Pardon me, but your light is Showing

Another challenge. See it here.  Thanks Pat for taking my focus off the obvious. 

Because we sometimes look at a precious work of art as something perfect, we always disapoint ourselves when we notice what we perceive to be a flaw in it. 

   Life itself  IS  sometimes that precious work of art.   How then do we see the work as flawed when there is so much that is flawLESS about life? 

The obvious in the picture:

  One light is brighter than all the rest. 

The brightest light in this picture is the light that is on the OUTSIDE of this building; 

 The brightest light that others see in us is what we display OUTSIDE for others to see. 

*photo  is of the Army Day Care/Education Center across the street from Sweetiegirl’s house*

Early morning musings

Or late night, depending on which you prefer.  It is sunday here though. 

 I’m about to cap off a nice day.  Okay you know the generic word ‘nice’?  Many people feel now, that nice is just too mundane of a word to describe things. I disagree.  Nice describes my day today, perfectly.

 

 Okay it was really awesome weather for one.  We got a late cleaning start, and Doug woke up sick with allergies again.  I have several ideas to remedy that for the household at least.  Hepa filter on the a/c.  Fans with reverse air cleaning.  The dogs are taking the brunt of the blame but I know it’s not them.  When we did go outside,  the air even began to bother me, so I know that the pollen count had to be extremely high. 

  So today was the post’s “Mega Yard Sale”  We went to a few. 

 

 Every twice a year the post holds a post-wide yard sale.  That way everyone can go around to each sale and save time and gas and well…money I guess. 

 

 

 My take?  A brand new lamp, a pillow for crafting, basket, and vase,  and a big pot for the stove (replacing the one i broke the handle off)  as well as a sofa and loveseat for 250 bucks.  

 

 

  I love the mega yard sales!  Well, Doug and I took off for a decent meal alone at Mimi’s Cafe.  Which is probably my next to favorite restaurant.  Doug and I split this appetizer of pot stickers, and asian cole slaw.  YUM!

 

 

Then he ordered this gumbo, on the left and I ordered the french onion soup on the right.

 

 

Finally he ordered roast beef ciabatta sandwhich and I ordered the Turkey Rueben  which I had to take part of home. 

 

All this, along with the homemade muffins and breads at this place make Mimi’s cafe, my next to favorite place to eat.  My mouth is watering just looking at these pictures.

 

 

Doug and I talked some more on the drive about things in general.  He says that he can now relate to me better since I am one of the personnel workers in his company.  He feels when we talk we now have a ‘common’ subject if you will.  I remind him that it doesn’t mean I always want to talk about the military. 

 

 

He states his concern that he feels that I am always waiting for him to screw up so I can tell him, “see we don’t get along!”   I must say, in all honesty.  That is probably an accurate statement.  I’m hyper vigilant now.  I guess time will heal that wound. 

 

 

So, it was a nice day but then after we got home I napped and woke up feeling like someone took a sledge hammer to the side of my head. 

Not wanting to be out of commission, knowing that I promised little A a ‘birthday outing’, I quickly took a tranquilizer, 800 mg. motrin, 2 excedrin extra strength migraine, and a sudafed and laid down again. 

 

Thank you God it did the trick.   I was feeling really good for bowling.  We all went, and we all had fun.  (see Sunday Photo Essay)

 

Well, I am glad to finally see that Prince and Sugar are getting along great.  They played today in the house. 

 

 They play in the yard.  While Prince is still a grump sometimes, he never snaps at her anymore.   I’m sure that soon they will be inseparable.  Which is good since Prince really needed company since i started working…

 

 

*I assure you that they are playing here*

 

 

 

*she’s really up to no good.  Look at those wheels turning in her brain!*

 

Well, I gotta go to sleep now.  I am wiped out.  It’s been fun and I’m not just saying that!

 

~night ya’ll~

SG♥

Sunday Photo Essay~Cosmic Fun

Cosmic glowing things in the alley. 

 

 Rockin out to music and trying to throw a straight game with some beer on board. 

 

 SSSSSAAAAturday niiiiiight.   Tonight was cosmic bowling and bringing little A and big A there, we had some family fun time for a change.

 

   Doug and I had to really pile the meds on board just to get there, as we were both sick as a dog with allergies today. 

 

But we made it just in time to go to the bowling alley, kick it with pizza, and soda and Bud light. 

 

 Pay no attention to the scores, big and little were both bumper bowling.  Doug was COMPETING as usual with me, but I kinda egged him on a little. 

