Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A "Bad" Week

I know it has been a while since I have posted. Life has been busy, as I will explain.

Thanks to the multitude of readers (Sara & Matthew!) who have been bugging me to keep up the post. There were days when I just couldn't and days when I just didn't. That's life but I have a new start today and will continue on until the next time I don't. (Now how's that for commitment!!!)

Early last week we heard that Donna's Uncle Bubba was not doing well. He has been going downhill and just 6 weeks ago they found cancer in his leg and other places. He passed away Friday. The visitation was Sunday evening and the funeral was Monday (yesterday).

Uncle Bubba was quite a man. You would never know it from looking at him, talking to him or even knowing him as family for 7 years. But he led a remarkable life.

He never finished high school. He went to Houston at 17 to do grunt work at a steel building company. Within about 10 years (I'm not too sure of the time line) he opened his own business and started selling and erecting steel buildings. After a period of time the business was very successful and he sold it for LOTS of money.

Knowing what companies like his needed, he started a business SUPPLYING the steel building companies with the supplies they needed. Another VERY successful company. He sold it around 7 years ago and "retired". The company that bought his business didn't treat their customers nor Uncle Bubbas old employees right so he opened a new business. In 6 years he now has offices in three states and is very successful again.

He was well respected by everyone in the business. His competition even flew their flag at half-mast when he died.

He lost a son in a car wreck 20 years ago. He has dedicated his wealth to helping youth. To show you his generosity and his wealth, he donated the funds for a new youth building at his church. They built it for over one million dollars. He didn't want anyone to know who donated the funds and he and his wife wouldn't even go to the dedication service.

He always said, "You can't out-give God". And I believe he tried. The pastor called him once to thank him for a specific donation. Uncle Bubba said, "Shoot! I gave you that yesterday and God has already doubled that on a business deal that I made this morning. Now I've got to figure out how to get rid of this money!"

At the funeral the pastor asked anyone who felt like Uncle Bubba had treated them like his own son to help them get started. Those at the back of the church said they counted around 75 hands up before they lost track.

Most people never knew how much he gave, not just in money but in inspiration.

This has hit the family hard because it was very sudden.

Needless to say, I won't make this post very funny. Suffice it to say that I lost most of my willpower over the last three days. We baked cookies on Sunday and I partook of WAY too many samples. We went to a family members house after the visitation on Sunday evening and I ate WAY too much pizza and chips (and dips and cheese and ......well, you get the idea).

Yesterday the funeral was in Houston with a luncheon meal afterwards. Then we drove to Brenham for the burial with another meal after that. I didn't hold back either time.

Then last night I decided that I had blown it anyway so....why not. I ate sandwiches (again) and had a couple of beers and the complementary peanuts.

So......when I got on the scale this morning, it read 250. Yep! Right back where I started. However, I know that it is all just "in transit" and will be "passing through" in the next couple of days. So it's back to the "old man grits" this morning and back on the bicycle.

Uncle Bubba's story (most of which I just learned this weekend) has inspired me to do better in my business and get a lot more focused. I plan on transferring that over to this diet and make it work.

Michael

1 comment:

  1. you better be careful! I'm ahead of you now! I am at 246!

    I have been riding a bunch... 8 miles and 6 miles last week. 13 miles and 7 miles this week :)

    Come on fuzzy old man!

    --Fluffy

    ReplyDelete