This is my new pet cactus that I got for my birthday from a coworker. Isn't he too cute!!! I named him Peter (after my old boss).....
Friday, August 22, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Pompano: Dog, Birds, and Foot
Okay, I know I've been neglecting my blog posts lately. I'm a bad bad blogger. I decided it's finally time to write a bit about the fun things I see living in Pompano Beach, FL. So here it is "Pompano: Dog, Birds, and Foot."
Dog: I was riding in the truck with my landlord headed over to Kmart. We were going to find some items to put in my backyard. I was going to pick them out and he was footing the bill. Oh yeah life is good. We're riding in his truck along US1. We both talk a lot and have problems talking over the other. It's gotten so bad that we tend to ignore the other's persistent interruptions until our points are finished. This day he was talking about mulch. I didn't know you can have a thirty minute conversation on mulch, but it is possible. So Jimmy's blabbing on about red mulch, brown mulch, dry mulch, etc. I'm listening but my attention is looking out the window. Passing us on the right is a big fat man (and I mean FAT) riding a little itty bitty mo-ped. I was very impressed this mo-ped was holding him up. In between his legs, on the platform was a dog. This is highly more entertaining than mulch so I try to interrupt Jimmy. I figured he'd enjoy seeing fat man and dog riding mo-ped. "Jimmy look at that!" I'm ignored. I try to get him to stop his mulchy talk and look right. The man seriously does not miss a beat and keeps mulch talking. The fat mad and dog are puttering away. He's going to miss it, so I'm getting peeved now. I keep saying "Jimmy look! Jimmy look!" over and over like an annoying five year old. Once he is finally done making his point about red mulch vs brown mulch he asks what I'm looking at. By this time fat man and dog are gone. I then tell Jim what I saw and he does not believe me. We proceeded to have an argument of how it is "impossible" for a fat man to ride a mo-ped with a dog.
Birds: I live three miles from the ocean. It's awesome to drive five minutes, park the car, and just be a beach bum for the day. A few weekends back, I went to the beach with a good friend of mine here. We got to the beach that day and went through our normal setting up process. She puts on SPF 50; I put on SPF 15. She opens a huge umbrella for shade; I lay out my towel three feet away from her to get away from her shade. She puts on her huge hat (just in case the umbrella missed a spot); I put on my sunglasses. Kim is a little afraid of the sun, needless to say. After we went through our ritual we both start to people watch around us. Mainly there are tourists around, the cutie pie life guards, and other beach going patrons. At this point we both notice a man walking. He has a line of birds walking in front of him, birds sitting on top of him, and a line of birds walking behind him. Kim and I look at each other to verify the other is seeing this and look back at the man. He didn't appear to be feeding the birds, yet they were there in a row. The birds would fly and trade places at times. The front birds would land on the man, the birds on the man would move to the back, and the ones in back would fly to the front. Man and birds were walking down the beach like it was an every day occurrence. I still don't know why those birds liked him so much. Maybe he had crackers in his pockets.
Foot: I live and work off of the same main road. Also on that road is a little out door mall. Sometimes during my lunch break I'll go home to eat or go walk the mall for an hour. A couple weeks ago I went to JC Penneys during my lunch break. They had a sale and I really wanted a sandwich maker with interchangeable parts. I got my small appliance and was in the truck getting ready to leave. I see a man on a mo-ped (yes they are popular down here) coming up behind my truck. Not wanting to hit the man, I wait to see where he parks so i can carefully back out of my parking spot. This is when I notice his left foot is pointing the wrong direction. It's pointing backwards instead of forwards. I decided to watch him get off his mo-ped and walk around. I have never seen someone walk with a backward foot before, so I thought this could be an interesting site. The man parked his mo-ped and turned it off. He then proceeds to pull up his pant leg, take off his prosthetic leg, turn it around, pull his pant leg back down, and get off and walk like a normal person. I couldn't figure out if he purposely pointed his fake leg in the wrong direction or if it just twisted around that way while he was out joyriding on his mo-ped....
