JP2E SPEAKS

SUPER SATURDAY...

2011-04-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

80 DEGREES AND CLEAR SKIES...
So first thing this morning Aaron and I pulled the top off the JEEP and headed out. We ran a few errands then stopped by to help dad with a tree down in his yard. Got that pretty well under control and then moved on to a great breakfast. Soory, no pix, we were too busy.
Later that day, Rachel helped me choose some flowers for the house and get them planted...

And all the new plants looked great along with the blooming azaleas...

Now all I have to do is cut the grass and clean up from the tough winter we had. Maybe during the week I will find some more time...

CRUISE-IN WAS FUN...

A bunch of us loaded up in Michael's VW bus and headed over to Main street for the spring car show...

Headed for the Cruise-In. Aaron is up front with his dad...

LOT'S OF COOL CAR'S...

Some were classic survivors, all original and well cared for...

The boys really liked this fully restored FORD pickup...

This row of classics caught Eve's eye...

...but she and dad really liked this two-tone VW beetle a lot.

And we all thought the cool blue color made this one photo-worthy.

This made me think about my uncle Bill and the story of the rumble seat.

There were a few modern marvils there as well.

A few real HOT ROD'S were on the street and Aaron and dad were checking out the cool paint, hot motor's and open headers.

ALL IN ALL A GREAT DAY...

We got a lot of things done and had a good time as well, now there are kids all over the floor watching british comedies on TV and we are all relaxing our way into the evening. Hope y'all enjoyed our trip through a fun Saturday.

So, until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

CATCHING UP WITH OUR FAMILY...

2011-04-03T15:39:00.001-04:00

WE ARE ALL DOING WELL...

Denny has continued to progress and thrive with his new schedule. He is happy and eager to board the van every morning to get to the center. This photo is a little suprise for my cousin Kathy (Godfrey), who sent Denny a T-shirt from the Philadelphis Irish festival. This has become his very favorite shirt and he puts it on every day when he gets home. We try to wash it a couple times a week but we have to be quick. I asked Denny to show us his favorite shirt and this is the pose we got. Other than that I continue to prepare bananna's to his exacting standards every day. More later as things change.

THE BIG CAMP-O-REE WAS GREAT FUN...

We participated in lots of fun activities that challenged the new scouts and their boy leaders, like this blindfolded communiucation event.

And of course the ever popular "foam noodle jousting" was a real crowd pleaser. The guys also enjoyed rifle shooting, archery, map and compass course rally, some geo-caching and a lot more.

The cooks did a pretty good job, but we did agree that some additional planning will be needed for future menus. First come, first served will be adjusted to allow some of the adults to get better fed next time. But the guys did OK with what we had, it was well prepared, especially the burritos!!!

AND THEN WE HAD THE WEATHER...

Friday was bright and sunny enough that we stopped to buy new sunglasses. Saturday was cool, windy and threatening rain, which eventually rolled through in the afternoon. Saturday night brought serious wind, rain and potential tornadoes, but the troop weathered things fine under our "super tarp". We were pretty dry during the couple of serious downpours thanks to this cover. Rumor is that our tarp was visible from space and has it's own zip code, all I know is we were smart to have it.

OLD TRADITIONS WERE REVISITED...

The Order of the Arrow (the brotherhood of scout campers) presented a great campfire and tapout cerimony. The weather broke for just long enough to allow them to induct a number of new members with traditional Indian themed costumes and stories. A very moving evening that took me back to my own tapout almost thirty years ago.

BACK AT HOME WE ARE STILL GOING STRONG...

Eve and Grampa' did the Home Depot workshop again. Eve is actually so well known there now, that store employees come looking for her by name every month. Her project was excellent, as always. This month was a spring-time planter for hanging flowers.

After a nice breakfast we went on to help out with an Eagle scout project for one of our guys. Later, Aaron and I went to Denny's school to prepare a plot of land for a small vegetable garden. Denny's class will be growing the vegetables in preparation for a tasty meal at summer's end.

Aside from this garden plot the school also has some raised planting beds that allow wheelchair students to garden. Those raised beds were an Eagle project a few years ago, and sparked the interest in more planting space for those who are able to get about without wheelchairs or walkers. As you can see, we did a pretty good job on a fair-sized plot. Good work Aaron.

ONE LAST VIDEO FOR FUN...

One of our events at the big camp-o-ree was the catapult competition. Here is a quick view of our troop tossing their water balloon. Watch for the landing, way down range.

That's about it for now. I wish I could have added a lot more photos and video's but time does not allow. I will try to post a few on Facebook soon, especially the green sky I captured during one of our scariest weather moments.

So, until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

ANOTHER WONDERFUL WEEKEND...

2011-03-20T17:10:00.019-04:00

Our weekend started with great weather; Clear blue skies and wonderful warm temperatures. We enjoyed a quiet and spring-like Friday evening and then woke to a delicious Saturday morning...

Eve decided that we had not made breakfast at home in a while so she took on the task all by herself. The photo shows a little bit of the pancake mixing, but she made bacon, grits and toast as well. All said and done our little cook prepared a wonderful meal for about nine hungry people. Well done Eve!!
OTHER CHORES AND STUFF...

Noah (pictured with his new glasses) went with me to take care of some things on Saturday and we took the JEEP with the top down. We delivered some paperwork to the tax folks, picked up some light bulbs and other necessities at HD and then on to Ace Hardware to choose Noah's first multi-tool for camping. We didn't find the exact one he wanted, but we did get one that will do for now.
DRIVING PRACTICE...
Since the weather was so nice, and we had some time, I took Aaron over to the big church parking lot to practice his driving. He is doing real well with his focus and attention to detail and really doing great with his learning to drive with a clutch. We cruised all over Holy Cross parking lot and did some parking and backup practice. I was confident enough to let Aaron drive all the way back home and he did great.
DENNY GOT A HAIRCUT...

I missed the chance to get a photo, so I used this one from last time. As usual, Alice kept Denny calm and happy while she clipped and combed his hair into a nice, neat job. Our man looked nice and will be cool for the upcoming warm weather. Thanks again Alice.
THAT'S ABOUT IT...
I just like to share a little bit of our life now and again so y'all can keep up with us. Denny is doing great with his new travel arrangements and all of us are well.
So, until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

2011-03-05T13:14:00.001-05:00

And we have a few early blossoms to show for it. The warm weather is very welcome after the long, tough winter we had this year.

Even Sue's birthday flowers have bloomed and stayed beautiful for two weeks.
TO CATCH UP WITH OTHER NEWS...

Denny is well settled into his new schedule and is always ready to hop the bus when it arrives. We have also found a very dependable caretaker to be with him when he arrives home every afternoon. All is well with our happy little man and he is pushing the bounds of his independence all the time.
THE BLOOD DRIVE WAS A SUCCESS...

Thanks to all who donated and helped us make our numbers. This handsome young man is a fine example of our community-minded citizens who made the sacrifice for little more than nutter-butters and juice. Thanks Mike, and others.

OF COURSE WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING WELL AT HOME, TOO...

We celebrated Sue's birthday with a big family-and-more lunch at her favorite local restaurant. The food was good and the fun was better. It was great to have so many family and friends there to share the day.

As an extra birthday bonus Sue got her car back from the repair shop and Joe and his guys did a GREAT job. If you missed the story, Sue had damage to the whole drivers side of her car when a lady accidentally back into her while she was leaving Victoria's house. The car looks as good as ever and after a little tuneup to go along with the repairs her little hot rod is like new again!

AND OF COURSE THE GRANDKIDS...

Noah, Aaron and Grampa' paid a visit to the firing range and had a good time. Aaron has his rifle shooting merit badge and is a very safe and capable marksman. Noah was very attentive and shot quite well for a first-timer. We will be going again soon.

Rachel continues to produce wonderful stories and poems. Visit Victoria's Facebook page to see a couple of recent poems that our star author posted this week.

Eve and Granpa' still spend saturday mornings together as often as possible. This week was another Kids Workshop so we were there, bright and early.
Eve built her project, which this month is a race car, and then we had a race.

Eve managed to win her race, beating the car built by the store pro and raced by her granddaughter. We were very pleased with our efforts.

So, for this entry into my BLOG it can be said that we are all doing well and that we are looking forward to a warm spring and summer.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENNY...

2011-01-17T10:52:00.000-05:00

We all gathered on Saturday to wish our man a happy birthday and have a little party with family and friends...

We hung out the birthday flag...

The kids made a poster to help decorate, inside...

...and outside. Eve was very determined to see that Denny had a great day.

Victoria set about making a special cake for her brother...

... with help from Michael and a few others.

The cake is styled to look like the van Denny rides to school. It may be a simple change in our schedule, but it's also a very big deal for Denny. The cake was great and enjoyed by all.

Next, we gathered for the gifts! The crowd had a lot of fun with the unique gifts that are traditional Denny favorites. A 12 pack of Dr. Pepper, some Hostess cupcakes, Reese's pieces and other treats were shared along with some very nice, new, fluffy towels for the birthday boy's bathroom closet.

Denny also got a spiffy new haircut. Thanks Alice, he looks great. It was also a great chance for a photo op with the rest of the family.

All in all, a good day and a great party. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENNY...
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SNOW DAY...

2011-01-10T21:23:00.000-05:00

Here in the sunny south we don't get snow very often. When we do, it is usually does not amount to much and melts away quickly. Not this time!

The big, wet, fluffy flakes began Sunday evening and piled up pretty fast.

By morning we had about 6 inches of snow. The unfortunate part was that we also got a steady mix of sleet that worked under the snow and became solid ice.

If you walked or drove on this surface you broke through the crust and got no traction. Caution was required to get up the hill and off our street.

It was really beautiful, despite the 25 degree temperature.

FOR THE REST OF THE DAY...

I just enjoyed time at home with family. I made a big pot of storm stew and we relaxed and enjoyed the tasty warmth while watching old movies and staying warm under a blanket on the sofa.
Tomorrow we have been told that ice will be a major problem. The county has already canceled school, the public transit will not be running buses until late and we are already planning to be home with our boy.
Until next time, stay warm and I'll be seein' ya'...

INDEPENDENT TRANSPORT...

2011-01-05T11:20:00.000-05:00

As many of you know one of the main concerns in our family is the care and happiness of our man, Denny. The unique view of the world through the eyes of an autistic adult make our day to day life a lot of fun and a bit challenging at times.

CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY...

For years we have managed to minimize any serious issues by working through change as carefully as possible with Denny. A new car, change of classroom or adjustments to schedule used to be a major effort for all of us. In recent years things have been a bit easier; Maybe because we have gotten good at it, or maybe because Denny has learned to adjust better in his old age. We recently overcame the hurdle of helping with the laundry, even if he wants to put ALL of the freshly cleaned clothes right back in the dirty clothes hamper - just to help.

AND NOW THE BIG ONE...

Denny loves his "school". The center is not truly a school, but we always prefer to refer to it as his school and the kids. The current legal term is day habitation and training center, and is for clients. Maybe Mom and dad are a bit autistic as well, but we still think of it as Denny's school.
Recent changes in budget and program have caused our family to adjust once again. For many years we have delivered Denny to school and picked him up again in the evening. With the new hours and reduced programs we have moved into daily transport on the center's van.
Some of you may have followed the adventures of Denny's transition to the new system on my FaceBook posting. The short version is; After preparing Denny for a week to start riding the van with his classmates - they forgot to pick him up on the first morning of the new program! We regrouped, got him to school, and in the afternoon he came home on the van, safe and sound.

TODAY'S UPDATE...

This morning Denny was all set to go, on time. Actually he was ready ten minutes early, as the clock shows.

When the van headlights showed up in the driveway, Denny was out the door like a shot!

Seat belt locked! Let's get this show on the road. It appears that our concerns about our special boy were somewhat unfounded. So far, at least, he seems to be taking this latest change in stride.

A LITTLE FOLLOWUP...

Every day when he gets to the center, Denny has a job to do. He is responsible for placing all the walkers out front by the bus stop for the folk's who need them. He takes this very seriously and does a good job, as you can see here.

Congratulations to Denny for doing such a great job every day, and for making this big transition so well. And thanks to all of you who have been calling and asking about how things have been going. We are all doing OK, thanks.
So, until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

NEW YEARS DINNER...

2011-01-02T11:11:00.000-05:00

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS...

For some time now my bride has been the hostess for a traditional New Years Day dinner; Southern style. Sweet Sue always prepares black-eyed peas (for good luck), collard greens (for money) and corn pudding (for dad).
We also enjoy a honey-baked ham and a whole bunch of other dishes from our guests, most of these delicious recipes being family favorites as well.

AFTER THE FEAST...

