In the Service of Her Majesty The Queen

Good Morning!

I hope you had a good night.

Up somewhat early for me this morning.
Temp was still 85 degrees, though.
I saw some of the birds fly here and there, but
not as many as usual. And few of them were
singing. I still do not know why.

And the shutter lizard was not in sight. I did
see one of the larger lizards who was peeking
out from behind one of the porch posts, and
not in it's normal place. It was black. Perhaps
it was the shutter lizard. If so, it has grown.

I am running late this morning, with all the phone
calls and other things that I have to do before
going to work.

So...I hope you have a good day.
I really do.

 

I hope you had a good day.

The birds are not singing where I work, either.
And there are many more birds there than at my house,
since where I work is surrounded by forest. Someone
at work said the birds don't sing when it is hot. So
that's what it is, then. The heat.

I hope the early part of the night went well for you,
and that the rest of the night does, too.


And to all who sleep tonight on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

The stars bring light into the dark,
too, and are said to bring hope
as well as grant wishes.

Step outside and raise your head,
fill your eyes with star shine
before you fall into sleep.

When hope is there for the taking,
given freely without cost,
don't turn your back on it.

And wake up in the morning!

G'Night.

 

Good Morning!

I was up fairly early this morning. Even though it was overcast with low-lying grey clouds, it was already nearly 80 degrees. As the sun continues to climb the sky, the clouds do not burn off.

A few birds were flying here and there, but none gave voice that I could hear over the neighbor's lawn mower. The lawn mower is the reason I woke up so early.

No lizards anywhere in sight.

I hope you had a good night and have a nice day.

 

Good evening!

I hope you had a good day.

Earlier, around twilight, 2 mockingbirds chased off 3 crows, lots of squawking
from all concerned. So the birds are still around, just mostly silent.

I read where the swallow tailed kite I saw is actually a hawk that feeds on
small birds. Another reason for the silence in the trees...

One of the large redheaded woodpeckers put in the last pecks of the day before
flying off to wherever it lives.

I think the very large bird I saw awhile back, sitting on top of the live oak by
the overflow pond, was a great horned owl. I still have not seen the hawks or
found the nest.

Sitting on a line along the road, I saw what I think is a kestrel. A falcon. Very
striking bird.

No lizards around today that I could see when I was home.


To all who sleep tonight on the dark side of the earth,

The Nightly Mission:

Sleep in the arms of the gods tonight
safe and warm. Perhaps one of them
will smile on you tonight, and the smile
will carry over into the morning.

G'Night!

 

Good Morning!

I hope you had a good night.

Fogged up this morning, the windows warn me of the mugginess
that waits outside the door. When I step out onto the porch, it feels very
much like walking into a sauna. Scattered remnants of clouds dot the sky
here and there, but mainly the sky is blue. As it climbs the sky, the sun is
hidden behind the live oaks and has moved a little further to the north.

I am up early enough this morning to hear the birds sing, finally!

One of the trees behind my house bears clusters of red berries that bring
at least 1 and maybe 2 bluejays to feed. And the mockingbirds fly to the
attack. They all jump from one branch to another, out from the tree and
back again, so fast I can't determine exactly how many jays there are,
but I'd guess half a dozen mockingbirds. The jays are persistent, but the
mockingbirds win in the end. And do not seem at all interested in the
berries themselves.

Neither do the squirrels.

One of the lizards clings to the porch railing nearest the shutters. It is
black, fading to brown. Perhaps it is the shutter lizard. It may be too
warm behind the shutters, now. Another lizard, the smaller one that
generally sits on the ground by the porch, is also black.

And that's my morning, so far.

Work waits, and I need to get ready.

I hope you have a good day.

 

I hope you had a good day!

I drove home in a thunderstorm, the first one I've had to drive in this season.

