Here is a rundown of my driving in both personal and work vehicles since Thursday last week.
Thursday night 120 miles to E-burg to visit Julie's grandma and stay overnight. (Plan was to leave E-burg and go to Seattle in the morning)
Friday 0200: 120 miles back to Pasco for an emergency work call.
Friday 0800: 120 miles BACK to E-burg to pick up Julie.
Friday 1000: 120 miles....arrived at Vashon Island for the weekend.
Saturday.....various small trips on the island.
Sunday 1230: 85 miles to Chehalis to drop of Austin and Alexis with their mother
Sunday 2000: 215 miles to the house.
Total: 805 miles
Work on Monday: 400+ to Sandy, Oregon and back home.
Work on Tuesday: 400+ to Grand Coulee and back home.
Total: 800 miles
The week is not even close to being done. I already hurt, and am really, really tired.
Neal and Julie
Do you have time for a Miller?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Untimely death
Sad news from the old home town today. Ex NBA player, Kevin Duckworth, of Trailblazer fame passed away at the age of 44.
I remember going to one of my first games, and getting his autograph. Although busy with pre-game rituals of warming up and shooting hoops, he took the time to come over and talk with a group of us kids who were there court-side.
I met him years later in Vancouver, I think he was running a restaurant or a gym or something. We spoke briefly in the parking lot, and I left with the feeling that he was the same genuine guy who used to represent the Blazers back in the day. As I reflect back now on the first encounter and the encounter in the parking lot, I can honestly say he was a good guy, and am happy that I cheered for him during those years. He was an ambassador on and off the court, to the end, for the NBA and playing hoops.
Good bye Duck!
I remember going to one of my first games, and getting his autograph. Although busy with pre-game rituals of warming up and shooting hoops, he took the time to come over and talk with a group of us kids who were there court-side.
I met him years later in Vancouver, I think he was running a restaurant or a gym or something. We spoke briefly in the parking lot, and I left with the feeling that he was the same genuine guy who used to represent the Blazers back in the day. As I reflect back now on the first encounter and the encounter in the parking lot, I can honestly say he was a good guy, and am happy that I cheered for him during those years. He was an ambassador on and off the court, to the end, for the NBA and playing hoops.
Good bye Duck!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Photo Update
It was certainly time to update the photo at the top of the blog. My how time changes us. Everyone is taller, older, and with the exception of me better looking...haha.
It looks like summer has finally decided to arrive, with upper 90's and into the 100's for the weekend. Julie is off with her girlfriends to Silverwood to get a weekend away. I have a long time friend coming to visit me here in Pasco. I anticipate a good time had by all parties for the weekend. We get the full force of the kids once more for the summer, but this time only on Sunday night. Monday morning I will be driving the kids up to Vashon Island to visit my Dad and Step-Mom for the week, and then Julie and I will join them on Friday. We are all excited for the trip and time with the family. We haven't been up there for a couple of years now.
Julie and I attended a PGR (Patriot Guard Riders) mission yesterday to send off troops from the 81st Brigade, Washington National Guard. This was a small number of local soldiers who were being honored, along with their families, for their service to our nation. The dinner was the typical spaghetti feed, with donations going to help the Elks Lodge assist the families while their loved ones are overseas. The evening was bittersweet because as we cheered for the soldiers and families, we know full well the risks involved with their duties. We provided a challenge coin to the senior ranked soldier with the request to "Bring it back home..." I am thankful for these men and women, and thankful for their families sacrafice too. I don't know which is harder, being a soldier or being a soldier's spouse.
It looks like summer has finally decided to arrive, with upper 90's and into the 100's for the weekend. Julie is off with her girlfriends to Silverwood to get a weekend away. I have a long time friend coming to visit me here in Pasco. I anticipate a good time had by all parties for the weekend. We get the full force of the kids once more for the summer, but this time only on Sunday night. Monday morning I will be driving the kids up to Vashon Island to visit my Dad and Step-Mom for the week, and then Julie and I will join them on Friday. We are all excited for the trip and time with the family. We haven't been up there for a couple of years now.
Julie and I attended a PGR (Patriot Guard Riders) mission yesterday to send off troops from the 81st Brigade, Washington National Guard. This was a small number of local soldiers who were being honored, along with their families, for their service to our nation. The dinner was the typical spaghetti feed, with donations going to help the Elks Lodge assist the families while their loved ones are overseas. The evening was bittersweet because as we cheered for the soldiers and families, we know full well the risks involved with their duties. We provided a challenge coin to the senior ranked soldier with the request to "Bring it back home..." I am thankful for these men and women, and thankful for their families sacrafice too. I don't know which is harder, being a soldier or being a soldier's spouse.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Lazy Blogger
That should be the new name for our blog. I've pretty much fallen off the blog entries as well as blog readings. I do not know why, maybe life away from the PC. Or maybe it is life is so "normal" that I don't think about sharing it with all of my family, friends and virtual hobo's passing on through our camp.
I certainly cannot complain about how things are going right now. Well, with the exception of being able to fund a small country with our food and clothing budgets. Every single time we blink, Austin has grown an inch in height, or 1/2 size in shoes. It is no different with the girls either. Here we are, already into August and Julie and I just look at each other eyes blinking and saying, "Where the heck has the summer gone?" I do not have the foggiest idea, really. Yesterday was the 4th of July. Honest! So much is happening, that we tend to lose track of what has happened. Friends visiting, work, travel, play. Sure it makes the summer fly by, but wait, where is summer at? Maybe summer seemed shorter because of the late global warming we experienced in June? Snow on 10 June...I couldn't believe it either.
So here we are in August, summer is winding down. Kids have come, gone, come, gone and will be back once more to send summer 2008 into the memories of their youth. We can only hope that what we did will create a memory, one not based on the amount of money we spent getting there, nor spent getting into a location. Those memories are good. I think the best memories are how we got there, or what we did once we arrived. Not just the "thrill ride", or something else that is obviously a cool point to remember. Sometimes you hope the kids will remember a point on the road where something special happened. Maybe a walk or a hike, or seeing a sunset, hearing the roll of thunder, something not man-made. Or if it is man made, hopefully it is unique in its architecture.
Where has summer gone? I cannot say for sure, but know that like the Keith Urban song says, "These are the days we will remember."
I certainly cannot complain about how things are going right now. Well, with the exception of being able to fund a small country with our food and clothing budgets. Every single time we blink, Austin has grown an inch in height, or 1/2 size in shoes. It is no different with the girls either. Here we are, already into August and Julie and I just look at each other eyes blinking and saying, "Where the heck has the summer gone?" I do not have the foggiest idea, really. Yesterday was the 4th of July. Honest! So much is happening, that we tend to lose track of what has happened. Friends visiting, work, travel, play. Sure it makes the summer fly by, but wait, where is summer at? Maybe summer seemed shorter because of the late global warming we experienced in June? Snow on 10 June...I couldn't believe it either.
So here we are in August, summer is winding down. Kids have come, gone, come, gone and will be back once more to send summer 2008 into the memories of their youth. We can only hope that what we did will create a memory, one not based on the amount of money we spent getting there, nor spent getting into a location. Those memories are good. I think the best memories are how we got there, or what we did once we arrived. Not just the "thrill ride", or something else that is obviously a cool point to remember. Sometimes you hope the kids will remember a point on the road where something special happened. Maybe a walk or a hike, or seeing a sunset, hearing the roll of thunder, something not man-made. Or if it is man made, hopefully it is unique in its architecture.
Where has summer gone? I cannot say for sure, but know that like the Keith Urban song says, "These are the days we will remember."
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