Existing In BFE

WE ARE BACK! More pictures from the Courtney Campbell Causeway we discovered by chance.  Great place for taking sunrise or sunset pictures and it's just a short jaunt from Bedlam.   That's Tampa.  I never get any closer to the place than here. It may be a great city but I simply D-O N-O-T   D-O    T-A-M-P-A.   Period. As I was on the bike/jogger/walker path that straddles the roadway, I looked down and noticed a couple of large rays swimming by.  If you can't see them look at the next picture. First off these guys were huge.  I can't imagine what they would do to your psyche if you were in the water nearby.  Secondly, they are not harmful to humans.  Prior to 1978 they were perceived as harmful to fishermen by eating fish and pulling down anchors.  However it was discovered that they are placid and pose no threat.  1978?  Geez, we were stupid a long t...

I'm taking a week off from blogging so you can catch your breath, catch up, or perchance find something else more stimulating to start your days.  I'll be back, once again, on Monday the 31st to enlighten. elucidate, ruminate and otherwise share stuff wherever I am Existing In BFE.  

Returning, again, to the after-game celebration as the Seaton Wolves Church League team won the Championship.  We all went, or most of us, over to Ivan Ewing's place where we had beer and if there was any food I don't remember. Our manager, my Dad, joined in on the fun for awhile, too.   Once again, a duck puppet of some type was the hit of the party,  as Ivan's wife Sue is working on me.  With full strength Budweiser firmly in hand and overcome by joy rather than anger of having some damn bird on my shoulder, I was displaying patience and politeness.   Why I am wearing my University of Denver shirt rather than my uni is long lost in the miasmic mists of history.   Mark "Wombie" and Jeff Carson, our battery.  Few could throw harder than these two.  The Wombie caught and Jeff pitched.  Mark wasn't always accurate but as hard as he threw it always made it to someone who could then try to put the finishing touches on an...

Today is Michael's birthday.  Today he turns 13,  a teenager.  My happiest days B.N. (Before Norah) were when Michael came to stay with us for awhile back in in the early 00's.  Back then we were pretty inseparable and after I got him a battery ATV we covered G-Burg like a cold sweat. This is a personal favorite since I remember what was going on.  We were surfing Ebay old car section and determining whether it was "cool" or a "wustbucket", and his mother decided it was time for him to go to bed.  He wasn't fond of the idea.  Michael moved to Florida a few years ago, and has since moved to Canada.  I haven't seem him for a long time, and may never.  But there was a time we were inseparable and marked a particularly fun time in my life.  I asked him when he was down here if he remembered me and the things we did.  He didn't.  It was prior to memory making time.  He may not...

About 8 miles away and only 15 minutes is a bridge called Courtney Campbell and takes you from Clearwater to Tampa.  Right next to the roadway is a bike path, walking and jogging  bridge.   There are 2 man-made islets connected by a bridge.  This 10 mile causeway was once the longest of its kind in the US.  It was started in 1922 and completed in 1937.   In this Google picture, you can clearly see the roadway and the bike path/walkway next to it.  You can park in the gravel area or on the other side in the grass, then walk over and take a leisurely stroll across.  Of course that will take you to Tampa, so no need to walk too far. I decided this might be a great place to take some pictures.  You can either take sunrise or sunset here since both horizons are in view.   And that is exactly what I did.  These pictures are a sunrise I took just a couple weeks ago.  This pl...

The third and final post-op appointment was last Tuesday and was encouraging.  Dr. Dunlevy looked in both nostrils and said each time, "excellent".  I'll take that as good news.  I am to continue the steroidal nasal flush but everything else is healed and no more antibiotics is necessary.   I go back in a few weeks and at that time we will begin a series of allergy panels to try to pinpoint what is causing the sinus inflammation.  At that point when we isolate the case then we begin weekly shots.  Otherwise I will be back in surgery on an endless cycle of removing them.   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Walked last Tuesday and found this along the way.  Not only that but when Norah and I went swimming the next day a kid with goggles was finding pennies and quarters on the bottom of the pool.   That was overshadowed by the kid's motorized shark swimming into Norah's hair and we had to get scissors to cut the shark out. ...

More pictures from an early morning walk at Vinoy to see the sun come up.     This wraps up the series on that event.  Beautiful morning and I think the pictures came out well.  Thanks for stopping by.  

In the summer in Seaton we played Church League softball.  The Church League was in operation from 1958 to 1993.  We usually played in either Perryton, Seaton or Aledo because those places had well maintained diamonds.  Some of the area towns that at one time or other were involved included Aledo, Edgington, reynolds Buffalo Prairie, Millersburg, Keithsburg, Joy, Oquawka, Viola and New Windsor.   Some years when there were lots of teams we played in Reynolds and Keithsburg.  I remember going up to the diamond in Seaton shortly after school ended and we'd gather up the usual teammates and practice.  It would be a hundred out there but we were young and having fun - temperatures don't affect you then.   One year, we were Mercer County Champs.  We won it all.  It only happened once while I was around*, but it was a beautiful thing.  Our team changed a bit from year to year but for that Championship season, we ...