My apology !

[RidgeRunner]

I am here now to apologize to my Wellcraft friends that I abandoned last August. You last visited: 08-25-2016 Unreal how time flies by..

In the minus column we have:
IIRC you guys knew I was sick and had lost a pile of weight.
Tons have happened since then and I am no longer working.
Terminated. Had a tumor the size of a grapefruit removed from my back. Not malignant but the wound got infected and popped open so I had 5 months worth of wound vac where I was supposed to be home bound with home nurses etc.. Meanwhile in the background my parents as well as my in-laws have all been sick. My mother in-law lived in our home for approx. 2 months while my father in-law was having hip replacement, he is her caregiver. During the two month stint at our house she fell three times and had to be either picked up by me(once) and the paramedics twice. One time she fell off her shower chair and cut herself on the shower door and had to have 17 stitches.. No bladder control and her being on so many meds unable to get up and down by herself was killing my wife. She needed 24 hour care and so she is in a nursing home. My father in-law had issues with infection with his first hip and had to have the surgery again. He may never walk again and is with his wife in the nursing home. My parents have had their share of ailments. Dad kept falling, he fractured his pelvis on one occasion and was still having issues with Congestive Heart Failure due to fluid retention/renal failure. Mom has had pneumonia and back surgery. Two times this year all four of our parents were hospitalized at the same time. My father passed just this past weekend. Memorial service is this Sat. in Suwannee. A week ago my sister in-law lost her mother after a bad fall/bleeding on the brain.
Somewhere in there is a broken t-top/floor on the Wellcraft, a car collision, another transmission in the Tahoe, trying to pack up my in-laws house and sell it...

In the positive column:
I have a lot to be thankful for. FAMILY!
I have witnessed a young girl become a young woman. I have spent a lot of time with my family. Melissa, my daughter especially. Soccer soccer and more soccer. President of National Junior Honor Society this year, volleyball, A-B Honors. I am loving it. My wife keeps me sane. She is the best. Supportive and loving.
My home life is great and my health is steadily improving. I am healed up and ready to go back to work.
Just a lot of changes..

I'm not literally the "RIDGE RUNNER" anymore. But 20 years on the job with Ridge Lumber, I will keep the screen name..

I didn't lean on my Wellcraft family through the most trying of times but that will change right now.
Again sorry for flaking out on my friends here. Thanks for caring.. I'll be around from now on.. and new number.

Thanks, Vic
863-397-6008 cell

[phatdaddy]

Welcome back, ridge. Thought it might be family/health issues, but was hoping you were out trying to squeeze one more mph out of the wellcraft or one more mpg out of the new merc 4S.

Sorry for your dad's passing. Lost mine bout 5 years ago and not a day goes by i don't think of something i should have ask him.

Get squared away so i can get some good scallop intel this season

[Destroyer]

Welcome back Ridge. My most sincere condolences on the passing of your dad. Like Phat, I lost mine a while back and I keep thinking there's so many things I should have thanked him for that he did for me when I was a kid. I just thought it was what dad's did, never thinking of all the things he gave up to do them. Glad your health is improving. God bless and looking forward to your posts again.

[spareparts]

good to have you back, youve been missed

[THEFERMANATOR]

Told you guys I would do my best to dig him up. Took me a little time, but he has returned. Sorry to here about your dad. As to the health issues, I can relate. I go to 2 or 3 specialists a week it seems like here as of late. Start seeing a spinal specialist next week for discs that are either protruding, and or bulging, and or herniated(some listed as 1, and some listed as all 3) along with some other issues in my back, and waiting for the wife to finish up school so they can open my shoulder up and try and find out whats wrong with my used to be good shoulder. Maybe we can catch up come scallop season, and the 2 of us might make for 1 able body.

[bradford]

Good to see you back, sorry to hear about the trying times, but seems you have a positive outlook on things. Glad your daughter is doing so well.

[charlie_the_tuna]

sorry to hear about your dad, as well as all the other hurdles you've had to endure. sounds like you were being tested. glad you're getting back to some version of normal. your post reminded me of a scene in one of my favorite movies. good luck with everything and i'm sure you will land on your feet.
I have often felt like Job in the unwritten parable of Job. but it always gets better.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPHi-8DSJbo

[wellcraftv20step]

Ridge, I'm very sorry to hear about all the bad things that have been happening in your life. I'm glad You definitely have some things to be thankful for! We're all happy to have you back Vic.

[RidgeRunner]

Thanks to all the well wishers. It means a lot

[Blue_Runner]

Welcome back Ridge, we were worried about you.