2160. That is the official number of Harley Davidson motorcycles that took part in the parade yesterday. I would challenge that number. 2159 is my count because there was one imposter being ridden by a young woman. A dreaded Yamaha! How in the ........ . I am sure to a Harley family that would be the kiss of death, the unforgivable.

$32M+ dollars worth of motorcycles parading through the Key City. Pretty impressive. More impressive was the fact that more than half again of the participants number of motorcyclist chose to watch instead of ride in the parade. Even more impressive was the fact that this number totaled less than half of the estimated number of cyclist visiting in town.

It looked a lot like a spit and shine contest. Add a ton of flags. Many participants dressed for the occasion and you had a recipe for showing their stuff. What better format than a parade. As impressive as the visual was, the audio was more so. The familiar rumble of the Harley's cruising down the street. I almost missed seeing the Honorable Mayor, you had to look closely to recognize him under his shades and doo-rag. He was surrounded by Abilene PD's own motorcycle patrol group as if at any time an attempt might be made on his life. Contrary to rumor, "Norm's" machine did not have training wheels.

While the roar of the HOGS may be fading today as they leave, it will be replaced with the sounds from the Dyess AFB air show! I'm betting many of the HOGS hang around for this.

My Honey is becoming obsessed with her yard and flowerbeds. She is constantly working in them, looking at them, moving planters, pots, pruning, re-potting, nursing and just getting her hands dirty in general. I haven't complained. This is her therapy. Of late one of her projects has been repainting all the tricycle planters, the benches, the bakers rack, the patio furniture, along with anything else that is forest green and sits still too long. Her color of choice has been black. Not glossy, not flat, but semi flat. I have had to scold her when she has painted and the overspray has gotten on the grass. I don't know if Saturday was a boom or a bust, but she ran out of paint. Surprisingly it hasn't required a trip to Lowe's or Walmart. Yet. The other day I had come home early and she was out back working. Painting away. As I walked by the window I tapped on it and she turned to face it and I had to do a double take. I opened the door and told her "You've got freckles!" (Actually it went far past this). She got a sheepish look on her face and told me "I wasn't watching which way the nozzle was pointed." Oh well, we'll call them beauty marks. (I am going to have to hide all the markers before I go to bed so I won't be tempted to "connect" the dots!).

It remains to be seen if I am in trouble today or not. With the NASCAR all star race last evening, which was interrupted multiple times by rain (I got frustrated and went to bed), and with the Indy qualifying coverage late yesterday, Krl said she would cook supper. She was grilling a couple of small steaks she had in the freezer along with bakes, corn and beans. I waited for an hour and a half after she pulled it off the grill to see if she was going to come in from "her" yard to eat before I decided to just go to bed. It's one of those catch 22 deals, either I get in trouble for eating without her or I get in trouble for giving up! I guess to be safe I should have had my supper in bed!

Krl told Trc yesterday that Phooey is here to stay. Trc was not too thrilled. Trc said that Ln had just been asking about her. Meme said Ln can come visit. You cannot believe how big a buds Maple and Phooey have become. They are the Siamese Bobsey twins. Where one goes the other follows, rough and tumble, run and chase! I think both of them would go through some sort of withdrawal if we separated them. Besides, watching them is the only exercise I get!

Be the real deal!

FATHER, I need YOU in today!