Ace Wisdom

The next couple of months mark 10 years since the time we transitioned into our current home.
I happened to be driving past our previous home on Greenfield Street several days ago and I noticed it was for sale. Whoa! Our family had 17 years invested in that home and there are some warm memories. My thought was that “we can go back”. Here is our chance. We could repurchase the Greenfield home, sell our place and return to 2002.
The same feeling surfaced several years ago when Grasshopper No.1 called one day and said our old cottage was for sale. I admit I had some trepidation about selling the cottage in 1998 because there was so much family history. There were things like the smell of lake water in the breeze, speed boats, brat frys, birthdays and graduations. Finding out our “old” cottage was available, my thought was again “we can go back”.
In the case of the cottage, money pretty much squelched the fantasy. The sale price of the cottage was triple what we listed it for 6-7 years earlier. The cottage still isn’t sold today which confirms the price is ridiculous. In the case of the cottage we could go back but it would be a stupid financial decision. Now, I’m waiting for one of you 5 Grasshoppers to buy a summer home and invite your parents over.
The house on Greenfield is another matter. It is selling for around the same price as we asked 10 years ago. It is smaller than our current home. Taxes are less. Many of the same home decorations your mother added years ago are still there. Going back seems like a reasonable venture. But, all the neighbors are different. Our family is grown. Grasshopper No.4’s messy bedroom (a closed door always hid the problem) is now clean. Grasshopper No.5’s unique decorations and powerful computer are gone. Nope it wouldn’t be the same.
The reality is that you can never go back. Life is meant to be lived looking forward and realizing dreams. Live your life to the fullest. Cherish fond memories.
Love,
Dad

Different hats for different roles.
Late yesterday afternoon, your Mom and I attended Grandson Dominic’s freshman football game at opponent Green Bay Preble. I wore my family hat, that of a Grandparent. The hat can be a “visor”, a wool cap or a “hoody” based on the weather. Last night it was a visor because the weather was incredibly nice. There is no better sound than the stadium loudspeakers blaring out “tackle made by Dominic A.”. Yep that was my Grandson. Unfortuantely his team was trailing at the end of 3 quarters, 42-14.
Then there is my Green Packer fedora owner’s hat. My one share of stock entitles me into feeling a deep sense of responsiblity in providing direction to management. Last night’s loss to Seattle on a “hail Mary pass” at the end of the game was clearly an injustice of the rules of the game. The Packers won but the “temporary” officials ruled otherwise. I should encourage the Packers to protest but it might jeopardize Team profits. That would affect my own pocketbook. So for profit sake, I will set my classy fedora owners hat aside, keep my mouth shut and “wait till next week”.
My next hat is the outrageous triangular bright yellow “cheesehead hat”. It of course is my Green Bay Packer fan hat. It entitles me to be pi–ed off. The temporary referees are outrageously bad. The NFL governing body can’t allow the referee situation to taint the game. The Packers should protest. I may never watch another NFL game at least not until next Sunday. I think I’ll head down to the nearest sports bar for a few “brews” and vent my frustration to other fans (and the bartenders). Thats the answer. I’ll commiserate with misery.
My last hat is a soft brimmed sun hat. It is that of a rational human being who watched the Packers game and concluded “it is a game folks”. It is entertainment. I’ve got mortgages to meet, credit cards to pay, mouths to feed and I could care less about that football sh–. Get a grip folks.
I feel sorry for anybody running a business today because productivity will suck. All employees will be grousing about the stupid Packer loss.
I am sure the sun will come up tomorrow. Where is my “sun hat”?
Love,
Dad

I have avoided the $500 Apple iphone, lap top computers and and numerous Wi-Fi applications. I really do understand the power that computers give to human creative genius. I just think that sometimes using a computer to add 2 plus 2 is like “driving a tack with a sledgehammer”.
Yesterday we had a new furnace and air conditioner installed. The equipment looks like the old except it is smaller and more compact. The “system” comes with a wall mounted computer. I think the word is “thermostat”.
The wall mounted computer has Wi-Fi capability. Your Mom and I could be returning from a vacation in January in Mexico and on the way home, I just access my furnace computer with my hand held iphone (if I had one), set the temperatures to desired levels and by the time our personal jet lands, the house is warm and comfy.
Oh yeah, “bright lights”. My new programmable thermostat lights up in a bright blue color with huge display numbers like “70” for the current temperature. I got up this morning and it was dark as usual. Dark until I opened the bedroom door. Our house was lit up like a christmas tree. That new thermostat will eliminate the need for a decorations at Christmas time.
Today’s task is to read the instruction manual. It is a touch screen and there must be a way to darken it (like your computer goes into a sleep mode when not used). I hope there is a way.
Enjoy the first weekend of Fall!
Love,
Dad

