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Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
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3:34 pm - Crossposting test
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| Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
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7:20 pm - I can haz Dreamwidth, too!
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I'm now signed up as fidhle on Dreamwidth, for any who wish to find me there.
current mood: amused
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, April 17th, 2009
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9:51 pm - Purty Lights today
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So today I was riding my bike when I felt a lens from my glasses fall out of the frame. Since I was on the motorcycle, I couldn't do anything except hope that it had gotten caught in my helmet or clothes. Darn, no such luck.
So I went to the local eye doctor to get a new prescription so I could buy some new glasses. Of course, he diluted my eyes to check inside.
When I finally did leave the store, with Trix driving, I noticed that my diluted eyes made all the lights be much bigger and have star-like rays from them, kinda like some x-mas tree lights. It was quite pretty, all the red, green, white and yellow lights shining in the night. Kinda like party lights all over town. Magical.
current mood:  amused
current music: It's in the rain - Enya
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, March 20th, 2009
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1:02 am - Charles - a Tribute
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“Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a 52 Vincent and a red headed girl
Now Nortons and Indians and Greeveses won't do
They don't have a soul like a Vincent 52
He reached for her hand and he slipped her the keys
He said I've got no further use for these
I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome
Swooping down from heaven to carry me home
And he gave her one last kiss and died
And he gave her his Vincent to ride”
Richard Thompson: 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, last verse
My brother, Charles, died at home on Wednesday morning around 3 am from leukemia. He spend his last few days at home, in the company of his wife and son, in hospice care, but had spent much of the last year in one hospital or another. He was 74 years old.
Charles, when he was a teenager, bought a Harley Davidson motorcycle in parts, and rebuilt it. My mom would come home and open the oven, only to find one of her pans being used to oil a chain or some parts. He finished the bike and then began to learn to ride, which was not an unusual learning experience in the ‘50’s. As I recall, the first time he rode it, he dropped it making a turn. There was no damage done to him or the bike. I can sympathize, because when I got my motorcycle in May 2007, I managed to drop it when coming to a stop after riding around the block. Very embarrassing, but no damage to me except for my pride, and little damage to the bike.
Charles rode motorcycles most of his life. When he was in Ethiopia while in the Army, he had a MotoGuzzi bike and rode that around the country. I know that he rode that Harley across the country at one point. More recently, he had some BMW’s, first a classic bike from the ‘60’s or early ‘70’s and then later a late ‘70’s R90 or R100/5 bike, which he rode until he got diagnosed with leukemia in the spring of 2008.
I often rode with him, meeting him at a restaurant, usually in or near Laurel, which is about half-way between where he lived and where I live. We would then often go for a little, or not so little ride. I called our rides the Ward Brothers Motorcycle Club, but we never got jackets or anything. I guess it’s too late now.
He maintained his interest in bikes until close to the end. At one point, I was taking my laptop to his hospital room to show him movies, including, as he requested, “The World’s Fastest Indian” I also got some films from the “Long Way Around” and “Long Way Down” series of adventure motorcycle journeys. He enjoyed those when he had hopes of riding again. I guess I knew he was giving up when last week he said he didn’t have an interest in motorcycles. He had apparently given up on the idea of getting well enough to ride again.
Charles was always the adventurous one in the family. When we were kids in Arizona, he managed, while in high school, to get trapped in some of the old mines in the area around Bisbee. Seems he and a couple of others kids decided to explore, but managed to lose their lights somehow. Since there were vertical shafts in the mines and it would be easy and fatal to fall in one, they were basically unable to move until they were rescued. It made the national media at one point. Later, he learned to fly an airplane and was an active pilot, flying a Luscombe. He was also an active sky diver, and, even when he had stopped doing those activities, he participated in bicycle rides across Maryland, even fairly recently.
Although he had some problems in academia, he was one of the most intelligent people I ever met and he loved to discuss and debate issues of all types. He, at one point, joined the Toastmasters and was active in that group. He worked as a computer programmer for the Social Security Administration until he retired a couple of years ago. He also invented things, including a device to shoot coins into the baskets at toll booths.
When he had a major incident which first put him in the hospital, he told his wife that he had had a wonderful life, and I think he had. He got to do a lot of things he wanted to do and provide for himself and his family.
He is survived by his wife, Joan, and his son, Greg, who is now an attorney in Miami. He and Joan had a daughter, Susan, who, tragically, died in Charles’ arms in early 2007. Susan was learning to ride a motorcycle, and had a Suzuki 650 bike. I can imagine Charles and Susan riding their bikes, perhaps accompanied by those angels on Ariels in leather and chrome.
May he enjoy the ride forever.
current mood:  sad
current music: Tune for Charles - a lament
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(22 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, March 5th, 2009
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2:32 am - Fiddle progress
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After my injury in Sept. and the rotator cuff surgery in Dec., I haven't been able to raisey arm to hold and play my fiddle, a sad state for a musician! Today for the first time since being injured I played during my band rehearsal. Yay me!! I had to rest my left elbow on a pad on my knee to be able to hold the fiddle, but it worked and I was able to play all of the sets. Of course, playing again after almost 6 months of not playing led to some interesting variations on some of the tunes, but I made it through the rehearsal!!! Posted via LiveJournal.app.
