and baby makes 6!

Pelican happy dance

It was in the upper 70’s today, and even the birds were jazzed. I may or may not have spread a quilt out in the backyard and read a book in my bathing suit….with my husband.

It’s just another day in paradise.

Affection

He is lucky to have such an affectionate dad, and we are lucky to have such an amazing son.

I am sorry I have been so sparse here. Bill hasn’t been feeling well the last 2 weeks. His PSS (post stroke syndrome) has been back really bad, and it had us quite worried. It finally eased up on Friday and on Saturday he went surfing, so the worst is behind him us, we hope….if you don’t count him being up at 1a.m. Sunday night with a headache, me curled on the couch next to him waiting for the Motrin to kick in. His headaches , to us me, are much like the bell Pavlov used for his dogs.

When he feels bad, I really can’t deal with the outside world. I try and be a good friend, but honestly, I don’t have it in me to be there for anyone other than Bill and the kids right now. I try, but fail miserably. Case in point that I did not show for a friends B-day party Saturday night. I am sure they think I am a snob or something, but then again when I try and explain, it feels like it falls on deaf ears……..like talking into a wind tunnel, so why bother.

So, I shut down. Which is where I am right now. Back in my familiar little shell. I need to hang a sign on it that says “Private! No friends or relatives allowed”.

Thank God my little shell is filled with sights such as the one above. And the ocean. And the beach. And boats. And surfboards. It also has cupcakes in its pantry. And rice crispy treats. No, you can’t have any.

IRL

Hi! All is well, all is well. My computer just decided to die on me, casting me into the hell that is Dell customer support…..and I use the term hell loosely.

What I would like to say is much too harsh for your fragile ears. The bright side of it is after going through 3 techs, I finally found my Dell customer support match made in heaven…or India (edit to add, the man was living doll, a life saver and a pure genius). Let’s just say that I really feel like I know Antonio a bit too well. I mean, spending 8 hours on the phone with someone you do not know and watching them take control of your computer remotely and crawling all over your files feels like someone digging through your unmentionables drawer.

Antonio knows that I am a photographer. He knows I have 4 kids, like the ocean and what time I have to pick everyone up for school. I, in turn, know that Antonio is a DJ in his spare time, likes nightclubs and has a sister who is a photographer. When I asked what she likes to photograph, the following converstion insued:

Me: so what does your sister like to photograph?
A (insert Indian accent): Well, right now she is in Egypt shooting the pyramids.
Me (watching my mouse arrow move magiacally across my Safe Mode screen): Oh my, is she on vacation?
A: No, she is doing it for her job.
Me: Oh, so she is a pro?
A: Yes….have you heard of a company called The National Geograhic?
(crickets chirping)

Um, yes. Antonio’s sister is a pro shooter for National Geographic magazine. She spends more time directing the 23 photograpers under her, than actually shooting these days. Right now she is on assignment in Egypt doing a story on the pyramids. When Antonio was 5, she bought him a digital camera, and he dropped it in the dirt….she had told him not do get it dirty, so he washed it off in the sink. She was so angry at him. He never picked up a camera again.

(insert sound of my silent screams)

The temperatures were very warm in India on the day that I spent almost $200 and 480 minutes of my resources trying to rescue my computer.

There are more discos in America than India.

DJ’s are rare in India.

My daugter ate a bag full of lollipops while I talked with Antonio.

My daughter has had a stomach ache since then.

And I am back with a new hard drive, and the realization that the reason I have hated Windows Vista since the day that I got my new computer in January of 2008 is because my hard drive came to me corrupted. It wasn’t because Microsoft sucks….it was because Dell does. If it were not for Antonio, my computer would still be dead. But the other techs need to be re-trained at the very least.

In other news, the sun came out today. That glorious orb of magic that warms the planet. Oh my, I plan on climbing into my string bikini (it is not a pretty sight, but damn the torpedos, full speed ahead), spreading a big quilt out in my backyard and reading a good book. Sailing season is upon us, and I might be mistaken for a flare if I don’t get a bit of sun.

I have more to say, but for now I need to engage in real life, and disengage the Wifi.

Have a glorious weekend my little, imaginary friends!

A day late……..

Happy belated Valentines Day to you all!

We didn’t celebrate on the 14th because Billy wasn’t feeling well. So, today we went to the clinic and Billy removed a spot on my shoulder (nothing says “I love you” like freezing off a crusty carcinoma from your honey) and then went to the boat for 4 hours of uninterrupted time together to talk and visit. It was just what I needed. That and the 4 glasses of red wine. And the chocolate cupcake with vanilla and strawberry butter cream frosting. x2.

And this….which is 100x sweeter than any cupcake could ever be.

Flavor it up

To drink a frozen cocktail in a plastic cup is a shame and should be a last resort. A brilliant cocktail glass sets the mood and makes lime taste as you remember it…freshly sliced and lightly salted in a palapa on a deserted beach along the shores of Cozumel. The frosty blue of the glass echoes all the brilliant colors of the coast. You run your finger through the condensation on the glass and long for the heat and sunshine that come with latitudes below 27°. You recall intimate conversations, your heads bent toward each other in conspiracy, as you talk of plans for the future.

Ambiance starts with a lovely glass in which to pour it into. Good company makes it come alive.

It’s almost time again

We have not been sailing much. The weather is just too cold to be enjoyable for the kids. Yes, it is in the 60’s most days, but when the wind blows across the water it is chilling when you are on a boat. We are Barbies, it appears, when it comes to the cold. Maybe Malibu Beach Barbies ;*), but Barbies non-the-less.

We have been to the docks to greet some friends who fell in love with our marina and brought their new boat down to live 2 slips away from us. They have 3 boys, and I can see some fun spring and summer days in our future. They are anxious to explore our area with us, and having some friends anchored next to us in the cove of our little island will make exploring and playing pirate so much more fun for the kids, not to mention the adults.

In the meantime, surfing has become the activity drug of choice for Billy and Cory, and being the warm water loving Gidget that I am, I get left behind. But that is okay by me….Billy comes home to me with bright eyes and bare feet sprinkled with sand. Me? I get to wrap my arms around him and kiss his salty face. Yummy.

If you are subscribed to my photoblog The 3rd Coast please update your RSS feed (located at the top right of the photoblog). I switched to a different publishing tool, and my feed changed.

Awf with their haeds

This is my youngest sons spot at the dinner table a few nights ago. It always looks like this. You should have seen the floor. Again, typical.

When Quinn was excused from the dinner table that night, Billy turned to me and said “Look at Quinn’s spot. It looks like Henry the 8th ate there.” He then grabbed the chicken leg and pretended to rip meat off of it. With a slurred voice, sounding like it was stuffed with food and had a bad British accent, he said “Awf with their haeds” and pretended to throw the chicken leg on the ground.

Viking blood runs through my side of the family. I can only guess that Quinn got his fair share of it.

Coming home

What we found upon returning from a parents night out eating sushi, drinking Asahi beer, and laughing with a couple that we run into each and every time we hit this amazing little sushi bar.

It is always good to get out, but the best part is returning, refreshed, to a sight like the one above.

Home.