Some Like It Hot

I still can't figure out if it's spring
or winter yet!

Is anyone melting yet?  I mean really.  This goofy weather is just getting weirder by the minute.  We go from highs in the 40's to highs of 90-ish in about 3 weeks.  My poor bike doesn't know whether to wrap up in a blankie or stretch out on a bath towel naked!  And to make matters worse, allergy season has hit me like a ton of bricks. Every time I mount up to ride I start sneezing and hacking up fur balls like the cats in our house.  Its hard enough to ride on Ol' Melissa but compound the problem with allergies and that's a recipe for ugly happening on the road.  I guess on the positive side of things my arthritic knee isn't quite as painful, especially given I am trying to get into a more active regimen.  I guess the best thing is we have not had the tornadoes that some states have had this year, and hopefully won't see any time soon.  All my prayers are with those folks in Joplin and Tuscaloosa.

Saw this gorgeous 2011 CVO Electraglide a
couple weeks ago.

Riding has been ok, but a few weeks ago I was walking back out to my bike from making a deposit at the bank, and took one look at my rear tire and my jaw about crumbled.  It was bald. Not down to cords, but there was no tread left on it.  It was almost totally smooth like a racing tire, and if I were to ever get caught in the rain - that would be bad.  When I checked my rear tire mileage it said only 5480 miles.  That's not much, but remembering last summer, I got talked into putting a set of Screamin' Eagle tires on, which are a performance tire - not a touring tire.  Nothing scares me like the thought of blowing a tire doing 75 mph down the interstate.  After consulting a couple folks, I ended up going to J&P Cycles just up the road about 30 miles and getting a whole new set of tires - Metzelers to be exact.  After some nifty finagling, I got the tires mounted balanced everything for a bit under $500.  Had I purchased those tires from the dealers, well, that would have been really spendy.  Morale of the story - inspect your bike as often as possible and look for those things even just going to the grocery store.

Mary seems to be doing a little better these days.  She was given another epidural in her back, only this one went into the spinal area from the side, and she seems to not have nearly as much pain but there is some weakness.  Our neurosurgeon will confer with her tomorrow on her progress and then some decisions will need to be made.  It is likely she will need these shots for the rest of her life, but as long as the frequency stays down she can live with one every now and then.  The concern is how long this epidural will last, and it is likely if it does not last as long she will need additional surgery.  Employment is also a factor, as things are happening at her office, and we all know how that goes when you are away for too long.  Between the medications she has and the shots she keeps getting, its been a rough patch, but things look like they might be improving for now.

Mounting up to escort a soldier
coming home from Afghanistan

Took some time Saturday night to do a Welcome Home/Escort event for a soldier returning home from Afghanistan.   Earlier in the day another soldier was laid to rest after an IED took his life.  With Mary being a little shaky I decided to attend the Welcome Home since the funeral run would take me about 110 miles to Ottumwa - Radar's home!  The Welcome Home would be right here in Cedar Rapids, so I went.  About 40 bikes or more showed up just to escort this young man home.  As he shook my hand after deplaning I was struck at how utterly young he was. He hugged practically anyone and everyone in the terminal, but then came the escort ride to his hometown of Van Horne - about 30 miles west of here.  To put it mildly - this was going to be a nerve wracked 30 miles at best.  Note to those cagers - if you see a mass line of motorcycles with lights blinking and turning - don't pull in the middle of their formation.  That happened twice, the second time right in front of me as the road narrowed from four lanes to two.  Another note - bikers don't stop for law enforcement.  Deputy sheriff came at us with lights and sirens a blazing, and we didn't even try to break formation.  Sorry Roscoe - soldiers coming home are more important this night!

