…Everywhere you go…you see the signs of the season. Our house is decorated and lit, there are dozens and dozens of presents under the tree, the courthouse and downtown are all decorated as well as the whole city…there’s even a little snow on the ground! I think Ann & I are finally finished Christmas shopping, with the last few gifts trickling in this week. We enjoyed a quick week and spending time with friends and family when possible. Matt was the only one we didn’t get to see this week. He stayed with Taylor, up in Carmel – working from home and then coaching wrestling in Zionsville in the evening. Abby commuted back and forth to Greenwood for work each day then stayed with friends this weekend. Luke worked all week for Coach Harris and spent each day with Samantha and even got to see a few friends, back from school for the holidays. Annie had a good week at work and spent a little time with friends. I struggled with my diet again this week but did a little better with the exercise side, despite the weather – logging ten miles of walking and getting a chance to play 54 holes of disc golf this week. I enjoyed spending a little time with friends this week as well and can’t wait until they get my golf course put back together at the park. The temps keep getting colder with each passing day. I hear that we just might get our white Christmas this year – complete with temperatures more becoming of this time of year. Yes, it’s beginning to look a lot like Xmas…we just have one more week to go and then we can relax and enjoy it with our family… Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Scheu Family Blog.
It was back to work, early on Monday morning. It was still dark and overcast during our commute into work. Thankfully, that didn’t last all day. My morning flew by while catching up on paperwork, answering voicemails and returning emails…and before I knew it, it was like 2 pm. I was able to finish up my reports and now only have one more thing to do to wrap-up November stuff. I was able to get out and play 18 holes of disc golf after work. It was cool and it the wind was tough. It was weird – blowing out of the northeast. I don’t remember it ever coming from that direction before. It took me about seven holes to figure it out, but I eventually got the hang of it. I think I had a little windburn on my cheeks but at least the sun was out! I had a nasty headache and my stomach growled the whole day, as I struggled with my fasting. I gained eleven pounds over the weekend, thanks to all the Christmas parties and lack of exercise. I picked up Ann and we drove home with a lovely sunset in our rearview mirrors. We stopped to get gas and slushes at the Amoco/Sonic. We also went across the street to pickup a bottle of rum to take with us to my management party this weekend. We ran past Mom & Sandy’s house to see if there was anything new with them. Shitty Ann may have to come out tomorrow morning…more on that later. Abby was already home when we got there. She said she had a good day. She talked with us for a few but then disappeared back to her room and stayed there most of the evening. Luke had a busy day, working for Coach Harris. He didn’t get home until late. Samantha came over that evening and they went out to eat at Pizza King. Dad B called, having returned from their trip to the Amazon. Dad said that he and Lynn were disappointed in the trip. He was surprised to see how developed the area was and how nasty the river was – not at all what they had expecting. He also said he was dealing with some health challenges. In fact, it was serious enough that they had to cancel their next cruise that was slated to begin this weekend. He goes to see the doctor in a couple days and our thoughts are with him… I couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to break my fast a day early. Although I sincerely needed to fast longer, I just didn’t have it in me to do it this week. Ann & I watched a couple DVR’d shows but I couldn’t keep my eyes open and napped on and off through all the shows. When I did eventually wake up, Ann was asleep. I culled pictures for this week’s blog entry and then called it a night… Here are pictures from the big Scheu family Christmas party in Indy last weekend.
