tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12539381063690442952024-03-14T03:06:18.765-04:00Surfie SaysA blog about anything that happens to cross my mind.Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-51443740246972891872011-07-13T18:15:00.003-04:002011-07-14T18:52:04.692-04:00Your Friendly Neighborhood Copperhead<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp-c1wdRPc8/Th4X141f70I/AAAAAAAAAY4/Nz0WICHLGYo/s1600/Copperhead+Snake+Tongue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp-c1wdRPc8/Th4X141f70I/AAAAAAAAAY4/Nz0WICHLGYo/s320/Copperhead+Snake+Tongue.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp-c1wdRPc8/Th4X141f70I/AAAAAAAAAY4/Nz0WICHLGYo/s1600/Copperhead+Snake+Tongue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Last night my husband was leaving the house to run a quick errand when he and a couple of neighbors who were walking their dog discovered a young Copperhead snake in the street. My husband came back inside and grabbed an old pillowcase to snag the reptile and escort it safely to the woods on the other side of our development. I was in agreement with the neighbors, who offered a shovel to kill the snake! Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in the Southeast, but thankfully they are supposed to be the least toxic of the species and bites are rarely fatal. Either way, I'd still rather not have one nearby! I have two small dogs, and while the bite may not be fatal to a human, I imagine it probably would be to a 4 pound Chihuahua. Besides, I don't want to get bitten by ANYTHING, whether it would kill me or not!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzU3VrSgxvU/Th4XQGq8jtI/AAAAAAAAAY0/oGTOnlIE8tg/s1600/Copperhead+Snake+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzU3VrSgxvU/Th4XQGq8jtI/AAAAAAAAAY0/oGTOnlIE8tg/s320/Copperhead+Snake+2.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have to admit though, that snake was actually quite pretty! I thought at first that it was a rattlesnake because it kept shaking its tail the way rattlesnakes do. But a friend of ours identified it for us when DH sent him pictures, which is how I know it's actually a Copperhead. This little guy kept striking at the sides of the pillowcase my husband had trapped him in, and you could see the venom soaking into the cloth. Kind of scary and cool at the same time! I can't believe I was brave enough to hold the pillowcase open while DH took the photos! It looks pretty angry in this picture. I guess it's not too happy with his temporary home. But it sure beats the sharp end of a shovel, little guy.<br />
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Snake Spit! Check out the little spots of venom that soaked through the pillowcase:</div>
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<br />Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-54609719760191095692011-07-09T11:19:00.001-04:002011-07-09T11:19:44.822-04:00Oh, Blogger.Oh, Blogger! What have you done to my dashboard? It's hideous! :(Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-64214698781751209072011-05-22T16:49:00.000-04:002011-05-22T16:49:09.859-04:00Here, Fishy, Fishy, Fishy!I went out on the boat with some friends today to fish out in the ocean. It was a banner day for fishing! The weather was gorgeous, the seas were calm, and the fish were biting like nobody's business. At one point I had two hooks on my pole and caught two fish at once! Pam managed to do that almost every time she put her pole in the water. She also caught a humongous Trigger fish!! (Makes me wonder what exactly she was using for bait. And where can I get some for next time?) My DH even caught TWO sharks! Mostly we caught black sea bass, but there were a few pin fish, toad fish, lizard fish and flounders in the mix too. I caught my first flounder today! It was almost a keeper too, but it was a half an inch too short. Rats! But wasn't it a beauty? My friend Shannon was kind enough to hold it for me while I snapped a picture. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1j7ONpxEk/Tdlz7lPrUPI/AAAAAAAAAYs/GlZlhHkKxlg/s1600/My+first+flounder%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1j7ONpxEk/Tdlz7lPrUPI/AAAAAAAAAYs/GlZlhHkKxlg/s320/My+first+flounder%2521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-65942728052954462162011-04-24T21:33:00.000-04:002011-04-24T21:33:17.472-04:00Surviving the BattleWell, I survived two whole weeks at my new job, and I'm still alive and kicking. Not only that, but I'm not only <i>allowed </i>to come back this week, but I'm actually <i>going </i>to! So far the coworkers are all great, and the customers have been great too. I haven't been given a hard time about anything, and I haven't even seen any of the customers give any of the other tellers a hard time. When we get super busy and don't have enough help, the branch manager actually puts in a drawer and helps wait on customers. Everyone helps everyone in this place. It's a foreign feeling for me, but I adore it. Finally a company that treats all employees like equals!<br />
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We'll be swamped tomorrow with all the deposits from the businesses that were swamped with Spring Breakers and Easter vacationers this weekend! It's going to be a long, long day, but I'm sure I'll handle it with all the grace God has given me. Our head teller, who is also the woman who trained me, will be on vacation all week, so that will be an extra obstacle to work around. But I imagine we'll all get along just fine.<br />
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I hope you all have had a wonderfully blessed Easter!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-3017026064655146382011-04-17T13:20:00.001-04:002011-04-17T20:08:06.553-04:00Missing in Action<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4HdQKBrSBM/TasgPs2S8eI/AAAAAAAAAYo/yxRQVScks4E/s1600/lolcat-job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4HdQKBrSBM/TasgPs2S8eI/AAAAAAAAAYo/yxRQVScks4E/s320/lolcat-job.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Well I finally found a job! Hooray! Of course now that means I'll be neglecting my blog even more since I won't have a lot of time to dally on the computer. But since I'll be working at a bank as a teller, and the busy summer season is coming upon us quickly I hope I'll get to see and hear some interesting stuff to report to my dear readers. <br />
