Stepping on the scale on this 49th day of lockdown

I've been avoiding it, but I made myself step on the scale today. The verdict.. I've gained 4.6 pounds since sheltering in place. It's not like I've been sitting around either.  Heck.. I've been downright busy for a good part of it. Looking closely at everything in retrospect, I can boil it down to pretty much sugar and carbs.

When you go from eating under 100 grams of net carbs per day, to an abundance of them, you pack on the weight unbelievably fast. My only saving grace is how active I've been around the house with projects, and an increase in activity thanks to biking, walking and swimming. I have no doubt in my mind that this would be 10 pounds or more I would have gained, if I had just been sitting around for the last 49 days.

Much like I thought in my post yesterday, I was able to jump right back into intermittent fasting with no problems. Today I didn't eat my first meal until 2:00 p.m., creating an 18-hour fast! Seeing the numbers on the scale even motivated me to eat a sensible lunch. I threw together a 'Ghetto Charcuterie' board together as you can see below..

Smoked Kippers, meats, cheeses, celery, olives, pickles & nuts

Tons of protein and less than 5 grams of net carbs! This filled me up quick, and I even had to put most of the nuts back into the jar I got them from. I had forgotten how different it feels to eat this way. I actually felt energized after lunch instead of falling asleep.

In recent weeks I would eat breakfast at 9:00 a.m., lunch at 11:00 or noon, and would snack mindlessly until dinner. I had also gotten back in the habit of eating dessert most nights. I was always hungry when I ate more carbs. I knew my eating habits would suffer a bit when this all started, but I really began going off the rails, and I'm glad I caught myself sooner than later. Hopefully changing course can get me back on track, and maybe even slowly losing weight once again.

Shows I've binged & watched since self isolating - Lockdown Day 44

Right off the bat, I'm going to warn you that is probably going to be a very boring binge TV list.  I simply don't watch that much television.  I would like to, and its always something I said I wish I had more time to do, but I haven't dedicated much time to it thus far.

Here's what I have binged or watched over the last 44 days..


Binged Shows
Better Call Saul Season 5
The Walking Dead Season 10
Fear the Walking Dead Season 5
Ozark Season 3

Shows I watch nightly
The Flintstones
Curb your Enthusiasm
Everybody Loves Raymond

New show I'm starting to binge
Picard
The X-Files

Show I tried to binge, but quit after 40 minutes to an hour

Tiger King
Unpopular opinion I know, but I didn't care for Tiger King.  I experience nuts like this in Florida on a regular basis. I don't care to spend my spare time watching more of them and delving into their lives.

Dispatches from Elsewhere
I actually attempted to watch this show several times starting from the first episode.  I usually love weird shows like this about secret societies, conspiracies etc., but I just couldn't get into it.  The payoff for the time I was investing just wasn't worth it, and it just didn't keep my interest.


I know my binge habits can't even hold a candle to many others out there. And when I say binge, it's never any more than two episodes in a row I watch.  The only show I truly binged intently during a three day period was Ozark.  Everything else on my binge list was a matter of "catching up" on shows I had simply fell behind on watching.

Don't get me wrong, there are TONS of shows I would love to start watching, but I still can't justify taking the time to do so.  I simply have too many other things that require my time.  I'm reading, writing, cooking, and biking more.  Being a home owner.. I always have a huge to-do list. There may come a time very soon that I indeed have more spare time, so maybe I'll make a to-watch list.  If I discover anything good, I'll make sure to share it here.

Old school charcoal grilling - Lockdown Day 41

I normally only grilled about once or twice a month before lockdown. However, my gas grill was put out to pasture a few months back.  I always meant to buy a new one, but to me it wasn't a necessity so I kept putting it off.  Now that I am spending all of my time at home, I've been getting the itch to start grilling more.  Unfortunately, I'm now furloughed, with no hope of accessing the busted and disgusted Florida unemployment system anytime soon, so I can't afford a new Grill whilst pinching my pennies.  However.. I did free up enough scrilla to buy a charcoal grill for under $20.00.  I ordered it at Wal Mart and they brought it out to me during my grocery pickup last week.

While I turned my nose up at char grilling years ago, I was kind of excited to try my hand at it once again.  My Dad spent hours teaching me the intricacies of how to properly grill from the time I was eight years old, so I was confident I could grill up a good meal for my family.  The biggest turn off to charcoal grills once I was an adult, ended up being the time it took to grill a meal.  Now that I've got nothing but time, this isn't a factor any longer and I'm excited to use some of my time to char-grill once again. So what meal did I chose to cook for my inaugural charcoal grill session?  Why.. the great American backyard BBQ staple, Hamburgers of course!

The new Grill working like a charm

All of the char-grilling techniques came back to me pretty quickly.  With no charcoal starter contraptions except lighter fluid, I knew the longest part of the whole process was going to be getting the coals ready.  I mounded the coals into a volcano looking structure, soaked them with lighter fluid, waited 5 minutes, and lit them up.  It was at about the 20 minute mark that I was sorry I skimped on the charcoal, buying a cheaper generic brand.

Never go cheap on your charcoal
My Dad always told me to buy Kingsford charcoal, and I now see why.  It wasn't hard to get the charcoal glowing red and white on the inside of my volcano tower, but the briquettes were incredibly stingy about sharing and distributing their heat with their neighbors.  My bride had some hand held bamboo fans on the patio, so I grabbed one and fanned the coals for about ten minutes until my arm felt like it was going to fall off.

Once the charcoal briquettes were flaming red and glowing white hot, I spread them out and let them alone for about five minutes.  I then closed up the grill, letting the heat sterilize the cooking surface.  I was pleased to see I poured out exactly the right amount of charcoal to cook up a dozen burgers.  That is just something that comes back to you like muscle memory.  I know a lot of folks that hate char grilling because they say it's too easy to burn your food.  I would agree with that statement IF.. you walk away and don't pay attention to what you're doing.  My Old Man always said.. "Grilling is all about patience" and this is so very true. If you're rushed, irritated, or not 100% invested in what you're doing, your meal will probably at least be sub par.

I remember my Dad grilling only on weekends.  He would work hard all week, and it truly was a type of therapy for him.  He was in his element, he was a master, and it truly brought him joy to prepare any type of meal for us on the grill.  If we were eating dinner at 5:00, he would begin his process at 3:00.  He would start by pulling out the grill and cleaning it up.  He would then arrange all of the charcoal, allowing for proper airflow.  A trick he used was to grab small thin pieces of wood scraps from his wood shop in the garage, strategically separating the charcoal layer by layer.  I remember not being able to walk anywhere near that towering inferno of charcoal for fear of singing the eyebrows off of my face.

