The News Tonight....

seemed almost like a comedy spoof.
Obama still arguing against offshore drilling for oil, Pentagon officials getting grilled for torturing terrorists; you know the guys that cut people's heads off, gay marriage making big headlines in CA although it's not marriage, and then a report that Anheuser Busch may be selling out to a company from Belgium. Oh yeah, there was a story from China about a funeral for a Panda bear. Where is Archie Bunker when you need him?

A Baller? I Think Not

1. He's wearing long pants
2. His shirt tail is tucked in
3. He's not sweating
4. No one else is even trying to get the ball

I Am The Most Blessed, Most Fortunate and Luckiest Dad & Husband In The World

I seriously do not know how any father or husband anywhere could ask for more. I am soooo proud of my family!!!

Mike's 1st Round of Medical-Land Tips - Helping You Navigate Medical-Land

1. Before leaving for your doctor's appointment, pray for patience and for your sense of humor to remain intact. There is humor in the land of pain & despair but you have to be on alert. Print out directions and know exactly where you're going; many of the buildings look the same in Medical-Land.
2. Leave early for your appointment. There is a very slim chance they can work you in before the person in front of you in the case they haven't arrived.
3. Upon arrival, use valet parking if they have it. That will eliminate the stress of finding parking thus helping your blood pressure reading. As the population continues to age, parking becomes more & more rare in Medical-Land and the people who govern Medical-Land don't care about parking; they have their own parking places.
4. Understand that striking up conversations with strangers on the elevator, in the lobby areas or in the 1st holding area within the doctor's compound, is risky. The people visiting Medical-Land (contrary to the people who run and work in Medical-Land) like to talk about themselves and their aches & pains. You may have to endure a long and intense discussion. I usually take the risk but that comes from the experience of being able to read people.
5. As you enter your particular ruler's kingdom, approach the glass in the first holding area, pray again for patience and then look for a sign on the glass in front of you instructing you how to sign in. Seeing that sign and obeying it can get you off on the right foot with the keeper of your records. Otherwise the record keeper could choose to place your file below other visitors to Medical-Land who happen to see the sign and obey it.
6. Choose a waiting seat in the first holding area on the end. This will give you more elbow room as the holding area begins to fill up. Make a note of the time you take your seat of waiting. I'll explain why later.

KY's Newest Recruit

President Bush Was Right

Over the top super hyper economist Jim Kramer said on the Today Show this morning: "I'm a conservationist but it's time to start drilling." I agree and disagree with Mr. Kramer. We do need to start drilling in Alaska, off the FL coast, etc. but the time to start drilling was years ago. This is from a Sierra Club article written in 2001. "Bush officials would love to explore our protected wildlands too--with oil drills. President Bush has already expressed his eagerness to drill for oil in the biological heart of a national wildlife refuge in Alaska's Arctic. But why stop there? Administration officials and their Republican allies in Congress have been poring over maps of public lands in all 50 states with the zeal of a family planning its summer vacation--except that these guys are searching for places to plunk down oil and gas wells."
Who is to blame that we aren't drilling for more oil in our own country to lessen our dependency on foreign oil? The environmentalist wing of the Democratic Party, the same people who said we were going to war for oil.
Although we took a drive into the country on Sunday, we are watching our driving habits more closely now. I haven't driven for almost 3 weeks so that certainly helps the budget. I don't know if the V-8 Jeep Cherokee will leave the driveway again.

Somebody's Going To Get Hurt

The Bluegrass has some of the most beautiful scenic roads in the country. We drove down to the Ky River this morning and watched cars cross the river on the VALLEY VIEW FERRY. On the way back we had to wait on a bicyclist on quite a few dangerous curves and then pulled around him when we felt it was safe. Should the bicyclist's right to "enjoyment" on the roads take precedence over the safety of motorists? I think that many of the roads around here should be off limits to bicyclists. We encounter them almost every time we are out for a drive on the back roads and it drives me crazy. Somebody's going to hurt; I just hope it's not us.

KY Basketball Rocks! They Continue To Lead The Nation

Cinderella...

