It's Always Something...

An oil change and groceries were on my schedule today and when I got home, Mr. kenju met me in the garage and asked me to go under the house and listen for leaks. I walked through the yard with some trepidation; opened the door to the crawl space (which, fortunately, is a walk-in at that point) and heard not one leak but what seemed a deluge (and remember, I'm nearly deaf.) I went into the house saying...."Call Leonard."  

Leonard is our plumber. He bonded with us  almost immediately, since he and his wife  are (as I am) originally from the state of West Virginia. We've known him for several years now and he is always at the ready when we have a problem. He came around 6pm and this time, he brought his wife with him. Had I not known he was bringing his wife, I would have thought she was his daughter. This woman looks to be all of about 25 and I found out she has children older than that! She is originally from a town near Huntington, WV, about 60 miles from where I grew up. We enjoyed talking to her while he was under the house. It took him about 2 hours to make the repairs. I don't yet know what the damage was (money-wise) but I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow. I didn't ask Mr. kenju before he went up to bed - because I didn't want to lose sleep over it.

I just had a weird snack. I looked in the fridge for something I could eat quickly. I put a handful of naked pita chips in a bowl and added some leftover  crumbled pepper boursin cheese and threw a handful of blackberries on top. It was so good that I wish I had more!

More from The NC Aquarium

Raleigh is near the middle of the state map; just under the red and green lines.

This photo shows the height to which the water rose during each hurricane.

One of their huge fish and shark tanks.
(This is at Fort Fisher)

Well, well. I just got a message from Picasa/Google that I have reached 100% of my allotment of photo space. I guess that means I'll never post another photo, since I have no intention of ever - ever!! - paying for more space. Anyone have any ideas for me? 

NC Aquarium Photos

This jellyfish was about 2 feet long.

Baleen from a whale.

A bashful octopus. He was just about to emerge from his hiding place, but thought better of it when he saw my camera.

One of the Downsides.....

to losing my Outlook Express email is that I had at least ten emails saved; from which I could expect to glean ten future posts for the blog. Now they are gone and I'm on my own to come up with something to write about. It's getting drastic here, folks!

We did have one perk today. The genius who fixed my computer found and isolated the old email addresses - all 200+ of them! I decided to print them, so when the computer messes up again, I can at least have the ones up to this date. Guess how many pages it printed?  Eighty-six! Of course, there was a lot of white space on each page. I really thought that my printer would run out of black ink before it finished printing, but every page is sharp and clear. The cartridge isn't new either - so that's very good! I've decided to try to remember to write out all the new email addresses that we get after this, so it is never a problem again. Also, when he attempted to set up Outlook Express on the other computer, it loaded 2,848 spam emails that we have gotten over the last 2 and 1/2 years - but they went directly into the spam files and we never saw them. None of the 2,848 looked remotely interesting.....LOL.....so we deleted all of them immediately!

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The pressure-washing, board-replacing and deck-sealing people are finally finished. It looks okay, and I know it is better for the wood to be sealed - but - I really preferred the look of the wood when it got weathered and gray  (sort of like me!) Another problem, which I am trying to ignore, is that the guy who sprayed the wood with sealer got it on all my plants and the ivy that grows all along the fence and retaining wall. It is nice and shiny now, but I know those leaves will die soon and I'll have to wait until the plant can push out new ones before it looks nice again. I had no idea that they would not use a drop cloth or something to protect the plants. If we ever have to have pressure-washing done again - you can be sure they will use a drop cloth - or they won't get the job. I will be firm on that. You've had fair warning, so you are armed against your pressure-washing people. Make them do what's right.

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This photo was taken from the site of my decade reunion last weekend. It is my beloved Kanawha River, in Charleston, WV. I have loved the river since I was a child, but I don't think I properly appreciated living in a city with a river until I didn't have it any longer.

When I first moved away from home, the ocean took the place of the river in my heart. When we moved to Raleigh some 41 years ago, I quickly realized how much I missed bodies of water - and lakes don't quite do it for me. I've always said that if Raleigh had a river, it would be perfect. Too bad I can't transplant Raleigh to sit beside that beautiful river. That would be Almost Heaven, indeed.

(I took the photo from inside the event site, so you see reflections in the glass.)

Quotes + Just Babble

I am not a lover of lawns. Rather would I see daisies in their thousands, ground ivy, hawk weed, and even the hated plantain with tall stems, and dandelions with splendid flowers and fairy down, than the too-well-tended lawn.

