And how was YOUR summer?...

[Sol]

Hiya everyone, it's been a long time...

As some of you have noticed, I've been absent most of the summer and for good reasons. No, I was not in jail lol...

I simply had very important decisions to make and the little time I have - as I am self employed (that's kinda like a jail though but without the bars...and the butthurt...) - this time has been preciously devoted to make huge changes in both Louise (my gf) and my life...

We've spent a great deal of time renovating this home here as we will be selling. With Louise's daughter finishing her last year of dental school and as she'll be heading out to the grand Ol' U.S of A for her residency next year, well...this house will become way too big for just the two of us. And then there are the tenants, and Louise has had enough of those.

So we've been on the market, looking, visiting but haven't found the 'gem' yet...

As many of you know, Lou's Mom passed away this summer and that also has been a wild ride. A tough and emotional one. Lou has had major stomach issues since then and even though she's passed tests to find out what it could be, no results are in yet. She's seeing her doctor next Friday and hopefully, we'll know more then...

She also decided to get back to work as of next January. Part time, but that should cover the loneliness and boredom when I'm not around.

As for me, my summer has been filled with work, work and work. Did I mention work? Yes, renovating the place on my spare time is also considered work sigh...

BUT I will be rewarding myself on a few fronts.

First, as many of you know, I am still missing a tooth in the front (since getting a water tank smash my face quite a while ago) and my three other front teeth have started to move. One cannot be saved and I am losing bone structure in my front gums. So I will be starting procedures this month to fix that.

I will also fix the problem I have with missing back molars (that's been years and chewing is an everyday challenge)...so....

Complete dental makeover. It'll cost a boatload but I am really looking forward to smiling...and...chewing again.

Oh...I'll be as ugly but at least when I smile, it'll look like this:






(without the ear piercings that is...)


Then there is a activity issue that I've had for years now. As in...no activity. You see, in my younger days, I was what one would call a sports enthusiast...or maniac...yeah...if it involved personal challenge and straight out competition, I was all in.

Those last few years have been devoted to very little gym and swimming. This summer, I had planned to get back to regular swimming. Yet, I didn't swim once. Not once. Just no time. And that seriously pissed me off.

So...I've made another important decision. Register to a Club. But which? Not bowling...too young for that yet...but some sports or activities are just way out of my league now as I'm not twenty anymore either...so I looked and researched. Spent a great deal of time looking for something that I would enjoy, something that I could do all year round and something that would include pushing myself to get better every time and that would leave me wanting a little competition with others every now and then...

So for this coming Fall, I've registered and will be joining these guys:





in the local Archery Club where I live. They are well renown, have outdoor access in the summer, on acres of land for both target practice AND hunting, and have interior facilities for the winter. So I am really looking forward to that : )


Haven't decided with with type of bow I'll be going with yet, recurve or compound...recurve is way more challenging but harder...so I'll see...


And even though I haven't been around these parts here, I was still thinking about you guys and gals. So there are a few ideas that I'll have to swing by Guohua and Senona first but we'll get back to you on those once decisions are made. All good stuff : )


So this is not an apology for not being around. It was necessary. If only to clear my head from any external issues that would take my focus out of important life decisions.

I am now happy to be back, among people that I love and have missed. Looking forward to this Fall : )


So do tell....


How was YOUR summer?


Hugs all around,


Sol.

[BIAD]

How was YOUR summer?
Hugs all around,
Sol.

BIAD and me are ecstatic that you're back with us in this cult-like forum!
Your robes are washed and hanging up in your locker.

I must admit, I did forage through some boxes in my garage for my old Father's
dentures on the off-chance you may need them, but I'm glad you got sorted.
By the way, the offer for you-and-yours to move in with BIAD in that homely
shed of his, is still open.

We -here at Rogue can understand how at your age, has chosen to take a-more
'lesser' exerting hobby and I'm sure you'll great in Robin Hood stockings.
BIAD did.

Well, that's enough of pretending to be nonchalant... WE MISSED YOU!!
(Glad you're back, friend)


Just tryin' for a smile!

[DuckforcoveR]

THAT is one heck of a summer SOL. The archery club certainly seems like fun, I personally picked the recurve. It gives me an excuse when I'm not as sharp as some of my counterparts....

Mine seems about as busy as yours, very little time to myself but just enough to not feel like I'm falling behind. We are still insanely busy at work with this whole takeover project. I used to put on (what seemed like) a few miles each day at work and now I'm relegated to a CPU for much of it and feel like I'm putting on the pounds instead.

Congrats for her completing dental school!

