Vic ala Carte

Ever wonder why a lot of the stories revolve around food. Its because food has been a very important part of Vic's life. I've always said, Vic was the best cook, but she hates baking.  I want everyone to know right off the bat, that I love my wife's cooking.  So many stories and so little time.  This post is more about what she does outside the house, and not inside.
I know I was in trouble early in our marriage when we would goto restaurants, she would struggle with selecting a good meal.  Everything looked good, and she would get the "Deer in the headlights" look every time it was her turn to order.  I always said, "get the spinner out!" so she would pick something, geez will you order already!  Even though she thought she would select a meal, if another table had food delivered after her order, she would change her order.  I always said to the waiter, "Put the order in, and don't come back or she will change it!"  And she has.... I just melt under the table....

Top Five things Vic does Restaurant-in'  (is this a new word, spell check doesn't like it!):   

1-Orders Food and Changes her Mind.
2-Will spill any type of sauce on boobs especially when she is wearing a white top. (she needs a bib).
3-Ask truck drivers at Wall-mart where a good place to eat is?
4-Never Finishes her food (Always a Doggie Bag).  I've seen her not even take a bit of her main meal!  Why don't that call this a Kitty Bag since we don't have a Dog.  (every thing seems to come back to the dumb cat)
5-Offers you her food all the time, even though you don't want it.

That reminds me of a story?

When we were just over this last weekend to Val's (Vic's Mom's) for Lori's (Vic's Sister)  birthday, we sat down for the usual family meatloaf (sorry Val couldn't resist).  Vic was as usual that last to sit down, and started to eat.  In a minuet, Vic announces that she has lost her fork.  She thought is had made its way around the table on a food tray or meat tray or something.  Then she looks right at me and said "You took my fork didn't you?".  Now I have been known to play trickery at the table (tat), but this is not one of them.  Getting between Vic and her readied food is not a good way to start a meal.  Everyone looks at her and says, we don't know where it's at???  She huffs to the silverware drawer, and gets another.  Keep in mind we are already short of tableware, and Val had to bring out the good stuff.  She starts to eat, and low and behold her fork was buried under her salad!  We got a good laugh, and I got a good story for blog.

Never mess with Vic and her food, even though she is the first to share anything on her plate with you.  Sometimes I just want to eat what I ordered, and leave it at that.  Vic will always convince me to try something new.  Her newest is Susi.  Yuck....

I think I'll go to a buffet next time...  Yes now a know why Vic loves Cruises on ships.  They have buffet and she doesn't have to choose one thing.  Hummm It takes me a while, but I figure out things after a while....

Here, Try this.....

All Dogs Goto Heaven or Dogs have Blond Moments

Daisy the wonder dog.  Ron and Becca have always been dog people.  I was as a kid on the farm, but left the dogie pooh and the smelly dogs behind when I became domesticated in the burbs.  Vic always had a dog when she was growing up, but some how we never were very interested in doggy heaven and companionship.  We on the other hand have an evil cat.  I have never like cats, as everyone knows, and as a kid I had my fun days torturing the farm cats, in my mind they were expendable.  Every time we would go back to the "Farm", I would drive up, and the cats would run out.  Vic would always say, "slow down you might hit one!"  I say, if the know any better, they will get out of the way or "Die".  They always seemed to get out of the way, even though I did on occasion try to hit them.  They are like the birds on the road, that always seem to get out of the way at the very last moment before you zoom by them. (Rats).

Poor Daisy. Becca had this little spit fire from a pup.  I think she loved this dog before she fell in love with Ron.  I never have seen a dog with so much energy.  I'm tired even thinking about the stuff this dog does.  In the fall when she came over, she would bark and chase leaves.  Poor Frostbite (Our cat) was permanently on the perch till the "Evil Dogs" left for the weekend.  Ron and Becca have a big screen TV in their living room, and the goofy dog would bark and jump at any animal that was on TV.  This breed has little fear, and can shake a toy at very high velocity to break its neck. (in the breeding).  It thinks it's a rottweiler in its own mind.

One day this year earlier this year, Daisy took ill.  R and B didn't know what was wrong, and Daisy stomach was very hard.  Unfortunately, Daisy lost her sight.  Sight for any animal would be a sad situation.  This dog took it in stride without missing a beat.  The only funny thing was when she came to our house, she would run into every wall, and bump her head.  She would reverse, and start all over again.  This went on all day, and then she started picking up and eating food crumbs around our house.   From then on she was called the :

Dogie Roomba


All kidding aside, I think the dog has made adjustments well. but daisy reminds me of a floor cleaner!

Animals do have blond moments, and daisy has had her share.

DF +VL = TL + CGP?

Well, Its been a long time since my last post, and I thought I might get you caught up with all the happenings with the Little family.  Ashleigh graduated from Kendell and Shelby is now in GR at Aveda or as she call it "Douglas J.".  We are living the empty nester's life, and loving it.

Well the title of this Blog post can be confusing, so lets start.  I have a Jetta Diesel and it runs on Diesel fuel.  My biggest concern is that my wonderful wife will some day fuel my car with normal petrol,  and thus causing my car to go "bye bye" and not work any more.  Every time Vic takes the car, I say make sure you fuel this with Diesel Fuel and not normal gas.  She says, "Come on Tom, I know the difference."

One of my customers travel to Germany, and they did this with a cool Audi rental car, and the thing only made it down the road about 1/2 mile and it quite running.  They blamed it on "lost in Translation" or they could not tell that the car was a Diesel and not a gas powered car.  

This happened the day before the Coast Guard Parade in Grand Haven, which is big, really big!

I'm working that day and run out of petrol in Holland Michigan.  I started to fuel the car, and you guessed it, the thing I  begged Vic to never do, I DID....  Yep, silly Tommy, what a screw up.  I caught it about 8 gallons in, and didn't run the car more than 15 seconds to get it out of the way so a tow truck could pick it up.

I got my dealer in Muskegon to secure a loaner car for the weekend, and all was well, other than the embarrassment of talking to Vic, and trying to explain how it happened.

On Saturday, when taking the crew to the parade, and going to Kevin and Kathy's for a prime parade route seat (pprs), we had to go past a couple of barricaded signs and road closed's with Cops.  Everyone kept asking me if I was in the parade, and for the life of me, I could not figure out why they kept asking me?  I just didn't get it.???  Later it dawned on my why?  Check out the picture.....

OK, OK, this blog is to be about Vic, and this post is not.  I'm allowed some blond moment throughout the year too....

Diesel Fuel + Vic Little= Tom Little in the Coast Guard Parade.   (nice)...

Food, Wine Walk, Whine, Food

Vic and food.  Many stories, and so little time.  This is a four part story so please don't get discouraged by the length.

Food:  Our church has always been globally aware of the needs for Christ around the world for many years.  I have always felt we were lacking on the push to reach out to our community and local for some time.  Our church as changed this direction and really started to focus on local needs.  The way we are doing this is by showing the love of Christ through a Food Truck.  We feed about 40-80 families on a monthly basis, and the food is distributed.  Our job (Vic and I) is to orderly take numbers from the guests, and get them food through a very good distribution method called a food line.  The truck pulls up, and we distribute the food till its all gone.  This time, I dressed for the low 20's weather, and of course Vic didn't.  I think this goes back to the days she was in Texas, where they never wore shoes, socks or winter coats!  She has been very consistent with this through the years, so I think it must be genetic in the Smith family.?

Wine Walk:  This blond moment goes to the city of Grand Haven, MI, or the organizers of the event.  What a great idea, walk downtown vendors stores, (who have sales on items), sip wine, eat cheese, and look at local artisans works in the stores.  Great idea, I'm freezing going from store to store to shop at stores that honestly I didn't know existed, or could care less if I ever visited in the next 10 years. ( I had pealed off my winter stuff to go downtown, so I was cold, and now hungry).

