Groundhogs and Thunder/Wind Storms

Yesterday, after finishing up some work around the house, and listening to some Halloween Specials on XM Radio's Radio Classic Channel:

http://gregbellmedia.com/blog/
  
I heard a siren, at first I thought it was from the spooky story on the radio...but then as the wail continued I realized that it was outside...I walked to the front door and could hear the town's sirens blasting a warning...a weather warning.  A massive storm front was blowing across the Indian-Ohio line and into the Mercer County and Celina area...not watching TV during the day, I quickly turned the tube on an switched to the Weather Channel, where the Tornado Warning was drifting across the bottom of the screen...so I did the "natural" thing.  I picked up my camera and walked out onto the front porch.

Clouds were spinning around, while the wind speeds were increasing(they would eventually reach 70 mph according to reports)...then the rain hit with a vengeance....the heavy stuff lasted about 15 minutes, then things calmed to a windy, rainy next couple of hours...nothing major in Celina, but elsewhere in the county and area, trucks were blown off roads, and barns and houses were damaged...Cridersville, some 30 miles east of here was particularly hit hard.  Power went out in southern Mercer County for a bit...but nothing major.  The photos I snapped, do not do the power of the short lived storm justice, but I post some here to give a perspective.

After things quieted down, I headed over to Nick's... we fired up a couple of torpedo cigars, and made our final plans for the outing, which begins tomorrow, north towards the Au Sable River and Lake Huron.  We should arrive in Oscoda, Michigan, mid afternoon, and will return in time for Dartball on Monday night, then Election Day on Tuesday, which hopefully see the Obama/Reid/Pelosi dictatorship destoryed.  Hopefully plenty of photos and stories from the trip next week.

The Ohio 26th OVI----The Groundhog Regiment_____

I am a history junkie...in a different life, I probably would have majored in American History in college, instead of Environmental Health and Broadcasting...but there were jobs in both of those, and I am lucky enough to have worked full and part time in the latter, and full time for 20 years in the former, so I cannot complain.  History however, especially American History during The Great  Depression and World War II years, and the story of the Civil War, and all the real reasons for that war(not the contrived, narrow,  BS that liberal historians feed you). are of special interest.

A few years ago, while in my heyday of doing Genealogy Research, I came across a web site dedicated to the soldiers out of the central Ohio areas of Morrow, Delaware, and Marion Counties...dedicated to the men of the 26th Ohio Volunteer Infantry....The Groundhog Regiment:

http://26thohioinfantry.com/main.html

It turns out the webmaster of the above site, Jeffery Hill, has spent the last several years writing a large history about the men and boys of the 26th, and the battles they fought....like me, he has several ancestors who fought for the north in the Civil War.  I count 16 including my Great Grandfather Nelson Houseworth, that I know that fought for the Union, and several others from Georgia who served in the Confederacy.  Included are 2 Great-Great Uncles, who were with the 26th OVI, one who was killed in the infamous Battle of Chickamauga, in Georgia, near the Tennessee line. 

I began posting on Jeff Hill's site and sent him photos and information about my ancestors and their lives during the war and what those surviving ancestors did post war.  Jeffery Hill's labor of love finally came in the mail yesterday...His epic 775 page book of the history of The Groundhog Regiment.  A $40 book that he sent to his fellow descendants and contributors as a gift, a signed copy no less.  It will give me some reading material during the cold and dark days of the coming winter....I have already found references to me, and the uncles, Gilman and Henry, as well as cousins Maish, George, and Doren Houseworth.  The task to read this many pages of small print book is daunting, the job of researching and putting it all together, makes me shake my head in wonder, approval,  and amazement, for all the time and effort that Jeffrey Hill put into the project.

A local basketball meeting in Van Wert tonight, maybe get the lawn mowed one more time, and putting the finishing touches of packing for the trip are on the agenda....no computer, no Internet, just a cell phone, some beers, good cigars, and a bottle of Drambuie...well, we will have cable TV, so we can catch the World Series and football before returning next week...a bit different than the days we camped along the river some 25+ years ago.  Until then, stay safe, and I'll be back later....

Photos-Today's topics...the Storm that blew through the Midwest left most of the Celina area unscathed, but damage and plenty of rain elsewhere....The 26th OVI and the fabulous book written by Jeffrey Hill...I am happy to have contributed a small part...and my Great-Great Uncle Gilman Houseworth, who survived but was wounded during the campaigns of the 26th.  For more information on Houseworths of the 26th and other Regiments, stop by my Genealogy website:

http://israelhouseworth.blogspot.com/ 

My Football Season Ends....Salmon Fishing Trip and Basketball Up Next!

Sam, home from Ohio State after working the OSU/Purdue game, and I worked a semi final double header in the area youth football league...Sidney Lehman Catholic won the JV game over Union City, (3rd and 4th grade), while Celina White took an exciting 19-12 decision over Lehman in the Varsity contest(5th and 6th game).  The league "Super Bowl" is next Saturday night...not sure of the location, but I won't be able to work that one...I'll be in northern lower Michigan, and my annual Salmon fishing with Nick.

