tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369851462024-03-07T18:12:48.793-08:00Postcards from Robin & Vicky JoOur Travels and TravailsVicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-60888978259560293462008-12-07T12:08:00.001-08:002008-12-09T01:00:51.364-08:00Magic Castle Children's Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYpKlatWqB0I4g13V5LdyUHlsI9mX5JtdnZzF9MGe8QgNldepKVVT7C1-sXPeGHxUYlqnRJ7XKpZmItNVduVjHx1bo6TMJ7HOrnwXRRpFVp8oAiNsD4uYnHm0660vAcSC26dwpA/s1600-h/MC57.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277143939032246738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYpKlatWqB0I4g13V5LdyUHlsI9mX5JtdnZzF9MGe8QgNldepKVVT7C1-sXPeGHxUYlqnRJ7XKpZmItNVduVjHx1bo6TMJ7HOrnwXRRpFVp8oAiNsD4uYnHm0660vAcSC26dwpA/s200/MC57.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's becoming somewhat of a tradition that every year Robin takes his local nieces and nephews to the Magic Castle on Children's Day.<br /><br />This year, Aunt Vicky got to go too!<br /><br />Our number appears to be dwindling. There was a time not that long ago when four kids would accompany Robin to the Castle. We're now down to two. (Yikes! Does that mean *they're* getting old -- or WE are?!? :-O)<br /><br />My first picture above is our two charges -- Emily and Ryan -- waiting patiently in the front room of the Close-Up Gallery for the show to start. The magician had just gifted Emily with the lovely heart-shaped balloon.<br /><br />Click any picture to see it bigger.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxWEqiMk0k0r4r6mMxiUsoKDv-i4-GCJLCe0r43PEaoF5cqF-9FJCXryVzttvLj0XaROarGgrL5l2FdIRYBNt2gnJiUJV0S-XkRACR_E18DHF7pugpPJR7wqGWoDTmcgr0sg38A/s1600-h/MC60.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277142835486371522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxWEqiMk0k0r4r6mMxiUsoKDv-i4-GCJLCe0r43PEaoF5cqF-9FJCXryVzttvLj0XaROarGgrL5l2FdIRYBNt2gnJiUJV0S-XkRACR_E18DHF7pugpPJR7wqGWoDTmcgr0sg38A/s200/MC60.jpg" border="0" /></a>This next shot I grabbed in the Hat & Hare room down in the basement -- against the rules, mind you, since no one is supposed to take pictures inside the Magic Castle. But I knew Magic Steve wouldn't mind, so I risked it!<br /><br />Emily is working hard as the magician's beautiful assistant.<br /><br />Last but not least, the Magic Castle featured Santa in the Blackstone Room, so we decided to grab a family picture to commemorate the day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDJ9aQSVx7PCKIlrnrUNBeTQCOGSUVunVq_kJr4JwacG1kkY9sacF0oHM3I252Y4o7RDdDyB8XOta6wukAg9yy8nAyjVT42gUe2SG80CN5X4C5iSFY-s-69ib8hvxCWv2UEe_BQ/s1600-h/MC59.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277143098432863986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDJ9aQSVx7PCKIlrnrUNBeTQCOGSUVunVq_kJr4JwacG1kkY9sacF0oHM3I252Y4o7RDdDyB8XOta6wukAg9yy8nAyjVT42gUe2SG80CN5X4C5iSFY-s-69ib8hvxCWv2UEe_BQ/s320/MC59.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I wish I could show you the magnificent orange parrot balloon animal that Denis Forel made for Emily precisely to her specifications, but it suffered irreversible damage before I could get the camera on it. Ballon animal artistry is such a fatally transient art, sigh.<br /><br />Here's some film showing Magic Steve working with Emily (6 minutes long):<br />Ryan's off to the side, mostly in the dark. (And yes, Emily is wearing heels!)<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-3156758044552698287&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed><br /><br />And here's Magic Ian with Ryan at his table (5 minutes long):<br />Be sure to listen for Emily telling the magician that Ryan is 12 years old.<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=974784825809893461&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-6374567388527970602008-11-03T23:28:00.000-08:002008-12-07T12:36:16.054-08:002008 Halloween ReportThis year's Halloween was absolutely the scariest, most horrific, ghoulish Halloween I've ever had!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY49uonTsrNqtDOm7YocTr400MNC1K5AMgXWcG25n-fcpqnjf12XLXwUFlBRQok5tsPsYNFO3UAIkK587lJZjByNEspNE5kZxc2v_nxzEnIz-Tac1WVZhc-Yd78X-DCtlmG3CyQ/s1600-h/BlueScreenOnscreen.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY49uonTsrNqtDOm7YocTr400MNC1K5AMgXWcG25n-fcpqnjf12XLXwUFlBRQok5tsPsYNFO3UAIkK587lJZjByNEspNE5kZxc2v_nxzEnIz-Tac1WVZhc-Yd78X-DCtlmG3CyQ/s320/BlueScreenOnscreen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264701275991838082" /></a>I was spooked by one of the worst monsters ever: the blue screen of DEATH!<br /> <br />Boo!<br /><br />Now, you've got to admit: that's scary!<br /><br />Bwahahahhahahaha!<br /><br />I confess I'm still recovering from the fright. Still sorting out what that monster destroyed. Grrrrr!<br /><br />The rest of Halloween was pretty fun, actually. Click on any of the images to see them a little bigger.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCLcqCq5lFUidYSCyxzOwEzqo7SSgZkYARlHKyi_LdocO1tQSg44rHhbxM_8knsUtHtKpSHgV1NiTu8Tlazyuvi2yQje5gEXWjJ2dmR40UOfMAnNSdqyXuizamvuDNxttzYuy4Q/s1600-h/Entrance.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCLcqCq5lFUidYSCyxzOwEzqo7SSgZkYARlHKyi_LdocO1tQSg44rHhbxM_8knsUtHtKpSHgV1NiTu8Tlazyuvi2yQje5gEXWjJ2dmR40UOfMAnNSdqyXuizamvuDNxttzYuy4Q/s320/Entrance.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264701563178783762" /></a>We got our decorations up in plenty of time for once, so we displayed a festive Halloween theme.<br /><br />Trust me, it looks much better at night. The glass bricks had an orange glow, of course the jack-o-lanterns were lit from within, and I have little orange LED lights wrapped around the bars. It's hard to see, but each little step has its own light, which I covered with orange gel. I even drew little spider webs on each one, complete with a dangling spider, using a black Sharpie pen. Hand drawn!<br /><br />I especially liked our little touches, such as the bugs crawling around on the house number, and the crime scene tape stretched across the front gate.<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJg77yZ2K42l7GOYAu031PJAWE3S7QJsGDwKYr6oOKA7uEssBDmGXrcnL6HzCs99dsGAyepgSBTsKif1GmU5JQF9EpMhLqlubCjVcLGIPF7N6jEPEt2htm1qMzZUm4z4ZxuvugGA/s1600-h/FrontDoor.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJg77yZ2K42l7GOYAu031PJAWE3S7QJsGDwKYr6oOKA7uEssBDmGXrcnL6HzCs99dsGAyepgSBTsKif1GmU5JQF9EpMhLqlubCjVcLGIPF7N6jEPEt2htm1qMzZUm4z4ZxuvugGA/s320/FrontDoor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264704705566621346" /></a>Our front door featured bloody hands, which looked delightfully creepy at night when lit from behind. (It really suited Robin's tastes!)<br /><br />Unfortunately, one of them kept falling off. You know, there's nothing quite as annoying as having your bloody hand keep falling off.<br /><br />(I confess: even though I've taken them down now, handprint shadows remain on the frosted glass. Windex doesn't seem to faze them. Got any suggestions for cleaning them off???)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoc5iIAKldhgOZqyIzePHVTFEHqPsYSwUioLZ06tXAoqvtTKhxkMxFgKEe3dLBZvCvqqcqr5chBQk3T5geBm88rGWPOxQlJfCnMwobe4CB7S28-6rVRYHN729M8nkjQsX_J2AIA/s1600-h/Flamingo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoc5iIAKldhgOZqyIzePHVTFEHqPsYSwUioLZ06tXAoqvtTKhxkMxFgKEe3dLBZvCvqqcqr5chBQk3T5geBm88rGWPOxQlJfCnMwobe4CB7S28-6rVRYHN729M8nkjQsX_J2AIA/s320/Flamingo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264704885925416146" /></a>We got so into the Halloween theme that even our flamingo was garbed in a witchy costume! <br /><br />Eat your heart out, all you ghosts and goblins. Flamingos rule!<br /><br />Now let's talk about the good stuff -- costumes! Yayyyyyy!<br /><br />Robin recycled the Halloween costume he wore last year since he liked it so much. He's really into the magic thing. Me -- I did something a little different. I was disguised as a peacock!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwAlh2cnLJ2hkWw_vWlpvVx1i0jniqXMlxwS-y0lyLDp3xz3Cj-GyWSgRabKijeUZ-ZxqXFssFh5GqDB3BC22hjGbKS8z2f_XTiVrLsFX2XFklqvqfT4PrFLX8f-yomrjhJGtog/s1600-h/Costume0.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwAlh2cnLJ2hkWw_vWlpvVx1i0jniqXMlxwS-y0lyLDp3xz3Cj-GyWSgRabKijeUZ-ZxqXFssFh5GqDB3BC22hjGbKS8z2f_XTiVrLsFX2XFklqvqfT4PrFLX8f-yomrjhJGtog/s320/Costume0.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264709348086582882" /></a><br /><br />We attended the Halloween party at our favorite clubhouse, <a href="http://www.magiccastle.com" target="_blank">the Magic Castle</a> in Hollywood.<br /><br />When I arrived, I learned something about my costume. It's funny -- anywhere else in the world, I would be simply a peacock. But in Hollywood, I was THE famous NBC Peacock!<br /><br />One guy came up to me and did a big double-take. Then he exclaimed, "Whoa! You look really different on TV!" Then he did another double-take like he just couldn't take it in. He was hilarious.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTunu3Blg75M4rFHMosrukbKGLe6VAOkx504-fepU0y-IF5bx9XYqn2QTBvc9Db7A6yDI_7WXa0A0YFiGunZyWn91pgWdVe5y2OXgUB7KQR2NL_5MRsqPmMgRfIR7DCfB4jleHQ/s1600-h/Converts.