Christmas Blessings

Well, Tammy has been away for a week on vacation with her sister, Shelley. They went to New York city to see all the wintry Christmassy sites of the Big Apple. They visited Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and The Empire State Building. From the phone conversations it sounds like they've had a really nice time but, she's also ready to come home.

At first having the house to myself was really nice. Then it was very lonely and quiet. I worked a couple of double shifts and got nice and wiped out last week. That killed some time then Sara came home for Christmas break from school. We've had some fun watching our old favorite Christmas movies.

Tammy flies home from NYC this evening so we're headed to San Diego to spend the night then Christmas Eve morning with her Mom and Joe.

Here are a few of my favorite ornament photos:




Here's a thought about Christmas penned by Spurgeon:

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isa_7:14

Let us to-day go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in him, and can sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance his miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, “The seed of the woman,” not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to his human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that he may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to note his humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as “a virgin,” not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to the new-born King!
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.


Please have a most blessed and Merry Christmas. Until next time I am humbly yours...

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me hearties!!!!!



OLD GUYS RULE!!!!

Factor It In!

The craziness of post election politics is nearly at a fever pitch. With the election of perhaps the most liberal president in US history, the values that most Americans hold dear are under attack an an alarming and relentless rate. One example: The so-called "gay" agenda was dealt a serious blow with California's passage of proposition 8, to define what marriage is in the state constitution. Did our fore-fathers ever imagine we'd have to do that? I doubt it... The reaction from the "rainbow" side has been shall we say loud? Boisterous? Violent? Virulent? The reaction from the "rainbow" camp just proves there is nothing gay about the gay lifestyle. I can understand the upset over losing. I can even understand civil disobedience when the issue justifies it. This isn't the case here. A choice in the way a person uses their body's natural function in unnatural ways should never become the basis of civil liberties of any kind. I don't believe a group's sexual perversions should create a protected class of people. But thanks to our political leaders, we have. The need to combat the political agenda of those who would destroy this great land has never been greater. In this particular case, the people of California have spoken twice now. One man, one woman is how marriage is defined in California.

The erosion of the USA's values has it's roots in the socialist agenda of the far left politicos. It's no secret that many of our country's leaders look to Europe for a social and moral compass. This is a BIG BIG mistake. Please click the link and watch the video below:

Fox News: Amsterdam's Red Light Revamp

I don't always agree with O'Reilly but he makes some very good points about culture war. Believe me, politics is not the answer. History has proved this out time and time again. It will be no different in the USA. The political arena will never do anything to fulfill our deepest needs. Let's face it, we all have baggage. But it goes even deeper than this. In my own life, I came to realize just how deep it went. I realized that we were all created for one purpose. To have a relationship with a Creator that is loving, righteous, holy and truly magnificent. I also realized that I was in no possible way able to do this in my own strength or in my own abilities. There was a dark chasm that separated me from my Creator. The darkness of sin overshadowed anything that I could possibly think, do or expect to accomplish in life. As a young man I knew there had to be something better. I discovered with the help of three different people that I needed a Savior. They did not know each other. I later came to understand that Spirit of God had somehow made our paths cross. They helped me to see that I needed someone to step into my situation and become the bridge across the chasm of sin to reach God, the Creator. Someone to pay the price for the sin I was born into. That person is Jesus Christ. Born of a virgin, crucified, raised from the dead on the third day. By faith I now understand how He who was perfect from birth, He who knew no sin, became sin in His Father's eyes for mankind's sake. I decided by faith to follow the Bible's teaching of salvation and redemption. I now have a relationship with my Creator through Jesus Christ.

I took this step when I was fifteen. Let's see... I'm over fifty and have been a Christian now for over thirty years. The road has not been an easy one and anyone who says it's easy is being somewhat less than truthful. Life has meaning and purpose. The relationships I have with my family has been and continues to be meaningful and full of wonder. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination so please be patient. God isn't finished yet.

Maybe you are wondering if there is something better out there. I don't know what your situation is but, I do know this. God loves you and has always had a plan to be with you. If this is the case, I'd love to hear from you. If not, thanks for reading this far. Please come back to read what I post in the future. The musings of an old guy tend to ramble a bit but they are what I'm all about I guess.

Until next time,

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!


OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Coolness

As often happens in Southern California it gets hot again. We had some nice rain last week then it got into the mid 80's again. Some of you may think this is nice... I guess it is but I like a little cooler weather. I miss living where there are 4 seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. I like that but, The southern half of this state is boringly warm. A cold night here is in the 40's unless you are in the mountains. Oh well, when I don't have to work for the city of riversnot anymore maybe we can move to cooler climes.

Sara went back to Westmont last Monday. Her schoolmate went home the Tuesday before if I remember correctly. Peter and Melissa successfully moved into their home. Now they're in the never-ending process of making it theirs. Painting, repairing etc... all the stuff a renter can't even fathom. Way to go you two... I am really proud of you. Alicia and Mike are plugging along in Texas, they adopted a new mutt named Fritz. I think I probably already told you. It's been nice lately, I put Skype on the puter. Now we can video chat with all the kids. We got to say hi to Sarah Rose, our grandbaby the other night. Now that was way cool.... B-D

Stellar observers will have taken note of the Lunar observations this week. Venus Jupiter and the Moon are the closest they will be in the night sky for the next 40 years. I took a few pix to mark the event. I share them with you for your pleasure:

How it looked from my front yard

How it looked upside down- a frown for the Northern Hemisphere...

Not to be outdone by the people "down under", I "fixed" it with the magic of Photoshop

A thought from "My Utmost For HIS Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CARRIED AWAY FOR HIM?
"She hath wrought a good work on Me." Mark 14:6 If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it. Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, nor because it was useful, nor because there was anything in it at all beyond the fact that I love Him? Have I ever realized that I can bring to God things which are of value to Him, or am I mooning round the magnitude of His Redemption whilst there are any number of things I might be doing? Not Divine, colossal things which could be recorded as marvellous, but ordinary, simple human things which will give evidence to God that I am abandoned to Him? Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced? There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him the abandoned tokens of how genuinely we do love Him. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses the eye on our own whiteness; we are greatly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, fearful lest we offend Him. Perfect love casts out all that when once we are abandoned to God. We have to get rid of this notion - "Am I of any use?" and make up our minds that we are not, and we may be near the truth. It is never a question of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time.

