The Splitty The Maul Challenge

Splitty the Maul , shown here:

Has a one gallon penny jar.

He's offered up a challenge.

He'll be at the Pennsville Public Library Luau, being held at the Sportsmen's Club this Saturday.

He has to be.

Splitty's one of the sponsors.

However, he's also a benevolent sort.

Therefore, whoever fills up Splitty's penny jar (With all proceeds going to the Library), Spliity says Air Traffic Mike will make them a BBQed Rib Dinner (2 full slabs) complete with ATM"s homemade baked beans, marinated Summer vegetable salad, and homemade fresh peach cobbler.

Splitty's already contributed a couple inches of pennys.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

NOTE: ONLY PENNIES FOR SPLITTY'S JAR!!!!!!

Tuesday Bluesday and Splitty The Maul Goes Hawaiian

Ugh.

Week two, and the vertigo continues. It's in the "up and down" stage. Some days aren't too bad, others like today are pretty rough.

It's enough to keep an eternal optimist down.

Or even me.

Still, life goes on. I have two Dachshunds to herd over, Christine to take care of, and plans to make.

Speaking of "plans", Splitty The Maul has been busy of late.

To the surprise of no one, Splitty The Maul is a huge fan of the Pennsville Public Library.

Splitty digs reading.

He likes books so much that he's helping to sponsor the 2012 Pennsville Public Library Luau. This year's event will be held at the Sportsmen's Club from 2:00 - 4:00 pm this Saturday afternoon.

Splitty also has a surprise announcement regarding his continuing support of the Library.

Splitty says you'll have to wait for it just like ATM and everybody else.

Mauls, they're unpredictable like that.

I guess we'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

"Piering" Out Into The World

Some days it pays to stop and plop for a bit.

Not that my days are ever that hectic.

Given my recent bout of vertigo, I've spent more time doing nothing than I've ever been used to.

Over the last few days it's been down to a manageable level. That means unless I turn my head in a quick manner, my equilibrium is mostly okay.

I hazarded a oil change run to Delaware on Wednesday. I had a late lunch with Cousin Beth afterwards. She's been looking for a job in IT. I like to check in with her at least once a week in person to give her an ear to bend and to encourage her.

Beth's like the rest of the family in many ways. For starters, she's amazingly intelligent. I'm not just being biased here. She comes from a smart father and mother. Her father comes from a smart set of parents and has two smart brothers. I've not met her mother's parents, but I'm pretty sure they were smart people as well.

Oh, and Beth has that wickedly warped Walker sense of humor.

I never had a little sister.

If I did, I imagine she would be just like Beth.

After I arrived home, my ears felt noticeably less "full". The pressure had subsided, not completely, but definitely a change.

Thursday, Christine and I took her car over to Delaware to get it serviced. My ears felt okay, not great, but not too bad. We had a wonderful lunch at a little Mexican place. She had a chicken taco salad, I had a beef taco salad. Instead of using the usual ground beef taco mix, my beef taco salad was filled with tender strips of marinated steak. Every ingredient in the taco bowl was fresh, well seasoned, and delicious.

Friday, I felt like having seafood. When I feel like having seafood, I go to Harry's Seafood Grill in Wilmington, DE. When I'm flying solo, want seafood, and go to Harry's, I call cousin Beth.

I should have talked Christine into taking the afternoon off, but I was already in Delaware.

Maybe I'll talk her into taking this next Friday off, picking up Cousin Beth, and have a "Friday Summit" where I can let the ladies vent as I buy them lunch.

So then came yesterday.

I made a run to the produce stand.

I needed some nice Summer vegetables to make my marinated Summer vegetable salad with Feta cheese.

Then, I ran over to Delaware.

The Shop-Rite supermarket on Rte 13 North is absolutely incredible.

From the in-store bakery, to the seafood counter, to the selections of meat. They kick ass.

I picked up two really nice rib racks of lamb. The I saw a whole pork loin. It was/is slightly over two feet long. That means one thing.............

Next week, it's going to be "Air Traffic Mike's BBQ Pork Loin With Fresh Peach BBQ Sauce".

After that run, I was tired. I wanted to relax.

What's a brother to do???????

