A proud moment...

And no, I'm not about to talk about my kids.  ;)  Call my nerdy, people, but I'm very excited about my latest "project":

It was like the First Zucchini Ever.  I'd post more pictures, but I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one post.  :)

Mantrek 2009 - Seaside, Oregon

For the last weekend of May, 4 other guys and I went to Seaside, Oregon for 3 days/3 nights of childish fun - all the photos are below.  This was courtesy of Rob Lee (beach skiing behind the truck below) and his parents' beach house. After our 3 days of only 16 hours of sleep (lots of wee hours Rockband and Call of Duty 4), we wrote the below entry in the official beach house diary. We thought all the sappy entries about beach sunsets and happy strolls needed some manly flare.  

Five guys, three days, one truck.

It began with naked midnight swim, and got better.

Recovered with four hours of RockBand2 on xBox 360.

Watched the dawn. Listened to birds’ song. Lovely.

After four hours of sleep, walked to Pig’n Pancake for greasy griddle revival.

Continued another 45 miles to the Safeway for supplies.

Gearhart Beach; sand, surf, truck madness.

Dragged Crazy Rob behind the truck on the skim board.

Trespassed on gov’t. property thru bomb impact area.

Lunch and boogie boarding.

Service project; dug sad couple’s truck out of sand.

Saw: shipwreck: Heard: Shipwreck Talk.

      “Is it still sinking?”

Truck-in-motion driver, passenger changes.

Relaxed with “Angels and Demons” and Tom Hanks.

BBQ’d hamburgers – yummy.

Dug impressive beach pit for massive bonfire.

Fire leaping, only one man down.

Set upon by eleven wine toting bachelorette partiers. Grumpy Rob’s efforts to turn them away were met with a barrage of personal questions to gauge the group’s fun level. Married? Yes. Great! Children? Yes. Great! Drinking tonight? No. Ohh…”Okay, here’s the deal. Either you’re leaving or we’re leaving.” We enjoyed the rest of the fire in glorious maleness.

Back to xBox: Call of Duty 4. Death by DeathVolk.

After breakfast, crusty cowby at Sea Ranch Stables took the measure of our souls and matched us to the horses desitned to be our soulmates.

Mountain biking on beach with wind at our backs. Cannon Beach.

Caves, tide pools, boulder climbing, Hug Point.

Strenuous biking snapped chain, drawing  first blood.

Leatherman multi-tool and rocks with Kung Fu Grip Rob saved the day.

After attempting to resuscitate prehistoric fish choking on shrimp buffet, rode to parking lot facing headwinds to encounter Peruvian panflute lothario.

Zombies and Deal or No Deal at Funland arcade.

Scooter rentals with Jake and Peg-leg “are you boys looking for fun?” Sally. Terrorized the town while eluding Sallys spy network.

Pizza. Cav’s game. Burp.

Bumper cars.  Beach football.  Bike surfing.

More manly fire while entertained by Chrystal the Gaelic-singing minstrel singing for her s’mores.

Reenactment of ancient tribal fireball throwing ritual.

More RockBand grooves.

Horse whispering of sweet nothings to Chance, Bart, Navajo, Gordita and Waffle while playing “Planet of the Apes” at Haystack Rock.

Climbed halfway to heaven to reach Hiker’s Camp and Tillamook Head lighthouse viewpoint. Found Dharma Station 13.

Race to the trailhead won by Ironman Rob.

Final performance of Midnight Swim of RockBand to cap the weekend and begin the housekeeping. 

Found boyhood again

At sunny seaside retreat

Can’t wait ‘til next year.

Full photo set here

Goldilocks

And I was worried that he wouldn't ever have any hair.  

Here he is in July last year:

And here he is today:

Making a mountain...

Moles.  *sigh*  I am in a mole quandary.  Do I call a professional to have them removed?...will that do any good, or will they just return?...Is it worth it to have them around to get rid of the slugs that try and destry all my plants?...Is my lawn destined to become uber-lumpy?...Will they destroy all the hard work that Andrew is currently putting in to the retaining wall?  I have so many questions and so few answers.  Maybe that's why all my neighbors have dogs...