Out Like a Lamb/Lions in Winter

It appears that this March will indeed go out "Like a Lamb"...70 or so with sunshine is forecast for today, and things will top out by Friday, Good Friday, at around 80 degrees...things will moderate over Easter Weekend, before the rain is scheduled to return early next week.


My game was cancelled again yesterday due to the wet grounds at New Knoxville...today I had no game scheduled until late last night when Eric, the varsity assignor, called from the southwest portion of my area, and asked me to do a game at Benjamin Logan High School. Ben Logan is just east of Bellfountaine on State Route 47, and is a good 60 miles from Celina. A long drive, but I don't mind it....meanwhile oldest son Sam will be passing me on the way to Indian Lake High School, just south and east of Bellfountaine...he will be driving 70 or so miles each way from Columbus, and passing me on the way probably on US Rt. 33.

Tomorrow I am scheduled to go north some 40 miles to Fort Jennings, for a game on the skin infield. Lots of gas to burn, but you do what you do.

Lions in Winter______

With the fog in the morning, Patricia's school and most of the rest ended up be cancelled....the sun came out shortly after those cancellations, and I headed to Coldwater to drop off the Lawn Boy mower for spring service...running late as usual, but we have backups to take care of the early season mowing chores, at home, Anissa's place, and over at Mom's.

With most, but not quite all, of the Spring cleanup work done, I fired up a cigar, drank too many Miller Lites, and got nothing else done for the day. Thinking about nothing in particular I watched the aging Airedale, Reagan, as she chased the ball for awhile, then settled down in the shade, while I smoked Torpedoes and consumed brews.

Looking at Reagan I realized that she will probably be my last Airedale, and most likely my last dog....it's been a fun and interesting time, these past 36 years or so. Patricia and I purchased our first Airedale back in 1974, a couple of years before we married...Molly Mop Rag or "Rags" as we called her, was the first and of course among the favorites...the next year we purchased House's Black Max or "Max" as we called him. Max and Rags both lived long lives as far as Airedales. Max made it to 12 years and 8 months, while Reagan passed away after living just a month short of her 12 birthday. They were our constant companions before the kids came along. Camping, fishing, swimming, and even on occasion to Wisconsin on family visits, looking back I'm sure we were nuts and probably drove those we visited nuts as well. Those were good times....over the years "Max" sired well over 150 pups..."Rags" had one litter of 9, and those sold quickly. We have shared our homes with at least 1 Airedale, usually more, and a few mutts, for the past 36 summers.

Reagan is the daughter of our last male Airedale, Jack Drambuie. "Jack" and my college roommate Mick Szabo's dog "Ivy" mated...producing 8 pups which Mick and I each kept 1 female...that one for us was Reagan. She has been a clean, well trained dog, and a good companion. Reagan's only drawbacks have been her allergies, which have cost us a small fortune, and her penchant to bark at anybody that walks by....her way of greeting them I suppose. If she makes it until July 6th, she will reach 12, and that is indeed a long life for the breed.

She will be our last....time, retirement, and the pain of losing them is more than we want to bear one more time. You never know, we could change our minds, but at this point it is not likely. We will grow old as she has, hopefully with grace.

Out to enjoy the sun and warmth....back later>>>>

Photos-Reagan and me, a couple of "Lions in Winter" enjoying the sunshine and warmth of late March yesterday. "Black Max" as a pup in 1976....and Me and "Rags" camping in Michigan back in the summer of 1975.

This Guy is 63, I'm 61 and we both are tired!

Got this little ditty via e-mail from my old College Roommate Mick, up in Northeast Ohio...it rings true about what we as a nation and people face:

http://nobullnobias.com/2010/03/07/im-63-and-tired/

The guy is Robert Hall, a Marine Vietnam Vet, who has managed to survive, despite having to reside in that Kennedy infested sheethole called Taxyer2shits...he also served 5 terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives....guess there are patriots in the Land of Teddy.

Bob Hall has a great Blog as well and that can be found here:

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/

Busy day with continuing to clean the garage for the upcoming City of Celina Junk/Scavenger A-Thon....baseball was rained out yesterday, and the fields with this morning's fog(yep all the schools including Patricia's are delayed this morning) I'm doubtful if the game at New Knoxville this afternoon get played either...the ground remains very wet.

back later>>>>

Photo:

Representative Bob Hall in 1965

Wrapping up the Weekend

Yesterday had to be one of the most miserable days, weather wise, that I have seen of late. I could hear the rain with accompanying wind hitting the roof and windows about 4am...the rain was still coming down as I hit the sack shortly after Midnight this morning. The temperatures stayed in the 40s yesterday, this all followed a pretty nice Saturday, which was sunny and the 50 something temperatures were about normal for late March.

I spent most of the weekend staying near the radio or TV and watching the final days of Basketball unfold...some done outside with a cigar, some in the garage working on doing the Spring Cleaning for the annual Junk Pickup that the City of Celina has....and part of Saturday sitting in the leather recliner watching the NCAA and High School games.

LCC gets the Monkey off it's back______

Saturday Morning in the first of 4 State Finals in Boys Basketball....Veteran Coach Bob Seggerson, making his 6th trip to Columbus, took his Thunderbirds onto the court for a date with destiny, against Orrville in Division 3. The T-Birds built a 14 point lead in the middle of the 4th quarter, only to watch Orrville make a rousing comeback and cut the lead to 1 with a minute left, Lima Central Catholic hung on, surviving a last second 3 point attempt for a 60-57 win. Coach Seggerson got his first State Crown, after 5 heart breaking losses in previous years, by a total of 8 points. I had the job of broadcasting 3 of those losses....and now even though being an official, I don't openly root for teams that I see these days...it was good to see "Segg" come away with the Championship. After the game and 36 years at the helm, Bob Seggerson announced his retirement as coach of LCC....going out the way he coached, a winner.

The one thing I can say is that I officiated LCC's first scrimmage way back in late November, and nobody had a clue that this team, which started 4 wins and 4 loses, would win 18 in a row and become State Champs.

