Happy Holidays!

My wife charges that I am a Scrooge this time of year.  After rereading that sentence, I realize that some would say “why is this time of year different than other times…you are a curmudgeon most of the time.”   CURMUDGEON: a person (especially an old man) who is easily annoyed or angered and who often complains.

So, while I can’t do much about the “old man” part, I certainly try not to be easily annoyed or angered and I really don’t complain a whole lot.  But, granted, historically, this has not been my favorite time of year.

It wasn’t always like that though.  But, most of my business career was as a retailer – more specifically, toy retailing and then sporting goods retailing.  Is it any wonder that I was super stressed this time of year?  About half of my yearly business took place during the Holiday Season…these 4 or 5 weeks either made me a hero or caused me serious trouble.  Ah, but I really don’t have to worry about Christmas sales any longer.  As a retailer, my favorite old joke about Christmas was this:

The third grade class came back to school after Christmas break and the teacher asked each child to get up and tell what they did on Christmas Day.  First up was Sally Johnson: “Well, teacher, we are Presbyterian.  On Christmas morning we got up very early, ran downstairs and saw that Santa had visited.  We opened all of our presents, ate a big breakfast and then climbed into the car to go to church.  Once there, we sang Oh How I Love Thee Jesus.”  Next to speak was little Joseph Murphy:  “ We are Catholic and on Christmas morning we got up very early, got dressed and piled into the car to go to early Christmas Mass.  At Mass, we sing Oh How We Love Thee Jesus and then hurried home to eat a big Christmas breakfast and open all of the presents that Santa had brought.”  Finally it was Abie Goldberg’s turn to speak:  “We are Jewish.  On Christmas morning we all slept in and once we finally awoke, we had a big brunch and then piled into the car to go downtown to Grandpa’s Toy Store.  Once there, we walked up and down the aisles looking at the empty shelves and sang Oh How We Love Thee Jesus.”

My earliest memories of The Holiday Season were ones of slight confusion.  I knew we were Jewish and celebrated Chanukah during that time of year.  We did not have a Christmas tree nor did we hang any Christmas lights.  My Dad even did the shtick about Santa landing on the wrong house every year.  But somehow, when we woke on Christmas morning there were always a few presents displayed around the living room.  Looking back, I guess my Mom just loved the magic of the year, and didn’t want her little ones left out, but it was always kind of confusing to me.  So, that’s why we never did anything like that with our kids.  As a matter of fact, I picked up my Dad’s shtick and it has become expected of me every year:

Sometimes in the early part of Christmas Eve, when the family is all gathered, I jump up out of my chair and ask:  “did you hear that noise?  Sounds like something on the roof.”  I fling open the front door, run out into the yard and look up at our roof and exclaim:  “I don’t care who you are, get those damn reindeer off my roof.  You want the family next door.”  When our kids were very young, they would get a wide-eyed expression on their face…but, alas, when they got outside, Santa would have already left. 

I once wondered if our kids would understand why other kids had Christmas and they didn’t, until I overheard 3-year-old Lisa tell her friend: “ Santa doesn’t come to my house because we are Chanukah, not Christmas!” 

Actually, (shhh…don’t tell anybody), I now enjoy this time of year.  Things seem to slow down just a little bit in December, it is nice to spend time with friends, plenty of football is on and for the last 13 years, I have run a little College Football Bowl Pool.  This year we have 103 participants and give part of the proceeds to a charitable foundation of which I am quite fond! 

However, since we live in South Florida, we have to contend with the yearly influx of Seasonal Residents (Snowbirds and Snowflakes).  Roads are clogged, restaurants are difficult to get in to and many part timers really are curmudgeons!  But, I guess that is the price we pay for living in paradise.

Wishing all of our friends and family a Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Peaceful Kwanza and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

And The Journey continues...................

It's NOT about the economy, Stupid!

Although followers of Pop Music are singing that “It’s all about the Bass,” for many years we have been told that “It’s all about the economy, stupid!”  Based on this week’s election results, that is NOT true any longer.

The repudiation of our President and his administration cannot possibly be about the economy.  

When the Bush Presidency ended, the stock market had just crashed, the auto industry was destroyed, the real estate market was destroyed, most homeowner’s home equity was destroyed, the banking system was destroyed, unemployment was on its way to 10%, a $7 trillion Iraq war was in full force, crude oil had gone from $25 to $138 per barrel and Insurance costs for EVERYONE had doubled from 2001-2008.  Additionally, President Bush had turned a budget surplus into serious deficits and took us into a recession.