Until Next Time I am Humbly Yours...


ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!!!!


OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Fire Here, Fire There, Fire Fire Everywhere

Unless you live on the moon, you've seen and or heard about the destruction taking place in California last week and over the weekend. The Tea, Freeway Complex and Sayre fires have and are still currently burning. Sara called us Thursday evening and said there was a big fire and the campus was threatened. Further, all the students had been evacuated to the gym, an in-place safe shelter. Well, Thursday night was not a very restful one to say the least. Along with 4 other girls packed into her car, Sara was allowed to leave the campus on Friday. She dropped off one in Santa Barbara to be picked up by her parents, 2 in Redlands at family members' homes and brought Karina, a native of the U.K., home to our house. The girls were allowed to leave with whatever they were wearing and had grabbed from their dorm rooms when they were forced to flee to the gym the night before. The school lost some buildings and the faculty has suffered some major property losses.

Saturday was Karina's 22nd birthday. Being far from her parents home in San Ramon, there was not much celebration in store for her. Enter the Ziegler clan... It is fun being a part of her "family" for the short term while she's awaiting permission to return back the to school. We had ravioli for dinner the requisite chocolate cake for dessert and even sang happy birthday for her. We then watched the movie of her choice, "The Sound of Music." I'm not usually sentimental but, I do get a little sentimental when I watch this movie. It's not just the music, although most of it is very upbeat and fun, it's the idea that God has a plan for everybody. It's not always apparent but, it can be discovered. Fraulein Maria discovered her calling was not to be a Nun but to be a wife to Captain von Trapp and a step-mother to his children. Intermingled into the story is the beginning of one of the darkest periods in the history of mankind.

A thought from Oswald Chambers' book "My Utmost for His Highest."

Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to "supply all your need" ( Philippians 4:19 ). To read all of this devotional click here.

Until next time,

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!


OLD GUYS RULE!!!!

Lack of Sleep Does What? I Forget...

Good morning gentle readers. It's been 2 weeks since my last post. Don't let the title of this post fool you, I will ramble on about... ah yes, sleep patterns. During the week after my last posting, I began to develop sinus problems. At first I thought I was suffering from allergies. It seems like everyone around me is suffering from the plugged up sensations of fall in the greater San Bernardino/ Riverscum area. Well, the plugged up feeling lead to a severe bout of night time snoring which is not to be confused with day time snoring. You know one is while you sleep at home in your bed, the other is while you sleep while slumped over your desk with hands on the keyboard or mouse or, while in another particularly "exciting" training session on sexual.... harassment or recognizing drug abuse on the job etc...

Wow, it took me a minute to remember that. You know they say the memory is the second thing to go... I wish I could remember what the first thing was. Anyhow, back on the trail, I'm talking about the type of stuff that's about as exciting as watching paint dry or grass grow. So, that excuse is valid as far as I'm concerned. Now, where was I going with this... Oh yeah, I developed a case of night time snoring that could have awaken the dead. I kept myself awake for 2 nights in a row. The second night I moved into the spare bedroom so Tammy could sleep. The next few nights I started taking various over-the-counter drugs to counter act the plugged up can't breathe snorting drooling sweating sensations I was having. Oh, and the sore throat came too so I thought maybe I was coming down with something. I went to the drugstore bought some lozenges and some breathe right strips. I ran the vaporizer, took nyquil, which really doesn't work anymore thanks to all the stupid ignorant selfish jerks that use methamphetamines to get a short-sighted and deadly thrill. I have to sign for the good stuff, just like I'm buying ammunition for my rifles and pistols. Now where was I.... these rabbit trails are getting monotonous aren't they? Bottom line here is, I still think it's allergies. I am using nasal spray, a vaporizer and the breathe right strips, they hold your nose holes open, to sleep. Finally after 2 weeks of fitful at best sleep, I can say I slept pretty well the last 2 nights. There is the other thought though. I don't go back to work until Wednesday... Stress does weird things to a person's psyche and body.

Now for the family update: Tammy is studying very hard to take her series 7 test for work. I think once she gets the test under her belt, she'll probably get her 8 and maybe even the series 9 too. Then she'll probably flush UBS for a better job. YOU GO GIRL!!!! I'm as proud of Tammy as anybody can be. She's also making preparations for a Christmas trip to NYC with her sis.

Melissa and Peter put in an offer for a house and it was accepted! They will be buying their first house. Way to go Melissa and Peter!!!!

Alicia and Mike adopted a male dog named Fritz to keep the effervescent Isabel company. They think he's a collie shepherd mix. I hope they'll send some pictures. They even gave poor old Fritz and Isabel a bath yesterday.

Sara is studying very hard and pining some for her sweetheart Matt who is still in the U.K. She sounded pretty good yesterday when I talked to her. One thing she and I share is a strange affinity to really bad goofy Sci-fi movies. The worse they are the better we like it. The worst and the funniest, what a combo. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" aficionados unite! Character flaw you say? I don't think so... B-)

Here are some photos for your enjoyment:






I took these last week in the backyard. I hope you like them.

Here's a thought for this week from Spurgeon:

“So walk ye in him.”

- Col_2:6

If we have received Christ himself in our inmost hearts, our new life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with him by a walk of faith in him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry out into practical effect that which we believe. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflex of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk ye in him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of Jesus, and may then give their hearts to the world all the day: but this is poor living; we should always be with him, treading in his steps and doing his will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant tenor of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget him; sometimes call him ours, and anon lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in him. We must keep to him, cling to him, never let him go, but live and have our being in him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him”; persevere in the same way in which ye have begun, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.

-----------------------

Humbly until next time,

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Overdue

I know this is overdue but, since the kids left not much has been happening here. A welcome respite you say? LOL, I agree. The last couple of weeks have been filled with activity but mostly at work. I had to attend 3 days of training to learn about the latest version of our Operations database, an application called OPSSQL. When it's up and running it can make life easier for us but, the City in it's quest for cutting expenses has to let us spend the time necessary to use it to it's fullest extent. Herein lies the problem, most of us are working lots of overtime... I guess it's cheaper than hiring somebody. Lot's of people out there want work but we're kind of a specialized field. Tammy cleaned her sister's house and watched her cats for her while she and her hubby were away playing somewhere. She studied some too I think and spent some time lamenting our grand daughter's departure. I spent a fair amount of time lamenting her departure too.

