The Last Bottle

We have been holding on to this last bottle of wine for about two now. It is an Icewine that we bought at an Icewine Festival in Niagara Falls area during one of our trips back east. Icewine is crushed from frozen grapes and because of the high sugar content it is a beautifully sweet dessert wine. A treat, only to be brought out on special occasions. It was awesome.

We opened this last bottle because of friendship and to celebrate spending time with true friends we love. Here's to you Mark and Michelle!!!



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She's Baaacccckkk!!!!!

I love Michelle Spansel. She is my wife's bestest friend and Mark Spansel's lovely wife. She lives in Ohio and Cindy lights up every time she is here. She is total Fun when she is around and the house, and Cindy are definitely brighter. The kick of it is, when she is here it is project time!!! She loves doing projects. She has worked on the kitchen, the linen closet and I'm sure something else I don't know about yet. She is Martha Stewart without the jail time. She has a very keen sense of home decor, but it pales in comparison to her incredible keen sense of "relationship". She and her family are great friends to the Talbert's, a true blue best friend to my wife!!!


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The Academy

For the last week Zachary was at an Explorer Academy, staying at Vanguard University and traveling all over the county for training and fighting fire. They tore apart cars, repelled off buildings, got doused by a helicopter, fought building fires, car fires and LPG fires just to name a few things. Awesome week of training Zachary was a Battalion Chief and got to participate in all of it.


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The Chief

When did this happen???? I've been in the fire service for 24 years been a firefighter, Paramedic, Engineer, and Captain. How is it that my son get's a Chief's hat before me???? Some things I'll never understand!!!!


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The Explorer Academy

These are some of the days that I love being at work. And while it can be a physically demanding day, the fact that we got to work with Fire Explorers and with live fire makes it a great day. And the fact that Zachary was there again makes it awesome.



Like I said, I love these days. They are filled with kids who want to learn, that want to be challenged and are willing to be servants to the public and I for one, am glad my son is following his "old man's" footsteps!!!!


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I Won!!!!!

This doesn't happen very often.

Matter of fact it doesn't happen at all.

So this is definitely a special occasion.

We found this new game, well it's probably not new, but it is new to us, called "Hanging With Friends". And after numerous games I am finally victorious. I am on a winning streak now. . . Well let's just say I've won one!!! But I think the winds of change are blowing!!!!



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The Lady and Her Horse

I love seeing this!!!
Cindy lights up at a lot of things, but nothing brings her more joy than spending time with horses. If she could have one in the house, I think she would. They are that special too her. They are relaxing, loyal, caring, and the horse she goes to visit love her to death. It is fun to watch. She is completely unafraid around these huge lumbering animals. I think. . . . No, I know there is a connection and it makes me happy to see her so joyful !!!


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Haley Bitchin!!!

I don't know why I have been on this friendship kick (maybe because it has been on my heart lately), but I think that it is important to mention and even show by example what real friendship is!!!

Let me start with the example. My daughter, Jenna, has this friend named Haley. We call her Haley B. or Haley Bitchin. She has been a friend of Jenna's since before grade school.


She has always been there for Jenna and has been a constant source of happiness for our family. Which brings me to the characteristics of a good/best friend.

Caring, loving, always there(longevity), fun, real, original, giving, happy, compassionate, a little off center (at times)


These are some of the words I use to describe Haley B.

Not only has she integrated herself into our family but she has brought her family into our circle of friends, which only gets brighter when they are around.
I know that Haley will be around for a long time. How do I know that?? I'm not sure, I just know she will . . . . She is just that kind of friend.


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My Friend Connection

I started using the Facebook web site what seemed like years ago. For me it started out as a simple method of finding friends from my old church but then as time progressed it became friends from high school, then more friends from church then friends from work. It never ended. I reconnected with people I had gone to school in Europe with, college at CSUF, members of the fire department, even someone I remember sitting next to in kindergarten!!! It was unending. Even when Cindy got involved in it, friends from her work joined in. It was interesting. I could find people who I had seen or heard from in years, and catch a glimpse of their lives today. This Friendship Connection was never more apparent than when on my birthday this year I received a ton of Happy Birthday wishes from friends everywhere. Work friends, retired friends, friends from high school, college, work, church and yes, even kindergarten.
But while I enjoy connecting and reconnecting will these people, there are a few that have become real friends, helping me when I am down and out, listening to me, forgiving, not judging and there for me. These are invaluable friends. Friends everyone needs in their lives. And I am glad these have developed in my life.

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A Great Day At Work

What constitutes a great day at work? Why would anyone even ask that question? Most people would say that the best thing about work is the 5:00 pm finishing bell. Others would say that it is the ability to get a lot of things accomplished. Or having not a lot of work to do while at work!!!!! For me it involves having a lot of good calls and making a difference, being effective in someone's life. This was the day I had yesterday!!! We had a lady who broke her leg so severely falling from a bike that she needed medications just to calm her down so we could splint it. I delivered a baby!!! Yes a healthy baby girl!!!! We treated a man who had nearly cut off one hand with a skill saw and sliced the other hand to the bone. We dealt with seizures, alcoholics, grown-ups and kids. Making a difference and bring a calm in the midst of chaos hopefully to each one. And the best part of it all....... Zachary was there to see it all. He was riding along as an explorer and we were able to experience it all together, to help and make a difference to the people we encountered...... Together.

One of the best Father / Son outings we have ever had!!!!!

Awesome day..... Awesome relationship building between me and Zachary.

I am definitely going to love passing the torch to my Son!!!!

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The Frog and the Princess

There once was a girl from the Circle City
Who found a small frog that smell kinda sh**y
She gave it a kiss
And then made a wish
And made that small frog real giddy.

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The Tram

It has been a long time, I mean a real long time since I have been to the top of Mt San Jacinto via the Palm Springs Tram.


I can remember when it was the old tram that only took a handful of people to the top at a time. Now they have the newer one that only takes about 10 minutes to the top and sports a 30 degree temperature change.


Believe me it was nice at the top. Not just the weather but the hiking and the views. I love going to the top of the tram. Even though the temperature at the bottom can be over 100, the top is beautiful, peaceful and definitely tucked away from the hassles of the valley life.


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Location:Palm Springs

Now That's Hot !!!!

We went on a second vacation of the summer this past weekend. The temperature was just a little bit above what we would like but it made for a great time in the pool, lazy river and water park. All of which were a constant source of cooling.


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Location:Palm Springs