Punkin Fest 2007

Photobucket Album

California Fires

Over a year ago I related my personal experiences fighting brush fires on Long Island. The fires were called the Sunrise Fires and Rocky Point Fires or combined the Pine Barrens Fires. They were in August and September 1995. There are many similarities between the Long Island fires I was involved in and the California fires of late. I won't go into my overall experiences related to 1995 again, but what I hope to do is provide a recap glimpse into my efforts and how they relate to the things that make me proud to have been a firefighter and also most broadly an American.

(I apologize for the heavy image load which may delay page loading, but I'm still learning jumps.)

The first two images are typical brush trucks very much like the one's I've ridden. They are extremely well suited for this geography. Old military 5 ton flat bead transport trucks converted with very thick 2"+ steel tubing to form a brush guard. On the front bumper you can see the heavy pull winch and massive push tube. (The push tube and the brush cage allow the truck to literally push down scrub pine and smaller brush/trees.)

 

 

In this image you get a different view. You can clearly see the square water tank in the bed, as well as the 1" reel line. You can barely make out the small 4 - 6' hand lines also mounted to the top of the water tank. These lines serve the four fighting positions on the external bed. There's a very slim walkway around 3 sides of the water tank to pass and stand while fighting fires.

 

This is a photo of calm mop up operations after knocking down the fire. It shows the true virility of the truck in pushing trees and branches out of the way to get you up close and personal with the fire. (Note, there is no road here, this was created by the truck(s).)

 

This is the beginning of what we encountered when we reached Sunrise Highway that fateful day. It was dry as evidenced by the color of the grass. We were trying to stage at this natural fire break, Sunrise Highway, almost 250' wide.

 

The beginning of a very feeble attempt to stop the on-rushing fire.

 

The fire just kept coming. Notice how embers had already jumped into the median. 

 

This shows the ferocity of the fire and how fast things were igniting. The air in front of these trucks is quite literally on fire. Also notice the flame column developing.

 

This is what then developed. From the first in this series to this picture below took 6 minutes.

 

After the fire jumped the highway headed south we raced after it. The column of brush trucks try to split the massive head into 2 in order to take some steam out of it. Engines and other companies began staging in a coast guard housing community in order to set protection lines.

 

The first air water drop from a C-130 aircraft that had ever occurred in NY. The problem was that air operational guidelines had never been established anywhere in the country for dropping water from these planes when in such close proximity to housing. In the end, these were basically demonstration drops for the Governor. Only three drops were made (the water bladder held only 3000 gallons)and the transition between flight and refill was about 1-1/2 hours.  

 

Here is the remnant of what happens when you just get too close to fires. These trucks were very aggressive in trying to stave off fire from reaching critical areas and just plain made a stand. The tires turned out to be the weak link, melting until they could not hold air anymore. (Imagine the heat to the exposed crew in the open rear) While they lost the trucks, they did accomplish their job.

Now to the meat and potato's of why I'm blogging about this.

I've watched with interest how little is being reported (other than FOX) about the human interest side of the California Fires. The general population tends to go into over-drive during these times and gives, unrelentingly, of themselves. I watched news feeds of people passing sandwiches from their cars to firefighters, I saw firemen sitting in NoBu, I saw pictures of other classy restaurants serving meals to firemen while others, totally exhausted, had been provided floor space to rest upon, tables just moved aside.

