Fifty Plus (50+) - And on another subject - joy and accessible pleasure

Posted yesterday about tough stuff - this is a counterpoint

Listening to Eric C playing 'My very good friend the Milkman..' and can't help but tap my toe

Cooking lamb loin chops with parsnip puree and rosemary honey, and the house is full of it, while I have a little Chilean Sauv Blanc

And I just cleaned and polished my ol' reliable lugged steel bike ready for a long ride tomorrow, and realise I like it as much as I did when I bought it new in 1990

And spouse o'mine and I just booked an August ride from Vienna to Budapest

And I'd love to hear about your similarly accessible pleasures

Sitting on a log outside my tent, way out back in the Glacier National Park, enjoying a pipe filled with a Cherry Cordial Cavendish while some hobo stew simmers over a campfire, having a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee that was press brewed from a wood fired kettle (Imparts a slightly smoky flavor to a wonderful coffee) and a tot of brandy in it.

A day of cat skiing in the wilderness of Colorado. I'm enjoying a guided tour without crowds on slopes that are covered with a blanket of fresh snow. The sun is shining and I'm just picking a line as I ski through a grove of aspen trees.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/wildcat-bucket/steamboatpowder-1.jpg

I like this thread!
Tomorrow night, my son will be performing as part of the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club and I will be front and center watching him.
I just found out I am totally off on Monday--no work, no school, no internship! OFF!

I'd like it to be a warm Friday evening in June. I'm sitting on my deck, watching it get dark, listening to the birds sing good night, Derrick Trucks Band is playing on the stereo, and I have a nice cold beer within reach.

Laid back in the la-z-boy (all the way back), with a fire dancing through the woodstove's glass front, having just finished a plate of homemade spaghetti & pesto with a huge garden salad, listing to Breem play Dowland on the headphones.

At work, ready to endure a 2-3 hour meeting, however tonight I hit the road and drive about 330 miles with my boy scout troop for a weekend campout in the Ocala National Forest. Fantom29 will come along.

Spending the day with my soon to be 8 y/o grandson, even though we are at the hospital.

For those who have followed his story for the past 2 yrs you know the trials and tribulations, and the joys and excitement we have had. For those who don't know, or wish to refresh, go here (www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerharrison) or search my name.

The visit this week was due to a high fever (101.5) Because he had a autologus bone marrow transplant, any fever above 100.5 is suspicious, hence the hospital stay. Glad to announce that he is doing just fine save an occasional throaty cough. He really has not been under the weather at all, but Daddy is home really sick.

We have really had lots of fun. I brought my PS3 and 23" monitor and my laptop. The hospital has mobile Wii, Xbox, and PS2 stations. We have lots of homework to break the fun. And today his drs said he is no longer infections and can go in the play room. We are there now, and he is having fun with the aide. I get a little break, and get to watch my "bestest friend in the whole world" enjoy his precious young life.

Considering that they just confimed that he is 18 in remission, and that his new little brother is just a few months away, I would say I'm pretty content.

Now if I can just get a nice little ride in somewhere, life would be perfect.

The feel(slight restance), sound(gentle zipping), and sight(a thin curling ribbon) of a well sharpened, adjusted wood plane. Not because I don't have a power tool to do it, I do. But just becasue it is so satisfing to get there.

The feel(slight restance), sound(gentle zipping), and sight(a thin curling ribbon) of a well sharpened, adjusted wood plane. Not because I don't have a power tool to do it, I do. But just becasue it is so satisfing to get there.

Poetic. And true.

In fact there has been cathartic pleasure in reading each of these posts. And interesting, if not off topic, thead!

Getting into a comfortable, soft, warm bed with fresh sheets.
I read an interview with Kirk Douglas a few years back and they asked him where his favorite place on earth was, and he said "His bed!" I have to agree.

Getting into a comfortable, soft, warm bed with fresh sheets.
I read an interview with Kirk Douglas a few years back and they asked him where his favorite place on earth was, and he said "His bed!" I have to agree.

missjean,
:lol:Every single night after I've climbed between the sheets, I say out loud, "I love my bed!"

Now that you mention it the bed does sound like one of my favorite places, especially after a long ride.

I thank my lucky stars to live within one mile of Lake Ontario (any lake would suffice). Every journey, every errand, every time we leave the house we make it a point to drive along at least two or three miles of shoreline drinking in the fantastic array of colors reflecting of the water's surface. Sometimes the water is calm, other times ferocious, but always always always it is beautiful....and it's right out my back door!!

As I sit here pecking away at this keyboard my mind envisions the view as enjoyed from the cushy seat of my majestic Tour Easy on a calm Summer's morning before the world is awake. :)

Derrick Trucks Band is playing on the stereo, and I have a nice cold beer within reach.

+1
Listening to Sony Landreth now.

+1
Listening to Sony Landreth now.

the white zydeco player,.... nice

I like cooking. Something a bit (just a bit) moroccan this evening. Seared chicken thighs, indian red onions and garlic, veggie broth and brown basmati rice all in one pot with a quartered lemon and 5 spice and cinnamon

And a spouse who says it smells good, and Wilco playing Woody Guthrie. "By the stars and clouds above, we can spend our lives in love.."

Sorry, a bit gush. Normal cynical service will be resumed .... perhaps

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5461794356_aca6dca2b9.jpg

Watched "my joy" perform last night at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. The kid cleans up nicely!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5461794356_aca6dca2b9.jpg

Watched "my joy" perform last night at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. The kid cleans up nicely!

Damn. So YOU'RE Brad's mom. Surely you're not old enough

Brava

Damn. So YOU'RE Brad's mom. Surely you're not old enough

Brava
:lol:Thanks! And besides all the wonderful things about him---he's a cyclist!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5461794356_aca6dca2b9.jpg

Watched "my joy" perform last night at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. The kid cleans up nicely!

A handsome and talented lad indeed. But, hey, look who his mom is.

Moving through a telemark turn in a winter wonderland with a foot of new snow.

Sailing on a fast reach in waves big enough to surf.

The way my bike seems to wake up when reaching a certain speed. It may be me who wakes up when the bike reaches a certain speed.

A temperature inversion while coming off a mountain while backpacking in New Hampshire. The cloud layer was beneath my feet and mountains in the distance were poking up through the cloud layer.

I sailed quite a bit as a young man. I remember , somewhere in the Atlantic between Bermuda and the Virgin Islands, a sea so calm the stars reflected on the surface of the water were a perfect mirror image of those above. Stars at sea are extraordinarily bright and so numerous that the effect fills you with awe.

Then we have dolphins. It is always a pleasure when they come around to play. One night, off the coast of Florida, the boat was heeled over just enough where the rail was kissing the water. Two dolphins showed up and kept pace right beside me for the better part of an hour. With the boat heeled over, I could have reached out to touch them.

I like cooking. Something a bit (just a bit) moroccan this evening. Seared chicken thighs, indian red onions and garlic, veggie broth and brown basmati rice all in one pot with a quartered lemon and 5 spice and cinnamon

And a spouse who says it smells good, and Wilco playing Woody Guthrie. "By the stars and clouds above, we can spend our lives in love.."

Sorry, a bit gush. Normal cynical service will be resumed .... perhaps

WOG,
You paint a lovely scene of happy domesticity! Your "gush" is refreshing!

A handsome and talented lad indeed. But, hey, look who his mom is.

Louis, you are too kind. I'll bet I have the same pride in him, as you have in your talented, athletic granddaughter!

.. a sea so calm the stars reflected on the surface of the water were a perfect mirror image of those above.


That must have been amazing.

Looking up at a sky full of stars on a pitch-black night is always a reminder of our place in the universe.

Listening to a gentle rain on my tent while snuggled into my sleeping bag and thinking about tomorrow's adventure. Such a calming feeling that I can't get the grin off my face as I slip into a peaceful slumber.

Standing in front of a class of students who are training to be social workers, and watching their faces move from frowns to smiles as they finally get a concept that has eluded them for two weeks... knowing the class will be over in 10 minutes, and that in another 50 minutes I'll be home with family. The dog will greet me at the door as if I'm the greatest person on earth, forgiving and human frailty. The evening will be filled with talk and laughter. We'll retire early, because I want to get up with the sun to do some tinkering on one of the bikes before heading out for a long ride in the morning. I'll pour a bit of Marie Dufaw Armagnac into a brandy snifter, settle in between the sheets and fall asleep with a book of short stories still open in my lap. When I awake enough to put the book away and turn out the light, I'll look over, see my wife sleeping peacefully, and think that I must be the most blessed man on earth as the light switch clicks and the darkness unfolds.

+1
Listening to Sony Landreth now.

I'm looking forward to seeing him again in May at the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival. That brings to mind one of those great accessible treasures: Sitting in the folding chair in a field with a couple thousand folks with a plate of ribs in my lap and a cold Fat Tire in my hand while listening to a good blues band on the stage. :D

That brings to mind one of those great accessible treasures: Sitting in the folding chair in a field with a couple thousand folks with a plate of ribs in my lap and a cold Fat Tire in my hand while :D

Similar kind of memory, different event

Folding chair in the Redwood Glade of UCSC's Shakespeare festival, watching a wonderful MacBeth as 'Light thickens' and darkness descends, and the 3 witches are played by lovely young girls, saying 'Fair is Foul' and so you can't trust the innocent

Shivers me still

My favorite night ever was quite a few years ago, around 1977. I was camping in Nova Scotia with my girlfriend (a few years later to be my wife). Not sure of the name of the campsite, something like The Ovens, I think. We set up on a cliff overlooking the sea, waves crashing against the sea wall, a dark night, thick fog, a great campfire, some good grub and a little wine and we found a radio station that played an old radio mystery show from the 30's or 40's. We just sat there in that setting for hours and I felt more at peace than any time I can think of. My wife of course barely remembers it but it's someplace I mentally go to every so often.

Kicking back with my Godin Multiac Jazz guitar (through a classic tube amp) and playing a samba, fingerstyle. After a week of putting out firmware fires at work.

I feel the notes I play in my chest and my hands have all the memory that I will need for a while.

The only thing that tops this is the time I spend with my wife afterward.

:)

hike and bike, you need to go back there again. I like the guy singing and dancing with the cane too. CUTE!

This is a nice thread.

I get a warm feeling everytime I think of the phone message left by middle daughter last week. She is 25. She had just left her college advisors office and was walking to her car. She has officially graduated with a BFA. She said she thought we would like to know and would be excited about that, but the excitement was clearly hers, "I'm done, done, DONE!" It's been a long haul with three colleges and three major changes, but it was worth it to just hear her message.
I haven't erased it yet.

hike and bike, you need to go back there again. I like the guy singing and dancing with the cane too. CUTE!

This is a nice thread.

I get a warm feeling everytime I think of the phone message left by middle daughter last week. She is 25. She had just left her college advisors office and was walking to her car. She has officially graduated with a BFA. She said she thought we would like to know and would be excited about that, but the excitement was clearly hers, "I'm done, done, DONE!" It's been a long haul with three colleges and three major changes, but it was worth it to just hear her message.
I haven't erased it yet.


I'm not sure I would ever erase it. :thumb:

Tossing insults and barbs back and forth with my 15 year old cousin, who likes nothing more than to hang out with me.

As for outdoor experiences... an amazingly fun ride on the Waldo Lake shoreside trail in the central Cascade Range in Oregon, some really fast singletrack that had me shouting at the end in pure joy when it spit me back out onto the parking lot.

Today I kept my 2yr old granddaughter all day long and worked at home. We spent the morning in the study/guys' room. While I did project research on line she watched Nickelodeon on my big screen.

Then we had goldfish, blueberries, and chocolate chips with a slice of ham for lunch. It was pretty good.

Accessible? That means can-do most any time? Hmm, I wish.

Executing the downhill S-turns on the Sebosis trail at Bretton Woods x-c skiing center. Shifting the rear derailleur smoothly for subtle changes in terrain on a quiet rural road. Sleep! A good, hot cup of coffee in the morning.

Sailing on a fast reach in waves big enough to surf.

The way my bike seems to wake up when reaching a certain speed. It may be me who wakes up when the bike reaches a certain speed.

A temperature inversion while coming off a mountain while backpacking in New Hampshire. The cloud layer was beneath my feet and mountains in the distance were poking up through the cloud layer.

I sailed quite a bit as a young man. I remember , somewhere in the Atlantic between Bermuda and the Virgin Islands, a sea so calm the stars reflected on the surface of the water were a perfect mirror image of those above. Stars at sea are extraordinarily bright and so numerous that the effect fills you with awe.

Then we have dolphins. It is always a pleasure when they come around to play. One night, off the coast of Florida, the boat was heeled over just enough where the rail was kissing the water. Two dolphins showed up and kept pace right beside me for the better part of an hour. With the boat heeled over, I could have reached out to touch them.

Man, you like the same feelings I do, though I prefer that 'in sync with the wind' you get if everything is just right when beating to weather. The best stars I've seen were on a live-aboard dive trip in the Coral Sea. Away from any and all land, and on a dinghy away from the larger boat, so it was completely dark. Unbelievable... totally breath taking and mind boggling.

But my all time moment would be drifting slowly underwater with the current, along a sheer drop-off, blue water to one side and the reef on the other, seeing more species of marine life than you can count - effortless and feeling a part of nature.