Swing On Sweet Girl....

OK.....so it's been 6 months since I've visited the blah blah blahg world. So shoot me. I guess I just haven't had much to say....again...shoot me...cancel your subscription.

Nothing earth shattering led me back. Just a nice Sarah-Daddy Day.....nice weather,
picnic in the park, ice cream on the way home...all followed by a great nap. (Is this a great country or what?)

We went to Jetton Park on Lake Norman....beautiful day to walk around a nature trail in a great park. We do this a lot on Saturdays but today we brought some french food (OK...fries) from Arbys and sat at a picnic table in the woods. For some reason Sarah loves eating outside. The nature trail conveniently takes you to a playground where Sarah decided it would be OK if her Daddy pushed her on a swing for a while...and then for a while longer..and then for a while longer...and then for a while.....

While pushing Sarah my mind wandered. I couldn't help but think back to 4 years ago today....the day the layoff hit News 14 Carolina. Actually, I've been thinking about it all week but the contrast in days really hit me today.


Four years ago today I watched 69 friends walk out the door. After spending 2 years building what I felt was a wonderful team of professionals to deliver news 24/7 I had the difficult task of picking the 25 people who would charge on to try to make the new world "efficiencies" work. It was, by far, the most painful day of my professional life. I've looked at the list of people I chose to "carry on" this week...some were good...some were bad. It amazed me that some of the people I "saved" from the unemployment line were bitter that they were still there. Some others showed me they were dedicated professionals....dedicated to the product and making it work....dedicated to me....and thankful to be still getting a paycheck. It was a very bleak time...we had no idea if we were gonna be tossed in to that unemployment line any day.

Today the amazing thing is we've grown....the staff is almost 60% larger in Charlotte today than it was on that bleak summer night and we've grown in channels.....from 2, Charlotte and Raleigh, to 4, with the additions of Greensboro and Wilmington.

To me, part of living life is realizing the good times when they happen...since the bad times will one day come again. Today was one of those good times. My little girl was excited about going to first grade on Monday, excited about the Jonas Brothers monument in her room, excited about Dairy Queen. I was excited to spend the time with her. I can never fully explain the joy I get from days she and I spend together. I hope I'm around to see her have days like this with her child....and make sure she pushes for "just a few more minutes" on the swing!

Ode to a great dog...

We lost a friend this week.



Jake, our almost 11 year old Borzoi passed away fairly suddenly. It stings. A lot.



Jake wasn't just the oldest of our 4 dogs...he was their leader. His passing has left an empty spot for our family and for our other dogs. To say that Jake had a lot of heart would be a major understatement. He loved everyone and everyone loved him.



He was "the big boy". His long, thin majestic nose came up to my belly button when we were both standing. His long, silky white and black hair clogged many a vacuum cleaner...and I never cared. He enjoyed taking his owners for a walk but he was so strong it became hard to do. There was nothing quite like watching Jake run in the yard with his sister, Miss M, in the early evening. I've never seen a dog exhibit that kind of grace and beauty at top speed.





As I said earlier....Jake loved his family.I will never forget the day we brought Sarah home from the hospital. Jacob growled at her. He didn't know who or what she was. I remember digging my "new Daddy" heels in and saying that if he growled at her we'd have to get rid of him.....and he never did again. He put up with Sarah as a baby, Sarah as a toddler, and Sarah as a little girl. She pulled his hair, she sat on him, she bugged him....and he was always a gentleman. He loved her and she loved him.

We'll miss Jake. He had a good 7 years with us. We were a good home for him and he was a great dog for us. I've lost pets to divorce. I've lost pets to children's allergies. Nothings stings quite like losing an old friend....an old friend that we weren't ready to say goodbye to yet.

Run on Big Boy, run on!