GREEN LIGHT

After a one-year hiatus, the annual golf trip is back on. Stay tuned for updates to see if we survived the golf adventure.

Cool Southern California

I recently had a chance to visit southern California. My expectations were low, based on my only other visit to San Diego at least 15 years ago for a conference. Looking back now, my memories of my previous visit might have been tainted, since I had just suffered a rib-cage injury that made every step I took a very painful experience. Still, I was not looking forward to making this trip, which was a consolation for a planned trip to Jamaica that fell through at the last minute.

Upon arrival, well into the night, we made our way up the dark highway to the coastal region north of San Diego and LaJolla. Taking a chance on a hotel in a city that I'd never even been through, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise to end up in Carlsbad. I'd never stayed on the Pacific coast, and for the first time was able to experience the very cold, kelp-populated, waters and rocky beaches. To say that it was nothing like the gulf coast or Caribbean beaches would be an understatement, but still, there was something about the feel of the smooth pebbles and those huge waves crashing all around. There were surfers everywhere. You really can't understand the passion the surfers bring until you see one riding a bicycle and carrying his surfboard precariously under one arm.

The sunsets were lovely, and entirely different from those in the warmer climes that I'd experienced before in say Key West. As the sun dips lower and lower, you can feel the temperatures drop correspondingly. You almost have to doubt the sanity of the surfers still out in the water at sunset, not only because of the water and air temperature drop, but the almost terrifying prospect of scrambling back up the cliffside in the dark to get to your car.

After a relaxing visit to the coastal areas, and sampling a few of the local sites, the drive back down into the city brought the urban sprawl into view. Staying in the downtown area, just a block from the harbor, the unexpected stunning view from the hotel room was wonderful. You could sit on the bed and watch the ships coming in and out of the harbour as they maneuvered around Coronado Island and passed under the high-spanning bridge to the island. The sound of the trains and trolleys were constantly ringing down the streets like some long-lost scene from a past century.

You couldn't mention this trip without some reference to the temperature difference between here and southern California. The high temperature on most of the days I was out there was only 72. There was always a breeze. Most of the people out there didn't seem to have to use their air conditioners at all. To leave these moderate temps and return home to eight straight days of 100+ degrees and heat indices in the 114 degree range, makes me wonder if I shouldn't have stayed out there, until Thanksgiving.

Karma?

Its been too long since I was out playing golf.

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=mC-5c38dxBU

UPDATE: GRAND OPENING THIS WEEK

courtesy of the Advertiser:

Common it's not. Controversial? Maybe. Regardless, one thing is certain -- Montgomery will get to experience a meal at a Hooters Restaurant this week.

There have been several attempts to bring the popular eatery with its All-American menu and Hooters Girls here since 2002, when a group of Georgia investors signed a lease to open a location at 2107 East Blvd.

That attempt, along with several others, failed. But Hooters district manager John Wilson says the wait is over. The restaurant will open to the public at 5 p.m. Wednesday, following a Tuesday VIP preview.

How long people have been waiting for the restaurant to open hasn't been lost on him or the restaurant staff.

Wilson said during employee training, about 25 cars an hour visited the new restaurant location in the Twin Oaks Shopping Center at the corner of East Boulevard and Vaughn Road to ask if they've opened yet.

He said he expects that enthusiasm to continue long after the restaurant serves its first basket of buffalo wings.

"We are the cure for the common restaurant," Wilson said. "We will put a smile on your face."

The casual beach-themed restaurants feature "oldies" music, sports and a menu that includes seafood, sandwiches, salads and spicy chicken wings. According to information on the company Web site, Hooters generates 72 percent of its sales from food, 5 percent from merchandise and 23 percent from beer and wine. Most Hooters locations do not serve liquor.

The Montgomery restaurant is in a building that has been home to several establishments over the past 20 years, but customers may not recognize the inside, which has undergone an extreme makeover.

The revamping, plus a new patio and deck, will allow seating of up to 300 people. The bar has been relocated to the center of the restaurant. The deck can seat about 50 people and the patio 25, Wilson said.