Tuesday was noticeably cooler when I went out to start Tonya & Barney. I noticed the cloud cover was gone, which was the likely culprit for the nippy temps and frosty windshields. We had another lovely sunrise as we pulled out of the subdivision for our commute into Columbus. Ann said she had a good day at work, getting lots of things done. I had the same experience. I also got several small things done and finished up November reports so now I can focus on December stuff. I got prerequisites knocked out for two of my three employees so I can do their annual evals tomorrow. We have to do them online this year, which should be a real experience – oh boy! Chad took us out for lunch that day. He had two of his assistants that do much of the grunt work at our facility as well as me, Vic, Brent, Justin and Jim. We had a feast that day at Arni’s. I just love their pizza and an Arni’s Jr salad…mmm… After work, I got and played another 18 holes of golf at the AirPark. The wind was still blowing out of the northeast, but now I knew how to adjust my game to use it – rather than fight it. I threw 1-under par the first time through and then two-under the second round to finish with a 51 on the day – my best in nearly a month. We came on home and got to the driveway just as dusk was turning to night. For once, we beat the kids home that evening. Abs worked at Sly Fox all day and then quickly retreated to her room. Luke worked all day with Coach Harris again and didn’t come home after going to visit Ms. Samantha that evening. Annie made us fancy grilled cheese sandwiches that actually tasted really good that night. You know it’s true love when your cheese-loving wife sacrifices the last piece of one of her favorites and puts it on her husband’s sandwich! See, I notice stuff, Ann!! ???? She & I watched Yellowstone during supper and then we watched several other shows like SWAT, Fire Country and Blue Bloods before nodding off. I edited pictures and videos for this week’s blog entry before heading on to bed.
Luke finally came home while Ann & I were getting ready to leave for work on Wednesday morning. It was supposedly warmer, but the rain was cold as we commuted back to Columbus. Thankfully, we both had busy but easy days. Brent & I had an orientation class then went to Taco Bell for a fancy lunch – lol. I did annual evals that afternoon. They turned out to be easier than I had been led to believe. They had trainings for these but after doing a couple, I was asking myself why. I was so confused at how discombobulated the classes were compared to the actual completion of the online evaluations. I guess the folks at corporate have to justify their jobs? I don’t know… Unfortunately, it rained all day and I was unable to get out and play golf that afternoon. Instead, I made my way to the mall to walk with the old folks. That place changes every time I go back anymore. They’ve blocked off another hallway inside the mall and marked it for construction, leaving the walkers with maybe a third of the original walking layout. It worked, I guess. There are no new shops but the ones that were open when I was there last were all still open. There still aren’t many customers, so I’m not sure how in the world they are able to keep their doors open. Ann & I went to Best Buy to pickup another couple Xmas gifts before heading back to the ‘Burg. We stopped by Mom & Sandy’s house to visit for a while. We enjoyed a few goodies and I left with a bowl of ham & beans for my supper that evening. We talked with Abby for a while. She again didn’t leave her room the entire time. I’m sure she was cleaning in there (mmm hmm)… We assumed our positions with the dogs in the living room, watching the FBI trilogy until we fell asleep. I finished editing and renaming all the pictures for this week’s blog entry. There’s some good ones from all the fun stuff we did last week plus a new batch (and new year) of Waybac photos. The dogs really wanted to stay outside and play in the rain, but that wasn’t happening. Ann was so mad that the dogs tracked in crap on their paws on her newly mopped floor after Julie came and cleaned earlier that day. Luke worked for Harris again and then went to Sammi’s house that evening and we didn’t see him again that day because he got home at some point in the middle of the night, long after we’d already gone to bed. Here are random pictures from our recent adventures.
