Good Morning boys and girls. I hope everyone everywhere is safe (and still sleeping unlike me!)...I have to work this morning and then Marc and I take our baby to college....this is the last one to start college and now I know how different life will progressively get from now on, how she's learning to spread her wings and fly, how good that is, but as a Mother to know I can no longer protect her completely, it's so hard..... I know many of you totally understand and for that I am grateful....you do not know how much easier that makes all of this for me. Most, almost all of my friends here still have younger children, so your support and understanding is a blessing indeed. Thank you, friends!!

a peaceful scene from last week...somewhere in Boothbay Harbor, Maine...

GOOD MORNING LADIES AND YOU TO TOM AND JERRY........

Good Morning, Patrick! or should I say
GOOD MORNING PATRICK!!!!

Morning from Bonaire! Can't believe my two weeks is almost up, but the bright side is I still got two days of diving left here. For all those who are coming soon, Tom, Smack, Timmmy etc., ya got to dive south, just listening to sound of your bubbles down under and seeing all the fish is the BEST!

Was diving Hidden Beach yesterday and as we were on our return, got to mooring buoy and there was a whole school of baracudas just a hanging there. Gregg and Brandon had to take advantage of the photo op, but I went the other way of course, a baracuda here or there is fine, but jeez, a whole school of them? I think not.

I have done so much diving this trip, been sooo NICE to be able to be able to do so. I will certainly be so jealous of you all when I get back! Will post a trip report for sure, got some excellent pics.

Going to try out dining at Buenas Aires Cafe tonight, same folks who own Patagonia. Prices are really good there. It is right across from KFC.

Off to set up our dive gear and get wet! Check in later!

GOOD MORNING PATRICK!!!!

Good Morning Donna and all who follow. Great shot. I'll be heading up to Maine tonight. We are doing a night dive at the Nubble (York Beach, Me).

The kids leaving is sad but also very liberating. Savor both parts.

Donna, Tiff left for college last week. Know how you feel, but I do have Brandon left at home for a few years yet till he goes. When that time comes, it will be a whole new chapter for all of us. We will get to go to Bonaire a lot longer then and the kids, all of them will be officially on the own, making their own marks in the world as we have done. The circle of life, but you can always visit them when that time comes, and then there will be grandchildren someday too, something else to look forward to! It's all good!

Cecil, I have never been to Maine, looks nice up there. Love to visit sometime, but only visit, I hear it gets cold up there. Moving south is the game plan here in a few years down the road, like the warm weather, can't take the cold as I get older anymore.

I hope you have a good dive Cecil!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning all! I'm bouncing off the walls here with good news. Sherman Alexie is coming to my campus and will give a lecture to my history class. Wooohooo! I'm trying to rework my syllabus right now so that I can show Smoke Signals in class. I cannot believe this!!!!

I love that photo Donna, very tranquil. Happy diving Cecil! Can't wait to hear what you think of the place Debbie. It opened on my last day there and I didn't get a chance to go. Patrick - don't work too hard.

Good morning everyone.
Can't wait to see your pics Debbie, hope the great diving continues. We'll be there in...um...23 days.

PS - are you and Gail still getting drenched? It's doing nothing here!

This shows an up to date movement of Fay:
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200806_radar.html#a_topad

Tribs, I had to look up Sherman Alexie.
Very cool that he's coming to lecture your class!
http://www.fallsapart.com/biography.html

Good Morning Donna, PATRICK, Debbie, Cecil, Tribs and all to follow.
Great picture Donna. Tribs, Great news about Sherman Alexie lecturing to your history class.( I'm going to have to look this person up. )


(Message edited by tlraz on August 21, 2008)

(Message edited by tlraz on August 21, 2008)

Hi Kathy!! Thanks for the link.
Tribs, You're going to have a great class that day.
I couldn't help but think of an old friend while reading Sherman Alexie's bio. So I Googled Dick West indian artist and found this: http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/W/WE015.html
Dick came to my first wedding in braids and a suit. Loved it!

Hey Linda....he was pretty amazing! Thanks for the info!

