Another Delco Guy In South Jersey

The Fragility of Health

My mom is in Atlanta this week helping attend her youngest sister, who is hospitalized with some significant health issues.  Her brother and sister are also down there, which signals how difficult things are there right now.  It's been a long series of travails for my aunt and I am so very happy we got to spend some extended time with her in Cape May Point this past summer.

Death in my family has (save the sad exception of my cousin) always been the wasting, suffering kind.  Cancer, heart disease, post operative issues.  Never particularly sudden.  Always an ordeal for every one involved.  The patient, the kids, the spouse, the grandkids, the friends, all with equal measures of sadness long before the funeral.

A few years ago, with my father in the hospital for a heart procedure, I worried in this space that my life was headed into that zone where adult kids spend more and more time at hospitals talking to doctors about their parents then they do at their own doctor's office.  Happily, that has not turned out to be the case and the hospital visits have been notably few in the intervening four plus years.

I had a pretty significant health scare last year that I dealt with and ultimately turned out to be more of a reminder of my mortality than an emergency. As I sat in the doctor's office the day of the procedure, heart racing and not sure what would come next, I reflected on how few times I had been the patient myself and that It was all so de-humanizing and difficult for someone who prefers to be the guy in control.

So now, up here in Philadelphia, where I can't control a single thing about the situation, my thoughts are drawn to my aunt and her care-givers. How much there is to worry about for them. How difficult it must be to relax and let things happen.  things are a lot better then they were a week ago in Atlanta, she's in a better hospital, surrounded by family who can take shifts to be at her side.  The care much more coordinated and the care-givers are able to give each other a break here and there.

We're all going to die eventually, I get that, but we also want it to be on our own terms. Like the athlete who gets to retire amidst the cheers of victory rather than the silence of the off-season, we want to fight valiantly to the end, to do the things on our 'Bucket List,' to see our children become successes and to hold our grandchildren until they are too old for all that. I know we all don't get that chance, and that's a good reminder to leave work a little early to get to the game or to spend a little extra time reading that last book before bed.

I am hopeful for my aunt that she will weather this latest storm and enjoy the company of her grandson and the rest of the family at home very soon. And I thank you all for your thoughts and notes of support.  It's really appreciated!

A Good Time For A Long Weekend

Whew!

Have you ever had a weekend where you felt like you needed another weekend to recover?

This was one of those - thank goodness I have tomorrow off!

After a pretty cool Friday night with the boys dancing and me hanging out with Emma and the Duff girls, the slow Saturday morning was a welcome few moments of quiet.While I wish I could have done the coaching clinic in Cherry Hill, I had other priorities this weekend.

We rolled over to Delco for a cousins afternoon. Spunky helped me make dessert and we all got back to our roots with some Sloppy Joes!  Add in some Ransons, Wii, red wine, a kitten and Midnight in Paris and you've got a great night for kids and adults alike. 

Today started with some tough new from the South, but we friends and family pulled together.  After about a million emails, texts messages and phone calls, all the bothers and sisters are together in Atlanta, and we are hopeful that things are improving tonight.  Thanks to everyone who made this weekend wonderful instead of difficult.

I wrapped up the night feeding my Food Network addiction and being really REALLY happy I am off tomorrow.

Back To The Real World

For the first time in over two weeks I had to go to work today.  I know.  Most of you are not sympathetic.  I get it. 

Today really started last night with the making of lunches, selection of outfits and review of what was needed for the week. It took me a little while to wind down last night and everyone was a bit drowsy this morning.  Even after needing to spend a few extra minutes getting Emma moving, we still all made it to school and work on time. (I was even early!)

I'm amazed at how quickly it all gets right back up to speed.  Dance class started back up last night.  We have doctor and other appointments this week.  Baseball workouts also get started this week, which means that we are scant weeks away from actual outdoor practices. 

We've still got de-decorating to do. John and Emma don't want any parts of that, so I guess I will have to do it solo this weekend. I love having the lights and decorations up, but I saw more than a few trees out at the curb this morning on the way into work. 

I made a few mid-year resolutions in 2011 that are pretty big and have been doing fairly well on them.  I have two for 2012 - I want to begin eating healthier.  I started with a healthy breakfast, but I suspect the 2 cans of Coke and the ham sandwich for lunch are not the best way to get through the day.  The second is to do more writing away from the blog.  I have a few projects that I have put on the back burner, but I want to get them moving again.  I like writing and it makes me feel better about the world, but I get sidetracked too easily.  Hopefully this is the year one or more of those projects comes to fruition.

On the sports front, my kids and I really enjoyed watching The Winter Classic yesterday.  I can honestly say that if every game were played with that intensity, I would watch a lot more hockey.  While I don't think that there will be anything to it, I am eagerly anticipating at least the possibility that Jeff Lurie will end our long local nightmare and can Andy this afternoon. 

On the weather front, it's 28 degrees today, we already saw our high temperature out there and tonight it will be dropping into the teens.  If you have been using your back step as an auxillary holiday beer cooler, bring the stuff in our you will be cleaning up quite a mess when temps jump back up to the 50s this weekend.

Anyway, welcome to the 2013!  I'm looking forward ot the year and all that it brings.  Hopefully I will do a little less daddy blogging and get back to restaurant reviews and opinion pieces, but who knows.  Enjoy!

Getting Things Done

After a day of cookies and hospitals and grandparents and visiting a new kitten yesterday, today is decidedly a get things done day.  It's amazing how energized two zooming kids and a good night of sleep can make you feel.

We had a great breakfast of locally-raised eggs and local sausage, run a bunch of laundry, gone grocery shopping, paid the bils, cleaned up the Christmas debris and just finished lunch.  This afternoon we are hosting a pair of playdates, hanging some curtains in the kids' rooms, building Legos and maybe doing a bit of baking with the girls.

We've got nothing scheduled for tonight, so maybe we will make some dinner, put in some movies and see how things go after that!

For me, today is the essence of my winter break.  Getting some things done, enjoying some time with the kids and eating well. For those of you who have to work, I'm sorry.  I hope that it's at least a bit slower than usual.  For those of use off for a few more days, enjoy!

T'was the Week Before Christmas

It's been a busy week and the real fun is just beginning!  The kids and I spent the weekend enjoying the company of our friends and family, both locally and over in Delco.  The kids did their shopping for me, we decorated my parents' tree and caught up with some friends and the cousins.

This week has been a flurry of shopping and holiday prep, with some cool kid stuff in the middle.  I think I have finally wrapped up the shopping with one small possible exception.  I finished up the family holiday photo page and contributed some edits to the update letter that my parents send with their Christmas cards. 

Emma had her holiday dance showcase on Monday and we enjoyed a night out tonight.  Tomorrow is my last day with the kids before Christmas, and we still have a few things to do, but I am trying to stay relaxed about the holidays and play things as they come.

