Good morning all:

Weekly Wisdom from deep within the depths of the city:

“people think common sense is common – but it’s not.”—Don Cherry (Canada’s most popular hockey personality)

The Weekly Wisdom means little, it is just me reflecting on watching the recent Stanley Cup playoffs – Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. Partly for the game and a lot for watching Coaches Corner between the 1st and 2nd period with the quirky Don Cherry—one of those ‘hate them’ or ‘love them’ guys. I love him.

Paddlefest – Yesterday’s Paddlefest 2011 was more than huge and I was absolutely ready to sign up for Paddlefest 2012 right then and there. Images of Mark Twain’s river observations drifted in my head as we floated down river. Since barge traffic had been stopped for the morning we had the whole river to ourselves—all two-thousand and two hundred of us. Any ole way we wanted to paddle was fine. Personally I enjoyed a serpentine manner of traveling – or maybe I should learn to steer better. I believe it was little Marin who grinned the whole 8.2 miles and Jason wasn’t lacking in the smiles department either. They did amazing in their canoe.

Click on the Cincinnati Enquirer link for some photographs of the event (in picture 14 you might see someone you recognize – hint: look for  a pair of amazingly white legs, a very familiar – lopsided – stance, and wearing a blue shirt).

I stopped for a few minutes to chat with a fellow repairing some paddles on his sternwheeler and we talked “river talk.”  When I told him that there was nothing like watching a paddlewheeler gliding along the river he opened up. What I did learn is that paddlewheelers, although slow, are probably the most fuel efficient boats on the river.

OK, so my shoulders are a little bit stiff, my back is locked-up,  and my fingers a bit ‘crampy’, lets continue anyway.

Fathers Day – was wonderful. Fathers day was eventful—from beginning to end. Ten of us gathered for brunch at a small little restaurant. For a leisurely meal it was perfect and the kids happy and focused on their food. We should have packed it in and left it at that. But, nooooo! When the waitress came around with more coffee all the ‘wise’ adults gave a collective nod to the affirmative.

Before we could even take a sip of the re-freshed coffees the kids began to circle the table. I don’t really know, maybe it was circle number four, maybe it was number five. In any case Vai and Dinah stopped to coo at Vili who was sitting in his carrier on the floor – next to auntie Cathy – who was sitting next to Marcia – all around the last of four little pushed together pedestal tables. That very same little table had three full mugs of coffee on it, four, still full, 16 ounce tumblers of water, several dirty dishes, about a hundred packets of sugar, and much silverware.

It was at that very moment that Marin – possibly in somewhat of a chase with Vai and Dinah – leaned on that little pedestal table. And it was not until the contents of that little table were mid air that anyone really took note.

Luckily nothing hit Vili. Marin was marched out of the restaurant by a stern father. I scribbled an extra amount on the “gratuity” line of the bill. The ladies performed magic on the floor with only several handfuls of napkins. We all departed – very – shortly thereafter.

later – Fathers Day – That evening Jason and Cathy along with Marin and Dinah visited with Cathy’s dad and stepmom. At some point hot tea was poured and somehow Dinah reached across the table and scalded herself as she knocked one of the mugs over. The response was remarkable. They plopped her in the kitchen sink and turned on the cold water faucet. Clothes were torn off and cold towels wrapped around her. Not more than 10 minutes after the accident she was brought into Children’s Hospital emergency and treatment started immediately—2^nd degree burns on her rib cage and thigh.

Medicated and bandaged she went home. The next day there was follow up by Cincinnati’s Shriners Burn Institute. The prognosis is great and she should be fine in another week or so. The top-tier resources Dinah had access to has been marvelous.

One small note about the Shriners Burn Institute. They will bill the health insurance plan for care given, however, no family will receive any invoice for any uncovered care or charges beyond what is in the plan; an amazing quality of care and an amazing service to the community. When I used to travel a great deal it was every so often seeing a child come through the airport from another part of the country or world with accompanying medical folk to be then picked up by a Shriner, complete with fez, and transported to the Burn Institute.

Animal Planet – We live less than four miles from the city center, as the crow flies.

We have Coyotes.

While we were in Canada one of our neighbors sent an email around advertising; “Lost cat, black, answers to the name Fifi, or Shushu, or Mumu, or Mimi, or Poupou, but her real name is Anastasia – please contact….”

A day later a black tail was discovered. The very tail which had once adorned the back end of a cat answering to the name of Fifi, or Shushu, or Mumu, or Mimi, or Poupou, but whose real name was Anastasia.

Closing – We’re back into packing mode; an event that is normally preceded by much grocery shopping. Already the folks at Costco have looked at us quizzically as we were heading for checkout. Even the clerk at Aldi’s greets us by name. We’ll see what today brings.

Happy birthday Tevita!

Make it a great week everyone

Cheers,

Dirk