Life of Ken – Vol. 11

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Happenings from the Homefront

The month kicked off with the things that bring me the most joy—time at the ranch. Hunting, doing ranch work, hanging out with friends, and eating some damn good food. On my first morning out there, I decided to sit in a blind and see if I could get lucky with any hogs. I got to the blind just before sunrise and settled in.

Within 15 minutes, a big solo boar showed up at the feeder. He was about 150 yards out. He stared in my direction for a good three minutes, then turned and headed back toward the woods. He definitely knew something wasn’t right. Surprisingly, about five minutes later, he came back. This time, he walked right past the feeder and kept moving toward the far edge of the woods. I raised my rifle, took aim, and got the job done. One shot. Done.

I loaded up my gear and drove the side-by-side over to check on him. As I was getting out, out of nowhere, a whole gaggle of hogs came charging past me, heading straight toward the feeder. They blew right by it and ducked into the woods on the other side—then turned around and started snorting at me. I had a feeling that if I got back in the blind and waited, they might show themselves again. Sure enough, about 20 minutes later, hog number two was on the ground.

I harvested the backstraps, put them in a brine, then later cut them into cutlets, marinated them, and whipped up an amazing wild boar appetizer for everyone at the ranch. It was a hit.

We also made a trip into town for the Valley Mills Volunteer Fire Department chili cookoff and bingo tournament. Honestly, the chili left a little to be desired, but it was a blast playing bingo, catching up with friends, and supporting the local fire department. Back at the ranch, we hung out with the cows, checked fence lines, and wrapped up work on the new shooting range. All in all, it was a damn fine weekend.

One weekend later and I was back at another buddy’s ranch for a weekend retreat with my Front Row Dad’s “Band.” This is our small group that meets twice monthly to check-in, dive deep, support each other, and help hold each other accountable to achieving the goals we have set. It was a wonderful weekend filled with ranch work, exploring, exercise, camp fires, and amazing food. For a deeper dive,  you can check out this LinkedIn post I wrote about the weekend. 

March 13 was our 12th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with lunch at the Hudson House in Fort Worth. The meal was amazing (truffle salmon appetizer and a lobster roll). But the dessert! It was one of the top 10 desserts I have ever had. I HIGHLY recommend it!

It’s been a high-velocity quarter for medical bills in the Wimberly household (see last month’s update on Kai’s broken arm and Riley’s multiple vet visits). This month, Amber took her turn—she had a double disc replacement in her neck. She’d been dealing with some pretty brutal nerve pain since November, and it was only getting worse. After weighing the options, she ended up having both her C5/C6 and C6/C7 discs replaced.

It’s a major surgery. They literally cut through the front of her neck, move her throat out of the way, and swap out the discs in her spine. Wildly enough, it’s considered outpatient. We checked in at the surgery center around 10 AM, and by 4 PM we were on our way home.

The surgery was a total success. Her nerve pain was gone the moment she woke up. The post-op pain was rough for most of the first week, but by day seven, she turned a corner and started feeling like herself again.

We’re beyond grateful for Dr. Jason Tinley and his incredible team for taking such good care of her! If you happen to need a great spinal surgeon, he is your guy!!

March means Spring Break, and this year we kept things pretty low-key since it doubled as recovery week for Amber. Kai spent a few days with his grandparents and cousins, plus squeezed in a sleepover at a friend’s house. I also took him and his buddy to Cidercade for an evening of arcade games. I somehow ended up on their rewards program, and they had a $1 entry special—so for the grand total of $3, the boys got several hours of unlimited games. Not a bad deal!

They had a blast, and honestly, so did I. I can’t keep up with them on all the new stuff (Fortnite and Roblox are not my area of expertise), but I did show them who’s boss on the old-school Mortal Kombat machine! I really treasure these moments—the laughter, the fun, and getting to make memories together.

We rounded out the month with a bittersweet goodbye to Amber’s Paw Paw, James Choate. It was an intimate and beautiful ceremony—small in number but big in heart. We gathered with close family and friends to celebrate the long life of a truly honorable man. Paw Paw was the kind of person whose legacy speaks for itself: he served his country with pride, mastered a trade, and spent over 40 years building an upholstery business that earned him the trust and respect of everyone who walked through his doors.

