SNOWBRRRRRRDS!!!!

We awoke this morning to this view from our bedroom window...

This is the view from our newly installed french doors looking towards the east.

This is looking south on our front porch.

Looking out from the front porch looking towards the west porch.

Do you spot the hummingbird? Poor thing couldn't get to the feeder so it perched on one of the icicle lights.

Looking south towards the kitchen bay window.

Even the wind chime wanted some of the action.

Our driveway is now a bunny slope.

Six and one-half inches of the white stuff blanketed our mountain retreat during the early morning hours today...






This is the view from our dining room bay window...

More photos...

Our vehicles have become "snowmobiles."

This is the pond near our place.

Having fun...

The next morning, the temperature dropped to 13°, then 14° on Monday morning, and 19° for Tuesday morning.

We broke out our snow boots and took a little walk around our area. There wasn't enough snow to bring out the snowshoes, but we have them at the ready. We are going to make up for lost "snow" time.

On Sunday, we took a stroll out on Bass Lake under sunny skies.

KITCHEN UNDERCOVER

What was an annoyance and an eyesore since we purchased our home...

The blue camping kitchen bucket was used to bail out the greywater that leaked from the garbage disposer. Sometimes that blue bucket was overlooked which eventually led to a watery mess at the sink. Yick...

"Arnt" is no more...

has now been transformed into...



This is new our greywater system.

The two white valves control where we want our greywater to flow.

The horizontal valve controls the the garbage disposal "waste" which will lead to the septic.

The vertical valve controls the water that will lead to a drip system below the west porch deck.

The trash can is a temporary "cistern" for collection. We will install a spigot at the bottom of the can which will be connected to the the drip irrigation system. Also, in the case of overflow, there is access to drop a bucket in to extract for our trees and plants in our front yard. The lid will be strapped to keep any animals out and a screen will be placed in the lid to filter any debris.

What about possible malodorous air? That is what the honeysuckles and lavenders will take care of.

This is what it looks like underneath. The garbage disposer has been moved to the left sink. We will eventually install our dishwasher on the left. Numerous dryfits and a few "expletives" later, there are no leaks...not even a drip...but we will continue to monitor to make any adjustments if necessary...

Up next? A new sink and a new kitchen faucet. It is never over...

IT WAS ON A MONDAY...

Day number 329 of 2013...

Up at 4:25 a.m. just like any other day. Chilly. Temperature gauge read 31.4 degrees. Inside, the temperature read 58 degrees. Fired up the propane space heater to accelerate the heating process for the early morning hours.

My wife made me coffee. For the first time, I put in some Organic Valley ultra-pasteurized Half and Half. During these "routine" days, we don't drink coffee. I get the breakfast cereal ready. I wash any dishes from the night before being "extremely" careful not to run the hot water when you-know-who is in the shower. I don't hear my name being called, but I happen to hear some expletives emanating from the bathroom. When there no dishes in the sink, I turn on the "Amish" heater in the kitchen. If there are coals in the Lopi from last night, I place tinder and more wood to re-ignite.

Weighed in at 217.2. Up one pound from Friday. Must have been the spaghetti and meatballs, salad, homemade bread, and chocolate flat cake last night.

I opened up a card my wife left in the dining room table. It was a very touching card worthy of a kiss and a hug.

I did my normal routine of 500 pushups and 600 crunches. It is a great way to start off the day.

Ate my bowl of organic Nature's Path Pumpkin Granola Flax cereal for breakfast. I sliced half of a banana and sprinkled cinnamon. Poured in one cup of Pacific Foods Organic Almond Milk Original. Crunch, crunch, crunch...

We stopped by the Starbucks to purchase our usual grande black coffee for $1.85. We have our own Starbucks plastic cups to save $0.10 on each fill up. The cups cost one dollar, and they are worth their weight and volume in dimes.

Dropped my wife off at her work.

Filled up the Subie with premium gas which is now $3.519 at Costco. Up two cents. Guess California has switched to winter blend.

Went to work...

Why didn't I take time off from work? We had planned a vacation in July this year only to have it fall through when my wife had to go to Salinas. When she returned, we sat down with our calendars to use up our leave. Today just happened to be taken by my coworker on my team. Hey, she asked for it first and she got the day off. Fair is fair. Oh well, life goes on. I just wish the time went by more quickly. Work that is, not life.

