A Destin Quickie!

We're gettin' ready for a walk down the beach, so there's not a lot of time to post-
Just wanted ya to know those that are gonna be here are here:
TD and his Missus,
TC and his Missus,
FlyGirl and her Mister,
GB and Sara Jean.
We're still keepin' our fingers crossed for Joker on Saturday.
Harry and Carol will be in for the FF part of the DDFF on Friday morning.

I'll have more for ya sometime after the walk.
Smiles and laughter are plentiful here...
Wish you were here!

EL Presidente Es Aqui

Thanks to Mrs. V., I even know what that means!

Two Dogs and his Missus arrived yesterday afternoon, safely.
The weather has been as near perfect as you can imagine... 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.
So far, the Mahi-Mahi, grouper, shrimp, and crab population have been damaged by our being in the area. We'll see if we can do further damage tonight!

We now anxiously await the arrival of TC and Sharon early tomorrow afternoon, and we hope FlyGirl will magically appear with her Happy Cappy in tow tomorrow evening. There is still excited speculation that Jackie B and her hubby will be taggin' along!

TD says his last commo with Joker was that she was gonna try her darndest to make a showing over the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed and maybe that will also come to pass!
Those of you not here...
It's still not too late! Get started Southbound... we'll make room. Prepare to smile/laugh!

More later, with accompanying pics, God willin'.

Final GBFR

Tuesday morning weigh-in...
Done.
Thanks for your thoughts and support, and for putting up with my diet-babble!

DDFF/GBFR, Week 16

We're facing a busy, busy week...
A bunch of "honey-do's" to complete before starting South.
Our plan is to get on the road Thursday about Noon. Sara Jean will be working right up to that time. I'll have the car packed and ready to roll when she gets home. Leaving "Noonish" will put is in Destin around Midnight. While Sara Jean unpacks and settles into the Condo, I'll dash over to "Super-Wally World" for some necessities. I love going to Super-Wally during the wee hours of the morning... you can meet some "interesting" folks there at that hour!
Back to the Condo, my normal routine, no matter what the hour, is to grab a cold beer and take a seat on the balcony overlooking the surf, breathing in the warm, salt-laden air.
(It calms me now just to think about it.)

I haven't checked a calendar, but a bright moon should illuminate the surf during our stay, clouds permitting.
Flying last night it was clear, and the 1/4 moon (waxing) was bright enough to light the world up beautifully. I'm bettin' next week we'll have something close to a 3/4 moon, so the on-the-balcony or around-the-pool atmosphere should be mighty conducive to telling fibs and outright lies to one another.
Start your planning now!
If I've had enough to drink, I may tell tales about notes TD and Tools used to leave one another on their desks... but remember... only if I've had enough to drink! (Just kidding TD... did you EVER wear a cowboy hat?)

We will have Lucy in tow. Those of you who don't like dogs, plan on steering clear of Condo 3...
Little Lucy has poodle ancestors, so she is a licker.
Lick, lick, lick, lick, lick! Lucy LOVES strangers...
LICK!
Also, I'll be driving to Pensacola this Friday to pick up my Mom, and Sara Jean's brother and his wife are flyin' down from Chicago to spend a couple days with us. (They don't lick.)
They'll stay through Tuesday, about noon, when I'll take Mother and them back to Pensacola. The Chicagoans are our contemporaries... he's a former Marine Viet Nam Veteran... was at Chu Lai a year before I was there. Good people, both of 'em... they'll be telling lies with the rest of us in no time at all.

DDFF attendees, don't forget to bring:
-A great appetite and a smile.
-Swimwear, sunglasses, sunscreen, shorts, sandals, and "Hawaiian" tops.
-Digital cameras and the apparatus necessary to hook them up and download the pics to computer so we can issue intermittent reports and photos to less fortunate VK's.
-Some favorite CD's or cassette tapes (Oldies?) to share.
-Anything else we need to bring? Please remind us via the comments.
(Sara Jean says to tell ya the Super Wally is just ten minutes away, so if ya don't bring it you can buy it!)

Now, the GBFR:
You'll remember how disheartening last week's report was for me...
Coming home from Mesa I knew I was in trouble. The scale was supposed to read 190, but no matter how hard I tried it wouldn't go South of 193.
So not only had I not lost the scheduled pound, I had actually gained three...
a big detour on my road to success.
I resolved to do what was necessary... doubled up on my exercise regimen and tried to further limit my caloric intake. But then something occurred to me... something that should have been obvious-
Part of the reason it gets more difficult to lose weight is because of WORK. Consider this-
Park two identical cars at the base of a hill, both filled with gas. Then put 100 pounds of weight in one of those cars. Drive both cars to the top of the hill in exactly the same way, then refill the fuel tanks. Which will require more fuel? Of course the answer is- the one with the extra weight.
As we lose weight, our bodies have less work to do to motivate our mass. We naturally burn fewer calories to do the same job we did when we weighed more. So it's frustrating to go out and walk and walk, hoping to see big results on the scale, while our bodies are becoming more and more efficient at doing the work... there is just LESS WORK to be done.
The obvious answer was to force my body do more work. Not only did Sara Jean and I double up on our walks, I started wearing leg and wrist weights... adding a total of 7 pounds to my mass... not much, but better than nothin'.
So today I got on the scale, knowing it read 193 last week, in spite of wanting to look down and read 190. Today it read-
????????????????????????????????????????????
Click here.

So my 188 pound goal, (a loss of 18 pounds since 1 January), is still out there.
Next week's weigh-in will be two days early due to our Thursday departure.
Will......
GB.......
make it?
Check here Thursday!

UPDATE:
I just checked my datebook, and the Full Moon occurs on 2 May, honoring Sharon and TC's arrival. So when the sky is clear, we'll have a wonderful moon during our entire stay.

And one more thing-
If you find at the last minute you can come to Destin- COME!
I'll have my laptop with me, so email or leave a comment here.
We will make room for you.

Destin, The Place To Be!

A note from Hawkeye:

"I talked to JT and he is unsure about Destin."

Well, at least that's not a firm "NO". If you have JT's number and have any pull with him, give him a call and build a fire under that boy!

Time's a-wastin'!

Chopsticks Owa Fawk?

No foolin'... (I'll bring it for proof!)
I mentioned we went to the Chinese Buffet last night.
My fortune cookie said-
"Traveling to the South will bring you unexpected happiness."

I believe it!

Vinyl

I bet I'm not alone...
I have a ton of vinyl LP's stored in a closet.
I no longer have anything to play them on, so I have slowly but surely been purchasing CD's to replace the records I loved most. Some, like my favorite Beatles and Beach Boys, were easily replaced. Lesser known artists or more obscure recordings are sometimes hard to find.

But I wanted to share a story about the records...
Big Bubba noticed my collection and had taken an LP out of the sleeve.
He asked, "Dad, are both sides of this thing recorded?"