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I don't suppose I'll be as relaxed on the job as LOL Cat over there. But I can always hope. I've made it through my first week, so I'm off to a good start. I imagine it will be a battle not to put all the weight I lost back on. They have chocolate and candy EVERYWHERE, and on Mondays and Fridays they put out plates of fresh bakery cookies and lemonade. I have yet to be able to resist! But I bought lots of healthier snacks today to keep at my teller window, so hopefully I won't be as tempted anymore. I'm keeping my expectations low for now. My track record with yumminess is not so stellar!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-70015450300330011302011-03-27T12:49:00.000-04:002011-03-27T12:49:40.338-04:00When Lightbulbs Attack!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGgiWdvkBj0/TY9pliJayxI/AAAAAAAAAYc/ORR_HEJ0fGs/s1600/Exploding+Lightbulb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGgiWdvkBj0/TY9pliJayxI/AAAAAAAAAYc/ORR_HEJ0fGs/s320/Exploding+Lightbulb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Some friends and I were sitting around the kitchen table the other day, just minding our own business and having a nice chat. Our calm, relaxed interlude was interrupted when one of the lightbulbs in the ceiling fan above us exploded. <i>EXPLODED! </i> It rained glass shards down on me, littering the table, bench and floor with debris. We looked up in shock and saw smoke wafting away from the remains of the bulb and filament that were still screwed into the socket. Good thing we hadn't started eating dinner yet, or all our food would have had to be tossed out. Lots of tiny little slivers of glass can really ruin a good meal!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fePSOCFVK4Y/TY9psn_p2nI/AAAAAAAAAYk/l014t_aDc88/s1600/Exploding+Shattered+Lightbulbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fePSOCFVK4Y/TY9psn_p2nI/AAAAAAAAAYk/l014t_aDc88/s320/Exploding+Shattered+Lightbulbs.jpg" width="320" /></a>Never in my life have I seen a lightbulb explode. I've seen them blow out with a loud pop when you flip on the light switch, and sometimes smoke would fill the glass. But this was the first time I've ever had one actually break the glass. And it wasn't even right when we turned the light on. It had been on for some time before it decided to give up the ghost. That bulb must have been a little drama queen to feel the need to "go out with a bang" like that. I guess it preferred making a grand exit, like Dumbledore in "Harry Potter: The Order of the Phoenix". <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8L9aleAHI&feature=related">Dumbledore's got style!</a> I love that scene. It makes the whole magician-disappearing-in-a-cloud-of-smoke routine look so five minutes ago. Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-50362037027829465072011-03-23T08:51:00.000-04:002011-03-23T08:51:32.355-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Cool Tree in 'Iao Valley State Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VLNbW6Nftdg/TYnshJCJ4pI/AAAAAAAAAYY/FtIEPyPAIEY/s1600/%2527Iao+Valley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VLNbW6Nftdg/TYnshJCJ4pI/AAAAAAAAAYY/FtIEPyPAIEY/s640/%2527Iao+Valley.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-59056045793839656262011-03-21T13:30:00.000-04:002011-03-21T13:30:58.786-04:00Heal Already, Dang It!<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EI6QIEbGLkM/TYeIW4eYUMI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/L_rOaQLBmxg/s1600/p_00046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EI6QIEbGLkM/TYeIW4eYUMI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/L_rOaQLBmxg/s320/p_00046.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you read my most recent post, you'll know that I've been learning to ride a motorcycle and that two weeks ago I crashed and burned on a turn. Well, crashed at least. This is what she looked like while lying pathetically in a pile of sand after the wreck. I was glad to have my cell phone in my pocket so I could call for help, and I was equally happy to be able to get some pictures of her after her first wreck. *sniff* Molly took it like a champ! She certainly fared better than I did at least. <br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WHdXrypgELI/TYeIiUF0hjI/AAAAAAAAAYU/_NdhbvbR1Lo/s1600/p_00047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WHdXrypgELI/TYeIiUF0hjI/AAAAAAAAAYU/_NdhbvbR1Lo/s320/p_00047.jpg" width="320" /></a>I wasn't hurt nearly as bad as I would have expected, but that deep scrape on the top of my knee is being a real pain. It was such a deep gouge that it is taking FOREVER to heal. It gets smaller and smaller, but it still hurts sometimes. Like yesterday, when I was trying to slip in the door without letting my Chihuahuas get past me, and I scraped my bare knee roughly against the metal edge of the screen door. An entire rainbow of words escaped my mouth at that event. OUCH. I was finally able to wear jeans Saturday evening, although any time I had to bend my knee it was uncomfortably tender and sore where the jeans pressed into my knee. Which was pretty much any time I had to take a step or sit down. But that's still an improvement considering that for a long while even my baggy, light cotton pajama pants hurt whenever they would gently brush against my knee while I was walking. I'm pretty sure these bruises are going to be sticking around for several more weeks, unfortunately. I guess I need to work on getting a tan so they'll be less noticeable! <br />
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I've been waiting to be able to wear jeans again (without pain!) so I could get back on Molly and do some more practicing. She's got her new shift lever installed and has been waiting patiently for me to take her for another spin. I'm hoping this week I'll be able to get out there! I have to admit I'm a bit nervous to go out by myself, especially since it's been 2 weeks since I've been on her and am probably rusty on the little bit I'd learned. Not to mention, since I'm not fully healed from my last crash, I can't help but wonder how badly it would turn out if I happened to wipe out again. I'm going to have to rope Sam into cruising the loop with me so he'll be on hand if I need him! The weather has been sensational lately, so I know he won't mind a chance to get out on the bike, even if it is just to lap me around the loop for a while.Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-9338393000116553302011-03-09T16:50:00.001-05:002011-03-09T16:51:25.357-05:00And This Is Why I Always Wear a Helmet: My First Motorcycle Crash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vYQrCos5Lbs/TXf10PT1DyI/AAAAAAAAAYI/HL-5-GAzbd4/s1600/Hand+After+Motorcycle+Crash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I totally wiped out on the bike Monday. I'm not talking about "dropping" my bike either, but full on laying it down. It happened so fast I'm still not exactly sure what happened. I was making a left turn and I felt it getting away from me. I was turning too wide, either because I wasn't leaning enough to make the turn or because I was trying to take it too fast. There was a large patch of sand at the side of the road, and I was headed straight for it. Knowing that sand and motorcycles do not play well with each other, I was not a happy camper. I could see disaster heading straight for me. I don't know if it was the sand that made me lose control or if I tried to over-correct my turn to avoid the sand by leaning too much or if I just panicked and tried to turn the handlebars. Anyone who rides a bike knows that you do NOT turn by turning the handlebars! I have no clue which one caused my crash, but it seemed that in about a single instant I went from seeing that sand coming my way and realizing that I wasn't going to make the turn to feeling my head smack against the pavement and then poor Molly and I were lying on our sides in that giant patch of sand.<br />
