Cold weather musings

34 degrees this morning. Every morning, I go for my walk and start off thinking it is too cold to bicycle this morning. By the time I am half through my walk, I have usually "warmed up" and decide it is ok to bike. I start my bike ride thinking I may cut it short, but then after I am half through it seems a shame to not reach my daily goal for exercise!

I enjoy my morning walk and bicycle ride, although my bike ride during the cold months is more of a "maintaining" ride, in that I just finish, and don't worry about my speed or distance.

It is hard to believe that December is almost here and the "holiday season" starts next week.

Marriott-The victims (er. guests) pay, and pay and pay...

I am sick and tired of Marriott's money grubbing. Other inexpensive hotels (Hamption Inn etc.) provide free internet (wifi), free coffee, tea etc. 24 hours a day, free breakfast etc., for around $100 per night (give or take $40 depending on location.

At a Marriott, it costs twice as much, only a "wired" internet connection is available for $16.00 per night!, and the only coffee or tea you will see is $3.00 per cup or more and breakfast is at least $12 or more. Also, the "self" parking is so inconvenient or far away, it is an attempt to extort "guests" (read victims or "marks") into paying big bucks for "valet" parking.

I think their secret is they pay the "meeting planners' plenty of "points" and big bucks to extort meeting attendees into staying at Marriott.

I have decided I will not longer stay at Marriott and I will simply not attend any meeting or conference where they make it inconvenient or impossible not to stay at Marriott. Or, Marriott has the facilities (usually with a government subsidy) and they just stick it to you because they can.

Marriott staff is the best, there is no question. But other than that, I'd much prefer Hamption Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Embassy Suites etc. I don't feel like they are after every last penny they can get and that is their only objective.

October 2008

I am always surprised by how fast time passes, as when I last posted on this! September 17-it couldn't be that long!

Anyway, I continue my morning walk and bicycle ride each morning as the weather gets colder. Thus far, I am still wearing shorts when I walk and dressing fairly lightly for my bicycle ride (the wind makes it seem a lot colder).

The wonderful October weather is still with us.

David and Michalann came up this week for a visit and we really enjoyed their visit. We went on a "rib craze" and went to the Rendovious BBQ place in downtown Memphis as well as "Jim n Nicks", which is right near our house. We enjoyed the difference in the ribs. I'm not really much of a rib person, or even a steak person, but I enjoyed the ribs.

Our favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, made their normal wimpy ending. Each fall, I throw my Cubs baseball hats and shirts in the trash, Aliene takes them out and by the next Spring I am ready to suspend my belief in reality and follow them again. I don't know why I enjoy baseball, but I do. We occassionally go to the the Memphis Redbirds games and enjoy them, whether they win or lose.

I like college football and basketball, and causally watch professional football and don't watch or follow professional basketball at all, except for the Memphis Grizzles. Local pride I guess, but I can find a game with the Grizzles in it interesting while other professional basketball gams are simply boring.

I am still reading the Lincoln biography. I decided I'll read about Lincoln at breakfast every morning. He was a fascinating person.

2000 miles on bicycle

This morning my "new" bicycle just went over 2,000 miles. Since I have started riding daily (early morning), the miles have accumulated! I hope to start riding other times, but right now, I get my 30 minutes or so biking in the morning (pluse 30 to 45 minutes of walking) and I really look forward to it.

Oddly enough, I first look forward to my walk (which I take immediately after I get up), but by the time I get done with the walk, I am looking forward to the bicycle.

2000 miles is a lot of riding.

Cold Mornings and Lincoln Biography

62 degrees yesterday and 57 degrees this morning. Cold weather has hit! It will take me a little while to get used to cold weather, especially riding my bike early in the morning. The "breeze" created by riding makes it a lot colder!

Each morning at breakfast I am reading a biography of Lincoln. I usually "speed through" a book, so I enjoy my slow thoughtful reading of Lincoln's life and I look forward to progressing a little further each morning! (The specific biography is by Lincoln by David Herbert Donald.)

If I could ever meet someone from the past, Lincoln is definitely my top choice.