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTunu3Blg75M4rFHMosrukbKGLe6VAOkx504-fepU0y-IF5bx9XYqn2QTBvc9Db7A6yDI_7WXa0A0YFiGunZyWn91pgWdVe5y2OXgUB7KQR2NL_5MRsqPmMgRfIR7DCfB4jleHQ/s320/Converts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264707856632662802" /></a>Did I mention that my costume was convertible? Check it out!<br /><br />To top the evening off, Robin and I were both finalists in the Best Costume competition for the category of "Most Mystical Costume." That took us both by surprise! (Robin was secretly thrilled.)<br /><br />I hope your Halloween was as fun as ours. <br /><br />Trick or treat!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-26214420964825706532008-06-30T19:44:00.000-07:002008-06-30T20:08:04.971-07:00Raging Waters<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu5SDenf2jhOq-c43MdMNVlFAS094jOp7tGNeaygA-pJ1F78c0-rYMXCk-OCNccub0aFJ-yibtgKXwcHvl358vIhs0F1h7Q0WIWWsNYpGdOld23rI4kZsxnNq3ptP1MfwIiO9zQ/s1600-h/00Scan.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu5SDenf2jhOq-c43MdMNVlFAS094jOp7tGNeaygA-pJ1F78c0-rYMXCk-OCNccub0aFJ-yibtgKXwcHvl358vIhs0F1h7Q0WIWWsNYpGdOld23rI4kZsxnNq3ptP1MfwIiO9zQ/s320/00Scan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217871766643546658" /></a>A couple years ago Robin took the McPeters kids (his nieces and nephews) to a California water park called Raging Waters for the day.<br /><br />Everybody had such a great time we decided to do it again.<br /><br />We didn't get it on the calendar last year, but I was pushy this year. So last Monday was the day!<br /><br />Normally I'm a stick in the mud about these things. I didn't even go with them the first time! But I joined them for this outing -- and I went on nearly EVERY ride! Yayyy!<br /><br />The older kids seemed impressed. (Robin was astonished.)<br /><br />We had a blast.<br /><br />The irony is that I went to Raging Waters for my 30th birthday, because I wanted to prove I wasn't over the hill yet. And.... I didn't ride a single ride. I'm not sure I even got wet! It was a miserable experience. (I *did* feel like I was over the hill.)<br /><br />I guess it took a couple more decades for me to become mature enough to enjoy myself.<br /><br />Go figure!<br /><br />I have 13 more shots in a little <a href="http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=5mugzxr.1mraib3v&x=0&y=ie376b&localeid=en_US" target="_new">slide show here</a>. You don't have to sign in or sign up or any of that business. Just click the yellow button that says "View Slideshow." When the picture comes up, be sure to click "play" in the upper right-hand corner.<br /><br />Enjoy!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-78180058315421458532008-05-22T14:21:00.000-07:002008-05-28T00:09:05.840-07:00Beebe Conference<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LF9rukvWY3GDyWKLeXDv_1VsZTUx23wkuvB6NtPB72YkKMSbaHbIUKt3Zl0uVntgZ1GvA-VPHY2LjUCiR8e0AJG6c7vNVRdQUX-MfXaj200yYbczPOhPwKaONmZ4bwCafAUDcg/s1600-h/IMG_0575.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LF9rukvWY3GDyWKLeXDv_1VsZTUx23wkuvB6NtPB72YkKMSbaHbIUKt3Zl0uVntgZ1GvA-VPHY2LjUCiR8e0AJG6c7vNVRdQUX-MfXaj200yYbczPOhPwKaONmZ4bwCafAUDcg/s200/IMG_0575.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203315869524979362" /></a><br />We're having a great time! Wish you were here.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-42506569535538838282008-05-08T20:18:00.000-07:002008-05-13T16:43:01.876-07:00ChippendalesYesterday was very busy for me. My husband is in Las Vegas attending an IBM Conference at the Rio, and I got to be his "camp follower" for the week. So I have been doing my coaching calls from the hotel room, and going out and working on other projects alongside the pool (life is soooo hard!). In the evenings, I do the "corporate wife" act, and socialize with other IBMers.<br /><br />So yesterday I went down to the pool, and they had shut down one end of the pool area and were building a little stage. After a bit, they announced over the speakers that they wanted all the *ladies* to come sit on the blocked-off side of the pool -- they were having a "fashion show" with the Chippendales dancers modeling swimwear.<br /><br />It turned out they were taping an episode for "Entertainment Tonight." So I wandered over there and sat with "the girls," and when the emcee encouraged us to clap and scream, I did!<br /><br />It's scheduled to air next Thursday night [May 15th]. Look for me in the verrrry modest navy blue one-piece corporate wife swimsuit (see pic below), with a bright blue polka-dotted towel under my feet. IF I even appear in the final segment, that is.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6twfH6n24Q-5b83ehMfac3fzKx1EEjDaBpd5vbASJ7CVxEf934Dbh_bvYagZ7crFao8TtnZps91KYwmUKjmfYv5b5wXUTmpmgv5NayduSdub1PoZXrm7qLgoxtIuMH74ZsZgA/s1600-h/100_9647.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6twfH6n24Q-5b83ehMfac3fzKx1EEjDaBpd5vbASJ7CVxEf934Dbh_bvYagZ7crFao8TtnZps91KYwmUKjmfYv5b5wXUTmpmgv5NayduSdub1PoZXrm7qLgoxtIuMH74ZsZgA/s320/100_9647.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200006972637225490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeeZBoO6MlSseBlb8DvFmaDLFChsIIJqJ4jMBbjmXK_OLyRCXjHuSYlzeGEtPBCpbKOBFsWvS9TPVov36xz2cJ1JHEVFBCZRDuTIUerC0dzFhp2f_efyDT7kdAwwq5hr-Y3UMwQ/s1600-h/100_9638.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeeZBoO6MlSseBlb8DvFmaDLFChsIIJqJ4jMBbjmXK_OLyRCXjHuSYlzeGEtPBCpbKOBFsWvS9TPVov36xz2cJ1JHEVFBCZRDuTIUerC0dzFhp2f_efyDT7kdAwwq5hr-Y3UMwQ/s200/100_9638.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200008982681920034" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKiQN4dzvvpq7U285windkm2TFSFMKdmA5NQLozG4c94WGpNytM2F9uoD_YwPfN5YaxCnG_e31d1SNVfEP3dotNRhXfLyqs2qCGIw06P3-Vn5k4ZeOyeXr-HznqEO8EIIMxYhig/s1600-h/100_9642_2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKiQN4dzvvpq7U285windkm2TFSFMKdmA5NQLozG4c94WGpNytM2F9uoD_YwPfN5YaxCnG_e31d1SNVfEP3dotNRhXfLyqs2qCGIw06P3-Vn5k4ZeOyeXr-HznqEO8EIIMxYhig/s200/100_9642_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200009107235971634" /></a>Whatta hoot!<br /><br />Geez my life is just hilarious sometimes.<br /><br />PS: Yes, my eyes are closed in the picture. I just think the sun got too bright while I was waiting for Ingrid to take the shot, but you can tell yourself I'm fantasizing about the guy if it amuses you.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-74248838063783484782008-05-08T11:26:00.000-07:002008-05-13T20:27:59.789-07:00You Tube?!?OMG! Robin's on YouTube!<br /><br />For those of you who keep wondering what Robin actually does for a living, here's a taste. (You get a gold star if you sit all the way through it! :-P)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBoKjOBsZuM" target="_new">Robin on YouTube</a><br /><br />Enjoy!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-91451538057038875042007-11-27T14:58:00.001-08:002007-11-27T23:34:05.815-08:00Disney's "Enchanted"Guess who went to see a Disney movie! (Click any image to view it gi-hugically!)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXjEPj54xAOt0jbW9SaQKhbe-s__CnoIQ5Jn4GTP9M27bAQXwGjBKKZnvJWke6xyZFHMI_9-mL4RclChH5KY2lgBsMctYdx5hO7fqZekG3PLVb-BKdz64-q4MnujyWvXdx03Rvg/s1600-h/ENC20370401ZW-001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXjEPj54xAOt0jbW9SaQKhbe-s__CnoIQ5Jn4GTP9M27bAQXwGjBKKZnvJWke6xyZFHMI_9-mL4RclChH5KY2lgBsMctYdx5hO7fqZekG3PLVb-BKdz64-q4MnujyWvXdx03Rvg/s320/ENC20370401ZW-001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137659060824855714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1QUAEw5FkL0mLg93jTaqYDuTrmbYcFWiV8GvLDvGUln-EOtewqgIiVSuDFmjPHAdx0HsZBnrtAAbkqId7KGv1SKIIFdnBODyxHm7HwKgdc5zAGgHeD3lmBq7i8COF1BJVVDTPA/s1600-h/ENC20370401ZW-002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1QUAEw5FkL0mLg93jTaqYDuTrmbYcFWiV8GvLDvGUln-EOtewqgIiVSuDFmjPHAdx0HsZBnrtAAbkqId7KGv1SKIIFdnBODyxHm7HwKgdc5zAGgHeD3lmBq7i8COF1BJVVDTPA/s320/ENC20370401ZW-002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137658880436229266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxsG-xQvV4g-8m1tFikEc_sC3icB9dB3QyYk3TKv-a_RurSzV5QERxnYwyX_1YzbYtLXlX40OHTEqcrEORxgg64o_Re3QzApEyloJ4jcXZEiSNb0s_SCVWe-ZH0O5zsLAEc7Sqg/s1600-h/ENC20370401ZW-003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxsG-xQvV4g-8m1tFikEc_sC3icB9dB3QyYk3TKv-a_RurSzV5QERxnYwyX_1YzbYtLXlX40OHTEqcrEORxgg64o_Re3QzApEyloJ4jcXZEiSNb0s_SCVWe-ZH0O5zsLAEc7Sqg/s320/ENC20370401ZW-003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137658700047602818" /></a><br />Here I am posing with a character portraying the star of "Enchanted" -- taken with an awful cell phone camera!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim98hCb2miz6dlur1g-E1EeSyJ2sdq2HEoM-Zr2dLTsUnCcjEkirrsKuqrMBZxVbaxzHJ0NHgMuzZ9eKllbpd7MUHeNM2yG9KIXGIzXiNP0VbboOR3OjxCpZgIhrYczQXzjYUVYg/s1600-h/Giselle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim98hCb2miz6dlur1g-E1EeSyJ2sdq2HEoM-Zr2dLTsUnCcjEkirrsKuqrMBZxVbaxzHJ0NHgMuzZ9eKllbpd7MUHeNM2yG9KIXGIzXiNP0VbboOR3OjxCpZgIhrYczQXzjYUVYg/s320/Giselle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137789361542681794" /></a>Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-21225852270688180992007-10-28T20:08:00.000-07:002007-10-28T22:53:17.146-07:00Halloween 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgmqOHKao5bB9jlihucagLVl4xmD1g3Ycvx2mfbqfuynGaNmi6scaJ8rZ_EV-RcOSPKmG77sRdjBBFCaWZPQoyRI6_9adOmpQISDNI0N1iC4Vh1vfpuuZ7WuxGPBghmbjW1y9gA/s1600-h/Halloween2007.