William Henry Hudson, author and naturalist (1841-1922)

***

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.

Kenji Miyazawa, poet and story writer (1896-1933)

*****

The first quote finds me nodding yes; I love green grass, but I prefer seeing flowers, even those we call weeds.

The second quote I'm not so sure about. The philosophy is good but the doing might be difficult. Perhaps it is akin to the religious philosophy of "offering up your pain for the good of others".

***

Last week we had the plumber in to repair three leaks found under the house by our son on Thanksgiving. Today, I awoke to no hot water. There's not much that deflates my usually positive outlook, but not having hot water when you need (nay, crave) a hot shower and a shampoo will do it every time. The plumber is here now. He mumbled something about a thermostat and not pulling 240 amps or something like that. It's all Greek to me, so I hope and have to trust that he knows whereof he speaks and is honest. We've been using his services for about 2 years and we've never had a reason to doubt that he is honest, and I sure hope we don't find one now. I've decided that if he isn't able to repair it tonight, I am going to the health club tomorrow to clean up. I am so grateful for that option. I know my neighbors would gladly offer me a bathroom, but I'd hate to ask. Have you ever been in that position? What did you do?

*****

My employer asked me today on Facebook if I "wasn't tired of decorating" by now, and I answered by saying "you know how much I love it", and that's true. But on reflection, I've decided that part of the draw for me is not only using my creativity and making things beautiful, but the camaraderie between friends and co-workers. I am fortunate to like and enjoy the company of everyone with whom I work, whether it is with Mel or some other business. That hasn't always been true, and a few jobs I've had were stressful because of the people involved, but not many of them. I've been blessed in that respect (as well as others). And no, I am not tired of decorating, but while I love doing it, I prefer to get paid for it - and at home - that doesn't fly! Mr. kenju asked me today if he "had any input into our Christmas decorating..." and I asked "Are you planning to do any of it?" He replied no and then so did I. If you aren't doing it - you have little right to say what gets done and where. Right?

A Mixed Bag of Leftovers

How pumpkin pie is made. Now, don't you want several for your Thanksgiving dinner? I know I do. (Click to embiggen)

What a clever shower! I don't know where this is, but I like it!

Civil War photo. The men are in Virginia, looking across the Potomac toward Georgetown University, up on the hill. Georgetown is mr. kenju's Alma Mater. I think it's been there since day 3 of Creation Week.

How sweet is that? And another below. That fawn certainly isn't afraid of the big, bad horsies.



I hate to do it, but I'm getting so much comment spam lately that I have to turn on comment moderation. Maybe after a few weeks I can get rid of it. Sorry.

Happy Friday the 13th for all you triskaidekophobes!

The Galapagos, Part 3

A blue-footed booby. Read the link to find out where the name comes from!!

An iguana (out of his element.)

Iguana gargoyles!

The ocean blue.

Hi, there. I'm smiling.....did you bring me any fish?

A seal sun-bath.

A snow-covered volcano in Ecuador.

Tortoise gargoyles.

Utter relaxation!! Look at the back flipper; hanging off the bench behind the pole. How could he be any more relaxed??

Photo Leftovers +

My Babies!!! The fawns were resting comfortably (about 20 feet from the fence) on Monday morning, when I went out to check the pool. They were so calm that they even gave me time to walk back into the house and get the camera. I should know better than to walk outside without it. The parents were nowhere to be seen, but they know their babies are safe with me.

This is part of the buffet table for last Sunday's wedding. Doesn't it make you want to dive right in??

Maybe you'd rather dive in here? Recently, my daughter took her two nephews kayaking on the Potomac near Georgetown. The scenery belies the closeness to civilization, doesn't it?

Would you like to be on the water near the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial? They enjoyed it, but they said the water was dirty.

Remember the post I wrote about a good book I read recently? The author left a cute comment on that post last night.

Odds and Ends

Some bluebird either had a fight or is molting, because my granddaughter and I found a total of 8 of these beautiful tail feathers in the yard over last weekend. They now reside in a blue vase in my kitchen window. I love the color!

Years ago, I used driftwood from the NC coast as decor in some event I did. I had to get rid of most of it (termites attacked) but I kept a few pieces and this one has been lodged into the fence for about 20 years. It is some sort of red cedar, according to the guy who gathered it for me.

After the rain and snow of ten or so days ago, the pool cover was standing full of slimy water and leaves. I have since pumped off the water, but soon will begin the laborious task of removing the leaves before May, when we will open the pool. It's not easy, but it's definitely worth it come summer.