Early Morning thoughts

The Bullfrogs in one of the ponds in our addition actually "croak" in harmony. It is an amazing experience to hear them early in the morning.

I actually don't think I have ever actually seen a bullfrog. I did see a treefrog in full croak this summer and was amazed at their extremely large chins and how they pump in and out.

Somehow, with the "bellowing" bullfrogs make, I kind of expect an 8 foot, 400 pound frog to step out of the pond!

Back in the Saddle Again

After falling yesterday (Monday), I wasn't sure if I was going to ride my bicycle again this morning or not. I thought I may let the scrapes heal enough that I could get some pads on in the event I should fall again.

Of course, when the time came, I didn't hesitate, I jumped right on and of course I didn't have any problems.

While I was riding, I thought about my experience with horses. I always liked horses when I was a child (I even rode the cows etc. as substitutes) UNTIL I actually rode a horse.

For some reason, I never quite related to horses, or horses to me. I wasn't nervous at all my first ride on a horse, but I quickly found it wasn't for me.

The last time I rode a horse was at the "Garden of the Gods" near Colorado Springs in about August of 1977 (a birthday trip). I was riding a horse and the horse turned around and GRINNED at me and then proceeded to give me the roughest possible ride, with me having every expectation the horse was going to take off running, or start bucking.

I haven't written one since, nor do I intend to!

"When" happened today

I started riding a bicycle on a regular basis in December of 1999. At that time, I was advised that it was not “if” I would fall, it was “when” I would fall.

Almost 9 years and over 10,000 biking miles later, “when” happened, this morning, September 1, 2008.

It was relatively minor fall. I was making a slow turn when my front wheel goes caught in a valve cover in the road. The front wheel twisted and I could-not adjust in time and the bike and I fell.

I only had a few scrapes (“road rash”) and the bike wasn’t damaged, so it wasn’t that bad. (I always wear a helmet.)

I read up on “road rash” and found it can be serious. I discovered one of my favorite treatments for any skin problem (Hydrogen Peroxide) could actually be counterproductive.

Strangely enough, I didn’t find any discussion of using knee and arm pads for protection against road rash. I did decide I will purchase knee/arm pads and a safety medical kit and always carry it.

It reminded me of how life can change in a second. Several inches on either side, I wouldn’t have had an accident, if I had been gone faster, it could have been much more serious.

I’m just glad I can keep on riding. I enjoy my early morning walk and bicycle ride. I currently ride about 5 miles per day (30 minutes or so) and it has been good for me. I look forward to it and am disappointed when I can’t ride.

Birds and bicycle gloves

Birds

We have a bird feeder in our backyard, which provides some enjoyable moments as we watch the birds. They range from a pigeon or two, to bright yellow, blue and red birds as well as the normal gray birds.

For some reason, the last few days, the birds have been in a feeding frenzy and actually have started hanging out at the bird feeder even if they aren’t eating.

I think there is supposed to be some kind of message in all of this, but I’m not sure what it is.

Gloves

While taking my bike riding gloves this morning, I realized the gloves don’t wear out from wearing them, it’s the putting on and taking off that are so hard on them.
Again, I’m sure there is some sort of message there.

I'll think about it some more tomorrow.

Cicadas and bullfrogs

Sitting out on the patio tonight listening to the cicadas. It felt like I was immersed in the sound, there is so many of them. It is an oddly comfortable sound, like the booming bullfrogs I hear in the morning.

I remember the cicadas when I was a child. I'm not sure what I associate with cicadas, but I have always enjoyed it and the sound relaxes me and is enjoyable.

I don't remember hearding bullfrogs before I moved to my current house, although I'm sure I heard them someplace. They are usually only active early in the morning and I like the sound.

Treefrogs, I can do without, although they don't bother me.

August in Tennessee

The weather is getting cooler, as the Summer of 2008 wanes. This morning it was 70 degrees and it was actually cool. I really notice the difference when I ride my bike in the morning. I'll need to get some more bike wear before this winter to keep riding through the winter!

