Easter Weekend 2012

Just a quickie today....

Sam and worked a JV double header here in Celina on Saturday...Celina JV vs Sidney, and Celina came out on top 10-0 and 10-1, while the varsity was sweeping a twin bill down in Sidney.  Tonight I am at windy Wayne Trace up in Paulding's Blue Creek Township, where my Great Grandparents settled some 150 or so years ago....the weather says it will be windy, but then again it is always windy on the flatlands of Blue Creek Township.  I will work the bases...still easing into the plate work, have done two so far....and will likely work a couple this week...but still not 100% with the voice or throat.

After the games Saturday, we headed over to sister Marty's and husband the other Pat in the family and their place.   All 3 of my kids were there, along with mom, Mike, grandson "The K-Man". and most of Marty's family, except for Mikki who lives out in So Cal.....

Here are some photos of the day.....

Me and the "K-man",  Kasyn and Luke his second cousin, Great Grandma Houseworth and Kasyn, and Hal, Lisa, and Kasyn....

Post Vietnam Reunion, Watching K-man, and Surgery Update....

We finished up the "mini" Vietnam Security Police reunion at Wright-Patterson, and Patricia and I drove home in the sunshine...temperatures reached a near record 70 by mid afternoon....thunderstorms overnight, followed by some sun and highs in the low 60s.....

The Reunion was, as usual, a good and relaxing time...30 of us in total attended for varying lengths of time, some for the entire weekend, some Friday night and Saturday, and some just for a few hours on Saturday at the Museum....

Saturday Night, Hal and Lisa headed to the Dayton Gems hockey game and we were able to watch Kasyn for about 5 hours, and got to spoil him with some of the other attendees at Packy's at the Hope Hotel...he was, as usual the most pleasant of grandsons....

Today, was my turn to watch the 3 1/2 month old "K-Man"....as it approached Noon, I received a call from the cardio doc's office in Lima, requesting that I accept a change in my surgery date.....I could move it forward, or back....both them and I preferred a move forward...so I did.  The surgery is now scheduled for my birthday, this coming Friday, March 16th....Happy Yappy 63rd BD!

The change screwed some things up as far as family schedules, my early baseball schedule and this weekends plans, including the baseball clinic that I was scheduled to work....oh' well, let's get the surgery over with, come out of it OK, and hopefully move on with the Spring and Summer.  I have to tell you, the pills, the wait, the changes, and uncertainty have grown boring over the past weeks....I am ready to move forward, and make what changes need to be made.

Dartball tonight, the All-Start game....for the 15th time in 18 seasons....then things get finished with the banquet next Monday....I hope to be healed enough by that time to attend...but will take it one step and day at a time.

back later>>>>

Photos-15 of the 17 "Sky Cops" who attended the Mini Reunion at Wright-Patterson...Kasyn, with us on Saturday night at the Hope Hotel looking forward to Chowing Down...but at 3 1/2 months, he has a ways to go....and the Defender Statue at the Air Force Museum grounds...always the gathering place for our reunions at Dayton, rain, snow, or shine!

Photos-The Week in Review....February 19th through 25th

The winter winds down, slowly but surely...and my basketball officiating all but came to an end for the season last night.  With the exception of a youth tournament at Parkway High School on March 8th, I am done for the season, and can concentrate on the upcoming baseball season.

The week  began simply enough...I got out of bed early and with the conditions, albeit they being cold, were pretty perfect to snap some sunrise photos on the west and south sides of Grand Lake:

Wednesday saw Garry and I head to Van Wert in the evening for a baseball rules meeting...although only 4 local meetings are required, I usually attend 5 or 6 in Van Wert and one at our other association, down at Indian Lake High School, to stay active in that association....usually working a game or two each season in Shelby County. and Logan County, although things are changing down that way.

Thursday was the highlight of the week...as I traveled south to Centerville, and watch the new {and only} grandchild/grandson, Kasyn, the "K-Man" for the day....

Last night to the Fieldhouse to work my final high school game of the season...which will continue into late March, with the State Championships in Columbus...

Frankly, I am happy the season is finished for me....of the three sports I officiate/umpire...basketball is the most demanding on this aging body, it is also the best cardio workout....on the other hand it is my least favorite and the one of the three that I am least proficient in...at least in my own opinions.  While baseball is my favorite, the one I have done the longest, and the one of the three that I have done District, Regional and State work in....and work not only High School, but American Legion, and ACME Summer ball as well.

Today, Saturday, Patricia is in Dayton, at a Autism Seminar, being hosted by daughter-in-law, Lisa....and also getting her chance to spoil/bond with Kasyn....as Anissa and I get ready to head to the grocery, to pick out a few items, including some store fixed Fried Chicken...the rest of the weekend, interrupted only by the opening round of the Wabash Valley Dartball Tournament, will see me do some treadmill work, weight lift tomorrow, and watch some hoops and hockey on the tube.

Being shorthanded for Dartball this weekend, and probably next, it will be a struggle to make the finals, like we have done the past couple of seasons....but you never know.

back later for more on this exciting{insert eye roll} life...