Dog: I was riding in the truck with my landlord headed over to Kmart. We were going to find some items to put in my backyard. I was going to pick them out and he was footing the bill. Oh yeah life is good. We're riding in his truck along US1. We both talk a lot and have problems talking over the other. It's gotten so bad that we tend to ignore the other's persistent interruptions until our points are finished. This day he was talking about mulch. I didn't know you can have a thirty minute conversation on mulch, but it is possible. So Jimmy's blabbing on about red mulch, brown mulch, dry mulch, etc. I'm listening but my attention is looking out the window. Passing us on the right is a big fat man (and I mean FAT) riding a little itty bitty mo-ped. I was very impressed this mo-ped was holding him up. In between his legs, on the platform was a dog. This is highly more entertaining than mulch so I try to interrupt Jimmy. I figured he'd enjoy seeing fat man and dog riding mo-ped. "Jimmy look at that!" I'm ignored. I try to get him to stop his mulchy talk and look right. The man seriously does not miss a beat and keeps mulch talking. The fat mad and dog are puttering away. He's going to miss it, so I'm getting peeved now. I keep saying "Jimmy look! Jimmy look!" over and over like an annoying five year old. Once he is finally done making his point about red mulch vs brown mulch he asks what I'm looking at. By this time fat man and dog are gone. I then tell Jim what I saw and he does not believe me. We proceeded to have an argument of how it is "impossible" for a fat man to ride a mo-ped with a dog.
Birds: I live three miles from the ocean. It's awesome to drive five minutes, park the car, and just be a beach bum for the day. A few weekends back, I went to the beach with a good friend of mine here. We got to the beach that day and went through our normal setting up process. She puts on SPF 50; I put on SPF 15. She opens a huge umbrella for shade; I lay out my towel three feet away from her to get away from her shade. She puts on her huge hat (just in case the umbrella missed a spot); I put on my sunglasses. Kim is a little afraid of the sun, needless to say. After we went through our ritual we both start to people watch around us. Mainly there are tourists around, the cutie pie life guards, and other beach going patrons. At this point we both notice a man walking. He has a line of birds walking in front of him, birds sitting on top of him, and a line of birds walking behind him. Kim and I look at each other to verify the other is seeing this and look back at the man. He didn't appear to be feeding the birds, yet they were there in a row. The birds would fly and trade places at times. The front birds would land on the man, the birds on the man would move to the back, and the ones in back would fly to the front. Man and birds were walking down the beach like it was an every day occurrence. I still don't know why those birds liked him so much. Maybe he had crackers in his pockets.
Foot: I live and work off of the same main road. Also on that road is a little out door mall. Sometimes during my lunch break I'll go home to eat or go walk the mall for an hour. A couple weeks ago I went to JC Penneys during my lunch break. They had a sale and I really wanted a sandwich maker with interchangeable parts. I got my small appliance and was in the truck getting ready to leave. I see a man on a mo-ped (yes they are popular down here) coming up behind my truck. Not wanting to hit the man, I wait to see where he parks so i can carefully back out of my parking spot. This is when I notice his left foot is pointing the wrong direction. It's pointing backwards instead of forwards. I decided to watch him get off his mo-ped and walk around. I have never seen someone walk with a backward foot before, so I thought this could be an interesting site. The man parked his mo-ped and turned it off. He then proceeds to pull up his pant leg, take off his prosthetic leg, turn it around, pull his pant leg back down, and get off and walk like a normal person. I couldn't figure out if he purposely pointed his fake leg in the wrong direction or if it just twisted around that way while he was out joyriding on his mo-ped....
Friday, June 20, 2008
What NOT To Eat On Summer Break
As we are reaching the height of summer and neighbor kids are out of school it reminds me of my own summer break days. The sweet freedom of summer was what we started to look forward to from the first day of school. Summer days were filled with sleeping in, watching TV, swimming in Grandmama's pool, eating whenever we wanted, sleep overs, and countless other activies. There were no schedules, tests, homework (well except summer reading), and annoying teachers....just a time of possibilities.....
My mom worked in the mornings so Bryan, Andrew, and I were left with the freedom from parents until noon or so. Translated: We slept until noon or so. When we were up and about while mom was at work we would get to eat what we wanted when we wanted. Ramen Noodles for breakfast was among my favorites.
There was one day that I didn't want Ramen Noodles. I don't remember if this was because we didn't have any or I was tired of them, but for whatever reason I did not eat them that day. I searched through the pantry to find a suitable replacement. Nothing caught my eye. My search then moved to the freezer. No frozen waffles??? What was the world coming to?!? My only other choice was the refrigerator filled with left overs. After sorting through various plastic containers I found a small, unmarked bowl in the back.
