My boyhood Baseball hero Davey Lopes

I first heard of Dodgers player Davey Lopes in the mid 1970s via my brother.  He was my brother's favorite player, and quickly became mine as well.  Davey Lopes started playing with the  L.A. Dodgers as a rookie in the fall of 1972. I started keeping an eye on his career in the late 70s when the Dodgers had an incredible series of seasons leading up to their 1982 World Series win against the Yankees who were a force to be reckoned with during that time. The late 70s and early 80s was a great time to be a Dodgers fan, and Davey Lopes had a lot to do with that.

Davey Lopes was an incredibly versatile player with both speed and power, packed into a wiry 170-pound, 5'9" frame. What he lacked in power, he more than made up for with speed! That speed made him one of the most feared stolen base leaders in the game. He stole 557 bases during his 16 season career in Major League Baseball.  He stole 38 consecutive bases without getting caught in the 1975 season, breaking a standing 53 year record previously held by Max Carey. Lopes ranks 26th highest of all time in most stolen bases. However, what's really amazing, is that his success rate of doing so without getting caught is just over 83%, with 557 steals in 667 attempts.  That stat ranks him in the top ten best of all time, among players who had 400 or more stolen bases during their careers.  This guy made magic on more than one occasion, and we were witnesses to it time and time again.

My brother and I had polar opposite tastes in movies, but one movie we absolutely loved was 'The Sandlot'. The last scene of the movie, shows the character Benny 'the Jet' Rodriguez as an adult who is now a pro ball player with the L.A. Dodgers.  He is playing for the team during the same era Davey Lopes did, and ends up stealing home base.  David M. Evans who wrote, directed and narrated the Sandlot was a big Dodgers fan, and my brother and I always wondered if the adult version of Benny may have been loosely inspired by Davey Lopes. We never were able to corroborate this theory, but we always felt proud of ourselves for making the possible connection.

My brother inadvertently got me hooked on and involved in the hobby of baseball card collecting, when he gave me a 1978 Davey Lopes Topps baseball card that was one of his doubles. I loved everything about that card; the fancy cursive, the little baseball with Lopes player position, the crisp red border around the photo, the battering helmet he was wearing over his cap, and the multitude of stats on the back of the card.

The love of that card evolved into a hobby which in turn morphed into a pretty good side business for me. I would set up tables at flea markets, swap meets, trading card shows, etc. and made some pretty good money throughout the 90s. The side business paid for any cards and collectibles I wanted to buy for myself, and also provided me with a little walking money. I even almost went into business with a friend who started a sports card and collectibles store. A decision I'm glad I decided against, as the bottom totally fell out of that market in the late 90s.

I've since gotten out of the hobby, but have retained my collection of every Davey Lopes Topps brand baseball card ever made during his career as a player. My brother only collected Topps sports cards because they were miles above the competitors cards of the time. I followed suit for awhile, but eventually broadened my collection with other card brands.

All of my Lopes cards fit nicely in a small collector card album that I thumb through on occasion. You can see every one of my cards here where I've indexed them all. That '78 Davey Lopes card however, is still my favorite card in the collection. It's the card that got me into card collecting, the Dodgers, and reminds me of good times with my late brother.  I love the card more every time I look at it, and am still in awe of it to this day.

One collectible I attained that I wish my brother were alive to see, is my Davey Lopes autographed baseball. This is one of the balls from a signing to commemorate Lopes Gold Glove Award in 1978. I remember first getting this ball and removing from its box. The smell and feel of the soft rawhide, the gold colored stitches, along with his signature in blue ink, made me feel like I was holding a work of art. I personally don't know anyone else who would appreciate this ball more than my brother would have.

The next item on my list to obtain is a Davey Lopes Dodgers jersey. I've been wanting one for years and have decided its time to pull the trigger. I also may expand my card collection starting with oddball Lopes cards made by Kellogg's etc. I also very well may start collecting Fleer and Donruss cards from 1974 to 1988. I still don't like them as much as the old Topps cards, but they do have a feel to them that embodies the era they were made, and I'm looking forward into revisiting them.  And of course, any new and unique additions to my collection will probably be shared here, so keep an eye out if you are also a Davey Lopes fan.

20 thoughts & realizations I had while sheltering in place for two months - Lockdown Day 63

Well, it's official.  I'm going back to work. I had a lot of time to think during the last two months, and realized many recurring thoughts kept running through my head. I've decided to list a few of them here in a list below.  Not sure if anything can be classified as epiphanies or prolific, but here we go..

