It was hard to believe that I haven't been to this place that I have pretty much called my Holiday retreat since March of 2004. Although I have to say in being away for so long it did give me an interesting unbiased perspective in how things are going economically. When I was there last I remember running into a guy that moved there after graduating from Vanderbilt and made 80,000 in one year selling Real Estate. Mind you we were both watching NU play Oklahoma in their NCAA Tournament game after the game started to become settled. In looking around they were just bonkers about kicking people out of mobile parks to raise condo towers.

Fast forward 3 years where now it just seems that the place was missing about 1/4 to 1/3 of it's snowbird population. It was like I was back living in the early 90's when I first started going down there after my last grandparent passed away and we retired the traditional Christmas in our immediate family. All I can say is there should have been more people down there than I experienced. The beach was really empty. Yea, I know X-mas to New Years is usually slow but this was just too quiet. Every server we spoke to said things were pretty much dullsville.

Next door to my Mom's friend Louise's Condo lives a young Gay couple, one 30 and the other one 35. The 35 yr old works in the cardiopulmonary department in the local hospital and the 30 yr old works as a server and now a hotel worker. They bought their place 3 years ago for $200,000 and just 6 months ago their mortage reset from $1500 to $2200 and basically they are just abandoning it and moving away. The Medical guy has though about moving up to New England but is they are going to stay in the area due to his love of his current job. They haven't recieved any offers on their place and a comparable unit just sold recently for $150,000. SO basically they are in the tank for $50,000 :-(
All I can say is that it seems that this kind of thing is only going to get worse.


Anyway enough of my B.S. and on to some happy pics

I have a bunch more

Well I'm off. It's going to be a long ass day. Working 8 hours and then driving down for 24 is going to be a pain. The 80 degree temps should be worth it. I'm overpacked but I just don't care at the moment.

Now off work and beyond. FLA here I come...eventually

So all I can think about is X-mas's past. Like the years back when my sister would string along two guys. One guy from the U.K. Dan and this other from Winnipeg Mitch. It was always fun just hanging in the pool answering their questions about such and such along with stuff when you get older. Then there was the New Years where I ended up initially not wanting to party but ended up getting freaking sloshed beyond belief from this family from Scotland. The last thing I remember was Galliano, before I spent the day soaking in the pool with a horrible hangover.

It's just that I'm just happy to be able to wear my Madras shorts before the end of the year. It's going to be 77 when I get down there on Saturday. So along with grabbing nice outfit to dress up in I'm also looking at grabbing a thing or two that you just can't get up here. Some fine Waffle House food! You know hash browns covered, diced and smothered!!!

Why the F do I like the semi- cover of the Wu-Tang Clan that I hear on the radio?