A couch on the curb... in Florida. What does that make us?

New couch buyers, that's what! 😆

My mother decided that she's had enough of the peeling leather between the seats on our leather couch. This is the... second (?) couch we've had where there's been an issue. 

First couch was fake (aka bonded) leather, which lasted several years before it peeled apart. Purchasing what was supposed to be a high quality leather couch at a higher quality furniture store, turned out to be a rip off because they promised and guaranteed us that this couch would last and it was pure leather. 

Only to have it start getting weird after a year. 

Come to find out, through many a complaint, the couch was actually bonded leather, which means it's "manufactured upholstery material which contains animal hide. It is made as a layered structure of a fiber or paper backer covered with a layer of shredded leather fibers mixed with natural rubber or a polyurethane binder that is embossed with a leather-like texture" ("Bonded Leather" per Wikipedia)(~shudders. I hate Wikipedia). 

According to The Leather Farm, bonded leather is "made from shredded leather scraps glued together with polyurethane or latex on a fabric base. The surface is then embossed to look like natural grain. [...] While it may appear convincing, it lacks the resilience of authentic leather. Bonded products tend to be cheaper, but they crack, peel, and deteriorate much faster. They’re common in budget furniture, office chairs, or entry-level accessories—items where cost takes priority over longevity."

The latter part of the second quote proves why our couch failed. The piece was falling apart. 

Off we went, back to the store to see what could be done. We talked to sales people, management, whoever we could, to be able to get a conversation going as to why part of the staff insisted the couch was one thing and another part of the staff backpedaled saying they do in fact sell bonded pieces and this happened to be one of them.

Which brought us to our second couch. My mother wanted a new piece because she felt this wonderful couch we had, was becoming an eyesore. She felt duped and she wanted something to be done about it. Here, she told all her friends about the retailer in the beginning and how wonderful the sale went. Then the couch started failing and she felt bad for referring people to the store. 

Although there was nothing major that could be done, the store (very nicely) offered a small discount off the purchase of a new couch. 

My mother accepted that and grilled them about it. 

The second couch was to be 100 per cent leather. She didn't want that bonded stuff. The company had to make sure we were purchasing a real leather couch. They assured her this next one would be, and there wouldn't be any problems. She felt that she trusted them enough, she bought a love seat to go with it. 

Fast forward a few years later, and guess what? The couch is peeling. That's on top of the fact the USB port on one side had failed from the word go. Both ends of the couch had reclining capabilities as well as a USB charging station, where you could plug your device (phone) in and let the thing charge away. Her side charger didn't work after the couch was delivered. It wasn't tested when the delivery men dropped it off, so she couldn't have them bring it back to the warehouse or get it immediately fixed. As she thought this was a small issue, she never said anything; we had the ability to plug in her phone to the wall socket that the couch was plugged in to, so it wasn't a huge deal breaker. 

What became of the couch, in the end, was the last straw. 

The inside seams started peeling. Badly. It was so messy, that every time we used the reclining bit, more pieces were scraping off from the seat cushions. Upon contacting the store, they wanted us to come in. We took photos and went to talk to a manager. Once we arrived, we explained what was happening. The staff took one look and said "oh yeah, we know what that is". 

What is it?

Vinyl and bonded leather in between the sections.

Yup. The couch is technically one hundred per cent real leather, but the places that attach together (seams, each seat on the inside, the leg base) is vinyl and bonded leather. 

Why? 

Because, in one respect, you don't look at the inside of the couch. Cheaper materials can be used to attach everything together, while the more expensive stuff is on the outside. 

How come no one told us, especially when we were making it clear that we didn't want to get anything other than real leather?

They thought we knew. Does it really matter?

No, we didn't know and yes, it does matter. No one discussed with us, that whatever we buy, will have vinyl or bonded or other types of materials on the inside (seams) of the couch. When you make an expensive purchase like this, you want to be told what's involved. There was no mention in the fine print, there was no talk about things being not what they were. 

To add insult to injury, when we finally started inquiring about it, we were just out of the window of warranty, so there was nothing the store could do about it. Plus, warranty didn't cover the insides where the peeling was happening. So we'd have to continue living with it or get a new couch then. 

We opted to continue living with it, because overall, the couch was still okay on the outside. The seams were becoming a pain to deal with, but we would carry on and see what would happen. 

