Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis. My first Tull concert after over 40 years of touring. Good times.

Norm the Cat

Norm the Cat
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

A good cat was put to sleep today. Norm was 19 years old and was losing a lot of weight due to some growth in his mouth that was also bleeding from time to time. It was a hard day for Nicole but she bravely went and held him at the vet as they helped him fall asleep. I had my issues with Norm as he aged but I will miss him. I'm sure I will become cantankerous if I ever get that old as well. Rest in peace Norm the Cat.

Father's Day

Forgot to post yesterday about my lovely Father's Day. Spent all day with Nicole and the boys and while Nicole was nice to me the entire day, the boys were mostly nice to me but what do you expect from two 8 year olds? All in all, they are great little boys and it is a ton of fun being their Dad. I never thought I would find the whole being a Father thing so satisfying. It's a nice surprise.

Buzz Cut

Buzz Cut
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys got their annual summer buzz cuts today. They have such great big blond hair that I hate to see it go but it will be back soon enough and the shaved look works for summer. Easy to find any ticks and showers go much faster. Wish I could grow it back like them.

Character Day



The boys got to pick a character in history that started with one of their initials. Sam is Spartacus and Dylan, Charlie Brown. School at this time of year is a lot of playing around. The mandated testing is over and the teachers are just killing time with costumes, movies and games. Not a bad way to slide into summer.

June 15th

School is winding down, summer is in full swing, and we are getting close to the longest day of the year. Baseball ended so it has been a little weird not having a practice or a game the last couple weeks. We have been in an organized sports league since touch football in September with the only breaks being Christmas and Easter weeks. I don't know what to do with myself after work. I suppose I should start reading again since I kind of fell off my reading streak from March of 2010 to around January this year. I've started two books but can't get the swing of them. I guess I need some good vacation time to get going again.

Team Pride


At the closing ceremonies for CSLL. We have the team party later today and then no more baseball for a while. The boys made some big strides this year with Sam really hitting the crap out of the ball and Dylan making the biggest improvements in fielding and batting on the entire team. He got better every game. Whoever drafts them next year will be getting a pretty good one, two punch.

Oriole Cake

Oriole Cake
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Nicole went all out on the team cake this year. 10 little birds for 10 little sluggers.

2nd Grade


Dylan and his class.



Sam and his class.

The school year is rapidly coming to an end and the boys are getting ready for a busy summer and the start of 3rd grade in just a few short months. My, how the time flies.

End of Season


It was a tough game but the little Orioles lost their second round ballgame to the Pirates this afternoon. They boys both contributed a lot to offense and made some heads up defensive plays to keep the game close. Sam went 3-4 with two doubles and Dylan went 3-3. They were both a little sad to see the end of the season but they still have the end of season party next Saturday. Bring on touch football season.

Pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157626884331910/

It's Hot

It's Hot
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

According to my new Sony Dash Internet enabled alarm clock, the heat index is 110. The Dash is a new toy that I got for $70 on Woot. It was originally marketed at $229 I believe but is just barely worth $70. It does a lot of things I will never use, like steam Netflix but does some cool stuff like show me weather and traffic.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We finished off a nice weekend with some flag plantings in our very own cemetery. We have a bunch of veterans buried behind the house so we made sure they all had fresh flags in honor of their service.

Batting Cage

Batting Cage
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

After a visit to the pool this morning, we hit a couple hundred balls at the batting cage to stay tuned for the big playoff weekend next week. They were both getting the bat on the ball and getting some good rips in. Its been a nice and relaxing weekend so far.

Ghost Tour

Ghost Tour
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys are nice and spooked by the Oldtown ghost tour. They should sleep well tonight.

Summer Begins

Summer Begins
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I still like the colder months a little more but pool season is nice. The big opening was today and we had great weather for splashing around. The water was surprisingly warm I guess from the last few days in the 80's. We are hanging around town this holiday weekend and are heading down to old town for dinner and a touristy ghost tour. Sam caught a piece of a ghost tour last week when were out wit marsh and Carolyn and wanted to do a full one. It might be fun.

Air Show

DSC_3426
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We spent the morning at the Joint Services Air Show at Andrews Air Force Base today with Marsh and Carolyn. The boys do love the planes and really enjoyed a flight simulator. They each left with a new model plane courtesy of Grandpa.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157626658348537/

It's Not Easy

It's Not Easy
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

At the University of Maryland early for a ACS regional meeting. Home of Jim Henson.

Double Game Ball

Double Game Ball
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Sam went 4 for 4 with a double and triple and Dylan went 3 for 3. They both played heads up defense and got game balls. The team lost 11-10 but this was may have been the best team game they've played, even over the wins.

Candy Shoppe

Candy Shoppe
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We ventured down a few blocks and visited the candy shop in old town after dinner. The boys, Nicole and Grandma do like candy.

Happy Birthday Nicole

Happy Birthday Nicole
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Dinner at Jackson 20 with the boys and Linda.

Birthday win for Nicole

Birthday win for Nicole
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Shot with my Hipstamatic for iPhone
Lens: Buckhorst H1
Flash: Off
Film: Blanko

Scoring an HR

Scoring an HR
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I'm still scoring the games when we are the home team and this was my favorite. I'm usually circling the 1B or 2B or recoding a K but this was the first HR I ever had to circle and it was all Sam. BTW, Orioles won 11-4.

Home Run

Home Run
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

And a game ball for Sam's first career home run. It was an amazing poke into left center and some quick feet around the base pads. Dylan also had a good night at the plate with two singles and a couple sacrifice RBI's.
No strike outs for either of them.

Sam also took a line shot that bounced on the lip of the infield to the head but he did stop it. We need to watch him a little tonight.

