Our Adventures

Lots and Lots of Snow!

2010-02-06T22:23:00.002-05:00

We have lots of snow and getting more next week! Here's Don clearing a path for the dog.

Scooter

2010-01-12T05:20:00.006-05:00

This is a picture of "Scooter," our son's dog. He lives in Tennessee. He's wearing the snuggie we bought him as a Christmas gift. I thought it was a good idea since the poor little thing seems to stay cold all the time. Maybe it's because he's so little and doesn't have much hair.

Travel Bug

2010-01-02T11:55:00.006-05:00

We haven't really been anywhere in a while. I know I'm starting to get a little anxious about traveling somewhere....anywhere. Don has been away on business recently, but not me. I stayed home. These are two pictures when we went to Florida last. They were taken at Epcot. I can't wait to go back again.

Naughty or Nice?

2009-12-30T21:47:00.007-05:00

I suppose the title of this post is more suited to Christmas instead of New Year's Day. But I've been paying more attention to my behavior and/or reaction to things lately. I recently made more of a commitment to start living for God everyday. This came from a sudden realization that I've been way into my own head and thoughts of late. So I've set out on a mission. My mission involves my mind in a big way.

When my mind starts to wander into territory it shouldn't, and as soon as I realize this is happening, I try to reel it back in (an old fishing technique). I tell myself to "live for God," and automatically start to focus on being present. Sometimes my mind goes to a conversation that hasn't taken place yet, such as, what I'm going to tell someone at work if she does something I don't like. Maybe I'm re-hashing a conversation to include something I should have said in the past. Naughty. Maybe I'm thinking ill of somebody. Naughtier. Hence, the need to think differently.

The last couple of days, I've been a lot less stressed due to this improved way of thinking. Nice. It all boils down to a choice I've made. In living for God, I seek God everywhere. In conversations, interruptions, disagreements, snowflakes, thoughts and even dog hair on my carpet. Nice again.

I do long for the day when I won't have to try to live for God, when I don't have to refocus so often and it all comes naturally. Nice. But will it ever really come? Will I have to fight so hard for it everyday for the rest of my life just because I'm human?

My mission everyday, before ever walking out my front door, includes telling myself to live for God so I don't focus so much on myself. So I remember Him. So I appreciate Him. So I can love and know Him more - so I can be more nice than naughty.

Since making this commitment:

I've changed my attitude towards someone at work with whom I have conflicts. Nice.

I still don't like her. Naughty. But that's okay, she's acting more professional towards me.

I stop what I'm doing more often to help people at work or anywhere else. Nice.

I give my dog even more loves than I used to. Nice.

I pay more attention to my husband's needs. Nice - or maybe that one's naughty ;-) We won't go there.

I changed the background on this blog without any regard to my husband's tastes this time. Naughty, but it feels good.

Seek ye first... Matthew 6:33

BAH! HUMBUG!

2009-11-29T16:17:00.005-05:00

Tis the season to be grumpy and tired! We went out yesterday to get a new Christmas tree and decorations, this after having gone to 5 different stores the night before! We started with breakfast out at 8 am and did not get back home until 6 PM! It wasn't all Christmas shopping we did get Cheryl a bunch of new winter clothes. That part I didn't mind I like shopping for clothes for her.
Needless to say the tree didn't get put up last night.

The saga continued today! Again we went to breakfast at 8 am and came home and started on the tree. It is now 4:30 and we are finally finished! I must admit it did turn out beautiful and then I went an got a blow up Santa that waves and talks. You decide here is the finished products.

Great Concert, But I hate Philly!

2009-11-22T21:56:00.005-05:00

Went to Philadelphia to see the Trans Siberia Orchestra. The concert was great! Getting there was another matter! We had decided to make a day of it in Philly. We did the Duck tour which was nice and then went to the Franklin museum.

Now for those of you that don't live in the east let me explain to you what an incredible screwed up mess Philly is. First if you hesitate for a second at any light or God forbid try to be a a defensive driver you will get honked at. If you are at a four way stop and don't jeopardize your car or your life you will never get across the street!

Then there is parking! We parked in four different places yesterday for a sum of $100! You have no choice, the places we went to were not close enough for walking. I have two new big time blemishes on my car, as out of frustration I tried to park too close to a concrete post, and yes I did have to listen to "I tried to tell you"!

But I digress, we went to a Mexican restaurant before the concert and had a great meal. Then proceeded to get lost in Philadelphia for the next 45 minutes, which included stupidity on my part. I ran a red light into not one, not two, not even three, but six lanes of traffic! Suffice it to say God had his angels watching out for us! Other then idiots driving around us because heaven forbid they may have to wait a few more seconds, and the accompanying horn honking, we made it to the concert unscathed other then nerves!

The concert itself was absolutely worth it. The music, the lights and special effects were all outstanding. It was a typically loud concert, but since my hearing isn't what it used to be it was just fine for me.

Memory Photo

2009-10-31T13:33:00.006-04:00

This is a photo taken about 25 years ago. It's one of my favorites. Although I need to fix the eyes where the camera flashed.

Our blond haired, blue-eyed boy and our dog, Chesai. She was a poodle/terrier mix. She loved being herself. I thought I was smart back then. Looking back, I think she was the wise one.

--Cheryl

John Deere Green

2009-08-29T16:17:00.006-04:00

Believe it or not, for the first time in a couple of months, I finally feel like I have a few minutes to sit down and post. It's been kind of a rough few months for me. I think I'm getting old! It has never taken me this long to get used to a job. But I think I'm almost there. Things have calmed down at work quite a bit. Now I have two full days off a week. For a while there, I was beginning to think I might not have what it takes anymore. It's still and always will be a really busy office, but I now see light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness for Don's encouragement. "You're new. It will get easier," he said. He was right.

I bought Don an I-Phone for his birthday. He wasn't sure about it at first, but loves it now. He took it with him to Minnesota to visit our children and grandchildren. I couldn't go - I was working :-( Anyway, he surprised them all by showing up unannounced. No one knew except for our daughter-in-law, Stephanie. Apparently, she's pretty good at keeping secrets. Many a tear was shed when he arrived, and the grandkids were thrilled.

Our two year old grandson, Michael, had a birthday party. It was a John Deere tractor theme party. Don got lucky and found a few John Deere gifts at a local department store. No one else was quite as fortunate. The cake turned out great thanks to the wonderful effort Stephanie put into it. Way to go Stephanie! You can go to "The Brandt Blog" under our blog list and view her August 24th post to see pictures.

Frodo and I missed Don a lot while he was gone. We're glad he's back now, and we're looking forward to Labor Day weekend. (It's an extra day off! Although, the work only piles up when I'm not there). Still, it's nice to be together.

Busy Busy Busy

2009-07-28T18:21:00.004-04:00

My wife brought to my attention that I have not posted for awhile. It has been very busy since the first of July. I started school the 6th and it has been keeping me busy. It is going well but this is a very basic class. I'm sure it will get harder before it gets easier.
Then I have been working a lot of hours. Why I don't know, because obviously its not been appreciated by anyone outside my work group. We have a new contract that starts the 1st of August and although I have been doing the same job for 30 years, the FAA in their infinite wisdom has decided that since I don't have a 4 year degree I obviously don't know what I am doing. Therefore through the wording of the contract, my new company was forced to decrease my salary by a substantial amount. I am now making what I was making 10 years ago! I am very bummed out about this, but there is not much I can do. The funny thing is I will still be doing the same job that I have been doing! That's our government in action at its finest! Well enough venting. I hope everyone is having a great summer. I need to get back to blogging about Frodo he is a lot more interesting!

