As you can probably figure
from the lack of entries, I haven't had much, if anything, to say.
In fact, it's mainly guilt that has me here today. Between the
heat and the rainy weather, I'm averaging a week or two between
fill-ups on the scoot, and I haven't done that in years; it's usually
been 2 to 3 days.
well, I've been sitting in front
of this screen, off and on, for all day and this is all I have to
say. My next VA appointment is Friday; maybe I'll have something
by then. Ride safe, y'all.
7/24/08
Ok,
not quite as long this time. I had my first follow-up visit
after the radiation last Friday and found my total T-4 has dropped
somewhat from prior to the methimazole, but it was higher than just
after. What's that mean? Damned if I know but I go back
in two months (to the Superclinic, which is slated to open 8/22).
Riding-wise, I've generally been out Tuesday through Saturday nights
but it's just not the same as riding in the daytime. Today,
though, I decided to test it out. Not bad at all! Of course,
it was cloudy when I left around 10, and I got thoroughly drenched
by a heavy shower on Gulf Beach Highway (which felt wonderful, except
in my boots). I rode out to Perdido Key, to Johnson's Beach,
and was back by noon...with no apparent ill effects. Wish me
luck 'cause maybe, just maybe, the heat intolerance is getting a little
more tolerant. Ride safe, y'all!
8/11/08
Hmmm, nearly 3 weeks this time...
It's been pretty much same ol', same ol' witha few daytime outings
since the cool(?) front went through last weekend. I'd spent
mornings of much of the last week taking down an ornamental tree that
was threatening to take over and found that I felt pretty good.
I still try to stay out of the sun between noon or so until about
5 but I may start stretching that some. Too, I'm not venturing
too far away from heat shelter... but I think it's getting better!
Tuesday
nights are still primarily Hooters on Bayou, but Hub Stacy's on Wednesday
seems to be dying back some. I understand some of the traffic
is going to Intermission on Palafox, but I haven't been there yet.
Of course, my Thursdays are heading for Seville Square, although I
could only take just a little bit of the Sawmill Band the other week.
I can handle country rock, but, then, there's COUNTRY! Gimme
some jazz or pop over that, anytime. Friday and Saturday evenings
are pretty much PMS, except whatever the screwup Friday night, when
it was locked up. Oh, well...at least the riding weather was
good.
Anybody getting a tad curious as to how this 5 Flags Bikefest
in September is gonna fare? As far as I can see, all I'm interested
in is Saturday, with the bike races. The event is being billed
as family oriented so maybe they should call it 5 Flags Motorcycle
Enthusiast Fest???? At least I'll have my new teeth by then.
Y'all ride safe and, just maybe, I'll seeya on the road.
9/8/08
I
guess if somebody'd been paying me to write this, they'd have fired
my sorry ass by now! At least you can't complain about keeping
up on the "What's Happening" page, though. There's enough new
stuff coming up all the time that it's the rare weekend we don't have
choices. Okay, major stuff to come up to date as far as
this blog is concerned:
As of today, I'm 3 weeks smoke-free and
pretty much past the worst part with only the occasional craving.
I had the 3 broken teeth removed and plate upgraded although it's
still a tad sore (it felt like my dentist was using a backhoe on one
of them even as she was apologizing, bless her heart). We FINALLY
replaced the flooring in the kitchen and family room, and Mom likes
it! Replaced the rear tire on the scoot(28K+ miles!; but I haven't
been anywhere!?!?) Oh yeah, and have been riding more in the
daytime with no apparent ill effects...like, maybe, the radiation
is working? I've got the labwork at the VA this week and follow-up
with the Doc next week to find out. Damn, that's a beautiful
new facility. Finally, Muff's back from sea a touch early and
the final steps are underway to get PMS legal. It's up to ECUA,
now.
That's it for now and let's hope Ike doesn't give me anything
to write about. Y'all try to be safe out there on the road and
watch out for one another.
9/15/08
S'prize,
s'prize, y'all (it's hard to do Gomer in writing...)! I got
the blood work done at the VA on Friday...last time I schedule fasting
blood work as late as 9:15... and at 2:30, had a call from my Doc
to get back over there to the pharmacy and pick up a prescription
to start IMMEDIATELY! Well, I had figured my weight gain, lethargy
and a few other "personal" problems were the result of the smoking
cessation but, according to the drug facts sheet I got with my synthroid,
that was just the radiation working as planned. Hmmm, wish they'd
told me about the "plan". Anywho, it's amazing how only two
days on synthroid already feels so much better. I do think when
I see the Doc on Friday that we should consider monitoring more frequently
that every other month, though, at this rate. Gee willikers,
boys and girls, I might even feel like riding to Thunder Beach in
a couple of weeks!
I'll shut up for now and maybe go riding.
Take care and be safe out there; they're really out to get us!
9/21/08
5
weeks smoke-free, and riding in the daytime; it doesn't get much better
than this! Here's a guest rant, which I fully (mostly) agree with:
"For
many years there just weren't any motorcycle events along the gulf
coast. Now in the last few years there are more and more.
Now events are appearing like popcorn popping. So many that
they are beginning to conflict with each other. Yeah, I know,
they are all worthy charity events that just have to go on.
Well, you and I know that there is such a thing as too much of a good
thing. Every motorcycle dealer is getting hit up for free donations.
