Happy Anniversary BumBum

It is our Anniversary.

We went for a long time, not even remembering the exact date of our wedding, because it took up a whole Memorial Day Weekend. Whenever asked, we would always say our wedding was on Memorial Day.

One particular family picnic, I remember being asked about our actual Wedding Date and my neck got all hot and I'm sure my cheeks were flushed...I looked over at Michele from the corner of my sheepish slits, hoping she was about to jump in and volunteer the date...

She looks at me, shrugs, and tells everyone in a really high pitched voice, "I have no idea!"

Why can't men get away with that?

Each year afterwards - it got worse, because The Jammer's weekend was held over our Anniversary Weekend. For the last few year's we kind of just figured we'd treat each Jammer's Weekend as our Anniversary Weekend. Makes sense, doesn't it? (Play frisbee on the beach for 4 days, ignore the wife and drink too much? What's not to love?!)

I am horrible when it comes to Birthdays, Anniversaries, The Year Things Happened etc... In fact if you asked me how old my brothers and sisters are, my answer would be: They are all 25 except for my youngest brother, Mikey, who is 18..." It is so much easier that way.

But check this out. The good Lord listened and here are the numbers - they are kind of cool:




I never put all this together until maybe a month or two ago!

David was born on Aug 25. 25
Matthew was born on March 26. 26
Josh was born on January 27. 27
Our Anniversary is May 28. 28

That's pretty cool, huh?

Ok. More?

I was in the first grade in 1971. Second grade in 1972...

We moved to Hawaii and I was in 3rd grade in 1973.
I was in 4th Grade in 1974
Etc...
You getting it?
Knowing that, 10th Grade was 1980

11th was 1981

....cool, huh?

Mick and I got married in 2000.
It's our 9th Anniversary...You with me? It is 2009.

Nine years = 2009...Big Smile.

This particular Dadman can use all the help he can get!

This week my phone rang on a Thursday. It's a Thursday...Rather loudly, I hear, "Happy Anniversary BumBum!" It's a Thursday, not a weekend...damn her. I know. I know... I caught holy hell at work for "Forgetting my Anniversary..."

This year, Michele's folks bought us dinner at our favorite steak place - Stonewood Grill. It was a wonderful date. Thank you both so much!

I love you BumBum. Nine years feels like four. Big smile.

Peace. Big Hugs. You are my best friend. And a wonderfully beautiful wife. And an amazing mother.

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The Jammers 2009: Way Better than the Weather Predicted

There is a post-tournament depression that settles in after a highly anticipated tournament. I held the Connecticut States for many years, and spent many days afterward in those many years, feeling a post-pardem-like depression.

It's not even my tournament, but I feel like that today. I just got off the beach. I am sad.

Its like a really long exhale. Like wishing your life could be in reality, what it had been for the last 4-5 days. And sadly realizing everyone must go home. Reality returns before you are ready.

Once again, Eleven Years running, Paul and Cheryl pulled off a Jammers everyone deemed Awesome, even fighting rain, wind and gloom. Who would have ever thought, with the way the week started, that the weekend would end up so beautiful and so perfect for jamming??!!

My thoughts are centered more around my own sappy perspective, than as a narrative for the event. This is a weekend more about the jamming and the unity than the competition. I don't think I'll do a play-by-play of the weekend - others are far more capable of that.

My son Josh flew in and stayed with us, as did JeffO from Colorado. Murf from from San Diego got surprised by a big trade in MLB and was forced to work. We missed him so much.

JeffO went above and beyond. JeffO jammed his heart out - doing moves he's never done before, one move in particular fired him up so much, I swear his eyes changed colors. I'm not sure if I can do this justice - but have you ever caught a frisbee in such a difficult way, that you run up to your closest friend and hug them? This catch took years to learn. JeffO is an amazingly underrated player. He does things so totally difficult, but in such a non-chalant sort of way, I think most people miss out on how truly talented JeffO is as a freestyler. Plus, JeffO is as a good a human being as he is a freestyler too. Like I said, JeffO went above and beyond. Our family thanks you.




It is now Tuesday. Jeff and Josh flew home this morning. Sore. Exhausted. Sunburned. But hopefully Smiling. This weekend was Awesome.



JeffO could barely walk. JeffO played amazingly awesome. I'm sure he is smiling in a Spinning-Gitosis-sort of way.

