The Deck. (Updated)
It’s a beautiful day here in the Garden State, so I am off to spend it on The Deck with the Usual Suspects. Vodka, hot dogs and other treats, lots of great music, bobbing about in the pool and just generally enjoying a slice of Life 101.
Later.
Update 7/11/04: It was yet another great day (and evening) on The Deck. Ken, the always-attentive, anal cruise director, had purchased a more space-efficient and easier-to-manage cooler to hold ice on the bar and added a stainless steel scoop, all of which made making drinks easier and, more importantly, faster. What a guy.
Original Bill and Mrs. Original Bill, the Quietly Sinister Linda, arrived late, having spent the earlier part of the day in Ocean County Down the Shore at a family birthday party. They arrived during the live, extra LONG version of “Southern Man,” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Of course, Bill hated it, which provided him with ample opportunity to pitch a bitch about the music — “You can’t dance to this shit.” We love it. His bitching is even better than the music.
The Other Bill (Bill the Ham) showed up with some excellent cigars for the boys and then spent the balance of the evening making “berrytinis” for him and several of the women Usual Suspects. (Skyy Berry vodka, cranberry juice, and a splash of lemon soda – shaken and served up in a chilled martini glass).
Shelley, our Jewish Usual Suspect, insisted that she doesn’t have a Jewish accent, but only a Jersey accent, to which I respond that she clearly is meshugeh. She pronounces the last name of the singer Billy Joel as “Joe-Well.”
I farookin’ love it.
Be cool with it!!!
Comment by Sam — July 10, 2004 @ 4:05 pm
..I think you are my long lost Yankee brother..
Comment by Eric — July 11, 2004 @ 7:56 am
Eric,
I am honored, Bro.
Comment by Jim - Parkway Rest Stop — July 11, 2004 @ 10:40 am
Yummmmm Berrytinis… gonna try those, that’s for sure. Those and I swear I’m gonna figure out those Tropical Margaritas or pass out trying. 😉
Glad you had a great day. Today was my “deck” day, but alas no Suspects, Usual or otherwise. Still all in all a pretty good day. Until about 30 mins ago when the darn storms rolled in. Oh well, now it’s movie time.!! I LOVE Sundays!!
Comment by Tammi — July 11, 2004 @ 4:07 pm
Your Jewish Usual Suspect is glad to see she has made your blog! Looking forward to another “pick on the Shell” at our next deck day!
Comment by Shelley — July 11, 2004 @ 10:14 pm
Hmmm. I hate the recent trend towards perverting the sacred Martini. There is only one (and a quite specific one) way to make a martini: cold gin and a splash of vermouth. I am almost to the point where I will (begrudgingly) accept vodka in a martini, but it is completely flavorless.
What kills me is all of these obviously not-martinis springing up with the suffix “-tini”. I mean, in the last issue of the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits Quarterly they had a recipe for some “-tini” drink that used tequila! I mean, give me a break!
What this crummy town needs is a martini bar, where all you can order are proper martinis, and you cannot even get in through the door without the proper attire (silk suit and smoking a cigar). I would start one if I really wanted to lose money.
Comment by Auskunft — July 12, 2004 @ 9:21 am
I wish I had a deck…
Comment by Scooterdeb — July 12, 2004 @ 10:38 am
Oh no!!!!!!!! You said “DOWN THE SHORE”!!!! You know what that’s a sign of, don’t you? Repeat 10 times: “At the beach.” That’s better.
(New url for me, by the way. That’s how I spent much of MY weekend . . . )
Comment by Lynne — July 12, 2004 @ 3:34 pm