Until Wednesday

Entrance to Fountain of Youth
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

I have just returned from a righteous Martini Binge in the oldest, permanent city in the continental USA. I wasn't ready to come home but W4D couldn't stand any more of my nerves that manifest as meanness when I know I must attend to torturous dental procedures in weeks hence. So, this morning, he called my dentist Robin, and got my root canal moved up 16 days. I go in the morning. GACK!

You will remember perhaps, that a couple of weeks ago after 9 shots, they couldn't get my jaw numb enough to do the root canal. They sent me home without the procedure and I took mega doses of antibiotics for 10 days. I guess Novocain is rendered useless in the presence of pus, abscess and infection?

Enough about that. I don't want to talk about it.

Instead, I will show you the Fountain of Youth, as discovered by Juan Ponce de León on 1513.

Maybe I will show you more after I wake up from all the lovely drugs.

Herbivore?

Creature
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

I never have time to blog these days. Besides, something's been eating my parsley.

Collards in the Sink

Collards in the Sink
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Oh, my! Speak to me not of modern kitchens. It sucks that I must cook in the pitiful, ancient kitchen in this 1885 house. I would kill for a new and modern kitchen. Check out the maroon and puke yellow tile that half covers the window over the sink. The last tile update was in the 1940's. Oh, so chic! Note the hand pump on the sink. Check out the cabinets that have been there since the 1800's. The only thing new is the collard greens.

A woman who loves to cook should NOT have to cook in THIS kitchen. I am so very envious of new modern kitchens. :::sigh:::

Over the Sink

Over the Sink
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Gazing outside while washing dishes on a sunny spring day. I never use this vintage sugar bowl for its intended purpose but I like to admire the rich color of it.

Legless Chair, Little Ladder

Big Legless Chair, Little Ladder
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

I looked at this a long time wondering why the chair had no legs and why that little two-step ladder sat atop it. Never could decide what was going on so I took the picture.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

More drugs, more oral surgery next month, but I don't care because I have slept more in the last 4 days than I have in the last four months.

Sleep is a beautiful thing and red lilies make me happy.

Neigh. Nay. No.

Neigh
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Nope.
I have nothing to say.
Nada.

Root Canal Tomorrow - 8:00 AM

Root Canal RX
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Three of four prescriptions for tomorrow plus my own personal remedy for sleeping tonight. After not falling asleep until 6:23 this morning (this dental phobic worries all night long for a whole week before appointments), I am going to be snoozing by 10 PM tonight.

W4D is driving me to and from the ordeal but I'll have to wake up and start taking meds by 6:00 AM in the morning. I plan to sleep it off all day Monday. Should I get on the computer, just ignore me. It's the drugs typing.

Off I go with my bottle of Jack and my blankie.

Strawberry Tart

Strawberry Tart
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

The biscuit is soaked with strawberry juice and Cointrou. Best served with lots of whipped cream.

Tart Zoom

Tart Zoom
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Local strawberries, world's easiest dessert

Green Enough For Ya?

Hydrangea Leaves
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

After three days of soaking, slow rain, everything here is so green and lush that it makes you sigh when you walk outside. Long gone are the first colorful Spring blossoms like the Japanese magnolias and azaleas, camelias, bridal veil and usual stuff. Now we are down the lush, vivid greens in every hue and shade.

Soon everything will bloom in the richness of summer and I will be complaining about the heat.

Eff Me. I Hate Summer.

And that's about as much of a post as you are likely to read within the next month due to the most horrible pending dental woes imaginable and my suddenly being married to a very old man. I think I shall soon have to break out the blue hair dye and start eating dinner at 3:30 PM to keep up with W4D.

It sucks getting old even when it is Spring.

Bite Me, People.

There. I feel better now.

sorta...

Kooge Closer

Kooge Closer
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Do you know what this thing is? If so, please leave a comment or email.

Kooge Ball

We call it a "kooge" and Tucker thinks it is a cool toy. This is another of those things we own and have no idea where or when we accumulated. We don't even know what it is for or the real name of this item. There's a closer shot above this post.

Wilted with Cold Weather

Wilted with Cold Weather
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Today at noon it was 48 degrees and blustery with rain and a dreary cold that chilled me to the bone for the last few days. It's April 9th and I can't remember ever being this cold this time of year, let alone smelling wood smoke from the fireplaces in town on an Easter Sunday. By Saturday, it is supposed to be 88 degrees. Dammit.

I dislike the cold. I hate the heat.

There is about a 3 week weather window in fall and another in spring that is perfect. The rest of the year, I bitch about the weather.

You may have noticed that I am just posting pictures the last few days. I've also killed the colored fonts and reverted to the default Times Roman that I hate.

It's better than nothing. Learn to live with it.

Unseasonally Cold

Frosted
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

We had Spring in February. In late March and April, we have Winter. This lily-bell-like plant doesn't like the cold.

Colored Eggs

Easter Eggs
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Egg salad, anyone?

Easter Eggs

Never Too Old
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

It's deviled eggs for lunch tomorrow.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf Hydrangea
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Love the delicate colors of spring

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Spring flowers

Championship Easter Egg

GATOR Easter Egg
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Florida GATORs are National Champions.
Keep on hatching those Baby GATORS!

Hatchling

Hatchling
Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Taken in my yard on Good Friday. Watch out for those Florida Easter Eggs!

National CHAMPS Again

Yesterday, Gainesville PD and the Public Works folks were sky high in rented cherry pickers spraying PAM on the light poles and traffic light arms over University Ave. It's pretty darned funny and clever of them to grease the poles. For some reason, rabid GATORS are driven to scale utility poles, street lights, signs and trees during victory celebrations. The police were prepared this time. After all, they've had a bit of practice lately with NC victory celebrations here in Title Town.

They skipped going Pro, came back for the joy of it all and they repeated. What a team! I liked this Sports Illustrated article by Gene Wojciechowski

Since W4D gave me my lucky gold Gator ring, we've won 3 National Championships in 365 days. I am never taking off this ring again. I now have my sandwich championship.

NCAA 2006 Basketball Champs
NCAA 2006 Football Champs
NCAA 2007 Basketball Champs

We are the first and only program to hold both NC titles at the same time. How sweet is that? The Buckeyes are Gator Bait yet again and the boys from old Florida leave a legacy as well as a Championship sweep of Ohio State. It was the first time the same schools had played for both National titles in one academic year. UF is the first school to win both titles in the same year and the first team since Duke in 1991 and 1992 to win back-to-back titles in men's basketball. 68 Billy Ball wins in two seasons. Life is good.

BTW, a few agile fans still were able to shimmy up the slick street lights but most slid harmlessly back to the ground. Since you can't grease a palm tree, those were easily scaled. It was a dandy celebration. I'm waiting on the kidlet to zap me some photos. Will share if/when they arrive.

Congrats to Coach Donovan and the 2007 Florida GATORS!
Coach Meyer, now it's your turn again.