Yes! I'm recovering superbly from my knee surgery last Thursday. It doesn't seem possible with stitches still in and only 5 days past, but I feel like it already feels better than it did before surgery. And it was a constant pain before surgery. I also discovered the harsh side effects of some pain medications, but I won't go into that here. Let's just say that a steady diet of grains, fruit juices and Metemucil is a good idea for a few days after surgery. Stitches are scheduled to come out on the 25th and I find out then when the Doc is going to release me from work. I'm pretty anxious for this appointment. As those who know me well, I don't like sitting around and "relaxing" all that much. My Dad used to say, "You ca sleep when you're dead, there's work to get done!"
Speaking of Dad, I was listening to "The Hawk", classic country music radio earlier today and there was a song on by Alan Jackson. The title was, "When Daddy Let Me Drive." I didn't remember this song from "days gone by", but immediately it brought about memories from my early teen years. Dad had an old green Chevy flatbed pickup truck with a starter button on the floor board and a gear shift on the driving column. "Three on the tree", as they say. Many times, well before I was of driving age, Dad would tell me to get behind the wheel and we were going to town. Most times this happened on a Saturday morning after tinkering around the farm a while. It was always a treat to head into town with Dad because we always went to the FS gas station where many of his friends were hanging out. Big John owned the station and all the guys would sit around telling stories or talking about the current "going ons" of our busy village of 450 people. The absolute best part of the trip was when we arrived at the FS, Dad would buy us each a Pepsi, still in the glass bottles, and a bag of Planters peanuts. We would take one big drink out of the pop and then dump the bag of peanuts into the bottle. It was so good, it tasted like you were eating a Payday candy bar. This was one of my Dads favorite things. We would have our pop, listen to the latest hubub and then run any other errands we had or head back to the farm. If we were going back home, sometimes he would let me drive home too. This was just one of the great memories I have of Dad.
Every once in a while, I'll get a Pepsi and a bag of peanuts and sit in the truck and enjoy that treat again. I realized as I got older, I preferred Coke, but it doesn't taste the same. It has to be Pepsi, and of course, no longer in glass bottles. Every time I see an old pickup truck going down the road, it makes me think of Dad and I smile. But when that song came on the radio today, I listened to the lyrics and a lump formed in my throat. The story the song told could have easily been Dad and I with a few minor changes. As the song was coming to an end and my eyes were watering a bit {probably allergies} I was getting ready to turn into our neighborhood. An old red Ford pickup truck passed me going the other way on Rt.36..and yes, I smiled. It's been 15 years sinced Dad passed and even the memories make it seem like not long ago. He was a great role model, friend, Dad and all around great guy. On this rainy day in central Ohio, he is missed more than he'll ever know.
That's the view from my stand!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Catching Up From A Busy Spring!
Wow! I guess things have been really busy. I sat down this afternoon and opened my blog, only to realize I hadn’t written a post since mid-February. {That and my Ohio Mom reminded me she hadn’t read any of my ramblings lately.} Like everyone else when winter breaks, our family is ready for some time outside. Even with the incredibly wet spring, Barb and I were able to take the kids down to our farm in Kentucky for spring break. They enjoyed riding the quads through the woods and creek, cooking out and roasting marshmallows over the open fire. They weren’t real wild about sharing their sleeping quarters with a few country mice and some spiders, but they lived through it.
Barb and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary since my last post. The time seems to have flown by because I still remember so much from our early years. I wanted to get her something a little different from our usual routine; massages, spa days and gift certificates. Do you know what the traditional gift is for the 27th wedding anniversary? Well, I didn’t either, but I looked it up. Come to find out it’s a sculpture or statue. So I decided to go “traditional” this year and gave Barb a little statue of a boy angel with stained glass in its wings, holding a bird in its hand almost as if he rescued it. Just the significance of the statue and the beauty of the stained glass wings, makes it a pretty special gift. She really loved it.
After scheduling 2 or 3 times, the spring rains and other events, we finally got our spring turkey hunt in down at the farm. I took a couple of friends with me, Gary Ballard and John Ford. John was on his first turkey hunt. We’ve been seeing huge flocks of turkeys in the bottoms every trip down as well as a scattered single or double tracking through the higher woodlands. The 450 acres were holding a lot of birds. We arrived on the property about 4:00 in the afternoon and after setting up camp, decided to head down and check on the ground blinds I had set up the week before. After getting to the old tobacco barn in the bottoms on 4 wheelers, Gary hit his mouth call a couple times and sure enough, a gobbler answered. As we moved into position to see the bird, we realized 2 of the “thunder chickens” were answering the call. John was carrying my Remington Nitro Mag and started up the hill to see onto the field where the birds were strutting their stuff. As John got into position to shoot, I was watching the birds with their tail feathers fanned, all puffed out and gobbling away. It was quite a sight. When Gary got the birds to come into range, I told John to shoot the nearest bird. He put an excellent shot on it and 1 hour on the property we had the first bird in the bag. We checked out our blinds to find them lying down due to the storms that had riddled the south the week before. We sat them back up and prepared our sites for the Saturday morning hunt to come. Unfortunately, the birds didn’t cooperate on Saturday and all we got to see were a few hens and a tom running full speed into the woods. We did celebrate the weekend right with a Turducken and Cajun potatoes cooked on the grill, good scotch and a Padron Anniversary cigar. The storms moved in Saturday night and we ended up packing out in a frog strangler Sunday morning. It’s always a good time getting away and I really enjoy sharing the farm with good friends.
As the spring sports season starts winding down, I only have one more game that I have to umpire this next week. Unfortunately, my left knee has been aggravating me since the first of the year and on Thursday the 12th our Doc is going to scope it. He says that there are some spots of arthritis in it but thinks there might be something more. I’ll be off work for a couple of weeks, but that will allow me to catch up with the lure making. It’s that time of year and I’m looking forward to trying a couple new patterns that are featured in the NA Fisherman magazine.
While I’m wrapping up this post, my mind is on the end of this month. Our Abby will be graduating from HS and preparing to move on to Bowling Green State University Business School. It seems like just a few short years ago we were putting her on the bus for her first day of Kindergarten. We’re so proud of the young woman she has become and we’re excited about what her future holds. I’m certain she’ll do great with whatever she chooses to do, but like any parent; I will still worry about her. If you’re attending her Grad Party on June 11th, we look forward to spending some time with you. Thanks for reading, and that’s the view from my stand!
