Tag Archives: Bob

Summertime Happenings

I went to see my brother Bob here in town the other day. He is staying at a nice place. Lots of things for them to do. I got comped a meal with him. It was excellent.

Desert was bread pudding!! It was right out of the oven.

On July 4th, while I was in bed sleeping. Bob got up and did a mile in the halls of his place in his wheelchair. Six laps, he got this medal to celebrate. Not only was I asleep, I had covid so I couldn’t go cheer him on and take photos.

Last weekend, the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition had a work day on Turkey Mountain. Lots of people showed up to do some really hard work repairing erosion damage and rebuilding jumps and all that heavy work. Kudos to them.

What did I do that day? I watered the butterfly garden.

And took videos of the cottonwood trees shimmering in the breeze.

I also gathered up my loppers, a trash bag, and my 32 oz water container and ventured out onto a lesser used trail picking up litter and lopping limbs that intrude on the trail too much. So I didn’t do the big heavy lifting that others were doing but I was doing what I could.

So for a musical interlude, “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney. A fun summertime song. Enjoy

Skywatch Friday – Cinco de Mayo

Big news is that last week I took my brother Bob out for another outing. This time we grabbed some burgers and headed to the RiverParks trails to have a picnic.

And then we wheeled him up and down the trail for a mile. He’s a former marathoner who participates in his sport by riding his chair in the halls of where he lives. About 16 laps to a mile so 48 to do a 5K. He loves entering virtual runs and has finished a bunch of them. He is one amazing guy.

I don’t run any longer but I walk and ride my bike quite a bit. This is at Lafortune Park which has a nice 3 mile path around it. I prefer trails but it has been raining too much to walk on dirt.

My favorite tree at Lafortune Park.

Heather and I went on a bike ride earlier this week on a rail to trail route north of Tulsa. It was beautiful and we covered 15 miles or so.

And I had to stop at the Rexall Drug Store in Sperry that was a movie scene in The Outsiders movie filmed in the early 1980’s in Tulsa. I love finding and checking out old movie scenes (and new movie scenes as well.)

It has been a windy spring so I have not been flying my drone. It weighs only 249 grams and I could just see it heading to Arkansas in the high winds. The other day the winds died down and I launched the drone and caught an ok but not great sunset at about 50 meters.

And here is the view looking straight down. Our home has the four blue chairs.

And a drone selfie of yours truly.

A day or two ago we had big thunderboomers in Tulsa and a Tornado Watch. So time to go outside and take a video right?

Wednesday night was more of the same. This was later in the afternoon.

Sorry for the scattered nature of the post. Too many photos and not enough posts.

I hope everybody is having a peaceful time. Lots of drama going on both nationally and internationally. Everybody just breathe okay.

I’m linking Skywatch Friday come join in. Let me know of other great memes you have seen. Don’t be shy if you are the host of one!!

2021 Tulsa Run 5K Race

Saturday morning I got up at dark thirty oclock in the morning and to downtown Tulsa for the 44th Tulsa Run race. Last year they only had a virtual event, this year they are back live and so was I. This is my 27th Tulsa Run, all but three or so, the 15K distance. Saturday I ran the 5K segment. It was glad to be back but the 7 am start was kind of early.

The gun went off in the dark so I didn’t take any photos until almost the end. We just ran from downtown to the Arkansas River and then back. I walked most of it, trotting a little on the downhill slopes.

So I finished in a tad short of 50 minutes gun time. When the gun sounded it took me two minutes to get up to the starting line. I’m old school, gun time is the only time that counts. My goal was to finish vertically and I achieved it. I helped myself to a bottle of water and a slice of pizza. Passed on the cookies and bananas. They didn’t have beer. On our run bibs that had a tab for beer that one could exchange a several of the local breweries.

Alan Paula and Melissa at 2021 Tulsa Run — Photo stolen from Paula’s facebook account

My running partners, Melissa (left) and Paula. The start was so big we didn’t get together until after the run. I’ve done several races with them. We have a good time.

I went home, cleaned up and Heather and I went back downtown to Eerie Abbey Ales and I got my race beer. and another one! Can’t drink just one beer.

Here’s a Relive video of my run.

And an aerial from Garmin on my run.

