No Off Season...for dads

It turned out to be a day of running around the city.  I took care of my minivan; the 'check engine' light was on for the last two days.  So, I dropped the kids off at school, drove to 7-11 to get my coffee and donut, and went to the auto repair shop.  The repair man checks the car and begins giving me an oil change.  He comes back in with the bolt that seals the oil pan and says its damaged.  "You need to get it replaced."  he said. "Okay", I responded as I am sipping my coffee. About three minutes later, he returns and says, "We have to replace the entire oil pan because it is damaged.  I cannot let you drive off with it in this condition.  What are you gonna do?" I'm thinking to myself, "What do you mean, 'What am I gonna do?  I have no car!'"  I begin calling my wife only to remember that she was in an all day conference-I could only text her.  Meanwhile, the repairmen comes back in the room and says to me in his

My granddad passed away today at the seasoned age of 84.  A man of strong faith and character, a teacher, and a deacon.  He was awesome! I am even more grateful to God that my boys got a chance to really experience his wit and fun loving heart.  They were able to be with him at least twice in the last three years.  He lived in Sumter, SC, and God allowed us the opportunities to make the trip to see him.  As he got up in age, he began to forget their names more and more.  He had Alzheimer's Disease, so it took a toll on his memory.  But he could remember the boys and their character.  He could remember what they did when they were younger.  He still seemed pretty sharp to me.  If I were to ask my boys about a memory they had of him, I am sure that they would mention going to the breakfast buffet at Shoney's.  Every time we entered the city of Sumter, that was our first destination.  We would would get up in the morning and go eat plates of pancakes, bacon, and grits!  Then we

W e were in the Bronx this past weekend.  My wife and her family was celebrating the life and death of their grandmother; she would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year.  Well, the Bronx for me is always a treat.  I love the constant activity, the smell of the streets, the racket of the 4 and 5 trains, and the people.  So many cultures wrapped into one place.  New York is a great place. As I usually do, I go to White Plains Road and order some slices of pizza.  Throw some garlic and oregano on and I am good to go!  Since the whole family was with me and everyone was hungry, I ordered a whole pie.  While waiting, I watched my two boys in the pizza shop.  They reminded me of NY and Cali pizzas.  My oldest sat in the front of the shop watching the college football game, oblivious to the other people and commotion of the streets.  My youngest stood in the back of the pizza shop in the open window facing the street watching the people go by and listening for the trains, oblivious