Inside, customers can be seated in dining rooms on either floor. A meeting room will be located upstairs, along with pool tables and games. The restaurant also will feature 22 televisions.
The staff will include 31 cooks and eight hostesses.

Still, Wilson knows that it won't be the menu or the revamped interior that will be the big draw, but the image for which the restaurant is best known -- Hooters Girls.

Wilson has been busy training the 64 girls who were chosen from about 350 applicants. He never refers to the Hooter Girls as waitresses, and there is a reason. He said their primary job is to interact with customers and be ready at all times to look like the All-American girl "in the mold of a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader."

In fact, 10 guys will be on staff to do most of the work waitresses would usually do. Hooter Girls will serve food and spend time singing, dancing or hula-hooping, Wilson said.

"We don't allow Hooters Girls to pick up trash cans and clean tables," Wilson said. "She's got to look like she's ready for a photo shoot at all times. I tell everyone this is a movie we are putting on and the stage is Hooters. We have assistants, but the stars are the Hooters Girls."

While Wilson admits the restaurant concept has been successful catering to males between the ages of 18 and 45, the company has generated increasing support from families with offers such as children eat free on Sundays.

Hooters of America Inc. is the Atlanta-based operator and franchiser of more than 435 Hooters locations in 46 states and more than a dozen countries. The privately held corporation owns 120 units.

Creative Advertising

Sometimes you just have to stop and say "I wish I had thought of that!" If you have to do divorce work, then something like this might be the best way to get them to your office.

Notwithstanding the First Amendment, the city of Chicago has since removed this billboard, saying that the proper permit was not obtained by the firm before the ad was placed. Still, it had to be the talk of the town.

It's beginning to look alot like . . . . HOOTERS!

Yes, this is it. Here after years of rumors and false starts. Well, not quite yet, but soon. The signage is in place and the staff is being hired. No word yet on the Grand Opening date. Let's hope it goes better than the first Hooters in Maine, where the local government forced them not to open the location.

Updates to be provided.......

Visiting the Mouse

It had been at least five years since the last trip to Orlando and Disney and since 1987 when it was by car. It takes a really long time to drive almost 500 miles. After an exciting day-long drive south, which included a break-down, being towed 80 miles, and getting a rental car, we were finally at the doorsteps of Disney.

Not staying on Disney property, but close by, we were able to enjoy complimentary drop off service at the different Disney parks. You just have to remember where and when the charter bus will meet you later that day. If you miss the last bus, its a long dark walk back to the hotel. Luckily that wasn't an adventure we had to endure and we never missed that last bus.

In case you haven't visited Disney recently, you might be surprised at the cost of admission tickets. The tickets were much higher-priced than when we last were there. This leads to an inevitable question: Is there any way you can get those tickets cheaper? After a little research, I wouldn't recommend trying to buy any unused tickets from someone not associated with Disney. Although eBay lists lots of sellers for these tickets, don't get trapped into buying a ticket that has already been partially used -- a five day admission ticket with four days left on it -- for example. The reason? Biometrics. That means when you first use the ticket upon entering the park, you scan a fingerprint into the turnstile. The next time that ticket is used, if your fingerprint doesn't match, then you don't get in. Thats right.... CSI at Disney! Even if the DA's say those things aren't real on TV, it really works on those tickets. My best advice on tickets is to check with your hotel and see if you can get a break on tickets from them, you might get lucky, otherwise expect to pay $100+ each.

There were a few changes in the parks that I noticed, but its basically the same, with a few new rides/exhibits to see. I got to see Magic Kingdom, Epcot and MGM over a two-day period. The lines weren't too bad, but it wasn't a weekend or a holiday, so there weren't unusually large crowds in the parks. I did notice that the area around the park has grown substantially. I may have just noticed it more, since I drove into town on this trip for the first time in almost 20 years. All the retail shopping stores and eateries can be found in the area. Yes, there's even a Hooters nearby, but we didn't have time to visit.