Tonight, a Celina Freshman game, will be my last football of the season....a basketball state rules meeting in Piqua tomorrow, followed by a local meeting in Van Wert on Wednesday, will be the prelude to the coming winter roundball season.  On Thursday, the trip north begins...so far the original rain filled forecast has turned into a good amount of sunshine, with highs in the lower 50s...not bad for that far north this time of the year.

Football is my shortest season______

 Football for me begins in mid August, and ends the final week in October, just before my Michigan trip.  Although for some officials, coaches, and teams, the season will last until the early days of December...the high school state finals can be a cold affair on occasions, but sometimes they turn out sunny and Indian Summer like.  By that time,   I'll be well into Basketball season....that lasts until late February, when I take a month or so off until my favorite season, and my most productive(as far as games and tournament involvement), Baseball, which begins for me in mid March.

Basketball, which will begin with scrimmages following our trip to Patricia's folks in Wisconsin in mid-November, is by far the hardest on an officials legs, feet, and back...those hard wood and other surfaced floors and courts, are unforgiving.  That is another reason why my 61+ year old body appreciates the time off between seasons.


The week ahead will remain busy...but I'll continue to check in before heading north...back later>>>>

Photos from Michigan...Our 2 main fishing spots along the Au Sable River...The Foote Dam west of Oscoda has been good to us in the past, while the outflow from the river into Lake Huron, although not as good to us, is an easy fish, and close to the Blue Horizon where we take up residence for a few days.

The Far Left National Public Radio eats one of their own...Juan Williams is toast at NPR

The frost was on the pumpkin this morning and I noted some ice in the birdbath out in the back yard as well...the rest of the day calls for sunshine and mid 60s, with 70s for the upcoming weekend, and possibly a spot of rain on Sunday.  By the time Nick and I head for Oscoda, Michigan, and our annual Salmon Fishing trek, late next week, things will have cooled off, both here and there, and some cold rain is possible early in the trip.

Football Updates_____

After the "incident" following the Junior High football game on Tuesday, and my follow up reports, things moved quickly on Wednesday morning, before I headed to Marion and Columbus.  The Athletic Director of the visiting school, the Varsity Head Coach, and the Freshman Coach/Fan all quickly e-mailed with apologies for the same coach/fan and his actions following the game.  Were they heartfelt and sincere?  I don't know, they may have been just to divert any further action, and have the state association not get involved.  Either way,   I accepted them, and assured all that I hold no grudge...and I don't.  However, that doesn't take away from the facts of the matter that this kind of incident should not have happened, especially given the fact that the perpetrator fan is a coach at the school.  As luck would have it, I have a game at the same location with his Freshman team next Monday, my final scheduled game of the year.  I will be there to officiate, whether he will be there to coach, is not known...and frankly, not of concern to me.  The schools have to make that call, I will do what I always do, try to officiate the game in a fair and firm manner....do I always succeed?  Of course not...but I try.

The only thing I can add to this sorry episode is that, if this had been 15 or 20 years ago, things probably would not have ended as well as they did.  I have learned much over the years, and one of them is to think about actions and reactions before I make them...always be prepared for what might happen, but keep your wits.  I believe I followed my own advice, and things appear to have worked out for the best.  I still hate the fact that if one or two of my fellow officials had been young guys, how would they have reacted?  Would they think to themselves..."Is this worth all this"? But with three veteran "Old Guys", the incident ended without the law or fist-a-cuffs being needed.

No Varsity game for me tonight, although Sam has one this week and another next Friday in the Columbus area...good experience for him to get 3 Varsity assignments this season....I'm sure he will be ready for whatever future Varsity assignments he may get....he's already a veteran Varsity Baseball Umpire, and this will had to his officiating resume down the road.  I finish up my football work this weekend, with a JV game at Waynesville on Saturday, a tournament youth double header in Celina(with Sam) on Sunday, and the aforementioned Monday game to finish it off.  Fishing in Michigan, then the annual Wisconsin trip in early November come before I put on the basketball duds in the days before and following Thanksgiving.

NPR, much like Obama, a Tool of George Soros____

I have been watching and reading the fallout of the firing of liberal journalist Juan Williams from his gig at National Public Radio...I almost smile at the thought.  Here is Juan a big time left wing talker and journalist, getting fired for speaking his mind, on a sorry leftist tool of George Soros...NPR has always been a far left joke, and why the taxpayers are asked to "pony up" 3 or 4 million dollars each year to help fund this garbage of the airways, has had me shaking my head. 

http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/9000/24682893/NPRs_fed_funding_questioned_after_firing_analyst/1

Time to unfund NPR and let the Marxist scum and universities that support this trash, pay all it's bills.  I never donate to Public Radio or TV, except the few bucks that my taxes contribute.  And that's a few bucks too much.  It's garbage, time to take out the trash.

As for Williams...not to shed a tear, he just got a nice contract from Fox, and that means he will continue to be the "balance": that Fox News claims...I just think it is great that Williams, a well spoken lefty, now has his most ardent support coming from the right...justice is sweet indeed. 

As far as his comments about being rather nervous with Muslims getting on planes in goat herder clothes...I'm with him, they need to dress like human beings, goat herding never was big in the US......and soap and water will do wonders, if they are looking to be liked.

