Some bird pics from the new camera...

The Five-Year Cure

When a person has battled cancer and has gone cancer-free for five years, the doctors say "you're cured".

I have a theory that all life's traumatic events also have a five-year cure rate.

When my head-on car collision occured back in 1998 I wondered if I would ever learn to love driving again. In 2003 (five years after the wreck) I found that, finally, I did once again love to drive for hours and hours.

John had two layoffs in quick succession, one lasting almost a year. He has one more year to go for a complete cure. But he's getting there.

Something I just realized this year, for Steve who was extremely traumatized after the shooting death of a classmate (November 2002 - his 4th grade year), it has now been over five years since this terrible event and I am almost convinced that Steve has been "cured" from his heartache. This 9th grade year for him, if I could describe it in one word, "flight". He's taken off. He's on his way. He's a young man with aspirations, amazing abilities, and just plain awesome-ness. He's earned some respect as a performer, singer and friend. He's managed to dig himself out of a grade snafu and even enjoy some of his core classes.

Is he cured? Perhaps. Will he ever forget his friend? No, never.

Walking Mary

I took a walk from 6am to 7am this morning. The sky was just getting a hint of light when I left the house, and when I returned the sun was about to come up. It was a bit chilly outside and my cheeks were very cold.

As I was heading back to the house I walked by a field that had just a shadow of fog. There was a herd of deer, numbering about 10-12 in the field eating grass. They were backlit by the eastern sky. Can you picture it? It was just lovely.

But it got me thinking. I remembered back to my teen years, and an unknown lady who we saw nearly every day walking down a busy main thoroughfare in my city. We just called her "Walking Mary" since we didn't know her. She must have walked all day long, or at least a good many hours each day.

As I walked this morning on the new 4-lane road that cuts through farmland, but will someday be crowded by gas stations, car dealerships and tanning salons I wondered if I would still be walking this same 4-lane road twenty years from now, and in my mind still seeing the farmland, the watchful deer, and remembering the sweet sounds of spring birds.

I wonder if Walking Mary saw Noland Road the way it used to be.

UPS where are you?

After getting the used camera of my dreams, a second hand older model rebel, I am now anxiously awaiting the cheap-o zoom lens I found on Ebay. Scheduled for delivery today, but still not here. But after checking the UPS site I have high hopes for some lovely outdoor bird photography tomorrow! The weather is supposed to be lovely!

Package Progress
Location_______________Date____Time _____ Description
KANSAS CITY,KS, US ___04/04/2008 _9:06 A.M. __OUT FOR DELIVERY

My lens has really travelled!

04/04/2008
12:09 A.M.
ARRIVAL SCAN


LENEXA,KS, US
04/03/2008
11:41 P.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
04/03/2008
1:33 P.M.
ARRIVAL SCAN

EARTH CITY,MO, US
04/03/2008
9:31 A.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
EARTH CITY,MO, US
04/02/2008
7:09 P.M.
ARRIVAL SCAN


DORAVILLE,GA, US
04/02/2008
10:49 A.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
04/02/2008
9:55 A.M.
ARRIVAL SCAN


JACKSONVILLE,FL, US
04/02/2008
1:57 A.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
JACKSONVILLE,FL, US
04/01/2008
3:01 P.M.
ARRIVAL SCAN

MIAMI,FL, US
03/31/2008
9:35 P.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
03/31/2008
7:30 P.M.
ORIGIN SCAN
03/31/2008
5:15 P.M.
PICKUP SCAN
US
03/31/2008
9:50 A.M.
BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED