FrCRno0FleKBl2MUT5wCEwYBhgL/s1600/me%2Bfunny%2Bshopping%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQsPms0upMY/W3XQHYg3bJI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/XlKaIQsEwQ01w5FrCRno0FleKBl2MUT5wCEwYBhgL/s400/me%2Bfunny%2Bshopping%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have the time to spend
in doing silly things purely for my own enjoyment and to make friends and
family shake their heads when they see what I’m up to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always liked being able to make people
laugh in unique ways, and when you carry a camera everywhere you go, making
something funny is never an opportunity that’s too far off.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6ownKu6s0/W3XQGaDOJYI/AAAAAAAAEJo/JOtnwf6IvhQDYAdfbhJts14NjGPQcA9oQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dscn8311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UP6ownKu6s0/W3XQGaDOJYI/AAAAAAAAEJo/JOtnwf6IvhQDYAdfbhJts14NjGPQcA9oQCEwYBhgL/s400/Dscn8311.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UInfamvSRzA/W3XQGXdC1oI/AAAAAAAAEJk/iQeV4TMuDmAKi5kv7JSC3wKzELbOPWBpQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dscn8296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UInfamvSRzA/W3XQGXdC1oI/AAAAAAAAEJk/iQeV4TMuDmAKi5kv7JSC3wKzELbOPWBpQCEwYBhgL/s400/Dscn8296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> And, of course on the
sunny days, there’s plenty of scooting to do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t usually venture more than 20 or 30 miles away from home, but the
valley is sufficiently interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
matter where I decide to go even though I often don’t know where I’m going to
end up when I head out, it’s the ride itself that provides the most good for
the soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With lots of time for good
introspection and interesting things to see, hear, and smell at every turn,
being on the bike continues to fill me with absolute delight in part because it
remains amazing to me that I’m getting around on such a vehicle which I’d never
have predicted that someday I’d be riding.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oilRmKiBgWE/W3XSBrM8fvI/AAAAAAAAEKA/znx4hntX9OYpwFJxPPN2Hv_3ez4dkBregCLcBGAs/s1600/show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="672" height="292" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oilRmKiBgWE/W3XSBrM8fvI/AAAAAAAAEKA/znx4hntX9OYpwFJxPPN2Hv_3ez4dkBregCLcBGAs/s400/show.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So, next week when my
former colleagues are having their opening faculty meeting and then the
following Monday starting up a whole ‘nother school year, you just might see me
passing by a school somewhere with an ear to ear smile lighting up my face
because of the many great memories I have of a fulfilling career, and because
of the enigmatic joy of knowing I don’t have to be on the other side of the big
desk ever again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</xml><![endif]-->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-14120984464088032192018-07-16T16:21:00.003-04:002018-07-16T16:21:50.101-04:00Bang the Drum Slowly
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YmRO27l73Ww/W0y3EQWfcXI/AAAAAAAAEIM/qyiQJ8lau5wxGVkRgNKPdIsyQiwLWPI7QCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN7177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YmRO27l73Ww/W0y3EQWfcXI/AAAAAAAAEIM/qyiQJ8lau5wxGVkRgNKPdIsyQiwLWPI7QCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN7177.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When “I Love a
Parade" was composed in 1931 I imagine that its title well expressed the
sentiment of many folks who didn’t have cool technology to play with in the air
conditioned comfort of their living rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Turning out to watch and to wave at other people walking or riding in
formation continues to be a thing in some municipalities, especially small ones
that will use a parade to kick off some local event be it the opening of Little
League season, a shindig of some sort, or the beloved tradition of many a
volunteer fire station, the block party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, of course, there are the holiday parades in the big cities with
commercial sponsors, and the patriotic varieties that continue to be a
tradition in many places.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lvara4-EaM/W0y3EWJ3Y5I/AAAAAAAAEIE/-RsFsAQ4Vm8vh4YLpw-0yz_2y6_fVuDngCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN7184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lvara4-EaM/W0y3EWJ3Y5I/AAAAAAAAEIE/-RsFsAQ4Vm8vh4YLpw-0yz_2y6_fVuDngCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN7184.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As with too many things
in which the pleasure faded as I grew up parades became more of a nuisance to
me as time went by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By high school
during which which I had to lug and play the Sousaphone in countless parades
including a <b>L--O--N--G</b> one in Philadelphia in '76 on a day that was about 120 degrees
Fahrenheit in the shade (I exaggerate slightly for effect.) I’d become jaded to
whatever charm might have been in any parade when I was a little kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For many of my adult years parades seemed to
accomplish little more than blocking off main arteries within whatever towns or
podunks I'd happen to be traveling through and delaying my progress in getting
to wherever I might have been heading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They came, in my mind, to make much ado about nothing* and I lost
whatever ability I might have once had to squeeze some degree of enjoyment from
watching local dignitaries of much self-touted importance waving from atop the
deck of convertible models of sports or luxury cars and big fire fighting
equipment rolling by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With that preface,
imagine me saying, “Yes!" when other members of our local loosely knit
scooter group asked if I’d like to ride my scooter in a parade along the main
street in their hometown of Exeter, PA, a small borough across the Susquehanna
River and a few miles north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because our
group is small and doesn’t often host events like scooter rallies or big group
rides (And I’m not criticizing, because I’m not the sort to roll up my sleeves
and pronounce, "Let’s do this!") I do like to participate when we
manage to find worthy opportunities to ride together, even if it’s for a parade
that would certainly close off Wyoming Avenue in Exeter, a main route through
the west side, for an hour or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
occasion of the parade was to be the start of the Exeter block party which
they're hoping will become an annual tradition, I believe.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Old men with band instruments perform on a float. If I'd kept up the tuba I might have been one of them. </i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We met up at the home of
the family that asked if I’d join them and after a while rode in formation to
the staging area for the parade where we sweated in buckets while waiting for
the whistle that I imagined would start the line moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank God for the fire trucks parked nearby
in the shadows of which we found some relief from the unrelenting sun that
threatened to bake us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a nice
opportunity, though, to catch up on things that had been going on since we last
got together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I can’t say I felt
any "excitement" at the thought of being in the parade as I did when
I was a Cub Scout and we marched in one, there was a certain type of it in the
air and I can safely say that I participated in it at least vicariously through
the others around me who seemed to be taking delight in the chance to pass in
formation before our audience already assembling on the sidewalks along the
route.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I enjoyed riding in a group again with some scooter friends and even though it’s not easy to talk
to other riders when we’re moving there is a unique connection and camaraderie
that’s felt as we scoot along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Admittedly I paid more attention to the high school cheerleaders
directly in front of our group than to whomever lined the roadway to watch us
go by because with a lot of starting and stopping, I didn’t want to achieve
local notoriety by running over a kid with pom poms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d been somewhat worried about the heat gauge on my bike because
at slow speeds and lots of idling bikes tend to run on the hot side and it was
a problem with my radiator last summer that had the Piaggio in the shop from
April through August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully the
parade didn’t stress the system and the fan and radiator did their jobs nicely
to keep me rolling along like the caissons in yet another parade song.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Lunchtime
is fast approaching so here’s as good a place as any to put this post to
rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I did, after all, find some
delight in being in a parade again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
scooter has afforded me varieties of pleasant experiences I'd not otherwise
have had over the past 11 years so I'm still very grateful for having seen the word,
"Scooter," used as an example in a tutorial blog tag, remembering my Uncle
Andy giving me a ride on a scooter when I was about five years old, and having
my brain immediately jump on the subsequent thought of, “I want a scooter!”</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwqlYMxAcks/W0y3FzmsFqI/AAAAAAAAEI0/eBtV9OLdxEgS8ql77G9A4EtNjJLEnzGdQCEwYBhgL/s1600/parade%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwqlYMxAcks/W0y3FzmsFqI/AAAAAAAAEI0/eBtV9OLdxEgS8ql77G9A4EtNjJLEnzGdQCEwYBhgL/s400/parade%2B01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">There I am on the right leading the scooter pack. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> -------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i>* When I say parades came to be much ado about nothing I do not mean to imply that our beloved war heroes shouldn't be honored. I just fail to see how marching the current members of the Armed Forces and the equipment of war through the streets gives them the rich honor they deserve.</i> </span><br />
<br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-58410506979860051132018-06-18T16:44:00.000-04:002018-06-18T16:45:32.950-04:0022,000 Miles and Counting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ytec1_ym3I/WygRm7Tft1I/AAAAAAAAEHc/CYQk_1R5FS8v-G4FIzmndegeKBgIoJ31ACLcBGAs/s1600/sc06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="119" data-original-width="231" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ytec1_ym3I/WygRm7Tft1I/AAAAAAAAEHc/CYQk_1R5FS8v-G4FIzmndegeKBgIoJ31ACLcBGAs/s320/sc06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I left the house this afternoon I had no intention of riding the 60
some miles I still needed to put the odometer over the 22,000 mile
mark, but at about 20 miles out I decided that I might as well go for it
since I had nothing more pressing to do today. I headed out on a road
that I figured would put me about halfway there and then just kept going
past the half, not deciding till I had about 20 miles left to hit the
milestone in which direction I'd go to complete the intended mileage.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Other than watching the miles tick by I had no particular thoughts going through my head until my nose caught the scent of the deep woods along a stretch through the uninhabited forest. It's said that smells can take us back to particular times and places more quickly and with richer memories of specific events than our other senses, and today that was certainly the case as the smell of ferns and such hit me.<br />
<br />
I was in the back seat of my junior high girlfriend's father's car, she and I still in our bathing suits from having spent the afternoon at their lake house. The sight of her body in her yellow bikini, the closeness of her bare thigh pressed against mine, and that look in her eyes that made me melt all came back to me as soon as that smell of the woods came to me on the scooter. It was a fantastic memory, and I was smiling from ear to ear as I recalled that moment from my past that lives in that part of my brain where the very best of memories are stored.<br />
<br />
We parted ways after high school, but she's still in the area on her second marriage and I confess that I sometimes ride the scooter past her house when I'm out in that direction for a ride, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Whether I'd have the balls to speak to her if I were going by and she was on her porch, I don't know. The last time I saw her was many years ago at my grandmother's wake, and even then as she stood beside me near Gram's casket my mind was whirling with the many memories we'd made together, some admittedly with our clothes off.<br />
<br />
As I'd noted in the second paragraph up there, I had no particular thoughts going through my head until my thoughts went back to her, but as I continued my ride toward a new odometer mark she kept coming back to me in snippets of pleasant memories. Dare I say I still carry somewhat of a little torch for her? She'll always be a special part of my life though she hasn't been in it for years.<br />
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<br />
It was hotter than hell out there today and I'm hoping I had enough of a base tan so that I won't be sunburned later. I probably went through about three quarters of a gallon of drinks as I rode, grabbing a gulp whenever I could keep going with only one hand on the handlebars and stopping for refills as needed. I stuck to roads where I could just keep going for miles without having to stop for signs or signals so I didn't get too hot with a constant breeze washing over me.<br />
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<br />
Without planning exactly when the 22,000 would hit and where I'd be at the time, I simply circled a neighborhood in which I knew I'd be able to put down the kickstand no matter where I'd be so I could get a few pictures. It happened here at the intersection of Yeaver Ave. and Murray St. in Forty Fort, a small borough across the river from home and only a few miles away from home.<br />
<br />
There's a finale to the day's story that put a huge smile on my face. After having spent some of my ride thinking about my former girlfriend, as I headed out of the neighborhood where I'd stopped to get the pictures I lifted my head from the very satisfactory view of the odometer and out of the corner of my eye I spied a young woman in a bikini in a backyard. With my camera still on the lanyard, I slowed enough to get a picture of her as a bonus to add to the day's celebratory nature.<br />
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All that was left was to celebrate in proper fashion, with some food! The nearby McDonald's was a perfect stop with cheap burritos and my final drink refill before heading home to bask in the accomplishment of having ridden 22,000 miles on two wheels.<br />
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I have only 2,901 miles to go to have ridden the distance of the earth's circumference! I sure hope I can complete that equivalent circuit on my beloved Piaggio and with my head as full of wonderful thoughts and memories as the past 22,000 miles have provided.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lOjm46lNok/WygRnFmAO7I/AAAAAAAAEH0/Jy5Ljn9AaBkHMYJn2gwvMjENljX0GjTpACEwYBhgL/s1600/sc07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="608" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lOjm46lNok/WygRnFmAO7I/AAAAAAAAEH0/Jy5Ljn9AaBkHMYJn2gwvMjENljX0GjTpACEwYBhgL/s400/sc07.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TODAY'S RUN</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-71039860788637230172018-05-02T17:13:00.000-04:002018-05-02T17:20:03.756-04:00When Everything Changes But Not in a Bad Way<br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’d just written four
decent sized paragraphs here, but then I reread them, highlighted the whole
mess, and hit the Delete key because although they were decent sized, they weren’t
decent all together, and I just wasn’t satisfied with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, I’ve found that to be the
case frequently since I retired from teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My thoughts aren’t the same as they were when I was still teaching, but
I haven’t yet figured out if that’s a good thing or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the past when I wrote
