Happy Leap Day?

February 29th. Some view it as a novelty. Some spout facts they looked up on Google (i.e. Babies born on Feb. 29th are called Leaplings). Some go around wishing everyone a "Happy Leap Day!". I have no idea why. That's like me walking around wishing everyone a happy Wednesday. To me, February 29th is just another day. If anything, it lengthens the dreaded winter by a day. I guess I just don't understand all the hoopla. You can call me a Scrooge or a stick in the mud if you wish. That's okay. I just choose to not get worked up over something like "Leap Day". You'll probably see a similar post in about a month on April 1st. While I enjoy the promise of spring that comes in April, you won't hear me rattling on about April Fools Day.

The strange case of the pool

Since uncovering the pool, we have been monitoring the water level. It had been steadily dropping for several days, but then seemed to stop (or level off). I thought maybe it was my imagination and I started to pay even closer attention. Sure enough the water level maintained and the ground around the pool actually started to dry out and was not swampy or mushy. Hmmm... strange indeed. Now, I'm not foolish enough to believe the leak miraculously stopped. This simply told me the leak was in the liner along the pool wall and not the floor of the pool. Once the water level dropped below the breach in the liner, the water stopped leaking out of the pool. I considered getting into the pool and looking for the hole in the liner. There was only 12-14 inches of water remaining anyway. But after changing into shorts and removing my shoes I decided against the late winter wading session because my feet were freezing without even getting into the water. Yeah, I chickened out...

We're still waiting for the pool guys to call. In the meantime I am pumping what's left of the water out of the pool so it's ready for repair when they get here.

The Winter That Wasn't

As February draws to a close this week, I am thankful for "the winter that wasn't" nearing its end. I have made no secret of my disdain for winter and I'm thrilled with the virtual non-existance of snow this year. The regular doses of mild temperatures have made things a lot more bearable as well. March is almost here and it brings the hope of better things to come. We get to set our clocks ahead in a few weeks. The kids have spring break (mine is in April). There is potential for spring like weather. The Reds Opening Day is just around the corner. But do you know what I like best about March? It's not January or February. Somehow flipping the calendar to March just feels better. I know there is potential for winter weather in March, but no matter what comes, I know it will be short lived.

A Sad Sight

When you compare the photos of our beautiful deck and pool a few years ago with the photo taken today... you can see why I've called this post a sad sight.

If you look closely you can see how much water has leaked out. Normally the water level is just below the white rectangle in the pool wall near the top of the photo. You can also see the large amount of debris that has blown into the pool. As a person who takes pride in keeping our pool very clean, this is hard to look at. However, I also know a new liner is coming. The pool will be refilled with clean water and re-covered until May when we open for another swimming season.

Please understand... this pool is not the be all and end all of my world. There are so many things in life more important. But because we spend our whole summer next to the pool and this is how we choose to spend our leisure time, it does have a level of importance to my family. And this year takes on another level of fun when Sveta will be splashing around. I can just picture her jumping off the deck into my waiting arms in the pool. Building memories with my granddaughter... that's why it's important to me.

The Lid is Off

Tonight I had Parent/Teacher Conferences at school and arrived home late. It was a gorgeous, warm day and I was lamenting the fact I was stuck inside. Especially since I really needed to take the cover off the pool. The pool guys told us to remove it so they can assess the job they need to do to remove the old liner and install the new one. Do you know what my sweet wife did? She went out and took the cover off the pool this evening while I was working late. I was relieved to see the job was done and felt so touched by the thoughtfulness of her gesture.

Now we just have to wait for the pool guys to come out and get us all fixed up :-)

This is not our pool, but does give you an idea of what the cover looks like.

Water in/Water out

The saga of the pool may end much more quickly than I thought (but not the way I wanted it to). I have been running the hose into the pool for many hours over several days and the water level is not much higher than when I began. Translation... water is flowing out almost as fast as I can put it in. This indicates a total failure of the vinyl liner and tells me there is no way to repair it. We called our "Pool Guys" tonight and arranged to have a new liner installed next week. I didn't exactly want to spend the big bucks for a liner, but there is no alternative. Such is the life of being a pool owner. Pools are expensive and a lot of work to maintain, but are also a ton of fun. I guess "dems da breaks!". As I said before... this is the worst case scenario, but pool liners do not last forever. They do need to be replaced after a period of years. The picture below is my illustration of how I envision my pool right now...

What a DRIP!