The usual advice would apply for anyone going to visit. Take comfortable shoes for all the walking. Avoid the family-congested areas in Magic Kingdom near the castle, unless you have little ones that want to see "Its a Small World." Beware the concession prices for food and drinks in the park. Always get one of the park maps when you enter any of the parks--if nothing else, it will show you the location of the restrooms and water fountains. Remember there is more in the parks than you can see in two or three days. Don't try and see everything - pace yourself! The "Park-Hopper" is a pricey option on the tickets, but it allows you to visit more than one park in a single day. If you get this option, you could hit one park in the morning, then go back to the hotel at mid-day for a break, and return to a different park in the late afternoon and stay for the fireworks display.

I think for the next visit, I'll check into renting a nearby house and see if I can include a parking pass with a multiple visit option to allow returning later in the day. After even a couple of days, a hotel room gets a little crowded.

Hail hurts!

All day the weather service had been warning that severe weather was heading our way. The rains that came through this morning were not significant, especially after hearing about the tornadoes in New Orleans. By early afternoon the sun was shining brightly and it looked like we just had to wait for the temperatures to drop.

This evening I had to get out and make a trip to the post office along with another meeting to attend on the east side of town. The lightening out in the west was spectacular, but still distant. After arriving at the meeting location, soon the tornado sirens started up and we were shepherded out into the hallway. The storm was headed toward downtown so I decided to rush home and beat the worst weather to the house. It started out well, but then the hail started coming down. Little chunks at first, and then they got bigger and bigger. We could see quarter-size chunks on the ground when we pulled up to a stop light.

Within blocks of the house, these were no longer small pieces of hail hitting the car. These were golf ball-size rocks coming down. The sound was totally unexpected-very loud and sinister sounds that made me wonder if the windshield was going to break. The streets were white and for a moment I wondered if I hadn't made a wrong turn and ended up with Steve in Maine. As I turned at an intersection a block away, I felt the tires slide on the ice. Thats an experience we don't encounter very often here.

At the house, we had to use an umbrella to make it inside the house without being hit by the chunks of ice. The view on the patio looks as though I had dumped several large ice chests out during one of the parties.

After about 20 minutes, it was over. Heavy rain fell in its place and melted the ice away. Then I knew that unlike Steve's snowy weather, we were still in the south enjoying our two weeks of winter weather.

Postponed....

For at least the past four years, when the first of December rolls around, its time for the annual golf trip. Four days and three nights on St. Simons Island for golf on the mostly deserted courses of southeast coastal Georgia. This is a perfect vacation for a golf nut. A long drive across south Georgia to the Brunswick area, the last half of the trip usually in the dark, rushing to make the local seafood buffet at the King & Prince resort.

The next morning we started 3 days of golf in whatever weather there was at the time. A full breakfast buffet at the Sea Palms resort and then 18 or 36 holes of birdies, pars and bogies. Well, mostly pars, bogies and double-bogies actually. But golf in December at a resort community is a wonderful experience.

The last few years we would drive over to Jekyll Island on Sunday for 36 holes on the tracks over there. We usually have the course almost to ourselves - and the deer and alligators. If we can avoid a dispute with the strong-willed waitresses at the snack bar for lunch, its a wonderful visit to a truly historic golf venue.

Dinners in the evenings would range from the locals favorites to the slabs of rare beef at Outback. On the last morning we would squeeze in 18 final holes before the long drive back home. The trip back was almost always quiet, since I would be the only one awake.

Due to conflicting schedules and other non-golf related issues, we didn't make the trip this year. It felt very odd not making that long drive across south Georgia with making it before they shut down the seafood buffet as our goal. Next year, we'll find a way to work out everything and make that trip.

The French Paradox revisited

You may recall a few years ago the shocking reports of how scientists could not explain how the French could enjoy such a high-fat diet and still have a lower risk of heart disease than Americans. The theory was that because the French enjoyed their red wine so much, this off-set the effects of their high-fat lifestyle. Many chuckled about the theory and scoffed at the idea being based on any real scientific evidence. Well now it seems the science has caught up with the theory. Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging have published a report implying that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nature05354.html

Sounds like its time to enjoy our glass of red wine with every evening meal. You can reduce the risk of heart disease and possibly offset the effects of aging. Looks like those cellar bottles I've been hoarding for years will come in handy.

