Some Simple Truths
Hodding Carter once said, "There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other wings". That thought has always struck me deeply as I believe, that is what I was doing in raising my boys. I just didn't put it quite that way. I think I tried anyway.
Along the way, many things happened to alter the basic premise I started with, but like any plan, they will fall apart at first contact. I must also say that the plan Flame and I came up with to raise our children was an unspoken agreement that even without thought or spoken word we both changed as circumstances dictated. One of the first things we learned was " Be a good listener, your ears will never get you in trouble." I am pretty sure with all the natural growing pains, angst, acne, and boyhood bravado, we managed to satisfy Mr. Carter's bequests. At least I know I am proud of my children and don't worry too much about them and there lives. It is a comfort.
I came across another quote recently that suprised me greatly. It fits into what we were trying to impress on our kids but also it also surprised me of the author of the quote. I'm not sure why, but it did. Anyway, "Values are like fingerprints, Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything that you do". - Elvis Presley

New Beginnings


I have been busy since my last post. My oldest son and his wife just purchased their first new home. It is wonderful. To them, it was a nightmare of paperwork, credit checks, disclosures, inspections, negotiations, points, more inspections, more negotiations, and finally some signatures and it was theirs. They were both worried, exasperated, frantic, scared and nervous until the signing was done, paperwork handed over with their keys and walked out of the title office.

I have never seen such shining glorious smiles. They were both grinning so big, I thought their faces would crack. Amazing. They have not stopped smiling. They don't yet see, the repairs that will have to be made, the insurance costs, the interest, or any of those sometimes discouraging elements of home ownership. They just see the house they want to make their home. And that's as it should be. Bless them both.

Flame and I helped paint all three bedrooms, the bathrooms, hung new light fixtures, cleaned all the kitchen cabinets, painted the shelves, drawers, closets, pantry, changed all the locks, added missing pull chains, hardware, clothes rods, new plumbing for leaking toilets, shelves and other little tasks that wore us out. The kids handled the moving part, using borrowed pickups, in-laws, out-laws, friends and family, moved everything from the apartment to the house in two days.

Then after the adrenaline rush was over, crashed and slept 10+ hours. But you know what? When they woke up, I bet the smiles were still there and will be for a long time.

I'm really beginning to max out on my tolerance meter.

Let's say I break into your house....

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests. Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors; I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house). According to the protesters, not only must you let me stay, you must add me to your family's insurance plan, educate my kids, and provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do your yard work because he too is hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part). If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know.And what a deal it is for me!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being an anti-housebreaker. Oh yeah, I want you to learn my language so you can communicate with me.

Three Score

Sixty years ago in the little town of La Junta, Colorado, I apparently arrived screaming and wailing. The nurses at the hospital where my mom (also a nurse) worked knitted me little booties and stuck cardboard in the bottoms so that when visitors viewed the newborns, One, in particular, drew laughs, guffaws, pointed fingers, comments and giggles. Those darn booties must have been 6" long. The wrapped little bundle with the blue skull cap also had these huge clown feet sticking straight of the bassinet and drew gales of laughter.

Well, Fine. If that is the tone that marks my birth, so be it.

I do find that I tell jokes, all kind of jokes, I like it. I'm pretty good at it and I enjoy the heck out of listening to laughter, seeing smiling faces and sharing new humorous adventures. So clean or dirty, PC or not, I will continue as long as I live. I figure if I'm still making folks grin, it means I'm still able to walk on the short grass and that's not a bad thing.

It's good to have Friends

I have good friends. That is not a light statement to make. There are rules to friendship and responsibilities. I accept them whole heartedly. On occasion, friends can help you out of a spot of depression or worry or whatever just by listening, being available, advising or even, if needed, to whack you between the eyes and say get your stuff together and fly right. Sage advise seems to be the most prevalent. I include my friends in my extended family, as I have related in a previous post, it is a marvelous amalgamation of in-laws, outlaws, saints and sinners. I would not trade them for the world.

I have them in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, California and places I can't remember. I'm not bragging per se, as I am sure everyone has family and friends spread from the south 40 to beyond. I'm just saying that this "Group" is special and dear to me and it makes me feel lucky to have them.

I don't know the criteria involved in getting these wonderful folks enmeshed in my extended family, I just know it happens. Whether they are children of friends, old school mates and their familys, people I met in the service, or friends of my bride and her family, past neighbors, they have all just merged into the Prairiedog Party. Good listeners, readers, thinkers, merriment makers, erudite wits, gourmands, pert and perky, crusty and stubborn, but not a mean bone in their bodies.

I know that all are intelligent, caring, happy people. We all seem to enjoy each others company, but can be apart for long spells and pick up right where we left off. There are some that do not know or have met many of the others, but I'll bet my best bottle of wine, that they will click when they do meet and I hope they all meet sometime.

I had the unique and most wonderful pleasure this weekend. I climbed into a helicopter for the first time in 23 years and went for a tour of my hometown neighborhood and golf course. But the most amazing part was the trust of longtime friend, Greybeard. I admit I was nervous, my bride was nervous and more than awed at Greybeard's generosity.

The feelings I experienced were awesome. I was surprised I was able after a few tries to fly semi-straight and in trim. I was able to hover though landing was tougher than I remembered. Seeing my neighborhood from 500' AGL was great, even though Flame said she didn't see much of the neighbors as she was just checking that all our shingles were on. She loved every minute of the flight, but was disconcerted in turns at how vulnerable she felt. She wants to go again.

