"Sandy". Early Voting, Dartball,and a Day With Kasyn....

Windy, wet, with early Snow in Ohio overnight and this morning...the snow appears done for now and has melted, but the rain continues to drip from the sky.....this all compliments of "Sandy" the once in 100 year storm, where Hurricane meets Canadian Cold Front....no sense in me hashing it out on the blog however, so Fox is the place to go for the latest with 7+ million out of power and a couple of dozen dead as a result:

http://www.foxnews.com/#


Early Voting.....

I'm not a big fan of the massive amount of early voting going on....mainly because the Democrats, especially the criminal elements in the large cities and union trash tend to use it as a chance to steal elections, the unions have been doing it for years..."Get out the Vote, early and often" is their motto....early voting in Ohio have favored the Kenyan CSer currently in the White House, while most Republicans and Conservatives wait until election day....however, with Sam likely out of state, and youngest son Hal maybe as well, on business, that left Patricia, Anissa, and me to vote....while I was watching the grandson, Kasyn yesterday in Centerville, Patricia picked up Anissa, who needs help with her votes, and they voted...leaving only me in the immediate family yet to cast a ballot.

Well Hell, with the lousy weather, I figured the polling place for early voting, at the Mercer County Courthouse would be an easy in/easy out today, so I decided to take the plunge.  The last time I voted early was 1976, while a student at Hocking Technical College in Nelsonville I voted early in the Carter/Ford race....since then, whether in be in Ohio, Wisconsin, Dodge City, or Kokomo, I have voted on the regular Tuesday election day....today was different, and the crowds were good...many people doing this "early voting" thing.  But even with a full house, I got into the last "booth" and was in and out in quick fashion....I may do this more often, provided God keeps me around for awhile, and Obammy and his "Word Police" don't find a reason to stick me and the like minded away in jail or some other institution.

Day with the "K-Man"....

With Hal and Lisa's sitter out because of the death of the sitter's mother, I headed down to Centerville to watch the grandson....it is amazing how quickly he is growing....already walking like an old pro...or at least as good as me with my bum ankle.  Kasyn turns one in November, having been born on Thanksgiving evening last, and walking is coming along much quicker than I ever did....I think I was just a bit over a year old, the boys both got started before their first, Anissa was just past her first birthday when she started....

Kasyn is one happy kid, and the 7 hours I spent flew by, with his taking a couple of one hour naps, while the rest of the time we watched the fat grey Squirrel build a nest for the approaching winter, which after today looks to be here already.  When we were not being entertained by the Squirrel, I fed him a bit, and we played "Angry Birds" on his dad's IPad....I headed home about 4:15, and after a bite to eat, Sam and I headed for the opening night of Dartball.

Dartball Begins.....

The Dartball Season, which lasts until early Spring, kicked off last night at Mt. Tabor Church of God, and despite our depleted crew{many of the older guys have taken time off for now}, after a poor first game, which saw us score in the 9th to avoid a shutout, losing 3-1, we bounced back, with 9-3 and 3-2 wins, to open the season 2 wins and 1 loss....I started zero for four in the first game, but bounced back with 6 hits in my final 10 at bats, with a couple of triples and three RBIs....batting .429 for the night.  Not bad for opening night, I ended up leading the team in both average and runs batted in.....next week our home season kicks off against Rockford Methodist.

back later>>>>

New Photos don't seem to want to load.....will add more later:  The enclosed photos are of an older nature.....hopefully Blogger will fix it's upload of new photos in short order and will add them at that time.

Romney and Ryan Stop in Celina...part #2

I'm not sure when and if a major Presidential Contender stopped in our little berg of Celina {with a population approaching 11,000}...but today, with "Sandy" getting ready to hit the eastern seaboard, Mitt Romney cancelled in Virginia, and decided to join his running mate Paul Ryan here in Western Ohio....first at the Celina Fieldhouse, the they moved on to Finlay, to the north....

I had opted out, Hell, I've have interviewed Ronald Reagan, George Bush 1, and Ted Kennedy, while in Dodge City, Kansas, during the 1980 campaign...and more sports and political players than I can count during my days in radio and cable TV....so standing outside and waiting, then inside and waiting more was not going to be in my cards....however, wife Patricia, sister Marty, and oldest son Sam took it all in....they got inside the 2000 seat Celina Fieldhouse, built back in 1936 as part of the WPA Project, under FDR, and still used as the Varsity Basketball Arena these days....while others, were sent to the Celina Football Stadium...just a few hundred feet away, where they had big screens set up....the city probably had not seen this type of excitement in many a moon....

The doors opened up at 11:30, although many had been waiting in line since 9am....Mitt, Paul, and Company were finished up by 3 and on their way north....the schedule that these guys, and Obammy and Joe Biden are keeping is itself amazing, to say the least....

And finally CBS National News{who watches that bias crap?} did lead off it's election coverage with Romney speaking in Celina....

Tomorrow, off to Centerville to watch Grandson Kasyn, rapidly approaching his first Birthday{November 24th} for the day, with the opening games of the Dartball season beginning on the raod at Mt. Tabor tomorrow night....

back later>>>>

Photos-All Taken by Patricia, Romney and Ryan at the historic Celina Fieldhouse 10/28/12

Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan in Celina Today

On Friday afternoon last, the phone rang, and it was a "robo-call" for the RNC{Republican National Committee} telling me that VP nominee Paul Ryan of Wisconsin was coming to Celina this very day, Sunday, October 28, 2012....with the GOP surge in the polls, Ohio once again has become the "must win" state, and the future Vice President was going to be just about everywhere in the Buckeye State over the next days.  Meanwhile President to be, Mitt was going to be in Florida followed by Virginia, before coming to Ohio...he is to appear in Elida{just a stones throw of 30 miles}, a berg of Lima on Tuesday....

Stop the Presses....."Sandy" steps in!

