Twenty Four At Heart

Aaaand ... Tis The Season?

If you live in the US, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend.  Actually, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend wherever you live, and whether or not you celebrated.

My last guest leaves this afternoon.  I will then look around my thrashed house, freak out about The State Things Are In ... and begin the process of guest-recovery.  I'm sure I'll get everything back in order just in time for the return of family and guests in three weeks ....

Here's a look at what I've been doing the past several days:

•  Cooking, cooking, cooking.

•  Eating and drinking too much.  Stretchy pants have never felt so good!

•  Hanging out at the beach.  We've had 85F/29.4 C weather.  Crystal clear skies - so beautiful!

HDR photo of the beach last weekend.  And no, I don't like HDR photography but I was playing with it anyway.

•  Car shopping.  I hate car shopping.  Hate, hate, hate!  However, my current car is leased and the lease is up in a couple weeks.  I need to look at cars in spite of the fact I hate doing it.  (And no, I have no idea what I'll end up getting.)  What a waste of beautiful weather, don't you agree?

•  A little Christmas shopping ... primarily for/with my daughter while she was in town to try on clothes.

•  A little online shopping ... to avoid the malls as much as possible.  I'm a hermit at heart and I hate shopping in crowded malls.

•  Managing a really bad pain flare-up.  (Is there such thing as a good pain flare up?  I think not.)  I'll try not to bitch too much, but ....?  Whine, whine, whine!!  Also?  OUCH!  I think I'm on the downswing of it now ... thankfully.  It, quite honestly, knocked me on my ass for a couple days.

Unstable bluff area - stay clear!

I felt like I should walk around wearing the above sign, or something similar.  "Extreme pain flare-up, resulting in UNSTABLE moods, STAY CLEAR!"

•  On the positive side, all three of my kids were here for Thanksgiving.  It was so nice.

Sunset at the beach, pelicans flying.

Did I mention it has been absolutely spectacular here lately?

I love the fall in Southern California.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Thanksgiving 2011

So much to be thankful for ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

There's a Turkey in the Fridge ...

My house is pure mayhem right now.

Family, guests, dogs ... turkey in the fridge.

Chaos!

Fun chaos, but chaos nonetheless.

I have a secret.

Ever since my car accident, there's a (big) part of me that dreads the holidays.

There's so much I love about this time of year, but no matter what I do -

No matter how I try ...

I end up in terrible pain.

Everyone else seems so cheerful and happy, and festive.  I smile outwardly while cringing with awe-inspiring pain.

I remember, years ago, being chided by The Torturer (my then physical therapist).

"You can't do everything you used to do," he'd scold me, sternly.

And I try, I really do TRY to "not do" things.

Regardless, I guess I do more than I'm capable of I should.

It's already started.

A few days ago, along with the arrival of guests, my pain began increasing.

"Why?" I asked myself, exasperated.

I'm asking people to lift things for me.  

I'm trying to avoid any and every thing I know will aggravate my arm/shoulder/neck/back.

And yet ...

The pain creeps in.  Like an evil demon it grows, it climbs higher, it breaks down the fortresses I've built to protect myself.

I concentrate on breathing deeply.  I take slow, methodical, breaths when I'm actually tempted to hold my breath instead.  (Because, when pain is that bad, it hurts to breathe.)

There's a part of me looking forward to all the wonderful things the holidays entail,

And a part of me dreading the next few weeks.

I'll have family members lift the turkey and chop vegetables for our Thanksgiving "feast" tomorrow.  Briefcase and the boys will be in charge of scrubbing pans once the cooking is completed.

I'll be aggressive with the programs I run my bionic arm on.

I'll take pain meds early in the day, like I'm supposed to,

(Instead of waiting as long as possible, as I'm prone to do).

I'll also count my blessings -

Because they are many,

And that's one thing I never forget ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

Good News, Bad News, And Weird News

My life is SO not normal.

Weird news:

Multiple people are sending me photos of their basters.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

I can't even tell you how much this amuses me.  In fact, it makes my day because hahahahahaha!

I think YOU should take a photo of your baster and send it to me too.  It can be a phone pic or whatever you want.  Baster photos make me laugh.  Please keep your baster shots rated PG-ish though in case I decide to share them.  (I really see no reason why I would need x-rated baster photos, do you?)  If you want to be creative with your baster - all the better.

Ha ha!

More sort-of weird news:

This is a blurry phone photo of Fawn:

It's not Fawn's fault she's blurry, it's mine.

By the way, HI FAWN!!

Anyway, Fawn works at my favorite tea shop.  I drink a lot of loose leaf tea (mainly iced).  I buy it in large quantities so I only need to buy it every few months.  Yesterday, as soon as I walked in the door Fawn said, "Jasmine Oolong" which is my favorite tea.

I was very impressed.  Fawn remembered and I haven't been in the store for months.

Then Fawn nonchalantly mentioned she laughed so hard she spit her coffee out the day prior while reading my Baster Post.  I was embarrassed.  I'm happy she thought it was funny.  

But ...

Hello reader - meet your blogger who in her real-life-hasn't-showered-disgustingness!

This is the reason why I was such a slob:

I had a worker man (with a big tool) show up at my house early yesterday morning.  He didn't leave until afternoon.  I didn't want to shower with him in the house.  (Also?  I didn't want to shower with HIM.  I have poor grammar today!)  When he finally left I thought, "I'll just run and get more tea because I'm addicted and I can't live a day without it.  I'll keep my fingers crossed I don't see anyone I know because I'm SLOBBED OUT."

And then, I walked into the tea shop and smiley, friendly, Fawn recognized me on sight.

I think it's okay though.  I think Fawn is understanding of my slobbery-ness.  

Good News:  Fawn even gave me a delicious iced tea "on the house."  It was such a nice thing for her to do!

I like Fawn.  If any of you happen to be at the Mission Viejo Shops, you should stop into anonymous tea store and say hi to Fawn.  Tell her hi from me!  (I'm not posting the name of the store in case it would get Fawn in trouble ... but there's only one tea store at that mall.)

Bad News:

A teen son doesn't find it amusing when he sees his mom posted about Worker Man's Big Tool on Facebook.  (Which was a total accident by the way - it was a message intended for some Twitter friends but I just started using Hootsuite and I don't know what I'm doing.  I accidentally posted it to Facebook.)

It must be humiliating to have me for a mom.  

More Bad News:  I'm not sure my site re-design is going to be done as soon as I hoped.  Several of you have mentioned you want to purchase prints as holiday gifts now, so ... here's the scoop:

Good News:  My older prints will continue to be up (click here) until mid to late December.  You can order any of them, just the way you always have.  I will give you a few days notice when my "old" site is about to go down.  (I don't have the exact date yet.)

Good News:  I'm going to give you a sneak-peek at my new (still being built) photo site.  You can find many of my newer photos in galleries by clicking here.  And yes, you can now order prints from the new site.  

I'm able to offer many more products/sizes on the new site.  I also now have, what I consider to be, the top photo lab in the country printing for me.  Prices on some items are lower (and on some items higher) than on my "old" site.  The prices are dependent on what I'm charged.

Because I'm still getting the kinks out, and because the site isn't finished - I will be checking and approving every order myself as orders are placed.  I want everything to run smoothly even if there's still a lot of work to do behind the scenes.  (I appreciate you understanding I'm moving forward before everything is "perfect" and completed at the request of readers.)  If you have any questions, or a problem placing an order, please let me know so I can help.

I will post more details for you about what's going on with the new site, soon.  If you want a photo you don't see posted, just let me know and I'll do my best to have it available for you within 24 hours. I'm in the process of transitioning over my most popular photos ....

Thank you, as always, for being the best readers in the entire world!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Eat Your Vegetables and Other Words of Wisdom

Yesterday afternoon I sent an inquiry out on Facebook and Twitter while I was at the grocery store.  (This is newsworthy in itself because I'm rarely on Facebook.)

Tell me about kale.  I've never had it.  Would it be good in vegetable soup?

I also texted my friend Nike to ask her if I should put kale in the soup I was about to make because she used to drink kale shakes for breakfast every single day.  (Therefore she ought to know a lot about kale, right?)  

I was NOT prepared for the outpouring of pro-kale feedback I ended up getting on Twitter and Facebook.  (By the way, Nike also said I should buy it but she was more concerned with whether or not I could join her for shoe shopping ....) 

I bought kale as a result of all your positive feedback.

I added it to the vegetable soup I made for dinner last night.

I liked kale.

My son liked kale too.  He ate FIVE bowls of soup.  (He's a teen boy, and he loves homemade soup.  I can't entirely credit kale for his soup-appetite.)

Now, I already KNEW kale is very healthy, packed with nutrients, etc.  I'm very educated about healthy foods.  (After all, I do live in California - the land of health freaks.  I was also raised by two incredibly health-conscious parents long before "eating healthy" was fashionable.)

But ...?

I had a perception of kale tasting bitter and being gag-worthy.

Maybe my perception was formed years ago when Nike used to tell me about choking down drinking her morning kale shakes?  Maybe hearing her stories permanently scarred my psyche?

In any case, I'm glad I finally tried it.  I like it enough to make it a regular part of my family's diet.  Several people shared links with me to their favorite kale recipes and I plan on trying them as I get my kale-bearings.

Do you like kale?

How do you cook it?

Do you have a vegetable you refuse to even try?

I still won't eat turnips.

Why not?

Well, my dad used to go on and on about how terrible they were.  My mom never served them as a result.  I've never had a turnip, but if my dad (who's a total foodie) hates turnips that much then surely I would hate them too, right?

Do you have a vegetable you HAVE tried but vehemently dislike?

For instance, I'm glad I tried kale and I can now say I like it.

However, I've tried lima beans and I HATE them.

I don't like peas at all either.  Bleh!

Well ...?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Embarrassing Purchases

I bought a new turkey baster yesterday, and I felt dirty for hours afterwards.

Last year, you might recall, I had a few "incidents" while cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  One of those incidents was the explosion of my favorite Master Baster.

Ahem.

I've been meaning to replace it ever since.

I know grown women who struggle with embarrassment when purchasing tampons or other "feminine" products.  I know men who feel self conscious purchasing condoms.

For me?

Embarrassment is all about people knowing my Master Baster needs.

At first, I eyed the basters from afar (or across the grocery aisle).

I approached the basters cautiously.  

They were hanging, conspicuously, on display.

I looked at them.  They looked cheap, and likely to explode just like my favorite (good quality, but very old) Master Baster did.

The need for a baster nagged at me though.

I might not have time to look for a Better Baster before Thanksgiving.

Sometimes, Any Baster is better than No Baster - right? 

I glanced around.  No one appeared to be looking my way.

I quickly grabbed a baster from the display.  

I walked away quickly, feigning nonchalance.

I reached into my grocery cart and squeezed the red knob of the baster a few times.

A too-squishy knob would never do.

Of course, I needed to baster with a pliable knob too.

If you can't squeeze your Master Baster, you're bound to have a host of problems.