One of my two rosemary bushes. I thought for sure it would be broken after the heavy, wet snow, but it bounced back in a day. I wish I could get it to grow in a large, bushy mound, instead of all leaning to one side. It drapes out of a whiskey barrel that has been there for so long, I'm sure it is about to completely disintegrate.

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Yesterday would have been my dad's 105th birthday. I still miss him every day.

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A quandry: Do I stay in bed long enough to get the sleep I need and risk a sore back, or I get up early and stay groggy all day. What to do?

^^^<<^^^>>^^^

Note: I am working the next three days. HOORAY! Visiting or commenting may be sparse.

Another Sunrise Series

Virginia Beach...late November, 2008




Yes, there is a ship right in the middle of the sun!






A reminder: I am working all week long. We are now decorating the NC Governor's Mansion for Christmas, and I will eventually have photos to show you.

Rays

I got these photos in an email today; scroll down for the text. I'm posting them as part of Carmi's Thematic Photographic - which is Nature!

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters. Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.

I have already forgotten who provided the link to this story, but I have to say THANKS! It was great!

That sweet Jamie Dawn made good on her promise to send postcards from her trip to California.

I got mine Monday.......THANKS, Jamie Dawn, it will make a very nice addition to my growing postcard collection!

I've added a photo I took in 2001. Mr. kenju wouldn't mind, but Miss kenju does not want her photo on the blog (mom rolls her eyes)- so I blocked it out. I really wish I had taken this photo without the people, since it would be a great picture! I love the color of the water and the angle we got by walking down almost under the bridge.

The day we were there, a lot of guys were surfing just to the right of this area, and there are very large rocks and boulders at the water's edge. I don't know how they kept from being crushed on the rocks - or eaten by the sharks we were told inhabit that water! Yikes!

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We had to buy a new refrigerator today. Our 24 year-old one started peeing all over the floor; the plastic line carrying water to the ice maker has sprung a leak. Since we don't care to walk through great puddles every time we come into the kitchen (and the cats really hate it), it was imperative that we buy another. So we have signed our monetary life away to Se*rs for a stainless steel, bottom mount freezer.

In my garage, I have 2 old refrigerators with the freezers on the bottom and I loved every minute of having them. As tall as I am, using a refrigerator with everything at or near eye-level is wonderful. But for the past 24 years, we have had a side-by-side, with water and ice in the door. About 10 years ago, the water line broke and our repairman decided he wanted nothing to do with replacing it. He suggested that we buy a new one then, but I couldn't see replacing a perfectly good unit. It was fine, as long as no one attempted to get water from it. The ice line worked fine, until last week. That was also about the time that the old green Am*na in the garage, the one we have had since 1975, bit the dust. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every appliance lasted that long?! The other one was my parent's, a coppertone fridge (so you can imagine how old it is) and it is still working well.

You may be asking why I have 2 refrigerators in the garage. Good question. I use them in my business. They are perfect for storing candles and flowers, along with beverages and the occasional large soup pot when there was no room for it in the kitchen fridge. I also have a 2-door florist cooler, which is only turned on when I have wedding flowers to keep cool and hydrated. Mr. kenju is anxious to get rid of it, since running it results in the electric bill raising sky-high.

So when the delivery men come to install my new stainless unit on Monday, we will have them move the old one to the garage, and the other old green Am*na will be consigned to the appliance graveyard, wherever that may be. Rest in peace you old Am*na, you have served us well!

Scene at the Beach + a Quote

Looking right from our hotel (Marriott's Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach). This was taken at 10 am on Sat. morning. You see how few people were there in September; in June, the sand was completely dotted with people, blankets, chairs, umbrellas and coolers. The cloud that gave us shade left almost immediately, and we had bright sun all day!

The view from our room; overlooking the entry drive and parts of the Marriott Vacation Club. This part sits behind the hotel, while two other buildings overlook the ocean.

Three of my four; hard at work on the construction below (a corral for tiny hermit crabs), which unfortunately didn't last long, since the tide was coming in.

