Thanksgiving 2023!

It is that time of year for me to say Thanks! to everyone who made 2023 special. It was a year in which I got to travel but also a year of losing people close to me. Thankful to visit New Zealand at Christmas where my Christmas Eve pizza was served by servers dressed as Santa's elves at Saint Alice. Rollover that image to see my Christmas dinner server who was from Nepal. Right, at an Auckland Tuatara baseball game, I posed with Taiwan's mascot and the Tuatara mascot, the Teal Monster. Rollover that image to see me with distant cousin, Garry Pearsall who I was finally able to meet this November. Below, are three people who passed away since last Thanksgiving. Last year's holiday dinner with my cousin Joanie was the last time I saw her. My former college boss and good friend, Tom Parks, seen here giving me an award back in 2003, passed away and every Cleveland Indians fan's friend, superfan drummer John Adams passed away.

Above, rollover images to see a worksheet from a Lake County Captains game I was working and almost got hit by a baseball. This was my last year working for Baseball Info Solutions. Rollover above and see the Roaming Hooters T Shirt on the road at Brandon Hooters signed by fabulous server, Amaliese. Rollover above right and see Mangare Mountain, an active volcano 70,000 years ago that I visited outside Auckland, New Zealand. To the left, I am a Baseball Historian when I appeared in a documentary film about the Cleveland Buckeyes. Rollover that image as I'm thankful for another fun year of Cleveland State basketball. Below left, thankful to get out on the town to see a concert at the House of Blues. Rollover that image and see a fight that broke out at a Cleveland Guardians game and thankful I was able to attend those games. Below center, so very thankful to play basketball on my 71st birthday. Rollover that image to see great guys I get to play ball with, BL (left) and Will. Below right, especially thankful to spend time with my Niece Nancy, her husband Mark and my really cool great nephew, Jacob. Rollover that image, thankful to have seen the Auckland Harbor Bridge lit up for Christmas.

      Thankful above to see all my college   
buddies at a holiday meetup last year
before Christmas. Rollover that image
and see my rec buddy Gerald and his
wife who sat with me when I was 
working a Lake County Captains game.
       Above left, thankful for another
friend, Jim, who sat with me a couple 
times when I worked in Lake County.
       Rollover that image and I am always
thankful for St. Patrick's Day here and  
to see Slider participating in the parade.
     Left, thankful to visit the poignant
sculpture honoring New Zealand sailors
who fought with the allies in World War I.
Rollover that image and see another good
friend, client and basketball buddy, Dan.
    Below, thankful to visit my 123rd
stadium where I have seen professional
baseball. This was the Auckland Tuatara
in the Australian Baseball League at
North Harbour Stadium. Batting is
career minor league player, Quincy
Latimore of the Adelaide Giants.  
       Also thankful for my work with 
Court Appearance Professionals where
I get to travel to courts around northern
Ohio in places like Fremont and see
historical sites including Old Betsy, a 
cannon used to defend Fort Stephenson
in 1813 when attacked by British
soldiers and Indian forces.

Above, thankful to have flown into the Wellington, New Zealand airport and to be greeted by an eagle flying over Christmas trees. Rollover that image and see another good friend, Jimmy, who also visited me while I worked my baseball job. Above right, reconnected with a really awesome former student, Taylor, who is a great photo- grapher. Below that picture is Sky Tower in Auckland. I was thankful to see it lit up for the holidays and to get to the top of it and be sure elves got letters to Santa Claus. Below, thankful to get to Wellington Harbour in New Zealand and see this colorful mural by school children of the harbour. Rollover that image and I'm thankful to meet other Hooters fans like Ken who is visiting all the Hooters in North America. Finally, at the bottom, thankful to be able to visit such historic sites as the first McDonalds location in the U.S. along Route 66 in San Bernardino. Rollover that image to see one last look at Auckland from across Auckland Harbour and one of their colorful ferries.