Brain Drain

I'm finding that I'm losing my mind, brain cell by brain cell. I find myself making a few more mistakes at work than normal -- nothing job threatening, but still annoying for this do-a-great-job-at-all-costs girl.

Last weekend I did the grocery shopping, loaded my purchases in our reusable bags except for the meat, which I always ask to be placed in plastic. I get home, bring in as much as I can and send Shawn out to get the rest. It wasn't until I tried to make dinner on Monday evening -- 24+ hours after shopping -- that I realized the meat wasn't in the fridge. I guess it sort of helps that Shawn didn't notice the meat in the trunk either (apparently I'd tucked it behind the crate we keep in the trunk), but surely I should have remembered while I was loading up the fridge. What an expensive mistake!

We use a calendar at work that's online and everyone can see each other's appointments. I was looking at this week, preparing for what I'd need to do when I noticed something on Thursday that looked unfamiliar. From 10-11:30 I had a "Hold: Personal Time." I have no idea what that could mean or when I would have put it there. Seriously NO recollection. Thursday came and went, and as far as I can tell no personal time was needed. But things are certainly feeling mushy re: my sharpness.

Although I didn't sit on the beach in Galveston last week I did take my requisite feet shot when I was on the beach on Treasure Island, Florida, a couple months ago. So here's that.

Feet on the beach in Florida -- May 2011

This Week

photo © 2010 Scott Stilson | more info (via: Wylio)This is what I'll be doing this week: driving. I just added it up, and it will be about 18.5 hours on the road, mostly highway driving. The picture is sort of like the truck I'll be driving. I wish I'd been smarter and loaded up more audio books (I only have two with me), or at least loaded all my Christmas music onto the iPod. Tough tooties, as Owen might say (or tell me to not say).

Wanted to get my post out early today, as this is the last day of NaBloPoMo and there's a small chance I won't be off the road until AFTER midnight and don't want to take that change after making it 29 straight days with a post. This makes 30. Huzzah!

After flexing my "writing" muscles a bit I like chronicling things daily. I write a little bit by hand each day and have throughout this year. So I think I'll be on the lookout for another journal like that. This one was from Upper Room and included the liturgy readings each Sunday plus a daily Bible verse. Hrm.

Hope everyone had a smashing November and that your slide into the holiday season and 2011 is joyful, restful and full of love.

State Room Video

Cruise 2010 Cabin Video from Mari on Vimeo.

This is the video of our cabin on the Carnival Liberty cruise. I mistakenly say the bed is smaller than ours, when in fact it is larger -- two twins together make a king, and at home we have a queen. I realized it a few days later but was too lazy to reshoot this clip. Enjoy!

Edit: Also, our stateroom was 8352 (in case I ever need to know that)

Florida Photos

I have a video clip but can’t really embed it while offline, so that will have to wait. The video isn’t that great anyway – the waves are kind of puny and there’s more wind noise than anything else, plus a random woo hoo from people down the beach who were chasing their naked kid around. I didn’t look, but I assume the “woo hoo” was that they caught him – he was about 3. Here are some random snaps of my solo time in MIA.
 
This is me on Sunday, by Shawn. The thing in the background was like a house or something but the waves broke it apart. It was kind of crazy. The waves were much calmer today, when the temps were in the upper 80s! Snow birds indeed.

Here’s Shawn, also on Sunday. He is too cute for words, and look we wore somewhat matching outfits!

My ever-faithful companion – my shadow!
 
A self-snap on Tuesday, so this is also South Beach. Shawn thinks I look mad here. I was just trying to take the shot as quickly as possible. Love the halo of frizz, but the humidity worked its magic. My skin feels great though – not dry or flaky like I know it will be once we’re back home!

Toes in the sand … I think there’s a country song about that “I’ve got my toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand. Life is good today. Life is good today.” Something like that. This was also Tuesday on South Beach.

Edit, here's the video, added on 12/19/09, ten days after it was shot:


Atlantic Ocean from Mari Walker on Vimeo.