Ouch.
CD's of course are recorded on one side only.
Do you know the other big difference between CD's and records?

GBFR, Week Fifteen- RATS!

Well, I was afraid of this-
We've discussed this problem before... traveling, celebrating, going out to eat...
It's almost impossible to watch the calories. And man, I must have consumed a ton of calories!

To be on schedule, I needed the scale to say 190 today.
All the "body English" I could muster wouldn't make the damn thing say less than 193. I can't tell ya how frustrating that is! But...
In a way it proves what I've been thinking about what I have to do.
I know how quickly I can gain weight- I can add literally two or three pounds in a week if I'm not paying attention to the scale. There's no way I can ignore the scale for that long ever again if I want to stay within a certain range. I know now that the weekly weigh-in is a must.

Tonight, salt will be put on the wound... we're goin' out to eat with friends at our all-you-can eat Chinese buffet! I'm gonna try my best to cover my plate with vegetables, rather than Crab Rangoon!

Anyway, I need ya to put me back in a good mood. I need a distraction. Got anything goin' on that will put a smile on my face?

Mesa Report

We're safely home from Arizona.
Wow, what a whirlwind the past five days have been! I'm sorry we've been so busy, because so far, except for the drive from Sky Harbor International to Mesa, and our drive from Flagstaff with the moving Van, we've seen very little of Arizona. With all that's available in the State that's a shame, and is something we'll begin to change on our next trip out.

This Midwestern boy still doesn't care much for the fact that the main crop of the area seems to be ROCKS. I was also a little shocked by Big Bubba's admonition to keep Desi on a pretty short leash at night because Scorpion stings can be fatal to small dogs!
But there certainly is much to be said in praise of Phoenix in general and Mesa in particular:
The weather was as near perfect as it could be for our five day stay-
Temperatures during the day settled around 85 degrees... nights were in the mid-60's. Walking just after sunset was nothing short of delightful.
Rush hour traffic, like most cities this size, is bad. But around Mesa it seems to move pretty well at other times. There are lots of shopping centers and places to eat near Big Bubba's apartment... many within walking distance.

The Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, and many, many other attractions are within a day's drive of Phoenix, and we want to start reaching out to visit them. Sara Jean has never seen the Grand Canyon, so that is a priority during one of our trips West.
We are already planning a trip back to Phoenix in July, when the daytime temps will top 100 degrees. Thank God for air conditioning!

Back to the real world-
I got on the scale this morning and this trip has taken its toll on my weight-loss program. I've gained 3 pounds since my last weigh-in, so I have to lose at least four to remain on my schedule for Saturday. It's my intent to avoid having to lose more than a pound a week, so the fact that I've gained this much is disheartening...
We walked almost every day, and a couple days we walked nearly three miles. How much exercise am I gonna have to do in order to maintain a steady weight?
Jeesh!

It's a little more than two weeks 'til we leave for the DDFF.
I'm sure lookin' forward to it!

More News From Mr. Legan-

Another note from Mr. Legan that might be of interest to some of you:

"I received THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE MAGAZINE recently, and noticed another former CG teacher had passed away. His name was Carlie Cardwell about 72. As I pondered my memory as I went to bed last night trying to decide when Carlie came to CG to teach the sixth grade I think that he took the place of Mr. Hillenburg when he left to teach in Marion County. It had to be my third year at CG. We were still in the middle building, and he had taken Mr. Hillenburg's room on the SW corner of the building. Carlie was a Franklin College graduate. He only stayed a year or two, and I don't think his contract was renewed. I don't know why. He always wanted to be in competition with my class in achieving and doing better. I was never in agreement with those actions in which he wanted to pursue. I guess that he finally wound up as a teacher later as a principal in the Indianapolis School System. Our paths never crossed after he left CG."

I don't remember Mr. Cardwell, but thought some of you '66-ers might, so I thought I'd post Mr. Legan's news about him.

No Fat Report?

I'm dyin'.
No wait... these days someone might take that seriously. I'm not dyin' any faster than you are.
Lemme explain-

We are in Mesa, Arizona.
How we got here is why I'm complainin'.
It's amazing what computers have done for us. The fact that you have tuned in here at Vandy's Kids means you are at least partially aware of what I'm talkin' about. One of the wonderful things you can do with your keyboard is buy airline tickets cheap. I bought mine by bidding on Priceline.com. Those of you that have used Priceline will know the routine... you literally make an offer to pay a certain amount for your travel, and Priceline carries that offer to several airlines to see who, if anyone, is interested in carrying you from Point A to Point B for what you have offered. Before I go to Priceline I generally go to a couple airline sites to see what the trip would cost normally, then I'll offer half that amount on Priceline. Sometimes it works, sometimes Priceline will come back with a counter-offer. This time we ended up with tickets for about 60% of what we would have normally paid, but there was a catch- the flight took off at 6:30 A.M..
Getting to the airport takes two hours. I always plan for 90 minutes getting through the new security measures. So, working backward from a 6:30 takeoff, we started this trek at 2:30 A.M. yesterday, after about 3 hours of sleep.

All went without a hitch.
The airplane took off on time. We had a stopover and change of airplanes in Dallas. When we got to Mesa, our baggage was waiting for us. Hertz, (also reserved via computer), did their part and lent us a compact car.
But with three hours sleep under our belts, we were beginning to drag...
While our bodies were saying we had been awake for 12 hours, the clocks here in Arizona were saying it was only Noon.

Big Bubba had left us a key to get into his apartment, so we let ourselves in and closed our eyes for about an hour before he got home. When he arrived, he had the film crew in tow-
Director, cameraman, light man, sound man. They are on a mission...
They have an itinerary they are following in order to get the shots they want before they leave tomorrow. Time is short. The Director is barking orders, getting everyone in place to move his story along. Mom and Dad are gonna be part of this thing...
"Mom, sit next to Big Bubba and show him the things you have brought from home."
"Dad, can you comment on what Big Bubba has done to his apartment since you were last here?"
It's organized chaos.
All Sara Jean and I want is to get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

After the film work is done, Big Bubba has planned a get-together. Several of his friends from work stop by. All the friends he has made in the area stop by. Finding a place to sit down begins to be problematic. I'm so tired I can no long stifle my yawning. I'm feigning interest in conversations. Sara Jean gives up and goes to bed. I'm trying to hang on and be the good soldier. After another hour, I fall asleep sitting on the sofa in front of the eight-or-so remaining guests.
I'm so tired I don't care... surely they understand I've had 4 hours sleep in 48 hours, right?

It's Saturday morning as I type this. Sunny and already about 80 degrees outside, it'll be above 90 degrees before the day is done. The film crew is scheduled to arrive at 9 A.M. to complete their shooting needs. When they're gone, normal visiting with our son can begin.

So, back to the Greybeard Fat Report.
There's not a scale in sight. I'm so tired, I still feel as if someone beat me up. After eating all that was available at the party last night, I'm unsure I'd want to get on a scale if one was available.

