Plays with Sirens

The suns not even up...

2011-02-07T05:47:00.002-05:00

Good early morning blog readers. Well after the lights turned on and the beeping stopped we were off on a medical call. All worked out and I got back to the station to realize that the Cigarfest ticket auction starts in well now 15 minutes, but at the time 45 minutes was the mark. So I decided to catch up on reports, surf the internet and now make a blog post.

Well, the departure time keeps getting closer and I keep getting more and more excited. Sun, sand, golf and fun await. However there is this part of me that is already missing something. As many of you know I am Mad Crazy about my wife and son. This trip is a solo trip...no Jen, no Sharkboy. While this is not my ideal get away roster, this trip is a roster of one. I hope they know that I don't enjoy getting away from them, that is not the intent of the trip. The intent is for me to get away from everything (other than them) that is my life. No calls, no snow, no meetings, no "schedule"...all the things that on top of "winter blahs" cause me to induce stress on myself. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my life. I have a career I consider more of a lifestyle, the best of friends and a great life from both inward and outward looking. I just sometimes need to get away. So without further getting long winded I will share this, as I have before, I love you Jen and Ethan, more than I could ever say in words. Thank you for supporting me in everything I do and being the brightest of spots in my life.

Now I don't know if you noticed my comment about stress in the previous paragraph. I thought I would expound on that for just a second. I believe in my heart of hearts that Stress is self induced. People do not make us stress, we do. Now slow down, people can try to stress us, they can try and infect us with stress, but it is absolutely self induced. Don't misunderstand me here. I understand that some stress is inevitable, and a certain level of stress is healthy and natural. A stress free life would be, well boring. If I can leave you with one seed of wisdom that has made it so I don't go to the highest point in St. Joe county and jump it is this. Stress is self induced...you choose, you control and when you give up that control, you lose.

Well it is about 3 minutes to my auction...so that is about all I have for now.

Until next time, Be kind, Be safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Any pancake is a good pancake...

2011-02-05T10:07:00.002-05:00

Good Saturday Morning Blog readers...the title this morning is a quote from Sharkboy during breakfast this morning. I made his breakfast for him, as I usually do when I am home, and he was chomping away on his food. I asked him how the pancakes were and he responded with..."Dad, any pancake is a good pancake". I love that little dude...he has such a good perspective on life and the world.

Here I am with 4 wake ups away from my trip to Florida. Clubs are packed, clothes are planned out and activities lined up. I am looking forward to golf in the sunshine, warm air, time with friends, a trip to the Everglades and lots and lots of relaxation. I only wish that Jenny and Sharkboy were going too, but that is not in the cards this time. I am incorporating into this trip some fact finding. We are looking at our family vacation for this summer and one of our top destinations on the list is St. Pete Beach. F.i.L. and L.A. go to that area every winter and really enjoy it. We are looking at the possibility of staying in that area in a hotel/resort and it is my charge to find out where we could stay. I love to do these types of missions and look forward to this part of my trip as well.

Today we are headed to South Bend Chocolate Cafe for Sharkboy's 7th Birthday party with his friends from school. It should be a great time. We chose this venue this year for it's ease. Pay the fee, and they take care of everything else. Cake, decorations, entertainment...etc. We walk in, have fun, and they take care of the rest. But here is the best part of the whole thing...they do the clean up too! I will report on the outcome, but all signs are pointing to a successful party.

So the rest of this weekend is work. I work Overtime tonight at Sta. 1 and then shift day tomorrow. I will be watching the Super Bowl at the station, but rest assured, I will be ready to watch this great game and the menu has been set. Bring on the football and the great commercials.

Monday has been dedicated to packing and getting things together before my trip. Tuesday will be a busy, busy day. I am reading and doing some show and tell for Sharkboy's class. Then, once they all get home and settled in, I head to Indy to stay the night before the big flight south.

If you don't see any updates for a couple of days, don't panic...no slump, just no time. It will be a busy couple of days...I am hoping to fire off some posts from the road. Jenny will be hanging on to the laptop and I will be updating, if possible, from a borrowed Ipad. I am not sure how that will go, but I am sure I will have access to a laptop periodically during the trip, so I will make my best effort. I will have my handy dandy camera so once I get back I will have a picture blog when I get back.

So until next post...Go Packers!

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Snowpocalypse 2011

2011-02-01T16:13:00.003-05:00

Well blog readers...the preparations(or lack there of) by many now come down to the next 24 hours. Massive quantities of milk, bread and various other items you can't go 3 days without have been purchased. Snow blowers have been gassed up, and tested to assure their readiness. The Cities, County and State plow crews have readied their equipment. Now all we have to do is wait...and wait we have.

Initial forecasts have called for the storm to hit around 1p local time, at 4 it started snowing. Well, now the wind has kicked in, and it is snowing pretty good. So now the wait begins, will this be a bad snow storm or just an average snow storm...only time will tell.

The thing that I find the funniest about this is that we live in Northern Indiana. An area coined "The Snowbelt". So we are used to snow, or at least that would be what the name would imply. So why when they predict a snow storm does everyone turn into a baker. With the amount of eggs, milk, bread and butter purchased we should inundated with baked goods...say Friday.

So I am not at the station an additional 12 hours, so if you think before you drive or just plain stay home if you can, we should meet "by accident". Be safe out there everyone, and to my fellow public safety workers, be safe and let's all go home when this is done and tell stories for years about it.

Oh and on a bright note...7 days from now I will be in Florida!!!

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps

Technology

2011-01-30T11:27:00.002-05:00

Hey Blog readers...so I pose this question: Is technology our friend or our mortal enemy? Or is it some twisted evil morph of the 2...

Well recently Jen's laptop was rendered useless, she discovered that our 7 month old Weimaraner puppy had attacked the power supply and shorted the cord, upon further inspection, it was noted that it also shorted her mother board on her laptop. Since no ability to attach to AC power, battery can't be charged, so it's life was limited to the charge left on the battery. Well the neighbor came to the rescue, and was able to salvage the hard drive in an enclosure and made it into and external hard drive. So a new laptop was added to our purchase plan for the next few months. Since we had my laptop a new purchase could be held off. I took my laptop out of it's commuter role, to and from the firehouse, and it became the home laptop. Well as you can imagine, that laptop is now broken. Moving our purchase of a laptop up drastically. Well yesterday we made the jump and bought a laptop and we are back on line. Hence my question...but I have another question.

During our "Down Time" I learned exactly how addicted to technology I really am. For years, my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law have referred to me as "Gadget Guy". A title that is meant affectionately, but I never really understood that I was a "Gadget Guy" until the last couple of days. I feel like I had that "Hi, my name is Jay and I am a tech-aholic" moment. I realized that I have set up layers of back ups to get my tech fix. I had a laptop(and now a new one), I have an Iphone, I have computers in my access at all times. Having these layers made it possible for me to survive the last couple of days. Now I am embracing my new found realization of myself. We have added a second laptop to our "Near Future Purchases" so Jen doesn't have to live with the battery only laptop(my old laptop)she is using now. But now the big decision needs to be made...do we buy another laptop, a netbook or an Ipad (please feel free to vote and let me know your thoughts on both questions in the form of a comment)

Well the family attended the ice carving competition yesterday at Heritage Square. We were thoroughly impressed with the artistry and skill that all of these people were putting on display. If you ever get a chance, you should go check one out. Their tools were chainsaws, Irons(or Smooves) and power tools. As soon as I get my pictures uploaded I will be sure to post them on here, so more on this later.

Catholic Schools week starts today. Sharkboy is participating in a talent show today with his class, and has many "theme" days this week. I am hoping to get pictures and have a review of the pictures on Friday. Also, if you need Burger King coupon books or you just want one, let us know, we will be selling them.

Also tomorrow I start growing a Mustache. Locally, we as firefighters and friends of firefighters, grow mustaches for charity. We annually donate the proceeds of our efforts to the Hoosier Burn Camp. This is a very worthwhile charity and hits home to us. It is a group that provides a camp experience for children that have been burned. We grow the whole month of February and end our efforts with a party and judging of the "staches" at the end of the month. Like many of the other contestants, that will end my facial hair possession, but until then, look for a lip warmer, cookie duster, flavor saver when you see me. This is your warning, it won't be pretty, but it is for a good cause. Also, feel free to donate to this worthy cause, just ask, I will have the details.

That is all I have for now...so until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe.

Shalom my Peeps

Feeling the Need

2011-01-27T09:19:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...rarely lately have I felt the need to blog, but after a recent conversation with a great friend and fellow blogger my "need to blog" has been renewed. Somehow I thought that my life was not entertaining or interesting to anyone but me. However after our conversation I realized that this really isn't for everyone else (however it does provide you entertainment). It is really more of an affirmation that my life isn't so bad, and that no matter what, this is my life and I can make of it what I want. So I choose to make the most of it and affirm that life isn't so bad after all.

Now don't think that I have been sitting around in this deep depression or slump of life. There has been tons going on, and I am really enjoying all of it. I wake up every morning ready to take on the day, I tackle obstacles as they come and I try to keep the people around me smiling and enjoying their time on this 3rd rock from the sun. The puzzle piece missing lately has been this little affirmation of life I call my blog...

Couple of things I thought are fresh in my mind worth noting. I am not an American Idol fan. I actually have been quite outspoken about my disdain for this show. I am actually pretty much anti reality T.V. I don't like the whole "who wants to, marry a bachelor, become a rock star, swap, throw away trash" reality formula as of late. However I have been watching, out of default and a large dose of laziness American Idol, since Jen loves it and I don't really want to switch rooms(I do love her company and hate to spend time in another room when time with her is precious). Well, before I get too long winded, last nights last guest hit me in that part of my body that makes you get goose bumps and express an audible "Awwww". Well the show was almost over and I was ready to express my normal editorial on the show (a recent addition to my usual editorials) and Chris Medina hits the stage. They gave his back story about him and his fiance and I thought "typical Idol fodder" and then they hit me in that spot. OMG...I didn't see that coming. My favorite line from him was when he said "I was about to commit my life...in sickness and in health, until death do us part...what kind of man would I be if I left now". Wow! What a man. Then after his audition he went and got his fiance and Steven Tyler said to her, "he sings so beautiful because he sings to you all the time". Who would have known S.T. had such a big heart! Good Luck Chris Medina...you may be the reason I actually choose to watch Idol 2011. (If you didn't see it, you need to google it, Youtube it...you have to see it, follow the links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXJosd4BBOM and additionally http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=GXJosd4BBOM&vq=small Sorry you will have to cut and paste)

I am reading a book right now, called "90 Minutes in Heaven". It is a story about a man who was involved in a horrific car accident and died for 90 minutes and it is the story of what he experienced before, during and after that accident. It is somewhat of a "religious" read, but it is also a general "eye opener". If you get your hands on it, it is worth the read. If you get what I am getting out of it, it will make you appreciate what you have in life and how precious life really is. We all know that there is an innate human desire to preserve life, but so often that desire only kicks in when there is tragedy...lets not forget the "walking wounded" in life. Let's all try to take a little better care of each other.

On the radar in my life coming up...reading to Sharkboy's class and talking about being a fireman. Florida! My usual winter trek to Florida is right around the corner. I can't wait for 6 days of Sun, Golf, Fun, visiting with great friends and General Decompression.

Well, until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

It is what it is...

2010-12-04T14:03:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...according to my calculations, it has been 5 weeks since my last blog. Since then, there have been many changes in my life. So I think it is about time to put a little update. So here we go, and here is to hoping it doesn't get too long winded...

First and foremost is changes at work. No, I didn't change jobs, and no I am not in trouble. I applied for a promotion to Battalion Chief. I didn't end up getting it, but it opened my eyes to all the things I would like to see unfold in my career and was a great time to reflect on my everyday activities at work and tweek things a bit to make my days better and more productive. Well in the midst of the process I was moved to another shift. Same hours for those non-fire people that are reading, just different days. It was neccessary due to the promotions that occured. So now I have a new Battalion Chief and a new partner and not least of all I have a new shift. It is somewhat bittersweet though. I really liked the guys I worked with, and it is difficult to express either way (good or bad) how I feel about the shift change. On one hand, I am excited about the new opportunities, but on the other I am, like most, fearful of change. So I just have to gauge my responses to people so I don't hurt anyones feelings.

Jen and I celebrated on Nov. 14th our 12th Wedding Anniversary. She truly is a blessing in my life. If you know me, I am not affraid to say this to anyone. She is the best in every way to me. I could go on and on, but someone along time coined a phrase that sums it up...I Love Her. We went to Indy and hung out with friends. We had pizza, played pool, ate sushi enjoyed some drinks, smoked a cigar, and many great conversations. Sharkboy stayed home on this trip and got some great time with Mimi and Papa. It was a great weekend, and I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with Jen.

The seasons are changing around here, so that means change for everyone. Beyond the obvious slow down driving, shoveling snow and all the things that go with winter. Christmas season is upon us and we are ready at the Leonard house. Trees are up, Christmas decorations are everywhere and Christmas Elf is making regular visits to Sharkboy. It is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the weather, I love the visits with family and I especially love the fact that all the little projects that I have ignored inside now must be done because there is no avoiding them.

Sharkboy is doing great...he is taking Taekwondo and loving every minute of it. He improves at every practice and he has a lot of opportunities to do extra things there too. Movie nights, sleep overs and individual private lessons. Probably one of the most exciting things that he is looking forward to though is an early Christmas. As a fireman, I often have to work holidays. Due to my shift change I now have to work on Christmas. So Sharkboy entered a "contest" to get an early Christmas. He had to draw a picture and tell Santa why he deserved and early Christmas. Well he recieved his letter from "The North Pole" and he is the lucky recipient of an early Christmas. He is frantically getting his list together so nothing is missed when Santa makes his rounds, early.

Well that should catch you up for now...so until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Dad, I want a horse.

2010-10-29T13:21:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...many times in life, I find myself understanding that on some level my child is becoming me. Well the other day Sharkboy approached me, via telephone, with a question I can remember asking my parents. "Dad, can I get a horse?" Now the question itself conjures memories of innocent dreams and unobtainable wishes. I remember asking my parents if I could get a horse. We lived in a neighborhood, zoned residential and surrounded by the typical suburban American homes. My Dad responded with an emphatic no, and my Mom tried to reason with me. I had visions of having a horse like "Mr. Ed". His barn would be red, his pasture would be right outside my window and my window would swing out like a barn door so he could stick his horse head in and visit me anytime I was in my room. I wasn't an unrealistic child, I knew he wouldn't speak, but we would live forever as friends. My Mom reasoned with me that we couldn't because the yard wasn't big enough, and that horses weren't allowed in the neighborhood. She however left me with this little hope that appeased me on some level to drop this. She simply said, maybe one day if we ever live in a place that would allow such a thing we just might be able to do it. My dad simply said "no, and that is final". No reasoning, no hope, just an emphatic NO from my Dad and that was it. I tried to have a mixed response at my answer to this question, however, him being my son had an answer for everything. I first tried the we don't have enough room argument, he replied he could live in the retention basin and keep the grass short. I then responded with, our barn(or shed by any other standard) was not big enough, his response was we could just get a smaller horse. Then I said we live in a neighborhood and that it doesn't allow horses, his response was that they wouldn't say anything. He then continued with have you seen some of the stuff in this neighborhood, and no body says anything about that. So at this point when I realised that I was matched up against a miniature me, I took my Dad's road at this point...and an emphatic No was expressed. He is a bit heart broken, but seems to understand that for reasons he can not comprehend we aren't going to be getting a horse anytime soon. But for all I know in 30 years he will be posed with this same question and I hope he remembers the hope and dream he once had of having a horse and understands why it some times is not possible to fulfill your child's wish.

On another topic, recently at Notre Dame a student tragically lost his life pursuing a dream of being a journalist. He was a student worker that filmed practices at Notre Dame for the football team. I never knew this young man, and don't pretend to have, but it is still tragic. From all outward appearances this appears to be a very preventable accident. He was on a scissor lift 30+ feet in the air in very windy conditions(25+ mph sustained winds). Long story short, the scissor lift blew over and he was mortally injured. There are many comments out there about why was he up there, why would anyone put a person in that sort of peril, etc... I have many of those same questions, but foremost in my mind is his family and friends. Tragidy has no warning and I hope his family finds peace and I hope that his friends can do the same. It is never a good time to lose a loved one. So take a minute in your busy day, appreciate what you have, and say a little prayer for his family and friends that they find peace in this very tragic lose.

Enjoy your weekend everyone. Go Irish!

Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps!

There is no such thing as "The Stomach Flu"

2010-10-26T16:54:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...this public service announcement is brought to you by me. I have decided to make it my mission to abolish the term "Stomach Flu" from my immediate peer group. I know that my outreach is limited, but I thought I would attempt to make a little change in the world.

First what is "The Flu":
It is a respiritory virus(Influenza, or RNA Viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae family aka Influenza family). The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort. Sore throat, fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly.

Why is there no "Stomach Flu":
Simply put, the stomach(or intestinal system) is not part of the Respiratory system. There are no variations of the Influenza family of viruses that effect the Intestinal system (Stomach)...so hence no such thing as "Stomach Flu".

So long story short, you can't have the "Stomach Flu". Because there truly is no such thing. You most likely have Gastroenteritis. We use the slang "Stomach Flu", but that is incorrect. That would be like calling a Bike a Car because they are both modes of transportation.

Take this as your warning...if you say "Stomach Flu" I will most likely call you out on this.

Be Kind, Be Safe...Be Healthy!

Shalom my Peeps

Welcome to Northern Indiana October weather...

2010-10-26T10:40:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...thought I would jump on here and update. Not a whole lot of new to report. We are gearing up for this weekends festivities but for the most part life is "status quo" a the Leonard house.

Sharkboy is making the final preperations for his Halloween costume. It was originally going to Zeke from the Disney Channel show Zeke and Luther, but he has decided he would just be Tony Hawk. He was tired of explaining his costume to people, and it seems that Tony Hawk is a much more recognized name. Now we just need to get him (or preferably borrow) a real skate board.

This weekend is packed with fun activities. Friday night we have "Trunk or Treat" at Sharkboy's school. I have never been and I will be arriving late, so I can't give you a preview. But it should be a good time I am told. Then on Saturday we will venture to my parent's house for a soup lunch where we will draw names for the Christmas gift exchange. We are changing up our Christmas celebration this year, and I am looking forward to it. I can't wait to see how it all works out. Then Sunday we have Trick or Treat in New Carlisle. We are headed out to the Annual "John's Tailgate, Drink or Treat". It is always a good time and I can't wait to hang out with everyone and see people walking there kids around that I haven't seen in a long time. It will be, if like in past years, a small school reunion.

Now onto the title of this blog...We are currently under a Tornado Warning and they have already issued a Tornado Watch that will expire sometime around Mid-afternoon. Schools are closing, Universities are issuing shelter orders. Seriously, to me it is just your typical Fall storm rolling through. Someone last night on F.B. sent out a story saying this storm would be worse than the storm that sunk the Edmond Fitzgerald. I am not a historian, but this is a ship that sank in November of 1975 on Lake Superior. Come on people...it is 2010, we have better technology, better built ships, better warning and frankly(and maybe a little insensitive) we are not on a ship, nor do I plan to be on a ship today. I think with all of our avenues to communicate we now over react to storms. Who is shocked that it is windy and rainy in Indiana in October? I'm not. What is next...OMG it is going to snow this winter... I understand we should be prepared, but issuing orders that insite panic in people and closing schools it a bit overboard.

Well that is all I have for now...the wind is pretty steady, maybe I will go fly a kite, seemed to work out pretty good for Ben Franklin.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Political Ads

2010-10-22T09:16:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...I just thought I would jump on here and post what was currently on my mind. I give this warning...I am not a political in any way. I don't voice my political views in public very much and if you are looking to this blog to figure out my political views, the only thing you are going to get out of this is that I don't like political ads...

So yesterday I was got on Youtube to check out some videos of kids saying funny things and to check out a couple of recent events that occured on TV that I missed. What do you think I had to endure before watching my video...yup, you guessed it, a political ad. It was a local ad to boot. I was thoroughly irritated...seriously. I feel very strongly in my opinion that if you base your vote on commercials you should stay home on election day. Please make a more informed decision on your representation than what they say on the commercial. I actually saw one that basically said one canidate was killing babies...

If you are working on a political campaign, please stop the madness. Please look into more positive advertising. I learned a lesson when I was a child, and hope it isn't too late for you to learn the same lesson. That lesson is that you don't make yourself look better when you try to make someone else look bad. You only make yourself look desperate and childish.

That is all I have for now...Have a great weekend everyone.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Cougar Encounter

2010-10-14T16:11:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...just thought I would jump on here and make a quick post about something funny that happened to me today. But first, I haven't been on since my Monday night outing with Scully. It was a great time catching up with friends. Let's just say, I told Jen I would be home in a couple of hours. I left at about 5:30 and ended up the night around 11:30. Conversations got the best of me, as they usually do. It was great seeing everyone and it was fun hearing what everyone is up to these days.

Now on to my encounter today. Well I named the blog post today, Cougar Encounter. So beside a one on one with a wild cat, that would only leave an "Older Hot Chick" as my option. Well, I was out of hair gel and was almost to the mall anyway, since I was getting my flu shot, so I went to Ulta. While walking up to the door there was a woman about 5 steps behind me and me being a gentleman, I decided to open the door for her. She was, by most peoples standards, at cougar. She smiled and said thank you. I knew right where I was going, so I headed for the Men's haircare section. She basically crossed my path about 4 or 5 times. Well we ended up in line at the same time and the nice cashier asked me if I had any coupons. I replied no, since I didn't. The "Cougar" offered me one of hers. I gladly accepted and then she got this look on her face, like she wishes she wouldn't have offered. I accepted the coupon with my left hand...well, she must not have seen the ring before. That was the end of her talking to me, or even looking at me. I gladly took the $5.00 off and headed for my truck. She was walking out as I passed and she gave me a dirty look. Sorry...I am taken, and pretty darn happy being taken.

So that is my "Cougar Encounter"...

