Friday, June 19, 2009
A day late and a run short
You guessed it - we battled it out tooth & nail with "Haircuts by Lorie" in the championship game, but in the end - came up 1 run short. Excitement and tension were the rule for the day. We shut them out in the first inning and scored 3 ourselves. Then they went ahead by 2, then we went ahead by 2. Kayli pitched 3 strong innings & Nikki 2. Nikki caught 2 rocket line drives right back at her but just couldn't get the double play on the base runner. Christy, playing 3rd base for the 1st time this year caught a tough pop-up/fly ball behind her. Adrianna made a nice running shoetop catch in right field. We went into the home half of the last inning needing 2 runs to tie & 3 to win and our bottom 2 batters up - then the top of the order. Having pre-arranged it with the other teams coach who graciously agreed, Kayla - our girl who broke her finger two days before (catching a fly ball) would be allowed to pinch run for whichever girl got on base first. That was Sam - who had hit the best ball of the year (for her) and got a single. Kayla stole her way to 3rd base and scored on Kayli's line drive to center. Taryn crushed a drive to the out field - but Kayli had to hestitate making sure it fell in, and stopped at 3rd as the potential tieing run. Our two biggest hitters were coming up to face the fastest pitcher in the league. All we needed was one ground ball or one wild pitch to tie the game, and she had been throwing plenty of them. Instead, she bore down and struck out both Alex & Adrianna (we didn't even luck out with a dropped strike 3) and the best game of the season was over - a day late and a run short.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Another Saturday Night and I ain't got nobody
except for "Dick Arranjo and the Travellers" and a room where I'm known as 'the young guy"!Friday, May 29, 2009
A glorious week and great company
a little better all the time........
last friday - beautiful weather - and Joe's birthday, so we made him skip school (he was very tentative about the idea, but bought into it quickly), I took a vacation day, and Sue turned down a "Sub" request. We loaded up the bikes and headed to Falmouth and the Shining Sea Bike Path. We had also planned to visit the Childrens Museum in Mashpee, but Joe decided it was such nice weather that we should stay out in it longer - so we pedaled and walked and explored a bird sactuary along the way and investigated shells near the Trunk River. A glorious day with great company!
Saturday - we did some basic yard work and house cleaning, and in the evening recruited friends Mark & Maureen for a canl-side walk followed by drinks & appetizers & a good band (with a great young female singer, and an excellent Berklee grad type guitarist. A glorious day with great company.
Sunday - family day (minus Corey & Mary & Yon) - and we decided to risk the depressing weather reports and trek up Mt Monadnock. Along about the NH border I was feeling & hearing an unusual noise/vibration from the van, which turned into a steady thumping noise that everybody heard. We pulled into the State park parking lot and checked the front tire, discovering it was on the verge of major blow-out (it might not have lasted one more mile). Jamie - my budding mechanic - was eager to get the jack & spare and get to work, so while he & I changed tires, the rest of the gang ate lunch. Then we headed up hill on foot. Tim & Joe were gung-ho and were given permission to hike on ahead. Julie & Jamie were struggling, so I sent Sue & Nikki off ahead and I held back with the out-of-shape high schoolers. Tim & Joe made the peak, Sue and Nikki stopped at the junction of the White Dot (up) trail and the White Cross (down) trail and waited for us slow pokes. They both could have made the top - almost visible from the intersection (but fogged in) but chose to sit & rest & wait from us to catch up. Shortly after we did, the boys came down and met us - so we all headed down. Aside from a few high pulse rates and one fall on the rocks (Joe, horsing around) all went well and unusually chearfully. A glorious day and great company.
Monday - Memorial Day - tons of work accomplished (for upcoming Grad Party) and people left me alone. (also translates into a glorious day).
Tuesday - Joe's evening baseball game, sitting in the van by the right field fence - a glorious lazy way to spend an hour & a half.
Wednesday - our softball game was supposed to be rained out, but the weather held off and the girls played quite well, pulled off a few very good defensive plays (followed strategic instructions and were rewarded by the results) and despite two runners thrown out at home plate (one give credit to the opposing catcher how perfectly blocked the plate, caught the throw and made the tag - and one were Antonia actually made a picture perfect slide under the tag but the ump was out of position and blew the call) we came from behind and won the game. A glorious day and great company.
Thursday - virtually uneventful (other than Joe getting "benched" at his tack meet - it's hard to sit, behave, and watch for 3 hours while waiting your turn to run) and sue was out doing yoga with my sister and then drinks/snacks with play-people. For her at least, great company.
Today (friday) - amazingly nothing on the calendar for Sue & I, only two children home, so Friday's for supper followed by doing NOTHING (interupted by picking up Nikki, then Julie). Talk about a glorious day and great company!!!
last friday - beautiful weather - and Joe's birthday, so we made him skip school (he was very tentative about the idea, but bought into it quickly), I took a vacation day, and Sue turned down a "Sub" request. We loaded up the bikes and headed to Falmouth and the Shining Sea Bike Path. We had also planned to visit the Childrens Museum in Mashpee, but Joe decided it was such nice weather that we should stay out in it longer - so we pedaled and walked and explored a bird sactuary along the way and investigated shells near the Trunk River. A glorious day with great company!