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(16 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, January 1st, 2009
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12:33 am - Happy New Year
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Wishing everyone on my flist has a very happy new year, and that it is better than last year. I know that won't be hard to do in my case, as I am now recuperating from my operation after the accident in September. My brother made it to the new year. Now if he can make it through this coming year, that would make it all the better.
Best wishes for everyone.
current mood:  contemplative
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, December 13th, 2008
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7:38 pm - And in the news Today
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I was injured in Sept, by a driver who didn't check carefully enough to make sure there were no pedestrians in the crosswalk. I was hit, and got a torn rotator cuff on my left shoulder.
Just had surgery done Thursday. Made it through the operation and am back at home. Percoset makes me very sleepy, which is good at this stage, as I'm sleeping in the recliner in the living room. Have to go back to my Doctors in about a week. Arm is in a fancy sling and cannot be used for quite some time now, probably find out about that at the Dr's.
Color me annoyed
current mood:  groggy
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(9 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, November 17th, 2008
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4:17 pm - Happy Birthday Masq!
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May you have the happiest of birthdays in your new digs. Way to go!!!
current mood: Happy
current music: Happy Birthday
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
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11:43 am - Civic Duty Done
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Done finished voting. The line was longer than any other line I've seen at my polling station, but it only took about 30 min from the time I got into the line until I was finished. Yay!!!
If you haven't voted, get out and vote. They have to let everybody who is in line at closing time vote, so stay TF in line.
Go Obama!!!
current mood: accomplished
current music: Columbus Ave. - Aimee Mann
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(comment on this)
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1:13 am - Today is the Day for Change - a rare political post
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Today is election day in the US, as if anybody this side of Mars doesn't know that already. One of the things that I have noticed is that, after all of this campaign, I still don't know what John McCain and Caribu Barbie really stand for, other than not being Obama and Biden, but I have a pretty good idea of what Obama and Biden stand for, and I approve.
I urge all who can to get out an vote today, especially if you are going to vote for Obama. Go Obama.!!!
current mood:  anxious
current music: Steve McQueen - Sheryl Crow
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(comment on this)
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| Sunday, October 26th, 2008
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2:31 am - Test
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| Saturday, October 11th, 2008
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5:31 pm - Happy Happy Birthday, Littlebit
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May you have the best of birthdays today, to be followed by many more with pics. (heheh)
current mood: Happy
current music: Happy Birthday to You
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Thursday, September 18th, 2008
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1:06 am - A Buffy Quote
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From Family:
They kiss again. Dawn emerges from the other room, carrying a bag.
DAWN: See ya later.
BUFFY: Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?
DAWN: I'm going to Melinda's for dinner.
BUFFY: Since when?
DAWN: Now-ish.
BUFFY: You can't. I-it's not safe for you to walk there.
DAWN: It's just across the street. What is the big deal, I'm just gonna go-
BUFFY: No. It's family night. (glances at Riley) And besides, Melinda's a bad influence. I don't like you hanging out with someone that ... short.
DAWN: (annoyed) I am so glad you're moving back into the house. This is the source of my gladness.
She stalks off. Buffy sighs.
BUFFY: She makes me crazy. (Walks past Riley into the living room)
RILEY: That's ... kinda the word I was searching for.
BUFFY: (sits on sofa) What? She shouldn't be going over there.
RILEY: Yeah, a lot of young people nowadays are experimenting with shortness. Gotta nip that in the bud.
BUFFY: She ... can't be running out whenever she'd like.
RILEY: (walks forward) It's more than that.
BUFFY: What do you mean?
RILEY: (sits next to her, shakes his head) You tell me.
BUFFY: We all have to be careful. This ... demon chick is ... exciting and new. I don't know what I'm up against.
Hmmmm. Glory = Sarah Palin?
current mood: amused
current music: I Can't Take My Eyes Off You
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(comment on this)
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| Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
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11:54 pm - Long long journey - finale
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I left the motel in Winchester and continued down US 50. It was a little slow because of some trucks and farm equipment on the road. On the other hand, 50 goes through some of the Virginia wine and horse country. I came over a rise in the road, and found myself looking at a fine looking valley on the right side. Wished I could have stopped and taken a picture, but the road was not very conducive to that, as it didn't have a very large shoulder. If I ever go that way again, perhaps I'll have my camera at the ready.
( Clicky )
current mood:  happy
current music: Long Long Journey - Enya
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Monday, August 4th, 2008
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10:28 pm - Long Long Journey continued
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| Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
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10:22 pm - With a Little bit of Luck
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It's been a couple of days since I've updated the journal, so here goes the continuation of what had been going on.
( Clicky here for rest )
current mood:  accomplished
current music: Peggie I Must Love Thee - Puirt a Baroque
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Sunday, July 27th, 2008
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8:18 pm - Vintage Motorcycle Days, part 2
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The long day at the event for me was yesterday. I got up early to get there at a reasonable time to see the seminars and things I wanted to see, and I was going to a party that night, which was scheduled to last until around 11 pm.
