Vinnie’s Vlog

I’ll be discontinuing my use of this site for my blogging needs.  And believe me – you NEED this blog!

I don’t know if I’ll be able to import my las 18 months worth of rambling, we’ll see.

The new blog is at   www.vincebelcher.blogspot.com

Out!

Cold front made a noisy pass through town last night.  One especially loud clap of thunder woke Lily up and, before I knew it, we had two kids in bed with us.  I don’t think anyone slept so I was somewhat relieved when Diane made the long walk and took Lily back to her bed.   It was a loud, loud night with biting rain.

And this morning, Lily asked me if she could change her “favorite part of the day”, which we still discuss everynight before bed.  I said “sure”.  She wanted to change it to when “mommy brought me downstairs into your bed”.

Looks like it’s trying to clear outside now.  Not as breezy as yesterday, but markedly cooler. 

Late start to blogging this morning.  I’ve actually been fielding junk sales calls all morning.  I don’t know what it is about telemarketers – but Wednesdays seem to be their favorite day.  And are they really selling anything to anyone with these tactics?  I had one lady ask if “Todd” was here and I said she had the wrong number.  She apologized, but then informed me that I had won either $25k in cash, a Navigator or a trip to Barbados.  Poor Todd.

So – I try and do something nice for Diane and come home a little early for lunch so she can run to a store she’s been wanting a little time at.  Seems having me and Lily and Leo isn’t exactly conducive to a productive trip.

I get home – hugs, kisses – mom is off to the store.

She’s back in 3 minutes.  Volvo is dead.  Again.

I’ve made an appointment in Lakeland (it’s an hour away for this stupid thing) for Thursday morning.   I’m sure it’s the battery.  The only questions is why does this keep happening.

Diane has gone ahead with her shopping plans and took the Big Girl car.  I’m making grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and getting ready to put Lily down for a nap.

Not sure if I’ll go back to work or not.

Volvo is dead.  Again.

We’re up.  Looks to be a bit hazy out this morning.  I think we have a good chance of rain too.  Probably just as well – with everything blooming like it is, the rain may keep the pollen down for those folks who suffer.  Actually, I’m not so much concerned with their suffering as I am their complaining.

Tuesday….let’s see…Tuesdays are generally a little slower.  It’s a good day to get caught up.  Might even be a good day to blog!

Here’s a quick link that means something to someone who traveled this weekend…. Click here for Story

The weather has cleared up – it’s bright and sunny!  Mid 70′s all week!

I”m actually pretty busy this morning, so unless something really strikes me, I think I’ll get my work done!

Ok, listen everyone…if you see something not working right on my webpage  (www.vincebelcher.com)  – you have to tell me!  I just found several pages/links not working right and none of you ever told me…. come on.

Lily and I got the garden planted today.  I found some nice tomatoes and some good pepper plants.  I’ll get my seeds in the mail on Wednesday.  We ended up with almost two inches of rain yesterday, so it was a muddy day out there.  Lily was covered in mud – head to toe.  I don’t know what she was playing – but she was a total mess.

We ran out east this afternoon and got a flat of strawberries, a milkshake and some shortcake.  The berries are good this year – a little more expensive, but real good.

It was a bit foggy overnight and it took most of the day for the fog to burn off.  The sun only barely peaked through.  The next couple of days are supposed to be clear and cool.

It’s been a quiet, uneventful day around here.  We really just took it easy.  So when Diane said, “Let’s go out to dinner”, I was on board.  Until I heard those dreaded words…”How about Olive Garden?”  I’m not a fan of the OG.  I don’t like it.  So I was a bit disappointed.  We pulled in to a very, very crowded parking lot and there was already a line outside.  Again, more disappointment set in as Diane didn’t suggest heading on home.  We parked 100 yards away behind the dumpster at Red Lobster.  Now – as a side note – there may not be anything more disgusting than the dumpster at a Red Lobster.  And I’ve seen my fair share of dumpsters – both inside and out.  I thank my father for that part of my upbringing.

