On the road again.... goin places I've already been.

I really wanted to post the tune of Willie Nelson singing "On the road Again" but I figured I would spare all of the strange people I surround myself with that despise "Good O'l Country Music". Once again I'm getting ready to hit the open road, hopefully this will be my last multi-week business trip for the year. Thankfully its to North Carolina again and not California. Most people think I'm crazy but I just don't like the West Coast. I am hoping to stop and see my friend Mark who moved to Virgina about 3 years ago as well as my friends (The Grabowski's) at my home away from home in NC. I am doing my best to make sure I pack my camera so I can take some pictures to share with everyone. Till I post again, keep safe, have fun, and do your best not to miss me too much.

Sping has Sprung, and Fishin's Fun!

Today was the opening day of fishing season in the state of CT and the kids and I spent the day together. We awoke to a summer like day, Becky and I enjoyed the sound of the birds singing as the sun was rising this morning and the warm breeze through the bedroom window that we left open all night.

I was unsure if I was dreaming this morning cuz most days the kids are awake before the crack of dawn and are usually noisy enough to wake the dead! Much to my surprise - and the cause of my confusion - the children got up this morning and were quiet as church mice. Not that I'm complaining I enjoyed relaxing in bed it is just that I expected to have two children pulling me out of bed to go fishing before the sun had risen.

The kids made their own breakfast and after filling my travel mug with the required morning dose of hot coffee we were out the door to the local brook/river to go trout fishing.

Today was a historical day as it was the first time I was taking my kids fishing with the plan being they would be performing their own casts with the lure of their choice. This meant that all three of us would be actively fishing. I am PROUD to report that Alex took to casting his fishing rod "which I must admit is no easy task-even for an adult as we are fishing a brook surrounded by trees, bushes, briar's, etc...) like a well seasoned veteran. Both of my kids have learned to cast their open face reels at a much earlier age than most kids I know which I hope will give them a better appreciation for the sport of fishing.


We all had our own tackle boxes which I filled with new lures (yup, you read right, lures - no drownin' worms for my kids! Actually I will touch on this in a moment) that I purchased with my Cabela's gift card from Christmas.



Due to the nice weather this morning there were a lot more people fishing than I am accustomed to seeing. Even with all the people surrounding us at the brook we enjoyed the morning together. I hooked into a nice Brown trout which was between 16" - 18" I was going to let the kids reel it in (that's my story and I'm stickin' to it) but after it rolled several times in the current my lure came free :( I did catch a little rainbow trout it too fell off my line as I was lifting it out of the water. The kids each had several good "hits" that I witnessed but we left for lunch with an empty stringer.


We also enjoyed a good hearty laugh as Ariel attempted to wade out into the water to free her lure from a rock. After only 2 or 3 steps she lost her balance and ended up sitting on her behind in the ice cold water! Thankfully Ariel is a good sport and after making a pit stop at home for some clean, dry clothing we were on our way again.


I stopped at my cousin's house to help him hang a couple sections of stockade fencing. While we were there Alex enjoyed playing with his 2 dogs while Ariel spent her time doddling over his chickens and helped out by performing the egg collection duties.


We decided to try a local pond I enjoyed fishing as a kid which much to my kids horror required we get some live bait to fish with. After lunch we found a nice sunny spot on the shore and I set up their poles and the waiting game began. After about 2 minutes Alex informed me that this was a boring way to fish and decided to continue to reel in and cast out on a regular basis even though I told him letting it sit was the preferred method.


We managed to catch a couple of fish and the kids learned about fishing manners as I taught the kids around us the do's and dont's of fishing around other people. Ariel also found a baby painter turtle (its smaller than a US Quarter) which we brought home for our back yard pond.


Before calling it a day we decided to go wet our lines in the brook again and even though we didn't catch any more fish we had a great time together as well as watch a 3 engine freight train go slowly by on the other side of the brook. As I have stated many times before I am blessed to have kids who are interested in my hobbies. Not only do I get to do things I enjoy, I get to do them with my family.

