THUNDERSNOW!!!

A snowstorm hit late this afternoon with nearly whiteout conditions. As I was walking to my truck to leave work, there was a flash of light in the sky followed by a loud boom. I can't recall ever seeing lightning and hearing thunder while it was snowing.

Thanks for the Christmas present!

"Ground to a halt" or "Busy as a beaver"

I was impressed by Dan's prolific blogging in November when he took part in something called NaBloPoMo and posted everyday for a month. I was on the opposite end of the spectrum and only posted a few times all year. I wanted to change things around in December and started strong with 4 posts in a row but the world conspired against me. I had a 19-hour shift at work on Wednesday, a supper on Thursday, Rivermen hockey on Friday, and Saturday was packed with gymnastics, paying bills, a little work, and finally another hockey game. I thought I'd squeeze a post in before going in to work a little bit today.

The Pregnancy

As soon as we knew that Raquel was pregnant, we told Lourdes that she was going to be a big sister and that mommy has a "baby belly". She has been quite excited and wants a little sister, but she knows mommy wants a little boy. The day we went in for the sonogram, Lourdes told Raquel that there were two babies: a little girl for Lourdes and a little boy for Raquel. We took Lourdes with us to the appointment for the sonogram and she thought it was really neat to hear the heartbeat despite the strange sound. The two baby theory went out the window with the single beating heart. If anybody asks Lourdes if she wants a brother or a sister, she says there's only one baby and she knows that it is a sister. We'll see what the next sonograms reveal.

Work, work, work

I've been very busy at work lately. We're in the midst of some projects and also trying to prep for an inspection. One huge project that I've been heavily involved in has been the upgrade of our data network infrastructure. There are so many details to take in to account and a lot of prep work. I got so much help from so many people, I could do one of those endless award thank you speeches where they start playing the music in an effort to wrap it up. There's a lot of work remaining to complete this phase so I'll be busy for a while longer.

Rivermen woes
The Rivermen lost back-to-back home games against a team they have dominated. They really should have won. You hate to blame a loss on a referee who makes a questionable or outright bad call. A team should play with intensity for the whole game so that one call is not the reason for success or failure. However, an endless series of bad calls can easily be blamed for a loss, or back-to-back losses in our case. This particular ref was officiating youth league hockey last year. This year he's in the AHL and we had him Friday and Saturday. He didn't get any better as the games went on. Hopefully, some review process will get him the feedback he needs to be an official at this level or send him packing.


Well I need to get ready to go in to work for a little bit today. Tomorrow we have another appointment and another sonogram. Will try to post tomorrow.

Bun in the oven...

That's right. Raquel is expecting and here's the proof:

There's a 1.45 cm little person growing there. Of course the picture is about 3 weeks old so I'm sure it's much bigger already. We go in again really soon for another sonogram so we'll see how our little person is growing. By the way, the due date is 29 June 2008. And in case you are wondering, this is quite unexpected but very much welcome.

It's kind of funny because I blogged back in July about Lourdes needing a playmate but not a sibling. Look at me now.

Santa Photo as promised

We hope to go see Santa at the mall soon and get some proper pictures taken.

She's such a girl!!

We were shopping for a Christmas outfit for Lourdes the other day. We found her a pretty dress and boots to wear to see Santa. Her shopping genes kicked in and she said she needed a new purse to go with her new outfit. How can I resist a pretty girl?

Later I noticed that on her new boots there are some decorative pendants (I don't know how else to describe them) and they say "I LOVE SHOPPING". Folks, she's only 3 years old. I'm in trouble!!

Her visit with Santa at the base went really well. She was very happy to see him, was not shy, and talked to him a little. Santa rewarded her with some girlie walkie talkies. Thanks to Greg and Dan for the gift idea.

Look for Santa pics soon!!

Cursing like a sailor

We had a bit of an ice storm today. I was at the base this morning when it started and my truck got covered in ice. In the afternoon I went home to pick up Raquel and Lourdes to bring them to the base for a Christmas party. When I got there, Lourdes was looking at all the ice on the truck and said "What the hell is wrong with the window?"

Happy Birthday to Greg!

Today, September 14th, is Greg's birthday. Forty-one years ago, Greg's mom went to the hospital to give birth to a son, but Greg came out instead. He was 4 weeks overdue, weighed 17 pounds, and came out breach. His mom has hated him ever since.

