Photo Bomb!

You know what a photo bomb is, right? A person sneaks into the background of somebody else's photo. It's gotten to be quite the trend. Apparently all the kids are doing it. Even Elliott is photo bombing and he hasn't even reached his first birthday yet.

He are a few examples, then the last photo is Elliott's photo bomb.

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today would have been my Dad's 71st birthday. Considering he passed away at 47, it really hits home how long he has been gone.

Days like this I really miss him. I wish he could have seen my wonderful marriage, all his grandkids and even his great grandkids. But it was not in God's plan for Dad to be around for all that stuff. God's ways are perfect and mine are not.

Soli' Deo Gloria!

He stepped in it!

You know you've stepped in it when the Supreme Court of The United States rules unanimously against you. This week the highest court in the land ruled 9-0 that President Obama overreached his authority in issuing executive orders. Mr. Obama has decided to ignore the constitution and the system of checks and balances in order to exert his will. The system outlined in the constitution is called the balance of power for a reason. It keeps any branch of government from being more powerful than the other two. Obama has decided he doesn't like that arrangement and has taken matters into his own hands. Thankfully the Supreme Court said, "Whoa! Hold on there, Slick! Not so fast! You can't skirt Congress and The Supreme Court to do whatever you want!". I still don't have much hope for this nation, but at least The Supreme Court made a statement this week. At least it's something!

Down then up

My niece's fiancee is in the Marines and is on leave this week. We had a cookout/pool party at our house today in his honor. The day's weather forecast was not favorable and I had my doubts about the pool party portion of the day. True to the predictions, the rain chased us out of the pool for a short time. Later in the afternoon the skies cleared and the pool party went on as planned. It was a great day of family fun, burgers, dogs, splishing and splashing. This is what summer's all about!

20,000

Silence Runs Deep reached another milestone today. 20,000 page views. Twenty Thousand!

I am flabbergasted. I am flattered. I am honored. I am in disbelief that people would read this blog for nearly three years. I honestly feel there is nothing of redeeming value in my posts and I am shocked that people would read my ramblings on a daily basis.

On a serious note --- Thank you all for taking time to check in. If I can bring a smile to your face or have you pause in a moment of reflection, then all my writing efforts are worth it. This blog is a labor of love and like I always say... If you keep reading, I'll keep writing.

Soli' Deo Gloria!

I joined the Mob

I joined the Mob. No, not the mafia, but The Shave Mob. More about that in a minute.

Make no mistake, folks. These are hard economic times. The price of everything is through the roof and wages are either stagnant or increasing at a much slower rate than the cost of living. The plain truth is it is tough out there. These hard times have caused me to look for ways to cut back on spending. One area I found I could trim some fat was shaving. I have a tough beard and cheap-o disposable razors just don't do the trick for me. Many years ago I discovered the joys of the Gillette Mach 3. It is a well-made, 3 blade cartridge on a quality handle. It gives me a great shave, but the cartridges have become so expensive ($3-$4 each). Considering the cartridges last about a week (usually less for me), I quickly realized I needed to search for alternatives. I tried an electric razor and it wasn't any good. Those only work for guys with wimpy beards. I tried higher end disposables and those weren't any better. I decided I needed something comparable to the Mach 3 only at a fraction of the cost.

First I looked into the Dollar Shave Club. They had really nice blade cartridges at really low prices. This seemed promising until I realized it was a subscription service. This means they bill you monthly when they send you new blades for that month. I said no thanks to that. I like to buy stuff on an "as needed" basis. Then I looked into a place called The Shave Mob. They had similar blade cartridges comparable to the price of Dollar Shave Club. What set The Shave Mob apart was there was no subscription. You make an initial order and then order replacement blades when you need them, not when some company decides to send you more. I was sold. I placed my order last week. I got a handle and 12 blade cartridges for $17.99. No tax and free shipping. 12 Mach 3 blades would run $40-$50. My new shaving supplies arrived yesterday. Luckily I was sporting a pretty decent five o'clock shadow, so I decided to give my new razor a test run. In a matter of moments the verdict was in... SMOOTH! A nice, close shave. I think I hit a home run with this one. These 12 blades will probably last me close to a year (I also sharpen my disposable blades). Over the long haul I will save a pretty penny with The Shave Mob.

