I drove (a cage) up to Pittsburgh and back this weekend, when my spouse and I returned his mother to her home after visiting with us for a week.
While driving, both on the interstate and around her home town, I couldn’t help but notice guys on motorcycles. After all, it is summer!
Trouble is, most men on motorcycles were not bikers, but were…
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This blog is on hold while I am away… up bear… that is, near da ‘Burgh. I am driving my mother-in-law and spouse “up bear” to bring the MIL back to her home after a week’s visit with us which included a lot of eating, watching too much television, eating, and not much else….
My mother-in-law does not have internet service at her home. I do not have a smartphone or any mobile device that would get me an internet connection while I am at the mother-in-law’s house, and I’m not a coffee-swilling guppie who hangs out at coffee shops that provide free wifi, so I will be gleefully untethered.
Only downfall to not having an internet connection while I’m gone is that this blog will have to go “on hold” until I get back. Unfortunately, there is some failure with WordPress which no longer will post blog posts that are scheduled for future posting. Each morning, I have been reading “missed schedule” on future-scheduled posts and I have no idea why that is happening. I’ll figure it out sometime. Meanwhile, since I cannot have posts appear automatically while I am away, the blog will just have to wait until I return home.
Be safe, be well, and remember…
Life is short: enjoy being untethered to the Internet!
Heard at a meeting at work, “that ring isn’t right.” Comment directed to me by someone I don’t know that well before the meeting began (as people were entering and taking a seat.)
Say what? Were you talking to me?
I looked at the guy who said that and it was clear to me that he was talking about the ring on my left ring finger. (Yeah, I am wearing my ring on my finger rather than on a chain–I’ve gotten used to it, and actually like to be reminded of my marriage by feeling it.)
I noticed that a few other people who know me better than this guy does took notice, and seemed to be waiting for me to either punch him in the nose or tell him off… or something.
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For the last several years, my twin brother has come to visit and stay with me on our birthday in Mid-August. I have truly enjoyed his visits “back home” (from where he lives in Europe), which have included lots of family visiting time and even some motorcycling. This year, however, he is out saving the world, and cannot come.
I loved having him stand by my side at our marriage ceremony on April 4. Even though that visit was short, having him with me at that most momentous but anticlimactic time was terrific.
This year I have to work the week of our birthday, but I do plan to take off on my actual birthday. I have never worked on my birthday for all the years I have been working, and am not about to start now! I hope the weather is decent and I can get a motorcycle ride in with some friends.
I will sincerely miss having the bestest friend a guy could ever share a birthday with this year, but my brother has a higher calling that he is fulfilling, and who am I to do anything but cherish our love and friendship, and admire a man who means the world to me.
This post demonstrates how deep a love between twins can be and is. I am truly blessed with the best brothers and sisters on the planet, but most of all, the best twin — EVER!
Life is short: love your brother. (And sisters, too, or they’ll pull your hair!)
Man, the weather in my neck of the woods has been weird… three heat waves (defined as at least three days or longer of temperatures in the mid-90s [35C] with dewpoints in the 70s [24C]) … right during the time when The Spouse and I were moving tons (literally) of rocks to build a backyard waterfall, pond, and patio.
But come this past Sunday, a cool breeze heralded an oncoming cold front, lowering air temperatures to the 70s (24C) and dewpoints a refreshing 53F (12C), making it feel dry and cool. Certainly not the “dog days of summer!”
Time to LEATHER UP!…
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Our drive to my mother-in-law’s home near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was uneventful, though driving 11 hours (round trip) has made this biker-stuck-in-a-car quite tired. My spouse still can’t drive, so I did all the driving.
She is with us at our home in Maryland now. Photo below shows my spouse with his mother at peace in our newly-constructed backyard retreat – garden – waterfall – pond.
Ahhhh… warms my heart to see their smiles.
Life is short: show those you love how you love them!
The word “pazienza” means, in English, “patience.” Being calm, kind, and patient with people who annoy me is a lesson that I must continue to apply. My depth of pazienza has been tested recently and will be tested again soon….
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Yep, believe it or not, here it goes again:
Question via Google directed to a post on this blog, “can i wear engineer boots without looking like i am gay”
Answer:
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Monday was a great day, weather-wise. Brilliant sunshine, low humidity, temperature just right — 82F (28C) — when I was leaving work. As I was mounting my Harley in the parking garage, I was ticking off in my head a list of things that I had to do when I got home. Work on the patio. Call some senior pals to check in with them. Prepare dinner for my spouse and me. Pay some bills. Routine stuff — none of which included motorcycling.
As I was exiting the parking garage, I saw a guy on a Harley Ultra who seemed to be waiting for me. He gave me a big grin and said,
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A few months ago, I was introduced to a young man who I will call Dan (not his real name). He is the son of a mutual friend. His uncle was killed in action in Afghanistan last year. Dan was given his uncle’s Honda Shadow motorcycle by his uncle’s wife. Dan loved that bike and often admired his uncle riding it. While he did not want to get a motorcycle the way that he got it, there it was. He wanted to learn how to ride it, both in memory of his uncle as well as to pursue his interest in motorcycling. He couldn’t afford a car and his Mom only had one, so he seldom had his own wheels. He was so tired of bumming rides from friends and using the bus.
Dan is much like me at his age — 20. He is a rising junior at our state’s university, my alma mater. Unlike most students, he declined on-campus housing and remained living at home. He has four younger siblings and a mother who works two jobs to provide for the family. His father died ten years ago and his Mom has not remarried. He felt an obligation to continue helping out at home, paying rent in-kind by mowing the lawn and doing household chores and maintenance. He also works full-time during the summer at a tough maintenance job that is physically demanding and exhausting.
But, he has weekends off… and he wanted to learn to ride that motorcycle. So he asked me for help and guidance. I recommended…
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