Bikes pulled into Van Horne

Its at this time I make a confession.  Most folks who know me well, know there are just certain rules about riding any motorcycle I will not break.  I always wear jeans, boots, helmet.  I NEVER drink any alcohol while on the bike or when I know I will be on it.  EVER!  I always try to use the mantra "If I ever get into a problem where my safety is compromised it must never be my fault" and all those rules have served me well.  But this night I broke a rule of wearing a jacket.  In fact I broke that rule three times last week.  In my defense it was over 90 degrees, and even looking at that leather jacket made me hot.  You wont ever see me in shorts and Birkenstocks on the bike - like one of my fellow riders did.  I wont ever ride without a helmet.  I tried that once or twice and just didn't care for it.  Something my uncle told me "if you do something fun - do it safely!".  I always try to be as safe as I possibly can on the bike.  It is something I promised myself so long ago.  Helmet glasses leathers or at least a jacket and boots.  This night I wore a long sleeve denim shirt with my leather vest, the shirt something that would never have held up if I had laid the bike down.  So now I am looking into a vented jacket that would offer a bit more cooling while on those warmer rides.  Its probably not the best idea to wear a denim shirt on the way to work, but at highway speeds, that's not all that smart.

The sun setting as we prepare to ride

It was nice for a change to get out on the highway and twist that throttle some.  Between Mary's health and me working too darn much, its been quite hectic.  I had hoped to make a run for South Dakota BEFORE the August insanity of Bike Week there.  I have never seen Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, or the Badlands.  Its a trip I dreamt about in the navy.  Being out at sea does a number on your imagination, and I always had hoped I could visit Rushmore just once to see that place, and the Badlands to feel the spirits moving me.  Not sure I can make the trip this year what with gas prices, Mary's reduced income, and the housing industry just not doing well.  But - at least for one night I got to enjoy a short ride, and maybe get a little air under my wings.

I couldn't end this without making a note of June 13th - a day which will live in...wedded bliss! Mary and I will celebrate 26 years of marriage next week.  I suppose a lot of folks MIGHT ask what took us so long.  Some others might be a bit in wonderment as to how Mary could have POSSIBLY put up with my temper and wake up to my mug every morning.  Have pity on her! Whatever your view is - we celebrate this year I think being more IN love with each other than anything else.  To me - Mary is the love of my life.  I hate the term "soul mate" perhaps because it sounds a bit corny, maybe a little too high schoolish.  We have stood the test, and made it through.  I always have been adamant about making sure that three things come before anything else in my life - God, my wife, and my kids.  We have been steadfastly dedicated to each other and to our family.  Haven't always made the best decisions, but always made sure each other came first.  Sometimes that has been a source of ridicule and admonishment, but ask me if I care.  When you take an oath, whether it be to our country or to each other it should be for life.  Period.

I love you sweetheart! 

Our "wedding" day - I had been in my navy uniform all day and didn't
want to see it again and didn't have a real suit.

Mary and I sharing a quiet moment at her mothers house.

Peace & Love Everybody!!

The Price of Motion

April 16th - a snow storm to start
our Saturday morning.

Its supposed to be spring around these here parts, but you could have fooled me!  I was out on the bike two weeks ago and temps were trying to dip below freezing for the 6th straight day.  Legs get just a mite COLD when it does that.  Its supposed to be spring - the morel mushroom season - - wasn't!  Spring temps were so cold that forecasters are predicting no mushrooms.  DRATS!  I love those little things too.  Another sign - dandelions are coming out in droves! My yard is currently covered, and I have yet to mow for the first time this year.  I keep hoping another chilling frost will kill the grass, and even my neighbors are beginning to wonder if I am even alive.  Sorry - I hate mowing.  Maybe its that I had to mow growing up, or maybe its my knees.  I don't know perhaps I am just being obstinate? Yes folks its spring, and suddenly my hunny-do list is growing faster than I can keep up. 