I met Steven Curtis Chapman a few years ago backstage at a concert we did in West Palm Beach. He and I talked about how each of us grew up in Paducah, KY and were amazed we knew some of the same people. When you talk with Steven, you walk away impressed with his genuineness. He's the kind of guy that looks you directly in the eye and pays attention to what you're saying. That was a special meeting for me. His songs are powerful. The words to his song "I Will Be Here" are displayed on our bedroom wall in a frame as a special reminder to Mary & me that we will always be here for each other, even though the years make us older. Steven lost his 5 year old daughter MARIA in a terrible accident at their home on May 21st. His teenage son, backed over her in the driveway. I have prayed for him and his family. I can't even imagine what they must be going through. And I thank him for his music. His song "Cinderella" is special to me too. I can't listen to it without flashing back through the years and seeing Lyndsey. They grow up so fast. Unfortunately, Steven won't be able to dance at Maria's wedding.

NBA Championship Begins Tonight On ABC.....Only Thing Missing: Charles Barkley

The Democratic Nominee

Why hasn't Obama been crucified for this idiotic comment like Dan Quayle was crucified over telling a kid to add the letter "e" to potato?

Some Good Ole Fashioned Truth....

Jerry Mathers as "The Beaver" turns 60 today!

Cheering In The Darkness

As I lay in bed in the evenings unable to fall asleep the past week or so, I have watched every eastern division game between the Celtics & the Pistons. I found myself enthusiastically cheering for the Celtics; even pounding my fist into the air in the dark spare bedroom as they clinched games 5 & 6. (I'm sleeping in there temporarily so I don't keep Mary awake) I also pulled for the Lakers to beat the Spurs hoping to see another historical Celtics vs Lakers championship series. It's been fun to watch the maturity of KY's Rajon Rondo of the Celtics and the continued smoothness of KY's Tayshaun Prince of the Pistons. When the championship series cranks up this Thursday evening, I'm pulling for the Celtics!

Some Mighty Fine Pickin & Singin....

Classic Comedy - A Tribute To Harvey Korman...died yesterday....81

Classic Tim Conway for sure. Harvey Korman didn't even say a word in this sketch and he cracks me up. They did some great stuff on the Carol Burnett Show.

Cautiously Optimistic

I have always been hesitate to post info regarding progress or lack of progress regarding my knee replacements (in the same leg) because I have never had faith it was on the right track until now. I know how closely you all are following along and how much you care. I can't thank you enough for your calls, emails, prayers and visits. What we thought would be about a 6 week rehab back in January is now entering its 6th month. What makes me optimistic enough to post info? A visit from a physical therapist yesterday who said it was a great sign of a good outcome to be able to achieve the motion I have already achieved with the CPM machine. The 110 degrees I mentioned a few days ago was not accurate. The leg wasn't quite loaded into the machine properly so I wasn't getting a totally accurate reading. Now however I'm getting a pretty darn accurate reading and I'm at 92 degrees within 1 week with a goal of 105 degrees within 3 weeks. My doctor didn't prescribe the machine with the first knee he put in in January. We asked for the machine this time. He took the first knee out last week and replaced it with a smaller knee that fits better (2.5 hour surgery) and I can tell a difference. The blisters caused from the surgical tape (I won't go into that part) are healing nicely and should be healed up in a couple of weeks. The bleeding appears to have almost completely stopped which allows me to stay aggressive in the CPM machine. And just a while ago, I walked with my cane to the bathroom so I'm able to put almost all my weight on the leg. My pain level seems to be subsiding a bit too so all in all, I think we're on track this time but, I'm cautiously optimistic.

Happy Birthday Clay!!

Happy Birthday Clay. I wish we could be there to celebrate with you. What a fine young man you are!! 15? whew...
Love ya! Aunt Mary & Uncle Mike
(animals sure seem to like you)

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you Justin for your service to our country and while I'm at it - Thank you Mary for your service to me as I work my way through re-hab # 2! I had a cool thing happen today. I am seeing my knee bend to 110 degrees while strapped into a CPM MACHINE This is the first time I have seen my knee bend like that in 34 years.

Not Surprised At This...

ARTICLE

The Dumbest Generation?

I'm not saying it. HE IS

Where Was Buddah?