We gather for an old fashioned "white elephant" exchange. This year a few folks were sick and could not join us, but Tom and his family joined Mom and dad along with our daughter, Victoria, and her family; All in all, a good crowd.

THE SILLY GIFTS VARIED...

From oddball novelties that made teens question there dad's sanity...

... to outmoded electronics that were almost as old as the recipient.

But in the end some folks actually got some useful items, like this unique locking wrench. But best of all...

we had a lot of fun!!

... even the quiet, mature types.
AND AFTER THE PARTY ENDED...

Things quieted down and got back to normal for the revelers...

...and we got to enjoy some tasty left-overs while we set about clearing away the dishes. The ham sandwiches were quite good and there was even a bit of turkey and dressing left for a mid-night snack.
So, from our family to yours
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND BEST WISHES TO ALL...

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

2010-12-18T20:35:00.000-05:00

As most of you know our Christmas season begins every year with the opening of the scout tree sales lot the day after thanksgiving. Hard work...

We have been up and running all season, and sales are a bit slow this year, but we are optimistic as always. We had some bad weather this year.

Of course our family did their part and chose our trees early. The kids always enjoy picking a tree and getting it home. We always have two!

This year Aaron helped clip, trim and get the trees in the stands. Skills he perfected on the lot with the scouts, helping customers.

Rachel is excellent at making sure that lights and ornaments are evenly spaced and carefully placed. She always enjoys digging out the old ornaments and recalling previous years, when she was little.

Noah is getting big enough to really be a lot of help. he especially loves our oddball ornaments from Star Trek, Star Wars and other TV and movie sources.

And of course Christmas Eve! This year she wore a costume as part of the church Christmas celebration. She was Granny's helper for the nativity story.

Granny always takes a special interest in the smaller tree we place in the front room. This tree is for visitors and guests and is seen from the front windows of our home so it must be just right.

The family tree, in the den, is always a bit bigger and gets lots of space for gifts under it. The frasier fir is always very fragrant throughout the whole season.

Our tree trimming crew! The grandchildren (and those 2 people they live with) are the best "deck the halls" crew anyone ever had. Thanks guys!!

Even Uncle Denny has the Christmas spirit. The center has a nice tree in each class area, and Denny likes to wear his Christmas tree sweatshirt to school on cold days. Once again this year the sheriff's department delivered holiday gift bags to the center for everyone. It's a long standing tradition that we all love.

So, with the trees in place and decorated. and the decorations in place. we put a fire in the fireplace and settled in to relax and enjoy the holidays.

From all of us, to all of you...
MERRY CHRISTMAS

TIS' THE SEASON...

2010-12-06T20:40:00.000-05:00

FOR WINTER ILLNESS...

I have been fighting a tough battle with bronchitis. In fact it got to the bronchial infection stage and moved from my lungs into my throat and on to my inner ear. The first round of antibiotics did not quite do the trick, so I am on a new med for two weeks. I am feeling better but not fully recovered.
BUT I FELT MUCH BETTER BY...
...this weekend, when we started decorating for Christmas. Eve loves Granny's "reindeer mobile".

We changed out flag to a wintry scene...

Chose a tree (with help from two experts)...

And decorated everything that didn't move...

,,, and a few things that do move.
TREE SALES ARE GOING OK...
As always, the scouts are up and running with our Christmas tree sales. We had a good start, but bad weather has slowed sales slightly.

Here are a couple shots of this years biggest helpers with Christmas preparation...

Yes, that is Eve, and one of our scouts, hauling trees from the truck to the lot. MUSCLES!!!!!

And Noah the tree trimmer helped prep our tree for the stand.
More on our Christmas later. I have lots of pix to share.

DECEMBER PROJECT AT H.D. ...

Eve built a picture frame. We plan to put this photo in it. Don't we look productive?!?

We had a quick photo-op with "Budget Santa" before heading to breakfast, and then home.

Where Eve enlisted her buddy, Randy to help with more decorating...

Followed by a holiday toast with orange FANTA. CHEERS Y'ALL...

I will post more soon, like I said I have lots of pictures.
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

HALLOWEEN PIX...

2010-11-25T19:42:00.000-05:00

TRUNK-OR-TREAT...
My cousin, Dottie, requested some halloween pictures. I have been a bit under the weather, but since today is thanksgiving and all is quiet I thought I would post a short story.

AS USUAL, WE SPENT TIME WITH THE GRANDKIDS...

Eve chose to be a beautiful Japanese doll in a kimono.

Noah and his dad put together a really cool cyborg costume that was very convincing.

And Rachel proved that even a "roll of the dice" can come up with a great costume.

Aaron was cleverly disguised as a teenager. He wore all black to help run a haunted house with friends.
EVERYBODY GOT INTO THE FUN...

Michael and Victoria set up the VW bus for the "trunk-or-treat" at the church parking lot. As you can see, the bus got a costume for the event. Be sure to zoom in on the kid's very cool jack-o-lanterns in the photo.

The "trunk-or-treat" participants really enjoy decorating for the event. A giant with his castle...

or a haunted house theme, like this one. Basically, kids enjoy a halloween party and a safe trick-or-treat night without the worry of traffic, bad weather or other problems.

Victoria and "Queen" Granny had a great time handing out treats to the goblins and spooks. It was a beautiful evening to set up camp under the bus awning.

All in all it was a fun evening. Now that we are all recovering here at our house perhaps I will post a short thanksgiving note before the long weekend is over.

I hope everyone has a great holiday, and recalls all you have to be thankful for.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

FALL FUN...

2010-10-30T12:08:00.001-04:00

It's a crisp, cool autumn morning her at GRANNY'S CAFE, and the breakfast staff is preparing for the morning rush.

Chief cook and bottle washer Granny Sue leads the team while head pancake chef Eve prepares the flapjacks for the crowd.
GRAMPA'S SECRET RECIPE REVEALED...

Sift buttermilk pancake flour into a large glass bowl...

To this you add brown sugar and cinnamon; whisk to even color and...

then fold in 2 eggs and milk...

Mix to an even, smooth batter (add a few drops of vanilla here) then...

Start the cleanup...

before you get em' on the griddle.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE...

MORE LATER...
The kids are being fitted for their costumes, the candy is by the door and we are all headed to a halloween party later. Pictures and story to follow.
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

Quick Trip to Philly...

2010-10-17T19:40:00.000-04:00

As everyone knows, we recently gathered in memory of our cousin Kenny. The family held a "Beef and Beer" fundraiser for his daughter's education expenses. This is an event that some of us had not heard of before, but none of us wanted to miss a chance to get together for fun and support of a worthy cause.

The hall was large and had everything was perfect for the event. Karen and Katherine set up a nice photo wall with a lot of funny memories.

A few of us were drafted to help with some of the setup, and then some of Kenny's co-workers took over the major prep. The puprose of the event was to raise some funds for Bailey, but to also allow people to gather and remember.
Many people donated various items to be raffled off. There were sports tickets, gift baskets and lot's more. I don't know what the final total was for the event, but there is little doubt that it was successful.
AND WHILE WE WERE THERE...
There was a chance to get together with family we had not seen for a while.

"Little Billy" and his wife made it from Jersey, as well as his sister Laurie.

Next day we also got together at Katherines to spend time and catch up. Almost every cousin made it to the event or got to drop in next day to visit. It was a great trip.
THANKS FOR THE HOSPITALITY...
Kenny's sisters were wonderful hostesses. Both had full houses and also provided full bellies. Thanks ladies! And thank your families as well.
I WISH I HAD MORE PICTURES...
But I found out after the fact that my camera was damaged on the flight back home. It still works, but the view screen on the back has mysteriously gone milky and is almost invisible, with just a ghost image to view. My bag was dropped from the overhead by a passenger in a hurry and I lost the pictures on that memory card. Please share any photo's you took.

Well, until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

LATEST GOINGS ON ...

2010-10-02T21:50:00.001-04:00

KIDS STILL RUN THE HOUSE...

...and help keep it up as well. I recently had to repair our garage door when one of the lift cables parted and the door became unbalanced. I was able to install two new cables and get the door back on track, but there was an oil stain from the opener on the front panel. After cleaning and tightening the door I got the kids to help me prime and paint. The end result was great!!
THE SCOUTS VISIT 911 CENTER...

Our guys had a chance to visit the county 911 emergency center on (not suprisingly) september 11th. We had a very enlightening tour that met some of their requirements for citizenship and allowed them to view and listen in on some of the going's-on that emergency workers deal with daily. Next time you get the chance please say thank you to a first responder for all they do.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AGAIN...

A good number of our scouts and families joined the local civic association with another "RIVERS ALIVE" project this weekend. We joined others from local schools, churches and community groups to clean a stretch of waterway in our neighborhood. The troop was ready to go (clean and eager) when we left the scout hut.

Once on scene we set to work and cleared access points to the river and removed tons (literally) of trash and debris left behind by thoughtless jerks. Our team managed to pull out a clothes dryer, a large fridge, numerous car parts, almost a dozen tires and a huge mound of general trash.

Overall, several dumpsters were filled with more than 7 tons of debris. Many items were seperated and sent for recycling and the river is running much cleaner and clearer. We were dirty and wet but had a great time and did a good deed for our community.
...AND OF COURSE BIRTHDAYS!!

Mid-september is birthday big-time for our family. Eve turned 8 on the 14th, Aaron was 16 on the 20th, Rachel became a teen-ager (13) on the 21st and grampa' survived another year as of the 22nd. Also, my mom had a nice birthday dinner with us on her big day, september 27th. Noah was 10 back in may, but he deserves mention for being the only non-september birthday.
This year the Taylor's did a great job with novel birthday cakes. All the kids are big science fiction fans, and especially of the British series Doctor Who.

Eve has always been fascinated by the shows evil robots, called Daleck's. Her cake was a clever scale model of a fearsome Daleck, which she said was tasty. She also likes to aim her imaginary ray gun at unsuspecting enemies.

Rachel chose a very cool TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space) time traveling police call box for her cake. It was completely gone in no time at all, relatively speaking.
Aaron, Grampa' and Mom all had more traditional birthdays and dinners. Next big holiday is halloween, look for photo's of clever kids and costumes here then.
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

JUST ANOTHER SATURDAY...

2010-09-11T19:39:00.000-04:00

OR NOT...

Since this is september 11th I thought I would share the sentiments of many of my family and friends and remember 9-11-2001.

I was at work, like much of America. As I returned from the main shop floor, walking back toward my office, a co-worker rushed along the main hall telling anyone who would listen that "they are flying planes into buildings, it's an attack!"

I tend to remain calm when others get excited, so I asked "who are THEY? and what are talking about?" No response from the woman as she headed off toward the cafeteria. I went into the office area and saw that the TV monitors were all on CNN instead of the usual company internal info channel that always ran.
People were gathered around in stunned silence as the news crew recounted what was happening. Then the second plane hit, and I realized that something big was going on. Pagers, phones and radios began to alert all around us and we were told that evacuation was to take place immediately.
There had never been an evac of that facility in all the years it had been operating, people began to snap out of their internal thoughts and begin to react. I was assigned to get all of our test people out of the clean room and shut down the equipment. When all that was done and everyone was accounted for and out, I was to check in with my boss and then leave.
It was only later that I realized that our building had two major issues that made us targets that day. First, the roof of our main building was marked with large identifying numbers and letters that pilots used as way-points to gauge their location in relation to a local major highway interchange and the airport.
Second, we had a hydrogen plant on-site that could possibly be a target for terrorists. It was a giant bomb sitting there.
Before I left I called my wife and convinced her to leave work, pick up our son and get home until we knew what was really going on. We made it home, safe and sound, but history was made that day and we watched it happen.
Nine years later we still have that day on our minds. I was telling the grandchildren that when I was a child I always remembered where I was and what I was doing when president Kennedy was killed, and that was a sad day. Now I have two major events that will stay with me all my life. My dad and his generation have three, since december 7th 1941 was his sad but memorable event.
I pray often that we will never again suffer such a day in our nation. Our family also supports and appreciates those who serve us and keep us safe. Police, fire, EMT, all first responders; Those in service overseas or here at home.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU
for all you do for us. You give us the security to go on with our normal lives.
Thanks for reading this to the end and allowing me to share a memory with my grandchildren about a terrible day in our nations history.
Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

BACKPACKING TRIP HIGHLIGHTS...

2010-08-29T17:38:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to share some of my trip this weekend. The guys were great and did a good job of training and learning. We had a few seasoned packers and a few brand new first-timers who worked together to complete the trip.

Our intrepid crew set off with pack, map and compass. We covered about 8 miles in distance and over 1100 feet of elevation change. Not one scout tired or faltered and we all learned a lot.

