The Pez Man Speaks...

Pool-Side Fun!

2009-08-16T08:17:00.001-07:00

Contemplating Change

2009-03-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

It is funny how you come to a point in your life that things just have to change.

It is funny that as you stand there, you realize you were in this position not too long ago. And despite your attempts to alter the plan, you end up back at the point in your life that things just have to change (again).

So as things in my life have changed, especially in the past year, with a weary look toward the future, I had to make a decision.

Saturday morning I awoke and realized that I only had 8 days to make a decision in my life. So I made one. And as my son lifted up the empty water jug that held 7 years worth of spare change, my family vacation fund, I realized I had failed to reach my goal. As my son headed out to the car with it, my daughter looked at me and said, "That's our vacation fund!" I matter-of-factly replied, "Well, we gotta keep this house going, I am sorry." Nothing else was said.

So we went to the bank, and as a family, all went in and dropped it off.

Not the moment I wanted with the results of years and years of not spending my change. This money was supposed to go to a change for us, not a change due to the economy and of how things are.

So I begin again hopeful that the next "change" will be the change my family and I want.

Ring in the New Year!

2009-01-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

OK, I am going to warn you now that this is an angry blog for me. You may just want to skip this one. I know that Mama always told me to shut up if I had nothing nice to say, but you know, there are limits. And yes, I know that someone else has it worse than I. That I may be dramatic....over sensitive.....re-active other than pro-active....a whiner....am selfish...and I am everything else I have ever heard in my lifetime that makes people want to dismiss my emotions.

As the dramatic changes occurred in the economy in 2008, I went along with it like everyone else. I am the only bread-winner in the house, and when everything started to go up, I was worried. When i refinanced the house, I saved $1.00 per month...a measly dollar. I knew I was not alone, so I just had hope and faith that things would continue to improve. They didn't, but my smile did improve. But this time to hide the sorrow I was feeling. A close friend once said to me, "You are at your worst when you are at your funniest." I am not that bad...yet...but understood the statement, which has stuck to me all these years.

My oil budget bill went up $85 per month, my monthly electricity bill went up $35 per month, my house insurance went up $50, and gas (depending on the price) hits me at $150 per month at the low point. Never mind the mortgage and other utilities I am failing to mention. I am using my credit card to buy gas and groceries. Through all these changes, I find that I can still smile and carry on. I mean, we are all in this together, right? RIGHT!

So here it is...The Holiday season. Ho-Ho-Ho and all that jazz, right? RIGHT! I am ending a huge project for myself at work, so I go to the office to get some supplies. We are also gearing up for (what I alone call) our major "keep my job" fundraiser of the year. So I am also doing an inventory of where things are since my office moved to my home. I am looking for some unique items that I created for the fundraiser. They were a labor of love...a whole weekend to choose, print, cut, paste-down, blah blah blah. A visual piece of art work you might say. Framed all nice. I only see one in my old office hung on the wall. The others were neatly tucked behind the office door, but they are now gone. I inquire where the others are. No one seems to know. Hmmm...They will turn up, I say to myself. I am so damn positive, too!

So I go about my business looking for the supplies I came for. The office secretary says they are in the outside shed due to lack of space. Man has it been cold here...so I go to the outside shed and clear away the snow from the door to get inside. Once inside, I see the file boxes I need, but they are in the back corner of the shed. I move a few items, and I pull the box out. Yippee! Success.

As I look back before leaving, my eye catches glimpse of a black frame. I pull it out of the garbage bag that covered it and ALAS...there are my works of art. Do you know what a hand-made photo project that is glued together looks like in a frame when it has been exposed to the elements? Yes, a nice ripple effect. Of course the glue/tape had a reaction, and so did the paper, and etc. RUINED! Years of work RUINED! How could anyone put framed pictures of ANYTHING in the cold? It is disrespectful! But hey...no one died, right? RIGHT!

I decide to go in and ask WHO put them there and no one seems to know. I call my co-worker, who knows the value of "marketing" these items have. I told her of the incident and she was shocked. "Who would do such a thing?" I have no idea, I respond, but I just want you to know that I am done doing them. She hopes I will change my mind and do one for this year, but I resign myself to "NO!" She said that she understands, but it was a highlight to many people. Even that did not sway me. I was mad, but I decided no one died, no one suffered but me, so I will just move on in positive fashion. And so I did...I asked for 3 days off right after Christmas, so I will gain my positive perspective back! Right? RIGHT!

Christmas went well...lots of fun visiting family. As I laid myself in bed that Christmas evening, I was looking forward to a few days off to rest and relax. In the middle of the night, I became ill. Rushes to the bathroom, pain, etc. Not fun. So the next few days were spent bringing myself back to the normal world. Can you believe the timing? I finally take some time off to do what I want to do, and I end up sick. I miss the 3 Baptisms being held in the family on the 27th due to my ill feeling. What crappy timing!

I am feeling better by New Year's Eve Day...and all I wanted to do was spend a quiet New Year's Eve to rush out the crap of 2008 and begin 2009 with positive thinking. I will make it. Right? RIGHT!

So here it is New Year's Eve...and it is the coldest day of the year. The wind is whipping, the degrees are very low and the wind chill is lower. As Winnie the Pooh would say, "It's a rather blustery evening!"

As I am preparing some chip and dip, taco dip, and other little goodies for those around me, we played games, laughed, and just had a pleasant time. As I began to wash the dishes at 10pm, I noticed that the water turned colder and colder. "Something is wrong with the hot water!" Can you guess what happens now? Egads!

Here it is New Year's Eve. It is 10:30pm, and the house has NO HEAT! No Hot Water! Nothing! I go downstairs and reset the furnace. It clicks on....yipppeee! But soon clicks off! uggh! So I call the furnace person. "Try to reset it again, and call me back if it doesn't work." It is now 11:30pm and the house is below 60 degrees. A call back to the furnace man shows we are in for a long night. "Hunker down and I will come by early in the morning." OMG!

So as we all ring in the New Year, I am as cold as those in Times Square. My daughter has 5 or more quilts on her bed, I tell her to dress from head to toe, and her room was warmer than the downstairs, so I feel she is going to be ok. She did not want to go to relatives. She gets all set for the night. As I leave her for the night she says, "Dad, this is a bad omen for the type of 2009 you are gonna have!" OK, Like I needed to hear that, right? RIGHT! I love her so much!!!!

We survive the night in single digit temperatures. I can see my breath in a cloud of frost as I speak in my kitchen. I make a home-made coffee cake to greet the morning...and get the oven to warm up the house as much as it can. As I pull the coffee cake out of the oven, the steam from it was incredible. It was cooked through, but the middle still plunged down due to the temperature in the environment. It was nice to have something warm to put inside our bodies.

By 9am, the furnace guy will be there in a few minutes. Do you know how long a few minutes is? IT IS LONG! (Kinda like this blog!). This is ridiculous!