My first hand experience and interaction with these people still brings goose-bumps to me to this day. From the elderly couple wanting to serve us Chicken Piccata at 2AM from the back of their hatch-back while we were re-tanking, or the one, single, sole, fireman that had gotten water in his boots a few hours earlier. During a break this fireman's truck pulled up at a 7-11 quickie mart for drinking water. Not only did the 7-11 not charge anything for the bottled water, but the clerk hearing of the fireman's wet socks and that it'd be hours before he'd be able to get dry ones from his house, took the statement to heart. Within minutes he'd contacted his headquarters and the local radio station. Told them of this one fireman's need. Within an hour, radio and tv stations were broadcasting that firemen needed socks and shoes, dry clothes, tee shirts to  make them more comfortable while fighting these horrible fires. Further that 7-11 (any 7-11) was now a collection point for clothing and supplies. Tons, literally, tons of clothing was collected and brought to the fire line staging area two hours later by people in pickup trucks who had volunteered to shuttle the supplies. Piles and piles of clothing and new shirts, shoes donated by Model's, etc etc. People got creative, everything, pallets of Gatorade, personal products, doctors, clinicians, mental health experts, physiologists, masseurs, food stuffs of any type, on and on the supplies went. Power went out in one area and shut down a local gas station where some fire vehicles were fueling, this shutting down the pumps. Within minutes of being told the trucks needed to drive an extra mile, fuel tankers where rerouted from depots to just deliver free fuel to firefighters. The critical brush trucks were going through tires quickly, and were getting flats. Firestone shipped in mechanics and a trailer full of the special sized tires for free, showing up 6 hours after they heard of the need. Firehouses were literally turning people away who were offering any service that one could think of, just to make the firefighters lives easier.

It was an amazing time for me, for us as firefighters on Long Island. And still today, way out in California, yet another group of firefighters, police, first responders, volunteers, are finding out the very same thing I found out 12 years ago. People's hearts are giving. People are inherently good. American's continue to stand up when needed and play their part. I'm proud.         

Anniversary - Update

Just got this note from Liz -

Liz has left a new comment on your post "Anniversary":
I too have RA. I am a 56 almost 57 yr old female who was diagnosed at the tender age of 29. At diagnosis, I can relate to the situations you described. I used Acupuncture for relief for a number of years. After having the disease for about 10 years, I started taking remittent type drugs. There is very little I can't do and very very few bad days. I was wondering what drugs you are taking to manage the disease.

 

Well Liz, initially the doctor had me on some very basic though harsh drugs including NSAIDS and high dose Prednisone. This got me through the initial rough points. The weaning from the steroids was awful when I was told to drop by 5mg over a week. This didn't work so well and laid me up for a while in relapse.

Then it was the good ol' try this and that until you find one your body tolerated and could reach a homeostatic point. In my case I went through no less than 8 meds at the time, over the course of about a yeah and a half. Unfortunately each and every one through my labs into the basement which forced an immediate change. Finally I was put into a test group to try a 'new kind of medication' in a very small, very limited trial. I unfortunately didn't get the placebo and got the actual drug, which became a lysing agent to my kidneys and liver. This forever changed my prospects of being able to medicate with any type or form of steroidal. My labs just do the funky chicken and everyone freaks out.

This leaves me with simple NSAIDS, I've found the OTC Allieve works pretty well when taken in moderation. I'm not maintenance dosing at this time because the pills going down feel like sand paper, but when I'm in need of an analgesic, they work pretty well.

Live, love, and enjoy, and most importantly "Pass it along." These are the things that are important to me, each day is a new, great adventure.

Thanks Liz, keep in touch. 

Interesting

Yesterday, after prepping and cooking my way towards this weekends festivities, I caught a point to relax and hunt things down on the 'net. I was Stumbling and came across  Ree, aka Pioneer Woman.  She has a couple of great looking recipes on her related cooking site. Then I got down to it and started reading. Its a really well presented site with great and active blogging. A good read and good RSS.

Dumbledore

Just in, confirms Hogwarts' Don't Ask Don't Spell policy.

What I'm Watching

Just a quickie update on what I'm watching lately. They're entertaining, interesting, provocative, and most importantly original.

Carlos Mencia

  

 

Californication

 

Dexter

 

Chuck

 

House

 

Bones

 

The Unit

 

Eureka

 

Dirty Jobs

 

 

Boston Legal

 

Pushing Daisies

 

MythBusters

 

Life

 

Ugly Betty

 

My Name Is Earl

 

Mad Men

Punkin Party Planning

So, today we ventured off to pull together all of our plans for our annual punkin party. This year will be bigger than previous years since we planned on holding it rain or shine and made provisions to have it outdoors regardless.

