I really blew it this time, but he really doesn’t see to care.  You see, yesterday someone asked me about how old Viper was and I realized we missed celebrating his 9th birthday on January 20th.  (Tonight’s picture is of him a bit younger and when he was still actively showing!)

What disappoints me in all of this is that we have been talking about it for months.  Not that we had a big party planned or an Alpo cake or anything like that……but whatever we could have done ON his birthday would have been far better than what we actually did……nothing!!

Of course even when his “owner” (Scotty) is home (he is in combat training in California), I have to remind him of the date too, so I am not the only one to forget.  I will however put it in my calendar tonight so as to never lose it again.  He will appreciate the doting I am sure.

But with today being what it has been (a pretty difficult day for me) I will just make this my only confession.  Confession is good for the soul, and it does make me feel good to get it out there.  And my penance has been to biscuit him up and allow him on the furniture.  He seems happy and I seem less guilty.  It works for both of us.

So Happy (Belated) Birthday Old Buddy! You are a real blessing to us all!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

It is not a surprise to see him dressed like this.  Most people who think and act like celebrities have the fashion sense of skunks, and he is really no different.  This picture was taken on the way to school this morning.  He had already been handed off to me after he told his mom she had “ruined his life,” which was taken well by the woman who not only bore him but who had just finished ironing his pants…..not that they were wrinkled, but because he likes them warm.

So he was handed off to me, the King of Compassion…..not!  And although I ALWAYS drive him to school, I often just enjoy it….today I was driving with a prima dona (or better yet a prima DON…since he is a boy).  He had stolen my glasses and he was wearing that goofy hat, both of which he thought were the ultimate in cool.  So as it always is, it was hard to be mad at a kid working so hard to be a moron…..but you go with what you know.

But post-school he seems to have warmed back up to his family.  He even has been quite clingy with his mom.  His day of “rock-stardom” seems to be over for now.

But tomorrow is another day, and with him we never know what we will get…..other than a ton of blog posts!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

I am one of those people who never watched and episode of “Friends” or “Jerry Seinfeld,” but I did hear that the latter had an episode on nothing, which I suppose this just might qualify as.  I just worked today…..nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary.  I worked, we ate dinner, I wrote this riveting blog post, and then we went to bed (although as I am still writing this the “bed thing” has yet to happen).

And I know that this may surprise you, but some days the life of a priest is just not like a James Bond movie at all.  Sometimes in fact, it can be rather dull.  And Ben did nothing spectacular, nor did Amanda do anything funny I could exploit!  Ben did have his party for 100 days of school, and did insist that he was “graduating” today, but his teacher, Mrs. Scott, told him otherwise on the way home.  Lord I wish I were her.  She told him that and he said “okay,” but he has been arguing with me for weeks……but he is a Tirman, and the Moron gene is strong in us!

But the day is over and it has been innocuous to say the very least.  But it is central Indiana and it is winter.  (it really doesn’t matter what season it is here it is always laid back….but we just try to make people think it is “cutting-edge”)

So I will give thanks and call it a day!  Nothing happened, and more than that, nothing went wrong……I will take my victories where I find them!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Of course it is really just in his DNA, but today Ben had to go pull a RED CARD, which is the equivalent of a capital offense in elementary school.  He had already pulled a yellow card for “talking” which he swears was an “accident,” but as is turned out he had a day full of such accidents.

So tonight’s picture is of his apology card to his teacher Mrs. Scott, as well as a “bonus picture” of he and his cat in “time out,” Ben is asleep but the cat is irritated and making a statement.  As for the card, he was originally coerced into making it, but as he saw that Mrs. Scott would be the least of his problems he suddenly was more than happy to comply.  And he should too.  He is social, but clearly toooooooo social and it is not blessing him in the controlled environment of kindergarten.

And AS A WARNING TO MY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, no I do not want to be reminded of my consistent presence in the Dean of Boys office or Principal’s office as a kid.  I had a very convenient stroke in 2008 and I have forgotten all about all that or the 9 “orange cards” (go to jail go directly to jail and do not pass go or collect $200 cards) I received as a senior in high school (which may have been a record….well I am sure it was for a Student Body President).

But this is not about me, it is about HIM…….I know he is 5, but I did give him a good talking to and checked him for tattoos and gang paraphernalia.  I hope he gets this all straightened out.

After all, one priest in the family, in my mind at least, is enough.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

This blog entry will post automatically while I am driving home tonight from my meeting in Ohio.  As you know I left early to avoid the ice storm, and it all worked out quite well.  But with the extra time before my meeting (it starts at noon) I thought I would write it now and test the automatic posting feature that I believe I have used before, but I cannot remember.  What I need it an automatic WRITING feature.

But apparently my wife has caused some tension in our home.  As you know, Ben had her all to himself and they enjoyed a “Daddy is on a trip Slumber Party” together.  He was happy and confident. Movie time with mommy and she was his and his alone.

That’s why this picture is so cool.  Amanda drew it on our bathroom mirror and sent it to me this morning…….BUT when Captain “I have mommy all to myself” came in to brush his teeth he was more than put off……upset in fact.  And how upset you ask???  Well so upset that she had to get out the dry erase marker and write him a note for the day too.  The little lunatic tries to run the asylum!!  I know he is regretting knowing how to read at times!!

But the whole thing has made my day!  It is so much better than how she used to always encourage me to not be at home or how she used to yell “WALK TOWARD THE LIGHT” whenever I had even a cold.  Yes, we are making some progress!

