All Dogs Go To Heaven

I certainly hope so. I hope all dogs go to heaven, because my dog was a devil here on Earth. 

 a very young pup

She passed away of old age the other day, just two months shy of her 17th birthday, and throughout her life she was a pain in the butt. She was a Treeing Walker Coon Hound bred for endurance, intelligence and tenacity and at every opportunity this hound exhibited her high-strung nature. Demanding attention and exercise, her howling and barking were incessant and insistent until we would relent and give in to her. She was a terror off the lead and would hurtle through the woods chasing scents and with us following her baying all the while muttering, "this is what she's supposed to do." There was no solace in that. 

everyone should have their
dog on a mug

Elly May, had she been born a male we would have named her Jethro, required attention and stimulus and exercise and without it got into a lot of trouble. She learned how to open the door to the pantry and the door to the patio. Thankfully she did not have opposable thumbs, no telling what she would have done. She tore through screens. She would figure out ways to trick us for cookies. She was competitive and a game of throw and catch became a taunt with her as she would run up with the ball and scurry away when we tried to retrieve the toy. She once ate a bar of chocolate foolishly left on the table and devoured it with no ill effects. Evidently  the theobromine in chocolate is deadly to dogs, but not to her. She lived almost 17 years. Miss Elly was the runt of her litter but the biggest pain in the ass.

When the mood hit her, and it was often, she would flee the house. We're across the street from woods and she'd chase deer or wild turkey there or trot down to the development on the other hill. I once got a phone call from some fellows who had "saved" my dog. They were terrified and upset because the dog would not stop barking.  I could hear her baying in the background. "Come get your beast!" he cried over the phone. I chuckled, happy she was someone's problem for at least a small while.

Even as she got older and slowed down considerably, she was still gregarious and up for wanton adventures. The vet said she was an old hound dog that wanted to sleep and in her final years she slumbered through a lot of it, but she was ready for a walk anytime. The last couple of summers the heat took a toll on her, but with the cooler months she was more vivacious. She liked to be around people and once came to one of Janet's parties. We tied balloons to her collar and she happily weaved around the guests cleaning the floor. I was never able to tether her outside to quickly run into a store without her crying out frenetically like a child with abandonment issues. Nearly 17 years, and I can't believe she's gone.

RUN!

Last Sunday I ran my 9th marathon and the first in 9 years. I did not train for the 26.3 mile endurance run technically. I actually haven't been running with any sort of goal in mind for quite a number of years now, but when I discovered the Bucks County Marathon I had to enter the race.  No, it wasn't a high profile race like New York City, Philadelphia or Washington, D.C.'s Marine Corps Marathon that would coax me out of my eating frenzied retirement. It was a race that literally ran past my town. It started at Washington's Crossing State Park and ran along the canal on the Pennsylvania side up through New Hope and beyond before turning around. With only 500 entries available I cast aside my worries about my lack of training and signed up for it. The allure of running in an event so close to home and in such a beautiful area was too strong to allow a lack of training to get in the way.

23 miles in

Let me tell you sports fans out there in cyber world, running a marathon is not for the faint of heart. It's raw will power that keeps one going for the hours that it takes to cover 26 miles. Everything hurts by the end of the marathon, but completing it swells one's heart with pride at the accomplishment. Yes, will power played a prominent part of my race last week, especially since I had no real training. The longest training run I had completed was just 12 miles and I did that the Monday before race day. This race had the potential to be a disaster, but I ran smart taking "salt" shots before and during the race and power shots of some gel pack they handed out along the course as well as drinking water and gatorade at every opportunity. They all helped, but the smartest thing I did race day was my pacing. Slow and steady does not necessarily mean you win a marathon, but it does guarantee you finish. Running slowly I was able to avoid any serious cramping. Cramping is a concern for me and I've suffered from it in every one of my 8 previous marathons. Even when I was in fantastic shape I could not escape cramping. But, this race I was able to or lucky enough I guess to avoid cramping. My time was 5:25, much slower than my Personal Record of 3:40, but I was extremely happy with the finish. And, though this is a competition with oneself, it is still a race and when my pacing allowed me to chug along and pass around 10 other "walking dead" racers in the final 6 miles, it was as if I had won the race outright. 

where's the beer?

