"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver" Mahatma Gandhi

I have allowed other things (not necessarily more important things) keep me from writing here for the past month or so. I plan to rectify the situation beginning with this post.

Each day of the week I begin to awaken sometime between 4:40 am and 5:00 am. I slowly progress to full wakefulness over 5 or 10 minutes. Once there I have to decide if I wait for the alarm to get me out of bed or do I just get up and get the day started. Much of the time I get up  and get going before the alarm so Cindy is not disturbed. Four mornings each week I pedal an exercise bicycle for 30-40 minutes while viewing a devotional on KBYU television. I then spend about a half hour reading scripture and having my own morning devotional. This is about all I have time for during the hour and 20 minutes available before I need to begin getting ready for work. As far as conditioning goes I also walk several miles in the evening.

I look at the physical feats of friends and acquaintances and marvel at how men in my age bracket are able to do such amazing things. Shawn Mitchell climbing the Flatirons in Boulder County and walking and climbing other trails and outcroppings. Dave Schultz running marathons and other shorter races. I see men and women of my acquaintance who are active and engaged in life in a way that blows my mind. How do they do it? I think that most of these whom I admire have always done these things. When they were young they did it because they enjoyed it, or because they have a competitive spirit that leads them to push their own limits while trying the limits of others as well. Good habits of health developed while younger that pay dividends into these older middle-aged years.

I never enjoyed running. I did run if it was part of a game I played (softball, basketball, etc.) I gave up on track when I was a young teenager. Pedaling a bicycle in traffic never seemed to make much sense to me and the few times I did it I found it to be a lot of work - and who wants to work for fitness anyway? It sure seemed to me that there was no need to take care of this ole body. I was always thin and could hike or run (in my foolish youth) or pedal just about anywhere I wanted to go for fun. Then life started to get in the way. A job change that required working overnight, or late into the evening. Sleeping during the day really messed with my circadian rhythms and led to a decided lack of energy when awake. But I needed to provide for a growing family and this was the only job I could find at the time.

Looking back on those years I recognize that there were several times when I attempted to get back into a workout of sorts. I attempted to play basketball with friends several days each week during the winter months. I found that my legs were lead filled and it hurt to breath. I tried rollerblading, cycling, just simply walking, but none seemed to be enough. Sooo, my physical condition continued to deteriorate and the pounds packed on, and on, and on. And now here we are. I will confess here that my weight has ballooned to as high as 320 pounds and I have for short periods of time gotten that weight all the way down to 260 for a few brief weeks. I have never been able to maintain any weight under 300 over the last 15 years.

By-pass surgery in 2011 did not even provide me with any motivation to make any significant changes in my life that would lead to better health. I am not sure why, but now seems to be the time that I have become determined to change this aspect of my life. I see those granddaughters of mine and would like to hang around long enough to really get to know them. And I would really enjoy being able to spend a much longer life with their grandmother. I'm afraid if I don't do something now those two things may not be possible. For those few who have made it this far into this post (thank you) I encourage you to check in with me from time to time to see how it is going. I will report here at least monthly as to how my life is changing and how the weight loss is going. It took a long time to put on these pounds and I suspect it will require a great effort and a lot of support to take it off.

I have decided to participate in a 5k on May 17th in Fruita Colorado (Mike the Headless Chicken fun run). It will likely be a walk for me with just a little running. I will not ever run a marathon (sorry Dave you are on your own there) or climb a mountain. But I will climb this mountain.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.

“A grandchild is God's reward for raising a child.” Bill Cosby

As mentioned in my previous post my wife and I just returned from a quick weekend trip to visit our daughter Stefanie, her husband Matthew, and two of our grandchildren (Michaela, and Lucy). I discovered long ago that three days away from work is about all I can handle. Even when we are away for longer periods I start thinking about what is happening and what problems I will encounter upon my return - so I may as well be back in the stirrups. I also wrote that I would share some of the details of the trip in my next post. Here goes.

We left Montrose, Colorado early on Saturday heading to Denver where we would lunch with our daughter Jennifer, our son Adam, his wife Kara, and three of our grand children (Quincy, Tessa, and Paisley). We did see Jennifer's husband Nick  for a few minutes but he was not able to join us for lunch. Following lunch and enjoying the interaction of three small girls playing together, Adam took us to Denver International Airport for our flight to Nashville.

