Through the Finish Line!

Well, its not really the finish line, but it is a milestone for Kim and I this year. RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards)is completed (in the can as they say in the movie business)! The second camp ended yesterday at about noon, and we had the after camp wind-down/de-brief party at our home. Tri-tip, beans, and salad!

The RYLA camps were another great success. We hosted 210 highschoolers preparing for their senior year. It is always so amazing to watch the campers learn about themselves and others. This camp is all about personal growth into servant leadership. But the camp isn't the subject of my post.

Some out there may have though that I have been slacking on posting. I guess I should be flattered, since I wouldn't be accused of slacking if you didn't enjoy my posts. Well, I wasn't slacking. This spring has been like a hurricane for Kim and I. A perfect storm of activities, important life events, and obligations, that continued to accelerate as we approached the eye.

It started in mid may with the International convention in New Orleans, we came home and had about five days to complete preparations for District Conference, Lucy's Graduation and party, Sober Grad Night, and RYLA.

Kim and I were assigned as VIP Aides to the Rotary International Presidents Representative to our District Conference. A great honor, and enjoyable job. In addition, I was responsible for the annual remembrance ceremony on the last day of the conference. The last day of the conference was also the first day of Camp RYLA. So, as you can see, after we returned from NOLA, we had a few days of preparation before seventeen straight days of non-stop action!

In Virginia City,Liz pets Bonnie, an old prospector's ass.

So those few days of prep were crammed full! We did last minute shoping, cleaned up the Canyon Club for Lu's party, purchased supplies for RYLA, finalized Sober Grad (that is a post for Kim to write someday!), finished collecting info on our departed Rotarian friends and kicked of the final sprint on June eighth.




Kim and I welcomed Monty and Liz Audenart from Canada to the District Conference in Reno, then drove back home to attend Lucy's Senior awards banquet in Portola. Lu won a $500 scholarship that is in memory of a local teacher, Bill Martin.

Next day Kim and I returned to Reno to spend the day with the Audenarts. I went clay shooting with Monty, and Kim took Liz to Virginia City to give her a taste of the old west! The shooting was great. I almost beat our District Governor. I shot my best (almost 50%), and DG Sky King shot his worst (the fact that he found out he was getting audited by the State Tax bureau while we were shooting probably did not help his aim).

Lucy contemplates the future with Elizabeth Silva
in front, and Harley Sears behind.

We had a meeting and dinner at the conference hotel before heading to our room. Next morning was the official beginning of the conference, so I hung out with Monty, while Kim headed to the store to purchase some supplies for Lucy's grad party, and Sober Grad Night. About 1:00 I headed to pick up the cakes Kim had ordered for the party, and hit the road back to Portola. Got there in time to drop them off at the Canyon Club, and get to the football field to see my baby in her high heels, cap and gown!

The commencement was wonderful (short). The weather was perfect, warm with a soft breeze that was just enough to disrupt the bugs! John and Jeanne, Buck and Libby, Frank and Lucille, were all there to see Lucille Marcelle get her diploma. Then it was off to the party to eat some cake and celebrate!

Libby, Lucy, and Buncle Uck!

After the guests departed (around 9:00), I headed back to Reno, while Kim stayed in Portola to help load the kids on the bus for the big trip to the Grand Sierra Hotel and Sober Grad Night! I made it back to the room and went to bed about 11:30, Kim joined me at around 2:00 am!

Saturday we spent the day at the conference, and were actually able to enjoy ourselves! On Sunday morning, I was up for the remembrance ceremony. We had a cowboy poet do a very moving presentation back lit by a beautiful slide show to start things off, then we rang the bell, and placed carnations as I read the names of all of the departed Rotarians. It was very difficult, as I had a few friends in the group this year. We brought the mood up after that by singing "Happy Trails". It was a very nice ceremony.

Last but not least I could not leave to help get Camp RYLA started until I had been "promoted" to District Governor Elect.

Kim and I got home at about 2:00 in the afternoon. I changed, and headed up the Grizzly Creek Ranch (where RYLA is held) to see how things were progressing. Things were going well. However, it is always the toughest two days to get the camp set up while training counselors, preparing for campers, checking in campers, and getting them started. By Monday night we were in full swing.

Uncle Frank, Big John, Auntie Lucy, Jeanne and Lu
at the party!

This year I helped direct camp 1, but slept at home each night. There were a few days that I had to leave mid-day to dig foundations and ditches for our soon to be installed solar electric generating system, so I was back and forth allot. During week two, after registration, I checked in with the two new camp directors daily to make sure they didn't need any help, all the time digging ditches, and catching up on yard work, and helping Lucy change the oil in her Mustang. On Thursday and Friday, Kim and Lu drove to Sonoma State for the First Time Freshman Orientation. Kim got back just in time to kick off the party!

