The heat is on....

Not referring to the basketball team but the actual temperature.  Day 5? or is it 7? of above 70 up to 90 (feels like 100 with heat index) 24/7.  Yeah, you read that right.  Meaning I go outside and it is above 70 usually closer to 80 at sunrise.  Not the typical April weather.  Not that it is stopping the weather disaster predictions of a massive hurricane on horizon.  They said the same thing last year and there wasn't anything. 

No, I did not get up at 4 am to watch the royals mucking about in pomp and tiaras.  I'm half Irish so to me it's a tad upsetting to know how the royals climbed over the back of working Irish to pad the pockets of the monarchy.  I took Irish Literature in college and had even more explained than my family had told me as a kid.  Hearing that every bit of food was literally taken from mouths of starving....anyways....you get the idea.

But I do like my brother-in-law who is English.  He's taken great care of my sister and their two kids.  He even helped with her other four.  I'll check in on them this weekend and see if their latest mishap is fixed.  Last week right before Easter they had a flood from the second floor that pretty much took out most of their house.  I heard they spent Easter in a hotel.  My folks are supposed to be out there in two weeks so my sister is naturally a bit worried (note understatement).

Weekend plans are to laze in the pool unless the promised thunderstorms arrive then I will laze in the house.

80 degrees at daybreak

I can honestly say it's a bit warm.

Tropical Colors

Vivid reds and plum shades dance in the sunlight

Often deep into the night

The winds blow from the East

Africa soil dusting my car

Humidity giving my skin a sheen

Moisture thick in the air

Green parrots aloft dipping in the sky

Pelicans charting their flight into the sea

A cardinal spotted flying under the drawbridge

While the currents swirl through the waterways

Iguanas sunning on the docks

Spring is ever changing with the tides

Waves cresting and falling flat

The Gulf Stream pulling against the current

Fins and flippers flashing briefly

Lightning ripping across the horizon

As rain spatters here and there

Time keeps going on and on

Such are the sights and sounds

Of the Southern path

I find myself on.

27 April 2011

Tired but here

I so didn't want to get out of bed this morning.  There's a series of storms playing around with the edges of my world and nothing actually happening but pressure building up.  I took some pictures around dawn yesterday morning but didn't download them (upload them??) yet.  My one neighbor goes to work between 6 and 6:45 am.  I call him my back up alarm.  His van faces my bedroom window and he starts the van and the headlights find any available crack and illuminate my world. 

Reluctantly I rose and saw on the news scattered showers possible today.  I got going and found that it had rained on the car last night but little more.  There definitely is a storm front in the East from the ocean trying to make landfall.  Much like Sand, my sinuses do NOT like this sort of occurrence.  There's a disturbance in the force, Obi Wan.  I could have called off but just being tired is a crappy ass excuse and I like to rise above that sort of useless reason.  Give me a good rainy day and I can sleep undisturbed and I would have been more tempted. 

Finished up my 20K for April Fools writing challenge (self imposed numbers) so that's pretty cool.  One story "Good Morning" is over 11K right now and not even near done to my satisfaction.  I think I have two more weeks on that one so it should shape up fine.  Will try to get more pictures for the posts. Here's yard lizards looking at each other.

Spring has sprung

Some rain has taken to falling in drips and drabbles some days and torrential down pours on others.  Nothing like last year so naturally the word 'drought' is being liberally spattered across the airwaves. 

Easter Sunday was gorgeous and there was a nice breeze so I didn't over cook for a change.  Sat by the pool and had a good time chatting and swimming when the mood struck me.  Of course I did the cooking bit.  Brown Sugar Ham, scalloped potatoes, bean casserole, creamed corn and a tossed salad.  Deviled eggs for nosh and choice of cupcakes or Peach Betty with whipped cream for dessert.  Chardonnay for beverage along with liberal doses of water.  I picked up Pat, the 87 year old I mentioned earlier, from Century Village (yes the joke is you need to be about a century old to live there).  She's having trouble sleeping since her mugging and one of my other friends took her home.  She had a great time telling tales about her days in World War II.  She and I discussed death - since her son-in-law just passed and she recalled how angry she was when her husband died.  She worries about how her daughter is holding up since John died and her daughter is coming in tomorrow so she'll get to see.  They are supposed to scatter his ashes somewhere down here and have a bit of time to talk. 

I didn't do half as much writing as I wanted (nothing unusual on holiday weekends) but I liked what I did get down.  Not too much more.  I drive by Trump Tower in Boca at least three or four times a week (one of the routes with less traffic) and when I get caught by THAT bridge I snap a pic of the fountain, palm trees and pink building. 

