Up another mountain or two, and then some

Laszlo at the falls


In front of The Biltmore




Greetings from chilly Beech Mountain. Where this morning we woke to a temperature of 30 degrees. In the sun the weather was glorious, in the shade we shivered in the cold wind.

We've been keeping very busy. Yesterday we took a trip down the road to the Linville Caverns and Linville Falls. Both very cool. The caverns are 52 all year round and more than 2,000 feet below the ground. Without a light source you are in complete darkness - which is freaky when the demonstrate this.

And then to the falls. We hiked up a mountain again to see some more lovely scenery. It would have been better if Laura didn't wake up with a cold the day before and by yesterday it had progressed to a nasty bug. She earned the nickname one-lung Laura because she said that's what it felt like for her to climb to the falls.

Today, we went South to the Biltmore estate. Whew. That place is huge. And that's only the house. That doesn't include the grounds, which we thought we drove around and saw a lot, really we didn't, only a fraction. I am awed that the amount of land and home-space was for one family. But the weather was lovely. We walked the grounds, Joe and Greg entertained themselves by rolling down the back lawn, and we went to the winery and tasted some yummy wines.

We all agree that there's no need for a gym up here. Mother Nature is your gym. If I walked up and down mountains daily, my butt would be MUCH thinner.

Tomorrow there's one more mountain to conquer, Grandfather Mountain. We plan to take a picnic lunch and enjoy the cool weather and some of us plan to cross the mile-high swinging bridge, not including Joe. He said there's no way he's doing that. But that's OK.

Off to a late dinner. Greg's crock pot beef stew smells yummy!

A Two Hour Drive??!

A rest stop on the Blueridge Parkway


A rest stop for us on the climb to Clingman's Dome


The trees that are dying


We decided to take a drive down the road to the Smokey Mountain National Park. According to Mapquest it would take about 2-hours. Well, after driving down the lovely Blue Ridge Parkway (which my poor sister Karen was close to hurling more than once from the curvy road), a sidetrack to the west of Ashville, through the Cherokee Reservation and finally into the park it was 1:30 in the afternoon. We left about 9.

So we had to make the best of our time in the park. So we found a lovely set of picnic tables where we dined on the best peanut butter and for those who partake in the jelly sandwiches. We planned our attack. We would make our way towards Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the park. According to the parks literature we picked up, we would make a "steep" 1/2-mile walk to an observation tower where we could see 360 views of the surrounding mountains.

Wow, steep was being kind. I told Laszlo that it was the longest 1/2-mile walk I've ever done. Comments from the group on the way up:

I surrender! I'm a flat lander. - Laura

Oh my God, we're not even half way there. - Sarah

If the woman with the walking cast can do this, I better be able to. -Laura

I don't want to walk back down, it's too hard. - Karen

What was really sad was all the dead and dying trees. How sobering. The majority of the ferns growing on the mountains are being killed by insects "accidentally" brought from Europe. And the trees not dying from that are being finished off by the acid rain. And to read that the view is obscured 80 percent in the Summer from pollution was scary. And all of this happened within 100 years.

So we left the park in search of gas and a quicker way home. We went north through Gatlinberg and around the park on a quick moving highway. We got home at 10. We cut off more than and hour off our time. Thank goodness for the 16-bean soup waiting for us in the crock pot. All we wanted to do was eat a little and fall into bed.

Today the gents are off playing a round of golf and the ladies are sitting around the house relaxing. Which we are fine with. We think we might venture down to town later, with hopes that the gentleman on the way back up can pick us up.

No matter what though, vacation is good for the mind and the soul. I can get used to this. Although I'm happy NOT to be in the car right now.

Welcome to the Beech

Yesterday we arrived in Beech Mountain, N.C. for a week of R&R. My husband and my two sisters and their husbands are sharing a home. We are very high up to say the least. Over 5,000 feet. But it is lovely. The weather is nice about 80 or so in the sunshine and in the shade cooler. In the evenings into the low to mid-50s at this point. And at the end of the week it is supposed to cool down significantly.

The picture above is the view from my bedroom at 7:45 this morning. It was one of the few days recently I woke up and said to myself, I need to go out and see what the view is! And it was fantastic. I hope to see the sunrise one of these days.

We hiked two trails today, climbed up the the very top of the mountain to watch the sunset and just finished a fantastic dinner. Tomorrow we are off to Smokey Mountian National Park.

I am relaxed (and no it's not the wine from dinner). Vacation feels good.

Welcome home Laura and Greg K.C., Welcome Home!

