I think it's a flashback...

I'm sorry, but I'm thinking I just saw that DAVID DUVALL is in the running at The British Open. Or was it Greg Norman? Both of those fellas are among my favorite golfers. Especially Duvall. He was, back in the olden days, damned good. Then he did in golf what Chuck Knoblach did in baseball....COLLAPSED! I'm hoping it was a hallucination. Was it really? David Duvall?
Another thing. Courses in Scotland have little appeal to me. Those sand traps look like wells. The rough looks like Yellowstone. The fans look depraved.

I just like the guy....

Travel Plans...

My friend Jane and I are hitting the road.
On Friday, July 25th, we'll hit the road for Lincoln Nebraska. We'll stay there one night and head on over to Denver for some quality time with my oldest son, Curt. He and his friend Ken will visit with us for a day and then we head to Pocatello Idaho for a day or two with my dear, sweet, beautiful daughter Casey. Then, it's FIRTH IDAHO for a visit with my brother, sister-in-law, niece, her husband and two kids.
I hope to run into Robert, the Firth City Clerk and manager of Mom's trailer court. I'll have to put it up for sale so that Medicare can care for Mom at Bethany Home. Her stay has gotten VERY expensive of late. After a day in Firth and environs, we'll head to Jellystone, Cody Wyoming, the Bear Tooth Pass and back to Dakota in time for my Birthday. Many miles...
If you know of anyone that wants to buy a trailer court...let me know.

Breakfast at Wimbledon

Last night Kyle Busch won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. Great race. Sorry for the outcome. I'm a Number 24 fan and he crashed with about two laps to go. Oh well, "that's racin'."
The Twins are doing well in our great game of baseball.
I'm pumped for the upcoming NFL season and the Minnesota Vikings are looking very promising this year.
But, all that aside....I am a huge fan of big-time tennis. I never really played the game, although when in high school and college, I tried. It's just that I couldn't afford ball boys and had to run a few blocks each time the ball ended up "out." Not too many protected tennis courts in Firth Idaho.
I have been a fan for a few decades or so. I remember Breakfast at Wimbledon back in the day of Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, and Arthur Ashe. I never did much like Boris Becker, Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi, (but I loved to see 'em get beat.)
I was a huge fan of Billy Jean King, Margaret Court and Martina Navratilova. Nowadays, I dig that Sharapova gal.
These days I've become a devotee of big time tennis names like Federer, Nadal and The Williams Sisters.
I'm in heaven now that it's that time of year. Wimbledon.
In centre court today, it's Federer vs. Nadal. Switzerland vs. Spain. Today I give the edge to Roger.
I'm up and prepping the sparkling wine, orange juice, scrambled eggs and strawberries. It looks like the rain will hold up the action for another hour or so, so I have time to get the grub ready. Bacon first, eggs second, toast third, mimosa last but not least.

DIVORCE IS FINAL. (My, wasn't that quick?)

I decided I'd finally blog an entry about the end of the 28-year marriage. The divorce was final last Friday, June 20th. The divorce was decreed to be "a classic case of irreconcilable differences." For fifteen months we paid lawyers, sparred verbally, and were flushed down the vortex of legalese. It turns out we were just irreconcilable.

I can't speak for Loretta, but, for me, it was the worst year of my life. The time included my youngest son being out of work for a considerable time, my mother slipping into Alzheimers and Parkinsons Diseases, two hospital stays for mom, mom being shunted into another "care" unit at Bethany Homes, my daugher Casey's back problems and that miserable, irreconcilable relationship.

The terms of the divorce are private but, suffice it to say the judge split everything evenly. All that; for THAT. But, that's the way the ball bounces. Money, time, heartache, anger, confusion and negativism, just for THAT. The legal system into which we move during such times is hardly fair, and certainly, NOT cheap. But, such is the price of escape.

