Author: Bill

A slightly better nights sleep, only because I think – I knew I didn’t have to be up at any certain time this morning…… still had to deal with middle-of-the-night trips to the can……. getting really annoying. If it happened every night – I could figure out the cause – but some nights I sleep all the way through without issue….. others- not so much. Have to think the Chantix is the biggest instigator of it, but if it is, I’ll have to get used to it because I still have several months of it. It will be worth it in the long run though. Even though a day ‘off’ – I still had lots to get done. My Queen readied me for my day by making a yummy breakfast… that included a very dried out piece of porkchop from last night’s dinner. I pointed out that I didn’t think I’d ever had pork chop with my breakfast – and my Queen in her infinite wisdom informed it’s just another kind of pork. How do you argue that kind of logic ? Breakfast done – I went out and pulled all of my lawn gear out and started in stirring up the dust. Even with all the spotty little rain showers we have been having – it is uncommon dry around these parts right now and I stirred up a whole set of dust while leveling our very poor excuse for a lawn out. Even had to weed eat a skosh….. I don’t mind the minimum effort needed right now. My belly was full….. it was hot…. yes, hot~! I finished our yard up, loaded everything into the truck and ran out by the dump to drop off gar-bage and then into town to the ATV yard. It was much like our yard, brown, crispy and dusty. 15 minutes with a weed eater and I was done there……

Back at the house – I settled in at the lap top to get on line stuff done – mainly, ordering a print of my new favorite picture. Took a while, but I finally found a place that would ship to our little “3rd world country”. It turns out – the S&H is going to cost me more than the actual print. Ahhhh, island paradise~~~ Also – I think I am just about ready to put some of my photography up on a site to sell. I looked at a couple of different sites….. got one I like that I need to do a little bit more homework on….. a lot to learn…. interesting and scary all at the same time. I’ll keep you up on that as it progresses. Diving tomorrow at Employers request…. they have family in and want pictures ( I normally don’t “do” weekends – even though today they spotted a whale shark [from the boat]~!!)  I would have been forced to bail in and try and get pictures…… I’ll keep my fingers crossed it is still in the area tomorrow~!! Some shots from last night’s dinner (date night as my Bride calls it)….. and will probably add a few diving shots I hope you haven’t seen yet.

Good Night Ya’ll@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thankx for stopping in~!

Another bout of thru the night aggravations….. bathroom trips – whacked out dreams….. actually started sweating a little bit – – bad as I hate it, I think we’re gonna have to fire up the A/C in the bedroom here before to long long……..Dammit Emmit~! Up, gear assembled and loaded into the truck – camera assembled and loaded into the truck, cooler filled and loaded into the truck, a small breakfast shoveled into me and then loaded into the truck… quite the morning routine….. and I did it 4 days in a row this week…… starting to feel a hellva lot like a job……. 🙂    but one that I love doing (minus the loading and unload stuff)  Originally had not planned on diving today – but a special request by the Dive Master on this load prompted me into going. Dammit   😉   Happy to report my new strobe worked like a champ and I now once again have all the lighting I need (for a while)  😉 Back at the house, gear rinsed and hung and enjoying an additional rinsing from spotty rain showers passing through.

I finally sat down and started editing and loading pictures…. I got a couple of them today I’m happy with…… Chatting with my Bride – I asked her if she would like to go out for dinner and she said she would…… so I finished my picture ‘stuff’ and jumped in the shower to knock the salt off from todays dives. I really wasn’t in the mood to go anywhere, but happy she said she’d like to go out. I had already had ? number of drinks – a 1/4 bag of cheese puffs, 2 pieces of left over pizza and I was pretty much set……. but I grabbed the phone, made some quick reservations and away we went. Walking quietly under an umbrella I held for her – we made our way into the restaurant and was quickly seated…… our waitress was an older lady – who apparently had been having a not so wonderful day….. we got through several ‘oops‘ laughed it off and tried to help the old dear have a better evening. My Bride had pork chops (wonderfully delicious but a tad dry) – I opted for Salmon cooked and covered with an OJ/Honey glaze. Salmon was done perfectly but I wasn’t real shot in the as.. butt about the glaze. I had an order of Broccoli and a garden salad as sides……. look at me eating all healthy and shi…. stuff. We wrapped the meal up with a shared Chocolate Fudge Cappuccino Sundae, a Chocolate Martini and one of the beautiful sunsets I’ve watched in a while…. watching it with my Bride made just that much better…. and we live here~!!!!!!