Enjoy the weekend, there won't be many good weather weekends left before winter sets in....back later>>>>

Photos-Juan Williams, now just of Fox News, sans NPR...the football season for me finishes off come Monday, and National Public Radio and their perceived "cure" for wayward Liberal Journalists who don't toe the "Marxism Is Us" line.....

Hockey Night In Columbus

The first cup of coffee in the morning is always a favorite of mine....after that I have several, usually a mix of decaf and the straight stuff....I know some reports say too much coffee is bad for you, as is too much beer, or too much of anything.  But we all have our vices, mine happen to be good cigars on occasion, a good variety of beers, and my morning pot of coffee...with non dairy creamer and Sweet and Low...no, I'm not a fan of strong black coffee...just strong coffee, with a little flavor.  I'm running a little late this morning, and getting ready to pour my 4th cup as I type.

Blue Jackets Hockey_____

As regular readers of this blog know, I'm a hockey fan, my professional tastes are the NHL Philadelphia Flyers and in the minor leagues, the Fort Wayne Komets...both teams have rich histories.  I get to the Komets on occasion, never been lucky enough to see the Flyers in person.  However, I have seen the Ohio team in the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets several times...and last night, I was in the Capital City to see the Jackets take on the Anaheim Ducks.

My old friend Bill Clem lives in Marion, Ohio, and I last saw him in August when he drove over to participate on our Bar Stool Open team in and around the bars on Grand Lake...after that we agreed to meet in Waldo, the resting place of many of my ancestors, and the home of the world famous bologna sandwiches at G & R Tavern.  Turns out Bill had won a couple of prime Blue Jacket tickets valued at $79 each along with a garage parking pass at his golf clubs raffle...and last night happened to be the night the tickets were good for....we could kill several birds with one trip.  Waldo, a few quality brews, and professional hockey at Nationwide Arena.

I left Celina about 1:30pm for the 85 mile trip to Marion, where I hooked up with Bill, had a couple of beers in his basement pool table and bar area, got to see and visit with his son, Bill Jr, whom I had not seen since he helped lead his Marion Pleasant team to the Ohio Baseball Championship back in 2001...Billy, who was a standout Soccer and Baseball player at Pleasant, now teaches Math and coaches both baseball and basketball at his Alma Mater...after that, Bill and I headed for Waldo and G&R...then on to Columbus for the Hockey game.

G & R and Waldo have not changed much over the years since I started researching my Genealogy Roots back before the turn of the century...so far the urban sprawl that has moved north from Columbus and infested Delaware County almost in it's entirety, has not reached into Waldo, the small town of 300 or so, that lies on the north side of the Delaware/Marion County lines.  It's a quick 15 minute trip from Bill's house in Marion to Waldo, after arriving  we downed a beer, I had my usual(two times or so a year when I visit) Bologna Sammy with Pepper Jack Cheese, sweet pickle, and mustard...added a batch of deep fried mushrooms, and I had pretty much had my calorie intake for the day.  We watched a bit of the Yankees/Texas Ranger game(won by NY 7-2, to cut the AL series to 3 game to 2 in favor of the Rangers), washed the food down with a beer and then headed for Columbus.

After parking the car in the prime garage parking spot that came with the tickets, we walked into the Arena District and headed to the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant....no food needed since we had filled up in Waldo...we did however, order in house speciality beers...Bill got a house lager, while I choose the Black Beer called Schwarzbier, which is basically the same as the Sam Adams Black that I tried and really liked last weekend...great on draft as well...I'm really starting to enjoy black beer and of course the usual favorites Guinness Extra Stout, as my beers away from my weekend stand by, Miller Lite.

Off to the arena in time to get our seats, just six rows up from the ice...we spent the first 2 periods there, while the Jackets built a 2-0 lead...great seats, but the view of the far end of the ice at that level was distorted by the "glass" to protect the fans at the lower levels...with a unusually lite crowd, Bill and I moved up about 10 rows and towards center ice for the final period.  The Ducks scored a quick goal and Columbus had to hold on for dear life, until securing a "empty net" goal with 27 seconds left, to close out the final 3-1 win...the Ducks forth straight road loss, and now they move on to Philadelphia tonight to play my Flyers.

Great time, great seats, and then we headed back to Marion...Bill showed me the easy route out of town, and I headed back Ohio 309 through Kenton, then my usual route from there through the small bergs of Roundhead(another Houseworth family ancestral location), and New Hampshire.   I finally hit the 4 lane and hour out of Marion and arrived home at 12:30 this morning...I grabbed a cold beer to relax after the drive, and hit the sack about 1:30 or so...up by 8 this morning, and now working my way through the day.   I'm running behind, here it is Noon-30, and I've been working on this thing for 2 hours...way to long, but I've been on the phone, with Bill, Rick Person, and Sam...so I can always blame them...time to load the photos and I'll be back later!

