Okay, it is not the real one, but even before the move it was my favorite horse…..I saw it all live too.  But this horse’s name is actually “Sandy” and this ride cost me approximately ONE CENT at the Noblesville Meijer.  It however, was worth it.  It was the best piece of a long day that saw us trade in Steph’s car for a different car for Amanda.  Steph took the hybrid that I tried, but gave back and Amanda gave back too.  And now Amanda is happy, I am still in my dinky car, and Ben rode a horse….albeit a plastic one.  Life is good, just not for me.

But despite my stroke I do have memories of Secretariat, who won all those races by 350 lengths.  And is is pretty cool when they make MOVIES out of events that you loved and witnessed.  And as certain that I was that my kids would be impressed by this, I must admit that I was WRONG.  They could care less.  I am old to them, and all they hear is rambling.   I am clearly just in the way of their inheritance as is my 20 year old wife!!!  Hahaha….who has the last laugh now???   (Of course it is my wife, because I will be dead!)

So why would I need to complain being this old and so close to my eternal demise???  I won’t!  But I am an “older” guy living in a young guy’s world.  I remember THE horse, but to everyone else the horse is but a character in a NOSTALGIC movie.

Oh well, what do I care?  I am old and confused, and most of all I AM ENJOYING IT!  My horse won the race, and actually ALL OF THEM.  And you cannot take that away from me……even if I am old!

Goodnight and God Bless!

Tommy+

The picture is of what I turned around to find this morning as I was driving him to Cindy’s.  All I know for certain is that it is NOT BEN.  Apparently that would be giving away his secret identity.  But perhaps I have already shared too much.  Please forgive me.

There however, is never a dull moment for me, and although I was clearly surprised as I looked behind me, I was comforted in that I was most probably the safest man in the world at that point.  After all, what criminal would even dare to mess with us with him in his full crime-fighting gear?

It really cracked me up, but it did even more so when Amanda and I went to pick him up in her car.  He was soon dressed in character again, but there was just one time when she turned around to talk to him for just a second, but he had his mask up on his head.  He went ballistic and she received a short but poignant lecture on why he needs to protect his secret identity.  It reminded me at how she cried at her ultrasound when she saw he would be a boy, as she had her heart set on a girl……BUT now she always shares how her life with him couldn’t be better.  After all, Barbie talk and my little ponies would be far less entertaining for her, and he sees his mission primarily to protect her from not just the Decepticons, but anything evil that is afoot.  She used to laugh at me, now she laughs with me…….at this strange superhero who lives in our house and rides in our backseats.

He seems a pretty swell chap……..I just wish we knew who he was.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+ 

I have a small balcony off my office, and the cat always likes to go out on it and sit on the ledge an survey a kingdom that she believes she rules, but will never go out in as she is an indoor cat.  The ledge however seems to satisfy her, for from it she feels quite majestic.

In out last home we had no balcony, but she had a routine there as well.  We would let her out the window of Scotty’s room where she would climb the roof to its very peak and sit for hours looking down on us.  She hardly ever came in, and being a small cat I was always worried about a hawk or an owl coming for her up there, but perhaps that was her plan.  She is feisty and packs a punch.  I often wonder if she might be armed.

But tonight her royal highness beckoned me to the door of the balcony and I faithfully opened both the outer and screen doors.  She then proceeded to stare angrily out into the darkness…….rain.  How dare it?  And somehow the look I got as she walked away made me feel as if it were my fault.  I clearly am going to have to do a better job tomorrow.

But I suppose she deserves her due.  She is 9, and she is living with a 4 year old.  It’s not all bunnies and flowers for her that is for certain.  Plus, she and I gave up our back porch, and although we have a side porch now where she can see squirrels on all sides, sadly without a table in there it is less conducive to typing for me.  She will have to live with the balcony.