Finally, he would spread the charcoal out evenly and would tell me.. "It's still not ready yet.  You need to let it sit for awhile so the insides of the charcoal get hot too.  If only the outside of the charcoal is white, they will go out and get cold when the grease and juices from the meat start dripping on them".  In the meantime, he would carefully prepare the meat, sprinkling it with Lawry's seasoned salt and other spices.  When the meat was finally cooked he'd tell me "We're not done yet!  We need to let the meat rest and clean the grill up.  Let the heat do the work for you! Scrape and brush your grill before the charcoal cools down".


One year around the 4th of July, I had a Black Cat firecracker that ended up being a dud.  The fuse disappeared into the firecracker, but it never exploded.  I decided to throw it into the pile of hot charcoal thinking it would immediately pop off.  At least a minute had passed and it didn't blow up, so I assumed it was an all out dud.  My Dad then came out to check on the coals, and the firecracker finally blew up, spitting coal and ashes straight up into the air.  I thought for sure I was going to get in major trouble, but my Old Man jumped back and said "Hmm.. one of those pieces of pine must have had a lot of water in it".  I never did tell him it was a firecracker, but maybe I will one of these days.  He'd probably get a kick out of it.. now.

Yes, char-grilling is definitely a bit time consuming compared to gas grilling, but I must admit, the meat has a totally different taste.  The burgers I made on my new charcoal grill were possibly the best tasting hamburgers I've ever grilled.  I didn't do anything fancy either.  I just rubbed the patties with garlic salt and sprinkled them with Worcestershire sauce before grilling them up.  In the end, I threw some quality cheddar slices on each patty during their last minute on the grill.  My family raved about them, and that made me happier than all get out.

It does take more time to char-grill, but the whole process makes me slow down and focus on what I'm doing.  The satisfaction I get out of crafting an incredible meal is great, and everything about it to me is very calming.  The walk down memory lane it provided me was priceless, and I can't wait to charcoal grill once again.

Lockdown day 40 - Having a milestone birthday during the pandemic

I truly feel for people who have a birthday during the thick of this pandemic.  For anyone who has a
milestone birthday during this mess, you have my condolences.  As for me, I turned 50 yesterday, and it was a pretty melancholy day.  I really can't complain though.  I had my entire immediate family with me all day, and it was pretty much a chill stress free day at home.  We have our health, each other, and are still holding strong. Truly, things can always be worse, so I am very blessed.

I grew up not celebrating birthdays, so I think that the paramount occasion and importance of it all is lost on me.  I definitely am not one who would plan out a whole day, week, or month of events for my own birthday.  In fact, I feel downright uncomfortable celebrating my own birthday to tell you the truth.  I know it's simply a result of my upbringing, and that making it through another year of life should definitely be cause for celebration, but it just feels weird to me.

My family is kind of in the same boat.  They too were raised for much of their lives not celebrating birthdays, so it only makes sense that celebrating their birthday or someone else's just doesn't come naturally.  Now some of my friends are pros through and through, and exude  happiness, merriment, and delight for their friends birthdays, but we very well can't gather with friends right now.

We were actually supposed to be on a cruise this weekend, but that was cancelled last month.  Now that I think of it, little pangs of this hopeless feeling started creeping in around that time, slowly building up until I woke up with a feeling of slight sadness yesterday.  I couldn't shake that weird feeling during my birthday, and it's still lingering a bit today.  50 years is a milestone birthday.  It's one of those birthdays that is flat out monumental, like your 18th, 21st, 30th, and 40th.  Now it has come and gone, there was not much special about it, and I will never get that day back.

I'm not going to focus on this void I'm feeling for very long. There will be other occasions to celebrate, more fun times to be had, and life will move on. I'm not the only person in this boat.  It's this lousy virus and lockdown that has made for a cruddy 2020 thus far, and I have to remember that we can't control it.  I can adjust my attitude however, and in turn be happier.  One thing is for sure, the parties and celebrations people will be enjoying after we are on the other side of this mess, will in themselves be monumental!

Lockdown Day 38 - The top 3 things I miss and don't miss since lockdown began

As I sit here looking towards another weekend under lock down, I once again have that weird feeling so many others have right now.  That is, Saturday and Sunday feel like any other day to me now.  There's nothing special about them, and I don't look forward to them any longer. This is mainly because we are pretty much contained to our home, and none of us can venture out for fear of exposing an at risk family member in the household.

It got me thinking of how much my life has changed during all of this, and how much I miss certain things.  Therefore, I decided to make a list of the top three things I miss and don't miss about being under a lockdown..

Top 3 things I miss since lockdown began

Laughing
While my bride and family indeed make me laugh, I'm not laughing as much lately.  Sure I get some giggles from memes and such on the internet, but then I see news that undoes all of that and really puts me in a bad place.  It's the main reason I've cut down watching the news on TV by about 90% as of late.  Not going to work has been a huge factor in this as well.  I really got along with my work family, and we would laugh all throughout our day.  Now after a month away from them, I can really see the effects that being away from such positive and happy people has had on my life.

Going out with no plans
There is/was so much to do in the area where I live.  It was such a great feeling to get up in the morning, leave the house, and simply see where the day took you.  Like so many other things, it was something I truly took for granted.  And I'm not talking about big stuff either.  It's things like stopping by my favorite pizzeria for a slice and a Coke, hitting up the local Puerto Rican eatery for some Café con leche & fresh hot buttered bread, or simply walking around a Farmer's Market after breakfast. These were all such fulfilling little pieces of my life. I simply just didn't realize how much so until now.

Travel
Traveling is one of those things that re-energizes and nourishes my soul.  Where we live, there are no shortage of destinations to visit if you only have a day or two to spare.  I had all kinds of plans for this summer, and now they are all shot.  A couple days in St. Augustine, a few days in Key West, a cruise during my 50th birthday.. all cancelled.  I know this mess won't last forever, but it sure did ruin my year.