If you thought the story of my garage door spring was a long one, wait until you hear this. I have a feeling this will be the beginning of an even longer story...

I noticed last month that the cover on my pool seemed to be sinking lower and lower into the pool itself. This was an indicator that the water level in the pool was dropping. I was not initially concerned because the water level drops every winter. But this time is different... the water level is lower than it has ever been. A closer inspection revealed the area next to the pool to be a veritable swamp. There were literally puddles next to the pool. No doubt about it... the pool is definitely leaking and losing water at a fairly fast rate.

My first reaction was, "How in the world did my pool develop a leak in the winter?" It's been covered since early September and only started leaking last month. WHAT HAPPENED???? My next thought was, "What should I do?". The water in the pool is what supports the pool wall. Without the water, the pool wall is merely a thin layer of aluminum supported by plastic columns. In other words, without water there is no structural integrity to the pool. My conclusion? I MUST get water into the pool immediately. Thank goodness the weather over the next few days will be above freezing and I can safely use the hose without fear of a frozen pipe. As I type this, my garden hose is is SLOOOOOOOOWLY pumping water into the pool. I will have to repeat this until spring when I can remove the cover and look for the leak. Even then, locating the leak is going to be difficult. If I am fortunate, I'll find the leak. Then I need to determine if the leak is repairable or if a new liner will be needed. I hope to Goodness I find the leak and can repair it. Nevertheless, you can now see why this is going to be a very long story. I pray it works out well. But worst case scenario is replacing the vinyl liner (and even that is not so bad).

The photo below is our pool a few years ago. My main motivation for repairing the pool is having it ready for Sveta. She'll want to swim in Goppa's and Grandma's pool.

Mick's Photo Gallery

Kodak Gallery: Mick Meyer's Gallery

I am learning how to post photos using the Kodak website. Click the link and then Scroll down to see the albums available for viewing.

Party Time!

We celebrated Sveta's 4th birthday and I'm not sure who had more fun, Sveta or all the grandparents in attendance. I think I'll have to go with the grandparents.

When we first arrived, Sveta had just awakened from her nap and was a bit groggy. We kind of stood back for a little while and waited for her to fully wake up. It didn't take long when she saw all the presents and the big balloon. She also knew cake was nearby. Who wouldn't wake up for cake, right?

We sang Happy Birthday and she blew out her candles.

Then she got to eat her birthday chocolate cupcake.

She got lots of presents... go figure! We got her a tape recorder (yes, they still make 'em) and she really enjoyed singing and talking into it and then listening to herself as it played back. We wanted to record her singing and talking in Russian before she completely loses it.

The rest of the time was spent talking with and playing with Sveta. She sang her ABC's, counted to 10 and said lots of other words in english. She also spent a lot time jumping on both grandpas like we were her personal Jungle Gyms. We didn't mind :-)

It was a great day all the way around and only a small taste of the many joyful days we will spend with Sveta in the future.

Happy Birthday, Sveta!

Sveta turns 4 years old today! Happy Birthday to the sweetest little granddaughter in the world!

English--Fast and Furious!

I knew Sveta would learn English quickly, but this recent post from Jessi knocked my socks off! Rather than attempt to summarize I just copied and pasted the post. I know I'm a proud Goppa and at the risk of boring you, here's the post:

Barry and Sveta are out for their Friday morning Papa and Daughter date...and I'm at home. It's quiet, and peaceful, and no one is yelling "mama, come."

I'm happy. I L.O.V.E. hearing, "mama, come." But, I also, enjoy a bit of time to myself. I might even shower without hearing Sveta ask Barry where I am. Cute.

Sveta is doing extremely well. I'm going to try and just give a list of random things she says, or does that I think are adorable (sorry if you don't find them quite as endearing as I do).

1. English words: She can count to 10 (most of the time), say her abc's although it's not clear, says to Griffen: come, lay down, good boy, sit; animals: lion, sheep, dog, cat, owl, bird, fish, horse, pig; random words: girl, doll, please, thank you, you're welcome, stand, bath (loves them still), chocolate, candy, o's (cheerios), tree, blue, green, red, light, kite, knuckles, give me five, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, shoes, lemon, book, ball, baby, cup, fork, knife, spoon, water, apple, duck, leaf, bear, tongue, laugh, happy, sad, socks, clock, tv, computer, telephone, hot, basement, pizza, pasta, cheese, frog, ambulance, cow, chick, zebra, sun...she's only been with us for 2 and a half weeks. Incredible.

