Goooodmorning!!!

[Franka548]

That dirty picture Gordon is exactly why Rita and I are delaying our journey back north. I like the 70 to 80* weather too much, and don't want to see that nasty white stuff any more.
Frank

[Curtis in TX]

Well I survived another day.
And once you hear my story about what I did yesterday you're going to laugh.

To start off with Monday night Melissa and I discussed how to approach out Church Elders about getting permission to start a self defense class. As in, armed response and hand to hand combat. So my mind was in high gear when I went to bed. Little sleep was had.

Woke up late yesterday. I called the Preacher to feel him out before I met with the Eldership. (We had lunch to discuss it as it was threatening Major Storms.) He's for it. Especially after the Sunday event that happend in Garland. About 40 miles from us.

Then I went to the Truck Stop to visit with my neighborhood Pilots Association. Something we do every Tuesday at 2 PM. Some have coffee or sweet tea and I usually have Blue Bell Ice Cream, but it's off the shelf so I'm losing weight until they restock. (Long Story)

Now the really interesting part.

I'm friends with the Sergeant of our Local PD and he asked me last week if I'd come by the Police Station for some training. Seems he needs a Non Drinker to work with, for training his guys in road side drunk test certification.

SOooooo, I spent about an hour in a small interrogation room watching the local Citizen Volunteers drink until the were too drunk to drive. (They were driven home afterwards!)

About 9 other people and I'm the only sober one. Since the booze was free some pushed the consumption to Level STUPID. Then they breathalyzered everyone before entering the Training room to see what level the testee were. Our group went from 0.00 (me) to 1.98.
Then we did a line up and watched as each officer took one person out of the lineup and performed a road side test. 6 were deemed too drunk to drive. Myself included! Everyone else was borderline.

Seems my wandering left eye (residual damage from a detached retina a few years back)and inner ear problem (Heat Stroke aftereffects) during the test made me arrestable for drunk driving according to my testing Officer until they revealed to him I was the only Testee that was stone cold sober. He was dumbfounded until the DPS Instructor disclosed that some Older People just don't have the balance a 30 year old does. Especially if they've gained a few pounds.(Guilty)

Oh and he insisted I walk heal to toe, but when I couldn't I had to disclose to him my left foot is about 15 degrees out because of a bad accident. (Broke Leg and back)

For a Sober Guy I was a mess, but it taught the Officers not to assume a every person is drunk because they can't pass their balance test. For me to avoid the hassles of arrest I will have to insist they breath test me first.My Buddy the Sergeant said to just have them call him for a reference that I don't drink and can't pass the test if I wanted to. HA!

Some of the Drunk girls were funny. One even hugged me like I was her boyfriend, until she remembered where she was and that I was a complete stranger. Drunks are funny as long as they aren't behind the wheel!

Then I jumped on my motorcycle (The Dirt Bike) and rode home in the rain. You remember that rain I spoke of earlier? It was late by 12 hours.

It arrived just as we finished.
Oh, and just to make it more interesting, and there was a fatality accident on the slick road not 12 miles from us at the Police Station. Happened just as I was saddling up to go home. So the Cop Shot cleared out REAL FAST!

Wow, what a day! Retirment sure is a lot of work!

[Gordon Dewald]

Another Good Morning;
Was checking around and found this. Looks interesting.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Franka548

That dirty picture Gordon is exactly why Rita and I are delaying our journey back north. I like the 70 to 80* weather too much, and don't want to see that nasty white stuff any more.
Frank

Frank - you and Rita are wise beyond your years. Enjoy the warmth. Janet and I would be south as well if it was possible.

[Old Car Nut]

Good morning!!

Gordon - You aren't the only one that is having a wild weather ride. T-Storms (rare in western wa) and hail. So much of it that it looked like 2 inches of snowfall. Discovered we have a leak in our old roof and will have to see if we can push up the new one a bit. We were waiting until the last to keep cash free for a coach. Waiting is no longer an option.

Curtis - That is a funny story. I also have found I work more and harder since I retired than I did the last 20 years of working. Must be all that free time to plan things and the freedom to toss in last minute to do's. Maybe I should go back to work so I can rest more.

Lynne - I have to agree the right one at the right time will always happen. In our case, missing that Neoplan means we have cash for the now urgent roof replacement.

Have a great day everyone.

[Gordon Dewald]

Well - it is 3 pm and the snow has finally stopped falling. - Nope, just looked out at 3:22 and it has started again!!

[Franka548]

Thanks Gordon, now if that tropical low pressure area stays off the coast we won't have too much rain for the next couple of days.
Curtis,
That's why the cops are supposed to do 3 or 4 different field tests, I could never pass some of them, even when I was young. Glad that the bad weather missed you.
Tim,
Glad to see you are still with us, missed your wisdom.
Jay,
You have a wonderful day also.
Frank

[beamisl]

Oh Gordon,


I am so sorry! I have an extra room if you two want to escape. Yuck! I feel for you!


