My New Hangout

This is where I can be found now.

And it's purple! My favorite color!

thats it

For the last time on this site I created a very long post, poured my heart out and hit the button to post it and it disappeared into cyber space. Never again, at least not here. I will be looking for a new place to create a blog, if anyone can recommend something I would be grateful. This is my last blog here, I've had it with this happening.

Happy New Year.

TGIO

Thank God It's Over! Not that it was really horrible, but now it's not hanging over my head that I need to do something in preparation. Of course it's not really over yet, the fun jobs of taking down all the decorations, including the tree, and hauling them out to the shed, and once again packing the boxes like a jigsaw puzzle about ten different times before I find a combination where all the boxes fit in the allotted space. Then it will be really over. And the doldrums of winter can set in properly.

The five consecutive days off without having to use a vacation day was one of the nicest presents of all. We get three days off every year at Christmas, which usually creates a nice long weekend. Most others here at work are taking today and Friday off, along with next Monday for a real long vacation. With my in-laws at my house during that whole time I didn't have a strong desire to stay home, so I didn't take all that time off. Besides someone had to be here at work to cover things.

Last weekend I took my daughter bowling which was fun. However I forgot my wallet at home, so I had to scramble to make sure I could cover our games with the cash in my pocket. The kid behind the counter cut me a break by not charging me for Chickee's shoes. They should be free anyhow, but I'll save that rant. There were many lanes open but they put us in between two other lanes being used. There's no need for that either. Chickee was intimidated for some reason, almost refusing to bowl, but she got over it enough to have fun.

I had some last minute shopping to do, so I waited and went on Sunday morning, which here in the bible belt is the absolute best time to do any shopping. And you get to see the other heathens with whom you will be spending an eternity in hell. Spent the rest of Sunday watching football.

Monday I got up and immediately rounded up all the presents I bought and wrapped them. The chore I hate most of all, but I did it early and didn't have it hanging over my head the rest of the day. My stepson volunteered to do it for me but I like to do it as a personal touch. Weird I know. Every year I try to buy some items to give my wife a laugh, usually by embarrassing her a bit. While shopping Sunday morning I was deliberating with myself about getting my bosom challenged wife a bra with big cups and wrapping it with a box of tissues. Funny to me, but I couldn't decide how she would respond. If she was in a good mood she would laugh a bit, but if not then it would be very uncomfortable for everyone. I decided not to do it. Instead I bought a few "personal" type items and put them in her stocking. By the time she opened her stocking late Christmas night she was not in a laughing mood. Fuck it, I was laughing to myself as I was walking around the store with them in my hand, at least I enjoyed them. She has laughed at these things in the past, so it's not that she would never find them funny, just not this year.

Christmas Eve, before sun down I had the opportunity to go flying and took advantage. I found a field only about half a mile from my house in the air, with no farm house around it. It had been about a month since my last flight, it's tough because I can only fly on weekend now as it's already sunset when I get out of work. This was an awesome flight, smooth air, I was dressed real warm, had an Ipod to listen to music, and got to fly around my own neighborhood. Lots of people waving, a good time. I wish I could have dressed up like Santa, but with all my equipment and warm clothes on it wouldn't work very well. I had a small airplane drop down to check out my flying machine, which is always a bit scary for me. But it was cool, he didn't get too close.

Christmas was fun, we all got up at 7am. The kids had been awake earlier, but we told them that they couldn't get up until that time. Otherwise they would probably wake us up at four or so. The big present was the Wii that we got for the kids. We all, including my mother in law spent most of our time playing games on that. Lots of bowling, baseball and tennis mostly. My shoulder still hurts. Spent most of yesterday playing it as well. A nice ham dinner was also enjoyed by all.

Back to work today, which has been crazy busy, not at all the quiet day I had hoped for with so many out of the office. Oh well, at least it's only a two day work week!

Hope you all had a great Christmas!

I have no idea . . .

. . . what I'm going to write here this morning. Lets just see where this goes, should be completely aimless.

I need to run out at lunch to get one more item for Christmas. I also need to get a card for the wife, I'm really not a card person when it's expected of me, just seems a function that must be performed. To me a card is special when it's given or received unexpectedly, then I feel it really conveys a special meaning. I guess they are good to say how you are feeling currently, even if it is expected, but my guess is mostly they are given just to put the giver in a good light, at least that's what the hope is. By the way, I did break down and buy cards for everyone in my department, and also gave some to upper management persons. Yep, trying to make myself look good. But I was really happy with the cards I found so late in the season, a really pretty pictures on the front with little sparklie stuff sprinkled on the picture in all the right places to make it look good. Of course those sparklies were everywhere when I was writing out the cards, not sure how much of them I swallowed as I licked envelopes. Should make for some pretty poops.

When I sign my real name to cards it comes out looking like Sharon. Not real cool, it's my bad penmanship. This year I printed my name out on my cards, and it looks great, if I do say so myself. I've been signing cursive since forever, I may now have to go back to printing my name when possible. I write like my dad, I had no idea that would be a genetic thing. At least I don't look like my dad, my youngest brother has that honor. Which we remind him of every chance we get. Because he gets pissed, it's always good for a laugh.

My in-laws are here, at my house for the next two weeks. I was supposed to be out today for a vacation day, which would have given me six straight days off for the holiday. But I didn't remember that they would be here, so I'm working instead. Still five straight days off, which isn't all that bad, but with them in the house I will start running out of places to hide. Hope I get some fun toys to keep me occupied.

Took my stepson out shopping last night. We have a bit of a odd relationship, somewhere between dad and roommate. He was and is a momma's boy, it was just the two of them when I met his mother, and the umbilical cord is still attached. Which is fine, I'm not trying to change their relationship. And he has his real dad three hours away, although the guy rarely visits. My stepson and I don't have a lot of common interests, so there's not always a lot to talk about. There was a unpleasant silence at times with just the two of us shopping, but it got smoother and was fine. I'm sure he would be happier if it was just him and his mom, but he's a good kid and not usually a problem, and we occasionally find things to relate to so it goes ok.

Are you ready for the post-christmas letdown? It can never live up to what it's supposed to be, and there is always some letdown for me after, like is that all there is to it? How come I'm not left feeling tingly and floating on cloud nine like I expected? These days it's not so much like that, I try and go into it that it's a kids holiday, and enjoy their reaction to the day. And they are pretty good with it, appreciative of what they get and not sulking after. Hopefully it is that way again this year.

I'm sitting here wearing a Santa hat at work, to be festive. I need to find mistletoe, does anyone even use that stuff anymore? It used to be a big deal when I was younger, but I rarely hear it mentioned anymore. I guess around these parts it grows wild, I've been told those green clumps up high in trees that you can see when the leaves fall are clumps of mistletoe growing like a parasite on the trees. Nice. Parasites give me the willies, just thinking about anything that lives off of another living thing. I've never had a tick on me feeding, the few I've found have always been just crawling thankfully. I've never had a leech either, that would be the worst. Mosquitoes are bad enough. I'm thankful I live in a modern society where those things aren't a part of my life.

