___prh...a day in the life....Blogging since July 2007

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Out of the Past..............

28 degrees this morning, telling us that the later days of April, do not mean the end of cold weather...

This week is the one week of Baseball Season where I do some extensive travel...after working Monday at Wayne Trace{Haviland} 35 miles each way on Monday, last night I drove to Hicksville, round trip 125 miles..tonight it is a short one, somewhat, 30 each way, then Thursday it 140 miles round trip to Edgerton, far north near the Indiana and not far from Michigan...Friday it's a Night Game at Kalida(50 miles each way} the historic stadium will see a ALS{Lou Gerig} Fundraiser, and I will finish the week out with a day long Triple Header back at Wayne Trace....good money, but lots of time and miles on the Nitro....

Over the past year, this blog has been less active...frankly, although I still enjoy it, I had written on my life's journies for the first five years...since then, my political rants have been mostly seen on my facebook pages...and less so here. You are welcome to stop by and 'friend me" if you are a Right Wing Political type....if not, you can stop by, but you won't likely enjoy what you read...anyway the plan here is to lace this blog with some of the stories/blogs past.

So here goes...with Mushroom Season in Michigan nearing up north, I have made that trek on several occasions with Rick Pearson, his sons, Clay and Guy, and Clint Thompson, on several occasions....one of the best was the one back in 2011, and I wrote about it back then:

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Great Michigan Mushoom Hunt 2011

Got our game in at Delphos Jefferson yesterday, sunny and pleasant...only the 4th time I've worn a short sleeve shirt in over 30 games umpired this season. I did the plate(as usual) as Jefferson came from behind to defeat visiting Kenton 3-2. Tonight, if the rain/storms hold off, I will be over at Elida for a game between the Bulldogs and Paulding Panthers. Tomorrow afternoon off to Bellefontaine for a game before the Michigan trip....some make-up league games scheduled when I get back. No Regional or State game this year, marking the first time in the past 3 years I have not been involved past District level. That's OK...I just wish they would give some younger guys, who are worthy, some Regional and State games, instead of some of these recycled old farts my age...who can neither see or move well enough to work a high level. The politics has been old for years, and it just doesn't change...if being honest, causes me to get clipped out of future final weekend games, so be it. The truth is the truth, and the state powers that be, wonder why younger officials and umpires drop out or move onto college officiating?....it's called the "Good Ol' Boy" system, and it is stinks...being around a long time doesn't make you worthy or qualified to do a Regional or State Final. It shouldn't disqualify you either...if you keep yourself in good shape, and actually move around the diamond to get into position to make a correct call.... but enough of that rant!

Michigan Mushroom Hunting____

Thursday morning Rick, his sons, Clay and Guy, and our old college buddy Clint, take off for Michigan...Boyne City is the location, and the annual Mushroom hunt and Boyne City Mushroom Festival are on the agenda....we should return Sunday or Monday.....

I have missed the last two trips, because of District Baseball...this year I blocked out this weekend and days leading to it...plus we are leaving about a week or 10 days earlier...hopeful of some better luck. 2007 and 2008 were great, when we camped in Mesick, the past 2 years have been dry, and we have now moved the camp some 35 miles north. The weather looks wet, but seasonable for upper lower Michigan in mid-May....will have photos and details/results when I return. I also will finally get to meet my cousin Moe Houseworth in person, if all goes well...Moe, who I met through Genealogy Research, lives not far from Boyne City, and will be there for the weekend festival...so we plan on a little "family reunion"....

Yesterday, after our MRSI Board Meeting, I finally got out and planted a number of Sunflower and other seeds....with the wet weather and the cold, I held off, but the results, hopefully we equal the past two season...or perhaps be even better....time will tell.

Chores to take care of....one more blog post tomorrow before I head north...

back later>>>>

Photos-Michigan Morel Mushrooms...and Rick, Clint, and PRH, on our last hunt that all 3 of us attended, 2008 near Mesick...now being 30 pound less, maybe I can outrun the younger guys in finding the elusive Morels....maybe?

2 comments:

Ron Duckworth said...: You really know how to drive a guy
crazy. I would give up a left n-
- for a skillet full of those mushrooms. I havn't found any place they grow here in Wyoming. Too dam cold. I was raised in Maryland and hunted schroons until we took vacation in Asia, ha.
You know I would pay for overnight delivery for schroons. Take care. duckworthron@hotmail.com; May 10, 2011 at 1:48 PM
PRH....... said...: Thanks for dropping by Ron...hey, we usually figure out by the time we pay for gas, beer, cigars, and assorted fun...it costs about $25 per Morel :0

But we still enjoy it!!; May 10, 2011 at 2:24 PM

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Another Vietnam Sky Cop Reunion by the Boards

With Sunshine and temps in the 70s and higher over the weekend{since back to winter with snow and record low temperatures}, we held our 6th "Mini Reunion" at Dayton's Hope Hotel, Wright~Patterson AFB, and the Air Force Museum, in the past 8 years...this one was marked with the best weather by far as compared to the past. Of course moving it to early to mid April, rather than January, February, or even March, might have something to do with this....

Patrica fixed dozens of homemade cookies, pies, and supplied Veggie and Cheese Trays and bowls of chocolate candy....Bob Griffith, my partner in crime in the WPAFB area, filled the coolers with beer,

soda pop, wine, and the tables with chips, dips, etc.

The room and hospitality situation was resolved, not to the best{things will be better next year, you can count on that}, but we survived in tact....my buddies Randy and MAC, Bill McDonald, supplied the entertainment along with singing help from my buddy Mike Tillman's wife Debbie....grandson Kasyn joined us for dinner on Saturday as well, and by the time we parted Sunday Morning{to sit with K~Man while Hal and Lisa celebrated Hal's 30th Birthday at the Reds Game}...I was satisfied with the weekend in total...we can do better, and hopefully that will come next year.