So this evening husband and mom and dad spend the evening lugging sister Laura and brother-in-law Greg's stuff into a new apartment over in Seminole - about 10 minutes from my house. This is a huge improvement since they used to live four hours away in Jacksonville. Greg recently graduated college and now is the proud owner of a new job.

We are all very excited to have them home, they've been gone for more than six years. There will be much fun to be had. Although part of our hearts are still in J-Ville as sister Karen and bro-in-law Joe live there. Just another reason for a road trip to North Florida.

But as for Laura and Greg, in the words of the guy from Extreme Home Makeover -

Welcome Home Laura and Greg K.C., welcome home!

A Drive-By Photoing..

I'm going through some photos and I thought I'd post a few. First we start with my good buddy Kathy - yes that's her a coconut bra. She knows she's hot can't you tell by the come-hither look in her eyes?



And next there is my parents. They celebrated 38 years of wedded bliss this summer, and as a gift the kids bought them, what else, Super Scrabble! Quadruple word scores, what's not to like about this game?? One day I will win!


And Kathy makes another appearance. Here she is with her husband Dave. They renewed their marriage vows at Rainbow River State Park last month. This time she was sure Dave wasn't going to hurl or runaway. She wore a dress to mark the occasion. There were many pictures taken, we don't know if we'll ever see another dress again on her!



Finally, this is my husband Laszlo. He took a trip out west in May to see his friend Mike in Vegas. They took a trip up to Lake Tahoe. It's almost June in this picture and he's wearing a sweatshirt. To me this picture is funny because it looks like he is in a photo studio where they have all those backgrounds they can pull down. Pretty funny.

U-S-F!

It's bedlam baby here in the Tampa area here in west central Florida. There's green and gold everywhere. For what you may ask? It's all about the University of South Florida Bulls football team that has crashed the NCAA football party by beating Auburn IN Auburn and then spanked a pathetic North Carolina team last week. And now, in the biggest game of the 11 year-young football team, they are less then 30 minutes away from playing #5 ranked West Virginia.

I know - it's only football you may say. But it's fun. Especially for a school that has been in the shadow of UF, FSU and even Miami. For a school that most people around the country had no idea what school USF is - even though it has almost 45,000 students in attendance. This school is starting to get a little respect. And with all the bad things we hear about every day on the news, it's nice to have a little fun frenzy to take your mind off the other stuff.

So with that said all I have to say is GO BULLS!

Heerreee's Sarah!

So I thought I would borrow Dave Simanoff's Four Questions format to jump-start my posting here again. It seems a simple way to answer some of the questions that everyone has been asking me. I just manipulated the questions to fit what I need to say.

Question 1: Where has Sarah been since August?
Well, at home and work. Sarah wasn't out traveling the world. Sarah's computer went into menopause (it just started overheating one day) and it kept shutting down. She didn't feel comfy writing blog entries on the work computer. The blog would have to wait.

Question 2: What's-up in Sarah's World?
Let's see. Work, play some and some more work. In between Sarah celebrated her husbands 33rd birthday, her parents their 38th wedding anniversary, her friends Kathy and Dave's second wedding (she wore a dress!), Sarah's 33rd birthday and is preparing for a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her two sisters and brother-in-laws. She also found out her sister Laura and bro-in-law Greg are moving home after 6 years in Jacksonville. She is excited.

Question 3: Has Sarah Read Any Good Books or Seen Any Good DVDs Lately?
Sarah has. Right now Sarah and Laszlo are on a Kevin Smith film binge, and she wants people to know that yes Dogma was funny. Also - The Alphabet Sisters was a great book.


Question 4: How is Sarah Feeling Today and Why?
Excited! The USF Bulls play #5 ranked West Virginia tomorrow night and she is extremely pumped. Go Bulls! She will be wearing her new Bulls shirt to work tomorrow in support of her team.

Blechh!

I know it's been a LONG time since I've posted. My computer had an issue with overheating, thus it wouldn't work.

Today I can't breath, my ears are clogged and my head is killing me, along with some overheating so I am staying home from work for the second day in a row. When I feel human again, I have lots to share. But since I don't and it's before 7 in the morning, I'm going back to bed.

I Can't Get No...Satisfaction?

