With all the trips that I make to the beach, in addition to those made by friends, I figured its time for a beaching scorecard:
1. Coastline: Points are given for dipping your toes into the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and the Gulf Coast.
1 point for one body of water
2 points for two bodies of water
5 points for three bodies of water
10 points for all three and one of the Great Lakes
2. Items lost in the surf:
1 point for sunglasses
2 points for swim bottoms
5 points for swim top
10 points for all three
3. Tattoos:
1 point if you thought about getting one at the beach
5 points if you got one while at the beach
10 points if you got that beach tattoo removed
4. Fun in the Sand:
1 point if you have taken a picture of your toes in the sand
2 points if you have been buried in the sand
3 points if you have made a sand angel
5 points if you have lost a piece of jewelry in the sand
10 points for all four
5. Water Water Everywhere
1 point if you have peed in the surf
2 points if you have peed in the hotel pool
5 points four both
6. Skinny Dipping
1 point for skinny dipping in the hotel pool
2 points for skinny dipping in the surf
5 point four both
7. Birds and Sea Life
1 point if you fed the sea gulls
2 points if you picked up a shell with a crab in it
3 points if you went crabbing and caught some
5 points if a sea gull scored a poop bulls eye on you
8. Sun tanning
1 point if you got blistered the first day
2 points for hitting the beach before 9 am
3 points if you had a stranger rub lotion on your back
5 points if you met a new friend at the beach
9. Foodie
1 point if you brought lunch to the beach
2 points if you cooked a dinner meal in the Condo/Hotel
3 points if you ate every meal in the Condo/Hotel
5 points if every dinner meal was at a restaurant
10 points if you had you first raw oyster at the beach
10. Romance
0 points for not even getting to first base
1 point if you kissed a stranger you met at the beach
2 points if you got a phone number from someone of the opposite sex during your trip
3 points for a night of love making
4 points if your honeymoon was at the beach
5 points if your wedding was at the beach
Feel free to share this scorecard with your friends. Hey, why not post your score in the comments!
Retired in 2012. I'm trying to out run old age and boredom. So far, I'm winning the race!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Blowfly Inn
After watching one of Walt Grayson's Mississippi Roads episodes about the Gulf Coast on ETV last week, I had the Blowfly Inn on my mind for days. My opportunity came Monday when I went on a coastal run with the Spousal Unit. She had two meetings, one in Biloxi and one if Gulfport. I'm the chauffer and she works on her laptop using her fancy internet box.
The Blowfly Inn is one of the few restaurants that still serve flounder. Not sure what the deal is. This fish is a bottom dweller, is somewhat thin, with a considerable amount of bones. The fish has a mild taste, that once it is cooked right, is this fish lover's delight. Some restaurants do serve it, but it is usually filets deep fried. My preference is either stuffed or broiled.
Ole Walt's show featured the stuffed flounder. Gotta admit, it made my mouth water. Once I get something into my head, especially food, there is no stopping me until I get a taste! We went to the Blowfly early in hopes of missing the crowds.
The parking lot was the first indication that our wait time would be short. Up the ramp we went, and onto the porch deck. There was a couple dining outside, since the temperatures were lower than normal for a late July afternoon. Noticed a couple of new signs had been posted, warning folks not to feed the local gator population. Sign said big fine and possible jail time..... Inside, the restaurant was only half full, yes! Time for flounder!
Got the usual questions, drink order, appetizer order, and or are you ready to really order? The Spousal Unit got the half and half, part shrimp, and part oyster, all deep fried. I asked for the stuffed flounder. Waitress looked at me all sad face, paused, then hit me with "I'm sorry sir, but we just sold the last one". WHAT????? It wasn't even 7:00 yet, only 6:50 for God sakes!!!!
Turns out, that the seafood truck comes on Tuesday and Friday. This was Monday. There were softball and baseball tournaments this past weekend, and the specialty of the house was in hot demand. So, no stuffed flounder for this ole boy that drove 3.5 hours to get it!
I took a deep breath, made a big sigh, then began to relook at the menu, one more time. The waitress quickly spoke up. "Now, if you want, I can get you a broiled flounder with our crab cakes on the side. Its the same crab meat stuffing that goes into the flounder". Ok, I'm good with that, sounded like one heck of a plan B!
The Spousal Unit's food was fried to perfection, with a baked tater on the side. She likes her oysters small, and coated with cornmeal and these were made to her order! My plate was a slice of heaven, flounder broiled to perfection, and an appetizer plate of crabcakes and a baked tater on the side!
The flounder was scored in a diamond pattern to insure even cooking. Not sure what it was basted in, but I'm sure it had plenty of butter and lemon juice in the sauce. The thing about eating a flounder it to remember to "flip it" when you finish the top side. While not real pretty, the bottom side is just as tasty! Here is a pic:
The manager came by to check on me, since her heard how badly I was wanting that stuffed flounder. My stomach was full and she could tell I was happy from the look on my face. The combination was a little more than the stuffed version, but to be honest, I just might start eating it that way from now on!
Had a nice chat with the manager. Of course, food was the topic. We both thought it was weird that more restaurants don't serve broiled or stuffed flounder. Occasionally she has diners that suggest that they filet and fry it, like at other places. She grinned and said, "they just don't realize how much of the menu specialties are sold! She says they try to anticipate how big each weekend will be when they order their fish, but they tend to sell out of the flounder no matter how much they buy. I know why!
We also talked about their shrimp dishes. She said the right way to do shrimp is with head on. Boil in hot water until done, then hit them with ice to stop the cooking process. They would pull the heads and leave the tails on for presentation. They had so many requests for "tails off" that they have gone to that, and also use a smaller size shrimp so that more are served on a plate. Omg, I could have talked food with her for hours!
We mentioned that we would probably be back by in a few weeks, since we were headed to the beach again now that the "off season" was almost upon us. She said that's when their off season begins too! She asked us to suggest to our friends that they come by too, they like the company.
We finished our meal off with a slice of one of my favorite desserts, carrot cake, and our dinner was done. You can't go wrong with the Blowfly Inn, during any season of the year. If you've never been there, give them a try!
The Blowfly Inn is one of the few restaurants that still serve flounder. Not sure what the deal is. This fish is a bottom dweller, is somewhat thin, with a considerable amount of bones. The fish has a mild taste, that once it is cooked right, is this fish lover's delight. Some restaurants do serve it, but it is usually filets deep fried. My preference is either stuffed or broiled.
Ole Walt's show featured the stuffed flounder. Gotta admit, it made my mouth water. Once I get something into my head, especially food, there is no stopping me until I get a taste! We went to the Blowfly early in hopes of missing the crowds.
The parking lot was the first indication that our wait time would be short. Up the ramp we went, and onto the porch deck. There was a couple dining outside, since the temperatures were lower than normal for a late July afternoon. Noticed a couple of new signs had been posted, warning folks not to feed the local gator population. Sign said big fine and possible jail time..... Inside, the restaurant was only half full, yes! Time for flounder!
Got the usual questions, drink order, appetizer order, and or are you ready to really order? The Spousal Unit got the half and half, part shrimp, and part oyster, all deep fried. I asked for the stuffed flounder. Waitress looked at me all sad face, paused, then hit me with "I'm sorry sir, but we just sold the last one". WHAT????? It wasn't even 7:00 yet, only 6:50 for God sakes!!!!
Turns out, that the seafood truck comes on Tuesday and Friday. This was Monday. There were softball and baseball tournaments this past weekend, and the specialty of the house was in hot demand. So, no stuffed flounder for this ole boy that drove 3.5 hours to get it!
I took a deep breath, made a big sigh, then began to relook at the menu, one more time. The waitress quickly spoke up. "Now, if you want, I can get you a broiled flounder with our crab cakes on the side. Its the same crab meat stuffing that goes into the flounder". Ok, I'm good with that, sounded like one heck of a plan B!
The Spousal Unit's food was fried to perfection, with a baked tater on the side. She likes her oysters small, and coated with cornmeal and these were made to her order! My plate was a slice of heaven, flounder broiled to perfection, and an appetizer plate of crabcakes and a baked tater on the side!
The flounder was scored in a diamond pattern to insure even cooking. Not sure what it was basted in, but I'm sure it had plenty of butter and lemon juice in the sauce. The thing about eating a flounder it to remember to "flip it" when you finish the top side. While not real pretty, the bottom side is just as tasty! Here is a pic:
The manager came by to check on me, since her heard how badly I was wanting that stuffed flounder. My stomach was full and she could tell I was happy from the look on my face. The combination was a little more than the stuffed version, but to be honest, I just might start eating it that way from now on!
Had a nice chat with the manager. Of course, food was the topic. We both thought it was weird that more restaurants don't serve broiled or stuffed flounder. Occasionally she has diners that suggest that they filet and fry it, like at other places. She grinned and said, "they just don't realize how much of the menu specialties are sold! She says they try to anticipate how big each weekend will be when they order their fish, but they tend to sell out of the flounder no matter how much they buy. I know why!
We also talked about their shrimp dishes. She said the right way to do shrimp is with head on. Boil in hot water until done, then hit them with ice to stop the cooking process. They would pull the heads and leave the tails on for presentation. They had so many requests for "tails off" that they have gone to that, and also use a smaller size shrimp so that more are served on a plate. Omg, I could have talked food with her for hours!
We mentioned that we would probably be back by in a few weeks, since we were headed to the beach again now that the "off season" was almost upon us. She said that's when their off season begins too! She asked us to suggest to our friends that they come by too, they like the company.
We finished our meal off with a slice of one of my favorite desserts, carrot cake, and our dinner was done. You can't go wrong with the Blowfly Inn, during any season of the year. If you've never been there, give them a try!
Saturday, July 26, 2014
This Retirement Thang
Well, its been two plus years since I got the news that I was retired. Sure doesn't seem that long ago.
You spend a life time thinking about it. You day dream about it. Then suddenly its your turn. You think, ok, I can handle this. How hard can it be? Well, there are a few adjustments that you have to make.
Spending. Unless you have an unlimited source of funds, spending implodes. At first, you think its no big deal. You payoff what you can, and continue to live your current life style. Then, at the end of the month, you realize, hey, no more paycheck. Whoops, time to cut back. Clearance sale shopping was a hobby, now its full time.
Friends. Remember all of those work friends you have/had. Doesn't take long for contact with them to evaporate. Most were overnight. The really close ones are the dearest, with you to the end and beyond. Some days you wonder, will it ever get to 5:00? Time for the working people to come home and play!
Hobbies. If you don't have one, get one. They certainly help make the time pass by. Me, I'm into bucket gardening, canning, and of course cooking. A spring break project with son#2 has turned into a cottage industry. I have lost count on the number of ice chest cooler boxes I have made. Just finished two, and starting on another. Baking doggies treats, cheese straws, and cookies for resale have also become part of my resume.
Job Hunt. Did it for two years, as part of the weekly unemployment routine. After applying for over 200 jobs, I had two interviews. You know the drill: overqualified, over paid, and over age. Face it, the younger bucks have the inside track, as they can handle standing on their feet all day, work for lower pay, and grew up already knowing the in's and out's of paperless ecommerce. Get to travel with the spousal unit a good bit, driving her on her appointed rounds while she is in the other seat working on her computer as we pass from one cell tower to the next.
A job! finally found some 1099 contract work. Get to be my own boss, and work when I want. Makes traveling with the spousal unit a whole lot less complicated. I work in several movie theaters putting the cardboard standees together. Some are a bit challenging! Also doing assembly work at Home Depot and other stores. I just thought I knew how to put things together!
Volunteer: make good use of your time. sitting in your chair or laying on the couch ain't gonna cut it. I volunteer and work at Stewpot Food Pantry through my church. I was driving the church bus on Wednesdays picking up the animals for choir practice. The part time jobs have taken over that free time.
