November 28, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving

We had a great holiday with family, in-laws and outlaws. Pretty weather but not nice enough to try and find a few trout to take home. Maybe one more time before we put the toys up for the year...............

Our Sanford edition visited us from Friday through today; Jackson just started back to Hampden-Sydney; it's about 4.5 hours and he's using a GPS that works 50% of the time at best...........that Eagle Scout reckoning will be kicking in soon.

Sadly I lost a golfing buddy from Texas last weekend; Greg taught me a lot of new and innovative methods to improving my golf course cursing over the past decade; I'll miss him.

Off to Ohio tomorrow early AM

Well we were standing on a corner in Scottsdale Arizona.....
November 19, 2010

Such a fine sight to see; we tried to get to Winslow Arizona for the photo-op but ran out of time. Good, productive AHRI meeting (http://www.ahrinet.org/) and actually had some "action" in the Air Filter/UV Light section. That's a mouthful but I take a lot of pride in that section's work for our industry, as I am chairman, ahem...(brushing lapels with knuckles)
Here's the view from our hotel room at the Phoenician in Scottsdale. The mountain is Camelback, more from that later

On Sunday night we had T-bones outside (no, not here) at the historic Jokake Inn. Dinner featured the largest Tequila Bar in Arizona, the largest wine bar in Arizona, and a "Cosmo Corner." That's all I remember hearing about that evening although I'm told it was a lot of fun. JK, calm down..........you really have to learn to take a joke, and maybe a drink. That reminds me..........

OK, I'm back

The next morning Dr. Larry Sabato entertained us with his regular "I told you so" speech about the elections. He is always funny, but seemed a bit more subdued this year than in the past. Afterwards I asked Terri if she thought he is Democrat or Republican; she thinks Republican, what are your thoughts?

Then into a rental car (Rusty Wallace had it over the weekend! Really? You should call Rusty and tell him I have it today) and north to Seratoma, Sertoma, Sanoma, Sedona....something like that. Pretty scenery, kept going to Flagstaff and slightly beyond. We were within an hour of the Grand Canyon but didn't have time for it. The desert turned from red rock to forestry as we climbed north; very pretty and unlike Phoenix.

North of Flagstaff we visited Sunset Crater, a relatively new (less than 1,000 years old) volcano. Reminds me of flying over Mt. St. Helens; looks like the top blew off.

After my meetings and the chairman's lunch Tuesday we climbed Camelback Mountain. Well, we kind of climbed it; didn't make it to the top but got a good workout. Good picture below, in the lower left hand corner you can see part of The Phoenician, the green beyond that is the golf course. Top right are the Bluffs. Dinner that night featured a band, and yes, I took my wife dancing. And contrary to popular belief, I didn't start my evening at the historic Jokake Inn. We had a lot of fun...................or so I'm told.
Lastly I came home to see this old fellow having a good day Thursday. Sorry to say he doesn't have those kinds of days very often, but yesterday was a good one. Good to see him smiling and laughing.

Hampden-Sydney has a playoff game tomorrow at 12; Jackson isn't on the NCAA regulated squad roster for the game; but is one of the 10 alternates. We're going back and forth tomorrow, and then FO is fishing here Sunday. Going to be a busy weekend, and then in town for Thanksgiving week.

November 12, 2010
I been to Alabama................

Seems as though there is a song in there somewhere, but I can't remember where.

So I should begin by telling you that unlike Sherman we didn't burn our way across the South, we decided to eat our way. Outside Atlanta we found this eatery, very similar to Five Guys in quality, huge servings of fries, and extreme courtesy. Would you like a refill on that drink sir? Care for some more fries? Want to try one of our apple pie samples? They must be in cahoots with the cardiac center at WakeMed. Very fine, if you have the means I recommend it heartily

Business has been improving all year, but with a freshman in college it looks like we're having to do a few other things to improve cash flow around the house................a special thanks to TAR for going the extra mile! This from the hood in Atlanta; yes Jackson, Daddy works in bad neighborhoods. Unfortunately we had already eaten when we found this near a distributor in Mobile, AL. They were cooking pork over coals when we came by late in the afternoon; yes Jackson, Daddy works in bad neighborhoods.
No you're not, I am the Stig!

Last but not least, one of my favorite pictures of this couple; AND yes, the faces were cropped to protect the innocent even though the perpetrator was not innocent when caught doing this. He always makes me smile; know who this is?

Packing up tonight, leaving for the annual AHRI (www.ahrinet.org) meeting in Phoenix. Found out this week that I have to present our section's report to the board meeting Sunday morning. Staying at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, really helps make up for the Hindu hotels I have to stay in waaaaaaay too often. Hope TAR wants to go to Barrett-Jackson.

