Walking is one of those shared experiences that builds a relationship. That’s how our friendship started and continues to this day.
When Lin and I started dating nearly 40 years ago, we’d go for walks. Walk to the park. Walk to the ice cream store. Walk with the kid in tow. Walk the trails of the state park. We’re still walking and still dating.
Much has been written about walking as a benefit for a healthy lifestyle. Good for the heart. Burns a few calories. Experience the outdoors and fresh air. Lots of benefits.
But walking with your best friend, there are a whole lot more benefits. Time to talk. Discuss the day. Hold hands. Strengthen the friendship. Intimacy. Yes, intimacy. It’s like taking the time to sit and have a cup of coffee together. Intimacy.
See you on the highway… or a walking path somewhere.
Last year, Lin and I were mesmerized by an eagle camera near our home. A little over one mile away, as the eagle flies, the Little Miami Conservancy installed a camera above an eagle nest. From Winter into Spring, we watched a pair of eagles build up the nest, lay two eggs, watched them hatch, and raise the two eaglets until they fledged and disappeared on their own journey.
Parent eagles looking over their approximately two-week old chicks. April 12, 2022.May 23, 2022. The eaglets are starting to test their wings. They will be in the nest until July.
And now, the eagles are back. The camera is live. And, one egg was laid on Feb. 11, and a second egg laid on Valentine’s Day … captured on camera of course. It’s fascinating. Mesmerizing.
February 11, 2023, the eagles have returned and have laid one egg. Will there be more?
We live in a world where cameras are everywhere. We carry them in our pocket. Not much escapes the scrutiny of a camera somewhere, including our front doors. It’s like a George Orwellian fiction come true.
Winter means less motorcycle riding, and that means stress or anxiety can build up a little bit. A good fix for that is some helmet time—good for the head and good for the soul. Unfortunately, that little rodent in Pennsylvania has told the world it will be six more weeks of winter, so actual helmet time might be a ways off. Yeah, right.
Let’s not overlook the fact that sometimes helmet time is not a good idea, especially when you’re on a roller coaster of emotions. Wait for the roller coaster to stop. Then ride.
Everyone who rides a motorcycle knows that riding is good for your mental health. Well, nearly everyone. Recently, there was a scientific study conducted by Harley Davidson that concluded riding decreases the stress factors, and there have been other studies. It’s not like I’m under a lot of stress. I think it’s just good preventative maintenance.
For me, it’s motorcycling, but there are other stress reducing activities. Golf. Fishing. Hiking. Bicycling. All good for mental health. It’s all personal choice and action to keep us out of the therapist’s office.
I never winterize or put a motorcycle away for the winter. There will be days that are good for a ride, like the other day. The temps got into the 50s. The sun was out. Roads were clear, and my Guzzi V7 sat waiting its turn for some exercise. I had not ridden the V7 for several weeks, but one push of the starter button, and it roared to life.
It is hard to describe this motorcycle, my 2020 Moto Guzzi V7iii Rough. No other motorcycle has ever moved my soul like this bike. I don’t know if it is the vibrations or the sound, but it just resonates with me. It is an old-school standard motorcycle with modern technology. Not a speed demon, but plenty of power and torque. The Perfect Motorcycle. Easy to throw a leg over and easy to ride. It is so flickable, handling the curves and twisties like it was made for that. It was! It was made in Italy for riding in the Alps.
I can be watching a You Tube video of a Guzzi V7, and I can feel the vibes just sitting in my office chair. I follow a few You Tubers, and sometimes, I just feel like I want to ride along.
With jacket and helmet on, gloves snugged tight, I straddled the V7, pulled in the clutch and shifted into 1st gear. Releasing the clutch, I pulled away from home, headed down county roads to places I have been before with dreams of going farther. Resonance.
I rode my planned route, but it was not enough. I rode some more. Helmet time does not come every day in the winter.
I started writing this piece a week ago. Should I or shouldn’t I? I decided to turn my story into one of encouragement for others.
Two and a half years ago, with my first-ever elevated PSA, my family physician said, “I think I feel something there. We should keep an eye on that.” That is the purpose of a prostate exam, to know if further examination is necessary. As an Army Vietnam Veteran, I decided to proceed through the Cincinnati VAMC for my health care. I am glad I did.
First, there were the exams and blood work which led to recommendations and an MRI which revealed a lesion on my prostate. A biopsy was ordered. The results of that was one cancerous sample. Five doctors agreed the best course of action was “keep an eye on it.” In medical terms and treatment, it’s called “Active Surveillance.” Sounds like something the CIA or FBI would do.
Six months later, another PSA and MRI showed no change. I began to think, “Well, this is good. Hope it stays this way.” Subsequent six-month follow ups and PSAs all looked good. Then, in the fall 2022, with a slightly elevated PSA, the doc said, “We should get an updated MRI.” That showed an increase in size of the lesion and another biopsy was ordered. That was last week and the results came two days ago.
The biopsied lesion went from one cancerous sample to four, but still considered low-grade prostate cancer. Active surveillance is still an option, but treatment is now in the conversation.
Even though I have been living with prostate cancer for two and a half years, this change has been an emotional roller coaster. I am so glad I have an understanding wife who is my biggest supporter. She is much more than that.
Why does the C-word scare us so? I cannot express how much I appreciate the doctors and nurses of my health care team at the VA. They have been excellent. Professional. Personable. I feel fortunate to have them.
It’s a little scary, but my doctors have told me this was caught early, and it’s not going to kill me. However, it’s still a roller coaster ride of emotions.
The Purpose for this Post
I could rattle off some of the stats about men and prostate cancer, but that info is available elsewhere. What I want to do is to encourage men to have that annual prostate exam. Begin with the PSA which is an indicator. And, ladies, encourage your man to get that exam. Early detection is the best defense for a longer and happy life.
I frequently post pictures and descriptions of the food I cook. Pizzas, Fish. Steaks. Casseroles. Turkey on the grill. Looks good and I get compliments, especially on Facebook. So, it is only fair that I post a food failure.
This is the cheesy bread that I attempted to make, looking into the trash can. It is a recipe that I learned and often purchased when I was a professor at Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, (1989-1993). I would go over to the student center cafeteria for lunch and order a salad and some cheesy bread. It was so delicious. Makes a great appetizer too.
This attempt was a failure because I accidently removed the cap of the seasoning instead of popping the lid to shake some on the cheese-onion-mayo mixture.
I screwed that cap off without thinking and poured a whole bunch of salt and pepper blend onto my cheese mixture. Damn.
Well, thinking I at least need to finish the appetizer and give my effort a taste test. Maybe it was not too much. I soon learned that was not the case. I took one bite. The whole batch of cheese mix and the three appetizers immediately went into the trash where it belonged. Now, off to the grocery store to replenish supplies.
If properly done, it is grated cheese, finely chopped onion, mayo, with a little salt and pepper, spread on French or Italian bread, and a quick broil in the oven to melt the cheese. It’s delicious. Not willing to admit defeat, and to learn from this experience, I tried it again the next day to accompany a bowl of chili. The cheesy bread was outstanding. Chili too.
The appetizer is best if the bread is slightly toasted before topping it with the cheesy mix. You get a better crunch when taking a bite.
Pop it into the oven under the broiler. Keep an eye on it. It does not take long for the cheesy mix to start bubbling. Wait for just that right amount of browning.
Take it out of the oven. It should look like this.
Transfer to your plate and enjoy.
Yum. That was oh-so good.
Failure is only a failure if one stops at that point. One failure can be a learning experience resulting in success. In other words, try, try again until you succeed.
See you on the highway … or maybe at the grocery store.
