A Life Confined

She arrives tonight.  A welcome break from the day to day of a life confined.  Four walls, a ceiling, two doors, one window....and the hope that someone might stop by and relieve the boredom.

Eyes and ears clouded by age strain to catch a glimpse of the lives living beyond the walls.   Those lives now the focus of a shrunken world, intwined in ways no one dared imagine.  Spoken words are often tinged with anger and frustration, a last gasp at Independence in a world of dependency.

She arrives tonight.  A welcome break in a life confined.  Two new ceilings, eight new walls,  three new doors, many new windows.  New lives to watch and focus upon.   Words will soften from the warmth of the Florida sun until complacency sets in.  With that comes the realization that nothing has really changed.

She arrives tonight.   A welcome break in a life confined.

One Month, Four Weeks, Thirty One Days

We are approaching the completion of one month of healthier living.  Four weeks of sensible choices.  Thirty one days of eating with intent, walking with a purpose.  How's that working out you ask?   I would have to answer okay.  Not great.  Not wonderful.  Not exciting.  But okay.

Do I feel better?  Yes.  Definitely better.

Have I lost weight?  Yes.  Not a lot but the wardrobe has expanded as the waistline slowly shrinks.

Is it easy?  No.

Do I get frustrated?  Yes.

I have to keep reminding myself that this is a life style change.  A marathon of living better not a three week sprint with a hot fudge sundae waiting at the finish line.

It is about intention.   And choice.

As January draws to a close and February looms on the horizon with its twenty nine days of unique challenges, I choose to continue.

I choose to be intentional about the food I eat.

I choose to be healthier.

(Check back at the end of February to see if my resolve holds up under pressure.)

Doubly Exposed

Relax, take a walk, grab a nap.  Whatever you do today, make the most of it.

Tangled Threads

My mind is never still.  Never quiet.  Never at rest.  It is a slide show of thoughts and images clicking through the carousel in overdrive.  Some so fleeting they can't be recalled.  All connected by a thin silk thread that tangles and knots making it impossible to sort it all out.


Fleeting Thoughts

Sometimes I play a game with myself.  Follow the thread, pick at the knots.  A vain attempt to untangle the mess and slow it all down.  It never works.  Before long a new thought hitches a ride on the frayed strand leaving me frustrated at the lack of control I have over my own mind.

Occasionally one of the more notable notions will circle back around, perform a giant loopty loop before diving back into oblivion.  Those are the ones I wish I could capture.  Grab the dangling thread and hang on.  File it in the recall bin before the carousel moves on to the next slide.

Unfortunately my mind doesn't work that way.  I could cut the thread and start over; or better yet just relax and enjoy the ride.  Some days that's easier said than done.

Feeding Time

This morning I was gifted with the opportunity to get up close and personal with this feeding sea gull.

I love surprises.

The State of Our Union

In keeping with the national policy that requires the President to report on the "state of the Union" each January, I thought it a good time to review the state of "our union."

Welfare Reform:  I am happy to report that the welfare roll has been wiped clean.  All former welfare recipients are now gainfully employed with little welfare recipients of their own.

Health Care:  As long as we don't forget to write the check each month health care is provided.

Domestic Spending:  The budget is currently balanced.  Domestic spending is down due to a decrease in revenue,  an unfortunate and unavoidable by-product of retirement.  Chicos misses me.

Space Program:  The space program could benefit from an additional revenue stream.  The cottage needs a bigger bedroom.

Homeland Security:  Henna assures us that everything is under control.  In the event of an attack all intruders shall be licked to death.

Transportation:  Let's not go there.  I'm still bitter about the sale of my car.

Foreign Aid:  All aid, foreign or otherwise, will be accepted just as soon as we set up that off-shore account.

Armed Forces:  The fleet is aging.  The southern vessel could benefit from a major overhaul or better yet, permanent retirement.  As long as she floats she'll do.  See domestic spending.


Domestic Relations:  This department has been renamed.  It is now referred to as the "Adjustment Bureau."

Foreign Affairs:  Under no circumstance will foreign affairs be tolerated.  Any such act would effectively dissolve said union.

The Trash Man Commeth

It starts with a low, distant rumble, followed by squealing breaks, grinding gears, and the roar of a diesel engine coming to a screeching stop just outside my bedroom window.  It is Monday.  The trash man commeth.

