lazing at the lake, whining and smiling...

last week...

at the last minute...

sam and i decided to load up milo 

and go camping.

we were both a little stressed out...

and thought if we took a drive to lake lochloosa...

only 45 minutes away...

did some fishing, camping, relaxing...

it would clear our heads.

it did. (for a little while).

so we headed to Lochloosa Harbor Fish Camp.

sometimes we go there just for the day...

and sometimes to camp overnight.

(we needed to forget that i don't have enough clients anymore...

and sam is not working...)

(UH-OH! i just noticed when i put the Lochloosa link in there...

'convenience' is spelled wrong on their website!)

(what is it with me and spelling?! can't i ever NOT notice misspellings or typos...)

anyway...maybe they'll see this...and fix it.

Lochloosa Harbor...it's the coolest...most rustic...

nature filled...local get-a-way.

so, hang out for a few minutes...and wander with me...

(great blue heron)

(bald eagle)

(all the bird pic's i took from the boat)

(seagull)

All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.   

~Friedrich Nietzsche

 

(ibis)

 

(snowy egret)

(pair of bald eagles)

(sam's mudfish. not a keeper. they've got a mouthful of teeth.

they put up a good fight when you hook one. this one twisted himself up...

round and round he goes...took a while for sam to get him untangled and back in the water!)

(no. don't even think that!   these cobwebs are NOT in the camper!)

(wood stork)

this lake used to be loaded with alligators! i didn't get one picture this time.

we only saw...maybe two...but they were too far away...

and only there heads were on top of the water.

(bald eagle)

(pair of eagles landing)

here's a great link if you want to know about Florida birds!

(it's a bird...it's a plane...it's...yeah, a plane. 

flying back and forth over the lake.  at least it wasn't a crop duster!)

(great egret)

(nearing sunset...on the lake.

 i think that beer coolie is glued to sam's hand.)

(sorry. just kidding.)

(sunset. takes your breath away. time to get off the water.)

(just getting our little 'ghenoe' up to the ramp...

time to go listen to music...and play cards or scrabble or something...)

(full moon (facing east) at night)

(full moon (facing west) over the lake in the morning!)

(our catch. keepers. catfish. bass. crappie. shell cracker.)

so, here i am. just about a week later. it's wednesday...

which is usually a slow day for me. 

sometimes the only appointment i have on wednesday is my weekly 4pm.   

since my body clock gets me up by 5am...

by the time 4:00 rolls around...i'm ready for a nap!

oOo

yesterday i ordered a couple of car magnets...to promote my massage business.

i'm always a little leery about doing that (advertising),

 because all i do  is in-home visits. 

and i've learned that the best way to get clients is word of mouth.

that way, at least you know that your new client is someone 

who knows someone else...

BUT i need to do more...i need to earn more. i need to stay busy.

(yeah, i also sell a little of my art stuff...but not enough...)

when you advertise...

ANYONE can call! 

and since i go into their home...i'm at their mercy...their terms...their turf!

over the years though, i've learned to judge people pretty quickly over the phone.

if they sound weird...even just a little...if i get that vibe...i send them on down the road.

i've only gotten into a few uncomfortable situations over the past 14 years.

nothing 'life-threatening'...just made my adrenaline pump a little harder...

almost kicking in that 'fight or flight'...but not quite.

so, like i said...here i am. almost a week later. nothing's changed.

sam's still looking for work.  i'm not as busy as i'd like. 

well, what i'd REALLY like is to quit work. retire. 

i've been working since i was 15. over 40 years. 

i'd like to make $$ selling my art. i'd like to spend my time being creative...

going on adventures every day...collecting bones...

i'm whining.

sam walked out of his job around christmas. 

he got pissed at his fellow employees...

for standing around & not working!

which is understandable...which wasn't anything new.

the guys he worked with 'milked' money from the boss any chance they got.

the boss was just too nice a guy. or too stupid to see...or care...

it had been building up and festering in sam...twisting in his gut...over the past few years.

so he walked out.

but with nothing else in the works. no replacement job. 

with the economy the way it is...I GOT A TWISTING IN MY GUT!

i'm still whining.

i bring home probably slightly more than he makes on unemployment.

i shouldn't complain. some people aren't even getting that. 

some people have lost everything.

i guess maybe i'm a little pissed. a little envious...

HEY...i'm five years older than he...

have been working longer than he...

i'm the one who should be standing in the front door...in my robe...

waving goodbye in the morning...not he.

who walks out of a job nowadays?!

why does it bother me? 

if you love someone, shouldn't you be supportive all the time? 

no matter what...

but lately i've been distant...frustrated...more uncaring...inpatient...

(oh, laura...quit it!  STOP whining!  

it's not like you have a regular 9 to 5 job anyway.

you shouldn't be complaining. you should be thankful.)

ho-hum.

"You have your way. I have my way. 

As for the right way, 

the correct way, 

and the only way, 

it does not exist." 

~Friedrich Nietzsche

anyway...time to change the subject.  something that makes me smile...

makes me shake my head...and smile in disbelief...

A MISSPELLED WORD on a SIGN!

(not that i'm the Master Speller. i'm NOT. but if you're painting a sign.

putting out a sign that advertises your business...

USE the dictionary...or spell check!)

don't you think they meant EXHAUST?

maybe it's a play on words...i could be way off here.

maybe EXHOST is a brand name for mufflers?

oOo

remember all the skulls we found in the field...a few weeks ago.

here's a picture of all the deer jawbones from that pile o' bones.

i've cleaned and sanitized them...now i let them sit in the sun...dry...bake...

then i'll start decorating them.

well...if you've made it this far...to the end...

thanks for listening. 

sometimes i just have to get it out. 

whether the feelings are justified or not...

it makes me feel better just putting it down...into words.

even if nobody hears me.

the writing is therapy...

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.  

~JRR Tolkien

take it easy.  stay cool.

thanks for wandering...

:] laura