November 6, 2010
Y'all ready for this?

Saw this yesterday in WV, not quite ready for this season, how about you?

Then on the way home through VA I decided to participate in an impromptu cattle drive.

Bossy, Elsie, Baby and crew decided to make a run for it across the highway. Luckily I had my hat, pulled the VW in through the ditch slapped the side of the car and started driving the herd to Dodge.

Well, not into Dodge, more like into "a" Dodge. YeeeeeeHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

And speaking of YeeeeeeHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, how about a HiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiYoooooooooooo. The Fishin Optishin thought the picture of Kevin from last week looked a tad familiar. Think so?

HiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiYoooooo is what this old guy's sidekick used to say, and since FO is my sidekick, or am I his sidekick? I forget which is which. Well they do call it The Fishin Optishin Hole in the Head Gang, so I must be the SunCantDance Kid................

again, hiiiiiiiyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

And I leave Monday about 630AM for GA and AL. Back home late Thursday night, then off to AZ Saturday for some business in the desert. Sure hope they have banana splits......

HiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiYoooooooooooooooooo

October 29, 2010
What is a BTM?

Off to Planet Houston last week for an industry meeting. It was good to get away but I didn't get accomplished what I planned. We visited the park across the street, this fountain was filled with children cooling off in the high 80's

So..........................is it just me, or does the plaid jacket look a little silly? How about the helmet? Perhaps it is the life jacket. Maybe it's the complete package. Remember Jackson, all college students have a camera with them at all times; pictures and video taken may come back to haunt you. Ain't nothing but a road trip......................

Lots of question may arise from this picture; I have to wonder where that BTM Sports Center t-shirt is, and if it will fit? I can't figure out the hat, or why you killed those little stripers; and who is this guy anyway?

Going to Ohio next week; a visit to the factory and then training for our new reps in the area. I plan to see a couple of key distributors and at least one potential. Behave yourself

October 22, 2010
As Molly Brown said....................

She was a rather famous person and a passenger on the Titanic. As it slipped below the surface she said to a raft mate "well that's something you don't see everyday" The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Any way, this activity took place across the creek this week; sad to see a house torn down like that. I'd heard it went through foreclosure, and then an auction where the bank didn't receive an acceptable bid. The house was an older one on that street, I'd guess from the 70's, but it's hard to comprehend what I saw. Hope this is the end of the housing free fall, although a lot of experts disagree. We're in it for the long run so HOLD ON!

I went fishing in the yellow boat Wednesday afternoon for a couple of hours, lots of activity, nothing to bring home. I found a hole with some pretty (but illegal) black sea bass, and some undersized flounder. On Thursday morning I took the Sea Pro out in the ocean. Caught plenty of good sized blues, brought them home and fried them, and then took them to Crystal Bluffs for the staff to enjoy; that took about 10 minutes before I had a clean Pyrex dish back in my hands. But this picture below is the story, and of course my little toy camera doesn't do it justice (where's Bobby when I need him?) Offshore there is a bar of shallow water, often with breaking surf on top of it. Unless there is no swell I stay away from it, but this boat must have been on some fish in that shallow water as they stayed right in it. The picture show it well, but every now and then they had a nice roller on the bow. Fortunately no capsize..................

And we're off to Houston in a minute for the annual HARDI Meeting; see you there?

October 15, 2010
Variety is the spice of life

Lots of different pictures from the past couple of weeks. Let's start with a day trip to Sanford where we watched the next Pele.........OK, maybe not quite that good, matter of fact he has a ways to go; but we went to see Cooper play, and Jay coach.
In this shot Jay outlines his strategy
"No hands"

Cooper follows the play.....at a safe distance

I caught Cooper right after he unleashed his super secret weapon on the other team. The boy in the grey jersey on the left just caught a whiff of Jif

Which way do we go team? This way!

While in Sanford we saw this T-Bird in front of the Temple Theater. Betty Ruth had a burgundy one, beautiful car, great lines

Some sights from my trip to northern VA and MD. This is an actual pizza restaurant sign in VA. Hmmmmm, think I'll pass; but if I ever did go I would be realllllllly nice to the wait staff.

And then this from the classy hotel where I stayed in Manassas. You know I'm shelling out the big bucks for lodging when this is strapped to the pickup truck next to me. Not sure what the theme is here.........kind of a pirate animal with a pistol. Any ideas what kind of stuffed animal? Why the patch? Why the pistol? Why do I stay in such nice hotels?

In town some of next week, then off to Houston for HARDI on Friday. Let's go fishing if the wind should ever lie down for a couple of hours