May 18, 2012
Up to April on the DVR

Last weekend after we finished the AHRI meetings we took the Metro to Tenleytown to check out American University, temporary home of one Jackson Matthews Riley during the fall semester of 2012. We were pleased to find a secure campus in a nice section of town. The FO's mother in law lives a couple of blocks from there so I was semi-aware of the neighborhood having visited several nearby taverns in the 70's. Memories.................

Then we were stuck in DC traffic, got home after 12:00 AM. Conversed through Facebook (a lot) during this ride home, one young lady I've know a long time was also leaving the area but took US 301 south instead of I-95. She beat me to NC by a country mile. I need to remember this, although the traffic reporter did make me feel better by saying traffic was like that since lunchtime; yeah, that made me feel a lot better...........a lot better..Up at 5:00 AM to take the Dinkmobile to Hampden-Sydney to retrieve our son. 

We are really proud of Jackson, he pulled a 3.48 this semester while joining not one, but two fraternities. I asked Jay what he had done to make his parents proud this week and he told us he and his wife were working in a soup kitchen Saturday. We are very proud of both of our boys; yes I actually did ask him and yes, I was kidding!

Had to fix the clutch cable on the motorcycle, had 7 more pulls on it before it snapped, in other words one and a half more stop signs and I would have been pushing it. Starting to get tired of stuff breaking on it, know anyone that wants it really bad? Thinking about the 1200C (Bond bike) or a Triumph America. What are your thoughts Hobson? 

Speaking of nut jobs, no wait, were we? This mockingbird keeps trying to come through the window in our Taj Mah Terri sun room. Not sure what he is trying to accomplish, does he think:

a) this is a legitimate portal to another part of the stately Riley manor he has yet to explore

b) he is trying to repel another male intruder who might make a claim on his pregnant mate

c) he realized he mated for life and he's trying to end it ASAP

d) all of the above

Noisy little scoundrel, if he keeps it up I'll see if I can help him reach his next transmigration of his soul. Wonder how many mourning doves I've "helped" through the years?

My Aunt Virginia Knowles came to see Dink late Thursday; she was gracious enough to stay until 6:00 when I got home from Wilmington. Wonderful lady in the throes of Alzheimer's late in her life, but always quite the lady. Nice to see my cousin who I don't think I've seen in a few decades. Yeah, odd to see the words "gracious" and "Dink" in the same paragraph, I noticed that too. 

New officer installation at church Sunday, and with our denomination in a bit of a national spat this year is even more important for that reason and also because our associate minister received a new call to Lynchburg, VA. He and his family are such an important part of our church I don't know what we will do, except soldier on. We'll miss them but know this is a great thing for all of them and their ministries.

Yeah, up to April on the DVR; I am waaaaaaaaay behind on my television watching. But I did get to see the last two episodes of H5O. As you probably know the vast majority of my viewing involves cartoon or sophomoric and bathroom humor, I really like funny noises and am easily distracted by bright lights...............where was I? 

Anyway if you haven't been watching the antics  of McGarrett and Danny I recommend it highly.

Off to WV and OH next week, what about you?

May 11, 2012

Southern Memorial Day and We Are in Northern VA

Heard there was a vote on something this past week in NC, something the Legislature wanted our feedback on.....is this something we're going to start doing? I've got some strong opinions on the pay-ferry issue if they want us to vote on that................

A nice trip to the spring AHRI meeting, saw one of my fellow humidifiers section members who told me he was especially glad to see me, seems as though he brought a sympathy card for them to sign and send to TAR. Sadly another John Reilly died last week; he was a good man and leader and will be missed.

TAR was able to come with me this time, most spouses skip this meeting; she had a good time at dinner with friends, and after my last meetings this morning we are heading to Tinley Town near Jackson's home for fall semester

Speaking of DC I saw this poster in a subway about a "physical theater." The guy looks like James Carville and with the close proximity of his head and ass may indeed be James Carville. 

Last week we had a ton of fun celebrating Keelyn's second birthday with good food and lots of presents. No, she will not be spoiled

Sorry this picture was a little out of focus, I liked the candle light on her face so decided to publish it anyway. 

Sue me, it is my blog after all. After we get home we'll head to Hampden-Sydney in the Dinkmobile to bring Jackson home. He's thinking about working at the Hampton Inn and/or exterminating company this summer, any ideas?