 

 Once he was on the fast track to winning I snuck up behind him and made loud noises just as he releases the ball.  ’Gutter king!’  I yell. 

 

 ”you suck’ he counters. 

  It’s all in jest. 

 

   “JEST A GOOD TIME”.   It’s about time.

 

*colors of balls, denote poundage*

 

 

*big A and I compare bowling shoes*

 

 

*disco bowling queen~little A*

 

 

 

*very cool reflection shot*

 

 

*she’s given up half way through the 2nd game*

 

 

*doug needs about 4 more actually!*

 

 

 

*hug the mommy*

 

*little A checking out the glowing tables*

 

 

 

*nothing like pizza and beer*

 

 

*so much better than staying at home*

 

 

*M is for mom.  119?  I know I suck!*

 

Sunday Photo Essay~Pee Wee

They were fierce and they were serious.  They were proud and defended their flags with honor.

 They were Pee Wees.  5-7 year olds playing football!

  Doug and I drove by the football field this morning after having breakfast and searching for something to shoot.  While here,  I lamented my tiny point and shoot camera.

  I wanted ACTION dammit! 

You can’t shoot action with point and shoot. 

 

 

 The visiting team won.  The Giants were fast and fierce and yes, sometimes a little uhhh forgetful that this was FLAG football. 

 One of these guys made a hard tackle to the other team’s quarterback much to the amusement of the fans and to the chagrin of the coaches!

Did I mention they were 5-7 year olds???

 

 

 

 Hustle!  Hustle dude!

 

 Little pee wee player receives some “coaxing”  from one of the coaches

 

 

 

 One of the hardest things about photographing candid pictures of kids:  They always want to POSE!

“Just pretend I’m not here”~I told this little guy.

 

 

 

He’d played a great half already

 

 

 

Mini players need mini-cheerleaders!  Sorry about this posterized effect.  I couldn’t be satisfied with the original shot cropping or exposure.

 

 

Alas, but the Panthers lost!                                                  Their helmets are nice though.

          

 

 

 

This team’s coach went down the line, tapping them on the helmets.  “Get Flags!  Get Flags!  Get Flags!” he said.           They got flags.  They won the game too.

Photo essay~Rain

Pat,   You wouldn’t believe the rain we got this morning!  So of course I just had to do the weather series challenge  that started so long ago.

 

  The one you gave us right after 3 days of downpours!  I had to wait…what, a week?

 

   Well, this one was hard (not the picture taking~~the explaining to anyone who might see me taking pictures of the rain gutter and the mud at 7 a.m. in my bare feet and pajamas!)

 

   My neighbors already think I’m weird since they have caught me taking pictures of random stuff before, (or… maybe they just think I’m weird.)

 

  We had a thunder storm way before dark but it most certainly WAS  still raining when I took these incase you don’t see maybe a torrential downpour.

 

  Sweetiegirlz, being a pisces, would still have loved to shoot the downpour too . 

 It’s wind I hate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Essay~Have Puppies They Will Come

 

They’re almost all spoken for.  I spoke for one.  A tan female with a white ring around the neck.  The mommy dog is brindle boxer, and the sneaky daddy is some kind of border collie running around loose (prolly as we speak) cornering other unsuspecting gurl doggies that stay outside at night.

 

I get to take her home on Friday.  They’ll be 6 weeks and they are already chowing down on dog food softened with milk.  Hopefully, she’ll be better received by Prince than Jake was, the black lab who had to go back for a variety of reasons. 

After asking my neighbors for permission, and letting them know that I blog daily AND post pictures, they were very friendly and let me go to town, shooting the pups pics.  

I laid on the ground to level the camera and immediately got assaulted by puppies looking for my uhhh…source of milk… I guess they know a bitch when they see one. hehe…

sorry.  couldn’t resist that one.

  Once they figured it out they were off to the happy hands of the eight kids that were gathered by the fence admiring the little creatures. 

 

 

 

The puppy “meet and greet”  coming out party

 

 

 

Pick me, Pick me , Pick ME!

If you can resist puppy eyes, you’re made of cold, cold steel!

 

 

Wiggling little bundles of fluff and stuff

 

 

 

Look into my sad eyes…now…

Bring me home!

 

 

I’ll hang around familiar territory…my master’s boots!

 

 

curious leg climber. 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope mine is this quiet when I get her home!  Doesn’t this make ya go awwww…..

 

 

 

Their temporary home in a plastic dog house outside.