Tammy's recovering from the emotional roller coaster ride of having the grandbaby close then not then back again then gone for a long time. Probably until we can visit her at Whidbey or on a holiday or something like that. Melissa and Peter are still enroute to their new home town, Alicia is working on building her Sensaria business and Sara is studying while IM'ing her boyfriend Matt who is in England. Ahhhh, life is good in spite of the turmoil in financial, political and world affairs circles.

Well, I need to meet a friend for breakfast this morning so I'll leave you with this thought from Spurgeon:

“It is a faithful saying.”

- 2Ti_2:11

Paul has four of these “faithful sayings.” The first occurs in 1Ti_1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” The next is in 1Ti_4:6, “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” The third is in 2Ti_2:12, “It is a faithful saying-If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him”; and the fourth is in Tit_3:3, “This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” We may trace a connection between these faithful sayings. The first one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God, as shown to us in the mission of the great Redeemer. The next affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation-the blessings of the upper and nether springs-of time and of eternity. The third shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that “if we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” The last sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works. Thus we have the root of salvation in free grace; next, the privileges of that salvation in the life which now is, and in that which is to come; and we have also the two great branches of suffering with Christ and serving with Christ, loaded with the fruits of the Spirit. Treasure up these faithful sayings. Let them be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction. The apostle of the Gentiles proved them to be faithful, they are faithful still, not one word shall fall to the ground; they are worthy of all acceptation, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.

Until next time.....

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!!!!!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!

Send Off

There comes a time in every child's life when they should be on their own. For our kids, all but the youngest have flown the nest. However, while Peter was in Kuwait and Africa this past 2 months, Melissa and Sarah Rose lived with us. It was a wonderful time to be around our grandchild. Both Tammy and I became very attached to the little munchkin. She made some real milestones while she was here. She learned to clap, wave hello, goodbye and, she's pulling herself up to a standing position on all kinds of things. Just see the picture to the left... She's also learning to do what all female children do... babble incessantly. It's been a lot of fun. 

This weekend we were able to get all of the local SO. CA. family together to send Peter and Melissa off to Peter's new post at Whidbey Island in Puget Sound about 2 hrs. drive time from Seattle. After a nice BBQ at our house, it was a real hoot getting most of them up to Riley's Farm in Oak Glen for a fun time. Of course the star of the show was Sarah Rose... At least 3 or 4 shutters kept clicking wherever she went. This went a long way toward getting my mind off the death of a dear friend. Spending time with my son-in-law Peter was really nice too. Watching the major league baseball playoffs and Victory at Sea is a memory I'll keep for a long time.

We have a housefull this morning with Tammy's sister, her 2 boys and our youngest daughter Sara. Sleeping arrangements were tight but we always manage one way or another. I think Tammy is in the kitchen doing her best to cook up something that will help me get fatter. Peter is behind me typing away to put something on his blog. 

This week has been stressful. The death of a close friend is never an easy thing to accept. My faith in the Lord has gone a long way to help me get on with life and having family members that love me close by has been just what the doctor ordered. 

Humbly yours until next time...

ARRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Tribute

Every once in awhile one of those people comes along in life that can really have a good influence on you. About 6 years ago I met such a person after talking to him on the local repeater for several months. I decided to join the local radio club and met him at the first meeting I went to. Oh he was human just like the rest of us with foibles and the occasional problem. There was just something about him. Something that could draw you to be his friend. Or at least want to talk to him more. Maybe it was his outgoing personality or his uncanny ability to remember almost anything, I'm not sure exactly what it was. One of the things I liked about him was his personableness. The ability to put a person at ease with a kind word like "You Rock!" The distinctive presence on the local repeater that seemed to almost always be there night or day. The charismatic voice that kind of grew on you.

As I got to know him we learned a lot about each others' likes and dislikes. He hated beef stew while I loved it. He liked the Dodgers... well, I do too. Actually, I think he loved them as the season tickets he had proved. "Star Trek Voyager" was often a topic as well as many other things. I worked graveyard for a number of years. The city had gotten us Nextel cellular phones with the direct connect feature. Well, he had gotten one too. There was more than one night that he kept me awake and made the long shift pass a lot faster by yacking with me on the Nextel. He seemed to just be there when you needed him to be. Amazingly, having it pointed out to me how big of a "shroomer" I was got to be a lot of fun.

Another thing I liked about Glenn was how much he loved his wife and Kids. Glenn was always talking about the things Tammy and the girls were up to. You see, my wife's name is Tammy and we raised 3 girls too. I really enjoyed talking about the families' activities with him.

His love for God and country impressed me as well. He served his country for a number of years in the Air Force as a canine handler. This experience and the desire to make a good life for his family eventually led him to his career in the California Department of Corrections keeping watch over the walking talking human sewage we have to keep locked up away from normal people. Not a pleasant job to be sure. I have a lot of respect for the men and women who keep these morons under lock and key. At least in my line of work the turds don't shoot at me or talk trash.

Along with others, he made up the Yucaipa Valley Amateur Radio Club, a group of Amateur radio enthusiasts like myself. At a time when the club could easily have ceased to exist, he stepped up as President. The club was resurrected from the dead with his able leadership and has become something to be proud of. He currently was what he liked to call "Membership Director," a role that he relished and was quite good at.

When Phil, our current club president called to tell me Glenn had become Silent Key it was as if someone knocked my legs out from under me. I was in total shock. I figured since I was older Glenn would attend my funeral, not vice-versa. Things like this aren't supposed to happen. Sadly though, they do. The rest of us are left to continue on and hold memories of the good times we've had together close to our hearts. I will pray for Glenn's wife and kids and never miss an opportunity to say hello to someone I know again. You just don't know when the ability to do so will be wrenched away. The "Perfesser" as I loved to call him has left a big hole in my heart. Perfesser, this isn't goodbye but only a see you later since I'll get to see you soon in the "Hamshack in the Sky."

I will miss Glenn but I will carry on as he would want. I'll keep on trying for that next DX contact on HF. I'll try to be there for others on the local repeater thereby giving tribute to Glenn Montenero, KJ6QB/SK.



Until next time,

A subdued ARRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties.....

OLD GUYS RULE!!!!!

