Last Sunday & Thoughts of September

Sunday, 27 September 2009.

Now if I can just keep from being stupid, I'v gotten plenty of proof over the years stupid hurts.

In regards to Marathons; The training sucks for the second one as much as it does for the first!
Still modifing the training so it wasn't as intense as last year does make it feel less taxing in the long run. yet as it was this past Friday's 20.4 mile long training run sucked. My gluts were sore and my calves are still sore this morning. I am promising myself that this is the last marathon I will do. But I've been known to break a promise or two. So if I survive in good physical form through my 100th Birthday, maybe I'll don one then. Then clocking me in furlongs per fortnight might be a viable option.

This will be an easy training week as I am heading to Washington DC on Friday evening or Saturday morning to partake in the Army 10 Miler. It should prove to be an interesting run. I hope to finish at about one hour and fifty minutes. One hour fourty would be very nice and still I'll be satitsfied to complete the event in under two hours. But those are hopes and I shall see how well I've prepared on race day.

Autumn has struck and the temps are much cooler in the mornings now. Humidity is still farly high but drops off much faster as the mornings progress it seems. Still the cooler weather is a nice change from my late July, August and early September training sessions.

Last weekend I partook in two parades with the Stephen Driscoll Memorial Pipe Band, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 704. They exemplified my need for wider more comfortable walking shoes, which I had ordered. They arrived on monday morning after the parades (groan).

As for the past week itself, a few different things culmanating on Saturday. It was a matter of helping younger brother get his yard in order for the coming winter. Brush cutting, weed wacking, wood cutting for the barn's stove were on top of the agenda followed by assisting in remounting the plow on the rusting heap of a jeep. My youngest brother didn't ask me untill the last minute to house sit his geriatric dog untill late friday morning. I had to decline as I had already told my oldest brother that I'd be over on Saturday to help clean the chimney and stove at his place. There we actually got done in decent order. No unplaned toppling of chimney caps or replacement of bricks; This time it was planned to patch and replace those as needed. We even capped off the top with a coat of motar to protect the brick work from weather.

So for now my virus and malware sweep of the computer is complete, I'm consuming a bowl of soggy cheerios and wil be heading to the laundrymat a bit later this morning. Today shall be a good day.

September 3rd, 2009.

So what is new? Not too much and quite a bit.

Still training to run in the Marine Corps Marathon this year, My goals are just basicly to complete the run and finish as well as last year. if I finsih slightly faster that would be nice too. But I'm not going to push myself too hard. I 've finished a 18.6 mile training run on Friday the 28th of August leaving me with a 12 mile run for tomorrow, Friday the 4th of September. I did a 10.05 mile yesterday on the local hills around Putnam Lake, NY and New Fairfield, CT. Those had a few difficult climbs and descents of nearly 335 feet and grades near 4% and slightly better.

In addition to the Marine corps Marathon I also plan to run in the Army 10 miler about two weeks before that. Ant those two races will culminate my running plans for this year. Then anything afterwards is just gravy.

On the bad news, worse news and What the F' side of the dice.

My one Cousin is having a nasty bout with cancer, She's lost one lung and will under go a heavy dose of chemotherapy. Still she is a strong willed person and will push to make a recovery. I told her sister that if they need a hand to feel free to give me a call. Its no problem to drive to Northern Virginia and assist.

I almost amputated the tip of my middle finger on my left hand two & a half weeks ago. The finger is healing nicely but its still tender around the scaring.

Finally i'm waiting to hear back from Team Guinan, There is the standing offer to drive for them and I've heard nothing back as of yet. Still Its on top of perspective actions for the September 11th Memorial Weekend, second on the list is Piping with the F.O.P. at the Putnam County Memorial Services.

I'm still waiting for my running shoes and black sneakers I've ordered from Frank's Shoe Fitting. The old runing shoes are about shot and I do need new running shoes at least one for the long training runs and one for the marathon proper.

As for Today, September 3rd. I'm meeting with a good friend from the Army Reserve Center for lunch. German or Hungarian will be nice But I'm up for Bar-B-Que as well. Then this afternoon I'll look to get a 3 to 4 mile run in.

I've still got my sailboat and motorcycles up for sale. sofar no takers and I'll try a few different tacks, Craigs list and a note at the Beacon Sloop Club. I'd like to get a new motorcycle but I can't see keeping what I've got in addition to a third. It just doesn't make sense. Plus selling the small sail boat would allow me to get a smaller dinghy which I could use as a sailboat, rowboat or small power boat with the proper sized outboard motor. That and instead of needing to trailer it, I could use the roof racks to transport it, but untill I sell the 15 foot microcruiser its just a pipe dream.

In the I'm gonna be an ass department, i'm so fed up with the local discourteous drivers I've decided to take my cue from them. Simple things like staying at the speed limit, not tailgating, not allowing people to pass in a no passing zone by putting my van to the extreme left of my lane so they can't peer about me. If they are late it isn't my problem they can leave 15 minutes to a half hour earlier for their travels and appointments. As it was i allowed 2 hours travel to the VA hospital for removal of my stitches last week and arrived on time due to the asshats playing drive fast to the begining of a construction zone and forcing the merge thus slowing down traffic overall. Rather than merging in early and smoothly.

Yeah I'm a monster but the asshats created my mind set and attitude.

Well that covers this for now. Summer this year was lousy at best, the Fire Department Reunion was nearly a washout due to rains, and nearly every weekend it has rained. Still September has proven to be a respite from the heat and humidity of August. The first few morning s of September have been in the upper 40's with 100% humidity as opposed to the upper 60's and lower 70's with 95%+ humidity. 48 degrees with 100% humidity is nicer to run in than 60 degrees & 100% humidity.

Ok everyone stay safe & keep the greasy side down.

THE HOUSE WITH NOBODY IN IT. By Joyce Kilmer

THE HOUSE WITH NOBODY IN IT

by: Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

WHENEVER I walk to Suffern along the Erie track
I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black.
I suppose I've passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute
And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it.

I never have seen a haunted house, but I hear there are such things;
That they hold the talk of spirits, their mirth and sorrowings.
I know this house isn't haunted, and I wish it were, I do;
For it wouldn't be so lonely if it had a ghost or two.

This house on the road to Suffern needs a dozen panes of glass,
And somebody ought to weed the walk and take a scythe to the grass.
It needs new paint and shingles, and the vines should be trimmed and tied;
But what it needs the most of all is some people living inside.

If I had a lot of money and all my debts were paid
I'd put a gang of men to work with brush and saw and spade.
I'd buy that place and fix it up the way it used to be
And I'd find some people who wanted a home and give it to them free.

Now, a new house standing empty, with staring window and door,
Looks idle, perhaps, and foolish, like a hat on its block in the store.
But there's nothing mournful about it; it cannot be sad and lone
For the lack of something within it that it has never known.

But a house that has done what a house should do, a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it's left alone, that ever your eyes could meet.

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back,
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart.

"The House with Nobody in It" was originally published in Trees and Other Poems. Joyce Kilmer. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1914.

While the Hudson branch of Metro North isn't the old Suffern Track of the Erie Rail Road. It has its own stories of houses and former homes which echo the words of Sergeant Joyce Kilmer, 69th Infantry, NYNG, who passed from this world in WWI.

July's done let the ranting begin

August 3rd, 2009, Monday.

Rants, Raves and commentary.

By the way a special note to all my legislators both state and federal; you assholes better have no less than $2500.00 cash on hand if you ever need me to make a 911 call on your behalf. 911 isn't free it is supported by tax payers. The $2500 charge isn't a tax it is a service fee I'm imposing. I figure if banks, governments, businesses and other institutions can impose fees to earn a bit more income I am allowed to do the same. That and for over a decade of being denied a Metro Area Pay Allowance while working in a high cost area while federal and state taxes increased faster than my rate of pay; Its a fair fee to impose on legislators. Pay back is a B____.

