DC update

I'm in DC - Visit with Dad and Grace.
The old home and lake etc. are green lush and nice.
Did a little visit to DC mall and the new WW2 memorial.

Mom tells me that Thomas got his Orange Belt! Cool.

More later. Next Stop New York! K

little boat - big boat Fly away

Big boat is in repair yard. No fish local anyway.

Ryan's little rubber boat is in the water and he has now taken some pals for a few boat rides. Very big of him... Had to rub him a little to get him to take care of Flush and Cleaning of the motor. He get's it now.

I got that new job I wanted. It takes a monster amount of my time. Will get a plane to NY and DC tomorrow for a week. I'm hoping to line up a boat ride for when I get back for a special weekend. Wolf Pack trip.

Take care. I hugged my boys extra good tonight before my trip. Told them I look forward to goin' out on a visit to Grandma's and a Baseball game in Ontario when we I get back.

At Kenpo they tell the boys they want them to try for the orange belt. Cool. They may get it on Sat. while I'm in DC.

Hope United gets a good pass this weekend. I'm off.

catching up

Ho boy have I got some catching up to do here.

Kids in Sailing... Thomas turtled 2 times on the first day out with his own boat. (borrowed USSabot)

Dad changed jobs AND got a new car.

Mom upgraded bedroom furniture. Did a great job painting the boats and helping to prep them for patching/fiberglass repair/filler/sanding/cleaning etc.

Thomas turnes 8 this week. Good Stuff.

New job is a tough one with a demanding boss. Wants long hours and total control over lots of diverse parts of the work load and picky stuff. Position is very good on a lot of levels. So I am looking forward to the challenge. Today was the first day this month (July 12) that I got to do a Kenpo work out as I have been that busy with all the above.

I'll be back. Maybe have a report on Thomas' B Day.
:-)

Father's Day

Yep got the hand made card from the son still in elementary school. Tender moment. Thank you Thomas. Thomas now wants to be called “Tom”

Mom made a nice breakfast and I got the day “off” of sorts. Did very little for a special day. Maybe it was special to not do much. Read the paper. Did a bike ride with Trish and Tom. To the local little store/market.

Did make a little progress on the repair of Ryan’s boat.

If only I had the props. back on the boat I woulda’ done some boating…

(they are off to the shop for service)

Soon I’ll be back to fishing. But for Father’s Day it was lounge around the house.

Update for week

Maybe I need to put “do not neglect your blogg” on the daily goals and to do’s?!?!

Ok so last weekend was the big finally of the NVLL season of baseball. The annual end of the season picnic and awards party on the big field. Kids run and play with squirt guns while the adults sit on the grass under sun shades eating and just relaxing with the last opportunity to just share in the social fun.

The kids get to have the encouraging talk from the coach “Team Manager” as he passes out the yearbooks and the trophies. He had a lot of fun with the other kids and hopefully will remember all the fun stuff when it is time for next years sign ups.

Kids almost out of school and gotta’ get Ryan's boat ready for Sailing.

Ryan's sail boat is like egg shells breaks almost every time it hits the dock or another boat. So I am about to learn Fiberglass repairs. Just like a friend recently had to learn bee keeping by necessity. Got most of the sanding and clean out taken care of. We even stripped off the old name of “Dolphin” and striping. Ryan even helped a little.

Now to actually build some fiberglass up and patch the many little dents, dings and punctures. Maybe even paint it next week.

Ryan is hot to get a new long cruiser skate board. It consumes him. Wants a Luke Nosewalker that is almost 5 feet long. And he talks about learning to surf. Kinda neat.

I took him and a friend out for a driveby on a skate shop and a walk of the Promanade the other night. Kinda a guys evening jaunt. We had some laughs. And he does not think I’m too uncool. There are some good things that come out of just doing stuff.

Got to go to work…

Good family trip to Catalina

We did it. Went there and played and had very few problems. Boats worked. Food was plenty. Boys had good time.

Da Fish did not bite. Wife twisted an ankle while walking in the dark looking at the stars. Ryan was a little cheeky at times. Dooh.

We danced. We ate with friends. We played in a far away place from home. We were together building family memories.

Ryan got to use his new dinghy and the new motor. Very good. He shared it with the young girls that were there as a group... (Turning 16 and having a group trip and party.) And took turns on the waverunners and floats etc.

Thomas even won some $ in the Bingo after the dinner on Sunday! Ryan told me as we sacked out in the sleeping bags in the cuddy cabin. Thanks for joining the club and doing the trip. Made me feel special and that it was all worth it.

Fish wish granted. Nice.

Ryan and Thomas on the new Dinghy with our boats in Background.

Weekend Fish Wish

Here we go --- Memorial Day Weekend is here. The first big boating/camping trip for this summer is Now Here. Just a few more work items to get done. How to get time to go work on the preparations and then take Friday off and safely make the transit and have all the little things go right. Big challenge.