Which brings us to Thanksgiving Day Sales 2025 at the furniture stores. My mother had had enough of constantly picking up chunks of peeled upholstery and opted to finally invest in something new.

This time it would be a fabric couch. We had a quality sleeper couch in our guest room for a few years and didn't have any problems with it. It was time to go back to that. 

As we shopped around, we told various places our tale and each sales person we spoke to, seemed to understand our side and apologized for the misgivings and mistakes of the company we dealt with. Even though they had no business / dealings with that particular store. 

Once we found something that would suit our living space quite well, my mother decided she'd buy the matching love seat to go with it. Now we need to find someone to take the leather couch and love seat off our hands, even though the love seat was in some what of a better condition (it was starting to fray, but it wasn't horrendous). 

She contacted friends and neighbors to see if they know anyone, and ended up giving the love seat to a pool friend's daughter. The daughter just graduated medical school and is working locally. She has recently started renting a house within our community with a couple of friends, so they are in need of furniture, and don't mind second hand pieces. If nothing completely matches, at least they have some where to sit until they fully decide what they want to do. After securing a time for the kids to pick up the love seat, the couch was discussed. They didn't have a need for it, and didn't know anyone else who would. It wasn't that they were not willing to take it, but they were getting things from other people as well. Too many big pieces in a small house is over kill and greedy. 

Understandable.

We tried calling a local thrift store, which every single furniture store recommended. It was the number one thrift place in the area and we were told the couch would be accepted, regardless of it peeling. This particular thrift, if they couldn't sell it, would donate it to a shelter (or halfway house).

Great! That's such awesome news to hear. 

Well, with high hopes, we set up a date and time for the thrift store to pick up the couch. They came, they saw, they denied wanting it. It was too far gone in the seams to sell. They can't take it.

What about giving it to a shelter? 

They don't know anything about that. Whoever told us, doesn't know what they're talking about. 

What this place can do, is put it on the curb for trash pick up because they can't even take it to the dump. It costs them over a hundred dollars to drop stuff off at the landfill and they aren't willing to do that. 

As this was Monday, my mom was not willing to let the couch sit outside until this morning. We'd get ticketed by the community for that. 

We thanked the thrift store guys for coming out and were saddened to hear they are limited in what they do. We weren't lied to, necessarily, but we weren't told an exact truth, apparently. 

Since the new couch was going to come Friday (yesterday), we would have to wait a few more days with this old one.

Which we did.

The unfortunate side effect now to this experience, is the delivery guys said they can't touch the old couch. This was even when we were told they could, if the thrift store didn't take it. This is becoming a fiasco. An entire crazy circle of information, in order to enjoy seating in the living room. 

Once the old couch was taken outside and the new couch brought in, it was time to do some re-arranging in order to now wait the week out for the love seat because they didn't arrive together. The love seat is on back order. 

Okay, fine. We can live another week without the second piece of furniture. I keep telling my mother maybe we need to get one of those blanket covers for the couch so it's not ruined so quickly. That the nice beige doesn't show dirt and grime and so forth before the end of 2026. We have a decent warranty with this new couch, but we don't need it going to hell soon. It needs to last a while, and if the fabric quits on us, then what? 

It'll be time to move, because Florida ruins everything. That's what. 

Considering the years we've lived on the old leather, there are some stains happening with it. Rubbing of clothing, human oils (sweat), etc. We weren't shy about using this as the main sitting area. It was lived on. 

Proof in point - this is a picture of it outside in the sun:

Shadows and various points in the day and all.

No editing has been done to the photos. There is not mold on the legs. I promise you that. It's several years worth of being used as an every day piece of furniture. Heat, humidity, cold, sweating, non sweating, lotions.. just plain old hanging out and enjoying life. 

The thrift store's point of this being destroyed wasn't the way the seats look. They immediately went to the in-between sections and saw the peeling. They raised the legs of the recliners. They saw how bad it was. That's why they wouldn't take it; it wouldn't sell. 

Even at night, the couch looked sad.

The shadows made it look weird and creepy. Like it belongs on an abandoned property, waiting for a horror movie to happen. 

Or, it belongs on the front yard of a local home where no one cares what their property looks like because everyone has similar lawn decorations around.

Either way, it was picked up this morning and my mom was super glad. She's in love with the new piece and is relieved to be done with all sorts of leather. 