• Time alone energizes me
• There are a lot of stupid people in this country
• There are a lot of evil people in this country
• There are a lot good and amazing people in this country
• There is so much more I want to see and do in life
• It doesn't take a lot to make me happy
• If I could retire tomorrow, I would not be bored
• I find comfort being alone with my thoughts
• I have more patience than I thought I did
• I miss laughing
• I procrastinate more than I should
• I really don't mind being confined in close quarters with my Bride
• I eat my stress
• I am ashamed of so many people in our government
• I was raised to be pretty self sufficient
• I need to be more self sufficient
• I missed the simplest and smallest things the most during all of this
• I need to simplify my life 
• I feel like I need to leave something behind for my kids to remember me by
• If it all ends for me tomorrow, at least I helped raise three decent, good hearted human beings

I assure you that this is just the short list, but these are the thoughts that keep coming to the forefront of my mind. I believe I'll keep this list handy and try to look at it often, as life seems like it may get back to normal soon. When it does, I don't want to start coasting through life again, simply existing.. rather than living. It's too bad it took a pandemic to make me see things in a new light, but I am going to try my best to approach life much differently in the future.

Sixty days prior to the epidemic, I had only blogged a total of 7 times.  In the last two months, I have blog posted 102 different times! It really was very therapeutic to me, and helped me work out a few issues I was dealing with.  I have not written this much in years, and am actually experiencing a huge boost in creativity as a result. I created a new web-site, have started writing a book, and have numerous ideas for future projects.  

Returning to work will definitely cut into my blogging time, but I am going to try and keep up the creation of content going.  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you are doing well during all of this craziness. Take care, and be good to yourselves friends. See you soon. 

Lockdown Day 61 - A Sunday Drive

You know, I don't believe I've ever taken your typical Sunday Drive before. They used to be something quite common when I was a kid.  My Dad would sometimes wake us up and say "C'mon everybody, we're going on a drive". We didn't have a ton of money, and a Sunday Drive was an affordable way to see something new and get away from it all.

I've been sheltering in place for 61 days now. My Bride started two weeks before I did. I go out usually once a week to pick up our grocery order, and she hasn't even done that. Our Sunday drive was actually her idea, as she felt pent up and stir crazy. It was nothing big, just a drive through the country for about 45 minutes, and it made all the difference in the world.

I never understood the therapeutic nature a Sunday Drive could have. I now see that the grind of my Dad's life probably required him to do this from time to time, as doing so can help you to feel like you are truly getting away from it all for a brief period of time. And that.. is sometimes enough to recharge your batteries to help you carry on in life. This whole Covid mess has gotten under our skin and had us feeling helpless. This drive we took totally readjusted our attitudes and thinking. I was looking at the road, sky and trees differently.  I felt like a brain cloud had been lifted and I could feel something again. Conversations with my wife felt different and more fulfilling, even when we were talking about nothing of importance.

It really was something we needed to do, and served as some kind of miraculous reset!  We love to travel and discover new things, so this lockdown has really stifled that aspect of our lives that we enjoy tapping into. I go back to work very soon, but I do believe I'm going to try and squeak out more time in the near future for more Sunday Drives. I had no clue they could be so helpful and should have tried them years ago.  Better late than never I guess.

60 Days of Lockdown.. where I'm at.

So it's been 60 days since I've been locked down.  The state of the Country is one of tension right now, with people behaving badly on all sides. We have no unified plan on how to move forward carefully and safely.  New cases are steadily climbing as cities begin to reopen, and Southern Florida is fast becoming a hot spot.

As for central Florida, the local government didn't like the way Advent Health was taking too long to process Covid-19 tests, and fired one of the labs. The result? over 30,000 tests in progress are being thrown away. People are now being called, and told they need to be re-tested.  In regards to unemployment, the State's unemployment system is still a complete mess.  Governor Desantis stated yesterday that the people still waiting for benefits since the beginning of the pandemic, most likely filed their claims incorrectly.

If you want a classic example of mixed emotions, I got the call to report back to work soon. I desperately need to make a living, and very much miss my work family, but stepping back into society whilst being totally aware of the dumpster fire surrounding us all is a bit unsettling. It's not myself I'm worried about so much, as a family member at home who is at risk. It's a moment in my life that feels very much like a Catch-22 or at the very least a high risk gamble. And I must state, I am not a gambling man.

And, as if the current pandemic isn't enough, hurricane season is fast approaching with a more than active year being predicted. I usually don't pay attention to those type of predictions, but two weeks away from Hurricane season, we've already seen two storms form close by in the Atlantic, with one of them being a named storm.

For me personally, I've stayed active and completed an unbelievable amount of projects during my time off. I've carved out a little time to spend on hobbies I love, and written more than I have in years. In addition to all the blogging, I have also started writing a book. I'm hoping to get the rough draft completed before going back to work soon.

Being locked down with so many interests, so much to do, and with family I love being around, has gotten me through this pandemic pretty smoothly  I had a couple bouts of feeling a bit hopeless and maybe even downright depressed, but thankfully was able to quickly shake those off. Trust me, there is plenty of crap I could choose to focus on, that would quickly get me spiraling into a dark place. I have no idea what the future holds, but I know I have to keep looking forward and try my hardest to stay positive.

Little Debbie Cherry Fruit Pie Review - Lockdown Day 59

This article has been moved to my new web-site!

