Interesting Times

Well, it's official: our contract with the USG was not renewed. We have 30 days to transition our activities to a successor contractor. At the moment, I'm not entirely sure that I'm UNHAPPY about this turn of events. Unless of course I end up unemployed over it......lol.....but then I can vote for Hussein Obama and he'll tax the rich and middle income people to support me! Not a bad plan......

Hurricane Gustav - Where Are You Headed??

The 1100 EDT NHC forecast has Gustav located 50 miles S of Haiti and 250 miles SE of Cuba. The US Navy track predicts he's headed for the middle of the Gulf by Sunday, and the NHC "cone" has us in the "possible" path. Looks like an interesting Labor Day weekend....

Since I haven't managed to consume ALL of the alcohol laid in for Fay, my Gustav provisioning will be somewhat simpler.....get some ice and a few barbecued chickens, and I may actually try to buy a few flashlight batteries this time too....thank god those C cells work in the sex toys TOO!!! *grin*

Honestly folks, when there are events like these on the horizon - humor is our best defense against the utter FEAR that Mother Nature can engender...and I DO take these things most seriously indeed - the cat, the guns, and I are always ready to head north! ;)

Cap'n Bob out

Fay Finale....08/26/08

Well, THAT was a mess indeed. Here in the Tampa Bay area we got around 1 inch and possibly as much as 2 inches of rain from TS Fay. However, many of my friends in other parts of FL did not fare quite so well:

Melbourne (Kennedy Space Center) - most places recorded over 22 inches of rainfall, and there were confirmed 30 inch falls. HEAVY flooding in some areas.

Lake City (I-10 and I-75 junction) - 60+ mph winds, and some downed trees, but surprisingly little rain considering the eye passed about 30 miles south.

Tallahassee (near the St Marks River mouth) - river was 8 to 10 FEET above normal levels for this time of the year. Not too many problems from the WATER....but when the river rises like that it drives the alligators closer to people's homes! YIKES......welcome to FL!!

Next post....watching Gustav.....

08-18-08 (Fay Update)

Just in case anyone is wondering - YES, we are watching Fay pretty closely here in the Tampa Bay Area. At the moment (1300 CDT) the bulk of the track predictions have Fay making landfall somewhere between Everglades National Park and Fort Myers, as POSSIBLY a Category 1 hurricane or very strong tropical storm. These track predictions are showing Fay to trend northwards after landfall, meaning Tampa Bay will PROBABLY not take a direct hit from either the CAT x or TS.

I will be taking the necessary precautions this evening - laying in copious supplies of alcohol and barbecued chickens - and we will most LIKELY be going to work in the morning...*sigh*

Hidee Ho Y'all....
Cap'n Bob

Happy 50th to the Folks!

My brother, sister, and I hosted a celebration of our parents 50th wedding anniversary on July 4th. Approximately 75 relatives and friends joined us in congratulating Mom and Dad with a buffet dinner followed by a cake that was a replica of their wedding cake - complete with the original 'bride&groom' topper.

My very talented sister built a photographic presentation of their life together, starting with wedding photos, and interleaved with comments from family and friends. It was pretty impressive, and quite moving.

After the 'official' party was over many folks joined us at the farm where my brother and I lit off a fireworks display that rivalled many small towns! Ah, I love the smell of black powder! ;)

Here is the family photo/portrait. Me on the left, brother Jeff in the middle, and sister Andrea on the right -- Mom and Dad of course in front.

A Different Perspective

When it comes to the water, I've pretty much been a fan of moving over it FAST (unless I'm surfing). Living in Houston, I belonged to the "Power Squadron" - guys with more money than sense mostly - which was people with 27' and up go-fast boats they took on group runs offshore. I had a 30' Checkmate - ahhh 'Shades of Grey' I miss you - with twin 454's in it and I kept up, believe me! ;) In Hawai'i I had a friend with a 50' Ericcson ketch that would run about 15-18 knots. So I like water & speed....

Where I live in St Pete is very close (under 2 miles) from several places with really 'skinny' water and I'd been thinking a LOT about getting out on it....for exercise and to fish. Recently, I found a used kayak on craigslist, and gave it a new home. Took it out every day of the holiday weekend. I saw tons of baitfish jumping, rafts of waterbirds (ducks, anhingas, etc), and even a pod of dolphin. One afternoon I brought the fishing stuff, and WOW....it's amazing to hook up with a 28" red from a teeeny boat like that! Soon, I'll bring the camera out and shoot some scenes to post up for y'all......it really IS pretty here!

Workingman's Blues...

Yes, the title is musically inspired and not a comment on life in the corporate trenches! I'm an "aspiring" guitarist...actually, I'm trying to learn several stringed instruments, but mostly focusing on the 6-string guitar...and I bought a new axe yesterday. It's a Johnson, and a copy of the old Les Paul "Gold Top" model. Very well done, tone and sustain for days, and fits into the collection very well.

I was raised in Michigan, and my folks knew a bunch of people who came up from both Appalachia and the Delta area to work the auto plants. We had (have) a large farm, and these folks would come out on the weekends to shoot skeet and play music, and eat. Consequently, much of the early memories I have of people playing music are grounded in America folk, bluegrass, and blues.

Now that I'm old(er) and have embarked on this "try to figure out how to play the guitar" journey, I'm finding that what interests me is - for lack of any better term - "roots" music. Listening to the old Delta blues legends like Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson or to the banjo/mando/violin tunes from the Eastern hills and hollows is simply incredible.

It's also pretty discouraging...until I remember that Eric Clapton said in his autobiography that he played/practiced guitar for FIVE YEARS before he ever played out anywhere...so if it takes that long to be decent, so be it! ;)

Cap'n

A "Political" Note

Ok, just thought I'd let y'all know where *I* stand on the 2008 Presidential election. In my opinion, there is no better candidate for America than John McCain.

Could the other choices BE any more frightening to a thinking person? Ms Clinton will stop at nothing to force her 'vision' of "healthcare" on us, and Mr Obama has about as much practical experience as....oh, say, any OTHER "junior" Senator from a fairly insignificant state.

Yes, the problems in Iraq and Afghanistan - and the Middle East generally - are significant. Yes, they need to be addressed somewhat better than the current adminstration has done. Yes, there are other foreign policy 'problems' on the horizon (North Korea, China, the other 'stans'). Wouldn't someone the rest of the world respects be the best choice to lead us in resolving these issues?

McCain 08

Summer "Fun"???

Well, my old friends are going back to Hawai'i this summer to recapture their 'lost/misspent youth' and another couple I know is off to Kodiak Alaska for a week of fishing and bear-watching.

So, what am *I* doing this summer? Putting on a 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my folks! ;) Don't get me wrong y'all - I think it's a fantastic thing for them and it will be really nice to see many of my older relatives again. BUT.......it just isn't in the same league as far as the 'fun factor'!

I hope everyone that's off to exotic destinations takes LOTS of pictures so I can put my imagination into overdrive and at least pretend it was a 'fun' summer!!!

BV

First Post

This will be fairly short. I just wanted to get a page built, and something on it, so I can do a little commenting on other folks' blogs without too much grief.

Anyway - I'm 48, 6'1" 245, short gray hair, blue eyes. I live in St Pete FL with my cat Quantum. Never married, no kids, and not 'currently' dating.....*smile*.....

Well, that's enough to see how it looks....