Mike’s Dad (Pop), married a magnificent lady (Dee), 10 years ago this summer.
We are also within weeks of celebrating Pop’s 80th birthday.
This weekend, we chose to celebrate both occasions.
Dee’s son Shane lives here in Overland Park and made most of the arrangements for the weekend…Yay Shane!
Son Randy, and Dee’s grandkids Anna and Ryan, are up from Lubbock Texas.
And Eric and Steff introduced us to their new bundle of joy Parker, born just six months ago in Minneapolis where they call home.
We were having a great time this evening eating and visiting at a Kansas City Sports bar that also touts itself as a sports museum.
Chappelles is its name and lives up to its own hype.
Pop, being an old college level Coach, was diggin on all the memorabilia surrounding us.
In fact, Jim Chappelle came by to visit with us and we found out he and Pop knew some of the same people from both of their old coaching days.
Jim actually pointed out a picture on the wall of a Coach who Pop had coached as a young athlete.
Small world indeed.
Later in the evening, after we were through with our meals, Pop started telling old stories about sports when he was a boy.
As usual, we were all gathered around and listened intently; Pop can tell a good story.
He was telling us how they used to play “Shinny” when he was a kid.
“Shinny? What’s Shinny?” Tony asked.
“Well it’s just like Cocky but we called it Shinny”, Pop said.
Apparently, Shinny was played on the ice and they used an old can as a puck.
You had to have your stick on the right side of the puck.
You could not shoot the puck from your left side.
If you did, the other players would hit you in the “shin”.
Well Pop is left handed.
“I was always getting whacked in the shins” he told us.
Without missing a beat and in all seriousness I said,
“Well I can certainly understand why you didn’t play Cocky”!!!
After the hysteria quieted down, they explained to me that I had misunderstood Pop earlier.
He said that Shinny was like Hockey, not Cocky!
Whew, that’s good to know.
I thought they were getting whacked in the…
Well, you know.
We had a lot of laughs tonight,
Got to know our “extended family” a little bit better,
And made one old fart feel young again.
It was indeed, a banner night.
God Bless ya Pop.
Showing posts with label Fam-Damily. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fam-Damily. Show all posts
Friday, August 3, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Some people call it Vacation…
I call it Hell.
Actually, it’s just the prep work that’s hell.
Once we actually get to where we’re going,
It’s pure Heaven.
Friday we leave on our annual trip to Leakey, Texas (Population 387).
It’s in South Texas hill country where the landscape is absolutely gorgeous.
We rent a house on the Frio River with our friends the Gustafson’s.
There is no cell service, no Internet, we do have satellite TV but that’s about it for frills.
We have to bring all our food and drinks for the week; there are few options for securing the few things we inadvertently forget to pack.
There is a small general store with an old fashioned soda fountain, and we can usually find what we need at the gas station in town (including pizza).
Every day is the same.
I wake up leisurely, sit on the deck overlooking the river while consuming massive amounts of coffee and read my book.
One by one the kids wake up and head down to fish or swim.
Gus and Mike make a huge breakfast, Mo goes on her run.
A few hours later, it’s time to head upstream.
We pack up our tubes, our kids and our cooler (overflowing with cold soda’s and adult beverages) and head to one of the many entry points on the river to float back downstream.
Each float takes anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, depending on the entry/exit points we choose.
We stop at deep swim holes along the way and swing from tree ropes.
We rate each other on form and finesse; the longer the float, the more cranberry vodka’s consumed, the less the finesse!
We meet new friends along the way, fellow floaters often trading their choice of beverage for ours.
We’ve learned over the years to have the truck's packed with snacks for the ride back to the house.
We get out of that river famished; each kid has their face buried in a bag of crap all the way home!
Once back, it’s shower time, light the coals on the bar-bi and commence to throwing together a hardy evening meal.
By nightfall, we’ve played some games, watched home movies from trips past, roasted marshmallows for smore’s and told plenty of tall tales.
