Chapter 76 - A Real Mulligan

mul·li·gan

ˈməliɡən/

noun

                          NORTH AMERICANinformal

noun: mulligan stew

:a stew made from odds and ends of food.

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And this is my version of a "Mulligan Stew". A chapter made from odds and ends not of food, but of life. My Olla Podrida, Spanish-style as it were.

And this Chapter begins with the...

It was a lot of hard work just like last year but, I don't think, as profitable as last year. It was definitely smaller in scope and scale than last year's effort. But better organized. Much, much better organized.

And here it is. Kinda thin and spread out but it was a solid effort and fun. Albeit a bit pricey.

And everyone had fun. Like this little girl on the train who was blowing bubbles. She quickly became known as the Bubble Queen. But it was a neat additional touch to the whole carnival-like atmosphere we were trying to create. Plus, she got to sit down and ride the train a lot of times.

The colorful bouncy house overlooking the ocean. It was, honestly, a beautiful day and when I took the time it was a great place to look out over the ocean. What a great location.

OK, long story. Last year Carol had on her 'Volunteer' PixieFest T-Shirt when this woman, the one on the right, approached her and complimented her on the shirt. Carol says, "Oh, you like it? Here." And takes it off and gives it to her.

This year the woman, on the right, finds Carol and thanks her for the T-Shirt from last year and then gave Carol a bracelet she had made especially for her. Carol was almost speechless. Almost. It's good to see kindness come full circle.

I was taking a break in the Shell Room enjoying an adult libation when I spotted the Raines Family enjoying their lunch and listening to the musical entertainment.

They had three musical acts a day and, really, they were all good listening. They were all good and easy to listen to.

Just having fun and shooting around. A view of the folks waiting for their kids in the bouncy house to get tired. Behind them is the swing machine. It swings back and forth in ever-increasing arcs. 

You can see the bubbles from the machine that Carol, the Bubble Queen, bought. It was prolific...and it went through a LOT of bubble liquid.

Here comes the train!! And this year they added a little steam horn to it. 

And, look real close, you can see The Bubble Queen there in the caboose. Blowing bubbles.

Woo, woo!!

There's the train station. The Orange Shirts are this year's volunteer T-Shirt. 

Lookit that view of the ocean, right!!

They had games for the kids throughout the day. Here they got to taste food from Cap'n Barnacle's Sea Locker. They had things like Spam and sardines and oysters for the kids to eat. If you couldn't and you spit it out then you were eliminated.

Here Michael Raines, he didn't like something they had to eat and was hurrying to spit it out. Annnnd, he's out!!

To be honest, Cap'n Barnacle brought over the left-over spam and I sorta knoshed on it while continuing to enjoy my adult beverage. And, while I know it is not at all good for me, I enjoyed the hell out of it.

This was a big surprise!! It's Katie!! The Ace Cub Reporter for the Daily Metropolitan Newspaper, The News Guard and her sidekick, Tim. Whom I thought was named Ben and addressed him, several times, as such. Until I was corrected.

So, here ya go TIM and Katie...volunteer Pixies!!

Looking good!!

And then the Pixies met up with the Bubble Queen!! What a great shot.

It turned out that Saturday, June 30, the first day of the PixieFest was also the Birthday of Mike!!

Happy Birthday, Big Guy!!

He got a fancy craft beer for his birthday present.

OK, the whole thing is over with. I'm done. I'm heading back to the shack. I walk out to the lot where I parked the KIA. There are NO overhead wires, mind you.

And here's the car that was to the immediate right of my KIA.

Looks nice and clean, right!?!

And here's the car parked to the immediate left of my car. Again, no overhead lines and this car is looking good, eh!?!

And then there's my car...

...WTH!!!

It's like a flock of sick birds held it just long enough to get to my car and then...splat!!! 

There had to be more than one. And their aim was. Im. Pec. Ca. Ble.

Uncanny!!

OK, fast forward to the Monday after the PixieFest. It's July the 2d. I had washed the KIA after having it doo-doo dive-bombed on the 30th of Jun...just two days prior. 

