Where to begin?  I suppose that the easiest thing to do would be to start at the beginning.  Several months ago, we were all asked if we’d like to go to Disney World.  Those of you who know my family know of my time spent working for the mouse as well as many trips taken to the World by Boss and me as kids.  We’ve even taken our small crew a couple of times, so there was no real burning desire to return.  My mom, however, has been planning this trip at least since Ethel was born, possibly longer.  We could stall no longer.  With a full tank of gas, a full trunk, and a hopeful spirit we left on Friday the 21st of November for the happiest place on earth.

Our travels on Friday through the “great” state of South Carolina were uneventful and that evening we called it a day in Kingsland, Georgia.  On the road bright and early and dealing with two wrecks on I-4 we finally made it to the hotel around 11:30 or so on Saturday.  This time, our family decided to splurge and stay at the Beach Club Resort near EPCOT.  I was looking forward to this as I’ve never stayed in a deluxe category hotel on property before.  We settled in, explored our environs, and then got ready for dinner.  We were hoping to use the pool, but the weather today was not lending itself for such endeavors.  I had made reservations for the girls and my parents at the Beaches and Cream Soda Shop for dinner- so at this point I can’t weigh in on what they did. As for the boss and myself, we headed towards the Contemporary Resort.  We went up to the top and had drinks at the California Grill and took in the sights before heading to dinner at Narcoosee’s located in the Grand Floridian.

Again, this was a first as I have never eaten in a signature restaurant here at Disney World.  The meal was quite tasty.  The chef came out to the table and I was provided a special menu highlighting items that were of no risk to me.  I had the first order of fried calamari I have had in two years and they were great.  They were breaded in corn meal and the kitchen uses a dedicated fryer so no cross-contaminiation issues.  The boss had the PEI Mussels and they too were fantastic.  One of the highlights was the gluten free bread they brought out.  Refills of this bread were definitely required.  My main dish was a local fish over a root-vegetable base.  Oh, my.  That means it was was real good.  The boss had a shrimp dish with brown rice pasta.  Also, tasty.  For dessert, I went with the chocolate coconut creme brûlée.  It had the taste and the consistency of a melted mounds bar and was a fantastic way to end the meal.  Our service was wonderful, the food and wine great, and our view of the castle changing colors in the night was magical (did I say that?).

I woke up on Sunday the 23rd a tad on the excited side.  See, it’s my birthday-hence the title for this entry.  Not only a nod to my birthday but to the old song that brought you home on Spaceship Earth.  The song is now relegated to history and memories.  Fortunately, I am very much alive!  We had made plans to spend our morning in the Animal Kingdom and I had made breakfast reservations for 8:10 at the Tusker House Restaurant.  The plan was to eat and try to ride the safari before the park got too crowded.  Last week, Disney backed up the opening hour to 8 and added an extra magic hour.  For us that meant the park opened at 7.  So, at 6:30 we were on the bus heading that way.  At 7 we were through the turnstiles heading towards Expedition Everest.  Ethel had a little apprehension about the ride, but about 10 seconds in she was proclaiming loudly that “this is awesome!”  By the time we exited we took our time walking through a fairly empty park to our breakfast.  Again, the chef came out and walked me around high-lighting items I could eat.  I am pleased to report that no sickness is to be reported.  Our service was suspect however.  A few hours later I went back to mention this, just because as a former cast member I have certain expectations.  I explained my concerns to him, told him I didn’t want anything for this, but still got a fast-pass for the family.  We used it on everest later and considered it a bonus.  After breakfast we rode the safari and saw tons of animals, took in the lion king show, and before leaving the park rode the rapids.  My mom and the boss bore the brunt of this ride and got soaked.  The rest of us were either damp or completely dry.

