Another Ball Game

Linda bought tickets to see the Devil Rays and the Dodgers.  Why?  I don’t know.  I don’t even know who plays on the Dodgers team, and I’ve lost all interest in the D’Rays.  

The new owner was going to change things.  Change things!!  Lets see, last year he traded a pitcher and Toby Hall, the catcher for a pitcher and a catcher.  Then he not only traded Aubrey Huff, a player that could play almost any position, he paid Mr. Huff’s new team to take him!!  This is not the Yankees.  This is the team with the lowest payroll in baseball.   

OK enough ranting.

We get to the game.  I have to listen to an entire row behind me figure out their seating assignments.  Finally, one person figures out he is in the wrong section.

The usher gives a card for 2 free tickets.  Good grief, I have to go to another baseball game.

The plastic cover of the armrest, of Linda’s seat, was broken.  The usher warned Linda.  Then she got up to use the restroom, and snagged her shorts on it.  She followed the usher’s advise, reported it to Guest Services, and got a promise that they will be sending her a check for her shorts.

We get home and it’s warm in the house.  85 degrees warm.  The fan on the heat pump isn’t working.  Thank goodness we live next door to an air conditioning man.  He says he can get us a new motor.

A Lazy Sunday

A few posts ago, I mentioned the trash in Lake Walsingham.  This morning, I seen this man picking up trash.  I don't know if he works with the parks department, because holding on to two dogs and taking a picture is a difficult task.  I'm just happy that it is some what clear.


We made our daily stop at the butterfly garden.  (Sorry I didn't get a better shot.)  Susie and Charlie wanted to take off after another dog.  They are such social butterflies.  

When I told my Mom that I bought a Kayak, she asked, "do you have a helmet and life vest?"  The picture to the right was taken on the board walk at Bonner Park in Largo, FL.  As you can see there is a man trying with his bait net, standing in the middle of the inter coastal.  The water is thigh deep.  Also in the state of Washington, a helmet is used by white water kayakers.  Perhaps if I was stupid enough to be on the water during a hurricane, I might see white water.

I apologize for no having in interesting pictures this week.  I’m stuck in my bathroom replacing the tile around the tub.  I also have to replace the walls.  They used dry wall and plaster around the tub, and then tiled it.  Around the faucet, nothing was used but tile. No wander it was about to cave in.  I hate working with cement board, but it has too be done.


The Turtle came from the pond at Art’s place.  I would say the measuring his shell from his tail to his neck opening was about 12”.  

Stormy Weather

We have thunder and lightening tonight. Charlie is a sleep on the couch, and Susie is hiding under the couch. Who's the baby?

Linda’s brother Steve is in town. I hung out on the beach with him on Thursday, and then dropped by to see Art.

Art is doing much better. He was fitted for prosthesis yesterday. The wheel chair thing is driving him crazy.

The condo Art lives in is next to a pond. Of course, where there are residences and water, there are the Muscovy Ducks. For those reading from the Pacific Northwest. The Muscovy isn’t a Florida native. The duck came from Central America, and is not a welcomed immigrant. People feed the things and they multiply like rats.


I have to admit this one caught my eye. He or she reminds me of something out of a Chinese painting.


This one says, “wait for me!”

You Can Teach Old Dogs New Tricks

I wore out the three girls. The temperature for our morning walk hovered around 90 degrees. There was very little air movement. Linda was dripping sweat before we were half way done. At the little butterfly garden, where I took the picture of the Gulf Fritillary, Linda sat on a bench, while Charlie and Susie laid down in the shade. Susie never wants to take a rest.

Charlie will drink water. For almost 8 years, we haven’t been able to get Susie to drink while out on walks. Today the “camel” followed “the ankle biter’s” lead. She even had to drink and sit in the shade. They took another rest at the restrooms near the boat ramp. When we finally got to the car, Susie didn’t do her usual sniffing around the car. She just laid down next to the door. Next weekend we will be at the park an hour earlier.

Made my weekly trip to the Largo Nature Preserve. I looked up at the nest and only seen I young Osprey in the nest. The other two had learned to fly. One was learning the hard way that small branches don’t hold Osprey so well.

This had to be the favorite. Just like when he was in the nest, he was making a racket. He wanted the world to know where he was.


