Trick- or - Treat ...

     Preparation for Halloween festivities was pretty low on the totem pole of priorities this year because of Wilma. So ... enjoying a quiet evening at home tonight, unpacking was actually the highlight of the evening.

     Thought I would post a photo of a more goulish celebration from the past.These are my friends Sheila, Kathy, Kenneth and Todd ... cant remember the name of the really cute guy, back left with the glasses, casual acquaintance I suppose.

      

      Can you guess which one's me? Keep in mind it was a few years ago ... ok, 25 years, but who's counting?

     BTW ... my choice for J-link du jour was posted by my friend Trish from the Journey to Peace Journal and is simply called Happy Halloween. It's photos from her annual Pumpkin Carving extravaganza with her friends. Ahhh ... living vicariously through my friends here in J-Land. Love it!

                                            

I just got home ...

     As you have probably have guessed by now, we got hit pretty hard by Wilma, no electricity until last night.

     I've been in Dallas since Wednesday because we had no electricity at the office either, just got home last night as well (perfect timing).

     Details and photos to come. I've missed you guys!

                                         

I'm a little bit tickled ...

     by a note and a photo that came in the mail from my cousin Denny yesterday. All week we've been listening to the updates on Hurricane Wilma and all week we've also listened to people say that when they hear the name Wilma, the think of Wilma from the Flintstones.

      Not me ... every time I heard the name Wilma I've thought of my Aunt Wilma, (aint` she cute)? so when a note from her son came in the mail saying "You better run ... take cover ... here comes Wilma" with this photo enclosed, I've got to admit that I was genuinely a little bit tickled (that's how they say amused in Alabama). Thanks for the laugh while we're bracing for the storm Den.

                                                

Emergency warning system ...

     Thanks guys ,,, don't think I'm not going to head your warnings. Looks like this bad girl may be paying us a visit.

 

Uh oh ...

Batten down the hatches kid, hurricane a comin!

Riiiiiiiight ... here we go again !!!  

Thinking of you guys. Hope everything is ok.

 Yeah, me too, thanks Mort!  

 I am coming to Ft. Lauderdale in Dec.

I'll be waiting for ya!  

I hope it's still there after this.  ~ Mortimer <-- click

Will be waiting for you whether it's

still here or not, lol.              

              *** Coy ***    

 

Are you expecting a hurricane your way this weekend?  Or are you in a different area?

This one may be headed straight for us.  

The earth is really upset lately.  We all need

to chill out and start loving the heck outta each other. 

Enough of these devastating wake-up calls.

Very true!  

Be well and take care of you

in the process. ;) xo Trish <-- click

Thanks Free!  

 *** Coy ***    

 

"I almost forgot that the reason I came by

here to begin with

:-0  

was to wish you well in the face of the  latest storm surging off the coast over there.

Yeah, doesn't look like we'll  escape the wrath of Wilma.  

As such, fare thee well!  :-) ---Robbie" <-- click

Thanks for thinking of us Robbie, will keep you posted!                 

                          *** Coy ***

 

 

Recording the mundane yet magical ...

    

  Last night, Mandy told me that she went to the Library this week and instead of checking out books, she found herself sitting down at the computer and reading Dancing in the Rain from cover to cover. She said she laughed and cried herself all the way through it. Why wouldn't she? It's our story.

     I know that in the beginning, it was a little awkward seeing photos of herself and reading things about our life in such a public forum but it didn't take long for her to find interest in keeping up with the most recent entries and to secretly look forward to reading the comments that you guys would leave behind.

     Mandy moved out nearly a year ago and when she comes home she often sits down to read what's new, still ... it was a bit surprising to hear her say that she sat down for hours in a public place to read the whole thing.

      Oh ... and  don't think she didn't notice that the almost daily entries I once found time to write have dwindled down to an occasional few. She even went so far as to give me some words of encouragement to continue writing here often saying that some day I'll be glad that I did.

