I am back in my hotel tonight after a pretty long day.  But it has been a great day, and tomorrow will be just as long, and hopefully just as great.

But as I was sitting down to write tonight, I saw this picture on my desktop.  It of course is of Ben, and yes, that is a McDonald’s Happy Meal box on his head.  It represents a few different things to me, but mainly the reason that I have decided to head home tomorrow rather than Friday morning.  I took that picture a few days after he was so sick, and it was the first real significant thing he ate days after his CT scan.  It reminded me that there are some things in life more important than others, and although I will be tired, probably even before I get into the car, getting home will be worth it.  And don’t misunderstand, I am not just heading home for him, but because everyone in my family will wear a cool hat like that willingly.  Yes, I live in the midst of that kind of mental illness, but it is genetic and I am probably responsible.

The other thing though is that this is my last scheduled trip of the year, and to be honest, it will feel good to get home.  I have some things to do there, and I intend to do them.   Don’t get me wrong, I really do love what I do, and the travel does not bother me in the least.  I am not bothered by me leaving, I am just bothered by Amanda traveling.  Ben and Scott get pampered when I am gone, but when she is gone they whine…..and no amount of Happy Meal hats seem to satisfy them.

So home tomorrow I will go.  I am looking forward to it to, as I am to my work day too.  Friday will be a dragging day, but there is coffee for that.  But there is no substitute for home……even if it is not on the range.

Goodnight from the Buckeye State and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well I am in Akron for a few days and posting my 1200th post.  It has been a great ride, and I am honored to be here to post it.  I will be here until Friday for some meetings and although I have just left, I will be happy to get home.  I have a lot of projects I have left, and am anxious to get back to them.

But on this, All Saints’ Day, my mind drifts to those who have gone before me in faith.   Sure, I am aware that really All Saints’ is a reference to those big “S” Saints, but to me, many of those who have gone before me are just as meaningful.  And on this day, I thank God for them all.

But beyond that, I am thankful even more for the gift of eternal life.  No doubt, this has been a painful year for me……but thanks be to God that death is not the end of the story.  This life is just preparation for the next, and the next is forever.  And on this day I thank God for those who have walked before me.

But more than anything, I thank God that one day I will walk with them again…..

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Although we thought that Captain America would be trick or treating tonight, it turned out to be Batman…..a very excitable Batman indeed.  His little minions could not go with him this year, so his buddy Kaleb made his first ever trick or treating rounds with him.  It was a real blast, and it ended with pizza at the house.

Of course, Ben is a bit of a celebrity, so after Kaleb (and his parents who brought him because he is just about 1, and has yet to drive) left, Ben then put on his Captain America costume to make a personal appearance at Mrs. Bradfield’s home to no doubt be doted on some more.  Scotty and I both agree, his little brother is really suffering his way through life.

So now the house is full of candy, but thankfully we are certified “mouse-free,” so the candy is ours.  But please do not worry about me.  First of all, I am not a big candy-eater anyway, but I am also leaving for Ohio tomorrow until Friday.  But I am sure it will all be gone by tomorrow night.  All of them are candy-hounds, and I will be thankful to see it gone.

So I am home alone now typing this and packing for my trip.  As to which Ben Amanda will bring home, I do not know.  I will just be glad when they get here.  I have pretty cool kids and there are parts of each of them I enjoy.  Steph is gone, but she will be home at Thanksgiving.  Tonight was possibly Scotty’s last trick or treat adventure at home too.

But it is all a part of life……..one day you are Batman, and suddenly it is your kids.  Soon I will be seeing my grandkids in the same costumes.  But I take it all in stride.  Life is a blast, and I am thankful for the opportunity to live it in the midst of all these superheroes.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yep, Captain America, as well as Yoda and Bell, made an appearance at church today.  It was pretty funny, and the adults all enjoyed it very much.  But one of the realities of my world is that I have a four year old that is not into that much reality.  Yes, now just before bed we have been insistent that he puts down his shield and take off his mask.  (We already got him to take off the costume earlier to eat, except for the mask) But at least his protests are consistent…….he needs to first fight crime, and then taking off the mask would reveal his secret identity.  Higher powers often prevail in such circumstances, so criminals hopefully will not take advantage, for Captain America is in bed.

