Three Days And Counting...
I could use about another week of time to really be ready to get on an airplane headed to Oklahoma, but I only have the time between now and 9:15 AM on Saturday to do everything I'm going to get done I guess.
The Wee Pub is still coming slowly along...it's really a pain in the posterior I don't want to have to deal with in the middle of a move but it is what it is and I have to mostly finish it if we're going to lease out the house.
The good news is that a guy stopped by last Monday afternoon and likes the place and will be able to tell us by Monday if he wants it, but the bad news is that he wants us out by November 1st and that will be a HUGE PAIN having to travel back here so soon to beat the movers into shape and make sure they pack things correctly.
So any way, I have to go now and put some more paint and stain on trim in the Wee Pub and box some more of my personal office crap up so I can FedEX it out to meet me there in Tulsa.
Y'all have a LOVELY day, and wish me luck pulling this move off successfully.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday Morning Music
Good Stuff...
"Oh if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen
to this world?"
H. Chapin (11/7/1942--7/16/1981)
"Oh if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen
to this world?"
H. Chapin (11/7/1942--7/16/1981)
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Real Estate Idiots
Almost As Bad As Used Car Salesmen Sales Persons...
I wish I could get into a position in life where I could be a complete incompetent idiot, sit around with my thumb up my butt, and still be able to look people in the eye and make them pay me cash for doing virtually nothing.
Doesn't that seem like the perfect job description if you have no self esteem and conscience?
Well, since I have a HUGE ego and a great deal of self esteem, and my Dear Mother endowed me with a conscience which tortures me when I don't do what I'm supposed to do, I guess that apparently I'm not cut out to be a Real Estate Agent (or a used car salesman.)
Don't get me wrong here this morning Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm not saying that all people in the Real Estate Business are bad people or thieves or are incompetent...
...I'm just saying that I am like a magnet which attracts Agents which "sell like hell" when trying to get my business but then disappear over the horizon and drop the proverbial ball when it comes time to actually produce a PRODUCT...in my case leasing my house and leasing me a furnished Condo and a long term home rental later.
I've also known a couple of great Real Estate Agents and Brokers over the past 26 years I've been buying and selling homes and investment properties, but they have been few and far between for some reason.
I've already fired one idiot in the past week that wanted to handle leasing out my home here in Knoxtown, and if the next idiot which came along and took pictures and signed an agreement for services and took $100 of my money as a down payment/"set-up fee" doesn't get off of his ass and get some pictures up on his website tomorrow--SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE AGREEMENT--along with a written description which isn't full of typographical errors, I guess I'll have to fire him also.
I think I'll go find my old pair of worn out steel toed boots in anticipation of sticking my FOOT UP HIS ASS if he gives me any further trouble.
Is it just me?
I wish I could get into a position in life where I could be a complete incompetent idiot, sit around with my thumb up my butt, and still be able to look people in the eye and make them pay me cash for doing virtually nothing.
Doesn't that seem like the perfect job description if you have no self esteem and conscience?
Well, since I have a HUGE ego and a great deal of self esteem, and my Dear Mother endowed me with a conscience which tortures me when I don't do what I'm supposed to do, I guess that apparently I'm not cut out to be a Real Estate Agent (or a used car salesman.)
Don't get me wrong here this morning Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm not saying that all people in the Real Estate Business are bad people or thieves or are incompetent...
...I'm just saying that I am like a magnet which attracts Agents which "sell like hell" when trying to get my business but then disappear over the horizon and drop the proverbial ball when it comes time to actually produce a PRODUCT...in my case leasing my house and leasing me a furnished Condo and a long term home rental later.
I've also known a couple of great Real Estate Agents and Brokers over the past 26 years I've been buying and selling homes and investment properties, but they have been few and far between for some reason.
I've already fired one idiot in the past week that wanted to handle leasing out my home here in Knoxtown, and if the next idiot which came along and took pictures and signed an agreement for services and took $100 of my money as a down payment/"set-up fee" doesn't get off of his ass and get some pictures up on his website tomorrow--SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE AGREEMENT--along with a written description which isn't full of typographical errors, I guess I'll have to fire him also.
I think I'll go find my old pair of worn out steel toed boots in anticipation of sticking my FOOT UP HIS ASS if he gives me any further trouble.
Is it just me?
Thursday, October 06, 2011
I Have An Announcement
Big Changes A Comin' To The Turbo Pup Compound...
I have to finally confess something here this morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.
The Turbo Pup is moving cross country.
To Tulsa, Oklahoma...actually.
OK, really the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to be exact.
You see, her dad (that would be me) has been wined and dined and courted by a company out there to relocate so I can do Injuneering for them working in Oil Refineries all over this Hemisphere of the planet if not the entire WORLD.
It's a pretty big step for me and my family, but they offered to cover all of our costs to relocate from Tennessee to Oklahoma and give me the opportunity to spend the next ten or fifteen years of my professional career doing what I really do best--industrial stacks and other steel structural elements like ductwork and the like, and when everything was put on paper it was an opportunity I just couldn't turn down.
So over the next few weeks, like the past few days, my blogging will be hit or miss as I continue to plan our move and wind down my business dealings with my own little group of Corporate customers here at Plastics Engineering Technologies.
I'm negotiating/managing THREE leases--this house here in Knoxtown, a temporary furnished Condo in Tulsa, and a long term lease on a house beginning sometime in November/December when I finally move Pat and Missy out there, so I'm sure you will understand why I'm up to my eyeballs with stuff and don't have time to Blog.
