"Carpe Diem" Or As I Say.."Fish Of The Day"

Just in case you doubted...I do catch some great fish down here...Take this nice Snook for example..(even though he looks dead he was released unharmed..Lisa) as a matter of fact that picnic table is over three feet wide...(just kidding this table is a miniature table at the end our local dock..about two and a half feet) but still a nice fish...This year so far I have caught plenty of Reds, Snook, Trout and Pompano and scores of fun fish that are not good to eat but fight like Jack Bauer backed into a corner....

Had a great birthday...a group of my friends (Shirley , Flo and Helen pic on left)and I went to a local Pub and listened to half of my favorite group...Smoked Mullet..the two of them call themselves "Finger Mullet" (a fishing reference..a young Mullet is called a "Finger Mullet")....Picture is of whole group...got to dance a little and drink a lot...slept til noon....they tell me that I had a great time....Here I'm well on my way as evidenced by the "Where am I" .."What Day Is It?" look on my face.....That's my boy Kyle..Says he's found his goal in life...he wants to be President...Hey, now that we know anybody can...you go Kyle..."W" and Obama are so far apart it would take light ten years to get from one to the other...if they could do it so can you....

Speaking of smoked mullet....here is the real thing...my next door neighbor Chris..who is also a very accomplished artist...he carves small and large marine life pieces and in the next installment I'll show you a few....he also smokes mullet as well as other fish...I got to sample one of these smoked Redfish and can't wait for more.....

Dearborn Street had it's First Annual Art Walk in October and it was very successful...my friend Richard was the featured artist at the Englewood Art Gallery here in town... you can check out or buy some of his work on line at... www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/s/seagull ...



Forgot why I took this picture..Oh Yeah!..the half naked girl in the background..body painting is an art form isn't it?...Sign me up...I just found a new hobby...

Halloween in Englewood is a very special event...for the past ten years or so the merchants on Dearborn Street all get together and invite all trick or treaters to a safe walk for treats...it has become so popular that the crowd has grown to nearly ten thousand in the last two years...it's an all day event and some of the costumes are hilarious.....

Not that my friend Tony's is that funny..I just don't know what or who he was supposed to be...at least I think it was a costume..with Tony you never know for sure....Maybe the surprise comes when he opens the coat...don't know...even if I did...I wouldn't say.....

T.W.C.G. had her Halloween with Mom and Dad and she just can't get any cuter...got lots of candy...and enjoyed her first real Holloween (to young for the last one) ...of course like most of us...to much of a good thing finds you passed out in some very strange places and positions...

Looks like Dad had to work on Halloween...it will be any day now and our new baby Caley will arrive on the planet...God gives us miracles every day....

My friend Lisa has gone to Greece...she had found an old high school friend on line and they got to talking....her friend invited her to come stay awhile...at least a month...and she may consider staying for even longer....we'll miss her but what a fantastic adventure...she'll have to come back and get her dogs so I know we will see her again...and even if she decides to live there she will come back for visits...I've talked to her a couple of times and she is having a ball...the only pic I got before she left was at her going away party...Kyle and she had to stand under a light because all I had was my cell phone camera...I have been amazed at how well that thing works...most of the shots in my blog are from the cell phone....what did we ever do without them...I know one thing...I used to have dozens of phone numbers memorized that I couldn't even attempt to recall now....I don't want technology to do so much for me that my mind turns to mush...so I ponder Quantum Physics and my place on the continuous chain that is mankind's existence...yeah sure!....I'm lucky if I remember what day of the week it is...

Here is a picture for you to ponder...do you think this is Mother Nature's way of saying..."Have A Nice Day"...what a fantastic shot....

Can't leave without at least one beautifull sunset from Paradise...this is across the bay from the dock behind the house....

That's All For Now....

Semper Fi...

Live, Love, Laugh, Fish

Monk

Happy..Happy..Joy..Joy..!!!

I have returned to Paradise and I couldn't be happier...not that I don't miss my family back in New York...but I just can't help but feel that Florida is my home now...Don't get me wrong...I do love the time I spend in my little house by the water...but...my friends are here and now that I have a little house by the water here it's like I have died and gone to heaven...I have already caught and released several nice Snook, Reds and Trout..not to mention two very nice Flounder that I caught yesterday that were in the four or five pound class....I have the most wonderful landlady that anyone could ask for...I rent one half of a house by Lemon Bay.. she had my place all ready...fully furnished, glasses, dishes and even Nick-knacks..not over done but just nice enough to be a comfortable place to call home...a bachelor pad to rival any on the bay....


Some family news....My beautiful and talented Daughter Kelsey came in sixth in a cheer leading competition that had over 60 girls from all over the area competing...her four teammates and she finished First, sixth, eighth and fourteenth...all will compete in a top 25 event to take place soon....way to go Kelsey...I'm very proud of you.....



















