It is possible that fertilizer works, my grass is greener...

As in the world news, Kate and William are coming to America, (Ottawa, Canada really) and Will is going to play in a charity polo match in LA (the current capital of celebrity charities). You know, polo, the best thing to come out of Persia since opium. I drift off to watching the neighbor's cat perched upon the fence, sitting and watching. After about ten minutes of intense piercing into the future of birds and mice in the yard I have to admit I am glad that cats don't do auctions and build financial fortunes on stock trading - they have focus that mankind's mindless masses don't.

Disturbing news, normalization of marijuana somewhere and homosexual unions to marriage level in New York, that fine trend setting state of madness back East. It shouldn't bother me, I won't use marijuana or strange artificial sexual practices and my marriage is only as strong as my wife and I make it with God's Grace and blessings. I think of both the marijuana and the homosexual marriages as more evidence that government fails at the what is best for a good life test. In the smoking grass, the potential tax revenue seems to be driving their train. Like I have always said, I stopped smoking and drinking to decrease my tax payments. Not true, but then I am a real adult that knows what is good health, good reasons and what God blesses best. Not normally on a politician's "to do" list.

My dreams were of traveling across the Midwest with my mother driving, all the kids in the car (I got to read the map and be shotgun), stopping a gas stations where someone came out to fill'r up and check oil, radiator and air pressure in the tires and give you the change from the five... haven't dreamed that far back for a long, long time. There were families along the way to visit, in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa -- until we finally reached Minnesota, then more families to visit. One home, two families, one bathroom, eight to ten children, a couple dogs and maybe a cat. Actually, Uncle Ernie's farm in Iowa still had outdoor outhouse, chamber pots under the beds, a great button and match book collection, a corn crib, windmill water pump and stuff -- a real farm! Stopping at motels only if there weren't any family around, back then.

Okay, time to get back to retirement, sigh. I have picked up "Younger Next Year*" by Crowley and Lodge again. Mainly for the motivation to work harder on my health, I had concentrated on the physical fitness portion the first few times I have read and recommended it, but this time I notice that Crowley's thoughts about retirement and having a real partner to go into the last of the golden years reaches me better... hmm, I wonder why, NOT!

Re-union, attaching oneself to a group again...

Just did the Ned Dungey Family Reunion, and since visiting with family on the way there and back, and visiting with the family here in the Seattle area - and then last year's motorcycle trip, I think I have done my best to be one of the group, again. I don't group well.

Waiting in the mail was the invitation to my Ligonier Valley High School Class of 1966 Reunion, they do them about every five years. I was actually in the country, America, in 2006 and did join them for dinner and talk and a picture for the fortieth. Ever before that I seem to have sent well wishes, pictures of self and family and just kept protecting the country, or whatever that was I was engaged in.

I haven't contacted several of that class to find out how they are doing and what they did in all those years, last Reunion they had fourteen names of the fallen to remember, it wasn't the largest class - about a hundred and fifty students. Should I write another letter with some pictures, and hope in five more years they will invite me again. Fifty years of being on the shelf ought to have mellowed me, right? In five more years Obama could be King or we could have a new American government based on something other than a Living Constitution.

I do know that I left that town and valley on my way to Vietnam, riding my old 1948 Harley over the Ridge and down to Morgantown, West Virginia where my father had found work and would settle for years. In 2006 I walked all over Ligonier, visited the Fort Ligonier Museum and Fort (do the virtual tour or the video), did lots of walking and thinking. It is such a small town, but I went to school there for six years and such. We moved out in 1971, this is 2011 - forty years of other countries, languages, education and experiences. Most of the people attending know each other, have kept in contact, lived in the same area for years and listened to gossip and read about their lives in the local papers. I don't think I was mentioned that much. I was welcomed at the last Reunion, they are nice people but they don't really look at the world the way I do (which has to do with them being nice, maybe?). I will mull it over and think about it - five more years might be a better plan. I don't know. They are now on a facebook page so I could post this blog piece there, couldn't I?

Yes, Happy Father's Day!

I know I left Elgin, Illinois on Sunday, doesn't mean I didn't think about my family, I did. The best thing I ever did was try to be a father of a father and so on. I read a short story about the Secret Hero that is within most men - of becoming a father, and the only reward is seeing that next father develop even better than the self. Happy Father's Day a bit late but likely worth mentioning. You have done well, real Fathers everywhere. As my mother would say, any Male can be a Sire, but only the best men can be Fathers.

Off to edge and rake the yards...