Mentally, I estimated the baster's length.

I wondered if basters come in different lengths and thicknesses?

I've only known one baster, in all my adult years.

And so it begins ...

The holiday season has arrived.

Are there any items you feel uncomfortable or self conscious purchasing?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

We had a beautiful weekend here.  It hit 90F/32.2C at my house yesterday.

Laguna Beach.

I tried to take a scary self-portrait and this is what I came up with:

By the way, do any of you know how to permanently (non-surgically) get rid of laugh lines?

Or, as they're better known, big giant CREVICES in your face?

Yes?

No?

Aging is such a bitch!

We've had some Big Stuff going on in our lives over here at the Twenty Four household, but I can't blog about any of it yet.  It's giving me writer's block.  There are so many things I CAN blog about, but instead I stare at my computer screen and think ... but I can't write about that.

And then, I stare at the screen some more.

I made goulash for dinner last night.

I have no idea why I just told you that, but I'm curious if any of you have ever made goulash?  It's fun just to say the word over and over ...  goooo - losh!

I'm off my temporary, emergency, steroids.

Yay!

(Except ... hello Return Of Pain.)

Some of you wrote and asked me about the Fentanyl Patches I was prescribed.  Long story short, I'm not using them right now.  They made me itch like crazy and also want to barf.  I've tried them three times now and I think I'm going to pass.  I see Dr. Painless next week, and I imagine he'll be unhappy about this news.

(Um, he may read about it here before I tell him - !)

Even more of you asked if I'm using medicinal marijuana ....

I do use it sometimes.  And yes, it helps but it isn't a cure-all either.  I also don't feel like I can get high and go out running errands, driving all over Orange County.  When I do use it, it's generally at night when I know I can just hangout for the evening.  (It doesn't happen very often because my life is hectic.)

My new laptop is scheduled to be delivered from China sometime on Thursday.  It's an Apple ... a MacBook Pro to be exact.  I wanted it with extra RAM right from the get-go (for all my gigantic RAW photo files) so I had to order it online instead of buying one in the store.  Apparently, when you order a "custom" laptop it gets shipped from China.

I'm not at all excited about getting a new computer.  I suppose I should be, but I'm not.  I'm too frustrated with my current one.  I'm sure I'll be thrilled when it arrives though, because then I can stop threatening to throw my old one against a wall.  (I also want to stomp on it repeatedly, but so far I've displayed excellent self control.)

Did you know I have trouble thinking without a laptop?

Some people can't think without a pen in their hand ...

I can't think without a functioning laptop.

I'm trying though - !!

Three more days until I'll be able to think again ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

New England

I've been back in California for one full day now.

So far, since I returned, I've done the following:

  •  Tried to sleep, and failed miserably, thank you mega-steroids.

  •  Fought with my dying/dead/failed laptop for hours - upon hours, upon hours, in an effort to get a minimal amount of work done.

  •  Ordered a NEW laptop which should arrive sometime next week.  (Happy early birthday to me?)

  •  Fainted a few times at the cost of laptops.

  •  Thanked the Pain Management Gods for emergency doses of steroids and the desperately needed pain relief they're temporarily providing.  (Thank you also to Dr. Painless for encouraging me to do what I love and finding ways to help me do just that.)

  •  Reviewed some exciting plans for Twenty Four At Heart's upcoming update/redesign.  (Hopefully, coming soon to a blog near you - !)

  •  Been overwhelmed with gratitude and amazement upon discovering over 11,000 of you are now following my photography on Google Plus.  (Thank you - so much!!)  

**  Thank you also to famed photographer Thomas Hawk who published my name again this week on his coveted list of Kick Ass Photographers.  He's an AWESOME, supportive, mentor to so many photographers.  **

Well,

Okay then ....

My daughter called to tell me I "got out of Boston just in time" because they're expecting snow during the next 24 hours.

(She's not very happy about the idea of snow in October.  Or, to be honest, snow in general.  Have I mentioned she'll be moving back to California by the first of the year?)

I honestly don't know what I would have done if it had snowed while I was there.  

I'm not snow-savvy, to put it mildly.

The weather was a little brisk, but so beautiful for my visit.

Boston sunset.

And yes, I did come home with one thousand new photos.

Why do you ask?

(Pain management?  Say what ....?)

I promise I won't make you look at all of my New England photos.

This one's a favorite though:

Boston in the fall.

Fall has always been my favorite season, even though colors don't change here in Orange County.  Being in New England for five days, in October, was such a treat.

Pumpkins on the steps of a Boston brownstone.

I must have squealed with delight a million times as I submerged myself in New England charm.

I was especially excited my daughter took me to visit the town of Salem.

Salem ... as in witches (!!), churches, graveyards, etc.

!!!

I'll have more about Salem in upcoming posts, but I wanted to leave you with this photo of the church in Salem.  (Make sure to notice the "witch" in the photo - she's walking down the street toward the church.)

Salem, MA

What could be more fun for a California girl than visiting Salem just prior to Halloween?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Massachusetts is Hard to Spell ( ... And Other Dilemmas!)

My trip home to California from Boston, did not go well.

My "nonstop" flight ran into a problem and I somehow ended up in Nevada.

Oh yes, I eventually made my way home yesterday but without a minute's worth of sleep in over a 24 hour period.  (Thank you to whoever suggested I take A Game of Thrones with me on this trip.)

Also?

Massive quantities of steroids for pain will WIRE you.

And make you JUMP-JUMP-JUMPY!

(But they do help a lot with my pain level, so ... fair enough.  Life is one big trade-off, right?)

Am I rambling?

Did I mention no sleep?

I'm back in Orange County.

I haven't slept in two days, I think.  

Maybe three?

I can't sleep either - thank you mega-steroids.

And yes, I am exhausted.

My laptop apparently does not have enough RAM (kind of like short-term memory for those of you non-computer-savvy folks) to run Lightroom and/or Photoshop, let alone both of them at the same time.  I've already upgraded the RAM as much as it can be upgraded since it's an ancient (three year old) laptop.  Current laptops apparently come with twice the RAM I now have.

Why did they name it RAM?

Don't tell me - I don't really want to know, and I don't actually care.

Also?

Something else is wrong with it also.  (It doesn't work - har dee har har!!)

Today I'm going to go price laptops.

I hope you'll bare with me as I try to get my online life back in order. 

(BTW, I can't type on a desktop due to my arm - I have to have a laptop on my lap in order to type.  Seeing as I've moved into full time photographer-mode, it would be so much easier and better if I could work on a full size, super smart, desktop computer, but sadly that's not an option.)

Getting a new laptop computer may sound exciting, but unexpected expenses are not exciting at all when you have two kids in college at the same time.

Just sayin' ....

The Charles River, Boston, MA  Fall 2011

I did manage to upload the photos from my trip, but it took over three hours with my sort-of-bandaged computer.  I also had to juggle while standing on one foot, balancing in mid-air, all at the same time in order to make the upload work.

Breakfast at a neighborhood bakery, Boston, MA.

Despite the lack of sleep, the steroid-induced jumpiness, the broken computer ...

I'm still on a bit of a Boston high.

It was so beautiful, and I crammed activities into every waking moment while I was there.  

Girls just want to have fun, right?

Fall colors, Boston, MA.

I couldn't get enough of the pretty New England leaves!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Man Cold

My weekend was pretty ... meh.

Briefcase has a Man Cold and most of you know how that goes.

Is there anyone in the world who hasn't seen this hysterical video?

 

Man Cold video.

I'm hoping I don't catch it from him.

(Yes, I tried my best to avoid my husband all weekend .... while still being an annoyed a loving, impatient supportive, eye-rolling sympathetic wife.)

I've got a busy week planned, including a trip to the east coast next weekend.

I might try find time to buy a long sleeve shirt to wear while I'm back there.

I refuse to buy a coat for one weekend.

Stop laughing at me ...

(Expect a future post about me freezing my ass off because I'm on the east coast at the end of October without a coat.)

© Twenty Four At Heart

Angeles Crest Highway, and More ...

I'm tired.

Tired as in ...

Exhausted.

Today I don't have to "do" anything.

Don't get me wrong -

I have a zillion billion things I need to do,

But I have nothing I HAVE to do.

I might doze on the couch for a few hours, but shhhh! don't tell anyone.

My daughter left on a red-eye flight last night.

Yesterday, she and I went to the small town(s) of La Crescenta/La Canada/Flintridge/Montrose where I grew up.

She had never visited there before.  It's about an hour and a half drive time from where I live now (when there isn't rush hour horrible traffic).  She was delighted with the cuteness and charm of the area.  By the way, all four of the above mentioned places are pretty much the same "town."

We had lunch outdoors at a little local bakery.

We walked around a lot.

We drove up in the hills mountains and I showed her where the local "make-out with your boyfriend" spot was.  (Is?)

Angeles Crest Highway as viewed from Make-Out Point.

I shared with her the story of my father almost dying when his car went off that same, treacherous, mountain road.  Many years later my cousin did die in a car accident on that very same road.  His dog was in the car with him when it went off a cliff.

The dog survived the accident and sat, unmoving, by my cousin's body for hours upon hours until the wreckage was discovered.

Even then, his dog refused to leave his side.

Eventually, someone had to physically pick the dog up and take it away.

It breaks my heart still.

I learned to drive a car on Angeles Crest Highway.

To this day, I consider myself an excellent mountain road driver.

Many people have died on that mountain road,

And yet, it's also a spectacularly beautiful place.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Confessions of a Horrible Blogger

Hello Internet ...!

I've been posting daily, but I haven't been a very attentive blogger.

My daughter is visiting from Boston right now and I've found myself doing the bare minimum to get by in the wild-world-of-the-web.  She's only here for a few more days, and then I'll resume a more normal routine.

Several of you have asked to buy photos I haven't yet posted to my photo site.  I apologize for the delay, and promise to get my more recent photos uploaded in just a few days.  I wanted to let you know she's visiting and that's why I've fallen so behind.

She and I have been busy doing girl things.

Monochrome photo of my daughter looking out at the (Pacific) ocean.

We've been shopping, and visiting, and walking along the beach(es).  She's been very homesick for our beaches.  

Oh, and "good Mexican food" also ....

(burp!)

In a few weeks I'll be making a trip to Boston to visit her.  It's a trip I planned nearly a year ago, long before she scheduled this trip to California.  I'm hoping to see some fall leaves when I go.  We don't get much in the way of fall leaves here.

My big concern is the fact I don't own a coat, and don't want to buy one for such a short visit to the east coast.  Will I freeze my ass off?  Probably.

I just bought some non-sandals in preparation for going east.  She tells me I'd "freeze" if I wore flip flops in Boston at the end of October.

Pffffft ....!

© Twenty Four At Heart

You Know You've Got PMS When ...

You know you've got PMS when ....

•  Your "baby bulge" looks enormous, but you haven't given birth in 16 years.

•  You want to argue with an anonymous commenter.

•  You say "ouch" when putting on your own bra.