So, what has happened since then?  The Dow has risen over 200% from 7949 to over 17,000.  The Standard and Poor has risen over 250%, GDP growth has gone from -5.3% to +4.2%, unemployment has fallen to around 6% and the deficit as a % of GDP has decreased over 70% from 9.8% to 2.9%, ands gas prices have even fallen below $3 per gallon!  BUT, the Republican have been voted into control of our Congress!  IT’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

Senate Republicans have blocked every jobs bill proposed, a minimum wage increase, tax cuts for the middle class, student loan relief, bring jobs home act, equal pay for women, getting big money out of politics and even the violence against women act.  The National GOP agenda includes tax breaks for the rich and large corporations, cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Education, denial of the reality of climate change, support for Citizens United and the ability of the Koch Brothers and other billionaires to buy elections and unnecessary increased military spending.  But, the Republicans have regained control of OUR Congress.  It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

My Republican friends talk about the welfare state and the takers in our country.  Hmmm, who are the REAL takers?  Many corporations in our industrial-military complex that pay ZERO income taxes?  The oil companies that we pay billions of dollars of tax breaks? Or the over 3000 tax filers making over $2.2 million that pay zero taxes or the 24,000 tax filers making between $533,000 and $2.2 million that pay zero taxes. Or even the 78,000 tax filers making between $211,000 and $533,000 that pay ZERO taxes?   It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

Do you want to go back to where we were before Obama was elected President?  GREAT…let’s increase unemployment by 1/3, triple the deficit, slash stock prices by more than half, take away health care from millions (including me) that didn’t have insurance and roll back 50 straight months of private sector job growth.  Now are you happy?  It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

In 2014, the 2^nd quarter GDP was at 4.6% and the 3^rd quarter was at 3.5%, giving us the strongest 6-month growth period in over 10 years.  According to the New York Times, based on current projections, the average DEFICIT through President Obama’s 2^nd term will be smaller that it was through Saint Reagan’s 2^nd term.  Incidentally, Reagan tripled the deficit and got 18 clean debt ceiling increases…Obama cuts the deficit in half and gets compared to Hitler along with government shutdowns.  It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

The Republicans and FOX News (one and the same) keep telling us that Obamacare cut $716 from Medicare.  The TRUTH is that The Affordable Care Act EXTENDED Medicare’s solvency by 4 years by trimming $716 billion in wasteful payments to hospitals and insurers, NOT Beneficiaries!  But, then again, Mr. Boehner and his cohorts continue to waste MY tax dollars by holding multiple votes on repealing the ACA and by trying to sue The President although the first 2 law firms they have hired have quit because the lawsuit is so extremely frivolous.  Interesting to note that in those states that have created state exchanges, the cost of Health care has decreased for most.  In states, such as Florida, where our crooked Governor refuses to create an exchange, costs continue to go up…because, that way, our Governor can reward the insurance companies that have given him millions of dollars to get reelected.   It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

I know it is very confusing to my friends that tell me that they are “fiscal Conservatives, but Liberal on Social Issues.” when I point out facts, rather than Republican talking points.  I am not sure exactly what they hope the Republicans will do.  Trickle down economics (or as President Bush, the elder, called it…Voodoo Economics) has never worked, and will never work.  Nobody has ever been able to cite a single reference where trickle down theory has worked.  Our middle class is suffering and without a strong middle class, we are doomed to failure.   It about job creation and a resulting strong middle class …The Republicans have exactly NO plans to make that happen.  By the way, how come Congress gets a Cost of Living increase in pay each year, but the Minimum Wage has not moved in many years?  November 4, 2014 will go down in history as the day that the Koch Brothers and The Walton Family successfully spent hundreds of million of dollars to BUY our Senate, giving them FULL control of Congress.  And THAT further weakens the middle class and decimates the working poor in our Country. It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

If it’s NOT about the economy, then what is it about?  Immigration reform?  Maybe, but the Republicans refuse to put forth a plan.  National Security?  Maybe, but it was under a Republican President that we were attacked on 9/11.  Leadership?  Possibly, because OUR President has not been able to get Congress to work with him on ANYTHING.  Our support of Israel?  This seems to be a major issue among many of my friends, but no matter who the President is, we will ALWAYS support our only true friend in the Middle East.  Is it Social Issues such as a woman’s right to choose, equal pay for women, education spending, Equal rights for LGBT, decriminalization of Marijuana, right to die?  Is it about global warming, the global financial crisis, handling of the Ebola crisis, ISIS and other global concerns?  If so, where are the Republicans plans on those subjects?  Its okay to criticize, but show me your alternative plans!  One thing I am certain about, is that It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!