Sadly we lost 5 of our guys from last year and previous years....it is the way of the Vietnam Vets....our numbers will not grow, we will only become less as each and every year passes....however our numbers for the Reunion itself continue to grow...from 5 of us in 2007 to as many as 40...this year, Sky Cops, wives, friends, and family members totaled about 55.

Next year we will meet even later in the Spring, as April 23 thru 26th are the set dates...

Baseball...and rainouts

So far this season, despite the miserable weather, I have umpired more than 50% of the games during the Regular Season....rained out on Monday, my game yesterday had been moved, good thing too, as it never got above 34 degrees. Cold, but Sunny today, and my game at LCC was cancelled and they moved it to Coldwater, where young Damon and I will work this one...I have the plate today{Damon will work the dish at Delphos Jefferson next week when we work together again}...tomorrow I have picked up another game, after a cancellation...at New Knoxville with my buddy from Greenville Greg. No games Friday due to it being Good Friday, Saturday me and my District assigned buddy Jim will work a double header at St. Marys vs Indian Lake...Jim and I, along with Garry, will work the 3 games at the D4 District at Elida this year...no Regional or State Assignments, but I have seen that hand writing on the wall for several seasons, 65 year olds just are not getting those these days regardless of Ratings or how good of shape one may be in. But no complaints...I have had my share of good post season assignments in the past, and time for some new blood to move

in...Damon does have a District 3 games as well as the D1 Regional at Bowling Green.

back later>>>

Photos-2014 Sky Cops at the Defender Fortis Statue...part of the Hospitality Room Spread...fixed mostly by my wife. Patricia and Doug Davis' wife Pam...my friend Bill Harris, who lives year round in Vietnam and travels the country presented me with patches, a VSPA Flag and Sand from the Beaches of Nha Trang. Bill "MAC" McDonald, Debbie Tillman and Randy Albertson perform after Dinner on Saturday Night at the Hope Hotel...and me and "Mac"...the only two guys in our group that served at both Nha Trang and Tan Son Nhut during the Vietam War as Sky Cops.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Opinions.....Are Like

Assholes, and Liberals are Stupid Ones at that!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Dayton/Vietnam Mini Reunion and Out and About with the K~Man

Yesterday was sunny and finally getting temperatures near normal...those will last through the weekend, before another cool down{why the Hell can't we have a "Warm Up" in the near future...let's say, BEFORE JULY!!!?} hits the Midwest next week.

Got a second game of the week in last night, at Shawnee in Lima, and tonight, if the predicted showers hold off, I head east to Ada{home of the NFL Football Factory and Ohio Northern U} and work a NWC League game between Ada and their down the road rival, Allen East....will work the bases for the first time this week....

Grandson Kasyn was here yesterday and his mom was working in Wapak, Patricia had a planned school delay, so we drove over and picked him up...and he spent the next 5 hours with me....either watching sing along song videos on the computer, chasing the Gray Cat outside, or wearing my Snowmobile Helmet and wanting to climb aboard the new Yamaha....

We will be in Centerville this Sunday and Hal and Lisa celebrate his 30th Birthday with friends, and we will take care of the K~Man....

Before that however, Patricia and I will be spending the weekend, beginning tomorrow afternoon, at the Hope Hotel, Wright-Patterson AFB, and the AF Museum, hosting the Annual Vietnam/Thailand Sky Cop Mini Reunion....this all began back in 2007 when 5 of us, along with my oldest son Sam gathered on a cold February day and sat for a couple of hours BSing and drinking coffee....it has blossomed into 50 to 60 of us getting together every Spring{used to be January then March} to tell more BS and "War Stories"...drink beer, have a dinner, and tour the Air Force Museum....

We have never had a bad time there, and I expect this weekend{with the weather looking good} to be no different.

Speaking of Birthdays....Gotta wish not only son Hal a Happy 30th{that was the only one that bothered me....thought I was getting old....lol, little did I know}m and my mom a great 90th, as she celebrates this Sunday and youngest sister's house in Naples, Florida....yes, Hal was born on Mom's 60th Birthday....where did the time go?

Back later with details of the weekend:

Photos~Kasyn Loved the New Yamaha "T~Dub", as well as the Helmet, he wore it most of the time he was here....and coming up this weekend...The Dayton/Vietnam Sky Cop "Mini" Reunion....bottom photo is from a frigid January 31, 2008....thus why we keep moving it closer to Summer....it was 8 degrees that day with a chill factor well below zero...this weekend 60s and 70s with sunshine!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

And Here I Sit on National Obama Supporters Day

That would be April Fools Day to we Conservative types....April 1st 2014 to the rest of the non political world....64 yesterday, got my first Varsity Regular Season game in at Spencerville...this afternoon with strong winds and around the same temps as yesterday, I will be at Fort Recovery for a Varsity contest with Lincolnview...tomorrow back to rain and cooler, and no break in sight until at least late in the weekend....such is this winter/early spring....

Reds lost their opener to the hated Cardinals yesterday....1-0, you hold St Louis to 5 hits, you expect to win...But!!

Otherwise just messing around, did get the Yamaha out for a few rides...it now has 35miles on it...lol~I remember when I was 25, back in 1974 and purchased the new Kawasaki 250 on/off road....I rode that damn thing in any weather when I first purchased it....growing old is just no damn fun :( But Hell it could be worse, I could be a brain dead Obama Supporter and Tool...or worse, be forced to sign up for his freaking Illegal{like him} Health Care Takeover Scam via the Federal Government.

Photos of the Day: