Tidbits

It may sound strange, but I'm actually kind of glad the only trees in my yard are my lone palm and the orange-y tree (even though I didn't really want that one). I say orange-y because it's not an orange tree. It's a tangelo or something like that. I will say that they make a tasty juice. Bruce bought it for me when we put in the patio. I refused to water it and told him it was his responsibility. I didn't want it because it messed up my 90 degree only back yard for easy mowing, and fruit trees bring fruit rats and I didn't want to deal with picking up all the rotted fruit off the ground so the dogs wouldn't get into it.  Yet, there it is. And I have to mow around it, and pick up the rotted fruit.  Bob kills the rats (and I make Bruce take care of those- yuck). Talk about side track!  Whoops... Anyway, I'm glad I don't have trees. I still get stuck raking up the leaves that aren't mine (which is totally unfair) that blow into my yard, but at least I don't have to worry about this happening every time there's a nasty storm.

Hopefully it didn't damage the actual roof. It looks like it just clipped the eave, which I hope will not be too hard to fix. Funny thing is that this house is the same as my house. There are six of the same model on my street. Not all next to each other. There are 3 other styles of homes mixed in. The damaged house also happens to be a rental. I wonder how the owner will deal with it. My immediate neighbor's house used to be a rental until she bought it last year. The previous owner we learned had a lot of rental properties. I've lived here going on 17 years and saw how badly he treated his tenants when it came to fixing anything. One cute little family moved out because the heater almost caught fire and he wouldn't pay to have it repaired. He had some doosies in there a few times too.  I never did meet him. He passed away, which is how the house ended up for sale.  I got really lucky with a nice lady and her son. She sews too!

I got a reminder today (like I needed any) that you can't cat-proof a house. There are two suspects..... We know it wasn't the dogs because the loaf (and probably the bag too) would be 100% gone and we probably wouldn't have even remembered there was a loaf of bread....

 We're thinking it was either Riley or Bob. They have both been caught on the counter and Riley was a stray, so he is still learning there is always food in the bowls. Bob was mainly outside before and is having a little trouble adjusting to eating inside, especially with the other cats (some are kind of mean to him). Oliver is only interested in what's on the counter when I'm preparing canned cat food, which I only give them once a week (for now). None of the girls come in the kitchen, unless the water bowl in "their" room is empty. Then they use the big community bowl in the kitchen. 

I've been doing some reading lately.  I did get a Kindle for Christmas. I enjoyed the one book, but am regretting the second. I've never been a romance reader and actually the one I just read was a teenage romance. Made me think of all the stupid things I didn't do as a teenager. I was too busy trying to be independent and strong and smart. I wish I had let myself be a little more free and less scared of life and boys.  I know regret is a wasteful emotion, but I'm prone to such things. While turning 40 wasn't bothering me so much before, it has started to stir up thoughts of days gone by. Note to self - avoid teen romance books.  

As for getting out of the little funk I let myself drift into, I found that happiness is simple things like Oliver sleeping in my lap and watching Diamond sleep in her chair with her ear flipped up on the arm.

Dizzy with Debby

Boy is this Ditzy Debby causing quite a mess around here. Well, thankfully, not here. My poor Plumeria keep getting knocked over and the palm tree has shed some dead stuff, but otherwise, we are doing well. Work has been another story.  I work for a tent rental company. We also make and sell commercial tents, but our main business is rentals. Festivals, weddings, car sales, back yard parties, etc. Miss Debby has kept us hopping the past few days. Yesterday we had to go and take down a tent and tighten down others at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  That is home to Winter the dolphin - The Winter the Dolphin of Dolphin Tale movie fame. Some of our tents are even in the movie (carnival scene).  Here's the view as we crossed the Bayside bridge. This isn't a very long bridge and you can usually see the land on the other side. 

Today was more wind. We're expecting some rain again soon. I'm happy that all my critters have been indoors. I actually just let Bob out for a little bit while it's been sort of calm.  Poor Bob got into a fight with a "strange" cat a few nights back and Saturday his head erupted in a nasty oozing abcess. I've been having to clean it and he has not been the friendliest patient.  It looks much better now, but he will be going to the vet just to be safe. Between the boo boo and the weather, he's been stuck indoors most of the weekend.   

One of my other hobbies is miniatures. The great thing about miniatures is that I can incorporate my other hobbies. I can do miniature cross stitch, quilting and knitting! I hope to be sharing more of them with you soon. I am trying to be good and finish some of my UFO's first. 

I've been thoroughly enjoying a new friend's blog entries about her recent trip to Ireland and the quilt show she attended there. She had some pictures of some miniature quilts and I was reminded of these little quilts I made. This Double Irish Chain pattern, I would love to make in full size for my bed.  It's a little warped, because it's been on a miniatue bed for a few years and the colors are much brighter than they appear.

 

Here's how it's been displayed for the past few years. 

Here's the other one.  This is called a Seminole quilt. I gave this to a friend at our Miniature Club Christmas party a few years ago.

 

 I guess I need to get some of my UFO's done so I can play with my miniatures soon!