Rain please go away....

My flowers under the deluge of water .... 

Today is one of those days when it is perfect to blare "Rain Please Go Away," by Allison Krauss and Union Station  because it has been a torrential downpour.

I am now sitting in the coziness of a local coffee shop where the soothing sounds of live keyboard and saxaphone drifting through the air seem to be the perfect remedy for my soul.

Back at the trailer, I was going nuts. The sound of the torrential downpour hitting the tin roof was driving me up a wall. At one point, I said "enough!" I literally grabbed my purse and laptop and ran out the door in emergency state, not caring of the rain or lightning which seemed to striking close by at random. I'm so ready to move....

The last couple of weeks to months has been a blur, as I've been starting a new career path and, well, speaking of paths I have also been tirelessly trying to find a new "path" for walking. Oh how I long for a nice long walk uninterrupted by random yells and beeps from high strung, folks in passing automobiles.

Walks in my current neighborhood have recently found on the side of the road, a used condom, a used hypo-dermic needle, and a dead snake. Ewe!! Not to mention a barrage of honking horns and random yells .. please people, have some respect...

Needless to say, I end up avoiding walks around certain portions of my neighborhood at all costs. The good news is that I have discovered a beautiful trail called the Blackwater Trail in Milton, FL, which is incredibly peaceful and relaxing. The trail lies over an old railroad track, so it is just one endless stretch of pavement surrounded by all sorts of trees, shrubs and wildflowers on both sides. Last time I walked there, I even saw a turtle, just hanging out on the side of the trail. (I wouldn't suggest walking alone on this or any secluded trail, however, just fyi).

At any rate, in quest for a perfect walk, I recently found a true gem in downtown Pensacola... It was a nice afternoon and I decided to drive down to the old neighborhood, park somewhere, and enjoy one of those heavenly walks through Historic Village, Seville and Aragon that used to be a daily luxury.

It was then that I discovered the new and beautiful "Admiral Mason Park," which sits at the corner of 9th and Bayfront Parkway and features a 2.35 acre Stormwater Retention Pond, two fountains, and loads of trees and landscaping that seem to envelope you in calm as you walk along the paved trail encircling the pond.

There at the park you see various capsules that are part of the Veterans Memorial there. I was particularly taken with the Korean War ("forgotten war") monument, which for some reason brought a few tears. They were calming and relief-type tears. I sat there for a moment, contemplating the information that was there, very thankful for all that we have as Americans. ......

My back yard ... 

If you can believe it, the rain is still pouring down, and I am nearing the end of this post... Rain, rain please go away....  

Starbucks Surprise

Sitting at the Starbucks at the corner of Pine Forest and Nine Mile - yes, there actually is a Starbucks out here! - I just discovered it the other day!

Now this is why I fell in love with Starbucks to begin with! Man, I don't know what they do differently out here, but this is how an Iced Caffe Mocha is supposed to taste! - the perfect collision of warm espresso, with chocolate and cold milk - topped with fresh whipped, whipped cream.

And the outdoor patio space is amazing!

What's even better is, that there's a "Philly's" Cheesesteak joint across the way in the Publix plaza - so when that hunger pang sets in after a nice long lingering over coffee, you can head across the street for an amazing scrumptious big fat philly cheesesteak sandwich and fries.

I haven't actually been to the one across the street yet, but I have been to the one at 3900 Creighton Rd #4, and it is phenomenal! so, I'm guessing this Nine Mile one is too!

Very happy to have discovered this new side of town! :)

Pensacola Mornings

The other day, I took a drive out to the beach in the early morning.

It was absolutely incredibly peaceful and beautiful out there so early. Sitting there with a blanket draped over my shoulders and a nice hot cup of coffee in hand, it was hard to imagine that in just an hour or so I'd be across town in a whole different world, at work.

Up above on the fishing pier, anglers were already out and about getting their catch for the day. They must wake up really early!

I sat there and read a free, local paper that I had picked up with my coffee at the local Circle K.

Freedom. That's what the whole experience felt like, like I was on the awesomest of vacations without a care in the world.

It's amazing how an hour or two of time here in Pensacola could go so far. Heading out the door even 1 hour earlier before work, can give you such a whole new energy and outlook for your day!

Another go... UPDATE!

So it's nearing time to leave and some said the raffle had been drawn already, but I didn't hear the results formally announced. I did ended up selling a few of my friend's items, so feel somewhat successful....

One thing's for sure, people at flea markets love to give me things! Yesterday, a guy gave me a vial of fresh cut patchouli oil and today a nice lady randomly gave me a Shogun Video Disc - I've never even seen or heard of one of these before.

