Red Chuck

Beach Report - Hermit Crab Edition

So today's beach report is that the big brother caught a . . . what is it called? Oh yeah. He caught a Hermit Crab.

I hope this was catch and release. We definitley don't want one of these "House of Sand" set ups at our house.

I can see a positive element to owning and caring for crustacean pets. The upside to all that misting and misting and well, more misting, is this - hermit crabs don't bark.

Links:

This is STUNTROCK

And this is Sorcery.

And according to the Sorcery news page, Perry is working on a re-release of the "Stuntrock" movie.

And if you google "superhuman music magic" you get a page about Stockhausen.

The internet never ceases to amaze.

To The Lighthouse

Climb 175 wrought iron stairs to reach the top of the Lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park. This is not recommended for those with either vertigo or OCD (step 1, step 2, step 3. . . ). Nineteenth century lighthouse keeper dudes carried a 50lb vat of oil up these gyre-like steps 3 times a day to keep the lighthouse lantern lit. I think Sisyphus had a better gig. According to our guide, Anne, 3 families lived in one large house on the island, with the lighthouse keeping being divided equally among the three men in the family. You'd think that after several years of climbing 175 stairs with a heavy can of oil that someone in that bunch might have gotten a bright idea (no pun intended).

Lighthouse Keeper 1: I've heard tell of a device called a pulley. Is it used for lifting heavy objects? I wonder if we could use such a device here at ye olde lighthouse?

Lighthouse Keeper 2: Yes! I've heard of that device as well. The pulley is a marvel. I've been thinking of how it could help us with our heavy can of oil. We could afix one to the landing at level five and run a line to a. . .

Lighthouse Keeper 3: Hush, you lazy bones! That's fool's talk! Pulley's are the devil's pull-toys!

Lighthouse Keeper 2: You mean playthings.

Lighthouse Keeper 3: You know what I mean.

Lighthouse Keeper 1: What's a pull-toy?

Anyway the view from the top was impressive - ocean on one side and a wide sea of intercoastal marsh to the other. In between, the treetops stretched like a protective green blanket across the entirety of this wonderful state park. It's truely heartening to see an undisturbed tree line in this part of the world. Almost every other island in this area has been developed for vacation property. Ironically, because of the historical significance of the Lighthouse and it's surrounding buildings, the island is now protected from further rampant development. If you build it, sometimes, they (developers) won't (can't) come. So climb to the top and you get a bird's eye view of an undeveloped coast line and unbroken forest. Beautiful. I'm getting dizzy now just thinking about being up there. Here's some more pics. . .

The Lighthouse - another view

The Oil House

"Is this the gift shop?"

"No, little girl. This is where the men with strong arms picked up their quotidian burden."

Stairs - interior, looking up - also called The Wrought-Iron Gyre of Sisyphus or The Spiral Stairs I Climb Thrice-a-Day with Me Heavy Can of Oil or Those God Damned Stairs

View from the Top - Treetops (Trust me, there's marsh to the right, I just got too dizzy to turn with my camera to the right.)

Shrimp Burger

Yesterday during "nap time" Katherine looked up from her book to ask me what I was thinking. She said I had a serious expression on my face. I looked pensive. Her query snapped me to attention. I had been tettering on a horizon of thought, balanced precariously at the edge of this world and my considerations for the near future. In particular, what our afternoon plans should be, on this, our fourth day of vacation. Should we go for a swim or visit the lighthouse on Hunting Island? Maybe we could do both? Would that be too ambitious? But the real question in my mind was how to get back to the Shrimp Shack in Frogmore, SC, so our conversation went something like this:

Katherine: "What are you thinking?"

Me: (after a long, thoughtful pause) "Shrimp Burger."

There's plenty to say about our vacation this week, but right now I'll leave it at that. Two words, short and sweet, to sum up a terrific week. Our summer vacation is shrimp burger.

Our Seats

Tom Waits
Orpheum Theatre, Memphis, TN
Friday August 04, 2006 8:00 pm

Seat location: section MEZZ, row F, seats 101-102

Look Around You - Music

Aw Nuts!

Just a note to say that Harrison and Helen have recently been experimenting with the comedic effect of placing the phrase "Aw nuts" at the end of sentences.

For example:

"Hey look! The dog knocked over the trash - AW NUTS!"

Or:

"I can't find my tooth brush. Oh there it is, lying on the bathroom floor - AW NUTS!"

Or:

"Mom said I can't have another ice cream sandwich - AW NUTS!"

Let me just add that if you squint one eye, speak with a twang in your voice, and swing your arm with your elbow bent like an old time granger that's been knocked into a cocked hat by a bunko artist at the county fair, then your "AW NUTS" can sound pretty gosh darn authentic and amusing.

Let me also add that if you are between the ages of 4 to 8 years old and attempt to perform the aforementioned impression whilst saying "Aw Nuts" then you can sound pretty darn cute and funny.

Let me also add, as a final note of caution, that if you are between the ages of 4 and 8 years old and have sucessfully bowled over your parents with laughter by saying "Aw Nuts" in the aformentioned fashion at especially appropriate moments, like when the dog knocked over the trash, or when you lost your toothbrush, or when your request for dessert was declined, that then attempting to recreate the magic of those well-timed "Aw Nuts" by "Aw Nuts-ing" at inappropriate times, then you can create the opposite effect with your "Aw Nuts" which will result in your parents not laughing at all but firmly ordering you to stop saying "Aw Nuts" at the end of every sentence.

Which will tempt you to say. . .

5 Things

Harrison's advice for Julian on what it's like dealing with babies and little sisters in particular. [editor's note: This is straight dictation taken from a 7 year old. I stuck as closely as possible to his diction and pronunciation.]

Julian, I got a list of things to tell ya. Well, having a little sister, life will be pretty rough. And, here's what they do:

1. They take up Mom's space.

2. They really like My Little Pony. I guess.

3. Julian, you got to co-opicate with them. You don't know what that means. I'll tell you that later.

4. When they are first born, they start saying oooo gooo gaaa gaaa, or something like that. When the baby says that, ask your Mom & Dad what that means. I don't understand that kind of talk.

5. Last thing. Lock your doors.
   Posted by Red Chuck at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)

Happy 4th