Vacations. Yep, everyone needs a vaca, even retired people. We bought into a couple of timeshare units. Learned how they worked, then bought more days on the "after market". Spousal unit loves the beach, so now, if we work it just right, she has up to four weeks in her (and mine) spot in the sand!
Insurance. What a sticker shock that was. Under COBRA my family coverage was gonna be $1750 per month. And my term group life insurance that was $250 per month, was gonna be another $1750 per month once it was converted to the only option, a whole life policy. Thankfully the spousal unit had coverage at her employer. Never had to fool with Obummer care.
College tuition: Got one out of school, and one that just started, now a junior. Fortunately, with his scholarships and the money we saved for it, all is covered.
Got birthday number 58 coming up in September. You can begin drawing funds out of an IRA without penalty at 59.5. Hopefully my funds will last til then. I think I can, I think I can, Hell, I know I can!
Advice to Others: Sorry, some things you have to figure out on your own, just like me.
You spend a life time thinking about it. You day dream about it. Then suddenly its your turn. You think, ok, I can handle this. How hard can it be? Well, there are a few adjustments that you have to make.
Spending. Unless you have an unlimited source of funds, spending implodes. At first, you think its no big deal. You payoff what you can, and continue to live your current life style. Then, at the end of the month, you realize, hey, no more paycheck. Whoops, time to cut back. Clearance sale shopping was a hobby, now its full time.
Friends. Remember all of those work friends you have/had. Doesn't take long for contact with them to evaporate. Most were overnight. The really close ones are the dearest, with you to the end and beyond. Some days you wonder, will it ever get to 5:00? Time for the working people to come home and play!
Hobbies. If you don't have one, get one. They certainly help make the time pass by. Me, I'm into bucket gardening, canning, and of course cooking. A spring break project with son#2 has turned into a cottage industry. I have lost count on the number of ice chest cooler boxes I have made. Just finished two, and starting on another. Baking doggies treats, cheese straws, and cookies for resale have also become part of my resume.
Job Hunt. Did it for two years, as part of the weekly unemployment routine. After applying for over 200 jobs, I had two interviews. You know the drill: overqualified, over paid, and over age. Face it, the younger bucks have the inside track, as they can handle standing on their feet all day, work for lower pay, and grew up already knowing the in's and out's of paperless ecommerce. Get to travel with the spousal unit a good bit, driving her on her appointed rounds while she is in the other seat working on her computer as we pass from one cell tower to the next.
A job! finally found some 1099 contract work. Get to be my own boss, and work when I want. Makes traveling with the spousal unit a whole lot less complicated. I work in several movie theaters putting the cardboard standees together. Some are a bit challenging! Also doing assembly work at Home Depot and other stores. I just thought I knew how to put things together!
Volunteer: make good use of your time. sitting in your chair or laying on the couch ain't gonna cut it. I volunteer and work at Stewpot Food Pantry through my church. I was driving the church bus on Wednesdays picking up the animals for choir practice. The part time jobs have taken over that free time.
Vacations. Yep, everyone needs a vaca, even retired people. We bought into a couple of timeshare units. Learned how they worked, then bought more days on the "after market". Spousal unit loves the beach, so now, if we work it just right, she has up to four weeks in her (and mine) spot in the sand!
Insurance. What a sticker shock that was. Under COBRA my family coverage was gonna be $1750 per month. And my term group life insurance that was $250 per month, was gonna be another $1750 per month once it was converted to the only option, a whole life policy. Thankfully the spousal unit had coverage at her employer. Never had to fool with Obummer care.
College tuition: Got one out of school, and one that just started, now a junior. Fortunately, with his scholarships and the money we saved for it, all is covered.
Got birthday number 58 coming up in September. You can begin drawing funds out of an IRA without penalty at 59.5. Hopefully my funds will last til then. I think I can, I think I can, Hell, I know I can!
Advice to Others: Sorry, some things you have to figure out on your own, just like me.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Summer 2014, where the hell did you go?
I know, its only July 25th, but all the signs say the end is near!
When you go to Wally World and the stacks and stacks of school supplies are staring you in the face, you know the other and is near.
When you start seeing the count downs til college footfall begins, you know the end is near.
When the New Orleans Saints have already reported to camp, you know the end is near.
When Lowes and Home Depot no longer stock garden and bedding plants you know the end is near.
When all those summers clothes you bought are now 70% off, you know the end is near.
When your tomater plants have given up from the heat, you know the end is near.
When you get bombarded with last minute beach vacation deals, you know the end is near.
When you son gets his MTAG award notification for the next school year, you know the end is near.
But, all is not lost! I've got one more beach trip on the calendar in less than three weeks. The farmer's market still have veggies to put in the freezer. And Wally World still has the marine coolers on the shelves! Time to build more coolers! Freeze and can! And start packing my flippers for one more beach run! Summer, you ain't dead yet! And the Fall, you can just wait a little bit longer!
When you go to Wally World and the stacks and stacks of school supplies are staring you in the face, you know the other and is near.
When you start seeing the count downs til college footfall begins, you know the end is near.
When the New Orleans Saints have already reported to camp, you know the end is near.
When Lowes and Home Depot no longer stock garden and bedding plants you know the end is near.
When all those summers clothes you bought are now 70% off, you know the end is near.
When your tomater plants have given up from the heat, you know the end is near.
When you get bombarded with last minute beach vacation deals, you know the end is near.
When you son gets his MTAG award notification for the next school year, you know the end is near.
But, all is not lost! I've got one more beach trip on the calendar in less than three weeks. The farmer's market still have veggies to put in the freezer. And Wally World still has the marine coolers on the shelves! Time to build more coolers! Freeze and can! And start packing my flippers for one more beach run! Summer, you ain't dead yet! And the Fall, you can just wait a little bit longer!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Blogging
Well, guess what! Its been a little over a year since I started this blog of mine. With blogger.com you get some interestimg statistics.
This post makes number 179. Quite a few topics, but mostly related to trips I've taken with the Spousal Unit. Gotten some feedback, but not a lot. The funniest thing has been questions about "how come.....". I then have to remind these folks that the blog is named " The World Through My Eyes"!
I post links thru Facebook and Google+ The total number of reads has been over 18,300 thru yesterday. That averages to around 100 reads per post. One post got over 700 reads, "Things Your Momma Might Say, Or Maybe Not!". Not sure how that happened.
Here are some surprising numbers: 32% of the readers use their IPhone, 19% use their IPad, 29% use their windows based laptop, and only 13% come from the Android. Go figure...
Readers come from over 20 countries, mostly from the U.S., Canada, and Russia. I'm guessing the foreign readers find it in Google+. Figured I'd have more from those sexy women countries like France and Italy. Must be the language barrier!
My parents have received a lot of feedback. " where did he get his humor from?". "I don't remember him being this funny when he was growing up". The mother in law even commented that she didn't know I could write! Me either fmuchhat matter! I'm just pleased to find that most people enjoy it!
I sometimes worry that I will run out of things to write about, but then I will see something, experience something, or just have a run of the mill conversation with somebody, and the next thing you know, there is another blog posting.
Sometimes I have these little chats with my lady friends that go down odd roads. They begin telling me these stories, then will interrupt themselves mid sentence and say " now don't put this on Facebook or your blog". They eventually finish their tale, and so far I have honored their requests. Thankfully no one has asked me to put one on here!
To those of you that help initiate a story, thank you very much! Occasionally I take "literary license" to spice it up some, but for the most part, the versions of events are as I remember them.
As long as somebody is reading, I'll keep posting. Thanks for the readership!
This post makes number 179. Quite a few topics, but mostly related to trips I've taken with the Spousal Unit. Gotten some feedback, but not a lot. The funniest thing has been questions about "how come.....". I then have to remind these folks that the blog is named " The World Through My Eyes"!
I post links thru Facebook and Google+ The total number of reads has been over 18,300 thru yesterday. That averages to around 100 reads per post. One post got over 700 reads, "Things Your Momma Might Say, Or Maybe Not!". Not sure how that happened.
Here are some surprising numbers: 32% of the readers use their IPhone, 19% use their IPad, 29% use their windows based laptop, and only 13% come from the Android. Go figure...
Readers come from over 20 countries, mostly from the U.S., Canada, and Russia. I'm guessing the foreign readers find it in Google+. Figured I'd have more from those sexy women countries like France and Italy. Must be the language barrier!
My parents have received a lot of feedback. " where did he get his humor from?". "I don't remember him being this funny when he was growing up". The mother in law even commented that she didn't know I could write! Me either fmuchhat matter! I'm just pleased to find that most people enjoy it!
I sometimes worry that I will run out of things to write about, but then I will see something, experience something, or just have a run of the mill conversation with somebody, and the next thing you know, there is another blog posting.
Sometimes I have these little chats with my lady friends that go down odd roads. They begin telling me these stories, then will interrupt themselves mid sentence and say " now don't put this on Facebook or your blog". They eventually finish their tale, and so far I have honored their requests. Thankfully no one has asked me to put one on here!
To those of you that help initiate a story, thank you very much! Occasionally I take "literary license" to spice it up some, but for the most part, the versions of events are as I remember them.
As long as somebody is reading, I'll keep posting. Thanks for the readership!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Vaca 101
In the little bit of traveling that i have done, I've picked up a few tricks along the way. Most are pretty simple, some are "well duh", and others you just learn along the way. Here are some of them that might come in handy.
1. Pack light. Luggage fees get steep once you cross the 50 pound limit. If you are close to the weight limit, put heavy stuff and a grocery store shopping bag in one of the outer pockets of your suitcase. Chances are, somebody in your party can carry on one more bag if the scales don't tip in your favor. The spousal unit can pick up a bag and tell if it is over 50. Must be from toting those babies around all those years ago.
2. Carry your medicines in a carryon. Might want to include some personal items in case you luggage doesn't arrive with you. Nothing worse than traveling with someone that needs a bitch suppressant pill every six hours and they don't have that pill!
3. Make sure that everything you need is in the car with you before departing for the airport. Do not depend on someone else. The spousal unit called me from the airport, no suit case. It was in the wee morning hours. She thought son#1 had put her bag in the car. They get to the airport, and no suitcase. I made it there with no red light interruptions and three minutes to spare.
4. When traveling out of country, turn off your smart phone features. You can get discounted minutes for international travel, but the media charges will eat you alive. Use the hotel's internet service. I ended up with a $400 cell phone bill on a company trip to Canada.
5. Try out the paperless boarding passes. Instead of having to find the hotels business center, you down load your boarding passes to your phone. TSA has a scanner that reads the barcode off your phone. Pretty cool. Remember to have that phone charged.
6. During a layover, or just waiting to board, take advantage of the available charging stations. I now carry a compact Nexis instead of the bulky laptop, which is not needed in retirement!
7. Take the right shoes. Remember, shoes come off at the airport. Had a woman on the USS Midway last night at a reception that was wearing 3 inch heels. Her calf muscles were about to pop after climbing ladder stairs on a short tour of the carrier island on top!
8. If staying several days in a high end hotel, make a stop at a local market to pick up soft drinks and water. There should be a frig in your room.
9. Do not panic if there is no slot in the door to scan your plastic room key. There is now a sensor near the handle that reads the card.
10. Bring some paper money for cash only purchases and tips. Believe it or not, but most cabs have GPS's and credit card readers, even the bicycle taxis! But, there is still the valet parking guy and the luggage guy to take care of.
11. Most high end hotels supply all the toiletries you will need. The Hyatt even had toothpaste along with the soap and shampoo!
12. Watch out for that high priced breakfast buffet. On this stay its $24. They have a small deli where a sweet roll and juice is $7.
13. When flying, pack some snacks and ear phones. You can only eat so many peanuts and pretzels and peanuts. Longer flights usually offer music and videos, but the headsets are not free.
14. Don't panic if your suitcase gets blowed up! Eventually, if you travel enough, its gonna happen. The airline sometimes will get you a small allowance for a replacement. However, you may be on the wrong side of the security line to buy one at the airport, then you can panic!