A rose to commemorate
a wedding

Riding has been hit and miss.  My trip to Chicago on the bike was great, but other riding activities are being suppressed a bit.  Lots of reasons why, but the hard part is I can't ride as much right now, and boy does it EVER pain me to say that.  I did take some time to test ride a 2011 HD Street Glide, and wow what a machine!  It has the larger 103 cubic inch engine, and when you hit the throttle you know you are going somewhere.  It had been my hope to move up to a bigger bike.  The advantages are fairly plain.  My larger size, a bit more reliability, and a new bike comes with a warranty.  The last couple of weeks I am beginning to hear a slight lifter noise from Melissa.  To me that's a sure sign of trouble, but both mechanics I have spoken to tell me its nothing.  Usually when you hear a metallic tapping in an engine, well, maybe its time to take it in to see what that issue might be.  Unfortunately as circumstances are, with Mary missing so much work, my down payment has been used up on medical bills. So for now, I will have to stay with my Heritage Softail. 

Melissa resting after a long trip.

Thats going to be a challenge, though.  Anybody priced a road trip to - say a local gas station?  And they call a second mortgage insanity!  I have watched the price of petrol climb faster than a Navy F-18.  And when will the lunacy stop? I watched a part of a congressional hearing about that very issue, and those CEO's keep playing dumb while raking in record profits.  Someone tell me again why?  I have hear one theory is speculators are driving up the price, while others blame the oil companies, and still others blame OPEC.  I blame all of us.  We all need gas, but why speculators are even in the equation is bizarre, and those pesky CEO's are just too darn greedy to really care, which leaves us OPEC, who claims to not know a darn thing about oil prices.  Then there are folks like us dumb Americans whose thirst for gasoline is rivalled only by their thirst for beer.  And - the price of gas is sure to drive up consumer costs, pushing down spending, and further causing global economic peril.  Stop me when you need a couple aspirin because this whole affair is making my head hurt.

Mary - coming up on
26 years of putting up
with my mug!

As for our home front Mary is not doing well.  Her back, inexplicably, has suffered some sort of setback.  She was back at work for two weeks, when she started having that same pain.  XRays, CT scans, and MRI's were all ordered.  The neurosurgeon believes one of the braces has slipped just enough to cause pressure on one of the nerves again.  She was doing so well, too, but now we may be facing a second surgery.  For now she will take the next three months off, recuperate, and see how her back continues to heal (or not!) and if she continues her current pain level, the doctor may have to operate again to reposition the braces.  Hopefully this is a minor setback, but I am not quite as "hopeful" as others might be.  Every time I "hope" for anything, I get sorely disappointed.  Its a real problem for her too, because she can't be as "active" as he would like, and at a time when we would like to think about doing a little travelling from time to time that's maybe not so good.  I even suggested she try some acupuncture, but she offered a solution that's probably not physically possible!

And speaking of moving forward - we went to a wedding yesterday. Mike and Jessica finally got hitched.  Mike is a young man I have watched grow up since he was a fourth grader being a real pain in the asterisk to our daughter Jesse (no not the same as the bride!) and has been a great help to Mary and I, been a super friend to Jesse, and just about the most positive person around.  He has been a blessing to everyone he meets, and I will hope and pray that he and Jessica have a wondrous and prosperous life together!  They are a great couple, and I am hopeful they can be a great influence in our community.  Congratulations Mike & Jessica!

Perhaps I should have taken up golf!   

Peace & Love!

Have a Happy Life!

Where Eagles Dared To Fly

Isn't that the truth!

Ahhhhh by now we have all, or at least I HOPE we all, have heard the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden.  We heard the news last night when my cell phone lit up with an email alert about it last night about 10 PM.  I think I stopped breathing for a few seconds and then sucked in about 8 gulps of air.  I even had to pinch myself a few times before turning the news on tv to find out my cell phone was NOT lying to me, indeed, it had told the truth.  I sat in bed almost stunned - maybe even a bit numb from it all. A man our country has sought for so very long had finally been brought to justice by, of all things, a Navy SEAL team.  After serving four years in the navy myself, I can honestly say I was just a wee bit proud of that team and the navy. 

