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!

A drive to ...

When I started out and about this morning, I never would have guessed that I would have ended up in Fort Walton Beach, FL or Destin, FL.

It started out as a usual Saturday morning for me - not quite sure what I was going to get into today, but was quite sure about my usual Saturday morning Starbucks in Gulf Breeze.

The weather here was quite beautiful today - even at this time of year! Today, I was able to traipse around in just a light jacket. I even took my jacket off for the sunniest part of the day, cruising around town in a summer tank top.

Anyway, back to the point of the post - So after grabbing my Starbucks, I on a whim, headed out to Pensacola Beach for a little drive. It was not warm enough to actually frolick around at the beach, but I thought a change of scenery would be quite perfect for today - and it was!

As I pulled over the $1 toll bridge and onto the main beach drag, I fell in love with Pensacola all over again - Even on a day like today, when I couldn't really think of a thing to do, there's always a drive out to the beach!

Even though it was a little windy and chilly with the ocean air blowing off the Gulf of Mexico, it was incredibly invigorating to just feel the fresh energy of being so close to the water. The beach drag was quite deserted as compared to how packed it is during the summer, but there were a few other people who had the same idea as me and were just walking around by the beach taking in the scenery and the refreshing gusts of salty ocean wind.

One dad walked around with his children who were all running about -

"Generally, when you're trying to get sand off of you, you don't run into the sand," I heard him tell his one child who was splashing through the sand. .....

... After taking in the refreshing scenery at Pensacola Beach, I decided on a whim to head out to Navarre - I had only been through Navarre once before briefly, but remembered it a a calm, peaceful, beachy, yet not touristy, type place.

It is about 20 minutes further away from Pensacola Beach and I was on empty, but I was feeling adventurous and thought it worth chancing the drive.

As I drove, I was just raptured by the beauty of the endless miles of white sugar sand beaches. The closer I got to Navarre, the water seemed more of an aqua blue and the commercial feel of Pensacola Beach faded into a distant memory.

Navarre Beach is known to be one of Florida's best kept secrets because of it's incredible beauty, but mostly because it has managed to avoid getting cluttered with condos and touristy restaurants and shops, etc.

I truly enjoyed my time there, just soaked it all in. I can write a whole post about Navarre and probably will one day!

But on to how I ended up in Destin.... Once I was in Navarre, I just was not ready to go home - I just felt a longing to keep driving and exploring - and so I did.

I have often heard of Fort Walton Beach and Destin, but really didn't realize I was headed in that direction, until I saw the signs informing of miles till their upcoming. - Fort Walton Beach and Destin are two of the most popular tourist places around - People pay thousands of dollars for vacations there, and here I was about to enjoy these places in one Saturday drive.

So, yes, to my pleasant surprise I found myself in Fort Walton Beach. After coming upon the most quaint strip of shops in Fort Walton, I pulled the car over and got out to explore on foot. - That is when I found the most engaging Coke/Antique shop. The owner was so friendly and informative about the history of his products. I just had to get a picture by this huge Coke Bottle that you see above. It was quite cool!

Then - things got even better - there was some sort of dog festival going on right across the way, so I shocked myself, made a donation, and entered the dog care festival. (I don't even have pets, not really into treating pets like little humans, and if I had to choose a charity to donate to, most likely would choose something else over pet care) - but, here I was making a donation and walking around enjoying the festivities.

After Fort Walton, I still wasn't ready to head home and that's how I ended up in Destin - At least an hour's drive from my original starting point of Pensacola/Gulf Breeze.

The beauty and variety of novelties and things to do seemed endless. It was almost surreal to encounter so much "paradise" all in one day. I didn't stop to eat anywhere, but there looked to be quite a few good restaurants in both Fort Walton and Destin - and Destin even has a Starbucks ... hmm.. most definitely will be returning!

Anyway, will be posting a video blog about this soon! So check out my "...In Pensacola" Video Blog within the next couple of days for more pics!

job interview ... Oh Dear!