2. She now sleeps with the pencil she got from Dr. Hodson's office on Wednesday, and a magnet that says "BIG SKY." (It's from a ski resort in Montana, where Barry's sister Jill lives).

3. She LOVES to ride in the car.

4. When Barry is at church she tells me that "Papa sad" because he's at church without us.

5. Thankfully, we borrowed some new movies from Jack and Ally McNealy (and their parents) and we didn't have to watch Strawberry Shortcake again!! YAY!

6. Sveta asks for candy after every meal...even after she ate a donut for breakfast (Thanks Jon for the donuts).

7. Whenever she sees kids she gets really really excited.

8. She still LOVES Griffen. Last night while watching Aladdin she was leaning on him completely and he just laid there.

9. She's still coughing a bit, but the fever is GONE!!

10. Today is her last day as a 3-year-old. Tomorrow, my baby girl is already 4. Oh, and if you call her baby girl, she tells you she's not a baby.

Surprise Grandma!

While I was at work today I received a text from Tami. It read, "You're going to be jealous. Guess who came to visit me today?" I knew exactly who it was... Jessi took Sveta to the Cafe' where Tami is helping her sister this week. What a happy surprise for Grandma! It was a very nice and fun visit. And yeah, I was a little jealous. But I was happy that Tami got to visit with Sveta. My turn is coming...

The most precious thing I have EVER heard!

The phone rang tonight and it was Jessi. She said Sveta is feeling much better and wanted to call and sing to us. She sang us the ABC's all the way through... in english :-) There is nothing to say except it was absolutely, positively the most precious thing I have ever heard. She is learning sooooooo fast! In addition to the alphabet she knows words like: Please, boy, girl, happy, baby and cheese. She'll be fluent in english in a matter of weeks.

Waiting just a little longer

We received a phone call Sunday inviting us to visit Sveta on Tuesday night. We were so pumped! This would be the first time we'd have the opportunity to visit with her when it was just us. Don't get me wrong... the homecoming at the airport was wonderful, but we were also sharing our granddaughter with 60 other people. Tuesday morning we had a trunk full of gifts and our camera ready to go. Sadly on Tuesday afternoon we got a phone call canceling the visit. Our poor Sveta wasn't feeling well. She was running a fever and was very lethargic. I was disappointed for us, but more upset that Sveta was sick. On Tuesday night we got word via e-mail that Sveta was feeling a bit better and her fever was reduced. We're praying that today she is back to normal. I guess the Lord is trying to teach me patience but I am not doing too well with it. I know I will get to see my little Fireball soon, but it is no fun waiting :-)

BOING! The final chapter

Isn't Google and the internet amazing? A quick search and a few helpful websites later, I was armed with the information I needed to adjust the tension on the garage door springs. It took all of about two minutes to complete the job. Now the door goes down smoothly and STAYS down. Hooray!

An added bonus... The second garage door wasn't doing well either. It was working, but not the way it should. I found the trouble and was able to repair it as well. Now both garage doors are doing great. I'm a regular family handyman :-)

BOING! Part 2

Anybody who has ever attempted a DIY project knows nothing ever goes as planned and nothing is ever as easy as you think it's going to be. The garage door spring repair was no different. First of all, I got a late start because of a meeting at work. That was not the way I wanted to start this project. Next I discovered I needed a part that I didn't have on hand. UGH! This so-called easy project was shaping up to be anything but easy. Without boring you with details, I had quite a few struggles installing the spring, but did manage to get it done. With installation complete, I tested my handy work. The door went down beautifully and promptly went back up. I thought I was finished, but it was not to be. I tested the door several more times with the same results. I did discover if I gave the door a slight downward push as it was lowering, it would stay down. This told me I need to adjust the tension, but I have no earthly idea how to do it. I am totally all thumbs when it comes to household repairs... but I try the best I can. I will probably do an internet search or make a few phone calls to learn how to adjust the tension, but I'm too tired tonight. I'll save the research for tomorrow.

BOING!

Tami and I were suddenly awakened early Sunday morning to a loud metallic bang followed by a noise that sounded a lot like "BOING!". We got up to investigate, but found nothing amiss. We looked inside and outside and could find nothing out of place. We kind of shrugged our shoulders and chalked it up to just one of those weird things. We got cleaned up and prepared to head off to church. It was then I found the answer to the mystery noise. One of the large springs on the garage door had snapped. Those things are under tremendous strain and when they break... they REALLY break. CRACK POW BANG BOOM BOING!!!!!!

