The girls out number the boy 2 to 1 in this family. As retirement has officially kicked in, we'll share some thoughts, memories, and life's lessons along the way. As we travel down Lifes Highway!
Dolphins anyone??
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Fun with Flipper and the gang off the coast of Sanibel Enjoy
So today, my family and I got some terrible news, a close friend of ours passed away overnight. Our family is of course devastated by this. My blog has generally been about trips and experiences down life's highway. Mostly about the good times and trips we have spent with family. Occasionally I'll share a few life lessons I've learned along the way. I'm typically not an outspoken person, but the blog allows me to convey what comes from my heart, and my heart is compelled to share this one with you. Let's start off with a little about faith and me. My parents sent me to church. We didn't go as a family unit. I went with a neighbor. Dad was typically not feeling well on Sunday mornings after spending most of his day and night on Saturday at the local bar. I know he believed in god, but there were also demons that chased him through life. In his later years the alcohol and smoking took a toll on his body, he'd sp...
If you read part 1 of American Icon, have you figured out who, or what, is the American Icon? I gave you some hints. I started off with a picture of my 66. There were other hints as well. Like the flag video when they passed by it on the highway. Maybe the comment about eight generations of Styling, Engineering, Technology and Muscle. I'm talking about the Corvette. Bowling Green is where Corvettes are born. We were fortunate enough to get to tour the Corvette Assembly plant. Stingray ZO6 The corvette is now in its eighth generation with the C8. This car is radically different from other corvettes because of the redesign placement of the engine and advancements in handling. GM closed the assembly plant to tours back in 2024, but recently have opened it back up for limited visits. I'm of course a car guy, so a trip like this is right up my alley. I wasn't too sure how much my co-pilot would enjoy it. The assembly plant wa...
I'm going to spend some time with my side chick this week. It's been well over a year since I've seen her. Last time was only for a few short hours. She was recovering from a tragic event that happen in September 2022. It left her bruised and battered and even forced some of her friends to leave her permanently. I've been in this relationship for many years now. I first met her in the 90s. I wasn't sure if we would hit it off. That first time, she burned the top of my feet so bad that they were swollen. I couldn't wear shoes, barely walk, and spent the ride home with my feet propped up on a cooler in the car while my wife drove. Yes, my wife, See she loves my side chick too! As a matter of fact, the whole family and lots of others love her as well. People have told me that when they are with her, they are in their Happy Place! She is still showing some scars from that dark day in her past, but with each day's passing she gets stronger, and we lo...
So it's been awhile since I've posted. My co-pilot and I recently took a trip to the great state of Kentucky to visit an American Icon. Bowling Green was our destination. Some of you might call this a Bucket list trip, but I would prefer to look at it like just another adventure down Life's highway. The whole bucket list idea has such a finality to it, and I'm not ready to kick any buckets anytime soon. With retirement mode fully engaged, the only thing that stands in our way is ourselves. Is it being middle-aged crazy to think that I should take this trip in my corvette, or maybe rent a new one? In today's world, what is considered middle-aged? I already know what crazy is, I see it every day when I turn on the TV or open my phone, and I know that's not me! My car will turn 60 years old in February of next year. The car's age factor doesn't bother me for making this trip, but there are things to consider, like Number 1- My co-pilot's hair...
So, after being a novice Beach Bum for many years I think this year it's time to turn it up a notch and move up to Semi–Pro. Normally we only spend about a week on Captiva or Sanibel. This year we’ve rented a house on Sanibel and the plan is to spend the month of June. This will give me plenty of time to hone my Beach Bum skills. I won't be going it solo my trusty co-pilot is of course here for the fun and during the month we will feature guests appearances from some seasoned Beach Angels and we will also be qualifying some new Beach Angels who will be here on their inaugural tour. What do you think is required to be a successful Beach Bum? Here is my checklist. Let me know if there is anything I missed. Love for the Beach Willingness to relax Sun protection Hydration Comfortable chair Towel I read to qualify as a professional Beach Bum it requires a minimalist attitude. Seeing the back of the Pickup bed was fully packed for the trip down here I may not meet t...
