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2010-09-04T19:24:00.001-05:00

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A Merry Christmas

2009-12-26T09:25:00.002-05:00

We kept the White for Christmas! Looking out our window the day after, it looks like most of it is gone due to a warm rainy night.

In between installing batteries, loading software, trouble shooting peesky electronics and evacuating wads of wrapping paper, I made this video to savor the spirit of the day.

Ending the Start of Summer

2009-06-29T07:29:00.002-05:00

As a teacher, I mark the start of my summer when my school year ends. Working in Montgomery County while living in Lancaster County results in a staggered start of summer; when my children begin their summer break (typical in Lancaster is the very beginning of June), and when my summer break starts about two weeks later.

Having done several workshops last week, today is the first day of the first week when I am not required to report to work. In two days it will be July, which is staunchly mid-summer in nearly everyone's mind. So as infrequenlty as my blog entries have been, it is time for an update.

Travis began his job at Dutch Wonderland. He has started as a parking lot attendant and should be moving into the security department now that he is 18 years old. He has only been scheduled a few days a week. Outside of work he has been doing some chores and going to the movies fairly frequently.

Pamela started her second year at Dutch Wonderland. She works in the entertainment department. Sometimes she works as a guide for Duke the Dinosaur. It is hard to see in that suit, so he needs a guide to lead him around. He also needs someone to let him know when it is time to take a break since that suit gets very hot inside. Pamela, on occasion, has also been able to be Duke. They say she is a natural at it. She also serves as a host to the various shows that they have there. She works four to five days a week. While not working, she is an ultimate Frisbee fanatic.

Kimberly has a small job cleaning house for a woman in our church. When she is not working there, she has been spending time with friends, mowing her section of the lawn (and often Travis and Pamela's sections as well), riding her dirt bike and talking on the phone...endlessly. Kimberly will be playing goal keeper in a field hockey tournament in Mid-July.

Angela plays with a few friends in the neighborhood and watches TV. She and I went on the father/daughter camp out on our church's farm last weekend. The weather was very pleasant and much fun was had.

The Curse Is Lifted

2009-04-08T20:28:00.002-05:00

After so many years of doing the Shape & Race Derby with Travis as a little guy, and doing miserably, the curse has been lifted. Angela has been attending an Awana Club at Grace Baptist Church in Millersville. They just held their first Shape & Race Derby this evening. No, Angela didn't take first place, but she did win 3rd place for best design.

The evening started off as expected. In the first heat of 4 cars, Angela took a solid fourth place. I thought, "Oh no. Here we go again." But then, in her second heat, she took first place. And in the third heat; first again. Her last heat slumped a bit at third place.

So, we didn't stink and looked pretty good. That's a win in our book.

Letter To Arlen Spector

2009-02-21T11:37:00.002-05:00

This is a family blog, and primarily will continue to be one. The Recently passed stimulus package really has me bugged, though. The current state of the economy is a problem, and it has affected my family by slashing the value of our very small investment nest egg (for college and weddings, etc.) in about half.

Does government have to do something? Is President Obama correct when he says that only government can get us out of this fix? My answer to the first question is, "I'm not sure." My answer to the second question is, "Bull puckey!" Certainly justifying this stimulus package simply by saying that it is the "right size and scope" is like sending you daughter to a beauty contest in a clown suit and saying it is the right size and covers everything that needs to be covered (and so much more). This ignores that fact that it is ridiculous and will be mournfully ineffective.

This is already more than what I wanted to post, so let me say this. I was embarrassed by the three spineless republicans in the senate that voted for this package. Particularly embarrassing was the senator from Pennsylvania, Arlen Spector. His assertion was that we had to do something and this package was the only one that he had the opportunity to vote for, so he did.

That leads me to the letter I sent to him on Thursday. It reads as follows:

Dear Senator Spector,

I read the explanation of your vote for the stimulus package. I also heard your interview with Sean Hannity on the air shortly before your vote. I can't say that I was disappointed in your vote, because I have come not to expect any better from you. It is beyond my comprehension how you, or any other elected representative could vote for a package that you haven't even read and simply state that it is "the right size and the right scope."