One of the biggest problems in Winter, both for bike riding and walking, is the amount of time it takes to put on and take off the cold weather clothing! It may sound minor, but it adds up during "hyper time", which is the time between when I get up and when I leave for work.

Although I get up arund 3 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., and don't go to work until 8:00 a.m., I walk 30-45 minutes, read the paper, ride 30-35 minutes, eat breakfast, shower etc, take a nap, review and respond to e-mail/write e-mail etc., so the time goes fast!

I hate to see the Summer end. I love Summer and hot weather. While I like the August-November time, it also means the dreaded Winter is arriving (even in Lakeland, which has a wonderful climate, the Winter seems to last forever).

In spite of my exercise, I am still having a problem losing weight.l I guess the simple answer is I still eat too much!

We still enjoy watching the bird feeder. There is a wide variety of birds, red birds, yellow birds, bright blue birds etc. We really enjoy it. We have learned to bring in the feeder at night to stop the racoons from coming in and feeding!

We have been learning a lot about our Mac computers at the "Apple store". I wish PC's had a similar program.

Thoughts on my 61st Birthday

August 6, 2008:  Sometime this morning (I believe around 5:30 a.m.) I turned 61.  

I guess to a large degree, I feel "so what, I don't feel that old!".  And I really don't feel like I am anywhere close to 61 years old, either physically or mentally.

But I am, and, as adults always used to say when I was younger, yes time does pass quickly.  Even if the days drag, the months and years fly.  

I still think of things I intend to do with my life when I get a "round tu it" , or, as I say, "when I grow up."  At least we live in a day now when it is accepted that you can keep on doing things regardless of your age.  Retirement, even from my current position, seems far in the future (and I hope it is!).  I really don't see even thinking about it until I am 67 and hopefully not until I am 70.  

When I was a teenager, I remember hearing Pete Seger (spell?) sing about "Little Boxes" and I thought about how I didn't want a "predictable" life.  I didn't realize at the time that no life is "predictable" and I got my wish.  

Looking back, like everyone, I certainly made a few mistakes I wished I could take back, missed some opportunities I wish I could get again, but, overall....I'm pleased or at least accepting that it could have been a lot worse.  

I still enjoy Summer immensely (right now I am sitting on my patio, drinking coffee, and enjoying the wonderful 84 or so degree weather, watching the time so I can get ready for work.

Each Summer does seem to go faster and the cold of winter arrives quickly, so I have learned to relax and enjoy the Summer while it is here.  August 6, it is already getting darker quicker, and even in the hot days, there are signs of the Fall and Winter to come.  I dread the Winter, and shortly after the leaves have fallen, I think of how long it will be before the flowers bloom again, the  grass turns green and the trees come alive again.  The Winter goes so slow and the Summer goes so fast.

There is one sure thing in life.  In one year I will be 62, in 9 years I will be 70 (if I am lucky)!  I think my dream when I retire is to start where the Summer is endless and follow the Spring and early Summer north on my bicycle, taking it all in as I ride my bike.  (With a backup vehicle and staying in hotels of course!)

I find that I see so much more riding my bike.  I don't have the patience to walk and driving a car is too fast to really observe anything.  I try to ride in areas of the City so I can observe problems better, but time is always a factor (as is safety).  

Probably one of the hardest things about aging is watching others make the same mistakes I did-usually with the same consequences.  Sometimes they listen, usually they listen and forget and my mistakes do not have the value mistakes should have.  I have learned to study my mistakes, although it doesn't mean I always learn from them! 

Time to get dressed and go to work.  Another year of my life begins. 

August thoughts

We really enjoyed the Courter Reunion in Topeka. It was good to see everyone and, as an added bonus, we got to see Holton, the Solder Cemetary and other places I remember from many years ago! The visiting was the best and we are already looking forward to next year

The trip up and back was relatively non-eventful, which was nice! We went through Oklahoma City to pick up/drop off Angela, Kali and Katherine. They really enjoyed the swimming pool and visitng with everyone.