Patriot Guard Escort
Pvt. Davis Funeral May 2010

I thought about these events today.  I think I feel just as stunned as we all did on 9/11, but let me take this a step further.  So far our country alone has sacrificed almost 6000 men and women, and suffered almost 45,000 wounded casualties in the nearly ten years since 9/11.  While those numbers are nowhere near the casualty rate of wars like Vietnam, the fact remains that we have paid a high cost for the life of just a select few who chose to rule as dictators in lands we simply have no real understanding of.  As I watched the events unfold last night I recalled the numbers of people killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, Flight 93 in Pennsylvania - alas even the number of those killed in Spain and London exacted a heavy toll, and yet thru all of this I felt a sort of disbelief that after the enormous loss of life literally exacted by this one man, he had finally been found - and served justice at the hands of OUR military.



The body of Capt. Wiznieski arrives
home after he was killed in a helicopter
July 2010



I have watched and supported our military since I left the service in 1986.  I have watched young men and women come home, literally some right out of high school, killed in action or wounded in battle.  Babies really.  Young men who couldn't possibly fathom the sacrifice they would pay with their lives in the service of our country.  The 19 year old Marine killed by an IED, or the 30 year old helicopter pilot whose helicopter was shot down trying to rescue a pinned down unit, or even the 22 year old who was killed while on a rescue mission to save a stranded pilot.  The latest is a 32 year old Army specialist who was serving in Afghanistan, who leaves behind a wife and a daughter.  When you stop and think about it, the cost of hunting this one man, the human cost this one man inflicted on our country alone has been staggering, however, this man had to be hunted down to stop the senseless bloodshed he has caused our country for over 20 years.

The body of Capt Wiznieski is escorted by members of the
 Patriot Guard, and to far right members of a B-17 Flying
Fortress flying memorial - men who asked just to stand the
 flag line to honor a fallen hero.

I never liked celebrating a death - any death.  Life is too precious to be discarded like yesterdays newspaper.  While I am not opposed to capital punishment (as in the case of Jeffrey Dahmer) the scenes that played out last night reminded me that our children have suffered, have watched friends go to war, have lived with the words "terror" and "Jihad" in a time when they should have been more concerned about the prom, or college, or just living their lives "in the timeless pursuit of happiness". They should have been allowed to find the happiness that I enjoyed even as I left military service to start a life as a husband and father.  While I watched those kids come out into the streets, I realized that maybe we should give thanks to all those military men and women who serve this country to defend us all against all enemies both foreign and domestic.  To those "kids" who have grown into adulthood and have put their lives on the line so that we all may be free of terror.  And to their families who have suffered and toiled in the hopes that their loved one would return home safe. 

God Bless our military!

Boomer and Barry’s BIG Adventure!

Tuesday Morning Departure

Or – When to Flush your Cell Phone into the SEWER!  It has been a little long since I poisted.  Took some time to go see my fav rock band.  AGAIN!  Second time in about 9 months.  Met up with another couple, and after all was said and done, all we could do is laugh! When life drops lemons in your lap – make some lemonade. That’s exactly what we did, but the route we took to get to that ambrosia was a sightseeing tour of Chicago I hope to never make again ever. It’s not that I don’t like Chicago – I love Chicago, as long as I do not need to be near those expressways!

View Larger Map

Bella - our new addition
to the family

Our little tour began innocently enough Tuesday morning. I had to take our new puppy Bella to the vet for her second deworming treatment. As I was handling those things with the receptionist – Bella decided to drop right on my work boots and leave her “opinion” on the matter. Nothing like a good pile of crap on your shoes to start the day. Got back home, dressed in the full leathers – better rawhide than my hide on the bike, right Aunt T?! Mary wasn’t feeling the best, so I hugged her gently, we embraced for a moment, and then I was off. After all – she had purchased this as a Christmas present, and although I felt a little guilty leaving her dealing with some pain issues, I also knew if she had wanted she could have asked me to stay and I would have gladly done that. But – onward I went.

