The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[team bradfield]

I feel like i should ask how everyone is doing. I have been sulking for the past two months. Apparently my last update was in June after our shingles vaccine, so while sulking for 2 months i have only been absent 6 weeks. The sulking was for the left knee. It had me sidelined from running. Good news is i did start running 4 weeks ago, albeit very short distance. I was only allowed to run for 30 seconds and then walk for 1.5 minutes. I understood the assignment and was going well for three weeks. Only for me to be out an entire week last week because I got covid. Still rough but i did run this morning, again doing 30 second run intervals. Still feeling not 100% but am significantly better than this time last week.

Happy late birthday Spencer.

Here's a couple pictures of Gizmo during a thunderstorm, my suggestion is walk, dont run

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok so , updates , updates, updates. Well, good news is my blood clots are gone and I am off the blood thinners, bad news is the blood thinners caused me to be anemic, so I have new problems. Hopefully they go away as I am not taking the blood thinners anymore. Who knows. I cant wait for this year to end. I did splurge and get a new car. We have cancled a pretty much all the camping trips this year. I cant handle doing anything. So just opening a can of paint and I am sweating like I ran a marathon. So new car it was and we will take a trip to lake gerorge next week and stay in a hotel. Not what I wanted , but its what I can do. Now the picture of over priced new car that I didnt need , but I needed something to get me motivated. And I probably needed it. The 2008 santa fe is in the back, the new one in the front. The old one was, well old. So I feel good about it. I bought the 2008 one new. It gave me 17 years maybe 18? Not sure exactly when it was purchased. So I expect the same from the new one. Lol.

 

[bama_ed]

The new wheels look good, Spencer! ED

 

[jbrostek]

Congratulations on the new wheels! @Sjm9911 !! We know that feeling when we bought the 2022 Kia Sorrent and gave the 2008 Highlander to our oldest. Now that Highlander is going to our youngest, and after a long discussion our plan is to buy a 2026 for mama, and let our college student have the 2022. I was already planning to find her a car tahts 4-5 years old to have a reliable car for college off campus and student teaching.

Hope the anemia subsides being off the thinners and get your stamina back.

We have started school. Mama went back last Monday to setup her room, DD went back to JMU last Tuesday. So proud of her, she got to move in early because she applied (and got accepted) to a be FROG (First yeaR Orientation Guide) to help the freshman classmates adjust to campus and college life away from home. After two days of training she dove right into her job and sounds like she is going great. She will guide them for the next week and like her first year probably keep in touch with a few after the first week. Youngest DD went back to today, and mama bear has her new year of students. I hope to hear about it all over dinner tonight.

We still got J driving regularly, shes now gradutated to area roads. And in the next few weeks, maybe get her on I66 on her way to the gym for her Saturday practices. At some point we will get her signed up for behind the wheel which will qualify her to drive by herselve by January 2026.

Cheers all, camping season may be nearing the close for some, I have a few more months and at least one more outting with Melissa before we call it a season.

 

[Teamubr]

Spencer,

Glad the clots are gone and hopefully the anemia resides. New cars are always fun.

James- Nice job on getting J the seat time. You know that's the best thing to avoid issues the first few years behind the wheel.

j

 

[jbrostek]

Jim - Thanks, we do find the value in it. It's also a VA state requirement for her to log 45 hours of drivng (15 after sunset) plus complete a drivers education program which includes 36 classroom sessions (she did this online over summer, it was 36 days worth of asychronys modules and an on site exam) plus 7 hours of behind the wheel which we plan to schedule for her this Fall/Winter.

 

[Teamubr]

It's also a VA state requirement for her to log 45 hours of drivng (15 after sunset) plus complete a drivers education program which includes 36 classroom sessions (she did this online over summer, it was 36 days worth of asychronys modules and an on site exam) plus 7 hours of behind the wheel which we plan to schedule for her this Fall/Winter.

Illinois has a 50 hour driving requirement, but I've heard many parents and Ian's friends say they just signed off on it without actually doing much driving. I know you are aware of the SCCA and NASA Teen driving programs that go way beyond the basics. I have always strongly advocated for seat time and giving new drivers the opportunity to practice extreme events in a controlled environment.

j

 

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr In addition to that the local track has an accident avoidance class which balences classroom and practice on track. Philly region SCCA has a street survival, just dont see much past this August. I have not seen a NASA car control clinic put on by any of the area NASA regions since 2015.... Maybe midwest still does them.