Three strikes, but I'm still in there...

Last week, Pam and I had the opportunity to go to NY to take care of Quinn for three days.  The NY schools had something like a mid-winter ski week vacation, so all the schools were closed.  With Doug and Danika still having to work, they asked us if "we would mind coming over to be with Quinn for a few days."  I don't even think Grandma had logged off the computer before she had the kennel on the line to check for openings. 

They have another week off in April sometime, and Grandpa Randy and Grandma Margret will get to be with him.  Probably not much hesitation on their part either!!

Anyway, that's not the story line.  Let me tell you of the trials leading up to getting out of our driveway and then I'll relate some Quinn moments.

I had somehow contracted a pretty good sinus cold (Strike One) just a couple of days before going.  I thought it would go away pretty quickly because these sorts of things do with me.  I was sniffling pretty good, but that wasn't going to stop me.  So out to the garage with the last piece of luggage and the dog's things for the kennel.  I then brought out Bailey, lifted her up into the back of the Jeep and began to pull down the back door.  All of a sudden, "WHACK!#*%!!" -- the leading edge of the tailgate came crashing down across the bridge of my nose (Strike Two).  I saw a few stars and felt my knees get a bit weaker, but I didn't go down.  I did have a handful of blood though. 

So now, I had a nose full of sinus junk and yuck from the aforementioned karate chop from the tailgate.  Fortunately, my nose wasn't broken, but I figured I would need an orange wide load triangle to hang around my neck.  After a few choice words, we were off, complete with cold cloth on my nose.

The drive was pretty uneventful and we made it in just under 10 hours, door to door.  I guess I was owed one because there was a parking place right in front of their apartment that opened up just as we drove up.

The best part of the day, however was the greeting I got from Quinn when we walked in the house.  He came running across the room yelling "Grandpa, Grandpa" and jumped up for me to catch him.

 I wasn't much count the first day there, but got better after that.  We visited the NY Aquarium (I drove straight to it -- piece of cake).  We read some books, played with most of his toys, and went to the "water-fish park" (but didn't stay too long because it was very windy and cold).

 We also baked cookies, and Pam and he made stick toys and other things with his art supplies. Unfortunately with all my sinus issues, Pam got saddled with most of the morning time, but she wasn't complaining.

 

This is called "The Happy Cookie Dance."

The trip back was fine -- a little snow in the PA mountains, but nothing stuck to the roads where we were.  The Jeep got a little over 25 m.p.g. on the way over, but only about 19.7 on the way back (20-30 m.p.h. head winds all day long).

So now, it's almost a week later, and the sinus infection is getting better, and the nose didn't swell up too much.  No black and blue.  I do have one word of caution however, if you want to try one of those breathe-right strips, just beware that if you put it on tightly you may peel off skin when you take it off (Strike Three).  For the last two days, it looks like I had been in some sort of fist fight.

Oh, and one other thing -- I would caution you against trying to shave  while sniffling.  I got a pretty good shaving cut (Strike Four ?) doing that.

Given the ups and downs, the ups (being with D,D&Q and Pam in NY) far outweighed the downs.  I'll take a visit with them any time!!

Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child's growth as vitamins. (Joyce Allston)
 
Hooah

So far, so good...

I have had the Jeep now for almost 6 months and find it to be quite a nice vehicle.  I don't remember if I mentioned it in an earlier entry, but I have been impressed with the ride and the performance. Having had Trailblazers for many years,  I did want to pay particular attention to my gas consumption during the first few months to see if it lived up to expected postings as far as performance and m.p.g went.

I am happy to say that so far it has exceeded the postings and my expectations.  The manufacturer advertises the 6-cylinder engine at 16 m.p.g. in the city and 22 on the highway.  Maybe driving around the McCartyville/Sidney/Anna roads doesn't qualify as "city" driving, but I have monitored the last two tanks and gotten 20-20.5 m.p.g. around here.   I also got 27 on our first road trip to NY.  For a vehicle of its size, I think it is doing very well.

I find that if I really pay attention to the "Economy" sign on the dash while I'm driving, I do very well.  I also use the cruise control quite a bit of the time and that really helps to keep the foot out of the gas pedal.  There are also other rewards (other than saving money) -- I find myself enjoying the drives more.  As I have slowed down a bit and kept things more steady, I have been able to notice things more.  While not taking my eyes off the highway for any length of time, I am able to notice things in the fields and the sky.  Last week, I saw a couple of coyotes running across a field and I routinely see red-tail hawks sitting on fence posts looking for dinner.

I don't drive so slowly that I would qualify for "GEEZER" status --  just steady, and just at or slightly above the speed limit.  Now all bets are off on the interstate where I revert back to a more aggressive (but not hostile) driver.