here it wasn’t difficult to pick a theme and more or less stick with it
throughout a post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, though, I’m
finding that after a paragraph or two I’m heading down an entirely different
path of thought from where I’d just been a sentence or two before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be certain, in “real life” our thoughts
are generally scattered all over the place as a day goes on, but in writing I
was always taught, and taught my own classes, to write thematically within a
given framework of thought that was determined at the beginning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Retirement changes all kinds
of things and I’m thinking that my wanting to run in all different directions
when I’m writing now is just another manifestation of my change in lifestyle
from working full time to every day being like a Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It used to be the case that when I was out
riding on the scooter I used the opportunities to be alone and focused to do
some introspection – to dig through the mental cobwebs and clutter and just
clear my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m more like a
little kid at an amusement park while I’m out riding, looking all around me and
appreciating the sheer thrill of things, the wind in my face, the things I see
and hear and smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I’m still
focused on the road ahead, eyes always scanning for bumps, potholes, gravel,
and jackass drivers, my thoughts aren’t focused on any one thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For most of my 34 years
in classrooms I loved the job, the kids, the subjects I taught, the moving
through a typical school year day by day, yet now that I’m away from it I can
look back and see that it was too much</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> how I defined myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t quite put this into words, but when
you’re in the workforce, no matter how much you might enjoy your actual work,
there’s a seriousness about it all that is always with you even in moments of
seemingly great levity and after you punch out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even on weekends and during holiday breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even during summer vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retirement changes all of that! </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3N21bhabg4/WuopIhQF9GI/AAAAAAAAEGo/zdi0lYXcEoQ_oBFl_HTpR0bOho0Ex-q0wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCF2296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3N21bhabg4/WuopIhQF9GI/AAAAAAAAEGo/zdi0lYXcEoQ_oBFl_HTpR0bOho0Ex-q0wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCF2296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Now that I don’t need to
use my time on the scooter to clear my head, I’m a little lost in figuring out
what to think about when I’m riding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
thoughts are like the roads I take often unknown in terms of where they’re
going to take me and where I’m going to end up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I’m liking that, I’m still a little unsettled by it
because it’s so different than what I’d grown used to.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I suppose that’s a good
part of why I haven’t been writing much here too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t come back from a ride as I used to with a clear thought
of what I might write about and as a result I find myself too often with a
diarrhea of words but a constipation of ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nothing’s worse than wanting to write, but not having something I want
to write about, and that’s why I sit down here only to find my fingers rather
than my brain<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>moving me in all
different directions and find myself working Backspace and Delete like nobody’s
business.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyff-CMTH50/WuopItZybbI/AAAAAAAAEG4/zUJzUv4uWkwjOlYxslgJLLfuIfvmYy5RACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCF5853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyff-CMTH50/WuopItZybbI/AAAAAAAAEG4/zUJzUv4uWkwjOlYxslgJLLfuIfvmYy5RACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCF5853.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I rather like that one of
my favorite bloggers now breaks up a single post into different topics with
separate headings and while it would make a lot of sense for me to adopt that
style too I feel like I’d be stealing the concept and that wouldn’t sit right
with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I don’t know if I should
write short posts often, or write longer ones less frequently.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Oh, hell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not that it matters terribly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not like I’m getting streams of great
traffic here, but I know there are the few of you who check back from time to
time to see if I’ve cranked out anything worthwhile and I do like to have
something worth reading sitting here when you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until I figure out what I’d like to do I’ll scratch out what I can
and post some pretty ride pictures when I can’t.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jkcijCkueE/WuopIzz7hjI/AAAAAAAAEG8/BvPSPwUEaUo0cQ1le33nZYYPT-p4uhtFwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCF7911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jkcijCkueE/WuopIzz7hjI/AAAAAAAAEG8/BvPSPwUEaUo0cQ1le33nZYYPT-p4uhtFwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCF7911.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h2>
<span style="font-size: small;">Now that I don't need to count days till a summer vacation life is decidedly much more free, but awkwardly different. Hopefully I'll grow into this every day's a Saturday thing!</span></h2>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Who said retirement was
supposed to be easy?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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</xml><![endif]-->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-53592517017808842082018-03-16T11:31:00.000-04:002018-03-17T16:11:27.146-04:00Over the Hill<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I took the time shortly
after February rolled over into March to turn 60.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>60!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The official age of
“old people” as I thought when I was a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>60!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The age of gray and thinning
hair, age spots, aches and pains, medical poking and prodding, and loads of other
questionably fun things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still feel
mentally as if I just got out of high school, but here I am in this old man’s
body thinking in usual Slovak (i.e. morbid) fashion that my life is ¾ over if I
live to the age my dad did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I remember Dad driving me
to high school and then college on his way to work on many mornings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d often talk about when he was in high
school, and every time he did that I thought that it was SO long ago and
wondered how he remembered things seemingly so easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never did it occur to me that when I was 16,
Dad was only 24 years out of high school himself, yet here I am now 42 years
past when I wore my first mortarboard feeling like it was just a turn of my
head behind me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My family made my turning
60 something to celebrate and that made the whole crawling into another decade
older overnight much easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was
born, my mom and dad and I lived with my maternal grandparents and my mom’s
brother who is only 12 years my senior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was and is more like a big brother to me than my uncle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lives a few streets over here in “the
shoebox” as he calls this neighborhood, still the same one we all grew up in,
and we’re still as close as anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For my birthday, he and his girlfriend made dinner and sent it
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in tears so wonderful it
was to have my birthday dinner made with much love.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hq_XNE2Dvzo/Wqvh04ychrI/AAAAAAAAEF4/Yq5JVO5tdkUiHiU0YlCmaHnz_CVKdWUEACEwYBhgL/s1600/Uncle%2BSlim%2Bdinner%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hq_XNE2Dvzo/Wqvh04ychrI/AAAAAAAAEF4/Yq5JVO5tdkUiHiU0YlCmaHnz_CVKdWUEACEwYBhgL/s400/Uncle%2BSlim%2Bdinner%2B7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We had the first of my
three birthday cakes that evening at Mom’s house as per family tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a chocolate cheesecake!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to coax Mom, who usually avoids
having her picture taken at all costs, to take a picture of me on this
noteworthy occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m blessed to
have her smiling next to me all these years later.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3HRQ_F-Mo8/Wqvh0VYJyiI/AAAAAAAAEF0/zNG0I33k8_UH1z1SxQxATb7HRgDPkKljACEwYBhgL/s1600/Sunrise%2BDr%2B09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3HRQ_F-Mo8/Wqvh0VYJyiI/AAAAAAAAEF0/zNG0I33k8_UH1z1SxQxATb7HRgDPkKljACEwYBhgL/s400/Sunrise%2BDr%2B09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My official birthday
party was two days later on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My kids had the great idea of having me pose for cake smash
pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cake smash concept
started with people putting their infants in front of their first birthday
cakes and letting the little buggers go wild, digging into their cakes and
smearing them all over their tiny faces with great glee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea spread in time to having 30 year
old women doing the same to their birthday cakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, why not a 60 year old man my daughters wondered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My elder girl who manages a FastSigns
franchise and is a free lance photographer got it all together while my younger
daughter made the cake for me to have fun with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it turned out rather well!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJuk-jthvvM/WqvhyhtZnnI/AAAAAAAAEFc/eGtf7cAmCooRjowFQn1A_xMIJSsvDB8dgCEwYBhgL/s1600/A3100413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oJuk-jthvvM/WqvhyhtZnnI/AAAAAAAAEFc/eGtf7cAmCooRjowFQn1A_xMIJSsvDB8dgCEwYBhgL/s400/A3100413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKeme9AI2z8/WqvhymNtocI/AAAAAAAAEFg/P3qHLz3fXMsVRS1nflfDCZBpGcvBF7uaQCEwYBhgL/s1600/A3100470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKeme9AI2z8/WqvhymNtocI/AAAAAAAAEFg/P3qHLz3fXMsVRS1nflfDCZBpGcvBF7uaQCEwYBhgL/s400/A3100470.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After that it was time to
get cleaned up and head to the party my family hosted in my honor at a local
restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My younger girl got me this
shirt to wear to the party and I loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have much affection for the poop emoji!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSE8PSeVbKQ/Wqvh1NFk1NI/AAAAAAAAEF8/_RbsQgcL9sAHkTJ63CiVlnOoDdzPmK41wCEwYBhgL/s1600/me%2Bwith%2Bpoop%2Bcandies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSE8PSeVbKQ/Wqvh1NFk1NI/AAAAAAAAEF8/_RbsQgcL9sAHkTJ63CiVlnOoDdzPmK41wCEwYBhgL/s400/me%2Bwith%2Bpoop%2Bcandies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I had a wonderful time
with close family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a
superb dinner and nobody was in a hurry to leave so I had plenty of time to
visit with everybody at leisure and to share favorite memories with all of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9-Owt3lkDY/Wqvhy2G_urI/AAAAAAAAEFk/unkrrA37cj07z6aI4dCyrQ1lnITLrGt0QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9-Owt3lkDY/Wqvhy2G_urI/AAAAAAAAEFk/unkrrA37cj07z6aI4dCyrQ1lnITLrGt0QCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1288.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The old man with his sweet daughters. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TLbhBEfMZ6M/WqvhzlNUrWI/AAAAAAAAEFs/fEaqQyFTuvgGTRSbvd1mW-H8XzAeAq_3QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TLbhBEfMZ6M/WqvhzlNUrWI/AAAAAAAAEFs/fEaqQyFTuvgGTRSbvd1mW-H8XzAeAq_3QCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1317.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Young friends make turning old a lot easier. Well, okay - younger by one or two years at least.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cEFpTAGDLkA/Wqvhz2cskoI/AAAAAAAAEFw/wcvHcbQyuRweyaWUam4ZgU3RrA1KYcRQgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cEFpTAGDLkA/Wqvhz2cskoI/AAAAAAAAEFw/wcvHcbQyuRweyaWUam4ZgU3RrA1KYcRQgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1318.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry when my sister presented me with a
senior citizen box of goodies including prune treats, high fiber
cereal, and other products for us old people to enjoy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GX0LPzBdzMU/WqvhzINb7jI/AAAAAAAAEFo/B_ygvE5rtcwb1_qW3LJ00cuw6F_RtXUfwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GX0LPzBdzMU/WqvhzINb7jI/AAAAAAAAEFo/B_ygvE5rtcwb1_qW3LJ00cuw6F_RtXUfwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1308.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> With everybody’s generous
gifts I was able to get one of the very best Plantronics Bluetooth headsets to
use when I’m on the scooter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m now
able once again (after being without this feature for a few years when my
favorite Motorola cell phones took out the auto answer option) to take calls
when I’m scootering without having to take a hand off the handlebar to wriggle
it under my helmet and press the answer button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply by saying, “Answer,” I can take an incoming call and just
as easily ignore one with a verbal command.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I love them all for
making turning 60 as painless as they possibly could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the week that’s passed since then I’ve found myself lamenting
my age just a little to myself, but all in all I can’t complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s much to live for and now that every
day’s a Saturday I don’t know that I’ve ever had a better time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now all I need is for March to stop feeling
like January and for the snow to stop falling every couple of days so I can get
back on the Piaggio and ride to my heart’s content.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<!-- END WebSTAT Activation Code -->Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-80715206316117290972018-02-21T19:26:00.001-05:002018-02-21T19:26:50.767-05:00A Great February Ride<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butt end of February and so far I can say
I’ve had the scooter out every month this year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a magnificent day for a ride with the weather service
reporting that it’s currently 76 degrees here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I spent two hours on the road and they were among the best hours of
2018, though I suspect that my sixtieth birthday party in a few weeks might
trump them a little.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SxKu5c3UfeU/Wo4J59Wdi7I/AAAAAAAAEFM/3NpQYh2boNISGQk9FTBud9QY1dyG8EjmACEwYBhgL/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SxKu5c3UfeU/Wo4J59Wdi7I/AAAAAAAAEFM/3NpQYh2boNISGQk9FTBud9QY1dyG8EjmACEwYBhgL/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The rose bushes are bare
as they usually are this time of year as I fire up the Piaggio’s engine and let
it warm up for a few minutes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I checked
the tire pressures since it had been a month since I had the bike out last and
gave her the once over to make sure everything seemed to be where it
belonged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know much about motor
vehicles, but a cursory check doesn’t hurt even by a dummy who might spot