You can view it here.. at www.SnackCakeLife.com

The LA Dodgers of the 70s & 80s.. when baseball was magical to me. Lockdown Day 58

I like baseball.  However, I was a bigger fan in years past, and especially when I was younger. I'm not entirely sure I would have ever gotten into it at all if not for my big brother.  He lived for baseball, and his team was the LA Dodgers. Growing up in southern California for a good part of our childhood, the Dodgers were my brother's team. Looking up to big brothers as younger siblings often do, the Dodgers also became my team.


My brother often went to Dodgers games with his friends in Los Angeles.  I remember one night when I was about five years old, I laid in my bed crying because I wasn't allowed to go to the game with my brother and his friends.  My Mother came into my room, turned on my Mickey Mouse radio and dialed it in to the Dodgers game. She sat on the bed with me for a while and told me to listen real close. After a few moments she exclaimed "Do you hear that? It's your brother Danny! He's screaming and cheering for the Dodgers!". Even at five years old, I was skeptical as to how she knew it was him, but I put my ear close to the radio and listened to the game intently until I fell asleep. The next day, I awoke to find my brother had brought me something back from the game. I think it was a pennant or a mini plastic Dodgers cap.  I'm not sure if my mother put him up to that, or if he just felt sorry for me.

The Dodgers were on a tear for the better part of the 70s. They finished 1st or 2nd in the league for an entire decade for all but two seasons. They finished in 3rd place in '72 and '79. They lost the World Series to the New York Yankees in both '77 and '78. I always remember my brother absolutely hating the Yankees, so by default, I of course hated them too. Other boys my age idolized Reggie Jackson while I abhorred him. I would even trade away any Reggie Jackson baseball cards from my collection for Dodger players. I even once rigged a Jackson card in the spokes of my bicycle as a noise maker, which was an unforgivable sin back in the day, as that was something you reserved for 'common' player cards. 

The Dodgers had their comeuppance however in 1981, when they won the World Series against the Yankees four games to two.  My brother was so nervous, as the Dodgers lost the first two games.  They then rallied and won the next four, and my brother was on top of the world for weeks.  I was happy about it too, and was proud to call myself a Dodgers fan. I remember a wonderful sense of fulfillment I suddenly got from being a part of something bigger.  At that time, we had lived in Colorado for about two years and had no Major League Baseball team to follow, so we were faithful Dodgers fans through and through.  I would get crap from the kids at school who would call me a bandwagon jumper, but I took pride in telling them I grew up in California and was watching Dodgers games when I was 4 years old.

The longest running infield in history..

Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes, Steve Garvey

I remember the Dodgers having the most incredible players during those magical years.  You had players like Fernando Valenzuela, Pedro Guerrero, Dusty Baker, Steve Garvey, and my brother and I's hero.. Davey Lopes.  Lopes 10-year slash line with the Dodgers (batting average / on base percentage / slugging avg) was .262 / .349 / .380. Nothing to shake a stick at for sure, but what has always been remarkable to me, was that Lopes stole 418 bases during his ten years with the Dodgers, only being caught 85 times. In one game, he stole five consecutive bases and set a franchise record that stands to this day. He wasn't a big slugger, but he was super fast and could make magic happen.

During this whole Covid mess, my enthusiasm for baseball has recently morphed from interest into passion.  It's the classic dilemma "You don't know what you have until it's gone". I've been dying to watch the Dodgers, but am really been desperate to watch any game whatsoever. Not knowing when I will be able to watch MLB games once again is driving me nuts. I can only imagine how crazy the hard core fans are feeling right now. 

As a way to help cope, I sprung for ESPN+ early this week, and have been filling my free time with watching old 80s Dodgers games. Its been a great way to re-live my youth, and has brought back lots of great memories. I've also begun watching KBO Korean Baseball. It really is a nice way to pass an afternoon.  As crazy as it may sound, seeing the park, the baseball diamond, and simply watching the game being played, is bringing back a sense of normalcy to my spring. I neglected baseball for a long time.  On the other side of this pandemic, I won't make that same mistake.  Not only in regards to baseball, but for a long list of things.

• For the Dodgers Fan:  Dodger Blue website

• MY KBO:  ( The best site around for those new to Korean Baseball )

The Adventures of Pete and Pete theme song from Nickelodeon

I loved so much of the 90s programming on Nickelodeon, and the Adventures of Pete and Pete was no exception. The show's theme song 'Hey Sandy' by Polaris, is possibly one of the greatest TV show theme songs of the last 30 years. In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of another one that even comes close.

The recurring character Mr. Tastee and the shows theme song to me, have become synonymous with summer.  If you want to start feeling those same 90s summer vibes, just watch the 20-second video below..

Ahh, those memories of summer w/ Pete and Pete..

