Yearly Archives: 2014

Forcing Time to Ride

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RideNov2013aThe title of this post may be puzzling for some readers. One would think that as enthusiastically as I write about riding my Harley, that I would find every opportunity to ride whenever I can.

Well, I do love to ride, but I also struggle with balancing riding time with obligations and responsibilities.

Today is one of those days where I got myself into a situation where I will go for a ride all day. Should be fun, but I still have that nagging feeling of shirking responsibilities and caregiver duties for my spouse.

Here’s what’s going on.
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Hi Vis

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Okay, I admit… leather is cool-looking, keeps a biker warm, and provides good protection if involved in a crash. However, traditional black leather is not that visible, especially in the dark.

Another rider who regularly reads this blog saw my post titled “see and be seen” (March 8, 2014), where I showed some new, bright halogen beams that my spouse bought for me and I had installed on my motorcycle. This rider wrote to me and asked, logically,
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Time to Trade Me In?

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Back in the olden days when my spouse and I grew up, it was common for people to buy a car, drive it for two to four years, then trade it in for a newer model. Cars back then held much more value than they do today, and trade-ins were commonplace, as well as paying cash for the difference in price of a new car.

The thought of a trade-in applies in a way to me, personally.

For years, whenever I did something dumb and noticed that my spouse would roll his eyes, I would turn to him and say, deadpan, “Time to trade me in for a newer model?”

My spouse would smile, laugh, and say,
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Wesco Boots for Motorcycle Riding

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Wescobrown27Someone sent me an email that I regret mistakenly deleting. I wrote a reply, but instead of hitting send, I hit “cancel” and the original message got deleted. I regret that error.

His message was that he was considering the purchase of a new pair of Wesco Boss engineer boots, but wondered how they broke in and how they felt while actually riding a motorcycle.

Good questions! I do have some opinions based on experience from owning and wearing several pairs of Wesco boots.
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Our Big Day: One Year Later

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Marriage03Today, April 4, marks the anniversary date of the day that my spouse and I were married one year ago.

First-off, notice that I do not label this date as our “wedding anniversary.” We did not have a wedding. Last thing either of us wanted to do was to have a big gay frilly-froo-froo deal.

I call what we did was get married … at a private, small marriage ceremony. Just me, my husband, my twin brother, and the officiant… right there in the courthouse in the county where I grew up.

How am I feeling about our marriage one year later?
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Management Position Affects Footwear Choices

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My loyal blog followers know that last autumn, I was promoted into a management position. Commensurate with my new job, which involves serving as the Executive Officer for a major division of my employing organization, I supervise people and now wear the clothing of management — dress slacks, shirt & tie, shined… boots.

Well, until now. Starting today, the footwear is changing.
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Guilt Feelings in Losing Touch

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Yesterday, I became aware that a friend, Clay, was admitted to the hospital suddenly to have major heart surgery. I had been communicating with Clay for many years, but mostly now through Facebook. He had stopped using email. Apparently he sends and receives texts instead … but that leaves me out because I block texting on my mobile device because I find texting both expensive and intrusive. (What I like about email is that I can read and reply to it on my schedule.)

I have always felt that Facebook is a way to observe what your family and friends are doing, but is not a way to discuss news, share information about feelings and frustrations, and so forth, the way friends talk when they’re together.

But since Clay only seems to use Facebook and texting as his primary means of communication these days, I comment from time to time on his Facebook posts to let him know that I care and am thinking about him. It’s not the same, but at least that form of contact lets him know that I appreciate and care about him.

Then he goes into surgery… and his predicament caused me to think about other friends who I haven’t communicated with as much as I once did, and even a few who have dropped out of my life.
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Holding My Man

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My beloved spouse is still recovering from a relapse of a long-term bout of illness caused by an infection from two microbial organisms transmitted by a tick bite.

It worries me that each evening, I literally have to hold him and guide him to the bathroom and then bedroom, as he is not quite able to walk on his own. But holding him, guiding him, and loving him is not a burden, but my devotion.
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