It is also 5:30 a.m. and I am wide awake in the dark awaiting the sound of what I know will follow.  Trash cans being lifted high into the air on mechanical arms that screech and groan in protest of the early hour.  The discarded remnants of life rattle and clang their way into the hopper. Empty cans are slammed onto the pavement and the behemoth inches its way down the street hell bent on disrupting the dreams of the unsuspecting.

This scene is repeated without fail twice a week.  On Thursday there are three trucks.  Their arrival on the island timed with the precision of a swiss watch.  Perfectly synchronized to insure that anyone who might have had the audacity to fall back to sleep after the first go round will not go unpunished.

It is evil.  The work of  a disgruntled sanitation engineer seeking revenge on the masses.

I'm not certain what to do about it.  But I'm going to give it a lot of thought.  On Monday and Thursday mornings.  At 5:30 a.m.  In the dark.  With the aroma of deisel fuel wafting through house and the sound of breaking glass shattering my dreams.

Out of the Archives

Every once in awhile I sift through the thousands of photos that reside on my hard drives.  I am always amazed at the nuggets I find there.


Enchanted Forest

For whatever reason these images were passed over at the time they were taken; left for dead and buried deep within the archives.


Blue and Green
  
They have been waiting for a second look, a second chance at life.                                                                                                          


Red Sky at Night

Everyone deserves a second chance.  Don't you agree?

Breaking Dawn

You know what they say, "the early bird gets the worm."

The Lens In My Head

So I lied.  Things aren't much clearer today than they were yesterday.

As a photographer I am granted permission to view the world through the lens in my head as well as the one in my hand.  It makes life much more interesting.

Beach Glass

Abstracts do it or me in so many ways.  They draw me in and won't let go.

If you are one of the ones who doesn't get it might I suggest:

Open your mind.

Spread your wings.

Take flight.

Embrace the new and different.

Or just come back tomorrow.  I'm certain things will be more focused by then.

Market Mayhem

Wednesdays are important on the island.   Wednesday is market day,  Marco's version of an old fashioned farmer's market.  Every Wednesday morning vendors roll into town at the crack of dawn, raise their tents, set up their tables and arrange their wares all while I lounge in my pajamas and sip my morning coffee.  By the time I finish my java, walk the dog, eat breakfast, make the bed and take a shower their day is half over while mine has just begun.  It's a retirement thing and also one of the reason I'm not a farmer.



Market day is one of the best things about winter in south Florida.  Produce booths are stuffed full of tomatoes, squash, lettuce, bell peppers, red peppers, corn on the cob and the sweetest onions this side of heaven.  There are oranges, grapefruit, mangoes and strawberries, stands with artisan breads and cheeses, and bouquets of fresh flowers for $5 a bunch.  Last week I went in a driving rainstorm because I just had to have more of the feta olive mix an aging hippy serves up each week.



The market is always a hotbed of activity but this week it was crazy busy.  There were so many people crammed into one small parcel of land that I was afraid the bottom might fall out of the island and everyone would disappear into the Gulf of Mexico.  By the time The Kid and I arrived, after the coffee, the dog walk, the breakfast, the bed making and the shower, parking spaces were at a premium; and people crowded around produce booths pushing and shoving their way ever closer to the coveted grapefruit.  It was market mayhem.



Me, I strolled the grounds and took a few photos before being forced to make a mad dash for the car.



Apparently those two elderly women I "accidentally" knocked over getting to the last tomato wanted revenge.

Tragedy at Sea

When I selected this image I had intended to write about the Costa Concordia tragedy.  But now, as I sit here typing there just aren't any words.   No words for a captain who knowingly veers off course for sport and then abandons ship in the face of disaster.  No words for a disorganized and dysfunctional crew who failed to take control of what must have been a terrifying situation.

Will this disaster deter me from future cruises?  Absolutely not.  One rotten captain does not spoil the entire fleet.

Will I be more cautious and attentive during muster drills where emergency procedures and abandon ship drills are explained?  Absolutely.

But if by chance the ship does goes down while I'm on board, tell them to look for me in the casino.

Two Weeks In

We are two weeks in on operation healthy eating.  Weight is coming off, slowly, which is good.  I am delighted that we are achieving the desired results.  But for me this is more than a weight loss plan.  It is a life plan.  A commitment to making healthier choices every day.

Yet I wonder.  How am I going to succeed when I am already craving a jumbo sized plate of pasta?  I am quickly tiring of the steamed veggies and salads that accompany our grilled protein of the day.  Where's the rice?  The mac and cheese?  The mashed potatoes?

