Not sure what to write so I'll just ramble.
Enjoy.
Read a book the other day called The Giver by Lois Lowry. Interesting book. It's not a large extended read. After reading it I was a little stunned at all the parallels that could be directly related to most of our lives. I'm not going to be a spoiler and would encourage anyone to read it. Should be about a 2-3 hour read with minor interruptions. I'll leave it at that.
I'm on a reading binge right now so you'll have to endure. I also read a compilation of Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children published in 1919. It's an absolute pleasure to read. An amazing man and an amazing parent. I read a quote from the editor that said TR was more excited about this book being published than anything he had ever written before. I can see why. Through his letters he allows us into his life and what life was like at the white house and on his numerous adventures. Outstanding read if you love your children and cherish all the play times you shared with them.
Another book I've been reading is one I hope I can glean information from that will change my surroundings. Don't laugh. It's called "the life changing magic of tidying up - the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing" by Marie Kondo. I'm about 40 pages into it and am challenged to follow her instructions because I am a hoarder. Not like the ones on the TV show. I think I don't get rid of things because I am always thinking I will need them again someday. I have a closet full of clothes that are one size too small. I don't wear them. I hope I can lose enough weight to wear a smaller size but that is not progressing as I would like. I'm trying to build the courage to go throw away everything (or donate) that doesn't fit. All of it. If it's too tight get rid of it. Her book is not just about clothes though. I tested one of her statements and found it to be an absolute truth. I went around the house and gathered all the pens and pencils I could find in a box. Unbelievable. Probably 150-200 all different except for the bulk packs of G2's and No. 2 pencils we've bought when we thought we needed them. The next thing would be books and magazines. This one is going to be tough for me. I can do it though. I have hundreds of books and as many magazines. All are in bookshelves. One bookshelf in the living room, two in the bedroom, a full wall of shelves in the closet and a closet full in the garage. The amazing thing is I can find any book I'm seeking that's in my collection. I can even recall just about any of it I've read. When I decide to cull the books I will reserve one bookshelf for my favorites and the ones I frequent most for entertainment and another bookshelf for the reference books. The remainder will go away.
I've also been in the process of moving my dad from the house he's been in since 1964. You can imagine the amount of stuff he has collected. We do 3-4 pickup loads on weekends when we have the time and the weather cooperates. We finally got all of the large items except 3 pieces. It's been a challenge since he's 82 going on 83 soon. He has his quirks but for 83 he still gets around well. He isn't anywhere near needing help except for things like changing lawn mower blades, moving furniture, and every once in a while fix the settings on his phone or iPad.
Been a few discussions about a Bill & Glen Annual Ride this year. We've been talking about riding around Montana and the Dakotas. Things like Glacier National Park and maybe even a quick run into Wyoming to catch a glimpse of Old Faithful popping her top. We'll see how this progresses and you never know about us we may go a completely different route but always with no agenda.
In a previous post I noted I had been living on North Padre Island while working on a project in Corpus Christi. The project ended and I had to come back to Oklahoma. What did I learn.. I absolutely could live on the beach. The fishing's outstanding. The sunsets and sunrises are good medicine. The pulse of the waves as they spin out on the beach has something that takes the stress of the day and removes it from me. The food was great. I could live the rest of my life in board shorts and t-shirts. Sitting barefoot in the sand made my toes want to dig in the sand. The waves smooth out the disruption from the digging then do it all over again. I would go to the ship channel and watch the tankers and freighters come in and wonder where they had been or where they were going. It was amazing to watch them come through the channel and kick up a wave off the bow of the boat. The dolphins would surf in the wave. The sea turtles were abundant around the causeways that jutted out in the ocean. Very cool creatures. I spent some time at the Texas A&M Oceanographic research facility going through their displays and talking to various people who worked there. Took surfing lessons from a guy named Puddy Albright, I highly recommend taking lessons from Puddy you can find him on Facebook, ask Ted at the Board House in Port Aransas or just do a search for surf lessons Port Aransas or Corpus Christi. We struck-up a friendship and still text every once in a while just to see how each other is doing. Since I took surfing lessons, wasn't very successful at it, I wanted to purchase a surfboard. I actually ended up picking up two custom longboards made by local shapers. I frequented the Board House in Port Aransas every weekend and enjoyed just hanging out and talking to Ted the proprietor. I ended up buying paddle board for Hannah to use on the lakes around home. You're probably wondering what a guy from Oklahoma is going to do with two longboards since the closest waves are in Galveston about nine hours away. At some point in my life I really would like to live by the sea. Maybe after I retire and just so you know there were plenty of gray hairs surfing every morning when the waves were good. And yes my hair is graying but I'm not in the 60+ crowd yet, still a few years to go before I pick up that tag. So the surfboards are a reminder of a dream and I get a kind of peace that settles on me every time I look at them. Part of the problem with my surfing attempt was stiff joints and I weighed 293#. I didn't realize the weight was that much until I got home and went to the doctor for a checkup. That was the week before Christmas. Seven pounds away from 300 scared the tar out of me so I immediately dropped carbonated beverages and candy. I began limiting my sugars while cutting out white bread. By the end of January I was down to 273. I have hit a plateau at 273. I will continue to change my diet to make healthier choices. I've been going to the gym with my daughters. about thirty minutes of fast walking treadmill then shoulders and upper body every other visit alternating with legs on the other days. My goal is 250 then drop it lower once I get there. At 250 I may have to make a trip to the gulf with a longboard and try it again. I've also been doing some stretching and lower back yoga from a you tube instructor named Abby Carver. Her routines are easy for me, at least the two I've been using. I have seen some from her I wouldn't even consider trying.
I'll stop rambling and save some of my adventures for my next post.
God is good. All the time. His mercies endure forever.
Bill
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