      

1970s Open Road 3-speed bicycle rebuild. Memories of old bikes on Lockdown day 56

I had a 3-speed Open Road bicycle from the 70s that I bought for $20.00 at a thrift store. It didn't need much except some TLC. Here's a 2-minute video I made yesterday showcasing the build.  I really do miss that bike.  I absolutely love single speeds and 3-speed bicycles.

 

Dreaming about Joe's Pizza in Ocoee Florida on day 55 of lockdown

Well folks, since I can't go out and feast on my favorite food, today I'll share one of my favorite New York Style Pizza spots in the Orlando area. Joe's Pizzeria in Ocoee is hitting on all cylinders, and I immensely enjoyed my last couple of visits before this whole Covid mess started. They opened up in New York back in 1988, and expanded to Florida shortly after opening their first restaurants.

This is quality pizza through and through, with great ingredients and a perfectly stretched & cooked crust. While fresh ingredients are always key to making a good quality pizza, the backbone is the crust, and I could find nothing wrong with Joe's.

The crust on my slices had just the right amount of crispiness to them. I love a big floppy slice that you can fold and eat on the go.. but the extra amount of crisping that this bottom crust had was perfect, and made the slices easier to handle. Mind you, there's a very fine line between this crisping and an overcooked slice, but Joe's has managed to find that sweet spot of perfection that kicks this crust into the stratosphere as far as taste and consistency goes!

If you want a real treat, order up a slice of Joe's Margherita pizza which is made with Mozzarella, plum tomatoes, fresh Basil & Garlic. It's a perfectly balanced slice, and took me to Zen after the first bite!

As if the Pizza wasn't enough of a treat already, I also ordered some Garlic Knots that totally blew me away.  I can't stand a pre-made Garlic Knot that is heavy, tough, and devoid of flavor. These beautiful little knots of dough were light, soft, and obviously made fresh. The butter and garlic was perfectly proportioned, which made for some of the most succulent Garlic Knots I've ever eaten. The marinara perfectly complimented them, and didn't overpower or take anything away from the knots. At $2.00 for an order of six. this is one of the best deals you will find in these parts for such a high quality appetizer.

I can't say enough nice things about Joe's Pizza in Ocoee. If you want New York Pizza done right, hit them up. If Ocoee is a little out of the way for you, they also have another store at 1881 Fairbanks in Winter Park. To sum up, Joe's makes an incredible tasting pie made with quality ingredients, and is a heck of a value. I do hope they are doing well during this epidemic, and can't wait to get back. Joe's will be getting more of my business and referrals for some time to come.

 2735 Old Winter Garden Road, Ocoee Florida

Visit Joe's Pizza Online

Adding retro flair to your beach cruiser or old bike with grips - Lockdown Day 54

I circled around to my bicycle obsession this weekend, perusing online shops for hours, searching for new ways to customize my bikes.

Handlebar grips are a great way to pull the whole color scheme of your cruiser bike together.  The right kind of grips can bring life to an area of a bike that doesn't have a whole lot going on color wise.  There are lots of options out there in regards to grips these days, and here are a few styles readily available for purchase online and in stores..

 Torpedo Grips

Retro torpedo style grips have been getting more popular in recent years.  In fact, I saw a pair of two tone gray and black torpedo grips in the bicycle section of Wal Mart this week for under $10.00.  This set of red torpedo grips are made by a company called Hunt-Wilde, and I bought them from BikeWorldUSA's store on Amazon.com for about $15.00 a while back.

 Pistol Grips

Pistol grips definitely have a retro look about them, and with just cause.  This type of grip was a staple of numerous bicycle companies for many years.  New pistol grips range anywhere from $2.00 to $15.00 on eBay, Amazon, and online Bicycle supply sites.

Electra Rat Rod flame grips

Electra makes comfortable and incredible looking grips in all kinds of patterns and color schemes.  I've seen them on eBay, Amazon, and online bike stores usually ranging from $10.00 to $15.00.

Leather Townie Grips

"Townies" are also a popular style of grips.  You can get them in virtually any color, and if you look close, there's even a little hole punched through the end caps.  These grips easily accommodate those way cool steamers that flow so beautifully in the wind.

I actually thought about putting a set of silver and red streamers on my bike for laughs, but I already get enough ribbing from folks about how my Schwinn is "The Pee Wee Herman Bike".

Pondering on my food quirks on Lockdown Day 54

Quirks.  Everyone has them.  However.. I've slowly come to realize that I have some interesting food quirks that I never had as a younger man. Here are five of them that I've developed over the last several years.

COFFEE
I love coffee. The taste, the smell, the ritual of getting out of bed and pouring myself a cup before I do anything else. Ah.. Nirvana!  One thing that irritates me to no end however, is taking a swig of coffee and feeling coffee grounds swimming around my mouth. I liken it to how some people feel when they hear nails scraping against a chalkboard. I will run to the sink, spit it out, immediately pour the entire mug of coffee out, and rinse my mouth out with water to rid it of any stray grounds.  Whats more, it actually angers me.