There's a lot more to come for the week.  I'm hopeful I have turned the corner on yet another cold.  I've got some work to get done tomorrow and then a couple of days to myself before Christmas Eve. 

I'm too tired to link or post photos tonight, but there are some coming, I promise!

Special Time With My Princess!

My Christmas vacation has started and one of the best parts is a little extra time every morning with Emma. Today it's a little breakfast at Dunkin Donuts!

We had a great weekend with so many family and friends and this is a wonderful way to start our week!

John's Tree Is Up

Following his review of the latest Discover Channel Gold Rush, John got his little green Christmas tree put up tonight.  He took a good bit of time 'fluffing' the tree, as he's been taught,  to make it appear as large as possible.  He spent a bit less time clearing the area though, deciding it was best on his dresser among this technology and trophies.

Nevertheless, he is quite happy with the result and also feels that the tree complements his lava lamp. 'It's sweet!' was his proclamation.  Unlike his sister, he wants the tree off for sleeping. 

Emma spent her free time tonight extending her Christmas list.  From the little girl who last week could not think of anything to ask Santa for, the list sure has grown.  Emma also kept me company as I cleaned up from dinner, playing holiday computer games on the family computer.  They all seem to have hideous graphics and mindless pseudo-holiday music, but she was quietly enraptured until I saw her head drooping and dispatched her to bed.

As for me?  Two days down, Only three work days left for 2011!

Back To Work!

It's a slow Sunday night here in Medford.  I'm winding down the weekend and waiting for Boardwalk Empire. 

I will be the first to admit that I am still struggling to find a rhythm to the weekends when the kids are not here.  The contrast between the whirlwind they create when they are home and the silence of the walls when they are not is so striking that I need to stay busy or go crazy.

And it was certainly a busy weekend!  Wednesday night's brush with mortality gave me a great deal to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.  The kids and I enjoyed the day Thursday, making 12 pounds of mashed potatoes before heading over to Carin and Kevin's for Thanksgiving dinner.  The food and family were great, and everyone pitched in to make it a good time. 

The kids played Wii while I met The Hills and Chicken for the traditional post-family decompression.  The conversation was outstanding as always, though I am not sure we will make The Plumstead the new location in future years.  It's a mite grungy for even a dive bar aficionado.  Carin convinced me to drive her to the hellish nightmare that was pre-Black Friday at Toys R Us.  45 minutes in line to be herded like cattle through a maze of merchandise to another line for electronics.  Sadly we didn't make it in time to get the item she was hoping for.  A drive by Target at midnight convinced us it was time to call it a night.

I participated in Black Friday, hitting Kohl's in PA with my mom and sister before my shopping meter hit the red zone.  Later, the kids and I hit Best Buy and Target, before we retreated to the relative quiet of Medford.  After the kids left, I worked a bit Friday night and really felt my age, seeing all the young folks back home visiting their families and desperate for a drink.

Saturday was a busy day, with several hours of leaf removal that sandwiched a visit from Carlo 'The Chief' Iacono.  He rescued me from a waist-high pile of leaves and took me for a ride in his '67 Mustang. We spent an hour talking about kids and Occupy Philly and how much our lives have changed.  I got back in time to wrap up the yard work for the year.  After a quick dinner with an old friend, I did some curtain shopping and saw a movie with a new friend. 

Saturday wrapped up at the Indian Chief, commiserating with a fellow soccer coach and listening to perhaps the worst cover band I have ever heard.  At least the company was good. 

The glorious weather of the weekend rolled on today.  I did some light hiking at a nearby nature preserve and worked up a pretty good sweat, showing just how out of shape I have managed to get.  After discovering there was no way to get electric to my christmas lights, I decided to add an outdoor outlet so I could hang the icicle lights. 

I weathered the Eagles loss before realizing that shopping is not my forte.  While all the curtians are the same size and color, two different patters were mixed together.  I guess I need to go back!

So, long story short, I made myself as busy as I could this weekend.  There were some highlights and some tough moments.  Still, now it's Sunday night and I can't believe how quickly this beautiful weekend passed! A four day weekend with glorious 60 degree weather in November and some very fine moments and wonderful people. 

Have a great week!

Rainy Tuesdays Aren't All Bad

I am so glad that today happened the way it did.  A morning that was a bit slower-paced than usual.  Running some errands around town and catching up with  some friends via text message.  A few moments to myself.  A visit to John's classroom for his presentation on weather.

A work teleconference, some emails about baseball and a good conversation with my son.  Music to think about on the radio, antipasti for lunch, a happy little girl, clean laundry folded and put away.  A good deed proposed, done and delivered. A heart made lighter, but tighter.

Doing some email while homework is done, watching the kids play a board game.  Rooms cleaned, trash cans out.  Computer problem solved, dishes done and bathroom cleaned. Angry birds to play with while we wait for dinner.  Clean plates, quick showers and books read equals ice cream cake for dessert.  Teeth brushed and a quiet house gives me a moment to reflect. 

Rain on the windows with no other sound and my eyes droop ...

A Beautiful Day

I wish I had taken more pictures yesterday.  It's a day I want to remember for the rest of my life.  There was nothing super special about it, but the sum total was one of those days that you never want to have end.  It was Election Day and the kids were off from school.  I had made a decision several months ago to take the day as well.  As it turned out, the weather was glorious, with brilliant blue skies, some orange and red leaves still hanging on, and temperatures hitting 72 degrees.

Emma and I started the day teaching each other to paint her nails.  Now I am a doting father, and I don't get too hung up on gender roles, but this was not something I have done before for her.  In between the color and glitter coats, I made her French toast and we chatted about school and Halloween and her friend's pug. She ate every bit of her breakfast and gave me a big hug, burying her buttery face in my shirt and saying, 'That was great, I love you Daddy.'

After we got things cleaned up, it was time to vote.  Emma was very interested in voting this year, and she pressed all the buttons for me.  We spent some time talking about 'important US symbols' and 'just important American stuff.' I explained what an election was, who we were voting for and why and talked about leaders and decisions. Some pretty big concepts, but she seemed to get them pretty well.

After our civics lesson, Emma begged for some time at the park, so we headed over to the swings and slides and she ran shrieking with joy from one to the other until it was time to go get her brother.

On of john's friends is having some serious family health issues right now, so John had spent the night there, but by lunch time, the air guns and Wii games were kind of boring, so Emma and I went over to pick them up.  Everyone was pretty hungry after spending most of the morning outside, so we headed over to Prospector's for lunch on their indoor/outdoor patio.  John saw a few of his former classmates from Mount Laurel, we all enjoyed our root beers and watched the Penn State debacle on ESPN.

