Had another great weekend, I was over at Circle W hunting preserve in Alabama for another AKC hunting test. As you can see from the picture the weather was perfect. We had about 20 dogs each day to hunt over so I got to shoot a ton of birds. This was the last test of the season but I was invited to shoot at a training seminar next month. I took my new camera and played around with some settings. Some came out good some not so good but I am learning. Here are a couple that came out pretty good.

Deb took out her bike and went for a ride with Dan and LaFaye. A good time was had by all.

See you guys soon.

He's Aliiiiiiive !!!!!

The sign didn’t say it but I think it will be a live performance. I was driving through Walnut Grove and saw this, and just wanted to share the news.

Deb and I had a great weekend. We drove over to mom and dad’s house on Saturday morning so I could meet Steve. He and I went and picked up Jimmy and Aaron to go to a gun show in Gwinnett. Deb was going to go shopping for a dress for Micah and Christine’s wedding. After the show I called and she never left mom’s house. She and Peg just hung out with mom and pop. About 4:00 Debbie, dad and I headed to the hockey game. We met some friends there and had a good time. The Gladiators played terrible but managed to force overtime. We then lost in the first few minutes.

On Sunday we met up with Dan and LaFaye rode the motorcycles for a few hours. We did about 100 miles and were home before dark. This time of year, dark = Cold.

That is about all for now.

Home again, Home Again……….

Deb and I spent the week end on New Orleans. I had to go to the NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) show for work. This is the place dealers go to see what is new and buy anything that they need in a dealership. This was a bad place to be if you were selling stuff (ME). Most years it is one of the biggest shows put on. This year GM had a booth with only 1 car from each division; Ford only had 4 cars in the booth. Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Nissan, VW and Audi did not even show. We were one of 3 car wash companies that came, out of the 20 that are usually there. 17,000 dealers are members of the NADA and only 2400 showed up. We got less than 50 leads in 4 days. That is for the entire country. Georgia got zero. I left the show a day early, no sense wasting another day.

Deb and had a good time in spite of the show. We drove down on Friday and got to the hotel about 3:30pm. We were about 1.5 miles from the French Quarter, so we walked over for dinner. We went to The Crescent City Brew House. This is my favorite restaurant in the city.

We found it with Peg and Steve and Mike and Michel when we were on our cruise. I have been a few more times when I’m on business. From there we walked over to Bourbon St. They are getting ready for Mardi Gras, and was fairly quiet. As we were walking I saw a court yard with the gate open and some great Dixieland music coming out. A 3 piece group (Base, Banjo and trumpet) were going to town. The trumpet player sang and sounded just like Leon Redbone. We stayed for about an hour, and then headed back to the hotel. When I was at the show on Saturday, Deb went to the Riverwalk and did some Christmas shopping. We met up after the show for dinner. My feet were killing me from being on them all day so we just walked to a place about 2 blocks away. The Sun Ray is a local place you have to look for but worth the hunt. On Sunday we got up early and ran over to Café Du Monde. This is one of Deb’s favorite places. Deb had some work to take care of while I was at the show so she just hung out till I was threw for the day. We found another great Cajun place, Mulats, for dinner. At 7:00 a band came out and made foe another outstanding evening.

I went to the show on Monday but by 11:00 I knew it would be dead so I made the decision to head home. I talked to some of the folks who stayed and things never did pick up, so I made a good call.

When My ankle did that I had to get it fixed.

That’s all for now, see you all later.

Just another blog

I finally got something to blog about. Deb and I went to Kholes and got some decorations for the living room. Mom here is your Christmas money at work. On the floating shelves we have some of the knick knacks we have picked up over the years. One thing that I thought was cool is the hangers for the shelves have level bubbles built in to them.

We went to the movies today and saw “Grand Torino” with Clint Eastwood. It was very good, both of us thought it was outstanding. Not what I expected, but very well done. We give it 2 thumbs up.

I have to do a trade show in New Orleans at the end of the weekend, and Deb is going with me. We will drive down on Friday; the show is from 8:30 till 5:00 Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We will have the evenings to see the sights then drive home on Tuesday. That will give me another subject to blog about. Mike asked if I was going to visit the “Hotel in the Hood”. It just would not be the same with out Steve and the Essence Festival.
That’s all for now.

The Party's Over

It has been a long couple of weeks. I saw all of you the Sunday before Christmas, and have been on the move ever since. We had a quiet Christmas with mom and dad at home. Deb and I love to have visitors. I headed out on the 26th for my annual duck hunting trip.
This is the 5th year for this trip and we always have a great time and enjoy the company. I have known Tommy (older fellow in the back) and Von (second from right) for 20 years. I met them shooting skeet. The other two Johnny (with beard) and Franck I met at AKC test and skeet shooting for 10 years. We stay in the Blue Bank resort on the banks of Real Foot Lake each year. We meet our guide at 5:00 each morning at the boat ramp and head out in the dark for our blind. We get to see the sunrise over the lake and enjoy every second of it.
This year our first day was 40 MPH winds and 3ft swells and no good for ducks. We did get a couple but that was just good shooting. (Wink, Wink) The second day was cool and beautiful. Our guides worked hard to call in the ducks and we bagged 8. Hunting ends at 3:00pm on Real Foot so we headed in and hit the road home.
I got home about 2:00am on Monday. Deb and I headed to Peg and Steve’s about 2:30 on Wednesday and rang in the New Year. We worked on the new deck for a couple of days and came home on Sunday. Now it is back to a full week of work and try to get back on a schedule.

See you guys later.

Just wanted to drop a note before New Years, I have a few pictures to share with you all. On the Saturday before Christmas I went with Micah and met Mildred Evans for lunch. She is 80 now and still getting around good.

On Sunday,after we returned from the Towhey Christmas Extravaganza, we had Christmas with Deb’s niece, Sydney (13 years old now), and her mom and sister Katie. Everyone was well taken care of by Santa.

On Monday evening I put the window Peg made in the opening over our front door. It looks great.
On Christmas eve Micah and Christine came over for dinner and gifts, another fun time. I haven’t downloaded the pictures yet from that. (Sorry) Christmas day mom and dad came over for dinner. This was the most laid back holiday we have had in a long time.

On the 26th I left for a duck hunting trip. That will be the next blog. Deb and I are leaving for Peg’s house tomorrow to spend New Years and help Steve work on his new deck.

Happy New Years

Someone Had To Be First

It is 6:00am on the 22nd of December. Deb just left to take Sydney to the airport so she can spend Christmas with her dad, step mom and 2 brothers.

Deb and I had a great time with everyone yesterday. This is what Christmas should be. As great as it was, I have to thank the first of all mom and dad for hosting the “EXTRAVIGANSA”. But for me the Shore / Williams family stole the day.

Katie thanks for sharing Maddy with all of us.

Chris and April, thanks for making the effort to make the trip. It is not always easy but I hope it was worth the trip.

Peg and Steve, you made the day for Debbie. She has been working hard to remodel the house and your gift will be the crowning touch. Everyone who comes to our home will see it, but only our family will know the love in the giving and receiving in this gift. As soon as I get it up I will post pictures.

I could go on but I need to let all of you have something to post.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.