I open it up to see what's inside. I sniff. Chicken Salad! JACKPOT! Oh it was in the back because obviously someone didn't want it to get eaten. I hadn't had chicken salad in a while and knew the sandwich would be great. I hurriedly make my sandwich in fear that one of my brothers would wake up and want the "spoils" of my search. Being the courteous person I am, I don't empty the container. I save some for the person who hid the chicken salad in the first place. I figured we can all share, right? I then replaced the bowl in the back where I found it.
I ate my sandwich and enjoyed every bite.
A little while later I spoke to my mom on the phone. She was checking in to see who was awake, who was asleep, and what type of chores had been done. I gave her a daily update. I mentioned that the chicken salad in the fridge was really good. There was a slight pause before she asked me what chicken salad I was talking about. I told her where I found the bowl and what it looked like that contained the chicken salad. There was another pause before she asked me if I ate all of my sandwich. I informed her that I ate it all and really liked it.
There was a longer pause this time......
My mother then explains that we didn't have any chicken salad in the refrigerator. We did, however, have some really old tuna salad that she had been meaning to throw away for a couple weeks now that was in the very container I described! Her immediate question was how did I feel??? Besides being a little put off that the "spoils of my search" were in fact spoils I felt just fine.
Lessons Learned: What NOT to eat while on summer break. Don't eat anything in the very back of the refrigerator. It's probably old, not a hidden treasure.
OR
Need your refrigerator cleaned out? Call Chrissy!
My mom worked in the mornings so Bryan, Andrew, and I were left with the freedom from parents until noon or so. Translated: We slept until noon or so. When we were up and about while mom was at work we would get to eat what we wanted when we wanted. Ramen Noodles for breakfast was among my favorites.
There was one day that I didn't want Ramen Noodles. I don't remember if this was because we didn't have any or I was tired of them, but for whatever reason I did not eat them that day. I searched through the pantry to find a suitable replacement. Nothing caught my eye. My search then moved to the freezer. No frozen waffles??? What was the world coming to?!? My only other choice was the refrigerator filled with left overs. After sorting through various plastic containers I found a small, unmarked bowl in the back.
I open it up to see what's inside. I sniff. Chicken Salad! JACKPOT! Oh it was in the back because obviously someone didn't want it to get eaten. I hadn't had chicken salad in a while and knew the sandwich would be great. I hurriedly make my sandwich in fear that one of my brothers would wake up and want the "spoils" of my search. Being the courteous person I am, I don't empty the container. I save some for the person who hid the chicken salad in the first place. I figured we can all share, right? I then replaced the bowl in the back where I found it.
I ate my sandwich and enjoyed every bite.
A little while later I spoke to my mom on the phone. She was checking in to see who was awake, who was asleep, and what type of chores had been done. I gave her a daily update. I mentioned that the chicken salad in the fridge was really good. There was a slight pause before she asked me what chicken salad I was talking about. I told her where I found the bowl and what it looked like that contained the chicken salad. There was another pause before she asked me if I ate all of my sandwich. I informed her that I ate it all and really liked it.
There was a longer pause this time......
My mother then explains that we didn't have any chicken salad in the refrigerator. We did, however, have some really old tuna salad that she had been meaning to throw away for a couple weeks now that was in the very container I described! Her immediate question was how did I feel??? Besides being a little put off that the "spoils of my search" were in fact spoils I felt just fine.
Lessons Learned: What NOT to eat while on summer break. Don't eat anything in the very back of the refrigerator. It's probably old, not a hidden treasure.
OR
Need your refrigerator cleaned out? Call Chrissy!
Friday, April 18, 2008
To Orange Park and Back
During one of my trips home to Jacksonville it was decided that my mother, grandmother, and I would go to the Orange Park Mall. Okay, we always go shopping when I visit, I know! This time was a little on the abnormal side.
While on I295 headed to the mall, we drive past several fields. In one of them I see a dead cow. I mean "rigor mortis" dead cow. I'm talking about this cow lying on his back, feet sticking straight in the air dead cow. I promptly bring this to every one's attention. To my dismay no one else saw it! I was very disappointed that I was the only vehicle occupant to see this cow. This did ensue into a conversation of how I see strange things that most people don't get to witness (ie: Horse in bathroom, alligator eating bird). As we arrive to our destination, the dead cow was quickly replaced in our minds with Clearance Racks.
