Last month, we surprised the Mangokids by bringing them with us to a last minute concert to see Jimmy Buffett live. They loved it and it was pretty cool for me to share something with them that I have loved doing for the past 25 years. (Has it been that long?). We took the top five with us and I enjoyed singing along with them to all of our family favorites. 

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere, and I think it's right here!" - Abby, Age 12

Jimmy's concerts can be quite a show. Some of my most memorable experiences have been sitting (and smelling) on the grass at one of Jimmy's concerts. Now that he's played for four decades, it is not unusual to see three generations enjoying the concert together. With such an age spread, the concerts are much tamer than when I first saw him back in the mid-80's on the lawn at Concord Pavilion. The kids sat amazed as the "grown-ups" walked around with shark fins or parrot hats on their heads.

"This was the most fun I've ever had!" - Caroline, Age 10
(My job here is finished - Fletch)

We had two surprise guests at the concert this year. First, my big sister (Aunt Pam) joined us for the show. You can see her in the above picture joining Caroline with big Buffett smiles as they put their "fins" up! Second, I was able to reconnect with my old college roomate. Jahn and I attended our first Buffett concert on August 14, 1987, making this our 25 year reunion of sorts. In the photo below, you can see us partying with two young babes we found at the concert.

Two Pirates, Looking Way Past Forty

The only problem with this experience is that I have created some loyalists. Let me know if you want to be part of the festivities next year. Here at theMangoTimes, we plan on going until Jimmy stops touring!

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

I mentioned in my previous post about SkyMall junk, that I was raised with one of the catalog offerings: The Peeing Boy of Brussels. I also mentioned that I was going to start a new theme here at theMangoTimes.

Since we share property with my parents, there is a treasure chest of inventions, ideas and creations that my dad has displayed. Some are small, like a sign. Some, like this statue, are "pieces of art" that have travelled with him for the past 40 years.

So, I've created a theme called: "PopPop's Stuff" which will cover the whole display.

Believe me. The well will not run dry with this theme. You don't collect/display things for 82 years of your life without having a few beauties around the palace.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

With a lack of quality reading, I decided to skim the Sky Mall catalog. Frequent travelers are familiar with this catalog of non-necessities. I consider it the print version of the late night infomercial and much like a darkened room and a belly of Doritos late at night can cause you to make very bad informercial purchases ("Why yes...I would like to lose weight while I am at work!"), there is something about high altitude plane trips that make you actually consider purchasing crap things out of the Sky Mall catalog.

To better illustrate what I mean and to save you the cost of a plane ticket, I collected a few of my favorites from our recent trip. Ignore the quality of my iPhone photographs. I was told repeatedly by the flight attendant to turn off my phone, so I entered stealth mode for most of the photos.

1. WATCH STORAGE CASE - $89.95 (or $69.95 if you aren't dripping in timepieces)

Seriously, I own one watch. Who has this many watches that they need an entire case? And then, who wants to display them? I can imagine having a guest over: "Hey thanks for coming over for dinner, but before we sit down to eat...how'd you like to see something real special, because I have a collection of Casio watches you need to see..."

2. SLEEPING COCOON - $79.95

This is on the borderline between awesome, stupid and creepy. I was very disappointed to find this on my trip home, because this is how my wife thinks we should sleep in every hotel room we've ever stayed in. In any other catalog, this would be labeled "sleeping bag." At the same time, Sky Mall stopped short on their guarantee and full advertising potential. Yes, this will prevent 100% of bed bugs, but sleeping in a cocoon will also prevent any possiblity of starting a serious relationship with someone of the opposite sex (and you can rule out any form of procreation as well).

3. THE LED MATRIX WATCH - $129.95

I have never seen a more confusing watch. I only use the light on my watch in the middle of the night. The last thing I need is a complex series of lights and grids for me to calculate that it's still time to sleep. Why not just create watches with mini sun dials on them? Maybe it's just me, but I think our culture has been pretty successfulwith the whole "short hand/long hand" system. And, if "telling time" isn't your thing, I think the digital format of "hour:minute" works really really well too. This watch appeals to a very small portion of our population who can do algebraic equations and evaluate geometric patterns while wearing a ridiculously large faced watch (seriously, is this for your thigh or wrist?). *Note: the one good thing about spending the money on this watch...you can put it in your custom watch holder (See #1).

4.  CAST IRON GIRAFFE TOILET PAPER HOLDER - $29.95

First, this is stupid. Second, it seems disproportionate in size. Shouldn't the giraffe be used ONLY for the paper towels and then a shorter necked creature for the toilet paper? I think the ostrich is better suited for the toilet paper. Again, did we need to improve on the toilet paper roller on the wall? Some things just work and we should all agree as a society to leave them alone, because I guarantee that if we bought this giraffe it would never hold toilet paper. It would be played with by the two smallest mangoboys and that's just what I want...Christian and Joe playing with toilet paper, bronze giraffes and toilet water. 

5. STEP STOOL/LADDER COMBO

I'm sorry, I didn't get the name or price on this little treat. First, this looks ridiculously dangerous. Second, I've created something like this in my kitchen with my existing chairs when I want to reach a light bulb (so I can confirm this is stupid). Third, this picture looks weird, like the furniture is alive and climbing on one another.