(Of course I reserve the right to blast off a good rant if something catches my eye in the news, but until then...Regards Y'all...)
I have to finally confess something here this morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.
The Turbo Pup is moving cross country.
To Tulsa, Oklahoma...actually.
OK, really the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to be exact.
You see, her dad (that would be me) has been wined and dined and courted by a company out there to relocate so I can do Injuneering for them working in Oil Refineries all over this Hemisphere of the planet if not the entire WORLD.
It's a pretty big step for me and my family, but they offered to cover all of our costs to relocate from Tennessee to Oklahoma and give me the opportunity to spend the next ten or fifteen years of my professional career doing what I really do best--industrial stacks and other steel structural elements like ductwork and the like, and when everything was put on paper it was an opportunity I just couldn't turn down.
So over the next few weeks, like the past few days, my blogging will be hit or miss as I continue to plan our move and wind down my business dealings with my own little group of Corporate customers here at Plastics Engineering Technologies.
I'm negotiating/managing THREE leases--this house here in Knoxtown, a temporary furnished Condo in Tulsa, and a long term lease on a house beginning sometime in November/December when I finally move Pat and Missy out there, so I'm sure you will understand why I'm up to my eyeballs with stuff and don't have time to Blog.
(Of course I reserve the right to blast off a good rant if something catches my eye in the news, but until then...Regards Y'all...)
Steven Jobs...RIP
A Great American...
Let me start out by saying that I didn't agree with Steve Jobs' politics or that of most of those working in his company, but I think that you have to agree with me when I write that the company that he founded in his parent's garage--Apple-- with a guy named Steve Wozniak, has fundamentally revolutionized the world as we know it today.
I'd also like to say that the jury is still out as to whether all or any of the changes will end up being positive as more and more people become Internet addicts wasting time or i-phone addicts walking around like zombies in airports and other public places staring at their touch screen phones, but still...
I have to admit this morning that guys like Steven P. Jobs, Steve Wozniak (and another fellow named Bill Gates) fundamentally changed the way the world does business and communicates with each other.
Although I've never owned an Apple "anything," Steve's influence on the advancement of computer technology in general has allowed me to make a good deal of money and has been instrumental in my overall professional success...
...and for that I am thankful for his brilliance, and grieve his death this morning. Here's his picture as shown on the front page of the Apple Website today.
RIP Mr. Jobs
Let me start out by saying that I didn't agree with Steve Jobs' politics or that of most of those working in his company, but I think that you have to agree with me when I write that the company that he founded in his parent's garage--Apple-- with a guy named Steve Wozniak, has fundamentally revolutionized the world as we know it today.
I'd also like to say that the jury is still out as to whether all or any of the changes will end up being positive as more and more people become Internet addicts wasting time or i-phone addicts walking around like zombies in airports and other public places staring at their touch screen phones, but still...
I have to admit this morning that guys like Steven P. Jobs, Steve Wozniak (and another fellow named Bill Gates) fundamentally changed the way the world does business and communicates with each other.
Although I've never owned an Apple "anything," Steve's influence on the advancement of computer technology in general has allowed me to make a good deal of money and has been instrumental in my overall professional success...
...and for that I am thankful for his brilliance, and grieve his death this morning. Here's his picture as shown on the front page of the Apple Website today.
RIP Mr. Jobs
Monday, October 03, 2011
What We Teach Kids Today
No Wonder The Country Is Full Of An Ever Growing Wimpy, Dumbass Population...
Having been on vacation for two weeks, and being busy as hell when I'm not on vacation, I realized that I haven't done any political correctness commentary in a while about the insanity of our limp wristed, pantie waisted, sniveling, booger eating tree hugging society and the idiots in charge of running things these days.
So this morning I present this story about a 6th grade football player hit with "Madre-Hill" Rule which stops him from playing football at his best because it makes the other kids look bad and possibly hurts their "self esteem."
MALVERN, AR - Malvern hasn't seen a football player like this for a long time.
"He is going to score almost every time he touches the ball," said Wilson Intermediate School Principal Terri Bryant.
At the young age of 11-years-old, Demias Jimerson reminds a lot of people of Razorback great Madre Hill.
"If you were looking at them you would say they were very much similar," said Darryl Baker, who coached Hill and now referees Jimerson's games. "I mean they both run really fast, good kids, run with the same style."
Like Jimerson, Hill attended Wilson Intermediate School and dominated the football field so thoroughly, the league invoked what came to be known as the Madre Hill Rule. Once Hill scored three touchdowns, if his team had a 14-point lead, officials banned him from scoring any more touchdowns.
"I got, kinda got shocked because I didn't know that was gonna happen, but it did," said Jimerson. Adding, "I'm ok with it."
Principal Bryant, the defacto commissioner of the Wilson Intermediate Football League, says the rule isn't meant to punish Jimerson. It's there to help the other fifth and sixth graders on the field develop as football players too.
"The other players on both teams, 21 are just left sort of, this is all Demias," she said. "So that's why the Madre Hill Rule has been implemented."
You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where we are in this country at all levels of our society and politics.
"Spread the wealth" is the motto, and we pass laws and in this case make rules trying to ensure success for everyone while in the process limiting success for those who work harder or have a talent for a given endeavor.
Suppose the other 21 kids never work out and are giant lard assed idiots that eat every meal at McDonalds and hardly show up for practice?
