Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Mystery Poop

So, today is the third day that I have discovered big seed-filled poop on my deck - and I'm talking four piles of it this morning! (Sorry to be so graphic this early in the morning but the output matches what two labrador retrievers uh output.) And, no it is definitely not from my dogs - unfortunately I am way too familiar with what theirs looks like.

Hey! Wait a minute! Does that make it a "poop deck?"  haha

Anyhoo, the weird thing is that my deck is a good 12 feet off the ground. So, no way it's those pesky armadillos. Raccoons? Would have to be an awfully big raccoon. And, no not human. It's a mystery.

And, no it was not that Asian gentleman, Hoo Flung Poo (that was for you, Todd.) It was definitely deposited there naturally.


???

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

A yawn of a day



I think I am going to rename this blog "The Boring as all get-out Blog," but it does serve it's purpose in letting my mummy and daddy know I'm alive and well.  So, I started the day with yoga class with Jenny, which I really enjoy. Some of my chums from college were there (didn't that sound so Nancy Drew-ish?) and it was fun to catch up. I've gone back to the stinky musclehead gym on MWF now that all of my company is gone so I'm feeling pretty good, if a little sore.  yawn

Let's see, what else. Um, the car wash (I do love a good carwash. I always get the works because it lasts longer.) And, no this is not the only picture I snapped - took about 6. How pathetic is that?
Again, yawn . . .

Ran some errands and came home to work on my Wounded Warrior quilt. Remember the pattern I showed you? Well, here is how far I am: tree trunk and ribbon. Going to start on the top of the tree tomorrow. It's a fun little project for a good cause. It is a challenge to just use scraps - not even fat quarters, just bits and pieces. For the light part, I had to turn some fabrics upside down so they would blend better. I think the saving grace when it's pieced is going to be to quilt the heck out of it.

Anyhoo  . . . what else, what else,

Long walk on the beach with the doggies where Sophie attacked a pitbull puppy, probably scarring it for life and thus turning it into a vicious killer. It is a beautiful warm sunny day but I won't bore you with yet another picture of the beach. There are surfers out today and it is 72 degrees. nice


yawn . . .
Oh! The UPS man came. He is already scarred for life thanks to Sophie. She went for him early on. He probably carries a gun since his experience and who knows how many innocent lives have been lost because of it. She very well may be an agent of evil.  But I digress (again.) He brought me some whey I ordered after Dr. Lu told me to stop using the soy in my smoothies. She said people with thyroid problems shouldn't have soy. So, I went online and I guess I didn't really think about what 2,273 G looked like. I just liked the price break for the big one. Well, "big one" is the understatement of the year. The dogs were actually scared of the thing when I pulled it out of the box.  Holy . . .

Look at the size of this thing!

That is all.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Couldn't sleep last night. The gale force winds are so strong, the condo was swinging and swaying all night. I'm in an end unit and it's on stilts so I get the full force of the wind. The waves are really huge this morning. Check it out:


Reallly, the picture doesn't do justice to the wild weather outside.





It feels more like this:

"Wind Storm" Print

Anyway, the dogs will have a nice nap today because they couldn't sleep either with the howling wind outside the walls.

This is one sleepy face.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

This is what I love about being on the coast: the picture is always changing. See below for yesterday and below that for this morning. Now, it's blowing a gale.





For the last two days, the temperatures have finally been in the 70's, bringing out the riffraff on what I've come to think of as my private beach. Look at them all! Go away!
So, yesterday was National Quilting Day - but I'm sure you all knew that, right - and I sewed all afternoon. I finished up this quilt for my nephew, Will. How funny is this?? I took a picture I had on my computer and copied it onto a piece of linen, then cut out his head and stitched it to this panel of fabric. Then, quilted the panel, put on backing and binding (in camouflage fabric, of course) and voila:

I have to say Podunk cleans up real nice come Springtime! Instead of a crappy little hole in the wall, it looks, well, pretty. The dogwoods and redbuds are in bloom. There are paperwhites and narcissis (wait, are those the same thing?) and tulips and crocuses and everything is greening up.












































Then I started on another lap quilt for a veteran. The National Quilting Association put out a free pattern in honor of National Quilting Day, perfect for scraps. Here it is:
If you want to make one, go here:  http://nqaquilts.org/nqday/nqday2010.php for step by step instruction.

