Spring 2014 April 8 Tuesday

41 degrees, actually down to 38 degrees not, but sun is coming out.  I am really ready for Spring and Summer!

Starting to take morning "where I am" pictures again as the grass, trees and flowers start to come to life.  It got too depressing during the winter.  I know winter is necessary, but it doesn't mean I enjoy it. 

For the most part, our lives have a Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, either very long, or a large number of them depending on how you look at it.  I think I like to think of life in many cycles, maybe with a larger overall cycle, assuming ups and downs in our lives could be termed by the seasons.  On the other hand, it is depressing to think that our lives could be termed in a long term stage of "Winter" with no chance for another "Spring".  Eventually it does happen, but ....

I have been watching my weight (nothing new about that).  I seemed to have attracted two new pounds that seem to like me very well, I am having a more difficult time getting down to my "normal" weight.  My normal weight fluctuates about six pounds, but I am now two pounds over the "top" of the fluctuation cycle and I am having a difficult time getting back to my "normal cycle".  Actually I hope to reduce the "top" of the cycle by two or three pounds this Spring.  It (the extra pounds) came when we had our granddaughters visit.  It wasn't the visit from them, but the extra travel involved when I gained the weight, but I have stayed exactly  at the same weight for three weeks now.

One major problem with trying to maintain a healthy eating style is the restaurants.  There are normally "healthy" alternatives available, I just need to bear down and order the healthy items!  The "low carb" eating pattern has served me well, although it probably is more of a "low fast carb" eating pattern.  Anytime I deviate from that  I seem to get into trouble.  Peanut Butter is both my favorite as well as a problem!  I need to remember "balance".  

Seeing the AAA travel agent to finalize our China trip today.  While I love making plans, there are some things I just can't do or at least don't trust myself to do in a Country I am unfamiliar with.  There are a lot of choices.  Kind of like when you are in a City and don't know where to eat, and it is hard to make a choice because you don't want to make a bad choice, since you won't be in the city again!

That's it for now, may be more later today.

Spring 2014 March 21 Friday

46 degrees this morning.

Thank goodness I can finally write "Spring 2014"!  This has to be the worst, longest Winter since we moved to Lakeland.  I was going to write last night after it officially became "Spring", but other priorities (such as Kali and Katherine, eating and March Madness) got in the way.

We did a "tuit" yesterday, after 12 years, we visited Oxford, Mississippi and "the Square".  It was actually everything we expected and more, a lot of fun.  Kali and Katherine enjoyed it, with Katherine stating she "wanted to live there!".  We walked around the Square and ate at the "City Grocery", probably the closet to the concept of Southern Manners and elegance in dining that we will experience, at least for lunch.  We also saw the famous "Square Books" along Square Jr. (children) and "Off Square Books".  

I almost always take off my hat when I eat, more as a matter of my own preference, since other men rarely do.  The City Grocery hostess asked me to remove mine, which is rather embarrassing , but she was correct.  (I usually remove it when I sit down and she reminded me before I sat dow).  They do have a sign asking everyone to quiet their cell phones and "Gentlemen remove your hats".  We throughly enjoyed eating there.  They didn't have a lot of the vegan in our group, but other than that the food was excellent and I said the heck with carbs and at the candied sweet potatoes.  They also had their own specially blended coffee, which was excellent.  

Our next Tuit is to go to the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield.  I have lived probably about 40 miles from it for 12 years and have never gone.  We did go by the Parker Crossing battlefield one time (at Tennessee exit 108 on I-40) which was interesting.  

My cousin, Ken, provided me with a perfect solution to my dilemna of "too much stuff", especially things related to memories.  He suggested I take a digital picture, which is the perfect solution.  Sometimes the solution to a problem is right there!  When he suggested this, I had an "ah ha" moment of "why didn't I think of that!".  (I can even take pictures of my clothing I have grown attached to also, inc addition to the event t-shirts etc.  But, not the Hot Wheels.  They are staying!