Of course yesterday it was Batman, as it has been 24/7 for the last few weeks, but to trick or treat I am putting my money on Captain America, since he rarely vacillates in short cycles.  And I should be clear, the scary part is that he is not “in character.”  These appear to be complete transformations.

I often wonder just what he does in his dreams, although I am pretty sure it has to do with fighting crime.  But I do not worry about it.  He is all boy and he has awesome heroes.  And I am just glad to know he sees me as a “good guy.”

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Nope, Batman never smiles, and when we asked him he told us it is so that he protects his secret identity.  And before you think that is it, let me tell you that the picture is from Cindy’s where there was a Halloween party on Wednesday.   He not only didn’t smile, but got after anyone who called him Ben, because of the very same thing…..he needed to protect his identity.

First of all, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on their World Series Championship!  I am happy for them, as they are from the Cubs’ division, but even more than that…..it appears that I am responsible.  No need to thank me Cardinal fans.  I am happy for you.

But as I saw part of the game I noticed what they called “Rally Squirrel,” and the one I saw looked quite familiar to me.  The squirrel in the blog picture is the same one that I saw on TV.  It is an AKC squirrel, and Viper has two of them.  He carries them around so much that we often call him “Squirrel Dog” too.

What I was unaware of however, was that we had brought in something that was apparently aiding the Cardinals, which mean hurting the Cubs.  I sadly discovered it tonight…..far too late to save my team.  But since Steph lives in the St. Louis area and tons of her team and classmates are Cardinals’ fans, I suppose I should just let them enjoy it.

We are going to exorcise that squirrel though before the season starts next year.  But until then, congratulations Cardinal fans.  You deserve it!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

After watching all the Batman and Spiderman and modern superhero stuff we could, I got onto youtube and started to show Ben some old cartoons of the same guys from my era.  Man…..have we come a long way!

First of all, the quality of the cartoons is far better, as one would expect, and that probably goes without saying.  Also in these modern times all the characters do not sound like “Shaggy,” and that’s because Kasey Kasem no longer does 10 character voices in each episode.  No offense to Kasey, but it really grates on you after awhile…..about 2 minutes.  But the most horrendous thing are the plots, because there are none.  Evil always seems to lose, but they probably could have paid Kasey a little less and hired a writer.  It was bad.

But most of all, I was appalled by the fact that I watched these cartoons at one point in my life with great interest, now to be defined as grate interest.  They are so bad that I really struggled to believe I was so drawn to them.  And, I have brain damage NOW, not then, and I can still see that they are clearly poorly done.

I suppose however that this gives credence to a card trick my dad used to do with me when I was young.  I picked a card, and I always ended up sitting on it in the end.  When I asked him to share the tricks magic we got some cards I picked one, and then right before the finale he said, “hey, look over there.”  Apparently I did every time.

Lot’s of things are wasted on youth, because apparently for a good part of if, we are morons……

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I’ve gotta admit, it scared me!  I am in the process of cleaning up and rearranging my office and as I came up the stairs and into that office tonight I saw Puddy gnawing on something on the floor.  Since both the cat and dog eat in my office I assumed it was a cat treat…..but it was pretty far from where I give her those.

Of course my office is in MAJOR disarray, but not enough to miss the MOUSE!  It was dead, and BIG, and to be honest I have no idea where it came from (other than from a mommy and daddy mouse) but I am uncertain whether she caught it up here or downstairs and brought it to her dining room.  Either way, I did not care.  I took her dinner right outside and disposed of it.

Of course I intend to show it to our exterminator tomorrow after I call him.  Other than the mouse, I see no signs of one being here.  Puddy however is an excellent hunter.  This I am certain is her first mouse.  She has eaten her share of bugs, spiders, praying mantis, and walking sticks at our old house.  And I am hoping at the mouse funeral all the other mice say, “hey, this cat means business.”

