He's Gone

I am now officially 2/3 of the way to being an empty nester and Abby is now an only child. The parents now outnumber the children in the house. Michael moved out tonight. He's gone. My heart and head are a jumble of mixed feelings.

In a matter of hours

In a matter of hours Michael will be moving into his bachelor pad with his buddies. Tomorrow evening we will load up his possessions and move him into his new condo. I am incredibly sad about this. Knowing tonight is the last night he will sleep in this house and knowing he will never live under my roof again feels so final. I know it's the natural order of things, but I can already tell the family is going to miss having him around.

You may be wondering what is going to become of his room. I can tell you Abby is not happy with our plans. Abby wanted Michael's room. To be more specific, she didn't want to change rooms, she wanted to EXPAND! (essentially she wanted BOTH rooms!). Ummmmm... no way.

Our plan for the room is to make it a play room for the grandchildren. It will be a nice place for them to play with their toys when they come over. It will also be a good place for a bed when they spend the night.

I'm sad to see Michael go, but I'm also excited to have a space for the grandchildren.

Hide! It's the cops! Or is it...?

Michael purchased a new (used) car. His old Toyota Camry required repairs that were just too expensive and not practical for an old car. The new set of wheels is a Ford Taurus. Not just any Ford Taurus... A former police car! Our community was selling some of its older police cars and Michael put in a bid and got one. Sadly all of the cool stuff was removed from it. No flashing lights or siren. No cage between the front and back seats. No police radio and no leftover weapons.

The cop car is now parked in our driveway and it looks like Lawrenceburg's Finest are staking out our house. Yesterday I jokingly said I went outside four times with my hands up! It won't be out there very long though. Michael is moving out this weekend and will take the Taurus with him. I'm kind of glad. It's a little unnerving feeling like the cops are watching me all the time.

Down on the farm!

Sing it with me. I know you are familiar with the tune.

Bob Evans--- Down on the farm! Admit it. You remember the jingle.

Michael is Bob Evans' newest employee. He was hired today as a host and busboy. He will primarily seat guests, ring up sales on the cash register and bus tables during busy times. This is good work for a college student. This particular restaurant is less than a mile from his condo and also less than a mile from school. What he will be paying in rent, we hope he makes up with his paycheck and not burning much gas.

Tune in later for information about his new (used) car and moving out on his own. The Meyer family is in for a big transition.

The Day the Shuttle Fell

27 years ago today, I was a freshman in college. I was working part time as a fry cook at Long John Silvers restaurant. I went in that morning to pick up my paycheck before heading off to my classes for the day. It was then a co-worker asked me, "Did you hear what happened?". That question usually indicates bad news. That day was no different. I said I had not heard the news and of course was told immediately the space shuttle Challenger had exploded shortly after lift off. I was only 19 years old, but hearing those words sent shivers down my spine. I don't know why, but something compelled me to go home and turn on the television instead of going to school. Obviously I was interested in what happened, but it was probably just a really good excuse to skip class (I hope my kids aren't reading this).

We all know the rest of the story. The temperature at Cape Canaveral, Florida was below freezing, the Challenger blasted off seemingly like so many shuttles before, 73 seconds later it exploded and 7 astronauts were tragically killed. This particular launch was being watched by an unusually high number of people because of the Teacher in Space program. Millions of school children around the nation watched from their classrooms as Christa McAuliffe perished along with 6 other astronauts.

I remember watching the wall to wall coverage that day. I think most Americans did the same. There was the typical speculation of the cause and the endless replays of the explosion. There was the view of the spectators as they looked on in disbelief and shock. I remember President Reagan addressing the nation that evening. His message was so sincere and heartfelt. It was a day I'll never forget. It was one of those days a person says, "I remember where I was when...".

I guess the only thing that surprises me is that it was 27 years ago.

The Challenger Crew

Disaster Strikes

Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

Strikes, spares and a few gutterballs

We had a fun family outing today. Tami and I took the kids to the bowling alley to bowl a few games. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, but I must admit there was a bit of sadness for me. I couldn't help but think this may have been our last outing with Michael. As I've mentioned before, it was difficult when Jessi left the house, but I guess it was bearable because there were still two kids at home. Now with Michael preparing to move out, it was clear this may have been our swan song with him. It's a strange thing to realize that time is marching on and waiting for no one.

