CAPTAIN’S LOG
CAPTAIN’S LOG – Hot August Night Edition
My sailing buddy piped up yesterday with the comment he never goes to see a doctor ‘cuz he might find out something’s wrong with him. Guess that’s why I never go see a psychologist!
July’s long hot dry days have turned into soggy wet August ones and summer is slipping quickly away. The club’s Margaritaville Sunset Cruise is once again history. Mother Nature chose to make the boarding a little “moist” but after that it was dry sailing. Only 9 people (outta the 180 tickets we sold) missed the boat. Once again a big thank you to all the club members and Charity volunteers who helped make it the success it was. Our 50/50 and Basket Raffles monies were up (slightly) to add more cash to the kitty. At last night’s club meeting, Treasurer Lisa let the membership know we would be able to donate $480 dollars to each of our charities. The club voted to toss in enough extra funds to round them all up to $500. Our Webmaster/PR Guru, Doc Phlockerson is at this moment working out the presentations details. A special note of kudo’s goes out to our member Jim, who won the 50/50 on board (and after adding some personal funds), donated $500 to (his charity of choice) St. Joseph’s Hospice.
Last Friday saw the One Summer Night in the Point performance of Key West singer/songwriter Scott Kirby. Scott put on a fantastic performance and a good time was had by all. Parrot Heads were in abundance with a gaggle of the London PHC once again making the flight to Sarnia to catch the performance. Danno announced he and Al had decided the proceeds of the show would be donated to The HUB same as the ones from our club’s Here Comes Summer event were! Way to go guys. Oh and Danno, I still think there is something wrong with a “Guess the Photo” contest where if I get it right I have to buy YOU a scotch and soda!
Well there appears to be a break in the rain clouds, the perfect time to make a dash to the garage fridge to restock the Sharks in man cave one. For those of you who aren’t aware yet, Brick Brewing has changed their labeling of Landshark beer to a paper stick on ones – from the printed on glass label. Might want to set aside one of the old ones for posterity, needn’t be a full one though, just sayin’!
“In this big bad world full of imitation furs, you can’t be afraid to take a chance. When you’re walking on thin ice – you might as well dance!” Scott Kirby lyric
Fins Up
Denny
CAPTAIN’S LOG – EARLY SUMMER EDITION
Well it’s Sunday morning on day 41 of retired life. A1A Radio is wafting from the PC’s speakers and it’s finally starting to set in that I can’t go to work to hide from the world, get some rest and sober up! Last night’s damage assessment of my bar (see photo) is yet another indication that (to quote the late Jim Morris) I’m living in a land of no Mondays!
The warm weather was briefly with us, so before the cool off hit us I used the time to set up the patio (see photo) for partying. Speaking of partying, I want to thank all the gang who came out to celebrate my surprise retirement party. You guys/gals are the best and thanks for all the neat gifts – mostly the lifetime supply of booze. Sobriety will not be a threat anytime soon!
Next up, I want to send out a huge thank you to all the club members and folks who came out or helped out. to make the Here Comes Summer Charity Music Event the great success it was. Special thanks to Lady Di at the raffle table, Lisa and 1st Mate Rob on the 50/50, Webmaster Doc and Sue for scoring up so many donations. To VP Lee, (and Brick Brewing) who not only scored us enough Landshark swag to cover this event but the Sunset Cruise as well, but went over the top and landed an appearance of the Landshark Girls and free beverage samples!! To the Parrot Head Clubs of Bluewater, London and Niagara South for bringing out their members and basket donations. It goes without saying, a thank you to Stevie D and his staff at Bottoms Up for giving us a place to host the event, non -stop beverage service, the free taco bar and sound system for the band. Speaking of musicians, Claude and Tropy Rock were awesome but cudo’s have to go to Stevie and Ken (10 Beach Drive) who together logged in more stage time jamming along than the paid acts! I feel I’d be remiss if I didn’t put out a thank you to the staff and crew from the HUB/Rebound, who not only filled a couple of tables but their staffer who won the 50/50 raffle donated it back! All in All, I think everyone had a fantastic time and we were able to donate over $1030 to help the HUB continue bring their programs to the less fortunate of our community. Lastly before I leave this subject I need to put in a plug for Danno (yep the same one from previous logs and who brought a whole table of friends to our event) and his buddy Al, who are using their own funds to bring to Bottoms Up, Key West Singer/song writer Scott Kirby on July 27. Scott is awesome, Lady Di and I always catch his act at Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant and Bar on Key Largo, (see photo) our first night in the Keys on the way to the MOTM. Check out our Event listing here on the web page for all the info.
Next up, is just a quick reminder to continue supporting our Backyard POETS and the charities our hosting members have chosen to support. June is at Teri and Vi’s, supporting the Boys and Girls Club. Please RSVP and indicate what you are bringing as Pot Luck – so we don’t end up with 4 trays of deviled eggs again!
July 21 will see us all on the water! Our Margaritaville Sunset Cruise is in full swing with tickets going REALLY fast, and setting a pace to be sold out well in advance again. If you haven’t got yours don’t be waiting til the last minute or you’ll waiting on the shore!!!! Once again Teri and Vi will be hosting the pre-boarding party at their residence. To club members, we need help setting up/tearing down, and manning our various raffles, so if you’re available let Lady Di know. Donations are always needed so if you know any business’ willing to donate, please ask.
Well that’s all for this installment, from the guy living in the Land of No Mondays!
Fins Up
Denny
CAPTAIN’S LOG – Spring Fever
The first day of Spring came and went and the temperature barely got above freezing. It’s almost April, the snow in the shadows just won’t go away and the Cartel must have got a hold of the world’s lime supply ‘cuz freakin’ supermarket limes are up to 50 cents apiece! It’s bad enough I’m clean out of Margarita mix, but do you have any idea what a Rum and cola without a twist of lime is? Alcohol Abuse! Sheesh, I think I’m showing the first symptoms of Scurvy!!! Okay now that I got that off my chest, down to business.
First off, we’re on day light savings time and you know what that means? Yep, Club membership fees are due and if they’re not in by this month’s meeting, the Captain gonna be very unhappy and no crew wants an unhappy Captain. Now DO we? (Hey I’m a laugh a minute kinda a guy usually, aren’t I? You folks are always laughing with me. YOU ARE laughing WITH ME aren’t you?)
