Kiwanis visits the food bank

Representatives of 4 clubs are briefed

This past week, our Kiwanis DCM (District Commissioner's Meeting) was held at the All Faiths Food Bank in suburban Sarasota, east of the Interstate off Fruitville Road.  It was called by our incoming Lt. Governor, Jackie Booth (pictured in black skirt in center of picture).
Jackie will officially be Lt. Governor for District 18-North starting on October 1st, and running through September 30, 2013, when I am scheduled to wear that hat.

There are four Kiwanis Clubs in our district, one of the smallest, and the only bifurcated one in the state.  If I'm lucky, they'll redistrict and I won't have a turn in the barrel - ha ha.  Speaking of barrels, the collection barrels for food need help, as you can see the shelves should be full, but they are not.  This is one reason Jackie decided to take the meeting "on the road" to show us where needs exist.  She tells us the next meeting shall be at the Salvation Army in November, very timely as our club starts ringing the bell at the new Publix store on Longboat Key soon thereafter.  Nice job, Jackie - good luck for your year as Lt. Governor.

Food awaiting packaging

Shelves dangerously bare

By the Authority Invested in Me........

Lori's dad Jim Ritter, me, Kevin

Lori's son, Mike Cullen, was the ring bearer

Lori, her sister Sharon and Jake

...under the laws of the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may now kiss the bride.

Thus ended the ceremony of the second  marriages for both Lori and Kevin, on a very beautiful and warm Sunday afternoon in Riverview, Florida.  By saying "I do" (or "si quiero", en Espanol), they completed the knot that began in New Jersey, and moved to the Tampa area where they built a home for themselves, full of love and beagles.  Lori, his beagle rescue foster mom, is now his second mom.

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Boyd 

No picture of Lori would be complete without a beagle, and that's Jake - her first boy beagle - along with her sister.  Ripley had been the surrogate beagle in their lives before Jake.  Soon Ripley and Jake can run in that extensive back yard where the two boy beagles can join Katie and Mollie, her girls, and hopefully run a few pounds off the Ripper.  We go on cruises to seemingly gain weight, Ripley goes to stay with Kevin and Lori to lose it.



Lori and Kevin wrote simple vows, beginning with the words "I marry you with my eyes wide open."

They offered themselves to each other as a "partner in life"and further stated "Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again".

You have to truly appreciate those words, as they are words to live by.

Favorite Boys Update

This post will be remarkably short, just an update on my two favorite boys.  That's Cole Robert Kreienkamp on the left ("Cole Bob") and Ripley N.M.I. Wild on the right. While Ripley Wild has no middle initial, he does have his own FaceBook page (I'd love to write one for Cole, but my daughter and wife wouldn't appreciate my humor and captions).

Ripley Wild

Cole Robert Kreienkamp

This week, Cole Bob was pictured outside his baby sitters home, enjoying the late summer weather.  He's ten months old, has learned to stand and cruise along the furniture, but drops to a crawling position to move about.  Only a matter of time before walking.

Ripley was once again modeling scarves for doggies, to be included in a fashion spread by his friend Shannon's new business - pupcakepoochparty.com.  He is perhaps the most famous beagle on our island, as he certainly doesn't lack for pup-licity.

Anyway, that's my story about my favorite little buddies this week.  Maybe Caitlin Wild Kreienkamp will create a FaceBook page for Cole Bob, but for now Ripley Wild has good optics and high favorables in the PR race.  Long may they both wave.

There's Got To Be A Morning After

David, our host, on left

Last night my neighbor David (pictured in the small inset at left)
decided that we needed to have a Hurricane Party to celebrate the storm that wasn't much for Longboat Key.

Tropical Storm Isaac (downgraded to T.S. Isaac from Hurricane Isaac) gave me an excuse to take the three cans of Lite beer, instead of something more powerful.  Truth be told, I left them in David's refrigerator as I stuck to wine to go with the many snacks pictured below.  This was our first time to meet new neighbor Sy and Robin who moved in just two weeks ago  experiencing their first storm.  Not a lot of storm, but a whole lot of fun.  And on Monday, the sun came out and life went on.