Where was Buddah? Believe it or not, this was a question that popped in my head while watching the earthquake disaster in China. Another question: How could a good and loving Buddah allow bad things to happen to good people? Is it a fair question? It's a question that someone asks of God every time something terrible occurs. I don't mean to make light of the disasters. The question, when asked of God, I think reveals our doubt that He actually exists. It seems judgmental too. Who are we to question? Why do good things happen to bad people? I think if you're going to ask the first question then the other question seems legit. This much I know; I don't have all the answers and I never will, but I do have grace from God and eternal life as given through Christ and I don't have to work for it. It's a gift and for that, I'm thankful. I'll think I'll leave all the answers to the atheists.

It Really Did Happen!

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Justin West!! What a wonderful weekend! The couple will be honeymooning for 8 days in Costa Rica. It was great seeing everyone and there is talk of another possible reunion in Charleston sometime next year.

(Special thanks to Rick West Photography)

JDub & KC Tying The Knot VEEERRY Soon

After the wedding on Saturday, the couple plans to honeymoon in Goose Creek before moving into their double-wide. JDub is employed by the military and looks forward to kickin some raghead butt. KC is lookin forward to raisin a bunch of young 'uns.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY - 2 YEARS!

We sure are proud of both of you and love you and miss you!! Any advice from you veterans for Kacey & Justin before their upcoming wedding? Mom & Dad

I'm Sorry But It's A Horse....

Yes...you too can sign the GUEST BOOK for Eight Belles.

CLASSIC COMEDY

Justin With "Big Brown" Wins The Sweepstakes Glasses!

The Picks ....Good Luck! Post Time 6:04pm - Coverage On NBC @ 5:00pm

Kacey - Big Truck, Visionaire & Court Vision
Mary - Anak Nakal, Gayego & Cowboy Cal
Rick - Smooth Air, Denis of Cork
Justin - Big Brown, Colonel John
Lyndsey - Pyro, Monba
Clay - Adriano, Z Humor
Andrew - Tale of Ekati, Recapture the Glory
Ted - Eight Belles, Cool Coalman
Mike - Z Fortune, Bob Black Jack

Order Of The Draw

The post positions for the horses were drawn yesterday (See photo of Billy Clyde Gillisipie at the drawing) and I am now pleased to announce the order of The West Family Derby Sweepstakes drawing for horses. The order that the players would pick their horses was determined through a random drawing and here is the order. The first two players drawing (Kacey & Mary) will get three picks each; everyone else gets two picks. Your picks will be posted Friday evening. Here are some ODDS Oh yeah....Mary is fixin some Derby pie!
1. Kacey
2. Mary
3. Rick
4. Justin
5. Lyndsey
6. Clay
7. Andrew
8. Ted
9. Mike

Tubby Smith - A True Kentuckian (click)

I thought these were some interesting comments from Tubby Smith after being inducted into the KY Sports Hall of Fame yesterday. By the way, he'll be at the Derby on Saturday.
Even though this state isn't Smith's home now, it will be again one day. He said that when he retires, he and Donna will head back to their old Kentucky home. "We're not going to be putting our feet in the sand in Destin, Fla., or any place like that; we'll be putting our feet in the Kentucky River sand," Smith said. "We're so blessed to have been a part of such a special place. We'll be Kentuckians until the day we die."

Post Positions Have been Drawn...Stay Tuned

The Infield @ The Derby

Mary & I spent 7 KY Derbys on the infield.

Prize For The Winner...Two Collectible Glasses For Your Favorite Beverages

Derby Day - Next Saturday, May 3rd!

The players are listed below but the final field of horses won't be set until probably Friday. Here are the Derby CONTENDERS
Me
Mary
Ted
Justin
Rick
Lyndsey
Andrew
Clay
Kacey
The names will be numbered and thrown into a hat to determine the order of how your horses will be picked. It looks like everyone will have at least 2 picks and 2 people will have 3 picks. You'll have to check back next Saturday to see who your picks are. It's Derby time in the Bluegrass!

Earth Day Sucks...

I'm sorry but I am getting sick of hearing all the "Green Talk" everywhere and I have chosen to use this phony, feel-good day called "Earth Day" to voice my opinion. I'm for conservation but I'm not for hyped up, agenda driven false propaganda.

