The Cruise

Here are the details of our Bluegrass Cruise....
It's on an Italian ship - COSTA MAGICA

Leave Ft. Lauderdale 18 Febuary...to San Juan...St. Thomas...La Romana...Grand Turks/Caicos Islands and back to Ft. Lauderdale on Febuary 25.

We will be traveling with: Cherryholmes, Mark Newton, Audie Blaylock, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Wildfire, Michael Cleveland, Marty Raybon, Tim Graves & Cherokee and Chasin' Steel.

It's a bring your instrument and jam kinda cruise... "let's see....Cherryholmes may need a dobro player?"

There is still room for you bluegrass nuts out there!!!!

Tubeless at last!

Since the last post I've had all drain tubes removed including the vacuum. I still need to repack the left side wound two times a day but that seemes to go real well. The doctor says I can do pretty much whatever I want to do but should not overdo anything. I find that sitting for extended periods gets pretty uncomfortable but other than that I feel great. With all the time I have had to think, I have decided that the melanoma on both occasions was brought on by the use of Lamisil. Twenty five years ago when the three freckles grew into the first melanoma I was taking lamisil. Twelve to 18 months ago I took Lamisil. I believe that for me, lamisil equals melanoma. I don't know how it does it but I am pretty sure that it does! Now, how scientific is that conclusion? I actually filled out an online report to the FDA letting them know of my discovery.

I've begun the preliminary work on building a double bass. Because the wood costs so much I'm going to practice on some 2x lumber before I make the commitment. I could buy a nice laminated bass for less than the parts for a carved bass will cost. I have begun making templates and will soon begin construction of the "inner form" which is needed to construct the bass.

Rose, Don, Lenord, Susan and I made a trip over to Graves Mountain Sunday and picked up some peach wine from Rose River Winery (a very small operation).

I also signed myself and Rose up for a 7 day bluegrass cruse (with Cherryholmes). It departs Flordia in the middle of February.

Looking forward to Jenny coming down for a visit this week. It will be the first time that she has visited the farm as Mrs. Ruberto.

The Plan

What I believe....

Puppies are a pain to raise ...
lambs are cute but turn into sheep ...
weeds are impossible to control ...
beef is good to eat ...
my kubota is great ...
people make decisions very early that effects their entire life...
personal responsibility is key to happiness ...
making guitars is difficult but rewarding ...
friends are much better than wealth ...
God has a plan for us ...
if you want to hear God laugh tell him YOUR plans ...
God's plan is strategic not tactical ...
Believing this has made my current medical problems much easier to face ...

Here is what I believe it is:

All through the old testament God tried to deal with his people by letting them earn the right to go to heaven. He set up simple laws that allowed the righteous to earn their way by following the rules. Time after time man proved that he could not, on his own, live up to the challenge. I believe that even the smallest sin disqualifies us from heaven.

The new testament makes it clear that even the thought of the sin is enough. Jimmy Carter admits that he has sinned in his heart. So what are we to do? God, knowing our hearts and our inability to be sin free sent his son to live the sin free life, to be killed for being good, and to defeat death and sit by the side of God in heaven. What I believe that this means for us is: if we believe in Jesus, when we die and face the judgment, that God will see his son standing in our place and will find us faultless. There is nothing we can do, no action we can take, no life on this earth that can achieve this goal. The only way to heaven is belief in Jesus as the son of God. And this is a free guift.

I know there are Christian religions that make all kinds of demands on their members to do this or not do that in order to get to heaven. I'm not buying it! There is only one thing and that is belief in the Christ. I believe we sin every day...it's impossible not to sin. But God has taken that burden away. I think we should try to live a Christ like life, but should also understand that we WILL fall short. That problem has been taken care of for the believer.

Life is good ...
God is good ...

Four Day Vacation

The saga continues ... when I went back to the doctoe on Monday they removed one of the drains from my left side. Everything looked ok. Tuesday morning I woke up and found that the other two drains had lost suction and the drainage was happening out of the incision and down my leg. I tried until Thursday to keep everything dry but was having no luck so I called the doctor and went in for an appointment on Friday morning. The wound had opened and had begun to get infected so back into the hospital (another Four Day Vacation) for massive antibotics and wound care. They decided to put a "wound vac" on me. It's a small vacuum that compresses the opening and removes the drainage. I went back to doctor yesterday for check and he is really happy with the wound progress. Probably another two to three weeks of vacuuming my leg. I'mfeeling pretty good and can get around again.

Mother nature is taking care of the farm ... cows are beginning to have their fall babies. Ray and Peggy just became grandparents again. The trees are just beginning to show signs of changing color. Susan and her three daughters spent the other day eating dim sum and shopping in Leesburg. Bill Dictel's doctor son just had his second heart operation and is doing well. Some dog's attacked and killed some of Malou's sheep. Deiter has cleaned out the chicken coop and it is spic and span and the farm fresh eggs are flowing again. The garden has been cleaned up and awaiting compost to be tilled in. Five new pregnant cows were delivered late last week so we should have a good crop of spring cows. Bill Bohn has been trying to keep up with the fences while his small trailer seems to have disappeared. The sun is out and it is a beautiful day.

It amazes me at how lucky I have been during this health battle. Friends and family have been absolutely fantastic in their support. The food keeps coming and Rose is crying uncle (she is gaining weight). It is not easy for me to be the center of attention and accept all of the help that has been offered. But it means a lot to both Rose and me ... we can feel the love. Calls and e-mails from friends and co-workers have brightened my days. I even got an e-mail from an old friend and co-worker (Paul) and found out two weeks later that he has been in the hospital undergoing pancreatic (sp) cancer surgery. That is some serious stuff. When I commented to my doctor that 9 hours was a long operation he said that the pancreatic surgery lasted 16-18 hours. So, Paul my preyers are with you and hope you have a quick recovery!

I think I may write a brief essay on what I think is important in life and what I believe. That could be the end of this blog!!!! ;-)