Well July wasn't too eventful done many mundane things which may confound and confuse folks. The majority of the urban populace in the U.S. today have more limited skill sets than just 25 to 50 years ago.
While our use of computers is quite recent and for some of us still a bit of a novelty; many critical skills are being lost due to over reliance upon technologies. True there may be no requirement for the average person to know how to safely change a tire as they'll simply contact AAA or some other roadside assistance program. But due to that reliance on others i foresee a time when our populations will find them selves in situations where they will not be able to both think and work their ways out of them.

As for myself, I've been working with older technologies for so long I'm comfortable enough tempting more than basic repairs; Still in that regard I'm a Technological Troglodyte with the skills to disasseble and rebuild many mechanical devices, some eletrical and electronic devices and can weild an oxygen acetelyne torch with some dexterity. as well as use some more dangerous tools with considerable confidence built upon honing my skills with their usage. If our technologically dependent world came crashing down tomorrow; the veneer of civilized society would asuredly be cast off. But thats just my opinion.

Speaking of opinions and undeucated louts. Arlen Specter of PA was recently dressed down for being the ignorant asshole he is. This time based on the Abomination of a socialized health care mess the House and Senate are attempting to put together and foist upon everyone who needs to work hard to support illegal aliens, 3rd & 4th generation welfare recipients and many others. If socialized medicenes are to work in the U.S. the governing factions of the executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch of government all must be subjected to it as well. Failure to restrict the three branches of government to the laws applied to the general population in regards to health care as well as other aspects of life will only be a cause for civil unrest in the future. Socialized reforms must be appiled to the members of government first to test how well it truely works. Thus preventing harm to the true tax paying bases of society.

So what else have I been doing besides running and preparing for another marathon? Drinking beer but not the massed produced swill from Anheiserbush, Miller, Coors and other crap of that ilk. Assholes Rice is not an ingedient in BEER! Enjoying some good Irish and Scotish single malt whiskeys. Killing trees, creating fire wood for next winter, working on replacing the front suspension on a 12 year old work truck; Cash for Klunkers is still too expensive a route to follow. As the newer vehicles are that much better in a fuel economy or servicability stand point and are 3 to 4 times more expensive than what is already brought and paid for. I'm waiting to see what happens if and when the Indians start up deliveries and dealerships for a pickup truck they've designed utilizing a 2.2 liter diesel and getting 30 MPG with a 1&1/3 ton payload.

Hey DODGE/Chrysler, Ford and GM. How about it? can you compete? maybe a lot less displacemt some less speed and better fuel economy at a lower cost? I would certainly purchase a Mahindra truck if it has the same reliability as a Ford. Sorry GM you blew the reliability issue with me in the 1990's.

Well on the nicer side of life. there was a reunion of sorts this past weekend of members of my old fire department. The less than pleasurable weather kept a few folks away. Heavy rains, Thunder & lightning will tend to do that.

Well as you can see I'm as much a pain in the ass as ever. But it could be worse; I could be living with you.

Trapped.

Just a series of rants and an opinion of family and societal issues. But hey; At least I'm not in a high tower unloading my issues on an unprepared & unsuspecting populace. This is a publicly acceptable method of blowing off steam and loosening the frustrations I've run up against.

Trapped;
Have you ever felt as if you're trapped with almost no way out of your predicament except to follow the course you've embarked upon? A philosphopic problem in a world where free will and mirad branches of permutations branch out before us as we look for ways of changing our lives or ways our lives are progressing.

The trapped feeling doesn't just apply to those in jobs where one may be pigeon holed to a position, but sometimes to our family lives as well. I was raised in a clanish type of family where familial responsibilities where given a priority and sometimes the encompassing effect is extended on to outhers out side the immediate grouping. That in some part explains the support and close relationship I've had with my fellow soldiers when in the Army as it service became a surrogate family of sorts. You protect family regardless of the blood relationship. It also leads to my current predicament with my brothers and their families. I'm boxed into helpinjg them because of my mind set; and the sense of abandonment if I where to take a course of action branching immediately away.

Well, I'm providing my brothers a time period where, I say, I'm walking and we need to wrap up events by then. Yes, in order to branch out yet again I need to set a limit on what I'll do to assist my brothers.

Well so much for the current feeling of being trapped. After I finish some personal commitments I've made over the course of the last few months I'll be free to wander where ever the roads and trails may lead.

I think also I shall be headed again to the Florida Keys for the winter, as the milder weather there is more agreeable. That and being able to stay on the islands for roughly $400 a month not counting the costs of food and entertainment is an enticing feature. So a stay from November through March could be supplemented by picking up a part time position; To that end I've also reconstituted my mechanics tool box. While the tools are geared to the American Inch Standard/SAE. I also am able to slide to the metric side of the house. Although my heavier tools include wrenches ranging up to 1&1/2 inch open & closed end. I'm also limited in the I do not have an Impact Gun for some more difficult nuts & bolts although I do have sets of Impact sockets SAE & Metric. Where does this lead to you may ask? Back to my last purchased vehicle the Cargo Van. Where would I place the tools in a sedan?

Even vehicles can trap us in a sense. It really depends upon how we percieve ourselves the type of vehicle we want vs the type of vehicle we need. If we have a desire for a sports car and choose that route we are then limited by financial considerations and space accomdations within the vehicle type for what we can bring along on trips. While I found a pick up truck useful, placing a cargo top on the bed reduces the full payload space and functionality while allowing one to be able to better secure goods from theft. A cargo van allows longer bed space than a pick up truck, higher interrior height than most caps will allow and the ability to add a rack system to carry some items overhead if needed. So now in a sense I'm trapped with a 20th century vehicle model that does not achieve fuel efficencies that should of drasticly improved from the 1960's 70's and 80's.

Why does our fuel economy suck? Is it because we can not build more economical vehicles or is it because we've been sold a false bill of goods? Truth is we've been sold a false bill of goods and still continue to buy into it. We as a society do not need ever more powerful engines and faster vehicles which become burdened by safety innovations which further increase vehicle weight neccessitating more powerful engines and requiring more fuel. We need to think logically about how we use our vehicles and how we interact with technology. We're trapped again by the mind set that we are smarter and better than our forebearers. Oh we are clever enough and we use technologies they may only of dreamed of, but we use it in stupid ways.

We as simple biological entities can still only provide focused thought and action to one complex task at a time. Driving an automobile is still a complex task although it has been made easier by the development of automatic transmissions and power steering; we still need to focus on speed, angles, trajectories, vectors, road conditions and other items over which we have limited or no control what so ever. The majority of drivers have a severly limited skill set. They don't realize they can more closely control their vehicles by selecting what range of gears they can operate in even with automatic transmissions and most almost always choose faster speeds than conditions warrant. We are again trapped into a faster is better mode of thought.

So we with our limited technologies want to achieve faster speeds in vehicles with design limits that can not accomplish what we want on roads never designed for those types of speeds let alone the volumes of traffic experienced today over the assumtions of traffic loads projected in the 1950's. Again we've trapped ourselves into an unsustainable model of transportation based upon pavement, tires, fuel types, space available and volume of traffic. We've about reached end point and are trapped by what we've achieved.

Trapped, a interesting way of describing what we done to limit ourselves. I feel trapped by famial commitments; we as a society by grasping for things we don't really need have trapped ourselves into an unsustainable economic engine and developmental mode; As a creatures who are clever but not overly smart in the ways we adapt to our changing technologies.

Trapped by unsustainable transportation models; Trapped by unsustainable economic models where greed closes jobs and ships positions overseas; Trapped by the very nature of our constructs. Homes too large to maintain properly without outlays of capital beyond the ability to be earned. trapped by roads and bridges built on the cheap and crumbling in disrepair due to costs. Trapped by building a disposable society based upon the concept of a disposable income.

So now that I recognize that I am trapped into a limited selection of choices on how to progress without becoming further ensnared in the identified problems. The open ended questions to be identified are all related to how should I proceed next? I can sense a way out and there is no trapping me, if I can think my way though the course of actions I may need to follow.

The Independence Day Weekend and a rant about it.

