Doing My Part

Posted inColumns, Family

I firmly believe we should never stop trying to better ourselves. This wonderful world can offer new and exciting experiences regardless of how much we think we know.

I recently had a chance to put this belief into action. My wife wanted to paint the living room since we had a kid-free house for a few days. Even though I am not allowed to paint – that’s a long story which goes back a number of years – I did offer to help prepare things for the project.

So I moved furniture and carried the area rug upstairs. I made a Sunday morning trip to the hardware store and wandered around the aisles until we found everything on the list. I even spotted something we needed on a shelf before Maria did. That’s husband-of-the-year type stuff right there.

When we had the room all prepared and the supplies purchased, I thought I would be excused from the project. While I did have plenty of things I could accomplish on my own, particularly napping, I did want to help as much as possible.

So Maria told me I could help clean the walls. Against my better judgment, I got excited. I could actually claim that I did something helpful on a painting project.

We had purchased some special cleaning solution – that’s the stuff I found at the store – to wipe down the walls, but I had a chance to help even before we got down to that dirty work.

She let me use the Swiffer.

Beach Anniversary

Posted inBeach, Columns, Family

In 1986, my parents and a few of my siblings went on vacation to the beach together. I don’t know all the details since I was in high school and either spent that week wrestling or working.

I know that they headed to Bethany Beach, Del., where my sister’s in-laws had a condo. A month or so ago, I spent the week in Bethany with 47 family members and friends, marking the 25thstraight year our family headed to Bethany for vacation.

Like many of the things my family does, I often see the trip at first glance as just something we do. We didn’t necessarily come up with this grand plan to have a massive beach week. It just started and grew to something that provided so much fun that we never considered stopping.

Favorite Goddaughter Determined?

Posted inBeach, Columns, Family

In my family, most of us have an opportunity to serve as godparent. I have had this privilege twice, for my nieces Alanna and Colleen.

This really creates a special bond between the three of us. They were born when I was in my early 20s so I have literally watched them grow up.

We also have a fun little game where they vie for the title of “favorite goddaughter.” I don’t remember when this started, but it continues even though one has graduated college and the other will do so in the next year or two.

The game never turns ugly because we all know it’s not serious in any way, shape or form. It merely provides each one of us the opportunity to get a little dig in at the others. Like if one of them is late for something, the criteria is surely punctuality.

I have tried to decree that the only true criteria for favorite goddaughter is the one who doesn’t try to prove that she is my favorite goddaughter. This has failed miserably.

But our most recent family vacation may have provided the answer once and for all.

Kung Fu Panda Scores

Posted inMovies
I have put off writing about this for a while for no good reason. In our family. I have turned into the one who takes our daughter to the movies.…

Adventures in Plumbing

Posted inColumns, Family

Because we don’t have a dishwasher, that regular task falls to me.  I don’t really mind because it makes me feel like I’m actually contributing to the daily maintenance of the house.

I settled myself in front of the sink over the Fourth of July weekend to attack the mountain of dishes, cups and other assorted items which we used while entertaining Maria’s family. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary.

Then I felt something funny. I couldn’t quite figure it out at first, but realized I had a wet sock.

Book Review: Straight Man

Posted inBooks
My wife picked up Richard Russo's 1997 novel "Straight Man" for a Father's Day present without too much foresight. She knew I would like a book, and she knew that…

Senior Games, Here I Come

Posted inColumns

We went out for breakfast on a Sunday morning with our daughter on a camping trip with her Girl Scout Troop.

I thought I would just have a Belgian waffle and some coffee. Instead, I discovered where I needed to focus my attention for the next seven years.

My wife and I sat across the table from each other reading the newspaper when it happened. I had the sports section, of course.

My destiny hid in the middle of the page alongside results of professional sports I could never dream of playing.

From now until I turn the summer of 2018, I need to put all my energy into preparing for the York County Senior Games.

A Close Shave

Posted inColumns

We had one of those special times a week or so ago. Bridget went to my mother-in-law’s for a few days of spoiling so Maria and I had lots of free time to ourselves.

We totally took advantage of this. We went out to eat a couple of times. We went to see a movie. Basically, we had a very brief practice run for when we have an empty nest.

So naturally, I tried to wring every ounce of fun out of the time. The way the arrangements worked out, I had to get to York by 1 p.m. on a Saturday in order to pick up Bridget. Maria worked that day so I had a few hours to myself.

As I looked in the mirror Saturday morning, I knew I had a couple of options. One, of course, was to stay at home and do nothing productive until I had to hop in the car. The other option stared right back at me from the mirror. I needed a haircut.

Well, I thought I did. I had not had one in a while, and things had started to get a little out of control. Saturday morning seemed like a good time to get a haircut, but sitting on the couch catching up on episodes of “Hawaii Five-O” I recorded almost two months ago also sounded appealing.

So I followed the most important lesson I have learned in a decade and a half of marriage: I asked her how my hair looked. She said I could wait a week, so the unruly mop on my head got a reprieve.