T.W.C.G. First Birthday...Who-Rah!!!!

Just got a few picks of The World's Cutest Granddaughter's first birthday and thought I'd share them with you....







Look at that haul...wait til Daddy gets home in March..there will be even more to celebrate...



That's Daddy's picture in front of her...mom has been very intent on seeing that she doesn't think he is a stranger when he gets home...she has talked to him on the phone and they send videos back and forth...so it won't be a big surprise to see him again....



Grandma from Arizona came for the party that made it extra special....



Are you sure these glasses make me look more sophisticated?...





Whew!!...what a day...but you only turn one once.. so you got to live it up.....










That's all For Now...

Live,Love,Laugh

Semper Fi

Monk

2ND Annual Wine Walk = A Good Time.....

Even though the second annual Dearborn Street Wine Walk become a "Wine Stagger" by the end for some of the participants..(your supposed to taste and spit)...everyone had a great time...I got to be a volunteer and had great fun riding around all day in a $4000 golf cart delivering ice and other supplies to the vendors....along the way I would give some poor soul... with tired feet or someone who had perhaps done a little less spitting than they should have...a ride to one end of the street or the other....

I even got flagged down by two women who said they just wanted a ride with a cute guy...that was a dead giveaway..I know they hadn't spit once the whole day...the only person that ever called me cute was my mother and that only lasted for the first year...who could blame them for not spitting...there were over a dozen vendors passing out fine wine and food...you just don't waste something that good... the walk was spread out over ten blocks....over 300 people had purchased tickets by the end of the day and the storm clouds held off til almost the very end of the day.....

There also were several artists on the street as well as several great musicians.. the music and art were fantastic....

My good friends Ronnie (sorry Ronnie..I didn't realize you were hidden behind Sandy), Sandy (who is helping me formulate a book on my adventures in paradise) and Richard (an artist in his own right) check out his work at : www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/s/seagull/ ...all volunteered their time and efforts...thanks my friends!!...

My friend Lisa (Kayak Outpost) was the head of the volunteers and Joyce with one of the two owners of Vino Loco who sponsored the event...


It was also the day for the unveiling of a county sponsored event....each year several leading artists from around the country will be asked to contribute to a mural that will depict the history and heritage of the Englewood area...this first years artists came from as far away as California and as you can see there were some very talented paintings done that will now be displayed at various locations in the county...my only criticism is...why didn't they use artists from the area??...there is all the talent they would ever need right here at home...there is a saying that goes something like...In your own home town no one ever appreciates your talent, but leave the area and you are the out of town expert.....each year several more will be done and added to the growing collection of art devoted to the history of the area.....I hope they don't have to go to far out of town next year to find their experts.....


Well That's All For Now..

Live, Love, Laugh

Semper Fi

Monk

Hurry Back To Paradise....

Had to say good-bye to my two favorite Valentines from Ohio...Linda and Kelli....we went to T.J. Carneys in Sarasota and listened and danced to a great group (whose name eludes me) they played everything from Irish Jigs to Rock and Roll...we had a great time... I'm going to get the rest of the group over there when the band is back in town in March....come back soon ladies..we miss you!
















Wednesday at the Coconut Grove was wet and wild...it poured just as the guys started their set..of course we had a table just outside the protection of the roof over the bar area...we were OK for a while then it really started to pour and the table umbrella wasn't enough...we managed to pull the table closer to the band under the roof (kind of) my chair ended up next to the microphone of Mark (one of the members of "The Smoked Mullet Band" who was kind enough to sit in for Kenny Rose who had to sit out because of an overworked larynx...he was better by Thursday at Braymer's Pub where he sings a couple of times a month...tonight (Friday) he'll be at "Stump Pass" for his regular Friday gig...hope the voice holds out we look forward to his performance...


The ladies had a great time even if the dance floor was only about ten square feet or so (moving the tables out of the rain really didn't leave very much room to dance) we all took turns.. the dance floor would only hold about six people max...these two kids (brother and sister) came right up and joined in..they were having a ball....Dancing Debbie, Ronnie and Sandy made them feel right at home....



Ronnie's son Edward was in town for a few days and got to dance with Mom a couple of times..he had to go back home this AM..(New York City) he'll be back in four weeks for another visit...He's a bartender at the famous NYC restaurant "Ruby Foos" and like many bartenders in NYC..a struggling actor...he has done some "Off,Off Broadway" and says that if he gets a part "Off Broadway" it can make a major difference in an acting career..."Break a leg Ed"....

