Back home from more shooting

However I'm not the one shooting, it's Geoana.  She (and the rest of the team) just wrapped up their third out-of-town competition in eastern Kansas.  At least for our drive home this time the weather was benign, just some rain and nothing else.

We're all a bit tired and run-down as you might expect.  I have both extremes of thoughts/emotions right now, glad it's over but a bit dysphoric that our next venture won't happen until early July.  I'm sure a return to my routine beginning tomorrow will set things right.

One member of the team had something, not sure if it's the cold or the flu.  He didn't shoot as well as usual but the team still came in second place overall (there were 16 teams competing).  Then this morning we heard his father was up all night with an ailment I won't describe here.

This evening I don't feel all that great myself.  Just gotta keep convincing myself it is the result of fatigue and travel and nothing else.   Yeah, that's it.

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Starting about a week and a half ago our house (and our town, and our geographic area) was invaded by "miller" moths.  Same thing happened about this time last year.  Those creatures are everywhere.  And there's a whole lotta them.  Last weekend I could swear they were multiplying as fast as tribbles.

A week ago Sunday I got out my Shop-Vac and in the course of vacuuming up the dead ones I put on the extensions and sucked a few of the living ones in as well.  (All the while reminding myself I don't believe in the philosophy of ahimsa.)  Today it finally seems they are under control.  There were a few lingerers when we got home this afternoon and I turned the flyswatter on them, which wasn't a difficult task as they were obviously circling the drain anyway.  Nothing like keeping the house closed up for a few days to kill those little annoyances.   Still, I'd rather deal with them then cockroaches or scorpions.

Couple of quick sports items for a Friday morning

First off, the April 2012 edition of "I know there's an Aggie joke in here somewhere."

Second, I see Dwight Howard will be having surgery to repair his herniated disk.  I'm not an NBA fan and actually couldn't care less about the league or its players.  However I did see he suffers from the same ailment as I and I sure hope surgery isn't in my near future.

But I'm sorry to say that after nearly two weeks of physical therapy and daily exercises I am experiencing no relief from my pain.  In fact the last couple of days it's been hitting me as hard as anything.

Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th

No bad luck on either day!

Thanks to all the family and friends who expressed concern about our traveling yesterday.   The end result is simple enough:  We made it home in normal time with no problems in regard to the storms.  Also no tornado activity during that time of day.  The route we chose and the time we drove it worked out perfectly--just missed a heavy rain and passed through before the next cell hit.

Geoana also shot very well yesterday, she improved on her KSRA tourney aggregate score by several points.  We still haven't heard yet if the team's score was enough to put them over the top and secure a slot in the national competition, we hope to hear about it sometime today.  (That's what happens when you hit the road right after your kiddo is done shooting.)

Last night was spent in front of the tube watching the continuous coverage of all the storm cells throughout the state.  The Big 3 affiliated stations in Wichita carried no network programming during prime time, instead devoting the entire broadcast evening to weather.  Our town and county only got some rain with hail in small areas, nothing here at the house save for a few dirty raindrops.  You know, the kind that will make your vehicle look atrocious.

But it's raining steady now.  No thunder, no lightning.  Just a nice gentle rain.  However the precip is enough that it ruined my plans to cut the grass today.

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At the hotel yesterday morning, right after I posted the last entry the gal behind the front desk saw my shirt (I was wearing the BB Gun team shirt which features the town name on the back) and asked if I was indeed from this burg.  I responded in the affirmative.  She then asked if I knew a certain family.  Don't know them per se, but have a passing acquaintance as they attend our church and he dabbles in real estate and showed me a couple of houses back in April of 2008.  Turns out she's engaged to marry their grandson.

Yet again the world shows how small it can be.  You expect this type of thing throughout western Kansas but it can still surprise you when it occurs in a sizable city a 300-mile drive away.

Good morning from Tornado Alley

Here I am in Topeka.  We're here (spent the night last night) because of Geoana having a 4H BB Gun tournament in nearby Alma.  Normally we'd stay in either Junction City or Manhattan but due to a contingent of soldiers returning to Fort Riley a hotel room in those locales was hard to find and pricey to boot. 

