The days are flying by

I am sitting at my computer and it is 6:04 AM.  The street lights are on and it is dark as can be.  It seems only a few days ago that I could have been sitting here at this same time and thinking I should go for a bike ride!  I guess our days are getting shorter with each passing sunrise.
My Terry loves to read the paper.  I am guessing that she could or may spend an hour or two each day reading it.  For sure she not only enjoys it but gathers much information and news that is good to know.  For me, the paper can be read in maybe 15 or 20 minutes and then much of that is spent in the sports section.  I have wondered why I don't like to spend much time reading it and it came to mind this morning.  It is almost depressing for me to read of the things that are happening in our world.  I don't think I avoid them, I just don't like to see how much our world is changing and often not for the better. 
A tiny example was in the paper today.  One of the small towns near the cities is considering not allowing candy to be thrown out during parades.  The reason is children may get hurt while trying to retrieve it!  What the heck!!!  That sounds like a weak reason beyond belief.  What is a parade without things being thrown out so children can get a goodies?
Some of the things I enjoyed during childhood that probably would not be allowed today:

• playing all day around the creek.  Dave and I could spent all day wadding in the creek, trying to catch some fish, digging in the mud etc.  Today that would be too dangerous.
• riding our bikes up to swim in the lake was something we did all summer but today there would have to be an adult with us
• walking the mile and half to school that we did would be too far and too dangerous today
• riding our bikes without a helmet no no no
• going barefoot all the time would be not acceptable today as you may injure your foot which of course we did many many times
• no sunscreen and no hat was the mode but today that is a no no no
• riding shotgun in the car at the age of 6 no no
• no seat belts on in the car--oh there were none

So today I sit here at the age of 70 having survived childhood without serious injury or trauma.  I am not suffering from skin cancer or childhood abuse or head trauma from not using a helmet.  Yes I know that it could have happened and it did for some people but I am just saying times have changed, not always for the good and perhaps I was lucky.  But I still find it hard to accept that many of the "fun things" of the past are now too dangerous and off limits for young people today.  Maybe what I am most upset about is our government or culture now dictates much of how parents can raise their children.  I know and agree that things like bike helmets, car seat belts etc are safer and good but at my age please bring me back to the Burma Shave days of roadside rhymes and a bit more freedom.  That being said I NEVER start the car without putting my seat belt on but the bike helmet thing, well I am not so good at that yet!
We have a bit of rain this morning.  I am not sure when it is supposed to stop so my bike ride, not sure.
I am making progress in the wood shop on some things I want done before Florida looms ahead.  Tomorrow I plan and hope to get the baseboards in the bathroom and then I can make the quarter rounds.  I would buy them but it is cheaper to make plus I want them a tad bit smaller than the ones you buy.  The guest room and sun room still stare at me daily without any make up on so to speak.  The hardwood floors also scream for a new clean finish and I should add the living room often asks why the paint intended for it's walls remains in cans sitting in the shop BUT we will see.
A week from today we head to Iowa for Terry's son Brian's wedding.  We will camp for 3 nights in the state park where the wedding takes place.  The poor camper has not had the use it desires and actually has let me know in some ways it is upset but one must stick to what needs to be done or where one needs to go.  The camper mentioned to me last week that it felt maybe it had done something wrong as over 5 years it served us as we traveled over 50,000 miles and now it feels kind of a "has been".  I assured it that we love it as much as always but this summer is not the time to travel a lot.
My beloved pickup will soon have a new home.  The South Bend Lees will own it this fall.  I looked for a pickup for several years and found the perfect one in the fall of 2006.  At the time it was 15 years old with 41,000 miles.  It had it's original tires, brakes and most everything else.  It had served its owner by pulling his boat to his cabin in the spring and back in the fall.  It had then rested all winter in the garage.  When Gail and I went to see it there it sat in the driveway with its mag wheels, electric windows, AC working, topper on the back and not a speck of rust to be seen.  It even had 2 gas tanks for the person who may not check the gas gauge. We found out that the owner had lost most of his eye sight and could not drive anymore.  We bought it on the spot and I was excited to own my very first pickup.  Now, 35,000 miles, 7,000 miles on a camping trip to Canada, later it needs to be needed which is not here in St. Paul.  Well it is needed when I need it!!! But really mostly sits so time to move on to a place where it is needed more and used more.  I might add that at the age of 70 perhaps it is time to pare down somethings in my life.
I just took the last sip of cold FP so time to shut down the computer and get out into the wood shop.