After that we were looking for a way we could all go the same place for a few hours.  The library had books for Emma and newspapers for me, as well computers for John and his buddy.  We killed an easy two hours before heading back home. 

The boys headed off to the creek to do some exploring and Emma and I enjoyed some reading time out on the porch.  She headed off for a bit with a friend for some ice cream and I sat in the late autumn sun and was thankful for a day that had brought me so many small, but special moments. 

In the evening it was time to get ready for the next day, organizing lunches, doing neglected homework, following election returns.  The day slipped away quietly, but I wanted to make sure I wrote it all down, so that I would always have it.  Thanks for sharing it with me!

Just to Make The Night Interesting!

We've got a little water and gas main problem here in Medford. Kids are asleep and hopefully we get to stay. Lots of guys standing around deciding what to do right now.

Sigh!

Judging the Scarecrows in Medford

We are walking a busy Main Street in Medford today, taking a look at all of the scarecrows set up for the annual contest. It's a lot of fun for a nice Sunday!

Wordless Wednesday

Pig Takes Over Ike's Computer

We are monitoring a tense standoff between a pig and Ike in the SFS office at UArts.

More details as they become available.

Occupy Philly

It's a beautiful day for a walk, so I took some time earlier today to head up Broad Street to Dilworth Plaza, next to City Hall to see the Occupy Philly rally/demonstration/gathering.  Honestly, if not for the police on every corner and the middle of Broad Street, you might not know anything was going on.

From 200 feet away, there was no sign of the latest outgrowth of the Occupy Wall Street movement.  On my way into work today, there were helicopters in the air and news trucks everywhere.  By noon though the 200 or so Occupiers were mostly surrounded by cops, confused homeless people, citizens documenting the situation,  and folks like me, just enjoying the day.

Clearly the Occupiers had thought things were going to be bigger, staging a Medic area, a family zone, sign painting stations and food distribution areas.  None of that appears to be really necessary.  There were plenty of signs and food. 

What there wasn't was a coherent message.  Forgiving student loans was a common these, corporate greed another.  But mostly the crowd seemed to be trying to convince itself that the gathering meant something.  I just didn't feel it.  To me, the folks there looked like an odd blending  of the kind of folks you see on the steps at UArts every day and some seriously aging hippies.  There were also several kids who can't play guitar.  Maybe they read somewhere that you need to have guitars at protest rallies.

I have to say that i see this movement as a left wing version of the Tea Party.  Nothing too organized, very diffuse ideaology, no center theme.  Except that they are angry with the way things are and they want change.  Both groups are dissatisfied with the way the nation we live in is being run.  Neither seems to have a clue as to what to do about it though.

The Tea Party movement was co-opted by the far right of the Republican Party, and this Occupy movement seems to have been co-opted by labor unions.  It will be interesting to see if the unions have as much success focusing the anger of the Occupiers.  It will also be interesting to see how many show up tomorrow.

Sbarga Will Give It A Go

The restaurant space at the corner of Broad and Pine on the first floor of Symphony House in Center City Philadelphia has had a terrible history. The signs are going up today for celebrity chef Kevin Sbraga's eponymous new restaurant in the space. I am looking forward to seeing what the Johnson and Wales trained chef and his wife can bring to the space that last housed noodles joint Chew Man Chu and that opened as the forgettable DuJour.

I will get in there as soon as it's open and get you a review.

Not A Bad Evening

I wish I had had my real camera last night to capture this beautiful sunset and moonrise.  The 8 megapixel camera on my HTC Incredible Android phone is pretty good, but doesn't do justice to the real thing.

Yesterday didn't go exactly as planned, but it was nice to be outside last night and enjoying the refreshing change in weather that rolled though the area yesterday.  The rain cleared, I handled some personal stuff and then had a fun night with the kids.  The weekend promises to be absolute proof that autumn is here, with high temperatures in the 60s and temps for Sunday night's Phillies game dipping into the 40s.

This is a great weather time of the year.  Spring has the greening and flowering trees and the sense of re-birth about it, but fall has great colors and events that close out the warm weather and get us ready for our long winter.  I'm enjoying the weather now, because I am pretty sure some more snow is not far away.

I hope everyone enjoys the Octoberfests, youth athletic games, car shows, food festivals and Phillies games this weekend. There's too much to do, but I will find a way to get to about 4 different events on Saturday! Have fun!

Hello From Valenzano Wine Festival 2011

Everyone here is enjoying the great weather, good music and New Jersey wines here in Shamong!

Go Phils!

Tabernacle Teachers

My kids go to school where their mom lives in Tabernacle Township, one town over from where we live in Medford. It's a pretty good school district, perhaps not quite as technologically savvy as the Mount Laurel schools they used to attend, and not really very diverse, but just fine as public schools go.  The teachers are good people, the kind of folks who are active in their community, approachable and well-trained.

Tabernacle is a very small town and a pretty quiet place.  Everyone pretty much knows everyone else or at least knows someone who does.  News travels pretty quickly and sometimes it can be a bit like being in a fishbowl.  So I was pretty surprised when I began seeing singes like the one above on all of the teachers' cars in the parking lots in the morning when I drop the kids off.  I read the local newspapers every day (online of course) and there had not been a word mentioned about the the Tabernacle teachers not having a contract or their decision to work though the labor issues.

I have no idea what the contract status is, where the talks stand or what the potential is for a strike.  I am a firm believer in teacher unions and in their right to collectively bargain and in some cases, to strike.  Usually though, the issues are fairly publicly debated, sometimes quite heatedly.  It's kind of odd to see this quiet job action happening and not know what the issues are.

On one hand, I'd much rather have teachers working under contract.  Everyone - teachers, parents, students and taxpayers deserve the certainty that a contract brings to a school district.  On the other had, if talks are continuing and things will be settled soon, this kind of job action is really about the best you could hope for as a parent.  My kids aren't affected, there aren't 'informational pickets' in the morning, and presumably the contract will soon be worked out.

I hope.

Getting Back In The Swing Of Things

Here in the Mid-Atlantic region, we've just finished the first weekend of the school year.  Temperatures are still warm and there is a goodly touch of humidity to remind us that the dreaded dog days of August are not too far in the past.

It always seems like the first week and weekend of school are jammed packed with forms to fill out, meetings, activities, games, homework and everything else under the sun.  We're coming off just such a week and even after the weekend, I feel exhausted.

I started with my annual fantasy football draft on Labor Day.  I was getting out this year, but my brother convinced me to come back and try to improve on my 4th place finish from last year.  The draft food, provided by Shane and Maria Zack of Rosalita's Fresh Mexican was stellar and mean I probably need to make a trip out to Malvern some day soon. I picked first this year and grabbed Adrian Peterson, who immediately underperformed in Week 1. Typical. 