Fall Fly Fishing Fling

Last week was my annual fly fishing trip with 3 friends. I started this trip maybe 12 years ago with a friend Scott. Along the way, we added Arnold and Dave who have made the trips very enjoyable. We started out fishing only in Mammoth Lakes since I knew the water there. Scott Dave and Arnie have all fished from Clearwater Lodge a lot more than I have. So, on my 50th birthday we went to Clearwater. This time was for Dave's 50th birthday. In 2 years we'll go for Scott's 50th birthday. I guess we'll have to find a good reason to for for Arnie... maybe when he retires? We all flew out of Ontario on Southwest Airlines on Sunday and came back Thursday. We stayed at Clearwater Lodge near Fall River Mills, which is about 55 or so miles southeast of Mt. Shasta. Interestingly, the Lodge is located on the near the Pit River. Also within striking distance of the Lodge are Hat Creek, Fall River and Mcloud River some of the west's best blue ribbon waters. Arnie and I fished the Fall River all 3 days with our guide, Dax. The fishing was epic on the Fall. Dax who has been guiding there for 10 years said it was the best 3 days of fishing he's ever seen on the Fall River. Large trout were slurping up PMD's, Callibaetis and another microscopic mayfly we couold not imitate. Below is my smiling mug with my best fish, a 20" Rainbow and some other photos from the trip. If you'd like to see all of them, email me and I'll send you a link to the album.

my 20" rainbow tasken on a dry

one of the most photographed barns on the river

another respectable rainbow taken on a nymph

some of the prettier scenery on the river


Mt. Shasta

The food at the lodge was outstanding, the staff was courteous and the rooms comfortable. The guides are a lot of fun especially when an "experienced" angler as myself go fishing with them. To describe my first couple of casts as substandard is putting it mildly. Dax said on the first one "That's not your best work." Then on the second one "That was apalling!" Arnie had a two fish thing going almost the whole trip. He'd catch or get hit by 2 fish then nothing for awhile. The ribbing back and forth with Dax and Arnie was good natured and fun. I don't have any idea how many flies I broke off. After fishing around here most of my life, I don't have much experience playing large trout. Keep the rod tip up is the best advice going. The 6x tippet may just have a chance to stay together, ya know? Scott fell into the Pit River from Andrew's (his and Dave's guide) drift boat. Falling into the Pit River is real easy to do if you're wading it but out of the boat? I guess he got excited about the fish he hooked. We all caught some real nice and very beautiful trout on the trip. The one day we had a pool, Scott won with a 20" fish from the Fall. I guess I should have gotten one going the other 2 days...LOL. Well, I'll conclude this by saying that I ALWAYS look forward to another fishing trip with the guys and in 2 years for Scott's birthday is no exception.


Until next time,

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!!!


OLD GUYS RULE!!

Headlines from the weekend

This weekend was kind of interesting. Alicia and Mike as you may know live in Webster Texas, very near Houston and not far at all from Galveston. Why is it interesting you may ask? Well, a little tropical cyclone named Ike blew through on Saturday. Fortunately, they were not there. Their home was in the storm surge zone believe it or not. The apartment is on the second floor and the management boarded the windows up in preparation. They along with their dog Isabel in tow, smartly evacuated beforehand to San Antonio. As I write this, they're trying to make it home. I guess cell phone coverage is OK at least in parts of Houston, so we'll see if I hear anything from them. Hopefully, their arrival will find all is well sans electricity and maybe even water. They stocked up on canned goods before the storm and before they left San Antonio.

Last week, Tammy was gone to a training course for her work. She says it was well worthwhile so, hopefully she'll see the full benefit from it in the very near future. I was able to bachelor it successfully for the week although, I did miss her a lot. The reunion, on Friday night was great. I had to work a double the night she came home so we really didn't get to talk to each other until Saturday evening when I came home from work.

Work is still very stressful but it has calmed down a little bit. My immediate supervisor has been very paranoid lately and thinks they're out to get him. His stress level telegraphs right down the food chain to yours truly. Although given the way the city has treated it's management level employees lately, he may be justified in at least a part of the paranoid tendencies. So, I keep plodding along trying to keep him from popping a blood vessel all the while getting really run down and very much looking forward to my yearly fall fly fishing fling next week. Plane tickets were bought a few months ago, reservations have been made, I bought a rolling duffel bag and a new fly rod. The rod is a 4 piece 5 weight St. Croix Avid series. I was ready to go about 6 months ago but could not. Oh well, that's another story.

I did get to go fishing on Tuesday with my Dad, that was a lot of fun. I managed to catch a very nice 16" rainbow trout from a particularly difficult spot. A 16" trout is a very unusual fish in the Santa Ana. Yes, it was a planter but the fish had all it's fins and was in full fall regalia. Suffice it to say it was a very nice catch. It was also very satisfying... Seeing my Dad out there with pole in hand and hiking around the creek brought back some of my most treasured childhood memories of days spent afield with him. We shared many a day by the creek catching and not catching any trout while he passed on his love of fishing to me. He's getting up there in age and his ability to get around is diminishing as the years have taken their toll on his knees and other body parts. I will look forward to the next time we can spend some time on the creek with great anticipation.


Until next time, I am humbly yours,
Fred

ARRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Dog Days of August

It's been a week or so since my last post so I figured I'd put something on the blog... It's been really hot here lately. 100+ degrees almost every day. Both Tammy and I are ready for winter to begin.

I'm sitting here in my PJ shorts watching Stargate Atlantis typing away. Tammy is gone for the week taking a training course in Costa Mesa. She's hoping to pass her series 7 test for work. (A broker kinda thing.) I'm remembering now what I liked about being a bachelor and what I didn't like about it as well. Believe me, the advantages of being married far outweigh the negative aspects. At any rate, Melissa is in Texas and I'm baby sitting her cat and her dog. The dog is OK but, as most of you know I don't like cats very much.

I went to the doctor for my yearly physical today. All my numbers are better. In the last 6 months, I lost 7 pounds. Slow like molasses in January. I guess the slower it goes, the more likely I'll be to keep it off. That's a very good thing... My good cholesterol has come up, the bad has gone down some more and the tryglycerides are lower too. Very encouaging for me. The bad news: I haven't been on the bike for over a week now. Melissa came to visit before she went to Texas and I had to put it outside. In the heat. So needless to say, my butt didn't hit the seat. Oh well, it's lame but it's my only excuse LOL.

