Finishing out a Year and a Decade

What a ride!

2009 has come and gone and the first decade of the 21st Century ends tonight. Wow!

I've been reflecting on the past 10 years. A lot has happened and it has really been kind of neat to think about it. When I look back perhaps the best is the arrival of Aiden so you can imagine how I'm looking forward to starting this new decade with the arrival of a Granddaughter next month.

Over the next couple of days maybe I'll post about some of the other things. I'm starting to keep a list because I really want to remember.

I've also started my running up again. I'd kind of gotten out of the habit. It feels good to get back on the roads and I'll get on the trails again soon enough. I'm going to figure out some goals for the year and look forward to perhaps doing the "pig." We'll see.

Christmas 2009

I love this picture like so many others I've taken of Aiden, he's really a photogenic little person who seems to express pure joy with just a smile. This year he really enjoyed Christmas. Santa (his Uncle Colin) managed to surprise him in the living room when he came home from Grammy Jean's house on Christmas Eve. Then, Santa visited again on Christmas morning. Aiden was a very busy guy opening numerous gifts from friends and family; some were toys but most were educational in some fashion or other. He especially liked Papaw's train (Thomas!).

I worked on Christmas Day and it was uneventful. I didn't get to enjoy Christmas morning but Matt and Ciara made a video that I'll get to watch. Christmas evening the adults opened their presents and Matt finally got the gift I'd been taunting him with (a "fire piston"). Aiden and Colin gave Linda and I a GPS for the car; a gift that Linda is sure to enjoy!

Saturday evening we had an "open house" type dinner party with a few neighbors and lots and lots of food and drink. It too turned out well.

Overall the whole week was a lot of fun and we managed to get some things done in the house and kitchen with Matt's help. New lighting and mounting of the flat screen TV over the fireplace. We even managed to get Aiden out to the "Festival of Lights."
I really like this family picture of Matt, Ciara and Aiden.

Let's Try to Get Up to Speed

Many events have occurred in the past 60 days so let's see if we can make note:

Ciara and Linda put a baby shower together for Rieko and Ian the first week of November. It was the first time since last June that the entire family had gotten together and we took a few pictures. The two posted above were the best ones. I can't resist posting pictures of Aiden and the most recent one of the little devil is great.

Thanksgiving was spent in Charlotte with Matt's family. He had is brother John and wife Kelly and their 3 children; Uncle Jim and Aunt Sandy with 4 of their children; Uncle Joe and his two children as well as Linda and I. Neighbors Vicki, Wade and Madison joined in for the fun. I'd like to say the weather was nice but, sad to say, it was pretty ugly most of the time although Thanksgiving day was nice. Frozen tag was the game of the day by most of the kids (and some of the more adventurous "older" kids....Matt, Wade and John). It was a lot of fun seeing how close everyone is despite only getting together at Thanksgiving for an early Christmas celebration. Linda and I really enjoyed ourselves.

The following week was spent working in the house. Linda and I plastered and painted, moved kitchen cabinets and rearranged the furniture many many times. I think we've finally figured things out and we're pretty happy with the result. We hope to be ready for installation of our hardwood floors come the first part of 2010.

That sounds strange: 2010. The first decade of the 2000s is almost gone and we're about to start the second, WOW!

Buzzy the Mechanic

I love this picture! The sheer joy on Aiden's face is almost iconic. But it also shows him doing something he truly loves: working with his dad. Aiden has demonstrated an uncanny mechanical ability that mimics his dad and Matt is the best teacher he could have. Matt is gentle, encouraging and incredibly patient with a rambunctious little boy who really wants to get his hands dirty and in a hurry!

In this picture he's working on their newest project a beat-up and misused motorcycle they hope to refurbish and sell. They're also working on a couple of "go-carts" that I'm sure Aiden will be driving by this time next year. That's after he masters the lawn tractor and tiller dad's just repaired!

Check out the greasy rag in the back pocket!

Mid October Saturday Morning

Hi Everyone,

It's a gorgeous Saturday morning. Cold and crisp; perfect October weather. It's the first time the sun has decided to show itself for days. It's 38. The weather person said that it was supposed to be cold, overcast and perhaps rainy today. Maybe they lied! Hope springs eternal.

We have 16 trees in our yard. Most of them have already shed their clothes and stand naked to the wind. But, I have two pin oaks that are now a deep maroon, a sweetgum that is turning red (it's usually bright yellow) and two varieties of maple that are starting to turn red also. The blackgums are naked but their leaves were fire red; I can only imagine what a mature tree would have looked like.

We visited Ian and Rieko in Little Rock the first weekend of the month and had a great visit. Their house is situated in a neighborhood of spectacular oak trees and other hardwood varieties interspersed with tall pine trees. The houses are small, big and in between. Some are enormous, the variety keeps you turning your head. I don't know why but the hilly terrain really took Linda and I by surprise. For some reason we just didn't expect that. The most appealling part of their neighborhood is that it was a true neighborhood of small shops and restaurants all within walking distance. The weather on Saturday was cool and very sunny. We shopped at their local farmers' market after pastries and coffee at a local bakery. Later we visited the Clinton Library downtown and then went to the Flying Saucer for beers and lunch. We couldn't have had a better afternoon. Linda and I took Ian and Rieko to a Greek restaurant in their neighborhood to celebrate Rieko's Birthday and their upcoming Anniversary. The best part was that we were able to walk to and from the restaurant! Sunday was just the opposite. Cold, overcast and rainy but dinner at their house was super. Rieko and Ian are terrific cooks.