Whine: After the first store had no wine but water I thought nothing of the event being abnormal.  The second store was the same.  Cool crackers with cool cheese, but no wine.  They had fake imitation wine, called wine juice.?  Well someone had forgot to let the Michigan Liquor Control board know what was going on, and there is a reason you need to get a liquor license!  Yes the retail stores were trying to sell wine without a license!  All they could do was say sorry, and we could not give you any wine.  I think the wine people were bummed out by this (big draw, low turnout), and maybe they should have changed the walk to a cheese walk or cracker walk?  Not as ketchy unless your in Wisconsin?

Food:  We have good friends at Church, and do thinks together.  Ron and Sue are also in our small group.  I consider them "super couple" for there backgrounds and how nice they are to everyone.  Ron shares some common interests with me, (a little introverted, extroverted when we have to be, sick sense of humor along with great sarcasm , and a blond wife).  After we decide to ditch the whine walk, we went to Kirby Grill to get some eats.  I was hungery, and everyone else was so, so.  We had a great meal and decided to leave.  Vic as usual with either leave something at the table, or have to go to the bathroom before we leave.  However, this time she remembed all her stuff and Sue forgot her gloves at the table.  Ron, Vic (wearing Sues gloves) and I waited this time for Sue to use the little ladies room.  As we waited, Vic as ususal sees other friends and runs to them to say high.  Sue, Ron, and I start to leave and are outside looking in as Vic says high to another couple through the glass windows.

This event happens fast, but as Vic is walking out to get us, a Waitress runs out with a box just the same as Vic's.  Sue, thinking that that the box is Vic's, grabs it from the waitress and say "I know who's this is!".  The timing is great, Ron and I are watching Sue grab the box, The waitress is thankful, because the wind was cold and she was happy to get back inside.  Vic comes out, with her box and now Sue and Vic have the same box!

We laughed, because someone left without food, we had extra, and I had another blond moment that unfolded right in front of me, and It really wasn't Vic.  I guess we all have Blond moments, and this one was very funny and not Vic.

I think she must have some secret  powers that causes other to do blond things when she is around.  Very mysterious, could be alien, genetic, or just life.  I think they have got an app for that! (random but I wanted to put this in to lead up to my next post (Andorid)

Wanted Down There?

Oh Mexico, my favorite place to visit right next to Purgatory and maybe even Hades  itself.  If you have not read the previous post, please do to set up this story.  John and I arrived in El Paso Texas without a hitch.  The plane ride was good, even though it was foggy in Dallas and a little dicey with low cloud cover.  The only problem is the plans of  "Mice and Men" were not as settled as I would have like before our trip started.  I emailed my Purchasing Manager named Jerry for us non speaking "Americans", on Friday to confirm, and he said " I don't have anyone to pick you up at the border but I'm trying to get Karla to do this."  Karla is the newer Quality Control Manager at the plant in Juarez that we need to visit. 

If anyone knows border towns in Mexico, there seems to be a big fight going on between the local Drug Cartels, and the police.  The last time we went down was earlier in the year, and the Mexican border towns were having a summit to stop the killings, (estimated at 4-7 per day).  There were military choppers, and soldiers all over the place patrolling the streets, with military issue hummers with soldiers hanging off the back.  Just like out of a war movie.  Jerry had some wonderful stories on how people are getting shot at in the middle of the day. (OK if you are related to Drugs then I would be worried).  We were spoiled on our first trip more than I can imagine.  Jerry picked us up at the Mexican Border, after a taxi ride that took us right to the Mexican border office over the Cordova Bridge.  Then Jerry dropped us off at the hotel we were staying at after we were done for the day in the US.

Well this time it was a little different.  The plan was for someone to pick us up at the border at 8:00 in the morning.  I could not get in contact with Jerry, and Karla didn't have a cell phone.  At 7:45 I finally get with Jerry and he says, yes Karla is waiting at the border for you right now.  OK, lets get going John, since its a 15 minute ride, we should be OK.  Well the taxi took 15 minutes to get to the hotel, and I hate to be late for anything, maybe except my funeral.  Well the spoiled treatment didn't work this time.  See the driver we used the first time must have had a special permit to get us over the bridge and into Mexico right where our passports were checked.  He even helped us fill out our paperwork.  $55.00 bucks later we were in Mexico without a hitch.  This time, the taxi guy dropped us off on the American side, because this was as far as he could go.  We asked him what next.  Cross over these 6 lanes of traffic and turn left and up over the 1/2 mile bridge to the Mexican side.  "What I'm screaming in my head"??  It's 8:30 and now this, poor Karla didn't know what she was getting herself into.....  After a brisk walk up over the bridge, we arrived and Karla was waiting for us.  My anxiety level dropped off after seeing this kind young women who was so nice and willing to help.

This is were the fun begins.  The super special treatment we got the first time from Jerry, had landed us in some big trouble.  You see, I found out, silly me that when you leave a country, you need to get your passport stamped and make sure someone knows you are leaving the country.  I thought it was funny that we just drove over to the US side with Jerry and didn't have our paperwork checked.  I think now he had some type of special pass that lets him into the US with any paperwork or something.  The nice lady at the counter looked at our passports and said you did not leave the country correctly last time, so you have to pay a Fine!  I'm like what?  how much  $250.00 pesos ?  How much is that in American?  (13 to 1 was the conversion I found out later.)

John has always been the designated money man because of past bad experience with Mexico.  I guess he is half Hispanic, and in the summer he gets really dark.  He could be mistaken for a Mexican National.  When he was a kid, and this was before birth certificates so he had to pay $150.00 dollars US to get back in the US.  I always joke that he might not make it back accross the border and end up in a jail.  (this time I'm thinking its both of us)  They took our passports (Major Sinking Feeling) and told us to go to the bank of Mexico and pay the fine.  We did that, and came back to the counter to fill out more paperwork and get our work Visa that we have to get every time we go to Mexico.  I asked John if he had enough money and he said no problem.  I've asked him in the past how much money he carries to Mexico and we would never tell.  This time I think he was getting close to his reserve.  (check this out) 

I had to sign some paperwork about the fine, and it was all in Spanish.  Than goodness for Karla, because I didn't want to sign anything I didn't know. (tip: don't sign foreign stuff if you don't know what it is) She said it was about the fine, and don't do it again la, la, la.  After looking at the paperwork, on the second page it said this (arresto de 36 horas).  I look back at this and say, Look Ma ...I can read Spanish (arrested in 36 hours).If I don't get out of this country in 36 hours you will be arrested.  Great, wanted in two countries instead of one. 

We had not left the Mexico correctly so they thought we were running around Mexico for the last 7 Months doing something bad, really bad....(on the lamb I guess)Well the day went great after that other than Karla's husband is waiting in the car (they only have one car running) to be dropped off at work.  He waited much longer that he thought...The trip back to the border was uneventful, because we went right back to the lady who fined us (she smiled) and made sure our passports were stamped.  We had the long walk over the Cordova Bridge

Things I learned from this Trip:

-Don't cross a border without someone stamping your passport
-Don't leave home without extra Cash or John Newville
-Do be nice, people are people around the world
-Third time is a charm with everything (first easy, second hard, third normal)
-If your crossing the border, don't do this...(check this out) 

What a trip, but I'm so glad to be back in the US.  and Yes I will travel to Mexico again soon but not that soon. (I hope?)

The picture on the top of the page is John walking back to US.  Cool picture.  This is right after Karla dropped us off, and we were going back to see the nice lady in the border office in Mexico.  (she smiled a smile I will never forget)

My Blond Moment of the Year Part I

People have asked through the years if Vic  minds if I tell funny stories about how she does stuff.  Most of the time they are true, and I just report them as they happen.  Our family has always been long on humor to get us through some difficult times, and it always make relationships stronger if you can laugh a little at the funny things of life.  I'm sure you have them in your family and life, and humor has always been a big part of ours. Even though mine is dry, very dry.....

