My Mom, etc...

For those of you who didn't hear, my mom had brain surgery on Thursday. Successful brain surgery. After checking the follow-up MRI, the doctor said he was confident that he got the whole tumor out. Just hours after the operation, Mom was sitting up in her chair in ICU, eating a full dinner and cracking wise. On Friday, she was moved out of ICU to a regular room. Her condition changed hour by hour. At times, she was looking and sounding like her old self. At other times she leaned toward her left side, couldn't walk on her own, and suffered temporary paralysis on the left side of her face. All those symptoms have since gone away for the most part, so it appears that she is on the road to recovery. In fact, she got to go home yesterday. Blake is staying with her for a few days before he has to go back to Baltimore. If she still isn't back to 100% by then, she will come stay with us in our home until such time as she can manage safely on her own. Of course she is so stubborn that she is just sure that she can manage on her own right now and is growing increasingly tired of her sons "bossing her around." We told her this may be our only chance to torture her, so we better make the most of it while we can. It really is amazing that a person can have their skull sawed open, a chunk of their brain removed, and then be home watching NASCAR on TV two days later. (No, that is not a commentary on watching NASCAR.) Thanks to all of you who have sent along well-wishes, warm thoughts, and prayers. It means a lot to all of us.

In other news, it is fun to hear people's various reactions to the news that I am "retiring" from my job. Here is one email I got from a very dear friend from my childhood, Matt Ferguson:

"Travis,

I love you man.
I’ve had a couple of really shitty weeks and along comes bloggdaddy to cheer me up. Lately life has been, well a lot like what my Texas friends might say, “ like wipen’ yer ass with a hula hoop, …the shit just never ends.” Congrats on your successful run at the store. I wish you a wonderful retirement."

Another comment from my friend Jeff Arrigo: "Travis, You really do rock, dude. I mean it."

Yet another person commented, "I think you're making a mistake. You have the easiest job in the world. I'll trade you jobs for a day anytime."

Another comment left me quite amused. "So he's fine with letting his wife make all the money? I guess he doesn't care about being a man."

Well let me tell you: A real man is secure enough in his manhood to allow his wife to be the principle breadwinner.

A real man takes time off from work to look after his seriously ill mother.

A real man takes time off from work to spend quality time with his kid.

A real man realizes that because day-care for his child during summer vacation would cost $100 per week ($400-$500 per month) and fuel for driving to and from work would be another $250 per month, that over half his income would be spent on those two things, and because he and his wife have sacrificed for years to become debt-free, they no longer need two incomes to make ends meet.

A real man lives his own life without concern of what other people think. And that pretty much sums me up, don't you think.

Thanks again for all your love and support, everyone.

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

A few weeks ago I promised my blogging faithful a major announcement on April 5th. Well, I decided to throw you a bone a day early. On May 22, 2008 I will begin my second "retirement." Yes, I will be resigning my position as manager of Treats Unleashed in order to begin a new chapter in the Book of Blog Daddy.

"Sales at the store have never been better. What the hell are you thinking?" That is a valid question. In March, our store enjoyed its second highest sales month in its nine year history (including December holiday sales totals). In the two years that I have been manager, monthly sales have nearly doubled. Remarkable, to be sure, but I can hardly take all the credit. I am blessed to have the best sales staff in the store's history. One person in particular has blossomed into a star employee. Kim Gay, my assistant manager has been with the company for three and a half years. She is familiar with all facets of the business and has been an indispensable part of my success as manager. She is also graduating from Mizzou in May, and will therefore be available to work full time as the new manager of Treats Unleashed. She will pick up right where I leave off and the store will continue to grow under her leadership.

"So you trained your replacement. What other reasons do you have for quitting?" I'm glad you asked. First and foremost- family. I want to be readily available to be there for my mom, who continues to battle cancer. In fact, she is having surgery next week to remove the larger, more stubborn tumor in her brain. We are confident that it will improve her quality of life, although it is a little scary when one talks about "brain surgery". Regardless, I won't be constrained by obligations to work this summer if she needs me. Also, Alex and I will get to spend his entire summer vacation together. We have already filled up the calendar with fun activities for both of us to enjoy. On Mondays, we will go to Albert-Oakland Park in Columbia for a round of disc golf followed by a dip in the swimming pool. Each Tuesday we will head to the Columbia Public Library and then to a city park with a playground- visiting different parks each week. Wednesdays are reserved for fishin' trips. Thursdays are for visits to the driving range or golf course followed by a trip to the Ashland City Park. Fridays are a wild card day that could include fishing, camp outs, family movie nights, float trips, etc. Weekends will be reserved for family bike rides, little league games, deck parties, and fishin' trips. We are also planning three major road trips this summer. On Memorial Day weekend, we will all drive out to see Blake and Meredith in Baltimore. In June, we will go to Chicago for Bethany's triathlon. On Labor Day, we will trek to Omaha for the Keller Family Reunion. (We hope gas prices go down between now and summer but we won't hold our breath.) Of course I will document these many adventures right here on this blog, so be sure to check back every day this summer for updates.

Hitting the wall. I have worked at Treats Unleashed/Doggie Empawrium for over five years now. Yes, I took a year or so off to stay at home with Alex before he started school, but I did cover for the girls at work when they needed some extra help on occasion- so I never really left. Five years is a long time for a free spirit to be tied to one occupation. I'm ready to move on. I feel like I have taken the store to the next level and now is a good time to hand over the reins to Kim. She was born for this line of work. She has three Chihuahuas whom she spoils rotten. She relates well to the store's clientele. She is young, energetic, and eager to prove herself. The store will be in good hands with her at the helm. "What will you do next?" you may ask. I'm not sure, but I am thinking about being a substitute teacher in the Southern Boone school district. It would give me a flexible schedule, unlimited time off for family, and a complete change of pace from what I have done in the past. We'll see.

