I have been up all day with little sleep, and was heading home in the midst of a pretty good wind storm that made driving difficult…..thank God!

The reason that I am so thankful is that the Town of Edgewood sent me a notice that one of my trees, and there are many, needed to be cut back (majorly), and that was what I intended to do this afternoon.  In fact, I had the intention to cut back that tree and many other things on our property.  But as they say, “the road to hell is paved with substandard asphalt.”  I realized on my drive home from Bloomington that perhaps being tired and sore was not the best time to get out my chain saw for a major project in a wind storm.  After all they also say, “a lumberjack with no arms can’t really type.”

So my tree cutting day will now be tomorrow, fill of rest, with no wind AND no supervision.  And I will start in the morning, so it will be just coffee in my system and gasoline in my chainsaw.  It should be a fun day.

But for now I will call it a day.  My schedule was pretty tight today, and although there was wind outside, it didn’t prevent me from having lots of work waiting for me at home……preisty-stuff.  That too will carry over until tomorrow……and sadly for me, the wind storm will be long gone.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Sometimes the world is just full of detours, and quite honestly today was that indeed.  I needed to go and file a paper with the county about my mom’s death, only to find the courthouse closed for election day.  That in itself would not bother me if I just had time to head back over there this week, but I do not.  And then of course Amanda getting a migraine, as well as her car not starting at work, only added stuff to a day that I needed no more.

Yes, this is what it has come down to.  My office has been redone, but my youngest has now commandeered the desk and desk chair, and declares that he is now the “boss” and that everyone should be quiet while he reads his Ironman coloring book.  Oh it gets better…….we have to sit in the chairs in front of the desk and just listen.  We are not even allowed to talk to each other.  After all, he is the boss, and his word is what matters.

The picture was taken after his brother and I were banished to the non-boss chairs.  Amanda came home a short while later and they had a talk that I thought perhaps got some traction that I will call for the lack of an official title, “Every boss has a mommy and she is really in charge.”  It looked like it took until his 9pm session where his mommy was also banished to the non-boss area.  He is a pretty stern boss, there is no doubt about it.

But as I type this the battle is over.  I am in bed, Amanda is asleep already, and Ben is with Scott doing God knows what, but what we are all clear of is that whatever it is Ben is in charge.  They were downstairs earlier eating crackers and making jokes.  They are now in their section of the house and I can hear them laughing.  They can keep at it as far as I am concerned.  I am off the clock.  My new boss has been at me all night, and I am just glad at this point to be able to get a little rest!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

It has been a really great day, but somehow I now find myself in my bed BEFORE 10 (thanks Daylight Savings Time) with a wide awake 4 year old next to me who is nowhere near needing to sleep.  If I had the energy I would banish him from my bed, but to be honest, I am still struggling with the effects of what people call DST.  (Daylight Savings Time)  I just hope through the generous support of donors that doctors can find a cure for this ridiculous concept.

Don’t get me wrong……I have had no problems at all getting up, working, or moving through the day.  But I am a creature of routine, and I generally go to bed at the same time, or at least close to it, every night.  My body says 11, but the clock says 10.  Ben says 2:30, but no one is listening to him anyway.  But my point is that there is no reason to change our clocks.  It is the same reason I do not have my nose pierced….it makes no sense.

But I know I am one against many.  My plan, which I think may indeed work, is to invite legislators over for a sleepover with Ben.  But short of that, I am hoping I get used to it.

So here’s to hoping he just gives up and falls asleep……I am hopeful, but not optimistic.  After all, I am dealing not just with a 4 year old, but DST.  And until there is a cure, no one is going to be able to sleep……..not even me.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Amanda and I have been remodeling my office, as sort of an anniversary gift to me.  She wanted me to have a new desk, which she bought, (and of course picked out) and instead of a file cabinet we got the matching credenza that has a file drawer in it.  It is clearly not enough room for all the stuff I have, but that of course is part of the plan.  I am thinning out all the stuff.

As the boys and I completed the renovation of my office, we had to stop at Sam Ash and see the new drum set Scotty was buying.  Scott is a talented musician, but in his band he is the drummer, and he is trading in a couple of drum sets to get this new one.

But his little brother was fascinated by the music store.  He loves music just like Scotty does, but is more attracted to guitars than drums.  So we found him one.  It is a beginner’s electric guitar with a battery powered amp.  Battery powered amps stink, but fortunately for Ben he is the youngest of a musical family, so his brother not only tuned his guitar, but plugged it into a real amp.  Ben now thinks he is in a band with Scotty, and maybe someday he will be.  He just keeps telling me he likes to play “rock and roll.”

But Scotty is ready to give him a few lessons, and Ben seems anxious to learn.  I am sure he will pick it up.  His brother is an amazing musician, and Ben idolizes him.  There is no telling what the two of them will end up doing.  But for the time being, it is fun to see them at this together.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+

It wasn’t quite with bells and whistles on, but Ben did great me as I returned home and went and put on a tie.   I was impressed at the start, but then he traded it for a clip on tie, because that is what the police wear, and he started shooting me.  I am not sure why that happened, but I am pretty sure there were no other evil bad guys around to shoot.

I found all of this kind of funny, particularly as I came home early. I know many people might be insulted that they drive all that way early only to be shot at, but in all honesty I am not really a bad guy as much as I am a playmate when his brother is not around.  We did have the talk that almost all boys have about how  police officers really don’t shoot people for walking up the stairs, but they might just take them to jail.  He acted like he knew what I was talking about and then just shot me anyway.  He probably will not make it through the Academy.

But the blessing to me is to be here playing.  Home sweet home, where reality is a bit bent, but is always interesting!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

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+