While my wife has a busy day of appointments and errands, I don’t have much going on until the grandkids arrive for dinner. I’m watching my recording of last night’s Bear game, still stunned about the outcome. I did not expect the Bears to win in New England. Now, if only they could beat the Packers. It’s the first sports victory that I’ve enjoyed in months, as I bask in the glory. Could this be the start of great Fall? I’m certainly not counting on any more I.U. football victories, but basketball could be fun again.
I have some Halloween cards for the grands, but there are very few kids in our neighborhood to expect much in the way of trick-or-treating. The Hallo-wine event on Friday night at the Clubhouse will be the extent of our activities to end the month of October. Thanksgiving and Christmas this year will also probably be uneventful considering the trip to Kauai in between. We’ll also organize a mid-November “Meet the Neighbors” get-together and maybe host some dinner parties before the new year.
Yesterday’s movie, “Ticket to Paradise,” will never be a classic. The Bali scenery sure makes you want to go there. It was one of our cancelled destinations this year. We still need to make our March plans for Mexico and Arizona but I’m not very motivated to organize all this travel, let alone spend the money, after all our recent time away from home. It’s good to just relax!
Clean-up and repairs continue in our neighborhood from the damage left behind by Ian. We’re still waiting on the refrigerator repair person to get our unit going again. In the meantime, we’ve used the new outdoor kitchen and refrigeration drawers to our advantage. Today is “Matinee Monday,” so we’re off to another movie despite all the damage down in that area. The mall parking lot, where the cinema is located in Port Charlotte, is being used as a temporary Civil Defense post. Tuesday night we’ll have the grandkids back for dinner, as we try to reestablish normalcy. Friday night is a Hallo-wine event here in the neighborhood.
It looks like my son and I finally won a Fantasy Football game after three straight losses, while the Bad News Bears hope to do the same on Monday Night Football against the Patriots. The best news of all is that I.U. football gets the week off, so I won’t have to deal with that frustration. The World Series starts this Friday night following a long break due to the fact that the Phillies and the Astros made quick work in their respective Championship Series. I’m gaining new respect for Philadelphia star Bryce Harper after his game-winner, while teammate Kyle Schwarber continues to hit well. Schwarber, who I’ve followed for years with I.U., the Cubs, Nationals, and now Phillies, is probably now my current Major League favorite, so I hope he earns another ring. It doesn’t necessarily make me a life-long Philadelphia fan. However, I also like their cheese steaks!
It feels like I’m rapidly peeling pages off the desk calendar. Is it that the days are passing so quickly or have I just not been home to keep it up to date? Today is Oct. 23 and the calendar reads September 14th, so I’ll have to digest a month’s worth of trivia in a short period of time. I did not know that an average ear of corn has 800 kernels or that the world’s largest coffee cups holds just over 6,000 gallons. In fact, as I ripped off those 39 days, there were only seven questions that I answered correctly. I hope that next year our financial broker sends an easier version or better yet something with pictures rather than questions. I will, however, start tomorrow with a winner!
It will soon be November and another time change, my sixth in the last 35 days. It’s now been over a week since we’ve been home and my internal clock is still screwed up. Thankfully, as of this morning, everything in our home is now back it’s pre-storm place. One plant pot was broken as a helpful neighbor tried to hurriedly rush it inside, and it slipped from her hands. All else faired well in the high winds and flooding. We went down to nearby, storm ravaged, Englewood again last evening for “Date Night” at Snook’s Bayside. Most of their outside dining spots on Lemon Bay were blocked off with yellow crime scene tape, but their chowder was still good and the rock band played on.
It’s Football Sunday, but my fortunes have not been good on the playing field this year. Both Purdue and I.U. lost yesterday but thankfully college basketball is only a week away, with undoubtedly new frustrations. The Hoosiers are probably a bit overrated, considering that it is essentially the same poor shooting team as last year. For once, we finally made the tournament but got embarrassed by Saint Mary’s. Can we take it a step further this year? It’s long awaited tip-off time!
After yesterday’s reunion with Tom, a former business colleague, and his friend Jim, I have a new neighborhood mystery to solve. Coincidentally, when they drove into the Islandwalk edition, there was a hint of recognition, and as it turned out, the other person they intended to visit yesterday is a neighbor of ours. Granted, we’re a big edition with about 2500 homes, but nonetheless this was still against all odds. In fact, it developed into a twist of fate, as I discovered that the husband of their high school classmate, Jon, graduated from I.U., worked in Indianapolis for the same radio station as me, and went on to become a market competitor in television sales. All of these folks were in their mid-seventies, so only about 4-years older than me but I didn’t recognize the name. We must have been like passing ships in the ever changing media world, but undoubtedly have a lot of people in common.