Anyways, we went to the podium at the OG and we were told it was a 45 minute wait.  Inside, I’m thinking, “Yes!  She’ll never go for that!”  But on the contrary.  Before I knew it, we were sitting on a bench with a little pager.  Honestly, I don’t know how I held in my annoyance at this point.  I couldn’t believe I was going to sit for 45 minutes with two kids (one of which didn’t nap today) for food I don’t care for.

Forty five minutes!  Well, apparently the hostess of the OG isn’t as in tune with her restaurant’s capacity as she should be because our pager went off after 6 minutes.  Six!!  Fine.  I’ll wait six minutes for this if I have to.  It would have taken me that long to boil water for spaghetti at home.  So I ended up with a pretty decent dinner (they have some new things on the menu) and I was half way pleased before it was over.  Lily was positively angelic.  I don’t remember her being that good at dinner when she did take a nap!

All in all, the worst part was having to walk (twice) by the dumpster at Red Lobster. 

However, I did see a chair in there I’m sure I can fix.  Might have to run back over there later.

Vince Belcher 
Vinnie’s Vlog  www.vinceb.wordpress.com 
Brandon, Florida  February 2008  www.vincebelcher.com

A front is blowing through this afternoon.  We’ve had a little rain, just on and off.  Just enough to keep you inside.  Which is fine.  We are all taking it easy this weekend.  Lily is up taking a nap.  Leo is asleep.  I’m watching the NFL Combine and watching it rain.  It’s just nice doing nothing actually.

We did run to Home Depot this morning after our pancakes.  I stopped at my favorite nursery yesterday and they had no vegetables and didn’t expect any for a couple of weeks.  For those of you who garden – that’s not good.  If you’re planting into the first and second week of March, you are late.  I stopped at the Depot and even they didn’t have much.  Mostly just tomatoes.  I’ll get seeds in the ground this week but I would like to have seen a few more pepper plants.  Maybe some cucumbers.  The garden is ready to plant, just need to plan what goes where.

We took Leo into the hottub for the first time yesterday!  He’s so light – he floats!

I had a moment to think that tonight.  Lily was still in the tub and she asked me to go get her “Saturday underwear” and her long pink pajamas.  I’m picking through her underwear drawer looking for the pair printed with Saturday and I’m thinking to myself, “what has happened to me?” 

I found the underwear and went back into the bathroom where Lily was still sitting in the tub.  I showed her the pajamas I had picked out.  “No, not those.  The pink one that’s long”.  Ok.  Back to the drawer for another nightgown.  “No.  The pink one that’s long and drags on the ground.”

That was about when I thought, for just a second, “Is this what I’ve been reduced to?”

3 pounds gained.

I was in line buying breakfast yesterday at Disney.  Disney has a “meal plan” you can pre-purchase which gives you points towards your meal – an entree, or sandwich…points for water…snacks.  I don’t know the breakdown, but for some people – it works.  Anyways, I was in line and there was an elderly gentleman trying to get his breakfast and he was using the meal plan.  The kid behind the counter was trying to explain to him that his meal plan didn’t provide for the banana he wanted for his breakfast.  They went back and forth a couple of times until the old man finally said, “Son, I fought in the South Pacific and you’re trying to tell me I can’t have a banana?!!!!”  It was hilarious.

I guess the upside to traveling and entertaining all week is that when I do finally find myself in the office – it’s Thursday.   The weekend is almost here!

Looks like we succeeded in shooting down the dead satellite.  Click here for Story

Diane will be happy to know that I washed my coffee cup at my office this morning.

I was up about 3 pounds this morning when I hit the scale.  Three pounds.  Too many buffets the last couple of days.  It’s actually a bit surprising considering I spent the whole day yesterday, it seemed, pulling up my pants which were obviously too big.

I found Lily before I left this morning and gave her a goodbye kiss on her forehead.  As I walked away, she said, “What?  No hug?”

A few clouds this morning.  I think I even saw an increase chance of rain too.  Tomorrow should be nice, but today is a bit questionable.   I’ll take Lily to ballet later this afternoon and hit the grocery store.

I just don’t understand how early man was able to predict an eclipse.  We can’t get the weather forecast right.  We can’t cure the common cold.  But some guy 1,000 years ago or more could accurately calculate when this would happen….