The kids stay up late as we parents fall one by one into bed for a long nights slumber.
Morning comes early in these parts.
And we get to do it all over again.
See you in about a week!
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Mardi Gras in Doolin
My sister Toby, the Ex-Pat, has always been into the music scene.
Before moving to Ireland 5 years ago, she lived in Buffalo New York.
Although a Doctor of Psychology by day, music is her true passion.
She, (along with her friend Marty), used to book musicians into the local haunts of Buffalo.
It was truly a labor of love; Marty, who is also an incredible chef, would often times cater the event as well.
More often than not, the evenings would end with an all-night jam session back at Toby and Marty’s house where the band would crash until leaving for their next gig.
Toby and Marty were infamous around town for these parties and the stories left in their wake.
(Before they hit the big-time, Marty financed the Goo Goo Dolls first national tour with a credit card that had a $10,000 limit!)
That fact comes in handy when the Dolls come to KC!
Today, Toby lives in County Clare, Ireland where her local haunts are the pubs in the nearby village of Doolin, located on the west coast a bit north of the Cliffs of Moher.
Doolin is well known for it’s nightlife and traditional Irish music, an obvious strong draw for Toby who first discovered the sleepy little town nearly 30 years ago.
Last year, deeply affected by the devastation Hurricane Katrina left behind, Toby worked tirelessly to put together a fundraiser that directly benefited the New Orleans Musicians Clinic.
The NOMC is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing medical and related services to musicians and their families in New Orleans since 1998.
The event, held at the legendary “McGann’s”, was a huge success and Toby was gratified to forward on a generous check to the NOMC.
Fired-up by all the buzz this fun and beneficial night created, she almost immediately started making plans for this year’s Mardi Gras fundraiser.
Read on:
Please come out for Mardi gras, and pass this info on to all your friends and like-minded lovers of all things weird and wonderful! Thanks, see you there! Toby
It’s that time again! Mardi Gras returns to Doolin, County Clare, Ireland on Tuesday, 20th February, complete with live music, Cajun finger food, sparkly Mardi gras beads, feather masks, boas, and drink specials at McGann’s! All of this in aid once again of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, who continue to work hard to support those Louisiana musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This year’s event will feature two bands. Moonshine, featuring Lena Ullman, Frank Hall, and Johnny Moynihan, will play heart-lifting foot-stomping American Old-Timey music on fiddles, banjo, accordian, and other instruments from 8:30 to 10. They will be followed by the Northern Light Orchestra who played to great acclaim last year, featuring a high energy (and slightly mad!) mix of Eastern European music on fiddles, mandolin, and guitar, fronted by Swedish fiddler V. Door prizes are on offer, and the New Orleans atmosphere will be thick, as beads, feathered masks, and other N’Awlins items abound.
Chef Vivien Kelly returns with plenty of bite size samples of gumbo, jambalaya and other Creole and other Louisiana specialty foods! In the circumstances, the especially appropriate cocktail, The Hurricane, made famous at Pat O’Brien’s Bar in the French Quarter, will be on offer!
Money raised by this Mardi Gras party will be donated to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. This not-for-profit organization has been providing medical and related services to musicians and their families in the New Orleans area since 1998. Since Katrina, they have stepped up to provide a wide variety of services to displaced musicians throughout Louisiana, everything from medical care to replaced instruments, to paid gigs so they can support themselves and their families while helping keep the spirit of New Orleans alive! Unfortunately, 18 months after the hurricane, most people in New Orleans are not any better off than they were a year ago. Neighbourhoods have not been rebuilt, schools have not reopened, healthcare and other services have not come back online, and certainly the musicians of southern Louisiana are still trying to get their collective groove back, but keep playiing! The money raised last year at Mardi gras in Doolin was much appreciated and we hope that North Clare can help out again, as one musical community to another in need.