It'll be nice to be around here more and to see you around here more. Looking forward to fall (and winter), I LOVE the cold. My last life must have been living in Siberia (and living well) because I'm only comfortable once I see everybody else is miserable in the weather here. You're a bit further north (OK, MUCH further north) than Wisconsin and I can only imagine you share a similar sentiment? Is that a long shot?

Anywho, nice to see you again

[guohua]

HUH,  So Much To Learn!
My idea of Bow Hunting,  
Or His and Her 

[Sol]

How was YOUR summer?
Hugs all around,
Sol.

BIAD and me are ecstatic that you're back with us in this cult-like forum!
Your robes are washed and hanging up in your locker.

Clean robes? Well thank you !! Now if I can only find that darn locker key...

I must admit, I did forage through some boxes in my garage for my old Father's
dentures on the off-chance you may need them, but I'm glad you got sorted.
By the way, the offer for you-and-yours to move in with BIAD in that homely
shed of his, is still open.

If I ever was to visit the UK, trust me, BIAD's shed is on top of my list !

We -here at Rogue can understand how at your age, has chosen to take a-more
'lesser' exerting hobby and I'm sure you'll great in Robin Hood stockings.
BIAD did.

Sol in tights ???





Hmmmm....no.

Well, that's enough of pretending to be nonchalant... WE MISSED YOU!!
(Glad you're back, friend)

Glad to be back too ! I missed you and I'll probably faint when I find out just how many new banners you've made since I left...

It's good seeing you again Phil ! Pass my regards to the God in Red !!

[Sol]

THAT is one heck of a summer SOL. The archery club certainly seems like fun, I personally picked the recurve. It gives me an excuse when I'm not as sharp as some of my counterparts....

Good thinking !! I hadn't thought of that ! The compound only attracts me because of the 8 pound pressure on the pull instead of 40 on the recurve. BUT the recurve seems to be so much more challenging...If I had to choose now, it would be the recurve but I'll wait and see what other archers think - from their experience - once I'm in the ' zone' ... : )

Mine seems about as busy as yours, very little time to myself but just enough to not feel like I'm falling behind. We are still insanely busy at work with this whole takeover project. I used to put on (what seemed like) a few miles each day at work and now I'm relegated to a CPU for much of it and feel like I'm putting on the pounds instead.

Same here...Louise keeps laughing at me about my newly acquired (ok...not that new but just bigger) beer belly.

I keep telling her that there's a LOT of investment in there but meh....true story: I had to give ALL of my clothes to charity and get new ' this fits me ' stuff...To reward myself, I bought this really nice polo...medium...and didn't try it on. Put it on to go to work and Lou starts laughing (again)...telling me that this new shirt is 'hugging' me....



It's already in the new pile filed as 'charity donations'....

Congrats for her completing dental school!

Erika has visited tons of universities in the U.S. this summer. So far, she fell in love with Seattle and has applied for the residency. She's also applied to two other universities but doesn't want to tell us where they are as she doesn't want to jinx it. I am wishing for Hawaii so we can visit often ' grin ' ....

Curiously, here in Montreal, (she is at McGill which is top notch here in Canada), the residencies pay peanuts. Like a quarter or a third of what they pay in the U.S. ... but no matter where she chooses, Lou and I will be visiting her 3 or 4 times so...I HOPE there will be a few Rogues in her area to meet...

It'll be nice to be around here more and to see you around here more. Looking forward to fall (and winter), I LOVE the cold. My last life must have been living in Siberia (and living well) because I'm only comfortable once I see everybody else is miserable in the weather here. You're a bit further north (OK, MUCH further north) than Wisconsin and I can only imagine you share a similar sentiment? Is that a long shot?

Well Jim...they are calling for a very snowy, icy and extremely cold winter (farmer's almanach)...and errr.....I hope they're wrong. Being on the road all the time...I used to love winter because of the winter sports but now nah...don't enjoy it that much.

Anywho, nice to see you again

Nice to see you again as well !! And am happy to see that I wasn't the only one overflowed by work...Let's have a weight competition, shall we ?

[Sol]

HUH,  So Much To Learn!

The compound bow is only attractive because it's not as challenging as these beauties:








Crossbows...oh yes ! I visited the bigeest store we have here in Montreal - they are really pushing the compound bows... (probably more profit to them)...and they had a few neat hunting crossbows...thought of you and Rick when I saw them and thought that if you were there you'd be going like "hey Sol....look at these...."




So much to learn is right !! The local club has trainers on site with years and years of experience so I'll be 'getting on their nerves' a bit lol....

They also train for bow hunting and bow fishing...now THAT sounds cool to me !!

[guohua]

Oh My Oh My, looks like to much to learn, Way To Complicated For This Old Gal.
I enjoy the Trigger Squeeze!

Damn Nice To Have You Back,,, Sol