Here's a bit more... The Mob sells 3 or 4 different types of cartridges, so they probably have something similar to what you use now. All the cartridges fit one handle so you can order different types without having to get a whole new handle. I know there are some ladies who read this blog. I haven't forgotten you in this post. The Shave Mob also sells razors for ladies. I don't know much about them, but they look similar to the expensive Venus or Daisy razors you see in retail stores. Ladies, same deal as the men. I know your blade cartridges aren't cheap. I guarantee The Shave Mob will save you money and I don't think you have to sacrifice on the quality of your shave.

Here's the bottom line --- I HIGHLY recommend looking into The Shave Mob. I truly believe you won't be sorry. Why not save a few bucks. I think I've hit on something good here. Give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

Click here for The Shave Mob

USA! USA! USA!

I have made several posts about the World Cup. I have made it well known that I am not a big soccer fan, but do have a casual interest in the spectacle of the event.

My brother on the other hand is a soccer nut. You'll recall his daughter, Mary, won the state soccer championship in high school. I guess you could say they have always been a soccer family.

There was a viewing party on Fountain Square today for the World Cup game that had the United States battling Germany. My brother and his two daughters were in attendance. Here they are:

Lipstick on a pig?

You can only put things off for so long. Today I tackled a few home maintenance issues that were long overdue. I painted the back doors leading to the deck and the wooden frames around both garage doors. Honestly, I'm no painter, but I was able to apply multiple coats of paint without getting any on me or any other surface that wasn't supposed to be painted. It was quite a miracle actually. It's amazing what some fresh paint can do. It's a little bit like putting lipstick on a pig, but I must say the house is markedly improved in its appearance.

After the painting was finished, I was not too awfully tired and I was motivated to do some more chores. I was finally able to get some weeding done. That task had been neglected far too long and the jungle needed to be tamed. Mission accomplished.

Tomorrow more yard work and household chores. This is like spring cleaning only about three months late :-) The place is getting spruced up and I'm enjoying the work :-)

The solution

Somebody posted a good solution to the Luis Suarez biting problem. I think it could work. Tell him to wear it or he can't play.

I found it!

I found it! The retirement house I have always dreamed of! It has everything I always wanted in my lake house. Two garages for my boat(s). A dock (complete with ladder) for relaxing, swimming or fishing. The second story wrap-around porch (perfect for watching sunrises, sunsets and thunderstorms that roll across the lake). The beautiful windows and doors that overlook the serene, gorgeous waters of the lake. The beautiful wooded setting that offers much desired privacy. Oh if only...

I know, I know. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife (or in this case thy neighbor's lake house). I am not saying for a moment that I have any delusions of grandeur of ever having something like this. I am satisfied with my life and everything that I have. Perhaps this would be a place I could go on vacation when I retire and rent it for a week or two (or three or four :-)

Honestly I just like looking at pretty things. I hope whoever owns this slice of paradise acknowledges the blessing that has been bestowed upon them and Who they should be thanking for having such things.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Watch out. He bites!

Yesterday I mentioned the World Cup. Today in the "Truth is stranger than fiction" category we find a bizarre incident in the match between Uruguay and Italy. Near the end of the match, Uruguay's Luis Suarez came up behind a defender from Italy and bit him on the shoulder. That's right, folks... Suarez BIT him. The funny thing is this isn't the first time he's done this. It's not the second time either... it's his third! Why on earth one soccer player would bite another is beyond me. It totally defies explanation. I thought about it and could only come up with one possible explanation... maybe Suarez was hungry and was in the mood for Italian. Sorry, I couldn't resist :-)

The Golden Arches

It's amazing the power an icon or trademark can have. Look no further than McDonald's Golden Arches. Everybody (and I do mean EVERYBODY) knows what those arches represent. Even my 11 month old grandson has learned what they mean. We were babysitting Elliott for a little while today and decided to feed him some lunch. We pulled into the the McDonalds parking lot and before we said a word about eating, Elliott said, "Na Na!". For Elliott, Na Na means food. Any time he sees food or wants to eat, he says, "Na Na!". I'm guessing this word has its beginnings in the word banana. Elliott loves bananas. Anyway, Tami and I were amazed that Elliott spied the Golden Arches and knew exactly why we were there. Let me tell you, folks, the boy LOVES LOVES LOVES to eat. He ate 4 chicken nuggets and a small order of fries. He ate some chunks off the bun of my hamburger too. I have no doubt if we hadn't already eaten everything, Elliott would have continued to eat. The kid is bottomless I tell you! I can only imagine how much he is going to eat when he's a teenager.