Fundraising aside, Mardi Gras in Doolin will be fun! The festiveness of the occasion, with sparkly beads, feathery masks and boas, lively music, spicy food, will be chance to shake off the winter blahs. So put on your finery, get some glitter in your life, and come out to contribute to bringing back a treasured place! Doors open at 7 p.m., and Moonshine will play from 8:30 sharp with special musical guests the Northern Light Orchestra to follow.
Tickets are €10, and are on sale at McGann’s in Doolin.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!!
“Let the Good Time’s Roll” indeed Toby… wish I could be there with you and your friends and like-minded lovers of all things weird and wonderful !
(fyi...for more information on The New Orleans Music Clinic and how you can help their cause, click Here.)
Before moving to Ireland 5 years ago, she lived in Buffalo New York.
Although a Doctor of Psychology by day, music is her true passion.
She, (along with her friend Marty), used to book musicians into the local haunts of Buffalo.
It was truly a labor of love; Marty, who is also an incredible chef, would often times cater the event as well.
More often than not, the evenings would end with an all-night jam session back at Toby and Marty’s house where the band would crash until leaving for their next gig.
Toby and Marty were infamous around town for these parties and the stories left in their wake.
(Before they hit the big-time, Marty financed the Goo Goo Dolls first national tour with a credit card that had a $10,000 limit!)
That fact comes in handy when the Dolls come to KC!
Today, Toby lives in County Clare, Ireland where her local haunts are the pubs in the nearby village of Doolin, located on the west coast a bit north of the Cliffs of Moher.
Doolin is well known for it’s nightlife and traditional Irish music, an obvious strong draw for Toby who first discovered the sleepy little town nearly 30 years ago.
Last year, deeply affected by the devastation Hurricane Katrina left behind, Toby worked tirelessly to put together a fundraiser that directly benefited the New Orleans Musicians Clinic.
The NOMC is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing medical and related services to musicians and their families in New Orleans since 1998.
The event, held at the legendary “McGann’s”, was a huge success and Toby was gratified to forward on a generous check to the NOMC.
Fired-up by all the buzz this fun and beneficial night created, she almost immediately started making plans for this year’s Mardi Gras fundraiser.
Read on:
Please come out for Mardi gras, and pass this info on to all your friends and like-minded lovers of all things weird and wonderful! Thanks, see you there! Toby
It’s that time again! Mardi Gras returns to Doolin, County Clare, Ireland on Tuesday, 20th February, complete with live music, Cajun finger food, sparkly Mardi gras beads, feather masks, boas, and drink specials at McGann’s! All of this in aid once again of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, who continue to work hard to support those Louisiana musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This year’s event will feature two bands. Moonshine, featuring Lena Ullman, Frank Hall, and Johnny Moynihan, will play heart-lifting foot-stomping American Old-Timey music on fiddles, banjo, accordian, and other instruments from 8:30 to 10. They will be followed by the Northern Light Orchestra who played to great acclaim last year, featuring a high energy (and slightly mad!) mix of Eastern European music on fiddles, mandolin, and guitar, fronted by Swedish fiddler V. Door prizes are on offer, and the New Orleans atmosphere will be thick, as beads, feathered masks, and other N’Awlins items abound.
Chef Vivien Kelly returns with plenty of bite size samples of gumbo, jambalaya and other Creole and other Louisiana specialty foods! In the circumstances, the especially appropriate cocktail, The Hurricane, made famous at Pat O’Brien’s Bar in the French Quarter, will be on offer!
Money raised by this Mardi Gras party will be donated to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. This not-for-profit organization has been providing medical and related services to musicians and their families in the New Orleans area since 1998. Since Katrina, they have stepped up to provide a wide variety of services to displaced musicians throughout Louisiana, everything from medical care to replaced instruments, to paid gigs so they can support themselves and their families while helping keep the spirit of New Orleans alive! Unfortunately, 18 months after the hurricane, most people in New Orleans are not any better off than they were a year ago. Neighbourhoods have not been rebuilt, schools have not reopened, healthcare and other services have not come back online, and certainly the musicians of southern Louisiana are still trying to get their collective groove back, but keep playiing! The money raised last year at Mardi gras in Doolin was much appreciated and we hope that North Clare can help out again, as one musical community to another in need.
