Garmin's Pretty Face

This is John's portable GPS system. We can move it from one car to the other, or even to someone else's, easily. The three little weighted feet hold it steady even on our curvy dashboard. There are a number of modes for the display; map, written directions, both, etc. She talks to us, which is what makes her so very useful when just one person is in the car; that way you don't have to really look at the screen very often.

Oh, BTW, we refer to it as "She" because we have selected a woman's voice from a number of choices.

We didn't spring for the option that would tell us in real time of traffic delays, etc on the road ahead. However, she will find for us the nearest gas stations, restaurants, motels, etc., up to about a 50 mile radius ... by name, type, whatever.

She is not connected to any satellite radios or anything, which is what makes her so simple and easy to use. No monthly fees, either.

I got her for John for his 60th birthday, but I think I like her even more than he does ... mainly because I've been doing a lot more solo driving on long trips lately.

GPS - "Garmin"

This is our Garmin seen from the side.

Progress report

70,000 words. (the goal is around 100,000.) I'm still in Florida, hibernating. John will fly in on Friday ... yay!

Just a note

Karin suggested that I set up this blog so I can post from email and eliminate the time-consuming signing in process. Well, I tried. I will try again when I'm not so tired. Sorry Karin.
Updates on family: On the Smith side, Gavin and Jackie (Connor's parents) have adopted a new baby girl named Catherine. She is about four months old, and they have had her since right after she was born.
On the Neilans side, Mollie and her, uh, I guess boyfriend isn't exactly the right word, have had a new baby boy, named Parker.

So, the family trees keep adding leaves!

On a closer-to-home note from me: 63,000 words!

The Sandcastle Inn

In August, John and I took a short side trip from Kalamazoo, where we had attended a friends' daughter's wedding, to the Lake Michigan seaside town of South Haven, Michigan. We chose this area because the timing was perfect for the annual Perseid meteor shower, it was right on the lake for a good view, and the Inn was gorgeous.
At 2AM we woke up --before our alarm went off, by the way -- took our blanket and walked about two blocks down to the beach. We felt like teenagers sneaking out of the house!

There were parking lot lights in the area, but the big sand dune behind us provided enough "shade" to allow us a great view. The meteors were wonderful, and as frosting on the cake, a huge owl flew silently right over our heads while we were looking up. Perfect.

Pretty bridge over the river at South Haven

The breakfast part

of the bed and breakfast stay. (American version of a Ryokan)...or more precisely, a minshuku.

We're getting ready to watch the meteor showers

from a blanket on the beach at 2 AM, August 12, 2007 in South Haven, Michigan

Well, you get the idea.

Aunt Sandy's New House

Here is Sandy feeling pretty pleased with her new house ... no more condo living for her!

She is still quite close to David and Lisa and the grands.

Photo Effects by Sheela

This has been on my desktop for awhile. It is a cormorant in a blooming tropical tree. I took the photo in June in Florida (obviously not Tennessee!) and Sheela did the special effects when she was visiting us in July.

I just love it.

MuckAbout Photo

Swamp MuckAbout

I took a one-day break from the writing and took myself down into the Big Cypress Swamp on Monday. It is techncially adjacent to the Everglades, altho it looks and acts just the same.

One weekend a year they offer guided swamp walks. Rather tame, because all the gators and snakes hear the crowds and make themselves scarce -- but I liked it that way! I'm not terribly inclined to walk in the swamp waters by myself. We were in there for over an hour, and I loved every minute.

The water is always flowing, and it is almost crystal clear. In the photos it shows as sort of cloudy, but that's because all of us (in groups of about 20) are stirring up the bottom. When we stood still for any length of time, the water cleared up again quite quickly.

Quite a change from the Smokies, eh?

Total Eclipse

I spent some quality time recently sitting out in the driveway in front of our Naples house in the middle of the night, with the camera sitting on a small folding table in front of me and an awkwardly placed cardboard box rigged up to shade the lens from the streetlights. Why? A total eclipse of the moon. I actually got a whole series of shots, from beginning to total (over a period of a couple of hours, I think) but since I am on dial up down here, I will post only one. Notice the bright blue in combination with dusky rust color. This was considered a "red eclipse."

Well, poopy. It looks a lot better in the original!