Fear and Hate are terrible things and have no place in our National discourse.  In a recent poll, one-third of Louisiana Republicans blame President Obama for the government’s disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina, which took place under President Bush.  This is indicative of the vitriol that is spewed and encouraged by Fox News, the Tea Party, The Koch Brothers and their ilk.  One can disagree with the policies of OUR President…after all, our Country is founded on the principal of Free Speech and independent thought…but the resulting fear and hate is uncalled for.  I am appalled at the level of hate that I read daily.  I have a real hard time understanding how these people’s HATE for Obama and the Democratic agenda is based on facts and logic. 

AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES………..

Role Models? Heroes? Nope...Just Self Indulgent Jerks

Where have all the heroes gone?  What has happened to role models?

I love sports. College, Pro, even High School and Little League. 

But I am finally disgusted...and I can't stay quiet any longer. As a matter of fact, I am disgusted with athletes in general...football players, baseball players, college players, pro players and even golfers, soccer stars and other assorted athletes.  And it doesn't stop there.....parents of kids playing sports can be some of the biggest jerks around.  Do they not realize that with stardom comes responsibility?  The sense of entitlement that imbues all of these people is an epidemic in itself.

It is not bad enough that the news is inundated with stories from the NFL and Major League Baseball about murder, domestic violence, child abuse, steroid and HGH usage. But then we get stories of college players who have been arrested for rape, assault, DUI's, shoplifting, car theft and other assorted crimes.  And Heisman Trophy winners that continue to embarrass themselves, their schools and everyone around them...yes, I am talking about you Jamies Winston, and you, Johnny Football.   And let's not forget the parents of the Little Leaguers...in Texas this week, a father pulled out his gun on a pee wee football coach because the father's little darling was not getting enough playing time.  Great lesson you are teaching Junior, Dad!

I am generally not a big fan of Steve Spurrier's, but this week he was asked about the domestic violence cases that have dominated the headlines.  His response was that there is absolutely no excuse for a man to hit a woman....doesn't matter what precipitated the violence and doesn't deserve any sort of judicial review.  On his teams, if a man hits a woman, then they are finished...no excuses, no review.  In fact, he has dismissed 2 players for exactly that during his years of coaching. You have to respect that.  But, what has happened to morality throughout the coaching and administrative positions in sports?  It has disappeared.  I want to believe that there are still some coaches or school administrators that would have already gotten rid of Mr. Winston.  Let's see:  Accused of rape and sexual assault (swept under the rug by the police), stealing from a Burger King, stealing from a Publix, and now acting like a complete jerk with lewd and lascivious comments about assaulting women in the middle of campus.  But nothing will be done to this young jerk because he is too valuable to the team and because he wins, and brings in all kinds of donations to the school.

I have 3 grandchildren who I hope will love Sports as much as I do.  However, as they get older, I hate to think that they will admire some of these jerks.  So, what should be done.  Let's first take a look at the professionals...Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and the myriad of other athletes who not only run afoul of the law but that are morally bankrupt. Since January 1st of this year, there have been 38 NFL players that have been arrested on charges more serious than a speeding ticket.  These have included multiple domestic violence cases, DUI's, Assaults, destruction of property, many drug busts and other assorted crimes.  In my opinion (and this IS MY Blog), there should be a morality clause in every contract.  And it should follow Coach Spurrier's stance.  No questions, no review...screw up and you are gone!  Yep, that sounds a little harsh, but these people have a responsibility to those that ultimately pay their salaries...the fans and to the kids that look up to them as role models.  Cheat, lie, steal, assault, or whatever and you are gone!

