Last weekend I went to Key West with my 29 yr old daughter, her boyfriend and our very good friend Rheo.

Oh my. We had a ton of fun. Rheo wanted Key West to be gayer than it was. I am just not sure what he was looking for. It was a much quieter weekend in Key West than I have ever seen. Quiet.

The snorkling sunset trip was a blast. The weather and water was perfect. Rheo was getting water logged and I had to drag him back to the boat. He wanted the boys on the catamaran to come and get him. I just laughed.

The rain finally stopped and the heat dropped to the mid 80's. Now this is why we live here. I am riding all weekend alone and with friends. My honey is in Iowa with his boys. He has his hands full with the kids for sure. Both boys are having huge issues with their lives and the divorce. Very sad.

I hope all is well in your corner of the world.

The Keys trip was fun.

The trip down was a nightmare. I had to remove my camera bag and phone and put it into the chase vehicle. I am glad I did.
I have no desire to ride across the 7 mile bridge alone in a feeder band of a hurricane again. I could see nothing. Including my honey behind me someplace and our chase vehicle. The only good thing was my rain gear kept my ipod playing. So I had great music in the driving rain with no visibility.

We had fun in Key West. I hopped a cab back to the hotel Thursday night around 11 ish. I was exhausted while everyone else stayed out until 4 am. Yikes. I did manage to stay out later on Friday night. It's a good thing I don't drink a lot. My friends all drank enough for all of us.

The ride home was nice and I ended up doing a photo shoot of everyone coming home down a bridge. Fun shot and I almost didn't get out of the way in time.

The rest of the week has been work and rain, rain, rain. My wusband is in for the weekend to do an early celebration of our daughters 29th birthday.

My oldest had a great interview in Bethesda and said he felt good about it. They flew him up. Good sign. They should let him know this week. Bethesda is far away but just a plane ride.

Have a fun weekend.

It is time to go to the Keys for a nice long weekend with my biker friends and my honey.

I haven't been on this poker run in 2 years. Last time I went I bought a new motorcycle because I had a nail in the tire of a perfectly good year old motorcycle that I had put 10,000 miles on. Do not let me stop at a Harley dealership again.
I can resist the temptation. I love my bike.

The other picture is a family shot from my sons birthday last month. I took my oldest out to breakfast this morning. He is job hunting and waiting for an offer from a job in Bethesda, MD. If he gets it I hope they pay him what he is worth. I am glad he is looking out of FL. Smart kid but I will really miss him.

It has been a week of taking my boys out to eat one on one. Bud and I took Andrew out for Thai food the other day.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am going to have a blast in Key West.

Happy Birthday to me.

My girlfriend Sandra had a small dinner at her house for myself and our friend Jackie. Our birthdays are 5 days apart. Sandra can cook for us anytime. She made a 4 course meal and outdid herself.

Saturday was my birthday and I spent it with my honey in the morning, beach with my oldest and youngest then birthday cake at home before the Toby Keith Concert with my friend Sandra and my daughter and her friend Jen. Awesome concert.

Sunday was a huge BBQ at my honey's house. His crash pad is his best friends house. ( since 5th grade) He rents the guest room. he has a great deal. He lives in a big house if he is in town and his friends get their utilities paid. He has an apartment in Iowa where his boys live. He is never there either.

Monday was a long day at work. It didn't rain until I finished and was unloading my cart.

This weekend Sandra and I are heading to Naples to go for a nice long ride.

On Thursday the biker world heads to the Keys and Key West for a huge bike event. Our group heading down on Thursday morning is over 50 bikes. Yikes. We will be creating a traffic mess.

Have an awesome week. I will.

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!!!

Since it is my birthday tomorrow I am debating what to do all weekend.

I will start with a photo shoot at Sandra's this afternoon then she is cooking dinner for myself and another friend who has a birthday in a few weeks. Us Virgos have to stick together.

Tomorrow I will probably have breakfast with my honey who is working all weekend. He has so much going on the next few weekends he is getting all his flying in when he can. I will never tell him not to work. Even though I would love for him to be around. Hang out with my kids in the afternoon, maybe. Then off to a Toby Keith concert tomorrow night with my daughter, my girlfriend Sandra and another friend of ours. Weather permitting. Lawn seats are not fun in the pouring rain.

My idea of a good time. No fuss.

Sunday will be some riding and a bbq at a friends house. Weather permitting of course.

Back to work on Monday.. A long day on the golf course. Weather permitting of course again.

