Going for a Bike Ride

Just recently, a friend got a new bike. As it turned out, that also meant that I got a new bike.

I got Paul's old bike. I was pretty excited - this meant I could get some exercise and pedal to jam with him on weekends. I might even see what it's like riding my bike to work someday.

What I didn't anticipate, was the biggest benefit, the biggest gift of all...

"Dad! This is so cool! I am having so much fun going for bike rides with you! Today was awesome! Can we go again tomorrow?"

I'm sitting here typing, and I just asked him, "What are some of the coolest things you've seen with our bike rides?"  He tells me, and let me wipe that little tear out of  the corner of my eye -- He tells me, "The best part is being with each other - seeing things and finding quiet places."  Damn him. Seriously gives me a huge, huge smile. Poor kid - is turning out a worse sap than his own father.

This has opened up a whole new relationship between David and me. We are having a blast. You should see him!

The last few weeks, we've winded our way through our neighborhoods, down skinny, sandy alley ways, survived busy streets, pedaled through scrub palmettos and we've hesitated, then discovered hidden paths at low tide. We've zig-zagged through an empty car dealership; we've seen egrets and we've avoided a landing wood stork that could've landed on our heads... we've thrown rocks, peed in port-a-potties and spit off bridges.

A couple of weeks ago, we stopped and were watching the waves - David gets this real serious tone and says, "Dad, you know how I am like in third grade now, and like, I don't read picture books anymore? I am reading Chapter Books?

Well, I think I might be a little old for a "picture-bike" now. I mean, I like Spiderman and all, but I think I want a bike that is all one color." 

Today - we headed towards the Intracoastal and stopped to walk around a nearby marina. We decided we are going to buy a houseboat. Well, that is only if our Powerball numbers pay off or if Papa is willing to just hand over $120,000 willy nilly. (Hey Dad? Call me?)

Later in our bike ride, Michele sent a text: Where r u?

I replied: Lost!

and then I sent her this picture:

True, we weren't quite sure at the time where we had ended up, but Lost? No way. There was no place I would have rather been, then right there.

With my son.

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Thanks Paul

Merry Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

And the smell of cookies was all through the house...

And up popped a reindeer, sharing delight,

As Santa Paul built JumboBlocks, attaining great height... 

Cheryl Claus did at once appear, bringing toys and Cuddle Pets,

Like Alligators and Dogs the boys found so dear...

What a horrible poem they say, my Daddy does write,

"We got Avengers, we tear open with might!"

And train sets and puzzles and all things we like...

Just look at these jammies, we shout to Uncle Mike!

But there is no love deeper, I say to my Hon,

Than a Law 'n Order Coffee Cup whose handle is a Gun.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night...

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A Really Nice December Visit

Dad & Barbara included us in a quick trip South at the beginning of the month. We had such a nice visit.

I only say that of course because of the homemade cookies, the ice cream and the remote control cars for the boys. Haha.  And that frosted German fruitcake-like loaf was amazingly delicious! Thank You!

We totally enjoyed your visit. I wish the weather had been more Florida-like and not Ohio-Syberian-like, but the walk to the beach and the shell collecting turned out quite fun. What a beautiful place we live in.

Thanks too for the laughs, the food and hugs.

Merry Christmas Dad, Grandpa, Papa, and Oma!

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Sandy Hook, Newtown, CT 12-14-2012

I kept looking around at the cars around me on the way home tonight.

I kept looking around to see if anyone else had eyes welled up with tears like I did. I could not wait to get home to my boys tonight. I kept thinking of how far away Josh felt.

It was pretty easy to dismiss immediate media hype early in the day, but as the afternoon unfolded, I had WFSB streaming live on my computer. Wow. Today affected me.

I don't know Sandy Hook. Never been through Newtown.

But I miss New England. I miss Connecticut. I know how I feel about New England, about Connecticut; about small towns, and the sense of Community. The importance of roots and Family.

I am also a Dad. A Husband. I have a Josh, a David, a Matthew and am married to a Michele.

I think I hugged David for almost 5 minutes tonight when I got home.

Cool part was, he let me.

Michele & I talked at length about how she and David dealt with the reality of today before I got home.

Matthew is still a little young to understand what happened today, but I got my hug, my kiss on the nose and a detailed, play-by-play-snack-by-snack replay of his Holiday Party. I felt every squeeze and heard every syllable. I read Josh's post on FB. I love my boys. I can't imagine losing Michele. I love my BumBum.


There may be storms like Sandy and twisters and earthquakes.... but tragedies like today are much scarier, much uglier.

The ugliness is SO not understandable.

My prayers tonight will include the astonishment, the bewilderment, the utter disbelief and my incomprehensible recognition of the shocking emptiness each of these families must be feeling.

And will feel. Forever.

Damn.




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The Simple Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

Early Thanksgiving morning, David and I wrote up a dozen questions for each of us, asking about some of the things that we are thankful for.... we shared the answers at Thanksgiving dinner.

We all recognized how important our families and our friends are to us. George was even included. Another popular answer that kept coming up: Toys.  :)

Our jobs, and our home were recognized. We all like taking walks. It was nice to see that Hope and Faith were included. Frisbee and the meaningful aspects it's provided in my life made my list.

Humor and laughing were brought up more than I would have anticipated. We do have some silly kids. And Food. Seems that we ALL are thankful for food. And funny - Beer did not make the list. Maybe it should have! Nor did Money make the list. Maybe if we had some, it would have?! 

We had a good laugh when one of Michele's answers was that she likes to eat everything except Fish. Matthew pipes right in, "and she doesn't like ketchup, and hot dogs and sour cream and onion potato chips and bologna!" It was pretty funny.