Photos-Some good photos of spectacular sunrises were seen in the early morning this week over Grand Lake, I managed to get these and a couple dozen others...Me and Kasyn giving the digital the "left eye stare" on Thursday, The historic Fieldhouse was the scene of my final high school basketball game of the season last night...We hosted the Dartball Tournament in 09-10 and like last year at Hopewell, we finished in the Runners-Up spot.  Not sure if we will make the finals this time around at Bethany, we have been struggling all season...and with basketball finished up for all intensive purposes, baseball umpiring, and warmer weather beckons.

Sittin' With the 'K-man"...

After I showered this morning, I checked the blood pressure....average at 111/65 with a low pulse rate of 52 beats per minute, this left me scratching my head wondering if I should even be taking any BP meds, let alone the double-plus they have prescribed?  Anyway, I guess better low than high, so I headed out into the morning sun to give the Squirrels and the band of Sparrows, Doves, Blue Jays, and Cardinals, their ration of seeds for the morning...by the time I finished, a short five minutes or so, the calm winds and sunshine turned to 40 mph gusts, and the clouds rolled in...accompanied by colder temperatures, it appears this weekend will be windy and March-like...before for more warmer conditions arrive back in town next week.

Tomorrow I will have Anissa around the house, as Patricia, and others attend a work session on Autism that our daughter-in-law, Lisa will be giving in Dayton.  Sunday, we begin the tournament trail in Dartball at Bethany Church...if we get by that round, the Semi and Championships will be held the following Sunday, same location.  The All-Star game, which I made for the 15 time in 18 years, will be held March 12th, with the banquet to follow on Monday March 19th...as the Widdy Darts and Boards are put away until next fall.

A Day with the "K-man"_____

Hal has a couple of work sessions out of their condo yesterday, so even though he was home, with Lisa back at work, they needed someone to take a turn at watching Grandson Kasyn....yesterday was my chance, so I got up early, and drove the 90 or so miles south down I-75 to Centerville...where I would spend some 8 hours "sitting".  For the most part, K-Man stayed awake early and slept late....ate well, and we got some bonding time.... I mainly watched crime shows on TV...watching TV?  Now that is sometime I don't do much of, except for sports and old classic movies in the evening.

The day moved along quickly, and Lisa arrived home about 5pm.  Hal invited me out for supper, but I turned that down...not that I wouldn't have went, or enjoyed it, but I figured the young couple, with younger child, didn't need to be spending money on me....and besides, I had already cheated on my low carb, low sodium diet, having breakfast by stopping by McDonald's{something else I rarely do} on my way down, and grabbed a carb, salt, and calorie filled "Skillet Breakfast Burrito", along with a cream filled large coffee.  So I said my good-byes to the family, and left during the middle of rush hour, which in a pleasant surprise, the traffic was almost non existent in the Dayton area and I-75 on the return trip.

Tonight I will officiate my final High School game of the year....and with gas prices approaching $4 per gallon, glad that I don't have to drive far.  The game is here in Celina, as the Bulldogs finish the regular season against Lima Bath, the boys tournament action begins next week.  The girls have already started their final push towards seasons end.

After tonight, just a youth tournament to work in two weeks, and I can concentrate on baseball for the next five months or so....indeed my favorite time of the year....back later>>>>

Photos-"The K-Man" and me....yesterday at the Condo.  Kasyn with his new toy bank....keeping him somewhat amused, when I wasn't holding him or he wasn't sleeping....and the historic Celina Fieldhouse, built during the depression, and by far the oldest venue still hosting varsity basketball games in the area....I'll work my final game of the season at the there tonight.

A Day with Grandpa and the K-man....

Got up bright and early yesterday, showered, dressed, switched vehicles with Patricia, and headed south to Troy, where I would meet up with Hal and Grandson Kasyn.  The plan was for 12 week old Kasyn to spend the day with Granddad PRH.

Unlike with your own kids{at least from my point of view}, having to take care of grand kids, especially for the first time, can be a bit unnerving.  From the driving part to making sure no disasters, big or small occurred during the stay, which would be almost 8 hours long, until Patricia came home and then his mother would drive to Celina and safely whisk him home....I need not have worried, even with it being well over 20 years since my last "baby sitting" gig, things went without much of a hitch.

A Day with Kasyn_____

The 60 mile drive down I-75 to Troy and the Bob Evans Restaurant there went smoothly...Hal and Kasyn arrived from the south about 5 minutes after my arrival at 7:45....the youngest son bought me breakfast for the granddad duties that would come this day.  Meanwhile The K-man would sleep through the meal.  After we finished our breakfast,  Hal set up the car seat in the back of the Nitro, boy have those things changed since my day as a young father, and of course when I was Kasyn's age, there were no such things.....it was Mom's lap back in the day, or on a blanket in the back seat.

K-man fussed for about two minutes on the early part of the journey back to Celina...but quickly fell asleep, and remained in that state for the rest of the hour long drive.   Arriving home around 10am I would set into my minds motion the skills that I had long ago ceased doing......

Much like all three of our kids at his age and older, the K-man is a pretty easy child to watch....a few cries of hunger or being tired were the only interruptions that I saw through the day...even at 12 weeks(today, as he was born on Thanksgiving evening last) he smiles and "talks" a lot.  Yesterday we had about four diaper changes, but no really messy ones, which was a good thing...he didn't eat as much as usual, nor did he sleep as much as I was told....but all in all it was a chance to see him one on one, and do some bonding....after all, at my age, and the 90 mile distance between us,you never know how many times or how much time I will get to do this...?