I walk out of my shack whistling a merry tune and see this!!

WTH!!!

Was it the same bird!?! Did he have a vendetta against me?!? Have I pissed off the Bird King and he's ordered my car to be singled out for repeated decoration!?!

These SOBs hit the KIA from stem to stern...and points in-between.

I was ready to eat lead and spit bullets. Once was enough but, this, so soon, was just a bit too much.

So several days went by with no action but, then, on the 7th of July, some nasty creature unloaded a huge case of some exceedingly sticky and foul bird squat over the front windshield.

I took the hose and a rag to it and got it off the top and the windshield...or so I thought. It's so sticky there is still a ring of residue left that I didn't get off. A fairly large ring.

It's getting old, fellas.

Ahhhhh, let's step back and smell the flowers, shall we.

I was tired of my cover photo for FB and I didn't have any shots on the computer. My disk is always full and so I whined to Allie and she graciously sent me a gizmo that allows me to store all the photos on it to free up space on my computer. So all my pictures are over there, in the file cabinet drawer, in that thingie, about three-feet away. As I sat there, looking at the file cabinet waaaaay over there, I remembered that FB had popped up one of those "Do you remember" things where they put up a photo you posted several years ago. 

And, just like that, my problem was solved. I 'captured' the shot off of FB and then, WAM!! I had a new cover picture. Hahahaha, EZ, PZ I'm so LAY-Z. 

And that's how this picture from like 2014 made its way to my FB in 2018.

Hahaha, if you thought I was reaching back with that one, look at this!! It's from 1968. I was overseas and I remember seeing Jim Doocy over there but I thought it was over at the airfield but this place looks like III MAF. Anyway, Jim had this picture of me...a polaroid I think, that he sent to me. 

What a kick in the pants!! I was young!! I had hair!! And I had that stupid little scruffy mustache. 

It's kind of a kick getting a picture of yourself from 50 years ago that you never knew existed let alone never saw before. 

I was exceedingly lucky in my Vietnam experience considering that I volunteered to go over there as a trained FAC (Forward Air Controller), 2533/Radio-Telegraph Operator. And I ended up at III MAF. 

Then, after 6 months or so, I volunteered for CAP (Civil Action Patrol) but wasn't accepted when I wouldn't extend my tour. Yeah, I was exceedingly lucky. I just didn't realize it.

He also sent this picture of him being greeted by Kathy Huff when he returned home after Vietnam. They were friends in high school. Uh, wow!!

Things were so damn different 50 years ago.

And...KAPOW!!!!

Let's flash forward to 2018 again. Michelle and her girls headed down south to spend a month at Amy's place in Redwood City. The whole crew, driving around in my Mini, have been visiting the sights and having fun as evidenced by this great photo. 

That's Quinn, Delaney, Max, Addie and Frances. Oh, and the Pacific Ocean.

They've been having adventures all over the place.

Here the Henna's are with their broods. 

Don't ask. I don't know. Henna is just what they call each other.  And, yeah, that is the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

And I wanted to change my cover photo again!! Back to one of my many, many, many Flower Albums on FB and I found this colorful beauty.

Oh, both of these 'flower' pictures were taken with the SX170 that that scumbag, POS, worthless waste of skin stole from me. I still get angry...even more so when I bet he probably only sold it for maybe $10, that despicable disgusting waste of a life.

Ah, breathe deeply. Ahhhhhhhh, better.

I am looking forward to some good eating when we take the 'Route 66 Road Trip" in November. And one of the places I want to stop at is at a Waffle House. Mmmmmmmm, I still remember the one I ate at in Jacksonville, NC, right after I visited Camp Lejeune. It were ga-uuuuddd.

Anyway, I got started on it and then saw this on FB. In Atlanta, GA, they have a Waffle House on wheels!! Yeah!! They cater weddings and other fancy affairs!! Oh, man!! I would so hire them to cater my party if I had the money!! 

How cool is that!?! Way beyond cool!!

Cade graduated from Air Farce Basic and is now going through Security Forces Training at Lackland AFB. Lexi is there with him...I do not know where they get the money!! I honestly don't!! 