Saturday - we did some basic yard work and house cleaning, and in the evening recruited friends Mark & Maureen for a canl-side walk followed by drinks & appetizers & a good band (with a great young female singer, and an excellent Berklee grad type guitarist. A glorious day with great company.
Sunday - family day (minus Corey & Mary & Yon) - and we decided to risk the depressing weather reports and trek up Mt Monadnock. Along about the NH border I was feeling & hearing an unusual noise/vibration from the van, which turned into a steady thumping noise that everybody heard. We pulled into the State park parking lot and checked the front tire, discovering it was on the verge of major blow-out (it might not have lasted one more mile). Jamie - my budding mechanic - was eager to get the jack & spare and get to work, so while he & I changed tires, the rest of the gang ate lunch. Then we headed up hill on foot. Tim & Joe were gung-ho and were given permission to hike on ahead. Julie & Jamie were struggling, so I sent Sue & Nikki off ahead and I held back with the out-of-shape high schoolers. Tim & Joe made the peak, Sue and Nikki stopped at the junction of the White Dot (up) trail and the White Cross (down) trail and waited for us slow pokes. They both could have made the top - almost visible from the intersection (but fogged in) but chose to sit & rest & wait from us to catch up. Shortly after we did, the boys came down and met us - so we all headed down. Aside from a few high pulse rates and one fall on the rocks (Joe, horsing around) all went well and unusually chearfully. A glorious day and great company.
Monday - Memorial Day - tons of work accomplished (for upcoming Grad Party) and people left me alone. (also translates into a glorious day).
Tuesday - Joe's evening baseball game, sitting in the van by the right field fence - a glorious lazy way to spend an hour & a half.
Wednesday - our softball game was supposed to be rained out, but the weather held off and the girls played quite well, pulled off a few very good defensive plays (followed strategic instructions and were rewarded by the results) and despite two runners thrown out at home plate (one give credit to the opposing catcher how perfectly blocked the plate, caught the throw and made the tag - and one were Antonia actually made a picture perfect slide under the tag but the ump was out of position and blew the call) we came from behind and won the game. A glorious day and great company.
Thursday - virtually uneventful (other than Joe getting "benched" at his tack meet - it's hard to sit, behave, and watch for 3 hours while waiting your turn to run) and sue was out doing yoga with my sister and then drinks/snacks with play-people. For her at least, great company.
Today (friday) - amazingly nothing on the calendar for Sue & I, only two children home, so Friday's for supper followed by doing NOTHING (interupted by picking up Nikki, then Julie). Talk about a glorious day and great company!!!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Fear of Bunting
No – not the patriotic red-white-&-blue flag-like bunting that you see on the sides of buildings around certain holidays. I’m talking about that terrifying moment when the batter squares off to face the pitcher, bat held horizontal, ready to intentionally bump into the ball, making it drop to the ground a few feet in front of home plate (which is, by the way, about as far as some girls hit it with a full swing).
We have been practicing bunting almost every practice session. For some reason the girls hate the idea and are scared to death of the whole prospect. So last Friday, before the game started and before I had to leave to Tiverton to play in the band, I told the whole team that in Tuesdays game EVERY batter would be given the bunt sign (note picture: this is my bunt sign! it seemed appropriate, hard to miss, and hard to mistake), at least once during EVERY time they got to bat. Apparently they all spent a very sleepless weekend! The night of the dreaded game came, and I reminded them all that they would ALL indeed have to try to bunt. I even went and told the opposing coach of my plan so he wouldn’t think I was pulling some cheap ploy against his team, but that it was simply a cheap psychological ploy against my own players. He loved the idea, though it was great. I let the umpire in on the plan, and he happily advised various ones along the way about not stepping out of the batters box, and pulling the bat back if they are NOT going to try for that particular pitch. I was going to be happy if about half of the girls actually squared up into the proper bunting pose even once, and if anyone had set an over/under gamble at 3 total balls actually bunted I would have probably bet on the ‘under’. I figure the first step in overcoming their fear was to simply have them mentally prep for the attempt – get used to looking for the sign, and hopefully, eventually, as the season progressed, to get more at ease with the actual physical technique and maybe even have occasional success. The end result? About half of the at-bats, no spectator/opposing player/opposing coach would have been able to tell you which pitch was the one they were supposed to be bunting on. Many of the attempts were half-hearted at best. They squared up (if you could call it that) much too late – when the pitch was half way to the plate instead of before the pitcher let go of the ball. After the first time through the whole lineup, I told them that if they simply made a good attempt, they wouldn’t have to do it any more that day (anything to boost their motivation level). In the end, three successful bunts were put down (successful in the fact that they WERE put down, not that they reached base safely – which none did). Hopefully we will do better next game, and eventually it will be no big deal.
Oh yeah – by the way – we won the game 11-10, not by executing a perfect suicide squeeze bunt, but because we were fortunate enough to go into our at bat in the bottom of the last inning tied, with our best three hitters scheduled to bat, and the coach being wise enough to let them swing away – which they were thrilled to do, getting three straight hits to push the winning run across the plate. Now they are feeling pretty good and think they are off the hook. Wait until they find out about my “getting in a run-down” plan for next week!