•  You sigh a lot, because c'mon people get your shit together.

•  Your husband becomes the most annoying human being on earth overnight.

•  You announce, "I'm stressed out," to a total stranger when she walks by.

•  You wake up with a huge zit on the tip of your nose, and another one on your ass.

•  You raid the pantry looking for chocolate at 9 pm.  

•  And 10 pm.  

•  And midnight.

•  Your Golden Retriever looks at you with sad eyes, and sighs, before leaving the room.

•  You tell your teenage son, "It's a good thing I was a teenager once too," in a scoldy voice.

•  You cry when you hear children singing a happy song.

•  You look in the mirror and are convinced you grew five chins since yesterday.

•  You realize forgetting to move one load of laundry into the dryer is a DISASTER.

•  You think about snapping the head off people who give you unsolicited advice.

•  You have a headache, and you know nothing will cure it but chocolate.

•  You decide a total remodel is the only reasonable course of action because your house is suddenly just hopeless.

•  You make a quick grocery store run because you HAVE to have chocolate.

•  You sing sappy sad songs on your iPod while driving, brushing the tears from your eyes.

•  You decide it might be in everybody's best interest if you take some alone time at the beach with your camera ....

Do you have anything to add to my list?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Orange County, California - Love!

It was hot, but beautiful (!!) here over the weekend. 

I love the month of October in Orange County.

My weekend actually began on Friday afternoon when I had a photography project or two to take care of.  

Orange County was in all her glory for me ....

Stairway to an Orange County beach.

(I'll tell you a little bit more about my Friday projects in a future post.)

My weekend was marred by only two things:

  1)  My neighbor was doing LOUD construction work at 7:00 a.m. both weekend mornings.  (Really dude?  Also ... yawn!)

  2)  I went into a bad pain flare up on Friday.  I didn't let it stop me, but it definitely slowed me down.  I walked around with clenched teeth for a good part of the weekend.  Can you say thank.you.pharmacist for Percocet??  

Saturday morning couldn't have been more beautiful.  I drank coffee out on my patio in the sunshine while being entertained by hummingbirds.  We always (year round) have several hummingbirds living in our yard.  

Saturday was different though.  

Dozens, upon dozens, of hummingbirds (migrating from the Pacific Northwest) had stopped in for some food.  I have three feeders in my yard, and I had to refill all three of them by mid-morning.

Hummingbirds feeding.

I've spent my whole life around hummingbirds and I've never seen so many in one place, at one time.  Hummingbirds are highly entertaining birds to watch.  They dart, they dodge, they chase each other ... they're a blur of constant motion.  It was amazing to see so many together at once.  (The non-local hummingbirds have now continued on their journey to Mexico for the winter.)

The second highlight of my weekend was doing a "night shoot" on the beach.

It was such a beautiful evening.

It was magical ...

Really, there are no words for the beauty I'm surrounded by.

Sun setting at the beach, silhouetting palm trees.  Orange County, CA

Being out with my camera on such a breathtaking evening (and night) was so good for my soul.  It lifted me up when the physical pain I was in would otherwise have been overwhelming.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Apparently I'm Dead in the Road

I never seem to stop having unusual experiences.

I attract perverts and strange encounters like a moth to a flame.

I've been trying to post at least three photos per day on G+ (morning/afternoon/evening).  Some days it doesn't happen, but it's my current goal since I have a chunk of new photography-enthused followers.

(Unrelated aside:  If you follow me on G+ please let me know you're there so I can follow you back.  I often miss people in my notifications, but if you let me know you're there I'll make sure to follow you back!)

I've recently had a lot of technical problems and sometimes, if I'm rushing, I don't have a lot of time to pull out my external hard drives and find the photo I want.

So - I've been taking a lot of new shots.  (That's my excuse anyway!)

The other day I decided to take a walk with my camera in my neighborhood.  

Remember, I live in a canyon - lots of unexpected critters to come across, etc. 

Prickly pear cacti

I noticed the cacti were bearing fruit.  They looked so pretty in a cactus sorta way.  I was on a little back road in the canyon and it was eerily silent.

Kind of creepy really.

I expected a mountain lion to suddenly appear and eat me.  (It has happened before here - not that far from my house.)  

I was having a silent tug-of-war in my mind:

Internal Voice #1:  Take your time, take lots of photos.

Internal Voice #2:  OMG - get out of here fast! THERE'S NO ONE AROUND.  You will get eaten by a mountain lion and no one will ever know where you went or what happened to you.  

Do you ever have conversations about mountain lions eating you inside your head?

No?

Anyway, it was right about then I noticed some pretty yellow flowers along the road.

I had a wide angle lens on my camera and I just couldn't get a good shot of them -

So I layed down in the middle of the eerily quiet, totally deserted, road.

I was there for awhile.  

I was concentrating very hard, because I was having a difficult time getting the angle I wanted.

And then,

Out of nowhere,

There was a truck behind me and a group of Hispanic men talking frantically and the word "muerto" (or something like that) kept being said.

My immediate thought was, "I'm about to be run over by a truck."

I scrambled to get up, and out of the way, as fast as possible.

As I was doing so, I realized the truck had actually just stopped a few feet behind me.

When I jumped up, the men inside it looked startled and frightened.

That's when the word "muerto" sunk the rest of the way into my brain.

In Spanish, muerto means dead.

Apparently the men inside the truck thought they had come across a dead woman in the middle of the street.

A dead woman, in the middle of a deserted street, clutching a camera in her dead hands.

After their initial shock, the men seemed relieved they didn't have to deal with a dead body.

I was a little flustered by the encounter myself ...

First, thinking I was about to be run over by a truck -

And then hearing I was actually dead in the middle of the street.

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Inside My Petals

Macro photo of a sunflower, photographed by yours truly.

I've been very busy lately.

Here's a glimpse of some of what's been going on with me "behind the scenes" lately.

•  One of my girlfriends is moving out of state.  It makes me sad to see her go.  I took her out for a farewell lunch.  I cried saying good-bye to her.  Life is full of way too many good-byes.

•  My son's college roommate recently asked why I had not yet sent back my famous homemade banana bread.  How can someone I barely know make me feel so guilty?  I baked two loaves and got them in the mail yesterday ... sheesh!

•  I've been walking a lot.  Walking, and walking, and walking.  My ass has fallen to the ground (who invented gravity?) and I'm trying not to drag it behind me as I go.  If I walk long enough, it clears my head too.  Sometimes we all need a good head-clearing, right?  Why does that last sentence sound sex related?

•  I've been spending as much time as my bum arm will allow on photography.  When I can't shoot, due to pain, I study.  Yes, I'm studying everything I can to improve my skills.  Have I mentioned (four bazillion times) photography is my passion?

•  In case you don't already know, G+ is the place to be for anyone interested in photography.  Where else can you "talk to" and learn from the top photographers in the world?  (And, I'd like to add ... the photography community on G+ is NICE.  I can't believe how encouraging everyone has been.  Thomas Hawk even sent me a link to his playlist for photo editing tunes.  Nice guy even if he is absurdly famous.)

•  This is what Los Angeles looks like from the LA Live area at the end of the day:

Los Angeles

•  This is what Orange County looks like at twilight:

Twilight in Orange County (Can you see the moon in the sky?  The sun hadn't even set yet.)

•  I got a "medicinal marijuana" license from a well-known weed doctor in Orange County.  It was all I could do not to laugh while I went through this formality.  He was quite serious, and I wanted to giggle the entire time I was there.  (By the way, he told me I probably should also use the Fentanyl patches my pain doc prescribed - but I'm still trying NOT to.)

•  Later that day, I visited a "Medical Marijuana Dispensary."  It happens to be located in the same building complex as The Torturer, my ex-physical therapist.  The irony of this is not lost on me.  I wasn't tempted to giggle while purchasing my medicinal marijuana because the guy selling it to me was.  That's right - he kept giggling.  He was as high as a kite.

•  That night my friend, Nike, texted me and asked, "Well???"  I texted back one word, "Floating!"

•  P.S.  Saturday Night Live is suddenly SO funny.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Identifying the Lizard Man

Last Friday, I told you about the scary Lizard Man living in my backyard.

I was amazed how many people left comments saying they were disappointed I didn't risk my life to photograph IT.

Seriously, people?

Why don't you go photograph the scary half-man, half-snake, half-lizard??

What if it leaped at me, gnashing it's teeth, and swinging its tail?

If it did chase me, my friend (Nike) would be no help.

I already learned she's more concerned with making Lizard Sex Jokes than helping her almost-life-long friend.

Nike would probably ask me if Lizard Man has a long tongue instead of saving my life.

I'm sure he does.

(And yes, I do have a zoom lens, but there isn't a zoom made big enough for Lizard Man.)

I did venture outside to look for Lizard Man   after a few days  but I didn't see him.

Maybe he slithered back down to the lake behind my house?

Maybe he found a cave in the canyon to live in instead of my tree?

I even lay down under the tree, several days later, and looked straight up (risking my life!!) to see if he was hiding.

There was no giant, over-sized, Lizard Man in my tree.

I decided to start Googling around to try and identify Lizard Man.

I don't think I found him, exactly, but I think "it" might have been related to this thing I found photos of on Wikipedia ...

This is a Rough-Skinned Newt.

Are you creeped out yet?

Here's another view of a Rough-Skinned Newt.

California newts are very poisonous.

And you wanted me to photograph it?????

Now, the "thing" I saw didn't look like this exactly but it must be from the same reptile family ...

Half-lizard, half-snake looking.

(Half man too - but that just might be a reflection of the men I know?)

It was a mutant, poisonous, lizard-snake-man!

We have a lake behind our house, so it is entirely possible whatever IT is slithered/crawled/creeped up from the lake.

IT was, at least ten inches long, probably at least a foot!

(That's what she said!)

It was fat like the first newt photo I showed above.

It was ugly.

And freaky. 

I'm keeping a wary eye out for The Return of Lizard Man, but I'm hoping he's gone for good.

If any of you would like to volunteer to come catch him  and move him a million miles away from my house,  you're welcome to come visit!

© Twenty Four At Heart

The Lizard Man In My Backyard

Yesterday, I discovered a terrible, frightening, BIG half-man/half-lizard/half-snake creature lives in my backyard.

Scary!!

The entire back of our house is windows.  When I'm home I'm constantly noticing "my" mountains, or the zillions of hummingbirds zipping around my backyard, or whatever.  

I glanced out the window and suddenly saw this big, fat, black, hairy (???) THING coming down one of my favorite trees.

???

My first thought was squirrel ...

But it definitely wasn't a squirrel.

It was too fat and too dark to be one of our (bazillion) lizards.

It was really dark black.

It was really, really, fat.

We get a lot of wildlife here, but I've never seen anything like this ... creature.

I walked outside and got within maybe five  ten  twenty  feet of it.

It had beady eyes.

It was ugly.

It was prehistoric looking and SCARY.

I ran back inside the house and locked the door.