The lunacy that inspired me to run 26 + miles after effectively getting out of bed is strong and not the first time I had done something like this. I completed my first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, in 1985 despite a similar lack of training. I beat four hours in that one, but I was also in my 20's. I paid for that dearly and did not walk very well for a good two weeks afterwards. Here it is Friday, and I'm doing okay, although I'm not going to run for another few days

But then I'm going to get ready for my 10th marathon! 

worth the wait..er run

 But, not until I drink a couple of celebratory beers. 

My 9 races:
1) Marine Corps Marathon
2) Marine Corps Marathon
3) Marine Corps Marathon
4) Atlantic City Marathon
5) Honolulu Marathon 
6) Honolulu Marathon
7) Philadelphia Marathon
8) Jersey Shore Marathon
9) Bucks County Marathon

be safe!

NYC subway

Everyone I know who lives in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, as well as friends in Delaware and Pennsylvania have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. The mayhem unleashed by this storm is unprecedented and images of the destruction are frightening. Lives were lost, homes destroyed. New York City had tunnels flooded and hundreds of homes in Breezy Point, Queens burned. The entire coast of New Jersey was hit. boardwalks and piers were torn apart. A new inlet to Barnegat Bay was ripped through homes and lives at Mantoloking and Route 35 was severed.  If your're interested in seeing more pictures of the devastation go here:
 Hurricane Sandy aftermath

a new inlet

Comparatively Team VFH escaped the wrath of Hurricane Sandy relatively unscathed. Janet had no interruption of power and except for her school shutting down two days, life has remained normal. Though I did not suffer any damage in Lambertville I did lose electricity on Monday night and at this writing on Saturday evening, I am still in the dark. The entire city will be without power much longer than anticipated. We are all in this together though and the city government continually posts updates on their website and offer advice for things like where to find shelter and showers. The state also is offering online help at http://nj.gov/ . The NJ Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) provides essential information to seek help from FEMA and Hurricane Sandy Recovery efforts offered by the state.  My situation is better than most, but because I have a well I am unable to draw water without electricity. (I guess I should break down and purchase a generator?) Without these essentials I am living in a high priced cave. Thankfully Janet has allowed me to stay at her place. It could be worse for me and when I hear tale after tale of misfortune and loss and watch the news about the devastation, I have to consider myself lucky.

Because there are many others throughout the region who have suffered now is the time to offer support or lend a hand whenever feasible, sort of like reverse mooching. Even the smallest act of kindness would be appreciated. Vacations From Home's strength though is not hammering nails but finding free things to share and in this time of need these may be especially helpful. Hopefully this blog will help those in need and if you fair reader have also discovered a way to help others, please share it with your friends.

FREE STORAGE AT U-HAUL
The U-Haul company is offering 30 days free self-storage and U-Box pod moving and self-storage to Hurricane Sandy victims throughout the Northeast. If you have to store things after being evacuated this could help! Follow the link to find one of the regional centers to assist you. Be mindful though that some smaller locations are still out of commission after the storm.

SHOWER AT MySports
The MySportsClubs franchise is making a very generous offer to victims of the Hurricane. Located all along the east coast from Boston to Washington, D.C., MySportsClubs is offering full access to their facilities. You can work out or just take a much needed hot shower. Their only requirement is that you bring your own towel. Again, be mindful that some facilities have also suffered from the Hurricane and may not be open.

HELP FROM MyAssist
MyAssist is a leading live-agent personal assistance and concierge service for individuals and companies. Now this may sound frivolous, but victims of the Hurricane can call 855-899-7161 and MyAssist agents can help arrange emergency travel reservations/accomodations, coordinate emergency medical assistance, communicate with family, friends and emergency response groups and assist in helping with any emergency needs.

FREE WI-FI
Who can't live without the internet? Well Comcast for a time will allow anyone to access their Xfinity wi-fi hotspots in several states affected by the Hurricane. Normally there is a fee, but until November 7 find an "xfinitywifi" and click on the "not a subscriber" and select "complimentary trial session". Follow the link above to find wi-fi hotspot locations in your area. 

TREES
A neighbor in Lambertville had a tree crash into the top floor of their home. A colleague at work narrowly had his car crushed by a falling tree. I have had a large limb of the Tulip tree outside my house break off and take out a light and damage some of my siding. If you have lost a tree because of the Hurricane Fast-Growing-Tree.com will replace it for you. Click the link, provide a picture of your fallen tree and they will send a new one to you, offering their prayers for a safe and speedy recovery.

FEMA

This government organization has come a long way since the Hurricane Katrina fiasco. They have been a large presence in the tri-state area offering assistance. You should contact them for help. Last year after Hurricane Irene a representative came to the house and offered much needed support. I recommend contacting them.

