we had a visitor . . .

he lives down the street but comes by almost every evening . . . with his parents and his best bud who just happens to be a big goofy lab. This guy's name is Taz. Is he not adorable?



We are infected with furry friends. On our street alone, we have 10 cats and 8 dogs . . . in eleven homes. Oh! and 5 kids . . . of the human variety. I love our neighborhood.

Oh happy day!!!!

Last night my kidlet called to say she was out with friends and noticed the moon rising over the ocean . . . a huge red moon. "Run downstairs to the driveway," she said. I cheated and looked out the window. Nothing yet. A second call. "Run to the driveway, you should be able to see it now." I looked out the window again. No moon . . . but she was so insistent I headed downstairs and out the door. Half way down the walk, I saw her car. My kidlet had sneaked home for Mother's Day. Oh happy day!!!!

So for my mother's day present, my kidlet who hates to dress up, did. And let me loose behind my camera. Best Mother's Day yet. Oh happy day!!!!



Of course had I not fouled up my metering settings, she wouldn't look quite so pale. Another lesson learned . . .

it's a tortuous life . . .

We ran away again. Back to St. Augustine to get this little goodie for a buddy who is turning 6 and whose father works for the sheriff's department:



Let me tell you, it's tough driving up there. All there is to stare at is water.



But we also went because the replicas of the Nina and Pinta were docked up there. I know, I know, it would have been one heck of a lot easier to have visited them when they were here in town, but no, we had to wait until after they left and then chase them up the coast.





and lest you are wondering why such tight shots, it's because the poor little boats . . . true in size to the originals . . . were sandwiched between a few obscenely large pleasure boats and the construction on the Bridge of Lions:



Didn't make for great composition.

We knew we were going to be leaving late on this expedition so we planned on eating dinner at one of our favorite little restaurants . . . the Conch House. One of the reasons . . . besides the outstanding food . . . that we love this place, is that you can eat perched in little aeries under thatched roofs above the marina. What's not to love about a cool breeze and a cold beer.



A view from our nest:



and another:



Ordinarily, I would have taken food shots before eating but when the food arrived, we got carried away and by the time I remembered, this is all that was left of the 9TS's "Atlantic coast sea scallops, shrimp, and crab meat, simmered in a red wine datil pepper sauce tossed with pasta":



or my fresh grouper with sauteed zucchini, eggplant and roasted tomatoes:



Don't I look pensive when sated. Note to self . . . keep camera away from sloth.



On the way home, I decided I needed some shots of Matanza Inlet. The problem being, the road actually runs over the inlet for quite a way and there is no place to park. So the 9TS parked at the base of the bridge and I hot footed it through traffic and up and over the guard rails to get a couple of shots . . . . think a couple, three city blocks.



as I turned to trek back to the car, I see the 9TS pull out and head my way. The dear man was going to pick me up. Once again, I bounded over the guard rails and two stepped my way to the south bound lane and dived into the car before traffic backed up. Gotta love the 9TS.

And seriously . . . while I kid about the torture of living here, I am truly thankful for the life we lead. Truly. Thankful.

kidlets and kandles . . . .

It's late and consequently dark. My kidlet . . . with a sly grin . . . wants to borrow my camera. Off she goes armed with jars, candles and a mirror. Twenty minutes later she is back . . . flash card in hand. . . .

with this:


and even better . . . this:


There are more . . . many more . . . and in time, they will appear. I am always amazed when I get to see through my kidlet's quirky eye.

perking up . . .

In the middle of the night, when I wake . . . my brains going round and around . . . and no one else in the house is up, I love logging on and finding my fellow insomniacs. Not that we exactly solve the world's woes but a little conversation about cats or kids is a good thing. Thanks Marg!

So today I am, of course, pooped. Grumpy. Testy. Just plain mean. And the 9TS wants to run up the interstate to some flower and garden show he saw advertised in the paper. Not my first choice of things to do. I was sort of eying my bed . . . or one of the pool chaise lounges . . . or the sofa . . . you get my drift.

But the truth is, the 9TS is a good man. And if he wants to go to some botanical bonanza, then that is what we'll do. We followed the Mapquest directions . . . got lost but once. The show turned out to be less than stellar. More like a garden club exhibit in a parking lot. I was way beyond grumpy.

But nothing and I mean nothing rejuvenates like a drive down the coast. Except maybe to pull off at our favorite little fish joint and chug a couple of cold ones. I was decidedly less miserable. The 9TS slurped a dozen oysters. While they are not exactly my thing, sitting on a deck cantilevered over the beach, surrounded by the aroma of fresh seafood, hush puppies and salt air . . . . . now that folks, is stellar.

nuff said . . .

Thanks to Cathy for the original post.

trapped like a rat . . . .

OK, so we know I have an attachment . . . bordering on obsession . . . to my ancient red Miata . . I know, I know, not healthy. But I really do adore . . . especially this time of year . . . tooling around town, top down, music blasting. I reiterate . . . . it makes me feel good.

That said, I also love my home . . . . I like to sit in the quiet and listen to the sounds that make it so . . . the fridge cycling on and off . . . the dryer running . . . Katie's door squeaking in the breeze through the window . . . the whir of my computer speakers . . . the squirrels running across the pool cage to annoy the cats . . . the sound of the 9TS's foot steps. They are all things reminiscent of my life. But as Katie and I sat on her bed yesterday afternoon, working on a project, a semi familiar noise wafted from the front of the house, up the stairs and into her room. I know that sound but I don't. As I get up to investigate, I hear the screen door slam as the 9TS enters grumbling beneath his breath.

"The spring on the garage door is broken."

So that is why the sound was semi familiar. The garage door attempting to open and close. Over and over again. Now I hear a different noise . . . Cha-ching.

Then panic set in as the 9TS announced that the door would not budge . . . even manually. His car was in the driveway. The Miata . . . trapped in the garage . . . . tethered . . . . corralled . . . unreachable . . . I could almost hear its plaintive cry.

I called the company we have used for years . . . they could come next Tuesday. TUESDAY!!!! I have places to go . . . people to see . . . . speed limits to break. And even if I didn't . . . . trapped is not acceptable. I need to run to the store. I need . . . I need . . . FREEDOM!!!!

We called another company . . . they would be here today. The hours ticked by. I paced. Finally they arrived and once again, I can back her out and fly down the road to nowhere in particular. I don't like being trapped like a rat. No, not I.