Huh?

And without any word of warning at all, life goes on.

Home Made Gun Powder

This one really needs no explanation, other than maybe two words:

Dumb ass!

Fall Vacation Approacheth

As I write this, approximately three and half weeks are between me and my fall vacation, which is my favorite vacation of the year. There are several reasons why I love this vacation the most.

Number one, it's my favorite season of the year, and it never lasts long enough.

Number two, it's a two week vacation.

Number three, my much better half and I become pretty much inseparable during this two week time off from work.

We will be spending one night at Sybaris, and if there are any of my Faithful Few out there who don't know what Sybaris is, let's just say it has been voted the most romantic getaway in the United States.

Each suite is its own building. Depending on which suite you get, there are different things in the different types of suites. The one we love to stay in, which is the Paradise Swimming Pool Suite, we have our own killer stereo system, his and her sinks, a kitchenette, full bath with bidet, our own hottub, steam room and swimming pool, which is heated to 94 degrees.

That pool has a waterfall over it, the suite comes with a bottle of champagne on ice sitting next to the huge king size bed and two glasses, twin terry cloth robes on the bed and a telephone that only calls the front desk. It is a total escape from reality, which I think every couple needs to do every once in a while, and Peggy and I usually take this special trip each October.

If you would like to see more of this remarkable place, check it out at www.sybaris.com. You won't believe such a place exists just an hour or so away from us.

I'm also hoping to take us both to the Slippery Noodle for a night of good food, good music and great live blues. If Peggy enjoys it enough that first week, we'll probably go back the second week as well.

We will be doing some mini day trips around the state to visit some of our favorite fall places, but most of all, we will be sharing this entire time together.

Now, if the next three and a half weeks will just get by quickly and those two weeks of vacation take their time going by.

Also this year, Peggy and I will be discussing my future with the Post Office and if indeed I will retire before this year ends. I hope the good Lord shows me a way to make this happen, because even though my job still means the world to me, I truly think there are things happening in my life right now that are telling me it's probably time to bring this career of mine to an end.

So, come on calendar, and let's get to October already, PLEASE???

Summer of '42

One of my favorite movies from the early 70's is Summer of '42. I'm staying up late watching it, simply because I love everything about this movie. The time, the theme and the innocence.

Such a great movie, some really cool lines, and a surprise you never see coming until it happens. The narration in the movie, especially at the end is totally unforgettable.

I remember seeing this movie for the first time 39 years ago and the effect it had on me. Watching it tonight seems no different than the first time.

What a great movie.

If you've never seen it, make it a point to.

"For each thing we take with us in this life, there is something we must leave behind."

Indeed!

Dueling Banjos Deliverance

For some very laughable reasons, this song just seems very appropriate right now.

Oh, and don't forget to turn off the jukebox to the right or you'll be hearing two songs at the same time!!

Not The End Of A Season, But The Beginning Of A New One

So many people look at Labor Day weekend as the end of summer and become quite melancholy over it. I don't look at it as a sad time at all, but as the beginning of the Fall season, which to me, is a reason to celebrate.

Autumn is mine and Peggy's favorite season of the year, and with the bright sunny days with their cooler temperatures, it's a time to get out and enjoy without being miserable from the heat.

As we go into Labor Day weekend, we go into it knowing we will be spending three days of quality time together, doing things we enjoy doing together. We are preparing to go outside and get some work done that got put off this hot summer season, mainly due to our involvement with the Summer Concert Series.

This weekend we will be power washing our fence, getting some yardwork done, grilling out, sharing a few drinks around the firepit and simply enjoying each other's company. We will watch the Nascar race Sunday night, something we enjoy watching together, and we will be sharing a bottle of almond champagne as we do so, followed by some tender moments of relaxation in the hottub.

Temps in the 70's should make this even more enjoyable, but most of all, we will be spending this time together, and sharing all these moments, both the work and the play, with each other.

What better way to end the summer?

And what better picture to head this entry with than a picture from our first concert of the season at Riverside with my good friend Rick?

Enjoy the weekend, Faithful Few, and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones as we usher in the greatest season of weather of the year.

Happy Labor Day, and Happy Autumn to you all!

Looking

I look back over my shoulder
and all I see are a million yesterdays.
I look ahead and all I see are the dreams of a million tomorrows.
Standing right in front of me is today
and all I need to get thru it.