I was reading through one of the magazines my Mom passed off to me the other day. Most often I skim through them without finding a gem or much useful. I found a great column by Rick Warren titled: The Secret to Soul Satisfaction. Usually that would turn me off just the title alone. But for some reason I started to read it. This line caught me and propelled me to the end: "But discontent becomes unhealthy when your desire to acquire becomes your life focus." The column is about examining what you have and to remember to take the time to remember all that already have. It can be summed up by one of the headlines in the story The key is real gratitude. He sums it all up by asking you to look at what you have in your life and ask "what will last forever? and what will last a few months, days or even hours?" And to focus more on the things that have the greatest impact such as your family or giving back to others.

This article helped me remember, those really important items in life are worth investing your heart and soul in. A new car, TV or a new pair of black pants is nice - but not worth splitting hairs over.

And it reminds me to wish one of those important people in my life, my hubby, a Happy Belated birthday.

I Love the Rain

I work on the 16th floor of with a window to my back. So it makes for some cool views at times. And when we get the great Florida thunderstorm rolling through I find myself having trouble working because all I want to do is stare out the windows at the weather. Today was a great example. The huge gray clouds rushed in time after time and then the waves of rain blew sideways. Next thing I knew, they were gone and the sun was shining. Crazy.
If my computer faced the window I would be screwed. I'd never get any work done. I'd just stare out the window all day.

You're Healthy ... But...

Today I participated in my company's new health program. You get a basic physical (blood, blood pressure and a height/weight assessment. It's pretty cool. In fact, just by taking this test you get PAID $50.

I was surprised by how good all my levels are. I am in the normal range for cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides and my HDL (Healthy!)/LDL (Lousy!) levels. Although they insist that I am 5 feet 5 and 1/2 rather than 5 feet 6. They have to be wrong! If it wasn't for my weight issues, I would have no risk for heart disease according to my assessment.

In fact, when you factor everything but weight, as one of the worksheets did, I have a below average chance of heart disease. I'll take what I can get I suppose. At least I didn't have sky high levels. I am proud of that fact. And now I have another reason to lose some weight, minus just all the obvious ones. I make my goals, I get paid $400 next year. Now to the easy part (yeah right) that whole losing weight thing.

Guys, You Might Want to Skip This One

I want to know who the moron is who came up with the newer packaging for Always. You know the folks who make feminine products?
As you open them up they proclaim "Have a Happy Period!" Yes, with the exclamation marks and all. That's the last thing I need to hear at that time of the month.
Some chump telling me to be happy must never have had bad menstrual cramps, or the desire to bite the head off of a loved one because your hormones are raging, the urge to cry because - well - cause you just do, back aches, nausea and other wonderful things. What it should say is, take some ibuprofin and have some chocolate and you might feel a little better.

I can't believe I just wrote something about my period, but that little phrase just really pissed me off.

It's Been Swell Harry

So Saturday morning I was up bright an early to procure my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I thought I'd leave the crowds of the night before and get in and out of Target first thing. Unfortunately Target isn't opened at 7 like I thought. So I snuck in and out of Wal-Mart and was well into reading the book by 8:30 with my mug of coffee and bowl of cereal. I thought I'd finish it by days end by some interruptions got in the way and by midnight I was pooped and I wanted to be more fresh for the final 100 pages. I new it would be heavy.

And it was. For the most part I was pleased with the book. It answered the questions I had. I have to say JK, the epilogue, I could have done without. But the epic battles, imagery, twists and turns were great. I know I'll have to go back and read it again to really get the intricacies of the book.

Now my only question is...what am I going to read now?

On Fish, Two Fish, 17 Fish??!!

So this was a part of my husbands fish haul on Sunday. Why a part? He reached his bag limit on Spanish Mackerel and he had to start throwing some back. He accidentally brought 2 extra home (thus the 17 fish).

And as my sister Laura said "they are delicious!" Or as I said "Mackerelishious!"

Because of his luck, Hubby is convinced I must come and sit in the 90 degree + weather and join him for a round of fishing. Well, if I actually caught one I might be convinced, but I have a rep. to uphold - I'm the one who just doesn't catch any.

Oh, and don't even ask what our garbage can smelled like after being in 90+ degree heat all day yesterday. One word for it, NASTY!

In the Wilds of Pinellas

Who says there's no wildlife in the midst of suburbia?

Take for instance this soft-shelled turtle I will nick-name One-Eyed Wonder for his one good eye that I found this evening in my neighbors side yard. I would have never even noticed him if it wasn't for the fact I locked myself out of the house unknowingly this morning. While petting the neighbors cat, the cat suddenly got up and ran over to the turtle to investigate. I didn't want the cat to hurt the turtle to so I shooed her away. Hubby came home to let me in the house, but became a part of helping O.E.W. back to a lake. He seemed very pleased when he plopped into Lake Allen.

