Will Work for Animals

Most people work for money, some work for food, but not me... I work for animals.
I know it has been a while since I have written but a lot has been going on. In the last month we have had several house guests, finished our unfinished basement, and I got a job. As you can imagine it is an animal job. I'm excited to again be able to convince kids that snakes are not scary, conservation is important, and just pass on the cool and fun facts of animals and nature. Unfortunately, having not worked in some time I am not used to getting up early and being on my feet so much. I am also a little rusty on my info. There is only so many times I can repeat cool trivia about animals to Blake before he starts rolling his eyes, I should have been watching animal planet more! I stay busy with work since most of my spare time is catching up on what my early onset alzheimers brain has forgotten, which hasn't left me much time to write. But I am lucky to be doing what I love. Especially lucky to have Blake's support because without him I would be eating dry ramen noodles from a box on the street. Hence the working for animals part. This is a field you do because you are passionate about it not to become the next Trump. In addition, after I pay for gas and tolls I am lucky if I break even. But it doesn't matter to me because I am having a heck of a good time! I am so lucky and appreciative of Blake because otherwise I wouldn't be able to do this. I am also greatful to my parents who passed on their love of nature and wildlife to me. All those years of going outwest and looking for wildlife definitely made an impression on me. I am working with a lot of the same animals that I worked with before and a few new ones. One new animal is an American alligator which has been fun but mainly because I came home one day with a band aid and convinced Blake I got bit by the alligator! It was actually a paper cut. I don't have pictures from this job yet so I will post some old ones. You know me, a post isn't a post without pictures! I will post again soon with some pictures of the work we did on the house. I hope everyone out there is well and as always, thanks for stopping by and reading!

Boats, Buffett, and .... Botanicals?

BOATS...

Watch out Bill Dance, You've got competition!

One of the many lakes around here.

BUFFETT...

Proper attire required

You can't get to Margaritaville without Margaritas!

& BOTANICALS!

So Blake and I spent the past week enjoying a Jimmy Buffett concert, our new boat, and the flower and Garden Festival at Disney's Epcot. Ok, well I mainly enjoyed the last one but Blake was kind enough to accompany me.
As I mentioned we recently bought a "new" boat (its new to us!). It is hard to live in an area surrounded by lakes and only an hour and half to the ocean without a boat! Blake is definitely more familiar with boats than I but I am getting my lake legs! We have yet to try it out in the ocean but will get there eventually. We live within a few miles of a chain of lakes and so far 2 out of 3 times we have seen gators (only babies) and snakes. We got a ski boat and yes we are actually going to ski in the lake with the gators. With just a little training I'm going to have Blake forming a pyramid on skis with them!
After a fun day on the boat we spent Saturday driving to Tampa to see Jimmy Buffett perform. This was Blake's first Buffett concert and my first time tailgating at one. Yes, I said tailgating. For those of you that don't know Jimmy Buffett concerts are so much more than a concert. Most fans (aka Parrotheads) get to the concert hours (several hours) before the actual show and drink, cookout, drink, play games, and did I mention drink? Parrotheads are very fun and spirited and dress up in.... well, just about anything. Guys and girls wear coconut or shell bikinis, grass skirts, parrot hats, shark hats, and anything tropical, fun, or silly. People set up tents, campers, umbrellas, grills, bars, and I even saw a boat. While waiting for the actual show people play games like cornhole, horseshoes, and race coolers (yes, you read that right, check the link if you don't believe me). Being my first time and it only being the two of us I didn't see the need to bring all that stuff. I was wrong. We got there a few hours before the show and realized it was to hot to just sit outside the car on the grass plus we were grossly under dressed. There was not a single grass skirt between the two of us. Luckily, Parrotheads are always willing to help a fellow Parrot out and the family parked in front of us loaded us up with the proper attire. It may be the only time in my life I get Blake in a shell bikini so enjoy it! After an evening of wearing it Blake now appreciates when we women have to remind men "our eyes are up here"! While I think Blake is still only a parakeet, I believe with just one more show he will be a full fledged Parrothead!
We capped off our week with a trip to Disney's Epcot to see the Flower and Garden Festival. They always have incredible topiaries during the year so I was excited to see what they would have specifically for the Festival. As always, Disney doesn't disappoint. I figured pictures would be better than me describing them, so, enjoy!

Life's a Beach.... A DOG BEACH that is!!!!

So I realize I haven't posted in a while but there really hasn't been much going on here. It's pretty much day to day routine. I look for a job, Blake works. I clean the house, Blake works. You get the picture. It doesn't make for very entertaining reading or writing. Of course that hasn't stopped me so far, lol! There is an occasional halt to the routine when we have house guests which we have had on regular basis since we have moved here. We are not complaining though! We have a lot of fun playing tourist, eating out and hanging out with everyone. Then its back to work, clean house, work, etc... The weather has finally warmed up enough to venture out and go to the beach or water parks. We are starting to see lizards again and have already seen one snake in the yard. So we decided to enjoy the weather and take the dogs to the beach! There is a beach south of Tampa about an hour and a half from us called Fort DeSoto that has a large dog beach. I think it is safe to say they had a good time!