Though I'm not normally a praying man, (I don't believe much in the supernatural,)I AM praying for happiness, wealth, success and peace of mind for everyone trampled upon by this divorce. I hope my friends forgive me for having little else to think or talk about for the psat twelve months. I hope my children understand. I hope Loretta finds joy, love and reconciliation with life.

I hope I can get some calm in my stormy sea.

Mom...evaluation

I'm just back from an evaluation of Mom at Bethany Homes, Care Unit II.
She's a real hit. She loves Polka music! I sat up straight and said, "are you sure this is Gladys?" (She hates Polka...but, that's THE BIG "A" for ya'.) She plays Bingo, takes part in everything except CHURCH activities.
She was quick, alert, funny and PROUD to see me today. I sat with her and two of her new friends. We drank coffee and ate donuts for about an hour. (MOM eating donuts....imagine.)

She was confused about where she was, (she thought she was in Firth.) She wanted to know why people stopped coming to see her. I explained that everyone was a thousand miles away and couldn't. She accepted that except for the wrinkle in her forehead, showing she didn't really get it. But, she forgot it and went about repeating everything she'd said moments before.

Early on in the conversation I called her "Mom" and she said "who is the mom person about whom you're speaking?" Then she laughed and I was relieved. I was afraid she'd forgotten HERSELF.

For everyone concerned about her surroundings and care....it's superb. They are SO friendly, caring and kind up there, I sorta' wish I lived there. (Kidding..duh!) But, man, are they good people at Bethany. They really know her well after a short period of time.

I left feeling sort of buoyed, yet somewhat dismayed. I was glad she was doing so well...but sad that I won't see my mom again. She's so sweet. (That's not Mom.) I wanna argue. Heck, she didn't even know or care that Barak Obama is the Dem running for Prez'. She even said, (proof of addlement,) that she thought she might vote for John McCain. In her right mind she would NEVER have said that. But, she was teasing a bit I think.
Well, kids.
That's it for now...

My Mom and The "Big A"

I'm going to see Mom today. She has been in Bethany Home's Memory Unit for a couple of weeks now. She's doing quite well according to the nice folks that run the place. Everytime I've visited with her, she seems to be "at home." It's sort of pathetic in that she doesn't really remember much about "home." She remembers things from her youth like crazy. She regales them with tales of Germany, traveling via ship, her Father, and when Art and I were kids. Her memory of recent events is mostly gone. She tells and re-tells stories. She asks and re-asks questions repeatedly. She still knows who I am, and speaks about those closest to her quite familiarly when reminded of others. She gets a nice warm smile when speaking of Art, Edith, Curt, Casey, Cookie, Kathy, Michael, and the great grandchildren. She speaks fondly of Loretta, my soon-to-be ex-wife. (I don't bother telling her we're divorced/ing.)
When her memory is jogged she seems to know it all. (But, she doesn't really.)
She's still witty and outgoing. She has lots of room to move about. The staff has stimulating projects for her. She's won a bingo, (which she denies,) reminisces, and visits with the staff. (She's still not too sure about those other Alzheimers patients.) She has unlimited snacks, (24 hours) lots of people looking out for her. They treat her royally. But, "pathetic" still says it. And, it costs about $4200 a month to keep her there. She has enough money to last about four months, barring a turn for the worse, health-wise. I have to visit with Cass County Social Services about getting set up to care for her when the money runs out. Sad that everything Dad worked for is being poured down the funnel of state-sponosred well-being. But, that's the road most of us will tread, unless we're fortunate enough to have hundreds-of-thousands of dollars at our access. (I won't.)
I remember how tough it was when my former father-in-law was in such a unit. His family was nearby all the time and he did OK. However, such a person as he,(and my mom,) are trapped with no place go..and little inclination to go anywhere. Sigh...my heart is heavy way too much. Mostly, I think, because of the helplessness I feel in really being able to do anything about her condition. I manage to spend quite a bit of time in denial, but usually slip back into reality upon each visit with her.

