Lizard Mystery

Weather has been like a revolving door around here, hot, windy, wet, cold , hot. Last weekend I heard a yelp at the front door. As someone was heading out they discovered this on the front door.

He was a very calm and seemed to feel right at home on my front screen. He moved up and down and would stand still while I took photos of him from the outside too, much to my daughter's horror as I heard her telling a friend , "yea, mom found a lizard on the door and of course had to take pictures of it." I am an oddity in myself to her at times. Anyway the next day the lizard had taken up residence in the piece of paper that makes like a tube over the broken doorbell reminding people to knock since it has been broken for years. I checked on my little lizard friend the following day and much to my horror there was the lizard still curled up within the paper only one little claw clinging to the top part of the paper. Thinking lizards need warmth to stay alive I feared it had gotten too cold during the first night and had crawled into this paper home feeling safe only to freeze to death. A few hours later I went back out and there and the little guy was gone. Assuming it had fallen on the porch, which would have been painful if he wasn't already frozen, I looked all around. No sign of him anywhere. I realize some other creature may have discovered him and found him to be a tasty morsel but I choose to think of him waking from his hibernation and realizing he had lost two days curled up in the hot pink paper note. If you see him wondering around your front door please do a better job of giving him a warm spot for the night.

Squatting

With great joy my neighbors youngest child who is just learning to stand on her own was pleased as punch today with herself. Why was she so pleased you ask? Well she was just sitting there all squatty like they do without appreciating her flexibility and I started clapping as she was sitting there all squatty like. She got to clapping and smiling and laughing herself. Eventually she stood up and of course there was more clapping and smiling. What I wouldn't give to be able to squat and not get stuck like that. Even if I could stand up straight from a squat I would feel it in the morning. So for all those who are pleased with them self, I am clapping and cheering you on.

Sunshine

It has been a wild couple of weeks but I have found myself outside more than usual. I am not sure if it is the plethora of sporting events to cover or that the writers' strike made my favorite tv shows seem to stop and life still went on keeping me busy and changing up my routine. I have not have much time to take photographs for myself but have had some great opportunities to cover different sports. What I did notice at these events is how many people are out living and enjoying life. They are not worried about the work they left sitting on their desk, I suppose it will still be there when they return on Monday, they are not running errands like crazy all over town. No, these people were out with friends or family and talking about what was going on in their life and taking in a sporting event, relaxed, happy and smiling. You will have to forgive me for my amazement at the ease in which these people seem to be carefree. I am still stuck in a what can we get done this weekend, where do we have to be this weekend and how much work can I get caught up on this weekend world. Kids are afraid to get too far away from the computer, video game and broken tivo. I am sorry to say I have become a terrible role model in how to have fun. Fun for me is taking pictures, not much fun for anyone around you. When I do get back home, all of the crisis of the day, which I was not around for all get thrown in my lap. I begin to think my fun wasn't worth the hassle I endure when I return. Ok so you have a better understanding in what my life has become , one big hole of workaholics.

With that all said here are a few of my favorite shots taken while getting a tan.

Score Keepers

I have noticed in life there are a lot of different types of people. Not sure what I am but believe I am evolving from one type into another. Today let's talk about "score keepers". You know who I am talking about, those people who have nothing to do but keep score in life. For example if you miss their party due to a once in a life opportunity, they see that as a negative in your score column instead of a positive that you had an amazing opportunity to do something that only comes around once in a life time. They are so caught up in keeping score they totally miss the bigger picture of what is really going on in life around them. I feel really sorry for score keepers because they miss out on so much and carry so much angst around with them fearing they or those they care about will not end up on top with the highest score, what they don't know is that the things they are keeping score on have no value in what type of person you are and actually reflects a very shallow, insecure person who has no deep meaning to their life. Everyone has their own purpose in life that may not be evident to those around them. Score keepers should put away their pencils and paper and start living their own life instead of watching everyone else's .

When it Rains it Pours

It seems my birthday week is not safe for those near to me. I can count four people that have passed away on my birthday or during my birthday week. This year two moved on. As I sat down for a memorial service today, my mother leaned over and said, oh by the way your uncle passed away last night. I am becoming very sensitive to my birthday hex. Why is it always those I really care about. My grandfather chose my birthday a few years back to head on upstairs. Since these things usually occur in threes , take your vitamins, exercise and stay away from me for the next few days til this things passes , no pun intended.

Goodbye to a Friend

When the phone rang yesterday I already knew what was about to be said. Life is full of twists and turns, with some twists being more predictable than others. I have a friend, notice I say have because her funny little spirit will always be with me. Her laugh will always be in the air, her off key singing loudly on Sundays will always bring a smile to my face. I will remember the way you would say something to her and she would sort of jump back and look at you like she couldn't believe you just said what you said. She has moved on and is in a better place, she is whole again and was greeted by a beautiful angel waiting at the gate for her. Her amazingly creative spirit still floats around those that knew and loved her, no she wasn't perfect , but who is. She lived life her own way and by her own rules. Her heart was always in the right place. So I leave this tulip for my dear friend who has moved on to a much larger decorating area that will have much more style after she is done fixing it up.

Think it , Don't Say it

My newest mantra is , Think it, Don't Say it. I guess if I was one of those wonderfully perfect people I wouldn't even think it, but I am not perfect. To not say it is reallllly hard for me. I am clearly one of those people that likes to hear the sound of my own voice. I am trying really hard to be a better person and keep thoughts to myself. So that is my new mantra. I will let you know how it works out for me. Don't try to figure out why I have a plane above, I just love this plane and when I saw it flying directly over my head I tried to follow it and not fall over backwards and drop my long glass. So hopefully the people in the stands watching me bend over backwards were thinking it but not saying it. It being, what is that nutty photographer doing down there and what is going to happen when they fall over trying to take a picture of that plane directly overhead.