The World Cup

I'm not a soccer fan (that's futbol to everybody else in the world). I admit it was fun watching my niece's team win the Ohio state championship a few years ago and I used to enjoy watching my brother play in high school. Other than that, I've never paid too much attention to the sport.

Now, if you're a sports fan at all, you are probably aware that the World Cup tournament is being played in Brazil right now. I confess at least a casual interest in the event. Not so much because I like soccer, but because of the spectacle of the whole thing. Most fans around the world are CRAZED. You think NFL football fans are nuts? They are amateurs compared to soccer fans around the world. I enjoy the sense of patriotism that goes along with watching the U.S. Mens National Team play, but I certainly am not a rabid fan as many others are. I admire the skill these men have in making a soccer ball do things that seem to defy the laws of physics. I admire the speed and agility displayed during these games, uh I mean matches. I marvel at the endurance it must take to run around such a large field for so long. However, I have difficulty watching a game with so few legitimate shots on goal and even fewer goals scored. The worst thing is the display of fake falling and feigned injury when a player gets bumped by an opponent (commonly known as flopping).

But for now I will take it for what it is... much like the Olympics, it's a worldwide competition that happens every four years. It's not the greatest event in sports, but it beats pulling weeds and watching the grass grow.

Much ado about nothing!

I have the reputation of being quite the grill master. This is really much ado about nothing. People rave over my grilled burgers, chicken and steaks. They say they couldn't grill like I do. I say thanks for the accolades, but they are really not deserved. If people knew how easy grilling actually was, they wouldn't be so quick with their compliments. In fact, I'm worried that somebody will eventually find out how simple it is and expose me for the phony grill master I am. Until then I will continue cooking my grilled deliciousness and let people believe I have some special skill. The joke's on them!

Vacation?

The last I checked I was on summer break. Vacation. Honestly, it feels like almost anything but vacation. At least in the sense of working a lot and getting up early. Mind you, I'm not complaining. Far from it. I'm very busy, but it's a different kind of busy. Things promise to ease up soon though. There is plenty of vacation time remaining and I intend to make the most of it. I'm not looking for sympathy. This is a just a simple observation of how time off can quickly fill up with the busy-ness of life.

Sorry my post was so short today. You probably already guessed. It was a busy day.

Parallel Parking

I've been told I'm a good teacher. Whether that's true or not is irrelevant. The point of this post is to ask a question. Have you ever had to teach somebody to do something you've done a thousand times, but had difficulty explaining how to do it? My example is parallel parking. I can probably parallel park in my sleep, but when I recently had to teach Abby how to do it, I had no idea what to tell her. As I attempted in vain to put into words the steps of parallel parking, Abby tried in futility to back a car into a space without hitting another car, hitting the curb or ending up four feet from the curb. After several failed attempts I had her get in the passenger seat while I demonstrated the method. Even then, as I backed the car perfectly into position, I had trouble explaining what I was doing. It's kind of like riding a bike. You can do it without even thinking about it, but try putting it into words. Not so easy, is it? Anyway, we practiced parallel parking a lot in preparation for her big test.

As part of her driving test Abby had to parallel park. Admittedly she said the car was crooked in the space, but I guess she did enough to satisfy the examiner. In the end, Abby won't win any awards or get any style points for her parallel parking. But I don't guess it matters anyway. I think the skill is becoming unnecessary for the most part. Think back... when was the last time you parallel parked your car? How many times have you done it this week? This month? This year? That's right, your answer is probably, "none". The skill is basically becoming extinct and I don't really worry about Abby's parallel parking skills. I'm more concerned about many other skills first... like not running into anything and keeping the car between the lines.

Stay OFF the road!

Get off the road and stay off the road! Abby passed her road test today and got her drivers license. The goose is loose and the beast is unleashed! Naw, just kidding. She's a fine driver, but just a bit inexperienced. We were all there at one time, right?