15. Use Google maps to find out how far a restaurant or venue is from your hotel. It may be in walking distance. It can be a good tool in dealing with cabbies that like to take you the long way.
16. Do some research before your trip. Taxis might be cheaper than a car rental, depending on your proximity to places that interest you. Or, a rental car may be a better fit. The cost to go to an animal safari by taxi on this trip would have been $90 each way. That just got saved for another trip.
17. If you are traveling to a new destination, ask your social media friends for suggestions for restaurants and entertainment venues. The suggestions I got off Facebook were very helpful for my first trip to San Diego!
18. If you are traveling out of country or out of your normal pattern, let your credit card company know in advance. This keeps them from putting your card on hold when you have charges come through from places far from home.
19. Use the internet to purchase your tickets to shows, amusement parks, and ball games. Even when "on site" you can either print the tickets at the hotel or do a will call pickup. Usually there is a discount for buying online.
20. Have the man carry a small backpack. Great for storing ponchos, dry socks, and snacks. And don't forget a zip lock bag for dry storage of cell phones and other loose items. Both are life savers!
Hope you found these to be useful. Good luck in your travels!
1. Pack light. Luggage fees get steep once you cross the 50 pound limit. If you are close to the weight limit, put heavy stuff and a grocery store shopping bag in one of the outer pockets of your suitcase. Chances are, somebody in your party can carry on one more bag if the scales don't tip in your favor. The spousal unit can pick up a bag and tell if it is over 50. Must be from toting those babies around all those years ago.
2. Carry your medicines in a carryon. Might want to include some personal items in case you luggage doesn't arrive with you. Nothing worse than traveling with someone that needs a bitch suppressant pill every six hours and they don't have that pill!
3. Make sure that everything you need is in the car with you before departing for the airport. Do not depend on someone else. The spousal unit called me from the airport, no suit case. It was in the wee morning hours. She thought son#1 had put her bag in the car. They get to the airport, and no suitcase. I made it there with no red light interruptions and three minutes to spare.
4. When traveling out of country, turn off your smart phone features. You can get discounted minutes for international travel, but the media charges will eat you alive. Use the hotel's internet service. I ended up with a $400 cell phone bill on a company trip to Canada.
5. Try out the paperless boarding passes. Instead of having to find the hotels business center, you down load your boarding passes to your phone. TSA has a scanner that reads the barcode off your phone. Pretty cool. Remember to have that phone charged.
6. During a layover, or just waiting to board, take advantage of the available charging stations. I now carry a compact Nexis instead of the bulky laptop, which is not needed in retirement!
7. Take the right shoes. Remember, shoes come off at the airport. Had a woman on the USS Midway last night at a reception that was wearing 3 inch heels. Her calf muscles were about to pop after climbing ladder stairs on a short tour of the carrier island on top!
8. If staying several days in a high end hotel, make a stop at a local market to pick up soft drinks and water. There should be a frig in your room.
9. Do not panic if there is no slot in the door to scan your plastic room key. There is now a sensor near the handle that reads the card.
10. Bring some paper money for cash only purchases and tips. Believe it or not, but most cabs have GPS's and credit card readers, even the bicycle taxis! But, there is still the valet parking guy and the luggage guy to take care of.
11. Most high end hotels supply all the toiletries you will need. The Hyatt even had toothpaste along with the soap and shampoo!
12. Watch out for that high priced breakfast buffet. On this stay its $24. They have a small deli where a sweet roll and juice is $7.
13. When flying, pack some snacks and ear phones. You can only eat so many peanuts and pretzels and peanuts. Longer flights usually offer music and videos, but the headsets are not free.
14. Don't panic if your suitcase gets blowed up! Eventually, if you travel enough, its gonna happen. The airline sometimes will get you a small allowance for a replacement. However, you may be on the wrong side of the security line to buy one at the airport, then you can panic!
15. Use Google maps to find out how far a restaurant or venue is from your hotel. It may be in walking distance. It can be a good tool in dealing with cabbies that like to take you the long way.
16. Do some research before your trip. Taxis might be cheaper than a car rental, depending on your proximity to places that interest you. Or, a rental car may be a better fit. The cost to go to an animal safari by taxi on this trip would have been $90 each way. That just got saved for another trip.
17. If you are traveling to a new destination, ask your social media friends for suggestions for restaurants and entertainment venues. The suggestions I got off Facebook were very helpful for my first trip to San Diego!
18. If you are traveling out of country or out of your normal pattern, let your credit card company know in advance. This keeps them from putting your card on hold when you have charges come through from places far from home.
19. Use the internet to purchase your tickets to shows, amusement parks, and ball games. Even when "on site" you can either print the tickets at the hotel or do a will call pickup. Usually there is a discount for buying online.
20. Have the man carry a small backpack. Great for storing ponchos, dry socks, and snacks. And don't forget a zip lock bag for dry storage of cell phones and other loose items. Both are life savers!
Hope you found these to be useful. Good luck in your travels!
Monday, July 21, 2014
USS Midway Museum
San Diego Harbor is the final home port for the USS Midway, built in 1945 and decommissioned in 1992. I could not pass up the opportunity to tour this grand ship.
This sucker did not look that big from the road as we first passed by it on Friday. This ship did not look that big from the hotel window. It did not look that big from the restaurant next door last night. But believe me, its BIG, coming in only 100 feet short of the current active carriers.
The cost of the tour was a bargain at only $20. They have two self guided tours, one adult and one family. For both, they issue you a set of headphones and a hand set. I took the adult tour.
They have several elevators on sight, but if you cannot climb stairs both up and down, you will be terribly disappointed. There are volunteer located throughout the ship to give you a narrative, or point you in the right direction. You start on the hanger deck, work your way to the lower decks and finish up on the flight deck.
Lots of aircraft that served during the time that the USS Midway was on active duty are on board the ship. The self quided tour includes conversation on all of these aircraft.
While during my visit, I was able to see two aircraft carriers at port. Having three of these grand ships in the same harbor was an awesome sight.
If you are a history buff, this definitely should be pon your "must visit" list. I chuckled a bit. There were a lot of Japanese tourists on board today. Guessing they don't have anything this grand in their own country since our Navy sunk most of them!
I spent a littler more than 5 hours on board. If you ever make it this fatr west, definitely put it on your list of attractions to see, even if you aren't a history buff! You'll be glad you did!
This sucker did not look that big from the road as we first passed by it on Friday. This ship did not look that big from the hotel window. It did not look that big from the restaurant next door last night. But believe me, its BIG, coming in only 100 feet short of the current active carriers.
The cost of the tour was a bargain at only $20. They have two self guided tours, one adult and one family. For both, they issue you a set of headphones and a hand set. I took the adult tour.
They have several elevators on sight, but if you cannot climb stairs both up and down, you will be terribly disappointed. There are volunteer located throughout the ship to give you a narrative, or point you in the right direction. You start on the hanger deck, work your way to the lower decks and finish up on the flight deck.
Lots of aircraft that served during the time that the USS Midway was on active duty are on board the ship. The self quided tour includes conversation on all of these aircraft.
While during my visit, I was able to see two aircraft carriers at port. Having three of these grand ships in the same harbor was an awesome sight.
If you are a history buff, this definitely should be pon your "must visit" list. I chuckled a bit. There were a lot of Japanese tourists on board today. Guessing they don't have anything this grand in their own country since our Navy sunk most of them!
I spent a littler more than 5 hours on board. If you ever make it this fatr west, definitely put it on your list of attractions to see, even if you aren't a history buff! You'll be glad you did!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Ladies Shoes
After a considerable amount of walking the past few days I've have been noticing something strange to me. I've given up my flippers on the long walks in favor of a pair of socks and running shoes. My shoes have given me the support that I have needed. No sores or blisters, just some tired puppies at the end of the day. I'm back in my flippers before dark.
Ladies, on the other hand, are a complete puzzle to me when it comes to shoes. First, how can anybody walk in 3 inch stacked heels without falling face down. Second, those heels with the pointy toes. No wonder so many women are paying for pedicures so often! Third, those flat soles shoes. There is no way that those flat things are giving these girls any of the arch support that they need! Fourth, girls and women shell out $100's of dollars for a pair of Uggs. I'm sorry, but the cold season in the South is far too short to justify a pair of Uggs. Fifth, cheap shoes from pay less. You fill up you closest with these things, and the next thing you know, a heel has popped off, or a strap has snapped, or a buckle is not missing.
A woman can have fifty pairs of shoes in her closet, and as soon as a new style comes out, off to the store they go! A women shouldshould be able to make do with 10 pairs of shoes. A man, after all, only needs five pair: one black, one brown, one athletic, one boot and one pair of flippers.
So ladies, what's with these multitude of shoes in the closet, and none of them purchased for comfort????
Take me to the Zoo!
One of my bucket list items has always included a trip to the San Diego Zoo. My opportunity came this week when the Spousal Unit brought me along on a business trip.
I'm not much on doing anything solo, but with the spousal unit in conferences for most of the trip, I'm on my own. If there is one thing to bring plenty of, its money, money, money! Got a cranberry scone, cinnamon swirl roll and cranberry juice for $10, which was a whole lot less than the $24 breakfast buffet.
I had planned to go to both the Zoo and the Animal Safari, until I found out that the taxi fare each way was a minimum of $90. Since I decided to narrow it down to one place, the $20 taxi ride to the Zoo won out!
I don't do taxi rides much, but here it is pretty much a necessity. Some of the cabbies are full of good information, while others are just full of it! The taxi ride was a short one, taking me thru some interesting parts of the city. San Diego is a very urban city, with lots of inhabitants living in fancy, expensive condos and others living on the streets below.
We passed through Balboa Park on the way to the zoo. I noticed what looked like a "tent city" and one cabbie said that was exactly what it was. Accommodations have been set up in the park to see to the homeless, with lots of consideration to military veterans that have lost their way.
Soon as we made the turn, I knew we had arrived. The parking lot was already full of cars. The entrance was packed with families, young and old, pushing strollers and wheel chairs.
The money changers greeted you at the gate. A fee for admission ($46), a fee for the 4D movie, fee for the locker, stroller or wheel chair if you needed one and also the electric scooter.
The zoo is built on hilly terrain, so not all exhibits are accessible by the handicapped. Your price of admission included a guides tour bus trip thru 70% of the park. This ride gives you a great first look at the zoo before you begin your trek by foot. There are also bus pickup stations throughout the park if your feet can't take it anymore. Also, a gondola ride will take you to opposite ends of the park.
Midway thru my visit, I stopped to get some lunch. A wrap, fries and water were only $21. Taking time out for food breaks can be a relaxing time. You can sit back, enjoy your food, and take in a
All of the animal calls you can hear in the background, sounds like babies crying, kids screaming, and other languages being spoked at every other table. I looked up, after hearing one infant in particular that was screaming his little head off! Before I could guess which end was the problem, that momma had whipped out her feeding station, and before you knew it, that baby was in milk heaven. Tried posting a pic on FB, but it must have fit a certain profile, and it would not up date anything. Oh well, I think you have a mental picture!
The Zoo more than met my expectations. The exhibits were well designed and maintained. I was surprised by how much vertical space was used. It was as if we were the ones being put on exhibit!
$20 more and i was back at the hotel. $9 later I was sitting back writing this blog post with a snicker bar and a diet Pepsi. Time to rest up a bit, before the spousal unit gets here and wants to do something fun. (My poor tired aching feet!)
Tomorrow I tackle the USS Midway and hopefully that truck food that I missed on Friday.
Still having the time of my life. Glad I'm able to share some of it with you thru these blog posts! God bless!
I'm not much on doing anything solo, but with the spousal unit in conferences for most of the trip, I'm on my own. If there is one thing to bring plenty of, its money, money, money! Got a cranberry scone, cinnamon swirl roll and cranberry juice for $10, which was a whole lot less than the $24 breakfast buffet.