Rambling and a stammerin, this is my post today. I guess it should be more festive and Christmassy, fuck it. It's just me. I need to watch Scrooged, the Bill Murray movie, haven't watched it yet this year. It's not in the same class as Christmas Vacation, but it is funny. Maybe tonight. I wish I owned the movie Bad Santa, although I would have to hide it from the stepson, it is funny in it's own dark and twisted way.

I saw this on someone else's post and it got me thinking - do you ever wish you could know how people really feel about you? People who you may not even know well or think of, just what they really think about you? Or are we better off not knowing? Could you deal with it all, the bad along with the good? Would it be good to know who thinks you might be a good guy/gal, who your real friends are? Knowing who would want to sleep with you, or who thinks about you in those terms? Who thinks about you in those quiet times, like when they are laying in bed at night, who thinks about me before going to sleep? Maybe there would be no one, would that be good or bad to know? Knowing who despises you, how you are really thought of at work? And of course it would work the other way as well, people would really know how you feel about them. It would certainly be interesting.

I'm gone until next Thursday when I return to work. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all my web friends I have made, you are very special to me. Being an introvert all my life this internet/blog thing really appeals to me as a way to meet people and make friends. I feel your pain and enjoy your happy moments that you share in your blogs and emails and comments. I'm glad to be a part of your world, and have you in mine. I hope the holiday is special for all of you.

Stocking Stuffers

• The in-laws arrived last night, and will be with us for sixteen days. It's hard to complain, they are staying that long to be with the kids while school is out, so they are doing us a favor. And we get along fine, at least right now, but after a few days it starts to get old having two other people in the house. The kids are very happy so that is something to remember.
• It rained pretty hard on Saturday night, it was a strange sound hearing the rain hitting the house, it hasn't happened much in the past six months. The drought here is almost up to biblical proportions. But looks like it will rain again this weekend so that will help it from getting worse. Of course it would happen on the weekend, but I will keep reminding myself how lucky we are to have rain on a weekend.
• I still have to get a few more items for shopping. My only responsibility is to shop for my wife and anyone on my side of the family who I feel needs to get a present. Which in my case is my dad and my brother Rob, who has always been very generous at Christmas. When you are single you can afford to be that way. We have an agreement with my other brothers and their families that we don't need to buy presents for each other, make it easier all around. We used to pick names which was fine by me but that seemed to go away some time back.
• People here at work go around giving each other Christmas cards, at least the 15 people here in our building do. It's mostly women which I'm sure is the root of this problem. I'm not a card guy, if I want to give you that message I will tell you. But now I need to go out and get cards or be "one of those" who did not give a card even though we gave cards to him. People also go around handing out candy, and the women got Christmas stockings for everyone which we hang on the door, someone will occasionally put candy in it. I like that one, I have bought candy which I hand out as well, but those cards, eh.
• There is a woman here who keeps sending out religious emails, and it just gets worse this time of year. I'm happy that she is content but don't keep pushing that crap on me, I'm happy with my beliefs and you pushing yours on me is just going to build resentment. She was told to stop and now she just sends them to people who are not in management. I could complain but she is otherwise a nice lady and I can just delete them from my email box. But it does get on my nerves.
• My in-laws said they had about 18 inches of snow on the ground up there when they left yesterday. And I don't miss that one bit. I do miss the temps in the 70's like we had last here last week.
• My New England Patriots are two wins away from the first 16-0 season in history! I think they will do it, but for some reason I have this nervous feeling about the playoffs. Maybe because they haven't been as dominant in the past month as they had been earlier in the season. They will end up playing another team that is hot and playing well in their second playoff game, and I fear it will be the Chargers, which is a very talented team just coming into their own. We can still beat them, but with some bad breaks it could be scary. Hopefully the weather will not be a factor the rest of the season.
• Speaking of weather and football, the Browns/Bills game last week was incredible to watch. At every commercial break of the Patriots game I switched on that game. There is just something about playing football in the snow that is fun to watch, it seemed like an old time football game. I hope it snows again for other games, just not any of ours.
• Where is a good place to buy quality sterling silver jewelry?

Old Friends

This past weekend I drove the three hours to Raleigh to meet an old friend from high school. Back then he went by Charlie, now he insists on being called Chuck. Not exactly an upgrade to me, but what ever, fine by me. We spent a lot of time together after I moved about a mile down the road from him in my freshman year of high school. We had sports in common, our love of baseball and basketball. We would get together often at his house and sometimes mine to play one on one versions of nerf basketball and wiffle ball, it was probably the best times of my childhood. In our senior year of high school we started to grow apart, I had to work to support my car where his parents payed for his stuff. Plus he decided that hanging out with the brown nose kids was important to him, the click that didn't want to be associated with kids like me who just hung around with whomever we felt like being around. Plus I was pretty much an introvert in high school, more so than I am now so I probably seemed strange to them being quiet a lot, and not treating them like they were holy or something. So anyway, we would still get together at times but started to grow apart that last year of school. Then after graduation he went off to college while I floundered and then got married after getting my girlfriend pregnant. I went off to work in a factory while he was off at college. He had been trying to talk me into getting into the same Sports Management program at UMass that he was enrolled in, and I would have liked to of done that, but unlike him I had also discovered how much fun it was getting laid, and my dick made the decisions for me. We infrequently talked or exchanged letters while he was in college and I was married with a child and working twelve hours shifts in the local factory. I was later in his wedding the summer after he graduated from college, by that time I had taken some college classes and was out of the factory, working in a bank. Then we drifted apart for about ten years, finally getting back in touch after his father died. It was his mother who pushed him and I to get back in touch. Shortly after that she died as well, and we have stayed in touch since then. Which means the three people who I considered my best friends in high school I am still friends with. I don't make lots of friends but I do try and keep the ones I do make. While I went into the computer field Chuck has ended up working for our favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox. When we were kids we never would have imagined this happening, it is a pretty amazing developement. He was working for one of the people who ended up being in the partnership that bought the Red Sox about six years ago, he just fell into this amazing job. Funny how life works sometimes. Although he has always been a go-getter, it isn't just luck that he is now in the position he has attained.

So anyway I drove up there to meet him and his oldest son, who was the reason they came down here, his son was playing in a soccer tournament. Chuck and I had a good time talking and laughing about the old days. The soccer game was a test, as it was in the 30's and raining off and on, and a very cold wind blowing the whole time. Our week of temps in the 70's ended just in time for me to spend a day outdoors. It's one of those moments that make you very thankful for heat in the truck afterwards. Although I had on five layers I was still frozen at the end. But it was great to spend time with them. Then I drove three hours back home in the dark and rain, not a fun drive but still worth it. The next time we meet up will be at Fenway Park in the summer, where I will get to watch a game again from behind the radio announcers. Some time I will write about the last time I got to do that and to wander around behind the scenes during a Sox game, a dream come true for a lifelong Red Sox fan.

