As they say - time flies....

A post at the beginning of the year and the next post as the year winds down. I'm not one to wish my life away but....come midnight Dec. 31 I'll be kicking this year in the butt, helping it get the hell out of here! But, enough of that and on to more important things. Fall is here! Or, I should say, fall is technically here. The only way anyone living near me would know the season has changed would be by looking at a calendar. Yes, it's still hot here in the land of the gator hunters. Our local weather guru is promising a cool front sometime Sunday - highs in upper 70's to low 80's. It's not much but it gives us hope. Lately, hope has been in short supply here in my adopted city. Our beloved Tigers haven't been doing as well as hoped. Actually, they've been scaring the merde out of us. September's exhibition games have been played and the real season starts tomorrow - in a similar swampy area (Florida). This city is holding its breath. Next week will either be one of renewed optimism or one of deep, dark, doom. Silly, I know but it is what it is. Then there's da Saints. Yes, hope has been in short supply here....

Can't Win & Can't Lose....

Tonight's the night we've waited for - (I think there's a song that has that phrase as part of its lyrics and now it's stuck in my head - on replay!). But, as I was saying....tonight's the night we've waited for because it's the BCS title game! Finally! My two football loves will be battling it out - BAMA & LSU. What to do? Who to pull for? Actually, I know who I'm pulling for but I'm not putting it in writing because it could be dangerous to do so I have family and friends on both sides. I was born a BAMA fan but....my paperwork is from LSU. All I'll say is that my purple and gold jersey and my crimson and white jersey are both ready.

Roll Tide! Geaux Tigers! I can't lose, yet - I can't win. Eek!

Home for the Holidays....

Christmas Eve eve we left the beach for home. As is to be expected traffic was crazy on I-10 & 12 west. We made it home with no problem, unpacked our stuff, unwrapped the take out we'd picked up along the way and settled down in front of the tv - and....we haven't moved much since. Shameful but nice. Today was a bit more of a normal routine, tomorrow will be busier and by the weekend we'll be back to normal. These last few lazy days were much needed.

Our last day at Dauphin Island was one I hope to never experience again. J went to work, I got busy packing and getting ready to leave when he got home that afternoon. A front was moving in so it was rainy and breezy. By 11 am the emergency siren (which is right across the street) was blaring along with the warning signal on the tv. I tuned to the emergency channel and, sure enough, a tornado had been spotted in the Gulf and was moving right across the Island. The entire front of the house faces the Gulf and for several minutes I thought the door, then the entire front of the house was going to blow in. By the time the weather settled down and I, somewhat, calmed down, I realized my legs were shaking. Freaked me out! I gotta tell you, it's not fun being alone in a strange place with no car when there's an emergency. Not fun at all. That's just one of the things I do not like about all this traveling we do.

The lovely beach house we've been staying in is getting more and more difficult to rent as snow-bird season approaches, so I'm once again looking for a place to call home - temporarily. Sigh. It never ends, does it?

I'm Bored....

Yep. Bored. And instead of taking a nice long walk before the rain comes in - I have Woot's Woot Off on the computer and QVC playing on tv.

Bored. Woot. QVC. A dangerous combination!

Wow! I can post again....

I don't know why I haven't been able to get my posts to post for most of the summer, but things seem okay for now.

Still on Dauphin Island. The weather's a bit cooler and I'm loving it! October is my favorite beach month - November is close behind. Surfers have started appearing and it's fun to watch them. The Island's laid back so my life's quite laid back at the moment - until we go home on the weekends. Then it's catch-up time. We stayed here last weekend and rode the ferry to Orange Beach to see J's uncle. It was an eventful day - J's aunt's mom went into cardiac arrest (she's fine for now), and J dropped his cell phone in the bay while helping get the boat out. So....off we went to Pensacola for a new phone. ....Don't ask me why we headed the opposite way (east) instead of backtracking to an AT&T store nearer our rental. We like to do things the hard way I guess - and paid for it because we didn't make the return ferry. Lost a few bucks on that. At least we got a good meal at the Fish House.

So we have now both joined the times with our smart phones - Android for me, iPhone for J. J is not a patient person and it's funny watching as his phone continues to outsmart him. Gotta take your pleasure where you can. I admit my Droid was/is plenty smarter than me.

Son #3 had to make an emergency trip to the dentist today. He's blessed with bad English teeth like his mom. He's been having trouble for a while and I've been telling him and telling him to go the dentist, but..he didn't. Now he has to have one tooth removed and a root canal on another one - after the antibiodics do their job. I find myself asking myself :/ why I continue trying to cut back on things here and there. It's like one step forward - two steps backward. Maybe it evens out.

Well, I'm off. Woot is having a woot-off today and I've got to check on what's on offer. So much for that cutting back....

Checking In....

