Cala is 10 yrs. old.

country western b-day

     I will never be comfortable with watching this girl grow.  In my eyes, she is leading the parade in “Things That Make Me Feel Old”.  Her birth was the punch in the face I needed to graduate to a better person (most people think I need a few more).  Most males will hang on to the selfishness of adolescence for as long as possible…..crazy weekends, blasphemous indulgences and impulsive behaviors scattererd throughout the calendar.  Cala signifies that event that changed this guy forever.  Watching her grow into a young lady and having  to share her with the world is part of our natural progression…….booooo! 

we're the kids - we're the kids of America!

a mini laptop while I bounce away on my word processor

the weather played nice

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

     Double digits….the big one zero…..one decade…..10 years old.  So cliché, but where does the time go.  Time does not stand still for anybody, and my girls constantly remind me of this.  Dora, pacifiers and Junie B. Jones are “so yesterday” and have made way for the Jo Bros, Twilight and Club Penguin.  Her maturity is incredible, a la, getting lost in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  She calmly back-tracked to find us…..and when asked, “What if we weren’t here?”…..in stride she says, “find an employee and use her cell phone to call you.”  After that, she lit up a butt and drove us all home (ha ha).   

     For her party we rocked the pool for one more year.  The weather cooperated and we had some fun.  Always feels good to revel in your own children’s fun.  

 

 

 

 

 

Card Tournament ~ Thank You ~ 3rd annual

The field went from 65 to a final table of 9.  The first card dropped around 6.00pm and the final hand ended around midnight.  All 9 who made the final table were paid out…….. 

1st……George.  One of the brothers who owned Buffalo Bill’s back in the day.  Also, shows a striking resemblance to UFC former middleweight champion, Matt “the terror” Serra. ($1,300.00)

2nd / 3rd…..Che Harris-Kevin Doggett.  Che is a friend who was instrumental in planning this event & Kevin is a friend who lives in the neighborhood.  They “chopped/split” the winnings for second and third.  ($500.00 each)

4th…..Bill Durrati.  The reigning champ was once again a lightning rod for controversy.  Bill’s trash talking and brash humor made him an easy boy to dislike.  Like him or not he is a good card player who embraces the competition.

5th-9th…..were the bravest of all, therefore, they don’t mind that I have forgotten who they were.

I would like to thank the AOH for hosting once again.  All the dealers (Morin), Che, Jon, Matt thanks for solidifying cards, chips, $, projector for the final four and all other loose ends.  Everyone who helped with food:  Gordie, Amy G, Amy, Shellie, Mom, Auntie….etc. thank you.

I always make an effort not to call out specific names when issuing thanks, but I was feeling daring and bucked the trend…..I know I forgot someone to thank, please do not take my stupidity personal!

Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

3rd annnual Card Tourney…..hold ‘em style

    

     Once again the North Shore’s gambling underground will surface and exercise the very demon we all share.  A competitive game of Texas Hold ‘em.  With a kindred spirit and eyes wide each of us should be showered with cocktails, smokes and laughs.  Debauchery???  Not quite, but definitely a good time.  The AOH (once again) has been gracious enough to host the event (thank you).

 

$$$ bar…light food…television to watch the NCAA final four

WHEN:     Saturday, April 4th…..5:00-5:30 pm

WHERE:    Peabody A.O.H. 58 Lowell Street

$100 entry fee, re-buys within first hour
Approximately top 10 finishers win cash prizes

*New this year…..BOUNTIES!!!!
Certain individual players will have a $25, $50 and $100 bounty attached to them.
Anyone who knocks them out receives that cash.

If you are not a poker player, donations are still welcome. Checks can be made out and mailed to:
Shairs Family Supplemental Needs Trust
5 Ravenna Ave., Salem, MA 01970

Thanks for your continued support.

Valentines Day ‘09

     (as heard thru the boardroom at Hallmark Inc., 01/27/1921)”…..hey, I have an idea, let’s find a dead area on the calendar and create some type of “holiday” to boost our sales.  A day where  people show their love by showering others with gifts”.

     I had a good move this year….. 2 days before VD I sent flowers to my wife at work.  No need being that poor squirt buying flowers off the the guy who set-up shop at some over populated corner.  This day just stares at every guy as it slo-o-o-w-w-wly approaches.  Let it be known my wife is not materialistic and she is as cool as they come when dealing with these “holidays”.  But as a guy, in a relationship, you can feel the heat that society is throwing around.  Maybe it’s the catholic hiding inside of me that rationalizes this conclusion, but if you “do nothing” for your other half on VD beware of some type of punitive retribution.  Now I am not as sour as this portrays.  I actually enjoy watching human behavior as we chase our tails during this lusty time of year………. sort of like deer-hunting during their “rut” season, our behavior is predictable.  Now if we can spread that valentine mood across the calendar we just might get ourselves off of the Feb. 14th hot seat.