So, today I went on a job interview.... at a little cafe here in town that will be opening up soon.

My dreams of working at a diner-type establishment may finally come true - that is if the interview went well. At this point, I'm not sure.

I didn't think that I was nervous at all, until I went into the conference room and sat there before the two interviewers ....

I heard my voice shaking as I talked, I actually started feeling short of breath and dizzy...

Did I still pull it off? I'm not sure - they said they will be calling folks tomorrow.... we shall see!!

And, vlog!

Here's a link to my new vlog! Here! Click Here!

Love y'all! Thanks for reading!

Smiles, hugs and holiday greetings!

New Blog!!!

As you can probably see already - this blog has a new name!

I found that as much as I wanted to keep a simple blog comprised of 1 photo and a few sentences, per post - i found myself exceeding those parameters on a consistent basis.

So, here's the new concept! What was once "Pensacola in Pics - Why I love Pensacola in Pictures," is now "Pensacola in Waves - Catching the ups and downs of life in Pensacola - Mostly the Ups!"

Hope you enjoy!

Everyone needs a garden....

A simple Sunday morning shopping trip, down the road to the natural foods store.

A nice hot cup of organic coffee... A wander back into the store's herb garden....

Shoes off, I wander through the garden, stopping to take a whiff of the various herbs...echinacea, sage, lemongrass...

A long sit in the hot sun, just taking in the beauty of the garden - very good for the soul!

Winterfest!!!

Today, downtown was full of all sorts of hubub...People were all dressed up like elves and other holiday characters. What is going on? I wondered as I walked through the streets of downtown - even the local news crew was out filming the festivities.

Well, apparently it's Winterfest! - just another one of Pensacola's brilliant downtown celebrations!!! just minutes from my house.

Not really in the mood to write today, so I'll direct you to the video straight from the Winterfest website - Check it out!

If you haven't gotten in the Christmas spirit yet, reading about Winterfest and watching the video will do it!

Small talk at the local gas station....

Ok, so no picture again... I apologize - I really should have specified in the blog title that sometimes "pics" would be actual photographs, and other times they would be "pictures" with words.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.... but anyway that is besides the point, I will try to stay within a thousand words here...

..........So, I was at the local gas station tonight, picking up some stuff I didn't feel like running to the store for, when this girl comes walking in that some would describe as "white trash" - a little blond white girl, with grey sweat pants rolled up (likely trying to keep cool with the nice heat spell we've had here lately), white spaghetti-strap tank top, hair pulled up in a unfashionably messy bun, eating on a bag of salt and vinegar chips (well they may have not been salt & vinegar, but s&v are my favorite chips so that's what comes to mind when I recall the situation)....

So I'm standing there at the counter, waiting for the cashier to bag up my groceries, when the little white girl comes walking in, walks right up to the counter and starts craning her neck around toward behind the counter where the cashier stood. She was looking around quite intently, almost like she had left something there and was intently trying to locate it, popping chips in her mouth the whole time.

"Can I help you with something?" the black store clerk said to her, kind of with a puzzled tone.

"U got a phone?" she says in a half inquisitive, but mostly entitled manner.

The store clerk just stopped and looked at her for a minute with a puzzled face, almost like he wasn't sure if he wanted to pull out his jerk personality or his nice one - (I've seen him pull out his not-so-nice side on people before, and I was wondering if he was about to do it now).

I was waiting almost as expectantly as the girl was, because I was curious what he was going to say to her......He kind of took a moment, like a pause for breath and then he asked -

"Is it a local call?" He was still looking at her sideways like he wasn't sure how to react to her.

"Yeah," she said back after a brief moment of looking at him also like she wasn't too sure how she wanted to proceed with her attitude.

He just kind of shook his head and kept bagging up my things....

As I left, their voices trailed off, with him asking her questions, her answering him etc...... I just laughed as I walked out thinking about her audacious attitude, and his reaction, particularly because I'm in that gas station often and I'm quite familiar with the attitude he is quite capable of doling out to someone he feels it being rude or whatever.