It had finally stopped raining on Thursday morning. All the flooding forecasts were cancelled and we didn’t get even half as much precip as they had predicted. The high for the day had already passed us by several hours earlier and temps continued to fall throughout the day. Ann and I had good days at work. It was sad one when Cyndi came in to turn-in her keys. She’d had them for nearly three decades but after a year away on medical leave it was time for both of us to move on. The guys and I met up with Luke at Wendy’s for a quick lunch then we had our monthly marathon meeting afternoon. I played 18 holes at the AirPark after work on a dry but cold, blustery day. I struggled to keep my throwing had warm, but I eventually got used to it. I threw a 1-over for both rounds to end with a 56. I picked up Annie and drove home. We called Dad & Lynn to check up on his doctor appointment. Turns out he was in the hospital and will be there for at least the weekend. His a-fib had returned during their cruise down the Amazon. In lieu of stopping his heart yet again, they are opting for a medicine treatment. We stopped at Needlers on our way through town and picked up supplies for Poker Night. Ann cooked a couple pork rolls for her and the kids while I made Dirty Rice for the boys and I. Abby had Daisy over that evening for dinner and drinks. Meanwhile, the band of merry men met up at the Bewley Bar for a night of revelry. OMG, there was so much good food – Bryan made Big Mac casserole, Shawn smoked huge chicken legs, Rick made stuffed peppers and Mark brought some sort of meat & cheese pastry. Rick made me a couple of Old-Fashioned cocktails – first with some Basil Haden rye and then with Angels Envy rye. I also had a tall sipper of some fancy version of Wild Turkey that was really good. I did not fair very well, having to buy back in for a second week in a row. Still, we had a good time. I nearly won back everything on the biggest pot of the night. I had five 10s – no way I could lose, right? Bryan and I went back and forth and, in the end, he had…you guessed it…five Jacks! Dammit!! Luke got home about the same time I did. I figured he might stay out at Oakley’s house again, like he did last night. I think we were talking while watching Family Guy but I think I fell asleep…sorry about that Lukey…
Ann & I worked from home on Friday morning. We saw Abby off, who went to work then on to Franklin to spend the weekend with her girlfriends. They wound up a club in Cincy that evening for a girls’ night out. Ann & I worked half days then enjoyed the afternoon off, watching the weekly FBI trilogy. Afterward we got ready and headed to Franklin ourselves. Rather than visiting old college chums and going out to a bar, we instead met up with my coworkers at Jim’s house for dinner and a White Elephant gift exchange. We enjoyed a little scotch with Jim and chatted with everyone, enjoying some downtime together. We were the last ones to arrive and the last ones to leave that evening. When we got home, we tried to watch a DVR’d show but I fell asleep. Luke came home at some point in the middle of the night and woke us up. I’m not sure if he had a barn dance in his room or what, but he was so loud. My God…I’ve become my parents! We have a bunch of social media pictures to share this week!
We enjoyed sleeping in on Saturday morning. We slowly got up and did a few things around the house. I ran a couple errands while Ann wrapped presents for her girls at work. Luke & Sam eventually got up around noon and ate before heading to the YMCA to work out for a couple hours. Ann & I put on our comfy clothes, grabbed a blanket and a dog and put on the Colts game. She read and played on her phone while I wrote out this week’s html code on the blog entry. We had a few snow flurries but nothing good. I think we’re both ready for the white stuff. On my way home from running errands that day, I stopped out at the disc golf course. They have been doing some sort of construction project out there the last two weeks, keeping me from playing out there. Although they finally have most of the debris out of there, it is still a mess. I called Sandy to see if she can find out why they took out about 100’ of wooded area, exposing a large section of ravine next to the railroad tracks on hole 9. I have to admit, I don’t feel like I’m exposed now on that hole. You not only have direct line of site to 46 but also the bypass. It is noticeably louder as well. …Not to mention, I really don’t want my discs going down into that 20’ ravine. Plus, are they going to stop there or are they planning to remove that whole wooded area along the tracks? That would uncover 7 and 8 as well and completely expose the entire back half of the course. That wooded area keeps the area private and secluded – exactly how I like it. Enquire-y minds want to know – did they take it out as part of some sort of railroad renovation project? Were there inappropriate acts occurring in the wooded area? Was there homeless folks living in there? Hopefully my investigative report