Time for the letter "G" in Martha's A-Z- Challenge! I have always wanted to photograph a bulb of garlic on it's own, I find them very photogenic, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! I had a good time playing with lighting and shadows, and I even considered photographing the bulb of garlic in black and white, but in the end I thought the color mode gave the photo a more realistic and softer touch. Tonight it will used in Spaghetti ALA Carly! :)
If you would like to play along with the A-Z challenge, just drop by Martha's journal on AOL for all the details!
-OndineMonet "Garlic" Berkeley, California June 19th, 2008 Early Morning
"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."
-L. M. Montgomery
I was back walking along the shore of Lake Anza, in Tilden Park, yesterday. After finding so many different varieties of dragonflies on my visit last week, I knew it would be a big mistake not to bring my camera each time I plan to visit. I have set a goal for myself this summer, to photograph the tiny blue dragonfly, but yesterday, I noticed an even smaller thinner dragonfly which was almost a turquoise color. I am not sure if it is the same as the larger blue ones, but it seems like a bigger challenge to try for the tiniest ones as apposed to the easier large ones.
The dragonfly in the above photo is one of the largest ones I saw yesterday. It appears black and white in the picture, but the body of the dragonfly is actually a very pale blue color. I did a little investigation and found out from BugGuide that it is aLibellua pulchella, or the Twelve Spotted Skimmer. It is a fairly common dragonfly in the U.S., although I have never saw one before, so it was kind of fun to be able to see one. They are a summer dragonfly, so I suppose I will have lots of time to enjoy observing them. I like my summer dragonfly hunting.
:)
Note: Please click on the photo to see the picture in a larger version. The small size really doesn't do that beautiful creature justice.
-OndineMonet "Twelve Spotted Skimmer" Lake Anza Tilden Park Berkeley, California June 17th, 2008 Afternoon
"For every beauty, there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth, there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love, there is a heart somewhere to receive it.
-Ivan Panin
Weekend Assignment #220: Tell us about one person, place or thing you find particularly beautiful and why it affects you in this way. If you can demonstrate its beauty with photos, great but as always, the primary emphasis for the Weekend Assignment is words.
Extra Credit: Does something threaten to disturb or destroy that beauty?
There is so much to love about the Bay Area, and if you have been reading me for any length of time, you know I love nearly everything about it, but one thing in particular stands out as most important to me, when I think about it's beauty, and that is the amazing California coastline. I love the beaches, and the lighthouses that grace the coast, with equal passion. Since I got my current digital camera, in 2005, I have been as far north as Point Arena, and as far south as Santa Barbara, and on each little trek, I was swept off my feet by the beautiful coastal scenery.
The beauty of sunsets along the coast, always stop me in my tracks, but equally stunning to me are all the wildflowers that grow along the cliffs that look out over the Pacific. It would be difficult to narrow it all down to my favorite time of day, or a particular season, when I am out along the coast taking pictures, the different times of day and seasons make it look almost magical to me, no matter when I am there to see it. I suppose it all just speaks to my inner mermaid, but I always feel at home when I am near the ocean.
:) You should come and see it for yourself. You would love it! It's... BEAUTIFUL!
Extra Credit: As a matter of fact, there are a number of environmental hazards to the California coastline. Not the least of which was the oil spill from the container ship, Cosco Buson, in San Francisco Bay last year. You can read news coverage about it here, and you can read my blog entries, which includes some photos, here and here. Just this past week, oil from the Cosco Buson washed ashore in Point Reyes, which is a few miles north of the Golden Gate. According to experts, we will more then likely be seeing residual oil from the spill washing up along the coast for many years. :(
-OndineMonet "Dusk In Moss Beach" Moss Beach California 2008
Summer is coming! the soft breezes whisper; Summer is coming! the glad birdies sing, Summer is coming! I hear her quick footsteps;
Take your last look at beautiful spring.
Lightly, she steps from her throne in the woodlands: Summer is coming and I cannot stay; Two of my children have crept from my bosom: April has left me but lingering May.
What tho' bright summer is crowned with roses. Deep in the forest Arbutus doth hide; I am the herald of all the rejoicing me? She cried.
Down in the meadow she stoops to the daisies, Plucks the first bloom from the apple tree's bough: Autumn will rob of all the sweet apples; I will take one from her store of them now.