Anyway, as I walked home, the whole situation made me kind of think back to the days when I myself didn't have my own phone... It's hard to believe, but back in 2002-2003, I often found myself walking to the lobby of a local hotel just to access the lobby pay phones to make telephone calls.

In those day, I recollected, if I needed to use a phone, I probably would have had no problem walking into a business and asking to use their phone - minus the entitled attitude of course, lol.

In a way though, I saw myself in that girl - well, the me that used to be...so outside the cares and concerns of the "higher social class," ...willing to walk in a random business and ask to use their phone - hec, the car I drove used to overheat regularly and I used to HAVE to stop at places with smoke coming out the hood and wait till it cooled down. I remember quite vividly stopping at an oil change place and waiting there for awhile while the guys took a look at the car, gave it water and I waited till it was drivable again......

The whole scenario tonight just got me thinking ... thinking back to the days when i had to hit up a hotel to make a phone call, back to the days when I finally got "my own landline" and it was such a BIG deal (and having "caller Id" on my landline was like the highlight of my tech life)...back to the days when I knew I didn't fit into "higher society" and part of me just didn't care........

I love these little moments in life that kind of take you back - not that I would want to go back to that necessarily, but amid all the daily frustrations and feelings of inadequacy that can come with striving for more, it is nice to remember where you've come from....and just how far you've come. I look at my Blackberry phone and all the technology I have around me now, and I think - "Wow, the me back then, looking at the me now, would have thought I was quite cool!"

Single in the city....

After a nice long cozy sleep-in this morning, I hopped in the car and headed out for my ritual Starbucks...and it was on my drive here to Starbucks that I suddenly realized just how happy and free I am to be single on a Sunday morning in Pensacola....

(Pic Above: At a waterside park in Gulf Breeze, looking out across the water at the Pensacola skyline.)

As usual, there was some big event going on downtown today, and as I sat in my car at the corner of 9th and Bayfront Pkwy waiting to take a left, I saw a miserable looking couple waiting to cross the road. - They were the picture of absolute misery to me - woman looking tired, stressed and annoyed pushing a baby stroller, guy irritable and yelling at her, or just plain looking bored and wishing he had another life...

This was that couple - you could hear them arguing about what way to cross the street. The woman looked annoyed, the guy was yelling at her, "You're not making any sense!" and then proceeded to order her which way to cross - "This way! Over here!" he yelled at her....

I must admit, I found the whole situation kind of humorous because it was so stereotypical of "forced family fun" - a family trying to go out and have a good day and then it just turns into a fiasco....But anyway, after I laughed (cause I've totally been part of "that couple" before) the whole situation made me realize just how happy I am to be free and single on a Sunday morning in Pensacola, Florida!!!

Grant it, there are nights I walk down through the "fun" district and fleetingly think how fun it would be to be all dressed up out with a boyfriend out on the town, but this morning I just got my Salted Caramel Mocha, my Sunday newspaper, which is chalk full of pics and articles about the Blue Angels Air Show that I went to this past weekend, and I am feeling happy and free!

P.S. - Look for a special post coming soon with pics and videos from Blue Angels show!!!

A walk in a dreamland...

Ok, I don't have an actual picture for this one, but I'll try to paint one for you with words...

If I haven't mentioned it already, one of my absolute favorite things to do here is to go for walks!

Living in one of the most beautiful, cultural and historical areas of downtown means an endless supply of sidewalks and side roads for exploring.

Today, I set off with nightfall. The weather was an absolute perfect blend of summer and fall. After a bit of a cold spell that had me bundled up in sweatshirts and sweaters for awhile, it was so nice to take a walk in summer heat mixed with fall breeze.

An awesome day like today after a frigid cold spell? - ahh!! it's as refreshing as an ice cold Sunny Delight on a hot summer morning, or a nice strong cup of coffee on a cold, foggy morning...