If you read this Scully, have a safe trip home tomorrow, it was great spending time with you...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Porch Drinks

2010-10-08T20:37:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...so we are in the throws of what the "weather people" are calling "Indian Summer". Well I don't really know what that is exactly, but the weather the last few days has been amazing. We have been in the high 70's during the day and in the low 50's at night. Pour that in a bowl and mix it up and I would say you have a delightful little dish.

Last night after Sharkboy's football practice I met Jenny, L.A. and F.i.L. at Bob's 19th Hole to have dinner with Scully and M.B. Scully is in from her North West home and it was an opportunity to catch up. I was so glad that they chose Bob's. It isn't a glamourous restaurant or anything, so don't get your hopes up, but they do Midwestern bar food up right. I had a Patty Melt that was to die for. Next time I may have to try what my friend Car Guy describes as a dish you would only eat if you had no self respect, The Pork Tenderloin sandwich. Well Jenny and Sharkboy exited early as did L.A. and F.i.L. due to bed time issues and work/school the next day. I stayed to chat and catch up. We were having a great conversation when we noticed that it appeared that they were trying to close the restaurant around us. So we took this little party on the road. We went to Scully's Dad's house in New Carlisle.

Now their house is an old house with a great big porch that I can only describe as something from the past. They just don't build houses with porches like that anymore. We each got our beverage of choice and headed out. We had some porch time with porch drinks. It was amazing. We laughed, caught up and just generally enjoyed each others company.

So, here's to porch drinks, and catching up with old friends!

This weekend is shaping up to be a great one too...Sharkboy's football team will play their last home game tomorrow. Then I think I will venture out to the greatest college football tailgate in the world and wander around. Then it is out to dinner with T-Bone and Banker Chick. Sunday I work, but for the better part of the day we will be at a public event showing off our truck and talking about the "Greatest Job in the World".

Have a safe weekend...

Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps.

I NEED TO KNOW!!!

2010-10-07T11:48:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...sometimes in life we have these revelations, or epiphanies if you will. Well I have them every so often. These are not always a new revelation or something I didn't already know. They occassionally are those moments when you realize something that you have known for a long time, but just something refreshes it...here is my latest.

People need to know what is going on. Not just that something is going on or a rough idea of what is going on. All the down and dirty details...and don't leave any out. There is no substitute for it, and it is almost like a drug addict looking for their next fix. They will put everything aside and not stop until they are satisfied. Some people are happy with some of the details and others are less likely to stop until their insatiable appetite is relieved. I call this the "Inherent Need to Know". I don't think of this as a bad thing...not at all, because I am guilty as well(as I write this I am listening to SBFD on a major gas lead downtown). This is just one of those things that I have known for a long time...just the realization is refreshed.

Well, that is all I have for now. I have to get productive today. Lots to do before I pick Sharkboy up from school. Then tonight I get to catch up with an old friend from school...

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

I'm Awesome

2010-10-06T15:17:00.003-04:00

Ok blog readers...today I was talking on the phone to one of my coworkers/friends and he asked me how I was. I responded "I'm Awesome". Now I respond this way a lot, but mostly because when people respond that way it irritates me, and well my sick twisted sense of humor makes it so that I respond the same way. Not because I am trying to annoy the person I am talking to...so if you are one of the people that I have responded this way to, I hope you understand it was not meant to annoy...but just my little world needs some excitement. Well he suggested I Youtube a video by an artist, Spose, and look for "I'm Awesome". I did, and now I laugh out loud. So here is the embeded video...enjoy, and I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps

Some times you just need a magnet

2010-10-01T20:06:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers, been awhile...it isn't that I haven't tried to post, I have started several, ultimately deleting them because they rambled and made little to no sense. So I am going to attempt one more time. I have been trying to come up with a title for my blog post that would catch everybody up. But with all the little things I wanted to cover, and all the things that were out there to scrape up it has been difficult. No one item really sticks out and they are much like metal filings after you grind something off. Then it hit me...life is a bit like grinding something, and maybe that something is us. Everything we do, we put a little of ourselves into it. So each time we do that we grind a little off of ourselves off. Now we all know we aren't an endless supply of metal to grind, but that is another post. So as I ramble on, I remember the other day when we were trying to clean up the work bench here at the firehouse and there was metal shavings everywhere from some fab work we are doing. I was trying to clean them up and someone said, all you need is a magnet. Then it hit me...let your post be the magnet to pull the shavings together...wow, I know, pretty deep for me, but sometimes you just have to get smacked in the head to realize something and sometimes it is the subtleties in life. So here we go...

Jen:

Jen continues with all of her usual things. She really truly keeps herself very busy keeping us in line. Laundry, cleaning, paying bills, and generally organizing our crazy house. She is good at it too...I say this a lot, but without her I would be a hot mess.

Sharkboy:

Football season is slowly coming to an end. He is not All Star material yet, but he is way better than he was when he started and he says that he loves it. He has put down some big hits and recieved his fair share, but he pops back up and tries again. I am so very proud of him...School improves every day. He has been cursed (for now, it will soon be a blessing) with my gift of gab and desire to help. He gets bored at school and will just randomly get up and help the other students. It is very nice in my eyes, because it shows his desire to help his fellow man, but the teacher doesn't see it that way. I guess getting up to help during a test is frowned upon. Too bad...But that has improved and he is doing much better.

Me: (Now this is where it is going to get random)

Working, working, working. That seems to be the theme. Not just at work either. I have this affliction of not being able to say no. So I have been involved in many projects aiding friends and family. Would I change that, heck no. But it has resulted in several late nights and lots of time not doing what I want to do...but that is coming under control every day.

I have had some things that I have been trying to post on but haven't been able to, for whatever the reason, so here are some random things.

Political ads...yeah, I thought I would go there first. They are completely irritating me(Think Sand in a Clam and that is exactly the pearl I am festering). I hope that all of my friends are not silly enough to base their election decisions on Political Ads. If so, you are probably really struggling. It would seem that as I am watching TV that every political canidate is killing Hemopheliac Autistic Downsyndrome babies in the streets, at least that is what their opponent would have you think. Not one has said what they are going to do...oh yeah, the usual I know how to create jobs and decrease taxes, but no plan layed out. I know how to create jobs too...hire people, but to do what? I know how to lower taxes, pass laws and bills that eliminate them...but again, how? I am not a terribly political person, but it is getting ugly...and I don't like it.

Reality TV...seriously, I am about done with it. Ok, for the most part, I am done with it. I got a great show title "Who wants to be a Millionare Bachelor/Bachelorette trapped on an Island full of hot women/men that can't sing or dance but want to win an award for it and get married, then break up and maybe then become a drug addict and need rehab" Pretty much that is all I see on TV anymore. What happened to Sitcoms? I know there are a few out there, but remember when TV was creative? When they made you laugh, you couldn't turn the channel and you didn't have to endure "Snookie"(or any other character like that)? You know the Amish may be onto something...but only the No TV thing, I couldn't live without my gadgets. It frustrates me...

General stupidity...I have come to the realization that I will have to endure ignorance in life. But the longer I live, the more I see it. People never stop amazing me...seriously. I am not talking ignorance like you can't add or subtract, or you can't cook. But real world stupid. Crazy people driving, disobeying sign trucks, killing people, beating old people up(and planning it). Come on people...remember, we all have to live on the 3rd rock from the sun, and we all have to try and do it together...try and think of your fellow earthlings.

Beggers...I don't know how it is in your little slice of this great country, but the beggers have doubled lately. It is almost like they are Gremlins and someone got them wet. I remember watching a show when I was younger that they followed a pan handler in New York and he was making more money begging for change for the train in a suit with a stupid story about having his wallet stollen then most of the people he was getting money from. What ever happened to working for a living. I hope that I never have to sink so low that I have to beg from people. It makes it hard for me to take them seriously. I know as a country we have let our veterans down many times, let our homeless down etc, etc...but when you take your break from begging don't go behind Starbucks, light up a smoke and enjoy your Venti Goodness where I can see you...you won't get far. Also, when you are begging, it isn't a good idea to text someone from your Blackberry and then put it back in your pocket and continue to hope that we feel bad for you and will give you our change. Ahhh....

Well that is all the metal I have to share with you tonight...I thought I would add though at the end, that there are times when our metal gets thickened. Those times when someone does something nice for you. Something not expected. When you get to be the magnet. I thought I would share a story that "thickened my metal". I was sitting in line to pick Sharkboy up from school the other afternoon and was glowing with the fact that I had made it in time to be one of the first parents in line. I know, I know...it shouldn't matter, but it felt nice to be there. I was watching Sharkboy's class at their final recess for the day and the boys were playing kick ball. Well as boys do, one kick was a little over zealous and flew over the fence, bounced on the road and landed accross the road in the tree lawn. The teacher didn't see it happen and was oblivious to this happening. I looked in my mirror and noticed that about 20 cars had collected and I was in some prime real estate. The boys were looking over then fence at the ball. I didn't want to see one go accross the street to get it, due to heavy traffic with last minute parents(usually me) arriving and not watching quite as closely as they should. So I decided to give up my spot in line and I pulled out and went to get the ball. Threw it to the boys and they all thanked me and were very polite. I got back in my truck and headed back for the line, knowing that I would probably have to go to the end. But a very nice Dad in line behind me, saved my spot. He waved me to turn around and get back in line. He said "he thought it was one of the nicest things he had seen in a long time", so he thought he would return the favor. Once I was back in position I walked back and thanked him and got some of that Metal back...

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

9-11-01

2010-09-11T12:05:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...it has been roughly 4-weeks since my last post. "Spare Time" has been pretty thin around our house lately. Sharkboy is playing football, so 2 nights a week we are at practice until 7:30 and usually rolling in the door around 8. Jenny is back on her normal "School Year" hours, so her time at the house is pretty diminished. I have been on a Tues/Thurs rotation lately, so I have been little help with the football practices. Not to mention work keeps me pretty busy with the projects and trainings going on. So I thought I would take a minute and reflect on some events (some current, some not so current)

First I would like to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives 9 years ago today. Some coward terrorists thought they would come over and destroy us...well they scared us, but they certainly didn't destroy us. 2,977 people lost their lives, 343 Firefighters, 60 Police officers, 15 EMS workers and 55 Military personnel. 246 people died on planes they boarded not knowing what was going to happen. Those are crazy numbers! Our soldiers who protect us have lost many since then as well, in our efforts in the middle east. I know I will never forget where I was. I was sitting in a conference room at Steel Warehouse, one of the Administrative Assistants came in and interupted us and told us we needed to turn on the TV. She said what was going on was "way bigger then us" and was she ever right. We watched the second plane strike the tower. Then we were all basically glued to the TV the rest of the day. I worked at the fire house that night. It was humbling, I remember Jenny not wanting me to go, I remember feeling I absolutely had to go. I feel honored everyday to do the job that I do...I know that it could require me to make that sacrifice, I also know that I work with some of the best people in the world and any one of the would do the same. So take some time reflect, remember and if you see a Firefighter today or a Police officer or a Military person take a second and thank them for what they do every day.

Ok...on to this wack job in Florida that want to burn the Koran. I will address it this way:

Dear Major News Networks,

As a proud red blooded American I would like you to stop giving press to the whack job in Florida. Prior to you covering his story as a major story, he preached to less than 50 people a week. There were more people at his press conference than in his congregation. He, prior to your involvement, did not have a major public voice, and I am not sure he should. You have given him this voice. Also, the threat to the troops in the Middle East is because of you. They would not have known about this if you would not have over covered it. Never mind them burning our flag and images of our leaders on a daily basis. So ultimately, minus the whack job wanting some attention, it is mostly your fault. So stop covering it.

Sincerly,

Plays With Sirens

Ok...that is about it about that.

So, other than football and the usual busy life stuff of grown ups, not much else to report.

I will try to be more prompt with updates...until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Burning the candle at both ends is the only way to have it.

2010-08-08T19:03:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...this post is coming to you from the firehouse. Yes, the firehouse. It has been awhile since I made a post from work. Mostly because while at work there are work things to do. Today I have a few minutes to update on here, so I am going to take it.

The title of this blog just came to me. I was sitting here on this warm summer night(in the comforts of the air conditioned office)thinking about what I had to do this week and planning what was a priority and what could slip through the cracks should something need to be axed. I realized that my life is pretty busy. I am by no means complaining. I actually think of my life as blessing after blessing that I work my ass for. I know there are people out there that don't have work or just plain choose not to work, but I love the fact that I have work. I also love the fact that I have a very active life outside of work. All these things added together make for a very happy me.

This week holds many things, football practice for Sharkboy Mon, Tues, Thurs for 2 hours each night. Possible doctors appt. for Sharkboy, he has been feeling icky and spiking fevers now and then. Oil change in the truck. Helping L.A. and F.i.L. with their basement project. Continue progress in potty training Stella. Overtime at the firehouse. Yard work and work around the house on little projects that need my attention. Dinner out with great friends for a birthday. A road trip to Michigan for the race. That is just the surface...but those are the things that add into this life that I love. I have, for the most part, lived up to my New Years resolution this year too. I have made time to stop and enjoy friends and family and just do stuff because it sounded like fun. So burn the candle at both ends...not such a bad thing.

Thought I would take a second and wish Athena the best of luck on her travels to Ireland. I hope she has a great time, drinks lots of Irish Ales and consumes many delightful traditional Irish foods. Safe travels friend, and I can't wait to see pictures and hear about your trip.

That is about all I have time for on this post...so I better wrap this up. Here is a rundown of things important.

Jenny...doing great. She is still everyday my rock and my companion in life. She keeps me "between the lines" and loves me with all of her heart. Without her support I wouldn't be who I am today.

Sharkboy...absolutely the coolest kid in the world. He is loving his new adventure into football and I can't wait to see him play. School is right around the corner and he seems to be ready.

Stella...adorable. She is growing more and more comfortable with our family everyday. She is catching onto house training quite well. She is a great little puppy and I can't wait for her to grow up and be the great dog I know she will be.

There are so many more that I would love to mention, but for now, I will bid you the fondest "See you later" that I can conjure up.

Be kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

The "Dog" days of life...

2010-08-02T15:09:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...this is going to be a quick post, Stella just woke up from a nap and she is in a playful mood. So she needs to be supervised.

Well this is day 3 with Stella. So far her acclimation to our little pack is going well. She is learning her role in our little world. It is great to have a little 4-legged friend walking around and as she grows, I am sure this family will grow to Cherish every moment with her.

Sleeping arrangements are going well. She had a rough night her first night, but she had never slept inside, let alone on a bed. We are letting her sleep with us. Daisy slept almost every night with us, and we loved every minute of it. We decided that is the life she will experience as well. last night (night 2) was much smoother. She chose to cuddle with me, and slept quite well. We had to wake her up for her potty trips outside.

Potty training is in the very early stages. We are bell training...for those of you that aren't familiar, we have a bell on our patio door and every time we take her out to potty, we have her ring the bell. Associating the bell with going out to go potty. Well, she has had a couple of accidents, but she is a little baby still, so we aren't expecting perfection.

Sharkboy is taking to the quite nicely...he is taking his role as big brother very seriously. He is helping with walking around the yard for potty breaks. He is a playmate when she is awake. His hopes is to have her sleep with him once she is potty trained and ready for all nighters in bed. We can't get him to wake up at night to go potty himself....so we can't expect him to do the same for her.

Well that is all I have for now...more updates later, and I hope they will include more than just puppy updates, but we will see.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Hell Week!

2010-07-29T11:45:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...hope this blog finds you all well rested and ready to take on the world. Myself, well that is another story. I managed to schedule myself for 2 back to back 36 hour shifts and then a 24. For those of you scoring at home, that is 24 hours at home this week(all at night). Not really ideal, but it is what it is...

To make matters worse for me this weekend we go pick up Stella and Sharkboy starts his football practices. Time is and will be so crazy for the next few days.

Saturday Stella comes home. In the morning we will go to Petsmart or some other commercial pet care needs store and stock up on puppy needs. We can't wait for her to come into our lives. So if you have a few minutes just stop and pray for our sanity and that Stella potty trains quick and catches on to the "The Leonard" lifestyle.

Sharkboy starts football practice this weekend. Yup, I said football practice. He will be playing Pop Warner football as a mini Might. I can't wait. He is so excited. Last weekend he and I took the voyage to Dick's sporting goods to pick up some equipment. He needed some cleats and a cup. Now the cleats went really smooth. Sized him, bought some socks, since he was wearing his sandals and got some sweet little Reebok cleats for him. The cup on the other hand was a bit more complicated. Most of the confusion came on his part. He wasn't really sure what it was for and I was a bit perplexed on how to explain it to him. So in my normal manner of dealing with these situations I just told him like it was...this is about how it went.

Sharkboy: Dad what is a cup and why do I need one?
Dad: Well, it is a piece of equipment that protects you?
Sharkboy: How does it protect me?
Dad: Well it protects your "junk".
Sharkboy: How?
Dad: Well you wear it and if someone kicks you there or a helmet hits you there, you "junk" will be safe.
Sharkboy: oh, ok...

So we picked out the appropriate size and proceeded to the check out. That is when all of the above conversation became awkward. Sharkboy proceeded to tell the cashier (a cute high school girl, that had no idea what was coming) that he was going to be playing Pop Warner and that he needed a cup to protect his "Junk". I laughed so hard when I got in the truck and the girl turned about 35 shades of Red when it happened. She was speechless. He didn't even notice or think anything of the whole thing.

Well that is about all I have time to update for now...more later.

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe.

Shalom my peeps!

Stella and Sharkboy meet...

2010-07-14T21:25:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...had a great day today. Mowed the church out in New Carlisle, and Sharkboy got to visit with my parents and Uncle Michael. I got it out of the way early enough so not to melt in the 90 degree sun.

After mowing my Mom and Dad made homemade pizza and invited Sharkboy and I to stay. It was yummy and it was nice to visit with them for a while. I don't get to do that all that often, some time by design and sometimes because I am just plain to busy. But it was a very nice visit.

We headed to Mimi and Papa's after my Mom and Dad's. Jenny's Grandpa is in town and we thought we would stop and say hello. We will be there tomorrow night for a cookout, but it is always nice to get some one on one face time. We didn't stay long, it looked like he was thinking about taking a nap, and I am not one to stop that activity.

Tonight we got to go visit our little girl again. She is growing quite nicely. Her tail is all healed up and looks great. Sharkboy got to meet her for the first time. He was super excited and was not disappointed. I think he really want to take her home, but she is not ready. Momma is still providing most of her nourishment, however she is going to start being offered puppy food tonight. We have set a tentative pick up date for her of July 31st. We are really ready for this...she is coming into a home where there is more love than any puppy could ever expect. We played, took pictures and just enjoyed her a little tonight. It was a great visit.

Well busy weekend kickin' off tomorrow night. Cook out at L.A.'s and F.i.L.'s, Friday may be a date night, and then Saturday Sharkboy is marching in the College Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Parade with his Pop Warner team. Then I go back to work for 3 nights in a row. So I will hopefully have some updates this weekend. I am going to try and put some pictures up on here of the little girl. I am on the deck right now enjoying a cigar, so it will have to wait for another time...

So until next time, Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Hello...is there anybody in there?

2010-07-10T17:45:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...I am betting that most of you are figuring I have given up on this thing, been hurt in an unfortunate accident, been kidnapped by aliens, been rendered unable to use a computer or just plain dead. I assure you, none of those things have happened to me. I have simply been putting 100% effort into my "New Years Resolution". You may remember that is to have fun at all opportunities and enjoy family and friends. I must say, I have been quite successful at this "Resolution" this year. However...it has been time consuming and somewhat exhausting at times.

Here is a little catch up since my last post(May 11th).

Sadly I have to report the first big thing is that we had to put our beloved Daisy to sleep. After 7+ wonderful years of her providing much happiness and love to our family, we had to say goodbye. Many of my readers are dog/pet owners and hold their pets very near and dear to their hearts. They are truly a member of our family, and you don't realize quite how much until they are gone. Initially we were all pretty much a hot mess. Over time and with lots of "Daisy Stories" and sharing of fond memories it can be spoken about in our house without major tear shed, and trust me, that is no small accomplishment. But in the words of Sharkboy "She is up in Doggie Heaven with all the tennis balls she can chew up, all the soft comfy beds that she can snuggle on and there is plenty of fresh toilet water for her to drink". Where ever you are Daisy, we love you and miss you very much.

In June we ventured South to Florida for a little family vacation. We flew out June 12th to beautiful and sunny(and hot) Tarpon Springs, Fl. We visited with some very dear friends of ours and stayed with them for a couple of days/nights. Then we ventured over to Disney World. What a great, happy, awesome place. In the name of not rambling on and on about our Disney trip I can say this...We had a great time, we are definitely going back and Sharkboy cried when we left. Thank you Marcci for all your help and advice and know that we will be back to hang out with you and "The Mouse" again. On Thursday night of our trip we straggled back to Tarpon Springs and stayed another couple of days with our friends and toured the area. I absolutely love Florida and never before did I think it would be a nice place to retire, until now. I can see myself with a condo on the Gulf and a boat and summering on the Great Lakes(we will see).

Since then we have pretty much just been doing family things. We have some really great friends that have a Pontoon boat on Pine Lake and we all go out and hang out at the lake every chance we get. We have shared a lot of laughs, consumed many "adult beverages", and just generally relaxed in our time. We spent the 4th of July on the boat, and it was a fantastic day. This activity has placed a Pontoon of our own, on the 5(or less)year plan. It truely is very relaxing and we have such great times. I am somewhat of a water nut and Sharkboy and Jenny are seeming to be as well, so a boat is definitely in our future.

The last big thing to catch you up on is that we are expecting a new baby in our house. Now don't get all mushy...it isn't of the biped sort. We have placed a deposit on and are impatiently waiting on our next 4-legged friend. Her name is Stella Rose, she is about 3 weeks old. She is a silver Weimaraner that will be spoiled rotten and loved on more than she could ever imagine in our family. The greatest part (at least for me) is that she was born on my Birthday. In a week I will have some pictures to share, but trust me when I say she is "precious". Our family seems to be not firing on all cylinders and we think the biggest thing missing is a 4 legged purveyor of unconditional love, unending laughter and loyal companionship is just we are missing.