OMG I found this video of my friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UReVVrbL8xs

Good morning everyone. Fay just won't go away. We're having more wind and rain today than yesterday, and I imagine Pegi Sue is too. I think we're all tired of this storm and would welcome her moving on. I'm getting cabin fever.

Hugs to you new empty nesters! Enjoy the positive of all stages of life! It's all good!

Good Morning Everyone!!

Excellent links yall!!!! I want to go back and read more about both of them.
Tribs, I would love to sit in on your class that day. It will be amazing!!

Kathy asked

---

quote:

PS - are you and Gail still getting drenched? It's doing nothing here!

---

Gail, join me on this...HA HA HA HA HA!!!
We just drained the pool and I have to keep an eye on it all day and continue to drain it for the rest of the day. I'm using my dry snorkel when I go out so I don't drown!! May just put on a tank and dive in the yard later!! Kobi will love this...I got 41 frogs out of the pool this morning!! They were so loud it woke me up, so Calypso and I went out there in the dark and I just was grabbing and throwing! If I hurt any, I'm really sorry...but there are a million more out there making LOTS of noise, so I didn't hurt the frog population in our yard!!
This rain is totally insane! But there is no lightening, just wind. Really strong gusts of wind! The trees are all holding up and so are we, kinda.

Good morning all - And good morning to our newest lurker turned talker Debbie T. She's living in TN now - hmm - there are a number of us from there on here...and I'm thinking she'll be joining us for HH. Of course I can't participate in HH cause I'm usually walkin' the dream...LOL. Tonight is just 5 miles. This weekend is a 12 on Saturday and then a 9 on Sunday. OHHHHHHHH - and guess what my dear friend and teammate gave me for my birthday?????!!!??? come one - guess.... YES - a pedegg. No, really, a pedegg. And guess who uses it more than me??? That's right - that scoundrel Pete!

Oh well - gotta run and do some work. I hate this work thing, it gets in the way of fun.

Donna, beautiful pic!! I can't say how much you'll enjoy your kids all being out and about, but this new chapter may be wonderful. You still get to see them, watch them grow even more, and all the things that Debbie said!! See, you have so much to look forward to!! And just look at what beautiful people you have raised and how proud you must be of them!!!

Mara, thank you for the card.
Did we MISS your birthday?? Or was that just ME that missed your birthday?

Gail, come over here to cure that cabin fever. We can go frog giggin' and cook up some frog legs tonite for dinner!!! It's gonna be a fun day!!

Donna, I have been reading(lurking)BT for a while. We leave for our 3rd trip there tomorrow & have learned about dive sites & restaurants we haven't tried from you great sharing people.. I am a lot older than most of you & experienced twice what you are going thru as my girls left home. My husband thought we were going to have to move to Austin when our oldest left to attend UT I was so lost. Her name is Donna. Fast forward 18 years, weddings & four fantastic grandchildren & life is good. Enjoy each moment, it wouldn't be so difficult if you wern't so close, that is a real blessing.

Good morning everyone.

PS - stay dry...and safe. That goes for everyone in FL.

Debbie T and Pat, welcome!

Mara, Pete uses the...P...Ped...Pedegg?

Morning all Debbie T, welcome to BT

Pat, thanks for joining us as well

Lots to catch up on, I read every post and now will be late for work...lol...

yoMo...the "visual" of Pete using your pedegg...well...uh...red hot poker? lol. Brad, will you ever be the same?

Pegi Sue - They're predicting Deland will get hit with a round of very strong rains in the next few hours. I'm in a lull right now. The center hasn't moved in 9 hours but the feeder bands are all over the place. Crazy storm.

Pedegg, pedegg, pedegg!

Even Chaos doesn't want to go out in this mess. I can just make out the top of the skimmer, but I'm not venturing out to drain any water.

G.M.T.A.

Think I will start with a borrowed funny:

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it.
The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, 'Good morning Alex.'
'Good morning Pastor,' he replied, still focused on the plaque. 'Pastor, what is this?'
The pastor said, 'Well son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.'
Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque. Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked,

Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:45?

