Thanks to my wife for encouraging me to take a bike trip with my Dad.  (Thanks to Dad for paying for purt ‘near everything!). 

My Grandma has a house in rural TN.  My Dad says it is so far into the county that if you drive past it, you’re on your way out.  My Mom and Grandma were born and raised on this wee patch of land, there is a lot of history, a lot of memories and a lot of family there.

AND THERE ARE SOME FREAKIN’ AWESOME ROADS!

For three days, Dad and I improved our road carving skills on some of the best roads in the area.  The roads there don’t endure the Michigan weather and a pothole or the ubiquitous blacktop lumps are nearly never seen.  There are few people there…hence, little traffic, and the roads run between, across, through, up and down mountains.  The roads are terrific.  The most boring road there trumps the most exciting road in Michigan.

The weather was perfect (and when there was rain, we were usually just ahead of it, or just behind it) and we never had one single mechanical problem.  I’d have to say, this was the best riding I had ever done.

One day, following a rain, the sun had come up and the water was evaporating under some trees.  As you drove through, it looked as if you were driving through a cloud.  The micro droplets would blow under your face shield, up your sleeves or in your jacket and around to your back.  They were really cold and felt terrific, like some little massage, on one’s sweaty body.  It’s one of the many reasons I ride:  that experience can’t be duplicated or manufactured at Disney or scheduled on a cruise ship…it was authentic.

I’m always surprised by what we come across when in the country.  We ended up on Turkey Run Hollow Gizard Trail or something.  Went for a few miles and BOOM!  there was a small river (you could easily toss a ball across it) and a free, 24 hour ferry!  Only one left in KY (we had gone a bit north).  A very cool experience.

Dad had read about a giant waterfall, so we made a point to find it.  Upon arrival, it was a pretty steep hike down rocks so I choose to go down, while Dad walked across to the top.  Took a while to get down, but there was this beautiful couple hundred foot waterfall, landing in a nice little pool with fish in it.  Dad peeked over and we took pics of each other and I sat there enjoying the solitude.  I rarely find myself under waterfalls and choose to stand underneath and take a rinse off…Awesome and Authentic!  (pics to follow upon developing). 

The final day was the most enjoyable.  We rode for over ten hours and did 260 or more miles (neither one of us has a dependable speedo at this point).  We stopped when hungry, hid under overpasses when it rained and enjoyed the hospitality of a drive in Sonic when thirsty.  And in all of those hours and miles, I’d be surprised if we hit more than 15 traffic lights.

We got to Grandma’s on the final night and decided we had to do cub mountain (just down the street) one final time.  When we got to the top I remembered the video camera that had been in my jacket the whole time.  I mounted it (poorly!) on my tank bag and made the following video (next time, I’ll have it taped to the handlebars). 

You’ll note all the twists and turns, the switchbacks and tight cornering.  This is very representative of all the riding we did (Dayna, ignore the cliffs to either side, there were rocks there to catch us if we fell). J Watch it once and look at the yellow lines and the road to see how curvy it is, watch it a second time and look at the great scenery off in the distance (especially towards the end, those endless mountains are Grandma’s front yard and ignore the small piece that is sideways – still mastering windows movie maker).

We have GOTSTA get back there this fall!

While you might assume that we watch a lot of TV, we really don’t. 

As a matter of fact, I’m pretty much the only guy in the world who hasn’t conned his spouse into a huge HD TV under the pretense that the old 26 incher won’t work after they switch.  While I enjoy a good movie, documentary or Daily Show (and yes, the occasional South Park) I really couldn’t care less about the quality.  Seriously, do I need to know that Super Nanny has liver spots on her arms?  No I don’t…it just ruins the fantasy!

That being said, Brody hasn’t seen many movies, beyond those released during his short tenure on this planet.  Sure, he’s seen some of the classics (Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Twelve Angry Men and Midnight Cowboy) but not much really ‘before his time.’