Anyway, just thought I would let you know how the Jeep is doing... just in case you might be looking for a new ride.

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.

Hooah

15 min. to a Clean Driveway...

We got our first decent snowfall last night and woke up to a little over 3 inches of the white stuff.  By normal McCartyville Road standards, this wasn't even worth worrying about.  But -- this is the first snowfall I would get to use the snowblower on the new driveway.  Up till now, the small snows didn't amount to much, and I thought the guys might have installed that new kind of cement that doesn't allow snow to stick or build up.  Oh, if only there were such a thing.

Well, it was 0800 hrs. and Jim brought over the snowblower.  He made an initial pass and got the sidewalk real quickly.  As I took over, he said I would probably be able to keep it in the fastest forward speed now that we didn't have to worry about rocks being thrown all over the place and ridges in the gravel.  Just push down the drive handles and walk behind.  The only things that slowed me down  -- turning around when I got to the end of the drive, and working around the boat. In all, it only took about 15 min. to do the whole thing.  I don't think my heart doctor (if I still had one, that is) would have a problem with that.

It looks pretty good out there.  But one thing never changes -- the wind always blows  and the county snow plow will always come by AFTER you have done the drive, leaving a pile of "road snow" across the front. 

You can see the snow starting to creep back onto the edges of the drive, and the "road snow" at the far end.  Oh well, at least it's not 8+ " and 25 m.p.h. winds.  Also, the national weather service is calling for temps to get to 50 degrees on Sunday.  Almost golf weather.

We Skyped with Doug and Quinn around mid-morning.  Quinn said he had been out helping daddy shovel the snow on their sidewalk.  Brooklyn must have gotten some of our snow.  It was kinda neat seeing him -- flannel shirt on, red cheeks and messy hair  -- just finished and just took his hat off.  Sounded like they had fun.

When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old.  (Lady Bird Johnson)

Hooah

Wintery Sunday evening on McCartyville Road...

I forgot to mention last week that the owls have been back and set up shop in the corn field behind the house.  I first noticed them about a week and a half ago, and have been seeing them in the evenings one or two at a time.  But tonight, they must have organized a hunting party because about 1730 hrs. I happened to look out back and saw a bunch of brown spots lined up along the runway by the edge of the cornfield.  They are easier to spot now because there is snow on the ground.  Also, they showed up well in the setting sun as it cast its long shadows across the field.  They were too far away to get a picture -- even with the telephoto lens on the camera, but I could easily see them with the field glasses. 

Meanwhile, the little birds around the house were busy flapping around the feeders, fighting over the birdseed.  We have some bluejays, a few very bright cardinals, doves, and lots of little flappers.  They still congregate at the feeder my dad build many, many years ago.  However, they now have a new feeder to check out.  It has been hanging up for a few days and they have been a bit wary of it.  The cardinals and the little flappers have now found it and have hit it up pretty hard for seed.  This feeder also has a place on each side for suet and it seems the bluejays have found those to their liking.  One side is a high energy apple-flavorer mix of some sort, and the other is a penutbutter-seed mixture.  The old feeder has been empty for a couple of days now, and I have refused refilling it until the birds discovered the new feeder.  That only took them a couple of days.  Smart birds.

Pam and I thought it took so long for them to get used to it because it has a red roof and looks like a pizza hut.  One interesting note -- we bought this at Lowes.  They had a whole slew of them on the shelves.  Funny -- this was the only one out of about 10 other styles that was made in America.  Seems China has the corner on birdfeeders.  By the way, this one was made in Ohio!!

One other thing I noticed this evening was how it was still light here and it was after 6:00 p.m.  It was cold and there was snow on the ground, but with daylight that late into the day, golf season can't be too far away.

God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

Hooah

Good to get the family together...

This past Christmas was a special time in that we actually got a great deal of the family together over a couple of days.  This hasn't happened very often.  People get busy, we get separated by distances of more than just miles, and "things" get in the way.  That's why this was a pretty special time.

Quinn is growing up so fast, and those of us at the other end of the spectrum aren't getting any younger.  There is something special about getting to see your aunts and uncles and great-aunts and great-uncles, and recognizing them, if only by name.  At least he can now start to put names to faces and start to put together the pieces of "his family."

This was a two-day process.  On one of the days, we had all of my family together.  See the picture below.

On the second day, we went to Pam's brother's house and Quinn got to play with his cousins, all of whom are around his age.  He had a ball! They played in the basement for a while and he came up, about an hour later, raising his arms over his head and pronounced: "I'm wound up!!"  Not all of Pam's side of the family could be with us, but it was really great that he got to actually play with his cousins.

