end of year.....

Well here we are on New Years Eve. Can't believe 2007 has come and gone. I remember all the "hype" about 2000, and now we are approaching 8 year later. Where does the time go.

For us, the move to San Diego would dominate the "year in review", and 3 1/2 months into our adventure out here, it has been good. I miss my friends back east, but because they are my friends, we keep in contact and they will always remain friends. But otherwise, I am happy being out here in SD. We had some bumps (OK, maybe a few potholes), but Morgan and I discussed and worked through them, and I can say that on an "overall" this is the happiest I have ever been in my life.

The other big news from 2007 was Morgan's weight loss. It is over 100 pounds, and she says she still has some more to go. All I know is that she looks amazing, and I am very proud of her. I don't think I could have done what she has in this past year.

For Cassie, it was a typical "kid's year". She is a good kid, and a wonderful daughter, and we are blessed to have her as our daughter.

For my extended family, my mom's battle with BC was the worst news that we had all year, but she is battling it like a trooper, and doing very well. My brother's divorce was "good" news, in that it freed him from a bad marriage, and in the end he is much happier, and ready to move on with his life.

I don't really do resolutions, but I do know some things I am looking forward to and hoping will happen in the coming year.

I am anxious, but excited about this coming tax season. Coming off my most productive year, and then moving 3000 miles away, will not make it easy, but I have faith in my abilities, and that a large majority of my clients enjoy and appreciate working with me. Plus, I have a whole new area of people to try and bring into the practice.

I look forward to Morgan taking the "next step" in her career, and getting her voiceover rolling along. It will be hard work, and along with her on-air job, will take up some more of her time, but in the end, it will be worth it. She is extremely talented, and has a friend who is very successful at it for many years helping her along. I know she will be very good and successful as well.

We have Cassie's 10th birthday coming up this year. I just look forward to her growth spiritually, and as a person. As I have said, she is a great kid, and I love her very much.

The other person I love very much is my wife Morgan. I hope we can just add to what we have in our relationship. I can't imagine my life without her. I also can't wait to see what else is coming for us in 2008.

I hope that 2008 brings me closer to God. I am trying, and I know I am a slow "learner" at this, but I am happy with how I am going about this journey. I just need to remember patience.

2008 will bring the first child to my friend Casey and his wife. They will make great parents, and I can't wait to hear his baby stories. I also hope and pray that 2008 will be the year he finally gets a hold of his Crohn's. So far on the new meds, so good.

I look for my mom's health to be good, and for her treatments to result in her cancer being gone, again. Once is enough, but twice for her is too much.

As for the rest of you, I hope and pray that 2008 is the best and healthiest year for you and your family.

Until the next time.....

sounds of silence.....

We have been attending a different church the past few weeks, and did so again last night. After the normal opening music (with a husband and wife as guest singers), and offering, it was time for the Pastor to speak.

Tonight it was Pastor Ken, instead of Pastor Harry, and we had the most interesting sermon. Pastor Ken never said a word. Instead, on the video monitors, it said, "Silence, this is the House of The Lord". The monitor then went on to spell out that this was the sign that hung in his church where he grew up. He explained that he did not believe that we needed to be silent in church, but for tonight, there would not be a word spoken. The message was relayed up on the board, and the point of the message is that through all of our noise (work, finances, frustration, etc.) that we needed to be silent in order to hear what God is telling us.

It was a completely different take on a message that we have all heard before, but the way it was presented was unique, and really struck home. On top of the message, it was also the weekend for communion, and we also did that by instruction on the board, and in complete silence. Morgan, Cassie and I were very impressed, and moved by the "sermon". We think we are going to like attending this church.

Our friend, Steve (Kellie's husband), has been under the weather the past few days, so we are praying for him and wishing him well. It's no fun to be ill around the holidays.

Before leaving for church, I got to see my Hurricanes get beat up in Columus, and lose to the Blue Jackets 4-1. Injuries, and just poor play, have me wondering if this team is really going to have staying power this year. Also, because of their up and down play, both Tampa Bay and Atlanta are right behind us in the division standings. Ugh!

I think Morgan and Cassie are setting aside time on Tuesday to take down the Christmas decorations. That means lugging out plastic bins, and then trying to fit them back in the closet "just right".

Not sure when they will be doing that, but I will be up early because the NHL is having an outdoor hockey game up in Buffalo (Penguins vs. Sabres), and I don't want to miss a second of it. Love hockey, but these special outdoor games are just great. I hope the weather is not too bad, but right now they are expecting 30 mile gusts. Well, that's Buffalo in winter.

Until the next time.....

2500 mile checkup.....

I can not remember the last time we spent a week doing nothing as a family besides hanging out, and it has been great. We always seemed to "have to" do something when we were in NC, while this week we have just gone with whatever is happening. It is nice, and we still have entertained ourselves without having to try real hard. We have always done things as the "3 of us", but with Cassie getting older it is easier for us to just "be", and enjoy ourselves. Also if Cassie gets "tired of her parents", we don't feel like we have to change directions just for her. Instead Morgan and I can keeping doing what we were doing, or if we want, can change course.

BTW, I have a Rock Band addict as a wife. :-) We have been playing as a three or just two person band since Christmas night. There have been three nights playing to almost 1am. Another week of this, then back to normal work schedules. :-(

Took the bike in for its 2500 mile oil change and service. It actually has only 2350 miles, but when I was there yesterday to set an appointment for a few weeks from now, they told me they had a 9am opening. Can't believe I have already done so many miles since Memorial Day. Really July 1st, because I was still very nervous that first month. Then add the move, and being apprehensive about riding in a busier city, and I am happy with how much I have gotten to ride.

Otherwise, that has been it. Will be going to church services this evening at the newer church we have been visiting, then it will be home for relaxing. Will watch the Patriot / Giant game to see if an undefeated season will occur, then I am sure it will be more Rock Band.

My Hurricanes got a 4-3 win last night at home against the Boston Bruins. Bret Hedican got injured last night to add to the list of players not playing. With Justin Williams gone for the season, Matt Cullen with a broken nose, and the other injuries that guys are playing through, or just recovering from, I hope they have enough duct tape to keep the team together. They play in Columbus tonight. The Blue Jacket team has really played well this season, and are real stingy with their defense. Hopefully the boys can get a winning streak started.

Until the next time.....

an old friend.....

Today we had lunch with an old friend of Morgan and myself. Morgan knew Yvette through working together at a radio station in Riverhead, New York (located on east end of Long Island). It had been over 13 years since we saw each other. Funny thing was that even though it had been so long, we fell back into conversation so easily, it was like we had been in constant contact with each other. But now, the single, party girl is married, to a nice guy named Konrad, and was in town because his family lives in east San Diego.

With all the Christmas Day activities, I forgot to mention the great Christmas Eve service that we attended. It was called "Rock the Crib", and it was Christmas music from the 1930's until now performed on stage. It was an absolutely great time, and afterwards Pastor Harry spoke more about the true meaning of Christmas. We went to the 2pm service, and loved it so much, we actually were thinking about going back again to a later service.

Wednesday was my mom's last chemo treatment. She said it went well, and after a break she will start radiation for a few months. I would guess by late spring all the treatments should be completed.

Otherwise, it is quiet out here. Hope all of you are enjoying your time off (if you have some) this Christmas week.

Until the next time.....

Disney pictures.....

Here are some pictures from Disneyland. It was a nice time there, but way too crowded for me. Spending the Friday and part of Saturday there was more than enough for us. Got on some rides, and got to walk around Disney. That works for me.

Enjoy.

Until the next time.....

family Christmas.....