Barb and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary since my last post. The time seems to have flown by because I still remember so much from our early years. I wanted to get her something a little different from our usual routine; massages, spa days and gift certificates. Do you know what the traditional gift is for the 27th wedding anniversary? Well, I didn’t either, but I looked it up. Come to find out it’s a sculpture or statue. So I decided to go “traditional” this year and gave Barb a little statue of a boy angel with stained glass in its wings, holding a bird in its hand almost as if he rescued it. Just the significance of the statue and the beauty of the stained glass wings, makes it a pretty special gift. She really loved it.
After scheduling 2 or 3 times, the spring rains and other events, we finally got our spring turkey hunt in down at the farm. I took a couple of friends with me, Gary Ballard and John Ford. John was on his first turkey hunt. We’ve been seeing huge flocks of turkeys in the bottoms every trip down as well as a scattered single or double tracking through the higher woodlands. The 450 acres were holding a lot of birds. We arrived on the property about 4:00 in the afternoon and after setting up camp, decided to head down and check on the ground blinds I had set up the week before. After getting to the old tobacco barn in the bottoms on 4 wheelers, Gary hit his mouth call a couple times and sure enough, a gobbler answered. As we moved into position to see the bird, we realized 2 of the “thunder chickens” were answering the call. John was carrying my Remington Nitro Mag and started up the hill to see onto the field where the birds were strutting their stuff. As John got into position to shoot, I was watching the birds with their tail feathers fanned, all puffed out and gobbling away. It was quite a sight. When Gary got the birds to come into range, I told John to shoot the nearest bird. He put an excellent shot on it and 1 hour on the property we had the first bird in the bag. We checked out our blinds to find them lying down due to the storms that had riddled the south the week before. We sat them back up and prepared our sites for the Saturday morning hunt to come. Unfortunately, the birds didn’t cooperate on Saturday and all we got to see were a few hens and a tom running full speed into the woods. We did celebrate the weekend right with a Turducken and Cajun potatoes cooked on the grill, good scotch and a Padron Anniversary cigar. The storms moved in Saturday night and we ended up packing out in a frog strangler Sunday morning. It’s always a good time getting away and I really enjoy sharing the farm with good friends.
As the spring sports season starts winding down, I only have one more game that I have to umpire this next week. Unfortunately, my left knee has been aggravating me since the first of the year and on Thursday the 12th our Doc is going to scope it. He says that there are some spots of arthritis in it but thinks there might be something more. I’ll be off work for a couple of weeks, but that will allow me to catch up with the lure making. It’s that time of year and I’m looking forward to trying a couple new patterns that are featured in the NA Fisherman magazine.
While I’m wrapping up this post, my mind is on the end of this month. Our Abby will be graduating from HS and preparing to move on to Bowling Green State University Business School. It seems like just a few short years ago we were putting her on the bus for her first day of Kindergarten. We’re so proud of the young woman she has become and we’re excited about what her future holds. I’m certain she’ll do great with whatever she chooses to do, but like any parent; I will still worry about her. If you’re attending her Grad Party on June 11th, we look forward to spending some time with you. Thanks for reading, and that’s the view from my stand!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sometimes We Need A Reminder...
It seems that things have been flying at warp speed the first couple months of 2011. Everyone has had to deal with some crazy weather, power outings, and all the things that come with winter. Winter also seems to bring about the extreme cold and gives us plenty of time to do some contemplating by the warm fireplace.
One of the things that have been in our conversations and thoughts is this; as we get older we are greeted with the realization that we are not immortal. In fact, I remind Barb on occasion that “the mortality rate is still hovering around the 100% mark these days.” When we look around and see our friends {and spouse} having knee or hip replacement surgeries, wearing triple bifocals, spending more time at the pharmacy than the gym; it really hits home. One of the things that really gets to me are the diseases that are out there that renders the individual with the disease practically helpless.
A good friend of ours has been suffering with MS. She was diagnosed more than 10 years ago. In fact, there are a number of people in our life that have been impacted by this debilitating disease. For this reason, I’ve learned a lot about MS the last few years. I’m certainly not an expert but I can tell you from first hand experience, it’s very difficult to see a loved one have their spirit weakened and their mind diminished by MS. When this disease attacks the nervous system and challenges the normal thought processes, it totally changes the person; their character, demeanor, sense of humor, and more. I know that every case of MS is different and I’m just speaking from my own experiences. But when the disease settles in, the person with that disease is just not the same anymore. Our friend was one of those bubbly people that you loved to be around. She had that “sparkle” in her eyes of fun and mischief, she was always dressed in elegant clothing, she was a successful business woman, she loved to travel, she loved her “Cubbies” and she loved her husband, her son, and her family and friends. Today, she’s just a shell of the person she was and that’s the tough thing to accept. It’s absolutely the toughest on her husband who has been caring for her through all these changes.
In most cases of MS, it’s happening to much older adults so moving your 50 yr. old spouse into a nursing home is a big deal. When you think about it, who really plans for long term hospitalization or disability when you’re in your 30’s? We sure didn’t. So, not only is this a very traumatic time because of the life changes but it can also be very stressful financially. I told my friend, the husband, that I couldn’t begin to imagine walking in his shoes even for a day. Absolutely no one wishes to have to deal with the nasty things that MS does to a persons mind and character; but my friend has dealt with it pretty well for the last 10+ years.
As many of us find out with the presence of life-threatening illnesses or/and the sudden loss of someone important to you, life can get very difficult. The things that have become routine, no longer are. The things that bring you much pleasure or even simple enjoyment are put on an infinite “hold pattern”, much like planes trying to land at the airport. You feel the pressures of all these things coming to the top and you think you might need to wrap Ductape around your head to keep it from exploding. Feelings of loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness invade parts of our mind where it never resided before. These are the times in life where we need to remember this truth: Life was never intended to be done alone. This may be something that you needed to read today yourself. With the chaos that our society has become, many people need to hear this truth. Even with miles and miles separating family and friends, you are never alone.
I mentioned in an earlier blogpost the three things that are most important to me; faith, family & friends. I’m sure I’m not alone in that line of thinking but faith is always a touchy subject. I know what I believe, but I don’t think it’s my place to tell others what they “have to” or “should” believe. I also believe that faith is a very personal thing and many people assume or judge others incorrectly. A famous quote from the WW2 era comes to mind here, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” I think that quote can be altered a bit to read, “There are no atheists on the extremely complicated roads in life.” Again, whether we like it or not, there are words there that ring the bell of truth. I can remember “being made” to go to Sunday school and Vacation Bible School when we were young. I was like every other small town boy, there were 500 other things I’d rather do than sit in a Sunday school classroom. But as I sit writing this blog and sharing with you, a verse that I learned years ago came to mind. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”John 15:13 I don’t think I’m any different than a lot of people we know. And I’m sure, beyond any doubt; that I have friends that are described in that verse that has stuck in my mind. But because of what I believe, I also want to be a friend that is described that way. I firmly believe that there comes a time in all of our lives that we have to decide, first, if there is indeed a Creator. And second, what will be my response to this belief? Again, I say, this is why it’s a very personal thing. For that very reason, I speak for myself when I say that in the deepest, darkest recess in my heart I believe that truth mentioned above; Life was never intended to be done alone. So, as I told my friend the other day, I can’t imagine walking a day in his shoes. But I intend to walk beside my friend because as a young man growing up, some of the things our parents taught us or made us do, stuck with us because they were also the right thing.
If you’re struggling through health issues, life-changes that weren’t in your original plans, or just need to be reassured with a word of encouragement, remember this truth and share it with others. Life was not intended to be done alone. Talk to a friend and have them walk this road with you. If you have a friend struggling, strap on your hiking boots and travel that road with them. Because at the end of the day, the love of family and friends does not make the world go around, but it certainly makes the wild ride called LIFE worthwhile.
That’s the view from my stand!
{Note: Because of the personal content of this post, I received permission from my friend to make this post.}
One of the things that have been in our conversations and thoughts is this; as we get older we are greeted with the realization that we are not immortal. In fact, I remind Barb on occasion that “the mortality rate is still hovering around the 100% mark these days.” When we look around and see our friends {and spouse} having knee or hip replacement surgeries, wearing triple bifocals, spending more time at the pharmacy than the gym; it really hits home. One of the things that really gets to me are the diseases that are out there that renders the individual with the disease practically helpless.
A good friend of ours has been suffering with MS. She was diagnosed more than 10 years ago. In fact, there are a number of people in our life that have been impacted by this debilitating disease. For this reason, I’ve learned a lot about MS the last few years. I’m certainly not an expert but I can tell you from first hand experience, it’s very difficult to see a loved one have their spirit weakened and their mind diminished by MS. When this disease attacks the nervous system and challenges the normal thought processes, it totally changes the person; their character, demeanor, sense of humor, and more. I know that every case of MS is different and I’m just speaking from my own experiences. But when the disease settles in, the person with that disease is just not the same anymore. Our friend was one of those bubbly people that you loved to be around. She had that “sparkle” in her eyes of fun and mischief, she was always dressed in elegant clothing, she was a successful business woman, she loved to travel, she loved her “Cubbies” and she loved her husband, her son, and her family and friends. Today, she’s just a shell of the person she was and that’s the tough thing to accept. It’s absolutely the toughest on her husband who has been caring for her through all these changes.
In most cases of MS, it’s happening to much older adults so moving your 50 yr. old spouse into a nursing home is a big deal. When you think about it, who really plans for long term hospitalization or disability when you’re in your 30’s? We sure didn’t. So, not only is this a very traumatic time because of the life changes but it can also be very stressful financially. I told my friend, the husband, that I couldn’t begin to imagine walking in his shoes even for a day. Absolutely no one wishes to have to deal with the nasty things that MS does to a persons mind and character; but my friend has dealt with it pretty well for the last 10+ years.
As many of us find out with the presence of life-threatening illnesses or/and the sudden loss of someone important to you, life can get very difficult. The things that have become routine, no longer are. The things that bring you much pleasure or even simple enjoyment are put on an infinite “hold pattern”, much like planes trying to land at the airport. You feel the pressures of all these things coming to the top and you think you might need to wrap Ductape around your head to keep it from exploding. Feelings of loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness invade parts of our mind where it never resided before. These are the times in life where we need to remember this truth: Life was never intended to be done alone. This may be something that you needed to read today yourself. With the chaos that our society has become, many people need to hear this truth. Even with miles and miles separating family and friends, you are never alone.
I mentioned in an earlier blogpost the three things that are most important to me; faith, family & friends. I’m sure I’m not alone in that line of thinking but faith is always a touchy subject. I know what I believe, but I don’t think it’s my place to tell others what they “have to” or “should” believe. I also believe that faith is a very personal thing and many people assume or judge others incorrectly. A famous quote from the WW2 era comes to mind here, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” I think that quote can be altered a bit to read, “There are no atheists on the extremely complicated roads in life.” Again, whether we like it or not, there are words there that ring the bell of truth. I can remember “being made” to go to Sunday school and Vacation Bible School when we were young. I was like every other small town boy, there were 500 other things I’d rather do than sit in a Sunday school classroom. But as I sit writing this blog and sharing with you, a verse that I learned years ago came to mind. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”John 15:13 I don’t think I’m any different than a lot of people we know. And I’m sure, beyond any doubt; that I have friends that are described in that verse that has stuck in my mind. But because of what I believe, I also want to be a friend that is described that way. I firmly believe that there comes a time in all of our lives that we have to decide, first, if there is indeed a Creator. And second, what will be my response to this belief? Again, I say, this is why it’s a very personal thing. For that very reason, I speak for myself when I say that in the deepest, darkest recess in my heart I believe that truth mentioned above; Life was never intended to be done alone. So, as I told my friend the other day, I can’t imagine walking a day in his shoes. But I intend to walk beside my friend because as a young man growing up, some of the things our parents taught us or made us do, stuck with us because they were also the right thing.