I had planned to go to both the Zoo and the Animal Safari, until I found out that the taxi fare each way was a minimum of $90. Since I decided to narrow it down to one place, the $20 taxi ride to the Zoo won out!
I don't do taxi rides much, but here it is pretty much a necessity. Some of the cabbies are full of good information, while others are just full of it! The taxi ride was a short one, taking me thru some interesting parts of the city. San Diego is a very urban city, with lots of inhabitants living in fancy, expensive condos and others living on the streets below.
We passed through Balboa Park on the way to the zoo. I noticed what looked like a "tent city" and one cabbie said that was exactly what it was. Accommodations have been set up in the park to see to the homeless, with lots of consideration to military veterans that have lost their way.
Soon as we made the turn, I knew we had arrived. The parking lot was already full of cars. The entrance was packed with families, young and old, pushing strollers and wheel chairs.
The money changers greeted you at the gate. A fee for admission ($46), a fee for the 4D movie, fee for the locker, stroller or wheel chair if you needed one and also the electric scooter.
The zoo is built on hilly terrain, so not all exhibits are accessible by the handicapped. Your price of admission included a guides tour bus trip thru 70% of the park. This ride gives you a great first look at the zoo before you begin your trek by foot. There are also bus pickup stations throughout the park if your feet can't take it anymore. Also, a gondola ride will take you to opposite ends of the park.
Midway thru my visit, I stopped to get some lunch. A wrap, fries and water were only $21. Taking time out for food breaks can be a relaxing time. You can sit back, enjoy your food, and take in a
All of the animal calls you can hear in the background, sounds like babies crying, kids screaming, and other languages being spoked at every other table. I looked up, after hearing one infant in particular that was screaming his little head off! Before I could guess which end was the problem, that momma had whipped out her feeding station, and before you knew it, that baby was in milk heaven. Tried posting a pic on FB, but it must have fit a certain profile, and it would not up date anything. Oh well, I think you have a mental picture!
The Zoo more than met my expectations. The exhibits were well designed and maintained. I was surprised by how much vertical space was used. It was as if we were the ones being put on exhibit!
$20 more and i was back at the hotel. $9 later I was sitting back writing this blog post with a snicker bar and a diet Pepsi. Time to rest up a bit, before the spousal unit gets here and wants to do something fun. (My poor tired aching feet!)
Tomorrow I tackle the USS Midway and hopefully that truck food that I missed on Friday.
Still having the time of my life. Glad I'm able to share some of it with you thru these blog posts! God bless!
Take Me out to the Ball Game
Having a free high, tvendors?sal Unit and I decided to take in a baseball game at Petco Park. Tonight it was the Padre's vs the Mets.
I had ordered the tickets wth a will call pickup. This afternoon I walked from the hotel to the park and back. Naturally, once I got to the park wouldn't you know the ticket office was on the other side!
On the trip I walked through the Gas Lamp District. This is a historical section of town full of bars and restaurants. If I was twenty plus years younger, I'd give it a run!
Petco Park is nestled within the downtown area. So!e of the older buildings have been incorporated into the design of the park. It is very compact, with very little wasted space.
The Padre's year has not been very good this year, but you couldn't tell it tonight, winnoimg 6-0. The walk along the concourse was full of activity. The Wall Street Journal was giving away t-shirts and blankets with you signing up for delivery. There were booths selling Padre souvenirs, but they were also selling used Padre baseball equipment, including balls, bats, jerseys and bases.
And the food vendors, OMG! I had heard that different ballparks have specialty foods. This place had it all? They had beer vendors, the had wine vendors, and even tequila vendors! The food was unbelievable! I had a southwestern cheese steak that was out of this world. It was a hard choice, bit man it was good!
I met a retired school teacher that has season tickets. I was amazed at her knowledge of baseball, and especially Padre's baseball. She also gives tours on the USS Midway, and I'm going to look her up on Monday.
We enjoyed our experience so much that we are going to seek out other ball parks on future trips! Given the chance, treat yourself to America's past time, and go to the ball park!
I had ordered the tickets wth a will call pickup. This afternoon I walked from the hotel to the park and back. Naturally, once I got to the park wouldn't you know the ticket office was on the other side!
On the trip I walked through the Gas Lamp District. This is a historical section of town full of bars and restaurants. If I was twenty plus years younger, I'd give it a run!
Petco Park is nestled within the downtown area. So!e of the older buildings have been incorporated into the design of the park. It is very compact, with very little wasted space.
The Padre's year has not been very good this year, but you couldn't tell it tonight, winnoimg 6-0. The walk along the concourse was full of activity. The Wall Street Journal was giving away t-shirts and blankets with you signing up for delivery. There were booths selling Padre souvenirs, but they were also selling used Padre baseball equipment, including balls, bats, jerseys and bases.
And the food vendors, OMG! I had heard that different ballparks have specialty foods. This place had it all? They had beer vendors, the had wine vendors, and even tequila vendors! The food was unbelievable! I had a southwestern cheese steak that was out of this world. It was a hard choice, bit man it was good!
I met a retired school teacher that has season tickets. I was amazed at her knowledge of baseball, and especially Padre's baseball. She also gives tours on the USS Midway, and I'm going to look her up on Monday.
We enjoyed our experience so much that we are going to seek out other ball parks on future trips! Given the chance, treat yourself to America's past time, and go to the ball park!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Hotel Del Coronado
Wow. San Diego is a city compacted into a small space. Here I'm thinking I'm going to the big ole State of California and this town is gonna be spread out for miles!
We took a taxi from the airport and a hop, skip and a jump, we were at the harbor. We immediately saw four "food trucks" parked on the curb, next to all places, The Cheesecake Factory. Just might have to make the journey back there during our stay to sample all five!
We also passed by the USS Midway, which is now a museum. We have an event scheduled there that won't be missed. I took this picture from our room of it from the 18th floor.
Even though this wasn't a super carrier, I was expecting it to be bigger. It was commissioned in 1945, so it served on the tale end of WWII, through the cold war til 1992. It just blows me away to think those pilots had to first find it, approach it, then stick there landing on the thing they called home out in the middle of the ocean!
Since we got here in the middle of the day, we were not about to waste it. Room wasn't ready,so it was off to a nearby restaurant called Sally's. It was right next to the pier. No way were we gonna eat inside! There is a nice concrete board walk along side the pier. Lots of tourists strolling by, along with the skateboarders, bicycle cabbies and segway tours.
Back at the hotel, the spousal unit made an inquiry with the concierge desk about the Hotel Del Coronado. Its located on the beach side of an island in the bay. Access is by taxi over this huge bay bridge, or by ferry. We chose to go by Taxi to get the "lay of the land". Glad we did!
Our taxi driver was a young guy from Russia, who is now a citizen, who first settled in Rochester NY. I asked him why the move to San Diego? His reply, " tired of the cold!".
As we were crossing that huge bridge, we got some interesting information from our taxi tour guide. The bridge is so high so that all the naval vessels can pass under. He told us to look at the hills on the left. That was Tijuana Mexico, that close! I asked him if he had to go back across empty, or could he nick up a rider along the way. He services the City of San Diego, and there is a $1,000 fine if he is caught picking up a fare in Coronado. Of course there are lots of strategies around that, but why risk it?
He dropped us off at the front entrance of the Hotel Del Coronado. Total fare was around $25. What a grand place this is. All the wood moldings and trim were amazing. We read the history about it along the historical wall.
The gift shops do a great job promoting the movie star history that evolved. Marilyn Monroe filmed a movie here, and their was a lot of Judy Garland items for sale.
As we made our way toward the front of the hotel, we passed a lady reading a book just outside of her first floor room. It was a bungalow setting with beach view access. I could just imagine the "stars" that have occupied these rooms during the 40's, 50's and 60's.
The beach and beautiful blue water was in sight! There is a convenient concrete boardwalk along the sand's edge. The hotel staff had begun taking down all the beach cabana setups. They do more than just chair and umbrella setups.
You know me, I'm immediately taking in the lay of the land. No naked women, no thongs, and no surfer dudes! We saw a group of body boarders catch a wave or two. There were quite a few lifeguard towers along the beach. California takes beach safety very serious.
Off came the shoes and socks! We made our way across the powdery sand to waters edge. This is not the surgery white sand of the gulf coast. The beach area is outlined with rocky edges. A lot of work must go into maintaining this beach for the citizens, hotel guests and tourists. Red flags were up, I'm guessing they mean the same as those along the Florida panhandle. The first wave caught us by surprise, OMG was that water cold!
You could see ocean going vessels in the distance. It wasn't long before someone spotted porpoises in the distance. They entertained us for quite a while! A future visit here will include a whole day on this beach.
We eventually made it back to the front of the hotel. We decided to take a taxi to the bayside and take the ferry. You pay $4.25 each way for the ferry ride, which comes and goes every 30 minutes. We landed in front of the convention center, and began our walk back to the hotel, taking the boardwalk along the pier. Business must have been slow, as we were asked to take a ride in lots of bycyle taxi's along the way. I tried to imagine who the people were as we walked by all of the yachts in the harbor. I wondered what itr would be like to take a short trip on one of these, with your own personal chef, preparing what ever came to mind, with the freshest of ingredients. I then chuckled to myself! We do that at home every weekend in our neighborhood!
We eventually made it back to the room. Plans were made for more adventures, stay tuned......
We took a taxi from the airport and a hop, skip and a jump, we were at the harbor. We immediately saw four "food trucks" parked on the curb, next to all places, The Cheesecake Factory. Just might have to make the journey back there during our stay to sample all five!
We also passed by the USS Midway, which is now a museum. We have an event scheduled there that won't be missed. I took this picture from our room of it from the 18th floor.
Even though this wasn't a super carrier, I was expecting it to be bigger. It was commissioned in 1945, so it served on the tale end of WWII, through the cold war til 1992. It just blows me away to think those pilots had to first find it, approach it, then stick there landing on the thing they called home out in the middle of the ocean!
Since we got here in the middle of the day, we were not about to waste it. Room wasn't ready,so it was off to a nearby restaurant called Sally's. It was right next to the pier. No way were we gonna eat inside! There is a nice concrete board walk along side the pier. Lots of tourists strolling by, along with the skateboarders, bicycle cabbies and segway tours.
Back at the hotel, the spousal unit made an inquiry with the concierge desk about the Hotel Del Coronado. Its located on the beach side of an island in the bay. Access is by taxi over this huge bay bridge, or by ferry. We chose to go by Taxi to get the "lay of the land". Glad we did!
Our taxi driver was a young guy from Russia, who is now a citizen, who first settled in Rochester NY. I asked him why the move to San Diego? His reply, " tired of the cold!".
As we were crossing that huge bridge, we got some interesting information from our taxi tour guide. The bridge is so high so that all the naval vessels can pass under. He told us to look at the hills on the left. That was Tijuana Mexico, that close! I asked him if he had to go back across empty, or could he nick up a rider along the way. He services the City of San Diego, and there is a $1,000 fine if he is caught picking up a fare in Coronado. Of course there are lots of strategies around that, but why risk it?
He dropped us off at the front entrance of the Hotel Del Coronado. Total fare was around $25. What a grand place this is. All the wood moldings and trim were amazing. We read the history about it along the historical wall.
The gift shops do a great job promoting the movie star history that evolved. Marilyn Monroe filmed a movie here, and their was a lot of Judy Garland items for sale.
As we made our way toward the front of the hotel, we passed a lady reading a book just outside of her first floor room. It was a bungalow setting with beach view access. I could just imagine the "stars" that have occupied these rooms during the 40's, 50's and 60's.
The beach and beautiful blue water was in sight! There is a convenient concrete boardwalk along the sand's edge. The hotel staff had begun taking down all the beach cabana setups. They do more than just chair and umbrella setups.
You know me, I'm immediately taking in the lay of the land. No naked women, no thongs, and no surfer dudes! We saw a group of body boarders catch a wave or two. There were quite a few lifeguard towers along the beach. California takes beach safety very serious.