After one last night out, it was back to school on Wednesday for the kiddies, with John starting 6th grade and Emma going into 2nd.  John has a real 'big kid' schedule, with 11 different teachers including all the 'specials.'  I guess I need to begin saving for his teacher holiday gifts now.  Emma's teacher is actually a neighbor of ours!  In a fascinating coincidence, she used to live in the house that we moved into in August.  Emma now sleeps in the same bedroom as her teacher did a decade or two ago.

After dentist appointments and sports practices last week, the weekend heralded the real beginning of fall sports season.  John's travel baseball team had a scrimmage against the 11U NJ state champion Sacred Heart Angels.  He was our starting pitcher and worked an economical 2 innings, giving up 2 hits and no earned runs, walking no one with a K.  He struggled a bit at the plate however, getting caught looking on an outside corner pitch that is his nemesis.  His War Eagles dropped the game 5-1, but really played quite well for their first game of 'real baseball' on the 50-70 field.

Emma had her first ever soccer game on Saturday morning.  She enjoyed herself despite the mugginess.  She had one really good series bringing the ball up the field for a scoring opportunity.  While she prefers to play defense, we are still working on some basic concepts with the team.  Apparently ANYONE can coach youth soccer, as I have been tabbed as an assistant.  Prior to Emma joining soccer this year, I am pretty sure the last time I was on a soccer field was for Mr. Logue's gym class at St, James in 1987.

Saturday afternoon marked the return of the annual Pesotski Crabfest, hosted this year by my sister Carin and her husband Kevin.  Normally Crabfest is held on Father's Day, but Emma had her Dance Recital on Father's Day this year and my father was under the weather, so we re-scheduled.  It was an enjoyable afternoon, not nearly as hot as some of our previous gatherings and the food, beverages and company were excellent. 

An added benefit of waiting until late in the crab season is that prices were the lowest in memory, with my brother Matt snagging a bushel for the unheard of price of $150 at Seafood Connection in Linwood.  I found a nice selection of fall beers at Medford Wine and Spirits, including Seirra Nevada's amazing Tumbler.

We wrapped the weekend up yesterday with baseball practice, some football on TV, John's late summer reading essays and Emma's forthcoming 'Classmate in a Box' project.

Things don't slow down at all this week with dance class starting up tonight, 2 practices, back to school night and a baseball tournament looming for the weekend.  How are the other daddy an mommy bloggers handling what Jennifer terms 'the layering on of activities' that begins the school year?

Friday Fantastic Four

History is happening right now in Egypt as a popular uprising appears to have toppled the Mubarek government.  It's live on CNN and across the internet on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Which got me to thinking of all the history I have seen in my life. Thus, the Friday Fantastic Four is BACK, baby and back in a BIG way!

What are the four most historic events you witnessed or have lived though?

1. The Fall of the Berlin Wall - Nov 9, 1989.  This was arguably the biggest historical event in my life.  The Cold War came to an end, Millions tasted freedom for the first time and communism's stranglehold on Eastern Europe was broken
2. 9/11 - I was in New Hampshire and I drove home listening to NPR, marveling that our nation was so fragile.
3. The Challenger Disaster - January 26th, 1986 - I was in biology class when spaceflight was shown to be anything but routine and seven Americans lost their lives.
4. Barack Obama elected - November 4, 2008 - Our country did what many thought might never happen and looked beyond race to elect the first non-white president in our history.

How about you?  What are your top four?  There is certainly room for debate for folks of my generation.  The older set has some other amazing stuff to choose from.  What do you think?

What A day

I've not posted much lately and I thank you all who have checked in.  It's the usual. Work is worky.  Home is busy. 

So I've been waiting for a good reason to post again and spending a bit of time with my son yesterday.  John's a good kid, smart and funny.  He's ten and has had to put up with a lot of changes this year, so I try to keep my eye on him.

When he got a text message and said, "Oh, that's not good!" I was naturally a bit concerned.

I asked what was up and John readily told me that a fellow 5th grader had just texted him that he was going to kill himself. 

We turned the car around and headed back to the school for a talk with the principal.

John was pretty level-headed and texted his friend not to do anything.  He let the  other boy know that it was not going to help anything and that he wanted him as a friend.

The principal got through to the boy's mom and established that the boy was fine and had not actually done anything.  Everyone gave a sigh of relief.

I'm darn lucky to have two great kids.  It's just amazing how fast they grow up!

So if you're a parent, give the kids a hug.  They have so much more pressure on them at much younger ages.  If you're not a parent, I'm not asking for sympathy.  It'a a great job, no matter how hard it can be.

I'm Confused

I don't talk politics much on this website.  While I was brought up in a house where politics was a regular part of the dinner table, the back yard and virtually every other discussion held, I have learned that talking about government and elections is not for the faint ot heart.  I guess it's also that I am somewhat of the political anomaly, that rare social liberal and economic conservative.  Since I don't run into many folks that agree with my flat-tax, pro-marriage rights platform, I tend to keep things to myself.

So I have been sitting on my thoughts about Tuesday's massacre election for a few days and I have finally been moved to write.  My apologies to those at work and at home that have already heard a condensed form of this diatribe, but here goes. 

Can some explain to me how it's possible that every Democrat running for everything from dog catcher to US Senate got sent home on Tuesday night unemployed except the guy running against the woman who went on TV to proclaim that she is not a witch?  How is it possible that a major political party can so badly screw up an election that they manage to lose the US House, virtually every governor's race, every contested state house and a vast majority of local elections as well?

To make it even worse, the Democrats lost all this ground from the majority position, taking no advantage of their incumbency or experience, but instead were content to have the fight taken to them on every front by candidates with less experience and frankly less compelling reason to be in government.

Let's look at things from this perspective.  How is it possible that a party that accomplished so much in less than two years was sent home early from the dance Tuesday night, without so much as a whimper?  Are you really going to tell me that the Majority Leader of the Senate barely holding his seat in Nevada is a big win? Are you frigging kidding me?!?  Come on!!!  How did you get into the position where your top legislative guy is scrambling for his political life?

It's not like the Democratic Congress and White House have been sitting around for the last few years!  They've actually accomplished a surprising amount.  Here are a few highlights:

• Ended the war in Iraq
• Created millions of jobs
• Averted global economic disaster by taking decisive action
• Passed important consumer protection reforms
• Took the war to the terrorist leader Osama Bin-Laden in Afghanistan
• Provided free health care for every single American citizen
• Created standards that save drivers money and improve air quality
• Pass $200 Billion in tax cuts

Seems like quite a list.  Even if you don't necessarily agree with the accomplishments, the Democrats got a lot done didn't they?  And the feats are made all the more impressive by the fact that they did it without the support of the Republicans, who tried to block nearly every accomplishment with partisan politics, just because they could.