So it was interesting that when a friend came over tonight, it was 80’s night.  They wanted Indy 3 or Gremlins. 

GREMLINS? 

They are downstairs now, laughing up a storm.  It’s kind of nice to see the kids enjoying the movies of our youth. 

I’m running out tonight to get Smokey and the Bandit (1 and 2, #3 is apocryphal), Back to the Future, Teen Wolf, The Goonies, Police Academy (1-3, 5-8, 12), War Games and Cannonball Run.

We recently had a ‘drive thru dinner’.  Brody asked for a hamburger and fries (no surprise) but he did specify that he didn’t want a kid’s meal.  He simply wanted it ala carte as we order.

Maura attempted to tease him as she was now in possession of a toy (little does she know how shortly such items last in our house) and he wasn’t.

Brody immediately deflected the taunts saying ‘I can ride a two wheeler now.  I’m not a kid, I’m a MAN!’ 

For those few who don’t know, Brody gets frustrated easily.  I believe that ‘frustrated’ was actually his second word!  So growing up, Brody often would attempt a task or skill, have difficulty, become frustrated and just forget about it for a while.  Then some time would pass, he would try again and he would excel at what the previous obstacle.

I can’t speak for Dayna, but I think she and I can both become frustrated as well (most likely in different ways and about different things), and were sometimes….frustrated, that Brody became frustrated and quit.  (I can say one of my person joys is that Brody has stayed with the guitar for well over a year now).

The bicycle was one such frustration for Brody.  From day one, he’d tip over easy, never peddled hard enough to go up a hill or fully comprehended braking.  Each year we’d try, he’d not do well and return to his Razor scooter (which is sufficiently cool).  By last year, most of his friends were on bikes, even friends a year or two younger, and he would no longer even practice with the training wheels for fear of being teased. 

Once he was intent on succeeding, hoped on, moved a few feet, fell and hurt his ‘you know what’ and gave it up for the summer.

Today…thanks to Dayna…that has ended!  Today, the second day of summer in the year of someone’s deity two thousand and eight, Dayna took him to the track across the street (it has privacy and a rubberized, yet flat surface) and within ten minutes he was riding a two-wheeler!

As before, he started later than others, but came out great.

In continuing his one remaining shortcoming (keeping secrets) he surprised me when I got home.  As I opened the garage he met me at the door and said I couldn’t come in till Mom was dressed (???  He doesn’t know, but I’ve seen her naked at least two times!).   She was actually getting dressed up for a party, and when she came outside, she asked if I could take the bikes out of her trunk.  He grabbed it and before I knew it, Dayna gave him a wee push and off he went!

Scanned below is a thank you card he made for her (the most difficult part was figuring out how to draw a peace sign that was on the shirt he was wearing).  Click to enlarge

For those of you untrained in the art of deciphering children's art, Brody here has not only drawn himself and Dayna, he put in great detail from the Old Hartland High School Track / Football field (notice the lanes and ticket office).

Reading and hearing about teen activity, makes me nervous.  I do not look forward to having teenagers.  However, there may be some hope for weathering those difficult, drama-filled years.

My kids can’t lie for shit!

Earlier this week as I played with the kids outside, Mo’ asked me to get her bike out.  (Have I ever mentioned that I can get two cards, two motorcycles, toys  can assorted lawn junk in my garage…comfortably?)  As I did that she commented on Dayna’s bike, nicely hung on the wall to oxidize as she prefers to walk and run.  She reflected on how that I was the only one in the family without a bicycle, and that boy, it’d sure be nice if I had one, maybe a purple one, to ride with everyone else.  (giggle, giggle).

This year, for whatever reason, Brody’s school didn’t have them make a gift for father’s day.  As the event neared, he was bummed that Mo’ had a gift (a frame w/ pic) as did Mom for me and he didn’t really.  So while out with my parents this weekend he picked (thanks to Mom and Dad for paying for it BTW) up a gift. 