The Nine to Five Grind

2009-07-13T19:52:00.003-04:00

I'm going on my second week now. This job is definitely not boring. There is something to do every minute of every day. As a matter of fact, there are so many things to learn, I'm almost afraid for the resigning secretary to leave her position. She's a great trainer, but the job can be overwhelming to learn. I think I'm doing okay though. I'm just having to take a lot of notes. Hey, I'm older now and my memory isn't as good as it once was. But I can't really blame it on that. There would be a lot to learn even for someone a lot younger.

I miss Frodo. I think he misses me in the daytime hours too. He's snuggled at my feet as I write this. He was snoring a few minutes ago. Dog snores are so cute.

I think Don is happy that I'm working again. I sort of like the routine of it all. Although, I do miss all the hours of doing whatever I felt like when I felt like it. Now I have to schedule everything. Even my off time. I have to make a "to do" list just to pay bills or mop the floor. Everything has to be more organized or I won't have enough daylight hours to get it done.

Well, maybe that part will feel better over time. I'm still glad I got hired. I really like the job.

Cute Babies

2009-07-11T11:37:00.003-04:00

Travel and Family

2009-07-09T21:56:00.005-04:00

I've been quite busy with a trip to Tennessee and then a new job. So I sort of neglected my computer for a while. Even my email started growing cobwebs.

Our Tennessee trip was wonderful. We visited with our son, Tim (although he will always be "Timmy" to me), his wife and our grandson. We met our new granddaughter for the first time - even though she is sixteen years old now. That's a whole other story. It was like one of those knocks on the door a man might receive, and when he opens it, a pretty young girl says, "Hi, I'm your daughter." Sort of like that. And oh, there's more. She's pregnant. That will make me a great-grandmother at fifty-two. Joy. God does have a sense of humor, doesn't He? She was nice though, pretty and well-mannered, but did not express much consideration for what lies ahead of her. I don't think she understands. The poor thing. Her childhood will soon be gone.

We had much to eat over the weekend, and being in Nashville, you know it was all SCRUMPTIOUS! Friday night, we had beautiful fireworks and a wonderful finale at my son's home. He barbecued, and the food was the best. Saturday, it poured rain during the city of Nashville's fireworks, and we all got soaked, but what fun! Sadly and prior to fireworks, the news of Tennessee Titan, Steve McNair, hit the streets like wildfire. We were eating at a restaurant/brewery about two blocks from where he was killed when we heard the news. Very sad.

It's always hard to end a vacation with family and say goodbye until next time. I keep thinking of the beautiful home my son built for his family with his own two hands, and I feel very blessed to have such a talented son. It makes me so happy to know he takes such good care of his family.

Frodo made the trip just fine. Although, I think he likes hotel rooms better than the car. He's such a good travel dog.

I started a new job this past Monday. It's the reason I haven't been on the computer much. I'm not used to working. I think it has taken me most the week just to get used to rising earlier in the morning. I'm a secretary for a group of psychologists at a local hospital/rehabilitation center. Very interesting work. Very busy office. At least the days will go by fast.

Dog Walk?

2009-06-29T09:20:00.008-04:00

I found this picture on the internet. If my leg were broken, I'd hire someone to walk the dog. I'd be too embarrassed to do it like this picture. Besides, I wouldn't want to risk running over the dog with the car. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

A Merry Trip to Maryland

2009-06-26T15:24:00.004-04:00

We packed up our suitcases, grabbed the dog and jumped into our SUV for a trip to Maryland over this past weekend. Spending Friday night in Herndon, VA was exciting for Frodo, our beagle. He loves hotel rooms so long as we physically stay in the room with him. Otherwise, he makes lots of noise unless in his crate. We spent the night there so we could pick up our son, daughter-in-law and grandson, Michael, very early the next morning from Dulles airport.

We drove to Maryland where we stayed the next two nights in a wonderful cottage right on the Patuxent River. The weather was beautiful even when a ferocious, but wonderful storm passed through. It was all so refreshing spiritually and mentally.

I have to say Don out-fished his son. It was, after all, Father's Day. The fish were all cleaned for us by the gracious owners of the cottage. How wonderful! We packed the fish on ice and took it home. It's in our freezer waiting to be devoured. The best part of the trip (besides seeing family) was sleeping next to open windows. The breeze from the river served as the best fan ever, and the waves lapping against the rocks lulled me to sleep.

It was the first time Don and I went crab-picking. It's certainly not like ordering them in a restaurant. There's a lot of work to eating a crab! By the time I was done, I don't know how many I ate, but they sure tasted good.

After about 10 or 15 minutes into traveling back home, we received a phone call to check our luggage. Apparently, Don had packed the diaper bag in with our suitcase, fish and doggie bowls. A diaper bag is certainly not something we will be using, but they needed it in a great way. So we returned it to them, and it was a good thing too because we noticed we had forgotten Frodo's bear. Oh my! We couldn't leave that behind. It's a toy black bear that used to be stuffed with cotton. Frodo sleeps with it every night. Before going to bed, he fetches it from wherever it is and brings it to bed with him. It's adorable. But we would have had to buy him another one if we left it.

Life is back to normal now, and Don is out walking the dog. It's good to be alive and able to enjoy the life God has given us - even, or especially, all the small things.

Old Dogs

2009-06-16T10:37:00.003-04:00

Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? I've decided to go back to school and get my BS degree in Computer Science. I will be doing it through on-line studies at DeVry. I have been boning up on my math, since I have to take a math, reading and essay placement test. It is truly amazing how much your brain can retain. I have not taken any math courses since high school and it amazed me how much I have retained! Knock on wood! I am hoping that with credit for classes I took while in the air force It will only take about a year and a half to get my degree. I am looking forward to as well as dreading this. Its been a long time since I have had to regiment myself to a study schedule.

On a happier note, I am looking forward to this weekend as we will be spending it with my son and his family from Vegas. They are going to Maryland and we will be meeting them there for some fishing, crabing and all around good eating (within weight watchers constraints, naturally). I am looking forward to seeing my grandson, who will be two in August. That trip will be followed up in two weeks with a trip to Tennessee. So look for new adventures for Frodo and family in the near future.

It's My Birthday!!!

2009-06-10T09:49:00.007-04:00

Hello. My name is Frodo. I'm a pure bred beagle and TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! Usually I don't write on this blog, but today is a special day. You see, I'm five years old today. What makes it more special is that I was rescued from a hunter in Tennessee when I was just a puppy. I don't think I remember it though. I came from a litter of eight to ten other puppies. All of them males.

What makes this day every year (and actually, every day of the year) so special is knowing that I survived. Out of all those cute little puppies, I was the only one who lived. My present Mommy and Daddy got me out of that hunter's care just in time. Right after I arrived in New Jersey, parvo, a deadly disease, struck the young pups. The hunter tried to "doctor" the sick puppies, but each one of them died a horrible death. When my vet technician was asked about it, he said that there was no sense in it. Had they been taken care of correctly and seen by a veterinarian from birth, they would have lived. So you see, I am very fortunate and blessed.

