A Lifetime to Follow  
 AL'S JOURNEY! 
by AL COON



FOUR GENERATIONS OF COONS



Version 1.0 - Copyright © by Dotti's Weight Loss Zone, all rights reserved






  One man's journey to lose 50 pounds and keep it off.  






The Journey

-- WEEK 272 UPDATE --

*** Weigh-in for WEEK 272 ***
07/29/2006
Week Completed:___272___
Weigh-In Weight:195.5
Body Mass Index:24.44
Average Weight for week:194.14
Aerobic Points for week:5.80
Miles Walked for week:3.00
Miles Walked this month:34.00
Miles Walked in 2006:118.26
Total Miles Walked for 2005:839.24
Total Miles Walked for 2004:1200.1
Week’s Average Points/Day: 44.43
Pounds +/- for this week:+1.5
Pounds lost total: 44
Pounds to go to 10%:0.0*  
Pounds to go to goal:0.0**
Pounds to go to 20%:0.0***
Made PERSONAL GOAL: 11/23/2001

* Made 10% at 215.5 pounds on 7/14/01
** Made Goal at 200.0 pounds on 9/22/01
*** Made 20% at 191.5 pounds on 11/3/01
Personal Goal is 190 pounds.


Week’s Data
Day
Date
Weight
Points
Water
Aerobic
Points
Saturday
07/22/2006
194.0
54.0
12 cups (96 oz)
0.00
Sunday
07/23/2006
195.0
35.0
7 cups (56 oz)
5.80
Monday
07/24/2006
193.0
53.5
6 cups (48 oz)
0.00
Tuesday
07/25/2006
193.5
34.0
6 cups (48 oz)
0.00
Wednesday
07/26/2006
194.0
50.5
14 cups (112 oz)
0.00
Thursday
07/27/2006
194.5
33.5
6 cups (48 oz)
0.00
Friday
07/28/2006
193.5
50.5
6 cups (48 oz)
0.00


Week 272 Update

This has been an exciting week for Dotti and I! We drove down to Mom's house on Saturday July 22nd. Glenn, Rie, and Kai were supposed to be flying into San Francisco on Sunday morning and then driving up in a rent-a-car.

The hot weather that came to visit last week, continued into this week. It was over 100°F when we hit Canyonville.

For the first several days this week, it was very hot.

Mom lives out in the sticks, and so they don't have a weather station right there, but here are the temperatures from the two closest towns of any size.

TemperaturesMedfordRoseburg
DAYDATEHIGHLOWHIGHLOW
SaturdayJuly 22916910673
SundayJuly 231077410572
MondayJuly 241047210170
TuesdayJuly 25100689463
WednesdayJuly 26102659461
ThursdayJuly 27101689669
FridayJuly 2895658459

Normally Mom's temperatures are a little closer to Roseburg's than to Medford. It was certainly up there with Roseburg that first day!


Dotti took this picture of Mom and I the first night outside on the deck. Mom was very sweet to allow us to use her home for the little Coon family reunion. And what a great location for a get together! The river the forest, and even deer coming to call. But best of all was having Mom there!
The next day Dotti and I went out on the deck in the sunshine and I set up the tripod so we could take a few pictures of ourselves. I liked this on a lot because it showed the fun we were having.


The temperature was back up over 100 again on Sunday, and we headed over to Medford for a quick shopping trip. Glenn, Rie, and Kai were not going to land until after 9 AM in San Francisco, and it was going to take at least six and a half hours to drive up to Mom's from there. So we knew we had some time before they arrived.
I had to put in this picture too. My lovely Dotti looks so nice with the sun highlighting her hair, and the river sparkling in the background. That smile is just awesome! Thank you Dotti!


This old Ford was the one thing we saw in Medford that really caught our eye. It is old classic car, and it is pristine condition. The extremely bright paint job didn't hurt either. Jackie and Rick, our friends in Texas like to rebuild old cars, and we thought of them when we saw this one, especially since he is partial to Fords.
Here's Mom, smiling beautifully. For over 54 years that smile has brightened my life, and I am always happy to see it.


Along about 7 PM, Dotti and I had just finished taking some pictures out on the deck, and I was putting my tripod away when all at once I saw a face looking around a tree out by Mom's satellite dish. It was Glenn! I waved for him to come around and soon we were hugging and greeting one another with gusto. And finally I got to meet my grandson Kai, and give him a big grandpa hug!

