Summer vacation 2013

We're back in The 'Ville tonight after a glorious 11-day vacation to our beloved Wisconsin. The kind of fun we had and the time we spent with family these last several days makes it especially hard to leave the state that has such a special place in our hearts.

It was a much-needed week of relaxation and solitude with no connection to the outside world. Staying up late and sleeping in. The days flew by.

The pace slows. We get caught up in the special moments, and time seems to stop.

The images imprinted during the week are priceless.

Now, it's back to the routine things, and I'm catching up on all of the news I missed while we were away. Homer Bailey pitched a no-hitter. The Celtics hired my doppelganger Brad Stevens, and it's the end of an era in Boston. And, tragically, 19 firefighters died in a fire fight in Arizona.

I've posted my reflections of Fun and Guster at Summerfest. Here's the story about the rest our travels ...

* * *

When we left for our vacation, Faye was still our baby, but we've returned with a full-fledged toddler who is walking and starting to build her vocabulary. The transformation began last Friday night, when we landed at my parents' place.

Faye had been pulling herself up, standing freely and climbing things for weeks, but she hadn't shown interest in taking any steps. Friday evening, however, I got her waddling while she held onto to me by one hand. I had a sense she was feeling stronger and more confident and said, "She's going to be walking tonight."

As we settled in and played with the girls, I stood Faye and slowly pulled away from her grip. She took a few tentative steps and eventually lunged for Kates sitting a few feet away from me. We did it again and again, and a few minutes later she was pushing herself up and walking on her own. It's one of the most amazing things to witness, and I was thankful my parents could be a part of it.

I was also thankful for another birthday cake. This time in the form of cupcakes. ...

* * *

We headed for The Farm Saturday afternoon. Kates and the girls fell fast asleep as we drove the hour north. As Phoebe's lullabies played on the iPod, I couldn't help but feel pride and total content as I looked at the girls sleeping in the rearview mirror.

As is tradition, we counted the eight barns from the interstate and pulled on to the gravel driveway of The Farm. The sun was bright. The air was breezy. As always, any cares we had were wiped away when we stepped from the car.

Phoebe went right for the porch and the vintage Fisher-Price toys. She had been looking forward to playing with those toys for days.

She also mined the video library for all of the Disney animated classics and stacked them up on the coffee table in a specific order she planned to watch them. First, all of the princess movies -- "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty," "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast," "Pochahontas." Then, the animal movies -- "101 Dalmatians," "The Fox and the Hound," "The Lion King."

Kates and I tried to launch our Harry Potter marathon, but only managed to watch three of the seven films. And I missed No. 2 Thursday night because I went to Summerfest.

* * *

Sunday we attended one of the country churches down the road and went to the park afterward. Phoebe played on the playground. ...

And Faye just enjoyed the breeze in between practicing her walking. ...

All week,
Faye fell asleep
nearly every time
we traveled
in the car. ...

Sunday night, we cooked burgers and hot dogs over a fire and s'mores, too.

* * *

Monday, we played outside. ...

Monday night, Great Grandma P joined us for dinner. And Faye figured out she could pass off her food to the dog.

* * *

Tuesday, we drove to Wisconsin Dells, met Jessi and her kids, and took a boat tour ...

Then, we went to the outdoors-iest McDonald's any of us had seen for lunch. ...Where Phoebe broke down upon learning the painful lesson that inserting a quarter and playing the claw game doesn't always result in a toy.

Tuesday afternoon, Phoebe explored the farm yard with Grandpa and played on a hay bale. 

That night, we watched "A Little Princess" with Phoebe. It was a little scary for her - with the mean house mother Mrs. Minch, the images of war and the missing father - but she said afterward she liked the movie.

* * *

After a low-key, lazy day Wednesday, Kates' parents took her out to a play at the American Players Theatre for an early birthday present. Her dad purchased the last three tickets for the show, so I stayed back at The Farm with the girls. I cleaned the kitchen after our supper and then drove the girls into town so Pheebs and I could get some dessert at Dairy Queen. After I put Faye to sleep, Phoebe and I stayed up watching "Pinnochio" until the others came back.

