#((at the place i work the only service animals allowed within the facility are dogs and ponies

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Forty-Seven: Compassion ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina, animal death ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ] 

It wasn’t entirely her choice, at the beginning. Her high school required a certain amount of community service hours, so...Hinata had started looking anywhere she could think. Her first choice - a local nursery for plants - already had several people from her class signed up to help. Most notably was Ino who - despite her family owning a nursery of their own - took up a slot at another in order to circumvent any rules about personal connections to the work.

So there went that idea.

She’d considered a place at one of the smaller medical clinics, but...a few hours at one had her sent home, nauseous and unsteady on her feet. Turns out she had a rather weak stomach when it came to things like injuries. Needless to say, she didn’t go back.

One by one, her initial ideas failed to pan out. And Hinata found herself increasingly frustrated. She wanted to do something she could at least partially enjoy if she was going to dedicate hours and hours to it! Having to use precious time amongst her school days, hours of study, and what few precious free minutes she had meant wanting them to be at least a step above her classes in tolerability.

Venting to a penpal (one homeschooled, and never having had to oblige certain public school requirements, she’d gotten one last idea to make things work.

“What if you volunteered at an animal shelter?”

Lying on her bed as her tablet rests on her pillow for voice chat, Hinata perked up. “...w-what?”

“You know, they always need more people. There’s a lot of abandoned or given up pets that need care. It wouldn’t be too complicated, and I bet you’d be good at it! You’re such a compassionate person, Hinata - be it people or animals, you’re great at helping those in need. And you’d get to be with cute dogs and cats all day, while helping an organization that needs more hands on deck! Seems like a win-win to me.”

The Hyūga went quiet for a moment, mulling that over. She’s never been allowed to have a pet of her own given her father’s rather strict view of them (nothing but messes and mouths to feed, according to him), so...it hadn’t even occurred to her. But her friend has a point. “...I’ll h-have to look into it.”

“Sure! I bet there’s at least a few in a city as big as yours, so you’ll have a few options if the first one or two you try doesn’t work out for whatever reason, right?”

“...I guess so. I just hope it goes better than the medical clinic…”

“I doubt they’d have you do anything with injured animals - probably just help with giving out food, maybe like...grooming or just spending time with them. It’s not the happiest or most stimulating place for an animal to be, y’know.”

That made Hinata wilt a bit. “...true.”

Once the call was over, she started browsing the sites of the local shelters. There were four altogether, and she started by sending all four emails asking about their volunteer programs and doing so for community service credit. Of course, by that time it was late evening - she likely wouldn’t get any replies at least until the next morning. So after exhausting the rest of her night, she shut everything down and headed to bed.

School then took the majority of her day, and she didn’t really have a chance to check for replies until she got home. One had yet to reply, and two had policies restricting volunteer work when it came to those under eighteen.

Well...shoot.

Opening the last email and feeling rather frustrated, Hinata skimmed the reply before pausing.

They...they said they’d take her!

Wasting no time, she replied and ask for a chance to come in and see if the place would be a good fit, managing to arrange to go in the following Saturday and tour around.

Finally...finally she had another lead!

...now, hopefully she wasn’t allergic to anything…

Thankfully it was only two days until the weekend, and come Saturday she’d already arranged for her father to drive her. It was within biking distance, but...well, she’d prefer to scout the route ahead of time and make sure there weren’t any obstacles making the path a pain. Pulling up to the proper building, Hiashi simply asked she text him when the introduction was finished, and he’d come back by to pick her up.

Well...seemed he wasn’t going to stick around. Not that she really expected him to.

Approaching the front doors a little shyly, she’d been quickly welcomed and introduced to the front staff They were all smiles, glad to have someone her age around to help.

“The animals will love you!”

“I...I hope so!”

The back was filled to the brim with pets, staff, and other volunteers. Hinata was given a thorough but quick-paced tour, it being rather obvious the place was busy.

“So...w-what all would you have me do?”

“To start, probably work with supplies. Your email said you have no experience with pets?”

She shook her head.

“Well, we don’t want to throw you to the wolves, so to speak, so...we’ll introduce you to the different parts of the facility and the tasks slowly. Any known allergies?”

“No, but...well, I only really have one friend with a dog. Cats, I have no idea...or a-anything else.”

“We’ll see how today goes and see if you have any reactions. If they’re mild, you could always take something over the counter if you’d like. But of course we’ll hope you don’t need them!”

Almost immediately...Hinata found herself all wrapped up in the animals. There were dogs and cats of every pattern and color, age and breed. And even other animals like rabbits, hamsters, and reptiles!

“Kittens and puppies tend to have good turn around times, but…” A staff member gestured sadly to an older dog. “Those who are grown, or getting on in years, have trouble finding new forever homes. No one wants something already grown up. They want small and cute. Which is how many of the adults end up here in the first place: they get too big, too rowdy, too...much.”

Hinata had wilted. Oh, if only she could change her father’s mind...she’d love to get a cat someday. Or maybe a rabbit. “I...I see…”

“So if you’d like, once you’re more settled in, we could have you spend some time with some of the harder adopts. They need and enjoy the company. It’s good for them. We’ll keep you only to those already proven sociable and behaving. No problem cases for someone new to it like you.”

When a few hours had passed of touring and not even a trace of hives or a sniffle, Hinata was given the clear to officially sign on to the volunteer program. She’d be there twice a week for two hours a day. Not too bad - she could make her homework fit around it, she was sure!

Her first tasks were mostly help with upkeep and organization. There was a lot to keep track of, and every animal had to be accounted for. Exercise and play times, meals, clean up, baths...Hinata was mostly involved in the former things. Nothing that was too hands on, given her beginner status.

She loved it.

Even after her required hours were met for the year, she kept on. And came back next year. And the next. Soon came the Summer before college, and she’d soon have to give up the practice as her schedule became too packed.

...that’s when it happens.

Spending some time with a young adult cat she’s grown fond of, Hinata hears the telltale sound of the door to the back opening. Sounds like someone’s here to look at the animals! Closing up the kennel and turning to look, there’s a pause.

...she knows this guy!

Dark eyes flickering over the bars, none other than Sasuke Uchiha - a rather popular boy from her class - peruses the selection of felines in this part of the shelter. For a moment he doesn’t notice her, but a glance eventually locks their eyes.

“...Hinata?”

...well that’s a surprise. He knows her name…? “Uh...yeah! Fancy seeing you here.”

“I could say the same. Do you...work here?”

“Volunteer. I have since I was a freshman. Sadly this is my last week since school is s-starting up. I’m hoping I can come back in the Summers.”

Brows lift slightly, clearly not expecting...any of this. “...glad you like it.”

“I do.” After a polite pause, it’s her turn to ask. “So...here to look for a pet?”

“Yeah...me and a few others are renting a house this year and pets are allowed. I lost my cat a few months ago, and wanted to get a new one to keep me company.”

That gets her to sober. “...I’m sorry for your loss.”

“...thanks.” He gestures to the kennels. “...any recommendations?”

“All of them,” she replies with a smile that’s clearly teasing. “Um...any preferred traits…?”

“I’d like one more quiet. Maybe independent since I’ll have to be gone for classes and studying.”

Well...she knows just the one. Waving him over, she nods to the cat she was just visiting: a little smoky grey female. “This is Miya. She’s about three years old, and was given up when her owners had a baby. They were afraid she might hurt the child. But she’s really sweet. Even tempered, and not very clingy...but she’ll sit with you and just h-hang out.”

“Miya, huh…?” Sasuke observes her for a moment. “...can I..?”

“We’ll take her to the play room.” Getting the feline out, Hinata leads Sasuke to the proper room, complete with places to hide and climb and play for the cats. “Just, um...have a seat, and we’ll see what she’ll do. She can be a bit nervous of strangers, but otherwise she’s friendly.” Setting Miya down on a platform, Hinata steps back to observe.

Eyes scanning the room, they land on Sasuke, and Miya drops to a crouch. Sasuke doesn’t move, just...watching back.

A long minute of standoff passes, Hinata glancing between the two. Well...at least she isn’t hiding. That’s a good -

Cautiously, Miya drops to the floor, tail twitching. Hugging the wall, she nevertheless gets closer, sniffing the air curiously.

Ever so slowly, Sasuke holds out a hand.

The cat retreats half a step, ears conveying her nerves. But then she eases up, little nose flaring as she smells his fingers.

“...hey there,” he murmurs, watching her think.

Another pause...and then she gently strokes her cheek along his hand.

Hinata releases a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

The pair bond for a while longer, Miya even being so brave as to sit on his lap. Sasuke is clearly enamored, and before the afternoon is out...he signs the adoption papers.

“Thanks,” he offers as she’s put into a carrier.

“Thank you for taking her.”

“I’d never have given her a try if not for you. Seems you know your stuff.”

That earns a smile. “...guess I do. Um…”

“Hm?”

Hinata hesitates. “...could you...let me know how she does? I’ve been working with her a lot, and…”

“Oh! Yeah, sure. Uh...I can text you…” Fishing out his phone, he exchanges their numbers. “I’ll let you know how she settles in. And if I have any questions.”

“Okay...great! I know she’s g-going to a good home.” Turning to the crate, Hinata gives the kitty a somber smile. “...you be good for Sasuke, all right?”

She gives a soft meow in reply.

“All right, well...you better get her home so she can start adjusting.”

“Will do. Thanks, Hinata.”

“Bye…” Waving, she watches them take their leave.

One down...many more to go.

                                                     .oOo.

     It's late @~@ This is...rather random, but I like it! And it actually turned out a lot longer than I thought it would, lol. I like the idea of Hinata working with animals. Usually I have her as a plant person, but...this was really sweet! And her getting to help Sasuke find his next kitty companion was too cute not to write~      Anyway, I'm...very tired and my eyeballs aren't happy, so I'm gonna go xD Thanks for reading!

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #animal death // #best years of your life [ au ] #365daysofsasuhina

[locke-writes]

There’s A Reason

Author: locke-writes

Title: There’s A Reason

Prompt: God Help The Outcasts - Hunchback of Notre Dame, Photographer!AU For: @thefanficfaerie ‘s Disney Quote Challenge

Rating: T

Word Count: 1623

As Steve switched the lens on his camera he contemplated where he was in his career. Working freelance was fine, it meant that he had enough time to work on building his portfolio, filling it with photos he was proud of and subjects that he was passionate about. It also meant that he had to take jobs he wasn't particularly passionate about in order to pay rent. Everyone that hired him was told upfront what his standard rate was and luckily most accepted with little to no complaints. He was glad to have a good reputation among magazines and newspapers but in the art world he'd yet to make a difference.

Photography was never what he considered as a career but neither was the army. He'd joined out of high school along with a few friends simply because he had no other plans. Everyone else he knew was heading off to college but they had known what their career was meant to be ever since freshman year. Steve only knew that he knew absolutely nothing.

When he was discharged he was as aimless as ever. In the military he never had to question what to do, there was and order for everything. There'd always been the old saying about doing what you loved and then you'd never work a day in your life but Steve didn't think that was sound advice. For sometime he worked odd jobs arranged by friends, anything where he could make a small amount of money. And then there was an ad. 

That's how it all started, someone needed a photographer and Steve had been fairly decent at photography in high school. They were paying well, he needed a job, all the factors added up. Now here he was, years later still going out and taking pictures for other people. There had been times he'd looked at working solely for one magazine or another but freelance gave him freedom of choice. Yet now that freedom of choice was getting old.

He'd never really considered himself an artist but he knew that art could make people feel things, could make people understand concepts or see concepts in new ways. He wanted to make people feel what he felt when he looked at a certain photo series. Through his photos he wanted to make a difference however sometimes that felt very much like a pipe dream.