(So it couldn't turn the door knob and come in!)

I swear, it stared at me for a long, long time through the window.

I decided the best course of action was to lock all the doors and leave the house.

In my car.

With the car doors locked.

If I gave Backyard Scary Creature alone time it would surely slither/crawl/creep back into the canyon behind my house.

Right?

Before I left, I sent a text message to my friend, Nike:  There's something scary in my backyard so I'm leaving.  It's half man and half lizard.

Nike lives pretty close to me and her house backs against "my" canyon.  She shares the danger of rattlesnakes, bobcats, mountain lions, etc.  We've also been friends for at least one hundred years.

You'd think Nike would come running right over to rescue me, wouldn't you?

Instead, this is the text I promptly got back from her:  Run!  Which half is man?  You may want to stay!

And yes, I did spit out the water I was sipping on when I read her message. 

After I recovered, 

I left the house for a few minutes hours so the creature could disappear.

When I got home, guess what?

I saw it's scary head with beady eyes staring out at me from my tree!

It's living in my tree!!

!!!!!!!

Let me tell you again,

THE BIG, TERRIFYING, FAT, HAIRY(?), CREEPY, CRAWLY, SLITHERY, HALF-MAN, HALF-LIZARD, HALF-SNAKE, BEADY-EYED, CREATURE LIVES IN MY TREE!!!

What am I going to do?? 

© Twenty Four At Heart

Orange County in September

A lot of people don't realize, this time of year is often the hottest in Orange County.

In May and June (and sometimes even into July) we get foggy mornings along the coast which serve to keep the weather a little cooler all day.  Come August and September, (and frequently into October), it gets hot, hot, hot here!

Tuesday's temperature.

Over the last week the hot weather has been intensified by humidity which we rarely get.  (There was "tropical moisture" in the air according to our Local Weather-Barbie.)

What does this mean?

Why am I talking about something boring like weather?

Well ....

Orange County sunset.

I took the above photo from my driveway on Monday evening.  (And yes, the colors are REAL!)

That same evening, just a bit earlier, I took this photo from my backyard:

Mountain sunset in Orange County.

The sunset(s) have been unbelievably beautiful as a result of the extra clouds and moisture in the air.

On Tuesday, early evening, I decided to go for a walk along the beach cliffs.  I was hoping the air would be a little cooler right by the water.  It was still hot, but it was definitely cooler than at my house.  Of course, as always, I took my camera.

It was such a beautiful evening in Orange County.

The bluffs in Laguna Beach.

I just love "the golden hour" before sunset.  It's my favorite time of day.

I made my way along the bluffs, until eventually I arrived at Laguna Main just in time for sunset.

Laguna Beach sunset.

Oh my!

I do love living here, even when it's (too) hot.

© Twenty Four At Heart

When Your Kid Gets His Driver's License

My son passed his driver's test and got his driver's license yesterday.

That's right his license to drive a car!

Now, you know I don't write about my kids on the Internet.  This is absolutely not a "mommy" blog.

But this situation?

This is really all about me!

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I left my husband in charge of the past few months of practice driving with my son.  It was his "job" to take my son out to get behind-the-wheel experience.

I did this because I'm not an idiot of my car accident.

And no, it had nothing to do with logic.

My disabling  life changing  car accident was caused by a man running through a four way stop.

I know, logically, it had nothing to do with an inexperienced driver.

There's not enough therapy in the world, however, to get me in the car with someone who doesn't know how to drive.

My kids have all understood,

It isn't that I don't have faith in them -

I just have some very deep emotional/psychological scars.

Anyway, I was in the grocery store yesterday when I got a call from my husband.

"Did he flunk?" I asked as I answered my phone.

"No," laughed my husband.  "He's driving us home right now - he passed!"

"That's great!" I said with genuine enthusiasm.

Then I hung up and freaked the hell out.

My baby!

My baby is now licensed to get behind the wheel of a weapon of mass destruction a car and DRIVE!

Not long after, I was giving my son a congratulatory hug.

Then?

Then my son smiled at me, grabbed the keys to the car, and announced he was going to a girl's house "to celebrate the last day of summer."  (School began here today.)

"But wait ...!" I said.

First, I reminded him not to even "glance" in the direction of his phone while driving.

Then I proceeded to ask him if he knew what to do if he was pulled over by the police.

Then I asked if he knew what to do if he got in a "fender bender."

Then I asked if he knew how to get to his friend's house.

Then I asked if ....

Well, you get the idea.

I was still talking as we he walked out to the car.

He opened the car door, looked up at me puzzled, and asked, "Now, which pedal is the brake again?"

I gasped!

He laughed ...

And laughed, and laughed!

(Aren't teen boys funny?)

I walked back into the house.

I hyperventilated for a few minutes.

I looked at my watch, then I looked at it again.

My son was under instructions to text me once he arrived at his friend's house so I would know he was safe.

Yes, I am THAT mom.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

I had planned to head to the beach for some photography time, but I couldn't leave the house until I knew he had arrived safely.  (I know this makes no sense, but ...!)

Forty minutes went by.  It shouldn't have taken more than twenty five minutes for him to drive to his friend's house.

Finally, I texted him and asked, "Are you there yet?"

His reply?

"Just got here.  I parked successfully and I did not die."

(Aren't teen boys funny?)

I exhaled, and realized I'd been holding my breath for a good forty minutes.

Also?

I know "Just got here," is teen-speak for, "Whoops, I forgot to text you."

I think I need sedatives to get me through the next couple years.

My nerves are frayed, and he hasn't even had his license for 24 hours yet.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Labor Day Weekend

* I'm not feeling great which means this may be the most random post I've ever written.  Lucky you! *

Most of my readers from the United States have probably spent the weekend celebrating Labor Day weekend.

Me?

I was hit with a stomach-bug Friday afternoon.  (It was probably possibly an allergic reaction to a new "health" food I tried on Friday.  That will teach me to be healthy, won't it?)

I've done a lot of nothing for the past few days. 

Well, I've moaned and groaned a lot.

Is there anything worse than feeling sick to your stomach?

I made the giant effort of taking a shower yesterday.

Trust me, it was a giant effort.

So, instead of hanging out at barbecues, and the Trailer Trash Party I was supposed to go to -

I've been trying to muster the energy to edit a few photos while laying on the couch.  I'm starting to feel better, and I'm sure I'll be back to "real life" by tomorrow.  In the meantime, here are a few of the photos I edited this weekend:

Some family members enjoyed the holiday weekend without me:

Golden retriever jumping into a swimming pool.

It's nice someone was having a good holiday weekend, right?

Please don't put your wet balls in my lap!

(Ahem!)

Mocha, my chocolate lab, was more concerned with what was cooking on the grill.

Something smells good!

I did make a few trips out to our patio with my camera -

Changing your sitting environment is important when you don't feel well.

Look what I found while I was outside:

Fall leaves.

The first signs of fall ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

Important Questions; Half-Ass Answers

I'm answering questions from readers today.  

These are questions I've had emailed to me, or perhaps left in my comments section recently.  If you aren't interested in one question, just skip to the next and see if you can find something more to your liking.

•  Is it expensive to get a blog/business name trademarked?  No, it isn't.  You can do it yourself.  I had a lawyer handle it for me because he was also handling some other legalities for Twenty Four At Heart at the same time.

•  Do you have to rinse the salt water from your pool off the dogs after they swim?  Um, no we usually don't.  They don't have any skin problems either.  They do look all fluffy and cute after they dry off though.  (The salt content in our pool isn't any higher than it needs to be.)  They do sometimes battle swimmer's ear - especially our Golden Retriever.

•  You've never been to a Farmer's Market before?  Yes, I've been to many Farmer's Markets before - I had just never been to the one at the OC Great Park before.  (It's great!)

•  Will dermaplaning cause you to grow whisker stubble?  No, it won't.  The explanation is long, but the soft little hairs that grow on women's faces are different than the hair on men's faces or women's legs.  It is recommended you get a dermaplaning facial every 3-4 weeks for the best results.

*  Was dermaplaning done in a doctor's office?  Yes, dermaplaning must be done in a physician's office.  It cannot be done (legally) in a salon.  A dermatologist or plastic surgeon's office is your best bet.

•  Did dermaplaning irritate your skin?  No, my skin is extremely sensitive and it was not at all red or irritated.  In fact, a "regular" facial often bothers my skin and dermaplaning did not.  (Dermaplaning on a regular basis would bother my wallet though.)

•  I want to fly out and take photography lessons from you, can I?  I was shocked the first time I got this request, but I get it a lot now.  I do give private lessons, but I've discouraged people from spending a lot of money on travel to come here.  

But ...  

Several of you really seem to want to do this.  I'm considering putting together a weekend photography workshop.  I'm trying to find a way to make it affordable.  I don't have details worked out yet, but I'm interested in hearing suggestions.  I'm also interested in hearing from you if it sounds like something you'd like to participate in.

•  What's in your camera bag?  

Ahh ... a lot.  

But, because of my bionic arm, I usually only have two lenses with me at any given time.  I've accumulated a lot of photography equipment, however.  

If you're just starting off I still stick by the advice I gave over a year ago.  

On the other hand, here's a recap of what I've used a lot this summer:

     •  Canon 7D  (Which I love, but I will be eager to get a MarkIII if they come out with one soon.  Yes, I want to have two bodies to use.)

    •  Black Rapid RS-W1 Women's Camera Strap - a must with my bum arm

    •  Lowepro Fastpack 350 camera backpack

    •  Speedlite 580 EX II, with a diffuser

    •  Canon 24mm/1.4 lens

    •  Canon 24-105/1.4lens

    •  Canon 10-22/3.5

    •  Canon 70-200/2.8

I do use other lenses too, but the ones listed above are the ones I've used the most during my travels, etc., this summer.  

•  Is your blog going to change now that you've incorporated?  Twenty Four At Heart is always changing because it's a reflection of me, and my life.  Twenty Four At Heart is going to be getting a "facelift," in upcoming weeks - but it's long overdue and was already in the plans.  The content here will continue to be as random as ever.

•  How's your arm?  Aack - I'd love to say perfect, but it's not.  I've been experiencing quite a pain flare-up for the last week.  Pain and disability are something I will deal with for the remainder of my life.  I do really appreciate all the support you've given me though.  I get strength from you, always, when I seem to need it most.  

I am so grateful to each of you.

•  What mode do you shoot in?  Well, that depends on what I'm shooting.  The majority of time I shoot on manual and I shoot RAW.  But not always - it depends what I'm shooting and what the circumstances are surrounding me at that moment.

•  What's the latest with the kid at your son's school?  This is the (bad) soap opera that just won't go away.  In one form or another, it keeps haunting us.  As of today, Problem Kid is out of the country and not attending college with my son this semester.  I believe he's received some mental health care.  There's a lot more to this story, but that's where it stands as of right now.

I think that answers a lot of questions for today.  If you're interested in a Photography Workshop weekend, or have suggestions on ways to make it affordable - let me know.  (A lot of people requesting this are from out of state.)  

If today's post made you think of even more questions, feel free to leave them.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Water Dogs

I own two water dogs.

My Golden Retriever and Chocolate Lab enjoying our swimming pool.

We've been having hotter than normal temperatures here, and both dogs have been spending a lot of time swimming in our pool.  (Being water dogs, it's almost impossible to keep them from jumping in.)

A lot of dog swim time also means I've been trying to prevent both of them from getting swimmer's ear.

And no,

I'm not joking.

It's a rough life, being an Orange County dog.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Where "Together" Means Totally Out of Control

I've been getting a flood of emails from readers around the world lately.

I love it, I really do.

It's nice to know people are reading what I write, and even better to hear from them.  Seriously, if you've ever thought about writing me - please do.  It makes my day to hear from you. 

The other night, right before I fell asleep, I read a couple long emails from readers.  One commented on how "together" my life is in spite of my disability and chronic severe pain.

As much as I appreciate the thought, I kind of rolled my eyes when I read it because I am so not "together"!

I am, in fact, one of the least "together" people you could ever meet.

(You can put me into the "very chaotic life" category instead.)

Anyway, after reading the emails, I went to sleep.  I debated setting my alarm for the next morning but I decided not to.  I always wake up early.  Also, even if I do manage to sleep a few minutes later than normal, my retrievers wake me up because they get hungry.

There's absolutely no chance of me sleeping in late, in other words.

The next morning I partially opened one sleepy eye and saw my clock staring back at me.

It read 10:30.

TEN THIRTY!!

OMG!!  

TEN THIRTY AND I HAVE TO BE AT AN APPOINTMENT A HALF HOUR AWAY AT ELEVEN!!!!

I jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, threw on my ugliest pair of yoga pants and an old black t-shirt and flew downstairs.  As I was doing this, I made a mental note:  "New pain meds make me sleep like a rock for hours on end!"

I fed my dogs, who were happily snoozing - instead of acting as my alarm clock as they usually do.

I had no make-up on, of course.  (You don't still think I have my life "together," do you?)  I ran my fingers through my hair, to replace brushing it, as I grabbed my keys and drove a half hour to my waxing salon.

Yes, that's right -

My eleven o'clock appointment was at my waxing salon.

"How are you?" they asked gleefully, as I ran in the door.

"I just woke up and I'm about to get my pubes yanked out, how do you think I am?" I asked in return.

Hahahahahahahahaha!

They all laughed.

Even other customers, in the waiting area, laughed.

The women who work at my waxing salon think I'm so funny.

(I was not joking.)

A few minutes later I was doing the naked frog for a way-too-cheery woman.

I hadn't even had a morning cup of coffee yet.

(As it turns out, having hot wax poured there right after you get out of bed will wake you up way faster than coffee will.)

I hadn't applied mascara, showered, or brushed my hair yet for the day.  I have blonde eyelashes so mascara is a must - you can't even tell I have eyes without it.

I was looking, and feeling, my ugliest.

A short while later, my appointment was over.

I walked out of the salon and ran smack into the hottest fireman who has ever existed anywhere in the universe.

And by "ran into him," I mean I ran into him.

(Yes, I'm really that together!)

Why are firemen always so good looking?

There's some hidden law, somewhere, that states:  You are not allowed to be a fireman unless you're exceedingly hot and make women swoon on sight.

He laughed at me.

I gaped at him.

Literally.

I couldn't even talk at first, I was so stunned at how good looking he was.

(He was probably just as stunned at how unattractive I was.)

Then he glanced up and saw I had just walked out the door of the waxing salon.

He instantly had a full-on grin on his face.

I blushed profusely, which is ridiculous because for all he knew I had just gotten my eyebrows waxed, right?

Except, if I had gotten my eyebrows waxed I probably wound not be blushing profusely?

Finally, I stammered out an apology for running into him, all the while wondering if I could ask him for permission to take his photo.  

(Yes, that really is how my brain works.)

Surely he wouldn't mind having his photo on the Internet with a caption reading, "Hottest fireman ever!" or, "Fireman I met when I had a freshly groomed twat and no make-up on." 

Before I could act on the thought, I heard someone call out to Hot Fireman.  It was one of his friends on ... get this ... a fire engine.

Hot Fireman turned, and quickly joined up with his friends.

The lights and sirens went on even before he climbed up on the engine ....

I watched as the truck pulled out of the parking lot and raced away. 

And just like that,

Hot Fireman was out of my life.

Sigh ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

Sure, I'll Take Your Gift

If you stopped by yesterday, I'm sure it was clear I was in a lot of pain.  In hindsight, it's amazing I was even able to write.  I was on a LOT of medication.

I'm happy to report the new pain med (Nucynta) worked pretty well for me once I took it Tuesday night. (More so than morphine and without the BLEH feeling morphine gives me.)  I think I may have, finally, found the "right" pain med for my body/my injuries.  It makes me very "wifty" though. (Wifty = lightheaded/foggy-brained, etc.)

Currently I'm sticking to my old meds during the day so I can drive/get things done and just using the Nucynta in the evenings.

Anyway, I'm not quite back to normal pain-wise but I'm getting better and I think I'm over the worst of this flare-up.  (I'm sure all that stuff the doc injected into me is starting to work it's magic too.)

In the midst of all that pain and bleh! on Tuesday, I came home to find a large cooler had been delivered to our front door by UPS.  

Imagine my surprise when I opened the cooler and something waved at me!

Inside were four live (!!) lobsters, four large crab cakes, and a huge bag of fresh mussels.

The cooler was sent as a thank you gift to our family.

 We've had a lot of visitors this summer and we keep getting the most amazing "thank you" gifts.  (Just a few days prior a bourbon chocolate cake was delivered to our house.)

I couldn't have held my "real" camera if I tried on Tuesday, but I did manage to take a few iPhone photos for you:

Lobsters on ice

The lobsters were packed with "seaweed" and ice.  I was a little worried about cooking them, but they went calmly into the pot.  (I thought they might put up a fight or something!)

It was the first time I'd ever cooked mussels.

Steaming mussels

They were fabulous.  I'll be honest, I've never really liked mussels.  I don't know if New England has a different type of mussel?  They were much milder in flavor than what I've experienced in Southern California.

Boiling lobsters

Bright red shells and curled tails mean the lobsters are done cooking.

Crab cake, corn, lobster (mussels not yet on the plate)

It made for a delicious dinner.  

It was also so nice not to have to come up with a dinner idea when I was in so much pain.  The decision was made for me.  I asked my boys to lift the heavy pots which made everything very easy despite my out of control pain level that evening.  

Now I find myself wishing a cooler with dinner in it would show up on my doorstep every day ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

Why My Head is Ready to Explode ...

* Due to excessive spam comments, I've temporarily activated comment moderation.  You can still leave a comment for me, it will just take a little longer to be visible. *

I'm feeling a little (!!) stressed.

I was staring at my blank laptop screen, trying to come up with something entertaining to share with you today.  

Instead items from my "to-do" list keep running through my brain at an alarming rate.

The good news?

Yesterday afternoon and evening was taken up by the LAST high school summer league baseball game.

Don't get me wrong, I love baseball and I love watching my son play.

But, it has been nonstop games since last fall.  We get a month (or so) off now.  I'm overjoyed.  (I think I just gained an extra 15+ hours in each week ... not that I'm counting or anything.) 

My daughter flies home from the east coast in a couple days.  I'm very excited to see her, but I'm also trying to get a lot done prior to her arrival.

Add in a hefty dose of pain from my bionic arm, some legal-stuff which needs attending to RIGHT NOW, a vacation on the horizon, and the world's largest blogging conference just two and a half weeks away ....

Well, I've got a lot on my plate at the moment.

I hope you'll hang in there with me even if my posts get a little half-assed as I'm dealing with it all.

I've got some really good stuff to share with you over the next few weeks ...

© Twenty Four At Heart

Kitchen Candle

I frequently have a candle burning in my kitchen.

During the fall and winter months, the scent is often cinnamon, vanilla or something else that makes me feel warm and homey.

When the weather is hot, I prefer fresh citrus scents.

I picked up this "Citron Basil" candle at Anthropologie a week or two ago.

I love the scent and the vintage-looking "soup can" holder is adorable.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Weird, Weird, Weekend

I woke up in the middle of the night on Friday, with off-the-chart pain shooting through the back side of my shoulder, down my disabled arm, and also affecting the upper right quadrant of my back.  It felt like lightening bolts of jagged glass traveling through my body.

(Possibly an alien has taken up residence in my damaged parts?)

I don't know what caused this sudden onset of pain.

I didn't "do" anything unusual.

It's a new and horrible different type of pain than what I usually have and it hasn't let up since.  It's severe enough to make me feel sick to my stomach.  (And yes, severe pain CAN do that.)  It's also making me gasp/moan/wince out loud from time to time.  This is very unusual for me.  Those of you who know me, know I usually just get extremely quiet when I'm in a lot of pain.

Anyway, I tell you this not in a bid for sympathy but rather, as a preface to this post.  I'm on Dilaudid which is a very strong pain narcotic.  It makes my head spin this way and then that way, and then way over there too.  I don't take it often, so I'm not used to it.

In other words, who knows what I might misspell write today ....

I will try to provide a few snippets from my weekend anyway.

•  I listened to two OC women discussing their designer flip flops at length.  One was pro Vera Wang and the other was pro Tory Burch.  It was a pretty heated discussion and the entire time I was looking at their shoes and thinking, "Really??  They're just flip flops!"  I don't mean to question people's priorities, but ...?

•  I brought Mike's Hard Lemonade, in a thermos, to a high school baseball game.  (For my parent friends, not for the players.)  That's probably against some type of school rule, don't you think?  But it was hot and it was an extra long game.  Also, several parents appreciated the fact I brought it.  (And no, I didn't even have any myself because I'm on pain meds.)

•  I spent most of Saturday at the hospital emergency room with my youngest son.  We thought he had possibly broken his hand in his baseball game.  It was really (!!) swollen and sore after it got jammed when he was sliding.

After hours and hours waiting around, we learned it's NOT broken - just sprained.  

While we were at the ER, several high school football players (my son's friends) came in for treatment too.  There seems to be an epidemic of high school athletes getting hurt.

My son left looking like this:

We're glad it's a removable splint so he can shower, etc.  Casts in the summer are so uncomfortable. 

In better news, at least he scored a run when he did it - right? 

•  It's been really hot here ....

•  I'm now on Google +, which is Google's newest social marketing invention (designed to take over the world).  It's in a beta form right now, and you have to be invited to join.  I think Google introduced it by "invitation only" intentionally to make people really, really, want to be invited to join.

It worked! 

No one invited me the first ten days it was in existence and I felt sad.  (Ten whole days - !!)  It reminded me of being left out by The Mean Girls in high school.  Then, all in one day, I got several invitations to join.  

Thank you!  (You know who you are!)  

