Author: Bill

Some really crappy news from the states and a lack luster day all add up to not coming up with anything for tonight. Sorry ya’ll….. it just ain’t in me tonight.

Thankx for stopping in~!

A fairly typical start to the day – neither of us slept in – but not up terribly early either. I ran downtown for a couple of needed items and then back for a breakfast of pancakes, ham and bacon….. Yummers~!  Spent the next couple of hours on line…. the world of FB, and other items I haphazardly considered newsworthy….. Not too many things I consider news worthy any more these days…… since you can’t believe a friggin’ word you hear or read any more. Close to 3:00, we both cleaned up and headed to the wrap party I mentioned yesterday. I thought it would be neat for my Queen to meet the group I have spent an inordinate amount of time with. It took a little bit, but everybody finally made it. There was drinking, eating, drinking, a ton of smiles, drinking and so on and so forth….. Just a really good bunch of people having a really good time. I kind of lost my Bride in the shuffle as I was constantly surround by people wanting to know a little bit more about me and my opinions from the view of ”behind the lens” watching all that has went on the past couple of months. As I found out later – my bride was as popular as ever as she made her way through the crowd and they all got to know her……… after a couple of hours or so, every one fed, happy and about chatted out – folks started filing out and it wasn’t long before we did the same. I congratulated the remaining guys on their accomplishment of making Dive Master and or Instructor and then headed for the door….. unless you are best friends with the host – never be the last person to leave a party……. In my infinite wisdom…. I was busy enough chatting with different folks, I never got around to eating anything, even though there was a heckva nice spread…… I did however manage to keep an steady flow of alcohol going in me….. and am now starting to pay that price. Back at the house – everything put away….. I throwed some big ole hot dogs in the pot and they have just finished boiling…… so I’m gonna wrap this up here and get something solid in me before I get completely stupid. While I did bring my camera with me to the event – there are times to take pictures…… and times NOT to take pictures…… this was one of those times NOT to take pictures. Wow – now that I re-read that, it sounds a little bit smarmy…… I didn’t mean like that~!!! It’s just that there times not to have some moron sticking a camera in your face………… so more blasts from the past pictures for you…….. more diving pictures coming soon. We have a ‘stove guy’ coming tomorrow morning to try and figure out why we keep getting flames shooting out from one of the knobs (and melting it beyond use) and that I am apparently to stupid to figure out on my own……. Should be an interesting conversation…….

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

Well sir…… I guess it was my turn to sleep in a little bit……. for whatever reason, I did not feel my Bride roll out of bed [apparently] fairly early this morning…… and I didn’t wake up until 07:45…. I guess I needed it – but I really don’t like sleeping that late. About the time my Queen was starting her pre-breakfast routine, was about the time I convinced myself to strap on my shoes and hit the road. She promised me she would go ahead and make herself a breakfast while I was gone. Once she started cooking – I gave her a kiss and was off…….. I had a route mapped out in my head that I have been wanting to try for a while, estimating it to be pretty close to 5 miles. I wanted to give it a shot and provided the now late morning heat didn’t suck all the air out of my lungs – I was going to try it.

A nice breeze helped keep some of the sweat at bay and made breathing only marginally easier but the first mile went by fairly easy. The second mile of this route was all up hill [again, not steep – but definitely up hill] but I was holding my own. Another ten minutes and I was at about the half way point [by my estimate]….. it was mostly flat with some small hills – but it was along a major road with a LOT of traffic. I found out today – I don’t really care for walking along a road like that…. not only dodging cars that like to ride the white line, but the noise really cut down on my ability, to just let my brain wander….. like I do most of the time when I’m walking. Mile 3 came and went and by mile 4, I was back in downtown Frederiksted…… I did manage several new pictures for you and between them and really starting to huff and puff my ‘lap’ time was starting to drop noticeably….. although I didn’t really care – by then I just wanted to quit….. but I was on the last stretch back to the house and determined to make it….. so I put my head down, let my mouth hang open and unabashedly suck air like an F-4 Phantom jet on take off. FINALLY back at the house….. pressed save on my App and leaned against the truck to rest. Final tally – 4.78 miles….. dammit Emmit…. so close – but soooo far from that ”5” mile mark…… and I believe I could have made that other .22 miles if I had known I was that close……. Well SH…..oot…….. maybe next time ? Still a little bit happy with myself.

Rest of the day was cooling off, time with my Bride and one movie….. BLEED FOR THIS…… not the best movie I’ve ever seen – but far from the worst….. a strong 6+ [out of 10] especially if you’re a fan of boxing. Based on real events. It’s not the worst movie you’ll ever see.