Now imagine if I'm actually paying for a cup of coffee while dining out and this happens.  I'm no tyrant, nor will I read my server the riot act, but God does it ever bug me to my core.  I'm a simple man and I don't ask for much in life.  A cup of coffee brings me joy and helps to center me and get me in a good place every day.  Hmm.. I guess in the end, coffee means a lot more to me than I originally realized upon writing this article.

TOAST
This is a fairly new quirk I noticed over the last couple of weeks.  I used to despise burnt toast in the way I hate coffee grounds swimming in my coffee.  I used to watch my Grandfather ask for his toast to be "burnt", and then subsequently take a butter knife to scrape off the darkest part of the burnt surface.  He'd say "Ah that's better" and would then begin spreading his butter across the less charred surface.

Strange as it may be, I totally get this now. When I eat toast.. I want my bread to be toasted.  I HATE IT when a piece of bread is golden brown and the second you spread butter or margarine, it gets super soft, wet and actually sinks down, actually collapsing in on itself. Add some jelly or jam into the equation, and its even worse.  A workaround, is to almost burn the toast to get more moisture out of the bread, so it stays firm while spreading butter or jelly across it.  This also adds more taste and texture to the entire slice.  I babysit my toast so it doesn't get to the point of being black, but if you don't have a toaster that controls heat very well, or have the time to watch it, Grandad's 'Burn it to a crisp' method and scraping it afterward is a quick way to accomplish this as well.

DONUTS

One of my only true vices apart from Pizza.  I used to absolutely love jelly and cream filled donuts. I still crave them occasionally, but my taste for them has actually diminished over the last couple of years.  I'm finding that I now prefer simpler, less sweet donuts. 

At one time, I jumped at the chance to try outrageous donuts covered in cookies, cereal, candy, and bacon, but anymore just give me donut of the old fashioned plain, sour cream, or fritter variety to enjoy with my coffee.

While Coffee can instantly get me to a good place very quickly, a coffee & a donut gets me Zen!  The right kind of donut that's not sickeningly sweet, along with a nice cup of brewed coffee, perfectly balance each other out creating a whole yin and yang dynamic.  Wow.. until now, I didn't realize there's a whole lot of eastern philosophy involved with my coffee and donut routine.

BEER
When it comes to beer, I'm an equal opportunity drinker.  I've known people who are self professed "Beer Snobs" who look down their nose at people who don't share their love of craft and micro brewed beer.  I am just as happy at times drinking a Miller Lite, as I am a nice Dunkel or Altbier.  There was a period of time throughout the 90s and 2000s where I drank nothing but craft and microbrews.  I will still drink anything in front of me, but I've really begun to favor lighter bodied beers.  Although, this might have a wee bit to do with relocating to the hot and humid Florida climate from Colorado.  For me personally, lighter beers are more enjoyable to drink when it's hot out.

I'll play Devil's Advocate for a minute to expound on the whole "My beer is better than your beer" culture that has developed with the advent of the craft beer industry, I don't get it.  People like what they like, and who are you to tell them they are wrong?  I have drank hundreds upon hundreds of beer in all types of shades, colors, and styles.  I brew my own beer, and love creating new flavors and hybrids.  That being said, some of the most memorable beers I've ever drank were domestic beers.  Like the Bud Light I drank with my Dad at a barbecue on a sweltering summer day.  A Coors Light I drank with friends that we chilled in a mountain river.  Or Malt Liquor I drank with my best friend during a cool Fall Colorado afternoon.

To me, an evening of drinking lower alcohol beer with friends is more enjoyable than throwing back hefty full bodied microbrews that pack a punch. And it's not even a quantity vs. quality thing.  I for one don't set out with the goal of getting wasted. I love beer, and it's really easy to overindulge with stronger beers. It's simply easier for me to pace myself with a Corona or Bud Light versus certain Ales or Stouts.

I've got more quirks, but I think I'll save those for another time. I'm positive I'll develop more as I age, and am kind of curious to see how they manifest themselves.

Pre and post hurricane pizzeria memories - Lockdown Day 53

As if Covid-19 wasn't enough, experts are predicting a more active than usual hurricane season for summer 2020. It got me thinking about past experiences I've had, days before past hurricanes have hit the state of Florida. Here's an article I started last fall but never finished until now. I wrote it when hurricane Dorian was following a slow path towards Florida.

Located off of Hwy 27 in a little shopping center, sandwiched between a Western Outfitters and an uber cheesy Disney souvenir store, sits Mannino's Pizzeria. This is one of my favorite New York style pizza joints in the area, and it's authentic through and through. 

99% of the time, they have a big Sicilian pie fresh out of the oven, along with their standard hand tossed New York pies ready to go. Therefore, I usually always get one Sicilian slice and one thin slice.

Sicilian slices are everything you'd want in that style of pizza. Thick crust but not doughy, with an exquisite taste to the dough which obviously had a nice slow fermentation time. And I do love me a good Sicilian edge crust! You get a little bit of crispiness and crunch when you're finishing your slice off. The sauce is simple, and the cheese is of good quality. True comfort food at its finest. 