I made the trek more easily than I expected and really enjoyed the cool, dry weather. This photo is NOT one of the "Monty Python" characters who pops out to complain in the old series, but the hat could fool you.

After the hike we cooled off in the lake and the guys all got to be ninja's on the float in the lake.

On saturday night I showed the guys how to make orange cakes on the campfire. They were delicious!

Evenings were spent working on merit badges, advancement, chess and various card games. Rumor is that one guy may have lost his star rank in a poker game, but we will have to verify that later.

Sitting at home looking over the photo's made the trip even better, I can't wait to finish posting them on the website for the guys. I hope y'all enjoy them as well. Time to finish unpacking and getting back to the work week.
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

THE DOG DAYS ARE HERE...

2010-07-25T19:11:00.000-04:00

AND IT IS HOT...
So I am holed up in the house and having a "snow day". The dog days of summer make it too hot to do much of anything productive, so we close all the curtains, run all the fans and enjoy the cool comfort of a nap; just like winter, but better.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING...

And last week I went with some of the scouts to tag trees. As most of you know, my scout troop sells Christmas trees every year as our big fund raiser. Every july we travel to Highlands North Carolina and choose our trees for the season.

This year we had a good group and did the job in short order. The tree farm is family owned and run and has been doing business with us for years. The guys always enjoy their lunch break at the cabin in the sky. And our weather was perfect with cool breezes up at the mountain tops and low humidity.

On the way back home we always stop to cool off at Talulah Gorge state park. The water was cool and refreshing.

THEN THE HEAT WAS ON...

Back home this week we have been seeing temps and humidity in the 90's. That makes for a tough commute for man and machine, but we all managed to make it to the weekend just fine.

Our butterflys are back, so Eve and Granpa' snapped a few photo's while cooling off. The butterfly's love Granny's big lantana plant out front.

After a cool chocolate frosty Eve and I decided to cool off under the sprinkler.

THAT'S ABOUT IT...

We are all looking forward to Aaron and Michael returning from their big adventure out in Cimmeron, New Mexico. They have been backpacking in the high desert at Philmont scout ranch for the last week and will be returning with great stories and memories soon.

Granny just woke from her snow day nap and I want another slice of that chilled watermellon in the fridge. Tomorrow it's back to work and all of the daily activities.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

THIS WEEK IS DAD'S BIRTHDAY...

2010-06-27T11:53:00.001-04:00

AND THE PARTY WAS ON...

With the whole family there to celebrate. We met at Bill's place and really enjoyed the day. There was plenty of room and lot's of food.

Our host had his "Big Green Egg" up and running all night, and with a bit of

help from assistant chef Steve we ate like kings. The ribs, brats and other meats were GREAT!

Everyone else contributed more goodies. We had vegetables and dip, chips, home-made cole slaw, chili and much more.

For dessert we even had a couple peach cobblers, cooked in dutch ovens by some of the kids, and older kids, in Uncle Bill's fire pit. We were STUFFED!

THERE WAS ALSO FUN AND GAMES...

Everyone had a chance to get together and visit. Aunt April spent time with Maddy, and the younger cousins all shared some fun together.

All of us really enjoyed getting together to catch up and share time with family. We also had some fun in the sun with ladder golf and, later in the day, some archery with the kids.

THEN DAD "ADDRESSED THE TROOPS"...

...and shared his thoughts on becoming an "octogenarian". He also reminded us that HE was the only one who had been arrested; that he knew of. It was a wonderful moment. Then he opened his gifts...

Peg took the lead, and with a lot of time, effort and support from the rest of us she managed to secure and assemble an amazing record of dad's service history. It is nicely mounted and includes medals and service ribbons.

AT THE END OF THE DAY...

We all were happy to have our loved ones close at hand for such a wonderful family memory. It was a reminder of our parents, us as parents and grandparents, and the hope we have for the future with our own families.

Until next time;

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

And to all of you who are part of your own family, be the best you can...

SUCCESSFUL BLOOD DRIVE...

2010-06-12T20:41:00.001-04:00

That's what the sign says now, but earlier this morning Eve helped Grampa' get ready for the donors by updating the info. As always, Eve was a big helper and got all of us through the donation process in good shape.

As donors arrived the blood began to flow, and lots of people showed up.

Senior Patrol Leaders from the scouts and

...little brothers from the next county. We even had some mountain men

...and wonderful friends from childhood.

There was even an old scoutmaster donating...

Thank you all for your help, because of you our drive was a success.

AFTER THE WORK WE HAD LUNCH...

I got to take all the "girls" for Cuban food. We had a lot of fun and we were all able to replenish ourselves after giving blood.

Then, back to the house to relax for a while and avoid any strenuous activity.

HARVEST TIME AT OUR HOUSE...

A while back we discovered that we had a mulberry tree in our yard. I had not realized it until I built a storage rack for all the canoes for the scout troop. Torie and Lani decided to collect some of the berry's, and of course I was drafted to help. Eve climbed to the top of the ladder, I followed and kept thinks steady and safe, and the "zany twins" collected the low hanging fruit. I am hoping for some preserves later this summer; in case anyone is interested.

SOME ADDITIONAL FUN FROM TODAY...

Between greeting visitors at the bloodmobile and guiding people to the scout hut for snacks and restroom breaks, Eve and Grampa' hiked around the lake. We "stopped to smell the flowers"...

and visit with the new ducklings.

It was a great day. Helping others and spending time with the grandkids is very rewarding. I hope some of you will consider giving blood or volunteering in some way in your neighborhood.

TIME FOR T.V...

It's saturday night, and the kids are gearing up for the latest Dr. Who series. So...

Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH

2010-05-21T17:11:00.001-04:00

TEN YEARS OLD TODAY...
I snapped this photo of Noah's picture and little sister Eve's calendar to commemorate the event. Noah is the only grandchild who is NOT born in september; not sure how that happened, but we are super happy to have him here with us no matter what.
A GOOD SCOUT...

Our ten-year old boy is a happy scout who enjoys all the activities offered. In the recent pinewood derby he did pretty well with his junk food inspired racer that was as tasty looking as it was fast. Yep! That's a racing hot dog on a bun. Noah did almost all the work himself with only a bit of guidance from his dad. Good work Noah!
A VERY UNIQUE KID...

Noah gets a little bit less "publicity" than some of the other kids, mainly because he enjoys his own brand of fun. He is always inventing strange things and attempting to "robotize" anything he can lay his hands on.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our favorite inventor and robot master...

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

2010-05-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

COMMUNITY SERVICE...
Early last month our extended family turned out along with the scouts and the Tucker Civic Association (TCA) to help with a park cleanup.

From the youngest to the oldest we did our share. Mom and dad worked with the girls and Noah to clean and beautify. Aaron and Grampa' helped replace six benches along the waterfront.

The end result of the "give-an-hour" project was very satisfying. The park and lake look much better, and the wildlife seem happy.

REWIND AND DO IT AGAIN...

A few weeks later, Aaron, Eve and I braved a day of steady rain and joined our church for another service project. There are several old and hidden cemeteries in our neighborhood that were in need of attention. So we turned out to help.

Aaron rebuilt some benches (again) and also helped with resetting some toppled headstones with the JEEP and winch.

Eve was our photo journalist and did a great job capturing info from headstones for genealogy purposes.

Some of the names are ancestores of people from our church congregation today and were here before and during the "big war".

THIS JUST IN !!

Our little girl, Victoria, is now 40!!

"freinds" from near and far were hired to fill a popular local restaurant for the big birthday bash. And a good time was had by all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TORIE !!!

ANOTHER KIDS WORKSHOP PROJECT...

Eve and Grampa' were first in line to build this "lawn chair planter" on saturday morning. We also bought mom a cool "Coral Cactus" for her birthday gift. The planter has since been painted a lovely shade of yellow.

That's about it for now. Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

IN MEMORY...

2010-03-25T20:42:00.000-04:00

...of my cousin, God's comic relief.

Kenny; We already miss you and wish we all had one more chat with you. I will always remember the crazy, irritating little kid who sang "the bear went over the mountain" 10,000 times in the car. Or the little guy who told me to "wipe my nose, Jimmy", when you were allergic to your mattress.

And we all know that St Patrick's Day will never be the same again.

And no school dance will ever be as sweet.

And so I say, my comic cousin;

Slán agus beannacht leat

Or in English; GOODBYE AND BLESSINGS ON YOU...

KIDS AND SNOW...

2010-02-14T17:08:00.000-05:00

... LIFELONG MEMORIES

Just like everyone else our snow began light and grew more intense. Being a Friday, we looked forward to settling in for the weekend in warm comfort.

And then the kids arrived and all that changed; for the better, or "funner", if you use kid language.

We had a snowball fight, with wild-eyed adversaries...

And then built a snowman.

A pretty happy guy, considering he was stuffed full of pine straw.

MORE FUN INSIDE...

Eve asked for a fire, so we got a nice warm blaze going in the fireplace. We also had hot chocolate and cookies while warming ourselves in blankets by the fire and vegging in front of the TV.

NEXT DAY WAS FUN, TOO...

Eve got me up early to investigate the snow and go shopping for valentines day. She is my best traveling buddy every saturday.

We JEEPed down the icy road, almost alone, and went shopping.

After choosing just the right items for Granny, Mom and others we headed back home for a big breakfast and more winter fun.

We also had a bit of fun doing "donuts" in the iced over parking lot. Eve was giggling so hard she had to catch her breath. That was GREAT!

BACK AT HOME...

We looked around the yard for some good photo op's and took some good pictures.

TO FINISH OFF THE COLD WEATHER FUN...

The kids stayed out and played until they wore out the snow. Then we all came back inside to warm up and relaxed. It was a fun weekend snow and a great family time.

Until' next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

Just Another Weekend...

2010-02-06T18:25:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENNY...

If I didn't mention it in an earlier post, January 15th was Denny's birthday. We all enjoyed a small party with our favorite rainman, even if he was more interested in a quiet day alone. I wanted to add him to a few postings now and then so everyone can see how well he is doing. I wish I aged so well...

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE...

But from what I see on FB my cuzzin's up north have it a lot worse. But in true fashion they all seem to be weathering the snow storm with true pioneer spirit. I have heard rumors of warm breakfasts shared with family and crooked front walks, shoveled by good men. We also snuggled in to try and stay warm.

ALWAYS BUSY, ALWAYS FUN...

As usual, the first saturday of every month is Home Depot Kids Workshop. I accompanied Eve in the morning to build the project. For february she built a NASCAR display case for her awards. After our morning build we went to "WENDARBY'S" for breakfast. In case you are confused, WENDY'S and ARBY'S are owned by the same company. Our local ARBY'S remodled and added a WENDY'S franchise; Eve immediately named the new eatery WENDARBY'S. We had a good meal and a great time.

COMMUNITY SERVICE...

After my time with Eve, I swapped her out for some time with Aaron. Our scout troop is hosting a blood drive this month, and we went over to set up a sign to announce the event. We worked hard to move the lighted sign to the front of the hut, then Aaron added the message. If you are in the area, please plan to drop in and donate on the date noted.

While we were at the hut we also checked the repairs on the plumbing that I did recently, and then we installed a new (recycled) light switch and fixture.

By doing a large part of the work, Aaron has completed a good part of the HOME IMPROVEMENT merit badge. Afetr we finished we shared a quick lunch and installed new wipers on my JEEP. On the way home Aaron also filled the gas tank and cleaned the windshield. I think he is almost ready to start driving; his mom's car.

ALSO THIS WEEK...

I have been teaching the drafting merit badge for a few of the scouts. In order to complete the assignment they are supposed to visit and use a computer aided design (CAD) system. Michael stepped up to the task and invited the guys to his office to meet Dave Snow, a supervisor in his department. As the photo shows the guys had a good time, and Michael and Dave were very helpful with the lesson.

It is always fun to see what others do for a living, and to help young guys learn as well. I used to do design work on a CAD system for years and it was really cool to see the changes and updates that have occurred since my time.

TIME TO FINISH...

It is time to go help Eve and Granny with a school project ( they really need me in there), so I will go and see if I can help make a valentine mailbox from a simple shoebox.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

FOLLOWUP TO MY ADVENTURE...