I was flooded with memories and that above all else was ..... mind-blowing, I can't express how wonderful it was to relive and experience flying again after such a long absence. I guess I'm just going to have to find a way to get back in the saddle.

Greybeard, Thank you. I have more to say but will save it for your next RON and over some suitable libations.

Do we ever really know the ones we love?

I have been enamored of my bride Flame for 45 years. She has been my best friend for all of that period. We have been married for 36 of those years. I would have bet my John Wayne collection of movies and memorabilia, that I knew her cold. I would have bet we could appear on the old TV show, " The Marriage Game" and won the thing hands down. Duh......

She has always been shy, very reserved and a little standoffish until she knows someone really well and they have earned her trust and friendship. She doesn't write letters or thank you notes and hates to have her picture taken. When we do have family get-togethers and someone has a camera, she ducks, bobs and weaves to avoid the lens and any record of her presence. For her to sit still and smile while you take her picture, rates you as one of the truly blessed. So Greybeard, thank you for that shot of Flame and sent us. It was wonderful. That is Flame at her finest.

Recently, Greybeard and I were able to soar into the world of tricks, wires, mirrors, magic, smoke and science and have elevated our IM to sight and sound. What a wonderful invention is the web, IMs, and Computers. I am awestruck. We added MommaNurse and hope to add more soon. I found that my bride, absolutely will not get on the computer or even come into the room if I have the camera on. Weird, it blows my feeble little mind. I asked her about it and she can't really articulate her reticence, but is certainly adamant about not being caught on camera.

I purchased the cameras to send to each of my sons, and I hope to be able to talk to my granddaughter, live and in action soon. I asked Flame if that would make a difference and would she go on camera for that. She's not sure, but probably not.

I guess I'm just getting old or something. I mean 45 years and I wasn't even aware. Shame on me.

Mi Familia.
My Clan.
My Support system extraodinaire.

I am a family man, it extends well beyond traditional boundaries and genetic lines, across the span of the country and back again. I think it is a factor of friendship, lots of love, emotion, joy, caring, responsibility, duty, and maybe just a little tinge of destiny. I'm not sure that's all that encompasses them, but it sure is satisfying and wonderful that they are there.

Flame and I were friends for a long time before we married. My three sons have become friends. Now that's a remarkable feat, since I worried, grew frustrated, was scared, and just a tad PO'd at them all at one time or another. They are adults now, with family's of their own and I am so very proud of each of them.

They were raised on three continents. Their experiences are part of their makeup and they have apparently stood the test of teenage angst, college screwups, poor decisions, painful lessons and are now Gentlemen. I will explain more about that later.

Mi Familia. It extends from Florida to Washington State, from California to Maine.
It includes, Sisters,(both genetic and of the heart) Mothers (genetic and of the heart),1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins on both sides of my family tree, room mates from school, military friendships, neighbors of old and new, and each and every one of them can be named "Friend".

I am awestruck when I think of these wonderful people, kith and kin. I am blessed. I know as one of my friends said" I would drop everything and hop on a plane and say What can I do to Help?" if it came to that. I would do it, I know they would do it, my sons would do it, because that's what we are...collectively. We didn't start out that way, but that's the way it happened. How Marvelous!!!!!

I am a proud man to be a part of such a mixed bag of wonderful, wonderful friends. So Happy Father's Day, Happy Flag Day, Happy Birthday US Army, Flame, Happy Aniversary.

Reading. A solitary exercise in entertainment or study. I discovered a number of years ago, that it need not be solitary. I read to my sons. It was fun for them and absolutely marvelous for me. I searched for books to capture their attention, keep their interest, and encouraged them to read. Today, we all have libraries that are eclectic, entertaining, and enthusiastic. We chat on the phone and mostly discuss new books, screenplay, movies, and swap titles when we can. I hate to get rid of a book, I might want to read it again. Space being what it is, I occasionally have to purge my stock. Never fear, I always have a son that will take what I get rid of.

Newly arrived in the reading department are the wonderful Books on tape, CD, or MP3. Wow, what a concept, and again it's not solitary. I am growing a larger collection than ever. It makes trips seem short. In fact, Flame and I have to watch the gas gauge carefully or our inattentiveness will leave us stranded. We sometime arrive at out destination, having been immersed in a mystery, or science fiction novel, and have to drive around the block for that last chapter.

The good news, it's still cheap(relatively), entertaining, and always educational. It is one of my favorite pastimes, and I have so many choices of media. Wow

As this is my first blog, I am tempted to just tell everyone about myself, my life, family etc... But then I decided to vent. I don't intend to use this blog to rant and rave and generally impose on anyone, but some things have to be aired out so to speak and I am gonna get right to it.

New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment, is my home and generally I am pretty satisfied with it. It is beautiful, it has charm, good food, and some of the most hospitable weather around. That is if you don't mind DRY. We have no Hurricanes, Earthquakes (ok, small ones and rarely), Floods, tornados (again rare). We do have FIRES.

We also have some of the most inventive politics I have ever seen. Some Good, Some Stupid. Some come under the heading of this post. Our legislature in its infinite wisdom has enacted a new law raising, I say again, raising the dollar amount one may shoplift before it becomes a felony. It was $250.00 before and now its $500.00.

Why, you may ask, well its simple, inventive and borders on the incredulous. It seems that some one figured out that this law has not been updated since 1975 and the cost of living and the price index has risen a lot since then so they changed the law to keep up with the times.

Helll0oooooo, I feel sure that the local retailers have massive headaches from slapping themselves on the forehead and screaming,
" You've got to be kidding?"