The $125 Furnace Repairman comes into the house. He says the furnace has captured a lot of soot and garbage. He cleans it out, but says the furnace needs to be replaced in a few months. March or April to be exact. It is not efficient due to age. He said that maybe it can be rebuilt for just under $1000.00 or a new one at around $5200.00. He will wait to hear my decision. He takes his $125 check and leaves into the chilly daylight.

The house takes all day to get back to 60 degrees and a full day for my bones to get back to their warmth. I cook and do all things warm. My daughter was excellent through it all and never complained. Maybe she could sense I was ready to lose it. She is smart like that.

So here I sit, not being able to make ends meet each week as it is, contemplating how in the heck I am going to come up with almost $6,000 within a few months, let alone keep things going. I have $19.00 as a checkbook balance, and I wonder how I can look at 2009 with grace, positivity, and hope. I always fake it well, but this one will be tough.

And the worst thing ever, for a "giver" like me...a young boy came to my door today. I could see through the sheer curtain that he had a plastic bag in his hand, and he was collecting bottles for some worthy cause. I never answered the door. I let him stand there and wait as I saw his shadow through the sheer curtain. I sat still, not wanting to move until he moved. How silly is that?!?!

When he walked away...I walked to the computer and typed out this blog. I need to release it somewhere. And I know not many people read my blog, so it is ok. And not many will read this whole blog because it got too whining many paragraphs ago. But if you did get to this point in the blog, please never under estimate the value of people, their feelings, and hope. I feel pretty drained of all of these things myself. People around me discarded my hard-work, without a care for my feelings, and with the cold weather, the increase in cost of EVERYTHING, and the losing of heat on the coldest day of the year, I am low on Hope. You can call me dramatic, over done, whining, or whatever, but it is all painful to some degree. People try very hard not to let you see the pain, but it is there.

So as 2009 rings in another year, be kind to each other even if you do not know their personal stories. Be kind because it is the human thing to do. Listen because it can make a difference. Share because we all have an overabundance of "something," and care because it is the human reaction we should all have. Kindness and caring breed hope. Hope breeds faith, and faith brings miracles.

I need a miracle, but I am going back to the drawing board and will try to begin with being kind and positive.....and maybe the rest will follow as it should.

Happy New Year and I wish for you everything that makes you happy, comfortable, and healthy.

SAVE THE DATE - Bowl For Kids Sake 2009 - March 28th and March 29th

2008-12-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl For Kids Sake Event is gearing up! The Elves here are the ones that make this event truly special. The Bowl For Kids Sake 2009 event is being held Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th at Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, ME.

So...for my friends in the State of Maine, who live in, near, or will travel to Androscoggin County, you are expected to be at this event to support the great work of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Androscoggin County.

Save the date...March 28th and March 29th!

Here is how you can help:

1. Donate a Flat-Rate Pledge!
2. Be a Team Captain and create teams of family and friends to bowl at the event!
3. Volunteer your time to make the event a success.
4. Spread the word by being a BFKS Representative at your business! Company challenges are great ways to have fun together and help the community!

If you need any information, I am sure one of the elves at Big Brothers Big Sisters can help you! Call Big Brothers Big Sisters today at (207) 782-5437 x76

Help if you can, make a difference in the life of a child!

Line Up Those Ducks!

2008-12-16T03:22:00.000-08:00

Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.

—Herbert Otto

Mass of Dots

2008-12-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

Life is like a mass of dots, isn’t it? You look around at what is going on in your life and all you have is dots. One dot for each item. Like a bullet point on your list of life.

• Call Mom
• Go to the store
• Put up your Christmas Tree
• Prepare the agendas for your meetings next week
• Search the stack of newspapers for the Honor Roll with your daughter’s name
• Begin to get your attitude in gear for the fundraiser of the year
• Get the holiday music together
• Review the missing items in your database
• Remember to get those holiday cards out
• Try and find some money for your mentoring programs
• Get in the holiday spirit
• Buy a real shovel
• Take the bottles to the redemption center
• Pay the bills
• Do another blog
• Really put your office together
• Get the crap off the stairs that has been growing for weeks
• Send thank you cards for the birthday thoughts/gifts
• Get those empty cans off the car floor
• Stop thinking about dead relatives so frequently
• Be happy; others have it far worse
• Put in request for time off during the holidays
• Log in those poor Pez that have patiently been waiting
• Did you even think of the chocolate season yet?

And so the list goes on and on and on…and I realize that the huge mass of dots in my life seem out there on their own, waiting for me to pick them. I hear a sort of “Pick Me!” … “No, Pick Me!” … “Umm, Hello, Pick MEEE!” … in my head. I look at the dots and sometimes I just go sit down to contemplate my next choice; my next dot. Then, out of the blue, an emotion takes over me and I get up, almost in a rage, to do a random thing. I get it done with a lot of effort and forced speed.

As I contemplate my next dot in the mass in front of me, I realize that doing that one thing led me to do the next natural thing because I was already moving. As I sit and revel in my success, I realize I completed more than one or two dots.

The Christmas Tree is up. And to get the Christmas Tree up, I had to move the newspapers, so before I did that, I searched them for the clippings I needed. I also had to get the holiday music on, because you can’t decorate a tree without the music, and this put me in the mood for the holiday season. And while I was hauling things around, I took time to clear the crap at the bottom of the stairs and on the stairs. I hung the stockings on the doors.

I am thinking about dead relatives.

12 hours or so later, I am looking at my tree. It is ok. I begin to think about my dead relatives again. How Dad never saw my daughter, never saw my tree, and never got to share anything at all with her. Last night, as I hung the only ornament made by my father on my tree, it made me pause for a moment with a big gulp. I am wondering why that moment was something to pause about.

As I brought the empty holiday boxes to the basement, I saw my Uncle’s wooden baskets he used to make and give out on Christmas Eve. How we miss him and how appreciated he felt with those baskets. We would cheer when the basket was unwrapped! We all wanted one.

I think of how a friend, who was like a second father to me, would be laughing…over the stupidest things, but I knew he would support me in laughter. When I was unsure, I would look to him in confidence because I knew he would be there supporting me with a smile, a laugh, or both. He appreciated my every thought, sometimes adding to it in fun.

As I sat there, and as dramatic as it sounds, a single tear came down my cheek, followed by a smile. I realized that the mass of dots around me provide me with the joy of connecting them. And without my dead relatives memories, I couldn't proceed to make my own memories. And those lone dots in that mass are there for a reason, and they are for connecting. Connecting our past, our present, and our future.

As the season approaches that we celebrate our religion, our families, and our successes, just remember that we are all dots and we need to continue to connect those dots. This is what makes life worth living. Dots never stop. Dots provide meaning. Dots provide growth. Dots provide understanding.

Just a random thought I had today…why I am sharing? I have no idea. What are your dots? How do you find they connect themselves in wonderous ways?

2008-12-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

Memories of Holidays Past

As houses change from dark to brilliant lights,
As lawns begin to get covered with sticky white,
The memories of holidays past begin to ignite.