2010-01-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

I want to share some details about my hospital visit this week, just to bring everyone up to date. Sorry, no pictures, but I did carry off the whole "hospital gown" thing with great style!
FIRST A WARNING...
Never ignore an injury, no matter how small. I know that most of us old timers believe in the "just walk it off and get back to work" theory, but that does not work once you get over a certain age.
IT ALL STARTED WITH A SIMPLE THING...
I whacked my shin on the trailer hitch of my truck while working with the scouts around Christmas and just "walked it off". My left shin was tender and swollen, like a golf ball under the skin. A little ice and some excercise made the main injury go away, but then my whole foot got a bit swollen and turned a nice shade of purple/blue with a hit of yellow/brown, sort of like an old bannana.
I had no real pain, and I was able to walk around just fine so I just kept going. Soon the foot and shin were just fine and I went about my business. The shin still had a bit of a lump, but it seemed like that was just a reminder of the incident that would soon disappear.
THEN IT HAPPENED...
Early wdnesday I was awakened by a soreness and stiffness in my right shoulder. Of course we have all had that annoying "stitch" in our shoulder blade from sleeping wrong, so I ignored it. I tried to go back to sleep but the "stitch" persisted. I got up and started to get ready for work, but a hot shower just seemed to make things worse. Now I had a tightness and pain right through my chest, in the sturnum. Every breath hurt and the pain was sprading. I took a couple of aspirin and tried to remember what I might have lifted to cause such muscle pain.
OFF TO WORK...
I was pretty comfortable on the drive to work, maybe the comfy seats in the JEEP helped. I was still winded when I got to work, but I pushed on. Soon I noticed that I was really hurting, and so did a few of the guys I work with. When I realized that I could not get a full breath and that my shallow breathing was not letting me get enough air.
GIVE IT UP STUPID, CALL THE DOCTOR...
I called in and got an immediate appointment at the doctor's office and set off. I had a 2 pm appointment so there was time to stop for a haircut; I know, same old mindset. When the doctor checked me out he got nervous. An EKG was inconclusive and a few other checks seemed to say heart trouble. I disagreed, but he reminded me that he had been to medical school and I had not. He told me he was calling an ambulance to take me to the ER right away. I asked if there was a return ambulance to retrieve my car later? He said no, but that I needed to get to the emergency room quickly. I told him they could call him and I drove the two blocks to the ER.
NOW THE FUN BEGINS...
I called Sue from the car and had her meet me at the emergency room. Then I started the process of figuring out what was up. Since I was in a teaching hospital I was visited, poked prodded and listened to by a whole crew of doctors. They did a good job with all the paperwork, bloodwork, EKG, CT scan and much more.
By the way, when you are being wheeled around from test to test, the transporters do not appreciate when you sit up and pretend to drive; not funny. After all was said and done I got a nice room; at 2AM!! Then everyone on the night shift dropped in to visit on a fifteen minute schedule. Take more blood, clear the port, check the heart, listen to the lungs. All the while I am hooked up to a bunch of wires, tubes and gadgets. The first visitor was the night nurse. She kicked in the door and snapped on the light like a SWAT team entering a crack house. I came up out of the bed and was half-way to the door before the wires and tubes stopped me. Her entries were a bit more calm after that.
ANYWAY, THE FINAL RESULT WAS...
That I was treated for a blood clot in my lung. The last doctor (and attending class of students) said that I actually had no real clot, but that I was suffering from "soft clotting" in my lung area. I recieved a blood thinner (whose long-winded medical name I can not pronounce) and sent home with a clean bill of health.
FINAL RESULTS ARE...
I left the hospital with a blood pressure of 120 over 75. I have been fine ever since. The tests show that my heart is very, very healthy and that I was cleared for any activity. I am also cleared for blood donation in one week. That makes me happy, since I am chairman of the blood drive in February.
DON'T IGNORE A SIMPLE PROBLEM...
Take care of your health and stay away from the doctor. I will share more hospital stories later, when they are a bit more memorable.
Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SNOW DAY...

2010-01-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

As others have reported, we have had some very cold weather here. Yesterday (Friday) was cold enough that an icy layer covered a lot of the area, causing some travel issues.
We awoke to about 16 degrees and windy. I prepared to head into work, since driving a JEEP makes me invicible to all catastrophies of nature. I recieved a call telling me to sit tight at home because the company was not opening on time due to road conditions. COOL! In the end, we never opened the building since most people called in unable to get away from home.
Here are a few pix from our day.
FIRST, AND MOST IMPORTANT...

Some people did show up for work during our recent cold wave. Here is my kid brother, Capt. Tom Towhey of Atlanta fire, doing his thing. This photo was taken by a reporter recently and shows what these guys do for a living. Hats off to Tom and Chris for their efforts.
Here is a dirct link to the story in the Atlanta Journal
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/atlanta/cold-weather-fire/
MEANWHILE BACK AT HOME...

The hill on our streeet was pretty well iced over, but passable.

Our place was warm and snug. I was happy that I chose to add two layers of insulation to the attic this past summer, it really paid off.

... everything else got a coating of ice.

...but we were still open for business.

...as chilly visitors proved later that day.

...and into the frosty evening.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

...from our home to yours. Here's hoping you are safe and warm with your loved ones.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

WELCOME NEW YEAR, 2010...

2010-01-03T17:18:00.000-05:00

HOLIDAY WEEK...
...between Christmas and New Year found me with some time off, and I chose to use it to good advantage. I gave one day to each grandchild, as a small gift to myself. Here they are with their version of "American Gothic".

AARON AND I...

...spent monday together and helped a few hardy soles close down the scout Christmas tree lot. We also had lunch together and shared some time at home. Aaron (2nd from right) is almost taller than me now and has a quirky sense of humor that is contagious. He plans to earn his Eagle in 2010.

RACHEL AND I HAD FUN, TOO...

We spent our day getting Grannies car serviced and Rachel even installed new wipers herself, with just a bit of help. We also shared lunch and Rachel did her usual magic by getting the largest, most gianourmous fries ever! This somehow always happens for Rachel and we always get a big laugh when it does. Rachel also enjoys time to herself with her writing, reading.

NEXT MORNING...

I traded in Rachel for Noah. Look out world! We went shopping and then did an oil change on my car. Noah even got his hands a little dirty in the process. We had fun at lunch and Noah really enjoyed some alone time with grampa'; and our cable TV. He also shared some time with Uncle Denny at the DQ.

EVE ROUNDED OUT THE WEEK...

with her New Year's "Eve" visit. She accompanied Granny and me to the doctor's office for uncle Denny's checkup. Next, we made a stop to give blood. She was very well behaved while I gave, and the folks there even gave her a few gifts. The photo below shows our (almost) matching bandages and matching shirts and bracelets. We also had fun with a tasty lunch at Arby's.

NEW YEARS EVE...

Was quiet, with only Grampa' managing to stay awake for the midnight change to 2010. Eve was bundled up nice and warm with Granny on the sofa for the big event.

OUR NEW YEAR'S DAY PARTY...

was very well attended, with lots of fun and good food. Hopefully by now you have all recieved your e-mail with the chosen names for 2010.

That is about all for now. Until next time...

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous new year...

CHRISTMAS WITH OUR FAMILY...

2009-12-28T20:58:00.001-05:00

WAS GREAT...

We started with the annual family gathering at Mom and Dad's home.

This year we had the younger elves help with the gift giving.

Including an obviously excited "south pole" elf...

We all gathered, ate, laughed and shared stories.

Here, Uncle Bill explains to brother Tom how large his pants used to be.

Later, the men-folk watched Grampop sleeping in a chair; it was a riot!

As always, the gathering with all of us was great. I look forward to it every year; Thanks Mom and Dad.

CHRISTMAS DAY...

... Had all of the traditional fun we have all come to expect. The grandkids, and those two people they live with, came to visit...

and everyone enjoyed their wonderful gifts...

Electronic gaming for Aaron,

and a personal DVD player for Rachel.

Noah was excited to find new PJ's (with button's and super hero's) under the tree, as well as a very cool light saber.

And darling Eve was very much in the spirit of the season. She enjoyed some new clothes and our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree.

As for me...

I just sat back and enjoyed myself and the kids...

I hope your Christmas was good,

and may your New Year be safe, happy and prosperous.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

Oh yeah, the New Year's Day party is this week...

Quick update on Thanksgiving weekend...

2009-11-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

THANKSGIVING DAY...
As usual, we had plenty to be thankful for. Granny Sue, Uncle Denny and Grampa' enjoyed a quiet day at home, relaxing. For our dinner this year we allowed Denny to treat us to a full course turkey and dressing dinner at his favorite place, S & S cafeteria. He loves the place, and the staff have come to know him very well there.
OPENING DAY, BLACK FRIDAY...

As most of you already know, the Christmas season is always busy for us. The scouts sell Christmas trees, and this year Aaron and Michael have joined the troop. We had a busy day, with Michael and Aaron staying from opening to close to get things done. I managed to get away a bit earlier, but it was still a full day. Aaron even got to drive the JEEP and pull the trailer to and from the the storage area to the lot. He did GREAT with the clutch.

ROAD TRIP TOMORROW...

Sue and I will be hitting the highway tomorrow to visit with her sister in Alabama. It is always a nice break to have time together in the car, away from all other distractions. Our wonderful daughter, Victoria, will stay at our house to care for Uncle Rainman (Denny) and allow us a day away; Thanks Torie.

THAT'S ABOUT IT...

For now.

I will post a few photos when we get back.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

Observations of autumn...

2009-11-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN...

Today was the first day of setup for the annual Boy Scout Christmas Tree lot. As most of you know, this is our troop's big fundraiser each year and I am the "go-to guy" for the mechanical part of the project.

We have stands, designed by me and built by the scouts, to display the trees for our customers. There is also the power pole and shelter to be set up.

We like to have the scouts do as much of the work as possible. They learn by doing, and they really have an "investment" in the project. The sales from this project provide our annual budget, and gives each scout 50% of his summer camp costs. Today's weather was excellent and we got a good start on this season's efforts.

A WALK WITH EVE...

After my morning with the scouts, I took care of a few things around the house. A bit of yard work was needed after our recent floods here. Eve is a very outdoorsey type of girl who loves to be a helper. After we got the yard looking acceptable, we decided that our work was worth a reward.

One of my greatest joys in life is time spent with the grandkids. Eve and I set off to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. The sun was high and the air was comfortable and dry. We followed our usual route to discover what was new.

Our neighbors on the next block have a new mailbox. Eve says it looks like one of her favorite PBS shows, "Between the Lions". It is a show about reading, which she is getting better at all the time.

We also discovered that our community has a new "eco-freindly" storm drain system. The medallion on the drain shows that this drain flows into a waterway. Eve liked the fish logo.

We also took time to stop and smell the whatever-they-ares and to taste some delicious honeysuckle.

When Eve spotted this woodland candy she asked me how to open it to get to the honey inside. I showed her and we had a nice treat, then she took a picture. We had a wonderful time and a nice talk (she talked and I listened) on the way home. It was a glorious and precious day and time.

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON...

With the autumn season here we are all looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday. On our return to the house, Eve wanted to swap our halloween flag for a Thanksgiving one. Ever the helper, she chose the flag and helped me hang it.

So much for another day in paradise. Here's hoping all of you are enjoying the beautiful fall season. Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

and as an added thought;

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL...

MY TURN TO CATCH UP...

2009-10-11T10:48:00.000-04:00

MOM'S BIRTHDAY...

...was GREAT! Thanks to everyone who helped and showed up. I believe she was really surprised.

A lot of people were there...

...from the youngest...

to the next generation,

of cousins, spouses...

siblings and grandkids...

and many,

many,

more.

THERE WAS "PAPPERAZZI"...

all over the place,

...WHO WANTS CAKE?

"oooh, I do!"...

Who could resist a custom cake...

made to look like the Tybee Island Lighthouse?

Thanks for the great job, Victoria and Michael.

THE BIG GIFT OF THE PARTY WAS COOL...

All of the kids and their spouses. What a handsome group! Thanks to Kelley for the photo, and Mike for the enlargement and framing.

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL...

To quote my sister.

...and all the guests

...who were nice enough to attend.

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE...

but for now, I think we are all tired and could use a break.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

TIME TO CATCH UP...

2009-08-02T17:28:00.014-04:00

MOST RECENTLY...

We all turned out to offer our small bit of support to the Basile family and their fundraiser with "Team Kathleen". The friday night event was well attended and produced a generous donation to the scleraderma foundation. It was a privilege to attend.

I was able to attend with my daughter, Victoria. We all enjoyed the wonderful food, as the photo shows.

There was great entertainment, in the Holy Cross tradition, which included lots of music...A few golden oldies...

...and even some celebrities. Two "thumbs up" and a job well done to Team Kathleen.

SINCE THE LAST POSTING...

We have been enjoying summer fun. Mostly our world revolves around the grandkids and Denny.

Eve has continued her budding builders ways and has completed another kids workshop project.

Noah is still planning to build a robot that will help him conquer the world, and continues to experiment constantly toward that end.

Rachel continues to write wonderful stories and create characters that remind us a lot of her actual family. She has completed another summer "college for kids" course. She also enjoyed drama camp! Here she shares her feelings on the last day.

