Walk On The Wet Side - Part Deux

Caught some dolphins out for lunch the other day.

Now you think they swim fast when they are cruising along the coast?

You should see them when they have dinner on their minds.

Here they put their heads down and thrash their powerful tails to launch them incredibly quickly under the water. One moment they are far out in the Gulf and the next they are barely 30 feet from shore.

[Hmmmm.....the still photo loses some of the intensity of which I've just described.

Of course, the beauty of this crappy camera is that could be a tree stump for all you know.]

Anyway, from what I've been able to discern from the safety of the sand, is that they find a school of whatever and launch themselves into the middle of it.

Not only does their tail propel them, it knocks every fish in its path senseless.

Then it is just an easy swim back to gulp down lunch.

And don't think this doesn't raise some eyebrows. Or whatever it is birds have.

Here I was intently watching the dolphins when I looked to my side and a Great Blue Heron was ten feet away doing the same thing.

For different reasons, I suspect; there's a lot of lunch out there, he's thinking.

Now unlike the other skitterish beach bird types, this fellow barely acknowledged my presence - which, through a lifetime of experience, I am completely used to - as I walked about five feet behind him.

He was about four feet tall and very regal looking, staring intently to see if any of the floating sushi was left.

Of course there are always one of two arseheads in any crowd.

Once the dolphins had moved farther out in the Gulf, this boat of ninnies saw them and put the throttle down and attempted to weave in and out among them.

I was almost hoping for one of the dolphin's friends, say Bob the Blue Whale, to use the trashing tail routine on these morons.

No, I'm The King Of The World!
And today, Mr. Cormorant gets the last word.

Or squawk.

Making The Best Of A Bad Situation

Looks like this old stump got cut down by lightening or tried to dodge one too many hurricanes.

But did he give up?

He growed up real good, with apologies to John Candy and Joe Flaherty.

What a perfect little tree....

The Flunkie

What? You think those pictures take themselves?

Of course, nothing says loser more than taking your own photo. On a public beach. I had to pretend I was directing traffic and taking the house across the street. The bunkie.

But nobody bought it.

The Bunkie

If you come down to visit T Huntington Boone the III and he says, sorry but you'll have to stay in the bunkie this weekend, your immediate reaction may be "Awwww, man."

But not for long. Then it will change to "Ohhhhh, man!"

This is not your father's bunkie.

Unless your father had a 4,200 square foot bunkie with in ground, screened pool and let's say, six bedrooms.

Now if I could have gotten a side shot, you'd see this building is about 100 feet deep, too, but the invisible fencing does more than just keep dogs in.

Now if you do get called over to the main house, you better have another "Ohhhhh, man!" ready to go.

Each of these Gulf front lots command a 18-20 million dollar price tag.

So this fellow went out and bought eight of them. Tore down whateever was there and built this 14,000 square foot behemoth. And, of course, the bunkie.

I think three lots were just to act as a buffer between him and the 18M$ derelicts next door.

What I find surprising is, in addition to the fact that I don't get run out of this town or shot at more often, not how rich some of these people are.

It's just how many of these rich people there are. Miles and miles and miles of these homes.

President Obama, if you are looking for some of your 788 billion bailout, you may want to start here......

A Walk On The Wet Side

Since only people strong of spirit or weak of mind [and I am not inviting votes into which category I would be incorrectly placed] would have been out during the recent cold snap (low 80^os my butt, it actually got down into the high 70^os!) it was good to get back out for a brief walk about.

Guys? Are We Sitting Here Today? Guys?
Friends don't make friends sit alone.

The Sea Was (Still) Angry That Day, My Friends


I'm The King Of The World!
Although I guess some guys like to be alone.

Make Way. Coming Through!
These ibises didn't seem to fussed with me blundering through the midst of them.

In fact, they would just glance up at you - well, me anyway - with a somewhat resigned look, "Oh, him. Harmless."

Okay, I admit it. I was one of the ones - the one - out during that cold snap, so I guess these guys got used to me. And it obviously hadn't raised their esteem of me, either.