Well that is about all I have for updates as of now...so hopefully it won't be 2 months before my next update...but rest assured, I have not given up on my blog...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Lessons learned

2010-05-11T13:00:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...I hope the rain we are currently in the Michiana area is not dampening any one's spirits. I luckily have been at work through most of it, so I am not looking outside thinking of all the things I should be doing in the yard.

So the title of this blog is "Lessons Learned"...well as you guessed I am going to throw some lessons that I have learned. Either through life experience or life learning(actually listening to other people and learning to no repeat their mistakes). So here we go...

Life at the fire station is not always running into burning buildings and saving people(however that would be pretty fun). It takes a lot of understanding of people and how to live with different personalities. I have recently been reassigned to a new station and have started this process all over. My new partner is pretty long in the tooth(so to speak). He isn't very talkative, and for anyone who knows me that can be frustrating...I do love a good chit chat. So I have a new personality to decipher.

Don't pee into the wind. Not really something you should test, unless of course you are into the wet pants look.

Never look at your Thumb/Finger when pounding nails...you will regret it.

Never underestimate the power of doing nice things. I am married to one of the greatest people in the world, and luckily she appreciates my attempts at being a good person(even though sometimes they fail miserably). People inherently want to feel appreciated and taking a few minutes to show that appreciation will pay huge dividends in the end.

Never forget to say Thank you when someone completes a task or does a nice thing. Doing so can cause that to become a habit and then it is harder and harder to show appreciation.

When you ask someone "How are you?" expect to get an answer. I ask this all the time...and I want to know. It tells me a lot about where a person is in their mind at the time. Even if they say "Fine" you can usually tell if they are or not. It truly is, the easiest question I ask, and it is the best way to size up the current situation.

Now...onto some curious things that I have noticed.

Why is it that the Women's bathroom is so sacred? The firehouse that I am at has one. I have noticed that during the after hours portion of the day(when there is rarely a Female in the building) that room is off limits. I have actually witnessed someone do the "Potty Dance" waiting for the men's bathroom. It is right across the hall from the women's. I think I will try and break down this "social barrier" next time I have to pee...wish me luck.

Why do some people feel that it is important to story trump? Around the firehouse I would say it is very similar to a fish camp. Everyone sitting around when there is down time telling "fishing stories". But there is the occasional story trumper. You know what I mean...they have done things stranger, bigger and more embarrassing than anything you could ever hope to do. Why???

Ok...onto some updates.

Daisy is improving everyday...still some caution in our hearts, but it is great to see her up and moving around and doing "Daisy things" again.

Sharkboy is having some really great days at school. He is growing up everyday and becoming quite the little man. I am so honored to be his Dad and can't wait to continue to watch him grow..

Jenny, had a great Mother's Day. She started with Breakfast that I made. Belgian waffles, Sausage patties and homemade whipped cream. She got a bunch(and I mean bunch) of wild flowers. We have wildflowers in vases all around our house. Then she did some shopping while Sharkboy and I got the front yard in order for the spring time. We made the trek to New Carlisle and spent some time with her parents and dropped a plant off to my Mom(they weren't home or I would have visited there too). Then we finished it off with Homemade Schnitzel. It was a great day for me to honor the Mother of my child and my best friend in the whole world.

That is about all I have for now...

So until next time,

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking...into the future.

2010-05-08T19:43:00.003-04:00

Hey blog readers...hope everyone in the North West Indiana area is staying warm and dry today. It is not pretty outside...but at least it isn't snowing(said with fingers crossed!)

Not a lot of happening right now...yeah right. Daisy came home last night from her 2 night 2 day stay at the vet. It is our best guess(that is all we have right now) that she has Toxoplasmosis. She is responding to the antibiotics. The vet has cautioned us to proceed with cautious optimism, since we don't really know for sure how advanced it was able to get before figuring it out. The good news is she responding and we will take that. The even better news is that dogs respond very well as long as it has not infected/affected her neuro-muscular systems. Fingers again crossed.

I feel like I should add a plug here for our great and caring vetinary staff. The gang at Gilmer Park have been great. The Dr's are incredibly nice and easy to talk to and very caring. Daisy's vet called me today from his daughters soccer tournament...in Ft. Wayne to answer some questions we had. He is incredible and so is his wife, one of the other magnificent vets that are taking care our Daisy. If you are in need of a Vet in the South Bend area...I can't say enough possitive things about Gilmer Park Animal Hospital.

Sharkboy and I had a boys night out last night. He insisted on Hacienda even though we just had 2 night prior (it was Cinco De Mayo after all). He really had his heart set on Chips, Salsa and Ranch. It was really cute at dinner, he forgot Mommy wasn't with us and almost ordered a small green salsa for her. Then he looked at me and said..."man, I almost forgot this was a boys only night and Mommy isn't here". Good to know he takes care of her even when she isn't there.

Work for me is still kicking along. I am settling into my new assignment and getting used to the routines around here. The station I am at is nicknamed "The Nightmare". So if your curious about my Facebook status updates that reference that, well mystery solved. Lot's of new subdivisions and streets to learn, but if you are learning...your not getting anywhere.

Got a lot coming up this week...Mothers Day tomorrow! Then class during work Monday and then the 4-day, that will include an overtime shift on Tuesday.

I guess since I mentioned it...Happy Mother's Day tomorrow to all the Moms. Especially Jenny. I love that she is the Mother of my son and I Cherish every moment that I can share with her raising our son. She is a great mother, wife and friend. She truly is a blessing in my life. I can't forget my Mom...Thanks Mom for raising me to be a responsible adult and to appreciate the little things in life. Also LA...thank you for raising a great daughter, I have already said it, but she is a great person and I am lucky to have her and you in my life.

That is about all I have now, so until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Time to get back on the blog wagon...

2010-05-06T18:24:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...it has been over a month since my last post. I am not really sure why either...there has been plenty in my life to laugh about, preach about, whine about and think about. Just for some reason it didn't happen here. Well that is about to all change. I have been re-assigned to a new firehouse. For those of you familiar I am now stationed at the former Harris station 2 and current Clay station 4. It is nicknamed the Nightmare on Elm Rd, a little play on the 80's horror film and the fact that it is located at the corner of Elm and SR 23. It is a nice little station with I a nice pace.

Just got back from Cigarfest 2010. It was a great time as always. This year F.i.L. tagged along with me and 3 other firefighters. We scored many great pictures, memories and most of all cigars. I believe my final count of cigars handed to me was 68. Great times, and pictures to follow.

Sharkboy is doing great. He is growing up so fast. He takes his very own showers now. The only assistance he needs is a little help getting the shower gel on the shower puff, but in time he will master that too. School is just about over for him. He has a little less than a month left. He is really excited about this summer, as am I, since we will be doing a lot together. Not of the least is our family vacation to Florida in June. It will include some time with some great friends and visit to Disney. I can't wait and based on our conversations, neither can he.

Jenny is hanging in there. Her Uncle was diagnosed with cancer a couple months ago and sadly there is very little they can do for him medically. It is pretty much through his whole body. He is in the best spirits you can expect and thank goodness for the good people of hospice. He is receiving palliative care and it is really helping with the pain. The pain the family is experiencing is not treatable with medication. Just a lot of love, some great talks and time will heal those wounds. I hate to see the people I love going through this, so I try to support where I can, catch the tears I can and just plain continue to love on them.

Daisy is a pretty sick puppy right now. Hopefully the treatment she began yesterday will continue to help her feel better. She has what we suspect as Toxoplasmosis. It is a pretty nasty infection. The vet is very pleased with her rapid response to the medication and is cautiously optimistic on her recovery. We have been through a lot these past few weeks with her and are ready to have her return to some form of her normal self.

I think that pretty much catches you up on the current goings on in the wacky world I live in. Stay tuned for more updates and hopefully some pretty funny or odd perspective posts.

Until next time,

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

It's a bright Sun Shiny kind of day...

2010-03-30T09:17:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...I am sitting here at the table, looking outside enjoying the sunshine. There is frost on the ground but the sun is out and the air is warming. I am enjoying some coffee, and listening to the morning TV squawking along. I thought, hey, what a great time to blog.

I have been tossing around blog theme ideas in my head for a post. It has been a little while since my last blog. So I have decided to throw a couple of them together today, let's see how it goes.

THANKFUL

I have been focusing this year on doing things that are fun and focusing on the fun in life. In doing that I have noticed so many things in my life that I am thankful for. So here are a few things that I have taken stock in over the last 3 months.

My family: I am so blessed to have a great family. Almost 14 years ago I began a relationship with my wife(as a couple...there are many years before that as friends). It truly is a blessing in my life. She is my best friend. She supports me in ways I didn't even realize were possible. She loves me more everyday. She truly is a blessing in my life. My son came into my life a little over 6 years ago. He flipped our lives upside down and thankfully we haven't figured out how to turn it back over. He makes me smile everyday. He loves unconditionally and has the biggest heart. I am honored and blessed to call him my son. I spent Sunday with Jen's family celebrating Easter a week early. They move holidays around for my crazy firefighter schedule. They are great people...I love my In-Laws more than words could express. We shared great food, heart felt laughs and a great day. I look forward to many more days like that.

My work. I really think I have the greatest job in the world. I have an opportunity everyday to help people when they are having the worst day of their lives. It makes me both appreciate other people and what I have at the same time. People don't call us when they are having a great day, so it makes me focus on the important things and try and make their day better.

My friends. I feel like everywhere I go I know somebody. I like to think it is because I am not afraid to say hello and smile at people. I try to stay approachable and open to conversation. I have learned so much from talking to complete strangers, but more importantly, I have learned a lot from talking and listening to the people that are in my life everyday.

MORE ODD THOUGHTS:

Why do telemarketers call back? My wife has this habit of hanging up on telemarketers prior to them saying a word. She simply pushes the green answer button and she then immediately pushes the red button. She never says a word to them. But somehow they think that it wasn't the message she was trying to send, so they call back for 3 straight nights. Each time getting the same result. Seriously, are they really that dense?

Why don't people look in the mirror before they leave the house? I got up early on Sunday and headed to the store to pick up some odds and ends needed for our dinner party we went to at Jen's parent's house. I got out of bed, put on a hat, some warm up pants, a sweatshirt and some flip flops. I glanced in the mirror and thought, well it isn't my very best, but it will do(but I looked in the mirror to assure I didn't look like the walking dead). While I was there I witnessed a woman in a house coat, a man in fleece shorts, work boots and flannel shirt. 2 people I am sure did not look in the mirror prior to their exit of their homes.

Why don't men talk in the bathroom? I have to admit, I adhere to this principal as well. But what is the harm with a hello? What is the harm if you know someone saying how are you or asking what is new in their life? It is a mystery...I also am curious about the mandatory 1 urinal interval. If there are 3 urinals, at any given moment only the 2 on the outside will be in use...some mysteries are just meant not to be uncovered.

THE WEATHER:

Sun is out, air is warming up. Let the Spring and Summer festivities begin! I look forward to all of them. Sharkboy and I played catch yesterday in the back yard. I can't wait to golf, eat outside and mow the grass. If you love summer like I do...here is to a great one.

Well that is about all I can squeeze out of the grey matter for now. Today Sharkboy has a short play at school where he is playing Jesus. We can't wait...

I hope everyone has a great Easter weekend and enjoys the Spring breaks that are on the horizon.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Peculiar thoughts of a Peculiar man.

2010-03-19T21:26:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...today I spent some time in the truck running errands. Usually that gives me time to think about things that are going on in my life. Well today I had some really weird thoughts. Some of which follow...

Why do we think the way we do? Why do we ponder things? I wish I had the answers...but oddly I do not. The following are some thing that popped into this cob web filled skull I carry around on my shoulders. Enjoy...they have provided me many laughs over the years.

Why are men attracted to breasts? Seriously, unless you were a hungry infant a breast provides nothing significant to men. Don't get me wrong I am not ready to hang up my manly ways and stop finding breasts attractive. I am just perplexed. A very good friend once stated the following about breasts and it fits "Boobs are weird". Another friend once said "They taste like arm". 2 very peculiar but fitting quotes when it comes to boobs.

Why do we drive on a parkway, but park in a driveway? (an oldy but goody) I got nothing...why do we?

When someone eats something weird why do we freak out? I gotta say that guy that one day thought it would be tasty to eat a cow was a genius. I am sure his buddies thought he was a bit crazy, but genius none the less. Somebody has to eat new things the first time. Think about it...Pigs=Ham, bacon, sausage etc. I am sure the people that ate pigs first were thought to be crazy, but look at us now. Chicken eggs, cows milk, caviar...just to name a few had to be someone way off their rocker. But I thank them for their courage.

When someone tastes something bad, why do they offer it to us to taste? I am a pretty trusting person. If one of my friends tastes something and it is horrible, I will take their word for it. I don't need to personally validate an items level of nasty.

Why do we laugh out loud when we are alone? I myself am not one of those people. I actually think of laughter as an outward sign that you find something funny. If I am alone, I don't laugh out loud. For example: I am currently watching The Hangover. Arguably one of the funniest movies ever made. Not a single outburst of laughter. An occasional smile I will admit to, but no laughter.

Global warming, is it real? I froze my ass off this winter. I won't lie. I am not buying into the whole global warming argument. I am 36 y/o and have lived my whole life in a Midwest climate. Cold winters, hot summers and delightful springs and falls. I have not noticed a change in our winters. We still get a butt load of snow, we still get bitter cold and we still have that nasty phenomenon known as lake effect. I am calling global warming from now on an Environmentalists scare tactic.

Why do we call them Chicken fingers? Fingers are not in a chickens anatomy. So why?

I could go on and on and on and on...

That is all my deep thoughts for now...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

2010-03-19T14:58:00.001-04:00

More to follow but I had an idea for a post...here is a teaser title: Peculiar thoughts from a Peculiar Man.

Odds and Ends

2010-03-19T10:14:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...just thought I would post and catch up some odds and ends of things.

Ambulance ride time is going good. I am getting to do some great things in the ambulance. I absolutely love providing good patient care and making a difference in peoples lives when they think they need us most. It is a real positive experience, most of the time. I seem to be getting used to the insomnia involved, but I have to say, I will be glad to be back on the engine. Only 4 days left.

Spring seems to be trying too pop. We have daffodils popping up and the grass is trying to turn green. Most of the winter poop from the back yard seems to be cleaned up. I can't wait to be outside all the time mowing, doing yard work, cooking outside and enjoying the occasional evening cigar on the deck.

Sharkboy is doing great. He had a rough day at school yesterday. I don't have any particulars since he, selectively, doesn't remember what happened. When I asked him what happened during the day he said "I just had a rough day Dad". Oh if he only knew what a bad day was. I occasionally tell Jenny that I don't want to be a grown up anymore...I am joking, but a little itty bitty part of me really feels that way.

Golf is right around the corner. I have the clubs out and clean. If I have a little extra time this afternoon I may actually go someplace and hit a bucket of balls to shake out the winter cob webs. I can't wait to get out on the course this year.

Some things in the news that I have been thinking about:

Health Care bill: I am currently reading the online version of the bill to try and figure out just where I stand on it. I have noticed lot of people chiming in on this topic. It is definitely a topic that is churning around. So far what I read in the bill, most seems reasonable. So far I have read nothing about abolishing private insurance, socialized medicine, government control of what procedure you can have or not have. But I am only about a 1/3 of the way through it.

Tiger Woods playing in The Masters: Good for him. I feel like he should get back on the course and do what he does best. Do I think it was right for him to cheat on his wife? Absolutely not! I also don't think all the media coverage is doing any good for him, his wife or the golf community. I really feel that in order for him to get his life in order he needs to start getting into a routine and what better way to do that than getting back to work. If he truly does have a sexual addiction, then continue to get help.

March Madness: For those of you not into this, I am truly sorry. I am not a huge basketball fan, but the games in March during the "Big Dance" are what basketball is all about. Underdog teams eliminating bigger teams. Upsets, stars that truly are stars, shining. I did not complete a bracket this year. In past years it has consumed too much of my time, of which, I don't have very much to spare right now.

Toyota's Recalls and Runaway Vehicles: I just want to say that I think that again the media is hurting the reputation of Toyota. Seriously with all the vehicles on the road that have accidents and problems I am guessing that the only reason Toyota is getting raked over the coals is because of the recent recall. Remember readers, roughly 4 accidents happen every second in the United States. I am pretty sure that the brunt of those are not "Toyota Recall" induced, so I am going to continue to ignore the press fluff. No to mention that my family doesn't own a Toyota...so pretty safe to say it isn't anything for me to lose sleep over.

Jessie James cheating on Sandra Bullock: I would like to go on record as saying what a moron. First off, any man that cheats on his wife has a certain percentage of ignorance in their day to day decisions. I have always been a SB fan, I think she is a pretty good actress, a pretty good person and I think she is pretty hot. What a slap in the face. I hope she can get things in order and have a chance to celebrate her "Best Actress, Oscar". A very sad story for anyone. I hope she finds strength and she can move on.

This weekend we have a lot going on. Sharkboy and I are going to have a "Boy's Night" tonight while Jenny is out hanging out with the girls. Tomorrow we have a lot of fun stuff planned. Jenny is working in the morning(not really that fun I know) and in the afternoon we are heading out to NC to have some fun with some old friends from school. Sunday we are going to the Corpus Christi Pancake breakfast to help raise funds for the playground. If you aren't doing anything, come out and enjoy some pancakes and some great company. I think the rest of the day will be spent just hanging out.

I wanted to send a huge Happy Birthday(yesterday and yes I remembered yesterday and called) to one of my dearest and best friends in the whole wide world. Happy Birthday Tara! I hope you had a great day! I know from what you described as you birthday night out you had a blast. We will celebrate more when we come down in June.

That's all I have for now...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

A post from the trenches

2010-03-13T16:29:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers. I have a few extra minutes that I can post something in the middle of this 48 hour shift. Thought I would jump on here and do so...no procrastinating.

The shift hasn't been too bad. I have run a few calls, got some sleep last night and for the most part I am not completely exhausted. We will see what tonight holds...

Time change tonight for my Daylight Savings Time friends...tonight roughly at 2 am we will spring ahead an hour. That means we should see the sun later into the evening and that my friends is a bright spot in my life.

Sharkboy and Jenny came to visit me today. It was really nice to see them. I hate to put them through these 48 hour shifts...especially on a weekend. They are both very understanding and I really count myself as blessed having them and their support. I ran into a friend of mine at the ER the other night. He is an emergency room physician and I haven't really talked to him in a few years. We exchanged the normal pleasantries as you would imagine. We chatted about things and he tugged on my wedding ring and asked how it was fitting these days. I told him that it was great. He reminded me that I should appreciate my wife and appreciate how much she does and supports me. I thought that a very nice thing to say and thought I would take this opportunity to say...I love you honey and thank you for all that you do to support me. I appreciate it and you.

So that is about all I have at this point. I am looking forward to spending time tomorrow with family and friends. We will be hitting Granite City for brunch with some great people and later bid Jen's cousin farewell. He is heading south to work in Tennessee to take a new job with his fiance' and her kids. Good luck to them. Also if all goes well I will finally get my hands on my World Famous Cigar bar autographed cigar box and cigars.

Have a safe night everyone...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

2010-03-12T17:40:00.001-05:00

A little less than 11 hrs into the 48...so far not too bad. B-shift boys are sharing some cigar time with me...very nice!

Some fresh air

2010-03-11T08:52:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...today I got home from taking Sharkboy to school and thought it would be a good idea to get a walk in early today, since they are calling for rain later today and I didn't want to put it off or hit the treadmill. So much like the house the last few days, I opened my windows in my brain and let it air out, all the while giving my heart and body some much needed exercise.

While on my walk I realized that many of the dog owners in the neighborhood are not responsible or respectful dog walkers. I could not believe the amount of poop I saw laying in the tree lawns and even some on the sidewalk. I know that while on a walk with your dog it is horrible to have to do the inside out bag dog poop grab. I don't like to do it, but I do. I understand that it is my dog and my responsibility to clean up after her, not somebody who happens to care for that lawn. Please people...if you have a dog, please be respectful and responsible and pick up your dogs poo.

I was watching the news today and they were covering the 14 y/o that killed his Grandfather. I was shocked to hear the story (as it is being reported). Apparently he went to his Grandfather's coat, got his loaded gun and went to his sleeping Grandfather. He then had an "internal argument" with himself before shooting his Grandfather in the head. OH MY GOD!!! I don't know what to think...that is crazy. But I think the part that was the most shocking is that he called his Grandfather "Pa Pa". That is exactly what Sharkboy calls his Grandfather. It was kind of creepy. I know it is a very common nickname for Grandfathers, but it was still a bit creepy.

I went to QI at the hospital last night. For those of you not in the know, Emergency Medical providers are required to attend a prescribed amount of QI, based on their level of certification. I went last night for some of mine. We learned about Hip Fractures and some interesting facts that stuck out to me I thought I would share. First is the fact that prior to surgical hip repair/replacement there was a 50% mortality rate in hip fractures. Holy cow...that is a lot higher than thought. Second was that, by 2020 they are expecting 350.000 hip fractures a year. That is a lot of hip fractures. I also was interested in the risk factors for Hip fractures. There was many of the obvious: Osteoporosis, low body mass, maternal history of hip fractures...etc. But a couple stirred my mind: Smoking, Alcohol consumption, vision impairment, living in an extended care facility (nursing home). Smoking? Well apparently that is a cause of Osteoporosis, didn't know that. Vision impairment, increases trips(not really that shocking...but never thought of it). But living in an extended care facility? Don't we send Grandma or Grandpa to the nursing home because they can't care for themselves and we don't want them to fall and break a hip? But now we find they are actually categorized as a risk now for that...wow. Good luck people...may we all never fall and break a hip!

Tomorrow morning I start a 48 on the medic...so I may not post until Sunday. I will try to maybe fire off some posts from the blackberry, but most likely they will only be random thoughts. Please feel free to comment.

Until next time friends...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

It's been a long time...

2010-03-10T14:49:00.001-05:00

Hey blog readers...If I had a dollar for everytime I said I was going to post something tomorrow, well I would have about 20 bucks. I have had a whirl wind last couple weeks, and they are going to continue to whirl. Lots going on, but that is no excuse for denying my blog readers an update...so here you go.