Baseballs Day of Reckoning

This afternoon Major League Baseball will unveil the report resulting from the investigation it ordered of its own industry about 18 months ago, investigating the drug scandal and how they have infiltrated the teams and clubhouses of the 32 major league teams. Although the investigation did not have the authority to make players talk they did talk to suppliers and federal investigators. Unlike the federal investigations this report is going to identify individual players by name. It's rumored that up to eighty players are identified in this report. And that it is just the tip of the ice burg, that in reality there are many more players who will not yet have been identified. I can only imagine how many restless nights were experienced last night by current and former baseball players and personnel.

It will be a painful today when players from my Red Sox team are identified as being part of this mess. One tends to hope that when steroids and HGH (Human Growth Hormone) use is discussed that it applies to OTHER players, not my favorite players. That illusion is about to be shattered for me and thousands of other baseball fans around the world this afternoon. I don't have a problem with them being identified, but it's going to be sad to know that they cheated, like the probably majority of players have been. Hopefully this will be a big step in clearing this mess up, but it's going to hurt.

2:00 pm today the baseball world will change.

Early Christmas Present

I am shell shocked this morning, in a daze really after getting a phone call from my oldest daughter last night. I'm going to be a grandpa! Even typing that sounds so strange. When she got married (two years ago on Jan 1st) they had said they didn't think they would ever have children, that they were fine with that. Actually it was mostly my daughter saying that, it seemed my son-in-law might have been just toting the company line, because he really likes kids and being around them. Apparently about a year or so ago they changed there minds, and some time after that started trying to get pregnant. But they didn't share that information, so getting that phone call last night just completely blew me away. They are very happy, and I am very happy for them. No word yet on the sex of the baby, who is due in late July, right near my other daughters birthday. They are only telling the parents right now, everyone else they will be telling at Christmas. So keep this secret to yourselves, ok? Thanks.

I have a lot of weird emotions going through me since hearing that news. First and foremost I am happy for them, when she first told me I didn't know if it was good news or not because I wasn't aware that they had changed The Plan. Then I was just dumbfounded. The realization of becoming a grandfather, or more importantly being labeled a grandfather is strange. I really am old, apparently. My grandmother became one at age 34, but she could tell herself that she was really young. But 46? Maybe I really am old. Seems like I'm about to enter the next stage in life, the last stage. Very strange. I'm sure I'll get used to it and it will be back to business as usual, but it's a strange new world right now.

Christmas Tree 2007

Last Saturday we made our annual trek into the mountains to pick out a live tree for our house. It's about 2 1/2 hour ride to Newell NC, which none of us were real excited about doing when we got up, but it was our duty to uphold the tradition. Once we got on the road it wasn't so bad, except for the "discussion" about which XM station had the best Christmas music on the ride. Mariah Carey CD was the solution that made everyone happy. We had a $300 emergency service call for our natural gas furnace the night before, which for me took some of the joy out of our trek to the mountains, it was an expensive weekend when it was all tallied.

This year it only took an hour to find a great tree, for me that is very good as I am picky about them. Actually it would have been only half that time, but when I first found this tree it had a ribbon tied to it which I thought meant we couldn't have it, so I kept looking. Later found out that those ribbons didn't mean anything, so I had to go back and try to find it amongst the hundreds of trees on this side of the mountain. I thought it would be like trying to find a (pine) needle in a haystack, but it wasn't as hard as I expected. I guess it was so good it stood out. Here is a picture of it before it was slaughtered, I mean rescued:

Then we had to find one for Chickee's best friends house, as her mom asked us to pick out a 6-7 footer for them. Funny how it wasn't as hard to choose theirs, all of my criteria apparently only applies to my tree. It won't be so hard for them to decorate if it only has four branches. lol

Back to the barn for some hot cider and cookies while we waited for them to bring us our booty. It was actually a warm day in the mountains, low 50's, so we sat in the sun on the tailgate of the truck. Got our trees, a wreath and went on to the second part of our tradition, eating lunch at the local BBQ joint. Except I got catfish as I had eaten BBQ not too long ago, and I love fish. It was all good, we then with full bellies we hit the road for the ride back, they slept while Mariah singing to me kept me awake for the drive.

That night, as it was sitting in the tree stand, to let the branches fall so we could decorate it the next day, the tree fell and landed on a napping wife. Who had a bowl of cereal in her lap. Who then went into a rage. Fun times.

We decorated it the next day, my job is the lights and star, and then the kids and wife decorate the rest of it. I helped with the higher decorations. The Red Sox ornament got the highest spot on the tree, a tribute for them winning the World Series. When it was all decorated I pushed it closer to the wall for it's spot, turned my back and heard a yell. Yep, it was falling again, again going right for my wife. I caught it this time, only a few ornaments fell off. I'm not sure why it hates her so much, but I have a few guesses. After a lot of un-Christmas like words were thrown about I got it situated so that nothing less than a hurricane will get it to fall over.

Here are a few pics of the decorating and finished product:

I survived!

I'm alive! Although I'm not sure if I can get a decent woody today with some of my blood missing. And whats the sense of living without that? ;-) Not that anyone will notice either way. A nice little bonus for today was a description in the pre-stabbing literature giving the definitions of sexual intercourse, oral sex and anal sex. I wasn't expecting erotica, and it was a bit weird sitting next to the 60 something HR director while reading it. And going back to reread it again. 'Cause I wanna be sure I've been doing those things correctly.

The stabbing went ok, a few light headed moments but I was able to get them to pass quickly. At first it was the thought of my coworkers being there to see me keel over that kept me conscious. Then later it would be my bowels about to explode that did the trick, as I had a visions of my sphincter releasing a giant lava flow as soon as I blinked out. That kind of fear is a mighty powerful tool. Damn my nervous stomach.

There was a moment when my blood flow kept slowing down and then stopped, apparently these people weren't used to dealing with thick Yankee blood. It was a special moment when she pushed the needle in a little further to help get the blood flowing again, one I will remember, especially when it's time to sign up to do this again next year. Although I'm sure the lure of more erotica will overpower it.

I'm a Big Baby

At 10:45 this morning I'm supposed to be upstairs giving blood. Right now there is a 50-50 chance that I will be hiding in the back stairwell at that time, sucking my thumb with little moaning noises squeaking out of my body. I believe in giving, it is a great cause and a good way to contribute to the world. But just the thought of having that needle in me for that long freaks me out. I have given before, a few times, but had a bad experience where I almost passed out back in '93 and I haven't gone back since. It hurt a lot, the nurse wasn't very good or gentle. If it didn't take so long I would be better, but the longer it goes the worse I get. Now if they spiced it up a bit, maybe topless nurses or at least nurses who tell dirty jokes, I would turn red and there would be no danger of my passing out or getting faint. I bet there would be a lot more donors as well. For today my only other incentive is four hours paid time off to use down the road. It's something, but it's not topless good or anything even close to that. :-(