Greg's childhood was far from normal, yet somehow he managed to turn out far from normal. The youngest of 12 sisters, Greg got all the hand-me-down clothing. When he was 8, he realized he wasn't a girl, just a dress-wearing sissy.

His adolescent years were trying times. Greg discovered his body and there was no stopping him. Morning, noon, and night, he had to "get the poison out" as he referred to his continuous cranking. All his teachers had special bathroom passes at the ready so Greg could take care of his urges. Greg's a lefty and his grip can only be described as vise-like. Of course his right hand is as limp as Greg is dandy.

Greg went to a small college in Ohio or West Virginia or was it Washington, I forget, where all the girls were homely. This worked in Greg's favor as his social skills with the opposite sex were less than nonexistent. Slowly but surely Greg let his left hand relax and he became quite the ladyman, I mean ladies' man.

When Greg left college and entered the working world, he didn't let his higher education determine his course. No, Greg rolled up his sleeves and became a copy boy. Or was it a newspaper carrier, I forget and details are sketchy. Eventually Greg worked his way up to...well I'm not sure what he's up to, but he'll tell you it's important.

Along the way, Greg found a wife, some kids, and a mortgage. He seems well adjusted, but it's a little known fact that Greg still wears Batman Underoos and pretends his motorcylce is the Batcycle as he dodges traffic on his way to see the commissioner.

So Greg, it's your special day. Always remember that you have family that loves you (because they have to), friends that tolerate you, and coworkers that fear you. Happy 41rst you old fart!!

"Saddle sore" or "Rode hard and put away wet"

I got up fairly early today and went for a long motorcycle ride. I left the house at about 7 and went north for a couple hundred miles. I stopped once along the way to refuel and get a drink. It seemed like I had the road all to myself. I was really into the ride, but I was concerned that it was going to be long day. After all, not only was I going north for a couple hundred miles, but I was going to pretty much turn around and go right back home in the same day (400 miles round trip). Oh, yeah, the temperature was going to be in the 90's.

Fairly early, I saw a large deer meandering across the south bound lane and I saw a carcass on my side of the road up ahead. The live one kept me on my toes even though he was really far away. Deer tend to travel in groups and I didn't want to find any stragglers. I saw several dead raccoons, skunks, opossums, and even a large bird. Anyway, I tried to keep my eyes on the road and not take in too much of the scenery.

I arrived at Greg and Deb's house at about 11:30. I had been thinking about how I wanted to greet them when the answered the door. "Can Greg come out and play?" "May I use your restroom?" "Guess who's moving in?!"

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use those or any other greetings because Greg and Deb weren't home. Oh, I didn't mention that I didn't coordinate with them. I decided it was going to be hit or miss and I missed. I went over to Culvers and had lunch. Then fueled up again the bike and bought a Sobe Pomegranate Cherry Life Water. I went back to Greg and Deb's and waited for them and drank the Sobe. I waited on their porch for about an hour. They didn't show up. I couldn't wait any longer so I left the bottle under their table and the lid on top as a little mystery (should they find it) as to how it got there.

"A grown man shouldn't have to play with dolls" or "Spinning Strawberries Sicken Sluggo"

My Little Pony Hell When I'm sitting on the couch playing with dolls (mostly various princesses) and/or horses (mostly My Little Pony or My Little Pony knockoffs), and the occasional other toy, I really wish Lourdes had a companion to keep her company/occupied. A companion that we aren't responsible for. A companion that does exactly what Lourdes wants/needs done. A companion that's always there for her. A companion that is not a sibling.

Now don't get me wrong, I love spending time with her. I love that she almost exclusively chooses me to play these things with her. In fact, sometimes Raquel is a little jealous that Lourdes wants to play things with me instead of her. The problem is that it is typically the same scenario over and over again: "Hi, what's your name?" (repeat the introduction process several times) followed by someone falling into the "fire" or getting stuck in something, getting rescued and promptly falling or getting stuck again. Oh it's fun for a minute, but the fun wears off fast.

Once, I tried to change up the routine by throwing my pony into the adjacent room. Lourdes retrieved it and I threw it again. She retrieved it again and admonished me. I threw it yet again. She retrieved it yet again and closed the door so that I wouldn't be able to throw it. I was very impressed with her solution to a problem.

