Just a note to say I haven't left the Stream.  My computer picked up a virus.  I'll be back when it's fixed. 

Hope all you lovely ladies can forgive me? and enjoy this collage of award winners for their driving skills below.

The 2007 Women Drivers Award

10th Place Goes to:

9th Place Goes To:

8th Place Goes To:

6th Place Goes To:

5th Place Goes To:

4th Place Goes To:

The Bronze Medal Winner:

The Silver Medal Winner:

Her helmet is being worn backwards)
.... and finally, here is our 2007 Women Drivers Awards
*** Gold Medal Winner ***

Why It's Good To Be a Man!
		Your belly usually hides your big hips.  You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife. You don't have to shave below your neck. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache. Car mechanics tell you the truth. Wedding plans take care of themselves. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You don't care if someone notices your new haircut. You never have to drive to another gas station because this one's just too "icky". Wedding Dress $5000; Tux rental $100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. Your pals can be trusted never to trap you with: "So, notice anything different?" One mood, ALL the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You can kill your own food. You can leave the motel bed unmade. Dry cleaners and hair stylists don't rob you blind. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you to something, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. If you are 34 and single, nobody notices. You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger's seat. You don't have to clean your apartment if the maid is coming. You can quietly watch a game with a buddy for hours without thinking: "He must be mad at me." You can drop by to see a friend without having to bring a little gift. You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in 45 minutes.
	All in All...    It's GREAT Being a Man!!

This is one of those posts that will be up for a day or two and then removed.  It's being written primarily to help get a grip on what I'm feeling (never an easy thing for a male to do).  I guess you could say I've had a very bad week starting last Tuesday evening.

Last Tuesday, St. Louis was hit by hopefully the last winter storm of the year.  It dumped an icy mix followed by up to 10 inches of snow depending on location.  The guy that cleaned our drive did a good job, but after he left I began to wonder if we shouldn't shovel about another couple of feet to make sure the car wouldn't get stuck when it was backed out.  Naturally, I hit a patch of ice, did a modified split and badly bruised one leg and knee.  So I was hobbling the rest of the week.

Saturday morning, our former foster daughter called and asked if she could over.  While my wife has known Amber for a long time through schools where she taught, Amber was actually only under our roof for about three months.  Because of the past relationship, we were willing to do whatever we could to help her.  It was a rocky three months.  Typical teen rebellion made worse by never having been disciplined made for a rocky time.  Amber was moved to a group home and eventually back to her grandparents.

Things seemed to improve except she never could take responsibility for her actions.  Her grandmother didn't take her for her birth contol shot so she became pregnant.  It was her grandmothers fault.  When Brianna was born, Amber seemed to change.  She was a good mom fo a long time.

Amber broke up with her significant other to take up with a druggie.  We told Amber we would help her as long as she stayed off drugs.  Amber and Casey had a fight and broke up last Friday which brings us to Saturday morning.

My wife was talking to Amber while I was getting dressed.  Chris came to the door and said we have to get Amber to the hospital immediately.  She took 15 antidepressants in a suicide attempt.  911 was called. The police and paramedics came.  During this chaos, Casey showed up. Amber was taken to the hospital.  Chris told Casey that we weren't going.  This was the last straw.

Chris told Amber's grandmother the same thing later in the day.  We're too old and not in the greatest health ourselves to be involved in the life of someone who is only happy if chaos is in her life.  I'm not sure if I totally agree with Chris, but our marriage is much more important than dealing with the chaos kid.

I'm grieving even though I know Chris right.  We never had children of our own and Amber and her daughter filled that void in an admittedly chaotic way. 

Saturday ended with the fuel pump going out on the car.  Then tonight, Amber showed up at the library to use the computer.  I know we're right...but I feel soooo guilty.  Today...this week has definitely been a series of hydrant days.

An eldery couple is enjoying an anniversary dinner together in a small tavern, the husband leans over and asks his wife...

"Do you remember the first time we had sex together over fifty years ago? We went behind this tavern where you leaned against the fence and I made love to you."

"Yes," she says, "I remember it well."

"Ok", he says, "How about taking a stroll a round there again and we can do it for old times sake."

"Oooooooh Henry, you devil, that sounds like a good idea," she answers.

There's a police officer sitting in the next booth listening to all this and having a chuckle to himself. He thinks, "I've got to see this: two old-timers having sex against a fence, I'll just keep an eye on them so there's no trouble." He follows them...

They walk haltingly along, leaning on each other for support, aided by walking sticks. Finally they get to the back of the tavern and make their way to the fence. The old lady lifts her skirt, takes her knickers down and the old man drops his trousers, she turns around and as she hangs on to the fence, the old man moves in, suddenly they erupt into the most furious sex that the watching policeman has ever seen.

They are bucking and jumping like eighteen-year-olds. This goes on for about forty minutes! She's yelling "Ohhhh, God" He's hanging on to her hips for dear life. This is the most athletic sex imaginable. Finally, they both collapse panting on the ground.

The policeman is amazed, he thinks he has learned something about life that he didn't know.

After about half an hour of lying on the ground recovering, the old couple struggle to their feet and put their clothes back on.

The policeman, still watching thinks, "That was truly amazing, he was going like a train. I've got to ask him what his secret is."

As the couple pass, he says to them, "That was something else, you must have been having sex for about forty minutes. How do you manage it? You must have had a fantastic life together... Is there some sort of secret?

"No, there's no secret" the old man says, "Fifty years ago that darn fence wasn't electric."