On a related note, the bowling alley we went to was like taking a step back in time. This was a good, old fashioned bowling alley (not a modern, flashy, digital bowling-plex of the 21st century). The kind of bowling alley I remember from my childhood. It had the smell of stale cigarette smoke (yuck!). The decor was like something out of the 1960's. There was no electric scoring (remember when you had to keep score with pencil and a scoresheet?). There were no bells and whistles (no glow bowling, no bumper bowling, no flashing disco lights, no video games). There were just some old bowling lanes with beat up house bowling balls. There was a guy running the place who was somewhere between 85 and 90 years old (no joke). This old fellow was the only employee in the whole place (at least for a short time) and seemed to be enjoying the work. He worked at his own pace (slooooooow!) and all the customers seemed fine with this. I'm guessing most of the customers were regulars and knew what to expect from ol' Gramps. If you were looking for a fast-paced experience, you were in the wrong place. The place might be described as quaint (if a bowling alley can be quaint) and possessed a certain charm. This is the kind of place we love. Simple, inexpensive, slow paced, uncrowded, uncomplicated and a genuine blast from the past. Newer and bigger is not necessarily better.

The place looked a little like this:

And NOT like this:

Behold! The White Death Approaches!

The White Death. Snowmageddon. Snowpocalypse. Call it what you want. The snow is coming. Does that sound ominous? If you live in Cincinnati, that's how most people view the two inches of snow we are supposed to get today. People in northern climates scoff at 2 inches of snow. Cincinnatians go into panic mode. Two inches of snow is the lead news story in Cincinnati. In Cleveland it would get a cursory mention if anything at all. Two inches of snow in Cincinnati is enough to cause a rush at the grocery store and a blitz to buy snow shovels and salt at the hardware store. And don't even get me started on drivers... Two inches of snow is enough to cause Cincinnati drivers to lose their minds. You'd think they were driving through a mountain pass with a foot of snow. We're talking relatively flat roads that have been treated with salt. It's simple... slow down a little, leave some extra room between you and the car ahead of you, steer into a skid, drive defensively and smart. It's two inches of snow, not the end of the world.

Happy About 28

I'm pathetic and I admit it.

The temperature in the next few days will reach a high of 28... and I'm HAPPY about it. What? Why? Because we've had highs in the low teens and lows in single digits with sub-zero wind chills lately, that's why! It has been frigid lately and a warm up to 28 is welcomed. On an even more positive note, temperatures over the weekend and early next week are going to soar into the 40's and 50's. Oh happy day! Isn't that pathetic? All I have to worry about is how cold it is. Talk about the doldrums of winter! The only thing I have to talk about is the winter itself. There's no two ways about it... January and February stink!

This is exactly the reason my Mom and Cliff head to Florida in the winter.

And Mom, if you're reading this... THHHHHHHHPPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFTTTTTT!!!!! (Raspberries to you!)

Empty Nest--- A Trial Run

As mentioned many times before, Michael is rarely home. He's as good as gone. Abby will be leaving tomorrow afternoon for her winter ski retreat with the church youth group. Tami and I will be giving the empty nest a trial run for the weekend. We will begin by spending a whole day with our #1 granddaughter. We are really looking forward to that.

And then there were three...

I've spent some time on this blog talking about Tami and I being in the pre-stages of the empty nest. Tonight at dinner it began to hit home. Dinner used to be a noisy affair. Mom, Dad and three kids. It was a real challenge to make sure only one person was talking at a time. When Jessi moved out, dinner was a little quieter, but not much. Michael and Abby picked up the slack just fine. These days Michael is never home for dinner and will be moving out in a matter of weeks. So Abby is now the only child at dinner with Tami and me. It's a strange thing to watch the family shrinking before my very eyes. I couldn't help but picture what things will be like in a couple of years when Abby is rarely home and getting ready to move out. It's almost comical to picture Tami and me sitting alone, staring across the table at one another and wondering where everyone (and the time) went. I joke about it now, but this is going to be a stark reality more quickly than I realize. I'm not much of a conversationalist, so I think the Meyer house is in for some quiet dinners in the future.

Will we look like this?

Or maybe like this?

Better View

Here's a better view of yesterday's carnage... truly a surreal scene.

Mercury Dropping

Here we go! The mercury is dropping to its lowest level in several years. Low of 5 degrees tonight with wind chills from -5 to -15. I have been freezing all day long. Tomorrow is going to be a miserable day.

On a different note, yet related to winter... Cincinnati experienced snow squalls today. For a brief time visibility was near zero. There were two separate pile ups on local interstates. There was an 80 vehicle pile up I-275 and a 50 vehicle pile up on I-75. The scene was unbelievable. It was like something out of a doomsday movie. Amazingly there was only one fatality.