Yesterday Sam's classmate from High School, George Moore, also the Republican City Law of Celina, let us know that Mitt would be joining Ryan in Celina!  The reason, I am sure, is because the Romney Campaign had to cancel events in Virginia today, due to Hurricane Sandy, getting ready to explode across the eastern seaboard....Virginia's loss is Ohio and Celina's gain. 

The 1800 seat Celina Fieldhouse, ironically built back in 1936 as part of FDR's works projects during the last Great Depression, will be the setting....while I am going to "stand down" and not go, oldest son Sam, wife Patricia, and my sister Marty will be taking it in....4 hours or so of sitting is just a bit more resting the butt than I want to do...I had season tickets and was a student 45 years ago and more sitting on those bench seats, that damn old wood is hard!  Anyway I am sending along the camera with them, and hopefully they can get a few photos for me to share, both here on the blog, and on facebook!

The doors open at 11:30 and the show begins 2 hours later...

back soon, hopefully with photos>>>>

Indian Summer's Last Stand? Election Minus 12 Days

Today they are calling for plenty of sunshine with a high of 78...tomorrow and for the 10 days that follow{at least} temperatures won't rise out of the 50s....this despite the Weather Channel calling for warmer temperatures for the coming winter as a whole.  I will take that prediction, like the forecast for the coming election, with a large grain of salt.

I did roll out towards the lake earlier this morning to see if anything was photo worthy...I snapped a few, but really nothing spectacular, I have posted some on today's blog. 

Yesterday, with temperatures nearing the mid 70s, I decided to test my ailing ankle and foot, and managed to mow the yard one last time, start up the snow blowers{one worked, the other didn't} and clean and clear out the garage...some success on that front, but with the Buick still sitting in one stall, I have a ways to go. 

As Sam and I prepared for a Basketball Rules meeting in Van Wert, one of the "kids" I used to coach in Little League and Pony League Baseball dropped by...these days he has his law degree and is the City of Celina Law Director.  George was a high school classmate of Sam's and stopped by to discuss how the world was working....we had a good 45 minute talk, the three of us.  George won the Law Director race last year, and as a Conservative Republican, he has his head on straight....meanwhile Sam, who has an interview in Houston, Texas next week for an Actuarial position, is getting "antsy".  He has had some good interviews, but this one, looks to be the best of the lot...although I'm not sure Houston was on his original radar.

Politics be Damn!

Frankly the election can't come and go soon enough....

Another left wing "Bogey Man"/"Straw Dog" was tossed out by the left last night....Richard Mourdock, the Tea Party/Republican Candidate for the Senate made a statement about rape and abortion{never a good topic when the left, moderates, and media are around}:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/23/god-at-work-when-rape-leads-to-pregnancy-indiana-republican-senate-candidate/?test=latestnews

Mourdock, who defeated long time RINO Senator Richard Lugar in the primary has a big target on his back by the left, and the entrenched GOP establishment....and what he said, regarding the abortion of the unborn just because they were conceived through rape{or incest for that matter} is right on.  Since when is a human being less of one because they were conceived through other than marriage?  Give me a freaking break!  Life is life, and if you are wishy washy on it like Romney and GOP moderates, go to Hell...because, you will be soon enough.  This is one area I don't compromise on....there are very few reasons for a child to be aborted, and these two are not among them.  Bottom Line!

Having said the above, it really isn't going to matter in the long run...mere laws of man, will not change the carnage that is going on in this country....we will all pay for it eventually..."God Bless America" indeed....for all the wrong reasons, that racist, bigoted, moron Rev Wright, may have had the phrase correct.

The End of an Era?

Sam and I attended our first basketball rules meeting of the season....for Sam it may be his last, depending on what happens on the job front.  As for me?  I will trudge through the season, if...if, my left ankle and foot ligaments heal in time.  While walking this morning, and of late in general, I have begin to reassess my future as an aging basketball, and football official.

Basketball I had already decided to cut back following next year....and that may happen sooner.  As far as football?  Well that may come to an end sooner than I had planned.  Depending on my health, especially on my legs and feet, and how they hold up.  There is little doubt on the football front, I will most likely give up my Friday night Varsity gigs...nothing is certain however.  Basketball I will give up any thoughts of Varsity games, and stick to Junior High and girls JV games...the boys JV contests are just a bit too up tempo for me to handle, although I do have a dozen or so this season on my schedule, and will take them one at at time...but the end is near regarding those.....

Baseball on the other hand, I have no plans for cutting back, at least in the Spring....Summer Legion and ACME however, I plan on cutting back on.....

Enough rambling for now....time to get my ass outside and enjoy this final day{for now} of  Indian Summer 2012.

back later>>>>

Photos-Indian Summer around Grand Lake..(1) Walking down the West Bank Bike Bath....(2) Looking towards the rising sun and the Islands..(3) The Beaver Creek as it begins west end Spillway and heads towards the Wabash River...and (4) Some Shad, Bass, and Other Fish that didn't make it as they rode the Spillway down to the Beaver.

Insulation, New Car, and the Debate Winner Is.....

Lots of action has come and gone since Friday's last post....

Nick and I completed the replacing of the insulation under the kitchen floor....I should give credit to Nick, as he did probably 75% of the work...5 hours on Saturday and another 3 on Sunday afternoon.  Once done with that, we sat outside in the Indian Summer weather and downed a 12 pack and polished off a couple of hand rolled cigars...

So the two types of insulation, the board type for the inside crawl space walls, and the fiber glass for the under floor area, should make the kitchen floor warmer for the winter months ahead...because it appears the remainder of the floor replacement is going to drag through the cold weather.

