A day of work

It was again a day of wonderful weather for the fall.  I was able to get much work done outside.  In the morning I got a load of clothes hung on the line, I was able to move all of my firewood, got somethings cleaned up in the garage and some things picked up in the yard.  It was kind of fun.
I also was able to get in a short bike ride.  The 8 1/2 miles was short and a little chilly.  I was so happy as my shoulder did not bother me much so maybe that is getting better.  I sure hope so as I just hate pain. 
As I write this the time shows 8:00 and really that should be just the beginning of the evening but for some reason I am tired so will try to get to sleep early.

A first for the fall

When I woke this morning the temp was 25 and there was frost all over.  The first of the fall and here we are almost into November.  Wallace's water dish was frozen so I know that we are closing in on our winter season.
I did get out for a short run this morning.  My hands actually got cold and I was only out for 25 minutes. Have not been on my bike for some time and don't really know when or if that will happen.  It certainly will not happen if we have more mornings of 25 or lower.
I had a fun evening yesterday.  I came home from doing some errands about 6:30 with the idea that I would not do any more for the day.  A friend called to say that some friends were going to a play in Burnsville and one person did not show up.  I said I would take the ticket and it was a fun time.  I may have to do more of that to get a little cultured!!
There really has not been a whole lot happening in the last week or so.  I had wanted to and thought about driving to South Bend this weekend but then the thought of a short trip and over a thousand miles of driving just did not sound very good.  I plan to go visit sometime after Thanksgiving and maybe around John's birthday. 
I am looking forward to deer hunting next weekend.  I may be out of town for a few days as I need to go at least a day early to finish the deer stand and then it would be nice to stay until I could shoot a deer.  Of course that could be until Christmas or so!   No the season is only 10 days but for sure I will not stay that long. 
Monday will be Cynthia's birthday.  My or my it just does not seem possible that she can be 30 already.  Many many people know the story of her birth but will share it in detail on Monday.  I do think that the day Cynthia was born was close to the happiest day of Gail's life and it may have been THE happiest day.  God was so real, so loving and so close to us November 1, 1980 that I almost get goose bumps yet when I think of it.
I did make a trip to the dr today as my shoulder from the bike fall still bothers me a lot.  The X-rays showed that there is nothing broken or fractured but it still is very sore.  The dr said that I should give it another 3-5 weeks and if it still is very sore they could do an MRI.  I am not sure what good that would do but will see what happens.  I am almost beginning to think that the shoulder is fine and I just can not tolerate pain of any kind. 
Time to watch the news and then maybe try to get to bed early.

Alone and empty

OK so again it was one of those days that come and go and you want never to come again.  It was the kind of day that shows me again and again how weak I am and maybe how empty I am. 
It started out with a 7 AM men's meeting which was good but for some reason I kept having thoughts during the meeting of how OUR (Gail's and mine) life had been in People of Praise for so long and now of course it is no more.  From there I went to a memorial service for Mary S who Gail knew.  Mary died of breast cancer this week.  Those functions are difficult and when I knew them quit well and breast cancer was involved it is more difficult.  After a 90 minutes service and lunch after that I stopped at the Krauses to see how I could help John.  His wife Jeanette has cancer.  On my way home from there I stopped at Cynthia/Mikes but they had company so I did not go in.  After working on some wood thing for John I returned to work with him.  Later in the evening I decided I needed a Jude and Faustina fix but as I stopped in front of their place it looked like they had people over for the evening so I got in the car and drove home.  As I sat at home thinking of the day I just could not avoid feeling sad and lonely.  Having spent time thinking about Mary this morning, working with John whose wife is very very ill and then having memories flood my mind of time gone by when our family was younger, kids were at home, company came over and the whole world just seemed so much happier, so much more peaceful.  Of course I know that much of that is not true.  I know that Mary's husband Ken will grieve much but he will be OK, I know that John still has time to love and cherish Jeanette, I know that Cynthia and Mike were and are still having a great time with friends.  Even with all of that and God's love and glory in it all I just could not help feeling lonely, sad and empty.  So goes another day and I am sure as I go to church tomorrow and experience God's presence in a special way things will look up and joy will be there again.  Often I wish I could avoid these times but I know I can not.  I do believe there is good in them it just is difficult to see at times.  I am thankful they don't come too often and when they do come it seems I can cope much better now than in the past. 
I think I may take an early "out" for the evening and get some sleep.

The Last??????