FINGER FOOD?

Those of you that may recall my trip to Viet Nam a few years ago, may remember the scorpion wine that I brought back. While this was unusual, there is apparently a new delicacy in HCMC:

http://reuters.excite.com/article/20060925/2006-09-25T115345Z_01_N25212898_RTRIDST_0_ODD-VIETNAM-CRICKETS-DC.html

Regular or Extra-Crispy?

Renovated Bryant Denny Stadium Looks Great

After several years of work they finally finished the renovations to Bryant Denny Stadium. It was finished just in time for the first game of the season and hosted the largest crowd to ever see a football game in the state. The stadium looked radically different than it did when I first saw it in 1977. Of course, at that time, the maximum capacity was only 60,000. Now the total reaches 92, 138.

The capacity jumped from 83,818 before the expansion, and you could certainly tell the difference in the number of people in and out of the stadium. Before the first game, the planning people anticipated an extra 10,000 cars in and around the campus for each game. I don't know how they get those numbers, but after attending the first 3 games of this season, I can tell a big difference in the cars looking for parking before the games and the crowd of people wandering around the Quad and walking over to the stadium before the games start.

Now I've already been in the new upper deck section for one game, and the top row is actually higher than the highest seats on either the west stands or the east stands. My seats for that game weren't on the top row, but they were no more than ten rows below it. You can see from this pre-game photo that you have a view all the way down to 12th Street from the new upper section. I didn't walk up to the top and snap a photo of the view back toward campus. If you get a chance to go to a game and sit in the new section, be warned...the steps are steep and by the time you walk up the outer steps to get to the upper deck, its alot higher up depending on the row your tickets are designated. Unlike the East and West stands, I didn't see a ramp to walk up to the upper section, just several flights of stairs.

Of course, if you are fortunate enough to get tickets in "The Zone" section, you get the air- conditioned indoor seating and refreshments for when you are tired of sitting outside in your seats. But those are only available for Tide Pride contributors or those who purchase them for a premium price from the holder. I'm not sure how much more expensive they would be from a scalper.

Overall, you can tell the difference in the increased number of fans in the stadium as well. The noise level is higher as a result of more people and the renovated section that encloses the upper end zone seats. I would think that it could be much more difficult for opposing players to hear signals when the crowd reaches a frenzy. The addition of 2 new video boards and the two ribbons boards on each side really add to the overall appearance.

The fans seem to really enjoy the atmosphere and despite some lackluster opponents for the first three games of the season, all the games were sold out. The first game was a really hard sell-out, without any tickets floating around from scalpers outside the stadium. You could buy tickets for the next two games, but since the Vandy game started at 2:00 and was on TV there were plenty of scalpers offering the tickets for sale.

If you haven't had a chance to visit, you should drop by for one of the upcoming games.

Last Oppressively Hot Round of the Summer?

There we were, heading out for what we hoped would be the last really hot-weather round of golf for the summer. With Steve back in town from Maine, it seemed like a good idea to head over to Opelika to play the Lake course at the RTJ Grand National facility. No matter that the high was forecast to be in the mid 90's or that the humidity was stifling. It was a typical late summer day. Just what we've learned to expect around here.

Luckily we got on the road without anyone forgetting the departure time, or their billfold or golf shoes. Traffic was no problem and we arrived and got out on the course almost on our scheduled tee time. The course was in really good shape, especially surprising given the paucity of precipitation this summer.

Our swings were rusty, as you should expect, since there haven't been too many chances to get out and play this summer. At least the two of us that are still local were acclimated to the high temperatures, but our friend from the far north did very well considering he was broiling before we even made the turn. In fact, he got so hot, he drained all the color out of this photo.

Sometimes the camera settings get slightly askew and you end up with classic black & white images suitable for framing! Here Steve contemplates which wedge might reach the green from 200+ yards out at #9. Quite a challenge with the uphill green to contend with as well.

The RTJ courses are always good about providing cart service on hot weekend days. This is a very wise move on their part, since the courses would be littered with the bodies of fallen heat-stroke victims otherwise. We also enjoyed the fans installed on the edges of the bent-grass greens, but they would have felt much better with air conditioners attached.

