OMG! WTF?

Just got this flyer in the mail for cell phone service.

Since when did the word "Boomer" become synonymous with 'old fart who can't figure out a cell phone'!!?? Dang, I am catching up with my ancestors!!!

In Our Highest Esteem
Jeff Ebel Honored by AWI
From: Newsletter of the Architectural Woodwork Institute

There are many great people in this organization, who give so much of their time and effort…and who dig way down deep to make a good idea a reality in excellence,” said AWI President Doug Carney in presenting AWI’s highest honor to an individual.
“There is one individual this year who achieved all that, and more…whose efforts went beyond the norm to soar to outstanding results. That person is Jeff Ebel, Chairman of the AWI Speaker Bureau,” Carney said in presenting him with the AWI “President’s Award.”
Mr. Ebel in 2009 earned Toastmaster International’s highest award of Distinguished Toastmaster. He took on the chairmanship of the AWI Speaker Bureau after selling his manufacturing company, and then continued to give of his time and successfully launched this mission-critical AWI initiative.
“It was our goal as an organization to assemble a pool of qualified, motivating speakers to promote the professionalism of architectural woodworking firms and to educate and strengthen our relationship with the design community,” Carney said. Under Mr. Ebel’s leadership, results were far above what was expected on two counts.
First, 50 AWI members joined the Speaker Bureau, agreeing to make presentations to a variety of professional groups. He ensured that all of these speakers underwent a proper training session and met or exceeded the American Institute of Architects’ presenter quality compliance criteria before officially representing AWI.
Second, the number of AIA-approved programs delivered this year is already surpassing last year’s number.
AWI recognized Mr. Ebel’s outstanding service to the industry on Friday, October 29 during the AWI President’s Dinner held at the 58th AWI Annual Convention in Denver, CO. The prestigious AWI “President’s Award” is bestowed to a worthy “individual who has been a volunteer for many years; has served as a role model; and has shown the quality of leadership, the spirit of volunteerism, and family.”
Congratulations, Mr. Ebel. Thank you for all of your efforts...your time, your talent and your persistence in bringing this program to fruition. Job well done!

Food

I got an app for my ipod from epicurious.com and have found some amazingly delicious and simple recipes there. Today it was Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Salad with Sweet Chili-Ginger Vinaigrette. Kent liked it so much he picked up his plate and licked it clean. I haven't seen him do that since the last time I made stroganoff. Another big hit was Seared Asian Steak and Mushrooms on Mixed Greens with Ginger Dressing. So simple and so delicious! I got home late and everyone was hungry so we needed something fast but good. It was a hit. Both dressings are a bit on the sweet side so if you're watching your high-fructose corn syrup intake, you'll have to adjust the recipes a bit.

There are tons of seasonal and vegetarian, recipes too. My favorites folder is getting stuffed. From there I can select the recipes I want to make and combine them to create a shopping list which is available offline, so I can use it while I'm shopping. What a concept! And the app was free!

Blogging...

Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.

From Despair, Inc.

An idea almost worth considering...

I got this in one of those forwarded emails...

So you're a sick senior citizen and the government says there is no nursing home available for you so what do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older a gun and 4 bullets. You are allowed to shoot 2 Politicians and 2 illegal immigrants.

Of course, this means you will be sent to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your head, central heating, air conditioning and all the health care you need! New teeth - no problem. Need glasses, great. New hip, knees, kidney, lungs, heart? All covered. (And your kids can come and visit you as often as they do now).

And who will be paying for all of this? The same government that just told you that they cannot afford for you to go into a home.

Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income taxes any more!

IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?

Jean kicks butt at DECA Wisconsin Fall Leadership Conference

Jean Ebel-Kohloff has courageously stepped out of her comfort zone and made waves at the DECA Wisconsin Fall Leadership Conference in Green Bay. Jean, you rock!! And, she placed 2nd in the 100 question exam on Retail Management.
Back in her corner of the state she placed 3rd in a Retail Management exam and 3rd in the Marketing Management Case Study at the Regional Conference in Kenosha.

That's the way ya do it!!!

Jeremy Ebel Runs the Leadville 100!!!

On August 21 and 22, Pat and I witnessed an incredible feat of human endurance and tenacity. Jeremy ran in and completed the Leadville 100, a 100 mile race through the mountains near Leadville, CO.

This race is 50 miles out and 50 miles back in the midst of the Colorado Rockies. Low point is 9,200 feet; the high point is Hope Pass at 12,600 feet. A majority is on forest trails with some mountain roads. Throughout the course, runners climb and descend 15,000 feet.

Pacers are allowed after the 50-mile point. This race is supported by enthusiastic volunteers at 11 well-supplied aid stations with time cut-offs along the course.