Well the Independence Day, July 4th, weekend is about over. Not that this one was overly impressive. Nor did I have much in the expectations of it. But it marks a passing of sorts as well. Other Bloggers can cover the political implications, both nationally and internationally. I just don't see it as a day of much anticipated excitement anymore. Oh there are the fireworks displays, the bar-b-ques, the various parties; yet none of that seems to stir my interests. I can't say why, its my own fault for sure; still maybe having been stuck in positions where I couldn't seem to enjoy them has dampend the anticipation of the celebrations.

So July 4th, the big events were walking 8,800 meters through the woods on a trail dedicated to a victim of September 11th, 2001; Practicing with my bagpipes and realizing I'm not playing a few tunes as well as I should and stopping at Burkes in the Hamlet of Patterson for a few beers. There I met with a person I should of remembered from high school and his sister. Yet for the life of me I couldn't quite place him. Well it isn't a big deal as I've been quite a few places in my 51 years on the planet, met numerous peoples on 3 continents, several islands, and a host of nations and states. Remembering more than a few if I stumbled across them accidentally could prove to be a trick. Still we could name the folks we knew in common.

I purchased a new MP3 player today as my previous one went tits up on me. It wouldn't indicate that it could take a charge let alone be turned on. The most difficult part was finding a cheapo unit under $30.00 with 2 gigs of memory. Finally I broke down and went to Wallymart for one. lets just say the pink color is hideous and leave it at that, a magic marker can improve the outward appearance but the functionality is more important to me. I use the MP3 player for my longer runs, as I usually am a solitary runner without anyone to talk to and it eases the monotony of the runs.

Finally the weather has improved! yesterday and today there was no rain! The 27 days out of 30 that it rained in June was psychologically tormenting. Still I'm gladdened by the break from the sodden grey pattern.

So now I'm taking a short break from the day to put down my missives and listen to some music of which one tune was banned in England for damning the justice system there. But the lively lilting tunes will be added to the new MP3 player for when I go a running.

As for running, I've started compiling a log of the distances I have covered since June 1st. this is partially an attempt to help keep me motivated to train up for and run in another Marine Corps Marathon as well as a way of keeping a journal of the days' events that observe and jot down. Much of that won't make it into the blog, but it'll be referenced from time to time as I update the blog. But that is all from me for now and I'll down load this into the blog a bit later.

Alternate Realities or A Rant about my holiday Weekend;

Thank goodness its Monday and the USA Birthday Mash is over; maybe the refugees from the Twilight zone I came across this past weekend have crawled back under their rocks or gone to work with severe hangovers at best or looking to score some more crack.

Surrealism has nothing on some of the devolved bipedal life forms I've encountered. Neanderthals and troglodytes would be more highly evolved than a few of the freaks and geeks I came across. If I were a sociologist I could of captured living breathing specimens for the need of selective sterilization.

If there is such a thing as a Moron Magnet some one must of slipped it into my pocket as they were coming out in droves. A couple probably would of been more comfortable shacked up cuddling large bore weaponry and contemplating how to pull off a successful Guy Fawkes style change of government.

Escapees from the state home for homicidal maniacs would of been more sane and easier to deal with. At least the fictional Hannibal Lecter had a cultured personna when in public. But these future contestants for the Darwin Awards had little to no socially redeaming value and if added to the list of animal parts added to dog chow would of rendered the processed meal unfit for animal consumption.

Granted I may be a candidate to contract Bovine Sponiform Encephalopathy aka Mad Cow Disease. But even folks with Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease or its variant at least have a physiological reason for their lack of social graces and ill behavior. At least two folks this weekend have descended into depths of insanity that would require a straight jacket and a padded cell in less progressive societies.

One was the anti-government ranter who railed against taxation, presumed corruption, terroristic threats from the taxation offices, etc etc etc.

The other, a female of dubious mental capacity who apparently earned a living as a speed bag in a gym from the looks of her face and displayed pugilistic tendencies while demanding some one pay a bit of attention to her where as if she had walked upon the pedestrian path as a Police Officer where to pass by would probably be taken to the neasest hospital for psychiatric observation.

Total intoxication and severe myopia coupled with beer goggles could not of rendered that specimen of womanhood into anything resembling a potential object of sexual gratification. So dark was the attitude placed upon public display, you'd think she were a devil as her tongue went clickety clack and she wasn't wearing a tongue stud.

The rural residents of Appalachia have grace and decent manners compared to the urban half wits I've encountered over the past weekend.

Thank goodness the weekend is past and many people are going back to the drudgery of every day employment, I'm not sure I could of kept from going ballistic upon an encouter with another escapee from a Forensic Psychiatric Care Facility, aka Jail for the insane.

End of ranting opinion.
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Aging is manditory; Maturing isn't.
I signed up for what? A Marathon!? Am I nutz?

Weather and life in general

By now many folks here in the Northeast are getting tired of the near daily rain fall. We've had more rain in June than Washington State. Its a rough start to summer.

As for the summer, so far I haven't done too much in regards to recreational activities. The sail boat sits land locked as the rains don't make for fun sailing, and the motorcycles are hibernating as wet roads bring out the worst in drivers.

Speaking of motorcycles, Its time to consider purchase of a new one and selling what I've already own. I've only one arse and can't ride two motorcycles at the same time, so selling looks like the way to go. But what to replace the bikes with? I'm leaning heavily towards a Suzuki DR 650. Its a healthy mix of power, speed, and fuel economy. I dislike riding the interstates and have never minded exploring the side roads and rustic byways where pavement is a vague consideration for the future.

So a dual sport bike is looking like a reasonable option.

But as there is more to life than motorcycles, fast women and as this is a PG rated blog I'll let you imagine the rest of that line. I'm also involved with a host of other activities. I'm preparing to run in the Marine Corps Marathon in October, as well as the Army Ten Miler before that. Looking forward to possibly getting some scuba diving in. Some bagpiping and a bit of logging (Timber) before my pilgrimage south for the winter.

So while my days are varied, they are also mundane. About the only thing I don't worry about is worry-ing.

So keep things safe folks, don't sweat the stuff you can't control and relax. Schedule appointments like the cable company does. As long as you show up on the correct day, Life is good.

America's Choice, not made in the USA

24 June 2009,
The United States of America a nation which doesn't comprehend irony.

Today, I went shopping for a few small items, nothing of any true consequence in the greater scheme of life. but something which give a person a reason to pause and wonder just what the F is going on in corporate America? After all there are the marketing drives to buy American in order to preserve U.S. jobs and industry. But how much do we pay attention to the goods we purchase? Today I stopped in an A&P supermarket, A&P is standard grocery chain prices are a little high but any supermarket is going to try to rip off the consumer in order to make a profit, but I digress. The Name A&P is from the old Atlantic & Pacific chain of stores and probably most people would assume they are American owned.

But what caught my eye today was something that most people will probably never notice. The item in question is bleach. yes, the stuff that gets whites whiter and sanitizes all sorts of childrens toys, sick room items etc,etc. Well I looked at the prices for several different brands and the different bottles. There is basic bleach; there is scented bleach; there is concentrated bleach. What the hell happened to old fashioned plan old bleach? Clorox is still a popular brand name and most people never give it a second thought and clorox was on the shelf in a small bottle of just the size I really needed as I don't use it too often or need much. Still I am on a budget and did a little price comparisons as well. For a slightly larger volume and a lower price there is a product called "America's Choice". That looks like a better deal price wise even though I'll probably not use the full volume of the product.

America's Choice, the name has a nice ring to it. The name implies that it is an American product. Wow a value price product that says on the labeling its is America's Choice! Then on the bottom band of the plastic bottle pritned in clear black letters as easy to read as the product label it self are three simple words that gave me pause after looking upon the America's Choice name. And those three simple words are
"Made In Canada"!

So I guess I can assume that the American choice is for a product not made in the USA.

Is there a message here I'm not quite getting?

WEIRD LOAD

Photos only

OK just some images that may make you go OK nice or just want to hurl your cookies.
I wonder though if there is any irony in the photo of the rusty bus which is operated by the Putnam county Office for the Aging.

