Happy 15th Anniversary Honey!

What is his name? John Brendon Skroski

How long have you been married? 15 years today!

How long did you date? 3 years 6 months

How old is he? 36

Who eats more sweets? I think we're about equal in this category.

Who said I love you first? He did.

Who is taller? He is. He's 5'7" and I'm 5'1"

Who can sing better? Neither of us has inherited this talent. We try but it's best to cover your ears when we're singing!

Who is smarter? John is smarter. He has an excellant memory and is always on top of current events. I received my Bachelors Degree in 1996, he only has 3 classes left and will have his!

Who does the laundry? I try to do it for the most part, although the piles seem neverending. He will pitch in sometimes.

Who pays the bills? I do.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do.

Who mows the lawn? John mows the lawn. I think I've mowed it once this Summer. He's known as "The Crazy Lawn Mower Man" in our Neighborhood. He not only mows our lawn, but mows the sides of the roads in the neighborhood.

Who cooks dinner? I usually am the one who cooks dinner.

Who is more stubborn? I think we both are equally stubborn.

Who kissed who first? John kissed me first. It was in my High School parking lot. It was on a Saturday so no one was around.

Who proposed? He did in May of 1992. He picked me up at my Dorm and we went walking around outside the Football stadium at UMASS. I'll never forget his phrase, "Well I suppose I shall propose". It was a sweet moment.

Who has more siblings? I do.

Who wears the pants? I think we both do, maybe me slightly more then him.

Okay, so now you're tagged,
answer these questions if you are looking for something to blog about.

Camp!

My Father built our Camp in the late 70's, so I grew up going there. I always relive childhood memories at camp and in a way feel closer to my Mom and Dad when I am there. We all share Camp now and usually get a couple weeks in the Summer. We had a fun time there last week. Christine brought her friend Maddy and she seemed to really like it. We kayaked, canoed, swam, saw Moose, Biked, Fished, ate smores etc.. We took one day and visited Storyland. Had a great day there and it wasn't too crowded. I read 2 books, which NEVER happens. They were both really good ("The Tuesday Letters" and "The Gift"). Our kids fought a little too much, but I guess that's par for the course. All in all it was a great week, now back to real Life- School shopping etc. UGH!!!!

Pictures from Camp!

Find a Bathroom or A Tree Next Time!

So I am on patrol this afternoon in my fully marked Ford Expedition crusier
around 4:00 p.m headed north on Rt. 209,past the Center Store. This section of road is flat and wide with break down lane on both sides. There are two cars in front of me and one car headed south bound. I notice a bicyclist headed south in the south bound break down lane. He stopped his bike and in plain view takes a leak while still standing with his bike bewteen his legs. He was on the pavement turned to the right watering the grass. The closest tree was 10-15 feet away in the ditches. Well I thought that was absolutely ridiculous and issued him a summons for indecent concuct a low level misdemeanor. I served the summons on the twenty something year old. He was mad and said he was never comming back to this town again (from SACO). I told him that was fine as we did not want that kind of behavior in our town. I told him he should use common sense in the future and find a bathroom or a at least some tree's.

BROOK TROUT !

We spent a little bit of our precious time at camp fishing. I have had a love of fishing since I was a kid. My stepfather Charlie would take me and my sister Alicia fishing for bass on his boat in Lakeville, MA. I have loved fishing ever since, it's not always about the sport of catching a fish. I enjoy those fleeting moments of solitude coupled with the rush of adrenaline when you get a "fish on". Well I have been fishing at camp since I started dating Kadi (1990). I have never had much success with finding any noteworthy fish in Aziscoos Lake. When my father in law Phil was alive he would take us out on the orange peel (Its a Boat that looked like a rotten Orage color). He would drop the down riggers trolling at a pretty good clip pulling a lure. He would pull up the occasional Salmon or Trout. Well contrast that with my style of fishing. Paddle out in a canoe on a gray half rainy day. Then drop a make shift anchor consisting of a half broken concrete block attached to three different ropes. Sit in a spot about 50 feet from the dock where you normally only catch chubs, suckers, or horn pout. You are in a spot about 35-40' deep because of the extremely high water level for this time of year because of all the rain. Drop two of your fishing lines with only a steel sinker,#10 hook and half of a big fat night crawler. Sit and take in the Eagle flying overhead and the Heron Crane and Loons nearby. Then a yank on my line. I reel it in and notice it feels heavier than the normal chub I might catch. Well my first fish of the day turns out to be a 17 1/2 Brook Trout. I am dumbfounded and run the fish into shore and share the news with Kadi and girls. Madeline then goes right back out with me and within 10 minutes she lands a 16 1/2" Brook Trout. I catch one more 10" Brook Trout which I release. Madeline kindly on her own prompting gives her fish to a long time friend of Phil's who has a camp nearby (Ray Almstead). Kadi cooks up my Brook Trout the next night for dinner. I am not much of a fish eater and was in the mood for steak. Well from the sounds of Kadi she enjoyed every last morsel of the fillet. All I heard was "umm, ooh" and "umm this is so good". I thought for a moment Clara was sitting back next to me. Well what a great experience to finally
land some Trout on my terms!

Our Nephew Dan is now a Married Man! He and Alicia were married Friday in the Boston Temple. It was great to be there to help celebrate such a speical occasion.
Saturday night was their Ring Ceramony and Reception- It was Beautiful! Congratulations Dan and Alicia- we love you!

Very Shocking Experience!!!!

Today I attended Taser Training at the Topsham Police Department put on by Brunswick Police Department. The class was about six hours long. This was my first orientation and training in the non lethal electronic immobilization device. This device can save lives and reduce officer and suspect injuries! Myself and two of my part time Officers Doug and Andy Attended the training. To call the training shocking would be and under statement. Part of the class or practical you can be elected to be Tased. This helps the Officer understand the capability of the tool and gives the Officer credence if he has to testify about its use. There was a couple of ways to be shocked. I was one of three in the class of about 17 that elected to do the maximum. That mean you are shot in the back with the two 1" metal probes that are about 14" apart. The electrical current travels between two probes distributing about 1,200 volts through your muscular nervous system disrupting your T waves creating instant motor and sensory immobilization. The consistent shock last 5 seconds and then you are laying on your back with the equivalent of two barbed fish hooks in your back. Another student then pulls them out with a yank. The shock was one of the worst feelings in my life, just excruciating!. You absolutely loose full control depending on where the probes land. My muscles in my back and abdomen were just spasming with intense pain. I started to see stars and then the shock ended. They ripped the probes out and I was back on my feet. I had an Officer tape my experience but he did not record it properly and only caught the very beginning and the end. I have included a video of another classmate getting shocked with clips not being shot with probes to give you an idea. Word of caution you never want to be Tased so walk the straight and narrow path! I have been pepper sprayed about 7 times for training during my career with O.C and it's horrible! However the Taser experience is about 10 X the O.C experience. The recovery from Taser is quicker than O.C though. When I went home the girls confirmed the probes penetration of my shirt by the blood stains left on it! Do I want to get Tased again - No Way!

Our friends the Earles came to visit from Mass for a couple days this past week. Not long after they arrived on Tuesday, we went to the Beach. Traci and I decided to go for a walk and left all 7 kids in the trusty hands of John. We came back to find the kids buried in sand! All that was showing was their heads and their feet!! It was a hoot! We had a great visit although it was too short!