When I was up in Ohio, a guy randomly gave me a Kenny Chesney t-shirt and brand new CD -In Ohio as well, another guy offered to buy my sister and I dinner from the concession stands...

Another thing's for sure - you definitely meet the most interesting people.

Sitting right next to me today, were a mother and son who drove a hurst and were selling handmade wooden alligators that looked to be about 10-11 feet long. They were really nice and the wooden alligators were really neat, especially since they were hand made!

A couple booths down, some old hippie, surfer type dudes have randomly played guitar all afternoon, they are actually pretty good at it too! One even came over and serenaded a friend and I with an "original" song.

All the vendors are packing up now, so I guess I will too! Well no cash profits made today, but all the people made up for it I guess - I did see a cute guy or two that made up for the effort!

Another go...

So this morning I decided to give the flea market another go....

I haven't sold a darn thing yet, but I guess the non-monetary rewards of being here make it worth the while - all the interesting people you see and meet, novel items to browse and buy, interesting conversations overheard, and amazing impromptu music sessions by that person or two who decides to pick up a guitar and play.

I'm not really sure why I enjoy being here so much, but I just do! Hopefully one day I'll figure out the trick to actually making money off of it too!

St. Patrick's Day!

This St. Patrick's Day, I went green! No, not environmental green, but I actually participated in the whole wearing of green festivities and I loved it! It was so cool to see so many people wearing green all in the same day - for some reason I never really payed much attention to this day, until this year.

I even went last night and bought special green nail polish, eye shadow and flip flops to be ready for today.

As it would turn out, this St. Patrick's Day marked another first for me - today I actually accomplished a long time dream of mine - to set up at the Gulf Breeze flea market as a vendor! A friend and I sat in the sun all day, barely making our table rent back on sales. The money we did make, we turned around and spent buying items from other vendors - but we loved it! - The whole process of buying and selling, the marketplace atmosphere - I feel hooked!

You also meet the most interesting people at flea markets. We had quite a few kind and interesting neighboring vendors that kept things interesting during the lulls in traffic.

The night ended with dinner at Outback, which was quite a treat. Across the street was a jammed packed McGuires - all kinds of people rounding out this sunny St. Patrick's Day at a this wildly popular Irish restaurant. All of that craziness seemed a bit much for me, I felt festive enough wearing so much green!

Lions, and tigers, and poisonous snakes and alligators?!?! oh My!!

Ok. So no real lions, tigers or bears here, but poisonous snakes and alligators?! Well, maybe.

That is maybe if you happen to go for a seemingly benign nature stroll along University of West Florida's Edward Ball Nature Trail......

It was a leisurely Tuesday afternoon when I recently decided that I was in need of a great adventure.

It was time to head off to UWF in search of some nature trails that I had heard a few random students talking about a few months back.

After stopping at the UWF Visitor Center to inquire about where these nature trails were? How to get there? Where to park? etc. I was quite pleased to find the foretold parking lot and a nice big sign that said something along the lines of "Edward Ball Nature Trail. Take a walk right down the walkway, and go down the stairs to the left." All I know is that I saw the stairs, and I couldn't get to them fast enough. I was so ready for a nice long bout with nature.

However, just before bounding into the woods, my excitement quickly turned to a cautionary "I'm not too sure about this" feeling when I read the words "CAUTION You may encounter poisonous snakes and alligator in this area," on a sign posted near the entrance.

I was horrified. "What?" I thought to myself "Is this for real?"

I looked all around, somehow expecting someone, somewhere to call out "Hey, what are you doing over there?! Don't go in the woods!" But, I neither saw nor heard a soul.

I wasn't too sure what to think, or what to do next. I looked around again and saw some people milling about the building above the trail, but they seemed unconcerned with my presence on the trail.

It was nearing early evening and though my better instincts told me that this might not be the best idea, the disappearing path into the woods just seemed so enticing.

I was desperately longing for the soothing solace of a "nothing but God's green earth." I reasoned with myself that I had "driven all the way out here, and I didn't want the whole afternoon to be a waste." "I mean, certainly this trail wouldn't have been built here in the first place and opened it to the public if it weren't safe - It must be ok..."

So, I entered the woods.

When I encountered two bicyclists, at the first minute into my trek, I was encouraged that I wasn't the "only one" on the trail. They looked like they were just finishing up a long ride. They didn't really say anything, but I felt conspicuous for ambling about alone. They rode on.

It wasn't much further down the path, that I jumped and nearly froze when I heard a rustling in the bushes....It turned out to be a squirrel.

