It Won't Be Long Now

-Tuesday ... good morning world.

-Cloudy, cold, windy and 37 degrees - that best describes the conditions outside our back door this morning.

-Today's forecast is calling for: A chance of rain showers early in the morning. Then rain showers likely in the late morning and afternoon. Highs 45 to 50. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph late in the afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent.

-Quote for the day:

When you live in reaction, you give your power away. Then you get to experience what you gave your power to. -N. Smith

-Now my office is looking bare and almost empty. I took a whole grouping of plaques and photos down yesterday and packed them in boxes ... holy cow things are starting to wind down.

As I sat at my desk and looked to the left at one of the office walls - it justs seemed so bare and empty.

My retirement is getting closer and closer each and every single day. Wow ... it won't be long now.

-Yesterday morning on our way out the back door ... I was tired, and not feeling very alive. Steve was feeling sick from this darn cold he has been suffereing from - and the two of us ... kind of clashed for a moment.

He didn't like the way I said something and told me I was "crabby" ... I tried to respond by saying I was "tired" and that was just the way I reacted ... and we went off to work together but sort of separately.

We were on two different wave lengths. I texted him, when I got to work and told him, "you should love me whether I'm happy, sick, crabby, sexy or whatever"

Needless to say ... we had things all resolved by the end of the day ... since we don't get much of a chance to talk now during the daytime hours ... by the time Steve got home at 5:50 p.m., everything was back on track.

-Things We've Read...

• Every U.S. president with a beard has been a Republican.
• Gardening is said to be one of the best exercises for maintaining healthy bones.
• TIME Magazine’s “Man of the Year” in 1938 was Adolf Hitler. (Now that's hard to believe)
• An apple, potato, and onion all taste the same if you eat them with your nose plugged. (I find that hard to believe)
• In 1897, Bayer, who is the maker of Aspirin, marketed the drug heroin.

-Back to work for the two of us today ... and it is just going to be a regular Tuesday ... I don't think either of us has anything special planned - just a routine day.

Last evening we watched again - as our Boston Celtics bit the dust. It was the one game where they could have come out with a 3 to 1 lead and they blew it!

The whole Celtics team look pathetic and slow and tired and ... I don't know what you could call it.

Boston dropped to 0-5 on the road in the postseason, a stunning slip for a team that went 31-10 outside their home floor during the regular season. During a short stay in Ohio, the Celtics lost their momentum in the series but will now head home, where they went 35-6 before the playoffs started.

They just didn't and maybe don't have ... what it takes to be the NBA Champions ... I'm not sure, and I know Steve is as disappointed as anyone.

Answer: They need to take there game up a few notches and start playing offense and defense.

Case closed!

-On that note, I'm out of here. It is going to be raining outside within the hour, and believe me, we do need the rain. Time for me to shower and shave for the day. Steve, my partner - will be up in a few minutes and getting ready also.

Together, it is off to work we go - for another day. We hope your Tuesday is a good one - keep smiling - enjoy life - it really is good!

Remember to be kind and most of all to be good. Take care.

-Until next time...

Monday Is Back

-Monday ... good morning and welcome. Today's photo is of the Duluth harbor and ship canal - not to far from where we live.

-Outside it is clear, frosty and 29 degrees above zero ... with calm winds. There is "frost" on the car windshields - can you believe that? Holy cow!

-Our Monday forecast for this portion of the world: Partly sunny in the morning. Then mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Highs 45 to 50. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph becoming east 10 to 20 mph in the late morning and afternoon.

-Quote for the day:

We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us. -Francois de La Rochefoucauld

-Yesterday, Steve and I were both busy - but in different ways. He was busy washing all the bedding ... sheets, pillow cases, blankets, comforters - and I on the other hand was busy making our supper meal in the late afternoon.

- Steve and I had a nice Sunday...it was Mother's Day after all ... a day to remember moms. Steve called his mom and talked to her for a few minutes - wishing her a Happy Mother's Day.

I remember as a younger man ... doing the same thing. Trying to scrounge up enough money to get my mom a card or gift or telephone call on Mother's Day. Definitely a day to remember. My mom was special (as are all moms) ... She just plain loved me for who I was (not knowing I was gay) but for the boy/man that I was.

Unfortunately, when I was about 19 years old, she passed away very suddenly - so in my college years and those that followed - I never had an opportunity to really sit down with her as an adult and to get to know my mom.

It has always been a void for me ... one that I wish I could go back and talk with her ... but you know when your a young man, your thoughts generally are on playing and having fun with your friends - never once thinking that life would be take from your own mom.

Anyway ... I hope all of the mom's around the world - had a very special day! To my mom in heaven - Happy Mother's Day - I miss you mom and I love you so very much.

-Later in the afternoon ... Steve and I had grilled salmon, with baked potato and this delicious oriental salad that I made. We cooked the salmon on our gas grill for about 10 minutes on each side ... placing it on aluminum foil and cooking it on a lower grill temperature. The potatoes we did in the oven for about 1 hour. The meal was great ... so tasty, but so filling. "Burp!"

When all was said and done ... the meal was excellent!

We were just busy doing some of ths and some of that all day ... just keeping busy. It was a great day ... to be together.

-Things we've read...

