Traveling Companions

Project 15 - Day 39

I believe I mentioned a couple of posts ago that we weren't completely aware of our good fortune when we managed to score a couple of cheap nights at the Celebration Hotel. That is until we shared the news of our great deal with friends. They were not only familiar with the hotel (and quite impressed with our rate) but also very high on the town of Celebration. So much so that they invited themselves to tag along on our little adventure.

It all started a couple of years ago when we agreed to try a weekend cruise together. It worked out so well that we did it again... and again. We have even taken a couple of road trips to the Florida Keys together. To say we were delighted that they wanted to join us is an understatement.

Some people just make great travel companions and G & B are the best. We are compatible on all accounts. B & The Kid are always looking for the next great deal and G & I kick back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. They put up with my camera and G doesn't know a stranger. It works out great, when we all tire of talking he just moves on to the stranger sitting on the other side of him. Before long everyone has a new friend. Even in the theme parks it was a marriage made in heaven. G & I rode the rides while B & The Kid sat around and waited on us. (Hey Bobby, if you're out there do you remember those days?)

Now where did these guys come from?

They don't belong in this blog. They look like a couple of escapees from the zoo if you ask me. And they certainly aren't my idea of ideal travel companions. But don't you just want to squeeze those cheeks?

Back to G & B. We have enjoyed our many adventures and misadventures with these two. So much so that I think there is another trip in the planning stages. I'll be certain to keep you on top of the situation. I wouldn't want you to miss it.

Of course this is my most favorite traveling buddy of all. He pays the bills.

And he is kind of cute.

Angles & Lines - Lines & Angles

Project 15 - Day 38

I found this stairway in Celebration last week. I loved all of the angles and lines and thought it might make for an interesting image. With a little help from Nik Color Efex Pro's solariation filter I think it worked.

Angles & Lines - Lines & Angles

Celebration Time

Project 15 - Day 37

Celebration Florida, Disney's vision of small town America. What a treat it was to spend a few days relaxing in this nostalgic setting. When we booked our hotel for the visit we had no idea what we had stumbled upon. Our motivation was economy. (My personal travel agent, aka The Kid, had searched the deepest, darkest corners of the internet and come up with a whale of deal. $60/night at the Celebration Hotel which normally goes for over $200. How sweet is that?) It wasn't until we were sharing (bragging) our good fortune with friends that we found out what a gem we had uncovered.

Celebration is a planned community. All or most of the homes have front porches reminiscent of the turn of the century. Garages are located behind the homes accessible via alleyways that run parallel to the streets. By design residents are encouraged to be more visible and get to know their neighbors.

The commercial hub of the town consists of a few streets converging into a center circle. The streets are lined with small shops, and restaurants. All within a short walk or bicycle ride of home. Greenways and bike paths abound as do people utilizing this gift of good planning. The focal point of the community is the lake. Fishing piers and benches invite residents to stop and sit a spell as do the rocking chairs placed strategically along the promenade. It was evident that the plan worked as each evening we found visitors and locals walking their dogs, visiting with neighbors or just enjoying the sunset. Celebration is a Leave it to Beaver kind of place, also reminiscent of the movie Pleasantville. It is the kind of place I might like to live.

When we arrived on Sunday afternoon the main street had been turned into a small farmers market.

The stalls were filled with tempting treats such as the dried fruit pictured below. A sample of the pineapple was all I needed to keep moving...temptingly sweet and bad for the waistline, but oh so good!

The circular area protruding into the lake is a spray fountain. There was rarely a time when there weren't children shrieking with joy as they played in the interactive fountain.

There was a carriage ride through town led by these beauties.

And this tower we attempted to climb. It was late one evening after a wonderful Thai dinner. I think all of those spices got to me as I allowed myself to be enticed to the top. Fortunately for this phobic adventurer the stairs were blocked 2/3 of the way up.

And there was Doobie. Doobie is a paraplegic squirrel befriended by a caring veteran. I was chastised for missing the real photo op here. Doobie's owner is a decorated Viet Nam veteran with a mission to find other Lost Vets. I was so focused on Doobie that I failed to get the big picture. My loss.

The Celebration Hotel sits prominently on the lake. It too was a throw back to another era with it's dark wicker furnishings and old Florida charm.

As dusk settled on our first evening we were convinced we had a stumbled upon something special.