something out of place if he takes a moment to look.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB0F6YiOenE/Wo4J5wPqidI/AAAAAAAAEFE/eDCrUEHr96YLriardFoNot5dmSEDyFBqgCEwYBhgL/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="640" height="292" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB0F6YiOenE/Wo4J5wPqidI/AAAAAAAAEFE/eDCrUEHr96YLriardFoNot5dmSEDyFBqgCEwYBhgL/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When I leave the house
here in the Wyoming Valley the basic choices follow the north to south flow of
the Susquehanna River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>East and west
from here lead to the boonies for the most part with long stretches of nothing
in between so for a short ride such as I take on a day like this when the
morning is sunny with more clouds and eventually rain on tap, north and south
are the more prudent choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I
decided to head south.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hI5q9KQU750/Wo4J5yaaHTI/AAAAAAAAEFE/2-Jv8YHTgFgJ73IgV05odLlczoT4JeaVwCEwYBhgL/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="640" height="287" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hI5q9KQU750/Wo4J5yaaHTI/AAAAAAAAEFE/2-Jv8YHTgFgJ73IgV05odLlczoT4JeaVwCEwYBhgL/s400/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I really like riding
through the small towns strung together here in “da valley” with their 19<sup>th</sup>
century charm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The British who warred
with the natives to take control settled much of the valley proper in the
1700s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toward the end of the 1800s came
in turn the Irish, the Germans, the Italians, the Polish, Slovaks, and Russians
to work on the railroads, in the coal mines, and various industries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the homes I pass by on my rides
through the small municipalities were coal miners’ homes, and but for different
choices of modern siding, they look essentially the same as they did for the
past 150 years or so.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFCsueVR0Jg/Wo4J6X748II/AAAAAAAAEFI/Z3OcU8MiLSAvKAO2X0vLZzhkBeDsTQQHwCEwYBhgL/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFCsueVR0Jg/Wo4J6X748II/AAAAAAAAEFI/Z3OcU8MiLSAvKAO2X0vLZzhkBeDsTQQHwCEwYBhgL/s400/05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I was wearing my happy
face through Nanticoke where I started driving slowly up one of the streets,
past the home of my junior high school girlfriend, admittedly hoping to get a
glimpse of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she’d been sitting
on her porch enjoying the sunshine I don’t honestly know if I’d have the
gumption to pull to the curb and talk with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been many years since we last spoke, at my grandmother’s
wake sometime in the early 90s, and then only briefly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think about her from time to time, hoping
she’s happier in her second marriage than she’d been in her first, and
generally just wishing that she’s having a nice life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shared a lot when we were kids together, but we lost touch after
high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll always carry a small
torch for her and wonder now and then what life might’ve been like if we’d
stuck together and married.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i-piXVCsPMw/Wo4J6Lpu6eI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/Ekr37kMDiAAPrx7GY-RjAEzAb_7czrmZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i-piXVCsPMw/Wo4J6Lpu6eI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/Ekr37kMDiAAPrx7GY-RjAEzAb_7czrmZQCEwYBhgL/s400/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I ended up passing this
market on the center square, still in Nanticoke, and felt just a touch of a
pang of misery that I experienced there when I was maybe 7 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sent into the market with a dollar
bill in hand to get a pack of nine-volt batteries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was smart enough to realize that I had enough money for them before
getting them to the counter, but was devastated when the guy behind the counter
announced a price that included whatever the sales tax was at that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember being horrified with the
embarrassment of not having enough money and having to return to my uncle’s car
without them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course he gave me the
nickel or whatever it was to go back and get them, but the damage to my tender
young psyche had already been done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
my adult perch it was silly that I had felt totally humiliated in that instance,
but what a testimony to how well we remember such things from our youth even
after fifty some years have flown by in the mean time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It was just past the
market as I was cruising slowly through the neighborhood when my radiator fan
came on and I realized that my engine seemed to be running just a little
hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the nightmare I had last
summer when the scooter was in the shop from mid May through late August I
wasn’t about to take any chances so I decided to scoot back through the valley
farther north to visit the motorcycle shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
expected that my mechanic would have little business in the middle of February,
but there he was all backed up with work just as much in the winter as during
peak riding season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped what he
was doing to check my coolant, discovering that some air burped out of the line
when he opened the fill tank and then adding just a sip of water to top it
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad I made the trip because
on the way back to the house the heat needle was right where it was when I
parked the scooter in the fall and I felt much better about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The ride back to beat the
rain was thankfully uneventful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
managed to spy a few things that touched different emotions.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53D6tuZzzbU/Wo4J65t_hrI/AAAAAAAAEFI/Ddxg9sjjF6snbSzcR8lGf2laE6aSFVVkQCEwYBhgL/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53D6tuZzzbU/Wo4J65t_hrI/AAAAAAAAEFI/Ddxg9sjjF6snbSzcR8lGf2laE6aSFVVkQCEwYBhgL/s400/06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I always take delight
whenever I see another scooter in my travels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As with certain foods that make me feel sorry for my daughters in their
not liking them, I kind of feel a degree of sadness for everybody who’s never
ridden a scooter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just don’t know
what they’re missing I think to myself!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pW9DTfunleI/Wo4J7SCPE4I/AAAAAAAAEEw/nco61BEaDZAAfWrLLacLsRBURsdJP6GOgCEwYBhgL/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pW9DTfunleI/Wo4J7SCPE4I/AAAAAAAAEEw/nco61BEaDZAAfWrLLacLsRBURsdJP6GOgCEwYBhgL/s400/07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I was able to stop fast
enough to turn on the camera and work the zoom to get this decent shot of a
plane taking off at the Forty Fort airport.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JufBgl16k8o/Wo4J72ACmaI/AAAAAAAAEE0/fhJV9xNnbzMb0A1p7qHKHN5wUmVPHFvGgCEwYBhgL/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JufBgl16k8o/Wo4J72ACmaI/AAAAAAAAEE0/fhJV9xNnbzMb0A1p7qHKHN5wUmVPHFvGgCEwYBhgL/s400/08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I felt an extraordinary
amount of glee in seeing that the gates to the county park were open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They usually clamp them shut in late November
and don’t open them again till late April, but there they were, as open as they
could be!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s really nothing beyond
them that’s worth seeing, just various ball parks, but for some reason getting
beyond those gates always makes me happy because it’s usually a sign that the
best of the riding season is upon us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
often enjoy a lunch or a snack back there under a pavilion that I like because
I can park the bike right next to it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8F-7tmGjPh4/Wo4J8B-pPrI/AAAAAAAAEE4/c8d50F7LJHMy6AD-Cf0UUolvyoH9fFebQCEwYBhgL/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="640" height="272" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8F-7tmGjPh4/Wo4J8B-pPrI/AAAAAAAAEE4/c8d50F7LJHMy6AD-Cf0UUolvyoH9fFebQCEwYBhgL/s400/09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I smirked today as I
usually do when I’m riding up this hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I had the small 50cc scooter an old lady walking briskly could have
beaten me to the top and I often pulled over to let the lines of cars building
up behind me pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I miss
that the little scooter limited my speed and forced me to ride slowly enough to
smell the roses, but when I need it the power of the 250 can’t be beat.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fph7yqAx-8I/Wo4J8qYA06I/AAAAAAAAEE8/cqXS1URHpr8AVWv3ICkabKODWXYSfeZAwCEwYBhgL/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fph7yqAx-8I/Wo4J8qYA06I/AAAAAAAAEE8/cqXS1URHpr8AVWv3ICkabKODWXYSfeZAwCEwYBhgL/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I rode past the family
home of my best friend who now lives in Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house is vacant now and while my friend has no claim on nor
responsibility for the property he’s still curious about it so I ride past now
and then since it’s only about a mile from here to let him know if anything is
going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hasn’t changed, though,
since his brother died last spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Going past it brings back such wonderful memories of all the times I
spent there with my friend’s family and him while we were in high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crisp fall evening, Christmases, summer
parties - they all seem like they were only
yesterday, but he’s been in Boston for the past 42 years.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, as I dismounted
back at home, I grinned when I saw that there was still a little patch of snow
on the ground just ahead of the Piaggio’s front tire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I consider it a particular triumph even if a minor one when I’m
able to get out on two wheels while there’s still some snow around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was riding I encountered some big
piles of it pushed into mounds by plows, but it seemed a bigger deal that there
was still some in my yard while I managed to go out for a ride!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There’s a wintry mix in
the forecast for tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are warmer days just around
the corner!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-82309797457794152692018-02-13T20:13:00.002-05:002018-02-13T20:13:45.659-05:00Mid Winter Musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s a cold February
evening as I key this post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sitting
in one of the Sunday school rooms at a church miles away from home because my
traveling partner is at a board meeting and we had to use my car to get here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little chilly here in the room but
I’m not complaining because it’s MUCH colder outside though not nearly as bad
as it was last month at this time when we were in a DEEP freeze for days and
nights on end with temperatures in the single digits and wind chills many more
degrees colder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, as I often remind
myself when somebody else isn’t reminding me, everything is relative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winter is now officially half over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The days are getting longer, and in a few
weeks with the return of Daylight Saving Time they’ll be longer still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all a function of where we are and how
far we can see from whatever hill on which we happen to be sitting atop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, from where I’m sitting,
things are looking up despite this view of the scooter from this morning…</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Housebound, I’ve been
doing a lot of eating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, cooking,
and then eating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While a breakfast
bagel isn’t an example of anything I’ve made, it’s a very good example of
something I bought on impulse a few weeks ago and dispatched not long after
when I got back home. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEvNO1NuwC4/WoOJ5urZ5NI/AAAAAAAAEDo/Du6j9ra0n2sqKRkhtyXXWipSI_2fVYCZQCLcBGAs/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEvNO1NuwC4/WoOJ5urZ5NI/AAAAAAAAEDo/Du6j9ra0n2sqKRkhtyXXWipSI_2fVYCZQCLcBGAs/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No, the real cooking has
been with an Instant Pot received as a Christmas present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meals unlike any I’ve made at home are as
easy to make as…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to say,
“As easy as pie,” but pies aren’t particularly easy to make in my
estimation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, an Instant Pot is a
combination cooker that does a number of different things, but the stellar
feature is that it’s a pressure cooker, something I’d never used before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i6U5xhP0BLQ/WoOJ9FOP6vI/AAAAAAAAEDs/4Ec-jKniGqU_lYbDQ4DuFIWA3D3ihoM0QCLcBGAs/s400/3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef and Broccoli every bit as good as from any Chinese restaurant!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now I imagine the meals
I’ve been making with it lately might be just as good if they were to be made
in a slow cooker, but the advantage here is speed and savings of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MAJOR savings of time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fall off the bone and melt in your mouth
spare ribs in 15 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rice as a
midnight snack in ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mongolian chicken in 12 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The thing is remarkable and the meals are equally impressive. The best so far? Chili that rivals my favorite - Wendy's!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zM_3RCZGw0I/WoOJ94LqJ7I/AAAAAAAAEDw/NBofyq3sxHcre48oMGJ-PdWzWQ64gmCfACLcBGAs/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zM_3RCZGw0I/WoOJ94LqJ7I/AAAAAAAAEDw/NBofyq3sxHcre48oMGJ-PdWzWQ64gmCfACLcBGAs/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chili as good as Wendy's and I should know because I eat a LOT of Wendy's chili.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3C5dMxXnIY/WoOJ-ggXBNI/AAAAAAAAED0/mCcx_gNqGdIM4xGcqukVIcYF8W6DId3sQCLcBGAs/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3C5dMxXnIY/WoOJ-ggXBNI/AAAAAAAAED0/mCcx_gNqGdIM4xGcqukVIcYF8W6DId3sQCLcBGAs/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, I'll admit that this pork loin came out looking more like an unmentionable part of an elephant that isn't usually eaten unless by one of the big cats on the plains of Africa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And when I’m not
scootering, cooking, or eating, you just might find me sampling some new craft
beers somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to laugh
yesterday when my sister told me that our favorite uncle won a basket of beer
at the church Valentine’s dance on Friday evening and gave it away because he
doesn’t like craft beers and only drinks Genesee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To each his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
judge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I read somewhere long ago, I
don’t know what’s Art, but I know what I like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Scootering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not necessarily in that order.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOJtdsP7-yM/WoOJ48D34jI/AAAAAAAAEDk/krY5RdhcG2UNCjmYAUqj8DjkyoZRVaVUACLcBGAs/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOJtdsP7-yM/WoOJ48D34jI/AAAAAAAAEDk/krY5RdhcG2UNCjmYAUqj8DjkyoZRVaVUACLcBGAs/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-79466500244655282452018-01-29T18:28:00.000-05:002018-01-29T18:28:06.131-05:00First Ride of the Year - 2018 Edition<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This post is quite
overdue, its being penned (keyed to be technical) seventeen days late, but I’ve
