Theo and Carl came down to let Beezy and Grampy babysit! Oh Wow! Big Fun!
Author: Eddie Tubridy
USCG Cutter Argus
Dave and Lisa got a great view of the launching of the US Coast Guard Cutter Argus. It is the first of four planned to be built at the plant nearby to where they live in Panama City.
myNoise
I have been working on some videos from our recent Excellent Adventure. I use iMovie, which is quite good once you get the hang of it. It has a good library of sounds, including music, but they really do not fit my style.

At the same time, I have been hunting for a good audio source to accompany my drumming. I can produce drone-like sounds typical of the Didgeridoo on my electronic drums. I like that it provides a backdrop without forcing me into a set rhythm or tempo.
Finally, I have been sleeping with white noise for many years now. I found that playing the background noise in the house adds a very pleasant yet non-intrusive touch.
Along comes myNoise. It was developed by a Dutch guy who is really crazy about sounds. Travels all over the world, recording and collaborating with other like-minded people. The result is like the answer to my dreams.
There is a catalog of hundreds of different titles. Each title can be manipulated to add, remove, or change the level of different components of the sound with slider controls. The slider controls can be animated to change levels over time cyclically. Pitch can be accurately controlled. You can play multiple titles together to create combined sounds. It is truly a remarkable piece of programming.
Hurricane Sunrise π
Magnificent sunrise between the two Hurricanes. The sand blown off the Sahara that creates the storms enhances the effect.
More mid-Summer sunrises….

















68
Other than it being my age, it is the largest known number to be the sum of two primes in exactly two different ways: 68 = 7 + 61 = 31 + 37.
I think it looks bold and ready for action!

Buckeye Whale Carving
π€‘ Indicted
Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Wouldn’t it be something if we elect the fucker after this?

Home











Most Excellent!
ππΆ
North Carolina
Despite the heavy rain, we left Memphis and headed for Nashville. An overnight there, and we were on our way to North Carolina.

The drive from Knoxville to Scaly Mountains through the Smokey Mountains was very scenic. We probably stopped at the trip’s most excellent rest stop, near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Scaly Mountian

We enjoyed three nights with Dave, Lisa, and the Girls. We got a couple of great hikes in and enjoyed Lisa’s most excellent culinary delights! Jake got to say hi to his cousins Elly and Bonnie. And I finally made it up late enough to see the sunset!
We had a torrential downpour on the first afternoon! Lightning cracking all around! Poor Elly Mae was not a happy pupper!
The only thing left to do now is make it home. Wow. It’s hard to believe our nearly three months on the road are at an end. What a fantastic time it has been.
Graceland

My parents were not fans of Elvis Presley. Although he was only ten years younger than they were, I never heard either one of them express any interest in his music. It was impossible to grow up in the 60s and not know of him. Then in the 70s, he seemed to lose it ala Michael Jackson and Prince.
The one thing I always remembered more than anything about Elvis was Graceland. And the only thing I knew about Graceland was the Jungle Room. Can you even imagine? And apparently, girls were everywhere. A young boy’s fantasies come true!

Then Paul Simon came along and made it famous again in the 90s. One of my favorite albums where every song – including this one – is memorable. I guess it was always meant to be that I would make it here one day.
Driving up the parking lot to the entrance was a bit of a disappointment. That’s what Simon’s first impression was. It looked like a giant strip mall. Once inside, I learned the Mansion was across the street. I secured a 10:30 AM tour and toured the museums.
Graceland Museum
When he started to become famous, somebody decided to keep everything he ever had, every photo taken of him – every bit of him. There were about half a dozen significant themes – his toys, movies, and even a tribute to other rockers that acknowledged his greatness (just to keep him relevant!).

Between each one was a gift shop nearly the size of the exhibit!

You name it, it was there, including this $4,025 replica of the outfit he wore in his Hawaii special.








Graceland Mansion
The tour lets you walk through the first floor of the mansion. It was stunning – I loved his bohemian style.








Other favorites!

The trophy room had more personal stuff of his, like his student discount card. But it was this stuff, like the slot car, that I related to because I played with these growing up.





Finally, the pool and meditation garden served as the graves of Elvis and his family. Quite moving.
I am glad I came. The most expensive thing I’ve done so far on the trip. Not even in the same category as Yosemite or the Redwoods. But it’s a unique piece of Americana.

And as the man says: Poor boys and pilgrims with families, And we are going to Graceland.
We woke up the next morning to a downpour with bolts of lightning flying about! Great way to wrap up the tour!
East to Nashville and then to the mountains of North Carolina for a visit to Browns Mountian.