Random Thursday Thoughts

• Taught class again since THE INCIDENT, didn't make anyone cry. At least not on the outside. I saw one guy with his eyes half closed, I think if I had kept talking at that point he would have nodded off and landed face first in his keyboard, with a reverse keyboard imprint on his forehead the rest of the day. I think that is the sign for others that you have attended my class, no certificate necessary.
• Drove up to my house after dark for the first time since putting up the xmas lights, and I have to say it looks pretty damn good. The few others in view of my house that decorated are not so inspiring of xmas cheer. I rule, at least until the weekend when I'm sure someone will go to work to out do mine. I rule for at least the next two nights. I'm the King of Christmas. What? Jesus is the King of Christmas? I've seen those mangers, my lights are much more inspiring. Just ask me.
• I was sweating it out when I heard that someone won the Powerball jackpot last night. Because I forgot to play my numbers. My fear is that they will come up on the day I forget to play them. And then I will promptly throw myself off the roof, wrapped in Christmas lights. I'm here, it didn't happen this time.
• I think I gained five pounds since starting my vacation. My brothers are a bad influence, making me do all that eating and drinking. It's all their fault.
• Watched the Grinch and new Shrek Christmas specials last night. The Grinch was always my favorite since I was a kid, but watching it last night just didn't have the same luster. I hope that doesn't mean I'm growing up or something. Shrek had it's moments. The gingerbread man parking with his girl and her being attacked by Santa was LOL funny. He sounds like the SNL Mr. Bill character.
• I'm supposed to give blood next Tuesday. Yikes. What was I thinking when I signed up for that? Oh yeah, four hours time off paid. Seemed like a fair trade at the time, now I'm not so sure. I should be in full blown panic mode my next Tuesday. I've done it before, but not in over 14 years when I had a bad experience. Hopefully it's easier now. Like no needle.
• My Patriots are still undefeated! Everyone is predicted a grudge match with the Jets in a few weeks, should be interesting.
• I can do without snow, as we have had none in three years now. But I have to admit it is pretty, especially the first one. And the kids would love it. Chickee was only one when we moved south so she never got to experience snowstorms and playing in the white shit, er, snow. And everything around here does shut down, including work, if it snows. So I will allow one snowstorm this winter, if it falls on a Monday or Friday. But just one. Who doesn't love a free day off from work?
• I'm not sure what I want for Christmas. I can think of some big $ items, but not the more reasonable things. What do YOU want for Christmas? Leave me a note and I'll be sure to send it on to Santa.

Pictures

Some pictures from Thanksgiving week.

This was the house after decorating it last weekend.

Chickee and me relaxing in the gazebo by the lake.

View from the house area.

Brother J in middle back, brother R in middle front, niece and nephews.

Brother P and his wife.

Brother P, doing what he does best.

I took this shot of dad as a joke, then after they were gone I realized that this was the only picture I got of him while he was here. Sorry dad.

Some of the empties from our week.

Back of the rental house.

Chickee after getting out of the hot tub.

My Dark Side

After this mornings Christmas post I'm shattering that nice feeling with this one, but I need to vent. I read the news report about the so called "parents" of the little girl who was found discarded in the gulf like a piece of garbage. It brings tears to my eyes thinking that any child had to live like she did. If this country is to assign the job of torturing people who have harmed children then I sure hope that my name gets put on the top of the list as executioner. I would have thought I don't have a dark side, but when I read stuff like this all I can think of is to put people like her "parents" through a torture a thousand times worse than what they put upon the child. I have power tools and lots of other stuff and I would welcome the opportunity to put them to use in this manner, even if it means burning in hell when I'm gone. To think about the terror this child had to endure, I would like to see that look on their faces a thousand times over. There is no forgiveness in cases like this, fuck that, these people can't be hurt enough to make up for what they have done but I would like the chance to try.

Kicking Off The Christmas Season

Our family has some things that we do to kick off the season, they have become traditions for us.

• Mariah Carey - If we have gone out for Thanksgiving dinner, on the ride home we play Mariah's Christmas CD, from the 90's, before she became a characture of herself. It's a good CD, and leaves visions of her from the early 90's dancing in my head. This CD can only be played after Thanksgiving through Christmas day, no other time.
• The weekend after Thanksgiving I decorate the outside of the house with Christmas lights. Spent most of Saturday doing it this past weekend.
• The night after putting up the lights we watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I know it by heart and it still makes me laugh out loud. Like the CD this movie can only be watched after Thanksgiving through Christmas day, no other time.
• The first Saturday in December we drive up to the NC mountains, where real Christmas trees can be grown in this southern climate, and choose our own live tree. This is no simple feat, as I am very particular about my tree and it usually takes a couple of hours until I've either found the perfect tree or I'm about to be tossed off the mountain by frozen family members. Then before we hit the road we stop at a local BBQ place for a great lunch.

Three of the four have been done, Saturday we will make our trek into the mountains. The more we do these things every year the more special they become and we look forward to them each year. Except for Chickee, who refused to go to the mountains after we got lost the first year and she got car sick on a lot of winding mountain roads. Mention to her going to the mountains and she instantly responds with "no way!". She will be at her friends house, and we will pick up a tree for them as well. The special hot cider at the tree farm always tastes awesome after trekking along the side of a cold mountain for a few hours. I'm looking forward to my next cup.

Do you have any family Christmas traditions that you look forward to every year?

Back to Reality

Thanksgiving week is over, now that I'm back to work maybe I can catch up on my rest. The week was fun with my three brothers and their families in tow, and my dad. They stayed in a rental house about 15 minutes away, which was very nice in different ways. The house was on the lake, had a hot tub and big deck, four bedrooms and a giant sun room. Wide screen tv, gazebo down near the water's edge and a boat dock, although no one brought a boat. Most days were spent drinking Coronas and eating, especially on Turkey day. And talking about one brother and his wife behind their back. I guess when two families share a house with both of their six member families there are going to be issues. At the beginning of the week one brother said to me that he would like for all of us to go on a real vacation destination somewhere all together, I told him lets see how this week goes first. He has since changed his mind about the idea, because of one brother in particular. Before getting into that lets first introduce the brothers:

Brother R - Son #2, single and lives in Hawaii. One year younger than me. Flew in on Saturday morning after flying all night, the kids and I picked him up at the airport. He has the most money in the family, which I'm sure has nothing to do with there being no wife and kids to help him spend it. Will be a bachelor forever. He was generous with buying stuff to supply the house for the week.

Brother P - Son #3, four years younger than me. Him and his wife L along with his three kids from a previous marriage and their 11 month old of their own drove down, arrived Saturday afternoon after 15 hours on the road. They brought a Wii game system with them, exposing it to my kids, and now I have to get them one for Christmas because they insist it's now #1 on their Christmas list. The fact that I loved it as well has nothing to do with it.

Brother J - Son #4, eight years younger than me. His wife K and their three year old flew down on Saturday, I picked them up at the airport. J and his two teenage stepsons drove down, after 13 hours on the road they arrived Saturday afternoon. His teenage daughter flew down on Wednesday, him and I picked her up at the airport that night. What a zoo! I've never seen the airport like that, luckily we were smart enough to park in the garage and walk to baggage claim to meet her, I think cars we saw in the arrivals line were still there when we left the parking garage.