been away for a week and was pretty busy before then with various things all
going on at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, although
it was indeed my first, and only thus far, scooter ride of 2018, it was rather
short, more for the sake of having been able to say I went riding in January -
that I got the bike<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>up and out and
downtown and back in spite of the usual weather we experience around here at
this time in a typical year.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PX_fNFIte10/Wm-s5NotB8I/AAAAAAAAEC4/5PbMVVDFP1Yxo2XNG9nmkrFKIfwCxIGlQCEwYBhgL/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PX_fNFIte10/Wm-s5NotB8I/AAAAAAAAEC4/5PbMVVDFP1Yxo2XNG9nmkrFKIfwCxIGlQCEwYBhgL/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It was a wet day, having
not only been unseasonably warm, but with rain on tap as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might have stayed out longer, but when I
got to Public Square, about a mile and half from my comfy computer chair, the
rain started up just enough to make me start getting soggy so back I headed to
park the Piaggio in its dry space under the deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, it felt good being out and about even if only
for a half an hour or so!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nLoqW-fuRUA/Wm-s4-AQ0kI/AAAAAAAAECw/KhYRvKpao00UNtddHHRkVljq_i8uuUNewCEwYBhgL/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nLoqW-fuRUA/Wm-s4-AQ0kI/AAAAAAAAECw/KhYRvKpao00UNtddHHRkVljq_i8uuUNewCEwYBhgL/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I much enjoy an out of
the blue warm day in the dead of winter such as this one was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though my scooter ride didn’t last
long, I spent some time out on the deck in between rain showers, watching
trains go by, and just savoring the warmth and the view of the thermometer
showing that we were in the high 50s.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lNh7vm3oD1k/Wm-s5DN5--I/AAAAAAAAEC0/VFoBzOGsPfIKmOGOhJ05qLHH4C_u3_QAQCEwYBhgL/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lNh7vm3oD1k/Wm-s5DN5--I/AAAAAAAAEC0/VFoBzOGsPfIKmOGOhJ05qLHH4C_u3_QAQCEwYBhgL/s400/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I confess, there have
been a few days, today being one of them, since that first ride when I
conceivably could have taken the scooter out without risking the ride being a
bad one because of any ice or snow and without it being too cold because I
could have layered up to keep the chill out for the most part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was simply too lazy, though, to put on all
the requisite layers for the sake of getting in a short ride at least.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KRnUNQ6kqnY/Wm-s5aGZDHI/AAAAAAAAEC8/w17ENfPiNkIll5mw2nuWBtRyeAo8ZvnmwCEwYBhgL/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KRnUNQ6kqnY/Wm-s5aGZDHI/AAAAAAAAEC8/w17ENfPiNkIll5mw2nuWBtRyeAo8ZvnmwCEwYBhgL/s400/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I don’t know if that’s a
sign of simply winter laziness or because I’ll be turning 60 in a few weeks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I distinctly remember being a young man and
thinking that turning 60 officially made somebody an old person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing as though I still think of myself as
barely being out of high school it would seem that I need to rethink that whole
elderly paradigm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, one’s self
perception definitely trumps numbers of years that have flown by and the varied
aches and pains that seem to be persistent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFIOIuZKMy0/Wm-s5ZTPeFI/AAAAAAAAEDA/2KnPG25RaJAKJBHSJn3Y-czfNJzbAVT_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFIOIuZKMy0/Wm-s5ZTPeFI/AAAAAAAAEDA/2KnPG25RaJAKJBHSJn3Y-czfNJzbAVT_wCEwYBhgL/s400/06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was a little wet when I got back, but happy enough for having gotten the ride in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Assuredly
I am waiting for warmer days ahead on which to enjoy the scooter properly, in a
tee shirt, shorts, and sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
the better rides will come, the days of two wheeled introspection for which I
long, the times when the scooter is so very liberating especially when one’s
days are spent mostly in solitude too often waiting for something to come
rather than in enjoying anything special that happens to be here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m like a little kid always waiting for
Christmas in one way or another, looking ahead for days or weeks or months till
something’s here to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m okay
with that, though, because a bad day of being retired still beats the hell out
of any good day at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a
scooter, even on day when I can’t ride it, still makes me quite happy!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K2LOHsxmiAA/Wm-s5puDNTI/AAAAAAAAEDE/08GoZjEAtSY864Yy4aKhcx6nih32EOgXgCEwYBhgL/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K2LOHsxmiAA/Wm-s5puDNTI/AAAAAAAAEDE/08GoZjEAtSY864Yy4aKhcx6nih32EOgXgCEwYBhgL/s400/07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leave it to the weather around here to surprise us regularly. This was the view off the deck a mere five days after my first ride of the year!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-3348722396750248402018-01-04T18:35:00.000-05:002018-01-04T18:36:27.743-05:00Only Dreams of Scootin'<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The only scootin’ I’ll be
doing for the next few weeks would appear to be the kind I can do in my dreams,
both of the day and night varieties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
brain knows it’s officially winter, but as we rolled from late autumn into it,
somehow it didn’t seem possible that the deep freeze would be upon us
soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKJwiXSsLps/Wk64r-98X_I/AAAAAAAAECA/N4jSkZG5EQQjcgxVAfROG55bV81Do45TACLcBGAs/s1600/snowy%2Bstreet%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKJwiXSsLps/Wk64r-98X_I/AAAAAAAAECA/N4jSkZG5EQQjcgxVAfROG55bV81Do45TACLcBGAs/s400/snowy%2Bstreet%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">To be certain, I don’t
like snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not one of those bleary eyed fools who
are always hoping for a white Christmas (although I admit to being a bleary
eyed fool over romantic movies), and I’m definitely not the kind who wants snow
because of the “fun” activities that the athletic types enjoy in it.</span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSkZyWUjl2k/Wk64sMBtyDI/AAAAAAAAECE/5RoGvT1GvIMEHm_v-X5c3nldgKmNK0vDQCLcBGAs/s1600/snowy%2Bstreet%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSkZyWUjl2k/Wk64sMBtyDI/AAAAAAAAECE/5RoGvT1GvIMEHm_v-X5c3nldgKmNK0vDQCLcBGAs/s400/snowy%2Bstreet%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I like rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t have to be shoveled, swept, or
blown from point A to point B when it falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It doesn’t accumulate so as to make going anywhere difficult; well not
usually although when it causes flooding around here it can be a bit annoying and
sometimes dangerous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BIIrGwANzg/Wk64r-QRVWI/AAAAAAAAEB8/8XlfgLBbEU4Q3c4uDPD1BUQW3mZAYxdpwCLcBGAs/s1600/snowy%2Balley%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0BIIrGwANzg/Wk64r-QRVWI/AAAAAAAAEB8/8XlfgLBbEU4Q3c4uDPD1BUQW3mZAYxdpwCLcBGAs/s320/snowy%2Balley%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even to get from the yard to the street, there's snow in the way.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I like sunshine even
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially when it’s of the sort
that allows scootin’ in a tee shirt and shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But those days are a long time off now and I barely remember them
because of the Piaggio having been in the shop from May through August last
year.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7J9fAFbRYaY/Wk64r9c9FNI/AAAAAAAAEB4/omDCpFRs1nccqWVulWk6hH_wUWFaySb4wCLcBGAs/s1600/salt%2Bon%2Bfranklin%2Bhill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7J9fAFbRYaY/Wk64r9c9FNI/AAAAAAAAEB4/omDCpFRs1nccqWVulWk6hH_wUWFaySb4wCLcBGAs/s400/salt%2Bon%2Bfranklin%2Bhill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">If the snow doesn't get you on two wheels, the salt will. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So
I’ll wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait for the end of the snow
and the popping up of daffodils and crocuses and such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ll dream of scootin’ while I wait.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
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Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-90803441588175037872017-12-27T19:30:00.000-05:002017-12-27T19:30:21.582-05:00Not a Mention of Christmas<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One who knows me online
but not personally might deduce from my Facebook and Blogger presences, or
absences as they were, that Christmas somehow escaped me this year. I posted no great, grand, nor glorious
Christmas wishes, stories, anecdotes, or anything else in the usual places
where I usually (Some might argue unusually.) share bits and pieces of myself
online. Christmas Day came and went
online without me being obviously in it.
In "real life," however, it was a Christmas full of profound
wonder and with a unique closeness to the Lord about Whom I don't usually
preach in my various online manifestations.
I guess I was just savoring it all very close to my own heart without
feeling the need to yell about the glory of it all in this contrived and limited existence
on social media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14pt;">For various reasons I had
much to be grateful for this Christmas, not specifically because of its being
Christmas, but it’s difficult for a “holy” season to come without everything
good in one’s life somehow being tied up in it and magnified in its
greatness. For the first time in many
years, I stood before the Almighty, naked as it were – stripped of all
pretense, half truth, self-centeredness and yet comfortable in my own skin,
grateful for so many things having gone right in my life in the past quarter of
a year or so during which events and circumstances just fell into place in a
way that makes me not have to worry from day to day about where I’m going to go
from here. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m going to go
figuratively and literally wherever the winds blow me. Whenever I want to and can. I’m going to waste good numbers of days
while it’s bitter cold outside doing nothing, or as little as I can get away
with. When the weather warms up I’m
going to ride my ass off on my scooter whiling away long distances on the
odometer without venturing all that far from my front door. I’m going to fill my life, again
figuratively and literally with colored light because I love colors and live
best when I’m surrounded by all different shades of them. I’m
going to celebrate my life as never before and take not a second of it for
granted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BRuPmnwlDs/WkQ6I63lqoI/AAAAAAAAEBc/BIM02r8Ls2MerzY42rFoAViB17ugBGq3ACEwYBhgL/s1600/tree%2Bcloseups%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BRuPmnwlDs/WkQ6I63lqoI/AAAAAAAAEBc/BIM02r8Ls2MerzY42rFoAViB17ugBGq3ACEwYBhgL/s400/tree%2Bcloseups%2B01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14pt;">God
bless us, everyone! For Christmas! In the coming New Year! It is my fervent wish, and prayer, that
everyone reading these words will come to know the kind of peace I now revel in
on most days. There’s nothing like it
and I want it for everybody, so that every day is like a little Christmas of
sorts – uniquely wonderful, and special, and different. Holy even, perhaps.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-24991338177177116282017-12-05T15:12:00.002-05:002017-12-05T15:16:05.893-05:00The Three Mile Island Scooter Club Christmas Party<!--[if !mso]>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Last evening it was my
great pleasure to attend the Three Mile Island Scooter Club’s Christmas party
in Harrisburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a two hour drive
each way, but well worth it to spend a delightful evening with a number of old
scooter friends and to meet a bunch of new ones!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0xaCe_RnaM/Wib5LIIvTwI/AAAAAAAAEAI/tT-SafRH6dYW9VvvYLSC5nvipcVSv3UdgCEwYBhgL/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0xaCe_RnaM/Wib5LIIvTwI/AAAAAAAAEAI/tT-SafRH6dYW9VvvYLSC5nvipcVSv3UdgCEwYBhgL/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When "Bar and Grille" is in the name of an establishment, I don't typically picture such a beautiful setting as Duke's provided.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Although I’ve never been
to a scooter rally on my scooter and haven't yet spent an entire weekend at one, I’ve
been to a few as a drop by guest, and the Three Mile Island folks are always
well represented at the few rallies that are held relatively nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To have been invited to their Christmas
shindig was truly an honor.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CE6L8BYjfdQ/Wib5LLl6LjI/AAAAAAAAEAM/HWNiJRxn15g1McxfErPcZMzfwnqYpfOowCEwYBhgL/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CE6L8BYjfdQ/Wib5LLl6LjI/AAAAAAAAEAM/HWNiJRxn15g1McxfErPcZMzfwnqYpfOowCEwYBhgL/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">They’re a great group of
people, as all scooter folks seem to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether you’ve known somebody for minutes or a few years, it just
doesn’t matter; everybody fits right in like family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve yet to get to The Meltdown, their annual scooter rally, but
it’s on my bucket list.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8k2nzUZbs3U/Wib5LlA8o8I/AAAAAAAAEAQ/1IQwsT6HNaEP2c7jWwTVb5-zIRKYPtC2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8k2nzUZbs3U/Wib5LlA8o8I/AAAAAAAAEAQ/1IQwsT6HNaEP2c7jWwTVb5-zIRKYPtC2QCEwYBhgL/s400/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The setting was just
lovely in the banquet room on the second floor at Duke’s Bar and Grille on the
banks of the Susquehanna River right in downtown Harrisburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it was already dark when we got there,
the lights reflecting off the river added to the ambiance provided by the magical
holiday decorations and festive atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sounds of old friends catching up with each other and the carols
playing in the background completed the already plentiful delights in which we
were basking.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XtFT2uyrXwA/Wib5LiRcZAI/AAAAAAAAEAU/n_d-ULxLi3kvRUe-v4mr0sD0SyF5WeyygCEwYBhgL/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XtFT2uyrXwA/Wib5LiRcZAI/AAAAAAAAEAU/n_d-ULxLi3kvRUe-v4mr0sD0SyF5WeyygCEwYBhgL/s320/04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no concept of "how many" it seems. The object of the game was to guess how many things were in each jar without going over. Typical numbers were in the low hundreds while I was guessing into the 600s and above.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There were “reindeer
games” that were a lot of fun and a dirty gift exchange during which some folks
stole away previously open gifts that had already thrilled their original recipients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I got to keep the gift I’d gotten I
did feel a little bad for the ones who didn’t want to part with the presents
they had to give to the Grinches who took them away from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the only part of the evening’s events
I’d have changed if I could have.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1q7WUKH67SU/Wib5L2M8o3I/AAAAAAAAEAY/w0YJq50Q-8AbuHlZpv_rMPHFfEtUIlwHQCEwYBhgL/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1q7WUKH67SU/Wib5L2M8o3I/AAAAAAAAEAY/w0YJq50Q-8AbuHlZpv_rMPHFfEtUIlwHQCEwYBhgL/s400/05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denny whose Facebook scooter posts are plentiful and often side-splitting funny shot me while I shot him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The food, served buffet
style, was fantastic!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the price I
had MUCH more glazed salmon than I’d ever have gotten in any restaurant for the
same amount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I waited till
seconds were available before having a much more generous portion than I’d
