It was another good day to dive.

Yeah, I know. I've used that title before. And I will again.  Deal with it.

The season closes for the month of July, so was getting desperate to put together the combo of good conditions and finding an available dive buddy. I wasn't sure about the dive buddy, but conditions were too good to pass up. While I was deciding whether to go solo, Jeff showed up.

Conditions were great. Not perfect, just great. Some surge, but good visibility - around 8-10 feet. The Olympus was acting up, battery died almost immediately, so not many pics. Fortunately, had the GoPro working, but The Reader will have to wait for video until I get back.  I had a very cool encounter with a seal in the cove, hopefully got some good video.  Net net - limit out - no trophies, but a great day.

This Ab wanted my beer...

... not going to happen.

Limit Out

I'll pop the abs tomorrow.  Tonight - filets.

  

Will update with GoPro vids when I get back. Probably.

Abalone Calling

Season is closed for the month of July. Conditions look right. Heading North.

What am I forgetting?

Nice and calm

 

Monday at McTeagues

Enticed by cousin Sean's innocuous Facebook post, I wandered down to McTeagues for the US vs Ghana match. Yeah. Soccer. I know. But the NBA and NHL seasons are finally, mercifully, completely over. The NFL hasn't started, and the Cubs still suck. So what the heck - USA! USA! USA!

What I didn't realize is that I was heading for the epicenter of San Francisco Soccer Fandom.

My first clue was the lustiest full-throated rendition of the Star Spangled Banner I've ever heard at any sporting event, let alone a sports bar:

 Apparently there is a live video feed of the bar patrons during the game. We are at the bar and in the frame of this video, but lost in the window glare.  Dempsey's early goal got the crowd going:


 This guy was pretty funny - The only Ghana fan in the bar.  He said "I live 2 blocks from here. Usually there's just three old Irish guys sitting in the bar watching the game. I have never seen Americans so excited about futball."

These were taken during the very few minutes in the game when he had something to cheer about - after Ghana evened the match. I e-mailed him these pics so he could send them to his family and friends. Gotta hand it to him, he didn't hesitate to raise his lonely voice in support of his team. His enthusiasm was short lived when Brooks nailed the winner as covered by SFist:

McTeague's Deafening Reaction To The U.S. Win Over Ghana
If you weren't watching yesterday's tense USMNT game at McTeague's then you probably still have your hearing this morning. If you were at the home of the S.F. chapter of the American Outlaws, then you probably know that John Brooks, whose flying header put the U.S. on top 2-1 in the 87th minute, isn't the only one with a bit of a headache this morning. Observe (but maybe go easy on the volume)...

Just goes to show if you concentrate every single EssEff soccer fan in one small bar you can create the illusion that Americans actually like this sport. It made a believer out of me. I imagine Sunday's match against Portugal will be even crazier. Soo.... I was at McTeagues, and the US won on Monday. I kind of feel obligated to be there Sunday. It is the patriotic thing to do.

It's all about the team

I knew we had a winning foursome.

 Dan hands out our first place awards. The prize almost covered the cost of the golf balls I lost today.

When the team wins, individual scores don't matter. Remember - There is no "I" in golf.

JH 83
DH 90
RE 106
MW 111


Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Bringing it home on 18

Mercifully

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

On the 15th tee

We had some time to kill.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Roy's second shot on 11...

... almost made it to my drive 120 yards further ahead. But that is no big deal. I mean... it's Roy. John, on the other hand, is a single digit handicap:

To be clear... after I spend some time watching an LPGA tourney, John is accurately quoting my new swing thought: "Swing like a girl".


Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Somewhere after the turn

 After a rough start, I was able to restore some semblance of balance in my game.

DH 43
JH 44
RE 53
MW 55

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Roy's 4th shot on 9

Working his way toward the Women's Tee.

That's Donna on the tee over his shoulder.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Donna's eighth - From Tee to Green

 After a nice drive, she needed two more to get on the green...

