Another big fish = lots of fresh sushi

So....the camera has the pictures...but I can't get them downloaded onto the computer....so just the story for now. Yesterday...Ron went offshore with Reid and Chandler. John opted to go golfing instead. Ron called about 12 noon to let John know they had caught a BIG wahoo...47pounder to be exact! After that call...John proceeded to get on the phone and call everyone to come over for an afternoon cookout. The key people...Chris DeVries and Chuck Tanner...because they had the necessary equipment to roll up some fresh sushi....both were available and willing to come over and work and EAT! Amy and her sister Lynn, along with her family came...they brought a Golf Ball Toss game and a delicious Strawberry Walnut Salad.(I originally gave them the recipe...it's good. I actually got it from my sister Elizabeth). Anthony and his friend Stephanie came with a big pan of hot spinach dip with pumpernickel bread and tortilla chips(yum) and the fixings for a batch of "Poki"
a sushi appetizer....with too many things in it to mention here. It was good. I had cookies (of course!) and made a big fruit salad...because you can't go wrong with fruit salad. Then we had the sushi rolls.....fresh wahoo (hours old) with avocado, red pepper, cucumber, seaweed wrap...etc...and plenty of dipping sauces. As fast as Chris and Chuck (and Pat) rolled...we all ate! haha John also seared some on the grill....and before long...that 47 pd fish was disappearing! (We did bag some up)
We played the golf ball toss game....we swam in the pool...(that felt like a bit like a lukewarm bath)...(.but still refreshing.)..we talked, ate and drank....all 31 of us! We listened to music...and eventually had a Dance -off...with the Wii game. Courtney was the undefeated champion! We all got a work out trying to beat her!
Stephanie was the only one who came close....she beat the rest of us...but couldn't beat Courtney! I figure it's because she has been to the "Mike Roy School of Dance"...haha...I told that to Mike (her dad) his reply??? "Damn right! haha" Plus she's been listening to and watching the rest of us dance to that music since she was about 2! I guess Julia and Ellie will be the future champions...we are training them now...hahah!
So far this season the guys aren't catching nearly as many fish as they did last year...especially the Yellow Fin Tuna...but in the last two weeks...they got the 58 pd mahi, the 47 pd wahoo and Ron and some friends had a second place 37 (?) pd tuna...so we have been eating pretty well!

June in Virginia

Summertime in Florida isn't bad....it's just hot...and when you go north and
see the GREEN everywhere....trees full of green leaves, crickets, squirrels and birds calling....
I walked along the sidewalk in Elizabeth's neighborhood...in the cool shadows of the trees, listening to all the sounds of summer...and I just loved it! It reminded me of the time I was describing a beautiful star filled sky we saw one Christmas Eve in Lake Tahoe...my Dad had laughed and asked me if I had burst into song...hahaha...I did not...but I felt like I could!...The trees on this summer day in June were just as beautiful...but I didn't sing...I just drank it all in and loved every minute of my walk.
scenes from the front yard and back.

Virginia Beach Art Show

We were off to Virginia Beach this past weekend to join my brother David and other family members at the Boardwalk Art Show in Virginia. David was there with Paul to help him with set-up and other tasks, we stayed at Elizabeth's house. (we were also celebrating Ryan's recent graduation.) Rob and Shane drove down from DC and arrived at the house just as John and I pulled up. Megan joined us later that night ...she drove down after work...arrived about midnight....so it was sort of like a mini reunion. Brenna could not join us...she was on the road with a Budget Rental truck full of her belongings heading from DC to Huntsville, Alabama. Eleen and Erik were busy in NY...Erik was receiving an Alumni Award so they couldn't get away....and it was a long way for a weekend trip for Martha. Mark isn't taking any time off these days...as the Shuttle program winds down and jobs are on the line...he feels like being there is where he needs to be!
Elizabeth got the idea to book a room right down at the beach...so David and Paul could stay right by the show...and we could all use the room to cool off, take a nap go to the bathroom...keep our stuff... etc...and that was GREAT! Here's the view from the room.
signs along the boardwalk
David and Megan (hat courtesy of Elizabeth)
there was a large area with food vendors...my favorite "booth"
The beach was right on the other side of the boardwalk of course...and we had our chairs and umbrella ready and waiting....John, Shane, Liz getting organized
Paul, David, Shane and Ryan trying to stay cool....(the weather was actually pretty nice...it cooled off a little...and was hot...but pleasant!
Rob and Paul tending the booth and watching the crowd in the comfy chairs
cousins...Meredith came down Saturday afternoon after spending the day at her Dad's. Jack stopped by for a visit.
David and Megan
Ryan with Uncle Paul
taking a break on a nearby bench
Elizabeth planned a dinner for Saturday night to celebrate Ryan's High school graduation...we all went. A An artist friend of David's joined us...he's also from Melbourne area...Mike Nemnich (sp?)
John & Megan