Celebration is a quiet respite in the middle of the hustle and bustle of all things Disney. I highly recommend a visit.

South Beach

Project 15 - Day 36

South Beach, Marco Island

HDR (high dynamic range) image. Seven different exposures were combined to create one perfect image.

OK, I admit it, there are no perfect images, just a perfectly good time creating them.

Happy Monday everyone.

Space Ship Earth

Project 15 - Day 35

Epcot's most celebrated landmark, my point of view.

Space Ship Earth, Epcot

Mr. Saxman

Project 15 - Day 34

Meet Matt, aka "Mr. Saxman."

We met Matt on our pub crawl at Celebration. He can really make that saxophone wail.

Being the friendly sort that we are we bought the hard working musician a beverage for his effort. On his next break he stopped by to say thanks and during the ensuing conversation we learned all sorts of things about Mat.

Things like he left his former life in New York to head south and make his mark in the music biz. I don't think it turned out quite like he had hoped but he's making it and that's a lot more than most.

We spent several hours listening to Matt make music. He made his mark on us.

Bar Scenes

Project 15 - Day 33

We returned late Wednesday evening from a wonderfully relaxing 4-day excursion to Orlando. Yes, my friends it is possible to use the words relaxing and Orlando in the same sentence, especially if you stay at a lovely boutique hotel in the little town of Celebration. More to come on that.

On Sunday evening we soaked in the night life the quiet community had to offer. Those of you who know me at all know that I am often referred to as the "one drink wonder." And while I enjoy sitting at the bar listening to good music and making new friends my attention span is limited. My mind begins to wander. If I have the good fortune to have a camera handy things like the following happen while my rowdy friends are enjoying the chaotic atmosphere.

This one isn't the best, but things improved as the night wore on. Our first stop was a lovely little Irish Pub that was managed by a Spaniard...go figure. The reason there is no Murphys or Harp on the table is that we are (ahem) watching our waistlines!

It's always good to include a little solid food along the way.

Stop number 2, also the final resting place for the evening, (remember I told you it was a small town) was a hoppin open air bar/restaurant with some pretty terrific music going on.

At one point I set the camera on the bar and just snapped and rotated. Not bad huh?

Before the night was over the musician became our new best friend.

This last one is my favorite. I love the colors and the nice soft background (boca).

It proved to be a stellar evening spent with good friends (both old and new), great entertainment and the kind of weather we've been craving for months.

More San Juan

Project 15 - Day 32

I seem to be stuck on San Juan this week.

It is a beautiful city. At least Old San Juan is beautiful. I didn't see the newer parts of town during our short stay in port.

This lovely promenade meandered along the bay and provided a slight respite from the brutally hot temperature.

We chose to walk to the old fort in lieu of catching a cab. It was a long climb to the top of the hill, but the view was worth it.

San Juan is definitely on the bucket list for a repeat visit. Perhaps an extended stay. Do I have any takers?

How to Find a Contractor

Project 15 - Day 31

We are in the process of a mini kitchen make-over. Per our usual MO we are taking much longer than most for the size of the project. We began in December with the first consultation and it is now April. Refaced (and beautiful) cabinets is all that has been accomplished to date. But this is how we operate, four months to do a 2 week job.

The current phase entails selecting and installing new countertops. Thus far we have received quotes from 4 contractors (shouldn't 4 quotes be enough) and last week we were on a mission to find one final counter-top installer who would provide just one more quote for our enormous kitchen project. ( Yes, indeed there was sarcasm in that last statement. It is commonly referred to as Dougin it around these parts.)

We left the island early and pointed the car north towards Naples. En route we stumbled across a kitchen showroom not on our list. A whiplash inducing turn into the parking lot placed us smack dab in front of a wall of granite. A nice, young man approached and asked if he could be of service. Being the independent souls that we are we declined his offer of help and began wandering through the maze of granite slabs.

Eventually we found something we liked and ended up sitting across a desk from the nice young man. The Kid produced a tatered sketch from his pocket and asked if he would be willing to provide a quote based on our measurements. The nice young man agreed (unheard of). About this time I realized that "The Kid" is about as good at math as I am and his drawing was a bit off. He had drawn a counter bar where none exists. (How do you live in a house for 11 years and fail to notice?) The nice young man found it quite humorous and we all had a good chuckle.