We went to a few other places that day and drove back home via the back roads. We were only a few turns away from the house when we were stopped at a red light. This very old, very beat up truck was coming towards us in the lane going the opposite direction. It looked like this man had every single one of his possessions in this clunker of a truck.
The truck wasn't moving very quickly as the driver had just turned onto the road. All of the sudden the driver leaps out of the truck! The truck is still, moving mind, you as the man rips off his t-shirt and loses a shoe during his dauntless exit. It isn't until he's running beside his truck smacking the hood with his t-shirt that we realize his truck is actually on fire. Smoke and flames are shooting out of the hood.
The light turns green. We drive quickly away so we don't explode along with this refuse of a truck. I state to my mother and grandmother: "You only got to see this because I am in the car."
I can still hear their laughter.....
While on I295 headed to the mall, we drive past several fields. In one of them I see a dead cow. I mean "rigor mortis" dead cow. I'm talking about this cow lying on his back, feet sticking straight in the air dead cow. I promptly bring this to every one's attention. To my dismay no one else saw it! I was very disappointed that I was the only vehicle occupant to see this cow. This did ensue into a conversation of how I see strange things that most people don't get to witness (ie: Horse in bathroom, alligator eating bird). As we arrive to our destination, the dead cow was quickly replaced in our minds with Clearance Racks.
We went to a few other places that day and drove back home via the back roads. We were only a few turns away from the house when we were stopped at a red light. This very old, very beat up truck was coming towards us in the lane going the opposite direction. It looked like this man had every single one of his possessions in this clunker of a truck.
The truck wasn't moving very quickly as the driver had just turned onto the road. All of the sudden the driver leaps out of the truck! The truck is still, moving mind, you as the man rips off his t-shirt and loses a shoe during his dauntless exit. It isn't until he's running beside his truck smacking the hood with his t-shirt that we realize his truck is actually on fire. Smoke and flames are shooting out of the hood.
The light turns green. We drive quickly away so we don't explode along with this refuse of a truck. I state to my mother and grandmother: "You only got to see this because I am in the car."
I can still hear their laughter.....
Friday, February 8, 2008
25 Cent Toy Machines
As kids we all love the machines that you can put a quater in and get something back! Since we don't have our own money we beg and beg for 25 cents from our parents. You might get candy, rings, stickers, tatoos, or any other form of a cheap surprise. All of this wonderment for just a quarter!
Why do I describe this childhood (well I still like those machines lol) delight? To tell you that there is one quarter machine my mother wished that she never gave my brother a quareter for. One day my brother got a plastic cockroach from a quarter machine. I guess Floridians find plastic cockroaches amusing since we're riddled with live ones . At any rate, he got this cockroach and left it in the container in our van. It proceeded to stay in the van for a long enough period of time that the whole family forgot it was there.
One sunny afternoon my mom was driving her and I home from some place or another. I was sitting in the passanger seat next to her talking. While we were talking I noticed one of the 25 cent machine containers. I discovered our plastic cockroach! This was the point I turned into Evil Chrissy. She only comes out when inspired and boy was I inspired.
My mother hates bugs: big bugs, little bugs, long bugs, short bugs, and espcially cockroach bugs! While speaking to her and distracting her, Evil Chrissy secretly takes out the plastic cockroach and stealthly puts in on her lap. I then proceed to point and scream....
"OH MY GOD A COCKROACH!"
My mommie looks down (while driving mind you) and screams louder than I've ever heard her scream. Her hands are in the air off of the steering wheel. At this point we are driving over the little bridge before turning into our subdivision and the van is swerving to the edge.
I DIED LAUGHING.
Through my laughter she realizes it's the toy and regains control of the van. Much to my surprise and dismay she did not give me the much deserved slap upside the head. I think she was too relieved that it wasn't a real cockroach. Now that I think of it, I'm surprised she didn't have a heart attack. I quickly turned back into Good Chrissy and continued laughing.
Of course now that my Magnificant Mommie reads this she probably will hit me in hindsight. When you see me again I'll show you my bruise. Just be warned, always keep track of what your kids buy from those "harmless" 25 cent toy machines.
Why do I describe this childhood (well I still like those machines lol) delight? To tell you that there is one quarter machine my mother wished that she never gave my brother a quareter for. One day my brother got a plastic cockroach from a quarter machine. I guess Floridians find plastic cockroaches amusing since we're riddled with live ones . At any rate, he got this cockroach and left it in the container in our van. It proceeded to stay in the van for a long enough period of time that the whole family forgot it was there.