Dad - 66 years old now. Drove down on Sunday, got lost in Charlotte area, I had to talk him in. Dad never was one to get lost (I've inherited his sense of direction) this was the first of some things I saw from him the five days he was here that left me a little troubled. Dad really is getting old. I've got one funny picture I took of him napping on the couch, he looks like he's dead, which shouldn't be funny, but the picture is. I'll post it here along with a few others tomorrow. Dad stayed at my house for the week. Being the type of person who always has a billion projects going on and is always doing something, he was very bored at my house. I should have broke something so he would have something to do. It may be a while before I can convince him to come back. He watched Star Wars and Shrek while he was here, really liked them - HE HAD NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE! He just doesn't stop long enough to watch a movie, always on the go. I would try to talk him into slowing down, but he wouldn't be happy, and he wouldn't listen anyhow. I didn't inherit that gene, I enjoy having fun way too much.

The backbiting during the week occured because of two reasons:

1) Brother P is the laziest and most self centered person in the family, by far. Some examples: He always was the first in line to eat. Us adults would wait for the kids to get settled with their meal before helping ourselves. P would always eat first, even before his own kids. We were often getting his kids food while he ate. He did very little to help his wife with the baby, who had a cold and was often cranky. Unspoken but evident was the fact that him and his wife thought Brother J's three year old was annoying, while J and his wife thought P's baby was annoying. They were both right, although the baby had reasons. J's kid is allowed to do things that my kids would have been disciplined for. Like screaming at the top of his lungs over and over again. Very annoying.

2) Brother P will gladly let everyone else pay for everything unless you specificly tell him to pony up when household items were being bought. My family wasn't living there but we were visiting and consuming stuff so I felt I should contribute money. P has no desire to spend if he can get away with not doing it, but he is first in line to eat and help himself to many beers.

There is no changing P, he has been and will be this way forever. But it will affect the way vacations are done in the future.

Despite these things it was good to see everyone, and I was sad when they all left town on Friday, except for R who I brought to the airport on Saturday morning. He said he was going to spend Sunday on the beach to warm up again, even though we had four days in the 70's during the week. But the nights were cool, at least compared to Honolulu. He is supposed to send me a picture so I can be very jealous.

I'm a Bad Ass

I made an older lady cry today. And I feel like a shithead, but it's not my fault. I had to teach a training class this morning at work, the person who used to do it full time took another position here, so us analysts have to take turns on the classes until someone is hired. And I hate teaching, although it's usually ok once I get into it just the thought of having to do it makes my stomach roll over. It doesn't suit my introverted self to be teaching classes. But I do it when I have to because I like getting paid every two weeks.

The rules with all of our training classes is that the doors are locked five minutes after the start time, no one admitted after that. Today's 9:00 class was supposed to be full, twelve people. At 9:05 we had five, so I waited a few more minutes, then prepared to start. Then a staff person comes in and says this person got lost, can be here in four minutes if I will wait. I'm a nice guy so I agree. She got here in four minutes, great, we can start. About a minute later two more come barging in the door, which I forgot to lock. Although it's now about 9:12 I had just started, they are in the room because I'm an idiot, so it's either let them stay or force 'em out the door. I let them stay, although I don't think some of the others were happy. Finally got everyone set up and we're off.

Twenty minutes later the door flies open again (FUCK I forgot again to lock it). This older lady, long wispy grey hair, huge glasses toting a suitcase on wheels (WTF?) barges in and says she's here for the class. I told her that I'm sorry but it was too late, that it was now forty minutes after class was scheduled, I couldn't stop the class and go back to get her caught up. She started yelling at me, saying she had driven two hours to get here. Then she starts bawling real loud. At that moment I hated my boss for making me be here, the receptionist who let this person check in and sent her down here, and my health for being good enough that I wasn't able to call in sick today. I eventually got her out of the class into the hall, I wanted to try and talk to her to further explain why I couldn't help her, it wasn't fair to the others in the class to wait 20 minutes while I get her caught up. But as soon as we got in the hall she went whipping down it, evidently just to leave, while yelling and crying at the same time. I just kind of stood there dumbfounded until she disappeared around the corner into the elevator.

That was my morning. Hope yours was better.

Incoming!!

Fourteen family members will be coming into town this weekend for Thanksgiving week. Thankfully only my dad will be staying at my house, the rest are renting a house on the nearby lake. Or what's left of the lake. I'm very excited, although I wonder if by this time next week I will be trying to decide on which relative to shoot first. It could go either way. There will be lots of beer consumed by my brothers, and I will be introduced to their favorite vodka at some point. I don't drink a lot, it usually make me very sleepy after about two hours. However this week could very well turn into a trip down memory lane, lots of late night beers for no good reason. I'm on vacation while they are here, and my kids are in school, so I will have freedom to be bad. Or have fun, which ever way one wants to look at it. However their rugrats will be in tow, so there will be pissed off wives who are stuck with the kids while us brothers have fun. Maybe it will be a sister in law of mine doing the shooting next week. However the week turns out I hope to be back at some point to report on how it all turned out.

He's Back!

Back to work after my conference in picturesque Asheville, North Carolina. If you've never been and have the chance to visit I would encourage it, especially if you enjoy artsy and crafty kinds of shops and merchandise. But just walking around was very nice, and very pretty with the fall colors and the surrounding hills and mountains. However when it got cold on Tuesday I pretty much holed up in the hotel, I really hate the cold.

I came back to some really bad news, my company has blocked access to my beloved FLICKR web site. I guess visiting it for hours and looking at hundreds of pics caught up to me, apparently they prefer production at work instead of happy surfers. Bummer. I may take down my account, not sure yet. If you want to see my pics before they are gone the link is on the right side of this blog.

I have Monday off from work, still trying to decide what to do on a November day all by myself, as the kids will be in school. My mother in law is visiting, so I don't want to stay home with just her and I. We get along fine, but I don't really feel like hanging with her.

My brothers (and their families) and my Dad arrive in less than two weeks for Thanksgiving. I will be on vacation, am looking forward to a good time. I hope it actually works out to be fun and not a pain in the ass with everyone here at the same time. It should be fun. I think. A week long party knowing them. Thankfully they won't all be staying at my house with all the kids (a total of eight kids plus mine).

Asheville

I'm off to Asheville NC for a conference. Thankfully I will have high speed internet connection, not sure how I used to live without being connected. One never knows what might happen when a guy is in a hotel and bored.

Thanks for all the comments!

6 Things

I've been tagged by Patty to list six habits/facts about myself. I have no idea, lets see what comes out of my brain . . .

