I Didn't Mean for This Post to Sound Like an Oscar Speech, But So Be It!

My 14+ months of being Mr. Mom has come to a close. I went to work for the first time today since last June. It felt really odd waiting for the train on the platform. This is my first time commuting regularly by subway since 1999.

The day was full of meetings. And they were all pretty damn interesting. I think I'm really going to like it at my new school. I think it is the right fit. I must admit that I felt pretty damn inspired to hear about the history of the school from the school historian. It is a fascinating story -one that I will delve into at a later time.

Anyway - I can't believe it's over. Sure, there will be vacations and three day weekends, etc. but it won't be the same. I was pretty much with the boys every day from the time they were 3 months-old to the time they were 18 months-old. I'm going to miss hanging out with them all day.

Anyway, off the top of my head --

Thank You To:

- TV! Especially five seasons of How I Met Your Mother, three of Damages, almost six of The Shield, and the one glorious one of The Prisoner. 

- Everyone who came over to hang out with me during the day. And also the people that helped out when SHR went to Europe for 6 nights in January. So many people pitched in to help out including Uncle Brian and Aunt Rosemary who stayed with me for a couple nights and even helped me bring the boys to their 8:30 am swim class at the Y. 

Hanging out eating lunch at Stone Park Cafe during the middle of the week wasn't so bad. Or how about ice cream at The General Greene last summer? So many people helped keep me sane over the course of the past 14 months. Last summer - it was nonstop Jim Flood. Once we moved to Park Slope, the Thursdays with Chris and Amelia were perfect. And, of course, how could I have survived without Tuesdays with Bart?

 

- Crocs. You saved my life. 

- SHR's mom for watching the boys so I could take two baseball trips and so SHR and I could take a trip to Minnesota a couple of weeks ago. 

- SHR for coming home everyday from a hard day at work and letting me relax for a spell. I might have been partly Mr. Mom but I sure as hell didn't do all the duties that a stay-at-home parent is supposed to do - like you know, cooking, cleaning, etc. Thanks yuhbow!

- And of course, Sam & Otis. The past year has been tough at times but it also has been unbelievably gratifying. I'm going to really miss my days with Double Trouble. They are the best.  

I Don't Look a Day Over 55

For the record, I'm 37. As of yesterday, 37 and a half to be exact. 

But apparently most people these days think I'm much much older.

Just last night out of 8 people out for Sean's bachelor party on Cape Cod, I was the only one not carded. The only one. I asked if the guy carding needed my ID and I was told, "No, you're good." He then proceeded to card Jim who is two and a half years older than me. 

While SHR and I were in Minneapolis, SHR kept getting carded and I wasn't. In fact, one waitress even admitted that she knew that SHR was older than 21 but she wanted to see her ID because she was curious. Curious as to what? Just how much older I am than her? I'm guessing she thought I was 45 and SHR was 24 or something.

But the best incident was at a recent visit to Tom's. An older woman (maybe 80?) came over to see the boys as we were leaving.  She asking a few questions about the boys and Bart answered most of them. I assumed she thought we were two dads with our adopted Asian babies. That wasn't the case at all. I found this out when Otis started reaching for me and she said, "He wants Grandpa." Grandpa? What? She thought I was the grandfather and Bart was my son?

That night I shaved my gray beard.

Me right before shaving.

Baseball Trip 2010: Atlanta

We had a little bit of time before our flight to go the Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum. This was my third visit to a presidential museum after having previously visited LBJ's and FDR's. It was fun but not as good as the other two.

Still, with artifacts like this, who's complaining?


(photo by Erik)

(photo by Erik)

(photo by Marc)

I can't believe we didn't play bocce here.

And then it was time for the first ever Chick-Fil-A!

(both photos by Erik)

Then it was time to go home and start planning for 2011.

For the previous night's game in Montgomery, AL complete with some funny heckling and Erik snagging a foul ball, check here.

Baseball Trip 2010: Florida

Remember back in early June when I went on a baseball trip? Well, I kind of do and here are some more pictures - all from Florida.

After the Pensacola Pelicans game, we headed to the beach for some bocce and to see news trucks.

(photo by Marc)

It was so dark that we had to occasionally take pictures of the balls to see who was closer.
(photo by Erik)

Erik won nighttime bocce and then took some great pictures. The next three were all taken by Erik.



Back at the hotel.

The next morning.



The next day brought more bocce, of course. We had to dodge the sprinklers on this court.
(last 4 photos by Erik)


Snooze. Erik won again.

Back to the beach.

(last 4 photos by Marc)

(photo by Erik)



The Oil Spill Champion. Yes, that's right. Erik won every single bocce match on the entire trip. Absolutely disgusting.
(photo by Marc)

The Last Day at the Beach

All week Bart and Eric badmouthed wraps. So it was pretty darn funny when Bart inadvertently ended up with one for lunch on the last day. Blame it on wishful thinking and ordering from a Russian waiter.

S'mores!


One more night in the pool.

Some last minute poolaris - the best pool game ever invented. Thank you Mr. Coogen.

And then Bart contemplated fulfilling a week long dare of jumping into the pool from the shed.

He demonstrated how he would make it to the bottom step and then slide to safety. Luckily, he decided not to try it.

Mayer's Tavern

The next to last night at the beach was Dude's Night Out. We went to Cape May for some scallops.

Fried scallops. Yum.
(both photos by Chris Larry)

Pool time.

Coogen planned his next move while Hot Tub Eric and Chris put on some tunes.

I love the Mark McGwire poster.

Coogen attracted some notice.
(photo by Eric)

She challenged him to a game of pool and tried to woo him.

She said to Coogen, "I see that you are the only one not wearing a wedding ring. You gay?" When he said no, she extended her hand and said, "Well, then my name's Margaret."

A few minutes later as we prepared to leave, she asked Eric if she could keep Coogen. Unfortunately for her, it didn't work out.

Coogen made more friends on the way out. This guy had just stepped off a booze cruise.

(photo by Chris Larry)

Don't Confuse the Pat's in Shore Harbor with the Pat's in Philly

Because one is great and the other - not so much.


We all descended on the little shack over the course of a day. Why none of us thought to call others and warn them about it is beyond me.

We were the first there. We dodged the cobwebs and spoke to the quite proud owner. "Everything is first class!"

SHR and I split a lobster roll and then headed out. But before we left, Coogen, Bart, and Amy showed up.

The old man touted his soups to Coogen.

Soup it is!

Later in the day, the Mary Larrys tried the place. As did the Plumleys. No one had a good time and some even downright hated the guy for his boasting.
(photo by Hot Tub Eric)