Of course we have the latest on T.W.C.G...here she is spelling her name on the fridge...I see it..try squinting..you'll see it...can't...well maybe it takes a special Grandfather squint..


This looks like she is attempting to become the youngest girl to ever ride a big wheel...I wasn't informed as to outcome of the attempt but I'm sure if anyone could do my girl could.....

...."Mom, Mom...The cat locked me out again!"
















...."Are you sure Daddy can see with this hat on?"













That's all for now...

Live, Love, Laugh

Semper Fi

Monk

Valentine Breakfast And Other Tidbits....

I decided for Valentines Day to take several(seven) of my friends (women) I know to breakfast...I thought it would be a nice surprise for them and they really got a big kick out of it...being the forgetful person I am....I didn't take one single picture of the event...what an ass...however here are two that were invited but not there...Linda (on the left) and Kelli...Kelli is Ronnie's sister (see pic in last blog) and Linda is a friend of hers they are both visiting from Ohio....they call Kelli "The Legend"....it seems she got the nickname last season when she was at a local hotspot.."Sharky's"...a restaurant and bar on a 1000 foot pier in Venice...Kelli had just scolded her sister for embarrassing her by eating her asparagus with her fingers...the band started playing a song...I think it was called.."The Gator" or something like that...Kelli jumps up and says, "Did you ever see the dance "The Gator"? and immediately falls to dance floor on her back and and starts flailing her hands and legs in the air.. for all intent looking like a frantic turtle stranded on it's back...and she thought she was embarrassed by her sister!!....hence she is now called "The Legend"...they still talk about it at Sharky's....Linda and Kelli didn't make the breakfast..both were sleeping in (hung over) from the previous nights festivities..keep in mind they had just got in town the night before..they wasted no time getting back into the swing of things...we all had gone to The Coconut Grove to listen to our friend Kenny Rose do his thing...and it seems they continued to party after getting back to Ronnie's house...Ronnie (the sensible one) went to bed knowing that she had to get up for the breakfast....I don't blame them it's their vacation ..the rest of us here in paradise have the time to spread out the good times...



The rest of the Valentine breakfast group consisted of Debbie (Dancing Debbie, see previous pic), Lisa (pic hard at work in the Village Gift coffee shop), Sandy ( see new pic in next section..she really hated that other one in the last blog), Ronnie and Helen (see last blog)...I was glad that I had the opportunity to treat them to breakfast..we all had a great time and lots of laughs and that's what friends do.....Of course when we were all at Coconut Grove the night before and the waitress saw one man sitting with six women (half the women in the place) she said, I "was one purple hat short of becoming a pimp"......


Here is a shot of Sandy at a Tiki Bar called "The White Elephant" we go there often for the good food and great entertainment...on Sundays its karaoke and they have the best singers in town...I don't know why all the good ones come here when so many of the bad ones show up all over the place...its not like they screen them at the White Elephant....I guess the bad ones just know they are bad and don't want to be embarrassed by showing up where even the waiters and waitresses can sing better than them....


Here is Kenny Rose's son...once again stupid ass forgot to get his name, sorry Kenny....his son sings in a group in Michigan and he did a couple of songs in each set last night at another great Tiki Bar called "Stump Pass" its a marina, restaurant and bar and is our Friday night hangout...the kid has his father's talent and really belted out some great songs....


And of course what would my blog be without a few pics of the TWCG (The World's Cutest Granddaughter)......she has her first Valentines day outfit on and looks like she really knows what the card says...one thing I know for sure is that she knows how much she is loved and doesn't need the card to prove it....I hope this blog sticks around cyber space long enough for her to read someday...of course she already knows how much Grandpa loves her....and that goes for the other three World's Cutest Grandchildren as well...Samantha, Kevin and Alex..how can I be so lucky to have all these wonderful kids and grandkids...the good Lord saved me from all the perils of war so that these two generations and the ones to follow could be born...nothing that I could ever do can outshine this life accomplishment....I'm so proud I could bust........

Travis got written up in the base newspaper in Abu Dhabi...his unit got a new trailer that is the newest kind of portable firing range and as one of the bosses he got several quotes and pics in the article....it keeps them on base for firing and that's a good thing when (even in Abu Dhabi) there is no really secure place outside the wire......





