Okay, how do you pretend to be a real Gunny...

if you aren't shooting?

Well, you come home and the mail has the NRA Store pamphlet, an advertisement from MidwayUSA (with a Whisper Air Rifle flashing at my buying bug), and Washington Arms Collectors' GUN NEWS. See, I must still be some kind of a Gunny, I am getting all the paper.

Speaking of paper, I took all the extra stuff out of my wallet before I went off to Hawai'i, and now I haven't my Concealed Pistol License from the State of Washington - I have lots to carry but no paperwork yet to make anyone pay attention. Piles of procrastination everywhere. I will dig into them after some breakfast and serious exercise and jogging. My goal is to be the coolest skinny old man in town, so all the long legged red heads will pay attention - they aren't doing more than shaking their head at the OLD MAN, which I am right now.

Still, I have certificates....

Okay, I don't seem to be shooting this month...

So after a fine church service and coffee with my friend, and sharing cake that I bought from the ladies of the church with him and Ralph, I hop on my Trusty Triumph to zoom off into the beautiful Sunday afternoon. Top off the tank, reset my mileage counter and head off for adventure, looking for love in all the wrong places? No, it is all about the ride, folks, the twisting roads and the deep leans, and yes, I did scrape my boot heel on Waller road before the railroad crossing - nice to go so deep and come up so well. I did stop to warm up and talk and find smiles.

Harley-Davidson has been advertising going down and getting a test ride on anything new on the floor, so I did. Yes, I know that I could have done that in Hawai'i and still done it again today, but I was sure I might never come back if I rode in Hawai'i. Today my Trusty Triumph would keep me grounded. So I really stopped there twice, the second time was after a long ride and much satisfaction, I was ready to top a perfect afternoon off and I actually talked to the salesman. It was easy, so I was looking at things I could afford if I won the Lotto (need to buy that winning ticket!), and they had an 883 in my price range (cheaper than the Trusty Triumph) but it was Spring Clearance Sales on many models, the size seemed right but the seat was only painted on - no long trips on that machine - only to the corner grocery and bar. I moved to the Dyna, pretty stripped, lots of shine and lots of engine and six speeds (slow start, faster, faster, faster, faster and fastest longer). I posed for a picture on it with the Sunshine upon the balding pate (?), but that could be a sign of God's favor? or not.



They had a copy of my license (Statewide background check? for the insurance, fool!) and I signed a waiver holding the Dealership and H-D free from my heirs and lawyers for my certain demise. They wheeled the motorcycle out, explained some things about the set up, and allowed me to circle the buildings in the parking lot and then out on the road to run up and down the gears, practice braking and leaning and rolling on that throttle - even got two exits worth of I-5 (never noticed if there were other vehicles I was so engrossed in the machine's power). Nice ride even had some twisty turns to play with and then back to the dealership, for a survey and contact points to see if they can sell me that fine beast (some days I wish I were forty years younger and single - but then I realize I have it so much better than when I was twenty-one and only a sergeant in the Army with Vietnam waiting...

A very nice ride, a bit louder than I like in the pipes (the British are so civilized about noise), but lots of potential for happiness in that machine - it sure runs and rides better than that 1948 Flathead I had in 1966 through 1971. It was heavier backing up than my Trusty Triumph (pushing with only leg power) so I rode up the sidewalk ramp to turn it in.

Thanks, Destination Harley-Davidson of Tacoma, for a very nice point in my afternoon on the motorcycles. Nice ride, very. I rode away on my Trusty Triumph, and it still made my heart sing on the way home, that was when I got deep into the curve and dragged boot heel and rolled that throttle on and came up solid. We are really made for each other, or I fit what I ride well.

I did sit on a couple of Bones with the half-ape hangers, and they aren't bad but I would look really funny wearing my work tie and such on that bad a bike. But then I do look funny any way you see me. The picture of me outside in the shade has the Trusty Triumph waiting patiently above the handle bars of the Harley, and the photographer's girl friend waiting patiently for the picture to be over... patience is so good to find.

So how does the Federal government work?

I woke at five to get ready for an Appleseed shoot, looking forward to roll up my sleeves and volunteer to help people become a Rifleman and teach and discuss the American Heritage that I enjoy.

After coffee and gruel I was on the road with my books, notebooks, equipment, one twenty-two target rifle with a GI web sling and wearing sunglasses from Hawai'i against the morning Sun in all its glory. I stopped and picked up lunch and water in Monroe at the Safeway. Then I drove to the range and found the gate closed, and the range disassembled, completely.

Okay, the berm is still there, but no overhead cover, no target stands up, no nice place to shoot. I was greeted by the property owner and he told me that the Feds had shut him down until all the legal hassle is over - which could be never. So the idea that law biding citizens can get together and shoot safely is done at that location -- I expect they will be coming for all of us soon enough. And I am sure they will come at us one at a time, this range, this shooter, this time.

Your tax dollars at work, what a waste of money. Do write the White House, your Senators, your Congressional Representative and your Governor, your local representative and speak up at church. And I was so ready to give up my weekend for safe shooting skills sharpened smoothly. Well, attending church, cutting grass, cleaning the house, riding the motorcycle (is that next?), and shooting on the range at Fort Lewis for my own darn fun.... take that President Obama, one would think you don't love me anymore.

Friday, week four of Keegan...

He gets a picture taken today, and he is still in Hawai'i. Lucky fellow.

