A Jenny & Jeff House & Health Update

First off I'm sorry I've been so bad about returning emails and making phone calls, I have to get better about doing it more often. Thanks to all who have emailed me asking how things have been going with the house and my health I appreciate the love. 

We've been living in Astoria, OR since December in a small 1 BR apartment waiting for own new house to be built in Ocean Park, WA. It's been an adjustment living in what amounts to a small bachelor's type apartment in the noisy part of downtown Astoria. Jenny and I both work the grave yard shift so we have to try to sleep during the day which can be difficult even when it's quiet.

It's made even more difficult since when live next door to the School Districts Bus Barn where we hear the constant sound of, "BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!" the buses make when they back in to park. 

The really good news about living in Astoria is that's where we both work so we don't have the 30 to 45 minute one way commute to drive.

Astoria has a better downtown, better restaurants and better social opportunities than the Washington peninsula. It's only a 4 block walk for us to be in the heart of downtown.  A week ago Jenny and I went to a Blood, Sweat and Tears concert at the Liberty Theater here in Astoria which was cool. BTW what an awesome lead singer they have now and he's just as good a harmonica player. They are definitely worth the price of admission if they come to your area. What a beautiful old theater the Liberty is, it's an excellent venue to see an intimate concert.

We live within 2 blocks of the Columbia River and really have enjoyed taking walks along it since the weather has finally turned nice here. The winter weather here was God awful so we have really enjoyed the recent sunny days and are thankful for every one. Even if it's cloudy out here and doesn't rain, it's considered a nice day here trust me.

We just finished getting the remainder our belongings out of the old house this weekend so the contractor can begin tearing it down. Hopefully sometime this week we'll get the final blueprints for the new house so we can then apply for the necessary permits to begin building. We've been told it could be as short as 3 weeks (if you call that short) or as long as 6 weeks to get the permits from the county.

I have to keep remind myself to be patient and that I live in small town America again. The pace of getting good and services here is way slower than say San Diego or Sacramento. There are days when I really wish we still lived in California for a whole host of reasons but life here has been getting better.

We plan on building a 1200 sq ft 2 BR house with a 2 car garage. Since it's just Jenny and me we really didn't need a 3rd BR so the plan is to put a Murphy bed in the 2nd BR so we can make it a multi-purpose hobby, den, exercise room.

We have a very nice quiet piece of property to build the house on. We're very excited that we helped design the floor plan and will eventually help the general contractor build the house.

The hope is that we'll get the house completed by July if all goes well.

I finally returned to work after missing almost a month. The broken tailbone incident has been literally the biggest "pain in the ass" injury I've ever had. I can laugh about it now but Man it made my life hell for a while.

Not much else to report. We hope to go to Wyoming in June if we can to get my 30th Class reunion (Yikes, I'm getting old!!) and see my family and friends there but we may not make it out if the house requires us to stay to get it completed.

We miss all our family and friends in California, Wyoming and Florida. We hope all is well in your world. Please stay in touch. Life has been good and Jenny and I feel so blessed and grateful.

Jenny & Jeff

The 1991 Laramie Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt

Funny how over the years in the Jaycees the projects I sometimes never thought would fly actually ending up soaring to the outer reaches of Pluto.  Such was the case of the Laramie Jaycees 1991 Easter Egg Hunt.

First I will have to give some background on what happened before this project took place. I moved to Laramie, WY from Cheyenne, WY in fall of 1990.  The chapter in Laramie was struggling, needed new leadership, members and was in danger of losing their charter.  I was suffering from burnout when I first moved there because I'd just come off a very busy year in Cheyenne as Local President and a painful divorce.  In 1990 when I moved to Laramie the chapter was down to 14 members, they were on probation and only had one more month before the State would pull their charter. Once the charter is pulled the chapter has to dissolve.