My last picture is what it looks like here at the beach this morning. What a difference from the last two days. Rainy and 60 degrees but humid and feels nice with the sliding door open.


Note the hoi polloi are gone. Yes!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Spring Break

The little family - my family - Nat, Sarah, Genevieve and Seth, left at 4:00 this morning. I am so grateful for their visit and will miss them!

I would say we really only had one successful beach day during our visit until the chill drove us away and even though we walked on the beach every day, we made the playground our main focus and visited a few in the area. My only requisite: must have swings!

Seriously, it was a lot of fun! Would you look at these faces!
Mommy supervises Miss G.

We visited the wimpy lighthouse I showed you earlier but it wasn't open this time. Here is a picture of Zia and Miss Genevieve in full pout. She is so good at it but her nature is too sunny for it to last long.
 Genevieve and Bunny NOT happy.

It was a lighthouse kind of day and we visited the Cape St. George lighthouse next (a bit more impressive, I think you'll agree.) The view is of St. George Island and no, I did not take that picture. No thank you. Nat is the only one who went up.

Check out the bridge to Eastpoint. Lots of low lying bridges over flats. So scenic but I have to say I prefer the ocean and a little surf.
Anyhoo, the lighthouse was built in 1852 on an outlying island, fell into the gulf in 2005 - Check it out:
And was rebuilt here on St. George Island in 2008. They salvaged a bunch of the bricks and cleaned off the mortar and erected the new one. When we pulled up, I noticed what good shape the lighthouse was in and duh, yeah since it is really only 2 years old! Misleading? Maybe . . . whatever . . .

I title this next picture: Goofy Daddy (he really is an awesome dad!) Check out the jury- rigged highchair (kid belted to barstool.)

Here is Seth on the road giving the parade wave to Zia. Is he the sweetest or what??

And, just one more:  Oh so lovable. 








Sunday, March 14, 2010

My family and other animals . . .

Ok, here is Zia (that's me) with the love of my life (well, one of them - I have six of these grandbabies - sweeet), Genevieve. And, I must point out that I am wearing my brand new h&t glasses so check them out. Oh. And, still no frizz, baby! I am NOT going to point out Lucy washing Sophie's face, which has become quite the icky habit - a bit of senile dementia on Lucy's part, I fear . . .

Anyhoo, here is the little family hard at work on the ramparts. How cute is this?

 Mr. Seth is next and you can see he has pretty good balance although he is only walking when he darn well feels like it. You go, Sethers!
 Miss Genevieve, the one and only. 
And, of course, The Girls. What a perfectly lovely day. In the 60s' but sunny and just a happy happy day.


Well, except for Miss Sophie (taking a break here from digging) who, once again, has taken a nutty and decided she would rather live somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

This is cool. Check out where you would end up if you started digging like Sophie . . .

http://www.livephysics.com/ptools/dig-hole-through-earth.php

I am soooo lucky: before I could even begin to miss Josh, Nat, Sarah, Genevieve and Seth arrived for Nat's spring break and overlapped with Josh by one day. We ate corned beef and cabbage in honor of St. Paddy's (but really in honor of Josh who had never had it before) and played a vicious game of Monopoly.

Here is the Monopoly game:

Mr. High Roller (that would be Nat) here with hundreds of reasons to crack us up!
So many laughs but must say that when Nat fell asleep, Josh thought it would be a good idea to split his cash between us remaining three, haha-not happening. BUT Mr. Josh-property-rich, cash-poor-Osborn won the game when Sarah had enough and insisted on a roll-off. 
 (Thank you, my Natonio, for doing the drive to the big city AT THE CRACK OF DAWN to take Josh to the airport because if I'd had to make that drive one more day this week, I would have opened a vein!)
Bon Voyage, Josh!!!!! We love you.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Not just another pretty face . . .