Their hand tossed slices are nothing to shake a stick at either. It's exactly what you would expect in an authentic New York style slice. A crispy under crust from the deck oven with just the right amount of char, a nice taste to the dough, and again.. great quality toppings.

Finally, the prices are more than fair. My Sicilian slice, pepperoni slice, and can of Coke only set me back six bucks.

As I sat eating my lunch today, I couldn't help but feel Zen while looking around this quaint little Pizzeria. There were several locals sitting in silence with their eyes glued to the television that was giving minute-by-minute updates on Hurricane Dorian. It was like we were all connected, none of us knowing what to expect, all of us having that unnerving feeling of the unknown, and taking some solace in enjoying our pizza.. a food that brings so many people comfort and joy.

The whole Pizzeria is modest and unassuming and they don't try to be anything that they aren't. From the giant handwritten menu board, New York sports team decorations on the wall, and the serve yourself drink cooler, it really does look like a pizza joint that would be located somewhere in New York.

Writing this blog post about Mannino's took me back even a couple more years prior, when hurricane Irma made its way across central Florida. Mannino's was one of the only places in that section of Davenport that still had power the day after Irma hit.  Believe you me, many in the community found their way to Mannino's for some post-hurricane comfort food. The line was wrapped around the building with people waiting to get pizza, subs, pasta, or pretty much anything that they had available.

As it stands with social distancing and all, I'm not sure anyone would even be allowed to eat inside of this tiny establishment, as there's no way to keep a distance of six feet from anyone standing in line to order food.  I never knew I was taking for granted something as simple as being able to sit in a pizzeria enjoying a couple slices and a Coke.  That goes for just about everything in life up until the pandemic I guess.

I'm sure looking forward to life returning to normal. I just hope normal isn't a ridiculously drastic change from what it used to be like prior to early 2020.

Mannino's Pizzeria
43362 US-27, Davenport, FL 33837

Taking a mental health day - Lockdown Day 51

I'm calling it. I'm shutting down. Well.. at least for today. It's not often that my Bride and I are feeling
really down at the same time, but when we are both in a bad state of mind, it seems to feel ten times worse. Spending four hours trying to navigate the ridiculous Florida unemployment website yesterday already had me livid. The constant barrage of news about this whole Covid mess and the state of affairs in our Country, was the last straw. I really try to keep it light on this blog, without dwelling on the news, politics, etc, but the news stories lately are just downright depressing.

I'm not necessarily speaking of the pandemic itself, but rather.. my fellow man. Whatever side you stand on in regards to Covid, social distancing, lockdowns, etc., over this last week I am downright embarrassed of how the masses are acting on all sides. The worst of our worst have been disgusting me with their behavior as of late, and while I know the media focuses on that heavily, you can't deny their are a multitude of stupid, evil and selfish people we are surrounded by in society.

Are these types of people the minority? I believe so, and I know there is a TON of uncertainty on how our lives will forever change because of 2020, but right now I just need to take a step back and quit thinking about it. For us, that meant no watching the TV news today. Something as simple as that will help me personally to readjust my thinking. I'll fill my time with replacing my bathroom sink and faucet today, an abundant amount of reading, and writing about things I love. 

Wow, I already feel better just thinking about the day and evening ahead. Take care friends. I'll be back tomorrow with what I'm sure will be a much better attitude and outlook. If you are feeling a bit down, make sure you do something nice for yourself, and try to focus on better days. That's always worked for me up to this point.

The Lovebugs are back. Here's one of my solutions. Lockdown Day 50

Ah yes, Love Bugs aka Plecia nearctica are back and swarming through the Southeast.   While I haven't found a way to totally eradicate them from my property, I have found a way to get rid of them and take out some of my frustrations at the same time..

Stepping on the scale on this 49th day of lockdown

I've been avoiding it, but I made myself step on the scale today. The verdict.. I've gained 4.6 pounds since sheltering in place. It's not like I've been sitting around either.  Heck.. I've been downright busy for a good part of it. Looking closely at everything in retrospect, I can boil it down to pretty much sugar and carbs.

When you go from eating under 100 grams of net carbs per day, to an abundance of them, you pack on the weight unbelievably fast. My only saving grace is how active I've been around the house with projects, and an increase in activity thanks to biking, walking and swimming. I have no doubt in my mind that this would be 10 pounds or more I would have gained, if I had just been sitting around for the last 49 days.

Much like I thought in my post yesterday, I was able to jump right back into intermittent fasting with no problems. Today I didn't eat my first meal until 2:00 p.m., creating an 18-hour fast! Seeing the numbers on the scale even motivated me to eat a sensible lunch. I threw together a 'Ghetto Charcuterie' board together as you can see below..

