A Bridal Shower in Atlanta

A Bridal Shower in Atlanta

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for July 27, 2025

This weekend we flew to Atlanta to celebrate Avery’s fiancée, Abby, at her bridal shower. It was a special day for her, surrounded by family and friends—and we were happy to be there to show our support.

On Friday, I ended up in the backseat with two Averys—my son and his fiancée’s little sister. Pretty sure I’ll be saying “Avery… no, the other one” for the rest of my life.

We grabbed lunch at Central City Tavern in Alpharetta and were pleasantly surprised by how fancy everything felt. Great food, great weather, and just enough bougie energy to make us feel like we probably should’ve worn nicer shoes.

Abby gave us a great tour of her hometown, sharing stories from her childhood in the Atlanta suburb of Suwanee. It’s always fun seeing a place through someone else’s memories—especially when they light up pointing out things like, “That’s where we’d go after cheer practice.”

Eventually we made it to Abby’s parents’ house, where Andrew and Andrea showed us what real Southern hospitality looks like. They grilled, they hosted, they gave us the full tour—including a game room that could rival Dave & Buster’s. We ate like royalty, laughed a lot, and ended the night watching Happy Gilmore 2, which had just dropped on Netflix and made for the perfect family movie.

We really enjoyed the chance to meet more of Abby’s extended family. She’s got a lot of cousins, and they were all incredibly warm and welcoming—just like the rest of the crew.

Saturday was the big event. Even though we’d come for the bridal shower, it was strictly a ladies-only affair—so we snapped a few photos, gave our hugs, and set off in a completely different direction. Let’s just say our day involved a lot less lace and a lot more elevation.

While the girls were busy showering, the boys decided to head up into the Georgia mountains for something a little more rugged. The drive alone was an adrenaline rush—twisty roads, steep drop-offs, and motorcycles flying past us on blind curves like they had a death wish. By the time we pulled over to hike, I was already feeling like I’d survived something.

We picked up Dan—86 years old and somehow still able to run laps around me—for what I was told would be a “moderate” hike. That should’ve been my first clue. Turns out we were on part of the Appalachian Trail, a 2,190-mile beast that stretches from Georgia all the way to Maine. We only did about three miles, but at least a mile of it felt like climbing a rock staircase with no handrail. Dan was cruising. I was negotiating with my lungs.

Eventually we made it to Preacher’s Rock, a stunning overlook on the Appalachian Trail near the summit of Big Cedar Mountain. The hike starts at Woody Gap and climbs nearly 500 feet in elevation, most of it packed into a steep, rocky final stretch full of switchbacks. It’s less than two miles to the top, but it felt like one of the longest miles I’ve ever walked. I honestly considered turning back—twice—but the view at the summit made every breathless step worth it.

After the hike, Avery made a quick stop at the bridal shower to surprise Abby with a bouquet of roses. Miss Sheri caught it all on video, but I’m still waiting on clearance to share it. Let’s just say it was a sweet moment—and based on the reactions from the ladies in the room, he nailed it.

@toddswank ChatGPT told me to start recording unscripted videos to find my path in life. #pathinlife #chatgpt #aitherapy ♬ BOURBON STREET SHUFFLE - Abaco

@toddswank Where the mountains meet the sky! I used AI to make this song a reality! #georgia #mountains #preachersrock #appalachiantrail #mountainsmeetthesky ♬ Where The Mountains Meet The Sky - Steve Biddison

A Close Encounter of the Swank Kind

 

A Close Encounter of the Swank Kind

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for July 20, 2025

It was birthday week in the Swank household. Luke & Avery turned 26 and I hit the double nickels at 55. We all handled the aging process with grace, dignity, and a suspicious amount of dessert.

We kicked off birthday week with steaks at PorterHouse in Lakeville—Luke and Avery, Abby, Sheri, Grandma Linda, and me. The food was excellent, the company even better, and the boys scored free birthday desserts. Sheri and I were being good, but I’m pretty sure I caught Grandma Linda sneaking a bite when no one was looking. Some perks don’t expire with age.

Wednesday night we rolled into Shakopee for Rhythm on the Rails, where Def Legend took the stage with a full-throttle tribute to Def Leppard. They had the look, the sound, and just enough hair product to summon 1987. No actual leopards were harmed during the performance.

We were joined by the Browns, the Wolfs, and Karl for a night of live music. After a stretch of brutal heat, the weather pulled a full Minnesota mood swing—cold, rainy all day, and stuck in the fifties by showtime. We made it through the opener and half of Def Legend before calling it. Nothing says “summer” here quite like wind chills in July.

