Saturday, December 27, 2008

Lamb and Cous Cous

Check out my cooking blog here. I made this dish last night and it was fantastic!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

White Christmas

The fun continues:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
329 PM EST TUE DEC 23 2008
MIZ051-056-057-064-240430-
/O.UPG.KGRR.WW.Y.0021.000000T0000Z-081225T0800Z/
/O.EXA.KGRR.WS.W.0012.000000T0000Z-081225T0600Z/
MONTCALM-OTTAWA-KENT-ALLEGAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GREENVILLE...JENISON...GRAND RAPIDS...
HOLLAND
329 PM EST TUE DEC 23 2008
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST THURSDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1 AM EST THURSDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT.
SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO HEAVY AT TIMES ACROSS DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE.
ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT.
THE SNOW MAY TAPER OFF TONIGHT...BUT IS EXPECTED TO RETURN ON
WEDNESDAY WITH ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS
BY WEDNESDAY EVENING OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Great weather if you are a polar bear!

Winter Weather Advisory, Tuesday, 23 December 2008 16:36

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1136 AM EST TUE DEC 23 2008
MIZ051-052-056>059-064>067-071>074-240045-
/O.CON.KGRR.WW.Y.0021.000000T0000Z-081225T0800Z/
MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON-
INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GREENVILLE...ALMA...JENISON...
GRAND RAPIDS...IONIA...ST. JOHNS...HOLLAND...HASTINGS...
CHARLOTTE...LANSING...SOUTH HAVEN...KALAMAZOO...BATTLE CREEK...
JACKSON



1136 AM EST TUE DEC 23 2008
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM EST
THURSDAY...
SNOW WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED TODAY WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION COULD
BECOME MIXED WITH SLEET... LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT RAIN
WEDNESDAY BEFORE CHANGING BACK TO SNOW LATE WEDNESDAY.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Winter, the General and the search for red table wine

It is a cold, wintry day here in the Enchanted Mitten. As I type this, the external air temperature is a 10F. The windchill index at GRR is a bone chilling -15F. The photo to the right of this text is one of the spousal unit taken earlier today as we worked to clear off the snow from our back patio. Samson, our rescue GSD, appeared once again impervious to the cold. He was outside frolicking in the snow while we cleared away the snow. We had about 8 inches of snow fall last night, so we had some digging out to do. We have a plow service do our driveway, but I still needed to clear the walkway to our front door, as well as the walk to our side door. The snow that fell was light and powdery, perfect for skiiing and perfect for blowing and drifting. As I mentioned a few sentences ago, the windchill here is -15F, so there is plenty of wind to cause the snow to drift. I cleared the two walkways of snow a little before noon and had to repeat the procedure a few hours later because of the drifting that occurred. Yep, this is a Mark 1 Mod O winter day if I ever saw one.

Earlier this afternoon, the Maven called me out for not updating this blog since last Tuesday. Well, I have been busy. I am working on two big projects, one for Boeing and the other for Lockheed Martin. Both of these programs are in full swing and they are taking up much of my time. This is also the time of year that GE directs each employee to draft an input for their annual performmance review. GE has everybody submit their performance evaluation in the month of December, so people are scrambling to get them written and submitted before we shut down on 24 December. This is the second year that GE has been "running the show" here in Grand Rapids, so this process is still a little new to everyone. Before GE bought Smiths, annual performance evaluations were done on the anniversary of your hiring, so the work was done over the course of the year, not all in a month. My supervisor tasked me and the other technical manager in my department to help him write the performance evaluations of the technical leads. To be honest, wirting these evaluations has not been that hard, rather it has been time consuming, I have actually worked overtime the past two weeks in order to meet our self-imposed deadline to complete the evaluations bt 24 December. I am happy to report that this task is now completed.

Now, on to
the search for red table wine. Our friends at Art of the Table were tasked to help us determine what kind of red wine we want to serve as part of our daily evening meal, or at least at meals were red wine is an appropriate beverage. 12 different bottles were selected, based on our past tastes. Dee and I prefer our red wine with a little bit of heft. Well, last night we had our first trial bottle with Stay in Bed Stew. The wine was Domaine Monpertuis, a French Vin de Pays du Gard. It was a good first showing, but the wine was a little young. One bottle down and 11 more to go.

I worked a half-day today and then began my Christmas break from work. I spent a good part of the remainder of the day running errands and shopping for the next few days. Check out how those meals turn out by going here.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Blackhawks big winners on special road trip

Yet another reason why hockey players are better than most people:


Blackhawks big winners on special road trip
Without fanfare, Hawks are there for their GM

Rick Morrissey

In the wake of the news

11:40 PM CST, December 14, 2008

It began with the rarest of elements in professional sports: silence. No press release. No major announcement. No photo opportunity. Just the quiet of people doing a nice thing, the right thing.

Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon was murmuring prayers over his father's casket a half-hour before the wake was to begin. The family was saying its goodbyes to Stan Tallon, a tough, big-hearted guy who liked helping troubled kids. Dale's mother, Julie, was there. So were his wife, Meg, and their two children, Lauren and Kristen.

Dale Tallon looked up and noticed a few members of the Hawks' front office wandering into the funeral home. That's odd, he thought. This is Gravenhurst, Ontario. They're supposed to be in Chicago. In the whirl and clatter of his emotions, Tallon was having trouble connecting thoughts.

Then he saw some Hawks players walking through the door — Adam Burish, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Cristobal Huet. On and on it went, fresh-faced kids and battle-scarred veterans. Coach Joel Quenneville and his staff. The trainers. John McDonough, the team president, too.

"I told my mother, 'Mom, the team's here. The whole team's here,' " Tallon said. "She said, 'You've got to be kidding.' She became 6 feet tall all of a sudden. She went from one emotion to another, a complete 180. She went from distraught to all of a sudden having a little fire in her eye. She was a little excited about it."

Sports sections are filled with stories about angry, greedy, self-absorbed athletes. There's a simple reason for that. There are a lot of angry, greedy, self-absorbed athletes. So you tend to notice when a group of players goes the opposite direction, especially when it's done in a near whisper.

On Nov. 22, the Blackhawks beat the Maple Leafs 5-4 on Dave Bolland's goal in overtime. Rather than take a chartered flight back to Chicago, the team decided to stay in Toronto, practice the next day and then make the 110-mile trip north to Gravenhurst for the wake. That's how it came to be that two busloads of Hawks personnel walked through the doors of a funeral home in the middle of Ontario on a cold night.

No acclaim. No hubbub. Just a nice thing, the right thing.

No one is exactly sure how the story got out. Some of us media members received an e-mail detailing the feel-good story of a professional hockey team going the extra miles for their general manager. It mentioned how one of the buses stopped at a McDonald's after the wake — millionaire athletes stopping for Big Macs! — and how the townsfolk were shocked to see the players walk through the doors. The McDonald's happened to be giving out trading cards, including Toews' and Kane's, with Happy Meals.

Most of the e-mail was accurate. Some of it — like the description of the buses being "rickety" and unheated — wasn't. And the players didn't vote unanimously to go to the wake. They were told they were going by management. Not that it matters.

"You might have expected a lot of complaints from people, but I didn't hear one," wing Patrick Sharp said. "It was the eighth day of a seven-day road trip, so I think a lot of people had that Sunday booked with their family, their kids.

"The obvious reaction would have been complaining and guys upset about it. But it wasn't. Everybody was onboard."

The e-mail spread like wildfire, the way forwarded e-mails are wont to do. Tallon heard from friends in the U.S., Canada and Europe who had seen it. The International Herald Tribune picked up the story about the hockey team with a heart.

Why did it resonate with people? Because it answers a deep desire for our faith to be restored in athletes. Some of us don't like where the sports world has taken us. We don't recognize ourselves in most of the people we root for. We don't see humanity in them. When CC Sabathia signs a $161 million contract with the Yankees, he might as well be from Mars.

The behavior the Hawks exhibited by going to the Tallon wake is behavior that good, normal people exhibit in everyday life. We're surprised when athletes do it.

We're not quite as surprised when hockey players do it. One of the truths in professional sports is that hockey players are different.

"A lot of us are Canadian, from small towns, and even the American boys are from small towns," Tallon said. "We kind of just do our jobs and do our business and stick our nose to the grindstone. That's a Canadian trait. Canadians just do their work.

"Just like this story. No one really came out and talked about it. It just started picking up a life of its own. The players went to the wake. They didn't brag about it. They were happy to do it. They're normal people. They don't think that highly of themselves.

"That's a nice trait to have. This group especially. Don't forget that some of these guys are first overall ( NHL picks), third overall, seventh overall. Some of these kids could have been a little full of themselves, given their draft position and what they've done. We don't have that on our team. It's really nice to see."

Tallon tried talking to the players in a side chapel at the funeral home but got choked up and couldn't finish. He said he still gets teary-eyed thinking about their gesture.

The Hawks bused back to Toronto and flew home that night. Quietly. Kind of hard to picture Terrell Owens going with that flow. Then again, it's kind of hard to picture NHL players putting up with Owens.

Stan Tallon died at 80 of Parkinson's disease. He had been a fine hockey player in his own right, playing briefly in the American Hockey League, and he had continued competing until he was 68. His son said the old man would have been tickled by the Hawks' show of force at his wake.

"He would have had a smile on his face," Dale Tallon said. "He would have been elated. He loved hockey players."

We do too.

rmorrissey@tribune.com

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

Sunday, December 14, 2008

$1.509 and a few other rambling thoughts...

