It was my younger brother’s birthday, but I knew he was out of the country so I sent him a text. ‘Happy birthday, old man’ it said. He replied, ‘almost as old as you.’ And I finished with ‘and don’t you wish you looked half as good.’ Ah well…brotherly love.
Jeff has faced a battle with prostate cancer and for the time, has won. I’ve talked to him about it at length and know that it changed the way he looks at life. He has a big job with Parker Hannifin and travels away from his family extensively. He probably would have continued to do that throughout his sixties too, if not for the eye-opening bout with a disease that reminds you of the fleeting nature of our existence here and what is truly important. He bought a boat shortly after and now spends all summer with Bonnie, his wife, and their daughter at that boat and enjoying each other and the simple, important things life has to offer. Like me, he plans to retire earlier too and maximize whatever time we have with the ones we love.
So…I continue to work…and to plan for when I’m not. I figure the more I talk about the things I want to do and places and people I want to do them with and see, the more likely I’ll get them done. I don’t know if it works, but I know my cousin Donnie, for one, is likely to hold me accountable since he wants to join me for some, if not all, of the adventures. Alaska Paul will have something to say about it as will John. Good. Not that I think I’ll need a push, but it’s good to know they will be there and join in the adventures making them better than they would otherwise be. For it is certainly time with loved ones that matters most regardless of where I find myself or what I’m doing. Right, Jeff?
Oh…and I did manage another ride on the trainer for 45 minutes while watching a wonderful episode of ‘The West Wing’. Can’t get enough of that series.
Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 135 bpm.
Calories Burned: 640
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