Friday Thoughts

Happy Friday Everyone,

Rarely do I wish away a weekend and yearn for Sunday night but this Friday I do, and most of us do in these parts. What a long 13 days it has been since our home team surprised the world in Kansas City. It is so nice to live in a world that is Orange & Black and not the divisive pandemic ridden red & blue. Wish it could stay like this forever!

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I've worn this pic out over the past month or so but because I'm a bit superstitious I'll wear it out again. This weekend in Zinzinnati we're all goldfish. "You know what the happiest animal in the world is? It's a goldfish. It's got a 10 second memory." Thanks Coach!

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My love for this team was born many moons ago in Aisle 110 Row 11 Seat 1-4. Man I wish cell phones were a thing back then. The pics I would have from Riverfront Stadium sitting right behind the Bengals bench would be awesome right now. From the first sip of brandy at the Freezer Bowl, Monday Night Football and the hated Steelers trying to rip Kenny Anderson's head off to Benzoo the Bengals live Bengal tiger mascot. Yeah kids back in the day we had a real tiger. I've been on this bandwagon so long my butt is full of splinters. If your new, welcome and WHO DEY!

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Didn't I say in last months blast that this is The Year of The Tiger? 2022 has been so much fun so far. Just one more.

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My Mom would have loved this season. Sure hope she can see what's going on. Her favorite Bengal was #37 Tommy Casanova. Bengal history fun facts. #37 went on to become an eye doctor, earning his MD from UC College of medicine. Tommy was a defensive back and 3 time All American at none other than LSU. Wonder why she liked him so much?

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Had to do a last minute load of delicates this week in preparation for the game this weekend. 20 minutes, cold water with a double rinse back. Can you tell that this is my favorite logo?

I bought the lid with the AFC logo on Haight Street in Haight Ashbury, and this particular lid is undefeated in California. Just saying. It's not part of my lucky outfit so it will be on the sidelines this Sunday.

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Speaking of good luck charms. Here are mine. Every winning streak starts at 1, and here they are at the Raiders game. Geez, that seems like ions ago.

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Here was just another ho hum night at Paul Brown Stadium with my kid. July 6, 2017 aka The Jungle. Parental discretion advised.

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It's funny how may people think I'm going to the Super Bowl becasue of my aviation nerd pics of the Bengals Charter leaving Cincy for every road playoff game. Sorry not sorry, but I'm here.

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Andrew Whitworth is one of the most deserving winners of the NFL Man of The Year Award I've ever seen. Congratulations #77 from LSU and I'm sorry to say I hope that's the only trophy you hold this weekend.

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Here's the 15th President of The United States in Covington Kentucky this week. Looks like Honest Abe is pulling for the North again. So predictable.

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Just one more and I'll say goodbye, trust me, I have 50 more.

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Have a wonderful Orange & Black weekend everyone. Everyone but the Rams that is. Let's enjoy this ride and the respite that a winning team gives us. I'm praying the kid from Athens Ohio gets it done. It's a movie that will be better than Rudy. Kid from Athens throws 6 touchdown passes in high school championship game, loses. Goes to Ohio State doesn't see the field. Transfers to LSU, wins Heisman Trophy and National Championship. Gets drafted #1. Knee gets destroyed in first season. Comes back in 2nd season, and is in the Super Bowl.

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Happy Friday & New Year everyone,

It's been a minute since I've done this so bare with me and excuse my spelling, diction and usage as we plunge into this New Year electronically, the year of the Tiger I was just told, in an always positive and uplifting way. I hope?

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I know what you're thinking here. Here we go, he's gonna talk about "it." Nope this is and always will be a virus free zone, so you can turn off your anti-virus earmuffs. Relax, now Mr. Slate pull that horn, It's quitting time. Yabba dabba DO!

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This was this morning in Octopuses Garden. Notable only because this bird didn't move for the 5 minutes or so that I watched it. I was like damn, I have a frozen or stuck pecker on my bird feeder that I now need to remove. So I bundled up and headed out to dispose of said pecker. Thankfully as I approached he or she awoke I suppose and flew away. Phew! I believe this is a Red Bellied Woodpecker but I'm no ornithologist. Our bird feeder brings em all in.

"Bork, bork, bork!"

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So now the self indulgent part to all of my peeps, and only because I've had neighbors reach out and say where the heck did you go. The last four months of 2021 were a pain for this kid. The short of it, I woke up in mid August in the middle of the night in Florida with pain like I never experienced in my back, shoulder and right arm. Pinched nerve C6 & 7, which led to, thank God a successful fusion surgery in October. Same surgery as Peyton Manning, so I'm excited about my version of my future Super Bowl that I'll win. Shout out to my family that nursed me back to my pre senior citizen state and the team at Beacon Ortho & St. E for their expertise and care. So the answer to the question, where have I been, is in our former Dining Room, which we now use everyday, and has a Peloton Bike & Tread. Our salon is clothing optional and caters to old kids that sing like people can't hear. The looks that Cal gives us are priceless.

So lets look forward to this year through the lens of positivity. If you've gotten this far thank you and I wish you nothing but the best of good health and fortune, full of great family, friends, fun, Friday's. Sorry, Im an illeteration junkie.

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Would love to hear what your obscure Netflix recommends might be? That is if you're still here? We don't really do television anymore in this house.

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And then there was last Sunday. Iv'e said, and will say again that last Sunday was one of the coolest live sports events I've ever had the pleasure to see in person and I was there for Pete Rose's 4192nd hit and The Freezer Bowl. I'll tell you, we bonded that day in Section 307. Us weary Cincinnati Bengals fans with more scar tissue than you can imagine. We went from the master of clock mismanagement Marvin Lewis to the Wizard of Time Zac Taylor. I know there was some luck that day on that chilly windswept fake field but that luck has usually in the past been the other "B" word type of luck. Walking out of Paul Brown Stadium that afternoon, were 58,000 stunned faithful in what I would label euphoric shock. Yep, that's what it was. WHO DEY!