Top 3 things I don't miss since lockdown began

The Rat Race
"I wake up every morning in a bed that's too small, drive my daughter to a school that's too expensive, and then I go to work to a job for which I get paid too little, but on Pretzel Day? Well, I like Pretzel Day".
-- Stanley Hudson  (The Office)

Doesn't that about size it up?  Life can get in the way and suck all of the joy and happiness from your soul.  The only way to make up for that, is to find things that bring that joy and happiness back into your life.. (like pretzel Day).  Unfortunately, I currently can't do a lot of the things right now that bring me joy, but I sure do have a lot of time to figure out new things to appease myself.

Commuting
My stress levels have dropped exponentially since not having to drive as much.  You really can see the worst of people in traffic, and I often did on a daily basis.  Nothing can ruin your day quicker than a terrible experience in traffic at the start, or end of your day. 

Unnecessary & impulse spending
Many people won't agree with this one. That being said, I have several friends that have self admittedly been buying tons of items they don't need online to keep themselves entertained.  I personally however have avoided this snare, because I shop a little differently when it comes to buying items online.  I never just click and buy on a whim.  I always add items to the cart and come back later to review what it is I'm actually buying.  More often than not, I end up removing half of them. In fact, the 'Save for later' list on my Amazon account must be several miles long at this point. 

I'm good at talking myself out of buying items online, but in retail stores, restaurants, theme parks or malls.. not so much.  That's why I'm saving tons of money right now.  Now if I wasn't being furloughed, and could actually access the broken Florida unemployment system, maybe my bank account would be holding steady and not shrinking.

So that's it for now.  These are just the things that pop right off the top of my head.  There are many more, and I'm sure the list will continue to grow the longer we are self isolating.  I'm pretty sure a lot of people myself included are putting their lives under a microscope right now, and reassessing what is really important in their lives.  If I didn't have writing as an outlet, I'm not exactly sure I could cope with all of the stress and worries that can plague the mind.  Thanks for reading my random thoughts and musings during this time, and be good to yourselves my friends.

Lockdown Day 36 - Just keep swimming

So my back feels 110% better than it did a week ago. While it still has a ways to go as far as full range of motion and flexibility, I actually woke up this morning with no pain whatsoever, and enjoyed the best night sleep I've had in quite some time.

I credit this breakthrough to two things.. the stretching I talked about in yesterday's blog post, and swimming.  It's not so much swimming, as it is floating, stretching and slowly twisting and turning my torso in a weightless environment.  With no pressure or strain on my lower back, I could actually feel my vertebrae relaxing and slowly cracking.

When I get out of the pool, it feels as if my back has been through a strenuous workout.  It doesn't hurt mind you, it just feels spent and as if there's a void there.  It's as if my brain doesn't know what signals to send me, as my back has been tight for so long.  It's a weird, but it feels as if my back doesn't know what to do, now that it's no longer tensed up.  I keep expecting it to tighten up at any minute.  While it feels great to have no pain, it also feels kind of weak.

Tweaking my back last week wasn't the beginning of my lower back problems. It's been tight with limited flexibility for years. I even got disgusted years ago and gave up golfing, because I never had a good range of rotation for a decent golf swing. Usually a hot shower in the morning and ten minutes with my legs up in the recliner, would reset it for the rest of my day.  The next morning, I would have to repeat this same process all over again.

I think that once I'm in the clear from the injury, I need to start trying to strengthen my lower back muscles.  It makes sense that if I haven't had full range of motion for years, those muscles in my back haven't been used properly during that time either.  For the time being I think I'll continue with this low impact exercise, and will soon start using techniques to slowly strengthen those weak muscles. I really do have a spring in my step today.  Now I need to just remember not to get cocky and re-injure it!

The article that got me inducted into the White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame

Below is an article I wrote, which got my son and I inducted into the illustrious White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame.  Fans and enthusiasts of White Castle Sliders are known as 'Cravers'. Every year, the company picks around ten people from a pool of thousands, to be inducted into their 'Cravers Hall of Fame'.  The inductees are chosen due to their loyalty, dedication to the brand, and willingness to do nearly anything to satisfy their Crave.  

The thing that cinched our induction, was an 1800 mile father and son road trip we took, for the express purpose of dining on White Castle sliders.  Some of our fellow inductees we share this honor with, are Stan Lee, Alice Cooper, and even John Cho & Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar).  Below is the original article detailing our trip..


Darrin & Darrin go to White Castle
It had been seven years since I had last sunk my teeth into a White Castle hamburger when I found myself having insatiable cravings for White Castle Sliders. I knew that the frozen White Castle hamburgers located in the supermarket freezer section would not satisfy my carnivorous fixation. No... I craved a made-to-order White Castle Slider, steam grilled to perfection and tenderly tucked inside a soft, fresh delicate roll. Joking around one day with my wife, I suggested that I should go on a road trip back east for the sole purpose of obtaining some White Castle burgers. As the chuckles subsided, I asked myself, “Why not?” I had recently kicked around the idea of taking a road trip with my teenage son to help us reconnect, but all we lacked was a destination. I went to work the very next day, cashed in some vacation time and commenced planning our 1,800-mile, round-trip burger run. 

The Big Day 
The alarm clock woke me up right on time, at 1:45 a.m., after a blissful four hours of sleep. I took a quick shower to help me wake up, ran downstairs, poured myself and my co-pilot a cup of coffee, kissed my bride goodbye and was out the door and on the road by 2:15. Nine hours later, after viewing an infinite number of rolling hills and wheat fields, the landscape seemed to almost instantaneously change as we approached Kansas City, Kansas. As we crossed into Missouri, my son and I both felt a renewed vigor! We were like giddy school girls right before a Sadie Hawkins dance. Now, only 350 miles stood between us and the nearest White Castle. After 800+ miles, and 13.5 hours of driving across three states, we had finally arrived! 

The White Castle restaurant in Wentzville, Missouri, is the absolute closest White Castle to the northern part of Colorado, where we live. It was a newer store and only faintly resembled the classic stores I had visited in the past. The architectural similarities were prevalent, however, and I spotted it from what seemed to be miles away. 

Lunch
After 13 hours of driving, we were hungry, but our appetites weren’t exactly what you could call ravenous. Therefore, we took it easy on our stomachs and ordered only 15 White Castle Sliders and a couple of orders of fries. Over the next four days, french fries, pickles and onions would prove to be the only vegetables I would consume during the entire course of our road trip (unless you count the coleslaw I ate with some BBQ in Kansas City). We finished lunch and headed 20-some odd miles east to our sleep accommodations in a suburb of St Louis. It was strategically picked, as it was only 1.9 miles away from yet another White Castle. My son took a nap while I stretched out on my bed to check my email. Four or five hours passed and my craving for White Castle Sliders once again started to resurface. I woke my son up and he agreed that we needed to make another White Castle run. 