Off came the shoes and socks! We made our way across the powdery sand to waters edge. This is not the surgery white sand of the gulf coast. The beach area is outlined with rocky edges. A lot of work must go into maintaining this beach for the citizens, hotel guests and tourists. Red flags were up, I'm guessing they mean the same as those along the Florida panhandle. The first wave caught us by surprise, OMG was that water cold!
You could see ocean going vessels in the distance. It wasn't long before someone spotted porpoises in the distance. They entertained us for quite a while! A future visit here will include a whole day on this beach.
We eventually made it back to the front of the hotel. We decided to take a taxi to the bayside and take the ferry. You pay $4.25 each way for the ferry ride, which comes and goes every 30 minutes. We landed in front of the convention center, and began our walk back to the hotel, taking the boardwalk along the pier. Business must have been slow, as we were asked to take a ride in lots of bycyle taxi's along the way. I tried to imagine who the people were as we walked by all of the yachts in the harbor. I wondered what itr would be like to take a short trip on one of these, with your own personal chef, preparing what ever came to mind, with the freshest of ingredients. I then chuckled to myself! We do that at home every weekend in our neighborhood!
We eventually made it back to the room. Plans were made for more adventures, stay tuned......
Friday, July 18, 2014
Delta Delta Delta
Spousal unit road trip began mighty early, as on the nights before. Since everything is electronic now, I went online to check on with Delta Delta Delta.
They get ya coming and they get ya going. My ticket was a frequent flyer that cost $10 to process. Then you pay $25 for one checked bag. Only the beginning.
I finally got all the papers printed, then the spousal unit asks "why didn't you do the electronic boarding pass"? "I do it all the time, and you're killing trees"! Well darling, its been over two years since I've been on an airplane!
Son's girly friend dropped us off at the airport, all uneventful. That is until we got to the security gate. I get a big chuckle when we reach the gate. I immediately had a flashback to the spring when I went through the screening process to work for TSA. I quickly came to the conclusion that these people had no documented medical history, because they wanted medical history from every doctor I have seen over the last twenty years. And these folks were bigger than me!
Spousal unit goes thru the line, hands them her cell phone and they set it on some kind of devise that reads the fancy bar code, on to the next station. I get up to the head of the line and the guy just looks at my paper boarding pass. Then he asks " why nights you have the electronic pass? All business travelers use them. I was so tempted to tell him my name was Rip Van Winkle who woke up one day at the age of 55 to discover that I had been retired, but, cooler thoughts prevailed.
All of a sudden the sensors went off. The spousal unit and her two bionic hips done sent the system a blaring. Those high priced TSA agents went to work! A million questions and full body pat down. I'd a just dropped my pants and showed them the two scars!
Flight to Atlanta was a rough one due to weather so no free coke. Just water and a cookie. Luck would have it that our departure gate was in the same terminal. Haven't been thru Atlanta's airport in a long time. Spent years on American, Southwest, or thru other Delta terminals. I didn't realize there was an express lane in the terminal. Two little bitty fellers just about ran me over! That would not have been a pretty sight!
I was hoping for a Cinabon or something like that once we got to Atlanta. No such luck. Found a fancy breakfast item. After I ordered it, I asked the prep girl " now do you call it crap or crape?". She giggled and said "we just call it food"!
Waiting for the next leg was far from boring. Saw a man with a weird looking toe, so I just had to take a pic. Spousal Unit went to the rest room, then some feller took her seat. Another woman got up to get something out of her bag, and some woman took her seat! And I've never seen so many toe rings on my life!
Next flight was on a brand new airplane. Somebody forgot to hook up the a/c because it was just blowing hot air. Stewardess began passing out head phones for a small fee. WiFi was $7.50 an hour or three hours for $15. If you wanted a sammich that was $7.99. I was afraid to go to the head in fear that it was a pay toilet! Four hours later we had reached our destination, San Diego!
Noticed a lot of bags were hard skin suit cases. After seeing them come flying off the conveyor belt, you wonder why people spend that kinda money on them!
Thank you Delta Delta Delta for the safe flight and attempting to empty my wallet! Now time to plan some adventures!
They get ya coming and they get ya going. My ticket was a frequent flyer that cost $10 to process. Then you pay $25 for one checked bag. Only the beginning.
I finally got all the papers printed, then the spousal unit asks "why didn't you do the electronic boarding pass"? "I do it all the time, and you're killing trees"! Well darling, its been over two years since I've been on an airplane!
Son's girly friend dropped us off at the airport, all uneventful. That is until we got to the security gate. I get a big chuckle when we reach the gate. I immediately had a flashback to the spring when I went through the screening process to work for TSA. I quickly came to the conclusion that these people had no documented medical history, because they wanted medical history from every doctor I have seen over the last twenty years. And these folks were bigger than me!
Spousal unit goes thru the line, hands them her cell phone and they set it on some kind of devise that reads the fancy bar code, on to the next station. I get up to the head of the line and the guy just looks at my paper boarding pass. Then he asks " why nights you have the electronic pass? All business travelers use them. I was so tempted to tell him my name was Rip Van Winkle who woke up one day at the age of 55 to discover that I had been retired, but, cooler thoughts prevailed.
All of a sudden the sensors went off. The spousal unit and her two bionic hips done sent the system a blaring. Those high priced TSA agents went to work! A million questions and full body pat down. I'd a just dropped my pants and showed them the two scars!
Flight to Atlanta was a rough one due to weather so no free coke. Just water and a cookie. Luck would have it that our departure gate was in the same terminal. Haven't been thru Atlanta's airport in a long time. Spent years on American, Southwest, or thru other Delta terminals. I didn't realize there was an express lane in the terminal. Two little bitty fellers just about ran me over! That would not have been a pretty sight!
I was hoping for a Cinabon or something like that once we got to Atlanta. No such luck. Found a fancy breakfast item. After I ordered it, I asked the prep girl " now do you call it crap or crape?". She giggled and said "we just call it food"!
Waiting for the next leg was far from boring. Saw a man with a weird looking toe, so I just had to take a pic. Spousal Unit went to the rest room, then some feller took her seat. Another woman got up to get something out of her bag, and some woman took her seat! And I've never seen so many toe rings on my life!
Next flight was on a brand new airplane. Somebody forgot to hook up the a/c because it was just blowing hot air. Stewardess began passing out head phones for a small fee. WiFi was $7.50 an hour or three hours for $15. If you wanted a sammich that was $7.99. I was afraid to go to the head in fear that it was a pay toilet! Four hours later we had reached our destination, San Diego!
Noticed a lot of bags were hard skin suit cases. After seeing them come flying off the conveyor belt, you wonder why people spend that kinda money on them!
Thank you Delta Delta Delta for the safe flight and attempting to empty my wallet! Now time to plan some adventures!
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Bucket List
Heading to San Diego this weekend on a work trip with the Spousal Unit. Ever since the boys were little, I've wanted to go to the San Diego Zoo. I mentioned that this was one of my bucket list items on FB and somebody asked me what else was on my list.
Well, here are ten things on my list, but they are in no particular order.
BUCKET LIST
1. Trip to the San Diego Zoo. Been wanting to do this forever, but the only time I've been that far was a trip to Bakersfield, California to see some friends. Got Disneyland taken care of during that trip!
2. Key West, to see the sun rise and sunset in the same day. This would be watching the sun do a 180 with an unobstructed view. Figure with an umbrella, chair and my margarita machine, I can "get her done"!
3. Mardi Gras. I'm approaching 58 years of age, and I have never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. Some things ya gotta do once in your life.
4. Harry Potter ride. I was too damn big to be able to ride the Harry Potter ride during our last trip to Universal Studios in Orlando. Kids have been with us down there so many times, they don't enjoy going anymore. Maybe, just maybe, I will have lost enough inches for the safety harness to come down over my shoulders. If not, there is always another frozen butter beer!
5. Take my Grandchildren to Central Florida to the amusement parks. Boys don't like going much anymore, but hey, there is always hope for the next generation! Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Bush Gardens, and even Lego Land are on the list!
6. Washington DC. Lots to see there, just never found the time to go. That's about as far north as I care to go. The further north you go, the faster things move and happen up there. That's about as far north as my southern roots can stretch!
7. Grand Canyon. Not sure why its on the list. Long way to ride to look at a big ole hole in the ground. There is a glass walkway out into the canyon in Arizona (I think), but that ain't my cup of tea. Something to do with a "respect" for heights!
8. Ski Trip. Don't want to ski, mind you, but drinking hot chocolate in front of a fire, tubing down a ski slope, and hot tub dancing with a bunch of naked women can more than make up for busting my ass on a ski slope!
9. Weddings. Got two more weddings I want to attend. Weddings of Son#1 and Son#2 will do me just fine, thank you very much!
10. Grandchildren. Guess I gotta have the grands before number 5 can happen. Just think, its kinda nice to be able to go pick them up, wear them out doing all kinds of wonderful things with/to them, then take them back to their parents at the end of the day, all spoiled and rotten.
This is a pretty simple list. I think its manageable. Nothing crazy like bungie jumping, sky diving, or doing a triathlon. Wev'e got enough timeshare weeks to get most of it done in a reasonable time, if I can keep the spousal unit off the beach!
Well, here are ten things on my list, but they are in no particular order.
BUCKET LIST
1. Trip to the San Diego Zoo. Been wanting to do this forever, but the only time I've been that far was a trip to Bakersfield, California to see some friends. Got Disneyland taken care of during that trip!
2. Key West, to see the sun rise and sunset in the same day. This would be watching the sun do a 180 with an unobstructed view. Figure with an umbrella, chair and my margarita machine, I can "get her done"!
3. Mardi Gras. I'm approaching 58 years of age, and I have never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. Some things ya gotta do once in your life.
4. Harry Potter ride. I was too damn big to be able to ride the Harry Potter ride during our last trip to Universal Studios in Orlando. Kids have been with us down there so many times, they don't enjoy going anymore. Maybe, just maybe, I will have lost enough inches for the safety harness to come down over my shoulders. If not, there is always another frozen butter beer!
5. Take my Grandchildren to Central Florida to the amusement parks. Boys don't like going much anymore, but hey, there is always hope for the next generation! Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Bush Gardens, and even Lego Land are on the list!
6. Washington DC. Lots to see there, just never found the time to go. That's about as far north as I care to go. The further north you go, the faster things move and happen up there. That's about as far north as my southern roots can stretch!
7. Grand Canyon. Not sure why its on the list. Long way to ride to look at a big ole hole in the ground. There is a glass walkway out into the canyon in Arizona (I think), but that ain't my cup of tea. Something to do with a "respect" for heights!
8. Ski Trip. Don't want to ski, mind you, but drinking hot chocolate in front of a fire, tubing down a ski slope, and hot tub dancing with a bunch of naked women can more than make up for busting my ass on a ski slope!
9. Weddings. Got two more weddings I want to attend. Weddings of Son#1 and Son#2 will do me just fine, thank you very much!
10. Grandchildren. Guess I gotta have the grands before number 5 can happen. Just think, its kinda nice to be able to go pick them up, wear them out doing all kinds of wonderful things with/to them, then take them back to their parents at the end of the day, all spoiled and rotten.
This is a pretty simple list. I think its manageable. Nothing crazy like bungie jumping, sky diving, or doing a triathlon. Wev'e got enough timeshare weeks to get most of it done in a reasonable time, if I can keep the spousal unit off the beach!
Monday, July 14, 2014
Pretty Women
I thank God for putting Pretty Women on this planet of ours for me to enjoy. There is not a day that goes by that I don't spot one, whether its the car in the other lane, the grocery store, some restaurant, or just on the street.
I tend to look for something besides the knockout body or the pretty face. I must say, the blondes to tend to be the first to turn my head. A killer smile is usually what knocks me over. The eyes. Tend to melt my soul. And the voice is somewhat hypnotic.