Work has been unbelievable recently. The Public Works director fired our plant manager... a decent guy. And put her hatchet man in his place. From the sound of it his job was going to be down-sized and she needed a place to put him. Nice, eh? Such is the rotten organization I work for.

I'm really looking forward to this year's fall flyfishing fling. I'm heading up to Clearwater Lodge on the Pit River in Northern CA. Beautiful place, good food and lots of hungry trout. My best one last time we went there was a 20" brown out of the McCloud River. There are 4 of us that make a fall trek each year. we've been doing it now for probably 10 years. It's one of the things I really look forward to every year. Somehow, getting out in the wild, getting in touch with the inner primal man is invigorating and gets my mind set in the right place for the coming year. I've ordered a new rod for the trip, a 9' 5 weight 4 piece St. Croix Avid. This one will be easier to pack than my other 2 piece rods. Scott, one of the guys I go with, and I picked out some wine from BevMo to ship up to the lodge to help keep everything lubricated. Good times ahead for this fly fisher.

Stargate Atlantis is over, so I'll watch some repeats of Hogan's Heroes then off to bed. I need my rest for tomorrow. Going to go fish a little bit with my Dad. Should be fun.

Until next time.....

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!!


OLD GUYS RULE!!!!

A Silly Video

And now for something completely different, a silly video...

Second and better version...

Pretty fun stuff eh? Well a week into the bike trainer and I've been on it 4 times. Tammy made me move it outside to keep the visiting grandbaby from sticking her fingers in the chain etc... My butt still get's sore but yesterday, I wore a pair of bike shorts. You know the ones that have a diaper built in for padding? That helped elminate some of the pain. That will help keep me riding it. Anyway.....

Until Next Time.....

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!!!!!!!



OLD GUYS RULE!!!!!

Something Old, Something New

I Promised to post a funny bear story for your perusal a few weeks ago. Well, here it is, "Something Old"

Now here’s the funny story I promised. As all of you know, we enjoy camping quite a lot. We started out with a tent, graduated to a camper shell, moved on to a tent trailer and finally, a fifth wheel trailer. One of our favorite areas to camp is Mammoth Lakes. The rugged natural beauty of the area keeps us going back. There’s a rumor going around that I go only for the fishing… but that’s another story. I dutifully try to buy good camping equipment that will last for a while. Early in our camping experiences, I purchased a camping cook kit. Kind of a glorified mess kit actually. I was proud of that thing, such a wonder to cram all that stuff into such a small package. When the kids were a lot younger and we were in the tent trailer stage, we camped in coldwater campground. The area is known to have bears occasionally. In reality, the area is the favored route the local bears use to forage in the region’s many garbage cans and dumpsters. These bears have never met an ice chest they didn’t love. For some of the more timid campers this can be quite disconcerting. The campground host’s advice is always the same. Put your food away to prevent any marauding bears from attacking your ice chest and make lots of noise when you encounter one. Well, Tammy being the somewhat seasoned camper she was took the noise advice literally. She passed out pans, tin plates and spoons to bang on them with to the kids. Her weapon of choice was the lid / frying pan off my prized camping cook kit. While we were enjoying the after dinner campfire a rather young bear wandered as they often do between our campsite and the one behind us. I’ve often observed this behavior in bears that have a regular round of dumpsters and campgrounds. I pointed and said “hey, look at the…” Before I could say, “bear,” the fire circle erupted into a cacophony of ringing pans, clanging aluminum skillets and a frenzy of ear piercing screeches. Before I could stand up, the fire circle was devoid of female humanity in any form as they all piled into the trailer with a screeching racket to seek refuge from the bear.
The dust was still rising as the bear stood up, looked at us and decided he’d better get the heck out of Dodge. As the ear-splitting din subsided, I turned to see what had caused the ringing in my ears and had sent my nerves somewhere near Pluto. My ears were numb with the after effects of an atomic blast to my eardrums. I’m sure there were news reports of a frothing bear that was not seen but only heard, as the sound barrier was broken for the first time by a young bruin. The report would have surely concluded with the sighting of a bear crumpled up in a sobbing heap near some tree that he collided with as he’d recklessly sought a safe passage out of the county. I was positive that we’d be excommunicated from the forest for cruelty to adolescent bears. I still hear rumors of a bear in the Inyo National Forest that begins to suck his thumb and tremble uncontrollably at the mere whisper of metal being beaten with a feather. Tammy was quite elated that the bear had left as she nervously clutched the camping cook kit’s lid / frying pan in one hand and a big wooden spoon with the other. As I walked over to the trailer to calm things down a little, I observed the real victim in the melee’. Alas, dear camping cook kit’s lid / frying pan we barely knew ye. My camping cook kit’s lid / frying pan will never be the same. It began the trip as a well-used but straight and serviceable piece of camping equipment. It is now a mere whisper of it's former self. It can only be used as a handicapped version of it’s serviceable shape before the unprovoked attack. We loved that camping cook kit’s lid / frying pan. I bought it from a camping outlet when I was employed at Forest Home probably 10 years before. While it will forever bear the dents and twisting of metallurgic genocide, it is forever a memorial, nay a magnificent testament to the many fun camping trips we've had.

Now for "Something New"

I have noticed my girlish figure expanding over the last 30 or so years and have decided to try to do something about it... again. I purchased a bicycle trainer. For those who are uninitiated in the cycling world, this is a device that you can attach your existing bicycle to that allows you to ride to your heart's content or detriment as the case may be in a stationary position. That is, indoors in the air conditioned comfort of my home. I can watch old reruns of "Hogan's Heroes" while I hopefully pedal my way to a slimmer healthier more beautiful me. Well maybe not beautiful but if I'm going to dream lets dream BIG OK? Look out Adonis! So far the only disadvantage I see is the pain in my posterior from the lack of riding the last year or two. Yes, the old glutes are out of shape along with the substantial dunlops investment over-hanging my belt. Stay tuned for the blow by blow excitement of "Pedals for Brother Fred" or "How to Make a Peeping Tom Throw Up."

My favorite Olympic moment so far: When our relay team clobbered the frenchies in the 400 meter freestyle swim to take the gold. Go ahead and talk your smack frenchie...