Steve took a few more photographs before dismantling his equipment and heading home to send off what he had taken. There was one problem with Steve's dream of making a difference and he knew it. Well actually that was the problem, he had no idea what his big break was going to be. No one could plan their break into the art world, he was aware of that, yet he wanted whatever he decided to be his first real photo series to be something he was going to be passionate about.

An email from Sam would change all that.

They had met purely by accident, Steve couldn't shake the military schedule or the military work out, apparently Sam couldn't either, a run is what brought them together. Sam led a few military support groups, not everyone in them had been diagnosed with PTSD but that didn't matter everyone deserved to be able to talk about their experience to people who had been through it and actually understood what it was like. Steve wasn't a regular attendee, he went on occasion, he and Sam were just friends with Sam sending update emails about the events every so often.

But this email wasn't about attending an event, it was about a job. The veteran's center where Sam worked was not associated with the VA which means they didn't have to stick to VA policy. It worked out well enough as it allowed for private events to take place including the Veteran's Day barbecue that the job in question was going to be about. Sam wanted to know if Steve would show up and take a few photos, he'd pay with both check and free food. Like most things with Steve, it was supposed to be something simple and he happened to turn it into something complex.

It had never occurred to Steve to do a portrait series featuring veteran's and the truth of what joining the military was really like. Steve had known many a soldier who had a great experience and talked highly about enlisting but he also knew soldiers who had suffered greatly coming out of war with loss of limbs, loss of faith, and more than he would have liked, loss of life. So that's what was arranged, Steve would take pictures of the actual event for a few hours and those who wished to be a part of his photo series could head to a room Sam would free up in the veteran's center that way Steve could create a makeshift studio.

You had never served, had never wanted to. You'd had family and family friends that were veterans but you knew what the consequences were. And rather than going off to join the great military cog machine, you put your talents elsewhere while still finding a way to help. 

Dogs seemed to love you and you loved them. Having grown up around dogs it seemed only natural that you would end up working at an animal shelter. After a few friends had been assigned PTSD support dogs you broached the idea of a training program with the shelter managers. It wasn't necessarily well received. There was already a tremendous amount of effort put in just to rescuing and housing dogs, more time and money thrown in to a program that wouldn't provide much in terms of added profit for the shelter wasn't deemed a well enough investment. So you quit and started your own company specifically designed for providing veteran's with service dogs for any number of needs.

It took a length of time to get up off the ground. Business permits and licenses and other expenses had to be taken care of before you could even begin bringing dogs in. You searched for some time to partner with a veteran's center. All VA facilities seemed to not want to take the risk of a new business, Sam Wilson was the only person who had ever said yes. And that yes had made all the difference.

The click of a camera alerted you to the fact that you were being watched. Still setting up you paid no attention as Sam had informed you there would be a photographer on the premises. Unloading dogs and putting them in the fenced in area was your priority. Steve's priority was to take photographs of the event although he couldn't help but ask a few questions.

"What is all this" he called, taking a few more photographs.

"Service dogs, or potential ones at least."

"Potential as in they aren't trained yet or…" he stopped, knowing you would be able to finish what he was asking.

You turned to face them after filling up a few water bowls, "Potential meaning they're all here today to find someone to adopt them. That's putting it simply at least. What are you here for?"

Steve raised his camera.

"Yeah and, what are you here for?"

"Sam asked me too. I guess he knows that I want something better than just sending photos off for other people to use. You've heard probably, that I'm here to start a series?"

"If you want me to be a part of it I think you've got the wrong person. Not a vet, just helping them out."

Steve nodded, turning away and letting you get back to work. He wandered the venue for a few hours taking pictures, talking to those in attendance. Those who came to the studio wrote out their stories and signed waivers giving him permission to use the photos freely. He of course explained that he'd only be putting them up in galleries if he was able to. He had no intention of exploiting anyone's story. It was art, that's what it was, that's how it would be treated. 

Sam grabbed Steve when the event was winding down, bringing him out to eat the last of the food and to meet some more people. Steve was caught staring at you and was teased by Sam. There was something about you that intrigued Steve, he couldn't put a finger on it. Clearly with all that you were doing working to help with service dogs there was a great kindness within you. Although that wasn't the only thing that seemed to draw him to you. He was pushed to go and speak with you once again.

"How'd the pictures come out?" you questioned.

"Pretty good I think. I'll do some touching up but nothing major. How'd the whole service dog thing go"

"Well enough. Had some interested in adopting but we train the dogs after finding the owner that they all connect with. Hopefully we still get contacted about some of the dogs after today."

"You know I could take portrait shots of the dogs for your website if you have one."

"How much?"

"I think what you're doing is for a good cause. So, for free."

"Nothing's ever really for free"

"Sam said to ask you to dinner. If you must insist on paying then I guess if you wanted to?"

"Sam said that?"

"Maybe not in so many words but he insinuated it. It's fine if you don't want to I completely understand. I'll do the dog photos still no matter what."

"You don't do this often do you?"

"Ask people out. Nearly never. And in all seriousness, is it working?

#locke writes #disneyquotechallenge #marvel #steve rogers #steve rogers imagine #marvel imagine #steve rogers fic #marvel fic #steve rogers fanfic #marvel fanfic #steve rogers oneshot #marvel oneshot

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Wednesday 26th September 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  “Hump Day” the middle of the week, seems like only a couple of days ago the week started…  Please share as I am still Blocked/Restricted…..  Well high winds greeted Bella and I this morning as we set out on our constitutional walk.. for the first time in a long time I thought I should be wearing a jacket as the wind was cool blowing from the North West rather than the normal South East, leaves and detritus swirled down the alleys and side streets of the town and the waves could be heard breaking on the nearby beach while sand in clouds blew out to sea… quite spectacular at 4.30am ..Walk completed, good to be back in the comfort of home, so let’s take a look at what the world has to offer us today…

MAINE RESTAURANT SEDATES LOBSTERS WITH MARIJUANA…. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that lobsters are able to feel pain when boiled. A US restaurant is using marijuana to sedate lobsters before killing them. Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound, a restaurant in Maine, says the process is more humane as it lessens their pain before death. Lobsters are often cooked by being dropped into a pot of boiling water, seen as cruel by some. There is growing evidence the crustaceans feel pain. Customers at the restaurant can choose whether they want the marijuana-sedated lobster or not. A growing body of scientific findings suggest that not only lobsters but other invertebrates, such as crayfish and crabs, are able to feel pain. In January, Switzerland decided that lobsters must be stunned before boiling. The owner of Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound, Charlotte Gill, says eating the sedated lobster will not make customers high and using marijuana leads to better quality meat, as the animal is more relaxed when it dies. "If we're going to take a life we have a responsibility to do it as humanely as possible," Ms Gill told local newspaper Mount Desert Islander. "The difference it makes within the meat itself is unbelievable." Marijuana is legal in Maine and Ms Gill has a license to grow and supply it for medical purposes. Marijuana laws in the US vary from state to state. Nine states and Washington DC have legalised the drug.

ACLU FILES GENDER DISCRIMINATION CHARGES AGAINST FACEBOOK…. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the social network of allowing recruiters to target job ads according to gender. The complaint, which also cites 10 other companies, says Facebook allowed advertisers to exclude potential female and non-binary applicants from seeing job ads for typically male-dominated positions, such as auto repair and moving services. Facebook, which has previously been rebuked for allowing advertisers to exclude users based on ethnicity and disability, pledged to remove 5,000 ad-targeting options in August.

'POP UP LIFEBOAT' MADE IN WALES IS SAVING LIVES IN JAPAN…. A pop up lifeboat made in Wales has been saving lives on the other side of the world. Created by Robin Jenkins, the Atlantic Pacific Lifeboat in a Box was built by UWC Atlantic College students. The organisation identifies places with high drowning rates and supplies rescue boats, mobile lifeboat stations and volunteer crews. "It's an unlikely but ingenious solution to a global problem," Mr Jenkins said. The first Atlantic Pacific Lifeboat in a Box was sent to Kamaishi, Japan, in August 2015. The lifeboat called Hahn 001, and now renamed Wales Go, was designed and constructed by UWC (United World College) students in the Vale of Glamorgan, as part of their International Baccalaureate Diploma. It is a self-contained unit which can be delivered to any location in the world to operate immediately as a lifeboat station. Inside is a bespoke lifeboat, a workshop for maintaining and fixing the lifeboat and a crew room, where crew can change and shelter from the weather. Every Lifeboat in a Box is specifically designed for the community that will receive it. Jack Kenny, who is studying at the college, said he hoped to go on to work as part of the rescue crew from Atlantic Pacific, having worked with them for the last year. "[Last year, we did one of three tasks including design and construction of the boats, the shipping container station, or the research and development of future AP sites," he said. "We utilised a mould of a pre-existing boat and as we progressed, we identified ways in which we could make the boat better, more efficient, and more practical in the tasks it needed to complete." Mr Jenkins set up the organisation following the 2011 tsunami in Japan. "This is a project that we hope to grow around the world, delivering containers and training to areas that are most vulnerable to disaster, so that when the unbearable strikes, there is something to help. "Lifeboat in a Box is an unlikely but ingenious solution to a global problem, providing crucial facilities for communities to rescue, not only tsunami survivors but also anyone in trouble at sea."

SCIENTISTS FIND EVIDENCE OF FOUR PERSONALITY TYPES…. A Northwestern University study involving 1.5 million survey responses suggests people fall into one of four “personality clusters” — average, reserved, self-centered and role model. Those archetypes are based on specific combinations of five character traits: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Researchers say most people are “average,” meaning they’re fairly agreeable and extroverted, though they also admit not everyone fits neatly into one category and that traits develop with age. The scope of the study has won over many scientists who had previously been skeptical of personality tests.

AUSTRALIA STRAWBERRY SCARE: WOOLWORTHS HALTS SEWING NEEDLE SALES….  Australian supermarket giant Woolworths has temporarily removed sewing needles from its shelves as the country faces a strawberry safety scare. Last week, Australians were warned to cut fresh strawberries before biting into them after several people found sewing needles hidden inside the fruit. Several strawberry brands have been pulled from stores across the country. A country-wide investigation into the scare has since been launched amid growing public alarm. The government has also said it will introduce stricter criminal penalties for anyone found to have been tampering with food. Strawberries Australia Inc, the country's largest industry body for strawberry growers, declined to comment on the move by Woolworths. But many of Australia's strawberry farmers remain frustrated and angry at what they say has been a huge overreaction to the scandal. Woolworths said the safety of its customers was its top priority and that pulling sewing needles from its shelves was a safety measure. "We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores across the country," the supermarket told the BBC, but did not say how long the move would last. Sydney-based brand expert Paul Nelson said Woolworths' action could be seen as something of a "knee jerk reaction" to the crisis. They could be "trying to do their bit" to support farmers struggling with the fallout by taking needles of the shelves, he said, but "cynically, you could also argue they want to be a part of the conversation and want to appear to be assisting".

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are illuminating the page…

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 26th September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Spain #Tulips #Bella #Coffee

[0blivion-laughs]

RAY CAESAR

Many call Ray Caesar the Godfather of Digital Art, and his process is completely digital from its beginning through the printing stage. Though he is certainly seminal in his oeuvre, it is his fantastically disturbing content that has made him a cult favorite, from collectors like Madonna and Elton John to the population at large who not only know of his heartache, but embrace it. Caesar frequently talks of suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Combine this with his time working in Art and Photography Department of The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto and you are faced with a sea of controversial imagery.

“When you grow up in a dark place filled with fear and pain and cruelty, there is a tendency to find hidden places of pleasure and beauty within that world of the night,” mentions the artist. “I have always thought that the greater potential for evil and darkness that there is an even greater potential for good and light. There is a natural inner drive within the human mind to find balance in any situation and find ways of coping in a sea of turbulence. We are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for and when our conscious mind cannot handle something overwhelming in the darkness of the real world, our subconscious becomes very creative and takes its own path into an inner light. For me art is an expression of living in that duality and a visual voice to express fear and rage and sadness… and hope and calm and ultimately, love.”