So my report to you is that there will not be a report this week.
Next Saturday I'll try and see if I can report a weight of 190.
Stay tuned- Let's see if I can make it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's goin' on with ya?
Got any news?
Share it here, please!

From Indy Echo-

I got a note from Indy Echo today.

She relayed sad news...
Shifty's Mom passed away recently.
IE, as usual, is busy as a one-legged soccer star, and gave me no more info than that. She promises to update us when she has time to take a deep breath.
Until then, put Shifty and IE in your prayers, please.

PROGRAM ALERT

Tonight on the Hallmark channel they are showing "The March of the Penguins". if you missed it the first time around, I hope you have the time to sit back and relax and enjoy this amazing film.

Early GBFR- Week 13

Today we'll point the car Northbound. We're headed to Chicago to attend a surprise Birthday party being given for the gal that was Sara Jean's closest friend when she was growing up.


Wanting to insure I could use my own scale, I planned to meet my goal a day early this week...
I hit my weight goal, but it WAS work! These last few pounds are gonna be a problem. More exercise is the answer, but finding the time for that is gonna be difficult.

Anyway, it's Chicago this weekend, then next weekend we fly to Mesa to see Big Bubba for the first time since we moved him there.
Some of you know... as the co-editor of one of the most popular Science Fiction websites, Gateworld.net, my son is a minor celebrity. While we are there next weekend, a film crew is coming down from Vancouver to film Big Bubba for a Canadian Sci-Fi documentary. They are aware we will be there for the weekend and have asked us to bring mementos from Big Bubba's childhood that were instrumental in leading him to a career in Science Fiction. They've also indicated they'll be interviewing us. They'll shoot 6 hours of film for a 15 minute segment on the show. It should be interesting.

Returning from Mesa, it's a downhill run to the DDFF.
The thought of fresh Grouper fried in Peanut Oil makes my mouth water!

Favorite teacher

Speaking of teachers....
We were?
My favorite high school teacher was Miss Kivett, English/Lit teacher grades 9 thru 11.
When I was a freshman Miss Kivett was my Eng/Lit teacher…although I can’t remember if she was part-time or a substitute (I don’t think she taught full time that year), but I do know I really liked her. Maybe it was because she was so young and fresh that I took notice and finally enjoyed a class. She had a way of presenting the learning material that made you want to know more. Going into my sophomore year, I was hoping that Miss Kivett would be my Eng/Lit teacher again. She was! That was the year that I finally turned myself around and started paying attention in classes. She was the single most important factor of me trying to make better grades, which I did (except for algebra). She made me want to learn more and study more (again, except for algebra!!) I had Miss Kivett again in my junior year and I was ecstatic. She got married and became Mrs. Almond and left CG. She was not there our senior year, but she left behind at least one girl who appreciated her and her teachings.

Was there a special teacher for you at CG, who stood out above all others in one way or another?

Also, why was our senior yearbook green & yellow and the year before it was black & white? Why not red & white, our school colors? Someone has to know the answer to this. Come on, I've lost sleep.....

I'm finally back on.

PT and GB I'm finally back on the blog. Hopefully I'll learn how to use this better. Its good to read and hear from everyone. Has anybody heard if John and Barb Tieke are going to DDFF. Does he have E-mail. I would love to get ahold of him.

A Note From Ferdy-

I got an email from Ferdy and asked her to post it here for all to see. For one reason or another, she can't make the machinery do what it's supposed to do, so she booted it back my way. Here's her note:
(I edited Ferdy's note to insure Bo's anonymity.)

"BMG asked me to send you an email to let you know what's going on with her parents. Her mother slipped out of her chair Tuesday night and couldn't get up. She tried to get BMG's dad to pick her up. Bo just happened to call at that time and found out what was going on. She called 911. They were at the emergency room until 11:00 that night.

The next day Bo took her mother to an ear, nose and throat doctor. Her mother had some fluid between her scull and her brain. Wednesday night the doctor drained the fluid off. She was in intensive care until yesterday. She is supposed to be released from the hospital today and then go to The Greenwood Village Nursing Home for several days for observation, physical therapy and rest. BMG was able to get a room so her dad can stay with her mother. She will be very busy for the next several days and doesn't think she'll have time to blog and didn't want you to be worried about her.
Please keep Bo and her parents in your prayers. Being an only child, she's got a lot to deal with right now."

Many of us have lost parents.
Many are now dealing with parents that are failing.
It's tough, even when you can share the burden with siblings. Doing it "only child" is a full-time job.

Bo, we are all sending "Good Vibrations" your way. Update us at your convenience, please.

DDFF Update- 25 March

Just emailed Harry to make sure we hadn't hung him out high and dry with fees for the day of fishing. Our Captain for the FF will be one of Harry's friends, and he's not asking for anything up front from Harry. We'll be heading out early on the morning of Friday, the 4th.
Harry virtually guarantees we'll catch fish...
He's figuring we'll catch Grouper and Red Snapper, which the deck hand will clean for us. Harry's gonna bring a fryer so we can cook up what we've caught when we get back to the condo.
Harry has me hoping this will not be a repeat of last year's Galveston results!

Grouper?
Man, I'm ready for some fresh Grouper!

GBFR- Three Months and Counting

Ahh, Babar, thank you for the help!

And Babar tells the truth... sorta.

I honestly don't know whether I'm cheating or not. Here's the story:

I may have mentioned that during Lent our local Catholic Church has a fish fry. Their dinners are wonderful, and reasonably priced. It's another thing about life that's not fair- it's like offering a beer to an alcoholic who's dying of thirst. Fish, baked potato, hush puppies, cole slaw, baked beans... IN MY BELLY! All this the night before my morning weight check.

So again this morning the slide had to be pushed the wrong way. When the rockin' and rollin' had stopped, it indicated 195 pounds... a one pound gain from last week. Time for action!

"No thank you dear, no coffee this morning... yet!"

It's gonna be 80 degrees and partly sunny today. When I hooked Lucy up to the leash it was probably 70+. Two-and-a-half miles later, Lucy's tongue was lolling out of her mouth and she needed a good, long, drink. So did I...AFTER the weigh-in!
Off with the sweatclothes... they did their job... and into my weigh-in clothes. Back onto the scale. It actually read slightly less than 193.

So, yes, it's probably mostly water weight, and I probably put most of it back on when I guzzled the mug of iced tea after the two cups of Arabica I drank. But help me now...
IF I worked and made the scale say 194 last week, then worked and made it say 193 this week, and next week I end up walking/weighing-in and the scale says 192, I'm still making progress, right? Is that cheating?

And the 2X4 upside my head:
In order to maintain, this is the way it's gonna have to be for the rest of my life. (And ya know what? The thought of a weekly weigh-in to stay at a set weight isn't so bad!)

Sara Jean reminded me- "What're ya gonna do when we go to Destin?"