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What type of organism chews or cuts your outdoor Christmas lights?I just hope and pray it was a rodent. Shout out to our Longmeadow neighbors this season. WE all Clark Griswold killed it this year. So when it gets dark, you know what to do. Light it up! We be festive in our hood.

Oh, and heads up neighbors. My Beacon Ortho team says I can't plow driveways until April 4, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Sorry but your friendly neighborhood plow boy is on the 90 day fusion healing reserve list this winter.

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all. If that's not your deal, you know I wish you the best too. Have a great year and remember those random acts of kindness. It feels so damn good to turn in a wallet full of cash and credit cards to the office at Kroger. Just axe me.

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Cheers,

Happy Friday everyone,

Hope you made it through March like a lion as we head into the weekend that celebrates the resurrection of our lamb. Today is Good Friday but I say they're all good, this is just the one they call "the passion." It's usually stormy on these days from my memory but not today, thank you, you know who.

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Ah, the contrast of spring as the Zoysia fairways awaken from their winter hibernation amidst the juicy cool season intermediate and rough basking in the sun as their roots are warmed by rising soil temps.

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Yesterday was Opening Day here in the Queen City. It happened to be April 1st, it was colder than a well diggers keister, it snowed and in keeping with our beloved home teams old tired normal, we spotted the Cardinals a touchdown in the top of the first. There's always tomorrow because they don't play today.

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That one shining moment when you've shared your meatball recipe with a friend and they text you this pic of the balls bubbling in a bath of sauce and then you wish your iPad had smellavision. Nailed it!

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"The two most difficult jobs in the world are being a college basketball coach and a golf course superintendent, because everyone knows how to do your job." - UNC Head Basketball Coach, Roy Williams

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If you have not met "Club Pro Guy" let me introduce you. The first time I watched this video, I laughed almost nearly as hard as the first time I saw "Caddyshack."

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If anyone out there has a better way to battle all these flowering trees cavorting with one another right now with Zertec and Flonase I'm open for suggestions? Sneezing in public is just not an option in 2021.

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Keeneland Opens today, Easter is Sunday, The Masters is next weekend with a preview of ANGC tomorrow afternoon with the Ides of April right behind. 2021 seems to be zipping by, compared to last Spring when we were locked in our caves for two weeks to slow the spread. Welp!

Happy Easter to you and yours, cave lock downs just weren't his thing.

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That look when Sunday Funday is cancelled because they won't let dogs in bars anymore.

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Happy Friday Again,

So I was unaware that Tumblr, my blogging mechanism limited volume and content but this is 2021 and I should have realized. Dumb!

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Homeward Bound,

So, headed home again to the big melt. Chris and I board our Delta 737-932 again, direct service to CVG. Captain comes on to make first announcements and I turn to Chris and say that's Mark Miller. She says, "how do you know?' I play golf with him all the time, that's Mark. So I stop a flight attendant in the aisle and ask her if the Captain today is Mark Miller, she pulls out her tablet and says, "yes sir, it's Mark Miller. Later she comes back and asks me If I was the one who asked about the pilot and she said, "what are your names?"

As we begin to make our initial descent into CVG, the Captain comes back on with his announcements about timing, weather and thanking all of us for choosing Delta Airlines, the normal stuff you always hear. And then he apologizes to all the passengers for failing to recognize two VIP's seated in seats 22A & C Chris and Doug Hill. As serious as a pilot can be, Mark goes on to tell the passengers that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and that today was my birthday, which we and I weren't, but that didn't stop the entire plane from erupting in applause and congratulations from passengers nearby. Captain Miller greeted us in the jetway, and I'm pretty sure we made his day, because, "them things fly themselves."

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Heron on Bean Point

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So we get our luggage and head out to the Fast Park Van which is packed. The last two people get on and the driver asks for your tickets so he can take you to your parking place. Well the last two to get on, figure out they are on the wrong bus so there were publicly shamed and booted off of the bus of anxious souls wanting to get their masks off and home to a hot shower to get the plane ick off.

So the next two on the bus are the couple from on the way down. The are "you from Anderson Township guy." So the driver asks him for his ticket. He fumbles around for about thirty seconds the last ten were on me, I say to the driver. I know where they're parked, Row H, 5 spaces up from us, lets go, and we did, and off we went and home we came.

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Had never been to AMI aka Anna Maria Island and cannot wait to return. It's a gem. No high rises or major developments. It's Olde Florida with The Golf on one side, Tampa Bay on the other. Sure it takes a long time to get to Publix but they don't have a river with an old choke point bridge across it either.

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DrHill

Happy Friday everyone,

Happy Friday and well New Year,

It’s been a little while I know, but you know how time flies and well things get in the way and most of all you’ve got nothing to say, that’s when you should zip it. Well this week is different because we’re fresh off of vacation to beautiful Anna Maria Island FLA and hopefully my post here will take you away with us as I attempt to journal our week in the sun, during the last week of February 2021. Come down the dinosaurs back as we relive 2/20-27/2021.

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Here we go with “code of the road” still in effect to protect the innocent. We went with four others who I’ll refer to as John, Paul, Ringo and George and wow did we fill up our tumblers with fun.

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We were so sad to leave this behind as our trip began. First stop was Airport Fast Park where we parked our car in a wind blown snowbank waiting for the bus to pick us up. A few spaces up was an older couple headed to Tampa as well. As it turned out they were in the same row as us on our Delta 737-932 direct to TPA. Once again at baggage claim there they were stalking us every step of the way. He turns to me and says, "are you from Anderson Township?" Nope, Ft. Mitchell. More on these two later.