Nissan Altima SE...2012//

As I wrote last week, Patricia was looking at a couple of vehicles, and had settled in on one of two Nissan Altima SEs that were at R&D Auto in Celina.  R&D is where we purchased the Dodge Nitro in April 2011, and we more than satisfied with the follow-up service.  The two Altima's she was looking at were the same exact vehicles, one had 6000 miles, the other 14,000...the difference, aside of the miles, was about $2500, no brainier to me...take the one for less money, 8000 miles less, was not worth a couple of grand extra on the price...besides, even at 14000 miles, the Nissan was not even close to being broken in.

So yesterday, I dropped off a check, and picked up Patricia's new ride....trading in the old Pontiac Montana, which we had for over 10 years....even though it was still running well, with 188,000 miles on it, time was not on it's side.   With the Montana gone, I take over the Nitro, which will end my plans on buying a full size pickup, and Patricia will drive the Nissan.  These two vehicles, one with 51,000 and the newer one, with the 14000, should end our car buying for at least the next five years.  The 1977 Buick is the only other vehicle in the garage...and frankly, despite my desire to get it back on the road, I probably won't see that happen, and likely will sell it to free up some garage space....in the meantime we are set for now.

And the Winner Is......?   The Losers are "The American People"

Watching the final Presidential Debate last night, in between peaks at the Monday Night Football Game and the final game of the National League playoffs, one thing become clear...The American Presidential Race and the Candidates are in denial when it comes to Radical Islam and the dangers it brings to America.

Obama lied with a straight face about is role in destroying the United States by appeasing Islam trash, and Mitt Romney, looked much like his old man....without the balls to call the Kenyan out, or to call Islam exactly what it is....that being the Cult that is out to destroy us.  One candidate embraces Islamic Terrorists, and the other is turning a blind eye.  It is clear that neither will stand up to Iran or radicals in the Middle East, and we are screwed as a nation regardless of which man gets elected President...it's enough to make one puke!

The only good news from last night was, the hated Cardinals went down in flames as San Francisco continued it's amazing come-from-behind story....now Go Tigers!

Bend Over America, your leaders have lost their will and their balls....

back later>>>>

Photos-Patricia's new ride, just a shade below new, with 14,000 miles the 2012 Nissan Altima came in at about $12,000 less than it would have costs straight off the dealer floor.....and after last night's "non debate", it is clear, that there is no Ronald Reagan running, neither Obammy or Romney can live up to his legacy....Romney, frankly, was a huge disappointment, Obama performed as expected...like the lying Kenyan Striped Skunk he is.

So the repairs begin...

Last June when we returned from Columbus and Sam's Graduation from Ohio State, we were greeted by a flooded kitchen floor and a broken valve under the sink which cause untold gallons of water to flood across the kitchen, and seeped into the living room finished wood floors.....most of the water rolled under the kitchen floor into the crawl space, some into the basement which, but the bulk of the under damage was done to the insulation under the kitchen.....

So here we are a bit over four months out, and the kitchen repairs still remain to started....the replacement of the insulation needs to be done before the cold weather sets in, so this morning I headed to Menard's, located across town, to get that started.  The total cost, so far, is just over $165, with Nick helping me out, we should get that done in a few hours, and his cost will be a case of beer....he drinks cheap, so in total, the $200 or so will be much less than if I had it contracted out.  That's not to say the cold, and hard crawl space will be pleasant, but the savings will be worth the discomfort.

The ankle, heel, and Achilles tendon are still sore, especially during the day hours, and even with the swelling down, the healing process has a long way to go.  5 weeks or so before basketball season begins, and frankly, I'd rather not concern myself with that just yet...it's only been two weeks since I injured the foot on that wet Friday night at Paulding, and time, especially at my age, it will take.

Speaking of Football, Sam's crew is at Tinora tonight while my crew, without me of course, is a few miles south of there at Sherwood Fairwood, both Green Meadows Conference games, with the regular season ending next week, the five week long playoff sprint, for those eligible, will be off and running.

Football done for me, and basketball down the road, I will be concentrating on the healing process, and getting the insulation work started and completed, as soon as possible.

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

And one more thing....I despise the St. Louis Cardinals!!!

Photos-The board and roll insulation that will be stuffed under the crawl space, which, under the Kitchen{build in 1945}, covers about 25% of the underside of the old Church Parsonage, the rest, build in 1923, is basemented.

Insulation, and Watching the Yankees Tank or the Debate?

Old Buddy Nick came over late yesterday afternoon, we smoked a cigar, drank a couple of Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ales, and then headed to the basement....measuring out the crawl space that sits under the kitchen floor, was the plan, once done there, we headed out to Menard's to price and measure off insulation.  Nope the Kitchen and Kitchen Floor are still "waiting" to get done...but at least, Patricia, along with Nick and me, can get at the insulation work needing to be done.  Hell, I figure, we can do that for a couple of hundred dollars, I'll give Nick some cigars, and a case of beer to help, thus saving us a grand or so....

The old house/church parsonage was built in 1923 and has an unfinished basement under about 70% of it....the two story part built back in 1923...the kitchen, back "mud" room, and half bath, added in 1945, have a 5 foot deep crawl space which is connected to the foundation and basement....and that is the part that was basically drown out during the water break last June, while we were at Ohio State attending Sam's Graduation.  We are still waiting for the repairs.

Since the crawl space under the Kitchen is easy to get into, the repairs to the lost insulation, already removed, should be fairly easy....we will use the standard roll type under the kitchen floor, and then line the inside of the concrete crawl walls with blue board insulation, giving the kitchen a bit more warmth during the winter months....then wait for the repairs to commence.  But at this point, I don't expect much action on that front anytime soon...for as much as the economy sucks, the contractors around these parts(with a 4.3 unemployment rate) are staying busy.

The Debate or Baseball.....

Patricia headed to bed early, Sam is down in Columbus, interviewing, so it was me the lazy cat and the boob tube...what to watch/The Debate or Baseball....?

