Buckeye Mike

Yesterday afternoon Tiffany and I went for a walk on the beach near our resort, with Hutch tagging along. As always, Tiffany and I smiled at everyone we passed and engaged many of them in conversation.  Along the way we met Penny and Tom, a couple who are from Canton, Ohio but moved to the Myrtle Beach area 18 months ago. They told us they talked about making the move for years and now wish they had done it much sooner. Of course Tiffany and I shared that we have considered relocating as well, to which they became the Grand Strand sales force. They talked about how awesome the weather is, and how the traffic only gets bad 3 months a year. They asked if we wanted their realtor's name, and told us about the housing market.  Perhaps in a few years, once things in Ohio are running like clock work and I can convince my boss to open an office in Myrtle Beach. Absolute Service of the Grand Strand, what do you think Dave? Lots of condo work here you know!  As I stated above, we engaged man

Positivity will be easy today. Or, at least, it should be. After all, the photos below are what I woke up to this morning. It will be a great day for exploring, at 65 and sunny here in the Grand Strand. Tanner and his friends will be doing their own thing, so it will be just Little Red and I popping in and out of souvenir shops like the Gay Dolphin and Calabash. We will most likely hit Wahlburgers for lunch, spend some time at Broadway at the Beach, then head up to Sunset Beach in North Carolina. I cannot wait to get started and will be sure to post another picture blog this evening! I hope you all have an awesome day too! And remember, make eye contact and smile (even if you are wearing a mask). The world needs more of that!!!

Today is my Birthday And all that I want Is to dig through this big box of pictures in my Kitchen Till the daylights gone But if life stayed it was And lovers never fell out of love If memories didn't last so long If nobody did nobody wrong If we knew what we had before it was gone If every road led back home This would be The very last country song -Sugarland I have been doing that a lot lately. Flipping through old photos and remembering the moments, the conversations, the people. It is so comforting in a world of chaos. Pictures are a vehicle to take you back into a place in time. I have come to realize that this blog does the same thing. More on that later. Today is my birthday. I turned 48 at 6:31 this morning. When I was a kid my Mom would always wake me up at that exact moment and sing Happy Birthday to me. After I was on my own, she called me. Every year. March 3rd. 6:31 A.M. Until 2009. What I would give for that call now. The last year has been rough y'all. 2020 was a

I cannot believe it has been 10 years since I first penned this post, nor can I believe that it has been 12 years since she gave me this awesome gift, just 12 days before we lost her. As my grandsons opened their gifts this morning in my living room, I looked at the table that holds my Christmas Village, including several pieces that belonged to her. And even though I miss her presence and voice, I feel her with me, even on the bad days. I am grateful everyday that she was my best friend and made sacrifices for me and my siblings that I cannot even fathom. And while this entire blog is inspired by her, this particular post is my favorite memory of her. Thank you for reading! As a kid growing up, Christmas Eve was always the most special day of the year. Aside from the Santa visit, the day was filled with so much tradition and family that is was more like an event than a holiday. Everyone would gather at my grandparents house for Christmas dinner. Cars would fill the drive way, be parke

Have you ever seen the movie Twister? Released in 1996 and starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, the movie followed a group of storm chasers as they got caught up in a harrowing day of following and escaping tornadoes. It was considered cutting edge for the way it depicted the funnel clouds and the scientists who do this everyday. Little did I know how, 24 years later, my work would bring me to a place in Middle Tennessee where real life imitated art, and my latest clients would be grateful to have escaped with their lives. Their story in just a moment. First, I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of an old friend recently. Kent "WiFi Guy " Pingel worked with me at Belfor, a job he affectionately called "The Dirty Gig". We crossed paths many times at various disaster zones all over the country, and his blog  Ping WiFi  chronicled his journeys, always looking for a good story and a WiFi connection. He was a brilliant writer and better friend, who