We have been practicing bunting almost every practice session. For some reason the girls hate the idea and are scared to death of the whole prospect. So last Friday, before the game started and before I had to leave to Tiverton to play in the band, I told the whole team that in Tuesdays game EVERY batter would be given the bunt sign (note picture: this is my bunt sign! it seemed appropriate, hard to miss, and hard to mistake), at least once during EVERY time they got to bat. Apparently they all spent a very sleepless weekend! The night of the dreaded game came, and I reminded them all that they would ALL indeed have to try to bunt. I even went and told the opposing coach of my plan so he wouldn’t think I was pulling some cheap ploy against his team, but that it was simply a cheap psychological ploy against my own players. He loved the idea, though it was great. I let the umpire in on the plan, and he happily advised various ones along the way about not stepping out of the batters box, and pulling the bat back if they are NOT going to try for that particular pitch. I was going to be happy if about half of the girls actually squared up into the proper bunting pose even once, and if anyone had set an over/under gamble at 3 total balls actually bunted I would have probably bet on the ‘under’. I figure the first step in overcoming their fear was to simply have them mentally prep for the attempt – get used to looking for the sign, and hopefully, eventually, as the season progressed, to get more at ease with the actual physical technique and maybe even have occasional success. The end result? About half of the at-bats, no spectator/opposing player/opposing coach would have been able to tell you which pitch was the one they were supposed to be bunting on. Many of the attempts were half-hearted at best. They squared up (if you could call it that) much too late – when the pitch was half way to the plate instead of before the pitcher let go of the ball. After the first time through the whole lineup, I told them that if they simply made a good attempt, they wouldn’t have to do it any more that day (anything to boost their motivation level). In the end, three successful bunts were put down (successful in the fact that they WERE put down, not that they reached base safely – which none did). Hopefully we will do better next game, and eventually it will be no big deal.
Oh yeah – by the way – we won the game 11-10, not by executing a perfect suicide squeeze bunt, but because we were fortunate enough to go into our at bat in the bottom of the last inning tied, with our best three hitters scheduled to bat, and the coach being wise enough to let them swing away – which they were thrilled to do, getting three straight hits to push the winning run across the plate. Now they are feeling pretty good and think they are off the hook. Wait until they find out about my “getting in a run-down” plan for next week!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Opening Day one week late but worth it
Last weeks opening softball game (Nikki's team, which I am head coach of) got rained out, so we got to play our first game yesterday instead. For three weeks in practice, we worked on basic fielding and aggressive base running. I already knew we had good pitching, so I didn't actually spend much practice time on that. Apparently it was the proper preperation, as we won 15-3, with solid pitching, good fielding, and brave baserunning (actually - brave might be too strong of a word, but some people do run very fast when they are scared to death). Despite a truly clueless umpire whose strike zone ranged from about the top of MY head to the batters thigh (Nikki pitches best right around the knees), Nikki kept her composure and pitched three very strong innings. Taryn finished with two also strong innings. Kayla smacked a solid double that turned into a "Little League Home Run" (anyone who has seen one knows what I mean) and Adrianna belted a legitimate bases loaded triple. We caught three fly balls (Nikki, Kayli, & Adrianna), were the beneficiaries of a horrible "out" call at home plate (the other teams girl easily got under the tag), and even got the final out on a play that the second baseman usually panics and messes up on. With two outs and a runner on 1st base, the batter hits a ground ball to the 2nd baseman (Antonia). She fielded it cleanly, and started to go for the tag, then thought she should run for the base, then considered throwing to the base. The tag out would have been easy, and she would have beat the runner to 2nd equally easily. About two feet away, ball in glove, she decided the right play was to throw it to Alex who was indeed properly covering the base from her shortstop position. Thankfully she has quick reflexes and a good glove hand, and the game was over. They are fun, and it is certainly never a dull moment.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Jesse Manibusen
Most musicians never achieve "fame", and spend a great deal of time learning and performing the songs of "famous" musicians. Except in very rare cases, on very rare occasions, do we ever even get to meet someone who's songs we might play. I got my chance on Sunday to rub elbows with one of the most internationally famous current musicians of his genre - Christian Praise & Worship musician Jesse Manibusen. One of the first Catholic Retreat songs I ever learned to play/sing was Jesse's "Open My Eyes, Lord" which is still a staple "modern praise" song world wide. I saw him once, as he performed at Jim & Paula's wedding two years ago, but I didn't get to actually meet him. But this past weekend, by a twist of Divine Intervention, he was coincidentally scheduled to be in the neighborhood on precisely the same weekend as Jim & Paula's baby was being baptized. (Jesse and Jim have been close friends for many years. The spare bedroom at Jim & Paula's home had been dubbed "the Jesse Room" as he always stayed there when his travels brought him to the Boston area. Now, as the "Jesse Room" has been converted to "Liam's Nursery" of course Jesse agreed - probably insisted - to perform at the Baptismal Mass. I hope someday Liam, you can grasp the magnitude of the honor of having this world renowned evangelist eagerly fitting your baptism into his busy itinerary - 1 hour after finishing a retreat and hours before flying to Spain.) Jesse played guitar (a beautiful Taylor) and sang all the various hymns (some written by him, some by others) and Mass parts oh so effortlessly and beautifully as only a full fledged and gifted professional can do (and as much as Jim tells me that Jesse is not the only musician in the room who can do that, while I appreciate his compliment, I know the truth). So this time, I made certain that after the Mass ended, I approached Jesse and introduced myself and offered my respects. Then my son Corey, aware of who Jesse was, spotted me with him and joined in the conversation. Corey - an Northeastern University sophmore - is trying to assist the "Brotherhood of Hope" to develop a vibrant campus ministry program at NU and wanted to know if Jesse would be interested in coming to the campus and giving a talk/concert. Of course, this IS what Jesse does for a living, and he enthusiastically advised Corey how to go about setting something up. Needless to say, as good Christians are naturally able to do, Jesse touched many peoples lives in a short two hour period. Jim & Paula were honored with his friendship, Liam was honored by his service, I was honored by hearing stunningly beautiful music direct from it's creative source, and Corey was honored to get encouragement in his efforts at being a part of a ministry. All in a days work for Jesse Manibusen - pray he never tires of his vocation.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Making a Waterfall
The idea of having a waterfall as part of our garden water-feature has been on the wish list for a number of years. This spring, when we discovered that the pond pump that runs the little pond fountain was kaput, we figured while we had to replace it, we might as well get a bigger one that would be able to run a waterfall. SO off to Lowes we went. $60 for the pump, $20 for the 3/4" diameter hose, and lots of free stone & cinder block from a demolished out-building at Camp Kiwanee later, and it was time to start building. Generally with a project of this sort, I start with a general concept of who it will work and what the finished result will look like. Then I simply start. As I work, I survey the individual stones etc.. and wing it, following my artistic instincts. 