The flight was delayed about an hour and twenty minutes so we had time to sit and watch the people on the concourse coming and going. I noticed several birds that have made their way inside the terminal where there are plenty of dropped crackers and other treats for them to feast upon. Shelter from the elements with treats, what more could a little songbird ask for? The flight was uneventful.

Upon arrival at Nashville International Airport we were collected by Stefanie and we went and grabbed a late fast food dinner on the way to their home. Matthew and the band he is part of (The Matte Gray Band) were playing at "The Stage on Broadway" in downtown Nashville so he was not at home at that time.

Sunday morning we awakened to our granddaughters excited greeting. Granddaughters are the best. Michaela had been looking forward to our arrival for nearly 3 weeks and was very excited to greet us. It took a little longer for Lucy, who is 17 months old, to warm up to granddad. We enjoyed a quiet morning with Miki sharing some of her artwork with me. She even autographed a drawing for me. She discovered that her name and mine are almost the same and it really surprised her. We went to church where Stefanie sang a duet then we returned home to have lunch with Mitch and Beth. A good visit with them. He seems very happy with life right now and Beth deserves a lot of credit for that.

Sunday evening we attended the Nashville Symphony performance titled "Let Freedom Sing". Kelly Corcoran conducted with the Nashville Symphony Celebration Chorus, the Celebration Youth Chorus both performing. Stefanie sings with the Nashville Symphony Chorus and a few of those members joined the Celebration Chorus for the evening. What a great celebration they performed. Kudos to all the performers and soloists. A very enjoyable evening of music and history. I did not know that Nashville played such a prominent role in the civil rights movement. A very informative evening for me.

Monday we spent the morning and early afternoon at the Frist Museum. My sweetheart has always been a big fan of Norman Rockwell art and the Frist Museum has on loan from the Norman Rockwell Museum a significant amount of his artwork including all of the covers he did for the Saturday Evening Post and several other publications of the era. The history of america as told by a keen observer of the day. His civil rights pieces I have never seen before - they are somewhat disturbing especially if you take the time to read about the events that led to their creation. The history recorded on the cover of the magazines he painted for is significant. I am no art critic, but the display and description were very worth the few hours spent.

I will just mention briefly that I am married to one of the most wonderful women I know. She is game for many things that are surprising to me and has tried to embrace some of the technology of the modern world. I won't tell the stories here but let it be sufficient for me to say that she had a bit of a struggle with her iphone, the computer kiosk at the airport terminal, the camera on her phone, and the list goes on. I will save the specifics for my own late night amusement.

Tuesday home. I wrote of that journey in n earlier post. Let me add just one comment - 5 granddaughters smiling and running and jumping and climbing in 3 days time made for a very memorable trip. I enjoyed all the other things we did while on this adventure. I loved the time spent with those little girls. They have won my heart.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.

Homeward bound!

Cindy and I took a long weekend trip to visit our family in Nashville over the MLK Jr. holiday weekend. It was a busy few days filled with family, friends, music, art, and much humor. I will blog about the trip and the activities next time. For today I want to share some of my musings about home, specifically about returning home after a journey.

As comfortable as I am visiting new places, sleeping in unfamiliar accommodations, spending time with new friends, and making new acquaintances along the way. I was reminded that I am really a homebody. I love the familiar. Some might look at my life in Colorado and think that I am stuck in a rut. And, from a distance, I suppose it does look that way. However, I don't think that I/we are any different from most of the rest of the world. We live where we live because we like it. We do the things we do because it satisfies a hunger we feel. When that want changes, or we discover a new want in life we make adjustments and fall into a new pattern (rut).

As we boarded our flight to return to Denver I noticed that my attitude was changing. We had just said goodbye to our daughter (Stefanie), her husband (Matthew) and family (Michaela and Lucy) accompanied by the minor pain associated with the knowledge that we will not spend more time together for several months. When I realized that I was already beginning to shift back into my Colorado/work/relaxation mode. I had not noticed a shift as we headed toward Nashville and family, but did feel that change as we headed home.

The excitement grew as we returned to Denver International Airport and continued to build as we headed west in interstate 70 toward Grand Junction. By the time we exited the interstate and turned south toward our home in Montrose I was again energized by the familiar. Other parts of the country fascinate me. I want to know the history of places. I want to see the sights and experience what those places have to offer, but, that final turn toward home and what is familiar has always had a profound effect on me.
  

The lyrics for the song Homeward Bound by Marta Keen Thompson appear below. This is from the arrangement done for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir by Mack Wilberg. A beautifully performed piece that has made its way around the globe in many different interpretations. I have heard it performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Music and the Spoken Word and it is also available on youtube.com for you to enjoy.