A little of both it turns out....the debate, what I watched of it, appeared to be a draw, Obammy lying through his Kenyan Teeth, helped along by Candy O' Where are the Donuts? Crowley, acting like a typical media lap dog for this pole smoking gay blade from Chicago/Hawaii/ or Kenya....I thought, from where I sat Mitt won, but really if you have not made up your mind by now, what planet are you living on?  45% won't vote, and it appears the rest of us will split the vote.  Romney will probably win{I didn't think that a month ago}, unless the DNC/ACORN and the rest of the far left/Marxist trash can steal enough votes, or get enough illegals and dead folks to vote...which is always possible.  It's a toss up and this country will never again be the same, regardless.  Of course since I despise Obammy, I must be a Racist...you know what?  I really don't give a rat's ass what the losers on the left call me....fuck em'

Meanwhile the Yankees, my childhood favorite sports team(who once I moved back to Ohio in 1963 quickly faded from that list, especially once Mickey Mantle retired), is in deep against Detroit.  They just can't hit, unless it's the 9th inning, and once again they fell, this time 2-1 at Detroit, and the Tigers are up three games to none...."Stick a Fork in New York, they are done".  It appears the teams with the worst regular season records in the playoffs, Detroit and St. Louis might be in a rematch from 2006...Cards or Giants, "Go Detroit"{if they finish off the Yankees}.

Ankle, Foot, etc....

I briefly thought that I might be able to work the Youth Football Tournament double header this Sunday with Sam....but I gave up that thought quickly...the ankle heel, and foot are indeed going to be slow to heal, and no way I'm chancing that slow  recovery by working three or four hours running/walking up and down a football field...I am done!

The swelling is down, but not completely gone.  While the ankle feels better when resting, but the pain is always there, especially after walking or sitting with it in the down position for a period of time....So, the goal of being back to action for my first basketball game on November 24th {Grandson Kasyn's first Birthday}, is still possible, but I am not committing to anything at this point, time will tell.

back later>>>>

Photo-The weather has turned nice, for at least a day or two, yesterday I managed to get out and shoot some fall photos....the top one at a fall market near New Bremen.  The crawl space lays under the Kitchen Floor, while the rest of the old Parsonage has a full basement...so despite not being one of my favorite places to "crawl" around in, to save some time and money, Nick and I will get it done...better now in the fall cool, with the critters{see bugs/spiders} dormant, than in the moist heat of the summer months.  Candy "I'm an Obama Tool" Crowley, performed like a good Liberal Prostitute for her Messiah Obama, but the results were not going to save his sorry ass for probable defeat come November 6th....and The Yankees are headed for defeat, of course since The Mick retired some 45 years ago, I really have been a hard core Reds fan.

Hot Air from the Losers on the Left.....

Since I started, months ago, to "moderate" comments from folks that don't have the guts or sense to use a name, whether real or a "handle", I don't get the spam and left wing ass clowns saying much these days.  However, I did mark as spam one from a post back in January 2011 from some asshole that of course used the name "anonymous"....calling my comments on Bruce Springsteen, Dead Ted Kennedy, and the Kenyan Asshat in the White House as "sewage"....such a thought provoking message from another loser...I mean, come on man, who the Hell is going to bother reading your BS from on a comment from a post almost two years old?....at least try to make it on a newer one, so I can rip your sorry ass and somebody besides me might read it.    Of course that would mean having something between your legs beside your boyfriend, and I know of no male liberals that can claim that, and be truthful about it.

The Wind{Hawk} over the Weekend.....

The wind picked up before the predicted storms yesterday....and that didn't disappoint, the storms however, at least in Mercer County, didn't amount to much.  Sam and three other football officials got their games in for the opening round of the Cross Country Football League, with two Celina teams winning, that means we will have another round next Sunday.  Sam will work those games, not sure who I will get to work with him....I am half tempted to do the games myself, but with the foot and ankle slowly healing, I doubt if I should take a chance....my season, after all, is  over, or at least that's what I've been told.

What the wind did, was pretty much scatter the leaves about, and put a damper on what was left in the "Fall Colors" portion of the Autumn Season.

This morning Sam was doing a on-line face to face on-line Skype interview with Mutual of Omaha out west....so I got out of the house and took the camera, heading to the south side of Grand Lake...not a lot of fall shots in the gloom of the morning, the rain, or at least mist, was still around{the Sun is just now peeking out at the Noon hour}...but getting out was still not a bad thing, and I clicked some photos off anyway.

Still resting the foot, I spent much of the weekend, tasting Autumn Brews and watching football and the MLB Playoffs....frankly, that stuff these days, just bores the Hell out of me....in fact so much that Patricia and I are on the verge of dumping Time-Warner Cable, and our land line.  The land line is basically nothing more than politicians, telemarketers, and bullshit, the rest call on the cell phones.  Cable, even with 7 million channels is a waste of Liberal garbage, and bad TV shows....and Hell I can buy/rent the old movies I like, and watch the rest, news, and whatever, on the Internet.

TV is dying fast....and I no longer want to pay $160 a month for TV, Phone, and Internet.....I've got XM/Radio on the Internet and in the cars...speaking of which..

Patricia has been looking at a new Nissan Altima, new in 2012 that is, with less than 10,000 miles on it....if she pulls the trigger on that, I will take the Dodge Nitro, and the old Montana will be gone...at 187,000 miles, the question is, "How long will it last, before major repairs are needed"?  Anyhow, we took the Nissan out for a  test run on Saturday....a bit small for my taste, but a nice car, with all the bells needed and at a good price.  A good car for her, with good gas mileage, that should work for her for the rest of her working career, before she retires.  The Nitro would replace the van for me, with Four Wheel Drive and plenty of room for my gear.  So she can make that decision in the next week or so....