originally taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky for me, more
guests were going for the chicken Parmesan (also delicious) than the fish!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6J82GGvlKIg/Wib5MCgpFJI/AAAAAAAAEAk/3ueB0pdEU3s_79QWT2kG1cXDcXMbmM0LwCEwYBhgL/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6J82GGvlKIg/Wib5MCgpFJI/AAAAAAAAEAk/3ueB0pdEU3s_79QWT2kG1cXDcXMbmM0LwCEwYBhgL/s320/06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were delighted that Trish and Heather, friends we've known for quite some time were not only there, but dressed so sweetly!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The evening ended a
little after 9 PM which left us with nearly a two hour drive back, but the time
passed quickly as we talked about the great time we’d had and how thrilled we’d
been to have been invited to join the TMISC for their party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I’m a little envious that we don’t
have as active a scooter group up here as they do down there, but I can’t
complain because I’m not at all the organizing type and admire greatly the
folks who are able to jump in and plan rallies and parties and such great
events on behalf of the rank and file and honored guests.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3paYNMVW11E/Wib5K_N--wI/AAAAAAAAEAk/s5ng46qO3OU4Z-nZdqXRGRBuBYJto-M2gCEwYBhgL/s1600/00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="485" height="187" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3paYNMVW11E/Wib5K_N--wI/AAAAAAAAEAk/s5ng46qO3OU4Z-nZdqXRGRBuBYJto-M2gCEwYBhgL/s320/00.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo borrowed from Tony Parker's lovely video of the party.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you again to the
great members of the Three Mile Island Scooter Club for helping to have made my
celebration of Christmas all the better with your friendship and generosity!</span></div>
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<br />Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-55240789404369007312017-11-28T16:02:00.002-05:002017-11-28T16:02:51.058-05:00Savoring the Warmer Cold Days<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With a bright sun and
temperatures in the mid fifties there would be no keeping the scooter in dry
dock today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunting for Christmas
decorations was the reason I gave myself for going out, not for justification
which I never need for scootering, but to motivate myself to get up and get
moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all too easy to stay in a
comy and cozy recliner since there’s no more getting up at 5:50 AM and heading
out into the cold and dark to begin a work day so scootering is a wonderful way
to force myself not to squander a day away in doing in nothing and loving it far
more than I should.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> A month or so ago I got a
picture of this same house decked out just as ostentatiously for Halloween as
it is now for Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call it tacky,
but I kind of like it when somebody is this much into celebrating anything, but
especially Christmas!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmAYFrc4Fl0/Wh3MUcyRa2I/AAAAAAAAD_E/QzSG_sdqnZcmhJ7uBp0sifBia01_rCmiwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmAYFrc4Fl0/Wh3MUcyRa2I/AAAAAAAAD_E/QzSG_sdqnZcmhJ7uBp0sifBia01_rCmiwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sugar Notch is ready for
the season with its giant snowflakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So many great pictures get ruined here in 19<sup>th</sup> century coal
town Pennsylvania because it’s almost impossible to take outdoor pictures
without getting electric, phone, and cable wires in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although they make for interesting geometry
with their, perpendicular, parallel, and oblique patterns, they’re a certain
throw back to when function during times of progress took center stage to any
consideration of form or appearance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9_bOcG9JgQI/Wh3MUZxYUaI/AAAAAAAAD_I/S4tqWMZ2QG8xXdSThXCWBVsQgoXTlGY8ACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9_bOcG9JgQI/Wh3MUZxYUaI/AAAAAAAAD_I/S4tqWMZ2QG8xXdSThXCWBVsQgoXTlGY8ACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6411.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With the camera held high
atop a hill in Warrior Run one might think I’m paying a visit to the Grinch in
his perch on Mt. Crumpet...</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gcCdSOHdf4k/Wh3MVHGag8I/AAAAAAAAD_Q/N5tXdoRosrwmlxwIA1XnNuTCm_sKSncggCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gcCdSOHdf4k/Wh3MVHGag8I/AAAAAAAAD_Q/N5tXdoRosrwmlxwIA1XnNuTCm_sKSncggCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6412.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">However, angling the
camera just a little changes the view dramatically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again the wires that connect everybody with everybody else
are impossible to ignore although in this particular shot they appear to be
part of the small town charm itself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRsraxm9PWU/Wh3MVj_C4TI/AAAAAAAAD_U/7BID1yN2CmEQjcEA8F3QgGFdfVnDEfXzQCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRsraxm9PWU/Wh3MVj_C4TI/AAAAAAAAD_U/7BID1yN2CmEQjcEA8F3QgGFdfVnDEfXzQCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6418.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Just around the corner
there’s the old Grinch himself popping up out of the chimney as his trusty
reindeer, Max, waits for him to complete his task of robbing the Whos of their
Christmas joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little does he know that
the joy really comes from within, though the props and fancies of Christmas do
make it all more celebratory.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmsVgSMA5Ag/Wh3MVMy-jyI/AAAAAAAAD_4/6EhfbT2MF5EGj1jhQKBRqUc4jyY1KC9yACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmsVgSMA5Ag/Wh3MVMy-jyI/AAAAAAAAD_4/6EhfbT2MF5EGj1jhQKBRqUc4jyY1KC9yACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6417.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Although the Minions are quite
adorable as they are in themselves, adding a Santa hat to one just makes him
all the more whimsically delightful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was thinking that I wish we’d had such lovable characters when I was a kid in
the early 60s, but upon reflection we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rudolph came to life through Rankin and Bass in 1964 when I was a mere
lad of six and the whole bunch of them are still dear to my old heart. Other cartoons which are now classics that I look forward to seeing each season also came out during my childhood.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FgiHKqqOQeQ/Wh3MWEdbSqI/AAAAAAAAD_4/bhJ0PqOG91YvpQ3aNke4SCJ9QjFxp55YACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FgiHKqqOQeQ/Wh3MWEdbSqI/AAAAAAAAD_4/bhJ0PqOG91YvpQ3aNke4SCJ9QjFxp55YACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6423.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I came upon this unlikely
juxtaposition of old metal things on the way to the foot of Alden Mountain.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ddthfWrfasg/Wh3MWLbT80I/AAAAAAAAD_4/E0hn9c2BWX8j9PKnpOqHmNfc317lhP8VgCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ddthfWrfasg/Wh3MWLbT80I/AAAAAAAAD_4/E0hn9c2BWX8j9PKnpOqHmNfc317lhP8VgCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6424.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Just across the street on
part of the same property, a line up of boys’ toys from childhood to ripe
middle age.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6SRVRhOdwbo/Wh3MW1yktqI/AAAAAAAAD_4/ROJA0fQ3t1kN18BE9DkF6yDOGrsmnURxACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6SRVRhOdwbo/Wh3MW1yktqI/AAAAAAAAD_4/ROJA0fQ3t1kN18BE9DkF6yDOGrsmnURxACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6425.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f9OCen2MGBc/Wh3MXBrKLkI/AAAAAAAAD_4/Q8XkAGYFrMM9WlXVf8oKjrF_eTL94iGmgCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f9OCen2MGBc/Wh3MXBrKLkI/AAAAAAAAD_4/Q8XkAGYFrMM9WlXVf8oKjrF_eTL94iGmgCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6426.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">How I wish that the folks
who put out inflatables for Christmas would spare the loose change to keep the
poor things blown up by day to delight those of us who aren’t vampires
traveling about exclusively in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
disgusts me every time I see one of these melted puddles of Christmas lying on
a lawn until it gets dark and they can spring to life once more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just look so darned sad lying there in
heaps.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gobe-ac0lWg/Wh3MXXVnwCI/AAAAAAAAD_4/_-pMymNLcDAb93raH-KrAqTpeSn6rWg5QCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gobe-ac0lWg/Wh3MXXVnwCI/AAAAAAAAD_4/_-pMymNLcDAb93raH-KrAqTpeSn6rWg5QCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6427.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">As
I turned from the deflated and defeated Christmas blow ups to pull back into
traffic I released the throttle and grabbed the brakes again in spying this
beautiful Autumn scene just across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s always something to delight the eyes when one’s taking in the
sights on a scooter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view from the
saddle is unique and totally different than the same view as seen from the
inside of a car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d be hard pressed to
say why that is, but I know it’s true from my own experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My own simple but wonderful experiences!</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5F4w-9Xmb-8/Wh3MV1uqACI/AAAAAAAAD_4/1pnwrHxKKoY9kqSimH2_o-q9SYWCTHjwwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5F4w-9Xmb-8/Wh3MV1uqACI/AAAAAAAAD_4/1pnwrHxKKoY9kqSimH2_o-q9SYWCTHjwwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6419.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-4695179920433535532017-11-25T19:22:00.000-05:002017-11-25T19:22:04.625-05:00Bring on Christmas!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Three days ago it was the
day before Thanksgiving and I was turning my head away from every Christmas
sight and sound that was out there because it was simply too early for the next
season to be paraded out before me so soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a difference a day makes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday I put up the new Nativity cut-out in the front window and set
the <a href="http://www.applights.com/" target="_blank">App Lights</a> to the multicolored Christmas theme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Voila!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like that I
was ready for Christmas!</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6GGujG9EcoE/WhoIkA5Bk7I/AAAAAAAAD-Q/weQNoPkWrAQGfvDtn8ZYwfJDUvB9bGYqACLcBGAs/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="720" height="306" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6GGujG9EcoE/WhoIkA5Bk7I/AAAAAAAAD-Q/weQNoPkWrAQGfvDtn8ZYwfJDUvB9bGYqACLcBGAs/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I started out the day
around 9 AM when I got up, started the coffee, and checked my e-mail until the
first cup as ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few more
cups, and yes, it’s the fully caffeinated variety, and an hour or so of surfing
the web and checking through Facebook, I was ready for what I call a long winter’s
nap though a little shorter than the one that’s enjoyed by the speaker in “A
Visit from St. Nick”, aka, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and his Mama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I settled myself into the recliner
disappointed that I wasn’t going out on the scooter to enjoy the relatively
warm day, but I was THAT tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two
hours later, refreshed and eager not to waste the afternoon away, I layered up,
hopped on the scooter, and took off!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I had to pause in the
very center of Plains, Pennsylvania, about 1.3 miles from where I hang my
helmet to get this picture of their Christmas lights strung over the main
intersection in their downtown area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was a kid they were full sized light bulbs in a variety of
festive colors up there with the red bell in the center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They appear to be LED lights now, but just
as delightful and wonderfully traditional in their simplicity as the big bulbs
were a generation ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing them
fills me with a childlike glee and every time I’ll pass by there until the
Christmas sesaon will be put to bed I’ll grin like a schoolboy who’s waiting
for Santa and counting the days till his arrival.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-64Tdz5Z_U3c/WhoIkqMbp4I/AAAAAAAAD-c/GSeo_gG5YUQ4TUz5nXuYaCV0CaRqQfWFgCEwYBhgL/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="720" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-64Tdz5Z_U3c/WhoIkqMbp4I/AAAAAAAAD-c/GSeo_gG5YUQ4TUz5nXuYaCV0CaRqQfWFgCEwYBhgL/s400/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26yzwANEsbY/WhoIkzPPAhI/AAAAAAAAD-g/roCFo1c5hlMWj5-v6hg_m9NF379PqecZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="720" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26yzwANEsbY/WhoIkzPPAhI/AAAAAAAAD-g/roCFo1c5hlMWj5-v6hg_m9NF379PqecZQCEwYBhgL/s400/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I pulled over as often as
there was nobody behind me and I spied some early Christmas decorations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I didn’t find many yet, I did find
a few to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was thrilled to be
out on the Piaggio after having lain in the recliner choosing to nap instead of
going out earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really didn’t
think I was going to feel like getting dressed and going out when I laid down
with Google Home streaming some soft Christmas music.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WvzcYtrOCj8/WhoIldHX_GI/AAAAAAAAD-s/YrZRCvKOlKkPTtGfC2zp5FhsmPtyQyq9QCEwYBhgL/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WvzcYtrOCj8/WhoIldHX_GI/AAAAAAAAD-s/YrZRCvKOlKkPTtGfC2zp5FhsmPtyQyq9QCEwYBhgL/s400/07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After getting home and
getting supper together I was ready to finish watching whatever Christmas movie
was playing on the Hallmark Channel as I filled my belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can usually jump into a mostly spent show
or movie and enjoy it till the end even though I have no idea what the first
half or better was about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so it was
while I made some Italian wedding soup, stuffing, green bean casserole, and a
turkey sandwich disappear that I saw the inevitable “they kiss and fall in love”
ending that I was expecting.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HF2ItYtMFhY/WhoIlnFP38I/AAAAAAAAD-w/mW9aXwsUlaAUJPHAGUIRyjdF4N7E0TInACEwYBhgL/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="720" height="311" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HF2ItYtMFhY/WhoIlnFP38I/AAAAAAAAD-w/mW9aXwsUlaAUJPHAGUIRyjdF4N7E0TInACEwYBhgL/s400/08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Since last night the
Hallmark Channel displayed a countdown in the lower left hand corner of the
screen for some Christmas Train movie they’ll be airing this evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find that practice of wasting screen space
during a show with obnoxious advertising to be quite detestable, and after a
full 24 hours, maybe more of it, that damned train better be raising people
from the dead or something for how they’re touting it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2egty-GQobY/WhoIl9t3DvI/AAAAAAAAD-0/OkeAufS_BTQuGz_H-AeyDiM_j9iQcJ3TwCEwYBhgL/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2egty-GQobY/WhoIl9t3DvI/AAAAAAAAD-0/OkeAufS_BTQuGz_H-AeyDiM_j9iQcJ3TwCEwYBhgL/s400/09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When I finished with
supper and added my dishes and things to the dishwasher I brewed yet another
cup of coffee to take to the deck while I’d contemplate what I might write
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do like the look of my new
eyeglasses and I’m still getting used to seeing them on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fancy myself to look a little like Tom Selleck
in “Blue Bloods” but that’s probably more wishful thinking than anything
else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, here I am at the end and
