Tomorrow we hit the road for the long trip back to the Carolinas. It has been a fun week here in Panama City Beach. Quite a precious time for Hallie, too, who’s already chanting “come back, come back” every time we mention leaving.

Already, I’m thinking of what this place might be like in the offseason, a pipe dream since we’ll certainly have our hands full this fall and winter.

For the first real vacation we’ve taken in three years, it has lived up to its billing. Shows me how much fun we’re missing by not doing this more often. Every year, we should take a vacation … somewhere!

I copied another batch of vacation pictures up to the gallery, including a couple of great group shots. Also, there are a few good shots of our expanding family.
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More great info on lightning. This time, a useful page showing how to ground your boat to keep lightning from killing you.

I’ve set up my home phone system to ring to the Packet8 DTA that I brought with me. Thus, we can get our home calls here at the beach. Sound is great, too.

It’s a good thing I brought it, because the rates here at the resort are high: fifty cents for local calls.

The only bummer of being on vacation is missing another great Sleazefest. I went to the shows in ’95 and ’96 and had an absolute blast. Been trying to get Kelly out there to see the Sleaze, but never been successful. Guess it will have to wait another year.

A Good Idea – Sugar
From the album Copper Blue
—

They went down to the river
On a warm summer night
The air was think with the
Smell of temptation
He said why don’t we lay in the water
Let the water run over me
And she grinned and she said
Now she said now she said

Now that’s a good idea
She said she said
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I posted a mess of pictures from our vacation up in the gallery. More will arrive each day, since I seem to enjoy filling up the camera. 🙂

So how could a television turn itself on inside a closed entertainment cabinet? There is only one explanation I can think of, ridiculous as it may be.

This is sadly the last summer for the Miracle Strip Amusement Park here at Panama City Beach. It’s closing its doors after Labor Day.

Miracle Strip was – and is – a tiny, cheesy, tourist-trap of an amusement park, but was a rare treat during family beach trips to Panama City. It has been on this sand for an amazing 41 summers, opening in 1963. This spring, however, the park fell victim to the onrush of development. Look for another high-rise condo to take its place next year.

I hope to ride the Starliner roller coaster one more time before the doors close for good. And perhaps take Kelly and Hallie around for a little tour.

It’s sad to see childhood landmarks fade away.