As is typical for Florida summer storms, the raindrops were huge and hit the
car so hard I thought it was hail at first. Between the raindrops and the cold
rain coming down through the hot air and then hitting the even hotter asphalt,
our storms are hard to drive through. It is like being in dense fog. And not
everyone thinks to turn on their car lights. But they move fast,
and generally you are out of them in less than 20 minutes. When I reached
the edge of the storm, it did hail. And the normal lightning and thunder, of
course. And wind at the storm front.

But the street was dry at my house...the storm hadn't reached there yet.
It did a few minutes later. I took a nap, one of my favorite things to do
when the lightning and thunder crashes outside. Not out of fear, but
because it feels so cozy to be inside and warm and dry under the covers.

The temperature was much cooler outside when I got up, and the birds
were singing away.

A waning half moon out tonight.


To all who will sleep on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

Find space for a smile in your mind
and take it to bed with you. It may
be there still when you wake up in
the morning.

G'Night!

 

Good Morning!

I hope you had a good night and woke up with a smile.

I was up with the sun, way earlier than I intended. Actually before the sun.

A thick misty fog hung in the air: everything was wet. It was almost surreal,
like fog is when it is not dark nor light out. I watched the sky pink up as the
sun rose on the horizon.

The birds flew and sang, but not like they were before in the spring. Technically,
it is still spring, but not temperature-wise. No way, that early, to tell what type
of day it would be. Outside of being hot.

No lizards, they probably don't like it that wet.

And, along with the birds singing, the frogs were croaking. Strange to hear them
both call at the same time.

I have set a quit smoking date. June 16th. I hope I make it.

I hope you have a good day.

 

I hope you had a good day
and that the night goes well.


To all who sleep tonight on the dark side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

May you be blessed
with sweet dreams
that carry you through
to the morning.

G'Night!

 

Good morning!

I hope you had a good night.

It is already 85 degrees out and the sky is overcast.
The weather report says rain and thunderstorms.

Looks like my lawn won't get mowed again.

The neighbor's cat came to my porch for a visit. One of the mockingbirds
immediately flew to the Loquat tree, on alert. One warning squawk to both
the cat and the other mockingbirds, I assume. They don't normally bother
this cat much, and aside from the one squawk, the guard bird (if they assign
that type of duty, which I doubt they do on an individual basis) left it alone.
The bird kept close for awhile, though.

Wicked beaks on those birds. I am glad they tolerate me. I would not like
to engage in a property fight with them.

Have a good day.

 

I hope you had a good day and that
the early part of the night went well.

Major effort tomorrow to quit smoking.
My last cigarette as soon as I am
done with this post. Such as it is.

I am eaten up by mosquito bites.
I've never seen them this bad before...
the mosquitoes and the bites.


To all who sleep tonight on this side of the world,

The (Brief) Nightly Mission:

Sleep tight,
have a good night.
Wake up tomorrow,
feel right.

G'Night!

 

I hope you had a good day.

And that the earliest part of the night went well, too.

I lost the battle to quit today.

Am trying again tomorrow. I may stay in bed all day.
And watch stupid soap operas which I never have liked.
And sleep, if I can. And eat. And call people for encouragement.
I have nicotine lozenges. Jelly beans. Apples. And 3 friends that
will help.

And itch cream for all the mosquito bites.

I may put all my stuffed animals in bed with me, too.


To all who will sleep tonight on this side of the earth,

The Nightly Mission:

Go to sleep deep in the light, tonight
get up in the morning from your bed,
joyful, free and with a clear head.

G'Night!

 

I hope you had a good day!

And that the night goes well.

I have managed to last an entire day so far
without smoking. And did not have to stay
in bed all day or watch soap operas, either.

I keep telling myself that I have done this
before and know how to do it. And that I
do not have to follow a feeling with an
action.

That last one I know well.

In the meantime, no reports on the birds
or lizards. I am not leaving the house,
not even to go out on the porch, for a couple
of days.

The mosquito bites are not itching so much
today...but they burned like fire last night.
Woke me up.


To all who will sleep on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

Sleep until you are filled up
with whatever you need to
meet the oncoming day.