ready to mark some time till that train movie comes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not caving into their advertising; I
just happen to like trains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s my story
and I’m sticking to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay tuned for
more Christmas decoration pics in the days ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nice days at least.</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qas62rGmVnI/WhoIkFLJYII/AAAAAAAAD-U/0tE4TyUVEbwUYX4UmfM7Vfo-wrmrUOxwgCEwYBhgL/s1600/00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="720" height="325" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qas62rGmVnI/WhoIkFLJYII/AAAAAAAAD-U/0tE4TyUVEbwUYX4UmfM7Vfo-wrmrUOxwgCEwYBhgL/s400/00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-75001265642384835812017-11-22T15:35:00.001-05:002017-11-22T15:46:53.891-05:00Thanksgiving 2017<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thanksgiving is usually a
great day around here with family and a magnificent turkey and all the
trimmings, but I find it difficult to consider a single day set aside for
giving thanks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m quite a grateful
person, offering thanks regularly not only to the Almighty but to everybody who
makes a day brighter for me from a pleasant clerk at some store to those who
are closest to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the need to
offer thanks just this morning when I bit into a cookie at my sister’s and then
ran to where she’d gotten the box of them so I could get myself five
boxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks all around to the folks
who baked ‘em and boxed ‘em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the
shippers, the stock boys, the clerk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
my sister for having gotten them in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the Lord for providing such delicacies by inspiring the bakers
and creating the ingredients that make them possible.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d5az9pEQx5M/WhXfx8MHxkI/AAAAAAAAD94/MOks82XOiAIoGyhxwtASHptq70qNbIdJQCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d5az9pEQx5M/WhXfx8MHxkI/AAAAAAAAD94/MOks82XOiAIoGyhxwtASHptq70qNbIdJQCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6265.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Though that might’ve
sounded a bit flippant it’s not meant to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve always been in the habit of giving thanks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if I drop a piece of bread and it lands
butter side up I find myself exclaiming, “Thank you, God,” like the kid in
Animal House who had a Playboy bunny come flying through the window to land on
his bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(That kid is now a grown man
and a pastor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can read about him <a href="http://epistle.bannisterbooks.com/animal-house-lucky-boy/" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Expressing thanks is just something I’ve
always done and probably because of my maternal grandfather who taught me most
of my earliest lessons in the Faith and about being a good person or at least
trying to be.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bXZzhQA1z08/WhXfyfBGFsI/AAAAAAAAD98/Oun-3EPmn5sP8QixaBlSzRkFgLeE8r24wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bXZzhQA1z08/WhXfyfBGFsI/AAAAAAAAD98/Oun-3EPmn5sP8QixaBlSzRkFgLeE8r24wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6266.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I find that being thankful
highlights the good in life because it makes me conscious of how blessed I am
rather than going through life just expecting everything to work out the way I
want it to and considering myself as simply being lucky when it does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I approach my sixtieth year of life I
even find myself grateful for each day when I say my evening prayers and
express thanks for my having had another day of life to enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was younger I used to wonder about
old people, if they ever think about their lives being mostly spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that I’m “old” myself I know that yes,
the limit of our mortality is something we sometimes think about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have a bucket list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t think of anything at all that I’ll
wish I had done when I’m lying on my death bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My best fantasies about adulthood have all come true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything I ever really hoped to have I do,
and I’m grateful to be content and mostly happy most of the time.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G9nB5pqZe4I/WhXfyGIM_kI/AAAAAAAAD90/31tkUINI-DMP9PVe4gvnLhZM07OVtNdCwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6203_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G9nB5pqZe4I/WhXfyGIM_kI/AAAAAAAAD90/31tkUINI-DMP9PVe4gvnLhZM07OVtNdCwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6203_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I suppose if I could make
a heartfelt and fervent wish for everybody in my life it would be simply that –
for each person to be content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Happiness is nice when it’s around, but it’s fleeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contentment is long lasting and while there
might be a grey cloud over it some days because of circumstances that don’t
warrant happiness in the moment, the overall contentment with life makes even
those times better than they’d be if one only dwelt on the immediacy of the
right here and right now.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWRGz5at90Q/WhXfx3oATMI/AAAAAAAAD9w/DZp1aIw8K68ZzZO2-hRYOjFi2iNrXcu2wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN6233_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWRGz5at90Q/WhXfx3oATMI/AAAAAAAAD9w/DZp1aIw8K68ZzZO2-hRYOjFi2iNrXcu2wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN6233_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Getting around on a scooter was never something
I wished</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">for nor dreamed of as a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a decided bonus!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So, after all, I suppose
it is that for which I am most grateful – contentment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that there’s nothing out there that
I need in order for me to be thankful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In terms of the things that, as a child, I wanted for my adult self to
have, I’m as rich as any king, and grateful beyond measure to have them.</span></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MBeBNW9mig4/WhXfyv2_ciI/AAAAAAAAD-A/WeObOYUyEL0tBaWQX0X9n6_hRVJCsr4IACLcBGAs/s1600/a%2Bme%2Bhappily%2Bpensive%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="720" height="325" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MBeBNW9mig4/WhXfyv2_ciI/AAAAAAAAD-A/WeObOYUyEL0tBaWQX0X9n6_hRVJCsr4IACLcBGAs/s400/a%2Bme%2Bhappily%2Bpensive%2B2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span>
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</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial black"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Happy Thanksgiving to all,
and my</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial black"; font-size: 14.0pt;">wish
for your own contentment!</span><br />
<br /></div>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-79266673856888311052017-11-17T19:27:00.001-05:002017-11-17T19:27:28.936-05:00Gruel for Breakfast<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m fairly certain that a
spoonful of oatmeal hadn’t passed through my lips between the mid 1970s and
September of 2015 when it was served to me in the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave up eating breakfast in the latter
part of my high school years when I started showering daily, and washing and
blow drying my hair each morning to try to attract the attention of a certain
Judy K., a gorgeous strutter in the marching unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skipping breakfast allowed me to add the hygiene ritual to the
start of my school days without sacrificing any precious minutes of sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I volunteered to switch from playing the
baritone horn to the Sousaphone to try to catch Judy’s eye too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess how well that worked out for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice it to say I was the cleanest tubist
in the band.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how often Denise, the other
tubist, bathed, but she and I are Facebook friends these days. I have no idea what became of Judy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyway, since the
hospital stay in 2015 oatmeal has been on the shelf and occasionally eaten,
especially during the colder months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just started having it again because of the change in the weather in the past
few weeks and it was my choice this morning before I even thought about taking
the scooter out with the temperatures still only in the high 30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prepared my bowlful and brought it into
the living room to have with whatever cop show happened to be on the TV.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PrMx5U50dqo/Wg99OT-BmdI/AAAAAAAAD9Y/Ed9SYQQzNoYFnOR4xjn0bWIYGCAjTv8ugCLcBGAs/s1600/oliver_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="620" height="271" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PrMx5U50dqo/Wg99OT-BmdI/AAAAAAAAD9Y/Ed9SYQQzNoYFnOR4xjn0bWIYGCAjTv8ugCLcBGAs/s400/oliver_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">PUBLIC DOMAIN ILLUSTRATION</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> As I often do before
digging into a meal, I paused before slurping up the first spoonful to snap a
picture of the stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then as I
stared down at the brown mush with the camera poised that my odd brain, noted
for popping up strange thoughts quite regularly, cranked out the phrase, “A
bowl of gruel.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only then did I
realize, even after having read my share of Dickens in my time, that I had no
idea of what gruel actually was so I called out to Google Home, “Hey, Google,
what’s gruel?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly I was
surprised to discover that my bowl of oatmeal was indeed a type of the glop of
which the bold Master Twist requested more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt complete for the day having just learned a new and interesting
fact; everything else I’d enjoy after that would be a decided bonus!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47Opj0qRJRg/Wg99Org56_I/AAAAAAAAD9c/uJyABVXMC-EK3WZa9EcyTvUAdvSSBpsbgCEwYBhgL/s1600/oatmeal%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="720" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47Opj0qRJRg/Wg99Org56_I/AAAAAAAAD9c/uJyABVXMC-EK3WZa9EcyTvUAdvSSBpsbgCEwYBhgL/s400/oatmeal%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My bowl rinsed out, my
taste buds happy, my brain feeling smarter, and my belly full enough, I layered
up for a scooter ride that I wasn’t totally sure I wanted to take with the sun
still hiding behind some obstinate clouds and a brisk wind blowing the Penguins
flag and turning the pinwheel on the deck at a decent speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ensemble complete with a tee shirt,
flannel shirt, hooded sweatshirt, and nylon jacket I ventured out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I’d reached the street I knew I was
going to be happy with my decision to take the scooter out even if I wasn’t
going to be toasty warm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMBcNWRdY3I/Wg99O5s1H6I/AAAAAAAAD9g/e630LIXf1kQYMenX-F4JGNV754llnZC3wCEwYBhgL/s1600/scooter%2Blayers%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMBcNWRdY3I/Wg99O5s1H6I/AAAAAAAAD9g/e630LIXf1kQYMenX-F4JGNV754llnZC3wCEwYBhgL/s400/scooter%2Blayers%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">FOUR LAYERS OF INSULATION.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WELL BESIDES MY NATURAL “PADDING.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I stopped at the garage
to arrange for a grease and oil change for the car, rode to the bank to get
some money out for the weekend, and then to the bakery where I knew the trays
of what I call “Friday pizza” would be calling to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bakery only makes its fabulous pizza on Fridays and more
often than not it’s my choice for a Friday lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I might have noted my love of the stuff here before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe more than once.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I selected four fat slices of their Sicilian, over a pound of it by the kitchen scale as I'd discover later, and headed home satisfied with my ride and glad that I’d taken it in spite of
my initial reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just a
nice length to satisfy my desire to do some riding but without chilling me to
the bone.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nlEkR4SeY4U/Wg99Ocy26fI/AAAAAAAAD9U/1xx2ukkc4FUwgXLlpQK7KhyfckcVVhiyQCEwYBhgL/s1600/friday%2Bpizza%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nlEkR4SeY4U/Wg99Ocy26fI/AAAAAAAAD9U/1xx2ukkc4FUwgXLlpQK7KhyfckcVVhiyQCEwYBhgL/s400/friday%2Bpizza%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> I suppose that’s all I
was planning to write here which is good because Jeopardy will be coming on in just
a little while and I need to make my nest on the couch with pillows and a plush
fleece blanket and park myself so a cat or two can climb atop me for the
evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know winter will be here way
too soon, but until it comes I’m planning to enjoy the autumn as much as I can,
chilly scooter rides included!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-86424541533549634042017-11-16T15:58:00.001-05:002017-11-16T16:07:05.002-05:00Shrimp for Lunch<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I abhor change!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I abhor change unless there’s some form of
significant and guaranteed pleasure to be gained at minimal cost, and cost here
doesn’t necessarily mean some monetary amount.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mBCbhzOUz9c/Wg36VRimZrI/AAAAAAAAD8g/wOVqMaUJcsI6OxPpA_WAg_kOJqDZMy-rQCLcBGAs/s1600/DSCN5973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mBCbhzOUz9c/Wg36VRimZrI/AAAAAAAAD8g/wOVqMaUJcsI6OxPpA_WAg_kOJqDZMy-rQCLcBGAs/s400/DSCN5973.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For over 40 years I’d
worn aviator style eyeglasses with their large lenses set in metal frames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw the upper part of my face in a
mirror, that was how it was supposed to look with the large expanse of vision
correcting hardware covering it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
picked up my glasses from the nightstand a few weeks ago I heard a small
“Ping!” and the left temple piece came off in my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the second time that had happened to
me with that style of frame; the tiny spring inside the piece that was supposed
to allow the temple pieces to bend outward to a small degree had snapped,
rendering the entire frame useless.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because I was leaving
town for the better part of a week the day after the frame broke I did my best
to make the glasses functional by using some malleable wire and solder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It worked, but it wasn’t very pretty, so as
soon as I got back home I visited the optical department of my optometrist’s
office and $500 and a week later I had proper functioning glasses again but
with a huge difference.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Burn me once shame on
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burn me twice shame on me,” as the
old saying goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way that
I was going to get the same style of frame that broke the very same way
twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so, the big change!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted for a plastic frame rather than
metal, and I shopped for a frame with temple pieces of a significantly different
design that the ones that crapped out on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My first noteworthy eyeglass style change in over half my life!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the new style makes me look more