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Third stop on the Island after Costco and Publix of course was the Rod and Reel Pier for Libations and Lunch where our table of six was seated in a corner aka bandshell where our fun and lively conversations were projecting about the place. Well a couple of patrons complained and we were immediately SHUSHED. We still left a nice tip and the food and service were excellent.

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PSA: When traveling to Florida in February, please don't be a Doug and liberally apply sunscreen to all parts of your dermis before entering the light. The fact that I actually lost weight on vacation may be due in part to the 2-3 layers of skin I have shed in the past 10 days. No lie!

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This place is fabulous and the sun never quits. They also have lots of white stuff on the ground everywhere.

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So on Tuesday Chris, John, Paul, Ringo, George and I are sitting on the beach nowhere near anyone else minding our own business and this bride walks straight down this very long beach approach and crashes or circle.

A Bride withe a Fireball Bouquet mad of Fireballs on a stick. True is always better than made up, eh?

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So on the west coast of Florida at the mouth of Tampa Bay the nightly ritual for Chris and The Beatles and I would be to send Ringo down the road on a bike at 4:00 to put our names in at a restaurant and then we would walk in and sit down like the Rock stars we are. "Doug, party of 6!" This so we could be back at our rooftop deck to see this every night.

Sunsets and our pop up dance parties on the roof were, well, sorry code of the road. And then skinny dipping afterward with masks on is so weird. It's just different.

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We only went out to eat a few times, but both places were amazing. Two thumbs up for The Sandbar and The Waterfront restaurants in AMI. What a great place to be during Lent too!

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This is Bean Point on AMI at the mouth of Tampa Bay and that's the Sunshine Skyway Bridge out in the distance a modern marvel and and this acrophobias nightmare, twice. Morning walks weren't even a chore nor a bore.

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This isn't the best pic because it's my aging phone but I also got to see a moonset into the gulf. You have to strain, but it's there.

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Happy Friday, Oaks Day & Derby Eve Everybody,

Don’t know if we can do this two weeks in a row, but we’ll all soon see. This checks the September box and also gives the FB cops something to digest on a sleepy silicon valley afternoon. Happy Labor Day weekend too, and wether you’re essential or not who doesn’t love a Monday off.

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I heard a short time ago that the folks in Louisville were debating on wether or not to play “My Old Kentucky Home,” as the horses come on the track per 144 years of tradition. If they don’t, this will be in my opinion, one of the dumbest things to happen in 2020 in a long line of dumb things that have happened this year. 

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The irony of the favorite tomorrow in The 146th Kentucky Derby,”Tiz The Law” is not last on yours truly either. Coming from the 17th hole or post position no horse has worn The Roses of had a tipsy woman in a ridiculous life kiss his nose.

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This was work for me this morning on a glorious Friday morning at Traditions Golf Club riding shotgun with Supt. Mr. Preston Parr. Mr. Parr has the place looking top notch, “top notch” for the upcoming Labor Day weekend too. Highlight along the way was being able to wish a Happy Oaks Day to Churchill Downs former track announcer on the course. You should have see his smile.

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Do you think Yacht owners listen to Yacht Rock Radio on their Yacht’s? I probably wouldn't. I would have a DJ that was a Chef too. No way you could take the chance of Christopher Cross coming on at random and messing up a totally good cruise.

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2020 in one photo.

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I got so many comments and great feedback from last weeks video that I shared from “Leonid & Friends,” the Russian Chicago tribute band. So I was thinking, since it’s September and all, they also have also covered EFW, aka Earth Wind & Fire for you anti horn-ites.. CRANK IT! Remember too, most of these folks don’t speak a lick of English either. How hard it it to sing, “Ba-do, ba-do, ba-do though?

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I had a great good deed of the week this week. To bad I can tell ya all about it. It wouldn’t be good anymore.

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I have an opportunity to chat with an insider with an inside view of Mr. Joe Burrow aka #9 the new starting QB for our Cincinnati Bengals. He’s the real deal. We’ll see? One week till football.

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Our neighbors across the street moved yesterday. Sad day. They had been there 29 years and their kids grew up with ours. Turn the page as they say. Geez, their name escapes me, but we already miss them.

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Happy Run for The Roses and Labor Day weekend again. Have a great one. Air hug and high five all you see and smile like your mask is see through.

The Roses on September 4th from Octopus’s Garden. It is 9/4/2020 right?

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Happy Friday everyone,

Been a while since we last last connected via blog and with the Summer winding down and the world gone mad on a quiet Friday afternoon I figured why wouldn’t I. Welcome back to the slide down the dinosaur’s back for the left, right and center. Smile, even if it has to be covered.

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Prayers and air hugs to those folks in the Gulf States that suffered the wrath of Laura this week. 

Remember our Hurricane Ike on September 14th, 2008? I saw a Bengals lid go from the south end zone to the north end zone on a beeline at Paul Brown Stadium. Should have know something was up then. That and almost getting blown off The Suspension Bridge on the way home from the game. Our hapless 2008, 4-11-1 home team lost to the Titans that day 24-7. Normal day except for the weather.

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Here’s an uplifting pic from earlier this summer of my favorite tree in the entire world. She’s a beauty Clark. Dune Lane, between Robin & Sandpiper HHI South Carolina. What, you don’t have a favorite tree? Get one then, they’re free.

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I’ve been getting the looks lately with my face covering game at Kroger. Folks can’t tell if I’m chewing a couple pieces of bubble gum or lip syncing John Fogerty’s “Centerfield.” Keep guessing people. If I didn’t need coke bottles to see I’d wear one more often.