"We're gonna WALK, girl!!"
"We'll walk two miles in the morning, two miles at Noon, and two miles at night if necessary, but we are also gonna eat like Royalty and drink more than a few adult beverages!"

So, those of you with a Destin-ation planned... ready to stroll?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are in the habit of checking the links in our blogroll you already know...
Up, Down, and Charming has invited the class of '66 to do more than just lurk here. Up, Down is now a contributor. Like the rest of us, he's a busy guy, so his contributions may be few and far between, but at least he's out there commenting, keeping his upperclassmen on their toes. When he has time, I hope he'll put his thoughts out for all to see here. And the rest of you '66-ers, and for that matter- anyone with an interest in life at CGHS, feel free to leave your thoughts. If you'd like to be a contributor, email Purple Tabby or me and we'll fix ya right up!

NOW... Open topic time! Let's have it!

Full Throttle, Half Throttle, or Coast?

If you look back in the VK archives, you'll find my post describing my life since May of '65. (Where's yours?)
In the post below this one, PT pokes all of us on the subject again and I'm watching responses there with interest.
Our "minis" have been wonderful, providing a relaxed atmosphere to share our experiences with one another. But those that haven't yet mini'd with us can share here.

Would it surprise you to find anyone that had made plans that came to fruition without a big surprise somewhere along the line? In High School I thought I might like to become an auto mechanic. It took just a few months of twisting wrenches and eating a sandwich using hands that smelled like old motor oil to convince me otherwise.
Life is like that isn't it? We frequently get what we want and find it's not at all what we dreamed. Sometimes life tosses us a surprise and we look back later to realize what a gift we were given... Joker mentioned her two kids, for instance.

Most of us are facing 60 birthdays(+ -), and I'd like to pursue looking through the other end of this telescope-
What now? What's your plan for the future?
Medicine and education are making great strides to extend our lives. We may not be running hurdles like the guy in the picture, but most of us will probably live another 30 years, and we'll be healthy and active for more of those years. What're you gonna do with that time?

We're smarter than we were in '65. We know ourselves better, we have a better feel for what is possible, so we can make better plans than those we made "back when".

A friend lent me a book titled Die Broke.
The book suggests that it's too expensive to retire... that we should continue to work, that work will help us remain physically and mentally healthy, and that we should spend every cent we own before we die, leaving our heirs zippo.

I got a great email today from classmate Larry M.
He's retired in Southern Utah, and lovin' every minute of it.
His comment to me...
"retirement's just like bein' rich, without the money!"
( I'm gonna steal that line Larry!)
He's talkin' about time...
his time belongs to him.

So, what's your plan?
Retire early, Die Broke, or somethin' better?
Care to share?

Are you where you thought you would be?

I'm just curious to see if others are where they thought they would be after 40ish years.

In 1965 we all had plans and I wonder how many made those plans happen. Or how many changed plans along the way?

I'm not sure I ever had a clear plan beyond Nurses Training. Heck, I don't think I could imagine being over 25 much less looking at retirement!

CLASS SPONSORS

We have been having a great time reconnecting with each other on these past months.
It is great to hear from each and every one but has anyone an update on our class sponsors?
Maybe, they would enjoy hearing how their wonderful class turned out and join us for some wonderful sage advice.

A Little Concerned-

Hawk asked and got no response...
Where are you, gal?
Anyone have news to allay my concerns?

11th Week- The Fat Report

For me, dieting is an interesting challenge. It's all a matter of establishing a routine... getting out for our daily walk, and refusing to put things into the hole in my face.

I've now lost 12 pounds since 1 January.

It's not easy. The temptations are everywhere.

In one of the first posts I wrote at "Pitchpull" I discussed how food and drugs can be compared. I really wanta eat! I have a tin on the end table next to my recliner that Sara Jean keeps filled with a mixture of roasted peanuts and cashews.

When my stomach is growling loud enough to be heard across the room- (2.5 on the Richter scale), it would be the easiest thing in the world to empty that tin, one handful of nuts at a time.

Merchandisers are evil. Last night I went to get groceries... the first thing inside the door?

Krispy Kreme donuts... one of my worst opponents!

For me, the difference between success and failure at this venture is my ability to remember how drugs and food are really two peas in a pod... and I think back when Nancy Reagan started her anti-drug campaign for kids... "JUST SAY NO!"

Sure, it'd be easy to just put a handful of nuts in my mouth... no one would know the difference.

A dozen of those Krispy Kremes in my shopping cart, and I'd have been pouring an ice-cold glass of milk to go along with them when I got home. Ummm, ummm! And who would've known?

I would have. The scale would have shown it this morning. And my heart, my joints, and all the rest of my body would not be getting the benefits I promised myself with my New Year's resolution to me, and to you.

I'm now at the point where subtle hints at my success make me smile. Wearing blue jeans sans-belt last night while shopping, my pants were trying to slide over my hips. I need to fetch my belt from the closet and cinch up my trousers!

Here's the math, VK's-

12 pounds of fat melted, 6 to go.

The next 6 may be hard, but I'm gonna make it.

To those of you emailing with encouragement...Thank you!

It helps keep me disciplined!

***

***

Happy St. Patty's day, VK's!

Got any news to share with us on this wonderful day?

The Ol' Switcheroo

Driving by a house today brought back a pleasant memory to share-

A couple years ago we had a minor scandal in Greybeardville. Someone we are intimate with got involved with a married man. Eventually the man's wife divorced him, and he and our acquaintance got married. Oddly, the spurned spouses got together and also married. Everyone involved in this odd slice of life seems to be doin' fine in their new relationship.

It reminded me of something that happened long ago.
I was a Sophomore at CGHS. She was a Senior. She was in one of my study halls. I had a crush the size of Manhattan.
I'll call her "Karen".
Cute, petite, with an hourglass figure, "going steady" with "Jerry",
I figured I could only admire Karen from afar.
Jerry was a jerk. I think everyone thought she was too good for him... couldn't understand why she stayed with him.

Obviously not old enough to drive, I was still hitching a ride to and from school with Willy. One day after school, I was waiting in the parking lot when Willy came out and said Karen needed a ride home. We had a carload of guys, so Karen would need to borrow a lap to sit on. She said, "I'll sit on Greybeard's lap!"
My heart fluttered.
She scooted between the seats and took my lap. I put my arm around her waist to help stabilize her. She turned to me and smiled.
My heart soared.

It was if a dream had come true. Were it possible, I would have stopped time. I couldn't believe it... here was Karen, sitting on my lap, happy to be there!

The school year ended.
Jerry and Karen broke up.
My phone rang.
"Greybeard? This is Karen. Would you be interested in going to the movies with me tomorrow night?"

"I still can't drive, Karen. No license."
"I'll pick you up at 7:30."
My heart almost burst.

