This is an initial run at blogging on this site, so here is a test blog, about my Leg Lamp.

I got this lamp for my girlfriend, as she has a sense of humor, and an appreciation for the Christmas Spirit that this lamp embodies, provided you HAVE seen the movie "A Christmas Story"

She is very pleased with her major award, as it has been displayed for all the world to see, LOL!

"Before" Pics of the House

My House...before pics from 1998

Current mood:amused

I had an insurance rep come to the house this week to take pics of my house for my insurance coverage. This made me appreciate how far along my house has come in the last 10 years, so I searched for some pics of when I first bought it. Those of you who have seen current pics, or have been to my home will appreciate the laughs here...

The hurricanes and storms made a great impact on the property by knocking down trees, and fences, LOL! The whole yard was overgrown, but when I bought the house, no sun hit the roof, so the AC costs were so minimal. When the oak trees started falling down, the AC bill went thru the roof, and the look of the property has changed dramatically!

This was the shot when I put the contract on it...it had been sitting vacant for awhile after the owner, who lived in Vermont, had her renters leave and put it up for sale. They did not clean it out, pretty much just got their things and left. I bought it as is, warts and all...

The paint was a worn white finish, with a blue trim. All the accent colors looked as though they had been from left over gas station paint...deep blue and industrial grey.

This is a shot from the back porch toward the greenhouse and workshop. You cannot see them thru the brush. The entire backyard was a jungle with paths cut thru it. When I bought the house, I removed 7 trees from the back yard in order to accomodate the septic tank and drainfield I installed. The house had been here since 1949 with no septic...only cesspools. We excavated the entire back yard pretty much and opened it up...as those who have been to my bonfires know, LOL!

Shot from the orange tree to the back door...we have the bonfires where this tree is. The stone patio at the back door did not reveal itself for several months. Digging in the back yard, I found it under all the overgrowth.

The living room, in tasteful pink and teal.

Here is the kitchen, with the original victorian wall paper, pink shag carpet, and sliding glass doors installed backwards...

Here is the room that became my office...it was a nursery before. It has since been redecorated, and new sash windows installed, LOL!

The bathroom was atrocious! Black, grey and blue, with oil base sponge paint around the vanity. Shag carpet, sagging floors and no toilet. The plaster on the wall was so sharp that grabbing toilet paper too quickly could cause you to cut your knuckle. It has since been gutted, replastered, replumbed and redone completely.

This was the "great room" in the rear of the house. The renters used it for a living room, but it was better suited for me as a master bedroom, as it also has a master bath attached...so I build a new wall just a few feet on the other side of the columns you see here, creating another room/hallway that leads to the other bedrooms on the other side of the house. The color does not look horrible in the pics, but it was an overwhelming terra cotta blend, and the ceiling was painted the same color. Aargh.

Big difference from before and after! Just thought I would post these and share! More changes coming, but what a LONG WAY it has already come!!

To see current pics, try this link:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=29282324&albumId=1787358

The TV that wont die...

The TV that wouldnt die...

Current mood:impressed

So, it was back circa 1987 or so, that I was asked to help a friend move. She was breaking up with her boyfriend, and moving out. I loaded my truck with all her stuff, and after checking to make sure we had it all I noticed the TV. She said she had no room for it, but I could have it if I wanted it. It was an old Gold Star color TV, with the two knobs on the front...for you kiddies that have never seen one, LOL!

I used it as my bedroom TV for years...moved it to the living room for awhile when I got a nicer bedroom TV. Kept it in use even until I moved to DeLand in 97...having had it myself now for 10 years in constant use.

I retired it just in time for my buddy Tom to tell me his TV had taken a crap. I gave him the GoldStar which he put into service. He got a really nice large screen TV for Christmas a bit later, so he moved the GoldStar to his bedroom.

I went over to his house on Saturday night, to see the GoldStar in place in the living room...picture crisp as ever. The big screen lost a tube, so I manhandled it to the garbage for Tom...but it was way too heavy to get into the dumpster myself. LOL!

Twenty one years after I rescued this GoldStar from an uncertain fate, it is still showing it's gratitude. Simply amazing!!

I'VE BEEN FLOCKED!

I’ve Been Flocked...(thats a good thing)...and my ’mingo history

Current mood:amused

Well, I left for work last night, and Lori called to ask if I knew about what was in the yard. I of course did not, and she would not elaborate. I asked, "what is it, a pink flamingo or something?", given my history with pink flamingoes, and the sense of humor of my friends. She would not elaborate, and told me to wait until I got home. I pulled up at 3 am to this sight...in the dark of course (this aint Alaska!):

This was the work of my friends, Delores, Chris, Sandy, Dennis and Nilsson. The "flocking" is sponsored by Florida Hospital, and is a fund raiser for Breast Cancer Research/American Cancer Society. For 30-40 dollars, they will flock someones yard, and you can have them removed by calling and paying $20...or just live with them for 3 days, and promote the awareness. I am opting to keep them for 3 days, but I have a feeling others may get flocked, LOL.

For more info, contact Katie at 386.898.0299 to flock someone in the greater Halifax area.

A bit about my 'mingo history. Many of my friends already know this story, but I will tell it for the uninitiated. Before I moved where I live now, I lived in a neighborhood that was family oriented, but aspired to be better than it was...and in this effort, sent people around to inspect houses and write up those who were in violation of any homeowners rules. Each tenant had a prospectus and rule book as to what was allowed and what was a violation.

I got wrote up a few times, justifiably, for issues such as grass, peeling paint or similar. I got wrote up once for having an ugly vehicle in the driveway, LOL. I disagreed...it was a classic 64 Ford Fleetside...sure it had a few different colors on it...but ugly is in the eye of the beholder.

The final straw was when I got wrote up for having a sign in my yard for having a burglar alarm. They told me I had to take it out of the yard and put it on the house. Nowhere in writing did that appear, so I appealed the complaint. They said a sign fell in the same category as a for sale sign. This did not appear in writing and I disagreed, so I asked them about campaign signs. They said those were temporary, so it did not matter. I then asked about lawn ornaments. They said there was no provision for lawn ornaments. Seeing my loophole, I left and aquiesced to their demand to move my sign. I then also added 50 pink lawn flamingos to my front yard.

The mingos adorned the border of my property, my trees, my driveway...and generally just made themselves at home. I became known as the flamingo guy. They would get "stolen" then reappear at my work place, and at friends houses, usually to return unharmed, LOL. Several nights were spent with friends and family on...uh....hunts....for mates for my mingos.

Eventually, after several years the interest waned, and since I moved I have not really had any mingos...that is until I did a party that had a tacky Hawaiian theme, and there were a pair in attendance. I took one, and my friend Elizabeth took the other. Hers has since passed away, but years later, mine is still grazing in my front yard as a harkening back to my past. Just this week, I removed the leis from the mingos neck, LOL.

It will be fun living with these birds over the weekend and remembering the past. Hopefully I will also create some awareness for the Breast Cancer cause.

A BIG THANKS TO MY FRIENDS FOR THE LAUGH!!!

Of Bonfires and Guy Fawkes

Of Bonfires and Guy Fawkes

Current mood:satisfied

Well, the time came again for another bonfire. This one was not on the large attendance scale like the last one, as I was having it as a party for my friend Nilsson and his son Aaron, who are visiting here from England. The weather was a concern, as it rained the day before, and the day after, but for the day of the party, I could not have asked for a nicer day. We had about 25 people over, close friends and family who knew Nilsson. THAT is why the signal did not go out for everyone to come over. THAT will be next time, LOL!

BEFORE SHOT:

As we were having some Brits in attendance, they suggested burning a "Guy" for Guy Fawkes day. I wont go into the whole explanation, but if you are curious, I would just google Guy Fawkes, and look at the Wikipedia entry for all details on him, and Guy Fawkes day, which is observed in England and Rhode Island. In short, it is customary to have bonfires, fireworks and destroy an effigy of Guy Fawkes by firework or fire. As fireworks are banned here, the bonfire worked well.

The birth of Guy...created by Nilsson, Dennis and Aaron...

And, the death of Guy....

Guy gave off a nice glow, LOL.

Of course, if there is a fire, and Randy and I are there, what kind of fire is it without first some fire jumping, and fire walking? Keep in mind, the flash erases some of the flames in the pictures, but the heat is on, LOL!!

Aaron and Foster share a drink after playing "chase the ball"

All in all, a great evening. We sat out in the yard with the music and fire until about 1/4 to 3, but the time change bought us an extra hour of sleep. Woke up and cleared the back yard just in time for the rain to come, LOL!

See you all at the next bonfire! Hopefully it will be before it gets hot again.

Bad News To Hear On Christmas Eve

Bad news to get on Christmas Eve...

