November 2021

It was a quiet Thanksgiving at home, an outstanding meal cooked by Brandi, my favorite meal of the year.  We've been so busy shuffling between Nick's karate classes as he prepared for his Black Belt test (three days a week and four-plus hours on Saturdays), Piano, and then Driver's Ed, there's been no standing still.

He was well prepared for Driver's Ed, the first stage in MI which allows him to get a license at fifteen years. The school that we found a spot in, after a six-month wait list, is a mess. There's cats circling the kids in the class, the instructors show up late, and then leave early and lock the kids outside the building in the cold. We're through it in five weeks, then he gets behind the wheel.

He and I took a Sunday run up to Owosso to see a steam train on it's last day of run, with no intention of boarding.  Then someone handed us free tickets at the last minute, so on we climbed, and took the trip to Ashley, MI, which was a re-creation of the North Pole (I didn't realize how bad the economy was in the North Pole... everything is out of business.)  We huddled for a hot dog in the Fire Station, had a our picture taken with Santa, and bought a couple bags of the best popcorn ever.  Except for the screaming kids on the train, which have now deterred Nick from having children in the future, it was a pleasant afternoon.

A few pics here.

Jason

October 2021

October was a simple month... a nice haircut, a recognition ceremony at SFS for last year's Honors accomplishments, and a quiet Halloween since we didn't participate.  Brandi and I sat in the neighbor's driveway and the kids grabbed their candy from the many bowls, Nick never surfaced.  He dressed as a Peaky Blinder for school, which was a big hit, and goes well with his passion for trains (period-correct attire.)

Just a couple pics this month.

September 2021

As summer winds down, you can see in the pics here how we spend our evenings... sitting in the garage listening to the ballgame, taking a walk, or in the pool right up until the end.  Nick is getting to the point where Grandpa is bowing out, and Nick and I are closing the pool on our own (only took 50 year to convince him we are able).

Another train trip, this one Brandi and Nick to Bellevue, OH. The trains (Nick insists they be called 'steam locomotives') were two former Nickel Plate Road "Berkshire" types, numbers 757 and 765. Nick says the 765 was a visiting locomotive from Fort Wayne, Indiana, restored to operation about 45 years prior.  The 757 was only cosmetically restored,  and still needs a lot of work but the museum that owns it are still proud the way it looks. There were a whole lot of other locomotives there such as some vintage diesels (the good ones, not the crusty ass GEVOS used today <Nick Ed. Comment>).  (Can you tell Nick was standing over my shoulder while writing?)  And some old cars there, too, a Chevy truck Nick admired.

I took a weekend trip to DC to see Brad, see the last Nationals game of the season, and sit in the bar watching football all weekend. Good company and relaxing, great food, and a refresher on how to maneuver the local rail system.  He and I went down to the Mall one morning for a walk, had breakfast at a food truck (I love my food trucks) and stumbled into a commencement ceremony where we heard Elizabeth Warren give a speech. There was more to this trip, wait until the January blog post.

Pics here.

Jason

August 2021

There's a web page locally where people give and take items for free, I've gifted a few items.  A post appears for young girl's training bras for gifting... in our neighborhood... which almost all 55+ residents, except for Nick, and the two girls down the street.  So we know who wore the bras.  I ask Brandi if this is awkward, and she tells us the story of her early womanhood and how her family embarassed her in celebration.  Nick responds, "You don't see me celebrating a wet dream."

Nick was introduced to awesome pizza in our trip through Chicago when we stopped at Lou Malnati's, one of the best in my opinion, and now Nick's favoroite.  To offset this, we tried Little Caesars' new Calzone, made with some cheesy goo that's not even real food, we call it Plasfredo (plastic alfredo).  Ultimately, it's better when you're the one making it, which Nick was able to do with his Pap in PA, when Bobby had him making pizzas at Paesano's one evening.

Brandi and Nick took a trip to PA to see trains and visit family.  Everyone is getting older, her grandparents are dialing back their responsibilities, but they're all still around. They were able to visit Danville, and Huntingdon, and hear Bobby's story about the cat that walked out in front of the truck. The highlight was really a couple days on the eastern side of the state visiting a train museum and sight seeing.

He got a new gaming laptop, as the old one was six years old and worse than I thought, a good portion of the screen was burnt out.  He split the cost with me, and got a nice one, to hang his 'Something Quiet' sign on (so when I tell him to go do something quiet, he can go to his PC.) So now he's got a good device that monopolizes most of his time, talking to friends (I know there's a teenager in Iowa in the group, so that feels normal.)

It's been a hot summer, lots of days by the pool listening to the ballgame on the 'radio' (app).  We set a new record for passing the ball without dropping it, 88 tosses, in between Nick trimming hedges and moving sod.  We've optimized our time outdoors this summer, with Brandi walking (and lapping Elon Muskrat) and catching up on our chores.

Lots of pics here.

Jason

July 2021

Nick is learning to walk with purpose, hit and miss.  Trying to give him more experiences, we enrolled him in golf lessons for a month this summer out at Heatherdowns CC. I've left him alone and am not watching him, but when I do he's pretty good, I quietly observe in the background for a few seconds, he drives the ball about 80 yards, and I go back to my car and wait. Wasn't sure how well he'd do, but from this experience, he's 'on par' with the other kids his age.  I hope he pursues this more, when we can find time.

He's started his candidate's class, working towards his black belt later this year.  Which means there's always a jock strap sitting on the counter or on the floor, always something missing he needs immediately (a binder of moves, a wristband) and lots of commuter services needed to the karate school.  He's putting in long hours, and making progress, I can see it (and I know a thing or two in this area.)

We made it back to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh this year for my work, Ford asked us to attend for some brand measures. The agency offered Nick a job for the week since they had kids working as runners, but he had other plans, three full days of walking around seeing every plane he could see. (And napping face-down on the table inside the Ford trailer, enjoying the A/C, in between his adventures.) More than napping, he did run water and incentives out to the interviewers, help me drag equipment to and from the car (we caught a ride once on a cart). He got offers to help refurbish a warbird in Michigan, and to take flying lessons here locally.  He's an easy travel partner, knows the routine.

Love this video that Brandi found about 'Why is Gen Z Humor So Weird?' Really helps understand things about Nick (and the kids I'm hiring at work) that don't make sense.

Pics here this month.

Jason