I am debating getting the long t-shirt. But I doubt the bikers would get that I mean everyone of them who drinks then gets on their motorcycles. I see dumb people all the time.

Have an awesome weekend and try and stay dry and be safe.

SOMETIMES LIFE CAN BE SO SAD!!!!!!!

I found out today that a friend and former neighbors ( last year) 18 year old son was killed in a car crash yesterday morning.
So very sad. Sam was a nice kid. Graduated high school last year just before I moved. He had just called his Mom at 3 am and said he was on his way home. He always called his Mom to check in and let her know his comings and goings. A house rule.
Ten minutes later he was in a horrific car accident. The friend of his that was driving was drunk. I don't know the specifics but Sam was killed on impact. The driver managed to escape the car before it blew up. He is in critical condition.

When will anyone realize that alcohol and moving vehicles just don't mix. No matter what age you are. Now this young man has killed his best friend, has an under age DUI and manslaughter. If he survives he will go to jail without passing go. His life is ruined. Both families are destroyed. I know my friend Tammy. She is an accomplished artist and painter and lived her life for her 3 children. Sam was her baby. Her 27 year old daughter is mentally challenged. I hope and pray some day Tammy and her family recover. And come to live with this senseless tragedy.

Last weekend while my wusband was in town for our sons 32nd birthday. A so called friend decided she didn't like the fact that I can be friends with my ex. Hang out with him and get along with him. So she goes off the deep end because someone in some bar who doesn't know me. Told her something someone said.. Knowing her she was running her mouth at a bar close to where I was sitting on the beach with my wusband. He was sleeping. We were minding our own business doing what we have always for 36 years done. Hang out on the beach. Hell. We met on the beach in NJ in 1974 as teenagers. I love the fact that my wusband and I can be friends again. We do have a family together that we both love and cherish. Our family loves the fact that we can all be together without any problems.

Now I should mention that my boyfriend Bud loaned her a sum of money and she has to pay it back to me or him on a weekly basis. Now just him. It was time to pay and she was supposed to pay cash, no check and have it paid on Friday. Week 2 and late again. There is a reason I was a payee. I don't travel for a living and live down the street.

Lets just say that she is a drama queen, hot head with overblown fake titties, lots of tattoos and a really bad short fuse. Did I mention she is a bartender. I had called her out the week before for over serving my boyfriend and his friends and questioned the amount of the bar bills.

After threatening me with bullshit, I told her I had no clue what she was talking about. Still don't . She said she was going to call Bud and text him and destroy my life. She tried. I asked her to leave him alone since he was with friends on vacation. She didn't listen. I have issues with people like this. I really thought she was a friend. Well. No friend of mine treats anyone like this. Lets just say she may have caused some issues between me and Bud. She came out looking like the ass she is. Bud didn't believe a word she said but she managed to plant doubts. The weird thing is she told him nothing but lies and he knows me and knows I do not ever hang out in bars drinking and asking others to pay. That I am not cheating on him. ETC, ETC< ETC...

Now I have a cardinal rule I happen to live by. "DO NO HARM" I will never go up to someone and repeat something someone said about them. I don't interfere in others relationships and try and destroy them. And I would never intentionally set out to destroy anyone. Just bad karma. Now because I am non confrontational, people think I am a pushover. Nope. But I will not retaliate. Life and people like this get what they deserve. I don't have to do a thing.

There is a country song on the radio right now. I like it. " I Pray For You" It applies here.

I also believe we all deserve the right to live and let live as we see fit. Just because someone does not get my lifestyle doesn't mean it is wrong. It just may not be right for them. If those in my close life have no issues why would someone else have a say in it. The reason most people have no issues with me is they know me and that I will never do harm. I am empathic and feel way to much. I don't like conflict or angry words. I can't watch fighting or boxing, etc.

Said trouble making friend decided by text that she may have been wrong and over reacted and wants to talk and be friends.
4 hours after the text she got my very polite reply so she has no lingering doubt. NO THANK YOU> Loose the number and never interfere in my life again. I am not interested in any contact.

Now my boyfriend is not questioning this and it does make him getting paid back and issue. Not my problem. She violated my personal code of conduct. He gets that. He and I are fine. He is with me 24 / 7 when he is in town and has been since this has blown up and been a very learning experience in our lives. He is always with me regardless when he is here. Just how it is.

I guess some people just love drama. I am not one of them and keep it out of my life as much as possible.

Life can be sad. In the bigger picture of things. She and her opinions just don't matter in the long run.

Thank you for letting me vent in my own corner of the world. I hope everyone had a better week.