I love where I am living now, and I live life to the fullest. I love long walks in the park, wading through water, smelling flowers, playing "belly belly" with Daddy, snuggling on cool evenings and sunning on the deck. What a life!

I do encourage people, though, to rescue a dog if you can open your home and your heart to others like me. We all appreciate it and need someone to love and love us back.

I'm posting a few pictures of me. I know pictures of me have been posted before, so I'll just post a few. One of my favorites is the picture of me on a boat. I call it, "King of the World." Well, I'm off. Gotta live that life I was telling you about. There's just not enough time to curl up and sleep on the bed!

Hiking

2009-06-03T16:02:00.018-04:00

We went to Bushkill Falls in PA this weekend. They call it the Niagra of PA. Having seen Niagra Falls it's not close in comparison. Having said that it was still worth the trip! They have a number of trails that you can walk and most are on wood with rails similar to a deck. They do have some very steep stairs though.
We decided to take the longest trail first while we still had our energy. We got to the end of the wood walkway and there was a warning that the remainder of the trail was for hikers only. We said what the heck, we have lost weight, how hard can it be! Famous last words. For the most part it was a gentle up hill walk over boulders and tree roots next to the stream that helped to create the falls, but then it got serious. There was a section of the hill that was very steep, we made it with a few stops.

We had our beagle with us and he had a ball. The hill didn't even phase him. After that hill, it got a little flat again and then came the stairs! It was almost like climbing a ladder in spots! Again we made it with numerous rest stops. We made it all the way around and enjoyed the views and scenery. We even continued on some of the other trails. Doggy loved walking by the stream and went wading every chance he got.

We hiked around for 3 hours. The amazing part is 2 months ago before we started our diets we would never have made it. It's amazing what losing 20 pounds can do for you.

On the way home, doggy slept like a rock. We never heard one peep from him. He came home, ate and slept the rest of the night.

Longwood Gardens

2009-05-28T14:38:00.033-04:00

Don and I visited Longwood Gardens this past Memorial Day and celebrated our twenty-third wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful day to go and not too hot. Many flowers were blooming, and the trees and shrubs were a bold green and trimmed with special care. We took some pictures with the new camera. I'll put some up here. I had a little trouble lining them up on this page. Got flustered, so I left some pictures out, but these are enough...

Anniversary

2009-05-22T13:29:00.003-04:00

We won't be at home Sunday for me to post this so I thought that I would take this opportunity to tell the world how happy and thankful to God I am for my wife! We will have been married 23 years this Sunday. It has not always been happy years, but then again thats part of life. We have had our share of sorrows, both my parents, her mom and last but by far not least our first dog that we had for 18 years (only pet lovers will understand that one). We have also had our share of joys, the birth of our first grandson (my step-grandson but I hope that I don't show any favoritism) and three grand kids from my sons. We love them all and wish we could spend more time with them, but the distances that come with life doesn't always make that possible (Thank God for skype).

But having said all that the remainder of this blog will be extolling the virtures of my wife. She is a beautiful woman with a gentle spirit. She may not always do the things that I would like her to, but 9 out of 10 times she is right and I know it when I stop and think about it. She is a great cook, which probably explains why we are both on the weight watcher diet right now. I know that I spend way too much time on the computer, but she puts up with it and doesn't complain too much. She loves to write, and I think she is very good at it. I hope she keeps plugging away at it and someday that book with come. We do everything together as our interests are very simular. For a long time we even worked at the same job together. Most peole could not understand how we could do that, but when you are best friends and well as life mates it makes it very easy.

She is always there when I am sick or down in the dumps about something. She listens to me complain and rant and then calmly tells me everything will be alright, and she's right! With her by my side everything is right!

We watched the video of our wedding the other night and I was amazed at how young we were and how beautiful she was then and still is. I know I don't always say it enough, but I want you to know Cheryl I have and will always love you! Happy Anniverary!

Total Randomness

2009-05-22T10:47:00.015-04:00

I am a firm believer in blogs having a theme. "Our Adventures" is supposed to be about all the activities and events that happen in the lives of my husband and me. But sometimes that is difficult. Sometimes we don't do very much that justifies putting in a blog. But then sometimes, simple things like relishing the heat of the sun on my face or watching my dog's reaction to a deer feeding at the side of our yard or the fulfillment of gardening or completed housework all might just be worth an entry into the blog. Mundane, routine things we often take for granted.

So I decided to post some pictures I took while trying to figure out my camera. I'm having trouble adjusting the focus because I wear bifocals, and there's so much to the camera I don't understand. But I'll never get it right if I don't start "pointing and clicking." So here goes...

This is the deer Frodo spied. Don puts down corn for the squirrels, but the deer love it. This one is a bit blurry.

Frodo looking at the deer through the front porch vinyl posts

One of my hibiscus flowers

I don't know what these are? Do you?

The tag from this plant says it's a Carolyn Whorton "Caladium."

Our four year old baby

These easy wave petunias are just starting out. They're a deep purple, really, but the picture turned out kind of blue. Weird.

Sunscape Daisy Seaside
"Osteospermum ecklonis" --
Like I'd know that without the tag!

A cool laminate floor is just the ticket after sunning on the deck!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Dogs Who Don't Swim

2009-05-14T10:03:00.007-04:00

"Do you want to go for a walk?" That's the usual question we ask our dog, Frodo, when it's time to get the leash. He then runs a straight shot to the door, tail wagging all the way. The little guy doesn't ask for much - food, water, a little attention now and then, and of course, daily walks. Yesterday was beautiful outside, so we decided to visit our quaint city park for a few laps around the small pond.

Frodo will stop and smell a blooming flower on occasion. He always looks so cute when he does that. Most of the time though he keeps his nose to the ground. I suppose there are more smells there to capture a beagle's sensitive olfactory system.

We try to encourage him to swim in the pond on warm sunny days. You see, our beagle doesn't much appreciate any form of water unless it's in a bowl or puddle. He once jumped into the Tennessee River and swam when trying to get to Don, so I know he can (but that's another story, and I can't say he liked it). We didn't have to lead him to the water and coax him yesterday. Don and I were walking a steady pace on the paved path when Frodo darted down the hill toward the pond. Don held the leash and followed him. We were both excited to see Frodo step into the water since he rarely does on his own. He walked in up to his belly inciting even more excitement in us. He continued a little further, and our hopes grew even more.

And then it happened - whatever "it" was. Don thinks there may have been slippery moss causing Frodo to lose his footing. In an instant, Frodo took a nose dive into the water. Just his head got covered with one quick motion, but that was enough for him to back out of the water. Well, shucks, we thought he was going all the way this time. It was nice to see him run through the edge of the water though after his little mishap. I think he enjoyed himself even though it scared him.

He can swim. Not all dogs can, but he simply chooses not to so far. Maybe with a little time and some more encouragement. It will be a happy day when he goes into the water on his own to conquer his fear. Hopefully, it will be sometime this summer.