6. THE PEEING BOY OF BRUSSELS STATUE AND FOUNTAIN - $199

I only included this, because since I was a little boy we've had this same exact statue in our back yard. When my parents moved out to the valley with us. This statue came with them. Yup, there is nothing like a statue of a little boy peeing to encourage our own little boys to pee freely in the great outdoors. This photo has spurred on a brilliant idea for theMangoTimes blog (keep your eyes open for a new series called "Stuff My Dad Owns"). 

7. LITTER KWITTER - $49.99

To fully appreciate this gem, you need to read the description. First: "You can teach your cat to use any human toilet in eight weeks or less"  So, let me see if I am reading this correctly, I spend 50 bucks and then spend 8 weeks training my cat to poop in a toilet. Could I? Please! Sign me up for "Cat Poop Training" and let me give you 50 bucks at the same time. Second: "It works in multiple cat households" I apologize. People who have a lot of cats, probably have 8 weeks of free time to train their cats to poop in a toilet. But, unless they learn to flush, I don't want to know what a house smells like that has multiple cats pooing in a toilet. Lastly, and this is just a side note, even the cat in the photo has a look that screams: "Are you kidding me?"

8. BIGFOOT, THE GARDEN YETI STATUE - $1,495 (lifesize)

Buy this and then book time with Dr. Phil, because your younger kids are going to be in therapy for the rest of their lives. Notice that this is "New Life Size" which I assume means that there were many disappointed owners of the smaller version who begged this company to create a life-sized model! This is also "hand painted for startling realism." Does anyone else see a problem with this statement? 

9. BIGFOOT, THE BASHFUL YETI TREE SCULPTURE, $69.95

What is with Bigfoot? This sculpture is for the people unwilling to fork out $1500 for the lifesize walking version above. "If you've never spotted Bigfoot, perhaps it's because he's NOT REAL!" I actually believe the advertising on this one, because you will make passers-by look twice. Believe me, after looking twice they will begin to slowly move away from you and never return. I choose to "believe NOT."

Let me know if you buy any of these or already own them (especially the cat poo training system), so I can end our relationship officially.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

Kenj and I travelled to the 2:1 Conference in Virginia this past weekend. It was a conference for Christian homeschool bloggers. Certainly a narrow sampling in the blogging world (yes, there were more than three people at the conference), but it was a really cool opportunity to meet and network throughout this small world that I share my words with as a homeschooling dad.

All weekend I was asked two basic questions: "Why do you blog?" and "Who is your audience?" The first question is simple: we live in a funny world with crazy people, I think someone should write some of this stuff down. I have a standard answer for the second question: I blog for three people and I truly have them in mind as I think through what I am writing. (I know, you are wondering...am I one of them?).

But what about the rest of you? I was encouraged to remember my audience. With the advent of microblogging through social network sites like Facebook and Twitter, commenting on blogs has declined dramatically, but I am constantly shocked to discover who is reading, lurking, skimming my words.

This isn't a plea to let me know you are here. I assume I have folks that laugh along with me at the funny things I write about. I know there are thinkers who join me in pondering faith and questioning life. I know I have my critics who look for the latest piece of evidence that Fletch has jumped ship and departed their version of orthodoxy. I know there are lurkers (I met some of you this weekend) who just read in the background. Cool! You are all welcome to hang out here.

Wondering if theMangoTimes is a blog you should share with others? I have put together a new page to help you decide: Should you read theMangoTimes? Yes. I fully expect my readership numbers to drop dramatically! :)

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

It turns out, Christian has started his own ritual. You see, every morning near 6AM my father walks across the driveway to pick up his morning paper out in the road. (Yes he still reads a newspaper...every. single. day.) Somehow, Christian's "PopPop" meter is alerted to my dad walking under his bedroom window and he knows that his best buddy is up and moving.

So, Christian gets out of bed. He changes out of his jammies and into whatever clothes he can find (sans underwear) and with his hair still bent sideways from sleeping, he quietly sneaks out of our back door and over to my parents house. Their backdoor is always left open, so he walks right in to find his Pop-Pop reading his newspaper. At which point...the ritual begins.

The two of them typically enjoy a bowl of cereal (with sugar) and here's the important part...whatever else Christian wants. Since I am typically at work every morning by this time, it takes a weekend for me to catch this routine in action. So, I snuck over a little late the other day and grabbed this photo:

Christian, Grammy C, and PopPop - Any Morning

I was too late for the breakfast, but I did capture the post-breakfast activities of book reading, newspaper review and drawing.

This kid lives a rough life!

Yes, a life we would all choose if we had the option. Hats off to grandparents who build memories.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

My wife updated her blog with some things about Mighty Joe. Interested? Go check it out!

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

Happy Birthday to the biggest Mangoboy! His style and fashion sense continues to push the envelope! We love you Hayden!

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

Happy 17th Birthday today to the original blonde tree-climbing mangoboy! (Version 2 Here). We love you Nate!

Quietly making noise,
Fletch 

Favorite Memories
Any visitors to Mangoland can appreciate that Salsa was a gentle fun dog for any kid that came to play or swim at our house. She never bit or nipped at anyone. In fact my greatest memory of Salsa was when my favorite accountant gifted us a pair of ducks. I walked out side and Salsa was lying down in her favorite spot in the sun. Curled into her belly was our cat, Sugar, and the two ducks, Cheese and Quackers. A major defect in the food chain? Hardly. Salsa was just that kind of dog.

Her Name
We brought Salsa home as a puppy on the Fourth of July weekend. We dropped some onions and tomatos on the ground and like a flash she devoured them. The name just seemed appropriate.

Check out this classic post: All Things The Movie

Quietly making noise,
Fletch