We went to our beloved Meridian drive-in.
What movie was showing? Who knows? Who cares?
I was 'way to busy getting face to face with Karen!
The only fly in the ointment was that Jerry found out Karen had asked me out, and he was driving the rows... in front of Karen's car, he would race his engine up, just to irritate us. For me, it was a small price to pay. I hoped he'd try and pick a fight.

He didn't.
The next day, he appeared on Karen's doorstep, begging her to take him back.
She did.
Soon, they were married. Shortly after that, she was pregnant. The last time I saw her she was tending to the baby, wondering where Jerry was.

Years later I saw Karen's brother's name on a mailbox. Surprised he was still in the neighborhood, I knocked on the door just to inquire about her.
"How's she doin'?"
He smiled relating the story...
Jerry was a terrible philanderer. For years Karen put up with his shenanigans. One day, a strange man appeared at her door...
"Your husband is fooling around with my wife, and we need to get our heads together and see what we should do about it." And he produced photos taken by a detective to show what he was saying was true.

At first the relationship was platonic... friends trying to help one another through a tough time. But gradually their bond grew stronger.
They fell in love, divorced their unfaithful mates, and married.

Jerry and the man's wife also married.
Cheaters bein' cheaters, it didn't last.

The last I heard, Karen and her new husband were living happily ever after.
I'm glad. She deserves better than she had.

13 March DDFF Update-

Not much to report in the way of changes from my last, except that Joker will be stopping by to meet and greet DDFF participants.
I've also invited Mommanurse to come by and visit with us, her schedule permitting.

So the updated list still looks like this-
Staying at Gulf Winds East:
Cinders and TwoDogs
Sharon and TC
Sara Jean and Greybeard
FlyGirl and HB.

Commuting/stoppin' by-
Carol and Harry
Joker and ?
and maybe Mommanurse.

Hey Fly-
any update on the possibility of me seeing Jackie for the first time since May of 1965? That would be fabulous!

I dug up some websites for you to peruse.
Some are good.
Some, like the one for Silver Sands Outlet Mall, are a little disappointing.

There is another site with somewhat redundant info about Gulf Winds East here.

One of the things I think we'd all enjoy is a Dolphin Cruise.
In addition to seeing lots of Dolphins, this cruise gives you a tour of the Destin Harbor, and includes some of the history of Destin and the surrounding area.

Twenty minutes West of Destin on Okaloosa Island is the Gulfarium. They have shows featuring several types of sea critters.

Eden Gardens State Park is a short drive East of Destin, where you can see many of the flowers/plants/trees indigenous to the area, along with a home that reminded me of "Tara" from "Gone With the Wind" that you can tour.

I like caves. My family was pleasantly surprised when, years ago, we stopped and walked through Florida Caverns. This might be a good activity on a rainy day?

For those with an interest in Military Aircraft and hardware,
The Air Force Armament Museum has lots of interesting aircraft on display, to include the SR-71 Blackbird, a B-52, and my beloved Huey helicopter. It's a short drive North from Destin.
Ninety minutes West in Pensacola, we could tour The Naval Aviation Museum. This would be an all-day affair because of the drive, and the fact that there are lots and lots of things to see here, along with an IMAX theatre presentation. But there are great places to eat in Pensacola, so if there's enough interest, we'll consider it.

Sara Jean LOVES... LOVES! the Silver Sands Outlet Mall.
Coach, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Bose, Polo/Ralph Lauren, and other brand name manufacturers have stores in the mall. (We can go at night, after we have eaten too much... and walk the calories off!)

I've said before, my main fear at reunions is that we try to do too much. My perception of our minis is that they are wonderful because they have been low-key with smaller groups of people, and we have been able to move around and converse comfortably, making it easy for everyone to visit as much and with who(m?)ever ya want. There'll be plenty of time for visiting for everyone, but I sure want everyone to leave with a warm heart and a smile on their face.
I want your input, both now and in Destin!

One last thing-
It's not too late, you slaggards! C'mon now...
you know this is gonna be a ball. If you miss it-
YOU'LL BE SORRY!

reconnecting with classmates

I've spent the last couple of weeks reading the archived blogs and their comments posted to VK's and I've truly enjoy them. It has given me brief glimpses into some of your lives and thoughts and I must say, "why have I waited 42 years?" It has been fun to reconnect with those participating at VK's. Now I got the "bug" and I wish more of our '65 classmates would join in.

If anyone has read my blog page about my Hawaiian adventure, let me tell you it's all true. Every vacation I've taken, there was always some fiasco or adventure awaiting us around the corner, and if not, I made my own adventure (or fiasco). I am not a "normal" vacation type of person. I take the high road when everyone else is taking the low road and vice versa. I'm sure if I were to go on a guided African Safari I would see some overgrown trail that nobody else had noticed and would follow that to. . . see what I could see . . . and probably be fighting for my life in a matter of minutes. But that's just me. In my younger days I would have signed up for the reality series "Survivor" in a heartbeat (my favorite show, by the way). But in my old age I am a lot wiser and definitely more cautious. Here I sit with my 30 yr old mind in a 60 yr old body. What happened? Age happened! I'm thankful that I still have my wits about me and can recall the good (and bad) times of my life. So bit-by-bit I will try to fill you in on what my life has been like. I hope you enjoy it and definitely want to hear more about you.

I'm planning on being in the Destin/Ft Walton Beach area the beginning of May and would like to stop by to say "hello" to those of you heading out to your 'fishing fiasco'. Where are you staying and when exactly will you be there.

Hawaiian Adventure

Hey, lookee here-
Some of us actually update our blogs now and then!
(VIP's should go and read.)

GBFR, Week Ten- Setback

See that look?
If there had been a mirror over my scale this morning, that's the reflection I'd have seen.

The number last week was 196.
But there were more obstacles along the way this week...
My student enjoyed taking the helicopter to "The Texas Roadhouse" so much, he wanted to do it again. Ribs, baked potato... delicious, and enough for two meals.

And then came the buffet.
Two days of company training, and my employer provided lunch both days- a wonderful buffet line. Those two days provided a double whammy: Two hours of driving to get to those meetings added up to a twelve-hour day, and exercise was the last thing I wanted to do.

So... this morning I approached the scale as if I was facing a coiled, ready-to-strike rattlesnake.
And my fears were realized...
The scale said 200 pounds.
200 pounds! How is that possible?

Last night was my first night back to work. This morning I got up and had two big cups of coffee, then I had another during my 45 minute drive home. But could that amount to 4 or five pounds?

Dismayed, I went to bed. I woke twice to go to the bathroom... my spirits brightened a little.

Back to the scale with interest... could I be back on track?
Well, almost...
I slid the little weight, and the scale said 196.
Unbelievable! Six hours of sleep. Two trips to the bathroom.
Four pounds of liquids gone!

So it's a minor miracle, and a victory of sorts-
The Texas Roadhouse and two days down the buffet line kept me from losing a pound, but at least my fears of this morning weren't realized.

