End of 2011

Amateur Night!

Tonight, those who never partake will be out in force at parties everywhere. So don't drive. Your chances for a mishap are higher than normal and it is not worth it. Let the dummies get together on their own, ok? Let us also try not to imbibe too freely, there is plenty to go around and we can do this over a long stretch of time.

I hear that the AAA will be towing people home for no charge. But supplies are limited! Plan accordingly.

2011 was a decent year for us here at the Barco Sin Vela. A new job was acquired with the appropriate bump in pay, one of us has disengaged from society, and overall our health is good. We would ask for continued good luck for next year, since no one knows what kind of challenges await us.

//Rant On:  I'm hoping that our Country gets it's act together, that's for sure. I grow weary of the Media, who act as Willing Lap Dogs of our President and who are making every Republican Candidate look dumber than our current Vice President!  Then again, it's easy to see why quality Candidates are unwilling to put their families through the cruel wringer of microscopic study. Only a true egotistical jerk would do that to their loved ones. So that's what we get as candidates for public office...

We need to kick every incumbent out of Con-Gress (Both Sides!) since they have not been doing their jobs in representing the people. It's about time we have regular people who know how to balance their own checkbooks controlling the National Purse! It is inexcusable that the last Con-Gress (2009-2010) did not make a budget for 2011 and punted the fiscal ball. This stunt was to make the current Congress look as foolish as possible for the 2012 election. Throw. The. Bums. Out. The House of Representatives was not meant to be a lifetime sinecure for Our Betters.

But back to the close at home stuff. Anybody can have an opinion; Opinions are like anterior orifices: We all have one.

Rant Off!//

I will try to accomplish every one of my goals that I started on in the last couple months. The Boat Captain test is happening in the early part of February, so I have that to look forward to and a bit more of study, too. Also we have an attic that needs clearing and re-insulated. I have a number of boat items out back that need to be sold/traded and a refrigerator needs to be installed onboard Barco. There is much to do!

The ugly word must be mentioned; Varnish. Varnish will need to be applied to wood surfaces on the boat, too. I really don't like to do that kind of stuff but since I am unemployed I shall have to person-up and perform. Responsibilities, and all that goes with my-good-deal!

2012 will be tomorrow, we have much to do and only 365 days to do it in!

I promise to do more boating and to report on such activities. There are many out there who cannot, so it is up to the Barco Crew to again be at the pointy end and do.

Please, everyone; Take good care of your health and be here for the next New Years Eve!

Cat Calming

At the Barco Sin Vela, we know that our main mission is the care and support of Them. We humans are staff for the kittehs and they know it. During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we discovered inadvertently, a method of keeping Them happy and out from underfoot.

The new method is called "Cat Calming".

Normally, a kitteh is either in a state of complete rest or in motion. Motion consists of running back and forth at break neck speeds, begging for food or attention, or hunting.

Rest is usually in a lap or bed, anyplace will do.

Here is a display of Mao, our Big Boy Cat.

Him begins to get a bit dozey

Fighting to stay awake

Gives in to natural instincts

Now, the problem is that Cats may decide they want to be following us around the house. Especially into closed off rooms or escaping outside. Other times, we may just need them out from under our feet as we perform household tasks.

Cat Calming is material condition set when a warm towel is placed on a bed. When the announcement comes over the Ships 1MC, 'Now set Material Condition: Cat Calming'.

I place some towels into the dryer, set on very warm. Run the dryer for about five minutes and reach in, pull out towels and let the door slam.

Upon hearing the door slam, Them will usually make way for the bedroom at great speeds while communicating their displeasure at me. They know that I'm gonna pull a fast one on them, but they want the warm towel, firstly. 

Spreading the towels in a visually pleasing manner, I get out of the way for the final act of setting the Cat Calming Condition.

Results:

In place, ready for the next step...

Cat Calming is now in effect. Continue Ship's Work.

Now I can get stuff done. I have laundry drying, cleaned out the cat bathroom and washed down the kitchen. Now I am free for just doing whatever. Without interruption!

Coming up; There will be a celebratory Wine Dinner for the New Years Eve at the Yacht Club. I have my tux ready and She Who Will Be Obeyed has a new formal dress for the occasion. It seems like we were just doing this a couple of months ago. The years certainly do get shorter...

Have a great evening!

Wednesday: Keeping an eye on important stuff.

Saw this video a few minutes ago, very nice song and even better imagery.

