WHEN: June 27, 2010 WHERE: Carapace Ln., Virginia Beach, VA
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
WHEN: June 25
WHERE: The summer state of mind
No, you did not forget to set your clocks ahead and no you did not just awake from hibernation. It's not Christmas. In fact, today is the farthest from it (June 25). But this IS the most wonderful time of the year!!
SUMMER!!!
I can hear the groans of the summer-haters already, pining for the cool, crisp days of fall or the fresh, new days of spring. I thought I heard the cries of the winter-lovers in the background but then realized such folk don't exist. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the Christmas season - being together with friends and family, taking a vacation, gorging on immeasurable amounts of wonderful food, giving and receiving gifts - but...all those things can be done during summer too!
I know I am (EXTREMELY) partial to summer over all other seasons and so my opinion seems biased. But really, who needs winter?? And fall just leads to winter, while spring is just the matinee for summer. Let's face it, it should just be summer year-round. "But then it would lose it's significance". OK, maybe 1 week of fall, 1 week of winter, 2 weeks of spring, and 11 months of SUMMER!! Move over Gregorian calendar!
I'm sure there's some empirical way to quantify the "way, way betterness" of a season, and it may have already been done. But I'm not going to try to quantify/prove/hypothesize the supremacy of one season (summer) over another (all the others). Rather, I ask you to consider agreeing with me in proud unison that summer is, by far, the best, and exclusively essential, season of the year :) You'll feel better for it! See for yourself...
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR...
...when the beaches are full and the sun is shining!
...when the boardwalks are bustling!
...when people are out on the water, by all means possible!
...when festivals are in full swing!
...when everyone is gathered around the campfire!
...when fireworks light up the night sky!
...when flowers are in full bloom!
...when the lawn is green and the smell of fresh-cut grass fills the air!
...when the neighborhood is sizzling with grills!
...when the crystal-blue pools are packed!
...when you're crossing the country on a road trip!
...when rain and thunderstorms put you to sleep at night!
...when surfers race through the waves!
...when triple digits don't include a minus sign!
...when summer love warms what the sun can't!
Summer truly is, THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! Can anyone argue with that? Wait and answer that in January if you still don't agree. Excuse me, I've gotta go turn up the AC...
...when the beaches are full and the sun is shining!
...when the boardwalks are bustling!
...when people are out on the water, by all means possible!
...when festivals are in full swing!
...when everyone is gathered around the campfire!
...when fireworks light up the night sky!
...when flowers are in full bloom!
...when the lawn is green and the smell of fresh-cut grass fills the air!
...when the neighborhood is sizzling with grills!
...when the crystal-blue pools are packed!
...when you're crossing the country on a road trip!
...when rain and thunderstorms put you to sleep at night!
...when surfers race through the waves!
...when triple digits don't include a minus sign!
...when summer love warms what the sun can't!Summer truly is, THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! Can anyone argue with that? Wait and answer that in January if you still don't agree. Excuse me, I've gotta go turn up the AC...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
When I Grow Up
WHEN: June 8, 1983 WHERE: Sartori Hospital, Cedar Falls, IA On June 8, 1983, my dad first held his only son, at the age of 31. On April 28, 1952, my grandpa first held my dad, at the age of (almost) 31. On July 6, 1921, my great-grandpa first held my grandpa, at the age of 31. Since I first learned of this "linear lineage" as a boy, I knew I one day wanted to carry on that family tradition. Now, four years from that mark, I have learned so much more about what I want my legacy to be and gained a much deeper appreciation and respect for fatherhood as exemplified by my own dad.
Thank you, dad, for the adventures (although I made you sell your motorcycle because I was worried about you getting in an accident).
Thank you, dad, for making time for me and showing that you cared.
Thank you, dad, for taking me all over the country. Our vacations are one of my most cherished childhood memories.
Thank you, dad, for always being around and letting me know you were available and that you valued me.
Thank you, dad, for working so selflessly to provide for your family.
And thank you, dad, most of all for the Christ-like example of a father that you are.