God does work in mysterious ways eh?

Whew, what a week!

I'm pooped.

This week has been a doosie to say the least. I went t bed at 9 last night, I know I'm heading that way after I finish this.

First there was a late night last Saturday night in Orlando. We hung out with some old friends from high school and caught up. Was so pleased to see my old buddy Patti, we were almost inseparable back then. Either we were on the phone or spending the night at her house or her spending the night at mine. I'm glad she bumped into Joe and found her way back to us.

Then there was a wedding on Tuesday. Yeah, Tuesday. Glen and Samantha congratulations! The wedding was great. I would have loved to stay for cake, but I started to get a migraine and I had to go.

Off to Thursday, a killer event for work. Nothing like an outdoor event in Florida at the end of June to make you thank God for air conditioning.

And today, just lots at work again, and migraine number 3 for the week.

So to summarize: Pooped, headache, friends, headache, wedding, work, headache, pooped.

I have some fun pictures..but I have to figure out where I put my card reader or a USB cord. Until then you'll have to picture this:

Friends in tacky Hawaiian garb and me and a hot dude dressed like a CFL that we nicknamed "Hottie Wattie."

Harry Potter Mania

So the other night I finished my re-reading of all the Harry Potter books. It is amazing how much I had forgotten. And you would think it would be the first ones that I had forgotten the most. But it wasn't. It was the year 4-6 that I was just amazed how much I missed the first time through. I think it was that I wanted to know so badly how they ended that I glanced over many parts. And now that year 7 - Deathly Hallows is what, 29 days, away (I didn't know that number off the top of my head, I had to head to MuggleNet, a premier Harry Potter fan site to look at the clocks at the top ticking off time till the movie and the book release) I had to come into the final book with a clear understanding of the many plot lines. It's not just about who dies at the end, but why so many things happened. But I feel like I have to give up reading the Internet for the next month. I don't want to read about people posting hacked endings to the book. I don't want someone else to tell me how it ends. I want to find out. So I think I will have to carefully tread through the Internet, a slowly open certain parts of the paper to make sure I don't find out.

I know it's a children's series, but it's solid reading that's a lot of fun. And I am here to admit that at the moment I am caught up in the hype. I'm ready to see Order of the Phoenix (in Imax of course!) and shortly after, to buy my copy of Harry Potter first thing in the morning so I can take it work and read it at lunchtime. People may laugh...but I don't care. I'm ready!

Happy Belated Birthday Babies....

So the Quads turned 1 a few weeks ago. I don't know if you remembered my mention of my cousin's wife gave birth to twins less than two years ago and followed them up with quads. These lovelies above are the Motter Quads. I wish I knew which was which (I haven't had the chance to meet them personally) but they are: Connor, Elizabeth, Grace, and Dylan.

So happy birthday Motters!

Tropical Storm Barry

So we were took a direct hit from Tropical Storm Barry today. And were we ever pleased. Rain has been in very short supply here in Florida. It was more than a month since we had any rain. Even the stinking weeds were shriveling up. I wasn't even going to try to plant anything - I've learned that working against Mother Nature just does NOT work. The eye came directly over my county. It was very strange. It was raining and then suddenly there was blue sky. It was lovely.

Barry is the kind of storm we'd take here any day. But I know I don't want to tempt fate. The experts keep saying we are going to have a very active season and that Central Florida's time is coming. I hope Barry was our tropical brush of the year. I really do. Thinking about something worse gets my stomach all out of shape. It's just scary stuff.

On another topic, I'm writing this blog entry from my buddy Aaron's laptop. He was reading this blog early on and often gave me grief when the space wasn't changing much. So I think it's pretty cool that I'm working from here. I'm not going to try to add a picture. I'm not too good without a mouse since I rarely use a laptop. Hi Aaron! :-)

A Quiet Week

My hubby took a trip out west to visit his friend Mike in Vegas. Well, there was also the side trip to Reno and Lake Tahoe, which to his surprise was all of 30 degrees one morning forcing him to buy an over-priced sweatshirt.

I had all these plans this week to do while he is away. But with work kicking my butt as it is, I've been exhausted and very happy to watch a movie, read a book and get to bed early.

But it's lonely. There have been days this week when I really needed a hug, a neck rub to get the tension out and just someone there to listen. I am actually looking forward to his return. Not only because I don't love cleaning the cat's litter box, or that I miss the coffee he makes every morning or his nagging me in the morning to get out of bed (not so much the last one :-) or the presence of him somewhere in the house and I just know he's there. Wow - that got sappy real quick. But it's how I'm feeling.

