Taylor Tabloid

How'd Did This Happen?

2012-01-29T21:41:00.001-06:00

While in Des Moines this weekend, I stopped by Jett & Monkey (a Woofable's customer). One of the owners (Jennifer) is a "Fluffy Butts" rescue pet representative. She currently has nine small dogs seeking adoption. The second I saw this one... it had to happen. I talked myself out of him.... for about a minute or so, and the next thing I knew, I was swearing like a sailor as I was signing the paper.

And so we welcome Vermont (Monty) Carlo Taylor to the Family. He's a two month old Beagle, Pug, Chihuahua mix (Chipugle?).

And if that chaos is not enough... Pork Chop, our Blue Parakeet, now has cage-mate: Apple Sauce, a yellow Parakeet. A full house indeed.

And last but not least... a quick shout-out to my sister (Emily) and Nephew (Bone Head). I lost a bet with Emily and she requested Kettle Corn and Dog Treats. So, we sent her a small kettle, a can of corn, dog biscuits and a bag of Pupcorn. She text me to acknowledge the Kettle, and Corn (hardee har har), and inform me that she and Bone Head were eating the treats.

And so I asked if treats included the kettle, corn, biscuits or Pupcorn. As it turns out, it was the Pupcorn. I then explained that Pupcorn is normal popcorn drizzled with Chocolate and Peanut Butter carob (sounds good, right?), AND a healthy dose (1/4 cup) of liver powder! Yep, proof positive that Woofable's Gourmet Dog Treats are not just enjoyed by dogs, but the owners will eat them (enjoy them?) as well.

My sister now claims she "Hates Me". To think, it took me 50 years to pull off an accidental prank that was better than anything I ever planned. By the way, they are both fine. My nephew may be cautious about anything I send, and my sister is a bit less anemic (someday she'll thank me for that).

That's the news for now. And so it goes.....

As Things Go

2012-01-16T21:03:00.000-06:00

Well, another nutty week has passed, and things will begin to settle into a more regular routine. Four EMBA programs have launched, students have returned - classes begin tomorrow, and a certain amount of predictibility (if there is such a thing) will be the order of the day.

This past week we hit a deer (the day after we installed a new radiator, ugh). The furnace is acting sketchy, and sometimes doesn't work. The toilet has been leaking, and the garage door is also acting sketchy. Mamacita dropped her phone into her ice water (don't ask). It never really stops does it?

In more exciting news, Ellie has been accepted into the University of Kansas. She's leaning in this direction, and we'll be leaning on financial aid - Gulp!

No travel this week. So it should be a good week for getting caught up, and taking a few runs.

And so it goes...

Chester... Meet Pork Chop

2012-01-08T17:24:00.003-06:00

[As the camera zooms out slowly]

Chester: "Pork Chop, I think this is the beginning of beautiful friendship."

2012-01-08T17:02:00.001-06:00

Peanut is grabbing a few Zzzz's while Chester, our newest family member, dozes in and out at her feet. Pappa T was resoundingly over-ruled by the tribe and hens (the lady's a Woofables). Sigh, so now we have Chester, Pork Chop (bird) and Tootsie, as well as a smattering of fish. Where is this chapter in the book of parenting?

New Year Continued

2012-01-04T18:32:00.003-06:00

On Christmas Eve we put Max down. He was too unpedictable and dangerous, especially with kids coming and going all day. It was a sad day, especially for Peanut.

Since then we picked up a bird, Pork Chop, and now a cat, Charley (formerly know as Shakespeare). We've had a small parade of relatives pass through over the holidays. Great to see Gumpa, Delma, Brian, Joe and Gretchen.

The story from the holidays involves a toilet seat (of course). Santa brought Peanut a Duckie laced/decorated toilet seat. Of course, it's round and didn't fit our oval bowl. So Uncle Brinz suggested he dismantle his round toilet in his basement (in Cedar Falls, IA), and replace it with our oval throne. And this trade commenced over the couse of the holiday. All's well that ends well with a flush.

So the guests have left (today), decorations returned to their home in the garage, kids back at school, and Buzz back at work. New normal, just a year older in a new year.

So I'm resolved to work less, play more;
spend more time with my family;
Eat more and gain 7-10 lbs;
drink less and read more;
re-energize my blogging efforts;
train for and toe the start line at the Superior Trail 100 (September).

Happy New Year one and all. And so it goes...

New Year's Resolution

2011-12-27T11:35:00.002-06:00

I will resolve to update the blog at least once a week. I further resolve to toe the start line in the Superior Trail 100. Let the writing and training begin!

Fall 2011

2011-10-25T13:26:00.003-05:00

This is the view outside our back door. The fall colors are in full display and as far as Fall Seasons go, it's been a good one. The Dog Biscuit business is good and reaching a pre-holiday fevered pitch. Woofables will the featured business in next Month's Chamber of Commerce materials. Should be good PR. All of this is keeping Mamacita busy along with her consulting and keeping our household moderately sane.

I've been traveling a great deal so not home enough to cause problems or make a difference. My travels are both work related and Leadership related. I was selected for Leadership Iowa which is a statewide Leadership program to develop business and political leaders throughout the State. So far so good, but busy.

Kids have all but wrapped up Fall sports. Batty is done with Cross Country, and Ick just finished Fall Ball. Ick and Maggot still have threads of soccer, but that too is winding down.

Next week Mamacita celebrates her birthday. And my little sister Julia just celebrated hers. In fact, Maggot got an opportunity to play with a band at The Mill Restaurant and dedicated the song to Crazy Aunt Julia (about a minute into the attached Video). It's all good.

That's about it for now. And so it goes.

Boycott Wells Fargo Bank!!!!

2011-10-10T20:13:00.001-05:00

Last October, we finally sold our house in Mankato, MN after 2.5 years on the market, but we are still dealing with the fall-out. If you recall, we sold it to a difficult lady. But right before the sale, she found hail damage on the roof, so we agreed to work with our insurance to take care of the roof as a condition of sale, but she would take care of the deductible.

The new owner proceeded to rack up window treatments and siding and put in on our insurance. After drawn-out exchanges with insurance and contractors, our Realtor, and the difficult lady, we finally reach an agreement and checks were issued. [side note... we didn't finally settle all this crap until Sept. 2011! - another story for another time]

Enter Wells Fargo. . . because they held the mortgage at the time of the damage, counter checks were issued to Laura, myself and Wells. We wrote a personal check for $17K, to cover the costs for the contractor so they could take care of everything. WELLS FARGO refused to counter sign a cashiers check because they were no longer owners of the Mortgage on record. Our check bounced and our lives became a unsuspecting financial mess for a few months.

This situation on top of additional fees and lack of support from the WELLS Branch in Iowa City... last June, we decided to move our many accounts (10) to another institution. In August, Laura went in to see why we still had open accounts, which Wells assured us would be closed. The personal banker discovered a regular monthly Wells Software fee being charged to our account.... she had no idea what this was. So, while Laura sat there, she clicked away on her computer to research this item. After 5-6 minutes or so, her eyes got big and she said out loud, "SHIT!".

Our personal banker explained that this was actually a Quicken fee. To everyone's dismay, we never signed up for this or have used quicken. Because of the label on our monthly statement, we had no reason to believe this was not just another banking fee, "Wells Software fee". And then she proceeds to tell us that we've been charged $9.99 a month since.... 2005!!!!!!

So our personal banker spoke to the Manager... and they agreed there should be some accommodation for our "inconvenience". Not to mention lost time sitting and waiting for these people to get their act together. [side note: we calculated about seven hours or so, for all of our banking issues]. Anyway, the Bank Manager told us that he would send our problem to the resolution committee. [YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!]. Meanwhile they asked ME to call Quicken to have this fee stopped. [YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME AGAIN!!! -- What happened to customer service????]]

Three weeks passed and we finally got a call from our personal banker to inform us that Wells' Corporate HQ will reimburse us $80. But the rest is still under review. That was almost two months ago, and no word.

We paid more than $800 in fees without any explanation or resolution. We spent more at least seven hours trying (politely) to resolve this problem. NOW we are officially fed up. I'm sending this post to a few of my newspaper contacts (Gazette, Daily Iowan, Press Citizen, and to our state representatives/senators (Masher, Jacoby, Dvorsky, Johnson, Hogg, etc...) and to our congressman Loebsack, as well as Senators Harkiin and Grassley. And last, but not least, the Better Business Bureau.

To say that we are supremely disappointed is an understatement. Poor leadership begets poor management, begets poor customer service... the people who pay your salaries, knowingly or not (as this case may be). Absolutely appalling!!!

Lastly.... I will tell everyone I know... not to bank at Wells Fargo if they can avoid it. This experience could have been a good opportunity to demonstrate quality and responsive service to otherwise loyal customers, instead, it has been nothing short of a train wreck with WELLS Iowa City at the wheel.

Looking Back Over 10 Years, After 9-11

2011-09-11T17:37:00.000-05:00

Shaken and sobering. That's what I remember feeling as we huddled around the T.V. and watched the unfolding of the tragedy in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Today, I am mystified; not necessarily by the events of the terrible day ten years ago, which irrational and insane as they were. These atrocious acts can be directly tied to extreme fundamentalists with a set of misplaced beliefs and leadership. Angry yes, mystified about them... no.

I'm mystified by how we, as a "United" States have lost our collective resolve to work together, solve problems and do the heavy lifting at "home" to help maintain our National identity and global leadership. Many of our citizens, and nearly all of our politicians have taken almost belligerent sides causing a noticeable deterioration of our government because of partisan politics steeped in vitriol, and border-line fundamentalist beliefs that seem intent to win at all costs for their respective political parties and unyielding institutional positioning. Winning for the sake of beating the other political party must have some almost intoxicating, narcissistic "feel good" elements that blind our representatives to the crippling and deleterious effect on our nation. Both parties are to blame.

How is it, that we were able to have a unified front (albeit short-lived) after September 11, 2001, but now have nearly unbreakable lines in the sand between politics and progress? The professionals (politicians, parties, and special interests) that have supported and encouraged these behaviors and policies have put self-interest above statesmanship. The situation is discouraging and embarrassing.

Ten years ago our elected officials didn't seem to have a problem joining together arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand, vote-for-vote to enter wars, sacrifice lives, and spend hundreds of billions of dollars. Let me ask, were the results of this unified effort a fair return on our "investments"? And this was a unilateral, bi-partisan decision.

Now these same politicians and parties agree that the economy and jobs are our Nation's biggest challenge. But failure of our elected officials to agree, compromise and sacrifice on seemingly lesser matters than 10 years ago seems an impossible task. Today, the previously unified elected bodies are more crippling and in someways more damaging to our country than the terrorist attacks of 9-11.

Let's talk about sacrifice for a moment. How many of our elected officials signed up to go over seas and fight in Afghanistan or Iraq? Yet these same politicians are more than willing, in a unified way, to send others over on their (our?)behalf. How many of our elected officials have had to cut back on their FAT healthcare coverage, and their FAT retirement benefits when they ask the vast majority of the American population to do the same? I find it ironic that our elected officials (Left and Right) are unified in these matters of personal sacrifice (or lack thereof), while they have no problem saying "American's need to make big sacrifices".

After the horror of 9-11 receded, I was proud of how AMERICA rolled up her sleeves, dropped partisan politics and tackled the weighty issues of the day. But today, I'm embarrassed and ashamed at the lack of courage and self-sacrifice shown by our public officials. There bills, votes, filibusters, and vetos pay homage to special interests and our increasingly convoluted party system. Collectively our elected officials appear to have been victims of financial and political extortion. Many of these politicians seem to work ONLY at the will of their institutional political parties, special interests and group think for unwavering social, political and economic demagoguery. Have they forgotten the AMERICA they supported in the days after September 11, 2001?

I remain mystified today, as well as shaken and sad when I look back over ten years and consider all the tragic loss and ultimate sacrifices across the entire spectrum of people and resources that helped make our country great. The few threads of hope and optimism I have for our collective future are eroding because our politicians have taken their eyes off our principled founding of our Nation: "Government of the people, by the people, for the people".

Our elected officials should regroup and start working together to make policy compromises, personal and political sacrifices, and no longer sell their political offices and votes for destructive and counter productive interests.