Thanks Don!

Don Blevins has been the County Clerk in Fayette County as long as I can remember. I have been dreading going down to his office to renew the registration on the cars but then...I realized I could do it on line! Thanks Don, for saving me the hassle.

Easiest Job In The World?

The easiest job in the world has to be a seismologist. Earthquake happens and the ground shakes and the seismologist says "Yep...that's an earthquake alright."

A Few Quick Questions....

I was watching the news about the PA Primary and they showed 3 polls showing how Obama & Clinton were doing in the state of PA with beer drinkers, bowlers and gun owners. Forget the fact that polls like that shed an unusual light on the state. I'm thinking "wouldn't most of the people polled fit into two or more of those peculiar polling categories?" How accurate could the polling possibly be? If they polled me and I admitted I had an occasional beer and I like to bowl and I own guns, do they just move on until they find someone who only bowls, or who only shoots or only drinks beer? Are these large voting blocks in the state? Do they have lobbyists? Confused in Lexington.

Pope In The Box

my FAQ
Was it built that tall in the back to accommodate his tall hat? If so, why is he not wearing his hat?
Is there an air bag in the back?
Is there a safety belt in the back? If he doesn't fasten it can he be issued a citation?
Can someone sit next to the pope?
With it's poor aerodynamic design, does it meet Al Gore's green print requirements?
Why did they not put a windshield wiper on the front part of the pope box for rainy days?
Is there a defroster on the pope box's front window?
If he serves himself communion in the box, could he be arrested under the open container law?
If the pope were to gain 50 lbs or more, would the pope-mobile tip over backwards?
How does it rate in SUV rollover safety tests?
Can he put a window down in the box and shoot back if he needs to?
Is there a radio back there? A DVD?
Can he crawl through the back and into the front seat if he wants to?
Does his chair spin all the way around like a bar stool?
Can he speak through a loud speaker so he could do a mass on the move if he wanted?
What does he read in the box when he gets bored?
Does it have seat warmers built into the leather seats like other Mercedes?
Can just anyone order a pope-mobile for their own personal use?
Does he ever get car sick?

And Some Think We Should Pay More...

Tax Freedom Day will arrive on April 23 this year, the 113th day of 2008 (ignoring Leap Day). That means Americans will work nearly four months of the year, from January 1 to April 23, before they have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels. Americans, as a whole, work a significant number of days each year to pay for things other than government, but nothing else is so expensive. Americans will work longer to pay for government (113 days) than they will for food, clothing and housing combined (108 days). In fact, Americans will work longer to afford federal taxes alone (74 days) than they will to afford housing (60 days). As a group, Americans will also work longer to pay state and local taxes than they will to pay for food.

Coming Soon...."The West Family Derby Sweepstakes"

The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby is on Saturday May 3, 2008. You can GO HERE to learn all about the KY Derby. I need to to know if you would like to participate. The sweepstakes is only open to "The Fam." I will be randomly putting the entries into a hat with randomly assigned numbers. Mary & I will then draw numbers alphabetically by the first name of each participant until all horses have been chosen. You could possibly have 2-3 horses to cheer on to the finish line! Please comment below if you would like to be included and stay tuned for updates. Yes....the winner will receive a plaque or trophy to proudly display in a place of prominence until the next Derby.

Movie Recommendation

Mary West: "I thoroughly enjoyed it."
Mike West: 'We need to get the soundtrack."
We give it 4 stars - ****

American Idol Opening Song

Did you happen to catch the opening song for American Idol Thursday night? "Shout To The Lord." Mary and I were amazed and they did it as well as I have ever heard anyone do it.