The trip to Oxford was by back roads (which is about the only way to get there unless you go way out of your way, at least from Lakeland). That trip, combined with the detours to avoid I-40 constructed in Arkansas reminded me of my "Elk Mountain Rendezvous".  The Wichita Mountains are wonderful part of southwest Oklahoma.  One day a friend and I decided to visit the Wichita Mountains and hike.  We visited Medicine Park (don't miss this former resort town), saw "Mount Scott"  (I believe about 6,000 feet height, it looks like a thumb rising out of the ground), then on to the trails

We hiked up Elk Mountain.  On the way up, a buffalo was blocking the trail.  For some reason I proceeded on the trail.  The buffalo raised its "(MASSIVE) head and looked at me.  I said "Good Morning Mr. Buffalo".  The next thing I remember was thinking "I'm wrestling a buffalo, why am I wrestling a buffalo? The buffalo had charged me, or at least ran towards me.  When something like this happens, it seems to happen in a slow time frame.  I remember my thoughts, and I remember looking behind me and seeing the shocked look on the faces of my friend and two other hikers who had just rounded the corner.  

I don't think it hit me until later how dangerous it could have been.  It made a good story for speeches!  I hiked the Elk Mountain one more time, but I stayed away from the buffalo.  

That's it for now.

Winter 2014 March 9 Sunday

37 degrees this morning.  Also Daylight Savings Time, which means the "bite" of Spring Forward.  I love the idea of Spring arriving, but I don't like the time to "Spring Forward".  While I don't mind traveling west and having "gain" an hour (or two), I really don't like to go east and "lose" an hour.  I always feel like I can feel it.

Still trying to get all of my stuff sorted out.  It is a continuous process that somehow I never quite get caught up.  

I need to complain some more about the Logitech keyboard for the iPad Air.  Do NOT buy this keyboard!  It has to be the worst keyboard I ever purchased and I decided I will never buy anything from Logitech again (similar to how i quit buying Samsung, the products, for me, just never work out to be reliable or something I like. Except in Logitects case, the keyboard doesn't fit right, doesn't work and they won't respond to my complaints about it, in fact they have it rigged so you can't even get ahold of them.  I will probable send a letter tot the CEO and advise him of how I feel.  If someone felt that way about a product I made, I would certainly want them to tell me.

i keep telling myself Spring is only 11 days away, although whether that is only on the calendar remains to be seen!

Finished the book "The Circle".  Somewhat interesting concept, and it actually could happen, but....

Winter 2014 February 17 Monday

37 degrees this morning.  I will be so glad when Spring is here.  I am tried of having to "bundle up each morning before I walk and ride my bike.  If it is a typical winter, I should be seeing a Crocus (my name for any Spring flower in the next two weeks or at least the first two weeks of March.

Of course, then it is mid-May before it actually gets warm, although there are a lot of nice days.  I hope the excessive cold weather goes away.

Just thinking again about the "delusion" that I will ever "get a round-tuit" as far as reading many books I have saved for years on the premise that "sometime" I would actually get around to reading(or rereading) them.  I now realize that I probably never will so it may be better to release them to someone who will read them.  Ditto for things that I will use "sometime". (With the notable exception of my "hot wheels" collection which I intend to keep as long as I can remember what they are and then maybe  donate them so they will be used).  This  includes pens, golf clubs, cute little notebooks, conference bags, old computers, palm pilots, and whatever else I may find.  

I still enjoy the "Fitbit Force".  It is amazing.  One thing really puzzles me is that I put it on "sensitive" for monitoring my activity during sleep and my sleeping time went down about half.  I put it back on "regular" and my steady sleep returned.  

The Fitbit Force "app" is much easier to use and if you buy a Fitbit, be sure to get the app for your smart phone.   I don't pay a lot of attention to the other stuff, except for the "steps" when I am away and can't exercise on a regular basis.  

The "Sleep101" app for the iPhone is miserable compared to the Fitbit Force.  One thing I especially like about the Fitbit Force is that it is attractive enough I can wear it as a watch (at least for causal dress).  I have to punch a button to see the time, but with iPhones etc., I can see the time anyway.  

Another "tuit" I planned "when I have time" is to learn more applications for my computers, iPads etc.   However, I have learned that "when the student is ready, the master appears" applies to computer applications.  Until I want to use it for something, I probably won't learn it as effectively as if I had a use for it right now and usually it is better if I try it myself before  I go in for a class on it, because I'll remember it better. 

March 2014 January 14 Tuesday

39 degrees this morning.  Looking to be a beautiful day.  In about a month and 1/2, the first signs of Spring should be appearing!