I suffered through the drive out yesterday, a whole lotta sitting.  I did have a physical therapy appointment yesterday morning and the inversion traction always feels good but overall my pain level yesterday was more bothersome the the past few. 

It is possible I was carrying some tension about the upcoming road trip which translated into a higher pain level. 

We ended up eating supper later than usual yesterday evening.  Since we are where we are we decided to indulge in some suburban behavior, namely eating at Texas Roadhouse.  

(Two days ago I mentioned to Geogal that we should be thinking about where to eat Friday night.  I said we should consider a cuisine that is not available in our small town.  She and I laughed simultaneously and said, "Yeah, that really narrows it down.") 

Because of the late meal we weren't up for much afterward.  I did bring my mat and did my daily back exercises.  Then this morning, after a hot shower and getting dressed I walked down to the hotel breakfast.  Passed the pool area. 

Time for a figurative slap on the forehead.  Yes, I could have walked down to the spa and let the heat do its work.  I even packed my swimsuit which shows I was thinking ahead. 

But no excuses.  And I also will stop with the self-flagellation now. 

Time to concentrate on the day and making sure we get back home before evening hits, the forecast today for locales on and east of U.S. Highway 81 indicates thunderstorms with a likelihood of scattered tornadoes.  Geoana shoots at 12:30, should be no problem.  I hope. 

Still around

And still largely doing the same stuff.

Where do I start?

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Easter was good.  Whole lotta people in church (always a good thing!), then came home to a wonderful ham dinner featuring garlic mashed potatoes on the side.

The long weekend was good (I got Friday off).  Nice to get some spring cleaning done.

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I didn't pay much attention to the NCAA championship game.  Sure, Kansas was one of the competitors but it seems at some point since moving here in '08 our household decided to root for the K-State Wildcats rather than chant "rock, chalk, Jayhawk!!"

I'd rather make a point of the women's championship game coming down to a contest between two church schools.  Howzabout that?

Of course now, with news reports surfacing of Baylor's numerous (alleged) recruiting infractions, who knows whether the undefeated Baylor season will be thrown out?

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And on the subject of college sports, noticed Bobby Petrino at Arkansas no longer has a job as of tonight. I'll sidestep the pile-on regarding how he couldn't have numerous midlife crises at once and expect to emerge intact.

Rather I will simply say that Texas A&M might just now have a chance to beat the Hogs this fall during their annual matchup in The House That Jerry Built.

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BB Gun competition is still in full force.  Our local team does indeed stand a chance to snag an invite to nationals (held in Rogers, Arkansas).  Who knows?  That just might be our big summer getaway.

We'll know more after this weekend.

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In one of my recent entries I exhorted spring to spring.

Power of the written word?  After posting that, sure enough the temps started to rise.  So much so that a couple of weekends ago we had to run the air conditioner.

But since it is spring and this is western Kansas the hot spell eventually broke.  I think we've again clicked the control over to "heat" for a day or two.  But still it's reassuring to know that we're through the snowstorms/road closures for another season.  

I've already planted onions in the garden.  Looking forward to those home-grown tomatoes as well (but those will have to wait until April turns into May).

The passage of time

A couple of things to share here. 

First I realized (during the 4-o'clock-hour) that today marks exactly four years since I arrived in this town.  Next week will mark four years at this job. 

Wow. 

I sure didn't think I'd stick with it for this long.  We have several friends who predicted our return to the Grand Canyon State within a couple of years, at most. 

I guess that's what can happen when one enjoys his work and his workplace.  I can't picture doing what I'm doing for the rest of my career but I can envision staying here for another few years.  We will certainly see what transpires. 

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The other thing:

Ever since mid-January I've been struggling with pain in my lower back and down my left leg.  Geogal finally had enough and just about ordered me to the doc.  An examination, some X-rays, and an MRI later we finally have an answer. 

I have a herniated lower disc. 

Wasn't caused by any kind of traumatic event.  It's not a consequence of lifestyle.  I'm not overweight. 

Bottom line, I'm getting older and this is the age range where these types of things show up. 

Now I'm looking to see what the medical professionals have to say regarding treatment. 

At least it's good to know what's causing the problem. 

Portland becomes New Mexico West later this week

Congrats to the Aggies!   (Yes, yes, to the Low-blows as well.)  