Dinner
We were getting hungrier by the minute, but were absolutely beat from the drive, so we decided to get some White Castle to go from the store a couple of miles down the road. For lunch, we kept it old school and dined on basic White Castle hamburgers with fries, but for dinner we decided to change it up a bit. White Castle’s menu is pretty simple and straightforward, but they do have a couple of unique menu items that we just had to try, like Chicken Rings and Buffalo Bites. We also ordered five or six cheeseburgers and of course, a few classic Sliders for good measure. As we relaxed in the confines of our hotel room, my son and I talked about how great it would be to have White Castle’s out west where we lived. We also pondered on what made the food we were eating so great. In the end we concluded that it was the simplicity and uniqueness of the food that makes people lifelong customers and fans of the chain. 

I’m not sure why there aren’t any White Castle restaurants farther west, but I firmly believe that they would surely prosper. At this point, I’d be happy to see some stores built in the state of Kansas (their original birthplace). It sounds crazy, but I would definitely do a six to eight-hour road trip a few times a year, to dine on White Castle Sliders! I’ve heard that all stores are company owned, which could explain why new stores aren’t popping up all over the U.S. 

Breakfast
The next morning, we gathered our thoughts and belongings, and wandered downstairs to the hotel lobby to checkout. Nothing on the continental breakfast buffet looked very appetizing, so we decided to go elsewhere. Hmmm, where to go.. where to go?  Ah, what the heck, why not White Castle?!? We went to the same restaurant we visited for dinner. It’s an older store located in Maryland Heights, with a beautiful porcelain-coated exterior. I enjoyed a coffee, a donut and a couple of White Castle cheeseburgers. Talk about your breakfast of champions! 

The last supper
After spending the day at the Gateway Arch and Mississippi River front, it was time to start heading back west. Our time in Missouri was heading towards a close. We had one more chance to dine at White Castle before heading to Kansas City to visit my aunt and uncle on the way back to Colorado, and we weren’t going to pass up the opportunity. We went back to the White Castle restaurant that we had first visited in Wentzville the day before. The cheeseburgers I ate for breakfast really hit the spot, so I decided to order some Double Bacon Cheeseburgers. After eating one, I felt like slapping myself silly for not ordering these before. The doubles, in my opinion, have a better meat-to-bread ratio than a classic Slider and the bacon and cheese really push this sandwich over the top! The Double Bacon Cheeseburger, is now my favorite menu item at The Castle! With full stomachs and a bit of pensiveness, we exited the restaurant and headed towards our car. 

Before driving away, we rolled down the windows to catch one last whiff of the steam-grilled aroma that permeated the air across the parking lot. This leg of our trip and consequently, the inspiration for our entire journey was now over. It’s funny; I went for nearly seven years without eating a single, solitary White Castle Slider. Then, after the road trip, I found myself craving them more than ever. Many people don’t understand the infatuation folks like myself have with these tiny little morsels of steam-grilled goodness. Maybe it’s a regional thing. It wasn’t until I lived back east that I became such a big White Castle enthusiast. In fact, I’m not the only White Castle fanatic in my family. My bride, who hasn’t eaten a hamburger for over ten years, says that she would gladly dine at White Castle if the opportunity arose. 

In the end, we drove nearly 1,900 miles, covered ground in six states, reconnected as “buddies” rather than just father and son, and ate our weight in White Castle hamburgers, all in the course of a few short days. We created memories and stories for ourselves that we’ll talk about for years to come, and really, we have White Castle to thank for that. Our passion for White Castle Sliders drove us to venture through six states to the nearest restaurant. The good times and experiences we had along the way were the icing on the cake!


White Castle actually flew us out to Columbus Ohio for the induction ceremony, at their corporate headquarters!  You can read about it here.

Lockdown day 35 - Self Physical Therapy

Somewhere along the line last week, I tweaked my back.  Most likely from going up and down the ladder and carrying heavy bins to and from the attic.  The result was inflammation and pressure against my sciatic nerve.  I hardly slept for three days and the pain was starting to radiate down the front and back of my legs.  I for sure was not going to take a chance by visiting the chiropractor office during this lock down, so I decided to see if I could somehow work through this myself.

At this point, nothing I did seemed to work.  Ice, hot showers, laying on the floor, stretching, ibuprofen, etc. all failed to give me any relief.  I finally started experimenting with new stretches specifically for sciatica that I found on YouTube.  I performed about half dozen different stretches for a couple days with no relief, until I finally found one that started working.  It's called the McKenzie press up exercise.  It's a stretch you perform while laying on your stomach.  You press up with your arms almost like a push up, never allowing your pelvis to leave the floor.

I tried this stretch one evening before going to bed.  I immediately felt good enough to fall asleep quickly, but woke up in pain a few hours later.  I did notice however that the pain was now totally gone from my right leg.  The next morning I did another set of three stretches, and could feel that my range of flexibility was greatly increased.  I was able to arch my back really well, and after the second stretch, the pain in my lower back faded.  I followed this up with a yoga stretch my Bride taught me called 'Child Pose'.  When I stood up I was totally shocked to feel absolutely no pain in my back or legs.

Could this really have worked that fast?  I kept expecting the pain to come back all day and it never did.  I went for a nice long walk, two bike rides, and even messed around with the hacky sack in my garage for awhile!  So while I've stayed somewhat active during this lock down, my back and joints haven't really been getting the attention they needed.  There's another warm sunny day on the books.. so I think I will do some low impact activity in the pool this afternoon.  I'm also going to continue these stretches, and for the time being, will do them several times a day.

If you have lower back pain, I highly recommend the McKenzie stretch.  It may not work for everyone, but it's definitely meant to help several lower back conditions.  I sure was thanking the maker for the relief I got from it! Below is a great video that explains the technique..

Lockdown day 25 - Self therapy and reflection

Hello friends, I'm back!  I was a little down in the dumps yesterday, but am trying my best to do a 180.  Yesterday morning, I hit the breaking point during the morning news.  I heard the one millionth stupid remark made by someone in power, and I was done.  I turned the TV off, got up, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.  It was then, that I ended up standing in front of the mirror for about five minutes.