Next up, our Here Comes Summer Charity Music Event tickets appear to be selling well. Lady Di and I are out of our allotment. So if you’ve got money please get it into Treasurer Lisa and we are still on the lookout for door prize and raffle items.
It appears our hygiene products drive for the Hub, Women’s Shelter and Inn is coming along nicely with Starbucks, Bottoms Up Bar and Lady Di’s dental office all onboard as drop off locations. Lady Di’s boss alone donated an entire case of toothbrushes!
We’re once again using drink coozies as the boarding ticket for our Margaritaville Sunset Riverboat Cruise and (Bluewater PHC member) Candi, gave us a heads up her/our stateside printing company had a special on printed coozies. I got the design revamped and over to her and with our Canadian dollar trading under 30 cents it works out to a considerable savings, Thanks Candi. Save the date of July 21 so we can go cruisin’. Posters and tickets are coming soon.
So does anybody know how many times you can dunk a slice of lime on a string into a Rum and Cola before your chewing gum loses it’s flavor?
Da Prez – Denny
CAPTAIN’S LOG – THE FROZEN EDITION
Let me start off by sending my condolences to (Bluewater PHC members and good friends) Bill and Steve P. on the passing of their mother just days ago. My shoulder’s there for ya brothers!
Well the sun finally came out today, which only means instead of using the snow shovel on the driveway, it’s now on eaves trough duty – whacking down icicles to get the weight off!
I WANT TO GO BACK TO MEXICO, and Happy Hour Margaritas at the Cantina Habanero on the streets of Puerto Morales!
I think it has snowed nonstop since Lady Di and I arrived back in Canada. This was the first time to the Caribbean side of Mexico for Lady Di and me, as we have always done the Pacific coast. We enjoyed two sunny weeks, losing only a day and a half to rain in that time. That Karma thing happened again too! I’m sitting on our 3rd floor balcony, just above the jungle tree tops (nope we didn’t get an Oceanview), and it is freakin’ monsoonin’ so hard you can barely see 15 feet and guess what I’m reading? A Chopper pilot’s biography ‘bout his tour and flyin during the rainy season in Nam! Freaky! The highlight of the trip had to have been the ferry ride to Cozumel and the jeep safari around the island. The strait between the island and the mainland was REALLY upset that day when we crossed. 15 to 20 foot waves on a 25 foot frequency – I’ve seen some rough water (our catamaran trip to Little Curacao) but this was mind blowing or should I say stomach blowing! Half the passengers were blowin’ chunks faster than the stewards could hand out barf bags, even Lady Di disembarked a lovely shade of lime (but she never lost it)! Me, being a sailboater, I thought it was an awesome ride, BUT nothing I’d ever do on anything smaller than a 50 foot ferry!!!!
Well back to reality here in the Great White North, the Club has now named our May event as the “Here Comes Summer Charity Music Event” and at the last meeting dedicated the funds raised to “The Hub” youth center. I personally never knew of its existence, let alone its address or mission. I have come to read a great deal about it and the wonderful work it is performing. The very fact it has succeeded in getting the various social aid agencies to all work together in one place just boggles my mind! Something we (I) feel should not be allowed to flounder because of lack of funding. Our IT guru Doc has gotten us together a poster and been posting it on all our social media. VP Lee has our tickets all printed up and its time to start pounding the pavement making sales. Once again here comes the pitch, if you know anybody or any business that’s willing to donate a door prize please ask, so we can put together raffle baskets to raise even more funds!
Well that’s it for another report (as well as another rum’n’pepsi), it’s Monday, Jim Morris is singing about a three day weekend looking for a place to happen, I’m wearing sunglasses and have only got 78 days til retirement!
Your prez – Denny
CAPTAIN’S LOG – CHRISTMAS EDITION
Well, Old Man Winter has gotten his clutches on us big time this week, with over a foot of snow fall in our area (which was getting off easy compared to our neighbours to the east), and string of brutally cold days. Speaking of “Old Man” winter, how is when the weather is balmy we say “Mother Nature” this or that, but come winter it’s suddenly become a male thing? I pretty sure this nasty stuff is all the doing of a vindictive “Old Woman”? Don’t think too hard on it, it’ll ruin your buzz! Just sayin”.
Lady Di and I’s Christmas bash is once again history and we’ve been eating leftovers for over a week now. The cold with a dusting of snow this year was a far cry from the year we were all wearing shorts and T’s! I want to thank all the club members who came out, helped out, either cooking, contributing a dish, or generously added to my bar stock). Love ya Tom for the Blue Lime beer! Special thanks to VP Lee and MAL Mark for stepping up to the ‘Qs out in the cold when my regular BBQ Masters were unable to attend. Great job guys! Extra special thanks to Doc Phlockerson (Webmaster) for coming all the way outta the big city just to drop off his Mexican Casserole, (and gifts for Lady Di and I – love the Jeep hat brother). He couldn’t even stick around long enough for a drink! The burning sensation in the commode the next morning, He gets NO thanks for though! This year saw the reuniting of the Chaos Twins, ex Treasurer Pammella and “Mercan member Candy, who’s antics never cease to amaze me! Why Redneck Ronnie ended with Pam’s bra on I don’t even want to know. The scary part is – it fit him!!! Thanks also to all the rest of the Bluewater Club who attended – it just isn’t Christmas without Bill and Steve, who ensured my entire homemade Margarita mix supply would not go bad, almost 6 litres! We really missed the Beebees this year as Mike misplaced his passport and was unable to enter Canada. Next year found a real cool ad (see illustration) for renaming the party “The Frozen Flamingo (Not So) Tropical Party?
Speaking of parties, mark May 25/18 on your calendar, the Parrot Heads on the St.Clair in conjunction with our new home, Bottoms Up Bar and Grill, are going to host a Spring Fling (not sure that’s the actual name as of yet) Music event. We have the “Scuba Cowboy” Pup Morse (and lady friend) booked and Stevie D (the bar owner) is adding Copper Still’s lead singer on acoustic as the opening act. We as club members heard the Copper Still Band playing at the John and Pat’s September Backyard POETS a few years back. Stevie is even going to record the event live from his studio (it’s inside the bar). Stay tuned to our webpage and/or facebook for details as they come available.