First I would like to touch on my New Years goal...well as many of you can remember, it is to have a good time with friends and family and never pass up an opportunity to have fun. Well somehow the last month I have strayed from that. No worries friends I have a grasp on the tiller of that ship and we are coming back on course. I made the mistake and letting someone else change my mood. It is funny how one experience with someone can bring you down. I have spent my whole life not letting someone else dictate my mood. I slipped and let it happen. I am reminded that I am human and that it is time to get back to just being me and not let bitter angry power hungry people adjust my mood...enough about that though...

Some things I have been pondering lately...The air traffic controller that let his son talk on the radio and all the press that followed. I guess I am just pretty light hearted about this. I think it is great. I have a job that my son thinks is a pretty cool job, as I am sure his son thought about his job. I have let my son come and visit and hang out with me...he has never gone to a fire, car accident or medical, but he has sprayed the hose, honked the horn and turned the lights on. I guess I look at it this way. He was in the tower surrounded by professionals that do this everyday. He was obviously coached and he was only doing ground control (not that, that is easy Skully...). I feel pretty strongly that no ones life was in danger and the pilots seemed to like it. Airline pilots and air traffic controllers have a very stressful job. This is one of those times that they got to express their "human side".

Just across the state line a 14 y/o boy killed his grandfather. That is horrible! I can't think of any reason to kill anyone, but your grandfather? I hope they hold his as responsible as an adult. You make adult decisions, you get adult consequences.

Funny thing I saw today...I was walking accross the parking lot at Walgreens. There was a nice older black woman walking across the parking lot. She was carrying a huge purse, smiling at people as they passed and greeted me with a very nice hello. She continued accross the parking lot. I noticed her hair was a bit out of place. It was Platinum Blond and straight. I just shrugged it off. I got in the truck and as habbit for me, I was backed into the parking spot. So I had a front row seat for what unfolded. The wind was blowing a bit...not hard, just a pretty good breeze. When all of a sudden her Platinum blonde hair blew right off her head...it started across the parking lot. Her hair underneath was was about a 1/2 inch brillow pad like hair. She pursued it and the language that was coming out of her mouth was not that of a sweet old lady. She finally captured her prey about 25 feet away. She shook it out...placed it back on her head and continued into the store hand on her head and pleasently greeting passers by...I finished laughing and continued on my way.

I am currently doing a month long rotation on the Medic truck. I am trying to get my "Lead Status" in the county. I had forgotten how long a shift on the medic could be. I guess I have been spoiled on the engine. Typically a medical call on the engine at 2 am means I will be back in the station and in bed by 2:45 or 3:00. On the medic...you might as well figure getting back around 4am or so. So needless to say there are some sleepless nights. It will be a long month, but worth it to get my Lead.

Sharkboy is doing great. The weather seems to be breaking for spring, so he is outside more. He is doing pretty well in school...He asked me this morning if I would go to school with him. I told him I could not go to school with him. He replied Dad, it is only Kindergarten, I think you know this stuff. I assured him it wasn't the academic challenge that concerned me.

Well that is about all I have for now...I am happy to announce that the spring outdoor cigar season has started, thank the lord for sunshine, warmer air and time to enjoy a nice cigar.

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my peeps!

2010-03-10T11:32:00.001-05:00

No post since Feb 18th...huh, well I will try and fix that this afternoon...more to come this afternoon!

A little catch up

2010-02-18T20:09:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been busy watching the Olympics. I don't really follow the Summer Olympics like I do the winter. I just love the Winter Olympics.

Funny Sharkboy story. The other night I was pestering Jen in the kitchen. Sharkboy was out in the living room playing. Jen gave me one of those thoroughly irritated looks(I recognize this look because I am capable of soliciting it, often...). I made the joke to her that she had that "stab you in the eye with a toothbrush look". She laughed and we went on with our evening. Later that night I had finished reading with Sharkboy in bed and we were playing until Jen came in to do the bed time prayer and the customary goodnight kiss and when she came in she gave us "the look"...Sharkboy covered his eyes and said "quick Daddy cover your eyes, she is going for the toothbrush". The room was filled with laughter. Just goes to show us he is listening even when don't think he is.

Other than that...everything else is pretty much the same. This snow is becoming pretty cumbersome to find fun stuff to do. I can't wait for spring...

Until next time, or I think of something else to blog about...

Be Kind, Be Safe...GO USA!

Shalom my Peeps!

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T09:48:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...it is that day that most men cringe at and most women anticipate. We celebrated over Friday night and Saturday since I am at work today. Sharkboy signed his card himself and it meant a lot to Jenny. Jen got the usual chocolate and card from me...and seemed pleased. (I am still waiting for my gift)

Yesterday we made the final big booking decision for our Disney trip in June. Thanks to Marci (who is our Hero)...we will be staying at the Beach Club! I am pretty excited, but my excitement is nothing compared to Sharkboy's. So we will be flying into Tampa on the 12th, Disney 14-17th and then finish out the trip in Tampa for my Birthday. It will be a fun time.

Aunt Karen and Grandma stopped by to drop off some stuff. I love it when they come and visit. Uncle Jim and Aunt Elaine stopped by yesterday to drop off Sharkboy's B-day present. Jim helped him put together some of his legos. It was a nice little visit. L.A. and F.i.L. came over in the evening and ate chili with us that Jenny had made. It was a nice Saturday of visiting and hanging out. Oh yeah and Awesome Aunt Kelly and Awesome Uncle Jon stopped by and dropped of Disney books for us for our trip. it is nice to have some things for research for our visit.

Well I finally got the new TV for the bedroom. We now have a 32" flat screen TV on the wall in the bedroom. Just in time to watch the Olympics in HD. The picture is amazing and it is helping drive us to put the big screen in the basement. Installation went pretty well, and I am very pleased with the final product. It is amazing to say the very least. Looks like when I get banished during the bachelor I will be in the bedroom...(yes, I will be in the bedroom, not Jen) not the basement(yet).

Good luck to Lauren on her first indoor games/tournament. Indoor soccer season kicks off today and I can't go, but Jenny and Sharkboy are going to cheer her on. Go Lauren!!!

Well that is all I have for now...until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Bud Light = Headache

2010-02-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...so here is an update from yesterday.

Sharkboy's party was awesome! He and all of his buddies from school came to firehouse for a birthday party. They toured, climbed on fire trucks, ate pizza drank pop, and consume cupcakes. They all seemed to completely enjoy the time at the firehouse and hopefully they learned a thing or 2. One of the boys confessed to Jen that his Mom does not let him drink pop or eat cupcakes because they make him hyper. Jen was concerned and asked him if he wanted something else. His reply was "My Mom isn't here, I'll have Coke, and is there anymore cupcakes?" Jen figured what the heck, his Mom isn't here and he is going home soon and gave him both. I now have an understanding why parents choose not to give there kids sweets that wind them up. That kid went from being a well mannered young man to a mad man in the matter of 2 small glasses of coke and a cupcake. He was like a crack head looking for his next fix. He was constantly asking for more cupcakes...I will admit, I lied to the young man that we were out. But I was not going to be responsible for him flipping a fire truck over in his sugar induced fit of rage.

In the evening we went to Trivia night at Sharkboy's school. We took my Aunt and Uncle. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. We finished tied for 4th, but next year we will be much more organized and ready. I am thinking team name, shirts and a team slogan. My only disappointment was that the only beer available was Bud Light. I am pretty certain that my beer consumption of only micro-brewed, craft or heavy beers is why my head is pounding 12+ hours later. The table next to us won...they had a nice come from behind in round 7 and they never looked back. Snacks, adult conversation and beer = a nice time had by all. We did experience a miracle last night though...a pitcher of beer appeared, one of the ladies at our table asked who ordered it and no one had...it was deemed a "Beer Miracle" so we all had a little of it. The best part was that it appeared when Father Daryl was talking about the "Fishes and Loves" miracle and the fact that, that parable was reported 6 times in the disciples books of the bible. So I thought it only fitting to report it in my blog...

Well another day at the firehouse today...until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe...(never overlook a miracle)

Shalom my Peeps.

Great, more snow!

2010-02-05T21:09:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...so there is more snow in our very near future, and that is very displeasing to me.

Now don't tell me I am being ridiculous just because I live in Northern Indiana and live in the snow belt. I don't have to like it...nothing about living here requires me to like it. Because frankly until the last couple of years I didn't mind it at all. Maybe I am getting old, I don't know. My recent trip to Florida opened my eyes to this whole "Snowbird" lifestyle. Until that trip I never understood "Snowbirds". Why in Sam hill would any one want to commute to the south to get away from the snow to come back to humidity and heat? Well I think I am starting to understand. It was very nice to be able to go outside, not in a multitude of layers, and enjoy yourself. It wasn't hot, but it was nice. It would be nice to have the biggest worry was the Palms may get frost damage, not do I have to wake up early and shovel the newly fallen snow. Or, man I have to wear a light jacket to the golf course this morning, not that Parka I used to have to wear in January/February in Indiana...and the whole coming back in the summer. I see why, who wants to ride out a tropical storm or hurricane. It is the best of both worlds. No worries though, no plans on becoming a "Snowbird" anytime soon. But I wouldn't rule it out in the future.

Nothing big today to report. I am at the fire station and things seems to be running smoothly at home. Tomorrow we have Sharkboy's birthday party at the fire station. All the boys from his class will be joining us in a testerone filled fire station. Should be a good time, what boy doesn't like fire trucks, firemen, pizza and cupcakes. Then we have Trivia night at Sharkboy's school. I am really looking forward to have some "adult time out". No idea on how the night will work, but everyone is saying how good of a time it will be, so I am going into it with an open mind and looking forward to some fun (and again, that fits right into my "New Years Resolution"). Win or lose, I plan to have fun.

So until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

He makes me laugh until it hurts

2010-02-04T20:07:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...nothing, really huge going on today in my life. Jenny is good, Daisy is well Daisy and I seem to continue to wake up on the right side of the dirt every morning...life is good!

Sharkboy tonight in the tub had Jenny and I laughing so hard it hurt. Now, I would like to start off with that Sharkboy loves his baths. He will sit in the tub until he either becomes hypothermic or he is pruned beyond recognition. So he was in the tub and called for Jen to come see him. She laughed a laugh that only comes from the heart. A hearty laugh that says what she is experiencing is pure and simple funny. I walked down the hall and the image that unfolded in front of me caused me to laugh equally as hard as Jen. Sharkboy was squatted down in the tub, in all of his unabashed glory. He was holding a snorkel like a cane(not really sure why a 6 y/o has a snorkel in the tub, but stranger things have occurred, so I won't dwell). He then said in his best old man voice "I am on my way to Hula classes". That was accompanied by a hilarious hula dance and song all in old man character. He then proceeded for the rest of the night to act like and old man. Snorkel cane and hunkered over the rest of the evening.

Remember to look around and don't be afraid to laugh at what you see....sometimes it is the best option.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

So much to update...

2010-02-03T15:38:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I have been pretty busy lately. After vacation I jumped right back into work and with Sharkboy's birthday on Monday, kept very busy.

Florida was awesome! I saw some really good friends, met some new ones, enjoyed the warm weather, built a sand castle, smoked a few cigars, played some golf, ate some seafood and generally enjoyed life. Thank you to my hosts for interrupting your busy lives to spend some time with me. You are the best!

While in Florida I visited World Famous Cigar Bar (WFCB). It is a really cool place. If you are ever in the Ft. Myers area or Naples (after March) and enjoy cigars, it is a must visit. I met the owner, and the director of marketing. Very cool people with a great vision of how to enjoy a cigar in a bar atmosphere. Oh how I wish I could be there for the Super Bowl Party they have planned (I am jealous Athena).

Work has been very busy lately...not with the obvious calls, but with all of the changes that come with a merger. It is still a very exciting and fluid atmosphere. I love to see the changes that are happening and look forward to the growth.

Sharkboy turned 6 on Monday...Happy Birthday little man! He is growing up everyday. He never stops making us laugh and more importantly making us proud. He shares a birthday with the anniversary of Janet Jackson's "Nipplegate" at the Super Bowl. I did not see it live...I was a bit busy, but when he looks back on his birthday, he has something to tag it with. Keep growing buddy...you are turning into a great little man that I am proud to call my son!

Plans are in the works for the Leonard's take on Florida trip. We are planning a week long vacation this summer in Florida. It is going to be a full week, but it will be fun. Aunt Cici...we will call you very soon to make the plans...

Well that is all I have for right now...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Leaving on Jet Plane...dispatches from afar.

2010-01-23T17:24:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well I am not really far yet(as I type this), I am actually just sitting in South Bend Regional Airport (SBN for all my airport friends). I hate to run close in the airport, and I hate lines at ticket counters. So I get here early...

Well yesterday was a total odd ball day for me. I worked, but we didn't run a single call. As a matter of fact the engine only moved on to the front drive to clean the floor under it, and back in when the floor was dry. I wasn't really sure I liked that day...I actually do like running calls.

Today we hit the shopping front for Sharkboy. He needed some new shoes. As his current footwear seemed to be bothering him and when questioned he said they felt tight. So being good parents we decided to get him some new shoes. We heard that New Balance in front of the new Martin's was really good for help sizing and they had some really cute errr I mean cool shoes for kids. We went and they were right. We payed a little extra but they fit him perfect and he loves them. While we were on the road Sharkboy did his usual singing along with the radio. He usually doesn't know the words, but he listens to the chorus and picks it up and just sings along. So there was a song on that the chorus begins "Life is good, but Eternal Life is better" Well the 5 almost 6 y/o interpretation of that was "Life is good, but a turtles life is better". Needless to say Jenny and I had a pretty good life. I love those moments.

Florida is the destination tonight. I am staying with my best friend...I mean we go way back...For purposes of the blog we will call her "Bean Counter". I am really excited about this trip. With her living in Florida our friendship for the most part is limited to phone conversations, e-mail, Facebook and the occasional visit in either direction. While down there I will be visiting with Athena. That is exciting as well. I plan to do some golfing, smoke some cigars, laugh, have a few beers and just generally enjoy life.

Well that is all I have for now...there will be more this week. Most likely with pictures...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Anticipation

2010-01-21T16:27:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...today I started the final steps in getting ready for my trip to Florida. I am pretty pumped over the trip as a whole. But I am at that anticipation stage of the trip...you know the feeling, like a kid the night before a trip to Disney or a birthday or a fun trip with the family. Time seems to stand still...

So today I did the brunt of the packing for the trip this afternoon. Shorts laundered and packed, t-shirts packed. Laundry is going right now so I have clean underwear and socks. The whole packing thing is a bit stressful, but the end result I know will end up with me bringing way too many clothes and thinking after it is all said and done, why did I bring so many clothes. There are cigars to pack, golf shoes to pack and surprises for my hosts (I love anticipation...so I won't say anymore). Will my bag come up under weight? Did all my electronics I require to function daily get in the bags. The whole thing is enough to drive a person to therapy.

I have to keep in mind the end result...a trip to Florida to visit dear friends and just enjoy life. It is my New Years resolution after all...

Just some of the things that I want to accomplish while I am down in Florida. Hang out with Athena, get some golf in, smoke a few cigars (especially one of my Christmas presents), golf, and visit with Bean Counter, Ivory Seller and Little A(one of my closest friends, her husband and their 3 y/o son). I called and plan to visit the Rocky Patel plant as well...but we will see how that turns out, the more research I do, the more skeptical I am that it is a home run(and after all, why settle for a base hit, when you can knock one out of the park). I am not sure if there will be any manufacturing or if it is just a distribution facility and retail outlet. Finally just relax and enjoy some "not snowy" weather.

Sharkboy is not looking forward to the trip. He keeps telling me that he will miss me and that when I get home he is going to shower me in love. Until recently, I wasn't even sure if he knew what love was. We talk on the phone and he says I Love You at the end of every conversation. I wasn't sure if he thought it was the right thing to say, since that is what Mommy(Jenny) and I always say or if he really meant it. I think now that he means it. No singular example, but I feel it. I talked with him and he understands how long I will be gone and seems to be accepting of it.

Work has been pretty much the same. Monday night was a killer. Up until 4:15 am! Not exactly the night one would dream of. We are referring to it as "That night back in January that we got kicked hard". After a nap on Tuesday...things all seemed to improve. I truly feel that it is an honor to help people when they need it most, so I try to keep it in perspective. That night we helped and ultimately that is what counts. Other than that example it has been pretty good. Merger seems to be going along very nicely and it is exciting to be on a 5 station department.

Well it is time to finish the process(for now)...Sooooo

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y

2010-01-16T16:21:00.006-05:00

Hey Blog readers...not really sure what to say today. So let's see what unfolds.

Well I am not sure how many people read this blog. So here is what I would love for you all to do today. Show some love...leave me a comment so I know your out there. I sometimes feel like I am just sketching out my thoughts and they are floating out there in Internet space and that is about it...

I have spent the last few days getting ready for my trip to Florida in a week. I went out and bought some new jeans yesterday. I have been making a list of things to make sure I pack. Collecting surprises for my hosts and dreaming of sunshine and golf courses.

I am thinking of starting a new blog to run along side this one. I have this vision of collecting pictures of 3 of my favorite things and journal my adventures with them. I think the name of the blog will be called "Butts, Brews and Balls". It will have pictures and chronicle my adventures that include cigars, beer (mostly craft and micro brew) and golf. What do you think...again leave your thoughts.

Last night we went out to Giannetto's for Chicago style deep dish pizza. The usual gang was there and we had good time as always. Ate some yummy pizza and got to catch up with all of our friends. I love get togethers like that. Here are some pictures from the outing...

Jen and Amy

Kelly, Jenny and Karen

The Cake

Jenny and I

The Pizza...Mmmmm

Jenny and Morgan with Morgan's Present for Jenny

Jenny is off scrap booking today...leaving Sharkboy and I to do boy stuff. We have played matchbox cars, remote control cars and he has effected several rescues of his stuffed animals. It is really cute. He has some make shift fire gear stuff...a coat from a costume, an old helmet of mine, a back pack(aka air pack) some snow pants, his snow boots and a couple flashlights. He is very creative. It is probably one of my favorite things to watch him do.

I hope you are all having a great weekend...remember to leave some love. Let me know your out there.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Slummin'

2010-01-13T20:20:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well today the Captain of the ladder truck asked me to trade with him. He wanted a day on the engine. I don't exactly consider myself the biggest fan of ladder truck work, but I took him up on it. So far not a bad day...took in a medical at Sta. 2 when we were there. We will see what the night holds.

Not really a lot to report...Just your typical day at work.

Tonight they are having a Procession of lights from Mishawaka to New Carlisle in honor of Cpl. Szuba and Ricky. Last thing I heard on the radio was that the procession was 3 1/2 miles long. I wish I could see it. L.A. and F.i.L. went down the road to check it out and they took their camera with them. I hope to see pictures tomorrow.

Well tomorrow I have some errands to run...Hair cut with Cassie, pick up vacuum, buy wireless router for L.A. and F.i.L.'s new laptop and set up their network. Full day.

So with that I will wrap this up...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps

Point the bow in the direction you want to go...

2010-01-12T20:45:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...the title doesn't really have anything to do with what I plan to blog about tonight. Actually, I am not really sure what I am going to blog about tonight. If this takes a nasty turn or really no turns at all consider this your warning...oh and the title was said to me when I was learning to captain a boat back in the day. I laughed when the instructor said it to me, but actually find some direction in it in my life now.

Yesterday was a shift day. In the morning we got to play in the ice. By play I mean we got to train. Living in this Northern Midwest climate that we live in our inland lakes have a tendancy to freeze over. Well humans as a whole tend to be curious creatures and at one point in our existance we decided to venture out onto that ice. Well ever since then there has been a tendency for we humans to fall through said ice and end up in peril. Well yesterdays training is the answer to that. We donned our ice rescue suits and took turns being the victim and the rescuer. Over the years this training has gone from being something well all dreaded to something some of us actually look forward to every year(me being one). The old suits(gumby suits) were made of neoprene and often leaked quite significantly. The new suits(Mustang Ice Command or Chiquita suit) fit better, keep you warm and actually keep you dry. So for an hour of my morning yesterday I took my turn as a bobber in a frozen lake...all and all one of my favorite trainings we do on a regular basis.

The rest of the day kind of spun out of control in the afternoon. We had a tour of Cub/Tiger Scouts come through the station. So I showed them around and we had a great time talking about fire trucks, fire stations and what firemen do when we are at work. I love when they are filled with questions and can't wait for you to show them the next thing. Just when that tour was ending one of my good friends from school stopped in. All the while I was trying to cook dinner to feed my firehouse full of fire fighters. My friend Monkey that stopped is a Police officer west of here and was in town paying his respects to the Mishawaka Police and Cpl. Szuba's family. It was great to see him. We had a chance to have a brief catch up and share some laughs. We are planning a get together with Jenny, Sharkboy and his family. Hopefully sooner than later.

Today I had class this morning at the new St. Joe Med Ctr. It is an amazing facility. All new and full of such potential. We recieved a tour of the facility. It is big and modern. If you drive in that area, you have seen it. It will serve the community well in it's new location.

After that, it was errands. The afternoon after school was spent hanging with Sharkboy. He has a new found love for Tom & Jerry. It is great, because that is one of the few cartoons that doesn't make me want to vomit or commit violent crimes against my television.

With all of the things surrounding the line of duty death of Cpl. Jim Szuba, and his K9 partner Ricky that have been going on the last few days I catch myself thinking and reflecting on a few things. (Now don't click closed yet, the soap box isn't coming out) I hope I never know how his family feels and more importantly I hope the rest of my family doesn't either. It is a reminder that what I have chosen as my career path is a dangerous job, and that fate isn't completely out of the question. So I need to be extra vigilant to make sure they(my family) don't ever know how they feel. It also is a testament to the family that the police officers, and other people in blue really are. There is a family right now in this county struggling to find answers to questions that may never be answered. The family doesn't pretend to know the answers, but they are there to provide ears to hear the questions, shoulders to catch tears and arms to hold through some of the pain. My prayers continue that the Szuba family finds some comfort in this hardest of times, and that their "Blue Family" continues to be there for them. God Speed Cpl. Szuba and K9 Ricky.