This year I think we have counts of as high as 115 people coming. If its sunny and relatively seasonal the counts may be higher, but who knows. The more always the merrier.

So, today we tied down the planning phase. We hired the 20x50 tent, tables, chairs, popcorn cart. Then we stopped off at Bob's farm and ordered the punkins; 50 -8lb'rs, 25 - 1-1/2 lb spookies, 40 bales of straw, and 20 bundles of corn stalks.

For the festivities we planned on people meeting here at the house at about 11AM. They can grab coffee, tea, hot cocoa, soup, some warm muffins and then travel the mile to the county farm for the punkin toss contest. Somewhere after an hour or so they can come back and enjoy the food we'll have prepared. On that end we'll be having;

Onion Soup

Some form of hearty soup, squash or vegetable

Sweet Corn soup with avocado and crab salad

Chicken Fingers

Guacamole

A very hearty bean and green bean salad with sesame goat cheese

Steamed Salmon with a fresh radish garnish

Peruvian Chicken

Franks with sauerkraut

Swedish Meatballs

Candied Apples/Caramel Apples (with all the garnishes)

Fresh Popcorn

We have paints for painting personalized punkins. We'll have all the carving tools for making Jack-O-Lanterns, mask blanks for making stick masks and some other yet to be finalized fun. 

Should be fun all around.

Some interesting talents

Hammer time

YouTube - OBI Hammer-Werbung

 

Happy Feet

YouTube - FAO Schwartz Floor Piano - Hearty and Soul

A Sadder Day for Marion Jones

The world of sport shook on its very foundation today. The geologic equivalent of a magnitude 8.0 (Richter). Marion Jones walked into a court house in NY and entered a plea of GUILTY to charges of lying to federal agents. She said, "Making these statements to federal agents was a very stupid thing to do." It appears she'll be going to jail for about 6 months when she's sentenced later this year. What did she plead guilt to and for...

A quick search of her career and upbringing yields a character steeped in diverse controversy and loss. Many factors can be blamed on today's outcome, but its probably best to take them in concert with no one factor playing the major role, just an amalgam of events conspiring together: Her parents split when she was very young. Her father had absolutely no interest in being with her at all throughout her life. She has a half-brother as well. Her mother remarried when she was young and he adopted the small children as his own. He died a few years later of a stroke. Mom was/is a 'driven' person. She focused her attention on Marion from a young age and focused her energies on developing the natural talents Marion was exhibiting. This went so far as to include uprooting and relocating the family to a different part of the state (CA) so Marion could train and play with a highly ranked high school basketball team. She began appearing in record books in her teenage years. She, in what might be considered a fluke, was brought out to the field to train with the high school track and field team. She excelled and was a driven individual. She also began showing all of the tenacity of such a driven person and was not well liked by fellow competitors. After placing 2nd in a long jump event, she had words with the person who'd won the event. She didn't exactly exhibit sportsman-like qualities. After being trained by a college level coach for a month, she bettered her performance and began placing first, never really looking back after that. And it was quite possibly at this time that she began using performance enhancer's. Hereafter she continually broke every record she set out for. Rumors also began stirring at this time that she was using enhancer's. Enough so that the regulating bodies were concerned enough to review her. In turn her mother hired famed lawyer Johnnie Cochran (OJ Simpson fame) to fight a four year ban levied upon Marion. Eventually Mr. Cochran got Marion cleared of the ban and reinstated. Finally she qualified for the 2000 Olympic games and went on to win five medals (3 gold, 2 silver). The rumors continued to swirl. Then in 2004 she qualified as an alternate for the next games as alternate but chose to stay away.