Jon happened to be out of town when we talked to his wife, Jane, their Lafayette Central Catholic classmate, but the home they live in is naturally very similar to ours. They currently also have a second property in Carmel, Indiana, whereas my wife and I once lived in Zionsville, all of us with Hoosier roots. I’m looking forward to meeting Jon as soon as he gets back in town, because I’m betting that he also once dealt with my media buyer wife. Networking, like this with other people is the best way to make new friends. I’m also curious to know if Jon knows other Hoosiers in the neighborhood. I’m already aware of one that runs the whiskey club, another who worked for an Indianapolis stock brokerage firm, and a former professor who is active in my wife’s bridge club. We tried to organize an Indy 500 watch party last year when other Hoosier friends were in town but couldn’t get a big enough group together. We’ll try again next May.
Before we stopped by Jon and Jane’s house, Tom, Jim, and I drove down to Englewood for lunch at the Lock & Key. It was one of the few places open after the fury of hurricane Ian. The area is nothing more than a dumping zone for debris and tree limbs that are piled along the side of the beach road. The damage was extensive and Stump Pass State Park was closed to traffic. I once again felt lucky that we settled into a home that wasn’t right on the Gulf, as what once might have been a dream. Sadly, beach-front property in Southwest Florida is now a terrible nightmare!
I’m getting together with another former work colleague this morning, on what is an absolutely beautiful Florida day. The temperature is 69 degrees with blue skies. We’re meeting at the house for a beer before we head over to Englewood for lunch. As a snowbird from Lafayette, Indiana, he hosts a couple of annual golf tournaments for his buddies, but age has taken its toll. Apparently, there were only two other friends that made it down for this one. He’s about four years older than I am. I hired him at WLFI-TV as my General Sales Manager after he had left the station to form his own advertising agency. As an “outsider” in the market, I needed a hometown wing man to dispel of rumors that the station was no longer serving local interests after its sale to the company that employed me for many years.
One of his friends that came down is interested in moving to Englewood where my grandparents settled for half of the year. We’re going there to look at storm damage and potential real estate opportunities. I’ll enjoy meeting his friends and sharing stories of the past. I’ve seen his Facebook posts for several years now, but probably haven’t been face-to-face with him in twenty years. We’ll try to narrow that down when he arrives. I get to show off our new outdoor kitchen and the refrigerated beer drawers that go with it. The grill portion has served us both in Portland and by the pool here in Venice, but on a cart. It has now secure in a permanent stone enclosure with the gas burner at its side. I was surprised that everything worked, even the electric rotisserie, after being moved from place to place. Last night, pork chops were are first meal on the new setup.
The only bad news about today was that the refrigerator repairman moved our appointment to next week. It’s the only other storm-related damage that needs to be addressed. Warranties are always questionable, so I’m leery of the builder’s promise, considering that it might have been fried in a power surge. No one was home to witness that but the faint smell of spoiled food is disguised with the odor of bleach and other cleaning fluids. The change in dates does free me up for this trip to Englewood, but I would still like to get this issue resolved, even though we still have two other sources of refrigeration.
Fellow I.U. grad, Kyle Schwarber, hit a monster home run yesterday to assist in a Game 1 Phillies NLCS victory. It sparked memories of the Cubs World Series run six years ago where he and Anthony Rizzo, now a Yankee, made history. “Riz” also hit a bomb off of Verlander last night in a losing cause in his quest for another World Series ring. “Schwarbs” has made several appearances in the All Star Game Home Run Derby, slugging 55 home runs. Rizzo and Kris Bryant both participated in 2016, the first Cubs since Sammy Sosa’s 4th attempt in 2004. The only modern day Derby that I witnessed live was Miami 2017 with Aaron Judge winning it all. I ran across an interesting article written by Arnold Bailey about the early days of the 1960 TV show. It was a great childhood memory for me, recreating the event in our back yard with a whiffle ball and bat.
From a baseball card collecting perspective, “a set of 20 baseball cards was produced picturing the collection of sluggers the show would feature. Today, those cards have gained a cult-like following and are among the hobby’s scarcest. American Motors, the show’s sponsor, produced the cards which were handed out at the carmakers’ dealerships across the country. Created in 1954, American Motors was then No. 4 behind the nation’s Big 3 (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler), with Rambler its top car. Apparently, neither AMC’s cars or its cards were overwhelmingly popular. That may be one reason why the “Home Run Derby” cards are so scarce today.” I was certainly not aware of them.