Yesterday evening time was spent perusing the pages of a low fat cook book that has been gathering dust on a shelf for years.  The Kid was on a mission to shake up the menu, an attempt to add more variety to the dinner table.  Recipe titles sounded scrumptious.  It was upon further inspection that they lost their luster.   No fat sour cream.  Butter buds deluded in water.  Skim milk.  No fat cream cheese.

The question begged to be asked.  Where's the flavor?    I have used many of these products in the past.  They are tasteless and bland.

A tasteless and bland life plan will not work.  I know this from experience.  Soon butter and real sour cream will make their way back into the refrigerator and olive oil will once again reign supreme.  Before long mashed potatoes will accompany roasted chicken and thick slices of garlic bread will cozy up to the spaghetti and meatballs whose portion size has exploded in an effort to squelch the cravings.

I am determined to make this work, to become more healthy.  Shop the perimeter of the grocery store in spite of the high cost of skipping the center isles.  I want a better life plan.  The question remains, how does one find the balance that will sustain over the long haul?

If you know where I can find it, I would be beholden if you would pack it up and ship it to me.  Express.

Islands In The Sun

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
A little slice of heaven.

Everyone Needs a Day Off

Today is Saturday and I'm giving myself permission to take the day off.  Everyone needs a day off once in awhile.  Besides,  I don't have anything to say.

It has been overcast, cool and blustery thus no outdoor adventure to report.

Senior softball is idle on Saturday.  Have I mentioned that Crazies won their second game?  No hero this time just a strong, solid team player.

In case you were wondering, we're still practicing healthy eating.  We're extremely "intentional" about this, what with The Kid in training and all.

I have successfully completed thirteen days of Project 365: 2012.  Today might be a day to click on over there and see if I'm on track.  You know, since there's nothing happening here.

Enjoy your weekend.

Six

She is six years old now, midway through her kindergarten year.  She is sweet as honey and at times, ornery as a mule.  Her smile lights up a room.  Her giggles make me laugh out loud.  Her legs are growing long, her pretty blond hair even longer.

She is protective of her little brother.  Watches out for him in a crowd.  Makes certain he gets his fair share of whatever is being handed out.  Until......he angers her.  And then all bets are off.

She loves to color and draw and wants desperately to learn to read.  She plays board games by the rules.  Has learned how to win and how to lose....gracefully.  She loves to play imaginary games with her toys and dolls.  And she wants you to play too.  But has little patience if you don't follow the rules.  Someone please tell me, how does one know the rules in a little girls' head?

Sadly she has outgrown replacing c's with t's.  Cookies are no longer tookies.  I miss it.  It was so endearing.

She loves butterflies, bugs and worms.  She's been known to catch butterflies and quickly run inside to release them in her bedroom.  She loves to fish.  She'll even bait her own hook with a little help.  But the best part of fishing?  Playing with the catch before tossing it back into the water.

She loves pretty dresses.  And flip-flops.  She'd rather go camping than play the piano; but maybe one day, she would like to learn to dance.

She eats Sushi.  Loves noodles; dislikes french fries.  Chocolate rocks her world.  Add a little peanut better..... even better.

She's special.  She's unique.  She's our Allie.  Our precious little girl;  and I couldn't love her more.

Just wish she'd quit growing for awhile.

One Word

There is a move afoot encouraging the selection of a word that will define one's year.  A word to believe in, a goal to aspire to, a focal point for the new year.   One word that holds all manor of possibilities in its grasp.

Carrying one word in the subconscious for 365 days is a much lighter load than dragging around a long list of resolutions in a peddler's sack slung carelessly over the shoulder.  Empty promises that eventually weigh us down with imperfection until they are discarded one by one along the way.  Left on the roadside for self-doubt to pick at the remains of our short comings.

I've given this one word thing a lot of thought recently and have decided to give it a go.  It makes sense on so many levels.  I have selected "intentional" as my word, my beacon for personal betterment in 2012.

Intentional:  Done on purpose; deliberate

There are so many areas of my life that I need to be more deliberate about:  healthy eating, relationships, photography, blogging, budgeting, finishing what I start.  The list goes on.

You're welcome to join me.  Choose a word.  Write it down.  Share it in comments or keep it tucked safely inside.  We'll compare notes in 2013.

My Hero

It may be a new season and a new team but it appears The Kid still has what it takes.

It was the top of the final inning, Crazies was down 7-5. There were two outs and two men on base when guess who steps up to the plate?  He let the first pitch go by.  The second one came whizzing in and wham, the crack of bat on ball said it all.

