Endless Summer...

I didn't write once in July on tomkauffman.com - it was vacation month. Our trip to Imperial Beach, Cam's trip to Camp Geronimo and just general down time at the compound took up the entire month.

As August rolled in, its been very warm here in Scottsdale, almost too warm for man nor beast. The pool has been a wet and welcome respite from the heat. When the pool isn't enough I reach for a Dryers Tangerine fruit pop... and the world is right (for about 180 seconds until the thing has been inhaled.)

California was a great trip. We stayed in a beach house for two weeks that was just killer. Brand new and decked out. Amanda loved it and was contained and safe upstairs. When she got to the beach she was in heaven. Is she beautiful or what?

Cam and Chris turned a room without any windows into their official game room by taking my projector and playing xBox on an entire wall. Katie and I enjoyed the sound of the ocean all night. Megan enjoyed torchering the boys.

Jack really had a thrill over in Sea World. On the way in to see the Shamu show we stopped to ask someone if we could get some special seating for Amanda. The person we asked was in a wet suit and she was just looking at Jack the entire time I was asking her for help. Turns out she was the trainer designated to find someone for the Shamu Show... someone to star in the Shamu show.

So out of the blue she said, "how would you like to meet Shamu?" What do you say when someone asks if you want to meet a celebrity? "Heck yes." So not only did Amanda get special seating, but Jack was the star of the Shamu show and actually got to throw fish in the beasts mouth! He was brought down in front of the tank and got to touch Shamu and then toss him (or her) some chow.

Jack then proceeded to get really wet. He said the water was VERY cold. How exciting for Jack. He was the star of the show, I don't remember much about the whale - it was black and white I think. Jack even had a line in the show. The head trainer asked Jack, "who did you come to see today?" Jack, being coach in his lines delivered a firm answer - "Shamu" and things really got moving after that! Mo (short for Moses, which is a nickname Jack has had since being born) had his picture thrown up on these huge rotating jumbo-tron screens. The music was pumping through the place and there was Jack - rotating 180 degrees on screen. Amazing.

We did a lot of other CA things with our friends Jeff and Angie and their girls. I got away for eight of the days before heading back to work. Those were eight awesome days. I needed the rest and the chance to rejuvenate. Mission accomplished.

Katie, Chris, Cam, Jack, Meg and Amanda has a great summer. As it winds down I thank each of them for making my life incredible.

TK