The Lake course has some history associated with our group. Years ago, we had a regular foursome that would get out every weekend. We were hackers then, just as we are now, but with a group of four regular hackers, we didn't seem out-0f-place, and there was no chance of being inadvertantly paired with a single golfer who really knew how to play. But after a number of years, our little foursome lost one. It happened on this particular course, on a fiendish par-3.

There's really nothing evil about the par-3 15th, but it may be the most difficult of the entire trail for our group. The scorecard lists it as a simple 160 yard shot to a narrow peninsula green jutting out into the lake below the clubhouse. The RTJ guide lists this particular hole as possibly the "single prettiest on the Trail." While I don't agree with that assessment, it is clearly a challenge for golfers of our calibre.

But, back to the tragedy. . . We were almost finished with our round, and our ill-fated friend was not having his best day. We pulled up to the tee box, got out with our weapons of destruction and each dropped at least one ball into the lake with our tee shots. Our friend put 2 or 3 in the water, again this was not unusual for our group since we all think we can hit that shot with just 'one more try.' We pulled around to the drop area and he put another one in the water. The next thing we saw was his golf club head flying in one direction and the shaft in the other. He got in his cart and said "I'm through." He went straight back to the clubhouse, got in his car and left. That was it... no more golf. Even today, years later, he doesn't even own any clubs. Sold every last one.

But this week on the "___ Memorial Par 3" the three of us kept each other from coming unglued and local Steve even hit one across the water to just off the green. No melt-downs=success! From there it was all downhill, as we were nearing dehydration, for the round. We finished and survived.

So when does the cool weather get here? December?

End of Summer Vacation

This was the end. While there was one more week before school started, this was the last chance for some type of a real vacation trip. After this long and hot summer, there seemed to be few options better than a nice, cool, slow float down a spring-fed stream. Ichetucknee Springs State Park was the place.

Some 300 miles away, located near Lake City, Florida, this place is really off the beaten path. As you cruise down the interstate, flying past endless Magic Kingdom advertising, you wouldn't ever guess that this hidden attraction even exists. Almost 45 minutes off the interstate, you start to see the inner tube rental places. Make sure you stop and rent one, since the park doesn't have any available on-site. You can get tubes or rafts in all sizes. They will even tie them to the roof of your car, like the Christmas tree sales guys do. Perhaps the best deal is that you don't have to return to the rental place, just leave your tubes at the designated pick-up point in the park and they will get it.

As you drive into the Park, you quickly realize that this won't be any faux-rafting experience. Nothing fancy, nothing high-tech around this place. Even the paved road ends somewhere along the way. You pay your admission, really inexpensive in this Tourist Rip-off country -- $5.00 per person and $5.00 per vehicle, and drive down to the stream. You can either start up at the North Entrance and float down to the end for a 4 hour trip, or simply take the 2 hour float from the mid-way point via the South entrance. Since we had other places to travel on our trip, we opted for the short trip.

Once you get into the parking lot, you walk down to the tram stop -- water shoes are a nice item to take since the gravel can be a little sharp and

rough on tender feet -- and wait for the tram to take you up to the mid-point start. You have to lug your raft or tube down to the tram stop, but then you toss it on the trailer and ride up to the put-in spot. We had a raft, since Billy is still just learning to swim, and it worked out better than two tubes. Once you debark from the tram, you follow the path down to the stream and try and step in the raft without flipping over. You really want to acclimate yourself to the water temperature since its 73 degrees year-round, and if you hit the water as you start, you'll let out a loud scream that shatters the calm wilderness surrounding the stream. Luckily we didn't tip over and eased out into the middle of the stream into the slow-moving current.

