A Great Gift!

My friend Tre got me a wonderful Christmas gift -- a Milwaukee Road sign,  employer of my paternal grandpa and great-grandpa.   Then he insisted on posing with it for this post.  What a narcissistic prick. Jk Lol

The Ghost Ship Festival - 2017

 With my buddy Tre at a diving/underwater archeological convention. Our second time in three years.

The Community Center Food Pantry Walk 2016

Earlier this month Team Slap participated once again in the charity walk for the local food pantry. It's one of the ways we try and give back to the community, and it's become an annual tradition. 

The night before I took the kids to the store and allowed them to each buy five dollars worth of food to donate, in addition to our cash gift. 

Early the next morning, under a cloudy sky threatening rain, we met up with friends at the Community Center. 

Grace's friend Nick walked with us, and very kindly offered his condolences on the loss of Jaspare. 

And then we were off, sticking to the longer 3 mile course. The organizers claim it's only 2.6 miles, but even the map they hand out betrays that white lie. 

For the second year my friend Tre and his family joined us!

Smiley spent much of the walk watching over my Godson. Cutest moment of the day: seeing the two of them skip, hand in hand, near the end of the walk. 

Alas, the skies broke open near the start of the walk and we spent the majority of it wading, undeterred, through a big rainstorm. 

Afterwards, soaked to the bone, we (well, everyone but me) dined on ice cream at the community center before walking home. 

I look forward to participating again next year, and hope to enlist even more people into joining us!

A BBQ with Friends

On Sunday my friend Tre invited the family to a BBQ for his lodge. The food was great, the weather comfortable, and the people friendly. It was his wife's birthday, so we brought along a balloon and card for her to enjoy. Thanks again for the invite!

...h

Awful News

My best friend's father passed away unexpectedly last night. I ask that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he mourns the loss of his Dad.

The Ghost Ship Festival 2015

Attending the Ghost Ships Festival/SCUBA trade show at the Crowne Plaza

The lecturer . . . leaves something to be desired. Tre and I almost burst out laughing a minute ago. Gotta keep it together. He's piping in Pink Floyd as background music. Lol

The second presentation was less structured but much more interesting.

The third and final presentation of the morning was a comprehensive archeological, historical, and cultural study of the Pewabic. Worth the admission cost by itself.

LOL. Lost in translation? From the back of an item at the SCUBA trade show here

Another Snow Removal Job

In addition to clearing our sidewalk and Alys's, Smiley was also hired  to clear Tre's 's corner lot today. A busy, and lucrative, day for P-diddyWeeDiddy

Sorrow

Just got into work from my friend's father wake whose passing is eerily similar to my mother's passing.  Days after a Thanksgiving get together,  Packers playing on Monday night, realizing you are become the new adults of the family.

So, lost in my thoughts of what I went through those days 11 years ago and what Melissa Slapczynski and her family are going through I went into work 1 hour early, not realizing my normal start time of 9pm. 

My family's thoughts and prayers are with the Lisa and Team Slap

-Tre

Cream City Swirl

At Cream City Swirl with my Godson and Tre

Doctor Who Workout

To further your endeavors for better health!  Keep up the good  work!  - Tre

My Day

Wrote and submitted a column, got word back it's accepted. Hung out with my friend Tre for a few hours, now off to get Lis and the kids from day camp.

Lunch at Olive Garden

We couldn't find a babysitter (6 months today!) so we took Junie w/ us to lunch at Olive Garden. Subpar service but good food, and Junie was an angel. She's gone from Thug to darling over the last few weeks, and right now she's the apple of my eye. BTW, thanks Pam & Tre for the gift certificate.

The Founders Suite at Miller Park

I'm @ the Brewers/Cubs game @ Miller Park. Courtesy of my buddy Tre, I'm seated in the Founders Suite (#2) right behind the Brewers dugout. 

Best t-shirt so far: I'll root for the Cubs the day they play Al Qaeda

A moving rendition of God Bless America here @ the ballpark, w/ the flag @ half mast for 9/11. @ least for a moment, common ground w/ the Cubs fans here.

                            GREAT catch by Braun!