Contract and check in mail Y
Insurance purchased and sent Y
Title in hand N
IN Curtis's driveway N
IN driveway N
Pictures posted N


OK, enough said! Have a great night and a good day tomorrow! Safe weather everyone and I hope it warms up for someone on this thread.


Lynne

[Gordon Dewald]

Lynne - thanks so much for the offer. Very tempting and thanks for the offer. I would leave right now as I am still unsupervised but Janet is expecting me to pick her up from the tour bus in a couple hours.

We are getting close to the 6 week visit with the surgeon. Then Janet is booked for another Red Hat function - in this case the Canadian Convention. Then we are off to Yuma to pick up the coach. Going to take a detour through Iowa to visit the dealer for a few warranty items. Then home to get ready for a 4 week bike/camping trip with friends from our motorcycle club.

Regarding purchase of coach recap:
Contract and check in mail Y
Insurance purchased and sent Y
Lynne is ecstatic Y
Jerry is ecstatic Y
Title in hand N (pending and coming soon)
IN Curtis's driveway N (pending but site prepared and power on)
IN driveway N (a few days after leavin Curtis's driveway)
Congratulations in order Y
Pictures posted N (pending but coming soon)

[guardrail53]

Cool, Lynne, now you can relax, a little bit anyway!!!!
To everyone that is still smoking, Just stop! I know, it is the hardest thing I ever did, was stop smoking after 25 years of doing so! I did the cold turkey method, as it was before ecig or the patches! And I thru in the drinking too!! At the same time, just for good measure! As a truck driver, the drinking and two DUI's and the loss of my license for a year was enough of a eye opener for me! The loss of revenue, fines, insurance, and all of the costs that were put on me, back in 1986, were thru the roof!! And on top of not working, It was (to say the least) all the motivation I needed! So, I was a bear to be around for 6 months or so! But looking back on how I have changed, and how much better I feel,, well worth it!! I think that if you are going to quit smoking, you need to quit, period, no weaning yourself off, just make your mind up and do it! It is hard, doing it cold turkey, but the only true way to get that monkey off your back and keep him off! Excuses will be made why, not using the patches, getting hypnotized, ecig, and all the other crutches, why not use them?? Because, you have to want to quit, period! Not taper down, QUIT! I have watched all of my friends that have tried to quit using all of the above methods, and none have ever done it! They all ways slip back to smoking! One excuse or another!! Heard them all!! So if you truly want to quit, you have to make up your mind, and just do it! It is very hard to do, I know, but it is doable!!!
Enough of the rant!! And to all that have quit, and stuck with it, I congratulate you!! The rewards are wonderfull, for sure!!!
Curtis, sounds like you had a fun day! I too cannot pass a field sobriety test, as I have broken both big toes, and my balance is off, but I can blow a 0.00000000000 every time, as I have not drank since 1986!
Gordon, your pic. looked very nice, to me sitting over here in Thailand, high today 101*
Everyone, have a great day! Rail!
Here is a pic from our travels from Devils Gate, Wy. Hwy 220, just to take a little sting away from Gordons pic!

[Franka548]

Lynne,
The yeses are a third of the way there, it will seem like an eternity to get the other 2/3, when in actuality it will be a relatively short time. It will get there, just be patient.
Gordon,
As usual, your insight is amazing and you inspire all of us. Good luck on Janets 6 week check up, so you guys can continue on your enjoyable plans.
Rail,
I will tell you the same as Gordon, quit showing those dirty pictures, lol.
Frank

[Gordon Dewald]

Rail - thank for the picture support. Was snow a new experience for your wife and MIL? Notice DW has a big smile in the photo. Is that a snowball in her hand? Is the smile because she is asking you to come out and get a closer look at the snowball? What were their comments? Did you tell them about making snow angels? 101 sounds a bit on the warm side.

Frank - this is the nicest part of the year here. There are no bugs, wasps or mosquitos so you can sit out on the back deck in your lounge chair and not have to slam your beer back before it gets warm!!! LOL

Countdown: 16 sleeps to May 23.

Have a great day everyone.

[Curtis in TX]

Lynne is going to enjoy her Coach.
I know, I've seen it and even driven it.

For you smokers, I know it's hard.
Let me tell you my story.

I started smoking at 15 when we lived in North Carolina.
A pack of cigarettes cost 25 cents back then. I grew up around smokers and my Dad was a big influence in my decision to start.

When I got married I was 21 and I thought I should quit. I managed 6 months off them, but fell back in the habit.