We headed up to Clearwater for the weekend to hang with the Korkowskis, who always show us amazing hospitality. We kicked things off at Coyote Moon Grille in St. Cloud—great food, relaxed vibes, and a surprisingly impressive salad bar that even included popovers. We were officially off to a strong start.

The Korkowskis said they wanted to stop at a place they'd driven by a hundred times but never actually visited. We weren’t sure what to expect, but when we pulled up to Foleyland, we knew we were about to experience something... technically classified as art. Intrigued was an understatement.

Foleyland isn’t just a pile of old trucks and alien statues—it’s nearly 20 years of eccentric creativity brought to life by Tom Henry, a construction guy with a wild imagination, and his artist wife, Paige. What started with one painted grain silo in 2005 has turned into four acres of Bigfoots, UFOs, vintage rigs, and even a homemade time machine. It feels less like a roadside stop and more like someone turned their midlife crisis into a theme park.

We only had about 20 minutes to wander Foleyland before “closing time”—which was hilarious because we were the only ones there, and I’m still not sure who exactly was supposed to kick us out. But maybe that’s the point. Places like this aren’t built to be efficient or explainable. They’re built because someone had something weird and wonderful in their head and decided the world needed to see it. And honestly? They were absolutely right.  I thought it was awesome.

Game nights with the Korkowskis are serious business. This weekend included one with marbles, one with dice, and a couple rounds of Settlers of Catan. I was cruising in the first game—until Luke pulled a backstab straight out of a medieval scroll and crushed my chances. Sue won the second round while I watched from the sidelines in quiet frustration. Nothing like trading imaginary bricks and wheat to find out who your real friends are.

The Korkowskis had a new boat since our last visit, so we hit the lake several times. Temps stayed in the low seventies, so no one felt the urge to dive in, but it was perfect for cruising, chatting, and making up wild backstories about the other boats. One group was all wearing the same color shirts, so naturally we assumed it was either a family reunion… or a mildly unsettling cult retreat.

Blue’s 10 now and definitely showing his age, but you’d never know it from the way he’s treated—front of the boat, sun on his back, and living like royalty. Sue and the whole Korkowski crew make him feel just as welcome as the rest of us, even when his stomach occasionally forgets its manners. We’re lucky to have friends who open their home, their boat, and their weekend plans with the kind of generosity that makes you feel like family.

Hot Days, Cold Drinks, Great People

 

Hot Days, Cold Drinks, Great People

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for July 13, 2025

We went to Clear Lake, Iowa for the 4th of July and met up with Krazy Kory, his daughter, and her friend to kick things off. They brought the energy, I brought the need for shade and lower back support. I used to party all night—now I just hope to stay awake past sunset. Still a great way to celebrate freedom… until the next morning reminds you how old you are.

We had a special treat this year when my stepsister Lori and her husband David came to town for her 40th high school reunion and casually turned our 4th of July into a VIP experience. I always thought I had some local clout, but apparently all it takes is showing up with Lori to have doors open, crowds part, and prime spots magically appear. I’m not saying she runs Clear Lake now—but I’m definitely not saying she doesn’t.

The 4th of July parade is always fun, but this year Lori’s friend was able to reserve a front row table inside Rookies and had a couple extra seats for us. Watching the madness from an air-conditioned bar with cold beers and table service? Let’s just say it’s hard to go back to sidewalk seating after that level of freedom.

The VIP experience continued when Lori’s friends Kelly and Al Dickes invited us over before taking us out on the lake. We started with a tour of Al’s man cave, which felt less like a garage and more like a fully functional museum of Midwestern greatness. Tools, toys, neon signs—this place had everything but a gift shop.

Kelly and Al were awesome hosts, giving us a cruise around Clear Lake that brought back a bunch of childhood memories. I grew up on this lake with my dad and his boat—he was obsessed with keeping it spotless, drying it down and waxing it after every ride. Being back out there on the 4th felt great… mostly because no one made me towel-dry a windshield afterward.

We always have fun hitting the carnival downtown, and this year’s Bingo tent did not disappoint. We ran into Mike Glaser and his family mid-game, which was great—especially since Miss Sheri walked away $38 richer. It’s not about the money, of course… unless you win. Then it absolutely is.