As a little guy Santa was a powerful thought,
I wondered if I’d see him, or get a quick snap-shot!
See the reindeer, the magic, and the presents he brought!

I remember decorating the house with gadgets and stuff,
Making it look over-festive til Mom said, “Enough!”
Dad was tall; hit his head on a hanging Christmas ball.

Christmas Eve was special; the family all together,
We would flock to Mom’s like birds of a feather,
No matter what happened; no matter the weather.

Each year Uncle Joe made his baskets of wood,
And Aunt Connie brought ham that was finger-lickin’ good
Everything was good, fun, and made it a great childhood.

As a married man, I whispered a huge thanks to the Lord above
As we experienced our first Christmas; full of hope and love,
But I remember the first divorce holiday; with none of the above.

The magic of children at Christmas makes the holiday great.
Watching their innocence in motion as they celebrate.
You see the hope in their eyes as they lay down to wait.

In the morning they awake to a different feeling; a different day;
Justin is excited for the bowling ball he has wanted in the worst way.
Alexandra opens the Barbie Doll as tall as she…it’s a happy holiday.

The family gets together to eat leftovers and to share,
The joys of the day, and what happened here and there.
The kids are over-tired; hugging good ole Mr. Teddy Bear.

As I sit here thinking; of all the holidays that have passed,
I know that I am lucky; because it has been a total blast!

What is your favorite holiday memory? Will you share it with us?
Did someone drop a pie, did grandma make a big fuss?
Hit the comment button and type…don’t be a “Gloomy Gus!”

The Pez Man Speaks....Really!

2008-05-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging and using MySpace for several years now. I am one of the few people that I know that likes MySpace. My blogs were all in rhyme, so I will use this one for non-rhyming thoughts and other "mind projects." I work with young adults and for some reason, MySpace is their main way of communication on the Internet. MySpace has given me lots of thoughts on the actual vision of the world and society seen by youth today, which I will get into in future blogs. But first and foremost, I should introduce myself.

My name is Ron and my claim to my "15 minutes of fame" is my PEZ Collection. Having collected PEZ for years, and having an article in the newspaper, which was picked up by the Associated Press, I quickly became known as "The PEZ Man." Even my local television station came by to interview me briefly. I had a small display of my collection at the local library as well, which I was told was one of their most popular exhibits. There is power in Pez. I have over 3,000 Pez on display in my basement and people who visit tell me I must have one of the largest collections in the world. I laugh and tell them that my collection is considered very small in the Pez Collector Circles. I like PEZ because it makes people smile, laugh, communicate, and share. It is that simple.

I am a huge believer in what i call "LPD." It stands for "Lasting Positive Difference." LPD is simply a way of living. For years I have amassed a file that I label "LPD." In this file I place all the letters, cards, notes, scribbles, or any written form of compliments. And when I am having a bad day, where I think I am useless, or not worthy, or some other form of negativity, I go to this file and I begin to read. There I find the words of family, friends, and others who think I am great, or who tell me what I did for them made a difference. Yes you could think this was an ego file, but more importantly, it tells you how YOU do life changing things; sometimes without even knowing it.

Whether we like it or not, we are mentors to everyone around us. And believe it or not, we all change the world, we all impact lives. Why not reflect upon it in a time of need for ourselves?

When I began working as a Mentor Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters, I had no idea how much this file would help me. I now teach this concept in all my mentor trainings. A few mentors have actually started these files and they talk about them in such a positive manner. Imagine what their file will look like in 20 years from now! Do you have a file?

I would challenge you to create a LPD file. And remember that as technology increases, so does your LPD file. Create a home file or place them in a binder. On your computer, you can create an LPD File and place mail messages in this file. There is no excuse for not having an LPD file!

This concludes my first post. You will soon learn that my position at Big Brothers Big Sisters means a lot to me. In many ways, I feel that this is the area that I can really change the world in my own comfort zone. I work very hard for this organization and love what I do. BBBS itself is a Lasting Positive Difference because I have seen so many youth in my community positively change because of being involved in this program.

Your comments are always welcome...some may even become a blog topic.

A Conversation with my 14 Year Old Daughter - Are Girls Dumber Than Boys? ...

2008-05-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

I had one of those weird quizzes pop up on my computer screen and it was a "Dumb Test." I looked at it and one of the questions was, "Are girls dumber than boys? Or is it the other way around. Here were the choices to answer the question:

Like most guys, I'm quite smart, Thank you!
Hey, Just because I'm a girl, It doesn't make me dumb!
Men like me have bigger brains, It's science!
I'm a girl, and clearly smarter than my guy friends.

This made me wonder how my daughter felt about this question. I yelled for her as she was upstairs, but she could not hear me. So I did what every parent does, I sent her a text message on her cell phone! She came down the stairs, and I asked her if she would indulge me in a bit of conversation over a question. She said, "Sure." I told her the question and she said, "Wow! Why are you asking that!?" I replied, "I was just wondering about your opinion and thought it would be interesting to blog about."

Over "everything" bagels, this is how it went:

The Pez Man: What do you think of the question: "Are girls dumber than boys? Or is it the other way around?"

Pez Daughter: Girls are NOT dumb. Well, they are, but boy's are dumber.

The Pez Man: Why?

Pez Daughter: In my past experiences, boys have been dumber because of all the stuff they have done. I mean, look at the recent "Grey's Anatomy," how many smart guys would jump into a pool of wet cement, and stay there until it's hard? I mean, that's just dumb.

The Pez Man: That is kinda dumb, I agree.

Pez Daughter: Guys talk about girls like they are objects, well, most guys do anyway. Guys do that because all they care about is the body on a girl. That is immature. That is dumb. Their hormones are out of control and that's what makes them do dumb actions. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

The Pez Man: Why do you think Guys are so dumb in the first place?

Pez Daughter: They're dumb because their life dreams consist of being big sports stars, or pop stars, which will never happen. I mean, all these guys think they are the "one in a million" who will become rich over their sport or their singing. The dumbest thing, is that they don't even have a back-up plan. There is a certain amount of time to be in a career like that; they care about sports, not their grades, and if they do not make it in their chosen sport, if they are not the one in a million, they have nothing else to fall back on, not even good grades. They do just enough to get by and nothing more. Like the guy who wants to be a pop star...he is going to go to American Idol to try out amoung thousands of others, and then he is gone in the first round. Then what does he do? He has no clue. Now that is dumb.

The Pez Man: Are girls dumb, too?

Pez Daughter: They certainly can be. Girls can act like the guys, but girls seem to care a lot more. A lot less girls act dumb. The dumb things girls do is get pregnant at a young age, do drugs, and these things ruin their lives. There is also lots of drama; just to see what happens. Rumors, just to get attention and reaction. All dumb. These girls live and breathe drama. Again, dumb.

The Pez Man: What is the focus of girls in a general sense?

