4th of July

Today is Independence Day, also called 4th of July, a day we celebrate our nation's independence from Europe with patriotic parades and cook-outs.

Last year we had several friends over for drinks and appetizers, went to watch the Doo Dah parade, came back for a cook-out, then went to see the fireworks.  It was great fun but also a lot of planning and work.

So this year we kept it simple.  Our buddies Steven & Thad came over for a snack, we watched the Doo Dah parade, we had a cook-in, and skipped the local fireworks.  Instead, we watched them on TV from the comfort of our home.

Spouse & me waiting for the Doo Dah parade to start

Labor Day weekend

This coming weekend is Labor Day weekend.  Its still 90 degrees outside but people are already filling Facebook with 'end of summer' posts and pumpkin spice everything.

I predict this will be a very low-key Labor Day weekend for us.  We don't have any weekend guests staying with us and we've not been invited to any pool parties or cookouts.  I suggested to Spouse that we fire up the grill and invite just a few friends over but he didn't want to.

I have to work on Sat and have a couple of showings on Sun morning, but am off the rest of Sun and Mon.  Of course the weather on Sun is calling for intermittent thunderstorms, so it won't be a good beach day.  Mon looks fine though.

There will likely be a lot of folks here in town for their 'last beach weekend of the summer'.  Insert me rolling my eyes.  Trust me, there will be a lot more beach weekends before summer weather is gone.  We often enjoy an Indian Summer, and I can remember 1 year where we were still sitting on the beach the 1st weekend in Nov.

Labor Day weekend does mark the end of the tourist season here, so starting next week it'll be easier for us locals to get into restaurants.

Labor Day

While summer doesn't technically end until Sept 22, many refer to Labor Day as the unofficial end of summer.  I can't believe its here already; the summer has passed so quickly.

We often have friends visit over Labor Day weekend but this year we didn't.  I was on the schedule to be in the office on both Sat & Sun so we decided not to invite anyone.  Today the office was closed for the holiday.

Spouse & I met Steven for breakfast at 10.  (Thad was at yoga.)  On our way home we stopped at the grocery store, then sat on the screened porch and enjoyed the nice weather.  I'd hoped to go to the beach but Spouse's back has been hurting a lot (spasms and shooting pain) so I didn't bug him to go.  Instead we relaxed on the porch with the dogs, looking at Facebook, online window shopping, and talking. It was actually nice not to have to 'labor' on Labor Day.

That evening we went to Steven & Thad's house for a 'Store bought BBQ'.  Typically Steven & Spouse would make the side salads homemade, but since this was a last minute decision, Steven simply bought the side salads at the grocery store and called it a 'Store bought BBQ'. The store bought salads were a perfectly fine accompaniment to the grilled burgers and hot dogs.  Nothing says American holiday like grilled food!  Oh, and Frito Scoops with Helluva Good dip. We also had a store bought cake for dessert.  I'm sure it was a lot less work than usual for them but just as enjoyable, at least to me.

Independence Day

Ever since moving to our fair little hamlet I have enjoyed Independence Day/July 4th, mostly because of the Doo Dah Parade.  Click on the Doo Dah Parade tag below this post for more info and posts.  Last year's July 4th was disappointing as the weather threatened rain all day.  I made the executive decision not to drive Big Ella in the parade due to the weather, and sure enough it began to rain as the parade started.  

This year the weather was nearly the same. Steven & Thad had invited a bunch of friends to their house for a cookout which overlapped the timing of the Doo Dah parade so I decided not to drive Big Ella again and we forewent the parade to be at our friends' cookout.  Within minutes of everyone's arrival at the cookout it began to rain so we all went inside.  Poor Steven stood outside with an umbrella to finish cooking the hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken.  But despite having to move the party inside, we all had a good time and the food was delicious.  Spouse made his signature potato salad which everyone loves.

Side note:  for the 2 weeks or so leading up to the cookout I kept referring to it as a "good old fashioned 4th of July BBQ".  In conversation, in texts, in emails, I kept repeating the same exact phrase "good old fashioned 4th of July BBQ".  I felt like a Republican, repeating something over and over again until it becomes recognized! 

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

While Memorial Day is actually a day to remember those men and women who have died in military service to our country, it is also the unofficial start of the summer season here at the beach, bringing thousands and thousands of people here from neighboring cities and states.