To honor the victims of 9-11, I ask our Congress, Senate, as well as the Executive and Judicial Branches of the United States Government to rediscover our Nation's pride and heritage; to work with one another for the greater good of our economic and social well being; and by doing so, help our Country reclaim global leadership as a people, united, free and proud. I'm afraid if our Nation (people and elected officials) can't escape the vices of political extortion, narrow-mindedness, special interests, and irrational partisanship then all that was lost on 9-11, and sacrificed since has may have been for naught.

School

2011-08-17T21:53:00.003-05:00

Well, tomorrow the delinquents return to school. Three teen aged girls at West High, and the Big Dawg slides into Third Grade. Wow!

As the time passes along, what would have been my parent's 50th wedding anniversary has passed. Not sure what to think about that except a bit sad. Certainly it has given pause for thought and an opportunity to imagine what our 50th will be like. Yikes! We're creeping up on #23 in the next few weeks... hard to believe.

The Exec Students started this week, second years. The first year program was postponed until December which is on one hand unfortunate, but on the other the delay gives our department an opportunity to adjust to a new Director. It's all good.

Woofables is growing fast. Perhaps too fast. We're burning midnight oil to stay ahead of the curve, but I'm afraid in a few more weeks that may not cut it. Thanks to some elbow grease from Crazy Pete, we were able to build and install a drying closet which will speed up "curing" the biscuits for distribution and sale. And we are busy adding staff to our list of bakers.

We now have resellers in Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, California and Oregon. I might have missed a few States.

Oh, and back to students... the population of Iowa City will double between last week and this weekend as the students return to campus. I begin teaching this fall and Sidetrack will take the semester off. Next spring she may return to the classroom, while I'll simply wait to see if they ask me back.

On all other fronts... I hear great things from family and friends. A special shout out to Tim Johnston who is off to Washington to teach at GW University and wait for his next novel to get published. Also the Hydes and Thomas's... good friends all who recently reminded me about the important things in life.

Now, I need to find a bookkeeper for the shop, and someone to mow our lawn at home because my schedule is consumed until Mid December. And so it goes...

In a Pinch

2011-07-25T13:09:00.002-05:00

It's not too often that another driver will send me into "road rage", but in this case, it was all I could do not to cause physical harm (flatten tires). The blue van is ours, and when I returned to it after work, the red pick up was up to my bumper leaving me no room to get out. Also notice that this person parked next to a fire hydrant, and only a few feet from a stop sign.

So what does a reasonable person do?

I took several deep breaths, calmed down, then called the police. When the officer arrived, he seemed very understanding. And once we extracted my car (he was my witness and guide), he promised to "ticket the hell out of this guy." A little victory for the "little guy" out there. But I still think I should have flattened his tires. And so it goes...

Red, White and Blue

2011-07-11T10:34:00.004-05:00

Here we see Tim Johnston (Award winning Author of "Irish Girl", and "Never So Green") with BD and BD just prior to the fireworks display that would end the Iowa City Jazz Fest. Here is a picture of the main stage for Jazz Fest. The other side of the Old Capitol looks down on the Iowa River "valley", and it was from there the fireworks were launched. It was quite spectacular, and the closest Big Dawg has been to a firework display.

So far, Chalupa has attended camp, and Beaner has ventured to San Francisco and back (Leadership Program). Later this week, Big Dawg heads off to Wapsi Y camp for a few days, then in a few weeks, Beaner and Peanut will head to Pittsburgh for a Youth Group project. Meanwhile Laura and I try to hold down the fort and keep the lights on. It's bene a busy and chaotic summer to be sure.

The biscuit business continues to grow and we've since picked up clients in Michigan, Oregon and the Mall of America! The next step is to to get Mamacita (formerly known as Sidetrack) on the payroll and get a jump on baking inventory for the holidays.... and so it goes....

Editor's Apology

2011-07-05T21:30:00.002-05:00

As most of you can imagine, summer has fallen upon us like a swarm of locusts. So updates to this blog are long overdue and delayed. You have my apologies. A more formal post will be forthcoming with updates on Camps, Soccer, Woofables, Work and ... life. Until then, hope you are all having a great summer and thanks for stopping by. And so it goes....

Same Time Next Year

2011-06-21T14:59:00.003-05:00

Every Year the Pediatric Department at the University of Iowa has a end-of-the-year reception for the Residents (PL1 - PL-3). During this reception, annual awards are presented. The residents vote on the James C. Taylor Outstanding Teaching Faculty Award, named for my father.

This year E (right) a.k.a. Mouse dragged my youngest sister J (left) a.k.a. Yo-Yo up from the Carolina's. Our schedules have been such that his was the first time in eight years the three of us have gotten together. It's also the first time Yo-Yo met her youngest nephew, Big Dawg.

It was all very fun and great to see my siblings. It's been too long since we've been together and one can only hope the time between our next visit won't be quite so vast.

And so it goes...

2011-06-10T09:46:00.002-05:00

Lots of Birthdays this month. Beaner (above) turned 17 on the 9th, and JA Mandy (baking below with HRB and Owen) held steady at 29 on the 6th. As a result of these and Chalulpa's end-of-May birthday, we've had our fill of annual celebrations. Of course we could give a nod to Birthday boy Crazy Pete (7th), but that might diminish the quality of this digital "Rag".
It's been all hands on deck at Woofables these days. We've had reasonably good online traffic that continues to increase as each month passes, but it's the wholesale accounts that seem to keep the oven full and biscuits baking. Meanwhile we're developing a certificate to recognize those select individuals who have successfully baked a batch of dog treats. They will be certifiable (ahem) as BONE-afide apprentice dog biscuit bakers! It's all fun to be sure.

Speaking of FUN, our dear family friend, CRaZy Pete, completed his 20th Pig Man Triathlon (finished 3rd in his ancient group), and was so recognized as the ONLY person to have competed in all 20 events. Salute. His Goddaughter, Peanut and el Pero, Max (pictured above) smile with joy at this news.

On the work front, BD makes many trips to DM, and is a finalist for the Directorship of the EMBA Program (vacated by the retirement of his boss). The University (State) hiring process is bureaucratic to be sure, but in the end... they'll get what they believe to be the best person for the job. Fingers are crossed. Meanwhile, Sidetrack consults and bakes, and keeps a vigilant watch on all things domestic. Both Buzz Daddy and Sidetrack have the summer off from teaching which is a welcome reprieve from those obligations.

Next up, summer camps and the arrival of Mouse from NC. And so it goes...

Teenage Crisis

2011-05-31T15:01:00.003-05:00

This is a clear case of teenage overload. Chalupa (far right, black shirt, good posture) decided to invite a herd of delinquents over for smores (sugar), punch (more sugar) and ice cream cake (even more sugar). All of this in celebration of her 14th birthday. So for a brief period of time we have 14, 15 and 16 year old teenage mutant girls. Ugh.

Meanwhile Sidetrack and Big Dawg were playing in the backyard, keeping a safe distance from the herd. Although, as Big Dawg would tell you... when nature calls, it's time to charge the herd and make a run for the "head".

All's well that ends well. The house is still standing. Big Dawg is relieved and we will reload for the next adventure... the arrival of HRB and his brother Owen. And so it goes....

2011-05-27T12:36:00.001-05:00

Not much more I can say about this, huh?

Sigh. And so it goes....

Osama bin Pero

2011-05-10T16:49:00.002-05:00

Yep... toilet paper. This is just the initial trail that leads all the way up the stairs and into the master bedroom. So far he has chewed through (killed) 3 or 4 plants (I lost count). Several pairs of sandals/flip flops, two wicker chairs, two throw rugs, an extension cord, some stuffed animals, and a library book. These are just a few of the items the darn pooch has consumed.

So why did we rescue him? As Addy will say "te adoribale". But then she'll say we should send him to prison. When Max is sweet... he is very, very sweet. When he is nightmare, he's Osama bin Pero. And so it goes...

So the more things wind down...

2011-05-07T09:24:00.003-05:00

The crazier things get. Last night, Big Dawg had baseball, Ellie had a tennis match for West High, and Peanut's West High Soccer team had a match. Chalupa had the night off. Today it's more the same.

Big Dawg and Chalupa have soccer, Sidetrack covers the shop, Beaner will help take Big Dawg to and from soccer, then she'll go to a local park to cover a booth for Woofables at a dog "show". Meanwhile Peanut will be baking biscuits. Buzz has final classes with the EMBA students, then the end-of-the year golf outing followed by the banquet.

Just as this year's EMBA class graduates, the Des Moines EMBA class kicks off.

Meanwhile, the river (above) is full, but not near over-flowing unlike those along the Mississippi to our South. We have had our share of water, and our lawn is tuning into a jungle. We have become proud of our growing crop of dandelions, much to our neighbor's chagrin. We're not sure when well get to mow the lawn... and the garden still needs to be planted, and porch still needs to be re-screened.

Next week we have Prom, and related activities and then all the graduations activities are beginning to crank up. May and June are nutty months. Oh for the dog days of summer when we can relax and catch our collective breaths. And so it goes...

Easter Plus 50

2011-04-25T13:43:00.004-05:00

Easter Weekend had us in the Twin Cities for Uncle Brinz's 50th Birthday. Here's the Birthday boy trudging across the street. The weekend began with a bowling palooza which is always fun when no one really cares about their scores. Big Dawg learned to bowl without bumpers and scored his first line (84).

The following evening we had dinner at Sidetrack's sister's (Grethen) house. All the cousins were there except Sean who remained in NC with his family. Below we see (from left) Big Dawg, Matt, Chalupa, Brinz and Peanut. This was moments before the couch erupted into a small revolution. No surprise with the barrel of monkeys sitting on it.

Sidetrack's mom is doing as well as can be expected, despite the onset of Alzheimer's Decease. It was good to see Bro-Joe, Delma, Patrice, Harlin, Ursula, Elika, Gretchen and Jay. We also met the Beck's foreign exchange student Rizza, who cooked a magnificent Indonesian meal.

We returned in time to open the shop on Sunday... only a few biscuit buyers stopped in, but it was nice to see their owners. Now that the Easter weekend has passed, we've all returned to work, and school and/or both. And so it goes. . .

Koko Taylor, June 1995 - April 2011

2011-04-21T20:34:00.002-05:00

Koko joined Raisa earlier today to terrorize the great dog house in the Sky. She was almost 16 years old and lived a full, and mostly happy life... except for that porcupine incident.

She was an anniversary gift for Sidetrack back in 1995. Beaner was one year old and we were expecting Peanut six months later. Chalupa, Peanut, Big Dog, Truman and Tootsie have never known life without Koko being a part of it.

Koko was a very sweet girl who endeared herself to many people including J.A. Mandy, and a host of neighbors (Mentings, Reeves, Chadimas, and Larsons). Her travels took her to Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and back to Iowa, where she calls home. Along the way she spent a few nights in the woods, loved to swim and had the occasional run-in with local "authorities".

But at the end of the day, she was always home with us. We will remember her fondly, and miss her dearly. RIP Koko. And so it goes....

Chill Out - "Flip" Out

2011-04-19T17:30:00.003-05:00

This doesn't look like soccer does it? Beth (blue) Chalupa, and Andrea stand around waiting for results to see if they continue on in the tournament. As it happened, the day turn colder with results. The ladies were tied with another team after all games were played. So the officials flipped a coin to see which team would move on. It was a long, silent car ride home after that. . You could say we got chilled out then flipped out. And so it goes....

Chill Out?

2011-04-16T08:55:00.003-05:00

Yesserie... that's snow. April 16, and it's snowing. Ugh. Hard to believe we were enjoying 80 degree temps a few days ago. Spring in Iowa.

Chalupa and Ike are participating in a spring soccer tournament today up in Cedar Rapids. The fields are very exposed. Heck, even in July and 80 degree temperatures, the wind still blows and it's cold. I can't imagine what today and tomorrow will be like. Laura will let me know, so I can prepare for tomorrow.

Peanut and Chalupa were supposed to referee games this morning in Iowa City, but those matches were all canceled. That's the difference between recreational leagues and competitive soccer.

So, I'll sit in my warm office and work on Exec MBA items as well as get some papers graded for class. Sidetrack is taking the crew to Woofables to get ready for a photo shoot, then up to CR for Soccer. Beaner gets to sleep in. (How does THAT work??!!)

I'd tell you about the sweet way Beaner was asked to the Prom earlier this week, but she turned him down in anticipation of receiving a request from another suitor. But, for the sake of maintaining a positive relationship with Bearner, I won't get into any more details about her current Prom considerations.

