Month: February 2018

A Long Walk

On Wednesday, February 21, I took a long walk up Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee. It wasn’t for exercise; although, my heart rate certainly sped up as I strode across a bridge on my way to the historic capitol building.

Students representing Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, the site of our nation’s most recent school shooting, traveled more than six hours to the state capitol this week. Some of the survivors of the shooting met with state legislators in small groups on Tuesday, petitioning their representatives in Florida’s House of Representatives to take up a proposed ban on semi-automatic weapons.

The representatives ignored the students’ pleas, but hey, they did vote to ban pornography, so there’s that. I hope you can read the anger in that sentence. That action, that slap in the face the legislators handed these young people, spurred me to drive into Tallahassee on Wednesday to support their cause as they marched to the capitol. I wasn’t the only one.

There were no available parking places near the capitol grounds.After driving around for about 45 minutes in search of a parking spot, I finally found a shaded place in the Chili’s parking lot half a mile away. As I locked my car I crossed my fingers that the car wouldn’t be towed during my trek. I had some place special to be, and if I got towed, so be it.

The crowd grew as I got closer. People were pouring in from every direction. Some were gawkers, but most were there to offer support. We were all inspired. These teenagers spoke passionately, articulately, and with a maturity that puts a certain current president to shame. They are fired up and angry. Many will soon be able to vote. And they won’t forget the snubs of their elected officials.

Peace, for our kids’ sake, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Day 22: A Disturbance in the Force

As I journey deeper into February with the Minimalist Challenge, I’ve begun to realize how much I cling to certain unnecessary things: empty boxes, shopping bags, expired spices. Ridding myself of those kinds of items, though, caused me little to no angst. Today’s choices, by comparison, almost made me cry.

I’m a Star Wars geek, having lost count of the number of times I’ve watched episodes IV, V, and VI. And during the desolate years between the film Return of the Jedi (episode VI) and the prequel series beginning with The Phantom Menace (episode I), I consoled myself by reading books about the Star Wars universe.

The collection pictured above is but a drop in my personal Star Wars bucket. The books commence where Return of the Jedi ended and follow the intrepid rebels and their imperial enemies on one adventure after another. Some of the books are outstanding, stand alone novels that would have made great follow up movies to the original series. I fervently hoped the story lines in these George Lucas approved novels would be pursued on the big screen. Alas, the writers and directors went a different route.

I’m going to see if my grandson wants these books. If he doesn’t I’ll donate them to the Goodwill book store. Farewell. May the Force be with them.

Peace, people.

Wakulla Springs Ride

Yesterday while poor Studly Doright had to toil away at the office I rode my CanAm Spyder RT out to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. From our home outside of Tallahassee it’s only about 42 miles to the park, and best of all, most of the ride was on shaded back roads with very light traffic.

Once at Wakulla Springs I walked around the park, had a light lunch, and enjoyed the scenic boat ride before starting home. I had intended to take photos for the blog, but using my cell phone as a gps ran my battery awfully low, so I only snapped a few pics:

A beautiful blue heron

A not-so-beautiful, but impressive gator

A tree framed by the window of the boat

Next time I’ll take along a charger for my phone. There were so many more shots that had to be foregone.

This was my second adventure on my Spyder, and I’m really beginning to enjoy the ride. I’m much more visible to drivers on this machine, and that’s always a good thing. The Spyder has plenty of power, and I feel comfortable in the seat. The only thing I haven’t tested yet is its performance on the interstate. Soon.

This is me pre-ride on the Spyder, before I put on all my gear:

My brother commented that I look tiny on the bike. Yay! For once something makes my butt look small.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Lizard in the Mix Day 21

Today’s haul came mostly from my closet. Included are two pair of seldom worn shoes, along with my defective motorcycle boots (I lost the sole from the left boot on Saturday https://nananoyz5forme.com/2018/02/18/anyone-know-a-good-blacksmith/), a T-shirt, and a couple of bags, a book on tape, several cosmetic items, and three heart shaped paper doilies. And then there’s the lizard.

Here’s a closeup:

He’s dead. Apparently one of the cats brought him in and left him as a precious gift for me. I damned near stepped on him while carrying fresh sheets from the dryer to the bedroom. Nothing good would have come from that.

So Mr. Lizard, along with the piece of toilet paper I used to pick him up are being tossed today. Never a dull moment at Doright Manor.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Spicy Day 20

Day 20 is brought to you by spices! All 20 of these spices expired ages ago. Some as far back as 2015!