Duke Makes the Show______

After a March Madness of upsets, the Duke Blue Devils make their 11th appearance in the Final Four thanks to a 78-71 win over Baylor before a packed house of 53, 000 partisan Bear fans in Texas. The Finals will have two #5 seeds, Butler and Michigan State, in one game, and a 2 seed, West Virginia against a one seed Duke in the other Semi-Final.

Duke is probably the most hated team in college basketball...why you ask? I could never figure that out...a bunch of kids, mostly smart, who for the most part actually go to school and graduate, a great coach, and a line-up as diversified as you will find these days in college hoops. A team that actually produces Student Athletes, what a concept. I guess the hate comes from those that can't walk and chew gum, let along play basketball and attend classes in the same day.

I have been a hard core Duke Basketball fan for 25 or so years...so much so, I can hardly stand to watch the games that are big time important(yep, I know that is stupd but). Yesterday that was the case. I was cleaning out the garage for the annual junk pickup and listening to the game on radio, staying away from the tube...as the Blue Devils struggled with Baylor. I finally went inside to my small TV in the basement to watch the last 4 or 5 minutes, which saw Duke hit a couple of big treys and pull away for the 7 point win. West Virginia is next on Saturday....I think the Devils will pull that one out.

Taking out the Trash_____

Each year the City of Celina sponsors a trash pickup that gives the residents a chance to unload most of the unwanted junk around the house and yard....problem usually is that my section of town is the first on the list for pickup....and the weather usually looks good for the week, so I'm in the process of "Cleaning House/Garage".

I began yesterday in the garage....with the empty nest upon us...it's time to toss out the unwanted things from the past. Oh sure I've got tehe boys trophies, 5 thousand baseball cards, and a slew of collectibles and antiques, that will stay in the 25 by 22 foot detached garage....plenty of room there for the extra keepables. But a truck load of stuff is going to go....I'm not into garage sales, so the scavengers can pick and choose from the discarded stuff after I set it out on Friday. Funny it is as they say..."One man's junk, is another's treasure"...and so it is every year, we toss a few or a lot of items, and anything that remotely might have value, is picked up by the scavengers, and ends up in somebody else's garage or basement...and the world moves on.

Baseball Opening Day_____(maybe not)!

The High School Baseball Season is scheduled to kick off today....I'm slated to be at Wayne Trace for a game with Continental....the chance of that getting played is just about ZERO. The rain from yesterday has ended, but the leaded skies remain, and the fields will not be drying off anytime soon. The sun is supposed to be out...but it's not yet, and even if it does appear, it's not going to do much drying, especially with the temps in the mid 40s....Maybe tomorrow, if things improve...such is the way of early season baseball in Ohio, a game here, a game there, and 2 or 3 rain/snow./cold outs in between.

Not that it will bother me much...cold and wet games are not enjoyable at my age, and I'v got work to do in the garage....the Junk Man Commeth!

back later>>>>

Photos-Coach Bob Seggerson and his Lima Central Catholic T-Birds get their first State Championship after 6 trips to Columbus in the finals(photo from Varsity.com Sports) Kyle Singler, Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils make the Final 4. What to toss and what to keep...junk or collectibles...I've got 5 days to figure it out!

Duke Moves On/Buckeyes Stumble

Sunshine and 55 is forecast for today...Patricia is in Bowling Green at a conference...my scrimmage at Russia, Ohio, has been moved back until 2pm because of field conditions....thus giving me a chance to watch the Division 3 High School State Championship between Lima Central Catholic and Orrville. This is Coach Seggersons 6th trip to the well with the T-Birds, and hopefully this morning they bring back the crown.

NCAA_____

Last night I settled back with a few Guinness Double Stouts, and watched part of the Ohio State-Tennessee game in the Sweet 16. Ohio State lead most of the way, but failed to hold on, no inside game and turnovers cost them, The Vols move on with a 76-73 record to face another Big Ten(11) team Michigan State, a winner over upstart Northern Iowa.

Later on I had to watch Duke on the Computer, due to CBS and their "Regional" coverage, we got the MSU-NI game...so I cheery picked the Duke-Purdue game on the Internet, which isn't bad if you have a good screen and enough byte power. After an ugly first half, the Blue Devils pulled away late for a double digit win...they take on Run and Gun Baylor tomorrow for a trip to the Final 4 in Indianapolis on April 5th.

That is a wrap for this morning....back later>>>>

Winter Makes a Return/Wrapping up the Week

The Month of March is always "interesting", weather wise, in Western Ohio. One day 65 and sunny, the next a cold rain and mid 30s, then you get hit with that occasional late March snowstorm....

Tuesday was sunny, albeit cool ,with near average temperatures in the mid 50s....yesterday the rain started about Noon, and the temps dropped throughout the afternoon. By the time 6pm came around the moderate rains had turned to a heavy wet snow mix....we ended up with a frozen inch or so, which was enough to delay schools in the southern part of the Miami Valley. No delays in Mercer County, but our neighbors in Shelby and Darke, did have some 2 hour set backs.

The one good thing about these early Spring snows...they don't stick around very long. I expect this accumulation to be gone by the end of the day...sunshine and 40 something today, and more sun and mid 50s for tomorrow.

High School Basketball____

The season is winding down in Columbus this weekend...Lima Central Catholic came away with a Semi Final win yesterday morning over Chesapeake by 11. They play tomorrow morning at 10:45 for the Division 3 State Championship against Orrville, hometown of Smuckers Jams and Jellies, and one Robert "Bobby" Knight. Not to jinx the T-Birds, but I expect Bob Seggerson and his team to come away with it's first State Title after 6 tries. Plymouth, the team that defeated Celina in the last weekend's Regional Final, remained undefeated with a 1 point squeaker over Zanesville in Division 2....they move on to the finals tomorrow afternoon. The small schools(Division 4) and the BIG schools(Division 1) have their Semi-Finals today...all 4 Divisions finish up tomorrow at the Schott on the Campus of Ohio State.