Here's hoping fans from all over the state will introduce Oregonians to the delicacy known as green chile. 

Geogal's already checking the web to see about procuring us some tourney title T-shirts. 

I couldn't watch the game, though.  My pilot light burnt out way before 11 p.m. Central Time. 

What was more fun today, seeing where the Aggies would play or seeing the University of Arizona kittycats get snubbed?  (Actually the latter should be changed to "seeing the whole Pac-12 get burned the selection committee.") 

I also work alongside a WSU alum (#5 seed) and we both report to a Creighton grad (#8 seed).  Should prove to be a jolly morning meeting tomorrow. 

And here's hoping Indiana arrives in Portland far too overconfident.  Let the madness begin!!

And now, two things from southern New Mexico

Go Aggies!

Nevada lost yesterday so NMSU plays Louisiana Tech tonight for the WAC title.

Up until this morning I kept thinking NMSU would stand a good chance of going to the postseason NIT.  Even though their overall season record is pretty good they simply didn't stand a chance of getting an at-large bid to the Big Dance. 

But now, with a decent shot to win tonight's game things just got much more interesting.  I'm wearing my 2007 Aggies WAC championship t-shirt today as a long-distance sign of good luck. 

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And speaking of southern New Mexico, Geogal found this which just demands a mention in my blog.  Even though I haven't lived in the Land of Enchantment since 1993 it's good to know some things never change.

Tribute

Yesterday afternoon (and into the evening) Geogal and Geoana spent quality time in front of the tube watching episodes of "The Monkees."  I was in and out, working on the garden area and enjoying the mild temps (see previous post). 

But even with my occasional trips to the basement (where the entertainment center is located) I today still have aftereffects of the show.  My mind's ear is treating me to a medley of Monkees hits. 

....Take the last train to Clarksville.........she, she told me that she loved me.........she's a star collector (collector of stars), she only seems to please, young celebrities..........then I saw her face, now I'm a believer, not a trace, of doubt in my mind............I wanna be free, like the bluebirds flying by me.........cheer up sleepy Jean, oh what can it mean, to a daydream believer and a homecoming queen......Mary, Mary, where you going to? [Glen Campbell guitar riff]..........I'm gonna buy me a dog, cause I need a friend now......


And now they're in your head too!   Ha!!

Come on spring, SPRING!

I'd like to begin this entry with "spring has sprung" but I know better.

Sure, the tulips in the front flower bed are sprouting upward, a few weeds are already making their presence known, and we're getting more daylight.  However this is March and we've learned that around these parts winter can still make a nasty appearance before May rolls around.

Plus I know spring won't even be official until March 21 or 22, whenever the vernal equinox takes place.

Still this morning was a nice surprise.  I went out to warm up the truck and was struck by how, well, mild the temps are this a.m.  Bright sunshine greeted me as well.  Didn't need to start up the vehicle and let it idle for a few.

I plan to enjoy it while I can.  Am planning to spend more time in the backyard today, get the garden ready for planting.  In truth, it's just the grown-up way of saying I want to play in the dirt.

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Our family is quite a sight right now.  You already know about Geoana being on crutches.  Add to that Geogal struggling with her thyroid-related achiness then include my recent issue with (what we believe is) sciatic nerve pain.

We just don't get around easily like we used to.

For me, at least, ibuprofen and Naprosyn help take the edge off.

Leap Year Day

Given the only-once-in-four-years opportunity to blog on February 29th, why not?

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Geoana is on crutches, courtesy of torn ligaments (courtesy of a friend who accidentally stepped on her foot).  Her mom and dad are adjusting to a kiddo in need of some extra attention and assistance.  She's taking everything in good stride (pun intended).

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What am I reading currently?  LBJ:  Architect of American Ambition by Randall B. Woods.  It's just a bit short of 900 pages, should keep me occupied for a while.  I'm at the time where he just assumed the presidency and 1963 became 1964.

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Had the first BB shooting competition of the season.  Was this past Saturday in Oakley.  Geoana placed second overall in her age group, and among the best shooters in western Kansas that ain't bad!

Their team overall came in second.  Geogal was keeping an eye on the targets and stated our kids weren't far off the leaders.