SALAD DAYS

I was born in London, England in 1958, the youngest of four and much to my parent’s surprise, I was born a dog. This unfortunate turn of events was soon accepted within my family and was never again mentioned in the presence of polite company.

I was a rambunctious youth as was natural to my breed but showed a fine interest in the arts as I drew pictures incessantly on anything including the walls and floors of every room of our tiny house. After some trouble with intolerant neighbors, my family was convinced to move to Canada and it was not long before the burgeoning town of Toronto became our new home. Unfortunately the drawing continued to become somewhat atypical and aberrant and it was  impressed upon me that such images might not be suitable for public viewing. In the summer of 69, there was a valiant attempt to stop me from doodling infamous contemptible fascist dictators upside down on my stomach with a ballpoint pen. I was consoled however by the encouragement to continue penciling in faces of flamboyant cowboys such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger and Tonto on my toenails but was expressly forbidden to talk to them at night. It can be said that there are defining moments in a dogs life that can only be described as pivotal. Mine came when I received a gift of a flesh toned 12 inch plastic movable human doll attired in cheaply made military fatigues called “GI Joseph”. I however named him “Stanley Mulver” and immediately resigned his commission from the light infantry. My Mother helped in this by sewing small business suits and leisure wear out of leftover Christmas fabric embroidered with holly and snowmen, tinfoil shoes and one tasteful Safari suit made of tight fitting powder blue rayon that proudly shone cobalt in the summer sunlight. It wasn’t long before I had begun making enlarged wigs out of gray plasticine. These wigs soon became huge pompadours for Stanley and looked even more grand when I meticulously imbedded small hairs from my daily body and face shavings. This hirsute practice along with walking upright allowed me to fit in with other children even though my father considered it a waste of time. In short, Stanley had become a visage of the Man I could never be, of that elusive self one sometimes glimpses down the tunnel of infinite reflected mirrors. Although ridiculed by my peers, I proudly wore Stanley around my neck at all times as if to say “SEE! This is the man I will be, a good man, a kind man”. I have worked in many fields over the years, attended obedience classes and art colleges, jobs designing horrible buildings in architectural studios, medical art facilities, digital service bureaus, suspicious casino computer game companies, eventually working at computer modeling, digital animation and visual effects for television and film. Some award nominations have been attained and I have been driven in long black liquor filled limousines and walked on hind legs down red carpets in Pasadena while wearing strange smelling rented tuxedos. Things change and summer years come to an end. My change occurred one night when my Mother visited me, which was slightly unusual because she had passed away some months before, a victim to the cigarette habit she could never quite lick. Facing a wall and slowly turning I saw the right side of her face ablaze in light, her hand trying to cover the light as if she were apologetic for having it seep through. Words were said about following rabbits down holes and I was shown galleries of work which were to be my own. My Mother was not the first visitation I have had and it seems she will not be the last. I live in a brick house with my wonderful wife Jane and a coyote called Bonnie. I like eating avocados and I don’t really mind being a dog.

THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN For 17 years I worked in the Art and Photography Department of The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto from 1980 until 1997. I worked in a department that documented such things as child abuse, surgical reconstruction, psychology and animal research. They were years that I will never forget, years of witnessing great sadness but also great miracles. I often awake in the middle of the night and realize I have been wondering the hallways and corridors of that giant hospital. As I lay there in the dark, I struggle to remember the fading words of those that still haunt my memories of so many years ago. It is so clear to me that this is the birthplace of all my imagery. It is appropriate that I now live my dreams for those that didn’t get a chance to live theirs…. to do otherwise would be a sin.

Much of my work at the hospital was tedious and boring in that I produced tremendous amounts of statistical data before the advent of computers  and dealt with a lot of sensitive photographic material and work for publication. Another part of my job was overwhelming in that at any given moment I could typically find myself hovering over a tiny premature infant covered with tons of equipment. I would have to sift through the equipment to make a technical diagram, a teaching tool to allow intensive care nurses to have some idea of all that tangle of machinery that kept that tiny infant alive. Other times I would have to draw a similar thing of some poor animal in the research dept that had the misfortune of being a lab animal. To this day I have developed a profound love for animals that is very important to me. On a few occasions I dealt with forensic material for the court or sensitive medical documentation that would for me be overwhelming. I worked on board games and flash cards for brain damaged children and some of the early computer animations of the cryogenic removal of a brain tumors. Teaching hospitals are like tiny cities and whenever you think you have seen it all, reality slaps you in the face and shows you something that makes you re-evaluate everything. I learned in my life that human hands can be cruel and unkind but more often they can perform heart surgery or write a check to build a new wing of a hospital or just simply brush away a child’s tear.” Miracles do exist but they are often the product of our own actions and the incredible work of of the unsung heroes that care for children.

MY PROCESS

I create models in a three dimensional modeling software called Maya and cover these models with painted and manipulated photographic textures that wrap around them like a map on a globe. Each model is then set up with a invisible skeleton that allows me to pose and position the figure in its three dimensional environment. Digital lights and cameras are added with shadows and reflections simulating that of a real world.First the models are sculpted similar to pushing and pulling the surface of a piece of clay. I am often reminded of being in preschool with my huge chunk of Plasticine. I once modeled a Plasticine shoe but my father forbade me to wear it in public. I then create an inner structure of joints similar to a skeleton that allows me to pose the figure with a spine, shoulders, elbows and even finger joints. Many heads are modeled with many a different expression and these can be blended to create a subtle look similar to the one my wife has when I have done something suspicious.I color the models first in a very simple way, then each surface in the model is wrapped with a texture that may be painted digitally such as a flower petal or from a digital photograph such as a wood surface. I collect textures the way some people collect little silver spoons and I have a story about each texture in my collection such as the one about my father’s hip operation scar or the picture I convinced my gastroenterologist to give me of the inside of my colon. My favorite textures to collect are skin textures, as I have a legitimate excuse to ask people to expose large areas of bare skin.As my work is printed I am often asked about my original, but it exists only in the computer in a dimensional world of depth, width and height. I am fascinated by the concept that this 3 dimensional space exists much as another reality and even though I turn the computer off, I am haunted by the fact that this space is still there existing in a mathematical probability, and the space that we live in now might not be all that different.

[travelingtheusa]

FLORIDA

2021 Feb 23 (Tue) – We went out for lunch today to Micanopy. It was a small, historic town with lots of antique shops.  We wanted to eat at a restaurant but it was closed so we went next door to Coffee & Cream where we enjoyed chicken salad sandwiches with rice and beans. After lunch, we walked up and down the main street wandering in some of the shops and reading the historic plaques describing the history of the town.  

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped at the post office to mail off some items and at a convenience store to pick up wine and get some lottery tickets.  Then we stopped at the Antique Emporium.  It was a large warehouse with 55 vendor shops inside.  There were so many items we used to use for sale.  There is no faster way to feel old than to walk through an antique shop and see your life’s belongings laid out and considered to be “old stuff.”

2021 Feb 22 (Mon) – We took our time closing up this morning. Bonnie and Sheba got to play outside and we chatted with Rich and Margaret for a while.  Then we packed up and left Hernando at 11:35 a.m.  The campground was just 40 miles away and we were here within an hour.  Ocala North RV Park is a very nice, very clean facility.  It is large and there were workers putting in new lights, a shuffle board, and a bocce ball court.  They are getting ready for a luau in two days.  The clerk who checked us in said the owner bought the rundown campground two years ago and has been working on renovating it.  He’s done an excellent job.

 2021 Feb 21 (Sun) – We all drove over to Matt & Michele’s today.  They were hosting a drone speed course event for their local club.  It was amazing to watch these little things zip around the yard, sounding like a bunch of angry bees.  We could watch the drones fly around the course and watch the TV screens to see what the pilots were seeing in their headsets.

     When we got back to the house, Margaret made roast beef sandwiches for us.  For dinner, she cooked baked clams and steaks.  We visited for a bit after dinner then returned to the rig to get ready for tomorrow’s move.

 2021 Feb 20 (Sat) – I did some laundry today.  Margaret was kind enough to let me use her washer and dryer. Matt & Michele came over for dinner and Margaret outdid herself, as usual.  I think she loves to cook and is glad to have people visit.  She not only made lots to eat, but packed us a take-home box.

2021 Feb 19 (Fri) – It started out cloudy, rained, then got really cool.  We had to switch to long sleeve shirts and pants as the day wore on.

     We drove to WalMart at 8 a.m. to get an oil change on the truck. There was a line of six cars in front of us waiting for service.  We checked in then went shopping where we spent almost $200 on items in the store. The damn oil change should be free considering we shopped while waiting and spent so much we would not have spent other wise.  Lol.

     We got back around 10:30 a.m. and Margaret & Rich took us to Matt & Michele’s house.  Paul and Margaret used to work with Matt at NYSDOT.  They were building their home and a drone speed course when we were here last January.  It is all finished now and everything is very nice.  The drone control center and speed course are quite the thing to see.

     We returned to the house and finished off Margaret’s egg salad. Later, we went to dinner at Crump’s Landing in Homasossa.  It had a large grass covered roof over a seated patio area.  There were plastic panels pinned in around the sides to keep it warm along with large gas heaters.  It was very nice and the food was good.  After dinner, Rich drove us over to Monkey Island.  It is a small island in the middle of the Homosassa River where a troupe of monkeys lives.  It was too dark to see anything but there is a house and a replica lighthouse on the island that is little more than a mound of dirt in the middle of the river. Guess the monkeys were asleep because we didn’t see any.  It was too dark anyway.

 2021 Feb 18 (Thu) – We packed up and left Tampa at 10:30 a.m. It was a little more than two hours to Hernando where we are staying in the driveway of friends, Margaret & Rich. We were here last January where we celebrated the New Year with them.  Margaret was waiting for our arrival with egg salad sandwiches.  We visited for a couple of hours.  Later, she made sausage and peppers heroes for dinner.

 2021 Feb 17 (Wed) – I went back to ENT doctor today.  First I had a hearing test with the audiologist then a follow-up with the ENT doctor.  I was told I have hearing loss in both ears and should go back to the VA for a re-evaluation on the hearing aids.  The doctor prescribed prednisone for 6 days and a Flonase.  Both are intended to reduce swelling and allow the fluid behind my ear to be reabsorbed.

    After the doctor, we dropped the prescription off to CVS then went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant.  After a stop at U-Haul for propane, we went back to CVS to pick up my prescriptions.

 2021 Feb 16 (Tue) – Johnny & Linda and Rick & Brenda came over for a barbecue.  It was chilly with an overcast sky and cool wind blowing.  At least it didn’t rain.  We had burgers, baked beans, potato salad, tossed salad and a chocolate cake to celebrate Brenda’s birthday.  We visited for almost 4 hours.  It was very enjoyable.  After they left, we took down the town and cleaned up.

 2021 Feb 15 (Mon) – I went to the ENT doctor today.  He wanted to follow up and see how my ear was doing after using the drops.  While the pain is gone, my ear still feels stuffed up.  The doctor believes that I have fluid behind my ear.  He asked me to come back for a hearing test.

     After the doctor, we stopped at Bonefish Grill for lunch.  The Bang Bang Shrimp is good every time! Then we stopped at Publix to pick up some groceries.  When we got back to the campground, Paul set up the covered tent for tomorrow’s barbecue.