The Club has again booked the Duc’Oleans Cruise Boat for 2018. this time July 21. Stevie D and the Trio will be back to rock’n’roll us on the River. So set aside this date too, and we’ll update y’all as details become available.
Next up, a huge thank you to all the Club members (ours and Bluewater) and your families and friends for the huge success our Bowling For Toys was. Yet another huge kodo to VP Lee, who saved all his Overtime meal vouchers from his place of employment’s huge summer shutdown and used them to cover all our “After Bowl” restaurant bills, asking in return everybody donate what would have been their bills into the Toy Fund. It brought in over another $300 for Lady Di to go purchase more toys with. 
In total we donated enough items to provide 64 children Christmas gifts. The generosity of you folks is starting to get me misty eyed, (it’s that or the empty rum glass beside me!).
Well I have to go put the finishing touches on our NFL Football Pool trophy, having held on to it three years in a row, (and 4 of 5 years we’ve played it) it now appears (without a large miracle in the point standings), I will have to relinquish it to our club Treasurer (and next door neighbour) Lisa. Who the ‘ell let women into the poll anyway? Go Dolphins (ya right)!
So Merry Christmas to y’all, (hope Santa brings you all the beer gear you asked for) and Best Wished for you and yours in the New Year.
The Prez (acclaimed for yet another year –woo-hooo!)
CAPTAIN’S LOG – POST MOTM
Well Key West survived the Hurricane and Lady Di and I survived Key West! Another MOTM has come and gone, with old friendships renewed, and new friends acquired. Our long time favourite Trop-Rock musicians were heard again and new talent was auditioned. If you followed my facebook postings, you saw Key West escaped (to our eyes) almost untouched by the Hurricane, but the Middle Keys paid a heavy toll. Uncertainty over the state of Key West resulted in a large number of people cancelling their trip plans and the numbers at the MOTM were visibly way down. That said, all our friends from the Min-a-Snow-da Club (their term not mine), were in attendance, with the three Denni (Dennises?) once again hooking up at the Streetfest (see top photo). Breezy (the middle Denni) logged in 32 hours of straight driving to make the MOTM! We picked up Stumpy and Kris (right photo) 
once again from the KW airport and he and I swapped cel calls. The first time I ever met Stumpy was in Schooner Wharf Bar @ the Mid-West Region Island Party, (we crashed it if you really have to ask). We joined him and Kris at one of the few open tables. After introductions, he opens his ever present “man bag” and asks if I would be interested in a Cell Phone flask. This thing was so realistic looking he claimed it would pass airline security (and he was right!). “Hell ya”, I said and it has lead to a beautiful rum inspired friendship. So every year since Lady Di and I have stocked the cooler and picked them up from the airport, with the first thing after the “Hey Brother” hug being the “Hey Bro the calls for you” flask drink! He out did himself with some of the smoothest rum I’ve ever tasted. I provided him Labrador Iceberg Rum – made from real iceberg water!
Firsts this year were A) missing the Homestead turnoff on the Florida Turnpike which resulted in us ending up backtracking through the Miami suburbs of Hialeah and Opa Locka. Which turned out to be totally freaky, ‘cuz I once again, picked up the newest release from my favorite writer Tim Dorsey, only to read his main characters goes through the same suburbs taking almost the exact same route we did!
B) I finally made it into Don’s Million Dollar Bar (Don must have spent that money somewhere else cuz the place is a local’s dive!) after 7 years of everybody telling me I have got to go for a drink there (and walking by it almost daily on my morning jaunts), as it was a KW must do. Oh and Danno (you know Danno from previous Captain’s logs) there’s no damn dog on a stool, but I’m guessing you knew that from the start just to make sure I REALLY did go to Don’s! Better yet, I met BOOMER the Bartender, who a character is based on in one of Dorsey’s earlier novels! (Left photo above)
C) met a couple of the REAL Calgary Parrot Head Club members as well as a half dozen Sarasota PHC impersonating them! Calgary lays claim to being the oldest Parrot Head club in Canada. The Sarasota PHC claims they were givin’ the shirts by some of that club’s members because they were unable to attend but wanted their shirts photo’ed in Old Key West. It was their story and they were “sticking to it”! (Right photo)
And now back to the good old Great White North, which by the way chose to re-introduce Lady Di and myself to it by snowing two days after our return! It’s election time again and if you are interested in any executive position open for 2018,( President, treasurer and one MAL are up for re-election), let Mark know so we can put you on the napkin – sorry ballot!
November 18 is our annual Bowling for Kids (see the event page for details) to collect new unwrapped toys for the Inn of the Good Shepherd’s Kids Christmas party. If you’re coming please RSVP Lady Di so she has enough lanes reserved for everybody to play.
December 9 is the Club’s Christmas Party at Lady Di and I’s residence. Traditional Christmas fare – Fajitas and Margaritas! Ole!! RSVP ONLY! We need to know how many are attending so we lay in enough vittles and libations!
Please note, at the Club’s upcoming November 27 meeting, we will chose the locations and dates of the winter POETS schedule so check back to this website early December and our webmaster guru, Doc, should have it uploaded.
In conclusion, I’d like to once again thank Terri B for again setting up and guiding (herding?) our annual Window Lickers Pub Crawl. A good time was once again had by all with a really great turnout of Lickers!
Landsharks to the Left, Landsharks to the Right, Here I am, stuck in the middle with Rum and you!