• Whale oil was used in automobile transmissions as late as 1973.
• 55.2% of us will let someone else come in the bathroom while they're using the toilet.
• In 1910 football teams were penalized 15 yards for an incompleted forward pass.
• Large kangaroos can cover more than 30 feet with each jump!
• The odds of getting a hole-in-one in golf are estimated at about 18,000-to-1.

-Well guys ... time to hit the shower, and get ready for another day at work. Steve will be up around 6:00 a.m. or so - and heading to his office by about 7:15, and I likewise will be leaving then.

On that note ... I'm out of here. We both wish all of you - a great Monday - enjoy the day. Remember to be kind and most of all to be good!

-Until next time...

Happy Mother's Day

-Hello world - Good morning - It is Sunday, the 11th of May.

-Looking out the back window from our kitchen, we've got cloudy skies with 36 degrees and a strong north wind at 12 miles per hour.

-Today's forecast for northern Minnesota and our part of the world is: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of light rain in the morning. Then partly sunny in the afternoon. Highs 45 to 50. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph becoming east 5 to 10 mph late in the afternoon.

-Quote for the day:

To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent. -Robert Copeland

-Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's of us guys - who were born gay. We thank you for your love and upbringing - and for all the times that you were there and are there for us.

We love our moms.

-On this day also - it would have been my dad's birthday - had he lived this many years. My dad was born in 1913, and this year he would have been 95 years old.

Happy Birthday dad ... I will always love you - in life and in death ... you taught me how to be a man and for that I am eternally thankful.

-It was a cool day for us ... as we drove into the big city - both of us feeling a bit under the weather. Probably because of the weather - is the reason we have both felt so lousy.

I was telling Steve in the car yesterday, "We both been sick more times this year between October 1st and May 10th ... than we've ever been sick before. Colds, sore throats, hacking, coughing - good gosh, we've been like two old men - instead of two active gay guys!

Neither of us felt 100% yesterday ... but we went out into the world anyway - and had a good time. We shopped, we ate out, we went to a movie - we had a good time together - doing our thing.

-If you want to see a cute, funny, enjoyable movie - go see What Happened In Vegas - it's great! Steve and I got to the theater for the 12:50 p.m. showing and it was one of the best Ashton Kutcher films we have seen.

Two people discover they've gotten married following a night of debauchery in Vegas, with one of them winning a jackpot after playing the other's quarter. The pair trys to undermine each other and get their hands on the money... falling in love along the way.

Just a cute funny movie ... I'd rate it at a B and it's a great 1 hour and 39 minutes worth of laughs!

-I couldn’t get to sleep last night so I lay awake in bed thinking about the things I love most about my partner Steve and these are some of the things I came up with.

1. I love when he hugs me and tucks his head around my right shoulder and neck.

2. I love that when he sings to himself in the shower in the morning, he seems so in the moment...and he doesn't realize I hear him.

3. I love to hear his voice on the phone ... morning, noon and night - he's my comfort.

4. I love the feel of his lips on mine...whether a short peck in the bathroom or a long deep kiss in bed.

5. I love when I talk to him every morning that he gives me a goodbye wish - "Have a good day".

6. I love when he holds my hand or touches or rubs my bald head...or grabs me by the balls while we drive in the car.

7. I love when he does random things for me. Making a snack, taking out the garbage, shaking out the rugs. It’s those small things if life that are so sweet.

8. I love the feel of our naked bodies touching...it's really awesome.

9. I love when he gently touches me in bed...and caresses my right nipple.

10. I love when we both lie in bed reading at night or watching television - it's then I realize how fortunate i am to have him in my life at age 61 1/2.

Extra. I love every single time he tells me he loves me and every time he tells me he's in love with me.

What more could a guy want in life? I have it all. I am so blessed!

-I dont know about you, but I've been following Barack Obama and his bid for the White House.

While the methods of counting super delegate support may vary, ABC News for the first time this past week was stating that Obama has moved ahead of Hillary Clinton in this key area. As the momentum picks up, I suspect he will move into a much more substantial lead. Once again, in my view, Hillary needs to withdraw now and go out garciously and with class - something the Clintons are not know for. A gracious exit would benefit the Deocratic Party and which would potentially position HRC for leading roles in the U.S. Senante or perhaps even a nomination to the Supreme Court down the road.

The question is, will she face reality and do the right thing? I sure hope so - we need to come together as a party and as a nation.

-It was a sad evening for Steve and I as we watched our Boston Celtics bite the dust. Cleveland just plain out played Boston - final score - 108 to 84.

K. G. had only 17 points ... Paul Pierce had 14 points - and Ray Allen? I don't know where he has been during this series - but he hasn't been in the game - at all!

Boston needs to take it up a notch if they expect to win this series and the NBA championship - because at this pace they aren't going anywhere - including to the finals!

-Things We've Read...

• One third of the electricity produced on earth is used to power electric light bulbs!
• The last time American Green cards were actually green was 1964.
• 22% of people leave the glob of toothpaste in the sink.
• Each year, there are more than 40,000 toilet related injuries in the United States.
• Strawberries have more vitamin c than oranges.

-Today we don't have to much planned - but we probably will go out for dinner wtih some other folks on this Mother's Day ... and if it doesn't rain - we might, just might go out for a hike this afternoon. We'll see.

-So there you have it - our Saturday. We hope that each of you wishes your mother or mom a Happy Mother's Day - make sure to tell your mom how much you love her and to thank her for everything she has done for you - on this her special day!

-Until next time...