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We went to Lincoln to have a birthday dinner with our son last night. We were on O Street which is the main artery of the city, about 4 blocks from turning on to our son’s street. We slowed for a car turning into the Popeyes parking lot when our car was struck from behind...HARD! It took a couple seconds to realize just what happened. It was dark, but I could see the mashed in front end on the car behind me. I took several anger reducing breaths while walking to the car. The air bag was deployed. I could see the woman moving but she was not acknowledging my presence. I knocked on the driver’s window. She rolled it down and I asked if she was ok. She said she was. Told her let’s pull into the car wash parking lot to get information and call police. She kept telling me she only looked away for a second. I didn’t say anything but inside I was sure that meant she was reading a text. There were no tire squeals and based on the damage to her car she hit me at at least the 40 mph of speed limit there. As we were exchanging license and insurance information in the cold, I could feel my neck, lower back and shoulder get sore. The officer arrived and after a few questions asked if either need towed. It smashed our bumper and center punched the muffler. Our car was loud, but drivable. Hers had no headlights, the radiator was pushed into the engine and coolant was draining. She was sure she could drive it home. It took several minutes to convince her she wasn’t going anywhere in that car. During the conversation, the officer asked her if she had been drinking. She said maybe 1. He had us each sit in our respective cars to get out of the cold while he completed the report. When he came to our car with our copy of the report, he said we were free to go. He was going to do a DUI test on the girl. We had a nice dinner with our son, but I was ready to head home early as I could feel fatigue from the activity. Grabbeda coffee from McDonald’s but it wasn’t necessary. The exhaust was plenty loud! We are both a little stiff this morning. Probably a good thing my cold gear is still in the dryer. I think a ride would be a little tough on the neck.

New Bike Day.

There is a ton of levers and buttons on it. It’s a really old British made thing. I did some grading, scooping, and used it to deliver a railroad lumber tie to this spot where we are putting in a mechanical gate. Kinda fun to work with. Once my husband has his garage together he wants to work on it and make it nicer. It runs well.

OK, Fine. Laugh, and I will whip you. I was scared, concentrating and nervous. Also, my butt was frozen. The seat is soooo cold. It's metal and has no padding.

Without too many details it was work related and involved an icy step and an emergency that needed an immediate intervention. I intervened for staff safety and during that part involved a hit just right to the glasses, face shield, eye. All calmed and I stepped backwards to give space. That is when I stepped on the edge of the icy step and went plop. Two freaky accidents in one but in the end all is ok. I also get to maintain my reputation of not asking staff to do anything that I would not do myself. that said, I may be getting to old for physical interventions with young adults who are in distress.

RandomGuy can write a hell of a fiction short story.....at least I hope they are fiction....

This, swollen knee won’t fit in jeans and I think a bit of a concussion. Feeling a bit better than yesterday.

We went wild today. Skipped the waffles and made French toast for Einstein and the Airedales. All were satisfied.

My travel book is just about ready to publish. Just three more daytrips to gather material. Have 118 locations and around 300 photos. Expecting by the end of this month. The front cover...

It is truly exploding. A 2 bed 1 bath 988 sq ft, one car garage, boring looking home in a meh neighborhood just listed for 190K. Another 2 and 2, one car garage in an OK hood, outbuilding in the back like a larger shed, listed for 210K Both of these homes listed in the last 24 hours We have 1050 sq. ft, 2 and 2, HUGE detached garage, on a nice flat lot, in a very desirable neighborhood. People all love this neighborhood. Our list price just went up again.

I am on the East Coast. A scallop dragger sank on Dec 15 with 6 soles on board. I was flown out to help the team locate the site. Been out to sea for 12-14 hours a day and sleeping/fixing gear the rest of the time

Keeping you both in my thoughts. Her journey has been an amazing love story filled with care and respect. I admire and respect you.

My husband took pics. I look so scared. Maybe I will share if you don’t laugh

You are so fun. I always love your posts. I was a little spooked at first. I thought the thing could tip if I did something wrong. Hubby laughed and just told me to play around and practice. So I scooped, graded, and learned how to start it. Starting it is not like my truck. Choke, start position on the stick, gas pumping lever, start. It starts so well if you do the right switches. The key is funky.