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dOdLz7xeq1w/TXf03VYT5KI/AAAAAAAAAYE/nPIOw0sST-Y/s1600/Knee+After+Motorcyce+Crash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dOdLz7xeq1w/TXf03VYT5KI/AAAAAAAAAYE/nPIOw0sST-Y/s320/Knee+After+Motorcyce+Crash.JPG" width="320" /></a>I can't believe I wasn't hurt more than I was. I NEVER get on a bike without wearing a helmet, even when I'm riding behind someone else. I can only imagine how badly my head would have been hurt if I wasn't wearing mine. It hit hard enough to scrape the side of the helmet and knock my visor off its track and put in a small crack. Yet I didn't even get so much as a mild headache. Whew! Considering how bruised and scraped some of the rest of me is, I'm really glad my noggin was protected! I was wearing jeans, some sturdy Keen hiking shoes, and my North Face jacket. My poor left knee got the worst of the damage. It managed to get scraped and bruised in two different spots - right on the patella and below it, where you might skin your knee if you feel down. I've got lots of bruising all over both legs, and some scratches on the lower part of my left leg. And my left hand is torn up pretty badly. It hurts like the dickens, mostly because the worst part is right where my palm creases, so every time I move my thumb it stretches and folds the wound. Ouch! When we stopped moving, I realized my left ankle and foot were under the bike. It took me a few minutes to be able to find a way to lift the bike off my leg. That beast is pretty heavy, especially when I've got one foot trapped under it and can't brace myself for more leverage. I was worried I was going to have more damage to my foot or ankle, but thankfully it wasn't anything more than bruises and scrapes. Those rugged shoes really did a good job protecting my feet!<br />
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I was very glad to have my cell phone in my jacket pocket too, especially when I realized I couldn't pick the bike up on my own. The tires were raised up on the curb, and with all that sand it made it even harder to try to get it lifted. I could move it some, but not enough to get it all the way up. Looks like I need to start lifting heavier weights. Luckily for me, I have a super awesome friend, Sam, who I can always count on to help me out no matter what. I gave him a call and he left work to come rescue me. He was a Navy Corpsman and served with both the Navy and the Marines, so his medical knowledge came in handy too. After he drove my bike home for me and I drove his vehicle, he gave me a thorough exam to make sure I wasn't hurt more than I realized. I had pretty much decided if I could move all my limbs and wasn't bleeding profusely I was probably fine. He knows better, so he took care of me and made sure I was truly okay. <br />
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Despite sliding across pavement on my side, and despite the bruises and scrapes I received, my bike and my clothes survived quite nicely. I can't believe with as much damage as my knee took that my jeans didn't even scuff, much less rip. They were dusty, and that's about it. My shoes look perfect except for, oddly enough, the inside of the tongue on the left shoe. So weird! How in the world did I tear the INSIDE of my shoe? Pure talent, readers. Pure talent. And there is a very itty bitty spot on the sleeve of my jacket that has a scuff. And Molly handled the crash very well too. Her previous owners had installed crash pegs on her side to protect the body and the engine in the event of a crash. I can now attest that they worked wonders! Not a single scratch, scuff or dent on the body or engine. My windshield is scuffed on the side, and the crash peg is scraped and scuffed pretty good, but otherwise the only real damage was to the shift lever, the peg of which snapped off. But I ordered the replacement today and by the time I receive it and get it installed I should be healed up enough to get back out on the road for some more practice! I should probably focus on my turns, don't you think?Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-88438599528279354922011-03-02T13:44:00.000-05:002011-03-02T13:44:05.119-05:00I've Got My Eye On You<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T37kulbRccU/TW6PMCWmIPI/AAAAAAAAAYA/pPU1EDeXDZM/s1600/Eye+Chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T37kulbRccU/TW6PMCWmIPI/AAAAAAAAAYA/pPU1EDeXDZM/s320/Eye+Chart.jpg" width="220" /></a>Both of them, actually. And they can SEE you! I had my LASIK surgery done a week ago, and I am so freaking happy with the results. It's so amazing to be able to see clearly without contacts or glasses. I just had my second follow-up vision appointment and can now boast 20/20 vision! Before I had the surgery, my left eye was 20/400 and my right eye was 20/600. Yes, that bad. I never expected them to be able to get my vision this good. I thought for sure it would improve my vision, but that I'd still need a light prescription or something. And of course I had all these doomsday imaginings of something horrible going wrong and ended up blinded or horribly disfigured and with worse vision than before I went in. <br />
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If you've ever looked for information online for LASIK, you've probably seen some of the terrible websites out there whose sole purpose is to scare people away from the surgery. Oh, the pictures they post of surgeries gone wrong. *shudder* I have to admit that those sites really made me doubt the wisdom of having the procedure done. But thankfully I was an excellent candidate for the surgery, I have a great optometrist, and he recommended a fantastic, proven surgeon for the procedure. My eyes have healed wonderfully, my vision is great, and I am so, so happy I finally bit the bullet and was brave enough to have it done. Woohoo!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-12291627982972905692011-02-17T12:28:00.000-05:002011-02-17T12:28:20.257-05:00If at First You Don't Succeed...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>...Stomp your feet, scream, and maybe even cry. Go ahead, have a full blown tantrum if you must. I'll wait.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uBABdZ3yRw/TVgnevVRDdI/AAAAAAAAAXo/28G6xLesiWk/s1600/tantrum2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uBABdZ3yRw/TVgnevVRDdI/AAAAAAAAAXo/28G6xLesiWk/s200/tantrum2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I'm sad to say that I am NOT exactly a natural at learning to ride my new bike. You can't imagine how many times I've wished that I had learned to drive a manual transmission when I was younger! I should have kept trying until I got it and not given up on it. I don't like not being good at something, so it's been a blow to my pride to have to keep trying, and trying, and trying on this motorcycle. Sometimes I can't even get it in first gear without stalling out. Why? Because I forget that I have to use the clutch. Oops. But honestly, I'm doing good to remember that I have to actually put it in gear in the first place. Although technically I have to do that in my car too, it's just that in Roxie (my totally awesome Scion xA) I go from Park to Drive. <br />
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I made an attempt to drive my bike around the neighborhood Friday afternoon by myself. Eek! You can't even imagine how nervous I was. I just knew I was either going to crash it on my way to the safe loop area where I could practice without worrying about much traffic, or I was going to get it out there and then somehow mess up and not be able to get it back home. I'd never taken the bike out on my own before! Sadly, my fervent hopes that it would turn out to be a wonderful jaunt and that I would finally "get it" and be a pro rider before I returned home were quickly dashed. <br />