After our day in the ocean, we went out for dinner and to the local outlet mall. While my daughter and one of the girls were shopping, the rest of us sat on a bench beside a fountain and pool that had a statuette in the center, up on a platform. There were many coins in the pool, and our youngest proceeded to toss coins that she picked up from the bottom, onto the platform. A young father walked up with a beautiful, blond child of about 2 and a baby boy in a stroller. He sat the little girl down on the pool ledge and took out his cell phone. As he got interested in his conversation, the little girl slipped into the pool to pick up some coins so she could toss them like my granddaughter was doing. She was way too short to reach the coins easily, and in the process, she got herself wet from neck to toes. He dad was not happy, but he handled it well, and called his wife to report in and ask her to hurry back. Our group had a little laugh at their expense, as did others standing nearby. I really wish I'd had my camera; not only for the wet little girl, but for her baby brother, who had the most puzzled and concerned look on his face. I could only wonder what he thought of it all.

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And a most apropos quote:

"The soul is healed by being with children."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, novelist (1821-1881)

9-13-08

A perfect day.

Saturday, September 13, 2008 - as perfect a day as one could imagine at the beach. Blue skies, 90+ degrees, light breezes, 86*+ water temps - and very few tourists! We went out to the beach around 9:30 am; got in the warm water, and didn't get out for nearly four hours. There was a sand bar near the shore, so we went out about 50 yards and the waves were warm, light and not so close together that you couldn't recover your balance between them. As I said, it was perfect. The only thing that could have made it better was someone waiting on the shore to dispense free cold drinks of our choice.

Our party consisted of my daughter and four of my grandkids (her nieces and nephews), ranging in age from almost 9 to 14. One downside was that the two boys refused sunblock and lived to regret it; especially since one of them was infected with poison ivy. Areas of poison ivy rash topped off with sunburn does not make a happy kid, especially when he has to apply gel on the rash. I used sunblock, but apparently I forgot my ears and my chest, which are currently the color of ripe watermelon (but not nearly so juicy, thank Heaven!) I am sure they will be when the blisters burst out, though. The other downside was that we drove down there in my mini-van, which is not really large enough for six people and all the luggage for them, plus chairs, a sleeping bag, a cooler and a blanket. Next time we will need to rent an RV or pile the luggage on top of the car!

When my kids were younger, we went on a vacation and used a car-top carrier to pack most of our luggage. Mr. kenju didn't anchor it properly atop our then full-sized van, and every time we went over a bump, or the wind was strong, the carrier lifted and dropped down on the car with a loud thump. Finally we stopped on the side of a highway and discovered that he had fastened the straps over the luggage rack, instead of under. Once we re-positioned it, it worked well. You might want to file away that little tip for future trips.

I was every bit as impressed with Marriott's Grand Dunes (at Myrtle Beach) this time, as I was when we were there back in June. They gave us a "handicapped" room, which was larger than the ones we had before and very spacious, especially the bathroom. The only quarrel I would have with them is the fact that they put chocolate chips and whipped cream on their breakfast buffet. Children do not often make good food choices, and ours were no exception since their parents were not there to hold the reins. My admonitions to take no more than you can reasonably eat at one sitting fell on deaf ears. I felt responsible, and therefore I had to eat more than I normally would (bacon, fruit and muffins) just to keep them from going to waste. I drew the line on the chocolate chips, though, as they are not in my breakfast menu, ever! What about you?

Oh, Look ~ Another New Creek

The last time I wrote about the creek that forms behind my house any time we have a storm, it was Hurricane Alberto's fault. This time, it is Tropical Storm Hanna that came to visit. She wasn't as hard-hearted as the weather people thought she would be, so the photos are not as dramatic today, but interesting, nonetheless. We had about 4-5 inches of rain; sorely needed and we are grateful to have it. Last year's drought must be almost abated by now.

I had to brave the light drizzle Saturday morning, to empty at least 4" of water from the pool, as well as a lot of leaves and debris. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, so we must not have had too much wind Friday night (no matter what mr. kenju says he heard). I saw one tree down in my neighborhood, but I haven't driven all the way through it either, so there could be more. With Ike and Josephine hard on Hanna's heels, who knows what we might have next week??!!

Driving to the airport Sunday morning, on the way to pick up my brother-in-law, I passed the small lakes off Airport Road and the water level was higher than I've seen them in almost two years. That's a very good sign! BIL had been on a golfing trip to Pinehurst with his coworkers, despite the threat of torrential rains. Hanna notwithstanding, they were able to play for four days (before, during and after the storm passed). We've had a good visit and I cooked a pretty good dinner: pork chops, crash hot potatoes (recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman) green beans, good bread and lemon cake and ice cream for dessert. Too bad he has to leave this morning, since we enjoy his visits very much.