Happy Birthday

Today, December 24th marks the anniversary of my Father's Legal Birthday However, my Grandmother always said he was born on Christmas, but the midwife wrote down 12/24/1927 because that is when she arrived at the house to help deliver him. So I will wish my father Happy Birthday today, and know that it was really Christmas Day when he was born,

Time Does NOT heal all wounds

I do not need the calendar today I know the date by the pain in my heart

Happy Birthday

I would be remiss if I didn't wish my dearly departed Mother Happy Birthday. I know she is gone from us, but Happy Birthday Mom

A night out with my girls

Holly, Joanne and I went out last night for dinner and a movie. Ryan decided that he want to go so he stayed home and was a stick in the mud.

We headed to Chesterfield and ate dinner at the Red Robin, and then off to Wehrenberg's Galaxy 14 to see Disney's Christmas Carol IN 3D We were to see th7:00pm show, but we were early, and the manager allowed us to hit the 6:30 show instead.

The previews were cool in the 3d especially Alice in Wonderland, and Toy Story 3D.

The Movie : Good, great visuals, and true to the story, but short so it didn't dig in deep to the story.

The dinner : Very Good

The Company : Excellent.

Just One more Look

This video features some of the people who I have lost and would like just one more day with.

Two Trip Year

So, call me crazy, but two months after heading to CT with the family, I returned for a long weekend by myself.

Headed to the BIG E

went and saw the Joseph's,

caught up with a friend that I have known my whole life,

stopped and saw my 50 year old friend Jimmy,
Went to the Beach,


Ate at the Beverly Pizza,

Went To Jone's Pumpkin Patch

and visited with Ruthe, and Ernie.

Had an early Flight back to Missouri on Sunday

It was a blast, and I am still tired a week later. Can't wait for my day off Wednesday so I can take it easy. All I have to do is cut my grass, Barb's grass, and get my oil changed. Oh then I need to catch up on my ironing.

Thanks to all who made my trip so much fun, and to the family in MO for putting up with my crazy trip.

Happy Anniversary

So on Sunday, September 6th, at 3:00pm EDT Joanne and I will be married 29 years.


They say when you get married that over time you start to look like each other. I have found that to be false. However, I do believe that over time you start to THINK like each other. Well, today I believe that more. I brought home some flowers, and a card today for our anniversary, and presented them to Joanne. I went in to the other room, and changed. When I came out Joanne was laughing and presented me with a card for our anniversary. They were the same cards (shown below). Now that is not proof to my theory, but any of you who have been married for a long time I am sure will agree, that you start to think about the same things from the same viewpoint (except politics).



Any way all my love to my wife who is a beautiful to me as the day we were married.

Thank You

So I was thinking of buying a Keurig Coffee maker for Joanne for our anniversary. So I contacted Ruthe to see if she had any discount coupons from them since she is a coffee buyer from them. She had a coupon and applied it to a Keurig pot, and sent it to us as an anniversary present.

A BIG THANK YOU to Ruthe and Ernie. We broke the pot in immediately. Ryan (who is feeling under the weather) had some hot chocolate, while the rest of us enjoyed some of the other great coffee options.

Looks like Mr Coffee has just been put on light duty. Keurig is the daily choice for us.

Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious

Ok so obviously it is evident that my family and I are theater geeks. We love the theater. Local, touring companies, and would love to be able to spend time going to Broadway shows in NYC.

So Thursday night we piled in the car and headed to the Fox on St Louis. They get all the great touring shows, and it is a beautiful venue. We love to sit in the Mezzanine (usually AA or BB the first two rows) because you get a great view of the entire production.

We were going to see Disney's Mary Poppins. As the title of the blog indicates it was "Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious". Great singing, and dancing, and the scenery was fantastic.

We all had a Jolly Good Time.

Our Family Vacation 2009

Here are the Chronicles of what We did on our summer vacation.

Ok this is a strange looking post, but click on the picture to follow the story

A strange thing that happened that I forgot to enter here was that as we pulled up for Ryan to take the picture on the house on page 2, the MP3 was playing Crosby Stills, Nash, and Young's "Our House". I swear it is true, but was just so freaky.

Home or Away

After this trip I am not sure if I consider myself Home or Away?

