Pull Tight

After several months of little exercise except for 3 or 4 four mile walks each week with my dogs, I have increased my physical activity.  Beginning a couple of weeks ago, now going for about a 20-25 mile bicycle ride after each dog walk.  As it is still really hot in my part of the world, the ride is followed by a quick dip in the pool.  When my daughter heard my new routine her remark was "Dad, your doing a senior citizen triathlon ". Thinking about riding the RAGRAI or something similar next summer.  Also in the early stages of planning a ride in 2020 with any friends and/or relatives who want to join me.  Ride will be from San Diego to Savannah or similar destinations.  More to come on this ride, but think about joining me for a leisurely bicycle ride from coast to coast.

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen. Ernest Hemingway   I have been experiencing some hearing loss for many years.  Had just of sort of grown used to it, I suppose.  At least high-frequency loss beginning in my 20s or before and a gradual loss through the years.  Maybe from severe ear infections as a child or too much time around very noisy farm equipment, but whatever reason I definitely have impaired hearing.   Had delayed getting hearing aids for various reasons, could still hear conversations if not in noisy settings, closed captions are on TV, hearing devices available at the theater, etc.  And vanity probably paid a bigger part than I would readily admit.  Elsewhere in Pulltight I mentioned a hearing test with the good and bad news being I could not understand female voices. It was actually a lot more than just female voices. Last fall Nancy and I visited the Texas State Fair.  One of the highlights of