My lunch consisted of last night's spaghetti and meatballs. "Mama mia...that's a spicy meatballs!" My wife chopped up just one chili pepper and added it to the mix. Whoa!

Stopped off at Wal-Mart to pick up a few things for the Thanksgiving Day meal. Also, stopped at Bed Bath and Beyond to order new curtains for the new french doors we installed. My special meal consisted of an Burrito Ultimo and a chicken Baja Bowl to go.

Last night, my wife presented me with a gift: Dremel Saw Max SM20-02. Time to get working on the floors!

Received phone calls, emails, texts, and cards from family and friends. Our neighbors, Klaus and Gail sang "Happy Birthday" over the phone.

It was a Monday like any other Monday...another 24 hours in the life...

However, each day has its own unique quality about it.

Days like these are more precious...I don't have much longer on this earth. Reading or hearing about people passing at a "young" age I say say to myself, "They were not that much older than me."

On a very sad note, tonight we lost another member of the family. Uncle Wally, husband of Aunt Sue, passed away quietly around 6:45 p.m. Pacific, after a long illness. He was surrounded by family who sang to him as he lay in bed. Uncle Wally always sang a little ditty "Wonder Valley." We wish we had a recording of his ditty and the lyrics, but we do not. We will miss listening to that ditty. It is now silent forever. He loved woodworking. The things he made with his own hands. Simply put, "WOW!" He was 92 years old.

"Take me away...
Fly me away...
Take me up so high..
Where angels fly."


Somebody was born on this day...A common bond with a child I will never meet nor will ever know. The cycle of life on THIS day begins anew.

Yes, this day was a little special...

When I was born on this day, it was on a Monday...

RENO

My wife, MIL and I decided to get away for a bit to Reno...

We wanted to stay at Stateline but the rooms were way cheaper way out there in Reno.

We arrived Monday night, November 11, and checked into Harrah's. We took advantage of the free Veterans' Day buffet.

The next day, we went to Cabela's. It was actually my wife's idea after we passed by it on our way to Reno in Interstate 80.

Yeah, it was okay...Now, I have been to Bass Pro Shops in Manteca and Cabela's in Reno.

We visited Lake Tahoe....my MIL's first time the Big Blue Lake.

It was a great time.

SNOW ADVISORY...

Rain...


Steady...


Snow at 5,000 feet (we live at 3,000 feet)...


Time to bring down the snowshoes from the rafters and to remove those cobwebs...

OLD PICTURES

I did some browsing online and came upon some pictures of our house...

The picture above is the view looking from the dirt road to our house.

Since this picture was taken, a lot has "changed" for the better.

The pine tree trunk to the left is actually an electric pole. The previous owners thought they would run the electric line from the utility pole to the house by attaching the line to that dead tree. Why is anybody's guess. Well, that line has been moved and tightened. That trunk is about to fall. It no longer has the bark on it. All it will take is a good gust of wind.

Also note the open side porch and the stairway adjacent to it. We are working on this to give the house more "curb appeal." We are gonna love it!

Also note the sliding glass door and the kitchen window above the side porch. There will be remarkable changes.

As for that white garage door? We are going to remove it and extend that portion of the house with a large bay window and side glass. Same for the other side as part of our new office. We will be purchasing a billiard table. What my wife does to me in ping pong I will do to her in billiards. Hell, she might be a pool shark and I don't even know it yet.

The T1-11 siding is going to be replaced with 144" by 8.25" James Hardie Primed Cedarmill Fiber Cement Lap Siding.

Oh yeah, is the grass really that green? You're damn right it is. Especially, when the miner's lettuce appears. It is a some beach to weed whack.

This is a shot of our bedroom. The window has been replaced, the heater near the closet has been removed, and the closet has been redone with a second rack added, and three closet doors, and trimmed in knotty pine. The bedroom door has also been replaced with a walnut-stained pine door.

Our living room. We ripped up the old carpet. We are now "living" on wall-to-wall plywood. We are looking at purchasing wood flooring.

The sliding glass doors to the left and front will be replaced with french doors.

This room is now officially the laundry room. The closet will be removed to elongate the hallway into the "family room" that used to be our garage. We have since painted the room to hide the atrocious color scheme.






