So this ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I have to make a confession. I have been penning this blog during American Idol. I am actually on a boycott of AI. I was and am a fan of Glee. Now that Idol is on, I have to wait until they crown a winner to be able to see a new episode. Idol is getting old to me...I don't really care for several of the Idol Winners from the past, and I just don't see it having that magic it used to have. So boycott I will...I have much better things to do with my time, like tell you want I have been up to.

Tomorrow back to work...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Not a good night!

2010-01-10T11:43:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...last night tragedy struck the Mishawaka PD, Mishawaka Fire & EMS and the community as a whole. So this entry will be my thoughts about this happening...

Cpl. James Szuba and his K9 partner, Ricky, were responding to an assistance call from another officer. While attempting to stop the suspect Cpl. Szuba and his partner were involved a 10-50(police talk for accident). Tragically Cpl. Szuba and his partner did not survive this crash, however the suspect did and was badly injured. Mishawaka Fire & EMS faced the task of then extricating the suspect from his vehicle where he was entrapped. They then transported him to a local hospital for care. Doesn't seem right does it, having to extricate a person who just commited such a hanus act? But it is...not easy, but the right thing to do.

So first off I would like to say, my families thoughts and prayers are with the family of Cpl. Szuba and his partner Ricky. My prayers also go out to each and every responder that did what had to be done last night on that call...Police Officers, Firemen, EMT's, Dispatchers all of you make me proud to be in the business.

This morning while watching the news, Sharkboy saw the story. He looked at me and with the most serious face I have ever seen him make, he asked if the policeman and his dog were alright. I made the split second decision to just tell him the truth. He just looked at me, then his eyes welled up with tears and he began to cry. I don't mean whimper, I don't mean whine, he cried...he got it. He said, after he pulled himself together, I am going to miss that policeman and his puppy. Every day I am amazed at what he can comprehend. He has never met this officer or his dog. He just knows that the world will be without those 2 and he doesn't like it. He has a heart bigger than I could describe. He cares and I hope he never lets go of that.

Some closing thoughts...keep your public servants in your thoughts today, especially Mishawaka Police, Fire and EMS. Sometimes look at the world through the Non-Jaded eyes of child. Never forget to tell the people that mean the most to you that you love them.

God Speed Cpl. James Szuba & K9 Ricky!

Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps.

Productivity

2010-01-09T17:12:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...productivity can be measured on many scales. Frankly the way I measure productivity is with this simple equation: Productivity=What I want to get done - What I get done/the time it takes me to get it done(not really mathamatical...because I don't think I could actually put a number to it, but it is my blog).

Well today I actually started a written list of the tasks I wanted to accomplish. They are all done and it took me less than a day. So all and all I call that productive. You may measure your productivity differently, but for me, that is productivity.

I also want to take a few minutes to say Happy Birthday to Little Amigo (Mimi, M.i.L. etc...). I hope you are enjoying your day. Some people come in and out of our lives. You are someone who has been in my life for some time now. Thank you for being you. Thank you for raising a beautiful and smart daughter. Thank you for marrying my primary golf partner. You are an amazing person. I love you! (I don't think I guy could ask for a better mother-in-law)

Other than that today has been a pretty good day here at the station. Projects around the firehouse have filled most of the day...but again it was a productive day. Sun was out, and that always makes me happy. I just wish it would have been about 10 degrees warmer so I could have gotten out and enjoyed a cigar.

Not really much else to report. Jenny and Sharkboy are enjoying their day together (at least that is what they tell me). I am sure I will have more tomorrow.

Be Kind, Be Safe...Stay Warm.

Shalom my Peeps.

Quick Vent...

2010-01-09T11:40:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...just jumped on here to vent for a second. Sometimes if you put your thoughts down the issue doesn't seem to mean some much afterwards. So here it goes...

How many other people are sick of all the secret little Facebook status updates. The bra color thing was cute, but after that, it is just beating a dead horse. Just putting down something strange is just becoming irritating. I don't know about you, but after awhile of guessing doesn't the mystery go away and annoyance begin. Enough is enough...so here is my thought...just put something random up. Don't answer people when they ask and everyone will become annoyed and it will end. Who is with me...leave a comment.

(Pushing my soap box back under the counter)

Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Random,

Shalom my Peeps!

Updates...

2010-01-08T18:33:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well good things come to those who ask(I modified the saying to fit my needs, it is my blog after all).

Today while I was having some left overs for lunch I heard and felt the familiar rumblings (no not my stomach) of the City of South Bend Burea of Streets snow plow. They finally made it to our neighborhood. I was so happy to finally have some work being done to our streets.

Also today we saw the sun...Indiana Perma-Cloud broke up for the day. The sun was out. Shine glorious sun shine. I know it was still only like 25 degrees outside, but it is amazing how good a few bright rays of sun can make you feel. Sun = Happy Me!

15 days and counting for the Florida Fun & Sun trip. I packaged up my clubs today and shipped them UPS. Now I know they will be there a week and a half early, but I thought I would get that task out of the way early. I have to say...if you have the means, ship your clubs. I am flying on Allegiant to St. Pete/Clearwater and if I would have checked 2 bags it would have been $40 each way for a second bag. $21 bucks later...clubs are on their way to Florida to await my arrival. I love options.

Well it is snowing again...nothing really to worry about, but snowing all the same.

Keep my Grandma(86 years old) in your thoughts and prayers. Yesterday she was taken by ambulance to the hospital. She had a Sciatica attack. It occured when she was in the bathroom and my Grandpa (87 years old) couldn't get her up. She is home again, but this back has been giving her problems for the last couple of years. I am actually getting ready to call her and get an update.

More tomorrow...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Let it snow!

2010-01-08T09:28:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...well we are again on the edge of a lake effect snow system. I have pledged to myself that this blog will not be negative. So let's see how I do.

Yesterday Sharkboy received an award for helping his friends. He seems to be glowing in his new found kindness. He said that today he was going to try and help one of his friends again. He said it really felt good to help someone. I can not put into words how proud of him we are. As parents we long for our child to make a positive difference in the world. Now I realize that helping tie his friends shoes is not Nobel Prize worthy, but it is a small victory. Keep up the good work little man, knowing that your parents are so very proud of you.

Jenny is going out with the girls tonight to Bone Fish. I have nicknamed the girls "The Bang Bang Girls". They monthly go out and blow off some steam and enjoy conversation and the company of each other.

Well, I have to run some errands now...so I better get off of here. But before I go, I would like to give a shout out to my good friend Athena (www.athenainindy.blogspot.com). Just a word of encouragement to you. I love your blog, love your thoughts. Keep up the good work...it is your blog, your forum I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Candy coating is for M&M's not life!

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps

Shalom my Peeps.

The rampage...

2010-01-07T18:11:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...today I have spent a lot of time on the phone expressing my disdane with several of our public services. Now understand, I am a very patient person. I am actually one of the last people that complains at a restaurant let alone calls to complain. I mainly stay a complain to my friends kind of person.

Well on top of the plow problems the City of South Bend is having, apparently the recycling people have decided to become fickle. For the last 2 collection days they have skipped over us. They continue to say that it is not out and they skip over us. Today, I felt it was time for a call...I seem to be on a role. So I called, and they basically told me that I didn't have it out in time and that I would have to wait until next week...really? They said they do not make return trips. I asked if there was a supervisor to speak with and the supervisor told me there was nothing that could be done...AGGGHHHHH!!!! So while I was on the phone with the recycling company...the trash man pulled up. I ran out and asked if he would just take my recycling...he said he wasn't supposed to but he would. Problem resolved! (Just pissed that it had to all be thrown away)

Well another call to the street department today, but apparently they don't have office hours after 3:30. So I will call in the morning.

Great news to report. Sharkboy today recieved an award. "Acts of Kindness" award was given for helping tie his friends shoes. That's my boy! Way to help out your fellow man Sharkboy!

Well more tomorrow...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Lake Effect!

2010-01-07T10:11:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I just thought I would share something that has been on my mind for the last few days. Once, just once I would like the weather man to say Lake Effect with something positive. As this winter continues, the phrase "Lake Effect" is making me like the lake less and less. Why can't lake effect mean sunshine, sand and fun. No it means that every other location in the area is going to get 1"-3" snow and we are going to get 5"-10". Seriously, the phrase is starting to make me despise the lake.

Well as mentioned yesterday I called the South Bend Street Department. The conversation went a something like this. (O)South Bend Street Department. (J)Hi, I have a question. (O)Ok. (J)I live on Field Gate Dr East in Field Point subdivision near Brick and Portage and was curious as to when you planned to plow our streets(Did not give my address out of fear of retribution by plow driver). (O)Do you live in the City of South Bend. (J)Yes. (O)With the recent snow fall it has been difficult to get plows to all the neighborhood to clear the streets. (J)I understand, but there hasn't been a plow in our neighborhood since Sat. Is there a time line that I should expect a plow to come through the neighborhood. (O)We don't have a schedule, they get to neighborhoods after they clear the main roads. (silence) (J)So when should I expect a plow? (O)Sir, I understand your frustration, but we have limited resources and with budget cuts we have less plow drivers. (J)That doesn't answer my question. (O)I guess I don't understand your question. (J)It is simple, when should I see a plow come through my neighborhood? (O)I can't answer that question sir, we don't have a schedule and I don't want to give you false information. (J)Is there someone I can talk to that can give me that answer. (O)I can let you talk to my supervisor. (J)Ok. (O)Please hold. (S)Street Department. (J)Hi, I was curious to know when a plow would be through my neighborhood. I understand you guys are busy, however I haven't seen a plow in our neighborhood since Sat. (S)Well sir, you may not see them, we have been plowing a lot at night.(Not in my neighborhood) (J)Ok...but I haven't seen any signs of a plow through our neighborhood, end of the driveway plowed shut, snow removed from the road...(S)Well sir, we have had a lot of snow recently and the snow may be building up faster than the plows can keep up. (Well duh...) (J)But in order to keep up, they have to start plowing. (S)I can't tell you when we will get to your neighborhood, we don't have a specific rotation or schedule. (J)So you don't know. (S) Yes, I don't know. (J)Well thank you for your time. (S)I hope that answered your question. (J)Well it didn't. (S)I'm sorry...(J)Me too. (S)Sir, you understand we live in a lake effect area, right? (There is that damn Lake Effect Phrase again) (J)I do, I have lived here my whole life. (S)I am sorry we couldn't help you more. (J)Me too...bye. (S)Bye.

Apparently we have no direction to our plow service in the city. So my plan is to cross my fingers and hope they plow...what a joke! My disappointment grows!

Sharkboy had a pretty good 1st day back after the holiday break. He told me he was happy to see all of his friends and teachers again. He is growing up so fast. Last night, at 7:30, he got up off the couch, brushed his teeth and told us he was ready for bed. He said, he had a long day and just wanted to get his sleep going. So we read his book and said our good nights...the kid loves his sleep.

While I was watching the Today show today I had a revelation. They were discussing health and New Years Eve resolutions. I listened and have come to this...Most people treat their bodies like a leased car. Trying to return it with no dings, dents, scratches and in pristine condition. Well guess what...I didn't lease this body. I own it. I plan to have all the fun I can, get all the dings, scratches, dents and flat tires I can. My plan is to not pull gently into the grave. I want to go sliding in smoking tires sideways know that I have had all the fun I can. Now, don't get me wrong...I plan to exercise, watch what I eat and just generally take better care of my body. But I am not going to freak out about it. That is why my resolution this year is to make more memories with friends and family and try not to pass up opportunities to do so.

Well, time to get some things off the last wall in the bedroom and fill some holes so I can paint tomorrow. Hopefully your streets are in better condition than ours. Remember to not pass up an opportunity to enjoy life.

Be Kind, Be Safe...(especially if they never get around to plowing our streets)

Shalom my Peeps.

Back to the Grind...

2010-01-06T10:07:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well this morning we are back to our "Grind". Sharkboy is officially off break and Jenny is working her normal work week again. I am here in the house with a list as long as my arm to get done and not nearly enough initiative to get off my rump and get rolling on it.

Yesterday we spent the day with Sharkboy out on the town. We took him to lunch and per his request we enjoyed our Chick-Fil-A lunch selections. We made an office visit to L.A.(Mimi) and he scored a bottle of water(gold to a 5 y/o) and a Matchbox car(more gold). Then we ran some errands and enjoyed some time playing his new game on the Wii.

In the evening we had dinner with our neighbor(The Proffessor). She is heading out of the country on sabbatical to Korea. She is originally from there and is looking forward to an extended visit with her family that does not have the means to come to the States. She is a bit anal, so we went through all the things I will be taking care of for her(as if I don't own a home or know what to do). We enjoyed some pizza and seem to learn a little more about her each time we spend time with her. She really is a nice person, just a bit shy.

Plans are in the works for the trip to Florida in 17 days. I see on the plans lots of golf, and spending time with friends. Right up my alley if you know anything about me. I will have a rental car, so I plan to venture to some fire stations and see how Floridian Fire Fighters live. There is also a Yeungling brewery in Tampa area, so I may try to venture there and see what I can learn and what swag I can score.

Had a nice web conference call with Absofab and CC. We got a little glimpse of Ian on the webcam(he made a cameo appearance at the end). It was a combination call...we started the early planning stages of our trip to Disney in June. Sharkboy got word yesterday we are planning this trip, so backing out is not an option. So now we need to start figuring out the detail and figuring out the logistics.

All this talk of warm weather and vacations has me pretty happy. Perma cloud continues, and there is more snow in the forecast for the next few days. Usually that would drag me down a bit but Florida is keeping my head up as well as my spirits.

Daisy made an unplanned trip to the vet yesterday. She cut her pad on her foot. After some cleaning up it was deemed not a big issue. Some antibiotics are in order, but only as a precaution. It hasn't slowed her any and the bloody footprints have all but disappeared. It wouldn't be January if she didn't have some sort of injury.

I have to say my disappointment in the City of South Bend and their snow removal is at an all time high. They have not plowed in our neighborhood since Sat. the streets in our neighborhood are horrible. Thank goodness we are natives to this weather, so we have 4 wheel drive otherwise getting to and from the house would be a daunting task. It is sad with all the taxes that we pay and the constant whining that they do about needing more money...and yet they don't even seem to be able to complete the most basic of tasks. I understand being a bit behind, but 4 days later not even a single swipe down our road. I think a phone call is in order, we will see what happens.

My to-do list is calling my name, so I should wrap this post up...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Time management...

2010-01-05T10:45:00.003-05:00

Well blog readers...it has been 2 days since I posted. I have had some time management issues. Mostly caused by either being tired from work, being at work or the little bit on not feeling well that I experienced on Sunday. But here is the update.

All is going well this year with my New Year plan of making great memories along this 2010 trek. Since Jan. 1 I have witnessed or been involved in 4 swearing in ceremonies at the fire station. Clay Fire Territory merged with Harris Twp fire and we are now one big fire Territory. It is great to see this growth. For a little nostalgia, when I joined Clay in 1999 it was a small combination (career & volunteer) department each day there was 4 career fire fighters on duty in 2 small firehouses. I had been a dispatcher for 3 years and longed to be a fireman(I was already an EMT and had worked on an ambulance). So the natural thing to do was join Clay, since the dispatch office was housed and operated by Clay. Over the years I have watched the department grow to what it is today. We now have 5 stations with 17 career firefighters and numerous part time fire fighters on staff. We have ALS engine companies, a Paramedic ambulance and are a recognized fire department around the country. It was truely amazing to be a part of the ceremonies for the "Next Step" at Clay Fire.

We are buried under 18+ inches of snow and the winter chill and perma-cloud are now in place. I am longing for my trip to Florida in 18 days(but who is counting). My friends that I am visiting all keep telling me that it is cold down there right now. I will gladly take whatever they have to offer weather wise, knowing that it will not include ice, slush, frigid wind or 18+ inches of snow. I also look forward to continuing my New Years plan (and some golfing).

Sharkboy heads back to school tomorrow. We have started the process of getting him back on track with his sleep schedule. As all school age kids do, he has pushed his bed time back a little from his school night time rituals. But rest assured Jenny and I are on the case and we will have him ready for school in the AM. However his Holiday break was a good one. Santa brought lots of cool things and he has had some time to play in the snow. Play with his new toys and start to figure out his Nintendo DS and new George of the Jungle game for the Wii. It is amazing to see where he is right now in his life, he is growing up so fast and it doesn't show any signs of slowing.

Jenny started celebrating her birthday month. We have coined the month Jen-uary. She loves to get little things and the plan for the month is to spoil her throughout the month and make sure she is well taken care of...Happy Birthday Bug! Let the celebrating begin(and the doting).

Great news for some friends of ours...Absofab and her hubby got to bring home their some Ian Mathew yesterday. He was born a bit sooner than they had planned and he had a tough time figuring out that he needed to eat & breath at the same time...you know inside it just was transferred. So he spent a few days & nights in the NICU here at Memorial hospital. However, he caught on and is now home where they can take care of him and start him on his path of life. We are so proud of that little family for making it through this little speed bump. We continue to pray for their strength in the coming weeks...the first few are the hardest. I don't miss middle of the night feedings and diaper changes...but they are fond memories I will carry with me. Best Wishes Zarembka's...can't wait to meet your little man in person.

Well, with all of that...Sharkboy wants to play and this being his last day off school I feel like I should oblige.

Be Kind, Be Safe...stay warm!

Shalom my Peeps.

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T11:19:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers, welcome to 2010! I think the best thing I have heard all day was..."I remember 2009 like it was yesterday". I slept through the ball drop in New York. I was at the fire station and frankly, it just didn't have the draw it does when your out celebrating and not at work. I woke up around 12:30 because station 3 had a gas investigation, saw that it was snowing promptly climbed back in bed. All and all it was a pretty good night(I didn't have to run a single call).

This morning we started the process of transitioning to the "New" Clay Fire Territory. B-shift was sworn in and just like that we went from a 3 station department to a 5. Tomorrow morning I will get my new badge and be sworn in. I can't wait...

Sharkboy watched a movie with Jenny last night. When I got home this morning they were up and I received my New Years greetings. My family is the best!

I saw a story that struck me funny today on the news. A Polar Bear group from Portland, Maine. They gathered yesterday on a Snowy, Icy beach to take their annual plunge into the Atlantic. They do this each year to draw awareness to Global Warming. Really? Because you know nothing says Global Warming like a snowy beach and frigid water. Seriously...do you think it opened anyone's eyes? Come on...that is like standing in the ocean and talking about a water shortage.

Now it is time for me to start my project for the day...I need to prep a wall for paint. Then we are going to go the movies tonight with UNC, Ms. Croft and the all the kids. Hacienda will be our dining choice for the evening as well. Sharkboy has been begging to go and have some chips w/red & white dip.

So from my family to yours...May you have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

2009 is on it's way out the door...

2009-12-31T22:03:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well here it is, the final blog of 2009. Kind of nostalgic, and at the same time creepy. I feel like I am growing older every day, and find myself appreciating things in my life that before I took for granted. Like time with friends and family and just making great memories. If you know me in the least, you know I love a good story. So my focus this coming year is to write more chapters in my little story I call life.(oh and never pass up a chance to tell a story or two or three...well you get the picture)

I am currently sitting in the fire station working on New Years Eve. If you don't know already this is the winding down of our fire department as we know it today. We are merging with our neighboring department as of Midnight tonight. What does that mean you ask? We are growing from a 3 station department to a 5 station department. Gaining lots of great guys and building onto a great fire department. I will be a Captain in this new department and I look forward to the challenges and rewards that come with such an assignment. I look forward to working with each and everyone on my new brothers and sisters in the coming years...long story short, I am looking forward to where we are headed and can't wait to see the change.

Jenny and Sharkboy are at home tonight sharing a movie. I can't wait to go home in the morning and wish them a Happy New Year. I wish I was there, but it appears that a movie and bed at 9:30 are on the agenda, so morning will do just fine. Those 2 people sacrifice a lot everyday so that I can live this life as a fire fighter. I appreciate every sacrifice they make, and hope that I make it up to them in other ways.

So in closing this year out, I wish each and everyone who reads this to have a Healthy, Happy, Safe and Happy New Year. Be safe in your celebrating. Take a few minutes to appreciate the things around you, the good things in your life, everyday. Never miss a chance to tell people you love you love them. Never settle for cheap beer or cigars and never miss a chance to shine.

In the coming year and everyday...Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps.

PS...Absofab and her husband had there baby boy today! Congratulations you two, and welcome to the world Ian Mathew. You have a very special family, and they all can't wait to make all over you.

Milestones...

2009-12-30T08:42:00.004-05:00

Hey blog readers...as we approach the coming new year I am reminded all the time the milestones in our lives. My memory really only allows me to remember certain milestones in my life. First: day at a new school, time using a locker at school, dance, kiss, time driving a car. I also remember graduating, first real job, getting engaged, getting married, new jobs, promotions becoming a parent, etc...etc. So some of my childhood milestones can only be remembered through parental recollection...Well as a parent these milestones are those little things that I will have the opportunity to pass on to Sharkboy(and if you have met him in person you know I will need some help remembering them all...)

Well yesterday was one of those milestones. It wasn't as big as his first breath, first bath, first feeding, first smile, first Mommy/Daddy, first step, first using the potty, first day of preschool, first day of real school...etc...etc. But a big first in a world where your mother is a Dental Hygienist. Sharkboy lost his first tooth!

Yesterday started as many would say "a normal day". Sharkboy is on holiday break from school, so sleeping in and playing in your pajamas most of the morning was in line. But in the last month or so he has had a loose tooth(not uncommon for a 5 almost 6 y/o). The unique part was that his adult tooth was coming in right behind it(Prime v Perm proper dental terminology). Not waiting for the baby tooth to come out first. So it has been a focus of Jen Jen's "Dental Professional Eye". Well the time came(after some prompting from Dr. Ricco)that the tooth come out. So we made the trek to the DC for the "Procedure"...

Sharkboy arrived with his typical fan fair at the DC...he is almost a celebrity there. He jumped up in the chair and was put on the "Happy Gas". They applied some topical anesthetic and he was ready. Dr. Ricco talked to him for a bit and then with a "Sneeze"(obvious even to a 5 y/o that it was fake) The tooth was out! High fives were exchanged all around and we were headed home.