This airman doesn't fly well About 10 years ago, I flew on one our C-130 Hercules cargo planes. The flight was kind of an incentive flight for those of us in the Air Force that don't get to fly on the planes very much. It was a warm, strike that, hot summer day in upper lower Michigan (sounds funny but look at Alpena, Michigan on the map and tell me a better way to describe it!). The pilot put the aircraft through the wringer and I was enjoying it until motion sickness set in. The ride was not even close to some of the more thrilling roller coasters I've been on, yet it took its toll on me. I managed not to "lose my lunch" but I felt awful for several hours after. Something about turning 30 that year caused a physiological change in me and I've suffered from motion sickness ever since. I'm fine as a passenger in a car under normal circumstances, but air travel requires medication. Now I just want to make it clear, I don't have a fear of flying, I just suffer from motion sickness.

Last weekend, there was a carnival in town. We took Lourdes to the opening night because they have wristband night so for a flat fee you get to ride as many rides as you want. Lourdes and I did the merry-go-round first. I was fine with it. Then Lourdes went on some smaller go-round-in-circles rides without me. She really wanted to ride the strawberries. This ride has giant strawberries that you sit in and can spin them if you want, while the whole ride spins in a bigger circle. I had hoped we would get our own strawberry so that we wouldn't spin, but that was not the case. The two little girls in our strawberry made it spin. Fortunately they didn't make it spin too fast. Unfortunately they made it spin fast enough to bother me. It was hot in the strawberry, and got hotter by the minute. The little girls kept it spinning steady and complaining that they were going to get sick. They were obviously brain-damaged to not associate their spinning of our strawberry with their onset of nausea. I put it together right away, spinning=nausea. By the time the ride was done, I was done. I was sweating, I was nauseous, I was pale. Lourdes was fine.

We went on to do some "safe" rides (read non-spinning). The giant slide was great, although it reminded me of my suspicion of heights. Okay, fear of heights. Well not so much fear of heights, but a fear of being up more than 15 or 20 feet in the air on a platform that I don't have confidence in, especially one put together by "carnies". We climbed the stairs to the top of the slide, Lourdes had no fear at all. She looked down over all the carnival and enjoyed the view. I looked down and hoped the "carnie" had bolted everything together properly. We each had our burlap bag to sit on and slide down. Lourdes sat next to me, we held hands and slid down with great excitement. All in all, it was quite fun except the last drop was steep (not a problem), with a not at all subtle transition back to horizontal (a problem). If you want to simulate the last part, try this: Stand up on your sofa, jump up and away from the sofa, as you are free falling, put your legs and feet out in front of you while your trunk remains vertical, land on your bottom and see how your lower back deals with the stress. I think the carnies were getting kickbacks from local chiropractors trying to drum up more business.

Eventually Lourdes wanted to ride the ferris wheel. I hadn't fully recovered from the strawberry incident yet, but decided to ride the ferris wheel with my little girl. Remember I said I have a fear of of being up more than 15 or 20 feet in the air on a platform that I don't have confidence in, especially one put together by "carnies". By the time we got the ferris wheel loaded, I was not doing very well. I had one hand "white knuckled" on the bar and one clutching Lourdes tight to my side. It seemed like my mind and body were conspiring against me. Fortunately there was a bit of a cooling breeze that helped me considerably. I was definitely not in good shape and felt like I was on the verge of passing out. I toughed it out, aided by the breeze, knowing that Lourdes was having a good time and that if I passed out, it would be equal parts 1)dangerous to her health and safety (she could have easily slipped out of the carriage if we weren't careful) and 2)extremely embarrassing. Once we reached terra firma, I knew I was done. Lourdes wanted to ride more spinning rides that would require me as her chapperone/copilot but we were able to distract her from those. I managed another ride on the slide, this time more prepared for the backbreaking finish. I was impressed by the sheer fearlessness exhibited by Lourdes. I hope she keeps quality (for the most part), although a little fear keeps some of us from accidentally killing ourselves.

Like you're gonna goad me in to posting!!

Deb "tagged" me to post my favorite toddler books. So here goes:

1. "Which way do you swing Mr. Froggy?"


2. "Don't Tickle Me There!"


3. "Leather Pants, Leather Undies"


4. "Don't Bogart the Jesus Juice!


5. "The Riding Crop Goes Whack, Whack, Whack!!"