I always hope for good weather on Memorial Day weekend because its typically our 1st time going to the beach and we usually go to or host a cook-out.  Unfortunately this Memorial Day weekend the weather has not been very good, with rain and/or overcast skies.  So we didn't get to the beach and our cook-out became a cook-in.  Steven grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs outside during a brief let up in the rain, and we ate indoors.  Spouse made potato salad and I made peanut butter brownies.  

It wasn't the best holiday weekend weather-wise but we did have a day off work and good BBQ food.

We offer our sincere thanks to all those who've made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.  Happy Memorial Day.

Holiday weekend recap

I was scheduled to work on Sat until 5p, so after changing clothes and a quick veggie pizza dinner with Spouse and Steven & Thad, I left for the Blue Moon to prepare for the opening night of the LEGENDS show.  Since it was the 1st night we had to try on our costumes, confirm our performance order, and go over the finale number.  The show went off without a hitch and the crowd was very responsive.  It was probably 1 of our best shows ever!  Afterward we mixed and mingled with the audience for a while and I got a few requests for photos.  It was a lot of fun.

Elton John in the finale costume with friends

I worked again on Sun, and then Spouse & I went to Steven & Thad's for an informal cook-out.  It was fun.

Today my company was closed for the holiday so we met Steven & Thad for breakfast at the Crystal, then spent a few hours at the beach.  It was warm and sunny and wonderful.  After returning home Spouse made an easy dinner and Steven & Thad joined us for dinner on the screened porch.  Marvin & Walter enjoyed the extra attention of having known friends there too.

And lest we forget the real reason for the Memorial Day holiday, we did observe a moment of silence in honor of those who have died in service to our country.

Lovely weekend recap

Sat was a work day for me, but I did something a bit unusual:  I hosted a public open house.  My team doesn't do a lot of open houses because in this area they are not effective in selling homes.  They are often attended only by nosey neighbors rather than home buyers.  Serious buyers almost always work with an agent.  But I agreed to do this open house for my client.  He bought this house which was in very bad condition, completely remodeled it, and is now selling it.  Unfortunately the open house was very poorly attended.

My client's house for sale

That evening I met up with Vic & Mike and our mutual friend Kevin and his new boyfriend Scott for dinner at Saketumi.  I hadn't seen Kevin since sometime before we moved from VA in Jan 2007 so it was great to reconnect.  Everyone enjoyed their dinners and the conversation.

Vic's lobster dinner

Although I was not on the schedule to perform in that night's Legends show, I received a call on Fri asking if I could fill in for someone who had a family emergency.  Of course I said yes.  So after dinner with the guys, I went to the Blue Moon to become Neil Sedaka.

My version of Neil Sedaka

Sun I met Steven for breakfast at the Crystal.  Thad went to yoga, Joe P had brunch plans with a visiting friend, and Spouse stayed home to make potato salad.  After breakfast Spouse & I went to a small car show where we ran into Rick & Nick.  

A rare AMC Ambassador

Later we went to Steven & Thad's for a BBQ celebrating the birthdays of 1 of the Bobs, Joe P, and Jack, and the retirement of Robin.  As usual, we brought Spouse's legendary potato salad.  The weather was absolutely stunning, about 80 degrees, low humidity, and a nice breeze.  

Making a wish!

 It was the perfect way to end the weekend!

Weekend redux

This past weekend I had a rare weekend off work, and managed to resist having to meet clients on my days off.

Spouse & I decided to do some much needed power washing.  Against my wishes we bought a power washer a few weeks ago.  (I prefer to pay someone to do it rather than have to figure out how to use and maintain the machine to do it myself.) But Spouse really wanted to buy and use it, and well, since I bought Big Ella years ago I have no room to complain about his decision on how to spend our money.

He read skimmed the directions and put the 117 pieces together.  We removed the 4 love seats, 2 chairs, 2 end tables, 2 dining tables and 8 dining chairs from the rear screened porch and started experimenting with the 3 tips which give different widths of spray and power.  After a few minutes we got the hang of it and cleaned the mildew, cobwebs, and dirt from the screened porch.

Next we cleaned all the furniture we'd taken off the porch, and then we headed around to the side entrance of the house.  Because of the sun's direction, that part often does not dry thoroughly after rain and had some algae along with the dirty, cobwebs and mildew.  (Note to self:  consider repainting white trim a color that doesn't show so much.)  We were pretty impressed with the work we did, and to my genuine surprise, we really didn't argue like we usually do when trying to complete home projects.  (Spouse prefers 'fast' while I prefer 'thorough'.)