I'm honestly surprised no one was riding the community with a pickup truck and took it, as we are so used to that happening up north. Maybe because we're currently in a gated community, so you can't get in unless you're visiting someone. Maybe because no one really wants a big couch at the moment. I don't know. But knowing we didn't have lookie loo people around, is quite surprising. Guess that's the big difference in where we were and where we are. 

Until the love seat comes in and completes the room, make sure you take care of yourself and research what you're buying. Don't regret your purchase, even years later. Make the best of it while you can and if you could donate to charity, do so. We don't need more trash in our landfills right now. Recycle when possible. 

Cheers; 

See also

* "Blanket for couch protection" via Amazon

Some Christmas pandering

(Aka "Do something nice for a stranger. It is the holidays, ya know")

My friend Rachael restarted her "Hidden Wings and Bloodlust" podcast recently, after having had a two year break. 

It can be found directly on Podbean as well as other podcatchers (such as Spotify and Apple). She has a Facebook page that she updates as frequently as she can. 

She does such an amazing job at researching ladybirds (or for the Americans, ladybugs) and describes what she finds to such an extent, that you know you could probably name the specific insect if you saw it. Her guests are always nice and willing to talk about their experiences in whatever field they're in, no matter if it's ladybird exact or not. Some are enthusiasts, just like her. 

It's not an easy task because she takes time out of her busy lifestyle to do this. Doing this is almost full time work for her, because she is constantly on the lookout for the Coccinellidae and takes pictures of them to boot. Then she researches what she can and reports back on what she found. It's all unpaid - she gets knowledge of the tiny things in nature that we take for granted. And it's all while she's doing other things in her daily life. 

If you can spend some time listening to her show and drop her a Ko-Fi, I'm sure she would greatly appreciate it. The Ko-Fi is also going towards the goal of buying some ecology of the species books, as well as furthering her studies of the spotted beetle. 

On a similar note, she also has a book out. She's been writing a second novel (a sequel, I think she's mentioned) in whatever spare time she has. This first book isn't about ladybirds, but a bull named Pepelito. His story is about being a victim of a bullfight and escaping the madness of a horrible sport. It's based around actual events, although not one in particular. This novel is to raise awareness of how brutal it is for these poor animals, as it truly is a form of animal cruelty. There are people who love to watch humans engage and enrage the bull, ultimately leading to its death. Rachael insightfully delivers a fictional account of what can and can't happen at these arenas while "Proceeds from this book will go to CAS International to assist the fight against bullfighting and other cruel events". I ask that you please consider helping out with this cause. 

While you're at it, I've got a Ko-Fi as well. It's something I have as part of the promotion of my blog. I know people love my photos and like to see what I'm up to. If you could spare a dime to keep the lights on, it's helpful. 

Okay, enough selfless promotion. Go back to your friends, family and celebrations. If you feel like listening to something new, check out Rachael's podcast and learn a little more about nature. If you want to read something new, check out her book and learn how a "sport" can be terrifyingly bad. 

Until the next round of crazy, take care of yourself.

Cheers;

This is..

... Sparta?

No.

... Anfield?

No.

... Fog?

Yes.

Sunday was one of those days where I had to be at work for 8:45am and would be there for 12 hours. Unfortunately, it was also one of those days where the fog was so thick, it was a little dangerous to drive.

Or, as my friend Cat said after receiving multiple photos, "It's so eerie" and after seeing a video from when I parked at work, "it looks like a horror movie". 

It felt worse than a horror movie, although it was the type of gloom where I needed to take a different road to work, as the flyover bridge I would have taken, would have been a bit dangerous to use. The merging into traffic is horrible on a normal day; trying to get off the bridge and into oncoming traffic in fog? Good luck, buttercup; I hope no one is coming down the road at the moment you need to get into the next lane. 

Therefore, I had taken a more "scenic" route to get to where I needed to be. It doesn't defeat much traffic, but it's a little safer. Weirdly enough, the end result takes me to the same intersection that completes the merge from the bridge. 

Except the intersection is probably a couple blocks away. It's a landing zone and hard to explain. 

At any rate, the photos below are the "before" photos, taken with an iPhone 11. No editing: WYSIWYG.

This is the intersection where the flyover bridge is. You can barely see road signs in the distance, which are attached to another crossing bridge. 