Patricia arrived home just before 5pm, knowing she didn't get as much of a chance to be with him as she would have liked...so she would get to spoil him for a couple of hours before and during the meeting that Lisa had with Anissa's care givers.  So for the day both grandparents on this side, at least got a chance to have some quality time with the K-man..  Next week on Thursday I will get to do this again...but this time it will be in Centerville at the Condo....while Hal works from the house and Lisa is back at her office.

 At 6 O'clock I took leave of Kasyn and his Grandma and headed north to Van Wert for the weekly baseball rules meeting, and was back home by 9....sipping on a fresh Christmas Ale, called "12 Dogs of Christmas Ale" out of the Thirsty Dog Brewing Company in Akron.  The one part of winter I hate to see end, is the vast variety of Winter Ale and Beers that are produced around the Midwest by the small micro breweries...."12 Dog Christmas" is one tasty but powerful drink....at 9% alcohol, you don't want to toss em' down with any speed.

Today it's off to the Cardio specialist in New Bremen, and a look at the ticker.....so far the BP is dropping with the increase in meds...standing at 116/70 this morning with a resting heart rate of 65.  The blood tests that I took last week showed most things "normal" except the high Cholesterol count....which, despite my best efforts with diet and fish oil, seems only to respond to the Zocor.....so I began back on that last weekend....not happy about it, but will give it another try.

Meanwhile the weight I gained over Christmas is gone, and I am back at 193....with 8 pounds to lose the goal before my first baseball scrimmage on March 16th...which happens to be my 63rd Birthday....as life moves on....

After the physical check up this afternoon, I return to the Celina 7th Grade Basketball Tournament, with a double header beginning at 4pm...after that just two JV games, tomorrow night in Van Wert and next Friday at Celina remain on the regular season schedule.   A youth tournament on March 8th and then following the Mini Vietnam Reunion in Dayton March 9th through 11th, I turn my attention to baseball for the remainder of the Spring and Summer to come.

back later>>>>

Sometimes you just scratch your head

It was not snowing when I finished Dartball last night, a miserable night of the team as Mt Carmel defeated us in all three games, outscoring us 21 runs to a miserable 5...we were never a factor, and fall to 6 wins 12 loses on the season's second half, which ends next week at Schumm Lutheran.  I started out slow, and finished 5 for 13, as my average dropped a couple of points to .383....still tops on the team, but most likely staying the same or dropping from my 4th place spot in the league race....the stats, as the regular season  winds down, have dropped off for me....hopefully a tick up for the post season tournament, which begins Sunday, February 26th, at Bethany here in Celina.  Having switched myself to lead off hitter, to get more men on base has affected my RBI total to say the least....a paltry 9 runs batted in for the season...this coming from someone who has won the league championship on a couple of occasions, finishing with as many as 70 in a season....those days appear gone, as our team adjusts to the changes, and our old guys struggle, and the younger guys, with the exception of Tyler, have not quite gotten in the groove.

Snowed Out!  {????}

Overnight we had perhaps an inch of snow...but for some reason, many schools, including Celina canceled, and others, including St Henry, where Patricia teaches, delayed 2 hours...I really don't know why.  The little snow we had, was not the icy, making roads dangerous to travel type....and while there my have been a bit of lite ice below, it is certainly not the type I would have delayed, let alone, called off school for....but that's not my call.


Anissa, at here every other week developmental work place, this one in St. Marys, was also delayed...and she stayed with me until a few minutes ago.  So now, I finish the blog, e-mail Lima Central Catholic, to see what they are doing as far as tonight's Middle School games.  Both LCC and their opponent, Bluffton, joined the cancel list....which may, or may not, call off the games scheduled for tonight.{Games Canceled}


Meanwhile I have to do a bit of shopping, check mom's mail, and get back home in time to get ready for the drive to Lima, if indeed, we have the games.....hopefully I will find out sooner, rather than later, one way or the other.

 The "K-Man" and Me......

Tomorrow, I will do my first "baby sitting" since Hal was a infant.  The plan is to meet up with Hal and Kasyn tomorrow morning at the Bob Evans Restaurant in Troy....after we have breakfast I will bring the Grandson home with me, as Hal back to work full time, and Lisa back to work part time, will have a somewhat full schedule on their plates.  So it will be me and Kasyn for a handful of hours...my first babysitting since I used to watch all three of our kids, while Patricia finished up her Masters at Wright State, some 25 years ago.

It's been that long since I changed a diaper, or warmed a bottle....but like learning to ride a bike, I think I am up to the challenge...."The K-Man" who turns 12 weeks old on Thursday is a good baby, and other than a short cry when hungry or tired, makes very little fuss....

So perhaps I will keep a cyber diary of my and his day....after all that will be my "job" tomorrow, and am looking forward to it.

back later>>>>

The Week Ahead....the Weekend Past...

After the Friday night game at Shawnee finished, I headed home through a lite snow, and was sipping on a dark lager, while watching the tube, when my cell phone rang...it was a bit past 10 and I was thinking, as I looked a a number that I did not recognize.."Who at this hour"?  Turns out it was a umpire/official out of Greenville that I had worked with on several occasions...he had accidentally double booked, and needed help at Celina the next afternoon for the 7th grade tournament...a venue that I wasn't scheduled to work until Thursday.   Since I didn't have a scheduled game on Saturday, I told him I would help out.  So Saturday at Noon I headed to the Middle School gym, where I worked a double header.