OK, I have been a bit of a slacker this week. I last posted on my blog last weekend, just before the Army-Navy game. The Mids handed the Cadets their heads, beating them like an old drum to the tune of 34-0. While I was enjoying the football game, Princess was trying to sleep off a nasty bug. Dee was not feeling well Friday night and she went downhill from there. She fought this bug for four days, and missed two days of work. I did my best to nurse her back to health, but there was little I could do other than feed her crackers and Gatorade. I was also waiting to catch whatever she had, but so far, it would appear that I am a carrier.

On Monday when I drove to work, I saw an electronic sign at a local gas station and
the price jumped out at me. A gallon of regular unleaded fuel was $1.509. H thought I would never see a gallon of gas for less than two bucks, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it for a buck and a half. By the end of the week, that same gallon of gas was back up to $1.759, so there is still volatility to the proce of this commodity. $1.759 a gallon is a lot better than the $4 we were paying this summer, and some of the oil analysts are saying that a gallon of light sweet crude might go for less $40 a barrel. Earlier this year that same barrel of oil was being sold for $147.27 in July. I suppose that this would be a good week to top off both of our vehicles.

This week will be busy at the General. There are a few "deliverables" which I must complete to forward on to our customers, plus most aviation companies shut down the week of Christmas to New Year's Day. Certainly, I am not complaining about being busy as there are a lot of people out there whose jobs are tenuous or non-existent.

Super Mom is due to arrive in a little less than a fortnight. The blogosphere in the Enchanted Mitten is abuzz with anticipation for her and the Tot to arrive. We are hoping that Super Mom can drag herself away from Lake St. Clair and spend a few days in Kent County. Details are sketchy, but as they develop I will let you know.




Sunday, November 30, 2008

For Lisa and the Tot

The Tot will be happy to know that there is snow falling and accumulating on the ground here on the western edges of the Enchanted Mitten.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Now the kitchen is complete

For frequent readers of this blog, you know that are aware that we recently remodeled our kitchen. The change has been nothing short of fantastic, but we were unable to order the window treatments until the hardware of the kitchen was completed. Thus, in late September we ordered window treatments and on Tuesday, they were finally installed. We also ordered a custom made sign with the words "Cead Mile Failte." That phrase means "100,000 Welcomes" in Gaelic. We thought it was a fitting phrase to have in our kitchen, which is the heart of our home.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving

Tomorrow, we will celebrate a thoroughly American holiday: Thanksgiving. Unlike some other American holidays, this celebration of all that we are thankful for has thoroughly resisted being commercialized. To give you an example, I saw the first Christmas decorations for sale at Lowe's and Home Depot a few days before Halloween. Thanksgiving is not tied to any religion in particular, nor are we expected to exchange presents, or send cards. It is a holiday to remind us about everything that is good in this great country, as well as the be thankful for the blessings we have living in America. This past year was one of tremendous transition for me. I retired from the Navy, took a few months off and then after just a few weeks of non-dedicated job hunting, was hired by one of the best managed, best run and most profitable companies the world has ever known. Deirdre and I were also able to take a "throw away" dog who faced certain death in a kennel and make a place in our home for him. Yes, Dee and I have much for which we are thankful this year. From here, just East of the Equator where is it always a quarter past five, I want to wish everyone who reads this text a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Anniversary

22 November, 1985. That is a date that I will not ever forget. On that day in Newport, Rhode Island, I raised my hand and took an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It was the day that I was sworn in as and Ensign in the United States Navy. My plan when I started Officer Candidate School in August, 1985, was to serve for four years, get some experience and then go out and get a "real job." Well, it did not quite work out that way. Last November, after 22 years of service the the Navy and the nation it defends, I retired from active duty.

My career began on a cold, rainy Friday. My brother Michael, his then-girlfriend attended the ceremony. Michael was living in Boston at that time, so it was an easy drive for him. The biggest surprise for me was my two
oldest friends, Paul & John, drove through the night from Michigan to be in the audience when I was sworn in. To say that I was surprised is an understatement of gigantic proportions. Following the ceremony, we left Newport and headed to Boston to spend the night at my brother's apartment, as well as to have a sumptuous meal. We went to dinner at Locke-Ober, a fantastic icon of Boston, and then the following day Paul and John and I drove back to Michigan, where I would spend a few days before heading west to San Diego to attend Surface Warfare Officers School. Following 6 months of training, I left for "the fleet," reporting in May, 1986, to the USS NIAGARA FALLS (AFS 3) in Guam.