Fate. On February 22, our family went to town for some Chinese food. On the way home I remarked to Bethany that there were exactly three months till my last day of work. An interesting factoid but nothing more. After eating our dinner, we broke open the fortune cookies. Mine read, "Remember three months from this date. Good things are in store for you." (Take a minute to let that sink in.) By some amazing cosmic phenomenon, when I observed earlier that evening that the date was exactly three months until my last day of work, I was actually holding that unopened fortune cookie in my hand. Coincidence? You be the judge. I call it fate. And because the fortune emphasized good things, I decided that on May 22, I would not only begin my "retirement" but I would also buy a lottery ticket using the numbers on the back of the fortune. I don't see how I can lose.

So there you have it. The cat is out of the bag. Blog Daddy the poet/philosopher will be back where he belongs very soon- unemployed. Stay tuned.

102.4

102.4 is not a radio station- it is the temperature that my fever reached this afternoon. Not fun. After watching my fever get higher and higher over the past three days, Mr. Stubborn finally agreed to see a doctor. I suspected pneumonia after coughing up enough cookie dough to start an Otis Spunkmeyer franchise. The doctor tested me for the flu (have you ever had a crochet needle jammed up your nose?) but the results were negative. He then ordered a chest x-ray (results pending) and prescribed a couple of medications with the assumption than my self-diagnosis was correct. This afternoon, I took an antibiotic, two Advil, and a swig of Robitussin with Codeine. I slept for about an hour and a half and woke up feeling pretty good. I felt even better when I saw that Alex had made me a get well card while I slept. It reads, "Dear Daddy, I love you! I hope you feel better soon. You are my best buddy! Love, Alex."

What a kid.

Funny Bunny

Yes, that is yours truly in the Easter Bunny suit. Yes, those are chihuahuas sitting on my lap. No, they did not bite me. No, I did not bite them, although it appears in the photo that I was an angry bunny. This picture was taken at my store last year. Somehow, I got talked into donning the gay apparel again this year. But we bought a better costume- one that doesn't look as creepy. If you are in Columbia and own a pet, come to Treats Unleashed this Saturday from 11:00 to 2:00 for a photo with me. Half the proceeds will be donated to the Central Missouri Humane Society. And if you don't own a pet, come by anyway and ridicule me at will. I'm a big bunny- I can take it.

April 5, etc...

Travis Naughton, planner/blogger. Many Blog Daddy fans in my inner circle already have heard the news that I will announce to the rest of the world on April 5th. For those of you not in the know just yet- don't fret. I will make my news public when the time is right. Until then, stay tuned for more frequent forays into the tangents of my life's journey. That was a fancy sounding sentence wasn't it? Wow, I still impress/confuse myself.

Travis Naughton, retail god. Our store's sales in February were 64% higher than in February '07. Excluding Decembers (holiday shopping), it was the best sales month in our store's nine year history. Plus it was only a 29 day month and we had several days of miserable weather to boot. What recession? That manager kicks ass.

Travis Naughton, Irishman. In honor of my Irish heritage, I will live up to the negative stereotypes of my people on St. Patrick's Day. I plan on visiting Paddy Malone's Irish Pub in Jeff City owned by my friend from Hannibal, Alan Tatman. There I will drink several frothy, fermented beverages of Irish origin; sing a few ditties about potatoes, women, and fighting; and keep a tally of times I am slapped in the face by ladies who don't appreciate hearing "Lemme see your lucky charms!" I'm not Catholic, so I shouldn't worry about the Pope sending me to Hell for unruly behavior on such a holy day, should I? Besides, I'm the one who's Irish, not his Holiness. In fact, I'm so Irish I shit leprechauns. It's true. Ask anybody.

Travis Naughton, seaman. Boy, I hope I spelled that right. My dad is buying a newer fishing boat and is going to sell his old vessel to me. It is a 14 foot v-bottom aluminum boat with trailer. Currently it is dad-powered with oars, but will be upgraded to at least an electric trolling motor if not a small gas-powered motor soon. Other improvements will include a beverage cooler, a luxury cabin below decks, a big screen HDTV, a full galley, and a horn that plays "Anchors Aweigh" kinda like how the General Lee plays "Dixie" when the Duke boys fly over a ramp coincidentally located in the middle of a paved city street or at the end of a gravel road with a washed-out bridge ahead. Don't worry, I already have a life vest. Dad knew that I would need it because I swim like a rock. I chalk up my natural lack of buoyancy to my ultra-low body fat index as is evidenced by my washboard abs.

Travis Naughton, excavator/construction worker. Phase two of "Del Boca Vista", or as it is commonly called "The Party Porch" has begun. I broke ground on the goldfish pond during the fortuitous, albeit brief, warm weather snap we enjoyed last weekend. With nothing more than a wooden-handle spade I plan on excavating a 8' by 12' wide pond that will be four to five feet deep. It will be landscaped with stones from our land and a few native Missouri plants (weeds). It will feature a waterfall, underwater lights, and a few dozen goldfish and/or bait minnows set free after failed fishing excursions. Upon completion of the pond, I will shift my efforts toward re-roofing the shack so that torrential rains and heavy snows do not soak party-goers and furnishings currently protected under unsightly tarps. Well, party goers aren't currently under tarps. You know what I mean. At any rate, you'll have to plan on spending a few summer evenings under the stars overlooking the pond while enjoying some brews with your favorite blogger, manager, Irishman, sailor, and builder in Southern Boone County. (That's me just so you know.)

The photo? That's from an online St. Patty's Day scavenger hunt photo contest a buddy of mine hosted a while back. I won. Alex took the picture. It's okay to weep for the future.