I always seem to run into Todd Rule when I’m in Clear Lake, which is great since he lives in Houston and we rarely get to catch up. This year he brought his wife Lenaine, and we squeezed in a quick visit at the VFW—just enough time to swap what’s new before disappearing again for another year. It’s the kind of reliable randomness I’ve come to expect from Clear Lake.

We also bumped into Casey and Michele Craven, which always feels like reconnecting with the home team. Michele was in the same grade as Krazy Kory and me, so there’s this automatic bond—like no matter how much time passes, we just pick up right where we left off. The Class of 1988 may be scattered now, but for a few days each summer, it feels like we never left.

Back in Minnesota, the reunions kept rolling. Jason and Jen are in town for the summer, so we met up with them and invited Brad to join us at Duke’s on 7 in Minnetonka. Good food, great company, and just enough sarcasm at the table to make it feel like we never took a break.

On Wednesday, we met up with Miss Sheri’s cousin Deb, her husband Al, their daughter Jenny, and her crew for a little family catch-up. They were in full vacation mode, and we were a brief pause between all the action. The kids were happy to see us—at least until they remembered there were way more exciting things to do than hang out with adults talking over pancakes.

On Friday night we hit up Prior Lake’s Lakefront Music Fest for Rock Night. Always a good time—even when it’s 85 degrees, the crowd feels like a human wall, and your chair sinks two inches into the grass. The rain held off, the music was loud, and nobody around us sang in key… which honestly made it even better.

We ran into a bunch of great friends at Lakefront Music Fest and ended up sitting with Sue and Ron Korkowski—two people who never need convincing when it comes to having a good time. If there’s music, sunshine, and a reason to laugh, they’re already there.

Loverboy opened Rock Night with a tight, no-nonsense set that hit all the right notes. They launched into “Notorious” and didn’t let up. When they hit “Working for the Weekend,” they got everyone on their feet—even the people who looked pretty settled in for the night.

By the time 38 Special took the stage, the sun was down, the beer gardens were busy, and the crowd was fully warmed up. They kicked things off with “Rockin’ Into the Night” and didn’t slow down from there. Tight guitars, clean vocals, and nothing fancy—just a well-oiled Southern rock machine doing exactly what we came to see. When they closed with “Hold On Loosely,” every voice in that field was shouting it back.

Foreigner closed out Rock Night with a full-blown light show and a setlist straight off a Greatest Hits CD. They opened with “Double Vision” and rolled through anthem after anthem like they had something to prove. By the time they hit “I Want to Know What Love Is” with a local choir and a sea of phone lights, it felt less like a concert and more like a moment everyone was going to remember.

@toddswank

A Megapod of Dolphins - We thought we were out for a peaceful cruise in San Diego. Then the ocean exploded. Over 1,000 dolphins—stampeding in sync—racing alongside us like we accidentally joined nature’s VIP rave. This went on for 15 minutes. No joke. I finally finished editing the full footage—and I still can’t believe it was real. Watch to the end. You’ll start questioning which species is really in charge out there. #Dolphins #MegaPod #SanDiego #WildlifeEncounters #OceanEnergy #swankventures

♬ original sound - Todd Swank

Joining a Dolphin Stampede in San Diego

Joining a Dolphin Stampede in San Diego

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for July 6, 2025

Miss Sheri and I went to San Diego for a weeklong family vacation at Mission Beach. We stayed somewhere so pretty it felt like a screensaver—if your screensaver came with sand in your sheets and a seagull that kept making direct, unsettling eye contact.

Luke joined us for the whole trip because he’s the kind of guy who hears “wild animals on a beach” and says, “Let’s get closer.” The sea lions at La Jolla Cove put on a full reality show, complete with a screaming crowd and surprise chase scenes—basically SeaWorld without the guilt or ticket prices.

We spent much of our time visiting a wide variety of beaches in search of tide pools—either San Diego’s hiding them or we’re just really bad at marine biology. Ocean Beach was mostly rocks, disappointment, and a few hippies who looked like they’d already claimed the best shells.

We finally found actual tide pools on a beach in Coronado—after scrambling over rocks sharp enough to void a shoe warranty. A little girl yelled she'd spotted three stingrays, and sure enough, there they were… just hanging out like they’d reserved the place on Airbnb.

We loved La Jolla Cove so much we went back three times—but not enough to participate in a cliff plunge. We passed the “Unstable Cliffs” sign, sure, but stopped short of the edge where the truly bold (or dangerously confident) were dangling over shark infested waters.