This is the "in-laws" room which is the second story to our house. During the summer, the heat is unbearable. During the winter months it is very temperate. No worries, no inlaws have stayed in here.


My how things have changed...

You can see some of the projects on P38549 dated 10-18-12 in this blog.

New pictures to follow...

NO MAS SALINAS ADIOS

This morning, I left Salinas for the last time to commute to work. I will NOT miss that drive!

My wife will be home on Thursday, September 26, 2013...

Some of the many towns we visited:

Salinas
Monterey
Pacific Grove
Carmel
Seaside
Half Moon Bay
Santa Cruz (Go Slugs!)
Pescadero
Watsonville
Castroville (artichoke capital of the world)
Gilroy (garlic capital of the world)
Moss Landing
Marina (they got REI!)
San Juan Bautista (right on the San Andreas Fault)
Prunedale

We shall miss the eating establishments:
Ground Up Burgers (Half Moon Bay)
The Wild Plum Cafe
Toro Place Cafe (Salinas)
Phil's Fish Market (Moss Landing)*
Monterey Coast Brewing Company (downtown Salinas)

*Bring an appetite to Phil's Fish Market and then stroll along the beach. My wife loved the Cioppino in a Bowl.

Also, we will miss the farmers' markets throughout the valley. Organic foods at its best!



Adios, Salinas.

Maybe a visit next time...

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...

The following pictures of the Rim Fire made possible by local news photographers covering the event.

Carstens Fire: June 16 (unattended campfire)

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=824



Aspen Fire: July 22 (lightning)

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/">http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552


Rim Fire: August 17 (illegal fire by a hunter)

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=889




None of these fires were or are of immediate threat to our family.

The Carstens and Aspen fires did not destroy one structure. Those firefighters are amazing.

The Aspen fire did lay a smoke blanket down for a couple of weeks. The air is clear again.

The Rim Fire looks like an atomic mushroom cloud. That smoke is blowing northeast towards the Reno area.

135 POINT 1

Today was the first time in my life I ever drove 135 point 1 miles to work...


Many more days like this to follow...


But it will not become a habit.

SAN ANDREAS' "FAULT"

My wife has left me again....

This time to Salinas to fill in as District Manager for at least three months.

The bad thing there is no Amtrak from Fresno to Salinas.  Sure wish there was.

The good thing she is only 160 some odd miles from home.

However, I am on the North American plate and she is on the Pacific plate.  The San Andreas Fault runs through San Juan Bautista.

I drove from Salinas to work for the first time.  I left the hotel at 4:30 a.m. and got to work a little after 7:00 a.m.  The odometer read 135 miles.




Yawn.

SOME LIKE IT HOT...

Yeah, it's hot but not as hot as it is in Palm Springs, Phoenix, or Las Vegas...

Our thoughts and prayers to the families of the 19 firefighters in Yarnell, Arizona...

WASH N DRY

For several months now, we have been without a dryer.  Due to a power surge, the circuitry boards fried.  In trying to order replacements, we find out it would cost over $300.00 to replace the boards.

Ain't gonna happen.

Luckily, we have a clothesline and we managed to hang certain items and allow Mother Nature to do her best on our play clothes and sheets.  Oftentimes, we had to rely on my MIL's dryer to take care of work clothes and towels.  An inconvenience, but this, too, shall, pass.

For the past couple of months, we have been shopping for an electric dryer.  My MIL happened to come across two dryers for $99.00 at the Salvation Army.  On May 11, we stopped by and looked.  Just our luck, the one electric dryer was marked "sold" earlier in the day.  Dang!  The other dryer?  Gas.  Double dang.

May 19, we went to Lowe's to look at dryers.  They were about to have their Memorial Day sale with 10% off.  Being a veteran, I get an additional 10% on top of that!  We decided that we would make a purchase next week to take advantage of the 20%!

Well, just the other day, my wife informed me that my MIL purchased us a brand new dryer....and...a brand new washer from Sears.  My MIL could use a brand new washer and dryer, but out of the kindness of her heart, she decided to purchase both of these for us for our "new" home.

It was delivered today.  My wife is happy!


Thank you, MIL! 
P.S. You can use "ours" anytime!

"COMMENCEMENT"

Commencement...we awaken in our home to the sounds of chirping birds.

I turn on the television to a country western music channel. Playing is John Denver's "Back Home Again."