I am enjoying the hot summer (Aliene probably isn't enjoying it quite as much!). I do most of my exercise in the early morning now, but I do miss my bike rides in the heat. The morning temperatures are usually in the range of 81 to 86. It actually seems cool in the morning on my bike ride if the temperature is under 76 degrees. In that case, I normally wear a long sleeve shirt or jersey.

We enjoy our bird feeder. A racoon also started enjoying eating out of the bird feeder so we have to take it in at dark and put it out in the morning! Last week, on two occasions, deer came right up to our back yard.

I

Sweet or Unsweet?

One of the more endearing customs in the Memphis area is when I order "ice tea" and am immediately asked "sweet or unsweet".

I used to say "unsweet" and use sweetner for reduced calories, until I was given "sweet tea" by mistake.

I haven't asked for "unsweet" tea since! "Sweet Tea" is wonderful and well worth the calories! Every restaurant appears to make it different. Although some just toss in sugar, I have seen many recipes for making "sweet tea".

Oddly enough, I was in Nashville recently and asked for "tea" and was not asked "sweet or unsweet" and was bought some tea that reminded me or water! (I call it "skinny tea".) I though it was just an exception, exept the entire time I was in Nashville, I didn't get "sweet tea" and all of the tea was "skinny tea". (Memphis ice tea is what I call "full bodied"-usually reasonably strong and very good. I guess Memphis is more "southern" than Nashville than just geography!

My mom alwasy made strong ice tea. Oklahoma serves "skinny tea" also, so I almost quit drinking ice tea in Oklahoma City (might as well order free water!). It took me a while to realize Memphis not only has "strong" tea, but also that Sweet Tea is a wonder of it's own!

I have some catching up to do on all of the Sweet Tea I have been missing!

Summer in Tennessee

June 21 has come and gone, which means I had better start enjoying Summer as it will soon ber over!

I especially enjoy the little back patio of our house. I eat breakfast there almost every week day and enjoy just sitting with a cup of coffee and just "being". At night, I enjoy reading (and yes, occasionally napping!) on the patio.

I have started riding my bike each morning and have found it works well. (I can't ride it at night as often as I'd like due to meetings etc.). I take my walk, read the paper, bike and then eat breakfast, take a nap and head to work! I am already preparing for this winter since I am surprised at how cool riding the bike can be even in warmish weather. (I wear long sleeves for my morning ride.) I also ride in the heat, but I am slowly getting into "2 ride a day days" when time allows!

The early morning ride is nice, it is cool and little traffic. I can watch the dawn creep in, it seems like it is dark and then suddenly it is light.

Looking forward to the seeing everyone at the Courter Reunion!

Biking in the morning

I recently decided to start riding my bicycle every morning so I could ride it on a regular basis.  Due to evening meetings etc., I have a difficult time riding my bike during the week.  (I actually enjoy the heat, so it doesn't bother me.)

I walk first thing in the morning, so I changed my schedule to walk, then read the paper, then ride my bicycle and then eat etc.  

Thus far, I am really enjoying my early morning bike ride.  The main thing I noticed is that even in a temperature in the 70's, it is still cool to ride a bike in the morning!  This morning it was 69 degrees and I almost froze, even with a long sleeve t-shirt and a long sleeve jersey!  

Of course, this reduces my precious "early morning" time, but thus far it is well worth it.  Morning seems to be "hypertime" when time moves much faster than the rest of the day!

An Interlude

Last week, I stopped to pick up an item.  As I pulled in, I noticed a young woman on the ground in back of a vehicle with a scooter on it.  The thought crossed my mind that she was fixing the scooter. 

As I came out, the woman was still on the ground and waved and asked if I could help her.  The normal thoughts of a "set up" etc. crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed them.

The young woman was severely disabled and had slipped on the sand and couldn't get up.  A man was there, but couldn't lift her because of her disability prevented the normal method of lifting.

Another man quickly arrived and we lifted her and helped her get into her vehicle.  (She apparently used the vehicle and then used the scooter to get to her location from the vehicle.)

The woman gave us a beautiful smile and thanks.  We looked at each other, I think each of us thinking of her courage and strength in refusing to succumb  to her disability. She obviously continued to live her daily life.  