Good Friday and Earth Day

I watched the sunset as I drove into work and didn't get ambushed by the drawbridge troll.  I did run into one of the trains because I stopped off at my PO Box and collected stamps and mail.  Yes, I am one of those sorts who still writes real letters AND has a PO Box.  None of the pesky mail at the curb nonsense.  Too many folks are hurting for money and unfortunately a mailbox is a delightful sorce of free information for those of a less than honest nature. I never am awake enough to snap those shots.  I'll have to work on it.

The three nasties from yesterday were it.  Woohoo!  I am still very sore and have a huge bruise on my left upper thigh but if that's the worse of what happened yesterday I am fine.  It is supposed to be lovely weather all weekend and I am baking a ham, scalloped potatoes, bean casserole and corn to feed the Lost Boys.  I know of at least four that are planning on just happening by on Sunday.  I am trying to see if I can tempt any of the girls to come over and play so I am not hiding inside.  I want to head to the beach at least one morning and look for shells.  I need to find out the tides.

Not too much else in brain right now.  Coffee hasn't kicked in.  Happy Easter for all those celebrating.

New Pirates Movie!

Okay, have to say "Wow".  See if it works for you.  I got the download from Disney and was totally ready to go see the movie.  Need to wait a month before it opens. 

http://disney.go.com/pirates/#/characters/jack-sparrow/

How much more needs be said?  Jack Sparrow!

Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed

At 1:30 am when everything went dead still I should have known it was the start of a challenging day.  The power kicked back on eventually but not before it grew stale and dead in the house. I've been getting up to mid 70's weather so the a/c running all night is not a luxury but pretty much necessity since it's still in high 80's at 9 pm.  I knew that all the clocks were wrong but I rarely use them other than passing glances.  Not needed to set an alarm I didn't get up and reconfigure the clock but eventually fell back to a fitful sleep.

Living on a barrier island has it's down sides.  One is that in order to get there you need to cross one of the three drawbridges or swim in from the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal waterways (both of which have sharks and stupid boat folks).  The main drawbridge is a block from my place and is supposed to go up on the half hour and hour...ONLY.  This morning's brain trust in charge of the bridge hits the lights just as I am ready to go across so I stopped steaming at 6:51 am....and there I was stuck for five more minutes while the rich dude with the too tall boat puttered through.  Naturally I snapped picture of the clock on my dash and the bridge up (to be posted later) just cause I was fuming.  See that sets my time back and makes me ripe to get caught by not one but two trains. 

I show up to work.  Clock in and then walk down the stairs to get ice for my breakfast diet dr. pepper (not coffee too warm).  Then wanting to dodge the talkative security guard in the lobby I go the the staircase near the cafeteria.  I badge in the door and am halfway up one flight when I see the door didn't close all the way.  Sighing I tromp back down and pull door shut.  There's still an alarm blaring.  I quicken my pace and prompty trip UP the stairs (takes a certain grace and lack of talent).  My left thigh meets one concrete step and left shin another while I figure I am about to take out my face so I lunge a bit off center and twist my left shoulder and wrist.

Grace and elegance all before 8:15 am.  Can't wait for the rest of this day.  Sigh.

20% chance of being wrong?

So I want to be a weather forecaster.  Anyone who's read more than a bit of my writing knows I tend to find a paragraph or three to mock newscasters and at times weather forecasters.  What other job could you have where you are wrong 80% of the time and you still get paid? 

It was supposed to be hot all weekend.  They got that right.  With possibly a 20% chance of scattered showers.  Well that 20% poured enough rain into the pool that I didn't have to add water (like an inch!).  It rained a good two or three hours without stop.  Scattered showers later in evening.  That was Saturday.  Sunday was summer hot and humid (August type weather) with rolling thunderclouds and booms and some rain (not as steady).  Don't get me wrong we really need rain here but I like it to rain at night and during work week when I am not outside (silly me).

I got some writing done but ended up with backyard full of the Lost Boys again.  Most of them don't have girlfriends and tell tall tales while trying to one-up each other.  Wealth of writing material free of charge.  And since they don't get online I don't have to worry about them reading about themselves in my tales *wicked grin* 

One of the guys who comes up for the weekend to give his girlfriend and her mother some time together got two back to back slam texts yesterday afternoon.  First, "Why don't you stay up there overnight?" Okay, not so bad cause she had her girlfriends in town and was having fun.  Second was the killer, "I need my space."  Given he lives with her that sort of screwed his mind up.  I let him crash on the couch and hope he doesn't get the next predictable messages, "It's not you - it's me" followed by "Your crap is on the curb".  He was devastated as they've been together for five years.  He lost his job five months ago and since then his world has been ever narrowing and crashing.  It's a tough economy.  It's tougher once you clear 50 and are looking for a job. 