Aaron and I are staying very busy with scouting. Most recently we had a work day at the scout hut to prepare for the upcoming 60th anniversary of the troop.

Aaron was tasked with helping clean the pavillion out back. Others got to help clean, paint and organize the inside of the main building. A few weeks back Michael and I helped paint the buildings exterior.

Here is Michael mixing paint in preparation. We got a lot done that day, and since.

AND THEN WE HAVE...... Uncle Denny. Who continues to glide along in his own way and his own world. Our rain man is healthy and happy despite his refusal to smile for the camera.

AND NOW THE REFRIGERATOR STORY...

A week or so ago we had a small meltdown in our spare refrigerator. It sparked, popped and died. We made the decision to move the kitchen fridge into the pantry and get a new model for the kitchen.

Simple enough to do, right? The door into the kitchen is right next to the space where the new fridge will go, just slip into the kitchen and slide the new one in. Armed with a tape measure and a notepad with dimensions we set off to look for a new refrigerator. We found a great deal on this stainless model and loaded in on the trailer.

Once we got home I rolled the new fridge into the garage, leaned it into the doorway and pulled it up onto the step. The handles on the front would NOT fit!!! We had carefully measured the entire unit without considering the handles!!!

I decided to check the front door. No problem! the fridge would clear with almost 3/4 of an inch. Problem. I had to remove both front doors from the house to clear. No problem. Maybe I could remove the doors from the fridge. No way; there is a wiring harness and water feed in the door hinge. I eventually removed the front door, two foyer doors and got the furniture in the hall and living room out of the way.

Next I called my neighbor, Bobby, to help me grunt the fridge up the steps in front of the house. He was glad to help, and almost laughed himself to death at our story. We got the fridge into the kitchen only to discover that the chair rail was almost 3/4 of an inch wider than we had assumed from our measuring.

I "gently" removed the chair rail and hooked up the water line. The fridge slid into place with exactly ZERO room to spare. W H E W!!! All the doors were then replaced and I got some sleep.

Next day I trimmed the chair rail to fit around the new fridge and re-installed it. When we stepped back to see if the rail was level Sue asked why the two doors on the fridge were not even. I looked; she was right.

I tried to adjust the doors, but they were even all along the edges and perimeter. The handles were uneven. I got a light and examined the inside of the handles to see if there was an adjustment. I spotted a small button and pressed it. THE HANDLE SLIPPED OFF THE DOOR WITH EASE !!!

I could have removed the handles with a push of a button and slipped the fridge in the kitchen door with no effort!! If I had only realized.

We laughed for quite a while; unlike our neighbor who is now certain he hurt himself - laughing at us!

Enough for now. Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SUMMERTIME ROLLS ON

2009-07-12T17:42:00.015-04:00

...and we are enjoying ourselves. We have had vacationing visitors here from up north.

No, that is not the same picture twice, Sue wanted a picture with BOTH aunts while they were here!
TIME FOR FAMILY AND KIDS... Aaron and I packed up the JEEP and headed for the mountains of North Carolina this weekend. We joined the scouts at the tree farm where we get our Christmas trees every year. The weather was great and we enjoyed the high mountain tops and the work.Here is Aaron with two of his scout team mates using a measuring stick to gauge the size of trees and then mark and grade them. All told, we tagged about 475 trees for sale this season. The guys had a visit from some "locals" while we were working. They shared some apples with them. We also took in a few tourist attractions along the way.

Aaron is the one WITHOUT a fish in his mouth, but the bear would probably have liked a sip of the drink. ANOTHER EAGLE HAS FLOWN... Aaron, Michael and I were attendees at another Eagle scout court of honor this afternoon. The newest Eagle from our troop is Matthew, a fine young man who is looking forward to college next year. Congratulations! Our family was proudly represented at this very solemn and serious event, as this photo shows.

THE PROJECTS CONTINUE...

I have been pressing on with the painting and maintenence around the house. I am also building a new sign for the front lawn of the scout hut. Aaron and I will be installing it soon, in preperation for an upcoming event. We will chronicle this later, when it happens.
That's about all for now. More later as we move through summer.

In closing, here is a photo of the tree tagging crew for this year. A job well done, guys! Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

HOLIDAY AT HOME...

2009-07-04T22:53:00.003-04:00

... with a side trip to the kids workshop! Eve is known as a "pro" at the local Home Depot. She loves to build the monthly project with grampa'.

After our morning adventure, we headed home and the grandkids went to a pool party. Granny and I spent the day together, relaxing (sort of) with some really great barbecue and some old movies on the tube.

I also tinkered around the house and shop and got a few things accomplished. The JEEP got an oil change and coolant change and the flowers got a good watering. I also managed to spray for weeds in the side yard. The shutters on the porch are all painted, leaving just the ones on the bedroom end to be done.

I truly enjoy being home and accomplishing a few things. I also want to remind everyone to remember how we came to gain our independence and what it takes to maintain it.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend.

Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

INDEPENDENCE DAY

2009-07-03T22:29:00.004-04:00

On july 4th we celebrate our nations independence, and our own. We hold these things to be "self evident".

I hope all of you have a happy, safe and memorable holiday.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY...

2009-06-21T09:26:00.007-04:00

Today is that one day every year that we dedicate to our dad's. As you can see, I am taking FULL advantage of my special day.

THE FUN HAS BEEN GOING ALL WEEKEND...

Yesterday, we had a lot of fun with the grandkids. Victoria's family delivered a great barbeque dinner with a special father's day "cookie cake" for the dad's in our family. Michael has been mastering his guitar lately, so the family chose this really clever theme for the cake.

Eve was especially happy to feed her sweet tooth.

I ALSO GOT A FEW THINGS DONE AT HOME...

I had friday off from work, and was happy to get my stitches removed and spend some time with Denny. Here he is "in action", doing his job at school when I dropped him off.

I also got some maintenance done on my car and around the house.

Here is the new look for our front door. We chose the color earlier this week while visiting the "big kids toy store" (aka Home Depot) and picking up my father's day gift. The color really works on the door, the shutters will be completed as time and temperature allow over the next few weeks.
AND SPEAKING OF GIFTS... Check this out, all you Tim Allen wanna' be's!! JIM the toolman has arrived. I have been wanting a good, all-pupose saw for a while and this one is great! It's a "dual-action, sliding compound miter saw". OH OH OH HO OH!!
I have already used it to repair the mailbox, with more projects set for the near future. Thanks sweet Sue, Denny and everyone else!
TIME TO GO...
Sue is getting breakfast ready, and the kids (and those two people they live with) are coming back today. I am watching the speed channel and waiting for a "special" breakfast before we all start celebrating again.

Be sure to call or visit your dad today, he is part of the reason you are here. Happy Fathers Day to all of you other dad's out there.

Now where did I leave that remote...

LATEST HAPPENINGS...

2009-06-07T09:50:00.010-04:00

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED...

On friday afternoon I had a small accident at work and got a checkup at the emergency room. I am fine, but did require a few stiches. There will also be a trip to the dentist to repair some damaged teeth. The stitches are doing nicely, however. I was using a hand press to install some inner bearings in an outer cylinder when the press somehow failed. The press arm fell from the machine and hit me in the mouth. I fell back and hit my elbow on the floor, and that was that.

My sister has informed me that the small, loose patch of skin on the elbow is called the wenos. I can now proudly share the story of my wenos injury with everyone! Thanks Peg (I think).

IN BETTER NEWS...

Rachel has had a wonderful week at drama camp! As you can see, she has learned all of the elegant and refined ways of the theater. Next week will be her Budding Authors class at the annual College for Kids at Mercer University. This weekend she stayed with Granny Alice and Hayley. Rachel does not waste her summer oportunities.

Noah is still in search of perpetual motion! He participated in a "booster-thon" at school, and then cub scout "twilight camp". He usually vegitates here at our house on the weekends (due to the 24 hour cartoon network), but on saturday he helped me organize some rain tarps and other equipment at the scout hut. Aaron is back home after a great week at scout camp! The old, traditional ways have not changed much. The guys in the troop had a great time and and got to earn lots of merit badges. Shotgun shooting and leather work were two favorites for Aaron. Check out his completed wallet from the leather working merit badge. Nicely done, Aaron. Now all you need to do is earn a little cash for that new wallet! I need to tell the truth and credit Victoria's BLOG for the four photos above. Visit her at http://www.victoriataylor.blogspot.com/ and see what else is happening with her family.

EVE AND GRAMPA, AGAIN...

As usual, the first weekend of the month is always Eve and grampa's visit to the Home Depot Kids Workshop. We set out early, with Eve sporting her OSHA approved girly sandles.

This month, the project was a hardware organizer. She did a GREAT job building and decorating it. She then made a sweet card from "post-it notes" and gave it to her dad for fathers day.

I really enjoy our time together every month at these projects. I hope some of you will take time to teach a kid about tools and building, it is priceless.

NEXT WEEK IS FATHER'S DAY...

Do something nice for the dad in your life, he is really important.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

Quick note from our place...

2009-05-30T17:40:00.007-04:00

After a long, busy week I had a great friday night with the kids and Granny here at home. WHEW!

This morning Aaron went to be a helper at the Special Olympics held at the Emory University athletic fields. He worked with our troop committee chairman and some of his fellow scouts. We are all happy that he did this and proud about his involvement. Uncle Denny had no comment, but as a former competitor I am sure he approves.

A BIG PROJECT BEGUN...

Early this morning Victoria and I went to Home Depot and got a bunch of rolls of insulation to improve the old stuff in our attic. I mention my wonderful daughter mainly because she did a great job of getting the staff at the store in line and figuring out the best value for the money. Being a penny-pinching Harris decendant can come in handy when you have a big project to plan and pay for. Thanks Torie!

THE TOUGH PART WAS NEXT...

I had been wanting to double-up the attic insulation for a while, but could never get time, money, help and schedule all together. Today, however, was the day!!!

I had arranged for some scouts from the troop to do the job, but in the end, only one showed up. As it turned out, he was as good as having a whole crew on the job!

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PLANNING...

We got started as early as possible, despite a bit of car trouble for Brant, my hired help. After a quick re-organization of the few items in the attic we got busy.

First we used large leaf rakes to smooth out and fill in all the existing insulation and prepare the whole attic.

As you can see, the old stuff (on the right) was blown in by machine and was still OK by 1980 standards, but it was time for an upgrade. The new R19 batts are really great and easy to install. Especially after we got the old stuff leveled out with the joists.

My able contractor went to work and did a GREAT job! I was the support guy, bringing fresh batts up from the trailer and helping cut around obstructions.Once we got past the stair opening things really flew! It took us about four hours, start to finish, to get the job done. And yes, it was really HOT up there. We even used a fan to keep cool and had both stairwells open for ventilation.

TIME FOR A COOL ONE...As you can see, we were glad to get back down into the cooler space and fill up on some nice cool water. It was a job well done.

Until Brant tried to leave and his car would not start. We got under the hood and discovered why he had no power steering and no electrical power.The power steering pump disintegrated, lost it's main shaft and pulley and put the belt into the main serpentine. We got it squared away by removing the belt and letting the car go with no power steering. He made it home, so all must be well.

TIME TO UNWIND...

Beside posting this BLOG, I am just trying to relax on the sofa and regain my strength by veggin' out in front of the TV.

Ya' know, I think it feels cooler in here already...

WHERE TO BEGIN...

2009-05-25T19:31:00.011-04:00

...With why I haven't BLOGged lately.

First of all, I have been sick. But a trip to the doctor, dentist and oral surgeon got me back on track. I had been suffering sore throat, swollen glands, low-grade fever and off-and-on pain in my jaw and teeth. A visit to the doctor and a prescription knocked it out; for almost two weeks.

BACK WITH A VENGANCE...

When the symptoms returned they were worse. I hightailed it back to the doctor and she did some tests. The infection in my throat had returned (source still unknown) and had settled into my jaw and soft tissue of my palate and tounge. I was MISERABLE!!

THE FIX...
After this visit I got a second prescription and an immediate trip to the dentist to drain the now abcessed infection in my jaw. The dentist then packed off the problem area and sent me up the road to the oral sugeon, who removed some infected bone and reset a tooth and crown; Oh, and by the way, a root canal got thrown in for good measure!

Now it is Granny Sue's turn to fight off the infection.

As of Memorial Day I am 100% cured and healthy!

OTHER STUFF ALSO HAPPENED...

Noah had his 9th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOAH

We all enjoyed a cake, ice cream and lego's. The best gift was the "real" erector set from granny and grampa'. But the other toys and cards were fun as well. Noah was transfixed by the lego's transformer.

CONGRATULATIONS RACHEL... On crossing over with the Girl Scouts! I believe she is now a cadet. The cerimony was held at the same private park as the last one, and was very nicely done by the leaders.