My very first thought was.. "Who the heck is this guy looking back at me?"  I swear I looked disheveled, sad and truly unhappy.  Even my posture had a defeated look to it.  I was unrecognizable to myself and looked like someone whose spirit was broken. I then thought, when did all of this happen?  My time of existential crisis had hit.  It kind of shocked me, and at that moment felt like it was coming out of left field. 

In retrospect, over the last few weeks I haven't shaven, and truly neglected my appearance.  Like so many others out of work and stuck at home, I got to the point very quickly where I thought.. "What's the point?"  During that same time period, negative thoughts and feelings of anger, fear, anxiety and hopelessness slowly crept in.  I didn't really notice them until yesterday, because I had been preoccupying myself with lots of activity and work.  I decided I had to get back as close to my old self as I could, and needed to start sorting everything out.  First things first.. I grabbed my razor and clippers to give myself a shave & a haircut.

Before and after a shave & Haircut

Now I'm not so shallow as to think cleaning myself up and dusting myself off would be enough to make everything better.  But I've got to tell you, there was something very therapeutic about giving myself a haircut and having a nice shave.  I took a nice long shower afterward, and when I looked in the mirror again, I felt like a new man.  Mind you.. I felt much better than before, but not the same as I once was.  I still had some self reflection to do.

Seeing the results of taking care of myself was the result of that symbolic first step, of stripping down the bad to get to the root of the problem.  I had some comfort food for lunch.. White Castle Cheeseburgers and a Coke.  I sat for a very long time thinking about what was going on with me.  After awhile I surprisingly felt more at peace, because I resolved to do the following..

• Accept this current situation as reality
• Stop focusing on the negative
• Stop trying to bury feelings instead of dealing with them
• Start working harder to be happy

Most of these statements are easier said than done, but I am going to work on them diligently.  It is so easy for me to dwell on the negative and as a result lose myself to pessimism.  I HATE this about myself and am resolved to fight this with all of my might. 

Later after lunch, I tried a reboot of sorts.  I watched no news the rest of the day, lost myself in a book for awhile, revisited some old journals I had written, and made myself focus on a positive thoughts about the future.

Am I back to normal yet?  Heck no, but then again.. if I truly accept the current situation we are in, getting back 100% to my old self may not be possible right now.  And even after we come through on the other side of all this.. our new normal may be very different than what we are all expecting.  I didn't think I would have to focus on my mental health so much at the beginning of this, but if I don't.. I will be robbed of joy and will lose myself.  

I'm not sure if any of this may be of help to anyone else out there who is possibly struggling with being happy right now, but I can say this.. we can't let this whole mess destroy us.  Do anything you can to stay positive. Talk to friends or family about all of this. If you don't have anyone to talk to, drop a comment below and get a discussion started.  It may feel like you are alone, but you're not.  I wish the best for all of you my friends.  Keep your heads up, and hang in there!

Life Begins at Forty

I must admit that I used to scoff at the old adage "Life begins at forty".   I'm not trying to perpetuate a cliche, but I truly believe with all of my heart that this saying indeed holds water.  Everyone is different, and some may come to this type of epiphany a little sooner or later than others. Granted.. I took me half of a year after I turned forty to realize this, but then again.. I was always somewhat of a late bloomer.

I'm not sure what it is about approaching midlife that gets people to start deeply examining their lives. All I can speak about is what I'm feeling personally, and the philosophies that seemed to sprout in my brain virtually overnight.  Here's a few of them..

• Life is precious, and I don't want to waste anymore time dwelling on what I can't change, and what I can't control, meaning.. the past and the future. One can only live in the here and now, and as John Lennon so eloquently stated.. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".  I must say that this hasn't been the easiest thing for me to do, but my attitude has improved one hundred times over by keeping this philosophy in the forefront of my mind.

• I'm slowly freeing myself from the box I've wiggled myself into.  There are so many things I've kept myself from doing over the years because they didn't seem practical for whatever reason.  Many dreams I've always had, have got pushed to the back burner or forgotten about altogether. I was either too busy, or had more pressing commitments that I felt needed my attention first. Things like learning a musical instrument, taking time for myself everyday (even if its five minutes) and writing a book, are just a few things that have totally changed my outlook and have brought immense joy to my life in this new year.
  
   
• I want the second half of my life to be better than the first half.  I'm blessed that I have my health, and fully intend to improve upon it.  I'm actually really enjoying being more active and eating better, because it's helping me to experience as much as this life has to offer.  To do so for many years to come, means that I have to be on top of my game health wise.  It's time for Dad to become a lean, mean, man of the world!

• For the first time in my life, I'm actually starting to feel comfortable with who I am.  This feeling has got me doing and saying things I would have never done before due to a lack of self confidence.  This feeling of empowerment has made me feel like I'm now the Captain of my own life, steering it in whatever direction I so choose.  I no longer overly obsess about bad things that could possibly happen to me in the future. Unforeseen circumstances will inevitably befall everyone sooner or later.  If you're resolved that they are going to happen, then you will be prepared to handle them if and when they happen.

Turning forty for me was a very positive experience, and in essence spurred me to reinvent myself.  However, the whole experience made me realize that I don't want to lose myself either.  I've seen guys my age go to extremes, trying to pursue things that they think will make them happy with disastrous results.  Fortunately, my bride and kids keep me grounded and remind me that while helping myself to get the most out of life is important.. it's not all just about me. 

I didn't mean to get all deep on you, and I promise my next post will be a bit more fun and upbeat.  In the meantime, I leave you with the lyrics to an old Sophie Tucker song I feel is most appropriate to this post.  And no.. it's not her song The middle age mambo.

Life begins at forty - by Sophie Tucker

I've often heard it said and sung 
That life is sweetest when you're young
And kids, sixteen to twenty-one 
Think they're having all the fun
I disagree, I say it isn't so 
And I'm one gal who ought to know
I started young and I'm still going strong
But I've learned as I've gone along.......

