It IS a Small World Afterall

Two quick stories:

1. Bruce called a plumbing contractor in Watertown, NY for a warranty problem at his restaurant there. Leaving a message, he was sure he recognized the last name. Although he didn't speak with the woman directly, it turns she is married to a man who was Bruce's best friend while growing up in Adams, NY.  Because Bruce's family moved to Florida when he was six, he lost contact. Amazing!
2. Today I learned that Willie, one of my bridge buddies worked as a nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center as did I while living in California. Tell me, what are the odds of that?

Facebook is making it easier and easier to find long lost friends but to my way of thinking it's still better with a voice.

Yesterday morning no big ideas came to me. After sitting at my computer writing and reading I was fast becoming lethargic. Who wouldn't, getting up before 5:00?

Baxter, let's go to Cypress Grove Park and get moving a bit, shall we? I talk to him way too much! Is it any wonder he loves to go there with all this room to roam?

Occasionally I've been naughty, letting him off his leash to run, but not yesterday. We roamed and roamed. The day began a bit gloomy with just a touch of sunshine:

It really is one of our nicest parks, what with the open fields and so, so many trees. Although I've been there countless times, only yesterday did I come across this placed at the base of a magnolia tree:

I wonder about the Hicks. I wonder where all those children landed? Where did William and Lydia go? Quite possibly, the photo above that shows the open space used to have orange groves. At times we think our lives are so important but history has a way of showing us that we are little indeed.

There was a bird of paradise plant just loaded with blooms. The bright orange, purple, with a touch of fuchsia, made the gloomy day much brighter.

I can't remember ever seeing a bee on a bird of paradise before. Once, I was photographing a bottle brush tree and believe you me, it was dangerous--bees, bees, and more bees!

The rose garden was bursting with blooms as well. I love it when I walk up to a spot and a previous visitor has done something photo-worthy, like this big fat pink rose resting in the top of the fountain.

All in all, we got our exercise. Once home I began working on my sewing project which kept me busy throughout the day. 

I really dislike these dark mornings. Normally, when I wake up I can pretty much guess the time, however, because it is staying dark until nearly 7:30 in the morning, I have no clue if when I awake it is the morning, or the middle of the night. Of course, once we have the change I'll bemoan the early nights. You'd think I was hard to please wouldn't you?

An email from my sister Nancy corrected something I wrote last week about not knowing folks who had "help." Apparently, when I was just an infant, my Mom had help. Nancy consulted the family memory guy, our brother Pat who seems to have forgotten nothing. I am so unlike my mother--she was thrilled to have people do things so she didn't have to; I love to do most things myself. Bruce has tried to convince me to get another yard guy, however, I'm happy to mow my own lawn. That way, my fussiness is not a problem. Today is Nancy's birthday, she's four years younger than I. I'm happy to report she is helping the Peck family's stock portfolio by going to Red Lobster for her birthday dinner. Hope it's good!

Another sister email arrived this morning. Carol is infrequently mentioned because she isn't a fan of emails, and I'm lazy about calling. Today was an exception for her because she wanted an opinion. Years and years ago she modeled mostly locally. She is nothing like me in that she is extremely photogenic and is a natural in front of the camera. Recently she was approached about modeling once again. Thus, she sent some head shots taken the other day looking for feedback. I have to say it made me a bit jealous. I am so not photogenic, always either looking goofy or closing my eyes, one of the two. Because I was so hoping my honey was going to be home by dinner time I made the makeup effort  this morning before meeting the ladies for bridge. 

Allison called, saying if we could push it back a half hour that would work best for all concerned. Perfect. Now I had time to get out the trusty tripod and see if there was anyway I could take a decent photograph of myself. Finally the layers which were making my hair styling a problem, have grown out. So, I thought my hair looked pretty good and the cheap dress from Ross was pretty striking.  

It took me many, many tries to get something. Either I had the camera pointed too far down, too far up, and wide to boot! I set the self timer for 10 seconds, 3 shots. I'm horrible in front of a camera--I so much prefer to be behind it! After multiple attempts I gave up, hoping one would be decent enough to share. 

Nancy has been giving me makeup tutorials and I did what I could. I have a hair appointment on 11/11/11 at 11 in the morning. I'm facing a bit of a dilemma. Bruce likes my hair dark just fine, however, his preference is lighter. Just the other day when I asked him he emphatically said he had no right to dictate my hair color which is true, but I still want to look as pretty as I can for him. I'm ok either way, mostly I had her darken it because I'm lazy. We shall see.

I used my beloved Panasonic FZ8 for my self portrait because it is so darn easy to set. Lots of people when they ask me what camera I've used and I tell them a point and shoot they are slightly aghast. Here is a piece from someone much more knowledgeable about the subject than I: Your Camera Doesn't Matter! I think he's right.

One last picture from this morning is of sage and basil. Wouldn't you just know it, the sage plant which has been doing beautifully for six months is in serious decline. I cut all the good ones last evening as well as some straggly basil, putting them in the refrigerator. I'm thinking it was a mistake with the sage. Now that Thanksgiving is nearly upon us I'd be using that sage. I'm going to do some searching about how to preserve it until then. I'm thinking the fridge idea wasn't my best:

There will be stuffing to make pretty soon....

I've been writing this in between cooking my dinner, such as it is. I used some of this basil for a little pasta sauce which is calling my name right about now.

Better behind the camera,

Gail