Just a note on the drive. It's long. We're pretty use to the 500 miles and 8 hours it takes to get to Matt and Ciara's place in Charlotte but the extra 150 miles to Little Rock and additional 2 hours seems to take forever. We did have a nice drive through Western Kentucky and on the drive home saw a Bald Eagle in the Land between the Lakes area.

More later....

Buzzy Has A Cat

Homer came to the house with Buzzy on Saturday afternoon. Actually Ciara and Matt named the cat "Princess." It's not a kitten. I don't know how old it is but it has lots of fur and its a dirty gray and white. Aiden likes her.

I get ahead of myself.

Friday Aiden went to the zoo. He saw the baby Zebra, elephants, giraffes and polar bears. The rattlesnakes in the Manatee House were pretty active which he enjoyed and he got to touch a large boa constrictor (with his index finger). That was a pretty big leap of faith.

Saturday he visited Grandma Jean and got the aforementioned cat! Did I mention that Linda doesn't like housepets and especially cats?

Colin came by the house Saturday night for dinner. Of course he loves cats and wanted to take 'Princess' home with him. Aaron and Charie joined us and I cooked a boneless pork roast on the grill. It was slow roasted and really turned out well. Corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes and cole slaw finished things out. There was lots of beer, of course.

Sunday was pretty uneventful. Ciara, Matt and Aiden visited friends in Bellevue and watched the summer ending fireworks from there. I guess they got home around 22:40 or so. Linda, Charie and I went to Five Guys for burgers and fries then we watched a DVD. I guess we went to bed around 23:20 or so and Aiden decided he didn't want to sleep and got me up before I even had a chance to go to sleep. He ended up sleeping with me and Linda slept in his bed. He sleeps on top of you even in a King size bed!

I had another surprise later in the night when I rolled over and found 'Princess' the Cat curled up asleep on my pillow; nothing like a face full of fur at 02:03 in the morning! I scooped her up and took her to the basement. The only good thing was that Linda didn't enjoy that experience!

Sorry to say that this morning was sad because Buzzy left but he'll be back in a couple of weeks for a wedding. It was a truly great weekend just too short.

It was a great running weekend also. None on 1:30 minutes on Friday, Saturday was free, 1:13 minutes on Sunday and another 1:30 minutes today.

It's a Girl

Ian and Rieko are expecting a girl. So sometime in late January we'll welcome a granddaughter to the family!

Buzzy in the House

Matt, Ciara and Aiden arrived from Charlotte late last night for the long Labor Day weekend. This morning Aiden awakened papaw at the crack of dawn (06:30) and was ready to play. We hope to get to the zoo later this morning. Aiden wants to see the elephants and polar bears and crocodiles. And so it goes. On our last visit his daddy got bitten by a lorakeet that tore off part of his cuticle on a finger. It was pretty funny to Aiden and I! He says he wants to increase his insurance before he returns.

I ran yesterday at EI. I thought it would be a good run but it turned into a slog. I think there were several reasons for this. First, it was very warm and dry. The sun was shining ant I think it pushed the temps up into the mid 80's with very low humidity. Second, it was midday and I always seem to have a better run the earlier I get started. Finally, I just didn't have it in for a long run mentally, I just wasn't in to it. Perhaps I'll get something together later in the weekend. Ended up running the intermediate trail and loop 1 for about 54 minutes.

I love this picture of Aiden running. Check out how the photographer caught him completely in the air!

Buzzy Finds a Bug

This is an appropriate image to end the Summer of 2009: Looking at Bugs!

That is, of course, if you consider summer's end the last day of August but hey, does it really matter?

One thing I do know, this summer's weather has been almost as strange as the summer of 2007. What a study in contrasts: '07 was brutally hot and dry all the way into mid-October and now we have '09 cool and wet. This morning it was 53 degrees and I doubt if it got much beyond 70 this afternoon. In fact it's kind of chilly when you're in the shade.

Anyway it has been a beautiful day. I had a fantastic run of 2 1/2 hours this morning. I felt great and just thoroughly enjoyed the morning. Not many folks about either.

Linda just phoned she's on her way home from work. I'm going to poach some tilapia and have noodles with Alfredo sauce. I think I'm going to add a little fresh broccoli and we'll have some fresh tomatoes on the side.

New Favorite of Buzzy

This is just one of many new pictures I have of Buzzy and his mom and dad. For now this is my favorite.

Mom at 75

I've been meaning to post this picture of my mom on her 75th birthday: 7.24.2009. Once again we managed to surprise her by inviting all of her friends. Pretty much everyone we invited came so we ended up with 50 or 60 people. It was a great time.

Future Hunter?

Matt took Buzzy to the Bass Pro Shop; he now has this camo outfit and a bright orange vest to match. He plans on going bow hunting with his dad this fall. He looks like he's ready to go. I especially like his serious look...he's after deer! or a turkey? I hope he has fun!

New Grandchild on the Way!

Ian and Rieko are expecting their first child! Linda and I are thrilled and just can't wait. Rieko's due date is 24 January.

The strange weather continues. Today it's been cool with torrential downpours and vivid displays of thunder and lightning. Apparently more to come overnight. Presently it's warm, humid and dry. We shall see.

Great Runs

Started off the month of August with two great runs.

First, Sunday morning: cool, breezy with low humidity...twelve miles at 4 and 1 in a large loop from the house up past the courthouse down and around to the library and back home. The last 45 minutes in a bright and warming sunshine. Managed an overall 11 min/mile pace.

Now, Monday morning: again, relatively cool but clear, bright blue skies and sunshine as far as the eye can see. I wanted to go long and slow with my ipod so I opted for the trail around Lunken Airfield. Ten miles today of 4 and 1 at an 11 min/mile pace. So...22 miles to start the month. Not bad. I'll plan on adding to that later this week.