Off to the gym in a minute, then I have an appointment at Mom's with the garage door repair dude at 1130.

I'd rather be sailing in the warm trade winds... But until then we have the memories!

Boxing Day report

I have been accomplishing, today.

Up at 0600 with a fresh X-Mas hangover,  I prepared Bacon sammiches for the Spouse and myself along with coffee. Actually, I cooked bacon for the complaining cats and was able to save enough leftovers for a wee sammich for the two humans.

I bashed about on the radio controller, took it apart and restored it with no appreciable change. I will contact a twelve year old, tomorrow. Expert help shall be required before I destroy my model helo.

We got this from here.

Eleven o'clock, I was underway for the Mom's house. She has some issues with the garage door and her back fence. Nothing was done with the door, way out of my minimal skill set. So I went into the back yard and dug two post holes, placed fence posts in said holes and repaired fence. The fence no longer resides in a 45 degree angle but is in the upright position. I nailed the fence to the new posts using metal plates. Not too professional of a job but it would be proudly displayed in Nigeria or Kenya. This was the first time I had ever used a post hole digger or repaired a fence.

Woo.

Even Mom had a diagonal scrunch in her face as she inspected my work from the house.  'Free' is a nebulous term and my work was worth exactly what she paid. Hope it works for a while!

There are grand leftover foods for us to sup on later; Have a nice Boxing Day!

Happy Christmas, and all of that.

The big day is here!  We were on Skype last night for an hour or so. It was nice to watch some relatives get together and do the presents thing, it was as if we were there, too!

Then we turned off the Skype, finished the champagne and hit the rack in a peacefully quiet house. I like technology! Keeps us away from the crowds.

Speaking of technology; I now have an RC Helicopter, a Hughes 300 model which is huge! My problem is that I am afraid to fly it because the instructions are literally in Chinese, and some technician merely used google translate from the original Mandarin to engrish and now the destructions are unreadable. Inscrutable, even. The other problem is that our other computer is a PC and it has Vista. The CD that came with the model is not supported by Vista, but can be used on machines with XP/ME/Windows 98.

WTF?

But the Chinese masters do not use Mac. So my problem is trying to get the radio control unit calibrated so that I might be able to fly the helicopter and not move the wrong lever and smash our expensive model to pieces.

Peking duck is hanging in the breeze out back, drying for the past twelve hours in the gym under a fan. Around Noon I will cook said duck over charcoal and serve for Christmas Dinner. It's a tradition for us to have Peking Duck. I suppose it is from watching that great film, "A Christmas Story", where the family has to eat at a Chinese Restaurant. But first, Mimosas and smoked salmon...

Fa, rah rah, ruh rah, rah rah...

I'm hoping that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Boxing Day, and that we all have a most pleasant New Year.

Oh Noes! Kim Jong Il is a parrot!

I don't know what to say... This is such a terrible bit of news; Apparently, the Great Reader of the Nork Land is no longer just ill.

He's resting. Gone to meet his maker, bereft of life... well, you know the rest. (bad pun!)



What will Jihad Gene do? It's gonna be a tough go for those guys, for sure.

Saturday; Baking Day

I type this with the big Boy Cat pacing on my lap. Him wants something (To Go Outside) but it ain't happening. So he leans on my arms hoping for pets or just to slow my action down.

It is always something with Siamese Cats. Them require staff to perform tasks. Now.

Reveille was held at 0555, Them wanted food and it was so. Now, preparations will be made to start the baking marathon that always happens, just about this time of year. Russian Tea Cakes (Little dry flour, butter and powdered sugar balls, which require coffee for safe consumption), Snickerdoodles (cinnamon sugar cookies made from a recipe in that Better Homes New Cookbook binder that was published 40 years ago), Oatmeal Cookies with dried cranberries (Oh, yes... they are the new favorites!) and of course the flat white cookies shaped like Christmas with colored sugar. I'm sure the last ones have the least calorie content.

But Christmas isn't about calorie counting, is it?

No, Christmas is about rude shoppers at the Navy Exchange and Commissary, pushing zombie-like as they zero in on that one object to your right and they shove you aside in haste to grab it. Parking lot kamikaze's with cell phones driving their family vans aimlessly in search of the last parking spot. The endless ringing bell of the homeless guy standing in front of Publix, with that Salvation Army Bucket gleaming accusingly at me as I try to slip by, hoping to be ignored.

