Great weekend

On Sat I worked until 4pm.  Just a few minutes after I got home, our dear friends Hugh & Kerry and George and Kelly arrived!  Hugh & Kerry typically visit every year on the 1st weekend in Feb in order to participate in the Polar Bear Plunge, but this year it didn't work out since Spouse & I were on our cruise.  Hugh & Kerry were kind of looking for an excuse NOT to plunge into the cold ocean this year, but didn't want to skip a visit with us, so we mutually agreed on this past weekend.

After sitting around and talking for a little while, we decided to have dinner at Dos Locos.  It was busy that night and our friends the owners weren't there, so we ended up having to wait quite a while for a table.  But it was worth the wait as we all really enjoyed our food.  That night we returned home and talked and laughed some more until 11:30.

The next morning we lingered over bagels and coffee, discussing real estate, the presidential campaign, and hypothesizing about Obama's potential Supreme Court nomination.  When it was nearly noon we hugged our friends and said goodbye as they headed back to VA.  Can't believe I didn't take any photos while they were here.

Spouse (who has been sick with a cold all week) decided to take a nap, so I decided to take Big Ella out for some exercise.  Steven & Thad decided to join me and we enjoyed a Sun afternoon joyride.  Later that evening Spouse & I met up with them for dinner at Serendipity, an Italian restaurant we like that overlooks the Indian River.

It was their last night before closing down for 2 weeks, so our entrees were obscenely large.  We decided to take a piece of homemade almond pound cake home for dessert, which was likely the best pound cake I've ever had!  The owner's mother makes all the desserts.

It was a great weekend!

Polar Bear Plunge weekend recap

A couple readers asked me how the Polar Bear Plunge weekend went, so I'll share a few photos and recap.

As predicted, Kerry & Hugh arrived in the late afternoon on Sat with Javier, Emely, Brandyn, Alison, Gabe, and Matty.  Knowing me so well, Kerry presented me with 2 gifts:

Fabulous cocktail napkins and a magnet

These napkins made me howl with laughter!!  I love the magnet too, but it won't stick to the stainless steel appliances in our kitchen, so maybe I'll put it on the washer or dryer.  We hung out for a little while and then went to dinner at Dos Locos.  Fortunately everyone loved their food and I was able to stick to my Fit for Life plan by getting veggie fajitas.  Afterward we returned to the house where some watched a horror film while others talked until bedtime.

Sun morning we had a casual breakfast and hung out together, then everyone got ready for the big plunge.  All 6 of our visiting friends did the plunge except Alison. 

Shedding their clothes minutes before the start of the plunge

Spouse held Kerry & Hugh's dog and I shot the video for them.

Fortunately it wasn't a bitter cold day.  By the time of the plunge it was about 40 degrees and there was very little breeze, so it wasn't terribly cold for those of us who were dry spectators.  Different story for the wet plungers!  There were over 3,000 registered plungers who raised over $780K for the Special Olympics of DE.

After returning to the house, having a hot shower, and changing into warm dry clothes, we went to lunch at Irish Eyes.  Again I stayed on my Fit for Life plan and had salad with lobster on top.  Our friends packed up their gear and headed home.

Weekend wackiness

Our dear friends Kerry & Hugh (and a handful of others) are arriving tomorrow afternoon.  They come every year for the Polar Bear Plunge which raises money for the Special Olympics of DE, and we always have a great time together.

They should arrive in the afternoon, we'll visit for a while, and then go to dinner.  Sun morning we'll have a leisurely breakfast and then head to the beach.  They have been plunging into the cold water for the last several years, to raise money for the Special Olympics of DE.  Some years the weather has been relatively mild (40s or 50s), while other years its been colder.  The high temperature on Sun is supposed to be 38, but of course the breeze at the beach will make it feel colder.

CLICK HERE for a video from a recent year's plunge.

Spouse & I do not plunge.  Spouse holds Kerry & Hugh's little Yorkie and I film the plunge for them.  There is no charity so dear to my heart to get me to jump into that cold ocean water on the 1st Sun in Feb!! After the plunge everyone will shower and then we'll have a late lunch together before they head back to VA. 