Light House

This is on Cape Florida on Sunday. Shawn said his mom and Diannia love light houses, and this was a really cool one, so here is a picture:

We didn’t climb the steps because I really had to pee. Not the first time my bladder has made me miss something like that, but it could have been much worse (I was able to make it to the port-a-potty in the park)!

In a Miami Minute

I am not good at vacationing on my own. I'm thinking I'm probably not good at vacationing together either, but I digress.

Anyway, I wasted two hours driving round-trip today to Cauley Square ... and when I got there I was the only shopper, everything seemed overgrown and REEKED of nag champa. The killer part was after I saw a couple cats a LIVE raccoon was looking at me, sitting on the path with its little paws up, almost like it would attack. I just backed away and headed back to the car, not even going in any of the shops. I guess I give up too easily.

I went back to South Beach and had lunch, watched the waves for a while and then went to a free Botanical garden (get what you pay for aka dud city) and the Holocaust monument there (kind of a creepy sculpture, but that's part of the point). After driving aimlessly (well, toward a shopping center) I couldn't find parking nearby and just gave up, went back to the hotel, went to the gym and then a very brief swim. I'm reading a 12-year-old Steven King book that I picked up at Target yesterday and YOWZA I'd forgotten how great of a writer he is, and I'll have to start reading more of his stuff that I've missed.

This is what I get for not planning and being more oriented. But I'm having fun driving when it's on the bridges over the water with the sweeping views of the city skyline and/or the shore line. Thank goodness for the GPS (photo of Shawn setting it up the first time in the rental car -- a brand new 2010 Nissan Altima with 4 miles on the odometer before we got it). I haven't transferred over any other photos yet, but will.

Blogger girl out, as I think Shawn may be finished practicing his presentation, in which case I can go back upstairs to the room. Although Interneting is so fun!

Happiness in Danville

I love this picture so much -- taken Thanksgiving Day/my birthday at the Elk's Lodge in Danville. I have pictures and a video to post from Miami so far (we changed hotel rooms though for a quieter sleep, so I need to do a second video I guess).

Church yesterday was amazing. We went to the First United Methodist Church of Miami -- just one block from our hotel. Instead of a sermon the children did a drama with the pastor -- about John the Baptist and preparing the way. And there was a solo of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" that sent chills down my spine (Holy Spirit at work, methinks). Even Shawn commented on how welcoming the congregation was, and truly they were very nice to us.

We got rained on a bit but did manage to get in the ocean (in DECEMBER!), have some trail mix stolen by sea gulls (a problem with a group of 2 is that there's no one left to watch the stuff when getting in the water) and took a drive to see a light house (pics to come).

For now, instead of wasting daylight blogging (among my favorite activities but can truly do it from anywhere), I'm going to get out there and shop ... Pray for me!

***EDIT*** Photo by Dale!

South Beach

It's a diet and a place where we went last night. We didn't get it together to get to the beach before it was dark. The travel was OK, but I'll have to detail it more later. We're on our way to church soon. Advent for the win.

Filet Crochet and Sea Shells

Jonson Filet Crochet - May 09
Originally uploaded by silvermari

So, the foreshadowed crochet project, which was really quick. It's not perfect, but I used Excel to get it to the right size (this is 5x7 in an 8x10 frame). To avoid a ridonkulously long piece, I added the hearts at the top and bottom, although once I went to look for frames (of course AFTER completing the crochet portion of the piece), I saw they did have some long skinny frames. But I think this looks great.

The unusual/different part is the seashells that I glued to the frame. Kim & Tom got married in Clearwater Beach, FL, so while collecting shells on the beach during their wedding day, I had this idea. I found the blue paper at Paper & Presentations on 18th St btwn 5th and 6th Aves here in NYC - I have about 8 more sheets of various shades of blue. This one was the best I thought - not too dark, but dark enough that the white Jonson and hearts are viewable.

I'm sure this isn't something they need - but I hope they like it. I've got it packed up, but I need to get some butcher paper or something to wrap the box (which is actually the box for the frying pan I got them - I took it in my carry on luggage, so there wasn't space for the box ... and would you believe the TSA peeps didn't bat an eyelash to the fact that I was carrying on a 5 lb frying pan?!) - then I'll address and get it to the PO (at the same time as the twin blankets - which are wrapped and waiting to be shipped as well).

