Healed?

This morning, I got this message when I signed in on Blogger --Your browser is no longer supported by Blogger. Some parts of Blogger will not work and you may experience problems.  If you are having problems, try Google Chrome.   So evidently I was right -- Blogger did not like Internet Explorer 9.0.  Or maybe the notice was just a tricky warning generated by cookies?
Since friends have suggested Google Chrome, I took another flying leap and now it's seems to be better. The games these internet companies play! (I think Blogger is part of Google.)  But that's okay as long as everything works.  Keep your fingers and toes crossed.

Halloween's almost gone, and I remembered what I'd forgotten.  The barbed wire wreath!  We've seen a few over the years and they were very pricey, so recently Craig rustled up some rusty barbed wire (yes, we're up to date on our DPT shots) and made me a wreath where I could hang my Halloween cat.  He's a talent!

While we might have cleaned out the cache, we still have a big basket of candy waiting for the trick or treaters tonight.  Our neighborhood is teaming with toddlers and elementary age kids, so maybe they'll eat the entire basket (so I don't have to).

Happy Halloween!

Curses! Foiled Again!

It's been the week of computer glitches. First it was AOL email. Internet Explorer kept shutting down my AOL email. Since I'm a techno-genius (joke!), I just took a flying leap and upgraded to IE 9.0 in hopes that a newer version would cure the AOL fiasco. Nope! After a suggestion from a friend (thanks Frank!), I was able to follow instructions off the web and change my Internet Explorer settings to finally fix the AOL problem. Knock on wood.

And now I'm dealing with Blogger gone nuts. Evidently, Blogger doesn't like Internet Explorer 9.0. Last night, I discovered I could no longer publish a post. I could create and edit with a few glitches, but that Publish Post button doesn't do anything now. After exploring the Blogger Problems forum, I was able to find a fix where I switch to the updated editor and that allows me to post. But the updated editor doesn't seem to allow me to customize photos, so I'm jockeying back and forth.

After all that tinkering, another problem has cropped up. My page is veeeeeerrrrryyyy slooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. I tried cleaning out my cache, but that did nothing. Besides that, Craig and I have been doing a pretty good job of cleaning out the cash lately.

Curses! Foiled again! Here are a few more photos from my birthday roadtrip up north. The town of Jerome, Arizona really gets into Halloween!

Halloween characters at the House of Joy.

 

Miss Piggy masked for Halloween.

 

Cue Elvis!  She's the Devil in Disguise!

 

Happy Halloween!

Sometimes in Arizona . . .

I wonder if I'm in Mexico!

A Little Rerun

The current hurricane has given me a few flashbacks about my little encounter a few years ago. I'm hoping Rina turns out much like Ida -- a fizzler. Best wishes to my favorite little island. I'm extremely impressed with the efficiency of this new administration and all the organization and prep that's taking place. Let's just hope it was all for naught and this Bad Girl turns out to be a non-event.

Here's the link. I look back on this now and ponder -- what the HELL was I thinking!

Tlaquepaque Scenes

Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque, in Sedona, may just be one of the most beautiful shopping areas I've ever wandered through. Built in the 70's, the info says it's patterned after a traditional Mexican village, but I can't say I've ever been in a village that looks quite like it. (Maybe I need to travel to more Mexican villages!) The merchandise tends to be quite pricey, but it's a gorgeous place to stroll, take photos, and gaze at the art.

Late one afternoon, I wandered through with my Flip video camera and they were actually displaying vintage cars, some for sale. When I get time, I'm going to edit those clips and make a short video. More to come!

Rustic Garden Room

In Sedona this week, we visited one of our favorite shops while we were waiting to check into our hotel. The shop meanders forever, and back in a little corner, they have the most amazing rustic greenhouse room filled with succulents and cacti in interesting little pots. I wish I had a room like this in my house!













I have a collection of interesting antique art pottery packed away in boxes in my closets. Maybe it's time to pull those out and put them to use instead of keeping them pristine and hidden? They'll probably go for pennies at some estate sale if I ever decide to clean out (or God forbid croak), so I might as well enjoy them now!

Hopefully, I'll have an update to this post one of these days. It's on my list!

Beach or Desert?

As always, yesterday we arrived too early to check into our hotel in Sedona, so we decided to waste (that probably would be Craig's choice of verb?) some time in one of the local shopping areas. Just when I thought I'd switched gears from beach to desert high country, one of the first shops I passed had beads and shells on display. Two of my favorite things!

I couldn't leave without making a small purchase, so I decided on a Mexican sand dollar and some blue and white fish beads.

Later, back in the room, we sat on our balcony and took in the Red Rock views. These photos were taken right at dusk. That last one looks like a watercolor!