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Not that I’m prone to short term obsession with a song or a band which is why you might see me around town, “in a Red Sox Cap.” It’s sure not because I’m a fan of the baseball team from Boston. As a lifelong fanatic of Chicago the Band it is my pleasure to introduce you my current YouTube Channel and Band obsession, Leonid and Friends. Leonid and his friends are all accomplished and formally trained Russian musicians. The quick back story is that Leonid obtained a smuggled copy of Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority back in the 1970′s and I guess you could say that he became obsessed, so when he retired as a studio musician at the age go 60 he started covering Chicago songs that influenced him as a young man. The result is well, you judge for yourself. They aren’t a cover band they are a flat out tribute band.

A, you're welcome.

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Anyone else old enough to remember when fuzzy dice hung from your rearview mirror, long before face coverings did?

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If I’m ever down on my luck and need a new career, I’m gonna open a grey minivan service station and dealership here in the big city named after a Civil War Fort Mitchel. Did you know the name of our city is misspelled? It is, made you look?

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Nice when our kid sends us flowers for her birthday.

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Me heart goes out to the parents of kids this year. I can’t even imagine how challenging it is to manage your life and then have home schooling dropped in your laps. I was thinking on my walk with Cal this morning as I always do, trying to remember all that crap I learned back in High School none of which except for keyboarding (we called it typing) which I actually use everyday. I was thinking what we would/should do if we were dealt the same hands. I think I would add this to the Hill Home School curriculum. Laundry, like whites and darks and advanced bleaching. Ironing and sewing buttons on a shirt. Tying neckties for extra credit. At lunchtime, making the perfect grilled cheese with tomato soup is an excellent life skill as well as how to clean up and do dishes. I’m told that I can’t load a dishwasher the proper way, so that might help. As the  school year went on we would advance to lawn and landscaping skills, automotive musts, like changing tires and oil and so on and so on.

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When turning right on red, please, please, please look both ways which includes looking to the right. Cal and almost bought it this morning at I-75 & Dixie. I/we see this all the time. It’s like you have to make eye contact with the driver before it’s safe to cross.

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If you don’t live off of Highland Avenue in The Fort you may or may not have been part and party to the three year or north of 1000 days street reconstruction project that was completed this month. Wow! It’s so nice to not have to guesstimate time to leave based on what might lie ahead as you leave our wonderful neighborhood. Thank God for the signs though! They made it so much better.

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I’ll leave it there and send this out before our power goes out again. Hope you and yours are well and staying that way. Have a great weekend and September y’all. Love the the things you can’t pick with copious air hugs like your family and neighbors and that’s not my commandment.

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.Happy Friday everybody,

Cheers to the end of the longest Spring of our lives and double cheers to the third longest daylight day of the year. This summer is gonna be awesome. Say that out loud to yourself and then right it down so it happens. Tomorrow is Summer Eve.

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Happy heavenly birthday to my Mom who would have been starting her 79th trip around the sun today if she were still here. Would have been awesome to have her around to celebrate my 57th trip tomorrow on 6.20 2020. That date has a ring to it.

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This guy aka Mr. Coyote who is a recent resident of our neighborhood has us all abuzz. And while we’ve changed some of our patterns and are now on the lookout when we let our dog out, this good size Canis Iatrans has managed to bring our neighborhood just a little closer together. That’s kind of cool, I think. You wouldn’t hurt my feelings if you ate all of the snakes back here and then moved on to greener pastures. Little know fact Normy, we all live on the former pasture of Ft. Mitchell Dairy.

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Caption this?

Permanent WUI Checkpoint?

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Not being mechanically inclined I totally appreciate those that are. I once had a janitor tell me in my San Francisco hotel room and I quote. “Everything you don’t know how to do, you have to pay for.” Prophet!

Welp, from the look of our neighborhood and Home Depot’s parking lot it’s a great time to be contractor. This past Monday they descended on our streets en masse. That along with them blowing up our primary ingress and egress it’s a real you know what show.

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You all realize that current events are just a flat out continuance of the Cincinnati all sports jinx.

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This is where me and my Titleist were one year ago today. Center of the fairway, Pinehurst #2. Next shot, center of the green for an easy two putt par as the packed porch of onlookers showered yours truly with the appropriate golf claps. What a place!

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This might already be in our scouting report.

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Had my first Covid Dr’s visit this week. It was beyond weird with a mask on. Upside though and this is huge. The procedure that all men fear the most is a thing of the past. No details here, you fella’s know I’m talking about. Double phew!

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Have a great weekend and summer everyone. We’ll try to touch base again in July and see how we’re all doing. If you made it this far, thank you.

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EndHappy Friday everyone,

And hearty healthy happy Ocho De Mayo as we quarantine here in the rain forest together today here in Greater Cincinnati. Happy Birthday to my Son Doug Jr. down in the Sunshine State who has somehow managed 35 trips around our closest star. Damn, that sure went by fast, just not the past few months.

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Happy Mother’s Day weekend to all of the Mom’s out there and to my Mom up above. Cover your flowers this weekend, don’t plant them.

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Sunny stay at home days are the best. Just sayin.

And no Octopuses Garden is not a Chinese restaurant in Ft. Mitchell. This is the garden with the azaleas showing off. And yes they are fueled by Worm Power. Shameless plug.

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I had my first ever curbside eyeglass repair appointment this week, which put my truck right in front of Kroger Liquor store for about 25 minutes this past Tuesday on Cinco De Mayo. Holy moly, I know I live in a house made of glass but people were hauling stuff out of there like the world was ending or it was some random Mexican holiday.

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I broke my no mask streak this week at Costco and now that I know what it’s like, I’m gonna venture to guess that tooth paste and mouth wash sales are going to be the new toilet paper for the mask wearing masses. Oh yeah and to all you guys wearing masks in your cars alone, you may as well go ahead and just put the flashers on. Go for it? Let my people know you’re coming.

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We need two of these guys. One for the refrigerator and one for the panty.