Last January Jeremy informed us that he would compete in this race. Neither Pat nor I had ever heard of such a race and thought only nutcases would even attempt such a thing (we found we were pretty close). He hired a professional trainer to prepare for this event and worked out all year. Pat and I decided to take the trip to Colorado to witness this event and take him to the hospital if needed.

Pat and I had never experienced a marathon, let alone an extreme marathon like this. When we arrived it soon was apparent that we would be his crew. What’s a crew? We found out in a hurry. We were to provide logistical support – cloths, water, food, etc. along the way at designated spots approximately every 10 miles.

He started the race with an easy pace at 4:00 AM on Saturday, completing the first 25 miles in about 4 ½ hours.

Still strong and maintaining a pace to finish under 24 hours, he crossed Hope Pass to the halfway point at about 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday. Starting his return trip he was allowed a pacer to run with him and carry some of his load. Brian, his trainer, agreed to pace back through Hope Pass. They reached mile 60 at about 7:30 in the evening where he took a brief break for food water and rest.

Jeremy’s good friend Kevin took over as pacer from mile 60 to mile 75. Evening had fallen by mile 75 and with it a nearly full moon and temperatures in the 30s. After sweating and then stopping in the cold, Jeremy’s core temperature began to drop, giving him severe chills. Pat and the aid station workers worked to warm him up with blankets, warm food and the salamander. He spent almost an hour and a half regaining his body temperature and strength, and then continued on to the next station 12 miles away without his pacer. Kevin would join him again at mile 87 and pace him to the race completion.

By the time Jeremy reached the last aid station he was experiencing crippling pain in his foot, and he was worried that he might have a stress fracture (typical for this type of race). It appeared to be a bone bruise, and although quite painful, would not necessarily end his race. For the final leg of the race we taped up his foot, got some food into him and he was once again on his way.

I asked Kevin via walkie-talkie to let me know when they had crested the hill to the final approach so I could prepare for a great photo. I timed a few of the other runners who were coming in, most of them walking by now, and figured I had about 5 minutes to prepare. As I leisurely made my way through the crowd to the finish line I happened to look up and see Jeremy about 20 feet from the finish line. I frantically reached for my camera which happened to be on, but the lens cap was still on. I managed to get the cap off and had time for only two pictures – one shown here. Jeremy had decided to run up the final hill to the finish after running for 29 hours and 21 minutes.

Of the 800 participants in this race, only 355 completed it. Witnessing what was accomplished by these runners gave me a new appreciation for what the human body is capable of. Heck, I’m almost inspired enough to get off of my La Z Boy and get some activity in my life…but then again…

by Jeff Ebel

Life on the Ayakulik

Kent and I have been "awarded" an extra 3 weeks here at the Ayakulik Lodge. The weather has been crappy - rain everyday but maybe two. Gray and gloomy we've been wearing our longjohns and layering everything we brought to stay warm. We're also heating with wood - in JULY!!! The daytime temps have been in the 50s with a bite to the wind. Yesterday I stayed inside by the fire while it poured rain all day. I am tired of filming in the rain. We are waiting for the pink salmon to come in. Supposedly they will be here in numbers around 900,000. When they come like that, the bears really get active.

We've seen bears around here we haven't seen before. They are coming in anticipation of the salmon. This morning I saw some salmon in the ocean, jumping and splashing so I am expecting to see some action in the next day or two. The new bears appear to be related, some of them, to the rest of the clan here. Oddly, there is a familial resemblance I would not have expected to see in bears. But there is one new bear who appears to be the same age as one that’s been around and they have other similarities as well. And I’m not talking about fuzzy ears and big paws either!

Yesterday I defended our cache of salmon from the mama bear and her four cubs. Mama was maybe 50 ft. from me, heading my way. She knew we had a couple of fish – she could smell them. I turned toward her and said GO! NO BEARS! Yikes! My courage and stupidity caught me off-guard! Thing is, she was testing me. I’ve seen her do it before and I watched Tom move toward her the same way and darned if she didn’t go. If you back down, forget living here with them. They’ll chew you up. I’m not about to arm wrestle her for a few fish but once they see you as a food source, there’s no stopping them.

When Kent brought the fish back to clean them, he was down by the river and I looked out to see a big bear sniffing the air and moving his way, behind his back! I hollered and yelled my head off until he heard me and looked up. He scolded the bear and chased him away! We wouldn’t get away with this in October but oddly, in July it works! We enjoyed our salmon like no other! Grilled to perfection and as fresh as fresh can be. The sushi is sublime!

Wrens Nesting in Watering Can

Our front porch had a family of wrens in the little metal watering can under the fern. I got these video clips through the windows on tn the front porch and pieced them together with iMovie. Two days after I took these clips, the nest was empty.