“The cards are about postcard size (3 1/8”-by-5 1/4”) and are unnumbered with blank backs. The fronts feature black-and-white posed photos, most of which show players from about waist up. The pictured player’s name and team are in two lines across the bottom. A black circle that promotes the show with a ‘See Home Run Derby on TV!'”
“The 19 players include nine future Hall of Famers (Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Duke Snider) plus 10 other sluggers of that era. All but three of the players are pictured holding a bat, either resting it on a shoulder or positioned at the start of a swing. The other three – Bob Allison, Jackie Jensen and Eddie Mathews – are attempting to hold a smile while posing for the camera.”
“Fifteen of the 16 teams that then comprised Major League Baseball were represented on the show and the cards. Only the Chicago White Sox aren’t included, although the Pale Hose won the American League pennant in 1959. But the team hit few home runs despite its winning season (the team’s homer leader was catcher Sherm Lollar with just 22). While the pennant-winning White Sox have no representative in the “Home Run Derby” lineup, the lowly Washington Senators (who finished in last place, 31 games behind Chicago) have three (Killebrew, Bob Allison and Jim Lemon).”
“The other dozen teams sent one player each to hit homers: Banks (Cubs), Ken Boyer (Cardinals), Bob Cerv (Kansas City), Rocky Colavito (Indians), Jackie Jensen (Red Sox), Kaline (Tigers), Wally Post (Phillies), Dick Stuart (Pirates) and Gus Triandos (Orioles).”
“The home run totals for the 19 players would eventually reach 7,375 by the end of their careers. So the home run lineup was a powerful group, including three of the Top 10 homer hitters of all time (Aaron, 755; Mays, 680; and Frank Robinson, 586).
The 20th card (now the hardest to find) in the set pictures Mark Scott, the play-by-play broadcaster of the original TV show and one of the creators. Here’s a link to the article with even more interesting details:
The much anticipated poem to summarize our recent lengthy excursion to Alaska and Hawaii:
Cruisin’ & Boozin’
First Class to Portland,
Are we set to sail the seas?
Already second thoughts,
Do we really want to freeze?
Time with Family,
Falco and Ham.
Lunch with buddies,
Suitcases to cram.
Nike campus tour,
Former haunts to rove.
Mitch has in-law-itis,
Megan with no stove.
Vancouver Sheraton,
For a pre-cruise rest.
But Wanted in Canada,
For evading a Covid test.
First stop for Totem poles,
Mendenhall Glacial ice.
Berg bits float by,
Scenery meant to entice.
Outdoor kitchen taking shape,
But mighty Ian on the way.
Helpful neighbors chipping in,
While out cruisin’ Glacier Bay.
Suddenly no power,
As hurricane winds blow.
But we’re got full stomachs,
At another onboard Show.
Taking in Munch Moments,
Seeing a Brown Bear live.
Sea Lions and otters,
As flooding rains arrive.
More Manfredi’s pasta,
Or a Chef’s Table treat.
When we get home,
There’s nothing to eat.
We still have a pool cage,
As we tour Valdez.
Another glass of wine?
Just find Tally please!
Cooking classes,
Champs at Bridge..
But spoiling food,
In our bad fridge.
Alaska is so beautiful,
From our comfy deck.
But our resort community.
Is an awful wreck.
Russian churches,
Grey Whale bones.
Mountain views,
No web or phones.
Puffins and eagles,
So much beauty to see.
Even some blue skies.
Where’s your ID?
The whales are jumping,
The ship badly rocking.
Hold on tight,
Seven days without docking.
Once we left Alaska,
The wildlife took passes.
The only Big Fish spied,
Were thru 3-D glasses.
Fake ABBA and Beatles,
Films on the BIG screen.
Surrounded by water,
Nothing green.
Land ahoy,
Kauai catamaran.
Surfing Dog,
Still fading tan.
Vacation Club scout,
Movie scenes.
Frig out at home,
Shorts not jeans.
Maui WOWIE,
Fleetwood memories.
Tender to Oahu,
Calm seas, Palm trees.
Last Stop,
Aloha Clock.
Red Eye home,
Jet Lag Shock.
But with our credits,
We Booked another.
Using Father Viking,
And Marriott Mother.
Copyright 2022 johnstonwrites.com
This morning was hectic for a retiree. Up early, doctor’s appointment, and not enough time to get in the full 3.1k. I did not sleep well last night, still reeling from jet lag. My appetite is not good and energy levels low. I spent the afternoon trying to get through the final season of “Sons of Anarchy,” disgusted with all the violence and unsavory characters that seemingly get away with everything. SPOILER: A son that murders his step-father/club leader with a mother that kills his wife. It’s a twisted tale of bloodshed.