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I admit it, I’m an aviation geek. So when I heard that a couple of F-16′s were going to be buzzing St. Elizabeth South as part of Operation Enduring Freedom yesterday morning I was stoked. For my tax dollars, flyovers are money well spent and that about as political as I’ll get on this thread. So I studied the flight paths and times and determined that the center of our universe aka Ft. Mitchell Kroger would be the best spot to catch them, because you can truly see so much sky as I like to say from there. Wrong! They flew over my house twice. Doh.

Saw all kinds of video’s and pics on social media too and thank you everyone! My favorite is the pic below by T.J. Brewer, Head of Grounds & Fields at Paul Brown Stadium.

Who Dey! Absolutely Gorgeous!! God Bless America!!!

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If I ran an Airline, I  just wouldn’t be e-mailing people all the time about restrictions and your new normals. We know we can’t travel of fly right now, stop reminding us. I get em everyday. Just saying again. Just got another one from Frontier!

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I always listen to and watch music videos on Youtube when I’m doing Friday Thoughts. Can you tell? I have a playlist of previously watched videos that plays randomly. Here’s the first one today. Trying getting this little ditty out of you head.

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One last pic that I saw on Social Media this week.

The Old Ft. Mitchell Frisch’s. So many memories. I grew up at 43 Sunnymede and this place and the bakery across the street are two of the reasons I’m a bit portly I suppose. This was the center of the universe back in the day. Ate breakfasts with my Dad and brother all the time. Cherry cokes with friends growing up. To go orders under my Mom’s directions. The pay phone next to the door is where I called my Mom from on December 3, 1979 after The Who concert. Steaks, shakes and pancakes all from the comfort of your car, as they also had car hops. Look it up kids? There was an older Frisch’s in the parking lot next to Greyhound Grill, so this is the second one on this site.

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I will say TTFN, but stay safe and healthy everyone. Gotta go, it’s about to stop raining and Cal and I have a 54 day in a row walking streak on the line which is approximately 230 miles. Honk and wave when you see us? Gets my heart started and we have a washing machine here, so we’re good.

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Happy Friday & Belated Easter everybody,

I hope this finds your device and a healthy & happy you on the business end of said device. I know it’s been hard lately to tell a Friday from a Tuesday but maybe this will clue you in and offer a short break from our shared reality.

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Covid Cal and I have clocked 135.6 miles together for the 30 consecutive days since Governor Beshear threw us in the tank together on March 16th. Cal is checking out FMCC’s answer to flag stick-lless golf with the raised zinc cups. We’ve been blessed here in The Commonwealth to have our golf courses remain open. Thanks Andy!

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I will say that golf is a much faster game in single carts. Gimme’s are twice as long and firing for the center of the green lowers you score. I shot a 65 a couple weeks ago. I only played 16 holes but it was a solid 65.

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Thanks to all the folks that responded with ways to keep my friends glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask, I know he appreciates it. I think he’s decided to just not wear glasses at all. Please don’t be offended if he doesn’t say hello back, he probably can’t see ya.

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I’ve started texting all of the spam phone call numbers that I get. It’s fun, and boy that don’t like getting that, “I’m on another call, I’ll call you back shortly texts.”

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Been playing a bunch of Family Scrabble as way to escape the, wait, what?

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Back in High School and College girls were practicing for the most part Social Distancing from me, I just didn't know what it was called. Now it all makes sense.

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Things 10 things I miss during quarantine in no particular order.

1. Hugs

2. Taking our dog to The Bar = Braxton

3. Going out to eat, Cancun’s Frozen Margs and it’s Mayor Larry

4. Free samples at Costco

5. Church

6. The Gym and my 5 Seasons peeps

7. People smiling at you at Kroger vs. the looks you now get, pretty much like you’ve just crapped your pants because your within their idea of 6 ft.

8. Travel

9. Live sports, duh

10. Pretty much mine and your 1st Amendment rights

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Do you have a Guilty Pleasures play list? I do, duh again. This is my #1, just ask my family. Very few are called to do a karoke encore at The Cat’s Meow on Bourbon Street but I was. I partially recall bringing the freaking house down that afternoon too.

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Anyone else feel like they're on Hollywood Squares during a Zoom meeting?

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Take care of you and yours. God Bless our first responders and health care workers and to all the folks that are keeping our cupboards stocked with eatables and drinkables. You know who you are, you’re now called essential and you deserve our praise, gratitude and prayers.

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Happy Friday Everyone,

I know, It’s been a while since we have slid down the dinosaur’s back together and I felt like it might be the right time for a warm bubble bath of positivity. I mean why not. For those or you that are essential to those that aren’t, this one’s for you.

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May be the prettiest tree in our City. Top of Highland Avenue. They try like you know what to cut this guy back all the time but this guys wants to live bad.

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Tomorrow marks our 28th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary to my shelter in place buddy Chris Hill. Thank God for Netflix and Amazon Prime. We finished Lilyhammer last night which is good if you’re looking for content. I described it as The Soprano’s meet Fargo type story.

Anyway, most of you know that Christian Laettner kind a of put a damper on our Wedding reception activities 28 years ago tomorrow evening. Well this week I had a chance to talk to one of the members of that Kentucky team, Deron Feldhaus who is a customer of mine and is the Superintendent at Kenton Station Golf Course in Maysville Kentucky. He’s one of the nicest people you could meet too. So last weekend CBS replayed the game on National TV to fill empty air space. Deron told me this and these are his words, “you know I never cared to watch the replay of that game, but last weekend I turned it on because we made one heck of a comeback in the second half being down 17.” “My plan was to watch the game and turn it off and not watch the last shot.” “Well, that was my plan until Governor Beshear pre-empted the telecast and I missed it, which was just as well.” He said his phone was blowing up when they had the game on too.

Wow. Beers with Beshear strikes again.