Bicycle in for maintenance/repairs.  Not a lot needs done, another chain, routine maintenance etc.  All I do to my bicycle is ride it and change the batteries (or charge them up) for the lights.  I have tried to learn to change tires etc. My skills simply don't run that way.  I wish they did, but I finally quit butting my head against a wall and admit I am simply a mechanical nincompoop.  (I haven't used that word for a long time!  However I tried to look it up and apparently I misdeeds it.  It says-it actually is in the dictionary-a "stupid or foolish person".  That isn't what I was trying to say, I was just saying I lack basic mechanical skills or abilities.  Anyway:)

However, my lack of skills in fixing the bike limits my bike riding, including my "ride with the sun".  I thought this might be the right year for my "ride with the sun", but I think I need to wait.  We are hoping to go on a trip to China to attend an International City Managers Association  (ICMAI) meeting, probably my one chance to visit China relatively inexpensively and partly tax deductible also!  

I hope to buy another bike soon.  My last bike was a "mountain bike" and I prefer the seating posture of the mountain bike to my present bike.  Not that I don't really like my current bike (a Trek 7500), I really like it.  It has been very reliable and is fun to ride.  I have been riding more lately (other than my daily early morning commute to the gym) and am really enjoying it. 

Too bad the City of Lakeland turned down a $1,200,000 grant for bike paths.  It was  a very poor, shortsighted decision in my opinion.  In addition to eliminating a major danger area for both walkers and bikers, it would have opened up employment and shopping opportunities for all of the residents of that area (about 3,000 people).  Most cities are making this a priority, but....

I have been busy writing and preparing responses.  It takes a lot of time, since I always feel like I can word something just a little better etc.  Even now, after numerous revisions and reviews, I still see an obvious misspelled word!  Part of the problem actually is spell check, which does make some obviously bad interpretations.  

Summer 2013: August 8

81 degrees this morning.  Some lightning (no rain yet), so I just walked and didn't cycle.

Hoping the new plants in the yard will furbish (I think that is the right word).  I hate to see a plant die, even more when it cost so much to plant it!  

Crepe Myrtle are so beautiful this time of year.  I love Spring with all the flowers, new grass and leaves etc. and the reason I like Crepe Myrtle and Day Lilies so much is that they bloom in the late Summer (I guess "bloom" is the correct word).  I like the beauty of annuals, but I hate that they only live one season, although I guess that is their purpose.

I got a "candidate" brochure put on my mailbox last night.  Not "in" my mailbox, that is fine, but "on" my mailbox.  I don't know why people who are running for elected office (or their supporters) think they can break the law, actually technically a federal law.  I should have left it on the mailbox for the mail carrier to deal with, but instead i just tore it up.  (It didn't matter whose it was. Illegal is illegal.)

The "forest" in back of my house seems to lurk in the summer, when it is full of trees.  At night, it could actually even be the scene for a scary movie.  However, I look at it as having hundreds of friendly birds, and the home for many other animals, probably including some I don't really want to think about!

I miss my bird feeders (or rather the birds they attracted), but I don't want to deal with the raccoons, and the pests who come up to feed on the feed the birds drop.  

When I was a child, I remember birds "teasing" the cats by flying at them, occasionally the bird would get nailed by the cat. Fortunately, no cats ever came around the bird feeders, at least that I am aware of. 

Summer 2013 August 4

73 degrees this morning, a little cool.  Out on the patio, but a cool breeze is making it a little cool.

Birthday days are upon us!  Mary Anne, John and I.  It was always a fun time. (As I remember it anyway)

Weekend has been busy in spite of myself.  My "books to be read" list keeps growing.  I did finish "Watchers" yesterday, which is for our book discussion page.  I read an "e-book" version of it, and read it in moments when I had time.  

School starts tomorrow here.  In a way it signals the end of Summer, and is, for some purposes.  However, here, the Summer really continues into almost November (sometimes up until Thanksgiving) and the true Winter seems to hit around Christmas and last until late February and then an extremely long Winter/Spring of coolish weather that seems to last forever until mid to late May. 

Not a lot planned this weekend, working on some items for work (letters to applicants, memos, planning etc), going to the last of the Redbird ball games for the season.  I was surprised at myself that I really enjoyed attending Redbirds ball games, I have been attending (in sporadic fashion until about 4 years ago) for almost ten years now.  

While I ride my bicycle daily (except when it is raining), I haven't resumed my long distance rides (hour or more), mainly due to time.  I will need to start training soon since the time is coming for my "ride with the Summer", either in 2014 or 2015.  Perhaps I just need to go out and do it.  I am trying to figure out how long it will take me and the best routes.  My experience with biking in the same lanes as cars indicates it is NOT a good deal for the bike rider!  That is my primary concern