We had a great trip, and enjoyed seeing the family. We had a great visit with Ruthe and Ernie, and a Great Visit with Paul, Lena, Ali, and Noah.

Thanks to all who helped make this trip possible.
Ruthe and Ernie for their hospitality
Lena, and Paul for their hospitality
Barb for getting the mail
Kim, and Darrin for the use of the Tom, Tom (which was more entertaining than functional)
and Taylor who stayed and watched the house, and our cat and Bull.
I will post up a little more detail later, but that's all for now.

Happy Birthday

Hey today I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my wife Joanne. Won't enter the number, just Happy Birthday .

Good Night

WE went to the DOWNTOWN Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport and saw Beauty and The Beast. It was a cast comprised of teens, but they did a great job. Good vocals nice cozy atmosphere. Started a little late (8:30 instead of 8:00) but we all enjoyed the show.

Great Afternoon

What a great lunch we had with Ruth, Ernie, Aunt Rose, and Michelle. Always great to see them, they are such a great pair.

Made It

After rain like I have never seen before( at one point I saw Noah go by with a full ark), we made it in late yesterday morning. Quiet night with Ernie last night. Early trip today to a couple must visit locations.


Then home to hang with the kids and Joanne, and Ernie. Ruth will be home later and we will make no plans yet.

Pod Mowing

I was inspired by Kim's Pod Running activity, so now I "POD-MOW". It serves two purposes :

1. I enjoy cutting grass anyway, so combining it with listening to music makes it that much better.
2. It knocks down the mower noise, and I can hear better after I am done.

I have some good songs on it, but my "POD" selection will have to be added to so it is that much more enjoyable.

Cats and Dogs

I have come to notice there is a fair amount of the population that views dogs and cats as property. They feel they can just dispose of it when they want. Don't like that cat, dump it in the country. Dog misbehaved, beat it or shoot it.

Wake up people, if you choose to get a cat or a dog, they should become part of your family. There is no more loyal animal than a dog. When I come home from work, he is right there waiting for me. Waiting for some love and attention. He gets it from everybody else (well almost everybody) in the family, but yet, he is never too busy, too tired, to meet me, and interact. Even our cat will come to me, or wait for me to pet her in the morning when I wake up, and even when I come home from work. She runs to the bed, and waits to be pet. If one of the family isn't feeling well, even the cat and dog give them extra attention. They know.

These animal have become part of our family. We cherish them, and treat them with respect. We keep them fed, safe and warm. A small price to pay for the good feelings they provide on a daily basis.

Just felt like writing this, not sure why, but heck that's what a blog is all about. Writing whatever you want when you feel like writing it.

Happy (?) Father's Day

Ok, so at this point in my life I guess I am supposed to celebrate the fact that I am a father. I have two great kids to be thankful for.
What do I really think about on Father's Day. I think about my father. I think about the bad times, and I think about the good times. No everybody has their own opinion of him, but mine is purely that he was a good man trying to get through some tough times who loved his family, but really didn't know how to show it that well. What I will tell you is unfortunately I got to know him well much too late in his life. I remember July 4th, 1978. That was a great day. We had a great picnic that day, and he played wiffle ball with us all. I remember him coming home from work in the summer when we were kids and getting in the pool trying to cool off. Nope, no relaxation for him he was attacked by 4 5 or even more kids who jumped on him, and tried (unsuccessfully) to drag him under the water . I also remember times when he became dependent on my brother Steve and I. He could no longer drive, and needed us to stop at the store, drive him to doctors etc...I also remember the sad days (12/20/1994). What I remember most today is how much I miss him. So I will listen to some polkas, and remember my father

In the Navy (Before I was even born)

With Uncle Bill Domonkos, and Susan's Husband Jackie.

Circa 1979, always a fashion inovator. Check out the Plaid Pants

1980 At our wedding shown here with Shannon

Happy Father's Day

Re-Posting

The following post appeared in this blog in 2007. I feel that it is still a philosophy that I maintain today.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Stories, Legends, and Myths

We were at Kim's a few years ago for a great Deck cook out, and we were discussing some old family events. As that discussion was happening I came up with the following thoughts :

When something happens within the family, or better yet at a family gathering it becomes a family "Story". It will be told over and over and over again. The "Story" will remain exactly as it happened when it is told among that generation.

