I bought K an underwater camera for his birthday (11/30). It's pretty cool -- point and shoot, waterproof down to 90 feet. Found it on E-Bay for about the same price as two or three disposables (which can only go down to 30 or 40 feet).
Last week we went to the scuba store because he needed a new dive log and I needed a binder for my log, and what did he also buy? An underwater camera!! I wasn't thinking fast enough to say something like, "Don't buy that. I can't tell you why, just don't buy it." So now I guess we both have cameras...I did tell him about it later, and we had a good laugh. The one I bought will be his, and the one he bought is mine. They're different brands, but very similar features.
I have an idea for something else to get him as a surprise, but won't write it here because he sometimes reads this.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Grate food
That's what the caterer for our employee barbecue yesterday serves. I know this because it was painted on the side of his van. What an awesome pun!
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Ignorance is ... bliss?
Just found this article on the web -- I'm glad we had no idea what was going on! There was one TV which worked intermittently, and we watched CNN a couple of times in the evening. That was the extent of our news. The resort manager was monitoring reports on the Internet, so we weren't completely blind!
Hurricane Wilma rains lash Honduras Caribbean coast
18 Oct 2005 19:49:59 GMTSource: Reuters
By Gustavo Palencia
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Hurricane Wilma dumped heavy rain along Honduras' Caribbean coast on Tuesday and emergency crews prepared the evacuation of 10,000 people, including tourists on idyllic scuba diving islands.
Wilma, expected to intensify into a major hurricane with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph), hovered off Honduras' Caribbean coast and the government declared a maximum alert as the storm menaced the beautiful Bay Islands.
"Wilma is the biggest threat for Honduras in this hurricane season," said Jose Ramon Salinas, operations chief of the government's emergency relief agency.
The islands of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja -- diving resorts popular with U.S., Japanese and European tourists for their pristine coral reefs -- were among the most vulnerable areas, Salinas said.
Plans were in place to evacuate at least 10,000 people from low lying regions, including the Bay Islands and other northern coastal regions, Salinas said.
"We are sending food to areas that could become cut off and we are moving heavy machinery to repair roads in the event of flooding or landslides," Salinas said.
"Rains are likely to become heavier and people have to be on the alert, especially for flooding," said Luis Corea of the National Weather Service.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center forecast Wilma could deluge Honduras with up to 10 inches (15 cm) of rain, piling more misery and damage on Central America, which is still recovering from Hurricane Stan earlier this month.
More than 1,000 people in Guatemala and El Salvador were killed or disappeared in mudslides and floods triggered by rains from Hurricane Stan.
Wilma is the 21st tropical storm of the Atlantic season, tying the record for most storms. It was not expected to make landfall in Honduras or anywhere else in Central America but its proximity meant heavy rainfall was certain, raising fears of new landslides.
Forecasters bet Wilma would take a northwesterly path into the Gulf of Mexico between Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba in the next few days and then cross over southern Florida on Saturday.
Roatan's airport was shut down temporarily because of heavy overnight rain and poor visibility and the airport at La Ceiba on the Honduran mainland, which serves the Bay Islands, was also closed.
Alice Newman, an bookstore employee on Roatan, said Wilma lashed the island with wind and rain overnight but by midday Tuesday the diving paradise was enjoying a respite.
"Right now, we have clear skies and there's a soft breeze but we know that can change fast with these hurricanes so we are keeping close checks on the weather," Newman told Reuters by telephone.
Honduran President Ricardo Maduro cut short a visit to Spain and flew back to his country on Tuesday to oversee emergency plans.
Hurricane Wilma rains lash Honduras Caribbean coast
18 Oct 2005 19:49:59 GMTSource: Reuters
By Gustavo Palencia
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Hurricane Wilma dumped heavy rain along Honduras' Caribbean coast on Tuesday and emergency crews prepared the evacuation of 10,000 people, including tourists on idyllic scuba diving islands.
Wilma, expected to intensify into a major hurricane with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph), hovered off Honduras' Caribbean coast and the government declared a maximum alert as the storm menaced the beautiful Bay Islands.