First July Post!!!!

Well I have to get something down here!

What a month. Cold for July and very wet. What's going on here? Our tomato plants have grown tall and willowy but produced nothing but green fruit with a black fungus. We've gotten a fair amount of zucchini and squash but nothing like I would have expected. No peppers. However, the yard looks terrific and our trees really look magnificent. Even the pin oak in the front yard has got acorns for the first time. I wonder what August will bring....

Running has been good but not great for the month. I'm looking to improve as August enters the picture. Lots to do before this summer comes to an end. I feel sorry for all the school kids and teachers who have 2-3wks left before going back to class.

Another hot, humid afternoon run...

Severe thunderstorms overnight. Lots of downed trees this morning. I really don't remember so many severe storms in the "past." I mean, thunderstorms, yes, but high violent winds and damaged trees, no, I just don't think it happened as frequently. Probably my imagination.

Linda and I drove up to Benchmark this morning and I was lucky enough to find a pair of trail running shorts I was looking for and this afternoon I got to try them out. I like the shorts but it was just too hot for running. At least for now because I'm just not properly acclimated.

Anyway, I ran for about 45 minutes. The effort is what counts.

Today at EI

It was blisteringly hot with humidity to match on the trails. The air was saturated with water and very little breeze. However, the trees formed a nice canopy that shielded me from the sun with the exception of the few meadow areas. I was accosted by a very, very large black snake then greeted enthusiastically by a box turtle who closed up with alarm when he realized I was about to step on him. I've been looking for a box turtle for Aiden but this little guy was too early in the run and too far from the car. Every 4th of July we join friends and family at Ryland Lakes Country Club and they have several turtle races that the kids participate in. I think Aiden would really have fun with that.

My run was about 90 minutes; I couldn't stand any more even so it was a good workout.

Weekend Wrap-up

I had a great Father's Day weekend!

Let me start by getting up to date with the running aspects of things. Tuesday I went into work around 08:00 to assist with the production of a video highlighting the eICU. I left after that was finished and came home. In the afternoon Linda and I went out to EI for an hour's run. The trails were in fair shape; muddy in the low-lying areas but otherwise OK. Wednesday I had Education Council at work and got home around lunch-time. Again, we went out to EI but the trails were very muddy. It was hot and very humid. I enjoyed the run but it was only an hour or so.

Worked all day on Thursday and Friday. Despite my best intensions I just couldn't get it together to run even my short 3 mile loop after work. I was just not into it!

It took Linda and I a long time to get moving on Saturday. Neither one of us were much into doing anything. We finally decided to cut the grass and finish up some other yardwork. I guess we finished a little before lunch. It was hot with some pretty intense sunshine but there was a nice breeze. I decided to go for a run. That was a mistake. Nothing like wind, sun and heat to smack you down. My ordinary 8 mile loop turned into a death march. I had plenty of water. There was a nice breeze so it didn't feel all that hot but I just felt terrible. Ended up walking most of the last 1.5 miles. To cap things off I was really dehydrated. It seemed that I couldn't drink enough to get rehydrated. Looking back on it I suspect it was the wind, heat, sun combo that did me in.

We went to Linda's cousin's daughter's wedding that evening. (Say that three times!) It was at the Bell Event Center in Over the Rhine. A very nice place. Everything was very well done and the food and drink was excellent. However, that dehydration thing came back in the form of a vice like headache as the evening progressed. No one had any aspirin so I didn't really get any relief until we got home. Again, I couldn't drink enough water to take care of things.

Father's day was a nice easy and relaxing day. Ian and Ciara called early and Colin came to the house mid-afternoon and stayed for dinner. Linda gave me a great coffee mug and gift certificate to Borders.

Ran this morning for 2 hrs. Overcast, hot and humid but there was a cooling breeze and I felt good. It was nice to get some quality miles in without feeling horrible like Saturday.

Yesterday's outing at EI

I wanted to get a post in this morning before going off to work. This is going to be a busy week.

Saturday's run was followed by cutting the lawn and completing other errands. We ended up going to the store late in the afternoon (after a nap) and deferred our frequent Saturday practice of church followed by Burger 'n Beer. Instead we had steak and beer at the house. I ended up going to bed by 21:30 as per usual.

Sunday morning I woke up feeling pretty fatigued. We went to 08:00 Mass at St. Pius and I didn't have coffee beforehand. I noticed the difference. After Mass we stopped at Starbucks then came home for breakfast. Afterwards we went to the discount card shop and bought anniversary, birthday and graduation cards and did some other miscellaneous shopping. Lunch was a light affair of fruit.

Mid-afternoon we went out to EI for some exercise. Linda walked and I did a slow run. It was very humid and warm. The trails were very wet and muddy in a lot of places. They were still in good shape but it was clear that the persistent rain was taking its toll. In some places there were some trees down which suggests a heavy storm came through recently. I ended up running the technical trail which involves a lot of steep ups and downs and requires a lot of effort. All in all it was a good run. So for the weekend I ended up with about 3hrs and 45min of cumulative running. I'd say it was about 18 miles or so.

Finishing the Week

Out of bed at 04:00. Coffee, a bit to eat, off to the bathroom and out the door at 05:00. 15 miles at Lunken in 2:40. A little slower than I'd like but not too bad.

Happy 100th Birthday Dorothy !

Oh that all mornings could be so nice!

Sunny, warm with a nice breeze and quiet. The only noise being birdsong. I think most of the kids in the neighborhood were still in bed.

