I'm Always Mentally on Vacation: June 2012

Luxury Skybox

Don't call it a man cave.

What I have finally figured out, is I now own a luxuryskybox less the actual venue. I have access to all major sporting events via Direct TV in a comfortable place outside, with cooling, heat, food, beverages, music, fresh air, and visual input and olfactory stimulation.

The Masters….I have a skybox.

College football…I have a skybox.

NFL….you guessed it. Baseball, basketball, boxing, NASCAR all from my luxury skybox.

Plus there are no restrictions in my skybox. Want to have a smoke? No problem. Cigars and cigarettes are welcome because it is semi open air and I have ceiling fans.

What would you like on the menu? I can fix most anything on my grills.

The refrigerator is stocked with cold drinks and soon I hope to move my draft beer cooler out there.

I have it good and I know it.

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It's Real Y'all

A Mighty Fine Day

I have it good and I know it.

Yesterday started with just two dates on my calendar.

The first was an 11 AM to 1 PM lunch at Ruth Chris Steak House where I ate the fine piece of salmon and picked up one hour of continuing education.

Then I headed to the golf course where the weather was picture perfect and the course was not crowded.

I got home about 7 PM and there was Gigi and a few neighbors sitting outside sipping beers and exchanging fresh vegetables for eggs.

This particular neighbor happens to be a mason. I nailed down a great price for and outdoor fireplace during the conversation.

Bird Art

Plane old North American bird feces in an interesting pattern. Blue bird nesting spot I suspect, based on the white paint splatter poo echo.

I know quite a bit about bird doo doo. Yep.

Made in the Shade

I bought two bamboo shades to block that afternoon sun. It helps a lot with the heat and glare.

I also discovered two "identical" shades were roughly equivalent. They were both 72 inches wide, but varied in length. The top fasteners were in different positions too.

It is getting down right cozy in there.

Houston, We May Have a Problem

I took the day off to take Gigi around for diagnostic tests, after our Friday follow up with the surgeon.

Gigi is getting numbness and pain on her left leg and arm. The arm most likely is another issue in her neck, but the leg most likely is from the surgery.

If a fix is needed, it would involve another back surgery to wedge the discs apart a little more.

Today we got her nerves and muscles tested and the she had a CAT scan to check for details.

Change

The torch has been passed to a new generation. Ahh the days of wine and roses.

As it Turns Out.....

The plan was to kick back and relax. Plans changed when we got a call that some family from Chicago was in town....I had a big roast on and Gigi invited them over for supper.

So I went into tailgate/entertainment mode. I set up the grill and headed to the store for some more food and adult beverages. By 6:30 we had us a full blown dinner party going with 8 adults, two wonderful girls and five border collies.

The BBQ was fantastic. I cooked some chicken to go along with it. We had corn on the cob, fresh summer vegetables, slaw, potatoes, melon and some kick but rolls.

We did all the entertaining on the deck, patio and screen room.

Summer

Just kicking back today as summer is in full swing here. The June ozone fog has set in and the air gets kind of nasty with the heat and pollution from the city.

Out here in the country it is a little better. I have a nice tree canopy and a few fans to keep me cool.

Today I have a large pork butt on the smoker. I’ll putter around the yard and play with the dogs while the pork cooks low and slow all day.

And actually….I’m going to kick back and read some.

Thoughts on Tailgating

Football season is around the corner so my thoughts turn to the tailgate menu.

This year there will be wings every game. Weekly I cook a giant bag with 150 wings and they are all gone. One Sunday last season, I decided not to cook wings. You would have thought I had called off Christmas.

A week or two of flank steak is a given. They are so tender and tasty.

This year I’ll introduce my beef sandwiches make from slow cooked chuck roast. I think 4 good size chuck roasts should feed 20 folks.

Hotdogs and chili are a great easy opening day item and people always love plain old hotdogs.

I cooked a lot of chicken last season and it seemed to be a hit. I hope to do it again.

Numbers

When you think about it, 60% of the numbers we use are just recycled from existing numbers.

Of the 10 numbers we use to form all numbers, only the 1,4, and 7 are unique.