We at VFH Central hope these tidbits help in some way. Share with your friends and neighbors and let us know if this helped in some way.
love
greg and Janet

"but can it core an apple...."

Team VFH went green this past weekend, or should I say red. Over the years Janet and I have enjoyed going out to pick apples. It is a tradition that has carried over from when my kids were younger.  We usually go to a silly sounding place in Port Murray, NJ... Tree-Licious. Set on a picturesque farm in western NJ for 7 generations, Tree-Licious not only grows apples, but plums, pears, apricots and cherries. You can visit their website to get a schedule of what is ripe. They are very friendly and encourage lingering over picnics on their land. 
TREE-LICIOUS

I have very fond memories of visiting Tree-Licious with the kids climbing the trees or scouring for the best apples while communicating with walkie-talkies. Sometimes one of the Golden Retrievers that lived at the orchard would traipse along with us as we plucked more apples than we could ever possibly eat. With hands sticky from the apples we would eat while we gathered, it usually took two of us to carry the baskets heavy with the fruit down to the rustic shanty that served as the main building to pay. The drive itself from Lambertville is nice too, along the Muscetong River, which is a prime destination for fly fishing, and past farms. 

I also have fond memories of introducing Janet to this idyllic way to spend an afternoon; she had never picked apples before and was thrilled with the day. As kids growing up in our respective cities picking apples was an unattainable dream, but moving out to the country I was able to make it a reality. I am very proud that I have introduced my children, honorary members of Team VFH, and Janet, to this simple joy.

The most charming aspect of Tree-Licious is it's unpretentious way. There often is no staff around. You grab a basket and start off without guidance. Sometimes when you are finished you have to wait for a rattling truck to drive up in order to pay for your harvest. Sometimes the guy who drives up has both straps of his overalls properly cinched. Though they are supposedly only open on the weekends we would often talk our way in during the week because at the time I often worked weekends. The conversation was always brief and amiable. One year when Janet and I went up there, far too late in the season, we were told the apples were finished but were allowed to stroll the grounds. The  charm of Tree-Licious Orchards is in it's haphazard serendipity.

But work this fall has been pressing and time is limited. Port Murray is a bit of a distance from Lambertville and for some reason this year we decided to telephone first before making the trek. Turned out their last official "picking" day was mid-September with an Apple Fall Festival held just the week prior. We were out of luck.  Team VFH is resolute though and found a solution. Janet did a quick search and found the Disneyland of Apple Orchards, Terhune in Princeton, NJ. It is much closer to Lambertville and on Sunday they were holding some fall festival that was very well attended. The parking lot brimmed with late model expensive cars and the slick production offered pumpkins and apples and flowers, wine tasting in a perfectly decorated open barn, and a very fine, appropriately rustic country store with a lot of Terhune Orchard labeled products for sale was crowded elbow to elbow. They even had two perfectly appropriate Yellow Labs bounding about the grounds having escaped their pen. And, all this hilarity was before you had to pay to get into the actual festival! Incredible. Beyond the white picket fence entrance guarded by teens wearing money aprons were kids galore being chased by their parents as they bounded from the animal petting pen to the face painting table, from the pumpkin patch to the tractor rides.

Apple trees can be surly 

We of course did not dare pay for this. It is always always always comforting to see Janet screw up her face and roll her eyes when confronted with opening her wallet...or mine...for needless expenditures. It makes a cheapskate proud. But, we weren't here for a festival after all, we were here for apples. Turns out the apple picking area of Terhune Orchards is down the road and around the corner. It's an incredible expanse of land in a densely populated area of central NJ, just down the road from both Princeton and Trenton. After driving a bit through a suburban neighborhood we arrived at the orchard area of Terhune. The girl at the booth gave us a map that listed several varieties of apples and circled which ones were ripe for the picking. She then handed us a paper bag and explained that one would hold 20 pounds. We then joined the legions of others taking in this lovely Sunday afternoon. The place was packed with people. Some walked in, others took the little tractor ride they offered, incredibly for free!  We made a point of not picking too many apples and limited ourselves to about ten pounds. Though the season at Tree-Licious was finished there were plenty of apples at Terhune on this final Sunday in September. The rows were neat, the varieties clearly marked. It was like shopping in a supermarket. After tasting and approving the apple varieties we plucked just a few for the bag. Don't worry the ratio of eating to plucking was better than 2 to 1...we're not that bad. I did not feel like making apple pies this year, but we did take some for cooking and later that evening made baked apples.