Time, no matter how much we will it to change, it's the one thing in life that is constant. We watch it pass us day by day. Sometimes it feels like time is something we are loosing. I sit here today watching my firstborn grandchild transition into adulthood. I feel like it was only yesterday I held her in my arms for the first time. I was there for Baby Einstein, Barbies, and Dora the Explorer. Then there were sled rides, Power Wheels, Go karts and more. From Crayons and Cartoons to Cars and Cosmetics, wait time, you've gone too fast. You were my first original Beach Angel, and I still remember our time experiencing the beach together. I watched you run and chase the surf with squeals of excitement, I watched the fading sunset shimmer through your long curly hair as you looked out towards the ocean in amazement at the vast world that was before you. I was there when you showed your sister the beach for the first time, your little hands gra...
The 30-day Beach Bum tour has come to an end. Back home to reality and Day 1 had me wishing I was back at the Beach. Why is it when you're gone from home for an extended period of time, the home has a way of reminding you that you can run, but you can't hide from the maintenance requirements of being a homeowner. The well tank decided to give me such a reminder while we were gone. The pressure relief valve decided to pop off and partially flood the basement. Fortunately, water was contained to the unfinished side of the basement. I spent half the day yesterday troubleshooting and making repairs. A faulty pressure switch was the culprit causing the system to over pressurize, I shouldn't complain it was the original switch from when we built the house but of course it waited to fail while we were gone. Thanks to Ryan, the grass did get cut once while we were away for a month, but today I'm sure I pissed off all the local frogs. I sent them running for their life while ...
I soar above, looking for a treat, sometimes I'll snatch what you eat. answer: For the Bold Snatched from Beach Bag and opened before you could say Do-Rit-Tos We put together a Scavenger Hunt for the girls while they were here. Lexi and Taylor have been Beach Angel certified for a long time. They have been coming here since they were babies. The three girls that came down with them were making their first trip. We told them they needed to do the Scavenger hunt in order to become Beach Angel Certified by NaNa and PaPa. The scavenger hunt was in the form of riddles much like the one I opened the blog with. I figured it was one way to get them to pay attention to the beauty of the island instead of spending their day focused only on their phones taking selfies. Trust me they got plenty of selfie time but they did manage to work on the scavenger hunt too! The 2025 Scavenger Hunt for the big girls Lexi and Taylor were able to help with the hunt and C...
So I found something I forgot to put on my Beach Bum requirement list! BUG SPRAY, Don't forget the BUG SPRAY! On Sunday our arrival day we got a text from the rental company saying the house was ready for check in early. The office is not open on Sunday but they have an after hours key pickup. This was great news, so as soon as we arrived on island we stopped and picked up the house keys and proceeded to the house. One small issue with the keys, they don't open the door! Thankfully they did have an afterhours phone number and John the maintenance man was about 1/2 hour away, he was able to get us into the house. In the time we are waiting for John the no-see-ums proceed to snack and continues to snack on me the next day as well. My legs look like I got measles. Just a price a Beach Bum has to pay for paradise. Benadryl itching cooling spray is a god send, no-see-ums are not. Leg Measles! A.K.A. No-See-Ums Our first week a...
It's been awhile since I posted on the blog. I usually only post when we're on a trip. No trips recently, just navigating down this road we call retirement. I do however have some thoughts to share with you if you care to listen. This past Sunday looked like it was going to be one of the last warmer days for a while as we drift into the colder months towards winter. We decided to fire up the grill and partake in one last summer ritual with some barbecued ribs. As I'm out on the deck, it's late in the day the sun is falling and there's this warm glow off the horizon. The silhouette of a lone squirrel is jumping the treetops, making its way to settle down in its den for the evening. The evening is peaceful, there is a hoot owl in the distance calling to its mate. I walk over to the window, which is directly in front of the kitchen sink. There she is head down hard at work washing dishes. She doesn't detect my presence, so I press my nose up against the window,...
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