And so it goes...

Game, Set....

2011-04-11T09:42:00.003-05:00

Beaner (right) looks on as the opposing team hits one out of play. Despite the fortune of this point, Beaner and her temporary partner lost the match. It was only Beaner's second HS career loss. Her normal partner got "called up" to play varsity for a match, so that sort of took both girls off their game. Peanut showed up to see her big sister play. And yes, it was a cold as it looks.

Chalupa had better luck two days later in her seasonal debut back on the soccer pitch. The Fusion won 2 - 1 and Chalupa had some quality touches. Buzz covered the shop while Sidetrack made the trek to Muscatine to see the match. Big Dawg also showed up to cheer Chalupa on.

The shop continues to show incremental growth. This week we heard from potential vendors in Rhode Island and Milwaukee. We sent off sample kits and will see if this turns into more business. If history (brief as it may be) is any indication, we'll have to ramp up our baking.

In other news, between all the running around we're starting to prepare the garden for summer planting, and Buzz got the garage sort of cleaned out. Swapped the snowblower for the lawn mower, and finally boxed up all the holiday lights. Every year I tell myself to simplify our seasonal light show, and every year... we add more lights! Enough is enough!

On the hound front, Max got into green food coloring (don't ask) and so has blotches of green on his body. We also have spots on our living room rug. Thankfully, it's a inexpensive rug, but it does demonstrate our efforts to go green (I guess).

The week ahead is more of the same: Teaching, recruiting, Des Moines, Baking, Soccer, Tennis, Baseball, Baking, Woofables, Youth Groups and more... I'm sure. And so it goes....

Servin' 'em up

2011-04-02T10:48:00.002-05:00

West High JV Tennis Team practices in the City Park. Hard to believe all of this was underwater two (almost three) years ago. Beaner is in the far, upper left, court so you really can't see her. Anyway, she's climbed the ladder a bit this year and will be looked to for a certain amount of Leadership on the team and the courts. She'll rise to the challenge, I'm sure.

A few weeks ago, my boss formally announced his retirement. Since then I've fielded many questions about my professional fate and aspirations. It would be nice if I could provide a clear-cut answer, but truth be told, it's not that easy.

Simply put, the University of Iowa is a State organization, and therefore I technically work for the tax payers. With that said, typically when there is a job opening like the Director of Executive MBA Programs, the University forms a search committee, and then opens the job up to the entire State. They must consider ALL remotely qualified furlowed State Employees, then will consider other candidates (at large or otherwise).

I imagine there will be interest from a few folks at Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Coe College, Mt. Mercy University, and Kirkwood Community College to name a few; not to mention some of my colleagues here on campus. At the end of the day, this could become a six-eight month process. I suspect there are other streamlined ways this job could be filled, but am not optimistic about those options, because I'm unsure whether I've earned the endorsement of appropriate leadership. So I'll stay focused on those things I can control and wait to see how things unfold.

It'd be a good job, but the hours are long (regular six day weeks - no less than 50 -55 hours), and the pay is substantially less than the private sector. Conversely, working on campus is a luxury to be sure, and our benefits are great. The Dean of the College is also retiring, so there is a leadership void at the top, which also has it's implications... So we'll see. It'll be an interesting to see how things unfold....

On all other fronts, it's the same old Kiddie Chaos. We're thankful that when Beaner is not playing tennis, she can help taxi her siblings to and fro. No speeding tickets yet! And so it goes...

A Labor of Love?

2011-03-29T16:49:00.004-05:00

Chalupa is decorating a Birthday Bone Cake for Duckie the Dog. If you look closely you can see a pink duck in the corner of the bone. You can see a picture of a completed cake on the Woofables website.

This about sums things up. We continue our frenetic pace. School, work, play and Woofables consumes our time. Meanwhile the many usual chores around the house are tackled on an "as needed" basis. We're not sure how this will work once the weather warms.

On our list of things to do includes a new fence around the garden, and tilling the garden... oh, and planting the garden. The garage needs a good spring purge and cleaning. It always amazes me how quickly it fills up with junk. The holiday lights are piled in a corner, and the snow blower needs to be swapped out for the lawn mower.

Speaking of lawns, I'm debating whether or not to fertilize. God knows there's plenty of fertilizer from the dogs, but it's rather unevenly spread. And I confess being in denial about the weeds.

The running streak continues with no events on the calendar except the next two miles (tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, etc...). And so it goes....

Turning the Corner

2011-03-23T16:36:00.003-05:00

Hot summer nights are not too, too far away, right? Travels abroad are done for another year. It was a good trip, and I was surprised by how much more comfortable I've become in a foriegn country. This will, I'm sure, be put to the test next year when we take two groups to China over a three week period of time. If I was home sick this year, I'm certain I'll suffer terminally next time around.

Travels now will be regular trips to Des Moines as we put the final students into seats for an Exec MBA Program to begin in May. Our numbers are a bit lower than expected, but should be enough to be worth our while.

Meanwhile back in IC, the kids are ramping up for a range of spring activities to include HS Tennis (Beaner), HS Soccer (Peanut), Competitive Soccer (Chalupa and Big Dawg) and competitve baseball (Big Dawg). This on top of a regular battery of music lessons and youth group activities. Crazy business.

Woofables experienced a ribbon cutting last week, under our (new) ownership. This went well. This tiny little business continues to be tiny, but growing incrementally. We couldn't do it without the help of Julie and JoAnn. Julie is our sole (non-family) employee, and JoAnn is our business Matriarch. It's all good.

This year's running streak has begun. I am dubious as to how long I'll be able to keep it going. Last year I managed 214 days (January 1 - Aug. 2), so far... 9 and counting. This year's streak began on the news that The Mankato Rookie has surpased 1000 days for his streak... quite amazing. He say's he's addicted. Poor kid. Dane's Ice Cream (pictured above) is my motivation. As many wise men say, "There's alway's room for ice cream", and I'm running to get my share. Ciao!

On The Road ... again

2011-03-13T21:19:00.002-05:00

"On The Road" by Jack Kerouac is one of my favorite books. And here I am, on the road again to Sao Paulo, Brazil (4th from right) with a few of our Exec MBA students. In total, there will be 39 of us touring businesses, organizations and the University to learn more about conducting business internationally. It was a nine hour flight from the states (give or take for some). Only one group got way laid and will arrive a day or two late.

One of our students was #1 for take off from Tokyo, when the earthquake hit. They would have been in the air had one passenger not get sick just prior to lift off. As Mr. Badding tells it, the plane was rocked and rolled. Eventually they were evacuated only to reboard a few hours later... Last thing Tokyo would need is more people to take care of. Mr. Badding arrived safe and sound Stateside, before hopping a plane down to Brazil to join us. What an adventure, huh?

This (below) is China Town market in Sao Paulo. It was bustling with activity today. Food, people, trinkets, trash, garments, and all sorts of flea market type items. Enough to take up an afternoon for shopping if we had that sort of time.
After the market we stepped into the 8th largest Cathedral in the world. Mass was going on and the place was SRO (standing room only). It was a spectacular sight. It was a spiritual moment to be sure.

Meanwhile, back Stateside, Sidetrack took the crew to Wisco to stop in a visit our former neighbors. Tomorrow, Beaner goes to Carthidge College (?) for a visit. We'll see. After that, they will all be Malled at Guerney Mills before heading back to the mother-land. So I guess we're all on the road... and we're not going to worry about roads not taken. Instead, we'll forge on to blaze trails and memories to last a lifetime. More for Brazil in a day or two.

BD Big Dawg - Just Hanging

2011-03-08T08:50:00.002-06:00

Here we see Big Dawg hanging out with Dad. He's coloring and I'm stuffing Tulip Biscuits into packaging for one of our Woofables customers. This particular customer orders 500 individually wrapped biscuits per week. so this is becoming somewhat of a nightly routine. As we scale the business, I'm confident we'll find an appropriate alternative to this time intensive work. In the interim, it's good to hang out with the Little Man.

In other news, Chalupa got the "All Clear" from her surgeon. She can now participate in all sports activities accept wrestling. They say that taking a break from sports is rejuvenating for many athletes. We thought this break might diminish her enthusiasm, but Chalupa is ready and raring to go. It will be interesting to see how sore she is after the first few days of practice!

As for sports. Peanut is ramping up for HS soccer, and Ellie tries out for the Tennis Team. Big Dawg is all in for his soccer activities so our house is in constant motion as the weather warms up.

There will be an up-tick in posts these next two weeks with a few upcoming events (Spring Break and related travel). So keep your eyes out for some varied input and updates. Ciao!

40 years and counting

2011-03-01T13:56:00.005-06:00

Little did we know, when we met more than 40 years ago, we'd still be hanging out together many years later. Our travels have included NYC, London, Fla, CO. There'll be more to come I'm sure. I was in Manhattan last weekend to celebrate Robert Dorfman's Bar Mizvah. It seems like yesterday (almost) when I attended Dorf's Bar Mizvah in Iowa City. Where does it all go?

Anyway, it was a magnificent event and beyond the nostalgia, it was fun to be back in Manhattan for a day. It was all too brief.

Next up, Des Moines, Omaha, Des Moines ... then 10 days in Brazil. It's quite the whirlwind.

Meanwhile, Woofables continues to grow it's reach to places such as Tennessee and Texas. We've added Pizza Biscuits and Pup Tarts. Our customers are gobbling them up.

2011-02-22T14:33:00.003-06:00

An older picture from the Shed Aquarium in Chicago. It looks like the Big Dawg is contemplating greater things in life than just sea turtles... but then again, maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.

I realize today that I have a full set of toes and (more accurately) toe nails for the first time in 8 months. This may not sound like a big deal to many people, but let me tell ya... It's unnerving enough to have toenails fall off, but to watch the decrepit remains grow back ever so slowly is gruesome. Thankfully they are back and I'm whole again... until then next insanely long run in the woods.

A boy and his dog

2011-02-19T16:14:00.003-06:00

This was the scene in our back yard earlier today. The hounds next door (from left, Nellie and Duffy) called Tootsie and Max out to play. It's difficult to imaging this patch of ground was covered in 18 inches of snow only two weeks ago. The thing I like about this picture is the fact that the dogs are all facing different directions. Although Max and Nellie seem to have sights set on something going on out front.

Speaking of dogs... here is a boy and a dog. Big Dawg and our Big Dog are hanging out on the couch. Big Dawg is ingrossed in some sort of I-Touch game, sigh. Not sure if that's better or worst than TV.

This past week marked Peanut's 15th birthday! They sure grow up fast, huh? Last night, she and her posse went to Olive Garden for dinner. To our relief, they were not kicked out.

Chalupa spent the week in and out of school and bed fighting persistent but not terminal flu-like symptoms. Of course she wants to go out Sat night with friends, and Sidetrack says those dreaded 6 words a dad never wants to hear, "I don't know, ask your father." UGH! So I have to play the heavy and say no. Who ever said I was a nice guy... better talk to my youngest daughter who would vehemently disagree right now.

Other than that... its business as usual in this neck of Iowa. Next weekend, I'll be off to NYC for the Bar Mitzvah of Robert D., son of my dear childhood friend, The Dorf. Should be fun, but there will be plenty of work when I return. Speaking of work, the annual Exec MBA International Seminar is coming up... back to Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio). A busy time indeed. Oh for the dog days of summer. And that is the news for the week ending 11-19-11.

Coming Soon ... Spring?

2011-02-12T16:47:00.003-06:00

Spring must be around the corner. Today the temps surged above 40 degrees. Some of the snow appears to be melting. Now we we'll put up with the brown, crusty dregs of winter until about Easter. After that we're home free until next October.

The store was swamped today because of the second article (in as many months) to appear in the Iowa City Press Citizen. This one talked about Valentine's treats for dogs. Sidetrack had a couple of pics, and our treats looked spectacular.

All of the extra business prevented Sidetrack from getting to her "LIST" (the dreaded list). So in an effort to buy back that time, I'll go to the soccer banquet tonight while she gets caught back up on everything she didn't do earlier today. This will be my third year in a row... she has dodged this bullet for the last time!!! So Big Dawg, Chalupa and I are dining on hotel fare, and will take in all things juvenile soccer. Not all bad, but it does get loooOOOoong.

My mid term exam is 90% written. Testing services will help grade this bad boy (42 students) which is a good thing. I'm still on the hook for the essay portion, but that may not be too bad.