2021 Feb 14 (Sun – Valentine’s Day) – We went to the Hard Rock Café & Casino for lunch.  Thought we’d enjoy a meal and a little gambling.  What an UNenjoyable experience!  The place is huge with several parking garages surrounding the main casino. We walked deep into the building before we found the café.  The food was OK but very expensive - $101!  After lunch, we went up to the second floor to the non-smoking lounge.  We searched for 10 and 25 cent machines.  That didn’t make any difference.  When you found a 25 cent machine, you had to bet a minimum of 30 credits – each credit being equal to 25 cents.  We both put $20 in a machine and after just 3 or 4 pushes of the button, we were broke.  It is nice when you can find a machine to play that will last a little while. After all, you look for entertainment for a while.  I don’t mind losing my money if the machine lets me play for an hour or so.  

     So, we went back down to the first floor and stopped in at a lounge for a cocktail and just enjoy the ambiance of the place.  We walked up to the plastic shield and waited for service. Two bartenders were making drinks and even though they came by us to get bottles off the shelf, no one said anything to us.  The bar was oval shaped and they were waiting on people on the other side of the bar. After about ten minutes, we spotted a waitress.  Paul asked if we could get service at a table.  She said yes so we sat at a small table and ordered our drinks.  I asked for a double shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream and Paul had a shot of 43.  My drink wasn’t more than an ounce.  In fact, I questioned her as to whether it was even a double as it looked like so little. The charge for my drink was $22. We left the casino feeling ripped off and very unsatisfied with our experience.  Sad.

2021 Feb 13 (Sat) – A fierce thunderstorm rolled through last night. The campground is full of puddles and squishy grass.  It rained off and on all day today.  There are more thunderstorms on the way over the next two or three days.

     At 11:30, we wandered over to the livestock barn to see what was going on with the little piggies. They were having some kind of contest.  A group of ten kids with pigs entered the ring. Each one had a long, thin switch that they used to continuously smack the pig on the right side of the face. Apparently, that is how they control the pig; with the switch and a stiff brush in their other hand.  It looked like a confusing melee to me.  The pigs walked all over the place and the kids followed, switching them in the face while trying to maintain eye contact with the judge.  A judge watched and selected two or three contestants.  They left the arena and entered cages on the side.  The rest of the contestants were dismissed and the selectees came back out, fist bumped the judge, then left, too.  Then, the next group of ten entered the ring.  We watched for about a half hour.  The animals were beautiful – strong, healthy looking beasts with ears that stood straight up and an energy to their trot. Some pigs were pink but more were other colors – chocolate brown, black with a pink band around their center, black with pink spots or pink with black splotches.   It must be more difficult than it looks.

 2021 Feb 12 (Fri) – We met Brenda & Rick for lunch at Portillo’s. The restaurant is famous in Chicago for its hot dogs and chocolate cake.  We sat outside and visited for almost two hours.  It was fun.

     Next door was a Walgreens.  After lunch, Paul and I went to find cards for our grandsons.  We addressed them, put in a few candy hearts, and mailed them off.

 2021 Feb 11 (Thu) – We went to Cracker Barrel for lunch.  We were appalled to see many tables with the dishes still sitting on them after diners have left.  The service was very slow.  We watched the hostess come in, haphazardly wipe off a table and then seat a couple there.  She definitely is not COVID protective.

     After lunch, we went to Lazydays which was right next door to the restaurant.  After buying a few supplies, we met with a salesman who took us to look at several rigs. We found two we liked and when we returned to the office, he worked hard to get us to buy one of the RVs.  He even brought in the boss to talk to us. Fortunately, he saw we weren’t looking to buy right now so he just chatted amiably with us then left. Good.  I didn’t feel like going through a high pressure sales pitch.  They offered to give us a trade in of $32,000 on our current rig.

     Campers are starting to come into the campground.  There will be a Swine Festival this weekend for the local kids club.

2021 Feb 10 (Wed) – Paul tested the charge on several stanchions and found high voltage running through the line.  I called the office and they sent an electrician over.  He said they have a fair coming up and run a higher voltage over the line.  With lots of people drawing power, it causes the voltage to drop.  Since we are the only camper here, the voltage is too high and they can’t reduce it.  It should be running around 128 but it’s over 133 and tripping the surge protector (which we thought was broken but was really doing its job).  So, we packed up and moved to the other side of the campground where they are not setting up for the fair.  The voltage seems to be OK over here.  There’s one other camper in this area.

     After the set up, we drove to MacDill Air Force Base.  We have tried to get reservations on that base a couple of times but they were always full.  They have over 400 spaces in their campground.  It was full and the sites were very close to each other.  We were just as glad we didn’t get in.  

     We then stopped at the commissary and picked up some groceries, then walked next door to the Class VI Package Store and picked up some wine.  

 2021 Feb 9 (Tue) – We drove to a laundromat to do some wash. They had a value card system in place. You have to put money on a card and put that into the washer and dryer.  It is a confusing system but we managed.  For two washers and two dryers, we spent $12.70.  That was high.

     While the clothes were doing their thing, we went to WalMart and picked up oil and DEF for the truck.  Paul asked about having an oil change done but the clerk said they didn’t have a lift big enough to fit the truck.  He told us to go to the WalMart in Valrico.

     We had lunch at Duke’s Brewhouse.  It was a relatively new place (as an evaluator said on Trip Advisor) but was not crowded.  The walls were covered with big screen TVs playing every kind of sports.  The Tamp Bay Buccaneers are big news after their win at the Superbowl this past weekend.  I had a Greek flatbread and Paul had a Caesar wrap.  The food was OK.

    The electric breaker kicked off twice.  Our surge protector usually takes two minutes to bring the electric back on.  It did it the first time but not the second.  Paul thinks the surge protector has bit the dust.  It is almost four years old.  That’s an awful short life.  Add to that the Jetpack that keeps giving us problems in accessing the Internet.  Ugh.

 2021 Feb 8 (Mon) – I found an ENT doctor and went to see him this morning.  He said I have a bacterial infection in my ear and prescribed ear drops.  He said to stop the Amoxicillin that the urgent care doctor prescribed.  I am supposed to go back to see the ENT doctor in a week.

     We then went to Smokey Bones for lunch.  The ribs were delicious!  Then I ran into CVS (which happened to be in a Target store) to get the ear drops.  I spent a good part of the day cancelling reservations and appointments back in New York. I was supposed to fly out today.

2021 Feb 7 (Sun) – We packed up and left Sarasota at 10 a.m. It was an hour and a half drive to the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.  Sometimes I have to wonder about our timing.  The Superbowl is being played in Tampa tonight.  We always seem to arrive somewhere where something amazing or very big is going on – like a presidential rally or a big concert.

      When we arrived, we discovered we didn’t have an assigned site. The saleslady had acknowledged our reservation and promised to send us information before we arrived.  She didn’t do that.  The guard called someone who told them to just point us to the camping area and to pick a spot.  That’s what we did.  There are two RVs camped along the fence next to the interstate.  Having camped near the interstate before, we knew it would be too loud with the 24/7 traffic.  So we found a site on the other side of the field as far away from the road as we could get.

     After set up, we went out to get some lunch.  We were also going to do some laundry but my ear was hurting very badly.  I got a message from Southwest that I had to have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of arriving in NY.  On top of that, New York is getting another snowstorm today and another is scheduled for Thursday, all on top of a snowstorm they had a few days ago.  I decided to cancel my trip until I could get my ear repaired.  Maybe the COVID test will not be a requirement in another month with the vaccine out there.  We’ll see.

     My sister gave me a homeopathic treatment for my ear so we went to Sprouts Market where I picked up some ear drops.  It did help to alleviate some of the pressure in my ear.

 2021 Feb 6 (Sat) – We stayed in the trailer all day except to walk the dog.  The wind was blowing briskly but it was more balmy than cold.  Paul dumped the tanks this evening in readiness for our move tomorrow.

 2021 Feb 5 (Fri) – It was cool today.  Had to wear long pants, socks, and a jacket in the morning.  We ran several errands around town.  We went to Millie’s Restaurant for lunch.  It was a delightful little café decorated with a French motif.  I told Paul that I would like that wallpaper in our next house, wherever we settle down. Next stop was at Petco to pick up dry food for Bonnie.  In the same shopping center was a Total Wine where we picked up some wine, a cordial, and a margarita mix.  We stopped in a mall to look for sweat pants and jeans for me.  It was about 3/4s empty.  I guess COVID killed most of the stores.  There was a JC Penney’s where I found a pair of soft slacks, not sweats nor jeans.  We looked at cruise wear but decided to wait before buying any.

     After we got home and dropped off our purchases, we ran back out to a medical clinic.  My ear has been painful for a couple of days and I am getting some blood on a Q-tip. The doctor thinks I might have ruptured the ear drum and recommended that I see an ENT doctor.  She prescribed an antibiotic.  I think she should have cleaned the ear out with a topical antiseptic but she refused to do it.  I called back home to my cancer doctor to be sure there was no problem with an interaction with my chemo medication.  I stopped taking it yesterday.  A nurse called back and said there would be no problem with the two medications.

     When we got back, we fed the animals then went into the lodge for dinner and drinks. I still had my free drink to claim from the Queen of Hearts drawing.  The bar was full and service was very slow but we finally got our meal.  The Exalted Ruler came over to chat with us and Paul met a couple of people who were from4rrrr our hometown.  One man came over to sit with us and reminisce about the old town.

2021 Feb 4 (Thu) – I called my brother, Gregory, and made arrangements for dinner.  We met them at Longhorn Restaurant.  The meal was delicious!  Afterward, we went to Greg’s house to visit with him and Potsy for a while.  He had us laughing with his stories of doctors, nail guns, and children.  I love his sense of humor.

 2021 Feb 3 (Wed) – We pulled up stakes and drove 120 miles northwest to Sarasota.  We are camped on the side of an Elks Lodge.  There are 3 campers hooked up.  We got the only 50 amp site. We parked so another camper can fit between us and the motorcoach next to us.  The RV is due to come in tomorrow.

     We went out to pick up groceries and dog food, drop off postcards for mailing, and refuel.  We stopped at the Bayan Tree Chocolate & Café for lunch.  They had a display case with specialty chocolates right when you walked in.  We sat and ordered off the menu.  I got a quiche and Paul had a sandwich.  We took home chocolate chili for dinner.  It did not taste as good as it sounded.

     At 5 p.m. we went to the outdoor Tiki Bar behind our trailer for a drink.  Several people were in there with heaters and a fireplace all blazing away.  It was cold and everyone was in jackets.  We then went into the lodge to pay for our site. We sat at the bar and had a drink. It was Queen of Hearts night so we bought tickets for that as well as the 50-50 drawing.  I won a free drink.  We paid the bartender for our 4-night stay.

 2021 Feb 2 (Tue) – We drove the Loop Road this morning.  It was pretty cool.  It is a 40 mile road that loops through the Big Cypress National Preserve.  About 12 miles of it is hard packed gravel (unpaved).  It was in pretty good condition with few potholes.  It was a narrow, 2-lane road that wound through the Everglades. There were cypress trees and bushes lining both sides of the road and lots of water on either side.  We spotted 3 alligators and several egrets.

      When we came out on the main road, we drove to Everglades City to take an airboat ride.  We were an hour early, so we stopped at a deli on the Miccosukee Indian Reservation for lunch.  We bought a meatball hero, a bag of chips, and an iced tea.  We sat in the car and split the meal between us.  At 1 p.m. we drove to the meeting spot.  It was an entrance into the canal with no office building. Two airboats were sitting there, waiting for customers.  Our guide came over, introduced himself (CPT Ryan), and gave us paperwork to sign absolving them of all liability if we got hurt.  It was only the guide and the two of us on the boat.  We wore headsets so we could hear him speaking over the drone of the engine.  He drove us through the Everglades for better than an hour and a half regaling us with stories of his childhood and descriptions of the area with its wildlife, fauna, and flora.  We saw gators, great blue herons, egrets, vultures, and turtles.  It seemed like we went deep into the wild and untamed wilderness.  The water was so clean and pure looking.  Not at all what you would expect a swamp to be like.  We saw a couple of alligators and many kinds of birds and even a turtle.  I was hoping to catch sight of a python but our guide said they were hard to spot – usually only when a bird or gator has caught one.  What a great experience!