The thing about the Celina Middle School is, that damn old wooden floor has no give...and is where my back issues appeared to have began several weeks ago...this weekend it looks that the same issues have arisen.

The K-Man_____

Yesterday Patricia, Anissa, and I,  headed down to Centerville for the "Dedication" of Grandson Kasyn at the church that Hal and Lisa attend.  We left Celina about 9am, went straight to the Church for the ceremony.  Dedications are now common practice at some churches, they use instead of a formal Baptism...with the Baptism coming along later, when the child can understand the meaning. 

After the ceremony and service, we headed to the Condo, with the rest of the grandparents, a uncle, Tyler, from Lisa's family, and some of their friends, where we had a carry in meal, and got a chance to get the grandparents 'fix' holding Kasyn.   We headed home about 2:30 so we could get Anissa back to her provider close to on time.


This morning, from {probably} the basketball, the drive to Centerville and back, and just aging, wear, and tear, the back is more than a bit sore....hopefully with the end of basketball officiating season in sight, I can rest it up, and be in shape by baseball season beginnings in mid March.


The rest of the week looks pretty full, even for the retired:  Today a board meeting at MRSI, tonight the next to last week of Dartball, before the tournament and all-star season.  Tomorrow, with some snow in the forecast, I will head to LCC for a Junior High double in Lima....then Wednesday, I will head to Troy early, meet up with Hal, where I will pick up the K-Man and bring him back to Celina for the day.  Hal and Lisa are back to work, and I will get my first taste of "baby sitting" in 25 years or so ago....as Kasyn will spend the day with me....Lisa has work in Celina to do in the Afternoon, a meeting concerning Anissa and her care, so I will watch the Grandson until Patricia comes home....then I will head to Van Wert for a baseball rules meeting.

On Thursday it's off for a Cardio consultation with the doctors....then the return to the Celina Middle School for another round in the 7th grade tournament.  Friday back to Van Wert for a JV game with St. Marys, which leaves me only one more officiating gig on the 24th a final boys JV game in Celina, with the exception of a youth tournament at Parkway March 8th.

Meanwhile I will try to rest the back as much as possible and keep the Blood Pressure lower with the increased medication dosage....so far that seems to be working, along with dropping some of the Holiday weight...so far I'm down about 7 pounds since the New Year began....I would like to drop another 10 or so by baseball....we will see if I can do that.

back later>>>>

Photo-The Pastor, Hal, Kasyn, and Lisa, on the Dedication at Fairhaven Church in Centerville.

The Grandson and Wacky Weather...

The title just about describes the weekend just passed, in full.

Friday afternoon I slipped and slid my way north to Columbus Grove, up highway 66, US 30, and Ohio 65, the 54 miles to Putnam County, arriving about a half hour before the JV game between Grove and Spencerville....the visiting Bearcats led most of the way, before falling by four points to the host Bulldogs, the varsity game went much the same...Spencerville leading early only to fall behind and lose...but by that time I was on my way home.  The roads had not cleared off, and a nasty layer of ice was beneath the 4 inches of snow that was deposited.  The trip usually takes between 55 minutes and an hour...both trips, to Grove and back took about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way, a testament to the roads and there lack of treatment.   I'm not sure what's with the road crews this winter, not enough practice I guess?  It seems that the few snows, albeit not a heavy one in the bunch, they have not be able to keep the roads safe...that goes for in-town and out in the boon docks.

By the time I arrived home I was ready for a beer....youngest son Hal and grandson Kasyn had arrived earlier in the afternoon, so Hal and I had a beer and I sat down to watch more basketball on the tube....shortly after I sat down, the cell phone rang, and it was Jim the Wayne Trace Athletic Director, telling me the 7th grade tournament games at WT for Saturday morning had been cancelled, and could I work them the following weekend?   It happened to be I had next Saturday the 28th off, so I told him I could, cracked open another Black Lager, and knew that Saturday would bring no basketball, just a chance to get out the snow blowers and work on the drive-ways and sidewalks.

The walks and drive was passable, so I figured I would get mom's Toro out and do my place then load it up and head over to her place and take care of business....Foiled Again!  For some reason, her machine just wouldn't start.....in retrospect, I have to believe the gas/oil mix for that 2-stroke had settled and I poured a amount that the mix had jelled into it.....so, I gave that up, and pulled out my Big Machine and took care of my place...loaded her Toro up and took it over there, where while it still wouldn't fire, I noted that not much snow had piled up....so took out the snow shovel and made short order of the carport and sidewalks....I will have to drain the fuel in her machine and probably change the plug....at least before the next snow, which isn't yet in the forecast....meanwhile Mother Nature took care of the rest of the snow on her own....early today.

The temperatures rose to 54 overnight, the wind picked up, and a batch of heavy thunderstorms rolled through about 3 this morning, taking care of all the snow, except the few amounts that had been piled up by the plows in town.

