my first BOSS

Meet Phil.... my first boss. my leg up in the skateboard industry

Ever since I first started riding a skateboard in 1986, I would always take care of my equipment and resell it once I was ready for something new. I would drive around to skate spots in my mom's station wagon with a backseat full of used equipment. SELL SELL SELL was the name of the game... I took to it. I don't know when PHIL BOERSTLER opened Paradise Sailboarding Company, but I first started going in there in 1986. Not too long after first going in, Phil hired me. I don't remember the application process or how it all came about, but outside of lawn mowing and house sitting, selling skateboards at PARADISE was my first job where taxes were taken out. I've stayed in contact with Phil over the years as I have always seen him as a stand up guy.  We got together for lunch soon after I landed in town.

Phil and his cannon!

After lunch I got a tour of Phil's current business....Paradise Currency and Flags. He got turned on to Civil War history and memorabilia after 9/11 and started out trading currency from that era, and has now branched out to military flags and even cannon replicas from the Civil War. I'm routinely interested in what's he's doing and he enjoys hearing about my path in life.

Phil and Wes at the skate party

Brodie organized a skate date with all the old skate pals and a dinner afterward at a local bar called the Anchor. I bugged Phil to join us and I think he was nervous at first, but finally agreed to show up. All of the old skate gang knows him since he was one of two skateboard sellers in Wichita for a few years. He ending up having a blast reconnecting with some of the guys.

 

the FAMILY in Kansas

I'd seen my Aunt in OKC and it wasn't a week later until  we were hanging out again. This time in Andover at my cousin Michelle's house.

Mary, Magnus, & Alison on the sofa

Michelle lives with her husband and thier roommate MAGNUS. I was told that Magnus sits on the couch just like anyone else and later in the evening saw it for myself... We all shared some dinner and caught up on the past. As large as Magnus is, he sure is nice like a pussycat.

MAGNUS poses for the camera!

I got to hang with my niece and nephews, both together and separately.  I met Will for lunch at Blessed Sacrament several times and hung with him and his buddies while they ate and laughed. One day I was able to play in the soccer game after lunch. I felt too CREEPY to take out the camera around so many kids at lunch... so this is the only picture I took from those days...

here's hoping!

Will and I walked home one day and hung at Brodie's house...Zephyr wasn't around that afternoon so we tried out the drums without instruction.

Will pounds out some beats.

I met Kelly one morning while she was out on a walk.... Let's call it a class project.

Walking for Jesus.

I couldn't hang, so I split but not before having some words with the teacher leading the charge.  Another day I went to see Kelly compete in track... trying to get a spot for REGIONALS. KELLY sure can JUMP>

SOCCER. Will at the end of the season.

 I was able to watch two of Will's soccer games.  Both Kelly and Patrick are coaches of the team. Will is a great goalie and ball handler. After the last game they did awards and had a squirt gun fight.

Patrick and his 1st game of FARKEL.

I took Patrick out several times... First we hung at THE DONUT WHOLE and played farkel. I think he dug it.  Not long after we returned to the donut whole for an IMPROV COMEDY performance. Patrick volunteered and was pulled up on stage and got to RAP. 
 ONE night we went to see PIRATES of the CARIBBEAN and then went to ALL STARS sports from some carnival rides and go carts.

Patrick couldn't get enough, 1 ride for me, nearly had me ralphing.

fun times at ALL STAR

Mario Andretti, I mean Patrick Burns.. No fear on the track.

 Aunt Mary reached out to KERRY and we all got together at Alison's house one weekend day. Alison has a beautiful dog too. I failed to get a pic. Next time.

Kerry, Kelly, & Patrick check out the Traveling Free Box.

next up.... random KS occurrences.

VEGAN donuts - kansas style

last post was about Mother's Day and that was a SUNDAY.....not sure what happened on MON and TUES, but Tuesday night I put out the call about going to The Donut WHOLE for vegan donuts the next morning at 6am.  Only Brodie and Bianca rsvp'd... but as I was gathering the troops outside the van WED morning, WES JENKINS shows up out of the blue....

Wes was out walking his pooch @ 6am

Wes mentioned he'd seen my post and wanted to join us... He was gonna walk home and meet us there. Wes only lives 6 blocks from Brodie's.   Wes, Brodie, and I went on what turned out to be my first SKATE ROAD TRIP in what must have been 1989. We traveled to EAT CONCRETE skatepark in Omaha, NE. Was it for a Demo? or just to session?  I can't recall.. I do recall seeing Justin Lynch and Steve Berra there tearing it uP!

WED is the only day that they offer any VEGAN donuts.

I'm really hyped on the WHOLE DONUT. It's a real hang out.   Donuts and beverages, free wifi and plenty of tables to sit upon. PLUS there is a stage for local performers. music, science, improv... I caught some of each while I was there. I was thanking my lucky stars that they even offered a vegan donut. Every WED they make about 5-8 varieties of their cake donuts with the vegan mix.

The Ryan clan steps up to the plate

ROUND 1

our posse cleaned out a dozen pretty quick

ROUND 2 had me taking some home for the next morning

What do we have here...>?  Round 2 looks like sugar coated, strawberry frosting, coconut w/ vanilla, vanilla frosting, and fruity pebbles covered. Where as if you look back toward the top, ROUND 1 featured a few plain cake and choco frostings.   The vanilla frosted dreamboats ended up being my fav!

This was the morning that HK decided to set up a show at the DONUT WHOLE.  It turned into a saga getting the the show set up...... but that story is for another day....