In the NCAA, with Butler's upset over Syracuse and the Kentucky and Kansas State wins, my Bracket picks improved...now if Ohio State and Duke win tonight, I will be set for the upcoming weekend of watching roundball. Go Duke! and Go Bucks! Would be nice to see my 2 favorite teams make the final 4.

Baseball____

Major League Baseball gets underway with the Regular Season in about 10 days....our High School Regular Season gets a foot up on MLB, as we start this Monday(weather permitting of course)....I have a Varsity game at Wayne Trace High School, up in Blue Creek Township, the place, in the Great Black Swamp, my Great-Grandparents moved to back in 1867. A place that takes a while to dry, so with more rains scheduled for Sunday, that opener is already in doubt...but the season will get underway for me sometime next week, one way or the other, barring a complete weather washout.

Meanwhile I am scheduled to finish off my scrimmage season tomorrow at Russia(Rue-she') as they take on St. Henry at Noon.

Words for the Weekend_____

Google Vimar or Weimar(either will work) Republic....and read what is in store for the US if that bastard in the White House, and those in Congress, continues to drive this Republic down that track that leads over the cliff. Frankly I am sick of politics, but I am more sick of what the BureaRats and Politicians, are doing to this country.....Food, God, and Guns, are all essential for survival...and yes, I am a Christian/Right Wing/Libertarian/2nd Amendment supporting Nut....and Damn Proud of it!

Enjoy the weekend....back later>>>>>

Photos-The Snow arrived just before dark last night in western Ohio, and made for some interesting night photography....looking out my bedroom window at the results this morning. Basketball winds down and baseball beckons....Spring, despite the snow, has arrived.

Politics be Damn/Let's talk Hoops!

After a solid week of bitching and complaining about Politics and the corrupt slime ruining, er' running the show in DC...I've just about had it. After commenting late last night on the BS going on from in our "allies" in Canaduh with regards to Ann Coulter and the Canucks total disregard of free speech, unless it Politically Correct and Left Wing, I feel the need to get off the political bandwagon for a few days....but not until I let one more barrage go.

Liars in the Black Congressional Caucus_____

The news coming out of the mouth of the main stream press,, and even echoed by the likes of Bill O'Reilly, was that "Tea Party" protesters were yelling racial slurs at members of the Black Congressional Caucus....of course in these days of digital cameras, and video cell phones, you would think that somewhere, someone, would have taken a photo or sent a video to members of the "Lame Stream Press", say MSNBC the official Network and Lapdog of the Obama Administration....hummmm! So far nary a photo, audio, or video, of the perpetrators against the Marxist Wing of the DNC.

Plain and simple, unless proven otherwise, the BCC Members making these claims are liars....and one does not need to be a racist to make the claim...I'm not, although anyone that dares say a word about the likes of Obama, Jesse Jackass, Al Sharpton, and the BCC, is always labeled one....so be it. I say these clowns are liars. And I'm not the only one:

http://lmliberty.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/proof-congressional-black-caucus-democrat-leaders-are-liars/

I am sure it is possible that in any group of 50,000 people there are a few racists, and malcontents...the Tea Party Group is no exception....however, my guess is, if anybody said the "N" word to members of the Black Congressional Caucus, they were "plants" from some far left group, such as some upstanding members of the National Education Association, SEIU, or other Anti American group.

Andrew Brietbart has offered $10,000 for video proof that someone yelled the N-word at the Congressional Thugs:

http://biggovernment.com/

Want to bet nobody comes forward? There is no video, because no Tea Party member ever shouted that N word, to the Marxists of the BCC.

Things in Washington DC continue out of hand...when is it going to end? Not in my lifetime that is for sure....it's only going to get worse. As weak kneed as the GOP is and has been, the Democrats have become full fledged Communists/Marxists. And they and Obama are out of control.

Basketball____

This afternoon I am scheduled to umpire a baseball scrimmage at Lima Central Catholic(although that may be rained out), meanwhile this morning that schools Boys Basketball team will kick off the OHSAA State Tournament with a semi final game in Division 3 against Chesapeake:

http://brackets.digitalschoolnetwork.net/regionalbracket.aspx?not=4&t=1187&ts=2578

This is LCC's 6th trip to the Final 4 under veteran coach Bob Seggerson, his teams have lost 3 last second heartbreaks over the years. Although as an official in 3 sports I don't cheerlead for anyone these days...but I hope that "Seg" brings home his first State Title on Saturday...he richly deserves one. The T-Birds started out 4 wins and 4 loses....they have won 18 games in a row, including a 2 point win in the Regional Finals against undefeated Plymouth last Saturday. 4 Divisions, 12 games over the next 3 days...I used to go to State every March, sometimes as a Broadcaster, including my days as voice of the Van Wert Cougars on Cable TV, on radio, and other times just as a fan of the tournament...it's been awhile since I participated or watched, but I can still catch the games on TV.

College Hoops____

Meanwhile the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament continues tonight....my teams, Duke and Ohio State remain on their way to meeting in the Championship Game on April 5th. Tomorrow night, it's Duke against OSU's Big Ten Rival Purdue, while the Buckeyes face off against the Vols of Tennessee.

Locally in the NIT, The Dayton Flyers defeated Illinois on the road to move on to the Final 4 at Madison Square Garden.

Politics and Basketball, sounds like a great combination to me......but I will drop the politics for a few days beginning tomorrow{maybe}!

back later>>>>

Update: Lima Central Catholic moves on to the State D3 Championship game on Saturday Morning, with a 59-48 win over Chesapeake. The rain has also moved in making the scrimmage at LCC look doubtful later this afternoon.

A-Holes to the North of US(A)/Free Speech in Canada Not Allowed(unless you're a left wing loon)

Hey O' Canada is a nice country...seriously though, in addition to letting Muslim Terrorists run amok in their land of Caribou and Hockey, they sure don't want or appreciate American Style Free Speech.