Stones get placed and replaced and rotated and repositioned until they look right. Usually, I find a combination I like and end up with a result I am happy with. In this case, the result was very pleasing and worked great. Now this morning we discovered the pond only half full - which means either the pond is leaking (I fixed a leak in it last year, which might have re-opened) or the new waterfall is (also a likely possibility). So we refill the pond, but do not turn on the waterfall while we go out for the day. If the pond is low when we return, I know I need to drain and fix it. If not, I will disassemble the waterfall and redesign it - which I don't mind as it is a fun job to create (or re-create) an artistic and functioning structure.
Stones get placed and replaced and rotated and repositioned until they look right. Usually, I find a combination I like and end up with a result I am happy with. In this case, the result was very pleasing and worked great. Now this morning we discovered the pond only half full - which means either the pond is leaking (I fixed a leak in it last year, which might have re-opened) or the new waterfall is (also a likely possibility). So we refill the pond, but do not turn on the waterfall while we go out for the day. If the pond is low when we return, I know I need to drain and fix it. If not, I will disassemble the waterfall and redesign it - which I don't mind as it is a fun job to create (or re-create) an artistic and functioning structure.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Sue's Birthday
and I get the day off from work and the sun is out (vaguely). We did the cake &ice cream thing last night with the kids because tonight we will be at Fenway Park watching John Lester & the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays. The day actually started oddly due to the fact that last night when I re-set the alarm clock so I would be up to get the kids on the bus, I must have bumped the time off by an hour AND I neglected to actually turn the alarm ON. So when we woke up in a panic because the clock said 8 o'clock and we hadn't heard the kids, I ran upstairs to check -- the boys bedroom and Nikki's were vacant, so they must have gotten out the door ok. Now granted, I would bet any amount of money that Joe did not take his ADHD pills or brush his teeth (or wash face & hands and comb hair - God help up). We realized the mistake - corrected the clock, and crawled back into bed for another hour. At the REAL 8 o'clock we heard footsteps upstairs and were curious why Tim was up so early - exept it wasn't Tim, it was Julie (the one I hadn't checked on (which was ok - she has senior priviledges and a 1st period study, so she was going in late and her friends were coming to pick her up at any moment. So by 9:30, Sue has jogged 2 miles, done her yoga, and is ready to go out and about for her mystery day. I will let her post about it later, cause I don't want to spoil the surprize!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Softball 2009
Last year I assumed that Nikki would play school softball this year - but to my surprise (and Mrs Goodwin's dismay) she decided to stick with town league for another year. Due to enough favorable conditions, I will be able to Head Coach her team. The 2nd good news was that my friend Gordon (who is also the league president) is eager to be my assistant coach. 10 years ago he was my assistant with Coreys (and his son Cullen's) minor league Little League team - the A's. "And a good time was had by all". Two years ago I unofficially helped out as his pitching coach when Nikki was on his team. Now, although he has had plenty of success coaching softball and basketball teams on his own over the last ten years, we get a chance to team up again. I find it humbling that he would be eager to be MY assistant, but I am glad - because I already know that we have the same basic philosophy's and won't be second guessing each others moves or motives. That is a priceless situation in youth sports (isn't THAT a sad statement!). So like 30 years ago when in Hanson I had my buddy Corey Meiggs as my assistant, I will have someone who is a trusted friend to "work" with (really it's more like "play"). Now Gordan is quite different in many ways than Corey M, but the qualities of easy going, cheerful, good humored, and beloved by the kids are very much the same (and thankfully his daughter is a very good player). So this year should be a fun one - without pangs of longing watching from the sidelines. Granted, Gordon and I both need to be conscious of the fact that both of our softball-widow wives could be conspiring against us together on those same sidelines if we get too wrapped up in our fun and forget/neglect them through the season - which is always the big fear (we do tend to get foolishly self-involved during this time of year, and make them suffer unfairly). But maybe he & I can help remind each other. Maybe we can vow to take our wives out more during the season, but probably not together - as we would spend the whole time discussing players & strategies - not a smart idea!