Il Divo

2009-05-09T21:38:00.006-04:00

Cheryl and I went to Fairfax, VA yesterday for an Il Divo concert. If you do not know who they are, you can find them on you tube. The show was great! I would go again, but would try for different seats. We were high up and off to a side. But it was still worth the trip.

The most impressive part was that Cheryl and I stayed with in our points for weight watchers! In the past we would have just forgotten the diet for the day and pigged out. But we are both very serious about this and we stuck with it. I'm very proud of her and I don't want to be the one that gets us off the straight and narrow path!

Now back to the show. They performed most of the songs from their newest CD The Promise. I have that CD and love all the songs on it. Their version of Amazing Grace and Mama bring tears to my eyes everytime. They performed for 2 hours and 2 costume changes (Tux). The show was at the basketball facility at George Mason University. The campus and facility was pretty impressive. Click here to watch "Mama." Watch it with your mother or on Mothers Day, if you aren't in tears then you have a very hard heart!

We spent the night at a hotel and got up this morning to drive home. It was about a 4 hour ride, and being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to mow the yard just after we got back. Needless to say I am beat tonight.

Walking at the Gym

2009-05-05T17:10:00.006-04:00

"I am pushing sixty. That is enough exercise for me." ~Mark Twain

Don and I went to the gym today. It had been a very long time since we went together - or at all for that matter. We walked on treadmills for 30 minutes. Well, I walked. Don walked and ran. Maybe this will be the start of something good. However, I do feel like Mark Twain.

A Spring Day at the Zoo

2009-05-01T21:07:00.012-04:00

We had a wonderful time at the Cape May County Zoo this past Monday. Don decided to take a day off, and the weather was so sunny and nice. We couldn't just stay indoors.

The ride to the zoo was exceptional too. Driving over the bridge toward Ocean City was breathtaking. A big, beautiful blue sky smiled down on us while the bay glistened from the sun. What topped the whole thing off was riding next to Don. We always have fun together. Not bad after almost twenty three years together.

We even stuck with our diet while we were there. Oops, I shouldn't say the "D" word since we're not really "dieting." It's a lifestyle change. Everyone likes it though except the dog. He doesn't get many table scraps these days. At least I stayed away from the shaved lemon ice - my favorite every time I visit a zoo!

I took pictures with our new camera only to find out I needed a better zoom lens. Our Kodak store at the mall is going out of business, so I was able to buy one there at a good discount.

These turtles were cute. If you can see the baby, it's really cute too. I was zoomed in as much as possible with what I had to work with. The baby turtle is at the end of the vertical row at the bottom. Looks sort of like a rock. I don't know if you can click on the picture to make it bigger if you want to see it. (Edit: I have since found out you can). The first picture is Don about to walk through the entrance to the part of the zoo where the buffalo, giraffe, zebra, etc. congregate.

This was the best I could zoom in on the giraffes. Got the bigger, better lens now though. Can't wait to use it. Zoom, zoom, zoom!

Where Does It All Come From?

2009-04-25T20:10:00.007-04:00

I probably should state that I'm embarrassed to post this picture, but I'm not. This is what happens after almost twenty three years of marriage. So no, I'm not ashamed, just scratching my head a bit over how we seemingly morphed into pack rats over the years.

It's a picture of our (still needs painted) garage. I can say that until today Don was parking his car in there. We decided to gather all our junk from the garage and inside the house, pile it inside the garage and wait for the 1800gotjunk people to pick it up in May. This is only part of it. We still have a few things like a BBQ, a small fire pit and other house items I'm sure we'll find before pick up day. It took us five hours to get all this together. At least we got our exercise in for today!

Happiness is knowing it will all be gone very soon, thus, refreshing our house, our minds and our spirits.

HAPPY EASTER

2009-04-12T07:33:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter everyone. I hope that everyone has a beautiful day of celebration. It is a day of double celebration for Cheryl and I, it's her birthday today! I can't tell you how old she is , because I want to live to see next Easter! She is still a beautiful woman to me and like a good wine gets better with age!

I love this time of year. It's a time of renewal and hope. All the flowers and trees start to bloom and the weather usually starts to warm. It's as if nature reminds us every year of the the "Gift" that was given to us 2000 years ago. A chance to renew our lives through, Jesus, who gave the ultimate Gift to us, a chance to renew our lives. During all the celebrations please try to remember the true reason of the day, not just the eggs and candy!

Island Adventures

2009-03-24T14:58:00.006-04:00

Okay, so we look like a couple of tourists. This was just one of the many pictures that we took or had taken. The location is Sandals Halcyon in St. Lucia. It is the smallest of the three locations on the island, but we loved it. There wasn't the hustle and bustle of the larger resorts. It was so laid back, we struggled to stay awake. The beach area was small, but it suited us just fine. The employees were outstanding and went out of there way to make the stay a wonderful experience.

The trip to St. Lucia started with a limo trip from our home to the Philly airport. It was nice to be pampered for a while. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare for this travel savvy couple--right up until the time I read the wrong gate number! We walked all the way across the airport from terminal A to terminal E. We sat there until it was suppose to be boarding time. That's when Cheryl looked at the boarding pass again and discovered that we were suppose to be at terminal A where we started. Have you ever run a mile to catch a plane when you had arrived two hours early? When we arrived at the real gate, red faced and sweating profusely, we were the last to board just before they shut the door! Did I mention that we had upgraded to first class so that we could board first! Needless to say Cheryl was not a happy camper!

After that ordeal the remainder of the trip was fairly calm, that is, until the "bus ride" to the resort. Turns out the resort is 1 1/2 hours from the airport. The "bus" turned out to be a 10 passenger van that seats 8 comfortably, unfortunately, there were ten of us plus luggage! St. Lucia used to be a British island I think, but at any rate, they drive on the wrong side of the road (if you are from the U.S.). Actually they spent as much time on the right side of the road. It seems that you can pass anywhere at any time as long as the other car decides to slow down for you.

I said all that just to say this: we found out that for a small price (comparably) you can take a helicopter that only takes 20 minutes and leaves your nerves intact! It was an awesome flight over the middle of the island.

The trip home was uneventful. Our limo was waiting for us, and we got home at about 2 AM. Needless to say, our beagle was extremely happy to see us! For more pictures of our trip, go to the link that says "Our Photo Site" in the right column of this blog.

Time for Frodo

2009-03-11T21:30:00.005-04:00

As I write this, my dog, Frodo, is laying on the floor snoring while twitching his cute little paws. I don't know what he's dreaming about, but I hope he's somewhere like a green grassy meadow beside a babbling brook with lots of colorful butterflies to chase (or perhaps in his case, a rabbit or two).

Frodo's favorite spot is the back of the chair in our living room where he can look out the window when he wakes from periodic napping. I gave him a pillow for this picture - he's not spoiled.

He and Don took a walk today around the wooded area off our street. He came back with his tongue hanging out and looking for water (I'm talking about Frodo, not Don, but they do look and act alike sometimes - family resemblances).

In a couple of weeks, Frodo will go on a diet and exercise program with both of us. I'd like to get a mountain bike, but I'm not sure if I can take him with me while I'm riding through the woods. Also, Don and I want to start going to the gym again. It's going to be hard to do the kind of exercise Don and I want to do while getting exercise in for Frodo too. We'll have to figure that out.