Speaking of decisions....tomorrow night is the second debate between Mitt and the Kenyan Assclown, I won't watch much, if any, of it....after all, the MLB Playoffs are on, and even though I no longer have a dog in the fight, it still beats watching that lying son of a Kansas and Kenyan Marxist lie though his stinking smoke stained teeth, besides, my decision was made long ago...Anybody But Obammy!

back later>>>>

Photos-There are always a few trees around the area that the colors come alive this time of year, the top one, on Celina's south side is one of those that really shows it's colors in October.....meanwhile around the lake, it's a mixed bag, some color, but lots of the leaves have flown in the wind....and a look at the Nissan Altima 2012.

Football(less) Friday....

My personal football season lasted a bit less than two months...and tonight will mark the first Varsity Friday{except opening weekend, when we worked a Thursday night game} since early August that I have had off.  I will be missing the Tinora at Wayne Trace game in the GMC tonight, a contest that will likely decide the Championship, and a playoff birth is on the line as well....both teams have a good chance there.

Ankle/Foot Update.....

I went to bed early, stayed in the sack until 8 this morning, allowing my left foot and ankle to rest while somewhat elevated...the swelling was down, but since I've been up and on it, some of the same is back, but it is slowly getting better, no way near normal, but healing none-the-less.  The 7 weeks or so, it appears, will be needed....when we return from Wisconsin in Mid November, I will have time to decide if I can make the opening of Basketball Season.

The Reds is Dead.....

What a total collapse by the Cincinnati Reds....

After a great season, which saw them win 97 games, take the NL Central by 9 full games, The Reds jumped out 2 games to none on San Francisco on the road, and seemed to have a strangle hold on the NLDS opening series against the Giants...but they defied history, not only becoming the first National League team to blow a 2/0 lead in a five game series, but losing all three at home, a place where they had 50 wins, tops in the majors, and had not lost 3 in a row all season.  A few changes, but not many, will be in store for next year....frankly, I would like to see Dusty Baker retire as manager, maybe with assistant Chris Spier as his replacement.  Scott Rolen needs to retire as well, after a great career, he just didn't have it this season...and Center Field needs to be addressed to...Drew Stubbs is not a plus.  Hopefully some team other than the Yankees or Cardinals take the title...however, I really don't  give a hoot.....I'll just enjoy the rest of the post-season without a dog in the hunt.

Weather or Not!

The fall weather, unlike last year, is more 'fall-like'....

The sun is shining this morning, and it appears we will have a dry Football Friday night, unlike last week when the heavy rains were responsible, at least in part, for my foot injury that has knocked me out of the season....no warm weather is in sight for the next 10 days, but a mix of cool and seasonable conditions that will require a jacket or at least long sleeves.  Between the weather and the injury, any attempts at working in and/or painting the garage have been put on hold....I cannot be on my feet{foot} for that long at a time...so my "wish list" is on hold, probably until next spring, unless I can recover quickly and the weather{Indian Summer?} turns warm and more dry.

The VP Debate....

Frankly I hit the sack before the Vice Presidential debate last night....I already knew what would transpire.  VP Joe Biden, would make an ass of himself, and Paul Ryan would mop the floor with him, viewing the "high"lites, that is exactly what happened.  As bad as the Kenyan Kuhn is...can you imagine what the country would be if that lying, plagiarizing, asshole from Delaware, was in office?  Hopefully a nice case of heart trouble or something would put that son of a bitch out of our misery before that happens....

These two jackasses have to go.....I'm not enthralled with Romney, but this election year is very important, if for no other reason than to rid the Republic of Obama/Biden and their attempt to destroy us.

back later>>>>

More Reflecting....

The seeds have been sowed for my next 6 or 8 weeks, maybe more....

The doctor's office called yesterday and tell me "No Break" in my foot...but plenty of stress work, sprain, and stretched ligaments...rest, ice, elevation...wrap if needed.  It was looking good for plenty of baseball watching as the Reds took a two games to none lead on the road at San Francisco, but with needing only a single win at home, where they were baseballs best team at home, the  team from Cincy has managed to pee down their legs, and are now facing a one game, winner take all, today at 1pm at home vs the Giants...things are not looking good, especially with ace Johnny Cueto done until at least the World Series, which is now looking like a long shot.  If the Reds don't win today, my "rest" will not go as well...boredom is not something I take well.

Regardless, I am stuck with what I am stuck with...reduced activity for the next 6-8 weeks, and maybe longer.  I guess that depends on how quickly I heal and how well I follow orders...one thing certain, my football days are over for 2012...when you get the bad news, sometimes it's not all that bad.

As Tim Holt said to Walter Huston at the end of "The Treasure of Sierra Madre"...."When the worst happens, it's not really all that Bad"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD55dkiX_ZQ

I had been pressing the issue for weeks....my heel was shot, could not move well on my feet, sore ankles, etc.  The baseball season had wore me out, the football season was about to finish me off....Friday Night was the final nail in the season's coffin.  Now that it has happened, it's not all that bad....I can relax, boring as it is, heal my foot, ankle, and heel, and see what the next weeks will bring.  "Boring"?  Hell Yes!  But I can deal with it...I really don't have much choice.

Past Injuries____

I've been lucky over the years, 2012 not withstanding....

Never had a broken bone, or at least one that could be set and really diagnosed...comes from having strong bones and a thick skull I guess.  The Houseworth clan have big heads and thick skulls, sometime that was passed down from my dad to me, and then to my two sons...all of us have pretty good size heads with thick skulls to match.

I've been punched, hit with bats, fallen over the handlebars face first off bikes{without helmet}, had two major motorcycle wrecks, and in my younger days, fist fights a plenty...but lucky for me, I've never broken anything.  The motorcycle bang-ups were bad, but other than a few years of back issues, I survived those, albeit with plenty of scars, stitches, and pain....

I guess the worst of the foot injuries, before this Friday night last, was back in 1977...