So how did these guys lose?

It's pretty simple really.  They let the other team dictate the game. 

Instead of campaigning on how The Shrub Bush left them a mess that they are working hard to clean up, the Dems were content to get pounded by the Reps for "passing a $700 billion stimulus."  No matter that $200 billion of that money was tax cuts, the Republican's Holy Grail.  Obviously the cuts didn't go to the right people.

Instead of pointing out that they passed a program providing free health care for every American Citizen, the Dems sat back and let themselves get pounded for "Obamacare."  Did anyone in 2008 really think that the American health care system was working?  Nope.  These guys did something about it.

Everyone wanted us out of Iraq.  We're out.  Strangely, no one mentioned this.  Maybe because we really didn't really accomplish the mission and we're all kind of perplexed at how we didn't despite spending over $3 trillion and countless American lives.  Kind of makes the stimulus plan look small , huh?

Still, despite being left the biggest economic mess in history by the bush administration, fighting wars on two fronts, cleaning up a natural disaster created by a foreign company and having to do it solo, the Democrats somehow decided that they had not done enough to run a campaign.  Instead they let the campaign run them.

I was at a loss as to how this was possible until I saw Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine on national TV on Tuesday night trying to explain what the loss meant.  His meandering answer didn't mention a single issue.  Instead he talked about having to "look inside the numbers" and "see how things look in a few days."  It was like listening to Andy Reid after a loss.

In a few days it's going to look like Tim Kaine is the most ineffective campaign coordinator since King Phillip of Spain.  The numbers are going to tell him that he squandered an opportunity to attack a badly divided Republican party and has left his own party crippled for decades to come as a result.

My final question is this, "If some guy in his study in Mount Laurel, New Jersey can figure this out, how come all those highly paid Democratic strategists can't?"  I won't say that I thought that the Dems had all of the best candidates.  In fact, there were plenty of Republicans that I did vote for and would have voted for if I lived elsewhere.  What I will say is that I can't believe that one team decided just to sit this one out and see what happened. 

What happened?  Y'all got your ass handed to you.  The map is red from one side to the other.  California even voted down legal weed.

Pool From My Past

I am presenting at a conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was startled to see this unusual indoor-outdoor pool when I checked into the hotel last night. I wasn't startled because of the unusual design where you can swim under the wall of the hotel, but rather because I recognized it from the misty distant past of my childhood.

When this Sheraton was new some 30 years ago, my mom, dad, sister and me visited here regularly so my father could attend PSEA board meetings. As a 10 year old, I haunted the halls, hung out in the whirlpool and generally made a nuisance of myself.

This week it's just a quick trip out, so last night I caught a half of football over some chicken fingers and went back to the room to prepare for today's presentation.  The food and bar were nothng to write home about.  The room, while nicely appointed has terribly thin carpet and the neighboring plumbing can be heard plainly.  It's a hotel that was built cheaply in the late 70s and the updates have not kept it quite up to what I think of as a Sheraton.

Thanks to Tom Carnwarth and everyone at the PA Datatel User's Group for having me and making me feel so welcome!

Celebrating An Autumn Weekend

Vetri's 2010 Autumnal Display
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

As the temperature struggles into the mid-60s today and the Phils wrap up the regular season, I'm enjoying a day in my study, organizing photos, playing a few games and watching two televisions at the same time.

It has been a beautiful weekend here in the Delaware Valley. John's Fall Ball team played yesterday under the proverbial "sky so blue it hurts your eyes just to look at it." While the result was a loss, there were a lot of positives to go around, from John's RBI single though the hole to LJ's perfect inning, to Colin making solid contact at the plate.

Later in the afternoon, we headed into Philadelphia for the Mid Town Village Fall Festival. This even should ne re-named "People of Every Variety Getting Drunk While Wandering Around The Gayborhood." We enjoyed ourselves, taking in faux Sumo wrestling, sampling the offerings from Zavino, Bindi and El Vez and jamming to the music from Rich and his friends from "Swift Technique."

After grabbing a bite with Ed and the gang at Valanni, we headed home to an early night on the couch taking in "The Blind Side." I saw the sappy adaptation of Michael Oher's transformation from homelessness to the NFL a few months back on a plane, and chose it again last night over old standby "All The Right Moves," which just seemed like too dark a way to end a good day.

It was a good weekend to be out and about , since it looks like the weather for the week is cool and rainy, with little chance to get out and enjoy the early fall colors.

Well I am off to watch the return of the Kevin Kolb era as Michael Vick has gone down and the second half is about to start. Should be interesting ...

The Gang's All Here

Coaches and Players - HoF Induction 2010
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

On Friday night, John Dzik got what he had coming.

A night dedicated solely to him.

Cabrini buried the hatchet with my old friend, mentor and coach, recognizing his 25 years at the helm of one of the most successful men's basketball programs in Division III history. About 300 friends, family and players filled The House that Dzik Built, otherwise known as the Nerney Field House in the Dixon Center.

As a coach, teacher and person, John Dizk is without peer and it was fitting that he went into the Cabrini Athletics Hall of Fame as the only inductee this year. One day soon, Cabrini should also recognize the two men who coached at his side for the entire 25 year run. Mike Keeley and Joe Kelly are guys who deserve a night like Friday night as well.

I don't have a whole lot I can say about the event. To comment too much would take away from it.  The induction was well-done from start to finish. Joe Giunta gets it and is doing a great job as AD at Cabrini. He's done yeoman's work restoring the trust of the alumni and his work as emcee Friday was solid. Marie Angelella George, Cabrini's president said all the right things in admitting Cabrini's error in casting aside a legend 5 years ago.

Michael "Sticks" Bennett represented the players well in remembering what it was like to play for Dzik. Mike Keeley spoke from the heart about his friend John. Joe Kelly covered all the bases talking about the highlights of the program. Gabby Harnett gave a dead-on impersonation. Mike Dzik spoke movingly of Dzik as a Dad, something no one else could cover.

Then The Big Dog took the stage. I'm pretty sure he thanked everyone he ever met in his 20 minutes at the podium. It was clear he was honored by the chance to say good-bye on his terms, and he took the time to let us know that he is doing just fine now that the sting has gone away. He spoke with dignity and pride, and we listened, attentive as always, as he closed the book on his life at Cabrini.

No one deserves the honors and plaudits more than Coach Dzik and I am glad we all got the chance to let him know how much he meant to us all.

HARD, SMART TOGETHER ... CAVALIERS!!!!

Reflections on 9/11

Virtually everyone here in the United States and the world over will be talking about remembering and looking back today.  While this is an entirely appropriate impulse on the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC, looking back doesn't do enough.

