The things in my head go 'round and 'round

I sat on the deck this afternoon with a good cigar, and a good brew and just listened. 

We have a school that is about 50 yards from our yard.  When we bought this house back in 1996 it was one of the selling points.  That along with the fact that we were buying it from family and getting a great deal.  Back then the school house k-5, and that is were The Princess went to 1-4.  When she got into 5th grade the school was closed and she went to another one that is a couple of blocks in the opposite direction. 

Sitting here listening to the leaves, I can also hear the kids coming in from last recess.  I can hear the buzzer, and the buses pulling up getting ready to take them home.  The parents are queing up in the same place that I used to when I picked The Princess up.  The sound of little peoples voices is like a balm.  I love listening to them as they are chattering to one another.  When this was our school, it had a huge family feel to it.  We all knew one another, saw one another at all the functions, and watched out for one anothers kids.  If someone was late, the parents would hang around and let our kids play on the playground until the late parent arrived.  Now that we are years beyond that, I find how much I miss those days. 

I missed those days with my eldest daughter, and even though I had some of that time with my boys, I basically missed those days with my own kids.  I lived them vicariously through The Princess.  I am a flawed Father. 

Anyway.  Live life now.  Don’t look back on it and regret.  Life is to be lived now.

Namaste.

I have never been rich, and though I do like to dream about it I somewhat doubt that I ever will be.  Monetarily, that is.  ‘Cause if you measure wealth in the people you know and associate with, Bill Gates got nothing on me.

I am typing this on a lap top that was recommended to me by the friend of a friend.  I got it at a steal.  The friend and his friend are technological wizards.  Veritable genius’s of the highest sort when it comes to computers and such.  Both are highly trained and when I need something, if one can’t do it the other can.

I have a friend who is a genius when it comes to cars.  Anything that moves, to be honest.   The reason that I am able to drive a 15 year old vehicle is because he keeps it running for me.  And without screwing me over on the price.  He tells me what the truck needs, and then takes care of it.  Sometimes he has worked for a case of my homebrew.  This guy is the one I am going to set up in his own garage when I hit the lotto.  He will be my personal mechanic in his own business.

I have a friend who can work on stereo’s, and home entertainment systems.  He is also the one who has introduced me to the world of cigars.  Much to MLW’s displeasure.

I have a friend who works on my lawnmower when it needs TLC.  Or to be honest, when I muck it up so badly I need to have someone who knows what they are doing fix it.  He, again, tells me what it needs, fixes it and doesn’t charge me an arm and a leg.

I have a friend who brews beer like I do.  He and I share recipes, and talk about what went right and trouble shoot what went wrong.

I have a friend, who I met through MLW, who was a professional musician.  The Princess’ biological Father  used to beat up Brett Michaels when he was known as Bret Sychak.

I am rich beyond belief when it comes to the people I can call friend.  And I need to remind myself of this on those days when I am bitching and moaning about not having enough money.  Because money ain’t all it is cracked up to be.

L8R

Sat on the deck tonight watching the fireflies. There are times during the summer, right after we have had rain and it is nice and humid out, when the fireflies congregate out behind our house like a congress of fairies.

Our property borders a municipal park. There is a copse of trees with a lane running through it. When the fireflies are out you can walk down that lane and they cluster around you. And it is beautiful.

L8R

The things in my head:

I have to wonder if my kids really understand that their Father…is a whack job.

Wouldn’t it just piss some people off if by some quirk, Hillary ended up getting the Demcratic nomination?

I mean, wayyyy too many folks are already talking that Obama is the one.

It makes me crazy when you try to play mind games with me. You have no idea how ignorant that makes you look, when I turn them back on your. Every time. And it is because you just are not as smart as I am. And take your check list with you.

Why is it that when I am at the edge looking over and planning that last step over, James Taylor can always bring me back. And that is disturbing due to the fact that I was listening to Linkin Park just before.

Uppmann camaroons are a relaxant on the drive home. Wonder what kind Tony Soprano smokes?

Namaste.

Some nights it is just right for turning up the cd player, jammin’ to The Jayhawks. Firing up a nice, smooth cigar. Yep. I like to smoke a stogie on my hour drive home from work. But only on the nights I work. I don’t smoke driving home when I come home at 5pm.

One of my friends got me smoking cigars awhile ago. He is a maven. I am more of an occaisional smoker. I am working my way through the Jrcigars catalog right now. I am working my way through some camaroons that I bought the other day.

Don’t hate be because I like a good cigar. There is nothing more relaxing on my ride home.

With The Jayhawks.

Namaste.