My neighbor from up north, Karen, came down for a visit at the home of some other mutual friends of ours...Bob and Kathie..here they all are on our golf outing in Sarasota...then we followed that up with an outing down my way at Rotunda Links just a short way from my place....we had a great time and then Karen..who only had a week....had to go back to fridged north country...hurry back Karen......

That's All For Now..

Live, Love, Laugh..

Semper Fi...

Monk

A Little Of This...A Little Of That and Something To Think About...

Travis got to go to the Dubai Open and watch Tiger Woods birdie five of the last eight holes(that's tiger in the red) in a come from behind win...he didn't get an autograph..to much security...but he did get to walk every hole with some of his fans....

I know that some of you think that the Air Force at Dubai has it pretty easy for being overseas in a war...for those of you who think its no big sacrifice or these men and women are not contributing like the guys in Iraq...let me just remind you of a few things...Travis like every single person over there has to be away from his family for months at a time...some of them...like Travis.. had new little sons and daughters that they had to leave behind....he did not get to see TWCG take her first crawl, her first steps and say her first words and you can't ever get those moments back...his job is to teach his fellow airman how to take care of and use their weapons in combat...he is a Combat Arms Instructor...and a damn good one...if and when the people that he instructs ever need to use their weapons to protect themselves and others they will be ready and not hesitate for lack of training...the military police of the Air Force are also trained combat fighters...that friendly guard at the gate or the airman standing guard over a plane are taught to react quickly and efficiently when a threat is determined.. believe me you would not want to put them to the test....and last but not least...those men and women are under the constant threat of death just like anyone in a war zone...one suicide bomber or one missile from hell could end their lives just as quickly as any roadside bomb in Iraq or Afghanistan...any service man or women serving anywhere in the world is there to protect each and every citizen from horrors that you see everyday happening to people all over the world...9/11 was our wake up call and because of these fine young people we have been protected from further mass bloodshed since that day....what they are doing is working.... all of them should be applauded on sight for their sacrifice.......at the end of his last note to me he said good night and said that "his mission would continue tomorrow"...they don't look upon their duties as jobs..they look at them as part of their mission to protect and serve...each day for them is part of a bigger mission and we as a country better wake up to that fact.....and the asshole in this picture got exactly what he deserved.....

For those of you that are constantly undermining the efforts and mission of the brave men and women at war this sign is for you.....

The dog and sign is just a political opinion..you have the freedom to disagree....

Here are few of my friends enjoying an evening out..we laugh and dance to the ever popular tunes of Mr. Kenny Rose and with his side kick...an artist in his own right..Ronnie...they make a duet called "Two Sheets To The Wind" .... Yes I know there are three people in one of the pictures...a friend and fellow musician joined in for a couple of tunes...he was leaving Florida forever to move back up north...silly man...

Here we see our friend Ronnie being attacked by a very wasted girl who insisted that she should dance with her..

I do apologize for the lack of quality of the pics...but it was night and a cell phone with no flash..I think all considered they came out pretty good...Here is Sandy she may have to leave our little group..she is job hunting and there are more opportunities up north than here for her line of work..systems expert..and a very good one....we are going to miss her...were still hoping she can find something here...

Here are the gals dancing up a storm..that's Debbie in the middle (Dancing Debbie) and she is always one with the song...she says she would dance in the car if she could...I and all other drivers are glad she can't...

Here's Helen she always has a smile...I was in a little bit of a rough spot..I know she likes to dance but I don't dance the fast ones (well sometimes) and she doesn't like to dance with the girls...Thankfully..I was saved by a mutual friend a couple of times...

Now...as I was saying...Travis got the rare privlage of seeing a major sporting event and the honor of being one of the people in Tiger's gallery....here are just some of the pictures he sent me....

Some odds and ends...Here we see two of Sarasota's finest who will now serve Englewood once per week on horseback...it is a real treat to see such beautiful animals up close...the horses not the officers...they draw a croud no matter where they stop.....

And of course what would my blog be without some pics of TWCG...she has a new toy and is thrilled to death with it...mom says she laughs and giggles the whole time she is on it...

Well that's is all for now....Dakota says bye-bye..and she can't wait to see daddy...

Semper Fi

Monk