Now I've got to focus on two pending trips. First to NYC for at the end of the month, then a trek to Brazil. The next 90 days will be almost as nutty as last fall between recruiting students, international travel, adjustments at work, teaching and growing the business. Thankfully no property will change hands, but there are many operational moving parts (work, teaching, Woofables, kids) that will sweep us along like a strong tidal current. Ahoy!

Strange Week Indeed

2011-02-05T09:50:00.003-06:00

As we dig out from this week's Blizzard, some people are shoveling more than walks and driveways. Snow-loads on roofs are a concern, especially for folks who have flat roofs. Not only is the weight something to worry about, but eventually, the snow will melt and the water will need to go somewhere. By shoveling the roof, this guy is easing those physical pressures, but I suspect he is relieving some psychological stress as well.

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl, and our family seems to generally support the Green Bay Packers. If we have a hold out, it's Beaner. She's spent more time in Pittsburgh than anyone in our family, so she has a soft spot in her heart for that place. But the rest of us hang our hats on our residency in Wisconsin for 5 years. And my particular loyalties stem back to the days of Vince Lombardi, Bart Star and John Brockington (yes, I'm THAT old).

Before the game, Big Dawg has two soccer matches, then I'll attend to customers at Woofables. We host a weekly dog walk at 2:00 which involves a social hour afterwards. This give the pets a chance to snack on a free treat, and the owners a chance to catch up on a weeks worth of "news".

The agenda for this upcoming week is a full slate of Orthodontist appointments, classes for Buzz and Sidetrack, and another trip to Des Moines. The season is in full swing and we are all focused on one day at a time. And so it goes....

The Morning After

2011-02-02T12:14:00.004-06:00

This picture (above) does not do the blizzard much justice. This morning, when I opened our garage door, there was a wall of snow almost three feet tall. The largest drift in our driveway was almost 6 feet. It was crazy.

As you can see, the green car has snow almost reaching the top. The Mercedes was encased in a drift. These cars sat outside of my boss's condo. He has some temporary restrictions (due to a recent surgery) that prevent him from shoveling or snow blowing, so I picked him up and drove him into work. When we arrived on campus, we discovered that the place was all but shut down. The ground crews still hadn't shoveled the walks. There is a butt-load of snow to be removed... to be sure.

Kids were off from school, and the University (above) canceled classes - a rarity in it's own right. Now that the wind has calmed down, today might be a perfect snow day.

Blizzard?

2011-02-01T16:18:00.000-06:00

This is the scene outside my window at work. Those familiar with the Iowa City Campus, I'm looking due East. The taller building on the left is Kate Daum Residence Hall. Straight ahead is the Lamda Chi Alph Fraternity House. And the brink structure on the right is "Old Brick".

The snow and wind are turbulant, and the heavy stuff is not due for several more hours. Kids got out of school at 1:00, and the University canceled classes for this evening and early tomorrow morning (a rarity). Tonight, we'll hunker down and play cards. We'll ride out the storm... and it promises to be a doosie.

Hummin' Along

2011-01-29T14:00:00.002-06:00

Chalupa is helping to teach Big Dawg how to use his new gmail account. I think the first thing she should have taught him is how to UNLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS! When I got into work the following morning I was inundated with a series of ALL CAP emails talking about boogers. Great, huh? Boys will be boys I guess.

And in a voice that sounded frighteningly like Napoleon Dynamite, BD came down to breakfast the next morning, "Oh, I've been emailing."

We continue to refine the Woofables business model and are now offering customized dog treats. To the best of our knowledge, we may be one of a handful of vendors that provide this service and believe ourselves (of course) to be the BEST.

The week ahead is more the same, work, teaching, Woofables, school, soccer, guitar, piano, driver's ed (Addy), and consulting. Buzz heads to Des Moines on Thursday, and Sidetrack will be in and out of Cedar Rapids a few times. Hopefully she'll be watching her speed as she makes these trips. We don't need any more photos taken from the speed enforcement cameras .

Onward and upward.

Deep Freeze

2011-01-21T16:44:00.002-06:00

Well we woke up this morning and there were negative 12 degrees outside. Not quite as cold as MN, but darn cold none-the-less. The month is 2/3 of the way closer to Spring and that would be a good cure for cabin fever. When it's this cold, a person simply doesn't want to go outside. So we all hunker down in our bunkers (on campus, in school, at Woofables, in our offices, and in our rooms). As you can see below... event the cat is snuggling up to the dog to stay warm.

The executive MBA program has me in Des Moines about once a week. We're also in the midst of our mid-year budget review. Not exactly my cup of tea, but a necessary evil. Meanwhile this semester's class, E-Commerce Strategies for the Entrepreneur seems like a nice change from past semesters. I have more Liberal Arts students in this class, and they tend to be a bit more laid back (less high strung) than the business students.

As for Woofables, we're in the process of updating our biscuit shapes, so I'm making new cutting "presses" and Sidetrack is testing new recipes. Did you know that February is National Dental Month for Dogs? Yep! It sure is. So we are going to sell a peppermint flavored biscuit shaped like a bicuspid. Helps with bad doggie breath and settling on the stomach. I tried one, and it left my mouth feeling a bit winter fresh!

Sidetrack is swamped with consulting, and somehow she manages to balance the Shop and her teaching obligations. It's all really a blur to us. And the house is trashed. Not like Beaner's bedroom trashed, but it should could use a good Spring cleaning... maybe later this spring... when it warms up. . Maybe.

One person's art, is another person's laundry

2011-01-15T13:08:00.003-06:00

I got to wondering what gene causes messiness. I believe when I was growing up I was fairly clean and picked up. This may have been the result of strict parental requirements or just good, common sense. However, in college, I confess there were a few years where things got out of hand.

My recovery from college clutter began my junior year. I developed a new system to manage my laundry. After my clothes were clean they'd be put away and hung up. Then as clothes got dirty, instead of piling them on the floor of my room (see picture of Beaner's room above), I would toss them into the trunk of my car.

Then when I ran out of clothes, or when my trunk got full (which ever came first), I would drive to the laundry shop and clean the mess, and start all over. This seemed to be a good system.

I haven't shared this idea with Beaner for fear that she will ask for a car. And even if she did have a car, I'm not convinced she would use the trunk for this purpose... especially when the washer and dryer are just downstairs from her room.

She'll grow out of it. right? Hopefully sooner than later. Until then, you enter her room at your own risk and peril.

I Don't Tire Seeing These

2011-01-11T14:32:00.006-06:00

Last year, I went for a 7 mile run along the river, and to my surprise, I counted no fewer than 19 eagles.

Growing up in Iowa, my father would take me on the Winter Bird Count, conducted every December by the local Audubon Society. Each year, the counts would be recorded and benchmarked by species, and appearances. Over time, the data becomes one more environmental measurement that can be reviewed and evaluated.

This year, the big find was a pair of Trumpeter Swans that have recently been reintroduced to the upper Midwest. However, at the time I birdwatched with my father (the early to mid-70's) it was a BIG deal to see an eagle. Heck, we would drive out to the reservoir just to see if we could catch a glimpse of an eagle when they were rumored to be nesting out there. And sadly, I remember several disappointing, "empty handed" drives back to town when no eagle sightings were made.

Today at lunch I went for a walk along the river and counted no fewer than 28 eagles. They were either sitting in trees along the river (in the photo you can see three eagles very clearly, and in the upper right background you can see the shapes of three more), or soaring along the water looking for food.

It is indeed quite spectacular to see these magnificent birds with such frequency and proximity. I'm only sorry my father is not around to share these sights with me. But I can be thankful to enjoy them while I can; and to echo the words of my friend Crazy Pete, "I never get tired of seeing them".

2011-01-10T09:44:00.003-06:00

As kid parties go... this was about as good as it gets. Big Dawg turned 8 in the middle of December, but postponed his birthday party until after the holiday chaos.

We packed 'em into the Par Tee Zone where the kids scrambled around the maze (like hamsters). After about an hour, we pulled them into a large room, offered up a frightening version of "Happy Birthday", fed 'em cake and ice cream (sugar), then released them back into the wild. There was a lot of energy in this group to be sure.

Big Dawg (back, left, in red) had a very nice time and I think the kids did too.

New Year's Pic with Pop

2011-01-03T16:35:00.003-06:00

Peanut, Chalupa, Buzz and Beaner enjoy a New Year's hug. If I had to be surrounded by women... these are three that are as good as any! I'm a lucky father to be sure. Now I just need to remember where I keep that 12 gage... it may come in handy.

The Story of Maxwell . . .

2010-12-30T15:03:00.002-06:00

The story of Maxwell begins on Christmas Eve while Buzz was shoveling a neighbor's walk. Andi (our erstwhile college student neighbor, home for the holidays) called me over to to see the puppy she was watching. And Maxwell, the cute little bugger, plodded up to me licked me a few times, then inadvertently scratched my face with his paws. With that, I went back to shoveling, the scratches stopped bleeding and that was that. . . or so I thought.

Onto Christmas evening when Sidetrack and I attended our neighbor's annual dessert reception. When the topic of the puppy arose, Andi made a call to her friend, and the next guest to arrive was Maxwell.

Apparently, Andi's friend found the little guy wandering the streets of Coralville on Dec. 15th. She placed calls to the police, the dog pound and local shelters... but after 10 days, no one called to claim the pooch. Unfortunately, Andi's friend was/is in no position to have a pet (19 years old, working 60 hours a week, living in an un(pet)friendly apartment).

And so with minimal debate or discussion, and long sappy, droopy, pleading (translation: can we PLLEEEAAASSSEEE keep him?) looks from Sidetrack, I buckled under the weight of holiday spirit. A day later... Maxwell entered our lives permanently.

He's a Blue Heeler mix, about 8-9 weeks old and healthy. Koko almost ate him, Tootsie is annoyed but tolerant, and Truman is curious from a healthy (safe) distance. And so this new chapter begins.

2nd Annual Chi-town Blitz

2010-12-30T13:35:00.007-06:00

For the second year in a row, I managed to survive a quick Chicago blitz with the delinquents. We arrived on Tuesday at 4:00 and stayed right downtown. After a brief stroll up Michigan Ave., we dined at Dick's Last Resort where food was decent and service was obnoxious.

After dinner we meandered back to the hotel (along the Chicago River) for a night of cards (Euchre), and a Hawkeye Insight Bowl victory!!!

Breakfast at the West Egg (at Columbus and Ontario) followed by a morning at the Shedd Aquarium. It was a blast to see the fish and water related animals.

We then zipped up to Evanston for a quick walk around on the Northwestern Campus, and a fly-by visit to Uncle Murph's

We grabbed some burgers at "Five Guy Burgers and Fries", then hit the road back to Iowa City. Next Year we're thinking about visiting the Art Institute. That will be another adventure, I'm sure. Cheers!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T16:16:00.003-06:00

It has been an eventful year. The details of most of these events are captured in various posts on this blog, so I won't clobber you with details. We entered 2010 with two homes (mortgages) and we exit with one. THAT has been a welcome relief.

Chalupa had a curved spine and now it's straight. THAT has been a welcome relief.

Somehow along the line we picked up a small retail/manufacturing businesses, Woofables, a gourmet dog biscuit company. This will remain a curious distraction.

We started this year never having traveled to California as a family. Now we can check that adventure off the list.

And one more item [BREAKING NEWS] We started the year with two dogs and a cat (a few fish too), and as of this post,... we're adding another four legged critter to the chaos. Tonight, at 10:00, Max will be delivered. He was found stray... abandoned. We have no clue how old he is, be the best guess is that he's about 4 months. We guess he's part Saint and part mutt. We guess that we've lost our minds. A neighbor found him and he's been visiting a few houses to find a home, and somehow ours seemed right. Kids will find out when they wake up tomorrow. Life as we know it, just got a little bit more interesting.
Here we see Big Dawg on Christmas day... taking a shot of snow to the face. Salute!

At the end of it all, we have our health, we have our friends, we have our shared adventures, we have our faith, and we have each other. We really can't ask for more than that, for these are the things we are thankful for.

We wish all of our friends a Merry Christmas, and wonderful New Year full of laughter, great adventures, wonderful moments with friends and family, safety, warmth, love and happiness.

Cheers to one and all! - The Taylors!!!