Along the way in
my career, I sailed all over the world, set foot on every continent except Antarctica, and pretty much had a blast. I saw more sunrises and sunsets at sea than most people see in a lifetime. I was able to drive a frigate, a destroyer, a crusier and a nuclear powered aircraft carrier as if I had stolen them. The Navy paid me to go to graduate school and looked after Deirdre when I was deployed. Mike (a former shipmate who is a retired Chief Petty Officer) stopped by the house last week to deliver some firewood to me. Mike asked me, "Do you miss it? Do you miss being in the Navy?" I told him, "Honestly, no. What I do miss is working with professionals like you." Sure, I missed a lot of holiday and family events, but I would not trade my experiences in the Navy for anythings. I had the honor and the pleasure to serve with the finest people this nation has to offer. I had a great military career, but I am now enjoying my second career working for the General.


Monday, November 17, 2008

An interesting morning in East Grand Rapids...

Deirdre and I have settled into our routine with Samson, aka Handsome Boy. With my full time job working for the General, and Deirdre working at the Kingdom, our mornings go by something like this:

0540: Alarm goes off
0545: We are both dressed and out the door with Samson for a walk
0610-0615: We are home
0610-0615: Dee makes herself some coffee
0610-0615: Paul feeds Samson

Repeat daily.

Today was no different. We were out the door at 0546 and we had a brisk walk with Samson around the block. East Grand Rapids is known for its quiet homes and streets, and it is also not very well lit. Consequently, whenever we take Samson out for a walk, we put a flashing light on his collar, one of us wears a reflective belt, and the other carries a Maglite. I also carry a small pouch to carry the poop bags as we pick up after Samson (it is the law in EGR). We had a good walk with Samson and we returned home at about 0615. We went inside the house using the customary side entrance. Samson needed to be fed and Deirdre needed her coffee.

I put some kibble and wet food into Samson's dish and he immediately went to work, devouring each morsel as if we fed him but once a week. And then it happened. "Knock, knock, knock" was heard coming from the side door. Normally, the only person who ever knocks at our side door is our neighbor Mark when he needs to borrow some spice or sugar or eggs. It was way too early for that kind of visit, plus he always calls before he comes over. I was perplexed. I went to the side door, with Samson behind me and I turned on the outside light and opened the door. Much to my surprise, there was an East Grand Rapids police officer at the door.

Thankfully, I not only answered the door, but I was home. I know that both events are mutually inclusive, but if Deirdre were alone and some police officer showed up at her door at 6:20AM, she most likely would have assumed that the cop was there to tell her that I was dead. Given my previous line of work, that was a distinct possibility. I had to make such notifications during my career and they were never pleasant.

Back to the police officer at our door. The conversation went like this:

Me: Good morning officer
Police Officer: Good morning. We had a report that a couple of people walked into this house with tools and they did not come here in a car. Did anybody walk into the house, recently?
Me: Yes, officer. My wife and I just walked into the house after walking our dog.
Police Officer: Are you sure that nobody other than you and your wife are the only people in your house? Are you the owner of this house?
Me: Yes, officer. Nobody has come into the house other than me and the wife and we are the owners. I think that whomever reported people coming into the house mistook the flashlight I carry when we walk our dog at night, as well as the bag where we keep bags and puppy treats.
Police Officer: OK.
Dee (as she pops her head into our Mud Room): What is going on ?
Police Officer: Ma'am, we had a report that a couple of people coming into the house with tools. Other than your husband, are you alone in the house?
Dee: Yes. We just got back from a walk with our dog. We had a pouch and a flashlight with us.
Police Officer: OK, Whomever reported this must have mistaken you. Can I get your name, please.
Me: I'm Paul Kratochwill, etc.

I proceeded
to give the officer my name and address of the house and he wanted to know my birth date. I thanked him for his work protecting us (and his partner who was just a few feet away) and he left for his squad car. I am certain that he went to his car and "called it in" to conform that I am indeed Paul Kratochwill and that this is our house. While it was a little weird to have a police officer at our door before 0630 in the morning, it was comforting to know that East Grand Rapids finest are are out there protecting us and keeping us safe.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Who knew?

For those of you who have followed the East of the Equator blog the past year, you know that we have made some improvements in our home. Specifically, we have remodeled the following spaces:

1) Main Bathroom
2) Secondary Bathroom
3) Kitchen

As part of the Main Bathroom project, we replaced the two windows in the space. Almost
immediately, the bathroom was warmer and we thought that it would be a good idea to replace a few more windows. Our friends at HWC Homeworks took care of everything and in a few weeks six new windows were installed. We realized after these six windows were replaced that we needed to replace all the windows, as well as the two sliding glass doors in our Back Room. A little history about our home. The original owner of the house was the proprietor of the Pella Window franchise. Thus, all of the windows and the sliding glass doors were all Pella. In their time, the windows were state of the art. However, after 30 years of time and use, the windows (and the sliders!) were not longer keeping warm air inside or cold air outside.

We noticed that the house was more comfortable this summer as
it seemed cooler when the air conditioner was running. We were not certain how the windows would do in the winter. Well, we found out this weekend. The first snow of the season fell on the Enchanted Mitten and the outside air temperature was barely 35F most of the weekend. I am happy to report that our house was a toasty 68-70F all weekend.