We have a perfectly clear view of the eclipse tonight.  Perfect.

Both kids are asleep without a peep tonight.  Lily even slept from 2:45pm to almost 4pm on the way home from Disney, yet she was still asleep by 8pm tonight.  Leo may not be feeling to well…maybe he’s just over tired.  He was a bit fussy until 8pm, but he’s been out since then.

Speaking of sleep…I’m heading that direction.  Good night.

Only in Wisconsin can a mustard yellow shirt serve as camouflage.

Well, it’s almost here.  We’ve planned, prepared, polished and procured.  Perhaps, people will be pleased as punch.  I think we are about as ready as you can be.  Tomorrow is Leo’s baptism with a party afterwards.  It’s tough hosting a party for BOTH families.  Honestly, we’ve planned so well, I just can’t believe anything could go wrong.

Now – the only people complaining about my lack of web page updates are those who were NOT invited tomorrow.  Sorry.  The web page will be back by mid week.   I’ll try and get regular blogging up by then also.  However, until Wednesday or Thursday – I’m not here.  The only reason I’m bloggin now is because Diane is running around like a chicken on crack and when I make fun of her being neurotic, she says, “Don’t you need to blog or something?”

The weather was beautiful today – perfect for being outside.  Looks like more of the same tomorrow.

Wish us luck!!!

I got my haircut this afternoon.  And while my “stylist” did a very good job, I never understood a single word she said.  I was never very sure she even knew how I wanted my haircut, which prevented me from dozing off like I tend to do during my trip to the barber.  I was too scared I’d wake up with damaged hair.  Good thing there is a shampoo for that.

I sat and watched two older women get their white hair cut and styled.  These two octogenerians sat almost perfectly still, eyes half shut and never said a word.  Which got me to worrying that they were dead.  That got me to thinking – after a full life – surviving the Depression, world wars, maybe even a Civil War – wouldn’t it just absolutely suck to have your final obituary say you past away sitting in a chair at Fantastic Sam’s?

I’m tracking a flight this morning since I have to be at the airport to meet the plane.

I’m using a website I like to track the status of the flight.  I just checked on the flight and this was on the webpage…

We are currently experiencing technical problems obtaining the current position of the flight.

Do not be alarmed: there is nothing wrong with the flight

We will try again in a few minutes to obtain the position of this flight.

And top of the morning to ya…

I’m fascinated by the plans to shoot down that satellite.  Click here for updated story

It’s beautiful this morning.  Should be a nice weekend!

Not much in the news today…except this story… Click here  Cool.

Crisp and cool today.  The front blew through yesterday leaving us with clear skies and cool temperatures.

The Beagle wins!!!  Click here for Story

The skies have cleared in central Florida this morning.  We got some much needed rain and it looks like we are in for several sunny and clear days.  We must have had some decent wind last night.  My parking lot at the office has a solid covering of oak leaves.  Too bad, too… the landscape guys were just here Monday blowing the leaves.

I passed a Salon and Spa type place on my way to work this morning (actually, I pass it everyday)  The sign out front says they offer “eye brow threading”?  Now, what the heck is that?  Eye brow threading?

I’m about ready to call it a day.  I’ve made it to 9 after a busy day with a few more ahead of me.

Weezy has been sick for a couple of days now.  She went to the vet yesterday and we think she’s just having an upset stomach from one of the vaccinations she got.  Poor old girl.

Plenty of (much welcomed) rain around tonight.  By the looks of the pool, we might have 3/4 inch so far on the day with another line of storms due in here in a couple of hours.

Lily took a nap today and still went down nicely, albeit a little later.  W stopped after the airport at the mall and had dinner.  We ended up hitting traffic at rush hour and it was raining.  It wouldn’t have been too bad, except Leo screamed the whole way home.  Angry, mad screaming.  He was fine the minute he got home.  Or “as soon as he heard the dogs barking” as Lily puts it.

Ok, it’s 6 days until the big party and Leo’s baptism.    The guest list is made – if I haven’t heard from you – you better let me know you are coming. 

Our week long party starts tomorrow and lasts through next Wednesday.