2010-12-18T08:32:00.002-06:00

As tradition would have it, we decorate the house to help celebrate birthdays. Here is what Big Dawg has been able to enjoy for a few days. What you can't see in this picture is the living room which is an eclectic mix of Christmas decorations (tree, lights, etc...) and birthday ballonapalooza. It's all quite spectacular.

So this weekend we turn the corner and make the final push into the holiday weekend. Sidetrack and I are finishing grades for the semester, and the shop is hitting full stride for the last second biscuit buyers (and our growing online efforts), and work is winding down for the season.

Speaking of work, we postponed the start of the the Exec MBA program in Des Moines. We'll crank it up in May rather than January. We simply didn't attract enough students to make it worth while for the University and the participating students. It's a bit of a set back, but should have positive results in the long run.

Kids are all jacked up about having two weeks off of school. We may take a day or two and drive into Chicago to enjoy the lights and sounds and chaos. It all depends on the weather and timing. We'll see. Until then... balloons for everyone!!!!

Nerd and Birthday, Coincidence?

2010-12-13T08:43:00.003-06:00

Eight years ago today, Mr. BD Big Dawg dropped into our lives in T triple shock fashion:

1. Labor was all of 22 minutes (no time to really get mentally ready)

2. When he arrived, He was a HE... not a SHE (unusual for us after three girls)

3. And he came in weighing 9 lb 13 oz (the rest of the brood was around the 7 lb mark).

Thankfully the triple shock has worn off and we're kind of getting used to having this heathen around. I think we'll keep him.

On the other hand... there is Chalupa. I am not sure when themed days began in school, but I can say it was after my time. Spirit Days were about it for us. But now they have pajama day, dress up day, sports day and (as Chalupa aptly demonstrates) Nerd Day.

With role models like this... I'm not sure BD Big Dawg stands a chance.

Seasonal Blowhards

2010-12-11T21:38:00.003-06:00

Every holiday season, the University of Iowa Tuba Band performs holiday music on the steps of the Old Capitol. This year's event was held Friday afternoon, December 10. The weather could not have been much better. It was 48 degrees and sunny. The whimsy of the Tubas added a wonderful tone to this year's growing holiday spirit.

Unfortunately, the weather was short lived. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the next 24 hours. We can expect at least 3 - 5 inches of snow and sustained winds of 35 - 40 miles an hour, with gusts reaching 55 - 60 miles per hour. Lovely, huh?

From one blow hard to another... this blows.

Freezing Up

2010-12-10T09:40:00.003-06:00

This is the view of the Iowa River looking north from the Hancher foot bridge. That's the Park Road bridge at the top of this picture. During the floods of 2008, water was well over the top of that bridge. So as you can image, the foot bridge from where this picture was taken, was inaccessible.

Anyway, this is my walk to work every morning. It's about a half a mile, up hill (true) to campus. This particular morning it was about nine degrees, and you can see the river is beginning to freeze.

Years ago (prior to 1960's), before the Coraville Damn was constructed, the river moved much slower and froze more substantially. Fred Kent, a local photo historian, took pictures of people (many people) skating on the river. But the flow is too strong for any safe crossings on foot or skate.

At this this time of year, the eagles take refuge along the river banks. Last year during a noon-time run, I counted no fewer than 19 eagles along the river. It's quite spectacular. And it's common to see an eagle sitting in a tree or flying overhead as I make this water crossing every morning during the winter. So with the constant view of river and eagles, there is always something good to be found in Iowa City, despite the frigid winter conditions.

Winterized

2010-12-04T09:53:00.004-06:00

Big Dawg (below) is ready to roll into the wild winter weather. Our first "significant" snow (less than an inch) fell last night. Still, it's a welcome holiday sight. Now we must mentally prepare not to see grass for 3 more months.

We have some elderly neighbors who previously had their walk and driveway shoveled by other neighbor kids. Unfortunately, those "kids" have graduated HS and are long gone. So the Taylor kids have been approached for this honorable duty. This could mean some early mornings and late evenings of shoveling the white stuff. This morning was the first test. Thankfully, it was only a sweep job, but a healthy pre-cursor for things (inches, perhaps feet?) to come. If successful, this could be a very valuable learning experience in community service and good neighborliness. If unsuccessful, it could mean several more doses of ibuprophen for yours truly.

I fear this picture of Marpy, Peanut, Chalupa, Sidetrack and Big Dawg is evidence of their training and preparation for snow shoveling etc... This does not bode well for me. These couch potatoes have taken root for the winter, I'm afraid their work-effort is dormant until we see green grass again. Ugh! Winterized.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T10:53:00.004-06:00

Beaner, Tootsie and Big Dawg are hanging out on the couch prior to gobbling some Turkey. Of course Toots is not allowed on the couch, but over time, she has softened the ire from Sidetrack and she's now sort of accepted as another potato to the crop of couch potatoes that grow from time to time.

Beaner has been a terrific oldest sister for Big Dawg. She recently completed reading the 4th Harry Potter book to him and will soon undertake the 5th in the series of 7. He really enjoys her reading and she is getting very good at it. The ability to read from a text is a wonderful skill to have... to be sure.

Thanksgiving at our house was typically warm and intimate (see pic below). JoAnn joined us again this year and we thoroughly enjoyed the food and company. I braved the weather to get the outside decorations up on trees, bushes and in the yard. It's no Clark Griswald work of art, but sufficient enough for our quiet little street.

And so it goes, the holiday season is in full swing. The shop is open on Sundays 12 - 5:00 and we've extended our hours to 6:00 p.m. during the week. The holiday biscuits are out and the radio plays seasonal tunes for customers to enjoy. It's all fun but a lot of work. Everyone pitches in. We're still trying to figure out what we intend to do for taking days off to celebrate Christmas and New Years.

We'll return to Minneapolis for the New Year's jump in the hole. This year I'll be joined by a foreign exchange student living with my in-laws, and maybe Crazy Pete. Chalupa, because of her back surgery will be on the sidelines this year and will have to wait a year to become a Baracuda.... I become a Baracuda II. One jump closer towards the Shark Robe!

Hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful T-Giving and are sliding into a fantastic holiday season. Cheers!

Cranky Contraption

2010-11-23T13:42:00.006-06:00

So at dinner last night, I made a simple goulash comprised of egg noodles, carrots, celery, a little bit of onion, some bits of green pepper, pork and a few spices. Trust me, this was nothing fancy.

But you can tell by the look on Big Dawg's face, that he was in no mood for this food. Chalupa, on the other hand, seemed quite amused by her brother's sour expression, and was even more amused that I was taking this picture (which of course made BD even more ticked off). Well it turns out that maybe the cooking wasn't all that bad. Perhaps there was something else that rattled BD's cage.

And what do you suppose that might be? As you can see (above), Big Dawg was fitted with this contraption (headgear) to adjust his teeth and jaw for future braces and manipulation. If you look closely, there are rubber bands that attach to hardware on the upper part of his mouth. All I know is that if I had to wear this contraption at night, I'd be cranky too.

Meanwhile, Chalupa turned her attention to Tootsie (below) who seemed more deserving of her frivolity and sense of humor. But after closer inspection.... even Tootsie looks a bit annoyed.

Christmas Cactus is in Full Bloom

2010-11-14T09:19:00.002-06:00

Does this mean the holidays are just around the corner. Wasn't the 4th of July just yesterday? . The reality of owning a retail business is starting to hit home. We are now open on Sundays for the holidays and we're going to discuss expanding our hours to 6:00 p.m. not just 5:30. This also means that we will be unwitting participants in the day after Thanksgiving retail insanity.

According to our records, the store moved 600 pounds of dog treats last year. To date, we have a little more than 200 lbs made. Fire up the ovens, full steam ahead.

In other news, there will be a shift in teaching next Spring. Sidetrack will move over to an Entrepreneurial Marketing Class (Wednesday nights), and I will start teaching Strategic e-Commerce for Entrepreneurs (Tuesday nights). I will miss working with the business students on their writing, communications and ethics, but I won't miss the few students who are only there because it's a required class. It will also be nice to have Thursday's free for many reasons.

We were joined this weekend by Marpy, our 4th daughter. Her folks are at Colgate, visiting her brother. Always fun to have her around. She fits in nicely with all her "sisters", and because she puts the teenaged girl headcount to an even number... she becomes the great equalizer and peace-makers.

All of this activity with the shop, with teaching, and with my day job, has limited my running. The break is nice, but I'd sure love to get out for a long one from time-to-time. Sidetrack is in no better spot. Her primary client (consulting) has two busy times of a year, we are in the middle of one of those two windows of chaos. So, between her work, the shop and teaching... she hasn't been able to swim much as of late. With all this inactivity, we might gain some weight!!!

Speaking of weight, Chalupa's school nurses have been in regular contact with us about her weight. They seem to imply that she is either malnurished, neglected, or has an eating disorder. I gently suggested that she is simply the product of her scrawny parents who they have never seen or met.

The week ahead will be out of control until about Thursday. And so it goes...

2010-11-07T19:23:00.002-06:00

Reindeer were the order of the day. Beaner, Brinz (brother out-law), Peanut and Chalupa was cranking out a batch for the upcoming holiday season.

We are sliding into a holiday mode. Discussions of Thanksgiving have begun, and a schedule of days off for kids is on the calendar. It was 70 degrees today, so it's very hard to get our heads around holidays when it feels like summer.

There are days when I think we bit off more than we can chew. Today, is one of them.

Hard to Believe

2010-11-01T13:00:00.004-05:00

No snow yet, but it's a matter of time. Here are some snowmen biscuits we have dressed up and ready to go when the snow finally hits and the holiday season goes into full swing. I confess, these are pretty cool.

Tomorrow is Sidetrack's birthday, so we will gather round the table, sing happy birthday and enjoy a quiet meal with family. Seems like this (a quiet meal with family) is getting tougher and tougher to do.

Thankfully, the bulk of athletic activities become dormant for a few months. Soccer is over for Peanut, and Chalupa is on the DL. Big Dawg will play indoor soccer, but he only practices once a week. Piano and guitar lessons are about it. It's all good.

During the insanity of September and October, one of our nephews (Zach, 23) passed away unexpectedly. There was a small quiet local service and it was left that family would come out to visit when the dust settled. So this past weekend, Sidetrack when to visiting her sister and nephew in Poughkeepsie, NY. It was a nice visit, and life is beginning to move forward in a "new normal" kind of way.

Never an easy time, but always a time to reflect on the family, friends and things that are most important to us. And so we move on. Sidetrack has returned, the hostage situation has ended, and no travel plans are scheduled until December.... (aside from the occasional trip to Des Moines for work).

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." [F. Scott. Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby]... looking ever forward to our futures with a spirit of optimism and grace... and a distinct sense of purpose AND humor.

Monkey Has Corrected me

2010-10-28T22:07:00.002-05:00

For fear that some of you may set your clocks back this weekend because you read it hear first (below this post - too lazy to make the link), it is the FIRST weekend in November. Not this weekend. Thank you Monkey Man for that critical correction.

I must wait one more week for an hour of sleep.

Hey... a quick shout out to my friend Carole T. Thanks for the really bad jokes! I have several friends who will never let me tell them a joke again. LOVE IT!!!

Comings and Goings

2010-10-28T17:16:00.002-05:00

Just back from Vancouver where I attended an Exec MBA conference where colleagues share best practices and ideas to keep our education relative and "industry" sustainable. It was thought-provoking.

Unfortunately time and weather did not permit much (any) sight seeing beyond a 5 mile jog one evening. I jogged 'til I got lost, then turned around and jogged to find my way back. Wet and cold, but not near as windy as what blew across our nation's mid-section. My return was delayed by about two hours, but I did arrive home.

Chaos at home was well in hand. But tomorrow (Friday) a.m., Sidetrack takes of for a long weekend with her sisters in NY (Poughkeepsie). It should be a long overdue get-together of just the gals. Meanwhile back on the home front we'll have soccer, pumpkin carving, MSU tailgate, dog-biscuit baking (of course), and trick-or-treating. The fun never stops.

Lookin' forward to setting our clocks back this weekend. One more hour of sleep sounds delightful!