When I got to my parents last night to pick him up he asked ‘So Dad, are there any movies you have been wanting to see, and this has nothing to do with Father’s Day.’  I guessed ‘Indy’ as I’ve yet to see it.  He corrected me, clarifying his question to only include movies currently available on DVD.  For whatever reason  I couldn’t think of anything.  ‘What about National Treasure 2?  That’s always out when you stop by Blockbuster isn’t it?’

Anyone hazard to guess what my gifts were this year?

(and I LOVE them all!) 

Dayna is at commencement tonight and most likely went out with friends afterwards (it’s currently 10:54 p.m.).   She looked really pretty…shame she had to hide it under a gown ( Oh No!). 

So the kids and I played outside, then dinner, baths and reading (see subsequent posting on poetry) then bed time.

Well…that was the plan; somehow the bed time didn’t quite stick.  As I was putting Mo down she insisted on staying up and helping me do the work I usually do when she is in bed.  She didn’t want to watch television or play; she wanted to help with chores.  Primarily she wants to say good night to Mommy and wanted to keep earn her stay up late variance.

So…we paid the car insurance on-line, cleaned up the dishes, loaded and ran the dishwasher, she put some stuff in the recycling tubs, fed and watered the cats and helped fold a basket of laundry.  She made it to about 10:45 and then passed out. 

I carried her to her room to tuck her in … only to find out she was playing opossum!  She giggled, having enjoyed my attempt to carry her upstairs (HINT: when you’re in a robe, and there is a kid on your lap in a full-size quilt, attempting to pick them up and stand, without accidently grabbing your own robe and falling (or flashing) is best left to professionals or avoided at all costs.

She is now with me in the den, her eyes wide, like some cartoon character attempting to stay awake.  I don’t know if she’ll make it, but I do know that I gave her a smaller blanket this time in case I need to carry her to bed.

It was reading time after the baths tonight; Brody asked if poetry counted.  He has now been sitting there for over an hour reading Shel Silverstein books and chuckling to himself. 

Now that we (and by ‘we’, I really mean Dayna) ‘danced with the devil in the pale moonlight’, we thought another sleepover was due.  We had a brother and sister pair over, former classmate of Brody’s and his sister who is just a year older than Mo’.

We took them last night to the opening of Kung Fu Panda (very cute BTW and not one song, though Dayna gives the training montage to paws up) and had slushies and popcorn for dinner.  When we got home the kids went to their respective rooms and played for some time. 

This morning they were up and again spent the whole morning playing.  The boys played with their nerf blasters, the Wii and Legos™.  The girls dressed up all the stuffed animals, placing jewelry and hair accessories all over them.  They then had a fashion show and gave them names; for instance, the stuffed Chihuahua with sunglasses was Cashmere Fabulous!

I was most impressed during breakfast.  Mo and I set the table (she included a candle centerpiece so it was fancy) for four.  The kids sat their together, talking and joking, but behaving, while Dayna and I got to talk in the den (we had our breakfasts ‘to go’).

After they were picked up the first thing Brody asked was ‘Was I a good host?’  It was a sincere question and a very sweet inquiry from someone who otherwise is unaware that there are beings on the planet other than himself.

I’ve always been a little sensitive to strong odors.  I remember vividly getting monstrous headaches whenever my college roommate would wear Grey Flannel cologne.  Growing up cigarette smoke wasn’t such a bother, but as the world has become increasingly smoke-free, I find it too induces headaches.

I now work in a smoke and FRAGRANCE free environment.  Amazing how quickly one becomes acclimated to the lack of colognes, perfumes and other odors, resulting in a higher sensitivity when increased odiferousness of any sort is present. 