By the time we finished the side entry, the screened porch and furniture were dry, so I loaded all the furniture back into the porch while Spouse was inside making a cake.

That evening we went to cook-out at Mike & Nathan's place.  Spouse made a Luau cake (my name for it) which was delicious and simple.  Just make an orange flavor box cake mix according to the directions, but substitute crushed pineapple with its juice for the water.  Once its cool, ice with butter cream frosting and sprinkle with coconut flakes.  It was a big hit.

On Sun we had a leisurely morning at home, drinking coffee on the freshly cleaned screened porch, dead-headed the roses, and eventually got ourselves ready to go to the beach.  We picked up wraps from the deli on our way so we could eat lunch at the beach with our friends Joe P, Rick, and Tim.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day and really enjoyed our time at the beach.  Later that evening we met up with Steven & Thad and Joe P for dinner.

It was a fun and productive weekend!

Holiday weekend

Here in the US this past weekend was a holiday weekend where we celebrate Memorial Day.  It is a time to remember or memorialize fallen soldiers.  Some visit graves, some put out flags, and others observe a moment of silence in respect for the sacrifice made for our freedom.

Flags for Heroes, on the lawn of our local high school

Memorial Day weekend is also the unofficial start of the summer season, especially in beach towns like ours.  (Summer technically starts June 21.)  Most people end up hosting or attending at least 1 BBQ over the 3-day weekend.  Our buddies Steven & Thad hosted a BBQ on Sun afternoon.  Spouse made his delicious and famous potato salad and some cookies.  There was lots of delicious grilled chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs along with many tasty summer salads and desserts.  I grossly over-ate and regretted it the rest of the night, but we enjoyed being with many friends and had a lot of fun.

Steven was manning the grill

Memorial Day weekend is also mine & Spouse's anniversary of when we met.  (We count that date as our official anniversary rather than the date of our civil union or the date our civil union was converted to an actual legal marriage.)  Unfortunately I had to work 1/2 day on Mon but afterward Spouse & I met up with Steven & Thad, Joe P, and Betsy & Bob at the beach.  It suddenly got very warm here so the temperature was about 87 degrees; perfect for relaxing on the beach.  It was a lovely afternoon!

Perfect beach day

Yesterday was our 18th anniversary, but we didn't do anything 'special' this year.  We used to give each other gifts and plan special dinners, but after this many years and since our anniversary is always close to a holiday weekend, our celebrations have become much more low-key, which is fine with both of us.

Here's hoping all of you had a fun holiday weekend!

Holiday weekend highlights

Wow, what a weekend!  I'm not sure if I can fit everything into 1 post, or if I should even try to recap this weekend or not... it might take too long!  So maybe I'll just give you the highlights.

The Breens arrived in the early afternoon and the 3 of us had lunch at the Ocean Diner.  Afterward we came back to the house and talked and played with Marvin until Spouse came home.  Sean made us cosmos from his fabulously tasty recipe which should probably be patented.  For dinner we tried a new spot in town call the Rose & Crown which we all liked.  (Side note: a restaurant by the same name used to be down the block before Spouse & I moved here.  Not sure if its the same owners or not but the new space is much better.)  

On Sat I had to work, so Spouse took Marvin for a nice long walk while the Breens met up with Ron for lunch and a visit.  That evening we had blood orange cosmos which became a hit with everyone as Sean tweaked the recipe.  (Look for the recipe in a later post.)  That night we opted for a 'simple' dinner at Ruby Tuesday, then squeezed into the Blue Moon for the 1st Legends show of the

2013 season.  It was absolutely packed and we all felt like sardines in a can.  After the show we went for a short walk on the boardwalk before heading home to chat before going to bed.

Sun morning we took the Breens to our favorite weekend breakfast spot, the Crystal Restaurant.  Then I met a client and showed a house while Spouse & the Breens went for a walk to the canalfront park.  When I finished with my client I picked them up and we went to Dairy Queen!  We had some great coupons that will expire in a week, so we all got delicious frozen treats.  Since the temperature was warmer and the sun was out we talked and laughed on the screened porch for hours (literally).  Sean mixed up another batch of blood orange cosmos and we listened to the the 

music from mine & Spouse's reception while we visited.  After all, Sun was our 17th anniversary!  For dinner we decided to order Mexican food and eat on the porch, so we switched to margaritas to compliment our chicken enchiladas and bleu cheese quesadillas from Agave. 

Reading over this, it sounds like all we did was drink the entire weekend, which is... umm... well... never mind. 

