PART OF SOMETHING GREATER

Each day we invest our energy and our lives into making widgets, selling widgets, servicing widgets and providing for the needs of those who work with widgets.  The widget is whatever you make or sell or service, in other words, what you do for a living.

When we focus on these activities, we develop a kind of tunnel vision and our view of the world is quite small.  Please, do not misunderstand me, making a living, supporting yourself and your family is very important, but each of us needs to be part of something larger.

Some seek to broaden their horizon through organized faith and religion while others thorough service organizations, military service, working for the good of our communities or even joining social clubs.  Each of us need to become a part of something larger, no matter how small the part we play may be.

As you walk along the beach that is life, may your footprints, your legacy, leave a lasting impression and not be like those along the water’s edge, washed away with the next tide.

All I know is what I read in the papers

Good Evening all,

I have not attended a Jeff Co PUD Commission meeting since I lost the election but have been following it in the Leader.  It has been an interesting read.

I see that there will be a new candidate seeking a seat at that table, will be an interesting campaign, I might just attend a few of the meet and greets to what happens.

Meanwhile, my duties as a Hospital Commissioner are keeping me busy as is my "day job" at Arrow Lumber and Hardware located just south of Port Townsend.

See you around, maybe at the farmer's market
Tony

Tis the season

Good Morning all,

As the holiday approaches, finding that perfect gift, the parties and preparing the great feast are first and foremost in our minds. Please, however, take a moment to remember what is really important. It is not the price of the gift that makes it special, it is the love in which it is wrapped, not the gourmet quality of the meal, but with whom you break bread that makes it a memorable event.

If you are blessed with family and friends, please let them know how much they mean to you, this season and all seasons. The worth of a man or woman is not measured by the money in their pocket but by the love in their heart, shared freely, without expectation, that measures their true wealth.

Let's share this wealth of love with those close to us and the new friends who we have not yet met.

CHUCK IS BACK!!

Chuck is back!!!

Chuck Russell, my friend and fellow Hospital Commissioner, is on the mend and had one of his first public outings today at the Valley Tavern, the business he owns.  It was good to see the spark back in his eyes again.  He told us all how badly he feels that someone lost their life in the accident, something he says he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

I am looking forward to working again with Chuck on the Hospital Board for the rest of his current term and THE NEXT 6 YEAR TERM!!  We have missed his wisdom, his quick wit and the way he quickly glean through the mass of information presented to find the correct course to of action to take.

He still has much to offer our Hospital Board and to those he serves, the residents of Eastern Jefferson County.  His common sense approach and honest willingness to serve his community has been a great asset to Jefferson County Public Hospital District #2 during his term as OUR Hospital Commissioner.

I would hope that you would VOTE to allow Chuck Russell to continue to serve our community as OUR HOSPITAL COMMISSIONER, but, what really matters is that you VOTE, make your voice heard!!!

Welcome Back Chuck!!

This was my 5th and probably last race for 2015. My times have gotten progressively better for each race. This time out, my average was 17.74 minutes per mile. Wouldn't even register on a "real" runners scorecard, but for me, that is pretty cool.

I do not compete with the others in the race, I only compete with myself, trying be a little better this time than the last. To me, at 66 years old, just starting the race makes me a winner, finishing just confirms that we can accomplish things that we did not think possible.

During the race, I had a bit of time to think about many things. The sun was warm, the shade provided a bit of cooling, the breeze refreshed me and the scenery was terrific.

I thought about a very deer friend of mine recuperating from injuries he received in a recent traffic accident.

Other thoughts kept arising, thoughts about those wonderful, motivated young men and women who commit to serving their, and our, county in the armed forces. Far too many of them, as a result of their sacrifice, cannot do what I was doing today, not for lack of courage and determination, but due to injuries received in combat. Many do still compete, on prosthetic limbs, in wheel chairs, they still compete and are the true champions!!

If you have not been in a race, you should think about it. This is a great way to challenge yourself, improve your health and maybe, just maybe, add a year or two to your life. But, please remember, do a bit of training first. If you have never done long distance walking or running, get some advise on how to avoid injuries.

Must admit, moving a bit slowly tonight, maybe a new ache there or pain there, but, as they say, no pain....

End of another summer but not the list

Good Evening all,

As the last warm days of summer turn into the fall's cooler prelude to winter's icy grasp, I was reviewing my list of the fun things that I will do this summer. 

As I look at the long list, a list with very few mission accomplished check marks, I wondered why, with an entire summer, that I did not do more of the fun stuff.  Simple answer, I let life get in the way, you know, mow the lawn, fix the step, mow the lawn again, the stuff the we let get in our way.  I have been accused of, from time to time, taking the easy path in my personal live, not forgoing  the dreaded to-do list, the responsibilities that come with being a grown-up.

I had made myself a promise that this summer would be different, that I would do a bunch of fun stuff, the things on my summer list.  It seems that  it is much easier to keep a promise to others than it is to yourself.  I told myself that this summer would be different, and I believed myself.

Taking another look at the list for 2015, so many items looked familiar.  They are!!  They are carry-overs from 2014, 2013, 2012 and so on.  Not big things like a trip to the Bahamas, things like going to a movie at our local drive-in theater (yes, we still have one, the Wheel-In Theater.  And then there was a day trip to a west coast ocean beach, like Kalalock (yes, that is how it is spelled).  A picnic under a shady tree followed by a brief nap, falling asleep watching the clouds drift by through the tree branches. 

These were such simple expectations of new summer memories created, most costing no more that a few gallons of gas and a home-made sandwich.

Can I believe myself when I say that the summer of 2016 will be different, that I will diligently work my way down that fun stuff list, enjoying making those check marks?  Then a moment of stark reality stuck me.  I may have squandered away my last summer on this earth, there may not be a summer of 2016 for me, but I hope there will be.  Maybe the spirits of summers past will haunt me this night. Why not, worked for Scrooge!

I truly hope that you had more success doing all the fun things that you had planned for 2015.  Well, there may still be a few nice days left, let's all get out there and have some fun
Have a good evening and a fun tomorrow!!
Tony

Thank you all

Thank all of you who supported me in last year's campaign for the Jefferson County PUD Commission.  I am now blogging at a new site, based on my  home-based lawn mower and small engine repair business that I have started.

You can view that site at:   http://tonyssmallenginerepair.blogspot.com/

Thanks again
Tony