During this time as well, her personal life always seemed to be in turmoil. In 1998 she married then coach CJ Hunter. Hunter was a track and field coach at the university she attended as student. The university's head coach stumbled upon their relationship (and its violation of the schools ethics and standards policy of no liaisons between teachers and students) Hunter was given a choice of job or girlfriend. He chose the latter. Shortly thereafter they were married. CJ Hunter was himself a famed athlete in track. A shot-putter working toward and achieving national and world records. He too competed for and became a member of the 2000 Olympic team (and won Gold). In 2001 he became a disgraced figure when he tested positive for doping agents (and subsequently lost his national record titles.) This positive test supposedly caused their relationship to falter. One could easily anticipate that Marion's efforts to remain a huge bread winner (upwards of $300,000 - $500,000 per year) forced their relationship to founder because she liked money more than her husband. Then it was onto bigger and better events with ever higher appearance price tags, endorsement deals and sponsorships. She met another couple of men and fell in love with a Barbadian sprinter, but never married. They had a child together in 2003. She left him in 2004 after he was implicated in yet another doping scam in Marion's life, though this one now also included money laundering charges. The ultimate decline of her career had begun. She'd never been able to shake the doping claims, no matter what she stated, how she protested or what she wrote in her autobio.

Year after year she hired attorney after attorney to fight off yet another claim of doping or illicit behavior and character challenges. In an ultimate insult to her protests, she'd filed suit against a California man (supplier of her steroids) who'd made statement to the government and to media that he had supplied her with the performance enhancing drugs. She claimed this as defamation. He counter-sued, and won. He was awarded a $240,000 settlement (though never having collected.) This loss and the cost of her continual legal challenges against the antidoping agencies and personal hurdles (no pun) sapped her of money. Her lifestyle didn't help either. By mid-2006 an independent audit showed she had lost her $2.5 mansion near Michael Jordan, and 2 other houses including one her mother lived in. People around her and in the know were confused because she still drove a brand new 2006 Porsche SUV.

Then finally something within her let go. What that was we'll have to wait for her next book, something probably about life affirmation or reconciliation. This book with contain the 'real' Marion Jones.' In all honesty, it'll most likely just be another paycheck for her and contain her descriptions of how she's been the victim all along forced there by circumstance or co-opted by notoriety. In the end not only did she lie to the federal agents about her steroid use, where she got them, how she used them and with whom, she also lied to them in an unrelated matter of a money laundering scheme. A promising life with hideous results. Hopefully she can find the ultimate happiness that only family and friend can bring. Everything else is just glitter and gloss of of little if any substance.

Anniversary

Yesterday, while listening to Neil Cavuto's afternoon business show on FOX I was struck by his guest. Ann Romney. Yes, she's the wife of Mitt Romney, 2008 Presidential Candidate and former governor of Massachusetts.

Neil spoke of generalities with her. Very typical questions at first: what's it like to be the wife of a Presidential candidate; They've been married for 38 years and what's their secret (no secrets and belief in one another); is your husbands schedule too hard (sometimes yes, Mitt should slow down and take a breather); Is the schedule hard on you (yes, sometimes, but when I need to I take a break). Then came the bomb-shell question of the interview - How do you feel the American people will react to you if you end up in a wheel chair? (couched a bit differently but memory and context is relatively accurate.) Mrs Romney answered in a very intriguing way, she said that she has faith in the American people to see beyond a physical appearance or a disability and look to substance and practicality over the visual.

Neil then stated something along the lines of, "for those in the audience who do not know, like your host, Mrs Romney also suffers from MS (Multiple Sclerosis).

Now I knew from some limited research I did a while ago on Neil Cavuto that he's been suffering from MS for quite some time. In fact he's an anomaly of sorts because his world renowned doctor has told him on many occasion's that he might not live long enough to require a wheel chair. But with attitude, choice, determination and conviction, he's continued to plug away at life which has brought him to where he is today, recognized top financial commentator in the world.

Neil's story is a very impressive one, and his reactions to his medical condition is even more intriguing. If you have some time, please do a bit of research on the man and find out for yourself. From taking a spokesperson position for MS Foundations, charity work, leadership for those afflicted with the disease, his interests in his family and commitment to life in general make for a very inspiring read. But, this blog is not a pompon romp about Neil, its about a couple of people I listened to yesterday that struck me as both interesting and intriguing all the same. It was a ground shift more in my understanding of myself and realizing that others, like me, others before me, have made similar choices in life. Fight for life. Fight for all its worth, enjoy what you have when you have it, enjoy the people around you. Smile, lead, embrace, listen, understand and love. Sometimes traits that are unquantifiable at times until its too late, when everyone assembles for memory and honor.