The Prez
Captain’s Log – Fall Edition
Well summer is but a bygone memory, but despite a few cold nights, September was extremely warm. Our area hit (with humidity) nearly a week of 95F plus days. Now into October, we’re just starting to see the first of the leaves turning. A stark departure from the weather Lady Di and I experienced on our trip to Canada’s Big Land – the Province of Labrador (and the island of Newfoundland which we didn’t visit) the last week of Aug/1st week of September. It snowed Labour Day weekend in Labrador City, thankfully we were 1000kms away on the coast, but our northern most stop on the “tramp steamer” the Northern Ranger, saw us leaving the harbor in freezing rain three days later! It was a driving road trip which you could best describe as going to Alaska but without the hype or the amenities! My poor jeep BAJA took serious “$hit kickin’ “ but while many others we met on the road, were driving far less capable vehicles, I would not have even attempted this trip in any other vehicle than a Jeep! She took a beating and still brought us home from 30kms east of Quebec City to Courtright in 12 ½ hour the last day! Labrador is a land of many contrasts. One night (ship board) we pulled out of a remote Inuvik community the ship serviced, to watch the sun set over one side of the inlet’s mountains and the full moon rise over the other side’s mountains. While we passed by icebergs (and whales) at sea, the inclement weather (it rained 3 of the 5 days we were on the cruise – but you’ll NEVER EVER tell Lady Di this was a real CRUISE – it was the first I ever took her on and I might have fudge a few details!) we never had a chance to see the Northern Lights, which could have be seen. Been there, got the T-shirt, will likely never EVER go back, but (except for all the paint chips on BAJA) don’t regret finding a part of Canada most people will never ever see!
On that note, onto Parrot Head stuff. Our VPee Lee reported back that the Phock to the Falls was a huge success with some 250 attendees and great time was had by all. Secretary Jilly still says those canned Margaritaville Margaritas get sweet after 3 or 4, so said she on her 9th or 10th! Lee re-acquainted himself with Thom Shepherd and Collie who where setup right behind their table and scored a bunch of Landshark swag for the club. Unfortunately, Lee says the Niagara Parrot Head Club is majorly pissed at Margaritaville Restaurant for failing to meet their promised commitments and will likely not use the venue again. Phock to the Falls 2018?
Back home, the big news is the Club has switched our meeting venue from downtown Sarnia (at UpsNDowns) to Bottoms Up Bar and Grill in Point Edward. Closer for our ‘Mercan members, as it is the first exit off the bridge. While we don’t have a “private” room, we have a secluded section just off the stage. The owner (who also happens to a member of the Stevie D trio who played the boat cruise) is fully committed to having us at his bar. At the meeting, he had the bar’s music system set up to play entirely Buffet tunes throughout the meeting and not only had the bar bring in Landshark beer but did a Parrot Head Landshark Bucket special – which we took shameless advantage of! He even has an Internet Radio station which he is willing to give us a Parrot Head hour! I think I can see a beautiful relationship here that might actually allow us to grow the club, and speaking of growing, we signed up a new member that meeting! Long time Virtual Parrot Head member Jim, who’ve we’ve known for years and met up at MOTM many times, has come out of the computer into the real world and signed up with the Club. Welcome Aboard Jim!
Speaking of MOTM, despite the hurricane, it is still a go! Our condo rental in Key West survived, unfortunately one of the places we were booked into for the way down to did not! We luckily did find alternate accommodations though, at a place we have previously stayed. Not some place we’d recommend, but in a pinch (or in our case, a squeeze) is do able. MOTM or Bust, here we come!
In conclusion, I just want to remind all the members of the upcoming Window Lickers Pub Crawl (it’s a long story I’ll tell y’all someday) this weekend, and our Bowling for Kids in November.
Fins up – Yer Capt’n
CAPTAIN’S LOG – SUMMER EDITION
Well Summer is just flying by, here we are almost half way into August!
Biggest news is the club’s hugely successful Margaritaville Sunset (Riverboat) Cruise. We were sold out over two weeks in advance! Mother Nature turned chilly on us but we were rain free. The Stevie D Trio took the time to learn an almost entire set of Buffett just for us, and what wasn’t Buffett, was great oldies and awesome Blues. We even dragged up singing sensation Ken from 10 Beach Drive for a tune! Great job guys! A great job to all our Club members who stepped up and helped out, I can’t remember an event that ever went so smooth. I didn’t have to make a single (Presidential) executive decision beyond Coors Light or Blue Light! Big Kudos go out to Cruise Director Lady Di and Treasurer Madam Lisa for the organization – keeping track of tickets (and the monies for them) was a monumental job, as the demand for tickets had everyone scrambling to find who had any left to swap to those who’s whole allotment were gone and need still more. All our ads went to press just as we sold out and my phone was ringing non-stop with people I had to disappoint because we had no tickets left to sell. Thanks to Terri and Vi for hosting the pre-party, Deckgating or Taildecking, I don’t think we manage to decide which label we were gonna use, but awesome Margaritas Terri. Thanks also to our sister ‘Mercan club, Bluewater for their great turnout. We had to scramble to get them more tickets too!
I’m pretty sure we’ll be back again next year, and our Charities thank everyone who participated to raise money for them. Don’t forget Bluewater’s Summer’s End party coming up and our continuing Backyard P.O.E.T.S . Captain signing off.
Captain’s Log Early Summer
Rum and Scotch –just not mixed together! 
Well it’s been an awesome week, and it’s hard to figure out where to start. I guess first off congratulations to Jim F. (our club’s past and long standing MAL) and Sandy on their tying the knot last Saturday. Lady Di and I were honoured to be included as part of the chosen few close friends to be invited to the wedding. We would like to thank Sandy for coming into Jim’s life and once again providing female direction in his life! Hope you both enjoy your honeymoon in the Keys!
Tuesdays, over the course of the winter, I have been introduced to and lunching with a bunch of the local sail boaters from the Sarnia Yacht Club. This Tuesday, I was allowed to participate in the first sail of the season. While I have sailed various excursions in the “Islands”, this was my first Bluewater sail out on Lake Huron. Having no hands on sailing experience, I helped out doing what I knew best, serving as “galley wench” and music DJ, thus insuring all the crew had cold beverages in hand to “provide balance” while traversing the deck. I must admit I never ever heard of beverages in hand referred to as “Providing Balance” – but hey, it must work, cuz nobody went overboard! My i-Pod and travel speaker system introduced the crew to previously unheard Trop Rock. They all knew I was a Parrot Head/Buffett fan but they really had no exposure to this gender of music. After almost every tune I played, came the query “That’s Buffett?” Nope, that’s …. “That’s Buffett?”, Nope that’s…. They all came to the conclusion, “those are some really great tunes, especially the sailin” stuff”.