This is a time to look forward.  To live.   To experience.  It is of immense importance that we spend today being Americans, celebrating our freedom, experiencieng all the wonderful things our country has to offer, gathering to show that we are a people of hope and optimism. 

In doing so though, we must also remember all those that died that day and in the years since who were going about their normal American existences when hatred reached out and took them from us.  The example should be simple.  In their names, we must live our lives without hatred and in support of the ideals that this nation was founded on.

So I say go out today and enjoy baseball games and dance classes, back yard bar-b-ques and dinners out on the town.  Be defiantly free in your ability to do as you wish.  It's the best way to show those who hate us that hatred cannot stand a chance in the face of optimism and determination.

Where I’ve Been

The questions have been coming in greater frequency as the summer winds down. Friends and readers, well meaning but curious. Everyone puts it a bit differently, but the gist is the same. The basic approach: "Has the blog gone dark?" Or the complimentary: "I really miss your writing. I hope you start again soon." The prodding: "The little mobile updates aren't enough."Finally the general concern: "is everything ok?"

It's all very flattering, and you've got to have a bit of an ego to have a personal website and expect folks to read about you and your misadventures, the accomplishments of kids they don't know and reviews of restaurants far from where they live. I'll admit the ego is here. The desire to write just hasn't been.

Even before this summer I had been having somewhat of a crisis of purpose about the blog. It had evolved from the daily series of quick hitting comments on the happenings of the Philadelphia region though a series of fits and starts into what can only really be classified as a 'Daddy Blog." Daddy blogs are great. I enjoy posting about my kids. I love bragging about how smart they are, how well John is pitching and how sweet Emma is. But the interest level outside my family is minimal and the genre doesn't provide much opportunity to stretch my writing skills.

So the blog was in a rut.

Hence the Summer of Benign Neglect.

Benign Neglect turned into flat out neglect as issues with my ex wife heated up, work was more demanding than ever and all of the million things that can get in the way of writing if you let them did just that. That's not the whole story, but it is enough of the story to give you a pretty full picture. The rest is just too boring to write about so I will skip it.

The good news is that I have been feeling the stirrings of wanting to write again, so we will see where this goes. I am not making any promises to myself that I will write every day, but I do feel like using computer to do more than play Facebook games for a while.

I appreciate very much the folks who checked in on me in my blogging absence. Things are fine. They really are. A summer vacation was in order. That's all. Thanks as always for reading.

Cavalier Alumni Game In the Books

Cavalier Basketball Alumni - 2010
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

Whew! That sure was a lot of fun!

On the day that John Dzik lost his first game as head coach in over five years, 30 of his former players put on a heck of a show in the annual Cabrini Cavalier Alumni Game at the Nerney Fieldhouse in the Dixon Center.

The House That Dzik Built was busy all day as the women's Alumni Gmae kicked things off at 11am, followed by senior point guard Deana DiAmico leading the women's team to a 70-56 win over Marywood. The men kept things rolling as Kevin Misevicius became the 14th member of the 1,000-point and led the Cavs over Marywood 91-77. The win locked up home court advantage though the CSAC playoffs.

And then the old guys had their moment in the sun. John Mack kept us organized, Coaches Kelly and Keeley called the action from the table and the Blue squad topped Eric Tidwell's Gray squad 83-76 in OT. The game featured a ceremonial tip from Cabrini President Angelella George, some nice outside shooting, a few Laval Pickney dunks and a lot of griping about my 'coaching' from the blue squad.

In the end we all had a good time and I'm thankful that so many guys came out. Special appearances were made by former coaches Rob Rowe, Ken Schiller, Steve Harrow, Matt Alzamora, and Bob McTamney. Super fan Paul Engle was in the house as were the best managers ever, Kelly Gallagher and Phyllis Cohen. The thirty players brought a throng of moms and dads, friends, family wives, girlfriends and children. My son John loved the basketball, the humor, and the fellowship.

I've been involved in Cabrini hoops in one way or another since 1988. This year the folks at Cabrini got it right. The president was there an involved. The game was prime time. No more being ignored by the administration or relegated to a 9 am game. Joe Guinta and his staff, currents Cavs coach Marcus Kahn and the folks from the Mansion treated us well and I am here to say we appreciate it.

Coach Dzik had planned to be here this year, but when he had to take over the Piedmont women's program for the rest of the year, we had to do it without him. He's 6-1 as a women's coach this year and is enjoying things, but looking to turn the reins back over at the end of the year. I spoke to Coach last night as he licked his wounds from his first loss. "I still hate losing," he said. "Some things never change I guess."

He's right. Some things don't change. Coach Marcus Kahn has restored the program to respectability and a spot in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. We all loved seeing each other and telling old stories. Everyone on campus Saturday was a winner and no one go hurt. Now there's a good way to spend a day!

We come back because we enjoyed our time in the gym. We love the guys we played with and it's great to be involved in something that has endured over four decades now. We've got kids and busy lives, too much to do and too little time, but we still find a way to get back each year and keep it going. Because we're part of the chain and we need to honor the guys who play today as well as those who have gone on and can't any more.

Thanks to everyone who made the day great for us. A few photos from the day are up on my Flickr site. See ya next year!

What Else Ya Got, Mother Nature?

John and His Snow Friend
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

So we're all dug out here in Mount Laurel. School and work resume tomorrow. We've shoveled out the driveway and built a snowman and played video games. And now life returns to normal.

The fiancee and I are headed into Philly for dinner at Marc Vetri's Amis and all is right with the world. Tomorrow we have normal Fridays followed by a weekend of birthday parties, Valentine's Day celebrations and waffles for breakfast.

And then on Monday ... more snow!

Super Snow Day 2 - Part II

Blue Skies Again!
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

Can you believe this? It's officially the snowiest winter on record! We've got our second day off this week from work and school, the second major snow storm in a week and the Big Dig Out is just starting.

The skies are blue, the temperatures are icy and the wind is biting. Kids are beginning to move around and the coffee is hot. Hopefully that will be enough to get things moving today.

Special thanks go out to Mike for stopping by in the thick of it yesterday and getting rid of the heavy, wet snow on the driveway. We've got about 8 or 9 inches left of much lighter stuff to get rid of today. Thankfully we've got power and no trees in danger of falling today.

How are you weathering things?

Sorry - Been Busy!

Sorry for the recent delay in posting.  Between kids and work and travel and such, I can't say I have had the time.

I have a few great posts in the editing bin right now and hopefully will get some writing done tonight on my flight to Dallas.  Look for some posts tonight and tomorrow.

Coming attractions include:

• An overview of my thoughts about the NCMPR conference session I was part of in Atlantic City on Tuesday.  All kinds of goodies about new media, working with bloggers and how social media will affect us all in the coming years.
• Some photo updates from the week, with special attention given to my little birthday princess.
• A hands-on review of my new HP Home Media Server.
• A discussion of photographic rights in public spaces.

