He's Almost Famous

By "he," I mean Rick. But no one would know this unless they knew his last name, which is Oberle.

Let me explain.

About a year ago, Rick was biking with two triathletes, one of whom was cartoonist Jef Mallett, who does the daily strip Frazz.

(That's Jef with Patty, his wonderful wife and occasional guest blogger.)

In fact, Rick's first venture out after having a terrible accident that day, during which Jef and his friend Jimi helped get him safely to the hospital, was to attend Jef's book signing.

Well, on New Year's Eve Day when Rick checked into the web site as he does each morning, he saw this.

If you can click you can see it bigger! We all laughed!

Starting the Day with a Happy Cry

Yesterday before leaving for work, not wanting to wake Rick, I quietly turned on the Today Show hoping to find out more on today's weather. Matt Lauer was introducing Scott Hamilton at the Rockefeller skating rink. He stood there, walker in hand, and was going to make his first public skating appearance in five years, since his multiple cancer surgeries and healing.

I've always liked Scott Hamilton -- he's a great entertainer, wonderful skater, seems like a nice guy. And heaven knows he has guts.He's the ultimate "ice child" who knows how to play -- and knows how to work. Open. A little bit in awe -- but in control.

Carefully he moved the walker to the middle of the rink, holding close. A few knee movements, all "attached" to his metal friend.

And then he let go. Scotty Hamilton was back (no doubt, playing the moment for all it was worth as any good showman should! A ruse, perhaps -- but that it took those five years in-between to get him back there.) Take a look.

I couldn't stop crying.

I want to thank you all for such kind support during the past few days. I'm still running behind but the good news is that Rick is improving and getting stronger daily. He's still very tired, sleeping a lot, says he's not in pain, but wears down. I think that'll be the norm for a bit. But -- like Scott Hamilton -- he's a fighter. And that's a source of great comfort.

We even went out for a bit last night to Jef Mallett's book signing. He saw lots of people he know and felt their energy. Felt like he was "coming back."

So, today I offer up a big heap of gratitude for the human spirit, the survival mechanism we somehow find in ourselves. The ability to fight through the pain, to persevere, to make choices not just to stay alive, but to be alive.

Every now and then we get the reality check that life is one day at a time. That our world can change in a heartbeat. I suppose if one dwells on this negatively, it could be a bad thing -- we would be continually afraid.

But it's worth keeping in mind, to celebrate our lives, our achievements, our friends, and those we love every single day.

To the Ricks and the Scott Hamiltons and Lance Armstrongs of the world who get back on the bike (at the right time) -- or the ice; to every single one of us who have challenges that are truly difficult to slog through, be they physical, emotional, concern, financial or just the plain old crummy side of life, I'm grateful you keep at it. Your being in it makes this world a better place.

Speaking of which, I love you guys. You're the best. Thank you.

As I mentioned, last night Rick and I went to the book store to hear his pal and rescuer, Jef Mallett, read from his new book, "Trizophrenia."

I've got to say it was the best thing we could have done. Lots of people glad to see Rick, good to get back out in the real world, even if it was pretty darned tiring in the endgame!

Jef's a good presenter and the book is funny -- even if you're not as into any of the triathalon sports. And he had his Frazz books there, too. Who could argue with those?

Getting back to the real world. Can't be soon enough.

Angels in Disguise

Following the shooting at Fort Hood, I heard a retired military officer -- it might have been Jack Jacobs -- tell a TV commentator, "In the end, it's the community that can tell quicker than anything that you need care."

He was referring to others noticing but not mentioning or urging more attention to the mental health of the shooter.

When I initially prepped this post a week ago, I said he could have just as easily been referring to me and to my recent pulmonary issues that have been worsening, acknowledging the community of my colleagues and Rick to urge more proactive care. The idea of the post was to tell you that I am slow checking blogs these days, but please keep coming back as I'll have some posts here and to be patient with me if I don't comment on every item of yours. (And fyi, the new meds are helping; not to worry for now.)

