Monday Musings - May 24, 2010

1. May has surely rocketed by--Memorial Day weekend is coming and I still haven't been brave enough to get into the pool. It has been too cold.

2. It was a graduation weekend--we spent time celebrating the achievements of a very special woman who is bound for grad school and ultimately who knows what. Go Danielle!

3. And the wedding approaches!

4. The guys survived the bachelor party--so one hurdle is crossed, next up? Rehearsal dinner in less than four weeks.

5. I wonder what the deer in my back yard was thinking last evening as I came around the side of the house with Makayla (fortunately) on a leash. But she didn't move--until we walked closer and then she just went into the woods with her traveling bud. Who both stood there until I actually crossed from the yard into the woods.

6. The wrens are back and furiously building a nest, again, in my portable heater.

7. I have a very big presentation today. I don't sleep well the night before big events--presentations, traveling, weddings. Maybe I need to be a bit sleep deprived to be on my toes.

8. The Orioles lost again. Not unusual for this season.

9. Yesterday was a two car battery day. I was able to save and recharge Jeremy's car battery; but had to replace Chris' battery. It had five years on it anyway. Batteries are getting expensive.
10. So if I buy water front property on the Gulf Coast will I be able to open an oil refinery on my beach?

11. I learned something uplifting at Shabbos on Friday night: "The Entire World is a Narrow Bridge, But the Main Thing is Not to Fear" - Rabbi Nachman of Bretzslav. We sang a song with those words and they stuck with me.

Afternoon with the Bride and Groom

Chris and Tina Selecting Linen

We spent and thoroughly enjoyable early afternoon yesterday with the Bride and Groom finishing up some of the last items in advance of the wedding.

We were able to sample the food and drink which will be served at the reception and spend some absolutely awesome quality time with the two of them and were able to offer some prospective on the decisions they were making.


We were also able to get another view of the reception hall--I decided I want to make it my living room. The views of the harbor are stunning. I was reminded of how awesome a location they selected for their wedding and that as the day finally dawns, it is going to be one filled with enjoyment and celebration.

Patrick Gaining Perspective

Our lives get so busy sometimes that we do not get spend quality "alone" time with the couples very often and so it is especially meaningful when we do. Yesterday was that couple on couple alone time that is especially special when it happens. Where we experience each other on a very personal level and all come away better for the experience.

Patrick was playing with a new camera lens--and so he was experiencing the whole idea of perspective--it was fun to watch him and he took some really interesting pictures--including of the table napkins.

And the hours slipped by so quickly. I am always awed by how quickly time passes when I am engaged in something interesting and enjoyable. Of course we ate the entire time, but we talked and had a lovely time meeting the wedding coordinator and getting a couple more things accomplished in preparation for the coming celebration.

Kids, Dogs and Tee-Ball Saturdays

So how many adults does it take to go to an late-morning Tee-ball game?

That depends upon what is being dragged along.

Last Saturday Chris and I were watching Jax and Ethan while their parents were out of town. And one of our tasks was to get E to get his tee-ball team picture taken at 9:40 am followed by his game at 10:30 am.

Sounds easy, right?

Hold on there tenderfoot!

It all went smoothly at the house--breakfast, dressing for the game, getting ready to go. But then a moment of panic set in. The dogs! Yes, Makayla and Flo(rence) usually accompany us to the games, too.

And somewhere in there we realized we didn't have a clue where the field was that pictures were being taken. Of course it was not the same field or even complex where the game was being played.

Another level of complexity just asking to be part of the mix.

I could see it now--two dogs, two children and two adults. It just did not add up.

And fortunately, we did the math before we left the house.

I determined, through an intuitive grasp of the obvious, that each child AND each animal required one adult for proper supervision. As there were two adults in this parade, two of something had to remain behind. Since at least one child was necessary--he was the participant in the activities and the other requires constant supervision; it was determined that the dogs would remain behind.

Both Chris and I did the math one more time, because really, we would have enjoyed the dogs.

But, as it turned out we both agreed on the answer and the dogs did not accompany us.

Which was a real good thing. Mass pandemonium ensued at the picture stop and not having dogs to amuse allowed us to amuse Jax at the game.

And so the answer to the question is:

One adult is required per kid or dog in attendance.

Home Projects--the Blood Factor

In a continuation of the pool lighting project, I discovered some truths about home projects.

1. They never are as easy as they seem

2. Flexibility in the plan will result in a successful completion of the project

3. Don't skimp on quality--even though its yours, well, its yours.

4. Blood must be spilled for the project to be successful.

It all seemed so easy to just continue the lighting project along the fence line. Until, of course, I actually tried it. The strands needed to go over top of an entrance gate and of course that doesn't work.

Ugh!

The easy approach would not work. A creative approach was needed.

The clock was ticking--a project that should have taken no more than an hour was now becoming an all day event.

At least the sun was warm.

Aha--run the lights along the main lower beam of the deck so they almost completely encircle the pool area!

And now more lights were needed so off to Lowe's. At least I got to drive Cat with the top down. That really made it all better.