The K-man spends the weekend____

With Hal's wife Lisa out of town in Tennessee with friends to prepare for one of those friends wedding, they decided to give the Houseworth grandparents a chance to spend our first long term quality time with the newest member of the Houseworth family.....

Hal, Kasyn, and the two dogs, Kam and Avery, arrived just before I left for Columbus Grove on Friday afternoon, and stayed for almost 48 hours, heading back to Centerville about 1pm yesterday.  While Patricia and Hal took turns getting up with Kasyn during the night, and changing the diapers, I had the opportunity to hold him when I wanted, while spending much of the weekend watching  roundball and playing the racing game on Hal's IPad....a pretty easy and enjoyable weekend, once the Saturday basketball was cancelled, and the snow blowing finished.....

By the time they packed up and left, Patricia seemed just a depressed for a few hours, missing her grandson, after getting to spend quality time with him...truth be told, I missed him as well....but quickly fell back into my routine, as I spent the remainder of Sunday, sipping on a couple of cold brews, and watching two pretty good football games, which both went my way, as the Giants and Patriots move on to the Super Bowl in two weeks.  Not that I'm a big Giants or New England fan, frankly I could care less...except I never have like San Fran or Baltimore, and their two coaches, the brothers Harbaugh, rub me the wrong way.....just something about those two that I don't like.

Anyway, that was the weekend past....now back to the usual routine.  Tonight I stick around Celina, and will work a boys Junior High double as they take on Fort Recovery....tomorrow girls at Crestview, before a final day off for the week on Wednesday.   The rest of the week will be busy, including running up to Van Wert on Thursday after another Celina JH double to attend a Baseball Association organizational meeting....another sign that spring cannot be far off.

back later>>>

Photos-Kasyn, who turns 2 months tomorrow, spent the weekend with the grandparents...while not have a snow filled winter, like last year{pictured here}, the Snow Machine, now about a dozen years old it working fine...while the newer Toro leaves something to be desired....lightning/thunderstorms in January are a rare sight, but for a couple of hours the winds howled, the rains came, and we got a mid winter show overnight....and Grandpa and the "K-man" relax in the leather recliner yesterday before the boys headed back to the Dayton area....

Winter hits it's Zenith

Zenith:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenith

Tomorrow January 21st is what most consider the point historically in Winter, where we hit rock bottom{isn't that the opposite of  "zenith"?}...being on average this will be the coldest day of the year.....As I woke up a bit late this morning{isn't retirement great?} I noted 8 above zero...which in my recollection was tied for the coldest morning of the season....and if this is as bad as it gets, that is not too bad.

They are calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow tonight, which could make my drive north to Columbus Grove{not to be confused with or anywhere near the state capitol of Columbus}, and back 'interesting" again...it seems every time I get a Friday night game a long distance away, Mother Nature decides to toss me a curve ball.  I was hoping that if the snow was coming, it would come early and cancel the game...otherwise, stay the Hell away....because tomorrow early, I have to climb out and head back north for a 7th grade tournament double header at Wayne Trace....and I really am not looking forward to anymore sliding this winter, one crash is already one too many.

Speaking of icy roads....

Despite only an inch or so of snow locally yesterday, it made a mess of the streets and roads.  The inch was the small flakes of ice type, and Celina and Mercer County were slippery as it gets....heading to Convoy to work a girls double header last night, it took me 50 minutes as compared to the usual 35 or so....the trouble was strictly in Mercer, by the time I reached Van Wert County, the roads were better, and the light snow had ended.  Coming home I opted for the main roads, and despite some slippery spots, they were drivable.

The Weekend Ahead____

Patricia is pretty well ready for the coming weekend....Hal and the "K-man" are coming this afternoon, and spending most of the weekend, through Sunday afternoon, with us.  Hal's wife Lisa is joining some friends driving to Tennessee to prepare for their friends wedding in Georgia in March...so the boys are on their own, and Kasyn, just a few days away from being two months old, will spend some time with the Grandparents on this side....it's been many years since we had one that young staying here, his dad being the youngest, so make that some 27 and 1/2 years.

Hal, Kasyn, and watching the NFC and AFC playoffs is about it....the games themselves, without much interest, although I will tend to root for New England and the Giants, just because the Harbaugh brothers, coaching Baltimore and San Fran, tend to rub me the wrong way....

That's is about it for the week.....back later>>>>  

Photos- The first 3 photos are of our drive-ways in winter, after an Ohio and Wisconsin Blizzards...By all accounts, as winter, reaches it's mid point temperature and snow wise, this has been a mild one so far...compared to the top photo from 1984(the year Hal was born) when we lived out on the old Andrews Farm on Coldwater Creek...that was a winter!  As were the years living in the boondocks on northern Wisconsin, on a farm located between Wausau and Merrill....the next photos are from a Blizzard in March of 1979, I was lucky to escape with my life driving home that night...it was close.  And finally Hal and Kasyn, youngest son and first grandchild, will be staying with us this weekend while wife and mom Lisa is out of town....we are looking forward to the "K-Man" spending some time with us....

Winding down 2011.....Here comes 2012 part #4....year of the Grandson

As the final hours of 2011 wind down, the weather continues to be unseasonable warm and wet....not much snow, probably less than an inch thus far this season, but plenty of rain...one look at the end of our driveway, torn to Hell by trucks backing across it, attests to that. It is a muddy mess....with broken street parts and deep holes in the gravel....not a pretty site.