Me? I got one more jam in today with PK, Steve, Jake and Anne. I am Sore. Exhausted. Sunburned. But Smiling. My feet are blistered and bloody. My back is stiff. I pulled a groin muscle I never knew existed and it feels like my right testicle is under my beltline. My calves and thighs are oh-so-tight. But I am smiling. This weekend really was awesome. I feel so old. Yet I feel so young. Josh fires me up. Yet, it must be said - I was not out there jamming near as much as people like Pat, Jake, Larry, PK, Steve, Anne, JeffO, amongst others. How they do it, I just don't know.

The weather? The Ying and The Yang.

Friday and Saturday: Windy. Rainy. Raw. Horrible expectations for the tournament. Yet Paul pulled it off. The deciding factors between first and second place had to be close. We saw video Sunday night, and even as daunting and as howling the weather seemed, it was playable.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday: Kind winds. Sunshine. Big hardpacked beach. This weekend was awesome.

Many people were not able to make this year's tournament, some last minute - we all missed you tremendously.

Of all the Fridays, especially this windy, rainy Friday, we should've hit Campeche Bay for Margs as tradition dictates - but we could not - not without Murf. Dave, you may have missed a few Jammers here and there, but you have yet to miss a Campeche Bay on a Friday night.


Big props go out to Steve for being the first on the beach on Thursday and the last to Gitus-Out on the beach on Tuesday. Amazing. Steve is in the Way-Above-50 Age Bracket - although you would never know it - He is as relentless as he is talented. He was as fast on Tuesday as he was on Thursday - don't let him kid you otherwise.


I need to send out big hugs to Josh. This kid played morning till night. He played in the rain, in the wind and in the hot sun and in the dark. He only got better and better as the weekend wore on. I've been freestyling for 29 years and I have a pretty good idea who are legends in this sport. These are people even I look up to - and Josh was out there learning from them, giving them zzz's and even making the legends hoot and holler.

Makes a particular Dadman way proud. And makes a particular Dadman an even better player.


Thanks for that too.

The Jammers 2009 Results

Results:

Mixed:
1. Anne/Pops
2. Bernie /Craig
3. Mom/Paul

Open:
1. Pipo/Pat
2. Laerbs/Jake/ Paul
3. Mike/Kurt/Pops
4. Josh/Carl/Jeff
5. Geoff/Craig

Congrats to Anne and Pops first Jammers win!!
Happy Birthday, GrandMa Kenny!!

The Tempest and the Tournament

It's been raining for a week. Serious rain. High winds. Flooding. Trees down. Perfect weather for a frisbee tournament...

Waking this morning - the sun is out. No wind. It's beautiful outside. Must mean the tournament is over! Time to Jam!

This is the weekend of The Jammers. It can be cold, and windy and rainy and raw, but yet it's always fun. It's The Jammers. There's always a silver lining.

The silver lining always begins with the traditional Almond Flavored Tequila. Welcome Jeff!

First jam. Yeah, nice. Beautiful day at the beach.

Paul got the tournament in - by watching the weather channel and taking advantage of a lull between squalls. Conditions were windy, but playable. Or as Pipo shows, definitely playable. Nobody plays the wind like Pipo.

Now it is Sunday. The Sun is out. Now it's time to spend the day doing what we are here for - jam jam jam.

There's nothing like The Jammers.

A Look Back to The Jammers 2006

This weekend coming up is The Jammers. This is an amazingly fun weekend of Freestyle Frisbee amongst friends that feel like family. Some of the best frisbee players from around the world hit the beach and enjoy a long weekend of jamming, eating and drinking. This will be the 11th year. Paul & Cheryl make you feel so special being here. The competition is only an excuse to get together. In 2006, my son flew down from New England. It was a very special weekend for a particular Dadman. Josh has been here every year since, and will be here again on Friday. I can't wait. I found this write-up from the 2006 Jammers, and thought this might be a touching way to stoke the fire for this weekend's event.




The Jammers 2006



Paul asked if I would do a little write-up about this year's Jammers and share my perspective. I winced and agreed to share a little of what made this such a special weekend for me and my family. OK, maybe it's a little too much.





I started playing frisbee 26 years ago and the most memorable tournament I have ever been to is: The 2006 Jammers


Two things. First, my 14-year-old son, Josh, flew down from Connecticut and I watched him with pride; he was so excited to meet the world's top players, and silently watching him treat each Jammer with respect, with reverance and with an enthusiasm to learn was something very special to me. Secondly, silently watching the Jammers here, welcoming Josh with respect, teaching him with patience and with enthusiasm was something very special to me. This weekend filled me with a pretty amazing feeling - loving my son like I do and loving this sport like I do - this weekend made me proud to be both a Father and a humble Jammer amongst all of you. You guys are great. Thanks you guys. Seriously, Thanks.