The project now requires a ladder, a drill, and screwdrivers to put the clips which hold the lights into the wood. On the fenceline I was using cable ties, which although small actually were fairly easy to use one the tricks of installing them were discovered.

And blood--the requisite factor to ensure a successful project which occurred on the first clip and the screwdriver bit slipped off the cheap screw head and into my finger. This caused me to reassess the ability to just screw into the wood and now added another layer of complexity by needing pilot holes.

By now night is falling. I get my flood lights because I want to get this done to surprise Chris.

And then--the big stopper--somehow at Lowe's I had purchased a 24 foot long strand of blue and not clear lights.

I'm not going back to Lowe's tonight. I'll put up the other lights and exchange the blue for clear in the morning.

And that is exactly what happened. The lights were exchanged and the project finished in the daylight of the new day. Did I mention that the timer I was going to use didn't work?

No? Well that is a story for another day--but it is all up and running now and even got the Chris approves seal of satisfaction!

I love home projects. Really, really I do.

Our Yorkie, Zachary Taylor-- A Rememberance

We did one of those real tough things last night--but something that was done out of love.

Our beloved Yorkie, Zachary Taylor had reached the end of his string. Quality of life was gone and he was just hanging on waiting for the end.

He was done and we could tell, so instead of waiting for him to suffer some kind of traumatic demise associated with pain and being uncomfortable we assisted him into peaceful rest.

And so we mourn the loss of Zach--who has been a faithful member of our family for the past almost 17 years. There is a spot waiting for his ashes on the shelf with our other faithful family members Hans and Meghan. He is the last of the gang of three that accompanied us 15 years ago as we moved from Pittsburgh to Maryland.

He had earned the names "auxiliary dog" and "skid mark in the tire track of life" due to his diminutive stature. He was nearly killed one day over twelve years ago when he was attacked by a Chesapeake bay retriever--but his tenacity overcame the size disadvantage of 4 lbs vs over 100 lbs; he defied the odds and lived.

He was a faithful companion to Chris for 16 and a half years.

His passing leaves a hole in our hearts and many tears in our eyes (like right now as I try to write this), but the memory of him is filled with joy and laughter.

You were a faithful friend and you are missed. Bye Zachary.

Orioles Baseball and Ethan

Ethan is a huge fan of Number 21, Nick Markakis--the right fielder for the Orioles.

Friday night I took Ethan to the Yards (as Oriole Park at Camden Yards is referred) to see Nick and the rest of the Birds.

It was going to be a great Poppop-Ethan bonding experience. One of our first outings alone in what I hope will be many more over the course of Ethan's lifetime.

Everything started out great. We escaped the pandemonium of the house where Chris and I were watching "the boys." They may also someday be called the "gang of two" or the "Haslup Band of Brothers" the way they work together.

Ethan was thrilled to be riding in my truck--since there is no backseat, he gets to ride in the front seat in his car seat. This is a treat for him and for me. And we were going to see the O's--so much the better.

The weather, as we were driving to the Park was fabulous. Breezy, cloudy and not too hot. This continued until we actually got into the park--where almost like the flood of Noah's days, it began to rain and storm complete with thunder and lightening. Rain delay. Words that strike fear into every baseball fan's heart. You never know how long it will last.

But no problem. We met up with Uncle Jer and his friends and hung out while eating pizza and drinking lemonade that Ethan reported tasted like water. I sampled it and agreed, the beer I was drinking was a whole lot better tasting. We were in a small bar area keeping dry and having fun with the other fans.

And then the rain stopped. We watched on the monitors around the stadium and saw they began to remove the tarps from the field and begin to get ready to play.

So Ethan and I started heading out to our seats.

And then it happened as we were walking.

"Poppop? I have a tummy ache. I want to go home." Complete with a tear. I could tell he didn't want to say this to me.

"Really?" I responded. "Is it bad enough to go home?"

"Ethan looked at me with his ever so cute eyes which were very big and sad and said "Yes."

This began a conversation which also led to a trip to the rest room to try to relieve the pressure all ending with the same, "it still hurts, I want to go home."

I explained to my young baseball fan that once we left the stadium, we could not return so he needed to be sure about going home. And he said that he was.

So we began the process of descending from the third deck of the stadium to ground level. Upon reaching the ground and nearing the exit gate, I asked again about the tummy ache and reminded him that we could not return once we went out the gate. He assured me that he needed/wanted to go home. And so we left the park.

The finality of that action descended upon my five-year old grandson about twenty steps outside the gate: "I won't get to see Nick Markakis tonight." And I reminded him that we could not return to the park.

The walk to the car was a long one--and very quiet as I am sure Ethan wrestled with his decision and I wondered--well, let's just say I wondered.

I think Ethan sensed I was not happy--although I tried in my usually ineffective way not to show it. But, I rationalized, he said he needed/wanted to go home and that is where he needed to be. So we went home.

I still made a memory and had a memory.

And so, in the spirit of those great commercials:

Pizza at the ball game: $23;
tickets to see the O's: $40;
spending time with your oldest grandson: priceless?