I too have had many blond moments, and try to share some of them every year to highlight what funny things I have done.  This has been a yearly ritual, that either tells something stupid or dangerous that happens to me. 

Well some of you know, I went to Mexico last Sunday 12/06/009.  The only way John Newville, and I could get to Mexico on the cheap for the company was to drive to Detroit Metro (DTW) and hop a plane to El Paso Texas.  On Sunday morning, I drove to Apex Spring and picked up the company car.  Of course, the other salesman for the company left the gas only half full.  I picked up John at the Lowell exit on I-96.  While waiting for him, I decided to stop and get a bottle of water and top off the tank so I didn't have to stop and get gas on the way to Detroit.  I was really cold that day with a stiff wind out of the west.  The car had about 1/2 of a tank and I decided to listen to my pod cast as the car tank topped off.

I was deep in listening mode after a while and I noticed that the dollars were ringing up on the tank, I took no notice.  I glanced out and the gallons was getting close to 3/4 of a tank and the light went on in my simple mind.  The AUTO shut off was not working on the pump!  Oh no, I jumped out of the car, and gas was just streaming out to the fuel fill door.  I'm like, crap if I was a smoker, this could have been a highlight film on "look at this guy just before he dies or explodes the hole gas station and my car" story.  I could see the guy in the movie set that gets set on fire and walks like Frankenstein for 3-5 steps and falls over dead.  I got to the pump and shut off the gas.  I think I had pumped more than 5 gallons onto the ground.  The puddle of gas was growing, and I was soooo embarrassed.  I quickly tried to dry off the cars back 1/4 panel, but it was no use.  I was a marked man and I had to get out of there as soon as possible.  I pulled around the side of the gas station a parked.  The puddle was about as big as my car and growing.  I walked in the gas station and didn't say a word, got my water and left.  I'm thinking I will never stop there again, even if I'm almost out of gas in fear of video surveillance I.D. ing me and I will be on some most wanted gas station list, or some tree huggers hit list for envormential abuse.

OK I'm sorry but every gas station has a overflow system that doesn't allow petrol to get into the ground.  I just hope theirs was working? I was just testing their system, yea, yea that's the story, or I think is was?  Oh well?  Made it to DTW on time and had a very interesting trip to Mexico.  That is part II of this story.

Vic's New Addiction

Vic is now the person hiding where she is going.  She seems very aloof at times, and not being very specific on where she is going or where she is at.  She disappears for 2-3 hours at a time and when I see her, its "look what I made."  She finally confessed that she have been hanging out at the scrapbook store!  I pressed her more for this women only secret society.  She couldn't reveal much because of  the secret handshake they must indoctrinate all their new members into when they join the club(maybe the glue they sniff makes them forget stuff?)

I stopped by the store to scope out what was going on and this what I saw.  All the things you need to make the more beautiful post, greeting, or anything card in the world.  They have all the stuff!  Paper, Circuts, presses, cutters, stickers, and glitter.  Yes glitter, that stuff women put in their hair and makeup to make themselves irresistible to their man!  Shelby call the glitter "The Herpes of the Craft World"?  I really don't know what that means, but I have noticed that more often than not, my wife looks irresistible because of the glitter, or is this hiding her addiction.  All glitter aside, I finally found out at least the other "man" was a bug, and glitter was the result of this addiction called card/scrap booking.

I was talking to her and she said, look a did this card and all I had to do is pay $1.00 to do it.  Let me get this straight, they give you 0.15 cents in material and you spend hours putting a card together, you provide the labor, and they get a dollar.  I have to rethink by business model?  What a scam...  Great profit center.  This all took place before Thanksgiving.  The night I was there Rachael was (young girl that Vic had become friend with) was up selling Black Friday to Vic.  Rachael was saying you have got to be here for Black Friday.  Vic kept repeating I'm out of town, but I could tell she was ready to get up Friday morning in Toledo, and drive 3 hours to see what they had on sale.  (thank goodness she didn't)  I don't know how many hours she has been at the store but now I can tell where she has been by checking for glitter in her hair and eyes.

That Silly String (Vic and Floss)

Vic and the floss.  What am I talking about?  The little white string you put between your teeth to clean out last nights or today's food leftovers.  Sounds gross, but Vic is in love with dental floss.  The only problem I have with the stuff is where she leaves it....

Most current locations:

On the floor (I pick it up with my sock)
In the car*
In the purse
In the sink
In the laundry (string on my sweater was floss)
In my Shoes
In our bed
everywhere

Is there a dental floss addiction hot line? 1800 flossed

The funny thing is, we're driving down the road in our Miata with the top down, and out of my seat, you guessed it, I pull that silly string.  I give my beautiful bride the look, and say why don't you throw this away?  She looks at me with a straight face and say, "the little birdies swoop down and pick it out of my car.  You know they use it for building nests, so I leave it our for them."  Wow?  I never thought of that, like they can't use natural things to build their nests, they use dental floss.  I think the birds of West Michigan must get clean bills of health when they visit the birdie dentist.

I on the other hand have discovered the dental pick.  Most people can floss with two hands or maybe one.  I can name that note with no hands, or Look Mom no hands.  I know your impressed, but at least I don't leave my stuff around like Vic.  Its really weird, but the thought of sharing my pick with someone else creeps me out.  Vic-"can I use your floss when your done?"  Yuck!

Well the morel of this story, "friends don't let friends drive while flossing"
no?  how about "Birds of a feather flock together with floss"  no?  how about "Floss a day keeps the tooth Nazi away"  OK, I give up, any suggestions... I'm open....

Vic by the Numbers

Vic has always been a numbers person.  She has always been very good with the management of the family income.  I've always let her that the responsibility of paying the bills, and we have some very interesting times when we either didn't have enough money to pay our bills, or she might just slip a little and forget to pay the bills.  The only time Tommy will notice is when either the power goes off, or the cable internet stops working.  Its always been funny to watch her when the internet is down, because the first thing she thinks, "Did I pay the bill, or did I forget this month?"

Well, I discovered a great little web site that will gather all your financial information and pool it into one site.  Its great and its called mint.(its free).  It does budgets and stuff.  Good stuff for us.  I got to learn things that I never knew before about where money is being spent at our house.

Video rentals has been an ongoing joke with many of your friends.  I signed up with netflix and that didn't work very well for Vic.  She has always been a Brick and Mortar type person.  (she wants to touch, feel and see the store she rents videos from).  Family Video in Grand Haven has always been her choice for video rental.  A $2.50 rental at FV is much better than a $5.00 dollar rental at Blockbuster.  Well the numbers just didn't seem to add up on mint.

Vic by the numbers....

(120) dollars spent from the end of June through the middle of September on video rentals at FV.
(14) dollars spent from the same period per month at Blockbuster to get 1 video + 5 in store drop offs.
(78) dollars that we could have saved by going to blockbuster.
(1) husband that caught her red handed and all she could say was "busted!"

She blamed it on the "desperate housewives series" that she now is all caught up on over the summer.  I think the killer was the late fees between daughter Shelby and Vicki that caught up with them.  She as trying to be sneaky writing checks and using the debit card.  believe me, I had to dig to prove the point. (It could have been more if she paid cash, I don't know, and Vic don't get any ideas!)

With Vic, sometimes 1 + 1 doesn't equal 2, but by these numbers, she was busted!

PS: we now have blockbuster, and she is still fighting me on the video stuff....

My Daughter the Ninja

Oh Ashleigh, my Ashleigh.  She has always been the one who looks at the world inside out.  I've had some very interesting conversations with her regarding what she believes, and what is funny to her.  I've always thought that I had a pretty good sense of humor, even though sarcastic and very dry, dryer that a desert dry.