Until next time...

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Fun Stuff

Yesterday I managed a feat of Amateur Radio par excellence. I usually wake up pretty early even on my days off. Yesterday was no exception as I awoke at 05:00. As my habit is, I came in the shack and turned on the radios and booted up the computer. I was kind of playing around not really paying attention on 40 meters. That is, 7.035 MHz for those that don't know anything about radio. Forty meters is one of the longer wavelengths and can at time perform exceptionally well in the evenings, nighttime and other low sunlight conditions. I use a computer soundcard interface to work digital modes a lot. I was looking at an RTTY, Radio Teletype or Teletype signal on the waterfall. Jargon Alert, waterfall is a display that slowly scrolls down the screen like a waterfall. I put the cursor on this signal adjusted it to the correct parameters and found it was a special event station. BT1ON, the 2008 Beijing Olympics Special Event Station! Wow! I tried probably a dozen times before they actually heard me and we made a contact. My first ever mainland red Chinese contact. To put this into perspective, we are in the middle of the lowest point on the 11 year solar cycle. Jargon alert, the solar cycle is the engine that drives everything in radio. It is the number of sunspots that appear on the sun's surface. More sunspots, better radio propagation, fewer sunspots less propagation. We've been in the middle of a long period now with very little or absolutely no sunspots. So you can see how it's exciting to get a once-in-a-lifetime contact. Boy, was I stoked. I couldn't wait to tell Tammy then my radio buddies about the accomplishment.

As often happens in my life, I have a negative event occur on the heels of a positive one. I was leaving to have coffee with my radio friends and tell them of my success on 40 meters. I walked out of the house promptly stepped in a hole in the driveway, twisted my ankle, fell down, scraped a 3 inch patch of skin off my left knee and writhed in pain for a half hour. Now I have a weak left ankle. It has the elasticity of a piece of worn out rubber. I have sprained it many times. This time it was the right ankle and guess what? Yep, I scraped the flesh off my left knee. It couldn't be the same leg of course, now I'm hobbling around like an old cowpoke. Fun... NOT! Now I'm discovering another old guy thing. I wonder if anyone has made a study of how age directly correlates to how quickly we heal? Or how age directly correlates to how many body parts are injured in an accident like this? Somebody could surely put something together. Then we could be more careful... Well, not really. I usually have my mind on other things. Another old guy thing... my concentration is going back to where it was when I was about 5 years old! Oh well, I'm not experiencing anything that my forefathers haven't. I guess I'll just keep on keeping on as Churchill said.

Anyone recognize these photos?




They sure are cute, too bad they grow up. I scanned these from some slides I took a long time ago. Thanks to the kids for the slide scanner for Father's Day. I'll post some more at a later date. Believe me, there are a lot of them. Maybe now we can all see them. These were all taken when I was learning how to use a 35 mm totally manual camera. A Pentax K1000. What a great camera that was. Sara has it now, I hope she uses it some.

Until next time,

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearties!!!


OLD GUYS RULE!

Flashback

I imagine we've all had days when we wished we were someplace else. You know, a familiar song will give you a flashback or a day dream will transport you to a place where you had a much more pleasant time than the one you are experiencing. No, I don't mean a chemically induced flashback either. I'm talking about when your mind goes into self-protect mode to either avoid choking the stuffing out of someone or to avoid a total meltdown. I think a healthy mind will transport you to that perfect moment in time, a welcome, gratifying, pleasant respite from the insufferable circumstance we're involved in.

I've been experiencing this more and more lately. This week in particular while doing battle with some abhorrent drivers on the local freeways along with 20,000 of my closest friends, I was taken back by a song on the CD to more pleasant memories of vacations spent with the family. We spent a lot of time in the Mammoth Lakes region of California. While I sometimes wish we'd explored a few other places, Mammoth Lakes will always hold a special place in my heart. It has everything I desired in a vacation spot. Mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, trees, wildlife, wildflowers, fishing, fishing and more fishing. I guess you could say I have it bad; Fishing pox that is. There are also high class resorts, nice restaurants, and for those who just can't leave civilization behind no matter what, shopping and Starbucks. It also has many beautiful vistas, a National Park (Yosemite), a National Monument (Devil's Post Pile) and for the occasional Tim Allen-ish mishaps, a good hospital.

We started out camping with a borrowed tent trailer. After a couple of years, we were able to buy a very used tent trailer. Mom & Dad got the tent trailer, the girls got to "room" in the 10x14 canvas tent. I never will forget some of the night time thunderstorms we were enraptured by. Of course the youngest of our party was not enraptured. She was scared to death. Oh what fun we had camping in that trailer at Twin Lakes and Cold Water campgrounds. We moved up to the fifth wheel trailer, which is palatial compared to the tent trailer and tent we had. Now it seems our taste has moved into the condo stage. I don't know how often we'll be able to go anymore but, I still look forward to every trip. We had many a hike with the kids, some fishing, a multitude of wonderful memories and photographs of God's beautiful creation. There was even the "Great Bear Scare" at Cold Water. Maybe I'll write about that in the future, it's worthy of a post all by itself.

I will share this bear story with you. I remember a big old bear the locals had named Hemorrhoid. The moniker given to him was a very accurate description of the Bear's abilities and demeanor. There wasn't a car, ice chest, dumpster or walk-in reefer made that Hemorrhoid couldn't break into. Hemorrhoid was a big old cinnamon colored black bear with a nonchalance air that would rival Tex Avery's Droopy. He resembled the bear in the "Great Outdoors" only he wasn't bald on top or on the bottom. I was float tubing middle Twin when I heard a lot of noise from shore. People yelling, pots banging around and such. A few minutes later I saw Hemorrhoid lumbering off towards the northern shore licking his chops of some unknown delicacy. I later discovered it was probably potato chips. When I got out of the lake, I found out which campsite had been raided. Some idiot campers had left their huge ice chest out with the rest of their food sitting on the picnic table while they strolled leisurely around the campground. As they came around a bend in the road heading back to their idyllic campsite, they saw good old Hemorrhoid. The accidental discovery of good old Hemorrhoid enjoying a feast of epic proportions at their expense was almost more than they could ahem, pun intended, bear. Hence the hysterical yelling and raucous noise of pots and pans being murdered by their owners. I couldn't help chiding them a little. The signs are all over the place about the bears. Some people just think it never does apply to them. They're what we call "special." Oh well, 300 bucks later to replace the ice chest and the cost of the food I guess they learned that the signs are there for the "special" people too.