End of my work week:

The library was cleaned this morning, I have finished requesting a hundred and two InterLibrary Loans (ILLs), fifteen are already in shipping status and two more have been rejected. I didn't get another twenty-five because I couldn't find the title wanted. All reserves and ILLs on the shelves ready for pick up. The purchase order shopping was delivered today (ten big boxes of books!) with three UPS ILLs, and two boxes of J.L. Marcus catalogs (hmm and what they want is EastBay). The overdues are done, restrictions applied, and notices printed and addressed for distribution, the patron status is closer to being correct, since I have been deleting the released and re-assigned patrons. The emails are still a bit out of control, but working through them as I can. I should get ready for the weekend, MICC is totally ready for business. I did test and interview six applicants for the open position on Wednesday, but haven't had any assignment from the Job Center for filling the position. I did file for my travel and I did report my computer needs during upgrade.

I need more paper for my printer at home, I need to finish the yard, I need to rest and review before going to the Appleseed in Monroe this weekend and I should get off the computer... take care out there. My wife mentioned that famous people die young, and I told her that she and I will live a long, long time.

Lush, just so lush...

America has been blest, abundantly. This is Summer and the green grows lush in Washington, except for the grass without watering, but the trees, bushes and flowers have saved their energy for the battle to the Sunshine, long branches come from the woods and leaf trying to catch every ray they can, the blackberry bushes grow long and then leaf, flower and change to berries later, every living plant struggles against the insects, the other plants and the careless animals and humankind.

The rose is from one of those grocery store Valentine's Day sales, purchased years ago for my wife, and when she lost interest in the artificial thought I took it out and planted it.

Year after year it comes back, maybe the thought wasn't as commercial and artificial as it seemed at first, some things just endure and others really bloom with a little love and care. Thank you for paying attention.

Universal Health Care... starts at home with me...

Popular subject, what can we do about health care? Well, no way should the government be promising to provide it. Have you run into Medicare and Medicaid? Those are government programs and the Congressmen and women don't use them for their health care. End of subject, if the government of the United States of America can't organize a health care system for its old folks, there is no way it could do better for the remainder of the nation.

If and when the Veteran's Administration, the Medicare and Medicaid programs get their programs in order and provide first class or at least something that a President should use then maybe the government could provide system for all. But I won't hold my breath, but will laugh at the fools running around not understanding what the challenge is that has never been met by the government.

I don't have any real knowledge of health care, I and my employer pay for my coverage and my wife's, then Medicare is also in the mix now, and some fine program called TriCare for Life. The last two are government programs - and I seem to have some VA disability that also qualifies me for some assistance. Guess which coverage always pays on time on the money? the one paid for by my employer and I, guess which ones can't decide if they should pay but know that to have one you must have Medicare Part B? But then the bills don't get paid if they THINK you are hiding one of your insurers that should pay before they do. And no, it isn't my problem yet, but my doctor's office staff is going crazy trying to keep track of the bills.

Nope, government is not the answer, folks. They can't keep illegal immigration, drugs and terrorist attacks from messing up one's day, they will never keep you healthy.

I do seriously wish you all good health and much happiness, but those always start with yourself and how you live in this wonderful world. The folks in government haven't promised you anything except the Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness - and the current bunch probably think they understand those words.

Oh, I do know why the medical insurance that my employer and I pay for pays first and on time, because I can quit paying and change to another (once a year). Ever try to stop paying TAXES? don't but you can figure out why the politicians think owning everyone and then having their own health care system is so good. Trouble is there aren't that many positions to get elected to, not for all of us'ns.

Flower power...

Long day, much done yesterday and Friday looks good to finish up. I got off the bus and onto the Trusty Triumph at eight-fifteen and rolled out into the world, gently. The smell of the flowering bushes hit me, in Hawai'i it is flower season but here the smell reaches out under my face mask, and I cruise on home noticing the different fragrances and the cool moist air of the near invisible creeks the road passes over. Some drivers never get this sensory overload, but then nothing gets between me and the Trusty Triumph save Nature's best. I stop at the grocery for wine and Blue Cheese, I am getting closer to being Earl every day back from Hawai'i.

Although, my dreams to waken from are still on the island of Ohahu with palm trees and sand.

zoom, zoom, zoom...

Got home after midnight last night, awake at 6:30, on the move to the computer to find what I had been missing. Out the door and on to the Trusty Triumph to ride to the Doctor's for my check up. So, my blood pressure is perfect, weight fine for a fat'tle ol' man, and I get back on the motorcycle and zoom to the post office where I graciously accept a compliment on the Trusty Triumph. Always from a former rider, wishing he still were. Zoom home to make my gruel and have half a cup of coffee before zooming off to meet the other library keeper with my set of keys. Good meet and briefing. I lost two library clerks to court and work release, I am down to only two.

Ride the ferry to the island, walk into and grab two full mail bins on my way in, I have to catch up and I haven't unlocked the door to my library yet. I get to work, grab a new worker that the Job Center lady tells me is ready to work, so I am back to three. Find I made a pay mistake on the 1st of June, has been corrected by my supervisor. I find more emails than I can work on, and the book bins call, the book carts are full, the interlibrary loans have stopped and we haven't received enough that have come in (thirty status questions wait for me), and I have two bins of mail ready to go out and take them to the post office, and two that need work, so I start on them. There were only six days I had a closed library, and six days that some opened the library for circulation - which was good, because they did a lot of work, but it isn't the same as if I had been there and on top of the changing inmate clerk status, the mail the malfunctions and the way the library sings when everything is working. It is an intense eight hours and then it is over - still lots of work to do and figure out what I am missing and how is it going to go tomorrow. But there is the ride home, zoom, zoom, zoom. Take that blood pressure (best remind myself that speed limits will be enforced even on old motorcyclists and Triumphs). Did see the new Fury parked down by the dock, will have to look closer.