After she again waved her thanks, we all walked away, having shared of life's interludes.  

CMA Fest 2008

The last three years we have attended CMA Fest in Nashville, which is a Country Music Festival. Many of the top stars appear, sign autographs etc. It is fun and relatively inexpensive and is really a unique experience. This year I decided to keep a current journal.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008: Traveled to Nashville. Saw Keith Anderson (one of my favorites), Joe Nichols, Luke Bryan and James Otto at a free concert downtown! Not bad when the CMA Fest doesn't start until Thursday!

We picked up our parking pass, our "freebie" bag, so we are ready to go!

The crowd is entertaining when there isn't any entertainment!

After getting to the hotel, we noticed we had missed several "fan parties" (including Tracy Bryd), but....we try to pace ourselves! Tomorrow will be a full day. We plan on going to the Riverstage (Jo Dee Mesina, Luke Bryan, Keith Anderson, Mindy McCready, Aaron Tippon, Mark Chestnet, Danielle Peck, Tracy Bryd among many others) and than going to the Convention Center for the booths, autograph/picture sessons and (perhaps most of all) the air conditioning!

One thing I really like about CMA Fest is that I always discover some new singer I haven't been aware of before who becomes a favorite. I especially enjoy the fiddle players.

(For example, I wasn't consciously aware of Keith Anderson, John Anderson, Jeff Bates and others until I saw them "live" at the CMA Fest.

Nighttime will be the "big" show at the football stadium.

Thursday June 5, 2008: Went to the River Stage. To hot and too many people (I'm not standing up in the hot sun for anyone!). Heard Jo Dee Messina but couldn't stand the heat!

Went to the Convention Center (exhibits, autographs etc.). Actually saw Randy Travis and almost got his autograph and a picture with him, but the line was too long. He was originally supposed to only stay for 20 minutes and he stayed much longer, so it was ok. He was good natured as he signed items even as he was leaving. Also saw Bucky Currington, James Ottto. Tracy Bryd, Billy Currington and a few others. We try to meet the lessor known ones also, it is always to talk with them.

Saw Brandi Thornton in the "Acoustic Corner" and she signed a picture and took a picture with Aliene.

At lunch at the Merchants, a welcome respite from the heat and crowd. The crowd seems much larger this year.

Went to the "Big" concert at the football field and saw Montgomery Gentry, Jewel, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, and Rascal Flatts.

Friday, June 6, 2008:

Went to the "Riverstage". Much less crowded than yesterday, but just too hot. Saw Neal McCoy, Mgan Mullins and Jeff Bates before escaping to the Convention Center.

Had a lot of fun in the Convention Center, getting pictures (Lorrie Morgan, Alan Jackson (sort of, the crowd was so big it was hard), Little Big Town.) I walked around a corner and told Aliene "that looks like Aaron Tippon("kiss this)". Sure enough, it was and we jumped in and got our picture with him and actually talked with him. He was extremely nice. Also got our picture with Bill Anderson, Riders of the Purple Sage and a few up and comers who aren't well known. Went to the acoustic corner and saw Tulluride, which was very pleasant. A lot of fun again!

Lunch at Merchants again.

Big concert Friday night at football field was great on music, a little irritating on the trivial talk. We got very tired of seeing Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swith as presenters. Enjoy their singing but they just didn't have the experience to handle the presenting. They did an excellent job on singing Thursday night (Kellie Pickler wasn't as good as last year), but they are out of their league as presenters. Not their fault, they just shouldn't have been chosen for this.

Got really tired at the "are you having fun yet" and "get on your feet" comments all night, but it wasn't really that bad. We have seats where people standing aren't a problem.

Presenters included Jake Owen, Ashton Shepard, Jack Ingram, Lady Antebellium, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner and Faith Hill. All did an excellent job, Josh Turner and Faith Hill were just super, but all did a great job.

Due to the chit-chat and small talk and delays, (plus a desire to avoid the traffic and get back to the room, since it was 11:30 p.m.) didn't see the "special guest", Keith Urban who was the last to perform.

Tomorrow, a priority is to get the tickets for next year, hopefully the same seats!