We ended up having a good time at Terhune Orchards and despite the crowded aisles never felt pressed. It was fairly close to Lambertville so that was nice. Still there was an assembly line feel to the whole process at Terhune and they could never match the pastoral Eden Tree-Licious offered. I got the impression from many of the people visiting Terhune that day that this little slice of nature, no matter it's cellophane packaging, was good enough.
TERHUNE ORCHARDS

I leave you now fair readers of a clip that has something to do with apples.... It is from the Honeymooners. ... The "Chef of the Future" skit. Another example of a "better life through television..."
 CHEF OF THE FUTURE

zombies R us

It's coming...you know it's coming... the apocalypse will be here before you know it, but will you be prepared? With zombies trolling the earth looking for brains will you survive or will you be bait?

The better you are prepared today, the easier tomorrow will be. With all this yammering about the end of days, Mayan calendar stuff, the apocalypse is hurtling towards us this December! Team VFH's attitude though is typical, we don't really believe it, but hedging, one can never be too sure. So, what better way to prepare than to take a Zombie Survival Course.  

uh oh

Offered at $179 a day or $450 for a more comprehensive weekend training camp at the Zombie Survival Course in South Jersey, one can gain the skills needed to survive when everyone else is no longer here. And, there are plenty of things to know! Weapons like guns and crossbows and clubs (affectionately known as melee weapons) are used. Survival training like finding shelter and food, first aid, as well learning how to hot wire a car are part of the festivities. They'll teach you how surviving the first 48 hours of the apocalypse is extremely important to your future.

Though this all sounds extreme, the good people at the ZSC base camp don't really think the world is ending in December either. Their website shows available courses starting in March 2013 and claims this is not physically demanding and appropriate for anyone at least 15 years old and ZSC will cater to private groups as well as bachelor and bachelotte parties or for a corporate team building exercise. (Not to quip here, but do you really want your CEO covering your ass when you run out of ammo?)

Fully insured and offering trained professionals, ZSC can be a way to learn something while having fun as you bond with your kids. The Zombie Survival Course is held somewhere in South Jersey. If you're interested in living while the rest of your neighborhood is devoured contact them!  zombie survival course

Of course, coming up is the other side of the hilarity. On October 6th in Asbury Park, NJ the 5th annual Zombie walk will be held. This is your chance to mingle with the undead. Participants get "made up" (they're not really dead) and shuffle along the boardwalk. Evidently it is the largest "walk" in the world and recognized by the people at Guinness as such. In 2010 over 4,000 walking corpses ambled by the sea in Asbury Park. For particulars on how to see this free event and join in the revelery visit their website: THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING

Hopefully ZSC doesn't decide to visit Asbury Park October 6th to take in some Indian Summer sunshine! 

Arrrrrrts and Leisure

There is a pressing matter being held tomorrow. It is the 10th annual INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY. September 19th is the world wide event where everyone can yammer away like they've escaped from a swashbuckler movie, threaten to keel haul your kids if they don't take out the garbage and utter the words 'avast' incessantly and still be considered normal. It's your day to dress up like a pirate. Go ahead get out that dead parrot and staple him to your shoulder. On September 19th it'll be the norm.

avast

As for the norm, in the Conch Republic of Key West, Florida there is also pub crawl attached to the revelry of the day. You may ask why is this different than any other day in Key West and that's a good question. The hilarity of this wayward city runs unabated 365 days and nights and mornings a year. Much rum will invariably get your "inner pirate" churned up. Tomorrow in Key West if you're wearing pirate apparel you are eligible for a "Pirate Drink and Shot Special" in several bars. A quick search on Facebook shows where the debauchery will churn along Duval. Check out other events worldwide at:  http://www.talklikeapirate.com/   Yes, tomorrow you can dress up like Keith Richards and ask everyone what is a pirate's favorite section of the Sunday New York Times....

Why... it's the "Arrrrrts and Leisure" section.

Need to practice? Watch some of these movies? PIRATE MOVIES   Or, just drink a lot of rum....

Make sure you sure you start the day off right with a ....hearrrrrty breakfast.