It's SO much harder to lose weight now than it once was! It's hard to get myself motivated to get my buns moving and do the necessary exercise to burn this fat. But now I have two pounds to lose next week in order to stay on my schedule. Beam your good thoughts my way, please.

Now...
Open topic time. It's great to see Mr. Legan commenting.
Bill, if you're interested I'll work with you so you can contribute posts on your own. It's interesting to hear views of those days from the other side of the desk!
And Joker... I'm with PT. I want to hear more about your furballs!

Sara Jean and I have good things to look forward to... we're headed to Chicago in two weeks to attend her best friend's birthday party. Then the following week we're flying back to Mesa, Arizona to visit with Big Bubba. Returning from that trip, the DDFF will be just over the horizon!
Come on down, everyone!

(Don't forget your clocks tonight, VK's!)

Fillin' In Some Blanks

Again, from Mr. Legan:

Answers to some questions found on Vandy's Kids:
MR. SHOTT(SP) was the vice-principal before Vandy assumed that role.
MR. WOODROW WILSON was Principal and was over both the h.s. and elem. when I began teaching in 1957. Later he was elevated to Supervisor, and Vandy assumed principal, then when a superintendent was named, Mr. Schulte, the position Mr. Wilson had was no longer there, and he finally left CG. He was the best principal I had ever worked under in my 38 ½ years of teaching. You knew where you stood with him. He made me a teacher.
MR. CLASHMAN was the principal at the elem. school, and taught one class of senior civics at the high school. He was my principal when I began at CG, and a week before the 1958-59 school year he passed, and no one was sure why he died. I did go the funeral at Deputy, IN near Madison, IN. Mr. Clashman was a bachelor, and was a good principal. Mr. Otto J. Sloop, became principal of the elem. school after Mr. Clashman's death. Mr. Sloop was a teacher at the high school in Franklin at the time before he came to CG. He had taught me grades 7 and 9, and became my mentor, and made me appreciate the subject he taught, Mathematics, and that is why I became a math teacher. I taught elem. at CG on a permit for 4 years then to jr. hi teaching math and social studies.
MR. WILBUR HARDIN: Mr. Hardin was brought into the school system about my 5th year teaching at CG. He came from Morristown, IN, and became the jr. principal at CG. He began teaching in 1939 at CG and was relieved of his job because he was too strict. He was a good man too. He eventually became supt. of CG schools.
MR. ALVIE SURFACE: The custodians made me a teacher too. I would go to them before I went to the principal for items. Bob Scott and Basil Briggs were good custodians. Alvie always had a cigar in his mouth. The fire alarm in the middle building had to be pulled with a vertical rod for it to go off. One day we were to have a fire drill, and I saw Alvie about ready to pull the alarm, and I asked him to puff some of that cigar smoke in my room. When the alarm sounded the kids actually thought the building was on fire. I could be fired for that if I still taught today. Alvie was a wonderful man.
What ever happened to Mr. Buntin????
That is memory lane on March 8, 2007.
Hope to see you at the CG banquet on June 2nd. It will be my first time to attend.
Respectfully yours,
Mr. Legan

Thanks, Mr. Legan!
I bet your note instigates a few more questions.

Vandy News

I have visited Vandy a couple of times in the last two weeks. I have not seen him do his therapy on these last two visits, but he tells me the rehab ladies are making him do his physical therapy and evening walks with his walker. No info on medical stuff. He seems to be at a plateau as far as advancements. His mind is still sharp. We talk about old times, like Vickie I getting water on the gym floor at the senior prom (some things like that just never fade away do they Vickie!). We shared some candy that PT had sent him - coffee malted balls........ unlike sparkley balls Suzan. He talks about what a nice place he is in and how nice they treat him, but he wants to get back to Country Charm. We both have had trouble remembering people, (he is 89 and I am not) so next time I am bringing my yearbook. He talked of Kathy F. , Vickie I. , John T. , Barbara V. , Suzan H. , Marty U. , (called him the general), David R. , and others. He enjoys company, so if you have any time at all, stop in for a visit. You will enjoy the visits as much as he does.

Mrs. Hicks

I received this email from Mr. Legan a few days ago:

"I read in the DAILY JOURNAL today an obit of a teacher that I once taught with at Center Grove. Her name was Betty Hicks, taught the 6th grade. We both started at CG in 1957-58. The obit said that she died in Bloomington, IN. Some time ago former teacher at CG, Sue Morris, told me that Betty had Alzheimer's. She died at the age of 76 with a daughter, KarLisa. After her first divorce she married a CG resident, Mr. Cornelius, who passed away some years ago, and Sue told me that she had married again and moved to Texas. Then she married a Mr. Bailey. I lost track of Mrs. Hicks when i left CG and began teaching in Franklin, IN. Thought you might remember her.

Bill Legan
PS
I can't believe that it has been almost 50 years when I first began teaching, and that was at good ole CG. I will never forget those 7 years. One thing I regret is that I wished that I had bought some land in that area. I would now be a millionaire. ha."

If you've been back to our old stomping grounds and tried to stomp on the ground you once stomped on, you know that last comment is true!

GB

The More The Marren'er!

Ladies and Gents, a new addition to our family and our blogroll!
Go hence immediately... welcome her, and leave her a sage comment!

GBFR- Lying To Ourselves

Some of you may not have read this post from my blog.
I don't know if I was successful making my point there-
as a society we're never happy with anything anymore,
and our weight is one of the things we obsess about.
I'm not immune.

Pastry is my drug of choice.
I love donuts. Sara Jean makes a yellow cake and adds a banana to it, just to insure I never succeed in losing weight. She also makes absolutely the best peanut butter cookies in the world, (are they pastries?)
Fat pills... safe and effective when used as directed.

But there are all sorts of ways to cheat on a diet, and there are as many ways to lie to yourself about how successful/unsuccessful you are at it. Karen Carpenter and the anorexic teens I refer to in my blog link have convinced themselves they'd be more attractive if they'd "just lose a couple more pounds", and in doing so deny their bodies the nutrients it/they need(s) to sustain a healthy heartbeat. What sort of mental trick do these people play on themselves, screwing up their self-image to the point where they look at the emaciated reflection in the mirror and still see a person that needs to lose weight?

Confession time for Greybeard:
It's Lent.
Our local Catholic Church prepares fish dinners for sale to our community all during Lent. The fish is great. Cole slaw, baked beans, hush puppies, onion rings, and baked potatoe (Quayle) all included.
All this at a price you can't refuse.
I ate it. I ate it late last night. I was afraid it would show up on the scale at my Saturday morning weigh-in. So when I got home from work this morning, I convinced myself it would be okay to skip the weigh-in and go to bed, then get on the scale when I got up this afternoon.
And that's exactly what I did. Is that cheating? It's certainly a game I decided to play with myself.


And another confession:
I took off my watch before getting on the scale... after all, it weighs three-or-so ounces, right?!
See what I mean? This self-image business makes us more than a little crazy.