I had a good friend named Harold Babbitt who was a Laramie Jaycee at that time. He asked me or should I say begged me, to help the chapter get back on its feet again.  When he and I first talked about it I was just not ready to dive into another big challenge in the Jaycees.  I just spent the previous 5 years doing Jaycees day and night to the point of madness really.

Harold just kept working on me until I decide to give in and help out.  My love and devotion to the Jaycees was to strong at that time to see the chapter not die so I took over as Local President for what remained of that Jaycee year. Then in earnest the task of trying to take the remaining members and seeing what we could do to rebuild the chapter began.  The first order of business of course was to sign up 6 new members so we could retain our charter.  In a month with the help of some of the remaining diehards in the chapter we signed up 6 new members to retain the charter.

We started doing some small fun projects that went well but needed to come up with a project to make a big slash so it could help build the organization.  One member named Janet suggested that we host an Easter Egg Hunt.  She said that no one in Laramie was hosting one and that if might be a way to get our name out in the community.

I freely admit that I was very skeptical that such a project would work in Laramie for several reasons.  One was that the winters in Wyoming especially Laramie was notoriously long and two the chapter was flat broke and didn't have a relationship with many local businesses to get the needed donations that were required to make it happen. We certainly didn't have enough of our own operating capitol to purchase the needed items for it.

Hosting an Easter Egg Hunt in Laramie in March or April was akin to hosting an Ice Sculpting Contest in the Mojave Desert in July.  The chance of bad weather dropping the turnout to a hand full of kids in Eskimo suits was a real possibility.  In all the years I lived in Wyoming in several different cities the worst winters by far were spent in Laramie.  So while I was encouraged by the excitement of Janet and a few of the new members who wanted to try it I just wasn't confident it would work.

Thankfully Janet's excitement did carry over to the non-believers (me included) and with the help of about a dozen other Jaycees we began to get all the donations that were needed to give it a try. A week before the Easter Egg Hunt we got the 1,000 plastic eggs from Wal-Mart which we would use to put the candy in.  We also received a donation on of candy from one of the local wholesale candy stores in Laramie.  Other items were donated like stuffed Easter Bunnies, gift certificates among other items.  The plan was to place slips of paper in random eggs then awarded the donations to the lucky kids who found them.

Then the next big task was stuffing all the eggs.  There were about a dozen or so diehard Jaycees that started stuffing the 1,000 eggs we hoped to have ready for the hunt.  It took as the whole week leading up to the day of the hunt to finish that tedious task.  The project was coming together nicely and the new group of Jaycees jumped in with a team effort to get the eggs ready.  We put an ad in the paper and placed one on the local radio stations and then just hoped upon hope the weather would cooperate.

The weather had been cold most of the week before the Hunt.  The temperatures had ranged from the low 20s to 30s for most of the week so we really feared a cold one the day we had scheduled for the project.  Since the Hunt would start at 9 a.m. on Sunday we knew the coldest part of the day would be the early morning hours.

The morning of the Hunt finally came and all the committee members showed up at 7 a.m. at the local city park where the project was to be held.  When we first arrived at the park the temperature was 34 to 35 degrees and there was a frost on the ground but no snow.  By 8:30 a.m. we had the eggs scattered throughout the park in 3 different areas since we had 3 different age groups for the kids.

Nervously we waited to see if anyone would show up for the 9 a.m. start time. Slowly more and more parents and kids began to show up at the park  By 9 a.m. my best guess was there were 300 kids who had showed up for the Egg Hunt.  Parents and kids alike dressed in winter clothes anxiously awaited around the sectioned off areas for the hunt to begin.  I was flabbergasted; I couldn't believe the turnout especially since it was such a cold day.

The whistle blew to officially begin the hunt and in less than 15 minutes all the eggs had been scooped up off the ground by the excited kids.  It was amazing; we had to break up fights among some of the kids who were scrambling to get to the eggs.  Many of the smaller kids were to slow on the take and some were lucky to even get one Egg.  It was a hilarious thing to watch as the kids run like crazed maniacs to get to the eggs.