The whole way there they barely ever sat down!

Are we there yet?!?!?!
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear: Does that mean the beach is closer?!?!?

So many butts to sniff so little time...

Wrig didn't know what to think at first...
But quickly got the hang of it!
Wrigley really enjoyed swimming while...
Milo preferred sunbathing!
He hasn't learned shaking off while in the water defeats the purpose!
Look! I found a large drowned rat!
They didn't stand and hang their heads out nearly as much on the way home. Pooped much?

Thanks for checking in and reading! I hope everyone is having as good of a time as our dogs!

Spaceflights & Frostbite

The previous shuttle launch from the entrance of our neighborhood

Just a few of the people there the first night

Like I said me+ camera+ dark= blurry
If you double click the pict you can see it better.
The bright light on the far left with the lights hitting the clouds is the launch pad. If you squint you can see little white spots in the water, a group of herons got the best spot.

To see my video of the launch click here
(To return to the blog hit your back arrow button)

Warning: May cause motion sickness!
Give me a break, I was tired and freezing!

Central Florida has a lot to do but still doesn't compare to New York City. However, Central Florida has one show Broadway will never get. The shuttle launch! Sadly, the shuttle only has a few more launches left and the last night launch was scheduled for Saturday at 4:39 in the morning. You can actually see the shuttle from the entrance to our neighborhood but I really wanted to see and hear it up close. I researched the best place to see it and found that Titusville had the best views and Port Canaveral was the best place to hear it. I really wanted to be able to see the launch pad and I knew I would still be able to hear it there so I went to an area close to Space View Park. I read to get a good view you need to get there about 3 hours early and since I'm a staggering 5' tall I thought it best to get there early so I could be in the front. The drive is only about an hour and a half away but it probably would have been cheaper to fly given all the tolls! Blake was interested in going until I told him the launch was at 4:30 a.m then he was less interested. When I told him I needed to get there 3 hours early he lost any interest he had left. Since he wasn't coming I needed to bring something to occupy me for 3 hours but not too much for me to carry by myself. I brought a camera bag filled with 3 types of cameras, chips, a book, and a small flashlight. Unfortunately it was so cold, and I didn't think to bring gloves, I never read the book. I know 3 cameras is a little excessive but I am far less talented behind the lens than my sister and without a tripod any pictures I take at night are guaranteed blurry. I decided to take the new camera and old camera to see what worked and if they failed I had my Vado to record it. I recorded it.
I realize most of the country is under a lot of snow and much colder but the 50 degree nights here are equivalent to Alaska to me. So I made sure to bundle up with sweatpants, sweatshirt, and a heavy coat. I also took this really cute pink and brown blanket I got for picnics and my pink fleece blanket (yes I like pink). At the last minute I decided to grab a folding a chair also and I am glad I did! I forgot most of Florida is a big boggy marsh. There was no way I was going to put my nice blanket on that ground! They did come in handy though because even with dressing for the cold I was freezing! I huddled up on the chair and put both blankets around me and still thought I might go home with a few less fingers and toes. When I got to Titusville it reminded me of going to a sporting event. 3 hours before the launch and people were parking everywhere and walking with bags and folding chairs. I got a great spot right in front and could clearly see the launch pad even with about a hundred people already there. As I waited I pondered some of life's greatest mysteries like what kind of work can one do after losing their fingers and toes? And is there irony in losing your fingers to frostbite while in Florida? Many of the people around me were checking updates on their phones and laptops and Space View Park actually broadcasts Nasa's TV broadcast. It went back and forth from a go to a no go to a go before it was actually scrubbed. The launch was reset for 4:14 a.m Saturday night. I was disappointed but couldn't complain, at least I wasn't too far away and could easily come back. Not to mention better safe than sorry. At least now I would be better prepared! So Sunday night I at least already had everything packed and this time I wore a hat, scarf, gloves, wool socks, and 2 layers under my coat. So WHY WAS I STILL FREEZING?!?!?! At least with the gloves I could read my book except it is hard to turn a page with gloves on. When I got to Titusville I was worried they scrubbed it while I was driving there because it looked nothing like Saturday night. The place was a ghost town. The parking lots were all empty and no one was walking around. I actually called Blake to check the status but it hadn't been scrubbed. It eventually got more crowded but still only a fraction of the previous night. The night started out just like Saturday; beautiful clear skies full of stars that quickly became covered by clouds. I just knew it was going to get canceled again but waited it out now pondering how many times I should keep coming before being certified as crazy. Eventually the T minus count started and then got to the no going back point and everyone started counting down with it. When it hit T minus one the sky lit up like the sun had just skyrocketed up. The pitch black skies looked as if a switch was flipped and it turned to daylight. Because of the cloud cover you could only see a bright dot and the clouds light up after the initial take off. A minute after take off you could hear it and it is hard to describe while doing it justice. It is definitely something you have to be there to really experience. It only lasted a couple of minutes but afterwards I was so glad I made the trip twice and it was worth almost losing my fingers.