Seems, if you are to the right of Stalin, Mao, and Obama, you don't have a "right" to speak on The Campus' of the Peoples Republic of Cana-duh...as Ann Coulter has found out:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=36191

Frankly, I enjoyed going to Canada to fish on occasion, and even delivered RVs in the French Province a few years back, and don't have a problem with those I interacted with. But since it's now official, Canucks embrace Islamic Terrorism, and disallow free speech that allows someone to call Islam just what it is....I sure the Hell won't be stepping back into the Frozen North anytime soon....

Here is a Fox News vid on the protests:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuhz43FwEsA

Liberal Canadians have never been very bright or brave....and taking a look at the dyke on the video, being interviewed by Megan Kelly, agreeing with the protesters, as well as the loons doing the protesting of Coulter, it appears Liberal Canucks have crawled out from under the nearest rock.

My apology to all right thinking Canadians for this rant...but like the US, you are swamped with left wing loons on College Campus', in the Media, and Government....I feel your plight.

back later>>>>

Joe Biden America's F**king VP

Has there ever been a bigger fool in office....?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR6BR464U3M

Has there ever been a dumber son of a bitch....? But of course, being a Democrat and a Liberal he will get a pass....not that I don't drop the F-Bomb myself, but then again, I worked in Broadcasting for many years, and said my share of gaffs...but say "F**king" into an open mic? I don't think so.

Of course the bloated mouthpiece of this sorry excuse for an administration, Robert Gibbs, makes a joke out of our joke of a Vice President....This whole Obama Administration is a joke, and the joke is on you simple minded fools that voted them in.

back later today>>>>

"Defeat These Bastards Now" says Rush/Obama vs John Roberts and the Supreme Court

Rain and in the 30s yesterday a completely raw and miserable early Spring day....still cloudy today, and even though they are calling for some sun and warmer by afternoon, I doubt if I'll get my scrimmage in this afternoon in Lima....such is early Spring and early baseball season in Ohio.

Patricia and I went out for supper across the Lake last night, at a place "Lost in the 50s" in St. Marys...in addition to low price and good quality eats, the place is loaded with a "Gasoline Alley" Museum of Memorabilia, including classic cars on loan, and hundreds of automobile related items, and in the dining area, hundreds of 50s and 60s music artist's autographs within framed photographs and album covers adorn the wall. Quite a place to relive the past of us 50 and 60 something folks youth.

The Health Scare Fallout____

The Kenyan-and-Thief will sign the Socialistic Universal Health Care Bill in less than an hour(11:15 eastern time), I will not be watching...everytime I see this son of a bitch on TV I get ill. Unless the Supreme Court takes this illegal power grab by the Federal Government down, we will be no better than the socialist shitholes like France, Germany, and Canada....a nation of freeloaders and puppets, slaves to the mighty Obama and his Anti Christ like presence. I wonder how long it will take the majority of those who sit on their hands come elections, and have bought into this Clown's "Change", to wake up? And will it be too late once they do?

Rush Limbaugh Says________

"Defeat these Bastards":

http://www.thefoxnation.com/health-care/2010/03/22/defeat-these-bastards-rush-reacts-health-vote

Will the protests remain peaceful? Somehow I doubt it...the left and Government Henchman will do their best to infiltrate the "Tea Party" and 9/12 movements, and use them as vehicles to call for Marshall Law to eventually be pounded into the system. This President and this Government will do anything and everything to try to destroy the Republic, and quash the will of the productive folks of this country.

As I mentioned yesterday, and Limbaugh agrees, the next divide and conquer is giving illegal immigrants the right to vote and freeload off the producers:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_032210/content/01125108.guest.html

"Divide and Conquer" that is the Obama motto.....and he's doing a damn good job of it in just 15 months. Not since the Civil War as a country been so divided.

Barry Soetoro vs The Supreme Court_____

The great hope to defeat this Health Care and other illegal actions by this President and this Congress lies in the 3rd branch of Government....The United States Supreme Court. The same Court our Kenyan/Indonesian President bashed in his "Sorry State of the Union" speech in January:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k92SerxLWtc

Obama has proven he hates this country, and is doing his best to bring the citizens of same to their knees.....he will stop at nothing to destroy the Republic.

The Supreme Court basically stands at 4 Liberals, 4 Conservatives, and 1 swing vote, that being Justice Kennedy....I believe that Obama and his co-whores will do anything in their power, illegal or not, to see that this court is stacked in his favor...I hear Glenn Beck and others asking that you pray for The President....screw that, you better be praying for the safety of the 5 non Liberals on the Court. This man and his Marxist followers will do anything, and I mean anything to control and wield power over this nation. They will stop at nothing!

Obama, Pelosi, and Company are Evil Bastards, and they must be thwarted at every turn......do I sound pissed off? I'm not really, just tossing out what I think the country is in for under the current people in charge, take it for what it is worth.

Finally_____

Today in the American Thinker online, author Chris Chantrill, points out the evil that is Obama right on the spot:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/03/in_defeat_defiance.html



back later>>>>

Calling "Doctor Death"/Immigration Reform Next?

The Monday arrived cloudy, windy, wet, and cold....kind of like the mood in the country this morning, at least the mood of Conservatives, Christians, and Patriots....Health Care, as I said it would, has passed. Barack Obama our Kenyan President along with the San Francisco hag, Nanny State Pelosi, has successfully shove Government run Health Care down collective throats.

As Matt Drudge says this morning..."A Date That Will Live In Infirmary"

The talk shows on talk radio will be ablaze this morning...the few remaining Democrats that stood in the way of this take over of 1/6 of the economy caved like a sand castle in a hurricane. The end of the Republic has began....one giant step has been taken...Immigration "Reform" is next. The flood gates are about to open for the great unwashed freeloading masses.

Just how much damage can Barry and Nancy do before we throw the majority Democrats out of office? I have seen this coming for years, it began with Lyndon Johnson...no in fact it all began with Franklin Roosevelt during the 1930s. The slow destruction of the Republic is about complete, Socialism, Western European style, is about to be our sad lot in life. We as a people are to blame, we opened the flood gates to immigration for the freeloaders from around the globe, we built a Nanny State of Entitlements for all(of those that do not work)...entitlements that we cannot afford to pay for. Roosevelt, LBJ, and now Barry Soetoro joins them as the very worst Presidents to serve this country....Jimmy Carter, as bad as he was, cannot hold a candle to these 3, because he was such an inept leader.

