And Now For Something Happier....

So...  With the Sad post out of the way, I can now move on to the rest of the Holiday Weekend.   Cheryl and I Kicked off our Thanksgiving day with a 5 K Turkey Trot in Cedar Rapids.   I am not much of a runner, so this was mostly for Cheryl.   And She really wanted to run on Thanksgiving... 

It was an Early morning wake up, but Cedar Rapids is not terribly far away and we arrived in plenty of time to find Primo Parking and pick up our packets and shirts for the race. 

There is one bad thing about running the race:  I can't take pictures.   That is right!  Being a spectator is pretty much impossible when you are actually RUNNING the race. However,  Since I do not have a reliable camera anymore,  this takes a bit of the sting out of my photography woes.  

Then again,  Running the race  is not exactly easy.   I got burned by some little girl in pigtails ( not Cheryl!)  There was this young girl ( perhaps 9-10 years of age)  setting the pace for me.   I challenged myself to not be beat by her, but she gave me a run for my money.   I barely passed her in the  final quarter mile of the race.   IN the mean time,  another girl who was about the same age ran past me in the last quarter mile... accompanied by her Dad... who was probably the high school track coach.  ( at least that is what I want to believe)  

I still managed to finish the race with a New PR for the 5 K.   I took almost 2 minutes off my time!   Not my fastest running ever, but I will take it.  

Cheryl won her age group award and got a medal.   We posed for pics by one of the giant Turkeys and headed home.   The plan was to eat a Thanksgiving Buffet at the Casino in Riverside. 

However,  the line was HUGE!   And we decided against it at the last minute.   Instead,   Cheryl decided to Gamble at the slot machines and instead of paying $30 per person,  she WON $30 from the slots.  Yeah Money!

I forgot to mention that after the race,  Cheryl felt like she needed to run more.   So we headed out to Terry Trueblood and run an additional training run.   I ran approximately 6 miles in total for that day. 

Friday was a Bust  as mentioned in the previous post.   But Saturday began with another training run in Muscatine.  Another 6 miles for me.  Cheryl might have run 10.   She decided to run a few miles with me,  choosing to slow down to my pace, of course.  That is a total of 12 miles!  I felt like I was in the Army again!   With Cheryl as the Drill Instructor!

The primary reason we went to Muscatine was  because Cheryl had to set up the Christmas Tree for the Newspaper in Lone Tree, Iowa.   (One of the cities that the news covers.  Remember Lone Tree? ) This was why I had spent all those hours folding that Origami.  I was told that there would be other folks contributing to the folding.. But in the end,  there was only 5 other models for the tree that were not mine or Cheryl's   Good hing I did not slack on the number.

I think it turned out pretty good.   Not as colorful as an Origami tree should be, but I'll take it.  Cheryl snapped a few pics and we went back home to bake cookies and drink beer.  ( Not really in the order.)  

Baking cookies while sampling beer is actually kind of fun.   The sweetness of the cookies is offset by the bitterness of the IPA.  A wonderful combination! 

And that is pretty much where the holiday ended.   I went home Sunday Morning and Cheryl caught up on whatever she had to do to prepare for the following Monday.  Overall, I think the long weekend was more good than bad... Even though there were moments I was prepared to call it and head back to Wisconsin.  In the end,  I got to say goodbye to the cat, and Cheryl no longer has to deal with that situation.  I should also mention that I removed the AC unit,  Changed Cheryl's Oil in the Bean Subie, Attempted and failed to Fix the Steam Vacuum,  and removed the Old Christmas tree from the apartment.  A rather productive visit.    

And this is becoming a long post.   Thanks for stopping in!  And I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and Family. 

A Farewell To Hiro.

Hiro in my Suitcase.

Apparently,  Cats tend to Check Out for the Holidays.  At least that is what it seems like this year.   But don't let me get to far ahead just yet....

Hiro's Last Day.

Last Friday was Hiro's Last Day for this world.   He had been fading fairly rapidly for nearly a month, and Cheryl said his behavioral problems had become unbearable.  She did not want to make the call without my consent, so when I came home for the Holiday,  I got to evaluate Hiro first hand.  

Hiro's First day... With us.

He was skin and bone and could not seem to relax.  He ate plenty of food, and he seemed to be ok around me.   But his cuddly, purr box self seemed to be gone.   So while Cheryl was working on Friday,  Hiro and I spent the day  together and eventually we made the trip to the vet.   It was a very sad day for me. 

Kitten Hiro with Red, the Shop cat.

But Looking back as I was setting up for this blog post,  I see that Hiro had a pretty good run with us.  14 years is not nothin'!  He got into plenty of trouble and had lots of adventures.  He made plenty of friends along the way.  ( Which is saying a lot compared to many of our previous cats.)   He got to climb trees, chase birds, and catch lots of rodents. and there were plenty of times when he would keep me up at night because he did not want to come inside at the proper hour.  