And apparently I will have to continue to live with her and her demands.  After all, I do not want to make her angry.  She fears nothing and rules the roost.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Arrrrghhh, and not in a pirate way either.  Steph is out visiting friends tonight and in the morning I will only be able to see her when she comes to church…..then she is heading back to Missouri.  Why do things like visits fly by, and things like trips to the BMV drag on forever?  It just kills me to see her go.

And of course, we had family pictures scheduled for this afternoon which my stupid eye cancelled me out of.  My right eye has been a problem pre-stroke.  The doctors have said that my stroke in 2008 was probably not my first, and I can bet right when another happened, because my vision in that eye went south immediately.  It has been problematic ever since too.

But for the last year or so my right eye often looks like I have pink eye.  I don’t, but it hurts, and the trips to the ophthalmologist always include, “wow the pressure in that eye is a lot higher than normal,” yet nothing is ever accomplished.  I have drops, I use hot compresses, I use cold packs……I do everything but gouge it out.  And to be honest, I am miserable from it.  I just want to see out of it and have it be normal.  I don’t care about having to wear glasses, I just don’t want it to hurt and I want to LOOK normal too.

But the nice part is that when I tear up tomorrow when she leaves, I can blame it on my eyes.  She will only be gone for two weeks until Christmas break, but that is long enough.  Oh if I were just really a pirate.

But no, I am just a dad. who wishes he could hang with his kids everyday.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+ 

Stephanie’s birthday is December 5th, and we always waited to put up the Christmas tree until after her birthday.  Of course Stephanie now lives in Missouri, and she will not only be there on her birthday, but I will be in Michigan.  To make matters even more complicated, she was very put off that the tree would be done without her, as Amanda and she commandeer that job every year.  So the tree was done today, and they both appear to be happy.

Well it’s official……we held our first big Thanksgiving dinner here at the house, as we had moved in just after Thanksgiving last year.  It was a wonderful feast too!  And the picture is not only of our table, but of the primary cooks, Amanda and Stephanie.  They did a great job, and at dinner we all were dressed casual except for Ben who wore a tie.  After all, someone needs to be the boss.

Amanda, as most of you know, is from Kansas.  Kansas is actually an Indian word meaning “land of those who over prepare.”  And sure enough, she lived up to her homeland.  Thank God five of us were college students and here till Sunday.  We will not need to leave the house.

But of course all of it means we can relax and enjoy the rest of the day.  My family is great, and I am thankful not just for them, but for the opportunity to spend the day with them.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  May this day, and this next year be full of many wonderful blessings!

God Bless you my friends!

Tommy+

Well the kids are all here and the last minute preparations are being made for a big dinner here tomorrow with all of them.  And of course with all the preparations going on, there was no way to possibly even cook tonight, so Ben and I took all the girls out for dinner!  (I am the old one behind the camera.)  We had a great time, only missing Scotty who was at band practice.

But tomorrow we will all be together and enjoy the day.  I am looking forward to it too.  It has been a great time so far.

Our eyes are all on the voting for the Santaslam too.  As of a few minutes ago Scotty’s band was only 11 votes ahead.  The other band with a lot of votes is a local nightclub band that is pretty popular.  We are just hoping Scotty and the guys can pull this off….. every vote in this clearly counts, so if you can go online and vote for “Cecil.”  They are band #17  Click HERE to vote for Cecil CLICK HERE!

Anyway, there is never a dull moment!  Everyone get some rest tonight and enjoy a day of blessings tomorrow!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Vote early, vote often!Just a note to say that my son SCOTTY is a drummer in a rock band and is in a CONTEST to open up for Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas in Indianapolis on December 5th.  He however NEEDS VOTES and if they win they are the band that opens.  It would be an incredible break for them.

Their band is names “Cecil” but I really do not know why!  I have some of their songs on my iPhone, and they are pretty dang good…..and I confess that as a child of the 70’s (no I was BORN in 61….I was a high schooler in the 70’s) that I love their music.