There’s a storm across the valley, clouds are rollin’ in
The afternoon is heavy on your shoulders
There’s a truck out on the four lane a mile or more away
The whinin’ of his wheels just makes it colder

He’s an hour away from ridin’ on your prayers up in the sky
And ten days on the road are barely gone
There’s a fire softly burnin’, supper’s on the stove
But it’s the light in your eyes that makes him warm

Hey it’s good to be back home again
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes ’n’ hey, it’s good to be back home again

There’s all the news to tell him, how’d you spend your time
What’s the latest thing the neighbors say
And your mother called last Friday, “Sunshine” made her cry
You felt the baby move just yesterday

Hey it’s good to be back home again - yes it is
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes ’n’ hey, it’s good to be back home again

Oh the time that I can lay this tired old body down
Feel your fingers feather soft upon me
The kisses that I live for, the love that lights my way
The happiness that that livin’ with you brings me

It’s the sweetest thing I know of, just spending time with you
It’s the little things that make a house a home
Like a fire softly burnin’ supper on the stove
The light in your eyes that makes me warm

Hey it’s good to be back home again
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes ’n’ hey, it’s good to be back home again

Hey it’s good to be back home again - you know it is
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Hey, it’s good to be back home again

I said hey it’s good to be back home again...

We now live "up here."  From 171 to 2,952...that's 2,781 feet of elevation change.

Good to be back home again?

Yes, it sure is up here!

The commencement begins now.  We can officially anchor down...


Nothing like watching a sunset from our front porch...

"FINAL"S WEEK

With a lot of schools preparing for the end of another school year with final examinations and commencment exercises, here is our version...final week.

Monday, May 13, 2013

My final Monday commute.  Uneventful day both ways.  The widening of the 99 continues north of Chowchilla.  They started this project in mid-July 2012.  Doubt I will ever come by this way again, but when I do I am sure it will be a major improvement.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I purchased gas at the Merced Costco for the final time.  This month alone a gallon has shot up $0.22 per gallon.

We work out at our health club for the last time. The best little gym in California. We will miss the staff.

Another commute day done and over with.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

My last commute drive from Merced. 

On my way to work, there is a cross at the end of the southbound offramp from Avenue 24.  I stopped to pay my respects to the pedestrian that was killed back on February 8, 2013.  Her name was Vitalina Jimenez of Madera.  It was her body I saw on the road.

I stopped at my favorite Starbucks next to the Holiday Inn Express on the corner of West Herndon and North Motel Drive in Fresno to order my usual grande black coffee and to say good-byes to the baristas.  When my commute allowed, I would walk into this Starbucks every Friday and before I have a chance to order, it is already there next to the cash register waiting for me.  Simple routine.  However, this time I caught the baristas off guard.  The looks on their faces when I entered.  "No, it is not a Friday, but it is my 'Friday.'  This will be the last time I come here and I just wanted to say, 'Thank you for the great service, and I will see you later.'  Oh, and could you make it a venti this time."  I paid $2.25 and left a $0.75 tip.

After approximately thirty-one thousand fifty "flying solo" miles later, it is over and done.

For our final meal, we dine at Pinocchio's in downtown Merced.  What a great place to eat.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

The three hundred forty-ninth day.

We do laundry the first thing in the morning to use up all of the money on our laundry card.

The movers come to pack and ship.  Luckily, there isn't that much for them to move on such a hot day as today.  Our apartment was nothing, but bare necessities.  All we had to purchase was a 32-inch flat screen, DVD player, and a microwave.  A vast majority of our stuff was relocated to P38549 before moving to Merced.

We return the keys to the property manager and sign some paperwork.

Looking back, we never took a dip in the pool nor did we ever sit in the spa.  With the spa being at a tepid 80° it just wasn't worth our time to soak in it.  We spent only one weekend in Merced around the holidays due to my wife's office party. 

There are fine eateries in Merced.  Too bad Big Bubba's Bad BBQ closed before we had a chance to take advantage of the free birthday dinner.  I really was looking forward to it.

We will NOT miss the train whistles, the sirens, the traffic, and the helicopters flying overhead.  The "Sunday drives" from P38549 to Merced will not be missed either.  It was if we were literally "camping" at P38549.  Packing up clothing and gear for our weekend jaunts.  Yes, we forgot some items, but shrugged it off. "Hey, it will be for only a couple of days," or "Hey, just five more days."  No more counting down.  Every weekend we took stuff to P38549 that we knew we would never need in Merced again.