At least three of the jars pictured above contain sage. I use sage once or twice a year to season the cornbread dressing that serves as a staple of our holiday meals. Every year I purchase a new container of sage, using perhaps two or three tablespoons for the recipe. So these expired containers were practically full. What a waste, but dressing without sage is blah fare, indeed.

On the plus side, I just opened up a big space in my spice cabinet!

Peace, people!

The Struggle is Real. And Purrs.

Our cat, Scout Elizabeth, has a fondness, and an almost radar-like detection ability, for freshly laundered sheets. No matter how much I attempt to make the bed without Scout’s assistance I never can pull it off.

I’d just gotten one of the fitted sheets on the bed this afternoon, thinking maybe this one time I’d get the job done with no interference, when Scout popped up and acted like she’d been there all afternoon by casually giving herself a bath.

She knew I’d continue making the bed, but did she care? Nope. Note the lump.

And even as I added the bedspread she stood her ground and purred.

I love this lump.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Day 19

Nineteen items from the bathroom. Expired, unused, abandoned, but not discarded until today. Farewell to one and all.

The cosmetics bag has some goopy substance inside that won’t wash out, and the zipper no longer works.

The toothpaste belonged to my dad who passed away more than a decade ago. Was I keeping it for sentimental reasons? Who does that?

I’d kept the container to store stuff in. But I’m getting rid of stuff; therefore, there’s no need to keep a container in which to store said stuff.

The rest of the stuff is just stuff.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Day 18

No rhyme or reason to today’s purge, just 18 pieces of clutter. Oh, some were useful once upon a time, but the coupons expired last year and the night lights lost their ability to repel the darkness many moons ago.

The cat toys are all ones that never were played with. The only toys our cats, Patches and Scout, like are catnip stuffed mice and a stick with fluffy feathers on it. I tried to get them interested in chasing the tennis ball, but they gave me a look that clearly said, “Mom, we aren’t golden retrievers.”

I’ll recycle the phone book and the other paper items, but I’m afraid the remainder of today’s stash is going to the dumpster. Unless someone needs a monkey bank. I’ll send it if you think it’ll make all your dreams come true. No money is included.

Anyone Know a Good Blacksmith?

When I took my new-to-me CanAm Spyder out for a test run yesterday I never expected I’d throw a shoe. Isn’t that an event reserved for horses?

And yet as I pulled into a parking lot in Mariana, Florida, in search of a place to have lunch I felt an odd sensation on the bottom of my left foot. The entire sole of my boot had detached and slipped off onto the asphalt.

Fortunately there’s a layer of leather between my foot and the sole; otherwise, I’d have been in a barefoot pickle! I guess I could’ve bought a pair of tennis shoes or cheap work boots at the local Beall’s department store, but I’d have had to ride the mile or so back in that direction and then gone limping inside to shop. Maybe it’s time for new boots. Or a good glue–has anyone ever tried that on motorcycle boots?

I put about 150 miles on the bike today. The ride is a bit different from that of a two-wheel motorcycle. One doesn’t counter steer on the Spyder, and there’s no front brake handle. I know eventually I’ll stop reaching for the handle and feeling ridiculous when I grasp nothing but air, but it may take awhile.

The bike “walks” a bit from side as opposed to a two-wheeler, and it catches wind in ways I’m not accustomed to, but it never feels unstable. Plus, not having to put my feet down upon stopping is priceless.

Additionally, one doesn’t lean into turns on the three-wheel Spyder. I was never a knee dragger, but I caught myself in leaning mode a couple of times today, and the bike is having none of that nonsense. I kept expecting it to rap my knuckles and admonish me to “sit up straight, for pity’s sake.”

I am in love with the reverse gear, the cruise control, and the radio. My windshield is adjustable and the bike has heated handgrips, as well! Those are all accoutrements I’ve never had on a bike before.

After my ride my shoulders and thighs were pretty tight and sore. Those are sure signs I need to relax a bit more. And for those of you who don’t ride motorcycles, 150 miles on a bike can feel like 350 if you’re tense.

Experienced Spyder owners tell me it’ll take about 500 miles to really appreciate everything the bike can do, so I’m off to a great start. If only I had boots, I’d ride again today.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge, Day 17

You’re going to have to trust me that there are 17 items pictured for Day 17, plus four more to offset the motorcycle I bought yesterday. Within thirty seconds of my placing this collection of stickers and cards, receipts and brochures on the dining room floor I had a great deal of assistance from the felines who reside at Doright Manor.

Not only did they help me spread the items out, but they then proceeded to guard them from further interference. So, while all this detritus (with the exception of the cats) will go into the recycling bin, disposal will have to wait until Scout and Patches say it’s okay.

Peace, people.