I'd rather write a check. Anonymous cash in a bucket may not make it to the good folks in need. Am I too cynical? Yes. Relax Francis...

I'm not trying to sound like a Dr Seuss character, but I really dislike the seeming hypocrisy of people wanting to make large purchases, and thus show love and affection for their families. All to the exclusion of good manners, while trying to run me off the road. Harrumph.

We shall endeavor to persevere, as Chief Dan George said many years ago. That, and enjoy the cookies and hope that next year is as good as the past bunch have been for SWWBO and myself. My large girth being evidence of such good living.

The good news is that temperatures are holding in the 70's around here, I love warm weather in December. Makes me feel somewhat smart for living in Florida. Maybe I should go see what the boat is up to at the dock.

Have a great weekend, and may all your cookies be tender and sweet, and coffee hot!

As promised; Mo' Later is here...

But first, read this review of a pocket knife from Amazon:

1,129 of 1,248 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic all-situation survivor's kit, December 24, 2009

By 

A. Gift For You "MidlightWest" (the moon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wenger 16999 Giant Swiss Army Knife (Tools & Home Improvement)

First of all, let me tell you a little about myself and how I came to need such mystical tools of survival.

In the beginning, I was born from the ashes of Lincoln and Roosevelt then raised by Hemingway, a troop of firefighters, and werewolves. I was taught to fight evil of all forms from politics to the undead. I can tell you from experience, there has never been a tool half as useful as the Wenger - The Giant Knife. Let me give you a brief example from yesterday:

I woke up after my amazing night's rest in the Wenger's king size murphy bed (with satin sheets). Once the women were dressed and out the door, I made coffee from the Wenger's cappuccino machine. Then I headed out the door, Wenger in hand.

I came across a two old women selling crochet crosses. I pulled my Wenger out of my pants to get to my wallet. The ladies saw this and died in ecstasy just at the size of my Wenger. Now Armed with two crochet crosses, I went to the cave.

This cave was the home of a 58 mouthed snake that looked more like a chainsaw blade than a snake. After traveling 5 miles on the Wenger's hoverboard, I reached the treasure surrounded by the serrated beast. I unfolded my 3 Spartan army and easy bake oven from the Wenger and went into battle. After 15 minutes, the 3 Spartan's had dismantled the toothy monster's 58 mouths just as my cupcakes were ready. The four of us enjoyed my marbled chocolate-vanilla cupcakes (with sprinkles) while counting the treasure and mocking the mouthless snake that lay before us.

After counting the treasure, I pulled out the Wenger's Millennium Falcon and obliterated the Spartans. Seriously, I obliterated Spartans with the Wenger. I think that alone is enough reason to get one! Anyway, Spartans suck at sharing.

I flew out of the cave in the Wenger's Millennium Falcon and crossed the River of Desolation just east of The Mountain of Despair. I was hungry, so I pulled out the Wenger's giant spider legion and they shot down 4 flying dragons with their dark matter tusk lasers. It was pretty cool. Lunch was alright.

I remembered the crocheted crosses the old ladies left me. Their memory should be honored. So, I went to my local vampire castle. If you know anything about Twilight, then you know that everything you once knew about vampires is completely wrong. Inside the castle, there were dozens of tragically fake "glistening" vampires pining over this wimpy goth chick. The tension and virginity was so thick and everlasting that the only thing I could do was slay them all. I pulled out the Wenger's entertainment system and played the first Twilight movie. Mission... accomplished. I put the two crocheted crosses over the Vampire King's eyes. "You're welcome, old broads."

Now that I'm exceedingly bored, I pulled out the Wenger's hot air balloon and went to the moon. Moon men are pretty cool dudes.

I got to the moon just in time to catch the double sunset. I pulled out New York City from the Wenger and sat in the crown of the Statue of Liberty watching the Moon's double sunset with some chicks I found and a couple moon men drinking burnt martinis. Again, moon men are pretty cool dudes.

We partied all night inside this sweet party tent in the Wenger. Chicks love party tents. You wouldn't think a full wet bar would be something you'd ever use in a pocket knife, but it really comes in handy. And it makes the Wenger - The Giant Knife worth it, even if you don't drink.

That's all I can remember from yesterday. The pictures afterward were hilarious. I almost lost it when the penguins arrived. I must of gotten the Extreme Wenger because I didn't know the Arctic Circle was one of the tools. But even if you don't get a Wenger with the Arctic Circle... still worth getting. I highly recommend it.