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I lost count of the number of times I stalled out just trying to get it out of my driveway. That whole "let off the clutch slowly while giving it just the right amount of throttle at just the right time" is pretty tricky. I did eventually jerk and buck my way down the street to the stop sign. But this was where my real worries lay. I had to be able to go from a stop to a start WHILE turning, and immediately go over a speed bump, after which was another immediate turn in the opposite direction. The maneuvering this requires is difficult enough for me, but when you add in the fact that there is traffic coming off the highway in one direction, plus traffic leaving a neighboring development coming from the other as well, it really got me worked up. Did I mention I was turning left, so I had to cross both lanes of traffic? Eeek!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XwwcUBtm5Gk/TVgpLSl3ENI/AAAAAAAAAXs/6WBtNKe9CoY/s1600/Beginner-04-Mototraining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XwwcUBtm5Gk/TVgpLSl3ENI/AAAAAAAAAXs/6WBtNKe9CoY/s320/Beginner-04-Mototraining.jpg" width="284" /></a>I did manage to get through that intersection, but just barely. I was still having trouble with trying to do a smooth take-off, and I felt like I was completely out of control. Not a good thing when on a motorcycle! And by that time I was so frazzled my nerves were shot. I couldn't make that second turn in time, and decided that was my cue to just turn around and head back home. It was pretty sad that I only got out on the bike for about a quarter mile, and that I didn't drive it very well while I was doing it. But I've got to say, considering how nervous I am about learning to ride a motorcycle, and considering I never could get the hang of driving a manual transmission when I was younger, I actually didn't do all that badly. I may not be fearless, but the fact that I got on the bike on my own in the first place is a really big accomplishment. I wanted so badly to find a good excuse not to go out. While it didn't have the results I'd hoped for, I did have to pat myself on the back for trying and for making it through the intersection, even if I didn't get it back into that other neighborhood. It may have been an ugly ride, but I didn't crash, I didn't drop the bike, and I didn't even cry! I did stomp my feet a few times and my language was probably a bit colorful, but all in all it wasn't too bad.<br />
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I'm just going to have to keep at it and practice, practice, practice! I like to imagine that one day I'll go out and everything will easily fall into place and then I'll return home lighthearted and carefree and I'll be able to laugh at my silly fears and wonder why in the world I ever thought learning to ride a motorcycle would be so difficult. Hahaha! (That's me practicing my lighthearted laughter.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Images found <a href="http://www.playingmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/tantrum2-300x199.jpg">here</a> and <a href="http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/choosing-your-first-motorcycle-a-beginners-guide-89771.html">here</a>.</span>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-61562242053099934952011-02-13T14:39:00.000-05:002011-02-13T14:39:38.271-05:00I Bought a Motorcycle!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-slvR0EYBYvw/TVgsEEFSixI/AAAAAAAAAXw/Bazi4eV2Rdg/s1600/Molly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-slvR0EYBYvw/TVgsEEFSixI/AAAAAAAAAXw/Bazi4eV2Rdg/s1600/Molly.jpg" /></a></div>Dear Readers, meet Molly! My DH and I have been checking out Craigslist to try to find a small bike that would fit me and be a good choice for someone who is new to riding a motorcycle. He found this one for sale in western North Carolina, and after seeing the pictures and researching it online, I was in love! She is a 2002 Suzuki SV650 (naked). I was pretty worried that a 650 would be way too big of an engine for a newbie like me. I could imagine myself accidentally giving it too much throttle and it taking off like a rocket and leaving me behind! But the many, many reviews I found for it all praised it highly, and the website <a href="http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/suzuki-sv650-review">Best Beginner Motorcycles</a> even recommended it for beginners. Normally much smaller bikes like the 250s are recommended as safest for beginner riders. <br />
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Luckily for me, this bike is nice and lightweight, much like a sport bike, but has a lot of the styling and comfort like a cruiser. I'm not a fan of the "crotch rockets" where you lean forward on your arms and have your rear end up in the air. The SV650 does have the foot pegs farther back than a cruiser so your knees remain bent, but it's still a fairly upright seating position. Being lightweight (less than 400 pounds) makes it much easier to maneuver and control, but the bigger engine will ensure that I don't outgrow it immediately after learning how to ride. The top speed on most 250 machines is about 65mph. The SV650 is about 125mph. I have no plans to EVER go that fast, even in my car, so I don't need it to go that fast. But if I ever need to get on the interstate and keep up with traffic in a 70mph zone, I'll be able to do so without blowing the engine.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8wN9cp-PKpM/TVgxFxAKz8I/AAAAAAAAAX0/s6rYZYLHfgg/s1600/Molly+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8wN9cp-PKpM/TVgxFxAKz8I/AAAAAAAAAX0/s6rYZYLHfgg/s1600/Molly+4.jpg" /></a>Getting Molly home was quite an ordeal. The location was about 5 1/2 hours from where I live, and the weather was very cold (low 30s with wind chills much lower) and it rained the entire time. DH and my dad and I drove up there in my car to check it out and see if I liked it. Of course I can't actually RIDE it, so I just sat on it to test the fit and see if I liked the way it felt. We looked it over and checked out the mechanics, and then my husband took it for a spin to see if it felt like it ran okay. It did, and I still loved it, so I bought it! At that point we had to get it home. My husband rode it home, in the freezing rain, on a ride that in a car would have taken about 3 1/2 hours. We were stopping at my parents' house for the night before coming back home the next morning. Since the weather was so bad, we had to make a LOT of stops so DH could thaw out and the parts of his riding gear that weren't waterproof. We also couldn't go as fast as we normally might have because the bike hadn't been ridden in a year, so it wasn't quite up to par. Turns out the spark plugs needed to be replaced, and DH spent most of the ride with the bike only firing on one piston, which meant it had maybe half the power that it should have. Not fun for riding on the interstate, at night, in the freezing rain! That 3 1/2 hour trip ended up taking 8 grueling hours. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ryl5u5hh4zU/TVgx2z-Ak9I/AAAAAAAAAX4/ZiZ9I4VqQPo/s1600/Molly+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ryl5u5hh4zU/TVgx2z-Ak9I/AAAAAAAAAX4/ZiZ9I4VqQPo/s1600/Molly+2.jpg" /></a></div>Not being very mechanically inclined, I didn't really know what might be wrong with Molly, and I was worried that I'd bought a lemon and that it was going to cost a fortune to fix her. Thankfully all it took was two little spark plugs and she was good to go! Chris and my dad changed them the next morning and then DH even changed the oil and oil filter too, just for good measure. Needless to say, the ride home from my parents' house was much more enjoyable! Warmer, little to no rain, and a fun bike with a good engine. He had a great time getting it back to our house, and I'm glad to know he enjoys the bike so much. It means it was a good buy and that once I learn to ride and can feel comfortable and confident on it, I'll be able to have some fun too!<br />