In the case of the College athletes that screw up, there is only one solution.  Take away their scholarships and their opportunity to play for any other team.  If the Coach or Administration at any of these schools that harbor these low lifes had any guts, they would do that, no matter how good the player or how important they are to the team.   The Heisman Trust awards the Heisman Memorial Trophy each year to "the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with INTEGRITY."  I only know of one winner who's award was revoked...Reggie Bush - because his family was paid by the school and its boosters.  Since OJ Simpson has kept his award and no mention of Jameis Winston having to give up his, I guess integrity is more tied to financial considerations than to  murder and other assorted petty crimes.  I do have to recognize that there are some coaches that don't put up with the crap that seems to be so pervasive.  Just this week, the coach at The University of Miami tossed the 2nd string Quarterback for his latest DUI and Coach Richt at Georgia, Coach Saban at Alabama and Coach Spurrier at South Carolina have been know to toss several players.  But these Coaches are the exception, not the rule!  Most times, when a player has been expelled, another team picks them up, as if nothing has happened.

I guess that until theses sports teams, leagues and schools start getting hit in the pocketbook, change will be real slow to come.  What a shame....but it certainly makes me think twice before I buy my grandchildren a jersey with any players name on the back!

AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES..................

Revelations From Our Trip

Having just returned from an 11 day trip to Baltimore, New York and back to Baltimore, I have come to realize that I learned a bunch during that time.  Average temperature was way below freezing in both Baltimore and New York,  with wind chills during our 3 day stay in New York reaching the -20 degrees range.

Our trip started in Baltimore on the day of our grandson, Elie's 3rd  birthday.  I was all prepared with plenty of balloons to amaze and delight his friends with balloon animals at the party, but alas, the party was not to happen.  Elie's nearly 105 temperature sent him to the emergency room, but he was quick to recover from his viral infections, only to pass the germs along to his little brother and Saba and Coco.  So, revelation #1....preschools are another word for germ factories and if you go to preschool, you will come down with all sorts of things....and then it will be passed throughout the house.  So, we had a family only party with birthday cake, balloons, and presents.  Elie seemed to be okay with that setup which brings me to revelation #2 - At 3 years old, as long as there is the birthday cake and presents, it doesn't really matter if you have lots of people there or not.

Having to stay inside and keep Elie occupied during this time meant playing with all of his toys and stretching the limits of our IPads.  NetFlix is a great invention in that it carries most of what keeps a 3 year old toddler's interest - first and foremost in Elie's case is Jake and The Neverland Pirates.  And I learned that the secret words are YoHoHo and that we get to help Jake in all of his adventures while collecting gold dubloons that we have to count at the end of each episode.  That doesn't mean there is not any interest also in The Magic School Bus, Mickey Mouse, Curious George and others, but Jake is, by far, the favorite.  I am constantly amazed at the intuitiveness of a 3 year old mind in the operation of an IPad or IPhone - the ability to recognize favorite apps and games and then play those games is revelation #3.

Leaving Baltimore, Connie and I boarded Amtrak for our trip to New York.  I learned that it really is the best way to travel in the northeast corridor....no security lines, relatively on time schedules and a comfortable ride to Penn Station in NYC.  We stayed at The Mansfield Hotel - another bargain we got through HotWire.  I have used Hotwire on many occasions and am usually pleased with the results.  When you book a hotel through them, your rate is generally a fraction of the published rate - with one catch.  You don't know exactly which hotel you will be getting until AFTER you pay - and then you are stuck!  However, there are reviews and ratings for each property and they are USUALLY spot on.  Well, needless to say, the Mansfield, though well maintained and clean and in a great location on 44th St between 5th and 6th Ave. did not exactly deserve the 4 stars it was rated...the room was about 8'x12' and the bathroom was so small (it had to have been a closet at one time)we had to back into it to go to the toilet!  And the heat couldn't be controlled in the room, so we slept under piles of blankets and comforter.  So, revelation #4 is maybe Hotwire is not the best thing to use in New York.

And was it ever cold in the city.  We made our way down to Chelsea Market for lunch on Tuesday and while there, it started to snow quite heavily.  Revelation #5 - Snow = gridlock...stick to the subway and stay off the street.  Our cab ride from Chelsea market to midtown took over an hour and lots of cash.  Also, once it starts to snow in NY, the cabs all go home!  Anyway, we ate great food, saw terrific entertainment (The Jazz Standard for music , Kinky Boots on Broadway), wandered around MOMA, explored the shopping INSIDE the Rockefeller Center Concourse and tried to brave the frigid temps.  Revelation #6 - The pretty snow is not so pretty when the slush piles up and the wind is biting at your face....it makes a 6 block walk seem like 5 miles!  Heading back to Baltimore on Thursday, we had a weather delay at Penn Station and the crush of people there was at a factor of +1000 compared to Baltimore, but  we soon arrived in Baltimore and moved in with Brad, Claire and the boys.