A Grand Day Indeed

Saturday was mostly fine for me.
I ended staying awake until 3:30am fer' cryin' out loud! Safe, sober and sane it was. But, late! Don't ask why because I DON'T KNOW.
It all began with breakfast, work, Duffy's, home and the dogs...Then, got all gussied-up for the 33rd-annual Art Gala on behalf of the Plains Art Museum. The featured artist until June is Auguste Rodin! He was a great sculptor and the man that crafted "The Thinker." Jane and I oohed and ahhed over each of the dozens of pieces on display.
We also oohed and ahhed over the appetizers provided by Green Market catering. Then we oohed and ahhed over the music of Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome. They're a 12 piece band featuring funky tunes of the 70's and 80's and beyond I guess. I dig those cats, man.
I DID miss NASCAR last night though. Who won? Was it Jr.?

Sunday Morn' comin' down...still

The storm that roared into our neck of the woods this weekend was a real butt-tightener. I worked from 6-11am, taking calls from hundreds of listeners describing the awful driving conditions. Roads were impassable, cars were in ditches, (back in Idaho we call roadside ditches "Borrow Pits,)plows were plowing and cops were ticketing drivers for going the speed limit which was TOO fast.

Afterward I spent an hour with Mom at Bethany Homes. Somehow, she seems MORE coherent than prior to her latest hospital adventure. In fact, she was concerned because she couldn't find her cigarettes. I asked her what brand she smokes and she insists "Winston." She'd smoked Virginia Slims for the past umpteen years, so she's a bit off on that count. She hasn't smoked for two-and-a-half years and acted as if she'd NEVER smoked. Well....now....she wants her cigs again.

I give her the clues to her crosswords and the number of letters and the letters we already know. She gets about 80 percent correct. It's been a fun couple of visits of late. She's sharp and not as morose as in the past.
I was telling Jane about stories I've read of when people go blind for instance when they get a bonk on the noggin, and decades later get another bonk and get their sight back. I wonder of this second trauma this winter maybe bonked her into answering crosswords correctly and yearning for her cigs. The brain is a mysterious organ indeed.
(Not having one, I wouldn't know for sure...but I've read that it's a nysterious thingy.)

My eldest writes of his Grandmother's communication

My heart swells with pride at the eloquence of my oldest boy..
Read this my friends

Mom Recovers!?

Last Friday Mom had a seizure while riding in the car with Jane, Char and me. We were taking her to see Whalen and Midge, our dachshunds. They were anxious to see her and she them. However, the episode occured while crossing town. Jane was driving and ran a stoplight getting to the emergency room at Meritcare.
She was admitted and tested with EKG, EEG, MRI and Echocardiogram. She was found to have an infection but not a stroke or "seizure." (I saw it...I KNOW it was a seizure...but, I'm no doctor.)
The first few days were awful with mom being sedated and out of it, or agitated and confused. Thank goodness for a caring, attentive staff at M'care. They were all great.
This morning, when I stopped in for a quick visit she was in GREAT shape! She remembered me, and even recalled being picked up for the ride on Friday. But, nothing after that. The poor little thing. I had her speak with Curt, Casey and Cookie, her dear grandchildren. She was wide awake, alert and quite communicative. Even yesterday she wouldn't have been able to do that. Man, were they and I HAPPY!
The next issue is WHERE SHE WILL LIVE. Bethany Homes is making efforts to keep her there. I hope she can stay there. But, perhaps she'll no longer be up to living in an "assisted" unit. But, if she's back to "baseline," perhaps life will go back to normal. She'll never be the Gladys we knew in years gone by, but isn't that the way it is with ALL of us? We all love her so much. Thanks to all who have shared their concern.
Heck, now that she'll know what they are, I may even send flowers....

Well.....it continues

The judge ruled that my divorce case be "continued" until May 14th!
All this for a pittance.
My God, what a drag this has become.
It may be a Roller-Coaster but this is no fun ride.
Stay tuned.
I've made an offer.