Saying that we had to do something and that is why you voted to do this is like throwing a drowning man a rock and saying that you had to throw him something. Although you would have preferred to throw him something that floats, the rock was all that someone would hand to you.

Watch out for Pat Toomey or some such challenger in your next primary. He very nearly took your nomination away last time around. This decision of yours will likely tip the vote next time around. For principled conservatives in Pennsylvania, there will be much rejoicing.

Tom Bueche

We have an opportunity here to draw a stark contrast between conservativism and liberalism. For those that think republicans need to become more moderate to win more elections, think again. JOhn McCain put that notion to bed. Will the republican party resurface as the natural home for conservatives? Now is the time to answer the call. Will republicans pledge now to stop the remainder of the stimulous package in 2010 if they are re-given a majority in congress? Sixty percent of this package's immense spending will have yet been spent by then. Or will the money be allowed to be squandered just like the republicans squandered their majority power over the past 10 years or so?

November News

2009-01-04T15:24:00.003-05:00

My dear OLD dad turned 75 in November. Loretta and I threw him a surprise party, and surprised he was! We had a fairly large number of people there and they all took some time to say a few nice things (and other things) about him on video. I edited them together and posted the results below.

By the way, this video is not on YouTube but on MotionBox.com. I am testing it out. The quality of video seems appreciably higher, especially with the darker scenes.

If you have about 13 minutes, and you know my dad, give it a view.

Rough Start to the New Year

2009-01-01T19:19:00.003-05:00

Loretta took a fall outside while carrying a double armload of stuff. With her arms full, she was unable to break her fall. With the wind knocked out of her, she was in a lot of pain and needed help getting up. It didn't take long to decide to get her checked out at the ER.

You know how emergency rooms are. We got to spend a lot of quality time together waiting in all the different waiting places they had for us. A few times we took a break from waiting and got some x-rays taken and spoke to the doc. Her ribs are just bruised, but she did break a bone in her wrist - her navicular certain to be exact.

Loretta has a temporary splint and will get a cast soon; most likely tomorrow. She is on Vicatin and has already discovered the need to watch her food intake while on that drug.

Snow Birds Flew the Coop

2009-01-01T16:10:00.002-05:00

Mom and Dad started the new year off by leaving the Great White North. They left for Florida today and the weather helped them leave any regrets behind. The temperature was in the low twenties when they left...And they left in a hurry. So fast, in fact, That about four miles down the road they pulled over and called me.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Tom?"

"Yes. Calling back so soon?"

"We kind of forgot to bring Rambo with us. Could you bring him out to us?"

Anyway. We got to say good-bye one last time.

Merry Christmas From Tom, Loretta & Duke

2008-12-20T12:37:00.000-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Merry Christmas

2008-12-20T12:29:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from the Bueche "kids"

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A Blast from the Past

2008-10-16T20:44:00.002-05:00

My Dad got his first reel of home movies converted to DVD. On that reel was some classic shots of me on my first motorcycle; a 1973 Honda ST90. It was a 90 cc on/off road bike with three gears and a centrifugal clutch. This really brought back some terrific memories. I think I was between 8 and 10 years old. You can see at one point that I couldn't touch the ground on both sides, and then acting out my Evel Knievel fantasies.

DUKE!

2008-10-09T18:54:00.002-05:00

Duke had a doctor visit this week. I was anxious to have him weighed, and I wasn't disappointed.
At six and a half months old, Duke weighs 62 pounds. The vet says we need to feed him better; that he thought Duke felt a little skinny. No kidding. He really said that, and meant it too.

I had the day off today due to a Jewish holiday. I took Duke on one of my longer jogs because I felt sorry for him. Loretta and I had left him home alone a few times today amounting to several hours. Ususlly he is not good for jogs over about two and a half to three miles. So I took off with Duke after telling Loretta what my route was. She waited about 25 minutes, then drove to meet Duke and I, so she could take him home in the van. It's a good thing. He was really dragging by that point.

Ride 6 to Fight Dyslexia

2008-09-21T16:26:00.003-05:00

I am slowly getting caught up on some video editing. Life sure has been busy since the beginning of summer. I am still trying to get to making a video of our trip to Florida. That was back in March!

Anyway, here is the video I made of the motorcycle ride Kimberly and I went on to raise money for the Children's Learning Center for Dyslexia. It looks better on TV. Everything on YouTube comes out a bit dark. I don't understand why.

