Why it's Always Valentines Day

Almost 34 years ago my life as I knew it came to a complete stop and changed forever. I had been the high school bad boy, now a senior and getting ready to graduate. I had big plans of joining the US Army and seeing the world.

I was sitting with my best friend Randy, and my current girl friend, when this girl I had never seen before walked into the class room. It was the beginning of 1976. I knew I had never seen this girl before because I made it my business to check out all the girls.

Randy leaned over to me and asked who she was, the only reply that came out of my mouth was my future wife. At this point some words were exchanged between my current girl and I, and she stormed out. Randy said I was in way over my head because this new girl had class and she was so far out of my league.

I finally asked for her number because I could not find anyone who had it. So after almost a full week since I first saw her, I finally called under the premise that it was something for school. I was crushed when she asked me about a guy we both knew from JROTC, my competition was a guy named Richard! Richard was the all american high school over achiever. I had to think of something quick, "He's gay, hates girls."

She did not believe me, so I had to do my best to convince her that I was better in more ways then Richard. My ally turned out to be this girls mom. During an open house, I got to meet this girl's mother, Sharon. I layed it on so thick it made me sick. When Sharon got home she told her daughter that she liked me better than Richard, that I had more manners and I seemed like a nicer guy, and I had curly hair. I finlly got my foot in the door.

Sharon regreted her recommendation for many years because she thought her daughter could do better than me. But finally before she passed we came together and talked things out and we got along great for the rest of her life.

I was still the bad boy, old habits die hard, but this girl saw something others didn't. She brought out the best in me, believed in me, loved me, saved me.

On the other hand I taught her how to ditch class and sign her mom's name to her school excuses. Not exactly an even trade, but it worked for us.

So I joined the Army as planned after graduation. Then in March of 1977 I took this girl to Vegas and eloped.

My family is still over joyed and thankful for this woman, because without her they know I would have ended up in one of two places, jail or dead, maybe both.

This lady was saved as a small child at VBS and wanted a family who went to church as a family. That was her dream. She pulled it off, she got me back on the path of following Christ, made sure we raised our three daughters in church and now a grandbaby.

People talk of legacy, and what is left after we are gone. Our family's legacy of being Christ followers is because of this special lady.

On March 5th, of this year we will celebrate 32 years of marriage. Her faith in God, her courage, her support and love has kept me going for all this time.

While I was serving during the first Gulf War, she wrote and sent me a letter every single day while I was deployed, I still have them.

So when I say it's Valentines day everyday it's because in my heart it is.

I still get that same feeling inside now when I see her as I did that first time I saw her back in that classroom in 1976,

I have said it often, and it still holds true, without Stacy, I am nothing.

Easy Does it Friday

Friday was a real slow day, and I am thankful for that. After running to East Tennessee and back over the last two days I was ready for easy. After riding the bike to my Nashville office on Friday morning, I finished up and headed back to Clarksville where I stopped off at my "field" office. Nice view from the "field" office, just the right enough amount of fresh air and street noise to make one relax.
My desk accessories at the "field" office. After an hour it was off to visit Stacy at her new job.

For dinner we went to Hananoki.

After dinner it was back home where I sank into my recliner and Stacy worked on the budget and banking.

The next thing I knew, Stacy was waking me up, telling me it was 10:15pm and time to come to bed.

All in all, a nice relaxing day.

Another New Year Update

One of my favorite places in Nashville is the Scarritt Bennett Center. The center is a jewel just off Broadway at 19th Ave. My company provides security for the center and being able to "check" on this account and sit in it's gardens is a nice diversion to my hectic schedule.

The Scarritt Bennett Center.

We got to keep Emma Saturday night as Lisa and Scott went to Nashville for an event. This was Emma's first taste of candy, it was a chocolate/marshmellow treat she had been trying to get out of the wrapper for hours. Finally, Stacy opened the candy and the rest is history. All I heard was MMMMM and lip smacking.
Honest Pop, I was not playing bongos with the pots and pans.

This has got to be the worst view from a hotel room EVER!! It was at the Comfort Inn in Kimball Tn, I opened the window and found another window!

While in Chattanooga, I stopped into the Walmart to get a haircut, but only found a hazard. It was in fact a whole display of knee busters.

Good morning Johnson City Tn. The snow was still on the ground this morning, but the view of the sun coming up in the mountains made me feel good.

I Hope all of you have had a great week so far.

Peace, Quiet and The New Year

What I really want from the new year would be some peace, quiet and more time to enjoy the simple things.

But not necessarily in that order.

We let any phone call, text, or any other distraction take away from our happiness.

I remember a simpler time, but it seems so long ago.

(key the memory music)

My grandparents, Nicolo and Francis Lombardo came to America in 1910 from Italy.

They had no telephone and cell phones were a thing of the future. Computers were science fiction, laptops non-existant. Everything electrical had a "wire" attached, there was no broadband, WiFi, GPS, Twitter, or IM then.

They did'nt even have a TV until 1961.

Somethings are worth going back for.

A True Vacation

I had to travel back to Chattanooga on Sunday. This makes the fourth weekend in a row that I have had to work, out of town, and on a weekend.

The statement "had to work" is correct. Being in the security business, I can't tell a client I will get back to you on Monday. We provide service 24/7, and being the operations manager for my company means I'm available 24/7. This trip was is extremely bad because I have to tell a loyal employee that his services are no longer needed at a job start where he worked so hard.

I took my baby out to lunch again.

We went to Wendy's because it was cold and I wanted chili and a baked potato.

I started a diet this the year, want to get into shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life.