Rachel also graduated from elementary to junior high school with very good grades. This summer will be another "college for kids" writing class and drama camp. What an amazing young lady!!!

IN OTHER NEWS...

Aaron and I attended the family court of honor for the troop and had a great time with the meal and awards cerimony. I should also mention that Aaron and one of his scout buddies stepped up to the challenge and cut and edged the entire lawn and picnic area at the scout hut in preperation for the event. He also picked up trash without a complaint. GOOD WORK AARON!

In two weeks the guys are heading out for summer camp and high adventure in the mountains of North Georgia. Summer-time fun!

AND EVE IS STILL MY PROJECT BUDDY...

We planted some flowers last week. And then posed for a really "cheesy" picture.

Today, Eve helped me prepare some campfire torches for cerimonial use by the scouts; she was a big help.

The finished torches will be delivered this week for use over the summer camp season.
THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW...
I will close with a quick pic of my windshield from some random debris on the highway.This has also been fixed like new. I can see the road again! So until next time - I'll be seein' ya'...

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

2009-04-26T16:13:00.019-04:00

MIXED BAG; FOUND PHOTOS... We have all heard stories of the forgetful uncle (or grampa') who takes some great photos and then leaves the film in the can until it is discovered much later on. I have done the same thing, only digitally. Earlier this week I was using my camera to document a disassembly and rebuild of a tricky piece of equipment. In the process I got a message that my card was full. I decided to swap cards and delete poor photos later. The replacement card was also full! That was odd!?! I grabbed my third card and completed the project, keeping the additional full card in mind. These photos are some of the images I discovered when I opened and downloaded the pictures. From the look of things, these were taken sometime over the past winter. Photo one is a real keeper. Rachel sharing her music with Eve. Each one gets one earplug! Very cute. Denny was enjoying a fine breakfast, sometime around Christmas, in photo number two. In photo three I caught Eve as she slipped into a quiet slumber; in mid-sentance! She was also the subject of picture four. I have been informed that a "real cook" always has a towel over her shoulder.Rachel loves to read. She is always in the midst of another great story. I took this picture of her in her favorite chair, doing her favorite thing. I have also officially willed the chair and lamp to her when she gets a place of her own someday.There were several shots of Denny "celebrating" his birthday. This is a typical one with the birthday boy looking annoyed, as usual. All-in-all, I had a lot of fun discovering these almost forgotten photos. I thought about getting y'all to attach captions, like Katie, but decided to wait until I wasn't stealing ideas.
AND ON OTHER SUBJECTS...

Here is a video and some additional shots from the completion of the latest Eagle project. Well done Mathew!

The finished ramp has been used by the cooks already, and they are very happy with the results! The guys all really learned some new skills on this project, and they agree that they learned a lot that will be of benefit to them in the future.

...like "bricking" the rough edges of the finished concrete.

... Setting and stripping forms.

... Clearing the site of debris.

And of course, the mandatory landscaping to complete the job to perfection.
NOAH SPENDS TIME WITH GRAMPA'

We had a few projects to complete, but we also had a bit of fun.

Noah was just the right size to get into the storage building at the scout hut to help clear the way for us to repair the mower. Good work, mighty noah!

After fixing a flat tire and repairing the mowing deck, Noah took the mower out for a test run. All systems GO! Time for our reward for all the hard work.

Chicken nuggets, fries and ice cream at CHIK-FIL-A! Noah was trying hard to not crack while enjoying... Ice cream and a big laugh. It is always fun to spend time with the kids.

I did not expect to be so long with this BLOG. Finding the photos led me to other stuff and that's just what happened.

so, until next time. I'll be seein' ya'...

EASTER AND OTHER THINGS...

2009-04-12T09:35:00.013-04:00

EASTER MEMORIES...My dad posted some memories from his childhood, and that got me to thinking. As a kid I recall that Easter always meant brand new outfits for church. We also got our pictures taken in the new Easter clothes. I have a few photos of some of us kids in front of grandmom and grandpops house on Easter sunday. We had brand new outfits, fresh haircuts and GIANT wicker Easter baskets full of candy! I also recall that there were some early flowers poking out of the remains of a snow bank. I will try to find that photo an scan it soon.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

At last! As our yard plantings show. I thought we would never get to the warm spring weather, but at last I think we have made it. (stupid global warmimg)

CURRENT EVENTS...

Mostly center around our cars! Sue celebrated spring by getting a full car wash - inside and out! Lookin' Good Granny! And I suffered a blowout on my JEEP on the way to work last week, leading to a visit to the shop for new tires, shocks, replacement of a broken sway bar mount and a few other things. As you can see we are back in service with the old work horse.

AND SPEAKING OF CARS...

Noah and Grampa' stopped by "cruise night" in Tucker on saturday. Here he is by a 40' FORD hotrod.

Noah liked this one so much that after a quick check over his shoulder to see if the owner was looking...

... he took it out for a spin! Future getaway driver?Noah also took this photo of Grampa' with a car from a different era. We had lots of fun.

QUICK NOTE ON SCOUTS... Some of our guys went on a canoe trip for spring break, while another crew went backpacking. We also had a few guys still in town for the ongoing Eagle project. I'll close with this clip from the work site.

Until next time, HAPPY EASTER, and I'll be seein' ya'...

SPRING CAMPOREE...

2009-03-30T19:48:00.018-04:00

... AND SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGELike morning formation with all the guys, the flags and sunday services by the lake.The food was great; the guys made donut holes for dessert.The "spring" weather was cold, wet, damp and windy. But the company was as good as ever. As our camp neighbors prove.In other words, camp life (and the annual spring camporee) haven't really changed much since 1978. SO HOW DID THE GUYS DO?

The best news is that we scored a solid 90% on sleeping warm and dry; even the newest scouts. That's good news, considering we had over 2 inches of rain over night....followed by the arrival of lots of POLLEN!
AND NOW, THE "GOLDEN AXE"...there was sawing... Splitting and whittling... And finally a flame, a fire, and the first string was burned through!! Soon the second string was gone. And a pancake (of sorts) was cooked... ...and eaten. Congratulations to our competitors, Troop 343 of Dunwoody.

WE DID PRETTY WELL, OVERALL After cheering for our former rivals, the Golden Axe trophy was awarded. Then we got a few awards for Troop 129 to take home.

On the way home we began discussions about summer camp and high adventure for this year.

Other than that, I really didn't do much this weekend...

A GREAT AMERICAN TRADITION...

2009-03-28T09:59:00.014-04:00

CUB SCOUT PINEWOOD DERBY NIGHT... Our man Noah was ready with his entry, "The Milk Bone Special". He did a great job building his car, with a bit of help from dad.The other racers couldn't tell if this car was coming or going! Noah won a few and lost a few, but he DID have fun. Noah also had a few followers in the crowd. Here is a video with the Milk Bone Special in the near lane; watch close, Noah wins this lap!!

Perhaps there is a future in NASCAR for Noah; He loves to race, he is good looking, and the girls just LOVE him!!
THE FAMILY WAS THERE TO SUPPORT...Aaron was drafted by the cub leaders to help with the cars and track, he did a good job.

Rachel and Eve got there early and helped keep up with the different cars and racers.

And everyone sat together and cheered for all the racers.

AND THERE WERE AWARDS...One of the den leaders built these wall-hangers for each scout. They can hang their car on the wall in their room as a wonderful trophy. Noah got a special award for the "ruff-est" car design. But apparently, the best reward of the evening was cookies and juice. And... ...the love of family!

Great job all you cub scout racers! We all look forward to seeing in the troop in a few years.

FUTURE NASA ENGINEER...

2009-03-21T19:11:00.005-04:00

... Or possible cartoon hero; You decide.

Sorry this is a bit dark, Noah tends to work in obscurity. Please enjoy the wonderful world of an eight year old mind - when left alone with castoffs and tape.

Here is a still shot of the "mother ship" in better light.

I hope this little genius never looses his wonderful imagination.

Somehow, the future looks a little bit brighter now...

LOOSE ENDS...

2009-03-13T20:56:00.018-04:00

... is the idea for this posting.
I have a lot of photos and stories to share, so this will be somewhat eclectic.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS IN YEARS...

Long icicles were somewhat common when I was a kid. Of course we lived way up north and some of the older homes had no gutters or insulation, leading to a lot of melting snow to make them. Our scout hut is an old place that meets these same criteria; so we had icicles over the door.
KIDS WORKSHOP WAS FUN...Eve has enough pins on her apron to qualify as a south American general or Home Depot store manager! The kids workshop leaders know her by name and always look forward to her visit. She ALWAYS builds her own projects with very little help. This month she built a race track and cars, similar to a mini pnewood derby.

Here is the result of her efforts; and my first video download. Don't ya' love it??!!We also shared our work table with some freinds from church. Hannah and Nefi showed up right after us with their kids. We shared hammers and glue and lots of smiles and fun.

MORE EAGLE WORK LAST WEEK...

...AND AFTER THAT WE HAD PRACTICE

For the GOLDEN AXE competition.This yearly contest is held at the spring camporee, and our troop is gearing up for a win. The rules are simple: Each troop is issued a log of similar size and length. The log must be sawn into short lengths...Then cut into tinder......and finally a fire laid to burn through 2 strings at 18 and 24 inches above grade.Once the guys accomplish all of this, in a relay fashion, they get to cook a pancake. The first troop to cook and eat a pancake wins!! I will report back on how they do after the camporee.

I guess that is enough for now, I have been too long-winded this time. Next BLOG will be for Maddy; I got to visit a customer this week that might be of interest to her - they make diapers there!

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SINCE THE TOPIC IS WEATHER...

2009-03-06T17:41:00.015-05:00

... I decided to answer my sister and brother with some winter photos of my own.

THE SNOW BEGAN SLOWLY ...And it was really beautiful. As it continued we realized that we might just get a little more snow than we had originally expected.

And soon we were in a winter day that really DID remind me of Syracuse for a bit (Peg).

The words from a poem also came back; in part at least. "The wood in the snow was dark and deep ... and I have miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep". I know there is more, and I think I have things out of order, but it did come to mind when I saw my footprints.

EVERYTHING LOOKED FRESH AND CRISP...Like the big tree in front of the neighbors house...And our home, which was warm and toasty under the frosty pines.

THE WEATHER WAS JUST FINE...... For a real outdoorsman, like me. ... or an indoor girl like Sue.

And, just like a mountie, she finally got her man... ... After tracking him in the snow.

All in all, it was a great birthday gift for Sue.

AND THIS ISN'T THE WHOLE STORY...

Since we had a hail storm the week before.

But that is another story.

Perhaps I will save it for later; when we are all complaining about how hot it is...

SURPRISE!...

2009-03-01T08:41:00.016-05:00

SHE NEVER SAW IT COMING...
...When freinds and family gathered to share a birthday surprise party for Sue on saturday. The grandkids and the rest of the family got ready while Granny had her hair done, and we went crazy trying to decorate in time.We even cleaned the house! Check out this really amazing cake from Victoria!Our family baker even added some little cakes that looked just like ice cream cones! They were delicious!!
ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP...
I believe that Granny was very surprised! And we ALL had a great time. Thanks to all who dropped in.
AND NOW FOR THE "BACK STORY"...
Late thursday night Sue noticed that the drain plug in her bathroom sink did not work right. In fact, it had dropped right through the sink base! Long story short; The drain pipe was damaged and had to be replaced.
No big deal, I would pick up a new pipe on friday and slip it in. I had friday off to handle a few chores like the taxes and my gun permit renewal.
...AND THEN THE REAL ISSUE SURFACEDI picked up the new drain pipe when I went to get Denny. Later, as I turned the nut under the sink to remove the old drain - the bottom of the sink pulled away in my hand!!! A large, ragged, gaping hole in the bottom of the sink led me to understand that the whole sink had to be replaced!
AND SO I SET TO WORK... Saturday morning: The old sink was gone and we set about the task of replacing the sink, drain and everything else by the 3:00 PM deadline I had set. That was the time for the surprise party!!!
PLUMBERS HELPER... Noah helped get things organized, but then realized that the pipes looked a LOT like a lazer gun, so that was that. He did a really great job of removing the old sink bowl with a socket and ratchet. He is a real pro with hand tools!! Eve made an EXCELLENT seal around the sink with plumbers putty. She really enjoys doing projects. Next week is the HOME DEPOT kids workshop and we will be there. Thanks to the kids, I managed to turn a one hour task into a three hour marathon, but it was well worth the effort! We had fun and still managed to finish by 2:40.
AND WHAT NEXT...
Noah wants to build a robot from spare parts in my shop, Aaron has more Eagle project work in the near future, Rachel is always ready for any task that will help, and Eve, of course, will be front-and-center at the kids workshop .
I, on the other hand, am thinking about the fact that the other sink in our bathroom does not match the new one. Maybe next weekend...