4.5 years later my son was born and I tried too quit again. Lasted another 6 months.

My problem was I enjoyed it too much. It was part of my life and since I was one of those guys who looked like a kid at 25, I felt it made me look more mature and older.
Yea, I was fooling myself!

Then 18 months after my son was born my daughter was born. And I didn't even bother to try quitting. I just smoked outside or on the job.

When she turned 1 I realized that I wanted to watch my children grow up. And be there for their kids too.

Cigarettes, when I quit, had just gone up to 50 cents a pack. Robbery I thought! I worked the tobacco fields in North Carolina and I knew it was all profit. Tobacco is a weed. Just like those weeds you pull out of your garden. 50 cents a pack was pure thievery.

So that's when I fell out of love with cigarettes.
I started hating them.

Hated the smell, the look. I hated seeing others smoke. Hated being in the room with a smoker, smelling them as they walked by me. The stink turned my stomach.
I threw out all my clothes that wouldn't lose the smell in the washing machine.

My wife and I hired a house cleaning crew to come into the house and clean everything. Drapes, carpets, wiped down the cabinets. Everything was cleaned like new, you get the picture. They erased the smell from my house and vehicles while we went to a Hotel in Dallas for a few days of fun.

The only way I was able to quite smoking cold turkey was to hate it. I can't stand to walk past those Commercial Ashtrays outside the doors of buildings. I find it so offensive that people leave their stinky butts for the rest of us to smell. I don't say anything, but it reinforces how much I hate the habit.

I have never had a craving or ever entertained the idea I could ever pick up another one.

My Mom died at 68 from cancer. She was NOT a smoker. She lived with a smoker! My Dad was a 3 pack a day smoker when I was growing up. He died 18 months after her from a stroke. He was fighting emphysema at the time (and most of his retired years of life) and when they tried to insert an airway down his throat in the ER they tore his esophagus. All those years of smoking had cooked his throat to where it was like tissue paper. No way to repair it or replace his esophagus. I can't imagine how damaged his lungs had to be.

My Daughter is 34 years old now, so you can do the math.

After I quit smoking I started running. Not jogging, actual 6 minute miles running. It took 3 years to get my speed up, but I was obsessed with running long distances. Marathons were fun now! Did that until my back started complaining. (I had broken my leg and back 4 months before my son was born and spent 18 months learning to walk again.) So to keep fit I switched to racing bicycles. Raced them all over the Country for 20 years! I still love riding my bicycles!

Sadly I had to give up my bicycles after a heat stroke at work many years later that really messed up my balance.

BUT, to this day, I will get off an elevator if a smoker gets on it with me. I cannot stand the stink that emanates off them. If you smoke, you are one of those stinky people! No getting around it. Even the breath out of your lungs smells bad.

You have to change your feelings about your habit to successfully quit. Take an full ashtray and place it in a Tupperware bowl. When you get the urge to smoke pull the lid off and look at it, then take a big whiff. When your sense of smell starts coming back you will be repulsed by the stink in the ashtray. And remember that's what's you put in your lungs.

More rain here today. SMELLS GOOD! I love riding my motorcycle and getting a whiff a BBQ Grill cooking somewhere in the distance. Or the smell of perfume on a pretty girl in the car ahead of me. My nose works really good now!

That's what you are missing by smoking!

PM me if you a smoker and need someone to talk you through quitting.
We'll exchange cell #'s! I can talk you out of it.
Or make you hate me!!!!!

[Gordon Dewald]

Hi Curtis - inspiring story and well written.

IMO there are two components to smoking. One is nicotine addiction and the other is the habit.

For me the issue was to get stubborn. I made up my mind to quit and decided I was not going to rationalize any return to smoking. It took about a week to get over the addiction part. Once my system cleared I did not feel the need to smoke. Sort of like quitting coffee. You get headaches for a few days but once your system clears of caffeine the headaches go away.

But the habit was the tough part. When I was physically working I did not smoke but once there was a pause or a break I would light up. Same issue during liesure time. It seemed I had a need to keep my hands busy. I started eating sunflower seeds. One at a time. That kept my hands busy. Eventually I got tired of the seeds and quit them and did not go back to smoking.

I was smoking 2 - 3 packs a day when I quit 40+ years ago.

I have become philosophical about smoking. I think the benefits of quitting far outweigh any enjoyment you may get from smoking but it is your choice. A few of our friends smoke, some are trying to quit, others will never quit. They are welcome in our house but feel free to smoke outside.

I guess it is something about picking hazardous things to do. Whether it be smoking, drinking, bungee jumping, base jumping, motorcycle riding, driving, etc there is a chance you could be seriously hurt or killed.

I was amazed by how many patients on oxygen or IV I would see when visiting Janet, sitting outside the hospital having a cigarette.