Monthly Archives: June 2015

365 Day Photo Challenge 174/365 “Life’s Changes”

22 Monday Jun 2015

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I’m not sure why but today has been a day of reflection. Maybe it’s because my son went back to college yesterday, maybe it’s because we’re taking my girls to a college tour on Saturday or maybe it’s because my dad turned 77 yesterday.  If feels like I’m on a fast roller coaster and there’s no way to get off.  Everything is changing so fast.

We started planning my daughter’s senior trip today.  It just seems like last year we were planning my son’s senior trip.  Well, it was my wife’s and I 20th wedding anniversary that turned into a senior Disney Cruise.   It just happened to be during the same time.  But anyway, I can’t believe that my daughters will be graduating this year.

To think my son will be graduating college in December is yet another thing that I can’t believe is happening so soon.  It just seems like yesterday that we dropped him off for his first year. Where has the time gone?

To think that my mom and dad are in their seventies is another thing that I can’t believe.  I’m blessed to have them both still around.  Many people my age can’t say that.  We’ve gone through so much together and yet it doesn’t seem like they should be that old.

In some ways I wished that there was a pause button so I can stop just long enough to catch my breath.  There is still so much I want to do and see with my kids and my parents I just hope we all are here long enough to do them.

“Life Goes On!”

A

365 Day Photo Challenge 173/365 “Happy Fathers Day!”

21 Sunday Jun 2015

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I’ve been riding on a regular basis for three years now and I’ve never felt like I’ve had the full support from my family. They’ve always kidded with me about my cycle shorts, the dri fit shirts that I wear and of course my head gear.  Whenever the subject comes up around the house about bike riding or cycling in general I always get a deaf ear and the subject gets dropped or changed.

Around the house if there’s anything to be fixed I’m the one to fix it.  I’ve got tools to do woodworking, auto mechanic, lawn mower repair, plumbing and even heating and air conditioning repair.  But what I don’t have is the proper tools to do bike repair.  It seems that there is a lot of things on a bicycle that takes a special tool.  A tool that I don’t have.  In fact, just the other day I needed a spoke wrench to tighten a spoke that had come loose and I didn’t have the proper wrench to do the job.  I went the next day and purchased a three sided spoke wrench (because I didn’t know which size I needed).  I even mentioned this to my wife who again turned a deaf ear.

Today, to my surprise, I received this tool box for Father’s Day.   I can’t tell you how surprised I was when I opened my gift.  I actually thought that it was a set of pedals that I have been wanting because I saw the box sitting on the front porch when I came in from work on Friday so I knew the box came from a bicycle supply house.

I made sure I gave each of my kids a huge hug and thanked them over and over.  I think they got the message that I was extremely thankful for my surprise.  I[m not sure if I’ve got them won over with me cycling yet but this looks like it’s a start anyway.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 172/365 “My Opinion”

20 Saturday Jun 2015

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There’s been a lot in the news about the massacre in South Carolina.  My deepest,  heartfelt  condolences go out to all the friends and families of those that lost loved ones during this horrible tragedy.

If you’ve been following long you should know by now that I don’t normally talk about politics, religion, and anything that is controversial. I wanted this to be a family friendly blog that you wouldn’t mind if your eight or ten year old happened upon you while you were reading my blog.  Anyway, I must say, and your opinions may differ from mine and that’s okay, that I believe that we do not need any more gun control.  In fact, we don’t need any more control from the government than we already have.  My opinion is not to have more gun laws but to get this nation back to where it used to be.  We have become a country that is so afraid of offending others that we have forgotten our own roots.  Our country must get back to God and not try to be so politically correct any more.

That’s my opinion and as they say, I’m sticking to it.  You may or may not agree with me and that’s fine.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 171/365″I Really Need a Break”

19 Friday Jun 2015

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I am physically and mentally tired tonight.  The last two mornings I’ve been getting up at 3am to be ready to leave the office by 5am.  Getting to my destination hasn’t been a problem as much as the commute back to the office at the end of the day.

I’ve been so tired that even if my feet were not throbbing with the Neuropathy I would have been too tired to ride my bicycle.  I’m going to try to do some much needed yard work tomorrow before it gets to hot to be outside and if my feet feel like it I may try and get some much needed mileage in.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 170/365 “Today’s Ponderings”

18 Thursday Jun 2015

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I had to take a two hour trip this morning to meet some people to run some tests on a building system.  I had to get up at 3am this morning to leave my office at 5am.  Two hours later I was sitting in the parking lot of our other office.  During my two hour trip I tried to find a radio station that I could listen too but couldn’t find anything that would interest me.