Only problem is that I still have a ton of Reese's cups to eat. I went to China King and ate big time, but I am still committed to my goal.

Yesterday I weighed myself on the house scale (LOOK OUT LORI), and I lost a pound from the morning to evening. So I figure, if I eat the same thing as I did yesterday, I can lose a pound a day.

I have a new reason to get in better shape. I am going to be taking a vacation to N.Y., to visit my bud David, his son- in- law Jason and do some snow skiing and men stuff.

This will take place during the President's Day weekend in February. Being men, we will be doing outside stuff, trying to out do each other. Since I am the older of the three, I need to be prepared.

The quote will be, "Oh yea, watch this." After which one of us will call 911 because someone got hurt. Not to be outdone, someone else will say, "Oh yea, watch this." Then the cycle will continue.

The nice thing for me? No cell phone, no laptop, no calls at all hours of the day. A true vacation. I can't wait.

What a Day Off Can Should Always Be Like

Got up this morning after getting 9 1/2 hours sleep last night. That's usually the average for 3 nights. I woke up refreshed and ready to get the day started.

Although today was a planned day off, I had a few reports that are due every Friday morning. Knowing this, I prepared the reports last night and got all my spread sheets populated. I double checked the results this morning and hit the send key.

I got my chrome highway bars for Christmas, not on Christmas, but a gift just the same.

I installed them last year, OK, a little over week ago, but since I don't live with David and Lori where it never rains, I had to wait until today to ride. What a great day for a ride!

I ran a few errands then met Stacy in downtown Clarksville for lunch at Blondie's Sandwich Shop. For those of you who have never been there, GO! It's on Frankin Street right across the street from Blackhorse.

Stacy has opted for a career change, she is now the newest teller at Regions Bank downtown. She has been in training this week and will continue through next week as well. I enjoyed the layed back lunch with my baby and then we walked back to the bank via Strawberry Fields.

So after lunch, I had to get some exercise, so it was off to Mason Rudolph golf course with my BFF David Ellison, aka, Mandy's fiance. We walked the nine holes and since it was the first time we golfed this year we were just a little bit rusty.

After golf, we had to refuel. Stacy and Mandy went to a Candle Lite party (?) so David and I went to China King for dinner. I proceeded to eat with I think was at least 12 pounds of crab legs.

Now I'm in my recliner updating my blog and eating the Reese's Cups I got for Christmas.

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Knoxville

Sunday after church, I was on my way back to Chattanooga to check on the progress/training of my new job start. Needless to say, the 800 hour account that I was awarded and started on 12/31/08 is now just short of 900 hours a week.

It's also no secret that this client is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of TN. I'm currently the provider for BCBS in Nashville.

This was my view from the Hilton Garden Inn in Chattanooga, that's AT&T park where the Chattanooga Lookouts play minor league baseball.

I was not impressed with this Hilton. In the future I am staying with my personal favorite, the Choice Hotel chain.

This is a shot of Chattanooga from the BCBS location on Cameron Hill. There is not a bad view from anywhere on this 75 acre campus.

Monday afternoon, I left Chattanooga and drove to Knoxville. I was awarded a new contract here as well. The economy may be slow, but the security industry is going strong.

This was my view from the hotel in Knoxville on Monday night. It was like a vision, Rolex. Too bad they cost $9000.00 more than a Timex.

In the last 2 weeks, I have been to Chattanooga three times, Knoxville twice. Because of this I have started thinking where my car is going to blow up.

I have started a Ford watch, or what I call "Driving my car till the wheels fall off."

231,460 miles and counting.

The End of a Great Year

I would like to give thanks for my many friends and especially to my family for a great year. I pray that those who read this will have an even better new year filled with love and prosperity.

As I left 2008 and entered the New Year I seemed to be even more busy at work than usuall. I was on "vacation" the week of Christmas, the only "vacation" part was I did not have to commute to the office, I "vacationed" with my cell and laptop as I worked from home.

Stacy and I were supposed to spend a few days in Knoxville for the New Year holiday for what I thought would be a quiet time and a little get away for both of us. I was going to use this time as a small bit of business and the rest of the time alone with Stacy.

We got to Knoxville without incident, I dropped Stacy off at the West Town Mall to watch Tom Cruise as a German and I went to the Dept of Labor to work on a future job start in town.

That afternoon, Jan 30th, I was told I had an 800 hour per week account starting the next day! 100 miles away from Knoxville, in Chattanooga! New Years Eve!!

The previous week I spent a few days in Chattanooga recruiting some quality personnel anticipating this job would start mid-January, not the end of December. In addition, none of those background checks were completed so I had to use existing personnel in the area to pull this off.

So for the rest of the day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day, I spent coordinating this start from Knoxville. Needless to say, my quiet New Year's celebration was anything but that. I want to thank Stacy for always being supportive as she knows my choice of profession is not what you would call "normal" by any sense of the word.

She is awesome, and even though I was constantly on the phone or slapping laptop keys, she understood. Although not always happy, she was were she always is, right beside me with love and prayers.

I did manage to turn my cell phone off for a few hours of quiet each day and enjoy some time and dinner with her.

Those who read here often know I like to take pictures of the view from my hotel rooms during my travels. Most of the views are empty fields, parking lots or worse. On the last day of the year, I hit the jackpot! I could not ask for a better view than this. Thank you baby.

On the way back from Knoxville on New Year's Day we were invited to the Graham's for some football, food and fellowship. I could not ask for better friends than David and Lori.

May the Lord Bless and keep you all in this New Year.