You'll Be My Sunny Day, I'll Be Your Shade Tree

[Second Editor's note: Turns out, Blogger.com revamped their site for whatever reason. To do so, they need to pull every post that had been put up between Monday and Wednesday. And then they decided to take out all the pictures I put in along with the captions I listed under them. So, now I'm having to re-do them. Lovely.]

[Editor's note: This first paragraph was written chronologically after the rest of the post, and then added once I remember to write about it. Hence the second paragraphs has it's own opening and the first paragraph doesn't flow at all with the rest of the post. I'm sure you all would have been outraged had I not explained all this. You're welcome.] First, and most certainly foremost, after almost two years of searching and collecting, I have finally completed the my collection of the entire 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series Roster Signed World Series baseballs. Timo Perez was the last holdout from all the 25 guys on the roster and Ozzie Guillen. Who is Timo Perez? Glad you asked. He was our fourth outfielder for the series and recorded one at bat, never reaching base. He played his last game at the major league level in 2007, so finding his signature was tough enough, but then to get it on the 2005 World Series baseball was quite the treat. I forgot to take a picture of the completed case holding all 26 balls as well as the official WS patch, and the replica WS trophy, but just picture it in your mind. Makes you smile doesn't it. Sure makes me smile.

There are some things I just don't mess around with. I don't drink 5 hour energy because it scares me. I don't watch anything with Matthew McConnaughey because I will leave more stupid than I entered. I don't ever touch a thermostat unless I'm the only one it affects because too many arguments have started over it.

I also don't mess around with sunburns. Spent a week or so in Florida and then on a cruise through the Caribbean. Brought about a dozen friends or so, and many of them were interested in getting a tan. We'd get to the beach or head out to the pool deck and they would gingerly put on a coat of SPF 15 or 30 and go about their day. Me? SPF 90 if could please. I would have gone with the 100, but it was the sport stuff that burns your eyes for about five minutes after you put it on. I don't care if I'm whiter than a cotton ball. I want no part of skin cancer. It runs in the family and I've already logged enough sun-hours growing up in Florida. So now-a-days, when I go to the beach, I put on a healthy layer of strong sun block.

Now, some of you might be thinking "If he put on all that sun block, how did he come back a little bit darker than when he left?" Golf is the answer my friends. For whatever reason, I usually forget to put sunblock on when I tee it up. So, after spending a weekend at the beach, a week on a cruise that went from beach to beach, the only sun I really got was at the golf course after all of that. And if you think I'm kidding, know that I wear a glove on my left hand when I golf, and believe that my right hand is noticeably darker than my left. Not a coincidence.

All in all though, the cruise was great. I love them. They're a hotel that travels to different places while you sleep. Oh, and they let you eat as much as you want. They'd deliver the menu and without fail, I would get 2-3 appetizers (really enjoyed their Ceasar salad, to the point that I had it every night), 2-3 entrees, and 2-3 desserts. Never went for the Trifecta of 3-3-3, but often wound up mowing through 8 total plates. And out of all of those plates, they all were delicious, except for the turkey. Just bad. Not dry, just without flavor. Yuk.

Annnnnd... here's the photo dump.

This is the whole group outside the house. Why we took the shot across the street and not in front of the house, I'm not sure. I'm guessing sun position, but there are still quite a lot of shadows.
If you thought I was kidding about finding the shade on the beach, you're dead wrong. There are about 60 beach loungers in front of me, most of which were empty. Me? I'm taking the wooden stool on the covered deck. And, as my sister pointed out, that sign was temporarily incorrect. If I'm there, there is a lifeguard on duty.
Just chilling at the Indialantic Beach boardwalk. I'm using boardwalk loosely, because the entire thing could be carried by a seven iron. And still, it's was the closest thing to a boardwalk outside of Cocoa Beach.
Best Billboard ever. I say, they shrink it down to business card size and hand them out at YSA activities. I realize we preach abstinence, but just in case, they should know to Protect Ya Tings.
Sometimes you really want to go swimming. And you're wearing a suit. And you don't see those two as being mutually exclusive. Side note: chlorine will change your suit forever. Not in a radiation-cloud-turned-johnny-storm-into-the-human-torch kind of way either.

Yes, that is the whole group throwing handstands. I'm just right of center. Still on the way up, hence I haven't locked my knees. However, my toes are still pointed. Thanks high school diving.