Dental Blues

I am really bummed out today, in fact, I guess I'm bummed out for the whole weekend. The reason? I'm getting nothing done that I planned to get done. Part of it (hopefully most of it) is not really my fault. I had dental implants done Friday morning, and I've been in the "can't get anything done" doldrums ever since. I drove back to Richmond on Thursday from Knoxville, just brimming with energy and plans. Then on Friday morning I showed up at the dentist at 8:00 AM and thus ended all that energy and all those plans.

For most of Friday, I simply HURT! My mouth was really sore. I took pain pills and that made it somewhat better, but it still hurt. So today I woke up feeling somewhat better....took some pain pills, and actually stopped hurting completely for a while. But I still had no energy. So now I have totally given up on getting anything done today either, and am hoping for better results tomorrow. I HAVE to be better tomorrow! I'm supposed to be driving 4 hours to North Carolina in the evening, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm spending Sunday night through Tuesday night with my daughter at her dog training school. My German Shepherd, Kyla, is going to be evaluated as a protection dog. I'm really curious as to what will be said. But most of all I am looking forward to being with my daughter at night. She has been so sweet to me the past day....offering to bring me ice cream at the house (she is home from school for the weekend)....and being very understanding about me wanting to just hibernate and do NOTHING!

So right now, I don't like anything. I just want to flex my lazy muscles and lie in bed watching TV. And so, that is what I am going to do! :)

Key West Sunset

One thing that I had always wanted to do was to be on the pier at Key West as the sun set. As you can tell by the pictures posted here, I was finally able to fulfill that dream. It was so pretty and I thought that it was perfect that at the height of the sunset a sailing ship appeared.

One thing that I had not realized was all the shows put on by itinerant thespians at the pier. Apparently, this is how they make their living. They show up, put on some neat acts.....comedy, singing, magic, etc. and make their living from the tips that they receive. There were also numerous vendors, selling paintings, jewelry, etc.

I had such a good time. I really enjoyed watching the people and admiring the sunset. After the sun had finally set, I enjoyed walking back to my lodging. Key West at night is really an interesting place.

The Hammocks At Marathon

Now it's back to Florida again. When I went to the Florida Keys, I spent one night in Key West and three nights at "The Hammocks At Marathon", which is midway down the Keys. What a FUN place that was! I have stayed in many timeshares, and although "The Hammocks" was not the most luxurious, it still remains in my memory as one of my favorites.

The lower picture showing me with some guy was during a reality type show that they put on once at week at the outdoor restaurant. The guy was one of the actors portraying a pirate. It was REALLY FUN!!!! And then the view from the restaurant was so relaxing and so pretty. And when I was lazing in one of the hammocks, reading a book...I thought that I was in heaven.

The house in the upper right photo is the Coast Guard Station located next to the Hammocks. Now just how lucky an assignment THAT would be! And the photo in the upper left is a view of the pier at the Hammocks. Guests can bring their own boats and dock them. I really, really hated to leave the Hammocks and hope to return there someday.

Gentle Shepherd

Right this minute I am trying to upload a video, but either it is taking a very long time or the upload is not being successful. I guess I'll find out soon enough. If it doesn't upload, I will replace the video with a picture. But here's keeping my fingers crossed! Twenty minutes later......Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Success is MINE!!!! I wanted to show how very gentle my German Shepherd, Kyla, is. She could eat the little dog, Alex, for lunch, but she just lets him chew on her ear and play.

I've had a really nice time in Knoxville. I have gotten so much done.....from working with my dogs to learning how to upload pictures from a camera. These are things I've had a my "to do" list for a long time. I've also finally gotten a chance to begin studying options. I've been watching a series of DVDs on the subject. It's finally making sense to me.

Along with the dogs, I am here with my friend, Kevin. He is absolutely one of the most considerate and thoughtful men I have ever had the pleasure to know. I'm not used to someone spending a good portion of their waking hours thinking of ways to make me happy. Let me tell you, that is NICE!!! And he's always complimenting me and making me feel good about myself and he makes me laugh. The laughter is important. Well, enough for now.

Alex, Kyla and Sam

While posting about Florida, I also want to talk about the present. Right now I am in Knoxville, TN with my three dogs. The German Shepherd is named Kyla. She is 7 months old and one of the most beautiful Shepherds that I have ever seen. Her ancestors were Champions in the Schutzhund world, which means that they were pretty darn smart. Most of her ancestors were born in Hungary. She is the sweetest thing and really likes to please. I hope to train her in obedience and tracking and protection, which is what Schutzhund is all about.