Tomorrow is the day

Monday, April 14th I go to court to end this nearly 28-year marriage. Loretta and I were together nearly 30-years as a couple.
Our first few years were very healthy and quite happy. Our son Charles is the greatest thing we accomplished and I'm very pleased with what a fine man he's become. I hope he can reconcile to this divorce. He is taking it quite difficultly I think. He doesn't speak about it so I'm not sure, but I think he's having a tough time with loss of a "home base."
I'm nervous as hell about the nature of tomorrow's court action. I am determined to keep my composure and to convey my deepest wishes for a "good" outcome. I want Loretta to be able to get on with her life with as little headache as possible. I want things to be fair and equitable.
I'm sure she can do much better out here in the real world than she believes.
I know she has made strides in setting up a circle of friends and co-workers with whom she can relate, communicate and have fun.
I've been told she has a boyfriend that offers her some sense of normalcy. (I know VERY little about those two, but I wish them the very best.)
I have a lady friend that keeps me grounded and in touch with life as it can be.
My attorney is well-prepared and I presume hers is as well.
He and I have had a good working relationship. His fees have been quite reasonable and I hope it's a good investment.
I had hoped this divorce wouldn't proceed to this point. I'd hoped she and I could resolve this between ourselves, but in September, all negotiation was cut off and the rest has been in the hands of $200 an hour attorneys. They earn their keep, but I wish they'd not have ended up as well off as I'm sure they are.
Keep your fingers crossed for the outcome.
Fair and equitable.
I also hope joy and happiness can result for both of us. It's not like a light switch with an on-off button. But, hope prevails.

Ahhhh, Florida

I'm back from Naples Florida.
What a trip. What a town. What a time.
The town is the personification of CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION. Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Porsches, Cadillacs.
Fancy dancy people walking their fancy dancy dogs.
$14 martinis. (Coors Lite was only $5.)
My friend's famly purchased their place on Gulf Shore Boulevard back in 1965. To them, a visit to Florida is like a trip to "the Lake" around here.
Across the street, the Gulf Coast, it's white sandy beaches and slightly swaying palm trees are magnficent.
Southern hopsitality is omnipresent. I think the service people, (waiters, waitresses, store clerks, etc.,) are very friendly. Of course, they would be. Any of us might be a gazillionaire and they wouldn't want to burn a potential massive tip.
However, the "common folk" with which I had the chance to chat were very personable and open. They were interested in North Dakota, (especially the cold.)
The big controversy down in Naples was their proposal to ban tobacco consumption on the streets, beaches and parks! Even the blue-noses have blue-noses down there.
There was also a good deal of concern about the number of sea birds being snagged by fishermen as they cast their lines from the shore or docks. I saw two pelicans snagged and a sea gull. The anglers were very concerned about returning the birds to flight with with minimal harm. The birds were evidently going for the bait and/or the catch when they get nailed. Poor birds. Oh well...
Upon return yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the cold, windy weather. The worst we saw in Naples was breezes and high tides. Oh, and THE RED TIDE, to which I had an allergic reaction.
I'm on the way to Mom's house. I haven't seen her in about a week.
Her birthday happened while I was away. Her's and Casey's. I missed them both but hope to make up with them this week. I was so involved in my own glorious time, I forgot them. Well, that's me, I guess.

Brrrr and beyond

It's a cold day in 'Dakota this morn'. Minus 19-degrees is a bit nippy, ("nipply" as the boors would say.) Clear skies. Calm air.
As many know, Babe the Blue Ox used to live with his buddy Paul Bunyan near here. Even Babe dreams of Mesa on days like this.

Did you watch the Budweiser Shoot-Out from Daytona Motor Speedway last night? Although I'm a Jeff Gordon (#24) and Jimmy Johnson (#48) fan, I was happy to see the #88 car driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. win the event. I'm with those conspiracy-minded race fans that think his stepmother Teresa sabatoged last season so that he wouldn't leave DEI a winner. (OK, if you give a damn, raise your hand.)