How damned lucky can I be?

When The Music's Over...

...turn out the lights.


Last night, the 2010 Summer Concert Series at Riverside Park came to an end with a great closing show, 650 North opening for the Devonshires.

650 North opened with a fresh set of new and inspiring alternative rock, with a really great cover of the Cyndi Lauper classic Time After Time, and a show that is not the type of show we normally put on at the park. It was a great set and gave me quite an appreciation for the band.

The Devonshires took the stage and performed two different sets, one of 60's hits covering various artists, and came back and did a second set featuring 70's hits. They enjoyed themselves enough that they played an additional hour past their scheduled ending time. What a show, what great music, and what a great end to one of our best seasons of music yet.

The 2010 Live By The Levee series is now in the history books, and the stage will not play host to any concerts now until the 2011 season start next May. It's a mixed feeling as this season comes to an end.

I'm tired, Peggy is tired, matter of fact, I think all of our board and our group of volunteers are happy this season has come to an end. Record high temps really cut into our attendance figures for the season, but still, all in all, we had a great turnout at all the shows.

We provided a great variety of music to our community and beyond, thanks to the generous contributions and sponsorship dollars of many businesses and individuals in our region. Many thanks to them all, for without them, this series of concerts would never be possible.

The month of September begins the several months long job of planning the next season in the Live By The Levee series. Choosing genres, choosing bands, choosing dates and trying to secure the needed funds all starts now. It's a long road with a lot of work to come along with it, but in the end, as you stand and look at the crowd of people enjoying the live performances and the music, it is indeed a labor of love.

Yes, I'm glad we have pulled the final curtain on the 2010 series, but in just a matter of weeks I will already be wishing it was 2011 and the Live By The Levee series was starting up again.

And just think, in nine more months it will be. So much to do in those nine months.

Hating This Day

I guess we all have days we dread, days we wish we didn't have to face, days we would just like to forget.

This is one of those days for me.

I won't go into reasons, I won't say what the day is, but let's just say this day each year for the past several years gets me down, makes me blue, and makes me reflect on aspects of my life that I simply wonder about.

I see so much selfishness in this day, so much bitterness, and so much anger.

I try not to let this day bother me, but it does.

I turned this matter over to the Lord several years ago and I let him deal with it for me, most of the time.

But not today.

Today the Lord lets me deal with it as best I can.

Today I'm not doing the best job of dealing with it.

Thank God it will be over in a little over five hours from right now.

Yep, August 26th really sucks.

Slippery Noodle, August 12, 2010

Last Thursday evening, my friend John and I travelled up to the Circle City and spent the evening at the Slippery Noodle Inn, famous for its atmosphere and live blues seven nights a week.

We were fortunate enough on this particular Thursday evening to get to watch and listen to the Grady Champion Revue. Grady and company rocked the Noodle for four hours with their awesome Mississippi blues sound. After the show was over, lead guitar player Chris Gill took our picture with Grady, along with a few others who attended the show.

Sure hope I get a chance to see them again sometime.

A Closed Door

Sometimes when the door is closed
The best thing to do
Is assume it is locked
And don't knock,
Because even if the door is answered
The one who opens it
Doesn't really want you to come in
But isn't sure how
To let you know.

Doors are usually closed for a reason
And the longer they remain closed
The longer the one on the inside
Wishes it to remain
Closed.

Doors are there that are open
And others are closed
But not locked.
Honor the doors that are closed
And let them remain that way
For if you were truly welcome
On the inside
The door would be open.

Soulmate

The journeys I have taken,
The trails that I have walked.
Looking back at the mistakes I have made along the way,
I see the one remaining constant
That has ALWAYS been there,
Even when I didn't realize it
Or was too confused to understand.
Excuses I have made,
Words I have put into God's mouth,
Lies that I have convinced myself were true,
Yet thru it all,
She has always been there,
Waiting
Loving
Respecting
And never pressuring me,
Just letting me find my way on my own.
I hope I can be forgiven for those crazy times
And idiotic choices I made,
When all along the one true decision
I made nearly 33 years ago was indeed the right one.
No lies,
No deception,
One remaining constant.

Soulmate.

STILL The Hottest Band In The World!

After 37 years together, KISS continues to rock the world with their high energy and special effect concerts.