Snow Day

2009-03-02T13:11:00.005-05:00

Don got to stay home from work today. We've got about ten inches or so of white powdery snow on the ground. Frodo has the back yard to play in and do his business, but it looked like he really wanted out in the front yard. Somehow, the snow appeared to be deeper there. Don put him on his long leash, and Frodo commenced frolicking and hopping since the snow measured past his legs and part-way up his belly. Now there are snow trails through the yard, but Frodo had lots of fun, and we had fun watching him. Wish we would have captured it on camera.

Don removed the icicles from the house too. Especially the ones above the doggy door. Those could really hurt somebody, and we wouldn't want anything like that to happen to our happy-go-lucky doggy either.

Don took the car to the store this morning. The driveway wasn't visible for all the snow. We think he may have taken out some of our lights that line the driveway. I guess we won't be able to tell until the snow is melted. Oh, I told on him, didn't I? Oh well, delivery people can't seem to stay away from them either even when they are quite visible. We have to replace them a lot.

The snow is enjoyable today. I heard on the news that snow dumped upon many places even in the southern states. March - in like a lion and, hopefully, out like a lamb.

2009-02-18T11:38:00.003-05:00

This is what happens when you let your wife take a vacation on her own! The first cute face that comes along and she is snuggling up to him!

2009-02-17T05:54:00.003-05:00

Well, I am a bachelor for the next few days. Cheryl is at Disney in Florida for the next few days :(. The dog and I didn't know what to do with ourselves all day yesterday, so I watched Band of Brothers. If you haven't seen this series it is very good. It amazes me that any of them came back alive. After watching that and finding out that there was nothing worth watching on TV, Frodo and I went to bed at 6 PM! I never go to bed that early, but I slept through to 4 AM. I must have needed the sleep.

Frodo and I did take a walk yesterday, but we didn't go very far. It was a lot colder then I expected. We only walked about a mile and a half and my hands and face were half frozen. Frodo enjoys even the small walks. He just likes to get out and smell all the scents that his nose picks up.

I'm back at work now after the three day weekend, so hopefully it will make the time go by faster until Cheryl gets home!

Compassion

2009-02-09T20:32:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited! I received my Compassion International sponsorship package in the mail today. I've sponsored a child before who grew up with Compassion and eventually became employed. So now I have a new child. His name is Lalon, 8 years old from Bangladesh.

As a Compassion sponsor I will help enable Lalon to participate in church-based programs that offer benefits including help with learning development, health care, social-skills development and Christian training. Bangladesh is 83% Muslim, 16% Hindu and less than 1% Christian. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floors, dirt walls and thatch roofs. Half the adults are unemployed, but the ones who work as day laborers earn the equivalent of $22 per month. So as you can see, people are in need there as in a lot of places.

It gives me joy to know that Lalon will now be provided with Bible teaching, supplements, medical checkups, hygiene education, recreational activities, special celebrations, tuition, academic support, school uniforms and school supplies.

I got this information from the packet Compassion sent me. According to Compassion less than 20 percent of donations are spent for fund raising and administration. They have received top ratings from the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator.

Don sponsors a child also. We first learned about it when we went to a Vince Gill and Amy Grant concert a while back. She explained the process to the audience, and after some investigation, Don and I were hooked. I'll be writing Lalon a letter tomorrow and including a picture of myself along with a page from a coloring book. After all, he is only eight years old.

For anyone interested, Compassion's phone number is 800-336-7676. Click here for their website.

Return of the Beagle walk

2009-02-02T19:36:00.005-05:00

Sunday was a beautiful day here, so the dog and I went for a long walk. We stayed close to home, but still managed to walk 4 miles. It has been very cold, at least for here and there were many frozen puddles along our trail. Frodo stepped on one and it cracked with a very loud noise. It scared him and from that point on he avoid all ice. We did see one deer on the trail, it didn't seem too concerned about us and just stood and watched us until we were out of site. It had been a long time since we walked that far and by the end of the walk Frodo was completely exhausted and slept for the rest of the day. We are suppose to get more snow tomorrow so I guess it may be a while before we walk again. I love watching him when he gets on a scent. His nose begins to twitch and he makes a snorting sound, It kind of sounds like a pig when its eating.

Now for a little different topic. We broke down and purchased a Wii along with the Wii Fit. We haven't used the Fit yet, but are looking forward to it. We have played the Wii Sports and Cheryl has kicked my tail. Guess I need to practice more. I know one thing it sure let me know how out of shape I am. I was winded and sweating like I'd been in a real boxing match when I went three rounds with the computer. Hopefully it will help to get us back into some sort of shape other then round!

Poker Pros

2009-01-27T02:51:00.005-05:00

Two weeks of the poker tournament are now over for Don and me. The tournament is still going on, but tonight was the last night for us to deal cards. We were both in the main event tonight. Players started out with $50,000 in chips.

Kathy Liebert was playing at the first table where I dealt. For those who don't follow much poker, she's a professional poker player who I see on television a lot. She does quite well at it too. I really enjoyed dealing to her. She was very polite and quite social. Don dealt to her after I did. I've included a picture of her here that I found on the internet.

It's kind of sad that the tournament is over now, but I'm glad for the break. I think they have another one in June, but I'm not sure. Frodo will be grateful it's over. He'll be getting in his walks a lot more often now. We went the other day to the park, and the pond was covered with ice. It was pretty that way.

Feel Like Hibernating

2009-01-18T01:00:00.006-05:00

"Our Adventures" is the name of our blog, but lately, it's just been too cold to be adventurous! Even Frodo hasn't been taking his regular walks. I know he wants to go out, but I'm not that fond of the cold weather. Maybe I should get him a treadmill! I've seen some dogs exercising on them on television. It wouldn't be the same though, and he would probably hate me for it.

Don and I have been dealing poker at the Borgata during their tournament. It's a lot less stressful for both of us this time. We are actually having fun with it. I wouldn't mind doing it more often. I especially like the fact that we are doing it together. We drive to work in one car and eat dinner there together. I think we are the only couple dealing cards there (at the tournament, that is).

During these cold days with poker in the evenings, I've been wearing pajamas during the day until I get ready for work. They're really nice and comfy along with the slippers my daughter-in-law, Stephanie, got me for Christmas. Non-skid too, I like that on my laminate floors.

2009-01-11T17:54:00.005-05:00

It's that time again. We are getting ready to deal poker at the Borgata Winter open. This is our second time dealing. I feel a lot more confident this time. It's amazing how much pressure there is. You would think it's just a game, but I have always done well at anything that I have tried and want to do well here too. My wife is a natural at it. Her big problem is counting the chips when they get to be big stacks, hence the picture of the chips and our practice at home.

We have been down at the Borgata all last week practicing and I hope that all the extra work will pay off. Our goal is when we get to "officially" retire that we can move some place that has poker and deal part time while we enjoy our retirement. We really would rather be playing the game, however that takes money!

The worst part of all of it is that our baby (Frodo the Beagle) will be home alone a lot. He handles it pretty well, but is sure glad to see us when we get home!

America the Beautiful

2009-01-03T17:38:00.013-05:00

Well, we finally did it. After all these years of talking about it, we finally bought a parks pass. We ordered it today online at http://store.usgs.gov/pass.