In two weeks, I go under the knife for the first time in my life, disturbed about sleeping upright, swollen features, black eyes, and stitches. I’m also not supposed to exercise for 10-days, so “The Streak” may once again be in jeopardy. I’m very lucky to have avoided injuries in the nearly 14-years of running every day, so why I would want to go thorough this voluntary misery is unexplainable? I will undoubtedly disregard the doctor’s orders and at least cover the daily mile to keep this silly record intact.
We did get to a movie yesterday afternoon. Amsterdam was surprisingly entertaining, with a great team of actors, despite the reported pans. It was another reminder of how fortunate my life has been. I’ve avoided war, loss of property, discrimination based on race or religion, tornados, flooding, and now a hurricane. I haven’t had anything of value stolen, watched my parents live a good life into their nineties, found love/marriage twice, traveled the world, and have healthy grandchildren. Somehow, I’ve skirted tragedy (knock on wood) into my seventies, despite religious beliefs that are shaky. I do not want to give myself credit, while not really sure who to properly thank for my fortuitous existence. When so many suffer, my main question in life is why me?
Property values in our area have obviously dropped dramatically following the storm. It will take time to rebuild our community, as many suffered greater losses than we did. As it turned out, we did have some roof damage, but the great guy who’s building our outdoor kitchen repaired the tiles, so this is why the inspector found no issues. He also braced our front door to prevent more water from getting into the house. It was fortunate that he was here when the winds started to blow. The refrigerator repair was moved to Friday from this morning, so I was able to complete my 3.1 mile course uninterrupted. I also called the builder to assure that the warranty was in place and that I had called an authorized KitchenAid agent.
While football was not going my way yesterday, I was able to catch up on “House of the Dragon.” This morning I will watch episode 9 that was released last night and call my sister. It’s “Matinee Monday,” so we’ll get back into that routine with the showing of Amsterdam. The grandkids are also invited over tomorrow night for pot pie since my antsy wife was thankfully able to get to Costco while I lingered on the couch. Most of the outdoor furniture has been moved from the garage along with the yard art. We’re slowly getting back to normal.
It was good to see all the regulars along my running course this morning. Life goes on despite the setback. We signed up for a Hallo-wine event at the clubhouse that will also need to undergo some repairs. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the eye surgeon for my upcoming blepharoplasty, a procedure that removes excess skin from my sagging eyelids. I will experience some serious bruising around the eyes like I’ve been in a barroom fight once this minor operation takes place in a few weeks. My face will then sadly look like some of the damaged homes in our neighborhood.
We’re safely back home and watching live sports once again, although I’m not happy with what I’m seeing. I.U. football blew their opportunity for a win, Alabama was upset, and the Braves have been eliminated from the playoffs, while the Bad News Bears have the day off after losing by inches on Thursday night. I was much better off without TV.
My internal time clock is still on Hawaiian time and my legs have yet to adjust to solid ground. I did get a full 3.1 mile run in this morning, the first of that distance in 27-days without the balance challenges of an on-board treadmill or unsteady ship’s deck. It’s been tough to get back into the routine after just three nights back. Memories of Alaska and Hawaii have been replaced with damage concerns for our home and neighborhood.
We’re hearing some of the horror stories about Hurricane Ian and seeing the damage that surrounds us. Neighbors had to literally nail their front doors shut with the massive winds that tore apart pool cages, damaged siding, and stripped trees. I just had an inspector check our roof and attic and got a report of minimal damage. We were lucky, as I look across the street at a pile of twisted metal to be discarded. Broken roof tiles, strips of sheet metal, rubbage, and tree limbs are scattered everywhere, not to mention the uprooted palms that line our streets. Lanai screens at both our neighbor’s homes are ripped and left flapping in the breeze. How we escaped damage I’ll never know, but there will certainly be an HOA assessment charged to every resident, so financial loss is inevitable.
On top of fees for the inspector, gift cards for neighbors who helped ready our home while we were absent, food loss, service costs to repair an inoperative refrigerator, pool chemicals, and landscaping replacements, we’ll all be paying for this storm damage for some time to come. I’m just glad we weren’t around to experience the terror that many endured with window and door damages, leaks, flooding streets, and no power. The only turbulence we felt was the bobbing and weaving of the ship as we tried to fill our plates. There’s a definite sense of guilt in missing this neighborhood bonding experience that will be talked about for years. We have our share of heroes to thank in minimizing our losses while we were thousands of miles away.