Sand, didn't get the flickr updated but "Good Morning" is shaping into a fun bit of well fun.

My neighbor is probably in Key West now enjoying a drink with an umbrella in it and admiring the view.  I am getting tons of writing in the past few days.  I am not quite sure if "Good Morning" is going to come in under 10K words or not.  What can I say the picture inspired me.  I took off from where I'd left my as-of-yet-unnamed-character a few weeks later still in hot water.  My 'women-in-distress' stories aren't quite run of the mill I don't think.  This one has some interesting characteristics.

I hope to finish up "Good Morning" by Saturday night so I can get back to "The Building".  It's funny how stories take over my brain.  I write something a month or so before they end up in Piker Press and at times it's odd how life echoes some of my story lines.  I've put earthquakes into tales before they hit.  Must be something in the air.  I think of all the movies that get pulled prior to release due to content that imitates life far too accurately. 

Also hoping to finally get some things loaded into Flickr.  I have access to neighbor's computer while she is on the cruise and I am going to see how good her graphics programs are.  I am spoiled by what Nathan loaded onto mine.  If so, Sand, you should be getting tons to pull. 

Whelp...time to work...again. 

Good news.  Pat's out of the hospital and spitting mad.  The jerk who hurt her was arrested and is already out on bond.  I so am not happy with the situation but glad that she's okay.

I am such a wuss at times.  My neighbor, Jackie, is at loose ends and gets cruise ship updates sent to her inbox constantly.  She found this sweet deal yesterday morning and text me while I was at work (naturally phone's off so I didn't get it til lunch) and left a voice mail that I needed to take Thursday, Friday and Monday off because she found a cruise and she'd pay.  I didn't reply til noon and she already talked another friend into going.  I don't think I still would have gone had she waited til I was home.  I save my vacation days for most of the year just how I am wired and with brother-in-law having been so sick I still don't know if I am going to end up taking a trip to New Hampshire.

That said, Jackie is leaving me in charge of her kitty and making sure her mail gets to the countertop.  I dyed her hair last night at 7pm because she was freaking that she wouldn't look perfect without root work.  On the plus side too is I got some great writing in on my Good Morning tale. 

Stressful Society

One of my dear friends here is 88 years old.  She survived being in the Royal Air Force in England during WWII, the death of her husband, transplanting her life to South Florida from England at the request of her daughter, the death of her son-in-law a week ago.  I hope she survives being severely beaten and mugged this week by a punk ass twenty something on his bike inside her secure senior community.  The gated community that requires ID to get through the date from everyone in the car and takes down car license plates when you go into visit anyone. 

Patricia Knight is a lively fun woman who perches on the bar stool down the street from where I live and on occasions I get the pleasure of sitting next to her to discuss everything from world affairs to the latest books.  We swap books back and forth while sipping chardonnay and iced water.  She always compliments me on something I am wearing, how I look or just exudes pleasure at my coming out to visit her (us writer types can be a tad reclusive).

I hope that punk ass kid gets educated by the guys in the prison system who love their moms and grandmothers.  She couldn't have had more than ten bucks in her purse at the most and doesn't wear any jewelry.  To me this is a hate crime and should be prosecuted as such.  Slime ball.

April Fools Novel Month

Uhuh, sure.  That means theoretically I am getting at least a thousand words in a day.  Not. 

Last night I went home with nearly a thousand words I'd scrawled during lunch.  400 on current WIP - The Building and over 500 on new tale Good Morning.  Good Morning is taking off a few weeks after my new character left Uncle Harry's underground lair and she has a new issue.  Still need to know her name - guess it'll show up when she needs to be called something. 

Last night's intentions were to have dinner with compound (neighbors we pool resources and create better meals) pork chops, aspargus, potatoes and applesauce.  Did that then a friend arrived with another buddy of mine.  She wanted me to join them for drinks.  The buddy's mom died two weeks ago and he's still wigging out.  I talked a bit with them then hid in my room and caught up on a bit of writing. 

Well that and fed the local birds - ie mosquitoes - for a bit.  Sigh.  Today it is expected to be in the 90s.  Ugh.  April showers???

Work whine

I don't wannnnnnaaaa work!  Shocker no?  I want to write, sit by pool, swim in pool, relax, sleep past 6 am.   You know the usual. 