Pez Daughter: Their own looks, their popularity, grades, relationships, sense of future, and more common sense.

The Pez Man: What is the focus of boys in a general sense?

Pez Daughter: Sports, video games, hitting on girls, being "players," boobs, more boobs, and even more boobs. I do not go one day without a boob comment.

The Pez Man: What makes girls and boys so different?

Pez Daughter: The emotions. Guys do not care, and girls take relationships seriously. Boys do not have the same emotion, and for the most part, do not care; they are immature. The emphasis on school work. Boys and girls see things differently because the maturity level and emotions are very different. Girls tend to think more before they do things than guys do. And if things go wrong; the girls cry and the boys laugh. And the boys love it when they make the girls cry. Girls are a great source of entertainment for a guy.

The Pez Man: Girls are really a sense of entertainment for guys?

Pez Daughter: I have never, ever, in my entire life, known a girl that got with a specific guy just for physical stuff. Girls want more depth in their guys, but they can't get it. Guys want action. All guys want action. It is pure entertainment. Yeah, pure enjoyment.

The Pez Man: Wow. So how do you see adult males and females now?

Pez Daughter: From what I have seen in my life, all adults do is fight all the time. I have never really been around what we call a "happy relationship." My parents divorced when I was in first grade. My father is a smart man; my mother hides behind being a smart woman, but isn't. That is why they divorced. And now, my mom fights in front of me all the time with my step-dad, and my so-called "adoptive mother" and her husband do not get along well at all. And all my current relationships have ended. One relationship I was in was really bad; it ended badly. I cared for him a lot, and I was hurt when we broke up, but he ended up laughing.

The Pez Man: So do all boys and girls grow up to be the same in adulthood? Does this trend ever really change?

Pez Daughter: Only if you really want it to. I have never seen anyone change, but I do think it can happen. I want to believe it can happen.

The Pez Man: If you could change ONE thing in boys, what would it be?

Pez Daughter: Give them some emotion and care.

The Pez Man: If you could change ONE thing in girls, what would it be?

Pez Daughter: Make them rely less on drama, make them realize their life is better without it.

The Pez Man: Do you think you will ever find the perfect guy?

Pez Daughter: Yes, I think I will, but I have no idea how. I am hoping it will just "happen." No guy is perfect, but I think I will find the guy for me.

The Pez Man: Who is the right guy for you? What do you look for in a guy?

Pez Daughter: Someone that cares, is funny, and I do not care about looks, I care about emotions and respect.

The Pez Man: This is a weird question for me to ask, but there is a saying that you will marry someone like your Mom or Dad, so do you think that you will marry someone like your Dad?

Pez Daughter: I have no idea. I do not look at it like that at all because I figure that one person will find me; I will find him. I tend not to really look for someone; it will just "happen." With my luck, it will be that one person who is right under my nose, and I never realized it. That is how my luck would be.

The Pez Man: Do you know any guys that are smarter than girls?

Pez Daughter: Well, there 's two different kinds of "smart." There is smart about grades and intelligence or there is smart about life. I know very few guys that are these types of smart. More girls are smart in those areas.

The Pez Man: How does this all happen?

Pez Daughter: Because we are all different and have different personalities. Guys do not tend to care until later in life. No specific age, just when they mature.

The Pez Man: OK...what happens when a dumb girl meets a dumb boy?

Pez Daughter: They get along. She will be a pop star and he will be a professional skateboarder. And they will live happily ever after.

The Pez Man: Interesting. How about when a smart girl meets a dumb guy?

Pez Daughter: That guy is going to be a skateboarder and has no future. The girl has brains and is frustrated by the whole thing.

The Pez Man: Really. How about when a smart guy meets a dumb girl?

Pez Daughter: The guy is not going to want to deal with the drama, so he either breaks up with her or gets emotionless action. The girl must have nice boobs if this is going to work out.

The Pez Man: How many smart guys have you met in your life?

Pez Daughter: Probably 3 or 4.

The Pez Man: How many smart girls have you met in your life?

Pez Daughter: A Lot More!

The Pez Man: How do you know that you are a smart girl or a dumb girl?

Pez Daughter: I am a smart girl because my future plan is all set, and I have a back up plan. I have thought about my financial situation, and I am avoiding drama. I know that I want a good life; I know how to get it. I am smart.

The Pez Man: I think we should do a whole Blog series on "Conversations with my 14 Year old daughter!"

Pez Daughter: Yeah, maybe. Is that all you wanted?

The Pez Man: Yeah, thanks! It was fun chatting with you on this topic. I found it interesting.

Pez Daughter: That is because you are one of the smart ones. Congratulations.

The Emotions of Making A Difference...

2008-06-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

STOP! Emotions are in the roadway! Please take a moment to reflect on how you made a difference today and the emotions you felt.

I had a very long day today at work. Nothing went the way I thought it would, but overall, in retrospect, it went rather well. Just not as I had anticipated. Life is funny like that.

I held some end of the year celebrations for my mentoring programs. It was a lot of lugging of party items, setting things up, being the emcee for the party, making sure I thanked everyone, blah blah blah.

At my first party, I had over 60 people in the room. It was amazing! Each person in that room was involved in some way, shape, or manner with my mentoring program. When I talked about how special mentoring is, and how proud they should be to be involved, there was no emotion. But when I had goodies to give to them to remember their special place in my mentoring programs that was different. When I had them come up to get their own packets, it reminded me of the days when cabbage patch kids were the "Hot Toy." The emotion was frantic.

"I saw your Pez Tie and I knew we were getting Pez!" ... "I think its cool they call you the Pez Man." ... "I hope you have a chewbacca Pez for me!" .... "I love Pez; just like you!" .... "Can I take two?" ... "This is better than Pizza!" ... "Do people think you're weird for collecting Pez?" ... "What happens to your Pez when you aren't here anymore?" and my favorite (from the principal): "Pez is something so wonderful and universal, isn't it? Everyone likes Pez. Do I get one?"

After that, more lugging, cleaning up, etc.... I then do the same thing for another party an hour or so later. Except this time there were only 15 people in the room. And the emotions were rather bland in comparison. No frantic emotions, no excitement. It was as if they were in slow motion. Kinda crazy! I wondered if it was all worth it. And would it be the same without Pez? Without me?

I had worked all day long with no lunch and no supper. To busy to stop for today. I then head to an awards banquet at a local high school. I am presenting awards to 3 students for their dedication to Big Brothers Big Sisters. We are meeting in the gym and there are lots of seats to sit in. The crowd gathers and it is made up of a huge cross-section of the community. Parents, grandparents, students, professionals, kids, etc.

The speeches were very quick and the awards were given out quickly. I began to have an internal panic attack because I am giving out 3 awards and my speech is 6 pages....typed! Oh My Goodness, I say to myself...I am going to bore them to pieces! I am really panicked.

