Shining son

I will always need my Son, no matter what age I am. MY son has made me laugh, made me proud, made me cry, seen me cry, hugged me tight, seen me fail, cheered me up, kept me on my toes, and at times driven me crazy, But my Son is a promise that I will have a friend FOREVER!

 Andrew Guzaldo

AUBURN — Those unforgettable days of watching our child build castles out of dirt in our backyard garden or design imposing warships out of Legos have passed forever.

When Anthony Philip Blasi turned 18 on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, the little boy, who roamed the beaches and lakes of New England and made every day special for us, gave way to a young man whose integrity and honesty remain beyond reproach.

So far so good! 

He has made it easy for us because he has kept his head on straight and is at this very moment planning a promising future.

Life doesn't get any better than raising a child who has enriched his parents' lives. Child rearing is the show that never ends and is a lifetime commitment that comes with a great deal of perks.

I will always miss the toddler who gave us a reason to get up each morning. But that long metamorphosis, when a child becomes a young man, is the greatest journey for all parents who give a damn about their kid.

His interests have become my interests, and because he is a good student and a smart guy, conversation with him has always enlightened me.

My wife has had a lot to do with Anthony's easy-doing demeanor and compassion for other people. They have a mutual respect and found a way to tolerate me.

Now that does take patience.

The good books

There are several huge, three-ring binders containing papers, letters, maps, programs, tickets and awards highlighting his numerous accomplishments from kindergarten through high school on a bookshelf in my room

Every so often, I enter another page of my son's life in these sacred binders, which are not scrap books. 

A good friend at the Sun Journal – Heather McCarthy – gave me the idea of archiving my son's history on paper. 

Forget the damn computer. I wanted to leave a paper trail and help him remember that his parents really loved him.

I couldn't keep all his watershed moments, but the best of the best have been inserted in these binders, which are thick with great memories.

Two years ago, the three of us walked the decks of mighty Big Mamie – the U.S.S. Massachusetts, which fought throughout World War II. He was a sophomore, and a year later, we headed to Philadelphia to tour the U.S.S. Olympia, which fought during the Spanish American War.

And now he is talking about being a reservist in the U.S. Navy as well as attending Maine Maritime, Temple or Bowdoin College.

I often ask myself where the hell did 18 spectacular and rewarding years go, and then there are moments where I want my toddler back playing with his toys in the living room.

It is difficult letting the little boy disappear, but what I get in return is one helluva a young man whose smile continues to give me hope.

Today will be cake, going out to lunch and a few modest presents.

And so the journey with Anthony continues, and I can't wait to see where his next adventure takes us, because, we'll be right there for him.

Happy birthday, son! Thank you for 18 wonderful years.

Leading you down the garden path

My garden made it through the rain I kept my garden protected My garden made it through the rain And found my garden was respected By the other gardeners who Got rained on too And made it through "I made it through the rain" - Barry Manilow

AUBURN, Maine - There is nothing like a Barry Manilow song to put gardening in perspective.

All farmers and master gardeners face an endless battle with the elements. Daily tussles with Mother Nature are part of the deal when you break ground and attempt to raise vegetables or flowers.

There is no luck involved when you count on good soil to bring delicious, pesticide-free vegetables to life. Knowledge has a lot to do with putting organic vegetables on the table.

Since May, I have watched a week's worth of rain batter my small plot of land, and later came the god damn bugs. Cucumber beetles began their assault and aphids joined the fray to ravage my plants.

I was reluctant to turn to pesticides, but expert Paul Parent, a gardener who also hosts a syndicated radio show about gardening, suggested using Garden 8. I haven't tried it yet, because I used something else, along with an organic soap that knocked off the bugs.

There was no way I would win this fight without turning to a pesticide or a soap to save my plants. And I was victorious, losing only one zucchini plant in my small war with the little critters.

I am looking at a bumper crop of summer squash, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, Swiss chard and zucchinis.

But there are no guarantees that I will reap what I sow, especially when confronting Mother Nature's whims.

A visit from the Mothman

We have made the other part of our home a refuge from the humidity and steamy temperatures. The air conditioner makes us feel human on those hot days.

I was in my room laying down to avoid the heat when something big, really big flew over my head. I thought it might be a bat. I reached for the light when I saw a lunar moth, which should have its own landing strip. These guys are huge.

This big boy had a wing span of about five inches and made a loud buzz when it strafed me.

I carefully captured the big fella and cut it loose just outside our front door. Remember, I am friend to all bugs - even the ones I bump off. It hung around for a while before heading for another destination. 