So far, I like Google + a lot.  (Also known as G+.)  I haven't had as much time as I'd like to become familiar with it yet, but I see a lot of potential already.  It's like facebook and twitter, but better in so many ways.  I'm looking forward to digging deeper, to learn more, over the next few days.  I do have a few invitations to give away, but I'm not quite sure how to do that.  (I'm sure it's not difficult, I just haven't had the time to explore yet.)  If you're a huge techy, and/or addicted to social networking, etc., let me know and if I can get you an invitation I will.  

•  I went for a five mile walk at the beach on Saturday afternoon.  I was in San Clemente again where the trains run right along the beach.

•  I had an "incident" regarding a BlogHer corporate sponsor over the weekend.  The story isn't worth telling here, but it did take up some of my weekend time.  By the way, if you will be at BlogHer11 (in San Diego/beginning of August) please let me know so I can meet you.  There will be 3,000 bloggers there and it will be difficult to find people without a little pre-planning and effort.  

• I made "Beer Can Chicken" for the first time this weekend.  I'll have more about that experience soon, in a separate post.

•  I watched The Holiday while drugged up on pain meds.  I can't say I recommend it, but Jack Black did a good job with his part.  On the other hand, I might laugh every time I see him regardless of what he's doing.

•  Lastly, I wanted to show you this photo.  I don't know why I love it so much, but it's definitely one of my favorite photos lately.

I hope you like it too!

© Twenty Four At Heart 

My Technology "Must Haves" For Travel

I'm sorry my posts have been so photo-intensive lately.

It's summer ....

Summer means it's difficult to find a quiet moment alone to write.

Summer means I'm driving my teen(s) all over Southern California non-stop.

Summer means frequent trips to the beach, house guests, summer league baseball games, and a lot of pool time.

Summer means late nights, and an occasional lazy morning.

Summer, therefore, seems to mean fewer words and more photos in my posts.

I know a lot of you are planning trips this summer.

Maybe you have a weekend jaunt in mind, or perhaps you've planned a big vacation.

I might even see a few of you at BlogHer11 in a few weeks?

Obviously, what you pack for travel depends on where you're going.

I thought today I'd share a few of my favorite technology-related things to travel with.  I'm a blogger and obsessive photographer.  I'm rarely unplugged ....

Maybe my (unsponsored) list will help you with your packing?

My List Of Technology "Must Haves" For Travel:

•  Camera (of course!)  If I can't take a lot with me, I'll pack one decent multi-purpose lens (possibly my 18-200mm or 50mm?) to go with my camera body (a Canon 7D), a lens cleaning kit, possibly a filter or two, spare compact flash drives and always an extra battery.  Don't forget a charger for the camera battery!

(Also, here's a good question ... Do you like run-on sentences??  I seem to be full of them lately!)

•  My phone.  I know this is an obvious item, but when I travel I also make sure my iPhone has a Mophie Juice Pack attached.  I'm way too phone dependent.  I don't want my phone battery to run low right when I need it.  By the way, I always seem to need it. (My phone is also my alarm clock, my map, my calendar, my travel guide, etc., etc!)

•  An "everything bag" for the plane/car.  I've mentioned this item before.  This year I'll be carrying the Baggalini Only Bag with me.  It will store all my travel-on items except for my camera.

•  My iPod and my (very small) Sony wireless travel stereo speaker system.  Okay, go ahead and laugh at me, but I love music.  Small, travel, speakers can allow you to listen to music in your hotel room/condo/wherever without ear buds.  They also allow you to share whatever you're listening to.  (And yes, I just might hula with Briefcase, on my lanai, while listening to Hawaiian music this summer!)

•  My Kindle.  It's next to impossible for me to get undisturbed reading time at home.  When I'm on a plane or in a hotel I thrive on quality reading time!

•  My New Trent Power Pack.  Did I mention I hate to be unplugged?  I mean, unless I'm planning to be unplugged.  I'm all about avoiding low batteries!

•  My MacBook.  It might be fine for you to leave your laptop at home, but mine is part of my anatomy.  The sky will fall if I take a lot of photos and can't upload them instantly.

•  Voltage adaptors, if necessary.

•  Chargers for everything, of course.  So easy to forget - but so essential!

**  I also always have business cards with me.  You never know when a casual conversation with a stranger will turn into a potential photography client and/or advertiser/sponsor and/or reader.  **

 © Twenty Four At Heart

Once the Smoke Clears ...

When I got home last night, after a very (very, very!!) long day ...

My college aged son, nicely, suggested I was just a wee bit tense.

I think, perhaps, I am.

Things haven't slowed down for a millisecond since the recent fire behind our house.

A few of you asked to see more "fire photos."

I thought I'd oblige you today ...

I especially like the photos of the heroic men who came so quickly to fight the fire.

Although, at the time, it seemed like it took eons (not just minutes) for them to arrive.

They worked tirelessly with fire hoses, chainsaws, axes, and a helicopter which dropped load after load of water onto the flames ...

(By the way, that's "my" backyard tree in the above photo.)

Once the immediate danger passed, the sinking realization arrived -

The fire was set intentionally ...

Risking our lives, and the lives of everyone who came to save us, our neighborhood, our home.

It's incomprehensible to me,

It really is.

My appreciation for firefighters could not be higher.

Can you imagine wearing all that heavy gear, in searing temperatures?

Or hiking and climbing through rugged terrain with it weighing you down?

Have you ever wondered,

Why everything burns, with the exception of one or two bushes here and there?

Why do the flames leap and dance over this, but not that?

Why did one ravine burn, but not the one next to it?

Yes, these really are the things I find myself wondering about.

The danger is gone,

The fire is out,

But I don't think I'm quite "over it" yet.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Happy Fourth of July

Today is The Fourth of July, Independence Day, for all of us living in the United States.

Ironically enough, it's also my 24th wedding anniversary!

Twenty four years of lost independence ...

Wow!

If all goes as planned, I'll be watching fireworks at the beach with a zillion other people tonight.

(I always try to avoid the beach on holiday weekends, with the night of The Fourth being an exception.)

I hope you have a fun, safe, and sparkly holiday!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Dog Days

It's hot here.

In fact, we have a "severe weather warning" due to the heat.

There's a reason they call days like today "the dog days of summer."

© Twenty Four At Heart

Sweltering?

Orange County weather reports are saying we're in for a "sweltering" Fourth of July weekend.

Whether it be the beach, or the pool, I think I'll be spending a lot of time just trying to stay cool over the next few days.

How about you?

Do you have exciting plans for this weekend?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Whew!

Wow - I was busy nonstop yesterday.

In fact, I've been running nonstop since my guests arrived last Saturday.  Did I mention they arrived as the fire behind our house was being put out?  Talk about a chaotic beginning to their visit!

Also ... 

How much of Orange County can a person show off in one week?

In all the craziness of the fire, and the busyness of entertaining house guests, I forgot to charge my camera battery this week.  (And yes, I DO have a backup battery - but did I have it with me the last couple days?  No, I did not.)

I do have a few iPhone photos to show you, though:

My latest pedicure!

The nail art was painted on by hand - it was not stenciled on.

Isn't that amazing?

I think next time I'll go for a little brighter background color though.

(One of my guests wanted to go for a pedicure in a "Real Housewives" salon!  Things like that make me laugh .... but hey, it was an excuse for a PEDICURE!)

The view from our table at lunch yesterday:

Sorry, these photos are obviously straight out of the phone.  In fact, the above photo was taken through the plexiglass next to our table.

My guests were amazed to be sitting at a restaurant with the waves crashing underneath us as we enjoyed lunch.

I have to admit, it's fun to watch the excitement of people seeing/experiencing this area for the first time.

"Look how big those palm trees are!"

They were also amazed to see workers on cranes, trimming the dead palm fronds off the palm trees.  This is something I never think twice about ... but it was the source of a lot of questions on the part of my guests.

We also hit up a few local malls, including Fashion Island in Newport Beach.  Guests always seem to like Fashion Island because it's an outdoor mall, and there are a fair amount of designer stores there.  

Also, you have a view of the ocean as you walk around the mall.

I thought these ceramic nesting measuring cups were adorable: 

They were at Anthropologie.

I didn't buy them.

I don't need them.

They don't match my kitchen.

Those were the things I told myself over and over again as I resisted their cuteness.

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Good News, Bad News

This summer has gotten off to a busy start.

Good News:  I recently went EIGHT DAYS without pain pills.  It was like an arm/shoulder/chronic pain miracle!

Bad News:  I'm on Dilaudid (a strong pain med) as I write this.

(Also?  Wheeeeeeeeeee!)

(Also?  Am I making any sense?)

Good News:  I saw Dr. Painless yesterday.

Bad News:  I really needed to see Dr. Painless.

Good News:  My house did not burn down in the fire over the weekend.

Bad News:  My beautiful backyard view is charbroiled.

Good News:  I've gotten some amazing photos lately.

Bad News:  The fire behind my house was (photographically) amazing.

Good News:  Summer has arrived.

Bad News:  My upstairs air conditioning broke and it is a constant 90F in my bedroom.

Good News:  The broken air conditioner can be fixed.

Bad News:  Does anyone have an extra $3,000 they'd like to donate to the Twenty Four At Heart Air Conditioning Fund?

More Bad News:  The motor needs to be ordered and will take way too long to get here.

Good News:  My house guests have been very easy, and easy to please.

Bad News:  I have house guests.  (And I mean that in the nicest possible way!)

Good News:  I have a vacation coming up in just a few weeks.

Bad News:  The vacation fund just got depleted by the broken air conditioning unit.

Good News:  Dr. Painless wants me to meet with Romeo again soon.  

Bad News:  Romeo read what I wrote about him!

Good News:  I recently acquired a rack for making Beer Can Chicken.

Bad News:  The chicken might fall off the rack when it has too much beer.

Good News:  I've been in the pool a lot lately.

Bad News:  I'm beginning to seriously question my ability to swim, even with a modified stroke.  (ie:  I really needed to see Dr. Painless.)

Good News:  I've sold a lot of photos lately.

More Good News:  It's great having my oldest son home from college!

Even More Good News:  Did I mention I'll be seeing Romeo soon?

(Isn't it always best to end with the really good stuff, even if you've heard it before?)

© Twenty Four At Heart 

More About The Fire - Because THAT'S An Original Title For A Post, Isn't It?

So, I hope you don't mind but I thought having our house almost burn down was worthy of more than just one post ....

While Briefcase was using a hose to spray down the perimeter of our yard, and my sons threw bucket after bucket of pool water over our fence line,

I took photos.

I didn't just take photos.  I called 911 first, I made sure everyone in my family was safe.  I did responsible adult/parent things.

And then?

I took photos.

The shots I'm sharing with you today are not necessarily in the order they were taken.

First, a look at the fire in the brush right behind my house:

We got a lot more rain than usual this year, but the brush lit up like a tinderbox.

And yes, the fire was deliberately set by a couple assholes.

