February 19, 2012 Marquette Park

 Even though I went to bed about 2:30am after seeing Flogging Molly last night, I still got up early to take the dogs for a walk at Marquette Park. It's on the eastern edge of Gary so you know a steel mill must be in sight.

 Here's the Roxopotamus enjoying the somewhat fresh beach air.

 It was pretty windy so the lake was choppy and frozen clumps of sand were coated with ice.

 Here's Oslo after smoking his wine flavored Swisher Sweet packed with his favorite recreational drug.

I must have thought these frozen clumps of sand were interesting because I took a bunch of pictures of them.

February 18, 2012 Flogging Molly & Friends

What else can I say about Flogging Molly? There isn't a band out there I'd rather see play live. The twenty or so times I've seen them I've always left impressed. And exhausted, soaked with sweat and due to my age, very sore...but always glad I saw them. So what made tonight's show at the Aragon special...I finally got my friend Patty to quit studying for a night and see Flogging Molly with me again. She used to go with me but hasn't seen them for a few years. She too was glad I forced her to come to the show. I also had four of my hockey player friends, the three McDonnell brothers and Justin Ruzich, there to see FM for the first time. I never made it to the mosh pit but I enjoyed drinking my beers, hanging out with friends, and singing / dancing to almost every song. I love the energy created by a theater full of fans partying along with this band. Slainte!!!

February 11 & 12, 2012 Centennial Park & Comiskey Park

This was a Dog Day Weekend.  No we didn't try to rob a bank to get money for Oslo's sex change operation. We spent Saturday afternoon at Munster's Centennial Park and Sunday morning near Comiskey Park at Armour Square Park. Of course I know it's Cellular Field, fuck that. Every Sox fan knows what it really should be named.

Here's Roxie on the bridge at Centennial Park waiting for Oslo to quit pissing on everything he walks by.

 Artwork along the path framing the clubhouse across the pond.

 Everyone my age knows this park was built on Mount Trashmore. That's what we called this old landfill when we were kids ditching school to sled on these snow covered hills.

 Here's Oslo howling along to the firetrucks passing us on Calumet Avenue.

 The setting sun made the strong winds feel even colder.

Here's the Rox lobster standing outside Comiskey Park after our walk through Armour Square Park on Sunday morning. Even Roxie knows it's gonna be a long season for the White Sox.



January 30, 2012 My Day with the Stanley Cup...Kinda

 Back in November, my hockey team won the South Suburban Adult Hockey League championship in the B league. After a celebration on the ice, Walter ran out to his car and returned to the locker room with a replica Stanley Cup that a friend of his made with duct work sheet metal. We passed it around and Walt took pictures of each player holding the Cup. I never got any of the pictures from him. But just like the real Stanley Cup, we each got a day with the trophy. Today was my day.

 Here's my dogs ruining my picture. Like this blog doesn't have enough pictures of my dogs.

 Finally a shot of Chrissy's polar bears with the Stanley Cup.

And a picture of these two numb nuts.

January 29, 2012 Carlson Oxbow Park

The dogs decided to take me on an early morning walk at Carlson Oxbow Park in Hammond, IN today. We had the place to ourselves which made for a peaceful winter walk.

 I was surprised the pond was frozen because it's been very warm this winter...

...but it wasn't solid enough to walk on. This is a nice little park to walk the dogs and relax in nature so close to home. Too bad the sounds of the Borman Expressway can be heard throughout the park.



January 28, 2012 Calumet Park

 Don't let the sunshine and blue skies fool you...this was a blustery day. A strong wind off the lake made it seem much colder than it looks.

 Roxie loves Cal Park because she can always find food.

 We walked out onto the pier so this is a picture of a Pyr on a pier.

A few hours after our hike along Lake Michigan, this is how I found Oslo sleeping on my bed.

January 22, 2012 Winter Along Lake Michigan

This has been the warmest winter I can remember. It's been above freezing most of the days and there hasn't been a bitterly cold (less than 10 degrees) day yet. So I really enjoyed the snow that fell this weekend. Today I took the dogs to Lake Michigan's Lakeview Beach at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

 As you can see, the shelf ice is practically non existent.

 We walked west toward Dunbar Beach...

 ...then east toward Central Beach. Somewhere near Beverly Shores we came across boats in winter storage on the beach.

 I'll admit the pictures didn't capture the isolated winter look I wanted...

...so here's a portrait of the Fanook enjoying a winter day at the beach.