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgmqOHKao5bB9jlihucagLVl4xmD1g3Ycvx2mfbqfuynGaNmi6scaJ8rZ_EV-RcOSPKmG77sRdjBBFCaWZPQoyRI6_9adOmpQISDNI0N1iC4Vh1vfpuuZ7WuxGPBghmbjW1y9gA/s400/Halloween2007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126482427563828914" /></a><br />Trick or treat! Trick or treat!<br /><br />Believe it or not, these were our "work" outfits. We helped out at the <a href="http://www.magiccastle.com/" target="_blank">Magic Castle</a> Saturday night as volunteers. We got to see all the marvelous costumes, and helped collect ballots for the Costume Contest.<br /><br />We also helped people find their way around, answered general questions, and got the dancing started for the deejay!<br /><br />I can guarantee you I won't be wearing those high heels for Trick-or-Treating on Wednesday with my nieces and nephews!<br /><br />Robin will be reduced to celebrating with a festive necktie, as he will be teaching in Chicago. Sigh!<br /><br />Or is that "Boo!" ??Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-21550712974974581052007-10-28T14:54:00.001-07:002007-10-29T02:25:16.105-07:00Babysitting & FiresLast week VJ's sister went to San Francisco on a business trip, and all we got was Ghirardelli chocolate.<br /><br />AND we got stuck with her three youngest kids!<br /><br />Lucky we adore them, and we rose to the occasion. VJ sez,<br /><br />I wish I'd had an aunt like me. These kids got to go swimming, attend a street festival and enjoy the carnival. They visited the newly-remodeled Getty Villa museum, ate Mongolian Barbecue, and watched videos galore! ("Surf's Up," "Happily Never After," "On the Reef," "Shaun of the Dead," "The Peaceful Warrior," "Transformers," "Next" -- we never got to "Silver Surfer," sigh!)<br /><br />The 2 youngest kids went Faery Hunting in Franklin Canyon and saw an improv show in NoHo while the oldest was chauffeured to his soccer game. They all saw "Twelfth Night" in Topanga Canyon. (We like to ensure they get lotsa culture.)<br /><br />(Before you go thinking I'm some kind of saint, be aware that nobody probably brushed their teeth for four days either, and at least one jar of candy and one super-sized box of microwave popcorn vanished. I'm a rabid culture vulture, not a sensible mommy type!)<br /><br />Following are pics (click any image to enlarge).<br /><br /><strong>Everybody at the Getty Villa:</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8RIpGbYf0hEnzX7_exLRQ55WNb1IeZHxCFKWzFKISc9Tcr8bz7Qvy2eO_nbaCBx6y-Avx-2Bmq1_N2i_-JotPwn3ha1TFMd0x61FXP1N3KTjIvnm0lrpF2IWXyVueRXhC0w_aw/s1600-h/AtTheGettyVilla.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8RIpGbYf0hEnzX7_exLRQ55WNb1IeZHxCFKWzFKISc9Tcr8bz7Qvy2eO_nbaCBx6y-Avx-2Bmq1_N2i_-JotPwn3ha1TFMd0x61FXP1N3KTjIvnm0lrpF2IWXyVueRXhC0w_aw/s320/AtTheGettyVilla.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126511689176016658" /></a><br /><strong>The first faery appears at the Faery Hunt:</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b_ziGOu9v0uHjJBt7ysYBHNIwz64kLRsJ1b4HDImRCOIXui70YBInyjF-Cooqg_DdQAmnuqq6FQHZifEI6khFoUKTLQvBWqKXtm5ez-St6ugfu64P3Xlz3NvjmRMHJtJvY6j_A/s1600-h/FaeryHunt1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b_ziGOu9v0uHjJBt7ysYBHNIwz64kLRsJ1b4HDImRCOIXui70YBInyjF-Cooqg_DdQAmnuqq6FQHZifEI6khFoUKTLQvBWqKXtm5ez-St6ugfu64P3Xlz3NvjmRMHJtJvY6j_A/s320/FaeryHunt1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126511543147128578" /></a><br /><strong>Emily With the Faery Queen:</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK64BsFlWCciqbXeEOH9UkwQZILZeVY8N5L0oCdVJ9Zn-r6vih8GEAmtiKpVfsDEumJb9Nc8oJftP2EZuGSfyowZS7wbjIC7MggdHHAzx4oannUVh5m8_7-OLhYogyArxXgfR32Q/s1600-h/FaeryHuntWFaeryQueen.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK64BsFlWCciqbXeEOH9UkwQZILZeVY8N5L0oCdVJ9Zn-r6vih8GEAmtiKpVfsDEumJb9Nc8oJftP2EZuGSfyowZS7wbjIC7MggdHHAzx4oannUVh5m8_7-OLhYogyArxXgfR32Q/s320/FaeryHuntWFaeryQueen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126511388528305906" /></a><br /><strong>The Monster Ride at the street fair:</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a29FyuNhWzcaIbh3ldjn7yJW6tHFE6V997TyGs5FHuXTT2fxGIvpE-AkFVirJxFSHBDx-sNgVuzzGols9Ovuha6M07OEZ5DikcjicY0cOxXngNFTSGjYkRTYvyeukfkwFSKPiw/s1600-h/StreetFairMonsterRide.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a29FyuNhWzcaIbh3ldjn7yJW6tHFE6V997TyGs5FHuXTT2fxGIvpE-AkFVirJxFSHBDx-sNgVuzzGols9Ovuha6M07OEZ5DikcjicY0cOxXngNFTSGjYkRTYvyeukfkwFSKPiw/s320/StreetFairMonsterRide.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126511251089352418" /></a><br /><strong>Barrelling down the Super Slide!:</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__RK9mp-ABo7cs1lG1LlmcjvXBBg16vDqc6jw4Cei64eT-_lAfqELDI5wYI-aR3QKTn6JMlq2G74QuUPVHayALTJYFsv0qtcEbjrjjdQn4wuLtpu2Z8iRamrummBZVQL6vGeiVQ/s1600-h/StreetFairSuperSlide.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__RK9mp-ABo7cs1lG1LlmcjvXBBg16vDqc6jw4Cei64eT-_lAfqELDI5wYI-aR3QKTn6JMlq2G74QuUPVHayALTJYFsv0qtcEbjrjjdQn4wuLtpu2Z8iRamrummBZVQL6vGeiVQ/s320/StreetFairSuperSlide.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126510529534846658" /></a><br /><br />All in all, it was a great time.<br /><br />Except for the last part....<br /><br />The last part was not fun.<br /><br />On their last day, Sunday, we attended the street fair and then Robin left about noon to catch a plane to Texas to teach the following week. Thus it fell to me to get the munchkins home to mom.<br /><br />On his way to the airport, Robin phoned to let me know he was hearing reports of fires all over the place. I texted my sister about it. She and her husband were on their way home on the 5 freeway, about 6 hours away. (They had finally gone sightseeing in San Francisco only that morning.)<br /><br />My sister listened to the news and then began calling around to her Santa Clarita neighbors. As it happened, her 18 year-old daughter (Heather) had stayed home to watch the animals and enjoy some introvert time alone. Fortunately, the neighbors had been alerted, so everyone was watching out for her.<br /><br />They had been evacuating homes nearby, but not her neighborhood quite yet.<br /><br />So my sister texted me with updates while I smiled angelically at darling little children and pretended everything was lovely. I fed them lunch, we went swimming. I took the two littlest ones back up to the street fair (but it wasn't wonderful because a rogue wind was blowing fiercely and threatened to knock tents down).<br /><br />Ryan noticed the smoke in the sky, and overheard at least two people remarking on the fires. I felt anxious that he might figure it out, but luckily his 11-year-old brain isn't that adept yet. I distracted him so he wouldn't think about it long enough to add up.<br /><br />We strolled to the video store to return what we'd watched, and we picked up a couple new ones.<br /><br />Then we went home and settled in for movie viewing. I was texting with my husband and sister the whole time. It was stressful! <br /><br />After the first film, I cooked up some microwave lasagna for dinner. And then we settled in for "Transformers." Sheesh, that movie is loooonnngggggg! Which turned out to be great news, because the youngest one fell asleep and Ryan was too sleepy to wonder why mom hadn't come to get him yet. Just to be safe, I called Nancy and we invented a ruse about all the "traffic on the freeway" that was making her late. She talked to him a bit and suggested he go to bed, reassuring him that she would come for him soon enough.<br /><br />So I put the kids to bed.<br /><br />It turns out my sister had a helluva time getting home. All the roads around her home were closed, and the security people wouldn't let her through, despite her having a daughter waiting at home! Luckily, my resourceful sister knows a secret road in, and she managed to sneak home that way.<br /><br />Apparently some tents in their back yard and her new gazebo had blown away. They began packing up their motorhome in order to evacuate, and her husband took an ATV out to investigate the area. Some neighbors had evacuated, but not all.<br /><br />I invited them to come and crash here. So after the young ones went to sleep, I bustled around cleaning up the kid mess. Did dishes, picked up toys, rearranged furniture that been moved. I made up the couch for sleeping, and inflated one of our air beds and made it up. It looked very inviting, if I do say so!<br /><br />At 2AM I got another text message from my sister, so I called her for their status. She said they were probably going to spend the night packing up. They had just suffered a power outtage five minutes previously, and they were working on the source of that problem. <br /><br />I was exhausted, so I told her I was going to leave the front door unlocked. Everything was ready for guests, so if they showed up, great -- and if not, that was okay too. And then I toddled off to bed -- exhausted!