Do "reunions" ever work out?

[Thumper]

Well, we've been "trying" to plan our "Old Spooks & Spies" reunion for 6-8 months now. There are only 5-6 of us who were going to get together. EVERYBODY was in. Of course now that it's 1 1/2 months away, it appears to be falling apart. Kinda like the ol' GoodHunting "get-togethers" I suppose. The reunion was "supposed" to start May 15th and go as long as we wanted to hang out. When the G/H outing was announced for that same week, I bailed immediately since that date was filled on my calendar.

I know we have a couple of "pinned" threads going, but where does the G/H reunion stand these days? Has it fizzled out yet? Gone from 30 "yes, I'll be there's" to 3 "maybe's" or what? I could read all the posts I suppose, but maybe somebody could condense it down to simple terms like, "on or off". The middle of May has now been cleared on my calendar.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I know I can't make it. Was planning to but just can't afford the time off or the expense of the trip for just a couple days. Maybe next time.

BKB

[Captain]

I was in but gonna have to back out. Got to drive to London Canada the next week and that's just a pile of road time. Maybe next time for me.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Thumper]

That's prolly how I'll look at it. We're supposed to meet my sister and BIL in New Orleans for a week starting the 5th of June ... so I'll prolly save up my eBay earnings for the casinos.

[Buckrub]

Me too. Uncle Sugar just ate my last dollar. Well, that and this Money Hole in the Asphalt called a truck.

HOWEVER.....my good friend and fishing buddy has looked me in the eye and adopted a new attitude on such things. Possibly I, and we, need to consider. He said "Boy, we always weigh the pros and cons of taking X fishing trip, or Y hunting trip, and see if we can afford it, etc. But you better THINK. We ain't got but Z years left, and Z is way less than X+Y. We better stop thinking and just GO".

[LJ3]

Word up Bucky

[Buckrub]

You're getting like Gus. Too 'out there' for me to figure out "Just WHAT is that boy sayin'?"

Does that mean you agree??

[Thumper]

That's pretty much how I've run my whole life Bucky. I've always lived like there will be no tomorrow and I can't say for one minute I've regretted it. I LOVE foreign travel, but that's on hold for a while while I do a bit more healing ... so I'm trying to fill in the gaps with domestic stuff the best I can manage. It ain't totally doing it for me, but it's all I can do under the circumstances right now.

Lynn's my travel agent. If I need to know where I'm waking up tomorrow, I have to look at the calendar. Here's what's filled in "SO FAR" ... not counting unplanned "spur of the moment" outings!

I have my calendar in front of me right now. We're leaving this Thursday for a few days in Savannah. Then there are two nights on the beach in Tampa on the 11th - 12th. The 27th & 28th is at the Grand Cypress in Orlando. May 2nd & 3rd we'll be on the beach in Sarasota. Then I was supposed to be on a 2-3 week road trip/spooks reunion (cancelled). Beach in Pensacola 6/5 and New Orleans 6/5-6/8, back to the beach 6/9 and home 6/10. July 4th & 5th we'll be on the beach at Coconut Point (Bonita Springs). 10/31 - 11/2 we'll be on the beach in Clearwater. 11/25 - 12/4 we'll be on the beach in Pensacola, Houston for t-giving with my sis/bil, San Antonio & Austin. 1/22-1/24 in Key West and 3/26-3/28 in Nashville!

That's just SO FAR. Yes, the calendar is filled a year in advance!

[Buckrub]

I guess this is off the subject................but.....

I'll just say this to you publicly. Man, that does my heart good to see that you are doing all that stuff. It seems just the other day that this place was covered in black, worried you were a goner. Not that we REALLY care, mind you. But we don't like wearing ties to funerals, is all. Then when you came out of it, we worried you weren't going to be able to eat (and we've SEEN you eat).

To see you able to function like this, and do all this stuff that you like, it warms the cockles of my heart. Wherever they are.

Say howdy to my son while you're in Savannah. Or better yet, fall out on the street, call 911 and he'll come pick you up.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Cockles are shellfish aren't they?

BKB

[Buckrub]

Wouldn't doubt it.

[Thumper]

Cockles are shellfish aren't they?

I thought they were those little spike thingies on the back of a rooster's leg. (??)

Thanks Buckster. One thing I've learned to do is "suck it up" and I'm so used to hurting, it's kinda like "normal" now. But truthfully, I've found that if I'm distracted, I forget about the pain. Sitting around staring at the walls is when it REALLY hurts. I think a lot of pain is psychological to a point. "Distraction" works better than drugs in my case. Problem is, I usually pay for it later. I'm pretty good in the mornings, then as the day progresses, it catches up to me. If I do much during the day, the nights can be pretty miserable. BUT ... I'd rather run myself into the ground than sit around moaning and groaning.

Actually, the VA sent me through a pain management course that deals with just that. Distraction. They teach you to go to a "happy place" (mentally) for pain control. It sounds kinda goofy, but it really does work. Problem is, reality kicks in sooner or later and that's when you pay the price.

[Captain]

They teach you to go to a "happy place"

We don't need to KNOW where your "happy place" is. I think everyone here pretty much knows.

And they didn't teach you that. You prolly been going to your happy place since you was about 14

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Thumper]

[BarryBobPosthole]

Thumper, I think you're confusing cockles with cock. The cock is the whole damned bird. and some South Carolina college mascot.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ohhhhh, cocks and cockles are two different things? Like tests and testicles???

[Buckrub]

Sure. And like "Thump" and "Sane".

[BarryBobPosthole]

Sure. And like "Thump" and "Sane".

Persactly.

BKB

[Thumper]

I get no respect around this joint.