If you didn’t attend this year’s Beach Trip then you missed a great weekend. For the second year in a row the weather was great; it actually started to rain on Sunday as we were pulling out of the parking lot heading home. The weather was great on Friday for soaking up some sun although some of us may try deep-sea fishing next year (If you read the info packet you find out about these things before it’s too late). Saturday on the beach was ideal; so good that we never made it to the hot tub for Jell-O shooters! On Saturday evening we had dinner at Margaretville with local H.B. Beverly providing the entertainment. For the costume party Cathy made the winning costumes for us – Rick, Buddy, and Mark – we went as the Fruit of the Loom guys. Even though we really ate up posing for a lot of pictures, the most fun was in getting dressed. Something about the combination of alcohol, safety pins, and balloons! Also, imagine if you will, all 110 lbs of John dressed as the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He actually pulled it off, great costume!! Rick and Cathy had tickets for the Jimmy Buffet concert on Tuesday in Charlotte so they were staying a couple of extra days at the beach. Aaron (who with his wife Cindy returned to the Beach Trip after several years’ absence) suggested that next year we rent a bus to take us to the beach and to the Buffet concert. With fuel costs out of hand and the low cost of everything on the Beach Trip this may be the ideal way to go. We’ll follow-up on this idea early next year when the info becomes available.

Buddy Ball

The CSC Spring Convention was held April 25 thru 27 and ETMM was well represented as usual.  There were plenty of meetings to attend and ski vendors to talk to but we also had some fun.  ETMM members won the costume contests for both the group award and solo costume award with the Fruit of the Loom guys and the Pillsbury Boy (photos shown elsewhere in the newsletter).  ETMM was also part of the winning Golf team and participated in several of the Beach Olympics.  ETMM also introduced the world to “Corn Hole” which quickly became the hit of the beach Olympics.  The weather was fantastic with temps around 80 and a light breeze so it didn’t get too hot.  The 100 mile rule is in effect so we can’t publish too much info on all of the fun – I guess you’ll just have to go next year if you want to find out what goes on at Myrtle Beach the last weekend in April at the Spring Convention.

Mark Mabry