Last winter, we could not keep our Back Room warm. The temperature was rarely above 60F. We operated an oil filled space heater almost constantly to keep the Back Room livable. With our new windows and sliders, our home is constantly comfortable. Clearly, the replacement of all of our windows has improved the energy efficiency of our home. What I am really looking forward to seeing is our next Consumer's Energy bill. Our home is heated with natural gas, and I am fairly confident that we will see a smaller bill than last year.

Who knew that replacing a few windows could so drastically improve the comfort in our home? If you are even thinking about replacing an old or damaged window here is my advice: DO IT. Our home is so much more comfortable. We should have replaced our Pella windows YEARS ago.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

What a difference a year makes

A year ago today we brought Samson home from the West Michigan Regional Laboratory. His name was Danson, but we felt that was not the right name for him. Thus, he became Samson, aka Handsome Boy. We have made great strides with him since that first afternoon in our lives.

When we
brought Samson home, he was fearful, aggressive and just plain scared. It took a bit of patience, a lot of training and quite a few puppy treats, but he is now nothing but 100lbs of fur and love. He seeks our affection and attention, and as I type this entry, Samson is lying quietly on the sofa next to me. Both of his paws are gently touching my thigh and he is occasionally pawing at me for a little attention. Yep, he has come a long way!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

A trip to GP & Slacker Sunday

Last week was a busy one for me and the General. I had to prepare for a meeting with one of our customers for an avionics box. This meeting is called "Critical Design Review," where we go over the design and manufacturing process. I had to put together some slides to describe the work the Engineering Services was doing in support of this program. The design review went well and our customer was quite happy with our progress in the program. I have completed six months of employment with General Electric and I am getting more and more comfortable with the work I do for the company.

This weekend was also one where I went to my parent's house in Grosse Pointe. I wan
ted to get back before winter set in to help my father do some chores. I left from work on Friday afternoon and made it to my parent's house around 3PM. For Friday evening, I made plans to have dinner with my friend John and his lovely bride Maria. Maria and I made rack of lamb, and Maria made a rice dish (I need to get her recipe). John and I were able to catch up on things going on in his life and we just enjoyed an evening together. I also took the opportunity to sharpen their knives, which clearly needed to be done. It is said that I am a little funny about my knives. A sharp knife is a safe knife. Enough about that.

Saturday
was a cold but there was lots and lots of sunshine for me to get a few pictures from my ancestoral home of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Not much has changed in that town since I left it in 1984 to find my own fame and fortune. Sure, a few business have come and gone along Mack Avenue, but the look and feel of the town is pretty much as it was when I left it.








I also
drove by my high school, which has changed. There is a new science building and some updated signs. The original high school was completed in 1969 when only large corporations, universities and the government had computers. Thus a new building dedicated to the study of science is a great upgrade to one of the best high schools in the state.

No trip
back to Grosse Pointe would be complete without a stop by Lake St. Clair. I was able to park my car near the Lake and wander across Lakeshore Drive to take a few pictures. I think I found a house on Lakeshore that Deirdre would love. The only problem is that the asking price is $3.5 million. Maybe if the price drops a little we will most likely make an offer.

I wanted to be back in EGR by noon in the hope that I could work on clearing some leaves. I left my parent's home a little before 8AM so I was back home before 11AM. Now the slacker Sunday has begun in earnest!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

It is official: The Kitchen has been warmed

It was quite a weekend here in western edges of the Enchanted Mitten. On Friday night we were overcome by ghouls, ghosts and goblins... and a few trick-or-treaters. The weather could not have been better for Halloween. As the sun was setting there was not a cloud in the sky and it was a balmy 50F. We had a smaller crowd than last year, but I think that is the direct result of Halloween falling on a Friday, which also happened to be the first day of the state high school football playoffs. Most of the trick-or-treaters were younger than high school age. There were, however, a lot more parents out this year than last. All in all, it was another safe and sane evolution in East Grand Rapids.

As for the kitchen being properly warmed, last night was our Kitchen Warming Party. I am happy to report that the event was an unqualified success. We had an eclectric
group in attendance. Friends, neighbors and co-workers came by to check out our new kitchen, and we were able to give the space a proper send off. We went the "slacker" route for the food. We bought pre-made party trays, but we took seriously the need for good beer. We purchased a 1/4 bbl of Bell's Amber and it was clearly well received. We still have some beer left in the keg, so if you are in the area, please feel free to stop by and wet your whistle!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pumpkins are carved and the candy is ready


I am a big fan of Halloween. I would still trick-or-treat if the police would not haul me away as a "person of interest." Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is a night to be whatever you want to be, to go from house to house and beg for candy. How could anybody not like that kind of holiday? The past few years, I have been known for my pumpkins. This year, I carved a vampire. His name is Vlad. Look for photos of our pumpkin soon. He will look something like the image to the right of this text.