And a big part of that is to get such a win with this picture!  On my way home!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yes, tonight it is a picture of my wife alone from our anniversary, (I am just to the right) but I cut myself out of the picture.  Tonight I left for a meeting I have tomorrow in Mansfield, Ohio (the Holiday Inn is nice here) because an ice storm was heading through the state.  I did beat the ice storm, but I am pretty down that I am not there at home.  (Come on, look at her and tell me you don’t understand….why would you want to leave her fr even 5 minutes??)  But what can you do?  It was a responsible choice to make……better the sacrifice now than to risk that kind of travel.

But what I want to everyone to know is that BEN is quite HAPPY about my being here.  He did the “party dance” after I left and he and his mom watched a movie and are having a “slumber party” in my absence.  Yes, he is suffering……..

So I am here and able to watch the Pro Bowl uninterrupted   Wow, what an honor.  In truth I would rather be in my own house, in my own bed, and not heading to a meeting or thinking about ice.  As an ice hockey player I can tell you that ice is what you SKATE on, not drive on, so I am more than a little let down.  But I will be home tomorrow after my meeting to do a few things……

But the first is to remove that little rat muscling in on my territory!!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Sure, I am driving, and yes it is MY TRUCK.  But that is Scotty’s dog, it was 20 degrees, and YES, the window is down (and yes that is SNOW) because he likes to have his head out it when we go places.  But even though I am the driver, it is clear he is taking me for the ride.

And we went today to St. George in Muncie, the church we are planting there.  We have family there, including Watson the Wonderdog, but we just didn’t have the time to call him today.  Plus, I didn’t want to put all that on my aunt and uncle……Watson would be expecting his ride too.  But I do think they are safe, in that I believe Watson is not a regular reader.

But what I forgot was to share this with Scotty who called tonight from California.  He would have gotten a great laugh about it.  He shared with Amanda how someone said to him when they all got back to California about how good it was to be home (meaning there on base in CA).  But Scotty apparently set the record straight saying that home was where his dog and family were, and where he got his laundry done too!  And I think the first two parts were probably the best to share with her, but probably not in that order…….I am certain however that to him they were all lined up though!

Anyway, the dog got his ride, I probably got pneumonia, and if I kick, Amanda and the kids will get the house!  But I am clearly in charge…….I am really just a nice guy!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Wow….what a moron!  It was this afternoon when I got a text from my wife asking about my blog.  It wasn’t up from yesterday, and she wondered why.

Of course I didn’t,  I just forgot, which is incredibly pathetic considering my post from the day before.  In my defense, I am not having a great, or even a day anywhere close to good today.  I am pretty stressed, my back is out and BAD.  My legs are on fire, but other than that, everything is just bunnies and flowers.  So NO…..with all that going on I didn’t need to see that I was missing big pieces of my regular day.

So here is my attempt to “eat crow,” which I don’t understand nor do I really want to.  But I can say I am a bit embarrassed by forgetting.  After all, there are only three of us living here right now and one of them goes to bed at 7!  It’s not like I had a ton going on.

But here it is anyway….my “catch-up!”   I can’t confess to there being much substance in it, nor can I lie by saying it is one of my best.  But I can say I remembered, and for me today that is the real deal!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+


PS…..I won’t post who the picture is of, but go ahead and guess!  It is quite appropriate!! 

No, I am not having a mid-life crisis, but I am thinking more and more about focus.  I am not in a lull about my life or vocation, I just have a desire to sharpen both.  With that, I am considering restarting my other blog, which was called “Faith Works.”  Post-stroke, I intended for it to be somewhat of a running commentary on the Daily Office lessons as this blog, which was originally intended for the much more serious matters of the Church and World, evolved (yes, not a Church word) into more of a journal of my life.  To me both are important, and to both I feel called…..yet the witness of my life is that I currently only do one!

I have yet to decide, but I will take some time to do so.  I have many other things right now on my plate and I am just working hard to get them done.  Tomorrow and Friday I hope to make a BIG DENT in them, which has always fascinated me in that it seems to be the only place in the English language where the words “big dent” could mean anything good. But regardless of the stupidity of language, I intend to knock it out (whoops, another).

You see, my life is suddenly looking a bit more settled.  Scotty is back in California, Amanda has her car and is working everyday, Ben has school, and Steph, although she will have break, will not be home because she travels for lacrosse season with the team.  Okay, all that may not indicate really indicate being “settled,” but at least my environment is clear of most distractions.  Sure, we have a cat and a dog, but both sleep approximately 23.5 hours per day per mammal.  My environment is wide open with opportunity.

So tomorrow I will set sail for wherever it is I will end up, yet the trip will not be void of direction.  I have a lot to consider and a lot I want to accomplish!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

It’s almost here…..the 100th day of school, and at Lapel Elementary they make a big deal of it too, at least in kindergarten.  Ben has talked about it all last semester, and they even have a party on the 100th day!

But the highlight for the 100th day is that all the kindergartners at least bring in posters commemorating 100.  The posters can be of 100 of anything, but the poster is a project not just of the child, but of his or her family as well.  And today’s picture is of our poster, which Ben turned in yesterday.

Of course things like this are right in my wife’s wheelhouse.  She set up shop like Senior of Orange County Choppers.  She designed (with consultation), Ben counted gum balls and even broke part of the prototype before the reveal (leading to a dramatic last second repair that will help with our ratings) and I was the labor and shipping (clearly a minor character).

Scotty and Steph were not here to contribute to the project, but that made me wonder if there were some issue like Junior and Senior are always in on OCC that I just did not know about.  Minor characters are often left in the dark, mere pawns for the stars, and I just get to know things in projects such as these when it is pertinent for me to know.

But the great part is that the poster is turned in, we are DONE (until the next thing), and it really does look great.

So Happy 100th Day Lapel Elementary School……whenever it really happens!   My wife turns everything in early.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+