Computers Anonymous

Now, before you break into a cold sweat, fret not. I don't think there is such a thing as "Computer's Anonymous" and if there were, well let's just not put that idea out there. My point is that I am without a computer. My hard drive ticked, clicked and died a week ago. Me, the internet addict, without a laptop. It's deeply disturbing. My sweet wife quickly located a replacement and I've been stalking the postman ever since. I have had to check email from the boys' and Ginger's computer. Ginger even set up a way for me to use Outlook on her computer after listening to me complain about using webmail (ICK!), but it's not the same as having my very own little laptop. So when we came home this afternoon and there was a shiny red white and blue priority mail box on the front porch I frantically ripped open the box only to find that the hard drive enclosed is not the hard drive I need. So here I am at work, doing the national working person's #1 sin...blogging on the company computer. What's a girl to do? Cross your fingers I'm up and running soon. I have projects to write and pictures to upload (though I did lose every one of our vacation pictures AUGH!) and when I am finally restored to my computer I'll then start the insanity of trying to salvage the pictures, but until then I am computerless. Say a prayer for me!

We're "bad" Jews!

Good yontif! Shana Tova! It's Yom Kippur in case you're confused. Though I am not confused as to it being Yom Kippur, I apparently was MAJORLY confused about everything else in my life. While at dinner at Molly's La Casita last night, where I had just joined up with friends and given part of our birthday present to our dear friend Kelly, my phone rang. It seems I have no memory of agreeing to work. So I took 2 sips of my margarita, ate 3 chips and left Ginger to ride home with Dee in her new fabulous wheels :::drooling::: What, you're asking, does this have to do with Yom Kippur? Because last night was Kol Nidre. Now I really like the Kol Nidre service and had planned to leave dinner, gather the boys and head to services. I am sad I had to miss it. But there's more to my scheduling snafu. We had asked Rose and her crew to please come stay with us on their way home from the Unschooling Conference (Live and Learn) in St. Louis. When I'd made the suggestion, I hadn't been looking at a calendar. They arrived while I was at work, and would have been at services. When I got home from work (after a detour to the grocery store, hadn't been grocery shopping since we got home from a month at the beach) we enjoyed a wonderful visit. Went to bed and left the boys to a slumber party in the living room. This morning we continued to visit as Erin patiently waited to leave for Pensacola and his newly delivered computer. They just left and though I would have dearly loved to go to Yom Kippur Services, it's already 11 so unless I go to the evening services, I think we're going to be "high holiday service" deprived this year. Interesting when life offers us choices. I don't regret hosting our friends one whit! Maybe it's the goddesses sign that high holy day services were NOT the time to try a new Temple? Some would just call us "bad" Jews for not putting Yom Kippur at the top of our lists.

everything ocean you'd like to know

So here we are on Pensacola Beach in the Gulf of Mexico. However, on the other side of this tiny strip of land is the sound and mysteriously some of the sound is a bay and another part becomes a bayou. definitions please!
Bay: an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
Gulf: an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay
Sound: a large ocean inlet or deep bay
Bayou: a relatively minor, sluggish waterway or estuarial creek through lowlands or swamps, generally tidal or a slow imperceptible current flow

and for everything about Red Tides: http://isurus.mote.org/~mhenry/rtupdate.phtml

he's SO your child!

the hat is ala Ginger and Aunt Bev, same with the shades, but the orange, "share some" mount gay rum shirt (won at Paddy O'leary's) is ala Daddy Rick, Uncles Mikey and Chaz and the Montrose Gang! 

Blue Angel

William has finally gotten another cat. His first darling, Scratch, disappeared and despite rewards, posters and canvassing the neighborhood in Oklahoma, was never found. His second cat, whom he nurse and nurtured from a sick kitten to a warm wonderful cat, Angel began to stay in the garage after we moved back to Memphis. Then she wouldn't come in for days, days become weeks and she'd show up. She had a collar and number on her. After her last long absence and subsequent return we tried to keep close tabs on her, but she left and hasn't been seen since. That was a year ago. With three cats already in the house, adding another one is not something we rush into! But with his birthday approaching, the topic came up (again). We visited several web sites, checked the paper, freecycle and the pound. Eventually we landed on this little guy who is six weeks old. He's been raised by his mom so he has all those good antibodies. Was an inside cat and is well socialized. In a stroke of genius he was named :
Blue Angel! No doubt updated pictures will come, but these are the best so far. It will be interesting to see what his coat color becomes as he matures. He has the oddest little gray striping around his neck and some medium longish hairs here and there. Check out his mustache!