* * *

Thursday was the Fourth of July. While I got my Guster fix, Kates, her parents and the girls headed to Uncle Rod's and Aunt Helen's for a picnic.

* * *

Friday morning, I left Milwaukee to rejoin everyone at The Farm. As I parked the car in the driveway and stepped out, I could hear Phoebe's excited screams inside. "Daddy's here!" Then she burst out the door, running barefoot at full speed across the front lawn, and nearly tackled me with a hug. Best homecoming ever.

That morning, Grandpa had taught her how to bale hay.

Friday evening, Kates and her mother headed back to Wisconsin Dells for some shopping. In the meantime, Grandpa and I took the girls to the Dells for an outing of our own. We took them to Timbavati Wildlife Park.

First, Phoebe took her first-ever go-kart ride. She was vnervous going in, and it went well for a few laps. Until she turned too sharply, crashed her car into the side rail and got stuck, prompting the track attendant to bail her out. After that, she just wanted out of the car.

Next, we took a vintage train ride through the yard for up-close views of ostrich, zebras, kangaroos and camels. Halfway through the journey, the train stopped in front of a herd of deer -- and a yak -- as they grazed in the yard. We armed ourselves with some carrots prior to the train ride, and the deer wasted little time strolling up to our train cars for a snack. At one point, Phoebe had three deer stretching for the carrots in her lap.

Later, Grandpa S. and I convinced her to take a ride with me driving the car on the advanced course. She agreed to it and loved it, shouting at me to go faster as we cruised the curves and hills. Having Phoebe riding next to me and seeing the glee on her face was priceless.

* * *

Yesterday morning, we left The Farm and started the first leg of our return south. We ended up in Lombard, Ill., last night for a visit with our old friends Ray, Leah and Audrey.

Lombard was having a carnival. And the hot menu item was "The Heart Attack," a plate piled high with greasy homemade chips covered with melted cheese and bits of bacon. With Kates' and Leah's assistance, we devoured the whole thing.   

After eating, the girls rode the carousel ... 

And when we returned to the house, they rode the tire swing ...

It was a memorable vacation.

This day in sports

So Phoebe and I were sitting at the kitchen table this afternoon. I was browsing the web, and she was playing games on Kates' computer when I saw a tweet from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting Zack Greinke and Ron Roenicke were ejected in the first inning of this afternoon's Brewers game. ...

This conversation took place as a result. ...

Me: Wow!

Phoebe: What, Dad?

Me: The Brewers pitcher and manager were ejected in the first inning of their game today.

Phoebe: Why? Did they fall down or something? (Barely looking up from her game)

Me: No. I guess they were fighting with the umpire.

Phoebe: Why?

Me: I don’t know. I’m about to find out. (As I’m clicking on a link to the story.)

Phoebe: Do you want to turn it on and watch the show?

Me: No. I don’t think it’s on our TV right now.

Phoebe: Oh. Well, you want to turn on the show and watch it later?

Me: Yeah, I’ll probably watch the highlights later.

In other sports news, it makes me sick that Ray Allen is leaving the Celtics to join the Miami Heat. Ugh.

Celtics crush

My interest in the 2012 NBA season essentially ended with the Boston Celtics’ Game 7 loss last night.

I’m not a huge NBA fan, but I’ve really enjoyed watching the Boston Celtics the last five years. In fact, I can’t say I’ve admired a pro basketball team as much as I do the Celtics since my days of following the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls.

What’s not to love about that team? Starting with Paul Pierce, whom I have fond memories of dating back to his Kansas days. Steady and calm Ray Allen. The big man with a big heart Kevin Garnett. Flashy and fierce Rajon Rondo. And they’re led by one of the best active coaches in the NBA in Doc Rivers. I would All five could be hall of famers some day.