6. "My Friend, Mr. Matchbook"


7. "Under the Sink"


8. "Make the Dogs Stop Saying My Name!"


9. "Mommy's In Heaven and Daddy's In Jail"

And for the pre-teen and teen:

1. "The Monster in my Pants"


2. "Altar Boy, Alter Ego"


3. "The Scoutmaster's Wish"


4. "The Magic Weed"


5. "NAMBLA and You"

My favorite fiction/horror: "The Clinton Presidency:The Hillary Years"

Okay, if it isn't obvious, the lists are satirical and I have no intention of taking part in getting tagged. At least not right now, not this topic.

Britcom Saturday Night

I'll be forced to record Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine. We'll be out of town for the day and come back in time to see a Rivermen game tonight. Maybe we'll enjoy them Sunday morning.

Why do I like Last of the Summer Wine? Well, mostly because it's funny. It's similar to Seinfeld in that it is a show about nothing, yet a lot happens. I like the recurring gags and the subtle humor. Then there's the physical humor. I know they use stunt doubles but it's still funny to think of an old man losing control of his bike and crashing into a hay bale.

Also because it's a nice show to watch on a night that broadcast TV offers nothing.

So I look forward to the eventual receipt of whatever tat Dan can manage to throw across the pond, whenever he can manage it.

I have to shower now so we can hit the road. GO RIVERMEN!!

Where's my tat?

Well the brits have come and gone and failed to deliver the "tat" they promised me!!

Sorry Dan, I had to say that because it made for a good post title!! Don't worry, I'm not upset. Unless you really bought the tat and Greg kept it for himself! And if that's the case, I'm not upset with you. Greg, you better 'fess up!

It sounds like the visit was a great time for all. I honestly thought Greg and Deb had visited you when they went to Europe, but they set the record straight. When they do come to your house, perhaps they can be of some assistance with your garden project? Maybe a deck on the house? Painting? You can always tell them it's a tradition in the countryside to leave the host's home better than you found it. They wouldn't know any better (I don't know if you realized that they aren't very well educated, but they fake it rather well).

Pancho We bred our boy Pancho with a beautiful black and tan dachshund in late February. If it took, the litter will be due at the end of this month. This particular female delivered 7 pups in a previous litter (not with our Pancho), so I hope she does the same with Pancho.

Lourdes is in gymnastics and is having a good time. She's quite strong on the rings. I should post a video of her on You Tube.

Gotta go.

Paragon Harrow Wiper allows safe recycling of difficult disks.

I did a Google search for something today and ended up looking at the page of a software company. I glanced through some of the descriptions of some of the software and one said Paragon Harrow Wiper allows safe recycling of difficult disks. I thought about it for a second and realized that difficult is another word for hard. It made me chuckle.

Dan and Kerry
Welcome to the US! I hope you enjoy your stay. Your hosts are terrific people despite their tendency to swing! Dan, if Greg invites you to go to the "store" with him, DON'T GO!! And Kerry, watch out if Deb invites you "downstairs". Be sure to ask Greg about the "ether bunny".

It's Official: We're crazy!!