<br /><br />The following morning there was no sign of anybody. So I sent off some more text messages. Apparently they had worked all night long. The unenviable task of letting Ryan know why he was still hanging out at my house fell to me. (There was no need to let the 6-year-old know, and I had already let the 14-year-old know the situation the night before.) I got my sister on the phone, and pushed the young guy outside to have a comfy chat with mom, which helped a lot I think.<br /><br />We had run out of bread, so we went off to the grocery store for supplies. I grabbed some sandwich makings and pork chops I found on sale. When we came home, I pitched the pork chops in the crockpot for dinner. Then I got a text message from my sister saying they were on their way! Yay! <br /><br />So about 11AM there was a joyous reunion (and lots of Ghirardelli chocolate)! <br /><br />It turns out the fire had come within about 50 feet of my sister's house. It burned down a fence between her and a neighbor, and took out a barn in her neighbor's back yard! Too close for comfort!<br /><br />I fed everybody lunch with the sandwich fixings, and then bundled up the crockpot of chops to send home with them. Then they headed off, and I collapsed with exhaustion. It was HARD being Command Central for all that time! (And I'm not accustomed to deceiving children.)<br /><br />Everything seems to be fine now -- I still get the occasional text message from my sister about fire flare-ups and road closings. I still have the beds made up and ready for occupancy should they be needed.<br /><br />But for now, it seems the worst of it is over.<br /><br />Yayyyyyyy!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-21614099342776499522007-10-24T22:58:00.000-07:002007-10-29T13:47:20.664-07:00Robin's Satellite<a href="http://earth.esa.int/earthnetmedia/img/bd/3773_instru_aatsr.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px;" src="http://earth.esa.int/earthnetmedia/img/bd/3773_instru_aatsr.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Here is a link to information about the satellite Robin worked on years ago with an international team in Bristol, England:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMWYN2VQUD_index_0_m.html" target="_new">Envisat Satellite Info</a><br /><br />His simplified explanation:<br />The forward scan detects temperatures at the Earth's surface and buffers them. Later, the rear scan covers the same area but at a different angle and the values are compared to reduce the effect of the intervening atmosphere in each case.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.esa.int/images/California_fires_2_M.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://www.esa.int/images/California_fires_2_M.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Here is one of the images it captured of the recent Southern California wildfires.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-27445616462653717922007-02-19T19:50:00.000-08:002007-02-20T19:22:21.783-08:00TampaNormally I love Florida -- it's great being in the tropics, and we love snorkeling. But this trip to Tampa was cooooold! The wind coming off the ocean had a bite to it, and mostly I was glad to be inside. There wasn't a prayer I was going to stick so much as a toe in that freeeeeeezing water! <br /><br />So I guess you could say the entire Share conference experience this time out was, ah..... STIMULATING!<br /><br /><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Gasparilla_Pirate_Fest_2003_-_Pirate_Flagship_Invading_Tampa.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Gasparilla_Pirate_Fest_2003_-_Pirate_Flagship_Invading_Tampa.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Apparently we arrived on the day they were celebrating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasparilla" target="_blank">Gasparilla</a>, which I had never heard of! It sounds like an amazing festival, and we missed all of it. (I wish the Share publicists had warned us about it -- it sounded like a really unique and interesting experience!) It has to do with pirates and balls and coronations and all that thrilling swashbuckle stuff.<br /><br /><i>(As usual, click anything you want to view in a larger size.)</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpImcEJfatdaXTO9_RWK6pUVviOlGFaw_LxE8AM_4H4LOBD2UiQJ_QG1YNSoDV9l2Y83NIrfba0kK89rlrO81c0bSLUbAbCLEnTIUK7uKXjDP-Wv82wvHI1GFo0T3TBHaXf13JEA/s1600-h/TampaVD.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpImcEJfatdaXTO9_RWK6pUVviOlGFaw_LxE8AM_4H4LOBD2UiQJ_QG1YNSoDV9l2Y83NIrfba0kK89rlrO81c0bSLUbAbCLEnTIUK7uKXjDP-Wv82wvHI1GFo0T3TBHaXf13JEA/s320/TampaVD.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033465307425817506" /></a>This Share also happened to coincide with Valentine's Day, so we had to sneak in something special to celebrate (of course!). It started with Robin renting a silver Mustang convertible (to match VJ's raincoat!), and we took an invigorating drive southward to old St. Petersburg where we enjoyed a dinner cruise aboard the Starlite Princess.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6dq7oxJo7T-GJuguYhreebxEU17kMkKp2MTQNBsdZuCrCe9IAt6hcF7L6T1u_kWc8SA3g_akEARRLjz0iCx4FeSDPs-q2zsIjJpgqq_ax8TKzFYAGgyTuJ3o7lEygcpEdL_Wow/s1600-h/PaddlewheelerFiddled.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6dq7oxJo7T-GJuguYhreebxEU17kMkKp2MTQNBsdZuCrCe9IAt6hcF7L6T1u_kWc8SA3g_akEARRLjz0iCx4FeSDPs-q2zsIjJpgqq_ax8TKzFYAGgyTuJ3o7lEygcpEdL_Wow/s320/PaddlewheelerFiddled.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033474335447073746" /></a>What made this cruise different from others we've taken was that the Starlite Princess is a genuine paddlewheeler, not a mock paddlewheeler like some other boats we've been on. Robin really enjoyed the experience of riding on a classic boat, going through drawbridges, and chatting with Captain Frank at the helm.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgNXM0gZBlqFWXOb_gvokO1keP7mRz8zDogC-9kZGBKsP7WJ42V1x25hS4-WqTSt3ULcpDK7IHhRgKjrT4dzTAoDQfnyCympuLa3vFrpWPyjJydvM07944bYMShm-oZftilGLXA/s1600-h/StarlitePrincess.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgNXM0gZBlqFWXOb_gvokO1keP7mRz8zDogC-9kZGBKsP7WJ42V1x25hS4-WqTSt3ULcpDK7IHhRgKjrT4dzTAoDQfnyCympuLa3vFrpWPyjJydvM07944bYMShm-oZftilGLXA/s320/StarlitePrincess.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033473618187535298" /></a>We also got to dance, drink, and dine on seafood for several hours as we navigated the Intracoastal Waterway. <br /><br />I'm including a press picture of the boat -- naturally it was DARK when we were aboard her, not light. <br /><br />Someday, when we have all the time in the world, we'd like to rent a boat and go all the way up (or down) the coast on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway" target="_blank">Intracoastal Waterway</a>. Wouldn't that be fun? <br /><br />Here we are in our traditional "toast pose." How do you like the Valentine-pink jacket I just happened to pack?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuzRi_f04PAs1eaOhk_aFKbUK_nzb8GzsclJtW2CUbm3L4dAb4-RlmTExxd_F4DYMLLpRWPXmC2lhWipy2GfjiYNlyXwp3KMVGwZC_msSQrm4XVO9kR4PLKHEEekCoroJlTBnVw/s1600-h/VDToast.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuzRi_f04PAs1eaOhk_aFKbUK_nzb8GzsclJtW2CUbm3L4dAb4-RlmTExxd_F4DYMLLpRWPXmC2lhWipy2GfjiYNlyXwp3KMVGwZC_msSQrm4XVO9kR4PLKHEEekCoroJlTBnVw/s320/VDToast.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033487559651378322" /></a><br />I confess: after the bracing ride home, we put the top back on the convertible and left it on for the rest of the week while we were at Share. Whatta waste! It almost hurt to keep it closed.<br /><br />At Share, Robin and I delivered 5-6 sessions together (depending on how you count them), and Robin gave two sessions on MQ by himself. We got some great feedback, and we had a lot of fun (as usual). The socializing was terrific, the food was fantastic, and the company was grand!<br /><br />When the week ended, we found ourselves with an extra day to waste, so we decided to do some museum hopping.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GLbm_A31SuamafimxdEp9PUhPLH43k2xzf61zs9dAlUybJ9SdmOwcUYDPgcVWdcbz7DPtxheP4Q2JeSWGmhS6l2fSyfcTgCKf5QeJ4_nzXWARpUrdex4ItU1RODRXBcss9p77Q/s1600-h/HenryPlant1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GLbm_A31SuamafimxdEp9PUhPLH43k2xzf61zs9dAlUybJ9SdmOwcUYDPgcVWdcbz7DPtxheP4Q2JeSWGmhS6l2fSyfcTgCKf5QeJ4_nzXWARpUrdex4ItU1RODRXBcss9p77Q/s320/HenryPlant1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033478132198163442" /></a>Naturally we had to take in the <a href+"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_B._Plant_Museum" target="_blank">Henry Plant museum</a>. Plant was a railroad magnate who did a lot to expand Florida's transportation system and thus trade. Along the way, he got in the habit of building fancy Gilded Age hotels. One of them was supposed to be exotic as Arabian Nights, as the Moorish Revival minarets imply. It was the first hotel to feature electric lighting and telephones, and hosted many prominent guests, including Babe Ruth, Sarah Bernhardt, Clara Barton, and even the Queen of England. Colonel Teddy Roosevelt stationed and trained his Rough Riders on the grounds during the Spanish-American War. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u8YWUJW9uGyZM03aC5ZPz-2S2t2p4og5vYwOcOTCDzCQPyTzmP-TU7VigtxSW2OMUsDGBqMCh0Ff7TvI2p4_2Y2-BuYO8eG_aM97tyDMndMv6rUHEbhj8pLhdGgkkFAI5wDjfg/s1600-h/HenryPlant2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u8YWUJW9uGyZM03aC5ZPz-2S2t2p4og5vYwOcOTCDzCQPyTzmP-TU7VigtxSW2OMUsDGBqMCh0Ff7TvI2p4_2Y2-BuYO8eG_aM97tyDMndMv6rUHEbhj8pLhdGgkkFAI5wDjfg/s320/HenryPlant2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033478299701888002" /></a><br />Apparently these minarets are now symbolic of the Tampa skyline. And I have to admit: you do tend to doubletake when you first see them! It's not something you trip over in every city you visit!<br /><br />The Henry Plant Museum is now part of the University of Tampa campus, and Robin and I were both delighted that the building was being preserved through those means. (We're both heartsick about some of the recent demolitions of historic buildings, such as the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, when it seemed no one could find good uses for them. Just don't get me started!)<br /><br />We were also fortunate while we were there to take in a special exhibition they had on Gasparilla! The best part for me was a display of sparkly coronation gowns over the years that Gasparilla queens had worn. Here are two of them: see if you can figure out approximately what years they are associated with <i>(click to enlarge):</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QcnDSgQD-ckgCws2v_x2HQ2PEMduNfn95Z2gpC95WOwc71arNZdh-Rs1FX7d9kexCZblRReunotVY8iy2BbtOCoBc4jhGVepNVv_Vo4SJcDYJY4l_gqAAAelGxpNdjRKrubxTA/s1600-h/GasparillaGown2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QcnDSgQD-ckgCws2v_x2HQ2PEMduNfn95Z2gpC95WOwc71arNZdh-Rs1FX7d9kexCZblRReunotVY8iy2BbtOCoBc4jhGVepNVv_Vo4SJcDYJY4l_gqAAAelGxpNdjRKrubxTA/s200/GasparillaGown2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033485493772108898" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmn9IoSYbjCrElBXESA6vuKBvD8_MBBZuVOg5Efusa2azo3OQT3k-w2c2yCy6dvQaiSclx4lU7W6dQUSFMpaHrPfgzLNTE4024qg9fzwzA03IpafRtRYXHPPw1eO1s7BZ99G4qw/s1600-h/GasparillaGown1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmn9IoSYbjCrElBXESA6vuKBvD8_MBBZuVOg5Efusa2azo3OQT3k-w2c2yCy6dvQaiSclx4lU7W6dQUSFMpaHrPfgzLNTE4024qg9fzwzA03IpafRtRYXHPPw1eO1s7BZ99G4qw/s200/GasparillaGown1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033485695635571842" /></a><br /><br />Now, I was interested in the St. Petersburg museum, which boasted a few Monets and other impressionists in its collection. So once again we headed southward to get some more culture.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsKTFw7H4gjBMs5HwN5Iebicoba2HzkcTZKdtXO8DX_6oc-lkBrsfQ-9u-MXFg-tLm5uusnZplMXq5Y9Y8J6TH9tYpzU6IZ6qU7zQt0GNT633IFpja88wl4KFR65z9S4IqR2uLQ/s1600-h/Monet1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsKTFw7H4gjBMs5HwN5Iebicoba2HzkcTZKdtXO8DX_6oc-lkBrsfQ-9u-MXFg-tLm5uusnZplMXq5Y9Y8J6TH9tYpzU6IZ6qU7zQt0GNT633IFpja88wl4KFR65z9S4IqR2uLQ/s320/Monet1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033479296134300690" /></a>I was not disappointed! In fact, I thought this was a marvelous little museum, with a darling collection. It was like a precious little jewelbox, and it didn't have that "wannabe" feeling that small museums sometimes can have.<br /><br />Apparently this first Monet painting has been loaned out numerous times to major museums for exhibitions on Impressionism. It's one of a series of paintings Monet did of the Houses of Parliament. I've seen a number of the others at other museums around the world, and the dramatic changes in color and lighting with the same scene is quite fantastical. (This particular periwinkle/mauve color greatly appeals to me.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCxrRaMQI6roBt6YxWzcXjsmt6lDAA75QGdlr9mHNks5Wa0q7zBTgA8VY6X9Yl1KiTgc2KhyUf-6CQRlsuJgPKqZQUJLd1YrOYIaSmCxIoUTSLGKABxnjJLD-pLYb9j_MJ25iIg/s1600-h/Monet2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCxrRaMQI6roBt6YxWzcXjsmt6lDAA75QGdlr9mHNks5Wa0q7zBTgA8VY6X9Yl1KiTgc2KhyUf-6CQRlsuJgPKqZQUJLd1YrOYIaSmCxIoUTSLGKABxnjJLD-pLYb9j_MJ25iIg/s320/Monet2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033479618256847906" /></a>My memory is notoriously unreliable so I can't be certain, but I think I vaguely remember this second Monet from a traveling exhibition I enjoyed years ago titled "The Impressionists in Winter."<br /><br />I probably should stop having my picture taken with gorgeous paintings -- I always feel they make me look rather dull by comparison. <br /><br />We stumbled onto a docent giving a tour, and she fed us a lot of useful information as she led us merrily about the exhibitions.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AcpzjNduvn7ExPqObtPxTIH4TBA3aDV1Udouh7hTUA0TtPp5sC4fwJebhyphenhyphenQQVTUyHDDJooa-U55YHgfLoO7QufK9ssjK_kQFcXDRGHuE2kiLjxtFFhWO8mcsCt_uYHNTynByYA/s1600-h/Okeefe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AcpzjNduvn7ExPqObtPxTIH4TBA3aDV1Udouh7hTUA0TtPp5sC4fwJebhyphenhyphenQQVTUyHDDJooa-U55YHgfLoO7QufK9ssjK_kQFcXDRGHuE2kiLjxtFFhWO8mcsCt_uYHNTynByYA/s320/Okeefe.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033480155127759922" /></a>She shared a wonderful story about Julie Andrews falling in love with this Georgia O'Keefe painting, and how she whispered to her that they were selling t-shirts in the gift shop with an image of the painting on them. She said Andrews made a beeline for the gift shop and snapped up several before jumping into her limousine and racing away. (Apparently this was around the time she was performing "The Sound of Music," so it must have been centuries, er, decades ago.)<br /><br />I find it interesting that O'Keefe's husband (Alfred Steiglitz) referred to this painting as "that red thing." While we were admiring it, another visitor looked at it and remarked that he liked its "sizzle."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwWaBpI4otNMaw8I3BXuhMTdBgydj5990_A5NGkqv_mgeQbBWcPK9TPC0BWgnlVs5vK3uaGfGWacMQymsn526gNDMkJKQWm3nH3twZU4acE_f6r6UchkH_EKCTBNAd19wvkyeEw/s1600-h/Dali1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwWaBpI4otNMaw8I3BXuhMTdBgydj5990_A5NGkqv_mgeQbBWcPK9TPC0BWgnlVs5vK3uaGfGWacMQymsn526gNDMkJKQWm3nH3twZU4acE_f6r6UchkH_EKCTBNAd19wvkyeEw/s320/Dali1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033482341266113618" /></a>After the St. Petersburg museum, I simply had to let Robin visit the gallery of one of his favorite artists -- after all, it was so nearby that it would have been a crime to deprive him of that opportunity. I wonder whether you can guess from the photograph <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dali_Museum" target="_blank">which artist I'm referring to....?</a> All the clues you need are right there. (Why don't you take a moment to guess before you give up and click on the link to discover the answer?)<br /><br />Our last day in town found us in Ybor City checking out the historic cigar shops and Cuban influences. As we made our way to a Subway for lunch, the topic of Gasparilla reared its head again, and I came across the most amazing thrift shop window featuring displays of Gasparilla-styled costumes. I couldn't resist snapping a few shots of these amazing garments -- some of them compete well with the coronation gowns from the Henry Plant museum exhibit! See what you think <i>(click on each one for a better view):</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPZcWEJHzEkGRkR7CRzv_fXOiVw2aIysmG17qHjJTHD2jSklEQF9EVSOKBEy6JMGbzMnuKd0PjWIoxcpl-eMvN66_VKz9SPQFindJrH2gZV1OFg4E7GtY9ZohIadiXtQ7lbDOcQ/s1600-h/ThriftShop1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPZcWEJHzEkGRkR7CRzv_fXOiVw2aIysmG17qHjJTHD2jSklEQF9EVSOKBEy6JMGbzMnuKd0PjWIoxcpl-eMvN66_VKz9SPQFindJrH2gZV1OFg4E7GtY9ZohIadiXtQ7lbDOcQ/s200/ThriftShop1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488749357319410" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuUcHicaHOy9CU-aFUG38omX4b8axTFSlZgMJwrbj5P7cC6HfaifA13_UKdifSElYGulOqOzIL_BFwZVf615G_X2e-oCOESGnjBeDG6S_R9WK2-8iTYHrCZFMOx0ohKXT_1WokQ/s1600-h/ThriftShop11.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuUcHicaHOy9CU-aFUG38omX4b8axTFSlZgMJwrbj5P7cC6HfaifA13_UKdifSElYGulOqOzIL_BFwZVf615G_X2e-oCOESGnjBeDG6S_R9WK2-8iTYHrCZFMOx0ohKXT_1WokQ/s200/ThriftShop11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488822371763458" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z_4n1OJzmjAAAv-UMq4_kkn-qMzfIpQO3e-mfgV9rcqKGcrOloH053c7CXFhP16yc_PzZPviRTu0PRMsBTgTzHpm6Ih42n_Z7PaoAD8RTQ0nwyOqOeP1WYXlUbKSIW2Tgs8KQg/s1600-h/ThriftShop111.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z_4n1OJzmjAAAv-UMq4_kkn-qMzfIpQO3e-mfgV9rcqKGcrOloH053c7CXFhP16yc_PzZPviRTu0PRMsBTgTzHpm6Ih42n_Z7PaoAD8RTQ0nwyOqOeP1WYXlUbKSIW2Tgs8KQg/s200/ThriftShop111.