The Breens left very early Mon morning to avoid the mass exodus of holiday weekend visitors.  I had to work until 1, then Spouse & I had lunch, went to the grocery store, took Marvin for a walk, and then had Steven & Thad and Joe P over for a simple Memorial Day cook-out.  We had hamburgers, hotdogs, BBQ baked beans, chips & salsa, potato chips and French onion dip, and Steven brought summer slaw.  A tasty meal on the screened porch was the perfect way to cap off a terrific holiday weekend.

Weekend highlights

Sat evening Spouse & I met up with our friends Vic & Mike for dinner.  We ate at Saketumi.

Vic & Mike live in the same city in VA where Spouse & I used to live, and ironically, they live in the same neighborhood too, although they moved there after we'd moved away.  We met Vic when he was with Dawson and lived elsewhere in that town.  Vic & Mike moved into a house just 3 streets over from mine & Spouse's 1st house.

Vic & Mike bought a condo here at the beach about 2 years ago and we've gotten together with them a few times.  They are very nice guys, and they have 2 miniature dachshunds so our conversations over dinner included lots of dog stories.  They had never eaten at Saketumi before so we were happy to introduce them to 1 of our favorite places to eat.

Sun afternoon Kerry & Hugh stopped in for a visit.  They had been to Ocean City to open up their condo for the upcoming rental season, and stopped here before heading home.  The weather was nice so we wound up visiting on the back porch for a while, and then went for a late lunch/early dinner at Pickled Pig Pub.  It was really nice to visit with them, as always.

That evening we went to Steven & Thad's for a small cook-out.  Spouse made potato salad and Steven grilled burgers, Italian sausage, hotdogs, and pork chops on the grill.  Joe P & 1 of the Bobs came too.  We had a tasty dinner and lively conversations.

4th of July highlights

My office was closed yesterday for July 4th but I still "worked" most of the day anyway, just not on real estate.  I cleaned off all the screened porch furniture and cushions, swept the porch, put all the furniture back in place, and gave the wrought iron patio set a fresh coat of white paint.  While I was still hot and sweaty I went ahead and pulled some weeds from the flower beds and watered Spouse's fancy red hydrangeas (which haven't bloomed yet).  Once inside the cool air conditioned house I put away lots of odds and ends, vacuumed the main level and cleaned the kitchen.  All this in preparation for hosting a July 4th cook-out.

Around 4pm Steven & Thad, Joe P, one of the Bobs, Robin & Bill came over.  I decided not to drive Big Ella in the Doo Dah parade because it was just too hot.  I was afraid the extreme heat might cause her to overheat, so we all walked over to the parade route and watched parade instead.  Then everyone can back to the house for the cook-out but we ate indoors.  All that work to clean the porch and repaint the dining set and we ate inside!  But the food was tasty and we had a good time.  Later we rode down to the beach to watch the "volunteer" fireworks.  These fireworks are not paid for or sponsored by the City; they are paid for and set off by private citizens or "volunteers" and they're great!  For more than 90 minutes we were delighted and entertained by fireworks directly in front of us, to our left, to our right, and even across the bay.  It was a fun display.

 

Today I'm off because its my regular day off and we're going to the beach with Steven & Thad and Jason & Kevin.  Its supposed to be another scorcher but at least we'll be at the beach and can cool off in the ocean.

Memorial Day

After work on Sat Spouse & I went to a cookout at Steven & Thad's house.  Several of our mutual friends were there, the food was great, and the weather was perfect.  We had a really fun time!

Sun morning Spouse & I met up with Steven & Thad for breakfast at Crystal, then went to the beach.  The weather was nice and warm and the humidity was nice and low - perfect beach weather!  We had a great time.

Today we went to the beach again.  It was noticeably warmer but we enjoyed ourselves anyway.  It was a nice and relaxing holiday weekend.

Weekend highlights

Sat I worked until 3:30. I left early so I could go home and run through my Legends show routine a few times before heading over to Steven & Thad's cookout. Spouse made potato salad and helped Steven & Thad get ready. Here's a photo of my back and ass in the background and some of the food in the foreground.
From left to right: Steven's macaroni salad, Steven's black bean and corn salad, and Spouse's potato salad.
They had a great turn out! Jason & Kevin, Chris & Jason, Jack, Allen, Joe P, Robin, the Bobs, Rusty and other friends and neighbors came. The food was great and we had fun talking and laughing. The weather was perfect for a cookout. I left at 8:30 to go to the Blue Moon for the Legends show. Our friends Marty & John and our neighbors Jim & Barb came to the show!