So it was with much disappointment that I realized that Suave had changed it formula for the baby powder anti-perspirant.  It had been my favorite for years, but I put on a new bottle and it was NAS-TEE’.  Smelled like a gathering of red-hatters or something.  Anyway by the end of day one I was sporting a colossal headache (which was further exacerbated by my trying to mask the odor w/ purell, then covering that with hand lotion and then moving to surgical soap).

So on a recent trip grocery shopping, I went looking for a new brand and/or ‘flavor’.  I stopped in the aisle and started ‘sniffing’ all of options.  Everything was awful.  While I was doing this, the kids noted my ‘sniffing’ and started smelling the kids shampoos that were in the same aisle.  By the time I made the selection of a scent-free gel, the kids had selected a new shampoo.  When I went to the next aisle for adult hair care, the kids were now experts.  Maura found that she preferred items that smelled like cucumbers and Brody, anything fruit-based.  (I also noted that Maura preferred the most expensive brands)

This behavior carried over to the dish soap and laundry detergent aisle.  However, was somewhat bothersome and needed to be stopped when we got to the dairy aisle!  “Darn it Brody!  Nobody wants vanilla yogurt that has ‘nose’ in it!’

As a follow up, Brody became interested in the anti-perspirant and now puts on some daily!

Credits open over Small town USA.  It’s old Music Hall used for community theater and incubating churches is in the background while little children run around playing tag and mother’s fuss trying to make things perfect! (while not making them ‘fun’).

Scene: Mom and Dad attempt to take photos of the graduate while hordes of neighbor children visit to see what’s going on.  The graduate, a moody, petulant young filly will have none of the posed shots and acts totally “Avril” about the whole event. 

Scene: (opens to a SUV speeding through the city while Ode to Joy plays in the background).  Grandma Linda leaves work early, fights traffic for an hour to get home, hops into the Papa-mobile, only to be fighting traffic for another 90 minutes up to Hartland…multiple cell-phone calls ensue.

Scene, random family home: (Somber music: Foreshadowing):  Norman Rockwell and family prepare to leave; the graduate is asked to use the lavatory…she declines.

(Music: fade in w/ The Call of Ktulu by Metallica … play while following scenes go back and forth):

Scene:  Grandparents stuck in traffic, yet tension heightens with the knowledge that the event may be missed!

Scene: One final attempt is made to secure the graduation hat using sixteen bobby pins.  The graduates line up, the parents find a seat….

Scene: Grandparents stuck in traffic

Scene: The procession begins

Scene: Grandparents speeding up the US23!

Scene:  Graduate arrives at the stage, introductions begin…

Scene: Grandparents nearing exit…(see sign in distance over shoulder)

Scene: The song is sung and the teacher prepares to present diplomas….ensuring that Grandma Linda will miss the whole thing….

Scene (all in Music hall, use wobbly MTV, reality show camera shots)

-Grandparents burst in….

-the graduate’s Mother realizes that her daughter isn’t dancing or nervous…but has to GO! (use that cool zoom in move on her face!)

-The mother sprints to the front of the room (in slo mo) and wisks the graduate to the lobby BEFORE the diploma is presented…

-The grandmother takes a seat while the grandfather enters the building (having parked nearby so as not to get his car scratched)

-The mother screams in horror as she realizes that the two doors in the lobby are closets not restrooms, she runs to the father for back up!

-After confirming the closet thing, he runs outside, looks around (pan in three directions showing boring scenes of lawn mowing and stuff) and then he sees it….a couple bushes.  Knowing that all young ladies need to learn to pee outside without messing up their clothing he decides that today is that day!  (this is all very ‘end of 300 when the leader decides that he must die to save his country’).

-They burst into the building, the Mother escorts her back to the front where the graduate dives to catch her diploma as he name is read last.

-The grandparents, grateful for the interruptions are pleased to have seen the commencement occur.

-Cut to credits…(note: remember to place that ‘easter egg’ bonus scene with Samuel L Jackson at the end).