And for your viewing pleasure, that's where I swiped the picture for this blog. Hopefully, they won't mind though. Maybe it's good advertisement. Anyway, the cost of the pass is $80 annually. It's good for fees at sites managed by USDA FS, NPS, USFWS, BLM and Reclamation. I only know what some of these stand for, but I do know that we can now go to any federal park and bypass the entrance fee. Yay! I guess that means we're going to go to a lot more parks this year.

We went to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge just this morning. We will probably be going there a lot actually. It's close and Frodo loves to walk there. There are all kinds of trails to follow. Short ones and long ones. It wasn't too cold this morning, but there was ice on the water anyway. We saw a few ducks and one crane. There were a lot of people taking pictures. Don thought they might be members of the Audubon Society.

The Season's Ballet

2008-12-21T13:23:00.023-05:00

Don surprised me by buying tickets to George Ballanchine's The Nutcracker. I'd never been to see it, but Don had been once before a long time ago. The Pennsylvania Ballet performs at the Academy of Music in downtown Philadelphia.

It usually takes between forty-five minutes to an hour to get to Philly from where we live. Notice I wrote "usually." We were going to stop on the way and eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Don Pablo's. It is located in the Deptford mall, and neither of us took the time of year into consideration. We were half an hour just trying to get off the expressway onto the exit ramp when just two miles out. Then because we had decided to go the GPS way instead of the way we knew, we got turned around in traffic (lots of traffic) until we decided to eat on the way back instead. There sure are a lot of Christmas shoppers in this down economy! Luckily, we finished most of our shopping in October.

We got there in plenty of time to have a snack at a grill across the street from the Academy. Parking cost $18! Somebody besides me is making a lot of money for concrete and painted lines. Thank goodness everything was really close to where we parked though because it was really cold.

A few things were new to me since I'd never been to a ballet. I loved the bells signaling everyone to be seated. The theater was beautiful with red and gold decor. We were seated by the door which made it nice. I don't think there was a bad seat in the house unless it was behind a beam, but I noticed no one bought tickets there. Also I noticed that someone might miss a lot of the performance if not returned to their seat in time. You are not allowed back into the theater if the performance is ongoing. I'm glad that didn't happen to me.

I'm sure most everyone knows the story of The Nutcracker, but here's a short synopsis from the playbill:

"...begins on Christmas Eve, as the Stahlbaum family and their guests gather in the parlor for a jubilant holiday celebration. The eccentric Herr Drosselmeyer arrives and enthralls the children with his antics. He presents Marie with a beautiful wooden Nutcracker doll, which breaks in a scuffle with her brother. After the party winds down and the house is silent, Drosselmeyer mends the doll and the magic begins. The grand tree begins to grow beyond the proscenium, the snow begins to fall, and Marie and her Nutcracker Prince are carried away to the Land of the Sweets where delectable dances are performed for the pair. The Dew Drop Fairy, Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, Candy Canes the Marzipan Sheperdesses, Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles, the Waltz of the Flowers, and the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier entertain Marie and her Prince. After all the dances in the Land of the Sweets have concluded, they sail off into the sunset on a gilded boat as Tschaikovsky's memorable music reaches its rousing finish."

Don kept mentioning how he would love to take the girls (Emily and Bri) to see a performance one day. We both enjoyed ourselves. I had a lovely time. I really want to go back now and see some other performances.

Skipping Christmas

2008-12-12T23:40:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since one of us last posted. I'll take the initiative to do it now. There's a really good reason though why we haven't. I don't want to call us boring for the last few weeks, but.......what can I say?

It's December, and we should be actively seeking December things to do. But really, it's not in us this year. Sometimes we skip Christmas. This happens to be one of those years. We are already looking forward to going all out next year at Christmas. Isn't that funny? We've talked about putting up a bunch of outside lights - next year. We've made plans to have a cozy Christmas just the two of us - next year. We're planning to buy a new Christmas tree - next year. We just don't feel like it this year. This sort of thing happens to us about once every four years or so. Don't worry, it's our natural state. We're strange that way.

We haven't really been bored during the last few weeks. There has just been a lot going on like paperwork that needed to be finished, car wrecks and other stuff one doesn't usually discuss. But oh, did I say car wreck? Yep, Don had an accident. He's okay and didn't have to go to the hospital or see a doctor. He even walked home from the accident. (Frodo and I walked to meet him.) Thank God all is well with that. The car can be fixed too.

When all else fails, talk about the weather, right? Well, the weather shouldn't be keeping us from walking Frodo, but apparently, it's been a good excuse. We haven't been for a good walk in a while now. Poor doggy! It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow. You can bet we will have him out on a leash then.

Wedding Bells

2008-11-24T21:21:00.021-05:00

I've been meaning to write about our trip to Tennessee for about a week now. Better late than never I guess. The main reason we went was to attend my brother's wedding in Nashville. Don and I kid that we're getting too old for these 16 to 18 hour trips. As Don would say, "Whose kidding?" To pass the time while driving, we thought it appropriate to listen to The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks on CD.

All was well until the night before the wedding. Then came the inevitable family squabbling. A certain part of my family is now not talking to another part of my family and did not attend the wedding because of mean-spirited words. (And they were very mean words that serve no purpose in repeating). It's hard being in the middle trying to make it so everyone gets along. I do have to say though that I chose a side right away. It's not on the side of those mean words either. None of it had to do with the bride and groom. So all went according to plan, thank goodness.

Enough with family quibbling. The night before the wedding, we had dinner with John, Laura and close friends and relatives at the Caney Fork Fish Camp. It was a country restaurant with a live bluegrass band. Yes, they have a red truck in the wall. Afterward, we took a ghost tour of downtown Nashville. It was a dark and stormy night.....well actually, it kind of was. It was raining, and we took the tour around 10 PM. Don and I think we'll go back to some of the places by ourselves sometime instead of a group.

The wedding took place the next day in a cute little chapel sort of on the side of the interstate. Laura's (the bride) dress was beautiful. And the groom, John, looked quite handsome (even though he's my brother). After the wedding and outside the chapel, we heard the chapel's bells. Beautiful. We also heard honking from the cars on the interstate. Cute. After John and Laura drove off to honeymoon bliss (airport and then a carribean cruise), Don and I, my family and friends went to a Mexican restaurant. Our favorite is Mexican. We said our goodbyes there, and had to retire to the motel for an early wakeup call.

The trip back was just as long as the trip there! Funny how that happens. Only this time we listened to Marley and Me. It's the only time I've ever been able to get Don to listen, read, or watch a dog story. We both knew it was going to be sad, but we didn't know just how sad. It was a two tissuer! I think we both loved on Frodo a lot more after that.

Walking in Tennessee

2008-11-20T12:54:00.007-05:00

I noticed its been a while since I last updated here. We took a trip to Tennessee last week for a wedding. Naturally we took our child (Frodo) with us. He travels really well. He sleeps in his bed in the back seat until he feels the car slowing down, then he gets up to see where we are. He also loves to crawl up onto the lap of whoever is in the passenger seat and sleeps like a little baby. He is so sweet when he does this but after a while he gets very heavy and we have to fight to get him back into his bed. He tries everything he can to stay, he wraps his front paws around your neck in a doggy hug and it makes you feel bad about putting him in the back.

