Better Late Than...

We were very busy this past Memorial Day weekend and I just realized I had not posted any pictures of our activities. We began the weekend on a Party Bus to Altoona, Kansas, followed up with a bike ride through Riverside and Old Town with Aaron and Stacy, a cookout with Betty, Kenzie, and Rainey, then another bike ride, our annual bike ride (bicycle and motorcycle), to Resthaven Cemetary for the Memorial service and a visit to old friends, including Sherry in Haysville and Brad's grandparents in White Chapel.

Scott Ochs decided to take a few of his close friends to Altoona, Kansas, to visit the Praire Nut Hut. An hour and a half ride of loud music (...Hot Fun in the Summertime...), cocktails, and dancing in the aisle of the bus got us to the Nut Hut. A belly full of Mountain Oysters, Frog Legs, and beer led us to Fredonia to the White Buffalo Saloon, then home.

Can you tell we had fun? (more pics in pic gallery)

Then, it was a bike ride with Aaron and Stacy on Saturday through our beloved Riverside.

 We were led on the "Brad Olmsted's Childhood in Riverside Tour," complete with the house he grew up in, the tree he fell out of, the church roof he and his little brother, Darren, used to jump off, the house where all the hippies lived, and much more... We stopped for lunch, the gals at Cafe Moderne, the dudes at Old Chicago, then met up with Josh for beers at the Anchor and Emerson Biggins. Life was good.

Spent Sunday afternoon with Rainey, who is walking and running and is so much fun...

 Then Monday we made our annual bicycle ride to Resthaven for the service and visit old friends. We hadn't realized until this year that the first graves we visit are all young people, gone from us too soon: John Brooks, Jason Dunegan, and Troy Reed. And all tragically.

It was a busy weekend, but a great time with friends creating new memories, and remembering those times with the ones who have gone on before us.

Comments

[Chandra]

You guys do the absolute coolest things. I want to be just like you when I grow up!

[Scott Ochs]

A Bloody Mary @ Caffe Moderne on Saturday morning (or God watches over little children and fools)

Waking up the morning after the legendary run to the Nut Hut I was tasked with picking up appetizers for a pool (yet another) party. Nursing a hangover that even Saddam Hussein would classify as a WMD and sunglasses to cover my blood shot eyes I made my way to a little Oasis of hipness located in the heart of the Bible belt (that would be our fair city of Wichita) called the Caffe Moderne. Three to go order of their fabulous Insalata Caprese was the perfect solution to my task.

Seeking out a “hair of the dog” treatment a Bloody Mary was in order. A lovely waitress approached and from WAY OUT OF THE BLUE asks “did you have a bus trip for your birthday last night?” I was fairly sure I have never met her, I thought as the fried synapses in my brain tried to do a quick inventory of the people and events from the previous night. Damn my head hurts was the only sensation from the fried synapses but I was able to mutter; “why yes I did”. “Happy Birthday Scott” she replied and walked away. Damn bartender, quick with that Bloody Mary I thought. This is way too weird (even for me).

Having her fun (and pity for an old fool) she spun around with eyes that smiled a smile as lovely as her grin. It seems she is friends with Brad and Nat and explained that she had just talked to them on the phone about the previous night’s adventure. Her name is Clair and obviously a lot of fun. Once again I found myself at the receiving end of a joke and a damn good one at that.

As I sipped the Bloody Mary I reflected on what a great time I had with a dear circle of friends and how blessed my life is. It has been a rough couple of months for my little clan of goofballs. The economy (a lot of the clan is in the aircraft industry) is always in the back of our minds. We recently saw a dear friend and a great lady, Sherry, succumb to cancer. During her several months of battling the Demon she taught as all lessons in dignity, grace, bravery, and above all love. I was blessed to be a small part of her life. A month ago Sherry continued to bind us together as we celebrated a life truly lived well as we said our fair wells, or more accurately our “see you laters”.

So over a Bloody Mary at the Caffe Moderne I was able to reflect on the lessons learned over the last several months and reflect on the richness of my life: wonderful friends, a beautiful wife and family, and knowing that our party bus is still rolling. Next stop, the Delano Car Show! Stay tuned.