 2021 Feb 1 (Mon) – We packed up and headed out at 9:30 a.m.  It was 110 miles to the Big Cypress National Preserve where we are camped in the Midway Campground.  There are 32 campsites arranged around the perimeter of a large pond.  We have electric hookup only.  We dumped our tanks and filled the fresh water tank before pulling into our assigned site.  The camp host met us at the entrance, ran through a litany of rules, and wished us well. He warned us to beware of the wildlife. When I asked him what kind of wildlife they have here in the park, he said “Everything!”  Does he think they have a zoo in here?

     After set up and a quick lunch, we headed out to the visitor center. It was very small.  We watched a video about the ecosystem but it failed to explain how it all works together.  Outside the center was a wooden walkway that ran along a canal. There were many alligators in the water as well as different kinds of fish.  It was quite thrilling.

     We then drove to Everglades City.  It looked like it has been pretty much beat up over the years.  Almost all of the buildings were raised 10 or more feet off the ground.  Is that for storm surge or wildlife avoidance?  The city is laid out in a large grid.  The houses have large yards; they might each be on one or two acres apiece. The local museum was closed.  We stopped in a very old store-turned-museum and wandered around all the old stuff.  They had interesting signs up describing how various equipment/furniture/ appliances were used.  The Smallwood Store was built in 1906 on Chokoloskee Island.

     My hair is going through another kind of metamorphosis.  It seems to be losing its curl and is more coarse. I guess the change in chemo strength is doing something.  I made reservations for a flight back home next month for a PET Scan and checkup.  I am not looking forward to going back to New York in February.  It’s cold! And with the damn virus, they might make me take a COVID test.  Keep your fingers crossed I don’t have to do that.  I won’t go back then if they try to make me take that thing.  It is too painful.

2021 Jan 31 (Sun) – We went into the Elks lodge for brunch at 11:30 a.m.  The food was very good.  At 5:30 p.m. we drove to Marathon to meet Tim at the Sunset Grill.  We had dinner and watched the sun set. There were clouds in the sky so we did not get much color.  A gentleman sitting next to me got a very interesting looking appetizer. I asked him what it was and he said it was cheesecake spring rolls.  I asked him many questions about it.  What was that name again?  Did the waiter recommend it?  It is sweet or tart?  Is it supposed to be a dessert?  He said it was delicious and he couldn’t taste any cream cheese at all.  We finally got our hands on a menu and looked up the appetizer, hoping to find out what ingredients could be put into a cheesecake spring roll that would erase all taste of cream cheese.  What a laugh we had!!!  There was a cheesesteak spring roll on the menu.  The bar was crowded, he had misheard the waiter, and he never bothered to check it out on the menu.  We had quite a chuckle all night long as we ordered and ate our “cheesecake” spring rolls.

     There are the nastiest gnats around here.  Their bites sting and just keep itching.  Our legs and arms are covered with these small red blotches that won’t stop itching.  Ugh. Well, we have checked off the Florida Keys from our bucket list.  Time to move on.

2021 Jan 30 (Sat) – We had planned to take a glass bottom boat tour in Key Largo with Tim today.  He called to say that the weather for the day was bad for boat rides.  The wind is blowing pretty hard which would give us a rough ride.  So we cancelled that plan and arranged to meet Tim at Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada.  Every time we drive down the road, the marina is packed.  Apparently, they have lots of activities going on there and we wanted to see what they have. 

      We got there at 11:30 a.m.  There was a storyboard that told the story of Scarface.  The owner found a tarpon with its jaw badly torn and hanging.  He called a friend who sewed the jaw back in place.  The owner nursed the fish back to health and after six months, released it back into the wild.  Apparently, it liked the treatment because it continued to hang around the marina.  In addition, it brought friends back for handouts, too.  Today, you can pay $2.25 to walk out on the dock to look at the tarpons gathered around and you can buy a bucket of food for $4.00 to feed them.  The dock was crowded with people and pelicans looking to sample the food.  We skipped the melee and had lunch on the patio.  The margarita was terrible.  We told the waitress that and she brought another drink.  It was a little better but still not good.  The food was not that good either.

      Tim’s friend, Jimmy, joined us.  He and Tim met back up in New York working on the casino boat that went out of Freeport.  They have both moved down here to Florida.  Jimmy works for a pool company.  He was pretty funny.  Interestingly, Tim is talking about getting an RV.

      It was cloudy, windy, and cool all day long.  We went on to the patio at the Elks lodge at 6 p.m. to watch the sunset.  We were sure that with all the clouds, the sunset would be fantastic.  Unfortunately, the clouds were too thick and too low on the horizon.  There were no beautiful colors to see.  A couple sitting at a nearby table live next door to the lodge and came over to watch the sunset, too.  They peppered us with questions about RVs.  They were dressed in winter jackets, gloves and hats.  Guess they thought it was cold.

2021 Jan 29 (Fri) – We met Tim at the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center.  It is located on the property of the Islander Resort in their convention center.  It was small but interesting.  Tim and I got in free because we were veterans.  Paul got the senior rate.

      After the center, we went across the street to Lorelei for lunch.  We found a table in the sun out on the patio and enjoyed a delightful meal together.  After lunch, Paul and I stopped at Publix to pick up a few things.  We also stopped at the post office where I mailed off our passport renewals.  Let’s see how long it takes to get the new passports.

      Our mail arrived this afternoon.  I asked to have our mail forwarded 2 days ago.  UPS marked it as a 3 day shipment but it arrived in 2 days.  Unfortunately, the package was marked as one of two packages.  The tracking number for the second package says it is scheduled to arrive here at the Elks Lodge on Tuesday.  We leave on Monday.  The UPS driver said they could forward it to us.  Just leave the forwarding address with the camp host here.

      A cold front came in today.  The temperature dropped to a low of 59 degrees.  Lol.  The Floridians brought out their parkas, gloves, scarves, and hats. 

2021 Jan 28 (Thu) – We went to the laundromat this morning to wash clothes.  We sat in the truck while the clothes washed, then drove to a Mexican restaurant for lunch while they were in the dryer.

      I spent an hour putting together an annual report on finances for the SMART Nomads.  Later in the day at 4 p.m. there was a Zoom meeting with National Muster committee (I volunteered to chair the Administrative Team).  The meeting went on for about an hour. 

2021 Jan 27 (Wed) – We drove to Marathon and met Tim at his boat at 9:30 a.m.  Before we got there, we stopped at a nearby Walgreens to have passport pictures taken. He took us out on the dinghy to his dive boat then we rode out to the Sombrero Reef, the third largest reef in the world.  The water was such a beautiful green-blue color.  Tim said the water was not cold but I thought it was so I did not go in. Paul put on a weight belt and a belt to hold the breathing regulator in place.  Right after he jumped into the water with just his bathing suit, Tim promptly donned a wetsuit.  So much for the water not being cold!  Paul and Tim spent about an hour diving on the reef hookah style (as Tim calls it).  The 50’ hoses were attached to the oxygen tanks that stayed on the boat while they swam around the boat.  I looked over the sides and watched the colorful fish go crazy for crackers I threw in the water.

     After we got back, we transferred to the dinghy and rode to the Dockside Grill where we enjoyed a refreshing drink.  Then we returned to the dock and came back to the campground, stopping at Walgreens to pick up our pictures then at Winn Dixie to pick up a few groceries.

     At 6:45 p.m. we went into the Elks lodge for dinner and to play the Queen of Hearts.  The woman whose name was drawn did not choose the $900 Teaser.  She drew a card but it was not the Queen of Hearts.  So she won nothing.  Next week’s drawing will have a prize over $32,000.

 2021 Jan 26 (Tue) – We drove to the post office to make application to renew our passports.  The clerk told us to go online.  Turns out that all renewals have to be done by mail.  That means we have to go get our pictures taken somewhere.  Ugh.

     We went for breakfast at the Bitton Bistro.  Turned out to be a French café.  The owner, Michel, is from Morocco.  He was the only person working in the café and there were 3 tables taken and several people coming and going to buy pastries.  The food was good and we even bought pastries for tomorrow’s breakfast.

     We met Tim at the Crane Point Museum.  It is a 63 acre hammock.  A hammock in Florida is used in the southeastern United States for stands of trees, usually hardwood, that form an ecological island in a contrasting ecosystem.  Hammocks grow on elevated areas, often just a few inches high, surrounded by wetlands that are too wet to support them.  There were birds in a cage being cared for by rehabbers.  The group included pelicans, cormorants, owls, kestrels, egrets, herons, and an eagle.  A little further on was a pedicure pool.  People could take their shoes off and put their feet in the water. Little fish nibbled on the bottom of their feet.  Four people were sitting on the dock with their feet in the water.  They said it tickled.  We wandered through thick foliage with lots of roots sticking up in the pathway.  It was a rough hike through the trees.

     After the tour, we drove to the Overseas Pub & Grill and had lunch outside on the patio.  It had an Irish menu and I enjoyed shepherd’s pie.  Tim had corned beef stew and Paul just had a burger.

 2021 Jan 25 (Mon) – What an illuminating day it was!  We drove to Key West today.  It was 90 miles one way.  The road (US 1) passed over one island after another.  Each island is called a key and there are many keys (also called a cay).  The houses and buildings are painted in lovely pastel shades of pink, green, blue, peach, yellow and dove gray.  Some islands are very built up and others are sparse.  There are many boats and marinas along the way.  Key West was incredibly crowded.  The streets are narrow and the houses are tightly packed.  The entire place was so built up!  We had to wait on a long line just to get our picture taken at the 0 mile marker for the southernmost point in the Continental U.S. There were so many people in town and no parking that we couldn’t even tour the Truman Little White House or Hemingway’s Home.  It was very disappointing.  

     We did stop in at a Butterfly Conservancy.  That was delightful.  There were butterflies flying everywhere!  The docent told us they buy 300 egg sacks a week and release 15-30 new butterflies into the screen area every day.  There were also very colorful little birds flying around.

     We drove over to the Naval Air Station to check out the Sigsbee Campground.  Although they have almost 100 hookups, there were not many RVs camped there at all. We guess that only servicemen who are stationed at the base are allowed to camp there.  It was nice but the sites were tight.  We are just as glad that we never got in there.  

 2021 Jan 24 (Sun) – We drove to the Florida Keys History and Discovery Center in Islamorada but it was closed.  It is located in the Islander Resort and a guard at the gate told us they are only open Wednesday to Saturday.  That was disappointing.  

     We drove down the road to the Island Grill and had a meal outside on the beach.  Out table was a long table with two trees growing up through the table.  After lunch, we drove further south to Bud ‘n Mary’s Marina.  A friend of ours told us to go see the fish there.  There were loads of pelicans begging scraps from a fisherman cleaning the day’s catch.  In the water was a manatee, several very long fish (we think they were mackerel), and lots of minnows.  The water was a beautiful color.

     We stopped at the Hurricane Monument.  A carved granite marker stands on the side of the road in tribute to the people who lost their lives in a hurricane in 1935.  Next, we stopped at the History of Diving Museum.  It was a very informative place.  There were displays of deep sea diving gear, SCUBA gear, and underwater equipment.  Lots of storyboards told about the personalities that made breakthroughs in diving and contributed to the sport.  We enjoyed the museum very much.

 2021 Jan 23 (Sat) – We drove to the post office this morning to get pictures and submit paperwork to renew our passports.  We will be taking a cruise to Australia and New Zealand next year.  Following the cruise, we are planning to take a camper around Australia for 2 or 3 months. That’s when our current passports will expire.  We are renewing them now in order to avoid the possibility that our passports might expire before we get back home.  Unfortunately, the post office was closed.  So we went next door to the Made 2 Order café and had a late breakfast.

