Sunday Scorcher

Started my day skyping with Yummy. He's still not feeling like himself thanks to a stomach bug he caught last week, but he was well enough today to run around later with some visitors by the sea. Yesterday he spent much of it at home on the sofa. He's not much of a couch potato; he'd rather be productive like concentrating on his writing.

On the other hand, I proved to be a couch potato this morning thanks to my sleep deprivation of the past few days. Snoozed most of the morning before I decided to get my carcass up off the sofa. Had some cold pizza for lunch before zooming to my nail tech.

It is so hot (mid 90s) outside that I almost scorched my fingers on my steering wheel. It was barely maneuverable. Yikes! I searched around to see if there was a more shady spot I could start parking on the weekends since my car is parked under garage cover during work hours. The air conditioning couldn't cool the car fast enough.

For the first time in a long time, I had to wait over 30 minutes at the salon. I usually just stroll in and get waited on right away. Boy, am I spoiled! My nail tech replaced the Vietnamese magazine I was reading with some American entertainment junk while I waited. Those people in between the glossy pages are so boring! Rehab, divorces and bad fashion choices have been made newsworthy. Puhleeze.

My favorite bookstore was crowded this afternoon. Not sure how much of it was a direct result of Father's Day. This one has self-service kiosks that allow you to search for your own books. Out of seven searches, I had one available in the store. I count myself somewhat victorious.

Spent the rest of the day catching up on reading. I forget how much I love reading until I force myself to sit and do it. Reading at work during lunch is just impossible unless I remove myself from the break room. Not reading anything others might find interesting, just informational pages relating to Project AGOL. Yummy always reads cool stuff and seems on the pulse of cool reading. He's writer and so he should. Now if I can get him to write a more detailed review about each one...

Called my dad in the evening to wish him a Happy Father's Day. He has not received my musical card yet even though I sent the friggin' thing on Tuesday. Argh. Dad said that they have a substitute mail carrier at the moment. Let's hope he gets it tomorrow if not next week.

Project AGOL Update: Created a new account on youtube.com in preparation for future video uploads. I am going to experiment first with uploads from my cellphone and my digital camera. This oughtta provide some laughs while I get my act together.

Sunday Scorcher

Four Miles at Flatwoods

No one told me there would be days like this! Four-thirty found me hustling as I walked and fed Cabal, put on my new walking gear, prepared my breakfast and hot tea before my skype conversation with Yummy at 5am AGOL time/10am Yummy time.

An hour and half later of giggling and general craziness with this cutie, I put my shoes on and gathered my new mini backpack for my girlie walk at Flatwoods. Picked up a sleepy Tawny who had crawled home around 3:30am and managed to haul herself in my car at 7:10am.

We got to our meeting point and there was no sign of Kim. Called her quickly to confirm and she was on her way. The parking lot of this part of the park was almost full of speedy cyclists, roller blading freaks and iPod-packing joggers. Then there was us, the lone walkers.

Heat in the 80s and heavy humidity were in full-effect at 7:30am. We were hoping for the best. I've never been here before and the picture below is the beginning of the path.


Next two pictures are examples of the the Florida woods from afar.




My ankles took turns aching on our walk before we turned around the two-mile marker below. The pain worked itself out and didn't hurt the rest of the walk.


This was taken by a bridge. Think Spanish moss hanging around everywhere, humidity and some pesky bugs.


Sections of this park do flood. Here is a water gauge on Turtle Creek.


Our walk this morning wasn't about setting world goals, but just doing it. We ended up walking four miles which was one mile more than we anticipated. They don't have 1/2-mile markers on this 11 mile trail. The cyclists and the joggers were amiable and said hello as they passed you or warned you that they were approaching so you could move to the side of the road.

Park rangers in trucks drove up and down the grassy part of the path. Kim teased they were picking up bodies that had expired from the heat and exercise. It wasn't that funny later when we saw an ambulance at the beginning of the trail. This place is serious business. Keeping hydrated and being realistic about your own fitness level in the heat are key. My gals and I were prepared and made it.

Poor Tawny was feeling exhaustion and sleep's siren call. I was so grateful that she came anyway. It would've been easier and understandable for her to duck out. I treated her to breakfast before dropping her back home.

After a shower and some puttering around, I made my way to Brandon to give my uncle his Father's Day present one day early. When I got there, he was already home from playing a round of golf and had read the e-mail containing a special link I sent before I left the apartment. This was part of his Father's Day gift: Uncle Dave. He said that he really liked it and made him feel good. He should because it is all true!

I ran errands the rest of the late afternoon before collapsing from running around since dark-thirty this morning. I snoozed after dinner and woke up to watch a bit Saturday Night Live and thought about catching some Z's.

Four Miles at Flatwoods

Trolling for Art

My mind was awake at 4am. I tried to go back to sleep, but Cabal became insistent a half hour later. He was happier not to have to walk in rainwater this morning. Prissy dog.

Yummy was perkier this morning. Job stress is working not just a couple of nerves, but his whole body. Poor thing. I don't presume to know what exactly he is going through, but I am trying to understand and just be supportive. Good thing he was taking a train today to North London to see his mum and to enjoy a big dinner made by his stepdad. He hasn't seen them since we met them for dinner in London a month ago. Tempus fugit.

T&J picked me up a little after 9am to troll around an art show on Corey Avenue in St. Petersburg. We were to meet Jeff's parents there. Several of the artists pulled out of the show because of the wind and rain from the previous day. They probably didn't want to suffer a second day of it. The weather was quite the opposite. Humidity and heat seemed to reach its zenith around noon before we all ducked in for a brunch at The Frog Restaurant (frog theme and owned by French people).

We took a small drive to Gulfport and swung around some other shops. Was I glad to go into the air conditioning! Stopped at a place called Lulu's which had some eclectic mix of items, but mostly in a tropical retro theme.

I picked up a shirt for Father's Day for my uncle from a new tongue-in-cheek brand called Old Guys Rule. Check out the site and especially their Gallery page. I am adding a picture of my uncle and I have a perfect opportunity to take a picture of him. Seeing him on Saturday for my Nan-sitting. Yes!

I came home around 3pm to dim fluorescent lights in the kitchen. It was time to replace them and I needed a light source if I was to do any kind of cooking or feeding the Pretty Boy Dog. I left a voicemail with the office to replace them and the special dining room light that had gone almost two weeks ago.

It was Sunday and I knew they had limited staff and I needed to ensure I had new bulbs. I walked with Cabal inside the lobby and waited for some plan of action from the leasing agents on hand. They ended up getting the work order wrong and had the apartment above me checked instead. I found this out around 5:30pm when I called to check on the progress of my work order.

Someone was dispatched immediately. It was Cabal's favorite maintenance worker and soon had us well lit. He even replaced the bulb under the vent above the stove!

I wanted to sew today but I developed a nauseous headache which I think is related to my brunch selection hours earlier. My sewing progress impeded! Sigh. Off to bed early to sleep it off.

Trolling for Art