I really was the Doubting Thomas right up until the day we had the hunt but it ended up being one of the most successful projects I was ever involved with in Jaycees.  The project had a huge ripple effect on the chapter.  Word got around that we really were making an effort to conduct community based projects in Laramie.  As word spread the chapter started to grow in membership. The Easter Egg Hunt really helped to springboard the chapter.  The project was such a staple for the chapter that it ended up being an annual event and grew each year after.  This project helped keep the Laramie Jaycees active in the community for years.

I guess the moral of the story is never underestimating the value of a good idea even with the preconceived obstacles.  Even in a cold place like Wyoming there was a huge demand for community service projects aimed at children.  It just one of the many great projects I was fortunate to be involved in during my 15 years of service in the Wyoming Jaycees.  The demand is still there so I encourage those of you who have read this far to check into the Jaycees or any other service group and get involved.  You'll be amazed how sacrificing  just a little of your time will do so much for someone, not to mention what it will do for you. The gift of service is the one that keeps on giving. To me it's the best work of life.  Have a Happy Easter.

Sincerely,

An Old Exhausted Rooster,
from the Great State of Wyoming.

Great Coastal Gale of 2007

My wife and I have had an interesting week and half. The bigstorm that hit the Oregon and Washington coast a week ago last Sunday night hit us full force. The winds started about 10 pm on Dec. 1 by 11 pm the power went out. At midnight on Dec. 2 the high winds blew down the first big tree that fell on our house. Once I heard the noise I went outside to check the damage, while I was standing outside in the wind, rain and the dark the second tree came crashing down on the roof about 10 feet from where I was standing. Thankfully Jenny and I were unhurt.

That's when I said okay it's time to get the heck out of here. We grabbed a few things and went across the street to Jenny's Brothers house and spent the night there. The next day we got up only to see the wind was still blowing outside. We went to the house to see what damage had happened, it turns out 3 more trees hit the house so we had 5 total resting on the roof.

The strange thing was the when the first tree landed it fell right in the middle of the house were the kitchen cabinets were. It was the strongest reinforced part of the house. The other 4 trees landed on top of the first tree like pickup sticks and by some miracle the roof didn't cave in. It did punch a good sized hole in the roof but it held.

Frankly the second day was the most terrifying. We went back to the house to grab a few clothes so we could go to Long Beach, WA to get a motel room. The wind was blowing so hard I thought that at any minute more trees could fall on us while we were inside the house. It's was the single craziest weather event I'd ever seen in my life.

Thankfully we got our stuff out and some nice guy had carved a path down our road were all the trees had fallen so we could get out and get to Long Beach. Once in Long Beach we got a room and some shelter. We ended up staying there for 4 days. The third day we finally got power. On Thursday cell and phone service came back.

Thankfully we were able to find a place to rent in Astoria, OR which is where we will live until the insurance company comes out and looks at the house and tells us what they will do. Living in Astoria will be a good thing because we both work here so now we won't have to commute 45 minutes one way to get to work.

We've really been very blessed and grateful to God that he protected us from harm and helped us find a place to live so quickly. We just lost our home most of our personal items we were able to save but some others who had the terrible flooding weren't so lucky. It's been a very emotional and trying week for us but with faith in our higher power we believe all things will work out for the best and in his time.

It's been very humbling experience to say the least. You see these things happened to other people but you never think it'll happen to you. It was like a disaster movie except it was real and you couldn't escape it.

We won't have Internet service until Dec. 17. Once we get that hooked up we'll let you all know how things end up going for us. The adjuster looks at our house on Dec. 20 so hopefully then we'll know more about future.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas; we miss you and cherish the love and friendship of our family and friends.

I'll be back sometime next week once we get wired up on the net. To read all the information about the storm click on the link below.

Great Coastal Gale of 2007

Sincerely;

Jeff

Comparing Hank Aaron to Barry Bonds is disgraceful

* Henry Aaron

* Born February 5, 1934 in Mobile, Ala.