Summer is coming! I hear the glad echo; Clearly it rings o'er the mountain and plain. Sorrowful spring leaves the beautiful woodlands, Bright, happy summer begins her sweet reign.
Ok, I know, I know... summer is still a little over a week away, but it was a lovely nearly summer's day yesterday, and I just had to show you what I saw from my bike. :) I am seeing the most amazing things lately. I liked this scene very much. The angle, the color of the day... and oh the flowers. I turned a corner, and there they were in a small patch. They were tall and strong, and seemed to be reaching for the sun. Yeah... they were reaching for the sun!
;)
-OndineMonet "Summer Is Coming" Tilden Park Berkeley, California June 14, 2008 Afternoon
"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon, or not at all."
-Harriet van Horne
For this edition of the RRC, Jennifer Robin, who authors, Robin's Woods, asks us to show off things we have made. How fun is that? I like doing crafts, but I haven't been doing as many this year as I have in the past. Photography, caring for Elvis and the same old, same old day to day pretty much eats my time. I even debated possibly sitting this one out, but in the end I reached into my archive and pulled out some photos of different projects I have done since blogging. As you probably know, I love to cook, and making up new recipes, so a few of those are featured below, and in the photo above you see what is probably my most interesting invention, her name is Clarice. Can you tell what she is made from? Well, if you look very close, you see yarn for hair, and her smile comes from a magic marker, her pretty blue earrings are made from beads, and in the upper right hand corner you see the shadow of a straw hat. But what is her face made out of?
Well, if you look even more closely, you will see a fake boob! Yep, that's right, Clarice is made from a fake boob, and has a nipple for a nose! One of a a box of 100 false boobages Alan found alongside the freeway, as he changed a tire one day! LOL. At one time I was making them and giving them away, and I even offered one to the winners of my MADLIBS game I sometimes featured on the AOL version of Ellipsis, but only one person, Phinney, ever requested it as their prize, so to date, only two people own an original Clarice... well, three if you include me. Personally, I think she is kinda cute. LOL. And she makes me smile, but that's just how my silly sense of humor goes. Life gets a little too serious sometimes, and Clarice reminds me to smile. :)
Homemade Veggie Pizza, with Whole Wheat Honey Crust
A Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon for my blog's sidebar. I like making my own graphics whenever possible to help raise awareness to different charities and health concerns.
Thank you for the neat challenge Jennifer! :)
Follow the links below, to see what great entries the other Robins have submitted for this week.
"Disappointments are to the soul, what the thunder-storm is to the air."
-Friedrich von Schiller
Some days are just disappointing. Yesterday, the Barenaked Ladies, were in San Mateo at Barnes and Noble, performing and signing copies of their latest CD, "Snack Time." The CD is a collection of songs for children, but I have already come to love the song 789. Have you heard it? The collection songs, while child friendly, can be enjoyed by adults, as opposed to an all Elmo or Barney type CD, which I think might drive me crazy! LOL. Anyway, needless to say I had been looking forward to seeing one of my favorite bands, and enjoying watching the crowd, not to mention coming home with a signed copy of some new tunes. Well, some days just don't work out the way you want them to, no matter how much planning you do.
Alan and I had discussed what would be our best route and time schedule for the day. We decided that it would be more practical if we took one car, for the trek across the bay, especially since we had just spent $100 to fill both of them with gas. To take one car, meant I had to wait for him to get off work, which was fine, because he gets off work at 2 and the CD signing was at 3:30. It would give us plenty of time to get across the bay, by way of the San Mateo bridge. There was one problem however, that being the guy that relieves Alan at work for the swing shift. A man who is habitually late, so he can finish his weekly golf game.
We talked about this possible problem, but Alan said that the guy hadn't been late in almost two weeks! A record for his being on time! That probably should have been a Murphy's Law clue, but naively I chose to ignore it and hope for the best. Running true to form, the guy was late by almost 10 minutes, which meant Alan had to spend an additional 25 minutes in traffic on the way home. In the Bay Area if you leave just 5 minutes sooner or later then you usually do, you can either shave or add 30 minutes to your commute. There are 5 freeways/highways between Alan's work and home. HWY 92, HWY 880, HWY 238, HWY 580, and HWY 13.