Ran a Banklick circuit. 4 and 1 intervals for 90 minutes. After yesterday's run I was kind of slow and a little stiff and sore but as the muscles warmed up things were OK. It's just really nice to be able to get some quality runs in 2 days in a row.

Still waiting for new Buzzy pictures. I'll get them up as soon as Ciara sends them.

Talked with Ian last night (well I didn't, Linda did). He's in Seattle after flying cross country for some kind of training/practice for a "rodeo" he's going to participate in later this summer. I guess it involves dropping troops/equipment and seeing which air crew can be closer to an established ground target.

It's my Great Aunt Dorothy's 100th Birthday today. We're going to drop in for the party at Rosedale Manor this afternoon.

Big Black Snake!

Hah! Got your attention didn't I?

Ran at EI this morning for 2.5 hours. It was cool at the start with a nice breeze and some hazy sunshine. However, as it approached noon it started getting very warm and humid. Of course by then I was pretty fatigued so I probably felt it more. For the first 2 hours I had the trails to myself but as I was finishing up the "advanced" circuit I encountered a family on their mountain bikes enjoying the day.

I saw a turtle.

I did see a black snake. It was about 4 feet long and I took several pictures of it with my phone but I haven't figured out how to get those pictures to this blog. I did send them to Buzzy but I don't know if he got them (on his mom's phone).

Buzzy had a big adventure over the weekend. His dad took him "camping" in the backyard. They made a fire, roasted marshmallows, sang songs and then slept in a tent. It was reported to me that Matt woke up around 4 am and noticed that Buzzy's arms and ears were cold so he took him in the house to finish out the night. It sounds like they had fun. It certainly was fun for Papaw to hear Buzz talk about "camping."

Another Late Afternoon Run

Linda and I spent all morning looking at appliances at various places. By the time we got home for lunch it was already 2 o'clock and the grass still needed to be cut. Since we bought the John Deere rider (with Charie) that's not so much of a problem because Linda rides and I push/trim so we made quick work of things. Then I got to run.

So, I left the house about 15:45. It was very sunny with a cool breeze. I guess the temperature was in the low 70s. I again ran 4 and 1 intervals and tried a different route that included a lot more hills. I kind of like the challenge of hills. Total run time 88 minutes. Not bad.

Thursday Afternoon on Banklick

The most difficult part of maintaining a blog is figuring out how to title your posts. I could write a whole lot more if I didn't spend so much time trying to figure out what to call what I write.

Anyway, I did an easy 8 miler out Banklick and back this afternoon. It was overcast, humid and cool. I wore a long-sleeved shirt which was a little bit of overkill but I hate being cold. Heat I can take even when it hurts performance. I did 4 and 1 intervals for about 90 minutes. I ran a negative split which was my goal. I ran the first 4 miles in 47 minutes and the back 4 in 43. That's the way you want any run to work out: finish faster than when you start that way you always have something left in the tank if it gets tough at the end. You can always sprint to the finish. There's nothing worse than dragging a sorry ass up the last hill and watching your watch to see if you can stop!

Buzzy called this afternoon to wish Linda and I a happy anniversary. He was in good spirits because he got to play his video game. He's only 3 and I don't know if that's a good habit for him to get into but there's probably not a lot you can do about it these days. At least he'll be technologically savvy. Of course yesterday he was coloring and tomorrow he'll be doing something else. His last day of school I think is tomorrow and so far it looks like he won't be going to summer school. He's made a lot of progress in the couple of months he's been in school so I'm not sure it's a good thing that he's not in summer school. It's not like he doesn't have fun.

It's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow so hopefully I'll get another run in before I work this weekend.

I fixed Linda a steak dinner of filet mignon and we topped it off with cheesecake for dessert. It was probably better than going out.

Still Lucky after 32 Years

I'm a lucky man!

Today is our 32nd Anniversary.

Amazing how quickly time passes when you aren't paying attention and the older you get the faster it seems to pass; quite a paradox. You spend your youth wanting to be an adult and then you want your youth back. Well not exactly. I like where I am (what choice do I have) and enjoy what I have without wishing I had something else. I suspect Linda feels similarly. We have 3 great kids and a grandchild we adore. We're healthy. We have what we need and most of what we want.

I have a wife I cherish and respect.

I'm a lucky man!

Sunny Mourning

That's a play on words. Linda's Aunt Ruth died on Friday and today was her funeral. A pretty low-key affair but it accomplished what funerals are meant to accomplish: a reunion of family, a chance to catch-up with others' lives, a new awakening of what it means to be family. With the exception of "cousin" Tom we hadn't seen the rest of the family since Linda's mom died in '95. So it was nice to see everyone again. It was sunny and it was very hot.

Afterwards Linda, Charie and I went to lunch at First Watch. We all had salads. But they were all different and tasty.

I tried to get out for a run when we got home. I could see things starting to cloud up but I left the house anyway. The farther I got from the house the more menacing the clouds, the louder the thunder and the more spectacular the lightening. I was concerned about getting cold and wet but I was concerned about getting struck by lightening. I turned around. What had been planned as a 2hr run ended up being 55 minutes. But all's good.

Things cleared up quickly and its now a lovely evening. The clouds and rain and thunder and lightening are due to return tonight and into tomorrow.

Buzzy and his New Bike

Buzzy got his bike. It needs some training wheels which I'm confident he'll use for a very brief time but he can't wait to get out and ride. Ciara and Matt live on a cul-de-sac so it will be easy for Buzz to practice while mom and dad keep a close eye out. He already has a habit of scraping up his skin from knees to elbows so I'm sure it won't be long before he bangs himself up good on the bike despite how careful mom and dad are. He looks pretty sharp in his new helmet.