* Height, 6-0. Weight, 190.

* Threw and batted right handed.

* Brother of Tommy Aaron, former major league player with Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves.

* Holds major league record for most career home runs (755), home runs with one club (Braves, 733), RBIs (2,297), total bases (6,856), most games played (3,298) and many others.

* Hit 20 or more home runs for 20 consecutive seasons (1955-1974).

* Named to 24 All Star games.

* Won three Gold Glove awards, 1958, 1959, 1960.

* Named The Sporting News' National League Player of the Year, 1956, 1963.

* Named to Hall of Fame, 1982.

I wanted to start this rant off by highlighting a brief summary of Hank Aaron's amazing career.  Aaron is truly one of Major League Baseball’s immortals even if you exclude his most famous record.  Aaron brought more than just his talent to the batter’s box and playing field; he was a true man of courage, determination, class and humility.

I was 3 days shy of my 14th birthday on April 8, 1974.  It's a day I'll never forget because I was fortunate enough to see Aaron break Babe Ruth's untouchable record on TV.  The game was nationally televised so many people of my generation saw the game.

The thing I didn't know as a teenager and would later learn as an adult was just how much pressure Aaron was under.  From the start of 1973 Baseball season until the end of it when he was 2 home runs short of record Aaron received hate mail.  Some of it was from Yankee and Ruth fans and some was from ignorant racists who were not even fans of the game. The racists just didn't want to see a "Nigger" break the record.

Aaron received thousands of letters over the course of 73 and 74 seasons.  Many people supported him but just as many didn't.  It was remarkable that he was able to maintain his composure when he was getting daily hate mail and constant death threats right up until the day he broke the record.

Aaron really didn't receive the kind of notoriety and press that say McGwire was lavished with during his pursuit of the single season Home Run record.  Aaron was Black, he wasn't all that articulate and he played in Atlanta before it became more of a sophisticated Southern City with open mined people.  In many ways the Maris vs. McGwire Home Run record has many parallels but that's another argument for another day.  Today this one centers on Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.

Aaron was 6' tall and weighed 180 to 190 pounds soaking wet.  Despite his small size by today's standards he may have had some of the strongest wrists and forearms in Baseball history.  That in combination with his amazing bat speed made him a fierce power hitter.  Aaron didn't lift weights, didn't have a personal trainer, didn't have a personal nutritionist and lastly and most importantly didn't take performance enhancing substances. 

Aaron didn't play on a team that was in a pennant chase late in his career.  For years he didn't have anyone batting in front or behind him to see better pitches at the plate.  He wasn't a $20 million dollar a year Super Star who got a liberal strike zone.  Aaron didn't stand on top of the plate with padded batting gloves, body armor protecting his arm, elbow or his shin and dare the opposing Pitchers to hit him. 

The Pitchers back in that area would have intentionally beaned a hitter who thought he owned the plate and had that kind of an arrogant attitude.  The Umpires during that same period would allow a certain number of brush backs and beanings because back then Pitchers still had some latitude when it came to moving a Batter back off the plate especially if they stood directly on top of it. 

I know that in any level of Baseball past or present we need to protect Batters and throwing balls intentional at them to inflict injury is wrong but at the same time the Pitchers must be able to have some control over the strike zone.  Brush backs pitches should be allowed in Baseball for this reason and then taken on a case by case basis by the Umpires who then decide if it’s a brush back or a case of a Pitcher trying to hurt a Batter.

This among many other issues is the one of the reasons it is impossible to compare Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron in any way.  The only positive thing I have to say and be forced to admit about Bonds is that he is one hell of hitter.  He's one of the best ever, that cannot be denied but if you take all of the variables into account plus the "fact" that we know Bonds has injected steroids into his body there can be no comparison.

When did Bonds start taking Steroids?