Fundraising aside, Mardi Gras in Doolin will be fun! The festiveness of the occasion, with sparkly beads, feathery masks and boas, lively music, spicy food, will be chance to shake off the winter blahs. So put on your finery, get some glitter in your life, and come out to contribute to bringing back a treasured place! Doors open at 7 p.m., and Moonshine will play from 8:30 sharp with special musical guests the Northern Light Orchestra to follow.
Tickets are €10, and are on sale at McGann’s in Doolin.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!!
“Let the Good Time’s Roll” indeed Toby… wish I could be there with you and your friends and like-minded lovers of all things weird and wonderful !
(fyi...for more information on The New Orleans Music Clinic and how you can help their cause, click Here.)
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Say what?
I’m a city girl who married a country boy.
Our (his) family dinners are always interesting.
This evening we discussed pig snout sandwiches, options for dealing with an aging dog and the hazards of raising chickens.
I tried hard “not” to listen to the pig snout story.
I just about lost it when Grandpa Kenny described how the mayonnaise squishes through their nostrils when you bite down into the bread.
The chicken story simply amused me.
My sister-in-law Kat bought 50 baby “broiler” chicks to raise for eggs and well…
chicken dinners.
Not only does it strike me as an inordinate amount of filthy work, but it’s dangerous as well.
Apparently 50 % of the chicks turn out to be roosters and Kat had to be armed with a garbage can lid and a baseball bat each morning in order to collect the eggs safely.
Those cocks are mean!
No doubt table talk eventually turns to catching up on news from old friends and neighbors.
“Tom Jones (his real name) called me yesterday” Tony told us.
“He asked about you specifically Chrissy.”
My heart skipped a full beat.
I used to have the biggest crush on Tom Jones.
But I haven’t seen him in a couple of years; not since he ran off and married some ol hen up in Nebraska.
(No bitterness here!)
My friend Robin, (Bubba’s wife) and I would sit and talk with Mr. Jones for hours.
We were smitten and didn’t care who saw.
I think I actually drooled over him a time or two.
He was a little older, a little wiser, and he just had this "cool" factor about him.
He reminded me of the Robert Kincaid character in “The Bridges of Madison County”.
A Gentleman Cowboy…that’s what he was.
And easy on the eyes taboot!
“He did?” I asked Tony trying to hold my composure.
“Yep, he sure did.”
“Did he ask about Robin too?”
“Nope, just you.”
“Oh man I can’t wait to rub that in her face. What’d he ask about me?” totally disregarding the fact that Mike was sitting right next to me.
“He asked if you’ve gone to seed”, Tony said.
Say what?
“Gone to seed”, Mike piped in (gleefully).
“On the farm, they’ve got to fatten up the animals.
So they neuter them to turn their minds from ass to grass.
Tom Jones wants to know if you got fat.”
It’s not often that I’m rendered speechless.
But there was a definite delay before I got up the courage to ask Tony how he responded to the fine Mr. Jones.
“I told him your mind was definitely still on Ass” he said.
Now that’s a Country Boy whose Mama raised him right.
Even a city girl with a little "junk in the trunk" can see that.
Thanks for having my back(side) Bro...
Our (his) family dinners are always interesting.
This evening we discussed pig snout sandwiches, options for dealing with an aging dog and the hazards of raising chickens.
I tried hard “not” to listen to the pig snout story.
I just about lost it when Grandpa Kenny described how the mayonnaise squishes through their nostrils when you bite down into the bread.
The chicken story simply amused me.
My sister-in-law Kat bought 50 baby “broiler” chicks to raise for eggs and well…
chicken dinners.
Not only does it strike me as an inordinate amount of filthy work, but it’s dangerous as well.
Apparently 50 % of the chicks turn out to be roosters and Kat had to be armed with a garbage can lid and a baseball bat each morning in order to collect the eggs safely.