The Mouse Won't Work Right

I just got off the phone with Buzzy's dad, Matt. He's a computer expert. My mouse itsn't working right (it's a wireless). The keyboard mouse hasn't worked right for quite some time. Soooooo...I've got some problems. I did what Matt said and it's still not fixed. We'll have to see what we can eventually figure out.

And the other problem is that Linda's laptop won't connect to the internet. It doesn't recognize any networks at all. I re-booted the computer without relief. I think the network card is broken. Matt's not sure but he says it's possible.

And the other problem is that I think the supsension on the truck has gone south while the truck goes north. At least it's not a computer problem! But it's an expensive problem. What can you expect when it has 218,000 miles onboard.

Buzzy's Fall

Aiden went racing down the driveway on the toy truck that Colin gave him Christmas 2007. Too fast! He tipped over and skinned his just healed elbow again. His new "boo-boo" has him pretty upset. He called for Mimi (Linda) as mommy scrubbed it clean.

Another long day. Tomorrow will be my 3rd day in a row. I'm off for 4 days except for a couple of conference calls. Hopefully the weather will be nice. It's rained off and on for a couple of days and its gotten quite humid.

I'm looking forward to a long run on Thursday. Maybe MAF, I haven't been there for awhile.

Buzzy's Paper Hat

Take a look at Buzzy's hat. Obviously he's very proud of it! He made it at school.

Yesterday he independently used the bathroom without assistance: urinated (standing), flushed and washed. I pee'd (his words).

My Sunday

I didn't sleep well last night. I seemed to toss and turn all night long. I don't know if it was the sunburn and dehydration from working in the yard all day or the coffee I enjoyed at Charie's house or maybe it was the chocolate chunks in the ice cream. Who knows?

Up early for Mass then off to the grocery after breakfast. I got the propane tank filled at Ace Hardware and Linda got a deal on some flowers.

After lunch I went out to EI for a run. It was overcast hot and very humid. I was surprised that there weren't more mountain bikers on the trails. I did meet a couple who drove down from Indianapolis for the day to ride the trails. I hope they found it worth the drive.

The trails were in excellent shape but it was very humid and enervating. I can only hope that I will acclimate to the heat soon because I was really sucking wind today.

Tomorrow's Memorial Day and I want to give a shout out to my dad (Korea) and my two sons Colin and Ian (Iraq).

I talked to Buzzy a little while ago. He was playing Mario Cart (?) on the Wii. He declined going to the "man store" with his daddy. As Linda said that could be starting a baaaaaad habit!

Watched the end of the 500. It was terrific to see Helio Castraneves win (5th 3-time winner) but I would have liked to see Danica Patrick win and become the first woman. She finished 3rd. Now I'm watching the start of the Coca-Cola 600 which is being run at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. I hope they get the race in, it's been raining off and on and Ciara says it's supposed to continue to rain. We'll see.

Sunburn

Linda and I were up early for a busy day at 10553.

We started things out by meeting with Kevin to finalize plans for the kitchen remodel. That went well and I think we finally have a plan that Linda and I both can agree on. The best part is that we don't have to buy any more kitchen cabinets. We do, however, have to get a stove/oven before we go any further. That's a tall order because there are just so many choices out there. We know we're going to go with some kind of a "slide-in" but we need to determine which one. The cost ranges from 1,000.00 to 3,000.00 depending on the manufacturer and what toys you want to include. Then, of course, you have to figure out whether you want gas or electric and if you go with gas do you want an electric oven and do you want an convection oven too. And then you have to consider the manufacturer, i.e., do you go with Jenn-Air or Kenmore or GE or Bosch or Kenmore Elite or GE Profile or Electrolux. Let's see, let me count the ways.....

Then we went to Jared, oh my, that sounds just like the commercial! But we did to buy Sam's Graduation gift (yes, Samantha, if you read this, it will come in the mail) and pick-up something for Linda. No, Mark, you couldn't help us with this purchase (I wish you could).

Then it was off to the "man store" to pick up some things for hoses and the garden.

Then it was off to the races. We edged the bed at the back of the yard and spread mulch in order to make it more amenable to the "rider" so we don't have to edge with the pusher or trimmer. That actually worked out pretty good. Then we got all the hoses out and got a system together for watering everything that looks like its going to work out pretty well. I'm amazed at how much the plants have grown in the vegetable bed since Wednesday.

Now, back to that sunburn thing, the sun was out, the skies were clear and the temperature got into the mid 80's. It was about as perfect a Saturday as you could have. But...my lily white skin (and Linda's) was not properly prepared and I've now got this bright red sheen on my back, shoulders and neck. Surprisingly my naked head is relatively unscathed. I feel the heat but not the burn, yet, I'm sure that will come soon enough. As I type this I'm enjoying a cocktail (gin), listening to Elton John on XM and contemplating getting the grill going. Obviously things are moving kind of slow. Linda's surfing on the web looking for a stove. She too is enjoying a beverage of choice (rum and zero).

Hopefully I'll get that run in tomorrow.

Molly's in Charlotte visiting Buzzy (and Ciara and Matt) but she really went to see Buzzy!

Ciara called yesterday morning and said that her and Molly were at the National Whitewater Center and preparing to venture onto the "zip" line. You have to see this place. It's amazing and so cool. Linda and I have only been there during inclement weather so I can't wait to get there on a nice day. Two weeks ago when I was there it started pouring rain so Matt and I went to lunch at the bistro they have there and what was a busted day ended up being a lot of fun. Now back to that "zip" line thing. It's about 1000 feet long and goes right over the rapids. Ciara said it was worth "every penny" and she can't wait to do it again. I think it cost $10.00. I do know that you can get an "all day" pass for $49.00. That includes rafting, kayaking, climbing or whatever. It's just an incredible place if your interested in outdoor type activities: mountain biking, trail running, kayaking, you name it. Men and women from all over the world come to train for Olympic competition.