Bill paying tomorrow, gently jogging and more, much more zooming off to make the library better for all its patrons. There is no way that the staffing of the institutional libraries is anything more that just barely meeting the minimum passing grade. And if I didn't ride my motorcycle and the ferry, I could end up with terminal High Blood Pressure and hope for an L&I claim that would cover the cost of tropical islands for the few remaining years... some one did win a three million dollar prize, unclaimed as yet - dare I check? Nah, just eat the great dinner my wife has for me and thank the Lord life is so good.... nite! The doctor wanted to know if I had gone on my vacation with my wife, and then was amazed that I hadn't stressed out because she was there with me. Silly Doctor!

Oh, the White House emailed me and asked me to roll up my sleeves and join United We Serve! but I think I am busy, they don't want me to teach the children of Washington DC how to shoot better, and I know my religious reasons aren't going to make anyone of them happy. So I guess I will continue to wait for the Obamas to catch up with me and my family's life of service, tithing and community (all without government intervention).

fat'tle ol' man = fat little old man - I measured only 5' 11'' today!

Start the clock, really...

How does one know I am home? Well, the weights were lifted, the pendulum swings and the time is reset on the Grandfather clock. The lights turned off outside, the blinds opened and my computer updated everything, tried to restart itself and wiped out my wife's downloaded pictures from the vacation while I slept. hmmm, will have to reload them one day.

Somethings about being old are just fine, notice that no one is trying to get me to have a reaction to having my name called at one week old -- For the next two weeks eating and sleeping were what he did best, and working on a smile and stretching, and that was about it for Hawai'i.

yes, Happy Father's Day... didn't buy a thing...

I suppose some really smart marketeer decided that if we were going to have Mother's Day and spend money on our mothers, we could have Father's Day and repeat the process. In Korea they had Children's Day and Mother's Day, but decided since every other day was Father's Day they didn't need a special day (yes, they finally picked it up, like nuclear missiles everyone has to have one).

I am, a father, and had the best one for my own - who I shared with my two sisters and brother but I was first and it was okay - he was big enough for all of us. And I became a father, which I can never do justice to the position, but I try. Much easier being a grandfather, much.

But to me Father's Day is re-living the best of the times with the children and the man, hearing about my parents' fathers, and in general just being glad that there is Dad to be had. Calls and contact and shared some time with that old guy, ask advice, find out how things are going, tell him how things are developing - can't buy much that make the day better than that laughter over a story about long ago and close to one's heart. Have a great Father's Day, just because it is one of the best things about being a man in life. Really, one of the best.

Wrap it up...

Party today, and we are out of here tomorrow. The Hawaiian Dungeys are doing well and Keegan is gaining and growing faster than the rest of them. I have finally had the vacation of a lifetime, time to go work and earn another one. Thanks.

do ignore that old man shuffling along alone...

I have seen him before many times, wearing clothes from thirty years ago, clean pressed and like him out of fashion. Does seem I am looking in a mirror more and more. Do ignore that old man, he had his chance and the world is a mess just because he didn't do it right when he had the chance.

President Barack Hussein Obama was on television today, speaking well of fatherhood, since he didn't have a working one and is doing so much better than his sire did. I don't have to pay any attention, I had a father, that had a father, that had a father and so on and so on. My son has a father, and his son has a father -- and what got me about the President's purpose in talking about fathers, is the government is going to work on making it better!!!!! What kind of fool idea is that? The government is responsible for supporting unwed mothers (fathers need not apply just leave some DNA) the government is working seriously on making same sex partners into one or the other of the parental figures no matter what their sex (that one goes way beyond my reasoning ability, so I have little to add to that). Which brings me to another Congressional foolishness of recent history...

They, our elected representatives, have voted to apologize for Slavery and Segregation. This is the same body that passed several amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America after the Civil War, the War Between the States, or the Second War of Independence (lost). Those amendments ended slavery and segregation, or should have. Since the Federal Government in its enlightenment knows what caused Segregation, why do they still require that I mark what RACE I identify with? Why are they trying to pass out benefits based on race? What ever happened to judging me beyond my skin color - I get tired of being called a Red Neck, Cracker, or White-supremist. I don't even like being called White nor Caucasian (England and Ireland not out of Georgia by a long shot). They still don't read the English in the Constitution the way I do, do they?

I don't even want all those that are descended from slaves to tip their hat and thank me for my ancestors that died at Gettysburg to win the war and free the slaves, although freeing slaves was only an objective after just saying "Save the Union!" didn't impress the neighbors. The best thing to come from fighting all those years and killing all those men and horses and destroying stuff that was in the way - was the freeing of the slaves, making everyone equal would take much more time. Equal means I don't get favored for Supreme Court nomination because I am a White Man, I have to have judicial promise - which would be so much better. So why was that woman, Hispanic, nominated?

Well, as you see, there isn't any real reason to pay attention to that old man shuffling along. Wiser people than I from states that never had slavery, weren't states at the time of slavery have decided to apologize - that gets that load of guilt for stealing California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Nevada and Utah from Mexico doesn't it? And how was Utah annexed? It must have been less bloody than the liberation and annexation of Hawai'i wasn't it? Do we have enough time to go back and apologize to every American Indian Nation, that are defined in the Constitution, that the Congress made treaties with and then went out and broke them, over and over. Oops, we let them sell tobacco products and have gambling houses to scalp the fool white men with, guess they have got their apology.

I guess I am going to leave Hawai'i soon, will miss the grandson but someday I hope he will not just run off from the old guy shuffling along at his best clip. I hope he has time to listen to my view of the world as I listen to his - because the PC-X generation will really be beating his brain to mush if they have their way.

