Christmas Island Dreaming

Why can't I live somewhere where these are not only acceptable but appropriate to wear in December?

Instead I'm working on a history paper this morning while covered in 2 blankets, an internet search for warm slippers is pulled up on my computer and snow is on the ground outside my window.

Not fair.

What Would Jimmy Buffett Do?

Today Dad had a doctor's appointment. Not much new or unusual about that. But I must say, this office was the most beautifully decorated doctor's office...EVER. Which made for a more pleasing experience for me, the one waiting with the patient.

Jon could have cared less. Something about being 13 has morphed this kid into an iPod listening, texting food. Whatevs. I didn't want to talk to him anyway.




Speaking of this kid. I mean, teenager. He's totally been working on his Jimmy Buffett vibe in prep for our upcoming vacation. I'm totally jealous that he's 13 and working on his 4th beach trip, he's the kind of kid I hated in school. (Just kidding, I didn't hate y'all. I mean, not really. Well, just a little bit.)

Anyways. Here he is with the infamous "Florida Hat". The hat that was bought in Florida once and only makes an appearance once a year. Jon's claimed it this go 'round.



Ignore the fact that my foot is in this next picture. (Yes, I know, tiny toes. Flat footed. Stubby. I get it.) Look at those flip flops! Gorgeous.

Well, basic. But gorgeous nevertheless.

I'm breaking here for a moment to give a glowing review of "Havaianas". They are made in Brazil. I bought my first pair two years ago, and for a rubber flip flop they still look as new as the day I bought them. I hate when the cheapos from Target or Walmart rub all over my foot after a day of wear, or the pattern on the bottom wears off at all the pressure points. So I invest a little more. In Havaianas, Rainbows, Reefs, and Ocean Minded. AND IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY. Even if my father just doesn't get it.

End of PSA.



Okay, where was I? Oh yeah. Pots de Creme. I made this yesterday. It was delicious. Pioneer Woman taught me how:


http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/page/2/

Love coffee, adore chocolate and aren't afraid of a little raw egg? This is the dessert for you.



My vacation is officially 20 days away. It blows my mind to even think about that number. I'm so ready to be on the road. I am a firm believer in the idea that getting there is half the fun. This year with gas what it is, getting there will be half the budget. But it will be amazing. I love rest areas and Pilot Stations and crappy coffee in paper cups at 3 am. Oh gosh. Am salivating at the thought.


But there are of course still things that need to be bought and taken care of. The van needs alignment, Jack needs his shots, we need a box of the crap to take put together and then there are beach chairs....


Last year I managed to come home from Seagrove with 4 shiny, beautiful beach chairs from Publix.

Fast foward to this year and you'll find me pilfering through the garage moaning, "where are my CHAIRS" like a crazy lady.

The chairs for the record are gone. Nobody will give me a straight answer about where they went. But I'm hoping they are in a better place now.

Amen.

In the meantime, I've now got to get more chairs. Until then we've taken turns claiming the lone leftover beach chair. Jon's got dibs currently.






The Florida Hat and a Beach Chair and I wonder why he asks me today to find him more tropical music for his iPod. "You know, songs about the beach and beer," he says.

Good Lord.

And amen.

From the Church of Buffett.

What Now, Baaaaaaab?

My father has somehow morphed into me in the past few weeks: an obsessive list maker and planner. No wonder people have spent so much time mad at me in the past, it's quite annoying.

Lately his schtick has been pushing me to "coupon more of that stuff we need for the trip". So I spent yesterday shopping for a few things we need. Mostly swimming trunks and shorts for Jon, and a dress for the wedding. But I did manage to make headway on my Dad's "list".

I won't deny. It feels kind of good to have things slowly accumulate, rather than be bought in a rush of hurry the night before we leave.

T-Minus 25 days, and counting.

Happy

I spent much of my time this past Winter writing about how much I hate Winter. Or how unhappy I was. Or how much I couldn't stand another cold day.