Our moving days are officially over and we didn't have to lift a finger, yet alone a box.  We can settle down and enjoy the rest of our lives together.  Next comes retirement and then off we go to other adventures.  We are looking forward to having fun whether it be making our house a home or venturing out on a cross-country trip or just fishing.

Our only obstacle is where to hang all of our clothes.  My wife's clothes will DEFINITELY fill up the main bedroom closet, while my clothes will just fit in the laundry room closet for now until we sort things out.

IN-N-OUT B"URGE"R

I had an In-N-Out "urge."

We didn't feel like cooking, and I didn't feel like eating leftovers.

For the first time in three years and without objection from my wife, we drive to the In-N-Out Burger in Merced, and I order a double-double and two orders of fries for myself.  My wife did not partake.

So, my streak is snapped, but my wife's streak continues.

Damn, those fries sure did taste good!

I came this close to order a chocolate shake.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

Life goes on.

THE GRAND FINALLY

It is official...

We are moving from Merced to our "retirement home" in the hills...

CHASED BY A RAINBOW

On my morning commute to Fresno from Merced, the sun was peeking over the Sierra between the cloud cover.

Glancing to my right, I spot a rainbow "chasing" me as I drove down the 99 all the way to Fresno.

I tried to look for that "pot of gold" but saw nothing...

But...

As I looked around...the sun rising over the Sierra with the rain clouds hugging them...I was driving in my pot of gold.

Still driving and still...


Having fun.

BEFORES...AFTERS...



This was the porch...





























This is it now...

 















This was the water heater location...


























This was the laundry hookup...





This is the "tween" look...























This was one of the entryways into our bathroom...























This is the knotty pine drawer and casing for the new pantry...





Plenty of storage space...


















What was the bathroom entry, is now a coat closet...

























That dowel ain't going anywhere now.



There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are happy....

EASTER SUNDAY

MEIN LEBEN

Pictured is me and the author of the book we are holding, "Mein Leben."

The book is a remarkable story of his life and I am honored to have this book autographed by him.

Klaus was born in Germany, served in the German army and was a prisoner of war in the Ukraine until 1949.  In 1957, he immigrated to the United States, where he worked as a farmworker, operated his own sign business, and served on the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce Board.  After retirement, he worked as a ski instructor and tour guide in Yosemite.

Even better, he and his wife are our neighbors...

A YEAR OF FIRSTS ONE YEAR LATER...

It has been exactly one year since my FIL's passing...

A lot has happened in the span of this year...some good...some bad...

He is missed, you can see it in my MIL's eyes and my wife's eyes...

He will never be forgotten...

I am sure him and my father are smiling down upon us...

And that is what we have to do on this day...

Smile today...
And everyday thereafter...

I miss them both...

I wish they were both here to see our cabin in the woods...

I am sure they would approve of the surroundings...

Gone now is the "year of firsts"...

Time to start living...

WHAT IF? WHY?

Before I ate my bowl of organic cereal with almond milk, I turned on the radio to get the latest traffic and weather reports on KMJ 580 like I always do.

There was a report of an vehicle and pedestrian accident on the southbound 99 at Avenue 24 in Chowchilla occurring around 6:00 a.m.

As my wife and I got dressed for work, I kept an ear out on the latest on that accident.  The report was the same. 

I kissed my wife goodbye and got into my truck for my daily 52-mile one-way commute to Fresno.  My radio was tuned into KMJ 580.  The latest update was that there was a fatality due to a pedestrian trying to cross the lanes of southbound 99 and that CHP and medical crews were on the scene.  Time on the clock 6:32 a.m.

The early morning traffic started to back up about a mile from the Avenue 24 offramp as I drove in the number one lane.  Many impatient drivers decied to ride the shoulder to get to the Avenue 24 offramp or take the Avenue 24 1/2 exit and take the backroads to bypass the backup.

As I made my way under the Avenue 24 overcrossing, I spotted the emergency vehicles, CHP, tow truck, and a news van off on the right shoulder.  Traffic cones had been placed to preserve the scene.  Time on deck 6:50 a.m.

