Florida Vacation 2009 Day 3: Jupiter

A beautiful day to begin day 3 on the beach at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. We walked in the morning and the bright warm sunlight to begin the day 3. The water was clear--you could see all the way to the bottom even with the water up to your neck.

It was fun to watch the smallish fish congregate around my legs and occasionally bump into me. A certain member of the team doesn't like this feeling and won't stay in the water when the fish show up.

Today was also the day we chose to visit friends--Fran and Mary, in Jupiter. It was an hour long drive made longer by a detour to repair a bad rim on one of my tires. Yes--my rim was corroded and not sealing against the valve stem--so the tire was losing air. At one point it looked as if we needed a replacement rim--but the Firestone dealer did a masterful job filing off the burr and not toasting the existing rim. So we were back on the road after a while.

Upon arriving in Jupiter we went to our favorite beach on Jupiter Island and did some snorkeling. It was the best snorkeling in this area in about three years. The water again was very clear and warm. I believe it is because there have not been any hurricanes yet this season. the big sighting of the day was a good sized barracuda. But the amount of life present was reassuring after two years of decline. There was an abundance of urchins and I even saw a lobster. I was looking for sharks--but didn't find one.

After some quality time on the beach, we cleaned up and went off to a new restaurant: Guanabanas Restaurant and Island Bar. What a great place. I highly recommend it. It is truly a tropical paradise and the place was fantastic. They have carved a tropical island right in Jupiter. I have never seen a restaurant motif like this before--heavy tropical.

Our drive back to Fort Lauderdale seemed endless with the storms, accidents, and traffic. I-95 north was closed at one place for a fatality accident. Thankfully, we were headed south, but the rubberneckers still created a 5-mile long traffic jam.

Back at the hotel we relaxed and then went out for a walk and wound up in the middle of a street concert. The music was a mixture of jazz and some blues and was very nicely performed. A huge thunderstorm was developing though and the lightning was fabulous. Chris took her camera and tried to get some pictures of light show--with some success.

So now we're sitting in the hotel catching up on the blogging and getting ready for our exciting trek to Key West tomorrow with Pennie and Scott.

Florida Vacation Day 1 and 2

Wow--we have been having some fun already on our vacation.

We departed early on Wednesday to drive to South Florida--a good decision because we were through even Richmond before the morning rush hour. That meant--no driving problems in Virginia!

The drive was uneventful--well at least until we got to the vicinity of Cocoa Beach and realized that the space shuttle was going to launch within an hour. So we detoured! And what a great decision that was. It was cool to see all of the people who still line the causeways to watch launches. And not just Americans. But it was great with people lining the road on both sides to get a view of the launch. There was a great atmosphere as we listened to the radio from one car of the countdown and the excitement built as we all realized that today was the day and we were going to actually see a launch!

All in all we were delayed about two hours in getting to Fort Lauderdale--but it was well worth it.

Day 2 was a very relaxing day which included a long morning on the beach--we are in a hotel right on the beach! The water is warm and clear and we are having a great time. We did some exploring of the area and found a Bubba Gump Shrimp where we ultimately ate dinner.

And day three is at hand--what new excitement in in store?

Pool SCUBA

You learn a lot about things when you get a chance to examine them closely.

Take my pool, for example.

It is really tough to examine the pool on a normal day. The water gets in the way.

So on Saturday, when I was checking out my scuba gear, I did some inspection of the pool. I would like to say it was fun--but what I discovered is an aging pool that has seen a lot of fun. There are cracks developing which may, sometime in the future need to be addressed.

But that said--it was fun playing with the tools on the bottom.

And of course, my new, improved, good to 200 feet below surface camera. I will never go that far down, so it really isn't a problem.

I got used to the camera and some of the new gear I've acquired, so I should feel really comfortable in the water. I am so looking forward to the next two weeks of snorkeling and diving, and of course the sitting on the beach doing nothing.

Monday Musings - July 13, 2009

1. Amid the peace and quiet of life--there were dogs. Six of them before the weekend was out. And boy do some of them poop. And the geriatric dog of the group fell into the pool requiring rescue.

2. I loved scuba diving in the pool. I got to try out my new gear before actually using it for real and I will be much more relaxed since I am comfortable with my gear and my camera. I was also surprised how little weight I need carry--which is a good thing for control.