A 2 is nothing more than a flipped over reverse 5. An 8 is two 3's looking at each other. 6 is a flipped over 9.

A zero is not a number until it is added to another number. By itself it is nothing.

This is Clever

Today at lunch, we made our monthly stop at Vinnie's Raw Bar. They have mostly seafood and bar food like wings and burgers. They do not sell lobster.

What they installed is a live lobster tank. Then they sell a change to grab a lobster for $2. If you catch a lobster, it is yours for $2, and they cook it for you.

Mix the lobster dispenser with a customer base that drinks a lot, and they are selling 1 pound lobsters for about $30.

Brilliant!!!

All About Me

Today is my birthday, and I am 56. I am not dead yet. This is good for me.

I was born in ’56 and I am 56….kinda cool.

Today will be a light work day, haircut, Jeep rides with the top off, a few beers and supper with my honey.

A Morning Walk

I decided one morning to share some video from a beach walk in front of our villa. Then, I have a short video of us talking off in a puddle jumper to the next island of St Thomas, where we caught a real plane back to Charlotte.

56

I got to tell you something has really been on my mind lately. Soon I will be 56 years old.

My father’s father had a major heart attack and died at 56.

My father had a cardiac event at 56 and he was able to make it to 61 before he died.

I learned a friend of mine on St Croix died the week before I came on island. He was 56. He was the diver that assisted in my rescue class and the guy I drug in from the water on my mock rescue. A hell of a nice guy he was. I bought equipment from him.

56 has always been on my mind and now the time has arrived.

What have I done different from the other afore mentioned? I don’t smoke, I exercise, I try and keep my weight down, and I take blood pressure lowering drugs, an aspirin a day, cholesterol lowing drugs, and most important, I don't worry, and enjoy life as best as I can.

So I feel like I am approaching a dangerous place in my life, but I think the odds are in my favor lifestyle wise. Time will tell.

Crucian Dream

Friday night .... I gotta tell you.....I had one of the strangest dreams ever.

I received a very greasy and large envelope from New York City. It was tattered, and looked like it had been around the world.

The postman apologized for the condition of the package, and explained it had been lost in the system for months.

I looked at the return address, and the package was from Andy Rooney. As you know, Andy died recently, and was a long time reporter with the CBS network.

Andy had written me the nicest letter telling me how nice it was to meet me. I didn't recall meeting Mr Rooney, but was glad to have the compliment from such a famous person.

What made this even more strange is the letter was written on three slabs of bacon, separated by greasy wax paper. The text was tattooed on the bacon and the bacon was very lean.

A bacon letter from Andy Rooney......top that anyone?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:In flight to Charlotte

Realignment

Like most great things....they come to an end. And so it is with a heavy heart that I announce the decommissioning of the Red Bag. I will have a private memorial with a few close friends and family this evening.

The red bag has been a St Croix fixture for me going on 6 years. Many thanks to those who guarded it, for without you....it wouldn't have been possible to store my junk.

On to bigger and better things, meet the new dive bag It will be waiting for me on my next arrival. All I need to bring from now on is a wet suit and a few accessories. I have tanks, regulator, BC, fins, mask and the will to dive.

A Good Thursday

Wake up and take a beach walk.

Go out in the afternoon and dive.

Dinner at the Pickled Greek.

Bonus picture......I scored a vintage old oceanic depth gauge. Very cool beans.

Grilling and Chilling

It is gas but hot.

Cheryl relaxing.

Me hard at work.

Watching the setting sun shine on the coconut tree.

The bounty and dinner.

Today, a few more afternoon dives. Tomorrow, I will dive in front of the villa for conch.

Location:US Virgin Islands

Breakfast

Oh yes baby! A seafood omelette at the Golden Rail Cafe at the marina.

A beggar appears.

Then a chicken.

The beggar gets rewarded.

Wednesday already

I have been diving and chillin.

I broke a personal record yesterday and hit the 132 foot mark on a deep dive. It was surreal.

The lion fish in the territory fear me. I am killing several on most dives. They call me Ringo.

The weather has been nice and I am getting the R and R that I need in my life.

At noon a fresh pot of goat stew will be delivered to my villa. Life is amazing.

