Yes I listened to all 24 and one half minutes of Alice's Restaurant....
...... and yes I laughed, but still can't stand that song.
Funny how no matter how much time I have off from work it never seems like enough to get all the things done I want to. For the first time in as long as I can remember I actually had a decent Thanksgiving holiday. You see usually there's so much stress associated w/ any holiday in my family that it ends up taking all the joy out of it for me. The big reason that the holidays like the Fourth of July and Halloween are some of my favorite ones is because the spirit of the day is centered around enjoyment. Thanksgiving day started with me being able to sleep in, while that doesn't sound like much you have no idea how big of a deal that is to someone whos day starts before the birds starts singing and picks up speed from there. After cooking some coffee (Jittery Joes) and some breakfast, I made my way down to pick up my Grandmother in Decatur. Mama Katie is 85 years old, and pretty much the last link that I have to my family as I remember it from growing up, I need to explain that my parents are still alive and together (something I'm very grateful for) but my Grandmother is the last tie I have to her side of the family since my Grandfather died a few years back. Anyway, on the way out to my parents place we chatted about how family members are doing and she gave me the update on whos had kids/ gotten married/ move/ died/ taken new jobs etc., basically what my family considers gossip. One of the things I like the most about my Grandmother is that she doesn't say bad things about people no matter how she feels about them, she's a living example of if you don't have something nice to say...... well I guess I didn't exactly inherit that trait from her as I can talk trash w/ the best of 'em, something I learned from my Grandpa and pro wrasslin' as a kid. I should tell you that I had one of the coolest Grandpas and was very lucky to have him in my life, there's all kinds of stories about Papa Lynn, but the thing I remember most is that my Grandpa never met a stranger. Even now when I visit the old neighborhood, people still remember him and my Grandmother and wish they'd never left.
One of the best stories I ever heard about him was that he had once gone to buy some groceries from the corner store, and back then the neighborhood wasn't as nice as it is today (they lived in what is now called the Virginia Highlands) well he used to carry a small .38 with him in those days and as he was paying for the milk he pulled the pistol out and set it on the counter to count the change that was in the same pocket. He paid for the milk and started walking home when the clerk called the police who picked him up on the way home for firearms charges. Well by the time they got down to the station to pick him up he had everyone in the station listening to him tell stories as he sat behind the Captains desk. As far as I know they didn't even bother to book him on any charges and he walked out with a warning. I miss him a lot these days, and just like whenever anyone passes I regret that we didn't have more time to spend together while he was alive. Trust me had they had mountain bikes when he was my age, the guy would have been a bad ass.
So Thanksgiving day was actually great, my whole imediate family was there including my baby brother and his wife Crystal, they got married this year in Charleston in a beautiful beach ceremony. I don't say it enough but I'm really proud of him, he's the first of the three brothers to get graduate college and get married, and he's doing really well in South Carolina.
Had some really good rides over the weekend at Raccoon Mtn and then at Chicoppee on Saturday w/ none other than the BODfather. I've never had a bad ride w/ BODfather, he's one of those guys that just makes you happy being around him.
Davis left for his weeklong cruise today, so I've got the run of the place to myself for a week. I did the first thing anyone in my situation would do, clean the hell out of this place then ride the trainer for an hour and do a core workout since it was raining. Well Family Guy is on and calling my name, so I'm out like a trout. Hope everyone had a good holiday and got some riding in.
POAS
Matt-
Funny how no matter how much time I have off from work it never seems like enough to get all the things done I want to. For the first time in as long as I can remember I actually had a decent Thanksgiving holiday. You see usually there's so much stress associated w/ any holiday in my family that it ends up taking all the joy out of it for me. The big reason that the holidays like the Fourth of July and Halloween are some of my favorite ones is because the spirit of the day is centered around enjoyment. Thanksgiving day started with me being able to sleep in, while that doesn't sound like much you have no idea how big of a deal that is to someone whos day starts before the birds starts singing and picks up speed from there. After cooking some coffee (Jittery Joes) and some breakfast, I made my way down to pick up my Grandmother in Decatur. Mama Katie is 85 years old, and pretty much the last link that I have to my family as I remember it from growing up, I need to explain that my parents are still alive and together (something I'm very grateful for) but my Grandmother is the last tie I have to her side of the family since my Grandfather died a few years back. Anyway, on the way out to my parents place we chatted about how family members are doing and she gave me the update on whos had kids/ gotten married/ move/ died/ taken new jobs etc., basically what my family considers gossip. One of the things I like the most about my Grandmother is that she doesn't say bad things about people no matter how she feels about them, she's a living example of if you don't have something nice to say...... well I guess I didn't exactly inherit that trait from her as I can talk trash w/ the best of 'em, something I learned from my Grandpa and pro wrasslin' as a kid. I should tell you that I had one of the coolest Grandpas and was very lucky to have him in my life, there's all kinds of stories about Papa Lynn, but the thing I remember most is that my Grandpa never met a stranger. Even now when I visit the old neighborhood, people still remember him and my Grandmother and wish they'd never left.
One of the best stories I ever heard about him was that he had once gone to buy some groceries from the corner store, and back then the neighborhood wasn't as nice as it is today (they lived in what is now called the Virginia Highlands) well he used to carry a small .38 with him in those days and as he was paying for the milk he pulled the pistol out and set it on the counter to count the change that was in the same pocket. He paid for the milk and started walking home when the clerk called the police who picked him up on the way home for firearms charges. Well by the time they got down to the station to pick him up he had everyone in the station listening to him tell stories as he sat behind the Captains desk. As far as I know they didn't even bother to book him on any charges and he walked out with a warning. I miss him a lot these days, and just like whenever anyone passes I regret that we didn't have more time to spend together while he was alive. Trust me had they had mountain bikes when he was my age, the guy would have been a bad ass.
So Thanksgiving day was actually great, my whole imediate family was there including my baby brother and his wife Crystal, they got married this year in Charleston in a beautiful beach ceremony. I don't say it enough but I'm really proud of him, he's the first of the three brothers to get graduate college and get married, and he's doing really well in South Carolina.
Had some really good rides over the weekend at Raccoon Mtn and then at Chicoppee on Saturday w/ none other than the BODfather. I've never had a bad ride w/ BODfather, he's one of those guys that just makes you happy being around him.
Davis left for his weeklong cruise today, so I've got the run of the place to myself for a week. I did the first thing anyone in my situation would do, clean the hell out of this place then ride the trainer for an hour and do a core workout since it was raining. Well Family Guy is on and calling my name, so I'm out like a trout. Hope everyone had a good holiday and got some riding in.
POAS
Matt-
Mallie (Comment this)