And suppose that little Demias Jimerson, like Tom Hanks' character Forrest Gump, is considered a "running fool" and gets up every morning and eats a good breakfast and runs all day everywhere he goes and plays football in his back yard in pick up games in between league games.
Is it really fair to him to force him to sit on the sidelines while his fellow so called "team mates" play an inferior form of the game?
I swear to the good Lord above this kind of crap is creaping through our society and political system, and it's coming to get YOU and ME before I die.
Already President Obama is out there telling the idiots that went to High School with me and you and didn't study and/or dropped out that it isn't "FAIR" that we have nice cars and nice houses and good health insurance and 401K's and take vacations and don't have to live from "paycheck to paycheck"
This is the exact same thing being taught to a 6th grader, just using a different form of currency...points made on a football field instead of dollars made in business or working a good job.
This kind of crap makes my ever greying, ever balding head spin at near orbital rotational velocity...YOU KNOW?
I have to go now before I spoil all of my good attitude gained at the beach last week.
(And feel free to continue bitching and complaining on my behalf if you so desire.)
Having been on vacation for two weeks, and being busy as hell when I'm not on vacation, I realized that I haven't done any political correctness commentary in a while about the insanity of our limp wristed, pantie waisted, sniveling, booger eating tree hugging society and the idiots in charge of running things these days.
So this morning I present this story about a 6th grade football player hit with "Madre-Hill" Rule which stops him from playing football at his best because it makes the other kids look bad and possibly hurts their "self esteem."
MALVERN, AR - Malvern hasn't seen a football player like this for a long time.
"He is going to score almost every time he touches the ball," said Wilson Intermediate School Principal Terri Bryant.
At the young age of 11-years-old, Demias Jimerson reminds a lot of people of Razorback great Madre Hill.
"If you were looking at them you would say they were very much similar," said Darryl Baker, who coached Hill and now referees Jimerson's games. "I mean they both run really fast, good kids, run with the same style."
Like Jimerson, Hill attended Wilson Intermediate School and dominated the football field so thoroughly, the league invoked what came to be known as the Madre Hill Rule. Once Hill scored three touchdowns, if his team had a 14-point lead, officials banned him from scoring any more touchdowns.
"I got, kinda got shocked because I didn't know that was gonna happen, but it did," said Jimerson. Adding, "I'm ok with it."
Principal Bryant, the defacto commissioner of the Wilson Intermediate Football League, says the rule isn't meant to punish Jimerson. It's there to help the other fifth and sixth graders on the field develop as football players too.
"The other players on both teams, 21 are just left sort of, this is all Demias," she said. "So that's why the Madre Hill Rule has been implemented."
You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where we are in this country at all levels of our society and politics.
"Spread the wealth" is the motto, and we pass laws and in this case make rules trying to ensure success for everyone while in the process limiting success for those who work harder or have a talent for a given endeavor.
Suppose the other 21 kids never work out and are giant lard assed idiots that eat every meal at McDonalds and hardly show up for practice?
And suppose that little Demias Jimerson, like Tom Hanks' character Forrest Gump, is considered a "running fool" and gets up every morning and eats a good breakfast and runs all day everywhere he goes and plays football in his back yard in pick up games in between league games.
Is it really fair to him to force him to sit on the sidelines while his fellow so called "team mates" play an inferior form of the game?
I swear to the good Lord above this kind of crap is creaping through our society and political system, and it's coming to get YOU and ME before I die.
Already President Obama is out there telling the idiots that went to High School with me and you and didn't study and/or dropped out that it isn't "FAIR" that we have nice cars and nice houses and good health insurance and 401K's and take vacations and don't have to live from "paycheck to paycheck"
This is the exact same thing being taught to a 6th grader, just using a different form of currency...points made on a football field instead of dollars made in business or working a good job.
This kind of crap makes my ever greying, ever balding head spin at near orbital rotational velocity...YOU KNOW?
I have to go now before I spoil all of my good attitude gained at the beach last week.
(And feel free to continue bitching and complaining on my behalf if you so desire.)
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Turbo Pup Makes D-Day Landing On PC Beach...
Call In The Marines...
Continuing on the theme of posting new found photos, here's a look at our little Missy the Turbo Pup's adventures last week.
First she swam ashore ...
Then she investigated the fortifications on the beach...
They looked something like this...
And a couple of hours later as a rainstorm threatened and we packed up her beach stuff in preparation of heading home, this appeared on the western horizon...
All in all a successful assault on the sand I'd say.
Regards Y'all...
Continuing on the theme of posting new found photos, here's a look at our little Missy the Turbo Pup's adventures last week.
First she swam ashore ...
Then she investigated the fortifications on the beach...
They looked something like this...
And a couple of hours later as a rainstorm threatened and we packed up her beach stuff in preparation of heading home, this appeared on the western horizon...
All in all a successful assault on the sand I'd say.
Regards Y'all...
Halloween In My "Wee Pub"
Now Hiring Bartenders And Waitresses...
Some of my Blog Readers have been asking me to post pictures of "The Wee Pub" currently under extensive slow construction in my basement. My Old HP laptop has historically handled the Cannon photo download duties but it's been driving me crazy with some "Issues" related to stupid viruses and my Server PC has had compatibility issues with my older Cannon G3 when I updated to handle Pat's newer Cannon G series camera.
So any way, this morning I went out to a bunch of websites and updated a half dozen drivers on this stupid MS Vista powered server machine, and to my surprise my camera would talk to at least one of my computers and so for your enjoyment here's a month old photo of...
THE WEE PUB...