While in Tennessee we were able to take a couple of walks. There is a paved trail that follows along a river. It's really a nice walk. The first day we had to hurry because it was getting late so we only walked 3 miles. The next day we walked the full length of the trail, a total of 6 miles. We were both dragging after that one. One section of the trail was a wooden deck that extended over the edge of the river it was very scenic. We met a few other dogs while walking, I think Frodo took lessons from my son's St Bernard, when we walk he has a tendency to drool very badly.

We met one dog, a black lab, that Frodo had to greet, in the process he proceeded to wipe his slobber all over the dog's nose! I was so embarrassed! Here was this beautiful black lab, with a nice shiny glop of drool streaked across his nose! Such are the adventures of walking a beagle!

Long Walks

2008-11-05T06:28:00.002-05:00

Wow what a weekend of walking! On Saturday we did the trails around the house. I wanted to walk further but Frodo had other ideas! We still managed to walk 4.25 miles. It was a great walk the weather was perfect for it. He is so funny, he knows all the trails and he knows all the short cuts. He kept trying to take all the short cuts and I just kept walking where I wanted, but I could tell he was not a happy beagle. When we get home from these walks he gets his drink and then disappears to his favorite sleeping spot and is dead to the world for the next few hours.

On Sunday we went to a new place, its a wildlife refuge about 5 miles from the house. They had a trail there call Songbird trail and it was 4.75 miles long. With the little side trails that we did I figured we walked at least 5 miles. It was a great walk, with some rolling hills and lots of birds. We also saw 4 deer. Three of them were together right in the middle of the trail. We stood and just watched each other for about 2 minutes before they went back into the woods. Its always fun on new trails because his beagle nose is going about a mile a minute smelling all the new smells. Its amazing how strong he is for a small dog. He catches a scent and practically drags me along until the scent runs out. I also thought I saw a bobcat, not sure, but if it wasn't it was sure a big cat! I didn't stay to find out one way or another! I will probably go back there again because it was such a nice walk. They even had benches spaced out about a half mile apart in case you need a rest. The only bad thing was I picked 5 or 6 baby ticks off my clothes when I got home. I guess they fell out of trees onto me because I never left the trail to go into the brush. I guess I need to use some of the dog's flea and tick repellent!

It's Party Time!

2008-11-01T09:27:00.006-04:00

Don and I went to the Tech Center's gala on Thursday. It celebrated fifty years of hard work and honored the past while looking forward to the future. The Trump Marina ballroom was a good venue. Personally, I enjoyed seeing all the different gowns women wore. There were many different and unique dresses in attendance. We decided not to buy anything new for the event, but Don looked especially handsome in his suit and tie.

Congressman Frank LoBiondo along with a few past tech center directors attended (the present one too). I chose to eat salmon and Don ate chicken. All the food was very good. The band played well, but I'm not sure where they got the singer. They could have made a better chose there. Nevertheless, they were able to keep the dance floor busy. We had a lot of fun.

Don and Frodo went for a four mile walk today before I ever got out of bed. I have to make a better committment towards walking with them. Don heard gunfire while they were on the trail. Apparently, it's deer season. It freaked me out a little, but Don said they were safe as long as they stayed on the trail they were on. He said there were signs posted along the way not to shoot toward the direction of the houses. Yikes! I told him to make sure he didn't venture off the trail. Actually, maybe during hunting season, we should stick to the parks instead of trails in the woods!

We went to Ft. Dix/McGuire AFB yesterday. We usually go only about once per year. Don bought some new clothes and luggage. And I got a new overnight case. It takes about an hour to drive there. We took a different route this time with the help of Garmin. It was better than our usual ride, I think. It was more scenic anyway.

After Don's and Frodo's walk, Don and I went to breakfast together at a favorite Irish cafe. I think it's going to be a lazy Saturday.

Fall hum drums

2008-10-27T14:19:00.002-04:00

The fall/almost winter hum drums have set in. I haven't been walking the dog as much or as far and I think we are both suffering for it. I did take him for about a 2 - 3 mile walk Saturday and we just made it home before the down pour. Frodo does not like walking in the rain! The first few drops and he is shaking himself and wanting to head for home. I feel really bad for him, he is going through a really bad allergy spell. He keeps scratching his nose by rubbing it on the carpet or using his paws. He loves me to scratch just under his mouth with one hand and on top of his snout with the other. I give him a benedryl when it gets to bad just so he can get some sleep, not to mention me getting some sleep.

I know there are not many people following the baseball world series this year, but living this close to Philly, I have gotten caught up in the excitement. I can't believe I stayed up until 2am Sunday to watch the game. Frodo was the only smart one, he went to bed and had a good nights sleep!

Walking Near the Rich and Famous

2008-10-13T19:17:00.011-04:00

We took a road trip this weekend to walk the dog and see some new sights. We drove to Rhode Island, Newport to be exact. Actually we went to Raynham, Ma and spent the night there. I learned one very important fact, even on the outskirts of New York City you are going nowhere fast. Its only 292 miles to where we stayed and it took us seven hours, three just getting around NYC. Other then that the drive was beautiful with all the trees and their fall colors. Newport is pricey, so we stayed in Raynham. It was only 38 miles away. The picture is taken from the Cliff Walk in Newport. It is a 3.5 mile walk (we only did 2.6 of it, one way) that borders the Atlantic Ocean and some of the most expensive and extravagant homes that I have ever seen! Some of these homes are still owned by the likes of the Rockefeller's and Vanderbilt's. Also there is a college there that has some of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen.

We only did 2.6 of the 3.5 miles because from the point where we stopped there were lots of narrow passages with 10 - 15' drops. The path has deteriorated due to storms so walking has become very hazardous. They even have warnings posted that if you get injured, you will be there a while. Since all the direct access is from private property, the medics have to come via the same path that you are on. But as it turned out, 2.6 miles was probably just right for a little beagle. The total round trip walk to and from the car was at least 6 miles! Plus we took time to play near the ocean with him. He liked the water but was scared of the waves, even the little ones that just barely covered his paws! It's a little strange we live in New Jersey near all the Jersey beaches, and the first beach Frodo visits is in Rhode Island!

Here is the result of a long walk and playing on the beach!

He got into the car, and I don't think we heard a sound from him other then snoring for the next 2 hours. While on the trail he was able to meet many other dogs and all sorts of people. I have got to say I was a little surprised at how well he did. He is normally not well mannered as he likes to jump on people and give them kisses. But there was no jumping, and he actually listened to what we told him. The funniest part of the day happened as we passed a family on the walk. From behind us, we heard a little boy call out, "Look at the fatty dog!" There were many a shhhh's from the parents, but we were too busy laughing and acknowledging that he indeed is fat. But we are working on it for both his sake and ours!

Small video of Frodo running from the waves!

Big Yellow School Bus

2008-10-07T21:46:00.000-04:00

I'll see if I can write this with an ear on the presidential debate. Not too easy with the first sentence even!