Another Week in the Books...

2009-02-22T18:07:00.014-05:00

... AND OF COURSE WE HAD SOME FUN!

February is birthday month for Michael and Granny Sue! We celebrated with Michael this weekend with a cake and lunch at his favorite restaurant, Sangria's. And everyone had a great time. Rachel ate TWO plates!Eve mooched some tasty desert... ...and Noah was - well, Noah... MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH...
We returned to complete the festivities with cake and ice cream. ...and Michael got some help with the candles.NEW NEIGHBORS HAVE MOVED IN...
Later in the day, after the birthday party, we noticed a visitor in the back yard. Then we realized there were TWO red-tailed hawks in the pecan tree out back! I tried to get a photo, but it was a little tough to get close enough. I saw one of the young raptors again this morning, having his breakfast. I will attempt to get a better picture this week, but it will be dependant on time and weather.

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET SUE!!!!!!

FEBRUARY 23rd IS THE BIG DAY.

VALENTINE'S DAY...

2009-02-14T16:45:00.011-05:00

...And then some!

Let's get the BIG DEAL out of the way first.Eve got a very nice valentine lollipop from Randy! They had a very nice time playing together and she insisted that Randy is NOT her boyfreind.Later, Eve posed for me as a "flamingo", standing on one leg in the yard. We had a good time playing together and preparing a valentine surprise for Granny and Eve's mom and dad.

AND OF COURSE WE DID OUR GOOD DEED... Aaron and I worked on yet another Eagle project. This one will install a paved walkway to allow access to a local church kitchen. We had fun, despite the light, misty rain. Beside the work, we did a bit of exploring. It seems that the church building we were working at was built on fill. The area had originally been a mill pond and was a rally point during a civil war battle. Here is a local "hysterical site", (credit to uncle Ron for the pun) and a sign to explain it.

SPRING MAY BE HERE... Seeing these flowers in bloom, along with some buds on the trees at home, I got thinking about one of my warm weather projects. Since we had a tiller on loan from a troop member, and since I was in charge of transporting and operating it, I decided to take the tiller home and make use of it. I have been working slowly and steadily on the patio project at home and this was a perfect chance to cut in some of the areas I wanted to re-grade. It went well and I have a lot of earth moved. I just hope we don't get too much rain before I can get back to the site and finish grading for the pavers.

AND, TO FOLLOW UP FROM LAST WEEK... Aaron and I visited the gun show with uncle Bill and uncle Steve. We had fun and found a bargain! One of the vendors had a deal where you get three pocket knives for five dollars!! Aaron and I went through his inventory and got swiss army knives for camping and backpacking.

AND A SMALL HOORAY FOR ME... This gadget is one of our products at work. Mercedes Benz uses these clamps to accurately locate and firmly hold large parts during robotic welding. I have been writing manuals and process documents for the rebuilding of these units. I have been promoted to the quality team for the work I have been doing. We recently received a note from a customer telling us that our quality was excellent and that they thought we had sent brand new units instead of rebuilt!!! This was great news for all of us and bodes well for us with future business with this customer.

I hope I can help continue this trend for all of our sakes.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED...

2009-01-30T17:40:00.006-05:00

There is very little, if anything, that can be said here that could add to the wonderful service that accompanied kathleen to her eternal rest today.Family and freinds came together to bid farewell to a bright, beautiful young woman who we will all miss.

May God take her home with Him; and may her family be comforted in their time of grief. we are all a little bit better for having known her.

PARTY TIME...

2009-01-25T15:42:00.011-05:00

...but then again, isn't every weekend a party at our house?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENNY

Our boy had his birthday on january 15th with little fuss. Uncle Denny enjoyed another visit to S&S cafeteria (his new favorite place) for a nice dinner. On the weekend Eve decided that we needed to have a cake for the celebration. Instead, we had cupcakes! and they were great!!

She also "decorated" the house as only a six-year old can. Including the mailbox and kitchen.

I would also like to mention that we shared a birthday wish with one of my good buddies, David Lee. He is now a whopping 24 years old and a regular "chick magnet".

David was born here in Atlanta and now lives in Utah with his very loving and supportive family (AKA his "peeps"). His parents, Rusty and Lisa were, and still are, great supporters of scouting. We worked together a lot and had a great time. Another son, Jonothan is an Eagle. Happy birthday David.

AND SPEAKING OF SCOUTING...

Aaron and I went along to help with an ongoing Eagle project on saturday. He did a great job and we had a nice time together. We helped install additional "water bars" to reduce erosion, and fill trails with lots of mulch.

Aaron learned how to handle a "one-legged Irishman", better known to most as a wheelbarrow.

After the work Aaron and I had a burger and fries and some great discussions. He is now looking forward to driving, so he sometimes shifts gears for me while we travel. Aaron has not yet missed a gear shift in our driving adventures, he really understands the concept. A "THREE STOOGES MOMENT"...

The project Aaron and I were helping with consists of a few hundred feet of trails and an outdoor gathering area with a deck. The deck will be one step above ground level and serve as a gathering place and outdoor classroom for the church and community.

To get the deck level, square and located correctly we had to do (da da daaa) math! Our group is fortunate in that the Eagle candidates father is a general contractor who does field calculations routinely. Mr. Phillips, Mr. Barnes and I were the (aleged) adults on the project. We had quite a good time confusing the scouts with comedic attempts at laying out the deck. Here are Rick Barnes (on left) and Kelly Phillips (Eagle dad) doing the famous "when I nod my head, you hit it..." routine. Rick also kept us laughing with his constant jokes about the "damaged" tape measure. Whenever the Eagle, Brant, tried to get correct measurements he would call out "what's our length?" Immediately the adults would reply "ONE!". It took a while, and an explanation, before Aaron figured out that Rick and I were refering to the "dumb end" of the tape measure. In this case "Moe" was taking the photos.

I will share on the adventures of Eve and Randy in a future posting. Until then, I'll be seein' ya'..

THIS IS THE WEEK THAT WAS...

2009-01-18T19:56:00.008-05:00

As usual, my BLOG is not inciteful, dynamic or earth-shattering. I don't, for the most part, delve into the news or politics of the day or try to set any agenda. What I do is tell everyone about my wonderful life as grampa', husband and all-around nice guy.And the reward for that kind of behaviour is that I got to spend time with Maddy this weekend!!! Since I was sick at Christmas I could not play with our newest family member, so this week I did my best to spoil her a bit.

AND ONE REASON FOR THE ROYAL VISIT WAS...Katie's birthday!! Happy birthday Maddies mom. Katie and grandmom Peg were headed back to Texas and made a point to stop in Atlanta on the way. Since aunt Sue had Katies name for this year we got to have dinner at mom and dad's on saturday. The photo is Katie modeling some of her birthday loot. And here is the birthday cake. It was a great party.

Just ask the mighty "M" and grandmom.AND SPEAKING OF BIRTHDAYS...

Katie's January 14th birthday was followed by uncle Denny on the 15th. He got a lot of nice gifts, including a haircut from Alice (along with a gift card) and some cash from his aunt Dolores. He used the cash to buy dinner at his favorite restaurant, S&S cafeteria.Of course his personal driver and valet were both invited. (That would be Granny and me). Denny has always been generous to the staff.

AND THE THUNDERING HURD VISITED...

...as usual for the weekend.And the cold weather made everyone want a blanket of their own to snuggle in while watching cartoons 24 hours a day.

ONE LAST ITEM...

I want to wish dad a speedy recovery after he slipped and cut his eye. He feels fine and was not really hurt too badly, but the small cut looked a bit tender the day after. Get well soon, dad. And please be more cautious in the future when there is ice on the ground.

Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

THE NEW YEAR MOVES ON...

2009-01-10T17:07:00.016-05:00

... and that means so do all of us.While some of you may mistake Eve for "Miss Kitty", the dance hall gal from the TV series Gunsmoke she is actually dressed as "The Queen". Which queen, in particular, we do not know, but it was all in fun. This afternoon when I asked for help cleaning up the room, Eve looked at me and said,"Of course you don't expect the QUEEN to clean up, do you?"

AND OF COURSE WE ARE STILL SCOUTING...

Tree sales are over for the year, and planning has begun for spring break and summer camp. And, we believe we have set a record for food donations this year.

The guys stacked and packed all this food and delivered it to the local food bank. Those in need will be well supplied for a while with the estimated 1000 pounds plus! of food they gathered. Good work troop 129!!

THE EAGLES HAVE RETURNED TO WORK...

We spent this morning getting our latest Eagle off to a good start on his project. He is building an outdoor mmeting sight, with a deck, for a local church. There is a walking trail and some erosion control involved as well. And we started with a LOT of mulch!

The mulch pile was completely dispersed and a lot of erosion was stopped. Even the smallest scouts moved a lot of mulch, as Ian shows in this shot.

My siblings may want to take note of the background in the above shot. That is the back side, and athletic fields, at Shamrock middle school (formerly high school).

THINGS ARE GOING WELL AT WORK, TOO... My group, and the whole division for that matter, finished the year well. We made our quotas and even beat a couple of them, so that was great! Here is a thermal control unit that I rebuilt recently. It was for our Mercedes headliner program. The units come to us in a much different condition, sort of like one of these. Adhesives and coatings are usually burned and melted onto the parts we have to rebuild. Once they spend a night in the burnoff oven they are much easier to work with. We are also responsible for a lot of other items that I will share later. Maybe in a future BLOG.

That's it for now. Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

2009...

2009-01-02T09:23:00.010-05:00

...ALREADY?!?! WOW!

Happy New Year to all. I want to just catch up a little bit now that I have taken a break over the holidays.We enjoyed the annual New Years dinner at my house, even though there was a slightly smaller turnout this year. We missed all of you who were not here, but we understand the travel issues with those who managed to be here for Christmas.

WE PLAYED THE WHITE ELEPHANT GAME...I still didn't get the Barack Obama commemorative plate or the Illinois senate seat I was hoping for, but maybe next time. The gifts were as silly as always and we had a great meal and lots of fun. Thank you Sue.

OTHER THINGS TO SHARE...

Include some thank you's for the wonderful Christmas gifts from everyone. My very favorite was an MP3 player from Victoria and Michael. I am learning to download music and use the little widget pretty well. I also received a nice cordless drill to replace my old one that "disappeared". The drill is all charged up and ready for use.Even Uncle Denny had a good time this year!

WE ALSO HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS TREE SEASON...We sold every single tree, and made enough to fund all the activities for the troop in 2009! Good job guys!!

Even if all the work wasn't always hard, we did a great job when it was tough. AND ANOTHER SPECIAL THANK YOU...

...goes out to Uncle Dennis and Jimmy, for the use of the "red neck in-law suite". That camper was literally a "lifesaver" on a few of the coldest and wetest nights we worked through. THAT JUST ABOUT COVERS THINGS FOR NOW...

All of us here want to wish everyone a very happy, safe and prosperous new year. God Bless us all - and especially those who are protecting us...

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

2008-12-24T06:45:00.021-05:00

... to all of you who drop in on this little corner of the internet to see what is happening with the family. My brother Bill managed to be first to share our annual family Christmas party - with the BEST photo of the season. I borrowed it since I was actually in the picture.
And now, the awards for this year...
Our first award is for the "best new talent" of this year. And the award goes to...MADDY!! For her performance as the Christmas child in "Welcome to the family".
NEXT, "BEST ACTOR"
The envelope, please...Denny! For his performance in "The Rain Man meets Santa Clause". Great job, Denny. We are all looking forward to your next appearance.
BEST "ART DIRECTION"...Goes to ALL the Towhey kids who helped with the poster for Bryan. Great work kids!
Best comedy Uncle Steve!! For his role in "you'll shoot your eye out".
BEST DRAMA Doreen, for her role as "Aunt DoDo" in the gripping film "I want my baby".
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A BROTHER Goes to Uncle Bill!! Shown here in the "weight lifting" scene from the remake of the classic "Rear Window".
OTHER AWARDS OF MENTION...Kelly. As the red-eyed monster who shocks young mother jessica in "I can't believe they got FARKLE".
Best Romantic Comedy "Ear Wax and a Beer", starring Mikey and Deb.
AND THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDGoes to DAD!!! Shown here in his best role (napping) in the popular "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie..."
I would like to thank the academy, my family, and all of the little people who made this possible.
All clowning aside, we really did have a great time! I hope the Christmas season and the new year is as safe, prosperous and rewarding as possible for all of you.
From our family to all of you...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

ODD REQUEST, BUT HERE GOES...

