I Look 27 Again
I was thinking about saying 24 but 27 seems more appropriate.
At any rate, after a couple of weeks with scruff/beard/stubble, I shaved off my facial hair. Maybe it had something do to with the fact I found three (or more) gray hairs poking through. Maybe it had something to do with the itchiness. Maybe it had to do with the guilt my electric shaver gave me.
Yes, I’ll admit to somewhat of a love affair with it. How cool is it, it cleans itself. Is always ready for me anytime I want it. There’s something to be said about that. After all, it doesn’t ask much in return, just to make me happy while doing its job. I’m not saying that the stubble/beard/scruff won’t come back soon. I’m just enjoying a different look, a younger one.
I remember when my dad shaved his beard, I couldn’t believe how young he looked. When I was a kid, I thought he must have taken some potion that made him look younger again. Check out the classic photo of my pop lounging around in his best Hefner look on the classic 70’s couch. Yes, that is a picture of me in the background. Please no comments on my attire, it was the late 70’s or early 80’s, yo!
So yes, I again hope to have all of those people who don’t think I’m in my 30’s (ahem, mid 30’s) believe that I’m in my late 20’s again. Now all that I need is my hair cut because I’m looking a little like Shaggy again.
Zoinks!
A Sign??
Does this mean I go to Rock Bottom too much??
Where Is taawd?
You might be wondering where in the world is taawd?
We’ve been doing a lot of retooling of the morning newscast at work and it’s taking up a lot of my time. I’ve been doing work from home. Work at work and probably work in my sleep. It’s all good because I think our newscast looks better. I hope you’ll watch one morning!
These weeks are flying by and I can’t believe it’s fall already. Yes, it is October 8th. I apparently got a lot of sleep today, not that I even remember what time I entered the land of zzzz’s.
I know my computer wasn’t too happy with the way I left it. Something like this was in the address bar of my Internet browser.
http://asdddddddddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiawwwwwwwwwwwweeee (repeating)
That’s not the worse of it, I’m going to start developing bruises from when my head keeps hitting the top of the laptop. Surfing the web, blogging and checking e-mail tires me out. The problem is it could also be detrimental to my health.
I’m going to workout, something else that’s sort of gone to pot recently.
I’m tired, nope, wait, I’m good.
Anyone For A Game Of Euchre?
The card game has long been a tradition in our family. As far back as I can remember, it’s been something my mother’s father’s family has played. I was intrigued by the game when I was very little because all of the adults would sit up until the wee hours of the morning and play.
When we were little, we’d have our own table and play the game. It wasn’t until one of the grown-ups got tired were we able to play. The more you played at the adult table the more you might have a chance to sit in a couple of hands.
My dad is a keen player. He’ll sense you have a loner hand and call something to get euchered instead of allowing you to get the four points. He and my mother love to play the game. My mother is hilarious and may occasionally trump his ace and you’ll hear an exclamation come out of his mouth.
My great-grandmother would play marathon games with her friends or “the girls” as she would call them. They’d never use cards to keep score. They’d keep score using the old four straight lines and one diagonal line to denote five points. They’d fill up an 8″x10″ with all of their games. My great grandmother and about five other women would play and switch out to get some zzz’s when they’d need them. They’d never stop until Sunday morning.
My problem is just finding people who know the rules because it’s not exactly a game that has simple rules.
I love the game, who wants some cheesecake?
Good Ol’ Wayne County
I have all sorts of memories growing up in Wayne County, Ohio. It was a bit strange when I moved to Detroit and resided in Wayne County, Michigan.
To me, Cleveland was a metropolis. I never shared the childhood memories of growing up in the big city that I now call home. Instead, it was growing up “Green Acres” style down in Wayne County. The locals knew you weren’t from their “parts” when you rhymed Wooster with rooster. It’s pronounced like Worcester, Massachusetts. If you don’t know how to pronounce it, click here then on the speaker to hear a man say it.
Some of my first memories were of the Wayne County Fair. My father was a Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy and we spend a lot of nights going to the fair to see him and all of the attractions. As a deputy, my father got to escort Jerry Lee Lewis to the fair, ride Evel Knievel’s motorcycle and introduce me to Mel Tillis and Lynn Anderson. I still remember my conversation with Mel Tillis, who did, by the way, stutter as he talked to me. I was only about 4 or 5 years old but I won’t forget it. I missed the fair this year but there’s always next year.
