The Tides of September

Great Grandma!

Wow.  Has it ever been a scorcher of a summer.  Lawns have gone almost totally unmowed for weeks now, and even the trees are turning brown.  Riding the Harley has been a simple commute to work.  I just don't enjoy riding in the extreme hot weather.  If I wanted to be cooked, I'd turn into a Ball Park Frank and toss myself onto the first waiting BBQ grill.  The electric bill is even screaming for mercy.  Try as I might, its been one challenging summer, and lately I seem to be falling ever farther behind.  My consulting work has all but dried up, and its becoming harder to manage those bills when everyone from Tom Dick to Harry wants a piece of you.  Day work has been extremely challenging as staff retirements are adding to my own workload.  Its just harder all around, and the hot weather is just the added irritant I don't need right now.

Jesse and Dale

At home things are in a constant state of flex.  Our grandson Dale has been a challenge, learning his habits and adapting to his constant changes. He sure is a feisty lad, but at the same time I am reminded many times a day that I am NOT the easiest person in the world to get along with either.  We all have our moments, apparently me more so than others.  At the moment the little guy is teething, which is a very trying time for both baby and parents/caregivers.  Having been through this process I can say that babies at this stage can become very fussy.  His mother, however, is learning, and sometimes she falls and we'll lend that uplifting hand to pick her back up.  Raising Dale will be a tough task, but so far Dale and Jesse are doing pretty darn good.

Cheyenne posing in South Haven

Cheyenne has started college.  She is currently attending the community college here in town.  She seems to be adapting rather well, but sometimes college can present a different set of challenges.  She does face an uphill battle, and struggles some in some of her courses.  Having been through all this in high school, we were fortunate enough to get her into a program that will provide learning assistance as she needs it.  She does seem determined to follow through with this, and it will be interesting to see how she meets these challenges.  She definitely prefers college, however, as she so directly put it.  High school simply has too many rules!

Mary

As for Mary and I, we are getting antsy feet.  We've spent our lives raising two fine young daughters, and now we sense a freedom that we have never experienced before.  This year September brings so many challenges that Mary and I are facing, but for the first time in our lives we are finally going to venture out and do a "little" travelling.  Those who know me best know what a huge fan of the rock band Rush I am.  It goes without saying that any band who continues to produce quality music for almost 40 years gets my undying respect.  To that end, several concert trips are planned, including one to Winnipeg and Saskatoon on the Harley.  I am meeting up with a friend for some riding time on the scoots.  Mary and I are also going to a couple shows, including a trip to Toronto.  We plan on meeting up with friends and just trying to enjoy the time away for once.  We have been reaching out and making friends that we would not have otherwise found, and its refreshing to have those that we can relate with, of our age group.  To say we are looking forward to this is quite the understatement!

A recent PGR Ride honoring a
Korean War MIA whose remains
were recently identified

Riding has been sparse.  The hot weather has combined with my other duties to slow my riding time down a lot, but once every few weeks I manage to get in a hundred or so miles under my belt.  We have been experimenting with riding two up with Mary on back, but we're still learning how to do that the best way.  I did manage an oil change and some riding this past Labor Day weekend.  Actually not much traffic out that day. Found a couple of promising routes I might take for later.  The one thing I keep finding on my riding days are things I never usually see.  The eagle soaring overhead, or the family of deer along the creek bed.  A perchance meeting with a beaver or just seeing the trees and being outside.  Being office bound a lot I don't always get to do these things, so every opportunity is a blessing.  Sometimes in life too, we must find those little things that we feel blessed with. Find those things that make you happiest, and never let them go, because you only get once chance at this thing called life.  I am learning to make the most of my time!!



My Marilyn - she sure cleans up GOOD!

Peace & Love Everybody!