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I followed a link from Ace of Spades to find that little rhubarb on Amazon. Why do I bother to write anything after reading that outstanding piece?

Back to our trip;

Saturday morning was a bit hazy (It was cloudy) so we hopped in the family truckster to look for morning vittles. We turned right out of the Hilton and headed East. The speed limit on the island is 35, so there were packs of bicycle riders emboldened by our slow speed.

The wind was blowing strong form the North so it was cold and not so happy out. We trudged slowly down miles of white sandy beach with the occasional homestead to break the view.

After a long while, we found our selves at the end of the island, so we made an arbitrary left turn and pulled into a grass roofed complex of party shacks. There we found a small restaurant/bar which served an excellent brekky. I mean the eggs were too hot along with the coffee and such. That never happens at restaurants anymore, they are supposed to let your order sit and cool to the mandatory room temperature, right?

The winds were howling as we departed. I got a photo of a sailboat that had dragged anchor in the night. Sucks to be them! At least the seas could not rise up and flog the boat to pieces, like what could have happened on the Gulf side.

We drove across the Navarre Bridge to Gulf Breeze, and made our way down US 98 headed to the.

Florabama!

There was no way we were going to miss out on visiting that old tourist destination! I used to go there regularly during my stay in Pensacola (Back in 1982...).

The problem for the day was that it was freakishly cold out there and I forgot how to get to the bar. I thought it was on Hwy 98, but there was another left turn I missed. We wound up having to look on line of the I-Phone. Damned useful, that phone is.

We got there about Noon and the bar was looking pretty ragged compared to our old memories. That, and the hurricanes that had completely destroyed the bar back in 2006. We chatted for awhile and had a coke with the oyster shucker lady. Turns out that she is from Kalamazoo Michigan.

Everybody in my life is from Michigan, it seems.

Lots of graffiti and bumper stickers. Like Wall Drugs, in South Dakota.

They tested the snow machine and the drinkers were offended.

No idea why the servers were drying their unmentionables over the dance floor.

Everywhere, expensive foundation garments.

This is the second floor request and tip line for the band.

View of the Gulf from the Florabama.

Another method of separating the tourists from their quarters.

A crystal chandelier lives at the Florabama.

Upstairs outdoor bar. Arctic style.

Everywhere, laundry dries.

Just so you know: Method #1 of avoiding the Cover Charge.

There was a snow machine cranking up in the out door bar area and there were four Marines in Dress Blues looking kind of out of place. The 2Lt looked about seventeen and the Master Sergeant was prolly twenty five. Santa was going to air drop into the beach and give/receive presents at 1400.

It was too cold to stay, and besides our hotel was twenty miles away. Wouldn't make sense to have a beer or three and have to stay at another no-tell motel while our gear was at the Hilton. So off we went back to Pensacola Beach, disappointed with our jaunt to that fabled club on the Florida-Alabama border.

We got back in time to walk over to Sliders to watch the Army-Navy game. Even the Sports bar was relatively empty. We ate some burgers and I drank about six draft PBR's while watching the Army take the loss. Ok time but not noteworthy.

Off to the Dock, next door. Of the four places we visited from our past, the Dock looked like we remembered. Very slow in there, we sat alone at the large bar chatting with the bartender. Like a fool, I started drinking Rum. There was no drinkable beer on tap, just the Anheiser-Miller krep. And Yuengling.

My problem with Rum is that I like it. And drink it fast as if it were beer. 

We met a 60ish Gent who came in with a couple of young wimmins. (His Daughters, or something like that) We started chatting and having a nice time. He mentioned that he was a retired Marine (Colonel, of course) and I replied with "Everyone's a Marine, even me."

I said that I had been a reserve Marine 32 years ago and went on to the Navy, blah-blah-blah. That was okay with him, so we got to have a drink, or so more before we departed. Nice guy, he invited us to some Irish Pub on Sunday afternoon and we said we would consider popping by.

We headed home to the hotel before I got to really hitting the rum and we were home in bed by 2130.

Brekkies at the hotel at 0830, Sunday. It. Was. Freezing. Outside. Temps were in the low forties.

I was starting to really feel like winter was trying to target my good time.