A Merry Christmas to all. Hope you had a wonderful holiday, and were able to enjoy it in the way you wanted. As you can see, Cassie enjoyed her morning, as did Morgan and myself. We also really enjoyed the rest of our day. To tell the truth, even though it was only the three of us, it may have been the best Christmas Day ever.

It started with some presents. As I stated in an earlier post, Morgan and I made it a smaller than usual Christmas in the way of physical presents, and I think it worked wonderfully. Cassie got what she wanted in a small sum, and really enjoyed all of it. My family still went a little overboard, but even that was not as much as usual. Hopefully, next year, we can get them to go along with the "smaller" plan.

After the gifts, we had a very nice breakfast together, then went for a walk as a family. It of course helps that it was close to 70 degrees here in San Diego. After that Morgan went for a drive in her car, and Cassie and I played a bit outside with the basketball.

One of the games Cassie received from Santa was The Game of Life: Twists and Turns. We seem to collect these Life games as we have the original, a SpongeBob edition, a Pirates of the Caribbean edition, and now this new one. But, let me tell you, this may be the best edition yet. It has been updated, and all records are kept in the "spinner". You put in a "credit card" on your turn, hit some buttons, and everything is kept for you. Even though it is 9 and older, I think it is a game kids that like games could play at even seven years.

We also played a few more games of Scene It. It is a game that many people have played on their DVD player, but now it is for the XBOX 360. The version available right now is movies, but I am sure there will be television, sports and music editions in the future. Morgan is such a movie watcher, that she is really doing well in the games, and Cassie, even though she has not seen many of the movies, is also doing well.

Morgan roasted a Prime Rib for dinner, and was it good. It was good perfectly. The piece was so large, that we will have dinner off it for a few more days. She also made a creamed spinach and a cauliflower dish that I really love.

We thought we were done with our day, so Cassie and I were going to play some Rock Band. Morgan came in and asked if she could join us. She had never taken an interest in the game, and has been "making fun" of my guitar playing on the air, and Cassie and I playing since we got it. She took the other guitar to play bass. That was 7:30pm. Next thing you know it is 12:30am, and she still wants to play. Cassie was exhausted, and my fingers were hurting from 5 hours of "strumming", but she wanted to keep going. We decided to quit for the night, but get back to playing ASAP. Morgan also got into making her own "rock character" for the screen including white hair, and tattoos. It was an absolute great time for all of us.

Between the new Life game, and Scene It game and Rock Band for the XBOX, I think we will be spending a lot more time playing together, and I think it is great. Now you know why I call it the best Christmas Day I can remember.

I spoke with my family during the day, and Morgan with hers. No incidents to report, for a change, so that also helped make the day go well. The only "grump", was my brother Chris, but that was because Christmas Day was his 40th birthday.

Casey and I sent text messages to one another most of the day. He had a nice time with his wife and family. Next year it all changes, as they will have a 10 month old around to celebrate Christmas with. I told him that next year will be fun, but wait until 2009, with an almost 2 year old. Those times are a blast.

I did not get to speak with Kellie, but I did talk with her daughter. When I got off the phone, I commented to Morgan, that she has always been polite and proper, but she was so mature in her conversation with me. She told me that she and her brother had a wonderful day.

We also received a call and email from Yvette, an old friend of Morgan's. They knew each other back around 1989 when Morgan worked at a rock station on Long Island. I used to go into the city where Yvette lived, and take care of her business books and taxes. Well, it comes to be that her husband is from San Diego, and they are in town for the holiday, so we will be have lunch on Thursday afternoon. Morgan has not seen her since we left NY in 1993, and I have not seen her since 1995. It should be fun.

Tonight, Morgan and Cassie are seeing the stage production of High School Musical. I am sure that they will have a great time, and Cassie will sing the lyrics to every song.

I am going to post some Disney pictures in a separate post to keep them all in one place and away from this Christmas post.

Until the next time.....

hey, who changed the ride?????

Had a real nice time at Disneyland. Got there about 2pm on Friday and stayed until 1pm on Saturday. The park was decorated, as you would expect Disney to do it, and they even have Cinderella's castle to look like it is snowing on it. Morgan, Cassie and I went on quite a few different rides, including the "redone" Space Mountain. I am not a roller coaster person, but I have done SM many times at Disney World in Florida. This is a completely different (faster, more turns and dips) ride. I was not 100% after it. Because we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, we got to go into the park at 7am on Saturday. Morgan and Cassie went on SM two more times, while I stayed behind. The picture (from my phone) shows their "happy" faces as going down the large drop.

I have about 80 more pictures from the camera to go through and edit. I hope to have some of the best ones up in the next few days.

Off to the neighbors for a dessert party. It will be a challenge to be near all that sweet, and behave myself. Morgan and I are just hoping that we meet some nice people.

If I don't get on tomorrow, please have a Merry Christmas!!!

Until the next time.....

sleep tight.....

So Morgan and Cassie went out to dinner with Morgan's girlfriend and son to exchange Christmas gifts. Then I get a text message that they are stopping at Mervyn's (a So Cal clothes store), so I then think "oh, no", as this has become one of Morgan's favorite places to shop. They get home, and after some rustling around, my daughter comes into the room ready for bed, wearing her new pajamas. I think the sleep mask is to keep the bright colors out of her eyes. She is one of a kind, and her fashions are definitely her own style.

Getting ready for our little trip up to Disneyland. I am looking forward to seeing how the place is decorated for Christmas. We were up there prior to Halloween, and the whole place is "done over" for that occasion, and in typical Disney style, done very well. It is going to be quite crowded Friday night and Saturday morning, so we probably won't get in too many rides, but I'm sure my two daredevils will get to the few they really want.

Was able to get out on the bike and do a little running around. I always feel better after a ride, even a short one.

All presents are wrapped and under the tree waiting for Christmas morning. Monday afternoon or early evening, we will be attending the new church and listening to their "Rock the Crib, the Celebration of the Birth of Jesus." I am looking forward to it. They actualy do 5 "shows" of it, so we will see when is best for us to attend.

Until the next time.....

should have called first.....

I made Kellie feel bad with my post yesterday. I did not mean to, but I also knew she didn't want me calling her at 11pm to explain first before I started writing, so I sent her an e-mail "warning" her of the post. We were able to speak today, and got it all "OK". I felt bad for making her feel bad, but she knew what I was talking about and understood.

Then we spent 20 minutes discussing front loading washing machines. Woo Hoo! Are we interesting people, or what? :-)

Morgan and I told Cassie that we are running up to Disneyland Friday afternoon. We will be back Saturday night, so it is only a short visit. The main reason we are going is because none of us have been there when it is decorated for Christmas, so we are going to see all the lights and festivities. This time, I am bringing my good camera.

Morgan and I have been trying to decide what to do about Christmas Day. It is only the three of us, so we don't want it to be a "regular" day after all the morning activities. We decided to either try visiting the mountains, or the beach, and let Cassie decide. She said, "beach", so it is there for our new Christmas Day destination.

Being on our own for the holidays is one of the drawbacks of being in a new place and so far away from everyone we know. We have not established any new friendships yet, but as Morgan and I discussed, we never made friends easily. In fact, we really did not have any couple friends until about three years ago.

We could try traveling, but I am really not ready to take a cross country trip. Plus, we are still trying to get our feet underneath us out here, and make a life out here that we are comfortable with, so for at least this year, I would rather it just be the three of us enjoying a Southern California Christmas with a walk on the beach.

Casey finally received his medicine. He had to give himself 4 injections this afternoon. He said the needles did not bother him, but the medicine stung a bit. He was a little light headed, but was doing fine. He has to do two more shots in 2 weeks, then I think it is one shot every other week. Should be about four weeks that he will start seeing and feeling the results. Here is hoping that this is finally the right med for him.

Until the next time.....

Share? Umm, not yet.....

