In the Service of Her Majesty The Queen

Another dreary overcast morning, but it burned off to a clear sky.

The buzzards were circling overhead again, I kicked the windchimes hard,
and they left. I am going to do some research and find out, if I can, how
well they hear.

This evening, there were storm clouds again, quite dark in the west as the
sun fell. But no rain again.

The blossoms on the dogwood still cling to the branches.

Where I was today, at work, there are 2 striking trees. One is an oak,
not a live oak like at my house, but what I consider a 'real' oak tree.
It is very big and must be old. It has spanish moss hanging from it,
and looks spooky at times, especially at night. But it is also very
beautiful. I am not sure what the other tree is, some type of ficus I
think. It is also old, and the branches twist and turn all sorts of ways.

I drive a stick and generally gear down, braking only when I have to stop.
Someone behind me (seeing him in the rear view mirror) looked to be
unhappy about that. Most people I guess, drive an automatic shift, and
use their brakes to slow down...

Myself, I wouldn't have one, but when I bought my car, the salesman
tried to convince me to buy an automatic, telling me that I'd have all
kinds of transmission problems with a stick. I asked him what he drove,
and he said a stick. I asked him if he had any problems with the
transmission, and he said no. I told him I never have, either.


The Nightly Mission:

Have a sweet dreamy sleep tonight,
one that brings a smile to your face.

Wake up feeling good, feeling bright,
carry it around every place.

G'Night!

 

LOL!!

I JUST read this as I got in this morning. Love it! Love it! Love it!
(given what I do for a living!)


BTW, It's 6:51AM CST as I write this. Spring arrived here in Chicago at 6:44AM.

To all in the top half of the world, HAPPY SPRING! Life returns once again...

 

I'm glad you got a kick out it...

 

Friday arrives!

Today, the morning is clear and warm.

The birds twitter and fly, the squirrels are even up and about.

The dogwood still carries it blossoms.

No buzzards in sight anywhere.


I have lunch with a friend planned, after, a wedding to go to.

I think it will be a good day.

I hope it is good for you, as well.

 

I drive an automatic, and shift down into third, or even second, when I am in heavy traffic. I used to drive stick, but none of my loved ones could drive it. Which might be a good thing.

 

Oh yeah, BIG TIME!

It just brought back soooo many memories of dealing with those wonderfull scrupulous dealers when I was dealing with First and Third party direct claims. :evil_laug

Then there was the dealer that that tried to pull one over on me and J, when J was buting her car a few years ago. The fool didn't realize that his potential customer's husband was an auto insurance adjuster who knew the little tricks and such they like to play....

Oh, if you could've seen the look on the salesman's and his managers faces when I calmly called them out on it. :evilgrin::yikes:

Needless to say, we WALKED. :thumbsup:

 

Brides are always so luminous.

I like weddings.

This one is small, but well attended for all that.

It was held outdoors, fitting for a spring wedding,
not too hot like a summer wedding would be here
in the south. A bit breezy, but nice.

They wrote their own vows, said them to each other.
He read his, so earnest, so serious.
She did not, and smiled. Luminously.

The breeze blew the bubbles everywhere but where
they were supposed to go.

He goes in the service soon and they wanted to be married, first.

It was his idea.

So now they are, on the first day of spring.


I am home too late, again, to witness the bedding of the birds, the squirrels.

It was hazy all day, in spite of the breeze. Normally, it doesn't get smoggy
here, and no one is burning their fields that I know of, nor is there a fire
anywhere close, either. Even the breeze didn't clear it out.

It was nice enough to have lunch outside though, under an umbrella.

Tonight the wind picks up, and it cools off fast. Maybe it will blow
the haze away, clear the sky again.

Everyone, yesterday and today, said how pretty I looked. In spite of
my training, that says it should not matter, I liked hearing it, get a smile
on my face, too. But not luminously. I buy a new pair of earrings,
white gold hoops, and think I am getting almost decadent...lunch,
a wedding and new earrings, all in the same day. Heh. What is the
world coming to?

It was a good day, just like I thought it would be.

Hope your's was, too!

 

No complaints here! Not a bad day for a Friday. :thumbsup:

Just a few more days then I'm on vacation.

Vay-kay-shun?? What is that? I know the word, or at least I used to.

I guess I'll just have to wait and try it out. You know, just once, to see if I like it.

Everyone else seems to like it.

 

Are you going anywhere?

 

Not anywhere exotic or even out of state, unfortunately. :sadblinky

N's on Spring Break from school, so I'm taking off the last 3 days to be with him. He'll be at his Grandma's for Monday and Tuesday. Depending on finances, we may hit a movie, the zoo, whatever. J's going to take Friday off, so we'll all be together as a family. :thumbsup:

(I might even break my own rule and have a "video game" day with N. I'm still weighing the pros and cons) :evilgrin:

During the summer, we may travel a bit more, but nothing too far from home. J was looking to go to Starved Rock State Park down South from us. I'm looking forwards to taking N and a FEW ( I need to be realistic) of his friends to an amusement park here in Chicago.

As for world traveling, or even other states traveling, those must wait. For the time being, hopefully.

 

I used to love the zoo when I was a kid. Is the one up your way a good one?

What game?

 

It's quiet outside, cool enough for my vest, the wind has quit.

I am such a night person, as long as there is some light. I don't like it totally dark.

Especially inside. If I wake up and can't see anything at all, I get completely disorientated. No sense of direction, I bang into the walls, the furniture, even in my own house that I know backwards and forwards. In someone else's house, I go into a panic. A quiet panic so I don't wake anyone up. Not because I am considerate. Oh no. I just don't want anyone to know I am freaking out. Heh.

To all who might go to sleep on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

Sleep soundly tonight
safe in your head
and in your bed.

Wake up in the light
have a good day
go out and play.

G'Night!

 

Windy, windy this morning!

My hair blows everywhere about my head, my face. It makes me feel free.

The birds fly with the wind when they can, find hard going I think, when they can't.

What do the butterflies do when it is this windy? Hide, I suppose? I don't think I've
ever seen one flying about when the blows hard.

I haven't seen the lizard in a couple of days, now.

The squirrels do not seem to have ventured out of their nests.

My driveway is clear of pine needles and loquat leaves. They are all scattered on the lawn instead. The neighbor across the way was busy while I was gone yesterday. Rather, her husband was. Her lawn is immaculate, not a leaf in sight. There are several large lawn bags waiting streetside to be picked up. I should feel badly about my cluttered and weedy front yard, I guess, but I don't. Different priorities.

I hope everyone made it through the night and slept well. I hope you have a good day.

I hope I do, too.

 

Yeah, we have two good ones. Lincoln Park Zoo in the city itself, right on the lake and Brookfield Zoo (the better one) just @ 30 minutes away.

LEGO Batman for the Play Station 2. It was a Christmas gift to N (and partly to me, too). J and I banned the video games when N started to do poorly at school. N seems to be on the right track, so I'm thinking maybe...???

 

I take it you will discuss this with J?

I don't think it matters what the two of you decide, as long as you are united in the decision. My opinion, only.