1. When I was a younger kid I wanted to be an astronaut. Actually I still do, but now I know it's probably not going to happen. Unless I'm kidnapped by aliens and taken away in their spaceship, would that count? Regardless, I'll take the trip if they are offering.
2. My desk at work is a mess. Really bad. I have folders now to get stuff properly filed and organized, but I keep putting it off. I think it might be too big a project now. And if all my work is in folders I might not know where to find it! I'm figuring it's going to take at least four hours to straighten all this out.
3. I have an aquarium at home with a bunch of fresh water fish. Pretty exciting news I'm sure, try and calm your self down, deep breaths. Learning this fact about me sends every woman I know into hot flashes and in need of a change of panties.
4. I like to think that I am a unique kind of guy, and that I'm not like "typical" guys. But then there will be something that makes me realize that in some ways I'm just like every other shmuck. Maybe that's ok, I guess people who are totally different are regarded as strange and weird.
5. Usually I only feel old when my kids or other kids I know have birthdays. My own birthdays don't really make me feel old, as I know that I don't feel the age my number says I am. But when I see how kids are growing up so fast it makes me realize just how fast time is going by.
6. Wish I had the time and opportunity to travel and explore, just me and my little Chickee. I've done some traveling like that with my oldest daughter, but now that she's married and working it probably won't happen again. Those were the vacations that I remember most fondly, just her and I, and I hope to have those same opportunities with my youngest daughter.

I'm supposed to tag six people to do this as well, but I'm not sure that six people ever visit here so I'll just leave it up to you to decide if it's something you want to do. If you do it let me know so I can be sure to read it!

2007 WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!

Twenty Minutes of Terror

My youngest daughter goes to a YMCA program every day after school, held at the school. She is there until my wife or I pick her up after work. Yesterday my wife arrived there as usual and went in to pick her up. They looked at her and said "WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS". Thus followed ten minutes of my wife franticly trying to figure out where she was, while the workers there sat on their asses. When I got home from work my stepson told me that my wife had called looking to see if by some chance my daughter was home because the Y said "WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS". I went tear-assing down to the school and confronted them myself to get the same message. That is a moment I hope no one ever has to go through, as you immediatly imagine the worst case scenerio as you franticly try to get them to give you some information, and they just look at you with a blank face. The janitor of all people ended up being the one to franticly help us try and find her, and do an announcement over the school PA system. I was on the phone with the Sheriffs department to get them down there. After it was then that Avery came out of the room she was in, oblivious to what was going on. It turns out that she helps a teacher every Wednesday after school, which a note was given to the Y program to let them know, back when it first started. My daughter also went to the Y first yesterday and told one of them that she was going to this teachers room, as usual. The only thing different was that she stayed longer this time and was still in there when we got there to pick her up.

I took my daughter out of there and left my wife to rip into those people real good. She is a hot head and usually I would steer her out of there after a minute of yelling, but those people deserved that and more, and I let her unload everything she had on 'em. Today there will be a meeting with those people and their supervisors, I don't want us or any other parent to ever again be told that no one knows where their kid is at. You feel like yelling, punching, crying and puking all at the same time. It took me an hour to stop shaking last night, although I am of course most thankful that it was a happy ending. The only regret I have is dropping the f-bomb within earshot of other kids that were there, other than that they deserved everything they got.

Chickee Learns to Ride

My little chickee finally learned how to ride a bicycle! She had tried it a couple years ago and never got into it, got frustrated and gave up easily and hadn't wanted to try again. Then a couple Sunday's ago (during the Patriots football game!) she decided she wanted to go out and try it again. Where was that thought earlier in the day when I wasn't doing much of anything? lol So we went out and within an hour she was riding up and down the street (a cul de sac, not much traffic). Here is YouTube video link of her on that first day:

Chickee rides a bike.

Some have seen this, but if anyone else is interested in seeing what I'm talking about when I mention my flying here is a video link of me getting off the ground:

Up up and away!

Be warned, it's a large file, may take a few minutes.

Soon To Be Updated?

My Red Sox are in the World Series!!! Hopefully I will be updating these in the not to distant future.

My best friend in high school is now a top executive with my beloved Red Sox and he arranged for me to get my picture taken at Fenway with the World Series trophy after they won it in 2004.

My New England Patriots are undefeated and breaking all kinds of records in their march to the SuperBowl as well. Boston College football team is ranked #2 in the nation. The Boston Celtics are reinvigorated after adding all star players over the summer, many have suggested they will finally have a winning season and possibly make it to the NBA Finals this year. Even the Boston Bruins are 4-0, and they suck. Not that anyone would know, as hockey fell off the radar a while back.

It's good to be a Boston sports fan these days. :-)

Kids Having Kids

What is this 'birth control' you speak of?

My family on my mother's side has a tradition of the oldest child making babies before turning twenty years old. I only know of three generations, but I would not be surprised to learn that my great-grandmother did it as well, seeing she had nine kids, there's a good chance she also got an early start. But I'm certainly not asking, as it's not a subject discussed in our family. Just like sex and birth control.

My grandmother was fifteen(!) when my mom was born. My mom was 18 when I was born. And I was 19 when my daughter was born. My youngest brother also was 19 when his oldest was born. Thankfully my now 26 year old daughter put an end to this family tradition. No grand kids yet for me. Speaking of which, my grandmother was 33 when I was born. Yep, 33 year old grandma. She then had a kid a year after I was born, leaving me with a biological aunt who is a year younger than I am. And I had an uncle who was just three years older than me. I spent a lot of time growing up and playing with my aunt and uncle, although it was more of a relationship like close cousins than anything else. Also up into my late thirties I had a great grandmother who was still alive and living in her own house. One of my most cherished pictures is of her, my grandmother, me and my daughter (her great-great granddaughter), spanning the five generations. If my mother had been alive it would have been a much better picture, but it is still very nice.

I don't know the details of my grandmother becoming pregnant at fifteen, just that she met my grandfather when he was in the army, stationed in Texas (where she grew up). She was not old enough to take care of my mother, so she was left with my great grandmother, who raised her as her own child for the first few years. I understand it was heart breaking for her when my grandmother came back home (she had left with my grandfather) to take her back where they had moved, to Massachusetts.

My mother was married to my dad when she was 17, they were married when I was concieved. I was the first of the three boys she had by the time she turned 23. Then my baby brother was born when she turned 27. She was convinced that he was going to be the little girl she always wanted. We still kid my brother about that to this day. lol

When I was 18 I got my girlfriend pregnant. I had been planning on breaking up with her after Christmas, but fate intervened. My daughter was conceived under the Christmas tree on Christmas eve. I am absolutely sure of this, as we weren't messing around much at all, as things were going south with us. I did the right thing and married her, and we stayed married for eight years.

That's the dirt on my family, at least on one side of it, and I've had a hand in it. But it has all turned out well enough, my daughter Allison was a great kid and has become a wonderful woman who has and I'm sure will continue to do well for herself, she makes me proud every day.

Do you think anyone wants to know how they were concieved? It's a unique story, under the Christmas tree and all, but I kind of doubt that my daughter, or any daughter would want to hear that. But maybe I'm wrong?

Let's Try This Again

I had done up a nice, long post the other day about how I am now walking and getting exercise, seeing the SC country side from the ground level and really enjoying it. Then I went to upload it and it disappeared into cyber space. I then created another post wishing all things evil on Blogger servers, and that one was eaten as well. I then gave up and have stayed away until today. You can be sure this one will be copied before I attempt to upload it. But damn, that first one that got vaporized was really good.