My friend, Kellie, has helped me get started with Bible reading. I had never really done it (a few passages when I was a child), and was completely lost, so I went to her for guidance. As always, she was gracious to me, and has been a huge help. Well, in yesterday's comments, she asked me to share what I have been reading and learning. I froze. It is hard enough for me to get the reading and understanding, sharing right now might be difficult.

As I have stated in earlier posts, religion has been a slow process with me, and I still don't feel I have my "feet under me" just yet. I might ask her questions, but I don't think I am ready to open up about what I am feeling while reading at this point. Maybe later on, but not now. So, "thank you", Kellie, but we might have to wait for that "talk".

Casey is still waiting on his medicine. I would be going nuts waiting like this. I am sure he is, but he seemed pretty calm about it. Of course I really could not tell his mood, as we usually don't talk, but text each other like teenage girls. :-)

He did say that his wife was doing fine. They will be first time parents in 2 months. His blog, with a "birth blog", is linked from here down the right hand side of this page.

Finished sending out my Christmas cards to clients and friends. Because we took a family Christmas picture this year, I also sent out Christmas & Holiday well wishes to all my clients, in an easy e-mail. Technology is great when trying to reach 300 people.

Got home in time to see the Hurricanes come back from 2-0 down with less than two minutes to go, to tie, and then beat in overtime, the Toronto Maple Leafs. I felt sorry for Coach Maurice of the Leafs, because I really liked him when he coached the Canes. But, oh well, I would rather have a Canes win, than a happy Leafs Coach.

Umm, I just remembered that I was supposed to do some wrapping, while Morgan and Cassie were out at dinner.

Until the next time.....

FIRE, well not really.....

As I was just getting ready to type this day's title, the alarm system in the house went off. Problem is, we don't use the alarm system. After finally locating the touch panel, it said, "fire". We looked around, saw and smelt nothing. I then unplugged the smoke detector, and the siren was still whaling. Next, I found the control panel in a closet, unplugged it, and then open up the panel to disengage the battery. Finally, the siren came to a halt.

Called the landlord, and he was no help, as they had not used the system in years, and could not even remember the code they might have used when they did set the alarm. Ugh!!! Found the website of the alarm company, but they won't talk to me unless I am a monitoring customer, and to do that I need to sign a three year contract at $24.95 (base price) a month. Guess it will stay unplugged until a new owner or renter comes along.

That was enough excitement for the week. Hope we did not disturb the neighbors too much.

Speaking of the neighbors, the people next door invited us to a "dessert party" next Sunday evening. Seems they are a family of big cookers and bakers (kids included) so they have decided to share their treats. That was nice of them. It will also be nice to meet some new people.

Of course, right after we got this invitation, we received an e-vite to a birthday party of one of the HOG officers, Lisa (our chapter secretary), from her husband, Dave. Won't be able to make that, but it was nice to be asked.

Went to a new church on Saturday evening (http://www.thechurchatrb.org/). It was very nice, but it is hard to completely judge during the Christmas holidays. In their new visitor packet, they seem to have many groups, including a auto club, and a motorcycle riders' group. We were told that the Pastor is a rider. We are going to attend a few more services to see how it is during "normal" services. It is located in an old theater, and they still use the theater seating. The seats seem pretty new, so it was the most comfortable seat I have ever had during a service. :-)

The lesson concerned the Nativity, and what each participant went through before being there, and what the baby Jesus would have said to them. It was very nice, and tied into us as modern Christians.

On my own, I am through the first three chapters in the Book of John. If I was just reading, I would probably be farther ahead, but I am trying to take my time, and am using the Study Bible that Kellie gave to us.

This weekend, Morgan and Cassie finished decorating two of their three gingerbread creations. They have a very large house to remaining, and will probably do that next Sunday or Monday. When putting the structures together, they actually used hot glue instead of the "icing glue" that they would have made. They are to look at, not eat, so hot glue worked perfectly. They had a good time doing them, and the icicles on the house look great.

My buddy, Casey, got approval from his insurance company to start a new drug for his Crohn's. He was waiting on this pharmacist to get enough of it because he must start with a high dosage. He told me he has read that it has a decent "success" rate, so here's praying that he is on the positive side of the statistics with it.

Until the next time.....

a good cause.....

Today was the Harley Owners' Group (HOG) toy drive for Redy's Children's Hospital here in San Diego. There were 3 other chapters who joined us at the end of the day to present toys to the hospital and the kids.

The morning started with a cold ride to the dealership to meet up before heading over to Wal*Mart. I don't have cold weather gear, but a thermal and sweatshirt along with a neck scarf worked fine while on the freeway. My hands got a little cold, so I may need a better "winter" glove. Once we got tot eh dealership, it was off to Wal*Mart. This was my first group ride of any kind, but it went fine. At Wal*Mart we had $1580 collected to buy toys, with Wal*Mart matching us to make the total $3160. Then out of the blue, a new member who nobody knew, matched our original $1580, so with Wal*Mart's match, we actually had $6320 to spend on toys. And, boy did we spend. We actually went over, and had to put some "big ticket" items back, but we ended up loading 4 vehicles with toys. Morgan's Pathfinder was one of those cars, as she and Cassie met us at the Wal*Mart.

Then it was off to the hospital. Because I am new to group riding, I need and want to stay in the back of the pack. Of course when we got on the 805, a car wedged between me and riders in front of me, splitting us in two. That happens all the time, but I did not want it to happen on my first ride. I and the rest of the guys behind me eventually caught up, and we all arrived at the hospital together.

Morgan said it was a great sight to see all of us in line as we were on the ramp getting onto the freeway. She said it was also very loud, as we started up and left the Wal*Mart. I know we got more than a few strange looks when we all pulled into the parking lot at 8:30 in the morning.

Well, at the hospital, the sight was even more spectacular, as you had 4 chapters and about 200 bikes all in one area. Then we unloaded toys and proceeded to hand them to the kids. They were all so thankful to us. Quite a few were in wheelchairs with masks covering their faces, or IV tubes being wheeled along side of them.

It was a real nice day, and I'm glad Morgan and Cassie were there to see it with me.

As for pictures, I have none at this point because we were told that the hospital told us on our chapter photographer was to take any pictures, and anyone else doing so would lose their disk or camera. I am sure that was for medical/privacy reasons. When our chapter gets any up on the website, I will try to post some here.

Off to relax, and then we are going to visit a new church this evening. With the regular Pastor away for a couple of weeks, we are going to visit another church close by that a mother at Cassie's swim practice mentioned to me.

Until the next time.....

don't get frustrated.....

Well today, I received my shipment of 300 income tax folders (where I return client papers, any tax return papers, and their invoice). That means tax season really is close.

Took care of a couple of clients this morning, then nothing. That happens as the end of the year approaches. Usually I am done for the year just about now, but this year three clients need to get me workpapers next week for their businesses. It won't be "heavy lifting" work, but it will keep me busy for a few hours. Then it all cranks up on January 2nd.

I need to get a California Tax Preparer License, as California is only one of two states (Oregon, the other) that licenses all paid tax preparers. Part of my application was filling out a 9 page questionnaire telling my years of experience in different areas. Filled it out, got letters from current clients, and all the other information they needed, and sent it off. Then nothing. Finally get to speak with someone today. Come to find out, the 9 pages I filled out at the end of September, were changed for the 2008 application on October 1st. They are returning my whole application. I will need to use the "new" form (same exact questions on the 9 pages, just in a different layout), and summit again. Of course with the holidays they told me there will be a skeleton crew, so it will not be processed until January 2nd. I am technically not allowed to file a tax return in California without that license, so I am now at their mercy to get this done quickly. I just wish they would have handled this and contacted me about the problem sooner. Ugh!