 

Beers of the world

The Yankees have won 27 Major League Baseball World Series Championships. Some of the most famous names in the game have played for the Bronx Bombers; Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Jeter, Clark. The long standing success of the team is either a source of pride for fans or abject jealousy by followers of other teams. Regardless of whether you are an avid fan or devout hater though it is impossible to dismiss the legacy of the New York Yankees. During our recent trip to Yankees stadium the full impact of the history of the Yankees was on display as we made the effort to visit Monument Park. This was something I had always wanted to do, but for whatever reason never got there. On display at this open air museum of Yankees history are plaques, monuments and retired numbers of Yankees. There are a lot of them. Monument Park is free, but it closes 45 minutes before first pitch and sometimes the lines get long. The first time we visited the new stadium we lingered too long at Stan's on River Street, the destination bar before the game and missed the time cut off. This day we made the effort to make it to this inner sanctum of the Yankees illustrious past.

Stan's on River Street

Monument Park began when Yankees manager Miller Huggins, who guided the infamous "Murderer's Row" which won 3 World Series and 6 AL pennants during the 20's, died suddenly in 1929 and in his honor the Yankees placed a bronze plaque with his image on a red granite slab that resembled a headstone. This was then put in the field of play next to the flagpole in deep center field, which was very very deep...approx 450 ft. Later, monuments to Lou Gehrig and Base Ruth were similarly placed and they remained in the field of play until 1974 when the original Yankees stadium was renovated and the center field fence was shortened.  Later DiMaggio and Mantle were similiarly honored by the organization after they died. The park finally became fan accessible in 1985, but I had never made it to this storied place in the original Yankees Stadium. When the new Yankees Stadium was erected a few years ago, Monument Park was recreated, and because of Janet's love of the game, the spirit was rekindled in me. We were disappointed we missed the opportunity the last time and resolved to make it to the museum. We got to the stadium early and were one of the first through the gates and hightailed it directly to Monument Park.

The entrance is narrow and tomb-like; you need to walk down stairs and make a couple of turns in the close confines before emerging into great expanse of the stadium. It is glorious, the sun-splashed center field is right there, with netting covering the Park to prevent an errant batting practice ball from clattering amongst the faithful. Monument Park is situated between the two bullpens and the all-time Yankees great closer, Mariano Rivera, asked when the new stadium was built to have a door from the bullpen that opened into the Park so he could walk through it to begin his day's chores.

Me and Lou

enjoying the view

Our seats for this game were near the upper edge of the stadium, so it was a thrill to be close to the field. I was just able to peak my head over the wall to see the players patrolling the grass. There are two rows of retired numbers, brilliant white baseballs marking each retireee, and along the recessed wall are plaques honoring notable Yankees as well as commemorative plaques marking Papal masses that have been held at Yankees Stadium. At the center are the original "headstone" plaques of Huggins, Gehrig and Ruth and the later additions of DiMaggio and Mantle.

some of the numbers retired
by the Yankees

They don't hurry you along at Monument Park and you are able to linger for a long time, but out of revered respect people shuffle through and pause when others take their photos. It is a unique experience. The long standing success of this team forces people to make a decision to either love the Yankees or root against them. Regardless of whether you are an avid fan or devout hater a visit to this Monument Park is a must.

it's just not the same

The history of baseball is rich and lengthy and nearly every team has similar displays honoring their past, but none really comes close to Monument Park. Team VFH has been to several parks this season, including PNC Park with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Camden Yards with the Baltimore Orioles and Citizen's Bank Park with the Philadelphia Phillies. In Pittsburgh and Baltimore we did not have an opportunity to seek out similar homages to the past, but in Philadelphia they have Asburn Alley, named after the Phillies Hall of Fame centerfielder and longtime broadcaster Richie Ashburn. This monument park opens 2 1/2 hours before first pitch and one can soak in the Phillies history. On display are several plaques of the "Centennial Team" comprised of past Phillies players. It is worth a visit to Asburn Alley alone, but they offer so much more than Memorial Park. New York doesn't even come close. Readers of this blog know that Philadelphia is a great beer town. There are a lot of independent craft brewers in the area and a lot of them can be purchased at the CBP in Philly. One can saunter through Asburn's Alley with a Yards or Dogfish or Victory and revel in the Phillies history and then taunt the opposing team's pitchers warming up in the open bullpen. At Yankees Stadium there are no drinks allowed while in Monument Park and when the thirst hits you have to go to the kiosk called "Beers of the World". It is a sorry affair and they offer nothing really of worth. There are suspect beers like Hoegaarden, Heineken and Stella Artois, but we went with the staple, Yuengling. It's just not the same.