A lot of fun today, after getting tickets for next year, which was a real ordeal (plus losing our seats we had this year). They need to change that.

I am keeping my record of this on Google Notebook and am finding out that Google is messing up my computer. So much for Google programs. I am having to rewrite Saturday's account since Google did not save it.

Went to the Convention Center after standing in the sun for 2 hours (and finding our seats we had this year sold due to the obsolete system they have here).

Really enjoyed the Convention Center this year. Took pictures of Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Ronda Towns and others. Talked with Taylor Ware the "world champion yodeler" who I first saw perform at the Opry in 2005. (She must be around 12 years old), took a LOT of pictures I will post after I delete the bad ones!

Saturday night saw Craig Morgan, Little Big Town, Rodney Atkins, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Jason Michael Carroll, Jamey Johnson and Daryl Worley. Have to say Rodney Atkns and Alan Jackson did the best performances although I enjoyed all of them.

Sunday, June 8, 2008: Last day of festival. We went to the Convention Center one last time. Hear a performance by Timothy Craig (included a fiddle player).

Sunday night saw Charles Wicks, John Stephen, Phil Stacey, James Otto, Bucky Covington, Randy Travis, Sara Evans, Billy Ray Cyrus and Dwight Yoakam. Randy Travis has always been a favorite signer of mine and this is the first time I have seen him perform. I wasn't disappointed.

So ends CMA Fest 2008. We had a lot of fun and are looking forward to next years! The heat and sun on the Riverstage is a continual problem I feel they should do something about (put in fans, tents, or something! Next year we plan on having a "Festival Book' of pictures and autographs. We aren't really "autograph hounds", but I would have liked to have had Aaron Tippon and Randy Travis autographs.

One thing I really like about Nashville is stories similar to the story of Chuck Wicks. At the Convention Center I noticed there was a crowd around a man signing autographs named Chuck Wicks. I had never consciously heard of him so that night I was surprised to see him perform at the "Big Concert" . He mentioned that one year ago he had been up in the "cheap seats" and this year he was performing! (His breakthrough song is "Stealing Cinderella" ). I expect it is stories like that that keep a lot of aspiring singers, songwriters etc. coming to Nashville!

Coffee on the patio

As the summer continues (will actually, not until June 21, but I really consider this "summer"), I have relearned the simple pleasure of sitting on the patio with a cup of coffee in the early morning and just doing nothing!

I have recently been readying something every chance I get to save time and the other day I just sat on the patio and enjoyed a cup of coffee and listened to the birds.

I probably get more done in these moments than I do all day, as far as thinking. That is one thing I really enjoy about my morning walk and bicycle ride, it gives me a chance to think.

I am going now to enjoy my cup coffee in the early morning, doing nothing but enjoying my coffee and listening to the morning sounds!

Bullfrogs bellowing

The bullfrogs are bellowing each morning when I take my walk, which always means Summer is here, although the weather still isn’t all that summerish.

I really enjoy Lakeland. The trees, the tree canopy over many of the roads etc. is always enjoyable, especially in Spring.

Everything is busy at work, with budgets etc. and a variety of projects going on. I always have projects for “when things slow down” and then of course they never slow down so I have to move them up on the priority list!

Coming back from a family visit to Oklahoma City, we hit a railroad tie in the road (or rather it hit us) and ended up with two ruined tires and two ruined rims. The Police Department of the City of Hazen, Arkansas went above and beyond duty in helping us and two other cars that hit the same railroad tie.

Allstate Insurance was excellent in handling the claim. We discovered our “road hazard” policy sold to us by Acura of Memphis was useless, which now makes us suspect anything Acura of Memphis sold us. It included the provision that the tires had to be on the car and at the Acura of Memphis dealer and be inspected by the insurance company (which could take 3 days or more for the inspector to appear), which means basically the policy is worthless and we just wasted our money. I expect that will be the last car we ever purchase from Acura of Memphis!

Angela took the “Mensa” test on a dare and qualified to become a member. I’m not sure if she is actually going to become a member or not.

Looking forward to Summer and the Courter Family Reunion!