As for the feet, Um yeah thats an ugly toenail, it was healing nicely after last year's marathon and a few weeks back i bruised it yet again. I guess it'll be a discolored ugly nail untill I get done running.

The buzzard well its just a buzzard.

The motorcycles, Well the H-D is the aborted Rolling Thunder Ride in DC for Memorial Day Weekend. Then there is the Motorcycle & Sidecar which I've sold. Fun but slow and mechanically unreliable compared to the newer motorcycles available.
As for the white van with the weird load sign. That pretty much sums everthing up.

have a great week everyone.

OK some of this is my addle pated rehashing of earlier events in june and some is actually and updating of stuff. as i'm getting ready to hit the road this week I'm not going to sweat the situation.

21 June, 2009

A very wet start to summer this year. Rumors are about which have no attributes that the forcasters are saying we will have no appriciable summer this year. Just from poorly recorded observations this may be true.

So what has happened of any consequence since my last blog entry? Not much really, there have been a few events which have been fun to participate in. time squandered & wasted, trees cut and prepared drying as fire wood, dogs and cats played with, meals eaten & beers drunks, Rivers canoed, races run, motorcycles sold and many other things done.

Still I guess I can try to elaborate some what. Two weeks ago I had joined the Group, on Saturday, for an annual canoe and raft trip down the Delaware, Now the name may not seem like much but the core of the Group has been making an annual excursion on nthe river for 20 years now. Always a fun event and never without a surprise and or a dunking or multiple dunkings. Yes a canoe when filled with water is much less stable than one that is only carrying two people and has a tendency to take on the attributes of a submarine. Dive Dive Dive.It was upon the first submergence that i lost my specticles and while my visual accuity ain't the greatest i wasn't canoing by braille either., Thankfully I always have a spare set of glasses available in my van or on my motorcycle for such possible events and was able see clearly for the drive home that evening. I would of stayed overnight for a bacchanal but I had commitments for the next day.

On Sunday, I loaded up the motorcycle & sidecar onto my trailer and took it to a flea market, i got a couple of offers on the bike and it'll be sold soon I trust. The bike has been fun but i want something more mechanically reliable and spending much less time being repaired and off the road. The 24 year old Harley Davidson is next and I've got the Kelly Blue Book prices for it and Have an idea for a starting asking price. of just over $3,000.

Monday through Friday its variations on a theme, of running and assisting with my youngest brother's parental duties by taking his autistic oldest son to a sports training activity as a form of physical therapy. On monday evenings the boy has a two hour session and I'll spend a good hour going over pipe tunes with an electronic bagpipe. But that'll be ending shortly as by Tuesday, June 23rd I'll be beginning another road trip. Hello Mississippi and points south & west.

As for last weekend,on Sunday There was the Orange County Classic 10K race in Middletown, NY. My clock time was 1:00:31 and net time was 59 minutes. OK Just under an hour in some very humid conditions. I'm glad I had the forethought to bring a dry change of clothes with me as by the time I had finished the course I was saturated with sweat even onto my socks and sneakers. Possibly the more non sequetur part of the race day happenings occured when I stopped and said hello to one of the race directors, the owner of Frank's custom shoe fitting in Middletown; who also is a Guinness record Holder for fastests runs across America. When another pedestrian runner like myself asked me it the person I spoke to was Frank Shorter the former Olymian Runner. I wouldn't recognize Frank Shorter on the streets or byways of the U.S. even if he was proceded by a brass band and advertising agency marketing hucksters handing out life size cut outs of the man. Hmmm lets string 1 + 1 together and jump to a possible answer. But Frank really is a very common name.

Saturday, it was up to the farm and dress like a modified Jason Vorhees and fire up the chain saw, Oh yes trees were going down. And they go down hard. Some are in such poor physical condition they throw off largre splinters when the hit the ground. Branches have impaled the ground so stoutly I could not roll the tree trunks using a cant pole.and would have to work carefully with the chainsaws to get where I can free and manuever log sections. Most of the trees have been cut for fire wood as disease and insect damage has been sever. But with the wetness of the late spring and summer so far we don't progress as well as we'd like as we try not to tear up the ground with the truck we carry the wood in and pull the log splitter with.

Again Monday through fireday a variation of a recurring theme and starting preparations for my road trip. New shocks and exhaust on the van along with a full servicing. Hopefully the vehicle has a few thousand more miles in her as she's passed 143,000 miles now since buying her in 2002. As for a deviation on the variation of a theme on Friday I did a 15&1/2 mile run. The long run was the opening act for my train up to run the Marine Corps marathon again this year.

As for this weekend, Well yesterday there was the Hudson Valley Volunteer Fireman's Parade in Lake George Village, NY. I saw two of my old coworkers there and said hello. I was performing with thr Fratenal Order of Police Pipes & Drums. The folks with thr P&D are way more polished performers than I am and I feel that I need much more work before i canb rise to their level of performance. But as I'm headed south this week that point is now moot and I am grateful to have had the opprotunity to of practiced with them. Biggest downside was the level of humidity during the parade yet the plus side was that the rains held off untill the buss ride back last night. a 20 hour day befor hitting the hay.

And today, Sunday the 21st I hope to deliver the motorcycle & sidecar to person who had express a very desirous interest in it. Well that pretty much should cover these past few weeks. and shortly it'll be time to shut down and disconnect the computer in preparation of the road trip. I'm glad I choose the laptop and small scanner printer setup.

When I find or remember what I've done with my camaera I'll post some new pictures.

OMG, I've been slacking

OK, I've been slacking when it comes to adding mundane content and blurbs. Not too much of any importance has been going on. I'm still stirring the pot and occasionally creating a WTF moment for some other people. But hey, its me, what would you expect?

I've made the move and decided to put the motorcycle and sidecar up for sale, I've gotten two offers on it this past weekend and I'm waiting for a call back from a third person. I'll give a call to the luckey winner (Bwahahahahaha) tuesday afternoon. Seems like $1,800 may well take it off my hands. But at least they are going to get the spare parts, shop and parts manuals with it.

After I get the old H-D fixed for the final time it goes too. I need to check the kelly Blue Book to make a solid asking price though.

Now for the rest of the stuff covering the past couple of weeks.
I am learning to love copy & paste functions.

8 June, 2009.
OK so I haven't paid too much attention to the blog for a few weeks, lets see if I can do a half decent job of bringing things up to speed.

As of this morning, I finished running just shy of 11 miles in 2 hours 3 minutes and 50 seconds. Not blazing speed by any stretch but fast enough considering the elevation changes I deal with. Dropping 50 feet in the first 1/10th mile, followed by a climb of 80 feet to finish off the first mile. from mile 1 to mile 3 there is a 160 foot drop in elevation followed by a climb of 90 feet to 4.8 miles. Droping 21 feet at 5.1 miles an climbing again 239 feet by my 6.25 mile mark. Then by the time I arrive at 6.9 miles I've desended 106 feet only to start climbing 177 feet by the time I read my 8.2 mile position. this is followed by a drop of 20 feet in 1/10th mile and no significant change till I reach the 9.15 mile mark where I begin a 314 foot drop in the lenght of 1&1/10th miles then a 75 foot climb back to the current domicile.

Sunday,June 7th, I spent the better part of the day at the Brewster Elks Flea Market with the Motorcycle and side car and a for sale sign upon it. I've recieved a offer of 1,800 dollars for it and I'm waiting for another person to check his finances. I'll call the older fellow who offered 1,800 on tuesday if I don't hear back from the other person later today (Monday June 8th). In the evening I brought the motorcycle back up to my younger brother's yard and parked the trailer there. Then set about doing some brush cutting before dinner and heading down to the domicile for the night.