Don and I went to Smithville over the weekend. For those who aren't as familiar, Smithville is a small historic town inside Galloway Township. Octoberfest or Oktoberfest, depending on where you are from, is a festival held once a year. The town of Smithville has these wonderful little shops and cafes within a small village. All are within walking distance of each other. But there were so many people this year, we had to park at the shopping center located outside the village and walk through condominium complexes to get there. We encountered geese while walking through one of these complexes. They were from the village and were probably pushed out of their home for the day by people and events at the festival. There were many more geese than what you see in this picture. These particular ones were warming their bellies on the asphalt. When we got there, we could hear live music and smell all kinds of food - homemade potato chips, funnel cakes, crab cakes, shrimp, bbq, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.

There's a bridge connecting one part of the village to another. We walked over it, but it took a few minutes because there were so many people. They have small boats fiercely peddled by event goers that can sometimes be seen floating slowly under the bridge. Don and I decided not to exert ourselves with the boats since we had to walk back to the car. Actually, any excuse would have sufficed.

We enjoyed ourselves so much we went back the next day. We didn't want to walk, so we took the shuttle which turned out to be a big yellow school bus. Don had never ridden on a school bus before. He grew up in California and was well within walking distance to all his schools.

So this was a special treat for him! It was enlightening for me too though. Buses sure have changed since I used to ride them to school. I'm showing my age now, but we didn't have seat belts, the backs of the seats were much lower and there were no radios in any of the buses I rode in as a child.

I've made it through the presidential debate and listened too. Wow. I'm good.

Cheryl

New Park

2008-10-02T20:08:00.000-04:00

This is the new park we found for our walks. Its about a 2 mile walk round trip. As you can tell I didn't take the picture, the wife is finally starting to walk with us! This was our warm up walk just to check the park out. Its a great place with some paved paths and some that go through the woods, these are Frodo's favorites and Cheryl's least favorite due to chiggers and other pests. So when she is not with us, Frodo and I will do some cross country walks. Frodo loves all the new smells, and there are lots of grey squirrels all over the park. Also we have come nose to nose with numerous other dogs, Frodo tries to make friends with all of them, but some don't want a beagle for a friend. Besides the walks Frodo loves the ride in the car to the park. He is like all dogs and loves to stick his head out the window and let his tongue flap in the breeze. Of course his ears look like a couple of sails when the wind catches them. We are going to try to walk every day for the next couple of weeks and then work into jogging. I keep telling her I'm too old for this %%^& but she doesn't believe me, so I guess we'll find out together! Actually I'm kind of looking forward to trying to get back into some shape. Since I left the military I have kind of let myself go and I know that it has affected my health. Plus the fact that I have a job where I sit on my backside for 8-9 hours a day. So I guess eventually Frodo will learn what jogging is too!

Fall has sprung a leak

2008-09-26T12:31:00.000-04:00

Fall has arrived with a vengence. It started raining yesterday and is still going strong. Its a bit of a Noreaster. We get more of these then hurricanes this far north. They blow almost as hard and can create quite a mess. It absolutely destroys walking time. I feel bad for Frodo, he doesn't understand that I don't do walks in the rain. When I come home from work he meets me at the kitchen door when I come in from the garage, he gives me a fair amount of doggy kisses, then runs and sets by the front door waiting for his walk. When I tell him "not today" his tail droops between his leg and he goes and lays down and gets the most forlorn looks. He can achieve some of the most sorrowful looks. It almost makes me look for a raincoat or umbrella, notice I said almost! For those of you who don't have pets, especially dogs, they somehow become the boss of the household, even small ones like beagles. It seems that all actions are based on what would make the dog happy. It's very apparent when it comes to bed time. He gets this wrinkled head look and comes and lays his head on your lap and lets out a big sigh. He does this a few times and if you ignore him, he drags himself to bed. When you look in on him he normally is in some pitiful position with one of his stuffed animal. I usually give in and go to bed with him. It's actually funny, it's almost to the point where I can't sleep unless he is snuggled up to me. All in all I wouldn't trade him for any amount of money!

Quite of the Morning

2008-09-20T17:48:00.000-04:00

Frodo (my beagle) and I set out on our morning walk at about 7 am this morning. I love walking early in the morning, it is so peaceful. We live close to the Garden State Parkway, so unfortunately I do get a lot of highway traffic noise, but I can still hear most of the sounds as the forest comes alive. It seems like it starts with a single bird call and the next thing you know the whole forest is alive with the chatter of a dozen different birds. I have seen everything from Robins to Turkey Vultures. This morning we had a couple of Canadian geese honk out their warnings when they saw the dog and I coming. They like to do an early morning feeding in the soccer field behind the local high school. For some reason Frodo never seems to be interested in them, could be that his nose is too busy with other smells to pay them any attention. Did I mention that he has an incredible nose? A couple of weeks ago we were walking on the sidewalk with some trees and shrubs to our right. All of a sudden he puts on the brakes and goes lunging into the woods, I thought he had seen a critter, but no he comes out chewing a piece of bubble gum that someone had thrown away! I have no idea how he smelt that gum. I didn't let him keep it!

Don

Poker Pressure

2008-09-17T13:15:00.000-04:00

I don't think there is a way to quite duplicate the nervousness and pressure I felt the first day of the tournament. As a woman, sitting down to deal cards to a table of ten men, all of whom know poker better than I do and have played for years, can be quite intimidating. I made it through without having a stroke though. Of course, I made mistakes. What new poker dealer doesn't? The table (players) helped me out with a few instances on occasion. There was the time I was so nervous I couldn't count chips down for a payout. It wound up being about 394,000 in chips. There was another time I got confused with a side pot. There's one thing about it, poker players know how much in chips they're playing with and where it's supposed to go. Oh, and one time I was supposed to shout out "Seat open, table two." Instead, I shouted, "Table open, seat two." That got a laugh from everyone. On the last day, I mucked one of seat one's cards by mistake when everyone at his end of the table folded except for him. He was in for 3,000 in chips. I had to call the floor person over. The player played the hand with one card and lost. I felt terrible, but I guess that's one of the reasons why the casino announces over the loud speaker to protect your hands if you are in the one or ten seat. The WPT (World Poker Tournament) at the Borgata is continuing through the 18th. The 16th was my last day. Don and I were only temps. Hopefully, we can work at their next tournament too.

Cheryl

A Walking Adventure

2008-09-13T12:31:00.000-04:00

I have a beagle, that means lots of walks and slow enough for his nose to smell every blade of grass. We went on a three mile one this morning. I love walking in the early mornings, not too hot, and more of a chance to run into some of the local wildlife. This was the case this morning, we came face to face with a couple of deer. They were a ways away but they stood watching us and we froze watching them. We all turned in opposite directions and went our separate ways. Then a while later into the walk we came across a box turtle. Now my beagle is very curious, but he is also the biggest chicken dog I have ever seen. He was almost by the turtle when he noticed movement. He went to investigate and when the turtle pulled his head back into his shell Frodo jumped straight up into the air and tried to run in the opposite direction. I finally was able to coax him into walking around the turtle, but soon as he knew he was clear he took off on a high speed sprint, thank God for 15 foot leashes. He is a very smart dog though and knows all our trails, I just ask where he wants to go and he finds the trails. I think his favorite part is going to his wading and drinking pond at the end of our walks. He never swims, just wades and drinks. This morning there was a fisherman there and he didn't hear us coming and Frodo just about gave him a heart attack. It is always an adventure with Frodo, you never know what he is going to do or get in to!

Don