Happy Mother's Day and why do we have Southern Memorial Day on May 10th? Does anyone know without consulting the wiki-thing-a-ma-bob?

Read this blog and then share it, readership is down.........................

Back to MD and maybe NJ next week, still iffy on those plans

May 4, 2012
Another One Ticks Away; 57

Hello old friend, while in Charlotte I was re-acquainted with my old friend the choice maker, I missed you. I'm so OCD that I can not help but do what I'm supposed to do (do-do, get it?) but I wonder what would happen if I went to the left option after a #2 or to the right with a #1? OK, the first option could be catastrophic, the second might have the Earth Police knocking the door down. Probably not worth the risk, and this hasn't happened to me in a few years but what if I was nauseous? Where is my button for that? How about if I were to need to destroy evidence as the FBI tries to knock the door down? Where is that button? Now you see why I don't sleep well............... 

We had a nice weekend with Jackson in Richmond. We stayed in our regular hotel, ate at our regular restaurant (Mamma Zu, it was great!), went to our regular theater and watched The Five Year Engagement. Sunday at McLean's for a late breakfast/early lunch, then shopping for Jackson on his 21st birthday. Good times and late getting home Sunday.

Lots of office work Monday and Tuesday, off to Rockingham to drop SWMBO off for her sister's graduation, then on to Charlotte for our annual PGA entertainment. Getting into the course was easy, up to the strip search section; somehow my little medicine container opened as it came out of my pocket and my pills spilled. I saw a lot of sympathetic looks as I picked them up and put them back in the container. Some even held their thumbs in their mouths and made a "glug glug" noise, not sure what that meant.................But I knew I wasn't going in there without my Benedryl in case I get bitten by another ant (see earlier psost)We had a fun day at the course and then a nice dinner at some fancy Italian restaurant; I think my blood is becoming a garlic composition. Working my way back to Rockingham today, spend the night with my MIL and then to Sanford Saturday for Keelyn's second birthday party. Home Saturday night in time to see the Super Moon (editor's note: do not insert a wife joke here), serve Communion Sunday and then if the weather obliges us a first of the season boat ride that afternoon. Two long catch up office days Monday and Tuesday and then off to DC Wednesday morning for the AHRI Spring Meeting.  Somewhere in there we have to help Jackson get home. And this isn't stopping until June

Glad that I have people who want me in places, surprisingly 57 slapped me in the face; after all it is just a number, emotionally I think I'm up to about 11 or 12 now. Puberty long ago hit parts of my body I never considered in an earlier age. Maybe that is the number I'll ask the Yankees for; looks like they need a closer pretty badly after last night and I'm good for two innings on a good night.The only pain in my shoulder is reaching into the liquor cabinet but with the right "pre-hab" I know I'm good for at least one inning. I'll just sit by the phone and wait...............

Happy birthday this week to Pammy-Girl, Ree-Ree, MIL, Keelyn and Bitsy Vann; boy I know some people with odd names (proud of me for calling her MIL rather than El Diablo? I'm cutting her a break, for a while....................)

And another from the sick mind of George Takei

April 27, 2012

Polk Salad Annie

...................got your grannie, chomp......... chomp chomp chomp

The Fishin Optishin and I took off last Friday for fishing in southern Florida in celebration of our collective birthdays. Odd that more than one person warned Bobby to not let me stop at the free orange juice stand, he would regret it otherwise. I must have a reputation.

The ride down was especially fun for Bobby as I amused him with some of my new material. Or at least I thought it was some of my new material; seems as though my memory is about as long as my..............well let's just say it isn't very long, or good either for that matter. (So what's the deal with the peanuts on the airplane, I mean come on, can they put them in a smaller bag?) Hahahaha, sorry, that still cracks me up. (And why does the pilot come on the intercom to tell us what he's doing? I mean come on, do I go knock on the door and tell him I'm eating peanuts from a tiny bag?) [editor's note, in proofing this entry I laughed each time I got to this part] Anyway, as usual I digress. We got to Lake Okeechobee or somewhere near it and stopped to enjoy the exotic scenery. Usually when I travel with someone in my family who will go unnamed (OK enough with the torture it is SWMBO) I'm too busy looking for a clean bathroom; or actually A bathroom in most cases. But we stopped and looked a couple of times, then pulled over at a boat landing and saw this toothy gator-critter. Two of them in fact; they kept looking at us like they were perusing the menu at Denny's (why I ask? Moons Over My-Hammy with grits). Neat to see them and Bobby tried to wear out his new camera with lots of shots. 

