Monthly Archives: August 2015

365 Day Photo Challenge 235/365 “Happy Friday!”

21 Friday Aug 2015

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Well, we’ve finally made it to Friday again.  The next two days will fly by as usual and then back to work we’ll go.  Might as well make the best of things while we can.

No sweets for 5 days and only one soda a day since Monday.  So far this week I’ve lost five pounds.  This weekend will be the big challenge.  At work I have a set schedule of when I go to lunch at break.  At home during the weekends I loose that ability to stay on a schedule and I tend to go back to my old habits.  I’m really going to try and not to this time around.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 234/365 “Another Day Closer to Retirement”

20 Thursday Aug 2015

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Last year about this time I received an email from my employer stating that there were going to be some changes in our retirement plan.  It’s never good when a large corporation starts messing with your retirement.  For all new employees, the company is going to stop offering the pension plan.  In turn they are going to increase the amount of money the company would match to their 401k plans.  Another change was to increase the age of post retirement insurance from 55 to 62.  Here is where this benefitted me.  If you had already turned 50 before January 2015, which I had, and if your years of service was at least 25 years, which I had, then you could be grandfathered in and still be able to retire at 55 with full insurance.  There is really no way I can afford to retire but with my health the way it is and the fact that the environment at work is not the best in the world I’ve decided to retire at 55 and find something else that I enjoy doing with less stress.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 233/365 “Hump Day!”

19 Wednesday Aug 2015

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It’s been a damp, rainy week here in the deep south.  Yesterday it rained most of the day and today it was cloudy most of the day but when I start to leave to go home the bottom falls out and rains until well after I got home.  So, no riding today.

Today marks the end of two days of no snacks.  Nothing sweet to eat.  For my meals I drink water with a no sugar added lemon-aid mix except for my dinner meal which is a diet Dr. Pepper.  I’ve dropped from at least six a day DDP hapit to one a day.  I think that’s pretty good.

My “snackage” had gotten really out of control.  I was eating all the time. Most of which was not healthy and of course it was showing up on the scales.  I am committed to lose 25 pounds by December 10th.  That’s when my son graduates college.  I’d love to lose more if I could.  As of today I’ve got 14 pounds to lose in four months.  If I can just stick to a steady exercise program and stick to a good eating habit I know I could lose these pounds and more by December.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 232/365 “Facing Your Fears”

18 Tuesday Aug 2015

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I had a meeting tonight that I really didn’t want to go to.  We had a confrontation a few months go between to ladies in our group.  It had gotten so bad that neither ladies wanted to attend the weekly meetings and was putting a damper on the rest of the group.  We had tried several times to get these two ladies together and try to sort things out but every time we set up a meeting something would happen and we would have to cancel the meeting.  What made it worse for me is that they wanted me to moderate this meeting.  I was to oversee the meeting and make sure no one got out of line and if they did to quickly step in and take control.  I’m a type of person that does not like confrontation.  I avoid confrontation when ever possible.

I only had to outbursts that I had to take control.  The meeting ended with everyone in agreement to work things out.  Whether or not this happens or not remains to be seen.  This meeting was a challenge for me and I’m glad we had a good outcome.

“Life Goes On!”

!365 Day Photo Challenge 231/365 “The Sounds of Summer Bicycle Ride”

17 Monday Aug 2015

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After several days without a bike ride I just had to get out tonight.  It seems that every time I have a ride planned something else comes up and I’m not able to ride.  Tonight, come hell or high water I was going to ride.  All day today the rain was relentless and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to ride in the rain.

While on my ride tonight I couldn’t help but hear the songs of the cicada.  I know you’re familiar with their songs as well.  They look alien to me and the songs they sing confirms that they are not from this earth.  At times throughout my ride tonight their songs even drowned out the sound of the dogs that were barking at me as I rode past.

As the darkness fell so did the songs of the cicada.  I was soon overcome with bugs that were attracted by my headlight.  I had to make sure that I only breathed through my nose and not my mouth.  Every once in a while I would forget and I would soon be spitting bugs out of my mouth.  People tell me that they prefer riding at night.  I must agree that it is much cooler but to be bombarded with the amount of insects I would have to wear a face mask or goggles in order not to have to be digging bugs out from between my teeth.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 230/365 “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun!”

16 Sunday Aug 2015

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This is what I wanted to do all weekend but it didn’t go as planned.  I did get a few things accomplished and I did get to spend some time with my family as well as my mom and dad this weekend.  Why does the weekend always seem to go faster than the week. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess.

365 Day Photo Challenge 229/365 “52 Years Young”

15 Saturday Aug 2015

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I had a very good day today.  I was able to spend part of this morning with my son.  He plays the baritone in college and they were rehearsing their show.  Afterwards we had lunch and got to spend some time together.  Once I arrived home, the rest of the family and I went out to a local steak house and ate.  I’m so stuffed right now I can hardly move.  Didn’t get a bike ride in today but maybe tomorrow.  We shall see.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 228/365 “Busy Weekend Ahead”

14 Friday Aug 2015

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Due to forgetfulness on my part, there are several errands that will have to be done in the morning because I forgot to do them tonight.  This will only add to the many things that I’ve got planned for this weekend.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I had hoped to have a nice relaxing day at the house with maybe a bike ride to break the monotony.  It turns out I’m going to ride to Tuscaloosa to see my son rehearse with the marching band and give him his new phone.  So, with that being stated my day will start early in the morning.

I hope everyone has a great and enjoyable weekend.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 227/365 “Where is Everybody?”

13 Thursday Aug 2015

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Within the last few days I’ve heard tell of about five other people in my area that ride bicycles on a regular basis.  I’ve only seen one cyclist and he lives on my street but I’ve only seen him once but he’s seen by my wife multiple times riding during the day.  A couple of years ago I met a lady just as she was pulling in her driveway.  I spoke with her a few minutes and found out that she rides during the day during the week and rarely during the weekends.  This evening on my way home I spoke to a guy who just started riding and he stated that he wants to ride with me.  One problem with that is he’s only able to ride about seven miles and he doesn’t do hills.  Unless he rides at the track he’s in for a big surprise around here.  I’d be nice to have a riding partner but they’d have to ride my pace and able to ride the distances I ride.  Maybe one of these days I’ll catch up with someone who I can ride with on a regular basis.

BTW, here is a video that I did of a 29 mile bike ride condensed to a 5 minute video.  I hope you enjoy.

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“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 226/365 “Traffic”

12 Wednesday Aug 2015

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The one word everyone hates to hear especially if one is in a hurry. Tonight I really wasn’t in a hurry but I did want to get home, change clothes, eat and head out the door on my bicycle.  That didn’t happen tonight because three cars and a semi wanted to get acquainted on the interstate this afternoon during rush hour traffic.  What normally takes me about 45 minutes to make the trip home, took me over two hours tonight.  Of course when I got up there to where the accident happened, there was nothing there.  The police had already cleared the accident.  Tomorrow night I get to go see my girls high school band perform their half time show so I won’t be riding tomorrow night.  There’s always Friday!!

“Life Goes On!”