Yes, President Obama is returning troops to America with Afghanistan un-won, but he is only doing it because he doesn't care about anything except the re-election. If he wanted to save them, he could have removed them in 2009 after he took office. He is smart enough to know there is no winning there, in Libya or Iran and Iraq. But he doesn't care about anything except the re-election and getting his way.

Nation building is very much like Education, better helped by the people involved and not by those with good intentions and no investment in the outcome. Yes, give all the children arriving at High School a GED test, if they pass give them a diploma and send them on their way.

Yeah, my cure for current events is best expressed in a well clipped and cleaned yard.

I must be a rich Americano...

I was happier to get home and recover the pictures of the trip than I was to worry over the motorcycle, laptop and camera. I still have another digital Canon, bigger but with the similar features. The rice drying hasn't worked yet, but I have patience. In dollar cost the motorcycle adventure will not be that much more expensive than flying and renting a car - and if I win the Lotto I could move up to something bigger and bolder (at my age?). My brother offered to pick it up and take it to Denver to get repaired, but except for his opportunity to see our niece and the children it would be a chore and I would some day have to meet it. I think the bike here will work better. I also need to find work to support my habits, don't I?

Big event of today is the doctor's visit for tests and such - in a few days we will know more. I did lose weight on the trip, jogging gently is highly recommended, and watching what one eats. Automatic eating is like auto feeding - fatter rats in both cases. After the tests and such I will find a large black coffee and breakfast gruel, then change into work clothes. Yards to edge and then rake up and clean. Bills to pay and a longer gentle jog to get back into the swing of things, that part of the garage looks empty where the Trusty Triumph normally waits. My wife has been very happy that I got home safe, and she is sleeping much better now, there was a large mallet and whistle beside her sleeping pad. I always ask about the whistle, must have been from watching an Oprah show. I recommend the cell phone with the 911 button for calling immediately upon recognition of danger. The whistle doesn't work for me. The mallet isn't bad, but I would have picked a tomahawk or hatchet myself. Heavy and it cuts, she probably is thinking of blood everywhere that she doesn't want to clean up.

Well, I did get home yesterday... fun flying...

Most maintenance problems are with the nut connecting the handle bars to the seat. I read that on the Triumph Forum, looking for an excuse for my breakdown on the way to Rapid City, South Dakota. Grind, grind, metallic clinks and no more riding for me. I called 911, got a tow truck and a police traffic guard, all nice guys. Took the bike to the Rice Honda dealer on Campbell in Rapid City to store, was suggested to get a motorcycle shipping service to move it to home station (straight to the dealer/shop I always use).

Called taxi, bought ticket on Delta to Salt Lake City then on to Seattle-Tacoma, grabbed my bags and jumped on the bus and called my wife when I was sure to shorten her worry gap. She gave me the Lotto tickets and said that if we won I was to buy a Honda, sigh. By this morning we are right again. I have lost five pounds on the trip, no refrigerator in my backpack, I would guess and the jogging done when not riding the Trusty Triumph. Washing all clothes now, total loss so far - motorcycle, camera, and laptop - the last two for rain damage, may get cured by hair dryer? Microwave won't work.

What I do know... is never enough...

The trip by Trusty Triumph to Rochester, Minnesota, never gets shorter, going on to Huntley, Illinois was breath taking in losing power on the center lane, large honking truck behind me (close behind) and no way to see the on coming right lane speeders, one eighteen wheeler almost got me, but I did make it to the shoulder. And started the motorcycle up and got back to finding the Barbeque at my cousin's home. Which I did find almost on time.

One of my biggest joys was seeing all those children as parents and all their children, and talking to those no longer children as adults and finding they have many of my concerns, from a different angle. They all are doing very well -- which is why they come to the Reunion, ever see people having problems or cloudy skies risk a voyage? I did propose a virtual Reunion, on YouTube or facebook, since we could only bring my aunt's good wishes, by video, to all that were attending, and it was great stopping by to visit with her. It was also a wonderful stopping to see my niece - we have had a few meetings at the SeaTac Airport as she left for Korea and then later on her way to England, missed her last year as she was in Qatar. Works in Air Force munitions.

Reunions, lots of Hello and what is happening, lots of good-byes until we meet again. There were old films of long ago family gatherings, from the 1950s through 70s and later. Worth all the adventure of the trip, worth all the expense of the preparation and the memories will be priceless after more and more of us go on... because much of the conversation is about before and the history, the children are in the now, the parents in their nearer future, and the elders are dwelling in the past where they are very comfortable and remember being loved. You get another chance, go to the next one and make a memory for yourself and the audience that seems to be on your side.