Saturday night I'll be a happier woman.

Rest in Peace Peps

I never had the chance to meet my grandfathers. Both were gone before I was born. But I have been blessed to know many other peoples grandfathers and today a great one passed away. Peps had a quick wit, a biting sense of humor, love for the Red Sox (I didn't hold it against him), and a greater love for his family. Earlier this week he told his daughter-in-law his gift for his wife on Mother's Day would be him being home with her. He knew his time was short. And shortly after four this afternoon, he went home to his beloved wife and God. Peps, I am so blessed to have known you. And I am blessed to have been there when you left your earthly family. God Speed. Here's a prayer I offer for you.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Off to the North...

Tomorrow night we head way north to Jacksonville to celebrate the graduation of my brother-in-law Greg. So in my head it's Thursday night. I'm ready to go! Sometimes it is just nice to get away a little. To not think about how dirty my home is and that my Mom-in-law will be taking care of the kitty and thinking, how dirty my home is.

Anyways...I'm sure there's lots of fun to be had. I will have my camera at the ready!

2007 Park Tour Continues

We continued our Pinellas County Park tour at the Boga Ciega Millennium Park in Seminole. I was interested in seeing the nature sculptures that had been installed, but we were also interested getting out on a Sunday afternoon, getting some exercise and seeing a slice of our county that we haven't explored. Below is my favorite of the sculptures. They weren't named, but I think she might be mother nature. Her hair was pine cones, she had a map of the world on her back and her dress was made of humanity's hands. Pretty cool I thought. And I thought like she was holding onto the tree for dear life, as if trying to save it.

While I came for the sculptures, I loved this park for it's pristine landscape on the inter coastal waterway. There were meandering boardwalks that take you by mangroves, and when you get off the path you can walk up to the water and find legions of crabs like below.

What was really cool was as you were wandering the paths you really forgot you were surrounded by development. It was quiet, minus the sounds of people having fun and nature. You really could spend a day out there. With the trails, dog park, fishing, playgrounds and lots of trees to relax under, this small piece of paradise, we are lucky in Pinellas County that they didn't bulldoze it and put up a parking lot.

Life Intimidating Art? Or the Other Way?

These are two of the Dilbert comic strips that ran today and yesterday. I read them both and burst out laughing. The more I work in the corporate world, the more I understand this comic strip. And this week, I feel like the strip is my life. For most of 9 hours, five days a week, I'm sitting in a chair, and I feel like I have developed a case of "chair buttocks" to go with my typers elbow and hands. Unless you sit at a computer all day you'd never guess the soreness that can come with sitting and typing a lot. And here I am at home, sitting and typing. Gotta go and sit and eat some dinner...

Words heard around the waterin' hole...

Recently my boss was overheard saying he was "stirrin' up the monkeys." Or causing trouble, I guess. For some reason that stuck with me and I think I shall steal it. So here I am ready to stir up them monkeys... now I just need to find something that deserves such a catch-phrase!

Lucky Number 700

This is Sarah Says 700th post. I can't believe I've had that many. It just seemed like yesterday that I joined the Blog sphere. Wow. I am impressed that I'll still doing this. I've kinda had a blog renaissance. I just enjoy a little creative writing. It's my only outlet really. I do wonder who is reading this stuff though. Maybe it's only a few of you, but thank you for doing it. And now, in honor of 700 posts, here's my 700 Haiku:

Seven hundred posts.

My life is between these lines.

Anyone out there?

Shalom

This past weekend my cousins children were baptized into the Catholic Church.

Brad (pictured on top) and Cody (on the bottom) sons of David and Kim got slightly wet - OK - that wouldn't be correct. They got pretty darn wet.

My Aunt Pat tells us she was very touched by the entire process.



I just wanted to offer my congratulations - or Shalom which in Hebrew is a very powerful blessing/prayer for peace, for completeness, wholeness. And this baptism brings wholeness to them.
Cody and Brad - Shalom!

Happy Birthday to Jooeee!!

I want to send out a very big Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law Joe. Today he turned the BIG 26. Yes, today he is officially closer to 30 than 20.

This picture was from yesterday as we celebrated with him before he and my sister took off for home in Jacksonville. It was his birthday tour. He had cake on Friday at work, a baseball game on Saturday (as well as golf with the menfolk) and cake yesterday. There was even some leftovers for him to take home for a some cake for tonight.

So once again Joe, hope your big day was great!

You know it's Easter-time when...