Tomorrow is a day off…. I need to catch up on paying bills and mowing yards…. before getting back on the boat Sunday by employer request ( I normally don’t do weekend loads) but she has family in and wants pictures….. I will probably save my dinner pictures from tonight for tomorrows post, just so I have something different for you.

Good Night Ya’ll + + + + + + + + + + + + + Thankx for stopping in~!

Well I guess by my standards…. another ‘wish‘ of mine has come to fruition…. I am not only diving for free…. but making some fairly nice money doing it ( for someone who is retired) Because I stepped up and am participating in most boat chores….. I am now being called out as staff during each mornings boat briefings and get my own little spiel about being ‘the photographer‘ for the boat. I don’t mind the extra bit I’m putting out helping with boat chores, as the ‘crew’ are expressing their appreciation by sharing their tips with me…… I tell them each time it is not necessary…. but humbly accept them anyway…… pretty nice ‘pocket change’ for someone who is retired……. Had a mostly new crowd on board today and I spent both dives chasing people trying to get their picture and framing a shot so there is/was something ‘cool’ in the back/fore ground…………… plus I got to chase [uncooperative] sharks and take a lot of fun shots along the way…….

The kids rode with me to the dive this morning (and of course, back) afterwards. I stopped at the dive shop to discuss my displeasure with the lights I purchased from them – and after a half hour or so of fairly intense conversation – I walked out with a brand spanking new strobe – to replace the #$%^&^%$ strobe that I brought in. I wasn’t expecting that and it was a nice perk to help wrap up what was a really nice wonderful day. Two nice dives [especially having the kids along] mostly cooperative subjects to take pictures of…… I even got the one other photographer on the load to pose for me with his wife…….. so I’m pretty content with the way the day turned out.

My Queen made a nice Lasagna for dinner… with a Ding-Dong for dessert….. so my belly is happy as I sit and sip Vodka/Cranberry while I sit and type this. Looking at the schedule for the next week or two…. wooo-weee.…. between taking pictures and riding ATV’s – I’m gonna be one very busy old fat guy….. but I like it~! Means I have something to chatter with you all about plus LOTS of new pictures for you….. but for now – I’m in serious need of a shower. I have a big day tomorrow…details tomorrow….. so I want to get showered and ready for bed soon….

Good Night Ya’ll – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Thankx for stopping in~!

Up earlier than I wanted to get my morning stuff out of the way….. I made us both a quick breakfast as today is my Queens day of labor as well. We both gobbled down our breakfast and went about our way…… my Bride to cook and me to swim and take pictures (I like my ‘job’ much better)….. Just the one boat (2 dives) as the afternoon boat got moved……. seas were a lot calmer and visibility was great~! I am slowly accepting a big part of my picture taking is going to be corralling folks underwater and trying to get some decent face shots. I am delighted to say – that even with only one strobe (the other is @#$%^&*(*&^%$#) I am still getting pictures I’m satisfied folks will be happy with. “People pictures” out of the way – I set in for my favorite targets….. eels, sharks, turtles, etc…… First dive I did finally have a couple of sharks show up…… I had to go ‘deep’ to get to them…… but snagged a couple of fairly decent shots……..

Second dive…… no sharks – but my most very favorite critter…. a Giant Green Moray Eel… (Vera – take note)  😉  I managed a couple of pictures and one short video before the collective crowd of divers was on top of me and I bailed out to get away from them……. I took more people shots and played until time to get back on the boat. It was not until I started my editing….. I came across 1 picture – that I am so proud of that I get goose bumps when I look at it…… [in my opinion] what makes the pictures so special [to me]…. is that not only is the color, lighting, composition and everything perfect – there is zero editing done to it. Zip, naddo, nothing……! Here is that picture:

I am happy with a lot of the other shots…… but absolutely in love with this one. This one will go up on my wall here in the house…… okay….. I’m done bragging on myself now……. More diving tomorrow….. islands kids are supposed to be on that load so I can get a couple of pictures of them……. My strobe that I was having problems with all but died….. so will swing by the dive shop I bought it at and drop it off and voice my displeasure about it…….. so I am shooting everything now with one strobe …… I can still get decent shots… just tougher to do…….. Hope you enjoy the shots from today…… more tomorrow~~~

Good Night Ya’ll * * * * * * * * * * * Thankx for stopping in~!