I've mentioned before that my coworker Greg (not Greg of Greg and Deb on the Web) and I are trying to get/stay in shape by walking/running a nearly 3-mile trail as often as we can. It snowed a little last week, well a few inches, nothing compared to the several feet of snow in other parts of the country. Greg and I opted not to go the day it was snowing as he was not feeling well and it coming down fast. The next three days I went by myself as Greg was still sick. The trail was a little treacherous because the snow was quite powdery and there were several icy patches hidden underneath. It was like putting sawdust on a shuffleboard table. The snow was just deep enough and my mukluks were just heavy enough to make the trek quite a workout. Oh yeah, it was cold too. The wind chill was below zero, sometimes way below zero. I went again this past Monday and then Tuesday the area got hit with another 6-10 inches of snow with high winds. Again I didn't want to go in the blizzard. I didn't work on Wednesday.
Thursday I anticipated going to the gym and using a treadmill because of all the snowfall and snowdrifts. I asked Greg if he was feeling better and if he planned on exercising. He said yes and yes. Then I asked, with much hesitation and afraid of the answer, if he thought he wanted to walk the trail. My fear was substantiated with his reply of "I was thinking about it". Oh no. I tried to reason with him, but not too aggressively because I think I secretly wanted to try as well. I said that it was very difficult last week, like walking on a three-mile stretch of beach only with many long, steep hills. So I guess it would be closer to walking sand dunes and not the beach. Plus it was cold instead of hot. So maybe not like sand dunes at all. More like walking a three-mile, hill-infested, snow-covered trail in the cold. And now it was going to be even worse.
Well we're crazy. We went ahead and did it. The snow was just deep enough in most places (at least half way up the shins) but there were stretches of snow that went up to mid-thigh. We hadn't even gone one-half mile and I was thinking we were in trouble. It was slow going and much further to go without knowing if conditions would improve or deteriorate. My calves were burning, my feet were cramping, but other than that I was okay. Greg was in the same boat. Neither one of us mentioned turning around or taking a route that would avoid the toughest hills. The only thing we kept saying as we trudged along was that we're crazy. In the end, we concluded that it was very challenging, we were glad we did it and that, once again, we're crazy.
Rivermen - one of our enforcers was called up to parent NHL club St. Louis and got in fight. D.J. King held his own against a veteran, and may have actually gotten the upper hand (or fist). We'll probably go to a game this Sunday, maybe D.J. will be back with us then.
Movies - We used to go to movies all the time, but it's been a while since Raquel and I have gone without Lourdes. Finally, this afternoon we will leave Lourdes with our friend Anita and we will go see a movie intended for grown ups, an adult film if you will, but not an adult film. Actually it will be Eddy Murphy's Norbit which looks pretty funny.
Dan reviewed Hot Fuzz which I've seen previews for. Unfortunately it will probably have to be a DVD rental someday. We've rented a lot of movies since Lourdes got too big to be quiet at big people movies. Kids sure do change our lives!
Joke - Two buddies, Bob and Larry, are getting very drunk at a bar
when suddenly Larry throws up all over himself. "Oh, no...Now my wife
will kill me!"

Bob says, "Don't worry, pal. Just tuck a twenty in your breast pocket
and tell your wife that someone threw up on you and gave you twenty
dollars for the dry cleaning bill."

So they stay for another couple of
hours and get even drunker.
Eventually Larry stumbles home and his wife starts to give him a bad
time "You reek of alcohol and you've puked all over yourself!
My God, you're disgusting!"


Speaking very carefully so as not to slur his words, Larry says,
"Nowainaminit, I can e'splain everythin. Itsh snot wha jew think. I only
had a cupla drrrinks. But thiss other guy got ssick on me...he had one
too many! and he juss koudin hold hizz liquor. He said he was verrry
sorry an' gave me twennie bucks for the cleaning bill!"

His wife looks in the breast pocket and says, "But this is forty bucks.."

"Oh, yeah.. I almos' fergot, he shhhit in my pants, too."

Seems like a nice enough bloke

Greg and Deb have become friends with Dan after he stumbled upon Greg's blog/webpage a while back. Dan started his own blog and quickly climbed Greg's Links page settling in at number 3 behind Greg's wife and Greg's brother. Somehow, I have managed to climb to and stay at number 4 despite the fact that I only post sporadically at best.
Please don't think I'm jealous of Dan. On the contrary, I've recently started following Dan's blog on a regular basis and have grown to appreciate his sense of humor (or is it humour?). Well, actually I guess I am jealous of the fact that he blogs so much more than I, but I do enjoy checking his blog. Anyway, good on ya, mate. Or is that Australian? I'm not too good with the words and making them come out correctly.
Deb has become a prolific poster. It seems that not a day goes by without something from her. Thanks Deb for keeping us updated on the family.
I've wanted to become a regular blogger but I just can't seem to muster the determination or the topics. By the time I get done reading all the regulars, I don't feel like writing anything. Or if I do feel like writing, it takes me forever to write a single paragraph. How long does it take you (whoever you are) to do your posts?
Weather - a pretty good winter storm hit last night and all day today. At work, they implemented liberal leave and finally early dismissal. The roads weren't too bad but far from pristine. I had no problems with my big 4X4 and I didn't see anyone stuck anywhere. While at work, it was hard to keep up with the falling and drifting snow. My coworkers ran the plows on our little utility vehicles and were running out of room to push the snow. I'm taking tomorrow off so hopefully everything will be clear when I go back on Thursday.
Rivermen - They haven't done very well recently. After losing several games, they won last Wednesday and Saturday, then lost in sudden death on Sunday. They still have lots of games left and have the potential to turn things around for a playoff run. Seems like if I post something positive about them, they lose, so if I post a lukewarm blurb, maybe they'll do better.
Fitness - Greg, my coworker, fell a little ill last week and I went on the trail by myself three times last week and once this week. It snowed last week and it felt like I was walking on a three-mile stretch of sand. I was wiped out at the end of the week. I'm not sure I will feel like walking in even deeper snow this Thursday. By the way the temperatures had been really low with negative wind chill but it didn't stop me.