The picture is from the Daily Mail, Any grumpy old man will tell you, ... and they will.

Keegan William Dungey...

I stopped and looked at reserving a room for next year, and found out that I am one of four Dungey's that have been there before, and some of them were also William Dungey's. Strange but could happen.

Keegan is stretching and unfolding daily, yes, he does curl up in fetal position, but he unfolds to stretch and kick and works on that smile and such. Has all that capacity and so little control, often being mistaken for an eating extreting biologic animal - no true purpose in life. Watching the level of love, concern, and care he is getting he should be just fine. Even after his grandfather invites him to climb some local tree because his legs aren't yet long nor fast enough to get away from the tax man. Did I mention that his care is way beyond my capabilities? I will work at keeping the world safe for children and their care givers, seems to be what I was best at.

Trees, climbing trees...

About the time I was well out of reach of my mother I started climbing trees, funny that I remember climbing one at my grandmother's home just to get up and out of sight of my mother. There was a place I could get to when not watched and be alone and me, and every tree was an adventure, you can't always get that first low hanging branch on the upside of the trunk, not every tree had step holds (holes, knots, broken stumps of branches, thoughtfully nailed short pieces of 2x4) but once on the first low limb the ones above called and you would hug, stretch, reach or ever (!) jump to another branch just out of reach.

Oh, there were women that cared about me, and would tell me not to climb; that I would fall and break something, that I would bring them to an early death scaring them so. There were the adult male figures that would watch and say calmly that if I got stuck or scared to move that they weren't coming up after me, I would have to stay until I got old enough to climb down on my own. I did like that logic, I could wait until I grew enough to get down. That must have been the place where I started taking a peanut butter sandwich along to eat while I waited. Luckily I don't mind smashed peanut butter sandwiches, I did hug those trees tight while climbing - the sandwich would come out of the pocket about as flat as an envelope - still tasted just fine.

I guess about twelve or thirteen I quit climbing, Dad helped me build a tree platform and I could go up there and read and eat the sandwiches if I remembered to bring one, I was more into other forms of foolish male dares and dangers and drama. But I do love the trees with the big branches and wild heights. One of the best old black cherry trees on an abandoned farm was the best to climb into and gorge on the ripe fruit - I must have been fifteen for that climb and it was for the fruit, but the climb was excellent. Leopards, panthers, tree cats and domestics all climb, not as well as squirrels, but even the lions find it cooler in the tree under a little shade.

Here in Hawaii there are lots of great climbing trees, big branchy and beautiful, just calling to that young fool that resides inside me. Of course, there are all the best reasons not to climb, I could get hurt (heard that one before), no one is going to climb up and save me if I get stuck (not unless Fox News can cover it as a breaking story). So I will just take the pictures of the trees, before some Green Movement fellow tells me that it is harmful and un-natural for men to climb trees - the same man that says 98% of my DNA matches a chimpanzee's. I happen to know that I am not attracted to chimpanzee females so the DNA of a slug is probably 99% a match for mine and I only feel like a slug, don't think I am related. I believe my love of long legs, and my gentle jogging has to do with evolving as a predator on the Savannahs of Africa, but I have been wrong before - just rolls off my back.

I did my best jog of an hour and fifteen minutes this morning, almost falling into good form, for such an old man. I did catch the death of the sixty-one year old pilot - have to hope he died doing what he loved, can't ask for a better departure than that, and everyone else landed safely and will be wonderful in the future.

Nice thing about Hawaii, the trees will be waiting for my return, or the young boys out of sight of their mothers that will climb them. Someone has to, there aren't enough loose primates of the jungle kind here.

KISS = keep it simple sir...

To run or jog is to have both feet in the air for a bit, to walk is to have one foot always in contact with the ground - and the body moving forward, to fall is to have both feet in contact and stuck in last position and the body moving floorward to meet something introduced by gravity's effect. Once on morning jogs in Seoul Korea my running partner would hear something and notice I was no longer beside him, I had tripped over a cobble stone and moved from jog to fall. He laughed at me a lot over those, I ripped more knees in jogging togs that way. I go slower now and lift my feet a tad bit higher, or pretend to. An hour and sixteen minutes today, beautiful day and life is great.

About KISS, I understand that the Iranian government is at the mercy of Twitter and CNN, I saw it on the news, now we are all hoping for a break in the Wall like Berlin. Well, y'all may be but I am not, I tried to call my mother this morning, and I find myself on a voice mail box, oh, good. Bell could call Watson and not get a voice mailbox, but I can't. In some ways I think technology is wonderful, and in others I think I would rather just be without. It takes time and memory for video streams - some of which are worthy most of which aren't, it takes time and memory for my message to my mother to be stored. And I would rather have talked to her, but that doesn't seem to be the option, remind me to look hard at my wife's Sprint cellphone- it has way more than she wants or needs and a simple cellphone for calling from is all she wants, if I had one it would be all I wanted - but I don't and I haven't missed it. I have the whole internet, and I can miss the current Iranian Revolution if I want to, not accessing Facebook from here, not twittering (I leave that to the birds, they do it better than I ever will) and somehow I notice that our soldiers are still dying in Iraq and Afghanistan for President Obama, the War on Terror and Iraqi Freedom, and the rest of us... why am I supposed to care about Iran? I figure that Israel can take them out if necessary, and internal problems won't come across the waters - but then I am so simple.

Today's Monday is better than next week's...

I will be back at work next Monday, after stopping to see my doctor and picking up the two weeks of held for me snail mail.... bills, just bills.