What are vapors? And why did only southern women get to experience them long ago? I am vexed by the mention of these mysterious vapors, the mental image is not good, but it seems to be a good thing? With all those undergarments they used to wear I'm sure there were vapors that I wouldn't want to explore!

We are finally getting some rain once again, our local big lake is turning into a big mud hole, many docks and boats sitting in mud instead of water. We need much more water than we are getting today, but not on weekend, in case anyone is taking notes. Just weekdays please.

My Patriots are kicking every one's ass this year, making Sundays very fun at home. If only my Red Sox could follow suit I would be an even happier camper. They won last night though, still alive!

I missed The Office last night while watching the Sox. I guess there will be at least one rerun that I will be able to watch with more interest. Although that show is still funny even in reruns. I don't watch many TV shows but I don't (usually) miss that one, it's easily my fave.

Haven't been flying much at all lately, we got kicked out of our flying field, now I have to drive an hour to get to a field where I have permission. There are so many fields around my town, but people are afraid to let anyone on their land because everyone wants to sue everyone else it seems. I'm not like that, but I can't blame them for protecting themselves, they don't know me. I need to win the lottery so I can buy a big parcel of land for flying. If anyone knows the upcoming lottery numbers feel free to send them to me, I'll buy you lunch or something when I win. ;-)

My brothers and their families, and hopefully my dad are all coming down to SC for Thanksgiving week. I am really looking forward to it, but sad that my daughter and her husband won't be able to come down, with her having to teach and it's her first year. :-( I wasn't able to get up there to see them like I had hoped this month either. At least her new job is going great and she has much better students than when she was sharing a class at a different school last year. I guess that experience is helping her appreciate what she has this year.

Time Off

I'm starting a little vacation tomorrow that is just for me. I'm not going overnight any where, but four vacation days sandwiched around the weekend gives me six days away from the work grind, and no definite plans. The weekend I will be doing the usual stuff but the other four days are mine to do with what I want. Here are some of the things I hope to do, fun stuff and projects:

• get my front tire replaced on my motorcycle
• go on motorcycle rides around the Carolinas
• hopefully to the mountains at least once
• get brakes fixed on truck
• go flying as much as possible
• reseed lawn where pool was set up over the summer
• lime the lawn
• read a book (I miss just sitting down and reading)
• take some pictures that are more than just point and click
• start a regular excercise program (wishing it was sexercise :-)
• catch up on phone calls (I'm bad about keeping up with them)
• fix my pc at home
• clean my desk

There is no way in hell I'm getting to all of that in four days, I already have an idea on which ones I will just not have enough time to get to. :-)

Be back next week.

Autumn! :-) then Winter :-(

I used to hate autumn, because it means that winter is just around the corner and gaining fast. Since moving south I can deal with winter much better, although our relationship is less than ideal. But this has enabled me to appreciate the autumn season much more than I ever have before. The warm afternoons and the cool nights, the color of the leaves changing on the trees, the smell of the sun warmed leaves as you walk in the woods, there is nothing quite like that smell. It brings me back to when I was a kid, after school every day for about a year I would have to walk to my grandmothers house a couple miles away to feed our chickens we kept there. I made shortcuts through the woods and fields, and some peoples yards, as I made my daily trek and back. Sometimes I was tempted to sit down and just take it all in, but most times I just wanted to get the trip over with. Now I wish I had more of those opportunities to walk in the woods, to smell that smell, acorns crunching under my feet, cows mooing in the distance, walking and not knowing what critter you might find around the next rock or in the next stone wall. Being an introvert I liked the solitude, although now I would rather be talking that walk while holding the hand of a true love. Maybe my little girl would like to help me find a local trail. I hope you get to enjoy the season with the love of your life as well.

Happy Birthday Allison!!!!

Today my oldest daughter turns 26. Happy Birthday!

Hope she isn't beating herself up too much for making her dad feel old. lol

Dropping the BOMB

"I want to move back to Massachusetts". This is the bomb that was dropped on me last night as I lay in bed. I don't even know what to say to this. She knows that I absolutely love living here and in no way want to move back north. How do you compromise on this one? She says she misses her family and friends. I say (to myself) she is never happy unless she has something to be unhappy about. Before moving down here I had asked her over and over and over numerous times, be sure you want to do this because I'm not going to move us and find out that you resent it, I need to know that you are sure about doing this as much as I am. She had lived away from home, in Atlanta area for the three years of her first marriage, so she had experience in knowing what it meant to be a thousand miles away from family and friends. It wasn't like she could not know how it would be. We've been down here for six and a half years now and we have a life style that we never had up north, we have done very well for ourselves. Plus she got her very best friend in the world to move within 15 minutes of our house. I can't help but think this friend would also be very upset to find out she now wants to move back to Mass. With the issues we've been having I would be fine if she said she was moving back, just her and my stepson, leaving my daughter with me. I could live with that, but I'm not suggesting it.

What I really think is that she needs therapy to find out why she can't be happy, why she always has to have an issue that she obsesses over, an issue that she convinces herself is ruining her life until it is changed the way she wants it. I've seen it over and over again. Maybe it's because she hates herself, as she has stated before, and because that is something she can't fix some other issue is made to be the scapegoat, obsessing over it to distract her from the true issues. Any time I suggest counseling it is ignored. I don't know what to do, or how to keep this from getting real ugly.

Brian, We Have Not Forgotten

Six years ago and yet it seems like yesterday. Some of the horror has since faded until we stop to look and think about those events again in detail. For me in SC there were no local connections, but like everyone else I wondered if I knew of anyone who lost their life on that day. My immediate reaction was to make sure none of my family back in Massachusetts had been on any of those flights, and was relieved to find out that it wasn't the case. Then I would soon learn that a guy who I had known in high school was on the second plane that was flown into the World Trade Center. I knew Brian's brother Kevin better because he was in the same grade and we shared some classes, Brian was a year younger than us. Both of them were stand up guys, people who everyone respected because they could be and were friend with everyone, it didn't matter your social standing, academics career or anything else, if you were a decent person you were in good standing. There is a program showing on Discovery and History channels which primarily focuses on this second plane (flight 172?) and Brian is featured prominently along with his parents and wife. The fact that he is portrayed as a fine father, son and husband is no surprise to those who knew him or his family, anything else would have been the surprise. And I'm sure there were many more just like him who died senselessly on that bright blue September day.

We have not forgotten, you live forever in our hearts.

Patriots to Resume Their Dominance

Because there are delusional people in the world who think that their team might actually beat the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS and The Great Tom Brady I must set them straight:

The Patriots are going to the SuperBowl and will stomp on any team that gets in their way.

There you have it, consider yourself warned. Insist if you must on any irrational thoughts of beating our team, just know that it will make it hurt a lot more after your teams crushing defeat. It's nothing personal, just our destiny. Good luck in your teams other games.

Busy Weekend

It was pretty crazy, some good moments and bad moments.