Me and those pesky TOLLS!

I am often struck by what I see while I am riding. Little details that I might ordinarily miss in my truck stick out. For instance I was just a few miles from home, heading east on Highway 30, and saw what I thought was a tree stump instead turned out to be a rather large beaver sticking his head up checking out the traffic. Or the poor baby skunk which met his demise trying to cross the highway and not making it (whew that was ripe!). Sometimes it’s the eagles or hawks surfing the sky overhead, perhaps a wild turkey wandering into an empty cornfield looking for a meal. The misguided Mercedes with Miss “AllAboutMe” primping her eyelashes while yakking on the cell phone all over the road. Gassed up in Morrison, Illinois and headed towards I-88 and onward to my destination. The rest of my trip to Chicago remained fairly uneventful, although paying tolls on a motorcycle can be – a challenge?



At the hotel safe



I pulled in to the hotel (Flag A), and gave thanks I had arrived safely, sent a text to my new “friends” and checked in. Unloaded the bike, covered it up, and was greeted by Barry, and then Cass (sorry dear – didn’t know that was YOU on that elevator!). Wonderful folks – smiling all the time, very positive – hey this will be a great show and a great time I thought. After taking some time to change into my concert ”uniform” we climbed into their car and were off. The time was 3:22 PM. We stopped for a moment at a gas station (Flag B) for some water, and as we pulled out, we heard a sound which we knew was trouble. A loud “clunk” from the engine area of the car, and suddenly we realized something had broken and the car was not going anywhere. Barry started making calls, and within about 40 minutes T & A Towing (interesting name!) shows up to cart the ill car away, and then our rental arrived. Whew – we were going to make it. After some nifty wrangling, we were back on the road. The time was 4:17 PM.

Chicago Skyline. Beautiful sight if you aren't lost!

Now – Chicago is a most difficult town to navigate in, but the route to the United Center was pretty much a straight shot, as long as you aren’t a bit distracted by the conversation. And in Chicago one missed turn can result in hours of redirection, as in this case. For whatever reason we took a wrong turn, which began our troubles. Soon I was seeing large commercial airliners landing, and knowing that Midway Airport was on the SOUTH side of Chicago, that could only mean we were approaching the O’Hare Airport Complex. Oops! After some redirection, we managed to find our way over to the Kennedy Expressway – at rush hour. With the highway full of cars I realized a GPS check of where we were might help us get to our destination faster. It’s at this time where I say – if you ever feel the urge to utilize GPS Navigation on any cell phone device at all – don’t. It took over 30 minutes to get to our turn, and by the time we got to where the GPS said to go – it was nearly 6 PM (Flag K) and we were nowhere NEAR the United Center. At this point – we were all beginning to wonder if we would even find our hotel again, but Barry remained cool under fire, fired up his own nav system, and eventually we found the Kennedy again, and by about 7:00 – 30 minutes before the show – we landed at the United Center – a bit tired and hungry but ready for the show (Flag N).



Sticks from heaven!



The show itself was spectacular as usual. As if there were any doubt. I mean – after this many years the boys pretty much have a proven track record. Little things like the guy directly behind me bumping into me about every other bar, and then the “I’m sorry!”, or the young lass who started taking her top off to “Limelight” (security made her put her clothes on again!), and then a wafting odor of rotten socks permeated my nose. Anybody who has been to any rock show knows that smell. There was the guy who has a denim vest on that had about 40,000 different band pins and patches on it. During the intermission I spoke with some of the folks around me. The father who brought his teenaged sons, the four friends who drove from St Louis to see the show. The couple next to me who had been married for four years who seemed a bit shocked at my nearly 26 years of wedded “bliss”. The great thing about this concert – everyone was respectful of one another.