Well I guess I need to get cooking dinner. I wonder what Buzzy's doing?

Mid Afternoon At EI

I ran this afternoon at EI. The only thing nice about running in the afternoon is that its a run otherwise its just not that good. What I mean is its hot, humid and often buggy. Today though wasn't too bad. The heat was pretty enervating but the real enemy was simply the time of day. I didn't see anyone else on the trails but I know there had to be some mountain bikers because there were several cars in the parking lot. That's the thing, you can have gobs of people on the trails and not even no they are there. Thats great! I only ran for a little over an hour but that was enough.

Tomorrow I'll try to get out on the roads early.

Looooong Day

Wow, I'm glad today has finally wound down. Busy. Lots of information came my way that I, in turn, must review and then disseminate to my colleagues. Not enough time to accomplish with everything else I have going on. I'll go in early in the morning and try to get it all out of my hands before an 08:00 meeting.

Haven't talked to Buzzy today.

Linda has another cold and is not feeling well. She has a headache this evening that she just can't seem to get rid of. I think I'll just shower and go to bed.

I guess Ian and Rieko are back from Hawaii and will be heading to DFW for a visit with his Aunt JoAnn and Uncle Tom. It just so happens that his grandparents Carl and MarySue are also there. Sounds like JoAnn's going to have a full house for the holiday weekend.

JoAnn's Samantha

A candid shot of my niece Sam(antha) who just graduated from college and is now off to law school. I sure hope she likes it!

Just think Sam someone could see your picture in Uzbekistan or Mongolia or...Independence, Kentucky. That is of course if they follow my 'blog!

Congratulations.

BTW, you really, I hate to say it, look like your mother. But (that's a good thing)!

Uncle Jude and Aunt Linda

Field trip to the "Man Store"

Here's Aiden with his preschool class showing off his wheelbarrow. I like his orange shop apron. He did a few other things and got to ride on the school bus for the first time.

I'm feeling the aftereffects of my runs yesterday and today. I'm hungry, ravenously hungry. It doesn't matter what or how much I eat I'm soon hungry again. Gary Taubes in his book Good Calories, Bad Calories writes that the only thing exercise does is make you hungry. I believe it. (It's an excellent book, BTW).

It's a beautiful evening; a little cool but very, very nice. I'll be spending the rest of the evening watching "Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars" with Linda.

Banklick in 2

I got in a good road workout this morning. 2 hrs of 4 and 1 over the backroads from the house. It was great! It was 48 this morning at 06:00 but I suspect it was in the high 50s or even low 60s by 09:00 when I left the house. Crystal clear blue skies, light breeze and lots of sun. Half-way through the run a big white labrador mutt started following me and wouldn't leave my side. It's nerve-wracking because of course everyone thinks it's YOUR dog and when they have to slow down, stop or swerve because the beast is impeding traffic it becomes a problem. I couldn't get it to stop following me no matter what I tried. He ended up coming all the way to the house. I just hope its not there when I get out to start working in the yard.

Linda cut the grass last evening so we'll probably try and get the vegetable bed up and ready for planting. Maybe we can get some plants this afternoon and Linda can get them in tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to hearing about Buzzy's trip to the "Man store" and find out what he made. I'm sure Ciara will call sometime later today.

Today's Run at EI

Ran the trails at EI today. It was a great morning to run. Cool, sunny, light breeze and no humidity (or people). Had the trails to myself for 90 minutes. Tomorrow I'll get on the roads around the house for a couple of hours. The weather looks just as promising tomorrow.

After the run I went to "the Man store," also known as Home Depot for a grill cover, bird seed and two new gas cans. "Man store" is what Buzzy calls Lowe's, HD, Best Buy, etc. He picked that up from Matt and it's funny to hear him say it. In fact he goes to the "Man store" with his preschool class tomorrow. That should be fun.

After HD I cleaned out the garage and trimmed the yard grass so Linda could cut it this evening with Charie and our new John Deere lawn tractor. We've never had a "rider" and Linda's never cut the grass so we have a couple of firsts.

For Michael and JoAnn

Ok. You've both shamed me so this short post is for you.

It's cold this morning. In fact, the heat came on in the house. We didn't have frost but I guess the potential was there. The positive side is it's sunny and clear. I'll be heading out for a run soon. I haven't decided whether to run at EI, Mt. Airy or just locally but I plan on enjoying myself after a long weekend of work. I worked both Saturday and Sunday from 07:30 till 20:00 getting home about 20:45 both nights. For some ineffable reason working those hours seem a lot longer than my usual schedule of 06:30 - 19:00. I don't get it!

Linda and I had spend Mothers' Day Weekend in Charlotte and Ciara, Matt and Aiden turned around and came to Independence this past weekend. I took Buzzy to the zoo on Friday and saw him for a few minutes Saturday night but that was about it. They'll be back in town over the 4th of July and I don't know if Linda and I will get back to Charlotte in the meantime. He's really opened up and begun talking more clearly since starting preschool in March. More on all of that in a later post. For now I've got to go.

Soggy Parcheesi Board

Rain. The weatherman said it would be off and on but should stop by mid-morning. He lied. It's now mid-afternoon and it's still raining. I don't know why I even pay attention anymore.