Good Morning BT'ers!!
It is a beautiful day in the Neighborhood! lalala

Debbie T and Pat..welcome!

Debbie T..we are close..I am in Jamestown.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Glad to see Timmy, Angela, Linda, PS, Kathy..(who else?) are not flooded under!!

Hi Pat. Welcome to the board and congrats on your trip to Bonaire TOMORROW!! Do a dive or two for me, please.

donna
good luck for daughter.
es

BH..funny

oh, Donna..(snif-snif) I already told my daughter that when she goes to college, I am moving in with her, LOL. We are so close. It will be so hard for me to see her leave.
A DR. I work with just took his last (of 2) to college. He was very emotional about it. I can't imagine how his wife is feeling.
Bless you and stay strong!

thanks Linda, will do. Love your profile picture. I did squirrel rescue for years.

well, I guess I may need to edit the FL. post about you guys not being flooded..I realize you all probable are to some extent but I am glad you all are safe..

hi gang
please go to cayman brac. on board. need ur help.
es

my thoughts are with the Florida folks, we have extended family all over the state, my hubby grew up in Miami area. Many of our dives were done in the Fla. Keys. Debbie, you see Baracuda on almost every dive there.

Hey PS - not to worry, my bday was at the end of July. Sorry about the red hot poker thought on Pete using the pedegg - BUT - he gets callouses too with all this walking and we think that may have something to do with the blisters he keeps getting on his big toes - so pedegg away honey - pedegg away!

IT'S RAINING!!!! Someone send a boat!!!! I may really need it soon! There is some serious rain and wind out there now. They say there could be gusts to 60 mph. I believe I am seeing that. Pretty scary!! I'm not sure how safe it would be to go out there and drain the pool again, but I may have to...I don't want it to overflow into the porch, that is already soaked.
My son wants to play "Dodge Debris"!! It's a fabulous game that we thought of in the hurricanes in 2004...you have to run from stop sign to stop sign and not get hit by flying debris!!! We are crazy!! But I am not crazy enough to have EVER let them do it!! Just fun to talk about!!

O.K., back from my dive. It was one of the top two dives this trip! We saw an Ocean Triggerfish cruising by, love to know where they keep their motors, hee, hee, they really go fast! Just joking, not serious on the motor thingie. Gregg found the biggest crab we ever saw, the crab was huge! The guys were trying to line up to take pictures of it, when a free swimming green moray swims right behind them both less than a foot away. I start rattling my rattle to show them, they were so engrossed in the big crab, but the green moray was so cool too, so we followed it in and out of the reef and took pics of it. Going to do another dive after lunch, had a rain storm pass over, but since it was lunch time, all is good, didn't effect us at all, and we really needed some rain, I am sure the plants are very happy right now. Sun is back out again. Gotta love it! Oh, saw an octopus in the shallows getting out, Brandon spotted that one. I never wanted that dive to end, it was so good, were down over an hour, Gregg's camera battery died, we were down so long. Enjoyed every minute today. Can ya tell I got a smile really big now?

HA!!! PS. I bet you learned Dodge Debris from the TV weather people out on location. "As you can see the wind and rain have picked up - WHAP!!! - OUCH!!"
I bet all those little frogs you tossed out of your pool are floating down the highway a few miles by now.

Hi Pat E. Welcome to BT Talk!

Where did you dive Debbie? I'm sure you told us earlier but I'm have an attack of AADD right now.

Debbie - you just made my day. I'll be thinking of you last dive at lunch. Thanks!

We were at Angel City for first dive, going to Bachler's Beach next, we did both these dives before this trip, but they are just really nice dives, planning on Fish Hut South tomorrow to start with. That's all we got planned so far, will see what we feel like after we do those. Lots of drum fish this trip, from teeny tiny ones to the big top hat ones. Saw three queen angel fish swimming together today too. Really good today so far. Of course, any dive on Bonaire is good!