Those cocks are mean!
No doubt table talk eventually turns to catching up on news from old friends and neighbors.
“Tom Jones (his real name) called me yesterday” Tony told us.
“He asked about you specifically Chrissy.”
My heart skipped a full beat.
I used to have the biggest crush on Tom Jones.
But I haven’t seen him in a couple of years; not since he ran off and married some ol hen up in Nebraska.
(No bitterness here!)
My friend Robin, (Bubba’s wife) and I would sit and talk with Mr. Jones for hours.
We were smitten and didn’t care who saw.
I think I actually drooled over him a time or two.
He was a little older, a little wiser, and he just had this "cool" factor about him.
He reminded me of the Robert Kincaid character in “The Bridges of Madison County”.
A Gentleman Cowboy…that’s what he was.
And easy on the eyes taboot!
“He did?” I asked Tony trying to hold my composure.
“Yep, he sure did.”
“Did he ask about Robin too?”
“Nope, just you.”
“Oh man I can’t wait to rub that in her face. What’d he ask about me?” totally disregarding the fact that Mike was sitting right next to me.
“He asked if you’ve gone to seed”, Tony said.
Say what?
“Gone to seed”, Mike piped in (gleefully).
“On the farm, they’ve got to fatten up the animals.
So they neuter them to turn their minds from ass to grass.
Tom Jones wants to know if you got fat.”
It’s not often that I’m rendered speechless.
But there was a definite delay before I got up the courage to ask Tony how he responded to the fine Mr. Jones.
“I told him your mind was definitely still on Ass” he said.
Now that’s a Country Boy whose Mama raised him right.
Even a city girl with a little "junk in the trunk" can see that.
Thanks for having my back(side) Bro...
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I Told You She Was Ugly!
Ashley's senior proofs are ready.
For any of you interested in taking a gander, click on: www.imagequix.com/accounts/B967Y9G
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "Ashley Knedlik".
It will then ask you for your email address.
This is strictly for the photographer's records and she will not pass it on.
You will then be presented with a password screen.
"knedlik" is the PW; all lower case.
You will receive a message that says the event photo's will only be online until 2/2/07.
Click "OK" and you're in.
Remember though...
Enter at your own risk.
She's very hard to look at!!!
(Love you Stinky Pants!) acb
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Ashley Stinky Pants
That’s always been our affectionate name for my niece Ashley.
I don’t think she’s too crazy about it but she tolerates it well.
I think it’s clear to her it’s not going away anytime soon.
“Princess Ashley” is another favorite tag we label her with.
TC insists Ashley’s obvious royal bloodlines come from me.
When Ashley was in her womb, TC knew that this baby girl was different.
Her cravings tended toward finer foods and the pregnancy in general was more high maintenance than her first.
TC named her Ashley Christine and the poor darlin is compared to me often!
Mike and I brought her on vacation with us last summer.
You can imagine our reaction when Ashley announced on the first night,
“I like to be woke up with donuts and smiles in the morning”!
We still roar about that.
But the truth is, Ashley is the kind of kid who puts a smile on your face in the morning.
She’s bright and funny and has a genuine sweetness about her.
She’s also fiercely loyal and stands up for what she believes in.
She’s Senior Class President, a member of National Honor Society and this year's Editor of her school yearbook.
Yesterday I took Ashley to her senior picture “photo-shoot”.
The photographer was so excited when she laid eyes on Ash.
“Yay, a pretty one” she gushed!
What is typically a 2 hour shoot resulting in about 200 pictures turned into a 5 hour, 3 location shoot netting us over 400 pics.
I told Ashley it’s because she’s so stinkin ugly the photographer had to keep shooting until she finally got one she could use!
She just smiled that killer smile at me as her eyes shone like big blue diamonds.
“Thanks for coming with me today Aunt Chrissy” she told me.
I don’t think she’s too crazy about it but she tolerates it well.