On a quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing
And the sky is clear and red,

When the summer's ceased its gleaming
When the corn is past its prime,
When adventure's lost its meaning -
I'll be homeward bound in time

Bind me not to the pasture
Chain me not to the plow
Set me free to find my calling
And I'll return to you somehow

If you find it's me you're missing
If you're hoping I'll return,
To your thoughts I'll soon be listening,
And in the road I'll stop and turn

Then the wind will set me racing
As my journey nears its end
And the path I'll be retracing
When I'm homeward bound again

Bind me not to the pasture
Chain me not to the plow
Set me free to find my calling
And I'll return to you somehow

(softly)
On a quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing
I'll be homeward bound again.

That last line is a wonderful thought to me. "I'll be homeward bound again." The journey is always a joy the turn homeward is joyous for me. 

That is it for now. Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.

"I intend to live forever. So far, so good." Steven Wright

Yesterday was the anniversary of Mom's death. I know that many of you can relate to what I experienced throughout the day. Overall I would say that it was a good day.

As I was headed out the door to a church meeting in Delta, Colorado yesterday Cindy asked if I planned to go to the cemetery. I had not even considered the possibility. Since the previous evening I had pondered calling my Aunt (moms sister) to see how she was doing and to offer whatever comfort I could. I just had not made any definite plans for the day. While driving toward Delta I decided that I would attend my meetings for the morning and then drive on to Grand Junction and make a stop at Veterans Memorial Cemetery, then stop by my Aunt and Uncle's home to see how they are getting along, and then on the way home I would stop by the home of a friend who lost his father earlier last week. The plan was made.

It was a very good day in church with a lot of good fellowship and several very good messages shared in the leadership meetings prior to sacrament meeting. Followed by a couple of great messages in sacrament meeting. I then headed out to follow my plan.



I sat on the bench just in front of the niche marker and thought about all of the things that happened over the past year that she missed. All have been written about in previous posts though I will briefly mention some of the most notable. The birth of another great grand-daughter, the marriage of a grand-daughter, a graduation, and many others came to mind as I was sitting there. I stood after a time to enjoy the view of Colorado National Monument. Mom always thought the placement of Dad's remains was so appropriate since he had spent much of his youth living there. I wonder at the things that run through my mind in moments like this.

I left the cemetery and drove to my next destination where I was greeted warmly. My aunt had clearly had a difficult day but she was pleased that I stopped by for a visit. They were glad I had already stopped by the niche and asked about my family and how we are all doing. We talked some about the feelings and emotions of the previous evening and of the events of the same a year ago. It was good to spend the time with them.

The last stop on my journey was as uneventful and just as meaningful as the first two. I think it good to provide comfort and show concern for someone with whom you have shared similar experience. Grief manifests itself in many sundry ways and we each react according to our own belief and understanding. The comfort of friends, I think, is universal.

My brother posted on his Facebook wall yesterday of missing her in his life and of reaching for his phone from time to time with the thought of something he wanted to share with her. Followed by the abrupt realization that that was not a possibility. I too have those moments. Family members become such an important part of life that the reality of them not being available is difficult to always remember. Our daily interactions become almost automatic thus making them hard to do without.

She is missed.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" (Dr. Seuss - Theodor Geisel)

I love that quote from Theodor Geisel.

Even with several very low lows in 2013 I can take a few minutes to look back and smile at many things that occurred during the year. I have long suspected that one of the quirks of my personality that can be frustrating to Mrs. Mahan is that I do not spend a lot of time thinking about or dwelling upon the things that happened yesterday or last week. I try to quickly learn what I can from the day or week and move on to the next.

Some of the things that brought a smile to my face last year include a loss, a wedding, a graduation, a vacation, another wedding, and another granddaughter (number 7).

How in the world can the loss of my Mother (Betty Irene Mahan) bring a smile to my face? It is simple really - she lived for almost seven years without the love of her life (Dennis) and looked forward to the day when they could be reunited. That day came on January 12, 2013 very early in the morning. Yes, there were tears and sad moments associated with this loss. Yes, each holiday or event throughout the year brought a moment or two of missing her. Overall, though, I find a small smile on my face when I think of that reunion. One of our daughters (Lisa) wrote this on her blog shortly after Mom passed;

"In the summer of 2006, a few months after Gramps had passed away and my parents made the courageous decision to leave their home of 20+ years and move closer to their parents, I got to go for a drive alone with Gram after we had helped move my parents (and Kelli) into their new home. We chatted about lots of things, but the conversation turned quickly to relationships and finding the right person to spend eternity with. Gram's advice was to find someone who could make your knees go weak even after 50 years. She told me that with Gramps, sometimes when they were out and about he would catch her eye from across the room and wink at her. And my 67 year old Gram told me with her hand fluttering over her heart like a teenager that she would just turn a bit red and say, Oh, Dennis!