Super Brothers

The teams for the Super Bowl are set. The San Francisco 49ers will play the Baltimore Ravens. Not only do I not have a rooting interest in either team, I can't stand them. All that aside though, there is a VERY interesting side story to the big game this year. The head coaches for Baltimore and San Francisco are brothers. Jim and John Harbaugh. Just think of their parents. The game won't be played for two weeks and their son is already a Super Bowl winning coach (ah, but which one?)

Brace for impact!

Here it comes! The full brunt of winter! The weather guy is calling it an arctic blast. I call it misery. Temperatures this week are going to be in the teens with overnight lows in single digits.

BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Not exactly a day off

Twice a year teachers utilize what is called a teacher work day. Some schools call it a record keeping day. No matter what you call it, it's a day for teachers to grade tests, calculate grades, prepare report cards, clean their classrooms and wrap up any loose ends at the end of the semester. Today is that day for me. I always enjoy these days. I get a ton of work done without the multitude of interruptions I experience in a typical school day. Even though I will work non-stop for eight hours (except lunch), it hardly seems like work at all. I turn on some music, get down to business and before I know it, the five o'clock whistle blows and it's time to go home. Teachers often joke that the school would be a nice place to work if it weren't for all these kids! It's all in fun of course, but I do marvel at how much work I can get done when the kids are off for the day.

And just in case you're wondering why I'm posting on my blog instead of doing teacher stuff. You can rest easy... I typed this as a draft last night. It only took a few clicks of the mouse to post it this morning.

Snowmageddon Part II

I meant to include this story in yesterday's post, but forgot.

I remember my dad completely digging his car out from a huge pile of snow and also completely digging out the driveway. Just as he finished the job, a city snow plow came down the street and shoved a bunch of snow into the driveway he had just shoveled. Dad was not a gentle soul. He was really ticked off and he made sure everybody knew it. I'm guessing he used some words that would have made a sailor blush. He wasn't timid when it came to his language. Well, dad did the only thing he could do at that point. He dug the car and the driveway out AGAIN. Just as he was finishing the job for the second time, the same snow plow was coming down the street to make a second pass at clearing the street. Dad was NOT about to move that mountain of snow a third time. He ran out into the street shaking his shovel at the snow plow driver. He used some very colorful and creative language to tell the snow plow driver that he would not be shoving snow into the cleared driveway again. Whatever dad said must have worked. The driver lifted the blade on the plow until he passed by. If you knew my dad, you probably have no problem picturing this story. If you never met him, suffice it to say his words to the snow plow driver would not be appropriate for this family friendly blog. I sure do miss my dad.

Snowmageddon of 77-78

Thanks to Tami for suggesting this topic for a blog post. Maybe I should make her a guest contributor sometime :-)

All this talk about winter brings back memories of the winters of 1977 and 1978. I can say with certainty these were the worst winters of my lifetime. Meaning they were the snowiest and coldest :-( Tami and I were in middle school and elementary school respectively, at the time. Therefore we have a fairly accurate recollection of what those winters were like.

I lived in St. Bernard at the time and I remember snow. Lots and lots of snow. These weren't your average, every day snowstorms. Snow accumulations were being measured in feet rather than inches. Old snow didn't melt off before new snow fell on top of it and that pattern continued all winter long. I remember the snow plows having no place to push the new snow because the old piles were in the way. I remember front loaders coming around and loading snow piles into dump trucks and those trucks dumping the snow in the city park. It literally began to look like a mountain. Imagine the amount of snow we must have had if it was necessary to haul it to another location. I don't remember this, but have been told that gigantic "mountain" of snow didn't melt completely until late May or early June. That's a lot of snow! I also remember my dad shoveling the driveway... MANY times. Much like the snow plows, he was running out of places to throw the snow. I also remember really cold temperatures. The cold doesn't usually bother kids, but I remember being very aware of how cold it was. As a matter of fact, on this date in 1977 the temperature was -21. One of the coldest days ever recorded in Cincinnati. It seemed like those winters were endless. I haven't checked the facts, but I'm guessing the bad weather started early and lasted longer than most winters. It must have been tough on all the parents with kids cooped up for months on end. Keep in mind this was before computers, video games, iPods, cell phones and all the other electronic stuff that occupies the attention of kids today. Long winters? You better believe it!