      Mandy has agreed to write a guest entry, I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with. All three of my kids are writers, guess they come by it honestly.

     Anyone else have a story regarding this unique way that we've found of recording the mundane yet magical moments of our lives?

 

     My pick for J-link du jour was written by a sports nut from This Sublime Dance  journal, it's about a different sort of barometer and a beautiful girl named Katrina. Stop by and say hi to Jamey.

                                                  

Ahhh ... a night to my self!

    Due to a scheduling error on my part, I'm spending the evening home alone. (Poor me, right?) Ummm ... No!

     I had plans to go with my Dad to Art and Jazz on the Ave tonight in Delray. It's been so much fun having him around for the past 4 or 5 weeks, he likes getting out and about to do things almost as much as I do, if not more.  

  

     All week long, I've been hearing them talk on the radio about this local street fest on Friday night. I remember asking myself more than once, why they would move it to a Friday night when for long as I can remember, it's always been on a Thursday.

     Bottom line is, we made plans to go tonight to an event that actually took place last night. We considered going anyway, maybe stopping to have Ceviche with Prince William, but we decided to take the night off instead.

  

     No Dad, no Joey, no Mandy,Theresa or Chris. I'm staying home hoping to get this entry posted, work on the lighthouse I'm sketching to paint in art class and hopefully even have time to pick up the acoustic guitar I bought several weeks ago.

     I don't have time to take lessons right now, but I have picked the guitar up enough times in the past few weeks to teach myself some scales and to pick out a few of those silly songs we all know (by note, not chord). Sounds a little like a kid pecking on the piano with one finger right now but, maybe this winter I'll have a little more time on my hands. For tonight it's Yankee Doodle, Twinkle Twinkle, When the Saints go marching in and me :-)

     I've also got a ton of photos that need to be edited and about 300 newjournal entry alerts calling my name, but first a loooong hot bubble bath and as soon as that water even thinks about cooling off, I plan to heat it right back up again. Awww ... poor me!      

  

     The photos in this entry, are some I took last week when I went with my Sister and my Dad to the International Orchid Society's Garden in Delray.

     BTW ... I'm picking two entries about depression, written by two of my favorite writers for my J-link du jour choice today. Bob's entry is called "Don't let depression win" and V's entry is a poem called "I know you". Hoping they both stop by to look at these flowers, it's not east to feel sad when looking at such beauty. 

                                           

By far ...

     the greatest work of art I've ever created.

     I've spent some time with my son this week, (first time in 3 years). He is much more colorful than he was the last time that we met.

     Ok ... I'll admit to overwhelming heartbreak when I found out he was training to be a tattoo artist,  and yes ... I begged him to do his practicing on somebody else and was disapppointed when he didn't listen.

     Now that I've finally seen them for myself, I'll just say that some of them are nearly as beautiful as he is. Joey truly has the heart of an artist, I am so happy we're getting the chance to catch up a bit. I Looooove my boy!

                                       

Why do we invite catastrophe, part 4

 We have one of the world's greatest seaports here. Port Everglades is home to a thriving cruise ship industry, a growing cargo business and it is also has one of the largest petroleum storage and distribution centers as well. (Ummm nooo ... that last bit of trivia does not help us out much at the gas pump these days, unless you compare us to California or something.)    

                                        

  

    

    

     Anyway ... I took these photos last weekend, it's nice to be reminded that despite this port's big business, environmental issues are taken into consideration here, the place is kept pretty clean and with the number of tourist in and out of here they seem to take aesthetics into consideration as well.

     Comparatively speaking ... we have a pretty port!

 BTW ... my choice for J-link of the day is called Highly Unofficial Guide to the ViVis, you'll find it at Stephen's Sometimes Photo Blog. Stephen is one of this communities most important behind the scene members, if you don't read him regularly, you should. Like John and now Joe ... Stephen is always a wealth of very valuable information here in J-Land.

                                               Have a great weekend all