Soon Kai was right at home and here is building something with Grandma on the living room rug.
This was one of the highlights of the visit for me: playing chess with my Grandson. He is just starting out right now, but I think he is going to be really good one day. He picked up a lot of things just in the few times we played.
After I played Kai and Glenn, they played a game and I took pictures. As you can see from the picture on the right, where I am playing a game with Glenn, chess is a family tradition. (I managed to get a picture of our friend Tammy too, because she is sitting on the couch behind Glenn in this 1983 picture. Smile) Kai really made me feel good because he asked to play several times during his stay. Especially before we started playing baseball. Smile
Dotti took this picture, and it is one of my favorites of Kai. He is becoming quite the little man! He has a lot of energy and was always looking for something fun to do.


The next day was Monday, and we took a trip into Roseburg to do some shopping. We picked a few nonessentials, like food, and some critically important items, including whiffe balls and a bat. Smile While we were there was stopped at Los Dos Amigos, and nice Mexican Restaurant that we have been to a number of times before. Grandma Dotti let him borrow her camera, and he took a lot of pictures, including this great one of his mother Rie.
Back at my Mom's house, Glenn is taking it easy on the deck outside. We didn't have rain at all during the time we were down there, and there was only one day where we had some cloud cover. Monday night we got back just early enough to start a game. However, even though the sun didn't set until after 8:30 PM (which seemed quite late to Glenn and Rie, who are used to being in Japan), we ran out of light pretty quickly. But we made up for it on Tuesday.

Kai has his whiffle ball in hand and he is ready to play. It wouldn't be long before he had us coaxed out there for a game.

This is our ball field. Home plate is just off the picture in the lower left hand corner.
First base was near the lower right corner of the picture. We did have to chase the deer off the field before we could play. Smile She is standing about where the left fielder would stand, but he would move around towards the tree on the left for some batters. The pitcher would stand just to the right of the deer.
Just to make sure that you have too much information about the game, we played "pitcher's hand" where the batter is out if, after he hits the ball, he doesn't touch first base before the picture gets control of the ball in his hand. If the batter reaches first safely, it was a run. (There was no second or third base.) The first night it was only Kai, Glenn and I playing, so it was "cut throat," each man for himself. But the rest of the days we had the ladies join us, (Mom, who is 75 even played a game with us! I wish I had some pictures to show you of when she used to take me to the school playground and played baseball with me when I was about Kai's age) and on Saturday, LeRoy joined in too. This was a great week!

I had to zoom in a bit and take a better look at the deer. It was fun watching Kai when he first saw the mother and fawns out in the yard. He was nearly as excited to see them and Dotti was. Smile The deer just loved the pairs in Mom's trees in the yard, and they came by for some fresh fruit every day.
This is Dotti's picture and she got really close on this one. Notice that the fawn still has his spots. My Mom makes a point of being outside a lot with the deer, so they will grow used to her. This helped when Dotti got closer and closer to them to take pictures.


I just had to include this picture that Dotti took. We saw a lot of bumble bees all week long, and this one was right in the middle of a bright red flower (actually located close to our first base on the ball field). The sharp color contrasts make for a very interesting picture. Kai reacted a lot better than I would have at that age. He was recently stung by 6 bees all at the same time. He still was carrying the marks on his body. But, although he showed proper caution around the bees, he was not terrified of them, and went on with his life even though they were around quite often.
Wednesday, the jet lag finally hit Glenn and Rie and they did some power sleeping to catch up. On Thursday, we headed up to Crater Lake. Before leaving, Kai and I did a little "sparring" in the living room. Kai is ready to throw some karate chops and Grandpa is defending himself as well as he can.


After circling around for a better angle, Kai is ready to strike, as soon as he find an opening. What can Grandpa do?
I learned a maneuver way back a long time ago, just for such a situation as this. You can see that it worked with Glenn when he was only 8 years old too. Smile


Just like old times. Glenn and Mom hugging while Dad snaps the picture. We are having fun already!
Dotti turned Glenn around so we could see the back of his tee shirt, where it says, "Navy Chief." On the left is a picture of Glenn when he first made chief. In the US Navy, when you put on the chief's uniform it is really big deal. Everyone I have ever known who has made chief (including Jim, my best friend in Spokane) is very proud of the fact they made it. Naturally, I am very proud of Glenn for "putting on the hat!"