Unique to KY

Another Day In Medical Land

Thursday was an interesting day. I went in for blood work at the diagnostic lab down the hallway from my primary care physician's office. I called on Tuesday to tell them I was due for a test because I'm on Coumadin (Blood thinner for blood clots) and they assured be they would take the order down the hall to the lab and for me to go in on Thursday morning. I limp up to the window at the lab after parking my car too far away, give my name and hear "Sorry, we don't have any orders from your doctor." By the way, my primary care physician is great but he's been in Iraq for the past few months so my case has been passed around among the other physicians in the office. "I'll be right back" I told them and limped down the hall to the doctor's office. Of course the girl behind the glass was on the phone and when she got off I tried to explain to her what I needed but we kept getting interrupted by calls. After she took 3 other calls while I was trying to tell her what I needed, I gave up and sat down to rest my knee. She got off the phone so I tried again. "I don't see anything about it" she said. My blood pressure was beginning to rise at this point. "Look, when I called on Tuesday they said they would take the order to the lab. You need to find out what's going on because I have been walking and standing on a replaced knee that is not feeling well at all." "Did you speak with a nurse when you called in?"she asked. "Yes" I said. "Do you remember her name?" "If I knew it was going to turn into this, I would have remembered but I don't think she ever game me her name. Don't you have a file somewhere with my name on it?" So, between phone calls, she finds a file folder, pulls out a piece of paper and says "Here it is and it looks like Sheila signed it which means the order is at the lab. Go back to the lab and I'll call down there." So, I limp back down the hall to the lab. Now I'm watching the time because I have been there since 8:30 and it's about 9:00 and I have an appointment with my surgeon at 10:00. "Have a seat" they tell me when I get back to the lab. Meanwhile, more patients are coming in the door, defeating my purpose for getting there early. At 9:10 I go back to the window and tell them "if something doesn't begin to happen soon, I'm leaving. I have a 10:00 appointment. Finally, a lady speaks up from behind a desk. "I'll be right back, I'm going down the hall and see what their problem is." I decide to follow her back down the hall because I don't want it to get any more confusing than it already is as they point fingers at each other. But I'm impressed that this lady is determined to get it right. "Come back down to the lab with me" she says after she makes sure things are happening in the doctor's office. So, I limp back down the hall. I told her I was leaving at 9:20 because I have another appointment to make. At 9:15 she determinedly went back to the doctor's office again. At 9:20 I got up and left the waiting room of the lab and started limping back down the hallway headed for my car. I limped past the doctor's office and then the lady from the lab came back out in the hallway and shouts "Don't leave - c'mon, we'll get this done." She had taken control of the situation so I naturally followed her. She personally took me into the back and told the technician what to do and to do it quickly because I had to go. I was impressed. I asked her what her name is and thanked her enthusiastically. I plan on taking Brooke a small gift certificate to McDonald's or something when I go back in on Monday for more lab work; a token of appreciation for keeping my faith that some people still go beyond the call of duty. At 9:30, I limped out of that office and headed for the orthopedic surgeon's office with a list of questions to find out once and for all why this surgery is not going well. I looked past the fact that the lady up front in that office gave me a form to fill out about how my "hip" was doing. They actually took me to the examining room early. Jennifer, the physician's assistant walked in and I told her that I am normally a positive person but the only positive thing I had to say about my new knee (13 weeks post surgery) is that the incision healed nicely. "Something is not right" I said. She listened very closely and told me that they were frustrated too that the knee had not been progressing the way it should and orders x-rays. Jennifer I'm sure talked to Dr. Nichols about how disappointed I am with the whole procedure. About 15 minutes after I return to the examining room Dr. Nichols walks in with the x-rays in hand. He watches me as I limp across the floor to get on the examining table and pokes and prods around on the knee. I share my frustration with him too and assure him I have no desire to assign blame. I just need some assurance that this thing is going to get corrected. He looks at me and says "Something's not right. You have too much swelling, too much fluid, and too much pain." He shows me on the x-rays that nothing unusual is showing up. (It's pretty wild looking at a fake knee in your body on x-rays) But he says, either the alignment on the knee is off, the top part of the the prosthesis is not functioning properly, or the whole prosthesis needs to be replaced. Another surgery is needed. (This will be my 4th procedure related to the replacement) He also tells me that a guy who sits behind me at church had shared with him that I was not happy with the replacement. I couldn't figure out who the heck he was talking about because we don't even sit in the same place at church. Then I remembered as I was limping out, the anesthesiologist I had for the replacement surgery is in my BSF class. He sat behind me the other night and we talked in the parking lot for about 10 minutes about it. Anyway Dr. Nichols goes on to tell me he would understand if I want a second opinion so we talk about that. I asked him why he would say that. "Do you not have the confidence that you can fix it?" I asked. He said he has full confidence but wanted me to know he wouldn't be offended if I did seek another opinion. I told him it would be fine if he discussed the case with his son who is in the same practice and does hundreds of knee replacements too. He also tells me he does about 300 knees a year and 1/2 of his practice is fixing knees other doctors have done. This guy comes highly recommended. He also said out of the 150 knees he does the first time, he only has to go back in and adjust or fix two or three. I feel honored! I am one of the two or three. Surgery is set for May 21st (After the wedding) and actually, I am somewhat relieved. If he had said "Let's just stay the course for another 6 months" I would have told him no way. At least now we have a game plan. Maybe by July I'll be on track with another rehab; a successful one. Mary and I had lunch after my appointment and that's when I told her about the newly scheduled surgery. Ordeals like this are as tough on the spouse as they are on the person going through it. She has had to dig into her vacation time too often already. She's been a trooper and one of these days, we'll be walking Gracie together on a long 2 mile walk. At one point in the diagnostic lab, a fairly young man was wheeled into the waiting area and it was obvious from the huge scar on his shaved head and his semi-blank stare, he had gone through brain surgery. Suddenly, the knee didn't seem so bad. And that my friends is just another day in medical land.