Motorcycling collects bugs, by the bunch. I clean the shield off at most fuel stops, but after this morning's staggering, to me and the Trusty Triumph, I have not one bug on the bike anywhere, a complete wash out and off. When I was stopping in the evening in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois the little biters came out to make me so much lighter, and it gave me joy to notice that after smashing a few hundred on the road their cannibalistic brethren came out to play in the blasted bug blood and feast upon the recently departed. I have also noticed an evolutionary change in the sparrows passions at rest stops, they are gleaning the grills of dead fly bys, the auto grills and bumpers. What will become of them if they lose the automobiles from the road - will they starve?

In the morning I start again, only nineteen hours away from home, needless to say, more adventures and challenges on the trip and the need for sleep mean I will be home on Wednesday. Y'all be good and contact one of those you haven't touched recently and see how they are. When they ask me if I am riding alone, I forget that God is with me, but I confess to not doing groups well. One way of looking at dying alone, or never ever being alone - just beyond the humans left behind. Been singing as I ride, Don't tug on Superman's Cape, and It is well with my soul... until I can add some pictures.

Look at that, get away from Explorer and go Firefox and the picture is posted. There is a message about choices there, or I should know more about what I have problems with?

For some reason I can't post a picture...

So you get no words, the rains beat me terribly, I am huddled up drying out and trying to find more energy. Wall Drug, South Dakota, is more interesting than WalMart. And Hot Roast Beef sandwich on mash potatoes with gravy fills me as well now as it did in 1965 as a hungry teenager.

Packin' out, moving on...

Sunday, went to church and then on to walk with wife along Ruston Way, nice day for a long walk along the Sound. Stopped and had burgers at the RAM outside and watched the water. Came home to unpacked computer, mortorcycle and back pack.

I know I will pack more than I need, I do have reservations for Motel on Friday and Saturday, stopping at friends, relatives and rest stops on the way to Illinois, will be just stopping at rest stops on the way back Sunday through Wednesday.

Had a Skype.com visit from my son and grandson, my wife is still trying to hug through the monitor, it doesn't work. She needs to get on an airplane and fly there, but she has fears and so will just keep working until her vacation later.

Don't expect much posting, I am taking my computer just in case I really need to get it out and on. Which could be Friday or Tuesday. We will see. I think seeing and talking to people is so much better in face to face personal.... don't like that everyone sitting at a terminal typing away on facebook and such.

Y'all be good as you can for all the best reasons - you only get one chance to make a great first impression! Lord love you, always.

Big day yesterday... Not

I had a doctor visit for calibration, they weren't happy but left me at the same level of medication, now we all aren't happy. Went on a long jog before the visit, find I am ambling along, day dreaming and not pushing myself faster into whatever that would bring. I should be happy to jog at all.

My Trusty Triumph was purring after I filled it up, 3.75 gallons for fifteen dollars exactly, sigh. Yes, the mileage is good, but the rest of the country isn't rich. I bought new high speed running shoes, they will look good. Not that I care about the looking good, they had to fit, and I will rapidly wear them out, shuffling along.

Running shorts, 2pair, long underwear, 2 pair. It promises to be too hot to keep using my sweat pants, so I won't. I bought a Snickers, small for fifty cents and 280 calories, had it with a Starbucks Mocha Grande, for ?.75 and unknown calories. I went home to finish raking the lawn and clean up, did a pretty good job.

I found a mole laying on top of the grass - kind of out of it, I wondered if it had been poisoned or the neighborhood cat had been playing. No telling, I pinned it with the leaf rake and contemplated and then decided to kill it, and did so, cutting its throat and cracking its spine. Tossed into the wood line behind the house. No, I wasn't carrying a gun then, and I wouldn't have shot it. The forty-five would have been over kill if I didn't miss. I was probably carrying all day away from the house, but then I had a bright ugly motorcycle vest on so no one would have gotten close.

Steak for dinner, and because I was appreciated my wife gave me a cup of Dreyer's Slow Churned Chocolate Chip, which is only 180 calories. I find a cup of ice cream eaten calmly and quietly a joy, but I never like to buy them, because I can get a better deal per ounce from larger packages. she kept the cups and cleaned them out, maybe she will buy a large half gallon and refill them as I deserve them? Ah, well, enjoy it - everything will soon be gone, vanity all is vanity.

the cure for America's Economic problems...

The media keeps looking for an answer, but they go to the Congress and the White House and Wall Street. There aren't any solutions there, there is power and money but no solution. The only solution is in Hard Work and Prayer. If everyone went out and worked hard and prayed it would be fine again. Remember that I said everyone.