For some odd reason I can't seem to post from my computers, so....even when it's convenient - it's not. IYKWIM

We're still on DI and I gotta say, I'm falling in love with this place. I don't think there is a strip of land along the gulf coast that isn't lovable in it's own way. DI is extremely laid back - extremely laid back - and that works for me. I haven't found it to be the best shelling beach and there are oil rigs lined up in the Gulf in the distance - at night, when they're lit up, they look like other islands or lit palm trees. Kind of nice if you can forget the danger lurking on and under each and every one. But....let's not get started on things like oil spills.

On our weekend trips down to the island and then on our way home we pass through Bayou La Batre. For some reason I love that! I've always enjoyed their sea food but never thought I'd get to become so familiar with the place itself. I catch myself looking for Forrest, but haven't yet found him. ;)

The neatest thing happened today. The house we're renting is across the street from the Gulf and there's a small public access area. I was reading (Kindle-ing) on the front porch this morning when a compact car pulled into the little parking area. I probably wouldn't have noticed it until I heard some commotion from the people as they got out of the car - and a lot of people exited that little car! It appeared to be a car full of young adults and judging from their reactions, it must have been their first beach trip. As they crested the small sand dune and saw the Gulf, they started hoopin' and hollerin'. I heard things like - "that's amazing! Look at it! Oh my! oh my! on MY!" I couldn't help smiling. From what I could hear, they were from Colorado and were headed to FL. It's such a priviledge to experience others making good memories.

My Home!

LSU Tigers Callin' Baton Rouge Video 2009

The Summer of My Discontent....

That title is all I could think of when someone asked how my summer was going. When I tell people where we've spent the summer, I get the same response - "Oh! Lucky you!" I certainly understand where these comments are coming from - on the face of it, who wouldn't enjoy spending May/June in St. Simons Island, July in Panama City, FL, and at present (Aug.) on Dauphin Island, AL. All three places are lovely places and we've enjoyed/are enjoying each place. It's just that we're there for work (at least hubby is there for work). ;) That puts a different spin on things. I'd try and explain but it's complicated (and would probably be quite boring to read).

We did our time in Panama City. It is a very neat area, and the condo we stayed in was top of the line. If J's job hadn't been such a downer, it would have been much more enjoyable. We're now on Dauphin Island and it's also a lovely area - much more laid back than PC. The best part is that we can (and do) go home every weekend. In fact, I'm in heaven this weekend I'm not only home for the weekend, but I'm staying home for the entire week! We're having a bath retiled finally! and someone needs to be here to supervise. J's headed back to DI as I type. This job is a bit better but it's pretty much week to week. Which means....if he's still working there at the end of August, I have to find us another place to live. I should really start charging for this. Good part is (G-d willing) we will have two options for Sept. and then, and then, well, we'll think about that tomorrow - or next week, or the next....

Well....

Panama City is not being good to us. The job's a big time downer and we'll be doing good to make it till the end of the month. Wouldn't you know I'd rented a condo (that looked nice online) from mid July till the end of August - as of now we're in a hotel (which really sucks - not the hotel itself but just the fact of being stuck in one room IYKWIM. But....with the bad comes some good. The lady we'll be renting the condo from has turned out to be super nice - she's letting us out of August with minimal cost for canceling at such a late date. We will honor our reservation for the last two weeks of July, but....we're going home this weekend for a quick trip before we have to come back and finish out the month of July at da job and in da condo. Sigh. I guess we can survive for three more weeks. I guess....

Mail.

I'm not sure where my mail is going before it makes its way to me, and....unfortunately, neither is the USPS. I'm also not sure everything is making its way to me. The bills are arriving just fine though. Things haven't been right since we had our mail redirected while we were in Oregon. I don't know what to do about it, and....unfortunately, neither does the USPS. What's a girl to do?

And....Once Again, We're Outta Here!

Yes, after about six weeks in this smoke and gnat infested lovely place we're leaving next Friday. Going to Panama City, FL for 2-3 months (or so they say, but they have been known not to keep their word), and then to Mobile, Sweet Home AL for a year or so (again - it depends on them being true to their word, and.... hubby liking the job). So. There's that. Once again I'm looking for a temp home and, if I may say so,I'M DANG SICK AND TIRED OF IT! Actually, the company has a place for us in Mobile and it looks nice - online. But, Mobile's after PC and that one appears to be left up to me - unless I want to stay at a hotel extended stay. I dunno about that.

I'd rebel if it weren't for the fact that both moves will put us closer to our actual home-on-the-ground in Louisiana. In addition to that, the smoke from all FL's wildfires is so bad here off and on, it makes you not want to go outside. So, Panama City, here we come. ....now i'm off to do more online searching for a place to call my own - even temporarily.

It was Bound to Happen....