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Up bright and early this morning…… sleep was decent, not good, but decent, mostly thinking about what I had to get done today.  I opted for a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit and a Banana for breakfast anticipating what I figured to be a semi stressful day at best. I was soon on the road and didn’t even hit the main highway before local traffic ‘happened‘. You have to live here I guess and put up with some of this stuff every day to appreciate the aggravation that builds up with it…. yea, yea, yea – I know – it’s quaint to see some of the local habits….. unless you have to live with it everyday….. 7 days a week, 4 weeks a month, 12 months a year…… then…. not so much. I ventured forth and over the course of about 4 hours got everything I set out to do done……. except come home relaxed…… but a set of drinks and a nice visit from the next door neighbors and I am about calmed down to where I need to be now.

The sun is setting, my belly is full (Porkchops, peas and scalloped taters) I normally am not a fan of scalloped taters – but whatever my Queen did different this time worked…… wonderfully delicious~! Tasks of the day really ain’t worth commenting on – so I’ll leave it here so I can get back to the couch with my Bride and some more ZOO. Morning boat tomorrow for a 2-tank dive, so more new pictures for you. Have you tried out my new link ? This will [should] take you to my gallery where anything I have made public – you should be able to view….. check it out…. you should not have to join anything to see it. If you cannot see it – please let me know:   billhein.passgallery.com

Good Night Ya’ll – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Thankx for stopping in~!

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An early mediocre nights sleep followed by getting up earlier than I wanted should have given me a clue what the day was gonna be like…… but I digress. Up bright and squirrely…… batteries all bump charged, gear loaded into DDII, cooler with icy cold Budweiser loaded and away I went for a day of employ. Gotta tell ya, I wish I would have got this ‘job‘ years ago~! 30 minute drive to mid-island, a cool 76° breeze blowing……Pretty nice commute. Got to the marina- gear loaded onto the boat, set up, camera assembled and started chatting with arriving guests and helping them load onto the boat. 2 dives and really honestly, neither of one of them noteworthy…… not one single friggin’ shark on the first dive at one of the sharkier sites we dive…… still got some fun pictures… starting to focus a lot on ‘people’ pictures as I think that is the angle the dive shop is after….. but we are still fine tuning that. I was doing good until one of my strobes started acting up. Dammit Emmit~! I had troubles with it on previous dives and tinkered with it [different batteries, etc.] and hoped I had it fixed….. I didn’t. Way to complicated to try and explain the issue here – let’s just suffice to say it was very, very aggravating~! (and I had to shoot with just one strobe) Limped through both dives with the POS strobe. Still managed decent enough shots to keep the dive shop happy. The original plan was to stop by the dive shop where I bought the lights and wear out the a$$ of the owner about #$%^&*(] products he sells……. but a phone call from island Daughter requesting help negated that plan…… which was probably a good thing for all of us involved…..  😉   Stopped and picked her up plus tire off of her car…. dropped her off at the house and her and Shawn took of in my truck to rectify their situation – while I uploaded and edited pictures.

For the sake of brevity…… pictures up loaded…… issues with #$%^&*(] strobe discussed with shop owner [over the phone] a very, tasty dinner of rice, green stuff and chicken parm…… a drink or 6 [so far] and I’m starting to calm back down…… life’s little difficulties. Taking a day off again tomorrow to get some more odds and ends out of the way….. then what looks to be a very full WEEK of diving afterwards…… love it….. just wish I had two working strobes~! Some fun pictures from today for you~!

Good Night Ya’ll * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thankx for stopping in~!