Location:Rte 60,County subdivisions not defined,US Virgin Islands

We Reach

Gigi on island finally. Worn out.

Island dog of our own.

Nephew getting his first real salt water boat dive.

Our backyard.

Local tarpon hanging out for food.

Location:Rte 60,East End,US Virgin Islands

We Reach!

Rogers and Hammerstein couldn't have done better.

Stay tuned my friends.

An Idea

Here’s the deal. I have this cool corner and it is under utilized. The TV is topside.

I can imagine a shelf here, with the frig and subwoofer under it. On top of the shelf would be another TV, or perhaps by mini beer keg, and a few hard drinks and ice.

The room from where the frig is now, would free up space for another chair.

My builder is the only guy who could pull this off as it should be, but I am not one to guilt him into coming back on my behalf.

If per chance he reads this blog, might I suggest just and extentsion of the one you built topside?

wReggie WARNING IS IN EFFECT!

A wReggie warning is in effect for the US Virgin Islands of St Thomas and St Croix, until 4 PM Saturday.

A large aircraft will be working out of the north tomorrow, and is headed directly to St Thomas. wReggie is expected to stall for a few hours in St Thomas, where he is likely to gather a buzz, and head on to St Croix.

Expect landfall by 3:35 PM.

Island residents should prepare for wReggie in their usual manner.

A Predicament

Stuff that is expensive and I hate to buy. Tires, luggage, roofs, and furnaces.

Stuff that is expensive, and is a joy to buy. Scuba gear, gadgets, fine wine and food.

I can see the value in new cars, but I would rather have my money for the fun stuff.

I really can’t decide where a Nest Thermometer falls. It is both a gadget and furnace related, yet could free more money long term for more fun stuff.

I want one.

Joy

It is impossible for me to contain the joy bubbling up from my soul these last few days prior to a St Croix visit.

The anticipation has me nerved out in a good way. Soon I will be back in very familiar territory underwater.

I love peering into a big sponge to see what is inside.

The villa we are renting is one of as kind, directly on the beach. On St Croix, one is more likely to rent a villa on a hillside overlooking water, rather than being directly on the beach.

Gigi and I stayed at this 3 bedroom villa a few years back. I would wake up in the morning and walk directly in the wave less ocean and go swimming.

St Croix has few waves because of the barrier reefs, and almost no tide because if its location towards the equator. It is like having a heated saltwater swimming pool outside your door.

The whole back of the villa is a covered veranda that has a dining table, grill, and chase lounges.

And then there is the Scuba…….

The Dive was Intense

The dive yesterday was intense and the sandwich was very good.

I guess the guy I dove with yesterday wanted to see if I had what it takes to join his elite group. He is a nice guy and very knowledgeable and experienced scuba diver.

Once in the water, his actions were swift. At 75 feet I was breathless from exertion. I was thinking, "Why in the hell is he swimming so fast?"

We got to where we were going and the dive became pleasurable. I was trying to manage air and knew I had a backup of a thousand pounds of air just in case I ran out on the primary.

At the surface he admitted it was a bit of a tryout to analyse my skills. I passed. I fell asleep at 7PM too.

Whats for Lunch?

Today I am diving at the quarry with the fellows that I plan to meet at the NC coast in late July.

But before I go, I know I will be very hungry at my return. What better dive meal than slow cooked beef for sandwiches?

I brown the veggies in garlic olive oil.

Rub the beef.

Sear the beef over charcoal.

Deglaze the veggies with beef broth.

Add the beef and broth.

Simmer for hours.

You would not believe the great smells wafting around the kitchen now.

I want 6 of These

Midland to St Croix in Minutes! I could wear my dive gear and land on the beach!

The Moo-Moo

Look here at this crazy new massive cool upgrade of the harbor cam on St Croix.

Imagine me there, in Mics moo-moo, the week of June 9.

A moo-moo watch is in effect for all of the US Virgin Islands including islands down east to Saba. I will upgrade this to a moo-moo warning when appropriate.

Maybe....just maybe I could have a moo-moo smack down with Miss Judith?

Perhaps I could impersonate Miss Judith at the Monday night crab races?

I'm Always Mentally on Vacation