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488869616403730" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ue1muEFWhFq_sYBP2gMdpdrLy8whqhEmCaSGamv6zHqPE6N5l1wOaLyS6p2zb850hJwbJFGBGhrxtABwrHg3TLHvHvi3ugEWgFsS0WDXNIunPjOy9mrYs3EJ5Agmp0XQU2iC0w/s1600-h/ThriftShop2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ue1muEFWhFq_sYBP2gMdpdrLy8whqhEmCaSGamv6zHqPE6N5l1wOaLyS6p2zb850hJwbJFGBGhrxtABwrHg3TLHvHvi3ugEWgFsS0WDXNIunPjOy9mrYs3EJ5Agmp0XQU2iC0w/s200/ThriftShop2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488680637842658" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lybQCUMbzpWES7hyQiUHZXbe9nVb17aVIJBNfGfMdpa8Z3W9ObdzOabvPmKeZb8gbyyZcZMFcu4sYOrJls10KlqmoY3jrXrMG5dpfU-Rw66ZZaKP8yP8VobHCU5v_J4t-F9wfw/s1600-h/ThriftShop3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lybQCUMbzpWES7hyQiUHZXbe9nVb17aVIJBNfGfMdpa8Z3W9ObdzOabvPmKeZb8gbyyZcZMFcu4sYOrJls10KlqmoY3jrXrMG5dpfU-Rw66ZZaKP8yP8VobHCU5v_J4t-F9wfw/s200/ThriftShop3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488581853594834" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFeJLvhrlRZpGP-LIQkjgUguh2QL89jYGQLowu1LuikUS1yQlvt1U3IVkwNxehDO1xp_2HcAwumfqBA_brJW0COLBSUIJS7QKYwycQNr93CXupviQzphq4E4HsuZ5r7SmRjG6Yw/s1600-h/ThriftShop4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFeJLvhrlRZpGP-LIQkjgUguh2QL89jYGQLowu1LuikUS1yQlvt1U3IVkwNxehDO1xp_2HcAwumfqBA_brJW0COLBSUIJS7QKYwycQNr93CXupviQzphq4E4HsuZ5r7SmRjG6Yw/s200/ThriftShop4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488508839150786" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVWnHk7IUGhceE0rUiOs8M3tAaJ4_mv_hVgaWXL0uJHElxBPhhdizphrAUDCxE3KlqLkT4TERYjUljhScqRdtZJnaE7jx7B7hyphenhyphenVid2Me0XV4IMzHwuTAtspLh_qXQKgAGIvRt2Q/s1600-h/ThriftShop62.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVWnHk7IUGhceE0rUiOs8M3tAaJ4_mv_hVgaWXL0uJHElxBPhhdizphrAUDCxE3KlqLkT4TERYjUljhScqRdtZJnaE7jx7B7hyphenhyphenVid2Me0XV4IMzHwuTAtspLh_qXQKgAGIvRt2Q/s200/ThriftShop62.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033488148061897890" /></a><br /><br />Overall, we enjoyed Tampa tremendously -- but we hope to return someday when the weather is nice and try it out for snorkeling.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-16191488426146504012007-01-23T13:59:00.000-08:002007-01-24T00:34:32.004-08:00How Hard DID the Wind Blow?The wind blew soooooo hard, it blew the paint right off the house!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs9NouFzPeIJzT5UiLoI9kJqkoKsYLZn80tgWfHivnKHzs_K4CDTLw97QzKLERF_gfGmTMCu0N9oHZWMzyUlY6a5UlNglHJu5tfVz70-COTKT7dXF49cO7pfzViPsezIwiuHiFQ/s1600-h/SalomaPaintPeel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023349314619600050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 5px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs9NouFzPeIJzT5UiLoI9kJqkoKsYLZn80tgWfHivnKHzs_K4CDTLw97QzKLERF_gfGmTMCu0N9oHZWMzyUlY6a5UlNglHJu5tfVz70-COTKT7dXF49cO7pfzViPsezIwiuHiFQ/s400/SalomaPaintPeel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Ha ha ha.<br /><br />Okay, it's not funny.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKVBA_ow7WW0hX1dzQSaGWVGszm4llULE_2SM4TL5Vp45Y3ZjUFvYJR2j4_DgHC3eDe8tY6Snjls2lYHUhFmwkMYFDwJHU1NZ8paxhBSx8CESkeMddAhLX3fVXmaI1jrR7KxTGA/s1600-h/SalomaPaintPeel2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKVBA_ow7WW0hX1dzQSaGWVGszm4llULE_2SM4TL5Vp45Y3ZjUFvYJR2j4_DgHC3eDe8tY6Snjls2lYHUhFmwkMYFDwJHU1NZ8paxhBSx8CESkeMddAhLX3fVXmaI1jrR7KxTGA/s400/SalomaPaintPeel2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023351668261678274" /></a>Shortly after moving into our new house, I came outside one day to find big pieces of seafoam green "paper" lying in the driveway. It was very windy the night before, so finding junk in the yard wasn't startling, but what were these green sheets of paper?<br /><br />Turns out they were paint off the house!<br /><br />The main culprit seems to be an air conditioning duct along the top of the house that apparently wasn't prepared properly to accept the paint the previous owner had applied to improve the property's "curb appeal" for selling.<br /><br />Mostly you can't see the problem unless you go to the second floor and look for it. (If you click the first picture above, you can see more of the detail.) <br /><br />There's a little patch on the front of the house where metal is showing through the peeling paint. And THAT upsets me. It wrecks the facade of the house!<br /><br />This is such a gorgeous looking house; I'm very sensitive to something wrecking the look of the facade.<br /><br />Somehow, I don't think the previous owner would want that either, so we're trying to find out whether there's a warranty on the paint job we can still take advantage of.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-53021230836479124912007-01-22T13:35:00.000-08:002008-05-28T00:08:29.256-07:00She's Hilarious!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XvG_OLeZVEdPv0iFbrHDOTQn9tt6JWNENMSphp9I4Oc3NwkPXd6OgumZ3YneO_GvJyRoopxZYA_b51wGmgxmAzGtFcurKWw85xPKtaGtYd06OI2Bspq-wYP8EmoO1UADK-08ug/s1600-h/Emily.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XvG_OLeZVEdPv0iFbrHDOTQn9tt6JWNENMSphp9I4Oc3NwkPXd6OgumZ3YneO_GvJyRoopxZYA_b51wGmgxmAzGtFcurKWw85xPKtaGtYd06OI2Bspq-wYP8EmoO1UADK-08ug/s320/Emily.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022973011059960946" /></a>This is my five-year-old niece, Emily. (Her preferences are for ENFJ, for those who keep track of such things.)<br /><br />Don't let her angelic appearance fool you! This little gal has a wicked sense of humor. And she got off some amazing wisecracks over the holidays that we're still laughing about.<br /><br />For instance, if you admire her dress too much (like the white one she's wearing), she'll let you know right away that it doesn't come in *your* size.<br /><br />Here are a few other highlights:<br /><br />I made some remark to her at Christmastime, and she looked at me and said, "Watch it or I'll use my 'cute voice' on you."<br /><br />As we were moving into our new house, she announced she was going to imitate my husband. Then she stomped up the staircase and said (in a loud, fake-male voice), "Honey, I'm hooooome!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVweJw0f-k176kPexhuSUDiotKnlqaWGoC0mv1pcb61TM2fxvpSXbs6lqkLI6G7qQpLcNJom_HKopdNr3y6KrnjS-LcZUdlZDUTSkEugdYTDeT3C4tGHKwKGoVXbx7aQ9sZKTWg/s1600-h/MeatMeatMeat.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVweJw0f-k176kPexhuSUDiotKnlqaWGoC0mv1pcb61TM2fxvpSXbs6lqkLI6G7qQpLcNJom_HKopdNr3y6KrnjS-LcZUdlZDUTSkEugdYTDeT3C4tGHKwKGoVXbx7aQ9sZKTWg/s320/MeatMeatMeat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022976434148895906" /></a>On Christmas Eve day, my sister set out a spread of deli items for us to snack on. Robin is a vegetarian, and he had some cheese and dips. Emily came over to him with a slice of salami, waved it tauntingly in his face, and said, "Meeeeat, meeeeat, meeeeat." <br /><br />My sister tells me the other day my oldest niece wore an elegant fur coat to class for the first meeting, and on the way home she commented that she probably looked like a dork. Emily piped up from the back seat, "But you're a beautiful dork, Heather."<br /><br />Oh my, she's a pistol.<br /><br />I'm going to update this from time to time with new Emily humor -- stay tuned!<br /><br />10/31/07<br />My sister ran an errand, and when she returned home and pulled into the driveway, Emily looked at me and said, "There's your little sister!"<br /><br />5/15/08<br />My sister bought a party dress. It was a Grecian-style gown, with gold sequin trim under the bust, laid over classically draped white chiffon. She looked elegant and lovely. But she reports that Emily looked at the dress and said, "Mom, the Eighties called. They want their Roman dress back." Pretty sassy for a 6-year-old!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxMTRr2AHIom-6_R_jf2nPZqZSHNGuCebAVSNX2-879y4z67qMrQ_6nasuYE3NCSytNq6cXxoeJOol5yTVMwvDP3afyMEIqEGTT8aadNZb3lvwenH_6HWAhookePznm7tflwzTQ/s1600-h/EmilyCouch2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxMTRr2AHIom-6_R_jf2nPZqZSHNGuCebAVSNX2-879y4z67qMrQ_6nasuYE3NCSytNq6cXxoeJOol5yTVMwvDP3afyMEIqEGTT8aadNZb3lvwenH_6HWAhookePznm7tflwzTQ/s400/EmilyCouch2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022974059031981202" /></a>Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-1165614258377456582006-12-08T13:44:00.000-08:002007-11-27T00:28:53.214-08:00Christmas Comes Early this YearChristmas is beginning early with us this year. (click any picture to enlarge it for a better view) <br /><br />Around a month ago, on a lark, Robin took me to an open house in the neighborhood to check out a little Craftsman-style home he'd seen for sale. The sign said it had a pool, so he was intrigued. <br /><br />And it was wonderful! Nestled in the middle of a seedy Hollywood neighborhood, we discovered an oasis. We drooled over the gourmet kitchen, the hard floors inside, the beautifully restored woodwork. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/06_131077_P00.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/06_131077_P00.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>But it was the back yard that sang to us. It was like a four-star resort! We felt a strong sense of peace and calm simply standing near the charming outside pool soaking up sunshine. We didn't want to leave! It was a wrench to go back home and pick up our paintbrushes to continue painting the bedroom we'd started work on.<br /><br />Robin was bitten by the bug. Bitten hard. He called our financial advisor and asked if we could afford a house. He said we could! Our financial advisor introduced us to his best friend, <a href="http://www.jefflemen.com" target="_blank">Jeff</a>, and asked if he could help us buy a house. He said he could!