So the challenge isn't about having a competitive team, but about fair & balanced playing time with the full-time people in our lives - and not getting blindly obsessed with this part-time adventure.
PLAY BALL!
So the challenge isn't about having a competitive team, but about fair & balanced playing time with the full-time people in our lives - and not getting blindly obsessed with this part-time adventure.
PLAY BALL!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
bits and pieces
Hockey season is winding down - we are in playoffs and I've had some pretty good games these past two weekends. I was even complemented on a good job done reffing by one coach.
Softball season & baseball season are ready to start soon - Joe had evaluations and two practices already, while Nikki has Eval Day on saturday.
Burning season began a while ago, and this weekend we had a good bonfire, cleaning up lots of branches and old junk wood and even a decrepit wicker love seat.
Tax refund came and went much too quickly, but the mortgage & utilities are paid so I ain't complaining!
First thunder storm of the year tonight.
Ready for Easter & Spring!
Softball season & baseball season are ready to start soon - Joe had evaluations and two practices already, while Nikki has Eval Day on saturday.
Burning season began a while ago, and this weekend we had a good bonfire, cleaning up lots of branches and old junk wood and even a decrepit wicker love seat.
Tax refund came and went much too quickly, but the mortgage & utilities are paid so I ain't complaining!
First thunder storm of the year tonight.
Ready for Easter & Spring!
Monday, March 16, 2009
So much for DIY saving money
Mary & Matt dropped off our new computer system, which used to be owned by Matt's previous company - so it is a top-of-the-line tricked out gaming computer powerhouse (just for a reference point, the graphics card alone is worth around $300 new), 1-year old, 20" flat screen monitor, keyboard, mouse & all cords/wires. Because nothing is ever as easy as it seems, when I set it all up, I discovered that the cord to commect the CPU & the monitor was missing. I am by no means a computer expert, but I do know that you need a VGA cable here. - but maybe there is something I don't know about this and maybe there is some other type of cable that should be used in this situation. So I called Mary and she confirmed (and apologized) that one cable got left behind at her apartment in Billerica. She offered to mail it down, but we both knew that Suzie wasn't gonna wait 3 days to play with her new toy, so I figured I would just run out and but a new cable (how much could it cost?). So with a quick list of other needed items, I headed to Walmart under the theory that they have everything. Well they don't - no VGA cables. Oh well - Radio Shack would have one, and they did have a very expensive gold tipped "replacement VGA cable". Of course, when I got home and opened the package, I discovered that it had two "male" ends instead of the expected "1-male end, 1-female end" version that I thought was industry standard. So I called Staples to verify if they had what I needed (before wasting valuable time & gas) and they answered that they indeed did. When I picked it up, I questioned the clerk because the package said "for 17" or smaller monitors" and ours is 20" - but he assured me it should work, the disclaimer only means it works better with the smaller screens. It was half the price of the radio Shack cord and time was getting tight, so I headed home with it. The Female end with the Male connector screws attached to the monitor, and the Male end with the Female connectors lined up with the Female port with the....... ?what?...... why does this computer port have Female connectors lining up with the Female connectors on the cord???? That's not right! Damn! So now I've spent 1 1/2 hours and $35 and I STILL can't connect the computer & monitor. And now we have to run off to the Play. On the way we call Mary to say we'll drive up to Billerica after the play - if she will be around - and get her voicemail - and she doesn't call back - for four hours (apparently she has a life!). Eventually, desparately, Sue gets ahold of her and works out a plan to meet her in Waltham - 50 minutes away and half a gas tank ($$cha-ching$$) - to eat at Uno's ($$cha-ching$$) - and get the cable - which by the way looks NOTHING like a normal VGA cable!!!!!!
PS: we DID have a nice visit & meal! and now the computer works wonderfully well.
PS: we DID have a nice visit & meal! and now the computer works wonderfully well.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Remember The Alamo
173 years ago today, The battle of The Alamo ended. I only know this because on the radio this morning they were talking about how Phil Collins has basically given up his regular vocation of music and is obsessively devoting his life and fortune to becoming "All Knowing" about The Alamo (not the usual progression for a British subject - I think you start as a geek and desire to become a Rock Star, not the other way around!). Anyway, today I feel much better about myself and my new Civil War interest - which I dare say has not reached "Obsessive Compulsive" stage.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
OCRVTHS
Normally, I would be stressing over whether I should get rid of the truck and pick up a new used vehicle or keep sinking money into repairs. But now Jamie is at OCRVTHS (Old Colony Regional Vocation & Technical High School) learning the automotive trade and the cost of repair work has dropped dramatically. Today he will be working on replacing a broken leaf spring hanger, U-joint for the 4x4 drive, a heat controller, a purge pump & solenoid - and if he has time, will repack the wheel bearings. He will spend about 5-6 hours working on these items. A local garage charges $50 or more per hour (that would be $250-$300 for labor - plus parts which they also mark up). Here, I buy my own parts (if I know what I need) at retail list (which is more than the garages pay, but less than they charge for it), or the school can order the necessary parts.
