It’s Friday the 3rd of July, and we’re celebrating Rex’s birthday week here in Bay Head, NJ, wth a perfect string of sunny days at the beach.  Tomorrow morning, we may or may not wake up at the crack of dawn for the start of Fourth of July celebrations in Mantoloking, NJ.  There’s a one-mile run at 8:00am that London is interested in running in, but she’s not in bed yet and, like her mom, is not much of a morning person.  No matter what, we will make it to Mantoloking in time for the annual Independence Day parade at 12 noon.  Maybe we’ll see you there!

Rex and I just received a letter from the Bay Head Fire Company and I thought it was important to share with all of you.

Dear Bay Header:

Recently the Bay Head Fire Company fought a major fire — visible all over town, with flames towering fifty feet in the air. Our fire fighters were ably assisted by five neighboring fire companies and the First Aid and Emergency Squad. But — even though our company answered more than 125 calls in the past 12 months — such fires are few and far between.

A major reasonfor this is fire prevention. An important part of the Bay Head Fire Company’s fire prevention program is our yeary presentation at the Bay Head School. Using films and demonstrations, our firefighters help students to understand their work. The youngsters also are instructed in home fire safety.

Your generous financial support of the Bay Head Fire Company is important in our effort to prevent fires, as well as to fight them. We hope you will back us again in 2009.

Thank you.

Sharon Applegate, President
William Boyle, Chief
Bay Head Fire Company No. 1
P.O. Box 111
Bay Head, NJ 08742

501c Federal Tax ID is 52-1942305. 100% of donated funds are used for Bay Head Fire Company operations.

P.S. — Don’t miss the annual Fire Company Clambke on Saturday, August 15th. Good food, good fun!

Every year, Rex, London, Maddie and I like to stroll through Centennial Park, on Bridge Avenue in Bay Head, New Jersey, enjoying the Jersey Shore artists on display at Art in the Park.

This year, our favorites included:

• Popo Flanagan from Naples, Florida — acrylics
• Andrew Huntley-Robertson from Summit, New Jersey –oils
• Ann Hayes from Seaside Park, New Jersey — watercolors
• Mary Jo Austin from Lavallette, New Jersey — oils, acrylics
• Al Barker from Bordentown, New Jersey — oils, watercolors
• William Bunting from Iselin, New Jersey — oils

Over on my Bay Head Blog, I’m participating in LadyJava’s “Music Monday” meme this week with a post about “Stay-cations.” Rex, London, Maddie and I are here in Bay Head, NJ, enjoying another perfect weekend at our beach house, and though I would give my loyal readers the opportunity to join in the summer fun by renting Roxy’s beach house at the Jersey Shore instead of traveling far away for your summer vacation. For all the wonderfu times our family shares at the Jersey Shore, we feel like our beach house is going to waste when we don’t get the chance to use it due to our work schedule or London and Maddie’s activities in the Roxiticus Valley. We were glad to be able to rent it for two weeks in late July and early August when we’ll be busy up north (and west) with Roxy’s 25th high school reunion (that will certainly inspire a Music Monday post all its own!) and a visit from Aunt Veg and Uncle Quiet. I’ve taken some liberties with the lyrics of my favorite tune by the Go-Gos:

It’s June and the kids are out of school
Back here at home there’s nothin’ to do
Don’t go far away
You’ll wish you’d stayed
Head down to Bay Head for a beach house to stay in

A week at the beach and in the sun
Nights at the boardwalk lots of fun
I know I’m not wrong
And it won’t be long
Before you’re on the porch painting a sea shell

A week in Bay Head
You won’t forget
Two weeks in Bay Head and you’ll
Make plans to do it all over again

CHORUS
Stay-cation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Stay-cation
Bring the family along

A week in Bay Head
You won’t forget
Two weeks in Bay Head and you’ll
Make plans to do it all over again

CHORUS

If you’re interested in renting Roxy’s beach house in Bay Head, NJ, call or visit Diane Cornell at Van Sciver Realtors, 431 Main Avenue, Bay Head, NJ, phone (732) 898-0038 and be sure to tell her Roxy sent you.

It’s time for another shout out to our beach house painter in Bay Head, NJ: Steve of Point Beach Painting!

After Rex and the girls and I spent the past couple of weekends up north in the Roxiticus Valley, New Jersey, we grabbed the girls out of school early and returned to our beach house in Bay Head, NJ this afternoon. While we were away, Steve of Point Beach Painting had been busy freshening up the blue and white paint on the porch of our Bay Head NJ Beach House. He also did some touch up work in the dining room and one bedroom where an older paint job had started to peel… the salt air down here really gives the paint a beating, inside and out. Steve’s family has been in the painting business forever, his prices are fair, and he’s done nice work for us two years running.

If you live in the Bay Head - Pt. Pleasant Beach area and your beach house needs a refreshing paint job, call Steve at Point Beach Painting: (732) 779-4551.

We opened our beach house a few weeks back, and already hit the beach over that 80-degree weekend.  Maddie even insisted on swimming in the ocean, though her sister London avoided the icy water and stayed on our blanket working on her tan.  The cherry blossoms are popping, making Bay Head the perfect place to be in the spring.

The Seaweeders Garden Club of Bay Head and Mantoloking agrees, and wants us to mark our calendars for the Barnegat Bay Summer Garden Tour on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 from 10am until 3pm.

Your $45 ticket includes trolley service to bay-side gardens, one-of-a-kind vendors, plus a spectacular catered luncheon served on breezy beautiful Barnegat Bay.

Mail your $45 check, payable to Seaweeders Garden Club, to Box 191, Bay Head, NJ 08742, or purchase tickets at:

• Andi’s, 92 Bridge Avenue, Bay Head, NJ.  Phone:  732-892-5564
• Applegate’s Hardware, 524 Lake Avenue, Bay Head, NJ.  732-899-0385.

For more information, please call (732) 701-1276.

Just writing a check for the awesome plumber who winterizes and closes our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, at the end of every season.  If you need a reasonable and reliable plumber in the Bay Head - Point Pleasant, NJ area, give Tyler Sherman a call, and be sure to tell him Roxy sent you.

Sherman Plumbing & Heating, 557 Lake Avenue, Bay Head, NJ  08742.  Phone:  (732) 899-3273.