The "Eyes" Have It!

I saw a picture of a lab on FB today that was just eyes peaking over the edge of a sofa or bed or something.  It made me think of Beau and the many pictures I have taken of him.  Sometimes you can see his eyes really well.  Other times, you may to search for them because he's a little scruffy.  That is when I really love his look.

Here he is freshly groomed.  And looking quite handsome.

Here he is a tad scruffy.  This is where he waits for us for his "nite nite" treat.  That is the intent look on his little face.

This makes me laugh every time I see it.  These are the rungs of "his" coffee table.  This is his favorite place to watch my husband -- or to watch TV.  It upsets him greatly when visitors come and sit on the couch and put their feet in "his" spot.  Ask Eileen.

I will look up from my Kindle or laptop sometimes because I feel someone staring at me.  And it is always Beau.  Looking just like this.  It is his, "You need to pay attention to me...NOW," look.  I take it seriously.  Just after I finish laughing.

This is my beautiful boy just after I have brushed him out.  I love his silky hair AND he doesn't shed!

Occasionally he will sneak up on me when I am napping on the couch.  This is what I see when he wakes me up.  It's his, "I'm ready for dinner," look.

This is his wild puppy look.

I think he loves me.

This is his "Prince of the Manor" look.  Winter coat.

And this is my favorite.  That look of absolute adoration is for my husband whom he loves without reservation.  And those feelings are returned many times over.

And all of these pictures have that one thing in common whether groomed or not.  His eyes are so expressive.  He shares that trait with every other dog alive, I think.  It tears me up to think of how he was abused before we adopted him almost  8 years ago.  He is eleven now, we think.  Still like a puppy in so many ways, but he sleeps a little longer these days.  He's happy, healthy and comfortable in his safe and loving environment.  I get so upset when I see those stories almost every day about dogs and cats and the abuse they suffer.  I cannot understand how anyone can abuse these loyal and loving creatures the way they do.  There has to be something major lacking in their souls.

Those eyes are looking at me now.  It's time to give him his "nite nite" treat and tuck him in for the night.

I drove into the driveway yesterday afternoon and saw what is, I think, a pair of ibis sitting in the oak tree over our house.  I took this photo a couple of months ago but they have come back many times.  They are so neat to watch.  They always travel together and visit several times a week.  If anyone knows what they are, please let me know.  I thought they might be storks but the beak is hooked so that made me think ibis.

The winter skies here are so gorgeous.  It got to 79 today and we have the house open tonight.  No humidity to speak of and so very comfortable.

I don't mind the summer weather here, but for those who do, we have very reasonable condos down here right now.  Buy one of them and spend 4 or 5 months wherever you live.  Good tax situation here for a primary residence and there are a lot of nice ones for sale. ;-)

Shopping

Shopping.  Sometimes I hate it.

I don't hate ALL shopping.  Obviously.  I love wandering around an office supply store or Hobby Lobby.  I can spend hours and never realize the time.  I love gadgets.  I love pretty, crafty things.  I love making stuff.  And, of course, painting.

And I really don't mind grocery shopping.  I like to cook.  I like food.  Too much.  So a trip to Sweet Bay or Publix is not an issue for me.  And I take my time.  I like to browse and always keep an eye out for new stuff.

I think I see a theme developing here.  As long as shopping contributes to something creative, I like it.

And, there are certain shops at the docks that call to me every so often.  They have cute, creative clothes and jewelry.  They are comfortable clothes that I love wearing everyday.

Today I am getting ready to do the type of shopping that I really HATE.  I'll be looking for something a little more dressy to wear on Saturday for an annual meeting and luncheon.  That kind of shopping I despise because I am looking for something fairly specific.  That is no fun whatsoever.  I probably will not find anything I like and come home empty handed, ending up wearing something I have had forever.

BUT,  I'll probably find some new shoes!  I always find shoes I like at Beall's.  Maybe I'll hit that department first so the rest of the shopping has more of a positive slant.

And I don't Christmas shop anymore.  I give gift cards and/or make something for my family and friends.  Except for my husband.  So, I guess, I'll try to find something for him while I'm out today, too.  For Christmas and for his birthday. Arrrgh....  He has everything he wants.  We both buy whatever we want when we see it.  So we are very difficult to shop for.  Maybe I just need to do a painting for him.

Let's see how today goes.

Happy Monday.

It's Only Just Begun...

the Holiday Season, that is.

And our year is fast drawing to a close.  Where did it go?  I no sooner finish a treasurer's report for the Friends of the Library and it is time to do another!  Now it will be the special one for the annual membership meeting next Saturday, December 1.  It has been a good year for our organization.  The book sales have been good and our investments show a nice gain since the first of the year.  That bodes well for a nice donation to our library at year end.

I was pleased to see that one of our local cities in Pinellas County is actually building a lovely new library.  We have been crying, "Save our libraries!" for so long that it was surprising to see.  I am hoping to see the day that we can expand our own beautiful library.

My friend, Eileen, posted this cartoon to my FB timeline this morning.  I love it.