Gram had two of her sons, their spouses or loved ones, and all the Mahan grand kids to love and care for even without my Gramps, but we've all known that she would never be truly happy again until she was reunited with Gramps."

I smile and agree!

Our youngest was married in June of 2013. What a joyous occasion that was for our family. This was the only time we were all together during the year.

We had a great few days to renew our acquaintance and celebrate together. What a blessed few days. My sweet wife blogged about this with her year end post as follows:

"For the Mahans, the highlight of 2013 was Kelli's wedding.  On June 28, in the Mount Timpanogos temple in Utah, she married her best friend, Tyler Esplin.  Of course we were thrilled for them both, and just as thrilled for the opportunity to have everyone together.  As you can see, we are becoming quite the crowd.  These are the people that mean more to me than anything in this world."

I smile and agree!

Kelli (our youngest) graduated from Colorado Mesa University in December. Another smile. Cindy included this on her blog;

"...she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Elementary Education, Math emphasis.  The icing on the cake---she has been hired at New Emerson Elementary, where she did her student teaching, as the 5th grade Math teacher!  The 5th grade teachers job share, so it's a part-time position, but what a blessing!  Especially for a new college grad halfway through the school year!  She loves the school already..."

I smile, and agree!

Each year for the last 15, or so, we have taken as many of our family who are available to Mesa Lakes Resort or Powderhorn Resort on Grand Mesa over Labor Day weekend. This year we were few in number because of all the other events that involved family members through the summer months. It was a quiet relaxing weekend for me which allowed some much needed decompression and introspection. There may be prettier places on earth, but this one we have shared as a family through trial and joy.

The view from the top.

Our oldest (Jennifer) shared this comment on her blog;

"This year, at least a small some of us were able to make the trip for our usual weekend. It was a small group. Really small, but it was so good to get away. As usual, turning into the long drive leading up to the condos, my jaw loosened, my grip became less white knuckle, and I am pretty sure my heartbeat evened and slowed a bit. I love this place. More importantly, I love the people with whom I share this place."

I smile and agree!

When our son (Adam) was at the Language Training Center in Monterey, CA while serving in the Marine Corps he met another Marine named Matt Thorne. They became good friends. Matt became an honorary member of the Mahan gang and his wedding this summer was quite the event. Holly wrote about it in her blog:

"When my brother was in the Marines he met a man named Matt. He brought him to Powderhorn to meet us and he joined our family. Matt got married in New Jersey in August, so Eric, Mom, Adam, and I were able to attend. It was a great excuse to make a trip to NYC."

"The wedding festivities were everything I hoped they would be. We got to sit and listen to Matt tell the many adventures of his dad, the bear whisperer and other stories. The wedding was a fusion of Jewish and Christian tradition. I am grateful to the bride and groom for letting us be part of their day."

I smile and agree! (There are photos - I cannot locate any to post here).

Much has been shared about Mara Mahan Guzman so I will just comment that we are so fortunate to have all these beautiful, healthy granddaughters. Including this newest addition.

 Many other events transpired in 2013 and I am looking forward to another fantastic year filled with joys, sorrows, and many in-betweens. 

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.

"If music be the food of love, play on." William Shakespeare

A question for you all. Which of the following am I going to play this evening at my home?

Trumpet, Clarinet, Piano, Accordion, French Horn, Flute, or Xylophone. One of these musical instruments is more familiar to me than the others. I started learning how to play this instrument in 4th or 5th grade. Reggie Everett may remember when better than I do because he played the same at about the same time.

If you guessed (or already knew) the accordion you would be correct. I really wanted to play a horn but my pediatrician did not think it wise since asthma had become a part of my life and my parents agreed with him that I should not even try. My little brother had already expressed an interest in the piano so I ruled that idea out pretty quickly. Reggie showed me the accordion that he had just started learning to play and I was hooked. It looked fun, and I learned that it was a lot of fun to play. It also is a wind instrument though you deliver the air through the movement of bellows rather than from your own lungs.