distinguished as I approach turning 60 in a few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, it might just be wishful
thinking, but I do like the “new me.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eoPJ_qNo4vc/Wg36VYvL-lI/AAAAAAAAD8c/gyr_LuxRaBs65EfdRDLHiYTD5vBj7Cl-wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eoPJ_qNo4vc/Wg36VYvL-lI/AAAAAAAAD8c/gyr_LuxRaBs65EfdRDLHiYTD5vBj7Cl-wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5977.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I took my first scooter
ride with the new glasses this morning on a forced ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say forced because when I got up and saw
the gloom outside and the forecast for the day, scootering wasn’t anything that
immediately came to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took the
car to the morning Mass and it wasn’t until I was back home and thinking about
what I’d do with the rest of the day that taking the Piaggio out was even a
consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I checked the hour by
hour forecast at that point and with the rain still a few hours away and the
temperatures in the mid 40s and decided that it was now or never so I bundled
up and off I went, as usual with no real destination in mind.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was nearly downtown when I felt the first little shimmy that whispered to me that
something wasn’t quite right with the bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I looked over the front when I came to a red light to see that the front
tire which had experienced a bit of a chronic deflating problem a while back
was perfectly fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glanced to the
rear, but couldn’t manage to get an eyeball on the rear tire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rode a little more, and again I felt an
occasional bit of wobble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was
able I pulled to a curb that wasn’t beside a gutter full of wet leaves,
dismounted, and to my horror saw that my rear tire was halfway to being a
pancake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you could have seen my
brain at that point as I thought long and hard about which gas stations near me
had air pumps, it might have appeared as though it were going to begin running
a marathon at the sound of a starter’s pistol.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The closest place I could
think of was at least a half a mile away and around a number of turns that I’d
have to make to get myself there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
rode slowly and other motorists seeing me taking the turns at a snail’s pace so
I wouldn’t have to do a normal lean might have thought it was my first day on
two wheels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to get where I
planned to fill the tire without incident and a dollar’s worth of quarters
later I was back on my way to nowhere in particular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tire held the air as I rode around for close to an hour, but
I’ll have to keep an eye on it now.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I ended up on Main St. in
Edwardsville, PA, wanting to get a picture of what had been a fabulous seafood
restaurant for much of my life and where my favorite uncle and I got clams to
steam on Friday nights when I was in junior high and high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t been near there in years and I knew
that Vic-Mar’s had gone out of business, but didn’t know what became of the
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uXWXN3LSa5I/Wg36WP61RaI/AAAAAAAAD8o/j1Gp8t6-3F0_9DKxahpghmD5WwNGDCkPwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uXWXN3LSa5I/Wg36WP61RaI/AAAAAAAAD8o/j1Gp8t6-3F0_9DKxahpghmD5WwNGDCkPwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5981.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s a pizza joint now,
but in pausing to get the picture I got hungry for seafood, so off to Price
Chopper I went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about getting
clams for lunch, but I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the mess of steaming
them and then getting rid of the shells, so I decided that I’d get some shrimp,
or perhaps a nice looking hunk of salmon or any other of the usual variety of
meaty fishes that might’ve caught my eye and taste buds once I got to the back of
the store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw the $8.99 sign on
the one pound bag of shrimps that were the size that a person of my means only
sees at a high end party of some kind the decision was no contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way home the thought occurred to me
that I might very well have been the only person in the world at that point in
time who was riding a scooter with a pound of huge shrimp hiding out under his
saddle.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_IfT17TOmm0/Wg36WtOPORI/AAAAAAAAD9E/L9Gfg3nW3eIffHVkXvSjm6M8YBOEoTF2wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_IfT17TOmm0/Wg36WtOPORI/AAAAAAAAD9E/L9Gfg3nW3eIffHVkXvSjm6M8YBOEoTF2wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5988.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> I rode on, just for the
sake of riding and ended up at a nearby playground where I like to get a
picture or two of the colorful gazebo whenever I visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During my teaching years, I often went there
at the beginning of a summer vacation to get a few pictures of myself smiling
at the prospect of having a bunch of free weeks ahead of me, and then again in
the late summer to photograph myself with my smile then faded and resigned to
having to go back to another year behind the big desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It disturbs me sometimes to realize that in
spite of having loved my job for most of my career, I don’t miss teaching at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read a bumper sticker years
ago:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bad day of fishing is still
better than a good day at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although I’ve never gone fishing, I understood the sentiment perfectly,
and now that I’m retired it resonates in me loudly and clearly when I wake up
every single morning from September through June and realize all over again
that I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every morning becomes a small celebration of that wonderful fact whether it’s going to
be a good day for riding or not because it’s sure as hell going to be a good
day for something!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like just standing in a colorful gazebo enjoying November. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hTM7OPgWNqU/Wg36XNkgH2I/AAAAAAAAD9E/SSg3Qh7TOd08kMCPRoX31xwwpiG7KOHHQCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hTM7OPgWNqU/Wg36XNkgH2I/AAAAAAAAD9E/SSg3Qh7TOd08kMCPRoX31xwwpiG7KOHHQCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5990.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Like visiting the farmer’s
market downtown.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n47J0w1r_qk/Wg36VoPrgkI/AAAAAAAAD9E/85n-QnFU2PoCu-GcSapNEEugjPn96p--wCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n47J0w1r_qk/Wg36VoPrgkI/AAAAAAAAD9E/85n-QnFU2PoCu-GcSapNEEugjPn96p--wCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5979.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like remembering fondly
the best parts of childhood.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktmJQB-gfnY/Wg36Xl-A1PI/AAAAAAAAD9E/d3XtIcnc94o2tOTjXbK9VE8trGSNpAa-ACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktmJQB-gfnY/Wg36Xl-A1PI/AAAAAAAAD9E/d3XtIcnc94o2tOTjXbK9VE8trGSNpAa-ACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5991.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like casting long shadows
and not having to worry about being home before dark.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAZHSAs0EJI/Wg36YHies_I/AAAAAAAAD9E/YDI2biJ7470EH3N5W5fBJMQzUTrlKF9PwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mAZHSAs0EJI/Wg36YHies_I/AAAAAAAAD9E/YDI2biJ7470EH3N5W5fBJMQzUTrlKF9PwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5993.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like stopping to make
pictures out of anything and everything I see.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0C4X1M7He2A/Wg36Yfc9dbI/AAAAAAAAD9E/3h95kCy9a0A2LFUrjZA2OBK58caodmQGACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0C4X1M7He2A/Wg36Yfc9dbI/AAAAAAAAD9E/3h95kCy9a0A2LFUrjZA2OBK58caodmQGACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5995.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But especially like
having jumbo shrimp for lunch on a random Thursday!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DxIQMkR6H0/Wg36YuZdeEI/AAAAAAAAD9E/VdZfTv5QRk4yAQfoxGI8Hshx4B-3xtJBgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dscn5998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="720" height="358" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DxIQMkR6H0/Wg36YuZdeEI/AAAAAAAAD9E/VdZfTv5QRk4yAQfoxGI8Hshx4B-3xtJBgCEwYBhgL/s400/Dscn5998.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
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Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-62785054688394467712017-11-08T14:34:00.000-05:002017-11-08T14:34:16.554-05:00Early Autumn Musings<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It was seeing Facebook
posts of snow pictures yesterday, by some of my friends in outlying
municipalities, that got me off my lazy duff today and out on the scooter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized in seeing their photos that my
days of riding are numbered until the start of Spring next year, and in the
realization of that I felt that yearning in my bones to be out there on two
wheels going nowhere but loving the going.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAscjsGIh28/WgNawbl3oTI/AAAAAAAAD8I/m30RXm0fNSExp7WwaY9MaFTq97EM0R3yACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAscjsGIh28/WgNawbl3oTI/AAAAAAAAD8I/m30RXm0fNSExp7WwaY9MaFTq97EM0R3yACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5856.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That we didn’t have a lot
of color in the deciduous trees getting ready for Winter this year would be an
understatement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no “peak
viewing week” this time around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of
our trees went from verdant green to that blah toasted look without showing the
beautiful rich yellows, oranges, and reds to which we’re accustomed and which
delight us most years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve heard it
was because of too much rain this past summer, and that the unseasonably warm
temperatures hung on way too late, but who knows?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made the few and far between gorgeous trees all that more
precious to see where they could be found.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ut7whyQV4aQ/WgNawFScbCI/AAAAAAAAD8A/yNuGQxLUgGQBuZ_YhY1xLzDDEeIdgzZqACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ut7whyQV4aQ/WgNawFScbCI/AAAAAAAAD8A/yNuGQxLUgGQBuZ_YhY1xLzDDEeIdgzZqACEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5840.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Although it was still in
the low 40s when I ventured out this morning I was determined to get at least
as far as one of my favorite places to ride to, the county park across the
river, a mere seven miles away by my usual route and a nice place to dismount
and play with the camera a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank heaven that a bright sun was shining as I rode, allowing me to
soak up some warmth in spite of the cold air rushing past me along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an unusual streak of good luck
would have it, the place where I like to stop on a small sidewalk island near
some benches and trees featured a magnificent red tree where I could take a few
pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often feel self conscious
setting up a tripod and making selfies with the scooter and me when others are
around, so an added bonus today was that I had the place all to myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZV5B1YnipM/WgNawcd4wFI/AAAAAAAAD8E/fj8GKi4OfnEYfPdD2fUESh_jaje6rwEdwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZV5B1YnipM/WgNawcd4wFI/AAAAAAAAD8E/fj8GKi4OfnEYfPdD2fUESh_jaje6rwEdwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5844.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On the way back home I
realized that in the summer when the sun is doing its best to make squinting
necessary I’ll often stop for a traffic signal a little short if I’m able to
stay in a spot of shade, but at this time of year I’ll try to position myself
so I can stay in the warmth of a good sunbeam while I wait for the light to
change in my favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all about
being in the right spot at the right time, I guess.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QBpN6p9S-cE/WgNawujT-sI/AAAAAAAAD8M/l7MQ5d4rnVoZqGWbTDUpB3ikyuZAIPYRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QBpN6p9S-cE/WgNawujT-sI/AAAAAAAAD8M/l7MQ5d4rnVoZqGWbTDUpB3ikyuZAIPYRgCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5858.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh, ye of little faith,”
is a quote from somewhere in the Bible, and I thought of it this morning when I
looked down to see that my odometer was about to cross the thousand mile mark
since I got the Piaggio back from the shop in August after its having been at
the mechanic’s for three months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
then, in about the third week of August when I visited the shop and saw my
engine apart as if it had exploded, with most of its doo-dads and
thing-a-ma-jiggers scattered about on the concrete floor, when I seriously
feared that it would never go back together nor work again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t imagine that any person, no
matter now knowledgeable or skilled, would possibly be able to reassemble the
whole mess into a working entity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
bless Mike for knowing what he was doing even after I’d given up all hope of getting
my scooter back in working order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Crossing that thousand mile mark this morning was another small thrill
that made the whole ride much better than it should have been.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3svrHPqqniM/WgNavzC1M1I/AAAAAAAAD8Q/6XjD64v5Hfw523yOz2lTr3UJ1p1TcaguwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN5833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3svrHPqqniM/WgNavzC1M1I/AAAAAAAAD8Q/6XjD64v5Hfw523yOz2lTr3UJ1p1TcaguwCEwYBhgL/s400/DSCN5833.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll hope to take my
traditional Thanksgiving Day ride in a few weeks to the cemetery where most of
my departed family members are laid to rest, to offer thanks in the presence of
their interred bodies for their having been such blessings to me when they were
still with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to hope that
after I become a guest in the cemetery myself someday, my kids will enjoy going
through all the pictures I’ve taken and remember their old man always as I was
in my happiest moments, as somebody who loved life and who knew that riding a
scooter was even more fun than it might seem to be.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-14282776299912734502017-11-03T15:44:00.000-04:002017-11-08T14:39:55.986-05:00Over Before It Started<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My parents raised me to
be a nerd without really trying, but sometimes when I take stock and do some
casual introspection it would almost seem that they might have spent serious
time and energy at it, perhaps conversing in hushed tones when they were alone
along the lines of, “...and when he’s old enough we’ll get him accordion
lessons and eye glasses with dark frames.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I think I wore jackets in
August till I was near my teens, with caps or hats to boot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My schoolbooks were always covered, I was
never without my #2 pencils and plenty of ball point pens, and I carried a book
bag in one form or another through college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When it rained I had a trusty slicker, rubbers over my shoes, and a
sturdy umbrella.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In case of snow I was
bundled in a thick coat and with gloves, a hood, and boots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing was left to chance if Mom could
anticipate it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was all set to take the
