Barometer Soup For The Parrot Head Soul

[Tequila Revenge]

Tacky Texas Tour '07

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... 60#2913460

I knew Bits had posted a picture last week

When i saw her in the parking lot YOU were the first person i thought of Larry!

Hmm..that looks just like the pic my hubby took well...a cropped version (he liked the yellow stars too)

Hmmm .... looks alot like the pic I took .... for Pharmboy

Could someone photoshop the stars away? They are very blinding.

[Tiki Bar]

((((Albert, Hannah, Catherine and Maggie)))) I received this email yesterday, and I thought of Albert, the girls and my BN friends. I Wish All of You a Sandpiper

I Wish You A Sandpiper


The Sandpiper
by Robert Peterson

She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live.
I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world
begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something
and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.

"Hello," she said.


I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.

"I'm building," she said.

"I see that. What is it?" I asked, not really caring.

"Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand."

That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes.

A sandpiper glided by.

"That's a joy," the child said.

"It's a what?"

"It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy."

The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself,
hello pain, and turned to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed completely out of balance.

"What's your name?" She wouldn't give up.

"Robert," I answered. "I'm Robert Peterson."

"Mine's Wendy... I'm six."

"Hi, Wendy."

She giggled. "You're funny," she said.

In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on.
Her musical giggle followed me.

"Come again, Mr. P," she called. "We'll have another happy day."


The next few days consisted of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings,
and an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater.
I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.

The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was
chilly but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.

"Hello, Mr. P," she said. "Do you want to play?"

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.


"I don't know. You say."

"How about charades?" I asked sarcastically.

The tinkling laughter burst forth again. "I don't know what that is."

"Then let's just walk."

Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face.
"Where do you live?" I asked.

"Over there." She pointed toward a row of summer cottages.

Strange, I thought, in winter.

"Where do you go to school?"

"I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation."

She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was
on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.
Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.

Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no
mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt
like demanding she keep her child at home.

"Look, if you don't mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I'd
rather be alone today." She seemed unusually pale and out of breath.

"Why?" she asked.

I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought,
My God, why was I saying this to a little child?

"Oh," she said quietly, "then this is a bad day."

"Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and -- oh, go away!"

"Did it hurt?" she inquired.

"Did what hurt?" I was exasperated with her, with myself.

"When she died?"

"Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding,
wrapped up in myself. I strode off.

A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there.
Feeling guilty, ashamed, and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up
to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking
young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.

"Hello," I said, "I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was."

"Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much.
I'm afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance,
please, accept my apologies."

"Not at all -- she's a delightful child." I said, suddenly realizing
that I meant what I had just said.

"Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia.
Maybe she didn't tell you."

Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.
She loved this beach, so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no.
She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days.
But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly..." Her voice faltered, "She left
something for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?"
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young
woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with "MR. P" printed in bold
childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues -- a yellow beach,
a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed:

A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love
opened wide. I took Wendy's mother in my arms. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,
I'm so sorry," I uttered over and over, and we wept together. The precious little
picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words -- one for each year
of her life -- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and undemanding love.

A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand
-- who taught me the gift of love.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It happened over 20
years ago and the incident changed his life forever. It serves as a reminder
to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other.
The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.
Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas
can make us lose focus about what is truly important
or what is only a momentary setback or crisis.

This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means,
take a moment... even if it is only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.

This comes from someone's heart, and is read with many
and now I share it with you...

May God Bless everyone who receives this! There are NO coincidences!

Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Never brush aside
anyone as insignificant. Who knows what they can teach us?

[Tequila Revenge]

For the Cocotel's

[Tequila Revenge]

How Many BNrs Does It Take...............?

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=64779

How many Buffettnews members does it take to change a lightbulb?

One to change the light bulb and to post that the lightbulb has been changed.

Fourteen to share similar experiences of changing lightbulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.

Seven to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.

Seven more to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs.

Five to flame the spell checkers.

Three to correct spelling/grammar flames.

Six to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" ...

Another six to condemn those six as stupid.

Fifteen to claim experience in the lighting industry and give the correct spelling.

Nineteen to post that this group is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a lightbulb (or light bulb) forum.

Eleven to defend the posting to the group saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this group.

Thirty six to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty.

Seven to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs.

Four to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL.

Three to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group.

Thirteen to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers & signatures, and add "Me too"

Five to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy.

Four to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"

Thirteen to say "do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs."

Three to tell a funny story about their cat and a light bulb.

AND

One group lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now with something unrelated they found at snopes.com and start it all over again!

Is this where I add more???

You missed the jerks (like me ) who always have to post an image...

Several dozen who simply must add or or so they can watch their post count rise higher and higher.

1 post to mention or somehow bring "boobies" into the discusion so that ........

...... a dozen more can remind us all that they "like boobies".

~~~~~ surfpirate

ONE to cut and paste reams of inconsequential and not-necessarily-light-bulb-related pages!

OK, so an incandescent bulb, a flourescent bulb and an LED walk into a bar .....

Hmmm... If you hold 2 light bulbs together they do remind me of boobies.....

But you also need someone (like me ) from Canada or Creeky or Westway or Britparrothead to explain that those of us outside the USA have entirely different lightbulb issues, such as metirc measurements, 220V circuits or left-handed screws.....

Songs with "lightbulb" in them

http://www.buffettnews.com/modules.php? ... ile=search

Songs with "light" in them:

http://www.buffettnews.com/songh276_light.html
http://www.buffettnews.com/songh485_light.html
http://www.buffettnews.com/songh302_light.html
http://www.buffettnews.com/songh620_light.html
http://www.buffettnews.com/songh211_light.html
http://www.buffettnews.com/songh167_light.html
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Songs with bulb in them:

http://www.buffettnews.com/modules.php? ... ile=search

That was good, but not the perfect BN joke because you hadn't said anything at all about Boobies, or cheese, or sporks, or pie, or margaritas, or the need for some people to wear a costume to participate in the changing, good beer as opposed to bad beer, or who was born the day the first light bulb or lightbulb was changed, or how many bulbs have been changed since the Dallas show 2 years ago, or where is it rumored that a bulb will be changed this year, or that the bulb went out because it was a Wal~Mart conspiracy as they were trying to take over all bulb changing worldwide.


I know there is more.

It would REALLY be funny if it weren't all so true.

And someone to make the

Can you date a lightbulb???

Yes, If you like a hot date!

And all the elements are aligned??

And you like them bright!

Watt did you say??

No, Who's on the phone...

BWHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!!

And one to gripe that nobody's changin' the light bulb in Nashville.

Or that lightbulbs never come to Boise

which reminds me... I have to change a bulb today...

boobies.

I love your outlook..

[Tequila Revenge]

Wise words from Jimmy

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... wise+words

I am starting to do something at work where I write a thought of the day. Today is the first day and it's a big hit. I would like to go with wise words from Buffett. Today I used the lyrics " wrinkles only go where the smiles have been" can you guys help out and give me some examples to use. Thanks!

Some people never find it, some only pretend
But me, I just want to live happily ever after
Every now and then.

Okay, I'm full of JB sayings. Here goes...

"Everyone loves a winner"
"We are the people our parents warned us about"
"Life and ink run out at the same time"
"Live a lie and you'll live to regret it" (may be Twain)
"I wanted more than one until I found the one I wanted"
"It was too much tequila, or not quite enough"
"Deep in the winter even hold-out leaves start fallin'"
"Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong"
"Make the best of a bad situation's 'bout all you can do"
"You think you're too smart to be dumb"
"The more we learn the less we know"
"Fiction over fact always gets my vote"
"It's a dang fool husband that doesn't spring for his wife"
"Just remember, there's no rewind and no replay"
"A PBS mind in an MTV world"
"Need is a relative thing"
'It's time to check the crabtrap of life once more"
"Our heads are in the oven and somebody's bound to strike a match"
"Things are getting as serious as cholesterol"
"Stop trying to make impressions on your corporate climb"
"Every now and then the dragons come to call"

Shall I continue?

This one has actually helped me in the past

"Yesterday's over my shoulder, so I can't look back for too long
There's just too much to see, waiting in front of me and I know that I just can't go wrong"

or

"If it doesn't work out there'll never be any doubt that the pleasure was worth all the pain"

why don't we get drunk and screw

i knew that one was coming!

Destiny can set in motion
Ripples that turn into swells

maybe it’s because in spite of all the work we do,
It’s the child in us we really value

Long time lurker... glad to finally be a part of it all!

Welcome aboard MB! We're glad you're a part of it all too!

Kinda hate to do this to a newbie, but welcome to BN, vineslandshark.

If you stick around long enough you'll see we like to have fun around here...


Hey, let's all take our clothes off
and form a conga line
Watch out for that broken glass,
hey Snake, we need more wine!

I'VE BEEN TOO LONG ON THE MAINLAND!

I'VE BEEN TOO LONG ON THE MAINLAND!

I'VE BEEN TOO F'ING LONG ON THE G.D. MAINLAND!!!!!

Along those same lines... I like these wise words from Jimmy:

"His world had gone from sailing ships to raking Mom's backyard."

I know the feeling!

Or even worse, "From sailing ships to shoveling the friggin' driveway."

Gonna go back down and get high by the sea air . . .

I will come down and talk to me . . . when the coast is clear . . .

JUNIOR MINTS!!!! WHERE DID YOUR JUNIOR MINTS GO IN THE MOVIES!

My personal favorite line:

"I'd rather die while living then live while I'm dead"

I know at least one BNer has this in their signature line....

"you lust for the future, but treasure the past"

GO FAST ENOUGH TO GET THERE, BUT SLOW ENOUGH TO SEE
MODERATION SEEMS TO BE THE KEY

My personal favorite line:

"I'd rather die while living then live while I'm dead"

That's mine, too. The older I get, the more I appreciate it.

Amen!!!

Jimmy, some of it's magic, some of it's tragic
But I had a good life all the way.


With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane

Where it all ends I can't fathom, my friends.
If I knew, I might toss out my anchor.


You got fins to the left, fins to the right,
and you're the only girl in town ( I do a lot of work for attorneys in my consulting practice so this is my life )

As the days grow more complicated the night life still wins

I can see the day when my hair's full gray
And I finally disappear

Religion's in the hands of some crazy ass people

"gotta Caribbean soul I can barely control.."

"...and some Texas hidden here in my heart."

so many great songlines
here's a few I didn't see.

I'd like to go where the pace or life's slow
Can you beam me somewhere, Mr. Scott?
Any old place here on Earth or in space,
You pick the century and I'll pick the spot…

And I'm somewhere below the sunlight
somewhere upon the sea
you dig deep enough you might find me
Find me, ‘cause that's where I'll be…

I don't want to live on that kind of island
No, I don't want to swim in a roped off sea.
Too much for me, too much for me
I've got to be where the wind and the water are free…

Now in my line of work I seem to see a lot more than most
Write 'em down, pas 'em around
It's the gospel from the coast
Reflections, not just replays
Takin' time to escape the maze
Lookin' for better days…

You need a holiday, take a holiday
Find a far-off wonderland
Where you might regain command of your life today…

Sail away for a month at a time,
Sail away I've got to recharge mind
Then you'll find me back at it again…

women and water are in short supply
There's not enough dope for us all to get high
I hear it gets better, that's what they say
As soon as we sail on to Cane Garden Bay…

I've got to head this boat south pretty soon
New album's old and I'm fresh out of tunes
But I know that I'll get 'em, I know that they'll come
Through the people and places and Callwood's Rum…

I enjoy this life as a jester
Seems to keep me moving around
Like the wind that blows, tides that flow
I have my ups and downs

Some good advice given out in Charlotte in 2006, transcribed by conched:

"Let me tell you about those seven deadly sins if you forgot em...

1 Pride --thou shalt not have pride in thy neighbor
2 Coveting --thou shalt not cover thy neighbor's wife's car
3 Lust -- Lust....
4 Anger --Do not be angry with the lust for your neighbor's wife
5 Gluttony --do not be a glutton in the Pizza Hut
6 Envy -- do not envy the glutton in the Pizza Hut
7 Sloth --do not be a sloth

And the 8th deadly sin is

Barbecue! "

A most mysterious calling harbour
So far but yet so near
Where I see the day when my hair's full gray
And I finally disappear...

But Not Yet!!!

I don't want to live on that kind of island
No, I don't want to swim in a roped off sea.
Too much for me, too much for me
I've got to be where the wind and the water are free.

first time I heard those words I thought I heard

I got to be where the women and water are free... which works anyway and I still like singing it like that

free hot women.. Larry should pick up on that one soon

Chasin' after sparrows with rubber tipped arrows knowin' I could never hurt a thing.

Be good and you will be lonesome, be lonesome and you will be free. Live a lie, and you will live to regret it.

She speak a language all her own just a little like her mother.

Mother, mother ocean, I have heard your call.

Some of it's magic and some of it's tragic but I've had a good life all the way.

[Tequila Revenge]

Chicamauga in False Echos

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... chicamauga

Has anybody read or heard anything about the ship Chicamauga from the False Echo’s song on Banana Wind album?

"Now the old Chicamauga has slipped by the ways
She lies on the bottom of old Mobile Bay"

I did a Google on it, but only found a Civil War reference for the C.S.S Chicamauga.

I was hoping for some historical information from Jimmy, but it looks like he has yet to write anything about it. I'm sure it's tied to some emotional baggage too, in light of his late fathers Alshimers, but it a great story he could tell.

I find it interesting that James Taylor did the backup vocals on the song as well. All in all Bananna Wind is a cool album.

Arrggg...

Maybe the Chicamauga is a different ship all together.

Found this little blurb, but who knows how factual it is?

http://www.saltcay.net/whatDo.html

Wander And Visit. You can just wander about and spend time getting to know the folks that call Salt Cay home. Good company and you'll probably hear plenty of intriguing stories. Who knows, you may even find someone who recalls when the Chicamauga sailing out of Pascagoula, Mississippi would pull to get a load of salt and the son of Captain James Buffett would come ashore and head out to the beach to chase flamingos and catch lobsters. That little boy romping with the local kids would become the father of Jimmy Buffett.

Here is another reference to a ship owned by Jimmy's grandfather.

http://lyricschase.com/?action=team&det ... mmyBuffett
A nice lyrics page too.

There is no question that Jimmy's childhood was influenced by ships and the lure of the ocean. In addition to his father's sea related occupation, Jimmy's grandfather, James Buffett Sr., captained his own ship, the Chicamauga, throughout the oceans of the World. The stories told by grandfather to grandson certainly inspired the songwriter, and these stories are easily recognized as themes and values throughout many of Jimmy's musical works.

Here is another description of Jimmy's grandfather's Chicamauga

http://www.saltcay.org/history.htm

Among the sailing ship captains was a man named James Buffett. The skipper of the five-masted barkentine Chicamauga, from Pascagoula, Mississippi, was the grandfather of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. In his autobiography, A Pirate Looks at Fifty, Buffett quotes his father, who spent much of his child-hood aboard the Chicamauga and remembered Salt Cay as the place he had some of the best times of his life. While salt was being loaded onto the ship, bound for New Orleans, the six-year-old boy who would grow up to be Jimmy’s father, would "take off with a group of local kids and…chase flamingos and catch lobsters from the beach."

Maybe the Chicamauga is a different ship all together.

Found this little blurb, but who knows how factual it is?

http://www.saltcay.net/whatDo.html

Wander And Visit. You can just wander about and spend time getting to know the folks that call Salt Cay home. Good company and you'll probably hear plenty of intriguing stories. Who knows, you may even find someone who recalls when the Chicamauga sailing out of Pascagoula, Mississippi would pull to get a load of salt and the son of Captain James Buffett would come ashore and head out to the beach to chase flamingos and catch lobsters. That little boy romping with the local kids would become the father of Jimmy Buffett.

Here is another reference to a ship owned by Jimmy's grandfather.

http://lyricschase.com/?action=team&det ... mmyBuffett
A nice lyrics page too.

There is no question that Jimmy's childhood was influenced by ships and the lure of the ocean. In addition to his father's sea related occupation, Jimmy's grandfather, James Buffett Sr., captained his own ship, the Chicamauga, throughout the oceans of the World. The stories told by grandfather to grandson certainly inspired the songwriter, and these stories are easily recognized as themes and values throughout many of Jimmy's musical works.

Here is another description of Jimmy's grandfather's Chicamauga

http://www.saltcay.org/history.htm

Among the sailing ship captains was a man named James Buffett. The skipper of the five-masted barkentine Chicamauga, from Pascagoula, Mississippi, was the grandfather of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. In his autobiography, A Pirate Looks at Fifty, Buffett quotes his father, who spent much of his child-hood aboard the Chicamauga and remembered Salt Cay as the place he had some of the best times of his life. While salt was being loaded onto the ship, bound for New Orleans, the six-year-old boy who would grow up to be Jimmy’s father, would "take off with a group of local kids and…chase flamingos and catch lobsters from the beach."

Wow. Thanks for sharing all the great info. It adds so much more to Cat. and the Kid.

I never use to miss the chance
to climb upon his knee and listen
to the many tales of life upon the sea.

We'd go sailing back on barkentines and
talk of things he did, tomorrow just a
day away for the Captain and the Kid.

His world had gone from sailing ships
to raking mom's back yard;
he never could adjust to land although
he tried so hard.

We both were growing older then and
wiser with our years;
that's when I came to understand
the course his heart still steers.

He died about a month ago
while winter filled the air,
and though I cried, I was so proud
to love a man so rare.

He's somewhere on the ocean now,
the place he ought to be;
with one hand on the starboard rail,
he's waving back at me.
For the Captain and this kid.

How weird!!! I was just skimming Pirate Looks at 50 this morning and read the chapter of Cuban connections..and came across none other than...

"But the roots of my Cuban connection came from my grandfather the sailing-ship captain. He was too in love with wind and sails to give them up for more advanced methods of propulsion. He preferred the feel of a wooden deck under his feet and the romantic ports of call of the Caribbean as his landfalls.

In the years before the Great Depression and World War II he plied the warm waters of the Caribbean as skipper of a five mastered barkentine, named the Chicamauga, to the various ancient ports that dated back to precolonial days.



*His grandfather was the captain of the Chicamauga and opened the door to Jimmy's cuban connection. He also told a story about a family legend when on Jimmy's father's first birthday, his grandfather raised all the flags next to the shore of the Cuban harbor in honor of. The boats lined in the harbor were concerned and radioed to find out why all Buffett's flags were flying. When he said the reason, all boats in the harbor raised their flags as well. This took place in the Havana Harbor.

And there I conclude, Chicamauga.

Wow...his songs get even better if you do a little research on them and put some more of the pieces together. We should start like a book club type deal where we pick out one song and disect it and research all we can and then have a discussion on it. I might have to much time on my hands.

For several years the ship was docked in Mobile Bay where an illegal casino was operated and perhap prostitution. One evening, a unhappy customer decided to burn the ship.

I have recently obtained the rights to recover the remnants of the ship and I am researching the history of it. That is how I happened upon this site.

I will be conducting interviews with Lucy Buffett and other locals to get as much information on the colorful past of this piece of history. If I am able to obtain enough, I plan on publishing it in book form.

If anyone has any stories or information on this, please email me and let me know. I will probably post a website to show the artifacts found and to collect stories.

Please let me know any info anyone may have on this, so that it can be included in the research.

Blondebamaboy

This afternoon we started working on the recovery of the Chicamauga. Unfortunatly most of the ship have decayed. There is about 2 feet of mud and sand over most of the ship, but even more in the center of the hull.

Today was mostly spent trying to identify the size and location of the parts of the ship. As we remove the sand and mud, pieces of the hull would float to the surface. This shows that the hull of the ship is not in tact.

We have found of course the hull, ribs, and parts of the deck. If the deck had survived the fire, anything below the deck should be in contact.

The condition of the wood and metal objects vary... Most of the wood is rotten and crumbles to the touch, but some of it is as strong as the day it was put on. The ship was held together by large iron stakes. Like the wood, some would crumble to the touch but some seem to be found in remarkable condition.

Because of the amount of mud and silt at the site, there is no visibility. All of the recovery is being do by feel.

We also a too friendly alligator curious as to what we are doing. Last Thursday he was floating over the wreck. I figured that once we turned on the pump and was moving around in the water, we would not see him any longer, but he has been seen hanging out across the water from the wreck just this morning.

We have a netting system around the wreck to keep the silt we stir up and any artifacts from leaving the area. I just hope it also helps to keep the alligator out while we are feeling around under the water.

More later...

The tides have not been our friend... but the Gator is no longer bothering us.

We have been able to survey what is left of the Chicamauga with most of it under 5 feet of sand that has to be blown out.

We search most of last week in the middle of the hull and where we thought the Wheel House was, finding pieces of large support timbers, sides, and some decking. The decking we have found have been burned on one side, which means that when it flooded and sunk, the fire only made it to the upper deck.

What we thought was the bow of the ship, we had ignored until late this afternoon.... we started finding pieces of wood that would be in the galley of the ship. So we are pumping out the sand there and will be diving that location tomorrow.

So far no "Pirates" treasure such as ole slot machines or the ships bell. I am afraid that when the ship burned and sanked... it was in port and most of the valuable artifacts were probably removed shortly afterwards.

Take care.

Ok, We have finally found the wheelhouse area of the ship. It was in the last place we looked. It is buried under about 5 or 6 feet of mud and sand and we have pumped most of that out.

We are pulling up alot of interesting pieces.. not sure what they all are. So far the most interesting was a piece of leaded glass design. I will check with Lucy Buffett tomorrow to see if she can recall if it was from a window or a lamp that was aboard.

Most of these are being found under what appears to have been a large Hatch cover.

We will preserve the pieces and photograph them soon.

I think the Gator got Bored and moved away.

The mullet have been playing around us as we worked... one flopped across my butt and scared the crap out of me.

Yall have a good one.

interesting indeed.

so, you want to raise the ship, but you told the press that you wanted to "survey" where it sat so that you would not disturb it with your condo development?

nice.

anyway...

http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/i ... xml&coll=3

Work halted on Buffett shipwreck
Friday, October 12, 2007
By RUSS HENDERSON
Staff Reporter

SPANISH FORT -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday ordered a condo developer to stop digging up the sunken remains of a four-masted schooner once captained by the grandfather of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

The decaying wooden hulk is that of the Chiquimula, a longtime Mobile Bay-area landmark, which was commanded for many years by Capt. James Buffett, a highly regarded Gulf Coast master mariner.

The vessel's charred hull, buried for more than 50 years beside the shore of Blakeley River near the Causeway, lies in the way of plans for boat slips at Shellbank Landing, a planned 57-unit condominium project.

Last week, a diving contractor hired by real estate developer Dent Boykin and his business partners began using a high-pressure pump to uncover the underwater remains of what Boykin thought was a vessel singer Jimmy Buffett mentions in a song and in a book.

Boykin said the contractor, Kim Lea of Lea Diving & Salvage Co., was not destroying the vessel -- Lea was surveying the vessel so that builders could avoid damaging it when they later place the pilings for the condo project's 57 boat slips. Lea also planned to remove the highest parts of the ship because they would endanger boaters at the future condo site, Boykin said.

But, Boykin said, at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, a Corps of Engineers official arrived on site and "told us to cease and desist." Work on the boat slips is on hold until the Alabama Historical Commission determines whether the ship is historically significant, and how the project should then proceed. The Press-Register's efforts to contact corps officials were unsuccessful late Thursday.

Greg Rhinehart, an Alabama Historical Commission official contacted by a Press-Register reporter early Thursday afternoon, said the agency had issued no permit to conduct work on the shipwreck. Rhinehart said the commission only learned of the shipwreck's disturbance when a Press-Register reporter called about it Wednesday.

Boykin said he hadn't sought an Alabama Historical Commission permit he didn't think one was needed.

"I'd love for them to bring their expertise here and do a real study," Boykin said. He and Lea apparently had been trying to conduct their own marine archaeological study without knowing what they were doing, he said.

Lea said he had so far removed tons of silt and mud, in some places 10 feet deep, from most of the wreck. The underwater dirt was contained within a filter fabric curtain surrounding the work site, he said.

"We want to make sure that we don't destroy anything that could be of interest," Boykin told a reporter Wednesday. Boykin stood a few feet from an open trailer piled with what appeared to be a hatchway cover, pieces of the ship's ribs and hull, spikes and brass screws, as well as and other objects.

State records show the vessel at the excavation site by the shore of Blakeley River is in fact Capt. James Buffett's 176-foot Chiquimula.

The Chiquimula was a Mobile area landmark for nearly 13 years at the east end of the Bay Bridge Causeway before vandals burned it to the water line in 1953, according to Press-Register reports at the time.

In his book "A Pirate Looks at Fifty," Buffett wrote that in the years before World War II, his grandfather plied the waters of the Caribbean as skipper of a five-masted barkentine named the Chicamauga -- apparently a misspelling of the name Chiquimula.

In his song "False Echoes," Buffett sings that:

Now the old Chicamauga has slipped by the ways

She lies on the bottom of old Mobile Bay

State officials said they had found no record so far of a sunken vessel called Chicamauga in the Mobile Bay area.

According to Press-Register archives, the schooner Chiquimula was one of three built by the United Fruit Co. in 1917 and once hauled railroad ties and steel to plantations in Central America before being decommissioned in about 1920.

The Press-Register was unable to contact Lucy Buffett, the sister of Jimmy Buffett and the proprietor of LuLu's at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores. A publicist for Jimmy Buffett said she was unable to immediately answer a reporter's questions regarding the entertainer's writings about the vessel.

The Shellbank Landing project is planned for 3.5 acres at the foot of the eastern shore bluff, just off the Causeway. The land has about 800 front feet on the river, Boykin said. Unit prices would range from $400,000 to $499,000 and each would have a boat slip. The project is currently in the sales phase, he said.

"We actually think it would be really neat for people to know that this ship is underneath their boat slips," Boykin said. He said he is collecting local stories about the vessel in hopes that he can later put them together in book form. "We didn't want to hurt the ship. We wanted to preserve it."

(Staff Reporter Cammie East contributed to this report.)

Jimmy's sister visited the sunken remains of her grandfather's schooner, the Chiquimula: Lucy Buffett pays visit to shipwreck
<em>
"It's all legend in our family," said Buffett, whose brother is singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, known for his accounts of islands, ships and seafarers. "My dad learned to walk on the deck of his father's ship."

"He was very much a gentleman," Lucy Buffett said of the captain. "He was stern. He was a master."

Captain Buffett, a master mariner respected along the Gulf Coast and known as "Foo Foo" to his grandchildren, had a hard time staying on dry land, often leaving for the open waters for years at a time, Lucy Buffett said. </em>

I like this part of the article:

Greg Rhinehart, an Alabama Historical Commission official contacted by a Press-Register reporter early Thursday afternoon, said the agency had issued no permit to conduct work on the shipwreck. Rhinehart said the commission only learned of the shipwreck's disturbance when a Press-Register reporter called about it Wednesday.

Boykin said he hadn't sought an Alabama Historical Commission permit he didn't think one was needed.

"I'd love for them to bring their expertise here and do a real study," Boykin said. He and Lea apparently had been trying to conduct their own marine archaeological study without knowing what they were doing, he said.

[Tequila Revenge]

Being a Jimmy Buffett fan is like.....

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0

I do get asked this question by people who just don't "get" JB and his music from time to time. Yeah, hard to believe....

What's a good response from a die-hard Parrothead?????

I figured that fellow BNers would be the "best" place to come for "the answer"......right?

Personally, I stopped trying to answer any question dealing with JB to non-parrotheads. I've encountered when most non PH's ask me about JB, they seem to always say something about being a "groupie". So the most I'll tell them is, "you gotta go to a concert and see for yourself".

.....Like being a "Deadhead" with a credit card.....

Ya know when bad sh*t happens?

Even if it is small like a bad day at work . . .?

Or if it is big like illness of a friend or loved one . . .?

To me it is a reminded of how big and wonderful the world is . . . and not to take ourselves too seriously . . . WITH a beat . . .

and I don't think I have ever looked forward to a tour more than the pending 2008 tour . . . need to see all my old friends for our family bbq!

When I started this post I forgot to mention a few of my "standard" answers:

Being a Jimmy Buffett fan is like.....

......never having to explain the grass skirt.
......every day seeming like a beach day.
......feeling sand between your toes even with your shoes on.
......being a child for the rest of your life.
......having a reason to smile when you shouldn't.
......nothing else in the world.

....growing older but not up.....

and...

Here we are
Here we are
Here we are
Here we are

Who would have thought this game, this flame would still be burning?
Who would have guessed that all these blenders would still be churning?
Not even we, on our bended knees could have ever blessed it.
Not even I, with my head in the sky could have ever guessed it, but
Here we are, for a family reunion, costume barbeque.
All the black sheep, family outcasts and a freak or two.

No, the hat tricks and the gold bricks still don’t have us down.
Still a party for the hearty when we come to town.
You’re still grinning, we’re still winning, nothing left to say.
I’m still gliding as I go flying down this endless wave, and
Here we are, we’re the offbeat Uncle Fred’s who spill their wine on you.
And the in your face Aunt Rachel’s with an attitude.
All the ones that use your bathroom then eat all your food.
We’re the dreamy Deadheads who just like us and Dave Matthews.

Here we are, maybe it’s because in spite of all the work we do,
It’s the child in us we really value
Here we are, with our fins up and our feathers flashing
Here we are, with our coconut shell brassieres chafing

Here we are
Here we are
Here we are……

...having a buddy who you really don't see too often and when you do, he's the center of attention and doesn't actually talk to you and you always end up getting too drunk and he takes $100 out of your wallet while you're not looking and then he disappears for a year or so and then he reappears again next year wanting more money. Oh yeah, and he never calls, but does ask you for a little more money in the off season in exchange for this cd he made and somehow this is all ok with you.

wow, Jon, who'da thought that under that gruff exterior beat a heart of gold? Very well said...

someone else had to be using his computer and user name!!!!

it's about escaping from reality for a few hours with friends and loved ones!!

...having a buddy who you really don't see too often and when you do, he's the center of attention and doesn't actually talk to you and you always end up getting too drunk and he takes $100 out of your wallet while you're not looking and then he disappears for a year or so and then he reappears again next year wanting more money. Oh yeah, and he never calls, but does ask you for a little more money in the off season in exchange for this cd he made and somehow this is all ok with you.

Bernd called me last week...

wow, Jon, who'da thought that under that gruff exterior beat a heart of gold? Very well said...

someone else had to be using his computer and user name!!!!

it's about escaping from reality for a few hours with friends and loved ones!!

its sort of like when Jimmy is on stage doing a slow - heart felt song like He Went To Paris or Come Monday or When The Coast Is Clear . . . and the crowd is really into it and people are hugging and all that . . . and then Jimmy kicks a beach ball off the stage and puts his arms up in an "its good" field goal way . . .

thats me; in reverse . . .

Here we are
Here we are
Here we are
Here we are

Who would have thought this game, this flame would still be burning?
Who would have guessed that all these blenders would still be churning?
Not even we, on our bended knees could have ever blessed it.
Not even I, with my head in the sky could have ever guessed it, but
Here we are, for a family reunion, costume barbeque.
All the black sheep, family outcasts and a freak or two.

Exactly. It's just what I DO! No explanation. It's just a part of me.


Wonder what Jimmy is singing right now!

It's 10:15 pm in Hong Kong and the show it prolly over.

...being a big fan with anything else.

The same reason people are attracted to NASCAR or football or anything else. For me it's Buffett and surfing. Buffett is there for when I can't surf. You become a fan of something because you relate to it. And I relate to the lifestyle that Jimmy sings about. He has inspired me to be a hard worker so I can afford the lifestyle I enjoy.

"To those who understand, no explanation is necessary, to those who don't, no explanation is possible."

is the greatest feeling in the world when you wake up in the morning and when your driving to work and coming home listen to jimmy buffett when its 10 degrees out

is the greatest feeling in the world when you wake up in the morning and when your driving to work and coming home listen to jimmy buffett when its 10 degrees out

ever been laid? that is a pretty good feeling too.

lol.

applause necessary? YES!

Was the question really "What is like to be a Jimmy Buffett fan?" .

What is it "like"? What is it like to be/do/feel/want/desire anything? There's a billion right answers from a billion different people you might ask.

I like Penny's (and Jimmy's) answer, but a different verse ...... "Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it. Don't ever forget that you just may wind up being wrong."

~~~~~ surfpirate

Right now, being a Jimmy Buffett fan is like being a kid in a candy store and having so much fun buying all the albums and listening for the first time. I still am a new parrot head on the block having started really taking notice of this music last summer when I subscribed to Sirius and came across RM. I started paying attention toJimmy's music at a time when I needed a different kind of fun in my life. Plus, being a JB fan means discovering music from different artists that I never knew about as the Coral Reefers are extremely talented artists.

This year I really want to experience my first show or two or three, experience that joy that comes from being at a JB concert, and having a few days out of the year where I don't have to be a responsible adult. Also, I want to experience the tailgate thing, and to top it all off, flocking with a bunch of parrot heads and making a few new friends would be good.

Right now, being a Jimmy Buffett fan is like being a kid in a candy store and having so much fun buying all the albums and listening for the first time. I still am a new parrot head on the block having started really taking notice of this music last summer when I subscribed to Sirius and came across RM. I started paying attention toJimmy's music at a time when I needed a different kind of fun in my life. Plus, being a JB fan means discovering music from different artists that I never knew about as the Coral Reefers are extremely talented artists.

This year I really want to experience my first show or two or three, experience that joy that comes from being at a JB concert, and having a few days out of the year where I don't have to be a responsible adult. Also, I want to experience the tailgate thing, and to top it all off, flocking with a bunch of parrot heads and making a few new friends would be good.

Don't look now, but you're hooked!!!!!!

Welcome to the "madness"........

"To those who understand, no explanation is necessary, to those who don't, no explanation is possible."

EXACTLY !!!!!

I'll second that emotion......hmm, might be a good song title, you think?

Hi Jeanie!!!!!

(((Ed)))) well, we are giving him a lifetime of devotion

Always being the weirdest person in the room. Until you get to the tailgate, then you're not even in the top 100 anymore.

Well said!!!

Well ... I dont worship the man (why I am apparently not a fan ) but I do LOVE his music ...
but for me - it is more than being a buffett fan - it has turned me in to a lover of tropical music - the Sunny Jim, Eric STones etc of this world.

But mostly - it is ABOUT THE PEOPLE!! THE FRIENDS!!!!!!

Fantastic thread! Being a Parrothead is like...

• Tasting ice cream for the first time...
  Having so many friends you never get lonely
  Everyone sharing the same ideas of fun, goodness and beauty
  It's the validation and realization that people out there love the same things you love.

You see, growing up, I had always liked country music, but I just never shared the American Country Music scene's affinity with horses, rodeos, cowboys, rednecks, big hats and pickup trucks. So while I enjoyed the sound, the subjects never really struck a responsive chord within me.

However, being a child of the water (I grew up on the Gulf Coast. My family actually had a small shrimp boat when I was a teenager, and I had spent great time near the ocean in the Coast Guard) I immediately understood the connection between the country sound and ocean life.

Soooo...American Country Music is for those who connect with the original western expansion and the traditions and heritage that it brought. and Buffett's music (and the music of those who get it) is for Parrotheads.

HEY, BFAN53, YOU JUST GOT AN RM SHOUT OUT!! MILES HAMPTON WAS READING THIS POST!!!!

When I started this post I forgot to mention a few of my "standard" answers:

Being a Jimmy Buffett fan is like.....

......never having to explain the grass skirt.
......every day seeming like a beach day.
......feeling sand between your toes even with your shoes on.
......being a child for the rest of your life.
......having a reason to smile when you shouldn't.
......nothing else in the world.

Oh, man, the one night I don't have RM playing.......

Never had a shoutout before, I mean I heard about them.......what do I win????? Just kidding and thanks for letting me know

I always knew that Miles was one of "us".......

[Tequila Revenge]

My Letter to Jimmy

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65243

Dear Jimmy,
I’m sure that you receive millions of fan letters but I’ve never written one to anyone. I’m certainly a fan of yours but I’d like to think of this as more of a thank you note. Thank you for the input you’ve had in our lives. My husband and I are native Floridians. I am one of seven children from an Irish Catholic family and my husband is a descendent of Louisiana and alumni of Alabama. We grew up Relating to your music and lifestyle! I just couldn’t let today go by without expressing our gratitude for the way you brought us together and how we are now raising our children as “parakeets!”…
On the night we met, we danced to A Pirate Looks at Forty and on the night that we got married we danced to our wedding song, Bigger Than The Both of Us. My brother now jokes that the only other man in my life is you! We just want you to know that during all of our favorite memories, you were always there-
In our daily lives, you are our sedative and our stimulant! If we’re stressed, you give us a “license to chill” and if we’re excited you help us push “the fool button” on many a “Livingston Saturday night!”
We enjoy entertaining on our boat and on our back patio especially because our friends and family become our captive audience for sharing some of our favorite Buffett songs. We love to give Beaches, Ballads, Bars & Boats as a gift because it is a great way to share a variety from over the years. We are frequent Margaritaville patrons and we just want you to know that we are doing our part! We will happily spread the word about Cheeseburger in Paradise in our home town of Plantation.
I will try to keep this part brief but I’m afraid this is where I ramble in detail…My first recollection was hearing Little Miss Magic when my friend’s parents had a baby. Later they took us to the Keys and introduced us to Boat Drinks. When I went to school in the mountains of North Carolina I met & became The People Our Parents Warned us about!...(My son’s middle name is Mackay—like the gardener; it is a family name). I grew up loving Come Monday and still do no matter how many times I hear it! I remember one weekend with friends when we had Riddles in the Sand on the stereo and it was on automatic repeat

throughout the entire night. I’ve been to your concerts in Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa & Gainesville. Sometimes my husband & I see you twice a year. I pop your CDs in the car stereo especially when the kids & the traffic get annoying! I love I heard I was in Town, If it all Falls Down & When the Coast is Clear because they are introspective on your part. I love Steamer, I Wish Lunch Would Last Forever and Survive because they are romantic. And of coarse, One Particular Harbor seems to have both! We had the pleasure of meeting Captain Tony last year while attending the “Meeting of the Minds” (which we are again looking forward to ). I love so many other songs which are too numerous to mention because I have always appreciated your lyrical story telling ability. We love Floridays and being Cajun, of course, Creola. We, like you, were early in the crazy ways but we too Love the Now!

Enclosed is a photo of our family at Margaritaville where we always end up after a day at Universal Studios. Prior to this our sons (then 1 & 3 yrs. Of age) got on stage at a karaoke sports bar & sang Volcano! Their favorite lyrics refer to “Mr. Ugly/Utley, the Batman on the dock –Frankie & Lola & meha poopa-Fruitcakes!” In our family is a boat named Floridays a pet named Savannah and much “Parrotphanalia!”
So, in conclusion, once again, thank you for not becoming a priest or a Naval Academy grad. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world & please don’t ever stop performing & making that “homemade music!

Fondly,
Linda & Hugh Hebert & sons, Hugh & Eric

Fabulous

I especially like the part about "Thank you for not becoming a priest or a Naval Academy grad"!!!

That is a very nice letter, and it is written from the heart. I hope that Jimmy will get the chance to read this letter.

Great letter makes you think about our own experiences and what all this means to us.

It's so cool how one Parrothead's life experiences seem to mirror those of so many others. Thanks for sharing that. We need more stuff like that.

My eyes are a little glassy, written from the heart to a man we all enjoy and envy.

I thought my kids were the only ones that refer to him as "Mr. Ugly"!!!

[filove]

I am trying to get in here

lots of stories to tell

Too many tears right now

zThank you BNR's please reply

I am trying so hard to fit in here even though I live so far!!!!!!!!!!

Great idea xxxxxxx

[Tequila Revenge]

Someone stole the Flamingos!!!

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0

Son of a biscuit eatin' dog!!!!!!!
Came home tonight to find the pink flamingos that were so perfectly placed on the front lawn are GONE!!!!!
Not even the freakin' tinsel that adourned their necks.................no where to be found!!!!

Let it be known!!!!!!
My Phriends from BN put said Flamingos there for a reason. It meant a whole lot to me then and more each day as I pulled up to see Santa's sleigh being pulled by them.

You have messed with the wrong group is all I'm saying.

The girls are not happy. Now you've made me mad.


If your reading this...........put them back or............you will be found out.


EDIT BY SMLCHNG: TV STORY CAN BE SEEN HERE:

GET YOUR TISSUES READY.

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/ne ... -0021.html

I pity the person who now has that Karma.

Times 10.



Albert, I'm so sorry.

Yes, that Karma thing will get them, wow, sorry Albert.

That's f***ing bulls***!!!! And what sux most is I'm pretty sure whoever those jacka**es are, they ain't reading this. But if you get any leads, let us know in March, cause there ain't no justice like drunk on rum grass skirt wearing mob justice.

Dear Mom and Dad. Please do not worry. We have gone "walkabout" and will be back soon.
XXX 000 XXX
..... your pink pals

I'm so sorry cocotel.......it's so sad the world we live in sometimes. Just remember the people who put them there and why they were there.

Ok now that I can see a little clearer - I must say that this is one of the most reasonable responses to this terrible news. Thanks PalmTreeGal for helping us remember the GOOD part of this story ....

and all you pranksters and your misspent youth - that is kewl you are so honest.

I bet those little pink guys just went on a little walk-about. (But dang - it was cold and rainy today --- oh yeah - maybe those little guys needed to get warm for a spell).

No worries Coco - the flamingos WILL return - I know it!!!!

Lots of sentimental value... here are a few pics BG had taken of them:

Ok pholks...just finished writing this...suggestions before I send it off to the News and Observer?

"Dear Editor,
This is a story of love and friendship. I hope that you can find a way to report it in your newspaper.
I am a member of an online community called buffettnews.com. This place is dedicated to fans of Jimmy Buffett but as most online communities are these days, it has become much more then a fan site. We chat daily, about news, politics, our celebrations, our disappointments, and yes even sometimes we chat about the man himself. We are those odd people that listen to the music of Jimmy Buffett and flock to a few concerts each summer. We dress in coconut bras, grass skirts and dream of a life in the islands. Oh, the stories I could tell you about these people. Our tailgate parties are a sight behold. We have met in Dallas, New York, Houston, Honolulu, Tampa, Anguilla, Paris, Hong Kong, and everywhere in between. We have celebrated, weddings, births, new jobs, new houses, etc. We have also shared sorrows together as well. Most recently, the death of a beloved friend from the Raleigh, NC area.
When we first met Albert (through buffettnews.com), we heard his story of his beautiful wife, who was fighting for her very life. She was battling leukemia and was in need of a bone marrow transplant. Maria received her bone marrow donation two years ago and seemingly began to heal. In November, she and Albert decided to take a much needed break and fly to Tampa to be with friends and attend a Buffett show. While there, things took a turn for the worse. Maria experienced some pain and new symptoms, so the couple left immediately and flew back home to Raleigh. Maria was admitted immediately to UNC and began fighting for her life again. Shortly before Christmas, her little body just couldn't fight anymore and she lost her battle. Maria, a truly beautiful person left us and her spirit joined many others that have gone on before her in the cosmos. She left behind three beautiful little girls (Hannah, Katherine, and Maggie) and a loving husband.
Parrotheads doing what parrotheads do, immediately sprang into action. Flights were made and a plan was developed. A small group of buffettnews members, from all over NC and one from Florida gathered together at the home of Albert and Maria to secretly decorate the home for Christmas – parrothead style. A tree decorated with angels was placed on the front porch, a pirate warning sign placed near the stairs and the lawn was decorated with pink flamingos pulling a sleigh. Albert and the girls were delighted. It brought them joy during a time of great sadness.
But yesterday, sadness would visit their home again. The flamingos were stolen from their lawn. Most likely it was a teenage prank, someone who had no idea of the story – the meaning behind those flamingos. To that individual they probably viewed them simply as tacky lawn ornaments. But folks, they were much more then that – they were a symbol of hope and love.
It is my hope that someone reading this will know the whereabouts of the flamingos. Perhaps, the goodness of the human spirit will win out and the flamingos will make their way back home."

Beautiful Shannon, just beautiful.

I know my initial post had a tone of revenge to it, but if I look back to the days of my mis-spent youth I would have no room to comment.
They'll be back soon enough. For now we have pictures of the flamingos from the Animal Kingdom in Disney to console us.

The memory of them being put there, who put them there, that's what we hold dear.

that's just awful.

Great letter Shannon!

We should ban together and contact the local TV news channels and maybe they'll run a story!

Anyone there in NC able to list the community news editor's email addresses from these stations?

Raleigh is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville Designated Market Area, the 28th largest broadcast television market in the United States. The following stations are licensed to Raleigh and/or have significant operations in the city:

WRAL-TV (5, CBS): (919) 821-8555
WRAL 5 on your Side: (919) 821-8865
WLFL-TV (22, CW): (919) 790-9535 (news department)
WRAZ-TV (50, Fox): (800) 532-5343
WNCN-TV (17, NBC): (919) 836-1317
WTVD-TV (11, ABC): (919) 687-2212
News 14 Carolina (24 hour local news): (866) 328-1414

I guess there weren't any flamingo sightings today.

that's just awful.

Great letter Shannon!

We should ban together and contact the local TV news channels and maybe they'll run a story!

Anyone there in NC able to list the community news editor's email addresses from these stations?

Raleigh is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville Designated Market Area, the 28th largest broadcast television market in the United States. The following stations are licensed to Raleigh and/or have significant operations in the city:

WRAL-TV (5, CBS): (919) 821-8555
WRAL 5 on your Side: (919) 821-8865
WLFL-TV (22, CW): (919) 790-9535 (news department)
WRAZ-TV (50, Fox): (800) 532-5343
WNCN-TV (17, NBC): (919) 836-1317
WTVD-TV (11, ABC): (919) 687-2212
News 14 Carolina (24 hour local news): (866) 328-1414

I guess there weren't any flamingo sightings today.

Oh My God! I can't believe I haven't seen this post...where the heck have I been???
My niece, Kerry Hall, is a reporter at WNCN! I just left her a VM & shot her an e-mail with this link..... She's our girl!!!!
I will talk with her & put her in contact with Albert directly to get this story done!!!

Oh My God! I can't believe I haven't seen this post...where the heck have I been???
My niece, Kerry Hall, is a reporter at WNCN! I just left her a VM & shot her an e-mail with this link..... She's our girl!!!!
I will talk with her & put her in contact with Albert directly to get this story done!!!

I LOVE THIS BAR!!!!!!!!

I will talk with her & put her in contact with Albert directly to get this story done!!!

Awesome, Cindy!!!!! :D

It's a"Small BN World" after all

Ain't it just??

Y'know...I'm willing to agree that this is a sad thing that has happened, I understand why people are unhappy and/or upset, and I hope y'all get your flamingos back.

But to be honest...what good is done by getting mad enough to do violence to those who took them? How does that honor the original deed, or those for whom the flamingos were donated and set up? How does it honor the "laid back lifestyle" that we all supposedly support, envy, and/or at least enjoy hearing songs about?

There is enough stress and sadness in the world - things that we are happy to sing songs about wanting to escape - without contributing further to it.

Wishing for the best possible outcome for all involved,

Loren

I suspect any comments about violence were simply "knee-jerk" reactions. I know that my own comments were.

Mine were more of the "jerk-jerk" reaction. I really don't expect to put together a posse of grass skirt wearing vigilantes. (Though it would look pretty funny.)

Rats, I was thinking the grass skirt and coconut bra with the brass knuckles and motorcycle boots would have been a good combo.

WARNING: the following contains seriousness and multi-syllable words. Regular readers of my posts may find them offensive, confusing and totally out of character. The writer apologizes in advance for any inconvenience.

[soapbox]

While I understand the "violence avoidance" philosophy, I'm not entirely in favor of it. Supporting a "laid back" lifestyle doesn't mean adopting a "lay down" and be a doormat attitude when something like this happens. Maybe this was a prank. Many here have admitted indulging in some type of pranks in their young and foolish days. I'm betting most of them suffered some kind of consequences if their deeds were discovered and I'm also betting that those consequences may have included an unpleasant interaction between footwear and posterior. Now, if there are no repercussions to the perpetrators of this misdeed, they've learned that they're free to continue causing "stress and sadness" whenever they choose. Do we need to pummel them until they are excrement free? Not necessarily - a token slap on the wrist would do if they're willing to come forward and accept responsibility for their foolishness. On the other hand, if they want to be jerks, I have no problem with sending them to Santa's "Workshop".

[/soapbox]

YAY!!!
Just talked to my niece, Kerry...she spoke with Albert this morning & will be doing an interview on Sunday with the story to air on Monday!
She and her producers were very excited...they thought it a good 'human interest' story.
The clip will be available on the WNCN website after it airs....I'll try to get the link & post it here. (However- I am pretty technically challenged!)

Here was a previous recap of "the Extreme Yard Makeover":

Last week at this time, wheels were in motion for a really special day:

Now I'm stuck in between here at my typing machine trying to come up with some words that will last.

BN Phamily let me just say this...........THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

It has been a day of great joy for me and my girls unlike one have had in a long, long time.

Here's the run down of how our day went:

We all had some breakfast. I made a call to my brother in law and left the keets to decorate the tree.
Maggie came outside while I was talking and told me they had finished. It was time to check out their handy work.
So I made my way into the house to find a tree that could be on the cover of Southern Living!! They did an incredible job pholks!!!!
The hospital called and told me how Maria's night went. OH!! Forgot to mention they had called at 10:30 and 2:30 overnight to tell me she was being moved back to the ICU because her breathing was not at all good. They wanted me to know although it was serious she still was stable but felt it would be best to not take any chances.
Back to the morning to around 11:00 a.m. now. BG called to let me know she was at her hotel. We talked for a few minutes and agreed on a 1:00 meet up time. The girls had their bathing suits, towels, and a buzz that could only come from being told they were going swimming in December.
To the hotel we went. Met up with BG around 1:30 and the keets went to her room to change for the indoor pool.
They jumped right in!!!! Not only to the pool but with conversation with BG as well!!
It was like visiting with an old friend for them. For me, still overwhelmed she would spend her weekend with us.
At around 3:30 we finally got them out of the pool, changed and made our way to the hospital. I knew they would not allow the girls into the ICU but all that was important was to see Maria and speak with the staff.
They didn't want me to enter into the room so from a distance behind a glass door I watched as she breathed. I took a look at all her vitals, spoke with the nurse and before I knew it, they were just about whisking me out the door.
I achieved what was important........seeing her even if only for a moment was good to me.
I feel so bad BG nor the girls could see her but I try to keep telling myself it's only temporary.
So we all met back up outside the unit and made our way to the elevator. Began the trek back to the house so the girls could show off their tree work. I was going to suggest we go eat then stop at the house before we took her back to the hotel for the night. BG did this thing with her phone and I really thought she had some kind of voice activated voicemail but all along something was in the works.
All day I had no idea or even thoughts that something like this would have happend.
The traffic was very heavy heading home causing us to take a good 15 minutes longer than normal. We turned into the neighborhood, down to our street and from what it looked like our neighbors house was all decorated. Even when we came to our driveway it still was incomprehensible what I was seeing. First thought was maybe some friends from church or some neighbors did this. Then I saw the flip flops on the bushes, the pink flamingos all over the walk way, the lights, the PHIN POWER written on the sleigh. I know I said it in my head and BG will have to tell us later if I said it out loud but all I remember thinking was, "What did she do?!?!"
I didn't pull forward all the way beacuse the view from the van was just so cool. So I shut down the van as we all got out to get an up close look. We're walking closer and from the side of the house her comes Scott (Tar Heel Tailgator) with his wife Elissa. Then Dave (gingerbreadman).
I about passed out pholks. Elissa said, "Breath Albert, breath!!."
On the stairs they had different colored bags with flamingo cut outs and candles lit inside them. The lights were on the bushes, on the porch. Then there was the 6 ft. tree on the front porch. Not decorated, just there. BG grabs this bag and says, "Hang some angels on that tree." I couldn't stand up pholks, just couldn't do it. So she gave the girls the bag. THey began hanging the angels each with a BNr's screen name. THe girls read them as they hung them. It was just beautiful and it will remain on our front porch as a testimony of just how generous our BN Phamily truly is.
I'm probably not doing justice to this incredible thing tonight. Probably need to breath a little better here.

This was a magical day/night pholks. I have been in complete shock and apologize to BG, Scott, Elissa and Dave if I was so out of it.

Just when I thought our Phamily had done so much, so much more came.
This is still a battle pholks but there is no way we won't win the war together.
I am a better man because of this Phamily. A better dad, husband and friend because of you all.
I am the luckiest man on this earth.
So lucky and blessed to call you all more than friends, your Phamily.

More tomrrow pholks, my emotions are taking over again.

I so love each and everyone.
Albert

. .gonna make a brief recap here . . . just to express what a TOUCHING 24 hours I just spent . . . . .

. . but for now . . .

. . I came away from this weekend with a heart FULL of love . . . there is no way to describe the goodness that came from a few hours spent with special people . . .all there to share a love and compassion for Maria, Albert, and their girls. . .

. .it was magical . . .and . .wow. . .just, wow. . .

. .gonna put it all on paper . . .so I don't leave anything out . . .then I will post it . . . but do expect a " full report " soon . .

. .but for now . . .please, my friends. . . appreciate those you have and love . . make sure to let them know it . . .

Hey there pholks.

It has been another whirlwind day here for us all.
Some friends of ours took me and the girls to Ragazzi's for lunch early afternoon. Didn't even get to sip my tea and the cell phone rang.
It was the resident doctor from the ICU calling about how she felt it was very important I get there a.s.a.p. because Maria was almost at the point where they were going to have to tube her again.
She and the attending felt the need for me to come sit and talk with them about what was going on.
They didn't sound to positive..........at all.

Jeff told me he would drive me so Donna grabbed my keys and let the girls finish their meal and after that she along with her daughter would take them home.
Off we went to UNC. Jeff is so easy going, slow talking, about as country as they come but he took off like a jack rabbit on a date in that Ford Focus. We made it to UNC in 30 minutes and if you ask BG after the ride I took her on, it's at least an hour drive.

Got there, met with the resident doctor but no one could find the attending. She painted this very bleak picture about how tubing her probably would only prolong things. She may be suffering and we not even know it she said.
To be quite honest it was so bad she all but said that's all we can do for her. I looked at Jeff who looked shocked.
Again the nurse just went on about how she was "very sick." THere's just not much left we can do that's going to help her come out of this.

I slumped over and began to cry because again here we are in a horrible predictamnet. Again it's all raining down and what the heck do you do?

I told the doctor that if she knew Maria was suffering something awful and if tubing her would only prolong that pain there was no way I could sit back and let that happen. But if tubing her would open the door for her to regain her strength, then let's do it. Where does the pattern show? What is the right call? What proof do you have to show us rither choice is the right one?
MRI, CT scans, x-rays all showed heavy fluid build up on her lungs. They started giving her lasiks to help her pee it out. The anitbiotics were not having much effect today.
So we walked back to the room and I beagan talking to her. I told her that I needed her to queeze my hand, to look up at me, to raise those eyebrows. Give me something that was going to show she was still there and still fighting.
Nothing. No eyes open. No eyebrows moving. No hand clenching.
I walked out of the room and watched her blood pressure continue to drop, then her heart rate go from 80 beats per minute back up to 120.
Her oxygen levels began to drop drasticly. They had to move to oxygen mask intake up to 90%. It was almost time to tube her again if there was to be any hope.
Our friend Betty who works in the pharmacy and lives only three miles from the hospital was sitting right beside her when she jumps up and starts screaming. "Albert!!!! Get in here ...........now!!!!! She's trying to open her eyes. She trying to move her head. Her legs are moving upward."
I ran into the room to the bedside. Began speaking to her. Then she opens her eyes and looks directly into mine. I asked her if she was in pain. She shook her head no. Then asked her if she could hear me. Head shaking yes.
Here's the miracle.
Her blood pressure goes from 68/35 to 95/60. Then to 105/69.
Heart beats per minute from 125+ down to 85-.
They took her down to 70% oxygen and she beagn breathing better.
Abosulte miracle that can not be explained away.
The attending doctor finally made it there. He looke at her chart, then the board. He walks out the door and grabs the chart from the fellow across from Maria just to be sure he had the right one.
Pulls me to the side and said, "Whatever you were just told. That's not going to be happening right now."

We stayed for another 5 hours pholks. She continued to come in and out looking at us, squezzing our hands, raising her eyebrows, looking around.
Vitals still looking good.

Said before and I'm saying it again. This girl aint done yet.

Just spoke with the nurses station. All still the same. No changes. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Me and the girls are still on a high from last night. Roller coaster day but it sure was nice coming home and lighting up the outside lights.

More tomorrow.
Good night pholks.

so, I was going to write this sometime tonight, but after reading Albert's latest post, well......

It's not a matter of what we did yesterday, but why we did it.

For Elissa and I, in some respects it's a "pay it forward" thing that we do each year (we call it SantaMax, another story for another day)

But, honestly it's because in the many readings and in the few times that I've met them, the Cocotels are real special people and Albert and the girls deserve a few smiles as their family continues to fight (with amazing attitudes) the battle that Maria's conditions have put them through for close to two years.

Albert has absolutely amazed me with the energy (almost always positive) that he has put forth to support his wife and the ability to also love and provide for his girls in the most difficult of times.

And the girls (Hannah, Katherine, and Maggie) are amazing, energetic young women who seem to take all of this in stride although you know that all they could ever want is to have their Mommy healthy again.

The times that I've met Maria, her spirit is an amazing spirit, and her attitude is great as well. I can only imagine the fight she's been through and yet she continues to amaze.

In being with the Cocotel family and in being in their house, you can't help but get the feeling that Maria is a special, special person. Above their bed in their bedroom hangs Albert and Maria's wedding portrait (Albert just had to show it to us the other night). As Albert describes it, Maria did not want a typical portrait. Instead, you see an image of a young couple casually posed against the side wall of an oceanfront structure at their favorite place (Albert told me where, but I don't remember the details) They are dressed stylishly, yet casual and are gazing into each other's eyes.

What was absolutely striking about the image is that it absolutely captures the passion that they have for each other and projects (heck, it shines with high-beams) a flair and zest for life that is amazing for a still image.

Their daughters are amazing young women. You can definitely see "their momma" in their looks, expressions and actions.

So why did we do what we did...while I can't answer for each individual I think it's because those girls deserve some semblance of a Christmas miracle and they needed to see (and they do see every day through your letters and cards) that quite simply, there are lots of people who love their Mom, appreciate their Dad and are supporting them!

Hopefully, our Extreme Yard Makeover provided that message... and thanks to the giving of BG (she won't let me call her Cindy and even had the girls calling her BG), Dave, Janice (who did some amazing shopping including finding the baby flamingoes phlock that now resides in Albert's front yard, Elissa, TikiBar, (my friend Bill Malone who I "recruited" to help me build the sleigh) and others, everytime they turn on those lights and see that amazing angel tree on their front porch (which has the name of every BNer who has posted on this thread) they will feel that support.

Please keep those thoughts, posts, cards and prayers coming so our "angel nurse" in ICU can keep Maria in positive thoughts and keep lifting up Albert and the girls as well.

In the spirit of BN and all of the BNers who make this board a special place, God Bless and Merry Christmas!

. .gonna start my recap of this past weekend. . . I'll remember things as I go . . and will just add on . .

. . I landed in Raleigh at a little after 9:00 a.m. . had already fought with Albert about coming to pick me up, since my hotel was 1/2 mile from the airport, with a free shuttle. . .

. . . he had some things to do with the girls, and it (thankfully) gave me some time to write the names on all our BN Angels. . . . .whew. . almost a HUNDRED of them . . ! !

. . I had picked the Hilton, since they had an indoor pool . . so the girls could come for an afternoon swim . . as soon as they drove into the parking lot, all I saw were hands waving, then they almost bolted from the car to come give hugs all around. . ! !

. . one of the first things I noticed . .it looked like I was seeeing three tiny little Marias running toward me . . all had beautiful long dark hair . . and eyes that let you see straight to their souls . . and of course my Coco didn't disappoint . . he was carrying an overloaded cooler of Coronas. . .! !

. . after a nice visit while the girls had the run of the swimming pool . . I was still trying to work out my plan as to how to get to their house . . sooooo when he told me the girls had put up the Christmas Tree . .I said " I WANT TO SEE IT . . . REEEEALY BAD " . .! ! . . . . all this time I was also trying to send " secretive " messages to Scott . .to let him know what time to expect us . . . they had made it down around 1:00 and by 2-ish, had eveything in place. .

. . then around 3:30 Albert said . . " before we go to the house, let's just run by the Hospital, if you don't mind, so I can spend a few minutes with the Doctors . . " . . I had told him earlier that it was not important for me to even see Maria if it didn't work out . . just being there, and getting my hugs from them, was enough " . . so I stayed with the girls in the Waiting Room while he visited. . (more on this later ) . .

. .he knew I understood, but when he came out . .he looked so drained . . and kinda nervous . . like there were many sad/confusing thoughts going on in his head, and in his heart . .

. . we kept the conversation light on the drive down to their house. . and it gave him time to re-compose . . . I have never in my life seem a person so strong . . and able to keep it together like he does. . it really is amazing to watch, first hand . . . .and verrry humbling . .

. .gonna end this much for now . .

. .got to blow my nose a bit . .





. . let me just say . .

. .

. .whew. . .now that I got the " teary " part over . . . here are some feel goods from our visit . .

. . it seems our " secret yard makeover " went off without Albert even having a clue . . we turned on to their street . . and I watched his face change. . " girls . .? ? . . it looks like someone has decorated our front yard . . LOOOOK . .! ! "

. .that's when the squeeling began . . " who Daddy . .? ? . . WHO . .? " . . he only pulled in the driveway just a bit . . and said " don't know. . don't see anyone. . . but there's a truck parked down the street . . " . . about that time the " dark of night ( and day ) bandits " appeared from the side of the house . . ! ! . . I have no idea how long they had been hiding out . . . but I had told Scott from the Waiting Room . . " the next time you hear my voice means we are on the way . . . " ( so I left a completely doofus message to imaginary TikiB. . ) . . only I had no idea it would take almost an hour to get there . . ! !

. .there were many genuine hugs all around again. . and Albert's face was actually beaming thru rather " shiny" eyes . .

. .I was so taken aback at what a great display my partners had put out . . about 12 little marching flamingos line the walk way . . there are strings of flamingo lights along the front porch roof and railing . . a garland of real flipflops line all the front bushes . . and the sleigh . . a perfectly decked out one complete with large flamingos at the ready . .including a fin that reads Phin Power . . an oversized glass brimming with Rum Swizzle Power sitting in the driver's seat. . . . there were luminaries with cut outs of flamingos that lined both sides of the 8 (?) steps up to the front porch, that looked like it was MADE for our special gift . . the tall tree . . ready for decorating . .

. . we all stood there for a bit . . Scott had confiscated the cooler . .so we lifted a toast to all . . . and just like Albert said . . he honestly had to sit in the rocker while the girls put all the Angels on the tree . . .

. . man. . . this nose needs to be emptied again. .



. .be back in a bit with more. .

The Angel Tree

Just a couple more...

This is too cool.
Too cool that Cindy has a niece that just so happens to be working here in Raleigh, too cool that Cindy and I just met in Orlando, too cool that this thread has grown like it has!!
Like Cindy said, we're doing the story this Sunday afternoon!!

Look out Raleigh..........Major BN plug comin' at ya'!!!!

Coincidence? I think not....

Thank-You, Maria!

Just think of the life lessons, both good and bad, the girls are learning as a result of all that has gone on here before, during and after their mother's passing.

They are learning that some people are just damn good to the core. They have seen and learned about compassion, empathy, love, generosity, sympathy, friendships that knows no bounds, teamwork, the wonders of humanity, joy, dedication and sacrifice...to name a few.

They have also learned, and will continue to learn, that some people in this world are not good. Through the theft of the flamingos they have had to learn about selfishness, lack of concern for others, recklessness, disregard for personal property, invasion of privacy, cofusion, sadness and anger.

I am glad to see that that was not the end of their lesson...that you have all been a part in turning a bad situation into something positive for them to learn from and grow by.

BNers are truly amazing people!

. .just got a call from Coco . . . he and the girls are headed home from church . . .ready to do a bit of housekeeping before the interview at 2:00 . . ! !

. . one has the vaccuum . . one has the duster . . and I heard Maggie holler . . ." I get to mop ". . . ! ! . . Albert is in charge of the leaf-blower. . .! !



. .he said Kerry had found the BN link . . and had photos that would be used . . ! !

. .and just some pre-show info . . . he had already taken down the cool palm tree/flamingo lights . . and the Maria Angels . . so what they took were the Coco-Mingos . . their necklaces . . the Rum Swizzle glass. . and the Phin Power Fin. . . . .not the sleigh . . .


. .his own words. . .

. . ." I'm doing this for BN . .not to draw attention to me/us . . but to show what phriends do . . . "

and then added . . . . ." I don't want to be recongized on a plane . . " . .! !



. .he promised to call after the show . . .! !

. .oh. . and he was mainly interested that the BN site would be included in the Newscast Website . . .! !

. . props for BN.. . ! ! . .and that we should expect BIG shout outs . . .! !



. . . ( and yes. . .I had my pen and paper at hand when I talked to him . . . writing furiously . .) ! !

Can we get the website for the newscast/tv station?

Thanks,

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/home.html

. .

. .and I can bet ya a dollar to a doughnut GBM will have a video link for us before the sun sets tomorrow . .! !

Good! 'cause like I said- technical stuff is not my forte!

The plan all along was for a Monday airing....they have to edit the footage & put the piece together.

Yes, Kerry is quite 'elf-like'....she's about 5'3 and all of about 90 pounds! I have a VM into her to hear her 'take' on the interview...keep y'all posted!

I just love my BN Phamily!

They're not as weird as my biological family... and a lot more fun!


Now, I need to remember that I'm on Central Time ...

I forget all the time....It ruined a few football games for me until I got the hang of it....

All I can think of is....

You either get it, or you don't.....

I get it.

And so do y'all!!


(((((((BN))))))))

Just spoke to Kerry....she was very heart-warmed to meet Albert & the girls....
They got alot of great footage & will edit in the morning.
So- pending any 'big' newsday happening (Britney goes off the deep end-AGAIN!) it will air tomorrow night. Link will absolutely be posted on the website.
I'm just happy that I was able to make the connection happen. The big story here is what we've known all along- that phriendships can touch our lives in very special ways!

Here is the text of an e-mail I just received from Kerry:

Hi Aunt Cindy:
I just found out the story will air in a very short form in our 6pm news tonight, and then longer form (about one minute thirty seconds) during our 7 to 8 pm show. It will probably be posted to the website shortly after 8.

Can you please pass this along to Albert and everyone?

Thanks!

Love, Kerry

Part 1 was just on the 6:00 news!!
It was a short 30 second piece.
This station has a 7-8 p.m. newscast that is going to have a 1 minute 30 second clip.

First part really gave the BN plug!!!!
Showing the website, some post and pictures of the house decorated!!

Mission accomplished!!

Back sometime after eight with the link!!

Guessing I'm not the only one that needs these:


WELL DONE.....EVERYONE!

Thanks Paige. I think it's time to buy stock!

Even Mr. SGH says, "Very cool story!"

....so did my hubby who usually barely notices PH things.....
and I shall not mention what he called the 'mingo bandits as it is not fit for a public board!

Probably close to What I said..

Santa uses naughty words?!?

I'm speechless.....BNers with connections are amazing

Attention: My sister, Debbie, who is reading this thread....

See??!!??!

And it was great that the station linked to the BN story on their site
Great job Kerry!!!!

There are 41 guests on BN at the moment.... Coincidence? I think not.....

And me with no pants on. I wish someone woulda told me we were expecting company.

Great job Cocotels! The girls were so pretty on tv.
Great job to Kerry Hall and Cindy!
Great job...BNers who started all this by decorating and putting out the flamingos! That takes HEART!! THE SPIRT OF THE GREAT HEART! I think the Cocotels have found the spirit of the great heart here at BN.

And that, right there, just gave me chills / goosebumps!! Amen!!

I won't be able to see the links til tomorrow at work, cuz dial-up-tiki doesn't have the patience of Dan! But it's a feel-good just reading about it!

Again... thank you Cindy! Thank you Kerri! Thank you NBC17! And howdy-do, Debbie!

. . gonna have to amend that . . .

. . " I think BN has found the spirit of the Cocotels' Heart . . . ! ! "

. .I've never known bigger hearts than those I've come to know . . . .

It's been quite a night pholks!!
We hope our message was sent out for all to know, see and hear just how awesome each of you are.

Keep smiling pholks.........lifes getting better every new day.

Great Job!!!

It's been quite a night pholks!!
We hope our message was sent out for all to know, see and hear just how awesome each of you are.

Keep smiling pholks.........lifes getting better every new day.

((((((((((((((((((Albert and girls))))))))))))))) Lots of hugs and kisses to you all!! Thank you!!! and Right back at ya!!!!

wCs Thanks Albert. You guys were great, the girls look beautiful.

DAY 2- UPDATE

Hi everyone! This is Cindy's sister, Debbie (Kerry's Mom)

Cindy's not near a computer and I wanted to share the following links with you.

The story has hit MSNBC and the United Kingdom!!!

http://uk.altavista.com/news/results?q= ... &nr=0&nd=2

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22887843#r

Wow!

Remember Jimmy saying during the "Feeding Frenzy" taping about broadcasting all the shows free of charge on Radio Margaritaville so it's not only going out to Wisconsin and the great mid-west but we're going around the world tonight parrotheads?!?!

That's how I feel about now!!


Thanks Debbie!!
You have an wonderful daughter. The girls and I enjoyed meeting with her.

Albert

Remember Jimmy saying during the "Feeding Frenzy" taping about broadcasting all the shows free of charge on Radio Margaritaville so it's not only going out to Wisconsin and the great mid-west but we're going around the world tonight parrotheads?!?!

That's how I feel about now!!


Thanks Debbie!!
You have an wonderful daughter. The girls and I enjoyed meeting with her.

Albert

Put it in the coconut telegraph! The thieves should have listened to that song, "if you don't want it printed, don't do it"!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Cocotels and 'Mingos are international celebrities now!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

. .* * THUD * *

. .

. .what's next . . . an autographed Coco-Mingo from Jimmy . . ? ? ! ! !



. .hmmmmm . .

If it makes you feel better, my sisters and I can come stand in your yard.

The MSNBC version has a link directly into this forum.

Y'all better behave now. And we have 45 guests on-line right now. Welcome!!!

And to the mingo-knapper, bless your hearts.

....which means that they are getting a full blast of some of the early pages of this thread ......

There might be a few new words learned around the world

But the thread eventually leads to ..........

......... all of the "good" stuff.

~~~~~~~~ surfpirate

. .who knows how to put the Coco-mingos on a Milk Carton . . ? ?

he he he

it made the national news and international news....

i just LOVE my bn family!

i sent the link to sister.... she was like "how dare someone steal those flamingos! shame on them!"

The story continues - they just aired the "mingo" story on the local news as the wrap story for the broadcast and called it the "most viewed story". We were listening to RM so didn't have TV sound and no recorder either.

Where else in the world can you read a heart-warming story about a father and his three daughter's quest to have their beloved flamingo phlock return home.............



and then a couple threads later find out who does and doesn't wear underwear

And what's for dinner

with a couple of singer/songwriters helo'ing to sing on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East thrown in for variety......

Commando flamingo dinner theatre?

**SPEW**

Email update from Kerry:

Hi Aunt Cindy:
It's great to see such a positive response to the story. I wanted to share-- it was the most clicked on story on nbc17.com today!
Love, Kerry


You go, girl! You'll be bootin' Meredith Vieira outta that seat next to Matt in no time!!

[SchoolGirlHeart]

OMG, what a *beautiful* story watered by the tears of sadness but grown into a beautiful thing....

[Tequila Revenge]

OMG, what a *beautiful* story watered by the tears of sadness but grown into a beautiful thing....

more of the "good stuff" life is made of

[flipflopgirl]

OMG, what a *beautiful* story watered by the tears of sadness but grown into a beautiful thing....

more of the "good stuff" life is made of

YUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tequila Revenge]

Chills?

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65379

I'm a lot younger than most of you seasoned parrotheads, so I haven't been able to list to JB nearly as much as y'all have. But what I'm wondering is if after all the years of listening to his studio and live songs...are there any songs that still give you chills when you listen to it?...maybe a live song with the crowd singing along with it or just certain lyrics of another song? I know when I listen to a lot songs, it just gives me chills hearing the crowd get into or just hearing Jimmy sing lyrics about how great life is or living life in the tropics...So I was just wondering if any of the older, seasoned parrotheads still get that feeling and if so, which songs?

Don't know about chills but, as an old f@#t, every time I hear Jimmy and Martina sing Trip Around the Sun it makes me reevaluate my life.

All the posts are appropriate, but I must agree this little played song off "License to Chill" is one of my favorites. Even more special that I heard it performed live at the second show of the "Salty Piece of Land" tour in Philadelphia in August 2005.

That show was even better since I actually had a broker give me a "no charge" upgrade and landed 5 rows back, center stage. I was looking at JB up close & personal for the first (and only) time.....probably never happen again. I was always used to seeing JB on the jumbo tron screens!!!!

Don't really get the chills, but sometimes he makes me have to pee a little.

Absolutely! Particularly the live versions of:

Pirate Looks At Forty, with Mac and Fingers
City of New Orleans, Wrigley
It's My Job, Tampa 2003
Coast of Marseilles, with Fingers on harmonica
School Boy Heart
Tin Cup Chalice (because I remember listening online, the first post 9/11 concert, and I remember hearing JB's voice crack )
Son of a Son of a Sailor (I'm the kid of a kid of a sailor)
Lovely Cruise
Captain and the Kid
Far Side of the World
Tonight I Just Need My Guitar
Pacing the Cage
When The Coast Is Clear
Changing Channels


And what WOULD give me chills, and I'd LOVE to see live:
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
Here We Are

Not chills.....but OPH can still make me teary.....as can APLA40.....

APLA40 . . . It makes me think about living life to its fullest because one day its gone. I worry to much and take alot of things too seriously. This brings me back to the right place. Live its amazing for me.

Oh yes, there are many of his songs that give me chills.
Among them are:
Far Side of the World
When the Coast Is Clear
Bring Back the Magic
He Went To Paris
False Echoes
All the Ways I Want You
Madamosielle Volez Vous Danser
Somewhere Over China
Steamer
Cowboy In the Jungle
African Friend
Beach House On the Moon
Treat Her Like A Lady
La Vie Dansante
Why You Wanna Hurt My Heart
She's Going Out of My Mind
Tin Cup Chalice
Trying To Reason With the Hurricane Season
Duke's On Sunday
Banana Republics
Changing Channels
Take Another Road
Remittance Man
Island
Island Fever
Son of A Son of A Sailor
A Pirate Looks At 40

There are lots of others, but those should be a good start.

Ah, yes...chills from several of the ones already listed.

But False Echoes always brings a tear......as does Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On

Well, I haven't been to my first Buffett concert yet, but I will change that this year.

Right now, the songs that really stop me in my tracks are:
False Echoes (I heard this for the first time on RadioMargaritaville last Sunday, and it brought tears to my eyes.)
Lovely Cruise ( a live version.) This song has taken on new meaning for me the last couple of months.
Son Of A Son Of A Sailor.
Hula Girl At Heart.
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.
Island.
If The Phone Doesn't Ring It's Me.
Distantly In love.
Little Miss Magic.
One Particular Harbor.
Fruit Cakes (when my mom was sick in the hospital she made me recite the verses to this song. It made her laugh.) I can hear this song several times, and it still makes me laugh.

Oh there are so many more that have made me take notice over the last 6 months, thus, making me totally hooked to this music. As it is this post is too long. If you all made it through reading this congratulations!

I've seen Jimmy only 3 times...and one of those was the Fillmore in 2007 - 5 people away from center stage!! If that doesn't give you chills..

But, actually, there are two times that I've had chills listening to Mr. Buffett...

1. That's what living is to me..Live in Anguilla...b/c I've read so many stories of parrotheads who met him that day (hello Buffitonmybmw and Dawg) but also ... that song just speaks to me.

2. The first time that I "really" heard him (NOT SYKBH) ... Captain and the Kid. Man.....wish I'd know my grandfathers in that way....


This is why I love this man's music.

Beth


One more quick note....the love and friendship that poured out for Maria...more important than Jimmy. If THAT doesn't bring chills I don't know what will... My 2 cents.

City of New Orleans, Wrigley (Sunday show)

Agreed....being there live was such a moving experience, considering everything involved....Hurricane Katrina was fresh in everyone's minds, Steve Goodman's connection to Jimmy & Wrigley...it was such a perfect song, such a magical setting for it. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. My greatest concert memory.

ANYTHING slow and soulful makes my heart melt; especially if Jimmy is playing accoustic, alone... (I'm a romantic at heart):

All The Ways I Want You
Anything Anytime Anywhere
Tonight I Just Need My Guitar
Something So Feminine About a Mandolin
Cowboy in the Jungle
Boomerang Love
Twelve Volt Man
Jimmy Dreams

I don't know that I'm necessarily "seasoned" since I'm on the younger end of the Parrothead spectrum. But I've been listening to Jimmy for years and still get chills. Off the top of my head, these are the ones that do it for me:

OPH, Son of a Son of a Sailor & APLA40 ~ especially live, or hearing live versions with the audience singing along
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes ~ Yellow Album hit or not, the lyrics of this song get me every time
Tin Cup Chalice
It's My Job
Last Mango In Paris

.. pretty much any of the slower, ballad-y songs'll do it if I'm in the right mood

1. That's what living is to me..Live in Anguilla...b/c I've read so many stories of parrotheads who met him that day (hello Buffitonmybmw and Dawg) but also ... that song just speaks to me.

One more quick note....the love and friendship that poured out for Maria...more important than Jimmy. If THAT doesn't bring chills I don't know what will... My 2 cents.

First off, Beth, I agree completely with your '2 cents'! The outpouring of love from complete strangers shows there's still alot of good in this world.

I get the chills every time I look at my pic with JB. It honestly makes me smile- and that's good- 'cause I need to remember to do that more!

For me, seeing the video of 'Here We Are' and what that represents gives me the chills. Again, I guess it goes back to the (crazy!) goodness that Parrotheads represent.
And I'm damn glad to be included in that!

Short of listing everything he's recorded...

False Echoes
Biloxi
Banana republics
Pacing the Cage
Cowboy in the Jungle

And the memory of seeing his first concert at Madison Square Garden after 9/11

I have already mentioned my ultimate (City of New Orleans at Wrigley) but two others come to mind for me.

Those that know me know that Banana Republics holds a special place with me, especially in 2004 as the final encore Thursday night at Tinley, for very personal reasons.

And, on Sept 27 2001, Defying Gravity as the final encore in one of the shows postponed after 9/11. It was an emotional evening for everyone in attendance, and that just cemented the deal.

well maybe not chills for some of you, but just that funny feeling. Like ill be driving by myself and just listening to his live songs and i just get this happy feeling that makes me want to live all those songs.
But one that I love hearing is Tin Cup Chalice on the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday cd.

Steamer

Something So Feminine About A Mandoline

Blue Heaven Rendezvous

False Echoes

Sending The Old Man Home

Beyond The End

The first time I got serious chicken skin or chills or whatever you want to call it was when Fingers Taylor walked onstage at the MSG concert in 2006. I only first started listening to Jimmy in 2001 or so, so I never got to see him live in concert. And ending the concert with APLAF with Fingers and Mac was priceless.

On a similar note, getting to hear APLAF with Redemption Song for the first time live and hearing the In My Room/Tonight I Just Need My Guitar closer at Camden last year was awesome.

Finally, at the MSG show last year, he played Boat Drinks solo in the middle of the second set, which was cool enough. Then came It's My Job. It started off as a acoustic duet with Jimmy and Mac, but at the line "Til the lights go on and the stage is set..." the rest of the band came in and it was possibly one of the coolest moments I've ever had at a Buffett concert. Hearing two of my top 5 songs back to back like that is unforgettable.

Been taking my daughter to concerts since she was about 10. When "Come Monday" starts up, we put our arms around each others waist and sing and sway along. Wouldn't actually say it's chills, more of a warm fuzzy.

Indeed. I get Chills... sometimes I even get teary.

Coast of Carolina - He's singing about how his love with Jane has developed and grown through the years ("After one or two false starts, I believe we've found our stride... And the walls that won't come down... we can decorate or climb or find some way to get around... 'cause I'm still on your side... from the bottom of my heart.....") ahhhhhhh Now that's nice. Makes me love my wife so much.

There are SO many more....

• Tin Cup Chalice - Gives me chills. Makes me just long for the beach.
  Tonight I Just Need My Guitar - Let's me in on what he was thinking when he wrote that.
  Breathe In Breathe Out Move On - Because I just love the people of New Orleans so much.
  Mademoiselle (Voulez Vous Danser) - Because it gives me a special memory of a special time
  Delaney Talks to Statues - Reminds me so much of me and my little Hailey
  .... Many Many More. Too many.

If Jimmy only knew what the songs mean to me. Perhaps in a way, he does. Gosh, I sure hope so.

[flipflopgirl]

Dan you're killin' me!!!

[Tequila Revenge]

Flamingo update

btt

If it makes you feel better, my sisters and I can come stand in your yard.

[filove]

mother mother ocean I have seen you call
wanted to sail upon your waters since I was 3 feet tall

[LastWomanStanding]

Here's my column the week after I got Jerry's emails ... one more post and you'll be up to date!


********************************************************************

Here's my column for next week.....

******************************************************************

We need to remember we are part of a much bigger picture.
There’s something good here . . .
I asked for and received a photo pass to the Jimmy Buffett show at the Smirnoff Center in Dallas. I was able to take the newspaper’s camera into the venue and stand right next to the stage for the first three songs and snap away to my parrothead heart’s content..
There’s something good here . . .
Even before I received approval, I had this feeling that I was supposed to have the camera with me this year. I couldn’t explain why, but it was a strong feeling.
There’s something good here . . .
After processing my press credentials, the Smirnoff people gave me a choice of standing on the right side of the stage (where Jimmy was) or the left side. Didn’t know why at the time, but I chose the left side.
There’s something good here . . .
I took 140 shots during the first three songs and posted a couple on a Buffett-related website.
There’s something good here . . .
I got an email last Thursday from an Oklahoma City man who saw the photos on the website. He told me his wife has inoperable, uncurable, Stage IV Endometrial Cancer. They didn’t buy tickets to the show because they didn’t think she would be able to make the trip.
There’s something good here . . .
However, her strength held and their local Parrothead Club gave them two lawn seats, so they came down for the show. As the day progressed, he began to have second thoughts about the wet lawn (it rained all day before the show) and his wife’s compromised immune system.
There’s something good here . . .
So, right before the show, he took a chance, checked at the box office and scored FRONT ROW, CENTER SECTION SEATS. To top it off, his wife caught one of the guitar picks Jimmy tossed out to the audience.
The two of them were sitting just to the right of where I was standing. My camera captured what they saw all night.
There’s something good here . . .
Now I know why I was supposed to be there with a photo pass.
A CD with all the pictures, along with a specially designed poster from the evening left Quitman for Oklahoma City on Friday. This lovely man and his sweet wife will have the photos of their special night to share, hopefully for many years to come.
It FEELS good to do good.

This is awesome. brought tears to my eyes. *sniff*

[Tequila Revenge]

When you think of Jimmy Buffett what comes to mind?

http://www.buffettnews.com/forum/viewto ... 14&start=0

It used to be Key West.

Now for some reason I think of France, wine, literature, lox and bagels.

So what is your word association? I want to know.

Warm waters and blue skies. With gorgeous women and buckets full of cold beer.

Escape, however so temporary, from the issues, problems, and worries of being a "grown up".......

Trips to the Caribbean.... and getting my blood pressure taken.


Whenever I need to have my blood pressure taken I picture myself on a beach with palm trees and water gently lapping and Jimmy Music playing.

I swear the test comes out better

short bald guys

A sweaty hug....

music ... escapism ... friends ... travel ... music

I think about good people, and opening my first beer around 8 am while breakfast is cooking on the grill.

Oh, and sometimes I wonder what exactly is going on in this picture....

Travel. But not the lame all inclusive stay secluded from the "others" type of travel. I mean the real stuff, where you get lost and hitchhike and sleep in train stations and don't shower for days on end and are scared you may not be able to get home because you stayed past the return date and are running really low on money but still just can't seem to call it quits because it feels like you are finally living and are afraid if you do go home you may never be able to this again, but then somewhere deep inside you reminds you that you have been in this situation before and you have returned, but that to a different adventure because now you are more seasoned and experienced with the tribulations of what it really means to travel.

I think it may be time for another walkabout - soon.

. .soooper sexy legs. . .

. .and twinkly eyes . .

. . oh . .and BN. . .! !

key west of course, sand between my toes, sailing on a boat, sitting in a beach chair under a palm tree and watching the water come ashore and playing my 6 string..........

kinda got a little choked up on that one...same from me!

Bernd

A sunny, hot, humid asphalt parking lot where the temperatures about 110, but the grills going, the beers ice cold, I'm wearing my grass skirt , good company and the strolling around the lot chuckling to myself thinking ' "Jimmy, this is all because of you!"

"Someday I Will"

and finally finding that OPH.....

and of course all the phriends i've made along the way

How thankful I am and how exciting it is everytime I hear the opening of a concert with HOT HOT HOT!!

That first concert on the lawn in 94!

Lovely Cruise...

Chicken Pot Pie.

weird

but nutritious

[pojo]

Here's my column the week after I got Jerry's emails ... one more post and you'll be up to date!


********************************************************************

Here's my column for next week.....

******************************************************************

We need to remember we are part of a much bigger picture.
There’s something good here . . .
I asked for and received a photo pass to the Jimmy Buffett show at the Smirnoff Center in Dallas. I was able to take the newspaper’s camera into the venue and stand right next to the stage for the first three songs and snap away to my parrothead heart’s content..
There’s something good here . . .
Even before I received approval, I had this feeling that I was supposed to have the camera with me this year. I couldn’t explain why, but it was a strong feeling.
There’s something good here . . .
After processing my press credentials, the Smirnoff people gave me a choice of standing on the right side of the stage (where Jimmy was) or the left side. Didn’t know why at the time, but I chose the left side.
There’s something good here . . .
I took 140 shots during the first three songs and posted a couple on a Buffett-related website.
There’s something good here . . .
I got an email last Thursday from an Oklahoma City man who saw the photos on the website. He told me his wife has inoperable, uncurable, Stage IV Endometrial Cancer. They didn’t buy tickets to the show because they didn’t think she would be able to make the trip.
There’s something good here . . .
However, her strength held and their local Parrothead Club gave them two lawn seats, so they came down for the show. As the day progressed, he began to have second thoughts about the wet lawn (it rained all day before the show) and his wife’s compromised immune system.
There’s something good here . . .
So, right before the show, he took a chance, checked at the box office and scored FRONT ROW, CENTER SECTION SEATS. To top it off, his wife caught one of the guitar picks Jimmy tossed out to the audience.
The two of them were sitting just to the right of where I was standing. My camera captured what they saw all night.
There’s something good here . . .
Now I know why I was supposed to be there with a photo pass.
A CD with all the pictures, along with a specially designed poster from the evening left Quitman for Oklahoma City on Friday. This lovely man and his sweet wife will have the photos of their special night to share, hopefully for many years to come.
It FEELS good to do good.

WOW!!!! Thanks Terry