7 Kids, 2 grandkids, 1 on-the-way, 2 cats, Mom, and Dad

Long weekend or Moving time.

Middle Daughter goes off to college this weekend. Saturday is moving day so part of my weekend will be spent assisting with that activity. I'm so happy that she's going to be starting a new chapter in her life but sad that she'll not be around as much any more.

It is so much fun having 8-year-old boy in the house again. No worries about clothing, hair, or makeup. His life is school, video/computer games, and watching videos on You Tube about amusement park rides and cooking!

Not really Summer or Not really Fall either.

The weather has been so odd lately. It hasn't been sunny and hot like you'd expect in the summer, but it hasn't been fall-like yet either. The kids return to school in six days but weather-wise it might as well been last week instead.

Not like in the olden days when the lazy days of summer stretched into September and made wearing long pants and shoes to school a chore.

Wicked Awesome or Say that again.

I had shoulder surgery last week and was very loopy from the pain medication that they gave to me.

I sent a text to PW and told her that I love her very much and that she has a wicked awesome ass. She came into the room and didn't say anything but then was followed by my daughter who had a bemused expression on her face because I sent the text message to her instead.

Everyone thought it was wicked funny. Me? I was too drugged to do anything but laugh.

What it is like or I'm always wrong?

Dealing with teenagers is an exercise in frustration. They are never wrong and they think you ask them to do stuff specifically to ruin their lives.

If I ask them to do something they always have a reason why they can't do it then but will do it at some nebulous time called 'later'. When I remind them 'later' that they haven't done the task they tell me that it is because I don't trust them that it doesn't get done. When I insist that they get it done 'now' I am 'nagging' them and that's why they don't want to do it. In this case, it isn't even a chore that benefits the family like mowing the lawn or doing laundry. It is simply picking up after themselves.

This all happens while they have the television turned on, typing away in Instant Messenger on their own laptop, and either texting or speaking on their mobile phone. And, they don't see the incongruity in their actions at all.

So...I have an extra laptop and mobile phone in my office pending the completion of chores and an upgrade in attitude because quite simply, I've had enough.

24 years

BW and I would have been married for 24 years today if she hadn't died from lung cancer at the young age of 44.

She was a wonderful person and though our marriage had its ups and downs she made a good life for me and our children.

She also made me the man that would look forward to marriage with the right person when she was gone and I think she had a hand in sending PW my way.

May your rest in peace, Mary...and thanks, for everything.

Before and after or Hydrangeas are in bloom!

My hydrangeas are going to be awesome this year. They've already started to bloom but there are a bunch of blossoms that are just getting their start. I'm hoping that they'll all be open at the same time!

Nostalgia strikes or Three strikes you're out

I was helping son with a reading comprehension book the other day. The book has short, one-page stories followed by a few questions. He's an awesome reader but he tends to read the words without really understanding the story being told by the words.

Anyway, one of the stories we worked on together dealt with baseball. I used to be a huge Philadelphia Phillies fan when I lived in Philadelphia. My mom would put us on the EL (elevated train) and we'd go out to Veteran's Stadium to watch an afternoon, mid-week game. We sat in the bleachers and had a blast. We'd also go on bat day, hat day, raincoat day, etc. and hope to come home with the article signed by our favorite player.

When I was 10 years old we moved to New Hampshire. The Red Sox cured me of my like for baseball. This was back in the days before cable so watching a Phillies game was out of the question. The Red Sox were an American League team (designated hitter?!?! Come on!) and were awful.

I'm starting to feel like I want to watch a game or two. All because of a third-grade reading comprehension story about the tradition of opening day in baseball.

Hazy days or Not so much today.

Last week we had PERFECT weather for our vacation. It was the kind of weather you want when you'll be spending the day on the beach...sunny, hot, and just a slight breeze. It would cool down a little at night so that you could walk the boardwalk in relative comfort.

Today...well, today it is raining and barely 62 degrees! It certainly isn't the type of day that makes you want to go outside and play.

I have some minor shoulder surgery scheduled for next Tuesday so what I'd like is some nice weather so I can mow the lawn.

By the way, my hydrangeas are blooming! I did a lot of pruning last year and I think it is paying off this year because the bushes are leafy and have lots of flowers starting to bloom. The only bad part about that is it means that Fall isn't too far away.

Vacation fun or Surf and sun.

We had an awesome vacation in Wildwood, NJ. The weather was hot, the water temperatures in the mid 70s, and the waves were perfect. We spent about 4 hours a day, at least, body-surfing and boogy-boarding in the warm water.

We went on a speedboat ride that included a dolphin watch, walked the boardwalk, rode amusement park rides, and had a great time with each other.

PW is such a sweet person and we had a great time on vacation with each other. She also looked awesome in her bikinis and don't even get me started on the tan lines! ;)