The Coolest Times I Had In 2017.....


It's the end of the year and the start of another. You will see plenty of columns about the top news stories of the past year. Or something about celebrity deaths. But the news was horrible all year. I choose to write about the good times.

There were plenty of things I enjoyed last year. I enjoyed the Cavs playoff run. I enjoyed the Indians historic winning streak. I enjoyed going to the Billy Joel concert with my wife. And of course I enjoyed any day I could spend with my family and friends.

But some days stick out. Some times were special. So, not in any particular order, here are some special days I will remember from 2017.

  • My nephew's wedding. Weddings are special because it brings the whole family together. Plus it's a big party. My nephew Patrick and his bride Erin had particularly beautiful wedding. The
    The bride and groom.
    rehearsal dinner was at Progressive Field. The wedding ceremony was at the downtown cathedral. The reception was at the new Hilton Cleveland, with beautiful views of the city. Everything was first class. Great live music too. My family was all together, and it was a wonderful day for all. (Here's a short video of the party.)

  • My vacation in Sedona, Az. A little background. To celebrate our 40th anniversary my wife and I planned to go on a Caribbean cruise. It was cancelled at the last moment by a hurricane. So I developed a Plan B trip to Arizona. We flew to Phoenix and enjoyed the city and natural beauty. We drove to the Grand Canyon, and it was beautiful but crowded. We had both visited it before. But we were both absolutely stunned by the red rocks of Sedona. There was one spectacular red mountain after another. And you could drive right up to them. It was hard to drive around without being distracted. Imagine driving past a strip shopping center with a giant red mountain just behind it. Sedona is supposed to be full of some positive energy vortex. I don't know about that, but I did feel great when I was there. Or maybe it was just getting out of the 110 degree weather in Phoenix. I can't wait to go back.
    Bell Rock in Sedona, Az.
  • Edgewater Live with my wife. Edgewater Live is a giant beach party on Thursday nights in the summer. There's live music, food trucks, and plenty of fun. OK, so maybe I like it a little more
    View from the top of Edgewater Live.
    than most. But I always enjoy going to Edgewater. I went with my wife a couple of times, and enjoyed the new beach house the Metroparks constructed. My wife just likes to walk around the park and build up steps on her fitbit. I joined her for part of her walk. After a while, we just sat on a bench and slowly watched the sunset. It was very beautiful. Sometimes it's the simple things that you remember the most.
I'm sure 2018 will have plenty of memorable events as well. You just never know where or when.


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