As I rounded another bend, I heard people talking and laughing ahead. It turned out to be a couple frolicking around a bridge with their dog. I was horrified to see the woman, traipsing off into the woods, off the path, stepping precariously over a fallen tree limb that hung over some water - her dog running all around her and finally making a big splash into the water.

"Are they crazy?" I wondered. "They're wandering off the path? Aren't there alligators and snakes around here?" In retrospect, I was the one venturing down this wild, green-wooded yonder, alone. So, I'm sure they were wondering the same about me.

At any rate, I wandered down the path that was supposed to be relaxing me, and all it was doing was freaking me out. It was intriguing me as well.

The narrow, wooden-bridged path seemed to circle around into oblivion with nothing but swampy waters, trees and all sorts of intriguing greenery draped in every which direction.

I was sorta, kinda, just starting to relax when the sudden sound of something trodding quickly and heavily down the path in front of me made my heart skip a beat. I jumped, froze and held my breath all at once, before realizing that the thumping sound was was nothing more than a loud, shaggy, enthusiastic dog accompanied by another quieter canine friend and two human running companions.

"I'm about done with this!" I thought to myself after being able to catch my breath again. All 10 to 15 minutes into the trail, I was nothing but jittery and nervous. "I can't take this," I concluded. "I came here to relax and I'm freaking myself out. This whole thing is not very smart at all."

At this conclusion, as well as the happening upon another "poisonous snakes and alligator" sign, I decided to "Get the hec out of Oz!" So, I turned around and headed back out toward the trail entrance.

Still, not quite ready to give up on my adventure, I stopped occasionally to take pictures of various plant species, trees and swamps along the way. I was just framing up for another shot of another swamp, when I saw that my Dad was calling me on my cell. - So I answered.

"Get out of there!" my Dad said instantly, when I told him where I was at and what I was up to.... So, I did. I hurried out of there as quickly as I should of been going in the first place. I wondered later if my Dad found it odd that he had to tell me the obvious.

....... Yes folks, that was my short and sweet adventure on the Edward Ball Nature Trail. No, I didn't encounter any snakes, alligator or any other fascinating creatures, but I am left in wonder and amazement that anyone would venture down that trail for leisurely purposes. I definitely DO NOT recommend going without a dog and a stick.

After a little further internet research on the place, I found an online guide, which I suppose I should have at least browsed through before going. I still have yet to really read it, but at least I now know it's there.

I was also quite aghast to come across a Trekaroo review of the trail, which features a picture of children leaning over the wooden rail - People actually take children down this trail? The reviewer also writes quite casually about the possibility of encountering a snake!

Maybe it's my northern upbringing, but this is all so fascinating and confusing to me at once. I think the Edward Ball Nature Trail is kind of cool, but also very precarious. - Is the possibility of encountering a snake or alligator so slim that people don't really worry about it? Is there an actual real an present possibility of encountering one of these slithering species on the trail? Is this kind of trail safe to walk on? If you encounter a snake or gator, should you pay them no mind? Is there some kind of Floridian knowledge I'm missing out on here?

I guess I'm not in Ohio anymore. The good news is, that besides a skipped heart beat or two, I did make it home alright!

oh the joys of no home internet connection ....

So, there are two "staple" items missing from my dream-life in the trailer - washer/dryer and the internet.

Long story about why no internet right now, but here I sit at a local cafe (using the wifi) and am incredibly amused at a conversation that just occurred - at a table just across the way from me. I mean it is "lol good."

A group of opinionated women were all chattering away animatedly about a variety of things, but the hot topic right then seemed to be politics. But WOAH! - in an apparently "bad for his health" move, the only guy at the table happened to mention his dislike of Obama. I thought the women were going to crucify him.

It got to be quite comical how everyone in the cafe actually seemed to get involved in the conversation - either by looking over in disbelief, laughing to themselves, or shifting around restlessly in their seats as one does when uncomfortable about something. Other patrons actually seemed itching to hop into the conversation themselves, and you couldn't really help it.

The conversation meandered around to various things and then back to Obama - the women began surmising why they thought Obama was great - and of course Michelle, what a great woman!

In defense of their reasoning they brought up how Michelle had recently spent "an hour and a half!" at some function, circulating with folks - and ... she "even had a dog with her!" as one woman reported.

I had to laugh so hard when a guy sitting across the way from them, was noticeably amused by the conversation. Never looking up once from his newspaper, an amused smile turned up on his lips as he noted dryly -

"Huh. The country's going down the tubes and they're worried about a dog."