While slowly moving past the scene while driving in the number one lane and the median, I noticed skid marks that led to a white car off on the right shoulder.

Then I saw a very grisly scene I never say on any freeway...human entrails.  I spotted a shoe, a piece of athletic warmup pants, and parts of what I thought to be an arm and leg, and the yellow tarp covering the body of the deceased.  There was blood everywhere.  It was not a pretty sight.

I saw a second set of skid marks leading to a dark-grey Mustang with the rear facing the guardrails on the right shoulder and two individuals standing close to the vehicle.

There was also another vehicle parked just past the Mustang on the right shoulder.

As I made my way past and accelerated, my thoughts and prayers were of that person's family.

I got to work and tried to monitor the updates of that accident.  Reports came in giving few details.

At first, my thoughts were that woman was crossed the northbound lanes, scaled the median shrubbery and tried to run across the road.  Road conditions at the time I was driving were light fog and slick roads.  She may have lost her footing, slipped on the slick road, and fell into oncoming traffic.

Later in the day, I read the full account of what had happened...

A 43-year-old woman was driving northbound on the 99 when her red GMC pickup ran out of gas.  She egressed her vehicle and walked up the offramp to overcrossing over the 99 to purchase a gasoline at the one of the gas stations in the area.  She was seen walking around 6 a.m. on the right shoulder of southbound 99, south of Avenue 24 undercrossing.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old male driver from Chowchilla was driving a 2001 Saturn southbound at about 60 mph in the fast lane.

The pedestrian tried to cross the the southbound lanes of the freeway, walking east across the southbound lanes. The male driver saw the pedestrian running with a gas can directly ahead of his vehicle. Before he was able to stop, the front of his Saturn struck the pedestrian.

The woman was ejected onto the roadway, where she was struck by two more cars.

What if she had taken the Avenue 24 overcrossing back to her vehicle?  Why did she cross from the right shoulder?  What if she had filled up with gas before leaving Madera?  These "what ifs" and "why" questions don't have answers.  Was she going to work?  Was she going to pick up someone from work?  Was she taking an early weekend trip to visit relatives?  These questions only her family knows.

Our condolences to her family.

MAKING IT A GOOD DAY...

If I ever had one of those days, it finally happened.

I needed gas, so I went to Costco to fill up and got only ten dollars and some change since I forgot to transfer money into the account.

Then, I stopped at Starbucks to get a grande black coffee not knowing my gift card only had $1.25 on it.  I was fortunate enough to get some change out of my vehicle.

Then, as I got into my vehicle, I spilled Starbucks coffee on my khaki pants.

Then, as I made it up the stairwell and used my swipe card to open up the door to the office, I dropped that coffee.

Then, my boss calls in to say that she won't be in due to her child's illness.

Then, as my day progressed, I sent two letters via email to the wrong people.

Then, my computer decides to go south on me.  A call was made to the IS Department at corporate to address the issue.  I wasn't the only one in the office with the problem I was experiencing.

Then, while walking to the break room with my lunch in my hand, I guess I did not push down the lid enough and all of my lunch splashed on the tile floor.

So, no coffee, no lunch, no boss, two mistakes.  It was finally time to go home.

Around Avenue 12 while heading north on the 99, while driving in the number two lane, a CHP pulled up beside me. 

Where in the heck did he come from? 

I thought I was going to get pulled over, but he sped on past me. I glanced at my speedometer.  I was "hovering" above 75 mph.  The speed limit on this section of the 99 is 70 mph.  Maybe the CHP was giving me a "warning."  Whew!

While driving in the number three lane south of the 152 and 99 interchange, I happened to glance to my left and noticed a vehicle with a very old gentleman in the passenger seat.  I would say in his nineties.  He was waving his red Marine Corps hat at me as they slowly made their way past me.

As the vehicle moved forward ahead of me, I noticed the circular Marine Corps sticker on the back glass on the passenger side.

I thought to myself, "I had a bad day.  Time to make it a good day."

So, I accelerated up to and next to the vehicle.  The old man and I made eye contact, and I rendered a salute in his direction.  His reaction was that of a little kid.  He was smiling from ear to ear still enthusiastically waving his Marine Corps hat.

As they made their way west on the 152 and my way north on the 99, I smiled for the first time today. 

I don't think I will ever see him again, but I hope I made his day.

He sure did make mine.