We finally got to Barnes and Noble at 3:20 PM, where we stood in line for 5 minutes before being told that the store had reached the maximum capacity and there was no more people being allowed in. Sigh. Alan and I just looked at each other, shook our heads in disappointment, and walked back to the car. Oh well, sometimes in life you are a 7 and sometimes you are a 9! LOL. Yesterday, we both felt like a 9, which wasn't a good thing at all. LOL.
"People that hate cats, will come back as mice in their next life."
-Unknown
Me: Hey Elvis, what do you call a person who steals cats?
Elvis: I don't know mommy, what do you call a person who steals cats?
Me: Glad you asked Elvis, you would call them a purrr-snatcher! LOL
Elvis: Uh Huh.
Me: Hey Elvis!
Elvis: Yes Mommy?
Me: Why did the kid try to feed pennies to the cat?
Elvis: I don't know, why?
Me: Because his mother told him to put the pennies in the kitty!
Elvis: (Rolling his eyes) Oh brother!
My cat Elvis puts up with a lot from me, he is especially patient with me when I tell him silly cat jokes! LOL. He and I have a ton of fun together, our most recent fun has come from a snippet of colorful ribbon, which he loves to chase and catch. He also received a brand new squeaky mouse from his daddy this past week, and we are enjoying that as well. I have attached it to the ring on my desk drawer, and several times a day Elvis tries to pull it away for some chewy fun. Unfortunately, it tends to snap back, but that's ok with my boy, he enjoys a good challenge! :)
Elvis had his second dose of chemotherapy last Thursday, and all seems to be going well. He is eating his meals, and is more playful now then he has been in months. When he was first diagnosed, he was so wee and weak, but he has perked up and is such a joy! Something even more encouraging has been happening the last week or so, he is now back to climbing up on the bed to sleep with us at night again. When he wasn't feeling well, he would isolate himself. That broke my heart. I am afraid I don't sleep as well without that little bundle at my feet watching over me. :)
It's difficult to remember sometimes that he is dying. I know about all the realities, but he is such a good cat. So funny, so happy, so sweet. I don't know if it is particualry helpful to dwell on things when he is enjoying life so much right now. That inevitable day will be here soon enough. Right now the three of us are embracing life. We do a lot of laughing. I think that makes all of us a little healthier. :) I am so thankful to Dr. B and his staff for making this time as positive as possible. I know I am living the miracle I hoped for right now, with Elvis, each time I hear his happy little giggle.
So tell me, does your cat giggle? What is the quirkiest habit your pet has? If you would like to read more cat jokes, just click the link below! :)
"Manys the long night I've dreamed of cheese... toasted mostly."
-Robert Louis Stevenson
Tuesday, Alan came through the door with a medium brown bag, and a big smile on his face. "Guess what's in the bag Carly," he said. As I eyed the bag I considered what it might contain. From it's size it could have been anything from a can of motor oil, to a new puppy. LOL. "Nah, it couldn't be a puppy," I reasoned, it wasn't moving, and besides, Alan wouldn't bring me roadkill. LOL. My curiosity was definitely on high, so I decided to just take a look inside. Now if you have known me any time at all, you know the way to this girls heart is to present me with... cheese! I love cheese. All cheese. And as if the cheesy goodness weren't enough, Alan purchased a freshly baked marble rye to go along with it. :) Needless to say, we had a delicious afternoon. :)
So tell me, if someone presented you with a medium brown bag, which could contain anything, what would you wish to find it contained? In my brown bag was a 1/4 lb Cotswold, 1/4 lb Asiago and a marble rye bread. What three items would you like to see. Share. You know you want to!
-OndineMonet "Happiness In A Medium Brown Bag" June 10th Berkeley, California Afternoon
When I read what this week's photo shoot topic was, I immediately looked around my desk for PLASTIC objects. To my dismay, I have already featured most of the items on my desk in previous entries. My blood glucose kit is almost exclusively PLASTIC, with the exception of the needle used for the lancets. But what a bummer as a photo subject. I have a PLASTIC bottle of Magic Bubbles on my desk, that could be used, but I kinda had that in mind for an upcoming update entry about Elvis. I have tons of pens, and pins, but nah... BORING! Hmmm... do I own anything PLASTIC that might be considered unusual? I probably do, but nothing was coming to my mind. With my inspiration standing in the blank position, I decided to break for lunch.