It costs that dealer money to donate to all of these and many are
getting quite tired of the "worthy" events.
Here from Pensacola to Panama City we have an annual motorcycle calendar
meeting. Here the clubs who care all send a representative to
announce their dates and to work out any conflicts. Conflicts
like Crestview having a big event and Ft. Walton also at the same
time. Neither will win if they don't come together and work
a date out.
I am now seeing popcorn
events coming up that are not for motorcycles but come any way and
spen dthe day in a parking lot looking at boats. Donate while
you are here kind of events. The VFW's, Legions and so forth
are having more events than half of the riders can go to.
Some weekends there are as many as four events within riding distance
so some one is going to really lose. Probably all four.
Everybody has their hearts in the right place but are over loading
the system to say.
Fossil"
What do y'all
think? Ride safe and I might even seeya in PC next weekend!
10/3/08
Hmmm, almost 2 weeks, but I have
a good excuse: I've been riding! Probably the only reason you're
getting this now is that I woke up at 4AM and couldn't sleep, so at
5:45 there's not much else to do. The Doc doesn't want to see
me again until the middle of December but he did take me off the blood
pressure meds, so that's one less pill to remember.
I WAS going
to go to Panama City last weekend but, as I started eastward I remembered
that the past few trips to Thunder Beach had ended with me wondering
why I bothered with the traffic, heat, same ol' vendors, and
amateur rider/drinkers. Consequently, before I ever reached
downtown P'cola, I turned around and rode into Baldwin County.
It made for a much more pleasant trip, and I spent a whole lot less
money.
Mid-week, I've still been hitting the regular bike nights
but, somehow, it looks to me like the Hooters crowd is getting smaller
on Tuesdays. Actually, that could be a good thing since their
parking lot can get dangerously crowded. The new Thursday night
Beef O'Brady thing (actually, every other Thursday) seems like it
might last, at least until somebody complains about beer in the parking
lot. There was about 20-25 scoots there last night.
On
the homefront, life is good,as well. I finally convinced Mom
she didn't really need her car and that is now happily gone to a better
home. No more coming home to an empty carport and being terrified
her 89 year-old reflexes has gotten her in over her head or worse,
in a ditch! Well, that's enough for now; I'm doing well and
I finally smell the coffee from the other end of the house.
Y'all
ride safe and I'll seeya at the Bears Run in Pea Ridge this weekend!
10/12/08
Okay, so I'm just getting crotchety(?) in my old age;
no, I didn't make the Bears Run last weekend. I just didn't feel like
being in a crowd. I have gotten some good riding in this weekend,
though. Saturday was out to the east, stopping by Renegade
and All Star, and visiting the Navarre Beach artsy thing, so Sunday
I headed west. It was just a good back-roading day and I finally
found out why I never found the Hewg Pen before; you can't get
there from here: you have to go to CR65 first!
If you're heading
south on Hwy59 out of Foley, head west on either CR12 or CR10.
Baldwin County, in its infinite wisdom, has CR16 between those two,
and it doesn't go through to Hwy59. Head west on CR16 until
you think you're lost, and then go another couple hundred yards and
it's on the north side of the road. Slow down going through
the gate and let the sleeping dog move first. The beer was cold,
though.
On the trip home, I took Canal Road to Orange Beach and
avoided the Shrimp Festival traffic. It was right gusty, particularly
going over the Perdido Pass bridge, but it sure felt good to feel
normal, riding in the sunshine. Now, to lose this extra 30 pounds.
Y'all ride safe, now, y'hear!
10/21/08
Another
week of good riding weather and, now, it's even getting cool!
It just doesn't get any better than that. But wait, it does!
If you've been following the continuing saga of the Panhandle Motorcycle
Society (http://www.bikers-pms.org) you'll remember our travails.
Well, there's a VERY GOOD possibility we'll be legally open this weekend,
and that's what's better!
In the meantime, I'm now over 2 months
smoke-free, and still about 30 pounds overweight. At this point
I'm convinced just time and finding the right dosage of Synthroid
is what it's gonna take to get me back down, so I dug out my fat jeans.
Y'all take care, ride safe, and enjoy the fair. I'll seeya when
I seeya.
10/28/08
I have just been informed, via e-mail,
that it's time for another update. Thank you, Bill. Now
for the good news: PMS DID open last weekend, and has been open for
members every day since. The official "GRAND OPENING" and open
house is scheduled for Saturday, 11/1 but there's a big Halloween
party Friday night. This is supposed to be for members only
but since one of our zealous members sent a copy of the flyer to everyone
he knows between Mobile and Panama City, it may turn out to be a de
facto open house. We'll see.
I hope everybody remembers
where they put there cold weather riding gear 'cause tonight was it!
I thought Friday night at the Nine Mile Sonic was a small gathering,
but tonight at Hooters about matched it, at least on a percentage
basis. I will admit I pulled out the full-fingered gloves tonight!
Sure was great riding over the weekend, though it was gusty at times.
I'm
still smoke-free (but cigars still smell good, though) and feel like
I can stay that way. I have made an early appointment with my
VA doc to see about changing the Synthroid dosage since I've gained
another 5 pounds this week. A new record: I've never seen 260
before. I suppose that covers all the news from around here
so I guess I'll sign off for another week or so...or at least until
somebody bugs me about it! Ride safe, y'all.