Waterfall Update

2008-09-11T20:44:00.002-05:00

Now that the water feature itself is done, we got some plants and ornamental rocks and stuff and finished the area off. My mother helped with a lot of the planting (along with Loretta), placed almost all of the stone edging and spread all of the mulch herself. I don't call her Gramzilla for nothing. She's awesome!

Waterfall

2008-08-31T16:38:00.002-05:00

This summer was not as productive as I had hoped, but I did get a new waterscape installed in our front yard. The landscaping around it is not done (or even begun), but I wanted to show everybody the process of making the pondless water feature.

Finally Jazzed

2008-08-31T16:08:00.002-05:00

It has been a tough year for me as far as politics go. Throughout the Republican primary I moved from my favorite to my next favorite, then my next favorite, then the next, then the next as one by one the horses I chose dropped out of the race.

Also during this year was the immigration issue where many Republican politicians that I had liked said some really nasty things about people like me who were vocal about enforcing the law. It went beyond disagreement and into name-calling and personal attacks. I was extremely disappointed with the party. One of the Republican politicians leading that disappointing and hurtful response to grassroots conservatives in favor of not rewarding non-citizens that break our laws (starting with immigration laws) was John McCain. So the end of the Republican primary election left me flat.

I am a conservative and a realist. Therefore, I would never vote for Barack Obama, as he is the most liberal member of the US Senate. I don't believe in big government, punishing achievement or legalized abortion-on-demand. Yes, I was prepared to vote for John McCain in the general election, but excitement has been hard to come by.

Friday morning when I was driving to work, I was listening to Laura Ingraham go on and on about Sara Palin. She sounded too good to be true, and certainly too good for John McCain to choose. When the announcement came and I listened to Governor Palin speak I was jazzed. The more I learn about her, the more excited I become. She is a true conservative and a true public servant.

The Democrats harp on her lack of experience. First of all, she has infinitely more executive experience than Barack Obama and Joe Biden put together. Second of all, although she is a "heartbeat away" from the oval office, John McCain is running for president, not Sarah Palin.

Tri-Training

2008-08-06T20:16:00.001-05:00

Here is a video of the kind of training that I have been doing in prepatation for the triathlon.

The Breakdown

2008-07-31T08:22:00.003-05:00

I got my split times for the triathlon today.

Swim - 7:34 That was a 300 meters. At the peak of my training I was getting times almost a minute faster. I'm not sure why that time fell off, but it is consistent with what I had been doing for the last month or so.

Swim-to-Bike transition - 2:24 This was a lot longer than almost everybody else in the race. I'll have to give this some thought for next time.

Bike - 37:12 I get conflicting information if the bike route was 11.1 miles or 11.5. I am told that my average speed was 17.8 mph. That is around 4 mph faster than what I rode during training here in hilly southern Lancaster County.

Bike-to-Run transition - 0:49 Not bad considering the way one's legs feel right after an aggressive bicycle ride.

Run - 26:31 That was a 5k (3.1 mile) run. That is an average of 8:33/mile, which is a good time for me without swimming and biking immediately beforehand.

Overall, I am very pleased with my first triathlon performance. I have some good areas to target to try to improve for next time.

Overall Time

2008-07-29T09:11:00.007-05:00

I just got my overall time for the Triathlon. Starting from the beginning of my swim to the end of my run, my time was one hour fourteen minutes 29.8 seconds. That includes the transistion time between swimming and biking and biking and running. Sometime soon I should get the breakdown for each event and transition. I placed 97th out of 258 competitors. I was only 12th out of 17 men in my age group, though. But I did it!

Contrast this with my write up of my experience in the CrossWay Mile in June of 2007. I have come a long way.

Almost Six Weeks Later

2008-07-28T21:10:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I have written about Travis' injury. Travis is getting around well at this point. He definitely has a different gate. His stump does bother him if he walks on it for particularly long periods of time or when he does things like play ultimate frisbe. Ibuprofin and time off his feet seem to help.

Tomorrow Travis gets his insert for his shoe. The insert will have a toe shape to take up the space where his toe used to be. That will help his remaining toes to know where they are supposed to be.