The day itself was your typical horribly windy Kansas prairie day.  On the way home Geoana looked up from her book and asked if we were driving close to a storm.

No.  Just a whole lotta dust in the air.  Mental note:  change air filter soon.

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Davy Jones died today, victim of a heart attack.  I already got our boxed set of "The Monkees" TV series out of the closet.  Later tonight we can honor his memory with an episode or two.  (Did I mention Geogal is a HUGE Monkees fan?)

He wasn't her favorite one, however.   That honor goes to Micky Dolenz.

Miscy

Now on the downside of February, here's another snapshot of what's happening in our territory. 

My last post noted a new snowfall.  There's still residual white stuff in the shady areas because, unlike my late teenage years in New Mexico, the temps usually don't climb high enough to melt off the snow completely within two or three days, as often occurred in the Land of Enchantment.  Since I am well into adulthood snow just doesn't hold the same novelty as it did when I moved to the mountain west from Houston Texas (where any measurable snow accumulation is as rare as a 70-degree day in Kansas in February). 

Still it was fun to take the kiddo and her friend sledding on fresh powder. 

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My thoughts on the football season just concluded? 

I barely watched the Super Bowl, didn't even give much heed to the commercials.  Have to wonder if both of these events are becoming victim of their own success.  However it was gratifying to watch the Pats lose (again) to the Giants. 

Me rooting for the Giants.  See what's become of me??

Three more positives for the 2011 season:  

1)  No Bret Favre
2)  No Terrell Owens
3)  No Tiki Barber

Here's hoping I can add Randy Moss to that list this time next year. 

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In the lamest-make-a-connection-department I saw that Apple is soon to release a newer version of its operating system.  It's named "Mountain Lion."  

Features and improvements aside, speaking of felines you don't want to encounter in the wild unarmed here's a pic I took a couple of weeks ago when going to the local auto parts store.  I was planning to use it in an entry here with a phrase such as "You know you live in a small rural town when..." 

When you go to buy a new car battery and the vehicle next to you has several dead bobcats on the flatbed.  It is trapping season, after all. 

Finally some snow! Plus an update.

It’s not that nothing’s been happening, it’s just that there’s not been much about which to write.  

Yes, starting a blog post with a grammatically incorrect sentence is not the best way to get going however it is early on a Saturday morn and the laziness factor is in full gear. 

Woke up this morning to a nice snowfall.  Not any surprise, as we have been watching the forecast for days now.  In fact it cut our business with not a whole lot of pleasure trip this past week just a bit short. 

Trip?  Yes, we were gone to Colorado ever since Sunday afternoon.  You wouldn’t hear about it here until after the fact (we have enough intelligence not to advertise being away from the domicile--never mind that we took our iOS devices with us!). 

In fact upon our return we got a message on the machine from our across-the-street neighbor expressing concern about our whereabouts.  This wasn’t due to a lack of communication, however.  Rather our neighbors were away from town themselves and didn’t return until after we hit the road.  This, combined with a text from our next-door neighbor on Thursday morning reminded us that part of small-town life involves folks being truly concerned for each other. 

Gotta like it. 

Anyhow, back to the present.  Since there’s a worthy amount of the white stuff on the ground today I see Geoana and I heading to the park with sleds on hand.  Plus she gets to wear her new snow pants, Christmas present from Geogal, who was concerned that we might not get any more measurable snow this season. 

Scratch that concern. 

How was Colorado?  So-so.  I had a conference/symposium, which in my field means you sit on your backside in marginal-quality chairs for several hours per day (my sciatic nerve just loved that) and Geogal was able to spend her time doing observation for her academic program (in a field completely unrelated to mine).  We didn’t have a great deal of downtime but did manage to hit some good restaurants and enjoy cuisine that we don’t have in our corner of the world.  (Geoana stayed behind as neither she nor we were thrilled with the prospect of her missing a week of school.) 

Wanted to hit Ikea, didn’t happen.  Wanted to visit some RV dealers and check out travel trailers, didn’t happen.  Wanted to go to the Apple Store, that DID transpire. 

Headed home a day early to avoid the storm that has dumped the white stuff here and shut down I-70 from the Kansas border to Denver. 

There’s no place like home. 

With the college football season winding down...

