Today while driving to brunch I had to stop and let a bicyclist cross through the intersection.

He was a middle aged guy carefully cycling on a red mountain bike.   Balanced on the handlebars was a large parrot with its wings a little outstretched for balance.


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Departing tomorrow EARLY for Rainforest Writers Retreat, where it is currently 50 degrees colder than here in south Florida.

Got my outline, sharp pencils, powerful sense of purpose, and I packed some emergency granola bars just in case.  I'm ready to write!  See ya'll in a week...

 I was just awakened from a sound sleep by the friendly local repo man here in South Florida.  No, he wasn't after my stuff!

We bought our home this past summer, a foreclosure like most other houses for sale in Florida. It was a good deal for a pretty nice corner house, even though it needed a little work here and there.  For example, the former ( Read more... )

We are about a half hour in-land from Ft. Lauderdale and the beach here at my office in South Florida.  This morning on my way to work  a perfectly executed formation of 3 small planes flew overhead.  They were headed for the beach in a staggered line, each dragging a long banner with messages like "Happy Valentine's Day Debbie from Mark will you ( Read more... )

I converted to vegetarianism over the past few months, for a couple of reasons.  Health and general asthetics, and I read "The China Study".  Also, watching my dad pass away contributed.  I'd like to avoid hospice myself if possible, etc.

One thing I've discovered, to my surprise and that of the family - I'm actually not such a bad vegan cook.  I'm ( Read more... )

Just 19 days until I depart for the Rainforest Writers Village and four solid days of writing writing writing.  I'm getting there a day early, too, so I am estimating that I could, if I go prepared with a sturdy outline for my perpetual WIP, get in at least 12,000 words.

As a new South Floridian, I don't have any Pacific Northwest clothing so I hit ( Read more... )

So the dog and I just popped out onto the patio for a game of fetch and Maggie comes face to face with one of the teensy lizards that own South Florida. They are all over everything everywhere.

Immediately Maggie bops this poor fellow with her nose and knocks it into our little swimming pool. So the poor reptile is wriggling like mad to get up ( Read more... )

Here's a story by one of my V-Peeps, L.K. Herndon.  It has were-flamingos!

Showoff
By L.K. Herndon

Books!  Librarians have the best books, of course.

Here is an LJ  librarian who is trying to sell some books so she can afford to attend a library convention in March.  It's a good cause and you get books for helping!

Please pop over and have a look:  http://thesilentpoet.livejournal.com/326918.html

 I'm suffering the melancholy that happens when you finish a really good novel. I'm sure everyone knows what I mean, that sense of loss because you've been evicted from the author's universe by "The End". In this case it's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemison. Really a lovely book, and the fact that it's a debut fills me both with awe ( Read more... )