tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-345784982024-03-13T21:51:03.521-05:00Wrestling WidowLJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.comBlogger852125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-30048432539202537572015-02-23T14:22:00.001-05:002015-02-23T14:22:54.234-05:00Quiet day...My husband spent the entire weekend working on painting projects around the house. I am very thankful that his projects are done and am ever so glad with the results but I am thankful he is done. He loves to listen to loud music while he works. He would have every radio in the house on and even <a href="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/powered-monitors/jbl">jbl monitors</a> if he could. I, on the other hand, do not love music to the same degree. Loud music wears on my nerves and by the end of this weekend I was longing for silence. I am grateful for today. If was quiet and mind mind feels rested once again. I love him dearly but I am a person who needs quiet every now and then. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-80476478839079369222015-02-23T14:19:00.002-05:002015-02-23T14:19:36.603-05:00So much time...I can't believe that the last time I posted was in October. I am really sorry that I have neglected to write anything here. It feels weird to be blogging again but I really enjoy it despite my long absence. In the months to come I hope to add interesting content and a fresh persprective after my long hiatus. If it takes me a while to find my writing groove again I hope that you will stick by me in the meantime. I will be trying to stick to a regular writing scheudle if life allows me to do so. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-18964825558343091282014-10-22T13:35:00.000-05:002014-10-22T13:35:11.276-05:00Naptime...I have mentioned before that our neighbor gives music lessons out of his home. This is how he earns a living. Over the years we have become accustomed to hearing guitar music coming from their home at all hours of the day and night. We are also used to listening to him practice on his <a href="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-60th-anniversary-telecaster-electric-guitar">fender 60th anniversary telecaster</a> in between guitar lessons. There are days when I just wish I could take a nap without it being interrupted by guitar music. I love music as much as the next person but there are times when I really appreciate silence and a good long nap.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-24329535873196603612014-10-22T13:28:00.000-05:002014-10-22T13:28:36.615-05:00Stocking up...I know there are people who don't like to prepare for anything and simply take each day as it comes. I am not that type of person and neither is my wife. We like to be as prepared as we can for what may come our way. One of the things we like to do is have food on hand should something happens and we can't get to the store. Our children see this as simply the way people live. In fact, they think it is funny when people don't have supplies on hand. I like that they are growing up with a sense of the importance of preparing for the future. We don't preach this to them or even really talk about it but simple make it a part of our daily lives and hope they will in the future as well. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-56887263643111732702014-10-22T13:21:00.000-05:002014-10-22T13:21:19.961-05:00Company... Over the weekend we had company for a couple of days. Some friends of ours who had moved away came back into town for a visit. At first it was nice getting together but after a day it started to get awkward. Our friends are very into music and are professional musicians. What they don't realize is that not everyone is as interested in music as they are. I don't know what <a href="http://www.guitarcenter.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-g27434t0.gc">Red Interfaces</a> are or why someone would need one. I found myself nodding and smiling a great deal over the weekend as they detailed ever possible musical device they own or want to buy. I have to say I was glad to see them leave because my brain was tired by the end of the weekend. I guess they may have felt a need to fill the silence with something since we don't seem to have much in common since they moved away. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-15509956274278075742014-10-22T13:14:00.002-05:002014-10-22T13:14:34.019-05:00Running again...I stopped running several months ago because I was having pain in my ankle. I decided this week to give running a try once again because I really need to be more physically active. My wife has been getting on me for my lack of physical activity. We agreed we would work out several times each week and I haven't held up my end of the deal. So, I am now back to running and so far my ankle hasn't been giving me much grief. I am hoping that this continues. I have pins in my ankle and since they were put there have found it hard to be as active as I was before the injury to my ankle. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-72709534807129368312014-08-05T19:17:00.002-05:002014-08-05T19:17:57.905-05:00Music CampThere is just something about this summer that is leaving my children with a very bad case of cabin fever. Between the rain and the humidity they have been inside a great deal more than I would like them to be. I debated earlier in the year signing them up for music camp but elected not to. Now I wish I had even though it would mean spending more money. At least I would not being hearing how bored they are all day. They might even have met some new people like fellow students or a guest <a href="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/recording-packages">musicians friends</a>. Instead, they have been stuck inside driving themselves just a little bit stir crazy. Maybe it won't rain tomorrow and I can send them outdoors.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-76968616538447993072014-08-05T19:12:00.001-05:002014-08-05T19:12:43.612-05:00CallingI am not someone who likes to talk on the phone. In fact, I despise talking on the phone. When I call I like to say what I need to say and be done. I don't want to answer twenty questions or babble about the weather. Basically, I only use the phone when I have to do so. I prefer to talk to people in person. It always surprises me how some people just love to talk on the phone and will call over any and everything. What really drives me nuts would be when people call and leave vague messages. If you call say why you are calling and some information. Don't just call and say "call me as soon as you can". That to me is just being dramatic. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-37484816270759334262014-04-23T17:21:00.000-05:002014-04-23T17:21:08.830-05:00Planning...My brother-in-law stopped by for a visit over the weekend. He has not been to see us for quite a while. It was interesting to see what has been going on in his life since our last visit. He has recently been thinking about selling his house and moving across the country to where his girlfriend lives. They would love to buy a large piece of property together and have been considering looking <a href="http://www.allredinsurance.com/">for homeowners coverage in burlington nc</a>. She has always wanted to live on a farm and have a huge garden. Right now it seems like the only thing stopping them is logistics and planning. They want to carefully prepare for the next phase of their lives together. I am excited for them and what the future might hold.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-60996300202810519552014-04-23T17:15:00.000-05:002014-04-23T17:15:30.416-05:00Ticks...Last week we were on spring break from cyber school. We spent just about every day doing something outside. The weather was finally warm and sunny and we took full advantage of it. I never considered that the weather was warm enough for ticks to be out and about because it seemed as though the snow had just finally melted. Two nights ago I was drying my youngest son off after a shower and found a tick embedded in his arm. I promptly called the doctor first thing in the morning and my son is now on antibiotics for 10 days as a precaution. Our area is ripe with ticks that carry Lyme disease. My hope is now that this medicine works and we have no further need to worry. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-23178463860428310972014-03-13T16:12:00.003-05:002014-07-18T14:32:23.763-05:00Company...We are expecting company this weekend wich is a bit unusual for us. We tend to be the people who do the visiting rather than vice versa. We are very much looking forward to seeing some friends that we haven't seen in a long time. The last time we saw them was right before a concert they were performing in at our local theater. Our friends are very gifted musicians. One of them place the oboe and the other the violin. If you ever wanted to know why or why not to buy they are definitely the people to ask. I have to be honest that I love visiting with them but sometimes wish music wasn't the only thing they talked about. I suppose it is their life and their passion and I do love how excited they are about it. They probably feel the same way about me and my love of golf. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-75811983793864065752014-03-13T16:08:00.001-05:002014-03-13T16:08:18.967-05:00Counting the days...Now that March is here it finally feels like spring might actually be coming our way. I am now in the mindset that I can actually begin counting the days until fishing season starts. I took the entire first week of trout season off this year which is a first. I intend to spend as much time as possible hit the streams and rivers in my area. Our winter has been so incredibly long that it will feel good to be outdoors once again. Hopefully my fishing skills are up to par and we are able to put some fish in the freezer this year.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-37292251684760113032014-03-02T17:31:00.004-05:002014-07-18T14:30:09.426-05:00Relaxing...After dinner tonight I intend to sit down on the couch and relax. I may not move for several hours. I fully intend to make a nice not cup of coffee and put my feet up and read a good book. I likely will put a record on that features some . Nothing relaxes me quite as much as sitting on the couch while listening to a really good record. Most people love their MP3s or CDs but not me. Give me a vintage record player and a good collection of records and I am a truly happy man. I might even fall asleep while listening to my music which would make it a truly perfect way to end a really long weekend. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-74843696903000055672014-03-02T17:28:00.000-05:002014-03-02T17:28:11.183-05:00Snow...I cannot believe how cold and snowy this winter has been. Even though we always read the Farmer's Almanac to get an idea of what winter might be like before it comes we are always surprised. Here it is the beginning of March and I don't feel like spring is going to come any time soon. I just came inside from shoveling snow and my wife reported that another snow storm is headed our way. The one thing I keep telling myself is that this is good for our fruit trees and that it just might lessen the mosquito population this summer. Spring will come it just feels like it is taking forever this year. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-17953247182197468432014-03-02T17:25:00.000-05:002014-07-18T14:31:43.556-05:00Conversation...I like getting to know new people. This weekend I had the perfect opportunity while away on a camping trip. I supervised our scout troop with a few other adults for the weekend. The kids distracted themselves with snowball fights and fort building which left us adults with a great deal of time to talk. As it turned out several of us are into music. A couple of the parents play instruments and know all all about stuff like . Given that I don't play and instrument I had no idea what they were talking about. What I do love is listening to people talk about stuff they are passionate about. It was nice to talk with other adults about something besides our children and our jobs. I came home with a couple of new acquaintances and a better appreciation for those who make music.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-38345102530152720962014-03-02T17:20:00.001-05:002014-03-02T17:20:38.563-05:00Home...I cannot tell you how glad I am to be home. This morning I returned from a two day camping trip with my son's scout troop. The weather was bitterly cold. Thankfully, we were in a cabin and kept fairly warm. The children played in the snow most of the weeked which made the time go by quickly for them. For the adults it passed much more slowly especially at night. We had to take turns getting up to keep the wood stove going. This meant I barely slept for the last two days. Tonight I will sleep in my own bed under our electric blanket and it will be divine!LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-82023666404804779222014-02-18T18:15:00.000-05:002014-02-18T18:15:39.215-05:00Moving truck...Last night I kept hearing what sounded like a moving truck being loaded. It was dark, and I couldn't really tell where the noise was coming from. This morning I looked down the street, and there was a moving truck in the drive at a house two doors away. This is the home of the music teacher I had posted about. I am sad to see them moving because they have been fun neighbors. I learned all about things like the <a href="http://www.wwbw.com/Claude-Lakey-Hard-Rubber-Alto-Saxophone-Mouthpiece-465059-i1411715.wwbw">claude lakey ligature at WWBW</a> while visiting with them. We were often treated to impromptu backyard musical performances on warm summer nights. After having had bad neighbors when living in a different state I have come to appreciate what makes good neighbors all the more. Hopefully, whoever lives next to them in the future loves their music as much as we did.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-68352080969392204452014-02-18T18:11:00.000-05:002014-02-18T18:11:01.790-05:00Bread...Last August my wife and I gave up eating grains. Most people don't realize just what this involves. Just about everything imaginable that is a manufactured food contains some form of a grain. You have to read labels very carefully to determine what is okay to eat and what is not. We have been very good about our diet with the exception of holiday dinners. Today my wife baked bread for the first time in many months. We didn't have any in the house for the kids and since they do eat grains she decided to bake some. It came out of the oven just as I got home from work. We decided to each eat one slice, and I have to say it was heavenly. I really can say that only having something on a very rare occasion really makes you appreciate it more. We won't be having any more bread in the near future but it is nice to bend the rules once in a while. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-55027108783157448722014-01-29T18:45:00.001-05:002014-07-18T14:28:03.474-05:00Job Market...It is not secret that I work in an office that strives to help people become employed or employable. I love my job and meet interesting people every day. Today I had someone in the office who has a music background. He astounded me with his knowledge of everything from something he called to various composers throughout history. It is always a struggle when I meet someone like this because we live in a very small town. There just isn't a big market to place people in a music related profession in our area. What is even harder to understand is when they have relocated to our area with a goal of finding a job in this type of profession. Personally I would move to a big city if I wanted to work in music as opposed to a small town on the east coast.