So now onto the tooth fairy festivities. Sharkboy spent most of the afternoon & evening on his knees praying to the tooth fairy with requests ranging from $1,000 to some new toys. Friends offered their tooth fairy memories and experiences with their children. Leaving his tooth fairy(ies) with lots of decisions to make. That is a lot of pressure for a fairy(ies). So as he drift off to sleep last night he had no idea what was in store for him in the morning...

This morning he awoke to glitter/fairy dust on his pillow and face and some new toys on his dresser(tooth fairy didn't want to wake a sleeping 5 y/o, damn she is smart). He was pumped...a couple of transformer key chains opened and played with and it was back to his little cars and Nintendo DS.

So, apparently the tooth fairy(so far) is more for the parents than him. He loves his key chains and the thought of waking up with glitter/fairy dust on his pillow. Little does he know when he is older there will be a lot of explaining to do if he wakes up with glitter on his pillow. But all and all it wasn't as big a deal as I thought it would be for him. So the precedent has been set, toys when you lose teeth, and glitter...he seems alright with it all.

On a family update...I worked Overtime last night and received my new shield for my helmet. So now all I have to do is wait for my new badge and the transfer to Captain will be complete. Also for Christmas Jen Jen and I decided to use some of our Christmas money to buys some web cameras. I was shocked to see how many people already had them and enjoyed a couple of nice conversations via the cameras with some very good friends. The coolest part was last night I got to say goodnight to Sharkboy via Skype and I could see him. It isn't the same as being there, but it certainly was nice to see each other. So the Gadget fetish continues...

Tonight I am joining UNC and some friends for a beer and some wings. It has been a long time since I was out in that capacity, and I am looking forward to it. Then tomorrow it is work...New Years Eve and a Full Moon, let's see what that cocktail offers.

So in closing, in this time of remember milestones and memories, try to keep the good ones in the front of your mind. Don't forget the bad ones, we all have things to learn from our experiences (good or bad). But most of all, never pass up an opportunity to make new memories with friends. In the past week I have enjoyed the time I have spent with friends and my newest New Years resolution is to spend more time making memories with Family and Friends.

So wherever your New Years travels take you,

Be Kind, Be Safe(especially)...

Shalom my Peeps!

I am back...

2009-12-29T08:42:00.002-05:00

Well blog readers...I like to think of my absence as somewhat of a creative sabbatical. I can't say that I haven't been creative or really looking for some sort of creative juices though. I just haven't really felt the need to blog. But recently I have found that I say to myself that there is big pieces of my life and my life experience, that I could blog about. So I thought, what the heck, lets give it a whirl.

My new years resolution is to blog more and have some fun with it. I set this dang thing up and for a good year or so was more than eager to blog. My life has not slowed any and I still have funny stuff happening everyday. So here is today's post, and I hope to post everyday(or close to it from here on out).

Lots going on right now, I really don't have time to spell it all out. But here are some updates from which to start.

Holidays were awesome. I reconnected with my Aunt and Uncle. I wouldn't say we have been estranged or anything of that sort, but we had lunch over the holiday and it was very nice. I really think we are going to make a habit of hanging out with them. They have so many things in common with us, that I think it would be hard for us not purposefully cross our paths more often. My Uncle J, is crazy about Sharkboy and Aunt K is a hoot. So I am sure there will be more time spent with them.

We had pizza, beer and socializing time with Athena...I absolutely love our time with her. She shares a love for many of the things that Jen Jen and I enjoy. I have no other words for our visit than "Absolutely Fabulous". She is a dear friend and I look forward to spending some time with her during my Florida trip in January.

L.A. and F.i.L. came up big this year on the Christmas gift. They always seem to top the last years gift. This year, they gave me a bottle of Hennesey Cognac and 5 Cuban cigars. I absolutely love them(both the gift and them). They are truly a treasure as in laws.

Sharkboy scored a Nintendo DS from Santa. It has been his focus since opening it. He it pretty good at it. I can see why he is so focused on it. Sometimes I have to help him out of a pinch on it and he has an even tougher time getting it back from me. He is doing much better in school. They have taken him off the rainbow system and he is now on a star system. He seems to enjoy that much better. He actually likes going to school...and is missing it during this holiday break.

All is good in Jen Jen's world. She had a nice little vacation over the holiday. She was able to catch up all the things that she needed to do around the house and spend some quality time with Sharkboy and I.

Well that is about all I have for right now...but stay tuned, there will be more.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

2009-09-22T09:44:00.001-04:00

What is up with "In Memory Cars"? After it is deemed a memorial can you not sell it? What if who you sell it to doesn't know "Jose Garcia Jesus Gomez"???

I'm Back....

2009-09-02T16:02:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...sorry for the long delay. Between being completely unmotivated to post and just plane creatively stumped I have not been posting. But I think that is changing.

Sharkboy started Kindergarten this year. He likes it for the most part, and seems to be trying to conform to the rules and changes that come with all day school. They have a "Behavior Rainbow" that is used as a tool to let us (the parents) know how his day goes. It basically is very similar to the "Department of Homeland Security's Terror Alert Level" Everybody starts out the day on Green. If they are caught doing something good they can move up to Blue or Purple, however if they are caught doing something naughty they move down to Yellow or Orange. If they are really bad it is Red and we have to contact the teacher.

So far we have seen most of the middle colors. Today was an orange day. He said he had a green morning, but then at recess this afternoon he "got in a girls face" over a ball. Needless to say he fell 2 levels to Orange. I responded with grounding him from Outside, Friends and TV. We will see how tomorrow goes.

Tonight I have to work "Trade time" at the firehouse. I get to hang with the "B-shift" boys. Cigar time on the patio is on the schedule.

Well that is all I have for now...I am sure there will be more in the near future with Sharkboy in school. He is always good for a story or 2...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

From the road home...

2009-05-03T16:34:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...just sitting here a little board, Ohio isn't that great of a state to drive through. Not really much different from Indiana. Flat and agricultural doesn't really make for much to look at.

So since we left...we ate breakfast at Cracker barrel, drove, pee'ed at an abandoned gas station, drove some more, ate lunch at an Ohio travel plaza and just finished a cigar (Drew Estates/Rocky Patel Java Maduro...Yummy!) and now we are driving some more. We have all also decided that this saying sums up our weekend "Life is too short to Eat bad food, Drink cheap beer, and Smoke Cheap cigars"...here's to good times with Great friends!

We are motoring along quite nicely...currently we are 203 miles from home.

Until the next update...

Be Kind, Be Safe!

Shalom my Peeps.

The long road home...

2009-05-03T11:03:00.005-04:00

Hey blog readers...here I am in my navigator position again(or Navaguesser...Absofab). Currently on the GPS it says that 534 miles to go and we should hit "The Bend" around 7-ish.

Cigarfest 2009 was a great success. We scored 60+ free cigars, a very nice cigar cutter, humidor, ashtray and duffel bag. I purchased a few things too...some cigars for F.i.L. and myself. A new lighter and t-shirt were also acquired. I was also able to track down a case of Yuengling for the fridge...but sorry, no Black and Tan in that town.

Here is a simple run down of the weekend...

Friday we went out to the bar in our hotel. There we partied with Rocky Patel. It was really cool, live band and about 300 cigar smokers all getting to know each other. We were all there for the same reason and why not get to know the people that are sitting around you. That really suited me just fine. We met a couple of Navy Chiefs that picked Eric out of the crowd due to his Navy pull over. They were a hoot. They are your typical career military types...full of stories and one liners. They bought a couple of rounds and handed out some cigars...so we decided to hang with them. During that party we also had a chance to hang out with Nick Perdomo. He crashed Rocky's party...it was awesome. He gave out a couple of cigars, took some pictures and then took a few minutes to get to know us. He was a really an approachable guy and a lot of fun to chat with. We closed that party down...it was a chatters dream, so you know I was in my element.

Saturday we woke up and headed for the "Big Show"...we were warned by our friends "The Chiefs" that we should get there early. So we did. We were the first ones in line. It wasn't long, and the line was almost wrapped around the convention center. Now they let you in based on your ticket type. We had what is called the Cigar Nut ticket. Then there was the VIH and then general admission. We got in at 11 am and got to have breakfast on the show floor. At Noon they let the VIH holders in and then at 2 they let everybody else in. We went around immediately upon entry and collected our free sticks and got the lay of the land. Then we made the drop in the car of the freebies and headed back in to enjoy breakfast and some live music. The rest of the day we spent hitting the different booths to chat some more and have our pictures taken with the various Cigar Calendar girls that were around (Pictures to follow, not enough bandwidth on the cell phone tether). It was a really nice day to just smoke stogies with 2,500 of our newest cigar buddies...and wander around. We did slip out for a couple hours to catch a cat nap and breath some fresh air. Speaking of fresh air...we were in the mountains and our resort was roughly 1,500 feet above sea level and the air was glorious and clean(much needed after being in the convention hall with all the second hand smoke).

Saturday evening we hit a couple of after parties and collected a few cigars and got a couple more pictures, but our bodies pretty much had told us we had breathed enough second hand smoke and consumed enough nicotine for a while...so we headed back to the hotel so we could get a decent start on our journey home. So now, here I sit in the passenger seat hurling down the road at 70 mph pounding out a blog...good times.

Well that is pretty much the weekend in a nut shell. It was a blast...I originally thought this was going to be a once in a lifetime type experience, but I am pretty sure we will make another migration to this event.

So I should probably have another update from the road here later...(currently 503 miles to go, elevation 1270 ft. above sea level)

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

The day of Cigarfest 2009

2009-05-02T16:02:00.002-04:00

Hey Blog readers...today has been one of the best days of my cigar smoking life. I have scored over 60 free cigars, partied with 2 of the biggest names in cigar manufacturing (Nick Perdoma and Rocky Patel) and had my picture taken with cigar calendar girls(a lot).

We are having a great time and I will jump on here and put out a bigger update later, but if you can imagine it...it has happened. (need a little power nap, not as young as I used to be)

So if you partake...light up a cigar and enjoy it. We are...

Until the next update...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

2009-05-02T07:26:00.001-04:00

No internet in the room...I need to go to the car and get my tether cord. Good night last night...we shut the RP party down...

From the road Episode 2:

2009-05-01T15:16:00.002-04:00

Hey everybody...well we are 420 miles into this road trip. We are in the throws of our second 17 mile long construction zone in Pennsylvania.

Tommy and I are 2 cigars into the trip and several helpings of Ring Bologna, Cheddar and Swiss Cheese and these yummy Goose sticks. Eric is behind one cigar...he claims it would be too hard to light it at 80 mph (come on where is your sense of adventure).

Boredom is starting to set in...Tommy also has under his belt a 20 min nap, and for that I am envious. I have the very important job of navigator as you may remember, so sleep is not an option.

Well we are on schedule for our 5:30-6:00 arrival...

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

From the road...

2009-05-01T12:10:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...and followers of the Cigarfest trip. So we have 230 miles under our belts and I am secured into my navigation position quite nicely. We have the PC based GPS trip plotter going the cell phone is tethered to the laptop for almost interruption free is keeping me happy and connected. We all have a cigar going (first of the trip). Make sure you keep up with the counts above.

So far no "Left Lane Hucklefuckers" to monkey up the progress. Ohio is about as exciting as Indiana to drive across, but we are managing.

There is a travel phenomenon that I was until now not conscious of. You may have noticed this, but for some reason it has gotten past me. Whenever you put 2 or more men in a vehicle to travel somewhere longer than 3 hours they bring Ring Bologna. I have a love for preservative rich processed meat. I have always been a fan of Ring Bologna and consumed more than my fare share. But for some reason never recognized it's necessity while traveling. So God bless the road trip and God bless Ring Bologna.

Well back to my cigar, ring bologna and male bonding...

Be Kind, Be Safe....

Shalom my Peeps.

Cigarfest 2009

2009-05-01T09:10:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...we are on the road. Cigarfest 2009 in beautiful Lake Harmony, Pa.(I am assuming it is beautiful, since they are having a Cigarfest). A weekend of fine cigars, cocktails and general merriment is planned.

So keep checking back...there will be updates. I am tethered to the laptop, so I have internet on the fly...and there is always the mobile post.

So be kind, be safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

PS...Swine Flu (I just didn't think it would be right to not have a blog post or news story without mentioning it)

2009-04-24T22:13:00.001-04:00

Here's to Great friends, Redemaks, and great weather....what a great day.

Be kind...Be Safe!

2009-04-22T18:19:00.001-04:00

Hey Blog readers....just wanted to say there are few greater sounds than a lawn mower in spring time and there are few greater smells than fresh mowed grass.

2009-04-20T12:46:00.002-04:00

You know smetimes the drawback of being married to a hygienist is that they ride you like a midget jockey to have your teeth cleaned...Love you honey!

2009-04-20T12:03:00.002-04:00

Here is my first attempt at the mobile post to the Blog. Sharkboy is getting his teeth clean and I am reading old magazines...Good times at the dentist office. At least his hygienist is hot!

The Easter Holiday...

2009-04-20T08:06:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...I know, Easter was a week ago. But we didn't have any big festivities until yesterday. Yes, we took care of the Easter Egg hunt and all things holy on the actual Easter Sunday, but due to some scheduling issues with the family...our big shindig was delayed until yesterday.

F.i.L and L.A. pulled off another successful get together...yummy appetizers, good grub and I am sure the pie was good, but none of us had any, because it returned to Fort Wayne before any of us had room to consume any. Sure would have been nice to have some pie...but it was a good day catching up with family. Lot's of laughs were shared, things flew and phone calls to relatives out of town were made.

In other catch up news...I finished the bathroom in the basement. It isn't a huge room, 4' x 9' half bath, but I did all the work myself and it was rewarding to complete a project on my own. Good stuff. So still on the honey do list I have the bedroom that needs paint, art in the hallway to hang, shed to build and garage to clean out and finish.

Project Hosedragger Golf is moving along nicely, the cart has life. I finally got the engine running and have replaced all of the vital electrical system. New Fuel lines and filters all around and it is running well. It hasn't made any journeys down the road because I need new wheels and tires, so that will be next.

Life is moving along quite nicely for all at our little piece of the world. Sharkboy is up to his usual antics and Jenny is working and getting ready for summer. I just keep on working and working on projects around the house. I have a busy May ahead of me. I will be at the Cigar Fest in Pennsylvania May 1st-3rd. and then Gull Lake and A & C's wedding the last week in May.

I haven't really felt moved to blog lately. Lot's of things come to my head that I want to post, but when it comes to the time the evening that I could blog, I am either too tired or not home to blog it. So I think I am going to start mobile postings. I just set my phone up to post from text messages...I am not sure how they will appear. I am however sure that they will not be in the length of my usual posts. We will see how that unfolds...

Well that is it for now...until next time:

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Guy Weekend = Great Success!!!

2009-04-05T20:56:00.002-04:00

Hey blog reader...sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I have been completely unispired to write. Not that there is plenty going on, just when I am finally done with my day and ready to pen my thoughts, I go to sleep.

This past weekend was "Guy Weekend" for Sharkboy and I...since Daisy's surgery possibly was the cause of him missing out on a trip to Disney, we have pledged to spoil him this summer with little weekend trips. This one was the kick off...

We left on Friday and headed for Indy. Jenny rode with us, but after dinner on Friday we bid her farewell and started some serious male bonding...We met up with F.i.L. at the Marriott on the East side and took in some American Legion convention sites. We made our way from the Commanders reception to the 3rd District hospitality room. It was at times overwhelming for him...that is when he was glued to my leg. Then others he was more than willing to venture off and check things out. He announced at around 9-ish, that he was ready to head for the hotel. He was unconscious before we made it on to 70 to make the 15 min. run to the hotel. Little guy needs to practice if he is going to hang with the big boys on the town.

I don't want to forget to mention that Friday at dinner we hung out with some classy ladies. Jenny joined us and we met up with Athena and Sister. Our friend J.O. met us there as well and Sharkboy and I enjoyed the company for dinner. It is always great to dine with good friends and catch up...Thank you Athena, Sister and J.O. for making our dinner fun. A special thank you to J.O. for the FurReal friend, Magnadoodle and Ben 10 watch...they are all big hits and I know that Sharkboy means it when he says he Loves you.

When I made it back to the hotel, I was carrying Sharkboy and a lady made a comment on the elevator that it was nice to see a single Dad traveling with his son. I was quick to inform her that I was not single, and that it was guys weekend and my little light weight was ready to call it a night. She apologized and was relieved that her floor came up quickly....

Once on our floor, I got Sharkboy snuggled in bed and waited for him to fall asleep. At that point I made my exit to the balcony. Now for all those concerned, I was not abandoning my child. The balcony was attached to our room and I could easily hear him snoring from my position. I took that opportunity to smoke a cigar and have a couple of Stella's that I had brought with my should that opportunity arise. Here is another chance to add a special Thank you...Thank you Athena for the Spotted Cow. You are the greatest! The beer is not the reason I think this...but it was my opportunity to give you a shout out. Thank you for housing my bride and showing her a good time with the girls.

Finally we went to the Indianapolis Zoo on Saturday. Some of the highlights were the Shark tank that you could pet real live sharks. Sharkboy was all over this...he was pretty apprehensive to actually touch the sharks, but he finally did. I got the same opportunity and it was really cool. The only thing I would suggest(should a representative from the exhibit read this)is there needs to be a hand washing station at the exit. Fishy Salt water is not the scent I want to carry with me the rest of the day. We saw some huge Walrus playing in their pool, a couple of brown bears playing and the dolphin show. J.O. met up with us and enjoyed lunch with Jenny while Sharkboy and I rode the train. Sharkboy insisted on showing J.O. the shark tank and they went back...after that they bought matching "I touched a shark at the Indianapolis Zoo" t-shirts. It was adorable.

After the zoo we headed north. On the way home we stopped in Kokomo and visited with our friend Joann at Starbucks. Sharkboy by then had pretty much had it with listening. So our visit was peppered with interruptions from him and some very interesting but confusing stories from him.

Today I came back to work...and back to reality...so this week holds some work on the basement bathroom and little projects around the house.

So pray that I will be inspired to write more soon...

Until next time...Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my peeps.

After

Everybody is Irish for the Day

2009-03-17T10:41:00.002-04:00

Hey blog readers...I know it has been a long time since I last posted, but here we go. It may get a little long, so I feel like I should apologize early.

It has been a busy time in our little lives. Lots going on, and I am sure everyone was ready for this little taste of spring that we are getting. I feel like I am pointing out the obvious, but, the weather has been delightful. Sun out, mild temperatures and the kids are outside playing. I am excited about the warm weather just around the corner. I often, in the throws of winter blahs, wonder why we continue to live in this Northwest Indiana climate. But after contemplation this weekend on the deck. Bathed in sunshine, mild weather settled in, cigar in hand and glass of Gentleman Jack on ice nestled within reach and chicken on the grill. I was reminded exactly why. Season changes. I will not lie, I dreamt many times this winter of a life in a tropical climate. Never shoveling not so much as another flake of snow or scraping ice from my windshield. But alas I am reminded that without snow, I wouldn't have that dream. What is life without dreams. I am pretty sure people who live in Florida never wake up and say, "man I wish it would snow". I on the other hand have the opposite of that dream. If you have everything nice weather, sunshine and palm trees, my friends...there is only difficult things to dream for. World peace, infinite wealth and unending health. I my friends like my dreams of eventual sunshine, vacations to Florida(I never said I didn't like Florida) and summer on the horizon. So bring on the sunshine, the summer weather and the pending fall(don't get mad...it is months away) so we can start this whole dream over again.

Sharkboy is loving this weather. He has been playing with the neighbor kids and they don't have to bundle up to do it. It has been 3 days without any mention of the Wii, and I don't even think he has noticed it. Soccer balls, baseballs and bikes are out in force in the neighborhood. They are getting out more at school so bedtime comes too soon for him, but he is asleep before the lights are off and door closed. He is excited about St. Patrick's Day today. He insisted on wearing green, and after I calmed his fears of Leprechaun abductions he was on his way to school. This afternoon we may go to Tractor Supply or Rural King and look at baby Chicks, a true sign that spring is here. But one thing is for sure we will be outside...soaking up the warm weather and sun.

Daisy had her fixator removed on the 9th. We took the trek east to Fort Wayne one more time and in true Daisy fashion she stood up for the whole trip. If one thing has occurred during this injury, her love for car rides has dwindled. I think she cringes any time we coax her into the vehicles for a ride. At the end she either ends up being poked with a needle, sedated and wakes up with a contraption screwed to her leg, groggy for a terrifying car ride home or another pill emerges that night at feeding time to be crammed down her throat. As you can imagine we are experts at the art of medicating our dog. On the other side though Daisy is an expert at detecting medication in it's many forms. We first did the wrap in cheese trick, but when the pills became too numerous and began poking out of the cheese, she no longer took the cheese with any gusto. We then wrapped in bread, however that was short lived once one of her teeth punctured our little carbohydrate wrapper and she tasted the medicine. So we were left with the pry her jaws open, plunge our otherwise clean hands in her mouth and deposit the pills beyond the back of her tongue. We have, as you can imagine, experienced more of our share of dog slobber coated pills being dispensed wherever we are trying to administer said medications. So all medications are now administered on the safety of our kitchen's tiled floor. She is in rehab now. She tentatively uses her leg and we have started short, slow walks and she uses her leg more and more every day. I think her greatest joy with the lack of restriction of movement is that she can now curl into her puppy ball and sleep. Oh the joys of being a dog.

In reflection to all things that have happened with Daisy and the cost of her injury I have conjured these thoughts using these questions. Would I do this differently if it happened again? The answer, absolutely not. The care we received was top notch by human standards and was more than we ever expected. What was the true affect on the family? We missed our trip to Disney. However a trip to Disney never greats you at the door with the enthusiasm and love that she manages to conjure every time we go away. I mean every time, it could be her in her crate for 6 hours while we are at work or a trip to Walgreens lasting 10 min and she greets us with the enthusiasm only matched by screaming fans of rock bands or celebrities. She truly lives a life of unqualified love for her family. Is she better after he surgery? Well that is yet to be determined. But everyday she improves and everyday she uses her leg more. So, so far...I would say yes. What is the greatest accomplishment of this surgery? We have realized how much we love our dog. She has cemented a place in our lives for a dog. I think we were on the fence on whether we would have another dog, should the tragic loss of our Daisy occur. I think in our little piece of the world the answer is a resounding YES.