That did not sound like a fun ending to the night. The last time I was rear ended, the car that hit me was totaled, my trailer hitch actually punched a hole through their license plate, through the radiator, and pushed the hood up into their windshield cracking the hell out of it. I had zero damage to my jeep. the car actually never touched the bumper of the jeep.. That mad me sad because I wanted the nice metal bumper instead of the plastic one. The car that saw it all happen shouted out the window... DAMN... I'm getting me a Jeep!

That is because you are living your life. For me..., I have a great wife of 30 years that we actually didnt mind the whole covid lockdown thing because we like being together so much. I have 3 great kids who are secure in adulthood with little drama and all are passionate about their work fields and seem happy and balanced in the lives they are living. I would be too afraid to change anything and risk screwing up what my family is now

A while back I was writing short essays about my companion/ dog Badge here's a sample Posted November 15, 2015 A friend at work had come into a boat, not sure how but he now owned a fourteen or fifteen foot runabout with an outboard motor. Milt invited a few of us from work to spend a Saturday at a local lake with him and his family. Badge, Linda and me; a couple guy's from work; Milt, his wife & two boys all gathered at the lake. There was a problem with the boat, don't remember what. So we had hamburgers and beer on the shore Badge was having a fine time being petted, played with and fed hamburgers. Badge did not snatch food, she would look the giver in the eyes, and hold their gaze while she gently took the offering, then wolf it down. This strategy worked well for her. So after the food and beer we looked at and fixed the boat. A few of us piled in the boat, some body was on water skis and off we went. Badge had not been invited. She didn't know anything about boats, but she knew her people were on one and leaving without her. Somebody stated the obvious "your dogs following us" "yep, she'll probably turn around" After a shortened circle of the lake, we stopped and hauled Badge aboard. A good two or three hundred yards off shore, with no sign of turning back. Badge didn't look like she really trusted the boat, but it beat swimming.

A little to the left.....ahhhhhh, that's better.

Oh dear. Those are bad! Ha!! I'm feeling much better now that I've recoverd from the Covid shot! I did three loads of laundry. Easy stuff, but still tiring. Nice being able to walk up and down stairs without having chest pain! Made me smile. Then I sat down for a while. My right arm where they went in for the Cath is a little more tender and achy. Weird. Maybe I am using it more than I should?? I seem to be doing ok with all the new meds. I'm doing better with eating. For a few days my belly was hungry but when I started eating it just wasn't interested. I've lost four pounds. Yay! I'm feeling pretty good. Thanks.

Most of my writing is restricted to thank you notes.

Gives me "street creed"

You should both get checked out...

Based on your recommendation, I looked on Amazon to order the book. Amazon tells me I ordered it some time ago, probably the first time you mentioned it here. So I went to look in the spare bedroom where there are piles of books I intend to read some day when I retire, only to realize that the only way to see if it's there is to undo all the piles, and that seems problematic. So I'll probably get around to reading it some day, when I get to it in the big pile-o'books.

You amaze and impress me. Your dedication to your staff and students is inspiring, but as your friend, I also want to make sure you take care of yourself. Take whatever time is necessary to heal. Even mild concussions can be tricky and rushing back is doing no favors to you or the people who need you to be healthy. On the plus side, the smokey eye look is still in, so if you just make up your other eye, you'll be quite stylish. On the down side, you do make me feel foolish for carrying on about a cut on my finger.

Anyone done those crazy 24 hour mountain bike races? I did a couple years of the 24 hours in the old pueblo, Tucson AZ. The last one I did as duo back in 2011 and it will probably be my last (unless I do a team category some year and can just do a lap or two). The 16 mile laps were pretty fast - 1 hours for the super fast to 2+ hours per lap for the slow amateurs. I got 6 laps in and was dragging tail at the end. I still remember the 2am lap, hoping my headlight wouldn't give out and wishing it was over. My most concerning issue was my jaw was sore and would would click and feel like it was going to lock up for a couple days after (and a nasty sore throat). Probably because I spent 12 hours with my mouth wide open gasping for air. That's pretty much when I figured out endurance riding wasn't my cup of tea. I've done a few century rides since then and every one of them has been fun at the beginning but pretty miserable towards the end. As they say, it's not the destination, it's the journey!

You must already know about the chicken crossing the road eh. Poultry in motion. No matter how you push the envelope it's still stationary. How ya doing.

I struggle to write a coherent e-mail. I was informed that "Hey Dickhead" is not considered a proper opening...

Does writing specifications for electrical equipment count? Concept reports about charging plans and projected utility costs for municipal electric bus fleets?

Stationery. With an e.

