Time to Write:  Quack!  Quack!

File this one in back of your mind under IMPORTANT! 

Had I lived by this "rule" things would be a hellalot different today.  Married to the same woman.  Check.  Different profession.  Check.  Etc.  And you? 

I quack a lot as in quack, quack, quack!  Don't ask why I just quack.   A couple of years ago I crowed a lot like CAW!  CAW!!  CAWWWW!  If I couldn't find Wifey in the mall I do a couple of CAW CAW CAWS!!! and she'd show up post-oh-hast-oh.

That's all changed.  Now I just waddle around the house going "quack, quack, quack".  Damn, I just love it.  Quacking like a duck has brought new reality and reaffirmed who I really am.

You know the saying. .. If it walks like a duck. ... if it quacks like a duck. .. and if it looks like a duck....

IT MUST BE A DUCK!

QUUUUAAAAAAAAAAACK!

And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Time to Think Costumes

Bet these two were wiped out by the end of the evening.   Ya think?

Are you dressing up for the festivities?  I'm thinking of doing something middle Eastern like dressing up like one of those suicide guys.  Dressing like that should make me the center of attention where ever I go.  Might even get some free drinks and food . ...at the jail.

One Of Those Lazy Sundays

Your Kids?

Type B personality kids are being produced by Type A people.  Why?  Hour upon hour in front of the TV.  Then there's lots of computer time.  Need I mention video games?  Next time you're visiting friends who have kids, check out what's available for their leisure reading.  They're brainless.  Passive.  No drive, little ambition.  You reap what you sow. .. .it's all about endless hours doing basically nothing.

Get this.  A friend who knows grandaughter Gracie asked what she could get for her upcoming birthday. 

Wifey:  Head over to B and N and buy a book appropriate for her age group . .. like 9 to 12 years of age.

Friend:  She already has a book.  I want her to have something fun.

She already has a book?!  In our home Gracie has well over 50 hardcover books, most of which she's read.  Grace could always use and would love another. . .. and another. .. and another.....

I think that's how many others look at what kids need:   If they have one book why buy another?  Forget seeing that they have books in their hands that engender critical thinking skills and that challenge the imagination.  Forget there's vocabulary building in each and every book.   But don't forget that we live in a world that thrives on texting and e-mails that are full of misspelled words and abbreviations. .. LOL, IMHO, WTF!. .. etc.    In the midst of all of that, does anyone know the difference between and the proper use of:   your and you're . . or to, two and too?  It's safe to assume that all know how to use the term LMFAO!

Well, I'm laughing my fucking ass off over any of this. 

The Far Side Cartoon here .. .. means this:  The road to hell is always paved with good intentions.

If you think our world and government is a mess now, just you wait and see when the Type B kids rule the world. . . the ones who have been raised on a steady diet of food with no nutritional value, who have spent the majority of their waking hours not communicating directly with anyone other than texting and e-mail, but who are primarily proficient in video gaming and knowing the plot of each and every Twilight episode.

Thank you, parents!

At A Loss For Words?

Just in case you're lost for words. . ......

Happy weekend!

And The Cow Jumps Over The Moon

Things that go bump in the night.  Here's one.  Sometime last night there was something that went bump.  It looked like this around 7:00 a.m.

A deer, feasting on figs from the tree seen here apparently thought that the figs were better on the other side of the fence in the process taking out most of an 8 foot panel of fencing and a little bit of hedge.

No blood, only fur.  I hope it was worth the trouble, Ms. Deer. 

A trip to the lumber yard and a couple of hours later this portion of fence looked like new. . . because it was.

Rogue's Gallery

In August the Parks Service at Whiskeytown Lake asked for photos of "summer fun" on the lake.  I sent in several:  One of me at the helm of Sparkle Plenty and Gracie in the carbird seat, the other of Wifey reading inside the boat's cabin.  Just before Labor Day one wall of the visitor center was adorned with photos of summer fun.

Top row, front and center shows the boat tilted to one side and two sailors hanging on.

Wifey took these photos but chose to not snap the photo of her reading.  Why?  I have no clue.  You can find this photo in an earlier blog post made sometime this summer.

Dry Dock

Yesterday was the perfect autumn day to haul Sparkle Plenty from the lake. You could not have asked for better conditions.

Here's me (ladder), son-in-law Keith (bow) and son Scott securing the mast.

Keith is showing how skillful he is in catching a bridle I tossed to him.  The bridle attaches to the mast and is hoisted.  Another line is attached to the bridle and to a strap on the trailer winch.  The line is tightened to relieve pressure on the headstay (holding the mast to the bow).  A pin holding the headstay is taken off.  The mast is then lowered. 

It goes without saying that there are always adjustments and things that so sideways instead of straight up.  Here's one of them.