... and a one putt for a nice par.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Roy's second shot on the par 5 6th

That is my drive in the far distance.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

My birdie putt on the par 3 fourth...

... missed. Got the par.

Donna out of the trap on 3...

...on her way to a bogey.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

John stays out of the lake on first tee

Unlike some of us.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Live Blogging Eagle Vines

An Oracle Golf Club event.  Playing with Roy John, and Donna.

This is the perfect foursome for this format: One ringer, One woman, Two high handicappers.

Sent from my Sprint HTC smartphone.

Family, Graduations, Beards, Hot Dogs [Not necessarily in that order]

Sunday Brunch at Papa's

As per usual, we bookended our traditional spring opening yooper fishing trip to Shag Lake with some family tine in Chicagoland. First things first. I needed a quick fix for my Chicago Hot Dog jones:

 A new neighborhood spot was quick and good, but not quite right. No poppy seed bun. Still, it was enough to satisfy the cravings.

This year the trip was timed to pick up a couple of nephew graduations - one before and  one after. Prior to heading North, nephew Roy graduated as a Juris Doctor from John Marshall School of Law:

Post by Michael Wallach.

At least I think he was graduating with a law degree.

Upon reflection, it now occurs to me that he may have actually been initiated into the Q Continuum:

No matter. The post initiation/graduation celebration at Hofbrau was what really mattered.

Fast forward to the end of our trip - On the Monday after our return Jonah graduated from 8th grade and...

... like his sister before him, was selected by his classmates to speak at the graduation.

The Wallachs continue to cast a giant shadow at Edison Gifted School

And, of course, more good food and drink at the apres-grad celebration.

I grew a beard to show my support for and solidarity with the proud papas:

The Men of La Mancha

Notes from the spring opening.

Some items of potential interest to family visitors at the lake house for the 2014 season. In no particular order:

The Barnetts are still reliably delivering wood (with venison sausage bonus). The two new cords in the shed will burn but are still a bit green and there are only a few old dry logs left on the rack.

The Fishing Wall of Fame has been restored to the entryway.  I like it. Your mileage may vary.

The window bird feeder is re-installed for the season in the Den / Media Room with an insect proof duck tape seal:

The birds found it a lot quicker this time (at least the chickadees did).

The shed was cleaned (sort of) and little red wagon battery hauler was repaired (thanks to Brian):

Since we now have more batteries to charge... this will be helpful.

The spin filter is discolored but should still be purged by every visitor.

I tried to consolidate all the various manuals/documentation for camp devices in a single hanging file box.

It is currently sitting in the lakeside (sunrise) bedroom closet.  Open to suggestions on where to put it.

I left the big ladder in the back bedroom to accommodate any needed roof inspections.If you want to remove it, it is easier to take it over the balcony rather than down the stairs.

The remote control drone fishing boat battery is kaput and needs to be replaced.

Pontoon boat key is hanging in the usual key hanging place.

Somebody should build storage shelves here:

After cleaning the shed, I started a metal debris pile behind the shed in the hope that "free pickup" metal debris guy would pick it up, but ...

... he never returned my call. So it's still there. Somebody should figure out a way to get rid of it.

There remains a limited selection of  Matt's generous contribution of localish craft beers in the refrigerator. To whit:

Post by Michael Wallach.

The ones that are left are mostly flavored brews. This selection helped to confirm and reinforce a personal bias. Excepting aging in bourbon barrels, I just don't like flavored brews. Not coffee, not chocolate, not honey, not flowers, not fruit. Not in my beer. Not even in high quality craft beers.

No offense. It's not you, it's me: 

I do not like flavored beers. 

I do not like them far or near.

I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like flavored beers.
I do not like them far or near.

Finally -  I will be sending a separate post and/or email on the operation of the new/old pontoon boat. That is all.  [UPDATE: Pontoon Boat Operation Orientation video linked HERE]