Wonderful Saturday

It started this morning with a cup of coffee and some blogging and blog watching. You might want to catch The Zoe and Addy Show here. Or check out new posts of the French Grandchild here. Then it was off to the tennis courts for an appintment with Kayla and Kenna to sharpen our game.

It took a while to return to the form blog readers are used to seeing......and as for the sweats.....necessary for the cold windy conditions. Beth.....you'll just have to wait till summer for those shirtless shots!

.....the girls await the POWER serve......

.......Kayla, a Newark Wildcat tennis team stand out, shows the form that will one day have her competing at Wimbleton. After this I proceded to the YMCA for h head to head raquetball match with 48 year old former three sport athlete Kelly Walker. I'll leave the results to your imagination but suffice to say it netted me a delicious lunch at Ruby Tuesdays!

There is One Among Us Bloggers Who Has Taken This A Level Up!

Enjoying blogging and enjoying other's blogs as I do I have to give props to one among us who has taken his (their) blog to the next level and from whom we can all learn....IT IS THE GRAND CADPOOHBAH HIMSELF, Chris Lindner! That's him on the upper row left in this family photo taken this week on their spring break family getaway. I spent a while with him and his family this Saturday morning in South Carolina around a campfire, with he and his daughter, Jesse, taking pictures of the sunrise and squirrels and right here in this log cabin with his family..............ALL AT MY HOME COMPUTER!....and didn't spend a lot for gas!

I met Chris years ago when I spoke at a Church group in Fork, Maryland. He was about 16. We became close friends and have remained so these years. We talk a couple of times a week as we adventure life together.
Recently he started a blog called Ohio Hiker..A Journal Journey.

He has an amazing blog format with links to albums and maps of where his photos have been taken. I intend to enhance my/our blog using some of his ideas and techniques. You might wnat to check it out here. (I just had to do that Chris since you are the one who taught me how to link people to other sites!)

I also intend to join him and his family on more hikes. I know a bald eagle's nest they'd like to see and I know a place called Mohican State Park where Pat and I intend to invite he and other friend families to join our family around a campfire and drink coffee and tell stories and enjoy each other in a setting God created just for such things as that! Just know that you are ALL welcome dear friends!

Spring Morning Bald Eagle's Nest Visit

Pat and I took advantage of the 50 degree weather this morning to pay a visit to the eagle's nest near the #668 bridge. The last time I was here one of them was working hard to break branches and put them in the nest.

This morning the female was ON the nest. Here you can just see the white head peaking above the lip of the nest.

Pictures are from hundreds of yards away but if you blow this up you can see the profile 2/3 to the right side of the nest.

.......and here looking straight at me. We expect to make weekly visits to catch glimpses of our National Bird just down the road.

Sales Partners Event

I had the priviledge of helping the Green family and Scott Young put on an event at the Capital Theater in downtown Columbus yesterday. The sign above was on a giant electronic billboard that overlooks the Columbus State House square.

My job among other things was to put together the audio/visuals and coordinate the speakers, videos, powerpoints and sound for the evening. This shot was of the venue before things started.

Hanging Out With Buckeye Legends...

Craig Krenzel, OSU quarterback who took the buckeyes to an undefeated season and national championship in 2002 was a featured speaker...

............we listened to stories while he signed footballs for the event sponsors......

.......he brought a couple of buddies, Brandon Joe and Maurice Hall.....both former Buckeye greats.

..........and James Cotton.......former Buckeye and Chicago Bears defensive end.

It's great when some of us retired athletes can just hang out and share stories of our rich athletic pasts!

Preserving the Past...Looking to the Future...

We had 20 peopple attend Saturday's LV Heritage Society meeting. The group is moving along in cooperation with Licking Valley Schools to open a Heritage Learning Center in the next year. We are pursuing grants and making plans. Saturday's speaker was John Allee, local photographer, historian and ....as it turned out....humorist!

His topic: Life on Chickenville Hill! John and his wife Judith live in a house built in 1820 along what was then a main road from Zanesville to Newark. His house was a stage coach stop.

He did a wonderful job of mixing history and humor to bring it alive.

I found it interesting to walk out the door of a History meeting at Licking Valley Library to find this parked outside............

..........it too will be a historic artifact someday!

The 2008 Alumni Tournament

Mark McCullough with his 1987 form.........

.........Wes with a driving layup......

..........and foul shooting form.......

............and the "boys"....... a little confused about "V" for victory or #1 ...... reign victorious.

Pat and I Visit the 2008 Alumni Tournament

......on our way in we run into Kevin "HoHo" Montgomery.....

..........the class of 87 prepare for combat.........with Wes Miller at the helm.

.......spouse and daughter of one of the class of "87"

...........the class of "75" and earlier........all of whom I'd coached in days gone by.......the two in the middle in the 8th grade!

Water, Water Everywhere....

.......on Sleepy Hollow Road........

.......along the Licking River........

..........along Staddens Bridge........

.........................Up to the door of the Basket........(OK...maybe not to the door!)

.......BUT NOT A DROP IN OUR BASEMENT THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF MY SON WES AND MY YOUTH LEADER DAY FRIENDS......who helped me install perforated drain and gravel at the base of the North foundation of the house. THANKS GUYS!!

"The Big Hunt"

Saturday I helped conduct a community Egg Hunt at Real Life church in East Newark. So many kids......so many smiles.....so much activity..........SO MANY EGGS!

Two "egg hunters" I was especially happy to see on the scene were Avery, daughter of Casey and Autumn Williams.......

.........and Audrey, daughter of Shane and Beth (Anders) Adkins........ I share these particular shots so my own "kids" in far away places can see the kids of their friends!

................some eggs were just not that easy to find!!

A Boy And His Dad...(in-law) Watch Newark Win

.......the boy (Newark Class of 63).....

........and his Father-in-law (Newark Class of 38) spent our time together this evening in front of Dad's TV watching the Newark Wildcats trying to win their first State Championship in 65 years! Instead of going to Columbus as I have for the last three tournament games I pulled up a seat with Pat's dad in his living room. The game was HUGE and totally exciteing. We clapped and talked and phoned friends at the Shott where the game was being played................ AND THE RESULTS.........

............Greg Avery scored a career high 33 points and the cats went on to win 65 to 52! But I got so much more than the satisfaction of watching an amazing performance. I found out that Dad was present at the 1936 and 1938 State Championship games played at the Columbus Fairground Coliseum and won by Newark......HE PLAYED TRUMPET IN THE NEWARK BAND!! He described the star player, Jabbo Giles, who's ability to jump coupled with the fact that in those days you had a jump ball after every made basket....... accounted for the Cat's rise to win the State Championship. How the game has changed! He missed the 1943 State Championship because he was undergoing pilot training during WWII.

SO WHAT STUFF REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE??? I realized tonight afresh how important family is.....and being together is.....and enjoying life is........ and enjoying life together with family is!!

Go Wildcats....GO!