A high school friend is pregnant, I learned on Facebook. And when I was home at Easter Gran gave me a new pattern to try. SO, I think a trip to Michael's is in order ... unless I want to just log on and order online - it would probably get here faster than I could get to Queens.

Hooray for crochet hooking!

Anniversary Cards

I can't believe I didn't include this in my Florida post - but the CUTEST thing was done at Kim & Tom's wedding. I'm not sure if it's a secret from them, but whatever, I'm 99% sure she doesn't read this.

Anyway, their reception had 15 tables of people. And someone had purchased 15 anniversary cards - and each table signed one. They'll be given/sent (?) to Kim & Tom on the respective anniversary (1st, 2nd, etc.). We got the 11th (2020, b/c we're her journalism friends and 20-20 is a news show - clever, right?).

I just thought that was the BEST idea - what a great wedding gift all guests can work together to give the happy couple.

And another cute thing was that the DJ announced their "three hour anniversary."

White Sand, Aqua Green Water, Azure Sky

OK - Florida probably has the best beaches I've ever been to - which isn't saying much I know, coming from a land-locked state. The sand was so white and soft and cool to the touch. The water was so clear and blue-green. While we were there the sky was so clear and blue - a deep azure that was so calming.

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn...

This being the start of the "low" season, the beaches weren't too crowded (and the motel rates were cheaper). We stayed at the Club Monaco Motel, which was a nice beachy motel. They had Lisa soap, which was really funny (I already sent this picture to my cousin Lisa). The room was clean, but small. We spent most of our time outside or at the wedding anyway, so it served its purpose!

Sunblock & burn

Yeah, I am TERRIBLE at applying sunscreen. I mean, I start the day with it, and even sometimes I'll reload. But inevitably I miss spots. I've tried creams and sprays - either way I end up with funky striped burns. Painful. This time my ankles got spotted and I had a weird finger mark along my back (even though I did have Shawn help me out with that!). I know it will heal, but that doesn't make me happier.

The time we spent on the beach was great otherwise - we swam, collected shells and I took a few pictures (although not as many as I should have!). I love the picture of our feet together (how great is my purple nail polish? Sally Hansen Quick Dry in Pronto Purple), and I also made a sand heart with our initials (the sand was so white it was ridiculous - I was really wishing Owen Max could have been there with us!).

Wedding Bells

The wedding, i.e. the main event, was incredible - Kim looked amazing and she and Tom are so happy. The ceremony was short and sweet, and the reception was a lot of fun. I got to catch up with the CNS/UMD group, and meet two new additions: Amin and Haydin. SO CUTE. It's also great to see Shawn interact with kids. He really is going to be a great dad.

During the reception we went outside - there was a view of the intercoastal waters and it was so peaceful with all the stars and the clear sky. We just meant to step out and then go back in for the cake cutting, but we got wrapped up in a NYC-based conversation with someone who had lived there before. WE MISSED THE CAKE CUTTING! Basically they didn't make an announcement that made it outside, so we didn't know (we were facing the water instead of the windows into the reception hall). My friend Maya (Happy Birthday today!) showed me the cutting on her camera in video form, but I was just so distraught that I basically got up and ran away from our conversation with the guy who had lived in NYC. So on top of feeling crummy about that (I mean do I have to be so rude?), we missed the cutting! One of the best parts. Oh well.

The travel to/from was easy, although each flight was delayed by about an hour. We did have a great time having a rental car - and we found another perk of marriage. Although the car was rented in my name Shawn could drive it free/was covered by the policy b/c he's my husband! Very cool.

Of course it's non-stop raining here in NYC, but I'll enjoy it while I can - nursing my burned skin. But I definitely want to plan another trip to Florida's beaches...and maybe get myself in some of my photos (although I guess my toes count, right?)...

Teaser: Florida Weekend

I didn't take as many photos as I should have, but I've got plenty to write about from our weekend in the sun for Kim & Tom's wedding.