As I put the fixings for my noontime meal on a lovely PLASTIC floral tray, it hit me. An idea, not the tray. I realized that most of my Monday lunch was PLASTIC. I was eating a lovely, healthy salad, in a new PLASTIC salad/dessert dish I purchased a couple months ago. As a side dish to my lunch, I was going to have a Motts Strawberry Applesauce, which is served in a lovely PLASTIC container. LOL. Not included in the photo, but which also figured into my PLASTIC lunch were, a fork with a blue PLASTIC handle and PLASTIC bottle of Ocean Spray Cranberry juice. :) So, when you consider that I do check my blood before and after I eat, I would say that 90% of my lunchtime experience today was PLASTIC! I am not really sure if that is a good thing, or a bad thing! LOL. I do know I enjoyed the still life PLASTIC photo shoot experience. :)
"I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They're beautiful. Everybody is plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic."
-Andy Warhol
-OndineMonet "Plastic Still Life At Lunch" Berkeley, California June 8th, 2008 Afternoon
Isn't she beautiful? I happened upon this dragonfly, well, actually, there were several of them flying about, lining the shore of Lake Anza, in Tilden Park, as I took a long walk there one day last week. I was thrilled to see them, I haven't had the chance to get in really close to them before now. It also made me happy to see about 4 or 5 varieties that day as well as the red ones. There were bright blue ones and a really interesting stripped dragonfly. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get as close to them as I did this one.
I probably could have moved a little closer to the shoreline, but I really didn't have the right shoes on for the steep, rocky climb. I was really lucky in that this one kept flying up to the top of the hill where I was sitting, and came to rest on a rock just a couple feet from me. I swear it was posing for me! The dragonfly and I had a pretty good time that day. I am going to try to get back there soon, with the proper clothing on, so I can hopefully photograph as many dragonflies as possible. I think I might make this a summer goal for this year, like the bumble bees were last year. Wish me luck.
-OndineMonet "Red Dragonfly" Lake Anza Tilden Park Berkeley, California June 6th, 2008 Afternoon
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Weekend Assignment #219: What is your favorite form of transportation, and why? You can choose any means of traveling by land, sea or air, with just one catch: it has to currently exist in the real world, or have existed in the past. No TARDIS, no Star Trek transporter, no flying DeLoreans, all right?
Extra Credit: What's the most unusual form of transportation you've ever taken?
I smiled when I saw this week's Weekend Assignment, because just this past week, Alan and I finally bought ourselves the bikes we have been looking at, and now I get to show them off! It was a good week. There is a lot to share, and I will over the next few days, so stay tuned for that. I want to keep on topic here.
Last week, George Bush sent us some stimulation, lol, so Alan and I sat down and decided where it should go. Elvis came first, and he is now taken care of. We don't have too many other needs, except for the same ones everyone does. When all was said and done, there was more then enough left over for this investment in recreation, health and just plain fun. :)
It was a hoot getting up on a bike, after having not ridden one for almost 25 years! I have a slight case of saddle sore, lol, but the legs feel great and the soul feels like dancing! I had forgotten how much fun it was to peddle along, just letting my thoughts run wild. And of course there is the added bonus of how exercise lowers my blood glucose levels. We have gone riding here in the hills, everyday this past week, and we will be going again today. I am looking forward to it. :)
An old flame told me about a year ago, that when I was a youngin' of about 22 or so, I looked really good on my bike. I didn't learn to drive until I was 23, so up until then, the bike, and walking, was how I made my way around. :) I was surprised that my old flame still had that thought in his mind. I know darned well that driving a car has made me a somewhat lazy girl, and as a result, things simply aren't where they used to be.
I love driving. I love going to far off places and seeing new things, but because there is a trade-off, driving has done very little for my legs and rear end. LOL. Thankfully, over the years, I haven't gone too far down hill too fast. :) I am ok for almost 46, but with the bike, I think I will soon be DARN GREAT for 46! The bike will be good for me, but I do have to say, I still love my car, Lilith, and she will always be my favorite way to see my world, so above you see my two great loves for traveling adventures near, and far. Lilith and Lil Lilith.
