Lost Wedding Ring

Last week was the annual golf trip to Las Vegas. A bunch of guys I know have been coming to Vegas in January for 12 or so years to play for three days and get away from the bad weather up in SLC. I still go even though the weather is about the same in St. George.
We stayed at the lushly appointed yet not overly ostentatious New Orleans Hotel/Casino. I think there are more restaurants in the casino than in St. George. We played golf at the Piute Golf Club in North Las Vegas. There are 3 courses there, a new one for each day. I will not bore you with the windy details or my magnificent Eagle on number 16. Instead we need to talk about my wedding ring. I always take it off to play golf and now I can't find it. I even called the hotel on the chance that someone found it. Fat chance.

So I have been looking on eBay for a replacement, what do all you super shoppers (I'm looking at you Robin and Anne) think of this very special number? I think I could pull it off.

Goodbye dear friend

It is time to say goodbye to an old friend. I bought this bike in the spring of 01' just after Sarah and I moved to St. George. I was technically unemployed at the time and had a lot of free time which I spent exploring the area on this trusty steed. This is the photo I am posting on ebay.





I love this bike. Here we are in happier times





I replaced her two years ago with the newer model. There is a joke here about wives but I will leave it to the readers imagination. So for two years she has sat in my garage and I felt that it was time to give her a new home.
The newer model will also be sold this year, I don't have nearly the same emotional attachments to that bike. Somebody just needs to cart it away. I will be replacing that bike with a lighter Cross Country bike that will not tempt me into doing things like the picture above.

I will end with a quote by Thoreau “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” So I will go and find a new bike, one that I can love again to erase the pain of seeing this one go.
Goodbye dear friend.

Barfalo's

Last weekend Duane and Sallie Sullivan went with Sarah and I on our suggestion to a new restaurant located in the new strip mall over by Costco. It had advertised itself to have "authentic Brazilian food." I have to admit that I did not know that they do not have salt and pepper in Brazil or any other spices for that matter.
I will not call the restaurant by name but it sounds a lot like Barfalo's, I could tell that the owner and proprietor was working very hard to make sure that our experience was enjoyable. He maybe should have done some pre-opening taste/consumer tests. The beans and rice would have tested in the lower tier.

As unsavory as that meal was, the Cold Stone Creamery never disappoints as we retired back to our house to watch the DVD provided to us of the spectacle that was our New Years Party.
If you have not seen that footage you need to get ahold of someone with a copy and laugh yourself silly. My two faves; Bob Lamareaux's absolute commitment to a great idea and Steve Layton's dance moves complete with facial expressions, priceless.

Stairway to Heaven

If the Beatles had written Stairway to Heaven this is what you would get.

ACL primer

I have been remiss in keeping up with my blog, to all my loyal readers I must profusely appoligize.
The reason behind my absence is of course that I had ACL reconstructive surgery. Please follow along with me as I give you the nuts and bolts of the whole thing. Some descriptions may be graphic in nature, so you might want to put down that muffin while reading.

This diagram shows all the parts of the knee that we will be dealing with today. My ACL or anterior crutiate ligament was snapped in half on a ride that happened in mid August. For a recap of that event you can read about it here. The Articular cartilage was nicked and in need of repair. They used a newish technique called micro fractures wherein the surgeon drills tiny holes in the bone hoping that the scar tissue that forms will take the place of the cartilage. Yummy. My lateral meniscus was folded in half and a third of it had to be removed.

That same knee had been repaired back in 01' by the same doc who did it this time. He was particularly proud of the fact that it was the ligament that failed and not his connections. As a side note please find the PCL in the picture. Good, if you snap this ligament they will not repair it. I know this because of a Thanksgiving day football game and a very special Thanksgiving day trip to the ER.

So how do they put a new tendon in? I'm glad you asked, the doctors take what can best be described as a "bone drill" and make a tunnel that they can insert the new tissue thru.





The tendon is then secured at the top and bottom with bone screws and packed with leftover bone chips to aid bone regeneration.


Here is a x-ray showing the screw and upper connection.



So where do the new tendons come from? Another excellent question. The first time I had this done the I had part of my hamstring removed and used for the replacement parts. That was not an option this time so I opted for used parts or "Cadaver donation," in the spirit of good taste I will leave the description at that.

Now that I am post op 4+ weeks I can say that it hasn't been to bad. The rehab has been much better than the first time around

I-pod stuff

I thought I would share what's on my i-pod.


Jim Post loves his life and so do I.
He also carries off the wet, soggy mustache with dignity.



Who can forget these 5 guys? Their music is as timeless as their fashion.




When it's time to rock Battle Axe does it for me. The lead singer is also quite the artist as you can see by the awesome cover work.



These girls are an incredible story and little Vicki has the voice of an angel..... a blind angel.




Mike Terry can only be compared with the likes of Liberace and Sir Elton John. This live album is a must have for all piano music lovers.



Joyce is HUGE in Japan, I can't believe that I found this album at a garage sale for .50 cents. I could probably get at least $50 for it on ebay.



When I have had a bad day I request Ken and my troubles seem to melt away.



As you can tell Francisco and Fernando really know how to party and I think Tino has a shot at being the next Ricky Martin.






The Reverend Freddie Gage is obviously a lonely man and has inspired other bands like Morrisey and Smashing Pumpkins.




This cover art is obviously a rip-off of Herb Albert's "Whip Cream" album but these 5 British Ladies can really sing.



I saved the best for last. Who knew that Colonel Sanders singing voice was as totally spicy-awesome as his chicken? Then throw in the fact that he is partying in Tijuana with his chicken and you have an album to remember.

Buzz Kill

My brother Daniel has tagged me to list 6 things/habits about myself. I could only come up with one.

1. I don't like listing things about myself. I am not an "inward thinker."



P.S. I do like pie.