So - bottom line - I paid about $150 for parts and will have to pay the school a $3 administrative fee, and maybe a bit for miscellaneous bolts or clamps, saving probably $50-$70 on the parts & the afore-mentioned labor charges. At this rate, I can happily keep my old pickup chugging along (and the car, and the van) and avoid the cost, stress and uncertainty of picking up a new junkbox (lets face it - a new car is out of the question for a while).
I need to remember to say thanks to Jamie - so far the only child to earn his keep while still in high school.
Maybe I'll have to convince Nikki to go there & take up plumbing, and Joe to become an electrician. Sure, they may do better with a degree from Brown, but I'd do better if they take up a trade!!!
So - bottom line - I paid about $150 for parts and will have to pay the school a $3 administrative fee, and maybe a bit for miscellaneous bolts or clamps, saving probably $50-$70 on the parts & the afore-mentioned labor charges. At this rate, I can happily keep my old pickup chugging along (and the car, and the van) and avoid the cost, stress and uncertainty of picking up a new junkbox (lets face it - a new car is out of the question for a while).
I need to remember to say thanks to Jamie - so far the only child to earn his keep while still in high school.
Maybe I'll have to convince Nikki to go there & take up plumbing, and Joe to become an electrician. Sure, they may do better with a degree from Brown, but I'd do better if they take up a trade!!!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Monday Morning Blowout
7:45am, Rt 495NB in Middleboro, my rear driver side tire decided it had had enough- and blew out. Thankfully (and I did actually remember to give thanks to God as I awaited AAA's arrival) it happened to me, on a sunny morning, on a holiday for most folks (light traffic day), the snow banks were gone, and there was plenty of room and solid ground to pull completely off the hiway onto the median strip. I remembered how scared Mary was when it happened a few years ago to her one morning, and was grateful that it was me driving this time. I was thankful that it didn't happen to Corey (he was originally going to borrow the truck and drive to NH for the weekend, but that plan fell through). I was grateful that it didn't happen to me yesterday as I was driving to the rink (as it was, my refereeing partner was late arriving and I had to ref the first two periods alone, and Lord knows nothing happens quickly when you have roadside car troubles). I was glad it didn't happen after work when I would have been on my way to pick up Julie at the train station (she has already suffered enough "alone a on train" trauma. All things considered, it couldn't have happened at a more opportune time & place - so again I say "Thank You God" (although being thankful over a blowout does seem a bit unusual!). Back in the fall, I had attempted to rotate my tires because one of the front ones was starting to wear a bit unevenly, but I could not remove the spare from underneath the truck bed (probably been there since 1995) and settled for simply moving the front tire to the rear (thats the one that blew). Jamie's Vo-Tech school was supposed to swap it when they took it in for some other work, but didn't for fear of breaking badly rusted parts. So I knew trying to change my flat would be futile so I didn't bother wasting my time and I simply called AAA for help. Of course, as I was waiting for the AAA operator to pull up my information, I noticed that my account expired on Feb 1st. She then proceeded to ask me if I was aware of it. Thankfully, she was able to take my credit card information and renew me over the phone from the median strip. I told her exactly were I was located and she informed me that help would arrive in about half an hour. One hour later, the service company driver called explaining that he had just gotten OFF of exit 4 (the exit number I told AAA that I was just BEYOND) and couldn't find me. I politely told him to get back onto the hiway and IMMEDIATELY get into the left hand lane (in my rear view mirror I could see the traffic merging at the end of the ramp). A service minivan pulled up, manned by a clearly inexperienced young man who was completely unable to help me (I had actually anticipated a ramp truck and a lift to the nearest garage). As a final demonstration of his inexperience, he borrowed my cell phone to call his shop for backup! He then gave back my phone and left. In a while, I saw the ramp truck approach (wrong lane) and shoot past, and waited while it went to the next exit and looped around again. Impressively, the new attendant was able to get the spare free, and changed the tires. Of course the spare - tho not a "donut" - was a pickup truck version of one and had permenent indentations on the side wall from years of being tightly clamped under the truck. Instead of prceeding to work, I decided I would be wise to go get an actual replacement tire instead. So I am taking a sick day, bought a used tire for $15, spent $15 more to get it mounted, and finally unloaded the old treadmill I have been lugging around in the back (long story) and got #3.60 for it at the metal recycling place!
All's well that ends well!
All's well that ends well!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
It's a good day when...
you realize that not only did your college son get a good co-op job, but also that he showed up for work the second day too. Yea Corey!
your daughter is in the newspaper and it's not the police log or obituaries. Yea Mary!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/02/05/she_knows_where_the_bodies_lie/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed7
(well, it's almost the obituaries!!!)
your daughter is in the newspaper and it's not the police log or obituaries. Yea Mary!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/02/05/she_knows_where_the_bodies_lie/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed7
(well, it's almost the obituaries!!!)
Joe Horoscope
Joe has discovered Horoscopes! Every morning he clicks whatever button on our DTV remote and reviews all of our daily predictions, going through the entire family - reading and laughing or calling us in to see what's in store for us today - and he knows us all (Julie = Aquarius, Me = Pisces, Sue = Aries, etc.... because I don't know the rest).