The Fish Whisperer

Redneck fishin' buddy

Future Bow Hunters of America...

My Dad would be proud. Last year both of the kids expressed an interest in the sport of archery. I wasn't sure if it was a passing interest just because it was hunting season and they wanted to participate in my target practice or if it was a genuine interest. I decided to hold off on spending the money on all new "equipment" even though I did all my "homework" on the options available and had picked out a new bow that would be compatible for both of them.

Much to my surprise as soon as the weather started favoring outside activity Alex began nagging me to set up the 3D target so he could start shooting again. They are using a "camp style" plastic bow but they have been conscious of safety and are enjoying the competition between themselves.

I can remember spending hours shooting my fathers Indian Recurve at the targets attached to the bales of hay in the back yard. I always loved the challenge of archery whether it was simply target shooting or in the woods deer hunting. I hope I can pass this love of archery onto my children by showing the patience my father did when he was teaching me not so long ago.

I am the world's luckiest dad, I have two beautiful, healthy children which long to follow in my footsteps. Both of my children share the love of the great outdoors that I have and I look forward to all the memories we will acquire while hunting, fishing, and just hanging out together as the years go by.

Let's go racin' boys...

Tonight was the Awana Grand Prix for the Sparky's. Alex and I tested out several different Hot Wheels prior to the race but underestimated the competition this year. Alex came in second in the first heat, third in the second heat, and second in his third heat. Even though he didn't get to advance into the finals he still had a great time shouting encouragement to his friends.

My favorite memory of the evening was several of the boy's (who obviously live in Nascar watching families) lining up their Hot Wheels and announcing "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity...LET"S GO RACIN' BOYS!"
I am thankful that both of my children are humble and accept the fact that there are winners and thus always losers in competition. Alex was just glad to have taken part in the race and was excited to get a participant ribbon, although a matching trophy to his sisters would have been nice.

Home Sweet Home....

I am back home in the Nutmeg State, I guess it's time to start acting like a Yankee again! My drive home went well and I am enjoying the day lounging around with the family. I have to correct myself about the "all work and no play" comment in my last post. Most of my coworkers that were staying at the same hotel as me left on Wednesday morning leaving me alone for the evening happy hours at the hotel. It turns out there was a CSI class being taught in the Raleigh area and several of the police officers attending were staying in my hotel. It didn't take long to make new friends and as it turns out several of them were from CT. It was nice to have people to exchange stories with which seemed to make the week go by faster and my time away from home more bearable. I can't say I am looking forward to returning to the "Tar Heel State" at the end of the month but I will be sure to bring a camera with me so I can share some of my adventures with everyone. I can say I am glad to be back home in the North Woods, where I can enjoy home cooked meals every night, (by no means am I complaining about the fried chicken, yummy grits, lots of bacon and sausage and of course the fresh BBQ that I consumed on a daily basis) hugs and kisses from my wife and kids, and sleeping in my own bed. This coming week will be a very busy one as far as work is concerned, at least I can go through the week knowing that my driver won the Saturday Nascar race and came in 2nd during today's Cup race! Now I just need to figure out how to loose the pounds I gained eating all the yummy southern food this past week!

All work...no play.

As many of you already knew I am doing some work related traveling during the next 2 months and have safely made it to my destination - Raleigh, North Carolina. I found this picture which doesn't show the massive amount of traffic found during most hours of the day. My trip here went well - I was off to a much later start (and with much less sleep) than I had planned due to a job I was working on in Boston on Saturday. I drove straingh through and stopped at a friends house about an hour outside of Raleigh and enjoyed an afternoon of catching up on conversation, not to mention I was allowed to watch the Nascar race without any complaining as I am in Nascar country now! We enjoyed a wonderful home cooked meal (as we always do when I'm here) and everyone knows food is always a highlight of my day! I have only been gone a couple of days but I miss my family and can't wait to get back home. Work is going well, I am getting trained on our new 275-1100 kVa unit so while I am here it is all work and no play. I am adding a link for some information that I know my kids always ask about when we travel to different states - and I thought since we have friends and family who are homeschooling they might find it interesting as well. I hope to come up with some exciting stories or experiences to post while I am down here (ie... driving through snow in Virginia on my way here) but if not I will type to y'all when I get back home.