Tami's situation was a little different. She lived in a more rural area than I did. Back then Lawrenceburg wasn't exactly the bustling metropolis it is today. I wouldn't say she lived in the country, but it was mighty close. Her house was up on a hill and those big snowfalls were particularly challenging for her family. Her house also had a cistern. During those winters the water in the cistern would freeze. Ice doesn't flow through pipes. Tami says she remembers her family being without water for more than a month. Her mom would go outside and gather some snow and put it in the bathtub. When the snow would melt, that would be their water source. UNBELIEVABLE! I can't begin to imagine that. Think of not having laundry capabilities. Washing dishes must have been a pain. Baths or showers? No way! Any water for drinking would had to have been boiled first. Keep in mind Tami had 3 siblings. What a nightmare!

During those unusually harsh winters, I remember the Ohio river freezing over. There are photos of dozens of people walking on the ice and even driving cars on it. I know that hasn't happened since!
Here are some photos of the Snowpocolypse!

Ever notice?

Have you ever noticed how one side of the "v" is longer than the other when geese fly in formation? Do you know why that is?

Because there are more geese on that side!

Hahahahahahahahaha!

Now I know why...

In reference to my previous post, I found out why the winter blahs hit me this week. Apparently I am not alone and there are good reasons for my feelings. I found the following online:

According to experts, this is the most depressing week of the year. And you may not have realized it at the time, but yesterday (Monday, January 14th) was the most depressing DAY of the year. The reasons why are obvious: The "holiday glow" is over, the weather stinks, night starts early, you don't have a vacation to look forward to, and you've flopped on your New Year's resolutions.

Ummmm.... yup!

Impending Doom!

NEWSFLASH! This blogger would rather take a daily beating with a big stick than deal with winter in the midwest. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating... but only a little. So far, the winter has been bearable. Cold, but not frigid. Accumulating snow has been at a minimum. In the next week or two, that looks to change (at least the temperature part). After unseasonably warm temperatures over the weekend (I'll take 67 in January!), the air is cold again. The weather man says next week is going to be colder than this week. Not exactly what a warm weather guy wants to hear. Relief is still a long way off. There are a lot of short days and long, cold nights ahead before we get to bask in the gloriousness of spring again. Why does winter get me so down so much? I honestly don't know. I know I don't like to be cold. I despise it actually. I know I don't like driving in or shoveling snow. I know I like long, hot days and short, warm nights. I know gloomy days far outnumber clear ones in the winter. I know being cooped up in the house can drive a man to the brink of madness. Whoever coined the term "Cabin Fever", was dead on! I've got cabin fever and the only prescription is more cowbell! (Sorry, that's a Christopher Walken reference if you're not familiar). Actually the only prescription is sunshine, daylight and warmth. I'd say winter is for the birds, but hey, even THEY fly south for the winter. I wish I could go with them.

Flyin' South!

Flyin' South--- IN STYLE!

Condo Life

It looks like Michael will be moving out of the house in a few weeks. I have many thoughts about this.

First, I am prepared for this to be final. In other words, it's very likely he will live away from home all through college and will likely get married not too long after. I was not prepared for this when Jessi went away to college. I guess I was naive in thinking she might ever move back home. At least this time I recognize the possibility that he may never live with us again.

Second, Michael moving out puts me 2/3 of the way to an empty nest. Abby abhors the idea of being an "only child".

Last, there's something not quite right when my son is moving into a place that's a lot nicer than my own home. He and a few of his buddies are renting a brand new, 3 bedroom condo. The father of one of these buddies just purchased it. We went yesterday to have a little peek at the place. To say I was surprised at what I saw would be a gross understatement. This place is NICE! The condo itself has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, a fireplace (electric), nice furnishings and even an over-sized bathtub in one of the two bathrooms. Although I doubt any of these college guys will be taking any bubble baths :-) There is a small patio suitable for entertaining (these guys are going to invite their parents over for a cookout, right?) They also have a clubhouse, fitness center, swimming pool, gazebo and a nice sized pond (fishing permitted!).

The condo is very close to campus (less than two miles) and Michael's girlfriend has offered to cook for the guys as long as they buy the groceries. Tough life for this group of young bachelors, eh?

Here's the entrance:

Here's the waterfall just inside the entrance:

Here are a couple photos of the pond, gazebo and some condos in the background:

Here's the party patio:

Here are some other condos:

Sleeping Judy

Sveta told her daddy to put the princess dress on her because she wanted to be "Sleeping Judy" (Sleeping Beauty). How cute is that?