Brad left on a scheduled trip the next day and we got the opportunity to spend quality time with Claire, Elie and Zev.  By this time, Elie was mostly recovered except for the constant sniffles and it was time for Zev to start feeling a little punk.  But we forged on and got to go to Elie's first soccer experience on Saturday morning followed by a make-up session at MyGym and then on to a complete 3 year old melt down.  Revelation #7 - When a head strong 3 year old doesn't get his way, a full meltdown is a pretty good bet.

My favorite part of staying at their house is the 6 AM wake-up courtesy of our Grandson.  "Good Morning Saba - Can I get in bed with you and watch a show on the IPad?"  Although not fully awake, we always get to watch at least one episode of Jake - part of which is viewed with the covers over our heads and the IPad.  On Sunday, we had a delightful brunch at a terrific restaurant, went for ice cream and came home to watch The Lorax movie.  Revelation #8 - Most kids' movies have nuances that can't possibly be understood by kids and are there for the adult's enjoyment.

On Monday, Claire decided to stay in with Zev, who by this time was in full viral infection mode and Connie and I took Elie on a day's adventure.  He set the itinerary:  Kiddie Caruso (an indoor play environment), Lunch and then to Barnes and Noble.  After 2 hours at play, we finally were able to get Elie to agree to go to lunch and we headed to his favorite, PALOCHE (Chipolte) for beans and rice, guacamole, corn tortillas and chips.  I figured that after a full morning and lunch, he would fall asleep in the car and forget about Barnes and Noble, but as usual, I was wrong!  Once in Barnes and Noble, we got to play and read books and (this is important to an in-training toddler) go to the bathroom....which resulted in a major reward for remembering to tell us when he had to go.  Yes, you guessed it, Elie picked out a Jake The Pirate Book and playset as his reward.  Which brings us to Revelation #9 - Once a 3 year old has something in mind, don't even think you can change the agreed on course of action!

Brad came home on Monday evening and we left for home on Tuesday.  Arriving home to 84 degree weather leads to these final revelations:

#10 - Eleven straight Days of sub-freezing weather is just too much!

#11 - Heavy coats, hats, gloves and scarves are a pain in the ass.

#12 - I really don't like wearing socks!

#13 - I really like wearing shorts,  t-shirts and flip flops  year-round.

#14 - But, for the opportunity to spend more time with our grandchildren, we will brave any conditions!

And The Journey continues............

MY DAD

A little over 42 years ago, my Dad was the best man at my wedding.  That was probably one of the easiest decisions I ever made, because, you see, my Dad was ALWAYS the Best Man.

We lost our Dad on Friday and while our family is mourning the loss, it is even more appropriate to celebrate his remarkable life.  The sheer number of people's lives that he touched over his nearly 90 years is astounding. His caring, kind manner was infectious and he instilled the values of family in all of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Because, THAT was the most important thing in his life...family.  Not just as he aged, but always.

My Dad was the most involved Dad of his generation. There was hardly anything his four sons were involved in that he wasn't totally invested in. From Little League to forming the high school football booster club to becoming the first president of the University of Georgia Parents Association, there was not much of anything he wouldn't do to support his "boys."  And that included teaching us the life lessons that helped make us the people we are today....there is no substitute for hard work; you do whatever you need to do to accomplish the objective; kindness; compassion, keeping a sense of humor.....in short, how to be a a mensch.

If being loved was currency, then my Dad was one of the wealthiest men on earth.  His four sons love for him was equaled or exceeded by his daughters in law who adored him. All of His eight grandchildren had special relationships with their Poppi and he had a unique ability to make each one feel special, conspiratorially professing to each grandchild that he or she was his "favorite."  And as hard as it is to do, each one was his favorite!  One of the first words his great grandchildren learned was "Poppi." During his final days, we were fortunate enough to include Poppi in his newest great grandson's Bris, via Skype, and the pride he exhibited will be remembered for eternity.

Dad had many dear friends and also had great affection for the friends of his sons. Over the years, he referred to several of our friends as his "fifth son" and they reciprocated the love and respect that he showed.  His grandchildren's friends even called him Poppi!

Dad's memory and sense of history is going to be missed. He was my go to resource on Atlanta history, Atlanta Jewish history and family history. His recall of events, people and tidbits of information was astounding. After all, he accumulated nearly 90 years of stored information and could retrieve it faster than Google.

