Count down…

 

To Grace….

Although we’re itching to roll…there is no way in Heck ( I don’t use the “H” word) that we’d leave town before Michael’s (son) and Veronica’s (daughter in law) has their baby…My first biological to go along with Cindy’s 11.  I am so excited to be able to not only have a grandbaby but to also have a little girl to spoil “I know Kira..I’m going to spoil you too”…

We do have plan B for some rides though.  The first annual Teamster Horsemen Motorcycle Association poker run is on Saturday starting at 9 am and riding through the sierra foothills and arriving the Teamster Picnic (remember the title of my blog) to hang out and enjoy fellowship with other proud Teamsters from many different industries. 

We’ve also been invited to ride up to Reno for part of the weekend to attend the Reno Rib cook off with “Smokey” and his family.  For those who don’t remember who Smokey is I wrote a early blog about him and his ministry.  He feeds the poor and homeless every Wednesday from a small church in Tracy and I helped him out every week for a couple of years.  Unfortunately I’ve changed jobs in 2010 and my work schedule doesn’t allow Cindy and I to help as often as we’d  like.  After meeting Smokey, Cindy not only wants to help out on the ministry, but also ride with Smokey.  But Smokey and I are still like brothers and he encouraging us to roll on up (biker talk for those who don’t know)

So we’ll wait for baby Grace…have the bikes packed…and leave town as soon as we know Mom and baby are fine..

On a final note…for those who don’t know me…I’m very confident in who I am and my manliness..I’ve recently stopped biting my fingernails after biting them off and on..mostly on for the last 48 years. I try to trim them myself but my crooked eye (thanks mom) makes it nearly impossible.  So…Cindy and I are on our way to dinner and a Pedicure/Manicure…she won’t let me call it a pedi/mani (says it sounds gay)..

I’ll check in soon…

As David Russell Loring the first would say…”thanks for coming out”

Pre Retirement

Hello everyone (or those who care)

A lot has happened over the last 9 months...some sad....some pretty damn good.  As I posted in January, My dad Passed away.  He had battled and won a 20 year bout with bladder cancer, but eventually his body just gave out.  The best way to describe his ordeal at the end....is he was sick for a couple months, but was dying for only a week or so.  He bravely made it past my folks 60th wedding anniversary and enjoyed one last Christmas with us.  He passed peacefully in his sleep...in his own bed....in the house they called home since 1961....He will always be loved...and never forgotten....

Now for some pretty "damn" good news.  I reconnected with an old friend from my past of long ago.  We were best friends in 1991 as I coached her son's little league team.  We made a point to remain friends...albiet from afar as our families grew up and we lived in cities and towns apart.  Due to circumstances....we were able to reconnect in late December.  Our friendship never wavered and our conncection was instant and powerful.   She is the woman I'm going to spend the rest of my life with...and I look forward to the rest of my Life even more...

Her name is Cindy...

Oh...one more great thing in my life....My son and daughter in are having my first bilogical grand child (cindy has 11) in early September...which is what brings me to this post.  A day or two after Grace is born, Cindy and I are going to embark on a 9 day ride thru Northern California toward Crater Lake Oregon and Coos Bay then head south down the Oregon/California coast line.  I still have my 2007 Street Glide and she rides a 2007 Heritage Softtail.  I'm hoping this will be the first of many rode trips with her...One reason for this blog was to let my Mom know every day that I made it to my daily destination on the Five O tour.  I hope those still reading my blog enjoy the ride....I know I will..

Take Care....

Sad days for this Teamster

November 9, 1928
January 16, 2012

Rest in Peace Dad

You will always be Loved.....Never be forgotten.....

HELPING MOM ON MOM’S DAY

Hey everyone.  I know I haven’t blogged since the Five-0 tour, but it seemed senseless to post the Five-1 tour. 
I’m at my Mom’s on Mother’s day and she wanted me to help her load Live Writer onto her computer and I’m showing her how my writer works.
I hope all is well with all you bloggers in the world and happy mothers day to all.
waterfalls
El Capitan

These are a few pictures that  took while we were in Yosemite..

WHAT A GREAT FATHER'S DAY

 

 

To grow up and be best friends with you're father is a blessing; to grow up and be best friends with your grown sons is the only thing that comes close to that feeling.

After a long day at the office on Friday, I drove up to Rancho Cordova to visit with my dad for an early father's day.  Michael was there along with Dawn and Dave, Michelle and Mom.

After a good night's sleep on Friday night, Michael and I left Sacramento early Saturday morning for a 9 hour drive to Boise Idaho to visit with son Steven and spend father's day with the boys.  It's 566 miles from Michael's to Boise and another 45 or so to Mt. Home.  We chose to stay in Boise since there is so much more to do there.  We arrived around 3, found a place to stay, then went to dinner.  Sunday we had Father's day breakfast and Steven drove us out to his special camping spot (through rain and hail), then back to Boise for a little NASCAR, golf and visiting at the local Buffalo Wings sports bar.  Then we headed back to the hotel, Steven had to leave back to Mt. Home for a haircut and Michael and I just rested up for the drive home on Monday morning...