I go on face book today and my daughter is planning the following:

Slow Motion Ninja Fight.....  Click link for details.  She also has the following graphic on how to make a shirt into a Ninja head dress.

All I can do is shake my head and say, "that's my Ash!".

The other night is was talking to her about if our house has an escape plan.  I go, "for what, fire?".

No, Ash said, you need a "Zombie escape plan."

Enough said, I love my Ash, and Vic well, half of her is in this girl.

I can't say Vic was ever a Ninja? Or was she (humm)?

Vic and the Port

Vic has always been the compassionate one in the family.  She hears stories, and identifies with them, and becomes part of the family.  Me on the other hand, walk past homeless people, the hurting, and say, "cowboy up!" or something like that.

Airports seem to be very interesting places.  There is confusion, panic, fear, and all types of emotion. (Vic leaving), and there is sadness of friends leaving, and the joy of seeing new friends or family members for the first time.

The best time to see such raw emotion is at the doors outside of customs at the Chicago O'Hara international airports. ( Terminal 5).  Its real neat that they have outgoing international and incoming international.  They must separate the good emotion from the bad.  I observed so much raw emotion and I didn't need a interpreter and believe me, Vic and I were in the minority.

An Italian man came through the door and lined up to do three kisses per member(on the cheek).  I think there were 12-15 people, so that was like 45 kisses in less than 2 minutes.

A lot of Asians came through the door, and Vic said why so many.  I mentioned that since they have all our money, its nice that they come back to spend it in our country. (ha!)

There was a German man named Martin that had a fan club of young girls running around chanting and yelling in German to welcome him to America.

There was a Hispanic family waiting for a solider to return, and some young Hispanic children traveling meeting their family.

Vic left me sitting as I was updating pictures to Face book.  So after a while she didn't come back.  You all know if you haven't meet Vic that she could talk and make friends with a tree.  There was a family that was waiting at the gate "B" and Vic started talking.

A family had found a long lost "son, brother".  The Victory day (WW 2)was a sad day for a mother.  She had to give up her infant son and could never locate him.  He (the son) had been looking for the family for 30 years.  Some how they connected via email, and he was on his way for a visit from Denmark.

The mother was now 81 and the son was 65.  His brothers and sister were at the airport with grandchildren and all.  Vic became friends instantly, and when the Son came in she cried.  I think she wanted to go with the family and have dinner.  (Vic wake up, we have Shelby to get!)

Emotion aside, Vic is compassionate and I'm not.  Funny thinking an airport is like a Hospital also, people are coming and going and emotion is everywhere.   When Vic is porting, expect some emotion, and something new for the blog.  By the way, I have many airport stories with Vic I should write about...  More to come.

Tommy

Just the Fax

I have always been a advocate of using technology to advance.  Also, technology is always changing.  I like this and Vic doesn't.  You all know that I have said "Fax machines are obsolete."  I don't even know why I have it on my business card any more.

Well Vicki and I have this argument all the time about fax machines.  She has one, I don't, because I don't use it.  I was on Stay-cation this week for 3 days.  Even though I'm on vacation, I still answer the phone, and do a little paper work in the morning.  I was working on my laptop up stairs on some quotes. 

Vic comes up stairs and starts giving me a hard time about how "I was wrong, and she was right!"  She said, you still get faxes, and here are the papers from down stairs to prove it..

I had to break it too her, that the papers had just come off the "NETWORK PRINTER".

The Computer Whisperer

Ron "the one" is our number one. He has been around computers his whole live, and uses them when he as to. He have never been up on cutting edge technology, even though he knows how to use them, and is more of a minimalist. (pictures, mp3, internet).

I got a call from him this week and this is how it went....

Ron: My computer will not start, I have this blue screen with some dumb notes that I don't understand.

Me: You have the blue screen of death?

Ron: What does that mean?

Me: Its not good.

Ron: Crap!

Me: Do you have a disk in any of the drives (Warning this gets a little geeky)
Ron: Yes, I have a Jimmy Buffet disk in the Cd-drive.

Me: That's the problem, Jimmy Buffet and Computers don't mix.

Ron: What?
Me: I can't see what's going on so can you send me a picture with your cell phone.

Ron: OK, (later) crap the phone is dead, can't send a picture...
Me: I don't know what else to do other than take it somewhere. I think your hard drive is failing, and you're screwed.

Ron: Crap, I have pictures and music on there I need off.
Me: Did you back it up?

Ron: Whats that? No
Me: Crap
Me: Is the hard drive making any noise.

Ron: Its making a clicking noise
Me: OK

Ron: Here listen to it over the phone, I will put the cell phone up to the computer so you can listen.
Me: (Thinking this is not good).

I'm telling this story to Daine and Nate M. on the golf course on Saturday, and they just are rolling, when
 Nate says: "Did he think you were like a Computer Whisperer and you could whisper  it back to health?  Like the Horse Whisperer?"

I know of no computer that will listen to me.

Becky said Daine just beats on the hard drive till it works. ( I don't recommend this even though it works sometimes)

Computers are like Cats, they just sit there, and then do what they want to. Funny thing, I saw a bumper sticker that said this:

"Dogs answer when you call, Cats just have answering machines."

Well, Ron's computer got fixed, he learned that you need to backup your computer, and I learned that I'm not a Computer Whisperer, more like a Computer Screamer!

"The German"

Alex is a fine young man from Germany that Shelby meet at Grand Haven High School in the spring. He was on an exchange program that brought him over from German of 2 or 3 months.
I've always had a bond with those Germans, because of my run ins with some German Engineers, German Cars, and other Stuff. I love that "German Engineering," I've had one Mercedes and currently have a VW Jetta.

Shelby rolls her eyes, when I got to try out some of my 20 or so words on Alex and said "Dad, Stop!" They have become great friend, and he has stayed with us this summer for 2 weeks. I was talking to him and asked, "what type of questions do you get from Americans and what are some of the funniest?"

How big is German?
How many people are in Germany?
Where do you live?
Where is Germany?
Do you have Stars? (What, wait a minuet, someone asked this?) Alex said he look puzzled for a second, and thought, yes we have movie starts in Germany, but no, they really meant "Stars in the Sky" (what a question).

I've concluded, like many Europeans, that people in America really don't know that much about Europe, its people groups, and its geography.

If anyone asked me some of these questions about America, I would have a hard time with them to start with.

Well with Vic, expect some funny ones.

Vic is with friend Amy, trying to locate Germany on a US road atlas? (Oh boy here we go)

Funny thing is, we had a "Smith" get together, and Lori (Vic Sister) said she thought Germany is half the size of the US? (huh?)

The joke going around the house was, I don't know, "Ask the German." or "Its the German's fault." "How do they do this in Germany?" Alex seemed to look to Shelby for translation questions, so sometimes, I thought I was talking through a Teenage Translator. (tt for short).

We had a great time with Alex, and now Shelby is on her way to German for 10 days. She will travel with Alex, and stay with him at his house with his Mom and Dad and Sister.

Blueberry Fields Forever

Oh its blueberry time in Michigan. This is the time where we have a influx of Hispanic workers in large vans hauling their whole families around to pick blueberry's for the West Michigan Blueberry farms. Oh yes and Vic is right out there picking away, trying to get her 10 pounds or whatever weight of of that delicious berry! She has some funny stories about the fields.

1-One time she was out in a private field of blueberry. All of a sudden she noticed that she was all alone, and there were only two other people in the field. (They were men). She started to panic when they started her way, so she pretended to be talking to Amy or Julie on the phone, so they would not attack her, or take all her blueberry's she had picked.

2-When picking out in the field, they usually give you a bucket and a string. You put the string around yourself and the bucket hangs and you fill the bucket up. Well, Vic being Vic, she puts the string around her neck instead of her waist, and fills the bucket up. The weight of the bucket starts to press on her neck, and she starts to hyperventilate. (ha) She needs to get the bucket off her neck, but doesn't want to spill all her blueberries. (I think that could leave a mark) It did, and she could have been the first person to lose her life by strangulation by a blueberry bucket. (SBBB).