Not going to only snag California government today, as we are four for four when it comes to North Carolina DMV with this move. NC DMV has sent me four separate letters over the past 6 weeks telling me that they were informed that we canceled our insurance. Each letter has been for a different car. When I got the first one, I sent a note telling them we moved to California, and are registered and insured out here. Well, it seems even though my note covered all 4 vehicles, they only corrected the one from their letter, because we have received the same notice for all cars and the motorcycle. Hope they liked reading my same letter four times over.

Morgan, Cassie and I played a game tonight on the XBOX360 called Pinata Party. Basically it is a bunch of mini games like racing, collecting candy, etc. Your characters in the game are pinatas. Very colorful game, and we had a good amount of fun. Morgan usually is not crazy about video games, but she was a good sport and did pretty well playing with us.

Almost midnight. Need to get to bed, as tomorrow morning we have our HOG toy buy and ride. I'm a bit nervous because this will be my first ride with the group, and also, I am not sure how I am going to handle seeing those kids in the hospital. More on it in later posts.

Until the next time.....

more Christmas decorations.....

Well, there is not much going on today, and I have been saving these pictures of the rest of our Christmas decorations , so today is the perfect day to show them off. I like the little village set that we keep on the mantle. It is simple, but very pretty, and shows off the "old fashioned" Christmas in a small town. Like the ones you always see in the movies. They just say winter and Christmas time. I am sure there are plenty more pieces to the set, but for now, we just have three pieces to it. Actually, if we had any more, we would need more mantle space, and I'm not going there. :-)

Now these carolers have been in my family for over 30 years. My mother made and painted them when I was just a kid. Somehow they got handed down to me, and have survived all these years and all the moves with just one minor "ding".

And lastly, I figured it is always a good thing to include the two most important people in my life, my beautiful wife and daughter.

Until the next time.....

courtesy (part 2).....

I could get to "part 100" by the time I am done.

So, as Morgan waited in the car line today, Ms. RangeRover came around the bend, and parked herself in "new spot #1" at the front of the line. Then, a father driving a minivan, did the "creep" as though he had seen his child, but did not. Then after staying in the "pick-up" spot for a while was forced to move, so he went towards the handicap spot. Just amazing.

As for the bike incident I mentioned yesterday, it was nothing major, as I saw what was going to happen before it happened. Cell phone driver, who was not sure where they were at the time, decided to do the "move over 3 lanes in 1 second" routine. I could see it happening , as she moved her head back and forth, but never losing a second of the earth shattering conversation. I gave a gentle tap of the horn (which is hard to find on the bike), then made sure I looked at her (which I'm not sure in menacing or not, as I now have a full tinted visor) after we were stopped at a light. It probably did no good, but I can hope she might have given a thought to what might

have happened.

Last night was the HOG Christmas party. Here Cassie is with Santa. Somehow he knew to get her a High School Musical 2 DVD and calender. :-) Both Morgan and Cassie made out like bandits at the party, and on my dime. As with all HOG meetings, there are raffles for giveaways, and a 50/50, with again all our remaining funds going to a local charity. I put my $10 in for 7 merchandise tickets, and seven 50/50 tickets. Not paying much attention, a woman's shirt was up for raffle. Wouldn't you know I have a winning ticket, so Morgan went up to claim "her" prize. About 2 minutes later, another woman's shirt, and another winner, but this time Cassie claimed the prize. We also won $15 in one of the 50/50 draws, but somehow I only got my original $10 back, and Cassie kept the other $5! Oh, well. We had a good time, and we are all looking forward to the toy shopping, and delivery to the children's hospital on Saturday.

My friend Kellie, and her kids are a bit under the weather today, so here is my wishing them well. We actually spoke for almost 45 minutes today while I was at Cassie's swim practice. It was nice to speak with her, but I could tell she was not herself.

As for my buddy, Casey, I am giving a wish and prayer for some "paperwork" to get resolved regarding his meds to handle his Crohn's. With a baby on the way in a couple of months, I would like for him to feel better (and he would like to feel better) in regards to the Crohn's, because he is going to have his hands full with diapers, and spit-up, and wipes, and onesies, etc., soon enough.

My Hurricanes got whipped 6-0 by the Ottawa Senators. Thought they had turned the corner by playing fairly well on the road trip (minus the Buffalo disaster), but to get beat like that at home is not a good sign.

Until the next time.....

courtesy.....

We have our HOG Christmas party tonight, so a quick post before we leave. Besides the party, I am sure we will be discussing our event on Saturday morning. We have something like $1500 to spend on Christmas gifts for a children's hospital, and the local Wal*Mart is going to match our donation. Then we pack the toys in cars, and ride over to deliver them in person. More on that when it happens.

The title of today's post, could be the title almost everyday. As everyday goes by, I feel more and more people just fall into the "I don't care about anyone, but myself, so you'll just have to out up with it" mode. It amazes me what some people will do, and not have a second thought about it.

It could be drivers, people shopping, using the drive through, etc., it just does not matter. Almost nobody seems to think about the people around them. I try to show Cassie these situations, and explain to her about her "surroundings" so that she does not fall into any of these traps.

Well today was another involving our school and the drop off and pick up area. The procedure for those waiting on children is to wait in a line, then when your child arrives to move out of line, and go to the area to get your child. Today, we had another mother get out of line, and sit in the area (it is one lane) waiting on their child, while those with children waiting in the area, were made to wait. This must have happened half a dozen times these past 3 weeks. If it is not that, we actually have someone who will place herself in front of all the cars that have been waiting in line, and make herself first in the waiting area. What are these people thinking? And what do they say to their kids when asked why people are honking horns at them? Do they lie to them, to add on top of their rudeness?

Well, got to run, but I had another car incident while on the bike today. Not dangerous, as I saw the mental midget all the way. Just the normal part of being out and driving and / or riding, while others are not paying attention, or again, just worrying about themselves. I will get more into it on another post.

Until the next time.....

real meaning.....

I am getting tired of Christmas. Not the celebrate Jesus birth, remember the things that are important Christmas. That Christmas, I love, and appreciate more and more as I get older. It is the Christmas of when I leave my front door, and go out into the real world that brings me down.

Christmas time should not mean pressure, but with each passing year it does. The "holiday season" starts earlier and earlier, and every year we seem to have more and more to do. I am reading Kellie's page, and with work, kids, home, church, and all the extras, she sounds frazzled in some of her pages. We are feeling the same way.

Add the "gift giving" part, and it is completely out of hand. I have tried to slow this down in my family, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. I think after this year, I will need to be more stern about it.

Morgan and I have been very blessed financially for our careers so far, and Cassie being an only child has been spoiled by us, along with we spoiling ourselves. Well, now we are trying to take a step back, because we are realizing more and more, we just don't need "stuff", but our prior actions are making it harder to convince others.

My family thinks they all must buy something for Cassie. Well, actually they do not. Cassie has everything she will need for quite a while (again, prior actions by us). We have limited contact with the small family that we have, and with the move, it just adds to the distance, so some are buying for the only contact they will have for the whole year. That is insane. If you must buy something, how about a $10 book or bookstore gift certificate, and a long telephone conversation. She would appreciate it more than most other gifts. Just because she has a Nintendo DS, it does not mean she needs more games. But tell my family about only the book, and you will get eyes rolling from across the country.

I admit, that we were a part of the problem, and did the "spend, spend, spend", and the hustle all over the real meaning of the season. Bigger gifts = Bigger Christmas. That was not the correct thinking. I want to slow down, and enjoy this time with Morgan and Cassie. I can't go back and redo the past, but I can make an effort towards helping with the future. Hopefully, we can get all close to us on board.