Saturday - got a free king size waterbed mattress, one with baffles to replace the full motion one we already had been using. I like the motion but she doesn't and has been complaining about it for way too long. So I did the pain in the ass job of draining the water out of it, got the new one in and filled it. Then realized it was smaller than the bed frame on the top and bottom. After some investigating found out it is for a king size soft side waterbed, which apparently uses smaller mattress size for king size bed. After taking about 30 minutes to manage the stress and anger welling up in my head I went about the pain in the ass job of draining a waterbed for the second time that day. Then went out and spent the money on a new motionless mattress and filled that one. About eight hours of work for what should have been a three hour job. And plenty of aggravation to last a month.

Later that day dropped Chickee off at a new friends house for a birthday party. The mom insisted that I come back with my wife and stay for a while to meet them. Which we reluctantly did. My wife was supposed to be the outgoing one who enjoyed this social stuff, and I could be my introverted self. But this arrangement has gone to hell the last few years and I find myself at times attending kids birthday parties while trying to think of something to say to the other moms there. Or soccer practices. But we both went to meet them, the mom was very nice and friendly, the husband tried pretending to be, but he had a typical short man syndrome, and he was from Brooklyn to boot, so he was a know it all with a Napoleon complex, a bad combination. The mom's sister was very fine, it made the visit much better. While I'm on stereotyping people by geographic locations, these two sisters are originally from Ohio, and they are the same as most Midwestern women I've met, very friendly and outgoing, and a lot of fun in the right circumstances I'm sure. I've got to move there someday.

Sunday - I got in a two and a half hour nap! I love a good nap but rarely get the chance to imbibe. This is what holiday weekend were made for, right? I did wash my motorcycle as well and it looks awesome all buffed and waxed. I don't do it often enough, but it really looks good when it is done.

Monday - Went for a sunrise flight and it was as perfect as it can possibly get, smooth air, perfect temperature, clear skies and a picture perfect sunrise. Too bad I didn't actually get a picture. Did take some aerial pics of Chickee's new friends house, a gift for them. Flew around my neighborhood, around town and headed back to the neighboring town where I had taken off. Almost there flying at about 2000 feet all of a sudden a little business jet flies right across my flight path, from left to right. I'm going 20 mph, he was going about ten times that speed. It was so fast I didn't panic, just stared is disbelief. He was out of my sight in seconds, then I took evasive action to keep out of his wake before it knocked my parachute wing out of the sky and it's precious cargo. I'm happy to report the only damage would end up being the skid mark in my underwear. lol But really, it could have been catastrophic if I had gotten in his jet stream, or in his windshield. I think he saw me and came over to check me out because he didn't turn away until he was well past me. Asshole. Fucktard. He could have gotten me killed.

That night I went for another flight and almost got myself killed. I went to take off but the belt on my engine was slipping and I wasn't getting the full thrust. I should have aborted but decided to try it anyhow. Well I ended up in some 10-12 foot trees, sliding to the ground, thankfully unhurt, but with my parachute wing wrapped around about four trees. And it's all on video. Hope it wins them 10 grand. If I get a copy I will post a link to it. It could have been bad, all that was wounded was my propeller and my pride. Lived to fly another day.

How was your weekend?

Friday - Odds 'n Ends

I had a long talk, along with many email exchanges with my wife yesterday, we've come to some understanding and each of us will be doing some things to try and make this relationship better. We've done this dance before and it eventually goes back to what it was, hopefully this time will be different. However for the first time this week, before hashing things out yesterday, I have considered what would be involved in us splitting up. A lot of thought on finances, living situations, and impact on my daughter. And one thing that will continue to haunt me, how my wife once told me that if we split up she would take my daughter and move back to Massachusetts. She knows moving back there is the last thing I want to do, so there is that situation to always consider, I could never be that far away from my little girl. There is a lot of work to do but hopefully things will improve in our relationship and I won't be faced with that very real possibility.

I had considered going camping again this weekend with Chickee, but then her first soccer practice was scheduled for tonight so I tabled that idea. So of course today soccer practice was cancelled.

There are so many blogs out there with really deep and insightful people writing some great stuff, and others who are just freakin funny, sometimes I wish that I could write and contribute in the same manner. This blog for me is self serving, it is therapeutic for me, but is not much of a contribution to the world. Maybe when I have nothing to whine about I can make better contributions.

I am very bad about calling people and keeping in touch, for which I feel guilty. I have two wonderful grandma's who are not going to be around forever (90 and 79 years old) with whom I should be talking more often. Even my best friend back home I haven't talked to in a few months. Of course the phone does work both ways and no one is calling me either. If they were online I would be in touch much more often, but phones just aren't my thing really. I do call my oldest daughter regularly but that is it. I need to be better at this.

Looks like today just might be the first day in quite a while it won't hit 90 degrees, the last time it stayed under 90 was Chickee's birthday, July 30th. If not today then definitely tomorrow will be under 90. So they say. The seven days of 100+ temps in August was a bit much for this transplanted Yankee. I had only experienced two days of 100+ temps in my whole life until this August! At one point the water in the pool was 92 degrees.

I think I will take down our pool this weekend, the kids have stopped swimming in it and I want to get that hassle over with. It will be one afternoon to get it taken down and another afternoon of replanting the grass in that spot. Speaking of grass we finally got a little bit of rain last night, maybe my brown lawn will turn green again? Or maybe it's too late, when it was dying and it saw that light from heaven maybe it followed the light and is not coming back. Maybe when I reseed the circle where the pool is that will be the only green grass I get, just one circle.

My boss is out today, we are just coasting here at work. Most of the others are gabbing with each other in various offices, I sit here alone in my office on the computer. And I like it that way. The introvert in me strikes again. What ever I'm searching for in life does not get fulfilled by me gabbing with my coworkers. I have a large plant in my office which I've positioned so that most of me is behind it when sitting at my desk on the computer, at least from the vantage point of people walking by in the hall. I get kidded about it, and I tell them that I am going to start wearing green so that I'm camoflouged, I'll blend in perfectly and no one will know I'm here.

Holiday on Monday, not sure yet what I will be doing. Probably nothing constructive. A motorcycle ride would be nice. Besides the pool I need to wash my bike, but with the water ban I will have to do it in the backyard, real sneaky like. Hopefully the water will at least help one small patch of grass, unless the soap kills it off for good.

Went last week and checked out a local rental house on the lake for Thanksgiving when my brothers and their families will be invading SC for the holiday week. Looks great, makes me wish I could afford to live on the lake. With our medical bills the last thing I need is to find a more expensive house, but that one makes the lake look like a great place to live. It didn't hurt that it was 95 degrees at eleven in the morning and there was a cool breeze coming off the water.

The couple who owns this vacation house was probably in early to mid 30's and just bought it in February. How does a young couple afford to do that? They didn't have any kids which certainly helps, but things like that, people 10 years younger than I doing stuff like that sometimes makes me wonder where I went wrong. Ten years ago I was struggling to pay all my bills and hoping to find someone to love. One of them must have rich parents. Yeah, I'm going with that one.

Have a great weekend.