Saturday, June 6th, I and a few other drunk, dazed and dizzy dimwits decided to go canoeing on the Delaware river, Conditions where nice over all and the water comfortable on the unexpected dunkings.
Costly part of the day; Loosing my glasses on the first dunking. Not good but I always keep a spare pair in my vehicles for emergencies. Well after the conoe experience i headed to my younger brother's place to pick up the motorcycle & side car for the flea market on the 7th, But a short side trip was made to the optical shop where the lost glasses where purchased so a replacement set could be ordered

So that covers the look back in more recent events. Now changing the time line and working forward from the end of May, I am of course keeping up with the running. and covered a total of 13 miles from Monday the 25th to Sunday the 31st. As for many others who will use the high school track (where I go when I try to do speed work) I refer to them as cattle and cows due to there bovine limits of intellegence. Using every track lane even when there are other using the track and staying in just one or two lanes as they run the track not waddle about. So a ne insult is being constructed Track Cattle for the bloated bovine bumblers.

Also during this period, my younger brother and myself have prepared a few trees for next winter & the heating season. Burned the brush piles of tree parts we won't or can't use. Cut a load of brush and serviced a bit of equipment.

Monday, June 1st through Friday, June 5th;

Monday, a 6 mile run on the rail trail, and a day of goofing off. Ok I wish. I also had my bagpipes out to practice with and took my autistic nephew to Karate practice. One of the things we are attempting to do is have hime become more socially involved with others. The Karate seems to help and now we are pushing him to assist his classmates in other ways. Such as wiping down the equipment at the end of the night's session. He's protesting the extra 5 minutes of effort and wasting 10 minutes in the process. Its a contest of wills. But mine is stronger. The Sensi for the Dojo has said the kid now needs to progress to proper boxing gloves weighting 16 ounces.

Tuesday, a 3.18 mile run along a NYC resevoir, did some laundry took in the new Star Trek Movie, Its OK. Has nice special effects and a fast enough paced story line. But it stretches the story lines a bit too. Still it opens the door for another Star Treck franchise.

Wednesday, 8.4 miles on the Putnam County Rail Trail. Actually had to take the cover off the Camel Back and wash it out today. The salt stains where more than heavy. They were turning the black shoulder straps brownish white. Then later in the evening I met up with the Fraternal Order of Police, Pipe Band for a bit of practice. I'll be joining them in Lake George for the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemans Parade. Then its I'll be headed for the Gult Coast to visit family this summer. Mom is 83 and Dad is 80.

Thursday, 3.18 miles along the resevoir followed by a relaxed day and taking the one nephew to Karate. On the trip to the karate class, I learned that the kid needs glasses for vision correction. He has some trouble with distance. I learned this after asking him to read the writing on the back of a police car maybe 30 to 40 feet ahead of us. He said he couldn't read the smaller print. OK, chalk up another reason he may have some difficulties with socialization. I had suspected issues with vision earlier but confirmation wasn't a revealation.

Friday, 3.24 miles on the high school track, Mixed sprints into the normal run finishing the track session in 31 minutes. Fortunately I was done before the rains came to visit all day. About the hardest thing done this day was posting out my Auto Insurance for the year and Voter Registration change of address.

OK so that pretty much covers the mundane existance and events for the past week or so.

As for today, Watch out world, laundrymat here I come! hey my running clothes reek and need the cleaning.

Oh and one final thing. I did take part in a Volunteer Fireman's Parade in Pleasantville the other week. It is supposedly the first time the parade has gone off without a serious rainfall in a few years.

OK Have a safe time everyone, Benny be careful with the school bus this final week or so of school. Don't try one of my tricks like Armor Alling the vinyl seats and then yelling at the kids to stay in the seats.

Cheers!

OK time to up date and post some pictures.

From a day hike in the Putnam County Conservation Lands to Running the streets of Albany in Red Dresses the world keeps moving and so do I.








The Red Dress Run:




Ah where the hell am I, OK its Mother's Day, Mom will get a call in a bit as she's in a different time zone. But to our mother's; Thank you for doing the best you could with us.

Now for the Updates to the blog and even some pictures.

Last part of April through the begining of May:

Well Its been an interesting week, a screwed up week but an interesting one none the less. This past Sunday I had the option of going to the Loyalty Day Picnic at the Veterans Park here in Putnam County, NY or the annual USMA tattoo at West Point. I chose the Tatto and it proved beneficial in making contacts with some other bagpipers, I'll be practicing with some members of the Fraternal Order of Police Pipers in the near future. Reasonably close to where I'm staying this year for the spring, summer and fall before I head south for next winter.

As for the screwed up part of the week I lost my wallet, not sure if I lost it out of the bike bag while bicycling on the Putnam County Rail Trail or if it was lifted. Either way it sucks to have lost it. Thankfully I did not loose my drivers license, military ID, boaters certificate, Health Insurance Card or West Point Retired Employee ID. But loosing the one credit card and ATM card along with my pistol permit, VFW, American Legion member cards, scuba diver certifications dental and dive insurance cards is a nusiance. The two hundred dollars in the wallet is a inconvienece for my monthly budgeting but not a nightmare.

So thats is the worst of the week.

If I recall correctly Friday May 1st is the Sons of the American Legion meeting in Monroe, NY and I'm making a visit specific for the purpose of thanking the members for their donation last year to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

As for charitable events I'm considering doing this year, May 9th the Halve Mein hash house Harriers will have their annual Red Dress Run in Albany NY this year, if I recall correctly, they are raising funds for the Firefighter's Burn Center there. Yes, I am considering running through Albany in a dress again. The party after the event is a crazy event as well. But all in all good fun. Hopefully the weather is good for it, the worst part is the trip up to and back from Albany, I may choose to get a motel room for the night if I get a bag on.

Sunday, May 3rd, I'm heading over to Pike County, PA, for the ABATE of PA, Chapter 41 annual picnic. Hopefully again the weather holds out for a motorcycle ride, failing pleasant weather, that I'll drive the van over.

In regards to other events I'm planning to take part in this year, I'll be running in the West Point 10K on May 16th. Followed by bringing the old HD down to DC for the Rolling Thunder Ride for Memorial Day. Then in the Fall it will be the Army 10 miler and Marine Corps Marathon in October. I'll be doing those on the cheap and stay with family in Northern VA for the 3 times I'm down there. As for the longer distance runs, I'm just planing to finish them, not win. The 10 miler should take just under two hours at my normal pace, and the Marine Corps Marathon about 5 hours at best. Although I have run a half marathon in 2 hours 15 minutes this spring and supposedly that'll reflect about a 4 hour and 45 minute, give or take, marathon.

Still, if I'm going to be doing agood deal of training for the long runs, I'll be spending a long time on my feet and will probably wear out 4 pairs of running shoes before the marathon proper. The benficial part of running is I can keep my weight down, the bad part is I'll probaly go through another 3 sets of knee braces this year (again).

Well i suppose if I post this to my blog as planned i should post some pictures as well and so I will.

Tuesday May 5th.

Well things haven't gone as planned but still life goes on and events unfold.

Went to Monroe on May first and met with Benny, we had a few beverages together and passed the time. As for making the American Legion event, that fell through due to a member passing on and an earlier function held for him.

May 2nd Saturday, I had gone up to my brother's place and we started the process of replacing brake lines on his 97 F350 pickup truck, not that we couldn't guess why they rusted out.

May 3rd Sunday a 6 mile run in the morning followed by a trip to and attending the ABATE of PA, Chapter 41 Annual Picnic. A slightly damp affair but not too sodden.

Monday 4 May, After my morning run it wasback up to the brother's place and installed new brake lines for the front half of the truck everything from the Master Cylinder south. Shaping the lines isn't too much of a problem its just getting every thing close to align properly with the space allowed isn't always easy. More impressive was forming the line headed down to the splitter from the mastercylinder as some of the bends in the original are very sharp compared to what I'll normally bend in brake line tubing.

After installing the new brake line and bleeding the system it was onto trouble shooting an electrical problem on a lawn mower. As I could not disconnect the electrical harness to the voltage regulator for the battery charging circuit and the day was getting late we called it quits. I suspect that the voltage regulator has gone south as there is a constant drain on the battery, very low amperage and about a constant two volts. most every circuit I was able to check didn't seem to affect the current draw, so by process of elimination we'll get it sorted out. But due to the vibration the solid state component is subjected to, i wouldn't be surprised if that is the problem source.

