CurlyShavings

One of the things I enjoy at my employer is the opportunity to encourage and celebrate young Dads. And Moms, to be sure, and older Dads, too, but it is the newer Dads that I particularly enjoy celebrating.

Some time ago, I was approached by a fellow from a colleague's team who hesitantly asked me for some information on FMLA at our employer. I have used it three times over our four children, so his manager was quite right to send him my way! We talked pros and cons for a while, chatted about his wife's health, talked about what he was reading, how he was feeling and as we did so, I could sense the confidence rise in him. I don't know if his hesitancy was about being a dad in the workplace or just the newness of finding out that he was going to be a dad, but as we talked, it was clear that something was changing.

We touched base several times during the months to follow and one day I happened to overhear a conversation that made it sound like the time had come. I poked my nose in further and found out that indeed, he was a new dad! A little earlier than anticipated, but all was well and everyone was home.

In 1996 I was given a banner ("It's a boy!" on one side and "It's a girl!" on the other) and over the years I have used both sides often at my employer. This time was no different and after grabbing a handful of thumbtacks, I placed it, boy side up, on the outer wall of his cube, much to the astonishment of his neighbors who knew he was expecting but didn't know the time had come.

He had decided not to exercise FMLA this time: with the first child, unless there are complications, it may not be needed! An extra hand at home is almost always welcome, but it is with subsequent children that an extended period of time at home for Dad is most useful. (This is my opinion and experience, of course.)

A week or more later and he was back. I bumped into him in the hallway and we had a good long chat. His eyes danced as we talked. I'm not sure what made me think of it but I realized I hadn't heard about a baby shower. A bit later I figured out where they were registered and there were still a few items on the list so my oldest daughter and I picked a few things out. I had moved to the other end of the floor since he had last seen me and so it was wandering around looking for me that I found him next. Oh, how he seemed to welcome the gift!

This hasn't been the only Dad I've encouraged at work, just the most recent. And while each is different and each story has different twists, their reception is the same. Encouraging, celebrating and affirming Dads is one of my favorite "extra" things to do at work. And it may be one of the most important, too.

Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories by Ian Fleming

My review

[Note: while reading this book on the bus, I added a cover to it, obscuring the figure on the front. A bit too racy for my taste, at least on the bus!]

Most of Saturday was spent solo with my two girls (newly nine and nearly two). We took the boys (twelve and five) and Mom to the trolley and then went in search of bagels. While sitting in the booth enjoying my blueberry bagel with plain cream cheese, there was plenty of giggling, squirming and eating going on. The girls got cinnamon sugar with plain cream cheese (I had one of those, too) and orange juice.

At one point, thinking how blessed I was to be able to enjoy their delicious company, it occurred to me to wonder what the others in the place were thinking. To be honest, they were probably completely engrossed in their own days, flirting at the table in front of us, quickly wolfing down breakfast behind us, furiously typing on a laptop across the room.

But the thought came again a few hours later as we were met on the pathway upstream from the Nature Center by a couple of families. What are they thinking of us? I had two little girls in wellingtons, calf-deep in the dirty Doan Brook with nets.

You might say that I shouldn't think about such things and why would I be concerned about what someone else thinks. You'd be right. And yet, since I'm proud of my children and the strange ways they like to spend time with their dad, I do sometimes wonder what other people are thinking about us.

More than anything else, I don't want observers to be thinking I'm a custodial father (I'm not), only getting his girls on the weekend. It is true that I don't spend nearly as much time with them as I'd (or they would) like. It is also true that I work full-time with a 90-minute round-trip commute. Those are things I can't change easily. Dropping a few evening committee commitments might be possible and is something I have considered and done. Probably the most effective action would be to begin saying "Yes" more to them and "No" more to others.

Yes, I will go stomping in the creek with you. Yes, I will go fishing with you. Yes, I will go to the fair with you. Yes, I will make gummy worms with you. Yes, I will make biscotti with you. Yes, I will sit and snuggle with you. "Yes"—it's such a powerful word.

He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

As mentioned elsewhere, we were at PNC Park today.

curlyshavings found Mini Tribute (Traditional Cache)

Take me out to the ballgame! My wife and kids (sirIan, Sweet+Pea and littleChip) are going to a Pirates game today. I, however, am headed to a Cubs game. Of course, we're at the same PNC Park...

Afterward we decided to drop by for this cache. Many thanks for showing us this little park.

Take me out to the ballgame! My wife and kids made it to a Pirates game today. I, however, went to a Cubs game. Of course, we're at the same PNC Park...

This was a birthday present for my wife, the one in the Pirates hat and Pirates jersey, diligently keeping score.

Cubs won, 2-0. By the end of the 9th inning, there seemed to be more Cubs fans than Pirates fans!

And the much-needed rain held off until the game was over.

This past weekend (August 23-24), I was out at Greater Cleveland Council's Camp Beaumont for Cuyahoga Lodge 17's Vigil weekend.

We had a great weekend both in terms of the Vigil ceremony and the weather. It would have been nice to have had more folks there and perhaps next year we will.

The main events took place Saturday evening and I had called a Trail Crew event for the morning and afternoon. Here's what I reported at the August 25^th Lodge Meeting:

The Saturday of the Vigil weekend, the Trail Crew worked on the trail leading to the Ceremony Site as well as placing a guidepost on the Beech Tree Trail, a total of seven hours.

The Ceremony Site Trail has six muddy spots, the worst of which is 40 feet from the beginning of the trail. This is due in part to shallow soil over clay, dense tree canopy and poor drainage features. During the weekend, this portion of the trail was partially graded, attempting to direct the water to the southern (lower) edge of the trail. As this technique will take some time to improve the trail, twenty feet of raised walkway was constructed and added (a "puncheon bridge") to take some of the stress off this portion of trail. When the trail begins to dry and it becomes clear that the grading is working, this "bridge" can be moved to another location.

Before

After

Additionally, the stump of the innermost left-hand post on the Ceremony Site Trail bridge was removed. Plans are being made to replace this 8"x8" post and its concrete footer during the October Fellowship weekend.

The hemlock blocking the left-hand totem pole was trimmed and the hanging maple branch on the northern end of the site was removed.

While out at Beaumont, our Scout camp this weekend, I bumped into a naturalist who was taking some specie inventories and had just stumbled upon something that wasn't supposed to be there. I which I had taken better notes. He said it was a Calla Lily Dogwood and quite unusual for Ohio. I believe it was on the threatened list.

I figured if it was that rare, it wouldn't be hard to find given those three words. But I can't seem to find any reference to it anywhere.

Oh, well. He showed it to me. I saw it.

He said that based on his observations, he was going to recommend taking it from threatened to something else. I'm not being much help here, am I?

I was out at Beaumont for Saturday and left early Sunday morning. There's a cache near the front gate . . .

curlyshavings found The Main Gate (Traditional Cache)

On my way home following an OA Vigil ceremony. Thanks for the hide!

There's a website with a scatological PG-13 title that has accepted a couple of submissions of mine. It seems to poke at builders in the city who build bad buildings. Whether it is an architectural detail or just a bad design, the unknown author published pictures and a short blast against whatever has been discovered recently.

Here's one on a sidewalk near where I walk many days.

Here's another one on a different sidewalk, also near one of my walks.

Eldest daughter's birthday was a couple weeks ago and she took us to Tommy's for breakfast (she had pancakes).

On the way out, she noticed that if you stand at the right spot, you can make their sign say "Please Wait to be Eated"!