Holly regularly holds a bike show in their downtown.  It’s sponsored by H.I.M. (Hogriders in Ministry or something like that…it’s a Jesus-Biker group).  They put on a nice event; free coffee, donuts, homemade cookies and a few vendors.  It’s nice to just walk around and look at the bikes that others have brought.

Here are a few pics taken that day. 

My primary question is…what is up in Holly that they can afford two tripped out Charger cop cars?

Couple pics from the recent sleepover: I think Brody will look forward to a similar event a lot more in about 9 years!

I really enjoy the small town aspects of living in Hartland.  One aspect, and a family tradition, is the Memorial Day parade. 

Every year, we would pack up a cooler and lug that, and way too many blankets and chairs to a spot at the start of the parade.  We’d enjoy the parade and then go.  This year, happenstance had us at the end of the parade route.  This turned out to be great as we were now in proximity to a playground (Epley Park), $15.00 Corn Dogs and of course political candidates with smiles, stickers and trinkets (I’m not voting for C Pine because the colors of her stickers clash with my car; I am voting for the judge, Theresa B., because she is 40ish hot….yessir, an informed American electorate at its finest!).

It was the usual small town parade, 4H, all the different scouts (girl and boy and their associated cubs, cupcakes, moon pies, whatever they call the little ones), churches and little known political office holders (‘Look kids, that’s the Water Commissioner!’). 

It was nice to see so many veterans, especially WWII vets there.  Great chance to talk to the kids about standing for the flag, hats off, clapping for vets and talking about the great sacrifices soldiers of any era voluntarily make. 

http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=C6&Dato=20080526&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=805260801&Ref=PH

Last night, Dayna was out preparing for her 5k this morning in downtown Detroit.  The kids and I, left to our own devices, did what kids do…get dirty and stay up late!

While Brody played indoors, Maura wanted to sit on the porch and enjoy the thunderstorm.  She was already in her nightgown.  She wanted to go out in the rain to see if the bunnies (we have bunnies living around us…doesn’t bother me, I never find their barf on my carpet! Cough…damn cats…Cough) had a space under our tree, in our mutant flower bed (Dayna planted some bulbs years ago and you wouldn’t believe the rainforest that grows there every year).  She loaded up a backpack with a play, wooden pizza cutter in case she needed to clear the fauna.

Now…it’s nine p.m., there is a thunderstorm raging, she is in a nightgown and backpack and wants to go out by a tree to check on bunnies, what is a smart Dad to do?

Damn right!  I did get her a hoodie so her new backpack didn’t get ruined!

DUH!

I then joined her under the tree (and rain) seeking to clear a spot for the bunnies.  Sadly, wooden pizza cutters are notoriously dull.   Moments later, we went in, Mo sat in a chair and was asleep in two seconds.

Brody, on the other hand was wide awake.  I was balancing and paying bills but invited him to hang in the den with me.  He watched some Star Wars and then decided he wanted to do some art.

I have often wondered what, exactly, artists today could paint.  In the past myths, historical events, gods, biblical stories, legends were all subjects of art for centuries.  Today, you don’t see that as much.  What events, which persons, what places have transfixed our generation so as to be captured in pencil and Hammermill 20lb copy plus jam free paper?

Apparently, it’s the epic battle of good versus evil.  Good being represented by Mario and his posse, Evil by Bowser. 

What I found most interesting, and I’ve noted it far more since, is that when he’s drawing, he stops after a line or two and starts to spin the paper in circles.  Using his ‘artists eye’ to determine how best to apply the next stroke.  In some of his more detailed works, he’s practically a ceiling fan!

We did talk a lot, watched Evil Knievel videos on you tube and then he was off to bed.  Yessir, that there is Ka-Wall-i-Teeee Time!

Finally, after a full night of parenting I did what any responsible parent would do, knowing that his children would be depending on him early the following morning.  I stayed up and watched a movie about a serial killer (Sweeney Todd) until 3:30 a.m.