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I love her bright yellow paint! She looks like a bumble bee, which is sort of how she came to be named Molly. I thought I'd name her something that referred to her marvelous and snazzy coloring, but couldn't think of anything about bees that didn't sound entirely stupid. Some people will think it's silly enough to name her at all. But as I was thinking, the phrase "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" passed through my mind. I thought, "Aha! Muhammad Ali! M. Ali...Mali...Molly!" And there you go. A beautiful, fun bike that I still need to learn how to ride. I guess I have no choice but to learn how to work a manual transmission now. It's going to be a long, bumpy ride!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-82883409009449125252011-01-30T20:26:00.002-05:002011-02-13T15:02:55.384-05:00Biker Babe in the MakingOkay, so the "babe" part is open to interpretation. But still.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TUgv2X9ULBI/AAAAAAAAAXc/g232dBLNjUo/s1600/2006-Honda-919a-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TUgv2X9ULBI/AAAAAAAAAXc/g232dBLNjUo/s400/2006-Honda-919a-small.jpg" width="400" /></a>I had my second lesson on the motorcycle today. This time I was on Darling Husband's Honda 919. I was really nervous to try to ride on this thing since it's a sport touring bike and can REALLY go super fast in a hurray. I could see myself trying to ease onto the throttle and still managing to shoot down the road like a rocket. Thankfully when I tested the throttle sensitivity while in neutral I saw that it would be possible to still be very gentle with it. I did really well! Well, considering it was ME on it. I got up to 20 miles an hour this time. Woohoo! That's double the speed I was willing to go when I first tried out my mom's bike. I even shifted into 2nd gear a couple times! Pretty soon I might be able to pass those little mopeds that are always blocking traffic. <br />
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Technically you're not supposed to ride with a passenger until you are very well trained on a bike and can do so without endangering yourself or the other person. Bikes handle a lot differently when you have a passenger! But I'm still too scared to ride without him behind me telling me what to do and when, in case I panic and forget what to do! It's only further proof of how fearless he is that he was willing to ride with me at the helm. <br />
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But the part that I'm most proud of? <b><i>I TURNED!</i></b> FOUR TIMES! And I did it well each time. It was so thrilling to be able to do it. I was giggling like a schoolgirl and laughing out loud with glee. I was so proud of myself. :) And no freaking out this time - no tears or panic. I wonder if I'm the only one who is so scared of trying to turn on a motorcycle. I don't even think about it when I'm on a bicycle, but for some reason it really intimidates me to try doing the same thing on a motorcycle.<br />
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I made sure to stop while I was ahead this time instead of pushing it until I got overwhelmed. Every little step is really helping to build my confidence. I never thought I'd be able to handle DH's bike since it is so sporty and fast. But it's nice and light and narrower than my mom's bike, so that actually made it pretty easy to handle. I'm starting to understand why he loves it so much on twisty, winding roads!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-55052881749328616912011-01-25T16:50:00.001-05:002011-02-13T15:03:29.304-05:00Motorcycle Mayhem, Part II<a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://postandcourier.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2010/10/21/New_Licinse_t600.jpg%3F4326734cdb8e39baa3579048ef63ad7b451e7676&imgrefurl=http://parkwestpalazzo.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-south-carolina-drivers-license.html&usg=__gp5c0RY64zMBCZOMh3bohoTqg6E=&h=436&w=600&sz=68&hl=en&start=140&sig2=2IvaEhXp7VDYm7g_aLE0lg&zoom=1&tbnid=dK4vj2O3mRaggM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=146&ei=eUQ_TevMIpPB8QOJo-D7CA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsc%2Bdmv%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D565%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C3078&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=399&oei=OkQ_TbKlG8G88gb_4ZnnAw&esq=8&page=8&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:140&tx=57&ty=47&biw=1280&bih=565" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="232" src="http://postandcourier.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2010/10/21/New_Licinse_t600.jpg?4326734cdb8e39baa3579048ef63ad7b451e7676" width="320" /></a><i>I just got my motorcycle permit! </i> Woohoo! Look at me, I'm a wild woman. :) Now I just have to put it to good use and try another bout on the bike. I'm going to be so excited if I can actually learn how to ride a motorcycle. Of course having to shell out the money to eventually buy a bike and for the insurance won't be as fun, but it will be a necessary evil eventually. There is a motorcycle riding class I'm looking into that a friend took a few years ago and really enjoyed. He took the intermediate course, but I'd need to start from the very bottom! They stress safety a lot, which I really like. He said it even makes him drive his car more defensively. <br />
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I'm on a roll with this "taking on the world" thing I started recently. I've got my eye mapping and eye exam scheduled for this Thursday for my LASIK. I've been out of my contacts for nearly 2 weeks in preparation for it. And I should be able to have the surgery done at the end of February. Hooray, no more contacts or glasses! That's going to be especially appealing after being stuck in my glasses for so many weeks. I was also finally able to decide on a design for a tattoo, and I have a friend who knows a tattoo artist from a local shop who is going to give us a great deal on tattoos. So now I'm even going to get a tattoo! Two, actually. I've thought about getting one for several years now, but never seriously considered it because I just couldn't decide on what to get and where to get it. I don't want to have something I'm going to regret in a few years, or something that won't be relevant to me in 30 to 50 years.<br />
