This is the way to spend a morning

I just received the digital version of this picture, and had to post it. This creature has very sharp teeth, is very strong, and was celebrating his 50th birthday that day. He's holding a barracuda.

By the way, I just discovered that you can click on any of these pictures to get a better look.

The Bellevue Connection

First picture: Dennis (Houston, Texas), Joe (Gulf Coast of Florida), me, Mike (Gulf Coast of Florida) and Chuck (Las Vegas, Nevada). I think all 4 of them had my mother as their 2nd grade teacher, and I was in the other 2nd grade class at the Immaculate Conception School. Of the five of us in this picture, four of us actually graduated from ICS at the end of 8th grade. Can you guess which one didn't? (Hint: He lasted until about 3rd grade. It's still not clear to me if his Dad pulled him out or the nuns kicked him out.)

Second picture: My reaction to the George McGovern button given to me by sister Linda. One of the great mysteries of life: how can someone so intelligent be so liberal? (Hint: People can be intelligent in different ways, much to my consternation. She's the same sister I referred to in an earlier post -- she thinks the pun is the lowest form of humor!)

A few more pictures...

First picture: Sarah, Matt, Paul, Sam, Dave, Chrisy and Wagner (not his real name, but that's what we call him).

Next: Me with my sisters Di, Linda and Mary K. My sister Toni and family also made it to Florida, but were unable to attend the party. They couldn't find a place to park their Winnebago, so they stopped by for an hour or so on their way back from Key West to say hello.

Last: Some hot babe I picked up after feeding her twelve Margaritas. I believe her name is Dorothy. I might have given her my phone number.

More party pics....

In the group photo, left to right: Di (one of my 6 sisters, who, incidentally, already has had her 50th birthday party), who flew in from Dallas with her husband Bruce; Me; Chrisy, a very good friend who flew in from Akron, Ohio; Matt, another very good friend who flew in from Columbus; and Dave, yet another very good friend, also flying in from Columbus (sorry about those eyes, Dave). Picture was taken January 6, 2006.

The other picture is me, taken on the Cigarette boat on January 7, 2006. Do I look hungover to you?? Must be those good German genes that got me through the night before this picture was taken, and for that matter, the whole week before that picture was taken.

You Say It's My Birthday?

This was one for the record books.

One of my older sisters started a tradition on her 50th birthday. She had her birthday party in Las Vegas, and we had to go there to celebrate with her. Now, many years later, it was my turn. Since my birthday is January 6, I decided a long time ago that my party would be in a warm-weather climate. For various reasons, I chose Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

About half of my family made it (my kids couldn't due to work schedules, I'm sorry to say). I also had many friends from Columbus and from around the country, almost 30 in all. One of my friends who lives on the gulf side of Florida came over, and I hadn't seen him in 30 years.

The party was an absolute blast, in fact the whole 9 days I spent there was a blast. The morning of my birthday, several of us went fishing and we caught two barracudas, one being 52 inches long. It will reside permanently at my friend Dave's house, if his wife will allow him to hang it on the wall. I left my 44 incher in Florida.

The day after, we went out on a 38 foot Cigarette boat, and let me tell you, that boat screams. We got it up to just a nudge under 90 MPH, and that is just plain fast on water. Left to right: Mary K. (my sister who started this tradition), her husband Dave, Joe (my Florida friend), Chuck (another old friend from Bellevue, who flew in from Las Vegas for the party) and me.

Next up is sister Toni, whose 50th is next February. She is thinking of going to Key West, and I'm not going to miss that party...