Today was likely the week’s apex (your new word for today, it means ”highest point”) Danno came for a visit. While I’m a regular at Danno’s “Key West” themed man cave, he rarely adventures out to the downriver burbs. Last Tuesday when we attended Wing Nite at Scroggies Grillhouse and Bar (yes this is a shameless plug for the bar which is a regular hangout for both our Parrot Head Club and the Jeep club I belong to), he’d agree to venture out. Danno loves unique bottles for his bar, into which he pours his various libations. I had purchase a unique Tequila bottle in Mexico on our vacation with him in mind, but we had never manage to make the exchange. At the Grillhouse, he said he had something special for me which he would be bringing, and quite frankly that had me quite baffled. Danno has always provided “top shelf” spirits whenever I’ve stopped in (Barbados’s Rum), and his spirit of choice it Scotch. Scotch is not something my man cave is normally stocked with. There’s Napoleon Brandy and Bourbons, but definitely no Scotch. I’ve sent Danno the occasional scotch and soda to his table at the Grillhouse, but I’ve never actually paid attention to what brand of Scotch he was actually drinking. Needless to say I got a rude awaking when I found the Scotch aisle in the LCBO. Holy Cow! That stuff is expensive, luckily a guy who drank Scotch was shopping the same time as me and pointed over to the blended stuff the bars in town would likely be serving. Translation – the cheaper stuff! Well Danno arrived, and I presented him the Tequila bottle and he loved it. We decided, because the weather was so nice, we would take our libations in the open bay of the garage, so I headed inside to transfer the spirits, ice and mix from the basement Man Cave to the garage Man Cave. Yes, I am one of the fortunate few men to be allowed to have TWO! With drinks poured, we settled in for some Key West catch up. Lady Di and I go down for the MOTM in November, Danno and his spouse, Nurse Nancy, do the Song Writers Festival in the spring. Danno knows over the last couple of years I’ve been collecting Buffett’s old vinyl albums and this winter set up bamboo shelving to display the album covers on the basement man cave wall. That’s when he sprung the surprise, he presented me Buffett’s 2nd album (High Cumberland Jubilee) and the “lost album” double record, (Before the Salt). Needless to say I was absolutely blown outta the water, and thought crap I should’a sprung for the Good Scotch!
Wrapping up this log, I’d like to thank all those who came out to, provided dishes to the pot luck and donations to the local Humane Society at (Lady Di/Myself, Madam Lisa/1st Mate Rob’s) May backyard POETS. It was truly a community event with the “resurfacing” of our lost Parrot Heads members from the Sarnia (Scuba) Dive Club, members of our sister ‘Mercan Bluewater Parrot Head Club, local Lambton County Jeepers club members, family and Redneck locals showing up to party. This event also showcased the beginnings (aka the bar portion) of my soon to be erected Black Iguana Cantina (Tiki). The final rendition/design was completed by Danno and myself over (cheap) Scotch and (good Barbado’s) Rum on coasters today. I believe it was the fourth revision, (we had to start over each time we refilled our glasses because the ink kept running from the condensation). Brutal conditions to have to work under but we persevered, and designed up a floating roof designed, well at least we think it will float!
Lastly a thank you to Jim and Karen Racz for hosting our club members at their Bluewater PHC Memorial Day Pheeding Phrenz, while I missed it because of a conflict with Jim and Sandy’s wedding, those who attended, thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
In closing, be sure to reserve August 4 on your calendar so you can Go Coastal on our club’s Margaritaville Sunset Cruise aboard the Duc D’Orleans Riverboat. Be sure to check out our events page for all the details.
Phinz Up from the Prez
Denny
CAPTAIN’S LOG – Spring Edition
Goin’ to Go Coastal!
Having a major melt down here in Bluewaterland, trapped inside ‘cuz it’s pouring Spring rain outside. I just hit the Man Cave Bar to grab a Margarita and there is SERIOUS trouble in Paradise! Just used the last shot of my (Mexican vacation) el Jimador Tequila, then had to put major squeeze on the milk jug of homemade Margarita mix to get enough to fill the rest of the glass and limes are now selling for $0.47 EACH!
OH GOD, I’M GONNA GO COASTAL!!!
Well enough about my trauma’s, as everybody knows Jimmy’s coming to Detroit (USA) this summer and by the time your reading this, you’ve missed your chance to get tickets @ Parrot Head discount prices – or should I say at the Avian price “Sky High!”
Locally, first up a reminder to PH’s on the St.Clair, March 31st, was the dead line for paying club dues, if you didn’t, you’re no longer a member in good standing. Be advised, a cash donation to the Club Treasurer ($20 for a single or $30 for a Family) and buying the President a Margarita, you will get amnesty from prosecution (keelhaul’n!) and reinstatement. I’m such a softie (or is that Alcoholic?).
Next up, as I announced in my last log, as a Club we were looking into bringing back our river cruise, well, WE ARE! A date has been secured with the Duc’d’Oleans riverboat – August 4th, the Friday of the Canadian Civic Long Weekend. VP Lee has lined us up a band we can afford. While not necessarily a Trop Rock band, they are good and well known locally with a good following to help sellout the boat. We are going to be on the hook for a serious amount of cash here folks, so we all need to get on board (I really didn’t just say that did I?), and sell tickets. We are planning onboard raffles and draws to help raise some extra cash, which apparently we do not need to go through all the hassles (and cost) of licensing as it covered by the boat, but we will need volunteers to sell tickets. So mark the date on your calendars! Due to my work shift schedule, I missed the last couple of meeting, at which, it was decided instead of selling tickets, the Club would sell Club logo’ed drink coozies AND this would be your boarding ticket! Didn’t see that one coming but gonna admit it’s a novel idea!
April will be our last Bar POETS before we switch over to our Backyarders format, with Lady Di and myself co-hosting the season opener in May with Club Treasurer Lisa and her 1st Mate (who in this day in age is STILL on their 1st marriage) and Club MAL Rob. We are heading out to Skeeter Barlo’s in Bright’s Grove and members Pat and John (Grove-ites) have invited us all back to the “Casa” for beverages. Just a heads up, beware of John’s Pirate Punch, it packs just that a PUNCH!!!