Thankfully this is not the first time this has happened and I've made this repair before. I even have a spare spring ready to install. Why do I have a spare garage door spring? It's because of a valuable lesson my father-in-law, Frank taught me many years ago. He has always said when you make a repair and have to buy a part, you should always buy a second one. That way you have a spare the next time this problem arises. And the problem WILL arise again. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when. I am so glad I took Frank's advice. Now I don't have to run out for a new spring. I only need to find the time to make the repair. In the meantime, my car will sit in the driveway in the dead of winter. Brrrrrrr!!!!! This only causes me to appreciate my garage even more. You better believe I will have the garage door repaired as soon as possible. I do not like the thought of getting into a freezing car in the morning. I guess I've gotten spoiled.

Crystal Goose

In a previous post I mentioned that Sveta's orphanage was in a place called Gus Khrystalny. Translated from Russian it literally means Crystal Goose. I also mentioned my desire to have a crystal goose so that I would always be reminded of where Sveta came from. Sure enough, Jessi and Barry got me one for Christmas. Here's a picture of my crystal goose straight from Russia. It's prominently displayed in our living room.

Date Night

I mentioned in a previous post one our secrets to a long and happy marriage. Here it is again... You should never stop dating your spouse. With all the pressures of work, raising a family and the tribulations of everyday life, taking time together as a married couple is crucial. Tami and I adhere to this practice. We call it "Date Night". It almost always happens on Friday night. We often go out to eat, but not always. Sometimes we rent a movie or just stay home and watch TV. We've been known to take a drive as well. Although with the price of gas, we don't do that much anymore. We have even taken a trip to that exciting place called the grocery store. Whatever it happens to be, we just enjoy each others company, take time to talk about the past week and reconnect. Our relatives even know not to call on Date Night. That's our time. They know to leave a message and we'll get back to them... tomorrow.

Tonight was no different. We went out for a quick bite to eat and talked about our new favorite topic. Sveta Grace Morton. We talked about the homecoming at the airport, her upcoming birthday and our plans and dreams for her time with us in the future. On date nights past we often discussed our own kids, but tonight Michael, Abby, Jessi and Barry took a backseat to little Miss Sveta. Anybody walking by our table at the restaurant was probably wondering why we were grinning from ear to ear. And if they would have asked, you better believe I'd have been happy to tell them.

More waiting...

I'm still floating on cloud nine after Sveta's homecoming last night. It was so wonderful to finally see her after all the time we spent waiting for her and praying for her. Now we must wait yet again to see our dear Sveta. How long exactly? I don't know. It's going to be difficult, but it really is for the best. Allow me to explain. When a couple adopts a child (especially an international adoption), it is recommended to employ a practice known as "Circling the Wagons". Basically this is the practice of limiting visitors (including extended family) for the protection of the child. This allows the child time to bond with the parents, gives her the chance to adapt to a new environment and permits her to get used to everything involved in her new life. A constant stream of visitors (all of whom mean well and have good intentions) can be confusing to the child and may create an inadvertent feeling of instability. Once the bonding is well under way and a routine is established, the circle can be very slowly widened. At first the extended family can make short visits and those visits can be lengthened according to the child's level of comfort and adaptation. Eventually the circle is widened more and more until the process is complete. It sounds kind of strict, and I wish I could go and visit Sveta... right now. But I realize this is what is best for Sveta and I realize my future with her will be better at the end of this process. I will patiently wait (as best I can) and will visit her the moment it is appropriate. She's smart as a whip and I think Sveta is going to adjust to her new life quickly. Goppa is excited for that day.

Praise God! They Are Home!

At approximately 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, February 8th, Jessi, Barry and Sveta landed at JFK airport in New York. Sveta became a United States citizen the moment the wheels hit the runway. At approximately 6:25 P.M. they landed at CVG. Shortly before 7:00 the Morton Family walked to the homecoming party that awaited them. The photo above was taken through the glass as they approached 50-60 people waiting for them. There were a lot of kids there and most of them rushed to greet Sveta immediately. The adults hung back... but not for long. Sveta ran around shaking the hands of all the kids and saying,"Hi!".