Puddy however will now need shots.  She has not had them in years, as she is our vet’s WORST PATIENT.  And since she was an indoor cat, she has not had to visit for quite some time.  Her visits SCARE the other clients, as she wails as if some one was killing her.  AND she BITES.  They actually wear welding gloves to immunize her.  But at home she is pretty sweet, except to the mouse.  And we need to keep that up.  I am guessing she caught it elsewhere and brought it up to my office to impress me, as if I was considering putting her to sleep.  No way!  She is a first class hunter, and although I will arrange some immunizations for her, there really is some tuna in her future.

So alarm system shalarm system…..I’ve got a killer cat. (and a dead mouse)  Thank God for her killer instincts!  I just hope she continues to be on the prowl.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Although I posted yesterday about “Da Twins,” today we began to make a few moves to separate them.  For the last year they have lived in a “suite,” with a TV room and couch (and toys) on one side, a bathroom in the middle, and both their beds in the larger bedroom on the other side.  It was a deal they both enjoyed and were committed to, but things are “a-changin” here, and we needed to make some adjustments.

Scotty is still scheduled to go into the US Marines.  And as he has always been on track to do, he intends to serve in the reserves as he finishes college before going “all in.”  But his original intention was to do that in St. Louis next year after basic and his MOS training.  He is now reconsidering that.  He is now thinking that he may return here, live at home while in college, and get his degree at IUPUI.  Either way is fine with me, BUT…..here he has free room and board, a full time JOB that they will hold for him….AND on Sundays he works for me.   I would lose a musician for 6 months and then one Sunday a month, BUT it would be really great to have him around.

To make his accommodations feel a bit more private and permanent however, we took out the couch, moved his furniture into the other room, and I gave him the desk from my office that used to be my dad’s.  Amanda got me a new desk and credenza for our anniversary that we bought tonight, so he is now all set up to study.  PLUS there is another good feature of all this…….Ben goes to bed and does not wake up when Scott comes in to go to bed anymore.  Their bathroom is the same, now between them and still a mess.  And in all reality, they are still sharing the same two rooms.  Ben will now just have to go through the bathroom to sneak into bed with Scott or to beat him up, and Scott seems very pleased that he has his own space.  Believe me I know…..four year olds have a very poor sense of boundary.

So things are just a bit different than yesterday, but I am glad everyone is okay with it.  Change is always hard, and so far I am wondering just when the storm will hit.  So far so good!  I will count my blessings.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I remember when Scotty was a little guy.  All he ever did was want to be like me.  I guess I always assumed that Ben would be the same way, but what I never took into account was that Ben has a big brother.

Of course that is the reason we call them the twins, because in all reality they really are.  Everything that Scotty does Ben does.  They act alike, and even dress alike.  Ben is now wearing a tie, and I am required to put it on him just like like Scott wears his.

The funniest part is when you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up.  He will tell you without hesitation that he wants to be a Marine like Scotty is going to be.  So Scotty always asks him what do Marines say, and Ben replies, also without hesitation, “Semper Fi Ooh Ra!”  It is hilarious, but to Ben it is serious business.

When I was at the end of high school, I sat in the recruiter’s office ready to sign onto the Marines.  I wanted to be nothing else.  I was a kid in need of a lot of direction, and I knew that it was the road for me.  Unfortunately for me, that recruiter lied to me, and instead of signing I delivered a pretty colorful rant at him as I walked out of his office….never to return again.  It is a decision I regret to this day, because I really needed what the Marines could have offered me, and the road I walked from there, although successful, was a lot less sure than it would have been.

In the end it has all worked out, thank God, and although I never achieved that high honor myself, I will indeed be the father of a US Marine, and perhaps even two.  And that does not bother me, because it has never been about me.  I am just honored to be an American, and soon to be among those whose children serve this great country of ours.

I still need that direction and discipline.  But in the end in looking at these two goofballs I lives with, perhaps it is best that I let them receive it instead.  They are both great kids, and they both make me proud.   And it pleases me to hear the words so dear in my home of duty, honor, and country.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+