VACATION!!!!

Baseball fans unite!  It is time for the yearly pilgramage to Lakeland, Florida to watch my beloved Detroit Tigers play baseball.  2 weeks of sunshine, baseball, hotdogs, peanuts, strawberrry shortcake, beaches, ducks, and BBQ!  Does it get better than that?  Not a chance!

On a serious note, Rose and I are so blessed to be able to do this.  What a great time for her and I to get away and just have the 2 of us.  No pets, kids or anything, just us.  For the 7th year in a row we are headed to see the Tigers and God willing we will be going for a long time.  This is the 3rd year we have taken the Goldwing with us.  Nothing better than getting in some miles in the dead of winter riding in the Sunshine!

We will go see some old friends and make new ones.  See the same people working at the hotel and ballpark.  Jerry the breakfast guy at the hotel.  The lady with the wooden spoon checking Rose's baseball bag for forbidden snacks...(she never finds them).  The same guys scalping tickets.  Lakeland has changed over the years.  Lots more fences and security.  Lots more people and lots more nut jobs around the ballpark.  funny to say that, but it is true. 

Some of the characters we will see.  Like the owner of Primos pizza on Combee.  The guy is great and makes this trip to this local establishment worth the trip.  Not to mention a great pizza!  The same great sweet tea and BBQ at many different places. 

Go Tigers!  Please don't let us lock the keys for the motorcycle in the back tank this year!  I would rather spend that money on strawberry shortcake!

Tiger Baseball

The season is approaching and the Tigers appear to have the makings of another run at the World Series.  The last 2 the Tigers have been in have been something of stinkers.  They don't need a week off in between the playoff and the World Series. 

Let's hope they do well this year and stay away from the injury bug.  With Victor and Torii now in the lineup this team has the look of a champion

7

7 the number of days until we head to Lakeland.  Hard to imagine that in one week we will be headed to my favorite place on earth.

Until then, I have woodworking projects I must get done.  A couple of wooden footstools, a storage cabinet, and some scrapbooking crap!  Holy smoke, I need to get the goldwing ready and tied down in the trailer!  Get my glove packed, a bat packed and all my hats and Tiger gear!  Oh Yeah.....

8

8 more days to Lakeland......

9

One day closer to Lakeland...........

Spring is here.....

well fans, it may not look like spring is here, but it is.  pitchers and catchers reported yesterday in Lakeland Fl for the Detroit Tigers.  music to my ears.  I love this time of year.  You start thinking about baseball.  I can't wait till opening day.  But before that there are 2 weeks to be spent in Lakeland at Tigertown.

Time to head to Lakeland for baseball, green grass, sunshine and food.  Can't wait for the time to begin.  should be fun again this year with the Tigers being one of the favorites to take it all this year.  it has been 29 years since the Tiger last won the World Series.  What a drought.  But they have been in the fall classic twice lately, just to be taken apart by the Cardinals and Giants.

But Lakeland is more than baseball.  It is a Primos pizza, Peebles, Jimbos, and Sonnys BBQ.  It is a goldwing ride to Parksdale Farms for Strawberry Shortcake.  Riding to spend the day at the beach.  Seeing old friends we have made in Lakeland and feeding the swans, pelicans, and ducks down at Morton Lake.  Feels like going home.  I walk around Mirror Lake and dinner at Harry's downtown.  A slower pace, warm weather and 11 o'clock swims in the pool.  Sounds like it is time to go to me....only 10 more days Tom, only 10 more days.

The Flu...

it appears that so far about everyone is getting the flu.  what does that mean?  it means I need to stay away and not get sick.  so far so good.  it seems like the flu shot did no good at all.  most that took the shot have been sick!  this is why I stay away.

Football is OVER!

Football is over.  I love the Super Bowl for one reason, it means that it is officially baseball season.  Only 8 more days till the Tigers hit the field. 

Also glad that Mr Lewis can not take his dirty deeds done dirty cheap and ride off into the sunset.  Hopefully never to be heard from again.

Go Tigers....see you in Lakeland!

Answer2

My second answer from the other day is Growth.  Growing myself and others in their lives.  This is from helping and serving and growing myself through education and learning from others.  Then passing that learning on to those around us.

John Maxwell said he does not want to always be in the front of the class, because being in the front means you are not learning, you are teaching.  This is so true.  We need to be around people smarter and wiser than ourselves to grow and then grow others by sharing that wisdom and knowledge with them.

I believe this starts to help us be leaders by serving and growing others, by first growing ourselves.

Answers....

Yesterday I posed lots of question with basically no answers.  I think I have found out one thing for sure.  I was put on this earth to serve others.  I can serve others through work by giving our customers the best that we have.  I can serve others by caring for them and praying for them.  I can serve others by buying them things that are needs in their lives.  I can serve others, as we did last night, by showing up at our niece's basketball games. 

Service describes someone or something that is intended to provide help to those providing assistance to others.  Wow, that can be so many things.  We even talk about a "church service" and it is providing help to us by worshipping God.  Must be the reason it makes us feel good when we serve others.

Lord may you show me today ways I can serve those that I come in contact with each day.