I love the fact that Dad was the "coolest" Dad and Grandfather around. He couldn't be shocked!  It didn't matter to him if a son or grandchild was slightly unconventional or even screwed up royally.  His support and understanding was unwavering. And, he tried to keep up with the times....utilizing his computer for email, bill pay and Skype. There are not many octogenarians that make that kind of effort.

His support of his sons and grandchildren was unwavering. Our successes were his successes. Our triumphs, his triumphs.  And he even shared our bumps in the road. He was so proud of all of us in all of our endeavors.

His "never give up" attitude was exhibited in the last couple of months of his life as he got a new car, continued to buy new clothes and, although he was barely getting around with his walker, professing to a friend that he planned on getting back on the golf course soon.  We use to joke with him that it was amazing that such a bad golfer could love the game so much. He loved to play, watch and read about golf. But, I think golf was also a convenient way to be with friends and connect with his sons that play.

Dad loved to watch sports. Most every day you could find him in front of the television watching his Braves or Falcons.  Although he never went to college, he also became a big Georgia Bulldog fan.

Dad's emotional side is legendary in our family. Not only did he tear up when the National Anthem is played at a ball game, we could always count on waterworks when the family gathered or when any
significant or even not so significant event occurred involving a family member.  He taught all of us that showing emotion is a good thing.

The incredible amount of respect and love toward my father was evident in the sheer number of people that attended his funeral and Shiva in Atlanta.  People from all aspects and time of his remarkable life came to give him the proper send off.  I saw people that I haven't seen in over 40 years...friends of ours from college and even childhood and high school friends.....all people that were touched by my Dad.

My Dad wasn't only my best man, he was my best friend.  And I will miss him every day.



And The Journey continues.................

UP, UP and Away!

When I was growing up in my comfortable, suburban, Jewish house in Atlanta, I was never exposed very much to the outdoor adventures of hiking, camping, hunting or fishing.  Our outdoor actiivities were more of the baseball, football, basketball, and bicycle riding variety.  Sure, we walked an awful lot...other than bike riding, it was the best way to get around.  If we wanted to go somewhere for fun, it was usually walk, bike or take the bus!  But hike for fun?  Other than moseying around the woods near our house foraging for wild blackberries, there was not much hiking!  Camping?  I think the only time I slept outdoors was the one year I went to sleep away camp.  Hunting?  Not on your life - that would mean I had to kill something.  Fishing?  Except for the few times on vacation, not so much, until I owned a boat a few years ago.

So, the rugged outdoor gene was not prevalent in our family.  Which begs the question....how did my daughter and son become such hiking and camping aficionados?  When Lisa was about 15 years old, she announced that she wanted to go on an Outward Bound Survival Course in Colorado.  Wait a minute...isn't that where they send juvenile delinquents as punishment?  But she went and hiked, camped, climbed her first 14,000 foot peak and survived!  Not only did she survive, but became enamored with the great outdoors.  After college, she moved to Aspen and continued her love affair with the mountains...A year in Africa ensued including a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro.. and she moved back to Colorado and completed her goal of climbing all fifty-four 14,000 ft. Peaks in Colorado.  I won't even get into the 100 mile bike rides, half marathons and other assorted outdoor adventures.

AND she convinced her brother to also go on an Outward Bound Trip.  I think he was the only 15 year old on that Survival Course that wasn't ordered there by a Juvenile Court.  He told me it was one of the hardest things he ever did but that he was glad he did and found out just how far he could push himself.  And if that wasn't enough, when he graduated from college, he did a sea kayaking Outward Bound in Puget Sound.  Now, he has introduced my grandson to camping and hiking!

It is not enough that they love these endeavors, but somehow feel it is their responsibility to suck old Dad into the adventures.  Mom has also done numerous short hikes to picturesque spots in Colorado, but Lisa has always pushed me to do more!