Photos-My favorite morning brew in my Gold Coast Casino Las Vegas cup...a pot a day is the rule.  The Blue Jackets battle the Ducks right in front of our 6th row section 101 seats.  In The Clem Basement Bar...Bill Sr, Billy, and Me, before Bill and I headed to Waldo and G&R Tavern, where I had my favorite Balonga Sandwich with cheese, pickles, and mustard...a great tasting Black Beer called Schwarzbier draft(similar to the Sam Adams Black Larger available in bottles), that I had at the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant before the game.  The Jackets surround goalie Steve Mason at the end of last night's 3-1 victory.

More photos from last night's game below...click on any for larger view.

Officiating, When Things Turn Ugly

As I begin this morning, I look up and see a message from host "Blogger" that "image uploads will be disabled for two hours due to maintenance at 5:00PM PDT tonight"...that would be 8PM for us in the Eastern Zone....probably a good thing, the image options have been a pain the ass for about 2 weeks of late, and I was wondering what was up...it appears I wasn't the only one having problems...what was usually a hour each morning that I posted, had become two hours, and I was getting perturbed to say the least...way too much time on the Internet for me.

This afternoon, I am off to Marion, Ohio, to hook up with my old friend Bill Clem...we will then head to Waldo, a few miles south, eat supper at the G&R Tavern, home of the World's Best Bologna Sandwiches(don't think store bought baloney)...then head another 25 miles south to Columbus to take in a Blue Jackets Hockey game...it's going to be well after Midnight by the time my head hits the pillow back in Celina.  The weather looks perfect...70 and sunny for today, it doesn't get any better than that.

Officiating, sometimes you wonder why?

I have umpired and officiated thousands of games over the past dozen or so years...I can count on one hand the number of times that I or one of my partners have been confronted following a game...it's never gotten physical so far...last night, for a brief moment, I thought all that was going to change.  {I will leave names and locations out of the remainder of the story, because frankly I'm not positive this has been totally settled but things are moving along}

On last night's occasion we had a 3 man crew doing a area 8th grade Junior High football game...and both teams were pretty good...long passes, big runs, and in general good offensives had us 3 in motion much of the game.  3 veteran officials, 2 of us who also had coached for many years, working a game where 22 young me were up and down the field...the game was close throughout, with neither team ever being ahead by more than 6 points.  We had called a handful of penalties, and of course both sides though we should have called more on the other team, especially the fans for the Blue Team, those folks were especially vocal.

The Green Team(Home) scores on a 40 yard play for a 4th down and 8 yards to go, with 1 minute and 6 seconds on the clock to take a 32-28...the points after touchdown fail, so Blue has a little over a minute and 3 time outs to work with.  A long tipped pass, gets Blue down to the 23 of the Green, and still 40 seconds to go...the Blue fans, most sitting between the 40 yard lines begin to move north towards the end zone they hope will see a score for their team.  With the ball on the 23 a pass is thrown towards the sidelines...a big offensive lineman in front of me holds and takes down a Green defender, I throw a flag, one of my partners tosses another  for a block in the back...Green takes the hold, and this moves the ball back to the 33....fast forward to the next play, and pass is intercepted by Green on their own 3 yard line.  This should end the game, Blue has just 2 time outs to work with.  Green takes a knee, Blue calls a time out...18 seconds remain...next play Blue tries to take a knee but the snap if fumbled and Blue recovers on about the 2 yard line...they have one time out and 12 seconds to work with.   This is where it gets interesting.....

Blue saves their last time out, since the clock is stopped for alternating possessions.  Blue runs off the left tackle, the runner is stopped at the 2 yard line...but I see an obvious hold on #86 of the Blue, and toss the flag...much to the displeasure of the Blue fans...in my opinion the hold was so wide open, I had no choice to call it...in retrospect, since the kid didn't score, maybe I should have let it go...but a hold it was....a time out and a play later Blue is back on the 4 yard line with 4 seconds to go...one final play coming up.

The Blue fans by this time are incensed.....a final dive towards the goal line, I watch my linejudge hold is spot...that spot is about a foot short of the goal line, game over, Green wins 32-28.  I knew that this was not going to set well with the Blue fans, although their coaches, did not complain, at least to us.  Gary, my linejudge calls Jim, the linesman and me over to the Green sidelines and tells us we need to stick around and leave together...as he noted, one fan in particular was having a big problem in the stands, both with his spot, and my final holding call....and that fan said he would see us after the game...as we walk off, there he was with about a dozen of his fellow Blue fans...on the field in the End Zone no less.

Now, I've been to war, I've been a Military Cop, I've been a bouncer, and I learned how to fight over the years...I might be 61, but I'm in pretty damn good shape for my age, haven't been in a fist fight for 35 years(since my managing the Red Door days), and wasn't planning on one with some irate fans...but you never know what will happen, and you better damn well be prepared for anything.

Hoodie Sweatshirt approaches, and begins his verbal assault.  "You cost our kids the game, that holding call was Bullshit, you're an asshole", etc, etc, etc,  Other fans were yelling in less colorful manner...finally as Gary, Jim, and I reach our vehicles, Mr Hoodie is in my face, so far I had not responded, but finally I say..."I've been around these games coaching and officiating for 40 years, I don't need to be told how to officiate"...he comes back, "I don't care, I'm a coach at Blue School and you're an asshole"....BINGO!  I look at him and ask..."You're a coach at this school"?  "And just what is your name"?  Mr Hoodie proceeds to give me his name!!!, That's all I need to proceed with this...a friend of his yells at him "Hoodie, let's go". WOW I think...if this guy is a coach, he's got some explaining to do....he was, and he will...

