Facebook

Yes - I've gotten sucked into a "Social Networking" site.  I said it would never happen (but then again, I never thought I'd be blogging either, but here I am), but I'm having fun with it.  I'm keeping it to a minimum right now, while just adding those folks that I know well, or that I trust, or that I don't mind if they are poking around....  I've added the link to this blog onto my profile page, so we'll see if I actually get anyone to wander here from over there.

What's next?  MySpace?  LinkedIn?  One of the other hundreds that are out there????

Nah - this is good for now.  Maybe later...

AMW 

Olympic Update

So, I’ve spent WAY too much time staying up late watching the Olympics.  And sadly, I usually fall asleep watching something I’m really trying to stay awake to see.  So far, though, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching:

• Women’s Beach Volleyball – Misty and Kerry are dominating, and doing a wonderful job!
  
• Men’s Swimming – Michael Phelps is unstoppable!  He amazes me every time I watch him.
  
• Women’s Swimming – usually intermingled with the men’s challenges.  Always a thrill.
  
• Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics – The things these kids do with their bodies…  WOW!
  
• Men’s and Women’s Synchronized Diving – Diving is tough enough – but SYNCHRONIZED – very cool!
  

Sports that I’ve only got to see bits and pieces of, but have still enjoyed are:  Baseball, Tennis, and Water Polo.

I haven’t gotten to see Equestrian, Canoe/Kayak, Softball, Badminton (really???) and Table Tennis, but think it’d be fun to watch these.

I can’t believe the games are half over.  Maybe then I can get some sleep…..

AMW

Olympics

WooHoo!  It's time for the summer Olympics!  I really enjoy watching them and rooting for Team USA!

Go get 'em guys and gals!

AMW

Buckets

Yep - Buckets.  

My friend K has been reading a book called "How Full is your Bucket?"  Over dinner one night, she explained the basic premise of the book, and that is we all have a bucket.  When you are nice to someone, or they are nice to you, they fill your bucket or you fill theirs.  When someone is negative to you, or you are negative to someone else, a dipper removes from the bucket and diminishes their(or your) positive outlook.

K is a very positive, energetic, and generally "festive" person.  She regularly fills peoples bucket around her (and even those of complete strangers), and it's always fun to hang out with her.  So, a few of us (later named the "bucket brigade") were able to join her on a "booze cruise" to help her celebrate her birthday.  One member of the party actually went so far as to get her an actual bucket for her birthday, that we all signed with birthday wishes and filled with trinkets from the night.  I enjoyed filling her bucket on her birthday, as I know everyone else did too.

Unfortunately for K - someone she cared for KICKED her bucket.  Yep - emptied it, so to speak!  And doesn't seem at all bothered that they did it.  

I hope that the coming weeks get better for her, and all her true friends start refilling her bucket.  I'm sure D and I will do our part too...

Go fill a bucket!

AMW

Kayak Update

I know everyone has been waiting with baited breath to find out about my kayak and what happened to it. Here goes...



This past weekend, I borrowed the neighbors saw horses and pulled the boat out. I took a garden hose, and filled the inside through the front hatch. After just a few minutes, water was pouring out of the back scupper hole. Not the drain plug, but the scupper hole (specially designed holes in the body of the kayaks to drain water out where your gear is). So that's not good.

I drained all of the water out, and flipped it over. That's when I saw that a piece of pvc was separated by at least 1/4 of an inch, which is allowing the water in. In comparison to the front, there was no gap.

So, we stopped by Appomattox River Company in Yorktown where I purchased the boat, and they said it likely could be sealed. They suggested contacting Hurricane Aqua Sports (the boat manufacturer) and see what they had to say.

I called and talked to Summer and she said that she would send me some epoxy sealant right away, and to try that. If it didn't work, to call her back, and see what else could be done. So, right now, I'll give that a shot, and update here with my findings....

AMW

Baseball

One of the many things I like about summer is going to a local baseball game. We have the Tides Baseball team, a AAA farm team of the Baltimore Orioles. They used to be a farm team for the New York Mets, but that changed a couple of years ago. The Tides play in a beautiful park in downtown Norfolk, named Harbor Park. It overlooks the water, and is a top notch ballpark.



Closer to home, there is a collegiate summer league that plays during the summer, the Peninsula Pilots. I can't say much about them or their park, because I haven't been to one of their games. It's ironic, cause they are extremely close to home, but just haven't made it out there yet. (Ok, on the to-do list for THIS year!)



Looks like we'll be able to hit a Major League game this year, to see the Orioles. I've only been to Camden Yards once, and it was a while back, so I'm looking forward to going again to see a game. I really enjoy the inner harbor of Baltimore, so that's a plus, too...



AMW

Summertime!

I love summertime! I love the outdoors, the warm air, the long days, warm nights. Summer is definitely my favorite season... The smell of fresh cut grass (especially when someone else cuts it!), warm sand between your toes, daylight until 9:00pm, everything's in full bloom, baby animals everywhere. Summer is just the best and never lasts long enough in my book...

