Diving - Day 2 (136/365)

TIME: 3:30 PM
PLACE: Mermet Springs
SUBJECT: The Group

*~*~*

We finished off today with 2 dives.  The first dive we did compass navigation (a straight line out and back) and more stinkin' mask work (removal and replacement underwater - ugh!!!)  Once again, I powered through it and made it back up without too much struggle.

Me on the left, surviving the dive.

For the last dive, we swam above water across the quarry.  HH and I are bringing up the rear here.  If you look between us, you can see little red balls way out there in the quarry.  Look to the right of them - you can barely make out a white pole.

That's were we went.  

The Boeing 727 airplane form the movie "U.S. Marshals" is sunk there.  We descended with an instructor to explore around the fuselage.  The nose is at 50 feet, but we did not go down that far.  We only went to about 35' where there was a Jetski.  From there we made our way back past the Cessna (which I swam to yesterday) and then to the platforms by the primary dock.  It was a long swim in the murky water, but there were guidelines to follow and I had an instructor by my side and one just above me to make sure I went in the right direction and kept my buoyancy in the right spot.

I passed!  I am now Open Water Certified.

I am pretty proud of myself.
Yay me!!!

Diving - Day 1 (135/365)

 

TIME: 8:33 AM
PLACE: Mermet Springs, Belknap, IL
SUBJECT: View from the Deep Dock

*~*~*

Well, since I am posting this, it means I made it through the 1st day of the certification.

I had a few moments of panic during the mask flooding and purge on the 20' platform; I inhaled water and thought I was drowning, but I kept faith in the respirator, calmed myself down and completed it.

The visibility in the water was not the best - it was maybe 3 feet at the most.  The instructor said he had only seen it worse than this one other time(!).  On the bright side, he also said that if we can do this in this water, then all our other dives will be a piece of cake.  Hmmmmm.

I did get to see some bass and bluegill swimming around me. They got very close, so that was cool.

The wife of one of the people in our group was kind enough to take many photos and text them to me.  This is HH and I checking each others gear before going down to the dock.

And here I am stepping off the dock - or am I walking on water?  You didn't know I was that divine did you?

Here is HH going in as well - he hovers though.

Day 2 tomorrow!

Wetsuited (132/365)

TIME: 12:18 PM
PLACE: Scuba World
SUBJECT: Me and HH

*~*~*

We were fitted for our wetsuits to wear this weekend during our open water diving certification.

These are 7mm (1/4") suits - they are for water temps between 59 degrees and 68 degrees..

 

We will also be wearing gloves, booties and a hood.

I will still probably be cold.

Ripped Pants (322/365)

TIME: 1:32 pm

PLACE: Home
SUBJECT: Ripped pants

*~*~*

HH was working on the furnace at the rental when this happened.

I think he made it home without anyone seeing.

Of course, the first thing that came to my mind was this classic Spongebob episode:

:

Pink Foyd? (236/366)

TIME: 4:19 pm

PLACE: Kitchen
SUBJECT: HH

*~*~*

HH wanted me to take a picture of him today wearing the t-shirt Monkeyboy had given to him last Christmas.

I didn't realize his pose had creased the shirt.

"Pink Foyd" - I wonder what sort of music they play?

 

Not Just A Pepper (219/366)

 

TIME: 6:44 pm

PLACE: Front Porch

SUBJECT: Green Pepper

*~*~*

A friend of my husband's gave us this pepper from his garden.

I think it looks like a reclining body.

Here's a visual to help you see it.....

 

I hope that doesn't give you nightmares. LOL

Speak Softly & Carry A Big Pipe Wrench (216/366)

TIME: 7:57 pm
PLACE: Backyard
SUBJECT: Husband & Wrench

*~*~*

He may be retired, but he still owns tools of the trade.

He's rather proud of this wrench...I asked him if it compensates for anything else in particular.

His answer, "Yes. Yes it does. Absolutely."

Rescued (173/366)

TIME: 3:57 pm
PLACE: Back porch
SUBJECT: Baby bird

*~*~*

Sparrows have weaseled their way up under the siding on our back porch.  They built a nest and their babies are super noisy.

One fell from the nest last week and landed in a flower pot I have on the porch.  HH placed him/her back and we hoped all was well.

Today, we found another one on the porch - well, the dogs did when they went out to the yard - I grabbed him before they caused any damage. I don't know for sure if it is the same one as earlier, it could be - what a trouble-maker!



HH put him back (again), hopefully it will stay there until it is old enough to really to leave the nest!

Head and Lights (075/365)

TIME: 6:59 PM
PLACE: Dennys
SUBJECT: The top of HH’s head and lights

Big, big date night this Friday evening.

Dinner at Denny’s.

Can it get any better than that?

Birthday Boy (031/365)

TIME: circa 1958?
PLACE: Probably outside of Troy, IL
SUBJECT: HH

60 years ago, he was 2 years old and sitting on stuffed dog.

Today, he has a wife, three kids, two dogs, two cats, more stress and less hair.

Happy Birthday my love!