I begin to get nervous as my name is called to present. I walk up to the microphone and I was immediately intimidated for some reason. I stumbled on my first words, but quickly corrected myself and began my speech. For some reason I lost total touch with the audience and never really focused on one or two people, like I usually do. YIKES! I scanned the audience at appropriate times during the speech. Other times i just concentrated on the paper in front of me. I was sure I sounded and looked nervous.

As I presented my first two awards, the crowd was quiet and respectful, and when I announced the names of the first two winners, I heard great applause. Maybe they were glad I was done, but yet I had one more presentation and it was many pages long! Uh-Oh!

I then realized that I am here talking about young adults who make a difference in their community, and I was going to complete my speech as planned. We never hear about the good deeds that students do to better their communities, so I just went for it, albeit nervously.

I began to talk about the "Big Sister of the Year" and I could tell the audience got very quiet. As a few moments passed, I felt a bit of a panic and thoughts of "taking too long" danced in my head. How many internal voices can one have? I felt like all my voices were fighting. My reaction was to stick to my typed words, but I picked up the pace. I expressed the emotions of how one person literally changed the life of another person. I then got lost in my own words and totally got into the emotion of the speech. I choked up at one point, but then quickly got back on professional track. I didn't care what I was saying as long as I was saying it. It is important. People need to know "Big Sisters of the Year" actually exist.

When I got to the end of my speech, and introduced the Big Sister of the Year, the young woman stepped up from the sea of people in front of me. She walked swiftly towards me. She was totally red faced from crying. When I saw her emotion, it stunned me. The Emotions of Making A Difference vary so much. This young lady is really just beginning her life, and she has already saved one. Amazing. Freakin' Amazing!

She came up to me and before even reaching for her award, she just hugged me and thanked me. I gave her the awards and said, "You deserve this moment so much, you really do." She turned from me, still full of emotion, and headed back into the sea of people from which she came. She blended back in, and I, too, went back to my seat and blended in as well. And so the show goes on.

When I sat down, a friend said to me, "You pulled the heart strings of every mother in this room with your speech." I replied, "I hope I wasn't too long, that is all." My friend said to me, "Ron, the audience was totally captivated by your words. They hung onto each word you said. A speech is never too long when everyone is engaged in it. I am surprised that mentor didn't get a standing ovation." All I thought was, "Wow!"

I looked around the room, and I saw many faces looking at me. Some would look away when our eyes would meet, while others smiled slightly. The woman sitting next to my friend said, "I don't even know this Big Sister of the Year, and I am crying. My son is a senior, and he should have mentored. I missed that one!"

Later in the evening, when my friend and I stopped to get a bite to eat because I was totally famished, my former supervisor saw me and said, "Great job at the award ceremony, you actually made me cry. Good Job!" My friend said, "See...you made an impact. I saw how many people were captivated by your story of the success of this one mentor and her Little. It was Amazing."

It really was amazing to me that a room full of 60 people in the morning can be so different from 15 in the afternoon and 100+ in the evening. All the environments were different, yet all the people who were at these celebrations were there for the purpose to celebrate the difference people make, or the difference they make.

All people have passion, and I think it is great when we see it, when it is respected, and it is celebrated. When have you told someone who makes a difference in your life that they deserve to be celebrated? That you notice their passion. Do you have local awards that honor those people? Have you nominated those people for awards in your area? Have you written a letter expressing your emotion?

Share your emotion. Share your story. Share the success. We will all be captivated by it in the right circumstances. There is no denying that people make a difference in our daily lives. Why deny them the right to be celebrated. Share. And Share often.

I am hoping by doing this blog, I can finally get some sleep. Very long and emotional day.
And yet so satisfying.

A Morning Ritual...

2008-06-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

I have been divorced now for 7+ years. Being an involved Father, I thought I wouldn't be able to see my children enough. As luck would have it, I have my daughter Wednesday night through Monday each week, and she is dropped off at my home each morning to take the bus to school from my house. I am lucky. I am fortunate. I am rich. I could cry.

So for the last few years, my daughter comes into the house for a few minutes before I drive her to the bus stop several streets away. We have some great morning chats, or other times we don't say much of anything.

If you read my post yesterday (which was really earlier this morning), you knew I had a hard time getting to sleep with all the emotions I had going on. I was tired. Very tired. I went to bed at 1:45am and my clock goes off at 5:30am, but I usually roll out of bed 5 or 10 minutes after that.

This morning, however, I slept through the alarm. And when I looked at the clock, it said 5:50am. I awoke in a panic and my first thought was that I did not hear the upstairs shower running, so my daughter was not up yet. Oh my goodness...she is going to be late because I am late. It takes her over an hour to get ready in the morning, and it is so quiet in the house. All of these thoughts are racing through my head. To save time of going to the bottom of the stairs yelling to her, I decide to call her cell phone because we all know it is still on and not charging!

As I hear the first ring of the phone, I realize. IT'S TUESDAY. I hang up. She is not even IN my house. She is at her mothers. I laugh at myself, and as I think, "Man, Ron, are you tired and out of it.." the phone rings. I jump. And I did NOT yell like a girl. I answer the phone and it is the tired voice of my daughter. "Dad, did you call me?" I said, "Yes, but never mind. My bad." She chuckles and says, "See you later."

When I hear the car door outside slam shut, I know my daughter is here. She comes in and I begin my usual welcoming greeting. "Froo Froos is here! I missed you! Did you miss me?" She looks at me smiling slightly and says, "Dad, it's early." I tell her that I called her so early because I thought she was in my house and we were late. She laughs.

Then an amazing thing happened. She came over to me and just rested her head on my shoulder. We stood there in the kitchen and she just rested herself. She is 14 and at an age where it is not cool to hug your parents, so this one moment was very special to me. It reminded me of when she was a baby and she would fall fast asleep in my arms. I didn't move and only said that I loved her and that she was the best daughter in the world. She quickly said, "Umm, Dad, I am your only daughter." I quickly said, "How do you know that for sure?" She then laughed and said, "Yeah. Right." I said, "It could have happened!" She says, "Ok, Dad, OK!"

Time for the bus! I love the morning ritual at my house. And I do have the best daughter in the whole world.

The Pez Nurse Watches...

2008-06-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

I was at work today discussing the future of next year's Big Brothers Big Sisters Program with one of my school representatives. I had the normal comments about how high gas and oil prices are, which keeps people at home, which means people do not volunteer anymore, and people do not "give" anymore.

I was trying to tell this person that we need to stimulate volunteers because staying home is not doing them any good. They end up dwelling in the negative, and maybe we need to focus on how volunteering can actually improve our health. We discussed how attitudes are so important, and we had to follow this up with action.

I was having a great time as we swapped success stories, how we each change lives or at least improve them, when my cell phone rings. I take it out of my pocket, upset that I had not either left it in the car or put it on silence. The screen had my mothers name on it. I hit the "ignore" button since I was at a lunch meeting. (TIP: Never hit the ignore button when it is your Mother. They know!).