 It started a few years back when Lisa suggested that we ride our Bikes from Boca Raton to Key West...its only a couple of hundred mile!  So, we started out early one morning and got to the beach just as the sun began peeking over the eastern horizon.  I knew that Lisa was a much faster cycler so I told her that I would always be on the road closest to the ocean as we pedaled south.  Before the first hour was over, Lisa was out of sight...I continued to pedal past Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, and Fort Lauderdale Beach and still no sign of Lisa.  Now, this was before everybody had a cell phone, but even though I had one tucked into my backpack, I never checked it knowing that Lisa didn't have one. So, I continued on finally arriving in South Beach in Miami around noon.  It was then, sitting on the corner of US1 and Lincoln Road that I wearily sat down and found my cell phone deep in the backpack.  Lisa had left me 26 messages and she and Connie were going from hospital to hospital looking for me!  Oops!  So, they met me in South Beach, read me the riot act, had lunch and we continued our journey.  Well, we never made it to Key West.  Halfway through the second day we arrived in Key Largo, had lunch at the pool of the Marriott resort and I decided we had gone far enough.  Connie and Brad met us with the car's bike rack and we played in The Keys for a couple of days and drove home.

A few years later, Lisa talked me into climbing Mt. Princeton in Colorado.  A 14,000+ peak that she described as "easy."  We left from our comfy Hotel in Snowmass about 4:30 in the morning and arrived at the trail head before there were many cars in the lot.  Since I had been in Colorado for a few days and had even taken a few short hikes, I was somewhat acclimated to the altitude and the first part of the hike was pretty easy as it was mostly on a road.  I remember that I thought we were approaching the summit only to find out that there are many false summits before you actually can see the highest peak.  We travailed on switch backs and into a nasty boulder field.  By this time we had been hiking for some time and, of course, Lisa had gone off and left me again!  As I was struggling to summit and was about 200 feet from pay dirt, Lisa came running down the mountain to inform me that she had been waiting for over an hour at the top and she was headed back down because of the approaching clouds.  Clouds?  I don't see any friggin' clouds...but she was adamant, so I headed back down with her without actually reaching the summit.  Twelve hours round trip on the trail...and a feeling of futility!

There were other attempts over the years...we went to hike Quandry Peak, another 14er, but after Lisa got us on the wrong trail for some time and I suffered back spasms, we aborted that climb.  There was the hike up Humboldt Peak, another14er where we got caught in a 2 hour hail storm and had to retreat.  We have had many successful smaller hikes to delightful places like Hanging Lake and

American Lake near Aspen, the Ute in Aspen, up Vail Mountain and many trips up and down Mt. Sanitas in Boulder, but my attempts of completing a major hike up a mountain had been futile.

 

So, when Lisa suggested we climb Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, I was certainly intrigued by the idea.  Our friends have a house on Lake Winnipesauke and had invited us for a long weekend, and I agreed that one day could be taken to attempt this climb.  Mt. Washington is the highest point in the Northeast US and is reputed to have the worse weather of any spot in the Continental United States.  To prepare myself, I undertook a regiment of 5 to 10 mile daily walks...until my back went out again, a mere 3 weeks before the climb.  But not to disappoint Lisa or myself, I rested and iced for 2 weeks and declared myself fit for the climb.  We woke at 4:30 on a beautiful Saturday morning to drive the one and a half hours to Mt. Washington.  Lisa had done the research and decided on the Jewell Path...a bit longer than other trails, but "gentler."  And it started at the Cog Railway station....so, if needed, I could always ride the Cog back down the mountain!  The beginning of the hike was beautiful...lush foliage and some of the most spectacular mushrooms I've ever seen.  It took me about 15 minutes to lose the long sleeve shirt and was sweat-soaked soon thereafter.  The weather was terrific and all of the clothes I was hauling in my backpack were totally unnecessary.  I trudged along pretty well and Lisa would get ahead of me and then, "surprise," she actually waited for the old man!  Once we reached above tree line and the terrain became all boulders, I really slowed down and Lisa became somewhat frustrated with me. But like the EverReady bunny, I just kept going and going and going (damn, am I ever going to get there - I've seen the top for over an hour!).  One last push and SUCCESS!  I FINALLY reached the summit with Lisa!  No, it wasn't a 14er, but our altitude gain was just as great as the altitude gain on many 14ers.  Yes, we took the Cog back down the mountain, but the feeling of reaching the summit was all I was hoping for!

So, in talking about the various adventures that Lisa has gotten me into, I have been asked if I ever considered that she is trying to kill me.  Nah, I don't think so, she only wants me to share in experiences that are most important to her......and for that, I am grateful!!  Let's do another one!!!

And The Journey continues..........

The World's Neediest Dog (Redux)

 

                                                      RIP Bella, the Dog, Cohen

My faithful, four legged companion, Bella, looked into my eyes this afternoon and let me know it was time.  Her battle against lymphoma and other assorted tumors had taken its toll and she no longer had the strength to go on.  So, we gave her the gift of peace this afternoon and she is now romping in Doggie Heaven with other great dogs we have known.

