Fast forward a few years to 2017

So this blog came up in my memories on my Facebook page this morning. The last time I made an entry was in July of 2010, Almost 7 years ago. A lot has happened in 7 years. I've bought a house in Saint Albans, started a business, gained a bunch of weight(partially due to injury other part due to laziness), played in a couple different bands, had wrist surgery, taken a break from playing music all together, started riding mountain bikes again, lost a bunch of weight, been promoted to Lieutenant at the fire department, my mom and dad moved to Texas, my nephew was diagnosed with leukemia, and is in his second year of treatment... just to name a few things. I may try and do a post for each of these events, since they are all pretty major events in my life.

I write these posts for a while then I start thinking to myself, "what's the point" and I stop. But this morning when it came up in my newsfeed on fb, I went back and read through my old posts. I enjoy going back and seeing where I was and where I am now. Even if I just did a post per year it would be interesting for me to get back into my head at the time of the post. And documenting some of these major life events would help me to remember when I get too old to remember. So I need to make myself, on occasion, write a blog post.

Oskees big burger challenge...

The Big "O"

Me and three other guys on my shift did the Big O burger challenge at Oskees in St. Albans. It's got 1.25 lbs. of hamburger, pastrami, ham, five different cheeses, thousand island dressing and all the regular hamburger fixins. I finished his first but Brandon ate his and finished the rest of Capt. Mitchell's and ate the pickle too. Lt. Dan was the only smart one of the bunch. He got a regular sized burger. It was a really good burger.

back to work

Well... I'm finally back to work. It's nice to be back in the swing of things. I was away for about 7 weeks. During that time we got six new air packs that are completely different from our old ones. We got two new thermal imaging camera's, a new accountability protocol, we went from doing our medical and run reports on paper to, actually, doing them on the computer. We got a new air conditioner. Hmm... anything else? I feel like i was gone for a year.

Other than than not much has changed.

Glad to be back.

The Edge

OK, last night I smoked a cigar that kicked my butt. I started out smoking mild cigars but have been slowly trying stronger and stronger. Well i made a big leap, thinking I could handle it. I smoked a cigar by Rocky Patel called The Edge. It tasted great and smoked awesome. But when I got about halfway through, I started getting really light headed and kinda nauseous. I had to stop smoking it about 2/3 of the way through. The whole room was spinning, I felt drunk(not in a good way). That lasted for about 45 minutes after I quit smoking it. When I picked that cigar out I specifically asked for one of the strongest they had. Maybe I'd better wait a little while before I try that one again.

Festival of the Bluegrass

The bluegrass band that I play in, The Grass Stains, played at The Festival of the Bluegrass this past weekend. We opened up the festival on Thursday and we played on the progressive stage on Friday. We played two good sets. I hope we get asked to play again next year. I took my camera but didn't take any pictures or videos. I did get to see some old friends, like Jerry Hockensmith. But I wasn't very social.I was having a "Blah" weekend and my shoulder was hurting. I actually left early on Saturday and came home. Usually I stay for the entire festival which lasts until Sunday. But I was ready to come home.

not much going on

I haven't blogged lately because there is not much going on. The band has been working in our new member. She's working out just fine. We played the Mudd River bluegrass festival this past weekend where we shared the stage with Jim and Valerie Gapeheart, Front Page and Russel Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. It was a fun day. And we were there all day from 1:00pm until 9:30pm. It was hot but not unbearable. We are playing the the Festival of the Bluegrass this week. We play the main stage on Thursday and one of the smaller stages on Friday. It too should be lots of fun. There are always some really good bands that perform there. Blue Highway, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band, The Grascals etc...

I'm still going to physical therapy. The constant, annoying pain is still there. But my shoulder seems to be getting stronger. I have my doctors apt. on June 17th so hopefully I will be released to go back to work.

I've taken up a new hobby/habbit. I've started smoking fine, hand made, cigars. I've purchased a humidor to store them. And have been reading up on all the different fillers, binders and wrappers. It's a neat and expensive hobby. I know what you're thinking."OH NO, YOU'LL GET LUNG CANCER!" But I, and most people, don't actually inhale cigar smoke. You just smoke them for the flavor on your palet. When I first started smoking them, I really liked the flavored, sweet ones. But the more i smoke I tend to lean toward the full flavor with the rich smoke. I've been thinking about starting a blog dedicated to the cigars that I smoke. I could post which one I'm smoking each day and tell a little bit about them. I just don't know if I'd keep up with it. It's an awful lot of work to have to do an entry every day. We'll see.

Well I think that's it for now...

nothing to post

Same ole routine
Wake up
feed animals
make coffee
do my physical therapy
drink my half a pot of coffee
drink my breakfast shake
watch an episode or two of The Unit or 24
run on the treadmill
do more physical therapy
sit around and do nothing
do more physical therapy
watch more 24
read
go to bed


repeat'



I'm ready to go back to work