From top to bottom: Patsy, Virgil, Mitzi & Abner
The better half just text me this shot of 4 of our 6 waiting for my return. Apparently the flash brought out a side I didn’t know they had. Yes Abner only has one eye.
I’m ready to be with them again tomorrow night!
My stay at The Grande Resort is coming to an end. For I return to Sunny San Diego tomorrow.
I think Fearsome grows faster in this humidity.
It’s been a great trip. The better half and I have three investment properties out here, a total of seven units, thus my frequent visits. This trip I had drywall repairs to do in three apartments due to plumbing work that was done. So I spent my Saturday kneeling behind pulled out stoves repairing drywall. All went well.
Saturday night my 50 ish bladder woke me saying I needed to “relieve” it. Something that happens to men my age. It annoys the hell out of Fearsome, he enjoys his beauty sleep. Upon arising my 50 something knees screamed at me, especially Mr. Left knee. While I was successful repairing drywall, apparently I wasn’t so successful in practicing good body mechanics. Sunday was spent icing and caring for them.
All better today. I coaxed my knees into taking Fearsome and I shopping and we found some fabulous new glasses frames. The are Tom Ford genuine Hornrims!
Will have my prescription placed in them after my next exam in December. Notice how the sunset light brings out Fearsomes grey!
We are off to dinner with friends shortly and back to San Diego mañana. Thank god for first class upgrades, the knees will thank Fearsome for using his pull with the airlines!
Beard Shadow
Outdoor Beard
I’m back in Ft. Lauderdale.
Table for one oceanfront at Casablanca. One of my favorite places.
I took a walk on the beach both before and after dinner. I got the news today that my father’s cancer has returned. There is not much that can be done this time due to his age, the location, his overall physical health and mental status. I last wrote about him HERE.
I am not upset, just contemplative. This will not be easy. Most of all I will be there for my mother. She’s a strong little woman. She gave me my outlook on life and work ethic (she still works part time at 83). I’m blessed by these gifts.
The full moon was there for me after dinner was done. Like a guide out over the Atlantic.
Walking down the street on way to barber shop.
Not a usual clean up but an actual taming.
Leaving the shop afterwards shorter yet still Fearsome.
Wow, I actually still have a neck!
For the time being we have decided that a leaner, trimmer Fearsome is in order. Change is good. All in all he lost 4-5 inches, but he’s still a sizable being. He and I both would like for him to have continued growing, but that will come at another time. Right now we will stick with lean and mean.
Water Loving Beard
I believe our homes are, or at least should be, a representation of ourselves. One’s home is one’s sacred space. It’s a place of refuge, comfort, peace, respect, happiness and joy. A home is a place where at anytime we can be ourselves. We can love, laugh, cry, sleep, work, create and dream. The structure and its contents are physical. The expressions, feelings, actions and emotions are spiritual. By living authentically in our physical space, I believe we can bring the spiritual into the physical.
My home is eclectic to say the least. The two of us have lived within its walls for the past 23 of our 25 years together. Our lives combined as one yet each can be their own expression. Expression both influenced yet independent of the other. A family created from within the walls. A family extending into the immediate neighborhood and greater community intertwined into the fabric of that community. Helping to create the colorful patchwork that is the village in which we live.
Like our own being …the expression must start from within to authentically, whole heartedly, extend outward as a representation of who we are, what we are, what we value and how we feel. The physical house, it’s contents, decor, furniture, pictures, art, fabrics, books, etc. should hold meaning for and represent a part of who we are. Through this expression we not only make a home for ourselves, but share ourselves with those who enter our home. Share ourselves as well with our neighbors as we enrich the fabric of community.
Nate Berkus expresses it well in this short video:
A couple weeks back, before the wonderful invasion of my family to our home, I posted about some maintenance we were doing to our big old house HERE. Someone, who reads Fearsome Beard regularly, commented on the stove in the photo of the kitchen. In that photo everything is covered up for re- painting, so I post a pic of that stove now so it can be seen and appreciated:
Circa 1946 Gaffers and Sattler stove. Top of the line in its day, still top of the line in my book. It bakes a great cake and can fry up the bacon quite well!
This stove was in the house when we purchased it 23 years ago. The day we moved it as we entered with our first box, the lady we had bought the house from was leaving with her last box. She was 78 years old and had purchased the home in 1959. She and her husband raised their 3 kids here. We stopped and chatted for a moment in the old kitchen. I don’t remember all that was said but I do remember her placing her hand on the stove and saying ” Of all the things about this house, I will miss this stove the most.”
She went on to briefly tell me the story of the stove. Apparently a neighbor down the alley had updated their kitchen at some point and had thrown it out into the alley. She made her husband go get it and bring it in. The stove was an expression of her, she rescued it from its fate of the dump and shared her love with her family through cooking their meals on it. I used it for years and finally found a company that restores vintage stoves from the ground up. It wasn’t a cost efficient endeavor, but an endeavor that brought new life to an object that expressed an elderly ladies love. Today it’s now part of me and my expression of love to all those I share my cooking with. Someday, after I leave this home for another, I’ll miss it too but today I enjoy it.
I love our home. I love us. I love our life. I love our dogs we share it with daily. May your home be as blessed as ours is.
Rugby Beard
Dark Beard
“If you really want to do something you will find a way. If you don’t you’ll find an excuse” …….Jim Rohn
Lumber Beard
Muscle Beard
On July 25, 2015 James Lawrence, AKA Iron Cowboy, completed his 50th Ironman in 50 days in 50 states.
An Ironman Triatholon consists of a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bicycle ride completed with a 26.2 (full marathon) mile run…all in a row in one day. To officially be an “Ironman” these have to be completed in 17 hours or less.
Needless to say I ran into James Lawrence on the web searching for beards. He has one, as do his two wing men. I found him while he was in the process of completing numerous Ironmans working toward his goal. Last night I found this video by Rich Roll, AKA Vegan Ultraman, and was inspired. Not inspired to become an Ironman or an Ultraman, but inspired by the human spirit to work toward and complete a goal.
I take today to contemplate the human spirit. I challenge myself to pick out one thing I wish to improve in my life, to set a goal and take the first step toward that goal.
Have a Fearsome Saturday!
Beard Buds
Fearsome and I needed a lift this afternoon to send us into a productive yet enjoyable weekend. We selected 2Cellos teaming up with Lang Lang performing a Paul McCartney number kick us off…
The two of them are quite the talent and first appeared HERE shortly after Fearsome’s humble blog debut. May their raw talent, good looks, humor and incredible performance get your weekend off to a good start.
Beard N Art
Remember a couple years back about this time of year that a lady, that had been trying for several years, finally actually swam from Cuba to Key West? That was Diana Nyad. She is best known as a sports broadcaster from her days in the early 1980s on ABC Wide World Of Sports into her later years at FOX Sports. She is one talented, strong, fearsome and inspirational woman.
If you noticed my short post yesterday, I had the honor, the blessing, to spend more than an hour in the audience as she spoke. She is beautiful, sincere, funny, kind, reassuring, inspiring, entertaining and most of all moving. I am twice blessed that I will soon be in Philly at a different training conference where she once again will be speaking. I’m getting there early that day as I want a front row seat this time. I was in awe, this next time I can absorb.
Diana has a book coming out in October and next year will be asking 1 million people to join her for part, or all of, her walk from the Pacific to the Atlantic as a motivator to help get Americans out of the sedentary lifestyle and on their feet. I plan to join her. No not for all of it, my real estate clients do expect me to work sometime, but for a part of it. For such a noble cause with such an inspiring woman I can spend a whole day walking across our beautiful land.
Below is a short TED talk that she did shortly after her 110 mile swim at the age of 64. It’s short compared to the time I was blessed to spend with her yesterday but well worth the watch. Never ever give up, the joy is the journey…..keep on that journey and you will get more than you ever imagined.
Just a Great Beard
Beard with Eyes
Fearsome Beard 