I have been invited to join the guys I have been photographing for the last month or so, for a wrap up dinner/party tomorrow afternoon. Above average chance it’ll be late enough when I get back from it….. that there might not be a blog tomorrow night…. fair warning~~

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

Our local fish market

I was up bright and early this morning with the plan to get to the clinic bright and early enough to get my blood drawn before the crowd gathered up – but my Queen sleeping in this morning kinda thwarted that plan. I’m good with that though, as any morning she sleeps in makes me happy. After she got up and moving and had her a cup of coffee…. I went and put on some ‘travelin’ clothes’ and lit out for mid-island to the clinic. Oddly nothing real unusual about the visit – got there – signed in, squirted out some blood and was gone in less than an hour back home to my Queen. A small wonderfully tasty breakfast [it’s now close to noon and the old fat boy is starving from his ‘fast’] and we settle into our lockdown routine…… words cannot adequately express just how STUPID I think this whole lockdown/Corona thing is….. but that’s anther blog…..

Got to talk for a little bit with my Sugar Pop (Charlotte) — she got accepted into the National Juniors Honor Society….a big accomplishment~! So very proud of that young lady….. Way to go Sugar Pop~!! Oma and Pa-Paw are very proud of you~!!

We watched a couple of movies….. first one is called Only in my Dreams….. has Sam Elliot in it – so you know my Queen liked it. It wasn’t bad…… not really my kind of flick – but as long as Angie likes it [and she did!] I’m [mostly] good with it. Second one was Like Father….. good cast, well acted and kinda pulls at the heart strings a little bit… I would give it a strong 7 out of 10. Vera – I looked at Running Wild – but Netflix didn’t carry it and Amazon wanted me to pay for it – and I just flat refuse to do that when I have a ”million” other choices for free. Thankx for the recommendation though~!  Warmed up left over pizza for dinner tonight…. always tasty… and that’s about it friends and neighbors….. some more blasts from the past for pictures until I can get out of this lockdown hell…….. I may even have to do a solo pier dive just to soothe my sole and get you all some pictures if this crap don’t end soon~!

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

Up bright and early to an already hot and sticky morning….. really sucks coming out of a wonderfully chilly bed room and walk into that mess. Might as well get used to it though as we probably have another month or so of it before it starts to cool down a little bit…. Guess we were a little bit more ‘used to‘ the A/C we had in our last place than I thought….. but I am working on that too. May be a complete crap shoot – but we’ll just have to wait and see…….

A pretty calm day…… After a tasty breakfast with frozen eggs….. yes, frozen eggs….. my Bride took it easy on the couch in front of the fan playing her game and watching Person of Interest.…. I spent the day [sans fan] cleaning up breakfast dishes and then a small book shelf next to my chair that has become a catch all. Skipping the fan was a mass of stupidity on my part…… but I finally got the whole thing cleaned up and and finally plopped down on the couch in front of said brides fan, before succumbing to the lure of alcohol  presented to me by my bride……

We watched a movie I thought was going to be pretty good with Danny Glover [like him as an actor] – it turned out to be a [nother] stupid movie…. but one of those I ‘had‘ to finish to see how it ends. Turned out to be a bit of a pull at my heart strings, as it made me think about the future, probably a little more than I cared to. Also turned out to have a fabulous soundtrack~!!! One I’m going to have to try and find the sound track to it. The movie is Mr. Pig……. not sure whether to recommend it to you or not….. IF you do watch it….. would love to get your ‘take’ on it.

My bride whooped up a wonderfully delicious batch of spaghetti for dinner and gave me the ‘little bit more‘ that I requested. I already regret it and I’m sure somewhere around 01:00 in the morning in the dark coolness of our bedroom –  she is going to regret it too. She put’s in 5 or 6 of ‘my’ meatballs in it (that has LOTS of onions in them)….. so actually [but not Love Actually]  😉 …. we will both probably regret it~! What is life though really – without a few regrets…….?

That’s it boys and girls…… pretty dull day here in paradise. I’m gonna take off in the morning to get some blood work done that Doc requested for my up coming appointment [making sure BP and such is in check]….. no new pictures, so I’ll drag up some blasts from the past…………..