I am so proud of you and I'm humbled to be your son. You have left enormous shoes to fill as a husband and a father. You are a man of love, integrity, selflessness, conviction, wisdom, and so much more. You are not perfect but I would never expect you to be. Only our Father in heaven is and you have guided me at every step to look to Him for direction and understanding in life. You are everything I could ask for in a father and I couldn't ask for a better model here on Earth as to how I want my life to be lived out as a father and man of Christ. Thank you for being my dad.
When I grow up, I want to be just like my dad!
Happy Father's Day, DAD!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Hampton Roads Harborfest
WHEN: June 11-13, 2010 WHERE: Norfolk, VA Last weekend was the 34th Annual Harborfest, held in downtown Norfolk. I have been waiting for this past weekend since I first heard about its festivities four months ago. While our floor was out in the trailers this winter during renovations, one of the boat captains from our district sat 3 feet behind me, literally - space was limited to say the least. I had never seen or met this guy until our move yet got to know him quite well during our 7-week stay in the trailers. Yes, we had a "Trailer Trash" party at the end of our 7-week confinement, in case you were wondering :) He informed me of the annual festival and all that it entailed. I came to learn that this is an internationally recognized event, noted for bringing tall ships (masted, "old-looking" ships) from all over the world. The down side, as the captain explained, was that because of the current world economy, this year would be lacking the grandeur and presence of years past. What may usually draw dozens of large vessels from around the world, this year's festival saw only a handful of smaller, domestic ships. Even still, from that day in February until this past weekend, I made it clear I would be doing little to no work on Friday, June 11...the Parade of Sails! The Parade of Sails is an exhibition of the participating vessels (mostly sailboats) that runs approximately 5 miles through Norfolk Harbor, from the Naval Station to downtown Norfolk. And how fortunate for me that this route runs directly in front of my office building. For about an hour during and after our lunch outside on the water, we watched as all the vessels floated by. I managed to take 82 pictures in 45 minutes. No demanding task for this trigger-happy nut. I'll provide you with the abbreviated version.
The Parade of Sails
Gazela - built in 1901 and home ported in Philadelphia
Kalmar Nyckel (right), Delaware's state ship, has a history like that of the Mayflower but one that is rarely told. Built in 1997 as an exact replica of the original built in 1625, this ship brought Swedish settlers to the colonies in 1638, where the current city of Wilmington, Delware was established. Delaware would become the nation's first state.
The Godspeed, part of the Jamestown Settlement Museum in Jamestown, Virginia. I had just seen this ship up in Jamestown the previous weekend.
One of Norfolk's Army Corps of Engineers boats in the parade
Numerous vessels firing off their water cannons
A navy riverine command boat, with machine guns on the ready!
The guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG-58)
Saturday, Stace & I headed down to Waterside Park for the Harborfest festivities.
One lucky sailor!
And bid bon voyage to the last visit from a cruise ship this summer :(
That's muh lady!
Kalmar Nyckel
Stace standing next to the 160ft. Kanaloa yacht from Georgetown, Cayman Islands. You can rent her (the yacht, not my wife) for $240,000/week!
Caught some of the Dock Dogs in action
So many great places to get some artery-clogging grub! But our plan was to take Stace to a Thai restaurant that I had been to a couple times with coworkers that she wanted to try.
We settled for lemonade, at least to keep the heat stroke at bay in the 100° heat-index
The Asphalt Orchestra - very good!
One last shot of the ticket to tropical paradise! She's a beaut, Clark!
Beautiful boardwalk babe!
She finally got her Thai food (and air conditioning)!
Sunday we finally bought a new grill at Lowe's. To make a looong (vexing) story short, we haven't been able to grill since last August and it has stretched my patience/integrity to new limits. Thankfully, we picked this grill up for $85 (was $130) and called it my birthday present. Maybe a pickup truck for my next birthday so I can actually transport my grill?
All set up and ready to sizzle!
And as if all these harbor/birthday festivities were not enough, I found out today that a few of us from work will be going on a coworker's sailboat this Friday (just for fun), through Norfolk Harbor and along the same path taken by the Parade of Sails! It will be my first time on a sailboat and my first time anywhere on the open water in Hampton Roads. I am liking the pattern of Fridays so far this June! Pictures to come...!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
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