My mother worked for Bishop’s Fine Foods growing up. It was a fifties style drive-in but she didn’t do the rollerskate thing. She did deliver the food including those awesome onion rings to people’s cars. Sadly, the original haunt is no longer there. Apparently, it’s moved to Orrville. The onion rings are unrivaled. My favorite sandwich is the Nutty Muffin. It’s a double cheeseburger with cole slaw and peanuts. It may not sound good but believe me, you’ll want another one.
I’d never heard of Rini Rego’s or Heinen’s growing up, if you wanted groceries, you went to Buehler’s. Their Milltown location touted a restaurant when it was built and made headlines for days in The Daily Record. Let’s not forget Hawkins Supermarket. That’s where we went most of the time to get our food in Wooster.
I mentioned in another post about Bauman’s Orchard in Rittman. It’s another place where my mother worked growing up. I can remember going there to get apples and cider. I can also recall getting to see how they sorted and cleaned the apples after picking them. I was amazed at the process. It didn’t take a lot to make me happy then and it doesn’t take a lot to make me happy now. Some things, just like Wayne County, don’t change much.
While we’re talking about food, there’s Dravenstotts Restaurant in Orrville, it’s the home of the world’s best strawberry pie. That is, after my grandmother’s recipe. Dravenstott’s pie was good but believe me it doesn’t come close to hers!
If you haven’t been to The Barn Restaurant in Smithville, it’s worth the drive from Cleveland. It’s country cooking in a place you’d never thought you’d eat… a barn. I’m sure I didn’t have to spell that one out for you.
Of course, Wooster is known for its college. The golf course is also nice. My friend, Kevin, owns it. Not literally, but he spent more hours on that course than the time I spend blogging twenty times over. I believe he got a hole-in-one there. He’ll correct me if I’m wrong, just watch or even if I’m right.
Finally, I’ll wrap up this promotion of my home county by mentioning two places I knew as big department stores. One of them was in Rittman. It was called Conley’s. We went there all of the time. I remember getting lost in that big department store more times than I care to remember. I’d walk up to the front and tell them to page my mother. 
I’d often times be in tears. Hey, give me a break I was probably only 4 years old. We’d shop there everything from clothes to paint to records (even then I loved music) to Star Wars figures. Yes, that movie trilogy was a big part of my life. I even got to meet Darth Vader there. He wasn’t any two-bit Darth Vader either. All of the lights on his chestpiece flashed and he even had the breathing thing going too. I still don’t know to this day how Rittman landed him but I know that I was certainly freaked out by the process. I remember him not being nice at all. I mean, what else would you expect? Here’s a picture to commemorate the situation. By the way, going back there before they closed I wondered how I could ever get myself lost in such a small place.
What was the department stores of all department stores to me was Freedlander’s. It wasn’t just all on one floor either. History shows Freedlanders Department Store has been in business since 1884 when David Freedlander decided to settle in Wooster. I remember my mother paying for something. There were no cash registers. The clerks sent the sales receipt and payment up a pneumatic tube. Seconds later, it would arrive back and we’d be on our way. That was always magical to me as a kid.
Ah, the memories, I guess I’ll always be a small town boy trying to make it in a big city,
Fall Has Arrived
I love summer and all of the fun that comes along with festivals, get-togethers and parties but I have to admit loving autumn and winter.
I’ve mentioned this before on the blog (this shabby space on the Internet) about my love for the seasons especially in Cleveland. Working in TV, you get to do the stories each year. “It’s cold out there, bundle up, it’s dangerously chilly.” “It’s hot out there, make sure you drink plenty of fluids.” All of the warnings and advisories that come along with summer and winter. But with the exception of thunderstorms, you don’t hear too much from what I call the off-seasons, spring and fall.
I love autumn. Northern Ohio will soon be rich with color as the leaves start to change. It’s harvest time. Farmers will start their hayrides and corn mazes. Cider season is almost here. What’s better than some Bauman’s cider with some donuts? I love that the orchard I grew up near now has a website. How awesome. This reminds me I need to write a post about Wayne County and all it has to offer.
At any rate, I’m so happy I’m not in South Texas anymore. It’s going to be near 90 degrees there tomorrow. Nope, I’ll take the forecasted high of 57 degrees here tomorrow.
I love Ohio is seasonal. It’s called variety. Ain’t that the spice of life?