The bridge is to the right of this tree; I'm about to turn into the "scenic area" part of the drive, so I can bypass the bridge.   

This photo is another intersection. One more past the merging intersection one (closer to where I work).

The photos below are the "after" photos, taken the next day (Monday) with an iPhone 11. No editing: WYSIWYG.

As you can see below, this is the first intersection with the bridge. Just past the second set of trees in the second photo, is the exit for the longer way. 

I just passed the "scenic route" entrance so this is the bridge road. 

This is the merging issue once you get up in the flyover and onto the other main road:

Cars don't like to let you in!

Which is why it was going to be easier to take the other road and not risk getting hint. The fog was too thick to try it, unless I was already on that side of the road. 

It's a risk no matter where you go, because fog is fog. I know that. But early morning crazy drivers tend to not pay attention. I'd rather be safe than sorry, especially since I was going to be working a very long day. 

It did become pretty hectic at work, so I'm glad I did the easier way. I'm also glad I got proof how wild nature can be around here, even though we already know, due to the massive amount of rain in the summer as well as the random hurricanes. I'm not immune to seeing thick fog, but up north, it's usually with some sort of melting snow. 

Change of scenery, but not a change of nature?

Seeing how today is Christmas Eve, I'll keep this rambling short and let everyone go do their thing. Hope you all were nice enough to stay off the naughty list!

Cheers;

See also

* "This is Sparta" comes from the movie 300.

* "This is Anfield" comes from the mantra of Liverpool Football Club

* "This is fog" comes from pointing out low lying clouds. 

Squint and you'll see sunlight diffraction

Or, "iridescent clouds". 

We were on our way to the airport this morning ("early" - 7:45) to drop someone off and I kept watching the open sky. The morning fog was burning away and making the blues pop out among the peaches and amber.

All of a sudden, I saw the random rainbow arch around the sun. 

"Don't look into the light!!!" they say. Well, I wasn't really looking at the sun. I was looking next to the giant light bulb in the sky. 

No, I don't have super human vision; I wasn't looking at Saturn. This wasn't the middle of the night, either.

It really was some sort of scattered cloud iridescence and I tried to capture it on my iPhone 11. 

There was no editing on these; I popped them into Photoshop to put my name on them, otherwise WYSIWYG. 

I also tried shooting with the window closed and then open.

The area I'm referencing is to the left and right of the sun. It almost makes a circular form around the bright star in our galaxy. You could say it's creating a doming effect. 

Some apocalyptic science fiction people might say that it would look to be some start of a sky explosion. Almost like you'd expect a blast of fire to come at you. You know, "all's quiet until something pops off" kind of thing. 

I can't explain this properly. I can see it happening in my head because I watch too many movies and read too many books (I'm a "banned book survivor", after all). I don't want to jumble up a description, but I can see this mess of an explosion in my mind. Like you're just watching the sky one minute and the next, some alien being is aiming a cloudburst of crazy, right at you. 

I'm being overly dramatic. Of course that can't happen, for as many glitches in the Matrix we've had lately (hands over a tin foil hat). It's one of those things where I had too much time to think, it was way too early, and I'm really, honestly, over tired. 

I did enjoy the view though. I know you can't tell from the quick shots, but the morning scenes were good; subtle. Peaceful. For as hectic as the ride needed to be for the person (horrible week for them. This is an emergency trip back home; they're a full time resident in Fort Myers). 

We're gearing up for the end of the year; next week is Christmas and we'll blink for 2026. If this coming year goes as quickly as this past year, can I put a request in now, so I can have a proper vacation and do some traveling? Or, can my request include some other forms of movement? I don't know. I'd like to be able to have some better presents presence foot print soon. 

Until I find something else to squirrel on... be safe, be warm, dig out your boat if you're in the PNW (I see you, my friends and family and know I'm thinking of you in your chaos). Attempt to enjoy a show if you can. 

Cheers;

See Also:

* iPhone 11 on Amazon

* Photoshop on Amazon

* "Banned Book Survivor" on Amazon

* "Banned Books" list on Amazon

* "Glitch in the Matrix" list on Amazon

Kickin' old grainy school

I had sent a text to my uncle yesterday about something that happened while I was at work, and we got to talking about other things. One of the last things he said was "Keep the faith" and I had said "I have a picture of a billboard at Fenway from 2004 that says "Keep The Faith" with Pedro Martinez on it. I took it in my photography class! 😀". He had responded "Nice. Frame it", which led me to look for the scanned copy I have. 