If you’re struggling through health issues, life-changes that weren’t in your original plans, or just need to be reassured with a word of encouragement, remember this truth and share it with others. Life was not intended to be done alone. Talk to a friend and have them walk this road with you. If you have a friend struggling, strap on your hiking boots and travel that road with them. Because at the end of the day, the love of family and friends does not make the world go around, but it certainly makes the wild ride called LIFE worthwhile.
That’s the view from my stand!
{Note: Because of the personal content of this post, I received permission from my friend to make this post.}
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Getting older bites...but it's better than the alternative!
This week my mother turned 75 years old. Wow! It’s not like she’s the first person to ever turn 75, its just realizing how time quickly passes by. She’s quite an awesome mom, too. Mothering 10 children, not to mention all the neighborhood kids she cared for, taking care of her Dad and Mother and then later in life, our own Father. And still, at 75, going like the everlasting “Energizer Bunny”. I called her the night before her birthday and you know what her plans were in the morning? On the morning of her 75th birthday, she was going to be driving over to the Senior Center and making breakfast for 25 seniors. They rave about her desserts and other items she brings in to share so getting her to make them a breakfast was a real treat, indeed. That’s just the kind of person my mother has always been, taking care of and doing for others. That’s also why she is and has always been my role model.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a long way from being like my mother. She will certainly be “sainted” in her glory days. It’s just my goal to be more like her. When my mother turned 57, we were able to give her a really cool birthday present, a grand daughter. Abigail was born 2 weeks late, 9 lb. 10 oz, and given a middle name she shares with her grandmother. Man, did this really change our lives. If you have trouble with math, that would make Abby 18 years old this week too. Yeah, we still can’t believe it.
We spent a lot of time while she was growing up making some great memories. Playing in the back yard with the cocker spaniels, riding tricycles with her Aunt Joyce, playing “chase” with Grandpa Ray, trips to see the Cardinals play, catching her first fish at the lake on Springfield Ave, dance classes, vacations with cousins, “camping out”, playing dress-up, all the things that make growing up fun. Some of my favorite memories will always be spending time with Ab doing things she knew I liked. I loved watching her play softball. She could hit with the best of them and field her positions better than most that played the game. I may sound biased but I played and coached many years and saw lots of talent. She’s a natural playing softball. I also enjoyed teaching Abby to shoot and taking her out hunting with me. I like to think she enjoyed it too. One of my favorite memories was teaching Abby to drive and letting her drive my truck before she was of age. Her mother would have stroked out if she knew…wait..oh well. She’ll get over it.
As many of you know, I take a trip every summer to a place that is very special to me. It’s a outdoorsman’s paradise. A fishing retreat in northern Ontario that can only be reached by float plane or boat. You can’t drive to this lake and fish on the banks. I’ve been blessed to have gone for the last 12 years, but a few years ago it was a pretty special trip. We were 2 weeks from going north and one of the guys backed out of the trip. After checking with all my friends and friends of friends, we couldn’t find a replacement. So, I decided to take Abby north so we had an even amount of fishermen.
There was a slight problem; Abby had never fished for walleye and northern pike before. I took her to the local sporting goods dealers and got her all geared up. Once we got on the island, I spent the first half-day and the second day teaching her “the ropes” to landing walleye. Low and behold, she spent the week catching lots of fish, getting her summer reading done for school, and getting to know some of dad’s friends better than she really wanted too. We had met a group of guys there from Michigan. One of them had been there before; the other 5 it was their first time too. By the end of the week, Abby had caught more walleye by herself than the 6 guys from Michigan did altogether. Man, was I really proud of her.
Those are just a few of the memories that we’ve been lucky to share. In a couple months Abby will be graduating from high school and a couple months after that, starting college at Bowling Green State University. She’s got a whole brand new chapter of life ahead and we’re excited for her. It’s my hope that as she grows older these memories will be as special to her as they are to me. And when she thinks of them as I know she will, they will bring a smile to her face. The same smile that melted my heart 18 years ago and still does today. That’s the view from my stand!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a long way from being like my mother. She will certainly be “sainted” in her glory days. It’s just my goal to be more like her. When my mother turned 57, we were able to give her a really cool birthday present, a grand daughter. Abigail was born 2 weeks late, 9 lb. 10 oz, and given a middle name she shares with her grandmother. Man, did this really change our lives. If you have trouble with math, that would make Abby 18 years old this week too. Yeah, we still can’t believe it.
We spent a lot of time while she was growing up making some great memories. Playing in the back yard with the cocker spaniels, riding tricycles with her Aunt Joyce, playing “chase” with Grandpa Ray, trips to see the Cardinals play, catching her first fish at the lake on Springfield Ave, dance classes, vacations with cousins, “camping out”, playing dress-up, all the things that make growing up fun. Some of my favorite memories will always be spending time with Ab doing things she knew I liked. I loved watching her play softball. She could hit with the best of them and field her positions better than most that played the game. I may sound biased but I played and coached many years and saw lots of talent. She’s a natural playing softball. I also enjoyed teaching Abby to shoot and taking her out hunting with me. I like to think she enjoyed it too. One of my favorite memories was teaching Abby to drive and letting her drive my truck before she was of age. Her mother would have stroked out if she knew…wait..oh well. She’ll get over it.
As many of you know, I take a trip every summer to a place that is very special to me. It’s a outdoorsman’s paradise. A fishing retreat in northern Ontario that can only be reached by float plane or boat. You can’t drive to this lake and fish on the banks. I’ve been blessed to have gone for the last 12 years, but a few years ago it was a pretty special trip. We were 2 weeks from going north and one of the guys backed out of the trip. After checking with all my friends and friends of friends, we couldn’t find a replacement. So, I decided to take Abby north so we had an even amount of fishermen.
There was a slight problem; Abby had never fished for walleye and northern pike before. I took her to the local sporting goods dealers and got her all geared up. Once we got on the island, I spent the first half-day and the second day teaching her “the ropes” to landing walleye. Low and behold, she spent the week catching lots of fish, getting her summer reading done for school, and getting to know some of dad’s friends better than she really wanted too. We had met a group of guys there from Michigan. One of them had been there before; the other 5 it was their first time too. By the end of the week, Abby had caught more walleye by herself than the 6 guys from Michigan did altogether. Man, was I really proud of her.