I hope our girls have some wonderful memories of camping in Mammoth. I know Tammy and I sure do. I would not trade the days spent in that pursuit for anything. All the bug bites, scrapes, sunburn, sprained ankles, automotive failures, floods and old age won't keep me away from a place I love. My point is this gentle readers, love your family enough to give a little. There will be another day for sports, TV, work, or the computer. Make the memories while you can. Photograph them, experience them to the fullest, treasure them with all your heart. Then you will have something to day dream about when you're a California freeway commuting victim. When the boss is yammering about how you did a good job but (insert some inane statement here) you'll have that precious picture in your mind's eye. Otherwise, the days will slip by into the oblivion of day-to-day existence and what could have been will never be. And that is a tragedy of the highest order.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Until next time,
Fred

OLD GUYS RULE!

Cold front this weekend

Well, I got it. A real snot slinger too. As soon as I started feeling like it was coming on, I started eating Zicam like it was candy. You know, the stuff that lessens the intensity and shortens the duration? Well guess what? That was wishful thinking on my part. It hit me just as hard and it's hanging on just as long. So much for the wonder drug. I think Tammy gave it to me but, I didn't wait over a week to seek out a medical professional's help though. They put me on augmentin and Zyrtec (which I can't take at work because it can make me drowsy. I don't need any help feeling drowsy thank you very much. I do just fine all on my own. Another Old Guy thing I guess. Boy a nap sure would be nice right now...

The results from my poll last time left more questions... Two of you want to be named as a beneficiary in case my demise by motorcycle is premature. OK, fiancial gain at my expense is Ok. There was one that was a definite no. I guess I'll forget about it for now. Thanks for the comment Peter.

Melissa Peter and Baby Sarah are visiting this weekend. Peter's post surgery check-up is on Tuesday so they decided to come for the weekend. That's OK, we get some more time to play with the baby. I swear, that kid will think my head has a camera and flash permanently attached to my head.

Alicia told us definatively yesterday that she miscarried. We're all sad but thankful there were no medical complications due to the short term pregnancy. Mike and Alicia are doing good, the foregoing pregnancy- related activities just a part of life's marvelous tapestry.

Sara's young man, Matt visited yesterday and I was able to spend a little time with him last night before retiring to my bed. He seems like a very nice young man. He's interested in Ham radio too but for his father who recently retired. I guess they're looking for an activity that will keep him away from the office.

I watched the All-Star game this week. I was pleased to see the AL finally win it in extra innings. I was beginning to wonder if they'd send out the bat boys to pitch. Who knows, it might have been fun to watch.

Some of you may know that I have the very special blessing of a Christian boss. We've been meeting on a regular basis to read some scriptures and pray together. This week we've been working our way through I Corinthians. I Corinthians 10: 31- "So whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God." It strikes me how so much can be boiled down to in this simple statement. If we all ask ourselves BEFORE we do something if this activity or what we're about to say will really glorify God, things would probably be a lot different in this world. Colossians 3:17- And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving giving thanks to God the Father through him. I think it behooves us all to keep these in mind this week.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR me Hearties!!!!!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Growing Older?

First off, let me say this... Old Guys Rule!

I woke up early again this morning... Darn cold makes it tough to breathe and or sleep. I think most of you will appreciate this:

From the NO DUH! file: Apparently scientists from ABC Science Online have just discovered something: Smaller Families Face Higher Extinction Risk. Come on fellas, you don't need a degree to figure that one out... Unless you're a rabbit.

I've seen a number of humorous emails going around lately with humorous one liners. Things like "Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician." Or "Life not only begins at 40, it begins to show." Here's a website with a bunch of them: Slightly Senior Moments.

There are also some pretty funny comparison type jokes going around like "Then: Getting out to a new, hip joint. Now: Getting a new hip joint." As you can see from a previous post, I can particularly relate to this one..."Then: Acid Rock. Now: Acid Reflux." More Here

As I grow older I'm finding out more and more things about the aging process. (NO DUH!) Now I'm beginning to understand what my grandma meant when she said "It's hell getting old Freddy!" Maybe it's all just a sign of the times... I understand a lot of us baby boomers will be retiring in the next 10-15 years. I can honestly say, any smart person will make a fortune on us with a medical geriatics practice. But not to worry, unless you don't plan.

Tammy brought up an interesting idea last week. If the price of fuel keeps going up, maybe I should learn how to ride a motorcycle and purchase one for commuting. I don't know if I like the idea yet but, I'm open to give it a whirl. I have several friends that ride so getting input from them is helpful. What do you think? Take the poll and leave a comment if you have any ideas.

Until next time,

OLD GUYS RULE!

A Bittersweet Weekend

Thanks for voting in the poll. It seems the 5 people that voted want me to keep doing this. So, I will endeavor to keep it up.

This weekend was a whirlwind affair. On Independence day I was at work which was by all measures a tough day. We had a main fuse blow on one leg of one of the 12 KV lines that feed the plant. Not only did a small fire ignite, but the ensuing havoc of blown fuses and tripped equipment took its toll. If you know anything about electricity, (Mike the EE...) you know that when equipment with 3 phase motors tries to run on 2 phases, bad will things happen. The smoke is still clearing and we're still trying to recover. Thankfully Saturday was a little smoother but, Tammy came down with a cold or sinusitis I guess the Dr. eventually called it.

With my sick wife in tow and Sara, we left for Port Hueneme on Sunday morning to see our grad daughter dedicated to the Lord. Now this is not a baptism or christening, but a service where the grandparents, parents and congregation vow to do whatever it takes to raise the child in a Christ-like way. Something I take very seriously of course. What a joy to see all the support Melissa and Peter have.



We joined Peter's Mom & Dad and had a lovely Sunday afternoon dinner at Melissa and Peter's home. We all left Port Hueneme about 5 or 6 PM I think, and headed to San Diego to the Navy Lodge to spend the next couple of days. Peter had pre-op on Monday and Surgery on Tuesday to remove a growth in his knee. While he was at pre-op, we joined his folks for a morning at the beach on Coronado Island and spent the afternoon touring the carrier Midway. I heartily suggest that ANYONE who enjoys the freedoms paid for by the blood of US Military Service people should make the time to visit the Midway. It was not only a fun experience, but a moving one as well. I really enjoyed the radio room for obvious reasons. B-D can you say CQ CQ CQ?