Revolution is just around the Corner____

Peaceful? Perhaps! But revolution is coming...to many people are fed up...Remember March 21, 2010....it will go down just like Black Friday 1929....the country is on the verge of destruction. You who voted for Change are the blame!

At 61 I long ago gave up caring about what happens to me, I've lived a good life, the stinking Government can only do so much to this old man...However, I weep for my country and my kids, especially my handicapped daughter, wondering what lies ahead for them. A socialist Republic won't be kind to the Handicapped...sadly there is nowhere else to go, we are the last true Republic and we have been taken over.

God is in control, I wonder, just wonder, what he will decide? I plan on enjoying the total destruction of the Democratic Party, and the Progressive Wing of the GOP.....I, and millions like me, have little to use....."Bring it on Barry and Nancy, Bring it On"....we are coming.

The Weekend Past____

Aside from the political and moral disaster of the weekend, basketball watching was the order....

I got a pair of scrimmages in, baseball wise, on Thursday and Friday...I did a 2 1/2 hours session behind the plate, Friday at Lima Perry....Sam worked Marion Local on Saturday, he had finished up finals at Ohio State on Thursday(so far he has a 2 A and 1 B+(Physics) on his card....with 1 grade to go...as he get ready to enter his Junior year at OSU, he has done well for an "older" student now 28...still well above 3.5 GPA, and poised to make the Dean's List this past Winter Quarter.

Basketball___

The Celina Bulldogs Cinderella story came to and end one game short of the State Tournament...the Dogs finish a great run at 16 wins 9 loses, by losing a well fought game in the Regional Finals at Bowling Green. Undefeated and 4th ranked Port Clinton pulled away in the 2nd half for a 66-55 win. Meanwhile Lima Central Catholic, a school I officiate at quite often, moves on to the Division 3 State Tournament Final 4 on Thursday.

Meanwhile in the NCAA Tournament, both Duke and Ohio State move on to the "Sweet Sixteen"...Ohio U Bobcats upset bid ends against Tennessee, Ohio State's next opponent. The Big Ten, ignored by the pundits all season, lead with 3 teams in the 16, the Big East(or Big Least as I call them) are 6 wins 6 loses and only 2 teams, Syracuse and West Virginia, out of 8 left....so much for the power conference. Meanwhile 5 small or mid major teams make the Regionals. A upset filled great tourney so far.

The Week Ahead_____

A Scrimmage tonight at Delphos St. Johns as little chance of getting played....the rains, although not lasting long, were pretty heavy. Tomorrow and Thursday I am schedule to do the same at the aforementioned LCC...Tomorrow, probably the field will be wet, and Thursday is not happening..Lima Central Catholic boys Basketball is in the State Finals...Congrats to the T-Birds, and their Hall of Fame Coach Bob Seggerson. Saturday my final scrimmage is at Russia(Rue-She), Ohio vs the wife's school, St. Henry. Next Monday, weather permitting, the regular season begins...and I am happy as a clam....I'm sick of the layoff after basketball, and ready to get outdoors and work some baseball.

Barack Obama be dammed, enjoy the week ahead, enjoy your life....and be prepared for what is at hand.

back later>>>>

Former Federal Judge Hastings=An American Idiot

Sunday before the big Health Scare Vote....Alcee Hastings former disgraced and impeached Federal Judge, now just a Marxist Congressman from Florida, tells us how Democrats ruin, er run, the country:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbHTJSu_2Lk

Not that there was ever a doubt, you criminal bastards....

back with more tomorrow:

Photo-Alcee Hastings an American Criminal, who happens to be a Impeached Federal Judge and now a Left Wing Democratic Congressman

NCAA Upsets, Ohio University WINS!/Soetoro Bails on Asian Trip

I got my first baseball scrimmage in yesterday, a JV affair at Delphos, my partner, a recent move back from Vegas, did the plate...I opted to rest my back and did the bases...sunny with a breeze and about 65 at game time was pleasant enough...we worked for about 2 1/2 hours. Tonight I head for Lima Perry for a Varsity Scrimmage, the weather looks like a carbon copy of yesterday. The weekend will see cooler temps and rain moves in by Sunday...but we are taking what Mother Nature tosses at us, and this week it has been nice, especially for mid March.

A Wild Opening Day of Hoops____

In the NCAA 6 of 16 games ended with the underdogs coming out on top...and other favorites, like Villanova, got by with the help of bad officiating. Nova won in Overtime, a game that Robert Morris got stiffed in the last minutes of regulation.

Meanwhile my old stomping grounds at Ohio University in the city of Athens, Ohio, has to be a bit "hung over" from last night's outstanding performance by the Bobcats over the media darlings from Georgetown....way to go Bobcats!

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/ncaatournament/story/0CC058E1DED7CB9A862576EB0012F880?OpenDocument

Now if Duke and Ohio State can avoid the pitfalls tonight, all 3 of my teams will move on to the weekend....regardless, if the Friday games are anything like Thursdays, today will be fun. Even with my Bracket Picks "Blown Up".

In High School Action Celina Moves On______

My and my kids High School, The Celina High Bulldogs, have had a pretty good run over the years in Basketball...15 Western Buckeye League championships, leads all the other teams in WBL history. Being the biggest school in the league and assigned to Division 1(Big Schools), the 'Dogs' seldom got far in the post season tournament...in fact they made the State Final 4 only once, back in 1971-72, when they were ranked #1 and undefeated, when they lost to 2nd ranked Cleveland East Tech...the team that won the Big School state crown. The last time they reached the Regional Tournament was in 73-74, a 21-2 team that lost to Mount Vernon at Columbus....a few years ago, Celina dropped down to Division 2(of 4 divisions in Hoops), and things were looking better for tournament runs.