     After our meal, we drove to Islamorada to the Theater of the Sea.  It was fun.  We got on a tour that went to several stations.  First was the fish display.  There were sting rays, parrot fish, and nurse sharks in shallow pools. The guide described the fish and showed how they train the sharks.  Next to the display area was a wading pool where people could wade in the water with some of the fish.

     Next stop was at a glass enclosure that held two alligators; one female and one male.  We learned the females grow to about 6-8 feet and the males can grow up to 14 feet. Another enclosure held a crocodile where the guide explained the difference between the crocodilians.  

     After that was a stop at the turtle pools.  They had leatherbacks, loggerheads, and green sea turtles.  One turtle floated around the pool with a life vest on.  There was something wrong with its shell that prevented it from surfacing.  The vest helps it to be able to take a breath. These critters were so big!

     Then we went to 3 shows.  The first was where they had several parrots and macaws.  The emcee described the different types of exotic birds and where they come from.  Then we all went to a large pool where two dolphins performed tricks for the audience. Beside the pool were two small pools where people were swimming with the dolphins.  The place offered the opportunity to swim with dolphins, sting rays, and sharks, all for an additional fee.  The admission fee was pretty steep - $87 for the two of us and that was with a 10% discount!  After the dolphins, we went to another pool where they had sea lions perform tricks, too. And, again, there were people swimming with the sea lions in small pools near the main pool.

     The tour ended with a ride on a bottomless boat.  The boat had benches on the four sides of the boat with an opening in the center.  The two dolphins from the show came swimming by and popped up in the center of the boat and did tricks inside and on the side of the boat while we rode out and back on the lake.  The guide said the entire park is landlocked so they pump in over 11 million gallons of water every day.

     After the park, we drove to the “world famous” Lorelei Restaurant. It is a bar with a very large patio on three sides that sits right on the bay shore.  We found a table where Tim joined us.  He was meeting a friend who is in Florida on vacation.  The friend didn’t want to come to the table so he sat up in the walkway in his wheelchair watching the women go by. Joey was also there, sitting up on the walkway with a friend.  

 2021 Jan 22 (Fri) – We drove to Marathon today to see Tim and take a ride on his boat.  He actually has two boats.  One he lives on and the other is his dive boat.  He can take out groups of up to six people to dive on a nearby reef.  His son, Joey, was also there.  

     We parked the truck and got on the dive boat.  Tim drove from the dock to a nearby restaurant where we docked at the pier and had lunch on the patio.  After a couple of margaritas, we got back on the boat and rode out into the ocean.  We parked (can you park a boat?) out near the 7 mile bridge and watched the sunset. Sadly, there were no clouds in the sky so the sunset was pretty bland.  You have to have clouds in the sky in order to have a beautiful sunset or sunrise.

     We returned to the marina where Tim anchored his dive boat and we transferred to a little dinghy for a ride back to the dock.  It was tight and a little nerve racking but we did it without incident.  It was a good day.

     When we got back to the lodge, I went in and asked if they had any leftovers.  It was prime rib night and I thought I could get some of the leftover food.  It turned out they had plenty left and we wound up sitting down to dinner at 8:30 p.m.  Ugh.  That is SO late to eat a heavy meal.  We brought most of the meal back to the RV.

2021 Jan 21 (Thu) – After the motorhome next to us left, we readjusted our position in the campsite.  We fit much better now.  We have no TV stations over the air.  Paul had to put the satellite dish up on the roof but it is working fine.

     My brother, Tim, came over this morning.  We were stuck in the campground because I was waiting for UPS to deliver my medicine (I have to sign for it).  At 1 p.m. I called UPS and asked to pick up the package at their office tomorrow. The clerk I spoke with (sounding like she was in India) arranged it.  We then went out to lunch at Tower of Pizza. Tim said it is the closest thing to New York pizza outside of New York. It was OK.  

     We returned to the campground and sat down by the water.  A truck pulled up with a 100 gallon tank on the back. The driver put a hose in the water, turned on a generator, and began pumping water into the tank.  It turns out that he sells salt water to aquariums for their collections.  Who would have thought you could make a career out of that?  A UPS truck pulled up and, low and behold, my medication and our forwarded mail were both on the truck.  Luckily, we were here so I could sign for my medicine.  

     There was a beautiful sunset tonight.  Tim, who lives on his boat in Marathon (an island further south in the Keys), says the sunsets seem to go on for hours down here.  The water is incredibly clear.  We walked out on a pier they have here at the lodge.  There are little needle nose gars swimming in the water.  They blend in with the water and algae so much that it is difficult to see them.  I could not spot any dolphins or manatees.

 2021 Jan 20 (Wed) – We are in The Keys!  We packed up and left South Bay at 9 a.m. and drove 3 hours to Tavernier.  We are camped at an Elks Lodge on Overseas Highway.  The lodge is right on the water.  The Keys is on a narrow strip of land flanked by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other.  The sites are very tight.  We got into our assigned site (# 13) but we could adjust a little.     The motor home next to us will be leaving tomorrow and we will readjust our position after they leave and before the next RV gets here.

      We went into the lodge at 6 p.m. for dinner.  They had a Queens of Hearts drawing at 7:30 p.m.  That was a hoot.  The prize is over $31,000.  The reason the prize has grown so big is that they have a Teaser.  Tonight’s Teaser is $900.  If your ticket gets drawn, you get to turn a card over.  If you turn a Queen of Hearts, you win the entire pot (+$31,000). You can opt to take the Teaser ($900) and they still turn a card over.  If it’s the Queen of Hearts, you win nothing and they start a new game. Twenty-seven cards have been turned over so far.  The winner took the Teaser and the card that was turned over was a Queen of Diamonds. The game is still on.  The next drawing will be next Wednesday.

     I got a series of reservations from the Newburgh KOA for our caravan this summer.  The costs were all above our budgeted amount.  I called and spoke with the manager of the campground.  She explained that she had to just get something into the system to hold our sites.  The price adjustments will come later and not to worry.

 2021 Jan 19 (Tue) – We drove into West Palm Beach today. After a quick lunch at Zaxby’s, we took a ride on the Diva Duck boat.  There were just 8 adults and 2 children on the boat.  It was a weird sensation to go from the road into the water. The woman narrating the tour was very good and had lots of tongue-in-cheek jokes about ducks.

     After our pleasant afternoon, we stopped at PetSmart to get some dog food then Publix for a few groceries.  Paul filled up the truck and I bought lottery tickets hoping to hit the more than $800 million jackpot.  

2021 Jan 16-18 (Sat, Sun, Mon) – We stayed in the campground.  This was a holiday weekend and we were staying away from the crowds.  The folks with the chicken on a leash left today. I wanted to get a picture of it but I missed out.  Oh, well. The weather has been cool; lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s.  Hopefully, it will be warmer down in the Keys.

2021 Jan 15 (Fri) – We drove to Palm Beach today.  Palm Beach was named for the coconut groves that were once common along Lake Worth.  The only remaining coconut grove in Palm Beach is on the Flagler estate.

     First stop was at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.  What an amazing place!  Another example of the opulence of the nouveau rich of the 1800s.  Flagler’s family immigrated from Germany to New York. Flagler left home at 14 to look for his fortune.  He found it when he joined up with John D. Rockefeller and Samuel Andrews to form Standard Oil Co.  He made millions (billions in today’s money).  In 1902, he built Whitehall as a winter retreat and visited there for 12 years until he died.  His wife died 4 years later and left their estate to a niece.  She then turned it over to private investors when it became too expensive to keep and they turned the mansion into a grand hotel.  In 1959, the investors had gone broke and the building was going to be torn down.  A great granddaughter bought the property and turned it into a museum in 1960.

     There were more than 75 rooms in the home.  Much of the original furniture, as well as furniture from the period, are in the rooms.  Each room is grander than the next.  It was amazing!  In the back of the home was another building housing Flagler’s personal rail car.  He built a rail line that connected Jacksonville to the Keys.  Flagler is credited with building up Florida and making it a major attraction for tourism and agriculture.

     Across the water behind the estate was a marina that housed several yachts. One of them was a small ocean liner with beautiful lines.  Ah, what the money people spend their dollars on.

     After the museum, we drove into town and had lunch at Almond.  It turned out they also have a restaurant in Manhattan and Bridgehampton back in New York.  We sat on the patio and watched all the rich cars drive by.  I’ve never seen so many high end vehicles – Tesla, Mercedes, Bentley, Ducati, etc. – in one place.  Parking is restricted to two hours and while we were eating, two of the wait staff ran out to move their cars so they wouldn’t be ticketed.  Our lunch was excellent but we paid for it.  It was almost $100 (tip included).  Whew!

     Next was a drive around town.  We wound up on Ocean Drive and drove past Mar-a-lago, President Trump’s Florida home.  It’s a strange arrangement.  The road cuts through the middle of the estate with the club on one side and the pool on the other side next to the ocean.  There was a very large American flag standing on the lawn in front of the club. We couldn’t see the entire building as there was a 6’ hedge in front of the place.  Most of them have 15-20 foot high hedges in front of their properties. I guess that’s more attractive than fences and certainly more private.  Each home we drove past was more opulent than the next.  This is definitely the place to come if you want to ogle the rich and famous.  

     When we got back to the campground, we could see that most campsites have been filled up.  It’s the weekend.  The folks next to us have a chicken.  They tie a rope to its foot and the rooster just hangs around.  He likes to be high so they put him on the handlebars of their bicycle or up on a 6’ ladder.   I’ve seen some crazy things during our travels but a chicken on a leash is a new one for me.  Lol.

 2021 Jan 14 (Thu) – We stayed in the campground all day.  I did work on the Nomads newsletter as well as the New York Caravan.  Paul worked on finding us campgrounds to stay in.  After he found a site in Tampa, I called Southwest and made a reservation to fly to New York next month.

 2021 Jan 13 (Wed) – We asked the office to move to a site further away from the road.  It must be a main truck route as it was noisy all night long.  We got moved from 85 to 151.  It’s marked as a handicapped site but the picnic table is located on the wrong side of the rig.  Regardless, it is much quieter over here.

     After our move, we drove into town to get propane and fuel.  We drove through Clewiston and stopped at the Chamber of Commerce & Museum.  It was small and not well laid out.  The CoC offers a Sugarland Tour which we very much wanted to take.  It is four hours learning about all the sugar cane farms in the area.  Unfortunately, tours are suspended until September because of the coronavirus.

     We drove through South Bay.  There were many slum areas, dilapidated houses, and closed stores. This town is suffering greatly. Trip Advisor listed only one restaurant in the entire town – Subway.

 2021 Jan 12 (Tue) – We packed up and left Cocoa at 9:50 a.m. and arrived at the South Bay RV Campground at 1:30 p.m.  We ran into traffic going through the Palm Beach area.  The campground is owned by the county.  It is neat, clean, and well laid out. Unfortunately, it is right by a major truck route and quite noisy.  We only got a 30-amp site while there are 50-amp sites open.  The campground is about 90% full.  It sits at the base of a levee.  There is a lake and creek on the property with signs warning of alligators. Check-in was online as they are keeping everything contactless.  There is nothing to do in South Bay.  This is the kind of campground you come to when you want to get away from it all.

 2021 Jan 11 (Mon) – We went to the Brevard Zoo today.  Paul thought it was very nice.  Not too big and all the animals were out and visible. We had to make a reservation online as they are limiting the number of people in the zoo at any one time.  There were lots of animals from Australia and Africa. It was about a two hour tour.