The KFGO trip to Manzanillo Mx. a few weeks back is still fresh in my mind. The tan still shows. The memories are vivid. Now, my attention focuses on Naples Florida. I'm taking off for there on the 29th. Nice place I hear tell. Several of my Fargo friends are within minutes of each other down there. We'll all meet at least once and have some fun. I have tickets for a Minnesota Twins spring-training game for all of us.

My divorce is proceeding with the speed of molasses. February 25th is "pre-trial" day. I'm not really sure what that will resolve, but I wish L and I could sit down and talk it over. But, we're both stubborn and it looks like the judge gets to decide what's what.

Jane and I rented "Midnight Run" with Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin yesterday. It's a bit of an oldie, but, holds up well. Very funny movie. I recommend it highly.

If anyone reads this, thanks. I can't imagine how much time you must have on your hands, but, thanks for sharing in my therapy.

A New Year

Nice and brisk these days.
I should've written a couple of weeks ago when we had some spectacular hoarfrost on our trees, wires and passed out drunks. Imagine North Dakota with so little wind so as to allow hoarfrost to occur.
A nice couple from Encino California visited Fargo for New Years. They'd never been here and the only thing they knew about our town was the movie of the same name.
They bought warm clothes, and came on up. They loved it. They commented that they couldn't believe how pleasant ALL the people they met were. They stayed at the HOTEL DONALDSON and commented that it is as nice a Hotel as they've seen ANYWHERE in the world. They slept well, ate well, drank well and met some of the nicest people anywhere. They were also amazed at how cold 20-below is.
They'll be back.
Good for us.

D-I-V-O-R-C-E

Thank goodness there are no kids involved in this divorce of mine.
I have the dogs and that's great for me. And, them. They love me. I don't know why. Mark Twain is alleged to have said, "God help us be half the man my dogs believes me to be."
I've been recovering from this trauma as best as can be expected.
A pre-trial court date has been set for February 25, 2008.
I ran into a guy that has the same divorce lawyer I do. He started a month after me and will have his final court appearance and decision in January 2007. Why is mine taking so long and his isn't? His soon-to-be ex-wife has chosen to end it instead of going on and on I guess.
There are several issues to be decided by the courts. It makes me feel like we're the Trumps, what with court proceeding scheduled. I would have thought it could be settled otherwise, but, hi-ho...to court we go.

I've developed a passion for a few local bands. Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome is superb. They're a big band made up of seasoned musicians. Lots of horns and FUNK!
I'll follow The Blowhards anywhere. A great selection of oldies. There's a guitar and a sax. What more do we need to shake a tailfeather?
And, finally, a bunch of good old boys called The Other Side Blues Band wail like very few others do. They do some classic oldies and rock, but, their roots are the blues. I snap my fingers and shake my booty to these boys. They don't have a website. Maybe that's why the have the blues. By the way, TOSBB's lead singer is a fella' named Clark Gable. (Spelled Gaeble.)

The Dogs

Whalen and Midge are my fast friends these days.
Whalen, the male, and Midge, the female are brothers and sisters, three litters apart.
Midge and Whalen are both "sandbox trained." They go poop and "potty" in a sandbox just like a cat. Except today, when the girl looked me in the eye and peed on the floor!
I took action, scolding softly and IMPRISONING her in a cage which precluded her roaming the house. She stayed with the sandbox for the better part of the day.
Char suggested that perhaps I hadn't changed the sand, (I hadn't)and that perhaps I should. I did. I went to Petco and bought some flushable, "organic" corn-based litter. I poured out the old, sanitized the box...and replaced the stuff. Whalen immediately peed and eventually pooped. (He gets it.)
Midge, went in the box and began to eat the danged stuff!
EAT IT! She pooped nary a whit. But, she did EAT IT! However, upon return from an errand tonight, I discovered a NEW poop. I think it was hers. She's no longer in exile from the rest of the house. I'm such a softy.