Right now I have some shopping and packing to do for my trip, so I will have to see you all soon!

Technology Installed!

I think it's official now.  We definitely live here.  I got the wireless network up and running!!!

We've also got 3 TVs installed and 2 beds.  I've still got to do some modifications to make our bed work properly.

Advil and Troegenator are helping with the various moving-related maladies.

Tragedy at CBP

A 22 year old man lost his life last night in an altercation outside Citizens Bank Park while the Phillies were defeating St. Louis.  The altercation allegedly started inside McFadden's at the Ballpark and moved down Pattison Avenue around the 7th inning. It's a terrible thing and one that does little but magnify Philadelphia's reputation as the rowdiest sports town in America. 

A while back I lamented that The Bank had basically become a 43,000 seat bar.  Security has certainly tightened since then, but it should be noted that this incident apparently started with a bachelor party at McFadden's.  I'm reasonably certain that a scan of St. Louis or Miami or Detroit or Dallas papers this morning will find at least one other death outside a bar.  However the talking heads will be all over our reputation as the worst fans in sports.

On a side note, it's shocking to me that you've literally got to search Philly.com for information on this terrible incident and what you get is this pathetic entry.  I can't believe this is the only content you have on the site about this horrible incident. I know this story happened in the evening, apparently after the Sunday paper deadline, but you're not a Sunday paper anymore gang. To not have a story up on the front page shows a shocking lack of focus on breaking news.

My thoughts got out to the young man who lost his life and to his family.

On Playing Hooky

There is something gloriously liberating about playing hooky.  Doing something indulgent when you're supposed to be working.  Watching the ballgame when you're supposed to be cutting the grass.  Napping instead of grocery shopping.  Going out to eat instead of heating up the leftovers.

I'm avoiding a major writing project right now.  I've perused the internet.  Read about Manny Ramirez.  Did some reading of a pretentious who-dun-it.  Now I'm watching Jamie Moyer get torched by the Mets.

We were supposed to have a baseball game tonight, but the rains came for the ninth straight day.  It should have been the perfect time to really knock out a big piece of the project.

Instead, I'm blogging.

But I feel good about it!

What A Week!

Here Come the Rolls!
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

It's been a while since I posted an update, but it's been one of those weeks!

Today we started off with a trip to Del Buono's Bakery down in Haddon Heights, NJ, where the green light was on and the bread was rolling off the oven, finger-searing hot and wonderfully aromatic. We got three dozen rolls and a loaf of iced raisin bread. The rolls are the best I've had, crust and chewy, yet airy and yeasty.

Now we're flipping between the Phils and The Derby. Later, we'll catch the show at RIR.

It was a big week at work with the May 1st deposit day coming and everyone at UArts being generally pleased with where we are despite the economy. We announced some lay-off will be coming, which has everyone concerned, but it's not unexpected with the world being what it is.

John's TAA Bats won over the STRA Royals on Thursday and Emma played very well in her Wednesday game with the Royals.

Early in the week, when it was 90 plus degrees in Moorestown, we were down on LBI for CCD and John's first communion practice. Down on the beach it was about 70 degrees and breezy.

Tomorrow we're headed back down there for John's big day.

I'll try to do a bit better this week with updates, but no promises, these kids have us all running!

A Long, Hot Saturday

After six hours coaching baseball in the sun, Another Delco Guy is relaxing on the veranda, drinking an ice cold lemonade, waiting on the Phils game and reflecting on the Eagles' perplexing first round pick.  Who the heck had the Birds trading up in the first round to take a wideout?  Not me!

Today was pretty much all baseball.  This morning, we made a few adjustments to John's swing that got him hitting the ball more on a line rather than swinging down on it. After his team dropped a 20-17 decision to the Southampton Orioles today, we headed over to our home field for try-outs for the travel team.  He did pretty well, catching the ball cleanly in every attempt and smashing some nice hits. He stands a good chance of making the squad even though he needs to work on both his running and throwing.  John is a pretty big baseball kid, but after 6 hours on the field he was pretty wiped out!

The girls spent the day shopping and are at yet another of Emma's endless string of birthday parties.  I'm going to go check on how the steaks I have marinating are coming along.

Enjoy the weekend!

Wish I Had Been There

Well as some have noted, I was a weenie and did not make the Polar Plunge in Sea Isle City this past weekend.  I've been feeling pretty lousy and decided a dip in the frigid Atlantic was definitely not what my sinuses needed to regain their normal breathing capacity.

As pictured, Carlo and Billy did make the trip and had a good time from all accounts.  Note Billy's uber-booties to keep his tootsies warm right up to the edge of the water.  No word on whether he sported a similar jock strap.

This was the 15th Polar Bear Plunge in Sea Isle and benefited the Sea Isle City Revitalization Committee.  Several hundred put up the $25 for the right to say they had been among the throng who shrank various appendages in the ocean on Saturday.

My condolences go out to the family of Tracey Hottenstein, who was found dead in Sea Isle City Sunday morning.  Hottenstein had been in town for the Plunge festivities.  No further word is available about her death, but various news reports have noted that she was a very positive person who will be missed by her freinds.  My thoughts go out to all who knew her.

Sunday Checklist

Washer fixed - check
Train put away - check
Tree down - 50%
Continue petty jealousy of brother who is in FL - ongoing
Birthday party - next up
Eagles - on deck

Victory celebration - tonight

GO BIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check Out My Jag!

My New Ride
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

Sadly it's only mine for a day. My CR-V is back at the Burns Honda Body Shop to correct a rattle in the suspension. Since it's insurance work related to my November accident, I get a rental car for the day.

Enterprise was stripped bare after the woman ahead of me got their last Dodge Caliber. They offered a full-sized Dodge Ram pickup, but I noted the impossibility of parking it in the city. The manager then suggested I might like to drive a Jaguar for a day. I said, "Yes, I think I would!"

It's a few years old and smells like cigar smoke, but it's a lot smoother and quieter at speed than my CR-V with similar miles on each.

Plus it's a Jag!

Obama Closing In On Key Administration Appointment

Labradoodle Molly
Originally uploaded by Missus L

After a process that I think bodes poorly for the incoming Obama Administation, the Prez says he is narrowing his choices for First Dog. It's taken over two months, bu the Obama family has the choices down to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water dog.

Now they're going to look at shelters. Yeah I'll bet tons of DC shelters have pure-bred dogs ready for the White House.

What I can't figure out is what is taking so long. These were the two breeds that dog experts recommended back in November due to Obama family allergy issues. They're just getting around to this now?

I mean it's not like there is important stuff to do like choose a Commerce Secretary or get a stimulus package together.