Those are just a few of the memories that we’ve been lucky to share. In a couple months Abby will be graduating from high school and a couple months after that, starting college at Bowling Green State University. She’s got a whole brand new chapter of life ahead and we’re excited for her. It’s my hope that as she grows older these memories will be as special to her as they are to me. And when she thinks of them as I know she will, they will bring a smile to her face. The same smile that melted my heart 18 years ago and still does today. That’s the view from my stand!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Happy New Year, Make It The Best Year Ever!
We come to the close of another year that seems to have flown by but yet still full of blessings. 2010 was exciting as well as challenging at times. When things are “normal” or what passes off as normal around our home, I usually write a Christmas letter and fill out over 150 cards for the holiday. That didn’t happen this year so I thought this would be a great place to do our “recap of the year gone by”. We had our share of “mountain top experiences” as well as some times “down in the valley”. Below you will read some of the events of our year with a few captions as well. We always try to make the most out of the time we get to spend with family and friends and our yearly calendar reflects this.
~ After bringing in the New Year with our good friends Brad and Julie Chutes, the first couple of months were spent getting caught up after the holidays. We also enjoyed celebrating a couple of birthdays, Abby {Jan.25th} and Mariah’s {Feb. 22nd}
~ We celebrated Barb’s birthday {March 2nd} with a trip to Illinois to see family. Chad & Angie were visiting from Texas with the newest member of their family, Olivia {“O-Dog”}. What a precious baby she is!
~ In April we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. I took a much needed early season “golf getaway” to North Myrtle Beach with some great friends. {GB, King, Donny, and the Senator} I also started working with a local organization called The Alpha Group. They are a non-profit agency that provides employment for adults with disabilities. I get to supervise a work crew of 3-5 guys as they do lawn care and landscaping in the summer and snow removal in the winter. It’s a challenging position but it’s very much like working around the guys at the cigar shop.
~ In June we followed through with one of our wishes. We’ve always wanted to get a huge cabin in the Smokies and vacation with family members, so right after school was out that’s exactly what we did. We’ve been to the Smokies several times but this was the most fun. {Except for when Barb jacked up her knee and we had to go to the ER}
~ July brought about our annual trip to Canada for some incredible walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing. This year I went with my friends Ed, Trooper Bobby, the good Senator from Arkansas, and Black Superman and his mother. Man, was I relieved when we got held up at the border that Troops Ohio State Highway Patrol bag sat on top of all the other bags. We were extended some “professional courtesy” just when we really needed it. This trip is always the pinnacle of my summers and I look forward to it like nothing else. You wouldn’t understand if you’ve never been. Also in July, with the help of Facebook, I was able to reconnect with an old friend, Brad Noe and his family.
~ August ushered in another school year and began the process of college applications for Abby. She had her choices narrowed down to 3 colleges. After researching the three and filling out the apps, the waiting game was on. She was very excited about getting the letter of acceptance to Bowling Green State University. Abby is going to be a “Falcon”. A few weeks after she found out she was accepted she received another letter from their business school accepting her into that program. We can hardly believe our baby is graduating and heading to college soon.
~ September ushered in the early deer season and dove season in Kentucky where I hunted with Brad and a few others. There’s a 450 acre farm south of Louisville that we are leasing for hunting rights and it’s a great place to get away. We took our first deer of the year that weekend. DJ finished up another season of soccer and practiced shooting his gun in eager preparation for his first hunt this year. We had unseasonably HOT weather for Sept. and on Little Brown Jug Day {Sept. 23rd} it was 95 degrees. We did our best to stay hydrated. We also had our annual golf outing in support of the Mike Dodge Memorial Fund. We were able to take a couple of great friends from Ohio to Illinois, too play golf and meet some of our family. I’m hoping we still stay friends!
~ October brought with it the beginning of filling out all the paperwork and getting deposits in at BGSU for Abby. She’s excited about her freshman class getting to live in brand new dorms with “private bathrooms”. I’m excited because BG is only about 50 minutes from Cabelas in Dundee, Michigan. Actually, we are very excited for her to get started in a new stage in her journey. I hope we’ve done enough preparing her for it.
~ November couldn’t get here soon enough for Barb. She had been having some problems with her right knee and the injury she received while vacationing in the Smokies was the icing on the cake. She needed to have knee replacement surgery and it happened on November 8th. She wasn’t sure she made the right decision until just about a week before Christmas. She’s been doing well with the physical therapy. She will be getting back in the swing of things and driving herself to work starting the New Year. We are glad to have her back on the road to recovery and she’s the happiest about it.
I also went down to The Camp and was able to take 2 deer for the Ky. rifle season. Barb wasn’t ready to travel yet, so we stayed home and had an intimate Thanksgiving with just our kids and some board games.
~ As we came into December things were going pretty well with Barb’s recovery. I was able to take DJ down to “The Camp” for a weekend for his very first deer hunt. You can read more about it and other stories in my blog at www.aviewfrommystand.blogspot.com Feel free to read and enjoy all the posts that I have shared. Mariah is very excited because she landed a part in the middle school production of “Alice In Wonderland”. As soon as school starts back she will have 20 practices each month in Jan. & Feb. Barb still wasn’t quite ready to travel so we missed the Dodge Family Christmas in Illinois for only the 3rd time in our 26 years. She did feel good enough to make potato soup, chicken tortilla soup and beer bread. So after we opened all our Christmas gifts at the butt crack of dawn, we had a nice breakfast. Our good friends Brad and Julie Chutes came down in the afternoon and shared soup and bread with us. It was a very nice Christmas.
Looking into the New Year, we know that there are going to be some family dynamic changes with Abby headed off to college. We are very hopeful that we will handle the things that come our way with the very same strength, determination and faith that has urged us through these first 26 years. It is our hope and prayer that 2011 brings to you all the hope, joy and peace that you need to sustain you for the challenges that come your way. We have been blessed beyond measure with loving family, awesome friends and some pretty terrific kids. We hope that you share in these same things with us in 2011.
That’s the view from my stand!