August 9th, 2010 proved to be no exception. In front of a crowd of over 16,000, KISS put on an absolutely great performance at the Grandstand Stage at the Indiana State Fair. Opening for them was a group that is signed to Gene Simmons record label, The Envy. A totally great opening act that got the crowd pumped for the greatest rock and roll show anywhere. The lead singer of The Envy told the crowd that his group, which haled from Canada, had never played to a crowd that big. The band was awesome!

KISS took the stage shortly thereafter and rocked the crowd with their one of a kind rock show for a little over two hours. They didn't fail to excite the fired up crowd, and the show was exceptional, as they always are.

Last night simply reinforced exactly why I have now been to a total of 18 KISS concerts. And yeah, I promise you, should they come back another time in our area, you can bet I'll be there once again, too!

Something Rare

For anyone who really knows me, they know it is indeed my thing to take a vacation in late winter, a week in May for Indy 500 practice, and a two week vacation in October. Rarely do I take a vacation any other time of year.

This year, though, I decided to take a week off in August, knowing that the Indiana State Fair is held at that time.

That vacation begins tomorrow evening after work.

On Monday, August 9, I will be attending my 18th KISS concert at the fair. It will be the first time KISS has ever played the State Fair. Weather forecast is for partly sunny skies and temps in the 90's. Yeah, hot as hell, but dry. Looking forward to it.

I'm also toying with the idea of going to the Slippery Noodle in Indy one night and catch some live blues.

My much better half unfortunately will not be joining me on this vacation, since she will be working the majority of the week.

I'm simply looking forward to getting away from work with all the crap that is going on there right now. I NEED to get away for a few days and this vacation should present me with some much needed r and r.

And then, when that vacation is over next weekend, I will start looking forward to my two week vacation in October with my wonderful wife.

Ah, such is life, vacation mixed in amongst the responsibilities of life.

Sound Check Shots

Shots of Skyla Burrell and her band during sound check this past Saturday, July 24, 2010. The moment they began their sound check I felt a rush of excitement go thru me as I realized that after nearly a year of planning, my favorite blues band was going to be on the stage at Riverside Park's Amphitheater in Rushville.

Live By The Levee, July 24th, 2010

On July 24th, 2010, what started off as a friendship on Facebook became a highlight in my life when The Skyla Burrell Band performed live on stage at Riverside Park's Amphitheater in Rushville.

A little over a year ago, Skyla and I became friends on Facebook. After finding out that she and her band were going to be performing at the legendary Slippery Noodle in Indianapolis last October, I did some jockeying around with my work schedule and took off work and went to see the band perform.

To say I was rocked on my ass would be an understatement as this foursome absolutely OWNED the Noodle that night. Their four hours on the stage seemed like an hour. All original tunes, dynamic dual lead guitar playing and soulful, sultry voiced Skyla totally rocked the house.

We had been trying to book them for a show at Riverside and after seeing them perform that night, I absolutely became obsessed to seeing them perform on our stage at Riverside. I've been helping put on concerts with the Riverside Park Organizing Committee since 2007, and I believe I was anticipating this show more than any other I had ever helped with.

After their show last night, I can honestly tell you they provided some truly brave folks who faced temps in the 90s and some horribly high humidity some of the best rocking blues I have ever been witness to. It was only a two hour show, but they packed so much high energy and talent into that two hours it was an unforgettable night of blues.

After the show was over and during their teardown and our teardown of the stage, which I mostly took the night off from, they spent a good long while visiting and hanging out with us, making the evening even more memorable.

If you ever get a chance to see this amazing group of musicians perform, do it! They deliver 150% of themselves to their shows and they are totally great people to spend time with. I would call them a total class act, for sure.

They are not only great musicians and great people, but they are wonderful friends and I consider them a part of the "family."

As they got ready to on stage last night, I walked over to wish Skyla a great evening and when she got ready to hug me, I told her I was a pretty sweat mess, to which she replied,"I will be too very shortly. Besides, what's a little sweat amongst family?"

Indeed, what is?

Thanks to Skyla, Mark, EZ and Christine for a night of blues I will never, ever forget!

Prayers Answered

We got the phone call today, much earlier than we had anticipated, and we found out that Peggy's biopsy revealed NO SIGNS OF CANCER!!!!

For those of you who have been asking about her, praying for her and for all of your concern, I thank each and everyone of you.