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-40601701470648046892014-01-29T18:38:00.001-05:002014-01-29T18:38:40.924-05:00Hunting gear...I have decided I am going to pursue hunting with a vengeance this year. I have been reading everything I can on the topic in order to learn the tricks and techniques the experts suggest for a successful hunt. I realize that being a skilled hunter is more than just reading a book. I am also practicing my shooting skills. Soon I will be building a portable hunting blind to use for deer hunting and turkey hunting. What I am finding ming boggling is the cost of hunting gear! Hunting clothing is very expensive. I hope to find a deal in the very near future when stores start offering end of season sales. I am also watching for some used gear at garage sales over the summer. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-27007560385128913192014-01-29T18:28:00.003-05:002014-07-18T14:26:04.735-05:00Simple music...I consider myself to be quite a fan of music. What makes me different from most people who love music is that my preferred method of listening to music is not using modern technology. I don't have a need for a fancy sound system or something like. All I need is a vintage record player and a stack of great albums. I love the imperfect sound that this method of listening affords. It just seems to take me back to a simpler time and place. It might be that I grew up listening to music this way when I was a child, and those were very happy times. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-35449404309146680522014-01-29T18:21:00.000-05:002014-01-29T18:21:16.234-05:00Still running...In early November my wife and I started a running program. It was a 9 week program that we finished around the second week of January. We have since continued running every other day of the week. It has been really nice to find something that we can do together. For now we are running on the treadmill so we aren't technically running together, but the plan is to transition to running outside once the weather warms up. I saw a women running yesterday in our -9 degree weather, and I couldn't believe it. It takes a certain type of dedication to run through a foot of snow in weather that cold. We will wait for warm weather to hit the streets. It simply isn't work getting hurt just to say we ran in the snow. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-55296414198765258422013-12-26T17:50:00.001-05:002014-07-18T14:23:23.851-05:00Looking back...This week our oldest son turned 14 years old. It seems like just yesterday that he was starting kindergarten. I was going through my closet this week and found a practice book from his public school violin class. I remember buying him a cheap violin shoulder rest at Musicians Friend to fit the violin we rented. He was such a little guy at the time. I can't believe it has been 9 years since then. He has long since given up playing the violin and is now taller than me. I wish he has stuck with the violin, but I have to let him make his own choices. Who knows what new interests he might develop in the next nine years.LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-53297775090582571762013-12-26T17:44:00.001-05:002013-12-26T17:44:07.761-05:00Tools galore...Santa definitely visited our house this year. We have spent the day cleaning up from the holiday festivities, and it has been a big job. Our children ended up spoiled beyond compare by their extended family. I didn't really think I was going to get that much this year but ended up with tons of tools and supplies that I really needed. My father was her over Thanksgiving helping me with a project. During that visit he seemed unimpressed with my tool collection and decided to add to it. I am really thankful for everything I was given as I am sure to use all of it. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34578498.post-46039260221123179762013-12-10T19:22:00.000-05:002013-12-10T19:22:04.982-05:00Wild animals...My family is hooked on watching animal shows on television. It is amazing to me the things that they come up with to make a television show out of. One thing is has embedded in my mind is a few things I need to add to my <a href="http://www.goconnectapp.com/">real estate agent checklist</a> for the next time I am home shopping. I will definitely ask if there are animal hoarders in the neighborhood. I can't imagine living next to someone how hoards animals or keeps exotic animals. Another thing I will want to know is if anyone in the neighborhood has been hurt by a neighbor's animal. We once lived in an area where a home owner was constantly being cited for not keeping his dogs on a leash and just letting them run the neighborhood. I never want to be in that situation again. LJNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433287107533708626noreply@blogger.com0