My story is not as expeditious as Neil's or Ann Romney's, at least in the schema of publicity. But the feelings and attitudes are the same.

Back in the day. In 1997 I was the most active I'd ever been in my adult life. I was in as good or better shape than I'd been since my HS days. I was mountain biking about 15 miles daily. I'd taken up running and was doing about 6 miles every other day. At my best I was a very fit 240 lbs, totally bulked up. It was also a portion of my life that I explored a more inward presence. Keeping mostly to myself, I was introspective and explorative of where life was taking me and why. Mentally not a pretty time, otherwise, outwardly, vastly different.

It was a colder October that year. I'd been working medical emergencies for the better part of a night and came off the road tired and drained. An ache had developed in the palm of my right hand earlier in the day. It was a persistent and resilient one to even the most powerful OTC drugs. I tried to remember having had smacked it anytime during the previous week or to have over-stressed it in anyway. I'd tried like the dickens to use my left thumb and hand to massage the pain away. Make the soreness leave. It only seemed to get worse.

The next day I awoke and was again confronted by this dreadful ache. Running was out because any time I'd take a stride the pressure of my hand counter-balancing my gait would send shooting pain through my arm. It hurt. I grabbed my bike and went for a 2 mile ride. I couldn't grab the handle with my right hand like I wished. My fingers were stiff and not coming around. They weren't flexing properly, especially my middle finger. I had to stop my routine and take it easy. I was also set to ride a late tour on the ambulance and so I rested a bit more and then started my tour.

After a few jobs I became concerned with myself. I was favoring my right hand. I was asking my partner to grab the release end of the stretcher. The leg/wheel release is on the right end of the stretcher and as such, you pull the loaded cot out of the back of the ambulance and when fully out (but with built-in safety), release the legs to the ground. This handy contraption lets you skip a couple of steps and saves your back from having to bring the cot out of the ambulance, down to the ground, and then lift it up to full height again.

After a couple hours I tried to look past what was happening to my hand. I was driving with my right thumb because my middle finger was now contracting toward the palm. Then I became scared because the two neighboring fingers also started an inward contraction toward the palm. Now 3 hours later and heavily favoring my hand and calling for backup to try and move patients I couldn't stand it any longer. I asked for a part-day immediate medical leave. I really needed to get this checked out and find out what was going on.

I also began to notice that my wrist and elbow on my right side was aching now. I thought it very strange because I hadn't had any pain in a week now. (I was now attributing what was going on to an incident in the pine barrens while mountain biking down a sweep trail. In that incident, I hit a tree root at high speed, blew out a tire and heartily ate a tree.) I was beginning to think this problem I was experiencing was a resultant anomaly to my impact with a very hefty oak tree at speed. Something latently neurologic must be going on.

I called for an immediate doctors appointment and alas they only had a time available for the next day. It was a long night of not sleeping letting every unknown and aggressive condition which I might be experiencing go through my mind. I was dwelling.

After little sleep I got up and needed to make an effort to take a shower. Now my left arm were hurting and very sluggish and stiff. I also noticed my right hip was hurting as well. I got dressed and needed to really concentrate on driving. Skills and coordination were not coming easily, but I made it. I waited to see the GP.

After a thorough examination and allot of blood taken I was told I probably had a virus, Lyme. It was affecting my motor skills and muscles and that with time it would pass. There were great new medications on the market, antibiotics, that within a few days should help. Thankfully, the doctor I went to also knew of a really good doctor and program at Stony Brook University Hospital. In fact their practice and main office was right down the street. A quick call over and I was on my way to meet with one of their specialists. The specialist would confirm that it was Lyme with blood work.