For those that have not been able to be here for The Jammers, Paul and Cheryl make you feel so welcome, and so glad to be here. They handle the small details and it is taken care of with love and with a caring and a passion that I have not seen with such purity. This is a tournament that somehow survives being ruled by uncontrollable elements such as the tides, the winds, and the weather. Paul not only makes you feel like being a Jammer is something special, he does it with a kind of in-your-face-scruffy-cheek-to-cheek-big-wet-kiss-hug-special-kind-of way.

Random Magic Moments in no particular order...ZZZZ's from Murf. Channel 4 News Beachcam Jam and interview with Paul and Murf. (I don't think I've ever nailed up at 6:15 am before!) After all the anticipation, finally picking up Josh at The Sprinkler. Lori, Sara and Jeff O all saying at different times that they had a great jam together and being able to tell how they really really meant it. Traditional Almond Flavored Tequila. Welcome Jeff. David choosing to climb out of his crib for the very first time and multiple times after that. My patient Michele who let her husband play frisbee all day on the beach for 6 days and spent her Anniversary husbandless chasing a 21-month-old around who just learned how to climb out of his crib. I love you Bum Bum. Beach jamming and wishing someday I'd be as good as Cindy. Jamming with Tito. Gary Auerbach's well-timed call to share the Love. He also was hoping for some illicit pics of secretly applied tattoos he provided, but I knew of none to offer. (Maybe if we only still had the Celtic's Room...) Squatters Rights. The Popeye Omelet. Convenient Chairs and Gatorade.


Jammer of the tournament: Pat Marron. Jammer of the day: Josh Emerson. Hearing Murf say he had the best jam in 5 years. Hearing Jeff O'Brien say he tried to "Gitosis Out" but settled on doing a "gitis brush gitis brush gitis, instead"...Oh wait - "Twice!"... Sushi. Mexican. Red Wine. Burgers. More Sushi. Jeff O'Brien bringing a Juicer all the way from Colorado for Margaritas. We like Jeff a lot. Watching Jeff Kruger shred. Dave Lewis and his encouraging, enthusiastic throws to Josh for like, 8 hours, until Josh finally nailed the seemingly uninvented Spinitis. Watching Pipo play the winds. Watching Irwin spin and seal it time and again. Seeing Hos show up Sunday night after a Golf Tournament because, well, just because. That says a lot. Jan wanting freestyle to become a "contact sport." Jeff O doing a gitosis with authority on his first tournament attempt at the move. Hare Krishnas. That is, Hare Krishnas during Rodney and Jake's routine.


Watching Anne get better and better. Watching Steve Scannell and thinking, "Wow, he too keeps getting better and better!" Watching a very entertaining routine from Rico and Jamie. Also watching very entertaining routines from Jamie without Rico! Watching Paul & Pat shred. Watching Jake doing this oh-so-quick-under-the-leg-brush and then realizing duh, that was to me...


Josh bodysurfing. Once. Vic and the daiper bag. Thanks Vic. Hearing that Michele is talking religion at 1am with Jamie and Craig and me deciding to avoid Paul's front yard until it was time to leave. Jeff saying we spent an hour not wanting the night to end and two hours convincing Michele it was time for the night to end. Josh spending more time with Murf and Dave Lewis than with his own father.


Josh going airborn over my head and catching the disc. Sushi cell phone calls. Michele saying that she would never have thought Rodney and Bethany were married, because they act like they are still dating.



Paul's recognition of things that matter during The Feast and Awards. Irwin giving the FPA's namesake Jam of the Year Award to Jake et all. The Dave Lewis Photo during Paul's Feast and Awards. The repetitive Dave Lewis Reaction during Paul's Feast and Awards. More traditional almond flavored Tequila. Michele's Lasagna and sauce, my mom's Keilbasa. Jeanine's seafood casserole. Tito's son Alex stoked for getting a medal.


Seeing the endless contributions, the unselfish giving of time and effort from Jeanine, Bernie and Hubby, Ma Kenny (aka newly found Grandma Kenny to Josh and David), JT and Crew, Dan Berman, Lori, Bethany, and Anne. I know I missed so many others. During the weekend, so many things were said, were done, and were shared with Michele, Josh, David & me, that we felt so blessed. We would like to send big hugs to Paul and Cheryl. Jeanine. Murf. Jeff O'Brien. Dave Lewis. Sara Bergman. Gilbert. Tito and Alex. Ma Kenny. Lori. Pipo. Larry. Jan. Pat. Jamie. Craig. Dan.

Just re-reading your names makes me smile. Thanks.



And one last note - Josh just called tonight. Today was his first day back and he had to pitch in a key baseball game for his school. He threw a no-hitter.

He said it was nothing compared to this weekend.