After getting home, I call the Green Athletic Director and after a few calls back and forth, we know that Mr Hoodie has already contacted the Blue AD...admitting his "mistake"...e-mails back and forth and the process has been set in motion.  How it ends is not my problem, or a major concern...the schools can work that out.

My big concern with the whole mess is...what if instead of 3 older officials in their 40s though 61, you had 2 or 3 young first, second, or third year guys?   Mr Hoodie would have been an intimidation factor...not so much with three old farts like us.  This kind of abuse is a reason we cannot get young guys to stick around the game...for the money($40 for lower level to $65 for Varsity games) you receive, the threats and verbal abuse is not something many young guys will put up with...I know what would have happened if this had been 20 years ago, someone would have been picking themselves off the ground and all Hell would have broken loose....I am much mellower now, and that's why I got back into officiating....but for other than love of the action and the games, I sometimes wonder why?

So that was PRH's exciting evening of activity...I came home, opened up a cold Sam Adams winter brew, took a shower, and watched the Yankees get pounded....Texas takes a 3-1 lead in that series(but never count New York out), while San Francisco, a 3-0 winner over the Phillies, takes a 2-1 lead in the NLCS.

Report on the Hockey Night in Columbus on tomorrow's blog...back later>>>>

PS-I'm sure "Riff Reff" will have something to say about last night on his "Official View" blog...click on Riff on the right side later for that take.

The Wacky, but Dangerous, Teachers Unions

After a miserable cold rain last night the first noticeable frost was on the cars, roofs, and some ground areas this morning...since then the sun has come out in full force, and little remains of the frost.


Yesterday afternoon I was at the bank when the cell phone in my pocket begin to send out it's musical tune...I answered, and it was Chris, the Athletic Director from Paulding, asking me if I was open for a 4:30 at his place for a Junior High game.   My game in Celina has been canceled earlier, and I had the day open...although I had a Dartball organizational meeting scheduled for 7:30, but could do the 90 mile round trip for the game and still make it back in time for the meeting...so I said "sure, I'll be there".  A few more bucks in my pocket towards next weeks fishing trip to the Au Sable/Lake Huron area in Michigan.

Got home around 8:15, just in time to watch the Texas Rangers dismantle the Yankees, and take a 2-1 lead in the ALCS...the National League series between the Phillies and San Francisco,  is tied at one win a piece, and both series resume today.  In a catch up on other sports...Ohio State's hold on the #1 spot in the nation lasted one week...as on Saturday night, the Buckeyes were knocked off at Madison by the Wisconsin Badgers 31-18...I'm sure my wife's Wisconsin family members are happy with that...as for me?  OSU got out coached, and the Junior Quarterback that Jim Tressel  put all his capital into, Terrelle Pryor, once again proves he's not exactly ready for "prime time"...although the defense and special teams were even more to blame than Pryor's inconsistent performance.  I've mentioned before that I lost much respect for Tressel when he threw senior signal caller Todd Boeckman "under the bus" in 2008 all for the ego and promises he made to Pryor....that decision basically destroyed the 2008 season, and since then, despite the continued success over hated rival Michigan, and last year's Rose Bowl win over Oregon, my rooting interest in Ohio State football has become much less than it was before.

The Teacher's Unions and how they have ruined Public Education_____

 With a wife, a long time teacher, from a long line of teachers, and a youngest son who works with Autistic Children and teaches high school history on the side...both with Bachelors and Masters in Education, I have nothing against teachers to say the least.  There are some very good ones and like every other profession, there are some stinkers....those stinkers are the ones that need the help of the NEA(National Education Association) and the satellite state groups like Ohio's sorry OEA(Ohio Education Association).  These groups, like most unions exist, to keep incompetent workers in jobs, teaching perversion, revisionist history, global warming lies,  and tossing the exorbitant dues the charge their membership behind the likes of any far left Democratic candidate they think can help them push their equally far left agenda of lies and meritocracy.  Yes, public education is in the crapper at all levels in the USA, and gutless school boards, incompetent administrations, and teachers unions that protect below average educators, are mostly to blame...some parents fall into the same category.

The OEA and Politics_____

The Ohio arm of the NEA, the OEA, sends out crapola concerning it's political beliefs in the mail, and I usually toss it in the recycle bin as soon as it comes to my box.   In Ohio they of course are supporting any spending bill they ever saw...tax payers be dammed.  They also are supporting our far left Governor, Ted Strickland over former Congressman John Kasich.  To be honest, I will vote for Kasich, but really, if Strickland were to win, I wouldn't be all that heart broken...Governors are at the beck and call of the State Houses and the Federal Government...and Strickland believes in executing convicted killers(8 so far this year) and supports the 2nd Amendment, so he could be worse.  But the flyer the OEA sent out for reasons to defeat Kasich convinced me to vote for the Republican:  Check out these reasons for defeating the GOP candidate:

(1) He tried to eliminate the US Department of Education...Now I think Ronald Reagan wanted that bloated Federal group of BureaRats eliminated...and it would save the Taxpayers Billions...I'm all for it...the Department of Education is basically useless...it should be eliminated.  Vote for Kasich.