My girlfriend Sandra closed her restaurant a month ago. Now she is doing cooking classes, wine pairings and cooking for private parties. She continues to amaze me with her resilience.

The wine pairing was fun to work. She needed someone to help. I love making easy money. It worked out well.

She found a kitchen appliance show room in Coral Gables that has the most amazing working kitchen in the show room. She rents it out for her functions. Her former customers love her cooking and follow her. Dinner was seriously yummy. I skipped the wine since I was there to work and pour all 5 different wines.

Work is seriously slow right now. I can't wait until this heat goes away just a little. Like lets get the heat index under 100 please. It has been dry and Africa hot.

Have a fun weekend. Mine is all family stuff. My oldest turns 32 tomorrow. The Wusband is in for the weekend.

I am dog sitting again. This time the dog is the size I like. Sprigs fits in well and is enjoying not having little kids around.
He and Izzie scratch at the door to get in while Shiloh lets them do all the work. Too funny.

Shiloh has been loving her nap time like usual with Izzie hanging in the background. Sprigs sleeps on the bed at home but I refuse to have 3 dogs in my bed.

Last night we celebrated Sandra's 52nd birthday. Fun times. The food was expensive and not worth the money.
Maria and I sent back our rack of lambs due to being well done. Not what we ordered at $30 per plate. They came out and dropped menus because they said they ran out of lamb. Personally I think the chef just didn't want to deal with us because he can't cook meat to temperature ordered. Just my opinion of course. Now there was nothing on the menu other than the lamb I felt like eating. And I am not that picky. So I didn't eat dinner. It was really late by the time dinner came out and I was over it.

Maria is a back up singer for K C & Sunshine band. Man can the girl sing. She is also a blast to hang out with. She and Sandra were both army wives in Sardinia, Italy back in the day. ( like 1980's) The Italian flies, funny.

The weather has finally cleared and I am going to work today. Bring on the golfers who want to tip the cart girl. Please.

This weekend I am riding come hell or high water. It is supposed to be clear and sunny. So my weekend will go like this. Sun, beach, ride, ride, sun , beach, and ride. My honey is working and I am going to a drag show tomorrow night with the girls. A Brad Paisley concert with my daughter and her friend Jen. So I should have a great weekend.

My honey is also going on vacation next week. Have fun. It is the first real vacation with no children, not being married and having the ex call him non stop after 1 day to come home and handle something. (I think I will delete his number so I am not tempted to call him. I won't though. he gets annoyed if I don't text him good morning) He is driving his truck back to Iowa, stopping at another pilot friends house, flying into Vegas to be picked up by private plane and flown to another pilots ranch in Arizona for a few days. All Air Force buddies he hasn't seen in forever. I told him to go have some down time and fun. I get the need to go do things you haven't had the chance to do. I left 8 yrs ago and have been doing what I want ever since.

Have a nice weekend.

Some days it pays to stay in bed.

Yesterday was such a day.

The gym was crazy weird people. Then off to work I go.

Dead. No money and I twisted my ankle. But the worst was biting into a hard pretzel and breaking a crown. I didn't just break it, it broke off my tooth. Now this is a crown I had put on in the last 2 yrs. The same tooth the endodontist had to work on for a root canal last summer. The same tooth my dentist charged me $900 to work on the tooth and repair the crown he swore would hold after the endodontist drilled thru it. I guess I was right in believing it wasn't going to hold. So I am calling this my $4,000 tooth. I am pissed. But being a silver lining kind of girl at least the tooth doesn't hurt.

My friends were all going riding last night. Nope. I wasn't chancing it. I had had a bad day and wasn't chancing it.

I have a busy riding weekend taking pictures for lots of events planned. But will my foot / ankle hold. I may have to tap my boyfriend to ride me around.

I am also watching a friends little dog for 12 days. Nice dog. My little Shiloh is not playing nice. I hope she calms down or it's going to be a long 12 days for sure. Right now I am rotating dogs around. Shiloh in 1 area, the other 2 in another, switch to outside, switch to inside front room. You get the idea.

Then add on menopause kicking in with hot flashes, night sweats etc. Guarenteed it had been creeping in, now it's just here.
I think it's not a good idea I am around people right now. I am just plain cranky.

Have a fun weekend.

Peaceful.
I had a nice peaceful few days in Captiva.

The west coast of FL is so different than where I live. Nice.

The pictures are the gulf coast, The Mucky Duck, (yummy) and The Seamen's Chapel. That is where my daughter wants to get married and always has. Very cute and small. It is not open during the summer months. No air conditioning.