Hiking and touring are on today's agenda. (And maybe I'll waste some more time shopping?)

A Little More Florida

First of all, my apologies if any of these photos are repeats on the blog. I get very confused because I also post on Facebook when I'm traveling and can't remember what's been posted where!

We're headed up north this week on a roadtrip to experience fall in Arizona. Red rocks, autumn leaves, and desert vistas! I wanted to post a few more random photos from the Florida trip since I'll be switching gears.

They sure love their Landshark in Florida!

I love it when someone provides me with my own private parking space!

Guess who's out there at dawn fishing!


This place gets the kitsch award!

Cwaffee Talk

I almost got a little verklempt this morning when my two-year old Oster blender died. Nothing like the sound of a screeching blender with stripped gears to brighten up a morning. Another one bites the dust! We've lived here five years, and I think we've now killed three blenders.

Here's something amazing. I just inserted our latest blender pitcher into a 37-year old blender base (it was called an Osterizer then) and it worked! Like a charm! Unfortunately, that old blender base is faded harvest gold, so it won't grace my countertop for long. They don't make blenders like they used to, or maybe the reason that one lasted until I couldn't stand looking at it anymore was because we weren't manufacturing two frappucinnos every morning in our kitchen for 25 years! I'm a little embarrassed to admit I still have our first blender. I guess I'll still keep it since it's now a collector's item. 70's retro!

And before I forget, I did a post a few years ago on my morning frappe. I use a French Vanilla Cappuccino base from Sam's and add coffee, sugar free Torani syrups from World Market, and ice. On our recent trip to Florida, we got hooked on Starbuck's lite salted caramel frappes. Back home, we tried experimenting with the sugar free caramel syrup and sea salt, and ended up with some nasty concoctions. Long story short, we were in World Market several weeks ago and they now carry the Torani salted caramel sugar free syrup. We now have the right combination for a close approximation of the Starbuck's drink.

Just a little morning cwaffe talk for any Starbuck's frappe lovers! And now, I'm off to buy another blender, preferably from Costco because if we kill the thing in a short period of time, they just replace it.

Anna Maria Wildlife

We're still having very unseasonable weather here in the Phoenix. It's starting to feel like the endless summer. Craig and I really don't mind because 90-something actually feels wonderful after 115 degrees, and the heat wave allows us to extend the pool season. Yesterday, the pool felt a little chilly to me, but Craig and I laughed that the mid-80 degree temp would be ideal for most people. I'm betting the local pool when I was a child hovered in the high 70's. Brrrrrr.

Overnight low's are dipping into the low-60's and even 50's, so life is good sleeping with the windows open listening to the crickets and birds. I occasionally have to remind myself how lucky we are because some people already have the furnace fired up and are dealing with snow.

I'm still sorting through my photos from Anna Maria. Today I'm posting some assorted photos of wildlife on the beach.

Got crab cakes?

Squirrels at the beach. Go figure! I suppose they're attracted by the begging prospects.

Lots of gorgeous birds on Anna Maria, but other than egrets, blue herons, pelicans, and gulls, I don't know their names!

All the shorebirds went crazy at dawn. A local fisherman said they hunt schools of sardines that pass in the water.


These blue herons seem to have their established territory at certain locations on the beach.

This bird was different than the other shore birds in his posse, and obviously banded.

Sand Sculptures

Early one morning while walking the beach, we noticed the inhabitants of a neighboring cottage had been busy! It looked like they'd had their own little sand sculpture competition! They were all a little worse for the wear since they'd weathered footprints and some tide.

This vintage plane is my favorite!

Gators seemed to be a popular theme. Go figure -- Florida Gators!

Here's another interpretation. I liked the scales on his back.

This turtle had almost disintegrated, but looked like it'd been quite elaborate with a mosaic shell decoration on its back.

Even Castles made of sand, fall into the sea, eventually. Jimi Hendrix

Fishing Noir

I didn't actually take this photo. The manager of the condo complex where we stayed on Anna Maria snapped it with her phone late one afternoon on the beach and posted it on their Facebook page. It kind of looks like Craig is either the chosen one, or ready to be beamed up to the mother ship.

Craig's love for fishing was reawakened on the Florida trip. He spent a lot of early mornings and evenings waist deep in the Gulf with his fishing rod. Early one morning when he was reeling in a small jack, the BIG one suddenly hit his line. He's not sure what it was, but it was bigger than him. Another guy from the condo complex who fished every morning told Craig he used the jacks he was catching for shark bait. With that in mind, Craig quickly backed out of the water!


Craig will have to try his hand fishing Playa Media Luna with the locals early in the morning. He can fish -- I can hunt seaglass!

33 more days!