Graduation Day (025/365)

TIME: 10:36 AM
PLACE: Hilton Field, Fort Jackson
SUBJECT: Proud family

He did it!


It was a nice ceremony – solemn, but also short and sweet.

Afterwards, it was time to go eat again - off base this time!
We ate at the Waffle House of course.

We went back to the hotel room, so MB could put his contacts in.

We decided to visit the South Carolina State Museum and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.

See that observatory on top?  Dad and I became separated from the group. He was showing me an area I had missed, all about outer space.  As we passed by the observatory, the astronomer waved us in.  He was very friendly.  He answered our questions about the telescope and then directed me to a button on the wall. He told me to press it until he said “Stop”. I did and it moved the opening in the dome so the repositioned telescope could see the sun.
We also were able to see the image of the sun that was projected onto the computer.
Pretty cool.

When we finished visiting all 4 floors, I could tell MB was tired.  We drove around downtown Columbia for a little bit, stopped by a used book store (SD found her Animorphs books she has been searching for) and then headed back to the hotel room.

MB rested while HH and I left to pick up some sushi for supper. (One more time – FOOD!)

I was able to take this final photo of MB with Grandpa.  It turned out pretty good I think.

Then we had to drive him back to the base and say our last goodbyes. He leave for his AIT tomorrow – 41 weeks of training.

I am definitely a very sad, but a very proud Mama.

Garden Glow (046/365)

TIME: 7:15-8:30 PM
PLACE: Missouri Botanical Gardens
SUBJECT: Garden Glow

Forced family fun was implemented this evening at the Garden Glow in the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Half-lit tree

Luminaries

I call this one “The Angel of Death”

But I think the Christmas theme comes with the green light and red (eye) windows?

Maybe I just have a dark sense of humor.

Are we having fun?  It’s hard to tell.
I think a flash was needed here.


StellaDella and MonkeyBoy had fun portraying two of the eight “Maids a Milking”


They all look a little happier here.

I love these guys.

Throwback Thursday (127/365)

“Looks who's talking 'Denim Dan'! You look like the President and CEO of Levi-Strauss!”
Super Troopers, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2001

TIME: 1992
PLACE:  My cousin’s basement
SUBJECT:  HH and me

This was taken at a going-away party for my cousin, Kathleen, who was moving to Iowa to manage a Camelot Music store.
I am wearing what I believe is called a “Canadian Tuxedo”
My earrings were purchased by my mother at an estate sale…at the home of my late kindergarten teacher.  I called them my “Miss June” earrings.
HH is wearing a sweatshirt I bought him when I was in Houston Texas for two weeks auditing 2 credit unions.
You can’t see his legs because they are camouflaged.

Bees (080/365)

“Life is a mosaic of pleasure and pain - grief is an interval between two moments of joy. Peace is the interlude between two wars. You have no rose without a thorn; the diligent picker will avoid the pricks and gather the flower. There is no bee without the sting; cleverness consists in gathering the honey nevertheless.”
Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Indian Spiritual leader, b.1926)

TIME:  3:57 PM
PLACE: Backyard
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband and the bees

HH worked on his hives this afternoon.

The bees were eating their winter honey.

They were a bit cranky today.
I was too.
Today was the 10-year anniversary of my mom’s passing.

My daughter posted this on her Facebook page this morning..


I think my mom would be proud of her.
I know I am.

A Man and His Dog (067/365)

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.”
― Milan Kundera (Czech, author, b1929)

TIME: 5:40 PM
PLACE: Back porch
SUBJECT:  Oreo and HH

Sitting together on the porch steps.
Not doing anything.

Throwback Thursday (015/365)

“At every party there are two kinds of people — those who want to go home and those who don't. The trouble is, they are usually married to each other.”
Esther Pauline Friedman aka Ann Landers (American, Personal Advice Columnist and Author, 1918-2002)

TIME:  Shortly after midnight, 01 Jan 1991
PLACE:  B-Street Bar
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband and Me

Fun Fact : I may or may not be slightly inebriated in this photo.

Christmas 2014

 
TIME : 8:54 AM
PLACE: Living Room
SUBJECT: Stella, Claudia & James

Merry Christmas!

…from Oreo too!

TIME: 9:19 AM
SUBJECT: HandsomeHusband

His boy bought him a Cardinals hat.


TIME: 9:22 AM
SUBJECT: Grandpa

He can wear these while drinking coffee out of his “World’s Greatest Grandpa” mug from prior years.

Big Night Out

TIME:  8:39 PM
PLACE:  Bullpen Bar & Grill, New Athens, IL
SUBJECT:  Graphic on building

The HH and I attended a birthday party down in New Athens.  It was at the Bullpen Bar & Grill. 

TIME: 8:22 PM

The HH humored me by posing with the table decorations. 
Thanks hon.

Father’s Day (167/365)

TIME:  1946 to 1973
PLACE: Various
SUBJECT:  Dad (& me!)

Smoking, drinking and hanging out with the dancers…that’s my dad.  Always good lookin’ too!


TIME:  5:50 PM
PLACE:  Sushi bar
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband & StellaDella

This guy’s a pretty good dad too. ;)