Some People Have No Shame

Now I guess that it goes without saying that people who pay other folks take their clothes off and umm uhh entertain have little shame, but this one takes the cake for me.

Hustler Magazine king and first amendment crusader Larry Flynt and the Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis want Congress to, in Flynt's words, "rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America."  I was unaware that the current bout of economic misery had affected sexual appetites.  Flynt seems to think it has and he has his hat in his hand in DC, asking for $5 billion in federal aid. 

I'm not sure it's any sillier than just writing a giant blank check for Wall Street moguls who then party it up at the St. Regis with our tax dollars. 

One Hell of A Year

This is a year people will talk about for a very long time, both locally, as well as nationally and globally.

On a local level, the major story is the Phils breaking the curse of Billy Penn and winning it all for the first time in 28 years.  What a season and what a parade!  Chase Utley said it best.  We also had the usual vultures circling Andy Reid, only to see him pull a rabbit out of the hat again and get the Eagles to an improbable playoff bid.

We lost Johnny Marzano and Ann d'Harnoncourt (the only time those names will ever be in the same sentence) and effectively lost Vince Fumo.  Killadelphia was still violent, though 15% fewer people lost their lives.  Michael Nutter slashed city spending and Willie Goode's squeeze got nailed by Jeff Cole.  In South Jersey, Wayne Bryant went from most powerful man in South Jersey to just another convicted felon.  The Fort Dix terror plotters will go to jail, but not for as long as Bryant.

Alicia Lane and Booker got fired, Larry Mendte was creepy, the Comcast Center opened and Striped Bass and Samson Street Oyster House closed.

Nationally the big story was the people doing the right thing and electing the best man regardless of skin color.  Tina Fey was better as a VP candidate than Sarah Palin and John McCain's campaign looked the same when he was running as it did when it was suspended.  One governor had a hooker take him down and another sold a US Senate seat. 

The economy collapsed, despite every effort to give billions of taxpayer dollars to wealthy people.  Gas prices rocketed to over $4 and then dropped back to $1.35 here in Moorestown.  More than 300 Americans died int Iraq War, a fact that is sadly well down the list of 2008 events.

Michael Phelps outswam everyone in Bejing, including tiny 14 year old Chinese gymnasts.  The big story in China for the year was the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in May.  Terrorists struck Mumbai in an bloody week of fighting that killed more than 300.  Israel began an assault on Gaza this week, preparing for an invasion.

While the economy has had an effect on me personally as well as the rest of the world, I have been lucky this year.  The kids are great, I got to travel to Albuquerque and Santa Fe on a great trip, as well as call the Division III Final Four, visit Sedona, Annapolis, Maine, Disney, DC, Maine again, Gettysburg, Toronto, NYC, Boston, State College and Southern California. 

I got to watch the Phils clinch with John and my princess walk in a parade the same day the Phils celebrated their second championship in my lifetime.  I've got a challenging job and work with great people.  My family made it through the year with no health crises and we see lots of the greatest friends in the world. 

And I made an important decision about my future that I will talk about another time.

In many ways 2008 was a rough year.  I feel very lucky to be able to be looking forward to 2009 while still being able to say that 2008 was a pretty good year here. 

From Another Delco Guy to you - Happy New Year.  Be safe and enjoy!

Exhausted

I'm finally back online here and have to thank Hajii - no lie - who works for "The Comcast" for diagnosing and explaining my internet issue this morning.  It was nothing a new Linksys WRT160N router couldn't fix!

I'm pretty close to bed here, but I thought I'd let you know that all is well here at Another Delco Guy and I have been a bit busy with housework, parties and the Wii for the last few days.

I got a chance to meet my cousin Pat's son Larkin today and that was a lot of fun.  He's a bright friendly kid who was more than willing to let his big cousin hold him for a bit.  Now I'm watching a pretty good thriller named Quicksand on Encore and then I may go to bed.

Christmas Morn

Getting Started
Originally uploaded by Cavalier92

The kids have come down to their presents, a nice fire is going and we're starting to get hungry.

John's playing on his new DS, Emma is making a potholder and the Wii is updating itself.

Yup. Santa Char brought Another Delco Guy a Wii.

I'm like a kid on Christmas morn!!!!

Christmas Eve Craziness

Well the house is a wreck, the presents aren't wrapped and guests arrive in less than three hours.  Sound familiar?

After a quick trip to work, Another Delco Guy hit BJs, Target and the grocery store with several million other South Jerseyans.  Now that we've got everything home, It's time to make the place presentable!

Please accept my best wishes for a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  We'll be busy with the kids and family and friends here, but check back in between your crazy moments for posts on holidays past and present.

Guy Shopping

John and I are out at the Moorestown Mall with about 3 billion other procrastinators. You'll recgonize us from the othe father-son pairs out trying to get things finished up before the Eagles-Skins game at 4.

Emma and Her Gingerbread House

We're in Swarthmore getting ready for Santa's arrival. Emma has meticulously decorated her house and has moved on to eating the decorations.

It's All Over

The four day Thanksgiving Break is winding to a close and with it my fantasy football playoff hopes.  Another abysmal season marked by under performing draft picks and boneheaded managerial moves will go by the boards with my loss today.  Ahh just ten more weeks until pitchers and catchers report!

This was a largely restful break for me, as the kids spent it away with their mom and I had no work responsibilities.  I took some photos, enjoyed my family and friends, had Carlo and Anne over for dinner, shopped, and did a bit of home wiring in preparation for the increased wattage demands of Christmas.

All in all, a pretty good four days.  It's back to the grind tomorrow as December starts and with it the incredible gridlock of Center City Philly traffic at holiday time.  I guess the extra 1% sales tax doesn't deter many shoppers, and there are the holiday shows around town and all of the office parties and events.  I've got a bunch of them coming up as well as all of the students have their end of semester exhibitions and productions. 

I hope you enjoyed your break.  Now get back to work!  The economy needs you!!

Skipping Amateur Night

On one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, I am happily ensconced at home, waiting for the rib eye roast to finish up and sipping a nice Cabernet.  In what can only be observed as an obvious sign of advancing maturity, I have decided to forgo the insanity and the DUI checkpoints and spend the night before Thanksgiving at home.

After a long day that saw my kids kids head off to Maine for the holiday, a bunch of typical work crap and series of negotiations that saw my CR-V finally returned, I'm actually happy not to be headed out into the maelstrom.  While I would enjoy seeing Mr. Greengenes and all my friend at McFadden's, this is more what I need.

Tomorrow I'll sleep late, eat a big breakfast, set my fantasy lineup and then spend some time at both Arlene's and Carin's houses.  I may even entertain watching a few minutes of the Eagles.  I'll make my traditional Thanksgiving post for all of my readers and try to shake my recent spate of melancholy. 

Time to check on the roast.  Have a great night and be safe!