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

Hump day morning….. my Queen up early to get her work day started….. I waited 15-20 minutes and then came rolling out behind her. A quiet start to the day and soon my bride was on her way to work….. once again leaving me here to entertain myself. All the dive shops are shut down because of this stupid lock down and I’m not a big fan of shore dives where you do a lot of surface swimming…..so I have to find other things to occupy my time and keep me busy and out of trouble. As soon as I knew my bride was safely to her destination [I still don’t trust her car yet]….. I strapped on my walking shoes and away I went. With no one to get back home to, I planned on a little longer walk and had my route in mind when I took off.  Still reasonably early, I was hoping it wouldn’t be so hot and stuffy….. but it didn’t take but about 10 minutes to realize – I should have left several hours earlier. Even though the wind picked up – it was still HOT and the [unusual] humidity was making breathing a challenge….. even for me. First mile under my belt – I pressed on, knowing the next mile or so was mostly up hill….. not steep, but uphill none the less. A little extra cardio as it were  😉  Mile two – and I was drenched in sweat and breathing was a challenge….. but determined to finish my planned route….. I pressed on, plus I knew the rest of my route would soon turn into a downhill route. Mile three came and went and I was happy to be on the final leg of my walk. Finally back at the house…… soaking wet, tired and feeling pretty good about myself that I made it over 4 miles…… I took almost an hour to calm down and cool off…. enjoying the shade and breeze in our back yard.  I finally went in and stripped the bed, grabbed our towels and what little dirty laundry that had built up – went out and fired up the washing machine and dumped everything in…… (yes, the washing machine is outside)

Low water pressure makes laundry take a little longer than usual…… so while waiting for it to finish, I broke out the broom and the vacuum and swept the house. Living this close to a dusty drive way and the one neighbor of ours that has his friends drive him all over the place – keeps the dust really flying – especially since some of them come down the drive way like Mario Andretti. Closing the house up is not an option as we have no A/C other than our bedroom – for sleeping. But – the house got swept, finally got laundry washed, hung, dried, folded and the bed remade…… Enough for one day for the old fat boy.

My Queen finally made it home and surprised the hell out of me saying she would like pizza for dinner. So I ordered it, went and got it and have been plying my Bride with drinks since she got home. My work here is done……..

I always find this sign hilarious… every time I go to the dump…..

Up again just before my Queen, to answer natures call and get my day started….. glorious sunny skies with big white puffy clouds catching up to all the day had to offer……. breakfast…. tasty as always when my Queen feeds me……. I was determined to burn a couple of calories today – so after making hopefully the last trip of the day to perch upon the porcelain god…. I came out, knocked out the breakfast dishes real quick, then went out and drug out my lawn maintenance equipment….. dammit Emmit….. I was committed now….. Fired up the ole lawn mower and away I went – it apparently takes me just over an hour to mow ”my” section of lawn…… factor in a 30 minute water, cigarette, water, cigarette break….. and then another 45 minutes or so of weed eating…. I had to do the fence – which is an easy 30 minutes….. I think a well placed jug of Round up, will eliminate the whole fence thing….. more on that later……   Lawn now looking  ‘Spiffy’ – I got cooled down, tools all put up and came in for some movies…  First one was called WALKING OUT.….. I’m gonna give it a 6 out of 10…. several movies like it and it kinda dragged and was predictable as it went – but would do in a bind. Second one was MEAN DREAMS… slightly better, but again a little bit predictable…. giving it a soft 7 out of 10. Starred Bill Paxton [and I like him]…. but still kind of a bit cheesy…….

I think I have just enough [new] pictures left over for you tonight, but after that – I’m either going to have to walk or dive to get more new pictures…….. My most favorite dive boat is now out of the water for maintenance…. so my options are running kinda thin at this point. My Queen is working tomorrow, once again leaving me here to my own devices….. so a good long walk might be in order.

Only one sly comment from our Our Lady of Perpetual Drinking….. so not really a lot I can raze them about tonight…  LOL~~~~  😉

I guess that’s about it for me tonight…… last of the new diving pix- I’ll try to come up with something for you tomorrow while I’m ‘out and about’.

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

Welcome to My Chalice….. or the Adventures of Pa-Paw as my ‘Squirt’ and my Sugar Pop think it should be called…… A really lazy day today after a pretty wonderful night’s sleep. I didn’t have to get up to whizz or make a mad dash with belly cramps – and that in of itself makes for a pretty wonderful night. A nice breakfast, dishes done and a day I really should have tried to do something….. really – I should have….. but it just wasn’t in the stars…..I kept [half heartedly] trying to make my self get up and walk….. but that would be a big negatory there storm trooper….. so I thought, some serious mowing would be my calorie burn for the day….. but just about the time I almost, kinda, came close to getting the lawn mower out, the sky turned dark….. thunder started grumbling in the distance….. and since I waited long enough – it finally started raining, so I couldn’t mow…… gosh darn it~!!! So I relegated myself to keeping my Queen company whenever she wanted to go out and ‘moke’.   😉   You didn’t actually expect me to blame myself for not doing anything did you~???

