When a $20 Dollar Oil Change Costs $128 Dollars

I was getting ready to spend an afternoon with the gal pal since I haven't seen her in a while. So I stopped after work the day before to get the oil changed in my car since it had been a while. The sign said "Special $19.99" so I figured hey why not? So I pull in and order the oil change. I pop the hood, and tell the guy I just want a basic oil change. I sat in my car and the guy goes underneath the car and then comes back and tells me "Your transmission pan is leaking... and there is a lot and I do mean A LOT of dirty crap in your oil." So my 20 dollar oil change ended up costing me 128 smackers. But it made my gal pal happy because her little man got his car fixed up and got to spend six hours with her. How did we spend the six hours? That's a no-brainer... on her couch with me laying down with my head on her lap and her running her fingers through my hair as I fall asleep while watching the Ohio State - Michigan football game. I know, I know... you're saying "Mik, you are such a romantic!!" Well, think about it. Where else can I write about fixing my car, spending time with my one and only, AND reference sports while still showing that I love my best girl? Of course she was just happy to have me there in her arms, snoring like a freight train... I don't think she knew that the TV was even on... let alone who was playing in the game. But her man was there with her and that is all that matters. I love that girl I tell ya... I'm going to have to marry her some day. She's a keeper!

A Dork For All Seasons...

Hey all,
Well, Angela's fundraiser was a nice success and many thanks for the good wishes. She came out last Tuesday night to pick up the contributions I had for her silent auction and I ended up coralling her into doing a brief interview on the air. Of course she is not shy when it comes to talking to me but the beginning of the segment was vintage Angie and Mik...

Mik: So we welcome you to the show Ang. How ya doing?
Angela: Ohhhh, I'm okay I guess.
Mik: You weren't expecting me to do this, were you?
Angela: Uh, Nooooo I thought I was just picking up the prizes
Mik: Well, that's what you get for trusting me
Angela: Yeah, you'd think I'd know that by now
Mik: Gee, Ang, what are you trying to tell me?
Angela: I hate you!

At this point, the guests that were on the show all bust out laughing at me. I'm not sure of the final totals but then again, I'm just her brother so I don't count as important family... heh-heh... I'm sure I'll hear about it at a future family get together... hopefully like 20 years from now... you know what I mean?
A big "gee thanks guys" to all of you that are (with great intentions, I know) 'encouraging' the exchange of vows between me and my sweetie. She gets tickled every time she reads those comments. I know that down the road, I will be marrying her because she is the single greatest thing (this side of Heaven of course) to have ever happened to a dork like me. She is simply one warm, tender, caring, and incredible human being. I could not, cannot, nor would not, even remotely attempt to do any better than her. There is no one else that could ever occupy that spot for me. It's hers to toy and torture me with... I always tell her that even if I were stupid enough to give her any grief or back talk, she could just mow me down with her wheelchair and there's nothing I could do about it. But she loves me too... that's the icing on the cake. (sugar free of course...lol)
Anyway, there are sooooooooooo many issues that are in the mix here. Distance, moving, job concerns, my family's health situations, the whole nine yards. After surveying multiple components and doing due diligence, it would make things very happy for the two of us emotionally, but very, very, very, difficult otherwise. I'm not going to rush cause I want to do things right. When it comes to the institution of marriage, I'm strictly old-school. I am a "one and done" guy. My best girl knows this and is understanding. She has the patience of a saint. I am doing things with my future with her in mind. She knows that also. She knows that she is stuck with me for better or worse (or as I like to say, 'warts and all') and she couldn't be happier. She just wishes that I were right there with her everyday. She misses me when I'm not there. I miss her too. I try to tell her "honey, be careful of what you wish for cause you might just get it..." But despite my best efforts to let her know what life with me would be like, she is still there for and loves me. And a good sign that she is in it for the long haul too... she hasn't mowed me down with her wheelchair yet!!!

Random Thoughts from a Random Mind

Some cool stuff happening around here...
They're having a Texas Hold'em Tournament, Spaghetti dinner, and silent auction tonight as a fundraiser for my kid sister Angie who had a double mastectomy last month. The fundraiser is to help offset the costs that her insurance didn't cover. The people at her job really came together and are going to make it special. Of course her big brother won't be there. I will be in St Louis broadcasting hockey games online this weekend and will be leaving in a few. But I'm sure she'll do fine. Yesterday was Terri's birthday. She told me how much she really appreciates each one now. I don't blame her. Last weekend, a player on the team we played was hurt and ended up hospitalized. So one of the assistant coaches stayed behind with him and they were in town till the player got released from the hospital yesterday. I spent my down time running back and forth with the coach and getting him out of the hospital to not go stir crazy and he seemed like a nice enough guy. But my gal pal didn't like not getting to spend ANY time with me this week. I'm gonna have to do something to make it up to her... She puts up with me so much... And deserves so much more than I give her. But she's satisfied with a goof like me. So I'm grateful and happy that she loves me. I know some have said that she's lucky to have me too. But I'm telling you folks, SHE is the amazing one. I'm just the big dork who loves her. I do what I do these days because the Good Lord put her in my life. I know I wouldn't be the guy that I am if she weren't around. I'd be empty, miserable, and a complete weenie, being a complete doorknob to people. THAT is how big of a difference she makes in my life. From doorknob, to weenie, to dork, to her Mik... it scares me sometimes when I think about how different my life is now with her in it. I am so blessed that I'm not the same schmuck that I used to be. Believe me, I was a pretty rotten guy... But I guess it took getting old and having your rear end handed to you a few times to appreciate life. She is the icing on the cake. Heck she IS the cake... of course now I've made myself hungry thinking of cake and wanting a big heaping slice of red velvet cake with 23 thousand layers of frosting on it. What in the heck is a diabetic supposed to do???? Ugh...

Keeping Sane Inspite of Feeling to the Contrary...

Hey all,
Wanted to take a few moments to update what's going on and say thanks to everyone for their prayers and good wishes. The girls are all continuing to battle courageously and holding their own as best they can. Me, I had gotten to spend a little time with the gal pal last weekend after not seeing each other in a long time because of my sports travel schedule and she just melted in my arms and I saw the look in her eyes and I knew that there was no way I could ever and I do mean EVER get away from her. I saw what love, what real true love looks like when she looked in my eyes. It made me forget about all the stuff going on in my life and made me realize that no matter how bad things get, that amazing woman is always there for me and I am so blessed. As long as I live, I'll never forget that look on her face. It was a gift from God that told me that we're gonna be okay. As the sign hanging in my house says: Faith means things are possible... not easy.
I'll check in a lot sooner for my next entry. Thanks for being so understanding and supportive...