Just minutes before the "newspaper" guy was calling the anti-Obama guy an "egomanic" or something of that nature. But here it was a few minutes later and apparently the chatter of the women had gotten to him ............................

.........................................Here it is about 10 minutes after most of the group has gone home...The guy of the group has also left, and there are just three of the "opinionated women" left. They are apparently making commentary on the conversation that just ensued between the guy and them...

"Well," one said piously. "WE are educated."

"Yes," the another said in faux, resigned sort of way - "WE are smart women," - as if there were just no helping it.

The whole scenario was so comical to me, and it made quite happy that I don't have internet at home right now - I mean if I did, I likely would have missed this lol funny moment in time.

... And oh, I meet quite a few interesting folks at the laundry-mat too... I guess the no washer/dryer thing is working out just fine for now too.. Things definitely stay interesting.

Valentine's Day in Pensacola ...

Well here it is Valentine's Day again. It's so funny, I've never really gotten overly emotional about the day - whether I was in a relationship or not.

To me Valentine's Day is a day for chocolate. Just like one looks forward to their birthday in expectancy of cake and ice cream - Valentine's Day, for me, has always conjured up more images and expectancy of chocolate than outright romance (I never did mind a little jewelry either).

...Today, Valentine's Day 2012, i actually found myself quite happy that I had the day to my self. It felt nice to be outside of all of the hubub and hoopla that comes about with this day of love - girls freaking out and spending hours to get the perfect Valentine's Day look, guys freaking out over what kind of roses, gift or display of affection to dish out - so many decisions to make depending on what stage of relationship you happen to be in when the day of love arrives....

Guys are hoping for their own sorts of things i suppose, and girls are hoping, i guess, to get a rose, roses or some other outlandish display of affection, maybe an "i love you," - I've always been contended with CHOCOLATE!

So as it were this year, I found myself quite happily outside all of the concerns of the day, but I did decide ahead of time that I would celebrate in my own little way - I wore my favorite pink, corduroy pants in celebration of love, and..... of course, I made my own plans to head to the store for a special chocolate treat.

The day wore on quite quickly and I found myself preoccupied with rearranging my bedroom and office - Seemingly mundane activities, but I was actually enjoying myself quite well.

Not wanting to let the day slip away before celebrating with some sort of chocolate treat, I just now ran out to the local gas station - without even looking in the mirror....

There I am, alone on Valentine's Day evening, buying a Hershey's Dark Chocolate with Almonds candy bar, happy as can be - and blissfully unaware of the fact that in the process of cleaning, my eye makeup had smeared and apparantly run down my face.

I got home, looked in the mirror and exclaimed Omg! The eye makeup had run down my cheek in such a way that it looked like I had been crying quite hard. Omg! I exclaimed to my sister who I was on the phone with at the time...

I have to laugh thinking of it - here I was happier than I've ever been, even than on the V'ti days when I was with someone, but to the gas station clerk, I'm sure I appeared to be the stereotypical sad Valentine-less girl - alone, crying, eating a chocolate candy bar to console herself...

It's funny how looks can be deceiving - I look back at pictures of me when I was with various boyfriends - and in those pics I look so happy, but I remember how miserable I was inside.

This Valentine's Day, I am happy that I am really happy!

So here's to a celebrating Love and Chocolate - two of my favorite things in the world!!!

Happy Valentine's Day all!

There's always something going on down in the ....

...trailer-hood.

Well, folks, I don't actually live in a "trailer-hood," but I have moved across town.

I once wrote my pensive thoughts about Pensacola from a cozy room downtown - right in the heart of it all, but as fate would have it, I have finally realized my life long dream of living in a trailer home.

No joke. I have always wanted to live in a trailer - and now I do!

The last few nights have been that of wonder and exploration for me, discovering all of the quirks of trailer living - I practically froze the first night, having forgotten to get blankets and refusing to turn on the central heat....

Midway through the night, I broke down and turned the central heat up to around 80 degrees, wondering throughout the night why it wasn't warmer than it was. Come morning, I discovered I had the vents in my room closed. ....... hello?

Anyway, I also had a certain itching and puffiness that comes from a slight cat allergy that I never knew I had, but the one room smells as if there were cats or some kinds of pets in there before.

Last night I discovered that the shower water doesn't get too hot and that it doesn't last long, but I was still quite happy with my "first trailer shower." I feel like I'm living in a country song!

All in all, quirks and all, I am so very happy with my new abode - loving every minute of the new adventure! It's like when you are in love, you overlook all kinds of little things - well, I'm in love with my new home and these things that would normally be a hassle are just little quirks about the place that just make the whole thing feel like the adventure I thought it would be!