As the Fog Begins to Clear

2010-10-20T15:07:00.003-05:00

ByFriday, all financial and property dealings will be "perfected", and life as the Taylor's know it, will assume a regular cadence of "new normal". Here is a summary of the past six weeks in bullet form:

Almost sold a house in Mankato (after 30 months)
Began refinancing our house in IC to secure a stronger financial position (and help pay for the sale of our house up north)
Made arrangements for a new roof on the house in Mankato
Finally sold the house in Mankato ... new roof now part of the offer
Ran a Marathon (Fox Cities)
Had a child (Chalupa) undergo spinal fusion surgery, spent 6 days in the hosptial.
Ran another marathon (Twin Cities)
Purchased a small business, Woofables
Had a daughter get her Driver's License
Closed the financing on the IC Home
Maintained day jobs
Maintained our teaching schedules
Maintained cross country (running and coaching), tennis, soccer and piano schedules
And last but not least... think we lost our sanity!

Whew. I am certain the next six weeks won't be so crazy, and you'll be pleased to know we've requested a dose of sanity for Christmas. Make no mistake, 2010 has been one of the most adventurous years of our "modern" lives. Good thing we wear seat belts!

October in Full Swing

2010-10-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

Sidetrack attended a Doggie Trinket show in Chicago this past weekend. She will place her orders today and we'll effectively own more trinkets for sale this holiday season. She and I are focusing Woofables efforts on hand made, quality products that match our core business philosphy and efforts (top quality dog biscuits). If you would have asked me at any point up until July, if I'd ever own a dog biscuit "interest"... I would have laughed. An axiom to the old saying might be ... he (or she) who laughs last... cries most.

Sidetrack is taking the lead on this, and her hands are full between the store, her consulting and teaching. Somehow she muddles through. But between the two of us... it's a flurry of activity... all the time. We're not sure what we would do if the pace ever slowed down. We'll enjoy it while we can. There are plenty of people who'd love the opportunity, and believe me, we are thankful on a daily basis for the chaos we enjoy (most of the time).

Chalupa returns to school full time. The scar on her back is every bit as impressive as it is scary. Just in time for Halloween.

Peanut is thriving at recreational soccer, but she is hinting at making a return to competitive soccer. She has a head of confidence, but may not quite be ready for the rough and tumble of competition. This aspect of ISC (Iowa Soccer Club) has not changed since she left.

Beaner is driving! This is good news for the other two taxi drivers. Now we have to figure out where all the gas went, and wonder why the gages are now mysteriously on empty everytime we get into the car. She needs a job, and I think Woofables can help!

Big Dawg is full throddle, full time. The life of a busy 2nd grader never stops. His crashes at the end of the day are as famous as his launches in the mornings. He too is playing a lot of soccer these days and reading a ton of books. His social life has finally turned the corner. Next summer should be very interesting for him.

Work for me has picked up to a more steady pace. Recruitement for the Des Moines Exec. MBA class to begin in January is reaching a fevered pitch. Some anticipated institutional sponsorships have fallen through, so I'm working diligently to fill the gaps. With faith and some elbow grease... we'll get it done. Teaching continues to be a professional highlight - Business Communications and Protocol is a required core class for Iowa business students. I teach writing, speaking, business protocol and business leadership/ethics. It's probably too much for one class, but that's what the curriculum requirements are. It makes for a very busy class.

Fall 2010

2010-10-06T14:01:00.002-05:00

The fall colors are upon us. Lots going on in our little corner of the world. First, it's safe to say Chalupa is on the mend. She returns to school tomorrow just as she is getting stir crazy at home. Many, many, MANY thanks to every one for all of their warm wished and for stopping by. The hard work is over for the parents and your support has made it much easier. Now, the hard work is in front of Chalupa and we know she'll tackle it with gusto.

Onto our next adventure. On Friday, October 8... Sidetrack (majority) and I will become small business owners. We're purchasing a gourmet dog biscuit company, Woofables. The previous owners did a marvelous job setting things up, but relocation of spouses has forced them to sell. I am busy working to develop a new website and an online ordering mechanism. Sidetrack is getting a handle on the overall business and operations. It'll be steady has she goes for the next few weeks, but by early November, we hope to be poised for a busy holiday season.

Cross country running season is drawing to a close for West High (Peanut). It's been a building year for Peanut who has been battling a series of stress-related injuries. She's toughing it out and hopes to return full-strength next year.

Big Dawg is still playing soccer like a fiend and fully enjoys playing "up" with 9 year olds.

Sidetrack swims 2 - 3 times a week, and Buzz just wrapped up his running season with a solid finish in the Twin Cities Marathon (3:44). So now we regroup as fall sets in and the season takes on a new sense of normal.

One Step at a Time

2010-09-28T14:49:00.003-05:00

Above - we see Chalupa during her final Physical Therapy session. She had to demonstrate that she could handle the steps, and she did. Now (below) ... she's HOME SWEET HOME!

Gonna Get Discharged

2010-09-28T09:11:00.003-05:00

Just got word... Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Chalupa will be discharged later today. She still has a lot of recovery to get through, but at least it will be in the comfort of her own home. Here we see her getting ready to order breakfast. That's Liz, one of the many, attending nurses we had over the days, weekend and evenings.

One More Day of Progress

2010-09-27T20:18:00.002-05:00

A bunch of Chalupa's friends had this T-Shirt made and they all wore them at school the day before she left for surgery. This (above) is the front.
This is the back (of the t-shirt)
And here is Chalupa with her "first meal" back. Mac and Cheese. It was not critically acclaimed, but a very welcome treat. They say she'll lose 4 - 6 lbs when she gets home. She, like the rest of this scrawny Taylor tribe, does not have 4 - 6 lbs to lose. Chocolate Sundays, mashed potatoes with whipping cream, and lobster thermidor may all make it onto her menu.
Today we had visits from Pastor Kyle and the BASIC Youth Group Leaders (above: Sara, Ross and Donald-call-me-Eric), from St. Andrews Presbyterian. She also had a visit from our State Representative Dave Jacoby. Marpy and Mama Arpy showed up in time to see Chalupa taking her evening stroll, and the night was capped off by a visit from her siblings and mom.

Doc says tonight might be her last night, depending on her pain and stairs. It will be good to get her home. So one more walk tonight and all sights set on another day of work tomorrow.

Day 4 on the Recovery Train

2010-09-27T12:24:00.002-05:00

Chalupa started walking again yesterday and the one trip journey was tough and painful. Today (above) she managed to make three trips around the ward circle, and two of those were "unassisted". Her pain is dropping and she's weening off of morphine. The goal is to pass her solids, and once this happens... she can take solid food.

Pastor Kyle stopped by from St. Andrews. It was good to speak with him. The support she has had from this church is really quite amazing. Thank you to all of the St. Andrews family. Many of the cards (below) are from her youth group and confirmation group, and friends from all over the city. We may need a small moving truck to get all this stuff out of here.

Therapy this afternoon, MAY include stairs! Maybe. If not today, then definitely tomorrow. Very exciting stuff.

And Now for Something Completely Different

2010-09-26T20:17:00.002-05:00

Homecoming was last night. Peanut and Beaner went. Peanut may never go again, and Beaner is all over it like fly on stink. Below we see her and Hannah. One of our Taylor Family Favs.

And here is the entourage before they left our house. From the left, Zach, Beaner, Alyssa, and Parker. It's all good. Afterwards they went to church with the rest of the youth group folks who attended. Peanut spent the night at a girlfriend's house.
Today, Peanut's team got smashed in soccer, but Big Dawg's team crushed their opponents. Chalupa's team also lost... probably 'cause she wasn't there ... but then again... maybe not.

Losses and Gains

2010-09-26T19:43:00.004-05:00

Today Chalupa lost her bladder tube and she lost Bob the Button (morphine). She gained greater mobility and walked up and down the hall, and she gained non-water liquids (Sprite and Apple Juice). Day-by-day her muscles and nerves are adapting to their new positions, and her muscle memory is helping her regain her strength and mobility. Tomorrow... soft foods (pudding, apple sauce? etc...)

Here we see a posse of girls. I probably won't get all of their names right but I'll try. In no particular order... Emmy, Emily, KFC, Abby-Normal, Vanessa and Miriam (I don't know Vanessa and Miriam but they're there).

And here we see Marpy and Molly. Molly has graciously asked for a Taylor Family Nick Name, so I'm on a mission.

Tonight Laura stays at the hospital and I'll make sure the kids get off to school tomorrow morning before I come in and take the morning shift.

Moving Towards 72 Hours Post Op

2010-09-26T08:04:00.003-05:00

Above we see Dr. Judd changing Chalupa's dressings. Here's what's on the agenda today. Chalupa will do some walking, and once she has mastered that, they will remove the tube from her bladder. Once that's gone, she'll be graduated to something more substantial than ice chips (jello or more?). But, unfortunately, she'll loose one more thing today... "Bob" the Button. This is the button she uses to have an instant delivery of morphine when pain comes a callin'

If all goes well, and progress continues, there is a chance for Chalupa to go home on Tuesday. We shall see. Today will be another big day. But when she goes home, she'll bring home this scar.
What you can't see in the lower right side of this picture is a little bit of tape that leads to another small scar on her hip. This is where Dr. Weinstein took a bone graft from her hip to place over the new rods in her back. During the next six months these tiny bone grafts will grow over the rods encasing them into her vertebrae. And there you have the origins for the name of this procedure, "spinal fusion".

Side Track arrives soon to relieve me this morning, so I can take Big Dawg to his soccer this afternoon in Cedar Rapids. J.A. Mandy will take Peanut to her soccer across town in IC. Well, onward and upward, big day ahead!

Work and Pleasure

2010-09-25T18:24:00.003-05:00

Yep, that's the Chalupa, STANDING!!! WOW!! It's all part of her rehab plan. Once she got back into bed, she slept for a solid hour. A good chance for me to grab a bite to eat.
Then came a small parade of friends starting with Crazy Pete, his wife Judy and daughter Kari. No holdin' him back. One week from today, he and I will tromp through 26.2 miles in and around Minneapolis/St. Paul. But Chalupa is so tough, her bravery makes our little effort look weak.
Next came Abby Normal (The Bruiser). This is the one and same young lady who crushed Chalupa (unintentionally) on the basketball court. A darling young lady and friend of the family.
And her last visitor of the day was The Reason. This comical child showed up and put a smile on the face of a very tired young Chalup. It turns out The Reason's mom, did her Pediatric Residency here at Iowa, and knows my God Mother, J.A.Mandy, and many of the physicians who worked with my father. Small world, huh?

So Chalupa is in the chair again, and is demanding to be put back in bed after a 35 minute pull. She'll sleep well tonight.

The Wheel Chair

2010-09-25T13:50:00.003-05:00

So first the ice chips, now the chair! Here we see Chalupa getting situated into the wheel chair. This is HUGE. It's a painful process to shift all that weight, stand, shift, then sit. Now we let the muscles relax and adjust for 30 minutes, then it's back into the bed for a while.

Later this afternoon, she'll return to the chair for 45 minutes, then again for 60 minutes. Each time it stretches muscles and builds strength. Once she sat up straight she had to cough up phlem. This too is very difficult because of the lack of re-developed strength and lung power. But this too, is all part of rehab for her. It is tough work, and she makes us all look whimpy.

We had a surprise visit from "sister" Molly. This was the first time Chalupa has smiled since surgery. I confess, it brought tears to my eyes to see he smile. Then she smiled again when Ike called in his soccer score. I told her that he was worthless talking on the phone, but he wanted to speak with her. She asked him 2 or 3 times when his next games were, and she just smiled, shook her head, because it was clear... she agreed with me, he was worthless on the phone, and not getting the answers she wanted.

Special thanks to Joe, Delma, Emmy (and family), Ms. Keech (teacher), Randy Housler and the crew from BASIC for the flowers and cards. Oh, and the Lipman's for the wonderful muffins from JAVA House.

Sponge Bath and ICE CHIPS! Horray!!

2010-09-25T11:23:00.003-05:00

This picture gives you some idea of how Chalupa has been laying for the better part of the last two days when she was not propped on her side by pillows, or slightly tilted up. She's obviously getting her hair washed (despite my suggestion to just shave it off), and then a sponge bath. You can't tell from this picture, but just tilting her neck ever so slightly was very painful for her.

After the sponge bath, she was approved for ice chips. This is the first step on her way to maybe some food by tomorrow! ALLLLRIIIGHT!