When things like this happen, you truly learn to see what is most important in your life. I am so very, very blessed to have a wonderful soulmate like I have.

Again, just wanted to share the wonderful news with you all.

And now, life can continue on!

Another Hill Needs Climbing

There are times in our lives when several things of a detrimental nature seem to band together and attack us all at once.

I seem to be going thru a period like that right now.

Sometimes there are things we can handle and discuss. Other times there are things we wish not to discuss.

One thing that is going on with me right now is a deep concern for my wife.

She is the most unselfish person I have ever known, so when I discovered last night that she was having a biopsy done today and hadn't told me so she would save me the worry, I thought to myself how very much like her that is.

I did some talking and explaining at work today, and my boss and a couple of my co workers did some scheduling changes and covered five of my hours today so that I could take Peggy to the doctor to have this procedure done.

After it was over, I'm sure she was glad that I took that time off. She's in a great deal of pain tonight and has slept several hours in the living room, her body trying to recover from what it had to endure today.

Now, the waiting has started. Seven to ten days from now, hopefully we will receive good news and hear that all is benign. That is my hope and that is my prayer.

Right now, everything else that is going on in my life seems trivial. Those other things matter to me, but right now, the center of my life is finding out that Peggy is fine and is going to be fine.

So, I wait, and I worry.

Just like she knew I would.

Changing Plans

Sometimes things never work out quite the way you expected them to, and sometimes, that turns out to be a good thing.

I left for work this morning having every intention of coming home and mowing the yard in this humid mid 90's heat we are having right now. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I do care about my yard and how it looks, so this was my plan.

Got a call from my much better half this morning informing me that the guy from our lawn service came and sprayed and fertilized the yard and left instructions not to mow for at least 24 hours.

So, since I got the reprieve on the hot mowing job tonight, which normally takes between and hour and half and two hours, I decided to make it a special night at home and fire up the grill and cook a couple of steaks. I mean, fifteen minutes cooking on a hot grill in the heat is nothing compared to mowing for the better part of two hours in this heat.

To top it off, Peggy got busy before I got home tonight and made a huge garden salad and some fresh homemade spicy guacamole and some baked potatoes. We topped that off with a couple of margaritas on the rocks and now the evening looms ahead of us.

That hottub that is turned down to 92 degrees is looking pretty inviting right now, so without further adieu, I bid you all a good night.

I'm sure mine will be!

An Item To Share

Most of the time when I get forwards, if I have the time, I read them, if not, I'm sorry to say, I have to delete them because unfortunately I don't have the time to read everything that gets sent my way.

Luckily today, I had a few extra moments and got to read something a friend of mine shared with me, and it moved me so much as I read it, that I decided I needed to share it on here. It came on a day I needed to read something just like this. As luck would have it, there it was for me today.

I do not know who the author of this item is, and I can't really seek out the author's permission to share it, but I have a feeling since it is circulating in e mail, it's not going to be an issue if I publish it here on my blog.

I hope you will take a few moments and give this a read. It's a really moving story.



The Birdies

A DAD' S STORY

On July 22nd I was in route to Washington, DC, for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately.


I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk.


When I got off the plane, a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, "Mr.Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital."


My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over. Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital. My call was put through to the trauma centre where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes and that when my wife had found him he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbour, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital.

By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.


The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves - but only time would tell if his brain received any damage.

Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before.

Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken. He said, "Daddy, hold me" and he reached for me with his little arms.


By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine, when we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.

In the days that followed, there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound.

The story is not over (smile)!

Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, "Sit down Mommy. I have something to tell you." At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story.

"Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad and then the ' birdies ' came."


"The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled.

"Yes," he replied. "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me."

"They did?"

"Yes," he said. "One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you "I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like birds that fly.

"What did the birdies look like?" she asked.

Brian answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white."

"Did they say anything?"

"Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be all right."

"The baby?" my wife asked confused.

Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."


My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can." As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form. "Then what happened?" she asked.

"We went on a trip," he said, "far, far away." He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult..

"We flew so fast up in the air. They're so prettyMommy," he added. "And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known. Brian went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies." He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay. The story went on for an hour.

He taught us that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much. Brian continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan. Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much.."

In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order. A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies.


Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the "birdies." Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this. Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled. Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be.

You have just been sent an Angel to watch over you. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people become friends and stay a while...leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts .. and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!