Beauty AND brains . . . 


* * * 
Miss Brenda and Josh











So, Josh passed his driving course with flying colors and now has 7 hours under his belt. Or should I say, under the hood?

Yay, Josh!!!  And, props to the fabu (and really truly extaordinarily very positive and bubbly) Miss Brenda!

(seriously, if you know anyone who needs some behind the wheel instruction, Miss Brenda is the gal for you)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010



Yesterday, we went to the local DMV to apply for Josh's learners permit. (here he is studying - he aced it, btw) They said no deal. Had to have a social security card. While he has a SS number, the card is not in his possession, and we needed proof. That's the background.

OK, so today, Josh and I drove the hour-plus to the Social Security Administration office in the big city and spent the morning with the dregs of the earth. We're talking Darwin's Waiting Room here. Not just tattoos but home made tattoos! Lots of members of the Widendz family, if you know what I mean. It was vastly entertaining.

Then, off to the DMV where this person (pretty sure she was possessed by the devil)  refused to give Josh his permit because his aunt did not have "no legal papers."  Ooooh, she was just that southern brand of smug. I felt like one of those cartoon characters with steam coming out of his ears:
See full size image




So, after meeting Miss Brenda (more on her later) to tell her he couldn't start his lessons until tomorrow, and lunch at Panera, off we went for the hour plus trip back to my adopted town of Podunk. Back to the Podunk DMV. And godblessum if those two southren ladies in the singlewide trailer (circa 1965) that doubles as the DMV didn't say, "son get in front a' that screen so we can make yer pitcher." And he got his permit:

How cute is HE!  I am faklempt

After a break to run the dogs on the beach and call in a pizza, off we went for the very first lesson (thank goodness he will be with a professional (Miss Brenda) tomorrow, but I was honored to be with him for his first run. We cruised the nearby undeveloped subdivisions  and meandered down to the BP to pick up our pizza with Josh at the wheel. Then he drove us home, safe and sound.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Spring has sprung

This morning it is a humid 54 lovely degrees in Podunk. At last Spring is here. More evidence? Green shoots coming up, a few flowers opening, birds singing, you get the picture. And, Spring Break. There are actually people here, including children. There are a few cars on the road. I am quite overwhelmed with all of the activity.

So, yesterday, Josh and I went on an eco-cruise out of Apalachicola and froze our buns off. Captain Ed reminded us of Clint Eastwood - same craggy features, same way of talking. Here he is:

In spite of not seeing any alligators (too cold) or bears (too cold) or manatees (too cold), it was quite informative.

Here is my favorite factoid from Cap'n Ed:

You know how when there are branches and stuff sticking up out of the water and it's called a "snag?" Well, if the branches are really moving up and down in the current, it is called a "sawyer," thus named by the old river boat captains because it looked like someone was sawing up and down. So, Mark Twain being a river boat captain came up with Tom Sawyer. Get it? I thought that was kind of cool.

He also had a lot to say about the history of the place from the civil war, to the fish processing plants, etc. It was fun and we were ready to get off the boat when it was done.
This is Cap'n Ed's little boat.
This next picture is apparently what a hunting camp looks like out here in the swamp. Think of it as your home away from home...



Houseboat Row


Yikes!!


The Apalachicola River, along with it's tributaries, drains a 20,000 square mile watershed. The number of species that live here - birds, fish, mammals, you name it - is stunning, especially since we saw about 5 birds. Period.

Anyhoo, we also learned quite a bit about oysters. The bay here supplies 10% of all oysters nationally. You should see the huge middens in the area. So, the government comes around this area regularly and loads the shells on barges and dumpsthem on the ends of the current oyster beds so new oysters can grow on them. Apparently the baby oysters don't care of they are attached to Mom or an empty shell. (Sounds like a horror flick.)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

It hasn't even been 24 hours

I'm afraid to ask him if they're clean or dirty