(The fellow standing there in what appears to be a window is actually an old Halloween prop I made and there is now a hinged panel supporting a flat screen TV in that spot today.)
There's been a bunch of extra trim and stain and paint work done since this image was taken--but I'm too lazy to go shoot more photos this morning--and the handrail there in the foreground has been removed and a new much more elaborate one is taking shape today and later this week in it's final form.
Too bad I'm hardly going to get to use the room because of upcoming travel this winter, but still it was a nice project and I think you will be impressed with the final results.
More photos to come...Y'all...
Some of my Blog Readers have been asking me to post pictures of "The Wee Pub" currently under extensive slow construction in my basement. My Old HP laptop has historically handled the Cannon photo download duties but it's been driving me crazy with some "Issues" related to stupid viruses and my Server PC has had compatibility issues with my older Cannon G3 when I updated to handle Pat's newer Cannon G series camera.
So any way, this morning I went out to a bunch of websites and updated a half dozen drivers on this stupid MS Vista powered server machine, and to my surprise my camera would talk to at least one of my computers and so for your enjoyment here's a month old photo of...
THE WEE PUB...
(The fellow standing there in what appears to be a window is actually an old Halloween prop I made and there is now a hinged panel supporting a flat screen TV in that spot today.)
There's been a bunch of extra trim and stain and paint work done since this image was taken--but I'm too lazy to go shoot more photos this morning--and the handrail there in the foreground has been removed and a new much more elaborate one is taking shape today and later this week in it's final form.
Too bad I'm hardly going to get to use the room because of upcoming travel this winter, but still it was a nice project and I think you will be impressed with the final results.
More photos to come...Y'all...
Friday, September 30, 2011
Crony Capitalism
Half Billon Loss Here...Half Billion Loss There...
"Liberalism/Progressivism works until you run out of other people's money to spend..."
"Liberalism/Progressivism works until you run out of other people's money to spend..."
Thursday, September 29, 2011
End Of Vacation Blues
The Party's Almost Over...
If there is anything we haven't done that we needed to do this week here on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, I guess that we have to do it today.
That said, I think we've pretty much covered the whole spectrum of things on our list this week and anything we didn't do didn't actually need being done in light of the upcoming month I'm facing professionally.
After the usual morning trip over the the Puppy Beach yesterday morning, a line of thundershowers came through the area so everyone bedded down and took a mid-day nap and then we lounged around watching the rain and recovering from five days of intense sunlight exposure.
In the process I've spent the entire past week just on the edge of being sunburned lightly on my face and the top of my ever greying, ever balding head, so the respite from the incident solar radiation was really appreciated.
Wait a minute...
This just in...
I took a break from writing and wandered out front on the condo balcony facing the parking lot and to my amusement there was some sort of bru-ha-ha happening over across the street at the Waffle House.
It started out with women yelling and some guys talking loud, and then within about 30 seconds first one and then a total of three Police cars showed up.
This coming weekend is "Thunder Beach"--an annual motorcycle event for the past ten years or so--and we have the privilege of having the main headquarters and all of the vendor booths set up in the shopping center parking lot across the street from us each year.
The bikers have been slowly filtering into town all week and today and tomorrow I expect things to reach a crescendo...
...and as is usual with any given group there is 5% of the crowd which has to show their butts at 3 AM in the morning under the influence of fermented and/or distilled hydrocarbons.
OK, I just checked and apparently there were no arrests and the crowd has dispersed and the Cops are heading on down the beach.
So any way...a busy day today trying to enjoy the last vestiges of the time on the beach and getting laundry done and starting to haul stuff back down the elevator to the car in anticipation of an early Friday morning departure back toward the Turbo Pup Compound on the Banks of the Mighty Tennessee River.
Y'all have a LOVELY day...I insist on one myself...
If there is anything we haven't done that we needed to do this week here on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, I guess that we have to do it today.
That said, I think we've pretty much covered the whole spectrum of things on our list this week and anything we didn't do didn't actually need being done in light of the upcoming month I'm facing professionally.
After the usual morning trip over the the Puppy Beach yesterday morning, a line of thundershowers came through the area so everyone bedded down and took a mid-day nap and then we lounged around watching the rain and recovering from five days of intense sunlight exposure.
In the process I've spent the entire past week just on the edge of being sunburned lightly on my face and the top of my ever greying, ever balding head, so the respite from the incident solar radiation was really appreciated.
Wait a minute...
This just in...
I took a break from writing and wandered out front on the condo balcony facing the parking lot and to my amusement there was some sort of bru-ha-ha happening over across the street at the Waffle House.
It started out with women yelling and some guys talking loud, and then within about 30 seconds first one and then a total of three Police cars showed up.
This coming weekend is "Thunder Beach"--an annual motorcycle event for the past ten years or so--and we have the privilege of having the main headquarters and all of the vendor booths set up in the shopping center parking lot across the street from us each year.
The bikers have been slowly filtering into town all week and today and tomorrow I expect things to reach a crescendo...
...and as is usual with any given group there is 5% of the crowd which has to show their butts at 3 AM in the morning under the influence of fermented and/or distilled hydrocarbons.
OK, I just checked and apparently there were no arrests and the crowd has dispersed and the Cops are heading on down the beach.
So any way...a busy day today trying to enjoy the last vestiges of the time on the beach and getting laundry done and starting to haul stuff back down the elevator to the car in anticipation of an early Friday morning departure back toward the Turbo Pup Compound on the Banks of the Mighty Tennessee River.