When the heavenly smell of cinnamon rolls/tea rings fill my Mom and Dad's home. Yesterday I made the all-important rolls, they are easier to split than the tea rings.

There are few things that take me back to childhood more than the smell of these pasteries. They are only made two times a year - Christmas and Easter.

Not that they are hard to make. In fact - they are really easy. It's just that they are so special because we only have them twice a year.

Yum.

Three Days of Rememberence

Catholics are in the midst of the Easter Triduum. That is the three days that lead up to Easter. Holy Thursday (the celebration of the Last Supper which instituted two sacrements of the church, the Eucharist - "This is my body, this is my blood" and Holy Orders "Do this in remembrance of me.") Good Friday, the only day of the year when no mass is said where the church grieves the loss of Christ - where there is no celebration that is associated with mass. And finally Holy Saturday - which culminates in the Easter Vigil, the most high mass of the year. Where out of darkness (mass cannot begin until the sun sets) a light comes forth in the form of Jesus' resurrection.

These are the most holy times for the church. Ancient traditions continue that have gone on for two thousand years such as the songs that are sung and words that are read.

Today we grieve, but soon we rejoice. Amen I say to you.

I believe.

2007 Park Tour Begins

Laszlo and I visited Sawgrass Park in St. Petersburg yesterday. I was there once before that I remember when my good friends Kathy and Dave chose the park to get married. It was a very different day as Hurricane Frances was clobbering many parts of Florida at the same time and we were only hours away from rain and wind.

We decided it would be nice to take a walk outside while the weather is comfy and check out one of the local parks we had little experience with.

The small park does have lots to offer. From meandering boardwalks that showcase Florida's nature to hills and picnic benches where you can chill out and have a nice afternoon.

I really enjoyed the Oak Hammock trail which we found few people enjoying. There were lots of side trails that the adventurous could take.

The biggest downside? The park sits right next to Interstate 275. And in many areas you are very aware of it.

Even with the roar of a busy highway, it is still nice to be able to see nature in the middle of a very crowded county. And all the wildlife too. This alligator was taking a break from the sun under the outlook tower. And we saw many birds, spiders, turtles and fish.

I think I want to make it to more of the areas parks. So this really kicks off our tour. Laszlo gets to chose the next one since I chose this one. In such a tiny county you might be surprised how many parks there are.

Let me know of any suggestions for where we need to visit in the Tampa Bay area. We're up for it!

A Flower and Some Thoughts

I took this picture of a hibuscus flower out front last night. I've always thought they were lovely flowers. With their showey colors and broad leaves. At the same time I always thought them a little sad. These beautiful flowers are here for only one day. By morning they are curled back up getting ready to fall away from the plant.

I liken it to our lives. We are young and beautiful for only a short while really and then we too fade away, only to be replaced by another young and beautiful one. But the most important thing really is that we are alive and that we should take advantage of the time we have here. To show the beauty that we have inside to every one we can. And to stop making excuses why tomorrow would be a better time to do things you keep putting off. Who knows when your flower will fade?

OK, enough philosophy for one day. Just do what Nike's been telling us for years.

Just Do It.

Spring Training in St. Pete

I attended a Tampa Bay Revil Rays spring traininf game on Saturday. It was my employee day at the ballpark so I brought along the hubby, my parents and my Aunt Pat and Uncle Tony who are visiting from Ft. Wayne, Ind.

There could be some newer parks that may be more high-tech and more comfy, but Al Lang Field at Progress Energy Park is a great one. It is intimate, every seat is good, easy to access and the view, as you can see by the photo to the left is spectacular.
I also attended part of a game on Tuesday with my team at work. It is fun to see so many workers from downtown taking a "five-inning lunch." But heck, it's spring training, and playing a little hookie from work isn't that bad. And in the 5th inning, the Rays hit in 6 runs. So it was also extra entertaining.

I may go on Saturday to watch the Rays take on the Red Sox. The only problem with those games is the amount of people rooting for the other team. It is like the Rays are playing out of town rather than a few miles from the stadium they play in the regular season. But the seats are really good, and free. Even if it's only for a few innings, spring training lasts only so long and you have to take advantage of it while you can.

Borat Funny? Notsomuch...

So we watched the Borat movie last night on DVD. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen the promos and his schtick on some of the talk shows.

I knew it was be crass, vulgar, and rude. It was disturbing. It showed American's trying to welcome a foreigner and honestly help him understand this country.

He made fun of them, insulted them, broke their things and is getting paid lots of money off of their pain.

