Milestone reached

There is good news and bad news when you turn 65. The good news: you've made it this far in relatively good health, you get your Medicare card, you buy your last fishing license which is good until you croak, and you get to have a lovely birthday dinner with your loving wife of 37 years at your favorite local restaurant, capped off by a good-luck kiss! The bad news: None - although another year older, with all the blessings that we have enjoyed over our lives and continue to experience, I would have to lie to complain. Kinda sappy, huh - but I'm a sappy kind of guy - deal with it!

Christmas in Siloam Springs: 2011

The celebrations continued in Siloam, with stocking stuffers at Charlcie's Dad's (we're making it simpler while keeping it fun) and dinner at the Riley's - not to mention Chris's birthday celebration on Christmas day. All-in-all the Ft. Smith, Siloam holiday road trip was responsible for a calorie intake exceeding safe limits - oh well, it was worth the risk, and there's always the new year to start over in attempting to be healthy.

Christmas in Ft. Smith: 2011

Tradition has continued for decades for us, splitting time between our families in Ft. Smith and Siloam Springs. The road trips continue! Christmas Eve at Dad's and Christmas lunch at Ronnie and Sally's.

December 20: Work has begun!

Things are finally falling into place and construction has begun on our new home. Today, the base for the driveway,the initial scraping for the foundation and contouring the site for proper drainage got underway. Charlcie enjoyed visiting with the four-legged companion of the bulldozer guy - a very large, but very gentle and carefree English mastiff.
Won't bore with the day-to-day progress on the home, but will update periodically.

An appreciative trout

On one of the few opportunities to fish lately, spent some time with a couple of friends on the Norfork River.  Not a bad weather day for winter.  Among the fish caught, I'm pretty sure this one felt a lot better after I caught and released him - after I removed the foot-long lamprey that was securely attached and sucking out his life's juices.  Saving the world, one fish at a time.