Oh, no I missed One

I have only recently started to write this blog.  In fact it is not even a week old yet.  So you can imagine how frantic I was yesterday when I neglected to update my blog.  Or maybe you can't.  I guess that is the whole point of blogging.  To invest something of yourself and send it out into the great cosmic void that is the internet to be digested and regurgitated by all who happen upon it.

When I started this blog I made a promise to myself that I would do it everyday.  I felt that committing to it was very important, or at least according to every self help blog topic I could find.  The problem with that is maybe, just maybe, I am putting a little too much pressure on myself to keep a commitment that may or may not be witnessed by whomever deigns to read it.  So after a lot of meditation on the subject (actually I just right this minute decided this) I am only going to hold myself accountable for five blogs a week.  I am going to aim to update Monday through Friday giving myself a mental blog break on the weekends, but if for whatever reason I can't update during the week I can make it up on Saturday or Sunday if absolutely necessary.  Sort of like a little safety net.  So of course this means I have to write one this weekend but I am hoping inspiration will strike or at the very least knock me up-side my head.

I am not sure that I truly understand the power of the blog nor do I know if this is a medium that I will want to partake of for years to come.  What I do know is that I kind of like the idea of sending random thoughts and ideas out there for public consumption and hope that this process will help me actually apply myself to getting all of the ideas I have running around in my head down for posterity along with cultivating my "voice".  

Lets see how I do, shall we?

Captain Kid and Bon Jovi

So for those of you who were not privy to this, I am a huge Jon Bon Jovi fan.  In fact I think I may be his biggest fan EVER!  And just for the record I am not a recent convert, no, I am a tried and true, from back in the day, before there was a Bon Jovi and I have the aqua fringed leather jacket to prove it.

When I got married it was with the stipulation that if I ever got a change at Jon I was taking it.  Captain Kid was very understanding, which was quite surprising.   It was almost as if he didn’t think I really stood a chance anyway.  I have no idea what that is all about.  I know, deep down know, that if I had had the chance to meet him he would realize his mistake in marrying his high school sweetheart and beg me to run away with him. (No offense Dorthea.)

Over the years Jon has sort of become the yard stick to which my love for my husband was measured.

Me: “Honey, thanks for taking care of (fill in the blank).  You’re the best.  I love you.”

Captain Kid:  “Do you love me a lot?”

Me: “Of course!”

Captain Kid: “More than Jon Bon Jovi?”

Me:  “Don’t push your luck.”

So when a friend of ours was getting married in Vegas my husband made arrangements to get us tickets for the “Have a Nice Day” Tour.   I was blown away.  Now I need to clarify, Captain Kid is not a Bon Jovi fan.  He fell more into the category of thinking they were a chick band.  So you can imagine my surprise when he gives me not one, but two tickets and announces he is going with me.

Now, these weren’t just any tickets.  They were on the floor, center stage, so close I could reach up and touch him.  It was our anniversary and Captain Kid thought it would be a great gift.  Hello!  He was so right!

The concert was amazing.  I was on my feet through the whole show screaming…er…singing at the top of my lungs.  I knew every song and I swear I grabbed my husband at least fifty times that night  yelling in his ear, “I can’t believe we are actually here.  This is the best present. EVER!”

He got me a t-shirt and a black hooded sweatshirt with the logo on the sleeve and Bon Jovi emblazoned across the front as a souvenir.  I still have both.

As we were leaving the concert that night we had the following conversation.

Captain Kid: “So did you enjoy the concert?”

Me:  Gushing and bopping up and down no longer capable of standing still.  “I did.  I really, really, really did.  Thank you that was the best present you have ever given me.”

Captain Kid: “So, if you had to choose right now between the two of us I win right?”
Me:  “Uh, well, hmmmm?”

Captain Kid: “Let’s face it I can do something for you he can’t.”

Me:  “What’s that?”

Captain Kid:  Pointing to himself with both thumbs.  “I can take you to a Bon Jovi concert and watch it with you.  He can’t ever do that.”

Man has a point.  Sorry Jon, but I am keeping this one.

What boating means to me

Can I just say how happy I am that spring has sprung?  I live in Florida with my husband, who for the sake of anonymity I am going to call Captain Kid, and while our winters are not long, cold and arduous, for people like me who love the heat, they sometimes feel that way. 

Every year as summer comes to a close I tell myself I am ready for all of the chores and projects I have saved for the off season and say goodbye to summer/fall and hello to winter.  But for some reason this winter seemed to last longer.  I thought as I got older the time would go faster, unless you are watching the calendar and praying for those April showers to get lost so I can get myself back to the beach, but this year time did not march on, instead it seemed to drag its feet.

So it was with great relief that this past weekend we were able to get ourselves out to the Marina and get our boat back on the water.  Captain Kid is never happier than when he is out on the water, maneuvering us through choppy waters as if we were on a cruise liner instead of our 27 foot bow rider.  

He is not the only one.  I too had missed flying across the inter coastal waterway rocking up and down to the cadence of a loud, large motor (I have no idea what size it is, but if I asked, Captain Kid would know) all the while a goofy smile on my face as I enjoyed the warming rays of the sun, thank you sun, and my ear buds pumping out Wheezer.

We are not by nature early risers, except, and I mean this sincerely, except, when it comes to the days that we are going boating. We are usually up before dawn with everything packed and ready to go before our Marina is even open.  We are the first ones to call in our request to put her in the water and we are the first ones down to board.

This past weekend was the first we actually got to go out and spend some quality time communing with the sea. We packed up a cooler, grabbed the grill and hit the water.  It was a great day and while I normally enjoy pitching my sunflower umbrella and parking myself in the sand, this weekend I found myself gravitating toward the bow of the boat where I hunkered down with my kindle and my cooler full with a six pack of Coke Zero's.  

I made it through two books and one magazine.  It was the best day I have had since we put the boat into winter storage last year.  

Me VS My New Trikke

Ok, so for those of you who didn't know, I received a T8 Trikke one week ago today.  It was an early birthday gift from my husband. Early because I wanted it before summer really kicked in and my birthday is not until July.


After three years of research I thought I knew exactly what I wanted but my husband, who is a pretty smart guy, told me I should find a store and see the Trikke up close in person before we bought, just in case.  I agreed and then went about finding a local store that sold said Trikke.


I was pretty sure I wanted a T78 Air and I was also pretty sure I wanted a pink one. (Hey I am girlie girl, what did you expect?) Anyway, once we got to the store we met the owner, Barry, who turned out to be this guy who should be teaching customer service seminars somewhere because quite honestly, he was that good. 


He pulled out about five different models for me to try out.  He insisted that I wear a helmet, of course that was after I signed the liability waiver.  He demonstrated each trikke and talked about the pro's and con's of each one. He was very clear to emphasize that is was just his opinion, but I was impressed. He knew his trikke!


After three hours of much debate and trial I decided on the T8.  My husband who insisted we were only getting one for me decided on a T8 as well.  Happy Birthday to you too sweetheart.  


After our purchase we rushed home to try out these new fangled contraptions and it became apparent pretty quickly that neither one of us really knew what we were doing. Although, he caught on a lot quicker than I did.


So here I am a week later and while I am closer to obtaining balance on my new trikke it is still kicking my butt just a little bit.  In fact, last time I looked the score was Trikke 5, Kelly 0.