Yeah, I've written and published 3 books and several short stories. I'm working on a fourth book right now (not part of my series), and have at least 3 more books in process, as well as a couple of short stories. I write pretty much every day.

I found a place that would build you a she shed for $1,000. I like Smudges better, she put the door on the and and extended the roof and made a porch.

i tend to write professional stuff and research. Things I have published are boring. I do fiddle, however.

Don't tell HoSmudge. He is this close to buying a work tractor. If he does, there will not be a grain of sand unturned at camp. But it's awesome that you are learning how to do that. There's definitely a knack to it.

I'm killing time while starving and can't wait to eat. It'll take another 15 min. or so for enough water to boil off of my chili to be really chili - water I thought I had to add at first. Once all the ingredients began boiling together the extent of water made itself apparent. Oh well, a good, long marinating of the ingredients will make it better. I hadn't made chili for months, and I normally add 2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with the cans' water along with the water from two cans of beans (kidney and pinto). But "tomatoes-on-the-vine" I just bought on Wednesday were already turning too mushy to use on sandwiches and I knew they'd be fine for chili. So I weighed them and a plum tomato that was getting old and they weighed 28 oz. Perfect. I chopped them up on a plate instead of a cutting board so I could add all the tomato water to the chili, but thought there still wasn't enough water: Here's how it is now. That's thick enough for now. I'm eating. Bye.

The Rolex 24 is Saturday/Sunday 29/30 and the Daytona 500 is February 14 with a full slate of Clash/Qualifying/Duals/Trucks/ARCA and the Cup from Tuesday through Sunday of the preceding week. There will be much love on the 14th............just not between drivers.

Ugh. Be safe and take care! Can we send you a care package?

We will. Unless it takes a turn, I am going to avoid the ER with concerns as they are. I will call my regular Dr’s office tomorrow.

HAHA This is my choice. I believe this is the right one, that I can afford. I want a Wolf, but $$$$$. I can only afford $$$$

She went to the car wash

I should have had a V-8.

I fell asleep just reading that short description!

I will. Should be available - both ebook and print formats through the normal sources (Amazon, Apple, B&N, Google and a couple others). Photos are a compromise, as many are street photography to illustrate, while others are standout. Also, as a "Bonus" due to the nature of illustrations and book pricing by size, have to be low resolution, but will have links within book to for full resolution to view (and offered for sale at greater profit than the book.) There are 9 chapters, plus 1 additional "About Me" on ebook/back cover for print version. 1) Introduction, 2) Orange County, 3) Seminole County, 4) Osceola County, 5) Local up to 30 miles (covers the adjacent overlap to neighboring counties), 6) Daytrips 31-110 miles, 7) Membership and discount plans (individually limited it to free-$20), 8) Bonus (where I have the links for full size photos - presented as a benefit), and 9) Exclusions (three areas - cost above $20, Frequently changing making book obsolete before printed (i.e. restaurants, etc) and could be - and are - a book in and of themselves (i.e. golf courses). While a photo starts each chapter, will reject attaching all 9, but here are a few. Tried to make them relevant to the chapter. The kissing manatee is "Introduction".

I do joke around a bit here, but I wouldn't joke about that. I did do a roller century. I don't know how many altogether that made, I'm guessing somewhere around eight, ten, maybe? I wanted to start the new year off with a challenge, and that seemed as good as any given the weather was miserable. Lined up some movies and some historical documentaries to relieve the boredom. At mile 18, it started to get difficult to pedal. By mile 20, I was thinking I was a real weenie because it became so difficult. I stopped and realized the rear tire was going flat. No big deal. I grabbed my other road bike and switched the computer over because I have the same model computer on both. Except the pickup on the other road bike didn't work any more. So I cut the wire ties off the cable on the first bike (yeah it's a wired computer) and quick zip tied it on the second bike, and started up again. I suppose I could have just changed the tube, but I figured if I'd gotten a flat while riding rollers there had to be something rather wrong that would only puncture the new tube. I pretty much always take at least one waterfall picture on my rides, and I took one on this century too:

I knew you were planning a smaller house, but I think you could consider something just a bit bigger...

There's a financial opportunity here for you here. Drive to the top of Mt. Washington, strap a GoPro to your head, then run down the mountain remembering to pretend you're breathing hard. Lease the video to the treadmill company but send them a version of the video shown backwards. Just get good insurance to cover yourself against all the people will drop from exhaustion trying to run up Mt. Washington as fast as you ran down.