The Wall
Tom’s house is around 100 years old. It was neglected for a while so TLC is needed. He was been rebuilding the basement wall under his kitchen. His walls are not made of cinder blocks or cement but round stones. The walls are about 20 inches thick. Older homes in this area have these kinds of walls because the round stones are left over from the glaciers and that is what they had. So Tom pulled out all the loose stones and mortar and rebuilt the wall using about 700 lbs of mortar and concrete. There was a point during this project that Tom could get his entire arm into one of the holes. As he was working on the wall, he had stepped back from the work to access his progress, A little furry critter poked his head out and ran back in the hole. Tom put concrete there next. At least he knows that the kitchen will not collapse.
New Coaching duties
Tom is still working at Lake Country Swim Team but until the end of February Tom has added the Hartford High School Boys Swim Team. Their coach had to have emergency back surgery and the boys ended up with no coach. Tom has accepted the additional duties for one season. He has already had his first couple of meets and the boys are doing well.
The Lake Country swimmers are also swimming well and he is enjoying this swimming season.
Sports besides Swimming
Tom was lucky enough to attend a few professional baseball games this year. As always the Cubs did not make the post season but he was able to attend Cub games in Milwaukee, Cincinnati. Tom, while in California for swimming Nationals attended his first Dodger game with the other Senior Coach at Lake Country, Mark. It was cool old park and LA traffic was not that bad (that day).
California Beach Dinner
Ohio Mississippi
Tom had the opportunity for an enjoyable swimming experience. Tom attended the annual Boat Trip on the Ohio River, which was the way he stared his end of summer vacation with a swim in the Ohio River. Tom then ended his vacation by visiting his friends the Tucker Family that have a cabin on the Mississippi River. It was interesting to see the differences in the rivers and go for a swim. See action photo.
Fishing in Phelps
Tom has enjoyed the fresh Walleye that he has had from friends. So he got his first real fishing lesson while in Phelps, WI. He caught a 15 ½ inch Walleye which he hopes to eat over the Holidays. This is the same place that Tom went for a great bike ride in 2009. He tried to repeat that great day but 10 minutes into the ride, Tom was riding through a beautiful leaf covered path and came to an abrupt stop and fell over since he was stuck in the mud. It was a comedy thereafter. Tom’s shoe was stuck in the mud, then glove, slipping twice to get up. So to answer the age old question, If Tom falls in the woods does he make a noise? Yes, he does.
Music, Forbidden Words and the New Year
Tom’s friends, Andre and Karoll, have a Forbidden Word Jar. Each year they choose a word that you are not allowed to say for the year. There is always an alternative word available for the year. Each occurrence of the word cost $1. They were unsure what to do with the money they had collected over the past couple of years, so they decided to go see the AC/DC show in Milwaukee. We were sure that the band would use some of the forbidden words for them. They even bought four seats for the three of them because they wanted the extra space. Tom also had an awesome day at the Jimmy Buffett in Chicago with the Lange Family. Tom went to see Billy Bragg in Milwaukee, My Morning Jacket in Chicago and rang in 2010 in Chicago by going to see Bobby Bare Jr It was a great way to start the year. It will be hard for 2011 to top that.
New Camera
Hopefully, you the reader have enjoyed the pictures that Tom has taken in past years. Tom hopes to have better photos in the future since he has upgraded to a new camera. He really likes the sunset photo from California. It was a great day with a dinner at Crystal Cove. Tom has enjoyed taking the photos and hopes that with the new camera it will be an excuse for more and better photos.