On Sun I went to work again and Spouse met up with Steven & Thad, Joe P, and Allen for the annual Drag Volleyball game. For years now 2 teams of volleyball players dress up in themed drag and play. There's always a dramatic introduction and a 1/2 time show too! Here's a photo from this year's game:That evening Spouse & I met up with another bunch of friends for a birthday/cocktail party. It was fun to hang out with this group of friends again as well as meet some new friends. Afterward many of the guys went to a big dance in town but Spouse & I picked up an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery (an early birthday treat for Thad's upcoming birthday) and took it over to Steven & Thad's and visited with them and Allen and Joe P.

This morning Spouse & I had a quick breakfast, packed our stuff and arrived at the beach at 10:15. The weather was mostly sunny, breezy and about 80 degrees. Steven & Thad and Allen were already there, and shortly after we arrived Joe P showed up too. We had a great day hanging out at the beach. We saw lots and lots of friends, including the guys from the previous night's birthday/cocktail party. The sun disappeared behind the clouds for an hour or so, but came back out again later. We'd brought lunch so we were able to stay until 4:15. What a great beach day! Once back at home we showered, dressed, and headed over to Steven & Thad's for dinner. Steven used the leftover chicken to make chicken enchiladas which we ate with the leftover salads. We ate outside in their yard and enjoyed the great breeze until it got dark and the bugs started biting. We went inside and had cherry pie and watched "True Blood".

It was a terrific holiday weekend filled with friends, food, celebrations, beach, and work.

(Long) Weekend highlights

Sat morning I watched episodes of "Sell This House" while Spouse had his personal trainer appointment. A little later my friend Chris came over. We met in a DC gay bar and found out we'd gone to high school together! He's a really sweet guy. He was spending the long weekend at the beach and since it was rainy Sat morning, he called and came over for a visit. He and Spouse & I went to lunch, then sat on the porch and talked for a while. When he left Spouse washed Jordan (the dog) and I cleaned porch and arranged the outdoor furniture in preparation for our cookout the next day. Spouse & I bought a new gas grill at Home Depot. Nothing fancy; just a larger grilling surface than our little mini charcoal Weber. That night we met Steven & Thad, one of The Bobs, and Joe P for dinner at Saketumi. I got a teensy-weensy bit tipsy on Cosmos made with Absolut Berri Acai. Dee-lish!!

Sun morning we had breakfast with Steven & Thad at the Long Neck Diner. Once back home, Spouse fired up Big Ella, picked up Steven & Thad and took them to the "Battle of the Bands" concert and car show. Our friend Rick & Nick added the 'car show' part to the "Battle of the Bands" and it wasn't very well attended but Spouse and Steven & Thad enjoyed it anyway. Instead of going with them, I went to the beach with Bryan & Jason. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to be at the beach more than at a poorly advertised car show. There was a wonderful breeze and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Back at home, I cleaned the outdoor tables and chairs and helped get food ready for the cookout. I grabbed a quick shower before our guests started to arrive. We had 16 for our cookout. The weather was ideal for being outside. There was a nice breeze and the humidity was very low. Everybody brought a dish and we all had a great time.

On Mon it seemed everyone we knew was at the beach. It was significantly hotter, but there was a nice cool breeze coming off the water. We stayed from 10:30-2:30, then had a late lunch at home, followed by showers and a nap for Spouse and email and Facebook for me. Later we had dinner with Steven & Thad and one of The Bobs. It was a great way to wrap up a long holiday weekend.

Crush du Jour: Rob McElroy

Memorial Day

When I think of Memorial Day, I know I supposed to think of this:
but instead, I think of this:
and this:

Before you jump to conclusions about how shallow and unappreciative I am, let me explain.

I grew up in the Jehovah's Witness religion which does not believe in participating in or supporting the military in any way. So my family and the families with which we associated never put flags on our porches or acknowledged the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our country's freedom.

No, for us Memorial Day was a day off of school and work. It was a great opportunity to have a cookout and/or go to the beach. Now, I have NOT been a member of the JW religion for many years now, but some habits die hard. Like it or not, say "Memorial Day" and I think "cookout" and the unofficial start of beach season.

I am trying to retrain my thinking to be more appreciative of others' sacrifices, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy a nice grilled burger and some potato salad.

Crush du Jour: Bruno Cabrerizo