Then back down to my youngest brother's place and taking his oldest boy over to Connecticut for Martial Arts lessons. It seems to help him to focus. But now with classes running from8 to 10 PM it may be running late in the evening for him. But that's just my opinion.

Well today May 5th, I did a easy 3 miles but at a slightly faster pace than I normally run so I guess I had a good run today. Later this week I'll shoot for about a 14 mile run. But for now it is time to relax.

Finally, not all is fun and games some things are serious, but I won't take em seriously. I've also done a bit of hiking and other minor things which I haven't included but still all in all things are going pretty good.

The Red Dress Run Report, 10 May 2009.

Yesterday the Halve Mein Hash House Harriers, located in the Capitol region of NY State held their annual NURD or North East Unofficial Red Dress event. This shambles of a recreational event takes place wholey within the realms of insanity and the city of Albany, not much difference either way.

So to set the groundwork for what is supposedly a fun time and activity revolving around exercise and beer. For my self, I did not register till about 6:am on the morning of the event. Bringing the total number of registrants up to an even 80. Then a 2&1/2 hour drive to the capitol of the Socialist Republic of Neuva York, State motto, Tax em dry, where the government is so inept at controling costs the legislators are preparing to tax the working cast out of the state inorder to aid the People's Socialists Dominion of New York City from being economicly responsible and paying its own way. Yet I digress. Still I plan a route to the Cesspool City via routes which do not cost me more in fees to use them. Specificly avoiding the State's Thruway System which still allows me to arrive in Albany by 10:30 in the morning.

Before the event; Since I arrived early I found a good parking space next to the base of operations, The Bar; aka the Water Works, here is where we'll sign in pay our fee and start out upon our run/march into madness. Pay the $1.00 all day parking fee (Tax) for Saturdays and walk around the area of Washington and Central Aves. Since I ate a light breakfast i figure its time for a mid morning repast and enter a small diner. OK clean enough test 1 passed. Two ask about a egg on a rol and they say they use precooked egg patties WTF!? thanks but no thanks There are some things even I won't stoop to even though I'm in the city to run through it while wearing a red dress. Walked on and grabbed a slice of pizza and a soda instead.

Noon time and registration begins; Since I didn't register early no T-shirt for me, Thats cool as I've more than enough to last a life time, Pay my fee and purchase a couple of souvenir nicnacs such as the official beer mug with the Halve Mein Hash's logo, a bottle opener and NURD 2009 fob. Then is sitting about relaxing conversing and drinking till the chalk talk and start. The Chalk talk for the uniformed explains what marking will be used and how, so the pack has a chance of folowing and catching maybe the willy hares. Markings explained its time for the prerun warm up aka the song & dance. Then its off and we do mean off. I had to put a couple of toys away and sprint after the mob of runners in order to catch them on the far side of the park where the Tulip Festival is being held.

Did I mention that the run will usually pss through the centre of a cultural event attracting many various peoples? No, well let me expnd upon that premise. You've got your Left wingers (Albany remember a major political centre), your right wingers, your moralists, your amoralists, your Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Catholics and numerous Protestant denominations; You've got your whites, blacks, & multi hued ethnic groups and there are packs of runners and walkers in various arrays of Red Dresses running (or walking) through the middle of the event. Channel 9 News in Albany knew it would occur and even covered a small portion of the mayhem. So the main Pack ran through the Park and me with a late start sprinting after them.

Now did I meantion the weather? well the morning was dismal enough and rain was expected, So what happens? Ol Sol decides to appear and warm things up, alot. Well over what feels like 80 degrees. We arrive at the first rest point/2nd bar and imbibe the beverages o our choice. Beer, water, or watered down beer, relax out of the sun for a short bit before heading towards the capitol centre and down towards the water front along the Hudson River where we expect to find our next rest stop/Oasis. No such luck the marks weren't as clear as they should of been and we press on along the river front. Did I mention that the predominate route of this course was down hill? Well now to get to the end it will beventually become an up hill slog in high heat.

Still we are on trail and find where the hares tried to lead us astray and also maybe hopefully kill us. On to an active section of rail line, train tracks. Uh OH, We see the light, hear the whistle and everyone off the tracks. You do realize we were in so violation of numerous federal and state laws. But Loki the Norse diety of miscreants, and jokers was looking out for us and we caught a hare, possible more due to his ineptitude of leading us along a dangerous and potentially fatal path and a forced detour rather than shear dumb luck on our part. Onto another rest point/bar. Did you know that in the city of Albany ther is a excellent example of an indoor Beer Garten, Well I do now, and thus a place to head towards if I ever head back that way again.

At the Beer Garten, we make an obvious impression; Loud, disorderly, vulgar and mostly insane. I think the heat of the day had something to do with it as it felt like 120 degrees in the sun, I don't remember my incarceration, uh Lagering Over at Guantanamo Bay as being that uncomfortably warm.

Well onto the trail. Its now time to start the climb back up hill. This is where the Turkeys and Eagles split courses. OK I'm not the sanist person on the planet, but I've experience enough torment for the day, I take the Turkey Route. OH God no, not a gentle incline no but at least not a run up a steep grass slope either. Its a friggin stair way, and not one to heaven either. If we've been running upon the nature trail to hell, this would be the stair way to heaving our guts all over the side walk. Well we still need to get up hill to the bar and the final point of our madness and descent into depravity. The bar. Maybe 6 miles total distance covered by those of us who went on the Turkey Trail, But it felt more like 8 and since I'm not overly familiar with Albanyand our exact route, I'll err towards the 8 I felt it was.

At this point we are so heavily saturated in sweat from the 150 degree day and baking sun that the airconditioned comfort isn't felt. We need fluids, rest and food.. Ah and now commences the feasting. Carbs and plenty of them, Beer, Pasta, Beer, Pasta, cookies, Beer; have you noticed a recurring theme yet? Beer, salad, Beer. Oh yeah and some more beer.

After a much needed feast and a change to dry clothes, I did say the airconditioning was on and many of us were soaking from sweat. Trust me the dry clothes were very much needed as well. Its was time for the ceremonies, the songs the dances, and more beer. Well finally about 19:30 hours I bid my farewell to the masses and weave my way back to the chariot for the two and a 1/2 hour journey back to my shelter.

All in all the experience was horrible, excessive heat, poorly marked trail, missed rest stop, sore aching feet, loosened black toe nail. I can't wait to do it again next year.

Week ending Sunday April 19th.

Sunday April, 19th 2009.

Its a nicer morning than expected still today is a good day to take a break from strenuous physical pursuits and relax a bit. Than and after a eleven and a quarter miles of running hills on Saturday the 18th my knees and ankles can use the rest. Although yesterday was a very pleasant day weather wise, it was also a tough day to run. The temperature was 47 degrees (F) with 63% humidity when I started just after the seventh hour and climbed to 57 degrees (F) while dropping to 36% humidity as I finished. While I wasn't drenched in sweat there was the start of an nice sized salt stain on the camel back reservoir I carry when i run longer distances.

The temperature was decieving as the lower humidity made it feel fairly comfortable but the saving grave was the cloud cover with the satrt of the run.

As for the week in review,
Monday; Tried to get out for a morning run but having to adjust the knee braces three times with in the first half mile frustrated me and I just let it go at that. Later Monday I had gone to my brother's place and we basicly wasted the day, Some days just turn out that way. Monday evening I had gone to Cold Spring where I attended the wake for Mr, Jim Guinan and said my good-by to the old fellow. His was the small store and bar in Garrison, NY I often retreated to for a few pints of beer, comradery with the other patrons and fine Irish music during the rising of the moon sessions.

Tuesday; i had wanted to run on the Putnam County Rail Trail that morning, but where I wanted to start from was closed by construction work so I opted for a different location to run. Along the roads where I used to run when I lived in Brewster. Starting near the dam for the Middle Branch Reservoir. I ran up along it's western bank on Maple road; turned left upon Hughson Rd and onto Stoneleigh Ave in Carmel. Going Southward on Stoneleigh I am running along another branch of the Croton Reservoir system till I arrive at Drewville Rd where I turn left once more and return to where i parked my van. The overal distance was four and three quarter miles.

