Nick's Piano: End of an Era

Heading to college this coming weekend, Nick finished his final lessons with Kevin and Mrs. Rutter last week. He's going to miss the last recital of his young career as it's the same day as the first day of Summer Session at Indiana Tech.  Here are links to the last few years of his best pieces, where it's clear the progress he's made over time.

Spring 2025: Maple Leaf Rag

Summer 2024: Poirot 

Spring 2023: In the Mood

Spring 2022: Chattanooga Choo-Choo

Summer 2021: War Thunder

Summer 2019: Top Gun Theme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's good to see that piano we bought when we moved into our first home twenty-five years ago served its purpose!

 

SFS Graduation May 2025

Memorial Day weekend was graduation weekend for the seniors at SFS. The theme was 'Bread' (not really) and the usual events with a morning mass at Gesu and afternoon commencement at the Toledo Museum Peristyle.  The entire production is a reminder of how well St. Francis has handled these boys for the past four years.  Despite regular frustrations (like the trebuchet assignment in the last two weeks of classes) it's clear they've prepared this group of young men for their future. The numbers:
116 different universities being attended across the graduation class of 124
Nick is 1 of 48 recognized with Honors based on GPA (just shy of a 3.7, posting a 4.2 for his Senior Year)
And he is 1 of 15 that received a high award, as voted on by the faculty, for him it's Artistry (a reflection of the artwork that was the centerpiece of their wine-and-cheese fundraising event earlier this year)

There's five kids in his graduating class who are sons of SFS grads from my class in 1990. And during the commencement we sat alongside one of my grad school colleagues who also had a son graduating this year. (And she has another in two years, who attended my presentation on Marketing at SFS Career Night and apparently now he's set on that field, so my pitch must have been pretty good!)

As usual, the event ended and Nick was quickly fifty yards down the sidewalk headed for the car. He's done with high school, and onto the next adventure.

Brandi planned a small gathering in the evening, we hosted about ten people for a kitchen-full of food and small talk. Moose and Ba traveled up from Alabama for the weekend, and his friend Aiden came down from Ypsi. I entertained from the garage, my happy place. And Brandi made me a cheese ball.

SFS Graduation Class Photos

Nick is front and center, which is why I couldn't find him in the photo.  Professional photographer shots from the day.

 

Spring Break 2025

Last spring break before Nick goes off to college, so we took a long weekend trip to see some sights.

We departed on Friday evening and drove in miserable rain all the way to DC.  Made a stop outside Baltimore at Nick's favorite diner, the Mountain View Diner, for some fish and a bucket of mac-and-cheese. Then continued on to our hotel in Old Towne Alexandria where we struggled to park but otherwise arrived without event.

Saturday we met up with Brad and ventured into the Mall to the American History Museum. Being the weekend for cherry blossoms, the volume of people only increased as the day went on, and we escaped with our sanity by mid afternoon having coaxed a pizza sub from a packed Potbelly off the main run. Nick took an afternoon nap while Brad and I had drinks at Theismann's near the train. And of course then we ate more, having pizza at Bugsy's along the water in Alexandria, and then a nice walk back.

On Sunday we started with breakfast at Bob and Edith's Diner, then Nick rested while I went to the Nationals game with Brad. Game was a nice rest, aside from the annoying people around us, and Brad's ability to drown a hot dog in pickle relish until it was ready for an eating contest. We then met Nick back in Crystal City at the Sports Pub to watch the MSU/Auburn game. This was Nick's first time taking the train on his own so he got a little adventure.

We packed up early on Monday and drove to Virginia Beach to the Air Museum, which was buried in a remote area, but very much worth the trip. The grounds had multiple hangars, and all of the planes were fly-ready. The WWII era hangars brought in from Germany and then replicated in lumber from France were very cool to see. Nick was essentially the co-tour guide, as each time the gentleman directing the tour couldn't recall something, he looked at Nick who filled in the details. We stayed on the beach for a couple days, but it was too windy to walk with the blowing sand, so our walks were mostly along the boardwalk and streets. I got my cucumber margarita at Las Palmas, which was incredible food, to wind down another travel day.

Last day we toured downtown Norfolk (after eating, again, of course... pancakes at Pocahontas Pancakes!), walking the USS Wisconsin, and taking a boat ride down the river to see the Navy Shipyard. While the site of the ships was amazing, the highlight of the tour was still Nick and I getting misdirected out a locked door and stuck in a restricted area trying to get back in. The events were poorly organized, but the sites themselves were worth the trip. And one more meal, we finished with a 'wave' pizza at Dough Boys along the beach.

Nick was helpful in driving us home while we went out of our way to avoid storms throughout the Midwest.  Longer drive, but uneventful.

And photos here.

Winter 2025

Busy winter months without much snow again this year. We did get just enough for Nick to slide around the corner in our neighborhood and hit a (small) tree.  He texts me, "Fender bender" and that was it. A wrinkled bumper is the extent of the damage, and some nosy neighbors. The house where he hit the tree has two teenage girls living there, but he didn't see that as an opportunity, so no connections made, for Mr. A-romantic (yet.)

Most events for us remain focused on college preparation, we're down to a two-way race between Indiana Tech and Western Michigan. We did an overnight stay at IT, where Nick slept on a dormitory floor without proper gear  (he didn't read the email... doesn't read any email, really), but had a picnic blanket from the car. Was a worthwhile connection with more campus staff, and a chance to tour the engineering facility again. Their unannounced schedule changes didn't make it easy, but we figured it out.  Then there was a day trip to Kalamazoo to WMU. Uneventful except for losing a cornering lamp along the highway (a casualty of the tree accident).  We liked what we learned, need a little more admissions info. The campus is nice and Benny D's pizza is good, which is what matters.  Ultimately Nick feels he could do well at either place, I don't think there's a wrong decision here. We also visited the Air Zoo while in Kalamazoo, another warplane museum.

And we attended a toy fair in Toledo which was a pleasant walk down memory lane, so many toys from my youth now worth something, but I've tossed most of them. We got lunch at Perrysburgers since we were on that end of town.  We also attended an Art Fair at SFS, where Nick's drawings were prominently placed at the center of the event.  Of course he didn't tell us it was happening, and he doesn't sign his name to his work, just initials. But it's clear he has a talent above his peers, if he can put it to good use.