the ick factor x two . . .

1.) I have this thing about speedos. I think they should be worn by swim team members only . . . ages 12 to 19. Not, I repeat, NOT by 45+ year old, pudgy men while sunning in the front yard. It is such a major ick factor, on so many levels, I can't even begin . . .

Yet there he is, ranting at top volume . . . another exorcism . . . into the phone, at some poor beleaguered soul, ousting Luther . . . er . . . Lucifer and talking in tongues. Well, most probably some derivative of English, Spanish, and Pig Latin, who really knows . . . but you get the drift. Taco vs. the Devil . . take 312.

2.) My bathroom sink drain has been sluggish. To the point that while trying to hand wash my unmentionables, the water forgot to go down the drain. Sigh. The 9TS to the rescue. With him under the sink unhooking the stopper, a sudden collection of sludge popped into view. Taking one look at it . . . and another look at me, I knew removing said gunk fell distinctly in my jurisdiction. Suffice it to say, it was off the ick factor scale and my sink is now running smoothly.

I'm just saying . . .

fly me to the moon . . .

We picked an absolutely gorgeous day to run away. Low humidity . . . clear skies . . . warm temperatures . . . ah . . . it does a body good. This guy was having fun too, just riding the air currents.



But we blasted right past him in our ship:



And set down on a moon.



that was inhabited by Dr. Seuss like creatures:



with green and white hair:



and wondrous tidal pools:



a lunar landing:


a fabulous day . . .

thank you . . .

Sue and Karenika!!

Sue for suggesting the 9TS and I head for Washington Oaks State Park and Karenika for her gently nudge to use my 50mm lens. Thank you both because I am so amazingly excited.

We headed up to the park after lunch. I had not been there since . . . maybe 1973 or 74 and the 9TS had never been. I had literally forgotten about it. But the 'rocks' were phenomenal. A treat for the soul. The 9TS and I played mountain goat on them. So much fun. But as exciting as that was, I'm going to skip over them for the moment and fast forward to the state gardens.

I really wanted to try my 50mm lens since Karenika has such lovely shots on her blog and shared that tidbit with me. We were a little early in the season to really see many blooms but we did see a group of people staring up into a tree. People with cameras. Cameras with big lenses. The ones so big you carry your camera by the handle on its lens. BIG.



You know we had to stop and look. Finally, after one sweet, sweet lady let me look through her tripoded lens, I could see what the flurry was all about.

This guy was hanging out with his kidlet.



Obviously, my shots are not the equivalent of hers and the rest of her camera club but I needed to try.

And so I got this:



and this:



and this:



Don't ask why there is a cactus up in the branches. I have no idea.

Finally, we pulled ourselves from the tree and went in search of flowers. I found this:



which became this:



and this:



and now this:



and finally this little critter:



and was a very happy camper.

So once more, thank you Sue and Karenika for a very nice afternoon!

my bear . . .

Credits: Paper: Julia Makontinsky, Grunge: Vinnie Pearce,
Font: FFF Tusj, Everything else: Dawn Inskip.

friendship . . .

You know that quote that has been passing through cyber space for years now? The one that goes like this: A good friend will come bail you out of jail, but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying . . . 'Damn, that was fun!'

I have that friend. Really. Most mornings we chatter uninhibitedly about life in general . . . nothing is off limits. And occasionally we are unkind. . . neither of us born to suffer fools well. This morning we were on a tear. Giggling, whooping, fingers flying over our keyboards. And then she types:

"can you imagine if we were neighbors. Oh the fun we would have sitting on our front porches, drinking wine, gossiping about people and screaming at the kids to get off our lawns...complaining about everything under the sun...haha Like Weezer in Steel Magnolias! ;o)"

and I knew instantly why I adore her. She is so me. I would love to grow old next to her. Oh the fun we would have, unfortunately, she is some twenty years younger and would eventually be left on the porch by herself looking over her delicious flower bed at that singular patch of crab grass marking my bottled up remains with a quiet smirk plastered on her face.

Nothing in this world beats a good friend.

oh lucky me . . .

I am not a happy camper. Spending two plus hours in the dentist's chair will do that to me. My jaw is sore and I am C R A N K Y. So there.

I am now sporting two additional crowns. Brand spanking new temporary crowns. Pretty little pearls in my otherwise crooked crocodile set of chompers. I should be used to this by now. I have racked my total up to thirteen. I must be queen of something with all these crowns. Don't answer that. Don't even go there.

It might have been fun to brush with this little guy, I, being from the era of non-fluorated water, but the cavity germ visited more often than the tooth fairy evidently. GAW!!!

Conversation from today's chair:

Dentist: Don't bite me.

Jeanne: I won't.

Dentist: Your teeth are in my fingers.

Jeanne: Oops!

It must have been the Lorazepam. That's right! I swear I didn't know I was munching on him. Not that I would not have, had he not loaded me up with mega does of pain meds, because among other things, I am a first class dental chicken. Bawk!!! Bawk!!! Bawk!!!!

I have a two week reprieve until my permanent crowns come in. Oh Lucky me!!!

Happy Birthday . . .

TINKA!!!!