She also accepted the gifts some of the kids had for her. Balloons, stuffed animals and toys. All the adults got a chance to say hello and to greet her. The whole thing only lasted about 30 minutes. Most of that time was spent watching Sveta run around with the other kids. It was as if they'd known each other forever. She handled everything SO well! After traveling more than 14 hours in a plane and getting less than 3 hours sleep in the last 24 hours, she was such a trooper. She was bright, cheery, energetic and much more outgoing than I expected. I guess I expected her to be fearful and clingy. It was totally the opposite of that. At the end she tuckered out. Jessi was holding her and her eyes got that glassed-over look. It was clear she had hit the wall and would surely fall asleep in the car on the way home.

This was an incredible experience. I will never forget the feelings I experienced as I watched the events of this evening unfold. Sheer joy, happiness, relief, gratitude, awe, euphoria, even emotions I have no name for. It seems surreal. Almost as if it was a dream. It wasn't. I just met my granddaughter and she's REAL. Not a photo. Not a video. Not a computer image on Skype.

We left the airport about 7:30. I'm still not sure if we walked out or floated on a cloud. I'm pretty sure it's the latter.

Sveta Morton's journey home is complete. It's the end of a long, difficult, gut-wrenching, nerve-wracking, patience-testing, wonderful, beautiful experience. But it's also only the beginning. There are many amazing times ahead. Thank you to all who have read along, agonized with us, prayed for us and supported us. We are truly grateful. But most of all we are thankful to our great and merciful Lord. To God be the glory!. He did this.

The wait is almost over!

The word from Russia is that all paperwork and any other adoption business is taken care of. Nothing left to do, but come home. We expect them home by the end of the week. I can't believe I will get to see Sveta soon. Your prayers are still appreciated.

Gypsy

Be honest. When you hear the word "Gypsy", what images come to mind? Women in long, flowing, colorful dresses? Women wearing head scarves and a lot of jewelry? Fortune tellers with a crystal ball? A nomadic people traveling in wagon caravans? Scam artists and thieves? Free spirited people? Perhaps a person that looks similar to this?

I'll be the first to admit these images are part of my preconceived notions about gypsies. I even remember an old song by Cher called Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. I never had reason to believe anything else about these people known as gypsies.

This is not intended to be a history lesson, but Gypsies originated in India and over time migrated to Central and Eastern Europe. Bulgaria, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Romania etc... The more accurate name for them is Romani people. I'm not going to get into the background of gypsies or try to debunk stereotypes. I will say that Gypsies, by and large, are considered outcasts and not favorably looked upon no matter where they live. They are social pariahs generally speaking. In Nazi Germany they were a targeted group for extermination. Mercilessly hunted by einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units). So I guess it's safe to say that Gypsies are not generally viewed as good citizens or those you would want as next door neighbors. Fair or not, that's the popular perception.

Why this seemingly random post about Gypsies? Simple. Our new granddaughter is a so-called Gypsy. What does this mean exactly? I'm not sure. More specifically I'm not sure it matters. To me it means she has Eastern European ancestry. Russian? Romanian? Bulgarian? It makes no difference to me. Jessi and Barry knew this from the onset of the adoption process. During the court hearing, the judge and prosecutor both asked extensive questions about whether they knew Sveta was a Gypsy. They seemed very concerned that Jessi and Barry were receiving some inferior reject of a child and wanted to be sure they knew what they were getting. The short answer is, yes, they know exactly what they are getting. A sweet, precious, angelic daughter who spent the first 4 years of her life in a Russian orphanage and also happens to have gypsy ancestry. I say, so what! None of this matters in the least. She's now an American. A full fledged member of the Meyer family. Welcome to the family, Sveta! Hurry home, your Goppa is waiting for you!

Numbers!

The title of this post is numbers. Here are some numbers that have been significant in my life the last few days.

1000- The number of page views for my blog. This blog began on October 1st and reached a thousand views today. This is totally amazing to me. Thank you to anyone who takes time to read my blog.

45- My age as of Saturday. This wouldn't normally be significant, but it feels strange knowing my dad passed away two months after his 47th birthday. It shows me more than ever how young my Dad was when he died.

3000- The number of babies aborted every day in the United States. Also the number of babies aborted in the Cincinnati area in one year.

50 Million- The approximate number of people who died worldwide during World War II. Also the number of babies aborted in the United States since 1973.