Father and son reunion. It has been a long time, and I am so glad that we had a really great week together this week!
Dotti slipped ahead of the group to snap this picture. Grandpa walking next to his grandson, with Mom and Dad right behind, and Great Grandma taking up the rear guard position. The lake is nearly in view.
Dotti and Rie are having a good laugh, but they didn't share what it was about. It's a good thing I'm not feeling insecure. (You don't suppose. . . do you? Hmm. Smile)
Dotti returned the favor by taking my picture. It was great that the sky was so blue that day, because it really highlighted the quality of Crater Lake of showing blue better than most water can. The chemical makeup of the water is such that it absorbs the greens and other colors but refracts the blue back to the surface. We got the full effect!
Four generations at the rim of the crater. Kai is holding his camera, waiting for his next photo opportunity. Great Grandma has been here many times, this was only Dotti's and my second trip up, and Glenn, Rie, and Kai had never been here before.
Grandma, Dad, and Mom, to my grandson. Okay, our grandson. (Sorry Dotti. Smile)


"Hey, Rie!" Glenn wants to know. "Who is that funny looking guy with the camera. Smile
My son, daughter, and grandson are standing upon a place that was about as dangerous as anyplace on earth ever has been, a few thousand years ago. The lake's surface is at 6173 feet above sea level, about 1000 feet below where we are standing. The rising point in the background climbs to 8,000 feet above sea level. The ragged rim that surrounds this lake is all that remains of a once proud peak, now called Mt. Mazama, that stood 12,000 feet tall, taller than Mt. Hood is today. In a matter of hours, this volcano made Mount St. Helens' 1980 eruption look like a firecracker going off, as it drained its 4000 feet deep magma chamber entirely. The hollow cone had no physical support any longer, and it fell into the 4,000 foot hole, filling up about half of it. Today the water stands 1,900 feet above the debris of that horrendous event. Anything standing then where we stood for this picture would have been vaporized. This volcano is not dead either. One day, history may repeat itself on this very spot.


Mom and I sharing a special moment. She is doing so well after her heart surgery. It is great seeing her go up and down long flights of stairs and doing other physical things with hardly any strain. The world would be a much darker place without this wonderful lady in it.
What a beautiful sight! Mom smiling at the camera with all of Crater lake behind her. Awesome!


Speaking of beautiful sights: these three lovely ladies are looking radiant, as Crater lake, this natural wonder, stands quietly behind them.
Three generations of photographers zeroing in the ladies in the last pictures.
Here are some very interesting facts about Crater Lake. It is the deepest lake in the USA. It is only the 7th deepest in the world. Check this link for a list of the lakes that beat it. (There is one in Russia that is over twice as deep.) It also shows a relief map of what the bottom of Crater Lake looks like.
We have gone a ways down into the crater, to an observation station where we witnessed a lecture by a ranger, and had a good view of the lake for pictures. Rie has her video camera and we are going to get a copy of the pictures later.
And that brought our visit to Crater Lake to a close.
On Friday, we took a little trip to Wildlife Safari, where animals run wild. Here are two interesting animals. Smile Actually, I joked that Glenn and LeRoy should get down behind the picture and put their faces in there like they used to do when they were children. My sons have a great sense of humor, because that is exactly what they did. It does a father's heart good.
We stopped in the gift shop, and while Kai was looking for toys for Grandma and Grandpa to buy for him, I took this picture of Glenn and Rie, with the Animal Kingdom sign over their heads.
LeRoy borrowed Dotti's camera and took this picture of us. Doesn't Dotti look great?


You just have to love those smiles! We took some pictures in the parking lot after going through the park, and I really like this one.
Actually, I am really fond of this one too! I can't say enough nice things about Rie. Smile
One last reminder of Wildlife Safari. This little monkey came right up to the glass and ate his piece of fruit while I clicked away with my camera. He was a cute little guy!
Since Wildlife Safari was right next to Roseburg, we stopped in to have another meal at Los Dos Amigos. I got up and took this picture, which included Dotti, as well as everyone but myself.


Then Dotti got up and took one that included me. Smile
On Saturday, (7/29/06) you can see that LeRoy was having a great time going down the slide! No it isn't Water Country, or Wild Water Rapids, which we used to take Glenn and LeRoy to when they were young. It is The South Umpqua Falls. (Dotti and I stopped by their in 2003 as part of one of our hikes. It was June 7, and the water was really cold still, and no one else was there. It was a lot different this time around.)


With LeRoy safely in place at the bottom of the slide, Glenn escorts Kai down the chute. When they hit bottom, Dad pushed Kai upwards keeping above water and Uncle LeRoy grabbed the priceless package for safe keeping. Momma was on the sidelines keeping a close watch on things to make sure all was well.
Here is Dotti going down the same slide with her hands up and having a ball! She was in the water right away, and enjoying herself like a little girl. I love that quality in her.


