Say What?

I can't recall a month of windier weather than what we've been experiencing in the Midwest. It got old a while ago and most of us are ready for some warmer, less rainy, and less windy days.  I had a longish gravel ride of 74 miles (119 km) planned for Saturday with hopes of getting out early ahead of the stronger winds that were forecast but I was grounded as I waited for some heavy downpours to pass. By the time the rains moved out, the winds had begun to ramp up. I did my best to keep my head down and work my way south into them but there were occasional gusts close to 40 mph (64 kph) that nearly blew me over more than once. I stopped several times to put a foot down and steady myself when they became too much. After 14 miles of white-knuckling my bars, I'd had enough and turned for home. That's what indoor trainers are for! We met Rachel and Drew at Drew's parent's home yesterday to strategize about the wedding celebration they have planned for September. The...

This week marked 40 years since I took a seat in the auditorium at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, OK to begin my career as an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration. I had no way of knowing then as I sat there with several hundred others what a blessing that opportunity would be for me.  I loved the work  and can't imagine a more fulfilling career. It's sobering how quickly 40 years pass by. There's one remaining stained glass shop in the Twin Cities area after the recent closings of the two main shops that I frequented for my supplies: J Ring Studios and Glass Endeavors. When I first began working with the medium 30 years ago there were close to 15 glass shops in the area. This is not a good trend. The remaining shop, Down Home Stained Glass , is a very small studio with limited hours and limited supplies and not one that I generally use. The next best option is Sleepy Eye Stained Glass , a 3-hour roundtrip drive to ...