I started Ultimate Bootcamp this morning.  Talk about a kick in the rump.  Found out I have nowhere to go but up.  Between Elise and the busted thumb, I have done little to no (OK, no) exercise to speak of this year.  It should be a good start to getting in some shape and dropping a few pounds - those are my goals, at least.  Wish me luck.

Returned to the hand ortho today to have the bandages removed and more x-rays.  Everything is looking good and the hardware should come out August 8.  Have a look!

So, is this what happens after turning 40!?

During a recent Wednesday night soccer game, Sean suffered a broken right thumb.  Stepped on.  Sparing the details of how it happened (over zealous opposing player), the break turned out to be pretty bad.  For a week, Sean was in a splint, followed by a check up with new X-rays.  Things were not lining up, so to speak, and the doc recommended surgery: ORIF (open reduction internal fixation) with external fixation.  Bottom line = pins for 4-6 weeks. 

The real reason for this post is to point out how important one's dominant-hand thumb is.  Try it for a while.  Don't use it.  It's tough!  So, without further ado, are Sean's top 5 most difficult things to do without his right thumb:

5. Tie a necktie (impossible)
4. Apply deodorant to his left armpit
3. Type/write/mouse
2. Shave/brush teeth
1. Finish up number 2 (graphic, yet true)

For the sake of posterity, I thought I'd record a number of notable achievements/happenings over the last month.  Elise was quarantined for 3 weeks after a potential exposure to the measles at her first doctor's appointment ... she was only 4 days old - WTF!?  On a positive note, Sean can check off an item on his Bucket List - he played in his first soccer game at the age of 40.  On a negative note, he also had his first root canal.  The Bruins took home the coveted Stanley Cup, ending a 39-year drought!  And Elise participated in her first competitive event ... her and Sean "ran" the 2k Battle of Bunker Hill Road Race (Elise slept as Sean pushed, slowly.)  Photos here.

While this post does not involve any members of the Crew (not even Cadillac), it is most worthy of mention.  Team Saquish, the rowing club Jess rows with, distinguished themselves in great fashion at this year's Snow Row.  Not only were they extremely competitive, coming in first in a number of classes, they also ....  Read about it here.

Ouch.  What else can you say? (OK, some other 4-letter words do come mind.)  Cosmo's foray into the world of high-stakes wagering came to a crushing and demoralizing end Sunday as the Jets sent the Patriots packing.  The game was a like bad dream.  The Jets executed and the Patriots didn't.  There were no big plays, no game-shifting turnovers, no bad calls, just two games plans - and one was executed well and the other wasn't.  And you just can't have an off week in the playoffs.  Best of luck to the Jets next week.

As for Cosmo's bets, the dinner payout to Rich and Ginger is up in the air since Jess and Sean are already owed a dinner from the previous Jet-Pats game bet.  But, in a classy display of sportsmanship and generosity, John D has decided that Cosmo donate John's due winnings to The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, based in Smithtown, Long Island.  Cosmo is happy to do so, as it is an organization that Sean has supported in the past.  And because of John's thoughtfulness, Sean will match Cosmo's donation.  It's really a win-win :)

Yes, a famous song by Kenny Rogers, but now an accurate way to describe Cosmo.  Seems while I was away from the computer the other day, Cosmo made a few bets on the Pats-Jets game this coming Sunday.  Damn dog!

He's got action going with John D/Cliff and Big Rich.  As if one bet wasn't enough.  But I have to hand it to the little fella, he's been studying the scouting reports on this game intently (see photo).

It's an 8.5-point spread and he's giving the points!  He must be confident in those Patriots.  If they cover, he gets a case of dog food from John and Cliff, and Jess and Sean get a dinner from Rich.  If he loses, Cliff gets a $25 restaurant gift card and Jess and Sean take Rich and Ginger out to dinner.  Pretty high stakes for a Corgi!

So check out the game on Sunday at 4:30.

Well, we had a great run.  But, this past Sunday (12/26), Team Cliff-John-Rich-Tim-Sean went out of the Suicide Pool, and in heartbreaking fashion to boot - an overtime loss (Redskins over the Jaguars).  We (really Cliff, with the rest of us on his coat tails) had made it all the way to week 16!  We were one of only 8 entries to have survived the grueling season of pick after pick.  Bear in mind, the Pool began with 319 entries and the pot was a sweet one - just under $16,000!  But even Cosmo couldn't help us pull this game out, and in a flash, it was all over.  We'll be ready come next year!  Thanks again Cliff!

The Christmas tree.  Some swear by the artificial ones.  Others can't imagine not having a real tree.  And then, there's the type of tree.  There are pines, spruces, and firs.  And then, there are varieties among those - the Balsam fir, the Douglas fir, the Fraser fir, and others.  How to choose?  And of course, if you have opted for a real tree, where do you go to get your beloved, needle-dropping friend for the next month or two?  The local lot in town, one of the big home centers, dare I say Walmart?  Or maybe, just maybe, you'd like to go and cut your own tree down.  This cutting down your own tree fascination has become quite popular lately.  Folks sometimes mark their selection months ahead of time.

Well, there is one way to get a Christmas tree that is quite unique.  Every year or so, Saquish Rowing Club gets an intrepid gang together to row about 4 miles, from Plymouth Harbor to a place called Clark's Island.  A friend of the Club owns land on the Island, and to save some money on taxes, he "runs" a Christmas tree farm (thereby qualifying for some agricultural tax break).  But, he needs these trees of his "farmed," and that's where the Club comes in: row to the Island, cut down a tree, throw it in a boat, and head home.  So that's exactly what Jess and I did today!  Sounds great, right?  Well, you need to factor in the 32-degree weather, the 15-knot winds, and the nasty chop on the water.  Needless to say, it was a challenge.  At one point, I looked over to the nearby shore and realized we weren't moving forward at all.

The Island was great though and scouting for a tree was fun.  I have no idea what type we got, but I do know ... it's surely one of a kind!

See the photos and video here.