Mom goes to her oncologist tomorrow. I pick her up at 1pm and take her in. It's her quarterly cancer update. I think she'll fare well.

I'm off to bed. Time to sleep so that I can work out at 5:30am. (I worked out six days this week.)

This is an amazing place, Nodak.
Two weeks ago, I was having my basement cleaned up after our monsoon season. The sump pump failed, and the basement flooded.
This week, my lawn is cracked from a lack of moisture.
What gives widdat'?


Today is a windy, hazy, crazy, lazy day of summer.
I think it's time to drink a beer and watch the NASCAR race from New Hampshire.


My little Midge, the female of the two dachshunds, peed on the floor and I have her in prison. She's caged in next to her sandbox. She has water and food and nowhere to go except POTTY. She's whining and crying. Whalen, the male, is frolicking and eating...He never gets to frolic with his pesky sister around. He's enjoying the break from the little gal. Don't worry, she's not sentenced to life...unless she pees on the floor again. Hi ho..

Steamy summertime

Saturday was a deluxe and sultry day in Nodak. And Minnesota.
A friend and I made a Lakes Country jaunt yesterday. What was intended to be a couple of hours in the woods, ended up being all day long. Sweet.
We visited Lake Melissa and, of course, old reliable and HUGE Lake Cormorant.
I love lake country around here. Fire flies at night and water puppies and dragon flies in the day. Jet Skiis in the day, and the haunting cry of the loon at night. A keg of beer and a campfire. That's why Gawd created Minnesota.
I have a beef with the way they do their "cabins" or "cottages" as they're referred to. I think we could aptly call many of them "Lake Castles." The size and the ostentaciousness of these abodes doesn't bother me as much as the inappropriateness of the design.
I think that along Minnesota shoreline, (more shoreline miles than the entire U-S,) we should have codes on the type of homes that are built. Call me wacky, but I think a home alongside a Minnesota Lake should LOOK LIKE A 'LAKE PLACE!' That's all. I don't care if it's ten-grand or ten-million, it should look like it belongs THERE.
It should look like a Minnesota Lake Cabin. Not like a SOUTHWEST ADOBE VILLA. Not like a MANHATTAN APARTMENT BUILDING or an ENGLISH CASTLE.
Those that build these mansion, adobe abodes or some other other-world kind of living place NEVER, EVER stay at the place. They come out on Memorial Day and visit again on Labor Day. They leave their symbols of conspicuous consumption on the lake shore, unvisited and unwelcoming. Their neighbors never get to see the Dallas-Fort Worth owner except when he flies in with his amphibious aircraft to grab a pack of smokes from the 'fridge and jets back to whatever other palace he departed.
I promise, when I make my first million, my lake place will look like a small, inobtrusive cabin with a porch, a hammock, a lawn swing, a dock, a dog, maybe a patch of poison ivy and NO COPPER ROOFS or electric gates allowing entrance. Maybe I'm a bit of a hick, but I hate the look of money so obviously plastered on our lake shores. I prefer the pristine to the porcine.
And, another thing, I want the Minnesota legislature to try to require lakeshore developers to include mandatory camping sites in the proximity to any new major projects. You have to be a gazillionaire to afford a place on a lake these days. Campgrounds are disappearing. I think the common folks should be allowed to visit the lakes for an overnighter without have to invest a lifetime into the privilege. A new development of 20 acres? One acre should be open for common folks to pay for the privilege to throw out a sleeping bag, tent, or camper for a night or two.
One more thing, I like what's happening on Minnesota lake shore far more than what's happening further west where Californians are buying up Montana, Idaho and Wyoming mountain top property, cutting the timber and putting up castles for all to see. I wonder when they'll put some cabins on The Tetons?