Polar Bear Plunge recap

When I got home from work on Sat Kerry & Hugh, Kelly, Ana, Bob & Harriet had arrived.  We hung out for a while and talked, then went to dinner at JD's Cafe.  Everyone enjoyed their meals.  I had lobster and shrimp Thai curry - yum!  Afterward Alison, Gabe, and Antonio arrived.  Yep, we had 9 folks stay overnight with us for the Polar Bear Plunge.

Sun morning we had bagels, donuts, coffee and juice for breakfast, then headed to Rehoboth Beach for the Plunge.  Fortunately for everyone, we had a veritable heat wave and the temperature rose to 54 degrees.  There were over 3,200 registered Plungers who raised over $725,000 for the Special Olympics of DE.  So while the Plungers did their thing I filmed the event with Kerry's DVD camera and Spouse held Marvin.  I would share the video I took but I have not gotten a copy of it from Kerry yet.

My friends Carlos & Peter

When we returned to the house the Plungers took showers and packed up their stuff before the lot of us had a late lunch at Irish Eyes.  Then as quickly as they arrived, the group was headed back home to VA by 4pm.  It was a short but fun visit.

A little later that evening we went to Joe P's for a Super Bowl party.  None of us cared about the teams playing, and some of us didn't care about football in general, but we all went for the camaraderie and food.  Let's face it - it was an excuse to eat and drink booze on a school night.  We had a good time.

Preparing for the Polar Beach Plunge

This coming Sunday is the Polar Bear Plunge, an annual event that benefits the Special Olympics of DE.  The "plunge" refers to people plunging into the ocean, in the cold of February.  This event draws thousands of participants and spectators of every age.

Our friends Kerry & Hugh have been spending Polar Bear Plunge weekend with us and doing the actual plunge for the last 10 years.  (Spouse & I do not jump into the water.  I film the event for them and Spouse holds their little dog.)  Each year they bring a slightly different cast of characters to join them for this fun weekend.  

Some years the weather has been very cold and windy while other years its been sunny and warmer.  Wind, sun, and a few degrees can make a huge difference when they are running out of the water.

Many folks dress up in funny costumes and hats that add even more fun to the event.  Kerry & Hugh et al usually wear over-sized green leprechaun hats (purchased at the Dollar Store), since they are Irish.  

Here's a video (found on the internet) from last year's Plunge:

Kerry & Hugh et al will arrive tomorrow afternoon and we'll have dinner out somewhere, hang out and talk/laugh until bedtime, have breakfast at home Sun morning, and then head to the plunge.  Afterward they'll shower and change clothes and we'll have lunch together before they head home.  Its a quick weekend trip but its always a LOT of fun!

Polar Bear Plunge

Yesterday was the 22nd annual Polar Bear Plunge, and for the 9th year in a row our friends Kerry & Hugh came with several of our friends to participate.

Along with Kerry & Hugh were George, Javier, Ana, Allison, Gabe, and Antonio.  They arrived shortly before I can home from work at 5pm and we visited until about 6:30 before heading out to dinner.  While at dinner it started snowing - just what folks preparing for a plunge into the ocean wanted to see!

After dinner we came home and watched an old made-for-TV movie called "Bad Ronald" for which Kerry has held a fascination for years.  It was kind of silly but we had fun anyway.  Afterward we just sat around and talked and laughed until it was time for bed.

Sun morning we had bagels and coffee and talked and laughed until it was time for the plunge.  Kerry, Hugh, Javier, Gabe, and Antonio bravely ran into the 33 degree ocean (the air temperature was 36 degrees) while the rest of us watched, took photos, and filmed it with Kerry's mini-cam.  The water was so cold that Hugh said it felt as if they were walking on broken glass and nails.  Fortunately we brought thermoses of hot water to pour over their frozen feet.

After returning to the house, the Plungers showered and we all went for a late lunch.  Interesting sidenote: the restaurant was almost full of Ravens fans dressed in purple jerseys but it wasn't very noisy.  Then I realized why.  The purple clad football fans were deaf.  

All too quickly it was time for our friends to pack up and head back to VA.  It was a fun weekend spent with our dear friends.

