This past weekend was a project weekend.  I fixed a cabinet drawer, a broken hinge, a garden fence, and a shower door.  Keenly aware that the shower-door-roller-accessory manufacturer had never measured my shower doors, I started the task hoping that the purchased hardware would do the trick.  Well, not so much.  But, at a pivotal moment, when I realized that the gap was too great, I remembered a prior IKEA project that somehow produced a surplus of washers.

I knew it was a good idea to keep those washers.  They filled the expanse, saved me a trip to the hardware store, and kept about 30 cents in my account.

Some call it hoarding.  Some call it saving.  I call it ‘keeping things around I know I will use again someday.’  I knew it was a good idea.

For the record, I feel the same way about t-shirts, soccer balls, my kids, old wire, and carpet pieces.

I have known Art for 8 years.  We’ve shaken hands, given high fives, pounded knuckles; this was our first hug.

Everyday he delivers mail, we discuss life…family, sports, weather, God, beer, home improvement, and Art’s hometown of Whittier.  We’ve had lunch together a few times and he feels comfortable enough around me to use a swear word, now and then, when it is necessary to make a point.  No, we are not facebook friends.  But, yes, I know his daughters’ names.  We are true friends.

What’s the big deal?  I don’t know.

I do know that I need to have more people in my life like Art.  He had a rough weekend (his uncle died) and he needed a hug from a friend.  No macho attitude.  Nothing phony.  Just a regular guy who was genuine and brushed aside my attempt at a hand shake (I hadn’t seen him in 4 days) and pulled me in for a manly hug.

Thanks, Art.  I needed that, too.

A few weeks ago, my Grandpa Barnes died.  He was 99 years old.  I am sad.

But, I am blessed.  All of my grandparents shared in shaping me into the person I am today.  They taught me how to cook, love, play, laugh, save, roll dice, and play an instrument.  They never spanked me and they gave me more fruit-loops than I could ever want. Grandpa Barnes was the fun one.  He jingled coins in his pocket and he always had sweets to share.  He taught me how to golf, pole vault, and drink beer on the lake at 9 am.  For most of my life, I thought he walked on water.

I am sad.  Sad that I won’t hear his family whistle.  Sad that we won’t shoot whiskey together.  Sad that I won’t hear him tell politically incorrect jokes.  Sad that he won’t deal blackjack to my kids.  Sad that we won’t eat ribs and shrimp appetizers together.  Sad that I won’t hear him mispronounce Spanish words.  Sad that I won’t feel his whiskers on my face.

But I am blessed.  He validated me as an athlete.  He let me take his sedan to the Homecoming Dance.  He showed me where he grew up and he took me to the grave of his grandpa, where we both cried.  He loved to goose people and he never held in a burp.

I am sad.

In the last year, the table was never brought off the wall, but was used, instead, as depository for my son’s surf sticker collection.  It was time to go.  He’s now 11.

With a heavy heart, I removed the screws.  I celebrated the craftsmanship and love that went into its creation, but lamented the fact that it was time to move on.  My son will forever be less entertained by small, inanimate objects, which do not have power cords.  That’s the way it is.  I just don’t like it.

For the next 5 days, I will be spending every minute of time, awake or not, thinking about fish.  My Dad, four brothers and I are headed to Montana to experience what God has presented…open rivers, picky trout, and a split second thrill when a fish surfaces to take your fly.

So, if you happen to be reading this entry between June 4 and June 8, don’t try calling the office.  You’ll get a polite and non-committing explanation why I couldn’t pick up the phone.  The truth is, I’ll be out in the field.

For example, did you know that when you turn 18, that is the earliest you can enter into a legally binding contract? Did you know that you should prepare a will and powers of attorney when you turn 18?

Enjoy the information. Be sure to vote. Get your own credit card. Buy a lottery ticket.

All are solid.  Get ‘em.

Well, tonight my kids got to experience the same thing…

Only one of them saw the bird fly into our french door. But within seconds, all of them were peering through the glass at the wayward one. And I must admit, it looked pretty bad for the little guy. I almost hesitated in suggesting we pray. It was that bad.

But we did. And 45 minutes later, it got up. The kids saw it fly away. I must admit, it wasn’t the recovery of the bird that made me smile.

I became interested when the guys at the gym were talking about the “cleanse” and how great they felt.  Here’s the program…You drink 2 protein shakes (fruit smoothie) a day and you get to eat all the fruits and vegetables you want in addition to drinking lots of water.  That’s basically it.  It is very mild on your system.  I used the SP Cleanse products for supplements.

I did not track my weight loss, but my pants are now loose.  I haven’t had heartburn for 3 weeks.  I look forward to a plate of vegetables.  I have not needed an occasional nap.  I feel healthy and that feels good.