Ports of Call

Couple of Minutes on the Withlacoochee

April 18th, 2009

As we returned from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico I decided to try out the video function on my really cheap, 5 megapixel camera. What you cannot see is all the turtles on the leaning palm tree and the gator under the brush – you just have to take my word for it that they were there, might be time for me to upgrade my image capturing device (Read the rest of the story…)

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Military Discount Golf at Disney

April 6th, 2009

It is time to get the golf clubs from the dark recesses of you garage and dust them off. Walt Disney World has announced starting April 26, 2009 they will discount for those with a military ID (active, activated and retired) the rate of 18 holes of golf at all their golf courses.

To play before 1000 the rate is $59.00, after 1000 it is just $39! Yes, that includes the Magnolia, a PGA course which hosts the Children Miracle Network Classic golf tournament where Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Mark O’Meara are a few of the professionals who have won the championship trophy in the last few years.

We will be using our complimentary and discounted 5-Day Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Tickets with the Park Hopper option and Water Park Fun & More Option.

Tee time is set! We will be mixing golf with our visit to the parks over a few days in late April staying at the Shades of Green which is nestled right between the Magnolia and (Read the rest of the story…)

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Happy First Year Anniversary!

March 29th, 2009

My Nuke son and his wife are experiencing much of what Japan has to offer. In this video they give a tour of their hotel room Kyoto. (Read the rest of the story…)

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So I Called Up the Captain

March 23rd, 2009

The internet is a wonderful thing.

Just the other day I received a friend request on Facebook from a person I hadn’t seen or heard from in over 20 years. This isn’t some long lost high school friend (although I get those too), I am talking about a friend who is from another country I met while attending a NATO school on the Italian military base Borgo Piave in the middle of nowhere outside the town of Latina, Italy.

The school we classed up for would keep us there for about 3 months, the classes we attended prepared us for working on NATO’s satellite ground terminals. We arrived in May 1988, the class was made up of people from many NATO countries but five of us formed a bond I recall often and do cherish the memories.

They called the five of us the Beastie Boys. Three from the United Kingdom, one each from England, Wales and Scotland, one Canadian and myself.

Arriving in May (Read the rest of the story…)

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Stormy and Cold

January 6th, 2009

Today has been a rainy and cold day here in the Memphis area. We have been hovering around the freezing mark and ice has formed on the trees. When you walk outside you can feel the chill attempt to make its way to your bones. Gloomy is a good way to describe it.

It is when we have weather like this we find ourselves reminiscing about our time in Iceland. For two and a half years my family and I lived on the naval air station in Keflavik. I was stationed at NATO Satcom, NSGT F-15. A ground satellite terminal with the big dish and everything.

Summers there were somewhat mild, I think the warmest day we experienced while there was about (Read the rest of the story…)

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Donate to the USO

December 18th, 2008

Admiral Mullen at the end of the following article is quoted to have said, “It’s something that they will remember for life, and I hope that as the years go by they remember and do something for USO.” It is true, the memories remain strong.

I remember the first show I saw aboard the USS Forrestal while deployed in the Med. The only time I saw Bob Hope perform live was a USO show on the flight deck while in the shipyard in Philly, he was a class act.

One of my favorite opportunities was an impromptu performance in one of the hangers at about 0200 at NAS Keflavik, Iceland with the band Kansas (Dust in the Wind, Carry on Wayward Son), their plane was diverted to the island so the members of the band decided to treat about 20 of us to a live concert!

The shows are just one of the many things the USO does for servicemembers. The USOs in the various airports around the world are a welcome oasis to the military members in transit. For a number of us the years are passing, the Admiral’s hope really should come true. Donate your time or even some cash to the USO, it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside – here is the LINK! (Read the rest of the story…)

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PGA Tour Hits the Shades of Green

November 5th, 2008

This week the Professional Golf Association (PGA) tour pros arrived at the Shades of Green (SOG) to participate in the Children Miracle Network Classic golf tournament. This is the thirteenth year for the event and hearing some of the golfers talk about it in the lobby it is one they look forward to. Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Mark O’Meara are a few of the professionals who have laid claim to the championship trophy in years past.

Amateur golfers can also participate in the event. Discussing the subject with the wife of such a golfer she said there is about a $7500 entrance fee and everything is included – even the hybrid Cadillac Escalades with chauffeurs who drive you where ever you want to go.

The Shades of Green blocked off 70 rooms for the event for the golfers and tour administrators. It is the (Read the rest of the story…)

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Shades of Green in November

October 22nd, 2008

The Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) located at Walt Disney World. It is the only AFRC located in the continental United States and room rates are determined by your pay grade. The resort is located amidst golf courses and across the street from the Polynesian Resort which makes it an easy walk to the monorail. Check here for eligibility requirements.

We already have our reservations booked and my golf clubs are packed! The Shades of Green is offering the following for November 2008:

Special “Fall into Autumn” Package

(Read the rest of the story…)

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Eating in Busan, Korea

October 14th, 2008

My Twidget Nuke Son may be stationed in Japan but his ship gets to travel all over the Far East. They had the privilege to make a port visit in Busan (Pusan), Korea, here is one story of the visit,

“So Korea turned out to be much better then I had first anticipated. My hopes weren’t that high because I had just never really wanted to go to Korea so I knew nothing about it. Walking around, the city of Busan is pretty impressive. Its size was amazing. From what I thought would be another Chile experience, Korea left a good impression. We took a bus into the center of the city and were basically cut loose. “Go out and do (good) things”, the good is implied. The stores were clean and new looking, everything was well maintained. We sort of went into explore mode and just started walking. For no purpose other then to head in a direction and see (Read the rest of the story…)

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Crazy, Crazy Pizza

October 13th, 2008

My Twiget Nuke Son’s final episode of his first impressions of Japan. One of the great things about the Navy is the opportunity it provides to experience cultures outside our own – it broadens our service men and women view of life unlike any other profession can.

“We walked around for what seemed like forever. My feet hurt, and we finally decided to call it a night and go to our hotel. The rooms were large enough for a twin bed and the ability to walk between the bed and the walls/desk and that was it. The bathroom was only slightly smaller then the room itself. It had one of those fancy toilets with the buttons and gadgets on the side. One of them being a bidet, which I was too wierded out to try.

We went for dinner at this one restaurant that had a picture menu. (for ease of use. Otherwise we may have picked something not at all what we wanted). One of the things one the menu was small pizza. I was like wow, yay, pizza! So, I (Read the rest of the story…)

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