Tales of Josh

Last week I made some references about Josh the Wonderdog. Well I thought it was time to pass along some particular nuances about this over-zealous family member. As you might realize from the photo, Josh is not a small dog. We think he's a mix between a Chow and Retriever. At ten years old, he's starting to show some age, he sleeps a lot and moves pretty slow as he gets up on all-fours because of arthritis. Josh might be just playing us on this aging thing, because if the neighborhood black cat shows up outside the fence he turns into a six month old guard dog who can't get to the fence fast enough.

Josh's size factor brings up the next personality trait. Now this dog puts fear into the heart of the guy who cuts my grass. If somebody comes to the door, and Vicki answers it, Josh will force himself between Vicki and whoever is standing outside the door. Howwwwever....if a thunderstorm comes up, he mutates from Wonderdog into a whimpering mass of K-9 jelly. If I'm watching TV during a thunderstorm, he would prefer I'm sitting in a love seat, so he can occupy the second position. If I'm at my desk, during a storm, he insists on proving there's enough room under the desk for my two legs, the surge protector, and him. If we're trying to sleep during an overnight storm, it's like having a newborn in the house. I find myself babbling"Yes Josh, it's only a storm."

Sleeping at night, has a few other Josh factors. He's not allowed on the furniture or the bed, but he is in the room, sleeping on the floor. Awareness on the way to the bathroom is important. And then there is his K-9 hearing, he hasn't lost it. I have to be aware of what dangles over the edge of the bed at night. If he hears something, he wants to immediately check it out. It's that fear of the cold nose on my hand or foot that has made me a light sleeper over the years.

This brings us to Saturday morning. The window in our bedroom is near floor level. We're trying to sleep in. Josh upon hearing a noise outside has pushed aside the curtain to have a look. By this time, our paranoia has kicked in and we think he's barking out to the neighbors: "See, see what my humans are doing on a Saturday morning. See what there doing...they're...sleeping in, while all of you are awake." Like I said, it's like having a child in the house again.

But, like any family member, we'll continue to love him.

Finally, my son deserves partial credit for the title of this posting. Vicki decided to start her own blog. Ted came up with the title: "Tails from Josh's Mom". She'll be writing about family and grandchildren. I look forward to it. It can be found at: vlbacho.blogspot.com.

See You Next Time

Ted Bacho Photo Archive: Blizzard of '78

On January 26, 1978 the Toledo area got hammered by 13 inches of snow with 50 mph winds. The storm left drifts up to 16 feet in some areas, with 30,000 Edison customers losing power.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Why Toledo

"You live in Charlotte, ya gotta love that, right?" "Eh, it's ok," I reply.

I wish I had a freelance job for every time I've had that exchange. Yes it's true that my bride of forty years, Josh the Wonderdog, the house we live in, and three of the grandchildren take me back there as often as possible.

Charlotte has a beautiful modern skyline, a couple of major sports teams, and soon the NASCAR Hall of Fame, all very attractive, and all very expensive. Therein lies my first gripe, it's hard to enjoy any of their offerings, without emptying out my wallet. The periodic spending desires for such entertainment wouldn't be bad if you were able to mix in some free attractions; in Charlotte there aren't many. There is no riverfront, no lakefront beaches, no metropark system, no zoo, and a very mediocre museum. There are two large man-made lakes in the area, unfortunately they are surrounded by overpriced homes, occupied by inflated egos. To be fair, Smoky Mountain National Park is two hours away, and Atlantic beaches are four hours away. These are nice for a day or weekend jaunt, but not the after dinner, after the fight with the wife, place to go to relax.

The second gripe is traffic. Getting from point A to B is the other reason for that relaxation need. The interstates are too few, and many of the main thoroughfares don't recognize the value of the left turn lane. The northern cities have many problems, but Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit and others know how to move traffic.

The final issue is more personal. I've never found it easy to make friends in Charlotte. I'm somewhat to blame because I'm very reticent about my life and my work. For me, it's easier to maintain old friendships, than to develop new ones. This is not a favorable formula for expanding one's business or social connections in an unknown city.

I'll probably retire in the Carolinas because the daffodils are out of the ground in February, and the fall leaves last through November. I'll enjoy sharing the house with Vicki and Josh the Wonderdog, but Toledo will always be home.

See You Next Time

Why Toledo slideshow

Punched in the Eye of the Beholder

Sustaining one's place in today's competitive and technological environment is not for the faint of heart. Just about the time you start to feel good about your place in life, someone or something (new technology) comes along suggesting you nothing but a cave-dweller. As I streak (wearing clothes this time) into my senior years, I'm fully aware of all the twenty and thirty somethings I'm competing with. Age is never an issue with me. Keeping these new hips working is my main concern. The only thing that really makes me angry is why I can't get a senior discount, with my AARP card, on that new hd camera I want to buy.

As I view the photos on this blog, I realize they are not award-winning images. However, they do make me feel good about myself and my life. While I may be a cave-dweller, I'll continue to produce art for the walls.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME

The Value of Age: Cars of Greenfield Village

The Fam Does Baptism

OMG another entry into the world of blogdom! That's like saying we need another Paris (or Perez) Hilton. That's like saying we need another politician who lost the instructions for the proper use of the zipper on his fly. That's like saying...well you get the idea.

Yes it's true, another night Ted can't sleep, and he's run out of hips to write about. Sorry, for anyone not on the email hip list (that's sounds kinda weird to say), I had both hips replaced within the last eighteen months and I sent out weekly rehab updates via email. The mental exercise kept the brain functioning properly, and the kind response shortened the rehab time.

This is going to be a free flowing, hopefully weekly blog, with a variance of subject matter. I'll try not to embarrass my family or the real writers out their (sorry..."there"). It's called "BachoCam" but I promise to stay far away from the boring subject of cameras, unless of course, it relates to a piece of human stupidity that makes you smile.

This week's subject: "family gatherings."

The Bacho Clan got together for a baptism of the latest member, Maddie Addler. Who I must say, is one of the cuter...sorry, I broke out in grandparent there.

Anyway, we got together to bless this little wonder who had heart surgery about twelve weeks into her young life. It's amazing how the Lord has the ability to stop you in your tracks, smack you around a little to remind you what's important in life, not that new vacation home you just purchased. Her life is beating perfectly now, thank you. So we all came together. The six grandchildren ran around bumping into each other like the balls on a pool table, and the adults ran around trying to control this box of puppies. I filled up the closets fast with kids (JUST KIDDING, child welfare... sheesh), while the adults consumed more beer. At the end of this little bash, Vicki and I were happy the refrigerator was big enough, there was no drywall to replace, and realized you can't place a price on a child's smile.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

Ted Bacho Photo Archive:

On May 7th, 1975 fire destroyed the Tiedtke Department Store at Summit and Adams streets in downtown Toledo. I lived four blocks from the river in East Toledo.