OK. The college guys and the old guy at the rodeo should have kept their mouths shut, they were just dumb. I just didn't see the humor. And I felt bad for many of the victims. And oh my, I really didn't need to see Sasha and his side-kick running around naked. And what is it with Sasha showing men's genitals but not his own? I don't get it.

I think that is what I am coming down to with this movie. I just don't get it.

On the bright side, we saw Garden State with Zack Braff. I have to say I really enjoyed it. I was impressed his his first foray into writing and directing. And the music was awesome. It's a little rough, but I liked the depth.

Any suggestions for our movie-to-see list? We are really behind and trying to remember all the movies we've missed is hard. I'll try anything - minus really gross horror flicks. I don't need that at all.

A Haiku on Oak Tree Pollen

Little orange wisps

Float down from my neighbors tree

A southern blizzard.

My car is orange with some blue showing from beneath. My driveway is lined with orange fuzzy "drifts" of oak tree pollen. And my nose itches. Ahh, it is Springtime in Florida. I don't go by the calendar to tell me when Spring is here, I wait for the oak trees to lose their leaves and to become heavy with orange pollen and everything around to be covered in the stuff. But heck, the sky is blue, the temperatures about 80 so I can't complain. Although I'll be glad to stop sneezing and I refuse to wash my car until the stuff stops falling. It's only an exercise in futility otherwise.

On a Clear Day I Can See Forever

I recently moved into a new building at work. Before I spent more than 8 hours in the middle of a depressing building with the closest natural light wayyy down a hall, I'd have to squint to see the window.

But now I can turn my chair around and see the world outside. In distance the Sunshine Skyway, or Tampa Bay or on a clear day the other side of Pinellas County on the Gulf of Mexico.

It is wonderful. Natural light really does wonders for a person. I had missed it terribly since leaving my last job where there were floor-to-ceiling windows every where.

And it is cool when the sea fog is dense. A week ago I came into work and looked out the window and could see nothing. Just dense fog. Which was really neat. I really like fog.

But right now it's blue sky's, blue water and views as far as I can see.

On another topic, the hubby and I have signed up for Blockbuster on-line. We rarely see movies, they cost a lot and our timing seems to always be off in getting there. So we thought this would allow us to catch up a little. Since yesterday we have seen the Aviator (which I actually HAD seem), which was really good, and The March of the Penguins which was awesome. I told hubby that would be a movie to be seen on a fancy TV because it was a beautifully filmed movie. Plus the documentaries that came on the DVD were as cool as the movie itself. If you haven't seen this movie, I would recommend it. Besides being beautiful, it is fascinating.

Syrup, How I Love Thee

I've been craving pancakes and waffles for a while now. All that's stopped me I think is the fact I have no maple syrup at home now.

So tonight at m neighborhood Publix market I finally remembered I needed some.

I pulled my cart up to the shelves with the syrup on them. And I did the unthinkable.

I read the back of a Mrs. Butterworth bottle. And then the back of every brand up there.

You know there's not one ounce of maple syrup in any of them? Lots of high fructose corn syrup and things I can't pronounce and won't attempt to spell. And the ones that are pure maple syrup? 210 calories a serving with more than 50 grams of sugar. I put the last bottle down and walked away. I just couldn't buy one. There was no choice for me. Either it was a chemical concoction that wants to be maple syrup or it's straight sugar. So I need to search for an alternative to put on my flapjacks and waffles. Any suggestions?

I am in mourning for my beloved syrup. A moment of silence please.

Goofey Pictures of Laura

While going through the pictures on my computer I began to notice a theme. I seem to have a good number of really silly faces from my younger sister Laura. And I know there are many of them from years gone by in photo albums too. So I wonder, what is it about a camera that makes my sister do silly things? Her zaney side really does seem to come to the forefront. And I know it's not always alcohol, although the first photo below - that is allll alcohol. She's trying to forget she was about to be 30. (Her party was before the actual birthday.)



Then here she is with my mom on the cruise.

And finally, with her husband on the way to Turtle Cove in St. Thomas.

Don't know - but I do know that she seems to always be having fun...hmmm.. maybe there's something to this high-level goofeyness?

A Furry Fan

Ok, I know the Super Bowl was like 2 weeks ago. BUT I was sent this - once again by my Aunt Pat from Indiana. And since it has been really cold up there recently I'm sure all squirrels have been wearing little hats - but I imagine they might also have scarfs.

But in Indy - it's still all about the Colts.

I know it's Daytona 500 day - and I live in the South - but when I think of the 500 - I think of the Indianapolis 500.