I’ll take them over the Miami Heat’s “not one, not two, not three …” arrogant Big Three any day. Although, I’ll admit I did enjoy watching Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers as valuable role players for the Heat throughout the series; I have fond memories of each of their college ball days, too, and how can I not root for Mario after his 2008 miracle.

Talk of the team breaking up during the offseason breaks my heart. Of course, the eternal optimist in me thinks there’s no way the Celtics brass or any one of the players could ruin such a great thing by leaving. I want to see the Big Three retire as Celtics.

I watched almost the entire Celtics-Heat series, taking in many of the games on the comfort of my beloved couch with little Faye in my arms. I kept saying it was too bad she mostly slept through such a great series.

When the Celtics took a riveting Game 4, the conference finals officially became a series. And when they stole Game 5 in Miami, I thought the Celtics had the series for the taking. I particulularly enjoyed the over-the-top cheerleader kid heard across the nation as the Heat headed to the locker room that night.

Then Lebron showed up to play and was unstoppable in Game 6. Game 7 appeared relatively safe in the Celtics hands or most of the game and an eight-point lead in the third quarter.

Then Miami, well, turned up the Heat. Chris Bosh came out of nowhere to start popping three-pointers. And the Celtics seemed to have lost all fight they had left.

Dang. It was fun while it lasted.

I hope Oklahoma City wins the title.

(Updated: 6.11.2012) Good reads ...
a Pierce makes pitch for KG
a Father Time runs out on Celtics in Miami
a James able to deliver from start to finish
a Celtics’ Rondo remains defiant
a Big calls to make on Three
a Work over, but already looking ahead

Sunday night sports

I was in sports heaven yesterday.

The Cubs were playing on WGN in the afternoon (They lost. That part wasn’t so heavenly). At night, the Brewers were playing the Cardinals on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, the Blackhawks were facing off against the Flyers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on NBC, and the Celtics and Lakers were battling in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on ABC. The stars were out.

Calling it something special was an understatement.

During the initial two hours of the night, I watched almost all of the Blackhawks game. I only caught pieces of the Celtics game -- mostly during the commercial breaks of the Hawks game. I watched nearly none of the Brewers-Cardinals game. I did see an Albert Pujols strikeout. I didn’t see Manny Para strike out four batters in one inning. I did see Parra walk the bases loaded before getting pulled in the sixth.

Even then, for the ones I wasn't watching on TV, I was following updates on them via Twitter.

Still, for all the love I give baseball -- and college basketball certainly is exciting, too -- I’m convinced no other sport can match the non-stop, heart-pounding intensity that an NHL playoff game, especially a Stanley Cup game, is capable of producing from the opening puck drop to the final second.

The Blackhawks came out with loads of energy, and it was gobs of fun to watch them bury three goals on the Flyers in that first period alone. I couldn’t get enough those first two periods.

In the most important hockey game played around these parts in about four decades, the Blackhawks put together one of their most inspired offensive efforts in roughly the same time frame. (The Chicago Tribune)

Later, I switched to the Celtics game -- just in time to see the Lakers seize their first lead early in the third quarter. Moments after that, I flipped back to the Blackhawks game -- just in time to see Dustin Byfuglien score the Hawks’ fifth goal and put them up 5-2 in the second period.

But by the third period of the hockey game and the fourth quarter of the basketball game, the basketball game took the edge with the Celtics and Lakers playing neck-in-neck. Ray Allen, it seemed, couldn't miss a shot.

It was a world title fight, as basketball audiences in 215 countries witnessed Allen’s televised masterwork. The game was broadcast in 41 languages, and you could all but imagine the superlatives tossed Allen’s way in every tongue from Togo to South Philly. (The Boston Globe)

With the Celtics-Lakers in a timeout, I flipped back to the hockey game just after the Hawks had gone up 6-3. Moments later, Simon Gagne hooked one into the goal to bring Philadelphia back within two, 6-4. Then, the Hawks really put it away with an empty netter, to make it 7-4 with just more than two minutes to go.