I sadly have little to report. Life is trudging along happily as a member our little family. Life is unfolding gently for me. Work is good, life is good and most importantly family is good. A list of projects is piling up for this spring/summer, but I am excited to chip away at them. The bathroom in the basement now has a deadline and we are moving ahead. The Master Bedroom needs a new color(paint job), the current bribe to hurry this process is a new flat screen TV for the wall. So that has been moved up in the list of priorities. The shed has been selected and now it is a matter of buying it, building it and painting it. That will be followed by a reorganization of garage dwelling vs. shed dwelling assets, with the ultimate goal of having a 2 car garage (again) in the fall to tuck my truck into. Then the garage will get the drywall finished (complete the taping and mudding process) and then a complete paint job and organization of the garage. Sounds daunting, but it will be a great summer of accomplishment.

Well, I am procrastinating my projects for the day. I need to go to the upholsterer and drop off the Gazebo top to have some fall wind damaged repair. Then it is an afternoon with the family of spring time fun.

Enjoy your St. Patrick's day, your spring weather...and most importantly.

Be Kind, Be SAFE....

Shalom my Peeps.

Wow...what a week!

2009-02-22T21:21:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...I haven't posted since Valentines day. Wow, seems like I just pushed enter to post the last post. I have had a pretty busy week, so here is the run down.

Diasy is doing much better. We made a mad dash run on Thursday to Fort Wayne. On Wednesday night Jenny noticed that there was some blood drops on the floor. I got down to investigate and found that she had knocked the top pin loose on her fixator. It was bleeding, however not uncontrollably. I contacted Fort Wayne and they advised we would need to come over for an evaluation. They removed the pin and made some reconfiguration and she is doing much better. She did however ride the whole ride home with her head on my shoulder crying. It was a very trying ride home...March 9th we hopefully will have it removed.

Sharkboy is just chipping away at being 5. He is trying very hard to find his place. He is very independent and definitely has his mind set on what he wants. I don't know where he gets this from, must be his mother. He is growing like a weed, and I am amazed everyday that I get to be a role model to this little man. He is really cool...He has been kicking his Mom's butt on the Wii quite regularly...

Jenny is keeping herself busy...she keeps our house in order. Especially when I am pulling 36's+ at the firehouse. She is a saint.

I am watching a DVD set from a series on HBO called "Generation Kill". If you haven't seen it, you should. It is an eye opener about what our troops have experienced during the War in Iraq. If you get a chance you should definitely check it out.

I am working at "Godfathers" house finishing some drywall. It is really a fun little project. I recruited Dan, my partner at work, to help me and we are making pretty good time on the project.

Athena came to our house this weekend. We love our Athena visits, it is too bad we don't have more...we are very thankful to have reconnected with her. We enjoyed great libations, even better conversations and we have plans to see each other soon. It is always great to catch up!

Once again we have received a winter storm in our area. I am really tired of the snow...shoveling, cold, wet. Spring can't come soon enough! Agghhh...winter, go away!

Well this week will be quite a busy one as well. I hopefully will get back on and post.

I better get back to work...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Happy Valentines Day...

2009-02-14T20:06:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I am sitting here at the station. I am 11 hours away from finishing my 36 hr. shift. Not exactly a greeting card Valentines Day, but it is what the cards have dealt this year. So I thought instead of my usual updates that I give about my family and such I would take a little editorial freedom.

So for those wanting the update...Daisy, swelling is down in her foot. She is now 3 days into her antibiotics and is improving everyday. Sharkboy is at home tonight loving on his Mommy. He is eating up the attention and I think she is too. They shared some heart shaped Pizza and a great day. We will be celebrating the National Redneck Holiday of the Daytona 500 tomorrow with friends...so I am sure there will be a fun update coming up...

Here is my editorial liberties.

I love my wife more than anything. I feel like a little bit of a bad husband for working 36 hours over Valentines Day. I know she doesn't think so, but I really enjoy my time with her and miss the fact that I didn't get a chance to have heart shaped pizza. I love her more than anything and hope she understands. She is the best wife a man could ask for, let alone me. I appreciate her and her patience with me, and I know that is not the easiest thing. Jen has brought so much good in my life...not in the least our son. He is the coolest little guy in the world and I don't think other than Jen, I could love anyone more. I love you Sharkboy. I wake up everyday and want to be a better person because of Jen. She just has that effect on me. So Jen...I love you, I know I don't have to be home for you to know that. I hope you enjoyed your day with Sharkboy. Happy Valentines Day!

Also, I am very happy that L.A. and F.i.L. made it back safe from Florida. We missed you both. I am sure you had a great time. You both deserved the break. At the same time it is nice to have you back home safe and sound. We love you, welcome home...

So instead of the usual ending, I will leave you with this.

Don't ever forget to tell the ones you Love, you love them. You never know when it is your last chance to tell them.

Shalom my Peeps.

Time for some catch up...

2009-02-06T16:42:00.009-05:00

Hey Blog readers...I have had a busy week and a half. Lots going on...so here is the run down.

Sunday the 1st was Sharkboy's 5th birthday. He is growing up so fast. We had a nice dinner with some family and friends on Saturday before his birthday since I was working at the firehouse on his actual birthday. But fear not, he came to the firehouse and the guys(and some of the extended fire family) greeted him with Happy Birthday and some cake. He was all decked out in his new fireman coat and mask. He had a blast...he is growing up so fast.

The rest of that week I nursed a clogged tear duct. I personally had never heard of such and injury, but I have been educated. Apparently I formed some sort of blockage and my eyelid was retaining tears and it was sore and looked like Jen had hit me with a pipe. I used(and still am)some antibiotic drops and am feeling much better.

On Friday I was watching the news and they announced that President Obama would be visiting Elkhart. How exciting I thought and thought I would try and go see him arrive in South Bend. So Monday when he arrived I was at the airport with AAK and we took some pictures of his arrival. When we arrived at the airport, I went to the area that previous Presidential visits are welcomed. We found a nice fenced off area and were making plans for our pictures. Well we were quickly removed from that area...and had to relocate to a much more distant location(Thank goodness for zoom). Security was thick, but it was one of the coolest things that I have witnessed. There was some very obvious snipers around and they wasted no time getting him into the beast and down the road. I took AAK home and was so interested in the whole event I went back in the afternoon and took some more pictures. Here are some.

Marine Executive Class Sykorsky VH-60N Whitehawk

The heavy equipment lined up as a barrier

Air Force 1 touching down.

President Obama making his entrance in Michiana

The Beast heading to Elkhart

Air Force 1 a Boeing 747-200B "VC-25" (SAM 28000)

Wheels up...heading to Washington. Thanks for the Visit Mr. President.

Today I took Daisy for a check up...it was a prescheduled thing. So good news for the most part. Her incision is healing very nicely. It completely sealed and we are out of the reopening risk category. Her pins on her fixator are still firm and apparently that is great for a Weim. They are very active and strong and are usually the breed that knocks them loose. Now it was not a trip full of all good news. She finished a round of antibiotics last Friday due to some swelling and infection in the foot. Well the swelling was back and we are only to assume that the infection is as well. So Daisy starts another round of Antibiotics, this time she will be on them until the fixator is removed. Jenny is extatic that they have decided to have her on some continuous treatment, however I have fears of Antibiotic resistance. The Vet was not at all concerned with that...She is doing well over all and has periods of "Our Daisy" but the sedative quickly slows her back down and she is back to napping.

Mimi and Papa (LA and FiL) are enjoying a winter get away in the St. Pete Beach area in Florida. They are having a good time. They are missed, but we are happy that they are getting a break and can't wait for them to get home. So if you guys are reading this...Keep having fun, hit 'em long and straight on Thursday and we will see you when you get home.

That is about it for now...so until next time.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

"Today's the last Day I wake up 4..."

2009-01-31T13:00:00.003-05:00

Hey Blog readers...I thought I would jump on here and make some updates. Things are generally good around our house and seem to be looking up from where they were just a week ago. Most people right now would think that it is the general state of the economy that would be giving us woes...but so far that is not true. I can't help but think of all the people out there looking for jobs that have recently lost them or the 1 in 6 people in Elkhart County that are unemployed due to the RV industry collapse. But as many of you know, our woes have been "K9 Health Induced".

Thursday we got Daisy's staples out. Things went very well. Her incision is healing well and over all her health is good. She has lost 7 lbs. since her surgery, which is good. Due to her injury she has lived a somewhat sedentary lifestyle and we were feeding her like we always have. Long story short...cut back food, loose extra pounds. If it were only that easy for all of us(oh to have the metabolism of a Weim). This morning we noted some swelling in the foot again. Not nearly what we had before, so we are starting antibiotics again. No real big deal, just precautionary due to the open skin around the pins. Our biggest challenge right now is keeping her calm. She is feeling better, so she want to get up and wander the house and that is a no no. Our next big milestone is Mar. 9th, when we go and hopefully get this fixator off her leg. Oh yeah, and on that note, I called and they gave us some great news on that...it is included in the original price of the surgery(wheew...the thought of big money outlay is getting old).

The title to today's blog is a quote from Sharkboy this morning. Tomorrow is his 5th Birthday. He will be celebrating this whole weekend. Last night he got to pick where we went for dinner. He wanted to stay home and eat Volcano pizza and play Wii. So that my friends is exactly what we did. Tonight we will make the trek to TGI Fridays to have dinner with friends and family(about 14 or so). Then tomorrow I have to work, but he will be joining us at the firehouse about 4 for cake and ice cream. He doesn't know about it yet, but I think he will really enjoy it. He is growing up really fast. Some days he uses up my every last ounce of patience, but I would take nothing in exchange for the impact he has had on my life. I love that little guy. Happy 5th Birthday Sharkboy...

So I was reading this magazine today at the Dr. and it had a story about a guy that was constantly getting his vehicle keyed in the parking lot at work. He drove a Hummer H2 and he was tired of this occurring. His company had reviewed there security cameras but due to the location he parked it was not visible in the picture. Well having enough money to own an H2 apparently he had enough money to install surveillance cameras on his H2. Well it got keyed and he got the whole thing on tape. The police were contacted and the criminal that was keying his vehicle was identified and arrested. The criminal was a member of Greenpeace and the Sierra League. When questioned about his motives he said that he was targeting this vehicle because of it's carbon footprint and that it was killing the environment. Ok...now I am no environmentalist. I appreciate the environment, and am a bit concerned about global warming and general pollution. I also drive a full size pick up with a big 'ol fossil fuel burning V8 and don't plan to change that. I have to tell you that this person's reasoning for keying this truck really ticked me off. Global warming is a problem, but damaging someone's property is even worse. I hope they throw the book at him. That man disgusts me...(soap box being put away)

This week there isn't a lot on the schedule. Sharkboy gets his 5 y/o shots on Monday and after that we will head for the school we think he may attend for a conference and tour while school is in session. Other than that...just working and trying to keep our Daisy calm. The weather appears to be warming up also. Today and tomorrow will be in the 30's we are due for about another 2 or 3 day cold snap and then according to the weather people we start climbing...(maybe in the mid 40's)I can't wait. I definitely have a case of the "Winter Blahs"...and I don't think I will be able to go to Florida to shake them.

So until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

A quick update...(and Picture of Daisy's fixator)

2009-01-28T17:20:00.005-05:00

Hey blog readers...no post yesterday, sorry it was a long day. We spent most of the day out doing inspections, by the time dinner was had and the chores were done there was no creative juice left to pen a blog. So here is the update...

Today Sharkboy and I went and saw our friend Cassie to get our haircuts. As always she did a great job and has made both of our heads presentable for another few weeks. Sharkboy loves to get his haircut there because they have Playstations as each of the chairs. Then we came home and played all afternoon. Some Wii, some little cars and now he is comfy on the couch watching Kung Fu Panda.

Daisy is doing much better. Everyday she gets closer to being our old Daisy. She got a card today from her friends Kota Dog and Lexus. It was a really sweet get well card. She sniffed it and seemed to like it.(Thank you Kota Dog and Lexus' humans!) She goes tomorrow to have her staples out. Here is a picture.

External Fixator with out protective tape.

So there you have it...todays update. Tomorrow like I said we go get the staples out. I am very confident that will go well.

Thank you again to all that have sent well wishes for Daisy and us. It really means a lot and we can't wait to have her running around the retention basin like old times.

Stay warm, Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

We have survived the first week...

2009-01-26T21:17:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...today was a good day. Daisy's swelling seems to be getting under control. It is becoming a chore to keep her calm. She is obviously feeling much better. Making us in turn all feel much better too.

Today we just hung out. I had 3 calls after midnight last night and that left me a little short on sleep. So while she napped, I did some things and caught a couple of little cat naps too. She is getting around really well. She is still for the most part carrying that leg, but more and more she is using it. I have pictures of the leg without the tape over the fixator, but I haven't uploaded yet...most likely will occur on Wednesday.

Sharkboy and I played some Wii bowling today. Good times. He is actually quite good. A lot of it is luck, but he is knocking the pins down. He and I are also starting to plan our "Boys Trip". I promised him coming up this spring that he and I would pack up and hit the road over one of my 4 days. He is really looking forward to hanging with Dad and staying in a Hotel, and I am too. He is getting really big and says such grown up things. I just don't want him to ever feel like he can't hang out with Dad and do stuff. I really take this job of "Dad" seriously and I hope he sees it.

Jenny went to dinner with some girls tonight from church. They sing together in the Praise team and are trying to figure out a happy medium with their schedules and their practices. There are issues with time and their sacrifice...they are all getting really busy. They went to Hacienda, which worked out good for me, because Jenny brought me home a Taco salad. It is one of my favorite things. She really must love me...

Tomorrow I am working...We will be busy trying to get some inspections done. So I am guessing that there won't be an update...but you never know. So until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

I love Sunny days...

2009-01-25T15:16:00.004-05:00

Hey blog readers...so no update for a couple of days. I have to say though that it is great to look outside and see the sun. There is just something about the sun that makes me happy. I am also very happy to be back at work. I know a lot of people just go to work because they have to and they really look forward to their days off. I love my job and don't get me wrong, I like my days off, but I really like what I do. So long story short it is really nice to be back with the boys running calls and doing what we do...

Daisy is doing better today(according to Jenny). She developed an infection in her surgery leg below the actual incision. It is around one of the pins on her fixator. She is now on some antibiotics and we have adopted an almost always slightly sedated state for her to keep her calm. Now that is not saying she isn't aware of what is going on, she just sleeps more. She still wakes up occasionally and looks around and gets up and goes outside to go potty, just a little groggy. She has been sleeping in bed with us since Thurs. night and it seems to keep her comfy and sleeping most of the night(except her 2 am potty break). So we will just take this week nice and easy. Our next big landmark will be Thursday the 29th when she gets her staples out. Then we are in for the big haul to March 9th.

Friday night we decided that since Sharkboy was going to miss out on the Disney trip, for several reasons, we would get him/us a Wii. So Awesome Aunt Kelly advised that Target had Wii's. We mobilized...and were successful. When I brought it in Sharkboy flipped out. He was doing double fist pumps and screaming..."We got a Wii, We got a Wii". He was so happy(and there is nothing like an excited, happy kid). So after dinner we hooked it up and we played some bowling. He kept saying every time it was his turn, to watch out a "prefessional" was getting ready to go. He did pretty well...he plays at the babysitters occasionally. The only problem is, he thinks we should be playing 24/7. But I am sure(or hope)that we will be able to slow that up a bit.

We had ice rescue training today. I have to tell you that the last 10 years of doing ice rescue training for the fire department, I have always ended up with wet feet or a wet shirt. Well this year was different. We used these new suits and they are incredible. Warm, dry and I felt like I could move around in it. I did have a little residual air in the suit and looked a little goofy when I entered the water, but warm and dry = happy Jay.

Not a lot of big stuff on the horizon. Our goal this week is try to return to some semblance of normal life. I have been in a funk, and when I woke up this morning I decided it stopped then. Thank you again for all of your well wishes for Daisy...she is improving(slowly)and I look forward to sitting outside this summer on the deck laughing about everything(while sharing a libation with friends).

Oh yeah, and before I end this up today I want to Thank L.A. and F.i.L.(Mimi and Papa) for having Ethan for an overnight on Saturday. Somehow you guys always know the right time to jump in and help out. Jen and I feel that we can never tell you enough how much we appreciate and love you. That one night helped so much...Thank you!

So I think that is it for now...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

This is getting to be more like having a baby all over again...

2009-01-23T10:26:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I don't have a lot of time to post a big post today, but I thought I would jump on here and touch on a couple of things.

Our Tuesday night was left as some what of a mystery. Sorry for that, but I wasn't really ready to type the whole ordeal out. So long story short, Daisy had a nasty reaction to her sedative. She was gasping for breath, twitching and shaking uncontrolably and unable to lift her head. She lost all control of her bodily functions as well. I guess the best way to describe it was our dog was a noodle. Well on Wednesday morning we rushed her to our vet and it was determined she had recieved too much sedative(puppy overdose). There was some time in that whole ordeal that we had decided that we didn't want to put her through much more...you can imagine the emotion that was flowing from that. Well no worries, she has bounced back.

After our run in with the sedatives Jenny and I vowed to never give her sedative again. Well last night was Jenny's night on the couch(we had decided to take turns) and I was in bed. Well at 2:30 am Daisy was wanting to wander around the house. Jenny was frustrated and it was very aparent that we need to figure something out. So we put her in bed with us...we picked her up, she didn't jump. We also broke our new role and decided to give her the new dose of sedative. Well that was great success. Jenny and I got 4 hours of good sleep. So we are going to make the sedative a nightly routine for a while...for us as much as her.

This whole thing is starting to wear on Sharkboy. He is starting to act up and not listen and Jenny and I think he is a little jealous of Daisy and all the attention she is getting. So Jenny and I are looking into doing some things with him to remind him he is our son and we think he is cool and we love him. So we have now started Operation Make Ethan feel important too.

Well that is all I have time for now. I will be on later and maybe have some more current Daisy pictures. She is looking and feeling better. Now on to my Friday.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Some random stuff...

2009-01-22T10:27:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I just want to start this blog out by saying Thank you to everyone that has wished Daisy and us well. It means a lot to know that we have friends and family that care so very much for us and our little 4-legged friend.

Her update: She is feeling a lot better. She is starting to try and push her limits, and she is definitely going to be a handful. This morning she already tried to jump up on her favorite chair. I think I scared her when I hollered for her to stop, but as any good dog Dad would do, I picked her up and she is now sleeping in her chair. We had a really rough night on Tuesday. I won't kill you with the details, but she had a reaction to the combination of her pain meds and her sedative and it wasn't pretty. But we are past that and we are just focusing on getting her through the next a little more than 7 weeks...

I didn't get a chance to really blog yesterday and I wanted to make sure I made at least a couple of comments about the Inauguration. I have to say that Tuesday was a day to be very proud to be an American, Democrat or Republican, Black or White, Man, Woman or Child. The ceremonies and festivities moved me as an American. Personally I am excited for the opportunities of a fresh leader bring. While I was watching I was a little jealous of our dear friend Athena being there and witnessing it live. I was very proud of her living out her dream of witnessing the 44th time we had a peaceful transition of power in our great nation. Thank you Athena for your pictures and I look forward to your blog/review of the trip.(if you want to check her blog out, it is listed to the left click on "Athena", you won't be dissapointed)

Sharkboy is doing great. He is adjusting to our new "Robo-dog". He was the only one that could get her to start drinking yesterday. He was very calm and offered water from the little bowl in his little doctor kit he has. She gladly accepted his gesture and is back to drinking from her bowl on her own. We have committed to him that when we get her free of all of her restriction and it is not punishment for someone to come watch her, we will take him somewhere. Sadly, the money we had set aside for our trip to Disney this year is in her surgery now. But he is excited about the summer of weekend trips we have told him we will take. His only stipulation that he has put on it is that we have to stay in some hotels(deal little man). Disney will always be there and we will get there...

Other than that, we are just all adjusting to our Daisy and her limits. I can say with confidence that I think we have made a turn in the right direction. It will only get better from here. I will probably post later today.

Until then...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Home at last...Home at last...Thank the Lord we're home at last!

2009-01-20T19:04:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...well we made it home today. It has been a very long 2 days and it is only the beginning of her recovery.

I got the call this morning a little after 8 that I could come and get the home care instructions and get her headed for home. This is another example of how great this clinic is and how much they pay attention to their patients and their families. The surgeon was not scheduled to be in until after 10, but he came in early to get Daisy ready to get home, know how much we wanted her here with us. He is a very special person, both for what he does with animals and his attention to their human's needs.

So I walked in and was quite shocked to see her. She was very excited to see me. She licked my face and just couldn't hold still(she missed her Dad). The doctor described his procedures and showed me how things were progressing and told we what to look for and look forward to. He did finally give in a little and say that if we pick her up to put her on the furniture she could be up there, but we could not leave her side, in case she wants to get up(actually down). Then we will have to help her down. We will also have to help her outside and keep her on the leash...you know, so she doesn't run around including at night.

Here are some pictures so you can picture what everything looks like.

Ready to go outside.

Right when she got home.

E/s320/Daisy+Surgery+001.jpg" border=0> The fixator with the protective bandage.

Resting on the couch.

The incision...yucky:(

That is it for now...I have to take her out to try the potty thing again. Then sedatives and bed, for Daisy too.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

We're heading home...

2009-01-20T08:19:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...this morning I followed the directions I was given last night and that was to call the office when I woke up and check to see when I could do the pick up to bring Daisy home. The Doctor came in early(he wasn't due until 10-ish)and gave her, her exam. He said she was ready to go home...

Now the transition at home will begin. It is a little faster than we thought, and throws a wrench into some things that we were planning, but we can deal. I will hopefully have pictures and more to report later today. It is feeling really good to know I am heading home real soon.