Next? It's almost March Madness Bayybee!

Four!?!

Golf clubs $200

Golf net $40

Practice balls $6

Having an outlet for husbands stress and letting him play golf more often? Priceless!

So we have no grass or plants in our backyard, but now we have a golf net. We could charge a weeds fee to those who come over to use it.

It is really cool though and Hubby - he couldn't be happier. I may never see him in the day light hours though now...I could become the latest golf widow

;-)

Ooo this morning it froze at my house. Our weather station said it was 32.5 at one time last night. Brrrr! But hey - now it's like 61 and sunny. I love Florida!

V-Day

So tomorrow's Valentine's Day. I've been thinking a lot about the day recently. And no, it's not what I should buy my husband. It's the idea that a nice little holiday once again has been corrupted by retailers and the media. The innocence of the day is gone. Even the kids are in on it. Now there's customer valentines and specialty candies instead of handmade cards and the hard candies shown above. For the adult kid - it's diamonds and watches.

I don't get it.

Believe me, I'm not a grumpy person. I love the idea of a day set aside for to highlight love. With all the negative things flying around we need a lot more of the stuff. But I do think a re-evaluation is needed. It's not about spending money, but about spending time. It's about the little things. Remembering the things that your loves love. Being there for them. Saying "I love you," just because or bringing home a gift when society doesn't mandate it but because you thought of that person.

So tomorrow, as every morning, I will tell my husband I love him. And at the end of the day too. Not because it's that holiday, but because I do and it's good to hear and say. And that's what you do when you love someone. You try to make as many days as you can set aside to love.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The Almost Flu Haiku

Headache, aches and pains.
Small fever, was exhausted.
Feeling better now.

My flu scare yesterday is turning out better than I thought. After sleeping more than 13 hours out of 24 I seem to be on the mend. (Knocking hard on wood!) There are some fierce bugs going around and I thought for sure I was doomed to spend the weekend in bed.

Instead there was laundry and some light weeding. Not too bad.

A Little Joke

My Aunt Pat sent this joke to me. And since she lives in Indiana it is not suprising..and I like it..

John Madden, the sports announcer, was in Buffalo to announce a football
game one weekend when he noticed a special telephone near the Bills bench. He
asked Drew Bledsoe what it was used for and was told it was a hotline to God.
John asked if he could use it. Drew told him, "Sure, but it will cost you $200."
John scratched his head, then thought, what the heck, I could use some help
picking games. He pulled out his wallet and paid $200. John's picks were perfect
that week.
The next week John was in Foxboro at Gillette Stadium when he
noticed that same kind of phone on the Patriot's bench. He asked what the
telephone was for and Tom Brady told him, "It's a hotline to God. If you want to
use it, it will cost you $500." Recalling last week, John pulled out his wallet
and made the call. John's picks were perfect again that week.
The next
weekend John was in Indianapolis when he noticed the same kind of telephone by
the Colts bench. He asked Peyton Manning , "Is that the hotline to God?"
Peyton said, "Yes, and if you want to use it, it will cost you 35 cents."
John looked incredulously at Peyton and said, "Wait a second, I just paid
$200 in Buffalo and $500 in New England to use the same phone to God! Why do the
Colts only charge 35 cents?"
Peyton looked at John and replied, "Because in
Indianapolis, it's a local call."

Da' Colts

I was born in Indiana. Granted I haven't lived there since 1979. But I still want the Colts to win the big game today. Plus I respect Tony Dungey greatly. So here's my shout out to them.

Go COLTS!!!

Cruisin'.....

Welcome to my cruise in review blog entry. It won't cost you $30 like the DVD they try to sell you, but I also won't make you watch ads....we had a great time...here's some photos.


Meet Wayne Henry. Our personal bartender - he was buying our group drinks at the end of the week. These are the fabulous chocolate martini's he made for us on the last night. Isn't this a lovely sight? He was awesome!



This is Laszlo and I at the top of Lottery Farm's mountain. Our excursion was a walk through the rain forest...well it was a trek up a mountain, over large boulders and up to the top. But the view was awesome. And we all did it. Heck my parents kicked my butt in the process.

Laszlo took a load off here a Coco Cay - the cruise line's private island. It was lovely and we had a great location - at the hamocks and next to the place making Coco Loco's - the wonderful frozen drinkies that were their specialty. Yum!

This is the ship we were on - the Mariner of the Seas as seen on our return trip from Coco Cay. I'd go there again.

This is some of our group. As you can see my sister, Mom and Dad already figured out where at least one bar was.