I suggest you visit the lovely Miss Debbie at J.G. Cook's Riverview Inn.

She makes a lovely version of the "Moscow Mule" (shown above).

While you're there unwinding, take in the view........

The old Wilson Line Pier and the Delaware Memorial Twin Bridges.

The remnants of the old Pennsville, NJ - New Castle, DE ferry pier.

A close up of the Pennsville - New Castle ferry pier.

Something I never saw when I was a child. Wild ducks on the Delaware River. Shown here, taking shelter during the tidal change.

I took the afternoon, had a "Mule", sat on the River's edge, and relaxed.

Today, rack of lamb on the grill, roasted new potatoes, marinated Summer vegetables, and crusty bread.


Christine is stretched out on the sofa, relaxing.


Beth couldn't make it, but I completely understand.

We saw a cute rescued Dachshund online last night......

More to follow on all.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Memphis Delayed

"It's called *GO FEVER*. Don't catch it"

It's true.

For many reasons.

One, I'll leave private. I know that's unusual for me to do so. However, I've opted at this time to maintain it as such.

The other two reasons are as follows:

1.) I have off and on over the course of my life suffered from Meniere's Disease. It causes me to have bouts of extreme dizziness(vertigo). If you have never suffered vertigo, imagine a drunk person walking down a  running conveyor belt and the belt mechanism is spinning on a horizontal axis.

     On my worst bout, in 1995, I was pretty much bedridden for two and a half weeks. I was reduced to crawling on my hands and knees to get to the toilet and the bathtub.

     I'm not comfortable attempting a drive to Memphis at this time. Today it has subsided a bit. Tomorrow it could flare right back up to the point I'm bedridden.

2.) It's currently 100F outside with thunderstorms predicted for Monday and Tuesday. Tornadoes were associated with the storms as they crossed Tennessee.

     Add the vertigo and the bad weather together and it just seems like a really bad idea to me.

In other news, I was reminded why the phrase, "Paybacks are a b*tch.".

There's a whole range of incidents where people (mostly us guys) reassign blame. Lots of folks don't like to fess up.

Dishing off the blame can be quite humorous in many cases.

Especially if the "victim's identity" is in itself slightly absurd, but entirely plausible.

For example:


In grade school, what was the default answer to your teacher's question, "Where's you homework?"


"I'm sorry Miss Schwantz, my dog ate it."


Yes folks, "the dog" takes the fall for a lot of stuff.


Knock over the trashcan in the kitchen while horsing with your brother?


Sorry "Rusty", this ones on you.


Little brother makes a sandwich, puts it on the table, leaves for a moment, and comes back only to find his empty plate wet on the floor?


"Gee Gary, looks like "Rusty" got a hold of it."*


*note: Make sure you leave the dog a small corner of sandwich on the plate as you drop it to the floor.


So you're asking, "ATM, how in the cornbread Hell does this apply to paybacks?


Well, like always I told you that story to tell you this one.


I have a shameful habit of blaming my passing gas on our dog, "Billy".

"BILLY"

I'm not the first fellow to do this. 

Just the latest.

Besides, sometimes it's actually him.

That's where the payback came in.

The other day I was pretty much stuck in bed with the bout of vertigo. "Billy" has a habit of laying on my immediate left side, tail end curled up under my armpit, with his head facing my feet.

Christine was getting ready for work.

I had gas to pass.

I thought, "Perfect, "Billy's" in position.  Here we go."

Off it went, a perfect "Motor Boat" poot.

Before Christine could say anything I piped up, "Bad dog!!!!!!!".

I did feel bad for "Billy". The sheet was over his head.

It wasn't a minute after Christine got out the door that "Billy" got his revenge.

The little bastard farted into my (at that point) two days unwashed left arm pit.

The words have yet to be created to describe that smell.

I wanted to throw up, but I hadn't eaten in two days. Vertigo also makes eating difficult. It's like having permanent motion sickness.

So to recap:

- I'm staying put for a bit.

- Always blame the dog.

-Paybacks are still a b*tch.

-Sometimes the dog gets even.

I have news for tomorrow's blog. For anyone who is a real fan of the space program, aviation, autographs, and history.

It's a really good story and for a really good cause.

Until the next time, all y'all retire.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.