That life begins at forty
That's when love and living start to become a gentle art
A woman who's been careful finds that's when she's in her prime
And a good man when he's forty knows just how to take his time

Conservative or sporty, it's not until you're forty
That you learn the how and why and the what and when
In the twenties and the thirties you want your love in large amounts
But after you reach forty, it's the quality that counts

Yes, life begins at forty
And I've just begun to live all over again

You see the sweetest things in life grow sweeter as the years roll on
Like the music from a violin that has been well played upon
And the sweetest smoke is from a mellow, broken and old pipe
And the sweetest tasting peach is one that's mature, round and ripe

In the twenties and the thirties you're just an amateur
But after you reach forty, that's when you become a connoisseur
Then it isn't grab and get it and a straight line for the door
You're not hasty, you're tasty, you enjoy things so much more

For instance, a novice gulps his brandy down, he doesn't understand
Observe a connoisseur, the way he holds it in his hand
How he strokes the glass, fondles it, warms it as he should
Smaks his lips, aahhh, slowly sips, hah, boy, it tastes good

Life begins at forty
Then it isn't hit and run and you find much more fun
You romance a girl of twenty and it costs you all your dough
But when a forty thanks you, she hates to see you go

And girls of twenty, all they want are big men
Big men with strong physiques
I don't say that it's bad
But you do get tired of those damn Greeks

Life begins at forty
And I'm just living all over again

4 things we never knew we needed, not so very long ago

It's amazing how spoiled we are in this day and age of technology.  Kids may wonder how we ever survived in the dark ages of the 1970's and 80's!  Here's a few examples of things many have come to feel they simply can't live without..


Cell Phones
Hooray!  Now you can be connected to everyone you know 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, not to mention full blown access to the internet.  You can even keep tabs on junior every minute he's away from you.  I've noticed lately that when I carry my cell, I'm mindlessly filling in spare time by texting, checking e-mail, or updating social network status's.  Sometimes it gets to be a bit much, and I will purposely leave the electronic ball and chain at home for the afternoon, or at the very least.. turn it off.  When I do so, it feels as if a weight has been lifted and I can better relax.  Nothing breaks the peacefulness of a 5 mile walk like getting bombarded by texts.

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not knocking cell phones, and I too have been guilty of "checking in" on my kids while they're out for the evening just to make sure everything is okay.  It's just such a sharp contrast to the days when I used to leave the house on on my bicycle on Saturday morning, and not be seen again until dinner time.  Cell phones are also invaluable in emergencies like accidents and car breakdowns.  I once had to walk ten miles on a busy interstate to a pay phone because I had a flat tire.  I don't want my kids to have to do that.  Cell phones are a God send in many ways, but I can see people replacing much of the real human connection we used to have, for the super fast and easy means of communication we now enjoy with our smart phones.

Flat Screen TV's
This is one piece of technology I've always been excited about!  I have a 40 inch screen television I carried out of the store with one hand.  I have an old 32 inch screen in the house that nearly gives me a hernia every time I lift it.  I wonder how many people have blown out  their backs, or have broken their toes over the years while moving around TV's that weigh 60 pounds or more.

Razors with five.. Count em' FIVE blades!
If you would have told me as a young man that we'd someday have razors with five blades, I would have laughed my head off.  Really.. FIVE Blades?!?  Until you personally have to shave every day, this might sound like overkill.  I love these razors, and can't believe how safely and closely they shave.  I shave with an old single blade adjustable razor that you buy replacement blades for.  No matter how careful I am, or how slowly I shave.. I occasionally end up having to put at least one or two pieces of toilet paper on my face to stop some bleeding.  I can't say that I've ever cut myself shaving with razors like the Gillette Fusion razor.  If they weren't so dang expensive, it would probably be my go-to razor.  However.. I'm cheap, and I don't mind slowing my pace of life for fifteen minutes to get a nice close shave with my forty year old adjustable razor.

Google
I would have killed to have Google when I was in school!  We had a complete set of encyclopedias from the late 1950's that I would scour through to do research for school assignments.  If they didn't have the info I was looking for, it was off to the library to search through a newer set.  Once you found the info you needed, you had to copy the info (using a pen or pencil kids) to paper.  Now in mere seconds, you can look up info using Google, copy it, paste it, and print it out!  The ease of obtaining information like this makes me wonder how grammar, spelling, accuracy of history, and literacy as whole, might suffer in the decades to come.  I swear though.. it's great to get an answer to practically any question that pops into your head, in mere seconds.


I could go on for days like this!  While the good old days were indeed good.. we've made a lot of changes for the better as well.  Technology can be a blessing and a curse.  As long as we collectively try to improve our life for the better while keeping in mind the long term effects, we should be okay.  Easier said than done at this point, but we can keep our fingers crossed.

Why I cut my kids a little slack when it comes to procrastinating on science projects..

 

Here it is.  A last minute project I finished just minutes before my first period biology class in 8th grade.   I had a full week and a three day weekend to complete my construction of a plant cell, but as so many kids do.. I put it off and forgot about it until I woke up on Monday morning.  

At 6:30 a.m. I ran out to my old man's wood shop, and started scrounging for anything I could find.  I needed to construct something.. anything, so as not to get a big fat zero in the grade book.  I grabbed a piece of pine half buried beneath a pile of sawdust, and ran inside.  I scarfed down a bowl of Wheaties, got dressed, grabbed a hand full of markers, and ran to the bus stop.

After I boarded the school bus, I opened up my biology textbook, sat it next to me on the seat, and quickly began to transfer the likeness of a plant cell to the piece of pine on my lap.  It wasn't until trying to draw on a school bus, that I realized how bumpy of a ride they had.  I found myself praying for red traffic lights, and slow load times at every bus stop.  When the bus wasn't moving, I would draw with lightning speed.  When it was moving, I'd use my time for carefully coloring in shapes.

I got into class five minutes early, and spent that time labeling the different parts of the plant cell, and adding a few more accents so as to make it look like I had worked hard on my project.  The first thing Mr. Wertz did after roll call, was ask for the entire class to turn their projects in.  When I walked up to the desk and handed my plant cell made from pine to him, he looked at it, slowly stuck out his bottom lip, and uttered a slow "Hmmmm".  Walking back to my desk, I was sure I had instantly failed, but was relieved that I wasn't going to receive an incomplete grade.  

Imagine my surprise when our projects were given back to us at the end of the week, and discovered I scored a B-minus on my plant cell!  I've kept this project for the last 26 years, and I shake my head and smile every time I see it.  How the heck did I get a grade of B-minus for this project?!?  I wonder if Mr. Wertz felt sorry for me?  Maybe he thought my family was underprivileged and a slab of pine was all we could afford.  Maybe he just admired my skill at throwing something together last minute.  Whatever the case, I felt like I got away with a fast one, and was ecstatic about the grade.

