Sunday, April 27 -- Two Blooms and a Kitchen Sink

Just time to add a picture of the amaryllis with two blooms. If these blooms are still pretty when the next two buds bloom, I'll add another picture (but I have a feeling that won't be the case). Hey! Do you think it will bloom again in another five months?

In the meantime, remember our hot water heater escapade? Now we need a new kitchen sink and faucet. What do you think of these? Cream sink with matte black and copper faucet? I rather approve of golf's choice . . . . I think.

So, one of these sinks?

Here's the faucet she wants.

Or this one?

Or this one with the low center divider?

Thursday, April 24, 2008 -- Christmas in the spring?

golf's boss gave her an amaryllis for Christmas, and it bloomed then. She didn't expect it to bloom again so soon, much less so BIG! See the second picture below for proportion of its height (remember, I'm 11 inches tall and it's more than double my size!). The red blob showing below the full bloom is another bud that is opening, and there are two more buds that should bloom soon, but we think these first blooms probably won't still be open and pretty when the second set blooms. Said boss asked, when I showed her a picture of the plant, if we are living in the Little Shop of Horrors! (and she doesn't even know about all of Larry's orchids!) I do love a boss with a sense of humor!

April 15, 2008 -- Sad news . . . .

It makes me very sad for golf to report that she has lost one of her cats to a serious health condition. Now I confess I'm not a big cat fan (did you ever see one at the guesthouse at Robin's Nest? I think not!). But this was a cat with great personality and a terrific sense of fun. He was a sealpoint Himalayan and was "theme" named in a litter all named after Old West characters -- his half-brothers were Virgil, Morgan, and Wyatt (Earp), but he was produced in a succeeding litter so he was Bat (for Bat Masterson, an Earp crony) (Virgil and Wyatt are still around, but I don't know if they're missing Bat or just relishing the extra attention these days, while golf mourns Bat). He was such a forceful personality that he ended up being called Batman most of the time. golf is still broken-hearted and missing his presence sorely. So in his honor, I'll take a break from talking about myself and let him usurp this day's post. Here's to you, Batman! (and even golf admits that sometimes he might not have been as graceful as most cats are. But she says, if you have cats, you know they can look really foolish sometimes -- and have the confidence not to be embarrassed!)

April 13, 2008 -- New Toy!

I'm very pleased to report that I have a new toy! Here is the early version of T.C.'s helicopter -- the MD500C - with the four main rotor blades and the V-tail (as opposed to the five rotor blades of the MD500D with the T-tail).

However, I had to put it aside to help Larry install a new hot water heater. Now THAT was a chore! In spite of several setbacks and unanticipated obstructions, he accomplished it efficiently and promptly. (But he wouldn't let me take any more pictures, I guess I was just in the way too much while he was trying to work.) Nevertheless, thanks to Larry for a job well done!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! March 17, 2008

I confess I do not have a green outfit. Did you ever see me in one from 1980-88 on the show? I think not. I wore a lot of crazy costumes, but a St. Paddy's Day leprechaun outfit was not one of them.

Therefore, since we haven't added to our blog or uploaded any pictures recently, we just decided to take a picture of the blossoming Bradford pear trees along the street outside our subdivision. It looks very pretty when driving toward it -- we just couldn't get a better picture because traffic was behind us. Picky people . . . . .

Oh, yes! A friend has suggested I jump out of the helicopter when we fly over Robin's Nest. Say what? However, I have a feeling Larry might be tempted to adopt this idea . . . . I think I'll take a body double along (if I can sneak him into the luggage).

March 7, 2008

golf has been practicing for her hoped-for trip to Hawaii in September! She has arranged to fly a Robinson 44 over Robin's Nest, so she can concentrate on piloting the aircraft and Larry can film from the back seat. Therefore, in anticipation of such activity, she has been practicing flying the R44 in MicroSoft FlightSimulator, plus the Abacus Whirlybirds add-on so she has a R44 to crash (okay, she doesn't crash it ALL the time). She's made a "test" video of learning to pilot this aircraft. You should be able to see it here (oh, yes! Note where the rotors slow down suddenly and then stop -- fortunately the helicopter keeps flying as though there is no problem -- so it turns out okay. But it adds a little "odd" twist to the video, can't explain it, won't try):




Plus a little flight past Robin's Nest, as she hopes to do:




Okay, she'll concede that she's not very good at landing on the "H" of the helipad . . . . but she comes close. So I'm willing to give her a little credit for hanging in there and continuing to try to improve. We'll have to wait and see if we get a better video in a few months.

February 25, 2008

Check the links to the left for a new link to a new video on youtube. golf tried to upload it directly here, but it wouldn't upload -- maybe too big for this server right now. Anyway, it's a flight simulator movie as a hint as to what golf wants to do in Hawaii in September (though I doubt she'll be able to land at TC's Island Hoppers pier . . . . ).

Now the REAL question is: How am I going to be able to stow away and take the flight with her? And if she flies with the doors off, what can I do to keep from falling out? Need some advice from my Little Voice, but I figure I have about six months to plan this thing out. I better make a note to myself to be sure to remember to take my headset.