It makes me glad we bought her a pair of princess shoes for Christmas :-)

Snow Ball Photos

Here's Abby getting ready for her big night. Sorry the photos are a bit dark :-(

This is Abby with her big brother:

And here she is by herself:

A Warm Snow Ball

Abby had her big dance tonight. Her school's winter formal is known as the Snow Ball. I thought it was ironic and quite funny that the temperature was 67 degrees today.

It goes without saying that she looked stunningly beautiful. I would post pictures, but she is still at the dance and has the camera with her. I will post a few photos tomorrow.

I'm getting ready to go and pick her up about 11:00. These late night runs aren't so easy anymore.

Kickin' it old school

I am a history buff. I'm sure everyone knows of my fascination with maritime history and shipwrecks. I am also interested in any relics or artifacts from the past (particularly those found locally). I guess this is why I love my hobby of metal detecting so much. It's not just the hunt for treasure that fascinates me, but just never knowing what you might dig up is a thrill.

This post is not about metal detecting, treasure hunting or finding artifacts. It's about one particular photo I stumbled upon this week. The photo is taken from the air and shows the three old school buildings that sat on the grounds where the St. Bernard schools sit today. As near as I can tell, this photo was taken in the late 20's or early 30's. I cannot stop studying and staring at the photo. There are so many things to look at and compare to the buildings that stand today. The building in the center of the photo is the old St. Bernard High School. The building to the left of the high school is the old elementary school. The building at the top left is the old auditorium. The auditorium not only housed an actual auditorium, but also a gym, a running track and an indoor pool. These buildings are where my grandpa and both my parents went to school. (My grandpa graduated in 1936 and my parents in '61 and '62) All three of these buildings were demolished in the mid 70's and new buildings were subsequently erected in their place. I attended Kindergarten in the old elementary school and attended 1st and 2nd grade in the old high school (they housed us there while the new elementary was being built).

Looking at a photo like this makes me fantasize about time travel. I wish I could go back and just look at all this stuff. I'm not talking about a "Back to the Future" movie scenario. Just a chance to observe... to just look around without affecting the future. I know that sounds weird, but I've always wondered what it would be like to go back and look (as an adult, knowing what I know now). Call me wacky if you want to, but it would be awfully cool.

Going to Damascus

We went to dinner with the Mortons last night. We hadn't seen them in a few weeks and decided it was time for a visit. We had a lot of fun with Sveta and I wanted to report the line of the night.

Some time after dinner Sveta reported that tomorrow is Thursday. Being a Wednesday evening, her statement was correct. Then her face lit up and she said, "I'm going to Damascus!". Damascus? I jokingly asked if she was going to Syria. She repeated this several times when her mommy finally figured out what she was trying to say. Gymnastics! She goes to gymnastics on Thursdays. That one really cracked us up!

Then we were amazed when Sveta's mommy asked her who went to Damascus. Without having to think about it, she said, "Saul". She had apparently learned this in Sunday School. Saul did go to Damascus in the Bible. It was incredible that she knew that.

Damascus=Gymnastics. Classic!

Remember When? Part III

Tami suggested I add a third post of "Remember When?" because she wanted to add some. Some of the items in this list are hers. This will probably be the last one. Tomorrow I will find something a little different to post.

Remember when the milk man would leave glass bottles of milk on your doorstep?

Remember when you had to take your milk money to school? It's hard to believe milk once cost a nickel.

Remember when your dad reaching for his belt buckle struck terror into your heart?

Remember when you would get green stamps at the grocery store? If you filled up enough books with stamps you could redeem them for prizes.

Remember when the family went to the drive-in movie? Dad would back the station wagon into the spot and mom would put pillows and blankets in the back. Don't forget the clunky speaker hanging on the window.

Remember when the sounds of crickets on summer nights would sing you to sleep?

Remember when your mom made Jiffy-Pop popcorn on the stove? Remember when a hot air popcorn popper was revolutionary? Having popcorn for a snack indicated a special occasion.

Remember when you'd bang pots and pans at midnight on New Year's Eve? My family used to go bowling and out to eat that evening. I'll never forget the time my dad blew a gasket because we went to Arby's and they were out of roast beef.

Remember when you could race boats in the gutter after a rain storm?

Remember when the news was only on at 6:00? Now it starts at 4:00 and runs until 7:00. More isn't always better.

Remember when going to the Reds game was like taking a trip to paradise? The grass was SO green! (actually it was Astroturf, but hey, it didn't matter to me).