Weekend highlights

Saturday I worked until 5, then came home to help Spouse prepare for the arrival of Kerry & Hugh and the other Polar Bear Plungers.  Earlier in the week I'd made sure all the beds had fresh sheets and all the baths had clean towels, and had vacuumed the entire house.  Spouse cleaned all 5 bathrooms and tidied up the kitchen so there wasn't much for me to do when I got home.

The gang arrived shortly after 6.  It was Kerry & Hugh, Kerry's dad George, Ana & Jose, Alison, Javier, Emily, Jayna, Antonio, and Gabe.  Yes, that's 11 people!  We went to dinner at a diner so everyone could get what they wanted to eat, then hung out at home and visited.  Eventually everyone went to bed by 12:30.

Sun morning we had bagels, coffee, and fruit for breakfast and continued to visit for several more hours.  At noon we piled into 3 vehicles and headed to the beach for the Polar Bear Plunge.  The point is to get pledges from friends for plunging into the cold water, and then donate the pledges to the Special Olympics charity.  But our gang didn't get their act together in time to get pledges so they just did the Plunge for fun.  

It was cloudy/overcast and 39 degrees, which isn't so bad except that it was windy so it felt much colder.  I had on jeans, a coat, and scarf but I was still cold.  The Plungers in their swimsuits had to be freezing as they waited for the Plunge to begin, and immediately after the Plunge when they were wet.  Afterward we returned to the house and the Plungers took hot showers and packed their bags.  We went for a late lunch together and then they headed back home.

It was a really fun weekend spending time with our good friends!

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

When I saw the promo for "Project Runway All-Stars" my 1st thought was "these are the people who DIDN'T win... why would we want to see them competing against each other again?"  But when a friend who knows how much I like the regular Project Runway learned that I wasn't watching All-Stars he strongly suggested I reconsider.  So as Spouse flipped around the channels and we came upon All-Stars I asked him to stop so we could watch a few minutes of it.  A few minutes was all it took for me to get hooked!  In some ways it even better than regular Project Runway, because the All-Stars contestants are from the top 4 or 5 of the previous seasons so they're all good designers.  So the DVR is now set to record Project Runway All-Stars.

A friend sent me this and I didn't laugh at 1st...

I ONLY saw 2 people dancing.  I looked and looked and looked at it.  I looked at something else and came back to it and finally saw the other image.  THEN I laughed! 

Our good friends Kerry & Hugh (and others) will be coming this weekend for the annual Polar Bear Plunge. As usual, Spouse & I will NOT be plunging into the frigid water with them.  Instead Spouse will hold their Yorkie and I video their mad dash into the sea.

I took the Mercedes in for new tires yesterday since the tread was really thin and I knew the car wouldn't pass inspection later this month with those old tires.  As if the 2 different size tires weren't expensive enough, I learned that the rear brakes and rotors needed to be replaced too.  It was over $850. when all was said and done.  Ouch!!

I saw this on facebook and really liked this.

This really diffuses the theory that gay marriage would somehow weaken or damage opposite sex marriage.

Here's hoping everyone has a great weekend!

Weekend highlights

Sat morning I went to real estate school and Spouse went to the gym. When I returned home shortly before 5pm I was greeted by the smiles of our dear friends Kerry & Hugh, Kerry's father (and our dear friend) George, Kerry & Hugh's neighbors Harriet & Bob, and Kerry's friend Allison and her 15-year old son Antonio and 13-year old son Gabe. They had arrived around 2:30.

We sat and talked for about an hour until everyone was ready for dinner. The 10 of us made our way to Casa diLeo where we all enjoyed pizza, strombolis, calzones, salads, and pasta. Afterward we returned home and talked until midnight. It was really great to spend time with our friends whom we don't see as often as we'd like.

Sun morning I went to real estate school again and left Spouse in charge of the gang. Hugh had run to Surf Bagel and brought everyone bagels and cream cheese and scones. Spouse said they had 3 or 4 pots of coffee with breakfast and afterward as they hung out together. Finally they got prepared for and participated in the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge. Here's a video of what it looks like. The air temperature was 42 degrees and the water temperature was 36 degrees. This year there were almost 3,100 registered who raised over $550K for Special Olympics. After showering they had lunch together at Irish Eyes and a few of them were treated to a ride in Big Ella. They packed up and left for home at about 3pm. I got home from school at 4:30.