So anyway, here I am = Pisces, through & through
(copied from Wikipedia)
Pisces is represented by a pair of fish that are swimming in opposite directions, but remain held together at the mouth by a cord. In astrology, Pisces is considered a water sign, and is one of four mutable signs.[1] Like the rest of the watery signs, Pisces is considered a "negative", feminine sign, which in Astrology means it is rather introvert.
So anyway, here I am = Pisces, through & through
(copied from Wikipedia)
Pisces is represented by a pair of fish that are swimming in opposite directions, but remain held together at the mouth by a cord. In astrology, Pisces is considered a water sign, and is one of four mutable signs.[1] Like the rest of the watery signs, Pisces is considered a "negative", feminine sign, which in Astrology means it is rather introvert.
- malleable / impressionable [5]
- gentle [5]
- good natured / easygoing [5]
- sensitive [5]
- dreamy [5]
- instinctive / intuitive [5]
- gullible / naive / easily led [5]
- escapist [5]
- selfless [6]
| Attribute | |
|---|---|
| Likes | Feeling appreciated, feeling loved, freedom, stability, mystical settings/enchantment, dreaming, having their input valued, being unique |
| Dislikes | Feeling vulnerable, having no goals to move toward, feeling invalidated, being criticized, illiteracy, noisy scenes and displays, having no sense of structure |
| Ideal careers | caring for the needy as in the fields of medicine or veterinary medicine [5] • anything related to the sea [5] • acting [5] • psychics or mystics [5] • religion [5] • cooking [5] • |
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Stuck
The day started fun enough - Sue & I (and a handful of other parents) served breakfast at 6:00am for Julies Senior Class Lockin - 65 sleep deprived 18 year olds looking for bacon and pancakes and bacon and english muffins and bacon and sausage and bacon eggs and ........
Needless to say, the bacon ran out fast but the kids were grateful for the rest.
Then I got stuck having to run to Hanson to resupply the rabbit and chicken feed, but made the most of it with a long fun visit at Nenna's house where numerous brothers & sisters and nieces and nephews meet for saturday morning breakfast.
Then I got stuck having to do the dump run.
Then the 3 youngest talked me into bringing them skating at John's Pond - the summertime local swimming hole. Of course I got stuck tightening everybodies skates which I hate doing! (and I wasn't even skating myself). In the winter the pond is inhabited by ice fishermen, nighttime skimobilers, and daytime skaters but the parking lot is not plowed, and the sloping entrance can become quite icy - a fact I remembered about 1 second too late. While the kids slipped and skidded around the pond (OK I admit it vaguely resembled skating) I tried to move the van out of it's spot - to no avail. I attempted all of the typical maneuvers - rocking, sand, even a piece of rug under the rear tire while Jamie & his friend Dylan pushed. Fortunately, an ice fisherman with a 4x4 truck and an emergency toe rope that he had never found the opportunity to use before now was happy to save the day. So with a little slipping and sliding and spinning of tires - and Jamie and Dylan being converted into traffic stoppers - the truck, followed closely by the van, skidded out onto the dry road. But at least the kids had fun (and I came out of it with a story with a happy ending!).
Needless to say, the bacon ran out fast but the kids were grateful for the rest.
Then I got stuck having to run to Hanson to resupply the rabbit and chicken feed, but made the most of it with a long fun visit at Nenna's house where numerous brothers & sisters and nieces and nephews meet for saturday morning breakfast.
Then I got stuck having to do the dump run.
Then the 3 youngest talked me into bringing them skating at John's Pond - the summertime local swimming hole. Of course I got stuck tightening everybodies skates which I hate doing! (and I wasn't even skating myself). In the winter the pond is inhabited by ice fishermen, nighttime skimobilers, and daytime skaters but the parking lot is not plowed, and the sloping entrance can become quite icy - a fact I remembered about 1 second too late. While the kids slipped and skidded around the pond (OK I admit it vaguely resembled skating) I tried to move the van out of it's spot - to no avail. I attempted all of the typical maneuvers - rocking, sand, even a piece of rug under the rear tire while Jamie & his friend Dylan pushed. Fortunately, an ice fisherman with a 4x4 truck and an emergency toe rope that he had never found the opportunity to use before now was happy to save the day. So with a little slipping and sliding and spinning of tires - and Jamie and Dylan being converted into traffic stoppers - the truck, followed closely by the van, skidded out onto the dry road. But at least the kids had fun (and I came out of it with a story with a happy ending!).
Monday, January 19, 2009
more E.W.E.
Mary delivered the entire bundle of 187 (275 pages) of Civil War Letters written by great great great uncle Erastus. Let the transcribing and discoveries begin. I already discovered that he knew his future wife Harriet (married in 1867) before he left for his original 3-month tour in April 1861, which answers one question but raises many more.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Weight loss is anti-American
I do realize that my job as the support person of someone who is on a weight loss program is vastly easier than that of the actual weight loss person. Even so, I think I can see why it is such a difficult task to succeed at. A large part of it is because so much of the psycology of it is backwards to what we are raised to believe - that bigger is better, that we want more while working less.