Current mood:angsty

Well, on Christmas Eve, I made a point of calling some family members that I am out of contact with on a regular basis...it is a long story, but suffice to say, our family, while large, does not really communicate well. There is a lot of history from before I was born, and a VERY large age gap. I have sisters who have kids older than me. My Dad ruffled a lot of feathers back in the day.

While making my Christmas Eve calls, I checked in with my favorite uncle in San Diego, and found his phone had been disconnected. I called his daughter, who he lived with, to get the scoop. She informed me that he had gotten ill, gotten worse, was in a convalescent home and had died several months ago, and no one had thought to contact me. I was immediately saddened, shocked and pissed at the same time. He was my favorite relative, and the only one outside of my immediate family whom I stayed in contact with. He always recognized my birthdays and holidays. He was my Mothers brother, and he was the person in my family I most associated with on a family level. I could easily see myself in him...we shared the same attitudes, outlooks and values. My visits with him will always be memorable. Even hanging out in Vegas with him when he was in his 80s was a blast. Eating with me at buffets, drinking coffee and having fun. He was the only one in my family, outside of the immediate family, who ever thanked me, and my brother, for taking care of his sister until her passing. I took care of my mom out of obligation, but it was nice to be thanked.

I really kept meaning to go to San Diego this year to visit with him one more time, in case something were to happen. I compiled a bunch of family photos onto my PC and wanted to ask him questions about them. I wish I had some warning that he was not doing well, so I could have visited before he took ill. I am not even sure of how or why he passed...not even sure I want to know. He lived a full and rich life, and I choose to remember him based on my time spent with him, in person or on the phone.

I am not sure how I should feel about not being told...that is bugging me, but on the other hand...we are not a close family, and maybe that is just a symptom of that fact. I really do try to be a conduit of contact to my relatives, but apparently there was a lot of damage done before I came along. I have all these relatives spread all over, and none of them really communicate...and all have taken vastly different paths. I think a lot has to do with hatred of or disagreements with my father, who could be an unreasonable asshole at times. He passed away in 97 I believe. I have a sister in Vegas who is out of touch, and is not well and is not expected to live another year...a sister in Minnesota who I talk to on the phone now and again and is ALWAYS glad to hear from me...a sister who was always in the Miami area but who has recently moved about 2 hours south of me. I visited her recently. I have a sister in Tampa who estranged herself from the family, then returned but she and I shared a volatile relationship. When my mother passed away, we found common ground and put the past behind us and get along quite well now. I have a brother near Orlando who estranged himself from the family, and only recently have we been spending time together again. He visits frequently now, and thanks to a job that puts him close to my house now and again, we do lunch a lot. I have another brother living locally who retired from the Air Force and bought a house near mine to be close to me, and my Mother. He and I are the only family living closely who actually talk regularly. I have actually gotten my brothers to lunch together with me, which I never thought I would see in my lifetime.

I am envious of people who have large close families with limited dysfunction. My family is largely F'd up, LOL! Those who know me well understand that comment. My brother always asks my how I got out of it and remained normal. I suppose my coping mechanism is just to move on and not dwell. Dwelling on the stupid stuff is what breaks down the family.

I sure wish I would have known about my uncle. BUT, you don't get second chances, do you? I think I am going to make a concerted effort to stay in better touch with my relatives, regardless of whether they like it or not, LOL. I loved my uncle, and finding out about his passing as an afterthought really kind of broke my heart a little.

I have not told anyone about this yet...so I know a couple of my family members will read about it here first. Guess that makes me just as bad as the rest, but alas, they were not as close with my uncle as I was. I have been sitting on this news because I didnt want to spoil anyones day...so blogging it now is just my way of releasing...

RIP Mr. Charles Mayes. You will be missed.

Wedding "Expert" Retracts Advice and Apologizes

Wedding "Expert" Retracts Advice and Apologizes

Current mood:betrayed

I sent my previous blog to the company that Jenny Lefcourt represented. This is the response that I, and the others who balked at her advice, got from the company:

Dear Harryoke, Thank you for contacting us about Jenny's recent TV appearance. I'm sorry that you were upset by her tips. In response to feedback about her appearance from the wedding community, Jenny prepared an apology which is available online at: http://www.bellapictures.com/pr/Bella_Pictures_Statement_6-30-08.pdf

Regards,

JOANNA TAGERT

PHOTOGRAPHY CONSULTANT

joannat@bellapictures.com

Direct: 888-556-7590 x 5146