Justin Wins! James, Rick, Lyndsey & Andrew Have More Correct....

Spring is Here

After living in South FL where the summer never ends and then Charleston, SC where the summer sort of ends...it is very nice to see spring finally arrive in the Bluegrass. The next few weeks will be gorgeous here as everything comes back to life.

Long Live the Common Man!

Why would the coaches of KY's biggest rivals show up for the funeral of an equipment manager? Out of respect. They respect tradition. Bill Keightley was on KY's basketball bench for 48 years. My Dad used to say "if you do the same thing long enough you'll eventually get good at it." Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan along with thousands of others plus all who watched on TV and the internet, showed up for this "common man's" funeral because of the way he lived his life. His funeral here in Lexington drew more attention than the funeral of a governor. Each person I have heard speak publicly of Mr Wildcat said "I thought I was his best friend until I talked to someone else who said the same thing." There's the lesson; the challenge for all of us. Watching all of the media coverage of his death was interesting to me. We KY fans lived vicariously through Mr. Wildcat. Each game we would see a "common man" sitting on KY's bench. For us, he was living the dream. Little did we know just how many people he touched each day of his life in a very simple way. He treated others better than he would want to be treated himself. Long live the common man!
"I'm just a common man, I drive a common van, my dog ain't got no pedigree." Country singer -John Conlee

Remembering "Mr. Wildcat" Bill Keightley -The Heart of Ky Basketball

"My Ole KY Home" Sung By Happy Chandler - Former Governor and Major League Baseball Commissioner. Before Happy died he sang this song in Rupp at every senior night. It was a great tradition.

Say It Ain't So...

Bill Keightley (Seated between Blly G and Joe B Hall) the longtime equipment manager for University of Kentucky basketball teams, died Monday. The man affectionately known as “Mr. Wildcat” was 81. He had just completed his 48th season in service of Kentucky’s program. He served under six coaches (Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and Gillispie). UK said Keightley played a part in 57 percent of all Kentucky basketball games. For me, it will be odd not seeing him on UK's bench. I have never watched a UK basketball game without him being there.
STORY

On The Road Again....

We have kept this quiet for several weeks waiting for the deal to be signed off on. Yesterday the paperwork came through and so I decided to go ahead and spill the beans. Even though we have moved 4 times since 2001, we're moving again! We had someone come to our door about 2 months ago and make us an offer on our house. After getting over the shock, we decided It was a fair offer and so we took it. In the meantime, we have been doing research on places where we would like to live and we kept coming back to Costa Rica. We bought 5 acres for almost nothing (see photo) and will be building a small house on the property. I have found a job driving a tour bus throughout the country and Mary will be doing medical transcribing from home. They break ground on the house next week and we should be out of here and in there by the end of July. Thank God the buyer of our house is not in a big hurry. I'll be blogging with more details later.