Blessings.

G'Night!

 

Good Evening!

I hope you had a good day.

This afternoon, we had one of those summer type Florida thunderstorms.
First bolt hit so near to the house that my first thought was 'Wtf, someone just fired a gun in the room!' Then I realized it was lightning. I decided to turn off my computer until the storm moved on somewhere else.

I don't remember if I mentioned it, but the woman I trained to take my position is no longer employed. I find out tomorrow what that means for me. I know obligation toward this agency has a big draw on me, so I have spent some time determining where the line is on what is good for me and what is obligation. So we'll see how well I hold to my line.

I have smoked 1 cigarette in 2 days. I don't know if that is good or bad. I feel ok as far as the not smoking is concerned. But I am still in la la land.

May the night go well for you.

And to all who will sleep on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

It is hard to keep your feet on the ground
when your head is up in the clouds. At
least when you go to sleep, things are a
little more equalized.

So...sleep as level as you can tonight,
and bring the light into your heart,
let it chase away the dark.

And wake up tomorrow!

G'Night!

 

A lot of energy flying around the office today.
Very draining. A message I need to listen to, I think.

But I held the line well. So kudos for me!

I have a lot on my mind (What mind? Hah!).
Probably why I felt so drained. Usually works that way.

And no reports on the outside wildlife. None to speak
of in the house, thanks be to every god. Too preoccupied
to notice much of anything but the traffic on the way home,
and even then I was on automatic pilot.

I actually met someone once who had never experienced
driving on automatic pilot. And then she did. And it totally
wrecked her mind. I couldn't help it...I laughed. Hard, too.

I drive a lot on automatic pilot. And come to and have to figure
out just where in the hell I am. Probably not a good thing.
Especially worrisome when it happens when I'm driving in an
area where I've never been before. Thank the gods for road signs.

In Germany, at least where I have been in Germany, there
are few lights along the road, not even hi-ways. And the
exit signs are very small, unlit and right at the exit. Makes
for great sales of on-board autopilots (not the type I was
referring to earlier, heh).

I did lousy at not smoking today. Should have known 1
smoke would lead to um many more. I'll try again
tomorrow. Swearing a lot today, too.

The dark moon approaches.


To all who sleep tonight on this side of the world,

The Nightly Mission:

Calm your mind tonight and sink
into sleep. Draw down the moon
and the light into your heart and
head. A warm bed is nice.

When you leave it in the morning,
don't forget the light. Take it with
you into the next day. Thank the
gods that gave it to you, twice.

G'Night!

 

I hope you had a good day.

The weather report I use shows almost every state
with flood warnings. Many also have heat advisories.

At 10pm tonight, it is 90 degrees outside here in Central Florida.

No flood warnings here that I know of, though.

Needless to say, I have not ventured outside today, except for
very short excursions.

I do not imagine the birds are making a single peep. The lizards
might like the heat, though. Maybe.

Second Life lost a server this morning and things have been difficult.
The 'lag' is terrible. Avatars look like ultra slow moonwalkers. Michael
Jackson in slow motion. And they do not seem to like being laughed
at, either. Actually, though, it is quite funny, with avatars falling
through floors, being jerked backwards like rubber bands, and the
aforementioned moonwalking. I got bounced off, finally. Just
payment for my sense of humor, maybe. I'm sure some people,
sitting at the keyboard frustrated, think so.

I've smoked 4 cigarettes today. Much better than yesterday. But
worse than the 1st 2 days. I don't seem to be able to drive w/o
smoking. I am not, however, giving up. And my friends won't
let me, anyway.

Tomorrow night, according to my information, is the New Moon.


To all who sleep tonight on this side of the world,

The light, so I am told, exists even in the dark.
I do not know if this is true. That's why I have
a nightlight.

So gather the light however you may and take
some with you into the dark when you sleep.

Perhaps your dreams are the light.

But avoid bringing the dark with you into the light when
you wake up.

Bring your dreams instead.

G'Night!