Funny thing happened last night. I chose what side of the bed I was going to sleep on and it was opposite to where they had the clock. So I just set my cell phone as the alarm clock. I put my Ipod on and fell asleep(actually easier than I thought). I was jolted awake by a loud static and buzz and about had a heart attack. My first thought was something was wrong with my Ipod. Nope, I plucked the earphones out and it got louder...It was the alarm clock. Someone had turned the alarm on and it was not set, so at midnight, the default time, it went off. I shut it off and promptly fell back asleep...

More about Daisy later...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

The day in review...

2009-01-19T21:47:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well today has been a long and emotionally draining day. If you have read the previous postings you will understand.

After today I have realized that our dog means more to the family than is outwardly visible to the world. I am the first one to tell you that they are just dogs, until today. This has been a very eye opening day for Jenny, Sharkboy and I. Daisy really is a member of our family.

I want to take a second to express my thoughts on NIVES (Northeaster Indiana Veterinarian Emergency & Specialty)office. They have been 100% what I would expect from a professional health care facility for people, but they do it with animals. From the phone call to make the appointment to the post-op phone calls they have provided. They have done everything in their power to make this as easy as it can be. I would definitely recommend them for any specialty surgery your pet would need.

Tomorrow I will call in the morning to find out what time I can do the pick-up and get the home care instructions. That will begin a long healing process for Daisy at home. In the coming 8 weeks we will have to keep her activity to a minimum. I am going to disable to doorbell to avoid her usual Pavlovian reflex to it ringing. Then we will work on getting her acclimated to her new "No Furniture" life(at least for 8 weeks).

Again, Thank you to all who have offered their support. It means a lot...I can't say Thank you enough.

So it off to try and get some sleep tonight...more tomorrow.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

She made it through surgery just fine...

2009-01-19T18:19:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...I just finished talking with the surgeon, and updating Jenny on Daisy's progress. So here it is for everybody else...

Surgery was successful...Daisy woke up just fine and is resting. The Doctor commented that she already has a fan base at the office. Everybody is making all over her. He said that the surgery found a tear on the inside of the muscle. It required him to cut good muscle to get to the pocket of injury. Once he was in he found scar tissue, old blood and mostly stretching and separation of muscle(not massive trauma). He freshened the injury site(removed scar tissue and made fresh edges to promote healing)and began the closing process. He was very pleased that after all of the internal suturing her leg already looked to be in the proper position. He did have to place an external fixitor(think erector set screwed into the bone that will support her leg until her muscle can). She will wear that for 8 weeks(or longer?)...sounds good, but she is a very active dog and he doesn't want her on the furniture(that will be no easy task). So I will call in the morning when I wake up and see what the pick-up time will be.

Thank you again to everyone that has called, texted and IM'ed. A big special thank you to F.i.L. and L.A. for checking in. I gotta be honest, I didn't think F.i.L. would take any interest in this what so ever(as always we appreciate your support and Love you both). He never ceases to amaze me...

So now I am going to go find something to eat...and hopefully get some rest tonight.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

I'm not much in the way of patience...

2009-01-19T15:44:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...here I sit in a hotel room(in Fort Wayne) waiting to hear word about our dog. Now you have to understand that Daisy is treated and respected in our family as our first child. She has free reign around the house and can often be found sitting/laying on the furniture sleeping. So the fact that she is in surgery is very heavy on all of our hearts.

About 3 weeks ago Daisy was out playing with our puppy sitter(one of her favorite people other than family) in the back yard. She was behind Keri and let out a yelp and fell to the ground. She would not immediately get up, and when she did she wouldn't put weight on her back left leg. So we took her to our family vet and it was thought at that time that she may have pulled a muscle. She was placed on anti-inflammatory medication(puppy ibuprofen) and assigned bed rest. Well it was determined, after 2 weeks, that it was not working and she would need to see an Orthopedic Specialist. We contacted one in Fort Wayne and today's appointment was set.

We took the road trip this morning expecting to be told it was a tendon and may need surgery. Well after x-rays and a complete exam it was determined that is was a "Hock" muscle tear(not at all common in dogs). In human comparison it would be like tearing a calf muscle. A treatment plan was determined and that included some surgery. Worst case scenario at this point is that they will open up the leg, freshen up the tear, repair it and then place an external fixator on the leg. She would then have that fixator on for 6-8 weeks. She would then need to have the fixator removed and some therapy to follow. So lets hope that we have less of an outcome than that.

So we are back to where I was when I started this blog...waiting. I am not very good at this activity. I am nearing the 4 pm time frame when they said would be the earliest I would get an update...so pray for Daisy, pray for Jenny and My sanity and let's hope for the best. I am also hoping that they will say I can come visit her. You know, you just don't know somebody is Ok until you see them...

Thank you to all that have expressed their concern and best wishes for Daisy. It helps and if we don't get back to right away, it isn't because we don't appreciate it. We are going to have our hands full for awhile...

Thank you for reading my ramblings...updates to follow...sorry not much funny to report today.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

I have hit the century mark...

2009-01-18T13:28:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...well it is true, I am now typing out my 100th post to this little blog. It is kind of strange to think it has been that many. Hopefully there have been more good than bad. More interesting than boring...so without further ado:

I haven't posted for almost a week. There has been big things going on, but just add to the excitement of it all I had a nasty sinus infection/head cold that just repeatedly kicked my tookus. So I really didn't feel like getting on the computer to chronicle the week.

Sharkboy has been doing really well. He is getting really big and is starting to act and talk like a big boy. Last night we took him the movies. I dropped Jenny and him off at the front door and just as he was getting out he exclaimed: "Thanks for the lift Daddy". I also fear that he has caught Jenny's affliction of just when he walks into the house he heads for his room to change clothes. Usually shorts and some sort of "Winter-inappropriate" shirt (tank tops and the such). That is soon followed up witha complaint that it is too cold. Other than that he seems to have kicked the being bad at school, good thing.

Jenny has been busy too...the usual stuff however, nothing really that burning. She has been working as hard as ever at keeping all of our house in shape despite Sharkboy, Daisy and my attempts at demolishing it. She is really amazing and her ability to keep the 3 of our lives, let alone hers, in line and tidy...well my friends is why I love her.

Like I mentioned previously I have been busy all week and fighting some sort of infection that has rendered my sense of smell almost completely destroyed, my voice sounds a bit hoarse and the skin around my nose so chapped and sore that blowing my nose is quite painful. But now I am 24+ hours into my antibiotic therapy I am feeling better. Hopefully my nose skin will regenerate and I won't need a graft to repair it. As soon as I get rid of the lump in the back of my throat I will be a happy little camper.

Tomorrow(Monday), I will be taking our Daisy to the Orthopedic Specialist in Fort Wayne. If all goes well we should be home that night, but there is the potential we would need to stay so she can have an operation on her leg. She was playing about 3 weeks ago, fell to the ground with a yelp. She wouldn't get up for several minutes. When she finally did, she wouldn't bear weight on that leg. Well after 2+ weeks of anti-inflammatory therapy and rest it hasn't improved. So our very capable Vet has refered us to this specialist. If she needs surgery, they will do it right then and will need to spend the night. So I am going with a bag packed, they don't want the person who brings her too far away. So I will just hotel it that night and pick her up the next morning...so we hope all goes well.

A couple of notable things that have happened this week. We have a "shit ton"(meteorological term) of snow on the ground(about 2 feet at home). We seem to have survived sub-zero temps over the last few days. My friend Athena is in Washington DC witnessing history. I envision something from a movie sort of road trip, and I look forward to seeing her blog updates of her progress.

So I will end this 100th edition of Plays with Sirens with this little thought. It came from a class I took this week. It was being taught by the son of a notable fire service person. The instructor was quoting his father's response to not being able to retrain firefighters and this is what he said: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Bullshit, if you hold his head under water long enough and suck on his ass hard enough he will eventually take a drink." Huh...never thought of it that way.

As always...Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

They are forecasting snow tonight...

2009-01-12T20:58:00.004-05:00

Hey blog readers...so we got everything dried up from sledding yesterday. The noses have stopped running (well except Jenny's). Sharkboy and I hit the hill again today, but it was just the 2 of us and it was a blast. I is becoming quite the little adventure seeker...

So they are forecasting snow tonight...high winds in the morning and dropping temps through the rest of the week. Welcome to winter in Northern Indiana. We live in a snow machine. We can get lake effect snow in a moments notice...so those of you in sunny warmer climates, I envy you. I don't necessarily want to move to where you are, just visit so I can golf.

Well I am working overtime at Sta. 2 tonight. Not a whole lot going on(not a bad thing). Tomorrow I have to take the dog to the vet. She hurt her leg a couple weeks ago, but it isn't getting any better with just an anti-inflammatory. So I think an x-ray is in her future...

Other than that...not much going on in my world.

So until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Sledding today...

2009-01-11T20:07:00.006-05:00

Hey blog readers...today we enjoyed a Snow Day here at the house. We layed around in our Pajamas until well into the afternoon...

Ryan stopped by today to drop off some CD's that Jess burned for us. However he walked up to the house. He informed me that he was stuck in a snow bank down the road. He made a slight error and buried his car to the point he couldn't drive it out the snow bank. I took the truck down and pulled him out of the snow bank. Thank God for 4-wheel drive.

Then after lunch and some stuff around the house...we went sledding. Here are some of the pictures...

Sharkboy ready to hit the hill.

On the sled.

And the return trip.

My 2 favorite people in the world.

He makes me so proud.

The Family Self Photo.

The Better Half.

And finally the homemade Cocoa and Kahlua.(Mmmm)

Now I am trying to put all of our pictures on the back up drive...and organize them. I think this is going to be a big project. So I will drink my Yuengling and chip away.

Stay warm...Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe....

Shalom my Peeps.

To catch you up...

2009-01-11T15:07:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well it has been a while since I caught you up on things. Well here it is(the Cliff Notes version).

Christmas: Awesome time. I was able to enjoy the family the whole way through. My 4-day fell over the holiday and I enjoyed every minute. Here are some of the high points: Jenny loved her presents and Sharkboy seemed to enjoy his too...I got some great tools to help with my Golf Cart project, and F.i.L. and L.A. came up big with a rolling toolbox for my tools. We also got a visit from Athena and Sister on Christmas night. They brought more beer and we shared some laughs and just general conversation.

New Years: I worked. It was a pretty quiet evening. We slept all night, up until about 5am and then we went out on a sick person...and it wasn't from celebrating the New Year.

Jenny's Birthday(aka "Jen"uary): We did the dinner with friends thing the night before(great time, but the heater was killing me). Then I gave her all of her presents. She loved them. One of the presents I gave her were tickets to see Spamalot at the Morris(she really wanted to see this show). It was hilarious. I am a big Monty Python fan, so it lived up to a lot of my expectations. We laughed, and laughed and laughed some more.

Last night was our theatre night. We ended up after our show having dinner with F.i.L., L.A., Phil and Sherry. We went to The Vine, enjoyed some yummy food and conversation. The company was great, oh yeah and the beer was good too. I tried a new beer last night called 312. It is from Goose Island brewery in Chicago. It was yummy. A bit on the light side for my tastes(I am a big stout fan), but it had a nice hop to it and a very smooth finish.

Since it is my blog...I have the ability to take certain liberties. I would like to take a moment to wish L.A. Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday to an awesome lady that we love very much. Thank you for being you.

Well that is about it for now. We are in the throws of winter here. We have a pretty good amount of snow on the ground. So I think it is time to go out sledding. Maybe you will see some pictures of it in the near future. So until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe

Shalom my peeps.

CNF for the day...(and this past weekend)

2009-01-05T18:02:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers, here are the CNF (Chuck Norris Fact) for the day...(and this past weekend).

Sat./Sun.: Chuck Norris did in fact build Rome in a day.

Mon.: Chuck Norris' credit cards don't have a limit. Last weekend, he maxed them out.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

More to come later...

2009-01-02T11:45:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...been a very busy holiday season(more on that later...). I just wanted to hop on here and do something. Several months ago Awesome Aunt Kelly introduced me to the funny world of "Everything Chuck Norris". Well in honor of that Jenny bought me a Chuck Norris Calendar. It is a daily tidbit of life as Chuck Norris. It is hilarious...So I have decided that daily in my blog, I will be posting the daily tidbit.

So to catch up, here is the 1st & 2nd postings:

Jan. 1:

The chief export of Chuck Norris is PAIN!

Jan. 2:

Chuck Norris uses a nightlight. Not because he is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.

So there you have it.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

(oh yeah, and more on the holidays later...)

Christmas stuff...

2008-12-22T21:55:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...as you know it has been quite some time since I last posted. I have once again been hit with a case of being very busy and when I get time to post, I just am too lazy/tired to actually post. So here is the run down from the last few days...

Sharkboy had his Christmas program. Good stuff, I have grown to appreciate the choral efforts of the pre-school demographic. You know Jingle Bells (or the first part of it...over and over and over again). I have finally discovered that all this time I thought it was the "Round Young Virgin", when all this time it was actually the "Wound Young Burgin"(that clears things up...). But they had a blast and it is sad for it to be our last program at PDO. Big boy school next year.

I completed my Christmas shopping about a week ago(Thanks B.O.P.). I finished wrapping today at the firehouse and am happy to report that I actually have Jenny's Birthday present already as well...(completely out of character for me). I hope she likes her presents...I put a lot of effort into them as I always do...

Work has been a little on the crazy side. We have been hit pretty hard with cold weather and snow pretty early this year. Today we hit a whopping 10 above zero as our high. It is getting a little old. But they say by the weekend we should be in the 40's...so we should all be sick by Monday. Just remember a couple things when you are traveling this holiday though. Slow down if the weather is bad and give the emergency workers some room. They don't want to be hit anymore than you want to be late for your holiday gathering. We also don't close down lanes/roads for no reason. I have to be honest...when it is 4 degrees outside, I have a lot more fun thing to do than stand in a roadway. Just give us a little room and we will be out of your way soon....

Well the Sharkfamily (as coined by Athena) has big plans this Christmas. We will be celebrating at Mimi & Papa's (L.A. and F.i.L.) on Christmas Eve, and then on Christmas we will once again hit the trails and have Christmas at my parents. Followed by some post cocktails and visiting at Mimi and Papa's again(see a trend). I am also hoping to squeeze in a visit with Athena and Sister. I think I remember them saying they are going to be in town this week sometime.

So if we don't see you before or during...have a Safe and Happy Holiday.

Until next time(who know when that will be, but it will be soon)

Be Kind, Be Safe (Stay Warm)

Shalom my Peeps!

They hang out and...

2008-12-13T13:38:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...I wanted to jump on and share a little Sharkboy story. You know what they (whoever they are) say, "kids say the darndest things".

Well we have a little tradition around our house that we hang a stocking for "The Christmas Elf" to put things in. You know, little gifts to gear us up for Christmas. Just little toys or stuff to encourage being good during the season.

So Sharkboy and are I going down the road today and he asked if I thought the Christmas Elf had stopped at the house when we were at the Firehouse seeing Santa. I told him that I didn't think he would, since he got something from Santa today. He then asked how Christmas Elf knew that he got something from Santa. I immediately responded that Santa and Christmas Elf hang out together. Quiet followed...so I figured that was that. Well then when we got home he asked if when Santa and Christmas Elf hung out if they smoked cigars. I said I was sure they did...you know a couple of guys hanging out smoking cigars and swapping stories. He then said "I bet they don't drink beer though...they don't want to be like you and Papa, they are way cooler"... I guess I know where I fall in now.

Have a safe weekend...I am sure I will have some material tomorrow after the Christmas party tonight. Jenny is planning some karaoke...

Until next time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Home at Last...home at last...thank the lord I'm home at last...

2008-12-12T20:28:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...well I survived my 36 hour turn. It wasn't all that busy...but I am still pretty tired. Sleeping isn't the same at the fire house...and I missed Sharkboy and Jenny.

Sharkboy has been dealing with some listening problems. He is simply 4 years old and really trying to figure some things out(or test the waters, you choose). He had a great day at school yesterday and then followed that up with a great day at the babysitter's today. It is so much more fun when he is being good. Tomorrow I will be taking him to the fire department Children's Christmas party. Then at night he has an overnight at Mimi's(L.A.). He is really looking forward to it, and I think they are too.

Not to much has unfolded in my life since the last post. I went on a call today for a person who passed out. That person was involved in a car accident prior in the day. I make this plea to all of my friends. If you are involved in a car crash and your car flips over or your airbag goes off...please seek at least an evaluation(from your family Doc or the Emergency room). I can't tell you how many times people under estimate their injuries...and then end up hurting themselves more. You can imagine...then we get involved.

Well tomorrow I am taking Sharkboy to the party that I previously mentioned. Then Jenny and I will be going to a Christmas party with the girls she works with and their significant others. Should be some good blog material...stay tuned.

Athena...I hope you are enjoying your trip in Florida. I think I am leaving puddles of jealousy everywhere I go. I want to be in Florida...But friend, I hope you get lots of reading in, many libation consumed and much stress left in the yard(after smelling the flowers).

So until next time...

Be kind, Be safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Education and it's many possibilities...

2008-12-10T21:25:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...as many of you know, I am the very proud father of a 4 y/o little boy (Sharkboy). Well we are at that stage in life where we are making a decision for the first building block in his education. We thought we had it all figured out. We are not big fans of the South Bend Community Schools(currently, nothing against previous graduates). We looked into the different private school option in the area and had decided on a nice school near our home that has an after school program for those days when I work and Jenny doesn't get off until 5.

Well as you may have guessed a wrench got thrown in the mix. We had dismissed the public magnet programs, since the one Sharkboy would have qualified for was on the South West Side and I am not a big fan of him riding a bus...you know the whole kids being left on buses and the other kids bad habits coming home. I recently was on a medical call on a bus and was floored that when I asked if the Mother of the child had been contacted, I was informed yes, but it wasn't by the bus driver. It was the 3rd grader with a nicer cell phone than mine(and for those of you who know me...that is a big deal) that had contacted Mom. The bus driver didn't even have a cell phone. Well we found out that South Bend has a Montessori Academy. We were interested.

I am not sure if any of you are familiar with that style of education, but it peaked our interest. I am not saying that, that is the answer, but it was worth the look. Well we sat through the open house, and the question and answer torture session that followed. Here is my concern. We are generally interested and educated parents. We did research prior to going in and I would say we have a pretty good understanding of the Montessori style of education. The presentation was well put together and pretty much outlined what we had learned on our own. But the question and answer part of this program was painful. I would rather have the toe nail on my left big toe pulled out without anesthesia, twice...than sit through that again. The people that were asking questions apparently did not pay attention/do any research. (So here is my plea...) If you have a child and are making education decisions for them...do me, and every other person who did prepare, a favor. Put a little effort into you decision...do some research(educate yourself) and pay attention during the presentation. It may sound crazy, but presentation do often times have good information in them...ok soap box away.

So long story short, not sure yet where he will end up. But the applications are flying out like planes to tropical destinations(I wish I was going someplace nice...).

Had a great Daddy Day today with Sharkboy. We had lots of "Matchbox Therapy" and had some really good talks about stuff going on in his life at school. I have a new outlook on some things. For example...I now look at it as Sharkboy will only be 4 on Dec. 10th once. Why rush it.

Tomorrow I start a 36. Overtime first 12 on Friday. I may not be able to post until after that turn. But then on Sat. we are hitting the "Pony" for a Christmas extravaganza. Polish style buffet, here I come.

So Blog readers...until next time:

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

The weather isn't bad if your a sea otter...

2008-12-09T20:54:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers...been a little while since my last post. Since then, I seem to have the original laptop running ok. But according to my computer geek friend it may not last for very long. He basically said it could last a week, or a year, or an hour. No tellin'. So we purchased a new one...well a refurbed/used one and I am posting on it now.

Since the last post we met up with Athena and Sister. It was amazing. We got to catch up, which is always nice. We got to eat yummy food, and the beer was amazing. Oh yeah...and we had dessert, shhhhh don't tell anyone.(I know...) But we also got our latest installment of beer from "Brew". He is a true artisan, and he is a master in his craft. I hope to learn from him someday soon when I undertake my own brewing adventures.

Not a lot of other stuff has happened. Jenny and I had a date night the other night. It was very nice. We finished Sharkboy's Christmas shopping and went out to dinner together. We hit Granite City Brewery and Food. It was sooooo good. So good that I went back on Monday for lunch. I have to say that it was truly nice to go out to eat and not have to check the Menu for chicken strips or Mac & Cheese. It was also nice to eat my food and not cut his up first. I love that little guy, but sometime we need Mommy and Daddy time.

Some observations I feel compelled to vent about: When you come to a stop light and they have a white line painted on the ground. Stop behind it! It is there for a reason... If you are not comfortable driving in the snow...move or stop driving form Nov. to Mar. You most likely end up in a position in which you have to drive in the white stuff. Why does the snowplow always come by after I have shoveled the driveway? ok...that is all I can come up with right now.

A big Thanks to Absofab for picking up Sharkboy from school. I am sure tomorrow I will hear all about how awesome it was to run errands with you. Thank you...

Well that is all I have for now...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Laptop working for now...

2008-11-29T08:06:00.003-05:00

Hey blog readers...well, the laptop yesterday took a dump on us as I previously mentioned in the blog. Well we hunted a new one down and purchased it. It is in transit...5-10 business days(free shipping).

Well I had written the brick off...well until I was shaving last night and thought, hey let's throw the old girl a Hail Mary and see what happens. You know she can either catch it and score a touchdown for the win or play like Notre Dame and run a 5 yard passing route and then F. up the pass. Well the old girl had a little in her...so after reformatting the drive and reinstalling the drivers, we can again use it. Our "computer geek" friend said that we may have and hour, a day, or even a year...but the drive is on it's way out.

"Sometime I feel like this guy"

So long story short...Laptop up, don't know how long. Now off to Moser's for Austrian Food and Beer at lunch time...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

I Hate My Laptop...

2008-11-28T17:12:00.002-05:00

Hey Blog Readers...after this mornings posts, I turned the laptop off as usual. Now when I attempt to turn it on...I get the "Black Screen of Death". According to our friend who happens to be a computer person our Hard drive is fried...

Thank goodness we just backed everything up...

Well the solution was buy a new laptop...so we did. It is in transit to us as we speak...however for free shipping that means, 5-10 business days. Agggghhhh....that means I have to use this slow desk top for a week.

Ok, enough venting...off to work for some overtime.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.