It was fun, insightful, and heartwarming to spend the weekend with the boys. 

I'm very proud of my sons and love them very much.  Michael....thanks for sharing the ride out there....Steven....thanks for showing us around and I'll see you guys soon....Love..Dad..

 

 

The reunion tour?...no...michael and i are visiting steven in boise idaho for fathers day...more to follow

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OH HOW I MISS THE TOUR

 

Reality has set in.  After my first week back at work (a 60 hour work week by choice) the reality of not being on the tour has set in.  I feel very fortunate to have my job at YRC.  Like I've posted before click here , I enjoy my job plus I have decent pay with excellent benefits.  With layoffs, pay cuts (me included), furloughs, and unemployment at the highest it's been in 25 years, I am fortunate.  However, not everything is rosy in Teamsterville.  The company has suspended pension payments and the union has agreed to open negotiations on our contract.  This usually means more concessions.  I won't know until the weekend what the proposal will be, but in this economic environment, does it really matter? 

Although it's only been 10 days since I was golfing, riding, and in the mist of "the tour", it feels like forever and I need a vacation...

 

BALDING????

OR BALD?...

 

 

I'LL COUNT THE VOTES IN A WEEK.....

Its over...

Its over...

TIME

Time travels at an exact pace every second of every day.  Why then does time travel at different speeds in different era's of our lives?

The concept of time speed entered my life at a young age.  Time traveled so slowly the days before Christmas or just before a birthday party.  I remember painfully watching the second hand on the clock tick away while in elementary school for the recess or "end of the day" bell to ring.  Remember being 12?  I"d tell everyone when I was 12 and a half on the way to that magic age of teenager?  The  month before I got my driver's license seems like eternity.  I remember "older" people telling me  of just the opposite.  Time went by too fast.  I didn't get it.  Time will never go by too fast.....

My 20's were somewhat of a blur.  There are parts of that decade that I don't even remember. So I will discount time speed through that era of my life.  However, the years from 30 to 49 have been the fastest 19 years of my life.  It appears that those "older" folks were correct.

As everyone who's read this blog over the last couple of months know that I turned 50 on April 30th and  as "The Tour" is coming to a close.....I am astonished on how much faster time speed is post-50 relative to pre-50. 

These last 30 days only seem like about 22 or 23 days....

Will retirement come that fast or does the perception of time speed revert back to a crawl?

 

BROTHERS

The face of a brother changes as one grows up.  I have two brothers and two sisters.  This post is about my brothers Mike and Paul.  I had the honor of spending the last 4 days with them golfing, eating, laughing, talking, celebrating birthdays, "the tour" and bonding. 

It wasn't always like this though.  Not because we weren't close,  but you can only be so close when ages differ.  The oldest of us is Mike.  He is 53.  He graduated from high school 4 years prior to me and then served in the Air Force for 19 years. I was 13 when he left.  I'm the next one and everyone knows (or should know) that I am 50.  Then there is Paul.  He is 4 years younger than me and 8 years younger than Mike; so he was about 9 years old when Mike entered the Air Force and was about 15 when I moved out of the house.  I think that much of Paul's childhood was somewhat like an only child.  Paul graduated from high school 4 years after me and 8 years after Mike.  I put an emphasis on graduation dates to manifest the fact that none of us shared common friends or era's in school that some brothers closer to age might share.

However the difference in age or distance apart, I always felt we were "close from afar"  There were parts of our lives in which we physically lived close over the last 30 years, so it's not like we haven't seen each other. Mike lived near Sacramento at the same time I did for a while and Mike and Paul lived in North Dakota together for a while.  I now live in Tracy, California.  Paul lives just north of Gulfport Mississippi. Mike lives just outside of Pensacola Florida.  The Milton Open was very competitive but so much fun.  I love my brothers very much and I am thankful we had these 4 days to share and to remember. 

Thanks Paul for making the journey and thanks Mike for having us...(and thanks Wendy for tolerating us)

We are hoping to make this an annual visit....the three brothers (or stooges as some may call)

 

I'M REALLY "NOT"

One of those people who blog about food...But this was too good to pass up.  Brother Mike made ribs for dinner and Brother Paul is enjoying is pre-birthday feast with us..

Note the sponsorship in the tip picture...

IT WAS ALL BUSINESS TODAY

Today was the final round of the "Milton Open" and it was all business.  Although there was a little bit of laughter and bonding, the mood was much more serious.  There were no camera's, no phone calls, no helpful tips to improve each other's game.....Today "it was on".......

Let me set the stage for today.  After yesterday's round of "round robin" scramble, brother Mike and brother Paul asked me if I wanted to play a second round of the day back at Tanglewood.  I'm a little competitive and I couldn't be the one to say no....We drop sister-in-law Wendy off at home and the three stooges (brothers) head off to holes 19 thru 36.  Come to find out, these two "clowns" (brothers) were purposely trying to sabotage my game.  You see....their goal was to tire me out and attempt to get me to "change" my game and "make adjustments" that would hamper my game for the final round to be played today.  I didn't post this yesterday, but my score for the second round of yesterday was 110....I haven't shot a 110 in years and my confidence was shattered and was worried that it (or my golf game) wouldn't return in time for the final round...