I have had all kinds of blueberry things now for the last 2-3 weeks. Blueberry pancakes, Blueberry muffins (The first batch not too good), Blueberry waffles, Blueberry's warm, Blueberry's cold, Blueberry salad, Blueberry frozen, Blueberry shakes, (you get the picture).

I think my teeth are blue, and everything that comes out of me has a blue tint to it. (you get the picture, or I hope you don't)

Attached is the best recipes for blue berry muffins. Wow, Vic baked these and they were the best!(good job Vicki!)

I've watched my wife cook for droves, but she just has not done well in the baking area. This time, I say, "blueberry fields forever!" Love you honey...

Adoption Curve

When you think of adoption and curves, Vic would say I would like to do one (a child), and yes I have the others. (?)

The other day, Vic finally realized that she though the Ipod was a great Idea. She says, "I want an Ipod." I look at her and say, welcome to the 90's!

I corrected myself later after googling the year they introduced the Ipod, and it was in 2001. So I should say welcome to the "00's".

Now the problem with this is that I will have to do all the work on getting it set up and going. Shelby just happened to have a Ipod Nano, and I proceeded to get the Ipod set up and going. Of course she doesn't like my music, so I had to set up some of the music she likes.

In the past she has said, I stole her music. Shelby says this also. If you start liking a band because someone introduced you to them and you like it, in my family it's called stealing the band. If this was a universal truth, then every band would have one follower, and everyone else stole their band from them. Somehow this is not what the record company and in mind for new and upcoming artists. By the way, the band was Genesis, and I do like them also even though I'm a thief.

I get off topic so fast. Maybe I have ADHD or ADD or something? The curve above is the curve marketing should use for Blond people. I'm a early adopter, and Vic is left off the chart! I think in someways, she would be in the "never use this until after I die category." (ha!) She is always wondering what I'm up to. I have something new going on every day.

(?)By the way, for me the answer is no to her type of adoption, and yes to her curves!

Funny Thing on the Road

Funny how thinks happen on the road, and I have about a 30 minute drive time to work every day, each way. Sunday was a very bad day weather wise in the Spring Lake, Grand Haven area. We had winds of 70-80 MPH and many trees and weather damage was all over the area.

Monday rolls around, and I try to get to work and a lot of the roads I take are closed. I end up going north to 96 in Muskegon, after trying 2 different routs through Fruitport. On the road I have a keen sense of what's going on, and today seemed more different than any other day.

On the road, I see a panel truck, like a Volvo or a Frightliner or something...

Out of the back, this thing is blowing a black smoke screen that looks like a car from the 70's with a bad oil burning problem. I'm like take this in for a check up or what? As I drive by the van, the panel on the side is text. Its a Medical transport van from some private firm in Grand Rapids. On the side window, it says this, "Medical Respiratory Transport". I just shake my head and say, what a funny think? oxymoron?

How about this, farther down the road, I'm passing a slower moving truck, and this Mini van with two women are just busting to get past me. I get out of the way, and this Van just zooms past me going 85-90 mph. I took a quick look at them when they are going past, and I see a red cross on the side of the van. (Red Cross Vehicle)

O.K., the women in the van were blond, but the Transportation Van was a guy with dark hair. Is this a blond thing, or a disease,or is it hereditary?

Lets see, is the medical community trying to create customers? I've always heard that people are dying to see the mortician in there town, but this was alarming...(ha!)

So many questions, very few answers....

Lost and Found

I love my family. They make writing in the blog so easy. My number 2 (Ash) called me yesterday and said, we are going canoeing and we need to find a place to put in. I'm at work, and she says to her friends in the car, my Dad can find a spot. Of course I start with Google and try to find this obscure park on the Grand River. Then I text to her phone the directions to this park.

This spur of the moment trip, made me ask some very relevant questions(to myself):

1-Did anyone plan any part of this trip?
2-Where did my daughter get a floating device?
3-If they go down river, who will pick them up?
4-How are they going to get the floating device back to starting point?
5-Did anyone plan any part of this trip?

Ash said they would paddle close to our house, and she would walk up and expect hot pizza ready to eat. I also found out that Vic had conversations about this trip and didn't fill me in....

So they started about 4:00 PM down the river. I call her at 9:00 pm and try to find out where they are, and when are they getting close.

Then the fun begins, since I have never been on the river, I had no idea where she was. She kept repeating where she thought she was, and I tried for 5 to 10 minutes to get a location on Google. 144th is in Grand Haven and Spring Lake. Finally after giving me a specific address, I located where she was... I had to drive down a road in Spring Lake that I never had been before, to a boat launch that I had never been at, to find the following:

1-4 drenched young people, 2 girls and 2 guys.
2-1 wet canoe and all the fixing of a possible disaster.
3-1 Dad that just couldn't believe how I was going to get all these guys back to my home.

Well, they went 5 miles in about 5 hours. Not the most efficient way to travel. I think you can walk faster than that!

After all these answers were presented, I felt a lot better, and had a very enjoyable time along with Vic with her friends : Matt, Joe, Ahjani.

The only question is, did the blond thing skip a generation of not?

Right now the jury is out on that. All I can say is sometimes plans happen when your working them out. I think more planning was put into this than I thought.

At least they were not "up a creek without a paddle".

De=Shoveled?

Winter in Michigan has always been interesting times for the "Little" family. Most people hate the snow, but I love it! I get to use power tools, like the snow blower! Vic tolerates the snow, but we both enjoy the change in seasons.

This happened on Super Bowl weekend. We were scheduled to goto some friends house for the game. My friend just got a big screen TV "46 inch". The guys get "TV envy" and Vic just doesn't get HDTV or Wide Screen. Is that 720 or 1080p?

Vic was making her famous corn bread muffins, that I just love. She needed cooking oil, and didn't have any in the house. So she did what any normal person would do, she decided to walk to the neighbors to borrow some oil.

Now this would normally be done by walking out of the driveway, and down the street, and into our neighbors driveway, right? Vic decided to shovel a path from the front porch of our house to our next door neighbors house. Daine was coming over, and he sees Vic with shovel in one hand, and a measuring cup in the other half way to the neighbors house. He is just shaking his head, and took this picture for me.

Now for me, I say "so what"? This seems normal with my household. The funny part of it was when she got to the neighbors house, no one was home!

I on the other hand, I would have used the snow blower, and had it done in half the time!

This story goes into the book and another way Vic sometimes is just "De-Shoveled"

Fueled to be Tied

I'm in sales, and I do a lot of driving. I can't tell you how many different things I see on the road. Vic has had some whoppers, and this is not about her at all. I have my moments, but this has got to be the best this year. This is my blond moment of the year "2007" for Tommy.

I drive the company car around most of the time. It seems I'm the only one that puts gas in this car also. I was out one day and made my local run to two of my bigger customers. On my way to Steelcase, I heard a loud banging on the right side of the company car. I speed up, ad the noise got louder. I'm thinking, great something is wrong with this car, and it needs to get fixed again. I just couldn't imagine what was wrong with the car and this noise.

Every time a fuel my cars, I make sure that I replace the gas cap on the car and shut the fuel door. I can't tell you how many times I have seen these driving morons going down the road with the gas cap dangling from the car and the fuel door open. I just shake my head and say, I can't believe someone can do this!

Guess what, I've now joined the club of "Moron who forgot to put the gas cap on and shut the door!" I'm getting older, and it's all down hill from here.

I did a search on this for a picture, and ran across a story of someone who had a detachable gas cap. Well they forgot to put it back on, and drove down the road. They figured they would go back just past the gas station figuring that someone else did the same thing. They found a locking gas cap! The totally funny things was, the gas cap fit, and now they have a better cap.