( Lengthy discussion - clicky here )
current mood:  exhausted
current music: Vincent Black Lightning 1952
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, July 25th, 2008
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9:29 pm - A Day at the Races
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Today was a beautiful day to go to the Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Race Track in Lexington. It's about 40 miles from my hotel to the track, so it took me the better part of an hour to get there, but the ride was both nice and fast. The track is huge, and the event is huge. Somewhat overwhelming, in fact. I spent most of my time at the Triumph exhibit and at the seminars with Clement Salvadori, a writer for Rider Magazine, and Ted Simon.
Clement mostly led an improvised seminar about why people were at a vintage motorcycle event and what the attraction of vintage motorcycles is. A major reason for me is that my bike is deliberately styled after vintage bikes of the 60's and 70's made by Triumph. In fact, Triumph calls one of their accessory lines as '68, a relatively heady time for Triumph what with the association of that company with the activities of Steve McQueen, in particular. (The bike McQueen - actually his stunt rider - jumped over the barbed wire fence in The Great Escape, was a Triumph made to look like a German motorcycle, because they didn't believe that a BMW could make the jump.) McQueen also rode a Triumph in the International Six Day Trials event around that time. So my little Bonnie Dubh is very similar in looks to the Triumph Bonnevilles of the 60's and 70's, but without the mechanical problems.
The second seminar was with Ted Simon, who basically showed a presentation he had made from photos he took during his two trips around the world. Today we got through the first portion which told of his trip from England through the Sudan. Lots of pictures that are not in his books, along with some extra details of his trips.
I brought his latest book to have autographed, and wound up buying another book and having that autographed too. Tomorrow I plan to carry Salvadori's book to get an autograph on that too. Just didn't want to be carrying too much with me all day. Fortunately, Triumph gave me a goody bag for signing up for a party tomorrow night, which included a small tote bag, which made things much easier.
Now if I can just figure out how to get to things at the track with out wearing my poor legs out with walking and such. I did a lot of walking today and am kinda wore out.
On the home front, found out that my brother is now back at home. Yea!!!!!
TTFN
current mood: exhausted
current music: Long Long Journey
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, July 24th, 2008
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8:10 pm - Journey starts
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As I indicated earlier in a post, my brother has improved and doesn't seem to be in imminent danger, so I have started on my trip. Right now, I'm in Wooster, Ohio at my motel. Last night I spent the night in Morgantown, WV.
I left home around 12 noon yesterday because the weather people indicated rain earlier. That, naturally, didn't happen, so I left. Alas, the rain came about the time I was approaching Frederick, on I-270. Much of the rest of the trip yesterday was in the rain, yech! While I did have rain gear, the only piece that I could put on in time was my rain jacket, which helped a lot, but my gloves, pants and boots kinda got wet by the end of the day. Walking around was kinda like sqwish, sqwish.
But I made it to Morgantown at a reasonable hour and found a place to stay. I set my alarm to wake me at 8:30, planning to leave for Wooster around 10. When I woke up, it was 9:30. Apparently my new alarm clock is so soft that I didn't hear it when it went off. Bummer. So I would up leaving around check-out time which was 11 am. Today, though, the weather was beautiful. Temps in the high 70's with bright sunny day and light fluffy clouds overhead. I asked my GPS unit, Karin (named after the voice I use) to send me the most direct way, which she did. Takes a bit longer than just going the Interstates, but got to see some interesting scenery and go through some towns instead of simply going around them. Had lunch at a place called Pig Fathers, which is a BBQ place in Washington, PA. Not too bad. I had a special openfaced pork sandwich and some BBQ beans. Tasty.
After lunch, we proceeded north and west, some on interstates and some on local roads. Got to see several Amish buggys on the road as I approached Wooster. There is a fairly large Amish community near here. All in all, a good day. Tomorrow, I go off to the race track in Lexington, about 40 miles away (hey, I decided to go late. That was as close as I could find a room) for the first day of the Vintage Motorcycle Days. I expect to meet Ted Simon there. Ted is an Englishman who has made two round-the-world trips by motorcycle. The first one was around 1973 and lasted 4 years. The second was about 30 years later. It will be interesting to see what he has to say. He was, in part, the inspiration for Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's trip The Long Way Round which chronicled their trip from London to New York City, via Mongolia and Siberia. But those guys had support vehicles and camera crews. Ted didn't.
Anyway, should be interesting.
Bye for now.
current mood: accomplished
current music: Long long journey
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
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7:14 pm - Long Long Journey Redeux
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This morning I learned that my brother had improved to the point where he could have the ventilator tubes removed and he was eating chocolate and cookies (hmmmm, cookies!!!)
It looks like he is stable and is not in immediate danger and therefore I am going to take my trip to Ohio. I'm delayed by a day, so I will be traveling by interstate, which is what I had hoped to avoid, and I won't be able to meet Little Bit before the weekend, but I should see her on Monday in columbus.
Yea!!!!!
current mood:  busy
current music: Long long Journey - Enya
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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