"La Villa Strangiato" 
The song that KILLED music careers



After the show, I located Barry and Cass, and as we made our way back to the hotel – hunger was taking over rapidly. It was almost midnight when we returned, and after some pizza Barry offered a toast to “absent friends”. I never make any bones that one of my favorites songs is “Time Stand Still”…”to pass an evening with a drink and a friend” and that’s exactly what we did. Of course, by then we were about to all collapse, and after returning to my room, I gave thanks for two great friends a great time and some great laughs. The next morning we had a simple breakfast together, and chatted for several moments in the parking lot. It is said you can always tell a man’s heart by the firmness of his handshake. A firm handshake is a mark of a true friend, but a limp shake is the mark of a lukewarm dishrag. Barry had taken care of both Cass and I, and held my hand firm as we said our good byes.



Melissa taking a break from me!



The trip home was relatively uneventful. The woman who nearly ran my Harley over – I could have put my foot on her bumper. That’s close! The tolls were again a bit frustrating. Not paying them, but rather having to remove gloves control the bike, find the cash and HOPE I get the correct change back. A quick stop for gas and a sandwich was all I needed on the way. The bike was performing wonderfully, the roar filling my ears with that beautiful “Harley” music. When I pulled in to the garage – a bit stiff from the previous evening, a little saddle sore, I remembered a prayer from another biker who had remarked “When I leave the garage I say Thank Goodness I am alive, and when I return I say Thank Goodness I am alive”. I spent a few moments thinking about that prayer, walked into the kitchen and kissed my wife – and the first thing I said to her was ”Thank goodness I am alive”. 



RUSH - what a great concert



Unfortunately Mary is having some issues again.  The nerves are coming alive, and with that some of the pain has returned.  Pain treatments will help, but we take each day at a time. Some days are good, while others a challenge.  Think they call that life!  Cheyenne is doing ok in school, but she is getting that dreaded "senior-itis".  You know the kind.  Right at the end of their junior year - they know those seniors are gone in a month and they are large and in charge.  Jesse has finally found work at Wal Mart.  Next step not sure yet, but to coin a phrase - the curse WORKS dad.  You know the curse - "I hope when you grow up you have kids that act exactly the same way you do".  That curse.  Not sure how I got the curse, but I am pretty sure there is NO known cure.

I'll be travelling to a little town called Waverly this weekend.  Another National Guard soldier lost his life in Afghanistan, and I am riding escort duty for the body of the soldier as part of the Patriot Guard mission.  For now - I'll just say Happy Birthday to "me pappy"!

Peace & Love!

Me Pappy - you're only as young as you feel pop!

A Wild & Crazy Guy!

Steve Martin - The ORIGINAL
Wild and Crazy Guy

First off - before we go any further.  Anybody who has my birthday on their calendars as March 3rd - blow it out your ear!  I just checked my birth certificate, and it clearly states I was born March 4th.  I was there, although I do not recall much about the date, other than maybe I was crying some, and pooping my drawers, and wanting to be fed.  I am sure if you ask Mary - she will be most astute in letting folks know the crazy coot hadn't changed. Yeah whatever.  I am not the only stubborn ol' cuss in the family.  Its just that Friday is my birthday - so grant me a small measure of whine and grouch.

My new "throne"

Now - don't say that my wife Mary doesnt have a sense of humor.  After all....she married me.  We have been mulling a few options about some of the things we need to work on in the house.  Actually the list is so long I don't even bother looking any more, but little reminders like the vanity and sink in the bathroom, the carpet in the kitchen, and a singing toilet are all signs that the hunny do list needs addressing.  As we discussed these things the other night, our toilet started singing to us upon flush.  Again. It was then my wife had an epiphany - why not get the ol' geezer a new toilet.  For his birthday.  After all...he is the king of his castle why not a new throne right?  Now - to me a present is something you go get, gift wrap and present ready to use.  Oh no - not the toilet.  I had to go buy the blessed stool myself with MY money, and then had to install the durn thing.  Well, after a little prodding ands cajoling off I went, purchased a nice tall toilet, got it home, installed it, and then the water line was about 4 inches too short, which gave the guy at Menards a chuckle.  Got the new water line on, and violay!  No more singing toilet.  No ribbon, no wrapping paper.  Not even a cake or a cookie!  Maybe I will spoil myself just a tad and have a small dram of that 15 year old scotch in my office.  Don't drink it much, but it sure is smooth!