     We stopped at the Melbourne Seafood Grill for lunch.  I had a crab cake and Paul enjoyed clams.  Then we got some fuel in preparation for tomorrow’s move. When we got back to the campground, we did some wash.  Sheba brought some hairballs last night while laying on our bed so we had to wash the sheets and bedspread.  It’s time to take the flannel sheets off the bed anyway.  We are headed into southern Florida where the weather is sure to be warmer (we sure hope so!).

 2021 Jan 10 (Sun) – We did laundry today.  It seemed like Sunday was wash day for a lot of people in the campground and we got the last two machines.

     We met George & Linda at El Leoncita for dinner.  The food, margaritas, and company were all good.

 2021 Jan 9 (Sat) – We drove back to Merritt Island and picked up Denise with her dog, Levi, then drove to Cocoa to George & Linda’s. George made dough balls to go fishing with his grandson, Ryan.  Their son, Neil, came over and we all went down to the lake.  Ryan, Neil, George, and Paul fished while Linda, Denise, and I went for a drive around the neighborhood.  It was cool with a brisk breeze blowing.

     No fish caught, we returned to the house and George grilled up some burgers and hot dogs.  After visiting, we returned to Merritt Island to drop off Denise, then back to the campground.  Sheba ran out of the door when we got back at 8 p.m. and it took a bit of effort to get her back inside because it was dark and we couldn’t see.

2021 Jan 8 (Fri) – We went out to pick up food for Bonnie.  The vet recommended that we only give her one protein source.  Rather than mixing up beef and chicken, we should only feed her chicken.  We also have to make sure her dry food is chicken as well as her treats.

      Next door was a WalMart.  We ran in to pick up a few things.  While at George & Linda’s the other day, I noted she was cooking with a Blue Diamond pan.  We got to talking about different kinds of pans.  I have been thinking about getting rid of my Teflon pans for a while.  So while we were at WalMart today, I picked up 3 new fry pans and a Dutch oven.  I also picked up a roasting pan and a small baking pan with rack.   After we came home, I spent time rearranging the cabinet and getting rid of the old pots and pans in favor of the new ones.

     The day was very windy today.  Sheba didn’t spend more than a few minutes outside before looking to come back in.  It was just too breezy.  She sure loves her new toy.  

 2021 Jan 7 (Thu) – We stayed around the campground for the day. Paul ran out briefly to pick up some hardware to fix the silverware drawer.  It was not working smoothly and he had to replace the hardware slide. The drawer works very nicely now.

     At 8:30 p.m., we went out to watch the Space-X launch.  It was delayed for a little bit but the rocket finally took off at 9:15 p.m.  It was so quiet but very bright.  The launch was successful and they were able to capture the booster rocket.

 2021 Jan 6 (Wed) – We went over to George & Linda’s for dinner tonight.  They grilled chicken and Brussel sprouts.  We enjoyed the food with margaritas.

     I pulled out the NY Caravan file today to see what actions I have to take. I contacted one campground to confirm our arrival.  After some discussion, the owner decided that they could not support our caravan.  We have too many large rigs.  It was with some disappointment I found another campground. The next one is $11 more per night. That will certainly put a dent in our budget.

 2021 Jan 5 (Tue) – We packed up and left KARS RV Park at 10:30 a.m. Since the drive was only 27 miles, we waited until near checkout time before leaving.  We had to stop and dump the tanks first.  It was a good day to leave as a bunch of Fish & Wildlife trucks pulled up in the field across from us this morning.  It looked like a manhunt was underway.  I called the office only to find out they are doing a controlled burn around the property today.

     It was 50 minutes to Patrick Space Force Base in Cocoa.  We checked in with the camp host.  She said we were lucky.  That someone just left a very nice spot (they have a first-come, first served policy for campsites).  The site looks out at the river without a camper in front of our site. It’s OK.  The camp host told us this is a historic stay.  They just changed the name from Patrick Air Force Base to Patrick Space Force Base last month.  It’s a nice campground but a little tight.  We have full hookups with 50 amp service.  

     We went out for dinner to Grill’s Seafood Restaurant.  It was right on the water and we sat out on the deck. It was enclosed in glass so it felt like the inside but with all the view of the outside.

2021 Jan 4 (Mon) – We took Bonnie to the vet this morning.  We might have inadvertently solved the problem on our own though.  Bonnie has been doing a lot of barking and appeared to be very hungry.  She has been suffering urine infections off and on for two years now.  She’s been through a variety of antibiotics but the UTI always returned.  We remembered a friend who used the same pro-digest we give Bonnie.  She said she stopped giving it to her dogs because they had renal issues.  We stopped giving all extra stuff to Bonnie – the pro-digest, multivitamin, glucosamine, and fish oil.  We’ve just been giving her the liver medicine and regular food.  She’s also been getting lots of extra treats. Interestingly, Bonnie has calmed down. She’s not doing the excessive barking or restless moving around.  Maybe the antibiotic she was on and the pro-digest disagreed with each other.

     At any rate, the vet’s office only allowed one of us in so Paul sat out in the car.  After hearing of Bonnie’s story, the vet recommended that we give her only one protein source.  We feed her Hill’s Science Diet (approved by the vet association) but mix it up between beef and chicken.  The vet said that a dog’s system has to do a reset every time the protein source changes. Her long standing issue with diarrhea could be related to the changes in protein.  She suggested we give her only one protein for three weeks and see how her system reacts.

     The vet took some blood and found that Bonnie’s thyroid level is low. So now she is on a thyroid medication. She needs to go back for a recheck in two weeks.  We’ll see about that.

     When we got back to the campground, we did the laundry.  There were two washers and two dryers in the laundry building when I looked in last week.  Today, there was only one washing machine.  We only did the whites.

     A Falcon 9 Space-X launch was planned to take place between 8:30 and 12:30 tonight.  We rode down to the waterfront, set out our chairs, and waited to see the launch. The sky was clear and the stars were so bright with no moon to fade out the stars.  It was so cold; in the 40s.  We waited 20 minutes, trying to find out online if the launch was going to be live streamed.  People finally started posting on Facebook that the launch was rescheduled for January 7. That was disappointing.  We are in such a perfect place to watch a launch, right across the river from the NASA launch site.

 2021 Jan 3 (Sun) – We drove over George & Linda’s this morning. She made hash with the leftover corn beef.  That and eggs with toast was scrumptious.  The mimosas were a nice touch.  Denise (George’s sister) and her little dog, Levi, joined us.  After our meal, we sat out on the patio around their fire pit and had a nice visit.

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped for lunch at Kelsey’s Pizzeria.  We’ve seen a number of them around and wanted to try them.  We couldn’t eat in their store.  They instructed us to go next door to Harry & Jack’s, a bar and grill. They had indoor and outdoor seating. None of the wait staff wore masks. There were 3 tables occupied near us when we sat next to the bar.  The first group left and the waitress haphazardly wiped the table but didn’t touch the seats.  The other two tables vacated and neither of them was wiped down at all.  We got our pizza.  It wasn’t New York.

     After lunch, I stopped in at Supercuts next door and got my hair cut. The woman did a terrible job.  The good thing about it is that my hair will grow back in.  

 2021 Jan 2 (Sat) – Another day in the campground.  The weather has turned cold.   We went over George & Linda’s for dinner.  She made reubens with corned beef and sauerkraut on rye bread.  It was so good.  We are invited over for breakfast tomorrow where Linda will make corned beef hash with the leftovers.  After dinner, we watched a movie with Liam Neeson.  It was awful.  It certainly wasn’t his usual genre as a kick-ass fighter.  I think the name of the movie was “The Other Man.”  Don’t watch it!

 2021 Jan 1 (Fri-New Year’s Day) -  We stayed in the campground all day.   Our church had a Zoom meeting at 1 p.m.  We would normally have a potluck meal on New Year’s Day but no one’s getting together in groups this year.  There were about 20 of us online.  It was confusing to me with everyone talking over each other.  But it was good to see all our friends.  The call lasted about an hour.

2020 Dec 31 (Thu-New Year’s Eve) – We met George & Linda at the pier by Doc’s Bait House near their old condo.  We were going for a boat ride on the Banana River and lunch down river.  Unfortunately, as soon as we got past the bridge, the wind was whipping up the water and waves were splashing over the boat, getting us all wet.  It was too rough to go boating so we returned to the dock and pulled the boat out of the water then followed George back to his shop. We met their dog and checked out their new Renegade Class C RV.  They bought it in July and it still smells new.  After putting away the boat, we went to Fishlips for lunch down by Port Canaveral.  The meal was good but pretty expensive.

     After lunch, Paul and I drove to Patrick Air Force base to check out the campground.  Most of the gates into the base are closed and you have to drive a couple of miles around the runway to get to the campground.  They are also pretty full but there are still a few empty spaces. We will look to move there next week.

     We returned to the campground and spent a quiet night watching TV.  We turned in at 9 p.m.  How’s that for celebrating the new year?  I think we are officially “old fogies.”

 2020 Dec 30 (Wed) – We ran some errands today – picked up groceries and got some propane.  George & Linda drove over to the campground and we chatted for about an hour then drove to Denise’s house.  We picked her up and drove to Carrabba’s for an early dinner.  We all sat out on the patio and enjoyed margaritas and a good meal.

 2020 Dec 29 (Tue) – We packed up and left Mayport Naval Station at 9:30 a.m.  It was 160 miles south to Merritt Island where we are camped at the NASA owned property KARS RV Park.  We have been here twice before.  It is pretty full now; almost every campsite is occupied.  We have a site way in back behind the storage area nowhere near the water. They continue to improve the campground.

2020 Dec 28 (Mon) – We drove into St. Augustine for lunch. Our meal was at the Florida Cracker in the old historic town.  St. Augustine was settled in 1565 and is said to be the oldest city in the United States. It has been under six flags over the years – Spain, Italy, France, England, Colonial America, and the U.S. (I think).  It is an interesting tour.  There were many people out and about, too many without masks.  Traffic coming into town was all backed up.  We walked around for a while then left.  We stopped at the post office on the way back to mail off a package and got fuel for tomorrow’s move.

 2020 Dec 27 (Sun) – We dialed into the virtual service at our church this morning.  It appears that the minister contracted the coronavirus and was quarantined for two weeks. That must be why they stopped having in-person services last week.

     We took down our Christmas decorations today.  I thought we were leaving tomorrow, Monday, but we are leaving on December 29.  That’s actually on Tuesday.

 2020 Dec 26 (Sat) – We drove into town and had lunch at North Beach Fish Camp.  It was a seafood place.  I had a cod dish and Paul enjoyed crab claws.  On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Publix to pick up a few groceries.

     The weather is pretty cold today.  The temperatures have dropped into the thirties and there is a freeze warning for the area tonight.  We’ll have to remember to disconnect the hose before going to bed.  At least the wind has died down.

     The vet called to say that Bonnie’s urine sample had come back normal.  The antibiotic has done its job.

2020 Dec 25 (Fri – Christmas Day) – It was very cold this morning but warmed quickly to the 50s.  The wind was blowing strongly.  Last night’s storm left many homes without electric and the news showed streets and homes where trees fell onto them.  It was a very destructive storm.

     We went to the Oasis Galley on base at 3 p.m. for a holiday meal.  It was supposed to be $9.20 per person but the guy just waved us through when we arrived.  I don’t know if it was because he was having problems with the register or that it was almost time to close the mess hall (dinner was being served from 1 to 4 p.m.  At any rate, we got a great meal for free.  There was salad, shrimp cocktail, turkey, dressing, steak, mac & cheese, cranberry sauce, corn, kale, green beans, biscuits, eggnog, coffee, tea, and a variety of pies.  We brought our pumpkin pie back to the trailer and had it later with coffee.  

 2020 Dec 24 (Thu) – We dropped a urine sample from Bonnie off at the vet’s office this morning.  Then we went to breakfast at Another Broken Egg.  They have such good and unusual selections.  We both enjoyed our meal very much.  We sat out on the patio with a lot of other people.  