I've come to realize that while I devoted much time to the bad side of things, I've yet to devote that much to the good stuff. The good stuff deserves its own post. There are many things to be happy about now that the weather is fantastic and my mood has lifted. Let me indulge.

I'm happy about stopping to smell the roses. Or flowers of any sort. Planting, and relishing in the feeling of renewal.

I'm happy about Orange Crush in glass bottles. All sticky and sweet and refreshing.

I'm happy about flip flops in fresh cut grass and pink toenails.

I'm happy about sunglasses and UV rays and chilling in the warm glow of a sunny day.

I'm happy about warm puppies.

But most of all, I'm happy about feeling so good.

And that pink toenails in squishy sand is just 7 weeks away.

Hard to be unhappy when faced with this prospect.

Caution: Girl Talk Ahead

It would seem I have two menstrual cycles, one which leaves me lying in the floor crying from the pain...oh dear God the pain and the other which leaves me relatively pain free but an otherwise blubbering, yet full of rage, emotional mess.

This week it's been the emotional mess I've been dealing with. I have, in the last three days, managed to cry over the following:

• Cole Slaw
• my Mother
• otherwise happy music on the radio
• Little People, Big World
• Dancing with the Stars
• "Dan in Real Life"

I'm rounding a corner and should be fine by the weekend. But geez...it's getting a little pathetic.

In other news, I figured my car lot weekends were over now.

Ha. Right. So my mother informs me last night that she needs me to follow her to the Honda dealership tomorrow because they are fixing a cylinder in her driver's side door and reprogramming the keyless entry. After that she needs me to follow her to garage where they will be replacing her brakes.

Happy joy down in my heart.

Other things I've been doing while suffering from blog block this week besides taking pictures:

• Buying milk from a local dairy
• Planting bulbs of gladiolus and raniculus. The latter of which I can't find a proper spelling nor picture of. But when I brough them home Jon looked at the package and said, "Raniculus? More like ridiculous!" Then he laughed like an old man and held his hand up for a high five.
• Catching up on all of the neighborhood gossip. Which, remember as we re-enter the warmer seasons, I live surrounded by housefuls of extremely religious people of several denominations. Including a pastor from a prominent Mt. Washington Church. The gossip never ends. (You know those kinds of church goers. Don't deny you don't. "I'm not into spreading rumors, so listen close the first time." Yeah.)
• Trying to find a suitable pet friendly hotel in Amelia Island, Florida. I've had loads of success with Savannah and have a list of about 12 different options. But Amelia is turning into a crapshoot. Unfortunately this is one area of this trip where I can't just go with the flow. As is the nature of traveling with pets I suppose. I'm currently considering St. Augustine or Daytona as a backup.
• Officially killed all of those seeds I planted. They sprouted. Things looked promising. And now they are dead. Moving onto Plan B on that one. Which would be buying the plants from a nursery or garden center. Oh well. Can't win them all.
• And finally I'm trying to talk myself into purchasing a Blackberry. So far, I've got myself pretty well talked into it. But does anyone have experience with them? The reviews have, for the most part, left me salivating. But I always enjoy hearing personal accounts.

Look at that! A real post. Aren't you all proud?

P.S. Any guesses on what Amalah is having for those who read her? I initially thought girl after comparing ultrasound pictures from a Google search, but I keep second guessing myself.

Photo of the Day: Spring is Here

I got home yesterday, grabbed my camera and happily started clicking away at whatever crossed my path. There are many things starting to come to life, including this Bradford Pear Tree. I happen to hate Bradford Pears, they attract bees and everybody has one or forty in their yard because they are cheap. Nevertheless, I braved the bees and snapped this shot of a Bradford Pear in my neighbor's yard. For a tree I hate, I never realized the little blooms on them were quite pretty.

Photo of the Day

I realized while sifting through old photos that while we were in Seagrove this past May, I did not once sit in the wet sand and let the waves crash over me. Now, I figure this is partly to blame for staying in North Florida in the middle of May. It had a tendency to be a bit chilly. But really, it's a pity that I didn't sit down next to Jon instead of stand back, snapping this picture.