Back in 2015, I had the opportunity to scan in all my old black and white negatives from a photography class in 2004. The course was all about shooting on 35mm film and using the dark room on campus to develop our film. 

I remember signing out the #9 key a lot some nights, just to tool around in that dark room. It was a great resource and it was an experience I ended up using later on when I moved to Florida. 

Since I was using a Canon Rebel G Camera, and whatever film you could buy at the time (since it was the early 2000s, film cameras were still a thing), this would help me in a starting point of using Canon products, funny enough. 

Unfortunately, Amazon now sells this camera as renewed / refurbished (what else is new??) and you could probably find it on other marketplace sites for similar or lower pricing. Film on the other hand... you're better off seeing if local box stores have rolls; Amazon isn't a cheap alternative, although it's not off by much. Once acquired, try getting the film developed with a reasonable turn around time because we're so used to seeing everything now! with digital devices. Some sites quote as long as 2 weeks or more to get the prints / scans (to disc, etc.) back because they ship the film out somewhere. It's not done in house anymore. Hopefully there's an actual photo store locally that focuses on prints, but those too are becoming obsolete.  

I know I have previously written about that course and have uploaded shots here, but I haven't uploaded all of them. Over time, the film has started to degrade, leaving the attempt to scan, a little crispy around the edges. I have kept the negatives in archival sleeves, in a tote bin, which then moved from Massachusetts to Florida and they are now kept in a closet. As with everything here, these have seen (or felt) heat, humidity and cold (from the AC). So I know I'm losing time on keeping them. 

Which is why I jumped on the opportunity to spend a day scanning them. I had used an Epson Perfection V600 scanner, which again, Amazon sells as renewed / refurbished. I do not know what the newest update to that is at this time, as I'm not scanning photos or negatives. I remember this particular scanner did both slides and negatives. There was a holder for each type and we didn't have any issues. As it was a wired scanner, it also came with an installation disc that had proprietary (to Epson) software. 

Getting back to the text with my uncle, I did find the pictures, and quickly put the two shots I had into Photoshop. I did a real hasty edit and sent them to him with the comment of "[t]hey aren't frameable. I would have to spend too many hours trying to clean them up. The film negatives were already crispy when I scanned them in 2015 (originally taken in 2004). I just did a light cleanup and they still look bad". Which is basically repeating what I've written, but now you have the context. 

Yes, I had a fence in front of me. No, I wasn't thinking about future proofing my photos at the time and getting a better shot of this billboard. I was mindlessly taking photos of my surroundings because my professor made this particular day a field trip day. There was just a handful of us in the class, so he drove a couple of us in his car and the rest split themselves up between other cars (I think we had 3 cars worth of people in the end). I didn't want to venture too far off from the class since I didn't have my train money with me and wasn't expecting to go into town that day. I get squirreled easily, so they could have walked away and wouldn't have noticed I wasn't with them. Therefore I needed to stay close. 

For reference, the road I'm on may be Comm Ave, but I could be wrong. I honestly forget where we parked. I have a sneaky suspicion it would be Commonwealth Avenue, as there were more parking spaces that day there, and we could walk around more / better. No one would need to worry about running to feed a meter or anything else. I think the professor handed the drivers enough quarters so we could take our time around the Kenmore Square area.

I do have to say, after trying to search online for any better quality photo, there were several billboards around Boston, telling sports fans to "Keep the faith". The images included David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez. It now has me second guessing whether the photo I have is Pedro or Manny, as I've been saying it's Pedro for 21 years. I can't say "you be the judge" because the image is such poor quality, that it's hard to tell. The little bit I have of a face, it looks like it could be the Pedro board, but I don't know. 

As I was looking at my other scanned photos, I decided to pull out some other photos and try to edit them. Most are from the same day and area. 

This shot is the group heading back to the cars at the end of the field trip. We are on the same bridge where I would have been for the Pedro shots. The light source at the top of the photo (the random squares) is from the scanner. This was one of the film strips that curled up on me during the years, sadly enough. 