(2) Kasich will phase out Ohio's income tax, resulting in devastating cuts in education...considering the waste in government and education, chalk up another vote for Kasich....Ohio's income tax should be eliminated.

(3)Kasich refused to meet with the OEA to discuss his views....well since their views are mainly those of Socialism and the promoting of abortion on demand, gay and transgender support, and other far left agenda bullshit, why meet with these asshats?  Another vote for Kasich!

Like I said, I really have no big problem with Strickland(although as a rule, I do not vote for Democrats)...however, the OEA talking points against John Kasich have made my decision easy....Kasich gets my vote...anybody that can piss off the utterly corrupt teachers unions, gets my vote.  And no, my wife is not a member of the OEA...being a Christian, she long ago realized that you cannot support the gutter loving agenda of the OEA and the NEA and look at yourself in the mirror.


Meanwhile my personal agenda has a 8th grade football game on tap here in Celina tonight...the final Junior High game of the season. Tomorrow, I hook up with my old buddy Bill Clem, for a trip to Baloney Heaven, Waldo, Ohio, and then to the Capital City to take in a Columbus Blue Jacket hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Back Later>>>>

The so-called "non-profit" OEA, like it's big sister the NEA is nothing more than a schill for far left wing Democrats, perverts, and bad education.....the reasons they list for not voting for John Kasich are enough to give him my vote over their choice...Ted "NAMBLA" Stickland...and on the right, Terrelle Pryor, and his Coach, "The Vest" Jim Tressel, have managed to once again fall short of expectations....no surprise on this end.

The 2nd Amendment and other musings on my Morning Walk...

My legs feel like concrete....after 4 straight days of football, those aging 61 and 1/2 year old appendages needed some rest, but I got up and back out for my morning walk about 8am, after slacking off for a week or so.  The skies were partly cloudy, with some gray clouds hanging around and over Grand Lake...the photos I took this morning look much like ones I tool back in early September, but even though the sky looked similar, there was a difference in the air.  It was about 25 degrees cooler today on my walk.  About 40, compared to the 65 or so when I took the last similar digital photographs.

Although I can handle the cooler weather for the most part, the cold does have an effect on my hands...they don't respond to the colder temperatures well, unless I have a pair of cotton gloves on...this morning I walked without gloves and that did have an effect.  The cold hands is the one thing that bothers me when we head to Michigan in late October to Salmon Fish.

As I walked along Lake Shore Drive, I noticed the Canada Geese, for the most part were hanging around, and crapping all along the park and roadway...several were swimming in the shallows along Lake Shore....I did notice a couple of flocks venturing out over the lake....and when they got towards Safety Island, the Guns of Autumn would sound...Waterfowl Hunting Season is in full swing, and the local hunters are trying their luck at knocking down a few geese and ducks.  Even though I no longer hunt, I have no problem with the folks culling the Canada Goose herd...they are basically a nuisance locally, and need to be kept at somewhat manageable levels.

Even though I have not hunted in over 30 years...I support that right, and especially the right to bear arms, without the freaking Government, local, state, or Federal, sticking their noses in...the founding fathers demanded that we be allowed.  I wonder how the folks in England and Australia feel now that they have given up their guns and right to bear same...and now rely on the Nanny State to provide security for them.  God help us if we ever become that weak....although liberals, and those living in urban and suburban areas seem to favor the Government providing protection for them and theirs....it doesn't work, never has, never will.  Only a damn fool would rely on people like Barack Obama, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, or your local Deputy Dog for security and protection. 

The Week Ahead_____

No game tonight, but we do have a Dartball League organizational meeting at Hopewell, the hosts for this year in the Wabash Valley Dartball League....the season will kick off early next month, and run through most of March.  Tomorrow my final Junior High contest here in Celina.  Then Wednesday I plan on meeting up with my old buddy Bill Clem at Waldo...where we will have a world famous Bologna Sandwich,  a beer or two, and then head for Columbus to take in a Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Hockey game....the Jackets face the Anaheim Ducks...it's been a couple of years since I was there last.  Although a long time Philadelphia Flyers fan, the Columbus team, despite it's rough history, are entering their 10th season, and I claim them as my "second" favorite team.  Should be a good time....win or lose.

Nothing else on the agenda until Saturday, when I probably finish up my football season at Waynesfield for a final JV game of the season....which will be followed on Sunday by another tournament double header in the area youth league in Celina.  Next week the calender will be clear until Nick and I pack up and head for Oscoda, Michigan, for a try at Salmon and Walleye on the Au Sable River and Lake Huron.