Still looking for a job. Any takers?

I Actually Did It!

2008-07-28T20:56:00.002-05:00

The moment of truth has come and gone. Just about one year ago I decided to get serious about losing weight. I started by just adding jogging to my weightlifting routine. That didn't do much. Then I got serious about my diet. Then things started to happen. At 245 pounds, I got worried about all the impact on my knees and ankles, so I started to alternate riding bicycle and jogging. Before I knew it a few friends convinced me to add swimming to all that and train for a sprinter's triathlon. Yesterday was the big day! At 42 years old and 205 pounds, I competed in my first triathlon. I don't have my times yet. I can tell you that I was successful in not giving up. I swam the 300 yards without a rest, and ran right to the bicycle. Then I rode pretty darn hard for the entire 11.1 mile bike course. Finally I ran the entire 5k (3.1 mile) footrace without walking.

When I get my times, I will post them here.

DUKE!

2008-07-21T19:37:00.003-05:00

In the middle of May we finally got a new dog. In July of 2007, I decided to put Cary, our last dog, to sleep after years of medical problems .

Our new dog is Duke. He is half german sheppherd and half poodle. Duke has a wonderful disposition, and is all puppy. Even though he is only 17 weeks old, he weighs about 42 pounds. I don't think he is done growing yet.

I never have as much time as I would like to make my little videos. But as you know, this summer has been even harder than most. Everytime I try to put a video together of Duke, he had already grown rather noticably since the most recent footage. So I would put the project off. Well, posted below is a three minute video of our new little guy.

Father-Daughter Camp Out '08

2008-07-04T22:43:00.001-05:00

As you know from the past several blog entries, “busy-ness” has taken on new meaning at our house between injuries, surgeries, accidents, teen employment and social agendas. One fun thing that I did get to do was take Angela to our church’s father-daughter camp out. She is the only one of our three daughters that is still young enough to go.

Even though it rained several times, and was steamy when it wasn’t raining, we all had a great time. This video should give you a decent idea of what it was like. My favorite memory isn’t on the video, though. That was Angela waking me up several times that night to sling her arm over me in our tent and say, “Daddy, I love you so much.”

Two Weeks Later...

2008-07-03T09:29:00.002-05:00

Things continue to progress quickly for Travis. His stitches have been removed, and we are pursuing a few different orthodic apparati to help him. I am not sure what the difference is between the apparati, but I know it is too early for one of them. He went to get fitted for one yesterday. The technician told him that the fitting process would be too painful for him at this stage of recovery. The toe is still a bit swollen and quite tender.

Travis no longer wears the surgical boot. That means it is easier for him to sneak up on us now without the "Thump, pat, thump, pat" warning noise that he has been sending. He also does not wear any dressing on the toe, at least not the huge wrap that he had been using. He limps a bit, but has had no orthodic assistance or physical therapy yet. Maybe he will end up without any kind of limp at all. We will have to see.

If I made this video below, which I did not (hence the high quality) I would title it "Travis' Nightmare."

One Week Later

2008-06-26T10:22:00.002-05:00

Travis is getting around much better; one week after the accident. He is off of his prescription pain medication and no longer uses crutches to walk. He is not graceful, but he is mobile. The emerging problem - boredom. After all of the pusing and pushing and pushing for him to get a job, he took two calls while lying in the hospital from companies asking him for second interviews. He, of course, was not in a position to take advantage of those opportunities. Anybody want to pay Travis to stuff envelopes or something?

Stress management? I pray hard and lean on my church family. They have been wonderful. Between them and the kids' school (Lancaster Christian School), we have been getting streams of cards, calls and visits. I also pray that God will show Travis how Romans 8:28 is alive in his circumstances...

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Yesterday, Loretta had outpatient surgery. We thought about rescheduling, but the schedule doesn't get any easier for the rest of the summer. So yesterday was pretty stressful for Mr. Mom and Mr. Nurse. I didn't do much to manage the stress, just bit the bullet and felt sorry for myself. This morning, though, I rode 12.5 miles on the bicycle and got back before the rain started. That helps. One of the pastors called yesterday and wants to bring pizza for lunch today and visit with us. A few families from our church caregroup are providing dinners for the next couple of nights too.