Mr. T, Pinky Lee, and Scott Hamilton

President Bush visited Peoria today. A recent Journal Star article commented on some of the preparations and speculations involving a presidential visit. According to the article, if the president were to become sick or injured then he would most likely be taken to OSF St. Francis. Mr. T, Pinky Lee, and Scott Hamilton were listed as entertainers who have been patients at the hospital. That's some top notch reportin'!!

Back in touch...

Last post, I talked about some around-the-world-on-motorcycle blogs/websites that I had been following lately. I was worried because there hadn't been any updates for a little while and I quite frankly wondered if something bad had happened to them. Finally a little news about them.
The World Rider guy finally put up a quick post and picture saying he was in Santiago, Chile. No explanation as to why he hadn't posted nor were there any tales of his travels. He did say he was behind and has lots of photos and stories to tell.
The "Round the World or Bust!" couple also updated and included a bit of a journal with their adventures. The key reason they hadn't updated was due to a maid knocking their laptop off the nightstand and breaking it. They've got a replacement computer now and should be back to regular updates.
Weather
Yesterday the weather was to take a turn for the worse. Rain was to change to freezing rain and later this weekend it's supposed to snow a little. It didn't seem too bad at first, but as the day wore on, I noticed more and more cars with ice on them. Salt spreaders were out in force, trying to stay ahead of the weather. There was a really bad winter storm in November/December that shut down this area. The storm came and went but the recovery took longer than many think it should have. Now public officials are wanting to seem proactive and implement a better snow/winter storm plan.
Fitness
My coworker Greg and I have been trying to focus on maintaining a level of fitness that will allow us to pick up where we left off in better weather and hopefully notch it up a ways. We are afforded the opportunity to work out three times a week on company time. We typically run a trail in the back 40 that has some steep hills. The trail itself is just shy of three miles. Greg started working with us full time in the spring last year and it only took him a few times to consistently run the trail without stopping. I took much longer to get there due to shin splints and foot problems. After changing to the Brooks Cascadia trail shoe, my legs and feet got better and I was able to run the whole trail without stopping on a much more consistent basis. With the onset of winter, we've been determined to continue hitting the trail, but we're not running it every time. Some times we'll run as far as we can, other times we'll fast walk, and still other times we'll fast walk most of the trail and run some of the hills. We've not allowed rain or snow or darkness deter us. After the first snow of the season, we put on the mukluks and waded through some knee -deep snow. Another time it had rained all day, but we hit the wet muddy trail with enthusiasm. By the way, we didn't see anyone else out there that day!
Last year, we were prepping for a major exercise and in turn a major inspection to prove that our unit was ready for war. A big part of the exercise/inspection process is to wear an anti-chemical suit, flak jacket and kevlar helmet while waiting for attacks to happen. If it's a chemical attack, you have to put on a mask and gloves and do what you have to do. During the simulated war, you most likely wear the ensemble minus gloves and mask for your entire shift. The chemical attacks in these simulations will put you the whole getup and "sucking rubber" for up to six hours. Greg and I prepped for these times by walking the trail in our flak jackets and masks. This was July and August by the way. In September when we had to play the first war game, Greg found himself in the mask and started to get a bit of a mild "panic attack". He calmed himself down immediately by thinking back to walking the trail in the mask and knowing that he made it through that hard physical exertion so sitting on the floor waiting for instructions should be a piece of cake.
Another benefit we've both noticed is that we pass our annual fitness tests much easier than before. There are four major components to the test and each carry certain amount of points. Waist measurement and cardio recovery comprise the most points and if you can't get decent scores on those, you get a marginal or poor score. Greg and I both improved our cardio scores and that's directly attributed to our running/walking regimen.
Greg has a goal of running the 15k Steamboat Classic which I think is in June. I haven't decided if I want to do that yet. Either way, we'll be increasing our distances. Don't be surprised if I get roped into it!!
Rivermen
The Rivermen won last night and are third in their division and not too far behind first and second. They're looking pretty good overall, but occasionally will have lapses that cost them dearly. They face the same problems that all farm teams have to deal with such as player callups, injuries, injury-rehab assignments, and the dreaded impatient - foreign - players - who - think - they - should - jump - right - into - the - NHL - because - they - were - stars - in - their - country - but - aren't - adjusting - well - because - the - game - is - more - physical - and - faster - so - they - jump - ship - and - run - home - to - mama types. Let's see how the rivs do tonight against a Milwaukee team that's not too far behind in the standings.

