Car Shows, Graduations, and a GETAWAY

They don’t remember me or know me yet. They're challenging me! In a few months, they’ll be eating out of my hand and patiently posing at the new feeders ;-)

Life has peaked lately, man. I’ve been busier than ever and craving sleep more than I can remember. The Dean of our campus is smitten with the photography on my blog and of the Wildlife Habitat. She dreams that I would be the “campus photographer” for updating the campus websites. Well, heyall yeah! I’ll gladly trade my office job to photograph full-time. Just let them provide me with a brand new digital SLR and I’ll wow them. She asked me to photograph a car show to benefit the auto body students of our transportation technology group last Saturday.

Memories, anyone? Remember the 60’s Stang?

It’s graduation time. I’ve been scrambling to organize a semester’s worth of photos for the Criminal Justice Academy and for my special group of police cadets. The cadets graduate tomorrow but I won’t be there. For them, I sifted through 400 photos and chose 116 to include in the PowerPoint slideshow I just completed yesterday. A chronological story featuring them – from my heart. They know it’s coming and I hope I don’t disappoint them. They’ll see it tomorrow and take a copy home.

A group of eighteen dwindled to eight from January to May. On a cold, early spring morning, I pulled into the parking lot and saw them run, march, and heard their voices sing with the sergeant. Beautiful. Voices strong, bodies tired.

The final eight cadets have nicknames they’ll carry with them through life but they won’t have to carry the blocks any longer. And, if you are wondering, Monique Johnson, a.k.a. Niki Parker, made it to final eight. Makes ma heart warm.

This photo was taken on Monday after Pebbles passed her POPAT (police officer physical agility test), walking off the physical drain on her way to the shower. Only one hurdle left for Pebbles – the State Exam taken yesterday. I’ll miss seeing them graduate but I’ll see all of them again – proudly wearing their police uniform.

At dawn tomorrow, Michael and I will be on the road to Maryland for a few days. Away from the starlings, grackles, job, computer. I'll see Dad. My Dad has been in his nursing home for a year and a half now and doing well, but to be quite honest, it’s depressing and very saddening for me to see him there, in the same bed, in the same wheelchair, in his state of infancy. A little sparkle in his eye will make me smile. If he tells a joke, I’ll hold back a cartwheel and shout out, “You Go, Dad!” I'll be sure to bring him McDonald's french fries and a small piece of chocolate.

We dread leaving the Licker Sisters but their dog sitter is the best. No worries.

But the birds will starve. Shall I hire a bird sitter? Maybe next time…

Thanks for all your visits and comments. Welcome new readers, too. I hope to catch up with all ya’all soon. Next week.