Diary of a Stay at Home Dad: April brings birthdays, birthdays and……

…vomit, lots and lots of vomit.

As some of you know I have a big family and they all live in South Jersey. Google Atlantic City and then move west four inches and you hit Mays Landing. They’re all still there or in the vicinity. I’m the only one who left. I’m 1 of 8 children; 5 sisters and 2 brothers. My brothers were born first, then 4 sisters, then me and then my little sister we affectionally call The Warden. I can’t remember if she was elected or self appointed to the position. Of course once you take control does it really matter how you got there?

Anyway, with that line up it was a given that a lot of birthdays would congregate in one month, the only issue being what month. Turns out it’s April. Two of my sisters and both parents celebrate in April. My mother happens to hit 80 this year. The Warden decided on a surprise party and took control of the festivities. Sunday the 21st was designated the big day. Of course with me living in Knoxville TN, I would have to sneak into town under the cover of darkness and hide out for the weekend until the big moment arrived.

Hey old man, keep that mouth shut!. Hehehe

Warning!! Vomit story ahead. I repeat, incredibly demoralizing vomit story ahead.

So a few days before I’m supposed to leave for Jersey, I’m carrying my daughter up the stairs to get dressed and go out on the town; the mall in this case. Halfway up she looks at me, opens her mouth and out comes a stream of puke, moving at the speed of sound, as thick as my arm, and aimed right at my face. Being every minute of 45 years old, my reflexes were not as quick as I would have liked them to be, as I so desperately needed them to be.

My duck, dodge, and parry options were limited as I was on the stairs and holding my sweet, liquid death spewing, 1 year old daughter. So I had to stand there and take one for the team.

My brain however, was in overdrive and screaming, CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!! CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!!. My mouth was apparently sleeping. But it got a wake up call in the form of undigested eggs and kid cereal. The old throat was taking a nap too, cause….. I swallowed it. Bear in mind it all happened faster than it took you to read that sentence. Never the less I’m not happy about my diminishing cat like quickness. And just for kicks, the little varmint decided to spray paint the walls two more times before I could get her to the bathroom. Surprisingly she had almost no vomit on her. It was either on the floor, the walls, my shirt, and of course in my cake hole.

That story is relevant because it was the precursor for the impending cloud of sickness that would settle over our house.

Flash forward to Friday. I’m in the starship Frankerprise (our mini-van), haulin the mail to Jersey. It’s 10-11 hours of driving generally. It’s pouring freaking rain. I’m almost to Roanoke VA and I get a call from Mrs Frank’s Place. It’s a vomit dance party back in Knoxville. Even Grammy is down for the count. Only Frank was able to escape the carnage. Of course that walking petri dish probably infected everyone else. So I had to turn back. No surprise birthday party for me. During the 4-hr ride back to Knoxville I could not help wondering why I wasn’t sick, seeing as how I took, and essentially ate, a direct blast from the bio-weapon that is my 1-yr old daughter just days earlier.

Well guess what, I was sick by the time I pulled into the driveway Friday night. It’s now Tuesday midnight as I type this, so I guess that means it’s Wednesday, and I just started feeling better earlier today. Dropped 4.5 lbs since Sunday so it wasn’t all bad.

Happy 80th Birthday Mom!

Birthday girl on the right. 1957.

ODDS and ENDS

We have a winner!

Jim Havens was the big winner of the Masters Week Contest. He guessed correctly from the photos provided that Frank has switched from playing golf right handed to his more natural left hand. Big Jim hails from Columbus, somewhere in middle Tennessee. It’s a lot like middle earth, but less hobbits. I think.

Anyway I caught up with Jim at a Knights of Columbus charity golf tournament right here in Knoxville. Here’s a shot of his elation upon receiving his prize, a golf ball commemorating Frank’s birth, with his length and weight (Frank’s, not Jim’s).

Congrats Big Jim! Hit em straight!

Bet he lost it in a lake already.

This season’s must have item!

Podcast Episode 7: Coming to America….with conceal carry permits

Apr20

A social, cultural, political podcast with my old Air Force broadcast partner.
Click, listen, enjoy.
Your welcome.

Unfiltered and Unfettered

As always a lot to talk about tonight. And, as always, here are the ways you can listen.

Podcast Episode 7: Coming to America….with conceal carry permits

Go to iTunes and search for unfiltered and unfettered and you will see our new UF logo. Click, enjoy, write review.

If you don’t use iTunes, you can find us on Podhoster: http://unfilteredunfettered.podhoster.com/

Tell us what you think, ask questions, argue with us. Do it in the comment section below or the show’s email: theunmail@yahoo.com

On to the tease. Enjoy!

Same Song, Different Dance?

Rubio’s immigration reform bill looks a lot like the President’s bill ridiculed by the Repups. Does Rubio have some new ideas or, unlike the Pres, did he find a way to make it work for everyone? We report, you decide!

Kim Jong UnAnnounced

Un takes offense to South Korea protesting his grandfather’s and father’s birthday…

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Off Topic: It’s a Major Award!!

Apr11

It’s a Liebster Award!

It’s a Major Award!

What’s a Liebster Award, well I’m glad you asked. You may not be so glad you did.

Liebster is a German word meaning sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. That might be the top 12 words that are exactly opposite of me. Yes I am aware those that know me are wondering how in the hell I won this. More on that later. It is granted to up and coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers who deserve some recognition.

A great blogger, Chef Mimi, put me up for this, and I gladly accept. Thanks Mimi. If you like food, and like experimenting in the kitche, you need to peep her blog. Find Mimi here: Chef Mimi. I’m telling you, if you like to throw down in the kitchen, Chef’s blog is where you need to be.

Ok now to the formal stuff. It’s not just the wild west out here in blogger land, we have a thing called the rule of law. Read now the rules of the Liebster Award.

1. Link back and thank those that nominated me.
2. Answer 11 random questions about myself and/or tell seven random facts.
3. Nominate 5 other bloggers and link them to the award in their comments section.

See the link to Chef Mimi above.

Here are the questions, along with my answers, Mimi posed to me.

1. What is something you’ve always wanted to cook or bake but never have? – A nice Cannoli

2. What country have you always wanted to experience? – Italy/England

3. Are you red wine or white wine? – nondrinker

4. Sweet or savory? – Savory

5. What’s your favorite cheese? – Mozzarella

6. Do you have a dream camera? – Any camera not pointed at me

7. Winter or summer? – Summer (can’t golf in winter)

8. Do you have a favorite food? – Sesame Chicken

9. If you could photograph a famous person, who would it be? – Tiger Woods

10. If you could hire any famous chef to cook for you, who would it be? – Chef Mimi

11. Would you ever want to be on a cooking tv show? – Oh yeah, I’d go on Cake Boss in a second.

I’m gonna go off menu, like Chef did, and only nominate 1 blogger for the Liebster.

For my nomination, it’s gotta go to longtime friend of Frank’s Place, Elvira at First Time Mom.

I had several blogs in mind, but it’s hard to tell who’s under the 200 subscriber mark. The rules of the Liebster shan’t be taken lightly. So First Time Mom, if you have more than 200, my bad.

But congrats anyway!

And here are the questions for you to answer. Don’t remember where I stole these from.