Lots of long faces around these parts today.  There's more than a few K-State fans around this town and I've met several that absolutely bleed Wildcat purple. 

"Just wait until next year!"

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I'm not saying that the lower-tier bowls get any disrespect, but then again....

Here's a screenshot I took off of ESPN's site after the first couple of postseason games concluded.  Seems they both took place in the Palmetto State.  Still probably a better locale than Albuquerque or Boise.

Eatin' In The New Year!

Got my traditional First of January New Mexico-esque dish that is supposed to bring me good luck. 

Posole! 

Maybe next year I'll branch out and make a pot full of black-eyed peas. 

Closing thoughts on 2011

Figured I should get this in under the wire....

Geogal and I don't mail out Christmas letters any more.  We still get a few and some are downright laughable.  No doubt Facebook and the like have made these types of manifestos a bit meaningless.  This entry isn't meant to sound like one of those end-of-the-year-pump-ourselves-up mailings but I thought some musing wouldn't hurt. 

Upgraded the house just a bit, mostly by adding an egress window to one of the basement rooms.  Now we officially have three bedrooms.  And an office.  And a large basement catch-all that tends to be the center of social activities for little Geoana.  Also replaced the garage door and cut down a couple of black walnut trees resulting in more sunlight and less mowing mess during the summer. 

Upgraded our technology, too.  Since the beginning of 2011 we have replaced two run-of-the-mill cellphones with iPhones.  Also got an iPad mainly for Geogal's schoolwork but during semester breaks the tablet sees a never-ending Angry Birds tournament. 

Cut back on the summer getaways.  Made only one journey, to Rocky Mountain National Park.  This coming summer, likely no trip.  Between limited funds (thanks to Geogal's schooling and not working full time as a result) and a lack of destinations within reasonable driving distance we might just do the "staycation" thing. 

Expect more hunting ventures, trap shooting Saturdays, and basketball games thanks to the interests of little Geoana.  Who will not be referred to as "little" after this entry due to regular readers not likely confusing her with Geogal.  The child is also not that little anymore. 

Interesting, how did this entry go from being a look back at 2011 to a look forward at 2012?  That's my style of writing for you. 

Happy new year!

You Know It's Good When....

For yesterday's Christmas meal I prepared a rib roast (not prime rib mind you, prime grade is just a bit out of our budget and almost impossible to find in these parts).  The rib roast for Christmas day is fast becoming a tradition at our house given I've made it at least three years in a row.  Right now I just can't recall if I cooked one for our first Christmas here in 2008.

Before cooking the weight was 3 and a half pounds.  Next year I'm getting a bigger one as I keep forgetting some fat renders off in the oven.  Yet it still yielded sufficient red meat to satisfy all three of us during yesterday's Big Meal.  Didn't have as much left over as I would have liked.  And then later in the evening Geogal gets hungry and pulls the rib roast meat from the fridge and nuked it together with a dinner roll.  I look at her plate and said: "Would be nice if there was just a little left over for me to enjoy."

Her response?  "I promise I won't have any tomorrow.......morning."

What's been going on? Read on

No entries since December 4?  There’s a reason. 

Numerous reasons, actually.  The last month of the year seemed to be a non-stop sequence of commitments. 