Next, is a photo of one of the first firemen to arrive.  He jumped the fence, and brought the fire hose from one of the engines in front of our house.  (That's a long, long, ways!)  The firemen told us they had just practiced a "long hose drill" that morning.

Ok ladies, no dirty jokes.

But it was nice to know they pulled out their long hoses for me.

Ahem ....

I think he wants to save me.

Saaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvve me Mr. Hot Fireman!

Ahem ... just kidding.

(I joke now, but my heart was pounding with fear at the time of the fire ... and actually, for quite awhile even after I knew we were going to be fine.)

Teamwork ... it was awesome to watch!

In the above photo, the wind had shifted away from our house.  You can see the black, burned area, behind the firemen.

Awhile later, it shifted back towards us and the fire started traveling up the hill toward us.

The fire helicopter was critical then.

The pilot flew through smoke over and over again, to get water from our lake.

He brought the helicopter down and hovered just a few feet above the lake.

The yellow fire hose hanging down from the helicopter sucked up massive quantities of water.  (The water goes into a holding tank in the helicopter.)

And then, time and time again, the helicopter dropped water on the fire.

Our lake is often used as a water source during wildfires.

This is the first time it's been used to save us/our home.

Have I mentioned all the firemen who helped us last weekend are the most awesome people in the world?

Because they are.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Fire!

Life is never dull around here.

I spent Saturday getting ready for guests.  In the late afternoon, the bulk of my chores were done and I decided to go for a quick swim before my friends arrived.

I went out to clean the pool with our pool net before swimming.  I heard the voices of a couple guys (obviously intoxicated) partying in our canyon.  I noticed, because normally it's very, very, quiet where I live.

People are not allowed to be where these guys were, and the thought of calling our neighborhood security passed through my mind.  The thing is, I only had about a half hour to spare and I decided they were probably harmless hikers so I dismissed the thought.  (We do get hikers in the canyon frequently.)

As it turns out, even if I had called security they would not have arrived in time to prevent what happened.

I went inside and put my bathing suit on.

I came out just a minute or two later to see smoke and flames immediately behind my house.

I ran to call 911.  

I also called for help from everyone in my house.

It took nine minutes for the firemen to arrive.

Nine minutes doesn't sound like long, but when you live in a canyon filled with dry brush, and it's on fire, nine minutes is an eternity.

My husband immediately began hosing off the bushes on the perimeter of our property.

The flames were racing up hill towards us at an alarming rate.

We were even using buckets of pool water to dump on the brush near the flames.

It was scary.

(And yes, I do realize my golden retriever is smiling in the background of that photo.  I think he was thrilled with all the people running in and out of our backyard!  Not only that?  Firemen give lots of pets and ear rubs!)

It wasn't long until we heard sirens and soon our backyard was filled with firemen and fire hoses, and fire gear ...  

The fire helicopter would fill up it's water tank at the lake behind our house and then drop the water on the flames.  At one point, the flames were racing up the hill toward us and we were really scared.  It felt like the fire would reach our house in seconds.

And then ...

Water drop!

We all cheered.

(I even got a little wet during that particular water drop!)

The helicopter (fireman) pilot waved and gave us a thumbs up sign.

The above photo, one of 1,500 I took during the fire, appeared in The Orange County Register.

Arson investigators were on the scene very quickly.

Yes, arson.

Don't even get me started on the type of assholes who set fires intentionally!

We had an enormous crew of firemen at our house, and right BEHIND our house, for hours upon hours.  They built fire breaks, they cleared brush with axes and chain saws, they lifted heavy fire hoses through rugged terrain.

We offered to let them cool off with a swim in the pool (and margaritas), but apparently they're not allowed to play while fighting fires.

Go figure.

Even when the flames were out, they kept right on working until well after dark.

Firemen are heroes ... absolute, badass, heroes!

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Saturday

I'm so glad it's the weekend!

Today, I have a house guest arriving.

She'll be visiting for eight days and has never been to California before.

I can't wait to share a little of Orange County with her ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

First Day of Summer

Yesterday was, officially, the first day of summer.

It was also the last day school was in session for my youngest son.

He needed to leave the house at 7 a.m. for his Spanish final exam.  (His last final before summer break.)

I needed to leave the house at 9:30 a.m. to pick him up afterwards.  (In case you're wondering, his exam schedule gave me enough time to take a shower, shampoo, and do a few chores before leaving to pick him up.)  We went out to breakfast to celebrate a good school year, and then he was off to a beach party with friends.

Of course, I had to drive him to the beach party.

(For some strange reason, I was not invited to stay.  Such a shame!  It was a beautiful day at the beach.  I don't know why a 16 year old boy would not want his mom lurking around a teen party with her telephoto lens?)

In fact, all I did yesterday was drive, drive, drive.

And I was eager for summer to arrive?

How quickly we moms forget ...!

There were other signs of summer yesterday too.

My car thermometer eventually got as high as 95.  

Summer has officially arrived.

In an effort to start the summer off right, I took my camera into a Canon service center yesterday for a professional cleaning.  It was way overdue.  I wanted to make sure the sensor was spotless (dustless?) before our Hawaii vacation in a few weeks.

You know what they told me?

I've, so far, taken almost 30,000 photos with my "new" camera.  (They "read" the shutter and it's so smart, it tells them.)

THIRTY THOUSAND!

Me!

The one armed, bionic woman!

(Speaking of, yesterday someone googled "one-armed photographer" and Google sent them to me.  Isn't that very smart of Google?)

The thought of taking thirty thousand photos is staggering.

And at the same time, quite a feat.

It made me think back to when Medical Professionals told me I would never be able to hold a full size camera again.  It brought back memories of their insistence I give up my passion.

In fact, in their minds it wasn't even up for debate ...

Photography was an impossibility for me.  

It's almost been five years since the accident, and I've taken 30,000 photos in the last year and a half.

I wonder how many more I will take just this summer?

I feel oddly proud.

And so very ... accomplished.

I feel like I've defied the odds.

Also?

Take THAT Medical Professionals!

It has been a fight every step of the way, but so worth it.

Thirty thousand photos and counting ...

Wow!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Father's Day

I hope you enjoy a wonderful, relaxing, Father's Day today.

(Briefcase, once upon a time, with our three rugrats.)

© Twenty Four At Heart

No Time to Pee

Seriously, have you ever needed to pee and three hours later you still haven't had time to go?

That's how my yesterday was, except I think it might have been "holding it" longer than three hours.

Most of the day, I felt like a hamster on one of those Very Fancy Hamster Wheels - running as fast as I could and getting nowhere.

Except, I did go somewhere ....

I went to a neighboring city (about a half hour away) FIVE SEPARATE TIMES in one day.  If I'm doing the math correctly, it's a one hour round trip and that means I spent five hours of my day driving back and forth to nearly the exact same place.

I win!

(And no, it couldn't be helped, for very boring reasons I won't go into.)

I also had the joy of asserting my parental rights/authority on a misguided high school guidance counselor.

A misguided guidance counselor ... OXYMORON!

I win again!

That was fun ....

Here's a mini rant:

It should be against the law for summer league high school baseball games (3 per week) to begin two days after the end of the spring season banquet.  In addition, it should be against the law for summer league games to begin before school is out.  (Most of the kids are in school for another couple weeks here in Orange County!)  Lastly, it should be against the law for summer league games to be going on just before and during high school final exams.

Just sayin' .....

Oh, one more thing on a completely different topic,

I got earth shattering news yesterday ...

If you google turgid nipples, Twenty Four At Heart will pop up as the top (as in, NUMBER ONE) resource of information.

Go ahead, try it - I'll wait.

I think this news officially qualifies me for The Blogger Hall of Fame (which is a new Hall of Fame I totally made up just this second, but which is an awesome concept).

Why can't I remember where periods and parentheses go today?

(.) ( ). .... (((  )))  ( )  (  )

Everything I type looks funny.

OMG, I have fried brain.

I'll be better tomorrow.

Maybe.

The End.

© Twenty Four At Heart

You Know It's Not a Good Day When ...

I'm borrowing a laptop so I can say hello to all of you today.

If I'm worse than usual at getting back to your emails and comments, I hope you'll understand I don't have access to a computer right now.

The built-in mouse on my MacBook was acting up.

Acting up, as in, I had to pound on it to make it work.  I took it in to see an Apple Genius yesterday.  He was a nice Genius.  He immediately noticed my screensaver and told me it was an "incredible" photo.

"I took that photo," I said smiling, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. 

(And of course that led to a conversation about photography.) 

The Genius did say I might need an intervention though.

I think he came to that conclusion when he told me he'd have to keep my laptop for a few days and I started howling, "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!  You can't take it awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"

Then I might have begged, pleaded, offered sexual favors, and requested speedy service.

Ahem.

But, that isn't the only thing that was a "blip" in my yesterday.

I got a speeding ticket in the morning too.

It's the first ticket, of any kind, I've had since I was 20 years old.

So ...

That means it's been four years, right?

I couldn't even argue the ticket.

I deserved it.

I was going just a few miles over the speed limit ... not too bad.

Then I decided to pass someone who was in front of me.

I sped up a lot even more, passed the slower car and pulled back into my lane again.  I promptly came face to face with Mr. Officer's radar gun.

Shit.

To make matters worse, he was a nice cop.

I could have convinced myself I was angry if he'd been a dick about it.

"I'm sorry," I told him.  "I'm late for an appointment and I was going too fast."

"Just a little too fast," he replied regretfully.

He hung his head as if it ruined his day to give me a ticket.

The man looked absolutely dejected.

I wondered if I should flash some cleavage.  

I mean, I have a lot of cleavage to spare, and it's definitely helped me out of a jam before.

But?

He was just such a nice guy.

I didn't feel like it would be fair to hypnotize him with my spell-provoking cleavage.

I could tell he felt really bad about giving me a ticket though, just not bad enough to let me off.  He said my driving record is "commendable" and then he made me sign on the dotted line, making it not-so-commendable-anymore.

Sigh.

I hear you can do traffic school online now to get tickets erased off your record.  Is that true?

Doing it online would be right up my alley ....

If I had my computer back, that is.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Edging Back to Life

I can finally say I'm improving and coming out of this latest pain flare-up.

I apologize for being so out of it lately.

Two flare-ups in one month - it has sucked.

(It's like being vaporized and then trying to put your own molecules back together again.)

Since readership is always lighter on Fridays, I'm going to keep today's post light too.  

•  A few of you requested I put yesterday's sunflower photo up for sale.  It's now in the "2011" album on my photo site.  Sorry I didn't think to upload it sooner.  (Remember, photos are also available as standouts or on canvas - please contact me via email if that is your preference.)

•  RC, my college-aged son, is home for the summer.  He loves to cook and he's an excellent cook.  It drives me a little crazy though because he's always grabbing the steak knives to use as paring knives.  I decided to fix the problem:

So far, my little sticky-note has worked like magic!