Gas prices are what they are, but it doesn't mean I have to give up having photo adventures, I just had to allow myself to try a new way of looking at things. And besides, the bike makes much more sense for doing errands around town. There is never enough parking in downtown Berkeley. In that it is a college town, you see bicycles everywhere. It just makes a lot more sense in this economy. I imagine a lot of folks will be considering a bike for at least some of their transportation.
Extra Credit: I once flew from Washington D.C. to Lynchburg, Virginia, in a Piedmont commuter plane, that had 4 propellers and made a lot of noise as it flew up and down between the 6 stops in-between! I know traveling by airplane isn't exactly new, but the propeller thing was definitely new to me! Loud and slightly scary. LOL. Sometime I will write about that whole adventure. Stay Tuned!
-OndineMonet "My Two Rides" Berkeley, California June 6th, 2008 Late Afternoon
"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
-Lucy Van Pelt ( Peanuts ) By Charles Schulz
I had a really good time this past week with the camera. Yesterday was nothing short of perfect! I will be sharing more about things over the next few days, but for now, this was my favorite shot from my time with the camera on Thursday. It was a good day for a lot of reasons, but starting the day off with a hot chocolate, made just the way I like it, with a shot of raspberry syrup, was more then just pleasant... it was almost sinful. :)
It was nice to sit outside, at my favorite cafe here in Berkeley, and just enjoy the cool, clear air, the sweet, hot chocolate, and then find out 2 hours later that my blood glucose level was just 108 mg/dl! I am so glad I invested a little time in myself, after my diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, to educate myself and bring things in my life under control. How else would I have found out that a little dark chocolate once a day, has so many health benefits! :)
I like this photo. I like the colors and the lighting. There is just something about how it all comes together that seems pleasing to me somehow. I was really fascinated by the shadows cast by the sun, coming through the trees on the patio of the cafe, and I spent a lot of time just snapping at as many shadows as I could find. Overall I think I am happy with what I found through the lens. It was a good day!
-OndineMonet "Delicious" Caffe Strada Berkeley, California June 5th, 2007 Late Morning
"Worry is today's mice, nibbling on tomorrow's cheese."
-Unknown
I hope I'm not cheating here, by using the French word for cheese, Fromage. ;) But you see, I love cheese for not only it's wonderful flavor, but I also find it darned photogenic as well. Gouda, Cotswold, Cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, French Feta, it's all good! Parlez-vous Fromage?
Be sure to go see all the participants in the challenge for the letter "F.". Martha has the list posted and ready for jogging. It can be found here.
If you would like to play along, I bet Martha would love to have you. You can visit Martha's entry for the letter "E" by clicking the link to her journal, Perception.
-OndineMonet "Cheeseheads" Berkeley, California January, 2005 Afternoon
"Oh, why can't we break away from all this, just you and I, and lodge with my fleas in the hills? I mean, flee to my lodge in the hills."
- S. J. Perelman, Will B. Johnstone, and Arthur Sheekman, Monkey Business
Time for a little time away from the computer and the Internet. Today is June 1st! Where has the year gone? Pretty soon it will be time to put up the Christmas tree again. Where did I put that thing? (Insert crossed eyes here). I'll be back in a few days with an Elvis update, new photos, and who knows what else. Look for me around Thursday.
-Carly
"Gone Fishing" Livermore, California May 28th, 2007 Morning
"Sometimes you can tell a large story, with a tiny subject."
-Eliot Porter
My Round Robin teammate Karen, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin, chose one of her own ideas for this round, "Tiny Things." I looked through my archived photos for this challenge, because I know I have a habit of seeing wee things here and there when I am out with the camera. It must be because of my height, 4' 11, I guess I just see the tiny things more readily or something... who knows? Anyway, here is my contribution to the theme, Tiny Things...