But back to the real world I came. Yesterday my Daughter in law called me while I was on the beach chilling peacefully. She wants me to drop everything and watch her dog AGAIN. She has to work tonight and doesn't want Tonka home alone. So I said ok to tonight even though I have plans. Then she says she wants me to keep Tonka for a week or more while she goes to Tampa to see her friend. I said NO THANK YOU> I am already watching someone elses small dog for 10 days and I won't watch hers also. I get a not so nice text from my son in Montenegro saying Thanks a lot for being mean to his wife. I chewed him a new ass. He is almost 32. Come on. he said I told her I didn't like her dog, blah blah blah.

Fact is the dog is a pain in the ass. I think I should have the right to say NO THANK YOU> I suggested a kennel. He wasn't happy. I suggested maybe her family could watch him since they have huge back yards. Nope. They only call when they want something. (sounds like it runs in the family) I only hear from her when she wants something. The girl is a serious drama queen. I asked my 27 yr old what he thinks and he said he had no desire for Tonka to be here again for any length of time.
Fact is I don't live in my house alone. Everyone should have a say since we all end up watching and walking the monster. We all said NO THANK YOU>

I want to go back to Captiva and hide out again.

MY HOUSE IS CLEAN AGAIN!!!!!!

The monster finally went home. My dogs are at the groomers as I type. I couldn't get them in before today. My groomers moved this week into their own building. They have a lot of work to do for sure. And my house is finally clean.

My honey had the trip from hell coming east in his truck with the trailer. What he thought would be 12 hours turned into 26. The truck had issues in the mountains and it took forever. Going 40 mph instead of 70 makes a huge time difference. But he and the boys are at his brothers. While he slept a little yesterday his niece took the boys ATV riding, white water rafting. Fun stuff. His brother took the boys out on the big tractor with air conditioning into the fields. They had a blast. He will be staying there for a few days and then heading down here. Hopefully it won't take as long. He did say he tried to sleep on the pull out sofa from hell last night. Mattress on the floor tonight for sure.

My bike is still in the garage. I plan on riding with my friends this weekend. My friend has his new bike. But we are having a little rain right now. Tropical storm Bonnie is coming thru right now. Not so bad. The news just likes to make things worse. I do believe we have had bigger thunder storms.

I am going to Captiva next week with a good friend of mine for a few days. I need a break for sure. A few down days for good behavior watching the grand dog.

Have a fun weekend. I plan on it.

WHAT A NICE WEEKEND!!!!!!!

I had such a nice time all weekend hanging out with my honey.
Lots of live music, outside activities, beach and bicycles, birthday parties. We were kind of late everywhere we went though.
We kind of had a total immersion weekend before he heads out for a 2 week vacation with his boys. He is finalizing his move east and home to Miami. His motorcycle, atv, etc are going on a road trip. He is driving cross country from Iowa with his 8 and 11 yr old. Stopping in NC at his brothers for some white water rafting, gold panning on a stream on his brothers property. Fun stuff.
Then down to Miami he comes for some fishing with some other Uncles at Stiltsville out in key Biscayne. The boys will have a blast with their Dad and Uncles for sure.

I haven't been out on the bike much. I have been having hand issues with my clutch hand. The down time has helped immensely. That and lighting up my gym time to 4 days a week and lighter weights. I think my body needs a break. It has also been so hot, it's Africa Hot most days. But tomorrow I am riding. A good friend of mine is getting a new bike and we are picking it up and going for a ride. But first he has to get his new drivers license with his endorsement.

I have also been watching my Grand dog for the last 2 weeks. My house is full of dog hair. The floors are filthy. My little Shits need a trip to the groomers big time to be un Tonkad. They smell like him now. He hopefully leaves and goes home tomorrow.. When my daughter in law comes home from Montenegro and a 12 day vacation with my son. He is staying over there for a few more weeks for work. They are opening up a new nightclub that he designed. I told her that was her birthday present. He is a handful for sure. But a 90 pound Old English Bulldog is a hand full and strong as an ox or a bull in a china shop.

Time for work. Have an awesome week.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND

We went on Saturday night to see KC and the Sunshine Band. Talk about fun times. Memories.
My wusband went with us, my girlfriend Sandra, who got us VIP seating. My son Andrew also joined us and had a blast.
The backup singer Maria has been with KC for 20 yrs. She and Sandra have been friends for 30 years.
I also have press credentials for the biker magazine so no one bothered me with my camera up front. Hence the awesome pictures.