Steven & Thad invited us to join them for dinner and to watch the beginning of the Super Bowl so we did. Spouse & I got home as the halftime show was going on. I thought the visuals were interesting, especially the people in the white body suits that lit up, but there seemed to be something wrong with the sound. None of the singers sounded good and the volume seemed to fade in and out. Then Spouse & I watched the 2nd 1/2 of the Super Bowl, which neither of us has done in years. It was an interesting game to watch and I actually enjoyed it even though I'd not been following the season. Then we watched the special Super Bowl-inspired episode of Glee.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

My friend Jared sent me this hilarious photo:

My friend Wendy sent me this amazing video. Try to watch this and not grin!

My friend Bob sent me this video with a rather unexpected ending.

I was encouraged to hear that Illinois Governor Quinn signed legislation allowing civil unions. Although I would prefer marriage equality, many feel that civil unions is a stepping stone to marriage equality. Rumor has it that a similar bill will be introduced here in DE.

Tomorrow our friends Kerry & Hugh and a handful of others are coming to visit and participate in the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge. It will be great to spend some time with our friends Sat night, since I'll be in school both days.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

Yesterday the National Weather Service replaced our Winter Storm Watch with a Blizzard Warning. Here in southern DE and also in southern NJ (across the bay) we are expecting blizzard conditions. Should be exciting! We stocked up on provisions (read: booze - just kidding) so we should be fine for a few days. The grocery stores are practically ransacked and there's not a snow shovel to be found anywhere. The local channels and even the cable Weather channel are working everyone up into a frenzy. Personally I'm on the verge of freaking out! (Insert heavy sarcasm here.)
Our friends Kerry & Hugh cancelled their visit this weekend due to the blizzard and because the Polar Bear Plunge has been postponed. Its just as well though, since Spouse & I both have colds.
Spouse stayed home from Team Trivia last night because of his cold. I'm not as sick as he, so I went. I have a feeling we will end up cancelling Fri Night Dinner with 'the usual suspects' tonight, although the snow hasn't started falling yet. But knowing what is to come will likely cause everyone to stay home.

One of the Newlyweds was on a business trip in LA and decided to do a little sightseeing. He sent me this photo, which warmed my heart!In case you're new around here, I absolutely adore Ella Fitzgerald. I saw her in concert several times and have many of her albums and CDs. Although I'm still waiting for a certain box set ordered from Amazon. Grrrrrrrr...

I have been enjoying Pandora internet radio lately. I normally don't listen to music while I work, but find I can still concentrate when doing repetitive tasks and listening. I find it weird though that you can't just pick a song you want to hear. If you type in a song name, it says it will select songs that are similar to it.

Lately there's been talk of a repeal of DADT, but first they need to 'carefully calculate how to integrate gays and lesbians without traumatizing the troops'. Personally, I find this insulting. Did they have to worry about traumatizing the troops when the first African Americans were admitted into the military? Or when women were first admitted? Yet somehow there's some chance that a soldier will freak out from sharing barracks with gay and lesbian soldiers. That's called homophobia. And hello?!?!? Gays and lesbians are already in the military! Straight soldiers are already sharing barracks with them. The repeal of DADT will simply prevent any more service members from being dismissed and losing their careers due to being gay.

The Super Bowl this Sun. (That's tennis, right?) A friend sent me this funny Bud Light commercial that is expected to be seen during the big match. I thought it was funny.

Crush du Jour: Mark Charles Ferrara

Friday fragments

Have you seen this video yet? Celebrities pledge to be better humans with more concern for social justice and the environment. Its kind of like a new year's resolution, but I like the idea. What do you pledge?

Won't it be nice when this is no longer newsworthy?

Work has been really busy this week. I started my new position 2 weeks ago and am finding lots of ways I can positively impact my colleagues and our company through process clarification and clarification, but at times it feels overwhelming.

Our good friends Kerry & Hugh are arriving late tonight. They're also bringing with them Kerry's father George and Kerry's best friend Ana and her children Emely and Javier. They are participating in the Polar Bear Plunge on Sun, an annual charity event for Special Olympics. As usual, I will film them (using their DVD camera) and Spouse will hold their towels and robes.

Happy Friday, and have a great weekend.

Crush du Jour: Cody Green