Wednesday; No running today, instead it was off to Cold Spring for Jim's funeral followed by a get together of his family and friends in Garrison NY.

Now as for Irish funerals they are an affair which may have no equal. Granted the guest of honor can't acknowledge that you are there nor can he or she indicate approval or disapproval but he or she is the reason for the assembling of diverse folks.

So the funeral mass was to start promptly at ten in the morning. Well most of the church is seated and its also packed for standing room. The Cold Spring Fire department Pipband lead the hears to the church and Pipers, Joeseph Brady Sr. and Jr are flanking the church doors and pipe Jim into the church. During services, Piper Joseph Brady Jr. and the church organist play the hymms selected for the day and all is very nicely done. Just before Jim is escorted back to the hearse the Cold Spring Pipeband assembles ahead of the hearse (while Joeseph brady Sr. & Jr travel to the gravesite) in order to lead it off to the cemetary.

At the cemetary, The Cold Spring Band is arrained in a line up on the hill behind the grave site while Both Mr. Bradys are just below them and directly behind the internment site. The ceremonies again are very nicely done and all the pipers performed gloriously. Ah if Jim could of witnessed the performance surely he would of had an appropriate comment, possibly; Nicely done lads now enjoy a pint.

At the Garrison golf club where the crowd retired to after the services there was much addo and a big to do. still I took the time to speak to Margaret, Jim and Cathrine and thank them for sharing their father with me I also took my time and renewed many and acquaintance to follow up upon through the coming months. As for Jim's extended family he has quite the wide breath of the nation covered from the Northeast to the Florida Gulf Coast to the Pacific Ocean. While he may of lived in mostly in Garrison since the year I was born he touch wasn't just in New York State and America but in Ireland and England as well. God bless you extended family Jim.

Thursday; Just a mundane day of running, timber cutting and laundry in the afternoon. Followed by a trip to LaGuardia airport in NYC to pick up my mother so she can attend a school reunion in NYC.

First my imprssions about the aviation diaster site on Long Island named after a short fat worthless freaking idiot. A terrorist strike destroying that supposed bastion of aviation entry into NYC would be an improvement over the blighted abortion it has become. Complete demolition of all existing terminals, parking structures, roadways and any remaining infrastructure would be a major innovation in the regards of air travel into and out of NYC. For a metropolic such as NYC to not have a direct rail connection from midtown manhattan to one of its major air terminals is foolishness. As ther are no direct rail links to either airport in the confines of NYC is as sign of total ineptitude and arrogance. NYC should never be the site of another major event untill the disaters of its air terminals are retified. In other words NASCAR, the Olympics or let alone another World's Fair should never be considered untill the inbred cretins of the Megalopolis fixes infrastructure into a cohesive functional operation.

But that aside I'll spend no monies in NYC unless there are no other options.

So Thursday night I start deliver my mother safely to my younger brother's home and just after midnight on Friday morning, I go back to my current temporary abode.

Friday;start the day with a four & a quarter mile run around Putnam Lake, followed by driving my mother around to chance to visit with some old friends still residing in the neighborhood, Followed by a pleasant late lunch in the restaurant where my parent's 45th wedding aniversary was held while I was away on military duty. I finally got to eat there, after I had done the leg work to get things in place for it all those years ago.

Friday evening diner at my younger brother's home with his mob.

Saturday; Alrighty then the day broke relatively warm and clear. I had decided that since Sunday was going to be questionable weather wise it make my long run for the week that morning. Witnin the first two miles i climbeb 340 feet of elevation and that set the tone for the remainder of the run as described in the opening paragraph.

At a little before noon I drove my mother up to Dutchess county to my other brother's place for a visit and my Older brother comes in from Pike County PA to visit as well. So for the first time since in five years my mother got to see all four of her sons in the same day. maybe not the same location but as busy as some demands of modern life are thats pretty good too.

Which finally brings me to the close of the week and this morning Sunday April 19th.
This morning I'm taking a rest, no running and will run my mother to the train station so she can head into NYC for her school reunion.

Ah back from NYC and meeting some new folks, Nice train ride down to manhattan and back. now if Metro North would designe seating to accomodate people over 6 foot tall comfortably.

Cheers

Monday, April 13th. a perspective on the world.

I'm not overly religous, living as secular life as the next person still there may be lessons to learn from faith. Easter and Passover have passed, let the Sugar Buzz commence. OK not funny but the ir-religious celebrations aside and the reflections on life death portrayed both in Christian and Jewish beliefs mirror and oppose each other. There is more to the message than the salvation of people. It was salvation, but at great cost. The First Born of the Egyptians and the First Born of God both died over the Passover Season.

Perhaps one lesson to be viewed is that we can be given a gift that comes at great cost to another. The cost of that gift, not in monetary measure, makes the gift more valuable than coins.

In Iraq, the tribal groups and religious sects have been given the opprotunity to be free from a central controling government of criminally minded people.

The costs, the lives of American, British, and Other Nations soldiers. Now it is for the Zorastrians, Christians, Jews, Kurds, Shittes and Sunnis to come together for a common good and work together. Yet they have long memories of conflict and distrust they must overcome first. What they do not have is a history however short of cooperation and peaceful co-existance amongst the tribes and sects. That now is a lesson they must learn from the history of others if they can, otherwise this experiment in self determination they have been provided is doomed to failure at their own hands.

Afghanistan; again a different time, place and mindset from Iraq and many more different human equations. The Afghanistan tribes make for as much variation within that geopolitical entity as you will find in Western Asia. From the religious extremes as displayed by the Taliban to the need for modernizing its infrastructure and lifting the spirit of the people from decades of turmoil.

The Afghan peoples; all the different tribal and culturally diverse groups too need to seek a comon ground and stand together to throw off the shackles of the limited mindset that would be imposed by the Taliban and Al Queada. The Afghan tribes have a history of being resolute against a common foe just as much as they've a history of working against each other for their limited immediate desires and goals. The Taliban & Al Queada have been weakened but not erradicated. Now it is up to the Afghan Peoples to stand and work together to climb out of their dispare and poverty. the World hasn't passed Afghanistan by, so much as Afghanistan has turned inward and ignored the world untill it was forced open.

Forced Open First by the Soviet conflict there in the 1980's followed by the decades of enforce enslavement by a midieval mindset of the Taliban. To now comming to grips that their country is not thier own to decide the destiny there of. The Government in Kabul can not govern the nation due to how it percieves itself.

There may be some similarities of Afghanistan and the American West from 1865 to 1900when the U.S. Army was more of a Constabulary Force; Keeping a peace imposed upon tribal groups. It wasn't untill the tribal entities fighting against the strenght of the U.S. Army where brough to their knees by deaths, sickness, isolation and poverty that the American west was delcared passified.

Still it was a conflict which lasted well over the 35 year time span of 1865 to 1900. It was a ideological, religous and cultural conflict. The first skirmishes of which were fought beginning with the movement westward of European colonialists.
There are many similarities to be drawn upon; from the British & French Canadian experiences to the Spanish & later French Mexican experiences.

The lessons to be learned are several. Our world is not as civilized as we may wish. The freedoms we and others desire will come at great costs, lives and fiscally. The realization that you can not kill an idea by killing the messager and the need to destroy the means of retribution of an enemy to your goal.

Passover for the Isrealites was the opening of a gate way to their freedom from enslavement. The costs was the leaving of Egypt to wander in the deserts of Sinai; The loss of the Egyptian first borns and of Pharoah's Army. Egypt was denied the means of retribution upon the Isrealites. Yet it took Generations for the Isrealites to achieve their goal of a nation.

Easter for Christians is a watershed moment when realization is made that the death of the messanger does not mark the death of the message he brought. The Ressurection symbolizes the rebirth of the message and the hundreds of years afterwards demonstrate how the message can be borne out to others.

Justice and freedom aren't just ideals and abstract concepts; Justice can be with held and freedom denied. But without people willing to risk all to allow others to experience even the faintest of glimers of justice and freedom. The hope of a more peaceful and free future for many will never occur.