Here is the link I mentioned earlier:

http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/symbols/symbols.htm

Its been awhile....

I know its been awhile since my last post. Work has been busy and with my upcoming trip to North Carolina I've been trying to spend as much time with the kids as possible. Both Alex and Ariel have been getting pretty good at shooting hoops with the new basketball hoop Alex got for his B-Day. I was able to get a new net that has glow in the dark beads on it and it makes a unique sound when the ball goes through it, I can't wait until the nights are a bit warmer so we can "charge up" the beads and play a little late night ball.

This past weekend was Easter which is always a thought provoking "holiday", it seems that this time of year it becomes natural to constantly evaluate my personal relationship with God. I find my emotions run deep whenever I think about the sacrifice that was made in order for us to be able to have that one-on-one relationship with Him.

The weekend was an eventful one to say the least. My weekend started out with a brutal sinus infection when I awoke Friday morning, thankfully I was able to spend the morning in bed as I had nothing on my work schedule. Just when I thought I was in the clear to enjoy my Guaranteed Weekend Off Call I got paged for a call in Boston. Thankfully all went well and I was able to repair the unit and get home before my truck turned into a "pumpkin"!
Rebecca stocked me up on sinus medicine and I dragged myself out of bed around 11:00 on Saturday morning in order to bring our chairs over to Rebecca's parent house for Easter Sunday Dinner. I was excited to make the quick trip there and back so I could veg-out in bed the rest of the day watching TV with the kids. I should have know better than to plan ahead!

The local wildlife in our area are showing the signs of spring fever this past week. On Tuesday the kids got to watch a red fox in the back yard, on Thursday I saw a black bear less than 2 miles from the house, and 2 small herds of deer. With that said I should have been prepared for what the weekend had in store for me!

As I started writing about earlier - I was making the quick jaunt to drop off the chairs. Due to my condition Rebecca decided to go along for the ride and help me unload, so with kids in tow we went on our merry way. Well the merry part was short lived! I managed to get about a mile and a half from the house when I noticed several deer running through the woods, when I asked if everyone could see them they all acknowledged they could - the only problem was we were all watching different groups of deer on separate sides of the road! All at once we all realized our predicament. I managed to avoid several daredevils and was almost stopped when the unimaginable happened-I stuck a deer with my truck.
Now normally I would look forward to the prospect of fresh venison in the freezer but not today. Alex on the other hand was in the back seat chanting "Fresh Meat - Fresh Meat, I Love Deer Meat!" To some this may seem morbid but I am grateful that my kids realize that God has provided us with animals here on earth not only to enjoy watching in nature but for nourishment as well. At this point I wasn't sure the status of the animal so I pulled off the road and walked the wood line. Once I located the deer I called the Resident State Trooper and then Rebecca's parents to let them know we would be delayed. (I did take pictures of my first deer taken with a Chevy V8 for my brag book but I will spare you this time!)

So as I'm sure you've guessed I didn't get to veg-out in bed all day-I spent the day playing Mr. Butcher. With the help of Rebecca and the kids it didn't take that long - I am thankful that my family is willing to help out with this "chore" as most people think of meat as something that comes prepackaged for them at the local grocery store. Not my family they understand where the meat comes from and show a level of respect for the process-from start to finish.

I know, I'm rambling on--I'll just blame it on the decongestant.

Unfortunately I was in rough shape Sunday morning and I missed Sunrise Service in the Meadow but after 12 hours of sleep (I love NyQuil) I was feeling better and enjoyed Easter dinner and fellowship with our friends and family. The meal, fellowship, and especially the desert were wonderful. It was nice to see all the kids playing together as well as the adults acting like kids so they could play along!