But here's the deal, the notable part of our "office time" had little to do with talk of granite installation or pricing and everything to do with the photograph of the nice young man's family sitting prominantly on his desk. We commented on his beautiful wife and children. The young man beamed and launched into a tribut to his "soccer player" and his "princess." It was all quite endearing.

After some additional pleasantries a quote was produced. One that we found attractive. We made arrangements for him to drive to Marco the next morning and take some proper measurements. We would then weigh our options (more Dougin it) and make a decision next week.

And then this happened:

As we were exiting the building the nice young man's face lit up as a car slid into the parking lot. We learned it was his wife & children. They visit him a couple of times a week for lunch. (How sweet is that?) "Please, meet my family" he said. We were then properly introduced to the nice young man's lovely wife and adorable children. (All of the cute and beautiful variety.) We engaged in some additional small talk before finally making it to our car. Once inside, The Kid sighed and said "oh hell, let's just hire him."

And that's how it's done. After weeks of interviewing counter top contractors, agonizing over price and dependability, a decision is made based on driving aimlessly and meeting the sweet family of a nice young man.

Work has already been completed. Pictures will follow, eventually.

And because I can't post without a photo here is a totally unrelated one of the scene outside of our hotel this week.

The Line-Up

Harbor View

Project 15 - Day 30

San Juan Harbor

Puerto Rico

This is how it starts, a photograph from the archives. A beautiful spot remembered, and the salivating begins.

I need a hit. Seven days would do it.

It's a Jungle Out There

Project 15 - Day 29

Or maybe just a big zoo. 

I thought you might enjoy some of the sights found in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Come along for the ride if you will.

 

Of course we're not visiting the Animal Kingdom on this trip.

But you can pretend.

Bitten

Project 15 - Day 28

My feet are getting itchy. My left eye is beginning to twitch. That can only mean one thing. It is time for a cruise. Sadly none is eminent. In order to prevent a complete melt down of my central nervous system we are heading north, back to Orlando and the wonderful world of all things Disney.

I am hoping a visit with the mouse will quell the nomad in me for a few weeks. And when did that happen? I was always such a homebody. I enjoyed a vacation but never felt the need to be on the move half of the year. But now, now I live for the next adventure. The next port. The next man camp . The next sunrise in a new location. The next sunset in a distant land. I have been bitten by the travel bug. Injected with a potent serum whose effect does not seem to diminish over time. I am compelled to go. Somewhere. Anywhere. Soon!

And so Orlando it is. Today.

After all it's "the place where dreams come true."

More Words

Project 15 - Day 27

This was one of the comments following Thursday's blog post: "Very nice. Where's the story to go with it?"

Now she wants more words. It was bad enough that her level of creativity got under my skin causing me to began this silly project in the first place. At one point she kindly offered encouragement with this comment: "for some people keeping up with a PAD means only posting a photo. Words are nice (better) but not necessary."

It's never enough is it? I completed my mission. I gave you 15, no make that 17 uninterrupted days, just as I promised. And then I let you goad me into continuing for another month. I was pleased as punch with myself too. Twenty six consecutive days of blogging. Twenty six days you have come to the well and found it full. I have been fruitful. I have multiplied. Twenty six days of photographs and fun.

But now she wants more words.

words, Words, WORDS, WORDS, WORDS. ENOUGH ALREADY.

I feel better now that I have gotten that off of my chest. Blogging will resume as usual tomorrow.

An oh yea, I still love ya -k-.

Sweet Potato

Project 15 - Day 26

These trees remind me of giant, upside-down sweet potatoes.  This was taken at Disney's Animal Kingdom and I'm not certain that it's even real.  That would make it a fake, giant, upside-down sweet potato.  

This is the kind of commentary you get when you are on your 26th consecutive post.  

Let the Sun Shine

Project 15 - Day 25

Dirty Little Secret

Project 15 - Day 24

The Music Man Beckons

My favorite location on most cruise ships is the casino. (Now you know my dirty little secret.) I am a connoisseur of the penny slot. When I find one I like, and more importantly that likes me, I can idle away many hours. The bright lights, the music of the slots, the sound of coins emptying from machines into buckets speak to me. It is casino bliss and I am happy as a clam.