Wanting to RIDE!

The good thing about tomorrow is its the signal that spring, and RIDING season, are upon us.  THANK GOD!  I never thought this winter would end.  The cover is off the bike for a few minor repairs.  I sent the seat in to be reworked and repadded.  It should be back here next week.  I have a couple things to check, and then grab a full inspection by the mechanic, just to make sure I am not missing anything.  Those inspections may seem a bit spendy, but a little money and effort now can literally save your life.  A couple weeks ago it got up to almost 70 degrees - mighty tempting to go for a ride, but with all the sand and grit and water around, I chose to stay in.  Still have a couple other items to get.  A new brake pedal pad would finish off the accents.  I did install a new luggage rack on the back, and all I need is a little nicer weather.  I am taking a couple days next month to attend a concert in Chicago.  Might be a nice time to take the bike over to the hotel and then meet up with some friends.

To all y'all well wishers.  Thank you for remembering!  Now.....what was I doing?

Peace and Love!

Birthdays!

A Soul With No Substance



Edward and Margaret Gehrke in the Rocky Mountain
National Park



En route the Zephyr. Here I am this mid-July afternoon going home, and glad to be going home.

Surely I care little about home. I never have. Back to Nebraska to the hateful heat of summer to work day after day, to monotony, most would say, but glad. This long, silver train makes swift passage. It is streaking across the flat Colorado country as I sit here, alone.

Why should I be so near to tears? The whole trip to Colorado like a dream now. The whole thing drops from my shoulders now like a jeweled coat, and I lay it aside, feeling I've never worn it at all.

Margaret Gehrke

Lately thats how we have been feeling.  Not for snow, or winter cold, but just to feel a mountain air, or suck in a salty taste of an ocean breeze.  Maybe spend a day hiking thru Yosimite, or perhaps take in Yellowstone.  Unfortunately we do not have any of those things here.  The frozen fields that surround our home only serve to further our desire to be amongst the scenic areas of the West. 

I believe that Margaret Gehrke has captured our feelings about parks and mountains well.  She kept journals of her travels west, and they represent a true love affair with the Western United States, with our National Parks, that both her and her husband Edward shared in their many years of marriage.  She kept her scrapbook well maintained, and today it is part of the Nebraska Historical Society's many archives and records.  Her observations are very unique and surprisingly accurate. These scrapbooks date from the early 1920's until about 1953. 

As Mary heals, we are discovering how much we miss the West.



My Pre SuperBowl Attire



A Dash of Insanity



Mary on New Years Eve just
prior to surgery.



Wow.  Its been a bit since I last posted.  Things have been, as the title suggests, a bit insane around here.  Not that we don't all have occasional moments of driving ourselves to the brink of madness every now and then, but this is too different from those times.  This is a 5 alarm, which way is up, pass the scotch and the valium, brass tacks nut farm around here.  While it isn't hitting full panic mode yet, the last few weeks have been awful.  I knew when I signed up for marriage and children there would be times of trial and frustration, but this isn't in the Dad's Handbook for The Middle Aged Lunatic.