In the middle of our morning twix breakfast and doing a lot of nothing…. I got a call from one of my bestest good friends and cool neighbor, Michael…. and he was in rare form….. love hearing from that crazy @#$%^& when he is like that~! He was regaling me of life in Florida and how much he liked my latest underwater pictures…..don’t know how much alcohol had to do with it….. but he apparently really likes my pictures……  Didn’t get much of a chance to chat with his Queen…. but I think he said something about her saying a Rosary and leading a bible class…… or something like that… I may not have understood him correctly…… 😉

We watched a couple more movies….. first one was called DRUNK PARENTS….. I’m sure there was a subliminal message there some where…. but OMG….don’t waste your time with that one….. it is one of those that is SO stupid….. you feel bad for watching it…. but about halfway through it…. you want to see how it ends….. save yourself some time and skip it~! [or watch it and argue with me about it]    😉   Second was called PROJECT POWER– over the top unrealistic, but entertaining……. I’d give it a 7.5 out of 10…………….

Still no call from the dive shop for more photography work….. Dammit Emmit…… I may have to grab me a tank and go play under the pier by myself with my new lens….. See if I can get a couple more pictures that you all and Michael [and Sister Camilla] would like.   Still a couple of pix left from the last dive…. so here ya go~~~~~

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

Another less than admirable night of sleep, sprinkled with trips to whizz and stomach cramps…… I guess some of that is to be expected when you become part of the Geritol set. A a wonderfully tasty breakfast this morning, dishes out of the way and all caught up on news and the ever screwed up world of Face Book.  While sitting here getting all caught up on that mess – got a surprise couple of texts from our damn neighbor……. she was discussing plumbing and remodeling ideas for a little bit – although I kind of wonder if she will even remember pinging us…… LOL  🙂

Settled in on the couch for some movies — first one was recommended by my # 1 fan – Vera – the movie is titled simply GREATER. She said she thought I would like it and she was right….. very good movie. Kind of a reverse remake of RUDY – but still a really good movie. Went to watch the other one she recommended, but couldn’t find it on Netflix – and afraid of losing our connection…. I didn’t check Amazon Prime – movie is called HAP [if I wrote it down correctly]….. but I’ll try again later. Other movie we watched is called THE FOUNDER……. based [loosely] on the life of Ray Kroc….. Interesting watching starring Michael Keaton – who I like – but I thought he was much better at being Beetlejuice than he was at being Ray Kroc. Still was interesting to both of us.

No word about diving tomorrow [yet]….. if not – probably gonna do some walking and or mowing…… all the rain we’ve had has really got everything back into a growing mode. Still have some diving pictures I don’t think you’ve seen yet……

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

P8210070  <—— Video

Being plumb tuckered out from a long hard day of diving…. and probably a snoot full of vodka to add to it – somewhere around 9:30 pm – I couldn’t hack it anymore, and staggered my happy a$$ off to our freshly cooled off bedroom and collapsed into a comfortable mess into our bed……. I don’t remember much else, besides my Queen curling up next to me when she came to bed – until Tropical Storm Laura made her way into our little part of the world…… that was somewhere around 03:00~ish….. with some (by my standards) pretty awesome thunder ….. I’m presuming there was a good lightening show to go with it…. but between our very dark bedroom and me not opening my eyes…. I didn’t see any…. but the the thunder…… Oh My Goodness…… ‘normally’ I LOVE sleeping while it’s thundering…… but there was enough ”pops” that it kept me awake….. even though I still refused to open my eyes for it…….. so there was an ‘hour or so’ of intense storming, that I didn’t sleep well – but enjoyed the sound and the comfort of our nicely cooled, mostly blacked out bedroom, with my Queen curled up behind me………… The ‘storm’ finally settled down and I managed a little bit of sleep until around 06:00 when my bladder started throwing a fit and coaxed me on out of bed………

Up to a stormy morning of constant rain and some fun semi-intense wind……. 20/20 hindsight – I should have taken some video….. but in all seriousness…. if you’ve lived in Southern Indiana for more than a year – you have seen WAY  more intense weather than what we put up with all day…… a rare ‘cool’ kind of day – where folks that have been here a while, donned hoodies and sweat pants…….not me, because I’m apparently a sweat hog…… but the cool air felt good for a change.

Our ‘island kids’ showed up this afternoon for an experimental meal of meat and veggies and biscuits prepared in a crock pot….. not the best meal my Bride has ever produced – but it was tasty and I’m reasonably sure nobody went away hungry. We had an after dinner smoke [including cigars] – followed up by a piece of carrot cake and some great conversation. Gotta love those kind of evenings.

Still waiting for the ‘ping’ that says my favorite dive shop needs a photographer tomorrow….. but with this weather, it probably ain’t gonna happen….. but soon enough I should be back underwater with my new camera set up…….. Until then, I’m gonna enjoy the quiet cool days with my bride. Thank you for all the concern about our safety as these storms ricochet around us…… we’re good…. living here in paradise.

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