I was "fit to be tied" about this embarrassment. I tried to get to Steelcase as fast as I could to get the fuel door closed and the cap back on. I'm human, and this is a story about being "Fueled to be Tied"!

Little "Big" Man

-Thoughts and Memories of my Father.

When I was young, I think a always thought my father would be here forever. He passed away on the 9^th of December 2007. I have many great memories and thoughts about his time on this earth, and I would like to share some of them now. This is therapy for me as I go through the grieving process. I’ve talked to many people who have lost there fathers, and there seems to be one thing in common. There is a non replaceable whole left in their lives with the passing of their father.

My father was very active in the community, church, and family. At the showings, many people whom I have never known, share kind words of how this man, influenced their lives in such special ways, that I will never know. He was a rock, a steady man, with devotion to his family, friends, and community. He was a father, grandfather, and husband. A pure model in everything he touched and communicated to his fellow man.

I have always looked up to him for strength, information, and advice. It seems he was this to many other people also. I remember the cool times on the golf course, and the times around the dinner table with him and mom.

I remember the times where I thought he was the most stupid, and backwoods person I ever knew. This changed as I grew older, and he got smarter and smarter. With humble knowledge, I feel I’m half the man he is, and I now know, I will never have the impact he had in this life. I can try, but it’s a tough act to follow.

Things I remember:

Tick tacks- Always a pack in his pocket

Pens-Always in his shirt pocket

Tractors- Loved to play farmer.

Golf- Truly the best times with him alone and with friends.

Laughter- He really got a kick out of the Grand Kids, and laughed with his mouth open and his tongue sticking out!

Pride in his Grand Children- God only knows how much he loved his Girls, and Andrew.

Love of my Mother

Uncle Dave mentioned that medical science gave my father his extended life. I could have been cut short by heart trouble in his early 50’s. He had bypass surgery 2 times, once at 52, and the second time at about 65. I now look at this time as a celebration and marvel of medical science, and I’m so thankful we had him for an additional 25 years. He was taken quick, and many say that was the best way to go. I have mixed feelings about this with a very selfish motive to say, “I was I would have had one more conversation with him.” Just one more time to say “I love you” and “farewell”, would be a great thing right now.

This is my tribute to my Father, “Good Bye Dad”, “I Love you.” You truly were a Man larger than life, and I will truly miss my best friend. So even if you were small in stature, you truly were a “Big Man”.

Is it Fridays or Saturday?

Vic:

I just got the tickets from Wayne! $207.00 Total ($103.50 per couple)December 1^st and 8:00 pm is when the concert starts and stuff, information. I text messaged Ash to see if she is working that night at Fridays. I told her to work…It would be cool if we could have Ash serve us and then go to the concert! What do you think? Tommy

Vic's Response:


yes, that would be cool. but how would she know her schedule THAT far in advance???
she is a week to week person...........also, that concert is on SATURDAY not Friday, heelllooo??

I shake my head, Vic, yes I know the concert is on Saturday, but Ashleigh works at Friday's.

Enough said

Burnt Offerings "Vic and Food"

So many food stories, and so little time. Did I ever tell you why I married Vic. She looks great, and she is a great cook! There are many foods that I eat now, that I would never touch, if it weren't for Vic. Her taste for good food was passed down from her mom, Val. Vic has many unique combinations, that she will experiment with and they usually turn out great.

This story could start with the time we were on vacation, and she burn a frozen cherry pie, because she put the oven on broil instead of bake. Or the many times she has tried to bake cookies, and forgot about them and they were burned crisp...
This story is about the kitchen and her organization of the baking supplies. She has always been an organizer. All of the baking stuff is in the sealed Tupperware type containers. Well, I have always wanted to get her a label maker so you can tell what the white stuff is anyways? Daine and Becky were coming over for dinner, so she decided to make a chicken dish with red Italian sauce. When Becky and Daine were over, Vic asked Becky for a sneak taste of the chicken dish. There was something just not right.

The dish was different, and no one could put a label on what it tasted like. What we found out is that the Tupperware container with white powder was not flower like Vic thought it was... It was Powered Sugar!

The chicken tasted OK, and we all had a good laugh. I'm on the way to the store to get a labeler. If it doesn't turn out right, I might get labeled myself, but Vic will always be an adventure, when you Cook with unknown ingredient's.

Football and Vic "Worlds Apart"

A guy took his blond girlfriend to her first football game. They had great seats right behind their team's bench. After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience. 'Oh, I really liked it,' she replied, 'especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents.' Dumbfounded, her date asked, 'What do you mean?' 'Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like...Helloooooo? It's only 25 cents!!!!

Daine my friend sent this to me. I've had many experiences with Vic at football games. I remember going to a MSU (link) football game with Vic. She found some birds flying around the stadium and watched them the whole first half. When the band came out she was riveted to the field! She is a band mom, and cares less about the game. When I talk about Vic and football, I say this " Vic and football are on opposite ends of the universe" and now they meet.

I don't think she will ever understand football. I like to watch the game at high school levels, because of the unpredictable nature of the game, and the ebb and flow of momentum. Vic has momentum for band, and thats what makes our visits to any game so interesting. Each to his own, I'm musically declined, and Vic is band inclined. Together we ....?? Just right.

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

One thing I've learned about blond people and their hair. They seem to shed a lot more than other people. Here is a list of places that I have found Vic's hair, and you can wonder, how did it get there?

reading glasses (mine)
shoe laces
tooth brush
Food
clothes
sinks
big time in drains (clogs)
money
books
floor
Car seat
Car trunk


I get started on women in general and their shaving habits, and it always gets back to her legs. I always joked about this guy in the library at Ferris State University. He had so much hair, that he had a fur coat on his ears! He could literally comb his hair on his ears. Ask Randy White about this, he will confirm this, even though he admits to visiting the library only to see if Gnine was studying so he could hang out with her.

Back to Vic. I told her once, she didn't have a little stubble on her legs, it was a forest. She starts to laugh, and when you really get to her she starts crying. I do this once and a while, and it is so much fun getting Vic worked into a lather about her hair.

The other think about hair is yes I still have mine. The rule of thumb with males is look on your mom's side to see what happened. All of my uncles on my mom's side are bowling balls. Bald as bald can be. Thanks dad for at least one good trait to come from the Little's side. Just ask my mom about all the bad habits I picked up from the Little's side.

Well my wife has wanted me to always grow a beard or have a hairy lip. I tried this once in college, and my coordinator called me Abe Lincoln, so I cut it off, and never grew it again. I always tease her when on ski or winter vacations, I don't shave and cut it off the first day back to work.

When Vic says "your hair is finally growing into a length", I go get a haircut. When I get back, she stands at attention and give me the old military salute! I always say, the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is 3 days. It always grows back.

Vic and hair. She has it, and she looses it! I get it... Do you?

Spring Hill 2007 & Vic's Fruity Ways

Vic and I have been going to Spring Hill for many years. (10?) We actually went here before we were married on a singles retreat from her church.

Things that I remember about Spring Hill:

• Pine needles on my car
• Sunday Night Live
• Duck Tape Man
  
• a light dusting of dirt on my car after the weekend.
• The smell of campfires.
• The yells of little kids who are excited about an activity.
• The cool nights, and the cold floors inside the cabin.
  
• Moms and Dads rushing to get as much as possible before the weekend ends.
• Campfire stories about the fun things that are going on in people's lives.

We now even have a Vic story night (around the campfire) where I get to update everyone on new stuff that has been going on.

The trip to Spring Hill started out well. Vic picked me up a work and we were on our way. I was tipped off about road construction on US131, so we tracked a different route. Vic has always loved to eat in the car. Her favorite food is fruit. This time she was driving, and I was the navigator. When I tell this story, I have to be very specific about whom was were.