"Wilma is the biggest threat for Honduras in this hurricane season," said Jose Ramon Salinas, operations chief of the government's emergency relief agency.
The islands of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja -- diving resorts popular with U.S., Japanese and European tourists for their pristine coral reefs -- were among the most vulnerable areas, Salinas said.
Plans were in place to evacuate at least 10,000 people from low lying regions, including the Bay Islands and other northern coastal regions, Salinas said.
"We are sending food to areas that could become cut off and we are moving heavy machinery to repair roads in the event of flooding or landslides," Salinas said.
"Rains are likely to become heavier and people have to be on the alert, especially for flooding," said Luis Corea of the National Weather Service.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center forecast Wilma could deluge Honduras with up to 10 inches (15 cm) of rain, piling more misery and damage on Central America, which is still recovering from Hurricane Stan earlier this month.
More than 1,000 people in Guatemala and El Salvador were killed or disappeared in mudslides and floods triggered by rains from Hurricane Stan.
Wilma is the 21st tropical storm of the Atlantic season, tying the record for most storms. It was not expected to make landfall in Honduras or anywhere else in Central America but its proximity meant heavy rainfall was certain, raising fears of new landslides.
Forecasters bet Wilma would take a northwesterly path into the Gulf of Mexico between Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba in the next few days and then cross over southern Florida on Saturday.
Roatan's airport was shut down temporarily because of heavy overnight rain and poor visibility and the airport at La Ceiba on the Honduran mainland, which serves the Bay Islands, was also closed.
Alice Newman, an bookstore employee on Roatan, said Wilma lashed the island with wind and rain overnight but by midday Tuesday the diving paradise was enjoying a respite.
"Right now, we have clear skies and there's a soft breeze but we know that can change fast with these hurricanes so we are keeping close checks on the weather," Newman told Reuters by telephone.
Honduran President Ricardo Maduro cut short a visit to Spain and flew back to his country on Tuesday to oversee emergency plans.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Twelfth Night
Classic fun for Delta College's 'Twelfth Night' production
Dianne Runion
Special to The Record
Published Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005
In San Joaquin Delta College's production of Shakespeare's 1601 comedy "Twelfth Night," laughter bubbles, energy bounds and lovers ultimately unite in marriage.
Rarely is classic Elizabethan theater this much fun.
"Twelfth Night" succeeds largely thanks to the exotic locale, fast pacing, director Harvey Jordan's portrayal of the brawling Sir Toby Belch and set designer John White's proud and melancholy Malvolio.
The Elizabethans didn't even know about Polynesia, but they loved strange settings in general. This 19th-century placement works well for its music, flowers, color, Robert Sereno's sound design, White's multilevel set and the ready-made rationale for multiethnic student casting.
The complex plot washes up twins and shipwreck survivors Viola and Sebastian -- skilled actors Catherine R.J. Frye and Parker Cushing -- on different parts of an island. While not related, makeup, blond good looks and Beverly Norcross' costume design create the illusion of a strong resemblance between the actors.
Brian Peccia plays the handsome duke, nearly sick with love for Hawaiian noblewoman Olivia -- beautiful Chalia La Tour. He sends Viola as his page and envoy to woo her, but she falls in love with the disguised youth -- a girl in love with her boss, the duke.
John White's Malvolio is easily the most interesting character in the play. Wearing a morning coat and pinstripe trousers and carrying a black umbrella, he's as grave as a Victorian undertaker. Malvolio's pomposity makes Olivia's drunken relative Sir Toby, his richer sot of a sidekick Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Olivia's gentlewoman Maria hatch a plot to persuade the ambitious steward that his mistress Olivia is secretly in love with him.
Chris Hayhurst plays the remarkably agile Aguecheek, while the warmly natural Ciera Coyan is the witty Maria. In what Malvolio perceives as secret signals, he appears smiling foolishly in grass skirt, red long johns and a costume so wild Sir Toby and company dance around him in a Polynesian exorcism dance, shaking feathers and a shrunken head on a stick.
That and sword fights that progress from feint to faint saw opening night's high school students in the audience shouting, rooting for the romantic leads and sighing in sympathy for Malvolio's strangely moving ultimate comedown.