I blame the Ice

So I typed all this out a while ago and forgot to post it! I blame it on the the cold weather, for almost a week I couldn't do anything because it was to cold to climb out from under the blanket! It is still cold here but thankfully the ice is now gone. So here is the latest, better late than never (of course that depends on how much you actually enjoy reading this!):

So, we moved to sunny Florida to get away from the cold weather and have year round warmth... so tell me why as I type this I am wearing a sweatshirt, wool socks, sweatpants and my palm trees have ice on them?!?! It is currently in the high 20's and still dropping to the mid 20's. When I took my dogs out this morning, it started sleeting on us! Sleeting! In Central Florida! Did I mention my palm trees have ice on them? I know you guys are thinking "please, it's colder than that where I am". You are right, BUT I moved to get away from that!!! The cold weather does stink but the worst part is that all of our plants/grass is dying. Losing a few plants is OK but we are very worried about all the new sod we just put down. I swear if it dies, I am just going to spray paint it green! Those are not raindrops on the ends of the palms!
And notice the grass is not green, its Florida! It should always be green!!

So other than freezing (literally) cold temperatures, other things you should concern yourself with when living in Central Florida is flying projectiles. We went home for the holidays and enjoyed visiting with friends and family for a few days and then drove 10 hours back home with the dogs. We got back around 1 am and were prepared to be up for at least another hour to clean dog hair out of the rental car (boy does that sound familiar). Instead I spent an hour cleaning glass off the kitchen floor, table, and counter tops and then another hour cleaning the rental car. Finally around 4 am I went to bed so I could get up in 4 hours to return the car. Glass you ask? Obviously living on the fairway of a golf course comes with consequences. Glass went as far as 25' away into the hall and over our 3 1/2' counters into the kitchen sink. I actually found a piece of glass embedded into the wall under the counter top. I have yet to figure out how but I even found a piece in the living room on top of our console. To get there it had to go around a corner and behind my Christmas Decorations! Glass was all over the kitchen table and chairs.
I am glad I wasn't sitting there or else lunch wouldn't have been pleasant.Because the screen was so cold, the ball didn't actually go through the screen. Lucky for the jackass that busted our window; didn't leave his name but made sure to get his ball out of our yard :( To get an idea of the size, the hole was as large as my hand. Thankfully we got the window fixed relatively fast and cheap and the freezing Florida temperatures are no longer coming in!

I hope everyone had a good and safe holiday. We definitely did and enjoyed seeing everyone. I am going to close this out with a few pictures from Christmas. I hope everyone has a great 2010!

Our house decorated for Christmas...Hahaha... I wish!
OK, so this is our house decorated for Christmas
Note the GREEN grass... I miss it :(
Our boys enjoying their Christmas gifts from my mom
I had to share these pictures my sister took at Christmas because they are so incredibly good

Before & After: Paradise gets a makeover!

Blake & I have been working hard to get our new house back in shape and make it feel like a home. And of course I have been enjoying decorating it! We still have a lot to do ( replace: old light fixtures, cabinets, counter-tops, paint, buy new furniture and appliances, finish the basement, get new window treatments, etc...) but are pretty happy with the results thus far! We wanted to share our little piece of paradise and hard work with you guys!

Before:

After:We had to completely tear out all the grass and buy all new sod as well as gain control of the jungle that was the flower beds.
Entry Before:
After:

Den Before:
After:I have no idea what the previous owners had on that bar on the wall but they didn't want it going anywhere! Short of a sledgehammer, I have no idea how to get it off the wall!

Kitchen Before:
After:
Before:

After:
Before:
After:
Before:The previous owners took all but 3 light fixtures, the fridge, and... the dishwasher!!! Maybe they were going to NYC?!
After:

Living room Before:
After:
Before:
After:The living room is my favorite room so I had to throw in some extra pictures!
Blake's office Before:
After:

Entry to Master Before:
After:
Master Before:
Master After:
Dining room Before:
Dining room After:I realize that doesn't look like a dining room table. You are right it isn't! Since we don't have a table yet we thought we should put in seating because we don't have enough ;)

Patio Before:
After:
Butler's Pantry Before:

Butler's Pantry After:
Hall Before:
After:
Another Hall Before:
After:
Stairs Before:It appears the previous owners played hopscotch on the stairs with a bottle of Hershey's syrup!
After:

Bonus room Before:

Bonus room After:
Guest Bedroom Before:
Guest Bedroom After:
Porch Before:
Porch After:
Blake and I are in love with our new home and appreciate you guys for checking out all the hard work we have put into it! Stay tuned for more before & after pictures in the future as we take on more projects!