I can't count how many times my kids have waited until Sunday afternoon to tell me I need to take them to the hobby store for a project that's due on Monday.  This always irks me, but I always try my best to cut them a little slack.  After all, I've been there before, and good planning is something that will come with age and experience.

5 Things a 20th Century Retro Dad misses seeing..

Breakfast Cereal commercials.

Most of the breakfast cereal commercials today are ridiculous. On Saturday mornings, I used to look forward to watching Monster Cereal, Cap'n Crunch, and Fruity Pebbles commercials just as much as the cartoons! I even used to record them with my cassette recorder, so I could listen to them again after the kids programming had finished for the day. They were incredibly fun and entertaining to watch, and I haven't seen any that are nearly as good in decades.

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis

These three icons always seemed to be everywhere when I was a kid! I'd always see them on movies and TV, even when they got up there in years. I always wanted to be like Frank as a kid, because I saw him as a tough guy and gentlemen. As these three members of The Rat Pack passed away one by one, they took with them a bit of magic that the entertainment world would never get back.

The Old School Jack in the Box restaurants

The food, the characters promoting the products, and who can forget that awesome clown that you had to talk into to order your food! Some of my earliest memories were of me and my old man going to Jack in the Box for an afternoon snack. I'd giggle with delight as he pulled up to the clown head and start talking to it. Marketing just seemed so much more creative back in the day.

Real Cars

A dying breed. The shiny chrome, the elegant curves, and those fancy emblems written in cursive. I appreciated a well built piece of Detroit steel from a very early age. Remember when a 5 MPH fender bender was just that, and not a $3,000.00 repair? I still plan on tracking down an old Ford Falcon like the one above to restore someday. This beauty can easily seat six people, and with a finely tuned six cylinder, can be a pretty economical car. Yes kids.. they just don't make them like they used to.

Good old fashioned diners

I practically grew up in my old man's barber shop, and right next door was a real down home, honest to goodness diner. To this day, I can still vividly recall how the strong smell of the freshly brewed coffee would fill my nostrils the second I walked into the diner. As we took our seats, the jumbled aroma of eggs, Tabasco, hash browns, sausage, pancakes and toast would circle around my head making me hungrier by the minute.

It was a fairly small diner with about eight tables, four booths, and a counter with four bar stools. On the rare occasion.. me and the old man would sit at the bar to eat. To me, this was always a special treat. I loved sitting next to the enclosed rotating cake and pie display that always housed freshly made pecan, apple, cherry, and lemon meringue pies. The waitresses would step behind the bar to make a fuss over me, and made sure I always had plenty of chocolate milk. I never understood why the old man preferred to sit in a booth rather than a way cool bar stool until recently. These days, it's my little one who begs for us to sit on those types of bar stools. The first thing I start thinking about is how my back is going to feel afterward, but like the old man.. I occasionally give in.

It never ceased to amaze me how Dad was treated like royalty in that place. He'd get his coffee topped off at what seemed like every fourth or fifth sip, would get free pieces of fresh made pie, and sometimes.. a free meal all together! One time when my mother dropped me off at my Dad's shop for the afternoon, he was sitting in one of his barber chairs just finishing up a plate of food from the diner. A few minutes after he finished eating, the owner came in the back door of his shop, picked up the plate, silverware and cup, and took it back to the restaurant. I remember thinking "Wow! Eating in a barber chair.. people coming to serve you.. this is the life!"

It wasn't just the regulars that were treated good though. That busy little diner had a warm and friendly atmosphere, and you could practically "feel the love" a midst all of the hustle and bustle. My old man is now retired, and his barber shop long gone, but that little diner is still in business. The next time I have a day off all to myself, I just may have to take a drive three towns over. After writing this post, I've got a real inkling to see if the magic is still alive at that little diner.

My 70s Book

The "When I Was A Kid..." Book For The Generation That Grew Up In The '70s

I recently had to dust off "My 70s Book" written by Darryll Sherman. It's always a pleasure to thumb through this book, because it feels as if the author is speaking to me personally.   This book is a nostalgic and fun read for 20th century retro males (and females).  Being born at the beginning of the decade in 1970, I could directly relate to about 98 percent of what Darryll wrote about.  From family life to numerous aspects of pop culture, the author accurately and endearingly paints an incredibly accurate picture about the decade.

My 70s book is an enjoyable and easy read.  I read the book over the course of a couple hours one lazy winter afternoon.  It's one of those books that gets you reminiscing about the good old days, and just how much things have changed over the years.   Things like vinyl LP's, television programming, automobiles, and paper routes had me reminding my kids of how good they have it with their ipods, smart phones, live streaming, and pampered lifestyle!  Wow.. I just read that last sentence and realized I'm indeed turning into my old man!!

This book had me longing for simpler times when a kid could play outside all day and not be seen again until dinner time.  The book confirms in your mind just how much things have changed..  for better or worse.  Anyone from the ages of 30 to 60 will absolutely love this book.  It also provides a super entertaining history lesson to younger readers as well!

You can read more about the author, view excerpts from the book, and purchase it for $11.95 at..
www.my70sbook.com

Darryll also used to write a great blog called All about the 1970s  If you're feeling a bit nostalgic for one of the most colorful decades ever, swing by and read some of his archived posts.

Thrift Store VHS finds

It wasn't very long ago that VHS tapes were capitalizing space in my closets, boxes, drawers, cabinets, and now.. they're all but obsolete.  Here's a few I saw the other day at the thrift store that made me stop to take a second look..

I so wanted to pick this set up and take it home with me.  However, I no longer have a means of playing them, and haven't for quite some time.  I do have a few of these on DVD, but the lineup isn't as impressive as this one.

STAR TREK Boxed set

It looks like someone got some good use out of this set.  I know I sure watched the heck out of all my old STAR TREK video cassettes over the years.

 STAR TREK the Next Generation TV Series

Why did they ever have to try and improve upon VHS cassettes?  Oh yeah I remember..  look at the flippin' real estate these things ate up!   I remember when Columbia House Video was offering this set for purchase, and it was not cheap.  It's kind of sad that back in the day someone spent some serious money on this set, and now you can't hardly give the things away.