Tomorrow night, we will wheel out the fire pit, set out a couple of chairs and wait for all the EGR ghosts and goblins to arrive. What could be more fun than that?


Sunday, October 26, 2008

Samson likes pancakes... and bacon

On Friday when I was out shopping for last night's meal, I thought that Sunday might be a good day to try out the griddle on our new stove. Thus, I picked up some Jiffy Mix, maple syrup and some thick sliced bacon. For those of you who who read this blog and are not from the Enchanted Mitten by birth or by marriage, Jiffy Mix is made in Chelsea, Michigan, by the Chelsea Milling Company. Since 1930, Jiffy Mix has been a staple in a lot of homes in Michigan but also around the country. Jiffy Mix is similar to Bisquik, but made here in Michigan. Thus, when given the opportunity on Friday to purchase a baking mix, I opted for Jiffy Mix.

This morning when I started to to gather the things I needed to make pancakes, I realized this morning that since we
brought Samson home last November, I had not made pancakes. Thus, we would be able to continue to investigate foods that Sammy likes. Deirdre started to cook the bacon in one of our non-stick frying pans and started to heat up the griddle. Samson certainly noticed the aroma of the bacon as it sizzled and cooked next to the griddle. He decided that the best place for him to be in case a strip of bacon or pancake fell to the ground was to lay down just in front of the stove. Please see the photo to the left of this text to see the space Samson was occupying while we cooked breakfast. The base of the stove is just a few inches from his nose. Yep, if gravity was going to work in his favor, he wanted to be ready.

We were thrilled with the performance of the griddle. It heated up quickly and the heat was evenly spread in the cooking surface. The pancakes were golden brown and complemented the bacon and maple syrup perfectly. We had a few snitches left over and we shared some bacon and an pancake with Samson. We can now unequivocally say that Samson likes pancakes and bacon.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

A classic autumnal day

Today is the last Saturday in October. We are well past the Autumnal Equinox, and each day we get closer and closer to the Winter Solstice. The leaves in this area of the Enchanted Mitten are just about past peak. Pumpkins adorn many front porches and Halloween decorations are out. Yep, fall is in full swing. This is my favorite time of the year. The grass no longer needs to be cut, the nights are cool and the days are, for the most part warm. The fall leaves are starting to gather on the now dormant grass. I woke up first this morning (no surprise there) and Samson followed me from his crate to the back door. I turned in the outdoor light (it was still as dark as night at 0715) and it was raining. Not a gentle rain, but a vertical, cold deluge. I threw on a jacket and walked outside with Samson. He immediately ran to the back of our yard, looking for a squirrel or chipmunk or any other vermin foolish enough to be seen by him. Samson did not find anything to eat, so after attending to his business he came back towards me on our back patio. I was taking in the feel of the morning as Samson trotted back to the house. While I did not particularly enjoy getting wet waiting for Samson to return from his hunt, I did enjoy the feeling of this fall morning.

As for
Samson, he has eased into his life with us. It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since we brought him home. Not only did he make great progress as a companion animal, we have made great progress as pet owners. Dee and I often felt that we merely existed in Allister's world. She did not care too much for other dogs and people and she basically ignored everyone except for me and Deirdre. Allie was more like a person than a canine. She ignored most other dogs, and tolerated people. Samson, however is a dog. There is absolutely no doubt that he is a dog. He likes to chase small animals, barks at other dogs and seeks the companionship of humans. When we brought him home he was an aggressive, fearful dog who did not trust us. He was abandoned by his first owner, found in a park by animal control and then placed into a shelter. He lived in a cement kennel, alone for the better part of two months. What happened to Samson was one of the worst things that can be done to a dog: he had no pack. Dogs are pack animals. Their instincts are to be a member of a pack, as a leader or a follower. Regardless of their position in the pack, they need to be in a pack. Thus, when we brought him home he was fearful, food aggressive and generally a handful. Thankfully, I was able to dedicate some time and effort to training before I started working for the General. Now, Samson is a sweet and loving member of our pack. He seeks out our companionship. A perfect moment for him is to sit by our feet and look up as if saying, "I am so happy to be here." Samson is a good dog.

And as for the table & chairs update as requested in a previous post, please see the photo of Samson enjoying the floor by the aforementioned table and chairs.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Table & Chairs

The last major task of our kitchen remodeling project is about to be finished. Last week I started to stain the pedestal and table top for the "pub table" we purchased at Wood Source two weeks ago. Staining the table top took longer than I had planned, as it took the stain slowly. The top is adler wood, which is a soft wood from Canada. The project also took longer because I had to stain and clear-coat the top and bottom of the table top. Last night I applied the last coat of polyurethane to the table top and this morning I rubbed it down with a little 000 steel wool and I am happy to report that it is done. I brought the pedestal and top upstairs from the basement this morning and using eight wood screws, the table is ready for use.