Lastly, another plug for the Northern Migration – Phlock to the Falls, in Niagara Falls, Sept 17/2017. Go online, register and Migrate to the Party! It’s the closest thing we have to a Canadian MOTM, and it’s at Canada’s only Margarittaville, don’t let it die!!!
Til my next log, Thank God for Morgan and Mango
Scurvy not’s gonna get me!
El Prezidente
February 2017
The Mexican Expedition
Well Lady Di and I are fresh off the big jet airliner from Hautulco, Mexico and the bar is fully stocked with Tequila, (as well as a little Mexican Bacardi’s Rum – a 40ozer was $8 Cdn in the grocery store, a deal to good to pass up). The weather was awesome, not even a hint of rain as it is the dry season in this area. We hooked up with our friend who winters down there as well as friends from Lady Di’s office, who had told us all about the resort and who then grabbed a last minute selloff to surprised us as we went into our second week. While we were staying at an all inclusive, Lady Di and I are not ones to remain cooped up on the reservation. We took a “you drive it yourself” safari in early ‘70’s VW Things to a deserted beach so far off the “beaten” path even the goats were getting lost trying to find the place! On the way home we stopped and did an archeological dig at an ancient Mayan village. Actually, all we did was stop on the side of a hill and rooted through the wash down for pottery shards, of which we found all kinds! We day tripped into the mountains to attend the weekly native market – anybody for dried fish on a stick? I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I found the spice vendors, every conceivable spice fresh (or dried), buy as much as you need. My cooking’s flavor would go through the atmosphere, unfortunately so would the heat! This was followed by beach bar snorkeling at another bay. Think Jacques Cousteau diving from the tiki hut not the boat! The reef was only six feet from the shore. You barely had room to get your flippers on before you were over the coral and swarmed by schools of fish – absolutely awesome!!!!
Well enough about our holiday, time to pass on the news. Phlock to the Falls – The Northern Migration is on for September 16. The Niagara Parrot Heads have an all star line up of Thom Shepherd (and Coley), Donny Brewer, Bodean and “Music of Now and Then”. Registration opens Feb 27, check things out at www.parrotheadsinniagarasouth.ning.com. Back on home front, our P.O.E.T.S. are in full swing, with the crew enjoying great BBQ @ Bain’s BBQ just last week. Check our web page for our next stop for next month. NOTE: Word on street is the old Montana’s in Sarnia is suppose to be reopening as a Smoke and Spice Southern BBQ joint – definite must do and possible stop for next winter’s bar tour! While I missed our club’s last meeting, apparently the crew discussed the possibility of bringing back our riverboat cruise for 2017. Keep an eye on this website (and Facebook) for details – IF and when this event comes to fruition, so you don’t miss out. Speaking of the web page, our IT guru Doc Phlockerson has out done himself by now linking all our favourite Trop Rock radio stations AND Margarittaville TV to the page. You can now click the link and listen!
In conclusion:
I’ve put a lot of time, effort and thought into it and …….. I just don’t think this being an Adult thing is gonna work for me!
Your Prez
January 2017
Happy New Year y’all, and welcome to 2017. Hope you found a place to party Dec 31, Lady Di and I just snuck over to the neighbors’ (we all belong to the local jeep club), but it was an early night as my first day back to work from holidays was, yep you guessed it, Jan 1 and haulin’ one’s butt outta bed @ 4:30 (yes am!), is a mission on a good day (or should that be night!).
For those of us following facebook, the top gossip is the start of the Canadian Rebellion! Hamilton’s A1-Eh Parrot Head Club has decided due to the lack of any PHIP support to Canadian clubs, to withdrawn their membership and reform as the A1-EH Trop Rockers (club/association/MC?). I have to confess, I have to agree with their reasoning. Here in the Great White North, I’ve accepted we would be isolated/cut off from most any support of the American affiliation. To our sister (or is that brother) club, Bluewater’s credit, (first off for submitting a petition to PHIP to allow us to form in the first place – inside the 50 mile no fly zone – oohh that was such a Parrot Head analogy!), they have stepped up to the plate and done their best to ensure (by having “American” Parrot Head items ship to them instead of try to cross border the stuff) our equal treatment. Our border position is not a situation the A1-Eh club can utilize. Fact is, other than perhaps Niagara South (and Buffalo) we are in a unique situation. I don’t fore see our club joining the rebellion, (but stuff happens and we DO have a rebel element), as we have, as I said earlier, fully accepted our isolation or maybe I should rephrase that and say “independence” of PHIP. One of A1-Eh’s known complaints was the cost of $75 USD to register their Club. With the devaluation of the Canadian dollar, this is now over $100 and you get what for it –NADA! Once again, our border position and the number of joint memberships between Bluewater Parrot Heads and our club, has us willing to accept USD @ par for US memberships in our Club. Mighty white of us, if I say so myself! These US funds then off set most of our cost of registering with PHIP. I can only speak for myself (and I’m sure the rest of the club will pass the resolution, when I bring it up @ January’s meeting) we will continue to support any and all efforts of the A1-EH Trop Rockers – be they Parrot Heads or not!
In conclusion, I just like to say Lady Di (presently sick with a cold) and I are crossin’ days off the calendar til we head for Mexico’s Pacific coast for the last 2 weeks of this month. I will dedicated the first (2nd, 3rd and as many as I can take for the team) shot of Tequila to y’all sufferin’ back here in the Great White North.
Viva la Revolution!
Your Prez
HOLIDAY EDITION
Well winter has descended upon the Great White North. We have 8 inches of snow already on the ground, single digit (old school Fahrenheit) temperatures with wind chills dropping that into the negatives – and a blizzard forecasted to start within the hour bring another half foot or more before daybreak. To quote some psychopath, “It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas!” ‘ELL NO it isn’t, my vision of Christmas is me, Nog’n’Morgan in hand, sittin’ in a bamboo chair on the beach under a decorated palm tree!
The Club’s bowling night toy drive for the Inn was again a success, and truly a family event this time around with the youngsters coming out in record numbers for the event, and just so everybody knows, I’d of had a near perfect game if you suckers hadn’t switched out my ball on me. You thought I would notice my pink ball sudden became lime green, well I did – took five frames BUT I knew something was off, (but I was positive it was the lack of lime in my Carona that was causing my sudden hooking)!
Next I’d like to thank all the folks who came out to Lady Di and I’s Club Christmas party. A good time was had by all who attended and a number of thank you’s are in order. First to anybody who brought a dish, next to Treasurer Lisa and her daughter Megan for the help in the prep department. Her husband (and Club MAL) Rob for the use of his BBQ to supplement our’s, John H. for again picking up the tongs and taking on the cooking duties, this time sharing the duties with new comer (but old Q pro) Mike S. Thanks to our ‘Mercan crew for coming out, Mr. BB in particular for helping with “ginsu’ing” the steak and chicken for the fajita’s, and especially to Mrs. BB for “importing” Labatt’s Blue Light Lime beer to stock the Q cooler! Doc Phlockerson for again providing us with his Mexican lasagna casserole, but dang dude you gotta go easy on that Ghost pepper powder that batch was feakin’ HOT!!!!! Lastly thanks to Mother Nature for not raining (as the weatherman was predicting) and allowing us to par-tA in the driveway and Tailgate outta Rob’s garage bar, and I truly mean tailgate – he has a bar made outta the last foot and an half of a Chev truck box, complete with tailgate!
Well my glass of Captain is down to the cubes, so it’s time to wrap up this month’s ramble by wishing each and every one of you and your’s, a safe and Merry Christmas, and best wishes for a Happy New Year.
“Away to the window I flew like a flash, nearly spilt my drink and threw up the sash – and found it was feakin’ snowin’ a’gin!!!!!”
Your prez – Denny
Captain’s Log – November 2016
Well Lady Di and I are home from another fun and sun filled Meeting of the Minds in Key West. We took St. Clair Parrot Head member Becky and Hamilton’s A1-EH Sue, and while they both had been to Key West, they had never taken the “Parrot Head” tour. We hooked up with all our friends from the Mini-St. Somewhere Club, Detroit, Parrot Heads on the Grand, Toronto Maple Reefers, all our musician friends including Bodean. Your fearless Captain even rented a scooter for a few hours of island cruising, but I’ll take my big Harley ElectraGlide any day. Those scoot’s are downright crazy to ride in that kinda mass confusion! We took a Sunset Sailboat Pirate cruise with the Conch Fritters steel band. The attached photo is none other than your infamous Captain prepared to lead the boarding party! A least that’s what they told me?
As fall now turns to winter, the Club now shifts the POETS from the backyard to the bar scene with all the monthly locations being picked @ last month’s meeting. Hope everybody attends as many as they can, so we can be seen (and heard) in the St. Clair area. November 19 is our next big event, our Bowling and Toy Drive @ Highway Bowl, now in its 7th year. (See the event page for all the details). The Toys all go to the Inn of the Good Shepherd’s Children’s Christmas Party and they truly depend on the Parrot Head donation to fill their 11-15 year old toy needs. The club also voted to give Lady Di funds to help the Inn cover any last minute shortfalls in any other age group. Next up for December 3, Lady Di and I’s Club Christmas Party, always a fun filled time featuring a traditional X-mas fare of Fajitas and Margaritas! Hope y’all can attend, BUT PLEASE RSVP, the Quartermaster and Bar Steward need to know how much food and grog to lay aboard!
Lastly don’t forget to get your nominations in those positions coming up for election for 2017 and be sure to come out and vote or e-mail in your ballot to our election officer Terri. Fins Up.
Captain’s Log – October 2016
Its pouring rain and the leaves are dropping from the trees like jello shots at a Parrot Head party, but I don’t care! A week from tomorrow, Lady Di and I are on the big jet airline to Fort Lauderdale and ultimately Key West for the Meeting of the Minds! Turns out most of the members of the Detroit club who are attending are on the same flight! Sure hope their plane makes to Florida safely!!!
Well, Phlock to the Falls is now a wrap and I think everybody had a great time, even those who got wet touristing! Thank you’s have been sent out to sponsors and donators but I feel I should take some time here and thank a lot of the behind the scene members of the club, without who’s selfless donation of time, the event would never have been pulled off. VP Lee who was the brainchild behind the whole thing and was in constant touch with Margaritaville Restaurant, Brick Brewing (Landshark), the band (10 Beach Drive), attending Parrot Head Clubs and still found time to orchestrate the inebriation, officially called the Room Decorating/Hall Crawl. Lady Di (my partner in crime) and our Club Treasurer Lisa (and her 1st Mate Rob), for picking up all the little details, setting up and running the Margaritaville registration, ticket sale and getting their spouses drunkin asses back to the motel. (I’m never drinking with Ruggles again!) A big thank you also to our new member Ruggles, (not for the hangover), but who’s last minute donation insured no matter how things turned out, all the bills would be paid for! Thanks too to all the attending members of our sister ‘Mercan club, Bluewater Parrot Heads for selflessly jumping in to lend a hand where ever needed and keeping my drinking hand stocked! Lastly, not to forget, a thanks to Doc in IT (‘cuz yes I did, this is a rewrite, sorry Doc), for setting up the web page (for the Club, the Phlock, and without whom this aimless ramble wouldn’t get posted either), keeping it updated, and getting PayPal set up on it to make it easy to remit your registration monies. If I miss anybody else, thank you too.
Members of Niagara South say they want to host the event in 2017, so the Northern Migration is (tentively) on again for next year!
Fins up!
SUMMER WRAPUP
This should be the August entry, but somehow, the month just completely escaped me. I’ve lost a day or two on Tropical vacations but a WHOLE month, that’s a first!
Breaking news – THE NORTHERN MIGRATION IS ON! Niagara Falls here we come!!!!!!!!! Lady Di and my dining room looks like a war zone with all the travel totes, draw baskets and goodie bags piled everywhere. We’ve just gotten a huge sponsorship from Enspec Environmental Services and Swagelok (Industrial Fittings). US Parrot Head clubs from Chicago, New York and Michigan have sent word their attending members are bringing donations. Niagara South is donating as well. Landshark/Brick Brewery had their “Shark Girls” personally drop off a whole load of Landshark beer gear at our address. Margaritaville Foods has sent donations for our goodie bags. Margaritaville Restaurant Niagara Falls has promised us “Parrot Head” food and beverage specials for the Saturday night. Even the stars are aligning – its gonna be a FULL moon on Saturday!!