Hiro's first Christmas.( tree)

The Vet that treated him was one that had seen him before...  Back when he got into that "scuff" with some unknown thug from the neighborhood.  (Good times!)

Hiro after the Cat Brawl.

She did not remember him, but I remembered her.  And I was thankful that there was a familiar face there to help us along the finish line.  

Hiro with a "gift" for us.

Hiro marks the end of our 6th cat.  He was the last real remnant from our life in Michigan.  He made the journey, and now is able to join both Red and Rasha next to the north facing window of the old Stocking Shop. I think he will be happy there with those other rascals.  And I'm thinking he will be the last cat for us for a while.  

Hiro and Leo

Hiro and Rocket.

But then there are the Iowa Outdoor cats!   Rocket, Leo, and Haru all seem to think they live with us, but never want to make the commitment  to being an indoor cat.  Both Cheryl and I think they should all be reassigned to a farm or barn somewhere in the country.   I think they would like that far better than a small apartment in Iowa. Even though Rocket seems to be trying to fill the void that Hiro has left behind.

Hiro doing Yoga.

Being fashionable

Getting back to the initial intro.   I discovered that one of the relatives had to take her cat down to the vet for the same reason.. The day after Thanksgiving.   And Now I have a Co-worker who Also has a 14 year old cat who has the same issues as Hiro. ( To numerous to recount, but the Vet assured me that there was "something else going on" with him and that it was not  good.) My Co-worker is still on the fence about what to do with her cat, but I think deep down she knows what has to happen.   She is spending a lot of money on medication that is not helping.  (We have all been down that path before, it seems...) 

Possibly one of the perks of  old age is the wisdom that comes with the territory.   Having seen many similar scenarios play out with the results always ending the same way, we are able to make a "Tough Call" far easier than a younger, less-experienced version of ourselves.   Still, that does not seem to lighten the burden and broken heart in the immediate aftermath.  I tried to play it cool, but could not get the first sentence out to the receptionist before crying like a baby.   How pathetic and weak. 

And so,  I decided to post this, the low point of the 4 day weekend in Iowa.   I'll save the better moments for tomorrow. as this post is getting pretty long.  Remember when I said I liked Funerals?  Well, I still mean it.  Even the sad ones for the Family Cat.   They should not be sad for very long.   Instead,  I think they should be a moment to remember all the good times and smiles that we all had together.  And that the Cat is in a far better place now and that we will see them all again someday.  

So Farewell to Hiro!   Say "Hi" to Rashi and Red...  And though you never met them,  Say hi to Sasha, Orange, and Zulu.   All of you were the best cats  a couple of over-educated, artistic failures could have ever hoped to have.

 Sayonara

A Celebration of Life.

I love Funerals. 

"What an Odd Statement!"  You may be saying.  But I tell you, what better time to celebrate someone's life and how they lived it.  Funerals should be happy times.  Period!  Save the sadness for later.   Or never!  Because everyone who has lived a full life...  should be celebrated and there should be smiles and laughter all around. 

Oh, sure.  There will be things we have not completed.   Things we never attempted.   And things that were total failures. But if you have lived any amount of time on this planet,  then you will inevitably have something that turned out good.  I really believe that. 

And so it was that I was invited to  a Celebration of Life for a lad who died a few weeks ago.   I think Dave might have done the funeral.  The man's name was John and he owned a bar  somewhere in the heart of Kenosha.  When I first arrived here in Wisconsin, Dave took me there and I met a handful of folk to get a feel for the land.  It was a good time.  

John was still around then, and offered Dave the keys to his Corvette.   Dave and I hopped in and enjoyed a ride in  a Rocket Sled for a brief time..  It was the first and only time I have ever  ridden in a legendary sports car. It was a good time. 

John was an entrepreneur. Who worked in I.T. and eventually started his own company.  Then sold that and bought a Bar as a retirement. ( I may have a few facts mixed up there, but you should get the idea.) From  what I hear, he was larger than life and took risks.  Simply being a successful entrepreneur is enough evidence for me.   I know I am missing that certain "thing" that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.  He sounds like one of those mythical Heroes.   But I know there probably were plenty of moments of failure and self doubt that was there along the way.   Success is rarely a flawless endeavor.  It takes a unique man to freely give the keys of his expensive car over to two novice "strangers."  ( Dave was  the driver, by the way.)

And so, I got to meet a few more folks and drink a beer with some friends.  I also met a few who remembered me from 6 months ago.   Dave said everyone in the bar was family.  And having grown up watching Cheers,  I can see how that label is fitting for everyone who was in attendance.  There was plenty of food and munches for everyone.  It is funny to think that people are sad at funerals.   I did not see a single glum face there.  Everyone was smiling and I'm sure they were swapping stories of the man and how they knew him.  Every life touches so many on our travels through our Time.   Shouldn't that be celebrated in the happiest way possible?  Thanks for stopping in.