But Scotty isn’t just a drummer.  He is the musician at one of our churches too.  He plays all sorts of instruments, but has a passion for music and this is a real big chance for him and their band!  Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas are big stars, and to open for them at 18 years old would be remarkable.  Currently they are 50 votes in front of a local (and popular) nightclub band.  Ironically, not one of the members of Cecil can even get into a nightclub.

In one of my favorite movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” an entire community comes to the aid of George Bailey, not because of anything other than his character.  Scotty is a good kid, and this is a big chance.  I encourage you to go to the link and vote for them.  The other band actually has the first video and Cecil the last….yet Cecil is ahead.  Let’s keep them there!  I have an out of town meeting that day I am willing to cancel and meet all of you at the Murat!

Give these kids a chance and let’s make Cecil the opening act.  Your vote today, and each day until the contest ends, will be all it takes.  And as for me, I will be eternally grateful!

Here is the link!

Scotty’s Band – Direct link

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Why is it that my weekly weigh-ins for Weight Watchers, as well as my birthdays, come about every 15 minutes, but Stephanie coming home for Thanksgiving seems to take forever?  I just talked with her on the phone and she WILL be home tomorrow before midnight, but I anticipate that going slower than a glacier.  I will wait because I have to, but few things get my goat (no I do not know what that means other than it is appropriate here) more than waiting for my kids.

Of course two of them are already here and all the time.  And it amuses me to see the two brothers anxiously awaiting their sister.  I bet they do not get into it (argue about anything) tomorrow night, but something always goes awry with siblings sooner or later.  Right now they all miss each other a great deal, but when there is just one piece of white meat turkey left, Steph will have seniority, Scott will be the strongest, and who would want to disappoint the little brother?  In truth, none of them will care and we will see it…..although it will be about something else because I am old and I am the one who deserves it.

And Steph is also bringing two of her housemates with her, as they live in Maryland and will not be heading home.  It will be great to have ALL of them here, and I know Amanda is just beside herself about being able to host a big Thanksgiving here.  (we normally go to my dad’s, but he is in prison…..oh wait, I mean he is at his in-laws) (and no, it was just a joke…..they are delightful people and in NO WAY was I comparing them to a Warden and staff……my wife is really the Warden, just ask her!)

So this Thanksgiving will be quite different.  I will be hosting, and not hanging at my dad’s.  I will not head home and make a trip out to see my mom at the nursing home or call my grandma.  But I will celebrate my thankfulness for their genetics by hanging with their grandkids.

I can’t wait…….but of course I will have to.  Time is dragging!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

It is just 8:30 pm, although it feels like midnight, and I am in bed typing unsure if I will ever go to sleep again.  I took a nap this afternoon with the intention of it being a short one…..going down at 2 with the alarm set for 4 so I could watch the Bears’ game.  Apparently you need to take your phone of silent for the alarm to go off.

So the bottom line is that I was up just shy of 6, and in addition to the Bears’ game, I was going to bleach our tile floors on the main floor in preparation for Thanksgiving.  They are nice floors, and we had them professionally done by “Stanley Steamer” in May for $450, but that lasted 15 minutes (I would not recommend it).  So I did it myself tonight after my “more than lengthy nap” and it looks great…..plus it was for free.  AND the added benefit is that my family will collect all that insurance money from my dying from inhaling all that beach.  I am certain they will find the turkey easier to swallow as they are talking about their planned Caribbean “grief-vacation.”

So yes, I am a bit loopy and all I smell is bleach, but I am in bed ready for the coroner.  But sadly for all of them, I will probably live through the morning and even through Thanksgiving.  And although I am certain everyone will make comments about the turkey, no one will mention the floors.  So it is with my life.  But I do not do it for the praise, I do it because I am afraid of my wife!!

Tonight’s picture is of she and Ben reading a bedtime story in HIS BED……where I anticipate, despite my hard work, I will wake her up in the same outfit at 6am tomorrow morning!

My life is screwed up….but at least our floors are clean!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+