In a fairly sudden turn of events – I wound up going diving today….. awe dammit…..   😉   A couple of friends of ours were making a last minute dive on a last minute boat off the West end today. I found out and put myself on the boat – as these two friends are heading back to the land of plenty soon and it will probably be the last time I get to dive with them for a while. They are heading back to the Cincinnati area where our Daughter Rachael lives. They will be there a short bit before heading a little farther North for a job opportunity. Paul and Deanna – I wish them the best of luck. First dive was my most very favorite dive site here on the island….. Armageddon~! It normally holds several very cooperative sharks…. but not today…… [sad day] – I saw one shark and he wanted nothing to do with me, my camera, or anyone else on the dive……. I still love that site though….. so much growth and life on it and things to look at – it just fascinates the hel heck out of me……. sharks or no sharks. The big school of Barracuda’s was there and they let me take a couple of shots! Love that dive site~! It is a lot shorter dive because it is so deep… but I still love it~! We motored South to our next site… shallow and as it turns out, visibility went straight to sh crap……… My mask was continually fogging up, couldn’t see diddly, I was getting cold….. just not what I would call an enjoyable dive…… but I was diving and that makes it some good~!

Back at the house….. gear rinsed, nibbled on a bite to eat and having drinks with my Queen. Tomorrow is a down day… even though I need to some more odds and ends running……. one of my strobes is acting up – so I’m going to take it to the dive shop where I bought it and express my dis-pleasure with the owner…… Now that I am officially a paid photographer…. I can’t afford to have my stuff cutting out on me….. Did I mention I got my first paycheck yesterday ??? AND a nice $30 tip today from an appreciative family I shot some pictures for ???  AND – I’m diving my brains out ???   I like it~! but am looking forward to that down day tomorrow……. you all have lots of pictures waiting for you~!

Good Night Ya’ll + + + + + + + + + + + + Thankx for stopping in~!

Crashed at a decent hour last night after my pizza…. My Queen found me some more Aleve PM and I popped two of those. They seem to work better than the Advil I was trying. I did get up once around 02:00 to drain off excess bladder material and crawled back into bed – going almost instantly back to sleep…. and not only that……. slept until almost 07:30~!! Woo-Hoo sleeping in~! I rolled out of bed and snuck out of the bedroom, as my Queen was rolled over and curled up with her little frog from her last hospital stay. Not sure how that came about, but it seemed to work pretty good as she slept in almost another 2 hours. I like it~!

Slow easy start to our day. Angie made me a breakfast that would have choked a buffalo- but I was hungry and scarfed it down….. and miserable for the better part of the day because of it…… but dang it was scrump-dilli-licious~! I finally forced my big ole butt into DD and headed into mid island to get some odds and ends taken care of….. one of which included a stop at our local Office Max store to look at lap tops….. yes, I just got a new one in December, but this little thing just ain’t holdin’ up to the demands of a now actively employed photographer. Seems as though I’m almost out of hard drive space already and it is starting to bog down already, even though I had the Geek Squad give it a good cleaning……. Sadly, I got the service I have become accustomed to on this island and finally left the store after almost 30 minutes of asking for help and being ignored…… HQ will hear about this.

After stopping there, the dump, the Post Office, the dive shop (dropping off thumb drives and picking up my first paycheck!!) I finally made it back out to the house. I requested a drink to calm my nerves……. and have been “calming down” every since.  😉  My queen made spaghetti and I did my best to clean my plate – but had to bail because I was still mostly full from breakfast….. ahhhh – Island Life. Tomorrow looks to be an even calmer day although Jeff pinged me and said there might be an afternoon boat tomorrow on my end of the island. Normally not a fan of afternoon dives – but the sun is much lower in the sky and I get a whole different array of lighting affects….. so I might jump on it.

We finally finished The 4400 – good and entertaining…. but stupid ending…. I suspicion there is a 5th season in the making…… I already have another series I’m anxious to check out – so I’m gonna drop some pix I hope you haven’t seen yet and slide on over to the couch with my Bride…….   🙂

Good Night Ya’ll > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thankx for stopping in~!