Anyway... I got out the door a little after 10. I was dressed appropriately with a waterproof (and breathable, yeah, right) windshell, shorts and my OR Seattle Sombrero. Temperatures were in the 55-60 degree range but it was very windy driving the light rain almost horizontal at times. I was fortunate though because I had the wind and rain in my face for the 4 mile distance outbound to the end of Banklick and then at my backside for the return trip. Usually if I have the wind in my face outbound it changes directions and I have it in my face on the return also. Today though that didn't happen.

I don't mind running in the rain if it's not too cold. Today was about as good as it gets. Warm enough not to be bothered by wind yet cool enough to tolerate wearing a shell to keep most of the wet outside. By the time I got back to the house I was thoroughly drenched and slightly hypothermic. Nothing that a hot shower couldn't fix.

So, by my count for the week I've put in about 7 1/2 hours of running. That equates to about 35 miles or so. If it had all been done on roads I think the distance would have been longer but I'm not disappointed. I have to work for the next couple of days so my next run won't be until Saturday. The longterm forecast looks to be pretty soggy so my long run on Saturday will likely be wet too. Trails will have to wait, I guess.

Buzzy's got some sort of intestinal flu that has him down for the count. It started on Sunday and he's still not feeling well. He's already missed school all week and it sounds like he won't get back until next week. It's worrying mainly because he's never been sick like this before.

Oh, the title, I saw a Parcheesi board with all of the pieces scattered along the side of the road on my run this morning. It looked like someone through it out the window.

Tuesday at EI

Ran the trails at EI this morning. They were in spectacular shape and I had them all to myself. Ran for 1hr and 35 minutes. I did 1/2 the circuit and could have done more but was anxious to get home. If it doesn't rain too much overnight maybe I'll get back there tomorrow.

My Running Weekend

Up real early Saturday and out the door by 06:30. My plan was to run 20 miles. I wanted an easy course so I chose Lunken Airfield.

I left my car at about 07:09 and it was still dark and cold. No wind but it was still much colder than I anticipated and I almost returned to the car for gloves and another jacket. By the time I got to mile three I had warmed up nicely and was feeling pretty good. This good feeling continued through 10 miles. I pit stopped at the car and grabbed my gloves, more water and some raisins before heading out for loop 3. Interestingly there were only a few people on the course when I started but as it got light and warmed up it seems like people just multiplied exponentially. But I digress. Loop 3 was fine until about mile 14 when my calves really started to ache. I finished loop 3 (15 miles) and really struggled with continuing; I was in a lot of pain physically but mentally I was determined to finish. The last loop was a real struggle but I persisted and finished just under 4 hours.

I think it was my first 20 miler in over a year so it felt really really good to get it done.

This afternoon I ran for about 40 minutes at EI. The trails are in perfect shape. I was pretty stiff but it felt good to get my muscles warmed up and stretched out. I work tomorrow so I'll have a day to recover before getting out again on Tuesday. Hopefully the rain we're due to have will either wait until I'm finished or be light enough that I can run despite the wet.

St. Paddy's Day Run

Ran 2.5 hours this morning. Cool start but quickly warmed up. Little wind. Started at Mill's Road Park and ran the roads in the area. Lots of long slow hills. Tolerated well.

Topsy Turvy March Weather

Ran at EI this morning. Started cool and breezy in the 50s so I wore a short-sleeved shirt and a water-proof shell because it was supposed to rain. However, 15 minutes into the run I was so hot I had to stop and de-layer myself. It was just a beautiful day. Soon the sun came out and it got even warmer and I wished I had worn shorts. Oh well. The trails were perfect, soft but not oozy. No standing water. Surprisingly I saw no deer. Unlike Saturday when I saw 9! I ran for 2 hrs and felt pretty good. Soon I'll be up to 3. Actually I'm pretty confident 3 is possible now but why push it. Now getting into the 4 or 5 hr range, well we'll just have to work at that for awhile. Maybe by June but then you have to contend with the heat.

As I type this it's 69 degrees and very windy. I think we're supposed to top off somewhere around 75. Then we're supposed to get rain and tomorrow will be in the 40s. Like I said, March weather.

The rest of the week is pretty busy. Work tomorrow then meetings on Thursday and Friday with work over the weekend.

I Lied

Well, I didn't get to MAF this morning but I did get to Idlewild. Very warm, breezy, hazy sunshine and dry! I felt fatigued for most of the run which I attribute to the warm temperatures. The trails were in much better shape than Monday. Moist but not muddy. It's amazing how well they drain. There's still a lot of down tree branches and they're pretty obstructive in places but the trails are all passable. Ended up doing a half circuit in about 1.5 hours. Not too bad but my plan was to do the full circuit which would have taken me about 3 hours. We'll see what tomorrow will bring.

For My Friend Dorothy

Hey Dorothy,

I figured I should at least welcome you to my blog. You inspired me to make my first post in 6 weeks!

Two 12 hours shifts down and 1 more to go. The weather's warm and it will be warmer tomorrow. They say it will be nice over the weekend (sometimes weatherpeople lie so I reserve the right to be a skeptic).

I ran Monday for 2 hours. It was cold but the sun was shining. Of course all that radiant energy melted the snow and ice so it was often a muddy slog. At least I didn't lose a shoe. I can't wait for Saturday morning. Mt. Airy forest here I come.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some birthday pictures of Aiden later.

Wimpy Snow Showers

Well, as usual, the weather people hereabouts have ramped up their forecasts prognosticating snow! Good night, you'd think the end of the world was upon us the way they carry on. As I type this there is a snow shower but all it's doing is peppering the deck with a few white flakes. Now the real issue is the cold. Serious cold. The lows tonight are expected to be in single digits with windchills over the next two days of -10 to -15.