Back to the basketball game with 1:12 left. Nothing going.

Back to the hockey game for the final 45 seconds. At 9:52 p.m., the final horn sounded and the Blackhawks had won.

Back to the basketball game with 27 seconds left and the Celtics starting to pull away. At 9:58 p.m., the final horn sounded and the Celtics prevailed in what was a heavyweight fight.

Back to the Brewers-Cardinals game, where the Cardinals had just tied the score 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth … And I stuck with them as they headed into extra innings for the second consecutive day (I watched Saturday, too, when the Cardinals won on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th.)

At 10:46 p.m. the Brewers hung on and won the game in 10 innings.

Sheesh. What a night ... And I missed seeing Sandra kissing Scarlett at the MTV Movie Awards.

Sunday reading

We got more snow this weekend ...

At least a foot, I'd say, which is a few inches more than the meteorologist I talked to Friday night said we were going to get ... At the pace it was falling yesterday, it took me almost three hours to clean our driveway and sidewalks, and then shovel the driveway again when the plow came by and stuffed it closed. The piles of snow in some places are literally up to my eyeballs ...

Phoebe appears to be feeling much better. It's no wonder; she also appears to have handed off her cough and cold to Kates and I ...

Which is perfect considering it's supposed to get really cold this week ...

Some of the reads that caught my eyes recently ...

Sports ...
a Old guard squeezed in new market ... A new era is definitely taking hold ...
a A Really Big Deal ... You can't blame a guy for wanting to play for the Yankees. But the money involved here is just sick.
a Apples for a Nickel, and Plenty of Empty Seats
a Pursuit of glory is turning gory

Politics ...
a 'Virtual JFK: Vietnam if Kennedy Had Lived' -- archival bits and pieces forge a fantasy history
a The perils and joys of self-esteem ... From Garrison Keillor
a Palin Pummels the Press
a Sweet on Caroline
a Caroline Kennedy Is No Sarah Palin
a Let Roland Burris have the Senate seat and move on, already!

Media & the Internet ...
a Can America’s paper of record survive the death of newsprint? Can journalism? ... Ugh.
a For newspapers, time's the enemy
a Sunnier Times in New Mainstream Media ... Say what you want about Jay Mariotti, but his debut column for AOL brings up some great points ... Phil Rosenthal has more here.
a For BlackBerry, Obama’s Devotion Is Priceless
a Former Tribune photog gets White House post
a On the Net: 'Tis the season for year-end lists

TV ...
a Paving the way to 'Sesame Street' ... Who doesn't love "Sesame Street."

Music ...
a Katy Perry fills music’s quirky girl void

The Onion ...
a Terror Experts Warn Next 9/11 Could Fall On Different Date

Life & other stuff ...
a Ford's Theatre to Curtail Display of Lincoln Coat
a The Next Next Things ... Some pretty cool stuff to look forward to.
a Milky Way not such a lightweight; new study suggests it's 50 percent more massive than thought

Sunday reading

Some of the reading material that caught my attention during the last week ...

Sports...
a Once the Star, Now the Stand-In
a Five Cuts: The Phillies followed the modern era success formula ... I especially like/agree with Reason No. 2.
a Santo's act made for TV move ... Whaaaaaaa? Though it may not happen now after the Brewers announced this week Bob Brenly wasn't their man.
a After a Steep Fall, Leyritz Tries to Rebuild Life
a Pierce now belongs with the greatest

Entertainment ...
a Banks swings into stardom with 'W.,' 'Zack and Miri' ... I really like watching Elizabeth Banks
a King of the Slackers: It's a Full-Time Job ... A good read about Banks' "Zack and Miri"co-star, Seth Rogan. Man I wish I had extra time -- and money -- to see a movie in the theater ...
a Late-night laughs capture the online vote
a For Tracy Morgan, Every Day Is a Show
a David Archuleta's liner notes break the word count bank