After landing in the pool below Dotti was eyeing the way out. The water falling behind her looks like the branches of a tree, frozen in time.
Great Grandma enjoying the sun. Her bright colors fit the atmosphere of fun perfectly.


With the South Umpqua River behind her, Rie looks pretty as a picture standing in the sun. She went one step farther than I did, in that she had a swimsuit on under her dress. I didn't wear a swimsuit (or a dress for that matter Smile). She tested the water, found them a bit cold and, like Great Grandma, and Grandpa, she kept dry while watching the fun. (Being raised in Southern California, I find all Oregon water to be too cold for swimming in. Whether it is the ocean or a river or lake, I prefer remaining warm. The one exception was the hot springs at Ka-Nee-Tah that my high school senior class took a trip to in 1970. Now that water was just right!)
Later than evening, the Coon Family met on Great Grandma's deck to take a few pictures. Here is one that I took of Dotti and I, testing the tripod, camera, and self-timer out. It may have been a test, but I liked it lot! We both had our Multnomah Falls shirts on, reminding us of first date 32 years ago. I sure am lucky to have such a wonderful wife and friend.


I think Grandma was tickling Kai just a bit before this picture was snapped. They are having way too much fun.
The sun was falling fast, but there was still plenty of light to see the river behind us, as Kai and Grandpa shared a happy moment.


My daughter and I. The lovely Rie, Glenn's wife, and Kai's mother, who is standing with this old man, is someone whom I have a tremendous respect for. In addition to being so beautiful, she is also a great wife to my lucky son, and an excellent mother to my grandson. I have watched how she assists him with his homework each day, and she is clearly a loving and steady influence on his young mind. He is going to go far in this world, and Rie will have made a great contribution to that success. She has made a great contribution to Glenn's life as well, and his success (he is a chief electronics technician in the US Navy) has at least part of its foundation resting upon that.

In this picture Dotti is surrounded by our sons. While her height has remained constant, you can see that the boys have grown since this black and white picture was taken in 1988. I had just gotten out of the Navy (and Dotti was still wearing her I Love My Sailor shirt), and we had loaded up our Plymouth Reliant station wagon to the brim, and set out for Massachusetts. On top of packing up, saying goodbye to all our friends, and setting out; we had already had a problem with our shocks not being able to handle the load, and having to be replaced. Still, we were on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and on our way. It was an adventure and we were sharing it together.

In the summer of 1982, we were living in Spokane, Washington, and had gone to a lake with Jim and Tammy. LeRoy was 5 and Glenn was 10, and they are standing back-to-back. Where have all the years gone?

This time I get the honor of standing between our boys. No father could be more proud of his sons. My life has been a success, because these two men are who they are. Whatever my contribution may have been to who they are, the results are more than I could have hoped for 34 and one half years ago when I first became a father. I have had my faults and failings, but these two men have made up for all of that, and here they stand, my joy and my pride.
We next put the lovely ladies in front of the camera, because as we all know, that is what cameras are really for!
Four generations of Coons. Great Grandma was born in 1931, in a small southern Texas town. (She later married the late Great Grandpa, who was born in 1927 in Upstate New York, Dotti's birth state.). Grandpa was born in 1951, in a small town in Southern California. Dad, and Uncle LeRoy were born in California and Hawaii respectively, and Kai was born in Japan. There has been a lot of ground covered just so we could all be here for this picture.
Glenn had recommended that we dump the chairs and go with a shot with some of the younger ones kneeling in front. We all liked the idea, and here is the result: OUR FAMILY.

It was a great week, and it turned out even better than we had hoped for it to be. We don't know how long it will be before we see each other again. Glenn is going to a couple of Navy schools, and then returning to Japan for duty. Rie and Kai will be flying back to Japan even before that, so Kai won't miss any school. (He only gets one month off a year in his Japanese school.) But we have a lot of memories to build on, and of course we have our email addresses to stay in touch with.
A final picture to highlight the entire visit. We have gone our separate ways, but we won't forget this week anytime soon.





5 years, 79 days OP; a lifetime to follow.

-Al-

6 '3"/239.5/195.5/180±2/BMI:24.44/WK-272




GRAPHS:
Weight Loss

Maintenance Year 1

Maintenance Year 2

Maintenance Year 3

Maintenance Year 4

Maintenance Year 5






Walking Data

2004 /2005 /2006


Al's Weight Loss Success Story

AL'S LITTLE CORNER OF DWLZ

UNHOOKED|||   -   -   -   Al's Journey to Quit Smoking




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