A Tiny Clown With Her Mother
Tiny Flowers With A Large Bumble Bee
A Tiny Skipper Butterfly
Tiny Red Sugar Sprinkles On A Homemade Sugar Cookie
Tiny Autumn Leaves
Tiny Gas Prices, And In San Francisco Yet! ;)
My Favorite One... A Tiny After Lunch Reading! I am Kicking The Butt Of Diabetes... And Taking No Prisoners!! :)
I had a bowl of Creamy Tomato soup, a turkey sandwich w/ extra mayonnaise and cranberries, a slice of Fruits of the Forest pie, and a 100 calorie Coke Classic! Can you believe my reading? Slowly, my diabetes has been getting better, especially since Elvis has been sick. I think the extra time spent with him has actually enhanced my own health. He is such a fun cat. We love each other a lot, and when we spend time together, it makes us happier and healthier, and if Alan can join us, it's just that much better. It just proves that it's the little things... maybe even the TINY things that make life good. Tiny is good! :)
If you have an idea for an upcoming Round Robin challenge, feel free to send us an email. You can find all our contact information on the sidebar of the RRC blog. You can also find a complete list of past challenge topics, going all the way back to our first challenge three years ago! So sing out, we can't do the challenges without you! Now go see what this week's participating Robins have come up with, just follow the links below...
"Man blames fate for other accidents but feels personally responsible when he makes a hole in one."
-Unknown
As the title of this entry says, Alan will do anything to avoid seeing the new movie, Sex And The City. I have been asking, pleading, and subtly hinting at him for weeks, that I wanted him to take me to see the movie on it's opening day, which was yesterday. When I would ask however, he would change the subject. He would kiss me, pet the cat, make himself tomato soup, turn the channel on the TV to CNN, clean the grill, make Jalapeno Poppers, go out for sushi, all of these things and more, rather than commit to seeing the ultimate chick flick that is Sex And The City. Funny thing, I seem to remember that when I watched the show, when it aired originally on HBO, Alan would sit and laugh, and gaze at Kim Cattralls BOOBs and sometimes join me in a little outrage as one, or more of the men, especially Mr. Big, did something... well... jerky! I mean even Alan knew Aiden was a creep for breaking up with Carrie on a Post-It note! LOL.
I think I knew that going to the movie was a long shot, but even yesterday I held out a little hope until Alan pulled out all the stops to avoid going. He dropped a crescent wrench on his head! LOL. Ok, well, that isn't really accurate, it wasn't really self inflicted, it fell on the top of his head in a freak accident in the garage, but man, the timing couldn't have been better. Alan had called me earlier in the day, and relayed that he wasn't having the best of days, so I told him to just come home after work, and we would have a quiet evening. No biggie. On his way in, he stopped in the garage to see if there was room to hang a bike holder, and that is when it happened. He thought he had put the wrench on the shelf, but he had missed it by that much!
"Carly, don't make a big deal out of it... I think I hurt my head a little bit," he says. "Alan, you need to go get that looked at." "No, nope... it's not that bad." "Yes, yes it is Alan." After a few minutes of heated debate, I grabbed my camera and photographed the top of his head. " Well crap! Ok Carly, call the doctor." LOL.And within 20 minutes we were on our way. He was right, it looked a whole lot worse then it was. No stitches needed, not tetanus shot needed, and we were home in a few hours with a Chinese food and root beer feast. :) I missed the movie opening, but Alan is well, and that makes me happy. Besides I can see the movie anytime this summer, and in 6 months or so it will premiere on HBO. I'll ask him to watch it with me then... except I will hide all the wrenches! LOL.
-OndineMonet "Alan At The Hospital" Kaiser Hospital Oakland, California May 29, 2008 Late Afternoon
"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the human race."
-H.G. Wells
In an effort to save money, and do our share to help out the planet, Alan and I have decided to get bicycles. After a good bit of research, we think we have found the ones for us. The Roadmaster SX Mountain Sport, in 24 inch for me, and 26 inch for Alan, and in his and hers models of pink and blue! LOL. I haven't actually ridden a bike in oh... say... 25 years or so, so this whole experiment is going to surely have some moments of hilarity to be sure. But I have heard my whole life that once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget! LOL. Soon, I will be testing that theory... and I will be sure to report back to you! LOL.
At the moment, I am not doing much moving, as I hurt my lower right side the other day. I am hurting a little worse today, then I did yesterday, so I am thinking a call to the doctor might be in order. Sheesh. I am not even sure how this happened, but it reminds me of the time I did some damage to my rotator cuff, while unpacking Christmas decorations a couple years ago. We have been having some unseasonably cool weather, which the cat is enjoying, but which makes his mommy a lump of slow moving pain. LOL. Oh well, what's a girl to do?