There is a lady that works at one of the Home Depots that I work at. She has some age one her, and you could say that her better years are behind her. She still wears her hair long, flowing over her shoulders and down her back. She is quite the sight to see, because her makeup is a bit overdone times ten. But, I love to listen to her talk. She sounds like the first time you hear a songbird in spring. I always make it a point to say hello to her each visit, just so I can hear her again.
The other day I looked up and three of the sales associates were trying to help this young lady with some brick for a path and retaining wall. Its unusual to see three of these guys within ten feet of each other, so I knew something was up. A closer look revealed a young blonde, great figure, complete with tanning booth tan. I just had to get a closer look. I went to get a push cart for my trash and to get a little bit closer. Wow! No wonder she had three helpers, surprised it wasn't more!
You have heard of the movie "the Bridges of Madison County". Well, there is also the " Women of Madison County". When I work over there, I tend to get there early, before the say heats up. I'm usually set up near the pool chemicals because of the shade. I'll be working away, and will occasionally be interrupted by one of the many female residents that come in for pool chemicals and such. These gals are dressed presentable enough, often enhancing their figure, if you know what I mean. Suddenly, they will turn around, and OMG! Not a stitch of makeup on! At Home Depot! These women would not be caught anywhere else with a naked face! But, they are working in their yard or pool, end up needing something, and here they come!
The worst ones are the ones I met years ago that knew that they stolen my soul the first time I laid my eyes on them. These are the ones that can read through my poker face instantly! For some reason I have never been able to tell any of them "no" to any favor request they make.
Recently, I was power washing one of the entrances to the subdivision. Lots of cars came and went. Few took the time to acknowledge I was there. But then, this car pulls up, window goes down, and a woman with those killer eyes and a smile to boot, said "thank you for what you are doing". The eyes and smile more than made up for all those others that were too busy!
So, Thank you God, for sending these ladies my way. It tends to bring sunshine on what are usually boring cloudy days!
I tend to look for something besides the knockout body or the pretty face. I must say, the blondes to tend to be the first to turn my head. A killer smile is usually what knocks me over. The eyes. Tend to melt my soul. And the voice is somewhat hypnotic.
There is a lady that works at one of the Home Depots that I work at. She has some age one her, and you could say that her better years are behind her. She still wears her hair long, flowing over her shoulders and down her back. She is quite the sight to see, because her makeup is a bit overdone times ten. But, I love to listen to her talk. She sounds like the first time you hear a songbird in spring. I always make it a point to say hello to her each visit, just so I can hear her again.
The other day I looked up and three of the sales associates were trying to help this young lady with some brick for a path and retaining wall. Its unusual to see three of these guys within ten feet of each other, so I knew something was up. A closer look revealed a young blonde, great figure, complete with tanning booth tan. I just had to get a closer look. I went to get a push cart for my trash and to get a little bit closer. Wow! No wonder she had three helpers, surprised it wasn't more!
You have heard of the movie "the Bridges of Madison County". Well, there is also the " Women of Madison County". When I work over there, I tend to get there early, before the say heats up. I'm usually set up near the pool chemicals because of the shade. I'll be working away, and will occasionally be interrupted by one of the many female residents that come in for pool chemicals and such. These gals are dressed presentable enough, often enhancing their figure, if you know what I mean. Suddenly, they will turn around, and OMG! Not a stitch of makeup on! At Home Depot! These women would not be caught anywhere else with a naked face! But, they are working in their yard or pool, end up needing something, and here they come!
The worst ones are the ones I met years ago that knew that they stolen my soul the first time I laid my eyes on them. These are the ones that can read through my poker face instantly! For some reason I have never been able to tell any of them "no" to any favor request they make.
Recently, I was power washing one of the entrances to the subdivision. Lots of cars came and went. Few took the time to acknowledge I was there. But then, this car pulls up, window goes down, and a woman with those killer eyes and a smile to boot, said "thank you for what you are doing". The eyes and smile more than made up for all those others that were too busy!
So, Thank you God, for sending these ladies my way. It tends to bring sunshine on what are usually boring cloudy days!
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Summer Harvest
This is the time during the summer when the gardening harvests are at their peak. The green beans have come and gone. The early peas are just a memory. But the tomatoes, corn, peas, and butter beans are in full swing.
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, you could always count on Pop to show up early in the morning with a massive bag of freshly picked peas. It was our job to begin the shelling. By the time we had just about finished, he would show up with another. Purple hull peas were the worst. Before you knew it, your fingers were completely stained purple from your hard work.
The next thing you know, dear ole Dad would pull up in his pickup with a truck load of sweet or field corn. There ain't nuthin' like the taste of cream corn fried in a cast iron skillet! To get it to that point you had to be a finely tuned team on a mission. First, the shucking. Then the silking and worm removal. Then an adult was charged with cutting the kernals off the cob them milking every last bit of corn off the cob with the backside of the knife. As the bowls of corn would begin to overflow, grandma would begin the bagging and freezing.
All fall and winter, we would enjoy the fruits of our labor at the dinner table. To us it wasn't that special, just an average day with an ordinary meal. But now, oh how I wish I could revisit the past!
Now, you go to the farmers market, and there you again can see mother nature's bounty. Tomatoes in twenty five pound boxes. Squash and cucumbers piled high. Huge boxes are filled with watermelons from Smith County. And no more shelling. Now, for $25, you can get the peas and butter beans of your choice already shelled in a huge plastic sleeve.
Sweet corn is piled high and sold by the ear. And none of it has ever seen the first worm. Fruits of all kinds are neatly arranged in baskets with no bruises or bad spots to be found.
Sorry, this just isn't the same! You have to put in your salty sweat into it for it to taste good! But, families have now grown apart. Grandparents now live far and away. Country folk have now become city slickers. And kids have much better things to do besides shelling, like texting, face timing, and such. Backyards are now full of swimming pools, flowers and ornamental bushes.
I refuse to give up. I do container gardening in five gallon buckets since this dirt will barely grow grass. I buy sweet corn by the ear in 50 ear boxes. My tree continues to fail, so my homemade jelly costs me about $3 a jar. I get canning tomatoes for $14 a box vs the $25 for unblemished. And this time of year there ain't nothing finer than a Smith County Watermelon. They now come with a sticker so you'll know you've got the real McCoy!
Thankfully son#2 has his Greandaddies green thumbs. His girly friend's dad has provided him some dirt. His first year was comical, but year two is showing some results. By the time he is graduated and on his own, maybe, just maybe, I'll get the call. Come in over, the kitchen floor is covered in corn!
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, you could always count on Pop to show up early in the morning with a massive bag of freshly picked peas. It was our job to begin the shelling. By the time we had just about finished, he would show up with another. Purple hull peas were the worst. Before you knew it, your fingers were completely stained purple from your hard work.
The next thing you know, dear ole Dad would pull up in his pickup with a truck load of sweet or field corn. There ain't nuthin' like the taste of cream corn fried in a cast iron skillet! To get it to that point you had to be a finely tuned team on a mission. First, the shucking. Then the silking and worm removal. Then an adult was charged with cutting the kernals off the cob them milking every last bit of corn off the cob with the backside of the knife. As the bowls of corn would begin to overflow, grandma would begin the bagging and freezing.
All fall and winter, we would enjoy the fruits of our labor at the dinner table. To us it wasn't that special, just an average day with an ordinary meal. But now, oh how I wish I could revisit the past!
Now, you go to the farmers market, and there you again can see mother nature's bounty. Tomatoes in twenty five pound boxes. Squash and cucumbers piled high. Huge boxes are filled with watermelons from Smith County. And no more shelling. Now, for $25, you can get the peas and butter beans of your choice already shelled in a huge plastic sleeve.
Sweet corn is piled high and sold by the ear. And none of it has ever seen the first worm. Fruits of all kinds are neatly arranged in baskets with no bruises or bad spots to be found.
Sorry, this just isn't the same! You have to put in your salty sweat into it for it to taste good! But, families have now grown apart. Grandparents now live far and away. Country folk have now become city slickers. And kids have much better things to do besides shelling, like texting, face timing, and such. Backyards are now full of swimming pools, flowers and ornamental bushes.
I refuse to give up. I do container gardening in five gallon buckets since this dirt will barely grow grass. I buy sweet corn by the ear in 50 ear boxes. My tree continues to fail, so my homemade jelly costs me about $3 a jar. I get canning tomatoes for $14 a box vs the $25 for unblemished. And this time of year there ain't nothing finer than a Smith County Watermelon. They now come with a sticker so you'll know you've got the real McCoy!
Thankfully son#2 has his Greandaddies green thumbs. His girly friend's dad has provided him some dirt. His first year was comical, but year two is showing some results. By the time he is graduated and on his own, maybe, just maybe, I'll get the call. Come in over, the kitchen floor is covered in corn!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Somebody Special
Had lunch with somebody special today, and I just felt compelled to tell a little bit about his story.
Twenty one years ago, we were blessed when Son #2 came into this world. A month later his cousin Trey arrived. Both were boys, both were blonde headed. That's here the similarities ended. Son #2 thrived in elementary school. He challenged me to get him every book I could find for him to read for the accelerated reader program. It was all about getting those points. I was online every week ordering books from throughout the Rankin County Library system. He was trying his best to out score everyone in his room.
Cousin Trey wasn't about reading books. Books would be read to him. Trey had a learning disability, and things came slower to him. He took on different interests. He became the family expert and could tell you anything you would ever need to know about "Walker, Texas Ranger". He later discovered video games, and everyone immediately knew what would be on his birthday and Christmas lists for years to come.
Both boys reached middle school, and decided to follow their siblings into the band program. Son#2, like his brother, took up the saxophone. Cousin Trey went for the trombone. Son #2 excelled at sax through the eighth grade, but dropped out to pursue his love of the game of soccer. Trey continued on with his quest with the trombone.
Son #2 went on to MSMS the Mississippi School for Math and Science. His love of soccer followed him there. He and his teammates made it to the State playoffs two years running for the first time in the school's history.
Trey pushed through at New Albany High School. He was so proud of his band uniform, and being able to play in the "percussion pit" of the school band. He made it through high school, attending regular classes, just like everyone else. His senior year he had to have surgery to correct a spinal problem that will limit physical activity for years to come. He was able to go through graduation, just like everyone else.
Trey gave college a shot for a year, just like everyone else. He has found a job in his home town, just like everyone else. He now, has passed the test for his drivers' permit, just like everyone else. And, he has earned enough money to buy himself a truck, just like everyone else!
But, Trey is not like everyone else, to us, his family. He is a one of a kind special nephew that is dear to us all. And we are the lucky ones. Most of us don't live in New Albany, so we don't have to dodge his driving, just like everyone else!!!!
Twenty one years ago, we were blessed when Son #2 came into this world. A month later his cousin Trey arrived. Both were boys, both were blonde headed. That's here the similarities ended. Son #2 thrived in elementary school. He challenged me to get him every book I could find for him to read for the accelerated reader program. It was all about getting those points. I was online every week ordering books from throughout the Rankin County Library system. He was trying his best to out score everyone in his room.
Cousin Trey wasn't about reading books. Books would be read to him. Trey had a learning disability, and things came slower to him. He took on different interests. He became the family expert and could tell you anything you would ever need to know about "Walker, Texas Ranger". He later discovered video games, and everyone immediately knew what would be on his birthday and Christmas lists for years to come.
Both boys reached middle school, and decided to follow their siblings into the band program. Son#2, like his brother, took up the saxophone. Cousin Trey went for the trombone. Son #2 excelled at sax through the eighth grade, but dropped out to pursue his love of the game of soccer. Trey continued on with his quest with the trombone.
Son #2 went on to MSMS the Mississippi School for Math and Science. His love of soccer followed him there. He and his teammates made it to the State playoffs two years running for the first time in the school's history.
Trey pushed through at New Albany High School. He was so proud of his band uniform, and being able to play in the "percussion pit" of the school band. He made it through high school, attending regular classes, just like everyone else. His senior year he had to have surgery to correct a spinal problem that will limit physical activity for years to come. He was able to go through graduation, just like everyone else.