     On VD night my wife, 2 daughters and I went out to eat at Mi Vita Mia.  A new spot for us that we found via some regulars at Amy’s work.  At the restaurant we met Jon, Emily, Joan and Joel.  Two thumbs up for the company and the restaurant.  I had no worries about the people, but was definitely suspect of the place.  It was an over crowded hole in the wall that puts out killer Italian food.  I loved it.  With a couple breaks going our way we sat quick and evaded the chaos in the waiting area.  After eating I proposed the ol’ dine and dash / chew & screw…..nothing odd about our group who would notice a thing?  So as I start to burn rubber out of the waiting area I get side-checked out of my wheelchair and onto the…..ha ha ha.  We paid the bill, said our good-byes and fled home with Cupid not far behind.

Christmas 2008

     As usual this holiday came with all the hype…..santa, children, presents, cookies, candy, PRESENTS!  Presley, my youngest, could not decorate the house fast enough.  Even before Thanksgiving, “When are we going to decorate the house?  Can we get the tree today?”…… never fail at least once a day.  Knowing “the goods” were in the attic Presley would always approach my wife and not me (not getting up there with these legs)…..she was relentless.  On the other end of the “child spectrum” I have Cala, my oldest, approach me with “…..I know santa is not real…..”  9 years old and she thinks her parents are rich enough to buy all the gifts.  Ho ho ho…..she had me thinking santa is not real.  After some conversation we were both relieved knowing “santa” is real and without him Christmas would not be the same.

     Christmas eve…..as Amy and I were ending the night, racing to bed so the big fella, santa himself,  can come I start throwing up.  And, no, not booze induced.  Feeling like a hot-bed of bacteria I tried to roll thru our holiday agenda…ho ho ho, jolly, merry blahhhh!  Whatever I had was a “game changer”.  The big daddy of all holidays and I got this.  In typical fashion Eric finds an ailment to coincide with an important event………last episode meant hospital lock-down for my daughters b-day.  Luckily I made it thru MLK  HOLIDAY with no incident, thanks Barack.

Black Jacket ‘08….many thanks!

Group of 45.....tee time 9:00 am.....lakeview 11/22/08.

     BJ ‘08 is in the books and nothing but a memory.  We fielded 45 strong and stunned random strangers with our spirit and grit.  After registration and a pre-game breakfast (thanks to Eat Your Heart Out catering, aka Sean Dailey) at the Elks all participants loaded the bus and we headed for Lakeview golf course.  Braving the elements (14 degrees) we were just starting to get loose.  Here I was able to hang with “Boomp” my grandfather for a little while.  Not many times when hanging with your gramps feels like hanging with the boys, so I cherished this one.

     After golf we landed at the estate of John Archer, 10 North St. in Danvers.  Here we conducted more fierce/Benny Hill type competitions (potato sack race, football toss, horse-shoes, keg toss).  As if these events weren’t entertaining enough…..factor in tie-breakers such as chug-run-slam and the laughs were plenty.  We were also able to get in a round of inverted keg stands……this wheelchair was lucky enough to have been raised high for this one.  Just like a good ol’ fart, these never get old.  Once again, thanks to Eat Your Heart Out catering, we were fed once again.  Due to the freezing cold….this meal was a savior.  Cajun corn chowder on a 14 degree day…..priceless.  Many of us agreed that without the hot grub the weather would have been to much (thanks Sean).

     Upon returning to the Elks we filtered thru the remaining gladiators in order to seat the “elite 8″ for the final deciding event…..texas hold ‘em.  While this finale unfolded friends and family were able to enjoy in the arts & crafts, face painting, music and food.  Food donated by Super Sub, Little Italy and once again Eat Your Heart Out catering.  In the end, the last 2 men standing were Jay Garry and John Morrison.  By catching a third 2 on the river Morrison trumped JJ’s pair of Kings+6’s. 

On November 10th our friend Tony Guarino died.  At the age of 34 he left behind Beth and their 2 children.  Half of all proceeds from this benefit were donated to a trust fund that benefits Tony’s family.

Thanks to all for a successful day.

Black Jacket ‘08

 

johnny heck sliding into home…bj ‘07 

Details for BJ 2008

 

LOCATION:     Beverly Elks (39 Bow St.)

DATE:     November 22nd (Saturday)

Entry fee:     $100 (will get you alcohol from beginning ’til we are dropped at The Elks -breakfast, lunch, dinner & a bus ride with 50+ of your old, fat sweaty friends)

Method of Payment:     cash  or check (payable to “Shairs Family Supplemental Needs Trust”).  Pay that morning or before.  Mailing address: Eric Shairs – 5 Ravenna Ave. – Salem, MA 01970.