I'll do better this year.

Although, now that he has a camera of his very own his obsession with photography is beginning to rival my own. So maybe, this year he'll just return the favor.

I should also mention another recent find....

Last year I made a photo book from Shutterfly of our trip. It was a free promotion that came with my camera. But I liked it so much I decided I should do one this year too. I never manage to scrapbook or save my photos for posterity in anyway, even though I go to the store and buy all of the supplies to do so.

So, this year I've been looking into the other photobook options. While I liked the one from Shutterfly it was very bright and ended up coming off a bit too sappy for my tastes. I found this site: Blurb

And immediately knew I'd found the one. I am in love with the simplicity of the books.

And I figure the sappy-ness of the last book I made lies in the quotes I chose. They were...oh there are no words. They were too much. Very unlike me. I don't know what I was thinking.

Which is why this year's book, I've decided, is going to feature quotes derived solely from "The National Lampoon" vacation films. Like these gems:

This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. I'm gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun. We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our godamn smiles.

or

Clark Griswald: Roy; can I call you Roy? Have you even driven your whole family cross-country?
Roy Walley: Oh, hell yes. Once I drove all of them to Florida. The smell coming out of the back seat was terrible.
Clark Griswald: I know that smell, Roy; but what if you had driven all that way and Florida was closed?
Roy Walley: Closed? Uh, they don't close Florida.

or

Clark: We're from out of town.
Man Giving Directions: No shit.

I mean, honestly, I think it'll make a classy piece of family memorabilia.

I *Heart* Target

Oh it's Friday. My initial blog post this morning included a lot of whiny, mopey, emo-esqe ranting. I deleted it. I'm trying to stay positive about life and everything surrounding it despite my desire to run to a nice hotel and check in for a few days for some peace and quiet.

I love my family. I love my family. I love my family.

Oops, sorry. I have to keep repeating that mantra today.

So anyways. I do need some advice.

What are your thoughts on racerback shirts and bra straps? Specifically I bought this dress from target:



So the straps are not noticeable at all from the front, you just see them in the back of the dress. Do I get a racerback bra, do I rock the bra straps showing, or... no bra at all (which I'm not entirely comfortable with, btw)?

Thoughts?

We've Hit DEFCON 3

There is 80 thousand inches of snow on the ground and:

• I've used all but a 1/2 stick of butter and some scrapings of Country Crock
• No more cokes
• Jack is running out of dog food
• I'm considering taping the mouths of certain family members shut

60ish degrees the rest of the week. THANK GOD.

Now I'm supposed to go snow hiking with Jon, and enjoy it.

Ha.

Hope you are enjoying the snow where ever you all may be!

Stupid March

So I'm sitting here at my desk this morning, eating cold chinese food and anticipating 8-10 inches of snow.

Seriously, March?! This is your idea of a good time?

Seed Update: They sprouted.

Seed Update #2: Who knows if it will ever be warm enough to plant them.

Enough said...

grr

Photo of the Day

I haven't had a good Photo of the Day in awhile. But it seems I'm overdue for one. I'm thinking something beachy, something that puts me in a Florida state of mind.

So I went perusing my archives for something from my last vacation that hasn't been posted yet. But then I figured you've probably seen them all. So I just picked my favorite. There is nothing in this picture, no real focus but water. And it's my favorite because all I kept getting told last year was that the water wasn't really going to look like it did in the pictures. "You know that has to be photoshopped, right?" Over and over, again and again. And then I was there, on that beach and guess what? It did. Oh glory it did. And I felt vindicated. And when I returned and showed the doubters they were all speechless.

The water won't look that this in my pictures this year, because the sand bars are so shallow it kicks up the bottom and won't allow for it to settle and be clear. And honestly, that's okay, cause I've seen it. Water like this. I just needed to know it existed.

Spring Sprung

I spent yesterday at the park. Walking!

When I let Jack out this morning it felt warm.

And it sounds like a Lion outside of my window.