We had a great Bar-B-Que here. After all our guests left, we cleaned up the house, and went to bed. This morning I woke at 9:00, to the sounds of birds chirping, the sun shining, and a cool morning breeze caressing me, and no commitments near on the horizon.

Oops! I lied, we are going to a birthday Bar-B-Que at the Barkley house. Oh well, sounds like a good time to me!

That's All!

My Brother Mike

He was the baby. He was the most skilled of all four brothers in the art (and science) of teasing to the point where he could still manage to escape painful retribution most of the time. My clearest memory of our early childhood together is when he had to wear glasses to correct a "lazy eye" problem. Sometimes, instead of the glasses, he wore a patch like a pirate, we all thought that was very cool! The down side was a tinted plastic screen we had to hang over the TV screen. The purpose was to force Mike to use his "lazy eye" because with his glasses on, if he closed one eye, half the screen would black out (it was polarized with the glasses)! Well, I remember looking though this smudged and scratched screen and it probably did more damage to my eyes than good to his, as I was constantly squinting and straining to see clearly. We would of course cheat when Mom and Dad were not around.

Left to right: Me, Don, John, and Mickey Mouse!

Mike was "Mickey", "Mickey Mouse", or sometimes just plain "Mouse". He was always a very active kid, especially the time he found the "M&Ms" in Mom's purse. They were actually diet pills, which translates now a days into "speed"! Well, the active Mouse became more active and talkative to the point that our Parents started questioning him because something was definitely wrong. That's how they found out about the diet pill "M&Ms". This was the episode where he earned the nickname "Motormouth".

Its funny how our lives go. It seems like yesterday that my brother Mike was still in high school breaking records in the backstroke for the Canoga High swim team, and playing Bee football (later varsity). He was not the scholastic type, but he did OK in school. Mouse was into socializing with friends, and enjoying life. After high school, he dutifully registered at the local Junior College. After buying his books, he came home that night and my Dad gave him "The Speech". "Son, don't go to college because you think you have to, it's your decision. I am fine with what ever you decide." Not! Well, my baby bro withdrew the next day and got serious about refining his surfing skills! Not sure that was what Dad had in mind!

Actually, I always admired that move by my little brother. He stepped out of the box. Perhaps he had that right. Live it while you can, and go for the gusto. Somewhere inside me, I have always regretted not taking more time while I was very young to be a little more "wild and crazy". Mike was a role model, but it was a little late for me.

He never seemed to worry about the future too much. He always had a job, and friends, and a roof over his head. Construction, bar boy, bartender, truck driver, migrant nuclear worker, concrete cutting entrepreneur, machinist; he has always been a hard working self reliant man.

Mike is very subtly flexing to show off his biceps!

Last week I visited Mike and his wonderful wife Teri (the best thing that ever happened to him). They live in League City Texas, near Houston. They live at "The Wharf" on Clear Lake in a beautiful townhouse right on the water, with the boat tied up 75 feet away from the back deck. Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are a boat ride away when ever they get the urge. We were talking on the back deck, and I realized that to live like this in California, you would have to be a millionaire! I was struck once again how successful Mike and Teri are. As we walked around "The Wharf" folks waved from their windows, "Hi Mike!, Hi Teri!" Then the introductions would start. Mike is so obviously loved and admired by his neighbors, it felt like I was walking around with a rock star, or very popular "Mayor" of the town. He has put a lot into his little community there, and I think folks know and appreciate it.

How did Mike and Teri arrive at their place "on the water?" They took a risk. Once again he decided to step outside the box, and move from California to Texas to startup a new store for Mike's employer, Tri-Tool of Sacramento. When I think of this; moving to a new state, doing something you've never done before, just trusting that it will all work out....I think that is the epitome of courage. It is also a great example of how mutual love and support in a marriage make life so sweet!

My brother Mike is a working man. His ethical standards are very high. His boss gets every penny's worth of his salary and then some. He works hard to put bread on the table, but also to provide the best pipe machining tools to accomplish work that is so critical to our way of life here in this country. He works, for his love of Teri, and their life together. He works for his neighbors, to improve the quality of their lives (and he does that for free). He is the garbage inspector, because the rules are there for a reason, to make it better for all concerned.

Brother Mike, livin' large!! Yeee Haw!

Sometimes I think people associate success with how many figures make up your annual earnings. Like my Dad always told me, money is a wonderful thing, because you can do wonderful things with it. But it is certainly not a measure of success, perhaps an indicator, but not a measure. Success is the difference you make on this earth for your fellow creatures. Does your life touch others in a positive way? Do your actions improve the lives of others? Will any body miss you and the things you did when you are gone from this life?

By every measure I can think of, my brother Mike is a very successful man! Sometimes I think he doesn't really grasp just what a role model he is. Maybe humility is his greatest quality.

My brother Mike is one of my heroes!

That's All!