The area around the stream is lush and clear of any development, since the State of Florida owns all the property. Plenty of calming earth-tones abound and the canopies of the overhanging trees provide shade from the sun. We saw plenty of birds and fish. The water is crystal-clear running from a few feet deep to 10 of more feet in spots. From the midpoint downstream, the stream bottom was grassy, not sandy. From memory of my last visit when we started at the head of the spring in the North entrance, the bottom is sandy at that point. The trees were criss-crossing the stream in places and you could climb them and jump into the water at some points. Since we visited on a Friday, there weren't too many people floating down with us, but the teenagers that were visiting were loud and silly as you might expect. The weekend crowds can get the silt on the bottom of the stream stirred up and this clouds the water downstream. In fact the Park limits the admission via the North entrance to the first 750 each day to cut down on the environmental impact.

You don't have to paddle or swim to move downstream. The current flows just enough to keep you moving, although you will have to correct your direction to keep from being swept under some low branches and against a few swampy-looking areas of the bank. There are no food or containers allowed on the water, so plan ahead for hydration, although the water is cool enough that you won't feel overheated at any point. We didn't see anything that resembled an alligator and that's a good thing. There are so many people in the water during the season that most gators wouldn't be happy around the Park area.

You can swim along with your tube or raft, and there were a number of people that just used a Noodle to float along. I hadn't thought of using one of those, but next trip I may choose that option. Years ago on my very first trip to the Park, I was decked out in my scuba gear, but its not really deep enough to do that. In fact, unless you are a beginner, even bringing a mask and snorkle won't add much to the trip. The best way to make this trip is simply to kick back and enjoy the float. When you reach the end, there's no chance you'll miss it. There is a barricade and signs warning you to exit the water. I couldn't help but wonder what lay beyond this point. The map seems to indicate that the stream flows into the Suwanee river somewhere further downstream. Perhaps those gators lurk down in those areas.

We pulled ashore and lugged the raft up to the return area and then took the tram back to the station where we started. There are rest rooms at the end of the stream and at the mid-point area, as well as a refreshment stand for those that make a day of their visit. You can cookout in the park, and there are areas with picnic tables and grills. The tubing season from the north entrance will starts on May 27th and the tram service operates from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. While this seems like a short season, as cold as the water stays, you really don't want to float on it during the fall, winter or spring seasons.

The Park is open year-round, but unless you're looking for an out-of-the-way spot for a picnic, there's not much reason to visit in the off season.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/ichetuckneesprings/default.cfm

All Star Game Returns After 34 Years

Yes, I can remember some of what was happening back in 1972. But I can't recall the last time the Southern League All Stars played a game here. Of course I was living about 50 miles away back in '72 and I have no specific recollection of the Rebels during that time. In fact, it was 1979 before I even made a trip to Patterson field to see a game here in town. The Rebels left town not too long after that and until the Biscuits arrived three years ago, there was no real minor league baseball in town.

But with the Biscuits success, the league decided to allow them to host this year's event. Just under a week following the 4th of July it was time for the game. Now billboards have been up all over town for weeks, and the promos have been running during the regular season games and on the radio, but no one really knew how the locals would support this event.

Since the game tickets were not part of the season package, I had not planned ahead to make arrangements to get my tickets, so I ended up with seats on the grass in the outfield. As it turned out, this wasn't too bad, since it was cooler on the grass than in the stands surrounded by sun-backed concrete and steel. When the gates opened at 5:30, it was only 98 degrees with the sun still brightly warming the crowd. That allowed for a mere 90 minutes to kill before the scheduled start time.

Once the blanket was set up just behind the foul pole in right field, it looked like it would be a long, dull wait while we basted in the heat. But the home run derby cranked up and soon we were dodging baseballs landing all around us. It wasn't too bad sitting out there with a slight breeze blowing across the field.

Eventually the game started, although it was half an hour later than scheduled. Looking around, you could tell the place was packed. Later the attendance was announced as a record crowd of 7,454. It seemed like the actual crowd was a little smaller than the inaugural opening night crowd when the stadium first opened two years ago, but my vantage from the outfield was different than it was from the regular seats at that first game.

There was plenty of entertainment between innings with the comic antics of Reggie, Myron Noodleman (remember Jerry Lewis as the "Absent-Minded Professor") and the Famous Chicken. We even caught sight of Big Mo late in the game walking around the outfield.

The game moved along at a good pace and in the end, the

North All Stars soundly defeated the South All Star squad. It didn't matter to the remaining crowd, who were waiting for the fireworks show to start.