I read my first chapter in the Book of John in both my Bible, and the Study Bible my friend, Kellie, gave to us. I am so used to reading my NIV Bible (easier translation) than the traditional King James version, I felt bad at first, but better after doing it because the combination really helped me in the end. I'll probably continue with the "combo" reading until I am more comfortable with the KJV.

Until the next time.....

lazy.....

Well, that was today in a nutshell. Morgan & Cassie did not get home last night until almost midnight, so by the time we fell asleep, a later morning wake up was in the cards. Now, 9am might not be late for some, but if you have kids, it is like sleeping the day away, and if you have young, active ones, it is like a vacation.

Well, here is the Christmas picture for 2007. I've got some sort of "look" on my face, but otherwise, I thought it looked great. It took quite a while to get us at the right heights so that we had mostly tree in the background, but it worked out well. I like doing these pictures on our own, and I'm really happy we did this year's picture as a family. Right now, out here, it is only the three of us, so I am glad we are showing everyone the togetherness of our great family.

Until the next time.....

rain again.....

Another motorcycle / car ride up to the mountains washed out. With the holidays, some travel for Morgan, and tax season started, this was possibly our last chance until spring. If you would have said two San Diego weekends in a row would be rained out, most people would have looked at you like you were crazy.

I read that there might be thunderstorms and possible hail near the coast tomorrow. Neither happens much around here (especially hail), so they may have to call the National Guard if the weather geeks are correct. :-)

I know my friends in NC desperately need rain. It amazes me how an area that gets hurricanes (though none the last 2 years) and summer storms can get so low. Especially seeing that they had to let water out of the reservoirs a couple of years ago because some tropical storms actually filled them. Well I say, you need to dredge them deeper, not let water out of them. I love that area, but some short-sighted thinking in terms of the growth going on, really gets to me.

As I write this, Morgan and Cassie are at a Christmas event sponsored by the radio station. I think it is called Carols by Candlelight. Different country artists are involved. On Friday night there was Juice Newton, Colin Raye, and Joe Nichols. Tonight the big star is Billy Ray Cyrus (Hanna Montana's dad), so Cassie is there with eyes a buggin'. It is funny seeing her with these people. I just asked her to behave, and not attack the man too much. She just did the "Dad---dy..." response.

Morgan and I had another good talk today. Seems like my "funk", and bad decisions over the past couple of weeks, and then our open talks on Monday & Tuesday really helped us. We were able to have a good discussion about family matters like we are used to without any holding back. Does not mean we argued, quite the opposite. We spoke just like we normally have these 17+ years, and it felt good. It always feels good when my best friend is around.

Cassie just called me from the event to tell me to stop text messaging her. Seems she does not know how to turn the cell phone to vibrate or lower the ringer. Now before you think, "another dad getting a 9 year old a phone", that is not the case. AT&T gave Morgan the phone for a promotion. Well, Morgan already has a work phone, and I have mine, so we gave it to her so she could call friends or family back east whenever she wants. As soon as AT&T stops paying the bill, she is minus a phone.

We finally got some Christmas shopping done for the extended parts of the family. We don't do a great amount of it, but we had been putting things off for too long. We also finally took our Christmas picture. We are going away from the traditional "Cassie only" picture for us, and instead have the whole family near the tree. I like it, and it was the first time I ever used the automatic timer! Another trick learned. After we do any "magic" to it, I will post it.

My friend Kellie kept telling me that a gift was on the way, and it arrived yesterday afternoon. It is a beautiful Study Bible. It is greatly appreciated, and will be used by all of us in the family. Thanks again, Kellie. We love ya!

As a matter of fact, I am going to put some time into getting some reading started that Kellie and I discussed after I wrap up here.

Until the next time.....

to the principal's office.....

No, not Cassie. It was the whole family's turn, as we had our interview with the principal at Maranatha Christian School (www.maranathachristianschools.org/). Mrs. Malanga is a very nice lady, and we had a very nice visit. The school is very nice, with all the newest educational tools for the kids, and the education would keep Cassie challenged. They really seem to want Cassie to join, but the class size is a problem. Right now the 4th grade is full, so unless someone leaves, Cassie will not be getting in. The school is relatively new, so right now there are only 2 classes with 26 students in each one, and no room for expansion. If it was meant to be, she will get in.

I made an inquiry earlier in the day about purchasing an income tax practice in the area. It seems that a financial planning / accountant / law office were looking sell off the income tax clients who only came in for income taxes returns, and did not use the attorney or financial planner. Guess the clients were not enough income generators for them, as they are looking to move about 100 income tax clients with an average fee of $506! I almost fell off my chair, as that is about 3 times my average fee. They were looking for a set price, but I only will only purchase based on the clients that stayed, and the fees collected. Also, it seems like they want to sell to a CPA only, which upsets me, because my 22 years doing returns, and the number I have done personally over those years, should offset any three letters that would appear after my name. Not that I am bitter or anything. I might know more tomorrow, as after my initial contact, I was told a CPA was making a full price offer for the clients, so it does not look like I will get a shot at presenting myself.

Morgan, Tanner (morning show partner), and Eric (a friend) are starting to make their plans for their Ireland trip. Looks like they will be going around St. Patrick's Day. They just need to get their thoughts all together so they can start planning everything. They should have a great time together traveling. Me, I'm not much of a traveler (especially flier), so I am happy that Morgan has friends she can do this with. The walls around me take a bit of time to fall, so maybe, in the future, I will like traveling more.

My friend, Kellie, is still putting up Christmas ornament pictures on her page. And me, nothing. I need to get around the neighborhood and take some shots of the more "creative lighting".

The Hurricanes lost again to Tampa Bay tonight, 2-1. We did not score until the last minutes of the game. Ugh! So far, the Lightning have our number this year, and it's frustrating. It is even more so after the real nice 4-0 win over the NY Rangers on Monday night. Everything clicked, then 2 nights later, nothing.

More rain in the area this weekend, so another ride to the mountains is out the window. This is part of the storm that hit Washington & Oregon hard, so it has the natives, restless. Already starting the sandbags in the areas hit by the fires. Hopefully, it will be a nice 2 or 3 day light rain, so we will have no mudslides, and I will not have to water the lawn for another week. :-)

Until the next time.....

housekeeping.....

A boring day today. Worked on some clients' monthly paperwork, and that was pretty much it. Hope to get a ride in after this post and before I take Cassie to swim practice. After that, some time with Morgan, and/or gaming.

Just to tie up loose ends for the past few days, what happened between Morgan and myself was 100% my fault. I was starting to get into a funk the past few weeks coinciding with me starting this blog. I tired to deal with my "problems" on my own without Morgan, trying to shield her, in hopes that I would figure it out myself before she caught on. WRONG!!!

I mentioned I would start this blog, but she seemed disinterested, so I took that as a "let's not tell her, or send her the link" idea. Mistake #1. Also in that time, the "funk" about being out here was getting to me at different times, and I kept that from her. Mistake #2. Then, add to it the fact that I was starting to read the Bible in hopes of getting a "direction", and never said anything to her about it, or asking her to join me. Mistake #3. Put them all together and it looks like I am hiding "a life" from her, and with that, you get a potential disaster. Mistake #4.

Luckily, I have a loving and understanding wife, and after 2 days of discussions/fighting (whatever), we have patched these problems up. We both understand each other better now, and I have told Morgan everything that I have been thinking over these past weeks. I feel a tremendous amount of relief, and much better now. I have promised her that I will try not to hide any feelings from her. We are in this together. Again, I am a lucky man.

So last night, for the first time, Morgan read these pages from the beginning and says she will now be reading the posts regularly. She even said she liked my writing. :-)

We also stopped by the store and bought her a Bible so that we could possibly do some of the reading I am going to start together. I did not know she had lost her only one before we met, and never replaced it.

Doing these things together. I like that. Hopefully this will close this matter, and get the drama out of our lives for a while.


