Sunday

I'm back!!!!

It's been a hectic week, and the blog suffered. Hopefully, the pace will slow and I'll be able to recapture the routine.

The golf event with my pal Roy was a success, although we didn't win anything but the booby prize for the highest score in our flight. I actually played pretty well the first day, and we were in decent shape. Then we ran into some bad shrimp that night, and the second day wasn't pretty. My back survived, and I think that I'll play a little more golf the rest of the Summer.

The rain has been the big story in Iowa this past week. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City have been inundated with flood waters. Check out The Cedar Rapids Gazette online for pictures. www.gazetteonline.com

3 made it from C-town over to IC on Friday, but ultimately had to go South on the Illinois side and then cross over at Burlington, and head North. Even within IC, travel was limited. 4 tried to get there earlier in the day as well, but her boss told her to stay home as the shoots in IC had been cancelled. You don't realize how your life can get impacted until something like day-to-day travel is restricted.

My Top Ten memories of my Father:

1. Working on the farm: milking cows, haying, fixing fence.
2. Baseball.
3. Ushering at 9 o'clock Mass at St. Pat's.
4. Kneeling at a kitchen chair saying his prayers.
5. His life as a County Supervisor: elections, night meetings.
6. Visitations/rosaries/funerals. He went to them all.
7. Taking naps on the couch.
8. Bad jokes. Stories.
9. Coffee and toast. Throughout the world.
10. His lousy handwriting.
11. His weekly letters with $5 to me at ND.
12. Ford LTD sedans. Crown Vic's.
13. Dagwood Bumstead.
14. Oshkosh B'gosh overalls.
15. His dreams. Travel. New house.
16. Family.

Ok. So this was a little more than a Top Ten list. I could go on, but you get the drift.

My Top Ten list of being a Dad:

1. FFF. Anytime. Anywhere.
2. Trips to K&K, Whitey's.
3. Adventureland trips to DM.
4. Tahoe.
5. Christmas Eve. Any year.
6. Emails and phone calls from around the world.
7. Marathon watching.
8. Indian Princesses. PV Breakers.
9. Augie basketball.
10. Cheerleading. NYT puzzles.
11. The Turkey Trot.
12. Memorial Day at The Arsenal.
13. Sharing breakfasts at McDonald's.
14. Sledding at Duck Creek.
15. Graduations. (One to go!)
16. 1's wedding.

I could go on here too. And the list just keeps growing.

Switching gears...

I did get back on the bike yesterday for 27 on the DCC hills. Maybe a short 15-20 later today if the weather cooperates. Now less than 50 days to Mt. Rose.

And the Tiger Woods legend continues to grow. He made three shots in the space of six holes yesterday that stunned even the most jaded of critics. I know that the guy is a great golfer, and that he works on his game to the nth degree, but to continually pull off these incredible shots suggest to me that there is more going on here than just skill and practice. Something like lottery winners. I have always felt that the big jackpot winners are chosen by a higher power. For a reason. I'm thinking that Tiger is in that same group. Something between (or beyond) skill and luck.

Lots of eulogies in the press in honor of Tim Russert. I was not a big fan, nor a critic. He lived a full life, and was respected by his peers. I can't quite elevate him to sainthood as the members of the 4th Estate have seemingly suggested.

So we are doing some FFF today. 3 to join. If she can get back from IC.

Have a great day.

BCOT