I was going to Wright State Lake Campus during the daytime, working as a bartender at Fat's Stag Bar in Celina at night....I would close up Fat's at 10pm each night, walk home then get ready and jog 3 miles a night, 5 nights a week, usually taking a tour of Celina's west side and downtown...some evenings I would jog over to the County Fairgrounds, just a few blocks away.  One night, while jogging sometime after Midnight, through the dark grounds I stepped on a large branch that had fallen from one of the many trees on the grounds....the pain was like nothing I had ever experienced....I eventually hopped and stumbled my way home, iced up the foot, and waited until the next day to see Doc Finklemeier.

No break, but a nasty high ankle sprain...I was off my feet and on crutches for several weeks....my jogging was never the same, I hated working out during the daylight hours, and could just never get back into running at night, too paranoid I guess, like I had until that night...it was a game/life changer.  I'm not so sure that this latest injury won't be either...time will tell.

One thing for sure, I will have to make a decision on lifestyle changes{like I haven't done that already this year} and changes in my officiating work and schedule.  Despite being active and in what I perceive as good shape for my age, there is no doubt I have to make some adjustments in what I am doing, and how I approach life, if I want to remain active and doing things that actually interest me....

But now I have the time to do just that....so I might as well begin.

back later>>>>

Photos-(top) Now that the results of the X-Rays are in, I can kick back and decide what the next weeks and months will bring, and the changes contained therein...(2) I had one nasty wreck on my 1974 Kaw 250 on/off road bike....but still would like to have it back today, or something like it....and the back yard is now officially 'fall-like'....good thing too, because my mowing days are done for the year.

Waiting on the X-Ray Results

Well here I sit....one foot up on my computer desk the other hanging towards the floor.....the swelling, well it's either up or down, depending on the time of day, and how long I have been sitting with foot raised, as opposed to having recently walked, or sitting at my desk with both feet on the floor....my pain in the foot, has become a major pain in the ass, to say the least.

I headed off to the Doctor's Office in Minster yesterday, and the results of the visit are still up in the air, much like my left foot....one thing is certain, I am finished for the remainder of the football season, as for basketball, which is scheduled to begin, for me, on November 24th...that is up in the air.  8 weeks is what Doc told me yesterday, 8 weeks of rest and off my foot...how the Hell can somebody like me, as active as a 63 year old you will find, going to do that?

If the Reds stick around the playoffs, which looked certain until last night blown opportunity, a 2-1 ten inning loss to San Fran, I will have some excuse to sit and watch the boob tube....

After the office visit I headed to St Marys Hospital for the sets of X-Rays...results known, maybe later today.  I don't expect much however...as far as anything unusual.  I doubt if it {the foot} is broken, just some badly stretched ligaments or tendon damage.  No matter, I will be off of it for the most part until December or later, the 24th of November basketball opening is a pipe dream at this point.

November for the most part, much like mid July through early August and late February through mid March are my "resting" months...this year, it will be even more so.  Those projects I had planned for fall are done....the painting of the garage will wait until Spring, the insulation replacement below the kitchen will not b done by me, the garage clean-up is not going to happen, nor will the gutter cleaning along the roof edges...they just won't happen.

For the most part I will sit, watch the tube, lift some weights, and get ready for Dartball season, which is scheduled to begin October 29th....

The main thing during this time of little physical activity, will be can I keep the weight off the body?  That will be a major test, while sitting on my can.

back later>>>>>

Photos-The foot in it's new usual spot, and basketball season is 'iffy" at least in the beginning...more time and healing will tell.

Shutting Down the Season.....

After being in denile or is it denial{?} for three days, I finally came to the conclusion late last night, while watching the Orioles dispatch the Yankees in Game #2 of the ALDS, that my foot injury will put an end to my football officiating season.  While looking things up online, not always accurate, but it does give you some perspective, I came to discover my foot issues lay somewhere in the "middle foot sprain, fracture" realm....and whether it is of the major, minor, or somewhere in between area, my football season is finished....basketball, which begins for me on November 24th, is likely going to be delayed as well.

With Sam still around, looking for full time Actuary work, I can rely on him to work some games between his Ohio State and Big Ten Network gigs...the rest I will have to "dump" and will do the assigners and ADs a favor and find someone to work for me.  I will get a chance first hand to see how the insurance provided by the association works out.  I won't get rich, but I've paid my dues for many years, and should get reimbursed for the work related injury.....but like with anything else, time and paperwork will tell.  Yes indeed, 2012 has been one Hell of a Year for me.....Hell being the key word.

Don't get me wrong...at 63 you expect health issues...but for me, Patricia, Sam, and my mom(who is 88) 2012 has been a year that we would all like to forget, when it comes to doctor and hospital visits. 

So today at 2:45, I will head to the doctor's office, have him check out my foot, and then(I imagine) send me off for X-Rays and probably to someone else, likely a Orthopedic type...

Then home to watch the Reds attempt to sweep the Giants out of the baseball playoffs, and contemplate what the remainder of the fall and early winter will hold in store for my activity calender.....

back, with the results, later>>>

Photos-The top diagram is where the majority of pain is, while my foot{bottom} has show little improvement since the weekend....

"Foot"ball Follies...

Heavy frost on the roof and grounds this morning, The Weather Channel suggested that the temperature dropped down to 32 this early today, and with the clear skies, the frost came.  This early October certanily has been far different that last year, when the sunny skies and Indian Summer like conditions drove the daytime temperatures into the lower 80s for much of the month.  The first week of this October has been cool and at times wet, Friday Night it was very cool and very wet, the two would have me facing another "mini crisis".

Friday Football.....

The rain started early and continued for most of the day on Friday...a cold nasty early fall rain, making the conditions feel much like November, rather than the first week of October.  I left for Paulding about 4:20pm for the 7:30 start....knowing it was going to be one miserable game, at least weather wise....that would end up being an understatment, to say the least.