But that's small potatoes compared to what happened this weekend when Rick was in a bicycling accident. He'll be fine. And he's very lucky. More on that in a minute.

I have long felt that the visual image of angels is beautiful and we like to think of our guardian angels watching over us. But no one really sees diaphanous beauties in long white gowns with feather wings flying about us when we're having a bad time. If we believe in such things, and I do, angels are a matter of the heart. Faith.

But I also believe that angels walk the earth. We all can be angels, while at the same time we never know when the angels we need will come our way. To get a real-life human glimpse is a breathtaking, almost heart-stopping moment.

This weekend I met two of them. In bike clothes.

Some of you know Rick is a passionate cyclist. He used to be a racer and rides long rides and often. He's a good rider, a good handler. Sure, he's crashed and been hit like a lot of folks who have been riding for 40 years, and some of those have been hairy (both before and after I came in on the scene). He topped 6,100 miles this month and would be closer to 7,000 if we hadn't had rain most of October.

So, when we had one of those glorious, Indian Summer days -- a true rarity for a Michigan November -- you can bet he'd be out on his bike, savoring every second as we anticipate the long northern winter.

He had companions this day. One, Jef Mallett, you may know as the cartoonist who draws the comic strip "Frazz." The other, Jimi, is a detective with Michigan's State Police. Both are triathletes and both have had EMT training. You can read Jef's account of this at this blog.

The guys were cruising down a country road about 20 miles from Lansing. There was no traffic and apart from gravel edge, the road was pretty nice. Bopping along at a brisk 24.6 mph, they were having a great ride.

That is, until Rick hit a piece of petrified horse dung a little larger than a croquet ball. There was no "give" and after struggling, went down.

"In the end, it is the community that can tell quicker than anything that you need care."

About that community -- or, as I see them, angels -- Jef and Jimi kept him going when his breathing was failing -- he was "out" for a good five minutes and struggling. Jimi wrote later: "I have seen quite a bit of death as first responder to head on accidents and such in the UP. He fought hard to stay alive for those first 5 minutes. You are doing something right as he just didn't want to let go."

The paramedics, generally not close to this area, had been on training runs and responded immediately. He was taken to the hospital where a scan showed a small brain bleed in the head, a badly cut eye area (14 stitches) and lots of bruises. The bleed subsided by the next day and he's home with me now after a night in Neuro ICU and lots of outstanding nursing care. More angels.

Jef and Jimi both came to the hospital (they also rescued Rick's bike, which wasn't badly damaged and next to being alive and kicking, probably his greatest relief.) They filled me in on the details, which were scary to say the least. But they also said Rick did as fine a job of handling the bike under the situation as anyone could. And, that the passers by (including a doctor and someone who blocked the road with his car so no one would interfere) were a real testament to positive, non-gawking help. More angels.

Jef also brought his wife, Patty to the hospital, too. I have a photo of them so you can see a real-life angel in the flesh. I don't have one of Jimi, but believe me, he's a vision, too. And it was good to have hugs because I really needed them at that moment.

You see, we never know, do we, when someone will happen into our life to save it, to make a moment easier, to change our perspective -- something that makes a major difference to the rest of our life as we live it. (Below -- the good side; some photos are best not posted.)

We never know when or if we'll be that person who is the angel, either. Sometimes we don't even know after the fact. We just go on, do our best, try to say the right thing or be with someone at the right time.

Those angels help us find our inner angel. I believe we all have one.

I just want to thank all of you in the family or Facebook loop who have already responded, sent get well wishes, and shared your concern on behalf of both of us. Your thoughts, prayers and positive energy are great comfort to both of us. Keep 'em coming. The initial problems may be under control but the recovery isn't going to be fun.

