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| A few original ornaments from our first year |
Its been awhile since my last installment of things Harley and such. Holidays are supposedly a pretty busy time, and this year was another shining example of our hectic schedules. I just wish for once that folks would sit down and read the Good Book and realize Christmas ain't about who you can run over at the mall. Its not about expanding your credit card debt our your waistline. Its just amazing that the time of year when we all should be at our best, we fail miserably. Not just as a country, or a people, but as a species in general. Sometimes I wonder if the gene pool needs a bit of cleaning out, because there is more inexcusable behavior our there than I care for. Thankfully, the holidays are behind us, and maybe we can all return to our regularly scheduled insanity.
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| After a big snowstorm two days before Christmas |
This year has been hard. Jesse decided to go to Arizona before Christmas. Not that I can blame her. The weather in Iowa can be downright bitter in wintertime. Cold weather snow, and ice are all products of living in Iowa, and it can really wear on you. Unfortunately planning was not good and she realized quite rapidly sometimes that living with Mom and Dad isn't that bad compared to being in a strange city with no room, no food, and no shower. As my mother reminds me all the time - its a "learning experience" and this is one of those times she will count her blessings a bit differently next time. The "real world" can be foreboding unless you have a real plan in place, as in this case. Thankfully, Uncle wasn't too far off, and was able to lend a hand and give her a place to stay for a week or so.
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| Melissa in September |
Melissa has been put to sleep for the winter. Oil changed, polished a bit, battery tender at the ready. I took one last ride after returning from Michigan, but that was so cold, I think I am still trying to warm up. Planning new rides for 2011 is already taking shape some. A trip or two to Michigan, perhaps a trip to Kansas, and Sturgis may be in the offiing. Whether these come to fruition is another story, but at least for now I can plan and dream. Sturgis is supposedly a rite of passage for any "true" biker, although whether I am one of those is a bit doubtful. My goal would be Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, and Devils Tower - not sleeping amongst 700,000 biker maniacs. Thats just not my speed. I love to ride, see the scenery, be out amongst the mountains, but in all that something draws me to Sturgis. Another biker goal is to ride to the Mackinac Bridge. Its well within reach, but logistically will be a bit more difficult. Lots of goals and planning to do - and its the first week of January!
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| Our Christmas Tree All lit Ready for Santa! |
My wife Mary will undergo a small procedure on her back of a different nature on January 12th. A new procedure known as ILIF may be able to alleviate the pain she is experiencing in her lumbar area. Scans show at least two disks may need this procedure. Its pretty simple actually. A metal brace is put in between the two vertabrae, and a fragment of bone is put in creating a fuse. The brace will help the spinal column to lift off the disk area, lessening the pressure on the nerves and reducing the pain. Its quite new and has shown some good results in other patients. If this can work, it may help her to become more mobile and allowing her to be more active. Back pain is never fun, but the last few years its gotten progressively worse. In the last four years she has needed epidural treatments and medication to control the pain, but those procedures are failing to control the pain. The last resort is a full fusion of the back, and that is a long and drawn out surgery. Recovery times extending into the 6 and 8 months, whereas this ILIF procedure should see a full recovery in the matter of a few weeks.
For all of you - Have a safe and prosperous New Year!
Peace and Love!
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| My Family Christmas 2010 |
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