Once those ended, we headed home. We had been down at Riverwalk Stadium for almost seven hours, including our visit to the Fan Fest late in the afternoon and dinner at the Montgomery brewpub http://www.montgomerybrewpub.com/ before entering the stadium itself when the gates opened. This made for a long afternoon/evening and might have almost exceeded the tolerance limits for a 7 year-old. But in comparison, it wasn't any longer than a trip to Tuscaloosa for a football game, and it was cooler than several afternoon games in Bryant Denny have been in the past. So, the time wasn't too bad, and it was all here in town with no long drive to enjoy the event. Not too bad.

4th of July

Since the weather around here's been so oppressively hot, we decided to celebrate the 4th of July with a cookout. Nothing like reveling in the heat and humidity. The planning for the event has been in the works for several weeks. The patio area needed some major preparation and this included the Fountain.

Now this fountain has not been used for some time. I think it was last in operation about 7 years ago, and I won't go into the amount of work that was required to actually get it up and running. Its a concrete basin with a small pump to circulate the water. Once I had it cleaned out and

spent too much time working on the drain, it was functional once again. I had some help with the cleaning out part, nothing like something that looks almost like a pool to lure offers from a 7-year old.


We started late afternoon with Margaritas and fired up the
grille. Strategically-placed fans on the patio helped with the heat and the nearest indoor space was essentially supercooled to provide almost instant relief from the outdoor blowtorch temperatures. The menu was an assortment of sausages with cool salad and an assortment of chips, sauce and cheeses.

Everyone drifted outside to the patio and ended up back inside after darkness fell and the neighborhood fireworks started echoing up and down the street. Not that anyone around here would have been involved with something that illegal, mind you. But certain nameless persons eluded detection after rockets went hurtling through the trees and over houses. Those scortch marks in the middle of the road will disappear if it ever rains again and there was no apparent damage to a certain leased vehicle, that could be seen in the darkness.

In all, the bug repellants worked well and there were enough ice and libations available for everyone to enjoy. There was some speculation as to whether we were eating bratwurst, polish sausage, chicken sausage with

basil or tex mex, since once they go on the grille, those things are difficult to distinguish without tasting. The fruit salad and cupcakes were a nice finishing touch that helped to cool everone down.

I recall conversations about Jacksonville, condos in Maine, Coco's name and how in the world young Justin could have played the Judge course that morning in the stifling heat. Sometimes you can almost kill yourself with golf, and that didn't seem like the best choice to challenge in the heat wave, but then, when would be a good time for that layout?

So this was something that we should do again. Perhaps when it cools down a little. In fact, the chiminea, would be much more comfortable on New Year's eve instead of 4th of July, but since it started almost by spontaneous combustion this time, its easy to explain how that happened.

The "Name" or "What are you talking about in the middle of summer?"

So RH was saying he didn't "get" the name. That makes sense, since many people don't remember back in the 70's and 80's when Joe Dean was one of the people on the SEC basketball TV broadcasts that used the phrase often. It was his catch-phrase and I heard it many times. Over the past several decades, I've easily been to hundreds of Bama basketball games and watched hundreds more on TV. Its not difficult if you go to most of the home games and always try to attend the SEC basketball tournament every year - Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, Lexington, Orlando, Memphis, Birmingham on some type of rotating basis. An exciting road-trip and three or four days of college basketball all rolled together.

Now historically these road trips have always been eventful and packed with humorous stories about the participants. But until I can think of a way to create aliases to mask the true identity of my fellow travelers over the years, then I'll have to hold off on recounting these tales. But there was always at least one truly entertaining or outright hilarious tale that we'll always remember. This would hold true for the bowl game trips as well as the basketball games since things always seem to get wilder on the road. Many tales from Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Orlando and other locales will have to remain confidential to protect the identities of public figures.

But since its summertime and there's no college basketball and no football, this has been mostly golf. So unless local Steve and Young Justin get too scared of the 90 degree days to get out on the golf course, it will likely remain that way for a little longer. So, there's your answer RH - a basketball blog name that at least was unique and raised a question as to the origin.