Remember when nothing smelled better than a hot dog at the ballpark?

Remember when you took a bath about every 3 or 4 days? (And you usually had a sibling in the tub with you?)

Remember when getting up at 6:00 A.M. felt like getting up in the middle of the night?

Remember when your mom had a Tupperware party? Moms LOVED Tupperware!

Remember when your biggest annoyance in life was having your mom make you go to bed?

Remember When? Part II

I had so much fun with yesterday's "Remember When?" post, I decided to add some more today. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Memory Lane can be fun :-)

Remember when everybody in the car pitched in a buck and there was enough gas to cruise with your friends all weekend?

Remember when you would run through the lawn sprinkler on hot summer days?

Remember when you went to the corner store with a quarter and came out with a whole bag full of candy?

Remember when your mom sent you to the corner store with a note for her cigarettes and the storekeeper sold them to you because he KNEW they weren't for you? No? Maybe that was just me.

Remember when your dad smoked in the car with the windows UP? IN THE SUMMERTIME NO LESS! (This one courtesy of my wife)

Remember when your mom said, "Wait until your father gets home!", and there was a genuine reason to be scared out of your wits?

Remember when your dad gave you a sip of his beer and you felt like a big shot?

Remember when the needle on your record player broke and you had to wait weeks before you could listen to music again?

Remember when you played baseball in the backyard and there were bare spots in the grass where the bases and pitcher's mound were located?

Remember when you played touch football in the street and yelled, "CAR!"? It was everybody's responsibility to keep anyone from getting killed.

Remember when you sprayed your dad's cologne on a love note? I really THOUGHT that pretty girl would think I was a stud muffin!

Remember when you got that lump in your throat and the sheer terror that preceded asking a girl to dance?

Remember when you cheered your head off when you heard school was closed for a snow day?

Remember when you could eat anything and everything and it didn't make you look like a pregnant pear?

Remember when you thought your teacher lived at the school because she was there when you left and still there when you got back the next morning? Do you also remember when you were shocked when you heard your teacher had a husband and kids of her own?

Remember when you turned 18 and your dad was so excited because you could now drive to the store and buy his beer? (this was before the legal drinking age was 21). Maybe this one is just me too :-)

Remember when you thought your childhood friends would be your friends forever? Where are they now? Most of us probably have no idea!

Remember when you were first allowed to drive a car by yourself? The freedom was intoxicating!

Remember when you would fight with your siblings over who got the prize in the bottom of the cereal box? Remember when you first realized those prizes were a a bunch of JUNK?

Remember when you would buy a pack of baseball cards and you would rifle through them looking for Cincinnati Reds cards? Remember the smell of the bubble gum when you ripped the wax wrapper off?

Remember when you thought you were staying up really late when you heard, "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeere's JOHNNY!" followed by the Tonight Show theme?

Remember when your parents raided your piggy bank to buy a loaf of bread because there was too much week left at the end of the paycheck?

Remember when bullying consisted of someone saying, "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" on the playground as opposed to threatening to kill them on Facebook?

Remember when you drank from the garden hose on a hot day? There's nothing like that rubbery garden hose taste. There was probably some nasty stuff in that hose, but we didn't care!

Remember when you would catch lightning bugs and put them in a jar? We thought if we caught enough of them we could make a lantern. Were we really dumb enough to believe they would all light up at the same time?

Remember when?

I received news last night that a guy I went to school with passed away. He was younger than me (44 years old). I wasn't a friend of his and we weren't even acquaintances. My brother knew him better than me. He had a heart attack and died in the blink of an eye. This death is affecting me today. It's not because I feel like I've lost a close friend (although I do grieve for his family). It's because of the reminder of the brevity of our time on this earth. Hearing of a relatively young person dying is like cold water to the face. I guess you could say news like this causes me to be in a reflective mood. I am remembering things this morning that I thought I had forgotten forever. It's a strange place to be. However, I am also reminded that my treasure is not here on earth. My treasure is in heaven. My earthly home is temporary. A miniscule speck in the grand scheme of things. My time with my Heavenly Father will be forever.

BUT! That's not the reason for this post. I only posted that stuff above to kind of give you an idea of my frame of mind today.