The Hotel Buckminster was located at the intersection of Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue, with the main address (front door) being on Beacon Street. It's part of the "heart of Kenmore Square" and has been a fixture for centuries. According to the internet, it had shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic and hasn't opened up again. It was running under new management for a few years but they decided to permanently shutter the doors during lockdown. 

How unfortunate; I never got to see inside the building but the outside view is so cool. I bet the lobby had a timeless / classy feeling to it. It looks like it would when you look at it from the front and sides.

This photo was taken in Kenmore Square but I don't remember what street I was facing. A lot of the buildings in this area are owned / operated by Boston University. I have no recollection of that side street. I know I'm in Kenmore Square and I think very close to the Citgo sign, so maybe the Beacon Street side of Kenmore. If I keep going right, I'll be facing the Pru. I wish I took more photos around these buildings and street signs. Better landmarks. 

I miss Bertucci's, but I love the different brands in this photo. Top of the building (obviously) is a sign for Bertucci's, a famous Italian restaurant in New England. It's so good there. The pizza... the salad... the rolls to dip in olive oil... it's better than Olive Garden. Hands down. 😛👅 

We used to love to go in and ask for a bag of rolls to take home, and that would be it some days. The staff had brown bags loaded with the cooked balls of dough on the warmer, as it was one of the popular pieces of food at this place. I'm salivating just thinking about it.. I could totally go for a slice pizza and the bread right now...

Most people have a Staples, so we're used to the big red box truck to deliver our office supply needs. "It's that easy". 🔴

I do have to say, this photo being shot in Boston, I can't have it compete with Pino's in Brookline Brighton. That was my "go to" place at school (sorry Eagle's Deli. You got wings people rave about... not pizza and salad 😜). 

This photo was taken during a snow storm. I was home for something, and thought the tracks in the slush looked pretty rad. I guess mischief was managed in this one?

I know the head on the cat looks weird. It's how I edited out the scanned artifacts and tried to sharpen it up. I promise that it's a real cat and a real photo. I don't know who the cat belongs to; it was on our back deck this day, just hanging out on this winter day. Snow and ice had melted enough that the deck looks like it poured, but it was actually the middle of winter, which is why there's a plastic chair leg looking weird in the lower left hand corner. Might have been the middle of the day too. I want to say around 3pm, but who knows. It feels like it could have been three. I was concerned on who's fur baby this was, but didn't want to scare it by going outside. So once I took the photos (I took multiple and this was one of the better ones), I went about my business. I might have been making tea, which is why I saw the cat. Our kitchen looked into the backyard and the deck door was between the kitchen and dining room. We had a kitchen window looking out there as well. 

I think my trip down memory lane / street / avenue / quest for walking scores in a busy city needs to come to an end tonight. I miss those days of riding on the T and walking everywhere (as lousy as I am with directions, I could tell you what T stop you need). Nothing will compare to the buzz of the area, especially during peak sports times. 2004 was the year the Sox won the World Series, making the "Curse of the Bambino" go away for a moment. 

Don't get me wrong; I had no issues in Brockton either, getting up and going to places locally. I could walk to Cumby's for my 99¢ coffee or Dunkie's for my coffee and bagel combo (although there was a wicked good bagel shop next door, which was far superior than Dunkie's any day). I'd play frogger to get to all of those places and be home before my drink was frozen and my toasted bagel with cream cheese was hard. 

Ask me to tell you what exit you need off I 95, 93, 128, or the Mass Pike? Sheeeeeeeiit... I don't know. I got lost getting home from Reading one day (I ended up in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace area courtesy of a FleetCenter exit [wrong areas of town but I remember being near Faneuil Hall and then The Fleet]. Don't ask me how I made it home that day. I down right scared it out of my brain). I also missed my exit going to Peabody for a 3 year old's birthday party (I white knuckled the steering wheel while I drove through through the O''Neill Tunnel because I squirreled myself somehow. I wasn't supposed to be anywhere near there). These were days before GPS in cars and on phones. I was relying on printed maps. I don't know how I made it to places, but I did. I learned valuable lessons which have carried me into Florida. 

I don't go out and venture off in a state where you can pick up a bus every hour and change. I may have driven to Naples and Marco Island for work in the hotels, but I didn't like it.. not one bit. I was super uncomfortable, but I did it. I have yet to go take solo trips to Cape Coral, mainly because my need has been to Winn Dixie and that is about it. I haven't ventured further. That area has too many things to look at during the main drive. I know I need to go, but I haven't yet. 