I finally got to see the otter. There were 2 of them playing around the canoe/kayak launch site. There were also 3 other women trying to get that perfect picture, and the two otters weren’t cooperating.

Chaos Before the Calm

Deb will probably have my head for writing this one.
(As you can see in the picture Deb does most of the work.)

Deb and I were going to explore Walsingham Park from the water. I told her I would give her a call, after I got the truck serviced. I took 3 hours to get the truck serviced, and I finally arrived at Lake Walsingham at 11:30.

I put the Kayak under a shade tree and waited for Deb and AJ to show. As they were unloading their Kayak, I heard Deb yelling at AJ. I walked over to the Nissan truck they had driven. They were locked out of the truck. Now I was confused. Deb had the key in her hand.

“Deb informed me, the lock is broken, and I can’t get back into the truck.”

“Can’t you get in on the other side?” Nope! Nissan only gave key access from the driver’s side. There’s no other way in?

“The clicker, but it is in the glove compartment.” Seems Deb was afraid that the electronic key would get wet.

“Can we call Joey?” He doesn’t have a phone, but the good thing is he’s home!

AJ and I head Deb’s apartment in my truck, while Deb watchs the kayaks. Once arriving, AJ hops out, and heads for their apartment. I get out to look around and hear, “Mick.” I look around and then I hear my name again. “Mick, I’m over here. It’s Joey.” He was working on Deb’s stereo.

AJ comes down with a clothes hanger, as I informed Joey what happened. He says, “I’ll follow you over there.”

AJ says, “I didn’t see him there.” Typical teenager. Walk right past his father.

Joey took 2 minutes getting the truck unlocked. Deb had the good sense of keeping the windows cracked. He used a metal ruler to click on the electronic lock on the arm rest.

At 12:30 we hit the water. I start paddling away from the boat launch, when I hear Deb again. This time AJ has knocked off her classes, and they have fallen into the water. These aren’t ordinary sunglasses . She can’t see without them. Thank goodness they fell into the shallow area. I reached into the water, without leaving the kayak, and fished them out.

Off we went.


Not many animals around, but the Anhinga.


That and Deb’s favorite bird the Limpkin.


I think we seen more trash than animals on the south side of the lake. It was filthy. If you look in the background of the turtle, you will see what I'm talking about.

More people kayaking than I expected to see. Who would have thought the lake would be so popular between 12:30 and 2:30 on an 90 degree day. We encountered 2 fishing kayaks, 2 women in their forties doing what we were doing, 2 other women with kayaks that you peddle, and a man with a Hobie Cat.

Mooned by an Osprey

I can't go a weekend without check out the family. As you can see the little ones aren't so little anymore
This so called little one mooned me.


The above picture is of momma leaving the nest. The thing I don’t like about the camera is the shutter delay, even on the sports function.


With the above picture you can see just how big they are getting.


One of the parent’s flying over


Now I understand why there is a board walk through the woods. The Ibis sure did like the area being turned into a swamp.


The Red-winged Blackbird seemed to be trying to get the others in line.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Charlie is officially ours. We took her to the vet while Tropical Storm Barry dumped much needed rain down on us. The tech used the microchip detector on her and couldn’t find anything. (Petsmart vet tech couldn’t find anything either.) She received her first round of shots and will get her next ones at the end of the month.

She didn’t seem to mind the experience. Linda spaced out on the ride home and didn’t notice that she had been chewing on her leash. By the time we got home, she had freed herself from the it. Those teeth! We should have named her Jaws.

Susie is coming back to life. Last night she actually played fetch for the first time since bring Charlie home. She would also let Charlie get near her without snapping at her. Susie has never been good about bringing the ball back all the way. She comes up to me, and then turns away. Last night she would let go of it, give it a nudge with her nose, and let Charlie bring it back to me. One step forward!

Then there is the step backwards. Susie knows Sunday is the day to walk in the park. Charlie could sense her excitement. She got a little too close to Susie, and Susie went after her. It was the first time in 4 days that Susie snapped at the little one.

Since I’m the one that usually has the dog and the camera, I thought about leaving the camera at home. Taking pictures with one dog is difficult, but two is almost impossible. I’m glad I brought it. I can’t believe the picture of the gator that I got. I just wish he hadn’t been hiding behind the tall grass.