I think it’s clear to her it’s not going away anytime soon.
“Princess Ashley” is another favorite tag we label her with.
TC insists Ashley’s obvious royal bloodlines come from me.
When Ashley was in her womb, TC knew that this baby girl was different.
Her cravings tended toward finer foods and the pregnancy in general was more high maintenance than her first.
TC named her Ashley Christine and the poor darlin is compared to me often!
Mike and I brought her on vacation with us last summer.
You can imagine our reaction when Ashley announced on the first night,
“I like to be woke up with donuts and smiles in the morning”!
We still roar about that.
But the truth is, Ashley is the kind of kid who puts a smile on your face in the morning.
She’s bright and funny and has a genuine sweetness about her.
She’s also fiercely loyal and stands up for what she believes in.
She’s Senior Class President, a member of National Honor Society and this year's Editor of her school yearbook.
Yesterday I took Ashley to her senior picture “photo-shoot”.
The photographer was so excited when she laid eyes on Ash.
“Yay, a pretty one” she gushed!
What is typically a 2 hour shoot resulting in about 200 pictures turned into a 5 hour, 3 location shoot netting us over 400 pics.
I told Ashley it’s because she’s so stinkin ugly the photographer had to keep shooting until she finally got one she could use!
She just smiled that killer smile at me as her eyes shone like big blue diamonds.
“Thanks for coming with me today Aunt Chrissy” she told me.
No Stinky Pants…thank you for having me.
Monday, January 2, 2006
Mama’s Girl
I’m a Mama’s Girl,
There’s just no denying it.
I have her genetic makeup,
The good along with the bad.
When I was little…
I wouldn’t let go of her.
She had a perpetual clump in whatever she was wearing that day.
It was caused by me tightly wadding her clothes up in my fist and not letting go!
She was my security.
As we grow up,
It’s our Mom who is there for most of our “firsts”.
First day of school.
First bra.
First prom dress.
First broken heart.
First Wedding Dress… (I designed my second one on my own!)
First baby.
And then life gets busy.
And the “firsts” with Mom tend to end.
There are new firsts now,
Ones with our own children.
Or so it seemed…
Yesterday in Target, Mom and I had another “first”.
At (a mere) 44 years old,
She helped me pick out my “first” pair of reading glasses!
We giggled like school girls as we tried on the crazy styles.
Moaned in pain as we chose some way too strong.
In the end, we went with a practical (1.75x) cute little green pair.
And as we searched the parking lot for our (misplaced) car…
I wondered how many more “firsts” lie ahead for Mom and me.
Many I assume…
Most will be joyous,
Some may not be so great.
But it’s comforting to know,
We’ll still have them and we’ll tackle them together.
And my money’s on a whole lot more giggles than moans!
I love you Mama.
There’s just no denying it.
I have her genetic makeup,
The good along with the bad.
When I was little…
I wouldn’t let go of her.
She had a perpetual clump in whatever she was wearing that day.
It was caused by me tightly wadding her clothes up in my fist and not letting go!
She was my security.
As we grow up,
It’s our Mom who is there for most of our “firsts”.
First day of school.
First bra.
First prom dress.
First broken heart.
First Wedding Dress… (I designed my second one on my own!)
First baby.
And then life gets busy.
And the “firsts” with Mom tend to end.
There are new firsts now,
Ones with our own children.
Or so it seemed…
Yesterday in Target, Mom and I had another “first”.
At (a mere) 44 years old,
She helped me pick out my “first” pair of reading glasses!
We giggled like school girls as we tried on the crazy styles.
Moaned in pain as we chose some way too strong.
In the end, we went with a practical (1.75x) cute little green pair.
And as we searched the parking lot for our (misplaced) car…
I wondered how many more “firsts” lie ahead for Mom and me.
Many I assume…
Most will be joyous,
Some may not be so great.
But it’s comforting to know,
We’ll still have them and we’ll tackle them together.
And my money’s on a whole lot more giggles than moans!
I love you Mama.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)