The temperatures hovered in the upper 40s as our 5-man officiating crew conferred with the coaches of both Paudling and visiting Allen East, the rain continued, sometimes light, sometimes more moderate, but always raining.  The wind shifted from the west to swirling, then at times the flags on the endzone pole didn't move at all, hanging limp, with no wind at all.

The field was in good condition, but wet, and you knew once the game began, the conditions on the lush grass would deterioate quickly....we warned each other to watch our steps...two mintues into the game, I would wish I had done a better job of that.

I have been describing my problems with Plantar Fasciitis on my left foot and heel:

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plantar-fasciitis-topic-overview

I dufully had put my KT tape on my foot to protect the hell a few hours before the game....what happened early in the game, the KT was on the wrong part of my foot, and would do no good. 

A couple of minutes in, I made a turn, my left foot slipped out from under me on the wet surface and mud....I heard a loud "pop" and fell face first into the mud and grass....

The young trainer on the Paulding was at my side within seconds, telling me "I could hear that pop all the way over on the bench"..."Yep", I replied..."So could I"....he helped me over to the Pauling bench, he thought it was my knee....I assured him it was my foot and ankle, on the left of course, the problems and the pain area for the past few weeks.

Frankly I thought when it first happened I had done something major...I had it appears, but not something that would put me in a cast or crutches.  The damnage was to the front part of the foot, streached ligiments it appears....I finished the first half, the trainer came in and taped me up at halftime, and I hobbled through the remainder of the game....just hoping to get through it without further damnage, or freezing my ass off...I'm not sure if I did either with success.

I spent the rest of the weekend resting as much as possible, but did go to Centerville, on Saturday, where we went with Hal, Lisa, and Grandson Kasyn, along with Lisa's mom, to the local indoor museum designed much for kids, I borrowed a wheel chair, and spent most of the tour sitting, or walking behind the chair.

Saturday Night and Sunday I sat around and watched football and baseball, resting and icing my foot, drinking Miller Lite, watching the Reds win the first two playoff games over the Giants, The Buckeyes stomping Nebraska, and the Bengals unexplcitiy losing to a bad Miami team.

The Week Ahead.....

With only one game scheduled between now and Friday, I have Sam to replace me tomorrow at Wayne Trace....The Friday Night game at Wayne Trace, is a big one, the host Raiders taking on Tinora for what will likely be the Green Meadows championship, yesterday I thought I had zero percent chance of working it...today maybe that's up to 10%, but I'm not really confident.  The swelling is down somewhat, but there is no doubt, I need some time off to rest the foot and ankle...and the end of my season may be at hand.  I will make a decision the middle of this week.  Leaving enough time to find replacements...Sam, busy at Ohio State and with his own football crew, can only take so many of my games.....

back later>>>>

Photos-The feet as they looked yesterday, today, has not seen much improvment, some, but only when rested...the football season may be over with.  Saturday, we went with Grandson Kasyn to one of the local museums...in the first photo Kasyn checking me out as I stood in the Hurricane Machine getting blown around, and then checking out some climbing blocks...K-Man has been batteling his own ear infections and fever the past week, but seemed better by the end of the weekend.

Football Friday #7

Just 3 weeks of regular season football after tonight's games....

Our crew is at Paulding as they host Allen East in a Homecoming match for the Panthers...both teams are winless, both have had tough one and two loses...I expect a competitive game.  I filled in on Garry's Crew last year when they had this game at Allen East, and it was a good, close, well fought contest, I think AE won 22-12 after Paulding had fumbled deep in East territory while moving in for the go ahead TD.

Last night I worked a Junior High game at Crestview, and my heel held up, still sore, but the KT Tape helped....and I should be able hold up tonight, despite a third Friday Night of rain in the last 5 weeks.  It appears that it should be just rain, without the lightning and thunder show that has force the postponement of weeks 3 and 5, when we had to finish up on a Saturday.

This, my 8th football season, and first being on a regular crew{one that works together each Friday night}, has been a mixed bag.  The storms combined with two straight weeks of being stuck with a couple of major league assholes as coaches on my sidelines, have frankly been a drag.  I like the guys I work with, but am not good at the political BS one is expected to endure when dealing with buttheads in the coaching ranks.  Hindsight is 20/20 and in that view, I should have tossed a couple of clowns back a couple of weeks ago....on the other hand, I have had some good coaches working on the sidelines, guys that you would want your kids playing for back in their high school days.  But guys like Clown #1 and #2 make it tough to enjoy at times.

Football is not baseball to be sure....and stuck somewhere in-between that and basketball as favorite sports.  Baseball on one hand, even though you work with a single partner during he season{3 man and 4 man crews during the later tournament and state games}, you are graded as an individual, not as a team or crew....same goes for basketball, although basketball is not for the thinned skin, especially at  the varsity level.

So driving home the back roads from Convoy last night, taking some sunset photos, I was thinking{always dangerous}....how much longer do I want to put up with this?  Football on Friday nights that is.  I had already decided to give up basketball after the 2014-15 season, Hell I'll be approaching 66 by that time.  Baseball I will do as long as I'm able to see and move....Football on the other hand, was a "wild card".  The heel problems I've had this fall has made it tough to enjoy, the Friday nights are not what they are cracked up to be...and frankly I am pretty fed up with some of the BS.  So whether the crew chief wants me back or not for 2013, I am leaning towards just doing lower level games, or filling in on occasion, next season if I work a regular crew, I can envision paper work in my future, because the ejections would probably become a reality...

So there are my mundane thoughts for this Friday morning, as the rain once again has come to visit.

back later>>>>

The Great {?} Debate

The Baseball regular season came to a wild end last night, especially in the American League{aka: The Junior Circuit"}...The Texas Rangers completed a meltdown that would make the 64 Phillies and last year's Braves look at with pride.  The Rangers dropped the last three games to west rival Oakland, thus giving the Athletics the division crown, while Texas now will play Baltimore tomorrow in the play-in game to meet the Yankees.  Detroit and Oakland will face off in the other series.

