Thankful - VIII

The 3,000 troops we sent off to Iraq in January are beginning to return home. The first group of 100 returned to the New Indianapolis International terminal. Over about the next 30-45 days, they will all be home. I am thankful that a great majority have returned or are returning safely.

Companionship of a dog(s). I know, seems kind of shallow. This is definitely one of those “if you don’t understand, I can’t explain” kind of things.

40 + years. Yea, the day is near. Another year older. It’s been a good run. Here’s to another 40!

And here’s to another 10, click here to donate to Jim and Flo... and God bless you.

Thankful - VII

Almost forgot again.

1 - My brain. Which seems to be failing me in it’s capacity to remember things like this. Seriously though, my health. Yeah I know it is a repeat but I’ve seen things in the past week that make me appreciate the good health I have.

2 - luck... I don’t know what else to call it. A friend has had a run in with the law. DUI. Blew a 0.08. That’s right on the line. I’d almost guarantee I’ve crossed it. I’m SO thankful I’ve been lucky. And thankful to Larry for sharing his story and waking me up. I won’t cross that line again.

PSA - If you drink, please don’t drive. - Thanks!

3 - Attitude. Yea, I got one. So do some of my coworkers. The verbal jabbing is a stress reliever. Makes the day pass quicker. Most of my coworkers are fantastic. For that, I am thankful.

Thankful - VI

Thanks...

I voted today. I cannot express how thankful I am for that right... for that privilege. I am so thankful for the men and women of our Armed Services that daily secure that right for me. Maybe not ‘fighting’ or ‘in the trenches’ but standing ready.

The wife and I made it to see our son in Louisville, KY this weekend. He is doing well. Lives downtown, on the tenth floor of an apartment building.
I’m thankful, and proud of him.

Friday I went to honor a Korean War vet. Harold Hancock
I am thankful for being a member of an organization that can bring comfort to a mourning family.

Another $10.You can join me here.

Thankful - V

Before it completely slips my mind...

This weeks (late) thankful post.

1 - Our Veterans. This week I am attending the funeral of a Korean War Vet. God bless him. God bless them all. AND Ladies and Gentlemen, thank YOU for your service.

2 - Internet friends. Through a barrage of e-mails, from the far corners of the country, I(we) have confirmed a cancer survivor and Steelers fan will be getting some stuff that has ‘shrunk’ too much for me to wear any more.

3 - The cold weather. Now wait, don’t go throwing stones or flaming comments. I have allergies and a good hard frost usually kills or makes dormant everything that makes my eyes water, nose run and sinuses pound. So, yes, I am thankful for a good hard cold snap... now it can warm back up. I got ridding to do.

Another 10.

You can join me here.

Thankful IV

Recap -

Flo and Jim are from North Indiana. They are IPGR (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) members, Veteran supporters, Jim is a Vet and their son is serving in the Army.During the floods surrounding the passing of hurricane Ike a couple weeks ago, these fine folks lost everything....“Everything”, An interesting word. Seems to be thrown around a lot these days. Let me quantify their loss for you.

With this post starts my pledge of $10 a week. If you’d like to join me, go to Independent Veterans Society of Indiana and click on the donate button (lower right of page). $10 bucks isn’t a lot but if 10 of us do it, that’s $100 a week and by Thanksgiving...Please join me, won’t you?

This week, I am thankful for -

- The weather. Yeah, again. It has been great around here. Getting a little chilly but still, warm sunshine, light breezes. Great ridding weather and great weather to be out in the woods.

- Upper management at my company. We have been... downsizing for about 18 months. Not so much laying people off, but if someone left we didn’t necessarily hire a replacement. So, last week when the parent company laid off several hundred people we did not need to. Profits are up and holding, sales are down but we’re still making money.

- Gas prices. I saw $2.469 over the weekend. If it holds, that should be a hundred bucks a month to the DNR family bottom line! WHOO HOOO!!!


Yep, another ten spot to the folks up in the nor’t. God bless’m!

Thankful - III

Week 3
Week 2 - Re-cap
Week 1 - The reason for this Thankful thing

One has to be this weather. At least in central Indiana. It was 78 and 85 this weekend. The missus and I rode through Brown County (south central Indiana) Saturday. It was beautiful. All of the fall colors, warm sun and not a cloud in the sky. If you didn’t get outside this weekend, you missed a great October day. And yes, I’ll be thankful for the snow and cold when it comes. May slow down the riding some (yeah, right) but I do love snow and colder weather. (And DC says “that’s because you don’t have to work out in it! Bioych”. Hahaha)

The next thing has to be today, and everything it encompasses. We are in the midst of a technological revolution and thanks to $4+ a gallon gas we are in for a energy revolution. Seriously, stop for a second and think about what is happening around you, hell even this very second... you are reading the blathering words of a guy in central Indiana and these meandering words can be read by just about anybody in the world within in seconds of ‘publishing’. That IS incredible.

Lastly this week has to be the blogosphere. I know, I know... very similar to the above but no, not really. Bear with me for a sec. I’d guess I read 20 maybe 30 blogs, then some of those have guest posters or multiple people posting. No matter my mood I always find someone that agrees with me and someone that totally disagrees with me. There is always someone that had a weekend experience that makes me laugh and laugh hard. There is someone that has had a hard weekend and I cry a little with them. Maybe not friends in the ‘come over and help paint your kitchen’ but friends, none the less. I get to laugh and share a like experience, offer encouragement, rejoice and be humbled.

Jim and Flo, God bless.

[Edit - Grrrr, typos]

Thankful - II

A brief re-cap;

Basically the idea is to list 3 things you are thankful for each week from now until Thanksgiving and with each post give a little to a charity. My donations are going to Independent Veterans Society of Indiana. The money gathered will be given to Flo and Jim. Flo and Jim are from North Indiana. They are IPGR (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) members, Veteran supporters, Jim is a Vet and their son is serving in the Army. During the floods surrounding the passing of hurricane Ike a while ago, these fine folks lost everything....

This week I am thankful for;
1 - My family, a wonderful wife and 2 healthy boys. The wife and I got to take both boys to dinner Saturday night.... (that will have to be another post)
2 - This country. I could not imagine living anywhere else.
3 - Our troops. Without them, none of this would be possible.

Go. Donate. I just did.

Click here to donate.
Click here for the week 1 post.

I AM Thankful

I read about a little fund raiser over at LL’s, she is replicating the idea from Major Pain. Basically the idea is to list 3 things you are thankful for each week from now until Thanksgiving and with each post give a little to a charity. They are donating to anysolder.com. A very worth cause. Their posts will be on Sundays, mine will be on Mondays.

I’ve decided to hi-jack this idea and bring it a little closer to home.

Flo and Jim are from North Indiana. They are IPGR (Indiana Patriot Guard Riders) members, Veteran supporters, Jim is a Vet and their son is serving in the Army.

During the floods surrounding the passing of hurricane Ike a couple weeks ago, these fine folks lost everything....

“Everything”, An interesting word. Seems to be thrown around a lot these days. Let me quantify their loss for you.

Home - still standing. Uninhabitable. Lived some time in a camper/trailer without electricity. Still in the camper/trailer but now with a generator. Some time soon they will move into an apartment. Mortgage AND rent, that’s effectively two house payments. On a fixed income.
Food - if it wasn’t canned, it’s gone. And even some of that floated away.
Clothing - if they weren’t wearing it, it’s gone. Mold, mildew, rot.
Cars - still own them. Their full of water, mud and crud. It’s amazing how fast things rust away when they get water where they’re not suppose to.
Health - Jim is a disable Veteran. What he physically can do, he’s not allowed to do. He has been ordered to not enter their home again until it is cleaned up. Flo has lost her voice from breathing all of the mold and mildew filled air in the house.
Stuff - furniture, pretty must all water logged, guess they didn’t loose it but it is useless. What was left someone tried to loot. Yes, I said loot. They were stopped but still...
Family - Their son was home on leave from Iraq. The military has seen fit to not send him back to Iraq immediately but they have recalled him to his base in Texas. That didn’t help much.

So.

I’m thankful for;
1 - My home. As frustrating as it can be sometimes, without it, I would be lost.
2 - Friemily (Friends and Family). Not just blood relatives but these (you) people that I call friends. You are a support structure I know is there.
3 - My job *urp*. Seriously, I am paid well. I live well. And because of it, I can help.

With this post starts my pledge of $10 a week. If you’d like to join me, go to Independent Veterans Society of Indiana and click on the donate button (lower right of page). $10 bucks isn’t a lot but if 10 of us do it, that’s $100 a week and by Thanksgiving...

Please join me, won’t you?

Respect,

DNR