I’m not really into Country music, used to be but not anymore.  Too much whining for my taste.  I usually like 70’s and 80’s, Bluegrass and occasional Jazz.  At 5am in the morning all I could find was preaching.  Not wanted to hear that early in the morning.  The drive was a peaceful one and I enjoyed the change of my everyday pace.

On my way home was a different story.  It was nerve racking to say the least.  The roads were packed with crazy drivers and impatient people.  I was exhausted when I finally made it back to work. But, I still had another 45 minutes before I could actually make it to my front door.  More crazies.  Got to do it again in the morning.  3am comes early.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 169/365 “Heat Index”

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

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As much as I hate cold temperatures you will never hear me complain about the heat.  It has been predicted that here in the deep south that we would encounter a milder summer than in years past.  Today’s high was 94 degrees with a heat index of 104 degrees and summer hasn’t officially arrived yet.  I think the forecasters may be wrong.

The humidity here is unbearable at times.  For those with breathing problems find it hard to breath and those with out breathing problems are not far behind them.  You walk outside and it literally takes your breath away the air feels so thick.  Your everyday tasks become labored and you break out in a sweat.  Just by walking across the parking lot you would be in need of a change of clothes.

Yesterday evening I had the opportunity to work with this beautiful mother of two at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and it was not enjoyable at all.  We got several good images but we both had to work for it.  I had to stop several times and wipe the sweat off my brow to keep my camera dry.  My glassed started steaming up which made it difficult to know when the images was in focus in the view screen.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 168/365 “New Beginnings”

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

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It’s amazing how one minute life is as usual and then the next life turns upside down and you don’t know which way to turn.  Life should be as a highway with road signs that tells you that there is a turn up ahead or the speed limit changes that way there would be at least a warning that your life is about to be turned upside down.

I’m not one to give advice on such matters because each scenario would be different for each person and each person would handle the situation in different ways.  To have a new beginning would be hard to do no matter what you’re going through.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 167/365 “Church on the Hill”

15 Monday Jun 2015

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From yesterdays fieldtrip.  This is a church that I was a member at for a number of years.  I was there at the top of her membership and now she sits empty.  She only holds services for weddings, funerals and an occasional singing.  I noticed on the sign out front that held a Homecoming last month.  I didn’t go only because I didn’t know about it.  It’s sad to see her in this state.  Unfortunately, it’s the way of many of small churches in our area.  Everyone want’s to go to a “Mega Church” these days.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 166/365 “Trip Down Memory Lane”

14 Sunday Jun 2015

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She’s slated for destruction soon, in fact, word is that she will be leveled within the next few weeks, if not sooner.   It’s been talked about for over a year and every effort has been made to save her but to no avail she will be leveled to make room for an expansion of the new middle school.

I started here in 1976 when I was in the seventh grade.  The newer portion on the right side was our band room where I spent all of my free time.  If you look close on the far left of the picture is our football field.  They have already built a new high school and they are using the existing buildings for the middle school.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 165/365 “Riding With the Pain”

13 Saturday Jun 2015

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I’m a diabetic and have been for several years.  When I go to the doctor every six months my check up report always says “uncontrolled diabetic”  However, since I’ve been riding on a regular basis my A1C has come down quite a bit.  Being a diabetic I have developed something called Neuropathy, or diabetic nerve pain, in my feet.  I’m on medication for it but I still have to deal with moderate to severe pain on a daily basis. I have been able to ride without having any problems with my feet until lately.  I’m not sure what the difference is but the last several rides have really slowed me down due to having to unclip and rest my feet.

Actually, I’m having two separate issues with my feet.  One is the Neuropathy and the other is the pedals themselves.  The pedals effect the bottoms of my feet around the balls of my feet while the Neuropathy effects the tops, bottoms and my toes in a very unique way.

The solution?  Well, there is no solution for the Neuropathy but for the other, changing the pedals to a pedal meant for a road bike instead of a mt. bike.  No matter if and when I get my diabetes under control I’ll always have the Neuropathy.  The damage is done and there is nothing I can do about it.

“Life Goes On!”