It was mostly a rained out weekend down here. Water, water and more water.
The 4th the rain hit at 2 pm and stopped in time for the fire works. We stayed home and watched the neighbors set stuff off.
No traffic, no mess and we stayed dry.

Yesterday I got rained out at work. The course is under water again. Hopefully I will get to work some tomorrow and Thursday.

I am so over the rain. But at least the heat has abated somewhat.

Have a great week.

Last weekend I was so busy for a biker magazine that I found myself taking pictures of thing so outside my life experiences. Nor do I ever wish to go see it again. Yuck.

I did enjoy getting my arm airbrushed at the tattoopalooza on Saturday. Then I worked our magazines birthday bash for the owner. Over 1800 people showed up. What a wild time.

Then came Sunday and a cancer fund raiser with bikers. Tommy got a new dental hygienist with Pineapple. This dog is so friendly he will kiss anyone. Tommy owns a custom bike shop. Nice guy even though he is a tad out of control.

I figured I would share a few pictures of my weekend.

I hope everyone has such an awesome July 4th weekend. My wusband will be in and we are having a family weekend.

I had such a busy weekend taking pictures for biking events and going for a local ride with the girls on Saturday.

I have come to the conclusion that I am so over people who drink to excess and people who drink on their bikes.

One of my best friends dropped his bike last night and has no clue why he was in my town. I spoke to him this morning. He is sore, has a stitched up face and head. But he was with a friend who helped him pick up his huge bike and he managed to ride it home. Not far. But he was closer to my house. The bike is damaged, his face is damaged, his body hurts like a mother. I told him I would gladly come take pictures tomorrow when he looks like a black and blue mess and print it. I will do it too.
After he got home he called a friend who took him to the emergency room to stitch him up.

It has been way too hot to drink and ride your motorcycle. Stop the insanity. It's insanity to ride when drinking anyway. But come on. Use your brain.

The guy I had been seeing on and off for 6 months is gone for good due to his drinking also. Maybe I just have no tolerance for people who drink to excess.

Have a fun Monday. I have to get ready for work. Lets hope the storms miss our course today so I can work.

IT'S THE WEEKEND ALREADY

I have a busy photography weekend for a magazine I take pictures for. And next weekend.
Busy, busy, busy.

But first I am going riding with the girls first thing tomorrow morning while it's only 90 with a heat index of 100.
I swear if it gets any hotter we will all start and believe we are in Africa. Wait. Africa is probably cooler.

First the winter was cold, now the summer is blistering hot. And it's only June. We had no middle.

The kids left to see their Dad for the weekend. I almost went. But work intruded.

I did manage to get in a little beach time today. Then the storms moved in from nowhere. I was so looking forward to evening out my tan lines from the course and bike. My friends couldn't believe how pale I am. On my body. My arms and face are good.

Enjoy your weekend. I will be going to bed early. I am tired.

A day in the life on the golf course.
As I go round and round and round I go. I see pilfering raccoons, begging ducks, even the babies know how to beg now. And they are only a few weeks old. The squirrel cracked me up getting some shade by the clubhouse.
If you look really close in the grass shot you will see a burrowing owl. They are protected and will his and attack you if you get too close. I have counted 6 owls now between 3 protected nests in the middle of the golf course.

Today I rode up to Lantana to an very old restaurant with just the girls. What a gorgeous ride.
Fun ride for sure.
Tomorrow I am going around and around again from 7 a.m. until it either rains or around 7:30 pm. Long day. I don't usually work weekends. Someone is on vacation.

Have an awesome weekend. Go USA in World Cup Soccer. We made it thru the first game tying with England. Oh Yea.

I am not usually very political.

BUT COME ON AND FIX THE PROBLEM ALREADY.

Now if we can send people to the moon, are you telling me they have no idea how to fix this disaster in the gulf.
And if that is the case, who let them drill there in the first place. The environmental impact is catastrophic.

My poor flowers are not doing so well. The smaller pots died totally. I have half left of the big pot.

Help Kathy. I never kill impatiens.

What a fun weekend.

I spent it in Isslamarada at a small place called The Drop Anchor Inn. Sweet.
We had all 18 rooms to just us with just our group of merry misfits.
All rooms were suites and we piled people in on the long weekend.

5 boats were trailered in, a jet ski, etc. The pool had a sign that said no pool toys. We filled it. It was just us.

I read all weekend sitting by the pool, floating in the pool and swinging in a hammock. Bliss.

We came back on Sunday before the traffic for work. Work was crazy busy yesterday.

Time to get back in the swing of things.

Have an awesome June.