The red dog on the top right is my sweet Sam. I love him to pieces. He's just so cool. He was a stray for a few years and hung out at my house, and then one day he was shot. My daughter and I rushed him to the vet and he had to have his leg amputated and so after that he wasn't a stray anymore. He is somewhat dog aggressive which is understandable from his time on the streets, but it's controllable. When I first got him he was also aggressive toward men, but he is completely over that now. He's the only dog I've ever met that gives a "people" bark, meaning that I always know if a human is outside or not. Sam is about 10 years old and keeps the other two dogs in line.

And then the little white dog on the bottom is my 9 month old Maltipoo, Alex. He is a pistol! He does something to make me laugh everyday. My daughter found him for me because she knew that I had always wanted a Maltipoo. He is so sweet and so mischievious. I call him my "Valiant Warrior" because he is not afraid of anything. He loves doing agility and he loves going places with me. That's the advantage of him being so small (he weighs about 10 lbs). I can take him places where the other dogs can't go.

Finally!

Here are just a few of the pictures from the backyard of my friend's condo in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Doesn't it look more like a tropical paradise? Heck, it IS a tropical paradise! I have FINALLY uploaded the images from my camera to the computer! I've only wanted to do that for 10 months!

When my daughter showed me how to use the camera, it looked easy....and it is! But when the time came for me to do it on my own, I couldn't remember how she did it, and so my downfall came when I tried to follow the instructions that came with my camera. I could barely understand how to use the camera, much less upload pictures. But now I'm on a roll! I still don't really understand what in the heck I am doing, but at least I am doing it!

The Day After

Wasn't yesterday something? Over a million people in DC for the inauguration and not one single arrest! The only thing that I wished had not happened was when some people booed when President Bush walked out in public. That did not show much class.....nor did I approve of the "Hey, Hey...Bye...Bye" chant. President Bush, whether popular or not....still deserved the respect of the office which he held.

And who would've ever thought that during the luncheon at the Capitol that not just one, but TWO U.S. senators would need medical attention? And both within one minute of each other. I can certainly understand why the Secret Service hustled President Obama out of the room for a short while. I wouldn't have known what in the heck was going on either.

But all in all, it was a GREAT day! One which all of us will always remember, whether we were Obama fans or not. I'm very glad that I was able to watch it.

And hooray for me! I actually started to begin to upload the Florida trip photos, but wouldn't you know it......I could not find the interface cable for my camera. Thank goodness for the Internet. I simply ordered a replacement. It should arrive in a couple of days....and then I'll be able to post the Florida photos....at least I hope that I will. :)

Inauguration Day!

Today is when Barack Obama becomes President! It is 6:30 in the morning and already the mall is streaming with people. I was born in Washington D.C. and I have NEVER seen anything like what it is today. Part of me is wishing that I still lived there so that I could take the Metro to the Mall during the day and then go home at night, but the other part of me is glad that I am watching everything in a nice, warm living room without the crowds.

I have been to a Presidential inauguration....back in 1969....yep, that's right! I was at Nixon's first inauguration. It was fun, but I don't really remember much of it except for riding in an elevator in the Capitol with Senator Ted Kennedy. That was pretty cool!

On this auspicious day, I pray for our new President and I pray for the country and I pray for the world. May blessings shower all of us!

Dolphins

Soon after I wrote the first post I flew to Florida for 10 days and stayed in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and the Florida Keys, with one night spent in Key West.

The first night I stayed with some friends who had moved to Ft. Lauderdale from Richmond into an absolutely BEAUTIFUL condo with a tropical garden and pool in the back. It was like paradise. We sat around and had wine, listened to music and talked.

My husband had died on Nov 8, 2007, and talking with the friends who had known him was very healing for me. There were some things that I had learned about him after his death that were very hurtful to me and it was really good talking to people who had known and liked him. I will try and post some pictures of the condo later. Yes, I did take some pictures but I was retarded in loading them onto the computer.

A Blog Restarted

I can not believe that it has been over 10 months since my first post. I had meant to post every day (like a diary), but never did.

At least the pictures to the left and above were taken in March, 2008 in the Florida Keys when I was participating in a Dolphin Encounter. What a wonderful day that was! It was a dream come true for me. My only complaint was that it didn't last long enough. I could've spent the entire day in the water with the dolphins and would've been happy.