What struck me most was the crowd that showed up to pay their respects—about 25 people, many of them cowboys in well-worn boots and hats, a quiet testament to the kind of life Paw Paw lived and the people he touched along the way. You could tell by their presence, by their handshakes and stories, that they weren’t just there out of obligation. They were there because he mattered to them. He made a difference.

It was a farewell rooted in gratitude and love. We’re thankful for his life, his example, and the legacy he left behind.

Work, work, work!

We’re getting deeper into the process with multiple franchisee candidates for Laundry Luv, and it’s an exciting phase. These are the conversations where surface-level curiosity gives way to real interest—where we get to understand who these people are, why they want to be a part of our mission, and how they align with our values.

It’s not just about finding someone with the capital or desire to open a laundromat—it’s about finding the right partners. People who see Laundry Luv not just as a business, but as a chance to serve their communities, love their teams well, and build something meaningful.

These early-stage connections are where culture is either strengthened or diluted, and we’re committed to protecting what we’ve built. It’s energizing to see folks light up when they hear about our kids’ play and literacy areas, our customer-first culture, and our obsession with clean, beautiful spaces.

The journey is just getting started—but the momentum is real.

We’re actively exploring multiple locations for future Laundry Luv corporate stores. Each potential site is being evaluated with a sharp focus on demographics, visibility, and ease of access. The goal is to expand intentionally, placing our stores where they’ll have the biggest impact. More to come on this soon!

I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas to attend my first Multi Unit Franchise Conference. I was checking it out on behalf of Laundry Luv to see if we might want to be a vendor at the conference in the future. The show was vibrant with lots of activity. Gives me optimism for the future. For a more detailed analysis check-out the LinkedIn post I wrote about the conference. 

Brain Food (what I am reading, watching, and listening to)

A friend of mine sent me a very interesting read from Substack. Check out this article from The Forgotten Side of Medicine – a very interesting take on AI and our future. 

Speaking of AI, I continue to use and learn more about AI on a daily basis. When Deep Research was released for ChatGPT I tested it in multiple ways. I have found it to be quite useful for assessing the future viability of certain real estate parcels. Also, it yielded a very thoughtful response to a handful of deep questions I posed. To dig into that one, check out this GPT thread diving into the possibility of multiple dimensions, the cycles of humanity, and the nature of God.

Amber and I have almost finished watching The Offer for the second time. This high drama miniseries tells the behind-the-scenes story of how The Godfather was made, capturing the chaos, conflicts, and creative battles that brought the iconic film to life. You will want to put this one on your list! And then you will want to watch the Godfather once you finish it!

We also watched Aaron Rodgers: Enigma on Netflix—a fascinating look into one of the most talented (and polarizing) quarterbacks of our time, peeling back the layers of brilliance, controversy, and unapologetic individuality. I resonate with his journey and loved the show.

Want to be inspired? Check out the My First Million Podcast interview with Zach Yadegari, 17 year old high schooler who cofounded and built a mobile app that is doing over $20M per year in revenue. This kid is impressive!

Kaizen

My 365 workout program is going well. I am now 35 days into the plan and things are progressing nicely. I am grateful to my GoBundance accountability partners who are participating in the program with me. I am pretty certain that if it were not for them, I would have missed multiple days already.

I also rediscovered the amazing Mateusz M videos on YouTube. This guy produces stunning, cinematic videos that feel like visual poetry—raw, real, and deeply human. His inspirational messages have a way of lifting you out of the often downtrodden places we all find ourselves in from time to time. In fact, it was his work that helped pull me out of some dark moments during the COVID lockdowns—a powerful reminder of the impact art can have on the soul.

Lastly, I completed a 5 day water fast this month. I like doing extended fasts at least a couple of times a year. It helps to reset my body and my brain. I wrote about the experience on LinkedIn if you want to see more details. 

Random Musings

Have you ever seen a dog with a longer tongue than this??

Until next time.

Take action and be grateful!

-Ken

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