I jogged an hour and four minutes forty-two seconds, gently so gently - felt fine and walked the almost cool down - well, my heart slowed it is too warm to cool down. Nice day, cloudy but promising blue skies when it blows away. I went shopping for food, dropped off a prescription for refill (aren't you supposed to check medications before the trip? yes, but Walgreens is everywhere). I found out that I could be eating red rice yeast supplement and not killing my liver for the number counters - it was on World News from Disney and ABC so that had to be the truth - they favored Obama, didn't they?

Checking my email I find that Harley-Davidson wants me to go and test ride one of their machines if it is available (oh, what a timely correspondence) the period is over the thirtieth of June, so I guess it sounds like an item on the adventure agenda for tomorrow - what are Tuesdays for anyway - Tui's day, one handed god of war, adventure!

Lots of good food, some nice Korean vegetable pancakes and mon-d0o for lunch, watch "Yes Man" and then brave the commuter traffic to pick up medications. The price of gasoline is about what we pay in Washington State - but that is the high tax to make I-5 perfect, in Hawaii no one drives as far as they do on the Mainland - seems the sea gets in the way.

Did get to feed the grandson, formula, and let him sleep in my arms later - they did tell me not to move, hold his head higher, don't hold him up-side down, and watch his arm and a couple of other things, but he and I never paid too much attention to the advisors - they weren't the kind of risk takers that he and I are - they did have good intentions, and never notice that I don't comment on their care - having little skill in baby raising I save my opinion for only me - and I don't always pay attention to me either. Had a friend on Facebook asking about pictures, and there aren't any on Facebook from me, and I haven't been posting on the blog either. I have been taking a few here and there, have replaced my batteries, and will take a few more but not sure where to post them, so the world will know how well I take pictures... well, or more importantly how beautiful are my subjects or my vision of them?

Got more rest coming up, thanks. Sprint and my brother come through with a cell phone for my mother, times are changing.

It's always Monday some where....

Subject:	Blood, Sweat (by the quart) & tears
Date:	Monday, June 15, 2009 12:55:32 AM

The yard sale is over. One truck & 1 subaru are loaded with stuff for charity. Mucho garbage has just been picked up by the garbage men (after a neighbor came & took some games her children wanted). We made some money, we sold some things to people who wanted them, we gave away a lot (had a whole tarp marked "free"), but there was still so much left. I was absolutely soaked in sweat several times during the day & it wasn't a hot day - thank heavens. Did forget to get some items out, of course. No interesting stories of sales, except that everyone wanted a real bargain. Felt good about the canning jars all being sold, every last one of them. All the large pots went. The corning ware loaf pans went. Leigh Ann took a bunch of books - that was great as her Mom wants her reading more & I found lots of books from when Paula & Sherry were in junior high in the attic & she could choose the ones that interested her. Jerry got rid of his loaded shells & the plastic cases for shells, although we still have the reloading eqt.

I was totally exhausted by 5 pm. Fell asleep on the couch, Jerry woke me about 6:30 & I didn't move for another half hour & then felt very strange the rest of the evening, to fall in bed about 9.

Now the plan is to get some photos of items onto Craigslist. Unfortunately, when I went to use the camera yesterday, it isn't working properly. The battery says its charged, it's in the camera correctly, but when I turn the camera on, the viewing screen only shows for a second or two & then goes blank. I'll see if I can find a new battery & try again. I hope that's all that's wrong with the camera.

And meanwhile - the Penquins won!!!!! Neither Jerry nor I stayed up to watch the finish of the game, but I wasn't asleep when I heard yelling, followed by fireworks & knew then that they had won. I seriously thought about calling Sherry, however couldn't summon the energy to get out of bed to do so.

Gonna go get ready for work.


All the above from my sister in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, you know the world does go on without me when I drop off into Hawaii. Published without her permission, but I won't make a dime from the story just send her my best thoughts.

Hawaii to Heaven, need a road map?

So typical tropical day, I gently jog, walk and burn a bit, feed some birds along the way by taking the sweet rolls out of the plastic bag dropped on the biking path. Almost a good guy at times, my wife is worried and I tell her we will go to church, and we do. At ten thirty we are sitting in the Ohama Baptist Church, celebrating Philippine Independence Day (13 June), and looking for salvation. We did get a pen, free book and shell necklace because we were first timers. Very friendly people, nice singing and good enough message - something about how to get to Heaven.

They were very nice and had a dinner after, which almost made me think they were Methodists, but not.

Any way, about my salvation, I haven't gotten the blood pressure right, how am I going to do the Heaven thing? I slack on my exercises and eat a Frosty Float when I know that it isn't the best thing for my health, how am I going to do the Heaven thing? Here on Earth I get to live in America and have a wonderful life until some government agency or elected officials show up to ruin my fun and foolishness - in Heaven I hear The Deity is totally in charge, no term limits, no Bill of Rights protecting the Heavenly Hosts. Can't even pad the Supreme Court - only one Judge and The Deity is it - no separation of powers - all power is HIS. I had best believe that God is LOVE, nothing else will save me. Don't you know that those that actually think they can hide from God and the media have missed the point, if you walk with the Lord and call the media constantly you will find the media doesn't cover your boring life and the Lord is stepping out, don't fall back nor fall out, keep up!

I did buy lunch for my wife, drove to do some shopping, more Hawaiian shirts! and two hats (how burned does my scalp need to be for me to remember to buy and wear a hat?). Back to mellow out at Keegan's pace (it is good that there is someone in my life I can still beat in a foot race -- for a couple of years anyway). Eat, sleep... speaking of which, my son has just returned with tonight's dinner. Got to go and stock up for hibernation...