Tuesday we spent hanging around mostly with Melissa, Sarah Rose and Auntie Sara Beth. We were able to visit some with Tammy's Mom and Joe while we we there. It's been a long time since we visited their home. With the advent of grand children and married children, our priorities naturally had to shift. It was very nice of Ma Dee and joe to watch Tirzah for Melissa and Peter.

We enjoyed visiting with Peter's Mom & Dad even though I was able to get all of us lost a couple of times while driving around the Naval Base area. The streets in that part of San Diego/ National City are very confusing to a country bumpkin like me. But we still, we managed to find our way around.

Peter's surgery went well I'm told although, he's suffering a little nausea from the experience. Melissa had the same cold that Tammy has and I think I'm coming down with it now. Whew... what a weekend. I hope I can get to work so I can relax some. Just kidding!

We had some bad news this weekend, we're pretty sure Alicia lost her child. I spoke with her yesterday, both her and Mike are doing OK. I'm saddened at the loss but, God has His purposes in life and all we can do is trust Him. Mike is doing a great job supporting Alicia through this trial all the while suffering with his own nasty cold. Thanks Mike for taking care of one of my girls.

I will post some pictures from this weekend on Shutterfly when I get time.

Until next time,
Fred

OLD GUYS RULE!

The Magic of GERD or, How to stay awake all night without even trying

Last night I experienced what a lot of us old guys call GERD or GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease. It's heartburn for the layman in all of us. My Doctor tells me the cause of such a painful disorder is due to my weight, diet and age. Fun. another Old Guy thing to muse about.

For those of you who don't suffer from this malady, I 'splain it to you Lucy... (As Ricky would say.) It's characterized by a painful burning sensation in your chest that generally is accompanied by violent coughing fits (which can fracture ribs in extreme cases,) and a foul acid like taste in your mouth. Fun. After you cough your fool head off for 30 minutes or so, you are left with the aftermath... sore chest and stomach muscles, clogged sinuses and that awful taste. Fun.

The treatment is this- lose weight you Old Guy. Take this pill, currently Prilosec, elevate the head of your bed, stay way from spicy foods... Another Old Guy thing to muse about and wear loose clothing. When I have an attack, I eat Gaviscon and drink ice water. The ice water soothes the burning quite a bit. The Gaviscon kind of makes this gooey chalky lump that's supposed to plug the hole so no acid comes back up. You see, the acid from the stomach seeps past the epiglottis to do it's dirty work all the way up the pipe. Fun.

If you have these symptoms, please consult with your Doctor and get treated. Next time I see mine, we're going to talk about it again.

Here are a few links if you want some more information about GERD:

gerd.com
Wikki
WebMD

Now on to a lighter subject, we've been enjoying watching reruns of Northern Exposure lately on KVCR. The show is set in a small imaginary town called Cicely Alaska. While sometimes the subjects they cover delve into the prurient desires of a fallen world, last night's episode was really funny. It dealt mostly with a hunting trip that Chris, Joel and Holling took. You'll have to watch it to see who they are. Let's just say that Joel was opposed to killing any animal at all while Chris was not and neither was Holling who by the way only photographs the animals. A different kind of hunting... more my speed. Joel ends up really getting into the whole hunt ritual. ANd ends up shooting a smallish grouse. He totally freaks out when he just wings it then refuses to end the bird's suffereing by ringing it's neck. He takes the bird back to his office, he's the town's doctor and attempts unsuccessfuly to save it's life. They ended up eating the bird at a brithday celibration for Ruth Anne who is the store keeper. There Joel dicovers how good grouse tastes with wild rice. They did a pretty fair job diving into the controversial topic of animal rights, a human's base needs of the hunt and the emotions involved. Tammy, Sara & I really enjoyed it. I guess it gives us a little slice of small town life that I sorely miss.

History of the show


Old Guys Rule?

Wow

Well, I'm totally new to this so I hope it's more exciting than watching paint dry or grass grow. Hopefully, my family and friends will find this entertaining and keep up with what's going on in the ever-changing world of of an Old Guy like me.

Several years ago, I decided at the prompting of a close friend to get into the Amateur Radio Service. Jargon alert- this is Ham Radio NOT CB. Unlike the usual foul mouthed- rude jerks that inhabit the CB airwaves, most Hams are pretty decent folks.

Last Saturday was ARRL's field day. Jargon alert- ARRL is the American Radio Relay League. It's a 24 hour event with thousands of radio enthusiasts try to make as many different radio contacts as possible. (Peter would like this) Most clubs put on something special, for it's a great time to give people information about what Amateur Radio is, how to get licensed and a chance to GOTA. Jargon alert- Get On The Air. I'm a member of YVARC. Jargon alert- Yucaipa Valley Amateur Radio Club. Our event was somewhat less enthusiastic than in previous years but it was still fun.

Flyfishing has been on hold the last few weeks since my favorite lake was inundated with Girl Scouts seeking repose from day-to-day life with a day at the beach. Having fathered 3 girls myself, I decided to find a quieter use of my time.

My photography has taken an upswing with the purchase of a new computer and Adobe CS 3 for editing purposes. My children are even giving me a film and slide scanner for Father's Day. What a great family I have.

Melissa and Peter are doing well, baby Sarah Rose, my first grandchild, is growing like a weed. I call her the Michelin Baby. Very Cute indeed...

Alicia and Mike surprised us with some good news this weekend, she may and I emphasize may be expecting a child. A home pregnancy kit tested positive. So we may have a new grandbaby in the oven! Very exciting...

Sara was away seeing her bow Sunday and Monday. A much needed rest period as well I believe. She's been working very hard with her grandpa doing "yard" clean-up around the Angelus Oaks community. Raking leaves and pine needles, picking up brush... that sort of thing.

Tammy is awesome... She continues to surprise me with her depth of love for her family. She corraled Sara long enough to go to Melissa's house in Port Hueneme long enough to return their pets and help Melissa clean their house for the upcoming in-law visit.

This is for Peter- ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Me Hearty!

Old Guys Rule!