Brother-in-law out of hospital for now.  They are doing biopsies on the stuff from his bladder and kidneys.  My sister is still freaking but not as much now that BIL home.  Talked with her a few times this weekend.

Neighbor and I walked to the Green Market held locally on Sunday morning.  Good walk, way sucky market.  There weren't but a half dozen or so booths (tents).  Only one offering fresh veggies.  Get this they wanted 75 cents for a single red potato!!!!  The guy selling the Pickled Pink stuff (olives, eggs and assorted things in brine) had more flies than there were people shopping.  Yet, even with flies on his food, some idiots were buying the stuff.  She and I didn't buy a thing but went away shaking our heads.  There were three stands with bread stuff.  One was gluten free, one was french pastries and the other was biscotti cookies.  A man was playing guitar and singing country tunes mixed with religious ones.  Pretty much a surreal adventure.

Discordant and distraught

So I left my cell phone on at lunch and ran down the battery during the 5 hours before I left work.  Naturally I didn't call my sister like I tend to on Thursday.  Once my phone is charged I get a text saying my BIL is back in the hospital for something wrong with his kidneys.  I call my sister and listen to the week she's had and then calm her down because she's talking on her cell while out to dinner with the kids and I don't want them worrying anymore than they already are.  I pointed out to her in a very soft voice to remember how we felt when my grandparents were ill and died and my mom freaked out in front of us.  She did lower her anxious tones and I got her to laugh. 

I cried once off the phone.  It's so hard to hear how much suffering my BIL is going through and how many things keep getting screwed up.  Sister goes hysterical and there's not much more I can do.  So I then called my big brother to keep him up to date so if icky stuff happens he knows.  Afterwards I call my mom's best friend and get her up to speed in case things don't start getting better.  It looks like a long phone intense weekend ahead of me. 

Oh, and heatwave expected.  Supposed to hit the 90s!

Downside of Paradise

I am doing April Fools Novel this year.  It's an offshoot of NaNoWriMo.  The rules are far more lax and it's an honor system challenge.  You choose your own goal and post it.  That's the only requirement.  From there you can use WIP and other projects you just need a push to work on and gain some encouragement from the various folks.  You can count poems and short stories but not blogs or homework (yeah, quite a few younger folks in the group).  Still it's good if you are doing National Poetry Month or Script Frenzy. 

Sadly this year I am lagging totally (said with my Cali voice).  I have a group of friends who like to hang out by the pool in the common area of my place and talk.  I call them my Lost Boys.  They all have hardship stories and have had interesting lives.  I hear stories of past glories and silly things they have done.  One of the 'boys' is from Canada and was a hockey player.  His life led him down to Florida where he ran a successful beach business and restaurant until his mother fell ill and he went to take care of her as she died from a bad blood transfusion done in Canada.  Since then he's been in a legal quagmire of paperwork and promises and currently works for a moving company.  He comes over to use my barbeque and makes delish meals that he buys the food for and he even does the dishes afterwards! 

Maybe it'll rain this weekend and I can catch up on my writing. 

Eighty Degrees and sunny - yes really!

Not that anyone in the colder parts of the country want to hear this but I was in the pool all weekend long on and off.  Hosted a friend's first baby shower.  She basically did most of the work since she is very assured in what she wants.  But still I think fun was had by all. 

Naturally all the pool time means a tad bit red today from the sun even though I used sunscreen often.  Dang tropics.

My folks are driving from Southern California to New Hampshire next month for my nephew's first communion.  My dad won't even go get a trip-ticket from AAA yet because he knows there can be tons of storms between now and then that can change the path of the trip.  Up until this weekend he actually was trying to talk my mom into flying (something she hasn't done in a dozen or so years easily) but with the Southwest issue that certainly won't be happening.

On my way home during the week I've been driving various ways and there's this little drawbridge I end up getting caught waiting some days but still it's oddly enjoyable to see. It reminds me of my childhood and going through Long Beach waiting for the various bridges in the journey.  Life tends to be like a road with a drawbridge - even with the posted hours every now and then we experience delays.  I am trying to work that into my world as a time to stop and see the beauty in my surroundings.

Day Two and still remembered to log in!

Well the major storm that was supposed to shut down power, create holes in the universe and generally create havoc and chaos kinda skipped my neck of the woods.  *shrugs*  I don't know if that's good or bad. 

April Fools Day.  I remember hating it as a child.  That fear of some bully doing something inappropriate and stupid and making me the center of undesired attention.  I never have been fond of practical jokes or pranks and don't see the attraction of shows like "Punk'd".  Does that make me old or just odd?