As I was changing the cell phone to silent, the phone rang again..you got it; Mom. I decided to take the call. I said hello and told her that I was in a meeting and that I would like to call her back when I finished. She said in an emotional voice, "OK. I just called to let you know that your sister had a heart attack a few moments ago. There is nothing you can do now, we are just waiting. Call me when you are done. Or maybe I will call you when I hear something; anything. I just want to be sure that you get your daughter because she will get off the school bus and come to my house with the door locked. I need to know you can get her ok." I tell her that I can get her and she should not worry. I then hear a muffled sobbing cry. I was speechless. Did she say my sister had a heart attack? MY SISTER? She is only 48. MY SISTER?

I asked Mom if she was alone with my sister. She said that she had my brother-in-law, my other sister, and my brother with her. I told her that I would finish my meeting, and then call her up. She said that was fine.

The woman I am with says, "Are you ok?" I said, "Yes, yes, I am. Just give me a moment to collect myself." There was a silence that was deafening. My mind was running so fast; faster than normal. I had to prepare my big celebration in that town, then I had to go pick up the items for my awards banquet later this week, and I had to go to yet another town to hold an end of the year celebration at an after-school program. "Did Mom say she had a REAL heart attack?"

I look up at the woman I am with, and with all seriousness, I said, "My sister had a heart attack. She is safe and under medical care. There is nothing I can do for now, so I am going to continue our lunch, go to the elementary school to pick up my items, then I will go get my daughter. I only have to figure out the end of year party in the next town at 3:30pm today. I can handle this. I can." The woman looks at me with watery eyes and says, "We can get our food to go. Really." I quickly replied, "No. She will be ok. She is under care, and there is nothing I can do to help if I was there. My mother will call if things change. She will call again."

I looked at the woman and said, "This kinda ruined the mood." She said, "Yeah, but I tell you what, I am going to go home tonight and hug my husband and call my daughter and tell her that I love her." I said, "You know the brealfast celebration we are having tomorrow morning at your school?" She replied, "Yes, but do not worry about that!" I said, "It was my sister who was preparing the breakfast items for that party." "Oh my goodness," replied the woman, "we can cancel the party if need be." I immediately replied to her, "Oh no! I will pull myself together to get through this party. I will make other arrangements for the food, and this party WILL occur. I got a donation of a bus and the bus will roll. If I need to fall apart for any reason, I will do so after the party."

As our food was delivered, we had light conversation about the important things in life. Surface stuff. It was nice. I think this woman and I had a tightening of our working relationship today. I think this will keep us closer in the future because we invested emotion, personal emotion, into each other today.

I went to the other schools and finished picking up my items, listened to some complaints, which seemed so trivial and minor today. I responded accordingly, but wanted to yell, "Shut Up, my sister had a heart attack you fool!"

When I got home to pick my daughter up from the bus, I decided to check my work e-mail messages. I got an e-mail from a co-worker that insinuated I was acting in a manner that I was not. I shot off an e-mail to her telling her my true intentions and that she actually read my e-mail incorrectly. I used caps for some words, which showed my anger, but I did not care.

My daughter and I sat in the car as I told her the news. Her face looked how I felt. It made me want to cry. I explained all that I knew and told her there was nothing we could do but support her. I told her I had a party to attend to and I wished she would come with me. I did not tell her, but having her with me made me able to hold it all together.

She helped me lug in the party items, and we were both very quiet. I think in many ways we each had a job to do emotionally and we did it.

I held the party...and no one knew the real pain that was inside my daughter and myself. I talked in front of a group of children, had them sign thank you cards for our Big Brothers Big Sisters supporters, and took photos. I passed out my Pez gift packs, and made everything perfect. As i passed out the packs, I noticed that one of the Pez was a nurse. I wanted to cry right there. I held onto it.

When I got to the car after the party, I asked my daughter if we should give this to Aunt Debbie. She shook her head yes uttering no sound. Her emotions were loud, however.

At the hospital, I took the elevator to the 3rd floor. I got out and the sign said "Birthing Center" and "Lactating Room." I just stood there in disbelief, then I started to laugh. We went back to the main entrance and found the right set of elevators.

Once in the room, my sister was as alert and said hello. Her first words to Alexandra were, "I am going to be fine, and we will be walking the beach on vacation, don't you worry." Alexandra broke down in tears and hugged me as she cried. I kept kissing her head to assure her that I was here for her. Her face was red and her mascara had run onto my white shirt. It would not come off. I said, "Good qualtiy mascara because it runs but never goes away." We laughed. I took my Big Brothers Big Sisters name tag and covered the area, which got a few more chuckles.

My mother was sitting on the window seat with my pregnant niece, and in a recliner type chair was my brother. The chair was right next to the hospital bed. I looked at the site and it was sad. I know my mother was thinking that she did not want to lose her daughter before herself. My mother lost her mother, her husband, and her twin sister within a year and a half or so, and she did not want to have one of her children pass away before she did. My niece was wiping away the tears as she watched Alexandra, and I am sure she was thinking a lot about the life she is bringing into the world, and how things can change in an instant. My brother was sitting there and you could tell he had no intention on moving. He became the support for my brother-in-law and he was not leaving until he felt they were ok, and they were not ok.

All the machines hooked up top her reminded me of a transformer. Alexandra and I had just watched that movie over the weekend. She could not move one leg and one arm, and if she did, an alarm went off. She had several "drips" going into her body, and even though she was smiling and saying she was fine, our hearts were telling another story. She said that all the pain she had been experiencing was now gone, and at least she now knows what is going on.

She was right. She could do nothing but let the doctors do their job and she had to cooperate to get her body back to normal.

I got restless, and I am not one to just do nothing, so I began to pace the room, I began to read all the signs: "CODE BLUE - Hit button and then call 9-1-1" "Guest services offers many options..." "Restrooms are for patients only...see a nurse for more information." As I looked at everything my eyes could absorb, I kept clutching the Pez Nurse that was in my front pocket.

I decided that I could not just stand around and wait for nothing. And since no one offered me a seat, I had to think about leaving. I was emotional, and becoming weak in the knees. I saw a bulletin board hanging on the wall opposite my sister's bed. It had a wide lip along the bottom to accommodate write-on/Wipe-Off erasers and pens. I quietly took the Pez nurse out of my pocket and stood her on this lip. I stood in front of it. Then my daughter and I said our good-byes. We left.

It was a quiet ride home to her mother's house. I certainly tried to tell her how lucky her Aunt Debbie was, and we are lucky to be able to see for ourselves that she is in good spirits. I think my daughter just needed to be with her mother to express her emotion because Alexandra is smart enough to seethe emotions in that hospital room. He Aunt Debbie is a mother, but she is also someone's daughter and someone's sister. I think Alexandra needed to have a moment with her own mother. To be able to express whatever she needs to express, to share whatever comes out naturally. Alexandra needs to be her own person with her emotions, which I know she will handle well.