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Upside is getting to see all of your neighbors because you gotta love them. It’s a Commandment. Hey bikes are a thing again! I thought they went away.

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Here’s a time filling project that I came up with this week as a traversed the  Beechwood road loop, which Is a 4.3 mile loop from our sequester shelter pod around Ft. Mitchell.  I said to self. You big dummy, what are your top ten albums of all time? Fun right? My list is below and though it contains a few Greatest Hits albums, they truly are my jams. Some of these records and especially the top ten are songs and recordings that I’ve owned on 45 records, Albums, 8-Tracks, Cassettes, CD’s, pirated Napster files and finally i-Tunes.

Fun to do and worth the listen. Hey, you have time. For those of you that saw me go through that barn floor up to my giblets on the last note of Katmandu, your welcome again.

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Irony, is that the only good news we’ve had in this city in the past few weeks has come from our Cincinnati Bengals. True.

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If you haven’t seen this video, it’s pretty cool.

Happy Friday everyone,

And Oaks Day and Derby Eve as this is always one of the top weekends in The Commonwealth, as the world watch’s the most exciting two minutes in sports.  If partying for a week in preparation for two minutes of action is a bad thing I guess me and my people are guilty.  Good luck to all of the equine families and their connections.

It’s been a while without prophesying but I had a special request and it’s a tough day to chase the little white ball around in this terrarium we call home.  It couldn’t get any greener outside if it wanted to.  Our lawn is grurple.

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Thank you Apple for erasing all of my saved passwords and booking me passage on the bumpy struggle bus since yesterday’s software update.  Key chain gone and not one ounce of nerd within.

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Braxton’s Head Greeter during a break last week.  Most dogs know a few words like food, go out, walk, treat and food.  This dog reacts to Braxton & Bar and as matter of fact he can now also spell Bar as he’ll also go ape if your say B - A - R.  Man’s best friend.  I know we shouldn’t be drinking beer but it makes the dog so happy and isn’t that what life is all about.

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So on Easter weekend and by the way Happy belated Easter to all, our daughters drove home non-stop from Las Vegas Nevada.  They accomplished this approximately 1950 mile trip in 28 grueling hours with only one lengthy stop at an Applebee’s in Kansan City which is world renowned for it’s fine culinary options.  The only tough spot they encountered was a hawk that flew into the windshield of the Rav 4 in Western Kansas and sadly lost its life shortly after cracking the windshield.  Katie & Claire 1 - Raptor 0.  I’m glad they made it and I probably should have paid to ship the car here in 20/20 hindsight but that would have been 28 hours not spent together.

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I know the people at the gym I belong to think I’m nuts and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong but if they could only hear these playlists.

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Stephen Foster wrote “My Old Kentucky Home” in 1852 inspired by the book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and after spending some time in Bardstown Kentucky aka Ground Zero for the bourbon industry, hold the sugar and mint please.  We will all sing one song for our Old Kentucky Home with kleenex at the ready.

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Snapped this pic in Octopus’s Garden on Masters Sunday a few weeks ago on one of the six sunny days we’ve had this year.  You can just make out the Russian camera in the the trunk of the tree.

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Thank you NHL Playoff Hockey for making my April and May evenings so enjoyable.

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One of my favorite songs of all time from one of the best albums ever and also perfect for trans Atlantic nighttime flights.

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Have a wonderful weekend and Derby Day.  Good luck and hope our horse finishes first and that my ticket also has the second and third place finisher in the exact order.  Just saying. 

Happy Derby Day,

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Happy Friday everyone,

Missed y’all in February but it’s a shorty any way.  I guess you could say I was everywhere last month and had the rare, see both Ocean’s in the same week, which is kind of unique for an inlander like me, or at least I thought so.

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I hope this finds you well with someone who doesn’t smell like an Uber driver we had in San Diego.  The combo of B.O. and Curry is awful.  In our next Uber I was in the First Officers seat and our driver heard the story and he asked, 

“you guys have a bad experience?’

 To which I replied thank you for bathing today sir.

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And Albert Hammond is full of shit I’m here to tell you, because yes it does rain in California and it’s cold too.  We did get to see one sunset in a week and this was it.  Travel tip here.  The scene at Ocean Beach on Wednesdays is worth the trip.  The street market and the hippee scene down by the ocean is something to behold.  You can’t drink a beverage legally but you’re welcome to do a J or Bong or whatever.  And no we didn’t, I know you what you were thinking.

Sunset Cliffs and Cabrillo National Monument are must sees as well.

That’s Coronado Island and a Coast Guard Cutter sailing out to the really huge salty.

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The wife and I bought a new 65″ Smart T.V. for the family room last Saturday and by the fortune of Our Savior and Lord we are still married and talking to each other again.  Guess how long it takes two 55 year old mammals to take down and old flat screen and bracket and put up a new telescoping bracket and T.V.?  If you guessed four hours you would be right.  After many expletives, not appropriate to repeat in this forum, every tool we own all over our everywhere, shop vac screaming and our dog hunkered down upstairs with his paws over his ears success and triumph were ours just as the U,K. game ended.  Welp!  Chris hit her head putting up the T.V. more times than I did on the USS Midway a few weeks ago.

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Deer excrement on a Bent Poa putting green.  Quit it Bambi!

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Thursday in spinning class we had this new guy that was either a Temptation or one of The Four Tops but he made it special for the entire order.  By the end of class the entire class was singing.  It just takes one, to push over that first domino.

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It sure is fun to watch our local High School the Beechwood Tigers Basketball team this fall and winter!  They ended a 70 year District Title drought by up ending the Covington Catholic Colonels for the second time this season.  Wow! If I was a Beechwood t-shirt guy I would certainly be making a 35th District Champion shirt that says, “No Way You Beat The Wood 70 years In a Row!”

Good luck tonight against The Raiders.

