Neighborhood Problems

Life has been kind of hectic since I last posted. School is out and summer hours are in full effect. As usual the boys have been keeping me busy but it’s nothing I can’t handle. However there has been some quite disheartening news lately. In our neighborhood there has been a recent string of break ins. Most of the incidents have involved cars being broken into but last week someone reported their garage had been rummaged through. I think this is awful, my oldest realizes what is going on and is terrified and my wife has been parking in the garage since then. If someone cannot feel safe in their own home, where are they supposed to feel safe? I’ve talked to a few other members of our neighborhood and we have decided to start a neighborhood watch. We are having our first meeting tomorrow and we are going to break down a schedule to where there is a pair patrolling the streets every night. I am excited at the prospect of catching this vandal and finally putting this nonsense to rest. As of now this dad truly is on duty.

Father's Day Follow-up

As a quick follow up to my Father's Day post, I had a great day with the family and ended up getting a gift card to the homebrew shop. I decided to use some of it right away and picked up ingredients to brew up a small batch of Milk Stout. Here's a picture that I took a few hours after I added the yeast:

Definitely looking forward to trying this in about a month and if the results are good, I'll step the recipe up to make a 5-gallon batch.

A Dream Father's Day

Every year on Father’s day my wife surprises me with some sort of activity.  Last year we took the boys to Niagara Falls for the day and went out to eat afterwards. I love when my wife plans activities and she always picks great ones. But I got to thinking...what would the perfect Father’s day be like. Picture this:

The sun creeps in my window and I awake. I get up from bed and peek out my window at the sun shining on my beautifully manicured lawn. Suddenly my bedroom door swings open and it’s my boys. Full of life and vigor they have brought me breakfast in bed. An egg and goat cheese omelette, wheat toast, and a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. My wife is behind them beaming with admiration at how proud they are of what they have given dad.

After breakfast I shower and dress and our family is out the door. We head to the nearest state park and spend the morning playing in the sun and feeding the ducks. Around noon we sit down for our picnic lunch or sandwiches and fruit salad and everyone cleans their plates. With the sun high in the sky we all head to the nearest miniature golf course and play 18 holes as a family. The wife and tanks get a few good shots in but in the end dad isn’t losing on Father’s day.

With evening setting in now we venture back home for my favorite time: presents. Mom’s up first and hers is a good one. She gets me that hedge trimmer I’ve had my eye on for so long. I could say lawn care is a hobby of mine but my wife says it is more than that. The boys bring out their gift next, a picture of dad and the boys with their fish from the fishing trip we went on earlier this year. That one’s going on the desk in the office.

As a family we watch The Incredibles and dig into a pint of cookie dough ice cream. Everyone laughs and eventually falls asleep and the perfect Father’s day is complete.

Whatever my wife does have planned I’m sure it will be more than enough as it always is. But if anyone happens to see her maybe point here in the direction of this post. Hey, a dad’s gotta dream.