Origami Sunday

With an abundance of Cold weather, What better way to spend your Sunday than to fold Origami for three straight hours.  ( or was it 4?  I forget..) I have been a little lacking in the folding department, with my target goal of folding three items a day.   Whenever I fold anything more complicated than a simple Crane,  I fall short.  

But.... This is what I have so far. 

Today, I figured that the smaller 12 inch sheets Cheryl cut out for me are not big enough for many of the animal  models.  So... I folded a horse out of a whole sheet. ( Possibly 24 inch square?)   It took a while, but I like how it turned out.   

Have I mentioned newspaper is the worst paper to fold origami  from?  For that reason,  you have to take time to glue many of the folds to keep them in place.    I doubt anyone will bother to care though. 

I also went to Church this morning.   I hitched a ride with Dave; and the roads were far nicer than last night.   There is possibly a joke in there about Pastors never  being late for Church due to weather, because God will part the seas for them... And being a passenger in the Pastor's car is a nice place to be if you don't want to slide off the road.

Other than that, I managed to run 3 miles in the 24 degree temps.  Yes, it was kind of crappy... But I have been trying to enjoy suffering lately.   And nothing causes suffering better than the cold..  And blistering wind.  Unless it is Summer.   Which would be the opposite, I guess. 

Hope everyone had a productive and warm Sunday.   Back at the grind of work tomorrow.  I can't wait! 

Because.... You see... I kind of like my job.   And when "work" ceases to bring misery,   You have to practice being miserable elsewhere.   ( Like running in the cold!)   Thanks for stopping in.

Saturday Catch Up.

A whole lot of nothing today.   I ran some errands and did laundry.   It has been VERY cold and snowy all day today.   I even skipped evening church because the roads were just a tad to slippery for my liking.  ( When you slide up to a stop light...  while going only 35.... That is kind of scary. )  

Ah well,  there is always Sunday Morning Church.  

In the mean time, Remember when I said I thought the cold of winter would end the mushroom hunting?  Yep!  I was WRONG!   Turns out,  a small cluster of large mushrooms popped up under one of Dave's trees near his house.   I picked them and could at least ID them enough to know they where not deadly.  

However,  before I could fully ID them,   Dave chopped up several of the freshest and largest ones and put them in a chili!  

Surprisingly, they were good!  And we are still alive!   So... No tummy ache.   No bitter taste.   And best of all:  No dying!   ( And I think they added to the Chili's flavor as well... )

Now I  am wondering what kind of mushroom it really was.   It tasted pretty good;   Had the texture of a normal, store bought button mushroom; and was generally just a pleasant find.  Kind of cool.  

I have read that Corts and similar mushrooms ( Possibly ring-less Honey Mushrooms...)  are not technically dangerous... just not choice edibles.   and since there are a few that might be toxic,  people don't bother trying to figure out the "safe" but boring ones.  But eventually,  everyone has to make that leap of faith... right?  ( And not only with mushrooms.)  

Other than that,  I have been folding origami and I am currently writing the blog with Christina's pooch on my lap.   Ladybird is a fun dog that loves laps more than playing.   Without Christina, she tends to look scared most of the time,  yet she seems to want to cuddle up with you despite that.  I enjoy her warmth and cuddles most of all.   A nice thing to have on a cold dark and blizzardy day.  

Hope everyone is staying warm this evening.  I'm thinking Winter has arrived now and will be staying for a while.    Thanks for stopping in.

Cheryl Uncovers A Mystery...

And Then The Snow Arrived...

It snowed today.   The first time it has accumulated on the ground.   I left for work earlier than normal, and arrived safe and sound.   

Snow at work start

You see,  I don't drive fast.  

And when conditions call for it, I reduce speed for safety.  It seems like common sense for me, but apparently, there are lots of other folks out there who disagree. 

Snow by end of Work day.

The snow was just sloppy enough to be slippery, but most of the people on the high way seemed to have a grasp of the situation and slowed down as well.  That is actually rather refreshing, coming from Iowa...  Where every first snow, there are several cars in the ditches all along the highways.  

The Subie Snow Stick.

It pretty much snowed all day.   I think we might have received about 2 inches, as indicated by the Subie.   But the temps hovered just above freezing, so much of it melted away.  By the time I got home,  the snow was sleet and even turned to rain.    But Snow is in the forecast tomorrow.  So I imagine I will be repeating this mornings early prep time.   We shall see. 

The drive home.

In the mean time,  I just wanted to post a quick update on the Wisconsin weather.  Snow!  It was bound to happen.   No running today.   No mushroom hunting.  Time to stay inside,  drink warm tea and fold Origami.... 

 Boring?   Not if you are me.  

Thanks for stopping in. And for goodness sake:  Drive safe and stay warm!  The World is still beautiful.. Even in Winter.