As we tell that "Story" over and over and over and over again for more than ten years it becomes a family "Legend". It becomes a "Legend" as it has now been passed on to a new generation of the family to live and enjoy. The "Legends" sometimes get embellished to make them more appealing. The new generation will put their own angle on telling the Legend, but they will keep the "Legend" alive.

Upon the unfortunate demise of any family member involved with the incident or after 20 years, I believe the story then becomes "Mythical". This "Mythical" event will have more embellishments added in to it as most of the people who have heard about this event know it only second hand, and weren't there when it was just a "Story".

I will give you a few examples.

This is a Family "Story"

Two Christmas's ago Barb who like the rest of us makes fun of others who fall fast asleep after holiday dinners gave us a Story to tell for years to come when she fell asleep

This is now a Family "Legend"

Some ten years ago, Darrin slipped on some ice down his driveway, and Kim followed slipping after him on the ice as well. Neither was hurt, and they finally made it safely back to the house. Now as you can see I do not know all the details to this event, but more than ten years later this family "Legend" lives on.

Now, here is one that has become "Mythical"

Around 1980 there was a family dinner at Betty and Ernie's house on Morehouse street. Aside from Betty and Ernie the dinner guests included Barb, her husband, Kim, Kevin II, Ruthe, Ernie, Lena, Grandma Baksay, Joanne, and me. This was the dinner that the now "Mythical" family phrase was used for the first time "Ba Jo Ruthe". So you see, this story some 26 years later is now "Mythical". Even though the kids were there they didn't hear the uttering of that famous phrase, they just have heard it happened. I am not even sure of all the dinner guests, but I still tell the story as I was in the Kitchen when Betty "coined" that phrase.

Obviously the "Mythical" events live on in our own mind as we remember them. Please feel free to share a "Story", "Legend" or "Mythical" event and send it to everybody you have in your e-mail from the family. As I will end this posting now I will not go in to the "Thanksgiving Cat Litter Turkey Legend" or the infamous "Cold Spaghetti" myth at this time.

Posted by Big Ez at 7:51 PM

Concert Update

Holly and I headed to Scottrade Center last night for a a concert that looked like it could be a winner. Buddy let me tell you, IT WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We met some great people I know (Wendy and Terry) at the gate which was not planned, but a great suprise as we have seen the show with them 4 times in a row. They had some better seats than us, but we still had a great view.

Sugarland led things off with Jennifer and Christian playing all the big Sugarland hits, and a few fringe songs as well. They sounded GREAT. They were backed by a small band, but the performance was the winner. After a brief (20 minutes) intermission the Feature artist Keith Urban was ready to light it up (sorry sponsers for the tour include Kingsford and KC masterpiece).

The show started as loud as any rock concert I have ever enjoyed. They toned the bass down after a few numbers, and the show was great. Ever the showman, Keith made his way through the floor crowd to do a few songs at the rear of the floor. Later in the show he cam half way down stage left (our side) and played two standing on the rail. There were a few security guys, but NOTHING that would have held back the fans had they gone crazy. Once again there was
NO DISSAPPOINTMENT....
Just some absolutely fantastic vocals (by the band and Keith) and some monstorous guitar solos, and playing .

Trippin

Ok, so my wife is up for the trip back home. She will not fly, so we are driving. Looking at early August due to work issues.

May cause visit issues with the Natick crowd as Lena will be doing her part to better the world in the Pan Mass Challenge. ( I wish I had that type of commitment to do good things).

Anyway, it may alter our visiting schedule, but we still hope to hit all the "Hot Spots" regardless of the visit week. Only one that looks like it won't happen is Fenway, as the Sox are not at home.

Summer is coming, and we are planning a road trip. (late July)

We are hoping to get a visit in to the Joseph's of Natick, The Ploskunyak's of Fairfield, and the Orosz's of Shelton.

Details to follow.

The Graduate

No Not That one,

This One

Today starts our three + day celebration of Ryan's Graduation. The Family arrives from Connecticut, and Massachusetts today. We also have academic awards night. The family is getting together in Union. Friday they will all congregate here. Friday night is the Graduation. Saturday everybody has all types of plans. I of course am stuck working. Maybe some day

Anyway, congratulations Ryan.