Now, the GBFR results:
Last week, 198.
This week-
Dut duh duh dut, duh duh DAAAAAAAAH!
196.

So I'm back on my schedule, although I'm ashamed of myself.
The whole idea of this stupid diet was to lose the weight nice and easy, so I don't damage anything, and to slowly get to where I have established habits to help me MAINTAIN.
Please, help me! Comment and tell me if I'm seeing something in the mirror that's not there.

Off topic, and to start you commenting on ANYTHING you damn well please:
A few of us got a very nice note from Marren S. this week. She came to VK and started reading, and was delighted to have some memory sparks prodded.
Welcome Marren, and thanks for your comments!
Now dear, please click the word "comments" below and tell us what memories you have to share!

To close... an enticement.
Those of you coming to the DDFF will be able to sample Sara Jeans "world's best" peanut butter cookies. We'll go for a walk afterwards to work them off.
It'll be a gas!

DDFF Update:

Harry, leader of the Chipley Mafia emailed with the following:

(Greybeard),
I know a captain in Destin that can take out up to 8 people. Only 6 can
fish at a time if the water is rough. It is a 40 footer. If it is too
rough he will not take us out and not charge us. The cost is $150 a
head and we have to have our own licenses and plus deck hand tip. This is for an all day trip and we WILL catch fish. I will need to know so we can book.
Harry

My response:

Hey Pal!
Well, sounds like you've got the plan! I know for sure there'll be me,
you, TC, (TwoDogs), and probably (FlyGirl) and her Hoosier Boy on the boat now.
There may be more, but I can't be sure.
Does the $150 per head fee still stand if there are only 4-6 of us?
My gut tells me you ought to go ahead and make the arrangements. I'd like everyone to have a great time in Destin and establish the DDFF as an annual thing. Thanks for the help Harry... I think it's gonna be a ball!
Let me know what I need to do to help.
(Greybeard)

So it sounds as if the Chipley Godfather has saved the day...
Life is grand!
Are ya gonna be there?

Taking the FF Outta the DDFF?

Good news and bad news, folks.
I've done some checkin' on fishing charters.
We have two, actually three choices:

1. We can fish in the Choctawhatchee bay.
These boats rent for about $600. There is a problem...
they are limited to use by no more than four fisherpersons. If more than four folks want to fish, we have to fish the Gulf.

2. We can fish in the Gulf.
The boat I checked on charged $200 an hour for a party of six.

3. We can go out on a "party boat".
These are large boats that cruise out to where you can no longer see land, then drop anchor and allow 40 or so folks to bottom fish. They charge a per-head fee, and I have not yet checked to see what that fee is, but I'm guessing it'll be $50 or less.

So we do have choices, but they are not what I expected.
I think we'll choose up sides and decide what to do when we get to Destin. Personally, I'm not much of a fisherman, so it won't break my heart if all we do is work sand up between our toes and see who can tell the biggest whopper!

It'll still be fun.

Vandy

VANDY UPDATE – I AM SMILING AS I WRITE THIS!!

Mr. Vandemeer is doing much better. No longer in the hospital, he is now at The Villages Rehabilitation Center in Greenwood. (Across from K-Mart on 31 near Smith Valley Road.) He has received many cards and PT’s care package. He loved it…you all made him smile and he remembers each of you. Lots of Center Grove alumni have been visiting him.

As I got there, Vandy was not in his room. Instead I saw his son Bill in the hall. I would never have known Bill, except that he now looks so much like Vandy, only more hair. Bill has picked up some weight and I had not seen him since high school. Bill flies out tomorrow (2-21-07) at 11:00 AM to go back home. His wife will be here next weekend. Mr. & Mrs. Tumey was also there.

Vandy was in physical therapy. He had told the physical therapist he was sleepy, but the whip was cracked and he was soon walking with a walker. He had two young good- looking girls working with him. I saw them walking with him and later playing volleyball with a balloon with him. The girls rubbed lotion on his arms as he told them stories about fishing in Canada. The story was about his being trapped in an outhouse by a black bear. The bear was finally shot in order for Vandy to be rescued.

Medical news: No conclusions for the internal bleeding from the doctors as yet. I did notice butterfly bandages on two places on his arms. Someone assisting him had damaged his skin.

New address: Village Pavilion Health Care Center
Melvin A Vandermeer, Room 109
283 S. Smock Dr.
Greenwood, IN 46143

His phone number is the same as when he was at Country Charm

Bill Vandermeer’s E-Mail address: vandermeer@sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com
On other news, OJ has gotten a pace maker and his wife Lorene has fallen and fractured three ribs.

Week 8, The Fat Report

Last week I was lookin' at 199 for the second week in a row, so this week I was hopin' for 197.
No joy.
This morning the scale reads 198 pounds. It's just tough... too easy to sit and watch TV... too easy to stuff an apple fritter in my pie hole.

Spring is on the way, so "walkin' with Sara Jean" weather is just around the corner. We walk a little over two miles a day when the weather permits. I also use my bicycle instead of the car to run errands around town. I'm hopeful that will make the forthcoming struggle against those last few pounds easier.

So I'm still a pound behind on my schedule. But I'm glad there's one less mile of blood vessels my heart has to struggle to pump blood through.
This week, more exercise and fewer calories, I promise!

Open topic time. Give us your news!

Stairway to... ?

You'll have to excuse me...
I'm sometimes given praise here for the help I have given others with computers and blogging, but I'm unworthy of that-
Hawkeye sent me this pic months ago, and I'm just getting around to figuring out how to post it here.
By my count, that's 19 smiling VK's on Indy Echo's stairway.
(Thank God Shifty built a strong one!)

Thinking of Vandy

(I moved this topic so it didn't get lost)

Thinking of a Vandy memorial and all the great suggestions from everyone, I had a couple of ideas

1. I wonder if the current CG principal would have any ideas on a way to donate to the school but make it special for Vandy

2. Maybe the Clements' or the Tumeys know of a CG artist who could paint an oil painting of Mr. and Mrs. V. ?? Or maybe someone from Butler, Purdue or IU? There are lots of artists in Brown County (I don't know any of them but my brother might)- if they couldn't do it they might know someone who could.

3. What was the name of that trophy place we used back in the day? I wonder if they have a way on making a bronze bust or maybe a 3D plaque?

4. I understand Bill is visiting Franklin this weekend; maybe someone could call the hospital and
A) Ask him for a photo of Mr. and Mrs. V.
B) Get his current email
C) Ask him if there is something he knows Vandy would really like.
(Please don't mention to Bill what a fashion plate I turned out to be. It will hurt his feelings to remember how cruelly he dumped me so he could have more study time! Like a 4.0 in Engineering wasn't going to happen anyway!!)
**** Remember, being Reality Based was NEVER in my Skill Set.