Went jogging gently down Lagoon Drive this morning, a bit later than normal by an hour, I was slathered down in Coppertone's best, knowing I should have a cap upon my head. Just an hour and six minutes and they had wheeled all the motorcycles out in front of the Harley-Davidson dealer while I was slapping feet on the sidewalks. A bit of a breeze was cooling but it hit me head on and I had to fight it or the temptation to walk for a bit, no walking until the cool down. Legs and feet were up to the chore, no pains, cramps or twinges. So vacation does work some kind of a wonder.

It is Garage Sale day, but I don't need anything. I do drive my wife to the Korean store for foods, she wants egg roll skins, but seems what she would make with them is already in the frozen food section, prepared by someone else. Still she is happy to get what she did to make dinner a couple of times in the future. The Summer Seaweed salad is offered for six dollars a pound but she makes hers with cucumber slices so I tell her six-fifty for hers. And I thank her very much. After lunch I will be helping my son meet a returning sailor and family (friends from long ago) and move them and stuff.

I have been having almost fainting or dizzy spells, I don't faint nor fall but it is troublesome, will have to tell my doctor - give me something to tell him about next visit when I get back into the hamster cage and start spinning the wheel.

Time for his two week check up...

yes, even for the little ones Time Marches On. So today the parents take Keegan to the doctor for measuring, weighing, IQ testing and placement in the ranks of men. He will do fine, his blood pressure isn't off the charts. Nice thing about being in Hawaii - my blood pressure isn't off the charts either, might be if I had to provide shelter while I lived here but I don't.

Yesterday I did no jogging nor walking I tried to live like slug and almost managed to. One aunt and lots of cousins and friends dropped by to welcome the newborn and congratulate the parents and grandparents. We had met many of them at the wedding years ago - the flower girl has grown older, some of the adults seemed younger - a very happy group with pies and laughter and advice and questions to share. This having children seems to be a generational thing for many of their family and friends have babies to carry around or expect them soon enough.

If I ever become a nice guy one day I will be more comfortable being part of a greeting hug, or farewell hug -- but I did my best receiving hugs yesterday - must be some gloomy New Englander or shy awkward bumbling boy inside me that makes a hug complicated. Don't have a problem with children or elders but good looking young ladies I cringe internally, but did my poor best to pretend I knew how.

One young husband, future father, talked to me a bit about my motorcycling and motorcycle - my digital camera has one picture of the Trusty Triumph, as he left he suggested that I rent a bike and ride around the island, and he would like to go with me although he hasn't a bike right now. That might be fun, ought to look into it, not seriously but like one of those things I could have done if I won the Lotto.

I did send letters out yesterday with a couple of pictures for my aunt and mother, they don't have Internet access like everyone else in the world does, or we think they do. Real letters delivered to a box near them, some thing to hold and read, look at and share where they are. I do hope they and y'all are fine, doing so well without me, and good stuff is happening everywhere. Go gently... time for today's morning jog, don't you know the Lord loves we?

Just to prove I am still alive and well...

I jogged, walked and walked and drove and sunned some more today. Life is such a joy, the cats are not owned here in Hawaii - but are they anywhere? I got to the public library here twice today, once they were still closed and after returning to my son's home and meeting the other proud grandparents, posing for picture and catching up as they go off to California for another grandson's graduation, then I drove back with my wife and looked the place over. Nice public library. We then went important shopping (I got WALL-E, and Gran Torino) running shoes, and some curling iron for my wife with hat, and an apron. I was once told that apron was once napron and the n migrated to the article a so we have an apron instead of a napron.

Stopped and shopped at the Commissary and bought lots of stuff, and my wife cooked it up well and dinner was delicious and gone - one of those remarkable 'no leftovers' kinds of feasts. Nice day and looking at old (five day) pictures I am amazed at the changes in the baby - hasn't started dancing yet, but eat and sleep is magical.

Changing always changing...

I once jogged a mile in eight minutes, every mile in eight minutes - not fast but constant that was how I went to work or jogged back home, nine miles at least at eight minute per mile pace. Ate up time, ate up ground. If you drive along the road you never see the rattle snakes in Oklahoma, unless they are crawling across the road to get to that chicken on the other side. But if you jog you find them, and horny toads and rabbits, small birds and big bugs. The difference between 7 plus miles per hour jogging with eyes about five nine above the ground and looking around the closest twenty feet, or sitting flying at sixty miles per hour about the same distance above the ground but concentrating on things beyond a hundred feet to a couple of miles down the distance - whole reason for looking is different, you don't stumble much in the car and the stray dogs only bark and chase a bit, no chance they will catch and bite you while driving.

As I got older the speed of the every mile, mile after mile got slower, the reason to be on the road wasn't the same and normally I don't have to be somewhere by a certain time, and there aren't any showers waiting at my new workplaces like there were in the old workplaces - and one doesn't want to worry others by not showering after jogging, although I have read that some joggers only toweled off saying sweat doesn't stink - and it doesn't but then humans do. I do think that keeping moving is critical to good health and peace of mind, I think too much as I trudge on, about things somewhere else, about the future and the past, lots to think about or nothing to think about but lots of empty in the mind to fill so I do. Weather is nice here, starts at upper seventies and goes to nineties when hot - I break into sweat early, long ago it always took a mile to break into a nice sweat (the body needed convincing that it was a real workout not just a dash to the post office?)