Well, here's the thing. I need to get more exercise then I do. I love to walk, but when it is this cold, I ache, which makes walking nearly impossible. I am hoping that as the weather will be certainly warming up as we get closer to summer, I will take advantage of the bike, and give my legs the workout they have been needing. I loved riding a bike as a young woman. Before I learned to drive, I rode my bike all over the place, and was told once by a former love that I looked damn good on a it. Of course that was, like I said, 25 years ago or so. Things simply aren't in the same place they used to be. I am now a middle aged woman, use your imagination... or rather don't... oh heck... just take my word for it. ;)
Whether or not I still look good on a bike is really beside the point, the point is that I want to do good by me. I want to live healthier, and be able to say that I am doing my part in this crazy mess we have all found ourselves in. I am not as dependant on my car as I used to be. It disappoints me that we can't afford to take the long rides we used to. I like seeing new places, but it just isn't realistic anymore, and I really doubt things will get much better. Sigh. So, I am going to take a closer look at what's around me. Treasures I would have missed, had I not gotten a bike. Let's see what's right in front of me.
I am even thinking about getting a sidecar, which actually follows behind the bike, not to the side, for Elvis to ride in. He is a strange cat, he loves riding on things, and he even enjoys being turned around and around in a swivel chair. He would have enjoyed it if we had bought him a swing set, but who knew? Go figure! I am just considering it at this point. The following pictures are of what we have definitely decided on. I am not sure if we will make the purchase this week or next, but it's kind of fun to know we are taking these steps for our future. There is a lot to look forward to in life, and that makes all the bad news a little easier to take somehow. For the most part... I'm a happy girl.
"Suspension Folks Provides Shock Absorbing Comfort." LOL. My bum is eternally grateful for that! ;)
-OndineMonet "Bike Shopping At Wal-Mart" Wal-Mart Livermore, California May 27th, 2008 Afternoon
"Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave."
-Muhammad
The War Memorial, in Lafayette, California, is adding additional crosses to the hillside today, not just for the men and woman killed in action in the two wars we are fighting in the Middle East, but to also reflect those who have taken their own life, since returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's about time we did more for our brave then simply putting a yellow ribbon of support on our cars and windows that says, "Support The Troops." Today, let's remember the total cost of war.
-OndineMonet "Memorial Day" Lafayette War Memorial Lafayette, California
"Honestly, it's the kids that made us successful. They had a good outlook, and we made it fun."
-Dick Martin, referring to the show "Laugh-In."
It made me sad today to find out the comedian, Dick Martin, had passed away last night. It always makes me sad to hear that someone with so much talent for easing the stress and sadness of the world, has passed on. As you know, humor has saved me more then once, in fact, humor mine and others, continues to heal me in all sorts of ways. Part of what is keeping me going, when it comes to Elvis's illness, is the fact that he is a natural comic. He does something unusual or funny every single day.
Most recently he made us laugh by belching. See, he has to take a certain anti-biotic by mouth twice a day. He hates the taste, but he takes his medicine with very little complaining, however, he does get a little nervous about it, and usually swallows a lot of air, as he swallows the medicine, resulting in... well... belching. And not just little kitty belching... lion sized belching! LOL. It might sound mean, but I can't help but snicker. It's so cute, and yes, funny.
Elvis likes the sound of laughter, so after he is done with the excess air, he usually gets a little grin on his face, similar to a baby who has just passed gas, and then comes over for giggle time which included playing with his favorite mouse and a ball of yarn. There are more funny little routines he has, but I have gotten way off topic, the death of Dick Martin.
I loved watching him on Laugh-In when I was a child. Martin was the comedy to Dan Rowan's straight man. I loved his humor. I loved his facial expressions, and I loved how he interacted with the cast members and the guest stars. I especially loved the clip above, which I found in YouTube a few months back. In my opinion, it is one of the best moments out of the series. Watch it... it will make you laugh out loud. It's a classic. It is a performance of Tiny Tim, singing his uber hit rendition of, "Tiptoe Through The Tulips."
Thanks Dick Martin for making me laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."
"What garlic is to food, insanity is to art."
