wonderful distractions part 2

Right on the heels of wonderful distraction number 1, I left on a business trip to Tampa. It was a lonely boring business trip, and I was pretty blue, but I had at least two things to look forward to. Dinner with my cousin Lindsey...who I adore, and almost never get to see...and special plans with my bloggy friend Vicki.

I had some free time one afternoon, so Vicki picked me up at the hotel and graciously spent her whole afternoon showing me the best of St. Petersburg. It was great to meet another bloggy friend face to face, and I felt like I'd known her forever. To quote Vicki, "you meet the neatest people here in the neighborhood". Ditto Vicki!

I got the behind the scenes tour of the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve where Vicki is a volunteer. Lucky me to have an up close and personal introduction to Stretch and Wheezer, the resident Eastern Screech Owls at Boyd. Stretch was the only one to grant me a REALLY up close hello. Wheezer was busy protecting the last owlet in rehab as all good mothers would. They made great foster parents I hear.


Another new friend made was Spirit, a magnificent Bald Eagle. I'm pretty sure I will never get this close to another Bald Eagle without a fence between the two of us. I really was that close, almost no zoom used for these photos.
It was really sweet the way Spirit recognized Vicki as we approached. They had quite the conversation. She volunteers regularly with the raptors, but had been out for a few weeks with Mohs surgery on her nose. I think Spirit really missed her.


Here's a shot of Vicki at Boyd Hill showing me a Red Rat Snake, who had just shed his skin and was unbelievably soft.

We also took in a quick tour of the fabulous Salvador Dali museum in St. Pete, and dinner at the 4th Street Shrimp Store...which was satisfied my craving for some good ole Florida seafood...with Vicki's daughter Abby and her husband. A rather enjoyable dinner, really.

On my last night in town, Lindsey and I had dinner at my now favorite place to eat in Tampa, Datz Deli. I had an egg salad and smoked salmon sandwich for which there are not words. And the wine? Oh man the wines. I chose an incredible French Rose (it was sweltering after all). Also no words.

So thank you Vicki and Lindsey, for the wonderful distractions from my blues regarding a sickly doglet. Vicki, I am better for knowing you. And Lindsey, I am proud to call you family.

Guadalupe River Part 2

I've been a no good terrible lazy Aunt Val for not posting on my trip to the Guadalupe with my niece Ryan. I was down to visit earlier this month and got the chance to take my nephew Harris on a Sunday, and then to go back with her later in the week. We spent 5 hours that Wednesday just floating and relaxing. We decided to play hooky. Ryan called it a mental health day. Really? At 10, a mental health day? Sweetie, glad you are getting in the habit early. Take them on a regular basis and you will do just fine in life. So here are some pictures on how to take a mental health day. Take note:

Step 1: find a cool tree stump to stash your stuff at the river.

Step 2: Get your feet wet.


Step 3: Find fish eggs and mark them with a stick (technically this should have qualified us for a field trip, I'm just sayin')


Step 4: Catch a dragonfly....and so on. You get the idea.


We had a perfect day at the river. Because of that we both pouted all the way home. Leaving a perfect day at the river is torture.

Guadalupe River on a Sunday

While my brother and nephew fished, I enjoyed poking aroud the flowers.

Visit to Fossil Rim

With Chris working for a radio station, we sometimes have great opportunities to do fun stuff. Today we got to visit Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and get a guided tour from one of the Docents who is also a donating Power FM listener. He hooked up the staff and families for a special tour early in the day.







They offer overnight stays in tent cabins at the overlook area of the preserve. The cabins sit above one of the big watering holes and would be an excellent place to sit and watch the sunset with animals coming to water. Putting that on my to do list for sure.

The month that got away.

I let November get away. It just flat went. I have to say that since I've gotten an iPhone, and use it to keep up on Twitter, I've really neglected the blog. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I just am saying it on Twitter more. Shame on lazy, lazy me. I go days without cranking up the laptop too.

I've enjoyed the changing of the season - and everything that goes with it. A couple of weeks ago we spent the weekend up at Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Chris, Mavis and I rented a cabin along with our good friends Johnny and Kellie. Since they moved to Tulsa we don't get to see them nearly enough. It was a good time to unplug and just relax. They are avid game players and taught us a new game - Settlers of Catan. You usually have to drag me kicking and screaming to play games. I have a huge allergy to competition. But I really had fun playing this game. The good company certainly didn't hurt. See Chris and Mavis totally focused on the "rock for wood, no I mean sheep for brick" strategy? Yeah, that didn't work. Johnny beat the crap out of us.

We (I)also spent quite a bit of time eating marshmallows by the fire.

So there you have it, I spent November playing games and eating marshmallows. Or so I wouldn't mind remembering it that way. It's been a tough November. Maybe someday I'll feel like writing about the rest of it. Here's to a better December.

PS.. I did go to see the new James Bond movie this month. I have decided that I want Dame Judi Dench to play me in the movie of our lives, the later years. Also went to see "The secret life of bees". Loved the book, and it was a great movie. From that movie I've decided that Dakota Fanning will play April as a young teen. So really I didn't lolly-gag all of November. I also did some casting for the movie of our lives.