500- The number of dollars it costs to reserve a table for 10 at a fundraising banquet for Pregnancy Care of Cincinnati. Tami and I are leading an effort to find four other couples to join us at this banquet. Actually three other couples... we already have one couple on board. Don't look at this as a $100 dinner. Look at it as a donation to a very worthy cause. If you're interested, call me. I think it's on March 29th.

2- The number of people who traveled to Russia last month.

3- The number of people returning from Russia very soon.

1- The number of grandchildren who stole my heart even before I met her. Also the number of grandchildren who call me "Goppa". Do you think I'm a little excited about all this?

A Trillion- The number of times I've said, "Koo Koo!" since Saturday morning.

The BEST birthday present ever!

Today is my birthday. I don't like to acknowledge it and I do my best to keep it as low key as possible. I don't want a party and I don't want the wait staff to sing me a silly song at a restaurant. It has nothing to do with worrying about my age. It has everything to do with not wanting the attention. I'm an introvert to the core. I wouldn't even normally be typing this post, but something happened that I just can't keep quiet about...

I met my granddaughter today. Well, sort of. We were on Skype with Jessi, Barry and Sveta. I don't believe I can put into words the emotions that went through my body during that video phone call. I also would have trouble summarizing the whole thing, so I guess a list of bullet points may be best.

* The introductions started with Jessi pointing to the screen and saying our names with Sveta repeating them... Grandma, Gampaw (no R after the g), Michael, Abby.

* We spent a long time playing "Koo Koo". In America it's called "Peek-a-Boo". We'd cover our eyes while saying our name and then say, "Koo Koo" when we uncovered our eyes. Sveta REALLY likes this game. I have to say... I like it too :-)

* After only a few days in Jessi and Barry's care, Sveta is already picking up some English. Jessi would hold both her arms and Sveta would count, "One, two, threeeeeeee!" and Jessi would lift her up. I heard her say bottle (referring to an empty water bottle in her hand). She also repeated the names of many body parts for us... eyes, nose, mouth etc... She points to Jessi and says, "Mama Morton". She points to Barry and says, "Papa Morton". Points to herself and says, "Sveta Morton".

* Sveta was tickling us through the computer. She would reach forward and say, "Tickle Tickle". We'd all laugh and she thought it was really funny.

* She spent a lot of time climbing on Jessi (literally), running around, hopping, jumping, twirling, spinning and dancing about. She is a non-stop bundle of energy. It confirmed in my mind that Fireball is the perfect nickname for her. I think it'll stick.

* Speaking of nicknames... by the end of the visit, the name Gampaw had morphed into "Goppa" (Gah-puh). I kind of like the sound of it. She can call me Goppa all she wants :-)

* At the end she became tired of visiting with us and tired in general (it had been a long day and her bedtime was approaching).

*Finally we concluded the cyber-visit with Sveta saying "I love you" (in Russian this time) followed by our names.

It may sound strange, but Tami and I feel like the bonding process has already begun. It wasn't a long visit and we were just images on a computer screen to her. But it felt so good to actually interact with her... to talk with her and hear her speak our names. She is no longer a video or photograph... she's my granddaughter and I'm her Goppa.

This was the BEST birthday present ever!

Eating Like a King!

Anybody who knows me, knows I struggle with my weight. I love eating more than almost anything else in the world. The middle age spread or proverbial spare tire around my middle is a constant battle. When I decide to diet, I diet with a vengeance. I have iron-clad will power. When I am dieting, I will not cheat for anyone or anything. I've spent many days watching my family enjoy an ice cream cone or a pizza. My approach to dieting is... Do it all the way or don't do it at all. You can't be on a diet part time. Anyway, there have been at least 4 times in my life that I have dropped 30-40 pounds only to slowly put it back on after abandoning the diet because I was satisfied with my self image. I don't need to be told this is the wrong approach. I know all about healthy eating and exercise. It's a lifestyle change. But as you may already be aware, saying it and doing it are often totally different things.

Tami and I are currently on the "Lose to Cruise" program. That's a humorous way of saying we need to drop some weight before our cruise vacation in July. I guess I should say our past cruises (aka Floating 24 Hour Buffets) have been my undoing. I usually drop a bunch of weight prior to a cruise, go hog wild eating everything in sight for a week, then never get back to sensible eating. The result is this 30-40 pound diet roller coaster I've ridden for most of my adult life. I always say THIS time will be different. This is where you all come in. I'm asking my family and friends to hold me accountable to returning to sensible eating habits when I return from my July vacation. Yes, I want you to ask me if I'm back on the program. Yes, I want you to encourage me to do the right thing. I have been unable to do this on my own in the past, so don't feel like you're insulting me. Will you help me?