She decide to discard the fruit out the window, so the little animals and birdies can have something to snack on. She fully rolled down the window and chucked the core out.

She totally missed and the core ended up in the back seat. Keep in mind that she had the window all the way down, and she was not throwing the core across the car, it was right next to her seat!

This reminded me of "Planes, Trains, Automobiles" move were John Candy does the same thing with a cigarette, and starts the car on fire! Thank goodness she doesn't smoke or we would go through many car interiors.

I said a stupid comment, and we both ended up laughing about it all weekend.

Great time was had by all at Spring Hill, and we seem to continue this tradition, even though I fight it with excuses of allergies, and stuff. Daine and I played Battlefield, so I was cool.

Going Going Gone

My poor old Mercedes! I bit the bullet and put it on E bay. I just was having a hard time on letting go. Vic was so excited to see it go! She is in the process of letting everyone we know, that its on e bay (CC: the world). She enjoys watching the bids go up, and the amount of money coming in. I don't share her excitement. Mater of fact, according to her, I don't even have "excitement" in my vocabulary.

When you sell on e bay, people want to know about the more about the car so they email questions.

This is a actual email from one of the potential buyers.

Questions: Springdud(Me): Does FUN wife come with car? 222cjway

Answer:

Dear 222cjway:

Mater of fact, I've been thinking about trading in the old wife for a newer model. Make an offer... Needs some body work, engine runs fine, (runs on coffee), oil change every 50,000-100,000 words spoken (almost daily), right now a cash flow nightmare, (spends all my money). Will trade two daughters for one hard working son also.

Springdud

222cjway are good friends, and it was a good laugh! I'm not sure if they thought I was serious though? I love you honey, and the selling price for Vic is like the credit card commercial.... (priceless)

View of the Day

Ah!!! Petoskey, Michigan, what a place. As they say about up north, "View of the Bay for half the Pay!" I think this applies to Traverse City also. This doesn't apply to the cost of housing though!

This conversation was between my Mom the trickster, and Vic. The were downtown for some shopping on our mini vacation last week. My mother was pointing out the different sites, and mentioned that was Harbor Springs across the bay, and to the south was Bay Harbor, and farther south was Charlevoix.

"And if you look real close you can see Chicago!" Vic starts to look and then my mom starts laughing. Vic is so funny. She thought about that for a little bit are realized she had been tricked. I've always joked that Vic is geographically challenged. Its a fact. Chicago is only 362 miles by car. On a good day, in Grand Haven you can only see about 3-5 nautical miles.

We had a great vacation, and many fun things to do. Shelby made it through band camp. Back to work, and busy, busy, busy.

No Child Left Behind

Daine and Becky are very good friends of ours. They have two young, cute, funny kids named Sloan and Kaylyn. Becky has been going to school for a few years trying to get into nursing school at Grand Valley. (GVSU) (updated, she will start in the fall!!)

This event happened last year during golf season. Becky was at school, and Daine had golf league on a Tuesday night. Vic had agreed days before that she would pick up the girls from the baby sitter, and Daine would pick them up after golf.

Thank goodness for rain. I say this, because the golf league got rained out. Daine was done after one or two holes, and he called Vic to see if she had picked up the girls. Daine described the phone conversation this way.

Daine: "Vic, I got rained out, and I'm coming to pick the girls up early"

Vic: "What girls, they are not here? Is it Tuesday already?"

Vic: "Oh no! x>&%$##, its Tuesday, I forgot to get the girls!"

Vic (panic mode): " Daine, I'm leaving right now to get them, I'm so sorry I forgot!"

Daine: (Laughing): "You don't have to, I will get them from the sitters."

Like I said, thank goodness for the rain, or this could have ended up badly. As Vic always says, "On the street, without a treat to eat".

Our America has a slogan, "No children left behind" and I say, "two children were left behind, and Vic felt like a behind"

Power Tools Part 2

After having a wonderful evening with friends from our small group, I told the story about Vic with a chain saw and other power tools. I've never seen someone laugh so hard at one of Vic's miscues. This one has not hit the blog yet so I thought I would share.

Vic and I are not alike. I like power, and she enjoys "easy". Our power tools are separated between "Tommy's" and the rest. I like the smell of gas and oil, and she just want them to run. I like to move around the lawn with ease, and she doesn't mind the cords.

I can't tell you how many times she has had problems with a blower leaf vacuum combinations. The shoot that the leaves sucks up into the bag has a switch on it to prevent you from putting your hand in the spinning blades. This is built in safety that works. When the switch goes bad, the machine turns on and off all the time and makes it very frustrating. Also, the power cord will come undone and loose to make you keep checking if the cord is bound up around a tree or flowerbed.

Every spring for cleanup, it seems to happen, and she continues to fall for the same thing. I stand in the garage, plugging, and unplugging the power cord over and over, and watch Vic get frustrated. She looks at the cord to see that it is plugged in, and the shoot for correct position. After 30-60 seconds, I jump out and she has a few choice words.

When I told this story, this weekend, Ron one of our friends laughed so hard, he almost fell off his chair. We also learned about Ron and Sues cloths pin competition within their family that continues to this day. (very interesting and fun) (another post some time).

We always have a great time, and I can't wait until Vic gets that blower out again, so we can have "power tools, part XX"

As always, keep laughing not at Vic but with her about the crazy things she does.

No Time

I've taken a long time to add to this blog. Sorry guys! I'm now committing to post at least every two weeks or so. I've made these commitments in the past, (new years resolutions, weight loss, keeping in touch with friends, etc. with no avail. Sometimes I call it convenient amnesia) As I've always said, "I have enough friends, I don 't need any more." Vic is always looks to get to know people more and develop new friendships. I seem to drag her down. (opposites do attract.)

Important updates:

1-Vic continues to be Vic. I have many stories of that have been accumulating. I need to get on the writing wagon and do some posts.
2-Ron is getting married next year to Becca! (End of May 2008 wedding)
3-Ashleigh is still in School! (OK I don't think this is big news, but she does want to take a break and pursue a career in professional snow boarding competitions.)
4-Shelby turned 16 this week! (Some people forgot her birthday, but Vic and I think its a milestone)
5-I continue to be very busy, and I need add stores to the blog.

I hope everything is well in your life. I will post soon, so stay in touch.

What was I going to do again,? I've lost me to-do-list from yesterday, and need to get organized.

yea, Tom

My blonde Moment of the Year

You were thinking by the title, that this is the best story of Vic for the year, and its not! Tommy was doing the evil lead pickup in the front yard last Saturday. I call them evil, because the get everywhere, and they can't be stopped. Like most men, I love power tools. We have a leaf vac, that shreds and picks up leaves. I can flip the handle over, and it becomes a leaf blower. I was blowing leaves and didn't think I was moving enough leave so I shut the engine off. I removed the chute and put my hand where it wasn't supposed to go. Ouch, cut my index finger on my left hand! Vic raced me to emergency with 12 stitches to follow. All the warnings I didn't heed, and this is what I get.

I also broke the tip of my finger. Serves me right. (Stupid move). The only thing that I can say when people say, "how are you?", is "it hurts!" The other thing I noticed and took for granted was the amount you use your index finger. From typing to shoe tying, to tie tying, to shaving, to eating, to typing (rhe instead of the), did is say this sucker hurts.

I will be fine, and it's amazing how many stupid things people do on the weekends. The emergency nurse said they get 2-3 of these things a weekend! Stupidity abounds when you mix men, power tools, and weekends! Sorry it's been so long for a post. I'll try to do better!

Tommy rhe tool man....

Number 2

What a title? This refers to my Second born Ashleigh. She is the creative one of the family, and a true blond. She has many funny stories also, but I wanted to share some of her famous work on flash. Flash is a type of moving video, sound that is web based. Most of the cool web sites on the internet use this. She is very talented and very funny when she does these.

