A few thoughts on the New Year....

Christmas is behind us...wrapping paper still litters the living-room floor, and Christmas cards stand in formation on the dining-room hutch...various "toys" fill up the tabletops and remain underfoot, until the big cleanup after NYE...this is the way it's been around here for many a year, but of course this hasn't been a normal year for our family, so we're especially grateful for all the blessings we've received in 2005.

Di & I are going to do some traveling between now & the really busy summer season...trips to the Bahamas, Florida, & California (the last two being "business trips" to sales conventions), and I'm going to try to fit in a jaunt to Nashville with my bro Tim, to see the sights, & maybe do a little recording for our new CD...we have a pal down there who has a studio, & does great work.

Also, if my health holds up, we're going to try to spend a couple of weeks helping out Habitat For Humanity down in the Katrina zone...this is something I really wanted to do last fall, but was unable to, as I was dealing with my little problem...

Happy New Year to one & all!!!

Mike

A Merry Christmas indeed!!!

Diane & I went up to NIH on Tuesday a.m. for my 6-week followup CT scans & other tests, to determine if the surgery was successful in ridding me of my nemesis, Renal-Cell Carcinoma (clear-cell variety). My medical team, including the good Drs. Coleman & Novakovic, and my personal angel-of-mercy, a.k.a. "Hurricane of Health" Sally Fowler, gave us the good news: no evidence of disease anywhere....yayyyy!!! It's a freakin' miracle, and I'm taking it as a sign that God:1) loves a fool, 2) has more work for me to do, and 3) gave these guys at NIH super-human powers of healing, which I'd like to bear witness that they're using to great effect....truly our tax dollars working for the common good!!!

Three-month checkups for years to come, but I enjoy seeing & talking to the great people up there, so I really don't mind the drive...

Merry Christmas to one & all!!!

Mike

Got my driving privileges back...

I was happy to be behind the wheel once again...I'm really not supposed to be driving yet, according to the "official" guidelines, but I feel pretty good, and I used my belly wrap to avoid too much strain on the various parts...no problem! It's been 1 month & 4 days since surgery, and I'm steadily getting my mobility back...the problem now is to keep from pushing myself too hard, and screwing things up, tough for a worker-bee like me, but I'm really trying...

I sold the motorcycle to a very nice couple from the Florida Keys...wish I was able to drive it down to 'em!!! (I LOVE the Keys!!!) They've arranged for a transport company to pick it up here in a week or two...Diane will be happy to get her garage back...

Mike