I really must obtain a VHS player soon, even if it's just for use in my garage.  I'd love to be able to throw in an old monster movie or sci-fi flick to have playing in the background as I'm working on my bicycles, or a "Honey Do" list.   There's no shortage of cheap video cassette's laying around at garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets, so I'm thinking I can pick up a player and a whole gaggle of movies for well under $20.00.  We'll see.. 

The retro saying - "40 Winks"

When I was suffering from a chest cold last winter, I told a couple of my work mates that I would give anything for a quick 40 winks.  While one of them chuckled, the other was perplexed by the phrase.  He of course was a wee lad of twenty something, and wasn't familiar with the term.

The term "40 winks" was a widely used phrase when I was growing up.  It simply refers to taking a short nap (somewhere other than bed) that would roughly be equivalent to forty blinks of your eyes.  Of course.. no one really believed that said nap would in fact be that short, which made the phrase in itself kind of humorous.  This is because many of the folks who used this phrase most often, and would always push that nap well beyond a mere 40 winks.



For instance, when staying over at my Grandparents house, I would often let my Grandfather know I was going to head out to the local 7-11 to get a Slurpee or a snack, and he would reply with "That's fine, I'm just going to sit here and get 40 winks".  Those 40 winks would usually equate to a 40 minute or hour long nap.  I'd laugh because inevitably, he would again state he needed 40 winks in the late afternoon, or before dinner.


My best friends Old Man would religiously take his "40 winks" after lunchtime.  He would usually say something like "I just need 40 winks, and I'll be right as rain".  We got a kick out of it, because his head would drop wherever he was sitting at the time, and he was down for the count for at least a half hour or so.  Many an afternoon we would giggle upon watching my friends mom clear the lunch dishes, as he sat at the head of the table dead asleep and totally undisturbed.  If he happened to make it to his easy chair, his 40 winks could easily stretch an hour to an hour and a half.  And.. when he awakened, he would jump out of his chair refreshed and ready to take on the world.


Now that I'm in my 40s, I don't often need to grab 40 winks.  The exceptions are when I'm feeling under the weather, or when I've had an incredibly busy and productive day.  My sweet spot for taking my forty winks would probably be between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m., and my 40 winks usually equate to about 15 minutes.  It doesn't seem like it would be beneficial, but the times I do happen to take 40 winks, seem to give me a reset, and energizes me for the rest of the day.


Those 40 winks very well may stretch into the half hour to hour range as I get older, but that's fine.  At the very least, it may give my kids some humorous stories to tell someday.

Retro Dad trick #221.. "The snack decoy"

With a family of five, it's a safe bet that somebody in my household, may be hungry at any given moment.  During the course of my trip through fatherhood, I've developed a few tricks to ensure Daddy-O is never lacking in the morning, afternoon, or midnight snack area.  Here is one trick that's worked particularly well for me over the years..

1.) Pick out any random food package.  

(the less appealing the food is to young folks.. the better!)

2.) Hide your favorite snacks within the package.  

Voilà! A decoy to preserve your "Dad Snacks" for emergencies.  

By chance.. your brood may get suspicious or wise to this trick, so it may behoove you to be a little more sneaky err.. creative.  A simple way around this problem, is by further camouflaging your snacks as shown above.


The snack decoy trick has always worked well for me personally.  Just don't tell my kids, or bride!

Old Florida Kitsch at its best - The historic Linger Lodge in Bradenton, Florida

The Linger Lodge got its start as a campground in 1945.  Frank and Elaine Gamsky moved to Florida from Wisconsin, and purchased the Linger Lodge in 1968.  Gamsky was an amateur taxidermist, and filled the restaurant with all sorts of local creatures like snakes, coyotes and alligators, just to name a few.

The Linger Lodge is perhaps the most eclectic and off the wall restaurant I've ever eaten at.  That being said, I enjoyed the experience immensely, and am glad I got a chance to dine there during my recent trip to the Florida gulf coast.  Down home southern cooking dominated the menu, and everything my family ate was superb.

The restaurant made it to the list of the "5 weirdest restaurants in America" and you'll soon see why.   I don't even know where to begin when describing the Linger Lodge, so I'll just jump into it with pictures..

The Linger Lodge is located in Bradenton Florida, and backs up to the edge of the Braden River.  The restaurant is flanked by a campground and RV park, and is enveloped by palm trees and huge oak trees draped in Spanish moss.

 

These little guys greet you upon entering the Linger Lodge, and set the vibe in motion that you're going to enjoy for the remainder of your visit.

We visited the Linger Lodge on our first day in Florida.  We arrived well after the lunch rush, so we had the run of the whole restaurant which made for some great photo ops.  We got a choice table situated right next to a fireplace, with a 15 foot Gator mounted directly above.

 

 Hush Puppies and Fried Green Tomatoes

For me.. I wanted nothing more than to enjoy some good Southern cooking, and that's exactly what I got. Appetizers of fried green tomatoes and hush puppies started us off, and fresh caught local gator with ice cold beer was the icing on the cake.  I also sampled some wonderful pulled pork that my bride ordered, which was the best I had eaten in quite some time.  All of the food was freshly made, full of flavor, and superb.

 Deep Fried Gator, Fresh cut fries, and rice

 I haven't seen a bonafide bear skin rug since I was a wee lad!

 The stuff $2500.00 Gucci shoes are made of

 Yup.. those are snakes that this sign is made with.  Which reminds me.. if you have an aversion to snakes (even dead ones) the Linger Lodge may not be the place for you..

This guy will keep you company at the corner of the bar

Huge Snake Skin lacquered into the bar top

 

This Diamond Back Rattler apparently got a piece of the person who caught him, and there's a picture of the hunters bitten hand to prove it!

  

Views from the bar

 

The incredibly welcoming staff actually encouraged me to go behind the bar to look around and take pictures.

Some more pics from around the restaurant..

After we finished our meals, and thoroughly walked around the restaurant to investigate all of the great conversation pieces, we decided to take a stroll outside to get a closer look at the campgrounds and property.

If you can take the Florida heat and humidity, there is a beautiful view of the Braden river from the back patio.  However, the deck is screened in and ceiling fans are moving plenty of air.  Plus.. don't ever underestimate the cooling power of beer!

Kayaks are available for the "adventurous"

 

 Heed the signs if you don't want Fido to become Gator Bait

I'm so glad I got the chance to visit the Linger Lodge with my family.   Not sure if I'd ever go as far as kayaking there, but we all had a blast, and will definitely be back.