Yesterday, after officiating four games the day before, I finished off the basketball week with a single freshman boys contest at Minster....I am now off until Tuesday.  We will head to Centerville tomorrow to visit with Hal, Lisa, and the new Grandson, Kasyn, who turned 5 weeks old on Thursday.  Monday, I will head to northern Indiana to eat, drink, and watch bowl games at Rick's....an event usually held on New Year's Day...but with the Holiday and Bowl Games being celebrated on January 2nd this year, we will have moved it.  Meanwhile the Cincinnati Bengals try to nail down a playoff spot tomorrow hosting Baltimore...it won't be easy, but unexpectedly, the Bengals, with 9 wins, at least are in the hunt...a win, they are in.

The final months of 2011, and the new Grandson____

After the Vietnam Reunions and football officiating of September and October, November came a calling, and with it, we waited on the arrival of our first grandchild.  Before that however,  Patricia, Anissa, and I, headed for lake country in southeast Wisconsin, for our annual "Thanksgiving" celebration.  These last few years, we have taken to going to Pat's parents place in Oconomowoc, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, to celebrate then....thus avoiding the traffic, and possible bad weather travels that come later in November.   Usually snow doesn't arrive in significant amounts until after mid month...and the traffic is considerably less.

We always eat well, both at Bill and Bevs, and there is usually a classic Wisconsin "Fish Fry" on the agenda as well....this year was no exception.  The food, at home, and at a local restaurant, are the highlights of the weekend....this year it was the case again


The weather cooperated and we made it back safe and sound, just in time for my first basketball scrimmage...we also made plans to do the regular Thanksgiving at Hal and Lisa's in Centerville, those plans however, came a cropper, as grandson #1 would arrive on Thanksgiving evening.  Kasyn Timothy Houseworth would arrive just before 9pm on Thanksgiving....big and healthy, he arrive via C-Section weighting 7 pounds 12 oz, and 20.75 inches long....Thanksgiving meals would have to wait.

That birth would be the highlight of 2011 without a doubt....2 weeks later, my niece, Molly and her husband Aaron would celebrate the birth of their second child, and first boy, Luke Patrick, would come in early December and arrive at 9 pounds 10 oz, and just over 21 inches....the two new great-grandsons of my mom, would be on display together on Christmas Eve, at the family get-together.
 
2012_____

I'm not sure what the new year will bring....I do not have a good feeling about the direction of the country, especially if one Barack Obama, the Kenyan Marxist, is re-elected....but unless the Mayan Calender and it's Doomsday prediction is correct, we will ride out what comes, if God decides to keep us around...either way, I will be around for the duration, ranting, bitching, complaining, and reporting, what goes on around my little corner of the world.

That will wrap it up for 2011....have a safe New Year's Eve{I'm sure I will be in the sack by Midnight again this year}....I probably will be back here with photos and stories to begin the beginning of 2012, most likely on Wednesday morning....back later>>>>

Photos-Top/Parents and Grandparents shortly at the birth of Kasyn on Thanksgiving Evening in Kettering, Ohio....Patricia and her 88 year old father, Bill Callies, a WW2 Veteran of the Pacific Theater, at the Golden Mast for our annual Friday Night Fish Fry, Wisconsin Fish Frys are the best, always plenty of and a big variety of baked and deep fried fish, and just about any kind of beer you might want to try...and I always do.  And Cousins Kasyn Houseworth and Luke Sheffler on Christmas Eve.....my grandson and grand nephew, together for the first time.

 

Winding down 2011.....Here comes 2012 part #2

The snow and rain took turns yesterday, but as I headed out to Convoy for a Girls game between the host Crestview team and Hicksville{yes Virginia there really is a town called "Hicksville, Ohio"....}most of the precipitation had ended....just a damp cold had settled in.  On the way home I thought about firing up a hand rolled cigar, but thought again, and decided not to stink up the van or my clothes....it's been at least two months since I had a cigar, which in a good way keeps my stock in the basement in full supply.  Don't smoke often in the winter months...just have not been one of those cold weather outdoor smokers.

Back at 2011____

After the February 5th wedding of Hal and Lisa, we returned home to Ohio to await the reception, which was slated for Dayton/Centerville some two weeks later.  As opposed to the wedding, which was just a family affair, with 15 total, counting bride and groom, in attendance, the reception at the local American Legion would see a "normal" sized crowd....I can't remember exactly how many, but somewhere between 150 and 200 is my guess, but I really wasn't counting.  Considering the bulk of Hal's friends were from Mercer County, it came as no surprise to me that we shut down the "free" part of the bar much earlier than anticipated....this Western Ohio County is well know for it's Catholic Beer Consumption tradition, and the guests did not disappoint.  It didn't matter, they boys from Hal's childhood quickly went into the pay as you go portion, without missing a beat, even the Legion bartenders were impressed.

As the reception put an end to the months of work for the bride and groom, and planning for them and parents, especially the mothers, it also marked the winding down of the long basketball season for me, and we could see the light at the end of the bitter cold and snow filled winter.  Baseball and moderating temperatures were just around the corner, as was the announcement that we would become first time grand parents by year's end. 