We realized what we were in for when we first looked at the condo we're presently in - the condo next to the swimming pool - in a vacation complex - in June - the height of vacation for many. And....we haven't been disappointed. ;) There are, however, a couple of things going for us: it's HOT!, there is little shade around the pool-and no umbrellas. Which means - people come and people go alllll day and into the night. But hubby works all day and I'm out and about - and when I'm here I have noise of my own going on, so it's all good. Hey. It's vacation for most people - time to have fun and time for the kiddies to be excited beside themselves. It's all good.

A Place to Call My Own....

Once again I'm house/apt/condo looking and I've about reached my limit. Lately it seems I'm either looking for a place to live, planning on looking for a place to live, or temporarily settling into a new place to live. It's not fun. It's not easy. And I'm tired of it. That's my life at the moment - and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

How Did This Happen!

Have you ever traveled somewhere, got there, and realized your clothes just weren't going to work? That's what's happened to me and I don't know how it happened. It's not like I went to some unknown, exotic place - I'm only 10 or so hours due east down I-10 for gosh sakes! The weather here is same as the weather back home. I think the problem is that my activities here are pretty much different from back home - lot of walking, wading, more walking.... It's all good though. Home's close enough to hop back to and pick up what I need - which I plan on doing this weekend or next weekend.

I Need a Good Pair of Walking Shoes....

Any suggestions? Teva or Keen? I have really, really weird feet - short but wide in the toe area and I have the hardest time finding shoes that work. Everything I wear gives me blisters so you won't find me in much else but flip flops these days - I even have flip flop socks for the winter. One of the shops I pass on my daily wanderings about the Village has Tevas displayed outside. I'm thinking today's a good day to stop and try them on. I haven't done so before because I'm afraid all the cute straps will be too tight for my non-cute wide foot. No way to know for sure unless I try them on, huh?

Lovely Golden Isles of Gerogia....

....after the Jaw-ja comment I felt I owed them that much. Anywho, the GA Golden Isles really are lovely. This little island is nothing but huge live oaks dripping with Spanish moss so thick it cascades off the trees like curtains. The people are friendly, shop owners and restaurants don't try to rip you off, there's water to look at/wade in/ride on, it's hot but the sea breeze helps if you're close to the water. Not much to complain about - except the condo we've rented isn't very updated....but it's workable for a couple more weeks and if we end up staying longer I'll find something else. Life's good - or rather, life would be good if hubby wasn't planning on taking a job in Colorado next month. But....I refuse to think about that for the rest of this month. This job thang is getting on my last nerve.

The Water's Still Headed Our Way....

As our governor said: A tremendous amount of water is headed our way. So..here comes the Mighty Muddy Mississipp and I'm on the marsh grass beaches of Jaw-ja (Georgia to all you non-Southerners). Everyone please join me in sending up prayers and good thoughts and vibes to keep my home and city safe.

The Water's Coming....

Lots and LOTS of water headed our way via the mighty Mississippi - why we insist on thinking we can control that beast is beyond me, but.... They are opening the Bonnet Carre's floodgates today and it seems likely that the Morganza spillway will also be opened. I think a good Randy Newman song would be appropriate right about now:


Louisiana 1927
By Randy Newman

What has happened down here is the wind have changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
Rained real hard and rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river have busted through clear down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away

President Coolidge came down in a railroad train
With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
The President say, "Little fat man isn't it a shame what the river has done
To this poor crackers land."

Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tyrin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

My thoughts and prayers go out to all today - wishing you joy, comfort, understanding, and peace.

With my kids spread out on two coasts (east and west) I prayed for strength to get through this day with grace - and....it's progressing very nicely, if I do say so myself. :) Hubby had a lovey flower bouquet and a box of pastries waiting when I woke up - the only thing lacking was a hot cup of coffee, which I made in no time an we enjoyed the cool-ish morning on the patio stuffing our faces. Just a while ago the doorbell rang and when I answered..there stood a man delivering a yummy edible bouquet with a balloon attached and floating above. So far today I've had sinfully delish pastries, wonderfully ripe fruit of all varieties (some of it tipped with luscious chocolate!) - and coffee, lots of coffee. I may be in for a sugar crash shortly....

A Place to Call Home - Sort of.

We do have a place to stay - month to month, meaning we can pack up and leave at our pleasure. You pay for that flexibility, but....what cha gonna do when you're road whores (apparently that's an endearing term given to contractors)? In my next life I think I'm going to be a property manager because I'm here to tell you, they are well compensated. I can also tell you that I lie - no way would I want to have to control so many people's actions....too much like teaching. Anywho....we're currently staying in a nice house, in a nice location, and I must tell you that I'm not happy. I don't know why, but it's just not a good fit for me. So my quest continues - on Craig's List and anywhere else I can think of. I wonder if I'm having a nervous breakdown in slow motion because from time to time I have to stop myself from opening my mouth and screaming HELP!!!!