In America we work at our jobs to make more money so we can afford to live a better lifestyle. We want a bigger house with a larger yard, and we want to relax and cookout and drink beside our pool - all while hired hands take care of the mowing and pool cleaning as we ourselves avoid manual labor ( a sign of success). Instead of preparing our own meals, we prefer to eat at restaurants where the portions are so huge that no matter how much we stuff ourselves we couldn't possibly finish it all (a sign of success). Even our "sayings" tend to lead us in the opposite direction. It does seem wrong to say
"I look forward to seeing "less" of you in the future"
or
"you are climbing "down" the ladder of success"
or
"congratulations on your "small" accomplishment"
Sports teams who lose more than everybody else are scorned and made fun of and their coaches are fired. Downsizing in business is due to lack of success. Trimming the waste and tightening the belt means you are suffering through poor times but you hope to eventually return to being able to afford to splurge at will. Not having to perform manual labor is a professional goal and a sign of job success, so needing to go to a gym must be a sign of failure.
Virtually everything that shouts "AMERICAN DREAM!", a weight loss program say's "BAD, BAD, BAD". No wonder it is so hard for people to successfully lose weight and maintain that weight loss. On top of any of the physiological struggles going on internally, externally they are being UnAmerican - and that is just too much peer pressure to overcome for many.
Well, on her 1-year anniversary of her second serious attempt at personal downsizing, I want to congratulate Sue for being a big loser, for being a shinking violet, for being small minded, for running away from her problem, and for working like a dog. Keep up the good work.
xoxoxoxoxox
In America we work at our jobs to make more money so we can afford to live a better lifestyle. We want a bigger house with a larger yard, and we want to relax and cookout and drink beside our pool - all while hired hands take care of the mowing and pool cleaning as we ourselves avoid manual labor ( a sign of success). Instead of preparing our own meals, we prefer to eat at restaurants where the portions are so huge that no matter how much we stuff ourselves we couldn't possibly finish it all (a sign of success). Even our "sayings" tend to lead us in the opposite direction. It does seem wrong to say
"I look forward to seeing "less" of you in the future"
or
"you are climbing "down" the ladder of success"
or
"congratulations on your "small" accomplishment"
Sports teams who lose more than everybody else are scorned and made fun of and their coaches are fired. Downsizing in business is due to lack of success. Trimming the waste and tightening the belt means you are suffering through poor times but you hope to eventually return to being able to afford to splurge at will. Not having to perform manual labor is a professional goal and a sign of job success, so needing to go to a gym must be a sign of failure.
Virtually everything that shouts "AMERICAN DREAM!", a weight loss program say's "BAD, BAD, BAD". No wonder it is so hard for people to successfully lose weight and maintain that weight loss. On top of any of the physiological struggles going on internally, externally they are being UnAmerican - and that is just too much peer pressure to overcome for many.
Well, on her 1-year anniversary of her second serious attempt at personal downsizing, I want to congratulate Sue for being a big loser, for being a shinking violet, for being small minded, for running away from her problem, and for working like a dog. Keep up the good work.
xoxoxoxoxox
Thursday, January 01, 2009
New Years at Gabe's
The annual New Years Eve party at Jim & Paula's got cancelled mid-afternoon due to the white-out blizzard that blew throughout the afternoon.
Gabe and Una had planned on still going over, but when their own babysitter bailed out, J & P decided to brave the elements and go to G & U's house to ring in the New Year. As we too are on the south shore, and Jim had not directly spoken to us (just a voicemail) nor heard back from us yet (Sue inadvertantly left her cellphone at home while we were out and about) Gabe called my phone to ask if we got the news yet, and if we still wanted to come up for the evening. Having already been out playing in my 4x4 truck (took Jamie out to lunch & the mall for his birthday - Happy 16th Birthday Jamie), and because the weather report said the snow would end around 9:00pm, we 
said "of course we will be there! I love my 4-wheel drive". So the evening was a bit quieter & more low-key than most past New Years Parties, but it was still very nice - let's call it more intimate. Sue decided to leave Johnny Depp behind so it was just the 3 couples - J & P, D & S, and G & U and thier 4 children. A bowl of Chili, Meatballs, Chips & Dip, a few drinks, a vicious game of boggle, a couple of phone calls to/from Corey (at Times Square or thereabouts) and it was officially 2009.
Gabe and Una had planned on still going over, but when their own babysitter bailed out, J & P decided to brave the elements and go to G & U's house to ring in the New Year. As we too are on the south shore, and Jim had not directly spoken to us (just a voicemail) nor heard back from us yet (Sue inadvertantly left her cellphone at home while we were out and about) Gabe called my phone to ask if we got the news yet, and if we still wanted to come up for the evening. Having already been out playing in my 4x4 truck (took Jamie out to lunch & the mall for his birthday - Happy 16th Birthday Jamie), and because the weather report said the snow would end around 9:00pm, we 
said "of course we will be there! I love my 4-wheel drive". So the evening was a bit quieter & more low-key than most past New Years Parties, but it was still very nice - let's call it more intimate. Sue decided to leave Johnny Depp behind so it was just the 3 couples - J & P, D & S, and G & U and thier 4 children. A bowl of Chili, Meatballs, Chips & Dip, a few drinks, a vicious game of boggle, a couple of phone calls to/from Corey (at Times Square or thereabouts) and it was officially 2009.
Happy New Year!!!
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