Joanna Bernazzani plays the fool. Her lovely mezzo voice opens and closes a show rich in song. One of the funniest is Sir Toby and company's fast rendition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas," the twelfth-night revels from which the play takes its name.
While great fun, Delta's "Twelfth Night" loses some of Shakespeare's lines. Diction, projection and low-level lighting on night scenes were also problematic without spoiling a young, well-acted, deliciously physical production crammed with eye and ear candy.
Dianne Runion
Special to The Record
Published Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005
In San Joaquin Delta College's production of Shakespeare's 1601 comedy "Twelfth Night," laughter bubbles, energy bounds and lovers ultimately unite in marriage.
Rarely is classic Elizabethan theater this much fun.
"Twelfth Night" succeeds largely thanks to the exotic locale, fast pacing, director Harvey Jordan's portrayal of the brawling Sir Toby Belch and set designer John White's proud and melancholy Malvolio.
The Elizabethans didn't even know about Polynesia, but they loved strange settings in general. This 19th-century placement works well for its music, flowers, color, Robert Sereno's sound design, White's multilevel set and the ready-made rationale for multiethnic student casting.
The complex plot washes up twins and shipwreck survivors Viola and Sebastian -- skilled actors Catherine R.J. Frye and Parker Cushing -- on different parts of an island. While not related, makeup, blond good looks and Beverly Norcross' costume design create the illusion of a strong resemblance between the actors.
Brian Peccia plays the handsome duke, nearly sick with love for Hawaiian noblewoman Olivia -- beautiful Chalia La Tour. He sends Viola as his page and envoy to woo her, but she falls in love with the disguised youth -- a girl in love with her boss, the duke.
John White's Malvolio is easily the most interesting character in the play. Wearing a morning coat and pinstripe trousers and carrying a black umbrella, he's as grave as a Victorian undertaker. Malvolio's pomposity makes Olivia's drunken relative Sir Toby, his richer sot of a sidekick Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Olivia's gentlewoman Maria hatch a plot to persuade the ambitious steward that his mistress Olivia is secretly in love with him.
Chris Hayhurst plays the remarkably agile Aguecheek, while the warmly natural Ciera Coyan is the witty Maria. In what Malvolio perceives as secret signals, he appears smiling foolishly in grass skirt, red long johns and a costume so wild Sir Toby and company dance around him in a Polynesian exorcism dance, shaking feathers and a shrunken head on a stick.
That and sword fights that progress from feint to faint saw opening night's high school students in the audience shouting, rooting for the romantic leads and sighing in sympathy for Malvolio's strangely moving ultimate comedown.
Joanna Bernazzani plays the fool. Her lovely mezzo voice opens and closes a show rich in song. One of the funniest is Sir Toby and company's fast rendition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas," the twelfth-night revels from which the play takes its name.
While great fun, Delta's "Twelfth Night" loses some of Shakespeare's lines. Diction, projection and low-level lighting on night scenes were also problematic without spoiling a young, well-acted, deliciously physical production crammed with eye and ear candy.
Copying Lizzie's blog...
| You Are Boot Cut Jeans |
 You're fashionable and sexy - in an understated way. You're more about looking good than following the latest look of the week. |
Monday, October 24, 2005
Back from the deep...
I'll post more next weekend -- hopefully I'll have my photos back by then. I spent most of my time on the Wreck of the Prince Albert (image) near CoCo View Resort where I earned my PADI Open Water Diver certification.
For those who wondered, we WERE affected by Hurricane Wilma. There was minimal damage at the resort, and all dives were cancelled Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. I did dive in some pretty hairy weather on Tuesday afternoon, and the visibility was dreadful on Friday, but I managed to finish the course!
We visited the West End on our tour of Roatan on Friday and saw noticable damage. Apparently, the waves had completed crossed the beachfront road, and it was being regraded while we were there.
For those who wondered, we WERE affected by Hurricane Wilma. There was minimal damage at the resort, and all dives were cancelled Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. I did dive in some pretty hairy weather on Tuesday afternoon, and the visibility was dreadful on Friday, but I managed to finish the course!