The decision to walk the pier was made and we trudged across the tundra (Parking Lot) to the entrance. The person in the tourist shop stopped us and said we had to pay $1.25 each. I gave him a twenty just to see if he could make change. The Pier was even more frigid, and there was a number of hardy fishing folks. Fish was being brought in and we saw many coolers filled with large examples of the prey. One Asian family was really working it, they had a couple coolers with two foot fish flopping around on the dock waiting their turn to enter the blessed relief of the ice chest. Either they were going to use their catch at a restaurant or they were going to fill some freezers with the frutti de mare. I admired the hard work in bringing in all that fish!

But they gave me the stink eye for observing them from 20 feet away. I did not bother trying to get a photo, they may have attacked us thinking that we would steal.

The lonely beach ball

The Dock in the light of day.

Scoopin' up the cigarette butts

The Asian family hard at work making a living.

This one .22 bullet that happened to be on the dock.

I managed to get a shot of one of the dinner selections

Cold.

The Hilton is the middle bldg.

Tourist trap where we bought stuff. Military discount!

At the Irish Pub

That's our buddy Phil, from the night before. He is well known at the Irish place.

After freezing, we decided to warm up in the room for the afternoon. A bottle of Champagne was opened along with a jug o' orange juice and we mixed Mimosas. The television was turned on and we set awhile luxuriating in the new found warmth. By 1500 we felt we should make a move or take naps, so we took off for the Irish Pub on the Pensacola Beach. It was a very Local's kind of place but they were nice. Phil was there and introduced us to his friends. We spent a couple of nice hours getting to know everyone and soon enough it was 1730, time to head home for dinner.

Back to the Hilton, we watched the last two minutes of the Denver game with the Bar folks. Fun! Soon, we sat for steak dinners with the obligatory wine. Dessert was a plate of cheese, and no Port! I asked, no insisted that our server go across the street and acquire some Sandeman Port!

We tipped them well, to say the least. That was the end of our weekend.

The drive back to Jacksonville was rainy and gloomy. At least it got warmer as we got closer to home.

Wonderful, but cold weekend!

Post trip Report

Well,

That was four nights on the road!

We got underway at about five minutes to Four and head into the setting sun. We were packed, the kitties were fed and all was good. Why, we were at least an hour earlier then planned, so the weekend would be the best.

About two hours later, we stopped in Tallahassee for fuel and food at a Burger King. Mistake #1 was trying to eat a stupid f%$&*@ Whopper while driving. I wore most of the toppings on my shirt and I was very angry at my bad choice of food and the muy estupido moron who thought he could actually eat while driving. I really hate smelling like a dumpster from Burger King for two hours. Next time I ask for the burger my way without all the rabbit food fodding the sammich.

We got to the base by 1930, local. I haven't been to Pensacola in many years so I missed the turn to the Navy Lodge. It seems that they leave the sign unlit to save electricity. All the clerk would do was shrug her shoulders as to why the lodge was difficult to locate.

The first view inside was a group of young Air Force folks watching sports on the tv and sharing a box of beer. I asked if there was a mini-mart on base or club where we could get a snack and some beer/wine.

Chiefs Club was closed, as was the Officer's Club. The Mini Mart was closed too. Lucky thing I had a bottle of champagne in the bag.

We lugged our gear to the second floor, walked through a tv lounge with more Air Force guys drinking beer. They looked at me kind of funny, and I almost asked where they had their beer hidden. At least they were very well behaved, because if they were Sailors or Marines, it would have been a loud and rowdy party. And I would have joined them...

Anyway, got into the room which was a cinder block affair reminiscent of the 1980's. It was adequate, but the scent in the air was one of frustration. Nobody wanted to be there at that moment. There was no laughter or jocularity, just doom and gloom of being trapped in a Navy Barracks.

The next morning was cool and clear and we were enjoying a power outage. I was definitely feeling the deja-vu of being in the service again. When I commented to the lady at the desk she just looked at me with glassy eyes and she said, "So?".

Indeed. So we checked out on the spot. We decided to just stay an extra night at the Hilton. At least there would be food and beverages without the oppressive gloom of the barracks.

"You're not supposed to check out until tomorrow...?" Said the nice clerk.

"Yeah, about that: I'm leaving now." I replied. "There is nothing going on here and we would like to enjoy our trip a bit more."

"Well, the CPO Club is open today until Nine O'Clock tonight..." She sniffed.

"That's nice, what happens after Nine? "Sorry, and thanks... "We'll just move along to the Beach and leave the room open for someone who may need it."

The Department of the Navy has been working hard for the past 20 years to de-glamorise alcohol  and basically have shut down all the clubs. No fun at all.