We also saw a group of feral pigs. What's that you say Arnold? Looks like a couple of city slickers heading down to the swamp? Say you saw one of them "smoking a pork butt" and bragging about it? Say you want to hear some albino banjo music? 

Long story short.......................hard to believe but we went all the way down there, got to Clewiston and had rain that made Noah sweat and ask me what the hell is a cubit? Anyway, we dutifully got up and met our guide at 6:00 AM only to have him tell us:

1) He doesn't want to go fishing

2) He really means it; he didn't bring his boat!

I think he really meant it, and we wanted this to be fun, so we scratched the trip and headed home. Not a total washout though, it was fun to have another road trip under our belts, we got some good information from our new wet friend, and we plan to go back, maybe in November. 

On the way home we were the only tourists who stopped and bought oranges (hey, where is the free OJ? ......................................YOU GO NOW!) 

and also at the Daytona International Speedway. That was a neat tour, went into the infield and into the towers. It was a long day, got home late and slept late the next day, but alas...........

from the warped mind of George Takei:

And that's it for this week; off to Richmond tomorrow to help Jackson celebrate his 21st birthday in fine style. Next week, as I try to do every year I will work in and around Charlotte. Wonder what else is happening in that area Thursday through Sunday (http://www.wellsfargochampionship.com/Home.aspx) Justin and I plan to go to the course with customers on Thursday then it's back to work Friday, end up in Rockingham that night (as my wife and mother-in-law celebrate Laurie's graduation), up to Sanford Saturday for Keelyn's second birthday, home that night so I can serve Communion Sunday morning. Wow, I'm tired just thinking about it.
Happy 21st birthday Jackson, we beeeees so very proud of you! 

April 20, 2012
Hitler's Birthday; OK.....Bobby's Also

From the warped mind of George Takei: paint designed for the Bat-Cave

We are at the point in the decay of arithmetical skills where these signs are needed:

And these two pictures showing a young Bobby High in action. I know, the pink jumper is bothersome to me too.

I had a nice ride Wednesday night, the back way to Havelock, to Beaufort, and then home. I wore my full-face helmet and while in the backwoods around Harlowe was reminded why I should wear that one while touring...........splat! Wonder what the last thing to go through that bug's brain was? In case you're not a rider that spat goes COMPLETELY across your visor and wiping it off with a leather glove isn't the long term solution to your short term problem

And we are off to Clewiston FL to go bass fishing. Know anyone else who lives there and is a bass fisherman? Sonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, look it up

C'eat la vie! OJ, LA VIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Parodonez moi?

Pictures next week, real ones this time, I promise. Happy birthday to my best buddy........and Bobby too, that's Billy!

April 13, 2012

The Motorcycle Is Fixed!

But that is probably not why you tuned in is it? Anyway KnuckleHeadz did a fine job with the bike and didn't charge an arm and a leg. Went down a couple of inches in height; not sure how I'll like it next winter but I'm sure I'll like it in the summer. And it has a much sharper look to it, pictures to follow.......

Easter was fun, as I didn't get home until late Friday night I took Monday and Tuesday as vacation days with the grand-kids. We went to the Easter Egg Hunt, aquarium and Shevans Park. They are a lot of fun. One of the reasons they are so much fun is that they have great parents.

Cooper reminds me so much of Nephew Kevin; like a squirrel on hot pavement.

Keelyn having dessert. I had just asked her "wheredeEastahbunny?" Take special note of the bracelet on her right wrist; it was meant for me before they discovered my sex. Dink wouldn't let me wear it after that.........ohhhhh my

There is a great family across the street that runs the AB Surf Shop. I really enjoy their two boys, the oldest loves insects and bugs, showed us a skank (lizard) he caught in our yard last weekend. Expecting a little girl in early July, those boys had better get ready for their lives to change, don't know if they'll keep camping on the boat or not after that. They wrapped a van to look like an old woody, really neat.

You've heard us talk about the sweet lady who cuts our hair. For some reason or another TAR took her picture recently. So now you know why I really enjoy haircuts; she is also a good therapist.

John Hinton's bike. Someone please show this to him, he doesn't know how to use the internet; just kidding Sponge Bob Hinton

Me with a goatee. I am the only one in the house who knows how to operate a camera so I thought I'd better post a picture of myself so my children and grandchildren will remember what I looked like. Don't get too used to the goatee, it's already gone

Jackson's fraternity picture for this year, Phi Gamma Delta. I know, this is a proof, and so no one gets upset we bought the picture. Jackson was selected this week to spend a semester at American University in DC through Hampden-Sydney. We bees so very proud of him......