~ After bringing in the New Year with our good friends Brad and Julie Chutes, the first couple of months were spent getting caught up after the holidays. We also enjoyed celebrating a couple of birthdays, Abby {Jan.25th} and Mariah’s {Feb. 22nd}
~ We celebrated Barb’s birthday {March 2nd} with a trip to Illinois to see family. Chad & Angie were visiting from Texas with the newest member of their family, Olivia {“O-Dog”}. What a precious baby she is!
~ In April we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. I took a much needed early season “golf getaway” to North Myrtle Beach with some great friends. {GB, King, Donny, and the Senator} I also started working with a local organization called The Alpha Group. They are a non-profit agency that provides employment for adults with disabilities. I get to supervise a work crew of 3-5 guys as they do lawn care and landscaping in the summer and snow removal in the winter. It’s a challenging position but it’s very much like working around the guys at the cigar shop.
~ In June we followed through with one of our wishes. We’ve always wanted to get a huge cabin in the Smokies and vacation with family members, so right after school was out that’s exactly what we did. We’ve been to the Smokies several times but this was the most fun. {Except for when Barb jacked up her knee and we had to go to the ER}
~ July brought about our annual trip to Canada for some incredible walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing. This year I went with my friends Ed, Trooper Bobby, the good Senator from Arkansas, and Black Superman and his mother. Man, was I relieved when we got held up at the border that Troops Ohio State Highway Patrol bag sat on top of all the other bags. We were extended some “professional courtesy” just when we really needed it. This trip is always the pinnacle of my summers and I look forward to it like nothing else. You wouldn’t understand if you’ve never been. Also in July, with the help of Facebook, I was able to reconnect with an old friend, Brad Noe and his family.
~ August ushered in another school year and began the process of college applications for Abby. She had her choices narrowed down to 3 colleges. After researching the three and filling out the apps, the waiting game was on. She was very excited about getting the letter of acceptance to Bowling Green State University. Abby is going to be a “Falcon”. A few weeks after she found out she was accepted she received another letter from their business school accepting her into that program. We can hardly believe our baby is graduating and heading to college soon.
~ September ushered in the early deer season and dove season in Kentucky where I hunted with Brad and a few others. There’s a 450 acre farm south of Louisville that we are leasing for hunting rights and it’s a great place to get away. We took our first deer of the year that weekend. DJ finished up another season of soccer and practiced shooting his gun in eager preparation for his first hunt this year. We had unseasonably HOT weather for Sept. and on Little Brown Jug Day {Sept. 23rd} it was 95 degrees. We did our best to stay hydrated. We also had our annual golf outing in support of the Mike Dodge Memorial Fund. We were able to take a couple of great friends from Ohio to Illinois, too play golf and meet some of our family. I’m hoping we still stay friends!
~ October brought with it the beginning of filling out all the paperwork and getting deposits in at BGSU for Abby. She’s excited about her freshman class getting to live in brand new dorms with “private bathrooms”. I’m excited because BG is only about 50 minutes from Cabelas in Dundee, Michigan. Actually, we are very excited for her to get started in a new stage in her journey. I hope we’ve done enough preparing her for it.
~ November couldn’t get here soon enough for Barb. She had been having some problems with her right knee and the injury she received while vacationing in the Smokies was the icing on the cake. She needed to have knee replacement surgery and it happened on November 8th. She wasn’t sure she made the right decision until just about a week before Christmas. She’s been doing well with the physical therapy. She will be getting back in the swing of things and driving herself to work starting the New Year. We are glad to have her back on the road to recovery and she’s the happiest about it.
I also went down to The Camp and was able to take 2 deer for the Ky. rifle season. Barb wasn’t ready to travel yet, so we stayed home and had an intimate Thanksgiving with just our kids and some board games.
~ As we came into December things were going pretty well with Barb’s recovery. I was able to take DJ down to “The Camp” for a weekend for his very first deer hunt. You can read more about it and other stories in my blog at www.aviewfrommystand.blogspot.com Feel free to read and enjoy all the posts that I have shared. Mariah is very excited because she landed a part in the middle school production of “Alice In Wonderland”. As soon as school starts back she will have 20 practices each month in Jan. & Feb. Barb still wasn’t quite ready to travel so we missed the Dodge Family Christmas in Illinois for only the 3rd time in our 26 years. She did feel good enough to make potato soup, chicken tortilla soup and beer bread. So after we opened all our Christmas gifts at the butt crack of dawn, we had a nice breakfast. Our good friends Brad and Julie Chutes came down in the afternoon and shared soup and bread with us. It was a very nice Christmas.
Looking into the New Year, we know that there are going to be some family dynamic changes with Abby headed off to college. We are very hopeful that we will handle the things that come our way with the very same strength, determination and faith that has urged us through these first 26 years. It is our hope and prayer that 2011 brings to you all the hope, joy and peace that you need to sustain you for the challenges that come your way. We have been blessed beyond measure with loving family, awesome friends and some pretty terrific kids. We hope that you share in these same things with us in 2011.
That’s the view from my stand!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas 2010
Like most of you, the Christmas season always brings about different moods, thoughts or feelings for me. I’ve never been much for shopping but I think I’m a pretty generous person. I’m a big fan of different genres of music but I do get pretty tired of hearing the same songs over and over and over. I love to see the smiles and looks of “wonderment” on the faces of children when they open the gifts. I also know that the holidays, especially around Christmas, are the most stressful on people too. It might be because you are going through the holidays alone or struggling through the loss of a loved one. Or you may be dealing with health, family issues or even the loss of a job. Any one or all of these things are enough to try the best of souls.
It’s also seems to be the season where we tend to see the very best and worse of people. Patience runs short, people are rude in the stores, and some are even driving recklessly as if they were in a Grand Prix. You also see some of the most generous acts of kindness this time of year. There are many families with needs all year long but especially right now. With some of the local things like the PIN Christmas Clearinghouse, the “Whatever You Think It’s Worth Breakfast”, winter clothing drive for the free store, and the “Adopt A Family” that many of our community and service clubs do, it’s a good feeling to be a part of a small town like ours.