<br /><br />And the game was on...<br /><br />While our realtor Jeff was impressed with this peaceful oasis in Hollywood, he wasn't in love with the seedy neighborhood that surrounded it. While waiting on the sidewalk for the listing agent to come open it for us to view, nearly every weirdo in the world walked past. We were treated to tattoos, body piercings, and even someone who looked homeless. It wasn't a cozy feeling, and we began to feel maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all.<br /><br />But that didn't stop us! We simply opened up our range and went house hunting. It was fast and furious. (We don't mess around.) In a single afternoon one time, we raced through SIX houses, seeking a good fit. Whew! (Is that any kind of record??)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P00.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P00.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>But it was a romp on the internet that turned up a rare-looking jewel: a Tropical Deco house curiously appearing in Sherman Oaks -- near the Galleria! (Remember Valley Girls? And "gag me with a spoon"?)<br /><br />Our jaws dropped in astonishment. Was this for real? It looked like something from a Hollywood movie set. Certainly it didn't resemble anything we'd encountered before in Los Angeles -- at least not in this condition! It most closely echoed buildings we'd seen in Miami Beach, Florida -- down to the pastel color scheme!<br /><br />This architectural style -- known as "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamline_Moderne" target="_blank">streamline moderne</a>" -- enjoyed its zenith in the 1930s as a latent trend within the Art Deco movement. The style was meant to evoke the feeling of living aboard an elegant cruise ship, complete with portholes!<br /><br />(The irony is that not so long ago I told Robin we ought to consider living on a boat. And then a house shows up that resembles... a boat!)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/06_032773.1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/06_032773.1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Robin called it a "lollipop" when I showed it to him online. He wanted the Georgian Colonial I'd come across. And I wanted it for him! After all, it was on this side of the city (Beachwood Canyon), and reminded us of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Thomas_Jefferson%27s_Monticello_Estate.jpg" target="_blank">Monticello</a> and other classical Georgian structures designed by Thomas Jefferson, such as are on the campus of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:UVa_Rotunda.jpg" target="_blank">University of Virginia</a>. It seems the brilliant Jefferson (who may have had INTJ preferences like Robin) felt this was the most classical of architectural designs. (Americans probably remember that Monticello is featured on the back of our old-fashioned nickels.)<br /><br />Unfortunately, some butcher had gotten hold of that house and added all kinds of oddball areas, such as a contemporary-looking room that was completely out of the period. It was disastrous in terms of being inconsistent with the style, and it would cost a fortune to put it to rights, above and beyond the price of the house -- not to mention the creaky wood floors and old-fashioned tiled bathrooms that would need to be upgraded. Plus, we had decided that "fixer-upper" for us would require at most a new coat of paint. So we mournfully kissed her goodbye. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P01.0.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P01.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>We finally got a real-life look at the "lollipop" -- inside and out -- and even Robin was impressed. Built in 1991, this house had more style and features than anything else in its price range. And size! It boasted 2,950 square feet of floor space. It rises two stories, with a 660 sq. foot garage. And the color scheme was a pleasing palette. We found ourselves drooling once again, and comparing it to icons we've seen in our travels -- the Usonians, the Victorians, the Craftsmans. It seemed to give them a good run for the money!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P08.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P08.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Yes, it had a pool out back -- big enough to do laps in even! Since Robin and I have been swimming lately for our workout, this feature appealed tremendously to both of us. Better still, does the phrase "pool party!" mean anything to you? All it needs is a barbecue and some lounge furniture. Does anybody know where I can find an inexpensive Viking? (And do you think it can be made to look as inviting as the pool area from that first house in Hollywood we loved?)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P02.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P02.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Robin swooned over the kitchen, since he probably spends more time there than I do. The gas range you see in the picture is on a center island with an overhead exhaust fan. The counters are made of black granite. The refrigerator is HUGE, and there are two ovens, both self-cleaning convection. I might need to replace the dishwasher since it's a Kenmore, and I have a loyalty to Maytag (my grandfather worked for Maytag in Newton, Iowa for 50 years).<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P07.0.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P07.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>One of the more amazing features of the house is its upstairs solarium (360 sq. feet). It's entirely enclosed in glass, with a sliding door leading out onto an open patio facing the street at the front of the house. You can make out the railing that goes around the balcony if you look past the reflection of the room on the glass. It has its own supplementary air conditioning unit, as well as ceiling fan, and little metal shutters that slide over the glass to control the amount of light. <br /><br />This would have to be MY room. It's funny, because I've been whining to Robin for years how I wanted a sunroom, but I never dreamed we would actually trip over one in a house this way! (It's mine mine mine mine mine!!!)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P09.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P09.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Let me show you the house from the BACK so you can get a load of the garage and the upstairs. Apparently the owner had intended to eventually build another story on top of the garage, perhaps as guest quarters, and even the main house is designed to handle a third story!<br /><br />Drawbacks? Well, there are a few. There's nary a bookshelf to be found (and Robin and I have zillions of books. In fact, we just installed a built-in bookcase in our living room, and it breaks my heart to think of leaving it.) We also have a gorgeous Arthurian tapestry that simply doesn't fit into this house's decor, and we will lose the brand-new dark wood floors we just installed. Basically, the whole "Shabby Chic meets Medieval" theme cannot be repeated in this house. It just can't!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/R2032018_P04.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/R2032018_P04.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Here's a look at the living room with a sideways peek into the dining room (and the kitchen beyond that). As you can see, it doesn't exactly scream for dark wood floors and bookcases! We're talking a "keep it light" and "think vacation" kind of decorating mentality. Sticking a Pre-Raphaelite tapestry in this room would be as bad as... tacking a contemporary room onto a Georgian Colonial. It would be a travesty not a tapestry!<br /><br />More than interior decorating, we were concerned with the first three rules of real estate: location location location. After all, Vicky Jo has spent more than 25 years living on <i>this</i> side of the hills. She feels like Hollywood and West Hollywood are her "stomping grounds," and she has no great desire to relocate into the Valley. That has probably been the greatest wrench to consider overcoming. Moving to the Valley feels uncomfortably like "being put out to pasture." <br /><br />There would be some compensation though, since she can easily stroll to both Ventura Boulevard and the Galleria from here. The Boulevard is cool -- it's the Sunset Strip of the Valley. And this house seems worth the sacrifice.<br /><br />After talking it over between ourselves, our realtor, and our financial advisor for two or three days, we decided to make an offer on the house. The counter-offer was significantly more than we hoped, but everyone on our "team" felt the property was still good value for the money. So we accepted the counter-offer, and now we're in the scramble to do all the loan paperwork.