Abby has been told and she is fully aware that just because she has her license, it does not mean she has free reign with the car. For a while, her solo runs will be short jaunts. She will drive to work, the local movie theater or maybe the grocery store. As she gains more experience, she will be permitted to make longer trips. We'll slowly work her up to having unlimited access to the car. In the meantime, watch out for a little Honda Civic tooling around the Lawrenceburg area. You may want to give her a little bit of leeway.

In all seriousness, folks... Pray for Abby and pray for us. It's nerve wracking to allow your child to take off in a car alone. Pray for her safety and pray that we make good judgements about her driving privileges.

Driving Miss Abby

Please pray for Abby as she takes her road test tomorrow. If she passes the test, she will earn her drivers license. In the event she does earn her drivers license.... GOD HELP US ALL!

Radio Shack Part 2

In yesterday's post I failed to mention that my in-laws owned a Radio Shack store in Lawrenceburg back in the 70's. They operated a reputable business for many years and even had the distinction of selling one of the first computers in Dearborn County history. Radio Shack sold the TRS 80 (affectionately nicknamed the Trash 80). Long before computers had hard drives or floppy discs, they stored their information on cassette tapes using a tape recorder. The TRS 80 was just such a computer. At the time it seemed like a marvel of technology, but now it's the most ancient of dinosaurs where computers are concerned. Remember when computers looked like this?

Radio Shack

Back in the 70's and 80's, there was really only one place to shop for your electronics needs. If you wanted batteries, a radio, speakers, a tape recorder, calculators, phones and even computers, the place to shop was Radio Shack. There were no other alternatives. Obviously as electronics became a fixture in America, other places opened up, but back in the day Radio Shack was the only game in town. As time went along Radio Shack became very expensive in order to try and compete with the larger electronics outlets. In the end they priced themselves right out of the market. Radio Shack stores around the nation are closing down at a rapid rate. It's not really surprising as Radio Shack failed to keep up with the times.

I'm not a fan of David Letterman, but he did say something funny a few nights ago. He quipped, "Radio Shack stores are closing around the U.S. because nobody goes in there anymore. This surprises me because I go into Radio Shack all the time... to ask directions to Best Buy!".

The beginning of the end

Well, it's all over now! It's the beginning of the end for the Morton Parents. Young Elliott has just about figured out how to escape the bonds of the baby gates. It's only a matter of days before Elliott scales these barriers and has full run of the house. He can't even walk yet, but he is not far from his first steps. Just picture it... Elliott walking around the house and scaling baby gates at will. LET THE FUN BEGIN!

Here it comes!

Here it comes! Right on cue! Summer officially begins in four days. However, the 90 degree temperatures arrive today and are supposed to stick around awhile. The pool is ready and looks mighty refreshing! Stop over for a swim. It's the best way to beat the heat. It's going to be hot and humid, but you won't hear me complain. I whine all winter about the ice and snow, so I welcome the hot weather.

Speaking of hot weather and beating the heat... We've got the freezer all stocked up with popsicles for the grandkids. Think we have enough?

Just kidding. That's not really our freezer. If it was really OUR freezer, there would be some ice cream mixed in there :-)

ZOINKS!

I am not one to worship celebrities. In fact, I steer clear of anything labeled Celebrity News or Celebrity Gossip. The truth is, I just don't care. I don't intend that to sound mean or cold, but I know these people put their pants on one leg at a time, just like I do. Most of the time these so-called celebrities show themselves to be pretty dumb. If you follow Twitter, then you know what I'm talking about.

With all that being said, that doesn't mean I don't miss the work of a celebrity after they pass away. For example, Michael Jackson died way too young. I wasn't a huge fan, but he did have some good songs from back in my heyday.  There are certain actors who did great movies and I miss their body of work. Paul Newman, Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston etc... I guess I'm getting old and have gotten more sentimental and nostalgic lately. I was saddened yesterday when I heard of the passing of Casey Kasem. Not because I admired Casey as a man or celebrity (although I have read that he was a nice guy), but because he represented the source of some good memories from my youth. First as the voice of Shaggy from the Scooby Doo cartoons (that was back when cartoons were of high quality and fun to watch). Who among us can't hear Shaggy yelling, "ZOINKS!" or "Like, wow, Scoob! I could sure go for a sandwich!"?  Second as the host of the weekly radio program American Top 40. I'll never forget Sunday afternoons as a teenager. We'd drive around in the car trying to pick up chicks (somehow I never succeeded :-) and we'd listen to Casey "count 'em down". There is something about hearing his voice (they still run AT 40 reruns to this day) that just takes me back to a simpler time in my life. I won't miss Casey as a guy. I never met him and never really cared to. But I will miss him telling me to keep my feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars.