Paul, Elizabeth and Anne
Ryan and Megan...cousins that look like they could be siblings.....
all in all we had a great weekend. we were slightly disorganized...hahaha...trying to get everyone going in 3 vehicles...all at the same time...you can imagine....John was very patient...he never said a word I'm sure he was going crazy! but we had fun. Summer in Virginia is lovely...green and it wasn't too hot. Beach was nice...people watching was fun...and I got two pieces of art!

A BIG One!

John took his goddaughter Jordan, her boyfriend Josh and her brother Chandler offshore today. It was part of John's gift to Jordan for her graduation. (Josh graduated too) Fishing has been a little slow a LOT slower than last year so they were just hoping to catch something! Well...the first bite of the day was this one. Josh was excited... he had caught his biggest fish to date...then
they had a hit...knew it was big and then this guy jumped up about six feet...and the fight was on. Chandler was first to take the pole...he fought it for about 25 minutes. He got it in pretty close...then it took off again and it was Jordan's turn. She fought it for about 20 minutes...then Josh brought it in.
They knew it was one of the biggest fish they were ever going to catch...so they took lots of pictures! They took it to Whitey's Bait and Tackle to have it measured and weighed. It OFFICIALLY weighed 58 lbs...and was 5 ft 8inches long.! They even took it to another place to confirm the weight show it off and then John started calling everyone!
Cleaning up the boat
Here's how big the head was...this is a shot of it in the cooler
The tail was sticking out...so everyone passing by could see it!
When Tim drove by...it didn't take long for the crew to make it's way down to get a look at this fish.
John with the fish




And where all good fish ultimately end up....on the cleaning table! I know what's for dinner tonight!

Under attack....aaaaack!

Okay...so I wasn't picnicking on the beach...but I have seen sea gulls get very aggressive when it comes to food...and we did watch a few birds eat a group of people's lunches while they were in the water once. In Hawaii...those birds were in the bags...everything...don't think there was much left behind when they were done.
I WAS however walking along A1A...minding my own business when all of the sudden a black bird swooped down right next to my head and squawked at me...The first time it happened was a couple of weeks ago...and when it happened it surprised me...but I almost wasn't sure it really happened...because nothing like that ever happened before....poop maybe...no birds dive bombing me! But yesterday evening it was a whole other story...I was passing Walgreen's...ready to turn onto Paradise Blvd...and squawk right by my face...I jumped a bit ...kept walking and then the $#@! thing did it again! Now...I was getting a little nervous pissed! I wasn't antagonizing it ...did it think it recognized me from another time????...birds (some of them anyway) can memorize your voice and if they feel threatened they will attack...but I wasn't talking...just listening to music...did they hear it and dislike it?????.....haha, not like my hat??...then I thought maybe there was a nest nearby I was not aware of...but I wasn't poking around the bushes or anything. It kind of freaked me out...kept watching the black birds overhead...wondering if it was following me...I even called John and told him if it came back again he was going to have to come "save" me...hahaha When I looked online...from what I read it was most likely a bird protecting it's nest...even if I didn't happen to see a nest...and I did see this humorous video...look it up on Google under "ATTACK BIRD CHRONICLES"...and you will see the bird in the video doing exactly what the one I passed did to me! I am going to have to watch next time I drive by that way to see if it is going after any one else! By the way...today I went around the building...I'm not taking any chances with that crazy bird!

the week in review

Remember what the kitchen sink area looked like during demo....
Well...it's ALMOST done...John finished the sill and area around the window...one piece fell down...as soon as it gets replaced...and all of it gets grouted...we will be done and ready for paint
sink and sill from another angle
window
view of counter
and then...remember the Alphabet cards I had in the frame...I had decided I wanted another one...then couldn't FIND one at the local Beall's...everyone they had was marred in some way...I was getting ready to come up with a plan B...when I made another trip this past Tuesday and lo and behold...they hadfinally gotten a new shipment in. I love having one grouping on each side of the window. What do you think???? Can't wait to see how it looks once we get the paint done...which will provide a bit more of a contrast... There is also the valance issue...we are still waiting for J. to bring the version that has a little more "style" to it...arched to match the cabinets