The house is polished, shined, washed and polished again.  We’ve constantly sat, these final hours of the night, making lists of things we’d like to do or get done.  Thank goodness for tomorrow.

Here’s a quick – last – look at our evening….  9:34pm, Monday, February 11, 2008

Which has me thinking… how long do you think until Lily or Leo objects to me posting pictures of them sleeping?  How long until they object to me just sitting and watching them sleep?  How long until Diane realizes that every morning, she’s the only one whose orange juice isn’t served in a “princess glass”?

I guess I’ll post something just so I don’t go two days without posting.

I’ve been busy around the house this weekend.  It’s really amazing the things you think need to be done before people visit.  And different people have a different list of things to be done.

I worked Lily’s butt off in the yard today.  She was hauling hoses,  pressure washing, washing cars, dogs.  She never quit.  We worked through lunch.  We worked through nap.  It was incredible.  What an absolute joy it is having someone to work with like that.  She’s amazing.  Of course, she stepped in dog poop at one point and I thought she was going to amputate her leg.   We hosed her off and she was fine – but those first minutes were touch and go.

Hey – want to know something cool?  I’m now only two degrees separated from Anderson Cooper…and Jeff Probst.   That means I’m only three degrees separated from Regis.

It’s a busy week.  Just about everyday - booked. 

Hope you’re coming Sunday!

Finally heading into one of my favorite parts of the week.  I really like Fridays.  I like getting ready for the weekend and I like finalizing and closing out a week.  Everything on my To Do list from work is about done and I’m working on a new list for Monday.

No school in Hillsborough County today.  It’s “Fair Day”.  A day off of school to go to the fair?  Back in my day….

I’ve been at home most of the morning.  I took Lily to school and went to the office until 10.  Diane had a hair appt. so I was with Leo until he and I went to pick Lily up at school.  Nap time came and went without a nap, Diane came home and that’s about it so far.  I’m going to head to the office for a little and finish up.

It’s supposed to be a sunny and cool weekend!

Dinner is done, both offspring are bathed.  I bathed both at the same time, which is my usual routine.  Leo loves the bath and Lily loves pouring water over someone’s head.  Not sure Leo likes that part too much, but he doesn’t object.  Lily skipped her nap.  And it was a school day, so she’s not long for this day.  In fact, I’m going for a new record tonight.  My personal best at getting her to sleep while reading is about 7 minutes.  I’m going for 6 tonight.

I had a long, busy day today.  I must have worked on a dozen different jobs – all different customers, different juices and different parts of the world.  I was wheelin’ and dealin’ like crazy.  I can still hear the ringing of my office phone in my ear.  It’s like ”shell shock” – I keep thinking the phone is ringing.   I’m kind of ready to watch some mindless comedy on TV and drift off to never, never land.

Leo was up early this morning.  We usually get to sleep a little later on Tuesdays.  He apparently didn’t get the memo.

So I’m at work a little earlier than usual, which is fine because I have lunch with someone today and that will kill three or four hours of my day.

It’s a beautiful morning again.  Bright blue skies.  As I pulled into my office, an osprey was flying over carrying a HUGE fish.  Poor bird was struggling to stay aloft.

I saw the “I’m going to Disney World” commercial with Eli Manning.  I kind of liked it.  I thought they either got rid of it or maybe just skipped it the last year or so.  I liked it though.  Super Bowl watched by 97 million people.  An estimated 105 million were watching the final drive. 

My foot still hurts.  It isn’t the golf ball in my foot feeling anymore, but it still hurts.  I think I was limping and avoiding it so much, I’ve stretched the muscles in my leg now and I’ve got a funny cramp going on with my foot.  It really hurts to walk barefoot on a hard floor.

Lily had no nap today – she’s asleep.  Leo had a rough morning – he’s asleep.  The house is so quiet.

I’m home this morning.  I took Lily to school and Leo has a Dr. appt at 10am for a checkup.  I just stayed home and took care of a few things.  Actually, I can take care of a few more things because it’s not like I have anyone to talk to.  It’s 9am and Diane is watching Regis and Kelly.  I was just  “ssshusshhed”.  “Quiet!  Regis is talking!”  This is why I don’t work at home!