We played an individual stroke play round today.  The total scores for the day and the round were.

player	round 1	round 2	round 3	total
Mike	80	91	116	287
Wendy	82	91	112	285
Paul	79	89	107	275
Teamster	90	87	90	257

So as you can see...I had a pretty good day on the course..There evil plan to ruin my game to their benefit didn't work for "the brothers".....and although my competitive juices were flowing the day was thoroughly enjoyable (maybe because I won) and I hope that Mike, Wendy and Paul had fun as well..

As a side game, we also played Bingo, Bango, Bongo.  A Bingo is first on the green, the Bango is the closest to the pin before putting and the Bongo is the first in the cup while playing in order.  The score for the BBB was Wendy-18...Mike-15, Teamster-11 and Paul-10.....

Paul was going to go home tonight, but we've decided to go back to Stonebrook tomorrow morning and play a 4 person scramble and see how we score.  It should be a relaxing day and one last opportunity to to golf before I fly home tomorrow night.....

And it's brother Paul's birthday. tomorrow....so Happy Birthday Paul....

ROUND 2 IN THE BOOKS

After torrential downpours yesterday, today was a near perfect day.  The sun was shining and only a slight threat of rain and/or thunderstorms.  We had played yesterday at  Tanglewood Golf and at Stonebrook today.  

Today's format was a round robin 2 person scramble.   It was a lot of fun and very competitive.  The pairings for the first 6 holes was Paul/Dave vs. Mike/Wendy.  Dave/Paul shot a 28 and Mike/Wendy shot a 31.  The next 6 was Dave/Wendy (29) vs. Paul/Mike (30) and we finished with Mike/Dave (30) vs. Paul/Wendy (31).  The final score for the day was Dave (87), Paul (89),, Mike (91) and Wendy (91).   The two day total now stands at Dave (167), Paul (168), Mike (171) and Wendy (173).  Tomorrow we will play as singles.  The money play will be called Bing, Bang, Bong.  You get one point for the first on the green, one point for the closest to the pin, and one point for first in.  Your score will be calculated as a stroke play as individuals.  It's kind of indicative how close our skills are and how much more the scores stay with the team concept.  It's been a lot of fun so far;  some good stories and quite a bit of laughter....some with each other and some at each other...I look forward to tomorrow. 

There are some extremely beautiful homes on this course but many of them have these screened in pools because of the amount of mosquito's and other bugs in the area...

And for a side note....It's interesting to be in part of the southern Bible belt.  In the local paper, instead of a Dear Abby column, there is an advise column by Billy Graham. 

A FIRST ON THE GOLF COURSE

 

As a golfer we always look forward to many firsts....A first Par....A first Birdie.....A first Eagle......A first chip in from the sand or from the fairway.....and hopefully someday a first Hole-in-one....

However....today was a different type of first.......

A 7. 5 HOUR ROUND......

A normal round usually takes around 4.5 to 5 hours.  But we had a few delays.....

 

However.....Brother Paul didn't get up at 3 am and drive from Mississippi to "NOT" golf....Brother Mike didn't take 3 days vacation to "NOT" golf...and I didn't fly 2650 miles to "NOT" golf....We had all day to play and had nothing else we neither needed nor wanted to do...So we played golf..Sister-in-law Wendy and her friend Darlene joined us as well.

Brother Mike had set up a complex scoring system...For the first 9 holes it was a scramble boys against girls.  The boys scored 39 and the girls scored 42 on the front.  On the back nine, one of the boys had to switch to the girls team and play 3 against 2 on the back.  Paul either won or lost the draw whichever way you want to look at it. So it was Paul and the girls vs. Mike and I.. On the back nine, the "girls" scored a 40 and the boys scored a 41. 

Although the play was a team concept, the score was finalize as individuals. 

Paul.....79...Dave and Mike.... 80....and the girls.....82...

Tomorrow will be the 3 boys and Wendy.  We'll play a round robin scramble...Each of us will be on each other's team for 6 holes and then total our scored individually.  Should be an interesting day....Praying for no rain....

 

A slight delay...but not a cancellation...a slight down poor but we have all day

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FLORIDA

What happens in Pensacola stays in Pensacola?....Not really.  Today was travel day.  I  traveled  2460 miles today...although it was by plane....It was still a long day.  There was a hint of thunderstorms around Houston and it made for a couple of nice "cloud" pictures.

 

 

I'm here at Mike and Wendy's hoping the rain will stop in Charlotte so NASCAR can start the race (I am in the south and it is Sunday so I need my southern spirituality)...Mike picked me up at the airport and then we had to stop by the office and he let me stand by his rig.....

Brother Paul is due to arrive early in the morning from Saucier Mississippi for what phase 3 is really about.....

GOLF!!!!!!!!!

Tonight we're just sitting in the back yard relaxing and getting a good night's rest before  "THE MILTON OPEN"