Linda and I are prepared. We went shopping this morning for fresh fruits and veggies and bought a very nice, plump deep red filet of wild caught sockeye salmon. If I manage to get up the courage I'll grill it; if not I'll bake it. Right now I'm leaning toward the grill (less clean-up). I also made a batch of goetta. It's finishing up on the stove and should be ready for morning breakfast. I added some extra seasoning this time around because the last batch was watery and bland. I used some higher quality oats this time also.

Matt, Ciara and Aiden are back in Charlotte and Linda and I are in withdrawal, again. There is a birthday coming on 2/28 so we should see the little guy again then.

I think Linda and I are finally over our colds. Just to be on the safe side I'll wait until Saturday before going out for a run. If the cold persists I might have to wait until Monday. I'm not taking any chances this year. I've already been sick twice once before Christmas with a nasty virus and now after New Years. Hopefully I've had my quota.

Congratulations Matt!

Congratulations to Matt, Ciara and Aiden. After a morning SNAFU (we weren't on the docket; the court's mistake) Matt became Aiden's legal father.

Aiden Matthew Walburg.

We celebrated with brunch at First Watch before going back to the house. Linda and I gave Matt a St. Christopher medallion engraved on the back:

Aiden
2-28-06
Daddy
1-13-09

I wish I could take credit for that but it was actually my brother Mark's idea. Well done!

Too bad the weather wasn't nicer. It's cold and getting colder; at least it's not snowing. Now Matt, Ciara and Aiden are on their way home to Charlotte.

Happy Birthday Linda

Today was my bride of 31 years' 53rd Birthday!

Last night I came home from work and saw the day's mail sitting on the dryer in the laundry room. I thought Linda had forgotten it and brought it into the living room. She was on the phone to Ciara and said, "I even got a card from your Uncle Ned, it's in this real pretty silver envelope!" She didn't open it or her other cards preferring to wait until today. So, this morning she opens the silver envelope and marvels at the flashy card inside. Then she says, "Boy, Ned sure splurged this year!" She opens the card and to her chagrin it's from her husband! Wasn't she surprised.

It was a nice card.

I took her to lunch at McCormick and Schmick's seafood restaurant off Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. It was our first time there and we really enjoyed it. The restaurant was quiet, warm and friendly. There were a fair number of business persons but also a number of folks like Linda and I; people out for a leisurely lunch. The service was excellent. I think we'll go back.

We had intended to go to the Museum Center's Omnimax theater after lunch but decided to go shopping at Sam's instead. We stopped at Starbuck's for coffee and then Servati's for an after dinner birthday treat.

My afternoon run was pretty miserable. I didn't feel like doing it to begin with and then the cold, blowing wet snow and incessant wind made things all the worse. However, I would have really been mad at myself had I not gotten out the door. Four miles in 42 minutes. Not bad given the conditions.

Cold Final 4

What a great picture of Aiden to top off a great day! He loves yogurt but hasn't gotten the eating part down quite yet. At least he didn't get it in his hair.

I ran a half-marathon (13.5 miles) this morning on the roads around the neighborhood. It was in the 30 degree range with a pretty stiff breeze. Generally overcast but Mr Sun occasionally peaked out around the clouds. I was surprised that I managed to get through the run without more difficulty. I haven't run this far in months and expected things to be more of a challenge. That's not to say that it wasn't, just not what I expected. The last 4 miles were into the wind and I can't say which was worse, the extra effort or the cold. The wind was relentless. Now of course I'm sore and stiff especially when I get up after sitting for awhile and I've got pain in my right heel (plantar's ????) I hope not. I also ran the distance in a 5:1 ratio which was encouraging. Now the trick will be to repeat it next Monday.

Dreary Sunday

Up early this morning for church. Rained overnight. Stopped at Starbucks after church for a coffee and newspapers.

There were several interesting articles on the financial crisis in the NYT this morning. The first was a long piece in the magazine talking about VaR or Value at Risk. It's an alien concept to me and even after reading about it I won't pretend that I understand it. The second article was by Michael Lewis and David Einhorn. It's written in two parts and well worth reading. I also enjoyed Frank Rich's opinion piece.

I had every intention of running this morning but the bad weather and general winter lethargy combined to conspire against that idea. Instead we drove down to the Walton Krogers Superstore and spent big bucks on a week's worth of groceries. We concentrated on the perimeter so most of what we bought is "real" food: fruits, yogurt, milk, some chicken and meat as well as some canned beans.

When I got home I made a big pot of bean soup and a casserole in the crockpot. Dinner tonight will be a roast chicken with baked potatoes. I might make some stuffing that I've got hanging about too. I like stuffing. Last night we had a strip steak that I marinated, sliced into strips and stir fried with cut up vegetables and served over quinoa.

I hope I get my mojo back tomorrow and can get a long run in.

First New Year Post

Matt, Ciara and Aiden left for Charlotte (home) this morning. They left early but not as early as originally planned so Linda and I were able to get kisses and hugs from Aiden before he left. They'll be back, briefly, in a week for Aiden's final adoption hearing. Then we probably won't see them again for several weeks, maybe for his birthday in late February. What a whirlwind week and a half we had.

Yesterday Aiden, Matt and I went to the Zoo. It was a cold day but we had a great time. We had all of the displays to ourselves and were surprised when we encountered other visitors. Aiden enjoyed himself and Matt and I enjoyed watching him. Then we met Ciara and Linda for lunch at Skyline.

This morning I ran for an hour or so at MAF. I had the trails to myself and they were in really good shape. Surprisingly I didn't see any deer.

We'll see how tomorrow's run goes.