A big thank you, to our friend Kellie for her direction in starting our Bible reading.

Also, want to have you give a thought and prayer to my friend Casey. He has been going through a tough time with his Crohn's disease, and hopes the doctors finally have him on the right track to get a handle on it. He has been feeling pretty bad the past couple of weeks. He has gone through enough with this. Hang in there buddy!

Until the next time.....

cleared the air.....

Well to follow up on yesterday, I feel better, but Morgan and I got into talking about my situation again, and I think I have seen the light. When talking to her, I come to realize that right now, I am just not good with the "city people" as compared to the "country folk". I know that sounds bad, but it is not meant to be. Right now I am just not adjusted to "big city" life and the "distance" the people in this area put between them and others.

Also, it seems that in my "funk", I was not discussing as much with Morgan as I would normally do. She has not read this blog until now (Hi, honey!), and there were more feelings being put here than what I have been telling her over the past few weeks. That was wrong of me, and now she will be reading this, and I also will be discussing more with her.

I needed a "wake up call", and I think today's talking/arguing/fighting/discussion (take your pick) was really a good thing. I have been a bit distant with her, but more because I was trying to get this settled on my own and not hurt her. We have been together 17 1/2 years, and I need her to help me. We have a partnership, and a very good one. She means everything in the world to me, and I don't want to hurt her anymore.

I feel much better about everything, and I love my wife even more for working with me to help me through this.

Until the next time.....

to tell the truth.....

Played some games of NHL hockey with my friend Chris last night. Chris is a fellow gamer, who had seats with his wife behind us at the Hurricanes games, and also became an income tax client. It was nice meeting and becoming friends with them. We had a good time, and played for a couple of hours.

Unfortunately, it also brought about some "blues" as I thought about the people I left behind in NC. I have never been easy to make friends with, but in the past few years, Morgan & I were able to get some more "couple" friendships, and I had become friends with more people than I had in the past 20 years.

So, when Morgan came home today, she asked if all was OK. I could have said "yes", and just let it pass, but I decided to be honest. That is a good thing, but in this case, it threw her for a loop. Her first thoughts are that I am packed and ready to go. This is not the case. I am enjoying my time out here, but if given the choice, I would return to NC and the area we lived. Right now there is no choice, as Morgan has about 27 months remaining on her contract, and about 21 months before they would come to her with an offer for an extension. I am fine with that, and we will see how things play out.

It made me feel better to tell her, but it also made me feel terrible to see how upset she was after I told her. I put her first in this decision to come back out here, and it has backfired, but at the same time, if I was selfish and said "no" to ever coming back out here, there probably would have been problems down the road.

I never thought I would get homesick, again. Maybe I was just denying it to myself. In any case, I feel terrible about making Morgan so upset. But also, I am not in a "leaving" mode. Just feel that when this is done, I would like to go back east.

I am sure that we will shed more tears over this, and she will be upset for a while. I was not looking to upset her, or us. I just thought it was right to tell the truth.


UPDATED 5PM Pacific:
I actually feel better now that Morgan and I cleared the air on some things. That does not mean this is settled, but I feel better that she knows a little more of what I have been feeling.

Part of this actually comes from my dentist, who I just visited. We were talking about him living and going to school all over, and settling in San Diego, and he said that he feels that a job may take you to a place to live, but "home" is where you feel the most comfort and good friends. That sums up my feel about this situation. I like living here in San Diego, and may make some friends, but for now, my "home" feel is in NC.

Until the next time.....

rain, then cold in San Diego.....

Well, I should not say cold, but to the natives, and to those living here for quite a while, they would say so. After the nice cleansing rain of Friday, it was a crisp, breezy & cloudy day today in the 50s. Of course, it will be back near 80 by Tuesday. To me, the last two days weather was just like some fall days in NC. Kind of made me homesick, so got a bit of the blues today.

Again, I love being out here with Morgan, and this is better than her traveling all the time, and her not being happy trying to live a split life. But, try as I might, I just can't see myself calling out here "home". But, I need to get over these blues, as I don't want my mood to effect Cassie, or upset Morgan into thinking I am having thoughts about leaving. I am not. It is just plain ol' missing people and places.

Funny though, as last night we were at a party at Morgan's bosses house. His wife asked Cassie if she liked it better in NC or San Diego. Cassie said NC, but felt a little bad about doing so. Then the wife tells us she also prefers NC to San Diego, as they lived there for about 4 years a while ago. So, at least I know I am not the only one. :-)

Was very lazy today, and even fell asleep while watching some of the college football on TV. Just a little worn, but I'm better now. Would feel even better if I did not watch the Hurricanes get whipped 8-1 by the Sabres. Anyone but Buffalo beating us. Those sting more than others. We did win on Friday night, so not a total lost weekend, but it was not a good win. Their next 4 games are on the road. They need to get this fixed, and fast.

Had a nice church service tonight. Pastor Ray did an impression of Billy Graham that was unbelievable. He was describing when he first came to know Jesus. Pastor Ray will not be there the next 2 weeks as he and his wife are going away to celebrate 30 years of marriage. They were married young, as he has just turned 50. Guess that's not too bad, as I will be 55 on our 30th anniversary.

I have decided to try to read the Bible each day. I think this will help me get through this time, and see exactly where I am as a Christian. I have never done this for any period of time, so I am actually going to start at page 1, and go forward.

Until the next time.....

rain in San Diego?????

Yes, it is raining here in San Diego. Has been since about 2am. Might come to about an inch in our area when all is said and done, but you would think we were having hurricane type rains. There have been accidents all over the major roads, and the local roads have some "fender benders" scattered about. At least the rain will clean things up around here. You don't realize how much dust buildup there is with it so dry out here. The dirt and soot coming off is amazing. Hopefully it will stop soon, because one thing that you need to worry about here in Southern California is mud slides. We are no where near any of those problems, but much of the area where the wildfires occurred, are in potential problem areas.

Of course one of the side effects of the rain is that every crawling creature wants to get dry. The front door and our outside decorations were covered in ants. I started brooming them off, and sprayed a full can of Raid around the door and front of the house. When I returned about an hour later, the area was covered in dead ants. I had never seen so many at one time.

Second gross out of the day was finding a rat floating in the pool (sorry, no picture). In October I found one at the bottom of the pool. This is supposed to be a common occurrence, as our landlord, and the guy who takes care of the pool, made it seem like no big deal. Um, well, it is to me!

We have a Christmas party to attend, but we will only be saying a quick "hello", as our church is putting on its Christmas activities today. Pastor Ray will be away for the next couple of weeks, so they are doing it early so he could be here. The children of the school associated with the church (where Cassie will hopefully attend soon), are putting on a "play" about the candy cane and how it related to the birth of Jesus. Also (weather permitting), there is supposed to be a "Live Nativity", with people and animals. Hopefully the rain will stop, so we can enjoy the presentation.

Until the next time.....

some decorations.....

Quiet day today. Had a dental appointment that went well, except I need to go back because some old fillings are cracked. I knew about them, but was in no pain or discomfort, so I waited. When they mentioned it, I figured, might as well get them done. Not my favorite activity (really?), but at least it will be taken care of before the holidays.

Well here are some of our decorations. Besides the 31 (last count) nutcrackers, we keep things quite simple, which I like. Morgan and Cassie do all the decorating, and I do all the "lugging" in and out of the closet with the storage containers.

The three of us are supposed to go up to Julian (mountain area) on Saturday. Morgan and Cassie by car, and I was going to ride the bike. Would be one of my farthest rides, but with great scenary. Now, it looks likes rain for the day. It is not supposed to rain in San Diego. Hope the weather geeks are wrong. :-)

Until the next time.....

not sure I could handle.....