It seems every year we get “busy” with the things of the season that we find ourselves forgetting to take time out and remember why we celebrate Christmas. I also understand that some celebrate differently or sometimes not at all. A long, long time ago a baby came that changed the world. One of my favorite verses surrounding the birth of Jesus comes from Luke 2 and it’s a proclamation that rings true now as it did then. An angel appeared to shepherds and well, they were kind of freak out by it. But the angel had a message it was this, “don’t be afraid, for I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all people.” Did you catch that?? The angel said “for all people”. The angel didn’t say it would be for just people back then. The angel didn’t say that it would just be for the religious leaders. The angel didn’t say that it would only be for those that are happy, wealthy, and live in certain houses, or even in certain areas of the country.
The angel said, “A great JOY for all people.” I believe that this is not just good news, but that it is incredible news! Regardless of where you are right now or if any of the situations that I mentioned earlier pertain to you, there’s a “great Joy”, a gift if you will, with your name on it. I believe that to the core of my being. It’s my hope that this Christmas every family member, friend, acquaintance and even neighbors I haven’t met yet receive their “Joy”. After all, it’s for “all people”! From our home to yours, we wish you a house full of love, new memories made with family and friends, and a heart full of hope. Merry Christmas!
That’s the view from my stand.
It’s also seems to be the season where we tend to see the very best and worse of people. Patience runs short, people are rude in the stores, and some are even driving recklessly as if they were in a Grand Prix. You also see some of the most generous acts of kindness this time of year. There are many families with needs all year long but especially right now. With some of the local things like the PIN Christmas Clearinghouse, the “Whatever You Think It’s Worth Breakfast”, winter clothing drive for the free store, and the “Adopt A Family” that many of our community and service clubs do, it’s a good feeling to be a part of a small town like ours.
It seems every year we get “busy” with the things of the season that we find ourselves forgetting to take time out and remember why we celebrate Christmas. I also understand that some celebrate differently or sometimes not at all. A long, long time ago a baby came that changed the world. One of my favorite verses surrounding the birth of Jesus comes from Luke 2 and it’s a proclamation that rings true now as it did then. An angel appeared to shepherds and well, they were kind of freak out by it. But the angel had a message it was this, “don’t be afraid, for I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all people.” Did you catch that?? The angel said “for all people”. The angel didn’t say it would be for just people back then. The angel didn’t say that it would just be for the religious leaders. The angel didn’t say that it would only be for those that are happy, wealthy, and live in certain houses, or even in certain areas of the country.
The angel said, “A great JOY for all people.” I believe that this is not just good news, but that it is incredible news! Regardless of where you are right now or if any of the situations that I mentioned earlier pertain to you, there’s a “great Joy”, a gift if you will, with your name on it. I believe that to the core of my being. It’s my hope that this Christmas every family member, friend, acquaintance and even neighbors I haven’t met yet receive their “Joy”. After all, it’s for “all people”! From our home to yours, we wish you a house full of love, new memories made with family and friends, and a heart full of hope. Merry Christmas!
That’s the view from my stand.
Friday, December 17, 2010
ATV's, Nicknames and a Bobble Head
This past weekend, I took DJ for his first deer hunt down to our property that we lease an hour south of Louisville, Ky. It’s a 450 acre farm with lots of woods, fields, creek beds, deer and turkey. Not to mention a pretty vocal pack of coyotes. Overall, I think he had a pretty good time. Unfortunately neither the deer nor the weather cooperated with us this weekend, and DJ didn’t even get a chance to shoot. However, he did learn some very important life lessons. We’ll get to those in a few minutes.
Uncle Brad greeted us as we arrived and he was meeting DJ for the very first time. He welcomed us to camp and we started making plans to get out and hang our “Buddy Stand” that DJ and I would be using. Before we went out to hang the stand, Brad gave DJ a gift that all hunters/outdoorsmen should have. DJ received his first sharp hunting/pocket knife. It’s a beauty, and he really appreciated that gift from his new “uncle”. However, it didn’t take long for DJ to be DJ and already comfortable in his surroundings, he started poking fun at the way “Uncle Brad” talked. When we returned from putting the stand up, the ATV had a low tire. Brad was explaining to DJ that the “tar” needed to be fixed. DJ asked, “What’s a ‘tar’?” Brad said, “You know, those 4 round things that make the buggy go.” DJ says, “Ohhh, you mean the wheels? But you were trying to say TIRE?” We all got a good laugh out of that one as well. We knew he was going to love meeting Kelli Ann Noe, Kent’s daughter, because she has a really sweet southern accent.
Anyway, I realize that all kids are “not the same” when they reach that magic age. But I’m pretty certain, in DJ’s case, 10 is not the age for him to have the patience and stamina to sit in a stand deer hunting for a few hours. I think I’m a pretty patient person, but when it comes to hunting there’s a right way and a wrong way. If you’re sitting in a stand with a talking bobble head on crack, not a deer in the nearest three counties is going to come near you. That’s just a fact. Now, you take that and add that within a 12 hr. period, he went to the bathroom twice within 25 yards of our stand. Another big “No-No” when it comes to hunting. He just couldn’t “hold it” and he’s not quite sure why it mattered. Hopefully he will learn.
Before going to camp, DJ had heard us talking about all the coyotes howling at night. To a 10 yr. old that’s a pretty scary thing. Whenever we were going out to the stand or returning to the house in the dark, you could hear the fear in his voice when he talked. The first time he heard the coyotes howling Friday night as we sat around the campfire, he got up and ran into the house. I had to explain to him that they don’t care for humans either and they wouldn’t be coming up to eat off his plate. We got a good laugh out of that one. Another funny thing about the weekend was the “nickname” Brad and Josh gave DJ. They had decided that DJ didn’t sound very “country” so they chose to call him “JD”. They said it sounded like a good country boy’s name, since 30-40 people in Greensburg, Ky. carried that same moniker. Most of the weekend he was known as “JD” and I really appreciated the way Brad, Josh and the rest of the Noe’s loved on our little man.
One of “JDs” favorite things to do is riding the 4 wheelers. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he wanted to come down just to ride. He’s at the age where he handles a 300 or 400 pretty well by himself. When we saw that the weather was going to turn on us Saturday, I put him on the Polaris and let him go. It was so funny because of the way sound carries down there in the hill country. He was a half mile away from us and we could hear him laughing, hooting and a hollering while he was winding up that 4 wheeler and going “fast”. He really got a big thrill out of that time on the ATV. As the weather turned we found that keeping “JD” entertained was going to be a chore. Luckily, Brad had packed away in a back closet an old Nintendo 64 unit and a dozen games from his other deer cabin. Josh figured out a way to get that unit hooked up to the DVD player that we watch the Duck Commander shows on, and “JD” was off and running with the vintage video games. After a while, he really thought that we should all play a game of Monopoly but we were able to sidetrack him on that one.
