Category Archives: Outdoors

Life, Outdoors, TV and Movies

Summer – or Not?

Where I grew up, Memorial Day weekend meant the unofficial launch of summer. It was the first big weekend that swimming pools opened for the season. A three day weekend meant that people could get away to the beaches or their mountain cabins or lake houses, clean up the dust from being shuttered all winter and restock the pantries for the summer.

This year Memorial Day was early and it feels like everything is just a little off-kilter. Normally I would be celebrating June 1 as a summer day, but with the early 3 day weekend, June 1 is just another day.

The good thing about summer is the warmer temperatures, the longer days, and the end of school. Kids have more chances to play outdoors, spend time with their friends, and sleep later in the mornings. Unless their moms work outside of the homes, and then they probably have to keep to the same early rising schedules and be hauled off to day care or, if they are lucky, to camp.

The down side of summer is the heat can get excessive, which means the air conditioners run harder and the electric bills go up. And all the good TV shows end their regular series and all that is left on TV is reruns.

I don’t have access to a swimming pool anymore, so that kinda sucks. If I want to take advantage of water, I can go to the lake or the commercial water park. The water park gets expensive, $30 for admission, $10 to park, and of course all the food and drink is grossly overpriced. I try to limit trips to the water park to the really hot days when there is nothing else to do.

There’s a good chance I can get away this summer for a short beach trip. I can’t decide between the Florida Panhandle with the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico, or the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia Beach. They are totally different experiences, but they are both a lot of fun and the water is fantastic. It would be great if I could get away to both of them, but the budget is just too tight for both this year. Maybe I can find some bargain rates at some decent hotel properties and find someone to split the trip expenses……

Local, Outdoors, Recreation, Shopping, Sports

Grand Opening of a New Sports Gear Store

There is a huge new sports gear store opening up in Mt. Juliet this weekend. I noticed it when they first broke ground on the property back in the Spring. It was so big that I thought they were building one of those huge multiplex movie theaters. I was surprised when it turned out to not be a movie theater but a sports store.

The flyer that I got in the mail says that the grand opening is going to be a big deal, with lots of giveaway items to the first couple hundred shoppers in the new store, door prizes given away while you are shopping, and special money saving coupons on select brands and items, like insulated high top hunting boots for only $15, and fingerless gloves for only $4 all weekend.

you can bet your ass that I’ll be there this Saturday and looking for some bargains. And with the store being in mt. Juliet, that’s only a ten minute drive from my house – so I’ll probably be a regular shopper there now that they will be open.

Home improvements, Life, Nature, Outdoors

No Trees Now – Just Sawdust and Ruts

Finally have my backyard close to normal – just in time for all the leaves that are falling to need raking. The bitch next door was stupid enough to pay that tree guy the entire amount of his bill before he was done. He must be some kind of con artist. He told her that his big chain saw broke on the job he was doing for her and that the only way he could finish was for her to give him some money for him to go buy a new one. So she gave him the cash and he stayed gone for another week or two.

Yesterday he showed up in his green pickup truck with a helper and the two of them worked in her backyard and my backyard all day. He cut up and pulled the tree out of my yard but left piles sawdust on the ground. And the truck made big ruts in the side yard. When I came outside to talk to him, he immediately apologized for the mess and explained everything. He made his helper come over with a shovel and spread dirt into the ruts, then stomped on them to pack down the dirt and mud. It still looks a little rough because of the bare patches, but I guess in the spring the grass will grow back over the tracks and no one will notice so much.

Nature, Outdoors, TV and Movies

Swamp People Are Some Scary Fuckers

swamp people

Have you watched that cable show called “Swamp People”? Those guys are some scary weird mother fuckers. Good god – I can’t understand a word those fuckers say except, “That’s an eight footer! That’s an 8 footer!”

I mean, what is it about killing alligators that makes a TV shows? Fuck me – I’m so glad I don’t live down there. Remind me to stay the fuck away from swamps – I’m more concerned about those kind of fucked up people being down there than I am worried about alligators.

Food and dining, Life, Local, Outdoors

Grilling With Style

Bought a new gas grill today. The old one was rusted out and too small – I had bought it for camping and got many good years of burgers and steaks from it. But it was time to go. I found one at Sam’s Club for a fair price and tossed that sucker into the back of my pickup truck and hauled it home. No assembly required – just have to hook up the propane tank and marinate the steaks. Its gonna be some good food here in a couple of hours!