We really enjoyed visiting the USS Midway Museum—a giant floating maze of planes, stories, and ladders that double as quad workouts. Between the claustrophobic bunks and narrow hallways, I now fully respect every sailor who lived on this thing without losing their mind or accidentally becoming part of the ventilation system.

It was really cool visiting the bridge and getting a bird’s eye view of the ship—and imagining what it was like when this place was packed with jets, sailors, and real chaos instead of tourists and souvenirs.

Avery joined us on Wednesday, so we took him up the coast to Torrey Pines Gliderport—where friendly strangers tried to convince us that running off a cliff with a glorified picnic blanket was totally normal. It did look amazing… but knowing my luck, I’d be the guy who takes a left turn and ends up trending on a Coast Guard rescue page.

We had to introduce Avery to our new sea lion friends, since he also enjoys getting way too close to wild animals with no exit strategy. The nearby rookery had a 1,300-pound male they called “Submarine”—probably because if he charges, you're going under whether you like it or not.

The four of us went on a deep sea fishing trip near La Jolla Cove over the kelp beds—hoping to catch a bunch of fish and not embarrass ourselves. We nailed the first part with nearly 20 spotted bass… and I personally made sure no fish felt left out by letting most of them swim right past me.

Miss Sheri isn’t usually big on fishing, but she always jumps in with a smile—and for a while, she was flat-out dominating the leaderboard. She eventually had to take a little break to settle her stomach—sea conditions: 1, Miss Sheri: 0—but she bounced back like a champ.

Avery was doing great—he and Luke were reeling in spotted bass like it was their side hustle. Eventually we declared extra credit for catching anything not named “spotted bass,” and sure enough, they both pulled in baby barracudas. Adorable little killers, but not quite entrée-sized.

Luke was the big winner of the day, landing fish from three different species—including this beauty, a sheepshead. Must’ve been a hot catch, because the captain scooped it up faster than we could say “photo op.” He knew we weren’t keeping fish and said this one was headed straight to his dinner plate.

After the fishing trip, Avery and I hit the bay for some paddle boarding—he nailed it, of course, then headed off to boogie board with the locals while I stayed back like a worried lifeguard who forgot his whistle. I lost sight of him for a bit and mildly panicked… which is dad-speak for “started planning a coast-wide search and rescue.

On Thursday night, Abby finally joined us—completing the human portion of the family vacation. Now that everyone had arrived and roll call was done, the real fun could begin… assuming no one wandered off, got seasick, or tried to hug a sea lion.

Of course we had to take her to see the sea lions—mainly so she could take a nice photo of the four of us. I really liked how it turned out… but next time, we’ll ask someone else to take the picture so she can be in it also.

We saved our best adventures for last. Friday night we set off on a sunset whale watching cruise… hoping to spot whales, which of course meant we didn’t. But what we got instead was something even better: a front-row seat to one of those rare, unforgettable moments you don’t see coming.

Near the edge of the shelf—where the ocean floor drops from a polite 75 feet to a gaping 1200—we suddenly heard our naturalist get giddy. She said we were about to witness something rare. And then, like a surprise party thrown by the sea, a Megapod of Dolphins came stampeding straight toward us.

A megapod is defined as a group of more than 1,000 dolphins traveling together—and not only did we witness one, but they stampeded alongside our boat for more than 15 minutes. According to the naturalist, that kind of close-up encounter is incredibly rare. To us, it just felt like pure magic.

Saturday we tackled the world-famous San Diego Zoo—and yes, it lived up to the hype. We all showed up for the pandas, but walked away unexpectedly obsessed with the hippos. Turns out, 3,500 pounds of underwater swagger beats bamboo-munching fluff every time.

Like all good vacations, this one ended way too fast. We wrapped things up with a stroll through Mission Beach, Belmont Park, and a whole lot of people-watching. San Diego has officially made the “we’re definitely coming back” list… again.

@toddswank We had a fun encounter with the sea lions at La Jolla Cove. #sealions #lajolla ♬ original sound - Todd Swank

@toddswank My son took out the paddle board for the first time. While watching him drift out there, I started getting paranoid about something crazy happening. So I used AI to animate my imagination. He was fine. #paddleboarding #oceanfear #wasthatawhale? ♬ original sound - Missy Elliott

@toddswank Paddle boarding turned into surfing. #paddleboarding #surfing ♬ sonido original - 🧡𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙤

@toddswank We ran into a mega pod of dolphins on our San Diego Whale Watching Cruise!! #megapod #dolphins #whalewatching #sandiego ♬ original sound - Todd Swank