      After breakfast (more like brunch), we drove to General RV to pick up our new loungers.  The shipment never came in so we bought the floor sample.  The saleslady we dealt with was out today.  The person we dealt with today must have thought we were really stupid.  She said they never had new furniture to order and we were always going to get the floor sample.  Then she said the saleslady we first dealt with (Brandi) tried to order it but it wasn’t available.  I then asked for a discount on the cost of the furniture since we had to take used furniture rather than get it new.  She tried to tell us that the sample was only on the floor for 4 days.  We sat in it over a week ago so that wasn’t true. Brandi had told us it was out for several weeks.  In addition, the floor sample was still sitting on the floor.  It was not sanitized and packed up for us.  The woman tried to mumble that she couldn’t have sanitized it earlier because people would have still sat on it.  Paul told her no one could sit on it if it was disassembled and she tried to tell him they would have.  It was one of the most aggravating hours we have ever spent. The woman was either incompetent or an out-and-out liar.  At any rate, we waited while they sanitized and took the furniture apart (2 chairs with a center console).  She refused to give us any plastic to wrap up the furniture so it wouldn’t get dirty in back of the truck.  We did get a refund of almost $200.

                                               the old furniture

                                                   the new furniture

      Paul then drove into downtown Jacksonville.  Since it was Christmas eve, he figured a lot of the stores and offices would be closed.  He was right. It reminded me of when we went to Phoenix and arrived on a weekend.  It was like a ghost town.  We stopped at the St. Johns River Riverwalk and strolled along the waterfront.  There were a few people out but not many.

      The day started out very nice but turned nasty late in the afternoon.  Severe thunderstorms rolled through and there were warnings of tornadoes in the county.  The temperatures dropped drastically and the prediction was for iguanas falling out of trees tomorrow (lol. Temps are supposed to be freezing)

 2020 Dec 23 (Wed) – We did some laundry today.  Since the machines are free, we are taking advantage of the benefit.  Someone got annoyed we weren’t right there when our wash finished and they took our laundry out.  They put it on top of the dryers.  We put our stuff in the dryers and made sure to come back before it was done.

     We went out for lunch at Cracker Barrel today.  The food was good and they were doing a brisk business.  It’s hard to believe there’s a pandemic out there. After lunch, we stopped at a liquor store to pick up some Bailey’s Irish Cream.  It’s for Christmas day.

 2020 Dec 22 (Tue) – The day was cold and blustery.  We stayed in all day.

 2020 Dec 21 (Mon) – We ran some errands today.  Went food shopping at WalMart, picked up dog food at PetCo, got some fuel at a very sloooooooow pump (took a half hour to fill the gas tank), and dropped off an envelope at the post office.

     At sunset, we drove over to the southeast side of the base to see the Christmas Star.  Not since 1600 (400 years ago) has Saturn and Jupiter been aligned next to each other. They are so close that they look like a big star in the sky.  This great conjunction is referred to as the Christmas Star.  I think it’s because it’s happening during Christmas week.  We saw nothing.  Maybe it was hidden behind some low clouds on the horizon.  We’ll try again tomorrow night.

     I volunteered to put together a cookbook for SMART as a fundraiser. Paul was looking through our church cookbook one day and brought up the suggestion that we should do it for our travel club.  I pitched the suggestion, went through lots of questions and hesitations, and finally got the go ahead today.  Hope I don’t regret the offer.

2020 Dec 19&20 (Sat & Sun) – We stayed in the campground this weekend.  We dialed into the church for a virtual service on Sunday morning.  We had some initial trouble getting the live broadcast but it turned out to be a problem at their end, not ours.

 2020 Dec 18 (Fri) – We ran out to get propane this morning. The weather has been cold (it was 37 degrees this morning) and the heat has been running almost constantly.  We ran out of propane two nights ago (luckily, we have a second tank to switch to when one goes empty).  The place we first stopped at was out of order and we struggled to find another place.  The refill was finally achieved.

     Karen called today.  She is a travel agent and we are working with to arrange a cruise to Australia in 2022. We have tentatively decided on a Holland America 15-day cruise to Australia/New Zealand in January 2022. We also spoke with her about arranging a campervan trip around Australia following the cruise.  We plan to take two months to travel around Australia after the cruise.  She’s looking into it.

     We returned to the campground and hunkered down for the day. I sure hope it gets warmer soon. This is Florida!!!!

 2020 Dec 17 (Thu) – We drove into St. Augustine this afternoon. It took us over a half hour to find a parking space.  We finally wound up parking in a church parking lot for $10.  Then we walked into town and came upon the Lightner Museum. It is in the former Alcazar Hotel which was built from Henry Flagler in 1888.  One half of the 5-story building houses government offices and the other half features the museum collection.  The building was stunning and the hotel must have been amazing! The collections were from the 1800 and 1900s.  There were pottery, crystal, and glass artifacts; furniture; paintings; sculptures; and more.  A stuffed lion was on display that was a gift to Winston Churchill.  The lion was placed in the London Zoo and sired over 40 cubs before being stuffed.  I don’t know how it wound up in a museum in Florida.

     At 5 p.m. we went to dinner at Harry’s Seafood Grill.  It was a New Orleans style restaurant.  The waiter was very animated and made the meal enjoyable. He said he was originally from Queens and worked in Melville.  I had rice and beans with sausage and Paul had a scampi dish.

     We walked down to the marina and took the Night of Lights boat tour. It was a boring ride back and forth in front of lighted store fronts in the freezing cold.  The captain was absolutely silent.  Most tours of this kind would have had a dialogue about the area. He should have described some of the landmarks or talked about the history of the marina or told the story about St. Augustine.  Aside from his mandatory safety briefing (which was 75% unintelligible), he said nothing during the entire ride.  We were supposed to get complimentary coffee or tea but they didn’t have that either. We didn’t think the boat tour was worth the expense.

 2020 Dec 16 (Wed) – It rained for most of the day today.  It was cool and miserable.  I called the office today and was able to extend here at Mayport for another 3 nights until January 1st.  Hopefully, that will be all we need to take care of Bonnie’s issue.

2020 Dec 15 (Tue) – We went food shopping at Winn Dixie to get groceries for the week.  Then we went to Bono’s Pit BBQ.  We bought a rack of ribs and brought it back for dinner.  Yesterday and today have been blustery and the temperatures have been in the low 50s in the morning.  The wind was blowing so hard today that you had to be sure to hold the door when you got out of the car or the RV.  There were white caps and big splashing waves out in the river.  We swear that the winds were gusting to 50 mph.

 2020 Dec 14 (Mon) – We went furniture shopping today.  After wandering through several stores, we finally arrived at General RV and paid for two lounge chairs.  The clerk said she thought she could get it in by Friday, Monday at the latest.  If it doesn’t come in, then they will give us the floor sample.  We have to call on Friday so they’ll have time to sanitize the floor sample if it doesn’t look like the new chairs will come in on time.

     After paying for the chairs, we stopped at Taco Bell for lunch. Yuck!  They no longer have the taco salad.  Now it’s bowls.  I got a chicken quesadilla and Paul got chalupas.  My meal was very skimpy and too spicy.  I won’t get that again!

     The vet called to say that Bonnie has a bacterial infection and needs to go on antibiotics.  We turned around and drove to his office to get the medication.  After ten days, we have to give another urine sample.  The time period will be close to when we are scheduled to leave.  Since we don’t have a reservation for the next campground, I called the office at Mayport to see if we could extend for a few days.  The clerk said they have no vacancies.  We have to call back every day to check on availability.  Ugh.

 2020 Dec 13 (Sun) – We went to lunch at Seaglass, a restaurant on base.  We were the only two diners in the place.  It looks like it would be really nice on a Friday night with folks gathered around the bar and socializing.  That won’t happen for a while, if ever again.  I had avocado toast and Paul had chorizo hash.  It was good.  We returned to the campground and let the animals play outside.  Sheba is fascinated with the geckos crawling on the palm trees.

 2020 Dec 12 (Sat) – The day was rainy and overcast.  We just hung around the campground all day.

 2020 Dec 11 (Fri) – We went out for lunch today at Colhane’s Irish Pub.  The food was very good.  I had my usual – shepherd pie and Paul enjoyed potato soup and a salad.  He’s down to 208 lbs.  His goal is in sight and he’s very focused.  We came back and let the fur babies have time outside.

     The vet called today.  Aside from slightly elevated liver enzymes, he really doesn’t see anything in Bonnie’s bloodwork to indicate a problem.  He is going to do a culture on the urine sample we left.  He’ll call back in a couple of days.

 2020 Dec 10 (Thu) – Paul offered to take me out for breakfast this morning.  That’s very funny since he lost his credit card and we had to invalidate it.  Now, I’m the only one with a credit card. After the breakfast that he treated me to (that I paid for), we went to Winn Dixie for groceries (I splurged on a lottery ticket), then to PetCo for dog food, and last to the post office to mail off a letter.

     On the way back, we drove into the Village of Mayport.  It is a small fishing village with a ferry port.  There weren’t many businesses at all.  When we got back on base, we drove around the docks looking at all the big Navy ships.  There were about a dozen ships tied up to the piers.

     We took Bonnie to the vet this afternoon. In the last two or three months, she has started this kind of barking routine.  She gives a bark, waits about ten seconds, then barks again.  She keeps this up until we are moved to do something. It’s either feed her, walk her, or pet her.  She goes out for a walk about every 1-1/2 to 2 hours and has a bowel movement almost time. That’s many more than she used to have (which was two – one following breakfast and one following dinner).  The doc took blood and promised to call us tomorrow.

2020 Dec 9 (Wed) – We stayed in today and spent the time putting up and decorating our Christmas tree.  The season is here!

 2020 Dec 8 (Tue) – We went to the post office to mail off the claim form to New York.  It will be interesting to see how much is due to my mother (who passed away in 2009). My sister, Susan, had filled out a claim in 2010 for money due to my mother.  The five of us each wound up getting $20 (she was due $100).  This time around will probably be $2.50 each. Mom didn’t have much to her name when she died.  I can’t imagine what this money is from.

     We stopped for lunch at the Hangar Bay Café.  It was a small place run by an African American retired Navy guy with an Asian wife.  The menu had a lot of ramen on it.  Paul got pork ramen and I ordered fried chicken.  The food was good.  The gentleman didn’t want to talk about his service.  Even though there was an 11x13 picture of him in dress uniform on the wall, he kept avoiding my questions about his time in the Navy.

     The commissary and PX are both off-post.  We stopped in there to get a few things.  You have to show ID at the register at the commissary and at the entrance at the PX to ensure you are military.  When we got back to the base, we drove around the housing area.  There is a second campground (called Osprey Cove) on base.  It is not on the water but cloistered among spreading trees with lots of Spanish moss. It is very lovely and intended for long-term stays.

 2020 Dec 7 (Mon) – We packed up and left Kings Bay Subbase at 11 a.m. It was much later than we normally move out but the drive was only an hour to the next campground.  We ran out to the post office before we left so I could mail another registered letter to a lawyer used to sell Travis & Sam’s house. We’ve had serious issues with him and have had to make a formal complaint to the Judicial Review Board.

     We arrived at Mayport Naval Station, Pelican Roost RV Park a little after noon.  They gave us the option of choosing one of several sites.  We elected to take a space at the end of the aisle on a curve. We can get a somewhat obscure look at the ocean.  We stayed here last December.  The ships sail right past the campground on their way out of and into the port.  They blow their horns to say hello and goodbye.

     We went out to the bank to get a paper notarized. I was cruising around the internet and put in Unclaimed Funds in New York State.  Surprise, surprise!  My mother’s name came up.  The website doesn’t tell how much is owed, just there is some money due.  I printed out the form and filled in the required information.  I will mail it out tomorrow.