Smoked Kippers, meats, cheeses, celery, olives, pickles & nuts

Tons of protein and less than 5 grams of net carbs! This filled me up quick, and I even had to put most of the nuts back into the jar I got them from. I had forgotten how different it feels to eat this way. I actually felt energized after lunch instead of falling asleep.

In recent weeks I would eat breakfast at 9:00 a.m., lunch at 11:00 or noon, and would snack mindlessly until dinner. I had also gotten back in the habit of eating dessert most nights. I was always hungry when I ate more carbs. I knew my eating habits would suffer a bit when this all started, but I really began going off the rails, and I'm glad I caught myself sooner than later. Hopefully changing course can get me back on track, and maybe even slowly losing weight once again.

Best Beef Brisket I've ever eaten! Jack's BBQ in Minneola Florida

I never expect much when I order any type of BBQ Sandwich.  I've simply been let down too many times.  I've had dang good Barbeque in sandwich form, but most places skimp on the barbecue and count heavily on the bread for filler.  Well.. today I'm going to share with you possibly the best Brisket I've ever eaten in, at Jack's BBQ in Minneola Florida.  And.. it came in sandwich form to boot!  Behold the masterpiece I discovered last year..

Beautiful Right?  You should see what's under the hood..

Six beautiful slices of Brisket ( I ate one of them before snapping this pic ).  I watched as the Gal preparing my sandwich cut these hot and juicy slices from a Beef Brisket pulled directly out of the smoker.  

This was everything you want in a good Brisket.  It was slow cooked & smoked with a wonderful rub, had a visible smoke ring, and was incredibly juicy and tender. Back before the COVID-19 epidemic took hold of our Country, I pretty much visited Jack's at least once a week for lunch.  Once we are all on the other side of this pandemic, and if you're ever in the area, I highly recommend checking out Jack's BBQ. You won't be sorry you did.

Jack's BBQ Online

100 S Highway 27

Minneola FL, 34715

Intermittent fasting - Lockdown Day 48

Before this lockdown, I would stop eating at 6:30 p.m. and wouldn't eat again until 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. the next day. This is how I would intermittently fast for around sixteen to eighteen hours. Fasting combined with a lower carb lifestyle, is what kick started my weight loss after Christmas. However, fasting and a few other good habits fell by the wayside since sheltering in place began.

I decided to start fresh today and jump back into intermittent fasting. I cut myself off at 7:00 p.m. last night, and didn't eat my first meal until 11:00 a.m. today. A decent sixteen hour fast, but my gosh it was tough getting to eleven o'clock! I didn't realize how dependent on breakfast I had become until today. My stomach was talking to me by 8:30 a.m., letting me know it wanted something to do.  

I held strong, but my eye was on the clock all morning.  When 11:00 hit, I jumped up and made myself some lunch.  From what I remember, it originally only took me a couple of days to get in the swing of intermittent fasting. In fact, intermittent fasting was the easiest thing I did, that helped me lose weight. There were also other benefits I quickly noticed. For me personally, my energy soared, my blood pressure dropped, I was less tired, felt like eating less often, and no longer suffered from getting 'Hangry'.  For now I'll stick with sixteen hour fasts, and then kick it up to eighteen hours in a few days.

Intermittent fasting is a great tool in helping with weight loss. When you stack it with exercise and eating less carbs, you see results even more quickly. The best thing about intermittent fasting, is that time spent sleeping counts!  The 16:8 method of fasting is what people usually start off on.  You basically have a 16-hour fast window, and an 8-hour window to eat.

Here are some examples of eating windows:

• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Noon to 8 p.m.

Breakfast became something I started getting dependent on during lockdown. Making a big breakfast for us everyday gave me something to do, and the types of comfort food I've been cooking were very enjoyable to eat. It put me in a much better state of mind to watch the morning news. I realize that I tend to eat my stress, and this was yet another way I was doing that without even realizing it.  What am I going to do now though to face the world?  All I can say about that, is Thank the Maker you can drink coffee while fasting!  As long as there isn't any sugar in it, you will keep reaping the benefits of your fast.

I'm going to still eat breakfast on the weekends, but will simply shift my eating window from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. I will also still be eating snack cakes, but am limiting myself to only one a day. Honestly, I can eat an ungodly amount of snack cakes or donuts during my eating window, so the commitment to only one a day is something I need to stand firm on.  The good news is, my current snack cake stash will last me about a month and a half, if I can truly stick to only one snack cake a day!

A walk down memory lane while decluttering - Lockdown Day 47

I've finally started cleaning and organizing the sections of my house that I've been putting off forever.  As I dig through boxes, closets and drawers, I've come across a few pictures and items that made me pause a moment to reminisce.