My cell phone went off again as I pulled into the driveway of my home. I sat alone in the vehicle and spoke to my mother, who said, "Did you leave the Pez Nurse for Debbie?" I said, "Yes, someone has to always be watching, even if it is just a Pez." My mother said nothing for a moment, and then said, "I knew it was you, I just knew it." I could hear the other family members laughing. My mother said, "OK, I had to call and ask. I knew it was you. I just knew it." I thought to myself, "There is power in Pez....Really."

I sat in the driveway and as rain began to slowly tap the glass and distort the clear vision through the glass, I began to cry. My sister had a heart attack. Oh My God.

I know this sounds silly, but with that Pez in her room, I feel like I am there; attached. The Pez Nurse is watching...really...and she is very, very sweet.

OMG...People Are Reading My Blog!

2008-06-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

I received a call today from "The Boss." He has been sick all week, so when he said to me, "Ron, I just wanted to call to see how your sister is," I just figured he had gotten word from someone at work. As I began to tell him how I felt, he said, "I know, I read about it on your blog." My reaction was, "Oh My Goodness, I never thought anyone was REALLY reading my blog. No one knows about it." He laughed a bit and said, "Well, I know 2 or 3 people that know about it."

In my warped little world, no one was reading it, or they would comment, right? Hahaha! What A fool I can be! I knew Megin and Rob had commented, but i thought they stopped reading it since life is busy. After all, it is Valentine's Day in their house everyday, so why would they choose to come here to read my blogs. No Pressure.

So for the one or thousands of you out there who could be reading my blog...or not...I apologize for my lengthy character. Sorry, it is a part of what makes me; ME! Gotta love me!

I did begin my 365 List on a separate blog, and I am enjoying that a lot. Check it out. Only 44 words for each entry!

By the way, my sister is now home, and she is scared, but who wouldn't be. This is not a death sentence for her, but more of a wake-up call, but I can understand how scared she must be. I would rather have her scared and alive than scared to death.

And Rob, thanks for caring and asking. I hope you get better and get back at work soon.

Take care to all my friends!

"The Ron Hood Special" at Marco's Italiano Restaurant

2008-06-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

I bet you are wondering why I would have a picture of a plate of food on my blog. Well, an interesting thing happened to me yesterday and I thought it might be worth sharing.

I was at an appointment and as I was leaving, I saw an elderly woman approaching the door, so when I went out the door, I held it open for her. She was moving slowly, but I waited patiently. After all, it was raining. One of those raw days.

As she approached the doorway, she stopped and said, "Well, look at you, there is a gentleman still among us." She noticed I had my work name tag on, and she read it aloud, "Ron Hood." She paused to tell me that her name rhymed, and she repeated it several times and chuckled to herself. As she walked into the door, she stopped half-way through and said, "Ron Hood? Are you the fellow that has a dish named after him at Marco's?" I laughed and said, "Yes, that is my dish." She said, "I had no idea the gentleman who would be so kind would be the same Ron Hood. I had that dish and it was delicious, really delicious." I thanked her and we both went on our way.

Interesting that you never know what will happen during the course of a day.

The Ron Hood Special is Grilled Chicken with dijon sauce, angel hair pasta with garlic and butter oil, and a small amount of dijon sauce for additional dipping. If you are bothered by too much garlic, there is the Ron Hood Special with veggies, which is the same as the "original," but you remove the pasta and get carrots & potato rounds. Either way, YUMMY!

The Proof is in the PEZ!

2008-06-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I am sure many of you are wondering how many Pez I have, and what they look like all together living in Pez harmony! I would be happy to allow you a peek into my PEZ ROOM!

If you are planning a visit to my Pez Room in the future, I would suggest that you do not look at the link I am about to post. It is better to see it without having had a "pez peek!"

If you go to Ron's Pez Room Tour 2008, you will see that I do indeed collect PEZ! It may take some time for it to load up, but it is worth the wait. I would love to hear your thoughts on this wild display of Pez fun!

Enjoy!

Friendship is a Sheltering Tree

2008-06-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

I often think about friendships. We all have different friendships; different bases of friendship.

I have been in moods of recent where I see the world changing around me, and none of it makes sense. The world is in an emotional state and it filters down to all of us in some personal way. Oil is too high priced, so when it hits our wallets, we take this frustration out on someone else, and so starts the dominoes of life.

When I feel happy or sad, I run to my friendships. I do find friendships like a sheltering tree. You can stand there, feeling accepted, and you can cry, or laugh, or simply just be.

I have several friends that I hold close because they feed me what I need to be strong, satisfied, and loved. Many times we laugh together, complain together, and are quiet together. So as the dominoes fall, we huddle together and brace the storm. And trees are strong and live through it all. They lose their leaves, but grow right back. You can lose a limb, but you do not lose your soul. You can be tossed and turned in the strongest of winds, but you survive. And you can stand alone or be in a group and you still provide shelter.

Friendships are the most expensive thing on the planet, but your investment is minimal, but your value grows over time.

Oh yes, sometimes trees die, but the rings they accumulate shows history, and their seedlings did grow near them, or as far as the wind will take them.

I have friends who have come and gone as well, but our friendship together helped shape who we are as people. I think everyone around us shapes who we are. Through friendships, we borrow and steal ideas, attitudes, lifestyles, and a multitude of other good things. We make them our own, and we expand, and we grow. Sharing this growth is the best feeling of all.

You know, Friendship really is a sheltering tree. Tend to your roots and be appreciative of all that makes you grow and prosper through life's seasons. Hug a friend today.

Everything's Coming Up Roses!

2008-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a hectic time. Ending the school year, getting all mt work files in order, updating my monthly reports, statistical information, and reviewing my processes. I have worked a lot to look at my product and see where I can improve, where I am wasting time, and how I can be more efficient and have better output for my Bigs and Littles. It has been kinda crazy!

You know that saying, "You have to stop and smell the roses"? Well, thanks to a dear friend who gave me rose bushes a year or so ago, I can do just that in my own yard. In my hectic past few months, I was able to come home and see the roses pictured here right next to my driveway. As I exit my vehicle, I go over to them and enjoy their beauty.

I just thought I would stop and let you see my roses...and maybe the next time you see some, you will stop and go smell the roses and appreciate their fine detail and beauty.

Vacation - Day One!

2008-06-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

A Walk on the Beach with the right Music enhances Everything!

The sun came out a bit late today, but enough for me to have a great walk. I had some great music pumping through the earphones, and as I walked, it changed the experience I had. Since there weren't many people on the beach today, it was a perfect day to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Maine coast almost all by myself. As the ocean air pushed against me with great tension, a song came on that spoke of the greatness of the environment. It was perfect.

Here was the beach in front of me as I walked...gorgeous and plenty of room!

The Seagulls Love the Beach too...and act like people!