Trey gave college a shot for a year, just like everyone else. He has found a job in his home town, just like everyone else. He now, has passed the test for his drivers' permit, just like everyone else. And, he has earned enough money to buy himself a truck, just like everyone else!
But, Trey is not like everyone else, to us, his family. He is a one of a kind special nephew that is dear to us all. And we are the lucky ones. Most of us don't live in New Albany, so we don't have to dodge his driving, just like everyone else!!!!
Friday, July 11, 2014
Seasons of Change
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, in the town of Belzoni, it was easy to know what season you were in. Springtime was Little League baseball. Summer was school was out, and there were the Boy Scout trips to Camp Tallaha with Mr. Howell and Mr. Lister. Fall was playing tackle football at the Indian Mound, and Halloween trick or treating in the neighborhood. Winter was easy, cold, snow on the ground, and Christmas presents under the tree.
As I got older, I began to see different signs of seasons changing. Spring time was the time of year to begin earning money from cutting grass. Summer was more of the same, but with an occasional short vacation trip with Mom, then those dreadful 2 a day football practices. Fall was all about high school football and winning championships. Winter was still cold, but ole Santa just wasn't the same anymore.
My allergies would get the best of me too. Spring time was planting time, filling the air with all kind of chemicals. Summer was almost as bad, working for Jimmy Thompson checking cotton for insects. A week didn't go by where you were soaking wet from the morning dew, then parched from the afternoon sun. Occasionally I would be in a field and get sprayed by the crop duster who was behind in his rounds. Fall was the time for defoliants and cotton gin dust. The chemicals took the remaining life out of the cotton and soybean plants, and the gin dust coated the whole town of Inverness like a light dusting of brown snow. Winter was the only time I could actually breathe.
College years led to spring college baseball and following Coach Ron Polk work his ball magic. Summers were filled with jobs for spending money for the coming fall. Fall was back to school, trips to Jackson for the biggest games, and winter was the welcomed Christmas break!
Before I knew it I was married, and had a house. Spring was time to spruce up the yard. Summer was full of neighborhood gatherings in Bellegrove for parties and fun. Fall was more time spent with the spousal unit following her team of choice. Winter was more time spent with each other, enjoying a hot glowing fire and time off from an occasional ice storm.
Soon, two boys entered our lives. Spring became the time for T-Ball and buddy ball, and of course, our introduction to the game of soccer. Summer was a time for picnics, trips to the zoo, swimming, and the beginning of many treks to Orlando. Fall was our introduction to "one time in band camp" and having the time of our lives as band parents working the concession stands with our new found friends. Soccer became a year around sport, lasting 11 months during Morgan's last year.
Now its all different. Spring time brings on the necessity of cleaning and the occasional garage sale. Summer is now interrupted with the stores selling school supplies in July. Fall is the time for the stores to set out their Christmas decorations. In Kroger, you can tell what season it is by the selection of candy in its displays in the center aisle. If you are looking for summer clothing in August, you are out of luck!
Its not even August and we are already dreaming of Football and planning tailgating. With both boys no longer in the house, and them eventually getting serious with the female of their choice, I guess I better get ready for more changes in the seasons! The times, they are forever changing!
As I got older, I began to see different signs of seasons changing. Spring time was the time of year to begin earning money from cutting grass. Summer was more of the same, but with an occasional short vacation trip with Mom, then those dreadful 2 a day football practices. Fall was all about high school football and winning championships. Winter was still cold, but ole Santa just wasn't the same anymore.
My allergies would get the best of me too. Spring time was planting time, filling the air with all kind of chemicals. Summer was almost as bad, working for Jimmy Thompson checking cotton for insects. A week didn't go by where you were soaking wet from the morning dew, then parched from the afternoon sun. Occasionally I would be in a field and get sprayed by the crop duster who was behind in his rounds. Fall was the time for defoliants and cotton gin dust. The chemicals took the remaining life out of the cotton and soybean plants, and the gin dust coated the whole town of Inverness like a light dusting of brown snow. Winter was the only time I could actually breathe.
College years led to spring college baseball and following Coach Ron Polk work his ball magic. Summers were filled with jobs for spending money for the coming fall. Fall was back to school, trips to Jackson for the biggest games, and winter was the welcomed Christmas break!
Before I knew it I was married, and had a house. Spring was time to spruce up the yard. Summer was full of neighborhood gatherings in Bellegrove for parties and fun. Fall was more time spent with the spousal unit following her team of choice. Winter was more time spent with each other, enjoying a hot glowing fire and time off from an occasional ice storm.
Soon, two boys entered our lives. Spring became the time for T-Ball and buddy ball, and of course, our introduction to the game of soccer. Summer was a time for picnics, trips to the zoo, swimming, and the beginning of many treks to Orlando. Fall was our introduction to "one time in band camp" and having the time of our lives as band parents working the concession stands with our new found friends. Soccer became a year around sport, lasting 11 months during Morgan's last year.
Now its all different. Spring time brings on the necessity of cleaning and the occasional garage sale. Summer is now interrupted with the stores selling school supplies in July. Fall is the time for the stores to set out their Christmas decorations. In Kroger, you can tell what season it is by the selection of candy in its displays in the center aisle. If you are looking for summer clothing in August, you are out of luck!
Its not even August and we are already dreaming of Football and planning tailgating. With both boys no longer in the house, and them eventually getting serious with the female of their choice, I guess I better get ready for more changes in the seasons! The times, they are forever changing!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Highway Bathroom Etiquette 101
Warning, warning, Will Robinson!
Lately, in our travels, we are finding the rating scale for rest room cleanliness to be off the charts, as in not even registering. This road trip just about did us in. Here are a few rules:
1. If the exit sign only shows one gas station, slow down and read the sign. If the stop is more than a mile away, re-enter the interstate. Usually a hole in the road. Trust me, the spousal unit has learned the hard way to hold it a little longer.
2. If you enter a convenience store in your travels and come across an old friend just coming out of the restroom, do your best to avoid the hand shake. More often than not, that hand has not seen water, soap, or paper towel in the last four hours.
3. Before taking your seat in the stall, check for seat covers and plenty of toilet paper. Nothing like hearing the guy in the next stall say "hey buddy, can you pass me a roll"!
4. If you enter the men's room and need to use the urinal, take the one at the other end of the restroom, not the one next to me, unless all others are taken.
5. While in the men's room, do not ask me "hey buddy, you got four quarters for a dollar" for the men's room vending machine.
6. If you really have a bad one, its OK to flush a few times before finishing, believe me!
7. To the guy that has to take his leak into the only toilet in the room, lift the lid, its not that hard.
8. To the girl shacked up with my son and not paying any rent, please take the bowl brush and swish it around for a minute or two once a week. Small duty that is appreciated by the owner during the occasional visit.
9 .Ladies. Be prepared, It cracks me up when you ask to borrow $5 outside the ladies room.
10. Be like the spousal unit. When its an obvious bathroom break, buy something. It surprises the heck out of the cashier. I love snicker bars.....
11. It amazes me that a woman that has to go real bad, can be in and out in a flash, while the guy is still trying to find the zipper.
12. Men, remember, it is better to pee on porcelain than directly into the water. Less noise, and no misguided splashing.
I'm sure there are a lot more rules for the road. These were some obvious ones from this last road trip!
Lately, in our travels, we are finding the rating scale for rest room cleanliness to be off the charts, as in not even registering. This road trip just about did us in. Here are a few rules:
1. If the exit sign only shows one gas station, slow down and read the sign. If the stop is more than a mile away, re-enter the interstate. Usually a hole in the road. Trust me, the spousal unit has learned the hard way to hold it a little longer.
2. If you enter a convenience store in your travels and come across an old friend just coming out of the restroom, do your best to avoid the hand shake. More often than not, that hand has not seen water, soap, or paper towel in the last four hours.
3. Before taking your seat in the stall, check for seat covers and plenty of toilet paper. Nothing like hearing the guy in the next stall say "hey buddy, can you pass me a roll"!
4. If you enter the men's room and need to use the urinal, take the one at the other end of the restroom, not the one next to me, unless all others are taken.
5. While in the men's room, do not ask me "hey buddy, you got four quarters for a dollar" for the men's room vending machine.
6. If you really have a bad one, its OK to flush a few times before finishing, believe me!
7. To the guy that has to take his leak into the only toilet in the room, lift the lid, its not that hard.
8. To the girl shacked up with my son and not paying any rent, please take the bowl brush and swish it around for a minute or two once a week. Small duty that is appreciated by the owner during the occasional visit.
9 .Ladies. Be prepared, It cracks me up when you ask to borrow $5 outside the ladies room.
10. Be like the spousal unit. When its an obvious bathroom break, buy something. It surprises the heck out of the cashier. I love snicker bars.....
11. It amazes me that a woman that has to go real bad, can be in and out in a flash, while the guy is still trying to find the zipper.
12. Men, remember, it is better to pee on porcelain than directly into the water. Less noise, and no misguided splashing.
I'm sure there are a lot more rules for the road. These were some obvious ones from this last road trip!
Thank You OnStar and GPS
Lots of electronic toys and software applications have been brought to the market over the years. Gaming machines have changed the way our children entertain themselves. Computers and the internet have connected all age generations together, especially social media applications. Even my parents, approaching 80 years of age are now on Facebook.
Several years ago I gave Mom and Pop a TomTom GPS. They have worn out many a road atlas over the years. Got a call from them that someone in their community was breaking into cars and their GPS that I had given them had come up missing. They have since replaced it.
I gave both my boys GPS's for them to use in their travels. Both of them have abandoned them and now use Google Maps on their smart ass phones.
The spousal units last car purchase came with OnStar and a GPS system. In most cases I will type in the address before we depart on a trip. Works great. Sometimes not so good. The system is too smart and will sometime prefill the selections that are no where near the mark. No problem,we just call OnStar and they download the directions straight to the GPS.
Other times we are in a city that we are unfamiliar with and need directions to an unplanned venue or restaurant. Never fear, OnStar is here.
Its funny for the system to announce "you have arrived at your destination". Then, you begin to look around to find our where the hell it is!
Son #2 has been driving us around Atlanta the past two days. Son #1 said " hell no!", I ain't dealing with three backseat drivers! It has been quite an adventure. Son#2 has been blaming the GPS for him missing or taking a wrong exit. To save him from some road rage, I had him exit the interstate and exit early as we approached Turner Field. The interstate traffic was backed up in front of us, and I knew he would get into trouble up ahead. Then we got to play bumper cars the rest of the way on the inner city streets, bit we made it to our assigned parking lot with no damage, but both sons were in bad need for a beer.
With OnStar and our GPS we were able to find all of our destinations safely, on time, and back to the hotel. The spousal unit tried to find us a drive through ice cream store along the way, and we ended up at Lenox Mall. It was in the food court, and the clock had just hit 9 pm local time. We all had a good laugh at that!
Occasionally you end up in the high rise district or come out of a parking garage, and you have lost your GPS signal. Its like "oh shit!", do we go straight, turn left, or turn right???? Eventually we get the signal back and all is well.
I have to confess, that having a GPS has saved my marriage! Before having a GPS, we would get lost, or somebody would forget to say " turn up ahead" and blood pressures would rise. Never fear with a GPS, that ole gal just starts saying "recalculating". The spousal unit even got jealous one time and said " you never get mad at her!"
All I can say is THANK YOU OnStar and GPS!
Several years ago I gave Mom and Pop a TomTom GPS. They have worn out many a road atlas over the years. Got a call from them that someone in their community was breaking into cars and their GPS that I had given them had come up missing. They have since replaced it.
I gave both my boys GPS's for them to use in their travels. Both of them have abandoned them and now use Google Maps on their smart ass phones.