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So here I am, tackling tattoos, LASIK, and motorcycles all in a short span of time. If they weren't things I'd thought about and wanted for several years I'd be worried I might be having a mid-life crisis. I told my friend that if I come home with a red convertible sports car she needs to plan an intervention. :)Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-65393303086465669862011-01-19T16:37:00.000-05:002011-01-19T16:37:14.523-05:00Cozy Comfort<div style="text-align: center;">Because sometimes sleeping <i>on </i>the pillows just isn't good enough. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TTdZQe1nv2I/AAAAAAAAAXY/AK-hklDbIeE/s1600/Chihuahua+in+Pillows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TTdZQe1nv2I/AAAAAAAAAXY/AK-hklDbIeE/s640/Chihuahua+in+Pillows.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>(That's one of my Chihuahuas, Gypsy, snuggling between two pillows.)</div>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-16401816378848160632010-12-29T13:29:00.001-05:002010-12-29T14:11:22.428-05:00I'm Ready to Take on the WorldDo you ever have those times when you tackle something awesome and then feel like you can do <i>anything </i>after that? Even if it's just something minor? I'm in that mood now. Some of it is also from a feeling that life is short (and passing me by) and I don't want to keep wasting time - putting off things I've wanted but never got around to letting myself have (or do), shying away from things because they are "scary" or because I'm afraid I won't be good at them. But if I never try something, I've already failed, right? So what's the point of not trying? I'm hoping that I can keep this motivated mood going and accomplish some things that I've been too scared to try or things that I used to enjoy but never do anymore. I've already given <a href="http://surfiesays.blogspot.com/2010/11/motorcycle-mayhem.html">driving a motorcycle a try</a>, and I really want to keep learning. It may seem like a small thing to many people, but for me being able to drive a motorcycle (and not just ride on the back) would be a huge deal. <br />
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<a href="http://jordysbeautyspot.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-match-eye-shadow-with-your-eye.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vx4hqTWdgg0/S16FBMJ-I0I/AAAAAAAABdQ/QtdX2KIOfIk/s200/brown-eye.jpg" width="200" /></a>First on my list is seeing a doctor for a consultation on LASIK. I've been wanting to get my eyes lasered for YEARS but kept putting it off. First it was because it was too expensive, then because I was worried that something freaky would happen and I'd end up blind or with worse vision than before, then it was because I didn't want to have to go two whole weeks without being able to wear my contacts before they do the measurements for the surgery. For the past fews years I've mentioned it to my eye doctor at every annual checkup and he's assured me that I'm a perfect candidate and he recommended a local eye surgeon. And still I kept putting it off. But now I'm ready! I've schedule my consultation and hopefully things will go well and soon I'll have an appointment for the actual surgery. I can't imagine how awesome it will feel to not have to rely on contacts and glasses anymore, especially since they seem to bother me more and more lately. Whee!<br />
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<a href="http://naturetourism.allegheny.edu/hiking.html" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="240" src="http://naturetourism.allegheny.edu/hikers.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another thing on my list is backpacking. I used to go backpacking with my family every year when I was a kid. It was always pretty grueling and I complained a lot at the time. But it was still kind of fun. And now that they have all this fancy technical equipment that weighs next to nothing I'm sure it's a much more fun activity. Unfortunately I have back problems and just the <i>thought </i>of carrying all that weight makes it hurt. My husband goes on a short backpacking trip (one or two nights only) every Spring Break with a coworker friend of his and my dad. And this year I want to go too! I just got back from a vacation in Maui where we did some light hiking and I realize how much I enjoy it and miss being able to do it. My husband prefers backpacking instead of camping and doing day hikes, so I never get the chance to just hike. But if my choices are backpacking or not hiking at all, I'm going to at least give backpacking another try. His trips are much shorter than the ones I went on as a kid, and since I've been seeing a chiropractor regularly for my back it may not even be as big a deal as I've been letting myself imagine. Who knows, maybe it will be the most fun I've had in a while and I'll look forward to doing it more and more. And if I have a great time and my husband enjoys having me there, maybe we'll even go more often.<br />
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So what else should I put on my list of things to accomplish? Should I give surfing another try? Maybe see if I can tackle SCUBA? That one would be a long shot, but it feels less scary now than it used to when I thought about it before. Maybe that means I'm ready to try it!Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-69685453279951053002010-12-26T12:57:00.000-05:002010-12-26T12:57:31.967-05:00Snow in Myrtle Beach? AGAIN?!I can't believe this weather we're having. This snowed a bit last night as I noticed when getting up to let the girls out. It didn't really stick except in a few thin areas, and by the time I woke up it was all gone and was no longer snowing. Then earlier this afternoon I decided to go for a walk. I got all bundled up and then as I was putting the last touches on my please-don't-let-me-freeze outfit, I looked outside and saw it was snowing again! Quite a bit actually. I went for my walk and it snowed the entire hour I was outside. It is in fact still snowing. It's still not sticking anywhere. It's kind of weird to see all this snow just pouring down and having it disappear as soon as it hits the ground. The puddles aren't even iced over.<br />
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Another bit of strange is that this is the SECOND time this year that it has snowed! It snowed already this February. Except that time it actually stuck. <br />
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PROOF:<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TReBWSKgWBI/AAAAAAAAAXU/e3l4xPL5GgI/s1600/Snow+in+Myrtle+Beach+Feb+2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TReBWSKgWBI/AAAAAAAAAXU/e3l4xPL5GgI/s320/Snow+in+Myrtle+Beach+Feb+2010.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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I can't remember it ever snowing two years in a row, much less twice in the same year. I hope this isn't going to be the new normal. I'm ready to go back to the milder winters. I hate being cold. Give me spring and early summer weather all year round, please. This is all especially hard to take since I just got back from a vacation to Maui, where it was beautifully warm and perfect. *sigh* Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-46095706384123542022010-12-09T13:13:00.000-05:002010-12-09T13:13:37.119-05:00A Little Jar of Heaven<a href="http://homecanningcentral.com/canned%20fruit%20jelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://homecanningcentral.com/canned%20fruit%20jelly.jpg" width="320" /></a> My brother and sister-in-law have a huge plot of land out in the country. They grow all kinds of things in their garden, and also have fruit trees and bushes. Needless to say, they get to do a lot of canning every year. I was visiting them recently and was able to snag a few jars of their homemade jelly. I got Wild Cherry and Elderberry Apple. So far I've only tasted the Wild Cherry, but it is so incredibly yummy. I've eaten half a jar in less than a week. !! I can't help it, it's just so tasty!<br />
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When I was a kid, there used to be a lot of wild elderberry bushes growing on the side of the road in the neighborhood where I lived. I remember picking large sacks of those dark purple berries to my grandma and my parents could make elderberry jelly. We rarely had store bought jelly when I was little. We always had so much of the homemade stuff we never needed to pay for any. <br />