Hello all. To all of you Mothers that are missing children, I'll send you mine for a while There now, are you smiling again? Good, I try to be here for you. rotflmao, ahem - sorry I LIED, I'M NOT SORRY!!!!! ROTFLMAO-AGAIN Hey, there's a sugar baby under the work bench.

HAY TIMMMY, READY TO HAVE SALT WATER ABOVE YOU?!?!

DEBBIE,

Jerry, gonna share your kitchen with your FAAAAAVORITE sister-in-law again? Yes, I know what you are thinking and if that was possible, I never would have left my parents home. Shame on you for saying that too.

Sunny day here, had a ********* Canadian Goose fly over this morning. I think he was scouting out "Tha Bay" (say it with your teeth clenched) for the other geese that will be following him. Don't worry, he won't be telling his fellow flock members (F.F.M.) anything. Bonus is we are having goose for supper. Mess with my serenity you ******* goose you.

Remember to play, even those that are wet. If you are dealt mud puddles........ c'mon, be a child jump in and splash. This acting all grown stinks.

I've got my helmet on and ready to go play!!!LOL
Tom, you're too funny!!!!

Debbie, sounds FABULOUS!!!!!
I've been reading all of my dive magazines, ignoring the sounds outside. There's too many really cool places I'd love to go to!! I can't wait til May!!!!

Yep - Pegi Sue probably does need a boat! I just saw the radar over Deland and it's deep yellow - meaning bad rain! I just walked the yard in a lull, and predict that on next Wednesday there will be many bags, bundles of branches, and trash cans with debris at the curb!

You all go play for me - I'm staying hunkered down!

Thanks for lookin' out for me Gail...makes me not feel quite so alone!! I don't really like being alone when stuff like this is going on
I know, I'm NEVER alone!! I've got the frogs!!!LOL

Dr. Vasec Tomy.




























That didn't go very well at all, sorry!

Egads.... Jerry where do you find these things????
MORNING!!!!!

Had a lovely dinner with Guy last night Today should be his last shift on the helicopter for a while and he's hoping to give his regular shift on Saturday away so that we can have alllllll weekend together. The weather promises to be perfect beach conditions --- a chair, a book, a cooler...... yeah baby

Hugs and smiles to all who need them - slap on the back of the head to those who didn't have a V-8

PS hope you get just enough rain and wind to make it fun. You are definitely not alone!!

Gail enjoy your hunkering!

Caymus got Skunked last night, I'm not in a good mood at all.

Tara,

P.S., with the voices we have in our heads, we are never alone.

Gotta find this tee shirt

"SHUT UP VOICES OR
I WILL POKE YOU
WITH A Q-TIP
AGAIN!!!"

Awww man... poor Caymus
I had one go through the yard last week that sprayed along the way so much that I thought he had made it into the house.... seriously, I was checking under the bed and Rasta and the cats.

No fresh feeling there! Shall we call you Pepe today?

Jerry...EWWW

Tara..glad you got your man!

PS..you are NEVER alone...oohhhaaa

someone say frogs?

Tom

Oh and Debbie What a fabulous dive!!!!! I can't wait to see your pics. Does that Brandon have any idea how lucky he is to have your and Gregg as his parents??? He coulda gotten some lazy schmucks - LOL!!!

(Message edited by taranguy on August 21, 2008)

Caymus is not feeling fresh...is he sleeping with your in-laws?

Brad..do you know what time it is?

Tom, do what I do.

Take off all your cloths, run down main street singing Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree, and do a few back flips.

Works for me every time, got to go, my probation officer is on the phone.

Here's a little help for Brad...
Thursday Continues

you may now post Cynde

Jerry, I have tears running down my face. No not thinking of you or I running naked down the street but CAYMUS, I LOVE THAT DOGGY. "GOOD BOY CAYMUS, BITE THE PRETTY KITTY. QUICK, GO JUMP ON POPPA!"

ROTFLMAO

Krispy, have you seen the inlaws? Wanna bet Caymus smells better?

hey gang
need more chime ins for grand cayman not cayman brac.
thanks ahead of time
question under cayman brac
es