Now, time to rest those aging legs....back later>>>>

Photos-Grand Lake as it looked this morning on my walk along Lake Shore Drive.  The job killing Main Street project continues in Celina's downtown...this portion is due to be completed in November, so they say....then the winter off, and more job killing construction come next Spring...what a sad joke, especially for the businesses that line historic Main Street...town and small cities are doing this around the country, what a mess!  The Columbus Blue Jackets have began their 10th season in Ohio's Capital City...I'll get a chance to see them in action against the Ducks of Anaheim on Wednesday....after I stop at the home of my ancestors, Waldo, Ohio, and grab a beer and a world famous Baloney Sandwich at G&R Tavern.

Finally Friday!

Of course being semi-retired, and spending much of the weekends officiating sports most months...Friday and the coming weekend really are not that big of deal these days...at least to me.  But, what the heck?   I don't have much on my plate, and will post a couple of Youtube Friday Songs:  First, here is George Jones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5nKMzo2L4c

Tonight I will work a varsity game in the Green Meadows Conference with Mosier's crew....Holgate against Hicksville...about 60 miles north of here....last night completed a under the lights 7th grade game at the stadium here in Celina.   The host team was up 20-8 over visiting Elida at the half, but the first play out of intermission was intercepted by the visiting Bulldogs and ran in for a touchdown, it was mostly Elida after that, and they came away with a 44-28 win, by dominating the second half.

The remainder of the weekend will be filled with football....at Spencerville tomorrow morning for a JV game, then will work a double header in the Recreational League on Sunday afternoon...in-between, the MLB League finals begin, and (for now) #1 Ohio State travels to Wisconsin to battle the 18th ranked Badgers...always a tough contest...this one is under the lights Saturday on ESPN.

That's all I've got for now...enjoy the weekend, leaving you with an oldie from the Easybeats, with "Friday on my Mind":  From the year, 1967, when I graduated from Celina High.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zB0RygrYy8 

back later >>>>


Photos-Friday in the fall means football....and one of my recent walk photos of Grand Lake and it's shoreline.

Dartball, Just Around the Corner....

We got some well needed rain last night....probably will do the yard little good, but my ease the brush and crop fires that have plagued this area the past month or so.  Things will stay pretty normal, temperature wise, for the next week or so...then the forecast says it will cool off and we will get some more rain.  That of course is too far in the future to take the outlook seriously.  Time can and often does change that.

Got a call last night from Scott, the Captain of the Hopewell Church Dartball team....this year they have taken over the running of the Wabash Valley Dartball League from us, and they can now make the schedule, take care of events and post season tournaments and banquets....as I found out from last year, it takes a lot of time.  So the Dartball season will begin this November 7th, I will have a practice and team meeting when I return from Michigan on November 1st.  With basketball starting in mid November, I'm sure I will miss parts of some Monday evenings...but should at least get there for parts of the 3 games each game night.

I am looking forward to getting back to the feathered Darts and Baseball Dart Board....along with basketball officiating, it keeps me off the couch most evenings during the lazy winter months...and that is good.  Dartball is Baseball Played with a ball diamond board, and wooden feathered darts.

Baseball Championship Series to begin this Weekend____

Yankees vs Texas in the American League, and Phillies against San Francisco in the NL....Go Texas!  And since my Uncle Jack and his family are big Phillies fans, I hope they take out the Giants...nothing against SF, and if the Giants win, I'll root for anybody against New York.

That almost seems laughable, or would so if you had known me as a skinny kid growing up in Venice, Florida.  I, along with my buddy Mike Graff, were the biggest Yankee Fans around.  "The Mick", Mickey Mantle, was of course my childhood hero, add Maris, Ford, Yogi, Casey, Moose, and the rest...I lived baseball, and lived and died with the Yankees each season....of course back then it was mostly win, New York's Yankees, the best team money could buy.  Despite some rough years in the 70s and 80s...not much has changed.  The Yankees are still bought and paid for, only these days, I cannot stand them or the worshiping media that seems to think they are the only team that anybody wants to watch.

Anyhow, the "semi finals" begin this weekend.....

Football this week_____

Glad there was no game last night...it would have been a mess, as it poured right around what would have been game time....a downpour that would have made it miserable for officials and fans...players?  Not so much, I loved playing football in the rain, as long as it wasn't a cold one...and last night was still pretty warm.

Tonight, here in Celina, the 7th grade Junior High team plays it's last game of the season, and that one, against Elida, is, as usual, a night time affair, 7pm under the lights at Celina Stadium.  Tomorrow I fill in for the 4th time, with the 4th different crew, at a Green Meadows game at Hicksville, as they take on rival Holgate.  9 Varsity Games in 2 seasons....filling in on 8 different crews, this time with Mosier's crew...Garry and I work a lot of Varsity Baseball together, and under varsity and lower level football...but this is the first time I've filled in on his varsity crew....we will see how that works out.

Up early Saturday for a JV game at Spencerville, and then Sunday Sam and I will work the first week of the Recreational League youth football tournament.  Celina Black taking on Fort Recovery in both JV and Varsity(5th and 6th grades) contests.  Next week will see fewer games and then my season(although the playoffs last well into December in Ohio) will finish up before heading to Michigan for Nick and my annual Salmon Fishing trip.