I return and walk around the block to cool down, legs are fine today, I am still fat and old but living with it. I have breakfast and coffee and watch Keegan, I like to see the movement of the arms and legs, the stretching, the wrinkled brow (does he feel the debt burden he is inheriting? nah) the large yawns, the rapid heart beats - little creatures always beat the heart faster, he turns to the voices he loves, Mom wins! always a good sign. His father has a great one hand arm hold for moving him fast between floors and rooms, he gets cared for well. And he sleeps, with all our best wishes and our efforts to make his world better than he will ever know.

What is a vacation for? Rest, lots of rest...

Okay, I got ambitious and jogged for thiry-seven minutes in the Sunshine, and I did my exercises - but then I eat, sleep, read, eat and sleep falling into my grandson's life pattern. Works for me, walked with my wife last night, big beautiful moon shining down on the bay - one of those made for tourist moments that you can't buy. I am reading a David Weber book, and glad I don't have to move as fast as my son trying to keep on top of everything. Life changes as responsibilities increase, and priorities change -- I couldn't have ever been as busy as he, and he is organized -- I only pretended to be organized. Rest on, rest on!

some time one cares too much, and is touchy...

I went after two mugs of coffee for a walk around (about?), mostly the Naval Housing area north of the air port. I did find the library, public, open Monday through Friday, and only until seven three days a week - budget? It sits beside a large school, so sighting is excellent. I will look in on them during the coming week. I found the NEX large and the MiniMart smaller, I also found the Harley-Davidson dealer - selling Ninjas and some scooters and a few quads. The used bikes show lack of love, the saltwater must be cleaned off, I may leave my battle scars from my moments of failure and total excitement but I clean and oil the Trusty Triumph. And although my wife worried, since she was sure I hadn't had breakfast that I was in danger -- a pocket full of cash I could feed myself at will. Still she sent my son on his racing bicycle out looking for me, at least he got the exercise.

I was up early enough to be in the morning quiet (only on Sunday, folks) and in Hawaii's cool point, not really but not as hot as it will be later. A few miles of walking (I did about two hours worth) even done slowly is good for me. The number of new plants, birds and bird songs are nice to listen to. My blood pressure was wonderful - having pressure is always wonderful, and the numbers weren't bad, will see how the week winds on. I am sure that the baby has affected my life style -- eat, sleep, eat, sleep -- and that is a real reason for the blood pressure to lower. Okay, I did try my son's Smart Push up thingees, have to use them some more to see if they get my recommendation -- not that the company is waiting for my official announcement. I am of the opinion that most of y'all are not exercising as much as is good for you and your health. But then I figure you will live with what works for you and not ask me for universal health care -- ask a service person what health care is like in their organization, they aren't all SEALs or Rangers, but the government has a plan and a support system they could share with y'all if you want.

So, I have some investigation on the Library positions I could transfer to, and some on the shooting sports here -- the military still shoots, I am not sure about the civilians but will look. Back to eating and sleeping, eating and sleeping, eating and sleeping.... life is simpler at that early entry level isn't it?

Look only one hand...

typing on the Apple keyboard. The other hand and arm are holding Keegan, of course. Nothing to report, my wife has tons of advice for her son, he still resents it. But I by quietly sitting get to hold the baby which is half the reason for the trip. Keegan hasn't grown into that long a name yet. Both my son and I seem willing to play catch with such a tiny object -- but I watched and he uses both hands carefully with the baby, so I will follow his lead on that. I won't drive nor skate board the way my son does - but I will hold sleeping baby carefully, time to toss the child around is years down the road. But it will come, with the stories and books and bicycles and motorcycles and girls.

For those that worry, the weather is warm, the sky blue and a breeze moves the heat outside. Both my son and his wife are napping, the baby gets active at 10 PM local, and I think the grand parents are going to provide some rest time. Keegan is not embarassed about soiling diapers while cradled in my arms - and I am not worried about waiting until he finishes - I have been in deeper doo-doo for less cause or reward. This is too cool. He sleeps at almost my proficiency, but then I have more experience and he'll have to catch up. He will its in the genes. Go gently, shh.. don't wake the baby...

Those that jump into danger in the dark...

June 5, folks. John Wayne pretends to be a leader of Airborne troops hoping for a break in the weather and gets it (it was only a movie about real people doing the best they could). Never loaded up for a night jump has our President Obama, nope. I was lucky that I got to do many go out in the dark from the back of the perfectly good aircraft doing NAP of the Earth until time to bounce up to jump altitude. Nothing particularly brave about a paratrooper, they gave him twenty-five dollars for the danger, the glider riders got zip and had to worry about bad landings. Still everyone on the fifth of June, in the aircraft, on the ships, in the gliders going towards Normandy, France, knew this was the calm before the storm. Many had been in combat in Africa and Sicily, but most hadn't, they were trained and they knew the Germans were waiting and they knew what the grinding war was like in Italy where the defenses had been built up. It was dark and tomorrow would bring what tomorrow wasn't telling, the orders were clear, the beaches named, the drop zones identified, the weapons and equipment checked and counted, the lean was forward and those really ready were going to sleep until they were called to perform, the lightly nervous were quietly boasting or counting off their pre-attack mantra - stuffing fear in the back of the mind and mentally performing heroic feats for their fellows.