Y'all have a LOVELY day...I insist on one myself...
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Beach Induced Catatonia
I'm NEVER Going Back Home...
I'm pleased to report that day five of the current ongoing Beach saga dawns this morning with us enjoying continued exceptional weather and me suffering from an ongoing inability to think seriously about much of anything except eating, mixing cocktails, and hanging out in and around the water.
I spent over two hours on the beach and five hours at the pool yesterday. For the first time since we moved to Knoxtown I actually have a nice, even, really dark suntan.
And the good news?
We plan on doing EXACTLY the same thing again today.
The Turbo Pup has been spending each morning practicing her digging and fetching skills on the beach with great success. Yesterday she found a shady spot beside our giant beach bag and dug a "dog deep" pit in the sand and then proceeded to lounge and wallow around in the moist soil making us laugh at the sand on her nose and face.
There will definitely be another bath in her future before we put her in the car to head home on Friday.
That said, it's time to do a little reading and possibly some more writing--and some paper work if I can force myself to sit still and concentrate--and in the mean time feel free to entertain yourselves.
Regards Y'all...
I'm pleased to report that day five of the current ongoing Beach saga dawns this morning with us enjoying continued exceptional weather and me suffering from an ongoing inability to think seriously about much of anything except eating, mixing cocktails, and hanging out in and around the water.
I spent over two hours on the beach and five hours at the pool yesterday. For the first time since we moved to Knoxtown I actually have a nice, even, really dark suntan.
And the good news?
We plan on doing EXACTLY the same thing again today.
The Turbo Pup has been spending each morning practicing her digging and fetching skills on the beach with great success. Yesterday she found a shady spot beside our giant beach bag and dug a "dog deep" pit in the sand and then proceeded to lounge and wallow around in the moist soil making us laugh at the sand on her nose and face.
There will definitely be another bath in her future before we put her in the car to head home on Friday.
That said, it's time to do a little reading and possibly some more writing--and some paper work if I can force myself to sit still and concentrate--and in the mean time feel free to entertain yourselves.
Regards Y'all...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
You Just Can't Have Any More Fun ...
Than The Turbo Pup Is Having...
Needless to say our little Missy The Turbo Pup is worn out every day by dark.
I'm real tired way before then but then again I'm OLD and getting started on the beach before 7:30 AM takes a real effort on my part.
Amazingly, the new beach front pet friendly park the City has constructed is totally under-utilized. I guess that it could be because the tourists don't know about it and few locals are able to come out on week days because of their jobs.
Yesterday we were the only party sitting on the two hundred yard long stretch of beach and the Turbo Pup was the only dog running around chasing her toys.
Regardless, with the change of rules at our condo allowing pets and the new pet beach we've had a prefect beach trip with everyone getting to do what they want to do in good measure.
The surf and pier fishing has been real slow according to the locals and we walked the docks over where the charter boats are docked and all of the boats were in with few opportunities to sign up for a split trip--so I guess I probably won't go fishing this year.
The price of Diesel fuel has trips running $450 per half day (4 hours) where I'm used to paying more like $360 but it has been 10 years since I did a trip out of Panama City so I guess it's not unreasonable for inflation to raise prices.
So now an hour from now we'll load everybody up in the car and head back over to the puppy beach for a couple of hours, then home for brunch and then out to the pool and beach this afternoon.
I'll drink a drink with a little umbrella in it for you again if you want me to...and y'all have a LOVELY day...
...if you will.
Needless to say our little Missy The Turbo Pup is worn out every day by dark.
I'm real tired way before then but then again I'm OLD and getting started on the beach before 7:30 AM takes a real effort on my part.
Amazingly, the new beach front pet friendly park the City has constructed is totally under-utilized. I guess that it could be because the tourists don't know about it and few locals are able to come out on week days because of their jobs.
Yesterday we were the only party sitting on the two hundred yard long stretch of beach and the Turbo Pup was the only dog running around chasing her toys.
Regardless, with the change of rules at our condo allowing pets and the new pet beach we've had a prefect beach trip with everyone getting to do what they want to do in good measure.
The surf and pier fishing has been real slow according to the locals and we walked the docks over where the charter boats are docked and all of the boats were in with few opportunities to sign up for a split trip--so I guess I probably won't go fishing this year.
The price of Diesel fuel has trips running $450 per half day (4 hours) where I'm used to paying more like $360 but it has been 10 years since I did a trip out of Panama City so I guess it's not unreasonable for inflation to raise prices.
So now an hour from now we'll load everybody up in the car and head back over to the puppy beach for a couple of hours, then home for brunch and then out to the pool and beach this afternoon.
I'll drink a drink with a little umbrella in it for you again if you want me to...and y'all have a LOVELY day...
...if you will.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Headin' Back To The Puppy Beach This Morning
Somebody's Got To Do It I Guess...
We've learned that the new pet friendly beach down the road about five minutes from here at the new development called the Pier Park is pretty cool.
It's not just a giant long fishing pier on the Gulf of Mexico with a football field sized section of beach reserved as "Pet Friendly", but there's also an extensive outdoor "shopping mall" type complex with practically every bar and restaurant and store on the planet across the street from the beach.
The Turbo Pup has been there for a couple of hours the past two mornings and if you go at 7 AM there's only a half dozen people and one or two other dogs wandering around so we sort of ignore the "leash laws" and just let her hang around with us.
Pat's been taking her ten or twenty yards offshore in the flat water and turning her loose and letting her swim back to shore by herself. She then comes up on the beach towels and wallows all around and then runs back to the edge of the surf and they do it all over again.