Anyway, so weather aside, my walk today started off like any other walk - I passed by the old historical churches with their beautiful landscaping. I passed by the bars and restaurants in the center of downtown, and then about a block from the pier, which extends over the salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico, I started to taste the salty ocean air...

You never know what you're going to find down at the pier, without fail there is always something that surprises me or takes my breath away. During the summer the pier is always full of crawfish festivals and things of that nature. Sometimes the wind blows just right, like tonight, and you can actually taste the salt of the ocean, before even getting to the pier. The only other time I remember this happening, is one time in the summer, when I passed by a crawfish boil and I literally tasted the crawfish seasoning mixed with the taste of the ocean air, just by walking by. Somehow the way the wind blows sometimes, it just carries the tastes around.

Down at the pier tonight, I was literally breathless looking at a massive vessel that had come into port. A little while back, I wrote about an oil-repair catamaran that was in port, but today another massive vessel stood in port, three-stories high, with cranes and towers and all sorts of other contraptions that made its presence almost seem surreal. Adding to the mystique of the giant vessel, workers could be seen milling about on the second and third story balconies of what looked like living quarters. Sparks from a massive welding project flickered against the night sky. I literally could stare at that boat for hours, it was so intriguing.

Then it was a walk through Historic Village, which is always a treat. I'll have to write a whole post about the village sometime soon, but it literally is like taking a walk back in time. I always like to walk past Pensacola Bay Brewery, a local brewery that technically can't sell beer, so you buy a cup and get the beer "for free." There always seems to be a crowd of yuppie type people hanging around there, sometimes some kind of running club is there - apparently stopping to have a beer or two after their run..

I was once again absolutely mesmerized by what the night had in store, when I passed by Lee Bed & Breakfast, an incredibly charming B&B that sits just across the street from the bay. Tonight they had an event outback. Perfectly placed strands of white lights strung across the back, fenced-in yard make the place look even more magical. Tonight there was live music, a girl was singing some kind of beautiful jazzy sounding music - It made me dream of being an event singer like her... The sound of dishes clanging around and happy company chatting made me dream of being at the event myself... I couldn't figure out however, if I would want to be planning/working at the event, or just attending...I daydreamed away....

Down the street and around the corner, the streets were serene and quiet, the only sound was that of acorns falling off trees in the gentle wind. At this time of the year acorns fall in masses all over the streets and I find myself as intrigued as a child with the sound of their crunch beneath my feet.

And then the rain began to fall...a nice light sprinkle. It was such a perfect sprinkle, that I didn't even bother to rush home. I just ambled along the story-book streets enjoying the smell that the rain made as it hit the fallen leaves. I passed by another B&B that is for sale - the windows were open, displaying its charming interior. I dreamed that one day I would own it...

I was so lost in my daydreams that I didn't even notice that I had never turned my iPod music back on after I had turned it down 20 minutes earlier to enjoy the live music at the previous B&B. As the rain picked up and I consequentially picked up my pace, I marveled once again at the diversity that can be enjoyed in Pensacola.

In about an hour's time, I saw historical churches, tasted the salty ocean breeze coming off the Gulf of Mexico, took in a massive and mysterious boat structure at port, passed through historical streets, saw runners still wet with sweat downing brew at the local brewery where the doors are almost always propped open, took in a magical event at a local B&B, crunched acorns beneath my feet in a light sprinkle of rain, and took in the fresh smell of rain soaked leaves that made me feel like I was far out in the country somewhere, just me and nature....oh I just love Pensacola!!!

Burger in Paradise!!! ... well actually chicken fingers

So awhile back, a bunch of us headed over to Pensacola Beach. But thanks to my navigation, we ended up going about 45 minutes out of the way, lol - don't ask.

By the time we got "there," a couple of us headed over to Surf Burger to wait for the rest - who, btw, had gotten sidetracked at some retail outlet along the way......The chicken fingers and fries here were delicious! ... The rest? ... I turned down lol (see pic below, right).