Media & the Internet ...
a Christian Science Monitor: A paper without paper is still a paper ... It was the click made in newsrooms around the world this week when we learned CSM is going paperless.
a Meet Russert’s Replacement? Not Yet

Politics ...
a The next new chant: 'No we can't' ... A ha-larious, satirical scene that could play out in January. This one had me laughing out loud.
a Obama uses his TV time well
a Obama Is Up, and Fans Fear That Jinxes It
a Windy City whirlwind?
a Who’s the Question Mark? ... "Ever since Steve Schmidt became Mr. McCain’s campaign manager, the candidate has become a question mark."
a Paul Simon planted seeds of Obama surge
a Al Franken may face his toughest crowd in race for U.S. Senate
a What I Will Miss About President Bush ... Six writers reflect on what they have most admired about him.
a Northern Star Rising ... Sarah Palin's not going away.
a Palin's prank call from fake French president

Life & other stuff ...
a Mattel is now worth more than GM. Got an old Beach Bomb VW model in the attic? You're rich!

Celtic pride

... I just finished watching the Celtics finish off the Lakers for the NBA title. Though it wasn't so much a finishing-off as it was a flat-out trashing.

131-92. Sheesh.

Great series. So glad to see my Kansas boy Paul Pierce get his title and win the MVP. And Kevin Garnett finally gets his title too ...

So now Boston has the World Champion Red Sox and the World Champion Celtics. If only the Patriots had won the Super Bowl ...

Good reads (Updated 6.19.08) ...
a A championship unlike any other
a Green envy: Celtics polish off Lakers for 17th NBA crown

History in the making

I watched Game One of the NBA Finals last night...

Celtics-Lakers, baby. Amazing. ... It's probably the first NBA game I've watched since Michael Jordan was in a Bulls uniform. I'm totally going to soak this one up and root for the Paul Pierce and the Celtics.

The TV ratings have got to be going through the roof for this series ...

* * *

... Watched Randy Johnson break No. 2 on the all-time strikeout list against the Brewers the other night. That was pretty cool ... Even cooler was seeing the Brewers pitcher get two hits off of him.

... The Cubs are looking -- dare I say it ... Like a good Cubs fans, I've faithfully stayed up late to watch their games on the west coast this week.

Until the Padres finally put 'em down on Wednesday night, the Cubs had won nine in a row -- and eight straight were stellar come-from-behind wins. My favorite of the week: Zambrano's performance on both sides of the ball on Monday night.

And there was this from the Chicago Tribune:

Seldom has a Cubs team been linked to so many of its predecessors as the 2008 edition has been during the first two months of the season.

Every day seems to bring about a new history lesson.Consider that the Cubs on Tuesday night were off to their best start since 1977, even before Geovany Soto, Mark DeRosa and Alfonso Soriano homered in a 9-6 win over the Padres at Petco Park.

They've won nine straight for the first time since 2001, and entered June with the best record in baseball for the first time since 1908. They finished their first 7-0 homestand since 1970, and they've led in 25 consecutive games for the first time since 1935.

* * *

Barack Obama finally clinched the Democratic nomination. Thankfully ... I'm fully in his camp now and hoping the Hillary supporters will do the same for the sake of the party ...

Admittedly, our support was strong for Clinton when she swung through these parts over the winter, but it seemed to go totally down hill from there. And for the last couple months I didn't know what to think about her; watching her hang on to her campaign for dear life was woeful. But then again, I can understand and respect her reasons for not quitting ...

* * *

Speaking of Obama ... We got word this week that Chicago is still in the running for the 2016 Olympics. Sweet!

And how sweet would it be if Obama gets in the White House to give us a little pull?

It's not like we haven't been thinking about it already. We were already dreaming of it last year.

* * *

... I got two more Mountain Dews in one of my trips to the office soda machine this week ... I really should go to Vegas.