This started January 12th.  Mary had a surgery performed on her lower back to relieve the pressure on the disks in her lumbar section of her spine.  The procedure seems sound enough, and after querying about this procedure, decided this could really benefit Mary's back pain.  The surgery went well, although some slight complications with the location of the vertebrae, the disks, and scar tissue which had formed around some of the disk areas.  After surgery we met her in her "penthouse" suite at Mercy Hospital, and left her in good hands.  I must say the staff was very helpful, and the doctor explained everything in details we both understood well.  The next day I could tell the initial shock to her back was obvious.  She could barely move, and although she had managed to walk a couple times, felt pretty sore.  The next two days were very much the same, walk, go to the bathroom, lay down, sleep an hour, get up, repeat.  The object was to get her moving so that the stiffness would work out and the back could adjust to the clamps now supporting her spine.  At the end of her stay at the hospital, Mary was moving around fairly well, although she needed a lot of help with about every aspect of her life.



How to "properly" supervise
yard work at the office.



And that is where the insanity started.  As it turned out, I grossly underestimated the amount of help Mary needed, the work load I was carrying, the ability of our daughters to assist, the requirements for Marys care, and my ability remain calm and steady under fire.  PFFFFT!  The first week home, I think Mary and I got 12 hours sleep in 6 days.  My consulting work had taken on new work I had not counted on.  The day job was really taking a toll, especially when I had several disagreements with staff over project loads, survey operations, and hiring a new staff surveyor.  And to boot, the cats crapped under my desk!  The surgery was a success, but Mary needed constant supervision, as she was still quite unsteady just walking to the bathroom.  And speaking of bathroom, the potty runs every 90 minutes in the middle of the night were totally unexpected.  Even bathing had to be supervised, not to mention keeping Marys lower extremities clean from her bathroom visits.  Finally realizing how exhausted Mary and I were, I took last Friday off to get some rest from it all.  As a fellow surveyor told me last week, this is the truest test of a relationship.

This is not exactly my idea of
"volunteering".

We visited the doctor tonight, where he examined the incision, answered all of our questions, shared some funny stories about getting lost in Queens (don't ask!) and addressed Mary's prescription needs.  Monday night one of the staples started showing some signs of drainage.  The clamps are holding well, but a byproduct of that is the pressure being taken off the nerves is allowing those compressed nerves to wake up ans swell a bit.  The drainage is fine, fairly normal, no signs of any infection, but to be safe he prescribed an antibiotic.  Her physical progress is better than expected, as she only needs one crutch to walk around with.  The right leg is still fairly weak, however, with time the strength in that leg is expected to return.  She still needs some assistance with bathing, but as her progress increases we gain more confidence.  The pain in her lower back for the most part, is gone.  While not completely eradicated, her ability to move around, to be mobile, and to enjoy life, increases every day.  We are now planning a trip to another NASCAR race, as yet to be determined. We are also looking into a couple overnight trips, just little mom and dad getaways that we discovered last year really helped us feel better about us, each other, and our marriage.

There is still much to be done.  The staples holding the incision together have remained for now due to the unexpected drainage.  The walker, well, Mary offered to do something with it that I think is physically impossible.  In fact - I think if anyone gets near her with a walker, they might be wearing it permanently.  For me, just seeing her live relatively pain free after years of back pain has been a true blessing.  While it was frustrating at the time, the care and love she needed was more than worth the sleepless nights, the fatigued days, the fret and the worry.  We just want to enjoy each other in these later years of life.  Maybe be a bit more active, and a little more patient.  Mary has been a bit humbled by the need for all the care she needed, but she also realized to get better she would have to put her fears aside and let those things happen.  Her goal is to be more mobile and play a bit more active role in the day to day life in our home.  Even though it was a bit insane at times, the sacrifice was small but well worth it. 

Daytona is only three weeks away, and RIDING season shouldn't be too far off after that....THANK GOODNESS!!  I miss my Melissa.


The 2011 Road King Classic with the 103 cubic inch engine.



Peace and Love Everybody!

A footnote:  For all you BEARS fans out there...DAD!  My sincerest apologies.  Maybe next year, eh??