I have the best beach dog in the whole world in my opinion...all 13 pounds worth loves the salt air and water and sand.
Y'all have a LOVELY week while our vacation antics continue...
We've learned that the new pet friendly beach down the road about five minutes from here at the new development called the Pier Park is pretty cool.
It's not just a giant long fishing pier on the Gulf of Mexico with a football field sized section of beach reserved as "Pet Friendly", but there's also an extensive outdoor "shopping mall" type complex with practically every bar and restaurant and store on the planet across the street from the beach.
The Turbo Pup has been there for a couple of hours the past two mornings and if you go at 7 AM there's only a half dozen people and one or two other dogs wandering around so we sort of ignore the "leash laws" and just let her hang around with us.
Pat's been taking her ten or twenty yards offshore in the flat water and turning her loose and letting her swim back to shore by herself. She then comes up on the beach towels and wallows all around and then runs back to the edge of the surf and they do it all over again.
I have the best beach dog in the whole world in my opinion...all 13 pounds worth loves the salt air and water and sand.
Y'all have a LOVELY week while our vacation antics continue...
Sunday, September 25, 2011
I've Got My "Pirate" Groove Back On
"Argggggghhh Me Maties..."
I was really beginning to be afraid that like Samson cutting his hair because of Delilah in the Biblical story, that somehow I had severed my connection with the Ocean and the Beach in the past half dozen weeks.
Remember that the long hair/pony tail disappeared last month for professional reasons, and then when I returned to my home port/childhood beach a couple of days ago the karma was just weird and I was too busy being tired and distracted to actually leave the condo and go outside.
Fortunately yesterday everything changed, and time warped and the planets re-aligned and at about 7 AM I found myself sitting on the "pet friendly" section of the locale beach with Pat and the Turbo Pup just being completely useless.
The Turbo Pup ran and ran and ran and swam until she was exhausted. I sat on a beach towel and basically did nothing...something which I have a Phd in the advancement of the art.
Then we came back to the Condo and Pat went to the Pool while I watched the Georgia Tech Football team go 4-0 for the season...beating North Carolina at home in a tightly contested game 35 to 28.
Starting out this Football Season un-ranked, and last week only being Number 25, Tech has in only four games amassed over 2100 total offensive yards and scored 210 points.
Our opponents have only scored 94 points in this process...
This means that my beloved Georgia Institute of Technology Football program is leading the nation in offense and scoring.
I don't want to jinx things or otherwise gloat, but being a GT Football fan since 1977 I have to crow a little when things go this good. This season is starting out like the 1990 season when GT split the NCAA Div I national championship with Colorado.
They still have seven more games to play including rivals Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and of course the cross state rivals Georgia...but I'M FIRED UP FOR MY YELLOW JACKETS.
And meanwhile, back here on the beach...I have a date with my puppy at the puppy beach in a couple of hours, and then I'm planning on taking a nap poolside in the shade before lunch.
Regards Y'all...
I was really beginning to be afraid that like Samson cutting his hair because of Delilah in the Biblical story, that somehow I had severed my connection with the Ocean and the Beach in the past half dozen weeks.
Remember that the long hair/pony tail disappeared last month for professional reasons, and then when I returned to my home port/childhood beach a couple of days ago the karma was just weird and I was too busy being tired and distracted to actually leave the condo and go outside.
Fortunately yesterday everything changed, and time warped and the planets re-aligned and at about 7 AM I found myself sitting on the "pet friendly" section of the locale beach with Pat and the Turbo Pup just being completely useless.
The Turbo Pup ran and ran and ran and swam until she was exhausted. I sat on a beach towel and basically did nothing...something which I have a Phd in the advancement of the art.
Then we came back to the Condo and Pat went to the Pool while I watched the Georgia Tech Football team go 4-0 for the season...beating North Carolina at home in a tightly contested game 35 to 28.
Starting out this Football Season un-ranked, and last week only being Number 25, Tech has in only four games amassed over 2100 total offensive yards and scored 210 points.
Our opponents have only scored 94 points in this process...
This means that my beloved Georgia Institute of Technology Football program is leading the nation in offense and scoring.
I don't want to jinx things or otherwise gloat, but being a GT Football fan since 1977 I have to crow a little when things go this good. This season is starting out like the 1990 season when GT split the NCAA Div I national championship with Colorado.
They still have seven more games to play including rivals Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and of course the cross state rivals Georgia...but I'M FIRED UP FOR MY YELLOW JACKETS.
And meanwhile, back here on the beach...I have a date with my puppy at the puppy beach in a couple of hours, and then I'm planning on taking a nap poolside in the shade before lunch.
Regards Y'all...
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Acting Like An Old Fart At The Beach...
Nap Takes Precedence Over Pool/Beach Time
I'm pleased to report that the Turbo Pup and her entourage made it down to the Condo by about 12:30 local time yesterday afternoon and she proceeded to wander around sniffing everything while I got the car unloaded and the contents trundled up the elevator.
This is the first year in the 25 years we've been coming down to this unit that pets were legal on the property, so by default this is Missy's first trip here.
Unfortunately for pets the beach itself is off limits as well as the pool and pool deck, but at least we got to stay here with her this year.
Meanwhile, my personal energy level prohibited me exhibiting my previous normal beach behavior where within 15 minutes of arrival I threw on my bathing suit and ran screaming out onto the sand.