48 Hours After Surgery

2010-09-25T10:29:00.003-05:00

We'll it may not look like she's making progress, but she is. Every two or three hours the roll her into a different position which allows her nerves and muscles to adjust to their new (and correct) positions. But, as you can imagine, these are very incremental moves and come with a great deal of pain. The picture above was taken last night before I left to go home. You can see that the bed is at a reasonable angle compared to the picture below. That's what I mean by incremental... we're talking inches translating into miles of progress.

So today she will get into an almost complete sitting position three times. At least that's the goal. This will put some weight and pressure on the spine and all attached nerves and muscles, so the pain will not be fun. Chalupa also practices her breathing into a tube that measures and improves the strength of her lungs.

We also hope she can start chewing on ice. She's not had anything to eat since Wednesday night (before surgery). Her digestive system in not fully "on line" so they have to ease her into liquids and foods to prevent aspiration. Plus, (I would think) a bowel movement would be pass-out painful at this point. We hope today she can graduate from rinsing her mouth with water to actually consuming it! We'll see.

Still very groggy and dosing in and out of consciousness. Her voice is weak primarily because she still can't take huge breaths of air. The Intellectual Giant (IG) stopped by to say hello. He brought some great trashy reaching material (People, Enquirer etc...). She will be a much more engaging person by later Sunday afternoon.

24 Hours After Surgery

2010-09-24T13:44:00.003-05:00

Chalupa is making great progress. She is attached to one less thing. They removed the Pulse and Blood Oxygen monitor line. Still in and out today. Even with her sisters (Peanut, Beaner and Marpy) in attendance, she could barely muster a conversation.

They are slowly rotating her, and getting her some mobility. They say tomorrow she will stand!!! Wow.

Still no food, no water. Her digestion is not quite ready... "still waking up" according to the nurse, Andrea.

Good Morning Chalupa!

2010-09-24T06:51:00.003-05:00

First, to those of you anxious to visit Chalupa, she'll probably need another day or two of rest and recovery. At this point, she is in and out, and still in a great deal of pain. So we respectfully ask folks to wait until Sunday, before you stop by. She's in room 86 in JCP2 (John Colloton Pavillion).

All went well last night with only a few hiccups. The bed she is in is calibrated to measure her weight. Unfortunately, when she was weighed at 4:00, she seemed to have mysteriously gained 10 lbs! Naturally I was overjoyed that any member of our family could put on that kind of weight, but the nurse(s) did not agree.
So here (above) we see a team of nurses carefully lifting Chalupa at 4:30 this morning to re-set the scale on the bed. And must to my consternation and amazement, the 10 lbs she magically gained... magically disappeared. POOF... just like that. What was I thinking? I mean Weinstein is good at spinal fusions, but not a miracle working in helping the kid put on some needed pounds.
Oh, and here is a picture of her "Sponge Pop". Not much to look at really, but Chalupa really seems to like it. I soak it in the sink and she'll chew and suck through three of them every two hours or so.

2:30 a.m.

2010-09-24T02:28:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been just over 14 hours since Chalupa got out of surgery. We've had three visits since 10:30. Each with a different purpose. They've been checking her vitals and doing some minor re=positionings. And replacing fluids.

It's important to "roll" her onto different positions, in this case her "side", and have her in that slightly different position for 2-4 hours. This allows the blood to circulate a bit more (not pool), it also subtly strengthens and re-normalizes muscles and nerves, which in-turn helps the body adjust to the re-aligned spine. Of course any movement at this point is horribly uncomfortable, I'm certain words can do justice for the pain Chalupa must feel. But she continues to be a trooper. The bandage goes from the base of her neck all the way down to the base of her spike (just below her waist), wow and yeow!

Because she is not fully processing fluids quite yet, she still can't drink water. But all the breathing makes her mouth dry. So what they have are little sponges on a stick (think lolly pops - Dumdums), and we soak the sponge in water, and she chews on in, and moves it around her mouth. It's probably less than a 1/2 a teaspoon of water, but enough to keep her mouth moist.

And so it goes. Next call will be about 4:00 a.m.

The First Night

2010-09-23T22:16:00.002-05:00

Chalupa is resting quietly right now, but we're braced for a long night or two. Sidetrack is at home for the night, and the schedule calls for a 10:30 check in and a 1:00 a.m. check in and I believe another at 4:00 a.m. They've allowed Chalupa to access the morphine every ten minutes, which is up from every 15 minutes. She is also taking Tylenol.

She won't be hungry for a few days, so she is "fed" through an IV. When she is awake, she's been asked to wiggle her toes. And she likes to have a wet swap (small sponge) run through her mouth to moisten things a bit. The towel on her head is like a cool compress. In the brief time I was away at class, she seems to have regained some color.

Tomorrow (Friday) Sidetrack will relieve me early in the morning, and I'll swing into work for a few quick hours. Then when I return, I'll pick up Beaner from school so she can swing by and visit for just a bit. Tomorrow night is Homecoming (Game) so she won't have a chance to visit then. More on homecoming later. Right now... I might grab a minute or two of shut eye.

Shift Change

2010-09-23T16:35:00.002-05:00

Sidetrack went home for a few hours to make sure things were squared away with the rest of the tribe. J.A. Mandy (my Godmother) is also helping out during our various activities.

Since then, Sidetrack as relieved me of my duties so I can teach my class tonight. I'll return at 9:30 to relieve her for the night, and then she'll relieve me in the morning. We're still trying to work out logistics for the rest of tomorrow and the weekend.

Chalupa is doing much better. She's in her "permanent" room, and will be in severe pain for a few more days. She reports that the pain is between 6 - 8 on a scale of 10. Not fun. Her sisters and brother will visit tomorrow, and she'll begin entertaining guests on Sunday. More news later.

Resting

2010-09-23T15:07:00.003-05:00

I can say Chalupa is resting, but not necessarily comfortably. We're still in post op waiting to move to her room. Her bladder has not completely woken up yet. All other vitals are good. From the top we see her pulse (64), breathing rate (18 breaths per minutes), then we see her oxygen saturation rate for her blood (98 - I can't really explain this but can tell you that over 90 in minimal, they like to see over 92), and in the lower right you see her blood pressure (123/51).

In an effort to keep my daughter on speaking terms with me, I won't post pictures of her just yet. Maybe when she gets a bit more color (she's still a bit palled), and after she loses a few tubes. But trust me when I tell you, she's fine.

12:00 p.m. - Surgery is complete!

2010-09-23T12:14:00.003-05:00

This is a look of relief you see on the faces of Sidetrack, Dr. Weinstein, and Buzz. Maggie is out and we'll see her in about 10 minutes. She is "waking" up right now, and NOW the work begins. At least the scariest part is over.

And NO, that's NOT a pack of Marlborro's in Dr. Weinstein's pocket. Now off to see a recovering Chalupa. More news later.

11:30 a.m. Wake-up TEST

2010-09-23T11:31:00.002-05:00

Dr. Weinstein just called up to our "lounge" to report that at 11:20 a.m. they performed the "wake-up test", and Maggie responded positively!

The wake-up test is performed by the surgeon as they pull Chalupa out of deep, deep anesthesia. They ask her to move her toes and fingers etc... No nerve damage and she is coming out of it. Of course, she won't remember a thing.

The fact that they are performing this test means the most critical portion of the surgery is complete, (drilling of holes, placement of pins, attaching the rods etc...). There is still a ways to go, but at least she is more than half way through.

Dr. Weinstein is THE BOMB!

2010-09-23T10:01:00.004-05:00

We just got the 10:00 a.m. report from the OR (operating room for us non-physician types). Everything is going very well.

I asked the attending receptionist if it's standard protocol to report surgical progress, and she said no. It's Dr. Weinstein. He insists on providing hourly updates when he operates.

HERE is a link that will validate his street cred:

It's safe to say... Chalupa's in good hands.

Scoliosis - BE GONE!

2010-09-23T09:08:00.004-05:00

Well today is the day that Chalupa's back will be straightened. A year ago (July) she was diagnosed with Scoliosis. At the time, her spine had a 32 degree curve. She opted to participate in a longitudinal study conducted by Dr. Stuart Wienstein to determine if back braces are an effective treatment for Scoliosis. She was in the control group (no brace), and when she was measured yesterday... her curve was 56 degrees. In the last two months the curve in her back grew three degrees. Makes me wonder what she'd look like at 90 degrees?

Anyway, Sidetrack brought her to the hospital at 5:15 this morning. Maggie was prepped and off to surgery by 7:15, and they actually began the procedure at 8:15 a.m. Surgery is expected to be five - six hours. And so we sit in the Dr. Lois Boulware Day of Surgery Lounge, get hourly updates, and try to think of a better name for this holding pen.

Our last update came about 15 minutes ago (9:05 a.m.). "She's doing very well." But of course she is... she's out cold. I want to know how the surgical team is doing? Oh well, as the girls might say... "Dad! That's TMI!" And so we wait.

Childhood Chums Unite in Neenah-Menesha, WI.

2010-09-20T17:45:00.003-05:00

From left, Binsey, The Mick, Peanut, Big Dawg and Beaner. Reunited at the Fox Cities Marathon to cheer Mr. Beep Beep and Buzz along. (see earlier post). The only delinquent missing was Chalupa, who remained behind to play some Futbol. All's good on Sheffield Lane and Sheffield Court. Probably a bit quieter with us no longer there. Thanks for coming out to cheer us on.... every little bit helps.

Another 26.2 Mile Experience

2010-09-20T17:31:00.002-05:00

When Mr. Beep Beep and I set out on Sunday morning's run around the Fox Cities area... we had one goal in mind, cover the 26.2 mile course in under 4:00 hours. Staying on task meant sticking to the plan... be last over the start line and hold an easy jog for about 6 miles. We did just that, and then picked up our pace ever so slightly to pass and stay of the 3:50 pack (group running to cross the finish line in 3 hours and 50 minutes.

We held this position until about 18 miles and started when we started to loose steam. The 3:50 pack caught us at about mile 19, and we continued to lose steam. Despite losing 7 minutes in the final 5 miles, we still managed to meet the goal setting a new PR for Mr. Beep Beep. Congratulations Chris!

Next up The Twin Cities Marathon on October 3. Crazy Pete and I may try to run sub 3:30:59 to re-qualify for Boston. Based on the Fox Cities run, I believe I've got a 3:40 in me, but those last 10 minutes will be the painful part. Not sure I have it in me, and (quite frankly) I'm not sure I really care. We'll see.

The Long Run

2010-09-16T22:27:00.003-05:00

This will be Chalupa's (far left) first and last cross country race for the season. A week from today, Thursday, she goes in for surgery to correct a bad case of Scoliosis. It will be an approximate 6 hour procedure to include pins and rods to straighten things out. This will be followed by 7 - 10 days of hospitalization, another week (or so) at home, then on the disabled list (DL) for 6 months of inactivity.

It'll be a rough go, but she's a tough kid. More news to follow. Oh, and the NWJH girls came in 2nd. Chalupa and Katie P. ran stride for stride from start to finish. One of the joys of running is having a good friend to run with. And there we have it.

More Friends

2010-09-16T22:19:00.003-05:00

Chalupa and Miss Molly are off to school... Whacky Day. Miss Molly is another surrogate daughter. She's a delight, and a lot of fun... not to mention a snappy dresser! Fo Sho.
Here we see Miss Molly, Chalupa, Dorf and Big Dawg. We just finished breakfast at Breugger's. A real croud-pleaser.
And last but not least, Sidetrack and Lorraine are chatting about this and that. These two wonderful women always have plenty to share with one another. It's great when we can get together.

"I Got It!"

2010-09-07T18:52:00.003-05:00

Playing catch with Big Dawg in our back yard. His concentration is palpable.

INSTANT REPLAY - Clearly we see his hand below the ball and he clearly caught it. The play on the field stands. The ball was caught and the touchdown counts! Nice work BD. And thank you for not celebrating in the end zone!

Ceci, KFC and Chalupa OH MY!

2010-09-07T18:48:00.003-05:00

Ceci (left) is not sure what to think of KFC, who seems to be holding court or singing The Star Spangled Banner. Chalupa is just standing there, frozen in disbelief. Before the day was out, we were joined by Alissa, Julia, Marpy, Adrianna and Abby Normal II. It was typical afternoon mayhem 'round the hood to be sure.