I went to the doctor, met him and went through the most extensive physical examination I'd ever been through. The blood titers would tell the presence of Lyme antibodies. He'd have the initial results back tomorrow. He was quizzical though because I didn't show any signs of facial involvement. He said he'd continue to test for everything including Parvo-Virus's. I was to come back in a couple days. He prescribed me Anaprox for the time being. The Anaprox initially seemed to work pretty well. The pain was subsiding, I regained some movement, but the aches were still there. The next day I got a call, please come in.

I went in and he said the initial titers came back negative for Parvo's which might exclude Lyme. He then stated that I might also be inflicted with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis.) He then stated though that he'd continue to take blood and track the results and my next appointment would be in 2 weeks. He then said that the manner in which my symptoms were progressing, things would probably get worse before they get better. He then also prescribed me Prednisone and sent me on my way. Things did in fact get much worse. Much much worse.

Over the next few weeks I'd become, for all intensive purposes, bed-ridden. I would literally not be able to move for hours on end. Okay, that's a bit of an overstatement. I would be able to move, with extensive limits, but the pain generated by my internal disease was the worst I had ever experienced to date. Over the next week I couldn't appreciably do anything on my own. Eat, sleep, bathe properly, nothing. In between experiencing such bouts of pain, I'd sense my bladder beginning to fill. I was acutely in tune with my body processes. My bladder being the most important at that time. My mental gymnastics would then start. I would need to prepare myself, over the next 3 hours to get my body out of bed and take the 8 steps to the bathroom. Once there, I'd take another hour to prepare myself for the trip back to bed. Going to the bathroom, just feet away was literally, no joking, a 4 hour process. Tears, grimaces, unending, unyielding, excruciating pain. I'd never before experienced that feeling. It was totally and utterly debilitating and all consuming.

Over the next 3 months I was bumming rides from friends and relatives to the doctors office because I was not well enough to drive myself. My family and wife were wonderful and totally understanding of my condition. I researched and efforted all I could to understand what was happening to my body. The information was and is not comforting on any front, but, it was what it was.

For the better part of a year, the doctor stated that I probably have RA but that a final diagnosis was achieved only after a long and arduous process that rules out everything else. Late in 1998 my doc finally diagnosed and confirmed his suppositions with me that I had RA.

I tried like the dickens to educate my family to the disease and what the body process would be over time. I printed a bunch of data out for them to read. Sat them down and explained everything to them.

RA is tough on the patient and family and friends who care as well. You see, there are days where there are no symptoms at all. You feel great, can do anything, feel like you can pick up the world and carry it around at will. But, there are other days where you can't get out of bed. The pain is severe when its abundantly there. I use abundantly for a reason. Since 1998 I live each and every day of my life in pain. Its become second nature to forget about it at this point. Pain is measured on a scale of 1-10. 10 being the worst. I'd have to say that I'm at a constant 6-7 daily. Regular pain from cuts and bruises, strains, sprains, breaks, etc, barely register with me anymore. The level of pain would need to rise above the 6/7 level in order to get my attention. It really amazes doctors when they ask about my pain levels and tolerance for pain. I typically don't need anesthesia for stitches or out-patient surgeries. Doctors just dig in and continue to apologize for hurting me (when in reality, I don't feel it.) Also I found a very weird thing has happened to me as well. My quality of life has been a never ending issue. So far, knock on wood, I have not had to appreciably change my life to adapt to this disease, except in one way. I've found, as has a related study group at my doc's, that gaining weight has improved my quality of life. I'm about 80 lbs heavier than I wish to be, but with the weight I'm happier and more productive at life than I was at lower mass. Obviously there are counter arguments to be made about long term affects of one over the other, but that's something I discuss each time with doc and make educated decisions. I'd found that the amount of pain I'd been experiencing was gradually increasing and really becoming debilitating. I'd begun to challenge my rational thoughts of living life as they came. Meaning - I was beginning to assess whether or not one of the potential last ditch treatments for RA - Bone Marrow T'plant - was a worthwhile endeavor. In my specific case it'd have a 50/50 rate of success, with similar life expectancy through the procedure. It'd also cost upwards of $75K and not be done in the US, only the UK. (as a note I've finally come to the realization that if the pain became so sever that I couldn't function on a daily basis, interact with family and friends on a level I could agree with, that I'd go for the BMT. I hope it won't come to that, but its a mental decision I've made.) The doc then gave me some internal research data on a group of people who gained weight and experienced a better quality of life. I did so and have experienced much better quality to my life. I'm trying to temper things a bit to arrive at a more harmonious level between the two at this time, but am happy to be relatively pain managed at the time where I am. That's why I'm huge now.  

