Lots going on this morning. My sister Danna had an encounter with a wire of some kind on the street this morning outside her home in Spring Hill, Florida and she’s in the ER there with a head injury. I spoke to her a couple hours ago and she’s as stubborn as ever, but Chris and I are headed that way now to see what we can do to help her husband who is really shaken. He has some injuries as well.

So, right now we are on our way to Des Moines to catch a 330 flight that should put us in Tampa around 10 PM tonight. We will either rent a car or Uber to Spring Hill and see what happens from there.

For now, we have a return booked for Monday evening, I think it returns to Cedar Rapids like at 11 PM Monday night. I will post more as soon as we have time and as soon as I know more. Take care.

Just testing.

This might be the longest “micropost” I ever make.

A few days after my son, Ian, passed away on October 2, 2012, I desperately needed a distraction, some tangible task to keep me from the depression that seemed to be everywhere. My family and friends were, of course, gathered around and kept me going, but I remember lying awake one morning at 3 AM and thinking I really needed something “normal” to occupy my time, and mind.

So, I did what I usually do, logged on to my computer and just started poking at ideas. I wrote a little Python script to crunch some numbers, and ended up calculating calendar dates and number of days passed for events in Ian’s life. The solution I calculated was 4898 days, that number marked the span of Ian’s life, from May 6, 1999, until October 2, 2012.

I also remember calculating the “future” date that would mark 4898 days from his death, and I marked that date on my calendar (in my computer, of course) as a reminder to look back and think about what had changed in my life.

That day is today, March 1, 2026.

I am happy to report that had I not marked the date, and frankly I’m amazed that through many software updates the reminder still appears on this computer, I think I would have missed it entirely. That’s a good thing, I think… one should not live entirely in the past. Based on my experience, it’s just not healthy.

Back in 2012 I made plans to do something special today, but as luck would have it I’ve been very busy of late, and some of those people who propped me up back in October 2012 (and every day since) made plans that I’m happy to be a part of.

Another distraction, I guess, and a very welcome one. Thank you to all who keep me moving forward.

As this day has approached I’ve been thinking about IF, life’s middle name.

I miss you bud, today maybe a little more than others, IF that’s possible. IF only you were here…

Making a quick visit to the beach here at Gulf Shores, Alabama and the wind is howling and it’s cold. This is good prep for heading back north I guess.

Staying a couple of nights at the Comfort Inn on the beach Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Tupelo, MS, for breakfast

Booneville, MS

Bedtime.

Stopped at this legendary joint for an early dinner on the road to Bamarama.

It’s 7:36 AM and I’m headed to Grinnell to drop off Mackenzie then to St. Louis to rendezvous with Tom and then onto the Alabama Gulf Coast

This is where you go for lunch when your (wife’s) colonoscopy was completed right next-door.