Here is a link to one that she did in the last few weeks. The characters are Sissy (Elisabeth Little), Dad (Robert Little), and my Mommy (Jean Little). This is funny, so turn the sound up a little, and don't laugh to hard out loud if you are at work....

Ron's House

Ron's house is coming along very well. I can't believe how much work and money he has spent on this place. The house is in Toledo, Ohio. I was built in the 1930's. It has many cool old things, and he has done a great job in updating it. I added a slide show you can see some of the work he has done. If you really want to know who much he has done, check it out...

Not a blond thing, but stories of Teki and him should start another blog on home improvement.

Link to photo show

Enjoy... Tommy

Vic + Door Handles + Indians (Vic licks history)

With a title like that, you must be scratching your head and wondering how in the world you can connect the dots between Vic, Door Handles, and Indians? You will have to really read closely, and follow along. I will draw you a map, and then you will get it.

Ok? Lets go!

This is a continuation of our trip out West for Spring Break. We went to Northern Arizona, and Las Vegas, where Vic's Mommy Val lives.

On our way to Flagstaff, we passed through many interesting places. There are a lot of Indian reservations along the way with smoke shops. I'm not sure what they are doing, but its probably not preserving any fish or beef.

The big joke everywhere I go is "There's Tommy's door handle." This is a good thing to pass time, and my company (Apex Spring & Stamping) does a ton of door handle springs for almost every car company on the road. You mention a brand, and I have a spring in one of their door handles.

Remember the VW commercial in 2001 with the guy outside licking the door handle to claim the car. I will try to find this video clip and post a link so you can see it. It's funny, and the guy basically runs to the car he wants and beats a couple to claim the car as "his". He licks the door handle. (See Picture above)

Ashleigh has done this with food, and this is a great way to claim it as your own? She mostly does it with doughnuts and sweets. I'm not sure of the origin of this ritual, but it works. Well, we are driving in North Western AZ. and we a talking about the Indians. I mention, that I can't believe how long they have been in the area, and so much longer than the White folkes that came over the mountains or from the West. It was amazing to all of us, some of the culture and the impact the Indians had in this area.

Vic thinks for a second and says the following. "It's like the Indians licked the door handle first! in this area" I looked at her and all I could do is shake my head. Vic admits that she has never been strong with history. I watch the history channel all the time, and she watches Oprah. She just looks at me, and says "I don't care about Hitler, and is this the only thing they talk about on the History Channel?" I'm very careful on this blog to make Vic look funny, and not stupid. In any case, if I do the later, I could be history.

Viva Las(Vic) Vegas (half empy or half full)

Spring break started out with a bang! After some mix-up on Vacation time, Vic, Liz (my niece)Shel, and I started for Las Vegas to visit with Vic's mom Val. Because Vic had to pick up Liz in Manchester, Vic decided to leave from Detroit. I, not sure that I was even going, got a last minute ticket out of Chicago. I was to meet them at the car rental place at the airport, and go to Vals for the first night. I flew Southwest Airlines and was delayed 1-2 hours. I was to get the car and possibly pick up the three at the terminal. Well as plans go with air travel, nothing works. Plans change, and planes, luggage and people are usually late. Vic and the girls were waiting at the airport car rental agency for me. When I arrived at the rental, I was surprised by the rental. It was a brand new HHR wagon. What a car! It was new and cool. Everyone liked it! I know that I'm a ford guy, but I was impressed. Kim Herman is now smiling!

I had to go into the rental place to sign the rental agreement, so Vic and I could either drive the car. The usual things for driving some else's car. Vic complained the car was only full 1/2 way. I thought to my self, that seems odd. These guys are pretty good about filling their cars. The rental agent had sympathy, and told Vic to let the guy at the boot know, and it would be adjusted on the bill. Vic was pretty upset about it, and I thought it was too late to bother with this small detail.

We loaded up the car, and I turned to see the parking Nazi booth. He is the guy you have to get too and past to get out off the lot. Also, what's up with those backward spikes anyways? If you back up, you blow 2 tires. Why do they do that? Another unknown mystery...

Anyway, I start the car and the tank was Full! I looked at Vic and said, what gauge were you looking at? I glanced at the temperature gauge, and I was 1/2 way up. Vic, you were looking at the temperature gauge! We all had a good laugh. This was a honest mistake, but I keep telling Vic to get some new reading glasses.

It was a great time in Vegas, and Northern Arizona. Good times were had by all!

This is So not a Blonde Moment

What a Day. Shelby has been trying and working so hard the last 3 months. She has always been my smart one of the family. (sorry Ron and Ashleigh) I take that back, all my kids are smart. (Ash is standing over my shoulder as I type, I'll change this later.) This is my brag for my family. Its not really a blonde thing, but she is blonde. This is the opposite of blonde. This is pride and pure unadulterated bragging.

Shelby has been competing on the Science Olympiad team for Grand Haven, Michigan for 3 years. This is a very difficult team to get on! They have up to 100 kids competing for a 15 person team. I'm not sure about this number, but It's hard to get on the team! Shelby being a 9th grader, became one of the anchors of the team competing in 4 events. Science Olympiad is a national competition which is throughout all states. It tries to increase the interest in science things. To me, its a giant nerd convention, and man are there are some very competitive nerds. I think I was a nerd. (excuse me, I'm still a nerd-just ask Shelby! Oh and Vic too.) Check out the picutre above. I have a pen in my pocket! I don't have a pocket protector or tape on my glasses. I was talking to a friend today, and it seems you fall into three categories. (Band nerd, Smart nerd(Science O.), or Jock) Shelby falls into 2 of the 3 categories.

Grand Haven high school has been a national champ 2 or 3 times and been runner up a few other. One of the reasons is the feeder system (Lake Shore Middle School, and White Pines Middle School) Both junior high teams finish in the top 3 spots in regional and state almost every year. White pines wasted the competition this year at regionals. Oh, Shelby is on White Pines Middle school team. I also forgot to tell you, 9th grade competes with Middle School.

Shelby finished first in Bug identification, and had (2) 9th place finishes and a 16th in another event. There were 53 middle school teams competing for these top spots. Way to go Shelby!

I wonder sometimes about how she got so smart. Especially as I type and the spell check can't even figure out what I'm trying to spell. I cant even get the spell checker to guess? Man, I spell bad. After saying this, who's the blonde, and who's the other in the mix of the gene pool that created Shebly. Maybe I'm the blonde? We will never know, but I do know that Shelby is a chip off the old block. I should ask my mom if I was ever blonde in my early days?

Almost Famous quotes from Vic

Vic has been called many things. Some can be repeated, others can't. Here are just a few that I can remember. Others are famous quotes.

Famous Titles

Vic the "dyslexic movie reviewer"

Vic the "Travel Expert", advise when she has never been there.

Famous Quotes

V: What part of the church building is "59 West" in?

T: My response, "you have got to be kidding me, right?"

V: Is "Cape Fear" a scary movie?

T:My response, "you have got to be kidding me, right?"

V: "Where is a good place to eat around there?" to a truck driver at Walmart....

T: My response, "you have got to be kidding me, right?"

V: “Ron has a new female-friend before the photo‚ of the last are developed.

T: My response, "you are right"

V:Shashleigh come here! Ashelby come here! who ever you are come here!

T: I think our children need name tags.

V:"The little oil light just comes on once and a while."

T:"You have got to be kidding me, right?"

Vic has never been very good with the maleness or femaleness of animals. Our current cat is a boy, and she constatly calling him a her. Also, tiki, Ron's dog goes back and forth between being a male-dog to a female-doggie.

Is this normal? Do other people do this? I'm not sure, but with Vic involved it becomes thunexplainableble Vic factor." It also makes for another "blonde thing" moment.

More to add, as I remember them!

Do you have any that you can think of? Let me know by your posts!