All in all it wasn't quite the weekend I expected it to be but looking back it was one I will remember for years to come. Despite all the excitement and drama the important thing was that we Celebrated Easter this past weekend. My hope and prayer is that everyone who reads this takes a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and as we officially observe the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the fact is we should express our thanks daily for the sacrifice that was made on our behalf because without him we are nothing.

A day of celebration, a day of remembrance.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

While many will be celebrating the good deeds of St. Patrick next Monday, I will be celebrating the life of another man - my father. The past 2 days I have found my mind swimming with memories of him and the good times we shared together. The man truly had flair - he entered the world on St. Patrick’s Day and departed it on St. Valentine’s Day. I am sad because I miss him and not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. During times like these I find myself fighting my emotions in order to get through the day so I have decided to use this as an outlet. Although I miss my dad, I must acknowledge that I have been blessed with two wonderful men in my life who I respect and love; both Chuck and Roger are there as a father for me. Even though it's a few days early, I would like to take this chance to celebrate in memory of his birthday, the life of the man who taught me among many other things how to hunt and fish, how to drive a car, and the importance of making time for family. As I look forward to my meal of Corned beef with potatoes, carrots and cabbage I will have a smile on my face as I remember my Fathers disapproval of my brother and I smothering our cabbage with tomato ketchup. I will reflect on my memories of days spent in the woods hunting, days off from school working with my dad in the big red truck (my dad was a truck driver), afternoons spent drowning worms on the banks of a stream, sledding at the local high school after a winter storm, Sunday driving lessons, listening to the baseball game on the radio while playing in the back yard, digging up wild daffodils and day lily’s on the side of the road for Mom's flower gardens, Sunday lunch together as a family, and the memories go on and on. I am thankful to have the memories that I do and to have had the privilege of being my father’s son. Remember the reality is we are only here for a season and it is up to us to determine how we spend that season. Life may throw us a curve ball on occasion but as the saying goes if life gives you lemons make lemonade! He may not be with us in the flesh but he is here in my heart and in my memories so for no other reason other than that of good memories…
Happy Birthday Dad.

Age vs. Maturity

We celebrated more birthdays this past weekend and I couldn't resist sharing some of the pictures. Happy Birthday Luke. I am blessed to have you as a brother. Thank you for the friendship we share and I am thankful to be part of your family. Don't worry the best pictures are of L***, I mean Batgirl! Happy Birthday and may you both be blessed throughout the next year.

P.S.
Mom R. I would like a full size batman suit for my Birthday and Dad can make the gadgets to go on the belt!

The Torturer - AKA Dentist

My mother will appreciate this clip, Steve Martin even looks like the sorry excuse for a dentist I had as a kid.




For all of those who didn't know I am afraid of the Dentist and not ashamed to admit it! From the time I moved out of my parents house as a teenager I avoided the tooth doctors at all cost. Thankfully I took care of my teeth for the most part and when things did go bad I trusted my local oral surgeon to eliminate the problem. After several visits he told me not to come back - he ordered me to find a "DENTIST"! So with the help of my family and friends I located a dentist who understood my fears and fixed my issues rather than remove them.
With all that said don't assume that I enjoy going (like Bill Murray in the movie Little Shop of Horrors)




My fears were once again realized when my upper jaw started bothering me this past weekend - it was so bad I called and left a message for the dentist to call me back ASAP so I could "visit" him and Rebecca didn't even have to nag, force, or do it for me! I will spare you all the details but in the end he removed the problem (the problem which he supposedly fixed during our original meeting). Thankfully the teeth I've had removed are all rear molars and I still have a full pearly white smile. My only wish is that I could get my hands on one of the portable gas masks that Steve Martins character uses for my yearly visits to the dentist! Also in case you were wondering the Dentist keeps the teeth they pull and they charge you for it - I guess the partial coverage for the extraction from the insurance company is the adult equivalent to the tooth fairy.