•  Yesterday afternoon I grabbed an iced coffee at Starbucks.  While I was there my favorite barista told me about a "known" child molester (three time offender with girls under the age of 13) who has been coming in every morning.  Due to Megan's Law, apparently everyone in his neighborhood is aware of who he is.  I'm over the age of 13, my daughter is over the age of 13, and I'm completely creeped out.  Why do repeat offenders get out of prison?

•  I took my iced coffee and sat on a bench by the lake.  It was such a nice day I thought I'd read email, etc., out in the sunshine.  

Not a bad location for a Starbucks!

•  While I was there, this young lady came by to say hi to me:

•  She was followed by this guy:

•  I'm spending this morning working with a lawyer on matters regarding Twenty Four At Heart.  Just writing those words kind of blows me away.  I never could have imagined when I began this little blog it would evolve to the point of needing its legal interests tended to.

•  Now that I'm coming off my most recent pain flare-up, I find myself really looking forward to the weekend.  I've been out of the pool, and away from my camera, for a week.  (Thank goodness for my phone camera - it's prevented total photography withdrawals.)  I can't wait to get back to the things which bring me joy in life.  I will probably start off swimming using my legs only, and shooting photos with my lightest lens.

But still ...

I can't wait.

Life is not worth living if you take away all the things that bring you joy.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Scattered

I'm going with scattered thoughts today.  (Scattered because my brain is making adjustments to new pain meds and I feel very scatter-brained.)

•  I'm almost halfway through my Invisalign treatment.  At this point, I'm very happy with both the process and the results.

I warned you.  I'm on drugs!

Ha!

•  I sent a package to Boston (for my daughter's birthday) via UPS "two-day-air."  It was sent over a week ago and it still hasn't arrived.  UPS has the package, but can't seem to get it delivered.  I've never had bad UPS service before.  I'm beyond frustrated at this point.  I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall every time I try to get the damn package delivered.  

•  I ran into a woman I know at the mall a few days ago.  I didn't recognize her.  She had a facelift, but her face FELL.  I've never seen such a strange look.  I can't figure out HOW it happened.  I still can't get her face out of my head either.  

It's haunting me.  

She used to be so pretty.  Wrinkles would look better on her than the FaceFALL she got.  If she hadn't come up to me and started talking, I wouldn't have even realized it was her.

•  When/If you're having a bad day, get on the Damn You Auto Correct! website.  Click on the "Best of DYAC" tab.  You will find it impossible not to laugh.

•  Here's a recent photo I took in a public bathroom.

Why did I take that photo?

I don't even know ....

It gives you a good look at how I take photos with my bum arm though.  Left arm/hand holds the camera/phone up.  Right/damaged arm has a permanent slope down to it.  It works okay from my hand to my elbow so without any movement to the top part of my arm, I manage to click the shutter/press the button.

Magic.

•  Here's another.  This one I took so I could show you maternity clothes are back in style for non-pregnant women:

Please excuse PR's unmade bed, laundry basket, and general mess behind me.  (He's a teen - need I say more?) 

* Both of these photos were taken with a mirror.  One person commented it LOOKS like I'm holding the camera with my right hand, but everything is reversed.  It is truly my left hand holding the phone.  (Note the thicker ring on that hand?  That's my wedding ring - left hand!)

•  Did you read the recent Time magazine article?

I think Arnold was the pig-of-the-week when it published.

•  Several of you asked if the bike/flip flop photo is for sale.  It's on my website (Beach 2011) both in color and in black and white.

•  Speaking of photos, I've been using the PhotoCard app to send my daughter occasional (snail mail) postcards.  It's fun because the postcard arrives with one of my photos on it making it more meaningful to both of us.  So far, I've just sent her sunflower shots because they're her favorite flower.  She loves getting "real" mail and is planning to frame a few of the sunflower postcards together.   (They're big.  Around 8.5" x 5.5" I think.)

It's a fun, cheap, way to make someone's day.

OK, was that scattered enough for one day?

I think it was ....

© Twenty Four At Heart

Lost in Laziness

I'll be back tomorrow with a "real" post.

So far, my holiday weekend has consisted of a combination of family time and pure laziness.  It has been WONDERFUL.

Beach, pool, beach ....

Isn't the water so pretty in the above photo?

I'm so lucky to live here.

I went to see Hangover II yesterday.

I did a little summer clothes shopping for my two boys too.  They'd outgrown everything in their closets.

(Did you know shorts for guys have gone shorter and tighter?  Welcome back to the eighties!)

I've been reading, and enjoying, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  It's very appropriate subject matter for Memorial Day when so many of us are remembering, and feeling thankful for, those who have served our country.

I watched Gran Torino via Netflix one night.

Sometimes, it's so nice to turn off the real world and all the responsibilities that go with it.

I hope you're enjoying some down time too!

© Twenty Four At Heart

So What Are YOU Doing This Weekend?

It's a holiday, three-day, weekend here in the United States.

Four out of my five family members are home.

There is NO high school baseball scheduled.

I'm so thrilled to have three days free for pool and beach time.

What are you doing this weekend?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Wanting Opinions (Please!)

I took a photo a couple weeks ago.

You're shocked, aren't you?

I love it for assorted reasons and I'm considering having it framed.

(I, honestly, don't have photos plastered everywhere in my house - I swear.)

I processed the photo first with a faded, vintage, feel to it.

The nice thing about the photo, in color, is you can clearly see the water behind the bike.  You know the photo was shot by the ocean.

Even though I took this photo in Orange County, it reminds me (very much) of my college days in Santa Barbara when a bike was my main mode of transportation.

(By the way, I had a man approach me as I was taking the above photo wanting to know WHY I was taking it.  He asked ask me a zillion questions.  I don't think he could wrap his brain around the fact I was interested in something like empty flip flops sitting by an old bike.)

Next, I processed the photo again.  This time I used black and white, but added a vintage tint.

Overall, I think I like the black and white photo more.

But ...

Can you tell the black and white is at the beach?

Should I go with color?

Which do you like better?

Aack!

I need help!

Also?

Thank you, in advance!

P.S.  For the wall I'm considering hanging it on, it doesn't make any difference if I go with color or not.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Fun, Fun, Fun!

* I have (finally) updated my photo site.  Photos have been added to the 2011 and Beach 2011 albums.  Sorry for the delay! *

My 16 year old son, who has been music obsessed since birth, has recently discovered The Beach Boys.  He thinks their songs are very funny and outdated, but keeps playing them (with a huge grin on his face) anyway.  The grin on his face might be because I dance around our house like a raging lunatic every time I hear California Girls.  (I also baaaa a lot when I hear Barbara Ann.)

Did you know if you listen to Barbara Ann just one time, you will find yourself singing it for days on end?

In keeping with the beach music playing in my house right now, I thought I'd share a few more glimpses of last weekend with you.

Big, giant, waves were to the left of the frame in the picture below.  I thought this was a cool shot though, with the spray behind these wave-watchers:

There are homes right along the sand on the Balboa Peninsula (Newport Beach), which is not uncommon here.

I love the charm of the beach houses.  So many of them are tended with care.

Oh, how I would love to have a beach cottage.  

(I would make mine charming too, I promise.)

Sadly, even a little beach cottage costs tens of millions of dollars here.

I don't want to sound dramatic, but can't we all relate to this rose?

It's just trying so damn hard ....

Speaking of trying hard,

Can you imagine the effort, and exhaustion, that comes with surfing fifteen foot waves?

I'm not a groupie of the surfer life, but I do admire all the talent, and hard work, it requires.

Surfers get beat to hell, tossed and thrown all over the place at the ocean's whim.  They get slammed to the ocean floor with incredible force and they get right back up and do it all again.  

It's kind of the story of my life ...

You don't have to know a thing about surfing to admire that type of passion and perseverance.

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Faded Sunflowers

I was supposed to visit my daughter in Boston for Memorial Day weekend, but I had to cancel my plans.

Knowing I won't be making the trip has made me miss her more than usual.

I bought a few of her favorite flowers the other day just because.

It's nice to have them around, reminding me of her.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Summer, Summer, Summer!

* This is not a sponsored post. *

Oh, how I love warm weather!

We've had a bleh cold front here lately and it has made me SO restless for summer.

(I also find myself thinking about our upcoming trip to Hawaii with much anticipation.  We didn't take a vacation last year which has made me doubly eager to go on one this year.)

Warm-weather-living is an art form here.

I thought I'd share a few summer-related things I love today.

•  I love, love, love this Lands End beach towel:

It's big, it's soft, it's durable - it will last for years.  (They also make great gifts for teens anyone.)  If you swim daily, beach frequently, or just love plush beach towels, this is a great pick.  Even better - pick one up when they go on sale which is what I always do.

•  "Everyone" in The OC is wearing Tom's Shoes:

They've been around for awhile, but their popularity here is at full-fledged epidemic proportion right now.  So ugly, they're cute ...?  They're trendy, but not expensive and every pair purchased leads to one pair of shoes being donated to a child in need.  That's right - you get to feel good about your shoe habit!

(Don't order them online though - you can try on five pairs in the same size and get vastly different fits.  No two pair ever seem to fit the same. ) 

And yes, the pair I have are very comfortable!

•  Tommy Bahama makes some cute summer bags and totes.  This one, with its leather handle, makes me daydream about strolling island shops.

So cute!

Wouldn't that look nice on my arm?

Your arm?

Someone's arm?

•  I don't discuss it much on my blog, but I'm a melanoma survivor.  As much as I love the sun, I'm always very careful with sun protection.  I'm a fan of the company Sun Precautions.  (I originally learned about them from a doctor.)  When I'm out with my camera, by the pool, or at the beach - I almost always have their Women's Big Shirt draped over whatever I'm wearing.  

It's huge, it provides 30+ SPF, and for years it (or one of their other cover-ups) has always been with me.  

•  Speaking of sun protection, I hate hats.  They make me hot, they give me hat hair, they make my head sweat.  

There's only one hat I've ever liked.  Nike forced me to buy it years ago right after my melanoma diagnosis.  It's a Helen Kaminski hat.  It travels really well, stays cool in the hottest weather, and looks great too.  I've worn it for years and years.

I balked at the cost initially (Kaminski hats are not cheap), but Nike insisted it would be worth it and she was right.  Nike is always right.  It's the only hat I've ever needed and it has held up great for (I think?) eight plus years of year-round use.

I don't think they still make the exact hat I have, but they have plenty of other cute ones. 

In fact, as I was getting their link for you, I noticed this one:

How chic is that?

And yes, the one pictured above is expensive ...

But?

Gorgeous! 

•  Need a good tote for traveling this summer?

Well, here's another tip from my friend Nike.  She's carried the same Baggalini tote bag with her while traveling for ten years!  It's still in great condition.  They've got so many choices of bags, there's bound to be one you like.  (And their prices are very reasonable!)

I don't know if the bag Nike owns is still available, but I think this one looks perfect for a long flight:

It's called an "Only Bag."  I'm not sure yet, but it might be the only bag I carry onto the plane with me this summer.

© Twenty Four At Heart