Mom's Purse

My mother's birthday present. I offered to make her a hat or scarf (mainly as an excuse to buy luxurious cashmere yarn) but she remembered a purse I made for Michelle's birthday and asked for a purse. I made it different than Michelle's, of course! it's 10x9x3 in theory. Knit out of very washable yarn (nothing I'd make a sweater or hat out of) I cast on 12 or 13 on the bottom and knit in seedstitch on size 6 needles for 10 inches. then picked up and knit in the round. I just got lucky that it worked out to an odd number, believe me I didn't plan that far ahead. Then I put a knit row in the middle for some variety and the top is K2P2 ribbing. I will throw a piece of carboard or plastic in the bottom for some stability and it probably should be lined, but it's unlikely that I will! If she hates it, it's going to be your birthday present...so act surprised.

Ginger, Master Sheller...

No, not peanuts and not a con game, seashells! Ginger loves snorkeling and picking up choice shells. Here she is on our balcony sorting through the keepers. We have hopes of making windchimes out of them this year. Act surprised when you get one for a gift, okay?

William poker face

Note the toothpick to complete the look. such a little actor! 

flooded streets and parking lots are great for kayaking!

Max kayaked in our flooded parking lot at Villas on the Gulf in Pensacola Beach while William was content to kayak in our flooded street in Memphis. 

another Finished Object!

This is a desperation item. The wind is so fierce on the beach that my scarf is continually threatening to blow off. So I grabbed my cotton yarn (that I brought to start a shadow knit purse) and cast on for a quick cabled headband. It does the trick beautifully and has become my one and only "fashion" item at the beach :) 

Family at Five Flags Festival/Seafood Festival Pensacola

We enjoyed ourselves immensely at the festival this year. It was a windy and gray day on the beach, but very comfortable for the most part at the festival. Rather than buy 4 meals, I purchased a sampler platter that had grouper, shrimp, crab cakes, calamari, french fries and hushpuppies. We each had favorites from it, but we all sampled. We also met a local potter and bought a few of his wares. He's quite a character! If you're lucky, you'll get one of his mugs/cups or bowls for a gift this year.

After the festival it was time to bid Mama farewell so we drove her to the airport just in time for a huge storm to kick in. Then we started for home and counted the days until she'd be back. Isn't it GREAT that we have a month at the beach?!!! You too can do it! Join us next year, get a rental nearby and we'll make a Memphis party out of it.

A windy and wet Resource Day at Pensacola Beach

The intrepid P.U. crew headed over two bridges and hung out with us for resource day this week. It was windy and the surf had eroded the beach incredibly just since the morning, but the rains stopped and the moms enjoyed shelling, chatting on the bed while knitting (Diane and Michelle) and munching popcorn just like teenagers, but the teenagers were gathered around the computer for Runescape or out in the sand building a causeway for the lagoon water that was being pumped over the walkway. Some of the kids shelled as well and one of them had his own private "hot tub" We had a GREAT time!

Resource day at Bayview

We missed the dancer last week and were bummed, but this week we were on time! Max and William brought cards to show off their new found interest in Five Card Draw, Blackjack and Gin and all the boys gathered around. Someone brought decadent brownies to share. See the "brownie" girls? Diane and Michelle were (of course) knitting! Michelle was working on a sock and Diane was casting on for a belated birthday present for her mom. The mystery kid with the plastic leis on his head was taken by William. And check out Ren's blue-do! The littles were playing duck duck goose for a few minutes and Max and Tyler enjoyed a few moments peace on the stage.

Stormy gulf Rita was hundreds of miles off the coast when this was shot

 

I am losing patience!!!

I"m trying one more time to post some pictures then I'm going to the seafood festival and blowing the rest of my cash (don't worry, Wm has our $$ to get over the bridge) this officially SUCKS and I am not able to upload these photos. The screen just freezes when it's uploading
%^$&()!!!!