One of Grace's classmates and her family (grandmother Helen and mom Sherry) turned out to watch.  Gracie's helping her friend Kendall up onto the boat while I stand by in case she slips.

Shipmates!

Ain't they cute?

Now that the boat is parked in the RV spot alongside the house winter repairs, upgrades and shine can take place.   There's always something needing done.   New windows.  Replace the headstay.  Touch up the bottom paint.  Drain the outboard motor oil and put in fresh oil.  Replace one of the two on board batteries.  Replace the gas tank valve.  Re-wire the three mast lights.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.  Wax top and bottom.  Put back in the water March or April. 

Haulin' Her Out

About this time every year whoever controls lake water levels starts dumping a bunch of it.  This is in anticipation of lots of rain.  A lower lake level translates into the ability to take on lots of run-off.  It also means not a lot of depth for pulling a keel sailboat onto a trailer. 

Check this photo out:  During the summer months the ramp is level to the dock.  It's anything but that today.  And they've just started releasing more water than what's taken in.  Now is the time to haul the boat.

Come Sunday, that's exactly what will happen.

Day before yesterday Wifey and I went sailing.  She loves to get action photos.  I'm scanning the horizon looking for shallow areas to avoid. 

The rest of the time, while motoring to our fav sailing area, I relax.

Ain't life grand?

Oh, the W on the hat?  It stands for WAHOOOO!

Smell My Feet!

This brings thoughts of a variation to, "Treat or treat!  Smell my feet!!  Give me something good to eat!!!  I'm thinking this guy is a plumber.  Ya think?

Someone asked just the other day what I was going to be for Halloween.  Being Bob is like Halloween every day of the year. . . my response to the question. 

Do people in prison dress up for Halloween?   How about soldiers fighting in the Middle East?  Perfect opportunity to dress up like the dudes fighting on the other side and party hardy with 'em.  Who know . . . maybe something like that would lead to ending the war(s).  Think cops dress up?  Okay, they might say, who wants to dress up like the bad guys and carry around an AK47?

I never wear a costume on Halloween.  Maybe a couple of times but mostly never.  It's for kids.  Isn't it?

It's In My Blood

Sailing a catamaran gets in your blood.  Having sailed a cat for well over 20 years I can honestly make that statement.  There's nothing like being at the helm of a multi-hulled sailboat.  Literally, they're the "hot rods" of sailing. 

Here's a video of America's Cup racing trials in Plymouth, England which was completed just this past month.  Elimination and/or match racing will continue in San Diego.

Typical Bob

Watch through the first credit roll (otherwise you won't get it).

October 10th

On this day and barely 18 years old, many years ago, in Oakland, California, I was sworn into the United States Air Force.  It was a matter of go in or be drafted.  Mom said it was a good thing I enlisted as it was her humble opinion I'd either die an early death or receive a lengthy prison sentence . .. yes, Bob was one wild child.  Mom wasn't always right but in this example she probably was.

October 10th.  How could I ever forget this date which brought a life changing experience. 

After our physicals at the induction center and interviews we waited for a bus to take each group to the airport.  While we waited I guess the idea was to set the hook so no one would change their mind and run off.  We were asked to stand and raise our right hand so that the oath of allegiance would be administered.  There were around 30 other guys raising their right hand.  All were headed for boot camp.  Some Air Force, many Army (draftees), a smattering of Marines, some Navy and a couple of Coasties. 

An Army sergeant administered the oath of allegiance.  When he finished he looked over at the Air Force group and asked, "Know what U.S.A.F. stands for?"

Huh?  Well yeah, it stands for United States Air Force.  What else?

The sergeant got that shit ass eating, lifer in the military grin on his face and said, "Nope.  Now that you've been given the oath it stands for U SURE ARE FUCKED!"

Not funny.

The photo here was taken on my selection as Airman of the Quarter.  I did some stuff that the base commander thought was worthy of this honor.  The public relations officer taking the picture for the newspapers asked me to smile. 

Me:  "I'm only smiling when I'm discharged from this man's air force.  Until then, this is what you get." 

The enlistment was for four years.  Three years, ten months, twenty days later I was released for an early out to attend college.  I was smiling big time.

The rest, as they say, is history.

All Fall Down

This morning's paper brought the news that Roger Williams had passed on at the age of 87.   Wow!  Was he really that old?! 

You might remember Roger and his rendition of Autumn Leaves.  Naturally, I had to check out Roger and Autumn Leaves on You Tube this morning.  Fitting, I thought, that Roger should pass away in the fall season when there are so many autumn leaves.



Of course, the next song that came to mind was California Dreaming. . . .as it begins with "all the leaves are down"......funny how word association works the mind.



Off to walk to dogs and enjoy the California autum leaves.

Happy Sunday.