We enjoyed sharing a lot of stories Saturday night, some fine cigars and drinks. {not “JD” he was in bed…mostly} We spent a lot of time laughing, talking about friends and family and places we’ve been and faith. We woke up Sunday morning and the ground and everything around was covered in a layer of ice and a dusting of snow. After a little coffee and breakfast we packed up, cleaned up and said our good-byes until the next time. The first 18 miles home is back country roads and rolling hills on the way to the interstate. After the 18 miles, the trip home was smooth sailing until we were south of Columbus. As we were traveling home, “JD” asked if we could go back again sometime even though there were some things he didn’t like. I asked him what things? He said, “The lack of technology, the coyotes, and the cemetery in the back yard.” {There’s an old family cemetery behind the house. “Someone” mentioned around the campfire Friday night that one of the headstones had the name “David Joseph” on it and that it was a young boy that died tragically on the farm.}
I told him that it was my plan to return to the farm as often we can as long as we are leasing it. I think he will eventually settle down enough to let a deer get close to him. But until then, he’ll probably prefer to hang out with the guys, ride the ATV’s and explore all the areas of the farm. And I’m pretty sure he’ll be thankful for having the opportunity to share a place like this with his Dad and some really great friends. I sure am! That’s “the view from my stand!”
Uncle Brad greeted us as we arrived and he was meeting DJ for the very first time. He welcomed us to camp and we started making plans to get out and hang our “Buddy Stand” that DJ and I would be using. Before we went out to hang the stand, Brad gave DJ a gift that all hunters/outdoorsmen should have. DJ received his first sharp hunting/pocket knife. It’s a beauty, and he really appreciated that gift from his new “uncle”. However, it didn’t take long for DJ to be DJ and already comfortable in his surroundings, he started poking fun at the way “Uncle Brad” talked. When we returned from putting the stand up, the ATV had a low tire. Brad was explaining to DJ that the “tar” needed to be fixed. DJ asked, “What’s a ‘tar’?” Brad said, “You know, those 4 round things that make the buggy go.” DJ says, “Ohhh, you mean the wheels? But you were trying to say TIRE?” We all got a good laugh out of that one as well. We knew he was going to love meeting Kelli Ann Noe, Kent’s daughter, because she has a really sweet southern accent.
Anyway, I realize that all kids are “not the same” when they reach that magic age. But I’m pretty certain, in DJ’s case, 10 is not the age for him to have the patience and stamina to sit in a stand deer hunting for a few hours. I think I’m a pretty patient person, but when it comes to hunting there’s a right way and a wrong way. If you’re sitting in a stand with a talking bobble head on crack, not a deer in the nearest three counties is going to come near you. That’s just a fact. Now, you take that and add that within a 12 hr. period, he went to the bathroom twice within 25 yards of our stand. Another big “No-No” when it comes to hunting. He just couldn’t “hold it” and he’s not quite sure why it mattered. Hopefully he will learn.
Before going to camp, DJ had heard us talking about all the coyotes howling at night. To a 10 yr. old that’s a pretty scary thing. Whenever we were going out to the stand or returning to the house in the dark, you could hear the fear in his voice when he talked. The first time he heard the coyotes howling Friday night as we sat around the campfire, he got up and ran into the house. I had to explain to him that they don’t care for humans either and they wouldn’t be coming up to eat off his plate. We got a good laugh out of that one. Another funny thing about the weekend was the “nickname” Brad and Josh gave DJ. They had decided that DJ didn’t sound very “country” so they chose to call him “JD”. They said it sounded like a good country boy’s name, since 30-40 people in Greensburg, Ky. carried that same moniker. Most of the weekend he was known as “JD” and I really appreciated the way Brad, Josh and the rest of the Noe’s loved on our little man.
One of “JDs” favorite things to do is riding the 4 wheelers. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he wanted to come down just to ride. He’s at the age where he handles a 300 or 400 pretty well by himself. When we saw that the weather was going to turn on us Saturday, I put him on the Polaris and let him go. It was so funny because of the way sound carries down there in the hill country. He was a half mile away from us and we could hear him laughing, hooting and a hollering while he was winding up that 4 wheeler and going “fast”. He really got a big thrill out of that time on the ATV. As the weather turned we found that keeping “JD” entertained was going to be a chore. Luckily, Brad had packed away in a back closet an old Nintendo 64 unit and a dozen games from his other deer cabin. Josh figured out a way to get that unit hooked up to the DVD player that we watch the Duck Commander shows on, and “JD” was off and running with the vintage video games. After a while, he really thought that we should all play a game of Monopoly but we were able to sidetrack him on that one.
We enjoyed sharing a lot of stories Saturday night, some fine cigars and drinks. {not “JD” he was in bed…mostly} We spent a lot of time laughing, talking about friends and family and places we’ve been and faith. We woke up Sunday morning and the ground and everything around was covered in a layer of ice and a dusting of snow. After a little coffee and breakfast we packed up, cleaned up and said our good-byes until the next time. The first 18 miles home is back country roads and rolling hills on the way to the interstate. After the 18 miles, the trip home was smooth sailing until we were south of Columbus. As we were traveling home, “JD” asked if we could go back again sometime even though there were some things he didn’t like. I asked him what things? He said, “The lack of technology, the coyotes, and the cemetery in the back yard.” {There’s an old family cemetery behind the house. “Someone” mentioned around the campfire Friday night that one of the headstones had the name “David Joseph” on it and that it was a young boy that died tragically on the farm.}
I told him that it was my plan to return to the farm as often we can as long as we are leasing it. I think he will eventually settle down enough to let a deer get close to him. But until then, he’ll probably prefer to hang out with the guys, ride the ATV’s and explore all the areas of the farm. And I’m pretty sure he’ll be thankful for having the opportunity to share a place like this with his Dad and some really great friends. I sure am! That’s “the view from my stand!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