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I can't wait to dig into that Elderberry Apple jelly my brother and sister-in-law made. I know it's going to be good. I'm only sorry I didn't smuggle out a jar of the Raspberry Dark Chocolate jelly they had! We had some with breakfast before I left and it was amazing. Looks like I might have to find a reason to be in the neighborhood again real soon so I can get my hands on some.Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-28047879440790613932010-11-29T13:38:00.000-05:002010-11-29T13:38:05.665-05:00Motorcycle MayhemI love motorcycles. It's a lot of fun riding around on one, especially when the weather is particularly nice. I have several friends that ride, my husband rides, and both my parents ride. And I ride too. On the back. Deep down inside, the Wild Child in me wants to be brave and ride too, but the real me is just such a chicken. It's not like learning to ride a motorcycle is something you can take in baby steps. You have to learn how to balance, how to turn by leaning and not actually turning the handlebars, and then there is the whole clutch/gears thing going on too. Oh, and of course remembering not to sear the skin off your leg by accidentally touching the pipes.<br />
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I was nervous even when learning how to drive a car. I would barely creep along the road and was still an anxious wreck, knowing that at any minute some other car, person, animal or thing was going to jump out in front of me and I wouldn't be able to stop. Or I'd lose control of the car while racing down the road at a blistering 10 MPH and crash into a building/ditch/tree and we'd all die in a massive, flaming ball of death.<br />
<a href="http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/school-SectionNine.htm" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="333" src="http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/pics/Motorcycle-wreck-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Thankfully once I got comfortable in the car that phase didn't last long. But even knowing that, the thought of trying to learn to ride (drive?) a motorcycle still freaks me out. At least in the car I didn't have to worry about whether or not I'd fall over and crush my legs under the weight of the bike, or that I'd skid out when trying to make that tricky right hand turn. I have enough trouble with balance while standing on my own two feet, or with walking around a corner and not hitting my arm or shoulder on the door frame. (Stupid things keep moving on me, I swear it!)<br />
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But this week, the day before Thanksgiving, my husband decided I was going to learn. Or at least try to learn. So when we got to my parents' house we borrowed my mom's bike and my husband attempted to teach me how to ride a motorcycle. I have to admit I did better than I thought I would, but it was still pretty terrifying despite the fact that I never went over 12 MPH and would not turn. When we got to the end of my parents' street my husband would take over and turn the bike back around so I could try again on the straight section. He's not nearly as timid as I am of course, so after a few runs with me not falling over or causing anything to burst into flames he decided I was ready to try a turn.<br />
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I'm sure you've already guessed by now that this didn't go well. For one thing, I wasn't comfortable enough yet to get up to a high enough speed to turn efficiently. And while I know you are supposed to lean to turn, I'm so scared of falling over that my body just automatically leans the opposite direction out of pure self-preservation. So here we are creeping down the road and the closer we get to the turn, the more panicked I get. So much so that when I decide to abort (if I could have abandoned ship entirely without killing myself or my mom's bike, I probably would have), my brain function had shut down enough that I could barely remember how to stop. Thank goodness the clutch slows down the bike significantly - otherwise my mom's bike would probably be decorating the neighbor's living room right about now. It slowed the bike down sufficiently that I could calm down enough to remember how to brake. At this point I was so overwhelmed by everything that I started to cry. No one will ever accuse me of being brave or courageous. Daredevil, I am not.<br />
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But despite the dramatics, it really was fun, and I was pretty proud of myself for the part I WAS able to do! I'm certainly willing to keep trying. By this time next year, I may even be the proud owner of a Motorcycle Driver's License! Anything can happen, right?Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-58855700138291922712010-11-18T09:35:00.000-05:002010-11-18T09:35:34.892-05:00Not Eaten by Zombies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fossist.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/brian1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="320" src="http://fossist.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/brian1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hi everyone! I think it's a pretty good sign that I've been a total slacker with blogging when a blog-buddy posts a comment about my absence. And then my mom reads that comment and suddenly worries that something is wrong with me and maybe she'd better check up on me to make sure I'm still alive. True story. <br />
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I'm happy to report that I am still alive. My brain was not eaten by zombies this Halloween, although I'm pretty sure some little idea-stealing demon may have been amongst the kids begging for treats this year. Because I've pretty much got nothing. Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-84526543997928261472010-10-23T14:59:00.000-04:002010-10-23T14:59:26.192-04:00Photohunt: Orange<div style="text-align: center;">Some bright orange and yellow Canna lilies from my garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TMMvoSp7W6I/AAAAAAAAAXI/agnJ3sixGE0/s1600/Canna+Lily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TMMvoSp7W6I/AAAAAAAAAXI/agnJ3sixGE0/s400/Canna+Lily.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Orange and pink Hibiscus flower in Maui.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TMMwUXqyCsI/AAAAAAAAAXM/fkCJqM1zyrs/s1600/Orange+and+Pink+Hibiscus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TMMwUXqyCsI/AAAAAAAAAXM/fkCJqM1zyrs/s400/Orange+and+Pink+Hibiscus.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-83531515213466593822010-10-07T11:53:00.000-04:002010-10-07T11:53:12.415-04:00Job Hunting Is Depressing<a href="http://therelentlesspursuitoffabulous.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/job_hunt.jpg?w=300&h=265" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://therelentlesspursuitoffabulous.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/job_hunt.jpg?w=300&h=265" width="320" /></a>I've been out of work for over a year now, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel so far. I swear the available jobs are getting fewer and farther between. I keep hearing that new jobs are being created, but I'm just not seeing any of them. I wonder where they are going, and what kind of jobs they are. Any of you others out there who have been out of work having any luck? I'd had plans to try to get into teaching art and had been accepted to start my Masters in Education to go with my Art degree, but then I couldn't get the financial aid I needed. I couldn't justify taking out $18K in students loans when there is no guarantee that there would even be any art teacher positions available, much less that I would actually get chosen for one. Having $18K in debt and still not having a job? No thanks. If anything does happen to come up for an art teacher position, I can still apply and if I'm hired I can have a temporary certification through the PACE program, so it's not completely off the table. My PRAXIS scores are supposed to be good for 10 years I think before I have to retake them.<br />
