Hello out there in internet land...USA and beyond. Hope you have had a Merry Christmas with your family, and that it was a good one. Have you made your new year's resolution yet? The new year is almost upon us...and before you know it, it will be 2005. I don't know what's up with the WISH clipart images, but it's supposed to read 85 lbs. total loss. Well, that happened over a week ago. I will have to be honest and admit I have done more than my share of snacking. And I can't blame it on that "little fire" inside of me. I'll just have to give you the reader's digest version of what happened. Remember that epic mountain bike trail I was set to ride? It never happened. At this point, humility is the KEY word. Where do I start?
Oh, yeah. The surgery. It never happened. Caught a bug from my 1 yo niece, cuz it was important to spend time with her (unlike my "non-grunting" bro and spending time with his nephew, our son) which, by the way is nil in 4 years (I know, I know, expectations). Anyway, for some reason my immunity level was down (might have something to do with my intense riding, etc.) and so my fever was 103.4 on the morning of the surgery. I was convinced they could do it, but the anesthesiologist came in and said no. Too risky. I was NOT in the physical way of arguing with him, so I accepted it, and was lucky to stumble out of the hospital. Went straight to my doctor's office for a shot of antibiotic. I couldn't even sit up in the waiting room, I had to lie down.
Was I delirious? To tell you the truth, I can't remember. So I obviously had more time to think about my surgery, among other things. My best friend flew in the next day, and we loaded my bike up to head out to Tennessee.
We got there in 1 piece, I even unloaded the bike and cruised into my SIL's driveway to surprise my BIL with my 86+ lb. weight loss, but you guessed it: he was in the house. The next 3 days saw me passing out at 6pm. I just ran out of energy. Obviously getting over strep throat would take some time.
That finally passed. I did, however, ride once in Tennessee. I found the trails to be very wooded, unlike the central Texas area, which is very rocky and more challenging. It did feel good, though, to be able to ride just that one time. And that was it: I excercised once in 2 weeks. I had legitimate concerns about my physical fitness level dropping to nothing. As always, I let fear run at will. More on that later...
We had a great time in the Memphis area, visiting my wife's sister and family.
We even went to Graceland. My SIL had the photo out from 2 years ago-we could literally see the difference. And the kids had grown 6 inches. Then we set off for Arkansas to visit the rest of my wife's extended family. Talk about a lesson for good ole' stego in humility. At our hotel I opened my big sanctimonious mouth about my niece's father. Don't know the man from adam, but I do have an idea about his parenting (or lack of it). I obviously upset her, and after going out to the car, my wife rightly read me the riot act in the lobby. I tell you, sometimes I JUST DON'T GET IT. You'd think I'd have gratitude, etc. No, I have to do something really stupid and immature to set myself back. It probably affected my rational thinking because the next day we did something I will probably always regret. I was watching the weather channel: something about a winter storm coming in our way. The original plan was to head out to hot springs the next morning. My instinct told me to stay put in Russellville: already at a hotel, by a major highway. In other words, we were safe where we were. But my wife told me the Clampitts would be knocking on our door each hour; and they were, literally.
She was anxious to get out of town, told me she knew the way to Hot Springs, would get us there safely. So I bought into it. Soon we were off into the mountains. Here comes the snow. And more snow. Going up, up and up hills. Real good size hills. Saw the snow start to accumulate on the road. Uh oh. That is NOT good. Kept driving. More snow sticking. My best friend has to take a restroom break; we pull into a taco bell at the bottom of a hill. We're done; we get back in the car with me driving. The next 1 1/2 hours we finally get over the hill by the taco bell. I am NOT kidding. On the other side of the hill backed up for miles are cars, stuck, waiting. We slowly drive out of the mountains DOWNHILL into Hot Springs. There is snow everywhere. We find our hotel admist the flurries. We spot a McDonald's. We are the last ones to get service. The shafted us on our fries and apple pies. We go to THE MALL, and go see the Polar Express. For one more year, our 9yo believes in Santa. We go to the world's worst Chinese buffet and pay $33 for bad food. Plus tip. Our son gets sick the next day, probably food poisoning from the world's worst Chinese buffet. The bike is literally iced to the back of the car. We crash in our room, snowed in. The next day we awake in Hot Springs to winter wonderland: the roads are completely iced.
What snow melted froze over, it's 18 degrees out. We are bent and determined to get out of Hot Springs: my and my crazy ideas: cycling in Arkansas in December. Yeah, right. We set out on Route 7, the sheriff comes on the radio and describes the road as: TREACHEROUS. It WAS. We finally get to I-30 and head into Texas. Thank god. We get home in one piece, the ice has finally come off my bike and tried to rust my chain. It was filthy. We spent the next couple of days in a daze; then the next thing I know, my best friend is at the airport and he is going back home to Florida. The time went by so quickly. It really sunk in when we got back home that he was gone. I did the next right thing: went for a run with my wife and son on their bikes. How did I do? I ran 3 miles without stopping. Not in record time; but I did do it. I got back in the groove and have been on my mountain bike twice and ran 4 1/2 miles one day. The weather has warmed up here, and I'm trying to get out of my funk. I'm not thinking too much about my rescheduled surgery; it will get done. I can still fit in my new clothes: Santa brought me that black leather Mickey varsity jacket you saw on sale at the
Disney store at your neighborhood mall (if it's still open). My bro and his wife got us a Texas annual parks pass, we are looking forward to using it in 2005.
That bike for my mom? She thought it was my wife's bike; she just thought we got her a new helmet. She got on the bike and rode with her grandson. And that was the last time. When we got back, we saw that she had NOT rode her new bike at all. I dropped it off the next day; something about her having a migraine headache. Misery loves company, I refuse to be a part of my mom's BS. We did a good thing, however, it is likely that bike will sit in her garage collecting dust. As will the new jogger/stroller we got for my bro and his wife to spend time outside with their daughter.
Sorry this has been so long; more than likely I've been a good source of bathroom reading for someone out there in internet land.
(You're silly) 
Have a great day.
Fred!