I also love the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the summertime! Most of the locals or even folks up our way would say I'm crazy, but there's just something about the hustle and bustle down there, all the touristy shops, the great restaurants, and yes, even the traffic. Then you go off the beaten path, just slightly, and you find some hidden gem. Or the long, secluded drive down Hwy 12 to Hatteras, or the ferry over to Ocracoke. All places of extreme interest, and culture! I'm pretty sure one day I'll have a vacation place down there somewhere. Just not sure where yet.

For now, I'll keep enjoying the summer and the things that are planned and the things that pop up unplanned...

AMW

Camping

How many of the 4 or 5 readers of this blog like to camp? I certainly do. I've been camping since I was a kid, but not always on a real consistant basis.

Most of my life, my camping has been in a tent, at a campground where facilities are available. I'm not sure I'd really, truly enjoy the real roughing it kind of camping. I like being outdoors, sleeping outdoors, cooking outdoors, and all. But I really enjoy being able to take a shower in the middle of it all, too.

The last few years of camping in a tent have gotten a little rougher. Age, maybe? Lack of climate control? But probably the straw that broke the camel's back, were the last two times I camped in a tent.

• 1st of the last two, was during Tropical Storm Ernesto, which didn't quite develop into a Hurricane, but was close enough in my book. Tent was set up. Left during the storm (smart enough to not try to ride it out in the tent), only to return later to make sure all was well. Nope! Tents aren't made to withstand tropical storms or hurricanes. The tent was still intact, but since the campground flooded, so did the tent. We had a 5 gallon bucket, and emptied the tent 5 times. 5x5=25 gallons of water. We slept in the car that night. Not fun.
• The 2nd of the last two times, was Memorial Day weekend (2007). Same park, different storm. Not an actual tropical storm or hurricane this time, but a great Thunder/Lightning/Electrical storm. Again, a tent is not the place you want to be. Sat in the car for quite some time. Drove , and I think finally drove home to sleep at home. Went back the next day, all was well, and enjoyed a somewhat muddy weekend.

Now - some of our friends to this point have been camping in a pop-up camper for a couple of years because of the same situations that we were in. They were always dry and rested the next day.

And so the hunt began. Last year, a pop-up camper was found on Craigslist for a reasonable price for a great camper. Yep - it's been in the driveway for nearly a year now. Bought in August last year, it got 3 good uses before it was allowed to take a break for the winter. We took it out a couple of weeks ago for a test run of the season. And whaddya know - the AC breaks. During a hot spell. 98 degrees during the day, and not much better in the evenings. We muddles through , and limped it home. There were many suggestions around the campfire as to what the culprit may be, but we had to wait to see...

The culprit was the capacitor. (The only thing I could think about was the "Flux Capacitor" from "Back to the Future". We found a trailer guy that specializes in camper-trailers, and he had it switched out in no time. Now it's cooler than ever and will probably freeze me out of the camper on our next trip. Which will be Labor Day weekend.

I'll try to post an update to let you know if I still like camping. It was getting a little dicey there for a bit.....

AMW

Billy Joel Concert

I should have blogged this a while back, but for some reason I'm just getting around to it...

A few of us met up at the Billy Joel concert on Saturday, June 21st at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. We had lawn seats, and were told to tighten up the spot, even though there were 8 of us in the little piece of property we were on. We were reminded that there would be 15,000 people on the lawn. 15,000!

As for the show - BJ was the only act. He started singing right around 8:00pm, didn't have an opening act, and sang for 2 1/2 hours. No intermission. He played one instrumental (Rootbeer Rag) to rest his voice, and brought a "roadie" out to sing a song ("Highway to Hell"), but other than that, it was all him.

We all knew all of the songs he sang, and the whole place was singing along with all of them. I couldn't think of any song that I wanted to hear that he didn't play. He was phenomenal! I can say it was probably one of the best concerts that I have ever been to.

He may be a bit older now, but he is still a great artist, and one that I will see again if he rolls back into town......

AMW

Helping People Move

Do you remember a post I did a few months back about physical labor? I should have added that moving falls into that category as well. Some folks are cut out for it, and some folks aren't. I will admit, that I have this odd nack for packing a car or trailer or truck full of stuff to maximize space. I must get that from my dad. He can pack a space like there's no tomorrow. And so that was my Thursday last week.

Now, I don't mind helping someone move. Especially when (like this person) they would help me out in a second (and she has). I just don't particularly care for all the lifting and carrying and such. If there was a job for moving that just involved getting things packed into vehicles, that'd be all for me....

And it was a WARM day. 98 at it's hottest (which felt like all day). But we got an awful lot accomplished, and managed to get the majority of it done. I left a little lighter (from all the sweat) and with a few more marks that weren't there before... But I sure slept good!

AMW