I said this entire disease is hard for family and friends because they know me to be this big gregarious guy who likes to have allot of fun and entertain. I love family, friends, parties. Unless its a bad day. On a bad day all I want to do is be in bed and rest. So there's the dichotomy of the disease. Today I can attend a birthday party of FAV and tomorrow I wouldn't be able to get out of bed to attend my best buds. Its not because I don't want to be there or any other reason, its just because of how I'm feeling at the time and how quickly things change (literally within minutes.) Thankfully its been months since I've had to spend the day in bed and have really tried to ramp up my physical activities as much as possible until I get push back. I hope to be able to do more soon. After surgery (unrelated) I will strive for more productive and noticeable results. So, its an emotional roller coaster for everyone around me and I beg their forgiveness for having this disease.

I authored this because I've come to the 10th anniversary of getting RA. Like the people I mentioned during the outset, I'm not looking for pity or empathy, counsel or get well cards. I'm just trying to live each and every day to the utmost. Enjoy family and friends as much as possible, do as many things and go as many places as I can while I can. I want to participate in this life and leave it, when the time arrives, knowing I've grabbed and attained as much as I could have, and brought everyone around me with me as well in enjoyment, glee and productiveness. I want to always look at the good in life rather than the sorrow. Lend a helping hand when I can, just for the sake of helping. No prizes or honors, those are for others. Just being there at one specific time, when needed, is all the accomplishment and reward I'd like.

Rambling Update

So, I sit here in Hoboken waiting for tonight's enjoyment, a client meeting. I've got a little under an hour to go an figured I type out a few rambling disjointed thoughts about life and generalities.

This weekend was a good one for wifey and I. We tooled around on Saturday running errands and then getting a new radio in the family truckster. We got that going and the replacement Satellite Radio working. Our neighbors are going to borrow the truck this weekend to take a family vacation to Hershey Park (oh, how I hate them for not taking me too.) Did a crud load of research on various items, went to the dumps to drop off the cardboard recyclables that the town contractor forever seems to miss on their regular route.

Sunday I looked at my beautiful wife and said lets take a drive. We scampered around, brushed our teeth and out the door we went. First we ended up at Briemeyer Farms. Stopped in for some ultra scrumptious apple tarts - then figured we'd buy 20 of them and drop them off as little goodies to the parents and niece's and nephew's (so if you're reading this FAV run down stairs and grab your very own, we dropped off 6 to your house.)  We then continued out to Orient Point on a slow and leisurely journey. Its was a fantastic day. We came upon a garage sale sign and went off the beaten path to try and find it (a road no wider than the family truckster - actually less wide than the truck because we were scraping through a bunch of brush.)

Then we were on a tare for tracing paper and charcoals. I wanted to do some rubbings of some tombstones, neat roadway covers, roadway markers etc. Alas, we didn't find any by the time we both pooped out.

As we made our way back towards Riverhead I stopped in Office Max for the tracing paper (no charcoals) and thankfully that store is right next to Williams-Sonoma Outlet. We went in and hit the lottery. We found everything 70% off. We left the store with 3 Tuscan Sugar bowls, 25 earthenware oversized coffee cups and 4 mini sugar scoops all for a whopping $43. Every once in a while you hit it big.

Finally we drove home and collapsed for a while (with Crush the super cat bringing us not 1 but 2 live Chipmunk's over the weekend.) No animals were harmed or deaded this weekend in the making of this blog.

With 3 Advil PM's in me I lasted through the night with a fulfilling rest. First in a long time.