In other news...I gave up digging up the front yard...trying to get rid of all the &*%t grass...it was my little BIG project...each day I dug up a patch...usually for about 1/2 hr before I got too hot and dirty to keep going. I think I was making John nervous and guilty...for having me do the dirty work...he called a friend who does landscaping for a quote to have someone a professional come do it...turns out "She's wasting her time.....you spray the area with Round UP...wait two weeks, re-apply...wait and re-apply then rake it all up...because then all the roots will be completely dead. " Okay...I kind of knew I was wasting time... but it was a project...haha...but I think I got most of the roots....BUT I do have a long way to go to finish...and spraying sounds good...just a little concerned about the run-off...I'll have to get something to absorb the excess a boom???? perhaps. So the yard project is on hold...probably a good thing since now that we are getting rain on a regular basis...I have to mow 2 times a week to keep the lawn the way I like it. Once I knew I was done digging...I scheduled a trip to our friend who gave me a great deep tissue massage and got rid of the gigantic knot in my shoulder....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Work went well....we had a nice Story Time....a few more kids...still a nice group...and we had a special guest Judge Rhonda Babb read a couple of the stories and answered some questions for the group....some of our old "friends" were there..school's out...so they can come on Thursday morning...it was a great day. I had to work in Reference not just once...but TWICE...but no one asked me any computer questions...(Thank God!)only questions about books and requests for holds...which I can handle (with confidence!)Also survived in spite of the fact that my (big) boss has created a monster...remember last year I had pictures of the YS workroom...she told Dianne that it HAD to be cleaned up. Well...flash forward one/two months and clean it is...but NOW...I can't find anything...and if I set something down...it is immediately whisked away. I have always put things away/cleaned up as I go along....but this is ridiculous! Sometimes you need room to spread thing out and figure what you have, what you nedd, etc...Every time Dianne tells me to clean up after myself I bite my tongue...but yesterday.... less than 1/2 hour after our program ended...I was putting away my materials...portable CD player, pile of books, craft supplies...paper buckets, mini shells, glitter, glue etc...counting how many were left so we could figure out if we needed to make more for Dianne's program today (Friday) when the boss walked in.
Her- "Oh no! what's all this????"
me-"Don't worry...this is mine.... from our program...I am working on putting it away. (no mention made that the program had JUST ended!...but you better believe I was thinking IT! haha)
her-"Well...please make sure it does...it needs to stay clean...there are some people that very well could be coming here to check it out"
me (THINKING-" WHO?" -smiling and nodding "I'm working on it."
Now...here's my problem...this is OUR workroom...why does it matter if SHE doesn't like the clutter (within reason)...we don't go in her office and tell her how to arrange things. Dianne has 6-9 programs a week...I have mine...and we need to have books, craft supplies ready for these programs...and I NEED to be able to find them once I have gathered them together.... But...what are you going to do....just get annoyed and grin and bear it!
Okay...I am rambling here...now that I've b*&%^#$ about it...I am going to try to forget it...and go with the flow..............Good night!

Signs of Life

It was a longer and colder than usual winter around here... and finally... the plants around my yard and neighborhood are starting to look good again. There are a few of these around...The coconut palms did not like the cold. It seems like everyone who had them in their yard...lost at least one. We are trying to figure out why one tree died...but 6 others survived??(like in my neighbor Ra's yard) or down at Loretta and Gary's...one made it...the one right next to it did not.
One tree that is in full bloom all around town...that I never noticed before...is this type...with beautiful orange blossoms. Apparently these trees like cold winters and dry up until now springs! My neighbor said this is the first time their tree has bloomed.
the other palms are looking a little greener these days as the brown fronds drop off and new growth comes out

the Poinsettia that looked like it was a goner...has started growing again
my potted palm tree out by the pool wasn't looking to good...more brown than green...and I was wondering if it was going to make it....
finally...new life!
and last week one evening there were lots of butterflies around back...never really noticed so many all at the same time before....
there was something good that they were after


So now we are settling back into the routine of hot, humid mornings and thunderstorms in the afternoon. we had a couple of storms last week...Thursday and Friday...that came in fast and loud! The wall of storm clouds rolling in was scary!..I kept listening to the radio thinking maybe I should be looking for cover.....thankfully...it passed without incident...just one scared little dog hiding in the closet!and...grass that needs to be mowed!