March and April came and went...despite much wet weather, I did manage to get most of my scheduled baseball games in...I remember some as bitter cold.  One in particular, at Defiance College, where Garry and I worked was as cold as I can remember in recent years working a game.  Early in the season, the day of the Reds traditional home opener to be exact, we worked the game in 35 degree temperatures, with a northeast wind...Garry was lucky, he was at the plate on this rotation, and got to wear the gear, making his day a bit more bearable than mine....even with the Underall winter clothes, I froze.  By the time I finished the Summer American Legion and ACME season, some cooler weather would have been appreciated.  Things warmed up considerably as the season progressed into June and July.  My spring season didn't see as many tournament games as usual, guess I didn't stroke enough egos of those making the decisions...aka Kiss Enough Ass...but if you know me, you know that will never happen.  

Summer ball, was a different story....working both multiple districts and the State Tournament here in Celina, at Montgomery Field, and also the District American Legion Tournament in Sidney....I stayed busy throughout the Spring and Summer Baseball Season.

Back to early Spring, where we usually have our Easter Dinner at sister Marty's place...{we do the same at Christmas}, it's a good place with enough room for all to move around, eat, and BS.  The newlyweds, Hal and Lisa were there, and at the end of the day, took us out to their car, and presented us with "Grandparent" gifts...announcing that they were expecting around Thanksgiving....on a Father's Day family get together, we found out the sex of the baby on a trip to Cincinnati and a Reds game...it would be a boy.  And as it turned out...Kasyn Timothy Houseworth would be born Thanksgiving evening....more on that later.  

In addition to the "Baby News",  back in March I turned 62, so I would receive a small stipend from Uncle Sam, called Social Security.  Working much of my adult life for the local and state governments{hard to believe with my political leans I know}, my small SS checks each month wouldn't do much, but it would be enough to make the payment with a bit left over for a new vehicle....so in April, Patricia and I purchased a Dodge Nitro for her.  I gave up the ghost and sold my old Jeep Wrangler to the neighbor kid, Derek, and took over Patricia's Mini Van....imagine me, drinking a "soccer mom" type vehicle...well, gotta admit, it is more comfortable than the Jeep.  Also Rick, Clint, and Rick's boys and I went on our annual Michigan Mushroom Hunt in mid May, for me it followed a two year hiatus....the mushroom pickings were slim, but I did manage to meet face to face with a Hog Nose Snake, thinking it was a Michigan Timber Rattler at first.  I got some good photos, before I dropped my camera in the stream, while reaching for a cold beer, from the bag of beers we had cooling....thus ruining it, but not the disk which included the snake photos.  The wet and mushroom-less weekend still was a good time, as it always has been.

We wound down the Summer with a trip to Wisconsin for another wedding, this one for Patricia's nephew...Hal and Lisa, would join us for this final fling of the Summer....more tomorrow as the summer turns into fall.

back later>>>>

Photos-The Mushroom Hunt in Michigan mid May, didn't yield many "rooms", but did give me a chance to get up close and personal with this Hog Nose Snake, which yielded one of my best photos in recent memory.  Turning 62 gave me a little pocket change via Social Security, enough to purchase Patricia a Dodge Nitro, to replace my Jeep and the Intrepid, the Jeep, as much as I hated to depart with it, was sold to Derek the neighbor{bottom photo}  I spent many summer morning at Grand Lake snapping photos of the glorious sunrise above our polluted lake...the lake stinks, but many photo were taken, and many came out excellent....baseball went from March until the end of July, here I am in July working the ACME District at Lima Central Catholic....and in Michigan, in addition to meeting up with the "Snake"...I finally got a chance to meet my cousin "Big Moe" Houseworth...we had talked via phone and e-mails for years, but we finally got to share a beer and a handshake.

December Rains

"If this was Snow......."

That's a comment you hear often when the rains are coming down...and this past weekend through today and tonight, if what we have gotten thus far was snow...just say, it would be a bunch.  Pretty miserable conditions over the past week, with just a couple of dry days.  For the most part is has been wet, wet, windy, wet, and more windy and wet.  I guess the only good thing about the moister, is that, it has not come down hard, for the most part....persistent yes, but usually not in heavy doses.

Saturday I got up early, and headed for Convoy, where we worked a three man crew for a Junior Varsity double header to kick off the Van Wert County Tip Off Classic.   Unlike Baseball, where I work almost exclusively Varsity High School games, and Football where I do a mix of Varsity on Friday nights, and lower levels the rest of the week, for Basketball I seldom work Varsity or 3 man crews....basketball is my newest of sports, and I never ventured into it by wanting to work varsity...I was and will be satisfied to work JV and other lower level games....Saturday, although a JV double, they thought it best to use a 3 man crew, since we all would be doing both games{the same for later in the month at Ottawa-Glandorf}.  It gave me a chance to work with a couple of guys that do the Varsity circuit, and I picked up some valuable information and tips from them to help me, on those occasions I do work the 3 man....so "Thank You" to Todd and Todd, for the tips and hints.