Tomorrow marks the birthday of Grasshopper No.1. It is hard to believe that she has 13 years until she qualifies for Medicare. Whoa! What does that say about my age. Obviously No.1 was spoiled rotten because she was the “first”. Happy Birthday No.1.
Your Mom and I attended the UW-Badger game Saturday against Utah State. It was a night game and the weather was absolutely beautiful. UW was rated No.6 in the nation by Sports Illustrated at the start of the season. The Badgers lost to Oregon State two weeks ago and Saturday night came down to a missed field goal by Utah State or the Badgers would have lost their second game to a non-rated school. Great Expectations for the season have turned to sh–. It is now trying to survive week to week.
My personal Chiropractor gave me my second major adjustment for my recent leg problems (piriformus muscle screwing up my sciatic nerve). A personal thanks to the “Karing K” who tolerates my stubborn-ness. It has only been two days and I can feel the difference. I have great expectations.
Grandson Grant lost the ferret he had aquired while visiting relatives in Iowa. As Grasshopper No.1 knows, ferrets are cute but they are also mischievious (with sharp teeth). Actually Grant had added a nickname of “Nippy” to the cute rascal. Nippy found a loose drain plug and somehow got caught in underground tile. I remember Grasshopper No.1 had a ferret that claimed a space under kitchen cabinets. The entrance hole was so small that you’d think it would be impossible to pass through. I think there is a “Nippy 2” in the future. Grant has accepted the loss and he now moves on to great expectations.
Anyone wanting to drink the same “Kool-Aid” that I do, let me know. The world then becomes pretty colors and rainbows.
Love,
Dad

Yesterday was “Packer” Thursday. Only 4 days after getting blown away by San Francisco, the mean spirited, fire breathing Chicago Bears were coming to Lambeau. It had all the ingredients for killing the Packer chances for a playoff birth and potential a Super Bowl.
What a difference a day makes! For those of you that like to see Clay Matthews flex his muscles after sacking the quarterback, you got your “fix”. I think Matthews had 4 sacks. Some defensive linemen don’t get that many sacks in a season. In the end, the Bears still suck. The Packer defense showed the form it had 2 years ago and the offense was adequate. In short, the rumors of the Packers demise was greatly exaggerated.
Packerland went to work this morning smiling. The talk around the water cooler will be uplifting and no work will get done. There go the profits.
A neighbor on our street “checked out” early this week. Go figure. He was 41 years old, special wife, two great kids and from an appearance standpoint, “financially comfortable”. The had a Range Rover SUV and a Lexus SUV in the driveway. I can’t help but have sympathy for the wife and kids. Their life will forever be changed. The stigma of “checking out voluntarily” reaches all corners of the family and friends. Sad!
This will be the last official weekend of Summer. Hug those around you.
Love,
Dad

One of my friends (yeah, even I have a few friends) went Walleye fishing in Canada last week. His group caught 60-70 Walleyes each day. Almost all the fish have to be released because you are allowed to bring only 4 fish back into the United States. The friend brought me back a loonie (actually 1/10th of a loonie). I don’t know why he thought of me with the loonie. Actually a loonie is a canadian dollar and 1/10th is equivalent to a dime. I guess you might say he gave a loonie to the looney.
Speaking of looney. Last weekend, Grandson Dominic’s freshman team lost by a touchdown, Sheboygan North got “schmucked”, the Wisconsin Badgers went to Oregon State and stunk up the place and the Green Bay Packers got “stuffed” at Lambeau. It would be totally lost weekend except that Grasshopper No.4 fielded his youth football team (6-8th graders) on Saturday for the first time this season. Grandson Tommy happens to play center on the team. The game was close but Tommy’s team scored with less than 50 seconds left in the game to take a 6 point lead. Then with the other team desperatedly trying to score, “Henry”, the team’s star defensive player sacked the opponents quarterback to seal the victory. Somehow all the other teams losses didn’t matter.
Today is the 11th anniversary of 9/11 destruction of the twin World Trade buildings in New York. I remember hearing the news early in the morning after my daily exercise workout. It did change history. Do you know where you were when you heard the news?
I see the UW-Badgers who lost Saturday averaged only 2.1 yards rushing per carry and fired their line coach. Let that be a lesson to everyone. If you don’t do your job (and lose one game), you get “canned”. In my humble opinion, the Badgers got bigger problems than an inept offensive line. It could be a long season.
This is my favorite time of the year. Cool crisp mornings, changing colors, and nice days. Enjoy!
Love,
Dad

I have seen lots of people walking their dogs during recent months. I have noticed that all these people have little white objects in their hands. They are white plastic bags. Some are filled with sh–, some are still empty. It gives a whole new meaning to true love. Dogs owners are willing to endure a “little sh–” for companionship. Yes, I still love cute little puppies.
When I was with the cookie company in Ripon, my office faced east and I could see a warehouse building with “Speed Queen” on it. Speed Queen for years employed hundreds (maybe a thousand) people at the peak of it’s business producing “washers and dryers”. The equipment was used in both residential and commercial establilshments. When the market got ugly in the late 1990’s, Speed Queen was losing money. There were layoffs and the parent company, Raytheon put the washer/dryer business up for sale.
The management of Speed Queen still believed in the business but it needed to be aggressive in the marketplace including buying of competitive lines and offering wider selections. Management had the skills and the entrepreneurial spirit. It needed money. It found Bain Capital in 1998. Bain invested $358 million and provided the impetus for launching forward believing in the management staff. The results are impressive. Today the company is known as Alliance Laundry Systems. It has over $500 million in annual sales and employs over 1600 people worldwide.
Who was the Chairman and CEO of Bain Capital? Yep, Mitt Romney. Romney made some money (shame on him), management made some money for taking major risk, employees benefited with more and better jobs and the property tax rates dropped in Ripon because the population of the city grew. So you might conclude that private equity investment can be “a good thing”?
Young people need to believe anything is possible and dreams can come true. It was across the street from my office.
Love,
Dad