Post #85

Welcome to my 85th post!! What a milestone! I know there are those of you who never thought it would go this far, but here we are!!! Can you smell the sarcasm?

Actually, I know there aren't a lot of readers of this blog, but I really need to do a better job of posting (doesn't that sound familiar?). There are some blogs and personal web pages that I've been following and I always enjoy their updates. I'm finding myself worried because there haven't been any updates in a while. For example, there's a guy traveling around the world on his motorcycle. He started in the US, made his way to South America, and had an accident in Bolivia. He broke his leg rather badly when his motorcycle fell over on him and he needed to be medically evacuated back to the US. He had surgeries and therapy and recuperated for about 9 months. He then went back to Bolivia, got his motorcycle repaired, ran in to some red tape, had another minor accident (tweaked his leg/foot), etc. Well the guy hasn't posted for a couple weeks and that makes me a little concerned for his well-being.

Then there's a couple who are on their way around the world on motorcycles. They haven't posted in almost a month. I'm a bit worried about them and I can't even begin to think about what their families must be thinking.

I feel weird getting caught up in the lives of these people I don't even know, but I enjoy reading about their adventures. They are doing something that I would love to be able to attempt someday. I'm not so sure about how far around the world I would want to go, but I definitely want to travel extensively on a motorcycle. I think I would probably start on some smaller treks within North America, but the coolest thing would be a tip-to-tip trip, the Artic Circle in Alaska down to the tip of South America in Ushuaia, Argentina. What do you think, Greg?

Around the world.......

Dan's blog had a nifty link to a website that let you check off a list of countries that you have visited and it would generate a map of the world with the visited countries in red. As I was checking off the list, I cheated with a couple countries in that I really didn't spend more than a couple hours at an airport there. Those countries are England and French Guiana. Two other countries on the list are a stretch but allow me to explain them.

One time I was going to Kuwait for a 30 day temporary duty with the Air Force. Someone at our base was misinformed on how to get there. This person thought that all personnel going to the Middle East had to take a normal personnel rotation flight to Saudi Arabia and would then continue on to their destination. After delays getting out of the US and finally arriving in Saudi Arabia, we (I was traveling with one other person from my base) were informed that we should not have flown to Saudi Arabia as there are no continuing flights to Kuwait. The base there really didn't know what to do with us so we spent the remainder of the night under a giant overhang outside and waited for further instructions. The next morning, a small plane that did a regular mail run was able to give us a lift into Kuwait, and then we were able to hitch a ride with some Air Force security guys to our base. So my visit to Saudi Arabia was brief and limited.

Once I was returning from Paraguay and had to change planes in Brazil. There was a mechanical delay there and the airline put me up in a hotel in San Pablo (Sao Paulo). It was a somewhat eerie feeling to arrive at the airport the next morning without proper credentials (no Brazilian visa in my passport) and try to convince security that I was legally there.

My Visited Countries

Get your own Visited Countries Map from Travel Blog

We were able to have a short visit with Greg and Deb on Saturday. Their little girls were terrific with our little girl. Allie was very patient and shared her Leapster and Julia surprised her parents by sharing her little babies. They said that Dan had mentioned us in one of his recent posts. Thanks Dan and Amy! And we think our Lourdes is pretty too!!


It was nice to see Greg, Deb and the girls. I hope we can spend a little more time together in the future. Perhaps we should consider a visit to the magical state of Wisconsin (even the name is enchanting!). Greg explained the problem he is having with his blog. Basically he goes through his web page with his ISP to import from Blogger. That method has always been a problem for him and basically his web page host/ISP changed something and he's got to figure out what he needs to do to get back up and running. Good luck!!