Received an e-mail from a client today. The client is a very nice guy, and I have prepared his joint return (have never met his wife) for the past few years. This year we did a great amount of planning because they were expect twins, and we were going through all the tax/cash flow scenarios concerning his wife working or staying at home. Today he sent an e-mail informing me that his wife delivered twins in early August at 24 weeks, but that one of the boys had passed away the next day. I was in shock. Never in my 22 years did I have to deal with a child's death, but I had to now, as he asked some questions concerning what would happen this year, and next year concerning his taxes.

After some hesitation, and the thought of just using an e-mail response, I decided I must call, give my condolences, tell him we would pray for his family, and answer his questions. We I called and he picked up and we started talking, he was surprisingly more upbeat than I would have thought, and after offering my prayers, we spoke about taxes. I had to ask about getting a SS# for the twins (got for both), but mainly we "talked tax".

After I said goodbye, and hung up, I just sat in my chair. Could I be as calm 3 1/2 months later after such a tragedy? Could I have answered so easily "yes" to the question about getting a SS# for my deceased child? Could I have then discussed other tax matters?

These are also the times when I ask, "Why Lord?" I know there is a plan, but must these steps be taken? Maybe part of the plan is for the strength being shown by the father. I know he "showed" me something during our conversation.

Now for some better news. Their other son is still under 4lbs, but is doing well. I will think about them and pray for them for quite a while.

Also, we have learned that Morgan's friend does not have any cancer. They did find a tumor, but it is benign. This is more of the news I like to hear.

My mom had another treatment yesterday. This one was 5 hours long. She say she is feeling OK, although one of the "side effect" drugs kept her awake all night, so she did not sleep until 8:30am this morning

On the sports, lighter side, my Hurricanes lost again tonight, 3-1 to the Flyers. That is two losses to them, at home, in one week. They really need to do something to get a fire going. If it was not for that 3 goal third period against Tampa, they would be on a long losing streak.

I promise. Christmas decoration pictures soon.

Until the next time.....

that time already.....

Today I received an e-mail notice that I could download the software for next tax season. This is just a first run of the program, but it let's me set things up like cover letters, instructions sheets, etc., so I don't have to worry about those little things come January. I can not believe that it is that time already. This will be my 22nd year preparing tax returns.

I have seen it all, but I never had to do a "pencil and paper" full tax return. I started out filling in worksheets, that were sent off to be processed, and the next day, a tax return was in your hands. Find an error, and you had to process the whole thing all over again.

Next it was a program that came on the large 5 1/4" disks (about 30 of them), so we could put in on our portable computers. Portable meant the size of a suitcase. Also, the returns did not print out. You got numbers on blank paper. Then you took the paper and placed an "overlay" sheet on it tat looked like a tax return page. Then you made a copy, and you had 1 page of the return. In that time, because the firm I worked for was located in New York, we were only able to do NY returns on the computer. I, as low man on the totem pole, did most of the out of state returns, by hand. That actually worked out nicely, as those clients got to know me, and some left that firm, and had me do their returns, when I came to NC and worked on my own. By the end of my time in NY, we had the capability to print the whole return, so no more overlays and copying.

When Morgan & I moved to NC, and I was on my own, I switched software companies, and never looked back. Their program used those smaller 3 1/2" disks, and if I needed, I could get the software for multiple states. Then the next big shift was the software coming on CDs. Now I had all individual and business returns for all states available to me. Updated disks would be mailed to you. Then no more mail updates, as you could download them (sloooow, back in the 90's with dial up). Dial up turned to broadband (cable modems), and with that came the ability to download the whole program. No more disk or CDs. Now, I have at my fingertips, the ability to do any kind of tax return for the Federal or any state government. Tax preparing has come a long way in my time, and I did not even mention the ability to research anything with a few mouse clicks. Add in the fact that I am now pretty much paperless, and all client documents are in a virtual file cabinet (nothing physically saved by me), it is amazing how far it has come.

All of that makes my life a lot easier. I enjoy preparing taxes and helping people throughout the year plan for their taxes. It is a "hard" 3 1/2 months until April 15th, but my working life is pretty easy the remaining time of the year.

So there is the last 22 years in tax preparation. Fascinating, wasn't it? If you have not fallen asleep, and knocked your head on the keyboard, God Bless You!

So now, I will spend some time getting final preparations ready for tax season. Some year-end clients notes, a run to Staples for tax return folders and other supplies, and a little bit of organizing the office should get me ready.

The other event from today was that my friend Kellie brought tears to my eyes because of a very nice note she sent to me. Love you, Kellie. You are also special to me and my family. We will talk soon.

With that, I will need to do something "manly" to negate the tears. I do not have any tools, nor do I know how to work on a car, so my options are limited. Guess it will have to be watching some sports and a gladiator movie. ;-)

Until the next time.....

peace.....

Pastor Ray has been putting his teachings / Bible study portion of the scripture readings into having enough faith in God, that you allow him truly into your heart and allow yourself peace.

After Saturday night's service, Morgan said that he was speaking to me, that I need to let go, allow whatever is going to happen in our lives these next few years, to happen, and enjoy my time. She is right, Pastor Ray is right, but I still can't...

I have tried, but this has more to do with upbringing, then not believing. On the spiritual path, I am way behind most people. I grew up in Catholic, and went to church most Saturday nights, or Sunday mornings, but alone, or with my younger brother. We did not go as a family, and in general, we were not a religious family. I do not blame my parents for that, nor do I say it was a bad thing. It was just the way it was. I went to St. John's University, and tried to get religion and faith to "stick", but it did not. I drifted away, kept my Catholic ways (an occasional confession and church service before or at the holidays, but that was it). I drifted away, and did not look back.

Fast forward to 2001. We were looking to take Cassie to a preschool near our home, and there was one with openings at Macedonia Baptist Church in Raleigh. I was suspicious of using a school in a church, but Morgan said the people were great, and we should give it a try. We did, and it was good for Cassie, good for Morgan, but more good for me. At first, I was distant from them, but they were so nice, and so welcoming that I decided to go to some services. I enjoyed them, but was not fully drawn in. Then in early 2003, we applied for Cassie to go to Wake Christian Academy. Everyone there was so nice, and so willing to discuss faith, that it helped me with mine even more.

Then everything crashed around me in 2004. When I returned to Raleigh, and got Cassie back into WCA, the next place I went was back to Macedonia Baptist to see when Sunday services would be. Cassie and I were there every Sunday morning. I slowly began to build myself back, and build up my faith. It was during that time, in September 2004, that I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.

Now comes the peace. After accepting Jesus into your heart, the next step is to allow your faith to get so deep, that you will just let go and allow Jesus to lead. This will help bring the peace. I am not there yet. I know of many others who have found it, and allow Jesus to lead and guide them. They truly seem at ease, "at peace", and I wish I was there. I want to get to this peace, and I am praying that I will find it.

Until the next time.....

that was quick.....

Well, Morgan took the initiative yesterday afternoon, and called to confront her mother. I think how Morgan responded Thursday, and then her calling surprised her mother, and she backtracked from her statements. She claims they (along with Morgan's brother) were concerned that she had had surgery without telling anyone, and wanted to make sure she was being checked by a doctor. All well and good, but still does not explain the nasty way things were said on Thursday. This was enough to ease Morgan's mind, so for now things are settled. I'm glad she feels a little better about the situation.

Was lazy on Friday, but made up for it today. After dropping Cassie at swim practice, I hit Home Depot (regular stuff), and then Target and Circuit City to finish the Sal/Morgan/Cassie shopping. Now we just need to get a few things for extended family, and we'll probably do most of that online. Found the game Cassie wanted (Game of Life: Twist n Shout edition), and a couple of High School Musical CDs at Target, and got a High Def DVD player for our bedroom at Circuit City (was $100 off). Ordered Planet Earth from Amazon, and we are done for each other. Should be finished by December 1st, woo hoo!