We visited the West End on our tour of Roatan on Friday and saw noticable damage. Apparently, the waves had completed crossed the beachfront road, and it was being regraded while we were there.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Images from Roatan 10/15-10/22
We flew via Continental on a jet that had lovely little "winglets."
Some reef ... somewhere. It seems we're too high for this to be Roatan...maybe the coast of mainland Honduras?
Our official CocoView water taxi!
And our welcome to CocoView's dock.
What a lovely day! This is the view from the back porch of our bungalow ("D").
Housekeeping was very attentive and creative!
Lotsa rain.
This guy was a bit crabby...
CocoView's clubhouse.
Dive boats and a stormy looking sky.
Another view of our bungalow.
Flowers of CocoView
Pancho the wonderdog
Unbelievable!
More rain.
Island Tour - Friday Afternoon
Iguana farm
Cute little baby iguanas
Iguana pile!
Is this my best side?
Definitely my best side.
Botanical Garden
Mickey was slower than your average mouse.
Yes, we have no bananas!
Which end's up?
Hurricane damage at West End
I was given a bottle of wine as congratulations for getting my Open Water certification. We drank it (of course!).
Fire Dancers - Friday Evening
Saturday, October 08, 2005
A new record low...
Today, I was honked at for stopping at a green light because an ambulance with full lights and sirens was oncoming. It's bad enough that turn signal use is at a record low -- now this! Grrrr.
I got my contact lens challenge straightened out. My "near" lens is now corrected for mid-vision, instead of close. I couldn't focus on a computer screen or read music the way it was before! I can cope with having to strain a bit to read fine print.
I went to Sears today and ordered bifocal glasses with blended lenses for $97 (thanks for pointing me in their direction, Jeannette!), and 12 sets of contact lenses. I now have some astigmatism in one eye, so that contact lens (toric?) costs about double what the other costs. If I use them as daily wear, each pair is good for two weeks. They can be worn continuously for one week, but I really don't care for that wood chip feeling one gets in the morning waking up with dry lenses.
I got my contact lens challenge straightened out. My "near" lens is now corrected for mid-vision, instead of close. I couldn't focus on a computer screen or read music the way it was before! I can cope with having to strain a bit to read fine print.
I went to Sears today and ordered bifocal glasses with blended lenses for $97 (thanks for pointing me in their direction, Jeannette!), and 12 sets of contact lenses. I now have some astigmatism in one eye, so that contact lens (toric?) costs about double what the other costs. If I use them as daily wear, each pair is good for two weeks. They can be worn continuously for one week, but I really don't care for that wood chip feeling one gets in the morning waking up with dry lenses.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Got our lycras!
We look almost exactly like this in our lycras, except mine has hot pink sleeves! These are to protect us from coral - especially fire coral. Sounds like a friendly little critter, doesn't it? I won't be diving too deep because I'm a brand-new beginner. Probably no more than 25-30 feet this trip. I'm planning to go to the Sunday matinee of Twelfth Night on October 23rd. Tell me quick if you're interested in going with me; if we get all our tickets at the same time, then we can sit together. I think I've told everybody enough times that Cat's playing Viola!
I'm also going to go to the Preview Night on October 13th, but the tickets aren't available at the box office. Maybe we'll just sneak in...
Monday, October 03, 2005
Friday, September 30, 2005
It's gone!
View from the front -- the little building is the pool house.
Another view from the front. The roof you can see in the background is my house.
View from the back.
Another view from the back.
Pool house from the back. The truck is parked where the pool used to be, I think.
Another view from the front. You can see my house through the trees.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Bifocals
Finally bit the bullet and had my eyes checked. I actually don't have bifocals; I've got monovision contact lenses. One eye is corrected for close work, and the other is corrected for distance. I understand it takes a week or two to get used to, which I believe. I'm on day three, and my eyes feel sort of schizophrenic right now!
Monday, September 26, 2005
It must be Monday...
While stopped at a light, I pulled down the visor to take a quick check of my makeup, and the entire thing came off in my hands. Roots and all. Must be Monday!