I guess the point here is I won't miss Casey as a celebrity. I will miss the feelings of my fleeting youth that go along with hearing him on the radio.

Fathers Day

Okay... let's get this settled right now. What is the proper way to write what today is? Is it....

1. Father's Day
2. Fathers' Day
3. Fathers Day

Choice 1 indicates single possessive- A day belonging to one father
Choice 2 indicates plural possessive- A day belonging to many fathers
Choice 3 indicates a straight plural with no possessive- A day for all fathers

So? Which is it? I'm voting for choice 3, but would love to hear your opinion.

Anyway, I can't let this day pass without thinking of my dad. As you know, he died at the age of 47 years and 2 months. I've already surpassed that mark and it blows me away to think about how short my dad's life really was, I miss him terribly and wish he could have lived to see his grandkids and great-grandkids. He would have been so proud!

Anyway, I want to wish all you guys a happy fathers day once again. It's a high calling being a dad. Answer that call today, gentlemen. You have no idea how long you will be on this earth. Cherish every moment with your kids and grandkids.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to all you proud papas out there!

Remember--- Any man can be a father. It takes a REAL man to be a Dad! Real men love the Lord, put the family first and provide for them no matter the cost.

All work and no play

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Gee, that saying sure goes way back! However, there IS a lot of truth in it. In this case, all work and no play makes Mick a dull boy.

For most of my adult life I have either worked a second job during the school year or worked a summer job when school was out (sometimes I even did both). This summer for the first time in a long while, I am not working a summer job. My dear, sweet, wonderful wife suggested I help her with the estate sale business instead of working for someone else. She didn't have to twist my arm. Today I finished the third estate sale with her and had a great time. I get to spend time with my family (Michael, Lisa and Abby helped out yesterday), and I get to help Tami grow her new business. Everybody wins!

Now we get some time off before the next sale. We will take some well-deserved time to relax and plan on enjoying some summer fun.

Business is good!

Tami had another estate sale today. She worked hard for many days preparing for the sale and today that hard work paid off. She sold a ton of merchandise and will sell a lot more tomorrow. To say her business to this point is a success would be an understatement. She has another sale scheduled soon and several others are on the horizon. This has proven to be a business that has tapped into a market that was previously untapped. There are other estate sale businesses around,  but they are large and only take on relatively big jobs. Tami's business is designed to fulfill the needs of the smaller players in the estate sale game.  It seems Tami has found her niche and it appears that the market for her services is there as long as she chooses to capitalize on it. Business is GOOD!

An incredible offer

I have spent much of the last two days raving about a website called Queen City Discovery. A freelance photographer named Ronny Salerno photographs and tells the story of interesting abandoned places around the Greater Cincinnati area.

Ronny is not chopped liver. Here are his credentials:

Ronny Salerno is a freelance photographer based out of Cincinnati, OH. A graduate of Northern Kentucky University, he specializes in editorial, commercial, event and fine art photography. His editorial work has been featured with ABC News, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Dayton Daily News, City Beat, The Cincinnati Business Courier and The Big Picture 

Well, I was so impressed with the website, I sent Ronny an e-mail praising his photojournalistic work. I also informed him of my metal detecting hobby and asked him if he ever considered the hidden history and treasures that lay inches below the ground of the sites he explored. I was thrilled when I received the following reply from him:

Dear Mick,

Thanks for writing to me and for checking out QC/D. That website has been a labor of love the past couple of years and at times it's hard to stick with it, so when I get emails like yours I really appreciate it. It's nice to know that so many other people out there appreciate this area's history. 