.05/2006

Thunder & Lightning

Pictures from Wednesday's Thunderstorm

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Nana's Garden

Nana's Garden

Our mother loves the earth. Getting her hands dirty.

Our mother loves to make things grow and to bloom and to turn things from tiny flowers to great big healthy produce.

Our mother is Our gardener. Our planter. Our nurturer. Our stake in the earth.

We are the Children. Six of us. We are the harvest of Nana's Garden.

This may only be a garden. But it's Nana's Garden.

And this too shall grow dammit, like We all have grown so beautifully.

Happy Mother's Day

The Thank-Goodness-He-Didn't-Pee-In-His-Pants Story

The women of the house pointed it out first. From way off in the distance. We couldn't see it, only hear it.

Voosh, Voosh. Then more of a Whoosh sound, and then the Voosh Voosh.

But we knew the sound. We heard it during our own childhood. It is a hidden language, all its own, calling our children away from us. Luring them. Changing them. Like it changed us.

It is inevitable. The children would go. We all knew it. We did.

So it happened that Friday night. The luring sound. The wide-eyed child.
Voosh. Voosh. Whoosh. Voosh. Voosh.

Nine blocks we walked at dusk. And there it was.
David stood mesmerized. In awe. Mouth open. Eyes unable to focus.
Matthew screamed. Loud, wailing, screaming with fear. Wanting to run but only old enough to crawl. Held prisoner, strapped in the stroller. Run for me, Nana, run!

David craned his neck. It had to be a hundred times his own size. He covered his ears. Eyes not blinking. Disbelief. Wonder.

Flashing lights stared down upon David. Tempting him. Calling him. Wildly deafening the world around him. "WHIPLASH!"


Voosh. Voosh. Whoosh. Voosh. Voosh.

Similar children with hair flying were wide-eyed. Arms in the air, tonsils screaming. Strapped to a vinyl seat, whipping by at speeds at least a thousand times faster than they could ever run; upside down and around again in a vertical circle. Like a horrific train, never before imagined upside-down.

David stood on his tippy-toes. He wanted to answer its call. He cried. He stood taller. He looked at his Mother, begging in his eyes. I'm ready, Mommy, let me go, please! But no, the cruel man with the cigar and the beady eyes said No. You are not worthy. You do not reach the height of the Tazmanian Devil's outstretched hand.

Big sobs. I don't understand. It called me. Why can't I go? Why can't I be big enough?

Catch your breath. Look.

The Tornado.

Zorro's horse? No, ha, no, not quite. Stand on your tippy-toes, smile, don't cry. Stand bigger. A friendlier Pirate says, "All Aboard!" and yes, David, you too. And so it happened that Friday night.

David sat where he has never sat before. Buckled in where he has never been buckled in before. Too proud to even hold his Mother's hand. About to experience an adrenalin rush at speeds no four-year-old ever thought possible.

David is about to experience the first thing in his life that is so scary, and yet so exciting - that it will change his life forever. No matter how loudly and forcefuly he yells for it to stop.

I will repeat that very same concept from a particular Dadman's perspective: "David is about to experience the first thing in his life that is so scary and yet so exciting - that it will change his Dad's life forever, no matter how loudly and forcefully a particular Dadman yells for it to stop."

And so it happened that Friday night.

David stepped off the ride. He was changed. He walked off from that ride like his older brother struts off the baseball mound. With confidence. I am big enough, he silently tells all of us caught holding our breath... Mom stands back and smiles proudly.

...And to think, we are barely 30 feet into the neighborhood carnival.

Hours later, the big boy is all grown up.



Being four, must be an amazing journey.

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What Kind of Pit are You?

Ok. I wouldn't normally do this, but it has been almost a week of torture.

There is a commercial on TV for an armpit deodorant. She giggles hysterically when she tells this. I've heard this story like 20 times in 5 days.

The first time Michele saw this commercial she did the following:

The deodorant commercial asks, "What's your pit type?"

And she jumps up off the couch and screams, "BRAD!"

Matthew looked at her blankly from his high chair and continued to eat without a sound, staring at her like a cow chewing its cud.

"What's your pit type?"

"BRAD!"

And then she laughs hysterically again.

My wife should get her own blog.

Where Have I Been?

Everyday Life and Blogging

It is about 80 degrees and I am finding it hard to be inside sitting at the computer.

TGIT. Thank God It’s Tuesday. I am thinking most men my age blog on a Tuesday night. There are absolutely no good games televised on a Tuesday. And somehow, there is still beer in the fridge.