Me, Robin, Russ, Sy, Jo, Birgit and Ron (from left to right)

Ripley "hunkers down" before T.S. Isaak

Our hero, Ripley Wild (did I mention you can visit him on FaceBook?) has been practicing the art of "hunkering down" for the oncoming Tropical Storm Isaac.  He only understands that tropical storms bring lots of rain, and he's not a big fan of going outside to do his business in the rain.

Meanwhile, the map at the right shows the Cone of Uncertainty and compared to two prior blog entries (this is our broadcast weather report, via blog) has moved dramatically to the west, and continues the established NNW track.  This is exactly 24 hours from the prior blog entry map, and 96 hours since I began this narrative.  I am prepared, having taken down our patio furniture and umbrellas, and also helping two subdivision trustees in securing the pool furniture.  In two-and-a-half hours (1800 hrs) the neighborhood "hurricane party' begins - and I'm prepared for that as well.  Ripley is ready, I am ready, and my wife is in Missouri - c'mon Isaac, hit me with your best shot......with a wimpy hame like that, I bet T.S. Debby last month could land a harder punch.

48 hours later - Isaac turning away

As you can see by comparing this "cone of uncertainty" from my post just two days ago, Isaac is meandering west ("go West, young storm") and now projected to find landfall between Pensacola and New Orleans.

It had left Haiti and was headed to the somewhat lower mountain ranges in the SE provinces of Cuba.  It is still considered a Tropical Storm, however Key West is now under a Hurricane Emergency Warning which our Governor declared in order to tap federal relief funds.
Taller mountains and land mass help defeat formation of a TS into a true hurricane.  That requires wind speeds in excess of 74 miles per hour sustained.

Some of the more dramatic media outlets are allowing as how it 'could' reach Category One status after passing over Monroe County (the Florida Keys south of Miami).  Winds at 60 MPH, pressure at 1,000 millibars.  Millibar (not MiniBar as found in expensive hotels and cruise ships) readings drop as pressure rises, so a falling barometer reflects an increase in wind and rain.  The Weather Channel now expects Isaac to be a weak Category 1 hurricane, with a track well out to sea.  Sunday night into Monday and Tuesday expected to be the heaviest rain and flooding in Tampa.  Ought to keep those "Occupy" weenies and anarchists off the streets - see, a silver lining.

And, so it begins - hurricane season

This is today's chart for Hurricane Isaac, except for one small matter - Isaac (the 9th storm of the season) has yet to even graduate to earn the sobriquet "hurricane Isaac".  Until he hits sustained winds of 74 MPH, he's still technically a tropical storm.

Debby came through here a few weeks back, as a weak tropical storm.  Winds up to half a Cat 1 storm she did indeed move a lot of beach sand, and flooded some streets, and even caused some 1988 canvas awnings in our subdivision to tear, but we survived.  Only the dog had to hold his knees tightly together as he's not that fond of going out in a storm.

Personal experiences with hurricanes for me date back to 2004.  That was the year of Charley, Francis, Jean and Ivan.  The track of Charley looked ominously familiar to that of T.S. Isaac, and Charley did reach winds in the Cat 2 to Weak Cat 3 as I recall.  He was a manly hurricane, and we evacuated the island and went to Spring Hill to visit my uncle with Millie (prior beagle) and the cat.  In a Corvette, no less, so it was packed full.  We took all the meat from the refrigerator (and left it for my uncle and aunt), and stayed with them for two days.   Had we waited for half a day, we'd have never left as Charley went into Port Charlotte, 75 miles south, and up the Peace River to inland Florida.  We'd have seen some wind, and a lot of rain, but that would have been it.   Frances came later in the season, and left us without power for perhaps 16 hours - used those candles we'd stockpiled, and had to relearn the art of conversation.   My wife then left for the Missouri condo, and I weathered Jean (no power loss) and Ivan alone - nothing else significant in 2004.  When Ivan passed, the surfers went crazy because he was far out in the gulf, but made some nice waves to ride.  Ivan went to college, and Florida State closed down.  Caitlin drove north for a week but came back when classes resumed.

I have decided that "hunker down" is more than a phrase from Jim Cantoni of The Weather Channel, its an attitude of seasoned Floridians.  So far, no fear of Isaac........but you're welcome to stay tuned.