How many people have I offended with my dialect? I apologize.

A friend lost her father the week before Easter and as I read his obituary I saw a quote from him I thought you might like

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace; your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.” Thank you Dr. McChesney, those are wise words to remember.

Seems like there is something I forgot that is really important…….oh yes, did I tell you Heather is pregnant? I did? Sorry, it’s hard to remember all of these things inside my head. There is an In-N-Out in Fort Worth Texas, where the west begins. Look out Five Guys, here they come! I would really like to ride my bike out that way one day, and like the circle of life the blog now comes full circle.

In case you're OCD like me and wonder as I do why the font changes.....I don't know but it's driving me crazy.

Off to Rockingham for the weekend

April 6, 2012

Guess Who Is Pregnant?

I worked in Texas this week. Griping, complaining, whining (my best Roy Williams impression, are you proud of me for not making fun of Dean Smith anymore? Figured I’d give him a break from now on) and complaining I left the house at 4:30 AM Tuesday. When my rep picked me up he told me I was lucky to get there when I did, some severe weather was on the way. We made a couple of calls before lunch as the skies continued to darken. During lunch (http://angelosbbq.com/) we watched on television as the tornadoes formed. Most of the patrons were locals and enjoyed scaring me with tales of past tornadoes and how well they survived them. As they continued to try to make me soil myself one twister started tossing tractor trailer vans about, all got quiet, and everyone started making phone calls and leaving. My rep knows his home roads well and we drove out of our way to miss the twisters. Although we hit a lot of heavy rain and hail, there was not too much wind so all was well. It was after 10:00 PM when we got back to the hotel in Dallas; I worried about my room being given away but was surprised to see a substantial line waiting to check in. Those were the lucky ones who made it in; many in our meeting didn’t make it to Dallas until later Wednesday. Figure that out, my Tuesday started at 3:30 AM EDT and ended at after 11:00 PM CDT; first meeting Wednesday at 7:30 AM. I should have studied harder in school, no wait, I should have studied in school; maybe attending classes would have helped too but who knows?

Somewhere out there we went through Dublin TX where the original Dr Pepper was, and is bottled. Through a major corporate agreement only in Dublin can you get the original DP made with pure cane syrup.Do you think its any good? Are you kidding? HammmmminaHammmmmminaHammmmmmina! Haven’t slept since then.

No complaints, but tornadoes scare the piss out of me because I know somewhere in all that wind this woman is in there

That reminds me of several years ago when Jackson and I went to Indianapolis for a race. At some point after the concerts, pre-race activities etc. and before the race started a plane above started writing the name of the sponsor in smoke……A…….L…….L…… .S……T……A…..

Just then old drunk Billy Bob wondered out loud what the hell it spelled; I replied

I heard one person laughing hysterically and then realized it was me; Jackson only rolled his eyes. Funny stuff nonetheless, or at least in my warped mind. And as some close to me would ask “is that a true story?” Yes it is, and the race sponsor was Allstate. And to answer one gesture from another nearby race fan, no, my wrist was not broken!

And I’m on my way home this Good Friday morning. The only seats available on the 530AM flight (arrive in New Bern before lunch) were in first class at an additional charge of over $1400.00. Let’s see; where is that new American Express platinum card? OK, better not do that, anything later? Three legged flight arriving at 4:30PM? You say it is an additional $400.00? Looks like I’m getting home about 11:00 PM but I will not complain, otherwise you might think I coach basketball at unc (one more dig but no more……..today)

So I guess that my Good Friday supper will be at Paschal’s (http://www.paschalsatlanta.com/) in the Atlanta airport. When does Lent end? Never mind, if I eat at Paschal’s I’ll get sweet tea to wash down the fried chicken, black eyed peas, and collards; but it might be worth a call to Scotland to remind them to go back into full production. NOW! Are you still reading this? I said call Scotland!

Who is pregnant? Heather is…………………………congratulations to Heather, Caroline and nephew Kevin; great news, another Riley is on the way. How can we work the name Duke into this child’s name? Contest begins today……………..

Today is Good Friday and as we remember the passion let us also remember that the tomb is empty.

Happy Easter