8:00 am Registration @ Beverly Elks…..breakfast is served.

8:30 am Load bus and head to Lakeview…..closest to pin 120 yds.

Load bus and head to 10 North St. in Danvers (John Archer’s estate).  We plan to have lunch at this spot.  In no order here are the events:

“horse-shoes”…..football toss…..potato sack race…..keg toss

The tie-breaker for the top ”8″ contestants will be held at The Elks…..darts TBD  

 After all the fun and games during the day, the debauchery will continue into the evening at the Elks (2nd floor). 

Anticipated arrival time at The Elks will be 3:30 pm.  Upon arrival expect to find food donated by local gems Super Sub & Little Italy.  And a ton of thanks to Eat Your Heart Out catering who donated their services thru the entire day.   There will be Family Fun activities (bouncie house, arts and crafts) and children are welcome. 

……….there will be a silent auction & 50/50 raffle at The Elks……….

Problems we face are the following:  Parking and spreading the word  Parking is available 200 yards up the road in the lot next to St. Mary’s school and behind China Buffet/The Dollar Store on Cabot Street. 

For those of us in wheelchairs, please know that the event is on the 2nd floor and there is no handicap access.  There will be plenty of strong hands to carry anyone that is interested.  I know this poses a problem and I am sorry.  Please post any concerns here…..I hope this does not act as a deterrent.

Thank you for your continued support.

Hey you…in the hospital now!

     On 10/09, Thursday I was back in the doghouse (aka Salem Hospital).  For a few days I had been fighting a fever, the chills and stomach cramps…on Thursday morning I threw in the towel and checked myself in.  We went for all the bells and whistles: ambulance, fire truck…the neighbors love me.  16 months prior to this I had been hospitalized for an infection, and here I was back in the saddle again with another infection.  After fluids and antibiotics my ailments began their retreat.  And after 6 nights and 7 days I was cut loose. 

     This infection was brought on by a pilonidol cyst and was further complicated by my paralysis.  The timing of my hospital stay was terrible.  On 10/11 my wife added one more candle on her birthday cake…and just as depressing…my youngest daughter celebrated her 5th birthday on 10/12.  52 weeks in a year and I fell apart for this one.  I must say frustration peaked that weekend on that 65 degree Sunday.  While I lay in the hospital…approx. 1 mile away…I had to miss 2 of my girls’ birthdays.  Compound this with the frustration of spending Columbus day weekend in a hospital (unless you are on death’s door nothing gets done over the weekend in a hospital).  As a patient you hear staff talk about weekend plans and who complains about ”having to come in to work over the weekend.”  You actually feel the mass exodus of staff and you envision them as jubilant as ever as if it is their last day of school.  Thanks to my wife’s calming demeanor & ingenuity I was able to feel included in some of the fun despite all the cr@p along the way!

“Wicked 1/2 Marathon”

     On Saturday the 27th I rolled in the 2nd annual “Tache Realty Wicked 1/2 Marathon”.  The race started at the Bentley school/Salem Willows–up & around Marblehead neck–back to the start.  I finished the race in 2hr 15min 15sec = 10.32 min/mile.  During the race I did need help on 6 occasions…..beginning of  Lafayette, into Marblehead, the neck, return (Andrea, Scott, Dickson,  Anth, Tom, Jon, Marmen….thanks for the helping hands)!

     Being a virgin of any organized race over 5k I was not sure what to expect.  I enjoyed the entire process (well sorta).  Before the race…..training, anxiety, anticipation, the fear of failure (aaahhh the joy of competition).  The race…..adrenaline, intensity, confidence, pain.  After the race…..satisfaction, accomplishment, pride.  Which leads to now and what next???  I hope my itch stays and I continue this type of physical competition.

3 years & still BROKEN

     This post is long overdue.  I saw my 3 year (sci) anniversary coming from a mile away……quite the contrary from last year.  I’m feeling the long haul has settled in.  Aggravation has found me to many times.  When trying to make sense of it all and try answering, “why this sullen feeling at 3 years?”  Meds have been consistent, my list of enemies has not grown (?), I  continue to make positive gains….what gives??  The ”normalcy” of life continues to elude me.  Life’s memories continue to accumulate and my participation has to include this fu@king wheelchair.  Not happy about it and this seems to create a ripple effect.  It’s the support from family and outsiders that keep this train rolling.  While we all wish there will be no 4 year “celebration” – if it comes – my vibe needs to improve……by focusing on the good & drinking on the bad this will get done…..whoa, whoa, whoa I meant processing the bad, learn how to accept/deal with all these potholes along my road of life.  Just keep rolling….. …. … .. .

FYI – Saturday, Sept. 27th (7.00 am) I will be rolling “The Wicked 1/2 Marathon” in Salem, MA………..YOU IN?