A Visit to Music City

This week we paid a visit to Nashville to see April in her new hometown. We had the best time doing mostly nothing, our favorite pastime. As long as we eat and laugh it's all good. There was movie watching in the hotel room, several visits to really great coffee shops (Nashville has the best coffee shops), and of course a trip to Guitar Center in Nashville. I thought we would miss our flight - Chris and April were just lost in there. It goes without sayin, Mavis went with us. It was her 2nd trip on an airplane. She's a pro! I just have to stick a foot into her carrier under the seat and she's happy.


Chris, Mavis and I also got the chance to visit with Bernie at A Place to Bark. The folks at my office all pitched in to take a donation for her ongoing building project, which gave me a good excuse to visit. I really appreciated her taking time out of a very busy schedule to visit with us. I got the VIP tour of her shelter, and some always welcome puppy love from the adorable schnauzer pups! (it was FREEEZING - we had to tuck them in our jackets)


In a addition to her obvious passion for animals, Bernie is an artist. She is active in the ATC (Artist Trading Card) movement, having written a book and teaching others how to create in workshops. Bernie gave me a copy of her book, and now I'm getting motivated. I may have to start a shoe box of supplies and get started creating my own cards. I majored in Fine Art/Painting and Drawing in college. I've just let it go over the years. This would be a great way to get back in the swing of things. I've still got some of the old tools, just need to dust them off.

Most of all I'm encouraged by the hearts of others who strive to do the right thing, and give selflessly. Not just Bernie, but my April too. It was a good visit.

My Hawaiian Vacation

This is as close as I'm going to get to a vacation in Hawaii any time soon. My sweet friend Marilyn brought me back a fresh flower lei, and some seashells and sand from a business trip to one our Hawaiian offices.

Ya think I should arrange for something to go terribly wrong in my area of expertise so I'll get sent over? No, that would be very wrong. Hmmmmmm.

San Diego

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to go on a business trip to San Diego and I brought Chris and Mavis along. I took an extra couple of days and we had a great time seeing a few sights despite the fact that I got so sick with a sinus infection I had to find a doctor while I was there. I wasn't about to miss San Diego so towards the end Chris just propped me up in the convertible we rented and we kept going. I took tons of pictures except for the day we went to Coronado Island. We forgot the camera that day. I was too tired to throw fit for Chris to go back and get it.

Mavis had her first trip on an airplane. She was so good, nobody even knew that we had her with us.




We went sailing in the Bay at sunset. Mavis even had her own little life jacket (it's under the fuzzy blanket - got a little chilly for a doglet out on the water). She loved sailing - even fell asleep towards the end and snored.



Chris got to steer the boat.



We went to the dog beach at Ocean Beach. Mavis is NOT a fan. I made her go anyway.
Can you see the pout?




We stayed at the marina on Harbor Island. This was our backyard for 5 days. Mavis got spoiled with the regular walks and the yachts and all. She will tell you that she deserves better than our ho-hum life. I will tell you that she lives better than lots of kids do. Oh but we love her though. We made lots of good memories.

I have not forgotten you.

I've been on vacation (kind of), and on a business trip (kind of), and camping with the whole family (kind of). I'm dying to get down to business and share all of it here - but the laptop has been on the fritz, along with my head (which has a serious cold). I'll be back soon to tell you more about this



and this.


I promise.

Girls Weekend Away, Mission Accomplished

I recently spent a long weekend away in Austin with Pamela, my BFF. We spent Saturday evening with her family, including my God Children Madeleine and Lanegan. I can't begin to tell you how precious these 2 little ones are. Old enough now to be little people and really coming into who they are. Madeleine a little Diva, and Lanegan a sensitive, bright young man. It just kills me that I can't see them more often. Sunday morning, with little more than 24 hour just to ourselves we set out for a day and night on the town, just like old times. We visited old haunts, had talks that will forever remain in the vault, a couple of great meals here and here, and some good old Austin fun.

We stayed at the Austin Motel where we lounged in the pool. I highly recommend it if you are not high maintenance, enjoy a retro experience, and don't insist on room service. It's a really cool (and affordable) place in the heart of our capitol city.

Another "put up your feet" photo for my collection.


Later we took in some music (Hey Bale!) at the Continental Club. The band was incredible, some of the members having played in the past with the likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens just to name a few. I was even persuaded to go one round of swing dancing - if you know me well enough, then you know that Val doesn't dance. It was too much fun. (Seriously, we had TOO much fun, I'm getting a little old for the good old days) We stayed up late (REALLY late), and got up early, but I wouldn't have changed that for the world.

Thanks Pamela for a wonderful girls weekend away. If you guys end up going straight from Turkey to Italy, and don't come back here first, then I will have to find my way there just to get our fix. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Italy (I know it's what you want:). It will be a good excuse for Chris and me to do some globe trotting!