Tami and I are in our late 40's. Not really that old, but old enough to realize that time is a strange thing. We talk all the time about how quickly the kids have grown up. How being married for almost 22 years has just flown by. How being grandparents quickly changed our lives (for the better). And generally how time seems to accelerate as you get older. Obviously time is constant. The only thing that changes is our perception of it. For example... Christmas comes on December 25th every year. When you are a kid it seems the wait for Christmas will never end. When you're an adult you can't believe Christmas is here already. The calendar didn't change... your brain did :-)

All this reflection about time has caused me to think:

Remember when the only time kids watched TV was Saturday morning cartoons and The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evening?

Remember when your mom told you to play outside and if you came inside you better be bleeding or dying?

Remember when you tattled on your younger siblings and you got in just as much trouble as they did?

Remember when summer days and nights used to go on forever? (Did you play Ghost in the Graveyard and Kick the can?)

Remember when you ate what mom cooked for supper or you didn't eat at all?

Remember when the phone was attached to the wall and all your parents ever said was. "GET OFF THE PHONE!"? Believe it or not there was a time when everybody DID NOT have a cell phone!

Remember when drinking pop was a rare treat? Remember when pop came in glass bottles?

Remember when staying home from school because you were sick was a big deal? Mom used to make me hot tea and Cream of Wheat (I felt so special!)

Remember when you had to listen to the radio ALL DAY in hopes of hearing your favorite song? There was a time when iPods did not exist!

Remember when you had a crush on that girl in school? Boy did she ever turn out differently than you expected! (and aren't you glad you didn't marry her?)

Remember when going out to eat was an unusual event? Dad used to take us to White Castle. We'd eat there and they had those cool jukeboxes hanging on the wall. We also had to crawl under the bathroom door because it cost a dime to pee. (Would you ever let your kids crawl on the floor of a public restroom? YUCK!)

Remember when your friend's mom could swat your bottom and your parents would applaud her and then beat your butt again for whatever it was you did?

Remember when your teacher could swat your bottom and your parents would applaud her and then beat your butt again for misbehaving at school?

Remember when getting an ice cream cone made it seem like you had died and gone to heaven?

Remember when going to Kings Island was like a vacation in itself? Season passes? Are you kidding me? We didn't even go every year!

Remember when your dad said he would stop the car and eliminate any problems in the back seat? (AND HE MEANT IT!!!!!)

Remember when your dad would call you from three rooms away and then tell you change the television channel?

Remember when staying up late was fun? Now if I make it past 10:00 I know there will be consequences tomorrow.

Remember when you got out of bed and felt like a million bucks? Now I wake up and wonder why my (fill in body part) hurts. Last night I hurt my shoulder picking up something off the floor.

Remember when you made fun of your grandpa for falling asleep and snoring in his easy chair? It's not so funny anymore. My recliner and I are very close friends now.

Remember when it was funny when your mom wanted to yell at you, but couldn't remember your name? It's not so funny now, is it?

Remember when going to the grocery store with your mom was like a field trip? Now I have to psych myself up to go to the grocery. (and all I do is complain about the prices while I'm there).

Remember when your parents' bedroom was the only air conditioned room in the whole house? And when it was really hot the kids got to sleep on the floor in their room? I'll let you figure out why that must have stunk for moms and dads.

Remember when you'd fight with the kids in the neighborhood and then you'd be best friends an hour later?

Remember when you carried a comb in your back pocket and thought you looked stylish with feathered hair and parachute pants?

Remember when you were mortified to go to school with a giant pimple on your face? Now I go out of the house without shaving, in sweat pants and t-shirt with holes in it. Who do I need to impress?

Remember when playing video games was a treat because you had to go the arcade and put quarters in the slot (and every hand-held device wasn't a portable arcade)? Remember when you always tried to get the high score on Pac-Man?

Remember when there was no smut on TV and everything was left to your teenage imagination?

Remember when networks interrupted regular programming it was for a really important reason? Now all news is "Breaking News!". And by the way... do you remember when there were 3 channels on TV and not 200?

Remember when you were a kid and you were jealous because the adults got to do all the fun stuff and didn't have to follow rules? Then you grew up and realized being an adult wasn't all it was cracked up to be? Kids today grow up too fast!

Remember when...........?????????

Looking Forward

Now that football season is over, there is not much to brighten up this dreary, dismal void in the calendar known as winter (Best granddaughter in the world excluded of course).

As I now look forward to spring and warmer temperatures, my attention is drawn to my real love in sports... baseball. More specifically my beloved Cincinnati Reds.

The masters of MEDIOCRITY

As expected... The Bengals LOST! This comes as absolutely no surprise. It's just more of the same. I'm not angry. I'm not upset. As a Bengals fan I have come to expect disappointment. It comes with the territory.

In my opinion there is a solution to the woes of this sad-sack team. Get rid of the head coach. Marvin Lewis has never won a playoff game. This is not a coincidence. The coach must go! As long as he's here, the Bengals will languish in mediocrity.

Stale?

Just like day old bread, a cheesy nightclub act or a bag of chips left open on the counter, I think the blog has gotten a little stale. I received some well intentioned, constructive criticism saying as much. I had to agree. There's only so much you can say about the best granddaughter in the whole world. Talking about holiday crafts and Christmas traditions will only carry me so far. Cincinnati sports teams are too depressing to make a steady diet of blog posts about them. My whining about the difficulties of working in public education are not entertaining to read. So I'd like to ask you folks, what would you like to see on the blog? I'm open to fresh and new ideas. I don't want anybody to get tired of reading this mush. Any thoughts?

Keep in mind I post something almost every day. I sometimes find myself with "Blogger's Block" (the online version of writer's block). Occasionally I struggle with a topic for the day. Let's face it... my life is NOT that exciting. I don't have something interesting to report every day, but I do my best.

So here's my attempt to try something different for today: You all are well aware of my newfound interest in some crafty projects. I have often posted photos of my successes. What you don't get to see is when a project or idea flops. Trust me, it happens. Last night I happened upon a humorous website called "Pinstrosity". It's a site dedicated to all the failed projects people have tried from Pinterest. I guess it's a cross between Pinterest and monstrosity. Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Here's what the cake is supposed to look like:

Here's the fail:

Pretty Candles, huh?

These? Not so much...

We're waiting!

The last time a Cincinnati team won a championship was 1990. That's when the Reds last won the World Series. I had just finished college and had just begun my first year of teaching.

I often wonder what it must be like to live in a city where teams win titles with regularity. How easy it must be to be a fan of teams where winning is the rule and not the exception.

Here's some perspective. This data was taken from one of my favorite Cincinnati sports guys.

It has been 8,034 days since the last playoff win for the Bengals.
That's 21 years, 11 months and 30 days.
It has been 6,301 days since the last playoff series win for the Reds.
That's 17 years, 2 months, and 30 days.

Suckered in.... Again!

The Bengals have done it again. They've drawn me into being interested in their season. I have tried to distance myself from them, but they keep pulling me back. Darn you, Bengals! After winning 7 of their last 8 games, they've played their way into the playoffs. Saturday afternoon the Bengals will attempt to win their first playoff game since 1990. That's before Tami and I were married. Michael and Abby weren't even thought of and Jessi was in Kindergarten. That's a long time since their last playoff victory. Oh sure, they've been to the playoffs several times since 1990, but lost in the first round every time. Will this year be different? I seriously doubt it. However, by late Saturday night I will either be really happy the Bengals finally won a playoff game or I will be kicking myself for being sucked into a false sense of hope by the Bungles... AGAIN!

Can I get a "Who Dey"?

I won't complain

I had a nearly 2 week Christmas vacation. Most people don't get that kind of time off during the holidays. I am truly thankful for it.

I'm not going to complain, but coming back to school after being off was difficult. How many people do you know who are happy to go back to work after vacation? I don't care who you are... it's never easy to get back to the grind.

Welcome back to the pressure cooker- Version 2013.

I can't do it... yet.

I know it's time. I know I should do it. I just can't bring myself to do it.... yet.

I'm talking about my Christmas decorations. I don't want to take them down. It has been such a wonderful Christmas season, I just don't want it to end. I know as soon as I take everything down, the house will be kind of plain and there will be nothing but a long, dreary winter staring me in the face. As long as my decorations are up, it feels like I'm still on vacation. But tomorrow I go back to work and I must concede the holidays are over. The decorations will come down within the week and I will start dealing with my PCTSD (Post Christmas Traumatic Stress Disorder), more commonly known as the winter blahs.

The outside lights may stay up for a while. They will not come down until the weather warms up a little bit. The inside decorations? I am only delaying the inevitable :-(

Cliche', Cliche', Cliche'

I'm not much for New Years resolutions, but I did make one this year. It's the same cliche' resolution millions of people make every year. Weight Loss. I don't want to be a fat Goppa any more. Therefore the diet starts this week and when Baby Morton gets here I will be much skinnier. I will not be posting weekly weight loss updates on this blog. How boring would it be to hear me say, "Hey everybody! I lost 2 pounds this week. Woohoo!" Nah... that's not how I operate.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2013 is going to be a great year.