Photos from Disney MGM Backlot Tour in 1990

 Snow Speeder and Dessert Skiff from Return of the Jedi

 The Golden Girls House

 Coyote-X stunt car from Hardcastle and McCormick next to a Mad Max style car

 A BMX Bike I was building around 1983

My childhood mid 70s Dusty Baker baseball Mitt

Old bookmarks made by my kids long ago. I can even remember the books I was reading while using them. They were Hagakure the Book of the Samurai, and three Clive Cussler novels (Blue Gold, Valhalla Rising and Havana Storm). All great books, but I loved that these bookmarks were the last thing I saw, as I closed the books at night before going to bed.

Disney World park tickets from 1992  (I miss those prices)

Such vivid memories were immediately brought back when looking at these items.  I have great memories from vacations, and flashbacks to simpler times.  I have lots more stuff to go through on my mission to de-clutter and downsize.  I can't wait to see what other items I find that I forgot about in recent years.  I'll make sure to post more unique and interesting finds as I come across them.

Time to pay for slacking on my fitness - Lockdown Day 46

So this lockdown has been getting the better of me and I've put on a few pounds.  It really bugs me because right before this mess started, I had lost close to 20 pounds, went down almost two shirt sizes, and was feeling incredible.  I noticed a few days ago a T-shirt that had recently been almost too big on me, was now close to getting snug.

It's not so much about laying around and being inactive, as it is my lousy eating habits as of late. Donuts and snack cakes are my biggest vice, and I've been eating more of them on a daily basis.  With no current income, I have been buying food that is cheap, filling, and carb laden.  And carbs as I've recently learned, are my biggest enemy.

I decided enough was enough, and I was going to step up my physical activity.  I'm up to about 90 jumping jacks before bed, and started hitting the weights again.  What was weird to me, is that my workouts with dumbbells are making me sweat more than any cardio I am doing.

I have not lifted weights in about a month, and now a short time into my workouts, my muscles get real fatigued. Again, I believe it's because of my eating habits.  I was eating plenty of protein and healthy fats before the lockdown, and my muscles were reaping the benefits.  The recovery time in between workouts was incredibly short, and I was able to lift every other day.

I'm going to try and get back to intermittent fasting, only eating breakfast on the weekends. Snack cakes are going to be a tough one, but I'm going to scale back on those as well.  I love beer, but it's definitely not the root of my weight gain, and not drinking is probably the easiest thing for me to do for my health.  In fact, its probably been two weeks since I've even drank a beer.  If I do buy more beer in the near future, I'll opt for a low carb option. 

Hopefully these steps along with an increase in biking and walking will help get me back to where I was.  The thing I hate about being my age, is that you can pack on pounds just by looking at carbs and junk food.  Losing the weight takes way longer as well.  So while it's back to square one.  I'm trying not to beat myself up too bad about it.  I'm glad I woke up and changed course now, instead of two or three months down the road.

I'm so ready to watch some Baseball - Lockdown Day 45

I'm not the biggest baseball fan, and haven't been an avid watcher since the 80s and early 90s.  Similar to pro wrestling and NBA basketball, there was just something more exciting and fun to me about watching it back in the day.  I can count on one hand how many times I actually played baseball in my life, but I still admired the sport.

I had a Dusty Baker baseball mitt that my Dad bought me when I was about seven years old that I still own .  Having a Mitt was something just about every boy was expected to own back in the day.  I never used it much, just to play catch with my Dad and Brother occasionally.  I was proud to own that mitt however, and it made me feel like I was part of something bigger.

With talk of Baseball coming back soon, I'm all about watching some games as soon as they start up.  I am a man without a team though.  I do watch Dodger games, because I lived in Southern California until I was about 8 years old.  It was my Brother's favorite team, and I was very familiar with the team history and players from a very young age.  We had our favorite players like 'El Toro'.. Fernando Valenzuela, Davey Lopes, Dusty Baker, Steve Garvey, and who didn't love watching Tommy Lasorda marching out on the field to argue with the Umps?  We loved it when he did that.  Here's one of the many shows he put on back in the day..

Those were the days.  Tommy was just as entertaining as watching the game sometimes.

While the Dodgers hold a special place in my heart, I followed many teams over the years like the Oakland A's, Anaheim Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and a few others.  I credit this to my Brother.  He would buy baseball cards and give me any doubles he'd get, which got me into the hobby of baseball card collecting.  He taught me what the stats meant on the back of the cards, and I became enthralled with how better some players were than others. 

It was because of reading facts and stats about players from their respective cards, that I started following players rather than teams.  Eddie Murray from the Baltimore Orioles was my favorite childhood player, and in most recent years David Ortiz aka 'Big Papi' from the Boston Red Sox.  In fact, the only Baseball Jersey I currently wear is a Big Papi jersey.

I don't even care who is going to be playing, I'm going to be watching games as soon as baseball starts up.  I had every intention of catching a spring training game locally this year, but those plans were obviously derailed.  While I can watch games on TV, there's just something so great about watching them live.  I'm not sure when we will be able to take in games like that once again, but I'm for sure going to enjoy them all that much more when they do return.  Baseball.. one more thing on a list of many, that I sorely miss now that it's not there.