GB's Email to Mr. Shockley:

Mr Shockley:
You may or may not be reading at Vandy's Kids and know about our concerns that Mr. Vandermeer is in the hospital. Discussion lately has been that although we are hopeful Mr V. will return to his home, at some point we will lose him. We are discussing a memorial in the form of a painting, bronze sculpture, or memorial plaque... and where such a memorial would be placed after we have it at hand.

We would appreciate your input sir. What form do you think the memorial should take? Would there be a proper place in the school for such a memorial?

We are also discussing founding a scholarship so kids that are being denied access to extra-curricular activities because of lack of funds could be granted the necessary monies to participate. We are in the very early "chatting" stages about this, so any advice you might give would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Vandy's Kids

Snow in Paradise? I don't think so!

As I watch the snow fall in Indiana, adding four inches to the fourteen inches already on the ground, I am inspired to move forward with our VIP planning. I have found several lodging alternatives to Hotels on the Islands. It is all about location and price. I have found beachfront properties that accommodate up to 14 people. Some of these homes are estate type w/ all of the niceties. The costs per person compare favorably to beachfront Hotels. I have found prices that range from $65. - $95. per person per night. There are several on the North Shore/Sunset Beach area that would fit. The one in Ewa Beach that would fit may or may not be available as it is currently for sale. Some of the places that we are currently considering are #’s - 68236, 109663, 9475, and 39353. If you are interested, go to the link below to view these listings.

There would be some particulars to work out and I am willing to coordinate this to make it happen. One important key here is timing. Some of the properties are booking up quickly. In order to reserve our dates, we would need to make a deposit with full payment due in September. One question sure to come up is "What happens if I need to cancel?” You may want to consider ‘Trip Cancellation Insurance’. The main website that I am looking at is here and this link deals with trip cancellation insurance. Check it out. I would like to hold to the core dates - Nov.1 thru Nov.8 - for the VIP 2007 regardless of lodging preference. Please continue to consider this, but with some sense of urgency - if this type of accommodation will suit your needs. Questions/Comments?

As Golden Girl would say,

Mahalo

GBFR, Week Seven

Well, I hafta provide a couple excuses!
I'm still lookin' at 199 this morning.
My excuse, and I'm stickin' with it, is Valentine's day...
Sara Jean and I went out to dinner, and we all know, dieting is tough when you are eating out.
So no loss this week. I think I'm gonna have to add a little exercise to my program in order to stay on my "pound-a-week" schedule. It's been tough to exercise the last couple weeks, what with the trip to Arizona, and the weather has just been horrible here lately.

Anyway, my goal next week just got kicked up a notch... I'm shooting for 197.

On other topics... I've made the initial inquiries about chartering a boat for the DDFF.
TwoDogs will be posting about lodging for the VIP.
We both are hoping more of you will decide you want to attend, and will declare your hopes to do just that.

Got something to share with the rest of us? Push the "comment" button!

Vandy Update

I went to see Mr. Vandermeer today, unfortunately it was not at Country Charm where he lives. He is at Johnson County Hospital. He has been there 2 1/2 or 3 weeks.

When I got to the hospital, Dorothy Clemmens and Bill Vandermeer's wife (I think her name is Carol) were there. Bill is to be in next weekend. They caught me up on what is going on. Vandy has been given 4 units of blood so far for bleeding internally. The surgeon hopes the bleeding will take care of itself without surgery. Gallstones were also found, but the doctors feel they are not giving him pain. No surgery is planned for anything due to his heart condition.

Mr. Vandermeer knows everyone who is there, but he was very sleepy. He apologized for being grumpy. I stayed about 45 minutes and told him I would see him in a couple of days. He thanked me for coming.

I do not see Mr. Vandermeer moving back to his room at Country Charm any time soon. I know Mr. Vandermeer can sure use our thoughts, prayers and maybe a card.

His address is: Johnson County Hospital
1125 Jefferson Street
Franklin, Indiana 46131
Melvin Vandermeer Room 283A

Hawkeye

GBFR, Week... What Is It, Six?

Anorexia...
Yeah, maybe that's the ticket!

No, I really shouldn't even joke about such things.

I was worried about getting on the scale today, post-Arizona trip. But Fly's admonition that I might be surprised by what I find was insightful-

The scale read...
199.
This is the first time in years that I'm below the 200 mark.
So, help me VK's.
Doesn't that put me back on my "pound-a-week" schedule?
(Still recovering from the Arizona trip, and my mind is too tired to do the Math!)

Okay, the floor is open for comments-
What's on your mind?

Drive!

I like to drive.
I started "Driver's Ed." when I was 14. I often wondered how I pulled that off until recently- reading others comments here at VK, I'm realizing I may have been one of the older guys in our class, and maybe there just weren't others with an interest.

Anyway, I got my learner's permit when I was 15, and proceeded to chauffer my family almost everywhere we went together for the next year. When I turned 16, I may have been one of the most experienced 16 year old drivers in the world! (Our family made a trip to California later that year, and I drove most of the way to L.A. and back.)

But the enjoyment of driving obviously has it's limits. Plunking your butt behind the wheel, looking at a view similar to the one above for 14 hours makes flying mighty attractive.
But ya can't move the junk necessary to furnish a two-bedroom apartment in a Boeing 737. (Well, ya could, but $$$$$$, you know!)

So we just finished driving approximately 31 hours... more than 20 hours of it staring at a sign that said "Interstate 40 Westbound".

Some thoughts about this trip:
-No matter how fast you go, someone always needs to go faster.
-Where the pavement is concrete the heavy trucks, in many places, have turned the right lane into a brain-liquifying experience. Where traffic was light enough, I spent most of the time in the left lane.
-Tumbleweeds really do tumble in the panhandle of Texas.
-From the New Mexico State Line West, this Hoosier Boy wished someone else was driving so I could gawk at the passing mountains.
-This Moving Van had no cruise control. 31 hours of driving without cruise control is cruel and unusual punishment!
-Pull off and buy gas, and the very next station you pass will be selling fuel for 2 cents cheaper than you just paid... irritating when the tank you're filling holds 40 gallons!
-Moving Vans should have either a CD or tape player for those of us that enjoy "reading" a book on tape while we drive.
-The Penske truck we rented was dramatically cheaper than the U-Haul or Ryder trucks we priced. This is our second experience with Penske Truck Rentals, and I heartily recommend them.
-Flagstaff Arizona is breathtaking. Go!
-There was snow on the ground in Flagstaff. Two hours and 5000' lower in Phoenix... we encountered nearly perfect "late Spring" type weather.
-Phoenix Arizona in February... a perfect 80 degrees.
-Phoenix Arizona in July... bake your Duncan Hines Yellow Cake on the front seat of your car.
-Car horns get a workout in Phoenix. With me, blowing your horn achieves the opposite of the desired result.
Cell phones... what would we do without them? They're indispensable on these trips!

Enough bits and pieces for now. I'm sure there's more to come later.
Your thoughts?