SD Crooner's 45 Birthday!

SD Crooner with a cute young chick at Rosie O'Grady's in Normal Heights. We went on one of our bike pub crawls along Adams Avenue, only we started at this bar and never left. Well, we left to go eat dinner at a friend's house (She cooked us pork chops with rice and beans, and we saw her cat's five kittens!). Then we went to another bar but left because it was dead and ended up back at Rosie O'Grady's, where "Rufus" was hosting Karaoke night. There were was a strange (interesting) mix of people (OK - young and weird) in the bar, so we left after a few drinks and the night was over.

Mex Beach on Saturday

I wish San Diego beaches looked like this on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The sand is clean, the water is cool and refreshing, and no families with screaming kids to be found.

Fountain Photo

Woody and I hanging out on the fountain. I thought it was strange that the fountain was working during the time that they were trucking in water due to the water not working. Photo and the Photoshop enhancement complements of the SD Crooner.

Homies

After returning from Mexico, where we ate Mexican food all weekend, we headed to a local Mexican restaurant for a shrimp burrito. While we were waiting for our food we found a "gumball" machine that dispensed Homies. My friends collected a few of these tiny figures that they discovered at other Mexican restaurants. These two, Fat Boy and Bullet, are from series 8. There are 24 in each series. No, I don't plan on collecting them, I just think that the idea of producing a collection of Homie figures is funny and original. They cost $.50 or $.75 each, and you never know which figure you will get. If you get a duplicate, you can always trade.

Pyramid Resort 2005

This past weekend I made my annual trip to the Pyramid Resort in La Mision, Baja California. Last time I went it was cold and foggy the whole weekend, this year it was warm, sunny and froggy. We usually go on Labor Day when it seems half the population of San Diego is there. This weekend the local bars were dead. Also, we couldn't get any one to play Elvis Whiffle Ball with us, so we just practiced hitting. To entertain ourselves, we turned the game into "Dorf" Whiffle Ball. You had to be there to understand unless you remember the "Dorf on Golf" commercials. We are thinking of going back in three weeks when many people said they would be able to make the trip, but people always say they want to go, but don't. I have many more photos from the trip to post later, so stay tuned.

No More Worms or Ducks

I finally have something to do this weekend. I'm going down to Mexico! Hopefully the area where people don't get shot or kidnapped. This is our annual trek to the Pyramid Resort. As I sit in my hot house, more strange men are outside washing the walls in preparation for painting the building. They seem to paint every five years around here. I'd rather have them re-roof the building so the winter rain doesn't leak onto my nice new ceilings. If I don't leave my condo soon, I may be trapped by the spraying water, so off I am.

Picnic at Mission Bay

A rare company picnic. Food and drink for free!

I Found the Ducks

After seven years of living in this neighborhood, I finally found the "hidden" lake. All the signs were there. People walking with fishing poles, a blob of blue on a map and ducks crossing the street. I had never tried to find the lake before today, which was the goal of my evening bike ride. It took me about 15 minutes of following dead-end streets and climbing steep hills before I saw the unmarked path to the lake, which lies about 1000 feet from my home. Riding my bike down to the lake, I saw ducks swimming happily and a man fishing for dinner. Mystery solved.

House Back in Order

The painters came in force this morning. Four men arrived at 9:15 and they were finished by 1:30. My ceiling looks great. Better than I expected. It was worth the money and hassle. It took me the next three hours to put all my stuff back in its place and I feel much less out-of-wack.There is still work to be done: new entertainment center, putting unused furniture in the garage and installing a shelf in my computer room.

Waiting for the Worms

Tomorrow a painter is coming over to paint my ceiling. My house has been in disarray ever since I had my popcorn ceiling removed over a month ago. At the time I didn't realize that the process required two steps: removal and painting. It will be so nice to have this home improvement project finished. I can hang pictures back on the wall and redisplay my action figure collection. Now all I have to do is figure out what to do during the day, as I can not stay at home while the work is being done. I guess I'll go for a drive and listen to some more Pink Floyd.

Afternoon Beer

Yes, I do sometimes eat a meal without drinking a beer. Sometimes. It is just that no photos are taken on those occasions. We were celebrating my brother's (not pictured) birthday at Oggi's and I was the designated drinker.

Bald Ernie

Ernie is suddenly popular with the ladies. They like a bald head.

Starships Above

The Enterprise and Voyager flying high above at the entrance to Quark's. Next time I come here I will hopefully have more time to enjoy the entire Star Trek Experience. It seemed like a fun place for a Trekkie like me.

Reception Gift Opening

The newlyweds opening the cards and gifts that they told people not to get them. Don't they look cute? The reception was a blast that lasted long into the night. Everybody came out for this "small" wedding. I talked to people I hadn't seen in years.

Jayne and Mark's Wedding

I took this photo after the wedding. The 15 minute wedding was very nice.Quick and too the point. I'm happy for my friends and their new life together in Las Vegas. I also now I have someone to visit when I am in or passing through Vegas.

Drinking at Quark's

Here we are drinking a mini Warp Core Breach at Quark's. After we each ordered our first drink, we saw another table getting served this cool looking concoction, so we had to try it. You can't tell, but the there is steam rising from the "fish bowl". I tried a Mind Meld also, which didn't impress me. All their cocktails have clever Star Trek names. My favorite was the James Tea Kirk. I had to explain this to the others - they are non-believers. I had to drag them to this off-Strip hotel, but they all had a good time. No stay at Quark's would be complete without the Holy Rings of Betazed, our last food before the evening's wedding.

Smoking a Hookah

I didn't know what a hookah is, and I still don't, but this is a different way to smoke a cigar. We chose a mango flavored one, and unlike when you smoke a cigar the traditional way, with this contraption it is not as harsh (not that I smoke cigars too often).

Monte Carlo Pub & Brewery

Drinking a Silver State Stout at the brewery. I didn't try the other beers (except for a small sip of the Red and Wheat) so I can't tell you which one is best, but the Stout wasn't bad.

Vegas Weekend

Tomorrow I fly to Las Vegas for the weekend. One of my best friends (MG) is getting married at The Little Church of the West. It will be a fun weekend, despite the heat. I will bring my camera and take some pictures to post afterwards. Who knows what I will photograph.