Is anyone out there?

So, I have been thinking about this spot for a long time.  I put it aside for far too long.  I had planned on posting daily starting May 1st.  Obviously, that didn't happen.  Perhaps I should just shoot for once a week until I get better at carving out time.

Obviously, the last entry was too long ago for me to even attempt to get everyone caught up.  Nor do I think it would be of any value.  Suffice it to say, a LOT has transpired.

I am still riding a motorcycle, and loving every single moment!  Not the FLSTN that was posted in the last post.  She was traded on July 20, 2013 for a beautiful Ember Red Sunglo FLHX, better known as a 2013 Street Glide.  The Deluxe had 18,821 miles on her when I said adios.  I am proud to say that all but 3 of those miles were lovingly placed on her by me over a course of 15 months.  The new bike has 8500 on her already in just 9 months.  Here are a few pictures:










I am in love with the freedom that comes with riding.  It is the best therapy EVER!  You cannot be angry on this or you will kill yourself.  This baby weighs in at 811 pounds with a full tank of gas (6 gallons).  I can tell you that I have almost 50k miles under my belt and wonder why I waited as long as I did to ride.  I will admit that most of my miles come solo commuting back and forth to work.  But, SF and I do ride together on weekends when we can.

I also need to post new pictures of Zoe:


















And there has been knitting.....lots of it, so I will only bore you with the last few finished pieces:
























So, you can see that I have been alive....I will be attending Rolling Thunder Memorial Day weekend.  I will be riding with my parents, my younger brother and his wife, and a host of his HOG chapter members that are also veterans of many branches.  I ride for those that have served and returned to their families, but more importantly, I ride for those that served and have never returned.  This year will be special, as I will ride to honor one of the "regular" members of my brother's group that was recently diagnosed with cancer and due to his chemo he will not be able to ride.  I can in no way replace his duty; however, I can honor him by riding his spot in the group.  So, remember Sunday while you are celebrating that this ride honors those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Okay, so I have started with a photo heavy post....enjoy....I will try to resurrect a few of my favorites posts in the days and weeks to come.....

Welcome Back?!

Okay, so it has been a while since I last visited but I have been thinking of so many things that I need to share.....like this

This was my first motorcycle.  She was a 2008 1200 Sportser Custom Low.  Her color was Merlot Sunglow.  I bought her on 03.30.2012 and traded her in on 04.28.2012.  When I traded her I had put 1769 miles on her in 29 days.  She had great pipes that set off car alarms and a nice backrest.  Otherwise, she was nimble and a great starter.  She rode hard and was very top-heavy (unlike me).  I also had my first accident on her.  A crazy driver who was supposed to go left (left only lane) decided to go straight at the last minute and clipped the front tire.  Due to my training, I was able to hold her up and lay her down in such a way that I only broke the left rear blinker.  It hurt my pride more than anything and made me REALLY angry.  I picked myself off, brushed off the dirt, got back on her and rode the rest of the way to work.  I rode her to the dealer and had the blinker fixed and never looked back.

On 04.29.2012 I drove off with this jewel:

This is a 2012 Softail Deluxe.  Her name is Shug.  Think Sugar but VERY Southern.....My dad calls me Shug....My riding name is Skittles......Shug has almost 3300 miles on her and I love her.  She is like riding a Cadillac.  She is a traditional cruiser and is the most nostalgic bike that Harley makes.  We are quite the team when I ride her to work (daily).  I pass people and then they speed up to make sure that they saw a girl on her.  The men at work that ride are very protective of me and it is amusing.  There is nothing like the feeling of just you and the bike.  I can block out everything and really transcend all my troubles while I focus on the sights and smells as I ride.

I get to smell the Saint Arnold Brewery daily as they are roasting the hops.  It smells like really rich coffee and is a great start to the morning.  I can smell the fresh cut grass the rain, or lack of rain.  I can also smell normal traffic smells but that just adds to the enjoyment.  I have even been caught in a down-pour on the way home and been soaked to the bones.  I wouldn't trade a minute of it and wonder why I didn't get the courage to do it sooner.  I am the poster child for women riders.  I have a "posse" of younger riders that look up to me and we ride when we can so that they can gain experience.  Of course SF has been my "trainer" since she has been riding since she was 12.

I have more to share but I wanted to start here, as this has really helped me get past the depression and pain that I had let fester for way to long.....

Christmas Eve 2011

I spent Christmas Eve this year with Stephanie, Jack, Zoe and Megan.....plus a few of the Huntsville family friends.  This included Jack's brother Bob, his fiance and their dad, TJ.  It was a blast and the food was AWESOME.  Stephanie made the most AMAZING chicken and dumplings.  There was food every where you looked.  I experienced Kracken Rum! It was wonderful!  Enjoy the pictures and I'll post more later this week!

Friday Fill-Ins

Anyone in the holiday spirit? I'm getting there. So...here we go!

1. As I neared the door I saw the lights in the window.

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is what I'm reading right now. It's different.....

3. I didn't start out this way, time and my family helped.

4. I'm still not really a morning person, to tell the truth.

5. The best way to learn something is to do it.

6. This is the reason I am humming along....thank you Chris Renee!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing a cross-stitch ornament, tomorrow my plans include knitting the blanket for Liam and Sunday, I want to knit and watch the Texans!

Friday Fill-Ins

1. One of my favorite things about December is decorating the house for the holiday.

2. I love odd and unusual ornament(s)!

3. This is what I'm hoping for today/tonight: a long overdue date with C.

4. What noise?

5. Ooh, a craft fair with home-made goodies for me to wander about within.

6. Stop all the bells from ringing!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to see number three, tomorrow my plans include getting ready for C's next surgery and Sunday, I want to watch football/Lady Vol's and craft things!