Tulsa Run 5K 2021 Finisher Certificate — And my official by gum Finisher Certificate

So this is Tulsa Run number 27 for me. I would like to get back into running shape and do another 15K. I’m not sure my knees share my aspiration. I’ll be doing what I can though. There was an 81 year old that did the 5k on his walker. He’s my hero. You know, I am 66 years old so 81 is not that far away for me. There was another 80 year old that ran the 15K. In fact he has run every one of the races. People like that are my heroes.

Speaking of heroes, here is one. That’s my brother Bob. Veteran of over a hundred half marathons and several dozen full marathons who was stricken with an illness almost two years ago. Last year at this time he could hardly move a wheel chair. He has been doing virtual 5K runs on his walker. It takes him about three weeks to accumulate enough distance to get 5K on a walker. Lately he is starting to walk independently a few steps at a time. Never bet against a guy who has the want to’s. Without the want to’s one can’t do anything. With them, the sky is the limit.

I’m linking with Our World Tuesday. Come join in.

Shadow Shot Sunday at the Zoo

Last week we took a little family trip to the Zoo. While there I captured images of shadows.

I am a sucker for wooden pedestrian bridges. I have dozens of shots of them. I don’t know why I like them so much. Found this one with some shadows.

And I got a fairly sharply defined streetlight shadow.

I am also a sucker for iron work and the resulting complicated shadows such as this one at a picnic pavillion in the Zoo.

Since the zoo trip we got the kid back to college. He’s pretty happy, maybe too happy to be away from us. We miss him too! But we are also enjoying have the house to ourselves again.

Brother Bob is out of quarantine at his Assisted Living Apartment. He’s been in either hospitals or Long Term Care for over a year and has really worked hard to get to a more regular living option. He’s enjoying mingling (safely) with his fellow residents and is partaking of the activities the place has.

So that’s about it for today!! I am linking with Shadow Shot Sunday 2.

Skywatch Friday – It’s Cold Being a Cow

These photos are from a family member of my wife who has a ranch in western Oklahoma on land owned by my MIL and her sister. I’m always after the family member to send me more cow pictures. Problem is that her husband retired and now does all the chores so she rarely gets out there but she did and sent me a few.

I’ve never ranched but I have been around it a little bit, enough to know that I don’t want any part of it. It doesn’t matter how cold or hot it is, how thick the mud is or how deep the snow you have to make sure that your cattle are fed, watered, and taken care of and if you got some mama cows about to give birth, well they are not going to wait on you either.

But most of those who do it, seem to love it. The whole things, they love animals, the land, the work involved, and being outside in all kinds of weather. The few times I go out with them my help is limited to opening and closing the gates and trying to stay out of the way and not step in cow patty. Plus I take photos when I go. So, I am pretty much useless. I’ll admit it.

But I love the photos other people take as well.

On another front. My brother who has been battling off the aftereffects of viral encephalitis is about to move out of long term care and into an assisted living facility next week. He has battled back from a number of setbacks and is ready to get a little independence and get a lock on his door and a refrigerator with some beer in it. This former marathon runner has worked hard and is an inspiration to me. He says he is going to race again and I bet he will. He has basically been hospitalized for about 14 months.

So this week Heather and I are shopping for beds, mattresses, sheets, blankets and other items to get him set up. We wanted to Buy a mattress online but ended up going out since, Heather is going to living within walking distance of our house and has a ground floor unit next to the sidewalk. So despite the Covid precautions I can go and knock on his window. I just hope he doesn’t call security. Of course, I hope I pick out the right window to knock on.

Anyway that’s about it for now. I got a new computer. It’s pretty nice except I am trying Microsoft’s Edge browser instead of chrome so not all my passwords are going through. I had to set up the Skywatch Friday page on my ipad. The other thing is that Lightroom and Photoshop won’t install so that is kind of a pain in the butt. I could live without the laptop apps but I use the iphone apps all the time. So, I’ll figure all this out. Why do computers have to be so expensive, fragile, and pains in the posterior??

Enough whining come join me and others at Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Thanksgiving 2020

It’s Thanksgiving Day!! What a year it has been for everybody. Global pandemics, political and racial upheaval, a plunging economy. Things have been really weird all year. Personally I dealt with all that plus I retired in June. We and I have lots to be thankful for. I love being retired for one. The political upheaval seems to be resolving itself here in the USA. Hopefully we will make progress on our racial issues as well. That will be a long process rather than an event. Me and my family have our health. You sure can’t take that for granted. The main thing I am grateful for is my brother, Bob’s continuing recovery from his illness.

