Author: Steve

  It’s not all wilderness and state parks.  Sometimes the state parks are full on short notice.  Sometimes the state parks near big cities, like Denver, have room during the week, but all the weekends have been reserved for months ahead of time.   That’s where we are now on our unexpectedly extended trip; we’ve been able to make reservations for the next several weeks at St Vrain State Park, but we’re on our own for the weekends.  This weekend we’re at Boulder County Fairgrounds.     It’s not the wilderness, but we’re glad to have it as a backup spot!    

  What a contradiction.  He champions women’s causes, then goes on to behave badly with women; not criminally, but badly.  What do politicians and public figures do when they get caught behaving badly?  Some of them accept responsibility, apologize, and resign.   Al Franken; funny as a comedy writer.  Surprisingly serious as a senator.  Always intelligent.  A pleasing combination of wit and wisdom.  I wonder if he can get rehabilitated; forgiven for his misbehavior, apology accepted, appreciated for his public service, and returned to public view.    

  I’ve hardly taken any bird pictures lately.   We’ll make today’s subject the Osprey.       And a resting inland gull   Of the ring-billed persuasion.    

  After almost two months, we’ve gotten the motorhome out of storage.   And moved it to St Vrain State Park on a cool rainy day.   Wow did that feel good.  We’re not going to leave Colorado yet; we’ll still be bouncing around follow-up appointments with doctors for weeks yet; but being back in the bus is the closest we’ve been to “home” in quite a while.  It *is* our home on the road.   Baby steps and milestones.  They all add up.  Now that I’m clear of the heart surgery, the kidney stones, and the ureter stent, there is nothing holding me back.  I feel good.  I have energy.  I have stamina.  I’m strong.  No more limits.  This is day one of “I’m back!”  

  I could be the weight I was in college.  I could be the weight I want to be.   Well, I just lost twenty pounds, and it didn’t come out like I expected.  I’m not stylishly thin.  I’m gaunt.  I’ve no muscle definition left.  The skin is just hanging off my arms.  My thighs are about the same diameter as my calves!   A few years ago my weight got as high as 180.  None of my shirts fit any more.  I had to lose some weight or buy all new clothes.  When I got my weight back into the 160s it was all better.  Now that I’m down in the 140s, my shirts don’t fit again.  They all hang like hand-me-downs I haven’t grown into yet.   We don’t expect this weight loss to be a permanent thing.  Weight lost due to surgery tends to come roaring back at some point and will want to overshoot my starting point.  I don’t want that either, and I’m on guard for it already even though that phase has yet to begin.  But it’s funny how twenty pounds lighter doesn’t feel at all like I expected it to.