At this point it was time to head back and take a rest.  All of us managed to get an hour or so of rest and then we had birthday cake, I got some presents, and when we returned from the park there were balloons and a mickey waiting for me.  My whole family worked hard to make my birthday special and for that I am grateful.  Our evening plans took us to EPCOT.  One of the great benefits of staying at this location is we are able to walk to EPCOT in about 5 minutes.  We entered at the International Gateway and were greeted by the sounds of the British Revolution playing some tunes.  We stopped and I listened for a bit and then we walked towards The Land to use our Soarin’ fast-pass.  Before this, we rode Living with the Land to learn about food production-again.  Sadly, the “Listen to the Land” song is also long gone.  The stand-by line for Soarin’ was 90 minutes and I am glad we didn’t have to wait.  It is a neat ride, but not worth that time investment in my opinion.  From there we went to The Seas and rode The Seas with Nemo before taking in Turtle Talk with Crush.  Spaceship Earth was next.  I miss the old narration with Walter Cronkite and the song.  This is truly not the Disney of my youth.  As our evening was drawing to a close, we hit a few countries on the way out.  We rode the ride in Mexico (and had a margarita), stopped for shave ice in Japan, and grabbed some pastries in France for the morning.  All in all, not a bad way to spend a birthday.

A few observations about my time here so far…

1.  Thank you Georgia and Florida for recognizing that there is heavy traffic on I-95 and creating roads to handle it.  North Carolina and South Carolina-wake up.

2.  Traffic in Orlando, particularly near the attractions is atrocious.

3.  Deluxe resorts are nice.

4.  Narcoosee’s is good.

5.  The Animal Kingdom is rapidly becoming my favorite park.

6.  You gotta fight to get your gluten-free on-sometimes.

Photos to come…

16 hours in a car gives one lots of time to think especially if you’re the driver.  Our little family had to take an unexpected trip to the Bluegrass State this week to say farewell to the boss’s grandfather.  While his passing was not unexpected, the sense of finality that comes with that phone call is jarring and even harder to explain to your children.  We left Raleigh on Tuesday and arrived in Lexington on Wednesday morning.  Boompa’s first words to me, many years ago, were “Welcome to the Bluegrass”.  I wouldn’t hear those again.  For this trip, my role in the days to come was to be a taxi service for children and any family member that might need transport anywhere in town.  I realize that this might not sound like a huge contribution to make, but if you have ever driven in Lexington, you’ll realize that this is the equivalent of attempting to drive from North Carolina to England.  In fact, that might be easier and less time consuming than traversing 5 miles on Man O’ War Blvd.  Also, I was asked to serve as a pall bearer which is an important task and honestly maybe the one thing I ever did for a man that did so much for so many.

In full disclosure, I have never been keen on all of my trips to Lexington and there were lots of them over the past 18 years.  I balked over the drive, I didn’t like staying in a home where the temperature never dropped below 90, the gray skies were depressing, and in case I forgot- I didn’t like the drive.  What I did recognize, particularly after having children, was how important to the boss it was to go visit her Boompa and the rest of the clan.  While there lots of things I didn’t really like about going, seeing her family was not one of those things.  They are good people, even though they think that Kentucky basketball is on plane high above my beloved Tar Heels.  I have found that this is a subject best not discussed.  Each trip allowed the boss to spend time at the kitchen table talking with her grandfather about so many things.  Often, my mother-in-law (Mother Superior) would be there, in addition to any number of other grandchildren, and Lucy was there too.  They asked him questions about his homeplace, the war, whatever.  Nothing seemed to obscure to ask.  Once he had had enough though, he’d go take a nap.  I never went in there and listened.  I should have.