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My son Doug and his friend Barbara.  She is from Pennsylvania but she’s not 71.  So there.  Only sport where you get to have a cold one on the field before the game.

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I’m not the worlds biggest motor head, but I know where to put the gas in.  The Daytona 500 is one of those special things that T.V. doesn’t come close to doing justice.  Turn up the sound and smile because this is what I do every time.  Don’t spill your beverage either.

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Enough about me.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend and your slide down the dinosaur’s back ends with and starts with a great song on the way home.  I’ll try to be more consistent.  

Thanks to Mr. Wigger who I saw at Findlay Market this afternoon to poke me.

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Happy Friday everyone,

And New Year if you can still say that.  Here’s wishing you, me, us and them a happy healthy and prosperous 2019 where the sun shines brightly on you more days than not and that your glass is always over half full in every sense of the word.

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Excuse me as I step up on my soap box for a second.  It’s time especially during flu season to eliminate the hand shake.  It’s just a tired old custom of spreading ick this time of year when it’s not necessary at all.  Yesterday at my Dr. appointment for my bi-annual well baby visit, my Dr. entered the room, I extended my open hand impulsively and he shunned me with a friendly fist bump.  So there - Dr’s orders, let's move to the fist bump or better yet the nod or simple smile.  Who’s with me?

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I obviously didn’t take this pic as I’ve never been in a blimp, but this easily the best pick so far in 2019.  Look at that turf!  Just spectacular.

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Yesterday in an obvious to me clash of cultures a young Japanese lady opened a door for me.  I smiled and put my arm over her head and encouraged her to go under my bridge and enter first.  She smiled and then grabbed the next door smiled again and waved me in.  I smiled back and said thank you but’t that’s not how we roll around these parts.  She smiled back and not understanding a word of English I suspect, smiled and probably thought I might be referring to sushi.  We’ll just never know?

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The level of panic shown by Kroger goers pre snow storm is palpable.  I was there to pick up a prescription and the line was 8 deep at the pharmacy so I bought some fire starter sticks and left.  What am I gonna do with bread and milk anyhow.

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As many of you know I was blessed to see Bob Seger again last weekend in Nashville.  Bob and The Silver Bullet Band are truly the soundtrack of my life and largely responsible for our 26 10/12th year marriage but who’s counting.  The show ended with right leaning Kid Rock joining left leaning Bod Seger on stage for the last song in the second encore, “ Rock n Roll Never Forget’s.”  They killed it and so did Bob and how band that night.  I only bring this up because when you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything.  Right 45, Mitch, Nancy and Chuck?  Get singing!!!!

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Those of you not from Cincinnati won’t have any idea what I’m taking about here but, Marty announcing his retirement on Wednesday and then Lisa Cooney on Thursday.  It’s just too soon.  What’s next Mike Brown hanging it up?  I wish.

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Jeff Bezos is dumb.  A guy who became the richest man in the world building a business on the back of technology and a new way to do business thought it would be a good idea to send pics of his anatomy to a woman that was not the mother of his four children.  Dumb!  You may have a pile but you give our team bad name.

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Have to have a pic of Cal at Braxton with his Braxton swag on.

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Have a great weekend and stay safe and warm if you can.  It’s January so It might snow and it will probably be cold outside baby.  This is why we have fire and blankets and bourbon Charlie Brown.

Cheers,

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Happy Friday everyone,

We’ve nearly made it through another week and with just 11 days from Christmas Day we all have big choices to make and I bet your thinking I’m gonna babble on about gifts and gifting, nope.  WE all have an easy choice each morning to make and that’s if our if our bowl, mug, stein, tumbler, sippy cup or wine glass is gonna be half full or half empty.  Please, please, please start picking half full.  The world needs it.

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Thank goodness my new favorite TV channel 520 Ambient Zen and Fireplace.  Ah, perfectly full.

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In the locker room this morning as two naked men shaved and chatted one said to the other, “I have no business going on a pub crawl this afternoon, I have tons of work to do.  But by about the third beer I’ll forget all about that work.”  True story and really hard on the eyes.  Half full.

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Mr. Half full always.

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As I sit at my desk this afternoon  reviewing my prep instructions for my twin procedures next week I’m wondering why a colonoscopy isn’t called an endoscopy?  Aging male probs Bub, but still half full at least until Tuesday morning where I can guarantee I’ll be completelty empty.

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Where am I?

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“Find someone or something that loves you as mush as Mike Brown loves Marvin Lewis.”  Wish I could take credit for that one and while it’s not completely half full it’s close.  Our Coach has Federal Judge status.

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If you missed the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Final Four last night and the Stanford BYU match you shouldn’t miss the Final.  A local kid Morgan Hentz, (don’t know her) but went to B Sac and NDA where our girls went, is more than impressive for The Cardinal.  If I could say libero I would, but this kid is the best I’ve ever seen.  Go Card!  Above half full at the least.

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You ever sit in your office pretending you're in The Traveling Wilbury’s singing lead at the top of your lungs and your dog walks in and gives you that what the hell dog look. No?  All Full here.

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10 points Santa.

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In keeping with today’s theme.

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For now, I’ll say Merry Christmas and and a Happy healthy hearty New Year, full of family friends, fun and frivolity.  CHEERS!  Doh, spilled water all over my desk.  My Yeti was full.

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Happy Friday everyone,

Hope this finds you toasty with heat and electric?  Ah the things we take for granted.  Nothing like an Ides of November ice storm to throw a wrench into our so simple lives.  No good.

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Have to give my wife cred too.  What possessed her to go buy a chain saw last Saturday morning looks like a stroke of genius.  So tomorrow my 21 digits will be back in play.