I'm not in it for the big win, although that would be nice. It is more about the playing than the winning. My goal is to find a machine that will tease me, taunt me by draining my hard earned cash and then suddenly fill the coffer again, complete with flashing lights and ringing bells. It is a game. If I can make one $20 bill last until I am ready to move on then I have won. If I have more money than I started with when I am ready to call it a day, it' a jackpot win for me. If my $20 is gone in sixty seconds, I pout.

The Kid on the other hand tolerates casinos. He is immune to the lure of the bright lights and promise of riches. But he has a hidden talent. Slot machines communicate with him. They emit subliminal messages that say "I am ripe for the picking." When one speaks loudly enough he will stop and play a dollar or two. On most occasions his pockets are bulging when he walks out the door 10 minutes later.

I find this rather annoying. I am there for hours and rarely win the "big one." He is there mere minutes and more often than not emerges victorious. That's just plain wrong, immoral and unfair.

But I am supportive, after all he covers my bets.

Kaleidoscope Eyes

Project 15 - Day 23

Kaleidoscope Eyes

When I look at this not only do I become dizzy, but I want to immediately get into the car and head to the port of Miami.

Much Ado About Nothing

Project 15 - Day 22

How My Mind Works

Blogging is a lot like Seinfeld. (I'll bet you never saw that coming.) Unless you have a specific focus and/or goal to educate the masses on a particular topic, a blog is quite simply writing about nothing. Writing about nothing and making it seem like something. Writing about nothing, making it seem like something and doing it well is difficult.

Imagine the look of confused indignation on the face of the creative writing professor when one of his students looks him in the eye and states that her main ambition in life is to become a blogger; writing about nothing in order to soothe her artistic soul. Writing about nothing to entertain a following of ten with all of the details of her banal existence. Do they offer college courses in blogging? If they don't I am most certain one will be forthcoming.

Writing about nothing is an art form. It takes talent to come up with ideas about nothing day in day and day out, or month in and month out depending on your level of creativity. Take for instance myself, I have successfully written three blog posts in one week about Project 15. You now know that I am not good at math, that I procrastinate and that I have a little problem with commitment. I mean seriously, who cares? And yet you keep coming back. Or maybe I'm kidding myself and there really aren't ten faithful followers out there. I'll have to ponder that one for awhile.

And that's how it goes I have now taken several minutes of your busy day writing about absolutely nothing and in the process I have found something new to write about. (Anybody out there?)

I'm really good at this, maybe I should give blogging a try.

Happy Easter

Project 15 - Day 21

Happy Easter everyone.

Shades of Gray

Project 15 - Day 20

Shades of Gray

Tomorrow has Arrived

Project 15 - Day 19

It is tomorrow and it is another day. I guess that means it is time for me to make a decision, any decision regarding how I am going to move forward with this little project I have started. What to do, what to do.

Maybe I should consider this an incentive to organize myself. Develope some sort of schedule and wipe out my well developed ability to procrastinate. Procrastination is such an integral part of my make-up. You can see that I am doing it as I type. If I ramble on long enough I can put off making a decision for at least 5 more minutes. It is a skill I have honed for 5-, let's just say many, many years.

Or perhaps I should consider it an incentive to improve my limited ability to sustain. If it works in my favor I could reconsider the whole diet thing. And that could wipe out the need for New Years Resolutions ever again.

All good points.

But the bottom line is "know thyself" and I do know thyself. I know that thyself procrastinates and has limited sustainability. I know it would be prudent to quit while I am ahead. But I am going to throw caution to the wind and sign on for one more month. As long as you promise to support me if I fail. I couldn't possibly go on living if I thought you wouldn't be there for me in my time of need.

APRIL FOOLS

Looking for Trouble

Oh right, that was yesterday. I guess it's one more month.

Celebration Time

Project 15 - Day 18

Uncork the champagne, bring out the party hats and the noisemakers it's time to celebrate. I did it. Today is April 1 which means I have successfully completed the challenge. I have to admit I am quite pleased with myself. Of course one nagging question remains, where do I go from here? I am not certain that I can commit to being here every day, for all eternity, or even for the remainder of the year. Can I commit to an entire month? Possibly.

But for now, I'm going to pour me a glass of the bubbly, kick back and bask in the warm glow of success.

I'll think about the rest tomorrow, after all tomorrow is another day.