Yesterday I walked out onto the balcony, broke a sweat looking at the beach, and retired back inside to contemplate a late lunch down at Schooners ( http://schooners.com/ ) "Last Locals Beach Club".
A couple of Corona's and an Oyster Po Boy later, a trip to the grocer for provisions, and I was DONE FOR THE AFTERNOON.
Didn't set foot on the beach or at the Pool AT ALL. Didn't even THINK about hitting happy hour anywhere.
Dang I'm getting OLD I guess.
I did manage to fire up the computer and verify how to use the Internet...which isn't wireless...its hard wired.
But it (the Internet) works so now after a loooonngg nap I'm back up continuing to plan our busy upcoming three weeks.
Y'all have a LOVELY weekend...I know I will...
I'm pleased to report that the Turbo Pup and her entourage made it down to the Condo by about 12:30 local time yesterday afternoon and she proceeded to wander around sniffing everything while I got the car unloaded and the contents trundled up the elevator.
This is the first year in the 25 years we've been coming down to this unit that pets were legal on the property, so by default this is Missy's first trip here.
Unfortunately for pets the beach itself is off limits as well as the pool and pool deck, but at least we got to stay here with her this year.
Meanwhile, my personal energy level prohibited me exhibiting my previous normal beach behavior where within 15 minutes of arrival I threw on my bathing suit and ran screaming out onto the sand.
Yesterday I walked out onto the balcony, broke a sweat looking at the beach, and retired back inside to contemplate a late lunch down at Schooners ( http://schooners.com/ ) "Last Locals Beach Club".
A couple of Corona's and an Oyster Po Boy later, a trip to the grocer for provisions, and I was DONE FOR THE AFTERNOON.
Didn't set foot on the beach or at the Pool AT ALL. Didn't even THINK about hitting happy hour anywhere.
Dang I'm getting OLD I guess.
I did manage to fire up the computer and verify how to use the Internet...which isn't wireless...its hard wired.
But it (the Internet) works so now after a loooonngg nap I'm back up continuing to plan our busy upcoming three weeks.
Y'all have a LOVELY weekend...I know I will...
Friday, September 23, 2011
Random Travel Ramblings...
Insights From Lower Alabama...
So after a sort of lazy semi-rainy day spent nursing a headache and lack of motivation here on the Farm, I find myself this morning less than 12 hours from being able to stand in the sand on Panama City Beach Florida.
It's been a while since I've been to the Gulf coast to stay...about two years after going at least once if not two or three times each and every year for most of my life.
I'm just liable to strip off my clothes and just lay down in wallow like a dog in the sugar white sand.
OK...Maybe not...
But Still...
Everybody including Missy the Turbo Pup is pretty excited about the prospects.
The weather is blowing on through to the east this morning and it looks like we will have at least three or four days of excellent fall Florida weather with little chance of rain in the process.
And the Atlantic and tropical Caribbean has managed to piss Owl Gore and all of the sniveling, tie dyed, booger eating, tree hugging, patchouli stinking, eco-friendly hurricane alarmists off.
The reason being that there has only been one land falling Hurricane/Tropical Storm so far this season in the US (knock on wood) and there is nothing on the satellite right now which could possibly ruffle our feathers and run us off the beach in the foreseeable future
Now back to the Beach discussion after that lovely piece of political commentary...
For the uninitiated, the Gulf waters this time of the year are still at a temperature of a warm bath, and I brought my surf rods and surf fishing tackle and hope to feed the local fish some pieces of Squid and Shrimp and maybe even catch something worth cleaning and eating in the process.
If not, there is plenty of fresh seafood available to cook in our kitchen or we can go out and let someone else cook it. I may even take an offshore fishing trip depending on the opportunities available and if I can get up off a lounge chair long enough to get to the Pier.
All of that said, I guess I will go now and try to get a few hours sleep before packing the Turbo Pup's lockers and sea chests in the car and heading south later this morning.
Regard's Y'all...I'll drink a Frozen Drink with a little Umbrella in it for you if you want me to...let me know...
So after a sort of lazy semi-rainy day spent nursing a headache and lack of motivation here on the Farm, I find myself this morning less than 12 hours from being able to stand in the sand on Panama City Beach Florida.
It's been a while since I've been to the Gulf coast to stay...about two years after going at least once if not two or three times each and every year for most of my life.
I'm just liable to strip off my clothes and just lay down in wallow like a dog in the sugar white sand.
OK...Maybe not...
But Still...
Everybody including Missy the Turbo Pup is pretty excited about the prospects.
The weather is blowing on through to the east this morning and it looks like we will have at least three or four days of excellent fall Florida weather with little chance of rain in the process.
And the Atlantic and tropical Caribbean has managed to piss Owl Gore and all of the sniveling, tie dyed, booger eating, tree hugging, patchouli stinking, eco-friendly hurricane alarmists off.
The reason being that there has only been one land falling Hurricane/Tropical Storm so far this season in the US (knock on wood) and there is nothing on the satellite right now which could possibly ruffle our feathers and run us off the beach in the foreseeable future
Now back to the Beach discussion after that lovely piece of political commentary...
For the uninitiated, the Gulf waters this time of the year are still at a temperature of a warm bath, and I brought my surf rods and surf fishing tackle and hope to feed the local fish some pieces of Squid and Shrimp and maybe even catch something worth cleaning and eating in the process.
If not, there is plenty of fresh seafood available to cook in our kitchen or we can go out and let someone else cook it. I may even take an offshore fishing trip depending on the opportunities available and if I can get up off a lounge chair long enough to get to the Pier.