They say that confession is good for the soul; so a little confessing is needed here. I worked hard at learning how to play for the first 2 or 3 years and then kind of just went through the motions with this instrument. I had discovered a talent for singing that required a lot less effort and was a lot sexier than strapping an accordion onto your chest (I had also reached an age when that was important). There must be places where this musical instrument is appreciated, but where I lived then and now it is not.

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." (Bob Marley)

By the time my voice began changing I had kind of backed off from playing the accordion each day. I think I probably practiced on the day after my weekly lesson and maybe on the day before the following lesson. I know I was singing every day. In my bedroom, in the basement, in school (choir), in the back yard, in the car, anywhere music could be heard I was singing. By the time I was 14 I had pretty well stopped playing the accordion. I do, on occasion, pick it up and play some of those long forgotten, but easy to play with music in front of me, songs learned in my youth. My biggest regret musically is that I allowed the fact that my brother played the piano keep me from learning. I do sit at the piano from time to time and bang out a Hymn. But not well. Perhaps my time to learn is yet to come.

I still sing in the car, in church, and occasionally in my home. But, again, not as often or as much as in the days of youth. That needs to change. My children and grand children need to hear my voice and learn to have music as a very large part of their lives. Oh, their parents sing to them and with them so I know they have music in their daily example. Some of them even have parents who sing professionally so they hear music in their homes all the time. They even get to see and hear their parents on stage in and around Nashville, TN from time to time. But they still need to hear my voice and the emotion that it expresses regarding life. I'll keep working on that.

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent" (Victor Hugo).

A great truth.

I know for me emotion flows much more easily through musical expression than in any other way.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.  

"Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it" (Clint Eastwood)

Recently one of the men that I associate with at church extended an invitation to participate in their weekly basketball workout in a neighboring community. I quickly assured him that while there was a day when I would have gladly joined them, it would not be happening any time from now until forever. Ah, to be young again.

When I was a young fellow I enjoyed extended physical activity. It was nothing for me to get on my bicycle mid-morning pedal to Big Salt Wash where my friends and I would pedal up and down the trails all morning long. We might ride home long enough to grab some lunch then ride over to the local pool for a few hours of swimming. And then home long enough to have a snack before heading over to the baseball diamond for a practice or evening game. Non-stop activity and seemingly never ending fun. Now as an older fellow I get tired just thinking about doing something like that.

Well into my twenties I remember being game for just about any physical activity - and having the strength and energy to participate fully. I could work hard on any day of the week and return home with enough left to play softball, basketball, ride a bike or strap on the roller blades and go for an energetic workout. Sometime in my middle thirties I realized that it had been a few years since I had participated in those kinds of physical activities and decided that I needed to make the time to "get back in shape".

Basketball was always my game of choice when I desired a physical challenge, and our Church had a somewhat organized league that the younger (and even a few older) men participated in. They were always looking for recruits so I determined that I would join them. Usually they held a practice on Wednesday evening at 9:00 pm with games each Saturday morning. The week I decided to give it a whirl I was unable to attended the weeknight practice, but decided that I would go play on Saturday anyway. I remember running down the court for the first time in several years. It felt good. I had forgotten how much fun it was to be part of an activity like this - part of a team. After we scored, the run back to the other end of the court was not as comfortable as the first time down the floor. After the other team scored I tossed the ball onto the playing surface and started to run back down the court, I looked down at my legs and saw that they were still there but they felt different. It seemed to me as if someone sneaked into the gymnasium and filled my legs with lead. It was all I could  do to slowly (and I mean slowly) lumber down the court to the other end.

As soon an there was a whistle stopping play I called for a substitute to relieve me for a few minutes. I sat on one of the metal chairs that served as our bench, turned to look at my wife for some sympathy, and saw her chuckling at what she saw. I said, "Its not funny, someone put concrete in my legs". She and her friends laughed all the harder - you see they remembered the much younger nearly invincible me from a few years earlier. I realized that those years of not participating because of work and other commitments had really taken a toll on me. As I watched my friends who had not stopped playing ball continue to run up and down the court I regretted the inactivity.

Oh, don't misunderstand me, it was still fun. The first time or two up and down the court each week were very enjoyable and the number of times that the court could be traveled without loss of feeling in my legs increased weekly. Just not a return to the youthful, strength-filled days. I just might have to give it a go again sometime in the future. I'm sure if I take the next few years to get myself in shape again I will be able to play with the young guys in Delta. Though I don't think I would bet on it.

Thanks for checking in. More to come soon. See you then.