2008-12-12T19:11:00.005-05:00

My answer to Chris' challenge;
Hill had been silent during the discussion, but the thought of making paint, or perhaps having to paint, upset him greatly. "Bloody paint-makers," he finally spit out. "This is the most fouled-up outfit I've ever seen. I should've stayed in the army!"
From "The War Magician", by David Fischer. A true story that tells the tale of Jasper Maskelyne and his unusual "special operations group" of magicians, set builders and other theatrical prfessionals. This group actually developed unique and never-before-known camoflauge techniques that fooled the enemy into mistaking empty land for cities or false props as entire divisions of troops. A really great read!
I have had this book for years and shared it often with others.

A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN IMFAMY...

2008-12-07T09:30:00.003-05:00

TODAY IS DECEMBER 7th...

The last time our nation was attacked until the 1993 attempt on the world trade center. A crude car bomb in the basement failed that time. The terrorist returned on September 11th 2001 and finished the job.

My dad can tell you what happened on December 7th, 1941 from memory. My siblings and I will always remember where we were on September 11th, 2001. I hope that our children and grandchildren never have a day like these to remember.

GOD BLESS OUR PROTECTORS...

The lines were much more clear in 1941, but there is no doubt about the danger we face today. Thank you veterans; WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and present.

GOD BLESS AMERICA...

MY TURN TO ANSWER...

2008-12-05T05:57:00.007-05:00

... My sisters challenge. Which, of course, will sound a lot like the rest of the family. But then that is a reason to give thanks all by itself! I am very glad that I am not the only one who considers this family the greatest thing to give thanks for.From the oldest to the youngest, we are very blessed.Even when some are more of a blessing when they are at rest, and not up and about.AND THEN THERE IS THE WIDER WORLD...
I am also thankful for a happy home, a wonderful wife, great children and my grandkids. I have a new job that I enjoy and I am safe and protected by all those who put themselves in harms way for me. Bryan, Tom, Chris and others - you all know who you are.

HERE IS ONE MORE ITEM...After two years of drought, we have cool and rainy weather for autumn and a beautiful Christmas season on the way. I sleep a lot better in cold weather and the sleeping has been great lately.

More later, but right now I have to get to work.

I'll be seein' ya'...

THANKSGIVING...

2008-11-27T15:22:00.007-05:00

Here's hoping all of you have much to give thanks for.
WE HAD A DAY OUT FOR A CHANGE... This year, Denny was the host for our thanksgiving day dinner! With his history with the microwave we thought it best that he not do the actual cooking, so we went to S&S cafeteria. We had turkey with dressing, vegetables and cranberry sauce. I got some egg custard pie!!!!!Denny ate enough for two! Maybe he can finally break 135 pounds.
LATER TODAY, A VISIT WITH THE FAMILY... My sister is in town! I will be visiting mom and dad's house to see her and others.
Til' the next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

SAD ANNIVERSARY...

2008-11-24T19:06:00.002-05:00

Some of you probably recall seeing this photo before, some of you are in it. This week marks 2 years since Eric was killed in a motorcycle wreck. This group of family and freinds gathered for his funeral. I hope someone out there remembers him, besides me.
We should never have to bury the younger generation...

BITS AND PIECES

2008-11-23T13:59:00.018-05:00

Lots of little stuff going on, nothing big or exciting. But here are a few things that I wanted to share.As Sue mentioned in her posting, we traveled to visit with her sister, Dolores, last weekend. We usually meet with Dolores and David half-way to save travel time and meet in a comfortable place. Calloway Gardens is the perfect choice. Sue always enjoys seeing her sister and husband, David.The small hill-top restaurant at Calloway makes a GREAT breakfast, Sue and Dolores Love breakfast! The views from the ridgetop are really great, even from the dining room which is perched on a steep hillside above the valley. Fall colors really enhance the view.And here is a coincidence for my sister: As we crossed the road to view the other valley on the east side of the ridge, I stumbled upon this.A flagpole, dedicated to the community with this at the base. Same weekend, different locations, two siblings. Coincidence? You decide. By the way, Peg, Woodsmen of the World is an insurance and investment company. AND OF COURSE THERE IS OTHER NEWS...

The weather began to get cool and breezy last week when we were traveling. Check out the cloud cover on our way back from Calloway. The cool weather continued, and got down-right COLD during the week, as evidenced by Noah and Eve this saturday. Huddled together for warmth on saturday morning and not even arguing about which cartoons to watch. I snapped this when I got up and headed out.

TREE LOT UPDATE; THINGS ARE PROGRESSING...

We began setup last week, and got really lucky with some help from a new friend of the troop. We usually have to muscle the power poles into place with the men and boys available. This year we brought in the "BIG BOYS" and their toys. Our good freind and supporter, Wayne, owns this cool tow truck. By the way, if you ever DO get in a jam I can highly recommend his service. The truck not only has a tilt-bed, but it also extends several feet out to the rear and lifts up and down as well. Loading, tranporting and placing the big pole was MUCH easier this year. We also placed the "feed" pole, the one that has the power box, using the same technique. The truck bed also makes a great work surface for preparing our equipment, as Aaron and Mr. Moe show here. This week we pulled the rest of the project together. Michael and Aaron showed up to help, and the rest of the guys also pulled together for the usual great result. AND A REALLY BIG THANK YOU TO DENNIS...

And Jimmy for the use of the camper. We are expecting colder and wetter weather this year, and Dennis was kind enough to offer his camper to the troop for shelter at the tree lot. He and Jimmy even delivered!

As you can see, we set up with the camper and our traditional canopy to be ready for the cold weather. The canopy is for temporary protection and to house our wreath making operation. The camper will allow us to escape the cold and rain if things get rough.Jimmy also jumped right in and helped the guys with placing posts and pulling cables and lights. He really is a helper!! He also cracked up some of the guys when he replied to Michaels joke: Michael told Jimmy that the troop had reached it's "Jim Towhey" limit. Jimmy said that Uncle Jim could always leave, since he was having a good time!

That's enough for now, I have run a bit too long on this one for such little content.

Until next time, I'll be seein' ya'...

MID-WEEK SPEAK

2008-11-12T19:33:00.010-05:00

I have a few things to share, so I thought it would be a good time to post.

LET'S START WITH SATURDAY MORNING...

When we awoke to a loud BOOM, and no power. The guys from Georgia Power showed up and we were back on the grid in short order.

Things were not so rosy for the unfortunate rodentia that bit into the power line and caused the problem.

THEN ON SUNDAY...

We joined Rachel to celebrate another "budding authors" publication and awards cerimony.

Here is the proud author receiving her award.

And then contemplating her next possible story...

Congratulations Rachel!! Well done...

TUESDAY WAS SCOUT MEETING NIGHT...Michael and Aaron were the featured attraction for the evening. Michael taught basics of climbing, such as proper technique for "belaying" another climber. Aaron acted as assistant and demonstrator. The guys are planning a trip to "Atlanta Rocks", an indoor climbing center later this month.

AND IN OTHER BIG NEWS...Aaron moved his name tag up the rank advancement board and is now a life scout. That is his official "Life to Eagle" handbook he is holding. Silly face optional.

Congratulations Aaron!!! A few more merit badges and it will be time for the Eagle project.

Aaron is also begining to try mastering the tricky business of operating a clutch on grampa's JEEP. He is a very cautious and attentive driver - ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ONLY. He is also very good at shifting for me when we drive anywhere. I just move my feet and he gets the correct gear!

NEXT BLOG WILL SHARE THE LATEST ON TREE LOT SETUP...

I thought that would be plenty for now.

Granny and I will be traveling this weekend, so until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...

TWO WEEKS IN...

2008-11-09T10:38:00.003-05:00

... and things are going well at the new company.
I am working in the applicator group, and starting at the very bottom to acquire the knowledge I need to continue.
HERE IS WHAT WE DO...
The company (shown in header photo) is an industry leader in coatings and adhesives. The base business is to remanufacture equipment used by an amazing cross-section of industries to produce their finished product. Companies from Kellogs to Mercedes Benz use the precision applicators to place their coatings and adhesives EXACTLY where they want them.
SO HERE IS WHAT I DO...
When a used or damaged spray head or "direct applicator" comes in from a customer I get to break it down, (this includes removing all the overspill glue or coating) identify and log all the parts and get them to the correct cleaning section. Metal parts are sent to a high temp "burnoff" while more delicate items go through hand cleaning.
When all of the parts are cleaned and finished (sometimes a light blast or maybe a polish and buff) I get them all back and decide what internal parts must be rebuilt, replaced or simply rewired. Since all of the parts are used in a high temp environment to keep the product liquid and flowing, almost everthing has to be tested with a meter and rebuilt with new parts.
THEN THE FUN STARTS...
After I reassemble a module or unit it must be tested and adjusted before it goes on to final QC (thats quality control for those of you who don't know). Then, hopefully, back out to the customer.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...
I am still on a learning curve. There is so much to understand and internalize. There are LOTS of different products and models to get organized in my head. I have started a notebook that will apparently become two books very soon.
I like the place, the people and the work. I am glad to be back in a more organized and technical environment. The owners and management are all very good folks who are very involved with the process and the people. I will soon be studying in the pump division and the melter group. The titles should explain what each group is responsible for.
ALL IN ALL ...
Things are looking good at work. We just landed a new customer who has a LOT of need for our service, and we will be very busy for the forseeable future.
I will share more as things unfold. I will also be posting a BLOG very soon about some fun family and happening.

CONGRATULATIONS RACHEL!! ANOTHER WRITERS AWARD ACHIEVED !
We will be attending her awards cerimony later today.

THE PARTY'S OVER...

2008-11-02T09:21:00.013-05:00

As these guys prove! A whole night of hot candles inside your head can really burn you up.

THE KIDS HAD FUN... And they spent the next morning trying to maintain the sugar high. Today's choice was "pixie stix".

AND THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH... ...Means kids workshop at Home Depot. This month Eve built a leaf press. This is a cool little device that some of you may remember from your childhood.

As always, Eve did the work herself. And we had a lot of fun cruising in the JEEP. Hey Eve, the 70's called, they want their "shades" back.

LATER WE COLLECTED SOME LEAVES... Some of these are in the press right now.

WE ALSO STOPPED BY THE SCOUT HUT...

Where Aaron and the guys were getting ready for 25 mile bike trip, to finish up a merit badge. Great weather for a trip on the Silver Comet bike trail.

AND WE DID A BIT OF HOME MAINTENANCE...

We replaced the air filter for the fall season.

And Eve did a bit of exploring in the crawl space.

AND I FINALLY CLEANED OUT THE GARAGE... This is the stuff that got shipped back to my former employer. Five more big boxes of plain old junk got set on the curb. Now there is a lot more space in the garage.

Maybe enough room for another bike. Or maybe an ATV. Or how about...

TRICK OR TREAT...

2008-10-31T06:05:00.009-04:00

... and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
This is just a quick note to wish y'all a happy holiday today. I am expecting to be late this evening due to predictions of very heavy traffic due to halloween, early voting and high school football all coming together on a friday.
... and HERE ARE THE COSTUMES FOR THIS YEAR
More later, time to hit the road right now.
I'll be seein' ya'...

Sunday BLOG, Small Things...

2008-10-26T15:51:00.010-04:00

We did some cleaning and decorating...
In preperation for autumn and, of course, halloween. Which means a trip into the attic for Eve; the great explorer. She loves to climb up there and help bring down the decorations for every new season or reason.
Grampa' was the safety man and muscle.
We got all the stuff unpacked... ...And Eve had a great time with all of the cool items from the mysterious and exciting attic at Granny and Grampa's house. And with a six year old decorator you can always be sure of using pretty much everything you have. Including a song; Made up on the spot, by Eve.
And later that day...
The kids had a halloween party at church, complete with a "trunk-or-treat". And while there were no rein-does spotted at the party, there was one elf... And a visit from "The King"... So, until next time.
Thank you! Thank you very much...

A Quick Update...

2008-10-24T06:10:00.002-04:00

There has been a change on the work front...
Today I tendered my resignation with my current employer. I will begin my new job on Monday.
I have been increasingly dissatisfied with my position and have received no response from management or HR. I used a number of vacation days to set up interviews and succeded in landing a new position.
On Monday I will begin employment with Newco USA, a company that specializes in coatings and adhesives. I will be working in the applicator group, building and servicing precision, high-tech devices that apply coatings and adhesives.
I have also been informed that I will be asked to move up into the pump group and cross-train. The company has already stated that they expect me to move up quickly within the company!
Yeah, I'm nervous. But I am very excited! I am back into a technical discipline that I better understand, and with a growing and well organized company.
More later as I learn things myself...