But that is part of the fun. Ryan is all set to go. His new little dinghy is already stowed in the bow of the boat. Little Thomas has had some good times helping me ready the boat. But yesterday was not one of the good times. Something broke. He got barked at for just doing nothing when I needed a hand. I’m deeply troubled that I got hot and may have harped to much. But we have some wiring to finish… Not really a good excuse for making his life sad.

I’ll pick him up in a few minutes and take him to the Book fare at school. He is eager to get a few items that he has picked out. So that is my Top priority now. (this hour)

Then Fish Wish… A safe and fun weekend where we all make happy memories as a family on vacation.

Keith <”><

Good Tuesday

Thomas had a good baseball practice today.

His team will have playoffs next week with the other teams in his league. Playoffs starts with playing against the Pirates our most competitive opponent. They have a really hot pitcher or two. Will make it very hard on us. It is a short distance from the mound to the plate and one of their pitchers is throwing fast enough to be in the Majors.

The first and second grade boys are brave just to stand in the box when that heat is thrown at them. Wow. Little gladiators.

My fingers are crossed. K <"><

Good weekend and hardly felt the heat.

It’s Monday night and I’m winding down…

Hot kid news. Sat morning Thomas and his “Farm Dodgers” did very well. They came from behind and pulled another win out. Trish was not there but Grandma and Grandpa George were able to see Thomas slide in to home plate. Two times he got to step on home plate in the 13 to 10 victory over the pirates.

We went down to the club and hung out by the pool and stayed cool on a very hot day in LA. Weatherman was impressed with the heat.

I found out how the wires look under the center console of the boat. Grandpa had some sage advice when I shorted and sparked. Ha! But at least I know now what to get and what it needs to do and where it draws power from.

Then Sunday, after a shopping spree, Thomas and I spent some quality time doing boat repairs together. He and I soldered and did electrical work. Together we wired in three courtesy lights on its’ own switch. I related some of the circut to his toy science kit that turns moters and lights on a snap on board.

Thomas told me it was fun to work on the boat. I agree so wholeheartedly! It really is. It warmed my heart to hear him say that out of the blue. We worked so well together that we cept at it until dusk. (A little too late for a school night. He He He)

Ryan and I used to have moments like that in Indian Guides. Thomas is not interested in IG or Cub Scouts. But he is interested in engineering and such.

Now if we can get the AM/FM/CD radio to work. Thomas is just the right size to get inside the tight space and hand wires out and hold things while I tighten nuts… Gotta get him back down there this week!

Friday Ryan and I leave for Catalina. Saturday Thomas and Trish follow with Carl and Francyne and Kristen on the big boat.

Hmmm got to get busy.

If you want to See Thomas and his baseball experience…
On webshots. Boring stuff unless you are family.

Whats up this week & Getting ready for next adventure

Guess it has been a few days since last posting.

Thomas had a great game on Weds. evening. His team had some good plays and made some good outs. It was a tough game and for a nice change there was not a lot of walks early on to run up the score.

We got 4 runs in the 4th inning and then they got 1 run. Then it stayed there all the way to the end. Thomas may need to swing the bat more. But as a catcher he is great. He gets in there and goes after the ball. At one point he was getting too close and the batter went way out on the follow through with one hand AND the bat hit Thomas in the back of the head. It was good that he had the full wrap catchers helmet and face cage. He latter held up his fingers and said it hurt that much. (about 2 inches apart) He stayed down for about 30 seconds after the tap on the head. Then gut up and stayed in there as the catcher. What a good strong ball player.

I hope he stays with it. He sees that his brother is giving up on it and wants to stop too. He also wants to stop Cub Scouts. The local pack 59 is falling apart. I am not going to volunteer even though some of the parents pointed to me to step up as they know my other efforts with Y-Guides etc. But I’m not going to do it for Cub Scouts. I’ve had to much heat from the Mrs. for my many hours on MDRAnglers, Baseball, Y-Guides, and Soccer referee. (And she signed me up as referee. Go figure)

Ryan – He got a great report card from middle school 3-B’s and 3-A’s. OK I’m not going to rag on him. It is hard to chide him to do better when he is doing so well.

Today Ryan was riding the BMX bike. Jumping off the Kicker Ramp over Nakita (a neighbor) and over most of the big table top ramp (with Thomas under that) then landing to descend the far side of the ramp. Way out there by 8 to 9 feet on each jump. None of the local boys try to do it.

His next ideas are to dig up the grass and landscaping and install dirt ramps and jumps and make a BMX bike park out of the yard.

Gutsy Idea. Keep thinking bold Ryan. Yeah!

My accomplishment for the week is a fixing up the Jetski for Memorial Day weekend in Catalina. Coming soon. And I finished the registration for Ryan’s dinghy. I’m so looking forward to him having his own boat in Cat Harbor. He is so much going to Rock. Real joy to be your own boss of your own boat. And there is no finer place to be out on your own than in the safe and beautiful waters of Catalina. Especially Cat Harbor.

www.ecatalina.com/maps_island.cfm
and
www.scico.com/twoharbors/mainboat.html#Coves

for good info on the destination. Really looking forward to it.