scooter out just a little while ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With 62 degrees as the current temperature I selected a long sleeved
flannel shirt and a thick fleece jacket which ten years of experience taught me
I’d need even if it seemed warmer when I set foot on the deck to assess the
conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even had my helmet on and
the door locked behind me when, oh no!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Could it be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drats!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was feeling something like dew falling on my hands and I knew my ride
was over even before it started.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like a good nerd I can’t stand being cold
and wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cold I can handle within
reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wet I can stand if the water
and ambient temperatures are both warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But cold and wet together?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a chance in hell that I’ll
risk being that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d checked the
weather on multiple sources before I’d even gotten out of my chair to suit up
for the ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, truth be told, what
was falling out there could hardly be described as rain with how small the
droplets were and few and far between they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to chance getting to the end of the
block only to have the sky open up and get me good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, I have a lifelong reputation of nerd to maintain and I
wasn’t going to be seen riding that manly scooter along in the rain!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DBB1Ijrwok4/WfzFPZvUOdI/AAAAAAAAD7s/mHvcwuFaPJoxzoO6fcCP-VMXgjfxqr__gCLcBGAs/s1600/Dscn5765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="720" height="310" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DBB1Ijrwok4/WfzFPZvUOdI/AAAAAAAAD7s/mHvcwuFaPJoxzoO6fcCP-VMXgjfxqr__gCLcBGAs/s400/Dscn5765.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I stuck it out in those intolerable conditions until I
could get a picture of me looking all disgusted, drink and scooter key in hand
just to show that I’m not totally hopeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I need to decide if I’ll spend the evening as a hermit with reruns
of Law & Order playing one after another or venture out in the car just for
the sake of getting out somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
dark, like that dark before a good rain (though there’s none in the forecast in
spite of what I felt out there), but the school busses are just now letting off
the neighborhood kids so it’s going to be a long evening if I just stay
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh! What's a nerd to do?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Local Celebrity for about Ten Seconds</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On a brighter shade of
things I checked my stat counter here a little earlier and peeked at where the
blog traffic was coming from in recent days only to find that “Scootin’ da Valley”
was featured on a local newscast a few days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a blog here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, <a href="http://nepablogs.org/">nepablogs.org</a> that keeps track of
local blogs and the gentleman who runs that blog was on the news with a featured "blog of the week” spot and this one was it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talked for a bit about me and my writings here and made
mention of the fact that he once approached me in a parking lot, having
recognized the scooter and me from “Scootin’” to strike up some friendly
conversation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I don’t know how long this
link will be active, but the news clip can be seen <a href="http://www.onenewspage.com/video/20171031/9158174/PA-Live-Blog-of-the-Week-Scootin-8217.htm" target="_blank">by clicking here</a> if it's still up.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ll
close by lamenting that the end of Daylight Saving Time will be over in two
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again my circadian rhythms
will be out of whack for a month in making the adjustment back to EST, and the
depressing dark at 4:00 evenings won’t be far behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only I could get NBC to move Jeopardy up a few hours it wouldn’t
be so bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rest assured, though, that I’ll
keep taking the scooter out unless and until there’s snow or ice on the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Provided, of course, that it’s
only cold and not cold and wet together.</span></div>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-72443533016765898312017-10-09T18:51:00.001-04:002017-10-09T18:53:01.560-04:00Spare Me the Narration, Please<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Knowing that I’m someone
who loves photography and photographs one might think that I also enjoy videos,
but I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like videos on
Facebook. I don't like them when I'm checking the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like vlogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like listening to a YouTube DIY or
product review, (especially when it’s narrated by somebody who sounds like the
local motel owner).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have the
attention span of a dog or worse, so I’m not going to plod through anybody’s
“slice of life” clip with rapt attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you’re one of the scooter bloggers I follow, I might have noticed
that you’ve mentioned the idea of tinkering with video now and then, and I hope
and pray that your wonderful blog never turns into a vlog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I find that a still
photograph allows me to enter the scene that’s captured in it in my own mind in
a way that a video doesn’t allow me to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A video ruins a view of something for me with somebody’s incessant
yapping away about what’s being seen and it doesn’t allow me to experience the
view in my own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The videographer
suggests or outright tells me what I should see, rather than allowing me to
simply see what he’s showing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find
the intrusion of his voice to be obnoxious as if were he yelling out in a
church or a library. Imagine if a visit to a museum came with the artist accompanying you to each of his works and telling you what you <b>should</b> be seeing in his creations. It would make his works of Art much the less if he failed to communicate what he wanted you to feel in the artworks themselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_CbZtFR0EXY/Wdv7gc258LI/AAAAAAAAD7c/CaDcU6ZrfDcrWzrXSWsDrc-jqMop_y1nQCLcBGAs/s1600/Dscn5409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_CbZtFR0EXY/Wdv7gc258LI/AAAAAAAAD7c/CaDcU6ZrfDcrWzrXSWsDrc-jqMop_y1nQCLcBGAs/s400/Dscn5409.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Enjoy your ride, but please don't narrate it on my account.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Too often a video
narrator has diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finds the need to keep on yammering even
if his thoughts aren’t well formed and he ends up seeming to be talking for the
sake of talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that unnecessary
yakking detracts from the view, rather than adding to it in a good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now add the buzz of a scooter or the roar of
a motorcycle in the background of everything that’s being said?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, thank you!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I like to read someone’s
thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To <b>read</b> them; not hear
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Written thoughts are generally
well put together because they’re not usually just spewed out off the cuff, or
off the tongue as it were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They often
involve the use of the delete and backspace keys, both of which are used about
as often when I’m writing as the space bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’re polished in a way that extemporaneous speech typically isn’t, and
they serve a purpose other than simply allowing the narrator to enjoy the sound
of his own voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can usually read
the printed word a whole lot faster than I can listen to the same words being
spoken, especially when the speaker is breaking up his sentences with a bunch
of pauses, ums, and ers while he thinks of what’s going to be spoken next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most importantly, though, I can process
written words more thoroughly when I can allow my brain to soak them up and reread
them if necessary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_Ax-pGepRk/Wdv7gRmw_QI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/IRv_5C7NzNkWnXhLmIJwG9kORxdhgTlJwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dscn5406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="640" height="288" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_Ax-pGepRk/Wdv7gRmw_QI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/IRv_5C7NzNkWnXhLmIJwG9kORxdhgTlJwCEwYBhgL/s400/Dscn5406.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> No, sir, I'm not going to listen. I want to read!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So,
if you’re a successful blogger, I encourage you for my sake to keep on being
one rather than giving posting videos any serious consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Old Yeller here probably isn’t going to give
your vids a listen, though admittedly with some degree of regret for what he might be missing.</span>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-24539644353867981572017-10-05T19:15:00.002-04:002017-10-05T19:16:03.487-04:00And the Goblins Will Git Ya<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Halloween is a day that
I’ve had mixed feelings about all my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are those who consider it the best holiday, including my daughter
who opted for a Halloween wedding, and then there those of us like myself who
remain at best ambivalent about the whole thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll never consider it a holiday because I don’t know any work
places at which it’s a day off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And my
parents’ practice of darkening the house on Halloween evening lest they have to
open the door and distribute treats to kids in costumes made it more funereal
than anything else when I was a kid, not to mention that my sister and I
weren’t allowed to go “Trick or Treating” except to a few old relatives’ houses
to which our dad drove us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I probably have more use
for the day now than I did for most of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, at least for the decorations which I enjoy seeing probably
way more than an almost 60 year old man should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s just something about a house that’s all “done up” for
Halloween that gives me the kind of delight I missed out on as a kid, and I’ve
been riding the scooter all around the valley for the past week or so with my
camera on a lanyard so I can stop almost on a dime whenever see a photo worthy
house to get a picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been
sharing most of them on Facebook where I can simply post the pictures without
having to come up with some words to go along with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Which leaves me wondering
why every now and then I keep coming back here to put down some words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve given up on trying to write anything
profound these days and settle for cranking out what’s more or less raw emotion
at times for the sake of having something to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what’s changed in me, exactly, that would account
for my lack of ambition in sharing my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find myself wanting to write – to share the part of myself that
I enjoyed sharing when I started this endeavor, but I’ve almost come to feel
that I ain’t got anything worth sharing left in me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ll keep looking around
that next bend in the road to find things to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if nothing more than Halloween comes around to kick me in
the ass and get me moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe if a
monster or two were to chase me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
again, I don’t really want to think about that closet door at the foot of my
bed when I was of preschool age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
what I thought lived in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0EwTEhizhU/Wda8GXUh2zI/AAAAAAAAD7A/cKa6II9GHnIWj8PDHK3nRfRXGgtWj-SPwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMAGE02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="420" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0EwTEhizhU/Wda8GXUh2zI/AAAAAAAAD7A/cKa6II9GHnIWj8PDHK3nRfRXGgtWj-SPwCLcBGAs/s400/IMAGE02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">My bed was against this wall until I was in the fourth grade. I slept with my knees tucked under my chin because I knew if that door were to open the monster that feeds exclusively on little boys' feet would pounce on me in a heartbeat. I didn't need Halloween. My imagination was sufficient to terrify me and without the benefit of candy to make it all wor</span><span style="font-size: small;">th it.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6869160192231607474.post-1222715056044557572017-09-26T12:38:00.000-04:002017-09-26T12:38:05.905-04:00Poor Little Guy<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Although I readily and
summarily dispatch with impunity to the appropriate level (based on degree of
invasiveness) of insect hell those creeping or flying things that happen to
invade my personal space, especially indoors, when in the great outdoors* I prefer to allow God’s little
creatures to go about doing their buggy things in peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thus, it was, this
morning while riding about on the scooter, that I found my heart breaking for
the small bee that’s never going to make it back to his hive because
unbeknownst to either of us he was on a collision course that would lead him
directly into the path of my helmet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smacked into it with a pronounced <b><i>thunk</i></b> and
bounced off onto the crook of my left elbow where he promptly in great
confusion plunged his small stinger into the same area where for the past four
days I’d been picked and prodded with needles during my hospital stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flicked him off me hastily and
pulled his tiny barb<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from my flesh as
quickly as I could.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I don’t think much venom
got inside me because the pain was brief and my skin didn’t swell, but I felt
terrible for the poor little guy, losing his life merely because he happened to
have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m certain that he didn’t have a thought process like, “Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This guy’s helmet hit me so I’m going to
sting him,” going through his small brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
His act of suicide was totally accidental </span>I don’t know if they’ll remember him at the hive or do anything to
immortalize him for his giving all he had to give, but if I’m watching
Jeopardy later and scratching my elbow furiously I’ll be sure to toast his
memory with whatever sweet libation I happen to be enjoying. Perhaps some mead. It would seem fitting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><i> Not the actual bee of whom I write. Just a random bee in a picture I took in 1997 when digital photography as we've come to know it was still in its infancy.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">*I
use “great outdoors” loosely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Generally, I don’t consider being out of my recliner in the living room
all that great, unless I’m scootering.</span></span></h4>
Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00575182248998162641noreply@blogger.com3