All of that said, I guess I will go now and try to get a few hours sleep before packing the Turbo Pup's lockers and sea chests in the car and heading south later this morning.
Regard's Y'all...I'll drink a Frozen Drink with a little Umbrella in it for you if you want me to...let me know...
Thursday, September 22, 2011
T-Minus One Day And Counting
I Can Almost Smell The Ocean Air...
As is often times the case, the weather this past week here in Lower Alabama has been sort of hit or miss, with periods of sun and overcast interrupted by rain. I swear it can not rain for a month here and within 48 hours of my arrival it will start raining on and off for a week at a time.
That pretty much describes this week I think.
Today I have to wrap up a few minor projects...mostly indoors, before packing up Missy the Turbo Pup's Lockers and Sea Chests in anticipation of heading to the Gulf Coast tomorrow morning.
I'm still a bit mentally exhausted from doing some administrative work I've had to bring with me, so if you will excuse me I'm going to nap a little now before sunrise and then get going.
Regards Y'all...
As is often times the case, the weather this past week here in Lower Alabama has been sort of hit or miss, with periods of sun and overcast interrupted by rain. I swear it can not rain for a month here and within 48 hours of my arrival it will start raining on and off for a week at a time.
That pretty much describes this week I think.
Today I have to wrap up a few minor projects...mostly indoors, before packing up Missy the Turbo Pup's Lockers and Sea Chests in anticipation of heading to the Gulf Coast tomorrow morning.
I'm still a bit mentally exhausted from doing some administrative work I've had to bring with me, so if you will excuse me I'm going to nap a little now before sunrise and then get going.
Regards Y'all...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I'm I'll Be Living On Tulsa Time
Imagine That???
Let's take a look at a relatively young guitarist/singer Eric Clapton singing a song, the title of which has some significance to my professional life this morning:
Anyone care to guess what's going on?
Let's take a look at a relatively young guitarist/singer Eric Clapton singing a song, the title of which has some significance to my professional life this morning:
Anyone care to guess what's going on?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
100 Miles From The Gulf Of Mexico
85 Degrees F At 6 AM...
As usual this morning, when we come down here in the spring and fall we invariably get rained on at least a little bit.
That axiom is true yet again this morning.
The good news is that it looks like the front will be passing on through here at least in the next day and we can enjoy some more good weather like we had on Monday.
Little Missy the Turbo Pup went fishing TWICE yesterday and managed to give two big fish a good barking. We had to wash her face and front paws off after letting her nip at their slimy fins and tails before I pushed them off of the dock with my foot.
We also managed to keep her from falling or jumping off the dock in the process.
Today will be sort of a transition day trying to get further organized to do a little home improvement work around the place before heading to the beach on Friday if the weather holds up.
Hope everyone has at least half as good a week as I plan on having. I'm trying to make the most of this week because the opportunity to sit around here for a week five or six times a year is probably ending shortly for professional reasons.
Regards Y'all...
As usual this morning, when we come down here in the spring and fall we invariably get rained on at least a little bit.
That axiom is true yet again this morning.
The good news is that it looks like the front will be passing on through here at least in the next day and we can enjoy some more good weather like we had on Monday.
Little Missy the Turbo Pup went fishing TWICE yesterday and managed to give two big fish a good barking. We had to wash her face and front paws off after letting her nip at their slimy fins and tails before I pushed them off of the dock with my foot.
We also managed to keep her from falling or jumping off the dock in the process.
Today will be sort of a transition day trying to get further organized to do a little home improvement work around the place before heading to the beach on Friday if the weather holds up.
Hope everyone has at least half as good a week as I plan on having. I'm trying to make the most of this week because the opportunity to sit around here for a week five or six times a year is probably ending shortly for professional reasons.
Regards Y'all...
Monday, September 19, 2011
Baking Barking At Catfish
The Turbo Pup Takes Her Work Seriously...
Well, I'm pleased to report that we finally got down here to the Farm in lower Alabama about 5:30 Sunday afternoon after a seven hour drive and attending a birthday party in the middle of the process.
Missy the Turbo Pup proceeded to drive us crazy from the minute we got out of the car and started unloading luggage--wanting to go down to the dock and yell at the fish.
I was too tired to actually go fishing but I did manage to let her drag us down to the lake and I brought some old pieces of stale bread along I had for the occasion and after tossing it out in small chunks the fish put on a pretty good show and we worried about possibly having to get the pup--who had a bath yesterday--out of the water because she leaned so far out on the dock while spasming and yelping and yipping.
I promised her I'd take her fishing again this morning, and on that note it's time to do a little work and get some sleep in preparation for a long two weeks.
Regards Y'all
Well, I'm pleased to report that we finally got down here to the Farm in lower Alabama about 5:30 Sunday afternoon after a seven hour drive and attending a birthday party in the middle of the process.
Missy the Turbo Pup proceeded to drive us crazy from the minute we got out of the car and started unloading luggage--wanting to go down to the dock and yell at the fish.
I was too tired to actually go fishing but I did manage to let her drag us down to the lake and I brought some old pieces of stale bread along I had for the occasion and after tossing it out in small chunks the fish put on a pretty good show and we worried about possibly having to get the pup--who had a bath yesterday--out of the water because she leaned so far out on the dock while spasming and yelping and yipping.
I promised her I'd take her fishing again this morning, and on that note it's time to do a little work and get some sleep in preparation for a long two weeks.
Regards Y'all