Mom and Dad, disregard this!

for the rest of you, OMG, wireless internet FINALLY!!!! It's just short of orgasmic! We're finally at the library with occasional power surgers and drops, but I can upload pictures!!! Flounders was GREAT today (thanks Dedrick!!!! lots of Champagne and a limited purchased to the credit card [btw, I am V. Leonard])

our pictures so far.

Did I mention how much I am dependent on high speed access? The current rental (ick) is a dial up only!!! So here we are at the library. Publishing pictures that have left me hanging for weeks. whew. here they are!!! Enjoy in all their vicarious thrills (there are no pics of me rescuing the shark, sorry!)
In order of appearance :
1. Katrina takes out the trash
2. my admirer's (what is it this this 40+ year old bodycomplete with saggy breasts [thanks Nana!] and these construction workers, you'd think they hadn't seen anything young and cute for months)
3. Ginger brings in the rope
4. Ginger's office

Beach bums and bummers

Yes, it's hurricane season so we're at the beach. Where else would we be? Most days the water has been wonderful, clear and great for snorkeling. The sandbar is maybe 50 yards from the beach and when it's clear and calm we swim out. Sharks lurk beyond that so we don't even venture toward the far side of it! And in case you didn't know, NEVER go in the water at dawn or dusk...unless you want to be shark bait.
Ginger has set up her "office" on the beach with her chair and canopy. You can find her there most mornings sipping coffee and reading. The afternoon winds (pre-Rita) usually mean the canopy comes down. The boys are enjoying kayaking, boogie boarding and snorkeling. There are lots of things to find along the beach and construction everywhere. Our Pensacola Unschoolers meet weekly at Bayview Community Center so we're hooking up with other homeschooled kids too. William's already found kids who play Runescape. Such the little social butterfly. Max met Tyler, another quiet introvert, and they enjoyed spending time together. If the connection were faster, I'd post pictures of resource day, but that will have to wait until I get home or have insomnia.
Rita is kicking up the waves and the beach is virtually closed unless you like to be dermabraded top to bottom (the sand is blowing in a straight line through everything). The giant sand dune that protects our property is being worn down and one side has been breeched so the water is running into the lagoon. The winds blow and make the hurricane straps hum on the roof. Not exactly a great lullabye, but hey, we're safe and dry! Now if the cable guy would only show up so we can join the weather channel obsession. I am seriously missing Jim Cantore'
We've taught the boys to play 5 card draw and Gin too. We're limiting their computer time since it's a dial up we can only get one person online at a time. We're started going to the library for an hour daily during the heat of the day and getting online there. It's very crowded with all terminals in use at all times. There are many evacuees from Katrina and now Rita staying in the area.
On the needles, chugging along on the Cozy shawl from Knitty, cast on for Mom's birthday purse. Making it bottom up in the round, it's an oval to her desired demensions and knit in seed stitch. I'm making it up as I go :) And Mikey's birthday hat, which is a seeminly never-ending Fair Isle stocking hat. If the man didn't want it to go to his waist, it would be done by now. I don't know if it will make it in time for his birthday party. Still to cast on, Kelly's birthday purse and William's sweater.

latest finished object, the never-ending sock purse

I cast on for this purse months ago, honestly! I just discovered we're not much into wearing hand knit socks. I had this lovely KnitPicks yarn and knew it would never be the socks it was intended to be so I cast on for a purse on size 3 needles. Knitting insanity. Nothing special, but it's finally done. It's just a basic round bag with a draw string top. If you like it speak up, it could be your birthday present, LOL! You might consider wearing it as a hat like William and Ginger? If I weren't at the beach and on this infernally slow dial-up, I would edit this for better picture placement, but it took every bit of 15 minutes for these to upload, so deal with it! :)

William and Harry at Paddy O'leary's

William made a friend at Paddy O'Leary's pub. It's a "real" pub, or as close to it as you can get around here. Food, drinks, darts and local Celtic musicians gather here every Thursday to drink and play. William "won" a shirt here at the Half way to St. Patty's day celebration. Though it advertises some Gay Rum (quiet, all of you) he loves the shirt because it's so soft. It's also pumpkin orange and a women's style, but that hasn't slowed him down any!