How June doing? What June doing? Happy Father’s Day. It’s Blog Post #113. If that wasn’t enough to get excited about, I’m sharing a big personal announcement.

To the Road

My wife and I are travelling again. Having not truly travelled since 2019, we are excited to be heading to Holland for a couple days before going to Norway for three weeks.

To Health and Back

My health continues to improve and hence, travel is back on. I’m feeling more and more like myself with each week and month that passes. It’s quite exciting. Unfortunately, the last 5 plus years of health problems have left me weak, overweight, fatigued (although not near as much as when I was at my sickest), and feeling much older than I am (I turn 50 this year).

Now, I’m back working out and running albeit light and easy. My energy is coming back. I’m excited to wake up in the morning again. It’s amazing.

Pick Up the Pace

I’ve felt like a snail… a dead snail, a snail without a shell, a snail in a French restaurant. Now, I’m feeling alive… like a live snail… with a shell, putting itself out there into the world, prepared to travel, and take on whatever life throws its way. There was no final snail in the coffin. Snailed it.

By the Skin of Your Teeth

With over three weeks of travel planned, I thought I should get to the dentist to make sure everything is good. Is there anything quite like travelling to a foreign country and having dental problems once you get there? Then you have to go to a sporting goods store, buy a hockey skate, make friends with a volleyball… I’d like to avoid all that.

My dentist recommended a root canal.

I said, “No way. Let’s find another route.”

Words of Wisdom

1. Don’t be afraid to find another way.

With discount airlines, checked bags and even carry on bags are so expensive that you’re better off travelling with no luggage. It’s cheaper to arrive at your destination, buy all the clothes and toiletries you’ll need and then donate to the local charity before you leave. Snailed it!

2. Be helpful when the opportunity presents.

Three kids were throwing around an American football. When one of them missed a catch, the ball went down a hill and into the ocean. The tide began to take it away. At the same time, a man was on the shore was getting into a kayak. The kids all ran over and asked him to get the ball which had continued to move further and further away from the shore. The man in kayak paddled and paddled and paddled until he reached the ball. He then took the ball, put in his kayak, and began paddling… further out. He yelled back at the kids, “See you at the Superbowl, bitches!”

3. Go to the dentist before you go on any extended trip to a foreign country.

Thanks for reading this month’s blog. More details of our trip are coming next month. Stay tuned. It’s now time for the ending joke. It’s been more and more difficult to come up with original ending jokes. Here’s why. Enjoy.

My wife wanted to get a new bed. The old one was sagging and creaky. It needed to be replaced. I was very sad.

I told her, “I’ve done some of my best work in this bed….

sleeping, and coming up with blog jokes.”