I noticed that down south, my old school, The Venice Indians, have won 5 in a row after losing the opener at Lakeland....and they take on league rival, undefeated Charlotte, on Friday....that will be a tough task for the Indians, but should be a high scoring fun contest for the fans to view.

back later>>>>

Photos-"The Mick", Mickey Mantle...both him and the Yankees were my childhood heros...times have indeed changed.  Dartball begins in early in November...Darts we use are featured.  The Baseball Playoffs continue...and my Uncle Jack DeVore and me, the biggest Phillies fan around, on his 80th birthday back in 2009, when he was a year and a half younger, and I was 30 pounds heavier than today. And the "baseball board" we use for Dartball.

Whistling Past the Graveyard, New Baseball Digs, and The Boar's Nest....

I woke up this morning, grabbed a shower, and put on long dark gray khaki pants, and a long sleeve t-shirt...I was thinking that the weather gerbils would be at least close on the forecast...66 with a chance of rain for today was what it said last night....after the shower and getting dressed, I checked out the "revised" forecast on the Internet Weather Channel...76 for a high, with a 80% chance of storms....looks pretty sunny out there at this hour, with some showers around, but I won't be the back 40 on that prediction either.

Yesterday I headed north, again, toward Blue Creek Township, where Wayne Trace High School is located....I had a 8th grade football game to officiate...it would not be much of a contest.  The young Raiders took on Hicksville(where I will be for a Varsity game, working on Friday evening)...a scored early and often, en route to a 68-12 victory, to remain undefeated.

Before the game I walked over to the new baseball facility being constructed just to the south of the old diamond and parking lot....WT has had a problem with the old field not drying during the spring baseball season, and having to cancel and/or move games to get the season in...this new field, sitting up higher on the windy plains of Blue Creek Township should help with that problem.  Its looks like a vast improvement.  I usually do 2 or 3 varsity baseball games at Wayne Trace a season, as well as under varsity football and basketball contests.

The Scott(Ohio) Cemetery____

I'm not prone to visit graveyards much, unless I am doing Genealogy research....so even though I travel through the Scott and surrounding  area at last a couple dozen times a year, I had not been to the graveyard there since I retired from the Van Wert County Health Department back in 2002.  Last night I stopped by, just for no other purpose than stopping by....Dad, his mom, grandfather, sisters, one brother, cousins, uncles, aunts, are buried there.  In fact most, but not all of the Waldron, Houseworth, and related clans are there...well at least their ashes are.  Graveyards are just that, a place to lay people's bodies...the people are somewhere else, or their souls at least are.   As a Christian, I believe you are either in Heaven, Hell, or in Limbo somewhere in timeless space, waiting for the judgment day.

Anyway, Dad's grave and stone are still there, in good shape, where he has been since late in 1972...he died on Christmas Eve of that year and was buried on a cold December 27th that same year. His family and relations are nearby in that small town burial ground. on the Van Wert-Paulding County Line.  Next to dad is his Uncle Joe Waldron(my great-uncle) and his wife Nellie.  Joe was a year or so older than my Grandmother Wilda Waldron Houseworth, he was born in 1881 and passed away the year I graduated from High School in 1967...Nellie was much younger, being born in 1902 and passing in 1986.  Joe Waldron was a tall lean man, who as I look at his photos, looked much like his dad, my Great-great Grandfather, William H. Waldron...Joe was a great guy, at least to me.  He was also a founding member of the Scott Gun Club, photo from around 1900 is attached, as is a 1927 photo of him and Nellie.

My Great Uncle Joe, a good guy and an excuse to add these old photos....as for me?, I plan on being cremated when I go....but who knows?  I might change my mind...or someone else might make a different decision.

The Boar's Nest_____

Last month at this time I was over in another wind swept field, this one near Kokomo, at the 28th Howard County Vietnam Reunion.  I only got to spend 24 hours or so at the bash, but enjoyed every minute of it...at least the minutes I can remember.

My VSPA buddies Tom McCandless and Sam Lewis were there, along with thousands of other Vietnam Vets, families, and friends....

Tom has a little spot next to the farm fields...he calls "The Boar's Nest"...and "Sweety Pie", the garage sale Boar's Head overlooks the camping area....yesterday Sam sent me a patch from the site and event, I will add it to my collection, and be wearing it next summer when I return to central Indiana for the events....Thanks Sam and Thank You Tom for the hospitality and brotherhood.

Not sure what is in store for me today....no football until tomorrow, perhaps...perhaps...Hell, I'll just take the day as it unfolds.

back later>>>>
Photos-The Scott Gun Club taken in Scott, Ohio about 1900....my Great Uncle Joe Waldron is second from left...his future brother-in-law, Otto Hockenberry, my Great-Uncle by marriage is on his right(3rd from left as we look at them).  Dad's stone in the Scott Cemetery...The new baseball facility takes shape at Wayne Trace High School....Uncle Joe and his wife Nellie's stones, next to dad's grave.  Nellie and Joe in 1927, he was already 46 by this time, Nellie was but 25.  The Boar's Nest Patch....and Sam Lewis, me, and Tom McCandless with "Sweety Pie" the Boar's Head at the campsite....Click to enlarge these photos.