When I was a kid, I begged my parents for a metal detector, but never got one. I think your use of one would make an awesome story. Maybe we could go check out a site, have lunch and I could interview you about some things you've found? 

Wow! How cool is that? I may get interviewed by this guy and he may do a story on me. I am honored and flattered. This could turn into something really neat. I can't wait! 

Cool Website

Here's the link to that cool website I was telling you about. This local guy, Ronny Salerno, goes around to abandoned places, photographs them and tells the story behind them. If you're interested in this sort of thing, check it out.
Queen City Discovery

Photo Montage

Back in the day there were 2 amusement parks in northern Cincinnati. Lesourdesville Lake (later known as Americana) and a kiddy park next door called Fantasy Farm. I have fond memories of both parks. These parks were in operation before Kings Island opened in 1972 and filled the void left when Coney Island closed (only to be reopened later). These two parks were not like the mega parks in operation today. They were smaller, simpler and tons of fun in their own right. In the old days we didn't need super-ultra thrill rides to have fun. These two parks offered plenty of opportunities for fun without flipping you upside down, sending you down a hill at over 100 MPH, scaring the pants off you or overstimulating your senses. It was okay though. We didn't feel we were missing anything or as if anything was lacking. Those were definitely the days.

The following photos are what both parks look like today. Kind of sad, but FASCINATING!

Abandoned!

I have always been fascinated with abandoned places. Maybe it's my love for history or maybe it's my yearning for the simpler times of the good ol' days. Whatever the case, these places that time has seemingly forgotten interest me a great deal.

The country is littered with abandoned amusement parks, drive-in theaters, factories, shopping malls, restaurants, miniature golf courses, houses and a plethora of other locations. Places that used to be bustling with life now sit empty, boarded up, crumbling and overgrown with weeds. In some of these places, it looks like the owners walked away leaving things exactly as they always were (like they expected to return the next day). In other cases places were prepared for closing and steps were taken before the place was left behind. Some particular places of interest in Cincinnati that have been abandoned are Americana Amusement Park, Fantasy Farm Amusement Park, Surf Cincinnati Water Park, The Beach Water Park (now reopened), numerous drive-in theaters, Swifton Commons shopping center, Seymour Plaza shopping center, Forest Fair Mall (Still open, but should be considered all but abandoned), Stearns and Foster mattress factory in Lockland (along with many other abandoned factories), and infinite numbers of abandoned restaurants and houses.

Why all this talk about abandoned places? Because I stumbled upon a fascinating website. It shows dozens of places in the Greater Cincinnati area that have been abandoned. The author photographs these places and writes articles explaining the history of the location, how it came to be abandoned and what is going on with the location today.

Here's a sample of what I'm talking about.

The Bumper Boat Pool at Surf Cincinnati

The Waterfront Restaurant

Abandoned Putt-Putt Golf and Games

Ghost Ship near Lawrenceburg, Indiana (separate post on this later)

Ride cars--- Americana- Middletown, OH

Screechin' Eagle roller coaster--- Americana

Belle of Lesourdesville--- Replica steam boat---- Americana (Formerly Lesourdesville Lake)

Daddy Day Care

When I was a young buck, I would follow Tami anywhere. Whether she was my girlfriend, my fiancee' or my wife... It didn't matter, I would go anywhere just to be with her. Proof of this point would be evidenced by the number of times I followed her to the mall. I hate shopping and I especially hate the mall. Tami must have been something special for me to go shopping with her. Early in our relationship I would wander behind her as she tried on clothes and shopped for hours in what seemed like every store in the whole mall. After we were married I still followed her to the mall (What can I say? Love makes a man do strange things), but my wonderful wife was tuned into my miserableness. Knowing I was only at the mall to be with her, Tami would often tell me to go to one of the restaurants, have a beverage and watch the ball game on TV. I know what you're thinking... "If Tami is shopping and you are watching the game, you're not together anyway. Why not just stay home?". Good question, and here's the simple answer. We are together in the car going to AND from the mall. We also have dinner at the restaurant when she's finished shopping. It sure beats waiting at home. Make sense?

The photo below came from a restaurant called The Gazebo. The owners of this establishment obviously have things figured out. By the way, a creche is a fancy name for a day care center. An adult day care center for the fathers at the mall. Brilliant!