One sunny afternoon my mom was driving her and I home from some place or another. I was sitting in the passanger seat next to her talking. While we were talking I noticed one of the 25 cent machine containers. I discovered our plastic cockroach! This was the point I turned into Evil Chrissy. She only comes out when inspired and boy was I inspired.
My mother hates bugs: big bugs, little bugs, long bugs, short bugs, and espcially cockroach bugs! While speaking to her and distracting her, Evil Chrissy secretly takes out the plastic cockroach and stealthly puts in on her lap. I then proceed to point and scream....
"OH MY GOD A COCKROACH!"
My mommie looks down (while driving mind you) and screams louder than I've ever heard her scream. Her hands are in the air off of the steering wheel. At this point we are driving over the little bridge before turning into our subdivision and the van is swerving to the edge.
I DIED LAUGHING.
Through my laughter she realizes it's the toy and regains control of the van. Much to my surprise and dismay she did not give me the much deserved slap upside the head. I think she was too relieved that it wasn't a real cockroach. Now that I think of it, I'm surprised she didn't have a heart attack. I quickly turned back into Good Chrissy and continued laughing.
Of course now that my Magnificant Mommie reads this she probably will hit me in hindsight. When you see me again I'll show you my bruise. Just be warned, always keep track of what your kids buy from those "harmless" 25 cent toy machines.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The Circle of Life
I had lived in Miami for almost a month when I got my job with FPL. Some of you might be asking the same question I asked, "What does FPL stand for?". That would be Florida Power and Light. Apparently it is a huge corporation and the utility for most of south Florida. JEA even gets some of their power from FPL. I didn't know this until the day of my job interview when I read the sign in the parking lot.
Thankfully I was hired despite my lack of acronym knowledge. My first day was in August of 2005. When I drove to work I would pass a series of canals. Miami is lined with them to prevent flooding. I always referred to them as "moats" as they surround the whole city. Though Miami is a far cry from any type of kingdom or castle.
During my first week of work I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn right. A flurry of motion in the canal next to me caught my eye. At first glance I see a huge white egret looking bird. My initial thought was that this bird was catching a fish. I also thought this would be an interesting event to see and later describe, so I keep watching.
Upon closer inspection I see that the bird isn't eating a fish at all. The bird was being eaten by an alligator! Now this was weird! I mean for some reason I found it all good and well that I bird would be eating a fish. To see an alligator eating a bird was just grotesque. I couldn't help but watch! I sat there until the people behind me were honking at me to turn. Couldn't they see the horrific massacre that was happening right beside us?!?
The first thing I had to do was TELL someone what I had just seen. Since this is my first week at work the only person I knew was my boss. Apparently, this isn't something that is seen every day in Miami. He's lived there his whole life and never had seen an alligator in the canals much less eating a bird. He also thought I was rather strange since I kept going on and on about it. Once again, I had seen something that most people don't see.
So the circle of life even happens in Miami. Bird eats fish; alligator eats bird; Cuban eats alligator. What more can you ask for?
Thankfully I was hired despite my lack of acronym knowledge. My first day was in August of 2005. When I drove to work I would pass a series of canals. Miami is lined with them to prevent flooding. I always referred to them as "moats" as they surround the whole city. Though Miami is a far cry from any type of kingdom or castle.
During my first week of work I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn right. A flurry of motion in the canal next to me caught my eye. At first glance I see a huge white egret looking bird. My initial thought was that this bird was catching a fish. I also thought this would be an interesting event to see and later describe, so I keep watching.
Upon closer inspection I see that the bird isn't eating a fish at all. The bird was being eaten by an alligator! Now this was weird! I mean for some reason I found it all good and well that I bird would be eating a fish. To see an alligator eating a bird was just grotesque. I couldn't help but watch! I sat there until the people behind me were honking at me to turn. Couldn't they see the horrific massacre that was happening right beside us?!?
The first thing I had to do was TELL someone what I had just seen. Since this is my first week at work the only person I knew was my boss. Apparently, this isn't something that is seen every day in Miami. He's lived there his whole life and never had seen an alligator in the canals much less eating a bird. He also thought I was rather strange since I kept going on and on about it. Once again, I had seen something that most people don't see.
So the circle of life even happens in Miami. Bird eats fish; alligator eats bird; Cuban eats alligator. What more can you ask for?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