On Sunday afternoon, after watching the Bengals pee down their legs at Pittsburgh, Patricia and I took mom down to Centerville, for her first look at Great Grandson #2.  Mom, who is 87, now has 3 great granddaughters and 2 great grandsons, with #3 g-grandson on the way this week or next, in Michigan.  We took down a meal, and joined two of Kasyn's uncles from Lisa's side of the family, who were also there to meet their nephew for the first time.  We stayed about an hour, and headed back in the rain and dark, the 90 mile return to Celina.  We may not see them again until Christmas Eve, but that's OK, the new parents need their time alone to practice their parenting skills.....which seem to be coming along pretty good so far.   As far as our first Grandson, he is gaining weight and doing fine....a non fussy, pretty quite 11 day old, so far at least.

Tonight I have a Junior High double header here in Celina, then drive the 3 blocks to the church for Dartball...as we take our south leading 8-4 record into battle with Hopewell, who comes in tied for 2nd with Mount Carmel at 7-5...frankly they and Carmel are probably better teams than us, but we had the early easier schedule, we have 3 tough weeks ahead to end the first half of the season, we will see just where we stand after that.

Tomorrow night back at Crestview in Convoy for a girls JV game, rules meeting Wednesday, then back with a Junior High girls double at Wayne Trace on Thursday....as for the rain, it should end by tomorrow morning, but colder air will be moving in.

back later>>>>

Photos-The St Marys and other rivers and streams are way out of their banks this week....the second photo?  yes that is corn, unharvested in the background...some 10% of the corn crop is so far unharvested, and won't be for awhile, if at all....and my mom and her Great Grandson, our Grandson Kasyn....

Snow.....The Seasons First....and Kasyn at 5{days that is}

A surprise snow canceled my scheduled JH double header basketball at Wayne Trace tonight...far north Edgerton had ice and could not make the game....we had about an inch, the season's first.   Might be some ice tomorrow morning....

Watching Duke at Ohio State Basketball, the #2 ranked Buckeyes are having the early success...leading by 10 or so, after jumping out to a 9-0 lead....my #3/ or #4 ranked Blue Devils will be hard pressed to pull this one out at Columbus...where oldest son Sam is working the game, doing video for the Big Ten Network....a long time OSU Football Fan, I am just as big a fan of Coach K and Duke Basketball....even though I attended other schools, Wright State, Hocking, Trans-American, and Ohio University....

And Hal sent the latest photo of the grandson.....Kasyn T. Houseworth at 5 days old...seen above.

back tomorrow>>>

The Basketball Season Tips Off......and Thanksgiving Weekend in Review

The Thanksgiving weekend flew by at warp speed.....

Grandson Kasyn arrived in the world, our first grandchild.....the parents Hal and Lisa got to take him home yesterday morning after the late Thanksgiving evening birth.....

Ohio State fell to Michigan for the first time since 2003 in Football....don't look for scUM to have a similar run....they just aren't that good....Ohio State has a coach to name, because sadly Luke Fickle, thanks to the previous moron, Jim "Vest" Tressel and his man-child QB, Toilet Paper Pryor left the program in shambles.  Too much talent however, and OSU will return to prominence in short order, probably with Urban Meyer at the helm.

The Bengals came from behind to defeat the Browns in Cincinnati 23-20 on a rainy Sunday afternoon, with a surprising record of 7 wins 4 loses, Cincy is still in the hunt for the NFL playoffs...something nobody could have or would have predicted before the season began.

Saturday morning I worked my final pre-season scrimmage in basketball...today the Junior High Girls season tips off...I have double headers at Wayne Trace both today and tomorrow.  I am at Elida for another JH Girls double on Thursday, before the boys High School season, for me, starts on Saturday Morning, for a tip-off Classic double header at Crestview in Convoy....after this week, the schedule, except for a couple of days around Christmas, gets pretty crazy....we will see if the old body can handle the load.

Other highlights this week______

Tuesday night the Duke Blue Devils roll into Columbus to take on the Buckeyes.  I will have mixed emotions with this one....I am an Ohio State football fan, but have rooted for Duke and Coach K in basketball for 25 or so years.  I will root for the Blue Devils, but if OSU wins, and the Big Ten can capture the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, I won't be to upset.  I just hope they don't meet for the National Championship....

Wednesday Night I will go back on the air for a half hour, as "Wulfie" needs a co-host for his radio sports show from the Moose Lodge in Celina....high school basketball will be the major subject, but I suspect we will talk football as well, especially with 2 local teams once again in the State Finals.  Marion Local will play for the State Championship in Division 6 Saturday against New Washington Buckeye Central, while the Coldwater Cavilers will play in it's third straight State Final in D5 on Friday.

Patricia and I headed to Centerville in the rain late yesterday afternoon, to take the new parents some Thanksgiving Dinner a bit late....no Turkey, but a large batch of Patricia's home made Chicken Noodle Soup and a large Strawberry Short Cake, homemade as well....we only stayed about 45 minutes...time to let the new parents enjoy the new arrival by themselves.  Of course we had their two dogs over the weekend, and took them back home to meet and greet Kasyn as well.  I am sure we will head back down for a visit next weekend, probably on Sunday, and hopefully Great Grandma Houseworth will go with us and meet the newest family member.

back later>>>>

Photos-Basketball, the regular season, starts for me tonight and tomorrow at Wayne Trace HS...Grandson Kasyn has arrived home....Duke takes on Ohio State in Columbus tomorrow night.  And The Grandparents, Poppa Hal, and young Kasyn on Thanksgiving Night.....