As for the chairs, I started staining them on Thursday night. The chairs are made of parawood,
which is a very dense wood from southeast Asia. The are a softer hue than the table, as parawood is so dense that it does not absorb stain as readily as adler. I was able to apply three coats of stain to the chairs, and I figured that they would not get much darker. This morning, the chairs were dry and I started to apply clear polyurethane to them. I have been able to apply tow coats so far today and I am hoping to get on one more coat before the end of today. Regardless, the chairs will be ready to join the table no later than tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Postage

Yesterday, I had to mail a letter. Mailing that missive caused a bit of turmoil for me here in the western edges of the Enchanted Mitten. It has been so long since I had to mail a letter that I did not know how much a first class stamp cost. Thankfully, the U.S. Post office has a wonderful website and I was able to quickly determine that a letter mailed first class would set me back 42 cents. Dee and I went digital in paying all of our bills so long ago that I cannot recall when we started. The ease, simplicity and security of web bill pay has literally transformed the way in which we live. We pay our mortgage, gas, electricity, water, cell phone, cable TV & internet, credit cards, etc., on line. I have not written a check to a creditor in literally years. Most of the communications I send to others are electronic. I have done my best to embrace the digital age. Have you?

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Hansome or handy...

There is a philosopher who lives in Canada and his name is Red Green. He is in charge of the Possum Lodge and he is full of such wit and wisdom as the subject of this post. Over the course of the past few weeks, I like to think that I was pretty handy in supporting our kitchen remodeling project. As followers of this blog can attest, I spent some time staining all the trim that was used in the aforementioned kitchen. The remaining stain was to come in handy as I still had to stain the following:

1) The handrail leading to the basement
2) The pub table
3) The stools
4) The door to our main bathroom

When
we had our main bathroom remodeled last year, we had the professionals at HWC Homeworks replace the door. The extant door was old and tired and needed to be retired. Well, the new door was installed, but it remained unfinished. I kept thinking to myself, "I need to do something with that door." With all the new found staining knowledge I gained working on the trim, I felt that now was the time to take the door off its hinges, stain and then seal the door. Since Deirdre was going to be away for a couple of days for a conference, the timing to stain the door could not have been better.

I removed the door from its hinges and started to stain it on Friday night. Since I had to stain both sides of the door, I projected that it would take me 3-4 days to complete the task. It would take this long because I needed to stain one side of the door, let it dry (which usually takes 24 hours), then stain the other side and let that dry. Once the stain was dry I could apply some clearcoat polyurethane to seal the door. Well, the weather the past few days was quite supportive of this project because the stain dried very quickly and in a little more than a day I was ready to apply the clearcoat. I am happy to report that the door is back in place and it looks great.

On
to the other staining projects. As part of the kitchen project, we replaced a swing door with a pocket door. The installation of the pocket door required that a new handrail be installed. The new handrail looked great, but it, too, needed to be stained. The morning I removed the handrail, took it into the garage and went to work. The handrail has essentially two sides, so completing this project is also probably going to take me 3 days. The weather is currently quite amenable for staining outdoors as the high temperature here in the western edges of the Enchanted Mitten was 81F. I plan on using the garage to complete the staining and sealing of the handrail. If everything goes as planned, the handrail will be installed on Tuesday before Deirdre returns.



The final
part of my staining evolution consists of the table and chairs that will fit nicely into our breakfast nook. We purchased the table and two stools last week at the Wood Source, and they were unfinished. The table is made of adler and the stools are made of parawood. I did a little prep work to rough up the wood for the stain and I applied the first coat of stain to the top of the table and the stand. I will have to flip over the table top and stain the underside of the table. The wood seemed to take the stain well and I am hoping to have the table completed in a couple of days. My plan is to start on the stools tomorrow.

Yep, as Red Green says, "If the women do not find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."


Saturday, October 11, 2008

Simplicty of things

I read somewhere that everything you ever need to know you can learn from your dog. The longer we live with Samson, our rescue GSD, the more I agree with that statement. His life revolves around the following events:

- Sleeping
- Walks
- Chasing hoppy things in the yard
- Eating
- Sleeping some more

This morning I woke up first (no big surprise there) and Samson followed me out of the bedroom. As is our usual routine, I took him out for a walk around the block. For Samson, each walk is like a completely new adventure, full of interesting sights, sounds and aromas. For me, it was just a little early morning exercise, but to him, this is the highlight of the morning. He is so much calmer now than he was just a few months ago. It is as if he is finally comfortable with us and realizes that we are members of his pack. Samson used to get quite agitated when runners or other people walking came by us. Now, he hardly pays any attention to people coming and going. He is all about the walk.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Vacation

Frequent visitors to this blog know that I started working for General Electric the last week of April. Since I started working for GE, I had not take any time off. However, this past week I had an opportunity I could not pass up: to attend a conference in the Upper Peninsula with Wife. The conference ran from 1-3 October at the Kewadin Casino, Hotel and Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. This is the tale.