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Cleaning out drawers or a basket on top of a hutch that has been a thing catcher for two many years is always a treasure trove.  Two old iPods one of which is a Nano.  Old remotes, charging cables for phones and electronics of 15 years ago and this gem.  This was one of the pages from the photo album they did for my Grandfather Tom Hill’s funeral.  Wonder what he would say about them selling micro brew across the street from the old Hill Seed store in Covington too?

Great pic except for the punk in the saddle shoes sitting on his gorgeous Mom’s lap.

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Speaking of Braxton.  Our dog Cal’s newest and favorite hangout.  Add the word Bar to his vocabulary which includes, Cal, Sit, Treat, Lunch, Go Out, Doggies and now Bar.  Wonder why he like it down there so much?  This is pretty much the entire time we’re there.  They say, “your dog looks so happy.”  Well duh, wouldn’t you be?

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I’m not a high IQ guy but I think if I owned a grocery store the size of Kroger which I’m guessing has over a million dollars in inventory on any given day most of which is perishable, I think I would have a generator the size of a bus out back.  Watching the poor stock folks try to save ice cream yesterday while I picking up an Rx was a head scratcher.  Pharmacy has a generator?

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I’ll always be a Bengals fan and believe me it’s really hard to be, but my decision to not renew my season tickets was a stroke of genius for a low IQ guy.

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Not having any idea how the human mind works and mine works in strange circles influenced by you know those letter diagnosis’s deals and Squirrels!  I heard this song at random on my phone this week at Cinco, aka Five Seasons and I can’t for the life of me, get it out of my head.  From 1981 which is 37 freaking years ago and the Abacab album by Genesis.  “Keep It Dark”

Dare ya, Katie Hill?

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I must be off to Kroger of course.  No wait it’s 3:00 PM, I need to wait 30 minutes for the Red & White Tiger jam to clear.  Have a great weekend and yes a very Happy Thanksgiving.  

Cheers........

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Happy Friday everyone,

It’s been a while so let’s see if I still remember how to do this.  I hope you are and have been well and I hope your week is about to end as you await the whistle or starting gun of your weekend.

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Sometimes you just have to look up from where you park your truck every day and night.

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As some of you all know from all the kind words and likes on FB, we were in Utah last weekend for a white coat ceremony for our daughter Katie who is well on the way to be an actual Dr. Bone Cruncher and boy do I have some stories to share about that trip.

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For someone terrified of heights a high speed tram ride to the top of an 11,000 foot tall mountain is always I hope I don’t ruin these underwear type of moments.  I can tell you for sure also that the carpet in the tram is black and I know this for a fact because I didn’t see anything else on the way up.  On the way down It was glorious.  Thanks in part to four frothy Octoberfest’s consumed at altitude.  Coming down was a piece of cake.

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We saw as much of The Beehive State as you can see in three days.  My grand plan included staying in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday night so we would  be closer to the airport and Katie could get up and drive to class in Provo.  Salt Lake is a ghost town on Sundays so we checked out Temple Square, hit a pub for a one round because that is all you can get if you don’t order food and then did an early dinner and called it an early night.  The Bison Bolognese was off the hook at Whiskey Street too.

Anyway this is where the fun begins.  I have this bad mistrusting habit of hiding my wallet in hotel rooms because I think someone is going to come in at night and steal it so I hid my wallet for the final time.  FF to 6:00 AM and we all get up to walk Katie down to her car.  I look for my wallet real quick and she’s gone.  Is it at the restaurant?  Is it in an Uber?  Chris proceeds to tear the room apart looking for my wallet.  Can’t find it!!  That’s when a cold sweat panic attack begins as I dial up Delta Airlines to see if it’s possible to fly without an ID.  Yes it is, BUT.  They tell me to get to the airport as fast as I can, so we do.

The look on the TSA Agents face at Salt Lake airport was memorable.  She frowned and said go stand over there against that wall because we need to contact the FAA.  So I take my place and wait as Chris faithfully waits for me on the air side of security.  So after me, TSA and the FAA bonded for a bit and proper forms were filled out and questions answered I was allowed to go through the screening process after they verified I was the one and only Doug Hill from Ft. Mitchell of which there can only be one true bonehead like me.  They know what color the three vehicles I have owned were but they had to ask me, just so you know.

So with belt, shoes and coat off and my backpack turned inside out I was introduced to the last layer of screening who we will call Mr. Hands.  His first question for me was.  “Would you like to go to a private room or will it be OK to search you right here?”  I’m thinking why and now I know why as he proceeded to pat down and feel every square inch of me and my boys.  Yuck, the lesson here is don’t lose your ID but you can fly without one put the price is steep.

As soon as we get to the gate, three hours early I start making calls and cancelling all of my credit cards.  Check.  We land at CVG and then head to get my truck out of long term parking to find a Silverado with a flat tire.  Nice!  We limp to an air pump and start the 10 minute drive home that takes an hour because people can’t drive in the rain.

And now for the famous final scene.  We’re upstairs unpacking and road weary. I pull out my CPAP machine to hook all the wires and hoses back up and then I take the case and throw it on top of a high chest of drawers.  Mid throw and from out of thin air a black tri-fold wallet works its way out of an unknown pocket and hits the wall with a thud!  Hey honey guess what?  Pure Doug.

From atop Hidden Mountain, Snowbird Ski Area.

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They surveyed 100 Florida residents as to wether they like their Orange juice with Pulp or No Pulp and the No Pulps won 54 to 49.  Watch the news, you’ll get it.

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I didn’t say this my wife did.  It will be a race to the bottom in the NBA this season to see who can be worst and get the best chance at the first draft pick.  So true, that Zion kid is a beast.  That fame Tuesday night was like watching.  That’s a lie I couldn’t watch it was terrible.

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The view from Katie’s balcony.  Not to shabby.

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Have a great weekend you all.  Bring on the holidays.  XM70 already has X-Mas music and it sounds fantastic.

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