Of course the world's Cutest Grandaughter just keeps getting cuter and cuter here are a few shots of some of her outings with Dad and Mom....Mom is now seven months along on producing number two who will be named Cali Jean...a beautiful name for a beautiful new baby girl that will brighten the lives of all....

Dakota is now of the "Climbing and Expoloring Everything" age...the top of Dad's desk is no exception...But when your this cute you can get away with a lot....

My son Andy is proud of himself and has a right to be...he went shooting with his brother Ryan..the cop...and some of his buddies...first time shooting a rifle and at 80 yards shot the eyes out of this quarter...which now proudly adorns his key chain...nice shooting Andy are you sure you want to be a fireman?...

Went to a local fly-in...it only happens once a year but we really get to see some great planes and hear some great stories....here are just a few of the rare aircraft we got to see up close and personel....

A few odds and ends for your enjoyment or NOT....is this cover for real?...

Hey the Dems have some lookers also....

Well have a Happy Holloween...Don't over do it...or you'll end up like my three pumpkin buddies...

Remember..Be a Patriot...and always read the fine print.. (see pic below)..

Till Next Time...
Semper Fi...
Live, Love, Laugh, Fish
Monk

Where Did August Go ?.......

Wow I just lost a whole month..I'm getting ready to head back south and just realized I didn't post one thing for August....Well I've got plenty of Pics and some interesting stories to tell...so here goes...

This of course is my lovely daughter Kelsey and myself...I thought your friends and family are supposed to tell you if you they think it might be time to change a hair style or a look...all last year I sported a Fu Man Chu kind of look with my mustache...well as it turns out no one liked that look and only after I changed it to the one seen here did they say it was about time...they said that my mustache made me look like some evil hell's angel or at best like that guy on the cable show that builds a new motorcycle each week..the name eludes me right now...but you know the one...his mustache goes all the way down the side of his neck...well anyway...they all said that they hated that look on me and were real glad that I changed it...why the hell didn't they tell me that in the first place...just think of all the potential dates that I chased away...they tell me that this look makes me look more like myself...whatever that means...I've never been the tall, dark and handsome type anyway so I don't think I lost to many opportunities for romance in either case.....

Kevin and Diane had a birthday party for my grandson Alex...16 years old...wow it's hard to believe I have a grandson that's ready to drive...both a car and his parents crazy with worry every second he is on the road...welcome to the club Kev and Di...here are a few shots of the party and guests....Congrats Alex...be nice and have some sympathy for mom and dad......

This is one of his presents from his Aunt Sue....Alex is a fantastic baseball player and his aunt did this excellent pen and ink...it was the hit of the party... pun definitely intended...

Travis and Shannon took Dakota to a small carnival and she had a ball with Dad and Mom and really loved the petting Zoo...

How could you not love a face like that...I don't care.. she is the Worlds Cutest Granddaughter in the one to two year old bracket and of course my beautiful granddaughter Samantha wins hands down in the teenager bracket....Here she is with her dad at our family picnic...She's a little camera shy but I'll get a better pic for next time...

Of course Travis had to prove his manhood at the carnival and win his girls a prize...it only took ten dollars or so to win this beautiful fifty cent blow up hammer which I'm sure lasted at least until they got home...You Da Man Trav....!!

Here are a few more shots of their day at the Carnival.....looks like fun...

Speaking of fun here is a video of Dakota's favorite thing to do...Dance...I guess she is quite the dancer...of course there will be a lot more practice until she reaches the ballet...but she is off to a good start..the dog looks good too...but he did the smart thing and got out of the way...

Bath time with Dad looks like fun too...I think Dad has a little bit to much fun...Dakota doesn't seem to mind...I wouldn't bet against it...but I'll bet the next pic I get in the bath that the dog will be there as well....

Speaking of the dog...I guess she is pretty rough with him...but no matter what she does she gets away with it...It's a good thing..he doesn't look to happy in this shot...if the dog ever decided to go mid-evil on her she would only be an appetiser...that's a big dog...but American Bulldogs are well known for their love of kids....and besides she always kisses and makes up with him in the end....

I mentioned our family picnic... we always have a great time and this year was no exception...I must have hit 300 shots to the outfield over the course of the day..and on top of that we played six games of volleyball....this was one hurtin' old man at the end of the day...but I couldn't let the kids have all the fun....my nephew Dan's son Zack winds up for the pitch in this pic..he has a ways to go but he's got style...

We ate til we busted and of course played cards...the kids never stopped and I'll bet they all slept til noon the next day...

My sister Jean just got back from her son's place in Idaho...she visited her newest grandson for the first time...the whole family went...Rick, Kelly and even Grandpa Bob...

Zack looks pretty good in my hat...but I think he'll have to grow into it before I get him his first real Panama Jack.....

I'll leave you with a few more pics that I got off the Internet....there are some pretty creative people out there....they also have way to much time on their hands...

That's All For Now...

Til Next Time...From sunny Florida

Live, Love, Laugh, Fish

Semper Fi...

Monk