On Wednesday morning, we dropped Handsome Boy off at Whiskers, the pet resort and spa where he spent a few weeks of doggy daycare during our kitchen remodeling project. We had not take Samson there since the end of the aforementioned project. To say that he was excited to be back at Whiskers would be quite an understatement. Samson hopped out of the kennel when we arrived at Whiskers and he immediately began squeaking. His was talking to us, saying, "Hey! Thanks for taking me back here! All my friends are here. Let em in! Let me in!" We took Samson inside and the squeaking became more pronounced and frequent. Samson immediately ran over to the door heading to the kennel and play area, and then he started to bark at the door, then look at me and bark, then bark at the door again. Clearly, he was ready to catch up with his friends. Sensing Samson's desires, one of the handlers took him back to the play area while we sorted out the details of his stay. Samson did no even look back at us, when he left, so we were pretty confident that he was going to enjoy his stay. This was the first time we have boarded Samson since we took him home from the shelter, so we were concerned that he might be anxious that we were leaving him there for good. We would not know how Samson would adapt to his stay until our return a few days later, but the initial indications were that he could not wait to get back to the play area and catch up with his friends.


A little before 10AM Dee and I started our drive to the Upper Peninsula. The weather when we left GR was clear and cool, with the threat of rain. We were hoping that the drive would be uneventful and for the most part, it was. We did run into a little rain, on and off, during our drive. We stopped for lunch, grabbing a quick bite as our drive and final destination were a lot more important than stopping for lunch. A few hours after we left Grand Rapids, we were at the sounthenr approach to the Mackinac Bridge. This bridge connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the Enchanted Mitten and it just celebrated its 50th birthday. The simple elegance and grandeur of its desing and presence makes anyone who sees it stop and say "Wow."

Dee and I stopped at Fort Michilimackincac to take a few happy snaps of the Mackinac Bridge and stretch out legs. I looked at the bridge and thought about the dreams of people to build such a bridge for over a hundred years, while many people today take this modern wonder of the world for granted. Did you know that during the four years it took to build the bridge that work was only 9 months out of the year? From December to February, the weather was so harsh that all wor
k was halted. Dee and I took a few photos of the bridge and then headed north to Sault Ste. Marie.

For the non-Michiganians, Sault Ste Marie is a city located at the northern end of the Upper Peninsula, and it is pronounced "Sue Saint Marie," as apposed to "Salt Saint Marie." We arrived at the Kewadin Casino, Hotel & Convention Center at about 4PM. We checked in, and immediately went exploring. We went to the Soo Locks (yes, they are spelled Soo, not Sault), drive around downtown Sault Ste. Marie, and generally were tourists in our home state. We found time to stop at the VFW Post 3676 to have an adult beverage before we headed back to the hotel in time for the "Welcome Party" got MI CUPA-HR. This Welcome Party was heavy hors d'oeuvers, and we washed them down with oat pops. And wine. We ended up at the bar in the hotel where we watched some of the Cubs loss to the Dodgers.

Dee had to work on Thursday, while I spent some more time poking around the city. However, the weather was nothing to write home about. Actually, it was raining, windy and cold all day, plus the leaves had not yet started to turn, so there was really not much to see.

On Thursday night, we had dinner with our friend Scott. We had dinner at a local restaurant, and on the way back to the hotel we stopped at American Legion Post 3, which was conveniently located right on the water by the Locks. Scott had never been to a Legion Post and I think that he had a good time. I showed my Legion ID card, which allowed me to purchase a round of drinks. Follwoing our stop at the Legion, we headed back to the hotel where we tried our luck with, well, Lady Luck!

I do not enjoy gambling. As a math major, I know that the numbers are simply not with the gambler. The House makes the rules and the rules and the probability of winning are against any bettor. The only game where the you have an advantage is in Blackjack. Armed with a few dollars in chips, me and my aforementioned friend Scott and I hit the tables and I did pretty well. After 20 minutes or so, I was up $40. I knew it was time to leave with my winnings and call it a night. While I was playing Blackjack, Dee was having similar luck playing nickel slots. At the end of the night, we were up about $80, so it was a good evening for us. Following our winning, Dee, Scott and I retired to the bar to watch some baseball and listen to what had to be the worst karaoke singer the world has ever known. We sipped on a few more adult beverages and called it a night by 11PM.

We left the UP on Friday morning, and had a pleasant and easy drive home. The leaves in the upper part of the Enchanted Mitten showed more color than those in the Upper Peninsula. Go figure. All in all it was a great trip and we had a great time.