 

 

The Mother dog with my neighbor, the owner

Special 3 Part Photo Essay~Part THREE

Painting with kindergarten paints is coooolllll.  (especially when someone else has to clean up the mess)

 

 

 Big A  starts with Red.

 

 

 Little A starts with Yellow.

 

 

Some other kids did these.  All the kids laid them out to dry…so they could go have fun without holding a wet painted pumpkin.

 

 

 The gurlz were coming unglued because the ride operator put them next to a strange boy.  By the end of the ride, Little A had him wrapped around her little finger,  Flirting that is…

 

 

Little A, it is smiles like these that make life sooooo worth living.

 

 

I don’t know who’s kids these were, I was just drawn to the way the older brother connected with the baby. Priceless.

 

 

 

Little A forgot there was a tag in her hand that she had to stick somewhere before she could win…

 

 

Big A,  you’re fast, but that bungee cord  was faster.  Do you have whiplash??

 

 

 

Girls, stop it, this is a golf course!  Gurlz???  Hey… let mom try!

 

 

Big A, the video of this is going on you tube. hahaaha.

 

 

Big A it looks like you’ve dislocated something important.

Special 3 Part Photo Essay~Part TWO

Clown duty.

 

 

He’s the clown sherriff in town, so don’t mess with him!

 

 

 

awwww, just look at the joy on that little gurlz face!

 

 

 I wonder if these shoes are at all comfortable? Hmmmm….

 

 

Big A says her 2nd favorite color is green.

 

 

Sweetiegirlz says:  Watch out or I’ll bite cha’!  (nom nom)

 

 

 

This sweet little strawberry headed girl played with this mascot unmercifully… she even crawled underneath him, between his legs, and at one point tried to pull his rather comically large brown leather pants down!

You go gurlll…..

Special 3 Part Photo Essay~OktoberFest Part 1

Conspicuously left out of these series are all the beer drinkers and most of the adults. (the ones I really wanted to uhhhh. “fest” with too.)

   There were mega children to be seen. 

 I made the wisest decision of all and fed the gurlz first, as later, hot dogs, and bratwurst and german potato salad and kraut were disapearing like lightning.

  The gurlies and I were each others own company tonight. 

 We started with dinner and ended up rolling down the one of the hills on the golf course in the fading sun.(mommy too)

  Heck, the geese and squirrels were there, why not us?  ENJOY.

Pssst…Kid ya know those chicken McNuggets you like so much???

 

 

Look mommy, a talking chicken!

 

 

 

Say Hi to Miss Oktober, haha.

 

 

Little A, eating like there’s no mo’ food on earth.

 

 

 

Grrr…Quit takin’ our picture!!

 

 

 

SRSLY??? kettle corn rocks, but we were able to sidestep it tonight in lieu of games and other fun

 

 

 

Lotta people cannot refuse da corn of de kettle! 

 

 

 

  We didn’t get any of this, I just thought it was pretty.

Photo essay~Looking Down (the streets of Life).

Little A:  Why do sidewalks have to have cracks in them? 

 

I suspect she was asking this because she took a spill recently on a sidewalk while rolling in those shoes that have wheels in the bottom of them.  A skinned knee and ruined pants later, she rubbed her stinging palms.   Why indeed.

 

 

Of looking up vs. looking down.  Oh the quandry.  Walking far for the 3rd day in  a row!  I thought of Pat Coakley again as she asked us to look down for once!  No need to ask me,  I look down constantly.

  I’m a “down gazer” when I walk I guess.  No need to fret,  I found signs of life Pat. 

 

 

And how long pray tell would a bird who weighs mere OUNCES have to stand in wet cement to create these?  Did he/she get stuck and have to be pried loose?  

 

 

 

Doggie paws, doggie paws.  How privileged you must feel to be able to trot through wet sidewalk cement!

 

 

 

 

Also on the sidewalk~

Hey, I haven’t seen one of these little guys in a long time!   As children we stood in awe of him,  (called a “walking stick”)  Our middle school classes had both walking sticks and praying mantises, in cages. There’s only a certain few bugs that Sweetie would ever think about liking, the rest disgust me!

 Never would have seen him if I hadn’t looked down.  The way he stood so still, I think he was trying to camoflage but relented when I tried to put him on a leaf out of harms way of people’s feet.

 

 

Beauty from squatting down.  Roses I close my eyes and imagine you, tied up in a neat bundle of that tissue thin paper and cellophane,  with a card that reads to the” Love I thought I’d never find”   

 

Question:  Would you rather have total PEACE and total uneventful life with no one to share it?  Or drama and busy ness everyday, but with loved ones to surround you??