A little over a year ago he was stricken with viral encephalitis.

This man who has completed about four dozen marathons and over one hundred half marathons lost his ability to even walk. The past year, despite some setbacks he is making progress. He can walk a little ways with a walker now but he is determined that he is going to enter a race again. It won’t be a marathon and he’ll probably walk instead of run but I think he is going to do it.

So during his ordeal which included two acute care hospitals, two long term acute care hospital, and a long term care facility I have met some of the army of health care workers in our country.

Everybody from doctors of all types, nurses, nursing aides, speech, physical, respiratory and occupational therapists to the people who clean the rooms, bring the food, and some of the sitters that sat with him early on. They were all awesome going above and beyond expectations to make sure that Bob got great care.

Yep, they are all heroes, and right in the middle of Bob’s ordeal the pandemic hit and yet they continued to take care of Bob. My hat goes off to them and am deeply appreciative of what they do.

So this photo is from a couple years ago. Last year Bob and I had our Thanksgiving meal together in a hospital in Memphis. This year, he is in Tulsa but at a Long Term Care facility where they are shut down because of the pandemic so we’ll talk to him today but we won’t be able to share a meal with him. Hopefully, next Thanksgiving he’ll be with us again. He and I talk every day plus I have been able to be with him on some of his doctor’s appointments lately.

My prayer is that you and your family have a great Thanksgiving.

S kywatch Friday

Special Addendum – Thanksgiving 2020

So today Logan, Heather, and Nana (the world’s greatest MIL) sat down to eat for Thanksgiving.

A little bit closer look at the food. I smoked the chickens. They were huge! Like small turkeys.

Logan again and Abby the wonderdog

My beautiful bride, Heather.

And Nana, the world’s great MIL.

An Afternoon at Woolaroc

Elk right at the entrance. He acted a little aloof.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving I took brother Bob from Tennessee and my son Logan to Woolaroc about an hour north of Tulsa. Woolaroc is a combined wildlife preserve and art museum that used to be the retreat of Frank Philips, the founder of Phillips Petroleum. It is fabulous and is literally out in the middle of nowhere but worth it to get there. Check on the link above and it will tell you all about how to get there, hours, and everything else you need to know.

A bison chilling out on a warm November afternoon

On our drive in a bunch of bison were leaving. I don’t know if they knew something we didn’t.

The museum was all decked out for Christmas. That is Frank Phillips’ statue next to the tree. I told Logan to go see if any of those wrapped packages had my name on it, but he doesn’t listen to me any more. I don’t blame him.

Lots of great art in the museum. “The Trail of Tears” by Robert Lindneaux is one of my favorites depicting the forced removal of Native Americans from the southeast USA to Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma.

In addition to art there is some historical memorabilia of Phillips Petroleum and the energy industry in general.

And then we wandered over to the barn to look at the critters there. My favorite was this shy miniature horse.

And then over to the Lodge where Frank entertained his cronies. Lots of stories about high stakes poker with oil leases and even companies won and lost during the course of an evening.

On the way out of town I got a shot of Bob in front of this 66 sign. Bob turned 66 the day before.

By the way, the building behind the sign is the Price Tower, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is the only high rise designed by Wright, that actually got built. Read more about it here.

I am linking with Our World Tuesday

Black Friday 2016 at the Tulsa Zoo

I don’t know about you but we really enjoyed Thanksgiving this year (we do every year) we had a lot smaller group than usual but we did just fine. Uncle Bob drove up from Corpus Christi and the world’s greatest MIL hosted the dinner. We enjoyed fine food and fellowship most of the day.

The next day is the notorious Black Friday where everybody gets up terribly early and stands in line to trample their fellow humans to get half price televisions and laptops and such. Not us, we slept in. We had a guy trip to the Tulsa Zoo. No standing in lines there, easy parking, and friendly people!! I hope you enjoyed your shopping, we enjoyed our nonshopping.

The first critter we ran into was this grizzly. He doesn’t look too happy in there all by himself.

