Bucket list, eh? Those who know me might imagine I'd have intimate experience in that subject, given
where I've been in the last decade or so.
I feel some manner of Ed Story coming on. Y'all have been warned, as usual:
After surviving cancer 6 times, croaking in hospitals another 3 times and having multiple organs removed,
you can bet yer *** I have a "bucket list".
Well....
"had" one, anyways...now pushing 62, let me explain what that means:
First, a caveat:
Honestly, as I've been
blessed with a hell of a great deal in that I've gotten to stick around another few years -
the usual "bucket list" stuff never really occurred to me, even in dreams.
You see, I'm from the sort of folks who just put their noses down and got to work when something was needed
or there were obligations to pay for.
As a result, when the mountain of sometimes 6-digit bills started coming in for saving my own mangy arse,
any hopes of keeping my retirement savings or perhaps grabbing a Winnebago and seeing the country just sort
of vaporized into thin air.
So...
After a while, my bucket list became simply not to leave a mess for my wife and siblings when I did finally get
the dying part right - so that's what I set out to do.
With the opportunities allowed me by God himself (still haven't figured that one out, but not complaining!)
as well as a LOT of help of the human persuasion at times as well
(FBBO Heroes - you know who you are!).
I managed in just the last little bit to actually get things in order to the point that if I kick it today,
Lisa will be fine - and I've made sure she knows what she has to do when that time comes.
A big part of that was getting the lump of red steel sitting in the garage (the infamous Fred the GTX) re-done to
the point where when it came time for him to go on to his next steward, he was a finished car, at least enough
so that he was worth something (and could be driven on and off the transport, eh?).
Well, as y'all know - got that done too, grace of God.
Sure, I'm always improving this or tinkering with that on him, but he's perfectly operational and road legal,
so she can deal with transfer of him to his new home easier (she claims she'll keep him, but the car honestly
is too much a handful for her or most others, so...).
Conclusion:
My own version of a "bucket list" has been largely accomplished, now that I'm on the tail end of my time above
dirt. Everything is pretty much at a point of maintenance and repair as it comes up; medical bills have been beaten
down to a point where it's "pay as you go" from here.
I call this
bucket list success.
(Don't give me grief, I know it isn't what most consider a bucket list - but it was mine, ok).
I really didn't have any other concrete items on any such list, honestly. I never allowed myself to dream like that;
I had obligations to take care of. Eye on the prize, nose down, keep digging, etc.
Now, though? Well, if I were to allow myself to dream a little...I'd like to see the other half of the country once,
I suppose (faint callings of that old Winnebago?).
I'd like to go visit the guys in Alberta CA at ColdWarMotors (some of us have spent some years now corresponding
and such - they bug me all the time to bring Fred up there (such a pipe dream THAT is...hah!).
I'd like to drive one more Hemi-powered car before I go...
I'd like to run one more lap at Summit Point raceway, too (Nurburgring would be INCREDIBLE, too!).
That's about it, I guess.
None of these will ever be accomplished, I know.
That I didn't leave a mess will have to suffice for my bucket list, boring as that may sound to anyone else.