Here at home, I got a few updates to pass on. First off a big THANK YOU to our VP Lee (pictured in the left chair) for taking on the Brewers Retail (aka The Beer Store) and forcing them to stock Landshark in the Corunna store, until then we had to travel 20 minutes to Sarnia to get any.
A big Happy Birthday to our Secretary Jill (Lee’s wife, pictured to my right in the picture, as if you hadn’t already figured out the handsome dude in the middle was me!) on her BIG birthday. A woman’s age is something you NEVER publicize! It was celebrated in the Pigeon Forge (Tennessee) Margaritaville, and again a big Thank You to Lee for making it possible for Lady Di and I to attend.
Fins Up and See Y’all in the Phalls!
CAPTAIN’S LOG – JULY
Just arrived home from taking BAJA for an afternoon cruise, BAJA is my Baja yellow two door Jeep Wrangler. Had the top down, replaced by the bimini (covers just the driver and passenger), tops of both half doors removed. Hat backwards, sunglasses on, listenin’ and head bobbin’ to Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild. Hey, it wasn’t a TropRock day! Closest thing to island Jeepin’ you can get here in Canada.
Well, the deadline for Phlock to the Falls if fast approaching and we’re still a few short of the make or break number of registrants to make it a go. If your even thinking of coming PLEASE register, you can opt out later and consider the $20 registration fee a donation to a worthy cause!
We’ve had a minor (it was major when it happen) hiccup, our planned entertainment Bodean, has pulled out on us. Holy shades of Johnny Russler and Phlock to the Dock (our club’s now defunct TropRock Music Festival) BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE – do we, Mr. Talbot! (Still owe the man a PERSONAL apology for that rant about the MOTM’s choice of bands!). Took a little scrambling and an extra room in Niagara Falls but we now will be bringing local singing sensation TEN BEACH DRIVE (cue up the crowd going wild!). Myself and our local Parrot Heads have, (and will still have) a LOT of time and effort in trying to bring this event together to give Canada’s Phlock someplace to come together, mingle and Party with a Purpose. We’d love to be able to give a big donation to the chosen charity, myself, I’d love to just get Ontario’s (and our surrounding American) clubs together to meet, greet and party. The Landshark Launch Party at Margaritaville in April in Niagara Falls, was a fantastic opportunity to meet everybody. Short of travelling all the way to Key West for the Meeting of the Minds, we have nothing in Canada to bring us together! PLEASE REGISTER and come participate in the Northern Migration!
Lastly a big thank you to Terri and Vi for hosting June’s POETS, and hope to see y’all at Lee and Jill’s for July’s!
Captain’s Log – June
“There comes a moment in every man’s life where he has to admit he was wrong.” Personally, I’ve never experienced that moment, but hey just sayin’, it could happen.
Sittin’ here sippin’ on a M&M (Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Mango 5 Alive with a splash of Grenadine) in eighty degree weather, trying to figure out how the heck it snowed just three weeks ago. (Count to three – okay enough thought on that)
Our last meeting saw us hammering out the last detail for the Phlock to the Falls –The Northern Migration. Paypal will shortly be up and running on this website to facilitate payment to attend. At $20 per person, it’s a steal to attend and it’s all in Canadian dollars. I’ll be the first to admit I really didn’t think VP Lee and Ex-Pres Terry could pull this off, as they are half way across Ontario from the Niagara Falls. My doubts have been laid to rest, I just hope the rest of the Great Lakes Regional Parrot Head clubs will come out and join the party. I fully realize this is no Canadian MOTM, but anyone from Canada who has tried to organize any event of any size quickly comes to realize how prohibitively expensive it is to do anything in Canada. We tried to keep cost to a bare minimum to let you come to the Falls and customize your stay to your financial situation. We have a host hotel but it’s solely up to you if you wish to stay there, and if you can get it off the web at a better price – don’t hesitate to do it! Our $20 cost is strictly to cover the band and raise a few dollars for charity. Bodean is a great CANADIAN trop rock band, as any of the Parrot Heads who attend the Landshark Canada Launch party can attest to. I’ve even been told they are getting air time on Margaritaville radio! We almost filled Margaritaville with Parrot Heads for the launch party so let’s do it again on behalf of ourselves! Let’s rap up the summer of 2016 on September 16/17 with a real party and Phlock to the Falls! Register NOW.
Captain’s Log – May (I think)
We’re outta limes and down to our last two bottles of Landshark –NOT!
We can now get it in Canada! WOOHOOOO
Mid April, myself, our Cruise Director and half a dozen or so of our motley crew, launched the skiff and journeyed to Niagara Falls to participate in the Brick Brewery’s (Kitchener) launch of Landshark beer in Ontario. The party was hosted by Canada’s only Margaritaville Restaurant, and a roaring good time was had by all. Parrot Heads from all across Ontario phlocked to the Launch, and filled the venue. We even met the Ottawa club, which until then was only thought to be an Urban Myth! We met the band members of Bodean, who provided us all with free samples of their CD. They are hoping to participate in the TropRock awards at the MOTM in Key West, so we gave them a standing invite to hoist a few together at our condo. A huge thank you to both the Brick Brewery and Margaritaville, for all their hard work to make the Launch such a success. For those of you who were unable to attend, the Club opened the Backyard POETS season, (first weekend of May), with a RE-launch Party at our garage. Complete with 20 foot banner (Margaritaville will never miss it!) and lots of Landshark swag –provided by Margaritaville to the club the day after. Yes we got this stuff legally! Your Captain broke open the liquor locker and provided all comers with free Landshark beer samples along with BBQ ribs an’ Chicken. Thanks to our Treasurer Lisa, her 1st Mate Rob, daughter Megan for all their help and especially to their son Mathew who did a fantastic job cookin’ up the ribs. Kid’s got a future in the Galley if he ever wants to join the crew.
As we move forward in the season, bigger and more elaborate POETS seem to be on the horizon, Pat/John are rumoured to even have booked a band! So come on out, it’s pot luck so bring a dish and help us support the chosen charity, BUT most of all bring a friend and help us grow our membership!