I once read about a paratrooper's account of his first jump, and all the things he thought of that he could have been doing if he weren't in the aircraft getting ready to do a fool thing like jump out of it, trusting his parachute and the jump master - then trying to remember all they had told him, drilled into him and preached at him and forgetting it as fast as he remembered and they called out "Ten Minutes!" and the drill was now the exercise. They were all getting ready for that point where the drill became the exercise and the attack was on and wouldn't stop for a debriefing or anything. Leaning forward, waiting for the ramp to drop, leaning forward holding the static line and keeping the equipment bag, ammo and rifle from fouling up on another paratrooper's gear - had to get out the door, leaning forward towards the jump. Nope, our current President wasn't there, he is too young. And although he honors those that were, the living and the dead - he doesn't understand why they went, he hasn't ever had to pay the price for living as an American, he probably thinks those serving in uniform today are doing it professionally for the money. But I know better, they have had to pay the price and understand the cost and they are leaning forward --- just hoping that there is some one watching their back, investing their lives, loves and sacrifices in important points for American Freedom.

Yep, everyone will concentrate on the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France - 6 June, 1944, but I will honor the calm courage and preparation in meditation that was done on 5 June as they leaned forward ready to give everything they had, in the dark, in the water, up the beach and the cliffs to the hedgerows and on to victory or death. Considering the Economic Crisis, the Education Crisis, the Homeland Defense Crisis and the "can't we all get along?" crisis --- I am much more at home with those leaning forward preparing to attack for all the best of reasons than those hiding behind the headlines, or the media spotlight, hiding in plain sight.

ILS (Laura's Gang) Gathers...

There are no libraries open in the Washington State Correction Centers, but the Sun is out and the yard calls. There are some important job openings available for those up to the challenge. One quick quote "I felt so alone when Jean left." going from a three staff to a one staff operation - but you can't sell adding staff in a state that is having trouble meeting payroll and cutting positions before it ends up collapsing like California - which hasn't collapsed yet but suffers rumors of the same. Well, I have things to do, a motorcycle to scramble down the road, wiggling my bike and butt.... you don't even want to know - but the ride is the reason. No one cares if I look cool, but my heart sings and my spirit lifts as the throttle rolls.

Just the thought I keep for this month...

It will be Father's day soon enough and he is not here. Makes me wonder how many went by in our lives that I never called, sent or thought of him and how much he meant to me and our family. In an age where having no father is becoming a norm I consider myself wonderfully lucky I had a father. He beat me with his belt every time he thought I needed it, until finally he thought he could reason with me when I was older. He locked me out of the house when I refused to come home at a decent hour. He told me straight up when I looked like a punk and he was ashamed of me. He told me that I was not working hard enough for what he paid me, when I was making what he thought were bad decisions and when he expected me to be better than I was.
He laughed, and teased and tickled us. He worked hard to bring home money for all we wanted and we always wanted more. He worked hard at home to make it better and better; to fix all that broke and build what we could not buy. He sang softly in church, sure he should not mess up the hymn, he said the same grace at the table that his father had always used and he never talked about how we should believe in God or worship - he just did it. He would talk about science, mathematics and technology at the dinner table. He would take us for a Sunday drive, just to get lost together and see something new. He drove or flew us across the Midwest, visiting friends on farms and cities and tons of family everywhere.
I do not remember him reading fiction a lot, but he pointed out Jonathan Livingston Seagull to me, which I read and called a fifteen minute book, but it told me something about him and what he felt about flying. I would get special notes and letters from him as I wandered the world making my own mistakes. I loved watching the joy in his face when he found that things were better than he thought, that I and my family were doing fine, living well. He never stopped me from being a fool, and always supported my stupid attempts at becoming a man, sending me money if I needed it or being ready to come bail me out, although I was lucky I never had to have him come pick me up in jail. He did come with Mom to the hospital after my motorcycle wreck, and went out from there and rebuilt the cycle - cause he knew I was going to need to get back on it.
I still see my father, in the mirror as I realize I am getting older, in my son as he does something that makes me proud - something his grandfather would have done. Once I showed my son a black and white photo of a man at picnic table and asked him who he thought it was, he guessed it was me or my father - but I told him it was my grandfather and that I expect someday he would sit at a picnic table that very way and someone would take a picture that would match. My son and I carried the master bed downstairs to the first floor when my father was coming home after his strokes, and I assisted him when he got out of the car - a frail old sick man, too fragile to be my father, too light to be the rock of my family and life. I wonder how much it hurt him when his father suffered a stroke and spent long years, just getting by. But then I realize my father was and is always going to be a bigger and better man than I am, that is the way the world works - for I know all my failures and hardly ever saw his. His revealing to me that he thought he procrastinated too much was a shock, I never knew that he had ever put off something that needed done.
Yes, I am lucky that I had my father, or correctly, that my father had me and tried to make me a man. I can tell you if he succeeded as soon as I figure out if my son made it.

I can't tell who is happiest... the birthday boy or

his mother. But I know it is all good. Seems the only serious human face in the whole transmission is the baby boy, wondering why he was being shoved towards that Apple logo and why that machine was laughing at him... I really do wonder what it came out in the tiny one's mind.

To think I have to go back to work tomorrow and Wednesday, two days worth of Institutional Library Services training conference in Federal Way and then we get to travel to Hawaii on Saturday. By air of course.

Take care out there and watch out for all the little ones - they have to pay off the Bush-Obama debts... or not.

Amazing changes in my son - all around his... ain't it a wonder?

Happy Birthday, Gideon Heun Dungey...

All of thirty-two years lived, entering your 33rd year of life, congratulations!

You are still producing wonder and joy and lots of warm feelings in your parents - how wrong are all the nay-sayers, gloom bringers and false prophets in their petty predictions of best intentions coming to naught.

Your mother will call later, and neither of us will express enough how happy we are that you have been in our life. Take care out there and quietly celebrate when you have a minute to reflect on where you are now and where you are going.

Happy Birthday, and all our blessings and best wishes for your life and loves. Mom and Dad