The ball soared over the center fielder's head dropped to the ground and started to roll.  Like a run-a-way snowball on a downhill run, the darn thing headed for Naples.  (In senior softball the last thing an outfielder wants to happen is to have one drop behind them.  These old guys just don't have the stamina to chase them down.)   There were a few moments of concern as The Kid puffed around the bases...would that hammy hold up?  But when he crossed the plate and the dugout emptied in celebration, one thing was certain...The Kid was back.

Following the 3-run homer, the defense held and Crazies went on to win their first game of the season 8-7.

The team was so excited I think they would have carried The Kid off the field if they had thought their new hips and knees would hold up.

Play Ball

Excitement is in the air.  The kind that swirls about the room and bursts into a million tiny particles creating energy..... palpable and real.  Can you feel it?

It's opening day.  The diamond sparkles with thousands of little boy hopes and dreams getting their last shot at fruition.

Gloves have been oiled.  Uniforms distributed.

Ice bags, heating pads, ankle and knee braces are waiting in the wings should the need arise.

The Kid is ready.

Let's play ball.

Monday Morning Musings

I think it only fair to warn you that there will most likely be a lot of bird images over the course of the next few months.  If you don't like it feel free to lodge your complaint with management.  I'll file it in the circular with the others.

Today's photo is one of several great shots from an early morning beach walk last week...... in case you were wondering.

We saw Mission Impossible Friday evening.  It made me laugh.  Out loud.  Seriously how realistic is it to think that three people can break into the Kremlin with four hours prep time?

We have renters next door who are here for a month with two large boxers.  Their presence is driving Henna crazy.

Our elderly neighbors on the other side just purchased a 36' cruiser.  Now all they need to do is learn how to drive it.

Senior softball starts tomorrow.  Are you excited? I know someone who is.

And finally, the warm front we were hoping for has arrived.  Mornings are still cool but those afternoons are heaven.

Until next time.

The Management

About Face

Sure wish I could do that.

Off Schedule

Our cottage neighbors to the south (and one of the 7 AM walkers), arrived on Christmas Eve.  After a week in Orlando and not wanting to spend their Christmas Day in an airport they graciously accepted our invitation to share the day with us.  What a blessing it was.

Joining us on Christmas day were our cottage neighbors to the north, who also winter in sunny southwest Florida.  (Yes internet friends it is indeed a small world.)  We ate too much, laughed a lot, and reconnected after our time spent apart.  It was a good day all around.

Our house guests were not departing until the 27th, which left only one day to show them the sights and sounds of Marco and vicinity.   There was a schedule, thanks to The Kid.  One that was packed tight and ran behind the entire day beginning with an early morning beach walk that began 30 minutes late.







After a quick shower, breakfast and additional time lost, we moved on to the little fishing village of Goodland.







It seems M had an collage roommate that resides in our neighboring hamlet and a reunion was the order of the day.  A local marina was the designated meeting spot.  While the two roomies reminisced the rest of us wandered the docks and were delighted to spot several manatee soaking up the warmth of the December sun.



Even farther off The Kid's schedule and questioning our sanity for cramming so much into one day, we moved south, into the Everglades.



Our visit to HB Williams roadside park didn't completely disappoint.  At one time this little park was teaming with alligators and other wildlife.  I'm not certain what has transpired over the past ten years to cause the change but recently alligator sightings have been few and far between.



Our visit to the "Glades" was rounded out with lunch (late, of course) at the Everglades City Rod and Gun Club.  This little tribute to a by-gone era serves up overpriced burgers with a heaping side of nostalgia.  It is worth the price of a meal to relax on the porch, ceiling fans whirring above, and take in the sight of air boats coming and going along the waterway.

We were blessed, at no extra charge, with a real life alligator wrestler posing as our waiter.  Local color, super sized.  Our friendly server was more than willing to visit a spell and spin a yarn or two from his youth (which, by the way, wasn't all that long ago).  Fact or fiction?  It mattered not.  He was pure entertainment, Everglades' style.



We arrived back at the ranch with little time to spare.  The boat was lowered from the lift and we all piled in and headed out to sea for a sunset cruise.



It was the perfect end to a hectic but perfect day with friends.

And finally, we were on schedule.



S & M, we're so glad you came.

See you in May.

Baby It's Cold Outside

You have to admit, 38 degrees is cold.  In fact it's down right frigid.  It was so cold this morning that even Henna, our cool weather pooch, wanted no part of it.

Sure hope there's a warm front heading south.