Here are the many reasons I have not had a quality blog since Kat left, in no particular order. They are all equally overwhelming, even as small as they might sound. Some of the smaller sounding reasons, may actually be big reasons and worth a head shake from side to side accompanied by a deep exhale.

Matthew's had a fever hovering around 100 degrees and that tends to make him a little cranky... Michele wakes up for work at 5:30am.
Restating, Matthew's had a fever hovering around a 100 degrees....
And just because I am the one that doesn’t have to wake up at 5:30am...somehow, I'm the one that has to… hhhmmm…
I need a haircut.
David likes to undress Raggedy Andy.
We now have a compost bin.
We now have a garden.
Ruby is itchy.
Watering the lawn takes time.
Re-Filling the Tiki Torches takes time.
David's school pics are to die for.
Matthew won't walk yet, but he will say, "Thank You" and "Ta-daa!" and “Git it!”
Matthew has amazingly stinky poops. And at the most in-opportune times.
David has a Harley Scooter.
Matthew has a Winnie-the-Pooh Scooter and nobody appreciates my humor when I say Matthew is sitting on Pooh.
The lawn needs mowing.
The front door is now painted a nice earthy red color.
Even though I knocked over David's Green Bean pots with a shovel, (please don't tell him) 3 out of 5 sprouted and look good. I'm blaming the other two on squirrels...
Matthew loves me more than Mommy.
Nana sits in her rocker contemplating about leaving in mid-May for my sister's in Texas.
Swine Flu.
Track 8 skips on my Allman Bros Band CD, Where It All Begins.
According to my Taco Bell cup, if I register my code numbers, I might win $25,000.
Keeping my fingers crossed affects my blogging.
We have termites.
I rake.
I bought new shoes.
Michele has a slow leak in her curbside rear tire.
Nana makes Sun Tea.
We went to a carnival. I'm still confused: How I bought a $15 dollar raffle ticket, got a pound of Starbucks Coffee instead, and no raffle ticket. Sheesh, am I really that much of a sucker?
David's first carnival ride ever was called the Tornado. He was too short, but he stood on his tippy-toes, smiled real big and the guy let him on. David did not throw up.
Michele threw up repeatedly.
heehee Hi Michele, I am kidding. Just checking. You reading this?
Just don’t ask David to go back on the Pirate Ship…”Ohyee No Daddy, it made my belly hurt.”
Sunday Beach Jam.
The lawn needs watering.
The flowers need re-planting.
The sidewalk needed re-edging.
The backyard needs raking. And then again 6 hours later.
We'd like to buy this house we are living in.
Home inspection. Ugh. Nevermind
Vet appointment.
Traffic.
Broken cell phone.
Bills.
Got a free bike. Tires even hold air.
Where is the sunscreen for Matthew?
The tops of my feet actually peeled. Pretty.
Getting David dressed and fed every morning. Especially this morning.
What did you spill on your chest? "Nothing. That is sweat from getting David dressed this morning!"
Reading the Last Train to Paradise, a very good book about Henry Flagler. It’s so good, I even read it when I poop.
I know, nice visual.
Matthew is so close to walking. I could and do, watch him for hours.
You should see his crooked smile and hear him sing. Seriously, he sings and sways side to side. Total Stevie Wonder in a pale sharkbait sort of way.
I still need a haircut.
Finding the right flip flops took about 3 weeks.
Another beach jam. Wow, I am a slug. Breathe, Dude, Breathe!
We have a snake in our back yard. Ask David how it feels to step on a snake in the backyard.
We need to choose a school for David for Kindergarten.
My truck needs a ton of work. 169,000+ miles.
In this economy, I have neglected my dog and my truck.
In this economy, my wife has neglected me neglecting my dog and my truck.
Ancient Chinese proverb says: “Those with a well mowed lawn, have a tired wife and two kids at home.”
I just looked at my CD rack, and wow, it is a mess. I have neglected my dog and my truck and my CD rack.
My wife suddenly started liking Country Music. Should I be worried?
Jammers is less than 3 weeks away. Way excited. We still need to do so much to get ready.
Cannot wait to see Josh.
More tomato plants.
Should I get a tattoo?
Dang, my forehead is huge.
Another compost bin? Maybe this weekend.
Ace Hardware, KMart, WalMart, Target, Homegoods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Winn-Dixie (I saved $7.12), Marshalls, Lowes, and Kangaroo. (Food Loin?)
Gardening, mowing, trimming, working late, eating late and going to bed late. Damn those Playoffs. Go Celtics. And what’s up with Toronto? Or The Rays?! C’mon Red Sox!
My truck didn’t start.
Mother’s Day is coming.
Oh the pressure.

Blogging?

Oh the pressure!