Meanwhile in the National League, the Reds continue to slump at the plate, losing to St. Louis 1-0 in an offensive/offensive performance, that has become all to familiar to Cincinnati fans.  Washington clinched the top spot and will play the one game Braves/Cards winner, while the Reds head to San Fran for the first two games, before heading back to Cincinnati for games 3, 4, and 5, if needed.  The way they decided to dole out the home games sucks this year, due mainly to the addition of a second "Wild Card" team....

The Great Debate....Romney Wins in a Landslide!

I really didn't plan on watching much of the Presidential Debate last night...after all, why bother?  I knew I was not going to be swayed...Hell, Romney wasn't my first choice, but he will get my vote, I wouldn't vote for the Kenyan Bastard Child if he was running against Satan himself, and unlike my "Constitutional" and Libertarian friends, I'm not stupid or arrogant enough to give my vote to Obammy by Proxy, by voting for some third party loser, like Gary Johnson, Virgil what' his Name?, or Ron Paul.  Their main claims are that abortion is OK, because a women has a right to murder her unborn child, and Islam really doesn't hate us....they just want to be left alone.  

Of course the Constitutional and Libertarian crowd are full of crap on both fronts....Abortion is Murder at anytime, and Islam is one non-peaceful, evil, on this planet.....the worshippers of the Pedophile for Profit, have world domination in mind....anything else from the left and libber left is a pipe dream....but back to the debate...

The lap dog media was, at least I thought, prepared to give Obama the victory in last night's debate, regardless of how it looked to the average American...it turned out to those average Joe's and Jane's, that Romney kick Obama's Ass from here to there.  Even the far left media at MSNBC and CNN had to admit that Romney was on his "A-Game", while the Kenyan was but a shell of his 2008 self, especially without his crutch, that elusive teleprompter.

Most people regardless won't be swayed...but the question remains:  Will the sorry performance by their Skunk Striped Messiah, serve to dishearten those supporters enough to keep them home on election day?  That is the key...most people have their minds made up, but who will show up in the greatest numbers?  If they next two debates end up like last night's...the Kenyan is in deep trouble, much like the Republic already is, due to Obama and his Marxist policies....we have a lot riding on this election, regardless of who wins, the country is in trouble, deep trouble, but with a Romney win, there might be a way out...without that, the Republic is doomed...and that is not debatable.

Sore feet and heel not withstanding, I go back to the football field tonight...a Junior High game at Crestview, Friday the Varsity contest our crew works will be at Paulding, and Sunday Sam and I work another double header at the youth level in Celina.  On Saturday, Patricia, Anissa, and I, will head south to visit Hal, Lisa, and grandson Kasyn, if the weather cooperates, we will do some fall pumpkin festival hunting.

back later>>>>

This Mundane Midweek....

Mundane:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mundane

That is what the weather has been this week...wet, rather humid, and somewhat cool....just the opposite of this time last year when our Vietnam Security Police Association reunion in Dayton.  This time last year we were dry, sunny, and temperatures were in the upper 70s and lower 80s with almost no humidity....

Speaking of the VSPA Reunion, this year they are gathering at Fort Walton Beach in the Florida Panhandle...I won't be there this time around, perhaps next year, God willing, I will make the one in Charleston, SC....but I don't plan that far ahead, unless it is signing contracts for baseball, basketball, and football....and I'm beginning to wonder just what the Hell I am doing taking games out as far as early 2015?  I'll be approaching 66 for gawd's sake!

The heel is still healing, but it's got a ways to go....even giving up about half of my games to Sam for the last month of the football season, I am guessing by the time my doctor's appointment comes around the end of this month, the heel will still have issues....I am not looking forward to basketball season and the beating the feet will take.  That brings to mind the old saying, when it becomes a chore, it's time to re-evaluate what you are doing....and that is something I will face in the not-to-distant future.

The Grandson, Kasyn, was suffering with an ear infection, in both ears no less, so I drove down the 90 miles to Centerville yesterday to watch him while his parents worked....just a bit less active than he usually is, the 10 month old did walk a few steps for me....and can now string a few steps together, and took his first when he reached 10 months and 3 days.

Baseball reaches the post season....

Well it will tomorrow....amazing to see that here on this last day, while the National League playoff teams are set, the AL still is in flux.....The Yankees and Baltimore both have made the post season, the question is, which will win the east and who will be the wild card, same for Texas and Oakland.  The difference being, they will face off tonight in Oakland, with the winner taking the West and the loser, being force into a Wild Card game with either NY or Baltimore.  The Reds will play at St Louis, needing a win and a Washington loss to capture the overall #1 seed.....if they finish #2,  Cincinnati will play San Francisco, with the first two games out west.

The Final Fall Flowers.....

The backyard collection of flowers was a disappointment, needless to say...the excessive Summer heat and dry conditions locked that in...Flowers either died before blooming, or like the Moon Flowers, they came out to late to do much "blooming".....one exception being the Marigolds.

With the first hard frost still yet to strike, the Marigold plants are still producing a variety of different colors...give me a chance to snap some photos in the evening mist and rain.

Tomorrow will, at least is predicted, to be the last warm day for the next couple of weeks....79 is the predicted high, however, given the fact that the Weather Channel has totally missed the week thus far, I'm making no bets on that one....regardless it appears that long sleeves will be needed for Friday's Varsity games...our crew is at Paulding for a NWC game with Allen East, while Sam now a member of a new crew for the remainder of the season is at Marion Local for a game with arch rival St. Henry, with both teams headed for the post season playoffs.

back later>>>>

Photos-Kasyn is starting to take his first steps over the past week...and can string 5 or more together at this point...The Vietnam Security Police Reunion is in the Florida Panhandle this weekend....K-Man is coming down from his double ear infection, but the antibiotics seem to be working well....and the Marigolds in the back yard are hanging on into early October.