I went on the Greenway bike path for the first time today.  The weather was great except it was very windy.  I went as far as St. Louis Park and then decided that I could not answer a question.  I could not figure out if the bike seat was breaking my butt or my butt was breaking in the seat!!  With that unanswered question I turned around and headed home.  With the wind making the work a bit harder my shoulder could feel the work out.  All in all it was a good ride but a bit sad as well when I felt that it may well be the last outdoor ride of the year.  We may luck out with some warm weather yet but when the temp does not get above 60 the rides are cool to say the least.  Tomorrow's normal high is 54 so we are closing in on the last for us fair weather riders.  Arrived home and after a hot bath sat on some ice for a while.  Did it help, I am not sure.
Aaron sent touch up paint for the bike and a computer and will put that on tomorrow.  I do not know if I can do this but I think I have ridden about 40 miles on the bike so far and it would be ice to set the computer on 40 miles.  Travis said he expects me to put on 10's of thousands of miles so I should start at the right place.
I did forget about the work today for the sake of the ride.  Well it is not accurate to say I forgot about it, I would be much more honest to say I just did no work today.  I did figure the work can wait and the ride may not happen again for a long time so it was perfectly reasonable to ride and not work!!
As I sat alone tonight watching the baseball playoffs I did think that the house was unusually big, empty, quiet and as I looked around for sure kind of dusty too.  I am sure I had a puzzled look on my face as I tried to figure out how one person can make so many messes, have so much dust and make the house so so so lived in!  I then comforted myself by reminding me that I have actually made my bed daily for at least a week now.  I think that is pretty great!
No after a windy ride it seems to be bed time.

Hanging In There

This is a flower I saw on my walk with Wallace yesterday.  I marveled that it was October 21 and still we have such beautiful flowers that have not fallen victim to our MN fall temps. 
Our fall weather just goes on and on and on and it is such a blessing.  Again today, Friday, our temps should hit in the 60's.  I need to work but I think I HAVE to get in a bike ride.  It may be the last of the fall. 
I got more bags of leaves raked up today and they will go on the flowers when it gets colder. 
Not a lot to say.  Deer season is creeping up and with it the thought of field sunrises, fall beauty, maybe deer running around and for sure those sandwiches and candy bars that I enjoy while hunting.  Sometimes I think the sunrises, the sun sets, the candy bars, the sandwiches are a lot more important than the deer.  For sure I must get that deer stand more sturdy so I can climb up into it with my gun and my camera.
I think and I feel like it is bed time. 

Happy Anniversary---4 times over!!!!!!

Here are Cynthia/Mike almost a year after they were married.  At this time there were no children, both were teaching at Trinity and life was great.  Today they so enjoy Faustina and Jude, Cynthia is a stay at home mother and Mike is at a different job.  Life changes so rapidly yet today they look as young, as happy and as great as they did 3 years ago. 
I so remember 4 years ago today, the wedding at the Cathedral, the reception at the MN arboretum and all of the family and friends who were in town to celebrate our little girl's wedding.  Gail was so excited to see her miracle and one and only daughter getting married and maybe, just maybe there would be the little girl arriving in the form of a granddaughter that Gail could rejoice in the same manner that she rejoiced when God blessed her with a daughter.  I remember that I was stunned at the beauty that I saw when I walked Cynthia down the isle.  The happiness and the sadness all melted into one big emotion as I tried to stroll so proudly with Cynthia at my side.  As I approached the front of the church where Mike was waiting I could see out of the corner of my eye joy and tears in Gail's eyes as she watched her one and only daughter go from being mommy and daddy's little girl into the strong sure arms of this handsome man who Cynthia would promise to cherish and love for the rest of her life.  It was a day of memories, of joy, of tears that was shared with so many many family and friends.  Of course I am not the one to say but will say it anyway that the wedding and reception was one of a kind that would be impossible to duplicate.  So today I sit here and with tears and sadness I rejoice without Gail but with the memories that God blessed us and Gail with that special daughter. 
Cynthia and Mike---you are a great couple and your love of each other and of God is something that is for many others to want.  I love you so much and mother is so proud of you and your family.  Of course I too am proud of both of you but I want to remind you today that mother was so proud of the young lady that you grew to be.

Not yet completed

Well it is not finished yet.  I did not foresee the tall, slender and heavy stand well and I know it is a bit top heavy.  I may have to shoot a really big deer early on opening day and then just lay it over one of the braces to weigh it down.  NO        What you see away from the tractor is the ladder up and the platform will go on the 4 boards 3 feet from the top.  then 4X4 sheets of 1/4 " plywood will go around the top with 2X4's around the top to make it more sturdy and to lean on and shot that big buck.  BUT before I venture on top there needs to be an X brace on two of the sides to make it more stable and then 4 more braces going out from the sides and staked to the ground.  I will do that, which will take about 2-3 hr the day before hunting.  Should be interesting to sit or stand that high above the ground.  If nothing else I will be sure to take my camera to see if I can get some great pictures of the sunrise, sunset or maybe of the BIG buck that I missed!!!!
Got some more biking in this weekend and have decided that I need to read about the seat on my bike.  I ended up with a sore behind and I kept sitting too far forward on the seat, I think.  I will have to see.  I did not fall off any more so that was good!!  I did find out in a big way that I really really like the bike. 
Also got some more time to sit, reflect, think and pray about the future.  Sometimes I think I make life way to complicated. 
I arrived home this afternoon.  Went to get Wallace right away and he was so glad to see me.  He has gotten more affectnate as he has gotten older and now when I leave him outside for a long period of time if I am not home he digs out under the fence and lays in the front yard waiting for me to return!  Not sure that is good.
I think my agenda for the night is a hot bath, turn the TV on and fall asleep watching Monday night football.  If If I go to bed early I know I will lay awake but the TV tends to put me to sleep fairly fast.  Am I getting old, strange or just weird?  I know, that last sentence is an invite for some smart comment from sister Helen.