Mother's Day

I missed my mom yesterday because she was out with my sis at a play but I do need to wish her and all the other Mothers out there a happy Mother's Day. We had a nice weekend filled with Baseball, a kids birthday party, some shopping and continued kitchen clean-up. Little by little the house is getting back in order and with visitors coming the next couple weekends, we need to finish that up soon.

2011 A Ball Orioles

We spent some time at the batting cage tonight to help get Dylan and Sam to really start smacking the ball again. They have both been in a little slump but Dylan particularly. They took about 100 swings a piece tonight. That and some more hitting later this week should help.

Meet the Orioles

Meet the Orioles

Irish Open

Irish Open
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Modean, the new Irish Open champ. I didn't play well but we had fun.

Monticello


The boys had a game this morning and got spanked 13-2 in 6 innings. Sam had a couple hits and a cool double play where he caught a line drive then threw to 1st to catch the runner off the bag. Dylan continues to struggle at the plate and went 0-3. The rest of the team didn't do much better. Anyway, I just put the pictures up from last weeks visit to Monticello. We got a few good ones.

Reactions

The boys spend the day with me yesterday, learning about how to make things explode and creating slime. ACS really does a good job with the Bring Your Kids To Work Day. I would say they learned more here yesterday than they would have at school. Roughly 9 hands on experiments and another 3 or 4 demonstrations. We had fun and they behaved for the most part. My staff were taking pictures during the day and produced a photo show by the closing of the event at 3pm. www.acs.org/kids2work Pretty fast turnaround and the kids loved seeing themselves on the big screen. The flickr photo set are a bunch of the Sam and Dylan pictures taken by a bunch of roving cameras. Enjoy Jr. Chemists

She blinded me with science

She blinded me with science
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Table #4 in the 7 table science adventure.

Kids to work day

Kids to work day
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys getting ready to do some science experiments today at ACS.

Appomattox Pictures


Got the first set of pictures up in flickr. Here they are http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157626587124366/

Pictures Coming

Pictures Coming
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys had camera's during our quick trip last weekend so I have even more photo's to sort through. I should be able to get the Appomattox pictures up tonight and the Monticello pictures up later in the week. The boys had a tough ball game last night, losing 10-2 to the Phillies. Sam was 2 for 3 with a couple singles and Dylan was 1-3 with a much needed single up the middle. The whole team was a little off with very few hits all the way around. Sam and Dylan both had some nice defensive plays and showed that they learned something at baseball camp last week.

Boar's Head Inn

Boar's Head Inn
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We had a real nice little overnight getaway to southern Virginia on Saturday and Sunday as a end to the Spring Break weekend. Appomattox Court House was nice with a very well done tour, The Boar's Head Inn was a good choice with dinner and breakfast in the dining room both being fantastic. It was also great to see the new visitors center at Monticello and see the house in a really engaging way with the Children and Families tour. It's back to work now and a full baseball schedule for the next 6 weeks or so. The baseball camp the boys attended last week was only so-so and it will be interesting to see if they made any improvements in tonights game. I would not send them back to the camp. I will have a bunch of pictures of the trip up this week sometime.

Monticello

Monticello
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Had a great family tour of the house with just one other family. The eight of us got a hands on, sitting on the floor from a fantastic tour guide. If you're coming here with kids, do the family tour.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The bunny found the boys down here in Charlottesville.

You're in the Army Now

You're in the Army Now a video by homerclees on Flickr.

Appomattox Court House

Appomattox Court House
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys are now in the Army of the Potomac. We are doing our Easter history march today and tomorrow. Appomattox today, Monticello tomorrow.

Back Splash

Back Splash
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The final phase of the project is under way. The back splash is around a bunch of the kitchen but not yet mortared. It looks good.

Wineo

Wineo
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

So the wine fridge showed up today and I finally found a prep sink faucet that works for the space. The fridge fits 46 bottles of happiness.

The glass back splash install has started and should be on this wall tomorrow.

Imagination Stage

Imagination Stage
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We are back at Imagination Stage for the production of When John Henry Came to School. Perseus Bayou was really good a month ago so hopefully this will be entertaining as well. The boys are going to buy us Linner at Rustico after the show with a gift certificate Grandma Carolyn sent them a couple weeks ago.

2001 Posts and Going Strong

It's been over 6 years and now over 2000 posts but the homerclees blog is still going strong. This isn't my picture but just seems to fit the occasion. I guess I'm surprised as this little critter that I'm still at it. I do hope that at least some of you enjoy this little sliver of the web. I suppose you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't find something entertaining on these pages. Now to start working on the next 2000 posts.

School Pictures

Dylan in the spring of 2011. Learning how to smile naturally at 8 years old.

School Pictures

Sam in the Spring of 2011. An 8 year old little man.

Game Ball

Game Ball
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Dylan showing off the game ball after stopping three shots to second and connecting with first for a third out of the inning with bases loaded. It was quite exciting.

Tough Win

Tough Win
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Sam had two doubles, a single and a k in a tough 9-6 win over the Red Sox. Dylan struggled at the plate with just a single but made some impressive defensive plays at second to stop a comeback rally and seal the game. He got the game ball for it as well.

Fresh Floor

Fresh Floor
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The floor was sanded down yesterday and stained and sealed today. One more sealing coat tomorrow and we will be done with that phase. This looking in from the dining room. The new wine fridge and prep sink will go in to the left, where the laundry closet used to be. The work crew decided that the fridge should occupy the passway between the family room and kitchen to make it nearly possible to get in and out if that room. Not a great idea. Hopefully it will be back in place tomorrow in the new space that will fit the much larger fridge I ordered last week.

Counter tops, backsplash and painting should happen early next week Little by little, it's all getting done.