I have stated any number of times in this blog that I want Quinn to know his Grandma and Grandpa, but that goes for all of his family.  I can think of nothing worse than for him to sit down some day and muse, "Grandpa (or Cousin So-and-So) was a pretty good guy.  Too bad I don't know more about him."

A family in harmony will prosper in everything.  A family with an old person has a living treasure of gold. Chinese Proverb.

Hooah

One dog night...

After her dinner, Bailey and I went for a walk so she could sniff and do her business.  It was just starting to get dark, and a huge, bright full moon was just breaking over the horizon.  The temperatures were starting to fall, and the skies were "severe clear" -- a term I learned in my flying days which meant that it was so clear up there that it almost made it hard to pick up things because there was no background.

Anyway, as I write this, the temperature my weather machine reads is 18.2 degrees, and probably falling.  I was able to get the camera and take a picture of the moon.  From just looking at the picture, one might think this was a mid-day shot, but I turned off the flash, opened the lens, and steadied the camera on the railing of the deck out back, and shot away.  You can see the lights from some of the houses in the background, and that's really the only thing that helps you keep me honest.

 

If you look closely in the front window of the barn, you can see a faint reflection of the red sky following the setting sun.  The blue by the back of the barn is the tarp covering the woodpile.  I'm sure there are lots of field mice and rabbits taking residence there, trying to keep warm and dry, and out of sight of the owls who will soon take up patrol.  And one other thing -- look just to the right of the wood pile.  The small white thing kinda in the middle of the big tree's trunk (not the pine tree) is a tombstone for a Civil War Veteran in the cemetery out back.  I'm sure he's seen a lot of these full moons a'rising.

I'm sure glad I'm in the house tonight and not in the barn!  Curl up Bailey, it's gonna be a one-dog night for sure.

The color of springtime is in the flowers for all to see; the color of winter is in the imagination that only the observant know.

Hooah

Getting psyched for Christmas...

If you have followed this blog for any time at all, you know I really love almost every season of the year.  I really enjoy the spring and the rebirth of the flowers, grass, trees and animals that come with that season.  I particularly like the fact that Spring signals the beginning of another season of golf -- the quest to hit my 3-wood better and more consistently off the tee, and to cut down on the number of three putts I make.

I like the Summer because it is so enjoyable to take our little boat ("Miss Pam") over the the lake and just cruise around for a while in the evening.  It's only 10 min. from the driveway to the boat ramp.  Lake Loramie is a pretty nice little lake, and we really enjoy it.  I especially liked it when we could take Bailey (our dog) with us. 

Fall is nice because that means football.  Maybe even more than Spring, I like to play golf in the Fall.  I really enjoy the scenery and cling to every last day I can tee it up.  I played 18-holes on November 25th and it was absolutely beautiful.  I hate to admit it, but that might be the last day for this year.

And now, to the point of this article.  Winter.  I love the Winter because it brings crisp days, and challenges one to go out and "see" what's going on.  I kinda like driving the Jeep (and previously the 8 Chevy Trail Blazers I owned) around on the country roads just to see the snow-covered woods, the fields glistening in the bright sun, and the birds flying in the crisp skies.  I really used to enjoy flying in the winter because the plane seemed to jump off the runway.  Takeoffs and landings on the snowy landing strips proved to be quite an adventure, but once airborne, it was such an effortless, and always much more smooth flight.

But then, we always get to Christmas.  I love this time of year for the bright lights, the Christmas trees and decorations, the attempt at heightened civility by people in the stores and on the streets.  I also love it for the things I know that happened long, long ago.  I love to go to Christmas Eve ceremonies at church, and really, really like the sounds of a choir floating from speakers on the streets and in the parks. 

Once when I was stationed in Germany during the first Gulf War, I had the occasion to hear a German Boys Choir sing at midnight on Christmas Eve.  The little town church was situated in a valley with huge mountains all around, and I was walking around the perimeter of the base talking to my troops who were on guard duty, when the sounds of the choir came up the hill.  The snow was crisp, the cold air was biting at my fingers and cheeks, but that sound just really hit me.  I have never forgotten that night and still think of it on cold Ohio nights when the snow is falling. 

Pam and I just put up our tree today so I took a picture of it.  One thing I really like is how the lights reflect in all the windows of "The Pentagon" (our room overlooking the pond) -- it's like there is a whole forest of Christmas trees just on the other side of the glass.  It is really cool to sit out there at night with all the other lights out, just reading and listening to music on the stereo (is that dating me calling it a stereo?).

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. 

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? 

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?  

(Dr. Seuss)

Hooah