Enter the 12 win 8 loss team of 2009-2010....they ended the season, losing 4 of 5, and fell to a 3rd place tie in the WBL....after getting a #2 seed and a bye in the Sectional Tournament, they had won 3 straight games over fellow WBL teams to win the District at Ohio Northern University. Last night they played in their first Regional game in 36 years....and defeated a Lorain Clearview team(21-3) 54-45 to move within 1 win of the State Final 4. To do that they will have to defeat a 4th ranked Port Clinton team that comes in with a perfect 24-0 record, after edging WBL Champion, Defiance 45-43, last night...good luck to the Bulldogs tomorrow in their attempt at the Final 4.

Health "Scare" and Barry Soetoro____

The Federal Government is on the verge of passing a so called Health Care Bill, that will see the Bureaucrats and the Washington DC Government take over 1/6 of the economy. And that's just the "small" problem.

The passing of this bill will see more destruction to the Republic than anything before or since the Depression Era Welfare State Scam called "The New Deal"...P.T. Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute", in the case of modern day America, we have millions...they are called Obama supporters. With the vote on "Health Scare" looming this weekend, if appears that Barry our Kenyan-and-Thief has decided not to visit his Muslim Brothers in Asia.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/obama-cancels-asian-trip-to-fight-for-health-care-reform/article1504658/

Seems Barry is either worried that his bill won't pass(of course he has no bill, this is the Senate Bill), or he's worried that his violent Islamic Chums might not be happy with his visit. But more likely, our self appointed King of America, Barack Hussein Obama the First, wants to stick around and gloat over another victory over the will of the American people.... you morons that voted for this son of a bitch, can choke on his Health Care. Change indeed! This evil foreign born clown is destroying the US Constitution, one step at a time.

The Weekend Ahead____

I opted out of doing any scrimmages tomorrow, Sam will be home and has one at Marion Local tomorrow morning. Patricia will join Hal at a conference for Autism in Dayton, and will bring home the Intrepid...since she is driving down with a friend who is Anissa's main care giver....I will stay at home, enjoy one more spring like day(which tomorrow is the official beginning as it would happen), keep Anissa over here, and hopefully get one more day outside with some nice weather, while maybe sneaking time out for a good cigar to go with my outdoor coffee.

Sunday looks rainy and cool, but with a full 10 days of nice weather we have had this March, who can complain? Not Me!

Enjoy the weekend....back later>>>>>

photos-March Madness, Ohio Bobcats, Celina Bulldogs move on...and Barack "Barry" Obama, ramming Health Care down your throat, whether you like it or not!#

And So They Begin: Obama Health Scare....Baseball Season and March Madness

Yesterday, St. Patrick's Day, my first full day of being 61 years old, could not have been more perfect, weather wise, for mid March....almost enough to have one forgot about what Barack Obama and his Marxist Henchman are doing with the Republic in Washington DC. Make no mistake, Health Care, the takeover and ruination of the American Landscape is about to happen....and I'm not sure what the Hell we can do about it. I'm not sure we have the soul, as a people, to fight a corrupt and evil administration, that is bound and determined to make us a people enslaved on the road to serfdom. Time will prove many of us right....will there be time to wake up the majority? The Fundamental Changing of America has begun, Obama "Health Scare" is the finger that pulls the trigger. Once this massive bill is passed, no matter who is elected in November, it, the damage, will not be undone. Look no farther than the Department of Education, once in place, the damage cannot and will not be corrected.

OK, on to more pleasant items.....

Baseball, High School Style, gets underway____

Last March I had scheduled 7 baseball scrimmage games on my calender....usually we are lucky in March to get 2 or 3 of those contests in....rain, snow, cold, wind, wet grounds, etc....usually put a monkey wrench in getting most in. Frankly, March baseball is usually not fun, frozen fingers, frozen toes, windblown faces, and not really enjoyable conditions overall. March 2009, was an exception however, I got all 7 games in before the regular season began.

Today the scrimmage season begins anew....11 days for teams to get ready(for those teams not involved in the Regional and State Basketball Playoffs) for the opening day games, which begin on March 29th...weather permitting of course.

I am scheduled to be at Delphos Jefferson for a scrimmage game at 4 O'clock today, with another one scheduled for tomorrow at Lima Perry...and I've gotta say, the weather looks outstanding....66 and sunshine for today and 68 for tomorrow, in west Ohio, you cannot have better weather in middle/late March. Of course this cannot last, and rain and cooler weather are scheduled for late Saturday and all day Sunday. Sam is finishing up Finals at Ohio State today, and will be back in Celina in time to umpire his first scrimmage on Saturday, at Marion Local...one of the few games he will do in this area this Spring. I have another 4 scrimmages scheduled next week, although the weather and the Lima Central Catholic run through the Regional Basketball Tournament may derail some of those...The regular season for me is set to begin at Haviland Wayne Trace on March 29th.

Last night I went to my 8th rules meeting of the year, 4 plus a State Meeting are required, so I'm good to go, but I enjoy the sessions, so will probably go to a couple more. Last night Flemings Sports out of Columbus was there to sell their wares. With the OHSAA required(as of 2012) new logo now in the system, I picked up a new plate shirt, a couple of T-Shirts and Hats, one each for Sam and Me....seems you have to replace something every year...with my weight loss now reaching 25 pounds since September, more new stuff will probably be required as the months move along.

Basketball continues____

With Baseball getting underway, Basketball continues____

The March Madness begins in full force today....at approximately 12 Noon BYU takes on the Florida Gators in the opening salvo of the first round of the NCAA Tournament. My Teams, Ohio University, Ohio State, and Duke(my top favorite) begin play, with OU playing this evening against heavily favored Georgetown, The Blue Devils and Buckeyes play their first games tomorrow evening.

