What Are Grandparents?

Reading one of my favorite little publications, "The Fishwrapper" I found this article:

•  Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own.  They like other peoples'.

•  Grandparents don't have to do anything except to be there when we come to see them.  They are old so they shouldn't play hard or run.  It is good if they drive us to the store and give us money.

•  When they take us for walks, they slow down for things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

•  They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on sidewalk cracks.

•  The don't say, "Hurry up."

•  Usually grandmothers are kind of fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes.

•  When they read to us, they don't skip.  They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

•  Everybody should try to have a grandmother because they are grownups who like to spend time with us.

•  They know we should have a snack time before bedtime, and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

•  Grandpa is the smartest man on earth!  He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him.

Great article, great publication, & great content!!

A Great Story & What Makes Sports Special!

Growing up in the 50's & 60's was special in many ways!  One way was sports!  First, we played them all the time, not on video games, but for REAL!  And professional sports was not a victim to $$$$$$$$$$$!  

Here is a story that everyone needs to read!

Kid with Down Syndrome Defies Doctors to Be Cinncinati Reds Batboy!

First, Down Syndrome!  Many families have a loved on in the family with Down Syndrome.  We have our nephew Andrew!

Second, the world is at times difficult for people with disabilities!  But, the impact on the lives of people is amazing!

Take Teddy Kremer!

A little over a year ago, Teddy's parents entered a bid of $300, to have Teddy have a chance to be the Cinncinati Reds Batboy!  The first amazing story, nobody else put in a bid!  Teddy got the job!

He has had an impact!

The thought has crossed Phil Castellini's mind. "He's incredibly capable,'' Castellini says. "He could do all kinds of stuff. I could put him in customer service anywhere in the building, and he'd continue to put smiles on people's faces."

Put smiles on peoples faces - that's worth a million bucks!

Then last week, Frazier pounded a 421-foot homer to centerfield, per Kremer's request. "I started smiling even before I hit home plate,'' Frazier told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "They said he forgot to pick the bat up, so the umpire was yelling at him. It was such a great'' moment. "You can't get mad -- even if you have a terrible day. How can you be mad when you've got a guy like that around?"

You can't get mad!  We need a lot more of that!  It seems that is what are world needs!  People that can stop us from getting mad!!!

Aging Process!

Being a Grand Father means dealing with my medical issues so my grand children will enjoy me!  So, on my heart blog - My Heart Under Repair, I said this today:



This is what I am working on:

Heart - back on my statins.  Trying to lose weight & exercise more & with more effort.  My PVC's seem to be around 400-500 per day and cardiologist says they are not bad - (NOT a lot of runs!)  More cardio & maybe even a few more jogs!  Lookout Senior Games!

Liver - Trying to lose weight & see if that helps.  Using the South Beach Diet to control carbs & sugar! May have a Liver biopsy in August!  Another new adventure - Liver tissue for my Liver doctor!

Spleen - was a little large, doctor will check on it, she did not seem concerned. It was on the "upper" level for size!  I told her "So was my brain!"

Dermatologist - did that Picato cream & things went well.  Will get a full body check, "OH BOY" in August!  From my cute female doctor!

Dental work - my 30 year old bridge was demolished!  Will have a new, more complicated bridge built!  I think the design is from NASA!  Looks like my son's retainers when they were little!

And playing OVER 60 softball - so, my right hand is black & blue from hitting, my hamstring is sore from chasing flyballs, and my shoulder is aching from throwing!

BUT OTHERWISE I FEEL GREAT!!!  I love the aging process!!!

Grandpas Time to Play

One of my goals of this blog was to let my grandchildren in on the secrets of life(at least this grandpa's secrets)!  So, one secret to life is:

1 - Never totally grow up!  Just because you become an adult, there is a little kid in everyone!  The boring people in life keep that little kid buried!  At times you need to ..... be that kid!  So, ......

There is things like OVER AGE 60 SOFTBALL!!

I am sore, my right hand is bruised, and in morning I will have more pain.  This is great!!!  In the next few months, more kid stories!!!

A Grandfather's Prayer!

Marriage, kids, and now a granddaughter!  Family!  What this world needs is people who focus on family!  And with family comes faith!  When our oldest son Jared was in Iraq (4 tours) we had many prayers!  Our own prayers, our friends prayers, and our church!  Here we go again!

This time it is Korea!  And a leader of North Korea that has no business being a leader!

Our prayers again are with our son, and now his family - wife & daughter!   And all the families in Korea, both military & Koreans!

Take time to pray for your family & all families!

Saturday & Track & Field!

Since my retirement from coaching track & field at Hempfield High School I have had the opportunity to visit the college track & field scene!  And it HAS BEEN GREAT!!

Today I visited with athletes, parents and friends of Hempfield Track & Field!  What did I learn?

1 - Parents Appreciation.  The Parents really appreciated the coaching staff, not just for the trophies, records, & performances, but what the coaching staff did for their children!  Many times we forget that there is more to athletics than winning!  The Hempfield coaching staff should be proud of the huge impact they had on the young people in their program!

2 - The love of the sport!  The athletes enjoyed high track & field so much, they have continued to compete at the college level!  I have been following 22 athletes on line & at meets that are competing at the college level!  And many are coaching!!!

3 - Retirement and doing what you did not have time to do!  One of the goals my retirement is to experience things I never had the chance to do!  This is one of them - visiting college track meets!

A great day!!!