On January 12, 2011, I wrote a Blog about Bella, "The World's Neediest Dog"  and am reprinting it here....it is a fitting tribute to my Best-4-legged Friend !

The World's Neediest Dog

There have always been pets around. Growing up, we always had a dog in the family. My early childhood pet was Boots, a Heinz 57 variety mutt that might have been the coolest dog ever. In those days, the dog was only allowed in the house when the weather was absolutely dreadful. Otherwise, she slept outside by the back door. Boots was a tough old bitch. Because she was kept in the fenced-in backyard, chasing cars was just too inviting when she escaped her confines! Hit by cars numerous times, Boots survived albeit with only one eye and several operations. Although Mom always insisted that Boots was "the Boys" dog, we all knew that she was my Mom's dog. Unfortunately, Boots met her demise when, mostly blind, she ran between the front and back tires of a moving car in our driveway. She was followed by Yogi and Candy ....more mutts that considered Mom their master. In between those dogs, there was Jett, a head strong mean German Shepherd that was given away after he bit my younger brother.

Once I was married, we adopted another mutt...Peanut. I say "we" but Peanut was really Connie's dog. Peanut died young and was followed by Sadie, the hero dog. Sadie is generally credited with saving our lives as she woke us up early one morning because our apartment building was on fire. Although we were rescued by firemen with ladders from our 3rd floor apartment, Sadie was nowhere to be found and presumed dead. Two days later, Sadie was found alive in an adjacent wooded area by neighborhood kids. She evidently escaped the fire through the front door and although slight charred, survived to accompany us to our new house in Atlanta, our 4 years in Boston and a few years in Boca Raton. Sadie was a Damn Good Dog whose Master was, again, Connie!

 

After Sadie's demise, Lisa prodded us into a cocker spaniel pup...Tootsie. After promises from Lisa that she would take care of the new puppy, Tootsie settled into also being Connie's dog! Tootsie lived to a ripe old age and we decided that she would be the last dog that we would own. So, dogless, we babysat Lisa's dog, Kota, for a year while Lisa was in Africa. Kota and I bonded and I was convinced that he had become MY dog and would want to stay with me once Lisa returned. How wrong I was! Lisa walked into our house after 11 months away and Kota immediately returned to her side as if I didn't even exist.

Eight and a half years ago (NOTE: Now over 11 years ago!), I was prodded by a friend to go look at a puppy at the animal Shelter in West Palm Beach (a kill shelter-the dogs are euthanized if homes cannot be found). A puppy would be a terrific Mother's Day present for Connie! After almost leaving without a dog, this little 7 week old Australian Shepherd/Black Lab fur ball rubbed against my leg, looked up at me with "take me home" eyes and crawled into my heart. Upon presentation to Connie as her Mother's Day gift, she announced that she didn't want a dog! Uh oh, I guessed that finally, I was the proud Master of a dog. Little did I know that Bella was going to actually be the Master of me.

Bella is the sweetest, smartest and most needy dog in the world. I am convinced that she understands everything I tell her and, in fact, understands hundreds of words. One of her problems is that she doesn't know that she is a dog. She sleeps in our bed and is positive that everybody that comes to the house is there to see her and to play with her. Nearly every morning we start the day together with a 2 to 3 mile walk and then she "rests" most of the afternoon. Bella would much rather interact with humans than with other dogs. In fact, she severely dislikes small dogs - especially those that incessantly yap! When we kept Brad and Claire's dog, Rudy, for the year they were in Israel, Bella loved having a playmate and was depressed when Rudy left. However, she got over that and became convinced that I, rather than other dogs, should be her play pal. She is always around - under my feet at my desk, next to my recliner while we watch TV, curled around my feet in bed, on my chest as my wake-up call, bringing me her ball to throw when I am trying to relax and sitting by the table during meals. If I go upstairs, she goes upstairs...if I go outside, she wants to go with me...and she always wants to go in the car - until we actually go in the car, then she cries the whole time!

Those that meet Bella instantly recognize her needy manner...always wanting to be the center of attention and never giving up easily. Bella is MY dog and I love her. And for that, her middle name is "the last one."

Postscript:  Bella passed away peacefully in my arms at the Vet's office today, July 3, 2013.  We will miss her!

And The Journey continues..............................