Up again at the crack of Oh My God it’s early….. At least I’ve been reasonably smart enough to go to bed early enough to justify getting up that early…. usually about 5:45ish….. still dark, even here on the island, but not for more than 30 minutes or so……gives me time to sit and catch up on the latest news back in the land of plenty. Also gives me time to get my bathroom stuff out of the way….. so it works out pretty good. Out West again today, so I had a few extra minutes with my Queen, before heading down to the dock….. one of the first folks on the boat – sameo-sameo.…. gear put together… air, weights, etc. – then put my camera together and get it ready….. all while helping the folks that are starting to show up onto the bobbing boat…..

First site is one I like — the Shallow wrecks…. second site was ‘Eh’….. visibility at both sites left a lot to be desired…. which made for tough picture taking – but I made do. Had a family from the other day on the boat that requested underwater group photo’s and I was happy to oblige…… after all, that is what I am being paid to do……. [partially]…… just wish we would have had better visibility for a sharper picture……..  wish in one hand and ………………   😉

Back at the dock – got guests and gear unloaded and about 30 air tanks – then turned around and loaded another 30 [full] tanks back on board. My old muscles are getting a work out they haven’t had in a while….. but it’s okay — I like it~!! It helps keep the ‘old man’ in me at bay~! Back at the house – My Bride was waiting for me with a sink full of water (to rinse my camera off) and a cold beer. We sit and chat and catch up on each others day before I come in and start uploading and editing pictures…. That’s done- my Bride surprised me with “cardboard pizza”……. didn’t really scratch that pizza itch – but it wasn’t bad and I love the effort……. She is now chatting on the phone with KY folks….. and I’m wanting to get a shower and looking forward to getting some odds and ends done tomorrow before settling in for a weekend of doing absolutely nothing~!

Good Night Ya’ll & & & & & & & & & & & & Thankx for stopping in~!

(Happy Birthday Hot Neighbor Camilla~!! Love and miss you guys~!)

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Because of those big waves from yesterday getting bigger…… the dive shop has moved the boat out to the West end of the island (where I live)….. yea~!  As a reminder, that means my commute, goes from about 30 minutes to about 4 minutes…. and I like it~! I left a little bit early this morning because my Bride had already taken off for her day of employment and I arrived just as the boat was docking…… loaded, camera put together and started helping some of the divers with their tasks. Just one of the crew now~~~ High winds kept us away from the planned dive site of the ‘wrecks’ that I was really looking forward to ( With my second strobe in place and working- I should be able to get some great side shots of the wrecks now) and we scooted to the less windy site of Alien Nation….. probably my least favorite site on the island – but I had a lot of people to take pictures of for the dive shop – so I didn’t mind it so bad. I stayed pleasantly busy chasing folks and taking pictures.

Second site was called ‘The Swirling reef of Death’…….. fun story on how that reef got it’s name – but I like it. Coral formations are gorgeous and it usually holds lots and lots of sea life……. my pictures will attest to that comment. Finally back into the pier – got the guests unloaded, tanks unloaded (and sub sequentially loaded into the truck) so I am now starting to work on muscles I haven’t used in a while…. before donning my flip flops, throwing a very heavy gear bag over my shoulder and plodding back to where ever in the hell I had to park my truck. The only down side of diving out West……. trying to find a place to park…… oh well.

Soon back to the house….. quiet and almost lonely since my Queen was still at work…… I set in getting a beer, rinsing gear, and getting pictures uploaded for editing. Even though I had a small breakfast before leaving – I was starving…. I have recently found out that I can “nuke” a frozen burger patty into a reasonable facsimile of an eatable burger in 2½ minutes…. add some cheese, mayo and a slice of ‘mater and Boy-Howdy…….. that does a hungry ole fat boy some good….. especially when it’s washed down with that ice cold Budweiser~!!

I settled in to editing a bunch of fun pictures and before I got started real good…. my Bride came rolling in. What a wonderful surprise~!! I made us both a drink, we have since cleaned out some of the leftovers in the fridge (even though I am getting a strong pizza “itch”…. and now are sitting relaxing…… considering we both “worked” – it’s been a pretty good day. I got to chat with a dear old friend from a hundred years ago during my GE days for a little bit. That was wonderful- Steve, if you’re reading this, I truly did enjoy hearing from you….. we must do that a little more often~! For now – LOTS of pictures to share~~~~~

Good Night Ya’ll~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Thankx for stopping in~!

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