On the high school scene, my Alma Mater, the Celina Bulldogs, play their first Regional game in 36 years tonight, and should be completing their game against Lorain Clearview, at Bowling Green State University, about the same time my scrimmage ends....I was at the last Celina Regional, when they lost to Mount Vernon in March 1974...I won't be there tonight, but will try to catch the final minutes on radio on my way home. Lorain is 21-2, Celina comes in at 15-8....it won't be easy, but it is doable, this team is better than it's record, when they want to be.

Busy weekend coming up...Saturday I will take care of Anissa's needs as Patricia and Hal hook up in Dayton at a Special Ed/Autism Meeting, Patricia will then bring the Intrepid home, as Hal's Ford is out of the repair shop...the damage repair from the wayward kitchen table on I-675 is complete.

Out to enjoy the sunshine, feed the birds and squirrels....

back later>>>>

Photos-Hats and under Ts for the upcoming baseball season. Baseball kicks off tonight in West Central Ohio...I'll be at Delphos Jefferson. The new OHSAA Logo, and which is required on all uniforms/equipment by 2012. And March Madness gets underway in full force this afternoon.

Wearin' O' The Green/St Patrick's Day

Like the blog colors? Not to fear, they will only be around for a day...this day, St. Paddy's Day....and a glorious one it appears to be, at least weather wise. Sure Obama and the henchman/and women led by rubber faced Nanny State Pelosi are about to ram illegally, an unwanted Health Care takeover, down our collective throats, but don't worry, be happy, the end of their reign is coming. Of course the end of the Republic as we know it may happen before we can vote them out of office...hopefully all these criminals will be tried and convicted of treason....with Obama at the top of the list.


But that is for another time, maybe after this Trillion Dollar tax and spend disaster comes into being....









My Irish Roots____

I have done much research the past dozen years on my Houseworth Family Genealogy:

http://israelhouseworth.blogspot.com/

I've put it in a book, shared it with Houseworth relatives, and added it to the above blog.....The Houseworth surname, came from Germany along with my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather Jacob Hauswirth...Zweibrucken in the southwest portion, near the Black Forest, to be exact...Jacob Houseworth arrived in 1751. My Irish ancestors arrived a little over a century later, around the dawn of the Civil War.

Patrick Feeley_____my Irish forefather

Mom's Grandfather, a man of Irish Catholic blood arrived from Ireland in 1860, as best as I can find{I still have much research to do on this side of the family}, and like Jacob Hauswirth some 109 years before, landed in Philadelphia, the true birthplace of America.

Patrick Feeley became a councilman in Chester, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of mom...he was a Republican, unlike the inbred Kennedy Clan, Patrick was a Irish Catholic Republican...more reasons to like him.

So if time and health enable me to peel off another layer of ancestor history, the Feeleys of Ireland will be where I start. Now Mom's maiden name was DeVore, from the French side...but come on! French!! I don't think I'm going there....and besides, the Irish make up a full 50% of the 8 portions of my heritage. As best I can gleen, I am 4/8th Irish(Feeley and Gibson), 3/8th German(Houseworth, Hauswith), and 1/8th each French(DeVore), and English(Waldrons).

I was born in the evening hours of March 16th, just a few hours short of St. Patricks' Day...and was thus named Patrick, in reference to my Great-Great Grandfather Patrick Feeley, and St. Patrick's Day....

SO HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL, both those with and without Irish Blood.

Green Green---

Sitting out back yesterday on my 61st Birthday, I enjoyed a couple of Cigars and quite a few Miller Lites in the backyard sun....a March 16th that was much better than is usually found this time of year....60 degrees, sunshine, and light winds....me and the aging Airedale, Reagan, stayed out back until Patricia arrived home....after she took her nightly walk, I cooked up the steaks and mushrooms for the evening meal. I admit I was pretty well buzzed by the time I cooked the meal, but it was enjoyed, as had been the cigars and beers before.

The main thing I noticed yesterday was the grass....it appeared to be turning greener and growing as I sat out back, or perhaps it was the mixture of beer, cigars, and sunshine...but I swear the grass was growing and green-in'

Tonight another Rules Meeting in Van Wert, where I will look at some new duds for the upcoming baseball season...new shirt to go with the 20+ pounds off, and some new hats as well. Then tomorrow, and the weather is scheduled to be near 70 degrees with sunshine(you know this cannot last long in March), I put on the gear for the first scrimmage game, at Delphos Jefferson.

Meanwhile basketball continues...on the High School level, local team Fort Recovery won their Regional Semi Final and takes on Dayton Jefferson(not to be confused with Delphos Jeff), for a right to head to the State Final 4 next weekend. Celina will play Lorain Clearview tomorrow in the Division 2 Regional Semis....and NCAA action, with the final 64 set begins Thursday as well...with my favorites, Duke and Ohio State set for action on Friday.

Enjoy St Paddy's Day....

back later>>>>

Photos-(1)Happy St Patrick's Day indeed! (2) Map of Ireland, land of 50% of my forefathers (3,4) Mid March the grass in my back yard is seldom this green this early, means my usual 1st week of April mowing start, may be moved up, especially if the sun and warm temps continue as predicted for the next 3 or 4 days.(5) ever wonder what the bottom of a Miller Lite Bottle looked like, in the sun, half full? Me neither, but I took a couple of photos anyway...told you yesterday's birthday cigars and beer had an effect on me!

Turning 61/My Musical "Roots"

The sun rises like a big orange ball this morning, the morning of March 16, 2001. I turn 61 today, and to tell the truth, despite the aches and pains of growing older, I'm glad I was born back in 1949 and that era. I would not want to be 20 or 30 today in this world of Obama and his Marxist hordes running the show in Washington. Being older just brings out that "I don't give a crap what you think" attitude. I've always been of that mind set, and the grayer I get, the more outspoken(if that's possible) and more set in my ways. I took this short stupid test the other day and sent it out to most of the folks and family on my e-mail list:

http://www.nolanchart.com/survey.php

Needless to say I came out on the right side of the Libertarian Chart....not sure I qualify as a libertarian, the right side? Not much doubt about that. The one thing I am libertarian about is, I really don't give a rat's ass what people that I don't agree with, think about me or my political or social views. But take the test for yourself, it's a fun look at what lurks in your memory banks.