Saturday, September 24, 2005
BUNCO Babes!
Cat & I really cleaned up at BUNCO last night! She won $20 for having the most BUNCOs, and I won $10 for having the first BUNCO. How cool is that?
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Quick trip to the drugstore...
Cat & I went to the drugstore yesterday evening to pick up a few things. When we got to the cash register and put everything down, we both had to struggle not to laugh as we realized what we were buying: Midol, chocolate, circus peanuts, and Coke. Sounds like some major PMS therapy going on!
Winny did something really bizarre last week. Cat & I went outside with both of the dogs, and Winny ran back into the house and carried his half-full dish of food back outside with him, and proceded to devour the contents. We waited to see if he would bring it back inside, but he didn't. I guess he was afraid if he left it unattended it would disappear -- or maybe he just wanted to have a picnic in the yard...
Winny did something really bizarre last week. Cat & I went outside with both of the dogs, and Winny ran back into the house and carried his half-full dish of food back outside with him, and proceded to devour the contents. We waited to see if he would bring it back inside, but he didn't. I guess he was afraid if he left it unattended it would disappear -- or maybe he just wanted to have a picnic in the yard...
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
Rude shrub
This bush is in front of the building I work in, and I've wondered ever since I started working here if we have a disgruntled gardener!I got to go up on top of some tanks today to photograph an accident site and will be going up again shortly, if the welders have left. We believe the accident (not too serious, by the way) was caused by a faulty weld.
We've got a quiet weekend planned -- a couple of projects around the house along with the usual laundry. My accordion group is performing at the Solano Avenue Stroll on Sunday, so I will be making a trip to the bay area.
I often take a golf lesson on Sunday mornings, but I'm going to have to skip this week. My ballet class starts up again for the fall on Monday, so I'll probably be limping around and whining about my sore muscles next Wednesday, or so.
I got a new (to me) washer and dryer yesterday. They're Maytags. I've got to figure out how to disconnect the old washer this weekend. The connections are very corroded. I did managed to move the old dryer out, but I'll need help with the washer. Much heavier! I guess washers have more guts than dryers...
Monday, September 05, 2005
Golf joke
An 80-year old man goes to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor is amazed at what good shape the guy is in and asks, "How do you stay in such great physical condition?"
I'm a golfer," says the old guy, "and that's why I'm in such good shape. I'm up well before daylight and out golfing up and down the fairways."
"Well," says the doctor, "I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your dad when he died?"
"Who said my dad's dead?"
The doctor is amazed. "You mean you're 80 years old and your dad's still alive. How old is he?"
"He's 100 years old," says the old golfer. "In fact he golfed with me this morning, and that's why he's still alive . . . he's a golfer too."
"Well," the doctor says, "that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your dad's dad? How old was he when he died?"
"Who said my grandpa's dead?"
Stunned,he doctor asks, "You mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather's still living! Incredible, how old is he?"
"He's 118 years old," says the old golfer.
The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, "So, I guess he went golfing with you this morning too?"
"No. Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting married today."
At this point the doctor is close to losing it. "Getting married!! Why would a 118 year-old guy want to get married?"
"Who said he wanted to?"
I'm a golfer," says the old guy, "and that's why I'm in such good shape. I'm up well before daylight and out golfing up and down the fairways."
"Well," says the doctor, "I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your dad when he died?"
"Who said my dad's dead?"
The doctor is amazed. "You mean you're 80 years old and your dad's still alive. How old is he?"
"He's 100 years old," says the old golfer. "In fact he golfed with me this morning, and that's why he's still alive . . . he's a golfer too."
"Well," the doctor says, "that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your dad's dad? How old was he when he died?"
"Who said my grandpa's dead?"
Stunned,he doctor asks, "You mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather's still living! Incredible, how old is he?"
"He's 118 years old," says the old golfer.
The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, "So, I guess he went golfing with you this morning too?"
"No. Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting married today."
At this point the doctor is close to losing it. "Getting married!! Why would a 118 year-old guy want to get married?"
"Who said he wanted to?"
Sunday, September 04, 2005
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