Rick's exhausted (me, too) and sorer than anything. But he's the toughest guy I know and I suspect he will move heaven and earth to get in another ride (or more) before the snow settles in. (Just as long as I can keep the pet therapist from jumping on his sore spots!)

As regular readers know, this is my month to focus on gratitude in all my Marmelade Gypsy posts. I guess it would be redundant to say what all I'm grateful for in this one -- I think you already know. I'll visit you as I can.

On a related note, if you want to see a real-life angel in the flesh, those living in the Lansing area are invited to stop by Schuler Books and Music in Lansing (Eastwood) at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 19. It's a book release party for Jef's most recent book, Trizophrenia! He says there will be great food, too! I know we'll move heaven and earth to be there, too!

The Jewel in the Crown

My little city is not the most exciting place on the planet. More often than not these days, it's singing the blues.

It’s horribly depressed right now with the same economic issues cities everywhere are facing. Sprawl has taken the beauty out of it and spread things out for miles, leaving the city with a downtown that becomes empty after the state employees leave at 4:30 each day. And while there are occasional pockets of interest, by and large it isn’t much to write home about.

True, we do have some nice things. The capitol building is beautifully restored and parts of Michigan State University (like the gardens and the old part of campus) are lovely. Its history museum (MSU Museum) and art museum (Kresge) are cultural assets to the community. (Of course the university will do its best to rob you blind and its poor traffic patterns and outrageously expensive parking make this public institution nearly inaccessible to anyone not already on campus.)

But I live here. I work here, in the city in which I grew up. At one time in my life, I really didn't have a choice about staying here. I had to care for my dad. But after he died, I did have the choice and for whatever reason, I choose to stay.

One of those reasons is what I consider the “Jewel in the Crown” of our community. Really, the only super-jewel, though there are a few semi-precious stones.

That jewel is The Great Lakes Folk Festival, which took place last weekend.

The festival sprung out of the National Folk Festival many years ago. It is two-and-a-half days of free music entertainment on three stages, running simultaneously and nonstop, with traditional craft displays, ethnic foods, youth activities and more.

And if you think by folk I mean Kingston Trio-type tunes for three days, think again.

Like blues? Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy rocked, with soul stirring tunes. She had an attitude, really knew how to work the crowd, and gave her all.

Maybe you prefer Cuban/Caribbean? Then check out Tumbao/Bravo with south of the border sounds that were jazzy, melodious and fun.

Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys knew how to make bluegrass sing! You haven’t seen fingers move faster on a banjo!
Shotgun Party was more Western Swing. Maybe I didn’t like them so well because I still had a fever and a headache when I saw them. But the crowd seemed happy.

For me, Celtic is one of the two musical genres I call my personal soul music. (You’ll learn more about the other in my next post!) Slide, four men from Ireland, did not disappoint with slides (those are sort of like jigs on steroids), soulful Celtic tunes and rollicking music that had people cheering.

And if those aren’t your thing, there’s polka, Cajun, Finnish-American, Norwegian-American and Acadian! Traditions showcases feature topics like fiddling, hard luck songs or immigrant songs, where representatives from various groups take to the stage not to perform but to explain their particular take on the music.

You can absolutely count on running into your friends!

New this year was the BookFest tent from MSU Press. Michigan authors, mostly of children’s books, read from their books and answered questions. We had to go see Jef Mallett, creator of the comic strip Frazz.

Now Rick reads Frazz daily. He even went as Frazz to a Halloween costume party. And Mallett, like Rick, is a bike rider.

He delighted the audience, who asked questions throughout, answering as he drew Frazz and later a cat for a child in the group.

After we waited around to meet him and say hello. Rick had met him once before and Jef remembered Rick from that. I told him I thought PBS should animate Frazz. It is, after all, set in a school (Frazz is the custodian). Well, you never know.

We didn’t have the time to spend there I would have liked, but every moment there was well spent! If you’re in Michigan and love music, mark your calendar for next year! You won’t regret it!