3. The weeks before a longish vacation is the worst--all of the planning and preparation come to a head and the panic begins to set in. I guess we need to get really tight before we can unwind.

4. Taking pictures of stuff on the bottom of the pool with my camera was fun--but still life's of screwdrivers and pool return covers are not really interesting.

5. Hot summer Sundays are great for napping on a floatie in the pool and watching a ballgame with the sons. Especially when the O's decide to win!

6. Fruit in the summer. Hmmmm, let me see.

7. Now that the car is back from the repair shop after the accident, you remember how much you really appreciate what you have.

8. I hate it when, the weekend before we are getting ready to drive to Florida, that I discover the vehicle we are taking needs new tires!

9. I wonder why my insurance company makes me print new insurance cards every six months. Like--where else am I going to go?

Pools, Sun, Summer, and Fun

An amazing thing happened the other day as I got home from work! My wife was poolside with her new snorkeling mask trying it out before we got to Key West. That was fortunate because when the new lenses were installed, one of them leaked. Yes, we have old eyes and have had bifocal lenses installed in our masks. I am looking forward to actually being able to see to operate my new camera underwater.

But--an amazing thing? Yup--you bet. She was home and poolside. Being home is a rare event. Being poolside even rarer.

I just love summer days. What better reason do you need for getting to the pool? Or the ocean?

Just the heat of it.

And now, as we are entering the final frenetic stages of preparing for vacation--we have a lot to do to get ready and make the upcoming two-and-a-half weeks a success.

It should be fun, I think. But hey--it is summer. Relax. Sit back. Have a sip of a drink with a little umbrella in it. Get sand everywhere!

The Proposal: A Review

So I was dragged off Sunday afternoon after driving for over six hours to see a "chick flick" pretty much against my will. Gag me--how could I possibly want to see a movie like this after seeing the summer's biggest action flick so far?

But, I was surprised. This "its been done before" movie starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds was entertaining. I say, "its been done before" because the plot is about two people who can't stand each other and are getting married to help one of them remain in the country. And yes--by the end of the movie they fall in love. Its been done! Nothing new here except that the acting is really very good and the humor is fresh.

The new part is the wilderness setting of Sitka, Alaska and some really good acting by Betty White who plays the part of an off-beat grandmother. She is really very funny and works extremely well with both Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

I actually thought the white puppy almost stole the whole movie--but then I do have a soft spot in my heart for dogs.

The plot is predictable and the acting is good but not great. The situations range from the believable to the wacky--especially one where Betty White is dancing around a fire in the woods. But like an enjoyable meal that you've had before, it all seems to come together for a surprisingly funny, touching, and well paced movie. It was a good way to spend a couple of hours.

RECOMMENDATION: Guys, if you haven't punched your chick flick ticket lately--choose this one. You will laugh and probably enjoy yourself. Be cautious however--your date may actually think you like chick flicks if you show too much enthusiasm. Overall--the movie was good entertainment and probably worth two hours, especially when wrapped around dinner. (But please, don't let my wife know!)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review

You haven't seen it yet? Why?

This movie is a lot of fun and it is fast paced. The plot is thin--but who cares. It is a summertime movie designed to entertain--and entertain it does.

The acting is not great, but the action is nearly non-stop.

The critics hate it and the public loves it. Why? Because the movie does not take itself too seriously. It is a fun, summer, action movie. End of story. It has drama, action, enough of a plot to hang the action around and is a great recruiting movie for the U.S. military.

The movie stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. A college freshman and his girl friend, drawing upon the relationships established during the first Transformers movie with the Autobots, are called on to save the human race and the solar system from certain destruction by the Decepticons. There is an interesting piece with ancient Egypt which allows the storyline to develop. Even though it is an action movie--all of the pieces fit together. Although the movie is a bit long, I do not know what I would cut out to shorten it. Perhaps some of the scenes at college near the beginning were a bit gratuitous. But there is good humor and interplay between the characters.

The movie had a bit for everyone. I saw the movie with a four-year old and he loved the Transformers every time they were on screen. The older boys enjoyed the easy looks of Megan Fox when she was on the screen. There is humor--some of it too sexually oriented for many of the younger crowd which will want to see the movie. But the movie is perfect for the pre-teen crowd and those of us who never grew up.