All things I can be thrilled about. And while next Saturday it's expected to only be 34 degrees, I can live with it. Because I know, give it time and the next day or two could be 65 again.

My mood is instantly better. I feel refreshed. Happier.

I was honestly too tired and busy this weekend to begin my seeds. But later this afternoon Jon is going to help me start about 72 various flowers. 72! I don't know what we would even do with that many. But I'm guessing my extended family will be enjoying some flowers. And friends too.

But really, all I want to say today is this: February is over!!!

And it's a good thing, cause I was getting frustrated.

A Worry a Day

Last night my Dad clutched his chest while laying on the couch with a sick stomach and an aching jaw for a good half hour. We waited and stressed until he decided it was probably nothing more than an Angina Attack, which he has long been prone to. But that doesn't mean those 30 minutes prior didn't manage to shave another 5 years off of my life.


That's what I deal with. Quite often. The first few times it happened it really freaked me out. Now we have it down to a science. I ask him if he needs to go to the hospital. Jon asks him if he'd like him to wake up Mom. I get him a huge glass of ice water while Jon gets her up. She takes his blood pressure, which has usually sky rocketed from the stress and worry of it all (130/100 last night). He pops a blood pressure pill, a few nitro and waits.

While he's suffered from Angina for quite some time, it became more frequent after his last heart cath because he has an artery that is going to have to stay 70% blocked because of the blockage's location. From what I hear, Angina is really a symptom of Coronary Artery Disease.

So while there is nothing he can do and his cardiologist maintains he's got a decently healthy heart right now, it still manages to scare me. Just in a calmer way I suppose. Last night's attack lasted longer than usual and I was fairly worried this one wasn't angina and we'd end up in the ER.

That dread is something I've come to live with everyday. Unlike someone who has just lost a parent, I face everyday with the fear it's the one and the uncertainty of not knowing. I've been to that brink, been pulled back, and now sometimes have trouble dealing with the reality that he is here, okay, and isn't leaving me yet.

This is where I admit I should probably be on some drugs for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Or something.

Nevertheless, life goes on. Last night was scary. And today is a new day. (Albeit a cold one...dammit.) I wish I could say the birds were chirping and I had a new lease on life. But I don't. I sit and wait for the next time. Hoping it's all okay. And trying to maintain my chipperness that June awaits us and I'll get to sit on the beach with my Dad and laugh as he tells some stupid joke.

I'm really looking foward to it.

Free

I feel confident that the worst of winter is now behind us. Every 15 day forecast I've found on the internet is predicting 50 and 60 degree weather by the first week of March. I'm super thrilled with this. And refuse to acknowledge that it might not happen. Or that 22 years ago it was snowing the day I was born.

I heard birds outside of my window this morning. What a beautiful sound. Although the poor things must be cold. I kind of wanted to invite them in for hot chocolate or something. In addition to the little song birds there were also geese all over the field behind our house. I hated to tell them they may have returned a little too early from the deep south.

Last week my cousin Sandy called me out of the blue. Wanted the recipe for my mom's famous salsa because she was at the grocery and craving it. I thought we'd never talk again because of what happened with my dad and her mom and our grandmother situation. But there she was on the phone again like nothing had happened. My mom called her a couple of days ago to get info on how best to treat Jon's cold (she works in a family practice) and it was again...as though nothing had happened.

This has been such a weight off of my chest. I talked to my grandmother every few months, more often if I remembered but not as much as I should have. I talked to my aunt maybe once a year. But my cousin was a constant staple in my life. Her son is one of my brother's best buds, and they were always showing up at our house unannounced. And since we talked again and I have a renewed feeling about this situation I've finally stopped having those dreams about people or things that should be dead but aren't.

It's such a weight off of my mind. For the first time in a month my drives to Lexington haven't been overpowered by my brain's ability over analyze everything that went on in January. I feel at peace, and that's a good place to be.

So now that all that is over I've just been waiting on winter to be over. I'm desiring to be outdoors, to take gig after gig of pictures, or go for a drive with no intent on arriving anywhere in particular. And to finally be able to express how free I feel.