Our Thanksgiving was spent away from family, but AS a family. We missed our friends and our family, but we had a very nice day.

Here are some of the answers we shared.

Things we are thankful for...

• hanging out with family and friends and cooking. Michele
• I like to eat Pizza Rolls. David
• An old picture of me, makes me Smile. David
• Thinks I like to do: Playing with David. Matthew
• Where I like to spend my time: early mornings on the Patio. Carl
• Things that make me feel special: Daddy coming home from work . Matthew
• Things that make me feel special: Being greeted when I get home from work. Carl
• saline solution . Michele
• my Kathy coin. And the bracelet Nana makes for me with the 3 beads that represent my boys. Carl
• holding hands and cuddling. Carl
• playing computer games. David
• eating everything except mushrooms. Matthew
• watching movies with my kids. Michele
• Things that make me feel special: making customers happy. Carl
• living at the beach. Michele
• Things I think are beautiful: Mommy. Matthew
• Things that make me feel special: when my kids smile at me and say I love You. Michele

 

 

 

 

I am thankful that I am happy, that we have fun, that I am loved, that we are a family and that I am learning. 

David wrote this. He's 8. I think I will tuck that card into a special place and save it. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

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Pete's Bar 1933 and Another American Icon

Pete's Bar in Neptune Beach turns 80 this year. A game of pool costs 25 cents. On Thanksgiving Day morning, they close the streets and serve Bloody Marys. Thousands show up.

Today, they took a special delivery. The Budweiser Clydesdales clomped their way into town, down a brick-paved beach street and delivered Pete's Bar their Budweiser delivery.

Pretty cool what a few horses and a little history in a small beach town can generate.

I've never seen the Clydesdales before - but grew up within a horse loving family that recognized the beauty and the size of the breed. At 47, I was as excited as a school kid to see them.

Today, I took a ton of pictures, met our friends, drank a good amount of beer and got some information from the Budweiser site:

A Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat,four white legs,a white blaze, and a black mane and tail.

The Hitch: The hitch we saw today was from Merrimack, NH, but they did not walk all the way here. They patriotically unloaded in a Kmart parking lot.

Transport: Ten horses, the famous red, white, and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers.

I found these facts kinda surprisingly cool: 

Driving the combined 12 tons of wagon and horses requires expert skill and physical strength. The 40 pounds of lines held by the driver plus the tension of the horses pulling creates a weight of over 75 pounds. Hitch drivers endure a lengthy training process before they assume the prestigious role of “Budweiser Clydesdale Hitch Driver.”

Harness: Each harness and collar weighs approximately 130 pounds. The harness is handcrafted with solid brass, patent leather, and stitched with pure linen thread. The harness is made to fit any Clydesdale; however, collars come in various sizes and must be individually fitted to the Clydesdale like a finely tailored suit.

Little known fact: The Driver provided blinders over the Clydesdales eyes today to prevent sun reflection blindness.  Word got out that me and my forehead would be present. I did think ahead and wore a Red Sox cap to prevent any accusation of animal cruelty.

Horseshoes: Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about 5 pounds which is more than twice as long and five times as heavy as the shoe worn by a light horse.

Dalmatians: Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s. The Dalmatian breed long has been associated with horses and valued for their speed, endurance, and dependable nature. Dalmatians were known as coach dogs because they ran between the wheels of coaches or carriages and were companions to the horses. Today, the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon. There is no known scientific count of aldulterated Dalmation puppies between here and Merrimack, NH, but studies must surely be pending...

I'm really saying all this just to see if you are reading all this.

 

It is a pretty cool Sunday afternoon when you get to see what kind of crowd comes out to see horsepoop in this small little beach town we love so much.

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Veterans Day

I'm not really sure if I can capture what I want to say -

As we grew up, especially in our younger years, we saw the differences between how people acted between being on Base and off Base. With Dad being an officer in the Air Force, we grew up not even questioning Respect. There was a Sense of Order. There was a Chain of Command. People saluted their superiors.

We also went to Church. We feared God and learned that right and wrong came from within, not from what we could get away with.

This Veteran's Day, this whole weekend actually, I've thought a lot about my Dad. His Sacrifices. His Duty. It's hard putting into perspective what the timeline is, but I am older now than my Dad was in many of the memories I am talking about. That is mind bending.

Christmas 2009 . David, Grandpa and Matthew



I look at my boys and I think about myself as a Father... what I'm trying to describe is a tough thing to understand, and especially admit. Considering everything me and my dad went through; I can't help but to recognize, now, that I am no where near a  Father as my Father was to us.

My sons are not seeing firsthand that Respect. Not understanding that Fear. Not witnessing that Sense of Order. Yes, they are witnessing firsthand many important, sustainable values in life, but it is different.



My Dad is a Veteran. Retired Air Force.

The results are not only our Freedom, but there is a core within each of us siblings that was instilled - and whether we want to admit it or not, that sense of order has helped us become who we are, and with a set of values that is hardly recognizeable in the world we live in today.

So, to my Dad, and to my brother-in-law Ken stationed in Afghanistan - Thank You for doing even more than fighting for our freedom in America - Thank You for walking the walk that gives those around you, a sense of order and a sense of Respect.

Thank You Dad.

And to Ken, please be Safe. You have a wonderful family!

Happy Veterans Day

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Big Talbot State Park

Big Talbot State Park

After Kingsley Plantation, we pulled into Big Talbot State Park and explored one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been to. The boys had a blast!

Nana would so love this place - the driftwood was amazing.

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