But when he graduates, July 31, they'll be off to their first assignment at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. That'll be a real adventure!! 

The AFB is right outside Great Falls, Montana and the winters up there are fierce. Mean!! But they'll be together and it seems it's the tough times that make the best memories. Especially when they're young and in love.

He's a good kid. They're in love. But, C'Mon, the Air Farce!?!

Ah, the inhumanity.

Life rolls on and the Cubs rolled out for the 4th of July. And this year they rode in style.

Somehow Hannah and Marie came up with three trucks and they put two dens in each truck after the Cubs (read parents) decorated them.

What a motley crew, eh!?!

Well before the parade began everyone was getting tired of Cubs running around so they piled a bunch of them into one of the trucks. 

This was a noticeably larger crowd than was at last year's parade.

There were a lot of people there!!

And, finally, we got started. The Scouts led the pack with a Color Guard.

And then the Pack Banner with Barb and Marie carrying it. Hannah said she chose them so the banner would be even as they are both, well, uh, short.

And the Bubble Queen brought her Bubble Machine!! Mike hooked it up to a small generator and that thing was blowing bubbles left and right.

Good investment, Carol...or should I say, "Bubble Queen!"

As for Carol and I, we were both still zonked from our two days of PixieFest. I mean, I was sore and achey on Monday. I was just starting to feel a bit normal by the 4th, a Wednesday. Carol made sure I brought a chair for her and she chilled while I got some pictures.

I mean she really chilled!! 

Hahaha, I gotta admit, I was thinking I should have brought two chairs.

As for me, I wandered around trying to not piss people off and to get a couple useable pictures.

Here I am as they began the parade. Craig Loney, a new Asst Scoutmaster, is a picture-nut, too. So, at least while he's around, I'll get myself into a couple of them.

As soon as the Cubs rounded the corner, Carol and I were outta there. We wuz tired.

Speaking of Cubs, here's where the Cubs will be heading for their Summer Camp in August. Pretty cool, eh? A bunch of woods to explore and lakes all around.

I'm even thinking of going. Just thinking. I mean, for $50 I get a place to sleep AND nine meals!! What a deal!!

Stopped by the Beach Club and when we were leaving I got this shot of the Osprey in the Comm Tower. Taking a break.

There haven't been any spectacular sunsets this year. Some ho-hum sunsets....like this one. So playing with the camera, I shot this at a second. And, yeah, I was impressed I was able to hold it still and get a reasonably sharp picture.

But, here's one version. And I like playing with the controls, learning. That small dot down on the left is a campfire on the beach. 

Then I switched it to 1/30 of a second and, again, I was impressed I held it so still. I honestly expected both shots to be too fuzzy from shaking to be useable.

But I am thinking and beginning to grow and get less lazy about using the controls on this marvelous camera I have. I prefer the latter shot but they're both dull. Still, I am thinking. Oh, and notice the campfire now? It's a little more pronounced. Thinking and learning.

The girls posted this shot of the Grandkids and it was so good I stole it and posted it myself.

Delaney, Max, Addie, Quinn and Frances. 

I wonder where they got the Troll Hair!! 

Great picture!!

So I went down to the Shutterbug today to see if they had a ball that would mount on my monopod to allow me to swing the camera up and down and still keep it semi-steady. They didn't...but they'll have one by Thursday. Soooooo, back I'll go.

When I came back out I checked the Osprey Nest in the parking lot and the Old Folks were at home.

Sitting up high in their palace, I'm a thinking the one on the right was eating...or feeding one of the little ones.

Looking good Ospreys.

Then I met Carol at the Beach Club and when we were leaving we saw this guy over on the comm tower. Again.

How cool is that? Two different sets of Ospreys here in my town in one day with me making no real effort to find them. Oh, and Carol saw a Eagle in a tree this morning when we were driving down to the library.

What a town.

And there it is, and a tasty stew it is, too.

It's not earth-shaking, but it is with some value. I'm not merely surviving. I'm making an honest effort to try and do some living, too.

Hooah!!