Such as going to the minister’s open house on the first Sunday of December; Little Geoana having church Christmas musical practice thrice weekly until their performance on the 11th; Little Geoana’s traveling girl’s basketball team continuing their practices and Saturday schedule of games topped off with a day-long tourney last Sat. in which her team won the first game but was then defeated by Hoxie yet the child’s team did win the consolation bracket which netted them third place overall; Geogal hollering at the officials in the Hoxie game in which I am still surprised our team didn’t get hit with a technical foul; yes there were tears after the loss to Hoxie but that’s a great opportunity for all of us parents to teach the girls how to deal with defeat and also the importance of demonstrating good sportsmanship; Geogal getting sick with some sort of a cold during the better part of the month and since she had already completed her schoolwork for the semester she spent nearly every day at the elementary school subbing in one area or another and we all know how much germs and bacteria thrive in the schoolhouse given the number of kids therein; Geogal finally going to see the medical practitioner and being diagnosed with bronchitis, she is now on a slew of medications which prevent her from enjoying dairy and alcohol for the present; by the way the obligations continue such as the elementary kids’ Christmas musical performance last Monday night in which Little Geoana sang her heart out even if she didn’t get seated near any of her friends (but then again maybe that was a positive thing); during the time Geogal was down with the crud I had the task of shuttling the kiddo to her practices/rehearsals/events and me saying how time-consuming it is and Geogal giving me a look that could wither the most hardy cactus and saying: “Welcome to my world;” the ongoing Sunday night small group Bible study which culminated with a party a few nights ago in which we found out who’s good at games and who steers clear of such things and Little Geoana was the life of the party despite being the only child there (all of the other couples have grown children) and we also heard of folks who always equate egg nog with ingesting alcohol (not me, I just remember it being a delicious drink and didn’t know grownups put adult beverage in theirs until I was a teenager); the normal ongoing events including Little Geoana’s BB gun practice, AWANA, and American Heritage Girls; me learning at the last minute that we had a commitment this past Wednesday evening which the child I and fulfilled given Geogal was too run-down to participate in such a thing; despite all of the goings-on that I’ve just detailed I actually did something smart and got on the computer a couple of Wednesdays ago, hit a few web sites and did all of my big Christmas gift shopping from the comfort of my downstairs study; took a vacation day yesterday and Geogal and I traipsed to Kearney and in doing so I knocked out the stocking stuffers so by 12:30 yesterday afternoon I was OFFICIALLY DONE with the shopping (like most men I dread any sort of retail experience that doesn’t involve something related to home improvement or sporting goods); last night I also got smart and decided to do the wrapping since neither Geogal nor Geoana seemed inclined to leave the comfort of the Laz-E-Boy recliners and what a wonderful feeling it is to have all of the gift-work out of the way unlike other members of my family of origin who shall remain nameless but who were known to wait until coming home AFTER midnight mass and then take care of the gift-wrapping and yet their gifts were still wrapped more pristinely than the ones I did since I wrap presents as most guys do but I’ve also noticed no one ever rejected or returned one of my gifts just because the wrapping was below acceptable standards. 

And there you have it in excess of 700 words why I haven’t exactly found time to sit down and blog. 

The Return of Old Man Winter

Friday:  Dry and cool. 

Saturday:  Colder, snow, then sleet, then more snow. 

Little Geoana is in a traveling girls basketball league.  On Saturday her team was scheduled for a contest in Grinnell.  By the time I headed home from work on Friday I was aware of the winter weather advisory.  Already was planning out what to do in case of blowing snow.  Figuring out what gear I needed to stow in the truck. 

Fortunately smarter heads did prevail.  The decision-makers for the league agreed to cancel Saturday's contests due to the inclement weather. 

Right move.  I woke up Saturday morning to just a little dusting (barely an inch) but about 8 a.m. the clouds started to plop down more of the white stuff.  By the time it was all over we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 inches.  That's just enough to collect on the roadways and snarl the careless drivers. 

Little girl didn't get her energy expended on the basketball court but instead did burn off calories sledding, tubing, and overall sliding down the hillside at our main city park.  Several of her friends were there as well and everyone had a blast.  I even took a couple of trips down the hill myself. 

For the benefit of my family and friends in Texas, Arizona, and California I snapped these pictures on the way home from church this morning. 

The only thing lacking is the punch line

Let me get this straight....

Texas A&M University, after decades of being denigrated, minimized, and humiliated at the hands of UT and its associated strata, makes the move to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC. 

This was a move initiated and consummated by the university's ruling Powers That Be. 

Now they can their football coach before the Aggies play even one down of football as official members of the SEC?  

Now they have to find not only a new head coach, but one that is also expected to be competitive in the brutal, sub-NFL college conference that has taken home the national championship for the last several years?  A league that includes such powerhouses as Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida? 

And they expect immediate results?  Even though their annual matchup with Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium has had the Aggies walking out of there as losers since the series began? 

And you blame the head coach for dropped passes, drive-killing penalties, and a questionable personal foul call that gave UT 15 yards in their final drive of the final Texas/Texas A&M matchup? 

I just know there's an Aggie joke in here somewhere.  If only I could put all the elements together....