Even Mahatma Ghandi realized that he could loose his life by standing and expressing his message. Just as Jesus of Nazareth and John the Baptist had. But without the few willing to stand and deliver we would not have the examples needed for us to learn from and do the same for others. Still freedoms for those in Iraq and Afghanistan can not be won with the rifle and bayonet. The Iraqis and Afghans now need stand for themselves as well and strive for the change they need regardless of the costs both immediate and for future generations.

The immediacy of Easter and Passover has passed now it is time for the harder work to commence for those who would wish to be free.

First Week of April, 2009

Sunday April 5th, 2009.
Its been one of those weeks, where once you loose control you stay behind the power curve. Well at least I haven't gotten behind the 8 ball.

On the bad news front. Mr Jim Guinan who ran his own iconic store and pub in Garrison, NY untill January of 2008 passed on in Florida this week. His was the place I often took a pint of brew in and was an anchor for a small community. A few simple words can not describe the true depth and meaning the place held for many. Alas but he and his ore are but a memory of a better time.

One of the things I meant to do during this past week was get over to the American Legion Post in Monroe, NY to personally thank the Sons of the American Legion for its donation last year to the Leukemia and lymphoma Society. Best of intentions and all; Well I got there on the wrong day. May 3rd is their next meeting and that is the first friday of the month maybe with a boot up side the head as a less than subtle reminder. I'll make it there on the correct day. Benny my apologoes for that. But I did meet Bruce & Ed at the bar last night while they were tending.

Also the new ladder truck at West Point looks rather nice. I hope it performs much better than the old one and doesn't become overloaded with so much matterial it needs a Sherpa to act as a porter to carry tools and equipment up and down the hill at West Point, NY. There would of been a aspect of comedy lended to the old ladder truck if they guys driving it last year kept it intentionally slow when I ran up Stoney Lonesome road past it. But the sad truth is it was traveling flat out up the hill and a 50 yearold man with bad knees was able to begin from a dead stop and run uphill faster than a truck that was already travelling up hill.

Well the weather hasn't been too nice overall this past week but today was most excellent. Temps in the upper 50's to about 60 degrees farenheit. Very low humidity with a modest breeze. The cloud cover was blowing out and things were shaping up as a glorious day. So how did I spend the bulk of it? Waiting for a half marathon to begin so I could run 13.1 miles in and around parts of Danbury, Bethel, West Redding and Redding Connecticut. Since the end of December the furthest distance I had run was 9 and 6/10th miles about a week and a half ago. Today's effort was just to be done for giggles and shits with no expectations of completing the event in under 2 hours and 30 minutes. Its is amazing how wrong we can be about ourselves and what we can do. Even without training up properly for the event I had a personal record for the distance of 2 hr, 15 min, 43 sec. Besting my previous best time by 2 min 39 sec. What is scary though is I am heavier now than I was in December, a month & a half after the Marine Corps Marathon.

Ah as for the effects of long distance running on the body; Blackened toenail season has begun.

Well thats all for today, Now I'm just vegitating and relaxing after a hard physical effort to transition myself into training to try to run another marathon. Only this time I'm not doing it as a fund raising event for a major charity (as of yet) and if I do use it as a fund raiser for charity, Fisher House will be the next one I support and in a more modest way.

Well that pretty much sums up the past week, be healthy and safe everyone.
Q.

The end of march and a closure to winter I hope.

The seasonal changes have seemingly begun, crocuses pushing forth from the earth and blooming, trees begining to bud out and the sap flowing copiously. Temperatures inching higher on the thermometer and the days starting to feel warmer overall.

Yes, things are looking nicer, weatherwise at least; as for economic reports, I'll leave those for the TV talking heads.

March 30th, and what has transpired over the past few days? Well I'm still getting out to run, It helps start my day and makes things seem more relaxed overall. Tree cutting, now that the sap is flowing its a challenge to keep the saws clean but the warmer temperatures make the work easier too as I'm not dress in bulky garments trying to stay warm on cold windy days.

Also as from the pictures posted you can see the condition of a few of the trees I'll be taking down. Not pretty, nor easy but it shall make the wood lot safer to manage.

Yesterday, I took part in a small 5K race in Plattekill, NY. The Lt. Mark Dooley Race of Honor. It was a small field of runners but a nice enough turnout over all.

What follows is a short description of the race:

It had been a wet and rainy night and the dawn broke sullen and sodden. If the temperature had been much higher the 100% humidity would of been oppressive, still the rains accompaning the poor weather mad for a nicer day than it could of been for the purpose at hand.

Today I decided to run in the First Lieutenant Mark Dooley Race of Honor. Lt. Dooley had died in Ramadi, Iraq in 2005 and thodays race was to honor him and those who serve and have served in the military.

The run took place in and around Plattekill, NY. a modest hamlet bordering the NY State Thruway and sliced through by NY State Rt 32. In Ulster County, NY.

There were two events today a 5K walk and a 5K run. It is the run I shall expound upon.

I arrived in Plattekill about 08:30 and the walk was in progress. The town police force is small and there was at least one office who could of been a posterchild for the Doughnut Munching Cop image, yapping on his cell phone while trying to wave traffic through. But so much for that moment. I found a place to park between a mud waller and a mudhole and made my way to the Plattekill Fire house to sign up for the 5K race which was to kick off at 09:30.

After signing in and recieving my race packet I found a quiet dry corner within the Fire Department's building where I could stash both my sweat shirt and race shirt for post race wear; Do some minor pre-race stretching; and enjoy the atmosphere without being trampled by the other runners who also wished to avoid the alternating mists and rains till start time.

09:27 and the mob takes their customary positions for the race start. Elite runners and wanna be elites pushing for the front line, the pack of various skill levels mixed and mingles and the slower runners and jokers to the rear just relaxing and have fun.

09:30 And they are off with Seabiscut taking an immediate lead, Actually the first line sprinted off the mob broke forward and I'm standing in the back waving bye bye and wishing them a bon voyage before starting off on my feeble attempt at running.

Along the way as we pass the onlookers i keep asking where the beer stops are and getting a few chuckles from the road guards for the effort. and begin the easy climb up hill to the first mile mark.

Mile One, a nice sedate and slow 9 min, 20 seconds, and the first water point. Unfortunately there is no beer. and heading on to mile two with a quick drop and another climb to the two mile mark. You know you aren't having a good run when a lady pushing a baby jogger passes you. i encourage her to hope on the back and ride the thing down hill after asking if there was room enough for me to ride infront with the baby.

Mile Two. 19 min, 20 seconds. OMG I'm going slower, I wonder if it was the driving rain which slowed me down. Even worse on the approach run to the two mile mark the faster runners are in the opposite lane heading for the finish and some munchkin about 3 foot tall is running his stubby little legs off well ahead of me; I'm emotionally crushed.

Finally I'm pass the two mile mark and gravity, the friend of the fat down hill runner gives me a break for almost 1/2 mile.

Near about 1/4 mile to the finish line I spy two other geezers of about my age group running side byside and i pick up my run to catch them and then do the worst thing imaginable. I spur/egg them on for a sprint to the finish. It looked like a horse race run by draft horses; Nostrils flaring foam streaming from the corners of the mouths and amazingly no insults. The intense effort may of been too much for words.

The three of us cross the finish line within a few seconds of each other. Unofficially my finish time was 28:16. Not my best effort but after a cold winter without any real structured training pretty good.

Then it should of been time to lay on the ground gasping for air or flopping about like a landed fish but we stayed on our feet and turned back to the finish shoot to welcome in and congradulate a few other incoming runners before breaking for a quick snack followed by a fine non kosher breakfast provided by the fire department.

After breakfast it was time for the awards ceremonies. Talk about fast times whoa the West Point Triathlon and Marathon teams had a very nice showing. As for myself, it wasn't a bad run either even with my slow time. I pulled 3rd place for my age group. I guess the damp soggy and sullen conditions work best for me.

Well aside from preparing to run in a half marathon on Sunday the 5th of April, I'm just keeping on keeping on.

Have a safe & easy Spring everyone.