On this trip the first time we saw everyone was at the visitation on Wednesday night.  It went as those things do and then the family gathered back at the hotel for a bit of storytelling.  Thursday was the funeral.  We met back up at the funeral home around 10 for one last viewing of the body.  I think I spent more time this trip looking at Boompa that I have looked at him combined over the years.  I think it is because he couldn’t stare back.  When he looked at me, it was like Mother Superior staring at me.  It frightens me.  I was there when Lucy touched his hand one last time.  And then it was time for the service.  The boss’s uncle told tales of his dad and spoke for the children.  Mother Superior talked of his love and pride in his grandchildren.  This time, I listened.  One final car ride (police escort=no traffic) through Lexington and we said goodbye.  The family gathered back at our hotel where more stories were told, and even though many were repeats, they are still good.  We laughed for hours until it was time for bed.

Back to the drive home.  I’m glad I listened at the funeral.  The thought that kept popping in my head was the realization of how many things had to happen for me to be in that car on that day.  Boompa had to be encouraged to leave the hills of Kentucky as a boy of 14, alone, to start a new life at Berea.  He had to survive World War II, earning 6 Bronze Stars along the way.  He had to survive malaria.  He married, he had kids-one of whom moved to North Carolina and met a guy who had a father who also survived the War.  They had to have a kid and move to Sanford for me to meet as a 9th grader.  I had to have grandparents who survived concentration camps in Europe and then at the last second receive permission to immigrate to the US.  All of these things and more for me to be there.  Boompa touched thousands in a life begun in such humble surroundings.  But listening and thinking as I did this time, being humble seemed to be his way.  He never bragged about his war record, his unimaginable bravery, or Kentucky basketball.

His pride was in his grandchildren and, as Mother Superior noted, how all of them are helping others.  He would want it that way I think.  I thought on the ride home how I should have gone into that kitchen either at Winn Way or on Tishoff more often.  Or at all.  I missed a good chance to learn lots of things from a man who was of a different time and place.  Sadly, we are losing people like him too often these days.  While I can’t ever be back there and hear those stories, I am glad the boss and our kids did hear them.  I don’t have any pearls of wisdom that he imparted on me to conclude, I just have the emptiness of knowing I didn’t try hard enough to listen.

Those of you who know me are familiar with my fervent dislike for cold weather.  I can’t stand it.  To me, the perfect day involves an ocean, some tasty beverages, and warm breezes.  What we have gone through around here lately is the exact opposite of that.  With that said, there is something to having a snow day.  I remember being a kid and longing for those days when I could stay home from school and play in the snow.  I never seemed to pick up on the fact that those weren’t free days, we would have to eventually make them up.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to associate snow days with inconvenience and hassles.  Of course all of that was before my children were old enough to have that same excitement that I had so long ago.  When Lucy was born 11 years ago, the area was hit by a snowstorm that day that kept our visitors to a minimum.  Fast forward a few years and now we have two girls who leap with joy at the mention of snow.  On Tuesday of this week they couldn’t wait for the snow to fall and come Wednesday they were chomping at the bit to head outside and enjoy the snow.  They dressed for the weather and headed out.  My role was simple: stay home and be ready with the hot chocolate.  Being equal to the task I was on the spot when they came back in-cold, but happy.

After making homemade pizzas and relaxing by the fire, the tired girls hit the sack.  As an adult, I wish that I still had the feeling of wonder that a snow day brings.  I’ll be sure to remind them on their makeup days of the fun they had.  Looking back, I do have fond memories of snow days.  I guess enjoying the snow occasionally is much needed rite of passage for all children.  Maybe my kids will be able to look back and remember the fun of sleeping in, riding the new sled, and coming in to a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

Those of you who know me know that I am a fairly competitive person.  It really doesn’t matter what I’m doing, I want to win or be the best.  Just this weekend we had some folks over and one of our guests and Lucy were playing “Just Dance 4”.  I decided that not only should I play (without the remote), I should sell the dance moves.  This need to win goes back to my childhood.  Playing baseball was when I was at my most intense.  The way I played second base, you’d have thought it was game 7 of the World Series.  I remained this way, though time has made me a bit less fiery.  The boss is the same way.  She is just as competitive as I am and some of our most trying times centered around us trying to one up each other in the classroom.  And now, we watch our kids play.