People have tried to speculate when Bonds started down the steroids road.  Some have said that he didn't start until the late 90's.  I don't believe this for a minute and here's why.  In 1991 Bonds was with the Pirates and had one the best statistical season of all players in the National League that season.  Terry Pendleton with the Atlanta Braves had a great season too and ended up winning the National League MVP Award.  Not only did Pendleton win the MVP but the Braves beat the Pirates 4-3 to win the National League Championship Series in 1991.

Many argued that Bonds should have won the award that year.  Both players were deserving of the award but Pendleton led the Braves from worst to first in one year in 1991.  He had the best season of his career.  So, while Bonds had better stats that season Pendleton lead his team all the way to the World Series.

I think the lost in the 1991 National League Championship Series and the fact that Bonds completely tanked at the plate helped pushed him over the edge. He only had 4 hits in 27 at bats for .148 Batting Average, 1 run scored, "0" RBI and "0" Homeruns.  This miserable performance in addition to having lost the previous year to the Reds in 1990 NLCS was just too much for Bonds.  As great a baseball as he played during the regular season it just wasn't enough in the postseason.  (In his 20 years in baseball Bonds only produced for his team in the postseason just one year, and that was in 2002.)  Then to compound his misery the Pirates lost again to the Braves in the 1992 NLCS. 3 crushing losses in the postseason plus all the negative criticism by fans and the media of his game just devastated Bonds. 

I think the crushing defeat the Pirates had in 1991 to the Braves was the moment Bonds felt he needed something extra to elevate his game.  It's possible he took steroids before the 91 season but my guess is he didn't.  People need to keep in mind that Bonds was a gangly 6-2, 180 to maybe 190 pounds when he broke into the Majors in 1986.  He didn't have over 30 Homeruns (33) until the 1990 season.  Bonds didn't really look like he'd ever be a Power Hitter until the Mid-90's or about 9 or 10 years into his career.

Bonds went from 190 pounds in 1986 to 230 pounds today or at least this is his listed weight.  A true weight of Bonds today would probably be closer to 240 or 250.  Granted, to his credit Bonds has worked the weights his body shows it.  Still though anyone who believes that the weights alone have contributed to his incredibly chiseled body and his dramatic increase in Home Runs is either in complete denial or is a complete idiot.

The Season of my Discontent...

All this being said the worst part about Bonds breaking the record is that he is just a smug arrogant complete zero of a person.  He's got a big mouth, he has about as much intelligence as a 16 year boy, never was and never will be a team player, treats the fans that have made him a millionaire like garbage and then can't understand why he is such an unpopular figure.

The game of Professional Baseball well turn the page on its saddest chapter when Bonds breaks the record this year which he surely will.  It's sadder still that the powers that be in MLB don't have the guts to suspend Bonds even if only for a short time to show that they have teeth in the substance abuse policy they adopted last year.  This new book out now about Bonds is just more evidence that Bonds took steroids.  Tragically, no one cares and Bonds will be suited up on opening day you can count on it.

The suspension is not going to happen so I'm sure that the day will come when Bogus Barry breaks the record.  Then the network covering the game he does it in will instantly trot out Aaron for a comment.  Aaron being the man of class that he is will smile and say all the right things giving Bonds credit.  He'll then humbly step away from the microphone and walk away because that's the kind of man he is. Secretly though, he would have to be thinking to himself that a man who in reality couldn't carry his jock strap just stole the greatest sports record of all time from him by cheating.

I for one am not looking forward to that moment.  It's really heartbreaking to believe that many will celebrate Bonds accomplishment despite that.  This baseball season will be one of discontent for me.  The greatest record in baseball held by one of the greatest people, not just a player, will be broken by a man who cheated, a man cares more about himself and the record alone than the integrity of the game.  I just wish I was a Pitcher in the National League this year, I'd never pitch to him but I would however pitch at him every chance I could get.  Where have you gone Hammerin' Hank Aaron?  You'll always be the true Home Run Champ to me.  Man, the game today sure needs more players like you.