Morgan and Cassie started decorating. Tomorrow they will tackle the tree. It is just not the same without the "chill" in the air. Windows open in November is my kind of weather, but it is funny after 41 years on the east coast to see lights on Palm trees.

I did save the world the other night, and completed the solo missions of Halo 3. Was not as spectacular of an ending as I would have liked, but it was good. I really should read all the Halo novels to piece things together.

Played Rock Band with our friend Kim and her son on Thursday night. We had a blast. Cassie played vocals, while I was on guitar, and Kim and her son switched between drums and bass guitar. Next thing we knew it was 10:30 and we had been at it for 2 hours.

The Hurricanes had been giving me fits lately, and I thought last night was going to be another one. Came downstairs to eat with them down 3-1 after 2 periods. They did not looks good. Well something (or someone, Coach Pete) lit a fire under them and they scored 3 in the 3rd period to win 4-3. The old man, Glen Wesley scored the game winner. They are in Washington tonight, and I hope that fire is still lit.

My friend, Kellie, made her "thankful" list, and with the Morgan/mom time, I did not mention mine yesterday. After thinking about it, I should have and not let the negative take over, but hey, it's my space. So...

- Morgan & Cassie: They mean everything to me, and my love for them grows each and every day.
- My mental health: Now that I am happy with myself, and "see" things better, I am better.
- Morgan's happiness: Her being happy with herself (job & personal) is a great thing to see and be a part of.
- My relationship with God: It is not as strong and close as others, but it is getting there slowly, but surely. This has taken a long time, and even though it is slow, I like how things are going.
- My friends: I only have a couple of real close one, and then just a few like I like being with (that sounds terrible), but those that I have really mean a lot to me.
- Extended family: I may not want to spend all times with them, but it does not mean I don't love and think about them. Some have large, some have none, but I feel what I have is "just right".
- Being able to ride my motorcycle: It may get some "eyes rolling", but the feeling I get when on the bike is something I wish I had felt 20 years ago.
- Working: I enjoy my work and my career. Taxes are not glamorous, but I know that I am helping people is a small way, and they appreciate it.
- My life: It is not always perfect, and I may not be exactly where I want to be right now, but I am blessed to be here with the 2 most important people in my life, and blessed to have friends I stay in contact with, so life is good. Not much more you can ask or be thankful for.

Until the next time.....

the day after the holiday.....

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. Ours went very well. Morgan had pretty much finished all the prepping on Wednesday evening, so it was really just a matter of putting things in the oven, and making the vegetables. We brined our turkey this year, and it was great. The last two years we placed in on the grill for some smoking/cooking, but this year it stayed in the oven the whole time. Everything else was great as usual, because I have a wife who is a wonderful cook. The stuffing, sweet potatos, beans, and mashed cauliflower were all wonderful.

Morgan ate some more turkey than she would have normally, but did not go overboard with anything else. She was not sure how she wanted to handle her first holiday meal since she lost, and is still losing weight. She said she was going to try a few more items, but she stayed a little cautious, and on track.

So far she is over 100 pounds lost. She looks great and feels great. Her weight has never been an issue with me, as long as she was healthy (and she was), but I love that she has found a system she likes, is seeing results, and is extremely happy with how she looks. I am very proud of her. Also from the "man" side, I have always found her beautiful and sexy, but now she says, and I agree, she looks "hot". :-)

On the flip side of all this, is her mother. Morgan never had a good relationship with her parents growing up (for another post), and as an adult it has not gotten any better (especially when you add in the fact that she married me, but that is for another "long" post). Even when her dad died a few years ago, she thought maybe she might get closer with her mom, but that has not happened, and after yesterday, she might be done with any relationship with her mother.

A little backstory here is that Morgan was the "baby" of the family and 5 years younger than the youngest sibling. She did things a little "out of the box", like wanting to be a DJ, and was discouraged from it, and belittled by them and every shot. She was told marrying me was a huge mistake. That her job, career path was a huge mistake. That California was a huge mistake, and why would she leave the local radio station for another job. All things that have worked out, but she has never heard a positive word about any of them. The funny (not really) is that the jabs, complaints and insults usually seem to come most during the holidays. I don't know why. I give her a ton of credit for staying in a relationship with them for as long as she did, but she always felt as the youngest, and the only daughter, it was her duty to keep trying.

I think that trying ended yesterday.

While on the phone with her mother, the obligatory, "what are you making for dinner?" came up. When Morgan mentioned all that she was making, but said she would be watching what she ate, her mother questioned why. When she said she was trying to lose weight, more questions, "why?". (Now, Morgan has been seen by her mom since she started losing weight, and has not received one, "You look good, you have lost weight" in the year since she started) Then her mother accused her of hiding something with the weight loss. When Morgan said she has lost 100+ pounds, and was planning on losing more because it was the right thing to do, her mother turned around and told her "Why now, you needed to do that since you were a kid, and you never did anything about it?"

With that my wife was done. She hung up the phone, got upset and cried. Another holiday where I get to comfort my crying wife because of her parents (has happended on holidays before). She says she won't do it anymore. No more calls, no more checking up on her. No nothing.

I don't know where to go with this. I am tired of Morgan getting this upset because of her parents, and don't want to see her this way, and have another holiday dampened (Not ruined. We will not let her defeat us.). Another part of me says that Morgan can't just cut ties with her 80+ year old mother. I'm thinking I'll just stay away (hard as her husband), and let the Lord take Morgan in the direction she needs to follow.

Until the next time.....

the day before the holiday.....

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving always has a different feel to it. The same as the day before Christmas Eve and the day prior to New Year's Eve. It is that "pre-holiday holiday time". People leave work early and there is a buzz in the air. Although it is crazy on days like this, I actually enjoy the time, and watching the "buzz".

My friend Kellie mentioned that her family has been getting great use out of the basketball net we left behind in NC. I am glad they are enjoying and using it so much. Of course what I would have enjoyed more was seeing Kellie shoot some baskets. That must have been a sight. :-) Love ya, Kellie!

Morgan's friend and her son are joining us for Thanksgiving dinner. As I mentioned, she is going through some trying times, and we had this planned prior to knowing anything, so again, the Lord worked the plans so she would have comfort with Morgan on the holiday.

For us, some years we are with family, others with friends. I don't always have to be with my family (and that does not go over well with them). As long as I have my wife and daughter, if it is family or friends, it does not matter, as long as people have a place to be with others.

Off to save the world in Halo 3, as I have only one more chapter to go.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Until the next time.....

ok today.....

Well, I feel a lot better than today then I did 24 hours ago. That "homesick" feeling is not bringing me down today. I am sure that besides my own, there were prayers from Kellie to help me out of my "blues".

I see from her posting that Kellie needs some extra prayers concerning a family matter. She and her family will have them from us, no questions asked". I know this will turn out fine.

Morgan's best friend here in San Diego underwent biopsies today to test for breast cancer. An extra prayer for her would be appreciated.

I am hearing this way too much this year as I have had my mother undergoing treatment since late June. She has been getting through it fine, but after all she went through the past few years with her mom, then her brother, then her own other health problems, it just makes me shake my head.

My friends, Casey and his wife have traveled to upstate NY for the Thanksgiving holiday. He sent a text message that they got there. Have a nice holiday and a safe trip back home.

Picked up a game called Rock Band today. You actually play as a band with a singer, guitar, bass and drummer. Cassie has been playing with me all day, and we have had a blast. We are not good, but it is some good family fun. The game also let's me see that my daughter has gotten her daddy's "no rhythm gene".

Until the next time.....