Next was this rattlesnake all coiled up and ready to strike. I don’t know much about rattlesnakes but I’m wondering if this is kind of an old guy judging by his filmy eyes. He might just be confused. I do geocaching and trail running and am always concerned about running into snakes. It seems we have more copperheads than rattlesnakes but I’m cautious nonetheless.

And an American Bald Eagle. They sure do look noble.

And a pair of American Albino Alligators. This dude is in serious need of some orthodontics.

And a Scarlet Ibis.

And a pic of son.

And a Golden Headed Lion Tamarin. He doesn’t look happy either.

And the flamingos are always cool and elegant.

The Rhino was up and doing this thing.

And the giraffes were reaching for their lunch.

And the elephants were having their meal as well.

I tried to see if the Zoo wanted this guy for the chimp exhibit. Nope, he eats too much he says.

There is a big construction project going on at the zoo. The Tulsa Zoo Lost Kingdom is going to be a huge addition with enhanced habitat for many of the critters. It is going to be finished sometime next year.

A good time was had by all. We celebrated Brother Bob’s birthday and so we had another excuse to eat well!!

I hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving and a pleasant Black Friday. We sure did.

Happy Father’s Day

Dad likes nothing better than sitting in the shade talking.

Dad, Mom, and my aunt Lois somewhere in Ireland I’m guessing.

Here we are in Coyote, New Mexico. I had to label everything because when I said that I was the good looking kid people were still confused.

With son Logan at Dad’s church in Idaho.

Forest Service publicity still in 1957. I am still waiting for my royalty checks.

Dad at his beloved Flandreau, South Dakota with my cousin Bob on his right, and Dad’s brother Glenn on his left.

Dad with one of us kids. I am not sure which kid. Not a very good son am I.

Here we are, my sister Ellen and brother Bob in Payson, Arizona.

Happy Father’s Day to all you Fathers out there!!

Logan’s Graduation

Well the rapidly rushing river headed towards Niagra Falls of Logan’s senior year finally came to the end and I guess we all survived. Wow, a lot happened this year, and wow, it all accelerated and got very fast at the end and then the end came and I guess we were all right.

It was all very emotional for me as my little baby boy that we brought home from the hospital 18 years ago is now a big strapping young man.

He is still our baby boy though except he is going to register to vote next week.

We were fortunate to have my Sister Ellen (far right) her dashing husband Irv (far left), and my brother Bob (betwsen Logan and Ellen) travel a long distance to share the event with us.

The High School principal, Dr. Burrows, a very nice man came by and congratulated Logan. He told Heather a few weeks ago that they took a risk admitting Logan and he was very glad that he did. We are glad that he they gave Logan a chance also.

And here is me. No we didn’t plan on being so color coordinated.

And one of Logan’s classmates, Matt. Matt went out of his way to make Logan feel welcome when he first attended.

And this is Logan’s Kindergarten teacher from a long time ago. She had her hands full with an oversize class and Logan took a lot of attention but she hung with him. She was the first of a series of teachers from several schools who had a heart of kids and went the extra mile to give kids like Logan the attention he needed.

And this is the Kindergarten teacher’s daughter who went to school with Logan way back when and also graduated from the same school with Logan. She spent a lot of time helping Logan back then and they reconnected when Logan enrolled at the new school.

Another look at Irv and Ellen. They make a very handsome couple don’t they. They are very nice. Our dogs fell in love with them though and have been down in the dumps since Irv and Ellen left to go back to Colorado.

Afterwards Nana hosted a party for Logan at her house the next day. Many of Heather’s relatives attended the party as wells as Ellen and Irvin.

The party was a combined graduation and birthday party and had a drama theme since Logan’s first love is acting and performing. Notice the cake with the marquee.

And the little chalk board like they use for movies. Or used to use anyway.

Several of Logan’s friends showed up and all had a good time. This is where I admit that I am a bad son in law and did not get a picture of Logan and his grandmother together. Don’t you worry though because I will get a picture and add it to this post. One nice thing about blogging is that you can rewrite history any time you want!

And then we sang Happy Birthday!!

I did get a picture of the boy and his mom. They have a special bond that brings tears to eyes when I think about it.

So anyways, maybe I’ll be a better blog friend now. We have been busy lately!!

YogisDen.us

Welcome to my world