Truth is: Force only breaks things quicker...

Seems the SWAT teams are out of control, or the government is, take your pick. But if they are going to war with Americans everywhere (yes, they are coming to your door, the GPS isn't that perfect) one would think that serving a warrant for a woman would not include beating up her husband and terrorizing the children. But then SWAT teams live in fear of the door that blows up when they break it, and they seem to be protected by law from redress for excessive force and stupidity.

I use pictures from places, and hope they aren't protected, but I would guess that I would (and have) remove pictures that are offensive or revealing. One of the reasons I have so many boring pictures of me everywhere. Seems Breda has someone lifting her photo, and then labeling it Breda P__n, not very nice at all. I looked at her blog post, and then sent an email to the undercover Gun Control freak, obviously it wasn't a real Gunnie blogging, looks very much like a high school kid with angst and other problems with real people enjoying firearms and their rights. Well, I am sure he (or she) will be lauded by the BAFTE and the Gun Control Groupies everywhere. For us seriously soon to die of old age and laughter group of gun lovers and such - bad manners don't deserve notice, if the Democrats are riddled with fools that think they are buff and tempting, more reason to vote them out.

If you have to threaten me to accomplish something, I am stupid, too busy, or it is a lack of real thinking, planning and LEADERSHIP on your part. Honest, slavery is over in this country and we don't even elect KINGS.

I love books about things away from here...

I am reading Triumph at Kapyong, by Dan Djarnason, a book about Canadians in the Korean War. He calls it the "Forgotten War" six decades ago. "It is about as far removed from us as the Second World War was from the Riel Rebellion." And I, broadly reading military adventures and such, know kind of what that was about. For not only do we (Americans in general) know little about our History and development - we know less than that about our neighbors. We are actually fool enough to believe that Canadians, except those French speaking ones, are just like us. Luckily for us, as a nation, they aren't just like us. And studying them would help shine light upon our own challenges.

Where is my interest in the computer?

The internet awaits, but I think I have been driven off, got things to do, and finishing my cup of coffee and starting a morning jog before rains return seem like my goal this morning. Started reading Ezra, don't read that very much. There were once Great Persians.

My sister is again working on my mother's estate and warns me and my brother to expect paperwork to sign get notarized and return to the Courthouse. Thank you, Joycelyn.

I am preparing to be a better motorcyclist. I have my basic exercises for the trip, know in general exactly where to stop (where the wheels don't slide out from underneath one). Now, like on the trip, I need to start doing them during commercial interruptions. It isn't good to have all that fluid pooling in the feet and swelling as I sit and ride, only the throttle and the wrist working.

On the economic recovery, Earl's plan is simple, use those gift cards immediately upon receiving (within a week) because that pool of un-used money is exactly like those piles of cash the big corporations and banks aren't circulating. And do roll those coins up, or put that pickle jar of money through the Coin Star machine and spend! Enjoy, for all that stuff you have piled up for years may get torn away in a passing tornado or hurricane, brush fire, earthquake or tsunami. I have been watching too much television. Can't you tell, no mind no more.

About time someone moved in...

Beautiful day and so I go out to grab the handweights, and worn jogging shoes and sit on the porch and prepare to wear the soles off and the shed the unwanted pounds, about two-hundred and forty of them [no one wants me any more :-( ]. And I get buzzed, a bit, so I lift my head and pay attention. Seems I am invading territory, and the little guy has heart - considering how large I am - he isn't afraid a lick.

My mother gave us too much, one thing was the bird house, only occupied once, and many years empty waiting for economic recovery or something. So one must have decided it was better for future family growth than other spots on the grounds, so they are moving in. My camera isn't fast enough to catch the flight of the fleeing feathered friend - or so I say. Will post that on facebook to see who knows what type of bird (besides a fast one) it is. Looks like a Chickadee, and we have three of the variations around here - but I have been wrong before.

I had to sign in again at the Appleseed forum...

So soon they forget, another old guy has been to be tossed out on the compose pile...

Speaking of so soon forgotten. I had a baby once, well, not me but my wife and I. Today is his birthday - which hardly gets the celebration it deserves, not because he is another year older, and my wife using two cultural references can't tell me he is thirty-four today (yes, dear, I will keep the checkbook) as a Korean would say he is in his thirty-fifth year of life. But because he is probably all that I have done better than I expected. Don't you know that is because he does have his own mind and abilities and after a start anything he does is amazing, and when it is great it is even better.

Happy Birthday, son! It is so cool being a Dad.