napping on the bus

Rain. Upon the bus. Slithering down, confusing the view. Man on foot. Silent train tracks. Sushi for dinner. Life in the South.
Talk in the distance. Pointless and loud. Pine trees with no beauty except in their form. Traffic battling kudzu for what the meek were to own.

visiting

Went to stay with sister P so brother in law could go to nephew's basketball game. Enjoyed spending time with her and she was very gracious when I could not understand what she was trying to tell me. I did catch 80% of it, although only half of that on her first attempt. ALS has left her a shell of herself and now even her speech is very limited. It isn't fair. I'm old enough to realze life isn't fair but noone deserves to go through this. Least of all a young mother with a daugher in college and a 16 year old son.

I had returned to Atl afer graduating college. After one year P had decided college wasn't for her and asked if she could move in until her boyfriend graduated and they could begin their life. Somewhere along the way they split up and as soon as I met S I knew she would be interested in him. After they met they were inseparable and I was a bit concerned when they announced their engagement within a year. 21 years later they have two great kids and a bond as strong as our parents. S has been great for her, and she for him.

She smiled politely as I tried to follow what she ws trying to tell me. Mostly about relatives who had visited, her favorite TV show. I mananged to get her breathing machine on and off of her when she wanted. Her hair is going grey and is cut short now. She can move a few fingers on her left hand. Her birthday is Sat. She will be 45.

loose leafs & hard wood

More local color this year than any that I can recall. (imagine scenic photo here)

Usually phone calls to the folks follow the same script but Dad had an interesting tale last week. He had a nightmare, either I, or one of his brothers, or my nephew (he couldn't recall but named the suspects in that order) were having a heated arguement with him. Whoever the other person was at some point they picked up a hammer and attempted to swing it at him so Dad tried to jump away from the danger. That is when he actually stumbled out of the bed and ran headfirst into the bedpost resulting in a bloodied head and small gash in his head.

September slips in

where we find our hero with a broken toe but also the satisfaction of having now pedaled over every bit of the SCT that is located in the state. (not at one time) The foundation opened up last part of trail Labor Day weekend and I discovered where they had put all of the hills. Most of the trail is fairly level. A few arcs that carry you over a major road and a few rolling hills but nothing like what lies around mile marker 45ish. But that isn't how I broke my toe. Neither was it black and blue from the wooded hike along border of the Carolinas where I spent first half of holiday weekend with Uncle and Aunt. They had spent many summers supplying boat, condo and fuel for myself and other relatives and I realized hadn't been up there in couple of years. Fortunately they were staying at home for holiday so ran up there Fri PM, did hike, watched football, drove back home Sunday, stopping by sister P's house for brief visit and then back here where some old friends who had moved away three years ago were in town visiting. Had supper at our old favorite local Mexican restaurant. And while margarita was very good that didn't lead to toe issue either. Bike ride was Monday AM and two major hills pushed the muscles that were already complaining about effect of hike to point where they finally said No at one hill. First time I have ever had to push this bike up a hill since buying it. After ride ran up to C's for late lunch and a very brief hike to local falls. As we were leaving right foot slipped and as I braced myself toe smashed into another rock.

In other news work has been crazy for last few months but now it appears we may be losing one division so lots of questions buzzing around.

Had wonderful massage and now off to zzzzzz.

HB2Me

I was feeling a bit sorry for myself today. What with it being the 48th anniversary of my appearance here and all but then got email from x-wife, a call and card from x-g/f; a call and email from best friend and her daughter, a thoughful gift from one sister and greetings from another who is buried in school work. Folks promised that they will have time to get card this weekend but doubt that as they are keeping youngest two grandkids and are overaged 13 to 157 so I don't expect to hear from them until they recover sometime around Labor Day.

Over the last half decade I have only wanted one thing and she is still as silent as she was when she ran away with all of my enthusiasm and belief in soul mates, true love, complete honesty and various other fairy tales.

Annual Birthday Ride

My oldest nephew turned 21 Friday. My sister and he lived with me a year right after her divorce. He is finding his way. Called me last month to let me know he is proposing to his girlfriend later this month. They aer coming into town for a visit. Evidently she has never been to a professional baseball game so I have ordered some tickets for us.

My own birthday, celebrating the 27th anniversary of my 21st birthday is in a couple of days but I was eager to complete my annual birthday ride so struck out for the trail Sat AM. Didn't get as early a start as I had intended but did manage to complete the task before the heat became miserable. Have a feeling that 50 may be the last year I bike my age, or else I may break it down into a morning and evening session, or better yet, move my birthday to November when the temperature is a bit more comfortable. Taking tomorrow off for errands and dining at my favorite grease spot, which will undo any good from Saturday's exercise. Dinner with some friends next week for a belated celebration.

Thought for the day

The thought that got away. Last viewed as my eyelids grew heavy on the bus into work this morning. At that moment the spark that was The Thought lit and leapt across some synapse in my brain, showering a heavenly vision that shown upon the inside of said eyelids and led to a smile spreading involuntarily and gently across my face as my body yielded to a last call from Mr Sandman. Leaving my mind alone to create spectacular beauty and ponder life's mysteries.

Or so I'd like to think that is what my mind was off doing while my mouth hung agape, drool slipping out of the corner of my mouth as my snoring grew so loud that it even awoke me. But sometime between the eyelids closing and the mouth opening there was some creative spark that was ignited. Unfortunately during the day it was misfiled. Probably by a conscious that was (temporarily) focused on the day job, aka work.