Chasing Perfection

Looking back on 2011 there were many wonderful things to celebrate.  But today is not the day.  Today is the day to analyze  short comings; evaluate things that weren't achieved in hopes of finding new insight.

Take for instance my failure to maintain a comfortable weight.  On the surface the reason why is obvious...food intake is much greater than activity output.  The underlying cause, not so easy to identify.  Is it boredom?  Stress?  Laziness?  Or just plain gluttony?  I'll get back to you on that.  A lot to digest (pun intended) before this one can be solved.

Now on to the item that really sticks in my craw.  The big 2011 goose egg....Project 365.  My attempt at taking and posting one picture each day... every day.... for one year.  I started the project late in January with the best of intentions.  By March I was struggling and in early April I sputtered to a standstill.  Momentum was picked up by the end of the month and May and June were for the most part on target.  In July I ground to a complete stop and the light went out.  I waved the white flag and claimed the stress of blogging every day and posting a 365 photo was just too much.  In reality what was too much was the chasing of perfection.  The need to believe that every photo I post must be perfect.  I lighten the reigns of perfection on the blog...some days the photos that work best are are more imperfect than not, and that's okay.  But not on Project 365.  Instead of a daily synoptic look at my life I turned it into a showcase for the best of the best of my best.  In truth the best of the best occur randomly and rarely.  In frustration I quit.  Threw in the towel.  Closed the door, turned out the light and walked away from my self-imposed challenge.  It has bothered me since.

It is now a new year and you know what's coming don't you?  I'm going to try again.  It's a new day, a new project, new rules.  I have vowed to squelch the need to chase perfection with what I hope is the greater need to finish what I start.  Photos will be a snapshot of my day, not portfolio candidates.  I invite you to join me.  Cheer me on.  Cross your fingers and say a prayer.  Failure is not an option.  Perfection is.



You can find Project 365: 2012 by clicking here.  It will also be available as a link on the right side of the main page.  Please, click on it often.  If for no other reason than to make certain I stay focused and on track.

I may not be here every day but I will be there; and I can assure you, it won't be perfect.

Game On

The gauntlet was dropped.  The challenge was on.  Photog75 vs Pattonbs1616 (the names have been changed to protect the innocent, but you know who they are).  It would be a duel of words.  Scrabble words.

If you know Pattonbs1616 you know that:

1. She loves to play Scrabble.
2. She is quite good at it.
3. No, she is VERY good at it.
4. She is competitive.  Maybe even ruthless.
5. She hates to lose.

If you know Photog75 you know that:

1. She rarely plays word games.  
2. She's not very good at Scrabble.
3. She is however, competitive.  Not quite ruthless, she'll let the grandkids win once in awhile; and
4. She too hates to lose.

So there it was, the challenge was on the table.  Photog75 was more than a little anxious, but couldn't turn her back on the challenge.  Stubbornness won the day and it was game on.

It was a match of wills.  Pattonbs1616 made big plays quickly and efficiently.  Photog75 agonized over the possibilities, relentlessly searching the Scrabble dictionary to make certain no playable tile was left on the board.

The battle waged for three long days.  When it came time for the last play of the game, the score was tied.  With a little luck and a lot of determination Photog75 cleared her tray and claimed the victory 435 - 414.  In a game for the ages the underdog had emerged victorious.  The Scrabble Queen had gone down.



The celebration however was short lived.  A rematch was underway within minutes.  And although the game is far from over I'm pretty certain Photog75 is going down....in flames.

The good times just never seem to last.

2012: Day One

In honor of the new year and my increasing desire to become more fit,  I paid a visit to the beach early on Sunday morning.  It seemed the right way to start 2012.  I've become somewhat of a slug since returning to sunny Florida. It appears I forgot to pack my determination to rise early and walk five miles when we moved south.

The morning was crisp and clear, Chamber of Commerce weather to be sure.



The back-lit and dew covered grasses along the boardwalk were too pretty to pass by.



as were these shadows stretching elongated fingers seaward.



At one point I stumbled upon a snowy egret eager to preen and pose for the camera.



And how could I possibly pass up this abandoned sand castle;



or this tiny sanderling foraging at the water's edge.



I wasn't the only one on the beach New Years morning but our numbers were few.



It is now day two of the new year.  It is 8:03 a.m.   The sun is shining, the birds are singing and I'm still sipping coffee.

Someone please,  boot me out the door!

Happy New Year

As the sun rises on a new year, I wish for you all the best in 2012.

Happy New Year.