The Melting Pot
Why can't we just all get along?

Egrets, cormorants, Kingfishers, terns, all sitting in a row.

But if you thought Air Canada flight attendants could be nasty, don't be sitting in the wrong row here either. As they employ a distinct - and literal - pecking order here, too.

And if you are under a foot tall, you can forget about getting that first fish too.

And, of course, Mr. "Bossman" Pelican is never far away, if anything really needs to be decided.

So They Don't Have To.....

Nice of them to get you to suck up the cheap booze....

....but, oh yeah, not too much, of course.

Good of them to remind you, if you've got good eyesight.

Learn How To Drive?

Before The Cold Front

Ouch!

And the thermometer for this thing is located in the shade.

So me, inside the car?....... Yowza!

[However, there are likely a few BTU's being radiated from the asphalt beneath. If my tootsies are any guide.]

Hey! A Big Mini

Hmmm.....maybe I'll have some jumbo shrimp......

Oh Oh! Get The Sweaters Out!

Cold front coming in! Down to 84^o by Saturday!!

They're all in a twitter down here. Save your flowers! Don't leave your children out!

Sheesh.

Oh, I take it back. Lows in the mid-60's this weekend! I better get to Walmart before all the diesel generators are gone.

Jee Ta

A little more touring around Tampa. St Pete's, to be exact.

And whereas the other places were barren and abandoned, this place is just the opposite.

Now this place under construction is not part of an industrial complex or shopping mall.

This cosy spot is the future retirement home of New York Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter.

Now there are no signs that say "Deter Jeter's Future Home."

But with the aid of satellite and cellular technology we were able to find it. Well, my pal did, anyway, as his cell phone has Google Earth downloaded.

So he focusses Google Earth in the general vicinity, drives to the supposed neighbourhood and tells me to scroll for a double wide lot that looks like a mansion. Huh?

I was a little worried about this task. But with one click I was able to turn the phone off.

After a couple of sideways glares, and he had it started again, I was able to fumble around until I found a big honking empty lot.

Which, fingers crossed, turned out to be the future home of Mr. Jeeta. With construction well underway.

Now how much home do some people need? And he's not even married. I could live in one of his cupboards.

Florida - On Hold

Nowhere has the real estate bubble burst bigger than in Florida. And in Florida, one of the biggest busts is in Tampa.

Here I am touring a few, of several, developments just stopped. Dead.

Roads and sidewalks all built. Street signs in. Trees planted.

Water piped in and all ready to go.

Only one thing missing.

Two actually. Houses and people.

And people to see that the water is just spewing away, for who knows how long.

Lots and lots and lots of spots like these.

The betting line is that it will take eight to ten years to recover fully.

Yowza.

No wonder they're all drinking $8.00 liquor pitchers.

What's Better Than $10 Pitchers Of Beer?

$5.99 pitchers of beer!!

Yowza!

What's Better Than $5.99 Pitchers Of Beer?

You guessed it. $8.00 pitchers of liquor!

I LOVE AMERICA!

Down in Tampa for a few days of....... you guessed it.

Come On, Ya Big Lugs!

Time's a tickin'....

I Am Reading The Wrong Books!

I Googled "Helmut Newton's SUMO", and this book is about

Who cares what's it's about!

To Go?

And I wanted to soak up the ambiance inside.

Look At Me! Look At Me!

What's Better Than a Cold Pint Of Moosehead?

A Cold Pitcher Of Moosehead!
Now I'm not one to usually drink a pitcher of beer by myself. Usually....

But when every other guy at the bar is, it's makes it a little easier to say yes.

And a lot harder to say no. "Uhhhh...I'll have a half pint of O'Doules, please."

Now this was at the same pub that had the three ball games I wanted to watch all on at the same time. Same thing this time!

What's Sadder Than An Empty Pint Of Moosehead?


You Guessed It....

Quelle deal, as well!

I love Moosehead Mondays!

Thanks a lot, Crabby!