Very proud

My home state has been inundated by historic flooding the past several days and the Fargo-Moorhead area has especially been hard hit. This crisis has shown the tenacious spirit of North Dakotans & Minnesotans and I couldn't be prouder. I've been impressed by the number of people who have come forward to sandbag and fight back what the Red River has been dishing out. There aren't a heartier bunch of folks anywhere.

There has been some good fortune with a lower than expected crest but the battle is far from over. The water will remain high for a while and hopefully the man made dikes will keep the river at bay. I'm keeping everyone back home in my thoughts and prayers. You can help out by donating any amount to the Minn-Kota Red Cross @ fargoredcross.org You can get the latest news in the Fargo flood by tuning into the Mighty 790 KFGO on the web.

I've surpassed the 6 week mark since fracturing my leg and I visited my ortho last week. He said my break is well healed and I should be good from here on out. That was the news I was hoping for and now I just need to stay healthy for the foreseeable future. This winter has stunk but I look forward to spring and the warmer temperatures. It will be fun to take the Pugs for walks over at the university. Not all the Pugs at once though :-)



I came across the above video of Squeaky the Pig and got a kick out of his special talent. Squeaky is Babe the Pig come to life and who would have thought that this was even possible! If you think you've seen it all, watch this clip and be amazed.

Sarah the stupid

It's been a while since I've made any political observations but a recent story from the "Land of the Midnight Sun" has inspired me.

Sarah Palin the queen of the gaffe has returned to making the national headlines. Ms. Palin has made her objections to the Obama stimulus very publicly known. She may have her convictions but she has no problem accepting 69% of the funds. The important thing to look at here is what funds that she just couldn't possibly accept.

Governor Palin recently has refused 171.5 million that was slated mostly for special education services. That's right folks, Palin the self proclaimed friend & advocate of people with special needs withheld monies that would improve the educational services that they receive. She has some nerve when her son Trig will be depending on those same services during his school years. How can a person like that sleep at night?

Governor Palin has sold out her own son and others with disabilities just so she can do some political posturing. This demonstrates a perverse desire for attention and an attitude that nothing will keep her from appearing ultra conservative. She needs to face the reality that she'll never be able to lead on a larger stage. The election of 2008 showed plenty evidence of that. Alright, I'll get off the soapbox but I wanted to express my dismay over this outrageous hypocrisy :-)

I'd like to say that my prayers and thoughts are with all those in North Dakota and Minnesota who are fighting the severe flooding. This brings back memories of the disasterous flooding of 1997 and hopefully the outcome will be much better this time around. I'll be one of many who will be eagerly watching the developments this week.



I'll be back soon with an update on my leg. My final orthopedic appointment is Thursday am I am confident that the news will be good.

Peace...Mark

Stories...

Quality storytelling is something that I've always been in awe of. A quality storyteller brings their reader/viewer along for the journey and you feel a part of the events transpiring before you. It is an experience that leaves you with the feeling that you witnessed something out of the ordinary. I stumbled across one of these stories last week.

I was surfing around Netflix late at night looking for something interesting to watch. When I'm in this state of mind, I usually am perusing the documentaries that are in their vast catalog. The title Bulls of Suburbia stuck out to me and I had to check it out.

Bulls of Suburbia is the story of American born Alex Lemay. Lemay spent a great deal of his childhood in Spain where he developed an affinity for bullfighting. This documentary follows Alex as he battles his alcohol addiction and pursues his dream of becoming a matador. Alex enrolled in a California bullfighting school where he began learning this complex art. The movie follows Alex through his training, participation in tientas (training sessions with young livestock), and eventually a one on one with a mature bull.

Now I realize this is a controversial subject with many people but I appreciated the art and culture surrounding bullfighting. Check out the included trailer if you have a further interest in this film.

As I type this, our little Sammy is at puppy school with Theresa. I'm sure he'll do great and will melt the hearts of all the people he encounters. I've included some pictures of our growing boy. The second picture was taken after he investigated the catnip. Never a dull moment in this house!

It's time to go dine on some corn beef, potatoes, and carrots. Happy St. Patrick's Day and I'll catch you all later...Mark

Slow but sure

Things continue to move slow here in Missoula but I'm feeling better. My pain has leveled off considerably and that makes me quite happy. I saw the ortho last week and he had some encouraging news. I have a month left of healing and my femur is well aligned. The doctor put me into a hinged brace and this has been much more comfortable. It hurts much less to move because the brace has a bit of give to it.

I've been surprised with how much I really miss school. The structure of school is good for me because it keeps me focused. Don't get me wrong the break is nice but the itch for school remains. My plan is to take a biology lab class online and possibly a American History class on campus over the summer. We'll just have to see how the summer plans take shape. It would be great to get back to North Dakota for a visit but we'll have to wait and see.

Yesterday I ventured out and my leg did well. We're working on getting some range back in my knee so there won't be much transition when the brace comes off. I went and checked out the new Safeway store while I was out. The store is gorgeous and they have just about everything you could want. Alright I confess I'm a bit of a dork when it comes to checking out grocery stores. That was my day out and I look forward to getting out of the house more and more.

That's about it for new developments in my life. Spring feels like it's in the air and it will be nice to enjoy the outdoors again. I am looking forward to taking the Pugs on walks around the University. Take care and I'll be back next week with updated pictures of our little Sammy.

Peace...Mark