The Accordion____

Last night saw the curtain close on another season in the Wabash Valley Dartball League. As I have mentioned before, our Church, St. Johns Lutheran of Celina, was the host Church for this season, and with Sam off to college at Ohio State, it was basically left to me and JD, to see that the year went off without a hitch....we succeeded more or less. Our year as a team pretty much stunk, but we survived well enough to host the post season tourneys and all star games...last night topped it off, as we finished up with a 2 hour get together with Banquet, Entertainment, and Awards.

A lady name Rita Schroeder along with her sister Pat came to entertain the attendees with music on the Accordion. She also brought along a collection of Accordions that her family had for the past century or so, including one that was about 50 or 60 years old....one that looked much like the one I had tried to learn over 50 years ago, while growing up back in Venice, Florida.

I made the mistake of telling Rita and Pat(who went to school with me back some 40 plus years ago at Celina High), that I had taken Accordion lessons back in the late 1950s, but forgot all I knew about the musical instrument....I also had saw the workings of that instrument when I hosted a lady named Annie Koski on a live weekend Polka Show on WJMT Radio in Merrill, Wisconsin, back in the late 1970s.

Well it came down about 20 minutes into the show...they called me up to do a duo with Rita...needless to say I wasn't ready to touch an Antique musical instrument, that I had forgotten how to use long ago.

After a few short pointers from Rita, I lifted the 25 pound piece that is as old as I....and faked my way through the "duo" with Rita....finally remembering some of what I learned in my youth from that long forgotten teacher of the Accordion back in south Florida. At the same time I was scared that I would drop or mess up the scared piece...so I bumbled my way carefully, very carefully through the 5 minute session.

When it was over, I was relieved, but satisfied, that even though I sucked, I gave it a go.

The catered meal was great, the entertainment one of the best programs that the league has seen in years, and we topped it off with the Trophy and Awards presentation....home by 9, it was good to see the season end on a high note.

Today____

As I mentioned, the sun is back out after a 4 day hiatus....and the rest of the work week looks to be sunny and dry, before things change back to cooler and wet sometime during the upcoming weekend, such is the month of March, such is the month of my birth.

A few years ago, I checked out the Van Wert Times-Bulletin for my birth announcement, and checked out the weather for March 16, 1949. "Rain mixed with Snow and a high of 36" was the conditions, weather wise that day, 61 years ago...today calls for Sunny and 56, looking a little better.

Have a good one!

back later

Photos-top left, me, trying to look like I know what I was doing, I didn't!(2) Rita and her collection of classic Accordions(3) Me and Rita and our "duo", which consisted of her playing and me fumbling my way through the set(4) The Banquet Tables were set in a St Patricks' Day theme.(5) and finally the collection of Hardware that was passed out during the awards portion of The Wabash Valley Dartball Banquet.

The Brackets/ Obama's Health Scare

Not a hint of sunshine the entire weekend...clouds, rain, and then wind came with those conditions on Sunday, seasonable temperatures came with the wet weather. I spent most of the weekend watching college basketball...not conducive of staying fit, but with the weather, I figured, "What the Hell?". Baseball begins, weather permitting, this Thursday with a scrimmage game at Delphos Jefferson. So my kick back and relax spell will last but a week or 2, and now time for some serious umpire work. The 54 days, starting this Thursday, will see a schedule that includes 50 games...I am sure some will be rained, or even frozen out, but between March 18th and May 11th will be my busiest time of the year. Then tournaments happen in May before a short span of days off, after that, American Legion and ACME summer ball get underway.


Bracketology____


In the meantime I'm in the process of filling out my brackets for the upcoming Men's NCAA Tournament, which also begins Thursday:


http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/22050


Picking Duke to win is risky, they are the type of team that could be eliminated the first weekend, or they could make a deep run...playing with my heart instead of my head? Perhaps, but this year, I see no clear cut favorite... Kansas?, maybe their arch rival K-State?, but things will be interesting for the next couple of weeks, and the winner is not a foregone conclusion.

Dartball's Final Act_____


Tonight will put an end to the Dartball season....the end of season banquet will be held at St. Johns Lutheran Church tonight....dinner, entertainment, and awards will be on the program, and then an end of season business meeting will put an end to Dartball until the next business meeting in September....with the league starting anew in late October.


Health Care...The Final Nail in America's Coffin____


Our Marxist Leader, Barry "Obama" Soetoro, is bound and determined to shove Socialist/Government run Health Care down our collective throats....and the useless SOB will stoop to the lowest levels possible to get his RED agenda through Congress, all with the willing help of the dupes in the media, Pelosi, and Reid. Meanwhile the stench will probably cause the State of Ohio to need fumagation...Obama and his henchman will be on the east side of the state today, pimping his Health Scare plan:


http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/03/health_care_reform_is_not_abou.html


Check out the above link...and if you don't believe this is Marxist Socialism, get your head out of your collective asses....this clown is out to destroy the Republic, one way or the other. This week will mark the beginning of the end of the Republic unless Barry's Health Scare is stopped.

Israel____
In the meantime, The Obama Administration is taking aim at Israel and it's PM, Benjamin Netanyahu:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/03/the_attack_on_netanyahu.html


Obama and his hired mouthpieces, The Lackey VP Joe Biden, and the double digit IQed Press Secretary Mr Gibbs goes to Washington, are out to show their solidarity with Muslim Terrorists in the Middle East...hopefully Israel will end this crap with Iran once and for all....NUKE THE BASTARDS back to glass...and built in the Gaza Strip until it hurts. It's time for Israel to tell the current Administration to "F**K Off". Armageddon isn't that far away IMO, and Barack Obama is going to be the fuse that sets it off.

Evil or Stupid? I'm guessing our Kenyan and Thief is a bit of both....



Enough of that rant...back later>>>>


Photos-"March Madness" begins Thursday, Dartball Banquet tonight, Obama the Kenyan Marxist's lastest target: Israel's Prime Minster Ben Netanyahu: