raw opinion—great food—fast cars—wild horses
Following the sudden departure of our dear, sweet cat, Cayenne, we went to the pound today to pick up Laramie. Turns out he had a brother who also wanted to come home with us. Apparently, we have “sucker” tattooed on our foreheads. You’d think we have noticed by now…
It happens most on days with a steady crosswind on the ride. I’ll be riding along by myself, and suddenly realize that I’m not alone. There’ll be a dog running along beside the road, but I’ll know I have nothing to worry about… because they’ll be going for him. But most of all, I hear that voice, telling me “We’ll have a cross-tailwind coming home, Lauren. You’ll like it!” I always...
If a picture is worth a thousand words it has nothing on the simplest of smells. Many a day I’ve been pedaling along a country road and caught a whiff of some tree or flower or weed and been transported back home. When I visit the piney woods of east Texas I’m no longer in Texas but back pedaling a mountain bike through the forests in Research Triangle Park. Today, I...
Having grown up a southerner, comfort food means mac & cheese, pot roast, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and all the like. Yet, now, my comfort food is a big bowl of curry chicken rice noodle soup from Pho Que Huong. How do these things happen?
It’s mornings like these I’m glad I can’t understand what my pets are trying to tell me. I mean, yes, it is clear that they’re indicating that it’s time for me to leave. They want free and unfettered access to their house. That was made clear when Cayenne started shoving a few books, blankets, pillows and sundry off the shelf above the bed. More clear, when said items started landing on my...
It felt good to be back at work yesterday. It was surreal. I didn’t feel like I was back in Dallas at the office. It was painful as people around me asked uncomfortable questions. I can hide at work for a while. Stuck in logical puzzles of herding electrons. Doing problem solving. Troubleshooting. Planning. Design. Perhaps that will keep my mind at ease for a while.
I haven’t seen much normal lately. In fact, normal has been missing since summer. Normal, by definition created over 2007 and 2008 means riding my bicycle 10-15 hours a week, amassing 150-250 miles and lots of the bike maintenance that goes with that. This fall, I made a conscious effort to take two weeks off the bike. I cheated, and it wound up being eleven days. Three days of normal riding...
So what’s the one word that people will use to sum up your life? Would you prefer they use a different word? Can you sum your life up in one word? I hope to be in Texas by sunset. If I’m really lucky, perhaps I’ll have a glass of wine with friends before I sleep again. Until then…
The Presbyterian way of dealing with death is through a Celebration of Life. Commending a soul on to the afterlife. Erupting from the junction of two large, very Presbyterian families, I’ve known the passing of a loved one to be a time when the family rejoined, shared stories, shared food and shared friendship. Yes, we’d lost a brother or sister or mother or father or aunt or uncle. But, the kingdom...
We all find serenity in different places. Different times. Different people. But it’s always out there. Sometimes elusive. Sometimes pervasive. In some strange fashion I find serenity in long drives in the car. More so, at times, when those are long, solo drives in the car. I found a certain peace on the drive here Saturday. Even as hopes were shattered early in the trip, the miles brought healing of the soul. I...
Canis Wickettis
c. 1992-2011
You will be missed.