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It's very discouraging to apply to job after job after job and not even hear anything back from most of them. I'm overqualified for so much of the work that's posted, and not nearly qualified enough for the rest of it, it seems. I obviously can't get a job in medicine, and it's surprising how many of those types of positions are open in this area! A vast majority of the job postings I see are medical, sales (over my dead body), military recruitment, or "business opportunities". Ugh. This sucks.Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-27012296878632532712010-09-27T16:43:00.000-04:002010-09-27T16:43:23.662-04:00Another Backyard FriendI had some towels drying in the sun earlier this summer, and a huge dragonfly stopped by for a visit. I couldn't believe how close it let me get without flying away. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TKEAd2FyzHI/AAAAAAAAAXA/p_i6zSRIJ6M/s1600/Dragonfly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TKEAd2FyzHI/AAAAAAAAAXA/p_i6zSRIJ6M/s400/Dragonfly.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TKEAfxVCseI/AAAAAAAAAXE/xTue14B-yOQ/s1600/Dragonfly+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQipMrsjXcs/TKEAfxVCseI/AAAAAAAAAXE/xTue14B-yOQ/s400/Dragonfly+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-22171881202286895532010-09-17T14:27:00.000-04:002010-09-17T14:27:21.396-04:00The Garbage Disposal of Death<a href="http://www.thehorrorshack.tv/images/vidArt/amityville%20horror%201979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thehorrorshack.tv/images/vidArt/amityville%20horror%201979.jpg" width="222" /></a>I really hate it when the little plastic caps from soda bottles fall into the garbage disposal. I usually don't even know they're in there until I turn it on and hear the familiar sound of plastic bouncing around in the blades. It sounds particularly unnerving when the blades actually happen to snag the sides of the cap and attempt to chew it up.<br />
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Every time I have to stick my poor, soft, easily-mangled hand in there to pull the offending cap out, I can feel the skin on the<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=sursay02-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0008191WO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> back of my neck start prickling. Visions of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Amityville-Horror-James-Brolin/dp/B0008191WO?ie=UTF8&tag=sursay02-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Amityville Horror</a> flash into my head as I remember the scene where something gets dropped into the garbage disposal (an engagement ring probably). They dutifully use duct tape to secure the garbage disposal switch into the off position - Safety First! - and then the guy heroically shoves his hand in there to retrieve the ring. And then I watch in horror as the switch powers through the duct tape and into the on position and said guy is now sporting a massive trauma from his stump of a wrist. Blurgh!<br />
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Do I <i>really</i> need to get that cap out of there? Maybe if I ignore it, it will just go away. It's not really<i> that</i> noisy is it? Maybe no one will notice. I can always just turn up the volume on the TV, right?Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1253938106369044295.post-20696810832924698522010-09-13T20:11:00.001-04:002010-09-14T08:50:36.750-04:00Exercise is Dangerous to My Health<div style="border: medium none;">A few weeks ago I started back up with an exercise routine. I'd been way too lazy for way too long and it was really working out nicely this time. Instead of doing everything on my own and getting bored or in a rut, I started going to a friend's house. He and several of his friends had already been working out regularly in the evenings and I joined in with the group. </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.inspiringcities.org/images/content/ultimate%2520frisbee.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.inspiringcities.org/index.php%3Fid%3D18183%26type%3Darticle&usg=__XtOkhA4VpzoBayLUJX3LbzahYV8=&h=160&w=240&sz=11&hl=en&start=0&sig2=NAl0dwQzlChojakeaQUQ2g&zoom=1&tbnid=XpEfyuo5v28VDM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=192&ei=_7yOTK_vPIKB8gbo8ajCCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfrisbee%2Bfootball%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D553%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=416&vpy=220&dur=1155&hovh=128&hovw=192&tx=113&ty=82&oei=vLyOTJ6mNIT7lwfb8NHIAg&esq=18&page=1&ndsp=11&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://www.inspiringcities.org/images/content/ultimate%20frisbee.jpg" /></a>Sam is in great shape and really loves working out. He really ought to be a personal trainer. He leads our group and we never know what to expect when we show up in his garage. We do it all: weight-lifting, circuit training, sports drills, kickball, yoga, running, etc. I'm usually lucky if I can move the next day. But I love not having to decide myself what to do, I love having such a large variety of activities, and I love that I know Sam won't ever let me slack off. The time just seems to fly by, no matter how badly I'm pouring sweat and huffing and puffing! </div><br />
But sadly, today turned out to be a not-so-good day. Today was "game day" which meant we played a game of some sort. I voted for Frisbee, which I love with a passion. It ended up being Frisbee Football, which I totally suck at. Somewhere between the transition from plain old Frisbee to Frisbee Football, I managed to pull a muscle in my right thigh. At least that's what it feels like. I don't even have any awesome story to go with the injury. It's just a sad little statement of fact. It happened during a sort of running duck walk attempt to snag the Frisbee as it hit the ground a few feet in front of me. How lame! But I did manage to get a touchdown with said injury, although after that it went from a fairly mild "maybe I can just stretch it out" boo-boo to a "holy crap, that hurts!" boo-boo. <br />
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I'm now reduced to hobbling around the house. Although "hobbling" implies a level of mobility I'm not quite in possession of at the moment. I'm hoping ibuprofen, BioFreeze, and an ice pack will have me back to normal by tomorrow's evening workout. Renee's got Turbo Jam DVDs and I want to play too! <br />
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Anybody got any miracle remedies?Surfiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11669534977712083199noreply@blogger.com4