We had breakfast at the local I-Hop vice the Golf Club on base. I figured if the Lodge sucked as bad as it did, the Golf Course Restaurant would definitely disappoint us, too.

1979 is calling, They want their phone back! 

Nice Balcony outside our "suite"

Playground for the kids

View of the Gulf from our room

The coffee was okay.

Lounge where Air Force guys drink beer.

We went to the Museum around 1130. As we entered the door we were greeted by one of the volunteer Docent's who made sure we dropped some money in the big plastic bin. I dropped a twenty and idly chatted for a bit about Naval Aviation. It was kinda tough to get this guy to leave us alone so we could eyeball all of the displays.

It was a very slow day, thankfully. No lines,  maybe about fifty kids wandering around on the tour. We did a fast orbit around the main building and then took the trolly tour of the flight line. That tour would have been better by foot, but the flight line is a working one and they can't have thirty people wandering about  getting into an unsafe situation. The Tour Driver was a retired S-2F Pilot who talked on about his service in the mid 50's to the mid 70's.

Navy Helicopter Squadron Patches.

My first Squadron 1980-1985 We flew SH-3D's

My final Squadron 1990-1995 SH-60B

I flew in the SH-2F at this outfit for a couple years.

Our Tour Driver is a Retired Stoof Pilot.

Simulators!

All aircraft are the originals, no model planes on the ceilings!

A1-Spad (I mean Skyraider)

They even had a downtown display of wartime shops

Remember these old comb displays?

I remember these being sold in 1970

The Cubi Point Cafe. The staff were less than cordial.

One of my readers will recognize a certain LT's name.

These are the original cruise plaques on display There were a number of names I remembered from long ago.

I finally stopped taking photos because there was so much to admire...

We got back to the hangar and began walking around in earnest. The highlight of the afternoon was using the full motion F-18 flight Simulator ($20 bucks for about eight minutes) The simulator was quite realistic and the Spousal Unit worried aloud that I was going to take it upside down which would cause her day to be ruined...

Not a chance! I was not going to fling the simulator around in any way that would cause discomfort. The seat harness was not up for upside down anything, as far as I was concerned. After we finished I asked for another spin while the Spouse exited to safety.

Next launch I had that sucker doing 750 knots at about 1200 ft above ground and I yanked it into a 90 degree turn while pulling all the stick back. A female voice started squawking about excess gee's.

Heh!

A few moments later I was invited to leave, but the staff person (who had been watching my antics, closely) commented on how smooth my handling of the simulator was. I mentioned the situation with the harness, the lack thereof and all that. I was just having a bit of safe fun with no intention of wrecking the machine before the weekend.

The fun thing was that I got the second ride, gratis!

Seems that my girlfriend told them it was my birthday weekend. Hmmf. I'll take the good deals but I would prefer that no one knew about the significance of the date.

Anyway, we departed at 1600, dropped the top and drove by the Aircrew Candidate School. It was fun to see the same building (Still in use!) from my tenure there, thirty years ago. Many of the old hangars were gone along with the old seaplane ramps.

We made the drive to the Beach and we had to use Nancy the Navigator, since it had been over twenty years and some roads were changed. It was a cool ride, the temps dropped to the sixties.

Check in was smooth and we had the bellman carry our gear to the room and we let him park our car, too. We hung out for a bit waiting for evening so we could make the rounds. We decided to stop at the Elk's Lodge, which happens to be on the water.

After we enjoyed three beers, or so, we made our way to Flounders, across the street. I had been there in 1982, but remembered little. She Who Will Be Obeyed was a regular there in 1989 and 1990. She ordered a "Diesel Fuel". We had the good fortune to meet a couple of nice ladies who sat next to us at the bar. They were great fun and it was nice to be part of a group. One interesting coinky-dink was that they were friends with a person I used to work with ten years ago. You should have seen their faces when I casually mentioned Mike B's name.

"How do you know Michael B???"

"I know everything about you ladies..." I teased.

I explained that I had worked with Mike from 2001 to 2003 and he fondly remembered going to High School in Gulf Breeze with another famous football player. So when these nice ladies mentioned that one player, I dropped a name of my own. Small world, right?

View of Dock from room 

Really too bad it was so cold, great looking beach!

We stopped over at the Elks Lodge. They bought our first round!

We went over to "Flounders" and met some new friends. 

Saturday Brekkies at Navarre Beach

It was getting windy and cold. Road trip!

Navarre Beach, Pensacola Bay side.

More Later.