Living in Florida is like living in the Wild West for me You never know what you'll see and what you'll come across. Which is why I need a better form of transportation. Driving works because it's got air conditioning when you need it, but when you're not used to driving in big places, it's over stimulating. 

Walking scores are great and if you know where you're going, they're perfect. Plus, it allows you to take pictures and you can see some great stuff, as I've been able to scan onto a disc. It's too bad I don't have the means to recreate some of these things now. I wish I could, but money and employment are hindering that. I need to align myself in a better working position in order to take a vacation back north, just to get better photos. Or more photos, depending on the case. 

Until the situation gets better and I get my job stuff sorted, go out and enjoy the scenery. You never know what you're going to be looking at. 

Cheers;

See also (aka links to various things mentioned)

•  Canon Rebel G Camera
• 35mm Film on Amazon
• Epson Perfection V600 Scanner 
• Photos edited in Photoshop
• "Mischief managed" reference is to the "Marauder's Map" in Harry Potter
• Which, by the way, there's a new audiobook reading of the series - "Full Cast Editions" (but not the original movie cast). 
• Media about The Curse of The Bambino
  

Pretty flowers? | Lots of lights!

Yesterday on my walk through the parking lot at work, I happened to see a few vibrantly red hibiscus flowers that had opened up among very closed bulbs that surrounded them. Most of bush was all green (due to the leaves) and there were these red flowers just enjoying the morning sun. 

No, internet research says this is not the same type of flower that produces the tea a lot of people are familiar with.  The liquid libation version is very specific (Latin name: "Hibiscus Sabdariffa") and is a different part of the overall product we are able to drink or bake with. It is a shrub (not a bush, apparently) that "produces white flowers with dark red calyces at their base. These calyces are harvested and dried to be used in many applications such as food coloring, beauty products and most popularly Hibiscus tea." (this last quote is from the info page for Anthony's Organic Hibiscus Flowers on Amazon). 

I never put two and two together. I know we have hibiscus almost everywhere down here, but I didn't realize the tea I've had was another part of that specific genus. I guess you learn something new every day. 

Last night I ended up walking to the gym and walking home because there was a party going on at the clubhouse so the parking lot was packed. As it was after dark when I finished my workout, I was able to get some photos of the Christmas lights in the community. 

The unfortunate part is I couldn't stop and gawk at everything because there are some neighbors who love to assume anyone outside taking pictures of houses are doing illegal activities, no matter if you live there and want a snapshot of the pretties. 

Therefore, I needed to be quick and move on in order to not be stopped and asked for identification and possibly arrested. Or have my own picture taken and put on the community Facebook pages with shaming / damning comments (which a lot of the busybodies tend to do, to start trouble and arguments online... because they have nothing else to do with their lives. I'm not a security risk; I shouldn't feel that way). 

I've tried to edit out any license plates and building numbers. Otherwise WYSIWYG. 

There were plenty of outdoor Christmas lights strung on palm trees and various bushes, as well as what's become the new driveway spotlights and garage projectors. Every year, it seems that more and more people are buying inflatables. Everyone seems to be trying to one up each other. It's the weirdest thing - who are they trying to impress??? 

I just know I still hate the lights on the palm trees. It's not Christmas with out snow and cold. The lit trees down here seem like a heresy and ridiculous. Evergreen trees, spruce, pine forest... that's Christmas. Not half naked, thin Arecaceae. Screw that noise and I'm not even religious / a person who celebrates Christmas! The season isn't the same down here. Winter is not winter while being in Florida. I've said that since I moved here. It's just fecking weird. 

But my mother loves this place and we will have to fully drive through the community one night so she can fully see everything. The pictures don't do the houses justice, for as much as I'm complaining right now. 

People are creative and want to show off. I give them that. There's a reason Ed (next door) one the house decorating contest for Halloween. The humans here love this shit. I'll continue to have squirrel moments driving by and marvel how bright some of the LEDs are, or wonder what the owner's were thinking when they sprayed out feet upon feet of a Technicolor rope onto their entire property and nothing looks cohesive. Then I'll get into my house, climb into my dark bed and go to sleep, only to dream of things unresolved and over the top. 

Until I can possibly sort out my differences, take care of yourselves and don't stare too heavily into the light.

Cheers;