I am not sure which is the more cardiac arrest inducing activity.  Is it harder to stand at home with a 3-2 count and the game on the line or is it harder to watch your child take the block at a swim meet, or race down midfield with a scoring opportunity?  Following all of my friends on social media it is clear that we are actively engaged in our kids’ events.  What is your take on this?  I assist with the coaching of Ethel’s soccer team and I really have to keep my competitive streak in check.  I have to remind myself that these are children playing a game.  Before the little ones take the field, I tell them to “play hard, play smart, and have fun”.  Sometimes I think the parents should hear that as well.  I suppose that I have two goals (other than winning) when they compete: that they not get hurt and that they do their best.  But as a parent I want them to not only do their best, I want them to succeed.  In the end, this is what I think we all want for our children-success.

It is hard watching your children on their own or with their team engaging in an activity that you, as a parent, can in no way influence.  I am sure that my parents experienced the same thing 30 years ago.  Its clear that they haven’t yet turned it off.  Will my girls be athletic powerhouses?  I doubt it.  But what I hope is that they understand that the thrill of success doesn’t only have to be found on a sports field in front of a crowd.  Success can be felt by understanding a difficult school topic or finally getting that one note right on that song.  Regardless of where the success occurs, the smile on their face is worth the agony.  That is when you truly feel your heart skip a beat.

It always seemed like summer went by so slowly when I was a kid.  School would get out and we settle into a pattern of baseball games, a trip to the beach or two, maybe a big trip to Disney World, and figuring out ways to pass the time.  As an only child, I got quite good at throwing a ball against the side of the shop and doing what I thought were awesome tricks on my Haro bicycle.  In actuality, I was pretty terrible at the bike tricks, but in my head I was the raddest guy around.  I also remember when the Disney Channel would show classic Disney cartoons and classic live-action movies.  The magazine for the channel would come and it had the schedule in it and I would look through to find out when things like The Parent Trap or The Apple Dumpling Gang would be on.  Now, I feel like I have to monitor what the girls watch on Disney…As I got older, summers started to go a bit faster.  Eventually, I had to get a job and that made summer speed up even more.  Still, though, the days were good and I thought it would always be that way.  I never believed the adults who said to enjoy the time because it goes faster the older you get.

I find myself telling Lucy and Ethel the same thing now.  They complain about camp, about being bored, and about going to the pool (among other things).   And I say,”Enjoy it, it’ll be over before you know it and you’ll be back in school.”   When did I become my dad?  It is nice that school has started back and we can settle into our school-year routines.  But Summer, where did you go and why did you go so fast?  I feel like I blinked and it was gone.  Honestly, though, I feel that way about the girls’ entire childhood to this point.  Summer started strong.  I got to go to Chicago for the first time and I loved it.  Catching a Cubs game at Wrigley was cool, we ate well, and the lakefront was gorgeous.  We spent lots of time at the pool.  Yes, we were there for swim practices and meets.  We were also there enjoying our friends and listening to live bands.  We took at spur-of-the-moment trip to Myrtle Beach for the 4th of July.  What possessed me to play chicken in the ocean with Lucy on my shoulders, I’ll never know.  But they are finally no longer sore and she had a blast.  Watching the fireworks from the balcony was cool.  Lucy went to girl scout camp during the hottest week of the summer, but she survived.  And of course, in August, there was Hawaii.  And then, done.

I am having the realization that I have fewer summers with Lucy at home ahead of us than we do behind.  I guess that is the whole point.  When you are a kid, that one day is all that matters.  When you are a parent, you understand a bit better that time is finite.  Because of that we work, we plan, and we hope that we are giving our kids good experiences.  There are no do-overs for those summer days.  Lucy has begun her last year of elementary school.  Ethel is in second grade.  Too soon, they’ll be gone and all I’ll be able to say will be “man, that was fast.”