I could not help but wonder if I had just met a miniature version of Indrid Cold. If you don't know the name, sit through the terrifying movie, "The Monthman Prophecies."

A quiet celebration

Sure, we had the traditional cake to celebrate Anthony's birthday on Sunday, but while some families head to a restaurant, we went hiking along the coast and had a barbecue at a state park - Wolfe's Neck in Freeport.

The park features trails that line an inlet and an opportunity to watch nesting osprey at a nearby island, which is off limits to human beings. The views of the ocean are incredible.

When we do barbecue at Wolfe's Neck, our portable grill draws comments from other hikers. We picked it up at a yard sale.

A model of inspiration

Anthony's only request for his birthday was to build a model of the "Olympia," Admiral Dewey's flagship during the Spanish-American War.

It is an impressive warship that remains docked in Philadelphia. And there has been talk about scraping the old workhorse because it is expensive to maintain. Another sign of a nation that continues to wallow in a the throes of an economic debacle. We can't even send a man to the space station, and now we are talking about junking a national treasure.

There is plenty of blame to go around in Congress.

Anthony discovered the kit on Amazon. It was expensive, but it was a project that I knew would continue to fuel his passion for naval warships and expand his knowledge of history.

It took him four days to complete this difficult model. He is indeed a master builder.

Lawnmower man

Ever go running with your lawnmower?

I do every time I cut the lawn. I don't need a partner or leave my street. I just pull the cord on this self-propelled, gas-powered Sherman tank and cut grass. No matter how high the green stuff is, this tank makes mince meat out of grass. 

This beast is sold at Sears. It has rear-wheel drive and could drag me down the street when I put it in motion. This thing doesn't lose power even when the rear bag is full of clippings. 

I thought when I purchased this four-wheel machine it would make mowing easier. But now I get to go running on straight aways. The engine is American made courtesy of Briggs and Stratton.

Well, I've got to run - after my lawnmower.

They say it's your birthday

Our pride and joy. Happy birthday, big guy!

AUBURN, Maine - He turned 15 today and I am proud to say Anthony has surpassed me in nearly every way when I was his age.

He is wiser and smarter  — and we are not the least bit envious of him.  He is not a follower and marches to his own drum. He thrives on our unconditional love, and he  still doesn't mind having us around, although that will soon change.

He is growing up in central Maine and I was raised in the Greater Boston area, and they are worlds apart when it comes to the fast pace of life.

We both like to think we had something to do with Anthony's solid upbringing, and we don't take each other for granted. But we never take all the credit for his performance in the classroom and his wise choices when it comes to friends and doing the right thing. He has made those decisions on his own, but he also realizes we are his first phone call when life goes awry.

I have often told him this: 

"I am not your friend. I am your father, and I am better than any friend you will ever have. I am not cool and I will always hate your music because I am older. When it comes to sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, we are open 24 hours a day and the coffee is free — so come on in and talk to us."

If you are any kind of a parent, you want your one-and-only son to excel in this unstable world. We have always put his needs and interests first — and that is the only way it works in this please-and-thank-you family.

If you are an adult who doesn't share this philosophy about nurturing children, then do us all a favor and don't bring a kid into this world. Society doesn't need another horror story about a neglected child whose parents put themselves first.

That's why parenting is the best job in the world and why I enjoy holding the job title of "dad." But this family could not function without dear-old mom - Terri - who is the go-to person when it comes to compassion and understanding. 

Anthony is smart, but I have cautioned him about arrogance and indifference. He understands life is fickle and has a way of knocking you down no matter how many degrees you have earned in this brief lifetime.

He has been warned about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, knowing I have a zero tolerance for narcotics or the town drunk. He is aware that we have never used drugs and drink very little. I was a bartender for years, and I can tell you from experience there is no good drunk.

Anthony now stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 160 pounds. He is a damn monster who consumes milk by the gallon. I can no longer offer him one hamburger when we cook on the grill. He is good for two or three burgers.

He is not sports fanatic, but he knows nearly every warship since the 1700s. He is a writer, poet and history fanatic who doesn't mind watching "All The President's Men" for the umpteenth time with his dad. He is a skier and swimmer who loves hiking with his parents. In the summer, Maine's pristine's beaches and lakes are his playground. In the winter, he heads to the mountains with his skis.

He campaigned for President Obama when he was 12 years old, speaking with angry voters over the phone

He is heading for the high school, and I worry about him even though he is smarter than his old man.  I always worry about him and my wife. You do that when you are fortunate to be a member of a loving family.

I am apprehensive about the future, but I am looking forward to the next 15 years of my son's life — and I am sure my wife feels the same.

Happy birthday, son! You are a fine young man.