RECOMMENDATION: See the movie. Enjoy it for what it is. It will not win any academy awards, but it is a blockbuster and if you are in the mood for fun and action--see the movie. Be advised--there are some sexually suggestive jokes and scenes which may not be appropriate for the very young crowd. The action can be intense, again, not good for the very young crowd.

Monday Musings - July 6, 2009

1. The 4th of July is a lot of fun--especially when it is warm! I had the pleasure of watching fireworks in Ithaca and Groton in the cold and rain! But it was still nice.

2. Almost everyone driving on the roads during holiday weekends are intent on getting to their destination safely--the problem is that some of them have a higher tolerance for risk than the majority.

3. Traffic jams are a fact of life.

4. When you constantly travel at 90mph with your hair on fire, it is good to run out of gas and cool off.

5. New York State wines are fun to taste--but the winemakers need to remain within the growing climate of the region to produce good wine.

6. Puppies can be a lot of fun in a car on a long trip. Makayla was good--but she got bored. So did I, and I was driving.

7. Really? Do I really think we can still do 16 hours in a car from Baltimore to Jupiter? Ugh!

8. Safety Note: If your ceiling fan begins to click and shoot sparks, get it looked at. I fixed one this weekend which was a fire looking for a place to happen.

9. Office picnics are good for everyone to get out together and relax--even when the boss is around.

10. Vacation! It is not just a place, but a state of mind.

Life and Death--A Week of Rememberance

Last week was one of those really weird weeks--where some really sobering things happened that remind me of the transient nature of our life on this planet.

To start off, the husband of a coworker died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack over the weekend. They had just (within the past two weeks) taken possession of the dream house they had built! He officially died on Father's Day. His memorial service was attended by hundreds of stunned mourners who celebrated a full, yet shortened life. His youngest had just graduated from college and there was so much of life ahead of him as he and his wife headed into their new home to start another chapter of life--he was clearly a hero to his family and everyone who attended the memorial service.

That was followed by the father of one of our good friends with whom we spend many
Friday nights drinking wine dying somewhat unexpectedly as well--on Father's Day. His funeral was sparsely attended this man was a hero, too--decorated with two Bronze Stars during World War II and who had fought gallantly in the Battle of the Bulge. He was laid to rest with military honors and a mournful bugle playing Taps.

Two deaths--two memorial services (both on Saturday and scheduled far enough apart so I could attend both). And of course the shock and sadness at the suddenness. Two heroes in very different periods of their lives.

Wow--it was sobering.

We started a series on the Psalms at church--and the Psalm for this week was Psalm 51--which is really pretty applicable to this weeks activity. The first 11 verses speak to me.

51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!
Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!
Cleanse me of my sin!
51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.
51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So you are just when you confront me;
you are right when you condemn me.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.
51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man;
you want me to possess wisdom.
51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!
May the bones you crushed rejoice!
51:9 Hide your face from my sins!
Wipe away all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God!
Renew a resolute spirit within me!
51:11 Do not reject me!
Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!

Create in me a pure heart, O God

Renew a right spirit with in me

Cast me not away from your presence

And take not your Holy Spirit from me

A prayer that I have learned many years ago comes from this Psalm and it really hits home during a time like this.

Don't let the sun set without telling you loved ones that you love them. And say it out loud: "I love you!" When your candle is extinguished at the end of life on this earth, it will mean so much more to those who are left behind. It is something to hold onto!

Monday Musings - June 29, 2009

1. Another week has whisked away into the places where we can never change it--I wonder what was so important about last week?

2. Not a recommended way to end a week: 1 viewing on Friday and 2 funerals on Saturday with just enough time in between to get from one to the other.

3. The pool is relaxing.

4. I love baseball, summer, and swimming

5. We all need to pause for a while and reevaluate where we're headed every so often.

6. Sunday afternoons are best reserved for family--I know why God rested on the seventh day.

7. Try not to be so concerned about where you are headed that you forget to enjoy where you are.

8. There are a lot of half truths out there--be sure to verify what people tell you before acting.

9. Despite my advice about not thinking too much about what's coming at the expense of what is happening now--I am real excited about my upcoming Florida vacation.