Now... to the real reason for this post. I mentioned that Tami and I are doing this South Beach Diet together. I'm so thankful because it's too tough on my own. I also want to brag on Tami for a minute. She has worked really, really hard planning meals, shopping for diet friendly ingredients and cooking delicious dishes that are good for us. She is an awesome cook. She recently made Kung Pao chicken that nearly made me cry with delight. She also made a ham and bean soup that was scrumptious. She created a crock pot meal with chicken, bacon, onions and ranch dressing. YUM! She makes a hot roll up with chicken, swiss cheese, red onion and hot mustard that makes my taste buds do the tango. Every time I turn around Tami has found a new recipe to try and she nails it every time. She knows what foods I like and she keeps my hungry belly very happy. She also makes frequent trips to the grocery (not a small or easy task). We have a nice salad at least twice a week. The greens are always fresh. Never more than a day or two old. It takes extra time and effort to shop for food this way, so I really do appreciate all she does.

Aside from the weight loss benefits, we've also found this system of feeding the family is good for the wallet. We hardly ever eat out anymore. More frequent trips to the grocery store has drastically reduced food waste as well. And speaking of eating out... I've found that the food we're eating at home is better than what we can get at a restaurant. Obviously it's nice to go out from time to time. If for nothing else than to have someone else cook, serve the food and do the dishes. But for sheer food quality, Tami's cooking beats a restaurant every time. I'm eating like a king and shedding a few pounds to boot.

My Favorite Hobby

After so much attention on this blog to Sveta, I thought it might be time for a change of pace. With temperatures in the 50's and 60's this week, it has caused me to think of one of my favorite hobbies... Treasure Hunting with my Metal Detector.

About 8 or 9 years ago, a very good friend (Bill Bertke) invited me to go treasure hunting with him. I wasn't exactly sure what he meant. He explained that he had recently discovered the hobby of metal detecting. Up to that point my idea of metal detecting was some old guy swinging a metal detector on the beach. You know, the guy wearing black socks with his sandals and plaid shorts. Anyway, I accepted Bill's invitation. I borrowed one of his metal detectors and away we went. The first thing I remember is being very excited. I love history and the thought of digging up artifacts, relics, jewelry and old coins captivated me. But as you may guess, it wasn't exactly that easy. The next thing I remember is being a bit frustrated. The metal detector would indicate something was in the ground. I would dig a hole and discover that what I was searching for usually eluded me. When I did find something it was usually junk. Bottle caps, pop cans, nails, aluminum foil etc... However, with some practice I began to find stuff more quickly and occasionally I would find something interesting. A penny or dime, an old make up case from the early 1900's, a medallion from many years ago. It didn't take long before I was hooked.

Not long after that day, I was discussing my new found hobby with my in-laws. My father in law mentioned that he owned a metal detector and would be happy to loan it to me. I readily accepted the offer and began metal detecting in earnest. Every free moment I had was spent searching the area around my house for buried treasure. Before long I really got the hang of it. I was able to to discriminate between junk and something worth digging up with some regularity. I began finding quite a bit of money too. You'd be shocked at the amount of money buried in the ground in your own yard, in parks, in school yards, on playgrounds. I've heard it said there is more money in the ground than there is in circulation. That may not be true, but I can tell you I've never searched a plot of ground without finding money. It is literally EVERYWHERE!

People often ask if I've ever found anything old or anything valuable. The answer is yes and no. Yes, I've found a lot of old coins and interesting artifacts. No, I've never found anything valuable. The oldest coin I have found is a large cent from 1835. Essentially it's an old copper penny about the size of a half dollar. It's worth about $20. It's so interesting to think that this coin was minted when Andrew Jackson was President. It also makes me wonder who may have handled this coin in the last 177 years. Wow!

I've also found silver coins and jewelry. Any dime or quarter minted before 1964 is made of silver. I've found a few jewelry items made of silver, but they're not worth all that much. I'm still waiting for the day when I find my first piece of gold jewelry. Who doesn't like finding gold, right?

The best thing about this hobby is that it has given me opportunities to spend time with my kids. Michael and Abby enjoy it too. We've spent many warm days metal detecting together and enjoying each others company. They don't enjoy it as much anymore... as teenagers they have other interests, but that's okay. We still go on a hunt when we get the chance.