can find me answers! LOL! ???? Then, on my way back from the park, I saw that the fire and police departments were at the fairgrounds, holding the annual Cheer Fund. They’ve done this for the last couple years, thanks to Covid. It’s a shame, but that means that the boys and I won’t be volunteering on Xmas Eve again this year at the K of C’s. We always enjoyed doing that through the years, so we’re disappointed to say the least. But it’s not about us, it’s about our neighbors that need a little help this time of year, so if this is a better way of doing it for them then we’re good with it. The Colts came out and blew up the Vikings in the first half, going up 33-0 at the break! But the joy was short-lived as Matt Ryan had another classic 2nd half collapse (remember when the Falcons were in the Super Bowl a few years back?) and the Colts set a new league record – giving up the biggest comeback in NFL history. Ouch. It was a tough, embarrassing loss for Indy. ? Not sure why we had Saturday football, but I was thankful for it to be sure. After we both napped, the kids returned to shower and then went to Cincy to the Festival of Lights at the zoo. Annie began wrapping presents – something she started last year out of necessity. But it made Xmas Eve so easy that she decided to do it again. So, we muted the TV, put on some Christmas tunes and I transported stuff in and then removed it to the tree – my normal role. I used to help wrap, but after a few years of less-than-stellar end results, I was relegated to other duties. ???? We texted briefly with Ms. Lynn. Dad B is still in the hospital, down in FLA. Their Xmas cruise has been officially cancelled but now he’s just trying to get healthy enough for their next one. Spending the holidays in Florida isn’t too bad, so I’m sure they’ll manage just fine. I know Bryan, Shawn and the crew are headed down to Treasure Island. Part of me wishes we were going as well. The kids wanted presents again this year. Maybe we’ll force their hand next year and tell them their gifts are going south for the last week of the year. It sounded like Dad was pretty tired. He still has some fluid they’re trying to eradicate but so far the medicine seems to be regulating his heart rate correctly. …So, fingers crossed, we hope it continues to work for him. Here are pictures of recent additions to my Hot Wheels collection.
I couldn’t sleep on Sunday morning, so I got up and worked on my music collection on my computer. I wound up adding about three dozen new titles. I worked on that on and off all day, taking naps, watching football and playing against Ann in fantasy football. It was for bragging rights in the house. The Cowboys wound up losing and Ann whipped my ass by over 50 points. ? Once Annie got up, we did our weekly household chores. Luke & Sam slept in until about noon. After lunch, Sam went to softball practice and Luke went to the Y to lift. Ann made cheesy Fireworks popcorn for dinner and we turned off football to watch some DVR’d shows. Abby came home shortly after dark and told us lots of good stories from her adventures this weekend. She spent the night in Indy last night and Cincy the night before, enjoying the weekend with her friends. After spending last night wrapping presents, Ann flopped in her chair, recuperating most of the day. I uploaded the pictures and videos and finished this week’s blog entry. We really enjoyed slowing down this weekend. I just wish I had been able to find my record collection out in the garage this weekend. It’s really lit a fire under my butt to get that garage cleaned out now! Bring on the roll-off dumpster!! Later, we watched the season finale of The Cleaning Lady and the latest episode of Yellowstone before flipping on Paramount + and watching the new Yellowstone prequel called 1923 with Harrison Ford. It was a great way to wind down the weekend and a relaxing way to put a cap on another fast week, here at the Scheu abode.
Next up is our Waybac segment, which has a new batch of pictures starting this week. This is the final batch from Deanna’s digital camera era. These will all be from 2008, which is the same year that we started this blog. We lead off with a few pictures of the girls visiting the Indy Children’s Museum and the Buchannan’s trip to NYC, both in January; in March we see a few pictures of the Cowboys Stadium in TX in March; in July we see a bunch from the 4th as well as pix of Gracie’s bday; in August we have several of the girls enjoying summer vacation in August; September has Abby’s birthday party; and then we wrap up with a bunch from Christmas Eve with Gma & Gigi in December.
We wrap up this week as always with our video segment. It features one new home movie this week as well as several from around the internet.
And that does it for this week’s edition of the Scheu Family Blog. Thanks for keeping up with us this time out and we’ll catch up with you again next time. Until then, have a good one and stay safe out there in this big ol’ crazy world. We sure miss ya this time of year, Momma.
Later, Scheu