I thought it was funny to see the sea gulls running in and out of the water like people do. There was not much food for them on the beach, so they did not have to be aggressive scavengers. I think they were enjoying the waves as they slowly washed up on the beach. They would run to the wave, and then turn and run out. It reminded me of how kids do that very same action.

Here are a few camera shy sea gulls...

SEAWEED: The Ocean's Dust Bunnies!

Seaweed is everywhere today! The Town was removing some of it in certain areas on the beach, but in our area, it was left there. It made a line at the top of the beach. Some of the kids like to play in it (ewww!), but so do a lot of insects. Smelly and ugly.

GROW UP! - Why does being on vacation make you realize how your children have grown?

It was great to have both my children at the beach today. What I noticed was how much older they are, and how great they are. My daughter does not get much time with her brother, so this time with him is very special to her. You can see this emotion in her every interaction with him. I wonder if he notices. They have a ten year age gap in age, so that makes a big difference.

Here is Justin and Alexandra together:

Here is Alexandra with Justin's hat on!

Vacation - Day Two

2008-07-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Some Quick Shots of my day that really speak for themselves.

SEE...I Didn't need any words, did I?

Vacation - Day Three

2008-07-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Aaahh...the 3rd day of vacation. The weather has been so awesome! I have spent every day on the beach. Alexandra ended up with a rash, so I had to head to the drug store so she could have some relief from the itching. Alexandra did not go to the beach today. She and Jenna stayed in the camp house and watch tv and slept the day away. That is the fun of vacation as well, isn't it?

Justin went to NH to look for jobs and called me to tell me that he got a job, so he will feel better when he moves to NH in a month or so.

I had company today, a friend and her son. Tracy and Bryan came up and we spent the day on the beach. I ended up ruining Bryan's frisbee with my pure brute strength. Aaarrgghh!

It was a nice and relaxing day with family and friends. I love this vacation time more than any other time in my calendar year!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Where's the Safari? (Yesterday's Picture!")

Mary Poppins at the beach!

I am the Beach Patrol. Get off the beach now!

Banana Man and Super Nanny! Hahahaha!

Two Bananas were at the Beach....

Banana Riding at Pine Point...FUN! FUN! FUN!

Doesn't everyone ride a wave with their banana?

The Banana Splits!

A Special time with a Smiling Banana!

Bryan and Tracy - A Day At Pine Point, USA!

Stalker Caught in the act!

"It's Time To Make The Donuts."

"I went from a Banana to a Donut."

This is Better than Biddeford Pool!

"Frisbee Fun!"

Trouble, Trouble, & MORE TROUBLE!

"You have so much A-PEEL! Can I take you home?"

Bryan's impression of "Sun Screen!"

"LOOK, I'm 'The Joker' from BatMan!"

Good-Bye Ron! Thanks For A Great Day on the beach!

Vacation - Day Four

2008-07-03T20:03:00.001-07:00

Today was spent getting up very early and taking a nice walk all alone on the beach. It was nice to take in the ocean air. My body felt exhilarated after this walk.

Alot of the family came over today, which was really great. It is nice to have everyone around and to be relaxed and carefree! I did not spend the whole day on the beach because I had to bring my daughter's friend home, so we went in town to the mall and shopped before we hit the turnpike to head back home.

While in town, Alexandra got her new haircut...she went from straight hair to a perm!!! It looks so good on her! After the haircut, we went to pick up Katie...Alexandra's next friend to come to the beach with us!

Enjoy the pictures below...Another great day!

I went out for my early morning walk...Gorgeous Day!

Early Morning Views!

It was a calm and quiet morning!

Time for Sand Castles!

Carolyn and Austin enjoying the beach!

Megan resting before her big night on the town!

Mom/Gram Loves having her family around her!

The Beach Stud...!

Aunt Debbie and Hannah keeping the sun at bay!

Alexandra's New Hair Cut! WOW!!!!

Vacation - Day Five - 4th of July!

2008-07-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

"Oh say can you see..."

Carol & "The Guy Not Taken."

Tom and Jillian...Nice 4th of July Shirt, Tom!

Awwww, Alex and Katie...A Friendship Hug!

"Y" are they friends? Angel and Jillian!

Horsing Around...The Girls Rule!

Debbie with the Peanut Gallery Behind Her!

Here is part of the Group! Happy 4th of July!

What a nice looking group!

Justin and Alex (& Her Ipod!)

Just the Three of Us!

"We're Here to PUMP You Up!"

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE! HOPE YOU SPENT IT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES!

Vacation - Day Six & Day Seven & Day Eight - I Got Bitten by the "Bug"

2008-07-07T06:39:00.001-07:00

Vacation got interrupted by Food Poisoning!

I have been down for the count as this awful "bug" goes through my system.

I will get back to my vacation posts as soon as I can. I am missing a lot of family and friends, but I have to tend to my health at this point.

I am home until I get better...then I will return to the beach for more relaxation and family fun.

Vacation - Day Eight (in the Evening)

2008-07-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

Alex and I made it back to the beach by 7pm. I am still not feeling 100%, but am trying to make the best of it for Alexandra's sake! We took a walk and below you will see what we saw. The beach is an interesting place, isn't it?

Alex is gorgeous isn't she?

Me before we began our walk.

"My Feet are tired now!"

Alex took this of herself!

I love the Rock Wall we walk to!

It was a gorgeous night!

Kite Flying!

Making Prints in the Sand!

Running in the setting sun!

The Rock Wall is a comforting place to be!

Aaaah! The Beach!

Supper-time! Will he share the fish?

He is not offering his friend a piece of the fish!!

Oooh, a sea gull fight!

Alex and I noticed all the different "prints" in the sand as we walked. It is interesting that so much happens on the beach and stays there until the ocean rinses it clean. Kinda like being in a huge "Etch-A-Sketch!" Enjoy the photos as we enjoyed discussing what they were!

A BEAR? ok, a Big Dog!

A Stroller? A Bike?

A Dog that needs his claws cut down!

Where Man, Woman, and Dog Meet!

A small doggie! or Sea weed Print!

A Human Being (Wearing Tevas?)

A fading print.

Cool one!

Buckets of fun!

Tire Tracks! Alex followed them as we walked!

Lovers walking side by side...awwww!

This one scares me! An Alien! ;)

Lots-o-prints!

My footprint and Alexandra's Footprint!

Grrrr!

Little kid!

Parent and child!

Was a great evening walk, and I sure do hope I feel better tomorrow and can enjoy more of the beach, and see more of my family and friends as the week goes on.

My Favorite Photo of this Vacation!

2008-07-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice shot of my daughter and I that I love! We were at the beach and had walked to the rock wall (Vacation - Day 8), and when Alexandra was going to snap the shot of us by herself, a woman near us said, "No, No, No! I will take the picture!" We got situated and the woman took the camera and said, "Ok, now, Say WHISKEY!" It made both of us laugh. Obviously, she drinks it and does not have children...I was kinda hoping she would reply, "Say PEZ!"

I love this pic...it might be my Christmas card this coming year!