The spousal units last car purchase came with OnStar and a GPS system. In most cases I will type in the address before we depart on a trip. Works great. Sometimes not so good. The system is too smart and will sometime prefill the selections that are no where near the mark. No problem,we just call OnStar and they download the directions straight to the GPS.
Other times we are in a city that we are unfamiliar with and need directions to an unplanned venue or restaurant. Never fear, OnStar is here.
Its funny for the system to announce "you have arrived at your destination". Then, you begin to look around to find our where the hell it is!
Son #2 has been driving us around Atlanta the past two days. Son #1 said " hell no!", I ain't dealing with three backseat drivers! It has been quite an adventure. Son#2 has been blaming the GPS for him missing or taking a wrong exit. To save him from some road rage, I had him exit the interstate and exit early as we approached Turner Field. The interstate traffic was backed up in front of us, and I knew he would get into trouble up ahead. Then we got to play bumper cars the rest of the way on the inner city streets, bit we made it to our assigned parking lot with no damage, but both sons were in bad need for a beer.
With OnStar and our GPS we were able to find all of our destinations safely, on time, and back to the hotel. The spousal unit tried to find us a drive through ice cream store along the way, and we ended up at Lenox Mall. It was in the food court, and the clock had just hit 9 pm local time. We all had a good laugh at that!
Occasionally you end up in the high rise district or come out of a parking garage, and you have lost your GPS signal. Its like "oh shit!", do we go straight, turn left, or turn right???? Eventually we get the signal back and all is well.
I have to confess, that having a GPS has saved my marriage! Before having a GPS, we would get lost, or somebody would forget to say " turn up ahead" and blood pressures would rise. Never fear with a GPS, that ole gal just starts saying "recalculating". The spousal unit even got jealous one time and said " you never get mad at her!"
All I can say is THANK YOU OnStar and GPS!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Those Special Moments
I just love those times when you have those special moments of discovery in your lives where you go "ah ha!", or worse " rut row"
When Matthew was small he got a electric four wheeler for Christmas. He sat on it big and proud with a big ole smile. When I suggested that he push the gas and he looks up at me with those eyes and says "Dad, you have to charge it first!". Then he accidentally touched the peddle and he almost falls off!
When you have one of those talks about how those college girls can take advantage of you and your son says, " not to worry Dad, she has an implant!"
Son asks you to build him a bike ramp for jumping. You ask how high. He shows you around 18 inches high. First jump, son doesn't realized you are supposed to use your knees to absorb the landing. Poor kids privates went right through his eye sockets!
Son brings home a new girl friend. You sit around the fire pit, enjoying your favorite beverage. Glass tips over and ice spills out on the ground. You pick up the dirty ice and toss them into the fire. Latest girl friend gasps, and says "OMG, that's not gonna explode or anything?!"
Sitting on the front porch with neighbors, enjoying conversation and a few adult beverages, with a oscillating fan blowing a breeze. One guy adjusts his chair, not realizing the leg is on the cord. That reaction when the chair leg cuts through the protective layer of rubber and he gets zapped by a jolt of electricity. Thank God for GFI plugs!
That moment when you find out that your worst nightmare is it best thing to ever happen to you. Had not smiled in years. Now I go to bed and wake up with a smile one my face every day. Two and a half years and counting.....
Preacher's wife bought one of my coolers as a gift for her husband. Later, Preacher says "I've got an engineering question for you. After you have drained the water out of the cooler, how are you supposed to get the remaining one inch of water out of it?". My reply, " tip it over just a bit". He then says, "I thought so, just checking". Good recovery there Preacher!
Your wife wakes you up in the middle of the night and says " did you hear that noise?". I reply "no, but if you hear it again, I'll get up and check". Next morning I discover a cat in the garage that had knocked over a 2x4 that was leaning on the wall.
That moment when the young cousins learn your secret about "playing possum" at family gatherings when "Mr. know-it-all" walks into the room. Now they all want in on the act. Before long the whole house will be pretending to be taking a nap except for you know who.....!
Neighbor stops borrowing your truck when they figure out that's the only time the gas needle is on empty. Hee, hee.
Your wife wakes you up at 3 in the morning to tell you you youngest teenage son has been caught with not one but two girls in his room. Atta boy!
Your neighbor invites everyone over for a cookout, including homemade ice cream. The machine runs for over two hours before the light bulb goes off to open it up and look inside to see what's up with that. No dasher in the bucket, just a two hour spin!
Different neighbor decides to make butter pecan ice cream. The look on the face of one of the girls taking the first bite, and discovers its full of salt! First thought, it was the pecans, nope. Turns out the neighbor had stopped up the drain hole, didn't want salt water spilling into his sink!
Neighbor asks you for advice on how too smoke a turkey. An hoiur into him getting started, you see smoke bellowing out of the smoker. You ask how many wood blocks did you put in the smoker? He filled it up! Turkey already black from all the smoke. Latter he says "did you know there was a turkey neck out in the cavity of that thing???? I ask, " what about the sack of turkey inards"? Yep, cooked well done, to a crisp, still in the bag!
Son's girlfriend's car need a new headlight. He comes back into the house with that look. She had told him to get his useless butt back into the house, he was just in the way!
Got lots more. Saving them for later. Let me know some of yours!
When Matthew was small he got a electric four wheeler for Christmas. He sat on it big and proud with a big ole smile. When I suggested that he push the gas and he looks up at me with those eyes and says "Dad, you have to charge it first!". Then he accidentally touched the peddle and he almost falls off!
When you have one of those talks about how those college girls can take advantage of you and your son says, " not to worry Dad, she has an implant!"
Son asks you to build him a bike ramp for jumping. You ask how high. He shows you around 18 inches high. First jump, son doesn't realized you are supposed to use your knees to absorb the landing. Poor kids privates went right through his eye sockets!
Son brings home a new girl friend. You sit around the fire pit, enjoying your favorite beverage. Glass tips over and ice spills out on the ground. You pick up the dirty ice and toss them into the fire. Latest girl friend gasps, and says "OMG, that's not gonna explode or anything?!"
Sitting on the front porch with neighbors, enjoying conversation and a few adult beverages, with a oscillating fan blowing a breeze. One guy adjusts his chair, not realizing the leg is on the cord. That reaction when the chair leg cuts through the protective layer of rubber and he gets zapped by a jolt of electricity. Thank God for GFI plugs!
That moment when you find out that your worst nightmare is it best thing to ever happen to you. Had not smiled in years. Now I go to bed and wake up with a smile one my face every day. Two and a half years and counting.....
Preacher's wife bought one of my coolers as a gift for her husband. Later, Preacher says "I've got an engineering question for you. After you have drained the water out of the cooler, how are you supposed to get the remaining one inch of water out of it?". My reply, " tip it over just a bit". He then says, "I thought so, just checking". Good recovery there Preacher!
Your wife wakes you up in the middle of the night and says " did you hear that noise?". I reply "no, but if you hear it again, I'll get up and check". Next morning I discover a cat in the garage that had knocked over a 2x4 that was leaning on the wall.
That moment when the young cousins learn your secret about "playing possum" at family gatherings when "Mr. know-it-all" walks into the room. Now they all want in on the act. Before long the whole house will be pretending to be taking a nap except for you know who.....!
Neighbor stops borrowing your truck when they figure out that's the only time the gas needle is on empty. Hee, hee.
Your wife wakes you up at 3 in the morning to tell you you youngest teenage son has been caught with not one but two girls in his room. Atta boy!
Your neighbor invites everyone over for a cookout, including homemade ice cream. The machine runs for over two hours before the light bulb goes off to open it up and look inside to see what's up with that. No dasher in the bucket, just a two hour spin!
Different neighbor decides to make butter pecan ice cream. The look on the face of one of the girls taking the first bite, and discovers its full of salt! First thought, it was the pecans, nope. Turns out the neighbor had stopped up the drain hole, didn't want salt water spilling into his sink!
Neighbor asks you for advice on how too smoke a turkey. An hoiur into him getting started, you see smoke bellowing out of the smoker. You ask how many wood blocks did you put in the smoker? He filled it up! Turkey already black from all the smoke. Latter he says "did you know there was a turkey neck out in the cavity of that thing???? I ask, " what about the sack of turkey inards"? Yep, cooked well done, to a crisp, still in the bag!
Son's girlfriend's car need a new headlight. He comes back into the house with that look. She had told him to get his useless butt back into the house, he was just in the way!
Got lots more. Saving them for later. Let me know some of yours!
Friday, July 4, 2014
Road Trip Atlanta-Orient Express
Every road trip to Atlanta has a stop at one of our favorite places to Eat, the Orient Express, in Vinings, not far off the interstate on Paces Ferry Road.
The restaurant is built around an old dining railroad car. They have three themes: sushi, Chinese, and hibachi grill. Each section is uniquely different. Most of the time its all about thefood, but here, What makes the place so special to us is one waiter in particular.
When We met this guy about ten years ago, he went by the name "Herman". He has such great interaction with his customers. He and I hit it off immediately. Every trip to Atlanta since, i call ahead to see if he is working. when son #1 turned 21, there was no question where we would be going!
One trip Herman let us know his real name " Hirmato". I called today to make sure he was working. I asked if Hirmato was working tonight. The lady answering the phone said "no Hirmato here". I said well, he goes by the name Herman. She said " oh yes, Herman will be here!". I said tell him his friends from Jackson, Mississippi are coming for dinner!
We arrive at the restaurant and immediately I spot Herman waiting on some tables outside. We spot each other and we both light up in anticipation for what is to come.
I told him about the phone call earlier. He grinned, and said, "no Herman here, I now go by Zero". I reply, " well, if that's your new waiter name, then that is the size your tip is gonna be! All hell broke loose after that!
Son #2 was with us, and son #1 was inbound later, coming in from Nashville. Son #1's 21st birthday included an introduction to a sake bomb. A shot of warm sake is dropped into a glass of Japanese beer, and the Chugalug begins. Son#2 turned 21 in January of this year, and I wasn't about to miss this opportunity!
Down it went! Morgan commented, "Wow! It goes down so smooth you don't realize you are drinking it, til it hits rock bottom!". After two of these, we were primed and ready for some sushi!
We dug in with chop sticks flying!
If you are in the Atlanta area, stop by Orient Express. And ask for Hirmato, or Herman, or Zero, or who knows what name he will be using next.
The restaurant is built around an old dining railroad car. They have three themes: sushi, Chinese, and hibachi grill. Each section is uniquely different. Most of the time its all about thefood, but here, What makes the place so special to us is one waiter in particular.
When We met this guy about ten years ago, he went by the name "Herman". He has such great interaction with his customers. He and I hit it off immediately. Every trip to Atlanta since, i call ahead to see if he is working. when son #1 turned 21, there was no question where we would be going!
One trip Herman let us know his real name " Hirmato". I called today to make sure he was working. I asked if Hirmato was working tonight. The lady answering the phone said "no Hirmato here". I said well, he goes by the name Herman. She said " oh yes, Herman will be here!". I said tell him his friends from Jackson, Mississippi are coming for dinner!
We arrive at the restaurant and immediately I spot Herman waiting on some tables outside. We spot each other and we both light up in anticipation for what is to come.
I told him about the phone call earlier. He grinned, and said, "no Herman here, I now go by Zero". I reply, " well, if that's your new waiter name, then that is the size your tip is gonna be! All hell broke loose after that!
Son #2 was with us, and son #1 was inbound later, coming in from Nashville. Son #1's 21st birthday included an introduction to a sake bomb. A shot of warm sake is dropped into a glass of Japanese beer, and the Chugalug begins. Son#2 turned 21 in January of this year, and I wasn't about to miss this opportunity!
Down it went! Morgan commented, "Wow! It goes down so smooth you don't realize you are drinking it, til it hits rock bottom!". After two of these, we were primed and ready for some sushi!
We dug in with chop sticks flying!
If you are in the Atlanta area, stop by Orient Express. And ask for Hirmato, or Herman, or Zero, or who knows what name he will be using next.
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