Switch Gears

It's been a while since my last ramble. Some things have changed, but most important things remain the same. I do want to share with you that I finally ran almost five miles without stopping. For a man who has completed 8 marathons this should not be a big thing. But it is. I may have broken the mental hangup that has negatively impacted my running since my surgery in June, 2007. I signed on for the Grand Rapids (MI) Half-Marathon in mid-October. It is time to get ready. My weight has remained the same for four weeks but it too is changing. I'm getting close to that magical two hundred pound level. If I can break the ice, a steady downward move may be in store. Patrick has raised my level of concern. He is leaving for a driving vacation to Hilton Head with five other guys. I trust him to make the right choices, but I remember almost falling asleep in a return drive to Iowa under the same conditions. He also is a victim of brand marketing. Lacoste, Polo, Apple, Nordstrom and Abercombie & Fitch relieved him of a few hundred dollars when Columbia, Chaps and Kohls would have saved him 70%. He'll learn, the hard way. I am beginning to see the day the discretionary cash to Patrick drys up, for his own good.
Lauren also disappointed. She picked up her fourth, maybe fifth, speeding ticket since she started driving. I can clearly see the day that Dad stops providing auto insurance for her. If prospective employers do background checks she could really suffer. She will then understand the error of her ways. Finally, the two F's remain foremost in my mind. My Father and my financial challenges. May the Lord provide direction to all of us. Peace. Ricky