<br /><br />We did an inspection last week and brought our camera along. If you want to see the highlights via a "guided tour" of 80 shots, click here: <a href="http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=5mugzxr.1pi42taj&x=0&y=vy29vo" target="_blank">Saloma Highlights</a>. If you're a masochist, a snoop, or a zealous relative who wants to see every wrinkle, email me for a link to 237 additional jumbled shots that include views inside closets, medicine cabinets, and electrical controls.<br /><br />Either way, you do NOT have to sign in to view these pics -- simply click "View Slideshow." Be sure to click "Play" after it loads up.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>If all goes well, we will take possession of the home soon -- yikes! during the month of Christmas! Oh good heavens, whatta mess. And just don't ask me whether we're going to sell or rent or what with the place where we're living right now! And please please don't bring up PACKING. (Unless you're volunteering.....? If so, email me right away!!)Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-1164787851601410312006-11-28T23:54:00.000-08:002007-10-29T17:58:05.843-07:00The Purple Fairy VisitsWe have an adorable niece. Her name is Emily, and she's five years old. Her favorite color is "purple," and that's also her word for imaginary things. So if she tells you she's calling her "purple mommy" on her "purple cell phone," you know that's all in her imagination. So cute!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/1600/251802/ButterflyFairyAlone.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/320/515525/ButterflyFairyAlone.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>For Halloween, she wore a "Butterfly Fairy" costume that she picked out herself. Clearly she loved being a sparkly fairy. (Can you make out the sparkly butterflies at the end of her antenna? Click any photo to enlarge it.)<br /><br />So anyway... Robin and I have habitually taken each of our nieces and nephews individually for one weekend each year and done something special with them: visited a museum, given them a surf lesson, taken them to Arizona in a convertible, whatever. We take them away for a couple of nights and do something really splashy for them.<br /><br />Well, Emily hasn't had that opportunity yet. And after Halloween, we found ourselves in the local Ross store "channelling" Emily and thinking "purple." And so we went a little overboard collecting some purple things.<br /><br />Now Robin's been traveling quite a bit lately, and it doesn't look like we're going to squeeze in a weekend visit with Emily before the end of the year -- so last weekend while they were out of town for Thanksgiving, we broke into my sister's house and did a "makeover" on Emily's bed. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/1600/167739/PurpleFairyBed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/320/625656/PurpleFairyBed.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>What dya think?<br /><br />FYI: this is the bottom of a bunk bed she shares with her older brother.<br /><br />Now you would think that bedspread is scratchy, but it's not! It's smooth and cuddly. Serious! There was a sticker on it that said it had been available at Kohl's Department Store for $134.99 or something. (Are you kidding me?!?) I got it for $18.<br /><br />The fuzzy pillow just felt good, the memo board seemed fitting. Can you make out the kidsize purple sunglasses we hung on it? The purple star is actually a lighted plastic Christmas decoration from Ikea.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/1600/724232/PurplePillow.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3168/3175/320/359728/PurplePillow.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>We laid the butterfly headband from her Halloween costume on the pillow so she would connect it all together in her mind somehow.<br /><br />And of course we couldn't resist the sparkly book about Christmas that cost all of a dollar!<br /><br />Isn't it cute?<br /><br />My biggest fear was that Emily might get upset about my demoting her "Dora the Explorer" bedding. So I folded it neatly on the end so it didn't look abandoned.<br /><br />They got home yesterday, and I would have given anything to see the look on her face. All I know is that her older brother IM'd me last night and said [quote] "the purple ferry came by and gave emily some new stuff for her bed." So I figure Robin and I are representatives of The Purple Fairy now -- and I infer from my nephew's message that the bed was a hit!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-1162446649538407712006-11-01T21:50:00.000-08:002007-01-23T15:17:30.915-08:00Halloween 2006 Report<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/MagicCastleHalloween.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/MagicCastleHalloween.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>Halloween was a tad bizarre this year. We didn't do pumpkin carving OR trick-or-treating. <img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/33.gif"><br /><br />First of all, we had a guest in from Germany this month, so that required some attention. Second of all, the house is still in mega-pieces from all the remodeling projects I'm into. Third of all, Robin and I alternated coming down with a truly nasty cold that landed us each in bed for several days in a row (albeit not the same days, which is good <i>and</i> bad news -- figure it out).<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/MMMcPetersCostumesResized.4.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/MMMcPetersCostumesResized.4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>So the Halloween celebration turned into a variety of mini-celebrations strung over a number of days.<br /><br />We attended the Magic Castle costume party on Friday night, where we also worked as volunteer Castle Knights. We got dolled-up for that party. He's a magician and I'm the Queen of Hearts -- of course! (Click any picture to enlarge it.)<br /><br />We had a lot of fun, although I think Robin nearly passed out after I pushed him a little hard on the dance floor. He turned a shade of green I don't think I've ever seen before. He actually had to go lie down and recover for a bit. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/McPetersHalloween.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/McPetersHalloween.jpg" border="0" /></a>It was fun to see all the costumes, and I always enjoy the amazing creativity that gets generated on Halloween. I used to love attending the West Hollywood costume parade, but usually we go to my sister's house and enjoy Trick-or-Treating with her kids. But since Robin was out of town on Halloween this year, we went up and did a little costume parade on Saturday afternoon at my sister's home. The whole family got in on the costume parade! We have the Superhero Parents, of course. The boy on the left is a "chick magnet," the little girl down front is a butterfly, the boy is a knight from "The Chronicles of Narnia," and the girl on the right is a half-dressed "Tokyo Pop Princess."<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/1600/WitchyPoo.4.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3168/3175/320/WitchyPoo.4.jpg" border="0" /></a>I had to get in on the act (of course), so I donned a little witchy-poo costume for the Saturday soccer game. The umbrella isn't normally part of the ensemble, but man it was HOT that day. I thought those striped stockings were going to melt right off my legs! ("I'm melting, I'm melting!"...)<br /><br />I hope your Halloween was happy! BOO!Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36985146.post-1162443812309395842006-11-01T21:03:00.000-08:002006-11-01T22:19:35.036-08:00Welcome to Postcards from Robin & Vicky JoI have at last been seduced into the simplicity of blogging. All the years I've spent learning html coding and how to put up websites falls by the wayside and now I'm ready to blog my heart out.<br /><br />Truth be told, I had stopped creating websites because it just got to be Too Hard. Do you know how much work it is to put something online that maybe a hundred people are ever gonna look at? It's Not Worth It!<br /><br />So time to Go Blog. Go big, I say. Go Big Blog.<br /><center><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#333399;"><a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PostcardsFromRobinAndVickyJo/join"><br /><img src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/yg/img/i/us/ui/join.gif" border="0"><br>Click the button to join Postcards From Robin & Vicky Jo<br />and be kept posted about breaking blog entries and other important notices</a></span><br /></center><br /><br />If you click that link above, you'll be added to my Yahoo Groups list. That's the list that gets my Christmas cards and my little updates from time to time. You can comment on them and everything! I don't consider it spam... but that's your call I guess. ;-)<br /><br />Of course, you can always unsubscribe whenever you want to... Better to have it than not, I always say.Vicky Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954751787350690362noreply@blogger.com0