Neat, huh?  Our libraries offer so many ways to enrich our lives these days.

When was the last time that you were in yours?

Four More Years

No, this isn't going to be a rant.

It is a simple phrase, "four more years."

And it can have good or bad connotations.

President Obama has four more years to find a way to work with the other party and get us on the right track.

Congress has done nothing good in the last four years and most of them are returning for at least two more years.  They DON'T have years to learn to work with one another.  The old congress has less than two MONTHS to take care of very important business.  If they do not, we will all be in deep doo-doo on January 1, 2013.

I voted for Mitt because he has had the ability to accomplish things in an environment controlled by the opposite party.  I felt we needed that right now.  And he did not disappoint me in his concession speech. Mitt said it well last night:  "We look to Democrats and Republicans at all levels to put the people before the politics." 

To that end, I have sent congratulatory emails to Senator Nelson (D) and Congressman Bilirakis (R), both of whom I voted for.  Nelson knows better than most that being able to work with those across the aisle is critical for the People.  After congratulating him, I asked him to continue to endeavor to be a "voice of reason" in the Senate.  And, my email to Gus Bilirakis, who got my vote because his opponent was not at all impressive (to put it kindly,) said essentially the same thing except I asked him to please stop trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  To try to work with the other party to find solutions to changing the parts that need to be changed.  He is a good man, like Bill, who cares about people.  We see the results of that caring around Tarpon Springs every day.  

And I reminded both of them that they are not "lame ducks" as they go back to work in Washington and that there are important things that need to fixed by December 31.  Congress will largely be the same after this election.  They bear responsibility for the gridlock they are in and only they can decide how to break the gridlock and get things done for the American People who have reelected this president. This president,  who still needs to accomplish what he promised four years ago.

Congratulations to the winners who now need to make us all winners.

November Over the Years

I love November.

It is my favorite month.

Not just because of the weather change for us Floridians, although that is a prime reason, but because twenty years ago yesterday we made a move that took us a long way from family and friends.  My company was transferring me to Florida as we were being spun out of Baxter Healthcare with a highly successful IPO as Caremark, Inc.  I would eventually leave Caremark to work as a health care consultant while I completed my degree at Eckerd College, graduate with high honors, return to corporate life with ICCA, Inc. and then Lincare, Inc.

I have been retired for a little over 9 years now.  And I still "work" every day.  I "work" as a volunteer with the Friends of the Library and the Woman's Club of Tarpon Springs.  My husband thinks I work harder now than when I was being paid.  I don't think so.  Maybe because, in my eyes, what I do now is so worthwhile.

So every October I think back to the excitement of getting ready to move to Florida twenty years ago and the freedom that retiring brought me 9 years ago.  I like that word. Freedom.  That is what retirement meant to me -- and still does.  I finally had the time to read as much as I want to and to explore those things I always said I would like to try.

Reading.  My first love.  And there is nothing like taking a beach chair out to Howard Park Beach or to Sunset Beach and sitting under a tree with a good book in my lap.  Of course, things have changed in that regard.  I still go but not as often because I am busy.  And when I go, it is a Kindle DX full of books in the Amazon archive which is now my TBR pile.  They gather no dust while they wait for me to read them.

Once I had caught up on my reading for pleasure and gotten through the holiday season that winter of 2003-2004, I decided to take a painting class.  And I was hooked.  I painted every day for months.  It is still something I love to do several times a week.  I started with acrylics and still enjoy them but I see watercolor as a challenge and love the unpredictability of that medium.  So much of that work is in the nature of "happy accidents."

The volunteer work gets in the way of doing as much of this as I would like, but it also gives me a chance to paint for a cause as well.  This month we will be having our Art Mart which is held every November to raise money to fund a scholarship for an outstanding art student at our local high school.  I typically sell hand painted cards and bookmarks so I have been working on them the past month or two.

And I am working on a project for the Tarpon Springs Woman's Club annual charity fashion show.  We're decorating gift bags and making cards and bookmarks for the guests at the luncheon on March 23.  Everyone will go away a winner.

This project gives me a chance to use the photos I have taken for the past 25 years.  Photography was my first love and remains an important part of everything I do.  I've discovered that my cellular phone makes an incredibly convenient camera!

I'll bet some of my friends thought I would be writing about Thanksgiving.  Nope.  It's just a day.  I am so very thankful every day for everything in my life.  Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for her generosity.  ;-)

I guess I am trying to make up for the time I have spent away from this blog.  I've spent enough time here today.  I need to go work on something in my little studio.

Three more days....

I was beginning to think this political campaign would never end.  I have had a hard time keeping my lips zipped.

I think my husband and I have probably canceled out each other's vote on a couple of offices.  But we don't argue politics.  We know it is useless to try to change the other's opinion.

He's a former union guy.

I'm a former business manager and "numbers" person.

We will naturally disagree.

That's okay.

It's what we call democracy.

Whoever wins has a huge job ahead of him and neither one can blame Bush now.