Selling a house - the hard way

2010-09-04T17:09:00.002-05:00

I'm going to try to explain our dilemma. We put the Monkeedoo house (above) on the market almost 30 months ago. Since then, we had one really offending low-ball offer (about 50% the appraised value) by a reputably gravy sucking sleaze ball. And so we waited. When we finally got a reasonably close offer, it was still 27% off the original price we paid, and it was contingent on the sale of their house. Just as we were about to accept the offer another offer came in for the same amount, but was restricted to that amount by divorce decree which means no negotiating, but also, no contingency... we accepted the offer.

So we informed our boarders who were good sports about it and within a week a HUGE hail storm blew through. No body thought anything about it. The boarders said the house was fine and we proceeded with paperwork to sell. The inspection came and went and all systems were go. Boarders were out and I went up to make one final pass the day before closing.

And so, just hours before closing they buyer did one final walk-through and they noticed a little water stain on one of the walls. One thing led to another and the roof was re-inspected. Low and behold there was major hail damage which now requires a new roof. UGH!

The buyer is on the curb with kids and a moving van full of furniture. The sellers (us) have to stop payment on the mortgage on the house... get an insurance adjuster to come make an estimate, and somehow figure out how to get all this closing crap resolved within a 15 day window (before our mortgage payment lapses).

So here is where it stands this Labor Day Weekend. the adjuster came and calculated $15K in damages, less $1000 deductible, and a reimbursable depreciation of $2,600. A check arrives to Sidetrack and me on Tuesday. It must be endorsed by us and the bank. Then, once it clears (3 - 5 days), a check is sent to the roofers who then contact the title company about closing details (this can take 3 -5 days). All closing costs get recalculated and financing must be secured by both the buyer and the seller (remember, we are under water here), and a closing date can be set. This will put us right up to the 15th. YIKES!!

Once the roof is complete, then the roofing company sends documentation to the Insurer who in-turn writes a check to the Sellers for the reimbursable depreciation. The sellers then pass this additional money back over to the roofer to complete our dept. with them. Somewhere else in this mix is the deductible.

So, by the time it's all said and done, this little roofing oversight (mistake) by the inspector cost interest and other costs in excess of $2,000 additional dollars to our selling costs. It is very painful, but we should close soon, and put this chapter behind us. What a crappy, crappy, crappy way to end a rough go of it in Monkeydoo. But soon, this chapter will be closed and better days will be ahead.

To better days ahead! CHEERS!

Getting a Clue

2010-08-23T17:00:00.004-05:00

Here we see Big Dawg, Lauren and Luciano playing Clue. You know, Miss Peacock, with a candle stick, in the kitchen. Big Dawg was overheard telling Luciano how a lead pipe can be used to kill another person, "first you light the lead pipe on fire, then you through it at them."

I don't think I have to worry about him being a terrorist... at least not anytime soon. But we've hidden the matches for good measure.

While they were playing "Clue" ... a Robin stoically ushered in dusk in our back yard (below)

Cucumber Conditioning?

2010-08-12T22:14:00.003-05:00

Sidetrack planted a cucumber plant too close to our AC compressor unit. This guy grew between the grate and the vents. Probably not good for efficiencies, but good green energy, right?

Flooding in Central Iowa

2010-08-12T21:57:00.004-05:00

In eastern Iowa it is not close to 2008 or 1993. Here is the Iowa River looking north at Park Road Bridge. To give you some idea of how big the flood was in 2008, This bridge was a few feet under water. Roads on left and right were not accessible. On the left, out of the frame of the photo, is Hancher Auditorium, no longer functional and soon to be relocated to higher ground.

Here (below) are photos taken just off of I-80, east of Altoona. This is not far from where the young teen was swept away by flash flooding. The photos don't do justice to the amount of water and the current sweeping across the road. The water in some of these photos is 4 - 5 feet deep. Keep in mind this is very flat land, so it's 4 - 5 feet deep (out of the banks of the South Skunk River) for acres and acres and acres. This is land that is normally dry, or growing crops.
I was talking to a man who actually lived up on a hill. He explained that the ground is so saturated that his basement took water because there is nowhere for the water to go.
So I took this photo from the parking lot of a Kum and Go Service Station, they had plenty of business, because the flood waters blocked to road to Casey's, across the street. We had rain and storms four nights in a row that brought 4 - 6 inches of rain each night. Crazy.

So all this night time rain brought forth an interesting factoid about Iowa. Apparently (according to KCRG Weather), due to the strange geographic location of Iowa, the state gets more rain at night than any other state in the US. It's similar to the way that southern Florida gets those afternoon storms between 4 - 6 p.m., then clears up. That's how Iowa's storms are, except between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. Strange, huh?

Look Who Passed Through Iowa City!

2010-08-01T19:51:00.004-05:00

We've overheard it said that all roads pass through Iowa City, and while we know that's a stretch, it is always nice when unlikely out-of-towners come to call. Mo called towards the end of last week to let us know she was passing through. So Peanut and Mo spent Saturday night, getting caught up on all things Menomonee Falls. That and walking the dog, watching a movie, and baking cookies.
Of course, no trip to Iowa would be complete without a trip to a cornfield. It so happens there's a nice field at the end of the street. Last year the farmer was rotating beans through, but this year... corn as high as an elephant's eye. Here we see Fox Vernon along with Buzz, Sidetrack, Chalupa and Big Dawg.

Fox was in from VA, and it was terrific to get caught up on our extended family. We're still working on getting him to make the move to the heartland. I'm afraid we'll be working on it for years to come.

Before the guests, BD was sent on a mission to rescue Chalupa from Camp Wapsi Y. Here we see her (third purple shirt from the left) singing a song with her cabin mates at the week of summer camp came to close. So now we have all but one of our brood under our roof.

The week ahead will have Beaner returning from "mission" work in downtown Pittsburgh. Sidetrack and Buzz will begin financial gymnastics to align our resources so we can sell our house in Monkeydoo. Chalupa has a Iron Camp in preparation for Olympic Development Program try-outs. Peanut will run a few extra miles for West High Cross Country practice.

Buzz's New Year's Resolution Running Streak (a minimum of two miles a day) has reached August. This is a record streak. It's been challenged a few times this year, but nothing so painful as last Sunday, after the run in Northern MN. One day at a time... one mile at a time.

Truman, the cat, was days away from being "put down" due to a cancerous growth on his head. Miraculously, this dang growth has begun to shrink (2 days from the lethal injection). He no longer has nine lives... to be sure. But he's still with us today.

And so the adventure continues.

Summer in full swing

2010-07-25T19:51:00.003-05:00

This past weekend Peanut got picked up at camp. Here she is (above) with a couple of her camp pals. She ages out this year, so it might be her last, unless she wants to be a counselor in training. We'll see.

After camp we drove over to Carlton, MN for the Voyageur 50 Mile Ultramarathon. After checking in with race officials the night before, Peanut and I drove up to Duluth for dinner. We had spaghetti at Grandma's restaurant (Grandma is the namesake for Grandma's marathon). While there we enjoyed the sites and sounds and ambiance of Duluth and Lake Superior (above). Good father-daughter bonding time.

This was my second run at Voyager. Both times I started with a Mankato running pal, TW. Here we are at the start of Saturday's event. Three years ago we toed the start line and rand the first section together. I finished in 10h 30m, but sadly TW suffered one of his very rare DNFs (did not finish). The conditions were blistering hot which aggravates any nagging injury, and demoralizes even the most determined runner.

This year would be different. TW and I stuck together for the first 4 sections, through the dreaded Power Lines, (five, very steep, roller coaster hill climbs of about 350 feet each, on gullied and muddy surfaces... and that's being nice). Our carefully paced efforts paid off for both of us. We both had plenty of leg to make the return tip. You can sort of see (above) the mud and crap on my scrawny legs after they crossed the finish line in 10h 25m for a PR (personal record) on this course. Peanut volunteered at one of the aid stations and enjoyed the sites, sounds and people of this terrific event.

We returned home to a quieter household. Beaner is in Pittsburgh with church doing a community service project. Chalupa is off at Wapsi-Y summer camp. The crops of beans, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes are all bountiful.

Back to work

2010-07-18T17:02:00.003-05:00

At the beginning of the summer, Beaner said she'd mow the lawn and therefore earned the right of first refusal. By July... she refused. Peanut lasted for just less than half a yard... she refused. Now Chalupa has the right of first refusal. So far, so good. I suggest you take a look at her hands. Yep, those are soccer gloves. ????

More Vacation Stuff

2010-07-09T18:22:00.003-05:00

Here we sit pre-launch on a white water rafting expedition in Durango, CO. with Laura's cousin Barbara. She was a magnificent hostess. She took us to a hot spring swimming hole and a BBQ round-up with some terrific entertainment.

Here's a great shot of Sidetrack. Can't remember where I snagged this picture, but it's a keeper. Certainly, from the expression on her face... she was having a fun time.
Ok, these next two pictures are of the Grand Canyon. Anyone who has been to the Grand Canyon will tell you... no picture, postcard or video can do justice to this hole in the ground. You have to stand on the edge to truly appreciate the magnitude and beauty of this wonder; the time and patience it took to be formed, and how small and insignificant we really are as a species.
This is a breath-taking place to be sure. We journeyed to the edge from Flagstaff, AZ. If we ever have the luxury to choose where we retire ... Flagstaff is in the top three contending locations.
More posts to come....

The List

2010-07-05T22:39:00.004-05:00

We traveled 10 days, from a Thursday through a Monday. During this time, we figured we were in a car for about 80 total hours.
We were at sea level (maybe below in the desert outside of Las Vegas) and climbed as high as 13,635 ft.
Gas cost us anywhere between a low of $2.59 (Iowa City) to a high of $3.79 (Wells, NV).
We traveled through countless national parks and forests to include trips over the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam.
We traveled through nine States including 5 state capitals.
The only rain we really experienced was in the painted desert (of all places), and as we drove back into Iowa. Temperatures ranged from 31 degrees in Copper Mt. CO (frost on car), to 116f as we approached Hoover Dam.
Worst city (by consensus) was Reno, NE.
Best surprise city was Truckee, CA.
Sidetrack and Buzz may have to retire in Flagstaff.
Too many great memories to list. Love our Cousins and grateful for their wonderful hospitality. More later....

Tribute to Abby Road?

2010-07-02T12:07:00.003-05:00

Ok, so we tried to do this on Fisherman's Warf, but it sort of failed because there were so many people. This was our best attempt at this location, and even here we see a confused by-stander (walker).

With our Cousin, Kim, we almost nailed it Abby Road photo op while in Half Moon Bay for lunch. It's all very silly stuff.

Golden Moments

2010-07-02T12:01:00.003-05:00

Our plans to tour Alcatraz got scuttled, as did our plans to visit the Exploratorium. So we make lemonade out of lemons and spent a full morning at a Golden Gate Park

Here we are on the beach behind the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a cool morning, but the beach none the less.
Here is a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge as we approached it from San Francisco.

Bit by Bit

2010-06-29T23:35:00.004-05:00

Our trip is overwhelmed with documented photos, so we're gonna do this bit, by bit.

After a horrific experience in Reno Nevada (gas station with no working bathrooms, no internet service at Starbucks, no working ice cream at McDonalds... four stops, four disasters), we crossed over to California. Life is good and Truckee, CA is our oasis of peace, calm and happiness. Welcome to Northern California. We stayed outside Sacramento, then the following morning we hit old-town Sacramento. Very cool and the doughnuts weren't bad either.

We arrive San Fran. and organized our first excursion in to the city... But before I get into that, I must tell you about our arrival, right in the middle of the Pride Fest Parade! Yes, this was every bit a San Fran experience as one could imagine. Gay pride was rampant as were the religious right.... No riots but some interesting people watching to be sure. Most of this we saw while waiting for the Cable Car (below).

We took the cable care to Fisherman's Warf. Pier 39. It's all good.

Pier 39 means sea lions.

And Ghirardelli Chocolate. They no longer make chocolate here, but they sell it, and the girls found it!

Salt Lake City

2010-06-26T00:30:00.003-05:00

So we trekked north from Denver past Fort Collins into Wyoming. Then across the southern portion for most of the day. We stopped for lunch in a nice, windy picnic spot in the middle of nowhere. Wyoming was surprisingly baron with some dramatic geographic changes.

Once we arrived, we regrouped and headed out for dinner. Here was see Addy and Ellie pondering the finer points of an intense game of dots. I think they tied.
Here we are at dinner at Macaroni Grill. So far, so good no casualties. Next stop... western Nevada or eastern California. Westward HO!